Pronunciation table

consonants vowels
symbol example word symbol example word

b b ack sheep
d d ay " ship
0 lhen happy
d3 Jump ,, acid
f tat e bed
g get re bod
h hol 0' calm
j y ell 0 pol
k key J: caught
led u put
m sum u actuality
n sun ~ ambulance
~ sung boot
p pen "'• cut
, red bird
"•
s
f
ooon
fishing . cupboard
make

e
I
If
l ea
c hee,
thing
.
>U

au
nole
bite
now
,.
v
w
x
view
wel
loch
,. boy
here
i. peculiar
, zero e, there
3 plea8ure co poor
u. ritual
C<O player
00. lower
.., tire
_u, tower
,,, employer

special signs

g separates British and American pronunciations:

British on the left , American on the right
,I, shows main stress
1./ shows secondary stress
f -/ shows stress shift
I rl at the end of a word means that the Irl sound is
produced in American English, but usually not
pronounced in British English. except when Irl
comes at the end of a word and the word that
follows begins with a vowel sound
I!I means that some speakers use
use / ~/
'I' and others

,~, means that some speakers use /uf and others

use f ~'
I~/ means thal /;,J mayor may not be used
LontpDan Group UK Umlted
1.ongman Ho_, Burnt Mill, Harlow,
&sa CM20 2.!E, England
and AssocialAld o,mpanu. throughouttM world.

© Longman Group UK Limited 1993

All rights reserved; no pari of this publication may be
reproduced. stored in a retrieval syskm, or
transmitted in any form or by any means, el«tronic.
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise.
without the prior written permission 0/ the Publishers.

Activator is a trademark of Longman Group UK Limited

The examples in the Longman Language Activator are

based on the original texts in the Longman Corpus Net·
work. The fact that names that may be trademarks are
included in examples but not marked as such does not
affect the legal status of such trademarks. Other types of
infonnation given in the examples are intended as examples
of use and do not represent the opinions of the publishers
and editors oflhis dictionary.

First published 1993

Seventh impression 1997

British Library Cataloguing·in·Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the

British Library.

Cased Edition:
ISBN 0 S82 04002.2

Paperback Edition:
ISBN 058204093.0

&t in Agfa Compugraphic 9IiOUG 7 on 7lpt Nimrod

by OTS (Typesening) Lld. CoW-ham, Surrey

PrinlAld in Great Britain by Clays Lld. St. Ives plc

We are grateful to the following for their pennission to

reproduce copyrigbt photographs.

Back cover:
Gareth Boden for middle rigbt. Camera Press London/
Homer Sykes for top right. Longman Photographic Unit for
top left and bottom right. Photofllsion/ Julia Martin for
middle left. Rex Features for bottom left.

Inside photography by Gareth Boden, except for page 1424

by AlIsport (UK) Limited/ Gray Mortimore.
Contents
Page
Pronunciation table inside front cover
Preface F7
- Professor Sir Randolph Quirk
Introduction to the Longman Longuage F8
Activator
- DeIla Summers, Editorial Director
The scope of the Longman Longuage F12
Activator
- Professor Geoffrey Leech
Vocabulary acquisition and the FI5
Activator
- Dr Paul Meara
The conceptual map of English and the FI7
Activator
- Philip Scholfield
Semantic analysis and the Activator F20
- Professor Y. Ikegami
Informal, formal, and spoken language F22
and the Activator
- Professor Gillian Brown
The value of the Activator to students F24
of English
- Professor Albrecht Neuber!
Explanatory page F26
How to use the Longman Language F28
Activator

The dictionary A-Z

Key Word pictures

Is CUT the right word? 298
Is DRAW the rigbt word? 378
Is FALL the right word? 464
Is FRIGHTENED the right word? 528
Is LISTEN the right word? 782
Is LOOK FOR the right word? 802
Is RUN the right word? 1150
Is STEAL the right word? 1296
Is THROW the right word? 1412
Is TIRED the right word? 1424
Is WALK the right word? 1522
Is WET the right word? 1548

KeyWords BI
Longman Defining Vocabulary B5
Grammatical information inside back cover
 Editorial Director
Della Summers

Managing Editor
Michael Rundell

Developmental Lexicographer
Nick Ham

Senior Lexicographers
Patrick Gillard
TedJackson

Lexicographers Resources and Systems Manager

Imogen Bentley Steve Crowdy
Deborah Brewer
Isobel Connelly Cutforth Systems and Corpus Software
HuwDavies Eric Briggs
Sue Engineer Brian Chandler
Caroline England Ken Moore
Chris Fox
Jane Hansell Design
Emma Hilditch Paul Price·Smith
Stella O'Shea Ken Brooks
Laura Wedgeworth
Production
American Editors Clive McKeough
Karen Cleveland Marwick
Coleen Degnan·Veness Typesetting
Brock N Brock Peter White
PeterWray
Production Editors
Cathleen Jennings Administrative Assistants
Sarah Gumbrell Joanna Russell
Alison Steadman PennyClark
Tracy Tucker
Pronunciation Adviser Jane Whittle
Professor J C Wells

Pronunciotion Editor
Dinah Jackson

Thanks are due also to those who were members of the editorial team for shorter
periods during the course of the project:
Darren Con way, Andrew Delahunty, Kirsty Fullarton, Katharine Hughes,
Christopher JefTries, Nicola Jones, Nicholas Jones, Fiona McJntosh, Fred
McDonald, Catherine Nalty, Christine Paris, Deborah Trick';r, and Jane Walsh.

Longman Longuage Activator Editorial Board

Professor GeofTrey Leech (Chair) Dr Paul Meara
Dr Vivian Cook Robert O'NeiII
Dr Winifred Crombie Philip Scholfield
Professor Yoshihiko Ikegami Professor Katsuaki Togo
Ling/ex Dictionary and Corpus Advisory Committee
Professor Sir Randolph Quirk (Chair)
Professor Geoffrey Leech (Vice-Chair)
Louis Alexander
Professor Douglas Riber
Rod Bolitho
Professor Gillian Orown
Professor Christopher N. Candlin
Professor David Crystal
We would like to thank the many teachers and students from all over the world
who have helped us in piloting different aspects of this dictionary, in particular
the staff and students of:
Bell Language Institute - London
Brighton Polytechnic
British Council - Tokyo
Cambridge School of English - London
Central School of English
Ealing College
Eurocentres - Lee Green
Hampstead Garden Suburb Institute
Hampstead School of English
Hendon College of Further Education
HILF, Reinhardswaldschule, Fuldatal
International House - London
International House - Hastings
Readers and Advisers
Jan Bell
Professor Broder Carstensen
Dr Roger Bowers
Christoph Edelhoff
Eckhard Fiedler
Roger Gower
Eryl Griffiths
Nina Hajnal
Jeremy Harmer
David Heath
Professor Thomas Herbst
Andy Hopkins
Reimer Jansen
GlynJones
Professor Gerhard Leitner
.. . and the thousands of students who have contributed samples of their work to
the Longman Learners' Corpus
Dr Philip Johnson-Laird
Dr Paul Meara
Dr Karen Sparck Jones
Phnip Scholfield
Professor Peter Trudgill
Katie Wales
Professor J C Wells
Professor David Wilkins
Kanda Gaigo - Tokyo
London Study Centre
New School of English - Cambridge
Oxford College of Further Education
Oxford House College
Pittsburgh University - Japan
Queen Mary and Westfield College
Simul Academy - Tokyo
St G nes School of English - London
University of St Andrews
Wait ham Forest College
Westminster College
Seth Lindstromberg
Susan Maingay
Keith Mitchell
Sue Mohamed
Jon Naunton
Professor Albrecht Neubert
Lynette Murphy O'Dwyer
Martin Parrot!
Professor H-E Piepho
Dr GiUian Porter-Ladousse
Dr Peter Rekowsk i
Dr Michael Sharwood Smith
Professor Peter Skehan
Professor Masanori Toyota
Chris Tribble
Preface

The conventional dictionary has become better and better

during the many generations since Longman published
Samuel Johnson's great work in 1755. But better and better
at basically the same job: explaining what someone else has
said or written; that is, converting words into meanings for
the passive partner in communication.

For the active partner, striving to convert meanings into

words, such a dictionary is less helpful, and the Longman
lexicographers have now produced a radically different type
of dictionary with precisely this active partner's needs in
mind.

Moreover, by attracting users to major 'Key Word' entries

such as SUMMARIZE, The Longman Language Activator
performs a double function. It presents linguistic - not just
lexical - information in a rich, convenient and production-
oriented way. This transcends word boundaries (in short is
there) and grammatical categories (a rundown is there,
but also to sketch out). Secondly, the Activator gently
obliges users by this format to train themselves in prepara-
tory thought and planning. They are encouraged to single
out a word representing the beginnings of what they want to
state and are then helped to home in on 'ideas boxes' in
which semantically relevant and suggestive expressions are
presented. An initial skeleton can thus be fleshed out and be
given not merely a satisfying fullness but the desirable
linguistic precision.

Professor Sir Randolph Quirk

 F8
Introduction
The Longman Longuage Activator is a dictionary of
ideas and how to express them in English. This is a
new type of dictionary. aimed at helping intermedi-
ate to advanced students produce language, in other
words, to encode their ideas. As such, it is a major
departure from, some would even say a reversa l of,
the traditional role of the dictionary, which is pre-
dominantly used by students of English to decode
the meaning of unknown words.
The Longuage Activator has been produced in re-
sponse to need, the need often expressed by stu-
dents, to have a dictionary that would tell them
which word is right in wh ich contex t, which sub-
jects and objects go with particular verbs, and what
are the phrases or collocations that words are nor-
mally used in. Students wanted a dictionary that
would enable them to use new words themselves, to
expand their vocabulary, and to improve their abil-
ity to express themselves.
Meaning first
One of the most importan t innovations in this book
is the grouping together of individual word-mean-
ings or phrase-meanings that gene rally share the
same idea, concept, or semantic area. They mean
the same thing in a general way, but they enta il
certa in key differences. These differences govern
why one word sounds natural or correct in a particu-
lar sentence and why another word, apparently very
close in meaning to the first word, does not sound
right or jars with native or highly profiCient speak-
ers of English. Sad and unhappy seem to be almost
synonymous, and indeed most dictionaries define
them as if they are, but in the sentence I was desper-
ately unhappy at school it would sound distinctly
odd if sad were to be substituted for unhappy. This
is because it actually has a different meaning from
unhappy. In order to be able to use words appropri-
ately, students need to understand the precise mean-
ings that words have, and this is the raOOn d'etre of
the Activator.
How have the creators of this dictionary identified
these apparently small, but actually highly signifi-
cant meaning differences, many of them never
before registered in a reference book? We have made
extensive use of two powerful tools: 1) large repre-
sentative corpora of written and spoken language,
and 2) a compute r-aided semantic analysis system
with which we can formally distinguish between
the meanings of similar words.
The whole analysis process began with the assign -
ment of words and phrases to their appropriate
concepts. This was very much a 'bottom-up', prag-
matic approach, which took a great deal of intellec-
tual etTort by the lexicographic team, but it was an
essential process and we now feel considerable satis-
faction with the results. We believe that we have
identified the core concepts of English in a new,
meaningful, and most of all, helpful way for the
students and teachers of English for whom this
dictionary was created.
Key Words or concepts
There are 1052 concepts in the Longman Longuage
Activator. These concepts express the meanings at
the heart of the English language. It should be
pointed out straight away, however, that the Activa-
tor does not address itself to words for 'real world'
items , some of which , of course, also belong to the
core of English. We believe that concrete nouns,
and content words in general. present fewer. less
serious problems of correct use for students, so you
will not find different types of transport, dogs, ma-
chinery or buildings here. That is left to the Long-
man Lexicon, which deals effectively with semantic
fields, including real world items.
The concepts (or as we call them Key Words) have
clear, direct names such as FAR, SAD/ UNHAPPY,
HOPE, INTEND, EASY, FAULT/ STH WRONG, and
BUT. The words are intended to be the ones that
studen ts know well and are happy with, and we
have conducted tests in classrooms in the UK and
checked all the Key Words against the Longman
Learners' Corpus in order to validate them. Starting
from the Key Word, the word that students already
know, they can access the other appropriate ways
of expressing their ideas in English.
Each Key Word is divided into smaller sections,
and these are shown in a numbered menu of mean-
ings. The user s imply selects the number that most
closely corresponds to the idea they want to express
and goes to that section to discover the various
words and phrases presented to him/ her.
Corpus revelations
All our work is corpus-based. The corpora used for
this project are described collectively as the Long-
man Corpus Network. The main corpu s, the Long-
man Lancaster Corpus, is about 30 million words
made up of chunks of text up to 40,000 words long
from over 2000 books, periodicals, and unpublished
material from British, Ame rican, and other varie-
11
ties of English. The 10 million-word Spoken Corpus,
developed by Longman as part of th e British Na-
tional Corpus, is the first large-scale corpus of truly
natural spontaneous speech. The Longman Learn-
ers' Corpus of students' writing has given us in-
sights into the problems shared by students from
over 70 different countries as well as the words and
structures which students at different levels can
already use successfully.
We believe that the meanings explained in detail in
the Longman Activator will strike a chord with
proficient users of English, particularly teachers,
but there may be other times when users are sur-
prised by the definitions of meanings. For example,
 F9
mean in the sense of 'not generous' is dermed as a
British use in the Activator. This is because our
analysis of the written corpus, which is 40%
American, demonstrates convincingly that mean is
very rarely used in this sense in American English,
where meon is predominantly used to express the
idea 'deliberately unpleasant or nasty'.
Spoken language
Our work with the first large·scale corpus of spoken
English, as part of the British National Corpus
breaks new ground. Working with the first-ever
large-scale corpus of spontaneous speech has given
us unprecedented access to the language of spoken
English. The Activator is consequently full of new
insights into the natural ways of expressing ideas
in the spoken medium as well as in written lan-
guage.
Many of these lexical items are phrases rather than
single words, and this has forcibly reminded us that
native speakers often use a phrase rather than a
single word to express their Ideas.
The Language Activator includes items such as be
going (as in Is there any more wine going? under
the Key Word AVAILABLE), something to eat
(under FOOD), and not the easiest and it's easier
said than done (under DIFFICULT).
It was the Spoken Corpus that initially alerted us to
the surprisingly frequent use of such phrases. But
we have often found that words and phrases which
seem distinctly 'spoken' also crop up in the written
corpus, so the dividing line between spoken and
written vocabulary is not as clear cut as might be
supposed.
When a word or phrase has been identified as being
predominantly spoken rather than written, this is
indicated in the dictionary by introducing the defini-
tion with 'you say'. For example, in between you
and me under the Key Word SECRET:
you say between you and me when you tell
someone something which you expect them to
keep secret from other people
The use of 'you say' here shows that this is a phrase
which is typically used in speech.
Informal, formal, _d other restricted
contexts
One of the most important factors that affects word
choice is register. For example, hush-hush is
an informal word offered as a way of expressing the
idea SECRET, as opposed to covert, undercover,
or secret itself, which are all fairly neutral in regis'
ter. This information is often essential to chOOSing
the right word. so in the Activator informal or
formal restrictions are 'fronted', which means that
the register is stated at the beginning of the defini·
tion, as in:
huah-hullh I ... I an informal word meaning
officially secret
Where there is a more specific restriction on the
typical use of a word or phrase, this is also specified
in the definition , for example:
_ • heavy heart / . . . I an expression used
especially in stories . ..
This is to warn students against using this expres-
sion except when they are trying to create a story-
like effect in what they are writing.
Interestingly, informal expressions are much more
common in the Activator than formal ones, and this
again reflects the fact that the dictionary is con-
cerned with the core of the language, the more
frequent words and phrases, rather than less fre-
quent formal usage. Some students have a tendency
to use a word that is too formal for general use, and
so an important benefit of the Activator is to guide
students away from such words. For example, under
the Key Word CAN'T, the entry for impotent says
clearly:
impotent / . .. / a formal word meaning unable
to deal with a situation because you do not have
enough power
This is intended to deter students from using the
word impotent in contexts where other less formal
expressions may be more appropriate, such as not
be able to do something or not be in a poSition
to do something.
Frequency
Frequency has been of fundamental importance to
this dictionary in various ways. All the lexical
choices, i.e. the words and phrases offered to the
student in the Activator, are relatively frequent. We
do not include items that are highly infrequent or
that are typical of only one or two text types, such
as techn ical or very literary writing. The whole
book may in fact be seen as a series of recommenda-
tions or selections by our lexicographic team, based
on the empirical evidence of the written and spoken
corpora.
The words and phrases given as options to express
the idea chosen by the user are also shown in order
of frequency, the first word or phrase being the
most general and usual. Often the definition of the
section is exactly the same as that of the first option
listed and in such cases the definition is not re-
peated at the first option (such as declare under
section 6 of the Key Word SAY/ STATE).
If a phrase or spoken item has been judged more
frequent this will be placed before a single-word
item. This is because it is often a more natural item
to express the meaning (for example, get 01I the
subject is the first option given at section 5 of
the Key Word SUBJECT, before the single word
digress).
Examples
Examples are of the greatest importance to students
in helping them to see the typical contexts, signifi·
 FIO
cant nuances of meaning, and grammatical behav-
iour of words and phrases. Because this is a produc-
tion dictionary, examples as models of use are even
more important, and we have therefore included
many more examples than in a traditional reference
dictionary .
The examples in this dictionary are all strongly
influenced by corpus evidence, but not all of them
are taken directly from the corpora. The group of
examples often begins with at least one 'pedagogic'
example, i.e. one that demonstrates the meaning
particularly clearly, such as a teacher might use in
class when asked for an example by a student. Re-
search has shown that teachers and students value
this type of example at least as much as purely
corpus-based examples. However, most of the exam-
ples are.either closely modelled on sentences from
one of the corpora or taken directly from them.
When sentences are taken directly from the
American or the British side of the main corpus the
original vocabulary and spelling are preserved.
Clarity of access and definition
We believe that we have devised an easy-ta-use
access system to the core meanings of English,
which have been resolved to a flat hierarchy of the
1000 or so Key Words. But the success with which
students can make use of the Activator depends
very much on whether we have achieved sufficient
clarity in defining:
a) the menu of meaning under each of the Key
Words (the comprehensibility and accuracy of
the numbered menus under the Key Word) and
b) the clarity of the definitions of the individual
words and phrases.
The user will only know that a new word or phrase
is appropriate for herfhis context, if the individual
definitions of the range of possible expressions are
so clear that she/ he can clearly see the difference.
We believe that this has resulted in the definitions
being very clear: they have been written, as always,
within the 2000-word Longman Defining
Vocabulary to ensure that no difficult words
impede the user's comprehension.
The key differences in meaning have been identified
by the lexicographers using a diagnostic semantic
analysis system. This has enabled them to compare
the differences and similarities among all the words
and phrases in a given semantic grouping.
Using new vocabulary - grammar and
collocations
The Activator helps the user to choose an appropri·
ate word or phrase for their context: it also gives
clear guidance on how the words and phrases are
normally USl!d. The examples are, of course, essen·
tial to appropriate production and use of vocabu·
lary, but the treatment of grammar and collocation
in the Activator is also designed to be particularly
direct and straightforward.
Grenwnar - grammatical constructions that are
available for use are described using only 4 codes
and the restrictions shown on the inside back cover.
The major innovation in grammatical presentation
is the use of bold phrases (which we call proposi·
tional forms) to show the grammatical patterns in
'written·out' form. The treatment of grammatical
behaviour is explained more fully in the 'How to
Use the Longman Language Activator' section
(pages F28-F33).
Collocations - the Activator lays great emphasis
on providing students with the appropriate colloca~
tions of words and these are shown in bold type too,
because we believe this is the clearest way of pre-
senting the information. See for example deny at
SAY/ STATE 8, vigorously/strenuously/
categorically deny (; strongly deny) North cat·
egorically denied all the allegatinns made against
him.
In the same Key Word, SAY/ STATE 10, the colloca·
tions for allegation are shown thus:
... allegation that The commissioner will inves-
tigate allegations that the election was rigged:
allegation of The company finances will be ex·
amined closely q{ter allegations 0/ corruption. I
make an allegation Several newspapers have
made/alse allegatipns about a government minis-
rer's privare life. refute/deny an allegation
( ; say that it is not true) My client refutes the
allegation that he leaked these documents to th€
newspapers.
Alphabetical order
Although the dictionary uses grouping by concept
as a very important aid to production, the diction·
ary is in alphabetical order. The Key Words them·
selves are in alphabetical order, and all the indi-
vidual word- and phrase-meanings are also in alpha~
belical order. If you already know the word allega-
tion and want to find out how to use it correctly,
you look in A, and are directed to the appropriate
Key Word SAY/ STATE in S.
We hope and believe that we have made a new type
of dictionary for students of English in this book.
The Longman Language Activator has many new
features and innovations, and has been expressly
designed to overcome the problems that students
have had up to now in using their existing dictionar-
ies for production purposes.
I personally have to thank all the people who have
been involved in the project for embarking with me
on such a daring and massive lUldertaking. I must
thank most of all our Managing Editor, Michael
Rundell, without whose linguistic and lexicographic
skill and inSight none of this would have been possi·
ble. Next, our Associate Lexicographer, Nick Ham,
 FlI

who brought so much commitment and logical
thought to the realization of the ideas behind the
book. From our Editorial Board, Professor GeofTrey
Leech, its Chair, helped us to feel confident in our
proposals, and both Paul Meara and Phi! Scholfield
gave long· term and consistent support which the
Longman team greatly needed and appreciated. In
fact, my thanks to all the teachers, academics and
students, and of course our highly dedicated lexico·
graphic team, notably Ted Jackson, Patrick Gillard,
Jane Hansell, Ch';s Fox, Stella O'Shea, and Cathy
Jennings. who were involved in the last, extremely
exhausting, stages of the book.
I know they would all join with me in wishing
every success to the forthcoming generations of stu-
dents and teachers of English who will work with,
and we hope greatly benefit from, the Longman
Language Actiaator - the World's First Produc-
tion Dictionary.
Oella Summers
Editorial Director
 F12
The scope of the Longman Language Activator
Every so often a new conception of what language
reference books can do reaches the vast public of
English dictionary users. For example, in the nine-
teenth century, a century after Samuel Johnson's
epic achievement of his Dictionary of tlu! English
Language, came another great one-man success.
Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases_
Peter Mark Roget supplied a 'treasure store' of
words organized in terms of the meanings, rather
than the spellings of words.
Activating vocabulary for productive
use
The Longman Language Activator can be measured
alongside such past achievements as a new concept
in dictionary-making. Its subtitle, TIu! World's First
Production Dictionary, reminds us that previous dic-
tionaries have almost inevitably sulTered from a
bias towards the needs of the passive user of a
language - the reader, or listener - rather than the
active user, who wishes to speak or write in that
language. The reason is self-evident. The way we
recognize words, and gain access to their meanings,
is through their spelling and pronunciation. Our
commonest dictionary need, in reading in a lan-
guage, is to find the meaning of an unfamiliar word
or word use - and this need is met by looking up the
word in its alphabetical position in the dictionary,
arbitrary as that may seem. But from the productive
end, when we want to find the words to express our
ideas, there is no simple solution to the correspond·
ing problem: if we know the meaning (roughly) that
we want to express, how can we find a word to fit
it? The Longman Language Activator provides us
with ways of dealing with this problem, and so
merits its subtitle as 'tlu! World's First Production
Dictionary'.
Roget met this need for native-speakers - by arrang-
ing the words and phrases of English in groups,
under headings, according to their similarity of
meaning. So, speakers and writers suffering from a
'tip of the tongue' problem - knowing there is a
word with a particular meaning, but not being able
to remember its precise pronunciation or spelling -
could jog their memories by looking through a list
of near-synonyms and recognizing the word they
were looking for. But this was only part of the task,
because it was assumed that users already knew
how to use the word when found. For example,
looking up anger in Roget's Tlu!saurus (via the
alphabetical key at the back of the book), I discover
that the near-synonyms of angry include irritated,
livid, and furious - but how can I choose the most
appropriate of these words for a particular purpose,
unless I already know enough about their meaning
and use? We cannot take that knowledge for
granted, when we are thinking about the needs of
non-native users of English.
To put it another way, thesauruses such as Raget
assume that we already have the neoessary diction-
ary information handy - in our head or on the
printed page of a dictionary.
But our favourite desk dictionary would not give
enough detail. A true production dictionary of a
language needs to give far more information about
meaning and use than the traditional desk diction-
ary. In a dictionary for the passive user (reader or
listener), all that is needed is enough information
for the user to make the mental connection between
form (especially spelling) and meaning and use.
(The fact that we have met the word in a book will
normally be a guarantee that it is being used appro-
priately according to the lights of the native
speaker.) Then, all that is needed is to find, from
the dictionary-defined meanings, the one which fits
that context most closely. But for the active user,
writing, let us say, an essay or a letter, the need is
to satisfY the conditions of appropriate use oneself:
to find not merely a word, but with the word, all the
conditions which enable us to fit it into a suitable
context.
So a production dictionary is a dictionary which
finds the mot juste - the right word - with a full
account of why it is right for its context. To use the
jargon of our modern age, it aims to meet the crite-
rion of specifying communicative appropriateness -
giving explicit information to enable the speaker or
writer to pick out one word as being more appropri·
ate than others. This means giving information not
only about the various meanings a word may ex·
press, but also about the style or the types of text to
which it is appropriate, the kind of communicative
function to which it is linked, and (not least) the
range of grammatical patterns or 'frames' in which
it may be used. Including only frequent, generally-
used words will also be important.
Gaining acc. . . to meaning through
Ideas or 'Key Word.'
However, a production dictionary does not only
have to deliver communicative appropriateness. An·
other special function it has is that of providing
channels of access to this information. Admittedly,
all dictionaries sulTer from the arbitrary 'tyranny
of the alphabet' - which means you cannot look up
a word unless you know its spelling. But in a true
production dictionary, we need. to find access even
to words we have never heard of before. Can we
escape from the alphabetic tyranny? Even Raget
succumbs to its arbitrariness - providing an alpha-
betical index almost as long as the thesaurus
itselfl So how can we gain access to meanings
without knowing the words that express them?
The Longman Language Activator provides an in-
genious answer to this question, in the fonn of a
two-level strategy.
 F13
1 The first-level strategy is to look up one of the
1000 or so Key Words such as SAD or ANGRY in
its nonnal alphabetical position in the dictionary
- yes, the dictionary is alphabetical, to enable
easy access to the Key Words. These are the
main organizing divisions of the dictionary, and
the regular user will soon grow familiar with a
large number of these major headings.
At SAD/ UNHAPPY many items in the same area of
meaning are presented and compared: depressed,
dejected, despondent, down in the dumps and
so on - and the fact that all these items begin with d
is. for our purpose, purely accidental!
2 The second access strategy is to look up a word
or idiom, again in its nonnal alphabetical posi·
tion in the same wordlist as the Key Words.
Frequently, speakers and writers have partial
knowledge of a word or phrase, but are not sure
of the full details of how to use it. For example, if
you know the word downcast, but do not think
it is quite right for the purpose in hand, you can
look it up alphabetically, and find a cross refer-
ence to the Key Word SAD/ UNHAPPY.
So - the tyrannous alphabet is not defeated, but
tamed, as it were, and put to use in the recognition
of Key Words themselves.
The 1000 Key Words have been arrived at as a
result of years of practical work - sifting of words
and their meanings - by a skilled team of lexicogra-
phers, so the concepts presented in the dictionary
have gone through a stringent selection process. By
means of Menus, too, they are subdivided into sec-.
tions which specify a 'subconcept' important
enough in the language to boast a range of near-
synonyms to express it. For example, under the
general category of SAVE MONEY we find the sub-
headings
1 to save money, e.g . ..ve up
2 to have some money that you have saved. e.g.
have oomethlng put by
3 the money that you have saved, e.g. nest egg
Under each of these subheadings, in turn, the near-
synonytns are distinguished, so that (for example),
in comparison with the more general expression
savings, nest egg is defined as 'an amount o/money
that you have saved for the time when you stop
working, get marriro, ele.' In this way, the diction-
ary provides an illuminating conceptual map of the
language.
3 A third important mode of access should not be
ignored: browsing. All dictionaries invite brows-
ing by the reader who scans through the pages
at will (perhaps following up cross-references for
interest's sake). This dictionary, however, pro-
vides a particularly rich and recreative
language-learning experience for the browser:
each column, each concept entry, each subentry,
provides a fresh revelation of the resources of
the language in expressing varying foci of mean-
ing. or meanings in varying contexts. The brows-
ing process can on the one hand suggest the '01I-
duty' reader's casual skimming through the
book. But on the other hand, it can also extend
to the more purposefully-structured learning
tasks of the classroom. In either case, browsing
is not to be neglected as a means to achieving
productive control of the language's vocabulary
resources. The more the reader browses, the
more he or she becomes familiar with the range
of Key Words, so that these become fllCed refer-
ence points in the memory. The arrangement of
the dictionary, whereby the alphabetical list is
interspersed with the entries for Key Ideas, aids
this process.
The means of production: rendering
meaning
Clearly a production dictionary cannot ignore the
means of expression: the fonns of language by
which we render meaning. Indeed, for productive
use, more exact infonnation is needed on the forms
that can be used, and their variability.
(I) Worda ...d other expressions - Firstly,
what units of language are we looking for. for ex-
pressing meaning? We need to recognize that the
word is not the only unit to consider. Recent re-
search has emphasized the extent to which writers
and speakers create messages by making use of pre-
fonned sequences of words. These sequences,
whether we call them idioms, fixed expressions, or
habitual collocations, mediate between the diction-
ary and the grammar of a language, and in fact
show that the distinction between these two reposi-
tories of linguistic knowledge is not at all clear cut.
We often need to be fonnulaic in our use of gram-
mar, and creative in our use of the dictionary. The
Longman Language Activator satisfies this need to
get away from the word as the only unit for encoding
meaning. Hence it is revealing to look at a section
of the alphabetical list such as the following, in
which the various idioms involving chance are re-
lated to their Key Ideas:
chance CHANCE/ BY CHANCE 2, 3
CHANCE/OPPORTUNITY 1. POSSIBLE 2
chance: by chance CHANCE/BY CHANCE 1
chance: gel.." by chance/ accident/ luck GET 6
chance: grab the chance CHANCE/ OPPORTUNITY 4
chance: have/ stand a good chance PROBABLY'
chance: have/ lllandllltle chance PROBABLY 10
chance: Jump althe chance/ _rtunlly
CHANCE/OPPORTUNITY 4
chance: little chance/ hope/ pr....,.."
PROBABLY 10
chance: not llland a chance IMPOSSIBLE 2
chance: outaIde chance PROBABLY 10
chance: lake a chance RISK 3
chance:
chance:
Iher.'. a chance MAYBE 1
there'. alllty-flfly chance UNCERTAIN 3
From this list, we note that the word chance crops
up in 15 locations - involving 8 distinct Key Words
- in the dictionary. But 12 of these locations apply to
 F14
the use of chance in multi· word sequences. This
case is typical, in the light it throws on the essential
role of word sequences in the productive resources
of the language.
(2) Gram""" - Secondly, what about grammatical
information? We need to be precise as to the kind of
'grammatical frame' a word or other expression can
occur in, with a given meaning. For the visual
sense of the verb to see, for example, the user needs
toknow
• that see can be a straightforward transitive verb
with a direct objed - We'd betrer get out of here
before your father sees us;
• that see can also be used in the more advanced
constructions see sb/sth do sth (He saw the car
cross the road... ) and see sb/sth doing sth
(1 could see her standing outside our house. .. );
also in see who/what/where (. .. it was too dark
to see who it was);
• and that in none of these is the progressive form
normally used (we could not say ... before your
father is seeing us).
• We also need to know, for example, that the
construction see that (as in I'll see that you
come to no harm) cannot be used in the visual
sense of seeing.
All these facts have to be at our fingertips, if we are
to communicate an appropriate message, but many
such details have traditionally been avoided by die·
tionary makers as too difficult to explain to the
average non·grammarian. The Activator gets such
information across to the user in a simple, largely
self-explanatory way, reducing to a minimum the
grammatical symbols and terminology which can
be a burden for the average user.
Turning passive knowledge into active
knowledge
In conclusion, let us emphasize the continuity be-
tween passive and active knowledge of a language.
When learning how to improve our active ability in
using the language, we continually need to draw
upon our passive knowledge.
The Activator takes students' active knowledge, the
1000 basic building blocks of the language, the Key
Words, and helps to activate their passive knowl·
edge of words and phrases and so make a greater
range of vocabulary available for their productive
use. The carefully·chosen textual examples used to
illustrate each sense in the dictionary, many of
them taken from the Longman Lancaster Corpus,
show this continuum, with the first examples being
Simpler, clearer sentences, and the later ones going
up to more 'authentic' and advanced production. In
sharpening the precision of the insight into the
meaning of words, and in making this accessible in
an easily usable form for students of English, the
Longman Longuage Activator deserves to be seen
as an important step forward in modern English lexi·
cography.
Professor Geoffrey Leech
Loncaster University
 FI5
Vocabulary acquisition and the Activator
Not so very long ago, it was very unfashionable for
teachers to worry about vocabulary. It was gener-
ally believed that learners could get by with a basic
vocabulary of about 2000 words. People also thought
that the best way to pick up this basic vocabulary
was to work through a carefully graded textbook,
which introduced 2000 words slowly and cautiously,
perhaps only a couple of hundred words a year.
This method had the advantage ofleaving the learn-
ers free to concentrate on what people thought was
the real business of learning a language: grammar
and sentence structure. Nowadays, not many people
hold these views. Vocabulary is beginning to occupy
a central place in the way people learn a language.
Learning words and their meanings and how they
are used is increasingly seen as the key to learning
a language . not just an annoying or irrelevant side
activity.
These new attitudes have yet to make a serious
impact on textbooks and courses, however. English
language textbooks are often built around a basic
vocabulary of only 2000 words. Th is core vocabulary
consists of highly frequent words, which you are
likely to find in almost any text you pick up. It
includes words like SEE and THINK, but excludes
words like 'rheumatism' or 'paralysis', which nOf-
mally only occur in specialist texts. This core vo-
cabulary is surprisingly powerful: if you count the
number of different words in an ordinary news-
paper article, for example, you generally find that
80 or 90 percent of the words belong to the core
vocabulary of English. This is a very high figure.
Because the core vocabulary plays such an impor-
tant role in English, some people have suggested
that a basic vocabulary of 2000 words will allow you
to understand 80 or 90 per cent of everything that
you hear or read in English. In fact, things are
more complicated than that. What actually happens
is that with a vocabulary of 2000 words, you can
understand everything you see or hear a lot of the
time, but other times you won't understand any-
thing at all. It depends on what kind of situation
you are dealing with_ 2000 words wiU let you deal
with a large number of ordinary everyday situa-
tions - buying drinks or bus tickets, for example -
but once you leave these predictable situations, you
will find it hard 10 get by with only a limited vocabu-
lary.
Because lots of English language courses rely on
core vocabularies of about 2000 words, many learn-
ers get stuck at that level. In fact, learners who
have studied English systematically from a good
textbook usually have a very good grasp of basic
grammar and sentence patterns. Their biggest prob-
lem is learning new words, learning what these
words mean, and how to use them. This type of
learning is very different from what they will have
encountered in a basic course. Because of this, some
learners find it difficult to make any progress
beyond the basic levels, and even good learners
often feel that they have reached a sort of plateau,
where progress is very slow.
Some teachers underestimate just how many words
students need to know in order to increase their
fluency , and these expectations strongly influence the
way we think about teaching vocabularies. An unoffi-
cial, but often quoted, figure for the Cambridge First
Certificate examination, for instance, suggests that
students with a vocabulary ofless than 3500 words are
unlikely to be successful in the exam. Figures like this
provide a useful rule oflhumb, but they can often be
very misleading because they underestimate just how
big native speakers' vocabularies are, and therefore
badly underestimate how many words learners really
need_The best current research suggests that native
English speakers who have been educated up to 18
years old or beyond know at least 16,000 English 'word
families'. (A wordfamily is a set of words that all share
a common root, like 'happy', 'happily', 'unhappy',
'happiness', and so on. If you count all these words
separately, then the number of words that people
know is very much greater than 16,000.)
If you already speak a language like Spanish, Greek,
German or Swedish, you will find that many of
these words are words that you know already, be--
cause they are similar to words in your native
language. This is obviously a great help. For most
learners, however, there are no short-cuts: you just
have to work very hard at understanding but you
can meet a surprisingly large number of unusual
words in even a 'simple' text. When we analysed
some comic strips in the Tintin series, for instance,
we found that they each typically contained about
500 words that weren't part of the core vocabulary.
Learning to understand a large number of words is a
key part of becoming a fluen t speaker of a language,
but learning to use these words accurately is also
very important - and very much harder. One of the
best ways to pick up new words is to read a lot,
preferably stories that you find interesting or excit-
ing. It often pays to read the same book over and over
again: each time you read it, you will learn different
new words, and the familiar context helps to fix them
in your mind. But often when you pick up a word from
reading, you have a general idea of what it means,
without being clear about the detailed meaning ofthe
new word, and, more importantly, how it can be used.
Suppose for example, that you learn the word
burgle from watching a movie on TV. You know
that it has something to do with stealing tljings
from somewhere. That might be all you need to
know if you are watching a film, but it's easy to
make the wrong inferences about words like this.
For instance, can you burgle a person, or some-
body's wallet? Can you burgle an idea? If you
 FI6
take something from a shop without paying for it,
have you burgled? What exactly is the difference
between burgle, and other words you might know
with a similar meaning like shoplift, loot. pinch.
mug, embezzle, hold up and so on. All these
words share parts of their meaning with STEAL but
they are actually very different in meaning and it is
often difficult for a non-native speaker to choose
correctly between them.
If you were a horribly efficient and serious language
learner, you might try making a list of all the words
you could think of that had something to do with
stealing. You could then systematically compare
them all, until you really understood the difference
between burgle and all these other words. With
an ordinary dictionary, this would be a mammoth
task. You 'would only be able to identify words that
you already knew anyway. so you could never be
sure that you had uncovered all the relevant words.
And then, you would have to jump about from one
part of the dictionary to another comparing half a
dozen definitions, which might only differ in one or
two words. Although this is a good idea in theory,
in practice it would only appeal to masochists.
The Longman Language Activator, however, makes
it very easy for you to get to know well words that
you have only just met. It brings together all the
most frequent words that share a meaning with the
words you are interested in - not just the ones you
know well already, but others that are completely
new - and the definitions show you exactly how
these words are related to each other. It will also
remind you of other words that you perhaps once
knew but have now forgotten . You won't be able to
learn all these words at one go. Your brain will
make subconscious associations between the words,
however, and these associations will make it easier
for you to recognize them when you meet them
again, and it will be more likely that you remember
them in the long term. The Activator does make use
of the 2000-word core vocabulary - all its definitions
are written within the 2000-word Longman Defining
Vocabulary to make sure the definitions are all
totally clear. Its 1052 Key Words are all expressed in
words well within the FeE or intermediate students
active vocabulary. Its 23,000 word- and phrase-mean-
ings, if we exclude concrete or real-world items, are
those usually used by native-speakers, or fluent
non-native speakers, to express themselves in Eng-
lish. Using the Activator systematically should help
you to remember these new words, because they
will be linked by meaning with words you already
know_
Dr Paul Meara
University Co/lege, SwanSEa
 F17
The conceptual map of English and the Activator
The vocabulary production problem
Dictionaries organized in the traditional alphabetic
way have immeasurably improved. in recent years -
witness for example the new ground broken by the
Longman Dictionary of English Language and Cul-
ture. What more could anyone need in a contempo.-
rary reference work on words? Well, dictionaries
are just what is needed by someone who has read a
word or phrase they don't know, and wants to know
the meaning.
But what happens where someone knows the mean-
ing they want to express, but doesn't know, or
can't recall, the appropriate word or phrase to use?
This is the fundamental 'production' problem
faced by intermediate and advanced learners of a
language. They need to be able to choose appropri-
ate words or phrases, and have guidance on how to
use them, starting from their meaning rather than
their form. They need another form of reference
work.
The bilingual dictionary as a 'solution'
Non-native speakers of English may attempt to re-
solve this problem by resorting to a bilingual diction·
ary. But such works are rarely foolproof for finding
words successfully much beyond those for common
animals, objects etc. that have straightforward trans-
lation equivalents. Often an insufficient range of
target language equivalents are offered: particularly
often omitted are the phrases rather than single
words that a native speaker would use to express
the desired meaning. Often guidance on choice
among alternatives is lacking; there may be no infor-
mation on the grammatical behaviour of the equiva-
lents offered, their stylistic restrictions, and colloca-
tions. Consequently someone relying on such a
work may go on not so much to use new words as to
misuse them.
Above all, bilingual dictionaries do not offer words
and phrases in comprehensive meaning-related
groups for the user to 'choose and use'. It is far
more likely that the right word or phrase will be
identified when the range of candidate expressions
is fully dealt with side by side. Indeed where a user
starts with a hazy idea of more than one expression
that might be appropriate to their intended mean-
ing, such treatment is virtually essential.
Conceptual organization
Much psycholinguistic research (e.g. on word asso-
ciation) has shown that native speakers of lan-
guages store words in their minds in meaning-re-
lated groups. In other words, their 'dictionary in
the mind' (or 'mental lexicon' as researchers call it)
is not organized alphabetically, but fundamentally
on a conceptual or meaning basis. Clearly this must
be a particularly effective way of remembering
words and being able to access them when needed.
Teachers of foreign languages are also aware of the
value of encouraging learners to establish such
groupings as part of the learning process, rather
than trying to remember words in isolation.
Reference works using conceptual
grouping
Unfortunately thesauruses and other conceptually
organized reference works frequently have features
which make them far from ideal as solutions to the
'vocabulary production problem' for the foreign
learner of English. I merely mention here the inclu-
sion of obscure vocabulary items and the corre·
slxmding lack of attention to common phrases.
Above all, such works often lack information about
the meaning of the items listed or about exactly
how and where to use them appropriately, SO
making a suitable choice becomes impoSSible.
The Longman Language Activator
Against this background emerges the Langman Lan-
guage Activator, a new concept in vocabulary refer-
ence books - a production dictionary in the fullest
sense. In this we find a unique synthesis of
meaning-based and alphabetical organization com-
bined with all the information needed to choose and
use current English words and phrases success-
fully.
How it was done
Longman have tackled this in a characteristically
pragmatic way. The lexicographic team has indeed
exploited insights arising from research in lexical
semantics and psycholinguistics, but the conceptual
analysis was very much 'bottom·up', beginning with
the vocabulary items themselves - the large set of
English words and phrases that native-speakers use
to express the core ideas of the language. The words
and phrases, selected originally on the basis of their
inclusion in the Longman Dictionary oJ Contempo·
rary English, were subsequently subjected to rigor-
ous conceptual analysis, using the evidence of the
extensive Longman corpora.
Working over some five years the grouping of words
into distinct concepts and subentries of concepts
evolved constantly to produce a scheme which im-
measurably improves on what has gone before and
is also friendly and usable. Some key features of the
scheme are the following:
The names of the major conceptual
groups of words and phrases
The basic un it in the conceptual organization, and
the main point of access for users, is the concept
entry, of which there are just over a thousand,
presented in alphabetical order by concept name. A
crucial feature here is that the names of the con-
cepts are familiar English words or phrases like
 FIB
ABOUT, DEAL WITH, EAT, NEED and POWER
which aptly characterize the general meaning area
of the group of items covered under that head. No
mind· numbing category labels like NECESSITY or
MORTAUTY in the Activator! Rather, the labels
(called Key Words) are expressly chosen as likely to
be well known to students already. They are words
which research on 'communication strategies'
shows might well be used as an approximate make-
shift if no work such as this were available to help
us find the expression we really wanted - e.g. EAT
for grab a bite to eat, EXPECT for anticipate.
Users can also get to the group of words they need
simply by looking up a specific word they know
(e.g. anticipate as above) in the alphabetical list
and using the cross references to the right concept,
but it is expected that students will rapidly get used
to accessing the concept entry they need directly
through the common Key Words.
The number of words and phrases to
try and choose between
The scheme articulates English production vocabu-
lary into meaning-based groups of manageable size
for a user to scan successfully. Since the Activator
deals with the core of English, the entries are
·common words. Sometimes there are large numbers
of individual words and phrases to express core
ideas. For instance there are around fifty common
words and phrases in English relating to the general
notion of EAT which the user might need to pro-
duce. The wTlgman wTlgUQ.ge Activator presents
them in some fourteen subentries, each itself a natu-
ral mini-conceptual group. For instance, grab a
bite to eat will be drawn to the user's attention
along with dine under 'to eat a meal', but pig out
is under 'to eat too much'. These natural subsections
of the concepts generaUy contain under ten items to
choose among ·- a fully realistic task for the produc-
tion user.
The definitions of the concept subsections such as
to eat a meal are themselves periphrases formed in
simple English - within the famous Longman Defm-
ing Vocabulary. These 'meaning menus' are listed at
the start of each concept entry so the user can select
the aspect of the concept he/ she needs. Thus opti-
mum success in fmding the specific word or phrase
to use, in the shortest time, is achievable.
The homogeneity of meaning within
the groups of words and phrases
The groups of items which appear together in suben-
tries of concepts eminently belong closely together
by virtue of their meaning. Thus they will all be
legitimate alternatives to be considered for what
you want to say or write in a specific context, not a
collection of items which just share some rather
loose meaning connection like 'eat', 'table' and
'bread·. In pursuit of this goal it has often proved
valuable to enter in the same subentry group both
phrases and single words, and not necessarily all of
the same part of speech. Though for some users this
may be disconcerting at first, it represents a real
advance in aids to expression, since we know that ·
often the best alternative way to say something is
not by substituting just one word (of the same part
of speech), but by starting again and recasting a
whole stretch of what you want to say in quite a
different form. For instance The level of radiotion
is not dangerous can be well improved to The level
of radiotion poses no threot, He ate a little food to He
had a snack, and so forth.
A consequence of the strict adherence to meaning.
based grouping is of course that the same word or
phrase will often appear several times under quite
different concept entries or subentries. Thus echo
appears not only under the concept SOUND but also
under REPEAT. This is entirely as it should be.
Someone seeking a more refined alternative way of
saying The minister repeated what Mr Major had
said will naturally look under REPEAT and not
SOUND because of the meaning they want to ex-
press (The minister echoed what Mr Major had
said).
The links from one major conceptual
group to another
The underlying model of how the concept groups of
items are themselves interconnected is not that of a
hierarchy but a netlJX)rk. This work does. not sup-
pose, as some have, that it is natural to think of all
the items of the vocabulary of English as related to
each other in an enormous tree from more general
concepts down to more specific. Today psycholin-
guists visualize the mental lexicon as more like a
road map where each town is linked crisscross to a
range of others, both nearby and distant. This is
reflected in the access maps that appear above some
of the concept entries and ask users 'which mean-
ing?' Their function is to guide users from one
major concept entry to other ones that may be of
use to them. Thus at EAT one is not referred hierar-
chically to some supposedly useful, more general
concept such as 'motion in space' (of which some
would claim EAT was an instance!), but rather to
other related concepts of the same approximate level
of generality, such as FOOD, DRINK and HUNGRY.
The connections given are restricted to ones that
are incontestably psychologically real ones: thus
FOOD is related to EAT but not to 'excretion' as it
would be in one famous concept-based work.
Conclusion: travelling around in the
Longman Language Activator
Overall then, in the Activator the concept map of
English is one expressly designed to be, above all,
practical and easy to use to find the right word or
phrase for pnxluction purposes as quickly as possi-
ble. And, like a geographical map, it helps the user
 F19
wherever he/ she starts from. Ideally you would
start by looking up the general concept name, or
Key Word, appropriate to the specific meaning you
want to express. Within that, you are then immedi·
ately directed to the subentry for the right specific
articulation of that concept and look through the
short list of relevant items there to find the right
word or phrase. If you don't hit the right Key Word
first ofT, the access maps help you rapidly move
from one concept to a related one. Even if the only
word you can think of in the general area of mean·
ing required is not a Key Word at all, you will find
the word readily in the alphabetical list and thence
be guided by cross references to the right concept
subentry and so to the right target item.
Philip Scholfield
University o/Wales, Bangor
 F20
Semantic analysis and the Activator
As a speaker of language, you both receive and
produce messages. The processes are called 'decod·
ing' and 'encoding' respectively. In the process of
decoding, you may find a word you are not sure
about. You then consult a dictionary like the Long·
man Dictionary of Contemporary English to check
what meaning or meanings the word has. Dictionar·
ies of the traditional kind thus help you when you
tkrode a message. They are designed to lead you
from words to their meanings.
In the process of encoding, you may not readily
think of the proper word to apply or may not be
sure which word is the right one to use even if you
can think of some. You then turn to the Longman
Language Activator. The Longman Longuage Activa·
tor is a new kind of learners' reference book spe·
cially designed for encoding purposes. It goes from
ideas to words.
One important point to remember about the role
you play as a speaker in the encoding process is
that you can refer to one and the same situation by
using dilTerent linguistic expressions. There is noth·
ing mysterious about this. If, for example, you find
11 group of people having a lot of money or posses·
sions, you can refer to them as rich. But rich is of
course not the only word you can apply. You can
also refer to them as wealthy, well ofT, affl.uent,
prosperous, and so forth. These words, however,
cannot be applied indiscriminately. Wealthy sug-
gests possession of land and property, well off a
comfortable and easy life, affluent the Capability
of buying expensive things, prosperous success
in business, and so forth. They have dilTerent conno-
tations over and above their common semantic core
and it is up to you to decide which one to pick up.
Language thus olTers you - in almost all cases - a
set of linguistic alternatives from which you can
choose the one that best suits your purposes.
It is important to realize that you play a very
active (and sometimes even creative) role when
you encode a message. Your capacity for applying
dilTerent lingnistic options (associated with deli-
cately dilTerent meanings) to one and the same situ-
ation derives ultimately from the fact that we
human beings are blessed with a gift of making
sense of a situation in a number of dilTerent, and
sometimes even divergent ways. For example, we
can say that someone snuffed it if we want to
be rather callous or humorous about someone
dying, as well as using pass away if we are trying
to be sensitive and refer only obliquely to a
friend's relative dying. It will not be difficult to
see that something like this is involved in all
kinds of 'rhetorical' use of language, as in exag-
geration, humour, irony, euphemism, and metaphor.
In language, each word or phrase has distinct mean-
ing. Semantically, these words and phrases group
naturally under sutx:l.ivisions of very general, ideas.
These are shown in the Activator under 1052 Key
Words. For example, at EXPERIENCED there is a
natural cluster of words and phrases to express the
idea of being experienced in life (sophisticated,
streetwise, hard-bitten, hardened, and worldly).
There is also another subdivision of the general
idea of being EXPERIENCED that is the converse of
this (inexperienced, innocent, naive, green, and
unsophisticated).
The precise meaning of these expressions can be
pinpointed by semantic analysis. For example,
saunter and stride exhibit a difference in the
semantic feature of 'manner' (saunter meaning
to walk in a leisurely way, stride meaning to walk
energetically or purposefully). Peckish (slightly
hungry) and mvenous (extremely hungry) show
a contrast in the semantic feature of 'degree'.
Other relevant features characterizing semantic
contrasts include 'means/ instrument'. 'function',
'cause', 'time/ duration', 'a nd 'result'. DilTerences
and contrasts as regards these features are duly
incorporated into the definitions of the words and
phrases given as options. Special attention should
be paid to this point as the definitions olTered in
the book are the main guide to choosing the right
word.
There are also other cases in which the contrast in
meaning concerns more specific points. Thus
cheap, Inexpensive, reasonably priced, and com-
petitively priced can very well be applied to one
and the same object for purchase: they all describe
the object as something which does not cost much.
Over and above this common semantic core, how-
ever, there are individual dilTerences. Cheap is per-
haps semantically the least 'marked' option, but it
may imply that the object in question is not of
particularly good quality. Inexpensive does not
have this implication: it may imply rather that the
quality is good, considering the price. When the
price of the same object is described as reasonable,
the price is considered fair, while the price is being
judged specifically in comparison with the prices
offered by rival companies. when it is referred to as
competitive.
Remember in any case that an important lesson
about language is that difference may count more
than similarity. If you know that the words copy
and forge are similar in meaning, this is all very
well, but it may not help you in choosing the correct
word to be applied to the particular situation you
have in mind. You have to know in what particular
respects the conditions for use of the two words are
distinguished. (The same thing happens with
sounds. It will not help you much, for example, if
you simply know that / r / and (1/ are similar sounds.
You need to know how they differ articulatorily
 F21
and acoustically.) In language, differenet! is all im·
portant.
Another set of important distinctions you have to
keep in mind in order to correctly use a language is
what linguists call 'selection restrictions', Gram-
matically. an adjective can combine with a noun,
but it is not necessarily the case that an adjective
can take any noun as its partner. Adjective-noun
collocations like green leaves and green pastures
are perfectly all right, but not green wishes (unless
strongly supported and justified by the particular
context in which it occurs). Thus over and above
fulfilling the grammatical conditions for being an
appropriate combination, the words in combination
must also fulfil the semantic conditions in order to
pass as appropriate. In the example just given, the
adjective green (used as a colour term) cannot
combine just with any noun: the noun it combines
with must be one referring to some concrete entity
(capable of having a colour). This is the selection
restriction for the colour adjective green.
Selection restriction applies to other types of word
combination as well. Especially important is the
one which operates between the verb and the noun.
A verb can take a noun as its subject: if it is a
transitive verb. it can also take a noun as its object.
Here again it is not the case that the verb can take
any noun as its subject or object. A very recurrent
restriction on the subject noun is that it should be
human. Verbs like 'laugh' and 'think' are of this
type. Some of the verbs which are primarily of this
type can also be extended to higher animals and
other animate beings and then it is not always easy
to know where to draw the line of demarkation.
Thus singing is primarily a human activity but it is
commonly said of birds as well. Some selection re-
strictions are more narrowly defined. Thus the
object noun of the verb assassinate (as contrasted
with murder) cannot be any human. A person
who is assassinated is typically a head of state or a
military'style leader.
An important thing to remember about selection
restrictions is that they are just norms and not
strict rules. They can be overridden whenever the
context sufficiently warrants it. Thus whereas the
adjective affordable may normally (as shown by
an analysis of a thirty-million-word corpus) be ap-
plied to large items such as housing or cars, it can
still be applied to other things, such as an alTordable
version of 'designer' underwear (as actually found
in an advertisement).
Finally, some cautionary notes are in order on
crosslinguistic differences. As we have seen, differ-
ent words are associated with different ways of
encoding a situation. While there is a sizable
amount of crosslinguistic similarity in the way in
which a particular situation is linguistically proc-
essed, there are cases of divergence and discrep-
ancy. Especially tricky are those cases in which the
words provided by different languages approximate
to each other quite closely, but differ in certain
significant details. To give just one example, you
can infer from the English sentence, Mary helped
John [to] solve the problem that John was able to
solve the problem, but the same inference does not
necessarily hold for the corresponding Japanese sen-
tence (i.e. John may not have been able to solve
the problem in spite of Mary's help). The English
verb 'help' used with a direct object and an infini·
tive complement focuses on the achievement of the
goal intended by the action, while the focus of the
corresponding Japanese verb is on the action of
helping and thus leaves the question of achievement
unanswered.
Selection restriction can also vary crosslinguisti-
cally. Again, especially tricky are those cases in
which the restriction differs for a pair of words
which otherwise correspond quite well semanti-
cally. For example, the English verb 'flow' takes as
subject a noun referring to a fluid (i.e. either a
liquid or a gas), as in water flows or the fog flows,
but not a log flows. There is a Japanese verb which
behaves in a parallel way vis-a-vis a fluid, but this
verb can also be applied to a solid (in which case
English will have to use a dilTerent verb, namely
'float', followed perhaps by an adverbial phrase re-
ferring to direction, as in a log floats down the
river. You will find this point made very clear in
the Activator: Ooat is under the Key Word ON TOP
OF (,to stay on top of the water'), and Oow under
the Key Word LIQmD ('liquid that is moving in a
particular direction').
As will have been quite clear by now, the Longman
Language Activator is specifically concerned with
the productive aspect of your language use. It olTers
you a whole range of linguistic resources from
which you can choose to talk about a given situation
in a way that suits best what you have in mind. The
Activator will certainly serve you as the most reli-
able guide in your efficient and effective command
of English.
Professor Y. Ikegami
Tokyo University
 F22
Informal, formal, and spoken language and the
Activator
In an ideal world it would be possible to identify a
neutral core of words in a language which could
appropriately be used in any circumstances by a
foreign language learner. Then you would simply
put those neutral words into a dictionary and leave
out all those which are only used in particularly
formal, or technical, or infonnal circumstances.
This is what we tend to do when we first begin to
learn a new language. However, quite quickly learn-
ers find that they need to express more specific and
differentiated ideas and then they need to use new
and different words, just as native speakers do.
If you were to use only the Key Words in this
dictionary you would produce a rather plain, bland
but perfectly acceptable type of English. The Key
Words are taken from the neutral core vocabulary
which should be understood by students who have
reached intermediate level. However, you will often
find if you use only these words that you fail to
make distinctions that you would like to draw. Con·
sider the difference between the Key Word LISTEN,
which has a very general meaning and a specific
type of listening, to eavesdrop. If you want to indi-
cate that some character is deliberately and secretly
listening to a conversation between other people,
and listening in order to find out some specific
information the word eavesdrop will give you all
of that wrapped up in a single word. Just using
'listening' would not indicate all of this extra infor-
mation.
As soon as you look at the range of words given
under each Key Word, you will see that these olTer a
wider and more expressive vocabulary. Advanced
students of English, who need to use the language
for a wide range of purposes, will frequently need to
use this wider vocabulary. They will need to be able
to distinguish between words which are mostly used
in formal written language, for when they are writ·
ing essays and preparing for academic examina-
tions, and words that are more appropriately used
in informal speech. Sometimes a student may
wonder if an expression picked up from a film is
specifically American, or can be used in British
English as well. How does the Activator help the
student to identify such variations?
The simplest variation to mark in a dictionary entry
is where there is a clear difference between British
and American usage. A much more complex issue
is how to show when it is appropriate to use a
particular expression. You will find that when a
word or phrase is restricted in its usage, this is
shown in the definition. You will find, too, that
some words and phrases have the warnings 'formal'
or 'informal' in their definitions. These warnings
suggest that you should be careful about using such
words and phrases, since they ha ve a particularly
restricted usage in the language. As a rough guide,
'formal' will usually mean that this is a word which
is most likely to be used in highly formal writing or
in formal speech read aloud. If you look under the
Key Word SEE, you will find observ~ marked as
'formal'. This means that in normal conversation,
or in a letter to a friend, you would not expect to
say 'I observe that you are worried about some-
thing'. Very occasionally you will find an entry
which is used in formal spoken language, for in·
stance the entry I stand corrected (under ADMIT)
tells you that this is 'a formal British expression'.
Indeed it is formal, and I believe that I have never
used it in my life. You would only expect to find it
in places where forms of ceremonial and ritual
debate are found, as in Law courts or in the British
Parliament.
You will also find some, rather more frequent, exam-
ples of the warning 'informal'. Such a warning sug·
gests that you should probably only use the expres·
sion in writing letters to friends or in chatting to
them. An example of this would be the entry right
otT the hat. under the Key Word IMMEDIATELY,
which warns you that this is 'an informal American
expression'. You might use this expression appropri-
ately in speech but not in academic written work.
Th~se wa rnings about restricted usage should be
taken seriously since using informal expressions in
an inappropriate context can suggest that you are
not taking the discussion seriously enough. Equally
you can give the impression of being stiff and pedan-
tic if you keep using long formal words in an infor·
mal conversation. ChOOSing to use rare formal
words where common neutral ones will express the
meaning adequately is not considered good style in
modern English.
On the whole you will find that written language
tends to be more characteristically formal than
spoken language and it typically contains more
specific vocabulary. Of course there are informal
written genres - like chatty letters between friends,
some types of chatty journalism - and of course you
may find informal conversation represented in
novels, short stories and plays but it still remains
true that the vast bulk of written language produced
everyday is more formal than informal. The spoken
language yields a more mixed picture. Much every·
day speech in English between family, friends and
people who work together is characteristically infor·
mal. However there are some social relationships,
perhaps between employer and employees, perhaps
between older people and younger people who do
not know each other well, or where one person
wields more power in a relationship, where the
language used may be chosen from the more neutral
part of the vocabulary, carefully avoiding being in-
 F23
fonnal but without necessarily being fonnal. Posi·
tively formal spoken language is more likely to be
found in social situations where people who nor-
mally talk to each other infonnally will temporarily
adopt a much more formal style of speech - as in a
meeting with a chairman who is always addressed
as 'Chairman' or 'Chair',
Apart from the question of formality or informality,
there are other ways in which expressions are not
equally neutral in all contexts. To discriminate be-
tween the subtler dilTerences, you will need to look
in the dictionary at the examples under each defini-
tion. All the entries show you a wealth of natural
examples based on a corpus of naturally-occurring
English. So you will find some examples which
clearly come from spoken conversation and others
which come from a range of written registers. Com-
pare:
thIa minute/right now / ... /
(under IMMEDIATELY 1)
If someone such as a parent or employer orders
you to do something this minute or right
now they want you to do it immediately [adv
phrase]
Kalil!, put that down this minute or you'll go
straight to bed. I Back to work this minuU!! D You
hoor?1I want an explanation for this dreadful
behaviour, right IWW.
oublght / . .. / (under IMMEDIATELY 2)
If someone is killed outright they die immedi-
ately from an attack or an accident [adv usually
qfter verb]
He was kilkd outright when his car crashed at
high speed. IOn August 6th the first bomb was
dropped on Hiroshima, killing /JO,IJ(}() peopk out-
right.
In the FIrSt set, the extracts are all concerned with
the present and what is to be done in the immediate
future, within seconds of a speaker having stopped
speaking. You can see from the simple language
and the use of the present tense and of address
forms like 'Katie' and 'you' that these examples are
taken from speech. The second set is concerned
with reporting (either in speech or writing) events
in the past and what happened immediately follow-
ing those events. The appropriate contexts for using
this minute and outright are clearly brought
out in the definitions. The first seems to be used in
speaking to someone directly. (Indeed this
minute is a fonn which cannot be carried over
into a past report - you cannot write He /Old them
/0 go back /0 work that minute, you would have to
change it to He told them /0 go back /0 work at once"
immediately.)
The second example, outright, is obviously appro-
priately used when speaking or writing of some-
thing that happened in the past.
If several examples for an entry contain quotations
from what looks like informal conversation, particu-
larly if the present tense is used, it is probably the
case that the word or phrase is most often found in
the spoken language. If the examples are exclusively
in the past tense and contain several particularly
long words, then it is more likely that they are
drawn from written language.
Although the extreme ends of the formal/informal
scale are indicated in the definitions, there are obvi-
ously -some words which are quite (but not ex-
tremely) formal and others which are quite (but not
extremely) informal. A useful short cut for judging
whether or not a word or expression is likely to be
nearer the formal or informal end of the normal
range of use is simply to look at its length. It is
often (but not always) the case that longer words
are likely to be more used in formal contexts and
shorter ones in informal contexts. Under the Key
Word LUCKY for example, you would suppose if
you followed this advice that fortunate would be
more likely to be more used in formal contexts than
lucky, and you would be correct, as you can see
by checking the helpful examples under the entries.
Compare also words like clear/transparent, view/
panorama, and dim/indistinct. In each case the
dictionary will show you examples which will
strengthen such predictions.
Another useful short cut, which again is not 100%
reliable, is to look at whether an expression is a one
word item or a multi-word item. In general, the
multi-word item is more likely to be used in infor-
mal contexts. Compare lucky/be in luck, chat/
have a chat, admittedly/let's face it,
Immedlately/at once, see/set eyes on, clear/see-
through, look/have a look, bathe/have a bath.
In each case the dictionary will show you that you
are more likely to find the multi-word item in infor-
mal contexts, and you are particularly likely to find
it in conversational speech. Putting the multi-word
items alongside their one-word equivalents reminds
you of the existence of this choice and allows you to
select the expression which is appropriate to the
context in which you wish to use it.
If you use such short cuts, together with a careful
study of the definitions and the examples under
each deFmition which the Actioo/Or olTers, you will
be able to judge whether or not the word you are
looking at is suitable for your current purpose. If the
word is more formal, you can appropriately use it in
formal written language, in scientific reports, news-
paper articles, and essays (and also in fonnal spoken
language, though this is quite rarely encountered).
If the expression occurs in examples of speech, you
could use it appropriately in letters to close friends
and in nonnal chatty conversation - it would prob-
ably not be appropriate in a fonnal interview or in
addressing someone who is senior to you. The clear
definitions in the Actioo/Or, together with the indica-
tions of the extreme ends of the formality / informal-
ity scale and the wealth of examples, will give you a
really good chance of getting the choice right.
Professor Gillian Brown
Cambridge Uni/Jf!rsity
 F24
The value of the Activator to students of English
For the non-native speaking learner, dictionaries
are guides to the new world of unfamiliar words.
They provide passwords to otherwise closed lexical
territories.
So far, the two most common ways of entering the
land of unknown words have been by direct or by
indirect means. Either the words of the target lan-
guage are presented side by side with the learners'
own words from their native languages. Or the lexi-
cal items unknown to the learner are explained by
simpler words of the target language. The two
modes of entry into the target lexicon are the well-
known bilingual and monolingual dictionaries.
These two time-honoured ways of giving access to
the target lexicon have been quite successful in
helping learners to master their vocabulary prob-
lems. They have become better and better over time.
In particular, the presentation of target lexical infor·
mation by way of carefully selected explanations
and well picked·out examples of use has been stead·
ily improved. Learners' dictionaries of the English
language, in· particular, have become very effective
hi allowing the user entry into the new lexicon.
Yet non-native learners find out, time and again,
that they do not really feel at home in the new
lexical territory. True, they have been informed
about what the target words """,n. Lexical gaps in
their knowledge have been filled - to some extent.
With the knowledge extracted from such dictionar-
ies users can get an idea of what speakers and
writers of another language had in mind. They can
decode what is encoded. From a bilingual dictionary
they carry the word meanings into their native
language: 'apologize' French s'excuser, German sich
enlschuldigen, Spanish excusarse. From a monolin-
gual dictionary they have them transformed into a
lexical version that is easier to understand: 'apolo-
gize' say O/le is sorry, e.g. for having done something
wrong or for causing pain or trouble. In both cases
non-native users can learn a lot about what words
mean but not enough about what they can do with
these words and how they have to do it if they
themselves want to use these words as advanced
learners ofthe target language.
Conventional dictionaries are mainly for passive
understanders. This new dictionary attempts to
train acti ve users. It is a production dictionary: it
helps users to produce the right target words in the
right place. With the help of the Longman Language
Activator non-native language learners can move
about more freely and securely in the lexical world
of the target language. It is not only a map of the
lexicon, where they identify words, discover and
explore descriptions and explanations of the lexical
items: it is also an active guide to put what they
know about the words into action. It encodes
whereas other dictionaries only decode. More pre-
cisely, the Longman Language Activator tells you
not only about English words but it makes you use
them correctly and idiomatically. By correctly, we
mean the use of a word that suits the idea one has
in mind. By idiomatically. we mean the right, that
is, the typical or natural word, which natives would
use to express a particular idea. Knowledge of what
words mean becomes enriched by knowledge of
what you can do with them, how you can use them
effectively and with ease.
How can non-native learners get the most out of the
Longman Language Activator to achieve this aim?
Where does its productivity come from? In particu-
lar, what is the advantage of such a dictionary
compared to a so-called 'active' bilingual dictionary,
which gives non-natives of English one or several
target words, placed one after the other on the
right·hand side of an alphabetic word list? Often
enough learners get lost in the maze of 'equivalents'
that are offered in exchange for their own familiar
language. The well·known fact that words do not
normally match from language to language blocks
the learners' attempts to get away from words in
their own language more than it enables them to
express ideas 'directly' in the target language.
The production dictionary takes an entirely differ·
ent route. All the entries are in alphabetical order,
but the learners can either go in at an individual
word that they already know, such as apologize, in
A, or they could go straight to one of the Key Words,
in this case, SORRY/ APOLOGIZE, in S. It is at the
Key Words that all the semantic and usage informa·
tion for the various aspects of the idea of saying
sorry or apologizing is given. The individual entry
for apologize therefore refers the learner to the
Key Word SORRY/ APOLOGIZE.
Quite often, the user can choose between different
directions depending on the idea to be expressed.
For instance:
sophisticated ADVANC ED 1, EXPERiENCED 2.
STYLE/ ELEGANCE 2
means that the word sophisticated can be found
under three ditTerent Key Words.
The Key Word is the first step to language produc·
tion. At the Key Word framed 'idea boxes' meet the
learner's eye. They function as control centres for
the advanced learner to convert ideas into adequate
words later. This is a crucial second step to stimu-
late the learner's meaning awareness.
For SORRY/ APOLOGIZE we have four numbered
paraphrases defining distinct variants of the key
idea.
1 to tell someone that you are sorry for something
bad. unkind etc th at you have done
 F25
2 whal you say to lell someone that you are sorry,
for exa mple if you have upset them or done some-
thing wrong or un fair
3 what you say to apologize for something unimpor-
tan t, such as a sm all mistak e
4 a spoken or writte n statemen t in which you apolo-
gize to someone
Now the non-native learner can proceed to the third
step to the words that are available to express each
of the four ideas. This is like getting the right ticket
to proceed on a specific lexical course. Thus for
idea I (to say that you are sorry when you have
done something bad, unkind etc) there are again
four options, namely,
say you are sorry / say sorry
apologize
be apologetic
swallow your pride
Now you are offered 'real' English words. indeed
the right words for the user to express ideas. But
before this decisive step can be taken learners are
given an important fourth help. It consists of more
specific information in the definitions as to exactly
what you mean when you choose to say or write
any of the three lexical items given. Incidentally,
phonetic assistance is given after the definitions.
This is another sign that genuine production, in
speech or writing, could now proceed.
The fifth way that the production dictionary works
for you is in distinguishing between levels of style
that are not 'neutral', when they are either formal
or informal, when the words or phrases are either
British or American only, or when the distinction
between the wri tten or spoken medium is in order.
For example, sorry is a neutral way of saying you
are sorry when you make a small mistake, etc, but
excuse me is an American expression used in
this situation. This is indicated in the definitions.
The Activator tells you that I beg your pardon is
a formal expression which you use when you touch
someone accidentally. Another variant is please
accept my apologies, which is used when you want
to apologize in a formal letter for a mistake or a
problem.
These are not only words for ideas but ideas turned
into words in a sentence. You reach this sixth step
by noting the form of the grammatical information
placed in square brackets after each of the three
entries, namely, say you are sorry I say sorry [v
phrase) apologize [v I) be apologetic [v phrase) .
Note that for ideas to get converted into words the
word class that suits best should be chosen. To
express yourself adequately the right sentence
counts. Ideas are not directly related to particular
word classes. For example at the Key Word PROUD.
the words conceited [adj) and be full of your-
self [v phrase1 are shown in the same section.
Along with the grammatical infonnation, in square
brackets. e.g. about possible objects Iv T) or none at
all Iv I] non-native learners - in order to use the
words in a sentence correctly - must be given more
grammatical information, such as the many small
function words that make sure that the intended
ideas get properly connected with the rest of the
utterance. This is the seventh step to productivity.
1t is shown in bold with one or several examples
that act as key models for the users.
say sorry to Go and say sorry to your mother,
Andrew.1say you are sorry for Oliver said
he was S()rry for causing everyone so much
trouble. I say you are sorry (that) She rushed
in through the door, saying she was sorry that
she was so late.
This kind of contextual information often includes,
step number eight, typical collocations. They bring
out additional shades of meanings of the words
offered in bold type. And what is more. they add
idiomaticity to the use of a particular word.
Thus for apologize the dictionary lists and illus-
trates
apologize for 5th I must apologize for my son's
behaviour-he isn't usually this moody. I The
bank wrote to apologise for overcharging
me. I apologize to sb The US apologized to Brit·
ain for the accident that cost nine British lives I
apologize That was an awful thing to say- J think
you should apologize. Iapologize profusely
( = apologize very much) She apologized pro-
fusely for being so late.
You will soon find out that these eight steps will
help you to put your ideas into idiomatic English.
You can either start with an individual word you
ha ppen to remember about an idea you want to
express: this becomes your stimulus to a whole
conceptual area with its typical lexical repertoire.
Or you can check your productive power by starting
directly from any of the Key Words in order to
make sure you are on the right track when using a
particular word or phrase in English.
Being a genuine production dictionary the Longman
Language Activator will prove its worth by provid-
ing non-native speaking learners with the specific
assistance they need according to their various
kinds of knowledge. It offers your ideas a safe route
into the rich and varied field of English. In short, it
progressively increases your competence to produce
words for your ideas, that is, to speak and write in
English as native-speakers do.
Professor Albrecht Neubert
Leipzig University
 F26
Explanatory page
A1phabetl..... Word LIst thr_hout - directs you to
the right Key Word
Access Maps - help you decide on the righ t Key Word
Key Word - the t 052 Key Word s a re tisted on pages
81 - 84. They are the basic meanings o f the core of
English
Meaning Menu - c hoose fro m these meanings, then
go to the numbered section you wa nt
" YOu say" is used in definit ions o f
some words or phrases to show they
a re especially used in Spoken English.
Numbered sections - major aspects o f the Key Word
Menu of words and phrase. - the ways of
expressing th is aspect of the Key Word , shown in
frequency order, th e most gene ra l one first
A word or phrase - shown in freq uency order, the
most general o ne first
Grammatical patterns - the most usual constr uc tions,
presented in the order of frequency revea led in ou r
corpora
Exampl•• of grammatlca' pattems - immed iately
foll ow the patterns for maximum clarity
Example. - based on the Longman Corp us Network,
start ing with the clea rest exam ples, with more
authentic ones later
dlfftcull DIFFICULT 1. 5. 7. 8. 9
dlfflc:ull: ftnd 8th dtfflc:ull DIFFICULT 10
dlfftcull: make life dtfflcuH PROBLEM 9. 10
dlfflc:uH: nol dlfflc:ult/hard EASY 1
dlfflcuH po.ttlon: be In 8 dlfftcultlewkwerd position
PROBLEM 7
Idifficult 1--------,
which meaning?
IIDI euy to do, • DIFFICULT
undemand eIc
• problem or difficulty • PROBLEM
compile-*' • COMPUCATED
• DIFFICULT
1 difficult to do or understand
2 words for describing something that you need
all your skill, knowledge etc to do
3 very difficult to do, especially because it
involves a lot of ~ard physical work
4 difficult to do because it is complicated .
involves working with small objects etc
5 words for describing a situation or subject
that is difficult to deal with, talk about etc
8 to make a situation more difficult
7 words for describing someone who is difficult
to live with . work with , or do things with
because they are unhelpful, they always
disagree efc
8 words for describing a situation or period of
time that is full of problems. worries etc
• words for describing d ifficult conditions that
make what you are dOing more difficult
10 to have a lot of difficulty when you are trying
to do something
11 to make something that you are doing seem
more difficult than it really is
1
I difficult to do or understand
I~ dhatff~C:UH
....
tough
take some dotng
be a tall order
It's ealer said
daunting than done
be no e..y task not the easiest
difficult I'dlflk>lt{ (<Uti)
T/w book isfuU ofumg diffICult words. I I couldn't CJ1ISwer
the lastqu.estion - it was/ar too difficult. I difficult for sb
11 was di/JlCultfor us because we'd never studied French
Wort.1difficult to see/ hear/ descrlbeetc The insects are
so small that they are dif.TlCUIt to Sft without using a micro-
scope. 1it isdlfficult to do sthlt~difTlCUlt to imagine how
anyone could possibly fmd u.. film eIlioyabk. I ODd 8th
dlIIIcult Silefound it extrr!tnely diJ]1cult to forgive him qfW
what he'd done to her. J make it dJ.fftcult for sb to do sth
My mother's illmss made it difficult for her to walk.
h.rd Iha:'dJ difficult and needing a Jot ofmentalelfort or
understanding (<Uti!
I thought the exam was really hard. I Trying to forget her
- that's u.. hardest thing ofalL I it is hard to do sth Tlwyn
both really good - it's hard le know which one to choose. I
hard forsb It's hardforparents to understand how a child
feels. J find it hard to do sth l/ind it hard to believe that
he didn't know the gun was loaded.
t ....... 11A~ very difficult and needing a Jot of mental or
 1'27

physical effort (mU)

The reporters asked her a lot o/tough questions. I It's tough
being at th< ropo{any company. I tough to dolbeat ete TM
ChicaBo &ars are on excellent lOOm and they're going to ~
toughto~. Longmen Defining Vocabulary - the famous. unique
clauntlng/'<b:nUIJI ifsomething that you are going to do 2000-word Defining Vocabu lary. now incorporating
is daunting it seems very difficult and makes you worried
that you may not succeed la4ll changes based on word freq uencies in o ur corpora
Climbing Everest is a daunting challenge for any rrwun-
taineer. I daunting task Rescue workers nowfacetmdaunt- Collocation. - aga in revea led by corpus resea rch ,
ing task 01 clearing up afW th< earthquake. I find 8th fo llowed by examples of their use
daunting She found the prospect 0/ playing agatnst
Navratilova both dcwnting and exciting.
be no ..., taak Ibi: n;K) .i:zi 'ta:sk 11 - 'tresk/ ifdoing BrItish and American pronunciation. - both are
something Is no easy task, it is very difficult and takes a g iven , using tPA symbols (see inside fron t cover)
lot of time and effort Iv ph1TlSl? )
Finding a solution to the present crisis in the Middle East
is no ea.sy task. I TM ro<U/$ are o{t.n dangerous. and getting
lood to th< ciuilianpopulatton has proued to ~ no rosy task.
t8ke some doing I,!elk SMJl1du:tJ)/ an informal expres- Informal expre. .lon - essen tia l information for
sion: if something takes some dolng It needs a lot of effort. appropriate choice of word a nd therefo re shown at
skill. or detennination. and you admire someone who does
it Iv phrase not in progressive) beg inning of definition
Winning 3 gold medals in the Olympic Games takes some
doing. I I'm amazed SM could wriU a now book eooy 6
months - it must have taken some doing.
be. till order Ibi:; ltJ:l1:):fwfl an tnfonnal expression:
if you say that something you have been asked to do is a
tall order, you mean that tt seems very dWeult and you
think it is unlikely that you will be able to do it Iv phrase]
"Can you finish all this work by Friday?" "Sounds like Spoken Corpus example - from the BNC Spoken
rather a tall order to me. I'll see what I can do . .. Corpus, the first corpu s of tr uly na tural speech
h'............. th8n done Ilts ,i:zi;r ,sed o.m 'dAnJ
if you say that a suggested action or plan is easier said Spoken .xpr....on - from the Spoke n Corpus,
than done, you mean that it is more difficult than people indicated by "you say" in the definitio n
realize
"Why don't we save some money and buy a house?" "That's
much easier said than done. " II'm always sayinl! l'mgoing
to give up smoking, but it's easier said than done.
not _ _ leat Inot Oi: 'i:zi!stJ not the easiest thing
to do/place to find/dlsh to make etc (=a British expres- Brltl.h and American - when a word or phrase is
sion meaning it Is actuaIJy very difficult to do these things) usually used on ly in a particular variety of Eng lish
(mU phrase only bifOn noun)
I'll tokeyou th<re myself - U~ not th<easl<stplact to get to
if you don ~ have a car. I "Why don ~ you invlu Tom?"
"Because eight 0 'cJockon a Sunday morning isn't tlMeasiest
time to contact himJ"

2 words for describing something that you need

all your skill. knowledge ate to do
_nglng IUlng
domondlng ouctlng
be • chMlenge .vetch
-ng
_ . _.... 1'tJ..I!nd5tQI difficult In an e!\IOyable and
lnteresting way because you need to use all your skill,
knowledge. and determination to do it (mU) Word cia•• label
Tr<IchinB JIOIUIII children is cmainly challm8ing. both men·
tally and PhYsiaJUy. I She U:ft Mr /astjob ~usewdldn't
find U challenging etlDU8h.
demanding Idl'lDQ!ndllJ I dl'ma:n·1 a job or something Subject r ••trIctIon - to show natural, typica l subjects
that you have to do that is demanding is difficult because of an adjective or adjectival phrase
you have to work hard and use a lot of effort [~}
My doctor has /old ".. that I shauldn t try and do anything
too physiaJl/ydemanding. I TM new recruits had to get used
to a demandIng sc/U1duIe 01 training and study.
be • ch8I...... {bi: ; IIJehnd31 if something you are Cl. . definitions - show essen tial d ifferences between
planning to do is a challenge, it seems exciting because words' mea nings
it is difficult and you will need to use all your skill.
knowledge. and determination to do it Iv phrase)
I chose tostudy law because IthDught it would btachallmge.
te.tlng IlteslJOI a testing time/experience/situation Typical subjects of adjectives or verbs - when the
etc (==one that makes you use all your effort, patience, and
detennination and shows how strong you are mentally) choice o f word is determined by th e subject
(mU usually bifore noun ) Grammatical r••trlctlon - writt en ou t, not
First we lost our business. tMn our house - it was a kstin8 abbreviated
timetor both 0{us. I FlBhdng In a battle is probably the most
testing experiau;< that anyone..,.,. has to 1 -
 F28
How to use the Longman Language Activator
Getting the most out of the LOIIfIm_
LangUllfle Act/"",,,,.
The Longman Longuage Activator is simple to use.
It is a production dictionary, designed to help you
expand your vocabulary and to produce good, appro-
priate English. The Activator is not like an ordinary
dictionary, which you probably use for r~erence
purposes, to look up words you do not know to fmd
out what they mean. The Activator begins with the
words that you do know and takes you to new
words and phrases so that you can use them
actively.
Putting your Ideas Into words with the
Act",,,,,,,. .
Suppose you have just been to a concert and were
very impressed by it, and you want to express that
idea in your English class.
You can look up IMPRESS (a word that you prob-
ably know already) in alphabetical order in the
Activator. There you will see
• IMPRESS
to make someone notice something good
about you so that they admire you
1 to impress someone
2 to impress someone very much
3 to feel impressed
4 words for describing someone or
something that impresses you
• to not impress someone
e doing something simply in order to
impress people
You can select section 2, 'to impress someone very
much'. Go to section 2.
2 to impress someone very much
dazzle
knock ob out
wow
denle / . . . / to impress someone very much by
doing something special, unexpected, or unusual
IvTJ
The Princess's off-the·shoulder dress dazzled the
waiting crowds. I He's ·used to dazzling the audience
in his home town, but New York will be very differ·
ent.
knock ell out ! ... ! an informal expression
meaning to impress someone so much that it
makes them feel full of admiration and surprise
[phr v T) Madonna was amazing in thot film - she
knocked me out. Ireally knock sb out Why don 't
you start the gig with thot song you wrote yourse/!?
Thot'lI really knock them out.
wow ! .. . ! an informal word to impress someone
very much by dOing something very exciting or
unusual Iv TJ
As usual Freddie Mercury wowed the crowds es-
pecially in the big songs such as 'Barcelona'. I She's
been wowing them at the Arts Centre with her
amazing one-woman show.
You are given three ways of expressing the idea you
have in mind. Two of them knock sb out and
wow are marked as informal, so they would be
more suitable if you wanted to talk to your friends
about being impressed by the concert. The ftrst
option, dazzle, can be used generally, so if you were
writing you could use the word dazzle.
The defmitions show clearly the differences in mean·
ing between the three options so that you can choose
the one that suits your idea best.
Using new words and phra_s
The Activator also shows you how words and
phrases are used in English. If you chose knock sb
out and you wanted to know how to intensify the
phrase, you can see that you can use the expression
really knock sb out, which is given in bold type
with an example to show how it is used. This is how
collocations are shown in the book.
You could also look under section 3 'to feel im·
pressed'. If you weren't sure whether to use a prepo-
sition with be Impressed, for example, the Activa·
tor shows this very clearlY,like this:
be . . . . . . . - I . .. I to realize how good,
clever. or skilful something is, so that you feel
admiration Iv phrase]
It was a superb per/ormana! - even tlu! critics
were impressed. I be impressed by I am im·
pressed by the quality 0/ the management in this
firm. I be Impressed with We are very impressed
with your progress. I be impressed (that) I'm very
impress«i tIuJJ. you 're learning Chinese.
This tells you that be impressed is often used with
the prepositions by or with. You can also see that
be Impressed (that) is a typical grammatical pat·
tern.
In this way, the Activator helps you choose the
appropriate word or phrase for the context and then
helps you use it in the right grammatical and stylis-
tic way. Now let's look at how the Activator works
in more detail.

Improving your English with the Activator
Like all Longman dictionaries the Activator has
been written with the needs of students and teachers
in mind. It is based on a research project that in-
cludes the analysis ofthe Longman Corpus of Learn·
ers' English. This helps us to understand what infor·
mation learners really need. We know some of the
problems that students have by analysing exam
scripts that have been included in the Learners'
Corpus.
Preparing for an exam
Choosing the right word when writing
Let's suppose you were writing an essay to practise
for the Cambridge First Certificate exam, and the
task was to write 50 words on why you as an em-
ployer might choose a particular candidate for a job
that had been advertised.
You could use the Longman Language Activator to
enrich the vocabulary you use in the answers, and
to make sure that the grammar and collocations are
right.
For example, if you wanted to say that you chose a
person for the job because she seemed able to deal
with situations and people, and her appearance was
right for the job, you might write: I chose Gill Smith
for the job because she was efficient and well-dressed.
This is OK, but it does sound a little bit brief. Let's
see how the Activator can help.
Look up EFFICIENT in the Activator. This is easy
because all the words are in alphabetical order.
EFFICIENT is a Key Word, one of the 1052 headings
that represent the key meanings of English. Any
user of the book should know these words, because
they are the most important and frequent words
which express the core of the English language.
They are printed in bold capital letters with a grey
circle to make them stand out.
Let's go through what you find at the Key Word
EFFICIENT then, in E. There is a general definition
of the idea of efficient, followed by a list or 'menu'
of numbered meanings that the word efficient has.
EFFICIENT
working well and effectively without
wasting time, money, or energy
1 words for describing an organization
or syste m th a t is well-organized and wo rk s
well , withou t wasting time, money, or energy
2 word s for describing a machine that
wor ks well and efficiently
3 words for describing someone who does
their work efficientfy , uses th eir time well ,
and achieves good result s
4 to make a business or system more efficient
5 not efficien t
F29
You have to choose the meaning that best fits with
what you want to say.
Choose the best one for the meaning you are trying
to express. You would probably choose 3, because it
refers to a person and their work. At 3 you would
find the following menu of words and phrases which
you could choose:
3 words for describing someone who does
their work effi ciently. uses their time well .
and achieves good resu lt s
eftlclent well~organlzed
efficiency businesslike
effective run a light ship
capable productive
Look at the first one, efficient. There is no further
definition because the definition at the top of section
3 applies very well to efficient. Look at the exam·
pIes and you will see a particularly appropriate
one: When going for a job interview it is important
that you present a smart effzeient appearance! So
efficient would be a good choice, but look at the
other options. Another good word to choose would
be capable: 'someone who is capable does things
well and confidently and does not need any help or
advice'. The examples give further support of what
the usual contexts ofthe word are.
Look at some of the other words. Well·organized,
business-like and productive might also be
items of vocabulary that could be used in the rest of
your answer. But remember you should read the
definitions carefully. Important distinctions in
meaning are presented there for you.
Now let's look at the other word well-dressed. Look
it up in W. You will see that it is in small letters in
bold type. It is not a Key Word, but refers you
instead to the Key Word SMART j WELL·DRESSED,
which is where all the information you need to
choose the word is given. In fact, you are referred to
section 1 of that Key Word.
Look at the menu of words and phrases under sec-
tion L They are listed in frequency order, with the
most general way of expressing the meaning put
first. So the first word or phrase is often the safest
choice.
1 wo rd s for describing someone who wears
good clol hes and has a lidy appearance
smart well-groomed
well-dreaaed sharp
presentable dapper
well tumed oul Inazzy
Select the one you think looks most promising. Let's
look at smart. Again, always read the definition;
 F30
it's in the definition that the differences in meaning
between words and phrases are clearest.
The definition says 'a British word meaning wear-
ing neat, clean, attractive clothes and having a gen-
erally tidy appearance'. If you do not want a mainly
British word, you need to look at one of the other
options. (Smart means clever in American Eng-
lish.)
Look at well-dressed. The definition says 'wearing
good or expensive clothes'. Does this fit with what
you want to say about your imaginary job candi-
date? Perhaps the clothes sound a bit too expensive,
so try another - well turned out. Here the
definition 'someone who is well turned out has
taken care that their clothes and general appearance
are clean and neat, for example for a special occa·
sion' sounds quite appropriate.
Let's look at the examples to understand the nu-
ances of the meaning: The Principal expected every-
one to be well turned out on Graduation Day. I It
used to be accepted that everyone would be well
turned out on Sundays.
The examples also sound appropriate for someone
attending a job interview, trying to make a good
"impression. But if you read the definition of smart
that fits well too. In fact either smart or well
turned out would be a good choice for your
sentence, whereas the original word well-dressed
has other overtones ~ of,the clothes being rather ex-
pensive.
So by using the Activator you could write sentences
like:
I chose Gill Smith for the job because she was
smart and seemed capable.
I chose Gill Smith for the job because she was
well turned out and seemed efflCient.
You could add to that in the rest of your answer,
using other words from the same Key Words in the
Activator.
But before we leave SMART, take a look at the
other entries for smart just before the Key Word.
They are:
smart INTELLIG ENT 1, 4, 9 SMART / WE LL-
DRESSED 1
smart: not intelligent/bright/cleverl amart
STUPI D/ NOT INTEL LIGENT 1
These cross-references show you that smart is a
word that has several mean ings. It is therefore of-
fered as a way of expressing the different ideas at
different Key Words. Look up the Key Words to see
how this works. Note the use of smart in the nega-
tive to express the idea STUPID. It is very common
in English to use negative expressions in this way,
for example, to say not pleased instead of saying
displeased.
Helping you with multiple-c:holce exercises
In exams you often have to select the correct or best
choice from amongst a range of words. The Activator
can help you a lot here. This exercise is taken from
the Longman Longuage Activator Workbook by
Susan Maingay and Chris Tribble in the section
called Preparing for Exams. (It is a very good idea
for teachers to practise using the dictionary through
this workbook, to ensure that students can get the
most out of the dictionary. It will provide valuable
classroom activities as welL)
Let's choose the best word for the sentence, using
the Activator_
At one point in the meeting there was a heated
..... . .... between the chairman and Dr Bootle on a
matter of financial policy.
a. tiff c. squabble
b. feud d. exchange
The entries for three of these words (tiff, squab-
ble, and exchange) in the Activator are at the Key
Word ARGUE at section 5 'a situation in which
people are arguing'_You should be able to tell from
the definitions which word is the 'right' one.
tiff I .. . I a word used especially in British
English meaning a short argument about some·
thing unimportant, especially between two
people who are in love
This is clearly not the right context and tilT is
therefore not the right word.
The definition for squabble is 'a noisy argument
about something that is not important', so this
makes it less suitable to fill the gap.
Feud is at ARGUE 6 'a situation in which there is
a serious disagreement between people, especially
concerning important public matters'. The defini-
tion of feud reads: 'an unpleasant and often vio-
lent situation between two groups, especially fami-
lies, in which people have been arguing for so many
months, years etc that they cannot remember the
cause of it'.
This does not apply to the gap-fill sentence, which
is about a formal meeting.
This is the definition of exchange: 'a very short
argument between people or groups, especially in a
formal or official situation such as a political meet-
ing'
This sounds quite appropriate for the sentence
given, and in fact exchange would be the right
choice here.
If you then go back to the examples for exchange
you will see that in fact heated exchange is given
in bold as a common collocation of exchange, and
this gives further strength to your choice of ex-
change to fill the gap in the sentence. Note how the
definition of the whole section and the definitions
of the individual words or phrases work together.
Always remember to read them carefully in order
to select one of the words.
 F31
Remember as well that there is often more than one
suitable answer, although in this exercise a heated
exchange is definitely the answer the examiners
were looking for.
The Activator definitions
Different types of definition are used depending on
what makes one word Of phrase the right one to use
to express a particuJar meaning, for example ifthere
is a restriction on the subject or object.
Selection restrictions
In many cases the key distinguishing feature of a
word is a 'selection restriction' of some kind: that is
a restriction on the type of subject or object a verb
is normally used with, or on the type of noun that
an adjective normally qualifies. If the key point is a
selection restriction of some kind on the subject of
a verb, an if-style definition will be used_For exam-
ple. under the Key Word FAIL, we have not come
off . .. if an arrangement or business deal
does not come off, it is planned and discussed, but
then something happens to stop it .. .
With adjectives that show a selection restriction,
Le. that are usually used with a narrow range of
nouns, the style we use is to show this in a bold
phrase, like this entry under SECRET:
clandestine / .. _ / clandestine meeting/
organization/ force/ operation ( = one that is
secret and usually illegal)
For verbs where the objects are restricted to a small
set of possibilities, this is also shown in bold type,
as under SUGGEST:
float / ... / float an idea/plan/proposal, ete
( = suggest it in order to find out what people
think about it)
It is essential for users to read the definition closely
because that is where word·and phrase-meanings
are distinguished from one another. Compare the
definitions for daunting and challenging under
DIFFICULT, where the difference is made very
clear:
daunting / ... / if something that you are going
to do is daunting it seems very difficult and
makes you worried that you may not succeed
challenging / . . _/ difficult in an enjoyable and
interesting way because you need to use all your
skill, knowledge, and determination to do it
Helping you get the grammar right
You should get a lot of help from the Activator in
using words in the correct grammatical construc-
tions_ Here is another sample exercise from the
Maingay ITribble Workbook:
Use the Activator to rewrite these sentences USing
the word given underneath
My doctor has advised me to give up smoking.
recommend
Look up recommend in the Activator. It is under
the Key Word ADVISE. The entry reads:
reconvnend / . .. / toadvisesomeonetodosome-
thing, especially when you have special knowl-
edge because of your job or because you have
studied a situation closely
recommend that Doctors rerommend that all chil-
dren be immunized against polio and tuberculo-
sis.
This shows that you have to use that with recom-
mend, so the correct grammatical use would be:
My doctor has recommended that I give up smok·
ing.
Note that there is no mention of recommend me
that. This is because this is not a pattern found in
normal speech or writing by native speakers or
other proficient speakers of English: you should
therefore not use it when you are writing or speak-
ing very correctly, for example when doing an exer-
cise or taking an exam.
Grammatical patterns are shown simply and
clearly, in bold type
As you can tell from the example above, the gram-
matical constructions that are typical of the words
and phrases are shown in bold in front of an exam-
ple that shows how the pattern is used.
Remember is a word with a lot of grammatical
patterns. First we are told that remember can be
either intransitive or transitive [l I T], but that it is
not usually used in the progressive.
remember / ... / [v lIT not usually in pro-
gressive]
Then the grammatical constructions are listed in
order of their frequency.
remember sb Yes, I remember Jean. She has
blonde hair and blue eyes.
remember sth I was going to phone you , but J
rouldn't remember your number.
remember who/why/how etc Remember
where we lived when we were first married?
They've knock£d it down now.
remember that I remember that the atmos-
phere was tense between nwther and father for
years before they divorced.
remember doing sth He took a long look at the
girl and faintly remembered seeing her at a
party somewhere.
remember What did I do with my car keys? Oh,
[ remember, [left them on the kitchen table.
as far as I remember ( = what I remember is)
As far as I remember he was a short man with
fair hair.
So all grammatical patterns are shown in bold type
in front of examples that show the use of that
pattern.
Transitive and intran_Hive
If a verb can be both transitive and intransitive,
[l I T] is given after the definition. For example, steal
is marked [l I T] _The simple transitive form (taking
a noun, noun phrase, or pronoun as its object) is
shown clearly in bold type (steal 8th), as in Some-
 F32
one had stolen my bike. The intransitive form (not
taking any form of object) is also shown in the bold
type (steal), as in The children were taught that
they must never steal.
Grammar patterns are presented in frequency
order, that is the most common patterns come first.
This is based on the evidence from our computer-
ized Corpus Network. So you will find the single-
word pattern does not always come first. With the
example above, steal is more common in the transi-
tive (Le. with an object) than in the intransitive (Le.
without an object), so steal sth is shown first.
The use of the passive
If a verb is shown as IT] , you can assume that it
can be passivized unless there is a note saying [not
in passive]. When the passive is very frequent this
will often be shown as a full phrase (such as be
involved under section 1 of the Key Word TAKE
PART/BE INVOLVED) or in the bold forms as a
grammatical pattern, e.g. be confined to under sec·
tion 2 of the Key Word KEEP SB IN A PLACE.
The meaning of ab _d sth
Note that when sb and sth are used in the Activator,
these abbreviations can stand for a wide range of
noun or pronoun objects. When the actual words
Someone or something (as in have something
against) are part of the phrase they are written out
in full.
Sometimes you will find that the first example does
not have a bold grammatical construction. This is
only done when an intransitive use or a simple
transitive use is the only grammatical pattern.
Helping you with phrasal verbs
Phrasal verbs are treated in great detail in the
Activator: Because they are so problematic, we
'write out' all the patterns they can be used in,
again in bold type. We use the bold form to show
when transitive phrasal verbs allow the object to be
used before and after the particle and when they do
not.
Let's look at save up under section 1 of the Key
Word SAVE MONEY.
. .ve up I . .. I to save money in order to buy
something or to do something [phr v lIT]
Dave's been saving up for months to buy a new
camera. jsave up sth She's saved up enough
money to take a course in computer science. j
save up for I can't possibly afford that car
now - I'll have to save up for it.
This shows you that save up can be either transi-
tive or intransitive [l I T]. The first example is of the
intransitive use save up. In the transitive use
you can say either save sth/it up or you can
move the up to before the object save up sth
(unless the object is a pronoun - you cannot put a
pronoun after a phrasal verb particle). Another im·
portant use of save up is save up for and this
is shown as another bold construction indicating
that for is the correct preposition to use with this
phrasal verb.
Collocations - using the right words
together
English, like other languages, has many set phrases
or words that are often used together in natural
speech or writing. These collocations are shown in
the Activator when corpus evidence has shown that
the words frequently occur together.
In the previous exercise. we saw that heated ex-
change was given in bold type to show that it was a
frequent combination of words. You can also say a
heated argument, but you can only say a blazing
row, and this is shown in the Activator.
Equally important are prepositions that are used
with words and phrases. These are shown in bold in
the same way as collocations and grammatical pat-
terns are, in front of examples of how they are used.
You will find that many phrases which might be
regarded as collocations in other dictionaries are
shown in the Activator as one of the phrases offered
to you as ways to express ideas. For example. under
PRETEND, pose as is one of the options under
section 2: it is not just pose because in fact we
always say pose as.
Using the right kind of language for
the situation - informal and formal
language
A very important factor in choosing the word or
phrase that is appropriate to the context is whether
you are writing or speaking formally or informally,
or whether you are intending to be neutraL You can ·
read Professor Gillian Brown's essay Informal,
formal, and spoken language and the Activator for
further explanation of when various types of lan-
guage are more suitable than others (page F22).
Because you have to be careful not to use informal
language in an inappropriate context, the informa-
tion that a word or phrase is informal is stated first
in the definition. For example, under the Key Word
SAY:
clam up I ... I an informal expression meaning
to suddenly become unwilling to talk [phr v I]
So you are told here that clam up would not be
appropriate in a neutral or a formal context.
There are fewer formal words in the Activator, be-
cause they are less common in general and therefore
not really part of the core of the language. You can
take the fact that a word is not entered in this
dictionary as a Sign that it is not very frequent, and
you should hesitate before using it, particularly in
speech.
Some students have a tendency to using overly
 F33
forma1 words, which can sound unnatural, so the lary. This is because the examples came from specifi-
fact that a word is formal is slated at the very cally British or American books or newspapers in
beginning of the definition. the corpus, so the original spelling has not been
changed.
Note that very often a word may sound formal, but
actually be the right word in appropriate situations.
For example, under BUY, this is the definition of But what if you cannot get to the right
the meaning of purchase: KeyWord?
purchase / . .. / a word used especially in busi- The Activator has special' Access Maps' to help you
ness meaning to buy something big or expensive if you look up a Key Word that is close to other Key
such as a house, a piece of land. or shares in a Words in meaning, or where it is not easy for users
companyetc to know which is the right Key Word. For example,
This means that although it would sound odd to at break:
say: I just purchased a new dress (bought would be
the natural word in this context), it would be quite
appropriate to say My company has just purchased
a new oJjice building.
Ibreakl-------.
You should find the Activator particularly helpful which meaning?
in such cases, where a much more specific indica-
tion of the appropriate context and meaning is given break something • BREAK
than in other dictionaries. destroy something • DESTROY
completely
New Insights into spoken English broken and not • BROKEN
We know much more about spoken English because working
of our use and analysis of the Spoken Corpus of the a break from work, an • PAUSE
British National Corpus, and these findings have activityetc
been included -for the very first time - in the Long-
man Language Activator. When corpus analysis has in bad condition • CONDITIONI
STATE OF STH
shown that a word or phrase is used mainly in
speech, we indicate this by the use of 'you say' at tear something • TEAR
the beginning of the definition. In fact, the division
strong and not easy • STRONG
between spoken and written English is not as dis-
10 break OBJECT
tinct as many people think. Almost anything from
spoken language is also used in written language. damage something • DAMAGE
However. there are some phrases which are mainly
explode • EXPLODE
used in speech, such as words fail me at SAY:
you say words fail me when you are so shocked
or angry that you cannot think of anything to This shows you which meanings are covered at the
say to express how you feel
Just look at this mess. Look at it. It's . . . Words Key Word BREAK, and which other Key Words you
jail me! could also look up for other similar meanings.

All the Key Words are printed at the back of the

British English and American English
are both fully covered
The Longman Activator includes both British and
American (and other varieties of English), since it
is based on the Longman Lancaster Corpus which
includes books and periodicals from all the major
varieties. This enables us to mark items that are
used in only American or British English, and this
is shown at the beginning of the definition like this:
visit / ... / an American word meaning to talk
in a friendly way with someone, especially when
you have come to see them [v I}
My grandmother used to love to sit and visit. but
now she's too deaf to follow the conversation. !
visit with I've been over to his house and
visited with him afew times.
Sometimes you will find British and American ex-
amples showing the different spellings and vocabu-
book (page B1), so you could also look there for a
good Key Word to go to.
Meanings are always clear through the
Longman Defining Vocabulary
Like all other Longman dictionaries, the Longman
Language Activator has definitions that are control-
led as regards the vocabulary that can be used. This
is so that the definitions will not contain any diffi-
cult words that will stop users underslanding the
meaning. The Longman Defining Vocabulary is
printed at the back of the book so that you can see
the words that are used. It is particularly important
that the definitions should be clear in the Activator,
because the differences in meaning are of such im-
portance to you, the user, in producing good, appro-
priate English and chOOSing the best word.
 F34
The purpose of reference dictionaries you should use the Longman Dictionary of English
You will not find words such as sacroiliac or roU· Language and Culture, which covers cultural refer-
wetter in the Activator. These are words tha t you ence items as well as the words found in the Long-
generally only need to know receptively. To find man Dictionary of Contemporary English.
out the meaning of such words, you will need to go
Together we hope that the Activator and one of our
to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Eng·
advanced reference dictionaries will provide you
lish, which has 57,000 words and is an excellent
with aD that you need to succeed in your English
reference dictionary to use alongside the Activator.
studies.
If you also want to know the meaning of cultural
items. such as Rodeo Drive or Coronation Street,
Grammatical information
[Cl countable: a noun that can be counted and has a plural form: I'm sorry, I
made a mistake. IThere are a lot of mistakes in your essay.
[D] uncountable: a noun that cannot be counted and that has no plural form:
There isn't much food left. I The book contained some interesting
information about the town.
[C/ D] a noun that can be either countable or uncountable: Tell me all your
troubles. IThey've had a lot of trouble at the factory.
[I] intransitive: a verb that has no direct object: He died in his sleep. I We
set otT at 7 0 'clock.
[T] transitive: a verb that is followed by a direct object, which can be a
noun, a noun phrase, or a clause: She hit him with her umbrella. IHe
made up a good excuse. I I suggest that we go by bus. I You can
always rely on me.
[I!Tl a verb that can be either intransitive or transitive: 1 sometimes read
when I'm on the train. I She was reading a magazine.
[determiner] a word that comes before a noun and shows whether or not the noun
refers to a specific thing, person etc: The dog is in the garden. I Every
student must bring a book.
[quantifier] a word or phrase which answers the question 'how much?' or 'how
many?' A quantifier may be followed by a noun as in several people,
plenty of money, or it may be a pronoun: If you need some envelopes, I
can give you a few.
[predeterminer] a word used at the beginning of a noun phrase in front of the determiner:
It was quite a good film.

[not in passive] shows that a verb is not used in the passive: This bird resembles an
eagle. (NOT An eagle is resembled by this bird.)
(not in progressive] shows that the verb is not used in the progressive aspect, (that is not
following the verb be in an -ing form): He hates rock music_ (NOT He is
hating rock music, )
[only before noun] an adjective that is used only before the noun that it describes: the main
road Ian indoor swimming pool
[not before noun] an adjective that is used only following the noun it describes, usually
after a verb such as be, become, seem etc: The children are ill. IHe
seemed glad to see me.

adj adjective
adv adverb
etc etcetera; and so on
n noun
phr v phrasal verb
prep preposition
pron pronoun
sb somebody
sth something
v verb
aback 1 ABOUT

A
For any details concerning a particular oountry you should
check with the embassy. I You wrote to me concerning my
son's proposed purchase DJ Miss Grice's land. I We are all
familiar with news items concerning marine pollution due
wail spi/Is.
aback: be t aken aback SURPRISED 1
on the eublectof 10nO. 'SAbd3,kt.vl if you talk to some-
abandon GIVE 12, STOP DOING 5TH 3
one or write to someone on the subject of someone or
someth ing, you talk or write to them about it [prep]
abandon ship ESCAPE 2
I'd like to speak w you on th£ subject ofyour son. IMirie said
abbreviate SHORT/NOT LONG 6 nothing at all on th£ subject of Mr Bertram, I Going back
abbreviation SHORT/NOT LONG 6 to the subject 0/ crime and punishment, what do you think
abduct TAKElBRING 8 about hanging?
aberration MISTAKE 1
abhor HATE 1 regerdlng Ir l lgo:Td 1fJl a fonnal word used especially in
official letters meaning about something [prep)
abho rrence HATE 3
abide: can 't abide STAND/BEAR 3
Thankyou/or your letter regarding th£ annual subscription
toourmagazine.l J,fyou have any questions regarding any
abide by OBEY 2
of our services, ploose feel fr"" w call me. I No injor17lCltion
abiding LONG TIM E 6 regarding radiation revels after the accident is available.
ability CAN 6, GOOD AT 8
ability: have the ability to do 8th CAN 1 re /ri:1 a word meaning about something used in informal
ability: to the best 01 your ability TRY TO 00 OR GET
business letters, messages etc [prep)
STH 2
Re planning meeting on Friday please bring sal£5jigures. 1
ablaze L1GHT 3
To: John Dearon. From' Maria Soames. Re: oomputer
syswn.
ablaze: be in fJames/be ablaze BURN 1
able GOOD AT t with regerd to IWlll TJ Iga:Td tu:1 a fonnal expression
able: be able to do 8th CAN 1, 2 , 3 , 4 used especially to introduce a subject that you want to talk
able·bodied DISABLED 3, HEALTHY t about in a speech, fonnal report, meeting etc (prep)

I abnormal NORMAL 4
abnormality NORMAL 5
aboard : on board/aboard GET ON OR OFF A BUS,
PLANE ETC 1
With regard to the mattero/unempioyment. l would like to
add a few remarks to those 0/ the previous speaker. I With
regard to your letter oonceming my January payment. this
matter has now been settlJ!d.
abode: be of no fi xed address/abode HOME 10
abolis h STOP STH THAT is HAPPENi NG 4 2 to be about something or someone
abort STOP STH THAT is HAPPENiNG 2 be about 8th be concerned with
abortion : have an abortion BABY/HAVE A BABY 11 concern centre o n/cente r on
about ABOUT 1, APPROXIMATELY 1, 4
deal with focus on
about: be about 8th ABOUT 2
about: be about to do 8th WILL 1, 2 be about sth Ibi: . ' bout (sth)/ Ju TJ
about time too LAl E 2 Have you ever read 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'? It's
about unrequitild loue.1 What is his spef!Ch about? ifit's th£

laboutl--~---,
war again I don't want UJ hear it.
concem Ikan 1S3: Tn! if a report, story, book etc con cerns
someone or something, it is about them and especially
about what happens to them Iv TI
which meaning? Much o/the material in these early letters concerns events
which happened some years before. I One re17lClrkable anec·
aboui a subject • ABOUT dote about Louis Armstrong concerns the day he rruu:k his

notexactty
-
• APPROXIMATELY
- first record.
deal with I 'd i:i w,OI if a book, ftlm, play ete deals with
a subject, especially a problem. it is about that subject or
problem and examines it carefully Iv TJ
Th£ swry deals with th£ psychological coriflicts between
ABOUT nwtlter and son. I Theearliestjilms mad£ in India clealt with
mythalogical subjects,
1 about something or someone be concemed with (bi: k~n l S3:Tnd wlOI if something
2 to be about something or someone such as a book or fllm is con cerned with a particular ques-
tion or problem. it is about that question or problem and
is especially about deciding how to deal with it [v phrase ]
Elton:S books areojten conamed with environmental issues. 1
1 about something or someone Many oj her movies were concerned with social discrimina-
about regarding tion against women.
on re cent.e on (British) I c e nte. on (American) I 'sent.r on ~
c oncerning w ith regard to -o:nJ if a conversation or part of a book. play etc cen tres
on the subject of on a subject or event. it is mainly about that subject or
event Iv T not usua lly in progressivel
about I. ' bouti (prep( A lot 0/ discussion about teaching centres on discipline. I
Toby talks about you all th£ time, I Sh£'s reading a book Negotiations centred on the 1U!ed/or national unity. INizan s
about th£ French Revolution. I I've been thinking about what last novel. centred on th£ lifestyl£5 ofa group ofyoung, naive
you said. and yes, I will marry you. I This leaflet should revolutionaries.
answer all the questions you have aoout tooth decay.
focus on 11f:xJk~s on 11 -o:nl if something such as a book.
on Inn I o:n, ;)!nj advice/opinions/ideas etc on (=:advice article. or fllm focuses on a subject or problem. it is mainly
ete about something) (prep J about it and examines it in detail [v T]
Ifyou want any advice on buying property in the area JaT! Th£ next chapter willfocus on this problem ingreater dEtaiL I
should be able to help you. 1 His views on women are terrI- Inyowessa,Y I thinkyOushould/ocusononeparticu/.ar issue
bly oldja.shioned. instead 0/ examining all 0/ them.
concerning Ibn lS3:rn1lJl information/ details/ letter
etc con cerning (=information etc about something) [prep )
above 2 ACCEPT

I
above ABOVE 1, BEFORE 14, MORE THAN A abuse: drug abuse DRUG 3
NUMBER OR AMOUNT 1 abuse: hurl abuse at INSULT 1
above: be abovelbeyond reproach GOOD/MORAL 5 abuse/sexually abuse SEX/HAVE SEX WITH 10
above all ESPEClALLY 1, MAIN 5 abusive INSULT 2
above board LEGAL 1 abyss HOLE 3
academic INTELLIGENT 5, TEACH 5
accede to ACCEPT 4
ABOVE accelerate FAST/OUICK 11
accent SPEAK A LANGUAGE 10
1 in a higher position than someth ing accent: with the accent on EMPHASIZE 1
accentuate EMPHASIZE 1
accept ACCEPT 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, BELIEVE 1
accept: finally accept ACCEPT 4
1 in a higher position than something accept: take/accept ACCEPT 8
above overhead accept no responsibility for RESPONSIBLE 10
over overhang
above I;} I bAvI [prep/ adv I
Tlu!re's a light above the tabl£. 1 We look£d up and saw a
lacceptl
helicopter hovering directly above us. I La Paz. the highest
capital city in the world. is 3600 metres above sea level. I At
tlult time, we lived in a little apartment above a grocery
which meaning?
store. 1 Above tlu! door a sign read 'Members Only'. I The accept an offer. -1- e ACCEPT
people in the room above always play their music too loud.
I from above (=seen from above) From above. the city 's geo- suggestion or request
metric design is clearly visible.
Jet someone do • LET/ALLOW
over II~v~rl directly above something, or moving in the something
air above something, or covering all the area above some-
thing (prepl advl not IICC8pI something • REJECT/NOT
Black clouds hung over tlu!mounlains, l TIu! lights over tlu!
stage suddenly grew dim and the actors came on. I Scientists oreomeone ACCEPT
have discovered a Iwle in the ozone layer over Antarctica. I ~----
TIu! accident hoppened whil£ tlu! plane was /lying over the
agree with someone _ AGREE
•
Andes in heavy cloud. I John tried to jump over the stream
and/ell in. I We ran towards the wall and jumped over.
ov.......d ,13UV~rl hedf in the sky directly above you (adv l
A/lock 0/ birds passed overhead. 1 Her voice was drowned
• ACCEPT
out by tlu! noise o/flghter p/anes/lying low overhead, 1 to take something that someone offers you ,
overhead II3UV~rhed/ radj only before nounl The power is such as money, a gift, or a job
carried by overh£ad wires.
2 to say yes when someone asks you to do
ov.rhang ' l3Uva r IhreJ)/ if something such as a tree or a something or offers you a chance to do
rock overhangs something, it sticks out over it Iv Tl
The bird was sitting on a branch overhanging the water. I something
The beach is overhung byblackclijJs. 1An ancient uineover- 3 to say that you think a suggestion, piece of
hangs the terrace. advice etc is good or worth considering
overhanging/lac_lV~rhrel)ll)l radjl Julian waited under an 4 to unwillingly accept someone 's suggestion,
overhanging rock until the rain stopped. I We rowed down offer , or demand , after first opposing it or
the river beneath overhanging branches.
refUSing it
abreast NEXT TO 4 5 to accept a situation which you do not want
abreast: keep abreast of/keep up to date with FIND to accept but which you cannot change or
OUT 6, KNOW STH 9 improve
abridged SHORT/NOT LONG 4 6 to officially agree to accept a new law,
abroad FOREIGN 3 proposal etc, especially by voting
abroad: go abroad TRAVEL 4
abrupt SUDDENLY 2
7 to accept that something has legal or official
abruptly SUDDENLY 1 authority
absent TH ERE 8 8 to accept something as a way of paying for
absent: be absent HERE 7, THERE 7 goods or services
absent-minded FORGET 5
~ absolutely COMPLETELY 1
absorb TAKE STH FROM SOMEWHERE 4,
UNDERSTAND 5
1 to take something that someone offers you ,
such as money, a gift, or a job
absorbed INTERESTED 3
absorbed: be absorbed In ATTENTION 3 accept take up
absorbent TAKE STH FROM SOMEWHERE 4 take take sb up on sth
absorbing INTERESTING 3 accept lak I septl to take something that someone offers
abstain NOT 00 STH 2, NOT HAVE 5 you, especially after considering the advantages and dis-
ebstract REAUNOT IMAGINARY 5 advantages of taking it Iv TJ
absurd STUPID/NOT SENSIBLE 6 accept sth I've decickd to accept thejob. I SIu! thought about
absurdly: ridiculously/absurdly VERY 2 tlu! offer/or a while, but in tlu! end decickd not to accept it, l
abundance: an abundance of LOTlA LARGE NUMBER We hope you'll accept this sma ll gift, I accept sth from sb
OR AMOUNT 4 He is charged with accepting bribes from local companies.
abundance: In abundance LOT/A LARGE NUMBER OR acceptance In UI Miss Trent p honed tlu! personnel depart-
AMOUNT 4 ment to corUU77! her acceplance o/the post (=confmn that she
abundant LOT/A LARGE NUMBER OR AMOUNT 4 was accepting it).
abuse CRUEL 5, 6, INSULT 1, 3, USE STH 11 take Ilel kJ to take something that someone offers you [u T J
ACCEPT
take sth Take tm money - it's yours. l ifI were you I'd take
the job. I take sth from sb My mother always warned US
never to take candy from strangers.
take up ' .tefk lAp/ to accept a n offer of money. employ-
ment. help etc after thinking about it for some time (phr
v TJ
take up sth Eventually he took up his parents' offer 0/ a
loon. I Why didn't you take up that job offer? It sounded
really intuesting. I Tm ballet dancers decided to take up the
Norwegians' offer 0/ asylum.
take ab up on sth , ,telk (sb) 'hP on (sth)' to accept some-
one's offer to do something for you, especiaUy some time
after the offer was made [v phrase1
I'd like to take you up on your offer to type my report. I "if
you ever need a babysitter. let me know . .. "Thanks, we might
take you up on that some time. "
2 to say yes when someone asks you to do
something or offers you a chance to do
something
accept take on
say yes agree to do 8th
jump at the chancel
opportunity
accept , ok' sep~ Iv IITI
accept an invitation/offer/suggestion etc It was
announced that the president had accepted an invitation to
visit Beijing. I !immediately accepted tm offer. A chance like
that rarely comes around again. I accept We've asked the
professor to be the speaker at our annual dinner and he has
accepted.
say yes Jlsel IjesJ an informal expression meaning to
accept an invitation or request to do something [v phrase ]
We'd really like you to come to France with us this summer.
Please say yes! I Thanksfor the invitation to your party. I'd
like to say yes but unfortunately I'm busy that evening. I say
yes to sth Do you really think that your mother will say yes
to lending you £1OO?
Jump at the chance/opportunity l'd3hmp ot 00
,tfo:ns, DP;)ltju:n1ti 11 -,tfrens, o:~rltu: -I to quickly and
eagerly accept a chance to do something [v phrase ]
When I was offered ajoo with tm BBC I jumped at the oppor-
tunity. I jump at the chance/ opportunity to do sth He
was crazy about football and jumped at the chance to play
for Michigan. Ijump at the chance/ opportunity of doing
sth ('<There are dozens of musicians who would jump at the
chance of working with me, .. he boasted.
take on "telk IDn 11-la:nJ to accept an otTer to do or
become responsible for more work [phr v T J
take on sth Thankyoufor asking me, but I'm afraid Ijust
can't take on any more work at the moment. I The job
involves you taking on a considerable amount of extra
responsibility. I Tim was quite happy to toke on all tIu! house-
hold chores while his Wife went out to work.
agree to do sth /;),gri: 1;) 'du: (sth)/ to accept an invita-
tion or request to do something, especially when this will
involve a lot of work [v phraseJ
I've agreed to help Sarah move house this weekend. I I don't
know why you agreed to teach her to drive - you'll only lose
your temper. I kindly agree to do sth (=used when telling
people that you are grateful that someone has agreed to do
something) OjJu:er Browning has kindly agreed to come into
the school and give a talk on Crime Prevention.
3 to say that you th ink a suggestion, piece of
It& I
~
advice etc is good or worth considering
accept embrace
welcome I take your point
take on board
accept ' ok'sepl' Iv TI
accept sth Did your boss accept your suggestion or did he
just decide to ignore it? I Eastern European governments
have finally accepted tm need to re/onn. I accept that I
3 ACCEPT
accept that the school has a problem with discipline, but not
all tm students are badly behaved.
acceptance [n UJ These theories have notfouM muchacceJT
tance among profesSional psychiatrists (=they do not accept
that the theories are true).
welcome 1Iwelk;)mJ to be very pleased to accept some-
thing that someone has suggested, because you think it is
a good idea, you strongly support it etc {v T]
The cafeteria welcomes any suggestionsfor improvements. I
Companies have generally welromed tm idea o[job-sharing.1
We welcome these proposals and will start implementing
them as soon as possible.
welcome [adj i Any suggestions as to what to do with all our
scrap paper would be extremely welcome (=we would wel-
come them very much).
take on board ' Itelk on tb~:rdJ a British express ion
meaning to realize that a new idea or suggestion is
important and that it needs to be thought about seriously
[v phraseJ
take sth on board I've told him that he will have to spend
some time learning about computers but I don't think he's
completely taken this ideo on baardyet. I take on board sth
The management says that it will take on board suggestions
from employees about child-carefacilities.
embrace / Im'brels/ a formal word meaning to eagerly
accept ideas, opinions etc [v TJ
In his book, Macmil/an embraces this vlew enthusiastically. I
embrace sth wholeheartedly (=embrace it completely)
Russian President Boris Yeltsin said he wholeheartedly
embraced the need for economic refDl7n.
I take your point JaI Itelk j~:r Ip~lOt/ you say I take
your point when you accept that what someone is saying
is right
I take your point al:xJut needing new furniture but where will
we get the money? I "It's so unfair that some women get paid
less than men for doing the same job. " "Yes, I take your
-point. "
4to unwillingly accept someone's suggestion,
I I
t& offer, or demand , after first opposing it or
~ refusing it
finally accept bow to
give In accede to
back down
finally accept Ilfalnal-i ~k'septJ to accept someone's sug-
gestion, offer, or demand, after having refused it for some
time [v phrase]
After a 3 week strike the company has finally accepted the
union's pay demands. I The present owners of the house we
are buying finally accepted our offer of £62,000.
give In ' lg1v 110/ to unwillingly agree to accept someone's
demands after they have argued with you, asked you
repeatedly, or threatened you (phr v I]
He kept begging me for money for a new bicycle and in the
end I gave in. I give in to President Saddam Hussein said
he refused to give in to blackmail from the United States. I
You shouldn't always give in to other people - you should
learn to stick up for yourself more.
back down " brek 'daunl to agree to stop demanding that
someone must obey you or saying that your position in an
argument must be right [phr v Il
Even tlwugh it was obvious Emma 's idros were unworkable,
she wouldn't back down. I back down on Congress has
backed down on its demand for an increase in federal
spending.
bow to J'bau tu:/ bow to sb's wishes/opinions/
demands/pressure etc (=to agree to do something
because many people want you to, even though you do not
want to do it) iv TI
The governmentjmally bowed to public opinion and with-
drew the unpopular tax. I Industry has to bow to consumer
tastes and people want environment:friendly products.
accede to /;)k' si:d tu:} a formal expression meaning to
accept someone's demands [v TJ
The chainnan refused to accede to demands that the debate
ACCEPT
be adjourned. I Israel declared its supportfor the US policy
of not acceding to terrorist demands.
5 to accept a situation which you do not want
to accept but which you cannot change or
improve
accept make the best of
resign yourself to resignation
be resigned to
accept /ok'sepl/ Iv TJ
There's nothing we can do - we'Ujust have to accept the sit-
uation. I Lionel'sfather came to accept the/act that his son
didn 't want to continue working in the family business.
acceptance [n UJ Her husband had been ill/or some time,
and she received news of his death with calm acceptance.
resign yoursen to In lzalnj~:rselftu:1 to decide that you
have to accept a difficult or unpleasant situation because
you do not think that you can change or prevent it (v
phrase]
The children have had to resign themselves to the/act that
their father has gone. I I might as well resign myself to the
fact that ['m not going to get a job as a TV producer.
be resigned to /hi: n lzamd tu:J if someone is resigned
to an unpleasant situation, they have decided not to try and
change or prevent it because they think there is nothing
they can do [v phrase]
Pat knew that her husband wasn't coming back and she was
resigned to being alone. 1 The prisoners were resigned to their
fate and. were IWt making any form of appeal.
resigned [ad)] With a resigned expression on her face,
Louise started to pack her suitcase.
make the best of J1 melk eJ~ lbest ovJ to accept an
unsatisfactory situation and try the best you can to enjoy
it, make it successfu1 etc {v phrase]
OUr vacation's been canceled and there's nothing we can do,
so we'U)ust have to make the best ofU. 1 I know it's cold and
raining but we're here IWW, so let'sjust make the best ofU,
all right?
resignation /lrezlg1netJanl the feeling that you must
accept an unpleasant situation because you cannot change
or prevent it [n UJ
Paul accepted the news with resignation. 1 Her sorrow gave
way to despair and then grim resignation.
6 to officially agree to accept a new law,
proposal etc, especially by voting
pass be carried
approve uphold
ratify rubber-stamp
pass /pa:s 11 pres/ ita government or a group of people in
power pass a law or proposal, they vote to accept it {v TI
The bill was passed unanimously in the House of Represen-
tatives last November. I Studmts were generally content with
the school until the parent-teacher association passed a
motion to introduce a uniform
approve /a1pru:v/ to officially accept a proposal or plan
Iv Tl
The Medical Research Council said it could not approve the
use of the new drug. 1 The deal has already been approved
by shareholders. 1 It was clear that the President was not
going to approve Congress's plans for cutting the arms
budget.
approval [n UJ The proposal to build the new parking lots
had been given city approval.
ratify 11rretHalJ ratify an agreement/treaty (=to offi-
cially agree to accept an agreement that someone else has
already agreed to accept) Iv TJ
The US Senate rdused to ratify the deleTlC(! agreement. I
Under US law and a 1961 treaty ratified by 125 nations, it
is forbidden to produce cocaine except for medical use.
ratification "rret!n'keIJan, [n UJ Without ratification
(=unless it is ratified) the agreement cannot be implemented.
4 accident prone
be carried /hi: 1kreridl if a suggestion, proposal etc is car-
ried, most of the people at an official meeting vote in favour
of it and it is accepted Iv phrase]
Mr Black's proposal for a new health club was carried at
yesterday's meeting. 1 be carried by 20 votes/ lOO votes etc
The motion to ban the sale of guns was carried by 76 votes
'(=76rrwrepeop/£voiedforittlwnvoiedagainst it). I declare
the motion carried (=state officially at a meeting that
most people voted for it) Thereby declare the motwn carried.
uphold " Ap'hCluld, ita court or a judge upholds a legal
decision, they decide that it is right and they accept it {vT ]
On November 28th 1862, the court rejected the petition and
upheld the previous decision. 1 Each time Gleason stood up,
Judge Bart upheld his objection and ordered the jury to dis-
regard what had just been said. .
rubberastamp " ct\ba r Istrempl ifan official committee
or someone in authority rubber-stamps a decision, they
approve it immediately without thinking about it or dis-
cuss ing it because they have no real power of their own
Iv T I
In the former Soviet Union, parliament's only role was to
rubber-stamp decisions made by the party leadership.
7 to accept that something has legal or official
authority
accept
recognize
acknowledge
accept /ok'sep~ Iv Tl
Thejormer President of the Philippines refused to accept the
authority of the court. I Once these principles and policies are
accepted as law, working oonditions will improve immedi-
ately. ! The principle ofan energy tax has now been accepted
by trade associations throughout the EC.
acceptance [n V I It is hoped that the regulations will meet
widespread acceptance.
recognize (also -ise British) I lcek~gnalz' recognize a
court/ government/qualification (=to officially accept
that it has legal or official authority) {v T]
Papua New Guinea became thejirst oountry to recognize the
new military regime in Fiji. 1 British medical qualifu:ations
are recognized in many countries throughout the world.
recognition / ,rekdg'nIJan/ ln Ullt was many years before
the Communist government in Peking gained offICial recog-
nition from the USA.
acknowledge / ~klnohd3 11 _ I no:-/ to officially accept
that a government, court, organization, or person has legal
or official authority {v T]
Katanga, in Zaire, wasforced to acknowledge the authority
of the Congo/£se state. I be acknowledged as [n 1932 De
Valera was elected to be Prime Minister, and was acknow-
iedged as leader of the Irish peop1£.
8 to accept something as a way of paying for
goods or services
take/accept
takelaccept /Ie ,k, ,k'sepl/IVTI
Will you take a cheque? 1 Many large stores now only take
their own credit cards. 1 I'm afraid we only accept cash.
acceptable GOOD ENOUGH t . LET/ALLOW 12.
RIGHT/PROPER 2
accepted RIGHT/PROPER 1
access ENTER 11
accessible REACH 5, UNDERSTAND 10
~
accident ACCIDENT 1, 2. CHANC E/BY CHANCE 4
accident: be an accident DELIBERATELY 5
.: accident: be Involved In an accident ACCIDENT 3
accident: by accident CHANCE/BY CHANC E 1
'"' accident: get 5th by chance/accident/luck GET 6
.l accident: have an accident ACCIDENT 3
.. accident prone CLUMSY 1
ACCIDENT
• ACCIDENT
an event in which someone i s hurt or killed,
or something i s damaged or destroyed, as a
result of bad luck or carelessness
1 an accident that someone has while doing
something , using equipment etc
2 an accident involving cars, trains, planes ete
3 to have an accident
4 happening as a resull of an accident
1 an accident that someone has wh ile doing
something , using equipment etc
accident
mishap
disaster
eccldent /'reks !d>n~ In Cl
Can you come to the workshop. Mr Harris? There's been an
accident. I The cause of the accident is still unknown, but
human error seems the most likely explanation. I serious
accident Most serious aa:idents in the Iwme involve electri-
cal equipment or /wt liquids. I shooting! rlding!skilng etc
accident He had never recovered from the death of his best
friend in a shooting accident.
mishap I'ml shrep/ an accident that does not have very
serious results, especially one caused by someone making
a mistake In Cl
It wasjust a slight mishap. with rw apparent damage to tm
aircraft. I In spiU! Q[a mishap at the nuclear plant there was
never any danger 0/ a radiation leak. I without mishap
(=safely,with no acc idents or problems) We managed to get
all thre£ boats through the rapids withaut mishap.
dl •••ter /dl 'zo:sla r 11 dl' ues-I a very serious accident in
which many people are killed and great damage is caused
In Cl
The Great Fire of 1666 was probably the biggest disaster in
London 's history. I the ChernobyllThree Mile Island etc
disaster Since the Chemobyl disaster poop /;! have become
much more worried about nuclear power.
2 an accident involving cars, trains, planes etc
accident pile-up
crash disaster
wreck colliSion
accident /' reksld>n~ In Cl
I'm sorry I'm late. There was an accident on the Tadcaster
road. 1She was in an automobile accident but she's Mt seri·
ously hurt. 1 An accident on the runway caused the closure
of Brussels airport today. I bad/ nasty/ serious accident
As usual, thefog and icy roads had led to several very nasty
accidents.
cr.sh Ikrre}/ an accident in which a vehicle or plane hits
something violently and is damaged or destroyed {n Cl
Her husband died in a car crash in 1981. I We can only guess
at what caused theplanecrash. It could have been an engine
fire. I Seat belts can prruent you/rom being krwcked uncons·
cious in a crash.
wreck lrek! an American word meaning an accident
involving cars or other vehicles [n Cl
There's a wreck out on Highway Nine. 1 NolxxJy could have
survived the wreck.
pile-up I'pad Ap/ a serious road accident in which many
cars or other vehicles crash into each other (n Cl
I accomplish DO 3
The pile-up happened in thick fog and caused a seven-mile
tailback on the motorway. I Amazingly, no one was hurt in
a 17 car pile'up on the expressway near Boston.
dl ••• ter /dl'za:sta r 11 dJ' zces-/ a very serious accident
involving a train , plane, or ship, in which many people are
killed In Cl
5 accurate
The city has a contingency plan/or dealing with a major
disaster such asa rall crash. I the Paris air disaster/ Zce-
brugge disaster etc The Paris air disaster was caused. by
a faulty cargo bay door.
colll.lon /ka'lIynl an accident in which two or more
vehicles, planes, or ships hit each other while travelling
fast In Cl
collision with A school bus has been involved in a collision
with afuel tanker. I collision The risk 0/a mid-air collision
over central London has increased dramatically. I head-on
collision (=between two vehicles moving directly towards
each other) These inflatable air bags are deSigned to pro-
tect car drivers in head-on collisions.
3 to have an accident
have an accident
crash
be involved In an aCCident
have.n accident I,hrev:m Jreks~danl / (v phrase not in
progressive or passive J
You shouldn't go so fast on that motorcycle, you 'U have an
accident! I Jack's had an accident at school! They've taken
him to the hospiUzL
cr.sh Ikrre}/ to have an accident in a car, train, plane by
violently hitting another vehicle or something such as a
wall or tree rv11
Prost lost control at thejirst bend and crashed. I Thep/ane
crashed shortly after Uzke-ojJ I crash into! onto The bus
crashed into an embankment before bursting into flames.
be Involved In .n .ccldent Ibi: 1D1volvd ID an
'reks!dant 11-, vO!lvd-1 a formal or official expression mean-
ing to have an accident (v phrase]
Uyou are involved in an accident, wearing a seat belt will
halve the risk of death. I Stolen cars are more likely to be
involved in accidents.
4 happening as a result of an accident
acCidental
accldental/, reks! 'dentl-/ accidental death/damage!
injury etc (=happening in an accident) [adj l
The sta tistics/or accidental deaths show mining to be one
0/ the most dangerous occujXltions. I Your car insurance
covers all accidental damage and related injuries. 1 The com-
pany had to prove that Jim's back injury was purely
accidenta l.
accidental ACCIDENT 4 , CHANCE/BY CHANCE 2 ,
DELIBERATELY 5
accidental death DIE 2
acctdentally/byacctdent DELI BERATELY 4
acclaimed PRAISE 4
acclimatize/acclimatize yourself/become acclimatized
USED TO/ACCUSTOMED TO 3
accommodate HOME 9
accommodating HELP 7
accommodation HOME 3
accommodation/accommodations STAY WITH SB , IN
A HOTEL ErC 4
accompanied: be accompanied by WITH 1
accompany WIT H 2
accompanying WITH 6
accomplice HELP 8
accomplished GOOD AT 1
accomplishment 00 9
according to DEPENDIIT DEPENDS 3, SAY t2,
SAY/STATE tt
account DESCRIBE 5, EXPLAIN 6
account: give an account of DESCRI BE 2
account: on account of BECAUSE 1
account: on no account ADVISE 2
account for BE 3 , REASON 7. 8
accountable: be accountable RESPONSIBLE 3
accumulate GET 7, INCREASE IN NUMBER OR AMOUNT 5
accurate CORRECT 1, EXACT 2, TAUE 2
accusation
accusation ACCUSE 3
"] accusations: make accusations ACCUSE 1
accuse ACCUSE 1
• ACCUSE
to say that someone is guilty of a crime or of
doing something bad
1 to accuse someone
2 to officially accuse someone
3 a statement accusing someone
4 an official written statement accusing
someone
5 someone who accuses someone else
6 someone who is officially accused in a court
of law
1 to accuse someone
accuse confront
make accusations charge
allege point the finger at
make allegations accusingly
accuse f<:J' kju:zf [v T)
accuse sb of doing sth Are you accusing tn€ o/telling lies? I
The report accuses administration offICials of <hiding the
facts and misleading the public'. I accuse sb of sth Pr0-
testers angrily accused the police of violence and intimida-
tion. 1accuse sb How can you accuse me without knowing
all the facts?
make accusations fmelk ,rekjg'zelfanz/ to make state-
ments accusing someone of dOing something bad or illegal
Iv phraseJ
During the argument he made several accusations which he
later regretted. I make accusations against A number of
students have made accusations against the police. I make
wild accusations (:c:make accusations without knowing
all the facts) You can 't go around making these wild accu-
sations.
allege f;) IJed31to say publicly on TV, in a newspaper etc,
that something bad or illegal has been done but without
giving any proof Iv T) , oflaw Iv TI
it is alleged that It has been a lleged that senior o.IJkials
were involved in a $20 million drugs deal. I allege that In
a statement to the press, she alleged that her husband had
planned to kill her. I be alleged to have done sth She is
alleged to have used public money to buy expensive presents
for her friends. I allege corruption/dishonesty/ wrong-
doing etc Letters alleging racial discrimination in local
government have been printed in all the newspapers.
alleged [adj only before noun ] When questioned about the
alleged incident (:c:the incident that was alleged to have hap-
pened) he claimed to know rwthing.
allegedly /.' led3Idli/ [advl Troops alwgedly fired into the
crowd ( ~ it is alleged that they rITed into the crowd) killing
twelve people.
make allegations Imelk ,cci l'gelfanzl to make public
statements that something bad or illegal has been done
without giving any proof [v phrase ) , Congress for 'high crimes and misderneanors'.
The newspaper made several allegations, none of which
turned .out to be true. 1 make allegations against The
allegatlOns that the press made against him have seriously
damaged his career. I make a serious allegation Be
careful! That's quite a serious allegation to make.
confront Ik;)n 'frAnll to accuse someone of doing some-
thing by showing them the proof against them Iv T]
confront sb with the evidence/proof etc When he got
home hisfather was there to ron/ront him with the evidence. 1
When they'd confronted him with proofofhis criminal activi-
ties, he knew that he had to tell the truth.
charge Itfa: rd31 to publicly accuse someone of doing
something iUegal or bad [v T]
6 ACCUSE
charge sb with sth The newspaper is going to publish an
article charging the government with rorruption. I charge
sb with doing sth He made a very long speech charging the
delegates with being ineffective and wastefuL.
point the finger at I,~I nl ~<l • fll)g;)r retJ to accuse some-
one when you think they are likely to be guiJty but you do
not have any proof [v phrase ]
Someone 's lost the letter and my boss is pointing the finger
at me. I A reportfromNASApointed thefinger at gases used
in aerosols as the probable cause of tile contamination.
accusingly /;) 'kju:zl l)lil if you look at, point at, or speak
to someone accusingly you do it in a way that shows you
are accusing them of doing something bad [adv ]
She suddenly pointed at me, and everyone looked at me accus-
ingly. I "You did it, Tom, " she said accusingly. "I know you
didn't mean to, but you did do it."
accusing [ad} only before noun ] "Where have you been?"
She asked in an accusing tone of voice.
2 to officially accuse someone
charge impeach
bring chargesl prosecute
press charges put sb on trlall
indict bring sb to trial
charge Itfo:rd3f if the police charge someone with a
crime or an offence they make an official statement accus-
ing that person [v T usually in passive]
be charged with sth The man they arrested last night has
been charged with murder. 1be charged 12 people involved
in the demonstration have been arrested and charged. I
charge sb with sth They're going to charge him with
dangerous driving.
bring charges/press charges I,bnl) 'tfa:rd31z,
Ipres-/ to make an official statement accusing someone of
a crime or an offence, so that they will bejudged in a court
of law [v phrase]
bring/press charges against Curran decided to bring
charges against the man who attacked him. 1 Charges have
been brought against the demonstrators. "I bring/press
charges He's in trouble this time. The police have said
they're going to press charges.
indict frn'dalt/ a word used especially in the American
lega1 system meaning to officially accuse someone of a
crime or an offence, so that they will be judged in a court
be indicted A leading cocaine-traffIcker has been indicted
by the United States government. I indict sb for sth He was
indictedfor perjury before a grand jury.
indictable [ad} ) Drug traffICking is an indictable offence
( ~ an offence for which someone can be indicted).
indictment [n UI The prosecution must give notice at the
timeo/indictment (:c:when someone is indicted) ifit is seek-
ing the death penalty.
impeach fl m 'phlfl a word used especially in the Ameri-
can legal system meaning to officia1ly accuse an important
public official or politician of a crime while in a position
of trust [v T l
impeach sb D:mgress voted to impeach President Nixon, but
he resigned before any action was taken. I impeach sb for
sth The governer was to be impeachedfor accepting bribes.
impeachment In UI The Presidentfaced impeachment by
prosecute / 'prosTkju:t 11 'pro:_' to start the official legal
process of accusing someone of a crime and punishing
them for it Iv V T I
prosecute sb She is determined to prosecute the owner o/the
dog thot attacked her chiW. I Peopw who give the policefa/se
in/onnation will be prosecuted. I prosecute sb for sth Afew
newspapers have beenprosecutedfor libeL I prosecute lfyou
don 't pay those bills soon we'll be/orced to prosecute.
prosecution / lprosl ' kju:f3n II ,pro:-, [n U] evidence that
could lead to the arrest and prosecution of car thieves
put Bb on trial/bring sb to trial I ,put (sb) on 'traJ.I,
Ibnl) (sb) t;) 'tral;)l/ to send someone to a courtoflaw where
they will be officially accused of a serious crime and will
be judged [v phrase 1
ACCUSE
be put on trial It was unusual/or political offenders to be
brought to trial. I put sb on trial for 5th A Glasgow g irl
was put on trial/or poisoning her lover. I These men were
bought to trial/or a crime they did not commit. I put s b on
trial When are the police going to catch these terrorists and
bring them to trial?
3 a statement accusing scmeone
accusation
allegation
charge
accus.tion , .rekjg 'zellanl a statement that someone is
gu ilty of a crime or of doing something bad In Cl
1 have listened to your accusations. and there isn't a word
of truth in thEm. I accusation of sth A judge is investigat-
ing accusations a/torture by the secret police. I accusation
against sb How do you answer the accusations made
against you by your ex-wife? I face an accusation (=to be
likely to be accused DCa crime or an offence) The company
chairman faas serious accusations of fraud. I wild/ un-
founded accusation (=:o not based on facts and so very
unlikely to be true) [demand that you withdraw these wild
accusations.
.negation I lrell 'ge1f<)nl a public statement on TV, in a
newspaper etc accusing someone of doing something bad
or illegal, but without giving any proof {n Cl
allegation about The book contains shocking allegations
about his private life. I allegation that There are allega·
tions in the press that the jire was started deliberately. I
allegation ofbrlbery/ brutality/ torture etc There was
a very serious allegation of brutality made against the police
in a TV programme. I serious allegation These are seri-
ous allegations. Have you any evidence to support them?
charge /tf re r d31 a public statement accu sing someone of
doing something bad or illegal (n Cl
ch arge that The President denied the charge that the plane
was on a spying mission. 1charge of s th/ doing sth Trans-
port managersfound themselves open to charges ofignor·
ing safety precautions. 1 charge against sb These charges
against my colleague are clearly false and must be with-
drawn. I counter a charge (=:o to say that a charge is not
true) Those involved in the scandal were quick to counter the
charges made against them
4 an official written statement accusing
someone
charge
indictment
ch.rge ItJa: r d31 an official statement made by the police
accusing someone of a crime or an offence In Cl
ch arge against sb What are the charges against the
accused? I on a charge He appeared in court on a murder
charge. I charge ofburglaryi theftifraud ctc Hefaces a
charge of armed robbery. I drop charges (=decidc to stop
accusing someone) Police have dropped the charges due to
lack of evidenc£.
Indictment /m 'da ltm:}nt/ a word used especially in the
American legal system meaning an official written state-
ment accusing someone of a crime or an offence In Cl
The indictment charged him with murder. IA 15 page indict-
ment was plaC£d before the panel ofjl/dges.
5 someone who accuses someone else
accuser
prosecutor
the prosecution
accuser 13 1kju!za r1someone's accuser is the person who
accuses them of doing something bad or illegal In Cl
I'm not afraid to 111€et my accusers and I am prepared to
prove my innocence. I He lisumed in silence and then turned
to face his accuser.
7 across the board
prosecutor I lproSlkju:b T I1 Ipro!_1 the lawyer who offi·
cially accuses someone of a crime or offence in a court of
law and tries to prove that they are guilty In C l
The chiefprosecutor told the court that Johnson was guilty
of a horrible crime and asked for the maximum sentence. I
A special prosecutor was appointed to deal with that partic-
ular case.
the prosecution /beJ ,Prosl 'kju:J<)n 11 - Ipra:-I the group
of lawyers in a court oflaw who try to prove that the person
accused of a crime is guilty I n singular with singular or
plural verb in British English l
The prosecution alleged that the men took part in a plot to
kill the President. 1 McFarlane will appear as a witness for
the prosecution.
6 someone who is officially accused in a court
of law
the accused
defendant
be on trial
the accusecl /bi a'kju:zdl the person or group of people
who are officially accused of a crime or offence in a cow1
of law In singular or plural!
The witness told the court that she had never seen either of
the accused before. I Thejudge asked the jury iftheyfouM
the accused guilty or not gUilty.
defendant Idl ' fend;:mtl someone who is officially accused
of a crime or offence in a court of law In Cl
The police ofjlC<!r said the <k{e,ld.ant had resisted arrest. I The
lawyer for the prosecution began to cross-examine the defen-
dant carefully.
be on trial fhi: on Ilra l;!11 ifsomeone is on trial they have
been accused ofa serious crime in a court of law, and the
court will judge whether they are guilty Iv phrase ]
be on trial for Tomkins is on trialfor murdering his wife.I
be on tria l There were four defendants on trial. all sitting
together in a line.
~ accused: the accused ACCUSE 6
accuser ACCUSE 5
accusingly ACCUSE 1
accustomed: be accustomed to USED TO/
ACCUSTOMED TO 1
accustomed: become/grow accustomed to USED TO/
ACCUSTOMED TO 3
accustomed: not be accustomed to USED TO/
ACCUSTOMED TO 6
ache HURT/CAUSE PAIN 3, PAIN 1
aches and pains PAIN 1
achieve DO 3
achievement DO 9
achievement: sense of achievement PROUD 2
achiever SUCCESSFUL 5
acknowledge ACCEPT 1. ADMIT 1, ANSWEAlREPLY 5.
THANK 1
acknowledged: be recognized/acknowledged as
~ THINKlHAVE THE OPINION THAT 1
i acknowledgement ANSWER/REPLY 6
.... acknowledgements THANK 5
acoustic SOUND 3
acquaintance KNOW SB 3
acquainted: be acquainted with KNOW SB 1, KNOW
i STH 3
"" acquainted: get acquainted KNOW SB 2
] acquainted: not be acquainted with NOT KNOW 2
acquire BUY 1. COLLECT 1. GET 4. 7
acquired taste: be an acquired taste LI KE SB OR STH 4
acquit yourself well 00 WELL 1
acquitted: be acquitted INNOCENT/NOT GUILTY 3
acrid SMELL 5
t
across CROSS 1. OPPOSITE/FACE 1
across: 2 mileS/1 metre etc across WIDE 2
across the board EVERYONE 4
act 8 ACTOR/ACTRESS
act ACTOR/ACTRESS 2 , BEHAVE 1, DO 9, DO I've always wanted to be an actress, ever since J was a young
STHITAKE ACTION 1, LAW 1, PERFORM 7 girl. I The advertising campaign featured actress Joan
act: catch sb In the act CATCH 4 Collins.
act: get In on the act TAKE PARTfBE INVOLVED 2 star Jsta:rJ a famous actor or actress [n Cl
act: get your act together ORGANIZE 1 Eddie Murphy is one of the most successful stars in Holly-
act for REPRESENT 1 wood. I Stars of screen and stage gathered at the funeral of
act up/play up BEHAVE 3 Alfred Hitchcock.
film star (British) / movie star (American) / 'fllrn sta:',

Iact I",...........,--:---=~ Imu:vi-J a famous actor or actress who acts in fllms In Cl

After becoming a movie star, she moved into a luxurious
home in Bel Air. I Film stars like Michael Caine are trying
to revive the British film industry by making movies in
. which meaning ? England.

. act In a play or rUm .., . ACTOR/

ACTRESS
2 to be an actor or actress
, act
do ·somethfng to solVe go on the stage
,, " DO 5TH/
a problem TAKE ACTION ~ act /rek~ Iv II
...... - .- , In recent years Lewis has been acting in television dramas. I
sometnlng that . _ DO He learned to act when he was in high-school. I That woman
someone does just can't actl
go on the stage / lg;KJ on &I IsteId31 to become an actor
in the theatre as ajob [v phrase]
• acting ACTOR/ACTRESS 3, REPLACE 3 After the war [)avid went on the stage and often appeared
, action DO 9, DO STHITAKE ACTION 3 in Shakespearian roles. I My first visit to the Globe Theater
action: be out of action BROKEN 2 made me all the more determined to go on the stage.
BCtlon: course of action/course DEAL WITH 6

I
action: in action 00 8
action: put 5th out of action BREAK 6 3 the job or skill of being an actor or actress
action: take no action DO STHtTAKE ACTION 4 acting
action: take Bctlon DO STHfT AKE ACTION 1
action-packed EXCITED 6 , HAPPEN 13 acting l 'rektIQI In Ul
While James Dean was in New York he studied acting with
activate START STH/MAKE STH START 4 . SWITCH ON LeeStrasberg.1 You shouldn 't take up acting as a career; it's
OR OFF 1
a very risky business.
active DO 8
active: be active In TAKE PART/BE INVOLVED 1
activist REBELLION/REVO LUTION 5 4 to perform in a play, film etc as a particular
activities DO 9 character
activity DO 9, 10 play/play the part 01
activity: be a hive 01 activity/industry BUSY PLACE 1
actor ACTOR/ACTRESS 1
as
actress ACTOR/ACTRESS 1 portray
play/play the part of Iplel , ,plel ~o 'po:'! Dvl IV Tl
After Vivien Leigh played Scarleft O'Hara she became a
• ACTOR/ACTRESS Iwuselwld na11U!. I I'm playing Hamkt in a local production
at the youth theatre. I In his early movies James Mason
aiwaysplayed the part oftire badguy. 1Tlrepartofthepolice·
1 someone who performs in plays, films etc,
man was played by Bob Hoskins.
especially when this is their job
as /az; strong rez/ if someone is in a play or film as a par·
2 to be an actor or actress ticular character, they act the part ofthat character [prep J
3 the job or skill of being an actor or actress What did you think of Glenda Jackson as Queen Elizabeth
4 to perform in a play, film etc as a particular the First? I Glint Eastwood was excellent as the strong, silent
character hero in his many westerns.
5 ways of saying that a play, film etc has a portr.y /p'J:fltrel/ to act the part of someone in a way that
particular actor or actress in it gives a particular idea of their character [v Tl
6 the most important actor or actress in a play, be portrayed as In this production Lady Macbeth is por-
fi lm etc trayed as a strong-willed, evil woman. I portray sb as &an
Connery portrays James Bond as a man of action woo can
7 all the actors and actresses in a play, film etc be both ruthless and compassionate.
8 to perform with too much emotion or portrayal In C/ UI His portrayal of HitiD (=the way he
movement portrayed Hitler) beca11U! famous.

5 ways of saying that a play, film etc has a

1 someone who performs in plays, films etc, particu lar actor or actress in it
especially when this is their job star with
actor star co-star be In/appear In
actress film star/movie stBr feature
actor I lrektarl someone, especially a man, who perfonns star Jsta:rJ if a play or film stars someone, they are the
in a play or film In Cl most important actor in it Iv T not in passive]
HarrisonFord is myfavouriteactor - he's so good looking! I Our film this evening is 'Midnight Cowboy', starring Dustin
I didn't think the actor wlw played Macbeth was particularly HofJman and Jon Voight. I The 1944 production of 'Henry
good. I Los Angeles is full of out·of-work actors. V'starred Lawrence Olivier as tlu? heroic young king.
actress ,I rektr ~sl a woman who performs in a play or fllm
In Cl
ACTOR/ACTRESS 9 ADD
co-star Ilk:xJsta:TI if a play or film co-stars two or more
people. they are equally important actors in it Iv T not in
passive!
lactual or now? I
Thefilm co·stars Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. I A
happening ftCNt ~ . NOW
Broadway production of 'Miss Saigon', co-starring Jona·
than Pryce and Lea Salonga, opens tonight.
f •• ture , ' fi:tJ~rl if a play or film features someone, they
real. noriinaglnary ~ . REAUNOT
-
are an important actor in it but not the most important IMAGINARY
actor Iv T not in passive]
The play features two promising young actresses. I ... and ... . IN FACT
featuring Ernest Borgnine as the butler
with /W IO. w19/ a play or film with a particular actor or actual REAUNOT IMAGI NARY 1
group of actors is one in which they act [prep ] actually IN FACT 1 , 3
We saw a Hitchcock thriller with Cary Grant and Grace acute SERIOUS SITUATION 1
Kelly. I Have you seen the re·make of'King Kong' with Jessica ad ADVERTISE 3
Lange? I Dawson is now producing a stage version 0/ the ad hoc PLAN 11
story with a cast o/young actors/rom New York. ad·lib PERFORM 2
be.n/app••r In {bi: In , ~ I pla r In/ to act in a film or play. ad nauseam KEEP DOING STH 1
especially as one of the rnost important actors Iv T not in adamant: be adamant INSIST 1
passive ] adapt CHANGE/MAKE STH DIFFERENT 2
Clark Gable and Vtvien Letgh appeared together in 'Gone adapll0 USED TO/ACCUSTDMED TD 3
with the Wind'. I Who's in the new play at the National adaptable CHANGE/BECOME DI FFERENT 6.
Theatre? I Dustin Hoffman is currently appearing in a new CHANGE/MAKE STH DIFFERENT 8
production of 'The Merchant of Venice'. add ADD 1. 2 , 3. 4, 5. COUNT/CALCULATE 4
add on ADO 1
6 the most important actor or actress in a play, add to INCREASE IN ACTIVITY, FEELINGS ETC 4,
INCREASE IN NUMBER OR AMOUNT 7
fil m etc
add up COUNT/CALCULATE 4, LOG ICAL 2
star atar in
add up: not add up LOG ICAL 5
co-star play the lead add up to BE 2. TOTAL 3
star ISlo:'/ ln Cl add variety INTERESTI NG 7
John Travolro was the sror of'Saturday Night Fever'. I Mi/· add variety to VARIOUs/OF DIFFE RENT KINDS 8
lionsflocked to watch and hear Al Jolson. tire star oftire first
talking picture.
co-star J' k;K)sto: rlone of two or more actors who are
equally irnportant in a play or filrn In Cl E

Stan Laurel appeared in many comedies with his co-star

Oliver Hardy. I The gir/'sfather is plnyed fly Fonda 's co-sror, which meaning?
Donald Sutherlnnd.
star In I' sto:r 10/ to be the most important actor in a play add numbers together • COUNT'
or film Iv T not in passive] CALCULATE
Marilyn Monroe starred in 'Bus Stop' and 'Some Like It -~
Hot'. 1 After stan-ing in several successful plays, the actor put something together • ADO
made his first Hollywood film. with something else
play thel.ad I,plel 6a 'Ii:dl to act the most irnportant
part in a play or fIlm Iv phrase]
Linda Evans is now playing the lead in a new romantic
drama. I He got an unexpected chance to play the lead after
thejilm 's original star fell ill.
. ADD
1 to add a new part or piece to something, in
7 all the actors and actresses in a play, film etc order to improve it
cast 2 to add something to something you are
cooking or mixing
cast Iko:st U kresl/ In C with singular or plural verb in Brit-
ish Englishl 3 to add more to an amount of something or to
The entire cast of the play deserves praise for this perfor- the cost of something
mance. I Films like 'Ben Hur 'were made with a cast a/thou- 4 to add a quality or characteristic to somethjng
sands. I Despite a very impres..<>;ive cast, the movie never really 5 to add something to what has just been said
comes alive. or written
6 something that is added
8 to perform wrth too much emotion or
movement
overact 1 to add a new part or piece to something , in
ham it up order to improve it
overact 1,;K)var'rektf IV IITI add
overact a part/role/character I thought the man who add on
played the mad scientist overacted the part a little. l over· put on
act Lucy tends to overact, even when playing roles that call
for restraint. add lredl Iv Tt
ham It up i ,hrem It 'Apl an informal expression meaning add sth If you need more storage space it's possible to add
to perform with too much emotion or rnovement Iv phrase] more shelves. I By changing the display and adding a new
Sarn's not a good actor; he always hams it up, shouting and word-processing/eature, the manufacturers have dramati-
rushing around the stage. l It was a dull play, so Liz used rolly improved. this computer. I add sth to sth He's asked his
to ham it up just to get afew laughs. lawYer to add a clause to the contract that gives him a share
of the profits.
ADD
add on I. red Ion 11 - I a:n/ to add something to a building
in order to improve it or make it larger [phr v Tl
add on sth We've added on a guest room to the house, and
another bathroom too. I add sthlit/them on By adding a
garage on, you can increase the value of your home.
put on I. put Ion 11 _Iami to add something to a machine
or piece ofequipment, in order to make it work better [phr
v TI
lfyouput lighterwheelsonyourbikeyoucangofaster. 1She
put a telepfwto lens on her camera.
2 to add something to something you are
cooking or mixing
add
put In
add fredflV TI
add sth to sth Add milk ID the mixture before heating it. I
John added some water ID the paint ID make it thinner. I add
sth I think you need to add a little more salt.
put In I.put I ml to add something to a mixture [phr v TJ
put in sth When the sauce is cooked, put in a drop 0/
brandy. I Mix theconcrete - ifit's too hard, put in more water.
3 to add more to an amount of something or to
the cost of something
add
supplement
build on
add f' redf IV l i T I
add sth They seem to have added a 10% service charge - is
that I£gal? I add sth to sth Last week I added five new
stamps to my collection. I New /ire-sa/ety equipment had to
be instal1£d, adding thousands of dollars ID the cost of the
repairs. I add to sth Catherine won't mind ifyou add to her
workload - she needs the extra money.
supplement "sApl!mentl to add something, especially to
what you earn or what you eat, in order to increase it to
an acceptable level (u Tl
She gives her children vitamin pills to supplement their diet. I
Mary found it necessary to supplement her earnings by writ-
ing articles for magazines.
build on f 'bJld on 11 'Q!n/ to do something that will add
something to what has already been achieved [u Tl
Her new job would help lu!r build on her experience in adver-
tising. I They are trying to build on their success by opening
new branches overseas.
4 to add a quality or characteristic to something
add
give
lend
add fredflv T not in progressive I
add sth to sth Fine champagne always adds glamour to an
occasion. I Unfortunately the loud music added lWthing to
tJudr enjoyment of the dinner. I add sth The car chase isn't
really necessary to the story, but it adds an element of
exciterrumt.
give Iglvl to add a quality or characteristic to a person,
place, or organization [v T lWt inprogressivel
give sth sth The new sponsor gives the theatre some respec-
tability. 1give sb sthRis beard gave him an air ofauthority.
lend flendf to add a good quality to something, for exam·
pIe by making it more interesting, attractive, or enjoyable
[v T lWt in progressive]
lend sth to sth The strange music lends an air of mystery
to the movie. I The presence of the vice-president lent some
dignity to the proceedings. I lend sth Using genuine army
uniforms should help lend some authenticity.
10 ADDICTED
5 to add something to what has just been said
or written
add
tack on
.dd fredflv TI
"Finally, "she added, "I would like ID thank my family for
all their help. " I add sth Toot's my report. Is there anything
you'd like ID add, Peter? I add that Thejudgeadded that in
other circumstances the sentence would be longer. I I might
add (used especially when adding something in order to
complain) The bus was two hours late and, I migfU add, they
tried to charge my children the full adult fare!
tack on ' .trek 'on 11 ·'a:nl to add something to what you
have already said or written, especially something you con-
sider to be less important (phr v TJ
tack on sth The company gave a very long and confusing
explanation and just tacki!d on a s/wrt apology right at the
end. I tack sthlit/them on As an afl£rthought, they tacked
a vote of thanks on at the end of the speech.
6 something that is added
addition supplement
additive extra
addition fo'd'l.nf In Cl
Additions are made ID the listfrom tiTn£ ID time. I addition
to There has been a last minute addition to the programme
for the President's visit. I Soon there will be a new addition
to their family.
additive /'redltlv/ something added to food in order to
make it last longer, taste better or look more attractive [n Cl
Kids may be badly affected by some foad additives. I This
product contains lW artificial additives.
supplement l'sApllmantl something that is added to
something else in order to improve it or make it complete
In Cl
Doctors believe that vitamin supplements are largely
unnecessary. I supplement to He sometimes eatsFrsh as a
supplement to his vegetarian diet. I You'll find the very
newest words in the supplement to this dictionary.
extra l'ekstr.J/ something which is added to a basic
product or service which improves it and also costs more
InCI
An ensuite bathroom is an extra - it's not included in the
basic charge. I optional extra (=one that you can choose
whether to have or not) Tinted windowS and a sunroof are
optional extras.
~ added MORE/EXTRA 1
~ addtct ADDICTED 2, 5
addicted: be addicted ADDICTED 1. 5
• ADDICTED
having a strong need for drugs, alcohol, or
other things that are bad for your health
1 addicted to drugs, alcohot, or something
harmful or dangerous
2 someone who is addicted to a drug
3 words for describing a substance that makes
peopte addicted
4 the need to have something regutarly
because you are addicted to it
5 to be addicted to something such as
chocotate , television etc, which you enjoy but
some other people disapprove of
ADDICTED 11 ADMIRE
habit /1hrebAtl an addiction to an illegal dnlg or to tobacco
1 addicted to drugs, alcohol, or something [n C usually singular J
harmful or dangerous drug/cocaine/ heroin etc habit His cocaine habit was
be addicted ruining his life. I By the time Thomson left prison he'd lost
dependent a lot of weight and had a serious opium habit. I kick the
habit (:::give up the habit) Some smokers use chewing gum
be hooked containing nicotine to help them kick the habit.
be addicted (bi: ~ 'dlkt 1dl to have a strong physical and dependence Idl'pend;)nsl addiction to a1cohol or drugs,
mental need to regularly take something harmful such as especially legal drugs which a doctor gives you, so that you
a drug, alcohol, or tobacco, and to be unable to stop taking feel you cannot continue to live or work without them [n UI
it even when you want to [v phrase I drug/alcohol dependence The first thing we do is to try
be addicted to Rock star Eric C/apwn became addicted Il! to assess the client's level of alcohol dependence. I depen-
lwroin in the late 60s and had to go to a special clinic/or treat- dence on Dependence on sedatives or anti·depressants can
ment. I The children ofnwthers wlw use crack or cocaine are have a serious effect on someone '5 relationships and career.
often born addicted to the drug. I be addicted I tried to give
up smoking several times before I realized I was addicted.
dependent Idl ' pend~ntl addicted to alcohol or to drugs, 5 to be addicted to something such as
especially to legal drugs which a doctor gives to you, so that chocolate , television etc , which you enjoy but
you feel you cannot live or work without them [a£{il some other people disapprove of
be dependent on About 10% o!thepopulation is dependent be addicted
on some form of drug. I Far rrwre peopLe are dependent on addict
alcohol than we realize. I dependent It's almost impossible junkie
to take tranquillizersfor long witlwut becoming dependent. I
drug/alcohol dependent Many drug addicts are also be addicted Jhi: ;) Idlktldl if you are addicted to some·
alcohol dependent. thing, you do it, eat it, watch it etc a lot because you enjoy
be hooked Ihi: 'huktj an informal expression meaning it so much and you feel you cannot stop doing it (v passive]
to be addicted Lv phrase I be addicted to He's addicted to computer games - he hardly
be hooked on She's been hooked on heroin since she was 15. 1 ever comes out of his room. I be addicted I only started
get hooked Don't let your children start snwking - it's so watching it out of curiosity, but now ['m addicted!
easy for them to get hooked. addict /1 red I ktf someone who enjoys doing, eating, watch·
ing etc something so much that they feel they cannot stop
InC)
2 someone who is addicted to a drug chocolate/TV etc a ddict My girlfriend '5 a real television
addict addict - she watches it all the time. I Chocolate addicts are
user sometimes known as ·chocolwlics'. I addict I enjoyed the
junkie programme so much when lfirstsaw it thatl quickly became
an addict.
addict /'red'kt/ In C) junkie f 'd3AlJkiJ TV/ ne ws/soap opera etc junkie ( :::an
drug/heroin/morphine etc addict A lot of women drug
addicts become prostitutes in order to get money to buy informal word meaning someone who is addicted to TV etc)
InC)
drugs. I Heroin addicts also run an increased risk ofcontract-
lmustadmit I'm a bitofa TVjunkie- lwatchabout 6hours
ing AIDS. I a ddict It's difflCultfor most smokers to admit
that they are addicts, in the control ofa very powerful drug.
a day on average.
user Ilju:~rJ someone who regularly takes an illegal drug addiction ADD!CTED 4
InC) addictive ADD!CTED 3
drug user The city has proposed a plan to register all drug addition ADD 6
users at a special clinic. I user Once a user himself, Gary MW addition: in addition AN DIALSO 1
works as a counsellor helping other addicts. additional MORE/EXTRA 1
Junkie 11d3AlJkil an informal word meaning someone who additive ADD 6
is addicted to drugs, especially very powerlul illegal drugs address HOME 1. SEND 2. TALK/MAKE A SPEECH 1
In C) address: be of no fixed address/abode HOME 10
It is a dangerous part oftown - there are thieves andjl.l1lk.ies adept GOOD AT 1
everywhere. I The toilets are often used by junkies who leave adequate ENOUGH 1. GOOD ENOUGH 1
their needles lying around on thejloor. adhere STICK 2
adhesive STICK 3
adjacent NEXT TO 5
3 words for describing a substance that makes
adjoin NEXT TO 3
people addicted adjoining NEXT TO 5
addictive adjourn PAUSE 2
addictive /o 'd,i<llv/ ladj) adjournment PAUSE 4
Most addictive drugs are i/I£gal. I highly addictive (=very adjudicate JUDGE 5, 6
addictive) Crack is a potent, highly addictive form of co·
caine.1mildly addictive (=slightly addictive) The roffeine
in coffee is mildly addictive.
I adjust CHANG E/MAKE STH DIFFERENT 3
adjust to USED TO/ACCUSTOMED TO 3
adjustments: make adjustments CHANGE/MAKE STH
DIFFERENT 3
administration GOVERNMENT 1
4 the need to have something regularly admirable GOOD/EXCELLENT 4
because you are addicted to it admiration ADM!RE 4
addiction admire ADMIRE 1. LOOK AT 4
habit
dependence
addiction /o'd,kJan/ln C/ U) . ADMIRE
drug addiction Drug addiction is now the biggest social
problem in American cities. I addiction to Eventually she 1 to admire a person, or their abilities, qualities,
managed to overcome her addiction to alcolwl. I addiction or achievements
When you give up smoking. it is best not to try and tnckle any continued
other addictions you may have at the same time.
ADMIRE
. ADMIRE continued
2 to admire someone very much or too much
3 someone that you greatly admire
4 the feel ing of admiring someone
1 to admire a person , or their abilities, qualities,
or achievements
admire have a high opinion of
respect be an admirer of
look up to hold sb in high
Ihink highly 01 esteem/regard
admire /;xI Imal~rf to have a very high opinion of some-
one, either because of something good they have achieved.
or because they have abilities and personal qualities that
you would like to have yourself rv T not in progressive I
admire sb/sth I've always admired Sarah, ever since I rea-
lised how much she hns suffered. I He slwuldn '( have risked
his li/ejust to save a cat but you have to admire his courage. I
What I really admire about her is the way she always stays
calm. I admire sb for Lewis was probably' best known and
admired for his work on medieval literature. I greatly
admire The book is well-researched and well-written, and
has been greatly admired.
respect Ir l' spektl to admire someone, even if you do not
agree with them or want to be like them, because they have
high standards and good personal qualities such as fair-
ness and honesty Iv T not in progressive]
He's not the most popular teacher, but all the students respect
him. I Logan, a long-serving Congressman and a skilled
debater. wasfrored and respected by his political opponents. I
respect sb for She always told us exactly what she tlwught.
and we respected her for that.
respected [adj 1 The speakers will include John Cole, the
BBC's respected political editor.
look up to f ,Iuk I A p tu ~/ to respect and admire someone
who is older than you or in a position of authority [vT not
in progressive I
I've always looked up to Billy because he has so much
courage and determination. I The children need a father,
someone they can look up to.
think highly of f ,8tI)k 'hal li DV/ to admire someone very
much, especially because they do their job very well and
always work hard rv phrase not in progressiveJ
TIw boss tlwught very highly of Iwr and was planning to pro-
mote her. I be highly thought of Sally is an excellent stu-
dent wlw has always been highly thought of in tlw school.
have a high opinion of Ihrev ~ Ihal <J lpmj<Jn DV/ to
admire a person or their abilities very much. especially
because they have special skills or very high standards in
their work [v phrase not in progressiveJ
The management had a very high opinion ofJef!'s negotiat-
ing skills. I She's well-(')rganized but also very creative - I've
always had a high opinion of her.
be an admirer of /bi:::m ~lmalOJrnr DV/ to admire some-
one and the work that they do, especially an important
public figure or a writer, artist etc [v phrase)
My tutor was a great admirer of Shakespeare and quoted
him constantly. I I was sorry to hear about Nureyev 's death
- T'd always been one of his biggest admirers.
hold sb In high esteemlregard I ,h,uld (sb) In ,ha!
r' sti~m , rllga:Td/ a fonnal expression meaning to admire
and respect someone very much Iv phrase)
She was held in high esteem by all woo knew her.
2 to admire someone very much or too much
idolize put sb on 8 pedestal
revere hero-worshi p
worship
Idolize (also -Ise British) l 'a"bl-aIlI 10 greatly admire and
love someone, especially someone such as a popular
12 admission
musician or a famous sportsman or sportswoman tv T not
in progressivel
Almost 20 years after his death, Elvis is still idolized by
millions offans. I As a child he idolized hisfather, until his
parents divorced.
revere /rtlvl<JT/ to respect someone very greatly for their
achievements or personal qualities, especially someone in
public life Lv T not in progressive]
He was one of the best actors in Hollywood and was revered
by hisfellow artists. I When the scale ofcorruption was rev-
,I
ealed they turned against the leader they had once revered.
worship W3: r Ilpl to admire and love someone so much
that you cannot see any faults in them I v T not in
progressive]
He had worshipped his Wife and was absolutely devastated
when she died.
put ab on a pedestal / ,put(sb) on<J 'pedAsull to admire
and love someone so much that you regard them as being
very special and you will not believe anything bad about
them Iv phrase]
I suppose I did put him on a pedestal but I was young at the
time.
hero-worship /' hIOJrno ,W3:Tl lp/ to greatly admire some-
one, especially someone who is older than you, such as
your father or an older school friend. and want to be like
them rv T not in progressive J
The brother fon had once hero-worshipped was rww afailure
and turning to him for help.
3 someone that you greatly admire
idol
hero/heroine
Idol / 'ardll someone such as a famous actor, musician, or
sportsman who is greatly admired by other people In Cl
The idol of her teenage years was an exiled Russian ballet
star. 1 Theformer President. once the idol ofthe nation, now
lives in tolnl obscurity. I TIw book tells the story of screen idol
Marilyn Monroe's rise to stardom.
hero/heroine / lhl i1r<JU, 'heJ.XJAn/ your hero or heroine
is a man or woman that you admire very much because
they are very intelligent, very skilful etc [n Cl
I was 15 when f/irst read Virginia Woolf. who later became
my heroine. ! [love stories about Babe Ruth, he's my abso-
lute hero.
4 the feeling of admiring someone
admiration
respect
adulation
admiration "redm~'re II3n/ (n VJ
He watched with admiration as she quickly made an entire
meal out ofsome ham, eggs and cheese. I full of admiration
I amfull ofadmiration for the charity work you have done.
respect /n 'spektf admiration for someone, especially for
their good personal qualities or for the way tbey do their
job. so that you feel they deserve to be respected [n VJ
h ave respect for I've known Rosafor over six years and I
have the greatest respect for her judgement. I win/earn/
gain the respect of(=get someone's respect) With his/irm
and decisive handling of the dispute, he had earned the
respect even of his political opponents. I mutual respect
(=when two people respect each other) The talks will only
succeed if there is mutual trust and respect between the two
sides.
adulation / , red3~ 'l e tIOJnf great love and admiration for
someone, especially for a famous public figure In V I
She had to admit that she enjoyed the adulation that came
with being afarrwus/ilm star. I The worry is that the exces-
sive adulation she receivesfrom her followers may make her
lose touch with political realities.
I
admirer: be an admirer of ADMIRE 1
admission ADMIT 6
admission: gain admission ENTER 6
admit
admll ADMIT I , 3, 5, ENTER 8
I admit: I must admltll must confess ADM IT 3
_ ADMIT
t to accept unwillingly Ihat something is true or
that someone else is right
2 how you say that you admit something is true
3 to tell someone unwillingly about something
you have done, something you like etc ,
especially when you are ashamed or
embarrassed about this
4 to admit that something you said or believed
was in fact wrong
5 to admit that you have done something
6
wrong , especially something criminal
a statement in which you admit Ihat you were
wrong or admit that you have done
something wrong
1 to accepl unwillingly that something is true or
that someone else is righl
admit
acknowledge
concede
admIt 1><I 'ml ~ lu TI
"Well, I suppose there is some truth in what you ~Y•.. she
a4mitUld. 1 admit (that) In Ihe end he ha4 ro a4mlt Ihat I
was right. 1Sara finally admitred lhal her son was uery ill
and needed to see a doctor. I You may not like her, but you
have to admit that she's good at her job. 1 admit it You
enjoyed the concert, didn't you? Come on, admit it.
acknowledge lak 'noltd3 11 - 'no:-I to admit unwillingly
that something is true, especially if you do not intend to
let this change your opinion or your plans Iv TI
acknowledge (that) He acknnwledges it's going to be ~
rough job, but he's going to try it anyway. I The .s~na tor
acknowledged there was an acute homelessness cn sLS, but
could not guarantee the passage a/the appropriations bill. I
acknowledge sth You have to acknowledge the truth of
what she says.
acknowledgment/ acknowledgement In CIU J We have
yet to hear any acknowledgementfram them that a prablem
adually exists.
concede lkan' si:dl to admit that something is true
a1though you wish that it was not true rv TJ
concede (Ibat) He ha4 ro COncOOe lhat someofher suspicion.s
ha4 been j usllfUld. 1 Janis wasforced 10 concede lhal much
of her argument was based not on knowledge but on preJ-
udice. I "OK, so Communism has never worJred in practice, ..
he conceded. "But that doesn't mean it never can ...
2 how you say that you admit something is true
~
admlttedty let 's face It
~ it's true that there 's no getting
I grant you/granted around it
admlttedl, 1><I ' milldlil ladu l
AdmiUedly, Tony's always been a lousy husband, bUI h e does
have some good points. I Yes, I have studied Japa nese -
lhaugh not for long, admiUedly.
It's true that IllS Itru: 0 ';)1/ (used when you admit that
what someone has said is true, but you want to add some-
thing new or different that is also important)
Ofcourse it 's true that a lot of women like looking afterchil-
dren, but that doesn't mean that's what a ll women want to
do.
I grant you/granted fal Igra!Otju:, 'gra.:ntAd 11. -I~;:ent-'
(used when you admit that what someone had saId 15 true,
but you do not think it is very important or makes much
difference)
13 ADMIT
I grant you it's a nicepieceoffurniture, but is it really worth
all that money? I She doesn't have much experience, granted,
but she 's eager to learn. I Oh, he's intelligent, I'll g rant you
lhat.
let'. lace It Ilets ' fel s 11/ (used when you mean that it has
to be admitted that an unpleasant fact is true)
Let'sface it. Tony. there's no way they're going to g ive us a
raise. 1 People are basically se/Jl.Sh, let's f ace it.
there'. no getting .ouncllt /Oe'Jrz In:xJ gel ll) ';) Iraund
III (used when you admit that something is true and that
it must be cons idered when making a decision)
There's no getting around it - my husband is in love with
another woman. I there's no getting around the fact that
There was no gelling around the fad lhal Dr Casey was by
far the most experienced candidate for the job.
3
to tell someone unwillingly about something
I I
~ you have done, somelhing you like etc,
~ especially when you are ashamed or
embarrassed about this
admit to be honest/to tell the truth
confess I must admiUl must confess
edmlt 1><1' mill lu TJ
" Yes, I was scared, " Jenny admitted, "and lrealizenow that
I should have taken more care. " I admit (that) T he prime
minisUlr a4miUed thal mistalres ha4 been made. 1Shea4mits
that she occasionally bets on horses. I admit doing
sth/admit to doing 8th A quarter of workers admit to
taking time ojfwhen Ihey are nol ill. 1freely I openly admit
(=willingly admit something that other people would be
ashamed to admit) Phillipsfreely admits to being a racist.
conl••• /k';)n 'fes, to admit something about yourself that
you are embarrassed about, especially something about
your character or your abilities Iv TJ
"I've never dared go there on my own, "Phil confessed. I con-
fess (that) Uried 10gelA lan ro confess lhal he didn 'I really
understand the system. I confess to sth He confesses to
having a secret admiration for his opponent in the election.
to be hone.tlto tell the truth It';) bi: I on~ sl . t';) Ilel 0';)
Itru:8 11 _'o:n_1 (you say to be honest or to tell the truth
when you adm it something that other people might dis-
agree with or disapprove of)
" Whal did you Ihink of John?" "To be hon£S~ I didn 'I like
him al a ll. " 1 No, I didn 'I miss Ihallrain. To relllhe truth
I forgol all aboul ourappoinlment. 1 To be perfectly han£Sl,
Katy, I don't really care whether 1 pass or fail.
I mustadmltll must confe. . lal IrrtASt;:dlmlt, al 1TTli\S1
kan I fesl (you say I must admit or I must confess when you
adm it that you do not know something, cannot do some-
thing etc)
I musl a4mi/ J neuer was uery good al dancing. 1 When I was
offered Ihejob I was rempled. I must admit. 1 I don ~ really
like kids, I musl corifess.
4 to admit that something you said or believed
IIf.\: I
~
was in fact wrong
take back climb down
,
I stand corrected eat your words
take back l ,te1k 'brekl to say that a criticism you previ-
ously made was wrong [phr v T I
take back sth I take back euerything I said. 1take it back
She had no right to talk to you like that. You should go in
there and make her take it all back.
I stand corrected la l IStrend b'rekt!dI (a forma1 Brit·
ish expression used when you admit that something you
previously said was wrong, after someone has told you you
were wrong)
S ir Humph rey is perfectly correct, lastyear'spro!its were £12
million, not £14 million. I stand corrected.
climb down ' lkJalm ldaunl if someone, especially some-
one in a position ofJXlwer, climbs down, they admit that
they were wrong, especially when they were previously
very certain that they were right (phr v IJ
ADMIT 14 ADULT
climb down on The President refuses to accept that he has admittedly ADMIT 2
climbed down on the issue a/tax cuts. I climb down EUro- adolescence YO UNG 5
pean Court decisions have/arced several employers to climb adolescent YOUNG 6
down and change their policy on women 's pay. adopt LOOK AFTER SB 5
climb-down , ' klalm daunJ [n Cl the most spectacular and adorable NICE 3
unexpected climb-down in recent political history adore LIKE S8 OR STH 2 , LOVE 3
eat your words ,.i:t jJ: r ' W3: rdzl if you have to eat your adorn DECORATE 2
words you have to admit that yOll were wrong because adulation ADMIRE 4
what yOll said would happen did not in fact happen [u adult ADULT 1, GRow/GET BIGGER 2, SEX/HAVE
phrase ] SEX WITH 11
I never thought Clare would be any good at this job, but I 've ~ adult life ADULT 2
had to eat my words. I make sb eat their words Asforall
thosejournalists who said she was bound to lose. well, she's
certainly made them eat their words. . ADULT
5 to admit that you have done something 1 someone who is fully grown and not a child
wrong , especially something criminal any more
admit own up 2 the time when someone is an adult
confess come clean 3 to become an adult
admH l;xl'm,tl [v TI
admit (that) Derek finally admitted Ite had stolen tlte
money. I The company is now admitting that pollution regu- 1 someone who is fully grown and not a child
lations were breached. I admit doing sth/admit to doing
sth He admits to having used cocaine and heroin. I J acob- any more
son admitted giving false information. I admit it Admit it! adult n grown-up sdj
You lied to me! I admit sth He admits robbery but not adult adi grown man/woman
assault. I admit responsibility/liability/negligence grown-up n full-grownlfully grown
(=admit publicly that something is legally your faun) The
fwspitol nfused to admit liability for tlte droths oftwo young adult l'redAIt, o'dAltll n Cl
children. Most children are taught to obey adults without question. \
Since T left school my parents have started to treat me like
confess /k;m'fes/ to admit formally, especially to the an adult. I Children cannot be admitted to the museum unless
police, that you have done something criminal or illegal they are accompanied by an adult.
[v IITI
confess (that) Sheoonfesses that site killed Iter husband, but adult ' IredAlt. :)ldAltJ someone who is adult has reached
says she was severely provoked. I confess to doing sth the age when they are fully grown and not a child any more
Edwards confessed to being a spy for the KGB. I confess to ladj only before noun )
a crime/robbery/ murder etc Occasionally people will Over 30% of the adult population were illiterate. I Altlwugh
confess to crimes just to get attention. I confess After two the book is intended mainly for adult readers, it should
days of questioning, the suspect finally confessed. appeal to most children. I In a wolfpack. a single adult male
becomes dominant.
own up / ldUO IAp/ to admit that you have done something
wrong, especially something that is not serious [phr v 11 grown ..up Ilgr.x;n IAp<llf a word used especially by or to
own up to sth/to doing sth No one owned up to breaking children mean ing an adult In Cl
the window. I own up Unless the guilty person owns up, the Grown·ups are so boring! All they want to do is talk! I At
wlwle class will be punished. home there was always a grown-up to turn to if you were in
trouble.
come clean l,kArn 'kli:n/ an informal or humorous
expression meaning to admit that you have done some- grown.. up f Igrnun Apf a word used especially by or to chil-
thing wrong, especially when you have been trying to avoid dren: someone who is grown-up is an adult ladjl
admitting it Iv phrase ] "I wish I was grown-up, "said A lbert. I She has three grown-
It was you who used up all the coffee, wasn't it? OJme clean! I up sons. I grown-up party/clothes/food etc (=for people
come clean about It's time the CIA came clean about its who are grown-up) At twelve years old, this was thefirst
attempts to destabilize the Gastro regime. grown-up party she'd been to.
grown man/woman f Igrnun Imren , Iwumen/ an expres-
s ion meaning an adult man or woman, used especially
6 a statement in wh ich you admit that you were when you think someone is not behaving in the way an
wrong or admit that you have done adult should behave In Cl
something wrong He slwuld be able to cookfor himself - he's a grown man. I
admission I think it's disgraceful, all those grown men acting like
confession children. I She's crazy - a grown woman letting a girl like
admission l;xl'm,!,nl ln C l that order her around.
by I on your own admission (=as you yourself admit) On full ..grownlfully grown / ,fol 'grdUn<ll, ,fuli-/ an animal
his own admission. Richard has always been impatient. I that is full-grown or fully grown has reached its full adult
admission of guilt (=an admission that something is your size [adj l
fault) The police interpreted his nervousness as an admis- Afull·grown blue woo", may be up to 30 metres long, I Many
sion ofguilt. I admission that The senator's admission that of these animals die before they are fully grown. I On tlte
he had lied to Congress shocked many Americans. I a dmis- branch infront o/me I saw the massive head ofafull-grown
sion Do you mean to say you only married J ack for his pytfwn.
money? What an admission!
confession Ibn 'feJan/ a formal statement, usually given
to someone in a position of authority, saying that you have
2 the time when someone is an adult
adulthood
done something wrong or il1egaJ In Cl
Sergeant James wrote down every word of Smith's confes- maturity
sion. I false confession Police are sometimes accused of adult life
bullying suspects into making false confessions. I make a adulthood l'redAlthud , o'dAlthudl In VJ
confession At three o'clock this morning, Maxwellfinally Children often want to leave home as soon as they reach
made a confession. adulthood. I At that time only six out of ten children survived
/() adultltood.
ADULT
maturity Ima 'tJuar~til the time when a person, animal,
or plant has grown or developed completely [n UJ
The plant reaches maturity after two years. I The coming of
matur ity is marked in many cultures by a special ceremony.
adult life l .redAlt 'lalfl the part of someone's life when
they are an adult (n DJ
He has spent most ofhis adult life in the States. I Never before
in my adult l ife had 1 been unable to cope with a situation
like this.
3 to become an adult
grow up
mature
come of age
grow up I , groo ',pl [phr v 11
What do you want to be when you grow up? I Theprocessoj
growing up can be verydi/TlCultjor some adol€scems. I Many
women don'f want to take ajob outside the home until their
ch ildren have grown up. I O/course I know him - [ gr ew up
with him in New York.
mature fma I tJoa T} to become more like an adult and have
emotions and reactions more like an adult's IV IJ
Girls tend to mature more quickly than boys, both physically
and emotionally. •
come of age f I leArn :)v 'eld31 to reach the age, usually 18
or 21, when you have the 1egal rights of an adult (v phrase]
Emma will inherit a fortune when she comes of age. I Dan
will come ofage in January. I Theyplanned to many as soon
as she came of age.
ii adullery UNFAITHFUL 3
i adulthood ADULT 2
advance BEFORE 3, FORWARD 2, PROGRESS 1, 3
advance: further/advance your career SUCCESSFUL 1
advance: in advance BEFORE 3
advance: pay in advance PAY FOR 3
advance/further HELP 5
advance on TOWARDS 2
advanced ADVANCED 1, 2
• ADVANCED
words for describing machines, systems,
countries etc that use the most modern
equipment, ideas, and methods
1 words for describing advanced machines,
systems etc
2 words for describing advanced countries
1 words for describing advanced machines,
systems etc
advanced be ahead of Its time
sophisticated at the leading edge ofl
hlgh-tech/hl-tech cutting edge of
state~f-the-art
advanced J~ l vO!nst 11 :KJivrenstJ ladj ]
Thefactory has installed advanced machinery at enormous
expense. I Modern armies now consist offewer soldiers and
more advanced weapons ~ystems. I Infact, Soviet technology
was much more advanced than Western analysts realized at
the time.
sophisticated f~ lflst ~ke lt~d/ very advanced, and more
cleverly designed or skilfully made than other things of the
same type ladj]
The development of computers and other sophisticated
machines has nuu1e industry rmtch more efTzcient. I The mis-
sile has a sophisticated guidarzce system. I highly sophisti-
cated Operations of this type often involve the use of highly
sophisticated equipment.
15 ADVANTAGE
hlgh-tech/hl-tech I ,ha! 'tek'l high-loch Industry/
company/equipment/age et c (=using very advanced
electronic equipment and machines, especially computers)
[adj )
The city has become a popular location/or high-leeh indus-
tries. I The baby was born in th£ high-leeh surroundings of
the local haspital. I On display at the exhibitwn will be a
range of 'hi-tech homes of thefuture'.
state-of-the-art JIste lt a .... 6i 10:l't .. / using the most
advanced and recently-developed methods, materials, or
knowledge [adjl
The movie was mack with state·of-the-art camera equip-
ment. 1Increasingly. advertising relies on inventive graphic
design and state-of-the·art techrwlogy.
the state ofthe art In phrase} Opus III represents th£ state
of th£ art ("" the most advanced type) in word processing
packages.
be ahead of Ha time Jbi: :)Ihed a . . 1(.<; Italm{ ifsomething
is ahead ofits time, it is so new and different tllat people
do not understand or like it at first. but later realize how
good it is Iv phrase}
The Vortex graphic system was ahead of its time. Few were
sold but it strongly influenced later ooigns. I Her educa-
tional theories were way ahead oftheir time and were widely
misunderstood.
at the'eadlng edge of/cutting edge 0' I.t 6. ,Ii!-
dll) ' ed3 DV, IkAtllJ 'ed3 DV/ in a more advanced position
than other organizations, companies etc, in developing and
using new methods, systems, equipment etc [prep ]
The company is trying to regain its position at the leading
edge ofelectronics research. I Th£se developments really are
at the cutting edge of the techological revolution.
lea ding-edge/ cutting-edge [adj only lxifore noun) an excit-
ing new project, using cutiing-edge technology
2 words for describing advanced countries
advanced
developed
advanced lad Iva:nst 11 ad I.... renstl using advanced indus-
trial methods, equipment etc, and having a modern eco-
nomic and political system ladj )
There is no reason why China should not become as
advanced as Taiwan or Korea in 5 to 10 years. I High levels
of unemployment are afeature ofmany advarzced capitalist
countries. I Slowly these nations have come to rely on their
nwre technologically advanced neighbours.
developed Idl'veJ:)ptJ having modern industries, equip-
ment, buildings etc ladj }
In ckveloped countries, workers' pay is relatively high I This
disease has mostly been eliminated, at least in the ckveloped
nations. I While the war continues there is little /wpeofthe
area becoming developed.
advancement UP 12
advantage ADVANTAGE 1, GOOD POINT OR
CHARACTERISTIC 1
advantage: be at an advantage ADVANTAGE 3
advantage: be to sb's advantage ADVANTAGE 4
advantage: give sb an advantage ADVANTAGE 4
advantage: have an advantage ADVANTAGE 3
advantage: have an advantage over BETIER 1
advantage: take advantage of USE A PERSON 1, USE
STH 4
• ADVANTAGE
something that helps you to be in a better
position than other people, more likely to
succeed etc
1 an advantage
2 the advantages and disadvantages of a plan,
system etc
3 to have an advantage over other people
continued
ADVANTAGE
ADVANTAGE continued
4 ways of saying that something gives one
person an advantage over others
1 an advantage
advantage
asset
privilege
advantage 1:xt 1vQ:nll d3 11 ~ I vren -/ln Cl
advantage of She's had all the advantages 0/ a university
education. I What are the advantages 0/ living in the coun-
try rather than the city? I have an ad:vantage over Com-
pact discs have an advantage over records because t hey do
not scratch or break. I deflnite advantage (=a big advan-
tage) Ifyou want to work in publishing, keyboarding skills
are a dejinim advantage. I u nfair advantage Financial sup-
portfrom the govemmentgives thesejums an unfair advan-
tage over their competitors.
a •••t I'resetl something or someone that is valuable
because they help you to succeed In Cl
asset to Ms Pinlake is a great asset to the company. I asset
Having our best player back on the team [or Saturday's
game will be a real asset. IA sense of humour is an enormous
asset when working with children.
prlvllege /'prlvAlld31 a special advantage that only some
people have, because they have been born into a family
with a lot of money, have a special relationship with some-
one, have an important job etc {n C l
As an aristocrat he enjoyed privileges that were denied to
others. I Countries within the European Community grant
certain commercial privileges to each other. I the privilege
of Not everyone has the privilege of a private education.
2 the advantages and disadvantages of a plan,
system etc
advantages and disadvantages
pros and cons
pluses and minuses
advantages and disadvantage. 1~ . va:nt1 d3Az ~n
Idlg} .vo:nt ld3Az 11- .vren-/lnphrase J
Being an only child Iu:zs both advantages and disadvan·
tages.1 What advantages and disadvantages does raising
interest rates have on the economy? I the adva ntages a nd
disadvantages of Store owners need to consider the advan-
tages and disadvantages of buying goods d irect from the
producer.
prosanclcons / , Prnuz~n Ikonz II - 'ko:nz/theadvantages
and disadvantages of a course of action which you consider
when you are trying to decide what to do [n phrase ]
the pros a nd con s of There has been a lot of discussion
about the pros and cons of making certain types of drugs
legal. 1 US policy makers are discussing the pros and cons
ofretaliatory action. I weigh up the pros and cons (=think
about the advantages and disadvantages) The union hasn '(
decided WMth£r ta take acttanyet. They'rejust weighing up
all the pros and cons.
p lu . .s and minuses l ,plAsAz ~n ·ma l n~s~z/ the advan-
tages and disadvantages of something such as a plan, a
method, or a course of action which you consider before
you do something or which you notice after i~ has been
done In phrase ]
the pluses and minuses of Do consider carefully the pluses
and minuses of starting your own business. 1 Soviet indus-
try has seen both the pluses and the m inuses ofperestroika.
16 ADVANTAGE
3 to have an advantage over other people
have an advantage
be at an advantage
have youth/experience etc on your side
the odds are stacked In sb 's favour
have a head start
have everything going for you
hold all the cards
have the upper hand
be in a strong posltionJa position of strength
have an advantage Iha:v an ad'vo:nlld3 II -'vren-/lv
phrase not in progressive I
Mr Davis'class had. an advantage because the subject he had
spent most time on came up in the test. 1 Cinderella is poorer
and less reFm.ed than her sisters but she has one great advan-
tage - her beauty. I h ave an advantage over The winning
boxer had an adoontage over his opponent because he was
four pounds heavier.
be at an advantage /bi: at :m ad ' vo:nud3 11 _Ivren-/ if
someone is at an advantage, they have experience or qual-
ities which make them more likely to succeed in doing
something or more likely to do something well Iv phrase J
Students with computer training will be at an advantage
next year when the statistics course starts. 1 be at a n advan-
tage over Although he does not have a. degree he has a lot
of work exper ience. For this reason, he is at a distinct advan-
tage over young graduates.
have youth/experience etc on your side /hrev
(youth, ete) on j:>:r Isaldl to have an advantage over others
because you are young, have a lot of experience etc Iv
phrase not in progressive]
McEnroe is a strong player but his opponent will haveyouth
on his side. I With krww/edge oftM cvmpany on Mr side, SM
was more likely to get the job than any of the external
candidates.
the odds are stacked in sb's favour J6i .odz o:r
strekt In (sb's) •felva r 11 -lo!dz-/ to have a strong advantage
in a competition, election etc so that you are very likely to
win
The odds were stacked in the Democratic Parly'sfaoour, and
it was a great surprise when they were not elected. I In the
competition for new defence contracts, the larger, wealthier
companies will have the odds heavily stacked in their favour.
have a head start /hrev ~ .hed ·sto: rl/ to have an advan-
tage over others in a particular activity, especially because
you started doing it before them Iv phrase not in
progressive J
have a head start in sth I had a head start in driving
because my father was an instructor. I have a head start
on sb Electronics is a very competitive business and the
Japanese have a head start on us. I give sb a head start
Before sire started. the English course she spent a year in
Florida and that's given her a head start over the other
students.
have everything going 'or you /hrev .evri911) Igaull)
f;)r j u:1 to have all the qualities that are likely to give you
an advantage over others and make you succeed in
whatever you decide to do [v phrase not in progressivel
SM was bright and pretty and Iuut everything goingfor her. I
Barry had everything going for him - charm. looks. intelli-
gence, but still he was unemployed.
hold allthe cards /hould ,,,10, 'ko:'dz/ to have all the
advantages that give you power when you are trying to
persuade someone in an argument Iv phrase!
As soon as we sat down at the negotiating table it became
clear that the employers held all the cards.
have the upper hand Ihrev 6i ,Apa r 'hrendl to have an
advantage over someone, especially someone who is fight-
ing against you or who does not agree with you [v phrase
not in progressive}
ADVANTAGE
have the upper hand against The generals believed that
their superior air power would give them the upper hand
against the rebels. I have the upper hand The medical ser·
vices now have the upper hand in their struggieagainst this
latest epidemic of the disease.
be In a strong posltlon/a position of strength
Jbi= In a .stroIJ p;) I Zlfan , a palzlfan av 'strel)81 to be in a
position where you have an advantage over someone, espe-
cially in discussions to gel something from them [v phrase ]
The government claims that as long as they have nuclear
weapons, they can negotiate/rom a position ofstrength. IAny
buyer who has ready cash is in a strong position when the
bargaining starts.
4 ways of saying that something gives one
person an advantage over others
give ab an advantage be In sb's favour/lavor
give ab the edge favour/favor
be to sb's advantage
give ab an advantage I.glv (sb)::m ad'vccnttd3 11 -Ivren-I
Iv phrasel
give sb an advantage over The ex-policeman 's knowledge
ofthe law gave him an adoontage over !he other people train-
ing to be lawyers. I Its location and its lower distribution
costs give the company an advantage over its competitors. I
give sb an advantage Thefact that Liverpool had only ten
men playing for them gave the other team an advantage.
give sb the edge 'lglV (sb) 6i 'ed31 to give someone a
slight advantage, for example in a competition or election
Iv phrase]
give sb the edge over He tried tojind out as much as he
could about the company, believing that it would give him
the edge over the other interviewees. I give sb the edge His
ten years' experience of boxing will give him the edge in
tomorrow's fight.
be to sb's advantage /bi: to (sb's) od'vamtId311-'v;en-/
if something is to your advantage it will give you an
advantage and put you in a better position than you were
in before [v phrase J
I think you should accept Steve's offer to talk about your
interview - it could be to your advantage. I If you listen to
the announcement about our special offers, you may hear
something to your advantage. I be to the advantage of A
change ofgovernment might be to the advantage of the poor.
be In sb's favour (British) I favor (American) /bi: '"
(sb's) 'felv;)fl ifsomething is in someone's favour it will
give them an advantage over someone else Iv phraseJ
The present economic situation is clearly in the Democrats'
faror. I Investors are hoping that the new system of share
dealing will operate in their favour. 1 tip the balance in
sb's favour (=to give someone a slight advantage) It will
be a closely fought match but Becker's stronger service is
likely to tip the balance in his favour.
favour (British) I favor (American) / 'felvo'/ ifa situation
or conditions such as the weather favour someone, they
give them an advantage over someone else Iv TI
The weather faoours the Australians, who are used to play-
ing in the heat. I German negotiators d£nied that economic
circumstances hadfaoored their companies and given them
a significant export advantage.
advantages and disadvantages ADVANTAGE 2
advent: the advent of BEGINNI NG 2
adventure EXCITE D 7 , EXPER IENCE 1
adventurous BRAVE 3, 4
adversary ENEMY 1
adverse DI FFICULT 9
adversity SUFFER 3
advert ADVERTISE 3
advertise ADVERTISE 1, PUBLICIZE/MAKE KNOWN 1
I~I " YOU say" is used in definitions of some
~ words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English .
17 ADVERTISE
• ADVeRTISE
to publicly inform people about a product or
service, in order to persuade them to buy it
or use it
1 to advertise something
2 the activity of advertising products or services
3 a picture, set of words, fi lm etc that is used to
advertise a product or service
1 to advertise something
advertlse plug/give sth a plug
promote sell
market push
hype up
advertise f 'redv;)fta lzf to advertise something on TV or
radio, in magazines or newspapers, or on large public
notices, in order to persuade people to buy it [v I/ TJ
advertise sth This company pays afamous singer to adver-
tise their product. 1 All posl.ers advertising cigarettes must
carry a government health warning. I advertise We are a
small business so we can only afford to advertise in the local
press. I advertise sth heavily (=advertise it a lot) You must
have seen those computer games - they've been heavily adver-
tised on TV and in all the Sunday papers.
promote IpC;) 'm;)(Jt1 to make sure that people know about
a new product, film, book etc, for example by arranging
special events, by offering it at a reduced price, or by
talking about it on television IV TJ
Barbra Streisand is doing a series of TV interoiews to
promote her latest film. 1 To promote their new brand of
shampoo, they are selling it at half price for a month.
market l'mo:fk~tJ to make sure that a product or serv-
ice is sold in the most effective way, for example by decid-
ing how mu.ch it should cost, how it should be advertised,
and where It should be sold (v TJ
In order to market a product well you need to be aware of
public demand. I In Japan we use a Japanese company to
market our shoes.
hype up I ,halp IApl an informal word meaning to try to
make people think that something is much better than it
really is, by repeatedly advertising it, saying it is the best
one of its kind etc (phr v T usually in passive]
Like most Hollywood movies it was so hyped up that when
I saw it I felt rather disappointed.
plug/glve 8th a plug /plAg , ,glV (sth), 'ptAg/ infonnal
words meaning to try to make people interested in a book
you have written, a fIlm you are appearing in, etc, for exam-
ple by mentioning it in a TV or radio conversation when
you are supposed to be talking about something else Iv TJ
The only reason she agreed to be interviewed on the radio
was to plug her new record. 1 The author used the opportu·
nity of appearing on TV to give his latest book a plug.
sell lsell to advertise something and persuade people that
it is a very good product, so that they want to buy it Iv T]
sell sth to sb It's not a question ofproducing a product and
people buying it - we have to go out and really sell it to them. I
sell sth Many wpmen object to the use ofpictures of women
in bikinis to sell cars.
push ,pull an informal word meaning to advertise a new
product very heavily, with a lot of advertisements [v T J
Revlon is really pushing its new range of beauty creams.
2 the activity of advertising products or services
advertising hype
promotion hoopla
marketing
advertising l 'redv;)rtalzHJI the activity of advertising
something on television, in newspapers etc, in order to
persuade people to buy it [n UJ
ADVERTISE
The big cigarette manufacturers spend billions ofdollars a
year on advertising. I CBS/ Fox said that its advertising was
mostly aimed at young adults between the ages of 18-23. I
Sara is looking/orajob in advertising or the media. I adver-
tising agency (:::a company that advertises other compa-
nies' products) Deutsch is the biggest advertising agency in
the world.
promotion Ipld I m~Janl the activity of making sure that
people know about a new product or service, for example
by arranging specia1 events, by offering it at a reduced
price, or by mentioning it in conversations on TV [n UJ
Madonna arrived in New York to do a week DJ promotion
for her new album. I The author was signing copies o[ his
new book as part of the publisher's promotion campaign. I
Local tourist offlCes are involved in the promotion of skiing
in Vermont.
promotional [ad) only before noun] I've managed to get
hold 0/ a promntional copy (=one that is used to promote
something) o/the Rolling Stones' latest album. 1 apromo-
tional video
marketing l 'm a:rk~t lI)/ the business ofrnaking sure that
a product or service is sold in the most effective way, which
includes deciding how much it should cost, how it should
be advertised etc (n VJ
The business course includes classes on marketing. 1 mar-
keting strategy/campaign The reason their cars sold so
well was that they had a brilliant marketing strategy.
hype Ihalpf an informal word meaning the activity of
trying to make people think that a new book, fllm, record
etc is much better than it really is [ n UJ
There has been a lot of hype about Michael Jackson 's latest
video. 1 Is it really Kevin Costner's bestfilm performance, or
is that just media hype?
hoopla f 'hu:pJa:/ an informal American word meaning a
lot of excited attention from the newspapers, radio. and
television [n U]
The gala performance, with all its press and Iwopla, was an
event not to be missed. I NBC, with a good deal of hoopla,
sJwwed an extended version of the TV interview.
3 a picture, set of words, film etc that is used to
advertise a product or service
advertisement advert
commercial campaign/advertising
ad campaign
advertisement fgc!.lv3:tAsm;Jnt 11 ,redvar'talz-/ (n Cl
Tobacco advertisements have been bannedfor several years
now. 1 advertisement for At this time ofyear, the papers
are full of advertisements for skiing holidays.
commerclal /b ' m3: rJalf an advertisement on television
or radio [n C J
McEnroe has been signed up to do a series ofcoffee commer-
cials. 1 The kids are always singing songs from TV com-
mercials.
ad lred/ an infonnal word meaning an advertisement[n Cl
We put an ad in the 'Times' and got a terrific response. 1 She
had started her acting career by doing shampoo ads on TV.
advert I 1redV3! rtJ an informal British word meaning an
advertisement (n Cl
You know that couple in the 'Cold Blend' advert? 1 advert
for Did you see that advert for her new book?
campaign/advertising campaign Ikrem 'pe,n,
Iredvarta lzlIJ krem lpeln/ a planned series ofadvertisements
intended to advertise a product or service [n Cl
The company got into a lot of trouble over its last advertis·
ing campaign. 1 run a campaign General Motors is running
an aggressive campaign to publicize its 1994 models.
advertisement A DVERTISE 3
advertising ADVERTISE 2
advice A DVISE 5
advice: ask sb's advice ADVISE 3
advice: follow sb's advice ADVISE 4
advice: give advice ADVISE 1
advice: on sb's advice ADVISE 4
18 ADVISE
advice: take advice ADVISE 3
advice: take my advice ADVISE 2
advice: take sb's advice ADVISE 4
advisable SHO ULD/OUGHT TO 2
advise ADVISE 1
adVise: you'd be well advised to do sth ADVISE 2
advise on ADVISE 6
• ADVISE
to tell someone what you think they should do
1 to advise someone to do something
2 ways of telling someone what you think they
should do
3 to ask someone to advise you about a
particular subject or problem
4 to do what someone advises you to do
5 advice that is given to someone about what
they should do
6 someone whose job is to give advice, for
example about technical matters, work, or
personal problems
1 to advise someone to do someth ing
advise give advice
say sb should do 8th/ recommend
ought to do sth urge
advise /;Jd 1v8IZ/ to tell someone what you think they
should do in a particular s ituation, especially when. you
have knowledge or information that they do not have (vT I
advise sb to do sth I advise you to think very carefully
before making any decision. 1 Customers are advised not to
leave their bags unattended. 1 advise sb against doing sth
(=advise them not to do it) Her lawyers have advised her
against making any statement to the press. ! advise cau-
tion/restraint/patience Health experts advise extreme
caution when handling these materials, as they are known
to cause cancer. 1 strongly advise I would strongly advise
you to take out medical insurance for your skiing trip.
Bay Bb should do Bthloughtto do 5th I ,se, (sb}fud
Idu: (sth), j:1:t ta Idu: (sth)/ to tell someone what you think
they should do, especially when this is your own personal
opinion and not the result of particular information or
knowledge [v phrase]
My rrwther says we should phone the police. 1People keep on
saying to me that I ought to retire. I When Harry told me he
was bored. I said he slwuld join the golf club.
give advice /Iglv ad1valsl to advise someone about a par-
ticular problem or subject (v phrase)
give sb ad vice Can you give me some advice? I'm thinking
of buying a car. I give advice to sb The plan was set up to
give expert advice to first time Iwuse-buyers. I give advice
She's always quite willing to give advice when asked. 1 give
advice on/about The bank can give you plenty of advice
about pensions and financial planning.
recommend 11 reka ImendJ to advise someone to do some-
thing, especially when you have special knowledge because
of your job or because you have studied a s ituation closely
Iv TJ
recommend that Doctors recommend that all children be
immunized against polio and tuberculosis. 1 recommend
doing sth I would always recommend buying a good qual-
ity bit.ycle rather than a cheap one. 1 recommend sth The
Forsyth Report recommended stricter supervision ofthe trade
in live animals. 1 highly/thoroughly recommend I
thoroughly recommend that you take out insurance before
you travel. ! strongly recommend I strongly recommend
that you get your brakes checked before you go on a long
drive.
urge /3: r d31 to strongly advise someone to do something
because you think it is very important (v TJ
urge sb to do sth The trade unions are urging employers
ADVISE
to invest more money in training. I urge that He gave copies
of the report to all those present at the meeting, urging that
they read and digest its contents.
2 ways of telling someone what you think they
~
should do
~ If I were you take It from me
you should do sthl you'd be well
you ought to do sth advised to do 5th
you'd be better off on no account
take my advice
if I were you IIf lal W~T IjU:[ (used when you are giving
someone friendly advice)
I wouldn 't do that if 1 were you. I Here's your money - if I
were you I'd go and put it in the bank before you spend it.
you should do sth/you ought to do sth /ju: Jud 'du:
(sth), ju: ,J:t to 'd: (sth)/
You should go to the doctor with that cough. I I think you
should stay here until you 've sobered up. I Tha t new restaur-
ant's great - you really ought to try it. I Do you know what
you ought to do? You ought to go to her house and tell her
exactly what you think of her.
you'd be better off /ju!d hi: tbetar lof/ (used when you
are advising someone to do something different from what
they have planned or started to do)
The ferry takes about eight hours! You'd be better offgoing
by plane I Ithinkyou'd be better Q/!using a knife rather than
scissors for that job.
take my advice /telk ImaT :xJ,I V 8TS/ (used when you
think that someone should do something because you
know from your own experience how unpleasant or
difficult things can be)
Take my advice, don't go into teaching unless you're abso-
lutely committed. 1 Dioorces are a nightmare. Take my advice
and stay single.
take It from me I Itelk It fr:}m 'mi :f (used when you are
telling someone that they should trust the advice you are
giving them because it is based on your personal
experience)
Take it from me, you'll regret it if you waste your time at
school. 1 Love affairs with colleagues never work out - take
itfram me.
you'd be well advised to do sth /ju:d bi: Iwel ~ I V8 I zd
t:} tdu: (sth)1 (used when you are strongly advising some-
one to do something, especially because they may have
trouble if they do not do it)
Before your interview you 'd be well advised to have another
look at what you put on the application form. 1 There are
ports of New York City you'd be well advised In avoid.
on no account Ion In:}U :}Ikaunt/ (a formal or official
expression used when you are strongly advising someone
not to do something because it would be dangerous or
stupid) ladv phrosel
On no account should you attempt this exercise ifyou 're preg-
nant. 1 not on any account You shouldn't sign the contract
unless you are sure you understand it - not on any account.
3 to ask someone to advise you about a
particular subject or problem
ask sb's advice take advice
seek advice consult
aak ab's advice I,o:sk(sb's) :xJ,l vals 11 1<.'esk-/ [vphrase J
can I ask your advice? I'm not sure which is the best cough
medicine In buy. IAlthaugh he wos very helpful when I asked
his advice, he lift the decisions to me. 1 ask sb's advice onl
about There's a Citizens' Advice Bureau in a lmost every
town, and you can go and ask their advice on a lmost any-
thing. 1 I've come to ask your advice about buying a car.
seek advice /,si:k ;x1l val sl to ask someone to advise you
or to try to find someone to advise you, especially some-
one who has special or professional knowledge [v phrase)
seek advice from sb The best thing to do is to seek advice
from an expert. 1 seek advice Women come here seeking
19 ADVISE
advice and consolation when they have been beaten by their
hus bands. 1 seek sb's advice on I came round to seek your
advice on a personal matter. 1 seek sb's advice He stared
across the table at the two clients who had come to seek his
advice. I seek professional/medical/legal ete advice She
had been having headaches for several weeks before she
decided to seek medical advice_
take advice 'Itel k :xJ,I V8I S/ take l egal!medical/profes-
sional advice (=ask someone who has special knowledge
to advise you about a problem that you cannot deal with
on your own) [v phrase )
If the debt is not paid within seven days, we will take legal
advice. 1 Pregnant women should take medical advice before
using any k ind ofdrug. I take legal etc advice on She has
told her employers that she will be taking professional advice
on her rights.
consult Ik:}n 1sAltj to ask someone for their advice before
making an important decision, especially someone who
has special knowledge [v TJ
consult sb Consult your doctor before going on a diet. 1 con-
sult sb about sth/doing sth I think he's annoyed because
he wasn't consulted about sending nwther to a nursing home.
4 to do what someone advises yo u to do
take sb's advice listen to
tollow sb's advice on sb's advice
take sb's advice {Itel k (sb's) :}d1valsf [vphraseJ
She took her parents' advicearul came Iwme to Minneapolis. 1
I've decided to take your advice. I'm going to art college. 1
take advice from You know what Henry's like - he won't
take advice from anyone, especially his parents.
follow sb's advice I ,fol~ (sb's) :}d'vals 11 ,fo:-/ to do
what someone advises, especially when you have to do
something over a long period of time Iv phrase I
Ifyoufollow your doctor's advice, your knee will soon heal. 1
Parents who are worried about their child's education often
find it hard In follow teachers' aduice. I Just follow this
simple advice - avoid sugary food and brush your teeth
regularly.
listen to 11II stiln tu:1 to do what someone advises you to
do, especially because you respect their opinion [v T not
in progressive ]
You tell him Dad, he'll listen to you. 1 Children are saying
we should take more care of the environment, but of course
no one ever listens to the young. 1 Will you try and get her
to do her physiotherapy - we thought she might listen to
someone who's been through the same thing.
on sb's advice Ion (sb's) ;xI'valsl if you do sornething on
someone's advice you do it because they have advised you
to do it [adv phrase]
On the manager's advice, Miss O'Brien is taking a month 's
leave. 1The government is to lower interest rates on the advice
of the Bank of England. I act on sb's advice It wasn 't the
President's own idea - he was acting on the advice of his
aides_
5 advice that is given to someone about what
they should do
advice guidance
lip counsellingl
recommendation counseling
advice /od'valS/ In VI
I need some advice. What do you do when your baby won't
sleep at night? 1 advice onlabout The book offers some good
advice on how to cope with stress at work. 1 medical/legal!
professional etc advice If symptoms persist, seek medical
advice. I a piece/ word of advice (=some adv ice) Let me
give you a word of advice - never let a man think he's better
than you. I sound advice (=good advice) That's sound
advice, I'll definitely bear it in mind.
tip /tlpl a small but useful piece of advice about how to do
something or how to get something [n Cl
Here's a good tip: if you spill red wine on your carpet, pour
salt on it to remove it. 1 tips on Ifyou're going to &lrcelona
ADVISE 20 AFTER
you should talk to Emma. she can give you some ustiful tips new book. l It soon became apparent that Colin was the guru
on where to stay. 0/ the whole department.
recommendation ,.rekamen 1deIJcm/ advice about how
to deal with a problem, especially given by a group of people ,I adviser/advisor ADVISE 6
advisory ADVISE 6
who have made a detailed study of the problem {n C usually
plural I advocate SUPPORT A PE RSO N, GROUP OR PLAN 1
make a recommendation The committee made a number advocate: be an advocate of APPROVE 2
a/recommendations/or improving safety standards in air- aerobics: keep-fit/aerobics EXERCISE 3
planes. I recommendation Unless the report's recommen- affable FRIENDLY 1
dations are implemented soon, thefuturejor industry could affair HAPPE N 11 , RELATIONSHIP 5
be very bleak indeed. affair: have an affair RELATIONSHIP 4
affect EFFECTflN FLU ENCE 1
guidance "ga1d.ms/ advice on the kinds of things you
should be doing, especially in your job or in your private affected PRETEND 5
life In VI • affection LOVE 2
There are so many careers to choose from - maybe your _~ affectionate LOVE 4
teachers could offer you som€ guidance. I The council pro- I affiliation MEMBER 2
vides practical guidance and support for students wishing I! affinity RELATION SHIP 2
to study abroad. I guidance on/about There is a special I affinity: have an affinity with Ll KEfSIMILAR 1
police department that offers information and guidance on affirm SAY/STATE 3
all aspects 0/ crime prevention. ~ affluent RICH 1
counselling (British) I counsellng (American) 1'kaun- NI afford: can afford ENOUGH 6, PAY FOR 13
~ afford: can't afford ENOUGH 13, EXPENSIVE 4
saIT!]1 professional advice on how to deal with a personal
or emotional problem In U J ~ affordable CHEAP 1
The telephone Iwlpline offers counselling for any child with affront INSULT 3
a problem. I Victims of violent crime may need prolonged f afloat ONION TOP OF 2
counseling to help them get over the shock. \ afloat: stay afloat SURVIVE 3
~ afoot: be afoot PLAN 9
JJ. aforementioned BEFORE 14
6 someone whose job is to give advice, for
example about techn ical matters, work, or
personal problems
adviser/advisor counsellor/counselor
afraid
advise on consultant
advisory guru which meanln=
g..:.
?~~~
adviser (British) I advisor (American) lod 'valzo'l some- feel afraid ' .... . FRIGHTENED
one whose job is to give advice to a person or organization,
especially in business, law, or politics [n Cl
Consult an indepencumtjinancial adviser before making any ~-: afraid: be afraid/scared/frightened FRIGHTENED 2
major investments. 1 adviser on the Prime Minister's per- afraid: be afraidlscared/frlghtened/terrtfied
sonal adviser on economic affairs 1adviser to sb Fred Howe, FRIGHTENED 4
a trusted advisor ro the White House, was asked to investigate -;: afraid: be afraidiscared/frlghtened/terrlfled of
the striki!. f FRIGHTENED 3
advise on /:xj' valz on 11 -mn/ to be employed by an organi- afraid: I' m afraid not NO 1
zation to give advice about a particular subject IV T J afraid: I'm afraid so YES 1
advise on sth After retiringfrom professional athletics he , afresh AGAI N 1
was asked to advise on the training of young athletes. I B afresh: start afresh/make a fresh start/make a new
advise on where/ how/ when ete If your child is a slow start START DOING STH 9
learner. his teachers will be able to advise on where to get after AFTER 1, 2, 4, 8, 10
help. I advise sb on He had studied law and ecorwmics in after: be after AFTER 9, LOOK FOR 3
Italy and advised his government on currency reform.
advisory J:xj'valurif advisory body/committee/ role/
capacity (=which exists for the purpose of giving advice)
ladj usually before nounl
The Science Council is mainly an advisory body. I I will be
l after: one aHer the other/one after another SERIES 4
after·effects/after effects RESULT 5
after that AFTER 1, 3

present at committee meetings, but purely in an advisory

capacity. I Although such advisory committees do not have
any formal powers. their opinions carry a lot 0/ weight.
counseUor (British) I counselor (American) l'kaunsalo'l
someone who gives professional advice to people, espe-
cially about personal problems In Cl
J never realized you were so depressed. Have you been to see
a counselor? I Each child in the summer camp can see a
trained counselor ljthey have any problems. 1 The hospice
is appealing for more people to work as bereavement coun-
sellors.
consultant Jk~m'sAIt;,ntJ someone who gives special tech-
nical advice to companies or other organizations In Cl
He's left hisjob as a computer programmer and is working
as a consultantfor a German firm. 1 consultant on Booth
is a consultant on language with one of the national press
agencies. I consultant to sb As a consultant to NASA. Cock-
burn had access to confidential details of the US space
program
guru " guru:J someone who is highly respected within
their area of work, and to whom people go for advice [n Cl
Peter Drucker. the management guru, has just published a
• AFTER
after a time or event or after something in a
list or series
1 after a particular time or event
2 after a certain period of time has passed
3 starting to happen after now or a particu lar
time, and then cont inuing
4 words for describing someone or something
that comes after someone or something else
5 to happen after something else
6 the person who does a job or takes an
important position after someone else
7 a book, film ete that comes after an earlier
one by the same writer, film-maker etc
8 after someone or something else in a list,
series, piece of writing, line of people ete
9 to be the next person or thing after another in
a list, series, piece of writing , line of people ete
AFTER
10 ways of saying after a particular hour, which
you use when you are telling the time
11 ways of saying that something wilt not be
done now, but wilt be done after what is
being done at the moment
1 after a particular time or event
after later on
afterwards subsequent ly
next after that
later
after I I Q!ft~ r 11 l;;ef_1 [prep/ adv/conjunctionl
We went/or a walk after lunch. I After thepartya!ew a/us
stayed behind to clean tm place up. I I'm busy right now.
Could you come back sometime after 4 0 'clock? I What are
you going to do after you graduate from the university? I
After the war ended the long process a/reconstruction began. I
Whal did you do after leaving school? I an h ou r/two days/
a year ete after My father died two days after I was born. I
soon after/n ot lon g a fter Hejoined the army in 1914, and
soon after was promoted to the rank a/captain. I straigh t
after sth (=immed iately after) Paul rushed home straight
after school.
afterwards (also afterward in American English)
, ' o:ftaTward(z) 11 ' ref-/ after an event or time that has just
been mentioned (advl
The operation was rather painful, but lfelt a lot better after-
wards. I Wefinished our game and afterward we went back
to Pele's apartment/or coffee. I two years/three months
etc afterwards A couple a/years afterwards I bumped into
her in a supermarket. I His wife/ell ill in June and died soon
afterwards.
next /nekstJ immediately afterwards ladv]
Everyone started fighting and someone threw a bottle. I
forget what happened next. I Which ojthe candidates shall
we interview next? I First ofall you drop up two large onions.
Next youlry them until they are golden brown.
later ,IJeltaTI at a later time [adv]
I'll tell you about it later when I'm not so busy. I Ronald
Reagan joined the Republican Party in 1962 and later
became Governor DJ california. I much later (=a long time
later) Eventually I found out about the affair but that was
much later. I later that day/mon t h /year etc Later that
month we got another letter /rom them asking for more
money. I later in the morning/day/year etc They've asked
me to slww them some samples of my work later in the year.
later on /l l elt~r Ion/later in a period of time or after an
event that you have already mentioned [adv phrase]
la ter on in the week /evening etc Later on in the evening
I met someone called Andy wlw said he had gone to college
with you. I later on Thefirst part of the film is really boring
but it gets much more interesting later on.
subsequently /'SAbs!kw:mtJi/ a formal word meaning
after an event in the past fadvJ
The book was published in 1954 and was subsequently trans·
lated into fifteen languages. I The six men were subsequently
acquitted of all charges, but only after they had served 17
years in prison. \ They started their research using a method
which was subsequently proved to be unsatisfactory.
aHer that "a=ft~r I ~re t 11 .ref-/ an expression used espe-
cially when describing a list of two or more events or
actions [adv phrase ]
I cleaned the windows and after that I washed the curtains. 1
It was terrible: first the gearbox seized and after that the
radiator burst.
2 after a certain period of time has passed
after In
within from now
after , Ia:fb r 11 lref-/ after a week/several h ours/a long
time/awhile etc (prep J
21 AFTER
After halfan Jwur we got tired of waiting and went home. 1
If. after a week, you are still getting headaches, go back and
see your doctor. I Atfirst I was very nervous, but after a while
I began to feel more confident. 1 after a year / a week /an
h our etc of The war eventually came to an end, after a year
offighting.
within IWJO ' In 11 WI(:) IIn, WI8 1 1ll1 within a m onth/ two
weeks/ a year etc (=less than a month etc after something
has happened, especially when this is a surprisingly short
time) Iprepl
He was bitten by a snake. Within three Iwurs he was dead. 1
The/ire alarm went offand within minutes the building had
been cleared. 1 within a month/ a few days etc of doing
sth Within six years ofjoining the company he was Manag·
ing Director. 1 within a sh ort space oftime (=surprisingly
quickly) Within a short space of time, Gerry had managed
to offend everyone in the group.
in I lnl in a minu te/a few hours/a month or two etc (::a
minute, a few hours etc from now) \prep)
She'll be here in afew minutes. I I'll see you again in a day
or two. 1 in an hour's/a few minu tes' etc time In afew
weeks' time I'll be back home with myfamity in the States. 1
in a few h ours/days/years etc from now In afew days
from now you'll befeeling much better.
from now Ifldm Inau/ 24 h ours/a week/six months/
100 years from now (=at a future time 24 hours, s ix
months etc from now) ladv phraseJ
A week from now we will be in Paris. I What do you think
you'll be doing six monthsfrom now? 1100 yearsfrom now
people will look back and think how wasteful we were.
3 starting to happen after now or a particular
time, and then continuing
from now on from then on
as from henceforth
after that thereafter
from now on Ifldm Inau Innl if something is going to
happen from n ow on, it is going to start from now and then
continue in the future \adv phraseJ
From now on you'll be working with me. 1 From now on I'll
come to every meeting, I promise. 1 From now on NeU is
responsible for pUblicity and marketing.
as from 'Irez fldm/ as from today/tomorrow/next
week/August 28th etc (used when a new rule, system. or
situation will start from today, tomorrow etc and then
continue) !prep )
Asfrom thefirst ofJuly, all back seat passengers must wear
seat belts. 1 The new timetable will come into effect as from
January 1994. I Asfrom today Miss Carey will be in charge
of the Sales Department.
after that / I a;.ft~r I~ret 11 lref-/ (used when a situation
starts to exist after something happens, especially if the sit-
uation is caused by what has happened) (adv phraseJ
He found out that I had lied to him and after that he never
trusted me again. 1 The company started a big new adver-
tising campaign and business really improved after that. 1
I'm going to help you for the first two weeks, but after that
you 'U be working on your own.
from then on lfidm IOen Innl (used especially when
someth ing starts to happen or exist from a point in the past
that you have just mentioned) [adv phrase]
By Monday his breathing was normal again and from then
on he improved every day. 1 I discovered Jazz music when
I went to university. From then on I tlwught of little else.
henceforth /lhens lf:J:re, Ihensf:J:rel a fonnal word mean-
ing after now, used when stating that a change or a new
situation is starting from now and will continue in the
futUre [adv]
Henceforth all financial decisions must be approved by the
managing director. 1 The college will henceforth be known
as the University of the Atlantic.
thereaHer ItX.1r'o!ft~r 11 -' eef-/ a fonnal word meaning
after that, used especially in written instructions, rules, or
agreements \advJ
AFTER
TIu! plants sfwuld be watered every day for tlu!first week and
twice a week thereafter. I On retirement each employee will
receive a lump sum DJ£10.oooand a regular annual pension
thereafter.
4 words for describing someone or something
that comes after someone or something else
next succeeding
following ensuing
later after
subsequent future
next /neksl, the next day/flight/week/train/ prog-
ramme ete (=the one that comes immediately after the
present one or the most recent one) [ad} only before noun )
What time's the next flight to Miami? I The next day I went
back to Minneapolis. I Let's hope our next race is more suc-
cessful than the last one. I next Thursday/week/August
etc (=theone after this Thursday. week etc) Next week I'm
going on a training course in Lancaster.
following 1'fol"",~ 11 'fo'-I the following day/month/
yearetc (used especially about periods oftime in the past)
[ad) only before noun]
Thefollowing day she woke up with a terrible headache. 1
The company's profits rose sharply during the following
year.
later IlJeIt;}r/ a later stage/modellversion/year/cen-
tury etc (=one that comes at a later time but not immedi-
ately after) [ad) only before noun]
We can sort out the final details at a later stage. 1 Later
models have a bigger engine and much better acceleration. 1
in later years/months/centuries etc In later centuries
Venice lost its former importance and began to go into
ctecline.
subsequent I ISAbs~kw~ntf subsequent events/ gener-
ations/ difficulties/experiences etc (=coming later than
the event, experience etc that you have already mentioned)
lad) only before noun]
These skills were then handed down to subsequent genera-
tions of craftsmen. 1 Many of Marx 's theories were proved
incorrect by subsequent events. 1 This research formed the
basis of subsequent work by Liebig and other scientists.
succeeding '~k'Si!dlrJ l succeeding weeks/ months/
years/generations (=all of the ones that come regularly
after the one that you have mentioned) [ad) only before
noun!
The government star-ted to borrow money in 1961 and the
national debt has steadily increased with each succeeding
year. 1 The effects of exposure to atomic radiation at
Hiroshima have been passed on to succeeding generations.
ensuing ImlsjU!lI) 11 _ISU!lrJI the ensuing battle/scuf-
fle/silence/days/ months (=a formal word meaning
coming immediately after the event you have mentioned)
[ad) only before nounl
Someone shouted "fire!" and in the ensuing panic several
people were injured. 1 They met each other several times over
the ensuing six months.
aHer I'o:ft,' 11 'ref-I the day/Thursday/month/year
etc after (=the day etc that comes after the time or event
that you have just mentioned) (adv/ prep ]
Helm arrived on July 20th and I arrived tlu! week after. 1 TIu!
party's not this Thursday but the Thursdayafter. 1 The trou-
ble started the day after we arrived. 1 The weekend after the
wedding we went to visit my uncle. 1the one after (:: : : the next
one) lfwe miss the ten o'clock train we'll just have to catch
the one after.
tutur. , lfjU:tJdrJ future generations/years/events/
work/employees etc (=the ones that will come in the
future) ladj only before nounJ
It is our duty to us to preserve our culture for future genera-
tions. 1 In future years some of you will regret the decision
you have made today. 1 The company is building apartment
buildings for future employees.
22 AFTER
5 10 happen after something else
follow sequel
come after follow-up
ensue
-
follow IlfoldU IIlfo: -, ifanevent or period of time follows
another event or period oftime, it happens after it IV liT
not in progressive I
be followed by The church ceremony will befollowed by
another ceremony at the town hall. 1 Suddenly there was a
shout from above, immediately followed by a loud bang. 1
follow sth As a result of the economic crisis that followed
the war there was mass unemployment. 1 follow Pete and
Jennifer saw more ofeach other in the months thatfollowed. 1
there followed/follows (=after that there was) There then
followed a long and painful silence. 1 be closely followed
by (=be followed very soon by) China'sfirst nuclear test in
October 1964 was closely followed by a second in May 1965.
come after ' lkAm Imftd C 11 _'ref_1 to happen after some-
thing else, especially not immediately rv UT not in progres-
sive or passive 1
come after sth The peace treaty came after four years of
biUerfighting. 1 The Napoleonic Wars came after the French
Revolution. 1 come after The New Stone Age lasted about
1200 years in Britain. The period which came after is known
as the Bronze Age.
ensue liD IsjU! 11 Inlsu:1a fonnal word: ifsomething such
as an arb'llment or a fight ensues, it happens after some-
thing else, often as a result of it [v 11
I objected to what he had just said and a heated argument
then ensued. 1 The police were called in to quell the riot that
ensued.
sequel " si:kwdl/ an event or series of events that came
afler someth ing that happened in the past, especially as an
unexpected result In C usually singu/arJ
There was an unexpected sequel to my meeting with Colonel
Or/off; I received an invitationfrom the Soviet ambassador. 1
The events of that December night had a strange sequel.
follow~up I'foldu Ap 11 'fm-I follow-up meeting/visit/
interview etc (=one that is arranged after an event or a
process in order to continue its effect or see if there have
been any problems) (adj only before nounJ
After each training programme everyone has afollow-up
interview with their manager. 1Once you have installed solar
heating you will receive regular follow-up visits from our
experts.
6 Ihe person who does a job or takes an
important position after someone else
successor
succeed
next in line
successor ISdk' seSd r I [n C]
sb's successor Mrs Thatcher's successor was John Major. 1
Two weeks after the death of Pope John Paul, the cardinals
met to elect his successor. 1 successor to Many people regard
him as a likely successor to the current managing director.
succeed '~k 'si:dl to be the next person to take an impor-
tant position or rank after someone else tv l / T]
succeed sb Eisenhower was succeeded by John F. Kenmdy. 1
succeed to the throne/the preSidency/ the champion-
ship etc (=become the next King, President etc) LouisXIII
succeeded to the throne when he was... only nine years old. 1
succeed sb as King/President/SeCretary General etc
Dr Boutros-Ghali succeeded Perez de Cuellar as UN Secre-
tary General.
next in line " nekst m !JamJ someone who is next in line
has the right to be chosen as the next ruler, leaderetc, when
the present one dies [adj phrase!
He kmw that if the President and Vice·President were killed,
he would be next in lim. 1 next in line to the throne (=next
in line to become king or queen) Edward VIII was swxeeded
by his younger brother, who was next in lim to the throne.
AFTER
7 a book , film etc that comes aKer an earlier
one by the same writer, film-maker ete
sequel
sequel , lsi:kw311 a book, play or fIlm that continues the
story of an earlier book, play or fIlm, usually by the same
writer, film-maker ete In C]
sequel to 'Return o/the Jedi 'was the sequel to 'Star Wars'. 1
This story is being presented as a sequel to 'Gone with the
Wind', I sequel Batman 2 was a rare example 0/ a sequel
being better than the original.
8 after someone or something else in a list,
series, piece of writing , line of people ete
after later
next further on
aftar I 'o:fto' 11 ''''f-I fprepl
My name is after yours on the list. 11 a[waysget off the bus
at the stopajter the hnspital. I You 'IlJind a reference number
after each item in the catalogue.
next /nekstJ the next person or thing on a list, in a line ete
is the one that you will come to or that will be dealt with
immediately after the present one ladj]
What's the next word on the list? I Look at the diagram on
the next page. 1 And the next question is ... What is the capi-
tal of Chile? 1 Tell the next person to come in. I Take the next
turning on the left.
later Ille Ib f j later section/ chapter/passage etc (=one
that comes in a later part ofa book, document etc) [adj only
before noun J
The author returns to the same subject in a later section of
the book. I I will explain how to deal with this problem in
a later chapter.
laterradv] Later in the/XJem(=in a later part of the poem)
there is a reference to the poet's unhappy childhood.
further on Ilf3=f6dr 1001 in a later part of a book, docu-
ment, journey etc after the point where you are now [adv
phrase)
Further on in the book we find a full description of the
system. I There are some housesfurther on - we might be able
to get some food there.
9 to be the next person or thing aKer another in
a list, series, piece of writing , line of people etc
come after be next
come next be after
follow
come aHer I IleArn 'a:fb r 11 - Irei-I Iv T not in progressive
or passive]
My name should come after yours if the list is alphabetical. I
In British and American addresses the name of the town
always comes after the name of the street. I Thefirst line of
the poem is 'I wandered lonely as a cloud. ' What comes after
tiwt?
come next 1IleArn I oeksrj to come after something that has
just been mentioned [v phrase]
This book's called 'The Third Dimension'. Which book comes
next in the series? 1 Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon ... who comes
next? 1 next comes Thefirst three sections of the course are
just an introduction. Next comes the dijJicult bit.
follow I'fol;x; 11 Ifo:-I to come after something in a book
or in a series of letters, words etc [v II'J' not in progressive J
be followed by In English the letter Q is always followed
by a U. 1 Eaeh eiwpter of the book is followed by a page of
explanatory notes. I follow In the pages that follow, Rous-
seau explains the difference between individualfreedom and
collective freedom. 1 follow sth This remarkable diatribe
follows a quite reasonable assessment of Larkin 's impor-
tance as a poet.
be next Ihi: Inekstl an informal express ion meaning to be
the next person or thing in a list, series, line ofpeopleetc
IV phrase ]
Hey stop! I'm next. I was here before you. I Right. Who's next?
23 AGAIN
be aftar Ibi, 'mfo' 11 -'",f-I Iv TI
You go jzrst, then Chris. then I'm after Chris. I We must have
missed her house because the traffic lights are after it.
10 ways of saying aKer a particular hour, which
you use when you are telling the time
past
after
past /pO!st 11 prest/ a word used especially in British
English when you are tell ing the time and you want to say
how many minutes it is after the hour (prep)
past twelve/ one/ six etc We usually have lunch at halfpast
twelve. 1 past I'll meet you down there at about ten past. 1
ten/ 20 minutes etc past the hour The trains leave regu-
larly at twenty past the hour.
aHer I IO:ft3 f I1 lref-/ a word used in American English
when you are telling the time and you want to say how
many minutes it is after the hour rprepl
ten/ 20 minutes etc after seven/ twelve/six etc "Excuse
me, do you have the time?" "Yes, it's a quarter qfter seven. "I
after It's 3 now, so we'll leave about 20 after.
11ways of saying that something will not be
I I
~ done now, but will be done aKer what is
~ being done at the moment
It can wait/It will wait
later
it can waltllt will waR l It IGIn Iwelt, It WII ' weltl you
say it can wait or it will wait when something is not
important and so does not have to be done immediately
I was going to finish my essay tonight but I suppose it'll
wait. 1 Never mind cleaning your bike - thatcan wait. Go and
do your homework.
later 1'leTta f/ at some time in the future but not now [adv ]
Tell me about it later. Can't you see I'm busy? I Doyou want
these figures now? No, later, later. There's no hurry.
I: aftermath RESULT 5
! aftertaste TASTE OF FOOD OR DRINK 1
afterwards/afterward AFTER 1
again AGAIN 1, 4
again: all over again AGAIN 2
again: do 5th again AGAIN 2
again: take up again CONTINUE/START AGAIN 1
again: try again TELE PHONE 3
again: would do the same thing again REGRET/FEEL
SORRY 8
.1again I".................,...".,..,~=""'"'
.:whlch meBn/~g?
oojo i!'Jt AGAIN
-+ . REPEAT
_use something ·agaln ... . USE 5TH
Slat! again ... . START DOING
5TH
·-:" . HAPPEN
. AGAIN
1 ways of saying that something happens again
or that you do something again
2 to do something again, for example in order
to practise it or because it was not done
properly the first time continued.
 AGAIN
. AGAIN continued
3 to start doing something again or talking
about something again that you had been
doing or talking about before
4 back to the same state or situation that you
were in before
5 to do an examination or test again because
you failed it or did not do it well enough the
first time
1 ways of saying that something happens again
or that you do something again
again afresh
once againl fresh
once more repeated
yet again recurrent!
one more timet recurring
once more
again f~ 'gen , a'gem I1 a'genl [adv)
1/ you're late again we'll leave without you. I I think you
shouldgo on tlu! cruise. You may never have a chance again. I
Tlu!jloor needs cleaning again. I Atjirst she couidn 't open
the box. but she tried again and this time it opened easily. I
The police even came to ask questions but again I UXlS lucky.
once again/once more ',WAns ;,) Igen, ,WAns Im:):rl
again, especially for at least the third time ladv phrase ]
Once again the French army attacked the fort, and once
again they were driven back. I Famine threatens the people
of the desert region once again. I Once more he wrote to M r
proposing marriage, and again she refused him.
yet again /.jel a I genl if something happens yet again, it
happens again after happening many times or too many
times before, especially if this is surprising or annoying
ladv phrase ]
It had rained all through their vacation, and now on their
last day it was raining yet again. I When their rations were
yet again reduced, they became desperate. I Don't you think
they may be annoyed about you turning up yet again?
one more tlmelonce more/1 wAn m>:f ltalm , IWAns
Irro:fl if you do something one more time or once more,
you do it again and usually for the last time [adv phrase)
Can we practise that one more time before we finish? I I'm
going to ask you one more time, Mr Waite: "Did you see Mr
Holton on the night hedied?" 1Hewanled to see his children
once more before he died.
afresh la I freII if you do something afresh, you do it again
from the beginning in a new way ladvl
We need to look afresh at the whole problem of population
control. I After tM scandal they tiUJught the best way to start
their life afresh was to move to another town.
fresh Ifrefl fresh attempt/ look/start etc (; done again
from the beginning in a new way) ladj only before nounl
lthink we need to take afresh look at the problem. I The sol·
diers are planning a fresh attempt to regain control of the
embassy.
rep ••ted /f1 l piHAd/ repeated attempts/ efforts/ re-
quests/ warnings etc (=that someone makes several
times. so that fmally they become annoyed) ladj only before
noun!
Even qfter repeated warnings Mr Lewis still insisted on play-
ing his music too loud and now has to pay thefine. I Despite
my repeated efforts to convince Lucy that I love her, she still
won't marry me.
recurrent/recurring /n1k.-\rdnl, nlk3:rJ1] 11 - lk:J:ro1nt/
recurrent or recurring problems, illnesses, ideas etc
happen repeatedly, especially in a way that is difficult to
stop or control ladj usually before noun!
Flooding is a recurrent problem in countries such as Ban-
g ladesh. I Patients who suffer from recurrent attacks of
~mnia may benefit from treatment with the new drug I
24 AGAIN
recurring dream/ nightmare She had recurring dreams
in which she tried to kill peop1l! wiUJ she disliked. I recur-
ring theme/recurrent theme Th£ idea ofa man trying to
escape /rom a difficult situation is a recurrent theme in
Creene's novels.
2 to do something again. for example in order
to practise rt or because it was not done
properly the first time
do 8th again over
repeat all over again
redo
do sth again I,du, (Slh) , 'genl IV phrase)
You madeafew mistakes. Why don 't you do it again? I She
spilt coffee on the letter and had to do it all again.
repeat /nlpi:11 to do something such as a test, operation,
or process again, especially in order to make sure of some-
thing Iv TI
The experiment was repeated with different subjects and the
same results were obtained. I When the music stops go back
to the starting jXJsition and repeat the exercise.
redo /ri: 'du:/ an infonnal word meaning to do something
such as an examination, test, or piece of work again Iv TJ
If you can 't get the answer the first time try redoing the
calculations. I The/irst coat ofpaint came offand we had
to redo the whole wall.
over I lau""rl an American word: if you do something over
you do it again from the beginning, usually because your
first attempt was not good enough [advl
I got it all wrong the/irst time and had to do it over. ! lfthe
plan doesn't work, you'll have to go back to the beginning
and start over.
all over again /:1:l lauvar algenl if you do something long
and diffi cult all over again you repeat it from the begin-
ning ladv phrase]
Rodden had to go to the police station and tell his story all
over again. ! She's spilt water on her painting so now she's
got to start all over again. I The prospect ofwriting the report
all over againjilled me with g loom.
3 to start dOing something again or talking
about something again that you had been
doing or talking about before
return to
go back to/get back to
return to ffl 1t3: f n tu:1 Iv 1'1
He took a drink, wiped his brow and returned to his digging. j
Two months later, Fisk returned to the subject in an article
in 'The Times'. I I think we can return to this argument at
the end of the chapter.
go back to/get back to Ig><J 'brek tu" get-I an infor·
mal expression meaning to start doing something again or
to start talking about something again, especially when
you are changing the subject of a conversation Iv TI
Now that the excitement's over you can go back to what you
were dOing. !But going back to what J erry said, do you think
we could get enough together to buy a car? I To get back to
your other point about wasting time. I think we should make
ofJ"zce changes.
4 back to the same state or situat ion that you
were in before
again
once more
~ I gem 11 a'genJ ladvJ
again la 'gen,
When I was safely back in my apartment again, I took out
the letter and read it. I Thefresh mountain air soon made
her strong again. I Yes, phone him. Heshould be home again
by now.
onc. more f IWAns 'm:1!fl if someone or something is in
a particular state once more they were in that state once
and are now in it again [adv phrasel
AGAIN
By the end of 1944 the German armies were once more injull
retreat. I After her marriage she became once more the emo-
tional supportfor the whole/amily. I The United Nations is
once more a real force jor peace in the world.
5 to do an examination or test again because
you failed it or did not do it well enough the
first time
retake
resit
retake /ri: Itelk! to do a written exam ination or other kind
of test, such as a driving test, again because you have failed
it or because you have not done well enough Iv Tl
Many people jail their driving test first time and have to
retake it. l It only makes sense to retake old subjects if there
is a real chance of you doing better than before.
retake , Iri:telk/ In Cl The exam is in June. Retakes will be
held in September.
resit Iri:ISHI a British word meaning to do a formal writ-
ten examination again because you have failed it Iv T J
(fyoufail your final exams at university you can't resit them.
resit / 'ri:sTt/ In Cl The resits will be held in November.
against: as against COMPARE 3
against: be against AGAINST/OPPOSE 1,
DISADVANTAGE 4
against: be against/play against AGAINST SB IN A
GAME 1
! against: be up against PROBLEM 6
against: come up against PROBLEM 8
against: have something against DON 'T LIKE 2
,Ia9 ain si Ii"""'=~~"-;Fl
wjjlcli~meB1f'ng7
.aoak\St SOl'I'IfIII!jng
F"-------
... . AGAINSTI
, 80lIifpn~ \'Oii. OPPOSE
~~reewllh
ifII!!o/:p116l- -+ • AGAINST sa IN
~11 ii~gIIme A GAME
• AGAINST/OPPOSE
to think that something is wrong and, in
some cases, try to prevent it
1 to oppose something
2 a person or group that opposes something
3 words or behaviour that show that you
oppose something
4 to say that you oppose something , especially
in public
1 to oppose something
oppose anti-
be against hostile
be opposed to antagonistic
oppose/a1pwz/ to think that a plan, idea etc is wrong and
to try to prevent it from happening or succeeding [v TJ
The referendum showed that 92 % of the population oppose
the use of nuclear weapons. I They simply ignored anyone
who opposed their views. 1 strongly oppose Chemical com-
panies will strongly oppose any legislation that prevents
them from dumping their waste in the sea.
be agelnst /bi: 3 1genstl to think that particular actions
or behaviour are wrong and should not be allowed Tv TJ
25 AGAINST/OPPOSE
We are against the plan and we intend to fight it. I be
strongly against I am strongly against the use ofcorporal
punishment in schools. 1 be dead set against (""be very
much against something) She wants to get married but her
parents are dead set against it.
b. opposed to /bi! a'pauzd tu:/ to think that particular
actions or behaviour are wrong, especially when this is
your permanent opinion Iv phrase)
be opposed to sth Many people are opposed to the use offur
for clothes. I be strongly/totally opposed to He was towlly
opposed to eating meat. 1 It became clear that she was
strongly opposed to his suggestion.
entl. /Irentl II 'rentl , -tall anti-war/-smoking/ -Ameri-
can etc (""that is against war, smoking, America etc)
IprefIX]
There was a big anti-war demonstration yesterday. 1 The
anti-smoking campaign is becoming much more power/ul as
people realise the dangers. 1 anti-Communist propaganda
hostile /'hostall 11 'ho:stl , 'ho:stal l/ someone who is
hostile to a plan or idea opposes it very strongly, and
expresses this in an angry way [adj}
hostile to/towards Local people are /wstile towards the
plan, which would involve building a railway line through
the town. I hostile Mr Pallen 's speech drew a hostile response
from many teachers who think his ideas are unworkable. I
openly hostile (=showing very clearly that you are
hostile) Mr Lydon was openly hostile to our suggestions and
refused to discuss them further.
antagonistic /rentregaIOTstlk .. / someone who is
antagonistic towards a person, organization, plan, or idea
dislikes and disagrees with them very strongly, and
expresses this in a very angry or unpleasant way [adj l
antagonistic to/towards Workers at the factory have
become increasingly antagonistic towards the managelTU!nt
and its modernization plans. 1 antagonistic It was impos·
sible to work with PaUl. His manner was aggressive and
antagonistic.
2 a person or group that opposes something
opponent
the opposition
enemy
opponent /a1pdUnantl In Cl
In SOITU! countries, any opponent of the government is likely
to lose tmir job. lOne notable opponent of the proposal was
the club captain. I The controversial 'Kill Crime' campaign
had many opponents.
the opposition /Oi lopa1zIJan 11 -Imp-/ a group which is
opposing another group, especially the political party or
parties whose elected representatives oppose the official
government In singular with singular or plural verb in Brit-
ish English]
Newspapers must reflect the views 0/ the opposition as well
as of the government. I The opinion polls show that we're
beating the opposition on this issue.
enemy /l en3mi/ someone who opposes something very
strongly and tries to prevent it or hann it In Cl
enemy of The enemies ofdemocracy are trying to sabotage
these elections. I The organisation Greenpeace, a long-
standing enemy o/the chemical industry, is pressingfor new
legislation about waste controls.
3 words or behaviour that show that you
oppose something
objection hostility
opposition antagonism
objection /ab'd3ckJafll something that you say because
you oppose one particular detail of a plan, course of action
ete In C]
My only objection is that the program will be very expensive. 1
raise an objection (""state an objection) The children
raised one objection qfter another, but eventually went
to bed. I have no objection (""not say that you oppose
AGAINSTIOPPOSE
something) Ronny had no objection to the plan. provided
Fielding agreed to take most of the responsibility.
opposHlon ,. o~'zlfan 11 .a:p-I things that an organized
group of people do over a period of time, in order to oppose
a plan or idea In Ul
opposition to The diary makes clear the opposition within
the Cabinet to some Dj the reforms. I opposition There has
been much nwre opposition than we expected. I express
opposition Thousands of people gathered in the town's
stadium to express their opposition to the plan. I strong
opposition There was strong opposition to the sale ofnwre
land to developers. I in opposition to (=against) TIu!
Afrikaner Nationaiistparty wasjounded in 1914 in opposi-
tion to the more moderate policies of Botha and Smuts.
hostility Iho ' stl l~ti 11 hO!-1 angry remarks or behaviour
that show someone opposes a plan or idea very strongly
InU]
hostility to/towards Recently there has been hostility
towards the Prime Minister /rom members ofhis own party. 1
hostility The plan met with scepticism. and later Mstility. 1
open hostility (=obvious or public hostility) Given his
open hostility, it seemed pointless to try and continue with
the plan.
antagonism lren I ueganrZ3mJ angry and unpleasant feel-
ings or behaviour that show someone dislikes and dis-
agrees very strongly with a person, organization, plan, or
idea In UJ
antagonism to/towards Hines made no effort to conceal
his antagonism towards the director. 1 antagonism
between These nwves have failed to end the antagonism
between the leaders of the party and its nwre left-wing memo
bers. 1antagonism Their constant and bitter antagonism
has made it very diJTzcultfor us to proceed with the project.
4 to say that you oppose something . especially
in public
object to
voice/express opposition to
raise objections
object to lab 'dJekt tu:1 to say something to show that you
oppose a plan or action because you think it is unfair or
morally wrong rv T not in passive]
No member of the Council has ever objected to this princi-
ple. I At the very first meeting I objected to being call£d a
Zionist. 1 strongly object to Several distinguished citizens
strongly objected to the Communists dictating national
educational policy.
volce/express oppoSition to 'IV:)lS, Ik,spres OPd-
IllJan tu: 11 -Q!pd-I a formal expression meaning to publicly
object to a plan or action Iv phrase)
Thousands gathered at the township's largest soccer stadium
to voice their opposition to the plans. 1 Oil company execu-
tives expressed strong opJX)sition to any tax changes. 1 The
letter states/onnally that the American Jewish Committee
expresses its opJX)sition to this proposal.
raise objections I , reil db1d}ekJanzl to give specific rea·
sons for opposing a plan or action [v phrase]
raise objections to Some of the older members ofthe church
raised objections to the new service. 1 raise objections He
didn't want me to go and kept raising objections like - it's
too expensive and you've got a lot of work to do here.
• AGAINST sa IN A
GAME
1 to be against someone in a game or
competition
2 someone that you are against in a game or
competition
26 AGE
1 to be against someone in a game or
competition
be against/play against
versus
vs
be against/play against Ibi: dlgenst, 'plel dlgensl/ to
play against someone in a game or competition and try to
win [v TI
In the next round we were against Bristol City, a good team. 1
McEnroe would usually get angry with the umpire, not with
the person he was playing against.
versus , IV 3!fsasl against another person or team (prep]
Yesterday in the semi:final we saw Becker versus Lendl. 1The
women decided to play versus the men in a friendly game of
basketball.
vs (also v in British English) I IV3!f~ ; vi:1 (written abbrevi-
ations of versus)
Today's games include the Chicago Bulls vs the Boston
CeItics. 1 Gascoigne was back in the UK, to play in the
England v France match.
2 someone that you are against in a game or
competition
opponent
opposition
opponent /d1paundnt/ [n Cl
My opponent was the same age and height as myself
Karpov defeated his 24-year-old opponent in 57 moves.
opposition ' lopa1ZIJan 11 IQ!P-/ the person or team that
you are playing against (n singular/ U J
The team won all their games against local opposition, but
lost in the international competition. 1 TheopJX)sitionfought
hard, but had no chance o/winning. 1Seles had reached the
semi-jinats without really facing any serious opposition.
age AGE 1. OLD/NOT YOUNG 6 . PERIOD OF TIME 2
age: come of age ADULT 3
age: in this day and age NOW 2
age: show your age OLD/NOT YOUNG 6
age group AGE 5
age-otd OLD/NOT NEW 1
. AGE
1 the number of years that someone has lived
or something has existed
2 ways of saying how old a person or animal is
3 ways of saying how old a building. car.
machine etc is
4 to be the same age as someone or
something else
5 all the people of the same age
1 the number of years that someone has lived
or something has existed
age
how old
age leld3l ln CI UJ
sb's age I tried to guess her age. 1 When you reach my age,
you don't need so much sleep. 1 The children's ages ranged
from three to seventeen. I tbe age of The age ofthe car is less
important than the way it has been driven. I age The differ-
entfactors a/fecting income - age, sex, class etc are all taken
into account. 1at the age of 10/20 etc (:=when you are 10,
20 ete) I left scMol at tlw age Dj 16 and worked on ajarm. 1
At what age did you get married? 1 small/big e tc for your
age (=small. big etc compared to other people of the same
age) Jim is smallfor his age. but quite strong.
AGE
how old lhau 'avldl what age someone or something is
ladj phrase )
How old are you? I I'm not sure how old my cat is - maybe
ten months. I With radiocarbon dating, archaeologists can
find out how old the bones are.
27 agree with
samples were takenfrom a group o/patients o/the same age. I
be the same age as Leonard is the same age as me. l Our
house is about the sarm: age as yours. I be the same age (=be
the same age as each other) CUffand Gerryare the same age.
It's amazing isn't it!

2 ways of saying how old a person or animal is 5 all the people of the same age
be 5/10/35 etc generation the under-5s111s/25s etc
be 5/10/35 ete years old age group the over-30sJ40sJ50s ete
be 5/10/35 ete years of age generation 'ldJeIkl I reilMJ all the people in a society who
aged 511 0/35 etc are about the same age [n C usually singular]
of 5110/35 ete sb's generation People of my father's gemration are not
5-year..old/1O-year-old ete used to computers. I She writes more perceptively than any
have turned 20/30 ete other author of her generation. I generation In the 1960s
there was a sense of security which the present gemration
be 5/10/35 ete Ibi: (5, ete)1 Iv phrase) doesn't have. I generation-gap (=large differences in atti-
Juiie will be 300n her next birthday. I When I was eighteen, tude between different generations) There's an obvious
I thought I knew all the answers to the world's problems. I generation·gap in present-day German society.
Luke is three and Marie is seven.
age group IIe1d3 gru:p/ all the people who are between
be 5/10/35 ete years old Ibi: (5, ete) iT.'z '""Idl two particular ages, considered as a group fn C]
(u phrase I New rrwthers in the 40-45 age group are more likely to suffer
Simon is nearly fifteen years old. 1 When she was seventy- some neonatal complications. I Most unemployed people in
three years old she amazed us by getting married again! I Scotland are in the under-25 age group. I These vacations are
Jfyou're eighteen years old there's nothing to do in this town. designed for the 20-30 age group.
be 5/10/35 ete years of age/bi: (5, ete)iT.'»v 'eld3/ the under·58/1181258 ete I~i And.' (5s, ete)1 an
[v phrase] expression used especially in education or sport, meaning
He appeared to be about 35 years ofage. I ELephants become a group of people, especially children or young people. who
sexually active at about 1~20 years of age. are all below a certain age In plural]
aged 5/10/35 ete leldJd (5, ete)1 ladj phrase) She is a teacher who rrwstly works with the under-SS. I As an
Emilia Gonzales, aged 10, wasfound dead in a vacant lot athlete he was om of the best of the under-l85 in his club.
on Bishop Street. I Police are looking for a man, aged the over·30s/40s/50s ete 10i :>uv.' (30s ete)1 a group
between 40 and 45, who was seen at the scene of the crime. I of people, but not usually children or young people, who
Males aged 35 to 55 have an increased risk ofcontracting the are all above a certain age [n plural]
disease. We provide special vacationsfor theover·50s I The tennis club
of 5/10/35 ete I.v (5 , ete)1 (used especially in British has a section for the over·4OS.
English) ladj phrase)
If a man of 45 loses his job in this town he'll mver get aged OLD/NOT YOUNG 1
another. I It 's so simple a child of 5 could use it. aged 5/10/35 ete AGE 2
5·year-old/10·year·old ete (=aged 5/ 10/ 35 ete) ladj ageing/aging OLD/NOT YO UNG 1, 6
only before noun) agenda LIST 4
Helmut's ninetY-five-year-oid great-grandfather had actually agenda: be al the top of the agenda IMPORTANT 4
fought in the First World War. I He picked up his twelve-year- agenda: be on the agenda DISCUSS 3
old son from school and took him swimming. I 16-year-old agent REPRESE NT 3, Spy 2
Elizabeth Parker will be the soloist in tonight's concert. t: ages LONG TIME 1
5/1 0/35-year-old [n C) To our surprise, the competition was ages: take agesJyears/forever LONG TI ME 3
won by a seventeen-year-old who was still at school. aggravate WORSE 5
have turned 20130 ete Ih.v 13:'nd (20, etc)1 to have aggregate TOTAL 1
recently become 20, 30 etc lV phrase] aggression ATTACK 6 , VIOLENT 6
"How old is Mr Cook?" «T don 'I know but he must have aggressive FIGHT 3 , VIOLENT 1
turned 40." aggressor ATTACK 7
aghast SHOCK 3
aging/ageing OLD/ NOT YOUNG I , 6
3 ways of saying how old a building , car, agitated NERVOUS 2
machine etc is agitator REBELLION/REVOLUTION 5
be 5/50/100 etc years old agnostic BELI EVE 7
5-year-oldf1 Oo-year-old etc ago PAST 6
ago: a moment/minute ago J USTlA MOMENT AGO 1
be 5150/100 ete years old Ibi: (5, ele) il.'z '.uldl Iv ago: a short/little while ago RECENTLY 1
phrase]
agog: be all agog EXCITED 3
It's a Volvo and it's only two years old. I The house is over
agony SUFFER 3
a hundred years old. I Fossilsfound in these rocks were over agony: be agony HURT/CAUSE PAIN 3
200 million years oid. I Thepyramidswerealready2{XJ()years
old when Herodotus visited them. agony: be in agony PAIN 2
agree AGREE I , 2, 3, SAME 7
5·year.oldI100.year.old ete ladj phrase only Wore agree to LET/ALLOW 1
noun) agree to do sth ACCEPT 2
A 500-year old church in Reading is being threatened with agree with APPROVE 1
derrwlition. I a 1500-year-old Latin manuscript I We've noth-
ing in our kitchen but a broken fridge and a ten·year-old
oven.

4 to be the same age as someone or

something else
"You say" is used in definitions of some
the same age
words or phrases to show they are
the same age /tJa Iselm leld3f [n phrase]
of the same age (=the same age as each other) Blood especially used in Spoken English.
AGREE
~nlon
.agrea with - • DISAGREE
1IIIPIOrmnolllO"'ne's opinion
accept an Offer, -+ . ACCEPT
. suggestion or reque8t
• AGREE
1 to have the same opinion as someone else
2 to agree with someone else 's plan or
suggestion
3 ways of saying that two people or
organizations agree and make a decision ,
after talking together about what they should
each do
4 words for describing a plan, price,
arrangement etc that people have agreed
5 to reach an agreement with someone by
accepting less than you really want
6 a situation in which people agree with each
other
7 an arrangement about what should be done,
which has been agreed between two people ,
org anizations, or countries
1 to have the same opinion as someone else
agree subscribe to
be In agreement concur
be of the same opinion be agreed
share the view that unanimous
agr•• / ~1 grh/ if someone agrees with someone else or if
two or more people agree, they have the same opinion
about something (u lIT not in progressiveJ
"Yes, I'm sure you're right, "agreed Tony. I Teenagers and
th£ir parents rarely agree. I agree with sb Everyone agreed
with Ralph that it was important to have rules and stick to
them. I Mr Johnson thinks it's too risky, and I tend to agree
with him. I agree that Most experts now agree that global
warming is a serious problem. I agree on sth We all agree
on the importance ofreading skills, but there remain crucial
differences as to how they should be taught. I I quite agree
(British) Yes, I quite agree (=1 agree completely). Why
should poor people pay so much tax? I I couldn't agree
more (=1 agree completely) "It's time they banned all these
cigarette adverts. " "Oh, yes. I couldn't agree more. "
be In agreement /bi: In ;)1 gri!Jll;)nt/ if two or more people
are in agreement, they agree about something, especially
as a result of talking about it in detail (v phrase]
A decision will not be made until everyone is in agreement. I
be in agreement on Altlwugh the two countries appeared
to be in agreement on the needfor nwre talks. TW date was set.
b. of the same opinion Ibi: ;)v 0;) l selm ;)Ipmj;)nl a
fonnal expression meaning to agree with someone on a
particular subject ru phrase ]
Both teachers UJere of the same opinion - she should be
expelled from school immediately. I Mrs Ford clearly dis-
approved and her sister appeared to be ofthe same opinion.
28 AGREE
share the view that /,f~r 0;) Ivju: ll;)tl a formal expres-
s ion meaning to agree with an opinion that someone has
written or spoken about, or that a lot of people have [v
phrase not in progressive I
I share the view that peace can only be achieved through
dialogue. I share sb's view Many shared Duvald's view of
technology as 'the road to destruction '.
subscrl:t. to /sab ' skralbtu:/ to agree with an opinion or
belief that a lot of other people have, especially a general
belief about how people should live, work, study etc [v T
not in progressive J
She has always subscribed to the view that children should
be given responsibility from an early age. I There is a busi-
ness philosophy I subscribe to which says that ifyou are not
making mistakes you are not doing it right.
concur I k~m 1k3: rl a fonnal word meaning to state that you
agree with something someone has said or with someone's
opinion rv I not in progressive)
"My opinion exactly", concurred the bank manager. I
concur with Furthermore, we concur with Keshler and
Holmnitz that these bacteria may protect the organism.
be agreed /bi: J I gri:d{ if two or more people are agreed,
they finally agree with each other about what to do after
discussing it for a while [v phrase ]
Okay, we're all agreed. We'll go tomorrow. I be agreed on
All parties are now agreed ona rescue plan estimated at $18
million.
unanimous /j u:1m.en!,mJs/ ifa group of people is unani-
mous, they all agree about something, especially about
what should be done or who should be chosen or elected
ladj)
unanimous agreement/choice/decision/vote etc Mr
Harada was elected by a unanimous vote. I Rachel was the
unanimous clwice/or the job thanks to her communication
skills. I be unanimous When the matter was put to the vote,
the committee was unanimous.
unanimously [adv] The union members voted unanimously
for a strike.
unanimity 1.ju:na 'nIm ~ti/ In U J There was complete
unanimity on the decision to go on strike (=the decision was
completely unanimous).
2 to agree with someone else's plan or
suggestion
agree fall In with
go along with go with
agree/J' gri:/ Iv I not in progressive]
Charles suggested going for a picnic and we all agreed.. I The
project can't go ahead until thefinance committee agrees. I
agree with Few people expect the rebels to agree with the
peace plan. I agree wholeheartedly (=agree completely
and very willingly) When I proposed that injuture we shauld
hold our meetings in the bar. the others agreed whole-
heartedly .
go along with / ,gou ,' loQ w,O 11 -, 'b:Q-/ to agree with
someone's plan or suggestion because there is nothing else
you would prefer to do, or because you want to please them
I v T not in passive J
John's plan wasn't great but nobody could think ofa better
one, so we all went along with it. I Convincing others to go
along with new ideas is always difficult. I The bank decided
to go along with our proposal and lent us the two million
pounds we needed.
fall In with I If;):! Iln WIO/ a British expression meaning
to accept someone's plan or suggestion and do what they
want you to do rv T not in passive I
She expects her friends tofall in with everything she wants
to do. I He was irritated by her refusal to fall in with his
plans.
go with / lg:xJ Will/ an American expression meaning to
accept someone's plan or suggestion [v T not in passive]
We considered all the options and decided to go with John's
original proposal.
AGREE
3 ways of saying that two people or organizations
agree and make a decision, after talking
together about what they should each do
agree make a deal
reach agreement come to an
strike/make a bargain agreement
agree J;) I gri:/ Iv liT not in progressive)
agree on The wfwle team should get together and agree on
a plan ofaction. I agree to do sth We agreed to meet up later
and talk things over. I agree Ultimately the two sides could
not agree and negotiations were abandoned. I agree a
price/plan! strategy etcA.fter a/ew minutes' discussion we
had agreed a price and the car was mine. I agree that After
some tough negotiating it was agreed that the workforce
would be reduced by 10%.
reach agreement I .ri:tJ ~ Igri:lMnt/ to agree on some·
thing after discussing it for some time, especially in offi-
cial talks [v phrase not in progressive]
reach agreement on After a week 0/ talks, Britain and
Iceland reached agreement onjlShing limits. I reach agree-
ment with sb We are determined to reach agreement with
thi! IMF before thi! en<! ofthi! year. I reach agreement There
is little chance ofthe two sides reaching agreement while they
both maintain such inflexible positions.
strike/make a bargain / ,stra lk, ,melk;) Iba:rg~n/ to
agree to do something for someone else if they will do some-
thing for you Iv phraseJ
strikelmake a bargain with Eventually she struck a bar-
gain with him. She would get him a job ifhe would help her
with her singing. I strike/make a bargain Let's make a
bargain. I'll tell you what you want to know provided you
don't breathe a word of it to anyom else. I strike/make a
bargain that They made a bargain that they would stick
together no matter what.
make a deal (also do a deal in Brrtish English) l,meIk
;) 'dd, ,du: ;) 'di:l/ to agree on something, especially in
secret, in order to achieve what you want Iv phrase}
make/ do a deal with The government made a deal with
the kidnappers to free their hostages. I He looked at me sus-
piciously. "Have you made a deal with them?" 1make/do
a deal Somefww the rebels had got everything they wanted
witfwut doing deals or compromising their position.
come to an agreement IlkAm tU;)O ;)lgri:llkIOt/ to agree
on something by discussing it until both people or all the
people involved are satisfied with what is decided [v
phrase)
We came to an agreement - I would have the large bedroom
for six months and then we would change. I come to some
agreement (=find a way to agree) I/you can't pay all the
money now, I'm sure we can come to some agreement. I come
to an agreement with Danvers had come to apriuateagree-
ment with the owners of the Land which secured his right to
purchase it.
4 words for describing a plan, price,
arrangement etc that people have agreed
agreed
agreed /;) 'gri:d/ladj only before nounJ
We refused to pay because the goods were not delivered by
the agreed date. I When nobody waR looking, Al Rlipped out
and met heral the agreed rendezvous. I A set ofagreed objec-
tives was established before the worksfwp began.
5 to reach an agreement with someone by
accepting less than you really want
compromise
make concessions
meet sb halfway
comproml.e/'komprnmalz 11 'ko:m-/lv IJ
The strike is likely to continue because neither side is will-
ing to compromise. I compromise on Hostage-taking was
not an issue on which Reagan was prepared to compromise.
29 AGREE
make concessions / ,melk k;)o'seJ.mzl if someone in
authority makes concessions, they let their opponents
have something that they are asking for, in order to reach
an agreement Iv phrase]
We will have to make concessions if we want the talks to
continue. I make concessions on The government has
already made signijkant concessions on pay and conditions. I
make concessions to sb By making even greater conces-
sions to its coalition partners, the CDP managed to stay in
power.
meet Bb haHway I,mi,' (sb) hmf'wel 11 -href-I if you say
that you will meet someone halfway, you mean that you
will do part of what they want if they will do part of what
you want Iv phrase)
I'll meet you halfway. You can work at home but you must
be available to answer the phone. I They won't pay the all
our expenses, but they might be prepared to meet us halfway.
6 a situation in which people agree with each
other
agreement
consensus
harmonious
agr.ement /;)'gri:m;)otl in UJ
agreement that There is general agreement among doctors
that pregnant women should not smoke. I agreement on We
have achieved a large measure 0/ agreement on all the impor-
tant issues.
consensus Ibn'seos;)s/ general agreement among most
of the people in a group, especially an official group that
makes important decisions In UJ
consensus onlabout There is still no generaL consensus on
what our tuture policy should be. I consensus of opinion
The consensus ofopinion seems to be that the Prime Minister
sfwuld resign. I reach a consensus (=achieve agreement)
The delegates will continue to meet until a consensus is
reached.
harmonious /ho:r'm;)uoi;)sl harmonious meeting/
relations/alliance etc (=in which there is friendly agree-
ment) ladj]
The meeting was surprisingly harmonious - for once every-
one agreed with each other. I International free trade pro-
motes harmonious relations between nations.
harmony 11 ha: rm;)ni/ In U J The President is attempting to
restore harmony to an assembly (=to make the assembly
hannonious again) that has been torn apart by party rival-
ries.
harmoniously [adv} a system in which people work
together harmoniously to achieve common goals
7 an arrangement about what should be done,
which has been agreed between two people,
organizations, or countries
agreement pact
understanding contract
treaty
agreement /;) 'gri:m;)otl {n Cl
agreement on Thi! USA an<! thi! USSR signed an agreement
on arms limitation. I agreement Eventually all the parties
sigmd the agreement. I under an agreement Under the
SinD-British agreement Hong Kong will come under Chinese
rule/rom 1997. I have an agreement that [thought we had
an agreement that you would keep me informed about any
changes in the programme.
understanding 11 And;)r I strend Ill/ an informal, not writ-
ten agreement between two people or organizations In Cl
have an Wlderstanding Adams and the police have an
understanding - he gives them information and they don't
ask any questions about his activities. I come to an under-
standing that (=agree after discussion) We came to an
understanding that I would go out to work and my husband
would look after thi! baby. I understanding between elec·
toral pacts and unwritten understandings between political
parties
AGREE
treaty Iltri:ti/ a formal written agreement between two or
more countries, especially to end a war or to improve rela-
tions In Cl
The European Community was created by the Treaty of
Rome. I Some countries are still refusing to sign a treaty ban-
ning chemical weapons. I peace treaty (=a treaty that ends
a war) On June 28th 1919 Germany and the Allies signed a
peace treaty ending the First World War.
pact Ip;ektl a [annal written agreement between two or
more countries or political parties in which they promise
to support each other or defend each other [n Cl
In 1939 Stalin was actively negotiating a pact with Hitler. I
Fourteen Spanish political parties signed a pact aimed at
ending Basque separatist violence.
contract , 'kontrrekt 11 'ka:n-/ a written lega1 agreement
containing all the details and rules connected with a job
or business arrangement In Cl
According to theconlractyou have to work 37lwurs a week. I
Weare negotiating a contract to supply the army with leather
boots. I breach of contract (=breaking of the rules ofa con-
tract) The company was prosecuted for breach of contract.
agreed AG REE 4
agreed: be agreed AGREE 1
agreement AGREE 6 , 7
agreement: be in agreement AGREE 1
agreement: come to an agreement AGREE 3
agreement: reach agreement AGRE E 3
ahead FORWARD 1, FRONT 5, FUTURE 4
ahead: be ahead WIN 7
ahead: be ahead of your time BEFORE 12
ahead: get on/get ahead SUCCESSFUL 1
ahead: go ahead DO 5 , LET/ALLOW 4 , YES 2
ahead: up ahead FRONT 5
ahead of BEFOR E 12
ahead of: In front of/ahead of BEFORE 8
ahead of schedule EARLY 1
ahead of time EARLY 1
ahead of time: be ahead of its time ADVANCED 1
ahead of time: be ahead of your time BEFORE 12
aid HELP 5, 6, 9, 10
aid: come to sb's aid/assistance HELP 3
aid: with the aid of HELP 6
aide HELP 8
ailment ILLNESS/DISEASE 1
aim PURPOSE 1. SHOOT 6
aim: take aim SHOOT 6
aim: with the aim of PURPOSE 2
aim: with the aim of doing 8th TO/IN ORDER TO 1
aimless PURPOSE 4
air AIR 1, 2, 5, ARMY 3
air: an air of SEEM 1
air: be on the air TELEVISION/RADIO 4
air: by land/alrlsea TRAVEL 2
air: clear the air ARGUE 8
air: it's up in the air UNCERTAIN 1
air: up in the air HIGH 1
air: with an air of WAY/MANNER 2
air your grievances COMPLAIN 1
air your views SAY/STATE 2
. AIR
1 the air that we breathe
2 fresh air that is pleasant to breathe
3 words for describing rooms or buildings
where the air is pleasantly fresh
4 words for describing places that are
uncomfortable to be in because there is not
enough fresh air
5 to let fresh air into a room or building
6 to fill something such as a tyre or balloon with
air
30 AIR
1 the air that we breathe
air
atmosphere
air fe" f In Ut
The cold, damp air made him cough. I There was a strong
smell of burning in the air. I Use unleaded gas to minimize
air pollution.
atmosphere I 'retm~sfl;,rl the air in a particular place [n
singular ]
A warm, moist atmosphere is best for these plants. I the
polluted atmosphere of downtown Tokyo I We were glad to
escape from the stuffy atmosphere of the bar.
2 fresh air that is pleasant to breathe
air
fresh air
air fe"f In UJ
Open a window and let some air in. I He stepped outside into
the cool, pleasant air of the valley. I a breath of air (=some
fres h air) I'm just going out for a breath of air before I go
ID bed,
fresh air 11 freJ Ie;)rl clean natural air, which is good for
your health In U I
You need exercise andfresh air. I I opened all the windows
to let some fresh air circulate. I fresb air fiend (=person
who likes fresh air so much that other people think they
are strange) Terry's a realfresh air fiend. Healways has the
windows open, even in the winter.
3 words for describing rooms or buildings
where the air is pleasantly fresh
airy
well-ventilated
allY I 'eari/ a room or building that is airy has plenty of
fresh air because it is large, has big windows, or is not full
of furniture ladjJ
She liked light, airy rooms. I Store the seeds in a dry airy
p/(JC£,
well..ventlated ',wel'vent1IeJt1d 11 -lventl~Jt1d/ a room
or building that is well-ventilated has open windows or
has been built in a way that allows air to move freely
around it ladjJ
Keep the patient in a warm, well~ventilated room. I A firm
must ensure that its offu:es are well-ventilated.
4 words for describing places that are
uncomfortable to be in because there is not
enough fresh air
stuffy close
airless stifling
stuffy I lstAfil a room or building that is stuffy does not
have enough fresh air,often because it is small or there are
too many people in it [adj ]
The hotel room was hot and stuffy, and I woke up with a ter-
rible headache. I He had a small, sttifly apartment crammed
with shabby furniture. I The hall was crowded, and rather
stuffy. Ilt 's getting stuffy in here - shall Iopen the window?
stuffiness In U I It was pleasant outside, after the Iwt stuffi-
ness of the house.
airless / 1e;)q;}SJ a room or building that is airless does
not have enough air in it for you to breathe properly [adj]
The classroom was hot and airless, and she tlwught she
would faint. I a tiny, airless room with one small window
that wouldn't open
close /kl;,usl unpleasantly wann, especially when the air
feels slightly wet (adj not before noun]
It's very close in here. Would somebody open the window,
please? I The atmosphere was close and sticky, as though a
storm was coming.
closeness [n Ul The closeness of my cabin became unbear·
able.
 AIR 31 ALUEVERYTHING
stifling /'stalflllJl very hot and uncomfortable, and
without enough air for you to breathe properly [adi)
It was stifling in there; 1 was glad to get out. l It was ten
o 'clock and already the apartment was stifling. ! We waited
lalivel
, in the stifling heatfor two /wurs. I The room was stifling hot

1
and full offlies.
alIVe, IMng ; -t • LIVING/ALIVE
5 to let fresh air into a room or building
air dead
.~
~.! D~~~ :: :~
ventilate
stay"tIilVe, ~ot die -+ . SURVIVE
1 air I~rl to let fresh air into a room or building, especially
one that has been closed or not used for a while lu Tl
She was opening windows and shutters to air the empty alive .LlVING/ALlVE 1
rooms. I The bedrooms are aired and cleaned every morning. alive: feel alive ENERGETIC 2
ventilate , 'vent~]elt 11 -tl-eltJ to let air move into, out of, alive: stay alive SURVIVE 1
and around the inside of a room, building, vehicle ete [v Tl an ALUEVERYTH ING 1. 2 , EVERYONE 1, ONLY 2
Putafew fwies In the sideofthe box to ventilate iLl Air bricks an: for an EVERYONE 4
are used to ventilate the space under the floor DJ a house. I all: give your all TRY TO DO OR GET STH 3
well/ properly/adequately ventilated Is the building all: the be all and end all IMPORTANT 5
·well lit and well ventilated? ) badly/poorly ventilated all along ALL TH E TIME 2
Working in a poorly ventilated area could affect your health. all around/round ARO UND/ROUND 1, EVERYON E 1. 4
an but ALMOST 2
all day/night/summer etc long ALL THE TIME 2
6 to fill something such as a lyre or balloon with all ears: be all ears INTERESTED 3
air ail-embracing ALUEVERYTHING 4
blow up an go: It'. an go BUSY/HAVE A LOT TO DO 3
inflate all In all/all things considered IN GENERAL 2
pump up all or nothing EXTREME 1
all out: go all out TRY TO DO OR GET STH 5
blow up /lblCK) IApl to fill something with air to make it all over EVERYWHERE 2. 3
, large aad fmn [phr u T l all-powerful POWER 2
:t blow up sth We blew up fifty bolloons for the children 's all-purpose USE STH 14
party. I blow sth/it/them up Your bike's got a flat tyre. all right/alright YES 3
You 'd better blow it up. all right: be an right/OK GOOD ENOUGH t
Inflate Imlflea/ a formal or technical word meaning to all right: it'. an rlght/atrlght/OK FORGIVE 2
blow something up [v TJ all right: it's all right for some LUCKY 2
You can inflate the mattress in 30 seconds, using a foot all right: that's all righUthat's OK THANK 6
i pump. I Tyres should always be iriflated to the correct pres- all right for: be OK for/be all right for ENOUGH 5
• sure. all round/around AROUND/ROUND 1, EVERYONE 1. 4
pump up / IPAmp lAp/ to blow something up using a pump all-rounder GOOD AT 7
[phr uT I all tatk: be all talk BOAST 2. DO STHrrAKE ACTION 4
pump up sth 1 must stop and pump up these tyres. I This all that: lar all that BUT 2
football needs to be pumped up - it's a bit flat. all the same BUT 2
, alrforce ARMY 1
an the time ALL THE TIME 1, 2, KEEP DOING STH 1
• alrhead
airless
STUPID/NOT INTELLIGENT 3
AIR 4
all there: be all there COMPLETE 1
all told: altogether/In totallin all/all told TOTAL 2
an-weather WEATHER 4
airman ARMY 2
airy AIR 3
ajar OPEN 9
aka/a.k.a. NAME OF A PERSON 3
( akin to LIKE/SIMILAR 1
alarm FRIGHTENED 7
alaoo: sound the alaoo WARN 1
alaoo: set the alaoo bells ringing WARN 4
alarming WORRIED 8
. all oI8ome1h1ng, ." . ALLI
alarming rate: at an alarming rate FAST/QUICK 9 8Ye1'y111fng EVERYTHING
alarmist WORRIED 8
all the people In 8
"J-----
alcohol DRINK 5
alcoholic DR UNK 6 IIIWP or In the -'d
alcove HOLE 5
alert WARN 1. WATCH 7 In ..-y.plaI::e
alert: be on full alert READY 4
ana. NAME OF A PERSON 3
com""J not mlesing -". . COMPLETE

• alien

alike
FOREIG N 2
align yourself with UNITE 1
LIKE/SIMILAR 1
alimony MONEY 8
anything
all the lime, newr
~oppI~
.... . ALL THE TIME

• ALL/EVERYTHING
" You say" is used in definitions of some

l words or phrases to show they are

especially used in Spoken English .
2
1 all the things in a group or set
the w hole of a single mass or amount
continued
ALUEVERYTHING
• ALL/EVERYTHING
continued
3 any or all of the Ihings thal are wanted ,
needed, or possible
4 affecUng or including everything
1 alllhe Ihings in a group or set
all every
everything each
the lot without exce ption
.11>:lllPretiel£rmilW'/ quantijierl
all the/these/their etc Do we have to answer all the ques-
tions? 1 All his c/othes were spread around the room 1 All
these chairs are broken. 1 all of sth I've used up all of my
traveler's checks. 1 Yes, he broke all of them! 1 all things/
cars/buildings ete All rood vehicles have ID pass a special
S<ifety /£St. 1them aUlthey all What! Have you eaten them
all? 1 All you _d are afew simple tools. 1 all Thanksfor
allyou'vedone to help. 1There are no trees lefton the island.
They've all be£n cut down.
everything l'evriO,ql all the things in a group or all the
things that someone does, says etc (pron l
The customs offu:er asked us to take everything out of our
suitcases. 1 Don't believe everything politicians say. 1 The
Langhnms had spent. a year planning tl1£ir daughwr 's wed-
ding, so they were sure that everything would go well. I
everything else (=all other things) I have a tent and a
sleeping· bag, and Ben said he'd lend me everything else I
rw:ed for the camping trip.
the lot liJo '101 11 -'10:11 an informal British expression
meaning all the things in a group or set, considered
together In singularl
I ltift my purse with my cheque book and car keys on the
kitchen IDble and thieves broke in and SIDle the lot. 1 Janine
boughtfour cream cakes, but her fri£nds didn't turn up for
dinner so she al£ /he lot herself,
every IlevriJ all the single things that make a group or set
of things ldel£rminerl
Every room in the house was beautifully decorat£d. 1It rained
every day o[our vacation. I a book containing advice on every
aspect of skiing 1 every single Urifortunal£ly the President
disagreed with every single thing his aides said. 1 every
single one I've been to every single one of David Bowie's
concms.
e ach /i:tI/ all of two or more things in a grouP. oonsidered
separately or one after the other fdeterminer/ pron ]
each thing/house/car etcIn the exam there must be one
metre betwe£neach desk. 1 They read througheachjobappli-
cation very carefully. 1 each of sth We will consider each of
these questions in turn 1each one Georgeand Elizabeth had
visited 15 apartments and hadfound something wrong with
each one. 1each She went a/ong the row of holes, putting a
couple of seeds in each.
without exception IWIO,aut lk'sep!'nJ a formal expres-
sion used to show that something is true of every single one
of the things in a large group (adv phrase]
Without exception the pailUings in th2 royal JXl/ace are origi-
nals. IEvery type a/plant, without exception, contains some
kind of salt.
2 the whole of a single mass or amount
all every bit of/inch of/ounce of/drop of
whole in Its entirety
entire from start to fi nish
the lot the whole of
• • I"~ IPretieterminer/ quamifU!rl
all the/that/their etc Don't eat all that pi£ - leave some
for Jenny. 1She lost all her money. 1ItSfii!msthatal/our work
has be£n wasted. 1all ofsth It wasn't Bob's idea offun to
clean all of Ruby's housefrom top to bottom. 1it all What's
happened ID the rest of the paint? Did you use it all? 1 Yes,
I made a /ot of money, but it's all gone now.
32 ALUEVERYTHING
whole Ih'aUll all of something that is large or has many
parts ladj only before noun I
We /ost it all - the whole $10,0001 1 "r want the whale area
searched!" said the chi'l!ofpolice. 1 Vickifelt a chill over her
whole bady as she heard the dreadj"ul news. 1 Nora had spent
her whole life trying to find happiness.
e ntlre/ln1tala r/ all of something, especially something
that seems very large or complicated or that seems to last
a long time [adj only before noun J
At last. 1 had an entire day to myself. I We realized that our
entire conversation had been recorded. I This/unction 0/ the
word-processor allows you to correct the entire document
/xifore printing.
the lot 10, '101 11 -'10:11 an informal British expression
meaning the whole of a single large mass or amount [n
singular!
"[ want to buy this old/urniture." "Well you can have the
/ot for £350. "
eve." bH of/Inch of/ounce of/drop of levri 'bll ov,
I tntJ DV, launs DV, 'drop'DV 11-ldra:pl the whole of some-
thing that is very large (quantifier l
Andy bought a huge bottle of coke and drank every bit of it
himself, 1 Pool£rs of pop groups covered every inch of wall
space in Jackie's bedroom. 1 We're going to need every ounce
ofour strength to move this piano. 1 "I've bought another bag
of cement." "Good, we're going to need every bit of it."
In Its e ntirety Im Its In'talar~til ifsomething is done, per-
formed, affected etc in its entirety, all of it is done, per-
formed etc, and nothing is left out (adv phrase)
The show had be£n performed in its entirety at the Sydmon-
ton Festival. 1 We cannot accept this argument in its entirety
because parts of it are contradictory. 1 We will be publish-
ing the 'Camiliagate' transcript in its entirety.
from sta rt to ftnlsh Ifr.Jrn I sto:rt b 'f10111including all
of something such as an event, process, or piece of writing
[adv phrasel
I've read the book three timesfromstart IDjinish. 1Removal
of wisdom teeth is a minor surgical operation which,from .,
start ID jinish, takes about half an haur. 1 Frankly, Ithink
the whole oase has be£n badly handi£dfrom start toFmish.
the whole of liJo 'h",,1 ovl all of something, especially
something that is not a physical object Iquantijier l
Our English course rovers the whole of English Literature
from 1600 to 19()(). 1 We spentthe whole ofthe morning clean-
ing out the garage. 1 It's not just our computer. The whole
of the network is down!
3
any or all of the Ihings that are wanled ,
I I
~ needed , or possible
~ whatever everything but the kitchen sink
anything you name It
whate var IWDt'evOlT I1 wo:t-I (pronl
"Can I have a cake, Mummy?" "You can have whatever you
want, darling. "I You shouldjind whal£uer you need in the
cupboard under the sink. 1 Here was an audience eager to
listen to whcztever I had to say.
anything f leni911]f everything that you may want, need
etc, especially when there is a very big choice (pron l
I was going to throw all thes€ things away anyway, so please
take anything you like. I Paul goes to all the auctions in the
area Iookingfor anything inArt Deco style. 1The one thing
he wanted more than anything else was a glass ofcold water.
everything but the kitchen sink l ,evri9lq bol iJo
1kItl!n ' Sll]kJ an informal expression meaning all the equip-
ment yOll need and also a lot of other things that you do not
(
really need In phrasel
When my parents COrM tostay with us, they bring everything
but the kitchen sink!
vou name It Idu: Inelm ItJ you say you name it when
you are telling someone that there is everything that they
want or need or can think of
f
We specialize in dancewear - you name it, we sell it. 1 I had
so many different jobs while I was a student: waiter, sales
clerk, bartender - you narM it.
 ALUEVERYTHING
4 affecting or including everything
total global
blanket all-embracing
overall
tot.I I'I>Ulllladj only before noun]
a totnl ban on aI/forms of tobacco advertising 1 The satel-
lite TV station is providing total coverage DJ the Olympic
G<un.s.
.., blenket I'blregkl~ blanket decision/statement/term
etc (=one that affects every part of a situation) [adj only
before noun]
A blanJret requirement was announced by education offICials
- al/ sclux!ls Imd to cut their budgets by 25 %. 1 Dementia is
a blanket term for various different types 0/ psychiatric
disorder.
overall / ' ;KJv3f:l:l, including or involving all or almost all
the parts of a situation ladj only Wore noun1
Her overall approach to the job is very good. I'm sure she'll
do well here. 1 Even though someofthedetnils are badly done,
the overall effect of the painting is very dramatic.
overall ladv ] Oneortwoproductsdidn'tdosowel~ but over·
all we've hod a highly successful year.
,,
globel l' gl>uball involving all possible parts of an idea or
system ladj usually before noun J
He has a global vision ofhow business will progress. 1 This
philosophy course deals with gwbal concepts.
."-embraclng ,.:>:llm1breISIIj<l/ all-embracing con~
cept/statement/termldemand etc (=one in which all
features of a situation have been thought of and included)
> ladj usually before noun I
The prison governor now has all-embracing powers, to deal
with any situation in the way he thinks fit. 1 Physicists are
searching for 01U! all-embracing theory that covers matter,
energy, radiation and gravity.
r • ALL THE TIME
• of a particular period of time, especially when this is a long
1 all the time
2 during the whole of a particular event or a
period of time
,t 1 all the time
all the time constantly
the whole time permanently
always perennial
at all times unfailing
ell the time 1>:1 0. 'tannlladv phrasel
I don't have to wear my glasses all the time - justfor read-
ing. 1 He used to go away twice a week but he's with us all
the lime now. 1My French is quite good now - 1 use it all the
time in my job.
the whole time 100 Ih;MJlltalm/ ifsomething, especially
something annoying, happens the whole time, it happens
all the time ladv phrase I
He's a little terror. You have to watch him the wlwle time. 1
How would you like to befollowed around by a detective the
whole time?
always f ' ;): lw~z , -welzl all the time without changing
ladvl
The temperature of the lake is a lways below 55 degrees
celsius. 1 "Is he always this moody?" "No, not always - just
when he's had an argument with his Wife. "I Mr Piotrowski
always kept to himself. so we Imd no idea that he had been
a violinist.
at all timeS /at 1;):1 lta lmzJ an expression meaning all the
time used especially in official notices and rules ladv
phrasel
There must besilence in the library at all times. 1Strictsecu·
rity is maintained at all times.
constantly / Ikonstantli 11 'kam-' all the time continu-
ously ladv]
33 allegation
She was constantly trying to impress her boss. I The gelU!ral
public is constantly exposed to radiation.
constant IcuVl The local popuiation was in constnnt danger
from R enamo attacks. 1 the need for constant vigilance
permenently 1'p3:'m;m...tl~ all the tiroe and never likely
to change ladvl
Thej"lSh on the s£afloor live permanently in darkness. I ln
Harlem the windows oJ some stores are permalU!ntly
barricaded.
permanent [adjl The country seems to be in a permalU!nt
state of crisis.
perennial /pa lreni~l' perennial problem/ con cern!
struggle etc (=one which people are concerned with all the
time, and have been concerned with for a long time) ladj
only Wore noun)
The supply of food and water is a perennial problem for
desert expeditions. 1 Her poems all come back to the peren-
nial theme of love.
unfeUlng IAn 'fe,logl unfaillng support/ devotion/good
humour etc (=that you can depend on because it never
changes or grows weaker even when there is trouble or
difficulty) ladj only before nounl
She was a loving daughter wlw cared for her mother with
wifailing devotion. 1 His honesty and unfailing good hUmDur
made him popular with his fellow workers.
2 during the whole of a particular event or a
period of time
all the time all day/nlghtl
throughoutJ summer ete long
all through all along
the whole time from start to finish
ell the time 1>:1 6. 'ta'mf ladv phrase]
all the time (that) I didn't really enjoy my holiday because
1 was sick all the time 1 was there. 1 All the time 1 was talk·
ing to him he just stared at the television .
throughout/ell through lern: 'aut, '0:1 ern:1 during all
time (prep)
They walked all through the night and got home as the sun
was rising. 1 His hair was blond all through his childhood,
darkening as he reached adolescence. 1 Yoonne lived in Swit·
zerland througlwut the war.
the whole time 10. ,h>u1 'ta'mf during a particular
period oftime and lasting for what seems a long time ladv
phrase}
The elevator was broken while we were there and we had to
use the stairs the whol£ tim£. 1 the whole time (that) The
whole til1U! that we were in Spain the sun shone and it was
hot. 1 Petercomplatned the wlwk time he was working in the
shoe store.
ell dey/nlght/summer ete long 1,0:1(day, ele) 'log 11
-I):)=IJI during all of the day, night, summer, winter etc ladv
phrasel
They stayed in their house by the beach all summer long. I
Maria wrote to me from England saying that it usually
rained a ll day long. -
ellelong /0:1"IDg 11 -.'b:gl if a particular situation bas
existed all along, it has existed all the time right from the
beginning, although you may not have known about it ladv
phrase]
The end of the movie didn't surprise I1U! - 1 knew all along
who hod murdered the policeman. 1She looked everywhere
for her keys andfound toot they had been in her purse all
along. I When the results were published he realized that he
had been mistaken all along.
from start to finish /fram Ista:rt t:3 'flmfl if an event
or something that you do is good., bad etc from start to
flnish it is like that from the time it begins lUltil it ends
ladv phrase]
Her driving test went very wellfrom start to finish. l It was
an awful day at work - problems from start tofinish.
allay REDUCE 2
allegation ACCUSE 3, SAYISTATE 10
allegations 34 ALMOST
allegations: make allegations ACCUSE 1
allege ACCUSE 1, SAY/STATE 5 1 almost a particular number, amount, time,
allegedly SAY/STATE 5 age etc
allegiance FAITHFUL 2 almost/nearly getting on for
allegory STORY 3 close to not quite
alleviate REDUCE 2 close on be pushing 40/50 ele
alley ROAD/PATH 1
approaching/nearing
alliance TOGETHER 5
allied CONNECTED WITH 4 almostlnearty /':>:lm;x;st. ImaTli/ (adv]
, allocate GIVE 5 I've been a teacher for nrorly /0 years now, I I had money and
1. allocation SHARE 6 nearly £1()()() in traveller's cheques. I John is three years old
allotted GIVE 5 'and Sally is alnwst six.
close to /'klaus tu:1 almost a particular number or
amount, especially when you are guessing ata large or high
number or amount (adv)
Bill was amazed at how many people there were in the hall.
There must have been close to a hundred. I His body temper·
ature was close to 40 degrees so they called a doctor. I The
federal government today spends close to $100 billion a year
alloW 8OIIIIIOIlII to.do on education.
sometti!ng close on /1 kl<KJS onJ a British expression meaning almost,
especially when you are guessing at a number. age, time
noIlIiIOw_ ele ladv]
A crowd of close on a thousand people gathered at the con-
do~1\It cert. I They walked close on 18 miles on the!irst day but only
.-4 e LEGAL six miles on the second. I It was close on 7 o'clock by the time
aIIow8d', ~!', ""~" Anthony got home.
-+ e ILLEGAL approachlnglnearlng /~lpIdUtJIIJ, InI,m1J1 almost a
particular number, amount, time, age, etc, and still increas-
ing or getting nearer to that number (adv)
allow LET/ALLOW 1, 6, 8, POSSIBLE 3 It was approaching 3 0 'clock, the time when they could all
allow for PREPARE 3 go home. I TIw dropout rate in large city high schools is
allowable LET/ALLOW 12 approaching 60 percent. I Only eight million out of a total
allowance MONEY 7 nearing 45 million had the vote.
allowed: be allowed LET/ALLOW 5, 12 getting on for IlgetllJ Ion f:>:TI an informal British
allowed: not be allowed to do 8th FORBID 2 expression meaning almost a particular number, amount,
allude to MENTION 1 time etc and still increasing or getting nearer (adv l
alluring sexy 1 It's getting onfor 25years since we last saw one anotlwr. I
almost ALMOST 5, 6 Getting on for SO% of the product budget is spent on adver-
almost/nearly ALMOST " 2, 3, 4, 7 tising. I It must be getting onfor lunch time, I'm starving.
almost alllnear1y all MOST 1, 2
almost certain PROBABLY 3
not qultelnot 'kwalt/ almost but still slightly less than
(advl
almosl didn't JUST/ALMOST NOT 1 He's not quite sixfeet tall, which is shortfor a Iwavyweight
almost no FEW/NOT MANY 2, LITTLE/NOT MUCH 2, 9 boxer. I It was still not quite ten o'clock but the tension was
becoming unbearable.
almost or most? I,...--=-. ba pushing 40/50 ate Ibi: po! lij (40 etc)1 an expression
used when you are guessing an older person's age mean-
ing to be almosl forty, fifty ete (v phrase]
-+ e ALMOST I don't think he's very young, he must be pushing SO.

-. e MOST 2 ways of saying that something has almost •

reached a particular point or state, is almost
-+ . JUST/ALMOST finished etc
NOT almost/nearly nearing/approaching/
very nearly near to/close to
Just about verging onl
. ALMOST practically/virtually
all but
bordering on
more or less
1 almost a particular number, amount, time, as good as pretty welU
age etc to all intents and pretty much
2 ways of saying that something has almost purposes not quite
reached a particular pOint or state, is almost almost/nearl, /1:):lm<KJst, 'n1aflil (advJ
finished etc We were almost at the top of the mountain when it began to
3 ways of saying that someone almost does rain. I TIw river has nearly dried uP. there's been so little rain
someth ing or that something almost happens this year. I As the bus rattled round the last bend the jour-
ney was nearly over.
4 almost the best, worst, nastiest etc or almost
impossible, unbearable etc
very nearl, I,veri InI~TIiI [advl
James will have to sell the house because he is very nearly
5 so similar to something else that it almost is bankrupt. I Her jacket was very nearly tlw same colour as
that thing his trousers.
6 almost a particular colour, shape etc Just about I,d:>," .'baut'l just about finished/ready
7 almost all, everything, or everyone etc (=extremely close to being fmishedJready etc) (adv]
Dinner's j ust about ready, so wash your hands now. I I've
just about finished with the newspaper, you can have it in
ALMOST
a minute. I Her glamorous career appears to bejust about
over.
practically/virtually f'p,,,,k,,kli , 'v,,'tju.lif if some·
thing is practically or virtually finished, empty. ready
ete it is so near to being fmished. empty. ready ete that
there is almost no difference [advl
The cupboard was practically empty: one tin o[ beans and
a packet of rice. I Communist parties have virtually disaJr
pearect in Northern Europe.
al but f'o:1 b.tf all but completed/destroyed/perfect
etc (=very nearly completed, destroyed, perfect etc) ladv
phrase 1
Alter two and a half years work the building was all but
oompleted. 1 The earthquake was so bad that the town has
all but disappeared.
.a good a. I~z 'gud ~zl as good as done/ftnishedl
yours ete (so nearly done, finished, yours ete that you
could say it is already) [adv phrase]
The job's as good as done. We'll befinished in an hour or
so. I We're signing all the contracts tomorrow. The house is
as good as mine. I as good as say sth/call sb sth ete He
has as good as said that he will sell me his bike. I Thejour-
nalist as good as called him a liar.
to all Intents and purposes/tu IJ:llntents ~nd Ip3: f _
pas~z/ if a situation is true to all intents and purposes,
it has the same effect as if it was completely true (adv
phrase!
Kate got a big pay rise, so to ail intents and purposes she had
been promoted. 1 By the end of 1981, elephants had, to all
intents and purposes, been wiped out in the region.
nearfng/approachlng/near to/close to f 'mang ,
~lpr.xJtJJI). Ima f tu:, Ikl;}Us tu:/ ifa state or situation is near-
ing, approaching, close to another, usually more
extreme, state or situation, it is like it already and is becom-
ing more and more like it all the time (advl
The police describe the situation as approaching crisis
proportions. I Dr Dunstaple was in a state nearing nervous
collapse. I Whenlsaw Henry with another woman Ifeltsome-
thing close to jealousy.
verging onibordering on IIV3:fd31l] on, IbJ:fddfll) onJ
verging on chaos/madness!anarchy (=very close to this
extreme and harmful state) [advl
When we arrived the situation was verging on chaos.
more or less 'IrnJ:r J: f 'Ies./ if something is more or
less finished, ready, done etc it is almost completely
fmished, ready, done etc in a general sense but not in every
detail ladv phrase]
Th£ document is more or less ready - it might need to be
checked once more. I My injured shoulder has been more or
less cured by this new treatment. I During th£ 18th century
the region remained more or less ind£pendent.
pretty welllpretty much 11 pnti 1wel., I pnti IlTlAtJ/ an
informal expression meaning almost [adv I
She worked pretty well the whole day and went out for a
drink in the evening. 1Apartfram meal times the adults left
us pretty much alone.
not quite fnot 'kwal~ not quite right/sure/fmishedl
enough etc (=very close to being right, sure, finished etc
but still having something missing or still to be done) (advl
Yes, that's a very good answer but it's not quttecorrect. I We
haven 't quite finished but you can wait h£re if you like. I U
you look closely you will see that the two oopies of the OOok
are not quite the same
3 ways of saying that someone almost does
something 0' that someth ing almost happens
almost/nearly be on the brink of
very nearly come within an Inch/
come close to/near to inches of
be on the verge of be well on the way to
almostlnearly J'J:lm~st, InI~rlil (adv l
I almost fell down the stairs this morning. I Jay nearly
screamed with anger, but managed to restrain herself. I The
bathtub was almost overflowing - he turned th£ water off
just in time.
35 ALMOST
very nearly I,veri 100drlil ladvl
Trevor suddenly stood up and very nearly upset the OOot. 1
The campaign to change the tax laws very nearly succeeded. I
That year, Michael Caine very nearly won an Oscar.
coma close tolnear to IleArn 'kl~s tu:, 'nId r tu:! to
almost do something or almost be in a particular state
lv phrase]
come close/near to doing sth She was so angry toot she
came very close to hitting him. I The old man came very close
to tears and had to sit downfor a moment. I be close/near
to sth The negotiations were very near to breaking down but
things are more controlled now.
be on the verge of /bi: on Od 'v3: rd3 ovl be on the verge
oftears/deatblhystertaibankruptcy etc (=aJmost be in
that state) Iv phrasel
He returned to Europejust when it was on the vergeo/war. 1
Kerry was so weak after her illness she was on th£ verge of
a nervous breakdown. I «But it's not fair, " insisted Daisy,
on the verge of tears.
be on the brink of Ibi: on 63 IbfllJk DVJ to be almost in
a new situation, especially one that is important or very
different from the one before (v phraseJ
She is on the brink ofa brilliant dancing career. I His latest
experiments had left himfeeling very excited, waiting on th£
brink ofa great discovery. 1 Years ofdrug abuse have pushed
him to the brink of insanity.
come within an Inchnnches of I ,leArn WIO,n an I IntJ,
'IntJ ~z Dvl to very nearly do something, especially some·
thing dangerous or unpleasant [v phrase]
Without knowing it, we had come within an inch of death. I
She burst into tears, realising that her mistake meant that
she had come within inches of injuring her baby.
be well on the way to /bi: Iwel on 6d Iwe! tu:/ if some-
thing is well on the way to happening, it is almost hap-
pening [v phrase]
The town is well on its way to becoming a major tourist
centre. I He thinks that he is well on the way to promotion.
4 almost the best, worst, nastiest etc 0' almost
impossible, unbearable etc
almost/nearty verging onJ
practically/virtually bordering on
just about
almost/nearly ,':J!llTlCRJst, ,nl3 rlil [advl
You are almost the worst student in the wlwle school. I Per-
suading David to change his mind is nearly impossible.
practlcallylvlrtually "prrektIkli, 'v3: r tJu31i/ very
nearly impossible, unbreakable etc [advl
It ts virtually impassible to catch these drug dealers. 1 The
new carbonjibre tennis racquets are virtually unbreakable.
Just about "d,3Ast ~'baut.' an informal expression mean-
ing very nearly the best, worst, impossible etc [advl
This isjust about the best wine I've ever tasted. I She's just
about the nastiest girl in the school. I It will be just about
impossible to get a ticket for Saturday's game.
verging onlborderlng on ,IV3:fd3IIj on, Ib:J:rdanlJ onJ
verging on the impossible!the ridiculous (=almost
imposs ible or ridiculous) (advl
Getting someone to come andfix the television is verging on
th£ impossible.
5 so similar to something else thal it almost is .
that thing
almost
practically/virtually
almost I'J:lrn:RJst IIIJ:)m;}Ust, J:IIIrulUstJ (adv l
After years of living in the jungle with a group of gortllas,
they seemed almost human to her. 1 In this light he looks
almost handsome.
practically/virtually f 'p,,,,ktlidi, 'v,,'tju.l~ so similar
to another thing that any difference is not important (adv )
Years of living abroad had made her practically aforeigner
in h£r own country.
ALMOST
6 almost a particular colour, shape etc
almost practically/virtually
more or less not quite
almost , 1:>:lm;xJst 1;:,:lmaust, ;-,:llm;:,ustj [advl
11
The hole in the ground was almost perfectly round. I Her hot
is almost blue, but not quite.
more or less '.m:>:r :):T lJes./ if something is more or
less a particular colour, shape etc it is so near to being that
colour, shape etc that any difference is not important (adv
phrase)
The camp site is more or less square. I Where the two walls
joined they made more or less a right angle.
practically/virtually / ' prrekt lkli , I V3: f tJU:;)1i1 if some-
thing is practically or virtually a particular colour, shape
etc is so near to being that colour. shape etc that any differ-
ence is not important (advl
Her hair is so dark that it is practically black. I The road
from here to tm next town is virtually straight.
not quHa /not 'kwall/ an expression meaning nearly. used
when you want to say that even though something is nearly
but not perfectly square, circular, straight ete [adv ]
The orbits of the planets are almost, but not quite, circular. I
It's not quite Burgundy red, it's more like a maroon colour. I
The front and back wheels are not quite in line with each
other.
7 almost all, everything , or everyone
almost/nearty more or less
practically/virtually just about
pretty well
almo.tlnearly 11 :>:Jm;}Ust, 'maqil [adv]
A lmost all the wine has been drunk. I Burglars have stolen
nearly everything in the house. I Aflu virus has been going
round - almost everyone in the ofJ"rce has had it.
practically/virtually I 'prrektrkli, 'v:l:rtfualil practi-
eally/everything/everyone/all ete (=so nearly every-
thing etc that any difference is not important) [adv ]
Virtually every[lower in the garden was killed by the/rost.1
There have been virtually no women holding judicial office
this decade. I Ctmsumerism isfirmly lodged in the minds of
practically everyone in the West today.
pretty well / lPflti Iwel .. / an informal expression mean-
ing almost [adv ]
Pretty well everyone in the hotel is Japanese. I I've packed
pretty well everything I need for this trip.
nIOre or less 'Im:>:r :>:r 'les"l more or less everyone/
everything/all etc (=almost everyone/ everything/ all ete
in a general sense but not in every detail) [adv phrase]
!t's raining more or less everywhere in the country at the
moment. I Tim knews more or less all the restaurants in
town.
Just about I ,d;)Ast albaut"l just about everything/any-
thing/everyone ete (=very nearly everything!anything!
anyone etc; an informal expression) [adv}
Anne's bedroom wall was covered in postcards from just
about every city in Europe. I That shop sells just about any·
thing ifit's in good condition. l Our new word processor can
do just about everything necessary to put together docu17U!nts.
• alone/on your own ALONE 1
alone: go it alone INDEPENDE NT PERSON 3
alone
"~ ~;;;=LrA -+ . INDEPENDENT
PERSON
~ climb Mount Everest.
36 ALONE
. ALONE
1 alone
2 doing something alone and without the help
of anyone else
3 words for describing somecne who spends a
lot of time alone, especially because they like
being alone
4 alone and unhappy
5 to feel lonely because somecne that you love
is not with you
1 alone
alonelon your own
by yourself
unaccompanied
alone/on your own la'laun, onj:>:r launl without any
other people ladj/ advl
Mrs Owen lives alone. I Was she on her own when she was
robbed? I Women travelling on their own late at night have
been advised to take extra rore. I all alone/all on your own
It was scary being all alone in a strange house. I leave sb
on their own I don't want to leave the children on their own
- can you look after them for me?
by yourself IbaTj:>:r I self! not with any other person, espe-
cially when you expect or want someone else to be with you
ladv phrase I
She doesn't like going on vacation by herself. I It takes some
time to get used to living by yaurse/f. I all by yourself His
parents are both in the hospital and he's all by himself in
that big house.
unaccompanlecl / lAnalkAmpanid"l if you go somewhere
unaccompanied, you go there alone, especially when it is
more usual to be with someone else [adj/adv]
Chiidrenjlying unaa;ompanied are looked after by the cabin
crew. I She was unaccompanied, and I decided to ask her if
she wanted a drink.
2 doing something alone and without the help
of anyone else
on your own/ solo
by yourself leave ab to their
unaided own devices
single~handed/ In isolation
single-handedly self-made
on your own/by yourseH Ion j:>:r laun, ba l j:>:flself/
ladv phrase I
After her husband left her she had to bring up tlu! children
on her own. I The wardrobe is too heavy to move on my own. I
Mark is old erwugh to travel on an airplane by himself. I all
on your own/all by yourself Did you make that whole
thing all by yaurself?
unaided IAn leTd~dl if you do something difficult unaided
you do it without the help of anyone or anything [adv]
After his illness he was unable to walk unaided. I With no
one else in the offICe I had to deal with the problem unaided.
slngle-handed/single-handedly 1,S1Dg,1 'hrend,d,
IS1l)gal 'hrend!dlil if you do something very difficult or very
impressive single-handed or single-handedly you suc-
ceed in doing it without the help of anyone else (advl
When grandpa talks about the war he makes it sound as if
he won it sing le-handed. I Hitchcock single·handedly
,I
chrlnged the fact! of modern cirwma.
solo saul;}Uj if you do something solo, especially a sport·
ing or musical activity, you do it alone (adv}
Slu! was the first woman to sail solo across the Atlantic
0ci!an. 1go solo (=start doing something on your own) John
played with the band for five years Wore going solo.
solo {adj usually before rwun] He made a solo attempt to
ALONE 37 ALTHOUGH
I ••ve ab to th.I, own devlc •• ,.Ii.:v (sb) ta ~r I~n Young. single nwtirers ofllm feel irolalOO and unhappy. I
dJ Ivals!Z/ to allow someone to spend time, do a job etc on Talking to apsychiatrist, a doctor, or even a/riend, can help
their own and without any help or suggestions from you you feel less irolated.
Iv phrase usually in passive)
My parents were busy that day, so I was left to my own 5 to feel lonely because someone that you love
devices. I His sense 0/ direction was so bad that, left to his
own devices, he would get lost coming hnmefrom school. is not with you
miss
In Isolation /In 13Is311elJanl ifsornrone does something
in isolation , they have chosen to do it alone and with no miss ImlSl [v TJ
help from anyone else [adv phrase) I miss him so 17WCh, now that he's gone away. 1 This little
The tribe TWW lives in isoicztion, keeping hold of its tradi- girl keeps crying. I think she's missing her mom.
tions. 1Any ojthesegroups could, working in isolation, do
t/re job ~lCiently. along NEXT TO 2
•• If-made ' ,self 'meld.( self-made man/ business-
man/ mlllionaire ete (=someone who started without - along: string Bb along TRICKJDECEIVE 3
along with WITH 6
alongside NEXT TO 2. WITH 7
much money but has become rich and successful simply
through their own efforts and work) [adj only before noun) aloof UNFRIENDLY 2
Harold Winter, self-made man and business tycoon, trusted already NOW 1
no one and left nothing to chance in his business affairs. • alright: all right/alright YES 3
alright: it'. all right/alright/OK FORGIVE 2

3 words for describing someone who spends a

lot of time alone, especially because they like
being alone
Ialso I,...--~....,.....",.-,...,...-----,
solitary prefer your own
loner company which meaning?
recluse solitude
al80, and ... .. AND/ALSO
solitary l 'sDI!"'ri ' so: lltcri/ladjl
11
She was a very solitary woman woo didn't make friends
easily. I Philip had always lOO t/re solitary life of an only also AND/ALSO 1. 2
child. alter CHANGE/BECOME DIFFERENT 1.
loner / 'h}(;n~r/ someone who prefers to do things alone and CHANGElMAKE STH DIFFERENT 1
has few friends In Cl alteration CHANGE/BECOME DIFFERENT 3.
I had always been a loner, and I hated sharing an apartment CHANGElMAKE STH DIFFERENT 7
when I went to college. 1 Joe is one of our best workers but altercation ARG UE 5
he's too much of a loner to be a good leader. altered CHANGE/MAKE STH OIFFERENT 9
recluse /n1Idu!s 11 I reldu!s/ someone who lives alone and alternate CHANGE FROM ONE TH ING TO ANOTHER 2,
avoids meeting other people [n C] SERIES 4. SHARE 4
Old Mr Grimes was a bad-tempered recluse, rarely seen in alternate: alternative/alternate DIFFERENT 6
the town. 1 Thegreat man had the reputation of being some- alternating SERIES 3
thing of a recluse. alternative CHOOSE 7. CONVENTIONAL 2 . DIFFERENT 6
reclusive /n'ldu!s lv/ [adj] Howard Hughes was very reclu· alternative: have no alternative MUST 1
sive (=he avoided meeting people) and rarely gave although ALTHOUGH 1. BUT 2
interviews.
prefer your own company /pfl l b!r jo!r CK.In I kAmp.mi/
someone who prefers their own company prefers to be • ALTHOUGH
alone rather than being with other people [v phrase ] 1 words used to introduce a statement that
We asked him to come and eat with us but he said he
preferred his own company. makes the other main statement seem
surprising or unlikely
solitude I 'sDI!tju:d 11 'so:lltu:dl the state of being alone.
especially when this is what you enjoy In UI
I need solitude in order to paint my pictures. 1Her peaceful
1words used to introduce a statement that
solitude was broken by the arrival 0/ some distant relatives
from Australia. 1in solitude He spent his/ree time in soli-
tude, reading or walking in the hills.
I I
t& makes the other main statement seem
~ surprising or unlikely
although despite the fact that/in
4 alone and unhappy though spite of the fact that
lonely even though Just because ...
lonesome while doesn 't mean
isolated as ... as maybe ... but ...
although 1o:I'Ooul [conjunction I
lonely I' lounlil unhappy because of being alone or without Altlwugh I missed my train. I still arrived at work on time. 1
friends ladjl AUhough we are a small company, we manage to prodUCi!
\¥hen Davidfirst moved to New York he didn't know anyone over IO.()/}()corsayear. 1S/re was happy to be having a child,
and /refelt very lonely. I In spite ofall his nwney he is a very although being pregnant had not been a pleasant
lonely man. 1lonely day I house/life etc (=when you are experience. I although old/tired/ brief ete Yoko, although
lonely) Sarah hated the lonely days in the empty house. shy. managed to speak to everyone in the room.
loneliness [n UJ Many people without a job complain 0/
loneliness (=feeling lonely). though 10001 [conjunctioni
Though they are brothers. they don ~ look like each other at
lonesome / 11CK.IRSam/ an American word meaning all. I The boy had won two gold mOOais playing hockey.
unhappy because of being alone or without fri ends [adjl thaugh /re was still only 15 years old. I though old/tired!
I get so lonesome here with no one to talk to. 1She watched brief ete The marriage, thaugh bririf, was a happy one. I
his truck drive away and all 0/ a sudden she felt lonesome. strange though it may seem Strange though it may seem,
Isolated I' ...oleltldl if you feel Isolated, you feel that I quite enjoy living alone.
there is no one you can talk to or have as a friend radjl even though 'Ii:van 1~3U1 (used to introduce a statement
ALTHOUGH
that makes the other main statement seem very surpris-
ing) (conjunction I
She always buys us expensive presents even though she can 'I
really affDrd them. I He hated to gD to Springvilk, even
thaugh he had had a happy childhoad there. I Even thaugh
he was so much older than me, I was actually his first
girlfriend.
whlle /waill (used to introduce a statement that you accept
as being true, which makes your main statement more sur-
prising) (conjunction]
While a Rolls Royce is a very nice car it is extremely expen-
sive to run. I While I understand that you are busy at the
moment, I really think you ought to see these notes. I While
she is a likeable girl. she can be very dijJkult to work with.
.s ....s /.z ... ~zl as strong/young/fast ete 8S (used
when someone or something being strong ete makes the
main statement very surprising)
Even Charles, as strong as he is, couldn '( move it. I As
accurate as we try to be, we are always going to make afew
mistakes. 1 Incredible as it seems, nobody saw how many
robbers there actually were.
despite the fact thatnn spite of the fact that
/dJ'span 6~ .frekt 6~t , 10 Ispalt ~v-J (used when you want to
make it very clear that the statement you are introducing
makes the other main statement very surprising)
She travelled to Spain alone, despite thefact that her doctor
hadtoldhertorest.llnspiteofthefactthatthef/owers were
white, Matisse painted them as pink. 1 He gives a Int ofmoney
to the poor despite thefact that he has barely enough to live
on himself.
Just because ..• doesn't mean l .d3Ast bl.koz ...
Id....unt mi:n 11 -bl,b:z-I (used when you are telling some-
one that although a particular fact may make them believe
something, what they believe is not necessarily true)
Just because he's a polic£man doesn't mean he won't ever
break the law. I Just because you have a larger than aver-
age figure doesn't mean you can't wear attractive clothes.
ma, be •.. but ... JI mel bi: ... b;>t . .. 1(used when you are
telling someone that although what they have said may be
true, something else that seems very different is a fact)
He may be intelligent but he has no common sense. 1 Going
to the beachfor two weeks might seem likeagood idea to you
but I don't think we can afford it.
altitude HIGH 3
altogether/in totallln alllall told TOTAL 2
altruistic SELFISH 4
always ALL THE TIME 1, ALWAYS/EVERY TIM E 1.
ALWAYs/FOREVER 1 , 2 , KEEP DOING STH 1
Ialways 1-----,
which meaning?
t ........."'"
when one thing . .. ALWAYS'
happens, anoth.r , EVERY TIME
thing always happen,S
somethiJ'l9.will always ' .. . ALWAYSI
happen in the future .. FOREVER
or has alwaYs " Every time my father snapped his fingers, his dog would
happened ln~lhe past , every single time (=never missing even one time) Every
time. never ' , ~ • . ALL THE TIME
all the
stopping - -
'lo .. KEEP DOING
5TH
38 ALWAYS/EVERY TIME
• ALWAYS/EVERY
TIME
1 ways 01 saying that somelhing always
happens or that someone always does
something
2 ways of saying that when one thing happens
something else always happens or is done
1 ways of saying that something always
happens or that someone always does
something
always habitually
Invariably automatically
without fail
alwa,s I'::dw!z, -welzl (adv l
I always say my prayers before I go to bed. I Poirol will solve
the crime. He always does. lOur cat always managed to find
a way into the house on cold nights.
Invariably I ln'vea ri~blil if something invariably
happens, it always happens so that you always know it is
going to happen [advJ
The children had never been close and invariably ended up
arguing. I Theprisonfoodstocks, invariablyriceand beans,
were slowly running out. I almost invariably This cafe is
almost invariably empty. I don't know how they manage tD
make a profit.
without fall /Wl6aUl Ifelll every day/week/year ete
without fail (=never missing a day. week etc) [adv phrase ]
My mother goes to church every week witlwut fail. 1 This
medicine has to be taken every day without fail. otherwise
it is not effective.
habitually lho'bufuolij ifsomeone habitually does some-
thing they do it so regularly that it becomes a habit for
them ladvl
Bernstein was not very punctual and habitually arrived at
airports minutes before his plane was due to leave. 1Reagan
habitually quoted from ktters from peopk who supported
him.
automatically' 1 .~!t~'mretlk1iJ if you do something auto-
matically. you always do it because you have become used
to doing it (adu ]
I'm so used to getting up for work at seven 0 'clock, that I auto-
matically wake up early at weekends. 1 Atfirstyou may find
it difJkuit to follow the procedure, but soon you will be doing
it automatically.
automatic [adj] She's so used to being criticized, her auto-
matic response is defensive.
2 ways of saying that when one thing happens
something else always happens or is done
every time
whenever
every time I.evri Italll1/ (adv/ conjunction)
come to him II hate travelling by boat, l am sick every time. I
single time I phone her up, the line is busy.
whenever I wen'ev~rl if something happens whenever
something else happens, the first thing always happens
when the second thing happens [conjunction]
R'henever my aunt comes to visit, she brings us home-made
cookres. I Justin goes riding whenever he mn spare the time. 1
Whenever it snows in England., public transport grinds to
a hall.
ALWA VS/FOREVER
• ALWAYS/FOREVER
1 ways of saying that something will always
happen or always continue in the future
2 ways of saying that something always
happened or was always true in the past
3 lasting or continuing forever
1 ways of saying that something wi ll always
happen or always continue in the future
always for keeps
forever for all tim,
permanently for life
for ever and ever to/until your dying day
for good
alway. , t:J!Jwlz, -welz/ ladv l
I'll always remember the day we first met. I Don't worry,
classes won't always be this disorganized. I You must real-
ize that I won '( always be here to look after you.
forever If;)rtev;)fl ifsomething lasts or continues forever,
it lasts or continues for all future time [adv]
Our love willlastforever. I ItJelt as ifmy head would go on
achingforever. I Nothing in politics is/orever, as we learned
in 1989 and 1990. 1 The TfU!mory of that awful day isforever
etched in my mind.
pennanently 1'p3:rm;)~ntlil a word meaning forever, for
a very long time, or for the rest of your life, used especially
when talking about changes that you expect to last forever
ladvl
The tragic accident has left him permanently disabled. I
It is possible that the earth's climate has changed penna-
nently.1 After some years in South America, Kevin decided
to settle permanently in Peru.
for ever and ever I f~r , ev~r ~nd lev:;,r( an expression
meaning for all future time, used especially by children or
in children's stories when someone feels extremely happy
ladv phrasel
These are the most beautiful gloves I've had in my whale life!
I'll keep them/or ever and ever. l It was a beautiful day and
Ellie wanted it to go on/or ever and ever.
for good I f~r Igudf an informal expression: if someone
does something for good, for example leaves, comes back
etc, they do it permanently [adv)
Are you home/or good or are you of/travelling again soon? I
We've separated/rom each other be/ore, but I think it's/or
good this time.
for keeps If~ r 'ki:psJ an informal expression meaning
forever, especially when you say someone can have some-
thing forever [adv phrase}
I'm not just lending it to you, you can have it/or keeps. I He's
given it to me for keeps.
for all time I f~r ,::l:l 'ta lml a formal expression meaning
forever, used especially when saying that something will
last or be remembered forever because it is very good,
special etc [adv phrase]
These moral values are right not only for our own time but
for all tiTfU!. 1The deeds of those wha died in the Great War
will be remembered/or all time.
for Ilfa / f~r 'Ialfl for the rest of your life [adv phrase ]
It's put TfU! ojfplnying golffor life. I Once he is your friend
he is afrlendfor life. I scarredimaimeci/ crippied/blind
etc for life The accid£nt left him scarred for life.
to/until your dying day Itu:, .m. ulj::l:r ,daI-lij 'dell an
expression used especially in stories, plays etc, meaning
for the rest of your life [adv phrase]
She kept a tiny lock of her son's hair until her dying day. I
I will remember that dreadful moment to my dying day.
39 AMBITIOUS
2 ways of saying that something always
happened or was always true in the past
always in living memory
for as long as you ever
can remember
always 1'::l!JwAz, -welz/ [adv]
I always knew loose two would get married. I ['ve aJways
admired Sean Connery. 11 don't know why, but Mr Pope
always seemed. to be unhappy.
for .slong as you can remembar JfarC)z .101J ;)z ju:
k~n n'memb<:lr 11 -,b:IJ-/ during all the time that you can
remember [adv phrase ]
Mr Watson has lived on our street for as long as I can
remember. 11 don 't know when the customfirst started - it 's
certainly been going on for as long as anyone here can
remember.
In living mamory lID ,hVlij 'mem;nil for as long as
people who are still alive can remember (adv phrase1
It was the hottest summer in living memory. I For the/irst
time in living memory, Old Jack had I£ft the islnnd. I within
living memory The site had only flooded once within living
memory.
ever I 'ev~rl at any time in the past [adv]
Theftrst year after the revolution was the most difJkult time
the republic had ever experienced. I best/biggest/worst etc
ever The winter of 1973 was the coldest one ever. I more/
better/ worse ete than ever Douglas loved her more than
ever during those first few months in Paris.
3 lasting or continuing forever
permanent
eternal
evertasting
pennanant l'p3:rman~nt/lastingforever, fora very long
time, or for the rest of your life [adjj
The car accident has caused permanent damage to her eye-
sight. 11 am hoping that this meeting will produce a perma-
nent solution to the problem. I The police keep a permanent
record of all crimes committed in this country.
atarnal /I't3: r nljlasting or continuing forever [adj]
Most religions promise eternal life after death. I &ientists
working in America may have discovered the secret of eter-
nalyouth. 1The eremalproblem ofthe artist is that he n£eds
money to live and buy materials butofren worksfor fWthing.
eternally ladv I Ifyou can do this I will be elRmally gral£ful.
averlastlng I ,evarqa:suij" 11 -11re-J a word used espe-
cially in religious contexts, meaning lasting forever [adjl
God has promised everlasting life to all who believe in His
haly name. I the Buddhist's searchfor everlnsting peaCf!and
contentment
amalgamate UNITE 6
amass GET 7
amateur JOBfWORK 11
amaze SURPRISED 4
amazed SURPRISED 2
amazing SU RPRISED 6
amazing/incredible GOOD/EXCELLENT 2
ambassador REPRESENT 5
ambiguous CLEAR/EASY TO UNDERSTAND 4,
MEANING 11
ambition AMBITIOUS 1, WANT 11
ambition: achieve your ambition SUCCEED IN DOING
5TH 2
ambitious AMBITIOUS 1
• AMBITIOUS
1 determined to be successful and to become
rich, powerful , or famous
AMBITIOUS 40 AMOUNT

1 determined to be suc cessful and to become

rich , powerful , or famous 1amount 11-.-..,-------,
ambitious power-hungry
ambition competitive which mean/rig?
go-getter pushy
ambltlou8 /rem'blf:.s/l a<!iI an amount of !I AMOUNT
John was very ambitious, and even at the age of 21 he had something; a number
planned out his career in great detail. I Women have to be of people or things
better quallfred than men, and more ambitious too, if they
want to get to the top. I Clinton had always been an ambi- some, a few • SOME/A FEW
tious politician. •
a small amount of • • LITTLE/NOT
ambition /rem'bIJan/ detennination to be successful and
to become rich, powerlul, or famous (n UI
He's not especially bright. but he has tremendous amhitiDn.1
"Your problem," said Arthur, "is that you have no
something

a small number of
MUCH
• FEW/NOT MANY
--
ambition. " people or things
go-getter I,g~ 'geta T/ an informal word meaning some- a larga amount of .... . LOT/ A LARGE
one who is very ambitious and hard-working, in a way that
you admire In Cl something; a larga NUMBER OR
You can't help admiring her - she's a real go-getter. number of people 9r AMOUNT
power.hungry Ilpa~r hAl]gri/ very determined to get things
power and control in bUsiness or politics even if you hann
other people by doing this ladjl level p! heat, weight,..• ,. • LEVEL
She's tire kind ofruthl£ss power-hungry boss toot employre;
skill etc 1,...;"";,,;;;,;;,;;;,;;,,,..,.,,,....,.......,,
fear most. I a power-hungry dictator
competitive /kdm1pet!tlv/ determined to be more suc-
cessful than other people in work, sport etc (adjJ
Sullivan was as competitive in business as he was on the • AMOUNT
tennis court. I fiercely/ intensely competl:tlve (=very com-
petitive) Fiercely competitive at all times, Ravi is a diffICult 1 an amount of something such as money,
man to work with. time, a substance ete
pushy l'puJil unpleasantly ambitious and always trying 2 an amount of something that can be counted ,
to do better than other people or make them do what you such as cars, people. houses etc
want ladjl 3 an amount of food that someone is given , or
I can't stand Adrian. He's too pushy. l It's not fair - if a
woman is ambitious, everyone labels her 'pushy'. I These that someone eats
pushy middle<lass parents make life difFlCultfor teachers. 4 a measured amount of products or goods
5 an amount of money, food. workers , goods
amble WALK 3 etc that an organization or country has and is
ambush AITACK 2.6 available to be used
amend CHANG E/MAKE STH DI FFERENT 3
6 an amount of a drug or medicine

I
amendment CHANGE/MAKE STH DIFFERENT 7
. amenities SERVICES 1 7 the amount of a problem such as crime or
amiable FRIENDLY 1 damage
amicable FRIENDLY 4
ammunition WEAPON 1
amnesia FORGET 6
amnesty PUN ISH 9 1 an amount of scmething such as money,
among INCLUDE 1 time, a substance etc
amorphous SHAPE 5 amount proportion
amount AMOUNT 1, 7 quantity sum
amount: a certain amount of SOME/A FEW 2 level how much
amount: a fair bit/amount of LOT/A LARGE NUMBER volume £100/$200 ete worth
OR AMOUNT 1 percentage
amount: a small amount of U TILE/NOT MUCH 1, 8
amount to BE 1. MEANING 9. TOTAL 3 amount 1;}lmaunt/ In Cl
The amount of money you pay each month depends on how
much you earn. I Greg was a train enthusiast who spent an
enormous amount of time at railway stations. I If the sauce
is too thick, increase the amount of water you put in. I Soil
contains small amounts of iron, manganese, calcium and
phosphorus. I Tell us the amount you require and we'll mail
it to you immediately.
quantity I' kwont!ti U 'kwa:n ~1 an amount of something
you can measure (n Cl
During the operation she Inst a considerable quantity of
blood. I in small/large etc quantities Expensive spices,
liIre saffron, are only produced in small quantities_I Useflour
and fat in equal quantities.
level IlJevall the measured amount of something that
exists at the moment, but which is changing all the time,
" You say" is used in definitions of some either increasing or decreasing In Cl
words or phrases to show they are We will not be able to give our personnel apay increase until
sales have reached a satiifactory level. I A country's pros-
especially used in Spoken English. perity is directly linked to its level of investment.
AMOUNT
volume f I vDlju:m 11 I VQ:Jj3mj the volume of traffic/
mall/trade/ business ete (=an amount that is usually
large or increasing) [n singular I
We'reFmding it increasingly dif)lcult to cope with the volume
a/mail we are receiving. I The volume oftraffkon our roads
has risen by 50 per cent in the past three years.
percentage fp;Jr I sentld31 an amount of something, stated
as part of a whole which is 100 [n C usually singular)
The peramtageofnitrogen in the soil has increased dramat-
ically in recent years. I The writer only receives a small per-
centage of the projitsfrom each book sold. I Most of the coffee
we produce is/or export - a high percentage goes to the US.
proportion Ipro'p:>:'j ,nl the amount of something that
there is in a whole, or that there is compared to something
else (n C usually singular!
proportion of 5th to sth Make sure you get the right
proportion 0/ paint to water, so it doesn't get too runny or
too thick. I proportion What proportion oJ the country is
industrialized? I Tlw compound is made by mixing the two
solutions togetiu?r, in roughly equal proportions. I a high
proportion ofsth Car theft accounts/or a high proportion
0/ crime in the area.
sum /st\lnl an amount of money In Cl
Tm car would cost at least $20,000 and we would have to
borrow tmentire sum/rom the Ixmk. ! sum of money When
[was a kid, jive dollars seemed an enormous sum o/money.!
lump sum (=a s ingle amount of money given all at once)
Instead 0/ paying him a regular pension they gave him a
lump sum wmn he retired.
how much I ,hau 'mAtJI what amount oftime, money, food
ete IquantUl€rl
how much time/ money/food etc How much time do we
hove Wt? I how mueh How much do they pay you? I About
80% of American women report that they are worried about
how much tlu!:y eat. I how much of You received £50,()()().
How much of that money is still in your bank account?
£100/$200 ete worth /(£100, ete) W3:'9/ the amount
of something that is worth £100, $200 etc Iquantifier!
£100/ 8200 etc worth of sth The corporation owns $6
million worth of real estate in the city. I £100/ $200 ete
worth "How much gas do we need?" "About $20 worth
should do it."
2 an amount of something that can be counled ,
such as cars, people, houses etc
number proportion
how many ratio
numbers £100/$200 etc worth
percentage
number / ' nAmbClrl (n singular with singular or plural verb
in British Englishl
The caterers need to know the number of people who'll be
coming to tiu? party. I Each worker gets a certain nwnber 0/
days off each yeor. I We hove sold all my father 's books -
apart/mm a sma ll number that we have kept/or sentimen-
tal reasons.
how many I,hau 'rnen i/ what number of cars, people,
houses etc [quantifier!
how many of How manyo/thepeopl£ who voted wuterstood
the policies? I how many people/ things etc How many
children do you have? I I'll want to know how many phone
calls you 've made.
numbers / ' nt\mb~rz/ how many people there are, espe-
cially people attending an event or doing an activity
together In plurall
"How many people came to tm concert?" HI don't know. I'm
not very good at estimating numbers. " I O/cow-se I'll do the
foodfor theparty, butI'll need to hove some idea ofnumbers.
parcentege / ~r'sentld31 a number of people or things,
stated as part of a whole which is 100 In C usually singular!
The percentage 0/ girls who study science is rising every
year. I A high percentage 0/ patients are completely cured
Q/ler the operation. I Some ofthe cars hove minor faults, but
this is only a very small percentage.
41 AMOUNT
lWoportlon Ipro'p:>:'j,nl the number of people or things
of a particular type that there are in a group, or that there
are compared to other people or things in a group
(n C usually singular!
proportion ofsth to sth What 's the proportion o/men to
women in your office? ! proportion This legislatwn is
intended to dramotically reduce the proportion of road acci-
dents caused. by drunk drivers. I a high proportion of sth
A high proportion 0/ the products tested were found to
contain harmful chemicals.
ratio /'reIJi~ 11 'reIJ3U/ the number of people or things of
one type compared to people or things of another type,
usually written as a number compared to the nmnberone,
for example 2:1 or 5:1 In C usually singular]
ratio of sth to sth The ratio 0/ patients to doctors at the
hospital is roughly 15:1. I Current estimates suggest a ratio
0/ one car to every three people, and thejrgure is rising. 1a
high/ low ratio With such a high pupil! teacher ratio,
educational standards are bound. to fall.
£100/$200 ete worth 1{£tOO ete) w3:'91 a number of
things that together are worth £lOO, $200 ete Iquontifierl
[used tos£lla lot ofthese books - abouJf20,ooo worth ayeor. I
£100/ $200 ete worth of sth $100,000 worth of toys and
children 's clothes were destroyed in the fire.
3 an amount of food that someone is given, or
that someone eats
portion intake
helping ration
serving measure
portion / 'p:>:rJ~n/ an amount of food that is considered to
be enough for one person as part of a meal (n Cl
Two portions ofFrench fries please. I My mother alwoysgave
the boys bigger portions than she gave me.
helping I'help 'ul the amount ofa food that is served as
part of a meal, especially at home In Cl
I'd love another helping ofdessert. It's cklicious. I Joonne had
two helpings of everything, and Bobby hod three. I second
helpings (=another helping of food aIler you have fmished
the first one) There 's lots of food Wt. Does anyone wont
second helpings?
serving / ' S3!rV lfJ/ the amount of food that is cooked or
prepared for each person [n C]
How many servings willl get/rom this chicken? I This recipe
makes enough minestrone soup for four to six seroings.
inteke / 'I ntellc/ a word meaning the amount of a particu·
lar food or substance that someone eats, used especially
when saying that this is good or bad, should be increased
or reduced etc (n singular]
Increase your intake 0/ fresh fruit and vegetables for a
healthier diet. ! We're all being enoouraged to reduce our
daily salt intake.
ration / 'rreJan U 'r;:e-, 'rel -/ an amount of food that is
limited and carefully measured because there is not much
of it available or because you are trying to eat less of it In C!
During the war, the weekly ration o/cheese was 2 ounces. !
I'm trying to cut down on the amount 0/chocolate I eat. This
ts my ration/or the day.
m •• sur. ,' me~r I an amount of a strong alcoholic drink,
especially a legally fixed amount In Cl
Thl!ydidn 'tgioo mea/ull measure, so I went back to tm bar
andaskedfor more. I Hepoured himselfa measure ofScotch
and added soda.
4 a measured amount of products or goods
quota
load
quota l ' kw3UtCl/ an officially flXed amount or number of
goods and products that a person, organization, or coun-
try is expected to produce or is allowed to produce or sell
In CI
Employees are given certain targets or quotas ID fulfiL I
quota system Under the new quota system there will be a
strict limit on milk production.
AMOUNT 42 AND/ALSO
load 11.001the amount or number of goods or products that rata lreltj a word meaning the number of times something
can be carried in a vehicle In Cl happens within a certain period of time, used especially
The/irst load of supplies will be arriving at the camp next when talking about social problems In Cl
week. 1carJoad/vanload/truekload ete Jed drove up with Nassau now has the third highest crime rate in the world. I
a trucklood ofsheep, packed so tight that some s/lJQd on their There is a 40% unemployment rate in the region.
hind legs.
amphibious WATER 7
ample LOT/A LARGE NUMBER OR AMOUNT 4.
5 an amounl of money, food, workers, goods ENOUGH 7
etc that an organization or country has and is amputate CUT 4
available 10 be used
pool
lamuse or enjoy? I.
stock
reserves
pool /pu:ll an amount or number of workers. cars, money -
--
....funny, amusing ::-:
'"'" • FUNNY
-'i--,-- ='. - .._ ..
ete that can be shared or used by a number of people rn Cl enjoy doing "' • ENJOY/LIKE
Most countries have a pool 0/ surplus labour. I There is a
much smaller pool of Muses to rent than there used to be.
stock Istok 11 stmkl an amount of something that you keep
and can use when you need to In Cl
Jodie always had a large stock o[ brandy in h2r cupboard. I
something

amuse
~ --
FUNNY 1, lAUGH 7
amused FUNNY 4
DOING 5TH

The government hopes that stocks o[ coal are large enough amusement FUNNY 4
to last the winter. amusing FUNNY 1
reserves In 'z3: rvzl an amount of money. goods ete that anachronism OLD-FASHIONED 4
a COWltry or organization has available to be used if they anaesthetlze/anesthetlze UNCONSCIOUS 3
are needed In plurall analogy: by analogy COMPARE 3
Kuwait has large reseroes o[ oil. I The government has analogy: draw an analogy COMPARE 1
exhausted almost all its foreign currency reserves. analysis EXAMINE 3
s:11', analysis: in the final analysis/last analysis BASIC 4
~ analyst DOCTOR 3
6 an amount 01 a drug or medicine analyze/anatyse EXAMINE 1
dose ancestor FAMILY 7
dosage ancestry: be of Scottish/Russian etc ancestry COM E

i
dose I~us! a measured amount of a drug or medicine FROM/ORIGINATE 1
Inel ancient OLD/NOT NEW 1, OLD/NOT YOUNG 1
His mother gave him a large dose ofcough mixture and put and AND/ALSO 1, 2
him to bed. 1 To be effective the pills should be taken over a and so on AND/ALSO 3
period ofrrwnths and then the oose can be reduced gradually. and suchlike AND/ALSO 3
dosage !ld~S ld31 a word used especially in medical
instructions meaning the fixed amount of medicine that
must be taken [n C usually singular I • AND/ALSO
It is dangerous to exceed the recommended dosage. I The
usual dosage afthe drug is 250 mg daily. 1 words meaning and
2 ways of adding something new to what you
7 Ihe amount of a problem such as crime or have just said
damage 3 ways of saying 'and olhers' at the end 01 a list
extent level
incidence rate
amount 1 words meaning and
extent / Iklstent! the amount of damage, trouble etc and so do Ilso has shel
[n singular! also so are they etc
Considering the extent ofhis injuries, he's lucky to be alive. I too in addition
Investigators have been called in to assess the extent of the besides not to mention
damage. I to sllch an extent (=to such a large degree) Dis-
as well likewise
content had grown to such an extent that the government had
to withdraw the new tax. and land, an, strong rend/ [conjunction]
incidence /1Ins!dans/ the number oftimes something bad We had coffee and hot butt£red rolls. 1 Mariajinolly turned
happens. for example how many people have a particular around and confronted the man. I Come in and sit down. I
illness, or how many crimes or accidents there are "We'vegotaboul tenfrkndscoming to lhepart)'. " "And holf
[n singular I ofyour family. "I This Is ajiexibleand user-frkndly system
The incidence of skin cancer is highest among red·hatred suitable for beginners and advanced users alike.
people with freckled skin. I Social deprivation is one of the also f IJ:l s~1 (used when you are adding another fact
reasons for the high incide1'lC€ oj crime in this district. about someone or something) radV]
amount /eJ 1maunt/ the amount of something bad, such as Froncols speaks perfect English. He also speaks German and
violence, which is not usually measured (n singular] Italian. I Sugar is badfor your teeth. It can also contribute
amount of There is growing alann at the amoWlt ofviolence to heart disease. I Sarnia camefram Delhi. Salim also. I not
on the streets of our city. only .... but also Meissner was not only commander of the
army but also a close friend of the President.
leval/Ilevalj the measured am01ll1t ofa particular problem
that exists at the moment, but which is increasing or too /tu:/ (used after adding a fact or remark which is also
decreasing all the time [n C l true alx>ut someone or something) {adv not at the beginning
Pollution levels in S()me rivers are already dangerous. of a sentence or clause I
public concern about the rising level of unemployment "[like that green dress. " "This one's nice too. "I "Have a good
weekend." "You too." I Evans was not only our doctor - he
was a friend too.
AND/ALSO 43 ANGRY
b ••ldes fbl'sa ldzl in addition to what you are mention- by the way , ,ba.
00 'we" (used when you want to change
ing (prep/ adu I the subject and talk about something else you have thought
Besides being a beauty, s}1£'s a really nice person. I Martina's of or remembered) [adv phrase I
got other things to think about besides work. I She's bought I'll meet you at eight o'clock. Oh, by the way, could you ask
a fridge, a freezer, a microwave, and lots 0/ other things John to come too? 1 The course is organized by Sheila Dean
besides. who, by the way, is head of marketing now. I How is slw, by
• s w.ll/ ~z 'well at the same time as something else (adv the way? I hear she's been ill .
phrasel InCidentally 11 ms~ 'dent3liJ (used when giving a little
While you're at the store. could you get a few things for me more infonnation about something you have mentioned or
as well? lOur vacation was a disaster: not only was the/ood when you want to talk about something else you have
terrible, the weather was awful as well. I as well as As well thought of or remembered) (adul
as being a community worker, he's ajully qualified nurse. Incidentally, these products can be dangerous if used care-
so do IIso has she/so are they ete (used when the lessly. I He was offered a pay rise of 18% which. incidentally,
same thing is true about yourself or another person) is double what the rest of us got.
"T hatettrese long business """,tings. ""Sodo l. " I We've been
waiting here for over an hour. and SO have all these other
people. I Jack's away playing golf today dhd sa's Bobby.
3 ways of saying 'and olhers' allhe end of a list
In addition ,In .'d'l,n, (used when you are adding a facl
which makes an amount ofrnoney, work, infonnation etc
and so on
etc
and/or whatever
and suchlike
even larger) roov phrase] and so on '~nd S3U 10nJ (an informal expression used
in addition to We'll have to pay $800 travel insurance in when you expect someone to guess what the other things
addition to the air fare. 1 In addition to their normal teach- are)
ing duties, teachers these days have stacks ofpaperwork to When you leave, make sure you lock the doors and windows,
do. 1 in addition Our survey will produce the essential statis- turn off the heating and so on. 1 and so on and so forth
tics. In addition, it will provide information about people's Ethnic minorities living in this country should have the right
shopping habits. to their own religion, traditions and so on and so forth.
not to mention Ilnot t~ ImenJanl (used to introduce ete let I set3~J an abbreviation for et cetera used at the end
·s omething which makes the situation worse, more of a short list to mean 'and others of a similar kind'
interesting, more surprising etc) (prep J Near the exit was a stand selling sandwiches, hot dogs etc. 1
Tmy have to pay all the bills and rentoutof$800, not la men- Please bring pens, pencils, rulers etc.
tion the seven kids they've got tofeed. I Climbers have to cany andlor whatevar J;,nd, J: T wot 1ev3 T 11 -wo:t-, (an infor-
all their equipment on their backs, not to mention their t€nts mal expression used when someone is making a choice and
and bedding. I Several rare South American mammals can have what they want)
escaped from the zoo, not to mention a three-metre long Please help yourselves to tea or roffee or whatever. I The can-
pythan. teen isn't bad, you can have a salad, some soup and what·
likewise 1' lalkwalZl (used when you want to say that ever.IV T buy him a gift-voucher for his birthday he con get
another thing is also done or is also true, in the same way, what he likes, a record or whatever.
following the same rule etc) (adv] and suehllka /:Jnd 'SAlflalk/ a British expression mean-
The patients' clothes and bed limn must be washed regu- ing 'and other things of a similar kind'
larly. Likewise their towels and washclothes. I At schoa~ You rould spend tire day doing the garden, cleaning th£ win-
jeans were not allowed. Likewise long and untidy hair. dows and suchlike. I Afertilizer ideal for trees, bushes and
suchlike.
2 ways of adding something new to what you .. anecdote STORY 2
have just said I anesthetlze: anaesthetize/anesthetlze UNCONSCIOUS 3
and besides angel GOOD/MORAL 2
also by the way anger ANGRY 5, B
furthermore/moreover Incldentalty angle OPINION 5
angle for TRY TO DO OR GET STH 5
what's more
angry ANGRY 1 , 7
and land, an, strong rend[ (conjWlCtlonl angry: get angry/mad ANGRY 4
You're dinmr's in the oven. And there's some beer in the - angry: make ab angry/mad ANGRY B
fridge. ITdidn't hear the doorbell. T was reading, and when
I read I never notice anything else.
also "o:ls....' (adv l
NO,lwon'tstayforadrink - I'm driving. Also, I have to get
langrYI
up early tomorrow. I Think rorefully about whether you
really want the job. Also, are you able to move house if you which meaning?
do get it?
furthermore/moreover 11f3:0~lm'):T, mJ:rlO)CJv:J T 11
'f3:rO~I'lro:rl (fonnal words used especially to introduce
.. . ANGRY
.. . ANNOY
--
more infonnation that will help persuade people to agree
with what you are saying) (adul -• BAD·TEMPERED
Furthermore, more machines will mean fewer jobs. I The
drug has powerful side effects. Moreover, it con be addictive. - ....---
....-~,""-

tell _ _ Y!lU are -l e TELL SB OFF

what-s moral. wots I mJ: T/ (an informal expression used
to introduce more infonnation that makes what you are angry about whet
saying stronger or more effective) [adv phra.se) Ihev haIIII done
What's more this stuf/is cheap to manu,{acture so we should.
make a big profit. 1and what's more The prisomr ha.s a
gun, and what's more he's prepared to use it.
basldas/bl' sa ldz/ (used especially when you are giving
• ANGRY
another reason for something) [advl 1 feeling angry
I don't mind picking up your thingsfrom the store. Besides,
2 feeling extremely angry
the walk will do me good. 1Sonya says she couldn 't get here
through all the snow. Besides, her car's broken down. 3 angry because you Ihink that something is
wrong or unfair continued
ANGRY
. ANGRY continued
4 to become angry
5 an angry feeling
6 to behave very angrily, especially by shouling
and walking around noisily
7 words for describing meetings, arguments,
elc in which people express angry feelings
8 to make someone angry
9 words for describing something that makes
you angry
10 to deliberately try to make someone angry
11 10 try to make someone less angry
1 feeling angry
angry be in a temper
mad plssed off
annoyed pissed
cross be worked up
angry / 'reDgri/ ladjl
angry with sb She was really angry with them, but tried
not to show it. I In a moment I'm going to get very angry with
you. Pick your things up now! I angry about sth Teachers
are angry about cuts in government spending on education. I
angry that Mary seemed very angry that no-one agreed with
her suggestion. I angry A group ofangry farmers gathered
to protest at calais, 1 Tlu3/act that people laughed made me
even more angry and upset. I He was too angry to speak.
angrily [adv] Basil slammed the door angrily on his way
out. I "Be quiet, can '[ you?" exclaimed Tom angrily,
mad /mred/ a word used especially in American English
meaning angry [ad) not before nounJ
Tom 'Il be mad when hefinds out what you've done to his car. I
mad at sb Why are you mad at me? Have I upset you?
annoyed /;;" n::)Idl a little angry ladj not before nounJ
The policeman got very annoyed and asked to see my ID
card. I annoyed with sb John's annoyed with his sister
becausesheforgot his birthday. I annoyed at Charlotte was
very annoyed at finding me asleep instead of working.
annoyance [n DJ Bill didn't come, much to my mother's
annoyance (=it made her very annoyed).
cross fkros 11 kr.J:sJ a word used especially by children or
to children meaning a little angry ladj]
T'De broken the window. Do you think Dad'U be cross? I cross
with sb Miss Ellis gets cross with anyone who comes to
school scruffily dressed.
crossly [advl "Just leave me alone," said Lucy, crossly.
be In a temper Jbi: In;;, ItemparJ to be very angry for a
short time, especially when other people think you have
no real reason to be {v phrase]
JejJwas in a temper this morning so I left the house as early
as possible. I be in a bad/foul temper She ran off to bed
in a very bad temper.
plssed oft JI Plst I ofJ an infonnal and impolite expression
meaning angry, especially about something that someone
has done [adj phrase not before noun]
Tdon't klww why you're so pissed off - I told you I'd pro/r
ably be law. 1 pissed ofT with Wendy's really pissed ojfwith
you because you left the kitchen in such a mess.
plssed Ip lstJ an informal and impoHte American word
meaning angry [adj not before nounl
You're pissed because hefound out you were cheating.
be worked up /bi: I w3: f kt I Apl an informal expression
meaning to be angry and upset, especially when there is
no good reason to be f v phrase J
Hegot very worked up after you stormed out of the meeting. I
Whyareyou so worked up? I didn't break your glassdeliber-
awly. 1 be worked up about 8th She's all worked up about
someone stealing her purse from the car.
44 ANGRY
2 feeling extremely angry
furious livid
Irate seething
Incensed be on the warpath
furious l'fjuariasJ (adj]
furious with sb She wasfurious with himfordoinga deal
with a rival company. I furious at Every evening their father
came home furious at something his boss had done. I furi-
ous Don't tell Jan I read that letter - she'll be furious.
furiously [adv ] "You hear me, cut it out!" Jesse slwuted
furiously.
Irate Jlallrelt~1 very angry because someone has done
something to offend you or upset you ladj ]
After the programme the radio station received hundreds of
phorre callsfrom irate listeners. I For most ofthe day he had
been listening to iratecomplaints[rom the rompany's clients.
Incensed Jlnl senst/ extremely angry about something
someone has done, and ready to react very strongly or
violently ladjl
I was incensed to find that my orders had been disobeyed. 1
Incensed by the police action the students began to riot.
livid 1'llv! dJ so angry that it is difficult for you to think
clearly or speak properly (adj not before noun]
"Was she angry when you arrived so late?" "Angry? She was
livid!" 11 knew 1 shouldn't have started the argument but
1 was absolutely livid.
s.ethlng Ilsi:c)uJI extremely angry, but unable or unwill·
ing to show it (adj not before noun)
seething with anger / rage/indignation Tim looked at his
ruined car, seething with anger. I seething.Betty went to bed.
still seething after being humiliated in front of so many
people.
be on the warpath fbi: on 0. 'w>:'pa:O 11 -preO/ an
informal expression meaning to be very angry about some-
thing and to be planning to criticize and argue with the
person you think has caused it Iv phrase}
Nter two accidents outside the school the Parents' Associ·
ation is on th£ warpath.
3 angry because you think that something is
wrong or unfair
indignant resent
be up In arms In a huff
sore be disgusted
Indignant /In 'dlgn.nt/ fadjl
Anne was very indignant when her boss suggested she wasn't
working hard enough. I She's one of those people who's
always writing indignnnt letters to newspapers. I indignant
at sth Students are protesting in London, indignant at the
withdrawal of their right to cheap accommodation.
indignantly ladvJ "It's notfair," he shouted indignantly.
indignation / lltxhglnelJanJ [n DJ We!eltgreat indignation
at being asked to leave the restaurant.
be up In arms Ibi: lAp In 'o:rmzf ifa group of people are
up in arms, they are protesting angrily about something
that has been done or decided, especially by the govern-
ment or some other official group [v phraseJ
Residents are up in arms about plans to build a cinema com-
plex on a local nature reserve. I We must respect the law, or
else we'd be up in arms every time a judge made a decision
we didn't agree with.
sore Js:>:fl an American word meaning angry, especially
because someone has treated you unfairly [adj not before
noun]
He was real sore when he heard the news. I sore about sth
I saw Howard yesterday - he's still sore about the divorce
settlement. I sore at sb Marlene got sore at Joefor borrow-
ing her car witlwut asking.
resent /nlzentJ to feel very angry about an unfair situa-
tion that affects you, or something that someone has done
to you, especially something you cannot do anything to
change Iv TJ
ANGRY
lresenthaving to pay taxes/or health care and then having
topayagain wlwnl'm ill. I Kids often end up resenting par·
ents who push them too hard at school.
In a huff !In a IhAfl if someone does something in a huff
they do it in a way that is meant to clearly show that they
are angry, especially when other people do not think that
what has made them angry is very serious [adv phraseJ
leave/go off in a hutT Jill walked in, read th€ message on
her desk and wentoffin a huff I In a huIT"Stop teasing me. "
said George. in a huff.
be disgusted Ihi: dls IgAst~dl to feel very angry and dis-
appointed because you think that someone's actions are
very wrong. dishonest, or immoral Iv phrase ]
I'm disgusted. How could you be so rude to my guests! I be
disgusted at/with Disgusted with the /Xllitical corruption
in hEr homeland. Stepanowicz settled in France.
4 to become angry
get angry/mad get stroppy
lose your temper go berserk
fly off the handle
blow your top/hlt the roof/go crazy/go nuts/
have a fit
get angry/mad Ige. 'reDgri, 'mredl Iv phraseJ
Everyone gets angry from time to time. I Mike gets very angry
when he loses at tennis. I Calm down - there's no need to get
mad!
lose your temper 1,lu:z j::.'l:T 'Iemp;)r, to suddenly
become angry, especially after you have been trying not to
[vphraseJ
«I've been waiting for hours, .. said Helen, trying not to lose
her temper. I lose your temper with It's understarulable,
but not helpful, to lose your temper with very small children.
fly oH the handle I ,fla, of 0, 'hrendll an informal
expression meaning to unexpectedly become very angry,
especially about something other people do not think is
important or serious [v phrase]
You have to be very carliful what you say to him - he often
just flies off the handl£ for no reason.
blow your top/hit the roof/go crazy/go nuts/
have a fit / ,bl:xJ j:>:r top. ,hlt~;) 'ru:f, g:xJ Ikrelzi, g;x) ITlI\ts,
,hrev::l •fit 11 _ltO:p_/ infonnal expressions meaning to sud-
denly become very angry [v phrase)
I don't know what made him sa angry but he really blew his
top.1 You can't tell Dad we've crashed his car - he'll hit the
roofl Belly UJOuldgo crazy ifshefound out you'd been seeing
him. I Lenny went nuts when his new bike was stolen. I When
Tommy saw the mess his frumds had left, he had a fit.
get stroppy Iget 'stropi 11 -'stro:pi/ an informal British
expression meaning to start behaving and talking to people
in an angry way, especially when other people think this
is unreasonable [v phraseJ
She's the sart ofboss who gets really stroppy if the work isn't
exactly right. I Don't let Mum see this mess - we don" want
her getting stroppy.
go berserk /g;x) b3: r 'S3: TkJ an infonnal expression mean-
ing to suddenly become extremely angry and often violent
Iv phrase)
If his wife ever finds out aoout this, she'll go berserk. I All
I said was that I was going out and he just went beserk.
5 an angry feeli ng
anger
rage
resentment
anger / Irefjg;)r/ ln UJ
The awful news filled him with anger and resentment. I
Many peoplefind it difJkiult to express anger. I feel anger
towards Andrea could rwt hide the anger she felt towards
her parents. I do sth in anger When she was young her
mother hardly ever SMuted at her in anger.
rage /reld31 a very strong feeling of anger that someone
has, especially over a long period oftime, that is either not
45 ANGRY
expressed at all, or is expressed very suddenly or violently
In VI
SteffU! felt nothing but rage at the lies she had been told. I
From the garage came a shout of rage as he discovered the
damage.
resentment /rl'zentm;)ntj a feeling of anger because you
feel that you are being treated badly or unfairly, and cannot
do anything about it In UJ
"You haven't paid me nearly enough, " he said with resent·
ment in his voice. I The door slammed shut in her face arul
she stood there for a minute, full of anger and resentment.I
Resentment and jealousy can often build. up in relationships.
6 to behave very angrily, especially by shouting
and walking around noisily
make a scene shake your fist
have/throw a tantrum stamp your foot
outburst let off steam
make a scene I,melk::l ' si:nl to start a loud angry argu·
ment with someone, especially in a public place and in a
way that is embarrassing Iv phrase ]
Jamie could see that Andrea was getting annoyed with the
shop assistant and prayed that she wouldn't make a scene.I
I'm not telling my husband about Jackie skipping school,
he'll only make a scene.
have/throw a tantrum ! .hrev, .emu Cl Itrentr::lm! if
someone, especially a child, has or throws a tantrum they
shout angrily and cry, especially because they cannot have
what they want Iv phraseJ
Whenever it's time for bed she throws a tantrum. I All two-
year-olds have the occasional tantrum.
outburst 11autb3: T stf a sudden expression of very strong
angry feelings, especially because you cannot control your
anger any longer (n C)
She was usually sa quiet, her frieruis were amazed at this
sudd€n outburst. I He apologizedfor his outburst at the meet·
ing, saying he had been under a lot of strain at the time. I
He used to try and protect his mother from his father's
frequent outbursts of temper.
shake your fist / IJelk j:>:T IfISt! to hold up your hand
with the fmgers tightly closed and shake it in order to show
that you are angry [v phrase}
The old man shook hisjLSt angrily at the naughty children.
stamp your foot I ,stremp j:>!T 'futl to bring your foot
down hard on the ground because you are angry about
something Iv phrase )
"How dare you say that!" shouted Tanya, stamping her foot
with rage.
let off steam 1,let of Isti:m! to shout, hit something, or
do a hard physical activity in order to express your anger
in a way that does not hann anyone (v phrase I
When she was very angry she used to I£t offSfffim by digging
the garden. I Gary 's favourite way of letting off steam is to
work out in the gym.
7 words for describing meetings, argumenls,
etc in wh ich people express angry feelings
angry furore
furious uproar
stormy feelings run high
heated
angry I' reQgril ladj only before noun J
They never exchanged an angry word in 25 years of mar·
riage. I There were angry protests from demonstrators
outside the embassy.
furious , Ifju.1ri::lsl something such as an argument or dis·
cussion that is furious is one in which people express very
angry feelings (adj only Wore noun )
There has been a furious argument about where the new
school should be built. I Strict new import laws have pro·
voked furioUS complaints from business groups.
ANGRY
stormy /ISO:Tmil something such as a discussion or rela-
tionship that is stormy is one in which angry feelings are
often expressed [adjl
After a stormy discussion a decision was finally reached. I
The peace talks are likely to be stormy. I It was a very stonny
reLationship that nonetheless lasted over seven years.
heated f I hi:tAdf heated argument/ debate/discussion
etc (:::angry and excited) [adj usually Wore noun]
We used to stay up all night. having endless heated argu-
ments about politics. I This is a problem which has been the
subject oJ heated debate over the years.
furore /fju'rJ!ri, IfjOOr.>!T 11 'fjwT'J!rf a situation in which
a lot of angry feelings are expressed, especially about some-
thing that concerns the public [n singular]
His throries caused a/uraTe in the academic world. I the cur-
rent furore over lack of security in p risons
uproar ,IAp-f:):TI a situation in which people express
angry feelings, shock, or disappointment at something they
think is very wrong or unfair [n singular ]
There was an immediate uproar when employers suggested
a pay cut. 1 in u proar A police decision to cut back on night
patrols has left the community in uproar.
feelings run high f,fi:hQl rAn 'ha'f iffeelings run high
a lot of people are feeling very angry and excited about
something, especially something that affects them per-
sonally, or that they have very strong opinions about
With widespreadfamine in the country feelings against the
President ran high. 1 Feelings always run h igh in games
between two top football teams.
8 to make someone angry
make sb angry/mad make your blood boil
infuriate make you sick
anger rile
enrage
make sb angry/mad (,melk (sb) 'relJg ri, 'mred(
Ivphrase l
I don't want to do anything that might make him angry. 1
The way everyone used to tease him would make me mad. 1
It makes Karenangry to have tIJ clear up everyone else's mess.
infuriate (In ' fjuarieIt( to make someone very angry espe-
cially by doing something that they cannot control or
change rv TJ
Her stubborn refusal to answer any questions infuriated the
polia. Ilnfuriat£d by the President's speech, Glare got up and
left the conference hall.
anger / ' rel)ga f / a formal word meaning to make someone
angry [v T ]
The police's insensitive handling of the affair has angered
local residents. 1 This article will a nger most people who read
it.
enrage /m' reId31 to make someone extremely angry so
that they cannot think clearly or make sensible decisions
Iv TJ
Adam 's willingness to agree to everything enraged her even
more. 1 He was so en raged by the murder of his brother he
decided to find the kilkr himself
make your blood boil /melk j:>:f 'blt\d ,b':H I( if some--
thing makes your blood boil it makes you extremely
angry, especially because you think it is wrong or unfair
[v phrase)
It makes my blood boil the way they experiment on innocent
animals.
make you sick / ,melkju: 'SlkJ ifsomething m ak es you
sick it makes you very angry, especially because it is some--
thing that you strongly disapprove of lV phrase ]
Any form of racism makes me sick. 1 Look at the way people
just throw litter down in the street - it makes you sick, doesn't
it?
rile IraJ11to make someone angry, by saying or doing some-
thing you know will annoy or upset them, for example,
because it goes against their beliefs or principles Iv T J
The Governor's speech attacking working mothers is certain
to rikfeminists. I What really riles me is that he didn't bother
to come and tell me himself. he just left a note.
46 animate
9 words for describing something that makes
you angry
infuriating
maddening
galling
Infuriating /m ' fjuarie ltIIJ/ making you very angry and
impatient [adj ]
Her attitude towards the other people in her office is infuri-
ating. I David has an infuriating habit oftapping his pencil
on his teeth.
maddening I' mredan ll)/ something someone does that is
maddening makes you very angry, and there is nothing
you can do to stop them doing it (adjl
He always has a maddening expression of superiority on his
face.
galling ('g:>:lll)/ a fact or situation that is galling makes
you angry because it is unfair or disappointing ladjJ
The fact that they had been so conjuJent Wore the game
made defeat a ll the more galling. 1 It was especially gaUing
to know that the guy who got promoted wasn't even properly
qunlijwd.
10 to deliberately try to make someone angry
provoke be like a red rag to a bulll
wind sb up be like a red flag to a bull
needle
provoke f pro'v:>okf Iv TI
provoke s b I'm sure she wouldn 't just hit someone for no
reason. You must have provok ed her. 1 provok e sb in to
d oing sth Amos saw the danger ofprovoking hisfather into
violence and stopped s/wuting.
pr ovocation /,prova'keJ!,;m 11 ,pro!-/ In UJ They attacked
without any provocation at all.
provocative(pld 'vokatJ v 11 -' vo:-J [adj] The inquiry heard
that such a strong police presence was h ighly p rovocative to
local youths (=likeiy to make them angry).
wind sb up (,wamd (sb) It\pl to deliberately say or do
someth ing in order to make someone angry, especially
because you enjoy making them angry [phr v TJ
She's married again? You 're winding me up! 1 He only pre-
tends to be a sexist in order to wind me up.
n.edle / Ini:dl/ to deliberately make someone angry by
continually mentioning something, even though you do it
in a way that seems fairly polite [v T J
All through the evening she was needling me about my
working-class background. 1 Quit needling me, you smug
little shit!
be like a red rag to a bull (BritiSh) I be like a red
flag to a bull (American) fbi: laok > red ,rreg tu > '001, bi:
lalk a red , fl reg tu-/ ifsomething is like a red rag to a bull
you know it will make a particular person angry because
they always get angry a bout it [v phraseJ
Whatever you do, don't mention his ex-wife. It 's like a red rag
to a bull. 1 The very sight of kids with long hair is like a red
j7ng to a bull to him.
11 to try to make someone less angry
pacify
mollify
pacify / 'pres1fal( to make someone less angry and more
calm Iv TJ
The government sent a representative to try and pacifY the
angry miru!rs. I She pacijt£d her boyfriend by saying she was
late because she'd been choosing a present for him.
mollify / 'moI1fal 11 'mo:-/ to make someone feel less angry
and upset Iv TI
He did manage to mollify her a little, by buying her some
flowers.
, anguish WORRIED 6
animal VIOLENT 5
animate LIVING/ALIVE 1
animated
animated ENERGETIC 2, 3, EXPRESSION ON S8 'S FACE 2
animosity HATE 3
annihilate BEATIDEFEAT 3
announce PU BLICIZE/MAKE KNOWN 1, SAY/STATE 1
announcement SAY/STATE 9
announcer PR ESE NT/INTRODUCE A SHOW 2
annoy ANNOY 1
• ANNOY
1 to make someone feel a little angry
2 ways of saying that something or someone
annoys you repeatedly or continuously over a
long period
3 to annoy someone by continually asking them
questions, asking them to do something for
you , or doing something they do not like
4 feeling a little angry
5 words for describing a person , fact , or
situation that annoys you
6 the feeling of being annoyed
1 to make someone feel a little angry
~
annoy get sb going
~ piss sb off much to my annoyance
gall It ticks me off/It hacks me off
annoy la ln;)I, [v T}
annoy sb Jane's constant talking was beginning to annoy
him I The only reason she started srrwking was to annoy her
parents. I what annoys sb is What annoys me is that every-
one parks on the pavement as well as on the rocul. I it annoys
sb that/when It really annoys me that she never returns the
books she borrows. I annoy sb intensely (::.:annoy someone
a lot) He annoyed me intensely by r,efusing to admit he was
wrong.
plss sb off I ,pIS (sb) 'of 11 -'o:fl an informal and impolite
expression meaning to annoy someone {phr v T l
Shut up Bemard, you're really pissing me off! 1 it pisses sb
ofT the way Doesn" it piss you off the way your husband
makes you do all the housework?
gall /g3:11 if something galls you, it annoys you because
you think it is very unfair or disappointing (v T )
it galls sb to see/ hear/think It galled Iwr bitwrly to think
that her boyfrierul was going out with another girl. 1 what
galls sb is What galls me is that whenever I tell my stepson
offhejustsays, "You're not my mother,YOu can't tell me what
to do. "
get sb going 1,get (sb) 'g:xHIJI an informal expression
meaning to deliberately say or do something that you know
will annoy someone and will make them start arguing with
you or criticizing you [v phrase I
That comment about women drivers really got Amy going.
much to my annoyance / ,rT1AtJ ta mal a'n::nansl you
say much to my annoyance when you are talking about
something that has annoyed you very much [adv phrase)
Much to my annoyance, the hotel hadn't received our reser-
vation. 1 He kept me waiting for over an hour, much to my
annoyance. 1 Shefound out, much to her annoyance, that her
dress wouldn't be ready for the party.
Ittlcks me off/It hacks me off In ,uks nU: 'of, nh.,ks
mi: 'off informal American expressions: you say it ticks
me ofT or it hacks me ofT when you are talking about
something that annoys you, especially something that
happens a lot
It really hacks me off when they cancel a meeting without
telling you.
I@.I " You say" is used in definitions of some
~ words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English.
47 ANNOY
2 ways of saying that something or someone
annoys you repeatedly or continuously over a
long period
irritate frustrate
bug drive sb crazy/nuts!
get on sb's nerves up the wall
get under sb 's skin exasperate
Irrltate / 'JC!telt/ (vT)
I listened to the clock for some time until its ticking began
to irritate me. 1 The dumb expression on her facealways irrit·
ated him. 1 Tom 'sattempts to apologize simply irritated her
even more.
bug fbi\gl an informal word: if something bugs you, it
annoys you because it is always there or is always happen-
ing, so that you cannot stop thinking about it or noticing
illv TI
I just can't remember that girl's name, it's really bugging
me. 1 I wish you 'd tell me whatever it is that's bugging you.
get on sb's nerve. I ,get on (sb's) In3! c vzl if someone
gets on your nerves, they annoy you, especially by
continually saying or doing something that you do not like
Iv phrase)
She never stopped complaining while we were on vacation.
It really got on my nerves. 1 Sit down James. You're getting
on my nerves pacing up and down like that.
get under ab's skin Iget ,Anda r (sb's) 'skml ifsomeone
gets under your skin, they do something that annoys you
a lot but which may not annoy other people lV phrase)
What really gets under my skin is people who talk while I'm
trying to concentrate on my work.
frustrate I feA 'strert 11 ' frAstreltj if someone or something
frustrates you, they annoy you and make you feel very
impatient, by mak ing it impossibJefor you to do what you
want, say what you think ete [v T)
Little kids are often frustrated by their inability to express
themselves to adults. 1Sitting in tra/ficjamsfrustrated her
so much that she decided to buy a bicycle.
drive ab crazy/nuts/up the wall (also drive sb
mad British) ' Idrarv (sb) 'krelzi , 'nAts, Ap 6a 'w.:I:I, ,dralv
(sb) 'mred/ to annoy someone very much by continually
doing something they do not like, especially after they have
asked you to stop, so that they feel unable to change or
improve the situation [v phrase )
He'll drive you crazy by changing his mind every five
minutes. 1 Turn that music down - it's driving me mad. 1
Being in the house all day with these two screaming kids is
driving me nuts. 1 Sally's driving me up the wall with her
constant talk about her new house.
exasperate I lg lza:s~relt 11 Ig 'zre-I if someone exasper-
ates you, they annoy you very much because you cannot
make them understand you, or you cannot change or con·
trol what they are doing [v T t
That man exasperates me - he never listens to a word I say. 1
Many parents are exasperated by their teenage children's
apparent lack of manners.
3 to annoy someone by continually asking them
questions , asking them to do something for
you , or doing something they do not like
pester harass
nag antagonize
hassle
pester Jlpesta r[ to annoy someone by repeatedly asking
questions or making requests, especially when they are
trying to pay attention to something else [v T J
pester sb I wish you'd stop pestering me. We're not going
to the beach andthat'sjinaL I pestersb forsthHewouldn~
stop pestering her for her phone number, so she got up and
left. 1 pester sb to do sth Steve pestered the prison autlwri-
ties to allow food to be brought into the jail.
ANNOY
nag /nregJ to annoy someone by repeatedly complaining
to them about their behaviour or asking them to do some·
thing that you think they should do Iv IITI
nag sb My moth£r's always nagging me. I n ag Stop nag-
ging. I'll clean up my room tonwrrow. I nag sb to do sth
For the last week he's done rwthing but nag her to get her
hair cut.
nagging In U I I don't know how she puts up with Eddie's
constant nagging.
ha ••• e ,1 hresall an infonnal word meaning to continually
ask someone questions or ask someone to do something,
especially something that they intend to do but have not
yet done Iv TI
hassle sb Stop hassling nre. I'll Fr.x the car when I've got
time. I hassle sb for sth My boss keeps hassling me/or that
report, but I haven'tJinished it yet,
har• • • ,'hrerds. ha'rres 11 ha'rres, 'hrerns/ to annoy or
upset someone by continually behaving in a very
unpleasant way and causing them trouble [v TJ
Her ex-husband began harassing her by banging on her
door during the night and shouting at her in the street. I
Sam's objections to moving house were designed only to
harass his stepmother.
antagonize (also ·Ise British) lren'treg.nml to annoy
someone very much, especially someone who is important
to you, by doing something they do not like (v TJ
It is very important not to do anything that might antagonize
your customers. I Jem continually antagonized her, some.
times to the point of physical violence.
4 feeling a little angry
annnoyed frustrated
Irritated ticked off/hacked off
milled
annnoyed /3 I n:Hd/ [adi not btifore noun I
I hope you won't be annoyed if I make a few criticisms. !
annoyed with sb Grandad gets a bit annoyed with us ifwe
don '( put things back in the right p lace.
Irritated /'lrAtelt~dl a little angry and impatient about
something, especially an annoying situation that you think
has oontinued for too long [adj not be/ore noun)
Sally gets irritated if things are left messy or dirty. l irri -
tated with sb She was irritated with her daughter for
behaving so awkwardly. I irritated at sth The teacher
seemed irritated at having his class interrupted.
mlffed /mlftl an informal word meaning a little angry
because you feel that you have been treated unfairly [adj
not before noun)
JimAustinfelt miffed that he had not been invited. I She was
somewhat miffed to find that her ri2sk had been moved to
another o/flCe while she was away.
frustrated /frA1 streItld 11 IfrAstreIt&d/ a little angry and
impatient because of an unpleasant or difficult situation
that you feel unable to change or control [tuii )
Tlmf""/s really jrustratOO becaUSi!, despite his quallflCtltions,
he can't get a job. I Food shortages in the capital have led
to/rustrated shoppers smashing store windows. I He wasjust
one of the thousands of drivers frustrated by delays at the
Dariford Tunnel every day.
ticked off/hacked off I'tlkt of, hrekt of U·o:fl expres·
sions used especially in American English meaning a little
angry about something that annoys you, especially some-
thing that happens a lot ladj phrase I
When she heard what a good time we'd had, she IookRd really
hackRdoffl tickedoffwithiby John didn't tum up on time
again - I'm so ticked ojJwith him. I h acked off with I'm
really hackRd ojJwith the way Sally always complains about
everything. q she doesn't like it she can leave.
"You say" is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English.
48 ANNOY
5 words for describing a person, fact , or
situation that annoys you
annoying be a pain In the neck
Irritating be a pain In the
frustrating ass/butt
galling stupid
exas perating bloody
be a nu isance be a drag
annoying /.'n"· IQ/ladjl
Jane is the most annoying person I have ever met. I Just as
I stepped into the shower the phone rang. It was so amwy-
ing. I The annoying thing was that we'd already got rid 0/
all the baby things whenAlice got pregnant again. I You're
so annoying. Why didn't you tell me all this be/ore?
ann oyingl y [adv ) Colonel Welch's instruction.1) were annoy-
ingly vague.
Irritating Il l r~te l tIJ)/ annoying, especially because some-
thing keeps happening that makes you a little angry {adj}
Sammy has an irritating habit of leaving the/ridge door
open all the time. I Long and irritating delays at airports
mean fewer people are travelling abroad.
frustrating IfrA IstreIt l1J 11 IfrAstrelt llJ/ a situation that is
frustrating is annoying and makes you feel very impa-
tient by making it impossible for you to do what you want
ladjl
It 's so/rustrating when you can't make }'oursel/understood
in aforeign language. ! Recovery from a serious accil1ent can
be a slow and frustrating proc£SS.
galling l'g:dllJ/ a fact or situation that is galling is
annoying because it seems very unfair or disappointing
ladjl
What I Fuul galling is the fact that other people with less
experience than me are being paid bigger salaries. I Isn't it
galling when you·know you could do ajob really well and
they won't even give you the chance?
exasperating Ilg Iza:sp:neIUIJ I _Izres-/ a situation that
is exasperating is very annoying because you cannot con-
trol it or change it, even though you try [adjl
It's so exasperating whenyou 're in a hurry and the machine
breaks down. I Shejinds the way the worknrenalways leave
the apartment in a mess really exasperating.
be a nul....ce /bi: a Inju:sans ~ _Inu:-/ someone or some-
thing that is a nuisance is annoying because they make
problems for you, prevent you doing what you want to do
etc Iv phrase)
My car's broken down again. It's a nuisance, isn't it? I The
reason she never comes to visit is because she doesn't want
to be a nuisance. I The post o/free closes earl}' today, which
is a bit ofa nuisance. I wh at a nuisance (=how annoying)
The train:S been dela}'ed and there's nothing we can do about
it. What a nuisance!
be a pain In the neck /bi: ~ IpeIn In Oa lnek/ an infor-
mal expression meaning to be very annoying Iv phrase)
That kid's always complaining about something. He's a pain
in the neck. ! This application/orm is a real pain in tlu! neck
- it:s so complicated!
be a pain In the a •• (also butt in American English)
/bi: 3 lpem In Oi lres, IbAt/ an infonnal American expres-
sion meaning to be a very annoying person Iv phrase I
Bobby's being a real pain in the ass wda},. I wish he'djust
go home.
stupkl / ' stju:p~d n Istu:_/ an informal word used when you
are talking about something that makes you feel very
annoyed or impatient, for example because it does not work
properly ladj only Wore noun I
We'd be OK ifwe could get this stup id gate to open properly. I
You can never sleep round at his place because that stupid
burglar alarm keeps going off.
bloody 11blAdil an informal and rude British word used
when. saying that you fmd something or someone very
annoying ladj only before noun)
I woke up late this rrwrning - the bloody clock had stopped.I
That bloody woman! She always rolls around just when
we're about to eat.
ANNOY 49 ANSWERlREPL Y
be a drag Ibi: ~ 'drregJ if someone or something is a drag,
they annoy you especialJy because they are boring or
prevent you from enjoying yourself [v phrasel
Don't invite Joshua - he's such a drag. I Having to stay in
answer ;:---~c=~~
and work on a sunny day like this is a real drag.

6 the feeling of being annoyed

annoyance displeasure
irritation eXBsperation
frustration
annoyance /;} In:mms/ In UJ
1~~~~$;;~1~-)~. ANSWERI
~ RESULT
Susan made no attempt to conceal her annoyance at having
to drive her motmr into town. I Much to my annoyance, the eIC
only answer was from his answering machine.
Irritation I llr ~ Ite lJanl the feeling of being annoyed,
find the answer 10'a --+ .. SOLVEIFIND
caused especially by someone or something that is repeat- situation Of evenlthat ....,.,..._
T ""
H_ E_
A...,
N~S,,,,,
W,,,,E..
R_
edly annoying [n UI
people 00 not "
The doctor's irritation grew with every question she was
asked. I a source of irritation (=something that causes
.undersiand -

irritation) UnofflCiai public protests are a constant source deal SUCCIlssfully'W!th -~ " SOLVE/DEAL
of irritation to tm government. a proble'1l WITH A
frustration I frA Istrelfanl the feeling of being annoyed, PROBLEM
caused especially by a difficult or unpleasant situation that
you are unable to change or control rn DJ
Being unemployed can lead to frustration and boredom. I
Imagine thefrustration of a patient who cannot speak, but • ANSWER/REPLY
can hear and understand what is being said about him
displeasure IdlS 'ple3;)rl a fonnal word meaning annoy- 1 to say something to someone as an answer
ance, caused especially by the behaviour of someone that when they have asked you a question, made
you consider to be less important than yourself [n DJ an offer or suggestion etc
Their father had given them an indication of his deep dis- 2 to answer someone angrily, especially
pleasure by ordering them to go to their rooms. 1 incur sb's because they have annoyed you or criticized
displeasure (=make someone annoyed) Adam's /XJlicy was you
to minimize every risk of incurring his boss's displeasure.
3 to answer someone rudely, for example a
exasperation Ilg l zo:s~ lrelf<il n 11 - ,zres-I the feeling of
being very annoyed because you cannot control a situation, teacher or parent
learn to do something, or understand something, even 4 something you say as a way of answering
though you are trying very hard [n DJ someone
He was finding it very hard to hide his exasperation with 5 to write a letter to someone when they have
Jenny, who could not understand a word he said. 1 in written to you or sent you an invitation, or
exasperation "For the last time, you 're not going out with when they have advertised something that
that boy, " said her mother in exasperation.
you want
annoyance ANNOY 6 6 a written answer to a letter. invitation,
annoyance: much to my annoyance ANNOY 1 advertisement etc

I
annoyed ANGRY 1. ANNOY 4 7 to answer when the telephone rings or when
annoying ANNOY 5 someone knocks at the door
anomaly UNUSUAL 1 8 not answer someone when they ask you a
anonymous NAME OF A PERSON 8
question or speak to you

1another 1!----::-----1 1 to say something to someone as an answer

which meaning? when they have asked you a question, made
an offer or suggestion ete
answer in answer/response to
nOllhe same • DIFFERENT
-'" ....... reply give an answer
more, extra • MORE/EXTRA In reply get back to
respond to
another DIFFERENT 6. MORE/EXTRA 1 answer Ilo:ns~r 11 'reno' (v l i T]
another way: to put It another way EXPLAIN 2 answer a question/criticism ete Would you please

I
~
i
~
answer

answer:
answer:
answer:
ANSWER/REPLY 1, 4. 5. 6. 7.
ANSWER/RESULT I , 2 , SOLVEIDEAL WITH A
PROBLEM 2
give an answer ANSWER/REPLY 1
In answer/response to ANSWER/REPLY 1
not answer ANSWERlREPL Y 8
answer the question. 1 How do you answer the criticism that
your government has do,", rwthing to Iu!lp tlu! plight o/lwme-
less people? I answer Juiie thought for a long time before
answering. 1 "How old are you?" asked the barman.
"Twenty·two, "answered Paul in a very deep voice. 1 answer
that When questioned about the robbery, Hughesanswered
that he knew nothing about it. I answer sb How much did
answer: won't/wouldn't take no for an answer

I INSIST 1
answer back/talk back ANSWER/REPLY 3
answer for RESPONSIBLE 6
you spend? Come on, answer me!
reply In lplal/ a word meaning to answer a question,
request, or remark. used especially when reporting what
someone said [v liT 1
ANSWERlREPL Y 50
I waited/or Smith to reply. but he said nothing. I "You could
earn more money in America. " Rupert remarW. "So what?"
Rafaella replied difUlntly. I reply t o a question /offer /
accusation et c Thejailers re/used to reply to theprisoners'
questions about wh£re they were being taken. I reply that
We asked Jane to hR.lp, but she replied that shR. was lOa busy.
In reply /In rI' plal/ if you say or do someth ing in reply
to what someone has said. you say or do it as a way of
answering their question, request, remark etc radv phrase I
Mayor Daly welcomed the Japanese visitors to his city, and
in reply they expressed their appreciation a/his hospitality.I
"Where are we going?" Jill asked. The driver only lifted his
hand in reply. as if to silence her. I in r eply to In reply to
your question, may I remind you that we have a lready pub-
lished. delllils of our immigration policy.
r••pond to 1nl sp~nd tu: 11 _ I spa:nd-/ to answer someone,
especially someone who has cr iticized you or disagreed
with you, in a clear and detailed way (v TJ
How do you respond to the allegation that you deliberately
deceived your employers? I The oJJkial sent to respond to
these criticisms sounded irritated about the whole business. I
Dawkins responds to Lorenz's argument by saying that evo-
lution is for thR. gaad of the individual gene.
In . . .wer/re.pon•• to Iln l ams~r, n Isponstu: II- 'ren-,
n 'spams-I if someone says or does something in answer
or in r esponse to a question , suggestion etc, they say or
do it because they have to·give an answer [p rep I
In response to your question, no, I don't th ink a meeting is
necessary. I In answer to recent criticism the President has
issued a statement explaining his policies.
glv. an .nswer l,g lY ~n l o:os~ r n -'ren-I to answer
someone by telling them what you have decided or by
providing them with the particular piece of information
that they have asked for {v phrase1
give sb a n answer They're offering us a new contract and
we have to give thR.m a definire answer bY thR. end of thR.
month. I He didn't give me a satisfactory answer. He said,
"Oh, I'll have to think about it. " I give an answer If you
cannot give an answer, just say that you don't know but
yau will try to find out.
get b.ck to Ilget 'brek tu:1 to answer someone ata later
time especially by telephon ing them, usually because you
need to think about their question or find out more infor-
mation before you can give an answer [v T I
She's promis«l to get back to me as soon as she hears any
more newsfrom the hospital. I T ell you what, let me talk it
over with the guys and I'll get back to you.
2 to answer someone angri ly, especially
because they have annoyed you or criticized
you
retort
retaliate
jump down sb's throat/bite sb 's head off
retort In1 o:rtJ [v T not in progressivel
"Are you afraid?" Brenda asked coyly. "Of course not," he
re/oried angrily. I retort that I felt tempted to retort that this
matter was rwne of his business.
ret.n.te In 'treliel tJ to answer someone angrily. usually
by being rude or criticizing them, because they have been
rude or criticized you [v IJ
If she criticizes you again, don 't retaliate. Just ignore h er. I
Terry /uul insulted hR.r so shR. /uul to retaliate, the had tofind
a reply that would sting.
Jump down ab'. throatlblte ab'. head off l ,d3AffiP
<bun (sb's) IOr.x.n. I ba it (sb' s) Ihed of! informal expressions
meaning to answer someone angrily, especially when there
seems to be no good reason for you to talk to them like this
Iv phrasei
There's rw need to jump down my th roat every time I ask you
a question. I ldidn't mean to bireyourheadojJ.U'sjus/ that
I'm tired.
ANSWERlREPL Y
3 to answer someone rudely, for example a
teacher or parent
answer back/talk back
back chat !back talk
sass
.n.wer backltalk back ' I a :ns~ r 'brek, ,o:k Ibrek 11
lren-I to answer someone rudely, especially your parents,
teacher, or employer, when they criticize you or tell you
to do something {phr V liT not in passive I
answer sb back We were all scared ofMr Williams, but here
was a g irl wha actually answered him back. I talk back to
Tha t Wry is a sassy little brat - yau shauldjustiu!ar the way
she talks back to her parents. I answer back/talk back
Don '( answer back. It 's rude.
back chat (British) I back talk (American) I ' brek tIret.
Ibrek t:):kJ rude remarks that someone makes when they
answer their teacher, parent etc [n VI
Any more ofyour back chat and you'll have to stay behind
a/l€r school. I You think yau 're sa smart - I've /uul enough
of yaur back talk.
• ••• Iseesl an informal American word mean ing to
answer a teacher or parent rudely {v l' not in passive I
sass sb Don't sass me, Mary Ellen Geer! I sass sb b ack I
got sent home from school for sassing the teacher back.
sass [n UJ I don 't have to take your sass.
4 something you say as a way of answering
someone
answer response
reply retort
.nawer Il o!n5:)r 11 I reo -I In Cl
I've asked Yvonne to come on vacation with us but I'm still
waiting for her answer. I The police questioned each of us
in turn, and when it came to me I had my answers ready. I
the ans wer is no/yes l/}'ou're asking mefor money, the
answer 's no! I answer to a question The answer to your
question is very simple; you failed the exam because you
didn't do any work.
reply In Iplal' a word meaning an answer, used especially
in written Engl ish when you are reporting a conversation
Inel
Dr Kleinert murmured a reply, but I couldn't hear what it
was. I "I'm just borrowing your black dress, OK?" said
Maxine, without waiting for a reply. I r eply to a criti-
cism/a question etc Railway offlCials say it isn't their fault
- which is their standard reply to customers' complaints.
r ••pon.e /n 1spons U n'spo:nsl an answer that cJearly
shows your reaction to a question, suggestion etc In Cl
response t o Her response to h is suggesion was a simple
refusal. l Over a period ofyears I have been hearing the same
kind of responses to my question about favorite books. I
respon se Having put forward his proposals, Senator
Carson sat down and awaited the governor 's response.
retort In lo: rtj an angry or cleverly humorous answer ,
especially to someone who has made you angry [n Cl
EW e's sarcastic retort surprised Max. He hadn't realized she
would be so annoyed. I She could never think ofa clever retort
to counter Buster's string of jokes and witticisms.
5 to write a letter to someone when they have
written to you or sent you an invitation, or
when they have advertised something that
you want
reply write back
answer acknowledge
reply In ' platllv lJ
reply to a letter / invitationladvertisement etc Dear S ir,
I am replying to your letter of June 19th. I Since Margaret
hasn't replied to the invitation, we're assuming she isn 't
coming. I Did anyone reply to your ad in the New York
Times? I re ply Your rnoth£r wrote to you three weeks ago and
she's worried because you haven't replied.
ANSWERJREPL Y
answer /' amsa C 11 'cen-f to send a reply to a letter, adver-
tisement ete when the letter or advertisement asks for a
reply Iv TI
I got the job by answering an advertisement in the paper. I
Miss Millar hired a secretary to answer her mail while she
was on vacation. I Think carefully before answering that
me11W.
write back I.ralt 'baekJ to answer someone's letter by
sending them a letter. usually very soon after you receive
their letter (phr v 11
Sara wrote asking ifshe could help, so I wrote back and said
yes. I write back to He 's a really bad correspondent - In!
never writes back to anybody.
acknowledge /,k'nDhd3 11 - 'no:-/ to write a letter tell-
ing someone that you have received a letter. parcel etc that
they have sent you [v TJ
I have just sent off a letter acknowledging their message. !
acknowledge receipt of(=officially acknowledge that you
have received something) Please acknowledge receipt o/this
document by signing and returning the enclosed form.
6 a written answer to a letter, invitation,
advertisement etc
reply
answer
acknowledgement
reply /n 'pial/In Cl
It is usual to send a formal reply to a wedding invitation. I
We advertised for a secretary in the local paper and got 24
replks. I I wrote to them three weeks ago and I haven't had
a reply back yet.
answer (' o::nsa r 11 'ren-( a written answer to a letter, espe-
cially a letter asking for something In Cl
Did you ever get an answer to your last letter? ! Our treas-
urer has written to the bank requesting a loon. and we're
expecting an answer in this nwrning's mail.
acknowledgement /,k'nDhd3mont 11 -'no:-/ a formal
letter or note stating that a letter, parcel etc has been
received [n C l
I received an acknowledgementjrom Toshiba yesterday tell-
ing me that they were considering my applicationfor thejob.1
letter of acknowledgement He's still waiting for a letter
of acknowledgement of the last cheque he sent them.
7 to answer when the telephone rings or when
someone knocks at the door
answer
get
take a call
answer I'a!ns~r 11 'ren-/ Iv IITI
answer the telephone/a call/the door One qfternoon I
answered the telephom!. and was surprised to hear Mark's
voice. !Sire hasn't answered any calls since Monday. I think
she must be away. I answer I kruxked on the door for a long
time, but no Om! answered.
get /get/ you say I'll get it. would you get it? etc when
you hear the telephone ringing or hear someone knocking
at the door and you intend to answer it or want someone
else to answer it Iv TJ
get it/the phone/the door The phom's ringing. Shalll get
it? ! I'll get the phone. I think it's for me. ! There's someom!
at tire door. Would you get it?
take a call/,Ielk ~ 'b:l/ to spea k to someone on the tele-
phone because the person that they want to speak to is not
available [v phrase)
I was out that day, and my nwther took the call. I Do you
want to take thecall in your offu:e? I take a call for sb Some-
one wants to speak to Professor Welch. but I can'tfind him
Would you take the call for him please.
51 ANSWERJRESULT
8 not answer someone when they ask you a
question or speak to you
not answer
make no reply/response
no answer/reply
not answer Inot 'Q!ns~r 11 - 'ren-/ [v I / T 1
not answer sb/sth I'm q{raid I can't answer that question. I
I km!w there was something wrong when she didn't answer
me. I not answer "What are you doing h£re?" Th£ child's
mouth trembled a little. but h£ did not answer.
make no reply/response /melt ,llX)n'plal , r('spOllS 11
- 'spo:nsl to deliberately remain silent when someone asks
you a question or talks to you Iv phrase I
"Who are you?" said Maisie, beginning to panic. Tire man
made no reply. I Alan tried. to start a conversation. but when
Lockwood made no response, he gave up.
no answer/reply 1000 'a:ns~r, n'pla( n-'ren-/lnphrasel
I called Stevie's narTU! but th£re was no answer. I "Are you
all right Jim?" No reply. I He phoned to make an appoint-
rTU!nt, got no reply, and suddenly rerTU!mbered it was Sunday
and they were closro.
• ANSWER/RESULT
1 the answer to a question in a test, exercise, or
competition
2 to give an answer to a question in a test,
exercise, competition etc
3 to find the answer to a question by thinking
about it carefully or by doing calculations
1 the answer to a question in a test, exercise, or
competition
answer
result
solution
answer /'a:n~r II 'ren-/ (n Cl
Write your answers on theform and send it to this address. I
Think carefully before you give the answer. I answer to Th£
answer to question two is Washington DC. I the rlghU
wrong answer The first person to phone in with the right
answer will win a bottle of champagne.
result In 'zt\lt/ an answer that you have found after cal·
cula ting or doing tests [n C)
I've tried three different ways of adding these figures and
each time I get a different result. I We have completed our
experiments and we are now analysing tlw results. I The
results ofour accountant's calculations show that weareon
the verge of bankruptcy.
solution /sa'lu:JanJ the correct answertoa problem which
you have to think about very carefully, do calculations etc
InCI
It was a difflCult equation, but it took her only five minutes
to work out the solution. I solution to The solution to this
week's puzzle will be published in next week's mngazim!.
2 to give an answer to a question in a test,
exercise, competition etc
answer
answer I'o::ns;)r 11 ' ren-/lv IITI
Before Jimmy could answer, another child had shouted out
the answer. I answer a question If you can answer these
questions, you could win a colour TV! I Answer as many
questions as possible in the time provided.
ANSWERlRESUL T 52 APPEAR
apologetic: be apologellc SORRY/APOLOGIZE 1
3 to find the answer to a question by thinking apologies: please accept my apologies
about it carefully or by doing calculations SORRY/APOLOGIZE 2
Bolve apologize SORRY/APOLOGIZE 1
work out apologize: I apologize SORRY/APOLOGIZE 2
apology SORRY/APOLOGIZE 4
solve Jsolv U sa:lv. s:>:lv/ to fmd the correct answer to a apology: I owe you an apology SORRY/APOLOGIZE 2
question, problem, or sum by thinking about it carefully appalling BAD 1
or doing calculations Iv TJ appalling/atrocious BAD 2. 3. BAD AT 2
I'm never going to sol ve this puzzle, it's impossible. I The apparel CLOTHES 1
class's homework was to solve a number ofcomplicated equa- apps ratua EOUIPMENT 1, SYSTEM 1
tions. I According to Grl!€k wgend, Oedipus went tlJ Thebes apparent OBVIOUS 1, SEEM 4
and solved the riddle of the Sphinx. apparently SAY 12. SEEM 3
work out I.W3: f k 'autl to find the answer, usually a apparition GHOST 1
number or amount, to a calculation (phr v T] appeal ASK FOR STH/ASK SB TO DO STH 7, 10,
work sth/ it out It's alright, I don't need a calculator, I can ATIRACT 5, TRIAL 1
work it out in my head. II'm sure they owe me more money appeal to ATIRACT 3, LIKE SB OR STH 1
than that - I'll have to sit down and work it out. I work out appealing ATIRACT 4. NICE 1
sth Using a calculator, work out the answers to the follow- appear APPEAR 1, ARRIVE 4, PERFORM 1. SEEM 1. 2
ing questions. appear: be In/appear In ACTOR/ACTRESS 5
answerable: be answerable RESPONSIBLE 3 appear: It appears SEEM 3
antagonism AGAINST/OPPOSE 3 appear on TAKE PART/BE INVOLVED 6
antagonistic AGAINSTfOPPOSE 1 , UNFRIENDLY 1
antagonize ANNOY 3
antenatal/prenatal BABY/HAVE A BABY 8
anti- AGAINSTfOPPOSE 1
lappearlJj
anticipate EXPECT 1
antk:lpation: In expectation/anticipation of whIch meanlng?~ i
EXPECT 3 ~
anticlimax: be an anticlimax DISAPPOINTED 3
antics BEHAVE 5
antidote CU RE 3
start to be _ or
suddenly be IIIMIf1 . -+ 8 APPEAR
2 ~ .
antiquated OLD·FASHIONED 1
antique OLD/NOT NEW 3
seem to be ~Ing ~ ~E!r: _ ~J
antisocial UNFRIENDLY 2
antithe8ls: be the antithesis of OPPOSITE/REVERSE 1
anti-war PEACE/NO WAR 5
anxiety WORRIED 6
. APPEAR
anxious WORRIED 1, 8 1 to start to be seen or to suddenly be seen
anxious: be anxious to do 5th WANT 3
any EVERYONE 2
any day: give me Bb/sth any day! PREFER 1 1 to start to be seen or to suddenly be seen
any fool/any idiot EVERYONE 2 appear come out
.
any luck? SUCCEED IN DOING STH 6 become visible loom/loom up
any minute now/any moment now SOON 2 come Into vlewl reappear
any more: not any more NOW 7
come Into sight sur1ace
any place: anywhere/any place EVERYWHERE 4
any time now SOON 2 appear /,'pJO'/1V I 1
any Tom, Dick, or Harry EVERYONE 2 An image started to appear on the screen. I Asyou round the
anybody'. guetl8: It'. anybody'. guess NOT KNOW 8 corner, a wonderful view of the mountains appears infront
anyone/anybody EVERYONE 2 ofyou. I appear from Suddenly the managerappearedfrom
anyone can EASY 2 his offiCii and asked us to be quiet. I appear from behlnd/
anything ALUEVERYTHING 3 under ete 1saw a large spider appear from under my chair.
anything: not anything NONElNOTHING 1 appearance In Ul He was disturbed by the sudden appear-
anything: would do anything WANT 3 ance of red marks on his skin.
anyway BUT 2 become vlalble Ibl,1wn 'vlzlb.1Jf to gradually start to
anywhere EVERYWHERE 4 be seen, especially by getting nearer to you Iv phrase]
anywhere: it won't get you anywhereldo you any As he T7U)vedforwardj1<Jshing lights became visible ahead. I
good POINTLESS 2 With a powerfUl microscope, the rock's sUrface lines become
anywhere/any place EVERYWHERE 4 visible.
apart DISTANCE 3 . SEPARATE 1. SPACElGAP 3 come Into view/come Into sight l ,kAm rnta IvjU:,
apart: be workls apartlbe poles apart DIFFERENT 2 ,kAm IOto) IsaltJ if something, especially something large,
apart: can 't tell them apart SAME 2 comes into view or comes into sight it slowly appears as
apart: drill apart SEPARATE 9 it gets nearer to you, or as you get nearer to it Iv phrase]
apart: keep apart AVOID 1 As our boat moved along the coast one a/the larger islands
apart: keep ab apart SEPARATE 6 came into sight. lOver the nextfew weeks the satellite will
apart: keep ath apart SEPERATE 2 be coming into view.
apart: set sb/8th apert DIFFERENT 11 come out l ,kMn 'aut! if the sun, the moon, or a star
apart: tell ab/8th apart DIFFERENT 10 comes out it appears in the sky (phr v IJ
apart from/aside from EXCEPT 1 We watched. as the stars came out one by one. I The moon
apartheid SEPARATE 6 came out from behind a cloud and bathed the fie/lis in its
apartment HOME 2 silvery glow.
apathetic DON'T CARE 4, INTERESTED 7 loomlloom up Ilmm, ,lu:m I Apl ifsomething large or tall
apathy INTERESTED 7 looms or looms up, it suddenly appears in a way that
ape IMITATE 1 makes you feel nervous or frightened, especially when it
aperture HOLE 2 is difficult to see clearly in the dark Iv 11
APPEAR
As the men rowed their boat through the fog a huge ship
loomed up infront of them. I Su4denly a darkfigure loomed
out oJ the shadows.
reappear I lri:~lpl~rl to appear again after not being seen
for some time Iv 11
Mr Baines went back inside and reappeared a/ew moments
larer carrying an umbrella. I If you press RETURN your
document should now reappear on screen. ! The stream goes
underground here and reappears further down the
mountain.
reappearance In Ul Peopl£ were amazed at the magician '5
sudden reappearance at the other side of the stage.
Burfaca,I S3!cg sl to appear on the surface of water from
beneath the water (v 11
She dived into tlu! pool and surfaced several metres away. I
A nuclror submarine has surfaced off the coast a/Norway. I
As the tide ebbed, black boulders sUrfaced one by one.
appearance APPEARANCE 1 , 2 , SEEM 8
appearance: be smooth/dark/young ele In appearance
APPEARANCE 3
appearance: have the look/appearance of
APPEARANCE 3
appearance: keep up appearances PRETEND 1
appearance: make an appearance GO TO/ATIEND 1
appearance: put In an appearance GO TO/ATIEN D 1
appearance: tolby all appearances SEEM 3
• APPEARANCE
1 the way something or someone looks to other
people
2 the way someone dresses, wears their hair
etc
3 to have a particular type of appearance
1 the way something or someone looks to other
people
appearance
look
looks
appearaneef,'pm,nsf In C/ U]
The two toadstools have a similar appearance so you need
to be very careful. I Concentrate on the content ofyour essay,
not its appearance. ! A white stripe down the horse's nose
gave it a slightly comical appearance. I in appearance
They're very alike in appearance, but quite different in
character.
look /lukJ the appearance of something, especially an
appearance that has been deliberately planned or made [n
C usually singular]
The text isfine but the look of the page is all wrong. I Just
to improve the look Dj the dish put ajew sprigs ofparsley in
the centre. I by/from the look of sth (=judging by ils
appearance) From the look oj it, I'd say it was about 100
years old, maybe 150.
Iooks/luks/ someone's appearance, especially when con-
sidering how good·looking they are [n plural)
sb's looks Girls oj that age are always worried about their
looks. I good looks (=a good-looking appearance) He was
20 years older now, but had kept his rugged good looks.
2 the way someone dresses, wears their hair
etc
appearance
look
Image
appearanc. !~ lpr ar:msl [n C]
can't you do something about your appearance? I'm
asham£r1 to be seen with you! I Sometimes it seems that
appearance is the only thing that counts in job-hunting.
look /lukJ a particular fashion or a particular combination
53 approach
of clothes, hair etc that someone chooses [n C usually
singular]
I'm not sure what kind Dj look you're trying to achieve so I
can't tell you whether it's OK. I the Bohemian/ethnic/
1960s ete look It was the typical Boheminn look: black polo-
neck, round glasses, silly little beard! I Her long straight hair
and dark eye make-up give her a sort oj late-sixties look.
Image ,llffild31 the appearance and character that some-
one deliberately tries to produce by dressing or behaving
in a particular way In C usually singular]
I like the new image. Have you got rid ofyour jeans then? I
No, you don 't actually wear the sunglasses. They'rejustpart
of the image.
3 to have a particular type of appearance
look
look like
have the look/appearance of
be smooth/dark/young etc In appearance
look flukflv not usually in progressive]
The house looked different at night. Smaller and cosier. I
Doesn '/ she look beautiful! I Thisfood looks revolting. I With
his dark hair and dark eyes he looked Italian. I I'm glad
you've shaved off that beard. It makes you look Il!n years
younger!
look IIke/ '1uk lalkj to have an appearance that is simi-
lar to something or someone else [v T not in passive]
She looks a bit like my sister. I In the moonlight th£ plane
looked like a huge eagle soaring across the SkY. I Prize-
winning architecture? It looks liIre a rabbit-hutch to me!
have the look/appearance of /hrev ~a Iluk, ~ IPI3tdns
DV! an expression used especially in written descriptions
of people, places etc, meaning to look like something or
someone or to remind you of something or someone Iv
phrase not in progressive}
With his rich robes and hea'<JI jewellery, he had the look of
an Indian Sultan. I The lake. by moonlight, had th£ appear-
ance of a silver dish.
be smooth/darklyoung ete In appearance fbi:
(smooth, etc) In ~Iplaldns/ an expression used especially
when describing something exactly, meaning to have a par-
ticular type of appearance Iv phrase ]
The underside ojthefungus is wrinkly in appearan.ce with
afaint purple colouring. I The snake's skin, although slimy
in appearance, is infact smooth and leath£ry. I She was youn-
ger in appearance than her letter had suggested.
appetite HUNGRYIWANT TO EAT 2 . WANT 8
appetHe: give ab an appetite HUNGRYIWANT TO EAT 3
appetite: work up an appetite HUNGRYIWANT TO EAT 3
appetizing DELICIOUS 3
applaud PRAISE 8
applause PRAISE 8
appliance MACHINE 1
applicant ASK FOR STH/ASK SB TO DO STH 8
application ASK FOR STH/ASK SB TO DO STH 10, USE
STH 6
apply ASK FOR STH/ASK SB TO DO STH 2. PUT 8 .
USE STH 2
appoint CHOOSE 4 , JOBIWORK 10
appointment: make an appointment ARRANGE A
MEETING, EVENT ETC 2
apportion blame BLAM E 1
appraise JUDGE 2
appreCiate KNOW STH 2 , THANK 3 , UNDERSTAND 3,
VALU E 6
appreciate: I appreciate it THANK 2
appreciation THANK 4
appreciation: show your appreciation THANK 1
appreciative THANK 3
apprehenSive WORRI ED 1
apprentice LEARN 4
approach ASK FOR STH/ASK SB TO DO STH I . 10.
CONTACT SB I . DEAL WITH 3. 6 , NEAR 7,
TOWARDS 3, WAY/METHOD 1
approachable 54 APPROXIMATELY
approachable FRIEN DLY 1 The state appears to condone police brutality. I I'm not con-
approaching/nearing ALMOST 1 doning his behaviour. but I can understand why he wanted
approaching: nearing/approaching/near lo/close to revenge on his daughter's attaclffir.
ALMOST 2
appropriate RIGHT/PROPER 1, 2
appropriate: inappropriate/not appropriate
2 to approve of something very much
be all for/be all in favour of
WRO NG/UNSU ITABLE 1
approval APPROVE 3 be a great believer in
approval: meet with sb's approval APPROVE 1 be an advocate of
approve ACCEPT 6 , APPROVE 1 be all forlbe all In favour of Ibi: 1;):1 1f;):r, ,;):1 In IfelV;)r
DV/ to approve of something very much, especially some-

lapprove 1---.----. thing that other people think you disapprove of[ v phrase J.
be all for (sb) doing sth I'm allfor people going out and
enjoying themselves, so long as they don't drive when they're
drunk. 1 Don 't get me wrong - I'm all/or cutting taxes i/ we
which meaning? can do it without hurting thepoor.1 be all for sth Thepriest

approve of something -I>. APPROVE

is all in/avour ofmusic in church, but he doesn't think rock
music is appropriate.
be a great believer In Ibi: ;) ,grelt b1'li:v:Jr Inl to
not approve of . ~ . DISAPPROVE I approve of a particular way of living or of doing things
something ':;'' because you think it brings good results (v phrase]
Alan is a great believer in vegetarianism. 1 I have always
been a great believer in co-ed schools.
be an advocate of /bi:;m 'redv;)klt Dvl to state publicly
• APPROVE and often that you think something is the correct thing to
do [v phrase)
to think that a person, idea, or action is good, She has always been an advocate of natural childbirth. 1
right, or sensible be a strong advocate of Gandhi was a strong advocate 0/
non-violent protest.
1 to approve of something or somecne
2 to approve of something very much
3 someone's favourable opinion
3 someone 's lavourable opin ion
approval
approval fa'pru:v>l/In UI
approval of sb/ sth It is important/or the president to have
1 to approve of something or someone the approval of everyone in the country. ! win/earn
approve believe In approval By doing well at school he hoped to win his par-
think sth Is right meet with sb's approval ents' approval. 1 nod/smile/watch with approval "Is the
agree with condone house cloon enough?" Her aunt nodded with approval.

I
approve /;,Ipru:vl [v I not in progressive I approved RIGHT/PROPER 1
approve of sb/sth Bob <kJesn 't approve ofaloohol. I I'm sure approximate APPROXIMATELY 6
that most athletes will approve DJ the new rules on drug test- approximately APPROXIMATELY 1, 4
ing. I approve Don will only buy the motorcycle if his
parents approve. I approve of (sb) doing 8th Do you
approve 0/ doctors using human embryos for research? 1
thoroughly/heartily/wholeheartedly approve It's an
_ APPROXIMATELY
excellent idea and I must say I thoroughly approve a/it. either a little more or a little less than a
think sth Is right /,OIQk (sth) IZ 'rnl~ to approve ofa par- particular number or amount
ticular situation or type of behaviour, especially when 1 approximately a number or amount
some people do not agree with it [v phrase]
Tire lOOm coach lets his players relax however tlrey want. and 2 approximately, especially when you are
I think thot's right. I think it is right (for sb) to do sth talking about a number or amount that is
The bank invests a lot 0/ money in the tobacco industry: do surprisingly large
you think it's right/or t/I£m to do that? 1 He doesn't think it 3 approximately a number or amount, or
is right for someone so young to be learning about sex at perhaps even more than that
school. 4 at approximately a particular lime or date
agree with J;)'gri: WI{}/ to say that you approve ofa deci· 5 approximately correct
sion, suggestion, or course of action [u T not in progressiveJ
Mostpeopleagree with tlre<kcisionoftlreoourt. I [hove T!2oer 6 words for describing a number or amount
agreed with animal experimentation. that is approximately right
beneveln /bl'li:v 1nl to approve of a type of behaviour
or way of doing something, especially because you think
there are important principles involved [v T not in 1 approximately a number or amount
progressive} about give or take
Hilary doesn't believe in sex be/ore marriage. 1 believe in approximately at a guess
doing sth We believe in letting everyone have the right to see
tMir own medical records. roughly
meet wHh ab'. approval/,mi:t WI{} (sb's) ;)'prmvaIJ a about fa'baul/ladvl
formal expression: if a plan, decision, or way of doing some- "How far is the church?" "About half a mile away. " I The
thing meets with someone's approval, they approve of chance ofmen beingcolourblind is about 1 in 12. 1 You have
it Iv phrasel about ten pens already - I'm not buying you another one. !
I hope these arrangements meet with your approval. 1 Lucy's I haven't a clue what he looks like. It must be about 20years
choice a/career does not meet with her father's approval. since I saw him last.
condone Ik;)n 'doon/ to say officially or publicly that you approximately I;)'proks~m~tli 11 ;)'pro:k-/ a word used
approve of something that most people think is wrong [v TJ especially in written English meaning either a little more
or a little less than a particular nmuber or amount [adv]
 APPROXIMATELY
Approximately 113,000 bicycles were reported stolen last
year. J TheSefloppy disks will store approximately 144 pages
of text each.
roughly ,lrA.flil approx imately. especially when you are
trying to give someone a general idea of the number or
amount [adv}
A IU1W kitchen would cost roughly $6,000. 1 The man was
roughly my own age. IPrinters' wages wereroughly the same
as those of other skilkd workers.
give or take 'lg1V 3!r 'telkl if a number or amount is
correct or exact give or take a few seconds, a pound, a
week etc, it is so close to that number or amount that it can
be considered to be correct [adv phrase]
. give or take.a few minutes/ a penny/ a mile etc The baby
was born at halfpast seven, give or take a minute or two. I
It's a hundred miles away, give or take a mile or so. I give
or take "How long will it inst?" "Oh, a couple of hours, give
or take."
at a gue•• /~t J I ges{ approximately. especially when you
do not know the correct number or amount and are guess-
ing what it is [adv phrase ]
At a guess, there are about 3000 people here today. I "How
much will it cost?" '~ hundred and twenty pounds, at a
guess. ..
2 approximately, especially when you are
talking about a number or amount that is
surprisingly large
something/somewhere in the region of
an estimated
some
something like
something/somewhere In the region of I ,ShmeJ~,
, SAmwe~r 10 ~ 'rhd3.10 DV/ a little more or a little less than
a particular number or amount that is surprisingly large
ladu phrasel
The business is worth something in the region of $2Sm. I
Their star player is expected to earn something in the region
of$3 million. I Workers here are having to face temperatures
somewhere in the region of 40 degrees.
an estimated /~n 'estAmelt!d/ an estimated 3000 peo-
ple/ one million pounds/ 90% of profits etc (=approxi·
mately that number or amount especially because you have
no exact or detailed fIgures on which to calculate the exact
number) ladj phrasel
An estimated 10% ofnew mothers suffer from severedepres·
sivn. I The Gambia welcomed an estimated 80,000 visitors in
1988. I Medical costs have risen to an estimated $6.5 billion.
some /SAm/ some 100 people/ 50 years/ 2000 establish-
ments etc (=approximately that number or amount, espe-
cially when you think it is impressive or surprising) [adv l
Only the richest parents, some 10%, can afford private edu-
cation. I 30,000 people have been taken prisoner, of whom
some 10,000 are teenagers. I He lectured at the Institute
Pasteur for some 50 years.
something like /'sAm811) lalkj an expression used espe-
cially in spoken English meaning approximately [adv]
Smiddy was already something liIre $10,000 in debt. I In
Ireland something like WOO people a week are leaving the
country.
3 approximately a number or amount, or
perhaps even more than that
or so
odd
or more
or so I:>:T ' soo/ a minute/ fifteen/3 days etc or so (adv
phrasel
The baby usually si£epsfar an hour or sa alter brea/ifast. 1
He was told to take a week or so off work. ! "How many
oranges shall I buy?" "Oh, five or so should be enough. "
55 APPROXIMATELY
odd IDd 11 a:dl a hundred/forty/thirty ete odd (used
especially in spoken English) (adv]
There were a hundred odd passengers on the ferry. I "How
old do you think he is?'· "Oh, [ dan 'I. know. Seventy odd. "
or more /:>:T 'm:>:T/ 5000 people/20% / 9 days etc or
more (=5000 people/ 20% etc or even more than that) [adv
phrase]
How can you be tired? You slept/or ten hours or more last
night. I There were a thousand or morefans at the airport
to welcome the Rolling Stones.
4 at approximately a particular time or date
[ ~ [ about or thereabouts
~ around circa
approximately some time
round about
about /;}' bautf a little later or a little earlier than a partic·
ular time or date [adv]
It's two-thirty. They should be arriving about now. IIn about
thi! middle of the eighteenth century society began to change
dramatically. 1 Abaut six months before he di£d he hod
suffered a major heart attack.
around /~' rauod/ at some time a little before or after a par·
ticular time, day, date etc, especiaUy because you cannot
remember which [adv ]
It was around eight 0 'clock be/ore I remembered I was sup-
posed to pick her up. I Wefirst met around 1948, didn't we? I
I don't remember the exact date o/the party but it must have
been around December 8th because that's her birthday.
approximately /~'pmks~m1 tli 11 ~Ipro:k-/ a word used
especially in written English meaning either a little later
or a little earlier than a particular time or date [adv]
The gate will close approximately two minutes be/ore the
train leaves. I The suspect seemed to leave the house at
approximately the same time every day.
round about / 'raund :l,baut/ an informal expression
meaning at some time a little before or after a particular
time, day etc, especially because you cannot remember
which (adv phrase}
He left the house round about four o'clock. ! It was built
during thi! height ofthe Inca empire, round about 1500. I Thi!
job should be finished round about March next year.
or thereabouts /;,:T ,6ear~'bautsl you say or there-
abouts after you have stated a time, date etc, that is not
exact, especially when it is not important to know the exact
time, date etc
They're old apartments, built in the 19305 or thereabouts. I
The book will be published in Mayor thereaoouts.
circa I''':'kol circa 1920/1850/1492 ete (used especially
when you are saying when something happened in history)
Iprep l
This plate was manufactured circa 1865. I Evidence shows
that he lived circa 980 AD.
some tlme / ,sAm 'talml at a time in the past, but you do
not know exactly when or it is not important exactly when
[adv phrase ]
Some time between 1477 and 1480 lhi! Pope visited Milan. I
A historic change in public attitudes took place some time
in the 19605. I This animal began living on land at some time
during the last hundred million years.
5 approximately correct
roughly
more or less
roughly l 'rAfli/ ladul
Yes, that 's roughly the right answer. I As long as you know
roughly how to do it that's OK.
more or less 1IlTO:r ;,:T lies'", if something is more or
less correct, it is goed or correct enough to be accepted even
if it is not perfect [adv phrase]
"Have I done this right?" "Yes, more or less. "I OK it wasn 't
perfect - but it was more or less in the right position.
APPROXIMATELY 56 AREA

6 words for describing a number or amount 3 the area around a building, around the place
that is approximately right where you live etc
approximate baUpark figure 4 an area in a house, garden, office etc that is
rough approximation used for a particular purpose, although it is
not a completely separate room
approximate f a'proks~m~t 11 ;)'pro:k-I an approximate 5 a large area of land, especially an open area
number or amount is approximately the correct number
or amount especially because it has been calculated to be without buildings or crops
so (adj usually be/ore noun] 6 an empty area in the middle of a larger area
An expert could give you the approximate value DJ the that is not empty
picture. I It's important to know the approximate date DJ 7 an area of a country, town etc that a person
manufacture. I Before we accept a reservation we have to or group controls or is responsible for
know approximate numbers. 8 part of a surface that is different from the
rough ITAfl rough guess/calculationiestimate/indica- parts around it
tion (=approximately correct, and therefore not to be used
for detailed or important work) ladj only before rwunl
It'sonlya rough calculation. but it gives us some idea a/how
much food we'll need. I These results are only rough esti· 1 an area of land that forms part of the world or
mates. I Evidencefrom/ossils can give us a rough indication part of a particular country
of how old tlU! rock is.
area country
ballpark figure I 'bo:lprurk ,f'gor 11 -,f'gjorl an American region locality
expression meaning a number or amount that is approxi-
mately correct [n Cl zone
A ballparkflgurejor the cost v/the construction is $2.5 mil- area / 'eari~/ (n Cl
lion. I The price of houses in the new devewprrumt is yet to People in many areas ofthe world suffer from a shortage of
be set, but you can expect a ballpark/igure of $200,000. water. t The Lake District is one of the most beautiful areas
approximation I~,proks l tme tJan 11 ~lpro!k -I a formal in England. ! Police think the troublemakers camefrom out·
word meaning a number or amount that approximately sick the area. t sb's area (=the area where someone lives)
correct In Cl If you want to find out what's going on in your area, listen
$5,000 seems to be a reasonable approximation of the actual to your local radio station,
cost. I Thefigure they give you is only an approximation of region / 'ri:dynJ a large area which is part of a country
the total amount. but it'll give you a good idea. or part of the world [n Cl
The South East region of England is densely populated. I
approximation A PPROXIMATELY 6
There has been a series of explosions in the Basque region
apt RIGHT/PROPER 2
of Nortlwm Spain. t This variety ofrice is grown mainly in
apt: be apt to do 8th OFTEN 2 cool temperate regions.
aptitude CAN 6
aptitude: have an aptitude for GOOD AT 3 zone /zaunJ a large area which is different from other
aquatic WATER 7
areas, for example because it has particular types of
arbltra'Y CHANCE/BY CHANCE 5
problems or because a war is taking place there In Cl
San Francisco and Tokyo are both located in earthquake
arbitrate JUDGE 6 zones. I For many years the Tibetan border was aforbidden
arbitration JUDGE 6
zonefor wesrem tourists. I war/battle/combat rone It was
archaic OLD-FASHION ED 4
diffocult to believe we were in a war zone. for there was no
archetypal TYP ICAL 1
architect DESIG N 3, PLAN 8
architecture BUILD 2 , 3
sound of gunfire or aircraft flying overhead.
country /1 kAntri/ an area of land which is of a particular
,
•
archives RECORD 2
type or which is used for a particular activity, lived in by
arctic COLD 5
particular people ete [n Dl
Not many people live in tlU! dry hill country. I TIU! Midwest
ardent STRONG FEELI NG OR BELI EF 1
is largely farming country, where huge wheaifields stretch
arduous DI FFICU LT 3
in every direction. t This was all lroquois country. stretch-
area AREA 1 , 2 , 4 , AREA O F KNOWLEDGE, DUTIES,
ing from the forest across the plain to the river.
STUDY ETC 1. SIZE 2
locality /l~u 1ka:l~ti/ a formal word meaning a small area
of a country [n Cl
1area 1,--------::-:-,...,..-----, In some localities the prlceofhousing has risen by more than
I The city council is responsible
50% in less than 6 months.
for the provision offire services in each locality.
which meaning? -~..,
2 an area in or around a town or city
area of land, space
, -; . AREA area zone
district block
area ·;',! knQwIedge. - a AREA OF neighbourhood! suburb
, 8\C .
duties, study KNOWLEDGE, '
DUTIES, STUDY I nelghborhood
quarter
sector
precinct
ETC
area / 1e3ri~/ [n Cl
We lived in Moc/ifeld, a working-class area of Duisburg. t
The house is situated in a quiet residential area. t In other
• AREA areas of the city, fighting continUed.
district I'dlstrlktf a particular area ofa town or city, espe-
part of the world, a country, town, the earth's cially one that has official borders for the purpose of
surface etc - governing the city (n Cl
The riots /ook place in the Toxteth district of Liverpool. I
1 an area of land that forms part of the world or
In some outlying districts mail ckliveries were still very
part of a particular country slow. t They drove through the old warehouse district of the
2 an area in or around a town or city city.
AREA
neighbourhood (British) I nelghborhood (American)
11 neTooThudl a small area of a town or city where people live,
especially where people know each other, are friendly with
each other etc [n Cl
Gloria grew up in a Cuban neighborhood in Miami. I
Ogikubo is a quiet, rather sleepy neighbourhood in the west
part of Tokyo. 1 This used to bea really nice neighbourhood
be/ore the property developers moved in.
quarter I lkw:l:Tt;JTI an area in a town or city that is lived
in by people of a particular type or nationality In Cl
They rented a house in the Creole Quarter of New Orleans. I
The Dahdah palace in the old Jewish quarter of Damascus
is a fine example of decorative architecture.
zone /z:Jun/ part of a city that is officially divided from
other parts because it is of a particular type [n Cl
This is a residential zone, where no commercial buildings
are allowed. I pedestrian zone (:::a zone where"cars, motor-
cycles etc are not allowed) Most ojthecity centre is now a
pedestrian zone.
block IbIDk 11 blo:kl one of the regular square areas, sur-
rounded by four streets, into which some cities and towns
are divided In C]
Most of the families on our block were Italian Americans. I
He used to walk around the block ten times every day to get
some exercise.
suburb l 'sAoo: Tbl an area that is on the edge ofa city, espe-
cially a newly-built area of houses with no factories [n Cl
They bought a house in a quwt suburb of London, call£d
Bromley. I Tire western suburbs ofPhiladelphia stretch for
miles.
sector 1I sekt~T / a part of a city that is completely divided
from other parts, usually because there is fighting between
the different parts In C)
Tire bombings took place in the eastern sector of tire city. I
Western visitors to the Russian sector of Berlin all used to
have to go through Checkpaint Charlw.
precinct J'pri:Sll)ktJ an area of an American city which
is officially divided from other parts and wh ich has its own
police department etc [n Cl
They're having trouble up at thefourteenth precinct. I Every
precinct in the city is suffering financial problems.
3 the area around a building, around the place
where you live etc
surroundings
surrounding area
surroundings /SZJ lraundIl)zf (n plura l]
It 's taken me a few weeks to get used to my new surround-
ings. I The old docks are quite unusual surroundings for a
th£atre. I The house is set in beautiful surroundings near
Lake Coniston.
surrounding area 1~ , raUndlfJ 'eari~/ the area all around
a building, street, city etc In Cl
The city is ugly, but the surrounding area is beautiful and
unspoilt. I Police have searched the surrounding area, but
they have still not found the boy.
4 an area in a house, garden, office etc that is
used for a particular purpose , atthough it is
not a completely separate room
area
area / 'eari;)f Cl
[n
Part of the factory has been designated a no-smoking area. I
Tfu! kitcfu!n area has a beautiful til£df/OOr. 1 Tfu! long huts
have a sleeping area at either end and a communal areofor
eating and working_
5 a large area of land , especially an open area
without buildings or crops
expanse
stretch
tract
57 AREA
expanse I1k I sprensl a large continuous area of land,
water, or sky [n Cl
expanse of water/sand etc Jake gazed out over the
expanse ofdesert that lay Wore him I expanse Their ances-
tors /uu1 crossed these great expanses in s17UJll woolhm boats. 1
vast expanse (:::very large expanse) What chance did we
have of making it across this vast expanse of ocean?
stretch IstretIf an area of land or water, especially one
which is long and narrow (n Cl
stretch of road/water etc The stretch ofcoastline between
Barcelona and the French border is called the Costa Brava. I
Tfu! two lovers walked hand in hand along a deserted stretch
of beach. I stretch The road is very icy along this particu-
lar stretch.
tract ft rcektl a very large continuous area of land ofa par-
ticular type, especially an area which is difficult to cross
In C usually plural )
Vast tracts ofvirgin rainforest are being cut down every year
in order to supply timber. I Siberia has huge tracts offrozen
tundra, rich in oil and mimrals.
6 an empty area in the middte of a targer area
that is not empty
clearing
space
clearing / 'klI;mlJ/ a small empty area of land in the
middle of a forest or wood, especially where the trees have
been cut down In Cl
A small deer stood on the edge of the clearing. IIn the clear-
ing afu!ad of tfu!m they saw what looked like a plane.
space /spels/ a small empty area which is available for
you to sit down in , stand in, leave your car in, etc [n Cl
an empty space in the car park I There's a space over there
by the bar where we can sit.
7 an area of a country, town etc that a person
or group controls or is responsible for
territory
patch
turf
territory l'lerl!>ri 11 -to:ril In C/ U)
Each of the company's salesmen has a particular territory
to look after. 1 Many birds will attack otfu!r birds which enter
their territory. I neutral territory (:::an area which no one
controls) The mgotiations will be held on neutral territory.
patch /p<.etII an informal British word meaning the area
that someone such as a policeman works in and controls
In C usually singular ]
Detectives listenfor rumours ofanything happening on their
patch. 1 He knew his patch so well that fu! could have walked
round it with his eyes closed.
turf It3: T fl a n informal American word meaning the area
that a person or group, controls and defends against anyone
competing for it (n UJ
Police are worried that a gang war over turf is about to
begin. I When times get hard, people stop working together
and just protect their own turf
8 part of a surface that is different from the
parts around it
patch
spot
patch /pretII a small area which is different or looks differ-
ent from the area which surrounds it [n Cl
Even at in the afternoon there are still often icy patches on
the road. I a triangular patch of sweat on tire back of his
shirt I A man with a gun was crouching in a patch of shade
next to the wall.
spot Ispnl 11 spa"1 a small area that has been changed,
especially damaged, and looks different [n Cl
There 's a damp spot behind the washing machine.
AREA OF KNOWLEDGE, DUTIES, STUDY ETC 58
. AREA OF
KNOWLEDGE,
DUTIES, STUDY
ETe
1 an area of knowledge, duties, study etc
1 an area of knowledge , duties, study etc
area ' realm
field sphere
world branch
domain
province
,1
are. e3ri;)/ln Cl
I don '( know MW Philip got the computing job, he's never
been very good in that area. I The President has won popu-
lar support because DJ his re/onns in two key areas, health
and education. I As part o[ his research, Dr Friedman has
been carrying out investigations in the area oflu!art disease. I
One area of concern is the increase in juvenile crime.
field lfi:ldl a particular subject or area of study, especially
one that you know a lot about In Cl
She is a psychiatrist, one of the most brilliant in her fzeld. 1
Whatfleid o/research are you working in at the moment? I
I'd better consult an engineer on this one. Electronics isn '(
really my field.
world Iw'J! fJdl a word meaning a particular area of
activity or work, used especially when talking about all the
people who work in that area (n C usually singular )
Ronald Reagan was an actor who went into the world of
politics. 1 Heis nowoneofthe richest and mostsUCC€SSful men
in the business world.
domain /d~'me ln , ckxJ..J a formal word. meaning a particu-
lar area of activity, interest, or knowledge to which some-
thing belongs In Cl
For centuries housework and shopping have been identified
asfemale domains. I Th£ question ofchild safety has shifted
from the educational domain to the political domain.
realm JrelmJ a formal word meaning a general area of
thought, interest, or knowledge [n Cl
This question takes us into the higher realms of scientific
knowledge. 1 The film examines the realms of human
fantasy. 1 military strategy, the realm in which soldiers have
to display intellect as well as courage
sphere /sfl~rl a particular area of activity, interest,
knowledge etc, especially one that people consider should
be respected or admired [n Cl
His greatest achievements have been in the diplomatic
sphere. 1 EVen in the most advanced spheres of learning his
work has been recognized as being influential.
branch Ibra'"tJ 11 bcrentJI one part of a large area of study
or knowledge In Cl
Geometry is a branch 0/mathematics. 1 Photography has in
the last twenty years become a respectable branch of fine
arts. 1 The organization has provided fundin g for various
branches of agricultural research including pesticides.
provlnce /'provAns 11 'pro:-' ifaparticular subject or area
of activity is someone's province, it is a subject or area of
activity about which they know a lot or for which they are
responsible (n singular]
I have read a little about divorce la w, but it isn't really my
province. 1Some people think that teaching a child morals
is the teacher's province, rather than the parents'.
l argue ARGUE 1, SAY/STATE 3
ARGUE
• ARGUE
1 to argue with someone about something
2 to argue about something very unimportant
3 to argue about very small details, in a way
that is annoying
4 to deliberately try to start an argument
5 a situation in which people are arguing
6 a situation in which there is serious
disagreement between people, especially
concerning important public matters
7 words for describing someone who often
argues or likes arguing
8 to agree to stop arguing
9 ways of saying that a bad situation or
unpleasant problem makes people argue with
each other
1 to argue with someone about someth ing
argue be at each other's throats
have a row clash
quarrel reason with
fight
argue l 'a:'gju:1 Iv I]
Jim and Beth seem to spend all their time arguing. 1 argue
with sb He said there was nothing wrong with the car, and "
I wasn't going to argue with him. 1argue about sth We
started to argue about stupid things, like who last did the
ironing. 1 Two men were sitting at a table, arguing loudly
about politics. 1argue over sth (=argue especially about
who should have something) The family argued bitterly
over who would inherit the house.
have a row /hrev Cl 'raul a British expression meaning
to argue angrily and noisily with someone, for a short time,
especially with someone you know very well [v phrase)
I could hear the neighbours shouting. I think they were
having a row. 1 have a row with sb Jenny had a terrible
row with her father last week. 1 h ave a row over (=have a
row, especially about who should have something) Kelvin
and his Wife have endless rows over money. 1 have a blaz-
ing row (=a very serious row) My husband and I had a
blazing row last night - he's not speaking to me now.
quarrel / ' kWDld1 11 ' kw~ : - , 'kwo:-' to argue angrily. espe-
cially for a long time and in a way that seems silly or
unnecessary to other people [v 11 .
Whenever my sisters meet they always end up quarrelling. 1
quarrel with sb Bob left his job after quarrelling with his
boss. 1quarrel about/over We often quarrel about money. 1
The two reporters quarrelled over who should write the news
article.
fight Ifaft! to argue in an angry and violent way for a fairly
long time, especially with someone you know well Iv IJ
Kerry's parents are alwaysfighting - I'm not surprised she
left home, I flghtover/ about Th£pro·/ifershavebeenFrght·
ingover the rightsofunoorn children. l /fyoutwodon 'tstop
fighting about what to watch I'll turn the television off.
be at each other'. throats /bi: ~t i:tJ ,i\Oarz '8r.x.Jts/
if two people or groups are at each other's throats they
are always arguing in a very violent or nasty way because
they cannot agree about something IV phrase) 1
Our management and union leaders are always at each
other's throats over pay and working conditions.
clash IkJ"'JI if two groups of people clash, they argue
publicly with each other about a particular subject IV 11
clash with sb Democrats clashed with Republicans in a
hooftd debare about unemployment. I clash over sth France
and Britain are likely to clash over the proposed space
programme.
ARGUE
reason with ,'ri::zatl WIO/ to argue calmly with someone
who you think is behaving in an unreasonable way and try
to persuade them to change their mind {v T not in passive]
Herparents have tried to reason with her, butshejust won't
listen to them.
2 to argue about something very unimportant
squabble
bicker
squabble l'skwDb.l 11 'skwa:-/ Iv 11
Listen to those players squabbling! Why don '( they just get
on with the game? I squabble about/over I don 't see the
point a/squabbling over afew cents. Just give him his money.
bicker /'blka r / to continually argue about something
unimportant in a way that annoys other people Lv I)
Whenever we go shopping together we always start bicker-
ing. t bicker about/over Jfyou two don't stop bickering
over who goes to the store, neither of you are going.
bickering [n DJ She never visits her parents because she
can't stand the constant bickering.
3 to argue about very small details, in a way
that is annoying
quibble pedantic
split hairs fussy
nitpicklng
quibble 1I kwrball to argue unnecessarily about unimpor-
tant details, especially about whether something is exactly
oarrect Iv 11
quibble over They spent the whole holiday quibbling over
the best exchange ratesfor traveller's cheques. I quibble She
said lowed her twenty dollars. I thought it was only fifteen
but I wasn't going to quibble.
quibble (n C] Thequestion is whether sociolngycan becalled
a science. This is not just a quibble(=an argument in which
someone is quibbling) over words.
split hairs / rsplIt 'he;)czl to argue that there is a differ-
ence between two things when really the difference is too
small to be important Iv phrase usually in progressive]
"Her degree isn't in mathematics, it's in mathematical
science. .. "You're splitting hairs. We just want someone who
can teach maths." I I think there's a difference between
rkmocratic socialism and social democracy, but perhaps I'm
splitting hairs.
nltplcklng I lnltlPlklIJI an informal word meaning the
annoying habit of arguing about Wlimportant details, espe-
cially in someone's work In V1
I've had enough ofyour constant nitpicking. Why can't you
say something encouraging?
nitpicking [adj only before noun 1 these nitpicking old
teachers, who get upset if you miss out an apostrophe
pedantic Iplldrentlkj someone who is pedantic is always
arguing about small details of correctness and unimpor-
tant rules, especially in speech and writing [adj]
Don't be so pedantic, does it really matter if I didn't
pronounce it exactly right? I He was an elrkrly, pedantic
teacher who was TTWre interested in punctuation than poetry.
fussy /'fll.sil someone who is fussy is always arguing
about unimportant details of correctness, neatness, com-
fort etc and is hard to please [adj1
fussy about He's very fussy about his drinks being served
in the right kind ofglass. I fussy Mrs Pritchard is th£fussi-
est person I've ever met. She gets upset ifshefmds even a hair
on her precious carpet.
4 to deliberately try to start an argument
start an argument make an Issue of
pick a fight/a quarrel have a bone to pick with
stir it/stir It up play sb off against
start an argument l,sta:Ct;)n la:CgjgmOlntl [v phrase)
I didn't want to start an argument, so I kept quiet.
pick a fight (also pick a quarrel in British English)
59 ARGUE
I,Plk;) 'faIt, ;) IkwOldi H -'kw:J: -/ to deliberately start an
argument by saying something that you know will make
the other person angry [v phrase ]
Just ignore him, he's always pickinglIghts. I pick a fight!
quarrel with Burton was at the bar, trying to pick a quarrel
with a stranger.
stir It (British) I stir " up (American) I'stm It, ,sl3r It "pi
to deliberately do or say something to make other people
argue because you want to cause problems for them Iv
phrase1
Ignore him - he's just trying to stir things up because he's
jealnus. I Jackie had to come and stir it just as we were begin-
ning to get on with each other again.
make an Issue of /'me1k ;)n IIJu: DV/ to decide not to
ignore something wrong or unfair and to do something
about it even though it might cause an argument Iv phrase1
I don't think he~ going wmake an i$su£ofth£ mi$sing pens. I
Altlwugh she was annoyed that Ian had given her secret
away she decided not to make an issue of it.
have a bone to pick with I 'hre" 'boun t, ,plk WIOI
to want to start an argwnent with someone in order to criti-
cize them for something that they have done which has
annoyed you Iv phrase not in progressive1
I've got a bone to pick with you. Why have you been interfer-
ing in my private affairs? I Mansell believes he was wrongly
disqualured and so has yet anoth£r borw wpick with th£ race
judges.
play ab oH against I,plel (sb) 'Df ,genst 11 -'o:fl to
encourage two people or two groups of people to argue with
each other in order to gain an advantage for yourselflphr
vTI
Stalin managed to play the two opposing groups off against
each other and thus stay in power. I He's a very clever kid
and manages to play both parents off against each other.
5 a situation in which people are arguing
argument exchange
row showdown
quarrel altercation
disagreement rumpus
squabble ruckus
IIN spat
argument I IQ!rgj~lJl;)ntl (n C]
We don't see each other very often and, when we do, we have
arguments. II'm sorry I'm late - I got involved in an argu-
ment about fares with the ticket collector. I The pitcher
refused to be drawn into the argument between the umpire
and. the other players. I heated argument (=very angry
argument) A heated argument rkvelnped between them over
who should get custody of the children.
row /caul a British word meaning a loud, angry argument
which lasts for a short time, especially between people who
know each other very well In C]
There were always rows when my dad got Iwme. I blazing
row (=very serious row) A blazing row broke out down
below in the street between a young man and a woman.
quarrel/lkwDIdI 11 'kw:J:-, 'kwa:-/ a loud, angry argument
which lasts for a fairly long time [n C1
I had a lot of quarrels with my parents when I was a
teenager. 1Cara rang up her friend in tears to tell her about
the quarrel.
disagreement /ldIS;)lgri!JTl;)nt/ a situation in which
people argue, especially in a polite way, because they do
not agree about something In Cl
They've never IuJd a disagreement in all the years they've
been working together. I We've IuJd a small disagreement
about how much to spend on the renovations.
squabble "skwobal 11 'skwa: -/ a noisy argument about
something that is not important In Cl
Squabbksfrequently break out among th£ kids but they're
soon forgotten.
tiff /tJfl a word used especially in British English mean-
ing a short argument about something unimportant, espe-
cially between two people who are in love In Cl
ARGUE
lover's tiff It wasjusta silly lover 's t(fJ - wecouldn'( even
remember why it had started. I tiff She gets very upset over
the smallest tiff.
exchange /lks ' t!elnd31 a very short argument between
people or groups, especially in a formal or official situation
such as a political meeting In Cl
During angry exchanges in Parliament the Prime Minister
said Ire would not change existing policies. I The exchange
was typical oj the continuing friction between committee
members. I heated exchange After a h€ated exchange, the
two leaders refused to sign the agreement.
showdown /'f;M..Jdaun/ a serious argument that comes at
the end DCa period of time during wh ich there has been a
lot of disagreement and angry feelings [n C usua lly
singularl
Everyone in the ofTt.ce knew that there would be a showdown
sooner or later, the way things were going.
altareation 1,:):It~ rl ke lf;m/ a formal word meaning a
short argument bet ween two people, used especially when
you do not want to say how violent, emotional ete it was
In CI
They were embarrassed. by a slight altercation between Mr
Smithers and a hotel porter. I An altercation occurred at the
back 0/ the bus.
rumpus , ' rAmp;}sl a situation in wh ich a lot of people are
arguing, especially in a noisy angry way In singularl
There was a terrible rumpus over the lost money. I The PrimE
Ministl!r's announcement o/new tax rises caused. a rumpus
in Parliament.
ruckua 1IrAk;}sl a n American word meaning a situation
in which a lot of people are argui ng. especially in a noisy
angry way In singular l
There was a hell of a ruckus when I told them I'd crashed
the car.
spat /spret/ a word used in American English meaning a
short, angry argument, usually about something unimpor-
tant In Cl
The girls were having a spat in thE back of the car over who
got to use thEannrest. l It was just a little spat over who did
the dishes last.
6 a situation in which there is serious
disagreemenl between people, especially
conce rning important public matters
row
dispute
feud
row !raul a British word meaning a s it uation in which
there is serious disagreement between people, especially
concerning unimportant public matters [n Cl
Great Britain is seen as thE main cause ofthe row. I row over
The newspapers arefull ofstories about the continuing row
over private education.
dispute Idl'spju:t. ·dlspju:tl a situation in which two
countries or groups of people are publicly opposing each
other, for example, when employers and workers cannot
agree In Cl
There seems to be no end in sight to this long and bitter dis-
pute. I Carrington was aslm:J. what hE thought about the dis·
pute between South Africa and Namibia.
feud /fju:dl an unpleasant and often violent situation
between two groups, especially families, in which people
have been arguing for so many months, years etc that they
cannot remember the cause of it (n Cl
The/euti between the Haifwids and the McOJgs raged/or 20
years in AmericQat the end of the last century. I He has been
accused of letting personal feuds affect his judgement.
7 words for describing someone who often
argues or likes arguing
argumentative
quarrelsome
stroppy
argumentative I . o: rgjglment ~tlvl {adjl
60 ARGUE
When he drinks too much he becomes argumentative. I A par-
ticularly argumentative section of the committee /rept rais-
ing objections to the proposals.
quarrelsome I lkwDldlsam 11 ' kWJ!-. 'kwo:-I someone
who is q uarrelsome is easily annoyed, with the result that
they have a lot of arguments ladj ]
Paul has always had a Quarrelsome and violent nature.
stroppy I'strnpi 11 'stra:pil an informal British word:
someone who is stroppy is easily offended or annoyed and
is always getting into arguments with people ladjl
Some of the customers that come in hEre are so stroppy, you
hove ro be really carfiful whot you say. I She's got much more
stroppy since she gave up smoking.
8 to agree to stop arguing
make up/make It up clear the air
bury the hatchet conciliatory
be reconciled
patch up/settle your differences
make up/make It up "meJk lAp, ,me lk It IApl if two
people who know each other well m ake up or make it up
they stop arguing and start being friendly to each other
again (phr v lIT I
I'mgladtoseeyou two have made it up. I make it up/ make
up with Have you made it up with your mother-rn-law yet? I
kiss a nd m a k e up (=to stop arguing and become friends
again) ShE wants to kiss and make up, but he's being really
stubborn.
bury the hatchet " beri 00 'hrelf l~ to agree to stop argu.
ing and forgive each other, especially a long time after you
fIrst had the argument Iv phrase l
It's about lime they buried the hatchet after all these years. I
.,
Since those two buried the hatchet. life in the offu:.e has been
much quieter.
be reconciled Ibi: ·rek;}nsal ldl to agree to stop arguing,
especially because someone has helped you to become
friends again [v phrase1
Afrer a few days Jim and his mother were reconciled I be
recon ciled with Although they are prepared to be recon·
ciled with one another, neither is prepared to make thefirst
move.
recon ciliation I.rek;}nslli 'elfan/ In Ul Most of our argu-
ments end in reconciliation.
patch up/settle your differences , ,prelf 'P, ,setl jo:' 1
' d l fa r~ms1Z/ to end an argument by agreeing to ignore what
caused it and by saying you are sorry, because you want
to rema in friends Iv phrase ]
Their final attempt to settle their differences ended in disap-
pointment and separation. I patch up/settle your differ-
en ces with Gary's[irst priority on his return home was to
patch up his differences with his sister.
cle.r the air , .kll;}r 6i I~ rl to talk calmly and seriously
with someone about what you have been arguing about, in
order to end the disagreement and feel better rv phrasei
You were absolutely right to say what you did. It 's much
bettl!r to clear the air. I Somepeopi£ say that agood/ight is
the best way to clear the air.
conciliatory Ik;}n 'sll i;}tari 11 -t:miJ con clliatory gesture/
m essage/tone e tc (=intended to make someone stop argu-
ing with you) [ad)1
The tone of my letter had beenfriendly and conciliatory, so
I was disappointed by the cold reply I rocelved. I American
intelligencejlights over Cuba had been sropped as a concilia·
tory gesture.
t
9 ways of saying that a bad situation or
unpleasanl problem makes people argue with
each other
causellead to an argument
come between
cauae a rift between
cauaellaad to an argument I, b:z, .li:d w;m I a: rgj~­
ImntJ if an Wlpleasant situation or problem causes or leads
to an argum e nt, it makes people argue Iv phrase ]
ARGUE
Don't tell him about the missing rrwney. I'll only cause an
argument. I The cleaning rota always leads to arguments in
our house.
come between l .kArn bl 'twhn/ if a bad situation or a
problem comes between two people, it makes them argue.
usually with the result that they stop being friends Iv TI
We were such closejriends that I didn't think anything could
come between us. I The death oftheir baby soon came between
them and they were divorced the following year.
caus. a rift between 1,Io:z., 'ri ft bl 1twi:rl/ ifa bad sit-
uation, a problem etc causes a rift between two people,
it causeS them to have a small argument with the result
that they are not as friendly as they were before IV phrase 1
The strretfighting has caused a slight rif! between thecom·
munities involved. I Gossip columnists are speculating about
what caused a rift between the two stars.
• tages of using the British forces already present in the
argument ARGUE 5, REASON 4
argument: cause/lead to an argument ARGUE 9
argumentative ARGUE 7
arid DRY 2
arise HAPPEN 2 . START TO HAPPEN. EXIST ETC 2
arise from RESULT 8
aristocracy CLASS IN SOCIETY 2
ark: out of the ark OLD-FASHIONED 4
arm WEAPON 5
arm: take ab by the arm/hand ete HOLD 7
arm: twist ab's arm PERSUADE 3
arm: would give anything/give your right arm WANT 3
arm yourself WEAPON 4
armchair TAKE PART/BE INVOLVED 11
armed WEAPON 2
armed forces ARMY 1
armistice PEACE/NO WAR 4
arms WEAPON 1
arms: be up In arms ANGRY 3
arms: lay down arms PEACE/NO WAR 3
arms: put your arms around HOLD 7
arms: take sb In your arms HOLD 7
arms race WEAPON 4
army ARMY 1, 3
army: the army ARMY 1
. ARMY
1 an army
2 a member of an army
3 used by or connected with the army
4 the system by which people have a legal duly
to join the army for a certain period
1 an army
army forces
the army the military
navy armed forces
alrtorce the services
troops
arm,. I' a: r roil a large organized group of people trained
to fIght together on tand in a war In Cl
UnitsoftheNigerian army were quickly sent to tM border. 1
NajXJleon's diifeated army lost many soldiers in the winter
retreat from Moscow. 1 raise an army (=collect and
organize an army to fight a battle) In 1066 Willlam raised
an army and invaded England.
the army /Oi 'o:frrtil the part ofa country's forces that is
trained for fighting on land in a war (n singular with sin-
gular or plural verbs in British Englishl
My sons are both in the army. I Does the army still have an
important role in society? 1 Rejoined the anny when he was
seventeen. .
n.vy J'nelvil the part of a country's military forces that
is trained for fIghting a war at sea In Cl
61 ARMY
The German and British navies clashed at Jutland. I the
navy There was an intense rivalry between the US army and
navy. 1 My father was in the navy during the war.
"rforc."~f [:):fSJ the part ofa country's military forces
that is trained for flghting a war in the air (n Cl
The Amerirons have a very powerful aiJfora!. I the airforce
The airj'orr:e played a huge part in the Gulf War.
troops Ilru:psl soldiers. especially the ordinary soldiers
of an army rather than the officers (n plural]
When the riots did not stop, the troops were sent in to deal
with the situation. I Troops in poor physical rondition are
worthless.
force.,'fJ:fslzf groups of soldiers from a country'sanny,
navy and airforce In plural]
The town was captured by Itallanfon;es under the commond
of General Clano. I The United Nations could see the advan·
island. I This air attack almost wiped out the Burmesefon;es
on tM ground.
the military 100 ' m"!tari n -leril an expression usedespe-
cially in American English mean ing the anny. navy and
aitforce (n singular with singular or plural verb in British
English I
Several Senators calledfor the military to be sent in to deal
with the riots. 1 The military also openeiifire on a women's
iJ£monstration. 1a company that supplies ell!ctronic equip-
ment for the military
a rmed forc •• I,o:fmd 'f'J:fsAzJ the anny, navy, and
airforce of a particular country considered as a group
In plural l
the armed forces A new government minister is now
responsible for the armed forces. I armed forces They
mobilized armed forces for an attack on the enemy.
the ••rvlc •• /~; 'S3: f V!S!z/ an expression meaning the
anny. navy, and airiorce, used especially when you are
talking about someone having a job in the army etc
In plurall
Thefamily has a tradition ofgoing Into the services. I I learnt
a lot of basic engineering skills when I was in the services.
2 a member of an army
soldier
sailor
airman
soldier l's>uld:;o'1 a member of the army In Cl
He has been a soldier all his adult life.
. allor / 'sell;TI a member of the navy In Cl
Jane married a sailnr in the French navy.
airman I I ~ f mdnl a member of the airforce [n Cl
Three airmen were kt/led during the battle.
3 used by or connected with the army
military naval
army air
mlllta..,. J ' ml l ~tari 11 -teriJ used by or connected with the
army, navy, or airforce, especially the anny (adj only before
lWunl
Kuwait is buying military equipmentfrom theAmericans.1
The President visited a military cemel£ry at Bitburg. I All
military personnel are ordered to report to their bases
immediately. 1During the Suez Crisis,families were moved
into military camps for protection.
.rmV "o:rmiJ army officer/ vehicles/base etc (=con-
nected with or used by the army) (adj only before noun ]
There 's an American anny base nearby. 1 An annyjeep was
parked outside their house. 1Army oJTu:ers have overthroWn
the government in a well planned coup d 'etat.
nav.I /'nelval/ naval officer/base/attacklhospitaletc
(=connected with or used by the navy) ladj only before
noun ]
He recovered/rom his injuries in the naval hospital. 1 The
general had to protect the river from naval attack.
ARMY
air le~rl air base/attack/field/power etc (=connected
with or used by the airforce) ladj only before noun]
TIu! is/and'sdif= have been badly damaged by recent air
attacks. I an American airbase in southwest Germany
4 the system by wh ich people have a legal duty
to join the army for a certain period
military service be conscripted
conscription be called up/be drafted
military service , .mliluri IS3:rV~S 11 -teri-I the period of
time when someone has a legal duty to be in the army,
navy, or airforce In UJ
He did miliatry service in Vietnam. I All males between the
ages of 18 and 60 were liable/or military service. I My father
was exempted from military service on the grounds DJ ill
health.
conscription (also the draft in American English)
Ik~n l sk flpJ3n, ~ 'dra:ft 11 -'drreftf the system by which
every person in a particular age group has a legal duty to
join the anned forces, especially during a war In Ul
The drqft was introduced at the beginning of the war. 1
Right·wing politicians are trying to bring back cqnscrip-
tion.1 Young men tried to avoid conscription by escaping to
Switzerland.
be conscripted Jbi: bnlskflpt~dl if someone is con-
scripted they are made to join the anny forces by law
[v phrase]
Some ofthe men were volunteers, but most ofthem had been
conscripted and taiu!n awayfrom their families. 1 Badfeel·
ing grew as newly-conscripted soldiers were prorrwted more
quickly than regular soldiers. 1 be conscripted. into Many
of the young soldiers who were conscripted into the army in
World War 1 did not want to fight.
be called up (British) I be drafted (American) Ibi: ,io:ld
I,..p, 'dro:ft!d 11 -'drref-J if someone is called up or drafted
they are officially ordered to join the armed forces during
a war Iv phrase]
I was called up 3 months qfter tlu! First World War broke
out. I Thausands of young Americans were drafted In fight
in the war in Vietnam.
aroma SMELL 2
aromatic SM ELL 4
around the clock CONTINUOUS 3
around APPROXIMATELY 4
around: be around HERE 5, THERE 4
around: get around to DO 4
around: go around in circles PROGRESS 4
around: have been around EXPERIENCED 2
around: not be around HERE 6, THERE 7
around here HERE 2
around the corner NEAR 4
around the corner: be around the corner SOON 5
around there THERE 1
• AROUND/ROUND
around something or moving around
something
1 around
2 to move into a position where you are around
someone or something
3 to be around something or ·someone
4 to move around something or someone in a
circle
5 to go around the outside of an area or place,
rather than going through it or across it
1 around
around
all around
on all side&lon every side
62 AROUND/ROUND
around (also round especially in British English)
f(;J) I raund/ in a circular shape, movement, or arrangement
around someone or something [prep/ adv ]
A group of boys sat inacircle around a camp/ire. 1 Thecom-
plex consist£d ofa central courtyard with houses all around.1
Insects were buzzing noisily around the lamp. 1 Ipushed the
gate open and walked around the back of the /wuse. watch-
ing outfor the dog. I He put his arm round lu!r. "We'll be all
right, darling," he said. 1 Why don't you tie some string
around it?
all around (also all round in British Eng lish) 1,0:1
(;})'raund .. , around someone or something in every direc-
tion [prep/ adv phrase]
My eyes moved slowly all round the room, taking in every
detail. 1 With snoWflakes swirling all around him, he could
hardly see ahead. 1 The prison yard is the size of a tennis
court, with a high fence all around.
on all sides/on every side Inn 1:>:1 lsaldz, nn levri Isaldl
aroWld in every direction, especially in a way that gives
you a feeling of being unable to move or escape (adv phrase]
As the sea came in. water flowed around the boat on all
sides. 1 They were hemmed in by the mountains on all sides. 1
Traces of history were visible on every side; a mosaic here,
and a piece of broken pottery there,
2 to move into a position where you are around
someone or something
surround crowd around
gather round mob
encircle
surround IsalraundJ ifa group of people surrounds some-
one or something, they move so that they are all around
them, especially in order to attack them or take them away
tv T ]
The plan was to surround the enemy camp and cut off their
escape route. 1 Security guards surrounded the singer to pro-
tect her from her fans.
gather round l ,g8OOo ' 'mundl ifagroup of people gather
round someone, they move so that they are around them,
especially in order to listen or to see what is happening
[v liT ]
gather round sb A crowd gathered round the speaker in
the park. 1 Passers·by quickly gathered round the injured
man, and com/orted him until the ambulance arrived. I
gather round Gather round, children, I have something to
IIdl you.
encircle 1I n I53: fbll if a group of people encircle some-
one or something, they move so that they are completely
aroWld them, making it impossible to escape Iv T]
Troops encircled the city and began firing ruckets at the
government buildings. 1Military police began encircling the
marchers with their cars.
crowd around (also crowd round in British English)
I,kraud (;J) 'raundl to form a crowd standing closely around
someone or something, often pushing forward to see what
is happening Iv l i T!
crowd around sb/sth A group ofpeople crowded around
tlu! injured cyclist. I Women crowiled round tIu! markEt Slnlls,
eager for bargains. 1crowd around The corridor wasfull
at break time, with all the students crowding around to look
at the examination results.
mob /mob Hma:b/ to move forward in a noisy and excited
way and fonn a crowd aroWld someone, for example in
order to express admiration or to attack them rv T]
TIu! Beatles were rrwbbed by fans wlu!rever tlwy went. I
Angry crowds were waiting outside the courthouse ready to
mob the rapist as police brought him out.
3 to be around something or someone
surround be framed by
ring enclose
surround /s;J 'raundJ [v TJ
be surrounded by The house was surrounded by a low
hedge. I Grandmotlu!r sat in an armchair, surrounded by h£r
 AROUND/ROUND
family_ I We have the building surrounded! Throw your
weapons on the ground and come outside with your hands
up. I surround sb/ 5th A thick layer a/insulating material
surrounds the electric cables.
ring /nol to surround something circular. fonning a line
around it lV T usually in passive)
be ringed by/ with The field was ringed by a row of
cottages. I Her large eyes were ringed with black eyeliner. I
ring sth A low line of trees rings the clearing at the edge of
the/orest.
be framed by /bi: Ifrelmd ball if something that you are
looking at is framed by something, you see it within the
borders of that thing Iv phrasel
1 could see the church tower framed by the windows. I Her
small face was frarrwd by a mass of red hair. \ be framed
in His tall body was framed in the light 0/ the doorway.
enclose IIn'kl<X)zl to fonn a wall or covering around
something, which keeps it separate from everything out-
side it [v T usually in passive]
be enclosed by The garden is completely enclosed by a high
wall. I The fish live in a shallow tropical lagoon, which is
enclosed by a coral reef \ be enclosed in Jerry had 10 spend
two months enclosed in a huge plastic bubble, to prevent him
from catching germsfrom other children. I enclose sth TIu!
fence enclosing the prison compound is constantly patrolled
by armed guards.
4 to move around something or someone in a
circle
go around in orbit
circle lap
orbit circuit
go around (also go round in British English) / ,g,u
(,)'raund/ Iv TI
In the old days people believed that the sun went around the
earth. I We went round thefielda couple of times to get some
fresh air.
circle 1153: rkall to go around something in a circular
movement, especially above it in the air [v I/ Tl
circle sth Our plane had to circle the airport twice Wore
landing. I circle over/above There were a number of
vultures circling over the dying animal.
orbit 11 J: rbltf if something orbits the earth or a star, it
I goes around it in a continuous circular movement [v TJ
The spaceship will orbit the earth/or 7 days. \ Satellites orbit-
ing the planet send back photographs every few minutes.
In orbit /In 'J: 'bltJ if something is in orbit, it is travel-
ling around the earth. the sun, a star etc [adv phrase)
Th£ shuttle can remain in orbit around the earth for up to
9 days. \ go into orbit (=start travelling around the earth
etc) The rocket shot up into the sky and went into orbit.
lap /1rep/ one complete journey around a race track (n Cl
She ran two laps before stoppingfor breath. I Here comes the
rider in the lead, about to start the last lap now.
circuit / 153!rk~tf one complete journey all the way around
a large area In C)
We made a complete circuit of the bay before heading out to
sea. \ Aftercompletlng 3circuUsofthepark, Rodrwysat down
on a benchfor a rest. I Afast driver can do a circuit in under
30 seconds.
5 to go around the outside of an area or place,
rather than going through it or across it
skirt
skirt ,sh't, Iv I/ TI
skirt sth I skirted the village, and presently came to a main
road. I Skirting the lake she made Mr way slowly across the
,wllL\ skirt around/round We trudged on, skirting round
the houses as widely as possible.
~ arouse CAUSE 4 r.arrang./ri:~'reInd31 to arrange a group of things so
arouse expectations EXPECT 5
!J: arrange ARRANGE A GROUP OF THINGS OR PEOPLE 1.
~ ARRANGE A MEETING. EVE NT ETC 1
63 ARRANGE A GROUP OF THINGS OR PEOPLE
1arr ang e 1------.,.------,------,
---
which meaning? .
--;: , .
I 'arrange a group of e ARRANGEA
things or people GROUP OF
THINGS OR
PEOPLE
arrange a meeting, • • ARRANGE A
event ete MEETING,
EVENTETC
e ARRANGEA
GROUP OF THINGS
OR PEOPLE
1 to arrange a group of things or people
2 the way in which a group of things or people
are arranged
1 to arrange a group of things or people
arrange order
set out put 8th In order
be laid out rearrange
line up
arrange !~'remd31 to put a group of things or people in
a particular order or position Iv T I
arrange sb/sth The phatographer was busy arranging the
children for their group plwtograph. I arrange sth in
pairs/rows/groups etc The desks u<!re arranged in pairs. \
arrange sth/sb in a circle Can you arrange yourselves in
a circle so that everyone can see me? 1 arrange sth alpha-
betically (=acoording to the letters of ihe alphabetl The
books are arranged alphabetically according 10 author. \
arrange sth/sb in order of height/importance etc The
vases were arranged in order of height.
set out 11set I aut! arrange a group of things on a surface
so that they can be used or looked at [phr v TJ
set out 5th We need somebody to set out the chairs before
the meeting. I John set out all his pictures on the/loor for us
to see. I set sthlthem out He set the trophies out on the shelf,
so we could admire them.
be laid out !bi: Ileld laut! if a town, building etc is laid
out in a particular way, it is arranged in that way accord-
ing to a particular plan (v phrase]
I like the way your office is laid out - it's still open-plan but
everyone has some privacy. I Kyoto is laid out according to
a grid system.
line up ' 1Ialn t llp/ to arrange people or things in a line iphr
vTI
line up sb/ sth «Line up your men, " said the police inspec-
tor. I line sb/sth ctc up "Do you want me to put the bottles
on this table?" "Yes - line them up."
order ! 'J:rd~r l to arrange a group of things so that one
comes after the other in a particular order {v Tl
The psycho log}' books are ordered according to title, not
according to author.
put sth In order I I put (sth) In 'J:rd~rl to arrange a group
of things so that they are in the correct order [v phrase)
Put these numbers in their correct order. I can you put these
papers in order, please?
that they are arranged in a different way from before Iv T}
"This room looks different, have you paint£d it?" "No, I just
ARRANGE A GROUP OF THINGS OR PEOPLE
completely rearranged thefurniture. "I Writing is a lot easier
with a word processor.l can even rearrange paragraphs at
the push 0/ a butwn.
2 the way in which a group of things or people
are arranged
arrangement
formation
arrangement 1;;)'relnd3~ntJ [n Cl
There was a beautifuL arrangement a/flowers on the table. I
The picture is based on an interesting arrangement ofshapes
and designs.
formation IfJ:f'melfan/ the way in which a group of
planes, sh ips, soldiers etc are arranged [n C/ U)
Formations of Iraqi tanks were lined up along the border
with Kuwait. I in formation (=in a particular fonnation
used when flying or sailing together) Tlu! planes flew over
in formation.
e ARRANGEA
MEETING, EVENT
ETC
1 to plan and make preparations for something
such as a meeting, a concert, or a party
2 to arrange to meet someone
3 to carefully or secretly arrange the way
something happens, so that you get the result
that you want
4 the events or details that have been arranged
5 someone who arranges a large public event
1 to plan and make preparations for something
such as a meeting, a concert or a party
arrange make the arrangements!
organize take care of the arrangements
fix/fix up line up
set up pencil in
promote
arrange /.',emd3/lv I/ T J
arrange sth It is very difjICult to arrange meetings with her
wmn she is so busy. ! I've been trying to arrange a surprise
party for mr 30th birthday. ! He arrived at 11 0 'clock, as
arranged.! arrange to do sth Let's arrange to have dinner
together some time soon. I arrange for sb to do 5th I could
arrangefor you to comeawng with us ifyou like. ! arrange
for 5th Alan will take you to a howl and arrange for your
accommodation there. J arrange when/where/how etc
Let's arrange where to meet and then we can decide what to
do next.
organize (also ·Ise British) IIJ:Tg.malzl to arrange and
be responsible for an event, especially one that involves a
lot of effort and preparation [v TJ
I've been asked to organize a party for the children. I The
exhibition was organised by the Fine Arts Society. I More
than 500,000 took part in tm demonstrations organized I:Jy
the Civic Forum and other protest groups.
organization I 1:J: Tg3nalIzelJ.?n 11 -n3-/ [n UJ Who will be
responsible for the organization of social events?
fix/flx up /flks, Iflks IAp/ to arrange something, especially
for someone else, in order to help them or because they
cannot arrange it for themselves (v TJ
fix\sth/flX up sth Don't worry, Jean has already.f1.X£d
everything. I We have done our best tojrx up a meeting but
they haven't shown any interest. I fix sth/it/them up We
need to get all the sales stajJtogether for a conference - could
I leave it to you toju it up, Jam? I fix it for sb to do 5th
She canjrx it/or you to see the show/ree if you want.
64 ARRANGE A MEETING, EVENT ETC
.et up 1I set IApl to arrange everything that is necessary
to start or establish something, especially an important
public meeting (phr v T J
set up sth They set up a committee to study the possibility
a/equal pay for women. I An accident inquiry was immedi-
awly set up by the Transportation Commission. 1set sth/it/
them up It was lsobel who had set the whole thing up, right
down to the last detail.
make the arrangements/take care of the
arrangements 'Imelk Oi o)'ie llldJrn.mts, telk ,ke<}r;)v Oi-/
to arrange all the details of an event after you have decided
what you are going to do [v phrase I
Uncle Bill hos made all the funeral arrangements. I make
the arrangements for Margot and Paul went up to London
to make the arrangements/or the wedding. I The marketing
people will take care ofall the arrangements/or the presen-
tation. I make arrangements to do 5th Tm local news-
paper made arrangements to record an interoiew with
Pro/essor Stein.
Une up Illaln I APt to make arrangements so that someone
or something will be available for you or for someone else
when they are needed (phr v TJ
line up sb/sth I've lined up some people to help me at the
porty. I line up sb/sth for Eventuolly he took the job that
his/ather had lined up/or him with an electronic compony. 1
I've got a really good video lined up for tonight.
pencil In l ,pellS.?l I ml to arrange to meet someone or
arrange for something to happen on a particular date know-
ing that the arrangements may have to be changed later
!phr v TJ
pencil 5b/sth/it/ber etc in I'llpencilyou in but we might
have to change the meeting to Thursday. I pencil in sb/sth
Let's pencil in the 19th for now, and you get in touch later
i/you can't make it. I pencil sb/sth in for I'll pencil you
in/or October 17th, and we can confirm it nearer the time. I
Dates for the concerts are pencilled in for late next year.
promote Ipra'm~1 to be responsible for arranging a
large public event such as a concert or sports event [v T1
Both concerts were promoted by the World Music Co-
operative. I It is wrong that tobacco companies promote
sports events in order to get pUblicity.
2 to arrange to meet someone
arrange to meet
make a date
make an appointment
arrange to meet lo),remd3 to) lmi:t/ Iv phrase!
Tony and Maria arranged to meet ina bar on 14th Street. I
Reagan had arranged to meet Gorbachev the following
Spring.
make a date 'Imelk 3 'denl to arrange to go out with
someone to a restaurant, cinema etc, especially a friend or
someone that you want to have a sexual relationship with
Iv phraseJ
make a date with sb If you like her so much, you should
try and make a date with her. I make a date to do sth I can ~
come to the party tonight, I've already made a date to go to
the cinema.
make an appOintment 'Imelk <}n C} lpJIntm<}ntl to offi-
cially arrange to meet someone such as a doctor or a busi-
ness person [v phraseJ
You can't see the bank manager unl£ss you make an appoint-
ment. 1make an appointment with sb/to see sb I've made
an appointment to see my dentist next Tuesday.
3 to carefully or secretly arrange the way
something happens, so that you get the result
that you want
orchestrate engineer
stage-manage contrive
orchestrate I' J!Tklstreltl to make sure that something
happens, by making careful and often secret arrangements,
especially so that people do not realize it has been arranged
Iv TJ
 ARRANGE A MEETING, EVENT ETC
Treasury OfflCials are trying to orchestrate a sharp decline
in tful dollar. 1 TfuI so-called 'revolution' was infact orches·
trated by tful CIA.
orchestrated lactiJ TfuI newspaper article is part of a
carefully orchestrated campaign to persuade people to stop
smoking.
stage-manage /l steld3 ,mremd31 to secretly and care-
fully arrange for an event, especially a political event, to
happen in exactly the way that you want, without giving
the appearance that everything has been arranged [v
Most of thE 'spontaneous demonstrations' supporting the
President are stage-managed.
engineer ,.end3& ,nI;}rl to arrange for something to
happen w ithout anyone knowing that you have planned it
luTI
The soeialist party secretly engineered the defeat of tful
government. I They engineered his trans/er to a different
department because he was so unpopular.
contrive /bn'tralv! to arrange an event or situation in
a clever way. especially secretly and by tricking or deceiv-
ing people Iv TI
He contrived a meeting between his mother and her ex-
husband. I In the play Amos contrives a scheme to make Paul
pay back the money h£ owes him.
4 the events or details that have been arranged
arrangements
arrangements la l relnd3l1lants/ (n p lural I
What exactly are the arrangementsfor tomorrow, then? I The
President tkJesn't want any special arrangements for her
visit. I seating/travel/sleeping arrangements I'm not
very happy about the seating arrangements.
5 someone who arranges a large public event
organizer
promoter
,,
organizer / ' ~:tganal~tl [n C l
The organizers will give all profits from the show to char-
ity. I Police criticized the organizers of the game for not
taking adequate safety measures. I Chieffestival organizer
Josephine Barn,fieid insists that the concert will go ahead
despite the ban.
promoter I p~'mautatl someone who arranges, pays for,
and advertises a public event, especially a concert or sports
event Ln C]
Nichols is the biggest concert promoter on the West Coast. I
Tour promoter Charlie Baines expects audiences of over
15,000 at the band's first performances in Hong Kong.
arranged marriage MARRY 6
arrangement ARRANG E A GROUP OF THINGS OR
PEO PLE 2
arrangements ARRANGE A MEETING. EVENT ETC 4
arrangements: make the arrangements/take care of
the arrangements ARRANG E A MEETING,
EVENT ETC 1
arrears OWE 4
arrears: be In arrears LATE 5
arrest CATCH 3. STOP STH THAT IS HAPPEN ING 1
arrest: be under arrest KE EP S9 IN A PLACE 3
arrival ARRIVE 1
arrival: new arrival NEW 8
arrival: the arnval of BEGINNING 2
arrive ARRIVE 1, 2, 3. BABY/HAVE A BABY 4
_ ARRIVE
1 arrive at the place you are going to
2 ways of saying that someone or something
arrives at a place where you are waiti ng for
them
65 ARRIVE
3 ways of saying that a plane. train , bus, ship,
or passenger arrives at the airport, station ete
4 to arrive unexpectedly
5 to arrive at a place which you did not know
you were going to
TJ 1 arrive at the place you are going to
arrive get to
annval reach
get there make it
anlve la 1nuv/ lv I)
Give me a roll to let me know you've arrived safely. I They
were due to arrive on February 1st but were delayed by bad
weather. I arrive at/in/from We arrived at the airport on
time, only to be told our flight was cancelled. I Arriving in
Kunming after a tiring journey, the only thing we wanted
was a good, long sleep. I Specialfacilities are being provided
for the thousands of refugees arriving from Northern Iraq.
arrlval/a ' ralv<111 In VJ
Let me know the date and time ofyour arrivaL (=when you
arrive). I After myamvaL (=after[ arrived) in London, Iran
out of money. I Joe's sudden arrival (=the fact that he
arrived suddenly) spoiled all our plans. I on arrival
(=when you arrive) On arrival in Addis Ababa report to the
Ministry of Education.
gat the,. 1Iget Oe;;!tI an informal expression meaning to
arrive at the place you intended to arrive at {v phrase not
usually in progressive]
It'll take us half an hour to get there. I You can get there by
ferry. IIf tful package doesn't get there. will it be covered by
our insurance? I What time are you planning on getting
there?
get to / rget tu!1 an informal expression meaning to arrive
at a place Iv T not in progressive]
We'll call him when weget to california. I They drove until
they got to a restaurant Jimmy knew. I Turn left, and walk
down the street until you get to some traffic lights. I How are
you getting to the theatre? By train?
reach In:tl/ to arrive at a place, especially after a long or
difficult journey Iv T not in progressive]
By the time the expedition reached the summit, they had only
five days' supply offood left. 1 At about 90 'clack that night.
they reached Belvedere, and set about looking for a motel.
make It j 'melk Itj to manage to arrive at something such
as a party or a meeting Iv phrase not in progressiveJ
If we don 't make it on time, start without us. I make it to
Do you think you'll be abk to make it to the party?
2 ways of saying that someone or something
I@.I arrives al a place where you are waiting for
~ them
arrive show
get here be here
come here's Janel
turn up/show up the parcel etc
arrive I~ 'ralv/ l v IJ
Halfour guests arrived late, making the usual excuses. I New
shipments arrive every day at 10.00. 1After an hour, we were
still waiting for the soup to arrive. I What time does the mail
arrive in the morning?
artival In VJ Sandy waited nervously for his arrival.
arrival at/in Shortly after yourarrivai at the hotel, you will
be shown around the premises.
get here I' get hl ~tl an informal expression meaning to
arrive at the place where you are now Iv phrase not usually
tn progressive]
I'll have a good dinner waiting for you when you get here. I
What time did sful get Iu!re? 1 TfuI delivery got fulre at 60 'clock
- just in time.
come /kAm} if someone or something that you are expect·
ing comes, they arrive Iv I not in progressive ]
ARRIVE 66 ART/CULTURE
When they come, send them straight in. I George came home inspection. I The crash occurred when a/reight train rollided
early to fwlp out o%re tfw party swrted. I My mother's with an incoming passenger train.
saying she won't come if Richard's Mre.
tum uplshow up ' .13: r n lAp • •I:KJ IAPI ifsomeone turns 4
to arrive unexpectedly
up or sh ows up they arrive at the place where you already
are, used especially when they arrive late or do not arrive
when they are expected (phr v I not usually in progressive I
II
~ appear
~ turn up/show up
talk of the devlU
speak 01 the devil
Only j"we people came to the meeting and most a/them twned come along
up late. I J,fTina shows up, tell her we waited as long as we app••r f;J Ipl;)r/ Iv I not in progressiveJ
could.
We were just having breakfast when Chris appeared. I
s how /J;KJ/ an American word meaning to arrive, used appear at/ inlfrom ThreE so14i£rs suddenly appeared at the •
especially when someone arrives late or does not arrive gares. IAll thesepeople seem to hoveoppeoredjrom nowfwre.
when they are expected Iv I not in progressive! tum up/s how up 11t3: f n lAP, IJ:;KJ IApl to arrive unex-
Do you think Ben will show? I We stuck around/or a couple pectedly, especially when it is difficult or not convenient
0/ hours, but fw didn't show. for other people IJJhr v 11
be here /bi: Ihl;:1rl if someone or something is here they Brian has a habit of turning up just at the wrong moment. I
have arrived at the place where you are waiting for them At midnight Joanne 's boyfriend showed up drunk.
Iv phrase ] come along l,kAm ;)'IDg 11 _;JIl:l:I)/ if someone or some- ,.•
Your /riendsare here! I Here they are. Go and open the door, thing comes along, they arrive, especially in a way that
will you? lIs Andy fwre yet? is unexpected or slightly Wlusual (phr v I not in progressive I
here'. Janelthe parceletc Ihl.'z (Jane, <lc)1you say Thepartywas goingfuzeuntilRonniecamealong.1 You wait
here's Jane. here's the parcel, etc when you see them an hourfor a bus, and then/our ofthem come along at once.
arrive talk of the devl (British) I _ k of _ devil (Amer~
Here 's Gabriella - lareas usual. I Here's the letreryou've been can) I ,t;):k ;)v 0;) I dev~I, ,spi:k;JV O;J Idev~ l / you say talk of
waiting for. the devil when someone you are talking about or have just
mentioned comes into the room or appears unexpected1y
3 ways of saying that a plane. train, bus. ship, Talk oftlu! devil! I wasjust telling everyone about your pro-
motion. I Let's ask Amy whot sfw thinks - speak o/tfw devil,
or passenger arrives at the airport, station etc
here she is!
arrive pull in
get In come In
land be in 5 to arrive at a place which you did nol know
dock Incoming you were going to
come to
arrive 1;J ' raJvl Iv 1)
arrive at/in/from Our flight arrived in Tokyo two hours end up
ahead of schedule. I Supply ships have started arriving at come to l'kArn tu:llv TI
ports along tfw East coost. I arrive Whot time does Jim We were walking through the woods when we came to a
arrive? I The train isn't due to arrive until 4.30. waterfall. I Ian stopped at the next house he came to and
arrival In U1 Would passengers awaiting the arrival of asked to use tfw phone.
flight 405from Honolulu please malu? their way to gate 14. e nd up I lend lAp/ ifsomeone or something ends up some-
get In ' Iget I m/ if a train, plane etc gets in, it arrives at where, they fmally arrive at a place they were not planning
a particular time. especially the time that it is planned to to go to IJJhr v 1I
arrive at (phr v I not usually in progressive) end u p in/ at We arrived in Rome okay, but our luggage
You could catch the 9.20 train, which gets in to Glasgow at ended up in Bangkok! l It was a great evening, with every-
11.46. I Hopifully the bus should get in by 8 o'clock. one ending up at Tom 's place.
lancl /lrendf if a p1ane lands, it arrives somewhere (v IJ
Despite severe weather conditions the Boeing 727 landed as arrogance PROUD 6
scheduled. I land In/ at/on Be/ore landing in Algrers, we arrogant PROUD 4
circled the airport several times. I Do you think. it's possible arsenal WEAPON 1
that man could ever land on Mars? a rt ART/CULTURE 1
art 10rm ART/CULTURE 1
dock Idok 11 da:k/ if aship docks, it arrives ata port Iv 1I
dock at/ In When tfw ship docked at Southampton its cargo
was immeciiarely inspected. I WefifUllly docked in Portland,
Maine, glad to set foot on dry land again. • ART/CULTURE
pun In 'Ipul I 1nl if a train pulls in. it arrives at the sta-
tion where you are waiting for it (phr v IJ 1 the expression of ideas and feelings through
Finally the train pulled in, forty minutes late. I Just as the paintings, literature , music etc
train was pulling in, there was a shout and someonefell onto 2 connected with art or cu lture
the track. 3 someone who produces art, especially
come In "leAm 'I nl if a plane or ship comes in, it arrives someone who produces paintings or
at the airport or port where you are waiting [phr v IJ drawings
Has Air Indiafiight 621 com e in yet? I A group a/villagers
would gather on em beach every evening waiting for theflSh-
4 showing skill or imagination in any of the arts
ing boats to come in. S words for describing someone who knows a
be In /bi: 'ml if you say that a plane, train or ship is in, lot about the arts and is very interested in
it has arrived at the airport, station etc where you are wait- them
ing IJJhr v 11
Tfwir plane's in. but it'll wke tfwm a little while to get
through customs. I As her train wasn't in yet, she went to thA?
bookswll andjlipped through tfw magazines. 1 the expression 01 ideas and feelings through
Incoming 1' lI1kAmlgl Incoming plane/ flIght/traIn/ paintings, literature, music etc
passenger etc (=one that is arriving rather than leaving) art culture
ladj only o%re a noun I the arts art form
All incoming jliglUs are ooing delayed by fog. I Incoming
passengers are requested to have their passports ready for art /a:ft/ the representation of images or expression of
 ART/CULTU RE
ideas, especially through painting, drawing, or shaping
things out of wocxl, stone etc [n VI
lstudied art at school. \ The statue isafineexampleo/early
Christian art. I a well-known art critic I moder n art There
was an exhibition ofher work at the Museum ofModem Art. I
a bstract art (=art that does not show people or objects as
they really look, but shows colours and shapes) Most peopl£
find it diffzcult to understand abstract a rt.
the art. /~ i 'O:flSJ art, music, theatre, fllm, literatureetc,
all considered together In plural !
The government should provid€ more money for the arts. I
They have drama classes at th€ arts centre every Thursday
night. I a TV program about new developments in the arts
in the fanner Soviet Union
culture l ' kAltl~rl art, music, theatre, film,literature etc
especially that which is produced by a particular society
or a particular group in society tn DJ
Professor Jackson is an expert on ancient Greek culture. I
Th£ Samba is an important part of Brazilian culture. I a
magazine devoted to rock music,fashion, and other aspects
of youth culture
art form 110: rt 0: r mJ one of the ways that people express
themselves through art In Cl
These days poetry is a relatively negkctec1 art form . I A t its
highest level, photography becomes an a rt form.
2 connected with art or cu~ure
artistic
cultural
artistic Jo: fl tlsu kJ (adj only before noun]
Czechoslovakia has a long artistic tradition. II'm not sure
• about the artistic merit ofmany ofDaU'spictures. I Hisocro-
sional tantrums were put down to his 'artistic temperament'.
cultural {' kAltf,,,, I{ connected with culture ladj usually
before nounl
The Principal feels that cultural education is very impor-
tant-I This new music is part of a broader cultura l
movement.
3 someone who produces art, especially
someone who produces paintings or
drawings
,
.. artist
artist Jlo:rtlst/ {n Cl
LeoTlarcro was the grearest artist ofhis time. I "I'm an artist, "
said Fran. Unot just a cheap novelist." I The obituary
described Nureyev as 'a great dancer and a true artist '.
4 showing skill or imagination in any of the arts
artistic
creative
artistic {a:"lIslIk{ ladj)
Both my parents were artistic - my father used to play the
piano and my mother studied at the Royal Ball£t School. I
That's a lovely picture - [ never realized you were so artistic.
creative Jkri'elt lvl having a lot of imagination and able
to think of new and original ideas in art (aliil
We encourage the children to use their creative abilities. 1
She's very creative and likes working with her hands.
5 words for describing someone who knows a
lot about the arts and is very interested in
them
cuttured
culture vu lture
arty
cultured {' kAltfo ' d{ l a~.i1
It was one of thase parties full of very cultured people. all
talking about the larest play or exhibition they'd been W. I
highly cultured Many ofthe program17U!S on Channel 4 are
intended for a highly cultured audience.
67 ARTIFICIAL
culture vulture l'kAltJa r IVAltJarf an infonnal word
meaning someone who is very interested in all the arts,
perhaps too interested In Cl
Wh ile the culture vultures looked round the ruined temples,
the rest ofus headed straightfor the beach. I He's a bit ofa
culture vulture, he goes to the theatrejust about every week.
arty J1o: rti/ someone who is arty tries to appear artistic
or pretends to know a lot about the arts (adj l
Jake's having a party for all his arty friends.
article LAW 3, THING 1
I
article: piece/articlelltem of clothing CLOTHES 1
articulate EXPRESS 3
artifact/artefact THING 1
artificial ARTI FICIAL 1, 2, PRETEND 5
• ARTIFICIAL
1 not made of natural materials or substances
2 artificial but intended to look real or natural
1 not made of natural materials or substances
artificial man-made
synthetic processed
artHlcla1 {, a:'t! 'f'f-I-{ ladjl
Many people use artifiCial sweeteners in their coffee instead
of sugar. I This product contains 1W artifiCial flavors or
coloring agents. I Most people look better under artifICial
light than in bright sunlight .
synthetic /SID I getlk/ not natural but made by a chemi-
cal process [adj l
The rug is madefrom a mixlure ofwool andsynJiu!ticfibres.I
Old herbal rem£dies like yarrow and mugwort disappeared
and were replaced by synthetic drugs.
man-made Jlmren ' me1d"l made by humans but similar
to something that exists naturally [adjl
A canal is a man-made waterway. 1 man-made jibers such
as nylon and acrylic I Freak weather conditions may actu·
ally be man·made, a direct result ofenvironmental damage.
processed /lpldUsest I1 l pro:-J processed food has not
been left in its natural state, but has been chemically
treated. especially in order to preserve it or make it look
more attractive (adj only before nounJ
Processedfoods may Io.ck the vitamins and mineralsfound
in fresh produce. I a can of processed peas
2 artificial but intended to look real or natural
artificial Imitation/simulated
false mock
take
artlflclal / ,o:rt! 1 flJat .. J not real or natural but deliber-
ately made to look real or natural ladj usually before noun I
On the tabl£ was a glass bowlfilled with artifICial cherries. I
We have one ofthose electric heaters with artijlCial logs. I My
Uncle Herbie has an arti/icial leg.
fal •• {f"ls{ not real, but made to look like or do the job
of something rea] [adj usually before noun)
Nearly a third ofadults in the UK havefa/s€ teeth I She was
heavily made up, with false eyelashes and bright red. lip-
stick. 1The truck had afalsefioor, under which was hidden
a million dollars' worth of cocaine.
fake {fe' k{ fake fur / jewellery/antiques etc (=made to
seem like real fur, jewellery etc, especially in order to make
people think it more valuable than it really is) ladj usually
before noun}
Her coot had a fake beaver collar and CUffs. I a hause with
a fake Eliza bethan front
Imitation/simulated 11 Im! IteIJan" , 'Slmj~ lelt!dl made
to look like something made of natural materials, but of a
much lower quality and less expensive ladj usually before
nounl
ARTIFICIAL 68 ASHAMED
Molly was wearing a jacket of imitation sheepskin. I an imi·
tation gold bracelet. I It was one 0/ those horrible simulated 1 feeling ashamed
leather <executive' chairs. Bshamed can't look sb In the face
mock /mok 11 ma:kf intended to be very similar to a real humiliated shamefaced
substance, material. or situation, but not so that people ashamed /o'felmd/ladjl
believe it actually is the real thing [adj only before noun1
I k""w I slwuldn 'I Iwve hil her and / felt really aslwmed. 1
We stage mockjob interviews to prepare students/or the real ashamed of sth She was so ashamed ofcheating in the test
thing. I My grandmother had an excellent recipe/or mock tlwt she went and told th£ tooch£r. 1 ashamed (that) I real-
cream. I war games with mock baUles ize now that you were telling the truth, and I'm ashamed that
artist ART/CULTURE 3. PAINT 3 . PERFORM 4 I didn't believe you_ 1 ashamed to do sth She really ""edell
artistic AAT/CULl URE 2, 4, BEAUTI FUU rne but - I'm ashamed to admit it - I didn't offer to help her. I
GOOD-LOOK ING 4 ashamed of yourself Fighting with someone younger than
arts: the arts ART/CULTURE 1 you - you ought to be aslwmed ofyourself I ashamed about
arty ART/CULTURE 5
sth Th£re's nothing to be aslwmed aboul - lots of people
Iwve money problems. 1 bitterly/deeply ashamed Th£
knowledge that I Iwd rna<k him lose his job miUk me bittely

las 1-----,-----, ashamed.

humiliated Ihju: ' mllieJtldl feeling very ashamed and
upset, especially because you have been made to look weak
which meaning? or stupid and you think that no one will respect you [adj
IWt usually before IWun]
The trocher told meofJinfront of the whole class - I've never
because • BECAUSE been so humiliated in my life! 1Many women who have been
assaultedfeel toofrightened and humiliated to report their
lor example
like, similar
--
_ EXAMPLE
• LIKE/SIMILAR
ordeal. I He felt humiliated because she earned more than
he did .
can't look sb In the face /ko:nt ,Iuk (sb) 10 00
at the same time .." . TIME/AT THE IfelS 11 krent-I to be so ashamed about something you have
! SAME TIME done to someone that you find it difficult to be with them
or talk to them [v phrase)
I wish I hadn't told her a lie - I'll never be able to look her
as ACTOR/ACTRESS 4 . BECAUSE 1, TI ME/AT THE in the/ace again. 1 He insulted his boss at the party and IWW
SAME TIME 2 he can't look her in the face.
as ... as ALTHOUGH 2 shamefaced / .Jelm1felst .. / showing in the expression on
as from AFTER 3 your face that you are ashamed about something and you
as if/as though WAY/MANN ER 2 know you have behaved badly [adjl
as it comes: take 8th as it comes PLAN 12 "That's a terrible thing to say. Ian." Ian nodded, shame-
as it Is SITUATION 6 faced. 1 She made a shamefaced apology for the trouble she
as old/strong/long etc as EQUAL 1 had caused.
as one TOGETHER 1
as well AND/ALSO 1
ascend UP 3 , 6 2 a leeling of being ashamed
ascertain FIND OUT 1 shame
ashamed ASHAMED 1 stigma
ashamed: be/feel ashamed GU lLTY/FEEL GUILTY 1
shame Ifelml the uncomfortable feeling that you have
when you know you have behaved badly and have lost

1ashamed I--=----",,-~---, people's respect [n UI

She remembered her angry words with a deep sense of
shame. I Young people today do notfeel the same shame and
guilt about sex that their parents did. 1 "Please don't tell my
which meaning? dad about this, .. he said, blushing with shame. I hang/ bow
~~--- your head in shame He hung his head in shame as the
ashamed of ~rsel', • • ASHAMED details of his arrest were read out in court.
what you have dOne stigma I'stlgmal a very strong feeling of being ashamed
etc; and of being hated by society because of your situation or
embarrassed In a
social sttlllltion ,if!
- * EMBARRASSED
your actions [n C usually singular J
the stigma of At first I found the stigma of being unem·
ployed very difficult to cope with. 1 there is a stigma
attached to In many countries there is still a strong social
stigma attached to homosexuality. 1 stigma This dreadful
stigma affects all rape victims - the hidden assumption that
. ASHAMED they were 'asking for W.

feeling embarrassed or guilty because

something you have done or said has made
3 the experience of lOSing othet people's
respect, wh ich makes you feel ashamed
people lose respect for you
shame Indignity
1 feeling ashamed disgrace lose face
2 a feeling of being ashamed humiliation
3 the experience of fosing other people 's shame lfe'mj the loss ofotberpeople's respect, especially
respect, which makes you feel ashamed as a result of something bad or criminal that you have done
4 to make someone feel ashamed [nUl
5 not feeling ashamed Sh£ couldn't swnd Ih£ slwme of being publicly exposed as
a thw! 1 It's not just th£lackofnwTl£)ltlwtgetspeopledown,
it's the shame oflWt having a job.
 ASHAMED 69 ASK A QUESTION
dlsgrace/dIs1grelsl the complete loss of other people's brazen l'breI:unl behaving in a very confident way that
respect, especially in public In VJ shows that you do not feel shame that you are doing some-
The whole family suffered the disgrace of their father's thing wrong [adj[
imprisonment. 1 When the ajJair /x!came known, he killed His wife could no /()nger tolerate his brazen love affairs. I
himself /x!cause he CQuld not bear the disgrace. 1in disgrace They were shameless and brazen, wearing outrageous
Sh£ left th£ school in disgrace, and I never saw her again. clothes designed /0 shock their parents.
humiliation /hju!,mIli lelJanJ a situation in which you are ashes BODY 4
made to look weak or stupid. which makes you ashamed aside: put/set sth aside 'or KEEP/CONTINUE TO HAVE 3
and upset [n U[ aside: set aside SAVE MONEY 1
She had toface the humiliation ofapologizing. I What really
upset me was the humiliation ofhaving to ask her for money.
Indignity I m'dl gn~til a situation in which you feel that
f aside from: apart from/aside from EXCEPT 1
ask ASK A QUESTION 1. ASK FOR STH/ASK S8 TO
DO STH I , INVITE 1. LET/ALLOW 2
you have no pride or self-respect, because people treat you ask: don't ask me/search me NOT KNOW 7
as if you were completely unimportant In C/ U J ask: if you ask me THINK/HAVE THE OPINION THAT 2
I had to endure the indignity DJ being striJrsearched for ask around ASK A QUESTION 2
drugs. I He suffered insult and indignity in silence. I Many ask/invite sb out INVITE 1
of my frumds were on welfare. but I found a job and was ask/invite sb over INVITE 2
spared that indignity. ask sb in ENTER 2
lose face 1.lu:z 'fels/ to lose other people's respect for ask sb's permission LET/ALLOW 2
you, especially by doing something that makes you look ask sb to do sth TELUORDER S8 TO DO 5TH 1
weak or stupid Iv phrase]

laskll ~ '" ~
Rather than giving in and losing face, she carried on her
needless quarrel with her father. I Criticism should never
cause the recipient to lose face or self-respect.
lossofface /1 losav IfelS 11 ,b:s-I Inphrasel Thegovernment
suffered a severe loss of face when details of the scandal which meaning?
emerged.
ask a question . ASKA
•
4 to make someone feel ashamed
humiliate
disgrace
shamelbrlng shame on
humiliating
degrading
ask for something,
ask to do something
---
QUESTION
.. ASK FOR STHI
ASK SBTO DO

humiliate [hju:1ml lieHI to make someone feel very

ashamed and upset, especially by making them look weak
or stupid Iv TJ
invite someone to do
something
•
- STH
• ft lNVITE
-', "~ •.
Why do you always have to humiliate me in/ront of your
frieruis? 1 Minority groups hooo been abused, humilinled and
insulted in their struggle to get equality.
disgrace [dls I grelsf if you disgrace yourself or disgrace • ASK A QUESTION
your family, your school etc, you behave very badly so that
1 to ask someone a question and try to get
other people lose respect for you or for your family or
school [v T[ information from them
Don '( disgrace yourself by getting drunk again. I She didn't 2 to ask several people questions in order to
tell anyone that she was pregnantfor fear 0/disgracing Mr get information from them
• family. 3 to ask someone a lot of questions
shama/brlng shama on IfelID, bnQ 'felm on 11 -o:nf to 4 ways of saying that a police ofticer. a lawyer
bring dishonour and make people lose respect for you and ete asks someone about a crime
for the family or group that you belong to [v Tl 5 to ask someone questions for a newspaper,
The Senator was accused of bringing shame and humilia-
tion on the whole party. I cowardly and dishonest behaviour TV programme etc
that shames the entire police department 6 to ask someone questions in order to decide
humiliating Ihju: 1mllieltJl)/ causing a complete loss of whether to ofter them a job, university place etc
self-respect, especially because you have been made to look 7 a question that you ask in order to get information
weak or stupid [adj[ 8 a report or piece of work in which a large
Prisoners are subjected to humiliating treatment and number of people are asked questions
frequent beatings. I We had been beaten by a team of 9 a piece of paper with questions on it
amateurs - it was a humiliating dlifeat. I She tried to erase
the whole humiliating episode/rom her memory.
degrading Id! 'gre1dlIJI a situation or way of treating 1 to ask someone a question and try to get
someone that is degrading makes them lose all their self-
information from them
respect and makes them reel that they are completely
worthless [adj[ ask consult
These poor people live in the most degrading conditions. I ask a question sound sb out
Pornographic pictures have been attacked/or being degrad- want to know put sb on the spot
ing to women. Inquire
ask la:sk 11 reskf [v IIT[
5 not feeling ashamed ask sb For information about the new treatment ask your
local doctor. I asklfyou have any questions don't beajraid
shameless
to ask. 1 ask whatlhow/whyetclasked how long she had
brazen
been living in the States. I ask sb where/what etc If you
shameless/'jelmJas[ someone who is shameless does get lost you can just ask somebody where the gas station is. I
not seem to feel ashamed about something that most people ask if/whether Ask ifyou can borrow Greg'scar while he's
would be very ashamed about ladj J on holiday. 1 ask (sb) about The interoiewer asked me about
She's quite shameless - sfw doesn't care what she says. I my quallflCGtions and previous work experience.
Everyone was shocked by your shameless behaviour.
ASK A QUESTION 70
ask. question I ,a:sk ~ 'kwestfan U ,resk-' to ask some·
one a particular question in order to find out something
Iv phrasel
lfyou want to ask a question raise your hand. I ask a ques-
tion about The interviewer only asked questions about
Stallone's latest movie. I ask sb a question People are
always asking me questions about my work.
want to know I.wont t~ In~u 11 ,wo:nt-' an expression
meaning to ask someth ing, used especially when you are
reporting what someone else has asked [u phrase]
"Why didn't you write to me?" Barbara wanted to know. I
want to know where/ how etc Jason wants to krww where
you keep the kitchen scissors. I want to know sth The police-
man wanted to know our names but we wouldn 't tell him.
Inquire (also enquire in British English) lon 'kw,'.'1 to
ask someone for infonnation, especially in an official
s ituation [u IITI
"How/ar is ihat?" my uncle inquired. I lnquireabout It 's
best to enquire about duty-free goods when you get to the air-
port. I inquire If/ whether She stopped a guard and
enquired whether the train went to Euesham. I inquire
how/ when etc We rang tlu? hospital again to inquire how
the old man was.
consult Ibn 1SAltJ to ask for infonnation or advice from
someone who knows more about the subject than you, espe-
cially ·because it is their job to know about it Iv IIT I
consult sb Be/ore you go on a strict diet you should consult
your doctor. I consult sb about sth The Advice Bureau says
an increasing number a/clients are consulting them about
Social Security changes. I consult with sb The President
is going to consult with European looders before making his
deciSion.
consultation 11 konS.1l'teli<1n 11 - I ko:n-/ ln 01 The Depart-
ment 0/ Education promised consultation (:::that they would
consult) with teachers be/ore changing the school year
calendar.
sound sb out I,saund (sb) 1aut! to find out what someone
thinks about your plan or idea by asking them questions,
especially because you want their help or support Iphr u
T not in passive J
1 think she'll like the idea, but you'd better sound her out
first. I Be/ore launching the project they sounded a number
a/leading experts out. I sound sboutabou tlon Thegouern-
ment had sounded him out about the possibility o/working
for them.
put .b on the .pot I ,pot (sb) on o. 'spot 11 - l spa:!1 to
deliberately ask someone a question that they fmd difficult
or embarrassing to answer Iv phraseJ
When the interviewer put Don on tfw spot he panicked and
couldn't think of anything to say. 1 Senators will put the
President on the spot today about progress in the arms
control talks.
2 to ask several people questions in order to
get information from them
ask around poll
make inquiries canvass
• sk around /,o:sk ~ I raund 11 l<esk·/ to ask several people,
especially people that you know, in order to get infonna·
tion from them Iphr u 11
I'm not sure where you can find a babysitter - I'll ask
around. I ask around about Stepfwn asked around about
the best places to go in the evenings.
make inqulrle. (also make enqulrle. in British
English) Imelk In IkWal <1riZ/ to ask several people questions
in order to get information and details about something or
someone, especially in order to help yourself decide
whether to do something Iv phrasei
After making a/ew inquiries we realised that it wasn't a
good idea /0 buy such an old house. I make inquiries about
We graduate next month and most of my classmates are
already making enquiries about jobs. 1 The bank had to
make inquiries about her financial situation before agree-
ing to the loan.
poll /pooll to ask a lot of people questions about a subject
ASK A QUESTION
that is important to the public, especially politics, in order
to find out the general opinion about it Iv TJ
33% 0/ the women that were polled said they would vote
against this administration. I "We didn 't poll everyone, "says
Mr Mason, "only a percentage 0/ people in each political
party. "
canvass 11krenv~ to go around the streets and to people's
houses and ask a lot of people questions, in order to find
out their political opinions and gain their political support
Iv IITI
Party members were out canvassing as soon as a date/or tire
election was announced. 1 canvass sb Representatives can-
uassed all the/arms in the area so they could anticipate the
result 0/ the meeting.
3 to ask someone a lot of questions
question pump
shoot/fire questions at quiz
grill/give sb a grilling pick sb'sjlrains
que.tlon l'kwestJ,n/ l v T I
question sb about Liz was very well-informed and ques-
tioned me about the war. I question s b On the subject 0/her
age Simon's boss re/used to be Questioned. 1 question sb
closely (=carefully. asking a lot of difficult questions) The
interuiewer questioned Miss Jaruis closely about her
knowledge 0/ the use 0/ computers in schools.
shoot/fir. qu••tlons at Iliu:t, 1fal~r 'kwestJanz ret[ to
ask someone a lot of questions very quickly in order to con-
fuse them or make them admit to something Lu phrase]
The lawyer fired questions at me so quickly 1 didn't have time
to think. 1 TIu! teacher kept shooting questions at the/right-
ened girls until they confessed everything.
grill/give sb a grilling I 'g"l, ,glV (sb) • 'g" hijl to ask
someone a lot of difficult questions in order to make them
explain their actions, plans, or opinions Iv Tl
Tonight you'll haue the chance to watch the/our presiden-
tial candidates being grilled by a panel oJordinary voters. I
Rilda's teacher gave her a real grilling about why she'd
missed so many classes.
grllllng In Cl But the President will rwt escape a grilling
from (=being grilled by) more conservative senators who
believe he is too liberal.
pump /pAmpl to ask someone a lot of questions about a
particular subject or event in order to get as much infor-
mation as possible Iv Tl
pump sb about We all sat drinking coffee in my room and
1pumped them about their experiences in the Cultural Revo-
lution. I pump sb for Louestone was pumped/or his intimate
knowledge of Communist organizations.
quiz /kwlzl to ask someone a lot of questions, especially
because you want to find out what they have been doing,
and often in a way tha t annoys them Iv TJ •
quiz sb When Stan eventually cam e homefrom the party,
his wife quizzed him/or hours. I quiz sb about/ on My par-
ents never stop quizzing me aoout where 1 go at night. I The
journalists quizzed Clinton on tax policy and Central
America .
pick sb's brains I,Plk (sb's) Ibre lnz/ to ask someone for
information al:x mt something because you think they know
more about it than you lu phrase]
You know all about engines - can I pick your brains/or a
minute? I We 've come up against a big problem in the
Stavanger case - I've come to pick your brains.
\
4 ways of saying that a police officer, a lawyer
etc asks someone about a crime
question cross-examlne/cross-question
Interrogate carry out door-to-door inquiries
question 11 kwesli <1nl to ask someone a lot of questions to
fmd out what they know about a crime [v TJ
question sb They questioned me for three hours, then
released me. 1question sb about The lawyer questioned me
about how money was transmitted to Mexico. I keep/ h old
sb for questioning (=keep them somewhere in order to
ASK A QUESTION
question them) Mr Hayes is being kept at Newham police
statirmjor questioning. 1question sb closely (=carefully.
asking a lot of difficult questions) North was Questionro
closely about his inoolvement in the illegal arms deals.
Interrogate , In IteIdgelt/ to ask someone a lot of questions
about a crime. especially in a threatening way and over a
long period of time [v TJ
interrogate sb The police interrogated Sutcliffefor 24 hours
until heconjessed. 1Annyofficers have been accused o/using
unortlwdox methods when interrogating enemy prisoners. I
interrogate sb about I was interrogated at length about
my activities and movements on the day of the attack.
interrogation / In,teld'geIJanj [nCIUJ Most ofthe infor17Ul-
lion about the bombings came from the interrogation of
terrorist suspects.
cross-examlnelcross-questlon I,keos Jg' zremAn.
.kros 'kwestJan 11 ,kr:J:s-! if a lawyer cross-examines or
cross-questions someone in a law court, they ask them a
series of questions about their previous statements in
order to fmd out whether they have been telling the truth
Iv TI
Thefirst lawyer cross-examined the defendantfor over three
hours. I The main police witness admitted. when cross-
examined, that his earlier evidence had been false.
cross-examination J 1kIDS I g , zreml lnelf.1n I1 IW:S-J
C/ UI Although Mr Sayk claimed tu! was innocent his guilt
became clear under cross--examination (=when he was cross-
examined).
carry out door-to-door Inquiries I,kren aut lro: r t~
Id.:!:r lO ' kwaJ.1rizl if the police carry out door-to-door
inquiries. they go to all the houses in a particular area to
ask the people living there what they know about a crime
(v phrasel
Police are carrying out door-to-door inquiries on the Hazel-
wood Estate.
5 to ask someone questions for a newspaper,
TV programme etc
interview v
Interview n
Interview 1'lOt~rvju:1 [v TJ
She was the first Western journalist ever to interview Mr
Gorbachev. I At the end of the race the winner was inter-
viewed by NBC news.
Interview IllOt~rvj u:1 a meeting in which one person asks
another person questions for a newspaper, TV programme
etc In Cl
During the interview the actress was so d runk she couldn't
answer any of the questions. ITV/radio/newspaper inter-
view In his latest TV interview the lead singer talks about
his drug problem. I give an interview ("'allow yourself to
be interviewed) The new president gave hisfirstfull-Iength
American TV interview last night.
6 to ask someone questions in order to decide
whether to offer them a job, etc
interview v
interview n
Interview Illnt:)rvju:J to ask someone a lot of questions
as part of a formal process, so that you can decide whether
they are suitable for ajob, a chance to study at college etc
luTI
interview sb I'll be interviewing two candidates today and
three others tomorrow. I interview sb for a job/ post etc
We've interviewed a woman for the job already but she
wasn't very weU-qualiJr.ed.
interview I llnt~ T vju:J a formal meeting in which a person
or group of people ask someone questions in order to find
out whether they are suitable for a job, a chance to study
at college etc In Cl
So you have your interview today? Good luck. I interview
for I've been asked to go for an interview for a course I
appliedfor at Manchester University. Ijob interview (=an
interview for ajob) B renda is taking a course on how to sell
herself in job interviews.
71 ASK A QUESTION
7 a question that you ask in order to gel
information
question Inquiry
query leading/loaded question
question J'kwestfanJa spoken or written sentence asking
for information In Cl
There were several questions Melanie wanted to ask the inter-
viewer. I That's a very difficult question to answer. I Does
anyone have any further questions? I question about Sally
always felt nervous when people asked her direct questions
about her private life. I bombard sb with questions (::::ask
them a lot of questions) As soon as the envoy finished his
speech tu! was bomborded with questions by al/ ttu! reporters.
query / 'kwl.1riJ a question that you ask when you have not
completely understo<Xl something or you are not sure that
something is true or correct [n Cl
if anyone has a query I'll deal with it at ttu! end of the meet·
ing. I I would be happy to answer people's queries if they
write to me at my Iwme address. I query about Since the TV
programme the advice bureau has received lots of queries
about maternity rights. I raise a query (=ask a question)
One of the students raised a query about the grading system.
(n inquiry (also enquiry in British English) / m'kwami 11
m'kwalari, 'JlJk w~ril a question you ask in order to get
information or fmd out the details about something In Cl
We have only just put the house up for sale and we've already
received lots of inquiries. I inquiry about All inquiries
about flight cancellations should be made to your travel
agent, not to the airport.
leadlnglloaded question / ,1i:d'Q , ,toudld 'kwesl!,n/
a question that deliberately tricks someone so that they
give you the answer that you want or say something that
they do not intend to say In Cl
The reporters asked General Markson a lot of leading ques-
tions, in the hope that he would tell them when the invasion
would begin. I You don't expect me to answer a loaded ques-
tion like that do you?
8 a report or piece of work in which a large
number of people are asked questions
poll
survey
poll/paul/ an attempt to find out the general public opin·
ion about an important matter, especially to find out about
political opinions, done by questioning a number of people
In Cl
The polls suggested that slightly nwre women than men want
the death penalty brought back. I opinion poll (=a poll to
fmd out people's political opinions) Opinion polls show 70%
of voters oppose the Prime Minister s privatisation plans. I
carry out/take a poll In a nationwide poll carried out in
J anuary, only one person in ten said they were happy with
the tax reforms.
survey 1153: rvel/ a set of questions that you ask a large
number of people in order to find out about their opinions
or behaviour (n Cl
A recent survey found that 36% of the women asked did nnt
feel safe walking a lone at night. I A nationwide survey rev-
ealed that fewer than 48% of all factory workers use the
cafeterias providedfor thf.ln. I carry out/conduct a survey
In a survey conducted by a leading travel firm , the Canary
Islands were the most popular vacation spot.
9 a piece of paper with questions on it
form
questionnaire
form Jb:TmJ a piece of paper with a set of written ques-
tions that you answer in order to provide information
about yourself for an organization, employer etc [n Cl
Make sure you sign and date theform before you return it. I
application form (=a form with questions you must
answer if you want ajob, a chance to study etc) Beforeyou
ASK A QUESTION
canjoin the army you'll have to complete an application/arm
and attend an interview. I fill in/out/ up a form (:::write
the answer to the questions on a form) Just/ill in the/arm
and take it along to your local bank.
questlonnalr. l .kwestJ:;),near . •kes-J a set of written
questions that companies or organizations ask people in
order to find out information and facts about a particular
subject fn Cl
The questionnaire was designed tn find out how many people
use certain parts oJ the thruway. l Our research is based on
the conclusions drawn/ram the lOO.OOOquestionnaires sent
out to women's organizations.
. ASK FOR 5TH/ASK
sa TO DO 5TH
1 to ask for something or ask someone to do
something
2 to write to someone or telep hone them asking
them for something
3 to ask strongly for something or for someone
to do something
4 to keep asking someone to do something or
asking them for something, in an annoying
way
5 to ask someone for something such as food,
cigarettes ete because you do not have any
or cannot buy any
6 to ask a professional person to do some work
for you
7 to ask for help or kindness
8 someone who officially asks for something
9 someone who always asks for and expects
other people to give them things without
trying to get their own
10 a statement, letter, message etc in which you
ask for something
1 to ask for something or ask someone to do
something
ask Invite
request approach
seek
ask lo:sk 11 ",ski [v I/ TJ
ask for Askfor our free 40 page brochure at any branch of
the store. I ask sb for SIU! didn't know Iww to write aformal
letter so she had to ask her English teacher for advice. I ask
sb to do 5th I think I'll ask Mary to water the plantsfor me
while I'm away, I ask to do sth (=ask to be allowed to do
something) Watkins walked up to the main desk and asked
wSl?£th£hotelmanager, 1ask if you can dosthLetty's been
asking me if sh£ can take the dog out lor a walk. I ask sb
8h£'s a wonckirlul child, 811£'/1 do anything that you ask her. I
ask If you ever need any help with anything, you only have
to ask.
request In 'kwestl to officially ask someone for something
or ask someone to do something Iv Tl
request sth Tire pilot requested permission to land, but this
was refused. I O/Frcials in Seoul are requesting the drug
dealer's extradition from Bahrain. I request that It is
requested that all hotel residents wear a black suit for the
ceremony. 1 be requested to do sth During the treatment
tire patient is requested to note any changes in his own tem·
perature.
seek /si:kl a formal word meaning to ask for something
such as advice or help from someone who has the
knowledge, right, or power to provide it Iv TJ
The Carsons sought advicefrom their lawyer. I Two tablets
to be taken every four hours. If symptoms persist, seek
72 ASK FOR STH/ASK S8 TO DO STH
medical advice. I We are clearly within our rights to seek sub-
stantial compensation for injuries and loss of earnings.
Invite Im 'valtJ to politely ask someone to ask questions,
or give their answers, opinions, or suggestions IV TI
invite sb to do 5th When invited to do so, the Minister
declined to give his opinions regarding the recent strikes. 1
invite 5th Applications for this position are invited from
individuals with relevant experience.
approach I;, ' pfdUtfl to officially ask someone that you do
not know well for something or ask them to do something,
especially when you are not confident that they will do it
Iv TJ
Will you be approaching th£ bank lor a loan? I TIwy hod
approached Barlow to see if he was prepared to contribute
to the charity's work. I I have been approached regarding
the JXJssibility of selling the house to a local manufacturer.
2 to write to someone or telephone them asking
them for something
ap~y order
put In for send away for/send off for
claim write off for /write away for
apply /;,'plal/ to ask someone for something such as ajob,
legal document etc, especially by writing to them or writ-
ing your answers to the questions on a fonn Iv IJ
apply for How many jobs had you applied for before you
were offered this one ? I apply "I still haven't received my
passport" 'When did you apply?" I apply to do sth We go
to the sports club so often, we decided that we might as well
apply to join.
put In for I ,put 'In 6: T/ to ask someone for something
such as ajob, government money etc that is available, by
officially writing to them to say that you want it Iv Tl
I've put in for a tram/er to one of our overseas branches. I
All those wlw lost their jobs put inforcompensation. 1 Stu-
dents must put inf~r grants at least six months before their
course begins.
claim Iklelml to ask someone for something, especially
money, that you have a legal right to have, usually by writ-
ing to them explaining why you should have it Iv Tl
The government intends to make legal aid harder to claim. I
Because the accident had not been her fault, Barbara was
able to claim damages. I If you had medical treatment
abroad, claim your insurance as soon as you return.
order I ' J:T(bT/ to write or telephone someone because you
want to buy a particular product and you want them to get
it for you, bring it to your house etc Iv T l
We had ordered a pale blue armchair but the one that was
delivered was red. I I've ordered a green skirtfrom the cata-
log and I'm praying that it comes in timefor the wedding. 1
I'm afraid we don't have that style ofshoe in your size at the
moment, but I can easily order a pair from another branch.
order In Cl I'm very sorry, but we seem to have lost your
order.
send awayforlsend oH for I.send ;,'wel b: T , ,send 'of
6: T 11 - , :>:f-/ to write to someone to ask them to send you
a product usually by sending the money for it with the
tetter [v TJ
Haveyou seen these CDson special offer? Shall I send offfor
them? I We've sent off for our tickets for the concert, but I
think they may have already sold out.
write oHio, (British) I write away 10' (American) I ,rail
'of b: T, ,raIl;' 'wel fJ: T 11 -'J:f-/ to write to someone to ask
them to send you something such as information or a free ;
product Iv TJ
You can write offfor information about the Children's Soci-
ety. I She's so bored. She spends half her time writing away
for kitchenware catalogs.
3 to ask strongly for something or for someone
to do something
demand call on/upon
press for/push for hold out for
call for petition
 ASK FOR 5TH/ASK 58 TO DO 5TH
demand Id l 'ma:nd 11 dI 1mrend/ to ask strongly for some-
thing or for someone to do something, especially because
you think you have a right to it Iv TJ
demand sth [ demand an explanation for this appalling
behaviour. I The laboratory was surrounded by protestors
demanding an end to the an imal experiments. I The chief
demanded a thorough investigation into this particularly
vicious murder. I demand to do sth Tire police offICer made
Neil get out 0/ the car, and then he tkmanded to see his
driver's licence. I demand that I just went into the shop ,
handed over the dress. and demanded that they g ive me a
cash refund.
pre•• for/push for 'Iprcs fo: r , IpuJ f'J!r( to ask strongly
and repeatedly for something important such as a change
in the Jaw or the rules, because yOll think it is necessary
IvTI
People in the medical profession are pressing for genuine
reforms in policy. I Now they have won their pay claim tlu!
union will p ush for a cut in working hours. 1 Women have
been pressing for equal rights and pay for years.
call for {'k>:1 [o:'{ ifsomeone, especially a group ofpeople,
calls for something such as justice, equality etc they ask
for it strongly a nd publicly because they think an unfair
situation needs to be changed Iv TI
,- Amnesty Inrernational has consisrently calledfor thR. rekasl!
ofpolitical prisoners. I ThR. Football Association is likely 10
call for a ban on alcohol at football games. I A group of
teachers have publicly called for an investigation into the
abuse of some of their students.
can on/upon l ' b:1 on, 3pon 11 -o:n, 3pO:nJ if someone,
especially an organization in a bad situation calls on some-
one to do something, they ask strongly and urgently for that
• person to do it because their help is needed [v TI
call on sb to do 5th TIu! government has called on parents
10 work with 1£achR.rs in thR. edurotion ofthR.ir children. I The
Associationfor tlw Homeless were called upon to Iwlp solve
the problem. 1 call on sb for TIw dance company has called
on ballet-lovers everywhere for financial support.
hold out for l ,h;)Uld laut f3!fJ if someone, especially a
group of people, holds out for something that they have
been asking for, they refuse to accept what they are offered
because they hope to get something better {v T l
TIw union held out for a 20 per cent pay increase. 1 Some
people think thR. nurses should have hR.1d outfora better dea~
petition IpAItJJan/ a formal word meaning to ask some-
, one such as the government or an organization to do some-
thing that it does not want to do, by sending them a writ-
ten request signed by a lot of people Iv liT !
petition for We've beenpetitioningfor pollutionoontrolsfor
years. 1 Residents deci.di!d to petition (Iu! local authorities for
better bus services. I petition sb So far only thR. rebels hove
petitioned the UN over this violation of human rights.
4 to keep asking someone to do something or
asking them for something , in an annoying
way
nag
go on at
pestef
nag {nregJ Iv IIT I
nag sb Look, I don't want to keep nagging you but do you
think you could move your car. 1 nag sb to do sth My chil·
dren are always nagging me to get new videos. 1 nag He
nagged and nagged until slu! made him a cup of tea.
go on at /g;)(J Ion ret 11 _Iom-J to keep asking someone to
do something that you think they should do, so that they
become a nnoyed Iv TI
go on at sb Look, I'll do the dishes when l'vefinished writ-
ing this letter. J ust stop going on at me! 1go on at sb to do
sth Mum was always going on at me to do something with
my musical talent, but I was more interested in sport. 1 go
on aboutMick went to have his haircut just to stop his wife
going on about it.
73 ASK FOR STHIASK 58 TO DO 5TH
pester /lpest:IJ r/ to keep asking someone to do something
or asking them for something in an annoying way IV Tl
pester sb SIu! used to pester her father until she got exactly
whot shR. wanled. I pester sb to do sth I was thR. only kid
without a bike so I pestered my parents to buy me one. I
pester sb for He didn't really want to give her a lift but she
kept pestering him for one.
5 10 ask someone for somelhing such as food,
cigarettes etc because you do not have any
or cannol buy any
scrounge mooch off
cadge beg
bum
scrounge/skraund31 to ask someone for food, cigarettes
etc especially because you have not got enough money or
would prefer not to pay for them IV IITI
scroun ge sth off/ from Nigel scrounged a drink off us
/Jifore we Wt. 1 scrounge sth We managed to scrounge some
cigarettes because we had no money left. 1 scrounge When
I was a kid I never had enough nwney for thR. bus so I had
to scrounge.
cadge Ikred31 a n informal British word meaning to ask
someone for something such as food, cigarettes ete because
you have not got enough money or would prefer not to pay
for them Iv T J
Sonia is a lways cadging lifts home and she never offers any
money for petrol. I The two bays nwved around thR. bar, cadg-
ing free drinks and cigarettes.
bum IbAmJ an informal word mean ing to ask someone for
something such as food or cigarettes, in a way that annoys
or emba rrasses people (v Tl
bum sth off sb He s always bumming drinks of/people and
it really gets on my nerves. 1bum sth 1 think Steve managed
to bum a lift home.
mooch off Jlmu:tJ of 11 -J:fl an informal American word
mean ing to ask someone for someth ing such as food or
cigarettes in a way that annoys or embarrasses people [phr
v TI
mooch sth/lt/them off This old guy mooched a beer off
Hal. 1mooch off sb He never pays for anything - he'd even
mnoch off his own motlwr.
beg lbeg! to ask someone for something such as money or
food, because you are very poor and have no money Iv liT I
beg sth She was desperate, with nothing to eat except some
crusts she'd managed to beg. I beg for sthAtthR. back of the
church were a couple of old tramps begging for f ood. I beg
Things got so bad that at one point she thought she'd have
to go out and beg.
6 10 ask a professional person to do some work
for you
send for get in
send out for call in
order bring In
send for I'send b:fl to ask a professional person or profes-
s ional service to come and help you do something because
you do not have the knowledge yourself Iv Tl
Sendfor an ambulance, then try and ring hisnwther. I You'll
hove 10 sendf or thR.plumberlomendthis IRakllcan'turu!£r-
stand what tlw man's saying. We'd better sendf or someone
who speaks Italia n .
send out for / ,send laut b:fl to ask someone such as a
restaurant or a foOO shop to deliver food or drink to you
at your home, work ete [v TI
1 don 'tfeellike cooking tonight. Let's send outfor a pizza. I
During the meeting we sent out for some ooffee.
order I'J: f d3 f l to tell someone such as a person serving
you in a restaurant, hotel etc what fCKXl and drink you
would like to have I v IITI
order sth Waiter, we ordered our m eal h alf an hour ago,
where is it? la rder sb sth I 've ordered you a gin and tonic. 1
order sth for sb I'll be back in a m inute, could you order
ASK FOR STH/ASK S8 TO DO STH
a vegetable lasagne/or me. I order Good evening. are you
ready to order. Sir?
get In I ,get I ml an informal expression meaning to ask
someone who provides a particular professional service to
come to your home to do something (phr v T 1
get sb/her/them etc in They got the electrician in because
the central heating had stopped working. I It would be much
easier if we got somebody in to do all the catering . I get in
sb After the party we can get in prof essional carpet-cieaners
to do the job.
call In I tk:>!1 tlnl to ask someone who provides a particu-
lar service to come and help yOll with a difficult situation
or problem because they know more about it [phr v TJ
call in sb They were so impatient with the progress o[ the
case that they called in a private investigator. I Eventually
the teenager's behaviour got so bad that the police had to be
called in. I call sb/ her/ them etc in It wasn 't me that called
them in!
bring In "brll) Ilnf if someone especially an organization,
brings in a particular service or profession person, they
ask them to come and help with a difficult s ituation or
process (phr v TI
bring sb/ her/ them etc in The crisis worsened and the
government had no choice but to bring troops in. I The
increased demand meant that the factory had to bring tem-
porary workers in. I bring in sb Many schools a re now
bringing in privatE contractors to do the cleaning.
7 to ask for help or kindness
ask 8 favour beg
turn to plead
call on/upon impose on
appeal implore
ask a favour I Irusk ;) 'felv;)T 11 ,resk-I to ask someone to
be kind or generous by helping you do something or by
doing something for you Iv phrase J
Could I ask afavour? J need someoTl€ to collect the children
from school tonight. Areyoufree? I ask sb a favour I'd like
to ask Mandy a favour. Do you think she'd mind looking
aftEr my dog for the weekend?
lum 10 11t3: TO tu:f ifsomeone ina very badsituationtums
to someone, they ask that person for help, comfort, sym·
pathy ete Iv TI
After my Wife died I didn't know who to turn to. I Eventu-
ally I turned to an organization that helps people who are
homeless. I All alone? No-oTl€ w turn to? Why not try coming
w our friendly self-help g roup?
call on/upon l ' k;):1 DO, ;)pon 11 -am , ;)pa:nJ to ask some-
one for help when you have a problem and especially when
they have offered to help you when they can Iv TI
call on sb Uyou ever have a problem you know that you can
always call on us. I call on sb for 5th Almost everyone we
called onfor advice wld us the same thing. I call on sb to
do 5th Being the only person in the offzce who speaks
German, I'm often called upon to translate.
appeal I;)' pi:l/ to make a strong and urgent public request
far help, money, infannation etc, especially to help some-
one in a very bad situation [v 11
appeal for sth We are appealing/or/UlUis on behalfa/Save
the Children. I Ann Morgan 's mother came on television and
appealed/or clues as fI> the identity a/her daughter's kilkr.1
appeal to sb for 5th A national newspaper yesterday
appealed to the government for information regarding a
journalist who went missing in Iraq. I appeal to sb to do
sth The speak er had appealed to the miners to votefor their
union.
beg {begl to ask someone very strongly to help you , in a
way that makes you feel ashamed or makes other people
lose respect for you [v l/ T]
beg sb to do sth Miles was innocent and he begged his
lawyer to do everything possible to clear his name. I beg for
5th The theatre has beenforced to begfor donations in order
to keep it running. I beg I don't want to have w beg but I'm
desperate/or someone to work late tonight so we can finish
the work. I beg sb I'm begging you, please don 't leave me!
74 ASK FOR STH/ASK S8 TO DO STH
pl.ad /pH:d/ to ask someone very strongly and in a very
emotional way to help you because you are very frightened
or upset, especially when they do not want to help you IV 11
plead for sth The wife %m a/the Mstages ap[)€ared on
TV last night fI> plead/or her husband's life. I plead with
sb The girl pleaded with her attackers fI> kt her go. I plead
"Please forgive me, " she pleaded ''I'll never do it again. "
Impo •• on/lm'JXlUZon II-a:nftoasksomeonetohelpyou
without thinking about whether it is polite to ask, or
whether they really want to help [v TJ
Don't ask Pat w help you, she's very busy. You mustn't keep
imposing on her like this. I He has a tendency to impose on
his neighbours whenever he has a problem in the house.
imposition , Ilm~l z lfanf [n Cl Kevin and Mandy expected
me w drive them all the way home, which 1 felt was a bit 0/
an imposition.
Implora / lm'pb!f[ a fonnal word usually found only in
literature, meaning to ask someone very strongly and
emotionally to do something or to change their mind about
something (v TJ
implore sb to do sth Umberto implored her to let him see
his son, but she refused. I Finally she wrotE w the President,
imploring him to intervene in the situation. I implore sb
Think again, I implore you, or the consequences may be too
dreadful to imagine.
8 someone who oHicially asks for something
applicant
claimant
applicant J'rephk;)nt/ someone who offiCially asks for
something such as a job, official document etc by writing
or answering the questions on a fonn [n Cl
applicant for Applicants/or teacher-training courses need
to have at least oneyear's experience. I applicant The appli-
cant will not be eligibk/ or a student grant if he is living with
his parents.
claimant ,'klelm;)ot/ someone who asks someone for
someth ing, especially money, that they have a legal right
to have, usually by writing to them and explaining why
they should have it In Cl
All tax allowance claimants must be able to prove they have
worked/or the previous 12 months. I The company will settle
the lawsuit and provide compensation for claimants.
9 someone who always asks for and expects
other people to give them things without
trying to get their own
scrounger
parasite
scrounger 'lskraund;?fJ someone who always asks other
people to give them something such as food, cigarettes,
money etc, especially because they are too lazy to earn
money In Cl
You're such a scrounger - why don 't you try to get a job. I
"The problem oJ scroungers must be solved soon, " said a
government official yesterday.
para.lta / 'pre~ ItJ someone who expects society to pro-
vide them with money, food, a home etc but who is not pre-
pared to work for it, and is therefore strongly disapproved
of In Cl
You shouldn't/eel sorry for these people - they arejust para-
sites! I He's a lazy, good-/or-nothing parasite, taking advan·
tage oJ your good nature.
1
10 a statement, letter, message etc in which you
ask for something
request appeal
claim demand
petition approach
application ·plea
request In'kwestJ {n Cl
My grandfather's last request was that there should be no
flowers at his funeral. I request for The pop star's Wife
ASK FOR 5TH/ASK 58 TO DO 5TH 75 ATTACH
politely refused any requests for interviews. I bombard sb assertive CONFIDENT 1
with requests (=to make a large amount of requests) The assess COUNT/CALCULATE 3, J UDGE 2
store has been bombarded with requests/or the new 'Space- assessment EXAMfTEST 1
blob' computer game. I at sb's request (=when someone asset ADVANTAGE 1
makes a request) The /wspital have closed two v/the wards assets MONEY 6, OWN 6
jor Quarantine. at Dr McNab's request. I on request (=when assign JOBITASK 3
it is requested) We do rwt teach shorthand here but a short assignment JOBITASK 2
course can be provided on request. assimilate UNDERSTAND 5
claim Ikle lmJ a request for something, especially money,
that someone has a legal right to have In Cl
claim for The local people'sclaims/or compensation/rom assist or attend?
the chemical factory have so jar been ignored. I make a
claim (=formally request it) We've made a claim on our
insurance for the jewellery that was stolen last nwnth. help eorneone 4 0: HELP
petition I p~ Illfan! a document signed by many people that
is given to a government or other organization asking them
to do something that until now they have been unwilling !le In 8'P'.'when
todolnCI . something hapfl!llls
A petition signed by 1000 hospital doctors will be handed to
the Minister of Health at lunchtime today. 1 The residents
have collected a 5O(}-signature petition in prot€st against the

I
assist HELP 1, 6
new road which will destroy many of their gardens. assistance HELP 10
application ,,<:epll'kelfanj a letter or form that someone assistance: can be of help/assistance HELP 1
sends when they are asking for something such as a job, assistance: come to ab's aid/assistance HELP 3
official document etc In Cl assistant HELP 8, LOW POSITION OR RANK 3,
Since I left university I've sent off nearly flfty job applica- MANAGER 4
tions. 1 application for It is important to get inyour appli- associate CONNECTED WITH 6
cationfor a renewed licence well before the old one expires. 1 associated CONN ECTED WITH 4
There are SOO applications by Chilronsfor political asylum aSSOCiated: be associated CONNECTED WITH 1
each month. association ORGANIZATION 4
appeal I;} I pi:I, an urgent request for something important assorted VARIOUS/OF DI FFERENT KINDS 1
such as freedom, money etc, especially in order to help assortment GROUP OF PEOPLE 3, GROUP OF THINGS 1
someone in a bad s ituation {n Cl assortment: an assortment of VARIOUs/OF
The government promised 2 million pounds to the Ethiopia DIFFERENT KINDS 1
appeal launched last week. I appeal for The war continues assume PRETEND 5 , TH IN K SO/NOT BE SURE 2
as fresh United Nations appeal for a ceasefire has been assumed name: under an assumed name NAME OF
rejected. A PERSON 3
demand Id l ' ma:nd 11 d,1 mrendl a strong request for some- assuming/assuming that IF 2
thing that you want to have and which someone does not assumption THINK SO/NOT BE SURE 2
want to give you In Cl assurance PROMISE 5
demand for The police received the kidnapper's demandfor assurance: give an assurance PROM ISE 1
one million pounds at 6pm. 1 Demandsfor change have come assurance: give sb an assurance PROMISE 3
from many individuals and organizations. I demand The assurance/self·assurance CONFIDENT 4
union presented the company executives with a list of seven assure PROMISE 1, 3
ckmands. assured: be assured of CE RTAINLY/DEFINITELY 2
approach 1;} 'pr:KJtff a word used especially in British assured/self·assured CONFIDENT 1
English meaning an official request for someone that you astonish SURPRISED 4
do not know well to do something, especially when you are astonished SURPRISED 2
not confident that they will do it fn Cl astonishing SURPRISE D 6
An official approach has been made but the hostages are astound SURPRISED 4
unlikely to be released_ I ThefDO/baller said he'd received an astounded SU RPRISED 2
approach/rom aMther team, and that he was considering astoundIng SURPRISED 6
the offer. astray: lead sb astray BAD BEHAVIOUA OR ACTIONS 5
plea IpH:f a strong, emotional request for someone to help astronomical EXPENSIVE 2
you or be kind to you fn Cl astute INTELLIGENT 4
A homeless mother 0/ six made a tearfuL plea/or a home/or asylum HOSPITAL 2
her family. I Ignoring the man's pleas, Colonel Hartz soot asymmetrical REGULAR 5
him in cold blood. .t PLACE 3. TIME/AT A PARTICULAR TIME 1.
TOWARDS 1
! asking: yours for the taking/asking AVAILABLE 2 at: be at GO TO/ATIEND 2
f asleep: be asleep SLEEP 1 at: be at sth THERE 5
asleep: fall asleep SLEEP 3 atheist BELIEVE 7
asleep: half~asleep TIRED 2 athletic FIT PERSON 1, STRONG PERSON 3
.spect PART 9. SUBJECT 2 atmosphere AlA 1
" aspirations WANT 11 atmospheric WEATHER 2
I aspire to WANT 7 atrocious: appalling/atrocious BAD 3 , BAD AT 2
aspiring WANT 7 atrocities CR UEL 5

l
ass: be a pain in the ass/butt ANNOY 5 .troclty BAD BEHAVIOUR OR ACTIONS 7
assailant AITACK 7 attach ATTACH 1
assassin KILL 4
a888sslnate KILL 1
assaSSination KILL 2
assault ATTACK 1, 5 , 6
• ATTACH
to attach one thing to another so that it stays
assemble GET 8 , MAKE 1, MEET 3 in position
assert SAY/STATE 3
assert yourself CONFIDENT 2 1 to attach one thing to another, especially 10
assertion SAYfSTATE 10 something larger, so that it stays in position
continued
ATIACH 76 ATTACK

• ATTACH continued
2 to attach something to a wall, piece of
clothing etc, so that it can be seen
3 words for describing something that has been
attached to something else
1 to attach one thing to another, espeCially to
something larger, so that it stays in position
attach fix
fasten nail
attach /;J 't2elll to place one thing onto another using
something such as glue, string, or wires to keep it there Iv
TI
attach sth to Attach a recent photograph to your applica-
tion/arm. I The doctor will attach a special monitor to your
stomach so that she can listen to the baby's heart. I attach
sth I've attached copy of the document in Turkish so as to
prevent any misunderstanding.
fasten J'fa:san 11 l(re_1 to attach one thing to another
fumly but in a way that makes it easy to remove again [v TJ
fasten sth to Christine fastened. the brooch to her dress. I
Fastening their boat to a tree. they went off to explore the
island. I fasten sth on!around! over Divers/asten weights
around. their waists to help them stay under water. I Th€
license plate/ell ojJand I had to/asten it back on again with
a piece of string.
fix /flks! to attach one thing to another so that it will stay
pennanently in this position, for example by using nails,
screws, or strong glue Iv T)
fIx sth to He!1.Xed the lamp to the wall above the bed with
a couple of screws. I fix sth on 1 managed to]rx the top on
with some glue.
nall /nedl to attach one thing to another using na ils Iv Tl
nail 5th to Someone had nailed a sign to the tree. I nail 5th
on The man began nailing the lid on the coffin. I nail 5th
down I got a hammer and nailed down thejloorboards.
3 words for describing something that has been
attached to something else
attached nailed
fastened secure
fixed
aHached {o',re'I'{ ladjl
The handles are attached by mean of tiny screws. I A list 0/
supplies can be found on the attached form. I attached to
Make sure the label is firmly attached to the parcel before
you mail it.
fastened / Ifa:sand 11 Ifa:.-J attached to something, espe-
cially ina way that makes it easy to remove again (adj not
before nounl
fastened to He had several badges fasten«t to his cap. I
fastened over/on/ around etc The huts were made afmat-
ting fastened over a framework of sticks.
fixed I flkstl attached finnl y to something so it cannot
easily be moved radjl
fIxed to The «ulder was/bred to the outside of the house by
means oftwo rusty old screws. 1I can't move these cupboo.rds,
they're!lXed to the walL I fixed on The hook 's!lXed on with
some kind of glue.
nailed {neltd{ attached by a nail ladj not before noun I
nailed to There was a 'For Saw' sign nailed to the wall. I
The table was so heavy itfelt as ifit was nailed to thef/oor,
secure /s I' kjw rI flrmly attached or tied so that it will be
safe and will not move tadj not usually before noun)
Make sure that everything in the boat is secure before the
storm comes. I I tested the shelf I had just put up, and it
seemed quite secure.
attached AITACH 3
attached: be attached to LIKE S8 OR STH 2
attack AITACK 1, 3, 5, 6, CRITICIZE 1, 6,
ILLNESS/DISEASE 2
attack: be under attack ATTACK 8
attack: be/come under attack CRITICIZE 8
attack: launch/mount an attack ATTACK 3

2 to attach something to a wall, piece of

Iattack I,........,--~.,........,-,----,
clothing etc, so that it can be seen
put up pin whlch.meBnlng?
hang nail ~--~
put up I,put Ihpl to attach something to a Wall, such as a
. . . vtoIenQe QirIIII -+ fI ATTACK
picture or a notice, so that it can be seen (phr v TJ B peI8OO. jlIace etc
•
put 5th/it/them up Sarah had put posters up all around jl\taI:k someone with ....(jI CRITICIZE
her room I What shall I do with this phatograph - do you
want me to put it up over here? I put up sth Someone 's put words
up a notice in the library saying they'll look after children
for $8 an hour. 1 The thing to remember when you're putting
up wallpaper is to use lots of pasw.
hang IhrelJl to attach something to a wall, tree etc so that • ATTACK
it can be seen, especially by using string or wire Iv T l to deliberately use physical violence against a
hang 5th on I decided to hang the picture on the wall above
my bed. 1 When are we going to hang the lights on the
person, an army, a country etc
Christmas tree. Mommy? 1 I hung the washing out to dry on 1 to deliberately use physical violence against
the line, but unfortunately it started to rain. I hang up 5th another person
The children are hanging up tire decorations for the party.
2 to attack someone suddenly and
pin Jpl nJ to attach something using a pin, especially to your unexpectedly
clothes Iv TI
pin sth to He had pinned a red rose to his jacket. 1 Jean 3 to attack an enemy's army. country, or
pinned the length ofmaterial to her dress, and looked at her· property in a war
self in the mirror. I pin 5th on The soldiers had rows of 4 to attack someone who has attacked you
medals pinned on their chests. I She had pinned a notice on 5 an act of violence against a person
her door saying 'DO NOT DISTURB'. 6 a military attack
nail (nelll to attach something to a wall, tree etc using 7 someone who attacks another person or
nails, so that it can clearly be seen Iv T l country
nail sth to I nailed the bird hause to the tree in the garden. I 8 a person or place that is attacked
nail sth up The owners had nailed up a notice which read:
Private Property. 9 word s for describing a person or place that is
easy to attack
ATTACK 77
1 to deliberately use physical violence against
another person
attack set upon
assault mug
go for confront
lay into
aHack /> 'trek/lv IITI
attack sb Jim was attacked by a man in the park. I The bull
attacked him again as he writhed in agony on the ground. I
attack sb with She started attacking the burglar with a
piece 0/ wood. 1attack Police dogs are trained to attack in
certain circumstances.
assault la lSJ!ltf a legal or official word meaning to attack
someone Iv TJ
Can you identify any DJ the men who assaulted you? 1Some
supporters ran onto the field and assaulted the referee.
go for 11 gau f:l: r f to attack someone with a sudden violent
movement Iv TJ
go for sb Suddenly Bob went/or Mick, pushing him onto
thejloor. 1go for sb with sth One day Grandma got so mad
she went/or Grandpa with the kitchen knife. I go for sb's
throat/ears/ eyes etc Tlwdog lunged over the gate. going
straight for my throat.
lay into I' lel Inlu:/ to attack someone very violently, hit-
ting them repeatedly and without control Iv T not in
passivel
lay into s h The two children laid into each other like wild
animals. I In the second round, Muhammad Ali really
started laying into his opponent. I lay into sb with 5th She
lay on tire ground while the man laid intc Iwr with a wooden
stick.
set upon ,Iset apon 11 -apo:nf to attack some<?ne violently
and for no reason, especially someone who lS weaker or
smaller or on their own Iv T usually in passiveJ
On my way home/rom work, I was set upon in a subway by
a gang ofyouths. I Tlwdogsetupontlwpostmanandnearly
bit his leg off'
mug /mAgJ to attack someone in a public place in order to
rob them Iv T)
m u g sb People are mugged in the park every night. j If
anyone ever tried to mug me, I would throw my bag and run. I
get m u gged I'll walk you home - I don't want you to get
mugged.
confront Ikan IfrAntj to face someone in a threatening way,
as though you are going to attack them IV TJ
Shaking with uncontrollablefury, she stood up to confront
him. "([you laya hand on my daughter, I'll killYOu." I Open·
ing tlw door, he/ound himselfconfronted by a dozen police-
men with guns.
2 to attack someone suddenly and unexpectedly
tumon pounce
strike jump
ambush
turn on Ilt:l:fn on 11 - 0:0/ to attack someone suddenly,
when they are not expecting it Iv TJ
I came a little too close and. the bear just turned. on me
without warning. I Suddenly the crowd turned on thefew
policemen guarding the defendant.
strike Jstralk/ to make a quick sudden attack especially
on someone who is not expecting to be attacked Iv I}
They knew the killer would probably strike again but could.
not say when. I The police struck at dawn and caught the
thieves while they were still asleep.
ambush 11 rembuJ/ if a group of people ambush someone
they hide and wait for that person to arrive so that they can
attack them by surprise IV T J
At least once a month the train was ambushed and all their
wages were stolen. I The only way to stop the soldiers was
to ambush tlwm in tlw middle of tlw jungle.
pounce /paunsJ to suddenly jump on another person from
a place where you have been hiding. in order to catch or
attack them Iv 11
ATTACK
She suddenly noticed a man waiting in tlw bushes, obviously
ready to pounce. I pounce on He pounced on his sister and.
pushed her into the water.
jump Id3Ampf an informal word meaning to attack some-
one suddenly and usually from behind, in order to injure
them or to rob them Iv TJ
I got this bruise when tlOO men jumped me in tIu! park last
night. I He came over the wall and. jumped the guard, easily
overpowering him.
3 to attack an enemy 's army , cou ntry. or
property in a war
attack storm
Invade raid
launch/mount an attack besiege
aHack />'trek/ Iv IITI
attack sb/sth On 25 April British and. Australian troops
attacked tlw e""my at Gallipoli. I TIw village /uu1 been
attacked by American warplanes. 1 attack The special unit
attacked at dawn, inflicting heavy losses. I General Powell
consulted with the President before g iving the order to
attack. I a ttack ing army/ forces Almost two-thirds of the
attacking force had been wiped out.
Invade fIn Iveld! to enter an enemy's country by force with
the intention of taking control of it Iv I1TI
invade ChinalBritainlIran etc On 17 September 1939 tlw
Soviet Union invaded Poland.. l It's about a bunch of weird
aliens that decide to invade Earth. I invade Enemy forces
were almost certainly preparing to invade.
launch/mount an attack "I:>:ol/, 1000unt an a1trekJ to
start to attack an enemy's anny. country, or property. in
a planned way I v phrase I
Thecommander launched hisfirst attack early in tlw morn-
ing of tlw 14th. I A fresh attack was moWlted on tlw last
remaining rebels.
storm fstJ!fm/ to suddenly attack a city or building that
is well-defended by getting inside It and taking control Iv T I
Half tlwir men were lost wlwn th£y stormro tlw fortress. I
Nicha/son /uu1 been killed leading tlw troops as they stormro
Delhi.
raid /re ldf if a small group of soldiers raid an enemy's
town, camp etc, they attack it qUi~kly in order to cause a
lot of damage, and then leave agam Iv Tl
Colonel Newmangot a medalfor his bravery wlwn Iw raided
tIu! town and blew up tlw bridge. I Again tlw tribe /uu1 raided
a neighbouring village, iriflicting many casualties.
besiege Ibl ' si:d31 to surround an enem~ city or ~~iJding
with soldiers in order to take control of It by walhng for
the people inside to run out of food [v TJ
Leningrad was besieged by the Nazis during the war: I Tire
rebel army planned to besiege the palace and. kIll the
President.
4 to attack someone who has attacked you
retaliate hit back/stri ke back
counte r~attack tit-for-tat
retaliate Jn 1trelieltl to angrily attack someone because
they have attacked you first IV I I
When police tried to push back tire crowds a f.eu: you~hs
retaliated by throwing stones at them. I My admlnlstratlOn
wants peace, but we will not hesitate to retaliate if we are
attacked.
retaliation In ,treli l e l J~nJ In VJ After the attack on thecalT
ital, retaliation was expected at any time.
counter-attack Jlkaunbfd 1trek! an attack that an anny
makes after it has been attacked by another anny In Cl
The enemy had started a vicious counter-attack./orcing tlw
French into the woods. 1 la unch/moun t a counter-attack
Alliedforces were re-grouping in order to launch a counter-
attack.
counter-attack Iv 11It looked as if the British were prepar-
ing to counter-attack_
hit back/strike back / ,hu Ibrek, ,stralk IbrekJ to attack
ATTACK
a person or army that has attacked you first, especially in
order to show that you will not allow anyone to attack you
Iphr v 11
TIu! boy raised hisJlS1S to hit back. I Wlu!n /he Ethiopians
struck back, refugees began pouring across the border. I Less
than24 Iwurs aJkr this cross-border raid, lsraelijets hit back
with a devastating air strike. I h it/strike back a t The
youths lOOre planning aflght to hit back at a rival gang.
tlt-for-tat J It U f~r Ilretl tit-for-tat k illi n gs/ murders/
response (=done because someone has killed someone in
your group) lcuU only before noun l
Any hope ofpeace in Northern Ireland is destroyed by these
lit-for-tat killings. I Tire murder of Gillespre is thought to
have been a tit-for-tat response by the Mafia to an earlier
gangland killing.
5 an act of violence against a person
attack
assault
mugging
attack /,'trek! In Cl
TIu! attack took place as slu! was walking home. I TIu! police
are not investigating erwugh cases involving racial attacks. I
attack on They finally caught the gang responsiblefor the
armed attacks on/oreigners in Dakar. I New statistics show
a further increase in attacks on women. ! viciou s a ttack
Police could find no motive/or this vicious attack.
a.sault /;}'sJ:ltf the crime of attacking someone (n C/ Ul
The charges against the prisoner include criminal damage
and assault. I assault on Assaults on public transportation
workers have doubled in the last 10 years.
mugging /lmAgl!)( an attack on someone in a public place
in order to rob them [n Cl
Police ofTu:ers were called out to investigate a mugging on
the subway last night. I Reports of muggings have risen
sharply in the last 12 months.
6 a military attack
attack raid
invasion offensive
assault aggression
strike ambush
attack /,'trek/ In C/UI
The attack began at dawn. I The shelter is designed to with-
stand attack by cruise missiles. I attack on Four commandos
carried out a carefully-planned attack on the air base.
Invasion (m1ve lynJ an attack made on a country by
entering it and trying to take control of it [n C/ UI
the Soviet invasion of Czeclwslovakia in 1968 I Gastro
claimed that US forces were planning an invasion.
assault f;) ISJ!ltf a strong well·planned attack that is aimed
at taking control of a place or area wh ich is at present
controlled by enemy forces In Cl
The Allied assault would have to wait until more men
arrived. ! assault on / against Only a successful assault on
the rebel's headquarters could have ended the civil war.
strike fstralk/ an air/nuclear/missile strike (;::a sudden
attack from the air, especially using bombs) [n Cl
After the first air strike nobody expected there would be
another that same evening. I A nuclear strike could bring
about the absolute destruction of h umanity. .
raid lreld/ a quick short attack on an enemy's town, camp
etc in order to cause as much damage as possible [n Cl
On returning/rom a raid a ll the p ilots were exhausted. I r aid
on TIu!:y made severa l raids on the e11€my villages in an
attempt to weaken their defences before the invasion. I air
raid (=one carried out by planes dropping bombs) Some of
the most beautiful arch itecture in the city was destroyed in
the air raids.
oHenslve I;} ' fenslvl a planned attack involving large
forces and often taking place over several weeks or months,
especially as part of a plan to win a war [n Cl
The great military offensive hadfaii£d and it seemed victory
78 ATTACK
was escaping them. I launch /mou nt a n offen s ive In July
1916, allied forces on the Somme launched a massive offen-
sive, with disastrous results.
aggr•• slon j;}lgreJanJ the act of attacking a country.
especially when that country has not attacked first In Ul
The country is determined to defend itself against foreign
aggression. I aggression against The UN Security Coun·
cil has condemned Iraqi aggression against Kuwait I an act
of aggression The Kurds claim tlu!:y have been the target
of bombings and other acts of aggression.
ambush /'rembuJI a sudden attack by a group of people
or soldiers who have been hiding in order to surprise the
person they want to attack [n Cl
Six or seven of the passengers were killed in an ambush on
the narrowest part of the road. I lie in a mbush (=wait in
order to ambush) They moved slowly, knowing that in the
next clump of trees enemy soldiers might be lying in ambush.
7 someone who attacks another person or
country
attacker
assailant
aggressor
attack.r /;} Irrek;}f/ someone who attacks another person
In Cl
The police need your help to find your attacker.
• ••• llant 1;} lse ll;}ntj a formal or legal word meaning
someone who attacks another person In Cl
"Do you think you could describe your assailant?" the defence
counsel asked.
aggr•• sor (;}lgre5;}fJ a country that attacks another coun·
try, especially when that country has not already attacked
fITSt In Cl
The situation is complex and it is not easy to determine
exactly who is the aggressor in this case.
8 a person or place that is attacked
victim
target
be undef attack
victim ( ' vlk(~m/ a person who has been attacked In Cl
In most sexual offences, the attacker is known to the victim. I
victim of a crime/assault/attack She had been the victim
0/ a particularly vicious aUack.
target ( I ta:fg ~t/ a person or place that is deliberately
chosen to be attacked In Cl
The bomb missed its target by several kilometres. I Their 11€W
strategy is to attack civilian targets. ! target zone/ar ea
When the p lane gets to the target area it drops the missile
and returns to base. I prime target (;::very obvious and
probable target) Holding a US passport makes tlu!se rourislS
a prime target for terrorL"ts.
be under attack (bi: Ii\ncbf ;}ltrekJ if an army or place
is under attack , it is being attacked {v phrasel
Th£ rebels a re under attack and may sun-ender at any time. I
It would be impossible to evacuate a wlwle population under
attack. I come u n der attack (=begln to be attacked) Once
again we came under attack from enemy Fighter planes.
9 words for describing a person or place that is
easy to attack
vulnerable
sitting duck
be an easy target
vulnerable /'vi\Jnar,)balf easy to attack, damage, or enter
by force laWI
vulne r a ble to The tanks' positions made them vulnerable
to enemy gunfire. I vulnerable Groundfloor windows are
particularly vulnerable and secure locks should befitted.
sitting duck ' ISIt Il) 'di\kf someone who is very easy to
attack because they cannot move or they can only move
very slowly In Cl
ATTACK 79 ATTENTION

6 to make someone pay attention to you

7 to make people pay attention to a particular
subject, problem etc
8 to receive a lot of attention from people
9 to try to make someone stop paying attention
to something
10 to avoid making people pay attention to you

1 to pay attention carefully to what you are

doing , so that you do it properly and do not
make mistakes
pay attention keep your mind on
concentrate take note
concentration attentive
pay .tt.ntlon f .pe! a1tenJanJ to listen to and watch care-
fully what you are doing, what is happening, or what some-
one is saying Iv p hrase]
Judith never pays attention in class, but she always does her
homework. I pay attention to You should pay more atten-
tien to your teacher and less to the conversation around you.I
Q"you'd been paying more attention UJ what you were doing
you wouldn't have burnt tlu! pan. I Careful attention should
be paid to sterilizing all your baby's utensils.
concentr.e /'konSCJ"tre lt 11 Ik;:a:n-/ to flx your mind and
thoughts on something so that you pay careful attention
to it and do not think about anything else at the same time
Iv 11
I really dislike driving at night because you have to concen-
trate all the time. 11tried to read a few pages but I found it
hard la concentrate. I con centrate on There were so many
people talking that I just couldn 't concentraw on the music. 1
I couldn 't concentra~ on my work so I went outfor a walk.
concentration f ,kons,:,n 'tre I!':'" 11 .kQ!n-1 having your
mind and thoughts flxed on someth ing, so that you pay
careful attention to it and do not notice what is happening
around you (n VI
It takes a lot of concentration to study in here - it's far too
noisy. I The teacher's rejX)rt said that Joey lacked concentra-

lattention 1----, tion, and this was affecting his work. I A young child has
only a sMrt concentration span.
ke.p your mind on I. ki:p jJ: r ' ma lnd onl to continue
to pay attention to something even if you are very excited
which meaning? or worried about something else (v phrase )
It was difFlCult to keep her mind on her work when slu? had
pay Of get attention • ATTENTION such exciting news to tell Raymond. 1 Throughout tlu? day
h£ rouldn 'I keep his mind on anylhing except tfwforthcoming
nolice something Of . ' NOTICE wedding.
someone taka nota /,telk 'n'JUt/ a fonnal express ion meaning to
pay attention to and think about something that someone
not pay any attention _ IGNORE has said, often allowing it to affect a decision Iv phraseJ
10 somelhing or Tlu?re is a lot of criticism of tlu? new law and a number of
someone politicians are beginning to take note. I take note of sth
Members ofthejury slwuld be careful not to take note ofany-
thing in tlu? press relating to tlu? trial.
attantlve/a'tentlvl someone who is attentive pays care-
• ATTENTION ful attention to someone that they are listen ing to, watch-
to pay attention 10 something or get ing or looking after ladj]
someone's atten tion The professor was pleased la have such an attentive
audience. I attentive to The crew were extremely atwntive
1 to pay attention carefully to whal you are la tlu? passengers' safety.
doing, so that you do • properly and do not
make mistakes 2 to pay attention to a particular subject,
2 to pay attention to a particular subject, problem, or piece of work, by discussing it,
problem, or piece of work, by discussing it, thinking about it etc
thinking about it etc pay attention to concentrate on
3 paying so much attention to what you are devote attention to give sthlsb your
doing that you do not notice anything else turn your attention to undivided
4 to stop paying attention to something that you focus on attention
are listening to , watchi ng , or doing
5 to not pay attention to something that you p.y attention to I,pel a'tenJ,:," tu:J (v phrase J
In this part of the course we will pay special attention to the
should be listening to , watch ing etc
ATTENTION
spok£n language. I Tm gOlJemrTU!l1t never pays any attention
to pre-school education.
devote aHentlon to Idf I V~ ;)It:mJ.1n tu:1 to pay atten·
tion to something difficult or very important [v phrase!
You'll need to ckvote attention to your studies ifyou want to
pass these exams. I She decided to devote more attention to
her charity work after seeing a film about famine.
tum your attention to 1,I3: r nj:>:ra 'ten!"m tu:J to begin
to pay attention to someone or something different or new
Iv phrase I
Nter she'd finished decorating the house, she turned her
attention to the garchn. I Having dealt with the problem DJ
energy sources, let's now turn our attention to the question
of nuclear power.
focus on j' f:KJkas on.11-0:0/ to give one particular
problem or subject all of your attention because it is so
important IV T J
The conference willJocuson the issue a/population controL I
The movie focuses on the parallel lives DJ two families, one
blllck, one white.
concentrate on I'kons~ntrelt on II'ko:n-, -o:nJ to give
more attention to one particular problem or subject than
to others Iv TI
The President tended to concentrate on foreign policy and
neglected domestic issues. I We will achieve more i/we con-
centrate on preventive medicine.
live sth/s b your undivided _"enlion /g lv (Slhlsb)
jJ:f " nd l ,va ld&d a ltenJ.1nJ to give all your attention to some-
thing or someone and not do anything else at the same time
Iv phrase}
I don't want to go back to work yet - I want to give the chil-
drenmy undividedattentron. I Once I hadfinislu!.d my exams,
I could give my undivided attention to looking for a job.
3 paying so much attention to what you are
doing that you do not notice anylhing else
be engrossed in be immersed inl
be wrapped up in Immerse yourself in
be absorbed in preoccupied
be engrossed In Ibi: In lgr.lUst 1nl to be paying so much
attention to something you are doing, for example reading
a lxlok or having a conversation, that you do not notice
what is happening around you Iv phrase]
Helen was sitting up in bed, engrossed. in a novel. I He was
so engrossed in what he was doing he didn't even hear the
doorbell ring. I She hadn 'I wanled 10 go IfJ IM parly bUI SM
lOOS soon engrossed in conversation with the host.
be wrapped up In Ibi: INept I"p 1nl to be so involved in
something that you do not notice other people or things,
or do not seem to care about them Iv phrase)
SM'S IfJtally wrapped up in IM new baby. I He doesn 'l have
much time/or a socialli,{e, he's too wrapped up in his work.
be absorbed In Ibi: ~ l sJ:rbd 1nl to pay so much atten·
tion to something, especially because you want to hear or
watch what happens next, that you do not notice anything
else around you Iv phrase1
I was so absorbed in the game on TVthat I didn't hear Alexis
come in. I The liUie bay sal at IM edge of IM pond, 10lally
absorbed in watching the /,lSh in the water.
be Immersed InRmmerse yourself In Ibi: ,lm:3: r st
In, I 1l1l3: fS jJ:fself 1nl give all your attention to something
such as studying or work so that you do not want to think
about anything else Iv phrase]
Wendy was so immersed in her painting that she hadn't left
the house in over a week. II blGTTU! myself - totally immersed
in my latest project, I failed to notice that something was
wrong with him I He immersed himselfin his work and triJ!d
to forget about Juiia.
preoccupied IPfi:lokj~pald 11 - ' o:k-I paying so much
attention to something or so worried about something that
you cannot think about or remember other things fadj not
before noun J
80 ATTENTION
Peter is sometimes vague, even preoccupied. but he a lways
remembers my birthday. I preoccu pied with AIIM nwment
she is totally preoccupied with her exams. Ask her again next
week.
4 to stop paying attention to something that you
are listening to , walching , or doing
switch off/turn off
switch off (British) / tum off (American) / ,swllf 'of,
ItJ: rn lof 11 - 'J:fl [phr v 11
In the end [got sick o/the conversation and switched off l
It's diffkultfor teachers to turn off when they go home at
night.
5 to not pay attention to something that you
should be listening to, watching etc
not pay attention your mind wanders
daydream inattentive
be miles away
not pa, attention ' not lpel ;J 'tenJ.1n/lv phrase)
What did the amwuncersjust say? lwasn 'tpayingattentwn. I
not pay attention t o I didn 't know we were going to be
tested on grammar, so I wasn't paying much attention to the
lecture.
daydream I ldeldri:ml to not pay attention because you
are thinking about pleasant things or imagining things
that you would like to happen (v I]
He suddenly realised he had been daydreaming and hadn 't
hrord a word his nwtMr had said. I daydream about What
have you been daydreaming about? You haven't been listen-
ing at all.
be mile. away Ibi: 'mal l z~lwe l l to not be payingatten-
tion to anything or anyone around you and seem to be
thinking about something very different Iv phrasel
I'm sorry, Virginia, I was miles away. What did you say? 1
Sorry to disturb you, you looked miles away - but there's a
call for you.
your mind wanders /jJ: T ,mamd IwondaTz 11 - lwO!n-1 if
your mind wanders you are no longer paying attention,
usually because you are bored or because something is
worrying you
He began to read the story, but his mind began to wander. I
let your mind wander Don't let your mind wander, it's
important that you understand how to work this machine.
Inattentive IIIna1tentlv41 someone who is inattentive
does not pay attention to something when they are expected
to ladj ]
Sally is a lazy and inattentivechiid who never listens. 1 inat-
tentive to Employees were indijJerent and inattentive to
their work, making the factory highly unproductive.
6 to make someone pay attention to you
get attention
attract attention
draw attention 10 yourself
get attention JIget altenJan! to make someone pay atten-
tion to you by doing something they will notice Iv phrase)
Unhappy kids often stealjust to get attention. 1His tantrums
are just a way ofgetting attention. 1get sb's attention It's
impossible to get tm waiter's attention in this restaurant.
attract att&ntlon Ja ltrrekt alten!anl to have people pay
attention to you, even if you are not deliberately trying to
{vphrase ]
Tall and beautiful. she attracted attention wherever she
went. 1attract sb's attention He wore a large coat and dark
glasses to aoow. attracting anyone's attention.
draw attention to yourse" /,dn: a l tenJ~n t~jJ:T ,selfl
to deliberately do something in order to make people pay
attention to you because you want them to notice you (v
phrasel
She always tries to draw attention to herself by wearing
brighl clolhes and speaking loudly.
ATTENTION
7 to make people pay attention to a particular
subject, problem etc
draw attention to point out
call attention to focus attention on
bring 8th to sb's highlight
attention
draw attention to l.drJ: a t tenJ.1n tu:/ to tell people about
a problem, unpleasant subject etc that you think they
should pay attention to Iv phrase)
His article drew attention to the lack offunding in modem
scientifIC research. I draw sb's attention to The women's
movement drew people's attention to the discrimination
against women in traditional jobs.
call attention to ,. kJ:1 ~ I tenJ an tu:/ to make people con-
scious ofa bad problem or situation that you think people
should pay attention to so that they can help Iv phrase I
The only way to raise money is by calling attention to the
famine in Africa. I call sb's attention to It may be a good
idea to call your employer's attention to those broken
windows.
bring sth to sb's attention I ,bTlQ (sth) t> (sb's) ,'tenf_'"
to inform someone in a position of power or authority
about a problem, bad situation etc so that they can do some-
thing to help or stop it [v phrasel
It was one of the otlwr students who brought your misbeha·
viour to my attention.
point out 'IP:'llnt 'autl to tell someone about a mistake
they have made, something they have forgotten etc Iphr v
UTI
point out sth He pointed out tlw danger ofa mountain trek
at this time of year. \ point sth/it out I didn't realise I'd
mack a mistake. Thank youfor pointing it out. \ point out
Clearly (as the employers were quick to point out) keyboard-
ing had nothing in common with programming.
focus attention on l,ook;}5 ~ 'tenJan onJ to make a large
group of people, especially the public, pay attention to one
particular problem or bad situation because it needs their
help Iv phrase I
Th£ publicity campaign h£lped wfocus attention on th£ n£eds
of old people in the community. I focus sb's attention on
The new education policiesfocus teachers' attention on rais-
ing teaching standards.
highlight I 'hallaltl to make people pay attention to one
particular problem or subject by giving more facts or
details about it than about other problems or subjects [v TJ
The report highlights some areasforfuture research. I Some
of her more mockrn poems highlight the oppression of
women in society.
8 to receive a lot of attention from people
get attention be the centre of attention
attract attention be the focus of attention
attention
get aHentlon Ilget ;)ltenJanl [v phrase I
Solar power has been getting a lot ofattention recently. I All
the media attention she's been getting is making her value
her privacy.
aHraet attention I;),trrekt ;)ltenJanl to be receiving a lot
of attention, even if it is not wanted [v phrase)
The film has attracted consickrable attention since it was
re/rosed last week. I The outspolren young senawr is attract-
ing a lot of attention.
aHentlon 1~'tenJanl the interest that people show in
someone or something In UI
Some people hate having to appear in public but Jerry just
loves all th£attention. I Sire was veryj1att.ered by all th£atten-
tion he was giving her.
be the centre of aHentlon Ibi: 6;) ,sent'lr;)v ~ltenJanl
if someone is the centre of attention everyone is very
interested in them and gives them a lot of attention [v
phrasel
81 ATTITUDE
I loved talking and being the centre of attention, so I was
clwsen to be spokesperson. I Bill was a flamboyant guy -
always the center of attentwn.
be the focus of attention /bi:~' ,fouk,s,v ,'tenf_",
if something, especially a bad situation, is the focus of
attention, everyone is paying it a lot of attention because
they are warned about it, interested in it etc Iv phrase )
Tire earthqualre has made skyscrapers th£focus ofattention. I
In this chapter, the topic ofchild abuse is our main focus of
attention.
9 to try to make someone stop paying attention
to something
distract sb's attention
divert attention
distract sb's attention Idl 1strrekt (sb's) ;)'tenJanl to
deliberately stop someone from paying attention to some-
thing important Iv phrase}
Sophie is a naughty child wlw constantly distracts the other
children's attention. I distract sb's attention from TIw
bomb could have been planted in order to distract people's
attention from th€ robbery.
divert attention Idal,v3: f t ;)'tenJanl to deliberately make
someone pay attention to something different from the
thing they should be paying attention to Iv phrase]
The reduction in tax is designed to divert attentwn, an
attempt to malre tire pUblicforget th£ elections. I divert sb's
attention Hopefully she can divert the guard's attention
long enoughfor T7U! to escape. Idivert attention from The
newspapers were eager to divert attentwnjrom the riots, run-
ning stories about Hollywood movie stars_
10 to avoid making people pay attention to you
not want to draw attention to yourself
keep a low profile
low key
not want to draw attention to yourseH Inot ,wont
t;) ,dr:J: ;)'tenJan t;) j:)!f Iself II -,wo:nt-I to avoid making
people pay attention to you, especially by behaving in a
very quiet or inoffensive way Iv phrase I
I don't want to draw attention to myself. Ithink I'll sit in the
back row.
keep a low profile I,ki:p ~ ,ldO IpldUfalll to try not to
make anyone notice you for a period of time, for example
because you have done something bad [v phrase I
She's keeping a low profile until the scandal isforgotten.
low key 1.10)0 'ki:"1 low key approach/attitude/
behaviour (:::when you do something in a controlled or
quiet way, because you do not want people's attention) ladj
phrase]
After years of expensive advertising th€ company is trying
a more low key approach to selling their product.
attentive ATIENTION 1
attitude ATIITUDE 1, OPINION 1
• ATTITUDE
1 your opinions and feelings about something ,
especially as they are shown in what you say
and do
1 your opinions and feelings about something ,
especially as they are shown in what you say
and do
attitude outlook
mentality world view/world-view
way of thinking
ATTITUDE
attitude /'retltju:d I -,u:d/ ln Cl
attitude to/ towards His attitude to his new job seemed to
be very negative. I In order to change attitudes towards
employing women, the government is bringing in new laws. I
an attitude of They maintained an attitude of deFrance to
social ronventions. 1 attitude When I told them I was a
doctor their whole attituci£ chonged. I What I don't need is
somebody with an attitude problem.
mentality /men' ""IM an attitude that a particular group
of people has, which makes them behave in a way that you
think is stupid or wrong [n C usually singular}
I can't understand the mentality Dj these teenagers. I She
clespised the bourgeois mentality Dj the projessional class. I
You know, I wonder tfthis is a male kind a/mentality.
way of thinking I.wel ~v 'SlnkH)1 the attitude ofa person
or group. especially about what other people should or
should not do In phrase I
You tU come to understand my way DJ thinking when you're
my age and you have your own children to worry about. I
I was g lad to be with people who shored my way ojthinking.
outlook I'autlukl someone's general attitude to life In Cl
NWr a good vacation, you'll hove a completely dif!eren Lout-
look. 1 Thefarmers were narrowly provincia l in their out-
look. I outlook on life/ the world (=attitude to life ete) His
outlook on life is largely a result of his strict education.
woJtd vl_lworld·vlew / ,W3:'ld 'vju:/ the attitude that
a person, group or nation has towards life or the world In
singularJ
The traditional India n world-view is based on certain
definite concep ts. 1 the Communist world-view ! He believes
the change in the world view has occurred because ofthe new
developments in communications.
attract ATIAACT 1, 2, 3
attract: be attracted to ATIRACTEO TO SS 1
attract attention ATIE NTION 6, 8
-+ e aEAUTIFUU
GOOD-LOOKING
. . e SEXY
- bring In 1IbnIJ lID/ to make people want to attend an event,
-+ e ATTRACTED TO
sa
ATTRACT
1 ways of saying that something has qualities
that make you want to have it or take part in it
or that make people feel very interested in it
2 ways of saying that something or someone
makes people or things come towards them
3 to make someone interested in you sexually
4 having qualities that make you want it or feel
very interested in it
11 something that attracts people
" You say" is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spo ken English .
82 ATTRACT
1 ways of saying that something has qualities
that make you want to have it or take part in it
or that make people feel very interested in it
attract
tempt
seduce
attract /. 'trrek,/Iv TI
attract sb It seems to me that it 's the succesiful teams that
attractfootball hooligans. 1 attract sb to sth What attracts
me to thejob is the high salary and the possibilityojjoreign
travel. 1 attract interest/support/attention etc Politi-
cians still risk having oJ/airs, knowing the massive media
attention they attract. I Her equa l-pay campaign has been
attracting a lot of support.
tempt Itemptl to make someone want to have or do some-
thing, even though they know they really should not [v T ]
tempt sb Don't leave valuables on view in your car to tempt
thieves. I The Parisian shops have things to tempt even the
strongest Dj wills. I tempt sb to do sth I'm templ£d to sel/
my car and buy Steve's.
seduce ISlldju:s 11 -Idu:sl to attract someone to buy a
particular product, support a particular political party etc,
by making it seem very attractive Iv TJ
seduce sb The government has been accused of bringing
down taxes simply as a means of seducing voters. I seduce
sb into doing sth TV advertisements sed uce people into
buying a particular kind ojchocolate bor, washing powcler
or car.
2 ways of saying that something or someone
makes people or things come towards them
attract bring In
draw lure
attract 1~ ltrrektJ [v Tl
attract sb/sth Leftover jood attracts/lies. I attraetsb Intol
to/ towards etc There were swarms of children, attract£d
into the street by the ice·cream seller. 1 The specia l low rent
is design£d to attract new businesses to the area.
draw Id..,:1 if an event or place draws a large number of
people, it attracts them, because it is very popular {v T J
draw sb Thefootball game is expected to draw a crowd of
around 50,000. 1 Such was the reputation of the school that
it drew boys from all over the south of England. 1 draw sb
to/ into London had completely outgrown its neighbouring
towns, drawing popul.D.tion and wealth to itself.
take part in something, or join an organization (phr v T J
bring In sb/ sth It's the star players like Gazza who reolly
bring in the crowds. 1 The policeforce has introduced a new
advertising campaign, in an attempt to bring in more
recruits from the ethnic minorities.
IU" /lu~r. Ijoor II loorl to try to make someone come to a
place, especially by offering things you may not intend to
give them Iv TI
lure sb to/ into/ away etc He lured her into his fwme with
offers ojjood and warmth, then brutally attacked her. I Ever
since I left the company they have been making attempts to
lure me bock. I lure sb The bolas spicier lures moths with
its scent, then catches them on a blab oj g lucose.
3 to make someone interested in you sexually
attract
be attractive to
appeal to
attract /.',rrekt! Iv T J
Tanta always seems to attract married men. I The tanned
muscular body that hadFl1'st attracted me was MW pale and
flabby.
ATTRACT
be attractive to /bi: d1trrektlv tU:/ to have physical fea-
tures or a character that makes people feel interested in
you sexually [u phrase]
He had never really thought oJ his wife as being attractive
to alMr men. I The survey suggests that 'brainy'men are
much more attractive to women than big muscular types.
appeal to 'd l pi:! tu:1 to have physical features or a charac-
ter that makes a particular person or a particular kind of
person interested in you sexually {u T J
Jane is an aerobics teachi!r, so she should appeal to your son. l
Older women don'l appeal to me at all. I It was his sense DJ
hUlTWr that really appeakd to her.
4 having qualities that make you want it or feel
very interested in it
attractive irresistible
tempting enticing
appealing
attractlve /;,Itrrektlvl [ad} ]
It's a very attractive offer, but I'm afraid I can't aa:ept it.
You must choose th€ career you/ind most attractive in terms
ofpay, working ronditions and job satisfaction. I attractive
to Banks have to think of ways ofmaking long-term saving
more attractive to individuals and business_
tempting Iltcmpt lIJI something that is tempting is some-
thing that you want to do or have very much, but which
you have doubts about doing or having ladjl
I've recently received a very tempting job offer from IBM_ I
Go to Java with you? It 's tempting I must admit, but I don 't
think I'll be able to afford it_ I it is tempting to do sth It
is tempting to believe the government's promises.
appealing /. 'phhQ/ something that is appealing makes
you think seriously about having it or doing it, especially
because it will make your life easier or more comfortable
law]
Having someone to do all my cli!aningfor me was an appeal-
ing prospect. Ilfind tM idea ofearning an extra $5(}(}() a year
very appealing. I Although a warmer climate may sound
appealing, tIu! effects oftM heat can be dif]ocult to cope with.
l"eslstlble / ,lfllzl st ~ b<111 so good or attractive that you
feel you must have it or do it ladj)
The trolley was filled with irresistible cream cakes. I
irresistible to High interest rates have made these saving
plans irresistible to small investors.
enticing I Io1tal sIIJI something that is enticing attracts
you very strongly, especially because it is interesting and
you want to fmd out more about it [adj )
enticing smells coming from the kitchen I enticing to The
scars of time make objects more enticing to photograplu!rs.
5 something that attracts people
attraction temptation
appeal charm
the lure of
attraction /.'tr",kJ.n/ln C/U]
A lot ofyoung people take drugs. Personally. I can't see the
attraction. I attraction of For many mothers, the attraction
ofa workplace creche is the chance to be near their children
all day. I a tourist attraction (::something that attracts
tourists) The Eiffel Tower is France's major tourist
attraction.
appeal /;)lpi:l/ a quality that someone or something has
that makes people like it. want it, or feel interested in it
InUI
The appeal ofpersonal computers is particularly strongfor
people with large amounts ofpaperwork. I Much of Corfu's
appeal lies in its lively night life.1 have a wide appeal (=be
attractive to a large number of people) Her music has a wide
appeal.
the lure of I(};) 'lu;)r ;)Vl (::a strongly attractive quality
that makes you want something very much, even though
you know it may be bad for you) In phrase}
the lure of money/ power/ adventure etc It was the lUre
83 atypical
ofpower and prestige that made me take tM job. 11 tried so
hard to settle down, but the lure oftravel and adventure was
too much for me.
temptation Itemp 1tel!<1ol something that makes you
want to do or have something, even though you know you
should not In C/ UJ
Life in New York had far too many temptations. I resist
temptation (::not do something that you would really like
to do) I thought of taking a day off work, but resisted the
temptation.
charm Itfo:rmj a pleasant quality that someone has which
makes other people like them, feel attracted to them or be
easily persuaded by them [n VI
With lu!r charm and good looks, she's sure to be a success. \
He still had a kind of boyish charm that everyone found
lovable and amusing. I She was a leader ofgreat character
and tremendous personal charm.
_ ATTRACTED TO
I
S8
1 to be sexually attracted to someone
1 to be sexually attracted to someone
be attracted to want
fancy lust after
be Interested In take a fancy to
be aHrected to Ibi: ;)'trrekt~d tu:1 to feel attracted to
someone, so that you would like to have a sexual relation-
ship with them Iv phraseJ
I've always been very attracted to blondes. I I don 'I know why
I was ever attracted to him in the first place. I strongly
attracted to She didn't really like him as a person, but she
felt strongly attracted to him.
fancy 11faensil an infonnal British word meaning to be
sexually attracted to someone Iv T l
Everyone knows youfancy Sara. Why don't you ask lu!r out? I
Fenella really fancied the drummer and went over to chat
to him after the concert.
be Interested In Ibh--' J ntr ~st ~d Inl an expression mean-
ing to feel sexually attracted to someone, used especially
when you are being polite and do not want to say that you
have sexual feelings about them (v phrase]
She's not really been interested in anyone since the divorce.
want Iwont 11 WQ!nt , wJ:ntl a word used especially in sto-
ries meaning to feel very attracted to someone and to want
to have sex with them Iv Tl
"I want you, .. sh£ whispered, "I want you now... I He was
obsessed with her and wanted. Mr desperately.
lust after II IAst a::fb r 11 -ref-I a humorous or infonnal
expression meaning to be strongly sexually attracted to
someone and think about having sex with them Iv Tl
You must really enjoy it, having all thosefans lusting after
you!
take a fancy to I ltelk:;) Ifrensi tu!1 an infonnal British
expression meaning to start liking someone and feel sexu-
ally attracted to them, especially in a way that is not very
serious Iv phrase I
Petra's taken afancy to my elder brother. I He seems to have
taken quite afancy to his English teacher ~ hes always hang"
ing around her.
attraction ATIAACT 5
attractive ATIRACT 4. BEAUTlFUUGOOD-LOOKING 1. 2.
4 , GOOD/EXCELLENT 3 , SEXY 1
attractive: be attractive to ATTRACT 3
attractively BEAUTIFUUGOOO-LOOKING 6
attribute CHARACTER OF STH 2. CHARACTER!
PERSONALITY 3
attribute sth to CAUSE 13. RESULT 10
atypical TYPICAL 5
auction
auction SELL 6
auction: put sth up for auction SELL 6
audacious BRAVE 4
audible HEAR 2
audience LISTEN 5, 6, WATCH 5
augment INCREASE IN NUMBER OR AMOUNT 7
auspicious HOPE 7
austere SIMPLE/PLAIN 2
authentic REAUNOT FALSE OR ARTIFICIAL t
author WRITE 16
author: the author WRITE 17
authoritarian STRICT 1
authoritative BELIEVE 11
authorities: the authorities GOVERNMENT 3
authority KNOW STH 6, ORGANIZATION 2, POWER t
authority: in authority POWER 3
authorization LETIALLOW 9
authorize LET/ALLOW 8
autobiography STORY 8
autograph SIGN YOUR NAME 1, 2
automatic MACHINE 2, THINK ABOUT 10
automatically ALWAYS/EVERY TIME 1, THINK ABO UT 9
autonomous INDEPENDENT COU NTRY OR
ORGANIZATION 1
avail: to no avail FAIL 2
available AVAILABLE 1, 5, USE STH 8
available : not available BUSYINOT AVAILABLE 1
available : not available/unavailable AVAILABLE 6
• AVAILABLE
1 available for someone to have or use
2 available for anyone to have or take if they
want it
3 available because no one is using it
4 words for describing a job that is avaifable
5 available 10 do something, not busy
6 nOI available
1 available for someone 10 have or use
available at your disposal
obtainable be on tap
avallable /;)'vell::mall people or things that are available
are easy to find or get because there is enough of them, they
are not being used by someone else, someone is selling
them etc ladjl
What kind of accommodation will be available? I We have
tried to make the best use of the available spa"". I We had
already used up all thetunds available. I available from!
at These books are available from any good bookstore. I
available to A free counselling service is available to all
students. I readily/ freely available ( ~ very easy to find
and available to anyone) Crack, heroin and other Class A
drugs are readily available on the streets these days.
availability 1;' 1vel 1 alb ll~til [n Ul The availability of books
and magazin£s has been threatened by the strike.
obtainable /.b 'tem>Wl/ goods or products that are
obtainable are easy to fmd or buy because someone is sell·
ing them [adj rwt Wore noun 1
Ski boots are obtainable ina range of sizes. I By 1941 many
basic foodstuffs were no longer obtainable. I obtainable
from Copper piping is obtainable from most builders'
suppliErs,
at your dispo.aI /;x jJ: r d,' sp:xJzall if something is at
your disposal, someone has provided it for you to use
whenever you want or in any way that you want ladj
phrase I
If I can help in any way, my laboratory is totally at your dis-
posal. I h ave sth at your disposal He behaved as if he had
unlimited funds at his disposal. I put/ place sth at sb's
disposal (=make something available for someone) She
placed her car completely at my disposal for the week,
84 AVAILABLE
be on tap Ibi: on 'trepl an informal expression: if some-
thing that you like or enjoy is on tap it is available to you
all the time so that you can have it whenever you want it
Iv phrase]
It~ agreat pl=for a restIood. music, alcohol - everything's
on tap. I When he left home he realized that his parents'
support and advice was no longer on tap_
2 available for anyone 10 have or lake if they
want it
be going yours for the taking/asking
be up for grabs be going begging
to be had
be going Ihi: Ig;)(J lrJl an informal expression used espe-
cially in British English: if something is going it is avail-
able for anyone who wants it Iv phrase]
Is there any more wine going? I There aren't many jobs going
in this part of the country.
be up for gr.bs /bi: lAp f;)f 'grrebz/ an infonnal expres-
sion: ifsomething such as ajob, chance, or prize, is up for
grabs it is available to anyone who wants to try to have
it, especially ifno one has yet decided who should have H
Iv phrase]
When [leave here my job's going to be up/or g rabs, I There
are plenty of opportunities up fo r grabs in this sector of the
market,
to b. had It;} bi: 'hredl something that is to be had is
available to anyone who knows that they want it and where
to get it from ladj phrasel
When no work was to be had he borrowed money from
friends. 1 There wasn't a decent pizza to be had in th£ whole
of the city, I She knew ofaplace w!reredesigner clothes were
to be had at bargain prices,
yours for the t.klng/.sklng IJ:>:fZ f;}f O;} Itelk llJ ,
' a:skIIj 11 -I resk-I something impo~t, expe!lsiv~, des.ir-
able etc that is yours for the takmg or askmg I S easily
available to you, so that you can get it without making any
effort
Ifyou want promotion, it's yours/or the II1king. I She.thought
that all the good things in life were hersfor the asking. I We
need to show them how to use all the resources that are there
for the II1king.
be going begging /bi: ,g>O IQ ' beg IQ/ if something is
going begging it is easily available either because there
is a lot of it or because no one else wants it (v phrasel
I think you 'lIfind there are p lenty of tickets going begging
for Saturday~ game. I People who think there arejobs going
begging in New York are going to be very disappointed.
3 available because no one is using rt
free
empty
vacant
free /fri:1 something such as a chair or a room that is ~
is not being used by anyone and no one has asked for It to
be kept empty so Ibat they can use It later la<l,i.l
Is this seat free? I There are never any free parkmg spaces
on Saturday mornings. I We're very busy at thi! moment,
Thi!re are no free rooms at th£ hotel at alL
empty I'emptil something such as a room or seat that is
empty has no one using it at the moment and is therefore
available for someone else to use ladj]
They have three empty rooms now that the kids have moved
out. I [ think there's an empty seat in thi! back row,
vacant I've lk:mt/ a building, home, room, or office that
is vacant is available because it is not owned or rented by
anyone ladj]
There don't seem to be any vacant rooms in the whole of
London! 1 If you're looking for somewhere to rent, [ think
there's a vacant apartment in my building. I Of thi! bUild-
ings the company owns, only 3% are vacant,
AVAILABLE 85 AVOID
avert PREVENT 2
4 words for describing a job that is available '" avert your eyes/gaze LOOK AT 9
vacant It avid ENJOY/LIKE DOING STH 6
vacancy aVid: be a great/keen/avid reader READ 7
open avotd AVOID 1, 2. 3, 4, 5. 6, 7, PREVENT 2
avoid: to avoid 5th/In order to avoid 8th TOf! N
vacant l 'vc1kantj not being done by anyone at the moment ORDER TO 2
and therefore available [adj]
Our company only has one or two vacant positions at the
moment. ) When the post became vacant it was offered to
Wendy Brooks. I fall vacant (::become vacant) He applied
for th£jDb DfEliot's personal secretary, which hndjustfallim
Iav0 i d I;;-:-::-;::---:::::;--"'~~
vacant.
vacancy l 've1kansi/ an available job [n Cl
wh!t;h'mean;ng? ,
~ _ ' _~ _ _,i.
There are over 3 million people unemployed and only 400,000
vacancies. I I'm sorry, the firm has no vacancies at the keep away from i' - • AVOID
moment. ' something try .n~ to
open 11;x)~nl ajob that is open, especially ajob that needs do something.Qr g&t
a lot of skill, is still available because it has not yet been In
Involved so,tnethlng
given to anyone else [adj not before noun)
Is that job you told me about last week still open? I open to
sb The position is open UJ graduates in any subject.
prevent something
from happening r .- .. ~7'"'"
(1JI
,stop something thatj$, • STOP 5TH THAT
5 available to do something , not busy happening noW IS HAPPENING
available
free
available I~'ve!ldball someone who is available is not
doing anything now and is therefore available to do some- • AVOID
thing, especially a piece of work for someone else [adjI
We need someone to work on this job immediately_ Who's 1 to avoid something or someone that is
available? I Most ofthe staff is away today so you'll have to unpleasant, dangerous etc
use whoever is available_ I None of the witnesses were avail- 2 to avoid dOing something that you have to do
able for comment_ or have promised to do
availability /3lvel13lbilAti/ln VJ It is the hospital manager
who should match the availability of staff with the needs of
3 to avoid a problem or bad situation
tlw patients_ 4 to avoid obeying a law or legal responsibility,
free /fri:1 someone who is free is available because they especially dishonesty
are not doing anything now or have finished what they 5 to avoid talking about a particu lar subject, or
were doing ladjl answering a question
I'll befree in about jive minutes_Can you wait? I Ask one of 6 to avoid being hit by something, or being
the free sales assistants to help you choose your colour_ seen by someone etc
7 to avoid travelling through , or going near, a
6 not available place
not available/unavailable
unobtainable
not to be had/found 1 to avoid something or someone that is
not available/unavailable Ilnot 3 lveIlabal, It\na- unpleasant, dangerous etc
Ivetiaball [adj not before noun] avoid give sth/sb a wide berth
She took a temporary job because a permanent job was not stay/keep away shy away from
available. I This type of specialized treatment is not availa-
steer clear of keep apart
ble at all hospitals. I In many Russian cities basicfoodstuffs
are unavailable. avoid falv:J ldl to deliberately not get involved with some-
unobtainable IIt\nab Itet n3ball goods or products that are one or something or not do something because it is
unobtainable are impossible to get or buy ladj not usually unpleasant, dangerous etc [v Tl
before noun} avoid sb/sth These drugs are dangerous. I would avoid
Fresh fruit is unobtainabk at certain times 0/ the year. I them, if I were you. I I have the feeling you've been avoiding
Many ofour usual products are unobtainabk at the moment me recently. I avoid doing sth The best way to lose weight
but we will inform you when they are in stock. is to avoid eatingfaUy foods. I best avoided When prepar-
not to be hadlfound Inot 13 bi: Iheed, Ifaundl ifsome- ing for exams late-night parties are best avoided. I avoid
thing that you really want is not to be had or not to be sb/sth like the plague (==completely avoid someone or
found you know it is not available at all because you have something) Ever since Ifound out that I'm allergic to dairy
tried to get it everywhere [adj phrase} produce I 've been avoiding it like the plague.
At the moment warm woolkn socks are not to be found in stay/keep awa, 1I stel. Iki!p ;) Iwell to avoid someone or
the whole of Bucharest. I Good legal advice is simply not to something, usually because they are very dangerous,
be had, because of the shortage of lawyers. unpleasant etc [phr v 11
stay/ keep away from Keep away from Sam; he's crazy. I
avalanche: deluge of/avalanche of LOT/A LARGE The doctor told him to stay away from coffee, tea and alco-
NUMBER OR AMOUNT 6 hol. I Tourists were warned they should stay away from
avant-garde MODERN 3 black market money exchanges. I stay/ keep well away
avenge REVE NGE 1 (==make a great effort to avoid something) My cousins, sens-
average ORDI NARY 1 ing trouble, were keeping well away.
average: on average USUALLY 1 steer clear of Ilst la r Ikll3r ovl to make an effort to avoid
averse: not be averse to LIKE SB OR STH 3 someone or something especially because there could be
aversion DON'T LI KE 5 serious problems if you do not [v phrase]
 AVOID
Steerclearofthatcrowd - they 're trouble! I Thejilmsteere,cJ
clear 0/ the political argument. I steer well clear of (=avOld
someone or someth ing completely) Visitors to the troubled
region are advised to steer well clear of demonstrations. )
steer clear 5he:S a strangecharacrer, and I would steer clear
if I were you.
give 8th/sb a wide berth f .g lv (sth!"sb) a .,~ald 'b3:,r9/
an infonnal expression used especially In BrItIsh Engbsh
meaning to be careful to avoid someone or something
because they are unpleasant or cause problems (v phrase)
I'm going to give the boss a wide berth at the party - she 'll
only want to talk about work.
shy away from 'Iial ;l 'wel fromJ to avoid a subject, idea
or situation because you are afraid of it, do not understand
it etc [u T J
shy away from sth Tire author does not shy away from the
major topics ofdeath, sickness and old age. I shy away.fro~
doing sth He shied away from (hi! prospect of workmg m
an office. I Many firms shy away from adopting this policy.
keep apart ' Iki:p alpa:rtl to avoid being with other
people so that you do not have to talk to them, in a way that
seems unfriendly [phr v I]
Anne's very shy and likes to keep apart. I keep apart from
Being such close friends we tended to keep apart from the
other students.
2 to avoid doing something that you have to do
or have promised to do
avoid wriggle out of
get out of worm your way out of
duck out of duck
avoid la'v;}ldl (v Tl . evede /I 'veldl to avoid a law or duty by doing something
avoid doing sth Do you think he's gone away to avoid talk·
ing to the police? I She's a good manager, because sh~ never
avoids dealing with the problems of her staff I avoId sth
You can't continue avoiding your responsibilities.
get out of Iget Iaut Dvl an informal expression meaning
to avoid doing something that you have promised to do
IvTI
get out of sth <11 can't see you this afternoon. I have a meet-
ing. " "can't you get out of it?" I Get out of the dinner party
and come around to see me. I get out of doing sth Sue
always tries to get out of doing the dishes by disappearing
to the bathroom.
duck out of l,dAk laut Dvl an infonnal expression mean-
ing to avoid doing something that you have to do or have
promised to do especially in a way that makes people not
like or respect you Iv Tl
duck out ofsth Sh£'s really good at ducking out of things
thRy ask her to do - why did thRy promote her? I duck out
of doing sth He ducked out of going to the party by saying
Ire had to look after his kid bratlrer - can you believe that?
wriggle out of (also weasel out of in American
English) 'IrlgaJ laut Dvl to avoid doing something you
should do by using clever or dishonest explanations or
excuses [v T l
wriggle out of sth He tried to wriggle out of his responsi-
bilities. I Sh£'s not very reliable. Shi! always weasels out of
her share of the work. I wriggle out of doing sth Unless
he can wriggle out of writing the report again, he'll have to
do it today.
wonn your way out of I lw3: r m jJ: r wel laut Dvl to
avoid doing something that you have been asked to do, by
making an excuse that is dishonest but is also very clever
[v phraseJ
I managed to worm my way out of the party by telling them
that f had to visit my parents. If don't know how, but Ire suc-
ceeded in worming his way out of going to the meeting.
duck IdAkl duck an issue/decision/responsibility etc
(=avoid doing anything about it although it is your duty
to do so) Iv TJ
Politicians always duck the most diffrcult problems until
after an eleetinn. I He hasn't made any enemies sofar, because
of his success in ducking tough decisions. . because you are trying to hide something [v Tl
86 AVOID
3 to avoid a problem or bad situation
avoid
get around
avoid IJ ' v;}ldl [v T J
avoid sth I'm sure he wants to avoid a scandal. I To avoid
danger of suffocation, keep this bag away from ba~ies and
children. I avoid doing sth Tak£ whatever precautwns you
can to avoid being involved in an accident.
get around (also get round in British English) / ,get
(a)'raundl get around a problem/ difficulty/ argument
etc (=find a way to deal with the problem so that you can
continue with what you want to achieve) Iv TJ
The administration got around this probl£m by introducing
a new law. I If we can get round these difficulties. we'll be
able to discuss the really important points.
4 to avoid obeying a law or legal responsibi lity.
especially dishonesty
aVOid bypass
evade get around
dodge
avoid 1;"V;}ldl [v T J
avoid doing sth You may be able to avoid paying income
tax on the money that you save. I Some men entered teach-
ing to avoid serving in the army. I avoid sth Import duties
on some goods can be avoided if you k1WW how.
avoidance (n U I This country loses millions ofpounds every
year because ojtax avoidance (=legal ways of not paying
tax).
illegal Iv T J
evade sth Clever businessmen often manage to evade taxes.
He's managed to evade several drunk driving convictions. I
evade dOing sth You are trying to evade paying the com-
pensation.
evasion Illvelynl [n UJ The authorities are beco:ning stric-
ter about tax evasion (=illegal ways of not paymg tax).
dodge /dod3 11 dmd31 an infonnal word meaning to avoid
obeying a law or duty especially by being dishonest [v Tl
Nobody /ikespaying taxes, but it is unfair to dodge tlrem.1
Drivers woo drink willFmd it hard to dodge random breath
tests once the new law is introduced.
dodge {n Cl He was the kind of person who always knew
about the latest tax dodge (""the latest way to avoid paying
taxes).
bypass / 'ba.po," 11-pres/ bypass a law/restrictions/
rules etc (=avoid it legally, especially because you know
a lot about the laws and can use them cleverly) Iv Tl
The authorities bypassed thi! building regulations, and
started work on the 1l€W supermarket. I TIu! rules can be
bypassed in certain circumstances.
get around (also get round in British English) / ,get
(a)'raund/ to find a legal way of avoiding a law or rule that
prevents you from doing what you want to do [v TJ .
We asked him how we could get around the legal requIre-
ment. I The government could have got round the inter-
national rules for disposal of waste at sea.
5 to avoid talking about a particular subject. or
answering a question
avoid fudge
evade beat about the bush/
evasive around the bush
sidestep/dodge/duck
avoid la 1v:Hdl Iv TJ
avoid sth Try to avoid subjects like sex or religion as they
can cause offence. I To avoidfurther questioning, he got up
and lift tire room. I avoid doing sth ThRy both avoided talk-
ing about Charles.
evade /11ve ldl to avoid a particular subject or a question
AVOID
St£ve evaded tiu! question wiu!n I asked him why iu! had l£ft
work SO early_ I I tried to discuss it with him, but he evaded
tM issue and talked about basebaLL I The best interoiewers
make it impossible for politicians to evade th£ir questions.
ev••lve /l'velslvl someone who is evasive tries to avoid
answering particular questions or talking about particu-
lar subjects, because they want to hide something [adj l
When I asked about his future plans, he sudden ly became
evasive. I President Reagan was accused of being evasive,
particularly in regard. to the Iran-Contra affair. I All of tMir
questions were met with vague, evasive answers.
evasively [adv) "/ am not in a position to comment, " she
replied evasiveLy.
sldestep/dodgelduck /'sa ,dstep, dod3, dAk 11 -do:d3-/
informal words meaning to avoid answering a question.
usually by talking about something else so that people do
not realize that you have not answered it fv Tl
He sidest£pped tiu! question he had been asked, and talked
inst£ad aboul plansfor tiu!future. 1 Tiu! management dodged
tiu! issue ofsalary increases. 1She had asked a diffICUlt ques·
tion, and iu! had ducked it.
fudge IfAd31 to avoid giving an exact or clear answer when
someone bas asked you a difficult question Iv T l
He hasfuilged some of his answers, rather than admit the
facts. I fu dge an issue (=avoid giving a clear answer on a
particular subject) He was under a lot of pressure and
seemed to fudge tiu! issue.
beat about the bush (British) / around the bush
(American) J,bi:t abaut oa IOOJ. Olraund-I to avoid talking
about the most important detail of something and talk
about other details instead, because you are embarrassed.
not confident etc [v phrase]
Don't beat about tiu! bush; get to tiu!point. 1 Why don 't you
just ask mr to go out with you, instead DJ beating around
tiu! bush?
6 to avoid being hit by something, or being
seen by someone ete
avoid duck
get out of the way dodge
avoid /, ' vo ld/ lv TJ
avoid sb/ 5th I saw my boss at the party. but I avoided him
by going into the kitchen. 11swerved to avoid the oncoming
truck. I avoid doing 5th She threw herse/fto the ground to
avoid being hit by tiu! boU.
get out of tha w.Y Iget .autav ~a 'we ll to move, usually
very Quickly. in order to avoid something [v phrase]
«G€t out of tiu! way, "iu! shauted, as tiu! tree began to fall. 1
There was a sudden move to get out of the way as the bull
began to run towards us. 1get out of the way of I only just
had time to get out out of the way ofthe rock as it rolled down
tiu! hill.
duck IdAkl to avoid something by Quickly lowering your
head and upper body I v IJ
He didn't duck in time, and hit his head on the low ceiling. 1
Josie saw the rock coming and ducked. bu t it struck her on
the ear. 1duek beh ind/into/th rou gh ele Tiu! boy ducked
behind the wall when he saw his teaclu!r.
dodge /dod3 11 do:d31 to avoid samething or someone by
moving Quickly to the s ide tv liT!
dodge sb/ sth I dodged tiu! book he threw at me. 1 Dodging
the policeman, iu! ran through tiu! gate. 1 dodge I dodged to
get oul ofhis way. 1 dodge behind/ into ete When Kevin saw
the soldiers, he dodged into an alt.y.
7 to avoid travelling through, or going near, a
place
avoid make a detour
staylkeep away bypass
stay/keep clear of
avoid /o 'vold/lv TI
We avoided the main road because there had been an acd·
dent there. Ilfyou suffer from hayfever, avoid gardens full
87 awkward position
offWwers on hat summer doys. 1 be best avoided (=it is
better if it is avoided) Downtown is best avoided on national
holidays and on Sundays in summer.
s taylkeep aw.y I ,ste l, .ki:pa'well to not go near a place
because of a particular reason, for example because you do
not like it Iphr v IJ
stay/ keep away fro m I stayed away from the busy shap-
ping centre as much as I could in summer. 1 Martin kept
away from concerts, in case he met her again. 1 stayI keep
well away (=make an effort to avoid something) There Iuu1
been warnings ofa bomb in the town, so we kept well away.
shlylkaep cl••r of I lstet, ,ki:p Ikl larovl to avoid a place
because of some danger or trouble there (v phrase]
You'd better kEep clear of the city for a time, as there may be
a riot. 1 We had to be careful to stay clear of towns where we
mig ht be recognised. 1 stay/k eep well clear of (=not go
anywhere near) When they were on vacation, they kept well
clear of tourist traps. I stay Ikeep clear Because of the
situation in the north of the country. we were advised to keep
clear.
m_ke _ detour I ,melk a Idi:tuaTI to travel around a place
instead of through the centre of it, especially to avoid a
traffic problem (v phrase )
Wiu!n iu! realised the police were on tiu! road ahead, tiu!
driver made a detour. I We had to make a long detour to get
around the blocked. road.
byp_ s / 'ba lpG:s II -pres/toavoidatownoreitybytaking
a road around it rather than through the centre of it (v T )
You should tak.e the expressway because it bypasses the
town. I A lot ofdrivers bypass Lockport, but it is worth stop·
ping to [oak at tiu! locks on tiu! Erie Canal.
bypass In Cl A new byposs (=a road bypassing a town) is
being built round the town.
aVOidable PREVENT 10
await WAIT 1
awake CONSC IOUS 1, SLEEP 17, WAKE UP/GET UP 1
awake: be awake WAKE UP/GET UP 1
awake: lie awake SLEEP 11
award GIVE 5
awarded: be awarded GET 3
aware: as far as I'm aware THI NK SO/NOT BE SURE 3
aware: be aware KNOW STH 2
aware: be aware of KNOW STH 14
aware: become aware/conscious NOTICE 1
aware: become aware that REALIZE 1
awash WET 1
away OISTANCE 3
away/off FUTURE 6
away: be away HERE 6
away: be away/off HERE 7 , THERE 8
away from OISTANCE 3
awe-Inspiri ng IMPRESS 4
awful/terrible/ horrible BAD 1. 3
awkward CLUMSY 2, DIFFICULT 5 . 7 , EMBARRASSED 1
awkward position: be In a difficult/awkward position
PROBLEM 7
" You say " is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show Ihey are
especially used in Spoken English.
baby
baby
B
BABY/HAVE A BABY 1. 2
baby: be going to have a baby/be having a baby
BABY/HAVE A BABY 7
baby: haye a babyltwlnS/klttenslpupples ete
BABY/HAVE A BABY 5
• BABY/HAVE A
BABY
1 a human baby
2 a baby animal
3 a baby that is still developing in its mother's
body before birth
4 ways of saying that a baby is born
5 to give birth to a baby
6 to help with the birth of a baby
7 words for describing a woman or female
animal that has a baby developing in her
body
8 designed for or provided for women who are
havi ng babies
9 the period belore birth d uring which a baby
or young animal is developing in its mother's
body
10 to lose a baby before it is born
11 to get rid 01 a baby belore it is born
12 to be able to have babies
13 to be unable to have babies
14 ways of saying that humans or animals
produce babies
15 the method or process by which humans,
animals. or plants produce babies
1 a human baby
baby
Infant
child
newborn
baby I'belbi/ a very young child, especially one who has
not yet learned to speak or walk fn Cl
Would you mind looking after the baby for us on Saturday
afternoon? I baby girl/ boy Afour day old baby girl today
underwent a liver transplant operation at SI Bartholomew's
Hospirol. I baby clothes/ food/milk etc (=for babies) Let's
see if there are any nice baby clothes in the sales.
Infant Jlmf.mt/ a word used especially in literature or in
technical contexts, meaning a baby {n Cl
Th2 in/ant, cradled in Miriam 's arms, began to cry. I There
are clear differences in temperament and speed 0/ learning
between in/ants at this early stage.
child Itfalldl a baby at the time when it is born or before
it is born In Cl
Roberta 'sfirst child weighed over four kilos at birth. I Med·
iall stqfJ, realizing that the child was In distress, had decided
to deliver it by caesarean section.
newborn / 'nju:b:>:rn 11 Inu!-I newborn baby/ c hild/
infant (=that has just been born) ladil
Newborn irifants spend a lot a/time sleeping. I Relatives and
fri£nds all wanted ro see the newborn boby.
newborn In Cl It is nonnal/or newborns (=newbom
babies) to have very large heads.
88 BABY/HAVE A BABY
2 a baby animal
young
baby
newborn
young /jArJ/ a wild animal's or bird's babies In plurall
The mother bird's main concern is to provide/ODd/or her
young. I Kangaroos carry their young in a pouch
baby f'belbij baby animal/rabbitlelephant ete (=a very
young animal. rabbit etc, used especially by or to children)
ladj only be/ore nounl
In the zoo there is a small/arm where children can look at
the baby animals. I Baby monkeys cling ro their mother's fur.
newbom Ilnju:b:>:fn lI 'nu:-1 a n ewborn animal is one
that has just been born ladjl
Many newborn animals cannot open their eyes. I Th€ /wrse
lay in the straw with the newbomfoal nestling into her side.
3 a baby that is sti ll developing in its mother's
body before birth
unborn child/baby
foetus/fetus
embryo
unborn chlldlbaby IIAnb:>:rn Ilfa lld , 'belbi/ln Cl
Doctors do not know what the long-term effects 0/ the drug
will be on the unborn child. I Petra could feel her unborn
baby moving inside her.
toetuslfetus I'fi:t.as/ a medical word meaning a baby
that is still in its mother's body, especially at a stage when
the baby's body is fully formed In Cl
By the end of the third month of pregnancy the foetus is a
miniature human being. I Hig h blood pressure severely
endangers the lives 0/ mother and fetus.
embryo l'embri:;KJ/ a medical word meaning a baby that
is in the earliest stage of development in its mother's body
In Cl
Nt£r settling in the womb, the embryo begins ro develop. I
The sex 0/ human embryos can beestablished at eight weeks.
4 ways of saying that a baby is born
be born arrive
birth come along
. be born fbi : 'b:>:'nf Iv phrase I
The baby was born two months early and had to be kept in
I the hospital. I At this time o/year, as many as twenty lambs
are born every night. I All our children were born at home.
birth fb3: ' ef the fact or process of being born In C/ UJ
It was a difflCult birth. I There have been/our births in our
family this year. I It 's common nowadays/or fathers to be
present at the birth of their babi£s. I at birth (=at the time
when someone is Ix>rn) Most birds cannot identify their par-
ents at birth and simply f ollow the first moving object they
see.
arrlve /~ 'r8 I vl to be born, especially a t a particular time
Iv lJ
The baby arrived atfive minutes past midnight. I Has your
sister's baby arrived. yet?
arrival (n UJ The arrival 0/ our first child brought a new
joy into our lives.
come along l ,kAm3 1 IoJ) n -~ 'l::I :£j1 a word meaning to be
born. used especially when talking about how the baby's
birth affects its parents' lives (phr v I1
I was studying to be an accountant, but then the baby came
alongand / had to give it all up. IBy the time her third child
came along, Mrs Jones had strong ideas on how children
should be brought up.
5 to give birth to a baby
have 8 baby/twlnsl become a mother
kittens/puppies ate childbirth
glYe birth labourllabor
BABY/HAVE A BABY
have a baby/twlns/klUens/pupples etc Ihrev (.
baby, ele)l Iv phrasel
Having a baby changes your life completely. I After my wife
had the twins we were really broke/or a while. lOur cat had
six beautiful little kittens while we were on vacation.
give birth I.glv Ib3: r91 an expression meaning to have
a baby. used especially when talking about the actual
process of doing this Iv phrase]
Zelda was admitted to the hospital at one 0 'clock. and gave
birth two hours later. I The/emate gives birth in a nest-like
bed made ofgrasses. I give birth to a child/daughter etc
»'hen Pablo was three, his mother gave birth to a daughter.
become a mother Ib l,hm a ImAoorl to have a baby for
the fIrst time (v phrase)
Rachel was looking forward to becoming a motmr. I
become the mother of a son/twins etc Nine months later
she became the mother o[ a son, who was named George.
childbirth I 'ljaIldb3!'61the process of giving birth In V]
Many drugs have been used in the past to ease the pain of
childbirth. I die in childbirth (=die while giving birth)
Samuel's mother died in childbirth, and he was brought up
by his aunt. I natural childbirth (=without drugs, medi-
cal operations etc) Natural childbirth has becom€ more
popular over the last 20 years.
labour (British) Ilabor (American) 1'lelb.'1 the whole
process of giving birth, from the time when the baby starts
to be pushed out of its mother's body rn VI
Connie knew that labor had started so she called the doctor. I
in labour By the tim€ I arrived she was already in labour
with her first, eagerly awaited baby. I go Into labour
(=begin the process of giving birth) One ofth£ horses had
gone into labour so thefarm€r called the vet.
6 to help with the birth of a baby
deliver
delivery
deliver Idl 'hvarl [v TJ
Our family doctor delivered th£ baby. I Th£ birth was so
quick that my husband had to deliver th£ baby himself. I
Julia's third child had to be delivered by caesarean section.
delivery Id 1111 varil the process of giving birth, especially
when the birth is helped by doctors and nurses [n Cl
A hospital is usunl/y th£ best placefor a safe delivery. I Meg
was recovering from a particularly complicated delivery.
7 words for describing a woman or female
animal thal has a baby developing in her body
pregnant be expecting
be going to have a baby/ expectant
be having a baby
pregnant 11 prcgn::mtl [adj J
Th£ health centre provides milk and vitaminsfor pregnant
women. I When our hamster was pregnant sh£ looked like
a round,furry ball. I get pregnant We can't stop these kids
having sex, but we can help them to avoid getting pregnant. I
pregnant with When I was pregnant with Mandy I used to
wear those denim dungarees. I twenty weeks/ three
months etc pregnant When Janette was three months preg-
nant she caughtflu. I heavily pregnant (=when the baby
is almost ready to be born) By this time I was heavily preg"
nant and could hardly get into any of my clothes.
be going to have a babylbe having a baby Ibi:
Ig.wll) la hrev ~ 'bclbi , hi: Ihrev llJ :;, 'belbil an expression
meaning to have a baby developing in your body, used espe-
cially when you are telling someone that you or another
person is going to have a baby [v phrase}
Isn't it wonderful! Susie's going to have a baby! I The doctor
told Delphine that the tests were positive and she was going
to have 'a baby. I My boss is having a baby in March, but
she's only taking maternity leave for three months.
be expecting Ibi: Ik'spektllJl an informal expression
meaning to have a baby developing inside you (v phrase)
They'd only been married a couple of months and already
89 BABY/HAVE A BABY
Rebea:a was expecting. I be expecting a baby/childSt4./i's
expecting another baby, so she'll probably stop work in Jurw.
expectant 'Ik'spektant/ expectant mother/father
(=whose baby will be born soon) [adj only before nounJ
Expectant mothers sOm€times have cravings for unusual
foods.
8 designed for or provided for women who are
having babies
maternity
antenatal/prenatal
maternity Im~lt3:rn~til maternity care/dress/ward/
leave etc (=for women who are going to have a baby or
have just had a baby) [adj only before nounJ
Maternity clothes are more stylish than they used to be. I Most
wom€n who take maternity leave lookforward to returning
to their jobs. I Which way to the maternity ward?
antenatal (British) I prenatal (American) I,renll 'nelll. ,
,pri:'neltl .. , antenatal classes/clinic/ care etc (::::pro-
viding special care for women who are going to have a
baby) ladj only before noun]
Pregnant teenagers often do not want to attend antenatal
classes. I Towards the end of a pregnancy, doctors recom·
mend more frequent prenatal check-ups.
9 the period before birth during which a baby
or young animal is developing in its mother 's
body
pregnancy
gestation period
pregnancy I'pregnansi/ln ClvJ
Many women find th£ir skin is at its best during pregnancy. I
Mothers who smoke during their pregnancies are more lilocly
to have small babies. I !thad been a difficult pregnancy, and
for the last 4 months she had been forced to lie down.
gestation period Id:se'steIJan IPlari;x1/ a technical or
medical word meaning the length of time a human or
animal baby develops in its mother's body [n CJ
The gestation period of an elephant is almost two years.
10 to lose a baby before il is born
10&<1 the baby
miscarry/have a miscarriage
stillborn
lose the baby I ,Iu:z~' 'belbi/ lv phrase]
"Am I going to lose the baby?" she asked the doctor. I Your
Wife is recovering well, but I'm afraid she lost the baby.
miscarrylhave a mlscarrtage /mls'kreri. hrev a Imls +
krend31 to lose a baby because it is born too early for it to
live, usually because of illness, shock etc [v IJ
I think my wife's having a miscarriage. Send an ambulance
immediately! I Janine miscarried twice before eventually
giving birth 10 a son.
stillborn I 'stl lb;):rn, ,stIJ'b;):rnl a baby that is stillborn.
is born dead but fully developed lacUl
Sadly, th£ baby was stillborn. I Libby had still not recovered
from the shock of giving birth to a stillborn child.
11 to get rid of a baby before il is born
have an abortion
terminate a pregnancy
have an abortion I,hrev =:In :;, 'b;):rJ<1nl to have a medical
operation in order to prevent a baby from being born alive
Iv phrase)
Afriendofminegot pregnant wh£n she wasfifteenand had
an abortion.
abortion [n C/ U] Abortion was illegal (=it was illegal to
have an abortion) in most European countries until fairly
recently. I Abortions are performed only on women who are
less than 28 weeks pregnant.
BABY/HAVE A BABY 90 BACK/BACKWARDS
terminate. pregnancy l.l3: f m! nelt a 'pregnansil a back: be back RETURN 1
legal or medical expression meaning to perfonn the oper - back: be back on your feet aETIERlAECOVERED 1
ation that prevents a baby from being born alive Iv phrase) back: be back to normal BETTEAlRECOVERED 2
Doctors may U!rminate a pregnancy when the life of the back: be on your way back RETURN 1
moth£r is at risk. back: behind ab 's back SECRET 6 , UNKIND 2
back: call back RETURN 2
12 to be able to have babies back: come back RETURN 1
be able to have children back: get back RETURN 1
'ertlle
back: go back RETURN 1
back: In back 01 BEHIND 1
be able to have children fbi: lelbc71 to} hrev 'tJ lldi.mJ back: in the back BACK OF STH 3
to be able to have a baby because there are no physical rea- back: over and back RETURN 4
sons to prevent you from doing this Iv phr ase ! back: put your back Into It/put some muscle Into It
Alter th£ operation will I still be able to have children? WORK HARD 8
fertile J'f.J:ta ll n 1f:3:rtL/ a technical or medical word mean- back: stop back RETURN 2
ing able to have a baby or be the father of a baby la<jil back: talk about sb behind their back CRITICIZE 5
While most men remain fertile into old age, women do not. back: the back BACK OF 5TH " 2
fertility Ifarlo lA ti/ ln VJ Certain drugs have been found to back: there and back RETU RN 4
put women's/ertility at risk (=make them less fertile). back: turn your back TURN 2
back: turn your back on REJECT/NOT ACCEPT 7
13 to be unable to have babies back: will be back RETURN 1
be unable to have children back away BACK/BACKWARDS 2
Infertile back burner: put 8th on Icelon the back burner
STOP DOING STH 3
sterile
back chat/back talk ANSWERfREPLY 3
be unable to have children /bi: I\n ,e lbc71 t:;) hrev back down ACCEPT 4
'tJl ldr.m/ Iv phrase] back off BACK/BACKWARDS 2
The rkxlor lold th£ couple that they couldn 'I have children. I back out of/through/towards etc BACK/BACKWARDS 2
Young girls often ended up having back-street abortions, back street ROAD/PATH 1
which left th£m unable to have children in th£ future. back then THEN 1
Infertlle /l n' f3:tal l II - ' f3:rtl/ a technical or medical word back to front WRONG/I NCORRECT 5
meaning unable to have babies ladjJ back together: be back together TOGETHER 4
These new medical techniqUJ!S provide hope for infertile back up BACK/BACKWARDS 2 , 3 . PROVE 2 . SUPPORT
couples. A PERSON . GROUP. OR PLAN 2
infertility I ll n~r 't l l ~ti/ In UJ It took her a long time to C017l2 back...uplbackup HELP 10
to terms with her infertility.
sterile I 'sterall II -ldl/ unable to have babies, especially
when this is a pennanent condition radj]
Susan thought that her illness had made her ster ile. Ibackl
sterility 1st;) I n lbtiJ (n UI Exposureofth€ sexglands to radi-
ation can cause sterility. which meaning?
14 ways of saying that humans or animals moving or facing ~ . BACKI
produce babies backwaRIe BACKWARDS
reproduce
breed \I1e back p&J1 01 - .. . BACK OF STH
SOfI\8IbIng
reproduce I lri:Pld1 dju:s 1I - 'du:s/ a word meaning to
produce babies, used especially when talking about the go!i coma pack to' a -+ _ RETURN
method by which this is done or the rate at whi ch it hap- pIII08
pens IV 11
In SQ17l2 parts of the world, humans are reproducing very
"'"*.
rapidly, causing overpopulation. I Jellyf'lSh reproduce by
releasing eggs and sperm into th€ sea.
breed /bri:d/ if animals b reed, they produce babies lu I]
~ 8OI118tI1ing back.
to 8QI'II8Dn8

~ ~baOk -. e GET
GIVE
----'
Rabbits breed very quickly. from~
breeding In UJ B irds make nests in prepar ation for
breeding.

15 the method or process by which humans. • BACK/BACKWARDS

animals, or plants produce babies
1 moving backwards
reproduction
2 to move backwards
reproduction /,ri:pro 'dAkj. n/ln UJ 3 ways of saying that a vehicle, or the person
These insects have two different methods of reproduction. I driving it, moves backwards
Dr Weiss has spent many years doing research in the sph€re
oJhuman reproduction. I This complex pattern Of behaviour
is in foct essential to the survival and reproduction of the
species. 1 moving backwards
back
baby.ltlslt LOOK AFTER SB 1 backwards
baby.I11.r LOOK AFTER SB 2 back /brekl away from the direction in which you were
bachelor MARRY 16 moving or facing before (adv]
back BACK OF STH 4 . BACK/BACKWARDS 1, 3 , Th£ police were pushing th£ cheering crowds backfrom 111£
GAMBLE 2 . PAY FOR 11 . REACT 2 , RETURN 1 . edge ofth£ road. I Whe",!Uer a wave came near their feet, 111£
SUPPORT A PERSON, GROUP, OR PLAN 2 children jumped back laughing. I A lIie looked back over her
back: a1 the back BACK OF STH 3 shoulder.
BACK/BACKWARDS 91
backwards (also backward in American English)
Itb::ekw;)rd(z)1 move/walk/fall etc backwards (=rnove
away from the direction in which you are facing) {adv]
Sarah fell backwards in the snow. I can you skate back-
ward? I Stepping backwards, Harry trod on the foot of the
woman behind him. I backwards and forwards A dang-
ling rope was swinging slowly backwards and forwards.
2 to move backwards
back out oflthroughl retreat
towards etc step back
back away recoil
back off pull away
back up
back out oflthroughltowards etc Ibrek (out of, ete)1
to walk backwards in a particular direction, especially in
order to leave a room or building Iv TJ
Simms Quietly backed out of the offICe in embarrassment. I
When she was sure the baby was asleep she backed softly
through th£ bedroom door. I I was backing slowly towards
the exit while he talked, hoping that he would turn round
long enough for me to get out.
back away "brek ;)IWClI to walk slowly backwards in
order to get away from a frightening or threatening situa·
tion [phr v IJ
"Are you crazy?" cried tlu? doctor, backing away. I back
away from They both began to back away from tlu? bar,
aware that tlu? situation was getting out of hand.
back off I,brek 'of 11 -',:fl to walk slowly backwards in
order to get away from someone and avoid trouble (phr v I I
I backed of!. afraid that he was going to hit me. I Back of!.
pal. This is nothing to do with you. I The strangers backed
off wordlessly, still glaring at us.
back up "brek IApl an American expression meaning to
move backwards a little, for example in order to give some-
one enough space to move [phr v I I
Heyeverybody, back upafew steps so we can open tlu?door. 1
The crowd backed up to let the motorcalk make its way down
Pennsylvania Avenue.
retreat In 'tri:t, to walk backwards or away from the
direction you were walking before, especially in order to
avoid an embarrassing or unpleasant situation Iv IJ
Jim saw tlu? man approaching and retreated a few steps. I
retreat from / into/ to etc "You haven't heard tlu? last of
this!" shouted Spencer, retreating up tlu? stairs.
step back 'Istep 'brek/ to take one step or a few steps
backwards Iphr v IJ
SIu? opened tlu? door and stepped back, letting me pass into
tlu? room. I I saw lu?r quickly step back into the Iwuse wlu?n
she caught sight of us.
recoil In 'Ient, to suddenly move part or all of your body
backwards, away from something that is unpleasant or
fri ghtening Iv IJ
I've been a detective for fifteen years but I still can't look at
a murder victim witlwut recoiling. I recoil from Esther
recoiledfrom the stove as hot steam rushed out of the unco-
veredpan.
pull awa, Ilpui ;,Iwell to move quickly and suddenly
backwards in order to get further away from someone espe.-
cially because you are upset or angry Iphr v 11
When Helen took his arm he tried to pull away. I I tried to
kiss her but she pulled away violently.
3 ways of saying that a vehicle, or the person
driving it, moves backwards
reverse
back up
back
rever. . In I V3:rs/ a word. used especially in British
English meaning to move backwards in a car, bus etc [v
li T ]
reverse out of/into/roWld etc As I approached the Iwuse
a car reversed out ofthe driveway and sped down the road. I
BACK OF STH
reverse You'll have to reverse to let that truck pass. I
reverse a car/bus etc (=make it reverse) Dave is going to
reverse the van into that parking place so that it's not block·
ing the entrance.
back up 1I brek 'Apl an expression used especially in
American English meaning to move backwards in a car,
bus etc (phr v liT not usually in passive I
The driver backed up, and in doing so ran over a bag lying
on the road. I back sth/it/them up (=make it go back·
wards) Back the truck up a little more, will you? I back up
sth I called hello as Cindi backed up the car and stopped in
front of the door.
back /brekl to move backwards in a vehicle or make a
vehicle go backwards, especially in order to get into or out
of a space Iv l / TI
back out/In/ into I wouldn't park there - it's going to be
very difficult to back out again. I back sth out/ in/Into
Slowly, carefully, Morris backed the truck into the shed.
BACK OF 5TH
1 the back part of an object, vehicle, building etc
2 the back of something flat such as a piece of
paper
3 at the back of an object, vehicle, room , or
space
4 words for describing something that is at the
back
1 the back part 01 an object, vehicle, building etc
the back
the rear
the back lOo 'brekJ the part that is furthest from the front
In singular]
The front of the new car is the same, but tlu? back has been
completely redesigned. I You can leave your bike around the
back. I They walked past the back of the college. I Did you
know you have paint on tlu? back of your skirt? I "How do
I turn the computer on?" "There's a switch at the back. ..
the rear /6;) ,n;)rl a formal word meaning the back part
of a vehicle or building [n singular]
A man in a raincoat was standing by tlu? rearoftlu? Volks·
wagen. I Access to the kitchen is from the rear.
2 the back of something flat such as a piece of
paper
the back
the reverse
the other side
the back /0. 'brekJ In singular]
the back of sth I wrote down the message on the back ofan
envelope. I He was trying to scrape the wax ojJwith the back
of a knife. I on the back If you look on the back, you'll see
the artist's signature. I "I can't see the wine list ... "It's on the
back."
the reverse 10;) f1I V3: rS/ a word meaning the back of
something, used especially in written instructions or
descriptions In singular)
on the reverse Please sign your check on the reverse. I the
reverse side The President's h£ad is on tlu?front oftlu?coin;
the reverse side carries the date and the value. I the reverse
Thefront ofthe board shaws the company's name, the reverse
slwws the address.
the other side 16i IA6;,r ' saldl the back of something,
especially when it is not c1earwhich is the back and which
is the front [n phrase I
Write your name on the card and on the other side put your
age.
BACK OF 5TH 92 BAD
bad: poor/bad BRIGHT 5
3 at the back of an object, vehicle, room, or
space
at the back
! bad: too bad PITYIIT'S A PITY 1
bad language SWEAR 2
bad-mannered: ill-manneredlbad-mannered
at the rear
in the back
at the back 10' 00 'brek/ ladv phrase I
I RUDE/IMPOLITE 1
bad-mouth CRITICIZE 5
bad move: be a bad move MISTAKE 3
bad tactics MISTAKE 3
We sat at the back of tlu! restaurant so as to be away from bad-tempered BAD·TEMPERED 1
the door. I There's something rotting at the back DJ the bad time: a bad time CONVENIENT 2
rtifrigerator. I a tangle o/wires, like you wouldfind at the bad time: a bad time/not a good time TIMEIRIGHT OR
backoJa radio Iljoundyour passport - it was right at the WRONG TIME 4
back 0/ the drawer.
at the rear I~t 6<J fna r/ a word used especially in instruc-
tions or in written descriptions meaning at the back of a
Ibad I-----::~---,
--_.__......"
building, room, or vehicJe (adv phrase)
Passengers for Birmingham should sit at the rear of the
train. I Most cars have their engines at thefront; this one has
it at the rear. I Brenda sat at the reception desk at the rear
which meaning?
.......
oftlu! main hall. ..... . BAD
bad in quality
In the back /In ~<J 'brek/ at the backofacarorothervehi-
de (adv phrase]
Don't let the Mg sit on the passenger seat - he has to go in
the back. I Just chuck allyour bags in tlu! back. I SIu!cou/dn't
see out ofthe rear window becauseoJall thejunk in the back
a bad person
bad behaviour or
-
•
-
• BAD PERSON
.. BAD BEHAVIOUR.
actions OR ACTIONS
of her truck. '.
bad at doing !J BAD AT
4 words for describing something that is at the something, not skilful
back
harm the condition, - '. HARM/BE BAD
back
health, success ate of FOR
rear
a person, group,
back Ibrek/ ladj only before nounl CO\lnlr)l, ete
Th£ burglars crossed th£ yard and broke into the house
through the back door. I an old bicycle with worn back a bad situation .... ... SERIOUS
brakes I You can put your 5uitcaseon the back seat of the car.
rear I rl ~rl rearwindow/exitllight etc(=a forma) word
meaning one that is at the back of a building or vehicle)
ladj only before noun)
treating people very .
badly
... . CRUEL -
SITUATION

In tlu! distance slu! cvu/d sa"Iu! rnr's rear lights. I TIwy mark
their way slowly toward the rear exit. I The two rear carri- in bad "condition . "e CONDITION/
ages of the train are reserved for non-smokers. STATE OFSTH
backbone MAIN 4
backbreakinglback-breaking DIFFICULT 3
backfire FAIL 4
background BEHIND 2, CLASS IN SOCIETY 1. COME
. BAD
FROMIORIGINATE 4 , FAM ILY 1
background: in the background BEHI ND 1 1 words for describing something such as a
backhander MONEY 10, PAY FOR 17 book, a film , or a meal that you do not enjoy
backing SUPPORT A PERSON . GROUP. OR PLAN 5 at all because it is of very low quality
backlash REACT 4 2 words for describing a performance, a piece
backlog JOBITASK 1 of work, or a service that someone provides
backtrack CHANGE YOUR MIND 1 that is of a very low slandard
backup/back-up HELP 10 3 words for descri bing an event, experience,
backward STUPIDINOT INTELLIGENT 2
situation , or type of wealher that is very
backwards/backward BACK/BACKWAR DS 1. ORDERI
SEQUENCE 5
unpleasant
backwards: a step backwards PROGR ESS 6 4 words for describing something that is of bad
backwards: bend over backwards to do sth TRY TO quality or has been made badly
DO OR GET STH 6 5 not very bad, but not as good as it could be
backwards: know 5th backwards/backwards and or not as good as you expected it to be
forwards KNOW STH 4
backwater FAR 5
backyard: in your own backyard NEAR 1 1 words for describing something such as a
bad BAD 1, 2 , 3 . BAD AT 1 . BAD BEHAVIO UR OR
ACTIONS 1, 2 , BAD PERSON 1. 5 , DECAY 4 ,
I@.I book, a film, or a meal that you do not enjoy
~ at all because il is of very low quality
DIFFICULT 8 , SERIOUS SITUA nON 1.
WRONGIINCORRECT 1
bad ghaslly
bad: be bad lor CONVENIENT 2 , HARMIBE BAD FOR 3 not much good/no be rubblshl
bad: be bad for you/be bad for your health HEALTHY 9 good/not any good a load of rubbish
bad: leel bad about G Ul LTYIFEEL G UILTY 1 not be up to much be garbagel
bad: go bad DECAY 3 awful/terrible/horrible a load of garbage
bad: go from bad to worse WORSE 4 dreadful be crap/a load of crap
bad: not bad CH EAP 2 lousy be the pits
bad : not be bad GOODIEXCELLENT 9
appalling suck
 BAD
bacl/bred/ladj I
The meal was so bad I couldn'l eat any DJ it. I That is one
a/the worst films [have ever seen. I The comedian 's jokes
were really bad and no one laughed at them. I I don 't know
• which is worse, the band or the music. I pretty bad (=quite
bad) Her first book was pretty bad, but this one's ten times
worse.
not much good/no good/not any good loot IM'I
IgOO , nJU Igod, not eni IgOOI of very low quality (adjphraseJ
Thenwvie wasn't any good. I lwouldn'tgothere - thebeer's
, no good. I These poems aren't much good, anyone could've
.. written them
not be up to much Inot bi: lAp t;) I mAtII to be of a lower
standard than expected Iv phrasel
The soup was cold and the wine wasn't up to much.
awfulltentbl.lhorrlb" /~:fal, lter!bal, IhDr~~1 11 'h::>:_,
'ha:-I very bad ladjl
It 's such an awful programme! Howcanyou watch it? I These
pictures o/me are Iwrrible! I I thought every single one 0/
the songs they sang was absolutely terrible.
dreadful/ 'dredf.11 a British word meaning very bad ladjl
This sauce tastes dreadful! I "Howdidyou like thefilm?" "It
was drecuiful. "
J Iou., / llauziJ an informal word meaning very bad fadj]
The food was lousy and the service was terrible. I It was a
, lousy game offootball.
appalling I.' ",,:hql so bad that you can hardly believe it
or are shocked ImUl
The play was incredibly bad - it really was appalling.
ghaatty I 'go:stli ~ 'ga:sllif a word meaning extremely bad.
used especially humorously ImUl
• "What was the hatellike?" "Ghastly!" I He used to be in that
ghastly quiz show on Friday evenings.
b. rubbish/a load of rubbish Ibi: 'rAb,!. • ,Ioud.v
<
I 'rl\b IJ/ an informal British expression meaning to be very
bad Iv phrase I
"What did you think of my essay?" "I thought it was rub-
bish!" If don't know why you're watching that film, it's a
load of old rubbish.
J be garbag./a load of garbag./bi: 'ga: rb,d3.' ,loud
:,}v. ' ga: rbld31 an informal American expression meaning
to be very bad Iv phrasel
I've never read such a load of garbage in my life. I Most of
the food in these fast food joints is garbage.
b. a load of crap (also be crap in Br~ish English) Ibi:
:,} .1:>Ud ~v 'krrep, bi: 'kerep[ an informal expression, which
some peop1e find offensive, meaning to be very bad [v
phrasel
The book was supposed to be good. but I thought it was a
load of crap.
be the pitS /hi: 0:1 'pltsl an infonnal expression: if you
say that something is the pits you mean that it is
extremely bad [v phrase)
Let's leave, this place really is the pits! I Rap music? I think
it 's the pits.
suck /sAkI an informal and impolite American expression
..t which some people fmd offensive: if you say that something
sucks. you think it is very bad (u 11
Horror mouies suck. Let's go see a comedy instead.
2 words for describing a performance, a piece
of work , or a service that someone provides
that is of a very low standard
(. bad terrible
poor
lousy
appalling/atrocious
pathetic
bad Ibred/ la4i1
Don't eat there. Thefood is expensive and the service is really
bad I Bad management has put the company in a difJkult
financial position.
badly (adv J Her books are usually very badly written.
poor lpu.rl not as good as it could be or should be ladjl
The runner claimed that illness had contributed to his poor
93 BAD
performance in theOlympicjllUl1. IAsa result ofseveref/ood-
ing, communications in the area are very poor. I Poor sani-
tation can lead to the spread of diseases such as cholera.
poorly ladvl This iriformation in the pamphlet is poorly
presented.
lousy J'lauziJ an informal word meaning very bad radjl
Tlwre's no excusefor lousy management. I Thecorporation
has a lousy rerord on health and safety.
terrlble "ter!ball very bad [adjl
Th£ train service between here and the city is terrible, it's
always late. I Theservia in the restaurant was terribt. - they
kept getting our orders wrong.
terribly ladv l We deserved to lose. we played terribly.
appalllng/atroclous /"",,:hD • • "",,-,Iosl extremely bad
ladjl
The spelling in this letter is atrocious. I Tanja 's singing was
appalling, her voice totally lacked expression.
appallingly/ atroc1ously [advJ Mr Barton spoke atro-
ciously, he almost seemed drunk.
pathetic Ip;)lgetlk/ so badly done, especially because of
lack of effort or care, that it makes you annoyed radiI
I'mfed up with herpatheticexcusesfor being late. I Theserv-
ice in this hotel is pathetic, I'll never stay here again.
3 words for describing an event. experience.
s ituation. or type of weather that is very
unpleasant
bad
awfullterriblelhorrible
dreadful
appalling/atrocious
horrendou8
nightmarish
hellish horrific
god-owlul
bad Ibred/lawl
The weather's been really bad lately and we haven't been
able to go out much. I It had been a very bad year for Gil-
bert, what with losing hisjob and his wife. lIt was the worst
party I've ever been to.
awfullt..... I.Iho ...... I":fal. 'lerlbal. 'hor!bal " 'h,:-.
'ha:-I very bad ladjl
I've had an absolutely terrible day. I Conditions in the
hospital were awful. The ploce wasfalling apart and it was
unlhlrstoffed.
dr.adful I'dredfall a word used especially in British
English meaning very bad lawl
We had a dreaclful journey back /wme in the rain.
hellish I'hel'II an informal word meaning very bad. espe-
cially because you have had so many problems and difficul-
ties to deal with ladj)
"How were things at the office?" "Oh it's been hellish - I've
been rushed off my feet all day. " I We had 0 hellish tinu!
trying to get our Visas.
god-awful I ,god ',:fal- 11 ,go:d-I an informal American
word, which some people may fmd offensive, meaning very
bad [adj only before noun]
What's that god-awful noise? Turn that radio off! I It's been
a god-awful day - I wish I'd stayed in bed.
appalling/atrocious I" ",,:h D, " '''''-'Iosl extremely bad.
especially with the result that you are shocked ImUl
Living conditions in the refugee camps were atrocious. I The
appalling weather continued, with harsh winds, fogs and
heavy rain. .
horrendous Iho'rendas 11 ha!-, h:>:-I extremely bad.
unpleasant, and often frightening ladjl
It was a horrendous storm. I We were all nearly killed - it
,l
was about the most horrendous experience in my whole life.
nightmarish na ll rne3nfl a situation or experience that
is nightmarish is so bad that it seems unreal, like a bad
dream ladj only before noun]
Joanne 's husband. had been arreswifor smuggling. It was
a nightmarish situation, and sh£ didn't know what to do
next.
horrific Iho'nf'k 11 h,: -. ho:-I extremely bad. especially in
a way that is frightening or upsetting [ad) I
It was a horrijlC experience. We really thought we were going
BAD
to die. I The race"was slopped. after a horrlfu: accident in
which two drivers were killed. I Conditions in the refugee
romps can only be described as horrifIC.
4 words for describing something that is of bad
quality or has been made badly
badly·made inferior
shoddy jerry-built
blldly·made / .bredli 'me,d.-, made without.care or skill
fadj not usually btifore noun I
This table is really badly-mark - it won't last 5 minutes.
shoddy /' fedi 11 'fa:-/ badly and cheaply made, using low
quality materials lad)]
Never buy goods when you know they are shoddy - it 's
always worth spending a little more. I shoddy workman-
ship (=bad work) Look at the way this house has been deco-
rated - it's really shoddy workmanship. I s hoddily m a d e
I wouldn '( pay £200 for that jacket - it was really shoddily
made.
Inferior Jln'ft <Jriarl inferior products are not as good as
other similar ones because they have been cheaply and
badly made ladjl
Consumers buy foreign goods bealuse they believe that Brit-
ish rruu:k goods are inferior. I I want the best - I don 't uxmt
some inferior model that's going to breakdown th£jirst time
I use it.
jerry-bul" / 'd3"ri bl l ~ buildings thatarejerry-built. are
not strong because they have been badly and carelessly
built using cheap materials ladi not usually before noun)
The houses on the reservation are jerry-built and infested
with cockroaches.
5 not very bad , but not as good as il could be
or not as good as you expecled it to be
not very good
mediocre
not be up to scratch
lacklustre
80-80
nothing special
patchy
not very good /nol veri 'gud/ladj phrase I
Th£food WQsn't very good, considering how much we paid
for it 1 Th£ standard ofteaching at th£ school isn ~ very good.
not very well [adv phrase I Sh£ didn't sing very well (=her
singing was not very good).
rnedIocnt I ,mi:di l ~bf " l not very bad. but not very good
or interesting especially because it is done without skill
or imagination ladj )
The England team gave another mediocre performance in
last night's game against Denmark. I Most ofthe paintings
in the exhibition were fairly mroiocre. I pretty mediocre
(=fairly mediocre) It 's a pretty mediocre play, especially
compared to his oth£r work.
not be up to . cr.tch Inot bi: ....p t;} ' skreetfl work that
is not up to scratch. is not as good as it should be Iv
phrasel
I'm sony Coorge, this report really isn ~ up to scratch - you'll
have to do it again.
patchy J'pretJil a perfonnance. piece of work etc that is
patchy is good in some parts. but bad in others and in
general is not good 1a4i1
Thejilm is patchy, dl!spite one or two good performances. I
At the end of the term she produced a pretty patchy essay on
the Russian Revolution.
"cklustre /' lrek, lA,,"'/lacklustre perlormance/ effort
etc (=not very bad, but not as good as was expected) ladj
usually before noun )
The corporation's profits increased dramatically this year,
after a rather lacklustre performance last year.
so-so 11 S3U S;}(J/ an informal expression meaning not very
good, but not very bad either ladj not before noun I
"How isyour meal?" "Scrso. "1 Th£ IuJtet was in a lovely loca·
tion, but the facilities were only scrso.
notNng apeclal /,llA911) ISpeJ~1J an expression meaning
not better than average, used especially when you were
94 BAD AT
expecting something better and are disappointed ladj
phrase not before noun]
"What was th£ roncert like?" "Oh, nothing special. " lit was
nothing special. Just an ordinnry little country /wuse. I
there's n othing special a bout There's nothing special
about them. Their success is just a combination of luck and
good contacts.
e BADAT
not good at something su ch as a job or a game
because of a lack of skill
1 not good at dOing something
2 very bad al doing something
j
1 not good al doing something
bad second-rate/third-rate
be no good weak
not be very good poor
not be much good incompetent
not be up to much not be much of a •...
mediocre
bad /bred/ ladj l
She's a bad teacher. I hardly learned anything in her
classes. 1 Horses can be easily frighU!rU?d by bad riders. 1
Mark's an even worse singer than I had imagined. I He's the
(
worst driver I 've ever seen. I bad a t Sorry, I'veforgottenyour
name - I'm really bad at remembering names.
badly [advl She does dance, but very badly.
be no good /bi: ,n>u 'gud/ to not be at all good at doing
something Iv phrase)
be no good at sth!doing sth I'm no good at drawing birds,
animals are much easier. I Paul was no good at mathematics
and never would be. I 1 love tennis, but I'mjust no good at
I
,
it. 1 be no good Your lawyer 's no good - I think you should
find another om.
not be very goocl ' ,not bi: veri IgudJ to be bad at doing
something Iv phrase]
n ot be very good at sthldoing sth I'm not very good at
chemistry. I You 're not very good at reading maps. are you?
Let me try. 1 not be very good Her French isn't very good,
but she tries hard.
n ot very well {adv phrase} "Do you speak Italian?" "No,
notvery well, butlcan read it. " I He doesn't speak very well
in public.
not be much good 11nOl bi: IIlAtf IgudJ to not be very
good at doing something [v phrase)
n ot be much good at sth!doing sth Th£ poor boy was not
much good at either lessons or games. I He has never been
J
much good at dealing with people. I n ot be mu ch good as
She's a nice person, but not much good as a boss.
not be up to much Inot bi: I .... p t;} ,mAtfl an expression
used especially in British English meaning to be unable
to properly do what you are supposed to be doing [u phrase!
The secretary really isn't up to much - her typing's terrible.
fu ll ofspelling mistakes. 1 Th£ goalkeeper's bad and th£ oth£r
defenders aren't up to much either.
mediocre 'I mi:di I CXJk~T "I neither especially bad nor espe.
cially good at doing something ladjl
He's a mediocre pla}'!r and willfind it hord to keep his plaa!
on the team. I We have no room in this team for mediocre
performers.
Hcond·r. telthlrd-r.te I ,sek;)nd 'relt ... . . Ih:fd l re l t .. '
not very good. espec ially not as good as other people who
do the same thing ladj I
She's a second·rate singer whose voicejustcan't becompared
with the best. I The bridge was built by third-rate engineers
and will probably collapse in the next stonn.
w •• k Iwi:kl someone who is weak. does not do as well a t
something as would usually be expected [adj ]
Someone who is an excellent reader may be a very weak I
BAD AT
speller. I weak at science/history etc She's weak at
mathematics, which affects her physics results as well.
poor lpoor! bad at something, especially because you do
not have the necessary skills ladjl
You won't get ajob in the navy if you're a poor swimmer. 1
When managers' leadership skills are poor. productivity
suffers. I He 's a poor actor. He just can 'I express emotion in
a real way.
incompetent /In Ikomp~bnt 11 - 'ko:m-J so bad at your job
that you cannot do it properly [ad} J
There are 100 many incompetent teachers in private language
schools. I Jones had tried six solicitors. but they all seemed
to be either corrupt or hopelessly incompetent.
incompetence {n Ul Laziness and incompetence (=being
incompetent) had lost this company too many customers.
not be much of a •••• /nol bi: Illli\tJ~V;) .... , not be much
of a cook/dancer/swimmer etc (=not be very good at
cooking, dancing. swimming etc) Iv phrase]
He's rwt much ofa swimmer; he can only swim afew metres
at a !ime. I I hope you don't mind eating a takeaway; I'm
afraid I'm rwt much ofa cook. I Dave isn't muchofa singer,
but he plays the piano quite well.
2 very bad at doing something
terrible pathetic
lousy can't do 8th to
useless save your life
hopeless inept
appalling/atrocious
terrible /'terjb,t/ ladi)
At school I was terrible in Biology. I couldn't stand the sub-
ject. I Don't ask me to translate. My Chinese is terrible. I We
have rw conf'utence in the anny - their generals are terrible,
their discipline even worse.
lousy /'1auzi/ an informal word meaning not at all good
at something [tu{;]
I'm a lousy cook, so my husband does most oftlu! cooking, l
I'm sorry we paid so much to see such a lousy comedian.
u~less l'ju!sIJs/ very bad at doing something, and
havmg almost no skill or ability in doing it at all radjl
You're useless, Clare, you can't do anything right. I useless
at I'm useless at skiing, I'll probably break a leg.
hopeless / 'h;;KJplJsf very bad at something and unlikely
to improve radj)
I was a hopeless runner, so I was usually last when we had
races at school. I He's always getting lost, he has a hopeless
sense qf direction. I hopeless at The manager made John
a barnum as he was obviously hopeless at waiting on tables.
appaIHng/atroclous/.'p:>:hQ, .'troof." extremely bad
and showing no skill or ability at all [adjl
She's a perfectly appalling writer; I can't understand how
lu!r books sell so well. I I tried to explain in my appalling
Turkish but slu! didn't understand a word. I He'll never pass
tlw exam - his spelling is atrocious.
pathetic IpJ ' getlkl extremely bad at something so that
other people become angry or impatient [adjl
She's clever, but as a teachRr she's pathetic. I You're such a
pathetic liar no one's going to believe you.
can't do sth to save your IHe "ko:nt du: (sth) tJ IselV
j;:,:T Ilalf ~ ,krent-/ an informal expression meaning to be
very bad at something even though you have tried very
hard to do it properly [v phrase)
can't draw /palnt/cook/act etc to save your life Adrian
can't draw to save his life! I You don 't expect me to take part
in the play, do you? I can't act to save my life.
Inept II1 neptl someone who is inept does something very
badly and without skill ladil
Toot waitress is completely inept, she has forgotten every·
thing I have ordered. I My father is always slwuting at inept
drivers. I You are sure to win. The other candidates are so
politically inept and colourless that rwOOdy will vote for
them.
95 BAD BEHAVIOUR OR ACTIONS
• BAD BEHAVIOUR
OR ACTIONS
1 words for describing behaviour that is evil or
morally wrong
2 words for describing a situation that makes
you angry because you think it is wrong and
should not be allowed to happen
3 words for describing someone's way of living
when this shows that they have very low
moral standards
4 words for describing rude or disobedient
behaviour, especially by a child
5 to influence someone so that they behave in
a bad or immoral way
6 bad or immoral behaviour, or the quality of
being bad or immoral
7 an extremely bad or evil action
1 words for describing behaviour that is evil or
morally wrong
bad wrong
evil reprehensible
wicked shameful
Immoral shameless
bad /bred/ ladi )
The crimes that were committed during this phase oftlU! war
were so bad they d4Y ckscription. I Telling lies is bad enough,
but betraying your family is U1!forgivable. I It never occurred
to Sally that the man had any bad intentions.
evil 11 i:val/ behaviour or actions that are evil are
extremely bad, especially because the person doing them
seems to enjoy hurting people and does not care about how
much other people suffer ladj l
Thejudge described the woman's crime as evil. I It is remark·
able how he seems to be so unaffected by his evil deeds.
wicked l'wlkAdl behaviour or actions that are wicked
are bad, especially because the person doing them seems
to have no concern for normal morality [adjl
The way newspapers can print what they like about people
is wicked. I a wicked attempt to steal money from his mother
immora'/llmordl 11 I1 mJ=--1behaviour or actions that are
immoral are very bad and wrong because they are against
your ideas of what is morally right ltu{;l
Racial segregation is immoral and people have a duty to pro-
test against it. I Wearing coiorful clothes is considered
immora.L by thR Amish people, who always wear simple
clothes In white or dark colors. I highly immoral James
considered any kind of gambling to be highly immoral.
wrong /rOll 11 IJ:IJ I against accepted standards of what is
morally right ladil
Colin knew that it was wrong but he couldn't resist taking
tlu! money. I Theresa 's motlu!r brought her up to believe toot
sex before marriage is wrong.
reprehensible 11 reprl l hens !ball a formal word:
behaviour that is reprehensible is considered to be bad
and morally unacceptable, and people think it should be
punished ladil
In tOOse days it was seen as highly reprehensiblefor a young
unmarried girl to have a baby. I TIU! parents of the abused
child demanded her teacher's resignation, saying his
behaviour had been reprehensible.
shameful/'felmfal/ behaviour that is shameful is so bad
that people think the person who did it should be ashamed
ladil
I think you should apologise for the shameful way you
treaied your mother. I It's shameful the way people /rove tlu!ir
dogs in hot cars with no air.
BAD BEHAVIOUR OR ACTIONS
shamel ••• ,'felmlasl behaviour, especially sexual
behaviour, that is shameless, is considered by some people
to be immoral or unacceptable (a£lj ]
My grandnwther still thinks that wearing skirts shorter than
knee length is completely shameless. I The school will not
tolerate such shameless behaviour. You are suspended,
2
words for describing a situation that makes
I I
~ you angry because you think it is wrong and
~ should not be allowed to happen
bad scandalous
wrong be a crime
disgusting criminal
shocking be a sin
disgraceful deplorable
be 8 disgrace gr088
outrageous
bad /bred/ladj]
It's very bad that tons offood are going to waste while people
are starving. I What 's really bad is the way the government
promises new housing and never provides it.
wrong Iml] 11 r:mJI morally unacceptable, unfair, and
against normal ideas about what should be allowed to
happen ladjl
It 's wrong that old peopre should die 0/cold in this day and
age. I Detaining prisoners witlwut trial is wrong.
disgusting IdlSlgAStIlJ. dIZ-1 something that is disgust-
ingmakes people feel shocked and angry, because it is com-
pletely immoral, wicked, or unfair ladjl
She's written to the press saying how disgusting she thought
their coverage of the divorce was. 1 It's disgusting the way
politicians use their position to their personal advantage.
shocking /'JokIQ 11 'Jo:-/ very immoral, unfair, oreruel,
in a way that people think is unnecessary and unaccept-
able ladj ]
The amount ofmoney spent on nuclear weapons is shocking. 1
a shocking waste of human life
disgraceful Idls'grelsftJll very wrong, unfair, or
immoral, in a way that people think should never be
allowed to happen {adj]
. It's disgraceful that raptsts are g iven such slwrt sentences
for such awful crimes. 1 This is dtsgraceful! How can a dis-
aster of this kind be allowed tc happen?
disgracefully [adv J I think they've been treated
disgraCi!fully_
be a disgrace Ibi: ~ dls'grel s/ if you say something is
a disgrace, you think it should not be allowed to happen,
because it is very unfair or unkind [v phrasel
it's a disgrace (that) It's a disgrace that the only hospital
in the tcwn has been closed. I be a disgrace The way they
treat their workers is a disgrace.
outrageous/autlreId~sl a situation that is outrageous
is extremely bad and unfair in a way that makes people
very angry [adjl
I've always thought it outrageous that the poor have ro pay
for tax cuts for the rich. 1 The General criticized America's
outrageous intervention in his country's internal affairs.
scandalous/ ' skrendal~sl a situation that is scandalous
is wrong because the people responsible for it do not con-
sider what is really important or valuable (adjl
The state of the country's health system is scandalous. I This
criminal has shorpn a scandalous disregardfor human life.
be a crime Ibi: ~ I kraImJ you say that a situation is a
crime when you mean it i!t very bad, especially because
it is not fair and could easily be prevented {v phrase}
Look at all that l1umey being wasted when we need a new
school. It 's a crime. \ it's a crime to do stb You girls should
pay her a visit now and again. It's a crime to leave an old
lady all alone like Ihat_
criminal Illmm 1rul/ a situation that is criminal is
morally wrong, but not illegal ladj]
I think keeping animals locked up in cages is criminal. I
Having such beautiful paintings and not letting the public
see them ts a criminal waste of the nation's art treasures.
96 BAD BEHAVIOUR OR ACTIONS
be a sin Ibi: ~ Isml you say a situation is a sin when you
mean that it is very bad because it shows a lack of respect
for people and their rights lv phrase]
No one slwuld be in such a bad way that they have to beg.
It 's a sin. 1 it's a sin to do sth Mrs Clark said it would be
a sin to evict them just because they hadn 't paid their rent.
deplorable IdI 1 pb:rab.111 a fonnal word: a situation that
is deplorable is very bad, especially because it allows
people to suffer in a way that could be prevented ladj j
Something must be done about the deplorabl£ situation in
Somalia. 1 UN officials described the prisoners' conditions
as 'inhuman and deplorable '.
gross /gr;x)sl gross negligence/injustice/misconduct
etc (=a formal word meaning very bad or serious, making
you feel very angry or offended) ladj only before IWunl
The court found the doctor guilty of gross negligence.
3 words for describing someone's way of living
when this shows that they have very low
moral standards
decadent
dissolute
degenerate
decadent I'dek;)(bnt/ a way ofliving that is decadent is
. concerned mainly with pleasure and enjoyment, and not
with hard work or serious matters [adjl
We spent the whole summer drinking, smoking and lying
around. It must sound totally decadent.
decadence (n UJ the decadence oJ Berlin in the early 19305
dissolute l'dl~lu:tf a dissolute way of life involves a lot
of behaviour that many people think is immoral, for exam-
pie, drinking a lot of alcohol, taking drugs. and having a
lot of sexual partners (adj1
The public was scandalized by reports of the King 's disso-
lute lifestyle. 1 They were reprimanded for their dissolute
habits and threatened with expulsion ifit happened again.
degenerate Idt 'd3fn.1r1tf not keeping to many of soci-
ety's accepted moral standards, for example, in your sexual
behaviour [adjl
Revelations about the degenerate life of the dancers are
continuing to shock the public.
4 words for describing rude or disobedient
behaviour, especially by a child
naughty
mischievous
naughty Iln:>:ti 11 IroHi , 'no:ti/ (adj1
That's naughty Chartctte. Go on, pick up all those toys you've
thrown around. I It's very naughty ofyou to k£ep hitting your
sister. Stop it! -
naughtiness In Ul She's a serious child woo never slwws
the slightest sign of naughtiness.
mischievous IlmIsIHv~/ behaviour that is mischie-
vous is rude or disobedient, but in a way that amuses
people rather than making them angry ladj l
I warn you, the children's tricks rangefrom mischievous to
spiteful. 1 The class are IWtorious in the schoolfor their mis-
chievous behaviour.
mischievously [advl Once. Emma mischievously hid her
father's cigarettes.
mischief IlmlstJ~fl [n UI The kids are always getting up ro
mischief(=behaving in a mischievous way).
5 to influence someone so that they behave in
a bad or immoral way
lead sb astray corrupt
set a bad example be a bad Influence
lead ab astray "li:d (sb) ~I strell to encourage someone
to do bad or immoral things that they would not normally
do [v phrase ]
They're tifrom their son will be led astray by the older boys. I
The Rolling Stones were accused of leading tlwusands of
young people astray.
BAD BEHAVIOUR OR ACTIONS
.et a bad example/. set J bred Ig'zo:mpaJ 11 - Izrem-' if
someone in a position of authority. such as a parent or
teacher sets a bad example, they influence others to
behave in a bad or immoral way because they themselves
behave in a bad or immoral way [v phrase!
Doctors who smoke set a bad example. I set a bad example
to sb Not only was it wrong o[ him to steal from tire shop,
he was setting a very bad example to his younger brother.
corftlpt /ka1rAptl to make someone who would not nor-
mally behave badly behave in an immoral way. especially
by having some influence over them over a long period of
time Iv T J
The prison system does not work because many of the youn-
ger offenders are being corrupted by oider, long term
prisoners. I Their enormous wealth has corrupted them and
made them terrlfled oJ losing their material possessions.
be a bad Influence /bi: 3 ,bred 'lnflu;;msf someone who
is a bad influence encourages someone else, especially a
young person or someone who is easily influenced, to
behave in the same bad or immoral way as themselves [v
phrase]
I want you to stay away from tfwse boys after scfwol - they're
a bad influence. I be a bad influence on sb Her new
boyfriend has been a very bad influence on her.
6 bad or immoral behaviour, or the quality of
being bad or immoral
immorality wrongdoing
wickedness misconduct
evil
Immorallt, Illm;)lrrelAtil In DJ
Chicago is a dangerous city and she felt surrounded by
corruption and imlOOrality. I f don't see any immorality in
gambling. It's my money to do a s I want with.
wickedness / lwlk!dn Asf a quality in someone that
makes them enjoy behaving in a very bad or immora1 way
[n UI
We sensed a wickedness in him that made usfeelsick inside. 1
f don't krww what wickedness in me made nu! steal like that.
evil 1I i:Y~11 the force for badness, cruelty etc and the oppo-
site of good In DJ
Children learn to distinguish between good and eVilfrom a
relatively early age. 1 Some people say that money is the root
of all evil.
wrongdoing IlroI] Idum) 11 I i.)!I] Idu: II)1 bad or immoral
behaviour, especially involving breaking rules or not being
fair or just In DJ
The investigatorsfound rw evidence of wrongdoing and the
company's managers were cleared of all charges.
misconduct /mls1kondAkI 11 - Ika:o-I bad behaviour by
someone in a position of authority or trust, who is expected
to behave according to the rules of their profession In DJ
The tribunal was irwestigating the all€gations o/misconduct
of the doctor towards his patient. I professional miscon·
duct At present, therapists cannot befound guilty ofprofes·
sional misconduct. 1gross misconduct (=very serious mis·
conduct) The police o/ju:er found guilty of being drunk on
duty was dismissed for gross misconduct.
7 an extremely bad or evil action
outrage
atrocity
outrage IIautreld31 an extremely bad, and often clUel and
unfair action that people think is shocking [n Cl
It's an outrage the way they treat homeless people these days. 1 Whoever sent you these disgusting letters must be twisted. I
The terrorist attack, in which two innocent Australian law-
yers were murdered, is the third outrage ofits kind this year.
atrocity /~'trosAti 11 ;)ltrO!-1 an unusually cruel and vio-
lent action, usually against someone who has done noth-
ing wrong, that is unacceptable even during a time of war . Anyone whn can sexua lly abuse a child must be sick. 1I keep
[nC]
The brutal destruction of a n entire village was one of the
worst atrocities of the Vietnam war. 1 Nazi war atrocities
97 BAD PERSON
. BAD PERSON
1 bad or evil
2 words for describing someone who behaves
in an unusually cruel and shocking way
3 words for describing someone who carefully
plans to do something bad that will bring
them advantage
4 words for describing someone who has low
moral standards, and whose way of living
shows this
5 words for describing someone, especially a
child, who behaves badly, for example by
being rude or disobedient
6 word s for describing a place such as a bar,
hotel etc where bad or immoral people go
1 bad or evil
bad evil
no good sinister
wicked villain
bad Ibredl [adj]
He makes a lot ofmistakes, but I don't think he's really a bad
man. I She wasn't just bad - she was an absolute monster. 1
, Like in lOOst movies, the bad guy gets killed at the end.
no good In<XJ ' godl an informal word meaning not at all
honest, helpful or kind ladj J
That friend ofyours is no good. She'll get you into all sorts
oftrouble. I My first husband was a no good, low down son
ofa bitch.
wicked , I W1 k1dl very bad and having no morals ladj l
The victim's mother said she hadn '( thought such wicked
peopreexisted.1 Thejudgedescribe<i the de/endant as wicked
and perverted.
evil / li:val/ having no morals and not caring at all how
much other people are harmed in order to achieve or gain
something ladjl
He was an evil man who loved seeing other people suffer. 1
There was an evil glint in her eyes as she brandished the
knife.
slnlstar f I s I n1sb f I someone who is sinister looks bad or
evil, so that other people are frightened of them radj]
To the child, the old woman always seemed sinister and
strange. 1 The man was dressed ina black suit and wore dark
glasses. There was something sinister about him.
villain 'IYlkml the bad person in a story, fIlm, play etc,
especially someone who breaks the law or who is cruel to
others In Cl
At the end of the story, the villain is caught and punished. I
The role of the villain is often the most interesting and
challenging onefor an actor.
2 words for describing someone who behaves
in an unusually cruel and shocking way
twisted depraved
sick monster
perverted pervert
twisted , ltWISt1d/ behaving in an unusually cruel and
shocking way, that is not at all nonnalladjl
He was a miserable, twisted old man.
sick ISlkf someone who is sick does very cruel and strange
things, and enjoys this so that other people think they must
be mentally ill [adj ]
getting obscene phone calls from some sick pervert.
perverted l(X)f ' Y 3: rtAd/ behaving sexually in a way that
is considered immoral, unnatural and harmfulladj]
 BAD PERSON
The newspaper has ci=ribed the killer as perverted and sex-
uallytkviant. I They saw the affection she hadfor such an
old mnn as unnatural and possibly peroerted.
depravecl/d (I pre I vdf completely evil and morally unac-
ceptable ladjl
He was described as dangerous and depraved and a menace
to sociEty. I All the testimony indicates that he is a totally
depraved young man. naturally given to violence.
monster l'mOnSI;)T 11 Imo:n-/ someone who is so violent
and dangerous that people find their behaviour impossi-
ble to understand or forgive In Cl
They said it was a crime only a monster could have commit-
ted. I a description that makes him sound like a Iwmicidal
monsw-
pervert / 'P3: f V3: Tt/ a man who is thought to be bad or evil,
especially because his sexual behaviour is unnatural or
offensive In Cl
Until recently. homosexual men were considered to befreaks
or perverts. I SoTTU! pervert's been spying on women in the
ladies' room.
3 words for describing someone who carefully
plans to do something bad that will bring
them advantage
calculating
scheming
calculating l'krelkjg'leltllJl making careful and clever
plans in order to get what you want, without caring about
what happens to other people ladj]
a cold. oolculating criminal 1 Over the years his experiences
had turned him into someone who was both calculating and
ruthless.
scheming /tsk.i:mIIJ/ always trying to cleverly control sit·
uations in order to get what you want, especially by deceiv·
ing other people [adj only be/ore noun)
Nobody realises what a low scheming crook Ian really is.1
That scheming old bastard! I'll kill him when I find him.
4 words for describing someone who has low
moral standards, and whose way of living
shows this
Immoral degenerate
decadent black sheep
Immoral/I'mD",t! 1'"",:-/ ladjl
When someone such as a teacher is immoral they should be
removed from their position 0/ authority. I' In many such
stories. UJOmen are portrayed as untrustworthy or immoraL
decadent l'dek<Kl~ntl spending a lot of money on living
in an immoral way, such as drinking a lot of alcohol. taking
drugs, or being very sexually active [alii ]
The book portrays a decadent, capitalist sociEty where moral
values count/or nothing. 1 Many o/the artists living in the
1920s considued themselves totally decatknt.
degenerate Idl'd;)en.1r~tf having such low moral stan-
dards that there is no hope that you can change [adj)
The police had picked up a number a/degenerate characters
that nigh~ most of them drunk. I Very few young people
reduced to begging in the big cities are degenerate. most 0/
them cannot stay at home and are too young to get work.
black sheep / ,bla:k 'Ji:p/ a person in a family who does
not behave in the way that other members of the family
expect them to, and so is thought to be immoral or a failure
Inel
the black sheep ofthe famlly Seema was the black sheep
of the family, always staying out law, getting Into /rouble
and so on_ I black sheep Tony's the black sheep. He won't
get a job and just sits around the house smoking all day.
,~,"YOU say" is used in definitions of some
~ words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English.
98 badly-wrltter
5 words for describing someone, especially a
child, who behaves badly, for example by
being rude or disobedient
naughty mischievous
badly-behaved spoiled/spoilt
bad brat
naughty (Iro:ti 11 'n:mi, 'nonil [tuU ]
It was only when [)avid. started school that he began to be
naughty. I You're a very naughty girl/or running away like
that.
naughtiness [n V I I've had just about enough 0/ your
naughtiness for one day - go to your room immediately.
badly-behaved "bredli bl'helvd ... , not behaving in a way
Ihat people Ihink is acceptable, especially by being disobe-
dient 1a4i1
She is very badly behaved, always shouting or being rude
In class. I Thefans were so badly behaved that they have been
banned from future football matches.
bad /bred/ a word used when speaking angrily to a child
who has done something bad [atUI
You '00 been a badgirl - you know you 're not allowed to play
with my clothes.
mischievous ('mlstf;\v;)s( behaving badly, but in a way
that amuses people rather than making them angry [adj]
As a child she was mischievous. often playing tricks on
people. even strangers. 1The young prince is quite mischie-
vous; he's always sticking his tongue out at p/wtographers.
mischievously [adv) I could see Hamad laughing mischie-
vously. and so I ran over to see what he had chJne.
spoiled/spoilt /spoold, sp,oIt! a child that is spoiled or
spoilt is badly behaved, rude, etc, because their parents
have always allowed them to do whatever they want and
have not taught them to think of other people [acUl
Just stop screaming and acting like a spoilt kid. and play
the game properly. I She's so spoiled that when I told her to
make her own bed she sulked for an hour!
brat /b,,,,,, an infonnal word meaning a child that bebaves
badly, is rude etc [n C]
The brats in my class were awful today. misbehaving and
being ratk - why did I ri£cid£ to become a teacher? I spoiled!
spoilt brat She said he was nothing but a spoiled brat who
needed to learn a few manners.
6 words for describing a p lace such as a bar,
hotel etc where bad or immoral people go
seedy
sleazy
seedy J'si:di/ a club, hotel, bar etc that is seedy is a little
dirty and is a place where slightly immoral people go ladj l
For thefirst/ew weeks I stayed at a seedy but friendly hawl
in the centre of town. I The club was a dark. seedy-looking
place, popular with statkms and small-time gamblers. I Mr
Duggan ran his mail-order business/ram some seedy o/flClJS
on the East Sid£.
sleazy (I sli:zi( a club, hotel. bar etc that is sleazy is dirty
and unpleasant and is usually a place where men go to see
sex shows, meet girls for sex etc ladj]
She worked as an exotic dancer in a sleazy nightclub. 1 The
Prince Hotel wasjust another sleazy place where men came
to visit prostitutes.
i
badly: do sth badly DO BADLY 1
badly-behaved BAD PERSON 5
badly-made BAD 4
badly off POOR 1
badly-paldJpoorty-pald PAY S8 FOR WORK 6
badly-run EFFICIENT 5
badly-tfmedllll-tfmed TIMEJRIGHT OR WRONG TIME 5
badly-written READ 14
BAD-TEMPERED
• BAD-TEMPERED
behaving in an angry. unfriendly way
t often bad-tempered
2 bad-tempered at the moment or for a short
period of time
3 words for describing someone who refuses to
talk and is unfriendly because they are angry
about something
4 easily annoyed by unimportant things
5 words for describing someone who gets
angry very easily and quickly
1 often bad-tempered
bad.tempered disagreeable
grumpy cantankerous
grouchy uptight
bad-tempered f ,bred 'tempard./ladi]
Her father was an extremely bad-tempered man, woo was
always rud€ ID her frilmds_ I Don't be so bad-f1!mpered, [was
only trying to help_ I As my aunt's aches and pains grew
worse, she became too tired, too depressed and too bad-
tempered to see anyone.
grumpy /'grAmpi/ someone who is grumpy is bad-
tempered, complains a lot. and looks unhappy all the time
[ad})
The early mornings and long working hours made her tired
and grumpy. I Since his retirement he was often silent and
grumpy.
grumpily (adv] "r couldjreeze to death/or all you care,"
he said grumpily.
grouchy J'grautJi/ someone who is grouchy is bad-
tempered and complains a lot [ad) nat usually before naun I
I'm sony [was so grouchy this rrwrning.l didn 't gel enough
sleep last night. I Resentment can make people grouchy.
sullen and maady.
grouch [n Cl Don't let that old grouch (=grouchy person)
worry you. He's always grumbling about something.
dlsagreeabl. /,d l ~lgri:3baJI someone who is disagree-
able is bad-tempered and very unfriendly and behaves in
an unpleasant way towards people (adj]
The landlord was an extremely disgreeable man who
uXJUidn '[ allow us to have visitors in our rooms. l It's impos-
sible to have a normal conversation with him, he's always
so disagreeable. I I'm fed up with you. You've been
thoroughly disagreeable all day_
disagreeably [adu I Joe scowled disagreeably.
cantankerous /kren 't<.eI]k3l'3sl someone who is cantan-
kerous, especially an old person, is bad-tempered and com-
plains and quarrels a lot [ad})
The desk clerk was a cantankerous old man who seemed to
dislike having guests at the hotel. I As she grew older she
became more and more cantankerous.
cantankerously (adv) "There's no way you're putting me
in a nursing hoTTU?, .. said Grandad, cantankerously.
uptight I IAptalt, Ap1talt/ behaving in a bad-tempered way
towards other people, especially because you are always
nervous or worried about something {adjJ
uptight about My parents have always been pretty uptight
about me and boys. I uptight He's been a bit uptight lately
- I don't think it's a good time to discuss the vacation.
2 bad-tempered at the moment or for a short
I'~
I\! Iperiod of time
be In a bad mood
be in a huff
be In one of his/her moods
got out of bed on the wrong sldel
got out on the wrong side of bed
99 BAD-TEMPERED
be In a bad mood /bi: In;) ,bred 'mu:d/ (v phrase)
Why are you in such a bad mood this morning? 11 had to
wait 2 hours for the train. It really put me in a bad mood. I
be in a foul mood (=be in a very bad mood) Jack arrived
home in afoui mood, and started shouting at the children.
be In a huff /bi: In <) IhAfl if someone is in a huff they
are feeling bad-tempered, especially because someone has
just offended, upset, or annoyed them [v phrase )
She's in a huff because I won't take her to the cinema. I be
in a huff about There's no need to get in a huffabout it, I'm
sure she didn't mean any of what slu! said. 1 go offin a huff
(=go away in a huff) Michael made a rude remark about her
hairstyle and now she's gone off in a hlifJ.
be In one of his/her moods /bi: rn IWAn;)V hlZ, Ih3: r
1 mu:dzl if someone is in one ofbis or her moods they are
bad-tempered at the moment and you know that they often
get bad-tempered for no good reason Iv phrase]
It's no use trying to reason with the boss right now; she's in
one of lu!r moods. 1 When Kurt was in one of his moods he
took it out on everyone, including his dog!
got out of bed on the wrong side/got out on the
wrong side of becl /,gDt aut ~v •bed on 0;) lrel) 'sald, got
laut Dn 0<) IrDl)- 11 - 11.):1)-/ you say someone has got out of
bed on the wrong side when you think they have been
behaving in a bad-tempered way all day Iv phrase]
"Why was she so rudejust now?" "She must have got out of
bed on the wrong side...
3 words for describing someone who refuses to
talk and is unfriendly because they are angry
about something
sullen sulky
surty sulk/be in a sulk
sullen 11sAI~n/ someone who is sullen behaves in a bad-
tempered, unfriendly way and does not smile or talk much
to people [ad})
He sat there with a sullen frown on his face, refusing to
speak. 1 If anyone criticized him, he would become resent/ul,
sullen and unco-operatiue.
sullenly [adv 1She look2d at me sullenly and waitedfor me
to leave the room.
surly / ls3:rli/ someone who is surly behaves in a bad-
tempered, rude, and unhelpful way when dealing with
people [ad}1
Passengers using the railway complained about thefrequent
deLays and surly staff. 11'he sales assistant answered T1U! in
a surly manner and refused to give me my money back.
sulky / ' sAlkil someone who is sulky is bad-tempered and
silent with an unhappy look on their face, because some-
thing has annoyed them, or because they think that they
have been treated unfairly (adj)
He was a sulky little boy who always got his own way. 1 Dad
turned off the television and left Keith sitting in sulky silence.
sulkily [adu) She}ust looked at him sulkily and refused to
walk any furtlU!r.
sulklba In a sulk /sAlk. bi: In ~ 'SAlk/ if someone sulks,
they are deliberately silent and bad-tempered for a period
of time, because something has annoyed them, or because
they think that they have been treated unfairly Iv 11
She always sulks when I tell her to go to bed. 1 He's been in
a sulk ever since I told him he cauldn 't go to the ball-gaT1U!_ 1
sulk about What are you sulking about? You ho.ven 't spoken
all evening.
4 easily annoyed by unimportant things
irritable petulant
crotchety fractious
Irritable /llf1[~b.111 easily annoyed by unimportant
things, especially because you already feel bad-tempered
about something radjl
The builders' constant hammering made everyone irritable./
The long drive home from work left him feeling tired and
irritable_ I Susan was in an irritable mood and snapped at
anyone who offered to help her.
_ I
BAD-TEMPERED
irritably [adv) "I wish you'd stop fussing," said Eric
irritably.
crotchety /'kmtgti I 'ha:-I someone who is crotchety,
especially an old person, becomes angry about unimpor-
tant things and complains a lot (adj)
Nothing J say seems to plrose him He's just a crotchety old
man. I Looking after her crotchety grandfather was a
diffICult and thankless duty.
petulant IlpetJ~ I ;}ntl behaving in a bad-tempered way
because of something unimportant or for no reason at all,
like a child [adj)
Henry became petulant and started stamping his feet. \
Harris treated his staff with petulant rudeness.
petulantly [adv] "I don't want to go shopping with you,"
he snapped petulantly.
fractious" frrekj;,s/ someone, especially a child, who is
fractious becomes angry or upset about unimportant
things, usually because they are tired [adj]
Babies tend to befractwus when they are teething. I After the
long car journey the twins were in a fractious mood.
5 words for describing scmeone who gets
angry very easily and quickly
short-tempered/qulck-tempered
have a short fuse
temper
short..temperedlqulck..tempered JI!:l:Tt Itemp~Td.,
,kw.k-I [adj)
Nicholas was viol€nt, quick-tempered, and a lways seemed to
be shouting atpeopi£. I "Idon 'tknow whyyoucanY useyour
own car anyway," came Jack's short-tempered response.
have a short fus. Jhrev ;a ./3: Tt IfjU:ZJ an infonnal
expression meaning to often get angry quickly and easily
Iv phrase not in progressive I
Don't argue with thejudge. I've heard he has rather a short
fuse.
temper J1tempaT/ a tendency to become very angry sud-
denly In C usually singular]
That temper of hers will get her into troubi£ one day. I If he
can't oontroi his temper, he should give up teaching. I His
Wife /eft him because ofhis vwi£nt temper. I bad temper I'm
sick ofyou andyour bad temper. Justgo away and leave me
alone!
baffle CONFUSED 3. SOLVE/FIND THE ANSWER 2
t baffled
baffling
CDNFUSED 2
CONFUSED 4
i
bag: H'sln the bag CERTAINLY/DEFI NITELY 3
bag: ietthe cat out 01 the bag TELL A SECRET 3
. bag: not be your thing/bag DON'T LIKE 1
bag~.dy HDME 11
baggy LOOSE 1
bags 01 LOTIlARGE NUMBER OR AMOUNT 4
I. ball out ESCAPE 2. SAVE/RESCUE 5
• bake COOK 2. 3
i baklnglbaklng hot HOT 5
~ balance BALANCE 1. 2. 3. EQUAL 8. 9
~ balance: belhang In the balance UNCERTAIN 2
balance: keep your balance BALANCE 1
balance: on balance IN GENERAL 2
balMce: redress the balance EQUAL 8
; balance: strike 8 balance EQUAL 8
balance out EQUAL 6
.BALANCE
1 to remain sleady and not fall. especially when
this is difficult to do
2 to make something balance on a point or
surface
3 the ability to remain steady and not fall
4 to become unsteady and start to fall
100 BALANCE
5 unsteady and likely to fall
6 feeling unsteady and unable to balance
1 to remain steady and not fall. especially when
this is difficult to do
balance steady
keep your balance paised
balance I'bret.nsl [v I)
balance on Balancing awkwardly on one leg, he lowered
himself into his wheelchair. I Diva will balance on a tight-
rope and juggle withjIaming torches. I balance The beam
is very narrow - you may find it dijJicult to balance. 1
balance precariously (=balance in a very dangerous posi-
tion) A fairy was lxJlancing precariously on top of the
Christmas tree.
keep your balance I lki:p j3!T ' brel;ms/ to manage to
remain steady and not fall, especially when something hap-
pens to nearly make you fall (v phrase]
The horse tried to throw her off but she managed to k£ep her
lxJlance. lIt's hard enough just keeping my balance on ice,
let alone actually skating on it. I His annsjIailed violently
in an effort to keep his balance, but his chair oollapsed and
he fell to the floor.
steady J 'stediJ completely balanced so that there is no
chance of falling [adj )
She held on to hand rails to keep herself steady. I We need
a steady platform above the waves before we can start
drilling.
poised lpo.zdl a person or object that is poised is so care-
fully balanced on something that they may fall at any
moment [adj]
poised on/upon/ at/above She was poised on the edge of
her seat, desperate to hear what he was going to say. I As he
opened the door, a bucket of water that had been poised on
top of it spilled over him
2 to make something balance on a paint or
surface
balance
steady
balance I 'bre).n" [v T)
balance 8th on His favourite party trick is balancing tin
cans on his head. I We tried to balaTlCf! the aerial on top of
the TV se~ but it keptfalling over. I balance sib Balancing
my cup of coffee in one hand, I managed to open the door.
steady J' stedi/ to make something or someone become
balanced again, especially when they are falling over (v TJ
When she looked as though she was going tofal~ Eddie's arm
immediately went out to steady her. I He steadied himself by
leaning against the rock and closing his 1ryeS.
3 the ability to remain steady and not fall
balance
balance I'brel.nsl [n U)
This circus act tests the performers' balance to the limit. I
sense of balance I hate climbing ladders, I have no sense
of bala""" at all.
4 to become unsteady and start to fall
lose your balance
totter
Ios. your balance J1lu:z j :l! r Ibrel:ms/ to suddenly
become unsteady and start to fall (v phrase]
Put your arms out to the side so that you don't lose your
balance. I Several times when I was on the stilts I lost my
balance and fell DJ! .
totter ,Itot;ar 11 Ito!~/ if someone or something totters they
move unsteadily from side to side and look as though they
are going to fall Iv I)
BALANCE 101 BASIC
I could 1€I!l the tray totrering and suddenly all the drink.s banal ORDINARY 2, USE STH 15
crashOO to the[loor. I She totrered under the weight olthe box, band GROUP OF PEOPLE 4, LIN E 2
very nearly collapsing under it. band together UNITE 2
bandwagon : climb/jump on the bandwagon TAKE
PART/BE INVOLVED 2
5 unsteady and likely to fall
bang EXACT 6. HIT/BUM P INTO I , 5 . SOUND 6 , 10
unsteady bang: get a bang HIT/BUM P INTO 5
unstable , bang on time ON TIME 1
precarious banish LEAVE YOU R HOM ElCOUNTRY 5
unsteady IAn Istedi/ someone who is unsteady is unable bank LIN E 6
to balance properly, for example because of illness, old age bank: it won't break the bank CHEAP 1
or too much alcohol [adj] bank on DE PEN D ON/RELY ON 1
Forafew moments he was pale and unsteady but his colour bankroll PAY FOR 11
gradually returned. I His unsteady walk to the stage bankrupt MONEY 16
reminded the audience 0/ his age. despite thejreshness a/his bankrupt: go bankrupt FAIL 10, MONEY 16
work. I unsteady on your feet She'll be a little unsteady banned FORBID 9
on her feet until the anaesthetic wears off banned : be banned FORBID 4
unsteadily [adv J She m oved unsteadily towards the table, banquet MEAL 5
everyone expecting her to fall into a drunken heap. bar ENTER 9 . EXC EPT 1. FORBID 7 . PIECE 2.
unstable {An lstefb<1lj something that is unstable is PREVENT 5 , 6 . SHUT/CLOSE 5
unsteady because it is too large for the thing supporting barbaric CRUEL 2
it. or not properly fastened to something etc, so that it is bare EMPTY 2, NAKED 1
dangerous [adjl barely J UST/ALMOST NOT 3 . 5
We've had reports of a truck with an unstable load travel- barely/scarcely/hardty JUST/A MOMENT AGO 1
ling too last through the town. I That scqIJolding look.s unsta- barely: can hardly/barely/scarcely JUST/ALMOST NOT 4
ble, get all the building workers off the site immediately. barf: puke/throw uplbarf SICKNOMIT 1
precarious /pn I ke01ri~s/ someone or something that is bargain: be a bargain CHEAP 6
precarious is unsteady and seems likely to fall, especially bargain: keep your side of the bargain PROMISE 7
because they are in a high position or on the edge of some- bargain: more than you had bargained for EXPECT 9
thing [adjl bargain: strike/make a bargain AGREE 3
She looked very precarious, right at the top olthe ladder. I bargain with CHEAP 10
I couldl""l the precarious hald myI""t had on the thin ledge. bargaining DISCUSS 2
precariously ladu I When welound the girl she was perchOO barge PUSH 7
precariously on the window ledge, twelvefioors up. barge in ENTER 1. INTERR UPT 1
barmy: mad/barmy CRAZY 1
barrack INTERRUPT 2
6 feeling unsteady and unable to balance barrage SHOOT 8
dizzy barren GROW PLANTS, VEGETABLES ETe 5
giddy barrier PREVENT 7
sb's head is swimming barring IF 4
barter EXCHANGE 1
dizzy / 'd IZi/ feeling confused and unable to balance, espe- base BOnOM I
cially after spinning around or standing up too quickly [adj based: be based PLACE 8
not before noun 1 based on: be based on COME FROM/ORIGINATE 8,
Sometimes [ get dizzy at the top ofstaircases and escalators.I DEPENDIIT DEPE NDS I , 2
Ifyoufeel dizzy or short of breath, stop exercising immedi- bash HIT 1, HiT/BUMP INTO 1, PARTY 3
arely.
bash/give sth a bash HJT 6
dizziness (n Vl Afall in the g lucose level results in nausea,
dizziness and faintness. bashful SHY 1
basic BASIC 1, SIMPLE/NOT COM PLICATED 1,
giddy /'g ldi/ feeling unsteady and unable to balance, SIMPLE/PLAIN 2
usually with the result that you want to be sick [adjl
She suddenly became giddy and had to find somewhere to
sit down. I Just before [fainted [had a giddy sensation and
lelt unable to stand. • BASIC
sb's head Is swimming J(sb 's) 'hed IZ ISW lmll)/ if
someone's head is swimming they feel unsteady, unable 1 more important or necessary than anything
to see properly and as though the room is spinning around else
them very quickly, for example because they are ill or 2 the feature or part of an idea, plan , or system
drunk that everything else depends on
My head was swimming, and thejloor seemed to be moving 3 the basic ideas or principles of a subject,
up and down. I He stood up, his head swimming, andfound
belief, or system , that everything else is built
himself unable to move lor lear ollalling over.
on and develops from
balanced FAIR 2 4 words used when you are-explaining the
balancing act EQUAL 8 basic facts of a situation, the basic reasons
bald HONEST 4 for something etc
ball DANCE 5 , ROUN D 2
ball : be on Ihe ball INTELLIGENT 3
ball: the ball Is In yourlthelr court DECIDE 4
ball game: be a whole new ball game DI FFERENT 2 1 more important or necessary than anything
ballol VOTE/ELECT 2 else
ballot: cast a vote/cast a ballot VOTE/ELECT 1 basic central
ballot box: the ballot box VOTE/ELECT 1
fundamental underlying
~, ballpat1c: figure APPROXIMATELY 6
' balmy HOT 6 essential
ban FORBID 3 , 8 , 11
ban: put/impose a ban on FORBID 3
BASIC
basic I 'be'S1k/ladjl
The governnumt regards housing as a basic need. I The basic
ingredients DJ this cake are eggs,./1IJur, and butter. 11 can '(
really speak Spanish. fjust know a/ew basic words so I get
by. I basic human rights I Killing is not in fact a basic
instinct ofprimates. I basic to We consider the right to vote
basic to our way of life.
fundamental ,.fAndd1mentl., something that is fun-
damental is very basic and must be done, accepted etc
before something else can exist, go ahead etc [adjl
Raising your child to tell the difference between right and
wrong is one DJ the fundamental tasks 0/ parenthood. I the
fundamental beliefs a/Christianity I You cannot have real
justice without/undamenta l changes in the law. I funda-
mental to Water is fundamental to survival.
fundamentally [adu 1The two approaches are so fundamen-
tally different that it is surprising that they have both been
successful.
essentlal /I ' senf<111 essential difference/feature/point
etc (=the most important and noticeable) [adj ]
The essential difference between apes and man is intelli·
gence. l l've outliMd seven essential points which I think the
article slwuld cover.
central Ilsentral/ a subject, idea etc that is central
receives more attention, time etc than others because it is
more important than them ladj]
The central theme o/this novel is the dEsire/or money. I Polit-
ical rights have always been thecentralconcern o//eminism.1
The use 0/ weapons became the central issue dividing the
tribes. I central to His alibi was central to his defence.
centrally ladu) It is the subject o/d£ath that their book is
centrally conarrred with.
underlying I IAnd;Jrllal-ll)"/ underlying reason/cause/
aim etc (=the most important one, but which is not easy
to see) lal.lj only before rwun)
The underlying aim of an advertisement is to attract atten·
tion. I When treating any health problem, the underlying
cause slwuld always be lQok£d/or.
2 the feature or part of an idea, plan, or system
that everything else depends on
basis cornerstone
foundation the key
basis J IbelSAsf In C usually singular )
The basis a/his argument/or discrimination was that men
are stronger than women. I basis for Expert advic£ and sUJr
port are the basis/or the rehabilitation programme. I form
the basis of Roman law still forms the basis 0/ our own
legal system.
foundation Ifaun1delJtml the idea, fact, or principle on
which something is based In C]
His accusations have no realfoundation at all. I Her manage-
ment skills were tire foundations on which she built lrer
career. I solidi sound foundation for (=strong foundation
for) The sound.est foundation for peace is universal pros·
perity.
camerstone IlkJ:rn:)£st;)l.ln/ the method, principle etc
that plans, ideas, or systems depend on in order to be suc·
cessful In Cl
The treaty of 1946 has been the cornerstone o/European har·
rrwny. I Increased sales to tire under-25s will be tire corner·
stone 0/ our marketing strategy in the coming year.
the key I~:) 1ki:J the fact, idea, or action that makes it pos·
sible to do or understand something In singular)
the key to Nixon saw the improvement 0/ relations with
China as the key whisjoreign policy. I The theory o/natural
selection remains the key to our understanding o/the natural
world. I the key We want to improve living standards and
we see a better health service as the key.
I~
~
I "You say" is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English .
102 BASIC
3 the basic ideas or principles of a subject,
belief, or system, that everything else is built
on and develops from
basics
fundamentals
first principles
basics , lbelSlksl the basic ideas and rules of a skill,
subject. system etc, that you must learn before you can
continue In plural]
I still haven't mastered tire basics of English grammar. I
Once you've learnt tire basics, you can learn all the intricate
dance steps. I basics in Unless we get back to basics in teach-
ing, the standard of literacy will fall.
fundamentals J1fll.nd;> 1memlzl a fonna] word meaning
the basic rules or ideas of a method, belief, activity etc,
which form a strong base which its existence depends on
[n plural!
This course provides an opportunity to learn rrwre about the
fundamentals o/film·making. I More intellectuals than ever
before were questioning the fundamentals of Marxism. I
After an embarrassing fall I decided to ask my skiing
instructor/or further coaching in the fundamentals.
first principles 11f3: rst 1pr! nslp31z1the most important
rules or features on which a belief, subject, system etc is
based In plural)
No onecan become a scientist witlwut a knowledge o/thefirst
principles ofmatlrematics. I To understand Keyrresian theory
we have to return to first principles.
4words used when you are explaining the
I I
~ basic facts of a situation, the basic reasons
~ for something etc
basically at the end of the day
essentially In the final analysl8llast analysis
In essence
basically I'be,soidi /l adul
Basically the only reason I do this job L'ii because tire salary
is sogood. llfyou don't study harder you're going tofail tire
test, basically. I We only took afew shirts and apairofjeans.
Thot's basically it, really. I Thejilmappears to bequituom-
plicated but it's basically a love story.
essentially /llsenJalil (used when you are explaining
what the basic truth about something is) [adv]
Tire two computer systems appear to be different but they are
in/act essentia lly the same. I a poem which is essentially in
praise of the poet's wife I Essentially, their maritalproblems
arose out of their cultural differences.
In essence JIn les;,nsJ (a formal expression used when
you are explaining what the basic truth about something
is) ladu phrase!
Einstein developed. the th£ory ojrelativity which is, in essence,
very simple. I In essence, the Second World War was a mere
repetition of the war of 1914- 18.
at the end of the day 1>1 oi ,end .v 60 'de'l (a British
expression used especially in spoken English when you are
saying what you think is basically true about a situation
after considering all the facts) ladv phrasel
Only you can take that decision, at the end of the day. I You
may be working/or yourse/fbut at the end o/theday you still
have to pay tax on what you earn.
In the final analyslsllast analysis 110 o. ,faml
:)lnrel:)sAs, Ila:st ~'nrel~s!s 11 - llrest-, (used when you are
stating what you judge to be the basic truth about a situa·
tion after considering all the facts carefully) [adv phrase]
In thejinal analysis Stalin was just as much a dictator as
Hitler. I The responsibility for the accident must, in tire last
analysis, rest with the captain.
basically 103 BE
basically BASIC 4 repre sent ',fepr l'zent' a word used especially in
baslcalty/essentlally MEAN ING 9 newspapers or in fonnal or technical writing meaning to
basics BASIC 3 , IMPORTANT 9 be something, especially something important or serious
basis BASIC 2 Iv not in progressive]
basis: be the basis of COME FROM/ORIGI NATE 8 Childbearing before a woman is physically mature may
bask In ENJOY/LI KE OOING STH 10 represent a serious risk to her health. I Einstein's theory
bass LOW SOU ND OR VOICE 1 represented a significant departure from previous theories
bastard UNPLEASANT 1 about the origins of the universe. I There is no doubt that this
bastard/nasty piece of work UNPLEASANT 1 new type of tyre represents a major advance in road sqfety.
bat: right oft the bat IMM EDIATELY 4 amount to la Imaunt tu:1 jf actions or behaviour amount
batch GROUP OF PEOPLE 3, GROUP OF THINGS 2 to someth ing they are considered to be that thing because
balh/bathe WASH 3 they have the same effect Iv not in progressive ]
bath : be In the bath/In the bathtub WASH 2 The judge ruled that helping the victim to kill herself
bath: have a bath/take a bath WASH 2 amounted to murder. I Telling a lie or denying the truth -
·bathroom TOILET 1 it amounts to the same thing! I You think our financial exper-
batter HIT 2 t[",e dnesn't amount to practical help?
battered CONDITIONISTATE OF STH 6 form If3: r mJ if something forms something else, it has
battle COMPETE WITH/TRY TO BEAT 2, FIGHT 5 , physical qualities that make it be or act as that thing Iv not
FIGHT FOR OR AGAI NST STH 4, WAR 3 in progressive J
battle: the field/the field of battle WAR 7 The river formed a natural boundary between the two coun·
battlefield WAR 7 tries. I Oils produad by the skin form a protective barrier
batty: dottylbatty CRAZY 2 against infection and disease.
bawl SHOUT 1 make ImedeJ to have the necessary qualities to be a par·
be BE 1, BEHAVE 1, CHARACTER/PERSONALITY ticular thing or a particular type of person Iv not in
4 , COST 2, FEEL HAPPY/FRIGHTENED/BORED progressive J
ETC 1, HAPPEN 3, MEASURE 5, PLACE 7, 8 , The tabledidn 't make much ofa barrier, I He 'U mnke a good
WORKlOO WORK 2 father, I You 're quick butyou'UlWJ€rmakeafootballplayer,
be: be red/green ete COLOUR/COlOR 2 constitute f' konstAtjua n ' ka: nst!tu:t/ if actions or
be: feel/be FEEL HOT/COLDITIRED ETC 1 behaviour constitute something, they are officially or
be all: the be all and end all IMPORTANT 5 legally r egarded as being that thing IV not in progressive)
Boarding a train without a ticket ronstitutes a breach ofrail-
way regulations. I The Court will determine whether the
army's action constituted an abuse ojthe prisoner's human
rights. I It is up to the teacher to decide what constitutes 'satis·
factory work' - not you.
,rth g!fmllaning?
2 ways of saying that a number of people or
. BE
, - things , when considered together, are
something
* FEEL HAPPYI
FRIGHTENEDI
make up
form
constitute
add up to
BOREDETC make up / Ime lk Ihpl ifa group of people, places etc make
u p someth ing, together they are a single organization,
r,eI hot, (:Old, tlred _,- .. FEEL HOT/COLDI country etc [phr v not in progressive 1
'file .. TIREDETC The six states that make up New England are Maine, Ver-

,~
~,

be found in the • • EXIST

- mont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and
Rhod€ Island, I Many of the unions which make up the
world
.... . Trades Union Congress are against the idea of secret voting.
form Ib:fmJ to be part ofa particular group of people or
do a particular job ... WORKIDO WORK to be the thing on which something else is based [v not in
progressive J
People from worker, peasant or soldier backgrounds now
formed a sizeable core of the teaching profession. I There
e BE should be more MPs representing the ethnic minorities,
wherever thesefonn a substantial part ofthe electorate. I The
1 to be results of these studies formed the basis of state education
2 ways of saying that a number of people or policy in the 1960s,
things, when considered together , are constitute 1Ikonst!g u:t 11 I ka:nst!tu:tj if a number of
something people or th ings together constitute something, they are
3 ways of saying that a number of people or the parts that together make up that thing Iv not in
progressive I
things form a particular part or amount of A laska is the largest of the fifty states that constitute the
something USA. 11t is sometimes difj"lCUlt to believe that the different
groups living within our borders constitute a single society. I
Lee Miller 's plwtographs constitute an important body of
1 to be work.
be form add up to f ired I hp tu:/ ifa group of different things add
represent make u p to something, together they are that thing or they pro·
amount to constitute vide what is needed for the thing to exist [v not in
progressive]
be Ibi; srrong bi :/ l v] Good wine, excellent food and interesting company; it all
January is thejirst month o/the year. I The slate of the econ- added up to a splendid evening. I It adds up to a recipe for
omy is our biggest problem. I The Somme was the bloodiest financial disaster.
battle of the First World War. I When if'sfinished, it will be
the biggest offzce development in Europe.
BE 104 BEAT1DEFEA T

3 ways of saying that a number of people or

things form a particular part or amount of
-
I be a t -. • .•
1".....,
_ -::-:----::r---,-=----=,,,.--,
'"" *;:pt-
something
make up account for which meaning?
constitute represent -
beat soml!C)l'I8 In 8 ,
. --~.--~~
make up I.melk lAp/ [phr v not in progressive]
Temporary workErs make up 64% o/the workJorce. I Police ..game, !lOfl1pet1tion, Of
are concerned about violent crime. which made up a large war ~ -
proportion of total crime last year. I Only half our foreign ,i'- --
earnings come from industry; the rest is made up offinan- hit someone or < .-> • HIT
cial services and tourism. something
constitute ,I konst ~tju:t 11 I ka:nstltu:t/ a word used espe-
cially in economic or scientific contexts meaning to be a . 1ose8~, ..... . LOSE A GAME,
particular part of something [v!Wt in progressive) QOI11pejidOO, or war COMPETITION,
Nitrogen constitutes 78% 0/ the earth's atnwsphere. I Semi- OR WAR
skilled and unskill£d operatives constituted one in eight of
all self-employed workers.
account for la' bunt f'J:rl an expression meaning to be
try to beeI eotneonel""
be befter~than ~ '
-». COMPETE WITHI
TRY TO BEAT
a particular amount or part of something IV not in
progressive] .~~ .
In Japan, firms employing over 1()()() people accounted for
50% of total employment. I Antibioticsacrountfor two thirds
of Beecham 's business.
represent I. repn I rentl to be a particular part of some-
• BEAT/DEFEAT
thing, especially when this is surprising or worth notic- to defeat someone in a game, competition,
ing [v not in progressive ] election, war etc
Women now represent 48% of the workforce. I This project
alone represents half of the department's budget. 1 to beat someone in a game, competition ,
election etc
beam SEND 5 , SM ILE 1 2 to beat someone very eaSily
beans: be full of beans EN ERGETIC 2 3 to defeat an army or enemy in war
bear CARRY 1, STAND/BEAR 1, SUPPORT/HOLD UP 1
4 to gain an advantage over someone by using
bear: can't bear STAND/BEAR 3
bear: can't bear to leave LEAVE A PLACE 14 your intelligence
bear: can't stand/can't bear HATE 2 5 a situation in wh ich a person. army, political
bear lrult SUCCEED IN DOING STH 4 party etc is defeated
bearlkeep in mind REMEMBER 9
bear out PROVE -r
bear with me WAIT 2
bearable STAND/BEAR 2 1 to beat someone in a game, competition,
bearing DIRECTION 1 election etc
bearing: have no bearing on CONNECTED WITH 9 beat outplay
bea1 BEAT/DEFEAT 1. BETIER 1. HIT 2. 4. MIX 2 defeat be more than a match for
beat: be beaten LOSE A GAME. COMPETITION . OR WAR 1
beat: can beat sb with one ann tied behind your back beat /bi:tl to get more points, votes etc than an opposing
EASY 5
team, person, or political party [v Tl
beat: if you can ' t beat 'em join 'em TAKE PART/BE
beat sb Do you think the Socialists will beat the Liberals in
the election? I Everyone thought Liverpool would win the
INVOLVED 2
championship but they were beaten in thefinal. I Lewis was
beat: It beals me UNDERSTAND 13
a tough boxer. and a hard man to beat. I beat sb at My
beat: you cantt beat BEST 2 Father used to let TrU! beat him at chess. I beat sb by 20
bea1ldead beat TIRED 1 pOints/5 seconds/SO votes etc The Swedish runner beat
beat down: beet ab down CHEAP 10 the Canadian by just under two seconds. making it a very
beat It LEAVE A PLACE 3 close race indeed. I beat sb easily He's a much stronger
beat ab to It BEFORE 12 athlete - he should beat the Kenyan easily.
, beat sb up HIT 2
beat-up CONDITION/STATE OF STH 5
defeat Idl1fi:tf a word used especially in written English,
meaning to beat an opposing team, person, or political
beat up on HIT 2 party IV TI
defeat sb For the sixth consecutive year, Oxford defeated
Cambridge today in the annual boat race. I Supporters of
the Maastricht Treaty came close to being defeated in the
French referendum. I defeat sb by 20 points/two goals to
one ete Once again the Dodgers played brilliantly. defeat-
ing the visiting team by almost 30 points.
defeat [n Ul A brie/post·war depression coincided with the
defeat of the Conservatives in the general election.
outplay /8ut 1plell to beat an opponent or team in a game
by playing with more skill than they do [vT not usually in
progressive]
outplay sb McEnroe completely outplayed Lendl in the semi·
Fmal. I We believe we have enough skil/ful players to outplay
anyone. I outplay sb at I was outplayed at cards and lost
"You say" is used in definitions of sOlTle all my money.
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English .
BEAT/DEFEAT
be more than a match for [hi: .rro: T Oan a lmretJf;:,:TI
to beat your opponent in a game, especially when people
were not expecting you to do this (u phrase ]
I thought I might beat Tracy at tennis but she was more than
a match for me. I Cram, fully fit again, was more than a
match for his challengers in the 1500 metres.
2 to beat someone very easily
thrash/lick clobber/hammer
rout skunk
smash/slaughter
thrash/lick 16"'J, Ilk[ informal words meaning to beat
someone very easily in a game because you are much
stronger or more skilful [u To/ten passive]
be/get thrashed Portsmouth were licked by Liverpool in
the semifmal replay. I Even though Mike got thrashed in his
first two fights, he was detennined to continue with his
boxing career. I thrash/ lick sb We didn't expect to win the
game, but we thrashed them 9-0. I thrash/ lick sb at Sue
thrashed me at raquet lxzll yesterday.
rout lrautl to easily beat an opposing team in a game
because you are so much better that they have no chance
of winning [v T not in progressive)
Evans was bowling extremely well and we routed the
Shannon side.
smashlslaughter Ismref . lsl:>:tafl informal words
meaning to completely defeat a sporting or political oppo-
nent [v Tl
smash/slaughter sb We played badly and we were slaugh-
tered. 1The party strategy was to form an alliance to smash
the communists. 1 smash/slaughter sb at Brad just slaugh-
tered me at badminton -[ didn't realize he was such a good
player.
clobberlhammer l' kJoba r , Ihrema f 11 Iklo: -/ informal
words meaning to beat an opposing team very easily, in a
way that is embarrassing for the team that loses [v TJ
We've been clobbered twice now by Central High's basket-
ball team. I Chicago hammered Boston in an away game on
Saturday.
skunk /skAl]k/ an informal American word meaning to
defeat a player or a team easily [v Tl
skunk sb at Your Dad skunked me at cribbage again. I
skunk sb 3 games to 1/50 points to 10 etc The Gold-
diggers skunked their opponents 3 games to one.
3 to defeat an army or enemy in war
defeat rout
overwhelm bring sb to their knees
conquer annihilate
defeat Id,'fi:tl Iv TI
The army was well-trained and well-armed, and had littl€
diffICUlty in Meating the rebeis. I heavily defeat The
Republicans were heavily defeated in the Spanish Civil War.
defeat [n DJ Complete victory would only be possibl€ with
the military defeat of Hannibal.
overwhelm / Iauv;)fl welm/ to completely defeat an
enemy's army because your armed forces are larger. have
better equipment etc (v Tl
Napoleon's army was strong enough to overwhelm any
potential enemy. I With their greatly superiar technoiagy, the
Westemforces completely overwhelmed Saddam 's conscript
army.
conquer /lkol)kd f n Iko!I)-/ to completely defeat the
armed forces of an enemy country. with the result that you
have complete control over it Iv I/ T]
conquer Britain/Spain/France etc Julius Caesar con-
quered Gaul, which we now know as France. I Mr Gorbachev
stressed that the Russian goal is not conquering the West. I
conquer Sailors travelled to the New World with the urge
to conquer and explore.
rout [rautl to completely defeat an enemy's army in battle,
causing great disorder and loss of life Iv T not in
progressive]
lO5 BEAUTIFUUGOOD·LOOKING
The general was killed and his armies were routed in a
magniFICent cavalry charge. "
rout In UJ After the rout ofthe Fifth Army (=after it had been
routed) in March 1918 the war was clearly over.
bring sb to their knees I ,bni] (sb)", /leo' 'ni:z[ to cause
the final defeat of an enemy, especially after a long war, so
that they are too weak to be able to fight back Iv phrase]
The disastrous Battle of the Boyne finally brought the
Catholics to their knees. I Nter years of trench warjare, the
Kaiser's army hadjinally been brought to its knees.
annihUate /d1nalaleIt/ to defeat an enemy's army in a war
or battle so that all or nearly all of its forces are killed [vTI
After a long and bloody battle the army succeeded in anni·
hilating Seged'sjorces. I In 1945 Japan was helpless, with
its military power annihilated.
4 to gain an advantage over someone by using
your intelligence
outwit/outsmart
be too clever for
outwltloutsmart laut1wlt, aut 'smo::rtf to gain an advan-
tage over somt'One that you are fighting against or compet·
ing against, by clever tricks and planning rather than by
force [v T ]
We can't fight them. We 'll just have to try and outsmart
them. I None Dj the thieves was prepared to admit that they
had been outwitted by a couple of teenagers.
be too clever for /bi: tu: IkJe\ld r b:fl if you are too
clever for someone they have tried to trick you but you
have discovered their intentions, and so prevented them
from being successful Iv phraseJ
Molly tried to hide the presents but the children were too
clever jor her and found them within minutes.
5 a situation in which a person , army, political
party etc is defeated
defeat
rout
defeat Id , 'fi:t{ In Cl
After his third successive election defeat he decided to retire
from politics. ) suffer a defeat In the last game ofthe season
they suffered a humiliating lkfeat, losing 7·0/.0 Real Madrid.
rout [rautl a situation in which one player, team or army
easily defeats its opponents In Cl
The game was a rout with the home team winning by 10
goals to nil.
~~ beaten: be beaten LOSE A GAME. COMPETITION. OR
WAR 1
beaten track: off the beaten track FAR 5
beating: give sb a beating HIT 4
beating: take a beating LOSE A GAME. COMPETITION.
OR WAR 1
beats me: It beats me NOT KNOW 1
beautiful BEAUTIFUUGOOD·LOOKING 1. 3. 4. 5
• BEAUTIFULI
GOOD·LOOKING
1 words for describing a beautiful woman
2 words for describing a good·looking man
3 words for describing a beautiful child
4 words for describing a beautiful object,
picture , vehicle , building etc
5 words for describ ing a beautiful area or place
6 ways of saying that something or someone is
arranged, decorated , dressed, painted etc in
a beautiful way
7 the beautiful appearance of something or
someone
BEAUTIFUUGOOD-LOOKING
1 words for describing a beautiful woman
beautiful lovely
good-looking gorgeous
pretty stunning
attractive ravishing
striking of great beauty
handsome elegant
beautlful / 'bju:t!f>l/ extremely good-looking, much more
so than most women radjl
She was even more beautiful than I had remembered. I The
female characters in this book are all the same - beautiful,
desirable women with r ich husbonds. I Madam de Mon-
tesJXln, the most beautiful woman at the court 0/ Louis XIV
good-looking / ,gud 'luk' Q-/ pleasant to look a t ladj l
Mary was tall and good-looking. I A good-looking young
woman dressed in black came into the room. I No, she's not
plain at all. In /act, she's rather good-looking.
preHy {lpTl tiJ good-looking in an ordinary way bu t not
really beautiful or sexually exciting lad) ]
Sh£'s short and pretty, with curly red hair. I The nwvie star
sat at a cafe table. surrounded by pretty girls. I Shirley 's
certainly pretty, but I wouldn't ca ll her beautiful.
attractive J;, 'trrekt Ivl good-looking, especially in a way
that makes you feel sexually interested (adjJ
Sophiaisveryattractiueinastrangekindofway. ! Whyare
you surprised? Your moth£r is still an attractive woman! !
I don'tflnd h£r attractive at all.
striking I1 stralk l rJ/ very attractive, especially because you
have a particular feature, such as hair or eyes, that is beau-
tiful and unusual ladj l
With h£r mass of black hair and pak skin she look£d very
striking. ! Celia had striking brown eyes like some Russian
iron. 11remember Alice as a woman of striking beauty.
handsome J ' hrens<1n1/ a handsome woman is good-
looking in an unusual way, especially because she is tall
or strong or looks as if she has a strong character (adj ]
She was a tall, handsome woman offorty-five with a proud
intelligent expression. 1The genera l's daughter is handsome
and spirited.
lovely l' IAvlil very good·looking, with an attractive and
pleasant character 10lij1
Claire is young and lovely, but rather shy. I He told his wife
that evening that she had never looked lovelier.
gorgeous l'g::>:rd3OJsl an infonnal word meaning very
good-looking, especially in a way that is sexually attractive
10lij1
He always came to parties with his gorgeous girlfriend by
his side. I "You're as gorgeous as ever, .. he declared. "the
years have been kind to you!"
stunning I I StAnJrJl extremely good·looking and sexually
attractive, so that everyone notices and admires you (adjl
You look stunning in that purple dress. I Yvonne was one of
the most stunning-looking girls I've ever seen in my life.
ravishing 11 rrev If I rJl a word meaning very good· looking
and sexually attractive, used especially in hUmorous
descriptions [adjl
The f armer had three daughters, all three blonde and
ravishing.
of great beauty IOJV Igre lt 'bju:til an expression used
especially in literature meaning very beautiful fadj phrasel
In her youth she had been a woman of g reat beauty.
elegant / 'ellg,nt/ good-looking, well-dressed, and grace-
ful faq;1
They were a very attractive couple: he was dark and hand-
some, she was tall and elegant. I An elegant young woman
sat at the next table, Sipping a cocktaiL
2 words for describing a good-looking man
good-looking rugged
handsome Itrlklng
attractive gorgeous
cute be a fine figure of a man
hunky dashing
106 BEAUTIFUUGOOD-lOOKING
good-looking / ,gud ' lukIQ - / pleasant to look at ladjl
My boyfriend lsn't very good-looking, but that 's not impor-
tant. I A tall g~looking man asked me i/ [ wanted to
dance. I Malkovitch is not good-looking in the conventiona l
sense, but women find him attractive.
handsome /'hrensaom./ a word used especially in written
descriptions or stories meaning very good·looking, with
the strong regular features that good-looking men are
usually supposed to have 10lij1
Jane wants to marry a handsome young doctor. ! He is the
most handsome boy in the class. I The story ends. as usual,
with the girl being rescued by a handsome prince.
altractlve /OJ'trrektl vl good-looking, especially in a way
that makes you feel sexually interested (adjl
Mr Frazer, her den tist, was young, unmarried and attrac-
tive. I To be honest, Sophie, I've never really found him very
attractive.
cute Jkju:t/ an informal American word: a young man who
is c ute is good-looking (adj]
''Billy, "said Martha, "[think you 'recule. "I He's so cute, and
I just love that accent!
hunky J' hAIJkll an informal word meaning very attractive
and strong-looking 10lij1
Haveyouseen the new sports instructor? He 's really hunky.1
The best part ofthejilm is when hunky truck driver. Ken,
falls in love with sophisticated businesswoman, Lema.
rugged 11 rAg1dl good· looking and strong but also rather
rough-looking ladjl
When I first arrived at the camp a rugged corporal slwwed
mearound I Tlrecaptain's/acewasruggedand taTlMd/rom
his years spent at sea.
striking l'stralklrJl very attractive, especially because you
have a particular feature such as hair, eyes etc that is
attractive and unusual (adj]
His appearance was striking, with a mop ofdark curlsfram-
ing his very pale/are.
gorgeous l 'gJ! rd3OJS/ an informal word meaning good-
looking and sexually attractive [adj]
I couldn't believe it when an absolutely gorgeous guy asked
me to dinner. 1Didyousee thefilm with Harrison Ford? Isn't
he gorgeous?
be a fine figure of a man {bi: a Ifa ln flgOJrOJv OJ Imren 1I
-flgjOJr-/ an expression used especially in a humorous con-
text or in literature meaning to be a strong·looking, attrac-
tive man Iv phrase!
Herhusbond wasaf!Tleflgureo/a man - tall, brood-cJw;/ed
with a bushy black moustache.
dashing /'drej' Q/ a word used especially in literature
meaning good·looking and well-dressed in a way that
makes people notice you ladjJ
Sieve was looking very dashing in a light-coroured suit. I Sire
was the daughter of a merchant in Berlin and a dashing
hussar hadfalIen in love with her.
3 words for describing a beautiful child
beautiful
lovely
cute
beautlful / ' bju:tlf.I/laq;1
Parents always believe that their baby is the most beautiful
boby in the world. I On her desk there was a photograph 0/
two beautiful children.
lovely /' IAvli/ beautiful and usually with a pleasant
character (adjl
They married and had three lovely children. I He 's a lovely
baby and when he smiles everyone goes all gooey-eyed.
cute Ikju:t:J an infonnal word meaning having a pleasant,
attractive appearance (adjl
Jack looked so cute aU wrapped up and ready to go to bed. I
I know he's rude and scruffy, but he's cute, isn't he?
BEAUTIFUUGOOD-LOOKING
4 words lor describing a beautiful object,
picture, vehicle , building etc
beautiful magnificent
attractive stunning
pretty superb
lovely exquisite
gorgeous elegant
splendid artistic
beautiful /lbju:t~f311 a beautiful object is very good to
look at and it gives you a feeling of great pleasure or joy
ladjl
When Marcus arrived he had a beautiful bunch o/flowers
for my nwther. I The church dates from 1540 and there is a
beautlfulfresco above the altar. I "Do you like the house?"
"Like it? It 's beautiful!"
attractive !a'trrektlvl pleasant to look at (adj]
Kitchen utensils sJwuld be attractive as well as functional. I
We wentfor long walks through the attractive grounds that
surrounded the mansion. I The puppy was an attractive little
creature with a sweetly expressive face.
prett, "pntil something that is pretty. especially some-
thing small or unimportant, is pleasant to look at but is not
really beautiful or impressive [adjl
What pretty curtains! W/l£re did you get t/rem? 1 Look at thoS<!
geraniums. Pretty, w~n 'I they? 1 For our holiday I had[ound
a pretty cottage with a lawn running crown to a stream.
lovely JIIAVIiJ something that is lovely is pleasant to look
at and makes you feel happy ladj!
The dress was such a lovely colour, a deep blue that really
suited her. l It was a lovely big house with a big garden out
the back. I Karl bought a lovely old guitar/or £15.
gorgeous f'g:>:Td~sl an infonnal word for describing
something that you think is very beautiful, especially
something that you would like to have yourself ladjl
Oh! What a gorgeous dress! Where did you get it? I They live
in a gorgeous apartment in the old. historical part o/town. 1
It 's an ideal holiday resort, with cheap hotels and gorgeous
beac/res.
splendid / 'splendjd/ something such as a building, piece
offlUTIiture, or work of art that is splendid is beautiful and
impressive [adjl
Milan contains many splendid churches. I In the centreo/the
room was a splendid 18th century oak table.
magnificent Imreg 'nlf~ s.1ntl very reautiful and very
impressive [adjl
Elizabeth Taylor wore a magni!"lCentjloor·length cloak of
red velvet. I French Classicism produced magnificent
architecture.
stunning IISlADlfJ/ very beautiful so that everyone notices
and admires it [adjl
Rafaella wore a stunning white satin wedding gown. I Every
season young fashion designers produce a number of stun-
ning creations.
superb ISj U: 1p3: Tb, SU!- 11 su:-I extremely beautiful and of
the highest quality ladjl
ThE carnations we got from the /lOwer market were abso-
lutely superb. 1 a superb colloction o[Chi""se porcelain 1 T/re
!,'uperb Lascaux cave-paintin~' had been preservedfor thou-
sands 0/ years.
exquisite Ilk 'skwlz&t. 'ekskwl-/ something that is exqui·
site is extremely beautiful and very delicate. and usually
has many colours or details [adjl
She was wearing an exquisite pearl necklace. I T/1€ colours
of the tapestry were rich and exquisite.
elegant l 'elA~nt/ beautiful and showing good taste and
style ladjl
Thefirst apartment we were shDwn was extremely elegant.
but IWtat all suitable/or a/amity with children. I T'd much
rather have a sleek elegant car than an ugly box on wheels.
elegantly ladv J The doorway is elegantly caroed in red
sandstone.
elegance [n UJ London, with the sleaziness 0/ Soho to the
east and the elegance of Mayfair to the west. is a city of
contrasts.
107 BEAUTIFUUGOOD-LOOKING
artistic /a:Tltl stlkf an arrangement, design etc that is
artistic looks attractive and has been done with skill and
imagination [adjl
1 love your Christmas decorations - they're very artistic. I
The food was presented in an artistic way.
artistically [advl Red and blue/lOwers were artistically
arranged to form a pattern.
5 words for describing a beautiful area or place
beautiful picturesque
lovely magnificent
pretty beauty spot
scenic
beautHul / 'bju"jf.l/ladjl
The woods around Bewley are very beautiful. I We're stay-
ing in a beautiful hilltop village aboul thirty miles from
Avignon. I The/ilrn is set in the beautiful alpine scenery of
Austria. I a beautiful view over the bay
lovely IllAVlil beautiful, in a way that makes you feel
happy [adjl
T/re hills will be lovely at Ihis time o[year.1 You are so lucky
to live here with all this lovely countryside around you.
pretty / Ipnti/ pleasant to look at but not really impressive
ladj]
We walked down the pretty, tree-lined avenue, l It's a pretty
village on the SujJolk border but in summer it's packed with
tourists.
scenic /lsi!Dlk/ scenic journey/route/ tour/railway
etc (=going through beautiful country) [adj usually before
noun I
We travelled to the coast by a very scenic route. I The most
scenic stretch of railway line in England runs through our
valley.
picturesque / ,PlktJ;)'resk<lJ picturesque village/cot-
tage/ bridge/ garden etc (=beautiful especially because it
is old-fashioned) ladjl
Essex is only 20 miles/rom London but its villages are still
very picturesque. 1 She had albums filled wilh sketches o[
churches. old bridges. and picturesque cottages.
magnHlcent Jmreg 1nlflS.1nt/ something such as a moun-
tain or a large area of country that is magnificent is very
beautiful and very impressive ladjl
Taking a train through the Canadian Rockies is one way of
seeing this vast stretch of magniFu:ent country. I Travelling
through rwrthern Spain we saw some magniflCent scenery.
beauty spot I'bju:ti spnt 11 -SPQ!t/ an area or place that
people visit because it is especially beautiful In Cl
There are several beauty spots to visit in Crete. I People were
protesting because the council planned to build a new road
through Burleigh Wood, a local beauty spot.
6 ways of saying that something or someone is
arranged , decorated, dressed , painted etc in
a beautifu l way
beautifully attractively
prettily exquisitely
beautHully / 'bju:tjfali/ ladul
She was beautifully dressed in pink silk. 1 the beautifully
delicate jewellery of the Indians
prettily / 'prltlli/ in a way that is pleasant to look at ladv l
Helen was always prettily dressed. I The soap is prettily
wrapped with old-fashioned labels.
attractively la I trrektlvlil in a way that makes something
very pleasant to look at, especially in order to make people
want it [adv ]
We hope to sell goods by packaging them attractively. 1 All
her friends were younger, prettier and more attractively
dressed.
exquisitely !Ik 'skw lz!tlil in a very delicate, careful and
beautiful way [adv ]
In the box was a pair of exquisitely shaped. old earrings. I
The vase she presented him with was exquisitely ornate.
BEAUTIFUUGOOD-LOOKING 108 BECAUSE
not going on holiday this year, simply because we can't
7 the beautilul appearance of something or o,fford it.
someone the re.son ..... Is that /00 I ri :u n .. .. rz ~3tf (used when
beauty you are explaining something carefully. especially when
looks/good t00l<8 you have been asked to explain why someth ing happened)
The reason we didn't consider you for the job was that you
beauty I'bj uni/ ln UI didn't have enough experience. I The reason we are h£re this
Her beauty was accentuated by the dark clothes she wore. I evening is to say thank you to B rianforall his hard work.
the beau ty of The beauty of the countryside and thefriend· because of Ib, 'km ,v 11 bl ' lo:z-/ lprep)
liness of the people made him decide to settle in Tuscany. I I had to move because of my job. I Because ofyour incompe-
visual/physical/n at ural ctc beauty The sheer physical tence we have lost a lot of business. I Th£ house isn't really
beauty ofthe Malagasy people UJaS a constant surprise to me. suitable for an old person because 0/ all those stairs.
lookslgood looks /luks, ,god lIuksf a person's appear- since /Si ns/ (used to introduce the reason why you dec ide
ance, especially when they arc beautiful or sexually attrac- to do something or suggest doing something) [conjunction]
tive In pluraLI We had planned to play tennis but since it was raining we
She had everything - good looks, intelligence, wit and style. I decided to go swimming instead. 1 Since you're going to be
Looks don't count/or much in this business - it's much more in the area anyway, you can pick up the order/ or me. I Since
important to bejriendly and a good talk er. I sb's looks His we've got some new people here, maybe we should recap what
writing was affected by his alcoholism, but he never lost his we'lJe decided so f a r.
looks.
as /:Jz; strong rez/ (used to introduce the reason why a par-
beautifully BEAUTIFUUGOOD-LOOKING 6 ticular situation exists, why someone decides to do some-
beauty BEAUTlFUU GOOD·LOOKING 7 thing or suggests doing something etc) [conjunction]
beauty: of great beauty BEAUTl FUUGOOD·LOOKING 1 As he had been in prison several times, he was a prime sus-
beauty: the beauty of GOOD POINT OR pect/or the case. I As it's late, why don't we gel a take-away
CHARACTERISTIC 1 meal instead of cooking for ourselves? .
beauty spot BEAUTI FUU GOOD·LOOKING 5 through laru:1 (used especially when you want to explain
beaver away WORK HARD 1 why something has succeeded or why it has failed) (prep]
because BECAUSE 1 We sua:eeded through sheer hard IOOrk. I Hundreds ofwork·
because 0' BECAUSE 1 ing days have been lost this year through illness. I The Corn·
munity Association collapsed through lack of support.
thanks to I'aae~ks tu:1 thanks to your hard work /a
bee a use 1 ---::;-;:;:::;:::::-;-, don a tion/sb 's good luck etc (used when you want to
explain why something good has happened and especially
when you are gratetW to the person or thing that made it
which meaning? possible) (prep )
The play was a great success, and it was all thanks to the
effort and commitment of everyone involved. I Nickel prices
ways of saying, have rocketed, thanks to a record output of stainless steel. 1
because ' thanks to sb's carelessn ess/stupidity etc (used when
you are annoyed wi th someone) Thanks to your careless-
.--nwhyJOmttitlng ... . REASON ness, those important documents have been lost.
happens 01 . cIone out of , Iaut ~v/ out of c uriosi ty/desperation e tc (used
especially when someone has done something they would
cauee IIGIfII!!1IIIIiI \0 ~ • CAUSE not usually do) (prep)
l!appen0l _ I came to you out of desperation - you '00 got to help me. 11
think 1 should like to taste a piece 0/octopus, just out ofcuri-
osity. I You didn't really want that last cake, you on ly took
it out of spite.
• BECAUSE on account of Ion ;ll kaunt ;lV/ (used especially when you
want to explain the r eason for a difficulty, problem, or
1 words used when you are explaining why failure) Iprep t
something happened , why you d id something We had to move to London on account ofmy job. 11can't run
ete on account of my asthma. 1 You're in enough trouble on
acrount of me already.
as a resun of /;}Z ~ n l ZAIt ;lV/ (used especially in news
reports and public statements to introduce the cause of
1 words used when you are explaining why some thing th a t has happened , us u a ll y someth ing
somelhing happened, why you did something unpl easant) (prep)
Many people are now homeless as a result of tire civil war. 1
ete
As a result of adverse weather conditions, a ll trains will be
because out of subject to delays. I The race had to be stopped as a result of
the reason .... Is that on account of people crowding onto the track. I as a direct result of Mr
because of as a result of Logan died as a direct result of the injuries he received in the
since due to accident.
as owing to due to / 'dj u! tu: U 'du:-J (used especially in official state-
through seeing as ments to introduce the reason for a difficulty or failure)
thanks to Iprep )
Our /light was delayed due to a strike by air-traffic con-
because fbl ' knz . bl' k3l 11 bJ' b:z. bJ 1k3Z/ [conjunction] trollers. I Due to circumstances beyond our amtrol. we regret
She's in a bad mood because her father won't let her go to to inform customers that this store will close early.
the party tonight. I "This photograph doesn 'tlook like you. " owing to ' 1:lU11] tu:J (used especially in official statements
"That's because it isn't me - it's my sisler". I Becauseyou've to introduce an explanation of why something happened)
worked so well, I'm giving everyone a 100% bonus. I just Iprep )
because (=when you think an explanation is not a good Owing to Princess Diana's ill·health, her visit to the new
enough reason for something) You mean you dumped him school is to be postpOned. I This is one o/the most commonly
just because he forgot your birthday? I simply because us«f metals in modern industry owing to its widespread
(when there is a very simple reason for something) We're availablity .
BECAUSE 109
seeing as 'lsi:TIJ 3z1 (an informal expression used espe-
cially to introduce a s ituation that causes you to decide or
suggest something that you had not originally intended)
[conjunction]
Seeing as you're here, you might as well help me get the wash-
ing in. I It was a great idea to go to the cinema but seeing
as no one had any money. we couldn't go.
beck and call: be at sb's beck and call OBEY 5
beckon SIGN/GESTURE 2
become BECOME 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7
become: get/become MORE THAN BEFORE 3
·become/grow accustomed to USED TO/ACCUSTOMED
T0 3
become a member JOIN AN ORGANIZATION 1
• BECOME
t to become angry, happy, bored, frightened
etc
2 to become rich, old, famous, popular etc
3 to become a different size, shape,
temperature etc
4 to become a different colour
5 to change completely and become something
or someone else
6 to start doing a particular kind of work or
activity , or start to have a particular position
7 ways of saying that a situation becomes
different, especially whe n it becomes worse
than before
1 to become angry, happy, bored, frightened
etc
become grow
get wor1l: up
become Ib , 'IeArnl [v]
I became more interested as thefilm continued. I She could
see that the children were becoming bored so she changed the
activity. I As the p layers ran out onto the jzeld the crowd
became really excited.
get Iget, to become angry, happy. nervous etc, especially
quickly Iv]
When she gets angry she shouts a lot. I The actors were begin-
ning to get nervous before they went on stage. I Look. it's no
good going to the funeral if you re just going to get upset.
grow Igr;x;/ to gradually become a ngry. happy, bored etc,
over a long time (u]
She grew impatient with his constant excuses for not doing
his homework. I All her family crowded round the bed until
she grew too tired/or visitors. I The old man is growing even
more fearful of his own death.
work up / ,Wl:Tk lAp/ work up interest/ enthusiasm/
concern etc (=try to become interested, keen, concerned
etc. especially over a long time) [v T not in passivel
I hope they can work up some enthusiasm for their studies. I
I'm desperately trying to work up enough courage to go to
the ti€ntist. I She could not work up any sympathy for Roy
- it was all his fault.
2 to become rich, old, famous , popular etc
become
get
grow
become Ib , 'IeAmf tvl
Stallone becamefamous, but only after a lot of hard work. I
Short skirts and short haircutsfor women/irst became popu-
lar in the 1960s. I I've spent so much timeflXing car engines,
I 've becomefairly expert at it. lIt's becoming apparent that
nobody in the class has understood a word I've said.
BECOME
get Igetl get oldlrich/fatlgood etc (used especially in
spoken English) Ivl
As we get old we lose our strength. I Hisfather had got rich
in the 1960s property boom. 1He was worried that if he got
too fat his wife would leave him - and she dui- I Have you
been practising? You're getting really good at it.
grow /gr.x;/ to gradually become rich, old, famous, popu-
lar etc over a long time [v]
Most people are frightened of growing old. lIt was a long
summer and the ground grew hard. lOver theyears she has
grown more and more independent, and she/inally left /wme
last year.
3 to become a different size, shape,
temperature etc
become
get
grow
become /hl'kAmJ [v ]
In hot weather the blood vessels become wider. I The inside
of the furnace had become hot enough to melt iron. I While
he'd been away at school the child seemed to have become
taller.
get /get/ to become la rger, colder, wider etc, especially
quickly [v ]
We crossed the river at a point where it got narrower. I The
kittens seem to be getting bigger every day. I I got really cold
sitting out on the balcony.
grow /gr.vl to gradually become larger, hotter, wider over
a long time Iv)
Day by day the sUJin on the ceiling grew larger. IAs the days
grow warmer, we spend more time outdoors. I While we were
waiting the queue behind us was growing longer and longer.
4 to become a different colour
turn
go
tum /t3: r n/ to become a different colour, especially as part
of a number of changes in the colour of something Ivl
It's so beautiful in the evening when the sky turns reel. I All
the leaves on the trees have turned brown. I My father's hair
turned grey when he was only 25.
go Ig<XJ/ to become a different colour, usually for a short
time. especially because something has made it change
colour [v i
Her face had gone red in the hot sun. I I dropped. a brick on
my finger and the nail went black.
5 to change completely and become something
or someone else
become grow into
turn into develop into
change into
become /hl'kt..m/ [v)
Since winning all that money he's become a very unpleasant
person. I Day became night and all was quiet. I The war has
helped this small colony become a strong independent natwn.
tum Into / 1t3: r n Intu:! to become something different over
a long period of time. often so that you do not notice it
happening [v]
It's difficult to believe that this little brown thing will even-
tually turn into a beautiful buttelfly. I What used to bea quiet
village has gradually turned into a busy holiday resort. I
During the brewing process all the sugar turns inro alcohol.
change Into f ' tJe rnd3 mtu:! if someone or something
changes into someone or something else. they become
completely different so that there is no connection with the
way they were at first [vJ
I read her a story in which a frog changes into a prince. I
Since she started college she's slowly changed into a beauti-
ful young woman. I change from sth into sth After seeing
a therapist he changed from a dangerous criminal into a
well-adjusted young man.
BECOME 110
grow Into /Igr.x; mtu:/ to gradually change completely
over a long time so that you become someone or something
else [v]
He'sgrown into afmeyoung man. I Who would have thought
that ajew people's protests would have grown into a national
movement. I The crowd's cheers slowly grew into a loud
crescendo of noise.
develop Into (dl I Vel;}p IOtu:1 to gradually and slowly
change into something or someone that is completely
different. especially as a result of hard work or planning [v I
Over the years the college developed into one of the finest
language institutions in all of South East Asia. I He was a
bit naive alftrst but has developed into a versatile and effec-
tive player.
6 to start doing a particula r kind of work or
activity , or start to have a particular position
become
get to be
become Ib , ' kAml Iv)
become a doctor/teach er etc He studied at Oxford Univer·
sity and later became a writer. I My f riend Pam stayed with
the company and became a departmental manager. I
become president/ch iefetc Sir Richard hasjust become
Chief of Police.
get to be ' Iget ta bi:/ an informal expression meaning to
have a particular job especially without trying to ach ieve
that pos ition or have that job [vJ
get to be a la wyer/ a doctor etc If a ll goes well she may
even get to be an airlin£ pilot. I get to be boss/president
etc I wanted to ask him how he got to be bos~' of such a big
company.
7 ways of saying that a situation becomes
different, especially when it becomes worse
than before
become grow
get turn
become Ib" kArn/ Iv)
It UXlS only when their marriage became unbearable that
they considered a divorce. I The relationship between the two
nations has become much worse since the bombing incident.I
The atmosphere in the room became morefestive as Connor
opened some beers. I it has become difficult/hard etc It's
become much more difJkult to fi nd a job in London.
get Jget! to become different, especially quickly [vJ
Things are getting worse. They're worried that they may
have to sell the house. I The situation in the factory is get-
ting out of hand - yesterday only two people turned up for
work. I It seems to me that the world isgetting more and more
unpleasant - people just don't respect each other any more.
grow /gF.Ju/ if a situation grows different in some way,
it gradually becomes like that over a long time {vJ
The atmosphere in this town has grown lessfriendly. I The
situation slowly grew tense as everyone awaited the results.
tum /t3!rnJ turn dangerous/n asty/unpleasant etc (=to
become dangerous , nasty, unpleasant etc, especially when
it is not expected to happen like that) [v I
It started out as a friendly game of soccer but it turned
unpleasant. I Their friendship was beginning to turn sour.
bed BOTTOM 4
bed : get out of bed WAKE UP/GET UP 4
bed: get ob into bed SEX/HAVE SEX WITH 6
bed: get ob up/out of bed WAKE UP/GET UP 7
bed: go to bed SLEEP 5
bed: go to bed with SEX/HAVE SEX WITH 1
bed: got out of bed on the wrong side/got out on the
wrong side of bed BAD·TEMPERED 2
bedraggted UNTIDY 2
bedtime SLEEP 5
beefy STRONG PERSON 2
beeline: make a beeline for TOWARDS 2
bear gut FAT 6
BEFORE
before BEFORE 1, 2, 4, 8, IF 3
before: the day/weeklmonthlyear before BEFORE 7
before: t he one before BEFORE 6, 9
before long SOON 1, 3
before the year/month/day is out FINISH/COME TO
AN EN D 2
before you know It SOON 2
Ibefore 1-----..
which meaning?
before an event or • BEFORE
time; before someone
or something in a list,
series ete
at a time in the past • PAST
in front of someone or _ FRONT
something
• BEFORE
ways of saying that on e thing happen s bef ore
another, or that som ething comes before
something el se in a list or series
1 before something happens or is done
2 before now or before then
3 ways of saying that someone does
something, or something takes place, before
a particular event
4 ways of saying that something must be done
before a particular time
5 before a particular hour of the day, when you
are saying what time it is
6 happening before or existing before someone
or something else
7 words for describing a time, a day, month etc
that comes before another one
8 before something in a list or series of things
or before someone else in a line of people
9 words for describing something that comes
before something else in a list or series
10 to happen or exist before something or
someone else
11 to come before something else in a list or
series
12 to do something before someone else does it
13 a person or thing that existed before another
person or thing
14 words used in written English for describing
someone or something that has been
mentioned earlier in the same piece of writing
1 before something happens or is done
before on the eve of
prior to pre-
before /bl' b : r / [prep/conjunction]
They were lucky enough to get out of Germany lxifore the war
started. I Think carefully before yougive your fina l answer. I
We used to live in Seattle before we got married. I Before he
couldfinish his sentence, she had a lready walked out of the
room. If a lways Inke a bath before breakfast. I R iclwrd left
the course three weeks before the end of term . I Before join-
ing [BM, she work edfor Toshiba. I Make sure you check the
oil and tyres before setting out on a long journey.
BEFORE 111
prior to Ilpral~r tu:! a formal expression meaning before,
especially before a particular event or date (prep 1
Prior to the introdnction ofmi.croromputers, most computers
were extremely expensive and diJTlCult to maintain. I There
were rumors DJa possible assassination attempt in the days
just prior ro President Kenmdy 's dooth. 1A ll legislation prior
ro July 14th 1789 was declared null and void. 1 The doctor
slwuld have warned the patient of the possible side effects
prior to commencing the treatment.
on the eve of Ion 6i 'i:v Dvl ifsomething happens on the
eve ofan important historical event such as a war. or an
election, it happens just before it (prep ]
Stalin rnade a pact with Hitler on the eve o/World War 1l.1
The early exploration of the New World by Columbus and
cia Gama rook plaa! on the eve ofll/£ Reformation. 1 Napoleon
wrot£ on the eve a/the battle that he was certain a/victory.
pr. Jpri:-/ pre-war/ pre-schoollpre-Christmas/ pre-
Roman etc (=before the war, before school ete) [prefIXI
An exhibition o/plwtographs a/life in pre-war Britain opens
tomorrow. I In pre-Roman times the jreld was used as a
burial ground. I The study found that the more intelligent
preschool age children rended ro sleep less.
2 before now or before then
before previously
earlier previous
formerly
before Ibl'b:'1 [adv/ prepl
He always seemed such a nice guy before. I I don't think I've
ever seen anything quite like it before or since. I She's never
been up in a plane before and she's feeling very nervous. I
before that/then/ this Before that, 1 worked as a trocher
in Italy for a year.
......r 113:r1i~rl ata time. date, yearetc before now ladvl
Didn't I give you the key earlier? 1 earller on You should
have told me about this earlier on, instead of waiting until
it was too late to do anything about it. 1 earlier in the day /
year etc She was a lot healthier than she had been earlier
in theyear. 120 years/IO minutes/moments etc earlier
The original experinumt wascarried out 20years earlier, in
1881. 1Edwards /u:uJ been seen near the scene ofthe crime only
moments earlier.
fonnerty l'f:J:r~rlil ifsomeone or something formerly
did something or was formerly something, they did it or
were it in the past, but not now (adv)
He wasformerly head of the NBe. 1/3ifore its independence
from Erilain Zimbabwe wasformerly known as Rhodesia. 1
Plants such as garlic andfoxgloues wereformerly tlwught
to have special healing powers.
prevlousl, I'pri:vi~slil before a time or event in the past
[advl
The new road changed people's lives enormously - previ-
ously the only way of reaching the village was onfoot or by
helicopter. I She /u:uJ previously been one ofmy closestfriends
and I was surprised by this sudden outburst against me. I at 9 o'clock. I Entryformsfor the competition should arrive
The increase in thR. number ofpeople without jobs was even
greater than had previously been expected. 1 The attack was
carried out by a previously unknown group of terrorists.
prevlous/'pri:vi;,s/ a previous event or situation is the
one that happened before the one that is happening now
[adj only before noun I
She has two children from a previous marriage. 1 I seem to
remember us talking about this in a previous conversation. 1
Every time I go for ajob interview they always ask if I have
any previous experience of tlult type of work.
3 ways of saying that someone does something
or something takes place before a particular
event
beforehand advance
In advance prior
beforehand lb. '10: 'ha:ndl if you do something before-
hand you do it before you do something else, especially in
order to make the situation easier (adv)
BEFORE
They agreed biforelUlnd not ro discuss the Palestinian issue. 1
Let us know beforehand if you are planning on visiting
Bosron. 1 You slwuld have thought about the consequences
of your actions beforehand.
In advance Iln OKI,lva:ns 11 _Ivcens/ if you do something in
advance, you do it before a particular event takes place or
before the time when something is expected to happen (adv
phrase )
This meal can easily be made in advance and requires very
IiULe preparation time. 1 6 months/a year etc in advance
Landlords often want rent 6 months in advance. 1 You have
to reserve your seat at least 3 weeks in advance. 1 give sb
cash in advance (=give someone the money frrst before
you get the gcxxls that you are buying) The owner ofthe car
insisted on being given cash in advance.
advanc. IOKI, IVa:.ns 11 OKI,I vrensJ advance warning/ notifi.-
cation/payment/booking etc (=given or done before the
time that a particular event takes place or before the time
that something is expected to happen) [adj only before
noun ]
There was no advance warning ofth£ aUack and the people
had no time to get to the air raid shelters. 1 The Government
0fTu:e in Kyoto require at least 2 days advance notification
if you want to visit the Imperial Villa. I Advance bookings
for th£ Paul Simon concert start today.
prior Ilpral~rl prior warning/notice/discllssion/con-
sultation/approval/consent etc (=taking place before
something else happens or before someone is allowed to do
something) [adj only before noun I
The bomb exploded witlwut any prior warning. 1All reports
about the war have to be submitted for prior approval by
military censors before publication. I Couples under the age
of 18cannot get married without their parents' prior consent.
4 ways of saying that something must be done
before a particular time
before not later than
by at the latest
before Ibl 'fo:'/lprep)
Conyou call me back thisqf/£rnoon before5.30? 1Thefamity
who are buying our house say they want to be in before the
summer. 1 Th£exhibitionstartson th£ 15th, so we'll have to
get everything ready well before then.
by Iba'l before or ata particular time but not after it [prepl
He'll have the shoes ready for you by tomorrow morning. I
When 1 was young we used to have ro be home by midnight. 1
The bridge was supposed to have been completed by 1992.1
by then/now John slwuld have been back by now, I wonder
what's happened to him.
not lat.r than /not IleltOlr ~;IRI before or at a particular
time but definitely not after it, used especially when tell-
ing someone the time by which they must have done some-
thing [prep I
1 want this essay back on my desk not later than Wednesday
no tarer than Friday 5th February. 1 Notice of objections to
the planning committee's proposals must be submitted not
later than seven days before the meeting.
at the lat.st lat O~ 'Ielt~stf if you say that something will
happen ata particular time, day, date, ete at the latest you
mean you expect it to happen at or before that time (adv
phrasel
The boss slwuld be back by Monday at the la rest. 1 We
tlwught /hot thefilm would be over by ren thirty at the very
latest.
5 before a particular hour of the day, when you
are saying what time it is
to
of
to /b; before vowels tu; strong tu:J (prep 1
It's twenty five to three. 1 The train left at four minures ro
eleven.
BEFORE
of lav,;); strong DV 11 3V , a; strong o:v/ an American word
meaning before a particular hour of the day (prep)
It 's a quarter a/six. I We'Uleave at ten a/seven.
6 happening before or existing before someone
or someth ing else
earlier
previous
old former
last prior
the one before
prevlous , l pri:vi3SI happening or existing before the one
that you have now [adj only before noun)
Please ignore my previous instructions. I Mr Abe was the
Foreign Minister in tm previous administration. l Our previ·
OUS teacher was terrible - we've learned so much mOre since
the new one arrived.
old 1>oIdl old girifrtenditeacher/job/company/ carl
system etc (=the one that you had or used before, espe·
cially for a long time) ladj only before noun)
I much preferred myoid job. I Did you know that Sarah·s
going out with one of your old boyfr;'nds? I Under the old
system you had to wait 3 rrwnths to get a passport - now you
can get a temporary one from your local post offiCe.
last {lmsl 11 IrestJ the last person or thing is the one that
existed or that you had just before the present one so that
you still remember them well lad) only before noun)
Our last aJXlrtment was much smaller than this one. I
They're still trying to blame everything on the last govern-
ment.1 His lastgirlfr;'ndfmished with him because he was
more inl£rested in football than in her.
the one before JOa IWAIl bl'b:rJ the person or thing that
ex isted before the one you have just mentioned [pron]
I've seenArnold Schwarzenegger's most recentfilm, but not
the one before. I She really liked her last boyfmOO, but she
wasn't very serious about the ones before.
••rller J13:rJia rJ an earlier person or thing is one that
existed or happened at some time in the past before the one
you have just mentioned, especially a long time before [adj
only before noun]
Our car is the same car as yours, but it's a much earlier
model. I Let me go back ID my earlier question. I Eric Clap-
ton's playing is heavily influenced by the music of earlier
blues musicians such as Robert Johnson . I A wt of so-called
western science is based on earlier work done by scientists
and mathematicians in India and Arabia.
'ormer J ' b:rma r / former president/leader/ life/
friend/home/ company etc (=a fonnal word meaning
happening or existing before the one that you have now)
[adj only before noun I
His former wife still wril£s to him regularly. I Jean Kirk-
potrick,former US ambassador to the United Nations. I Mrs
Marros was prevented from returning to her former /wme
for more than 6 years.
prior JlpralarJ a prior agreement, arrangement, or
appointment is one that was made before the present situ-
ation lad) only before fWun]
Under a prior agreement the US will destroy all its short
range nuclear weapons infuture. I I asked if I could buy the
housefrom them, but they said they'd already made prior
arrangements. I Why don't we go for coffee - or do you have
a prior appointment?
7 words for describing a time. a day. month elc
that comes before another one
previous
yesterday morning/afternoon/evening
last
the day/weeklmonth/year before
preceding
previous J'pri:viasJ ladj only before noun!
The previous day she seemed perfectly OK I ThecorPQrotion
recorded a 50% increase in profits ouer the previous year. I
Jane'sjirst baby hod been born the previous July, whi/e she
was still in Engwnd.
112 BEFORE
,esterda, mornlnglafternoon/evenlng I Jest.'di
Irro:rnll) . o:ftalnu:n, 'i:vnll) U -reftar-J the morning, after-
noon, or evening of the day befor.e today [adv phrase)
Yesterday morning I went shopping. I 1 spoke to my boss
about it late yesterday q{ternoon.
last Ila:S! I ""stl last nightlweek/month/year (=the
one before this one) lad) only before noun)
Last night you said you looed me. I We still hoven·t paid last
month's rent yet.
the da,lweekimonth/Jear before 10. ,de l, ,wi:k,
Im.... nS, ljl~r bl'O:rl the day/ weeklmonth/ year before the
one in the past that you have just mentioned [adv phrase ]
Last week she was in Paris, and the week before she was in
Rome. I The day before the exam I was incredibly nervous.
preceding Ipn'si:dIQI a formal word; the preceding
months, years etc are the ones just before the time in the
past that you are talking about {adj only before nounl
During the preceding days and rrwnths A11U!rica had sent
nearly halfa million troops into the war zone. [ Russia had
already slaughl<red 180 whales in the preceding 12 months. I
The company made more profit in that one month than it
mode in the whole of the preceding year.
8 before something in a list or series of things
or before someone else in a line of people
before
In front of/ahead ot
before Ibl 'fo:'l [prep]
"p·is before 'q'. IAren·tyou beforethosepeop/e in the queue? I
Harajuku station is one stop before Shibuya station on the
Yamanol£ Line. I In the chapter before this one she talks
about her early life in Jamaica . .
In front ofla head of Jrn IfrAnt av, alhed avJ before
another person in a group of people who are waiting to do
something Iprep ]
The man infrant of me /et me go jirst because I looked so ill. I
There were over a hundred people ahead of us in the queue
to get into the cinema.
9 words for describing something that comes
before something else in a list or series
previous earlier
preceding the one before
previous f ' pri:vi~sJ coming before the one that you are
dealing with now (adj only before fWun]
Ina previous chapter we examined Iww children learn lan-
guage. I Each number in the series is the square ofthe previ-
ous number. I As was shown in the previous examples, the
distance around a circle can easily be obtained by multiply-
ing the diameter by pi.
preceding Jpn ' si:dIIJ/ a fonnal word meaning coming
before the one you have just mentioned, or the part of a
book where you are now [ad) only before noun ]
In the preceding poragroph she argues against this theory. I
From the preceding discussion it becomes clear that Leib-
nitz's theory is based on a false supposition.
earlier ' 13: r u;,r/ coming before the one you have just men·
tioned, especially a long way before (a4i only before noun]
The earlier chapters of the book describe her life in Africa
- after thot the scene moves to Austrolia. I A wtofpeop/egot
out of the train at earlier stations. so we had the carriage to
ourselves.
the one before J6a I WAn bl l f:):r/ the thing that comes
before another in a sentence or series (pron 1
In the series 2,4,8.16 each number is twice as big as the one
before. I "Do you want this one?" ·'No, the one before. '· 1On
the last page of her /etrer she says she really misses me, but
on the one before that she said she hates my guts!
jj@ j"YOU say" is used in definitions of some
~ words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English.
BEFORE
iOta happen or exist before something or
someone else
come before lead up to
precede come first
predate be a prelude to
come before IlkAm bI1f::>:TI [phr v li T not in progressive
or passive]
come before sb/stb Elizabeth I came before James 1. 11
much prefer the Beatles' records which came before <Sgl
Pepper'. I come before Phi/lip's new CDsystemsoundedjar
better than anything that had come before.
precede,pfllsi:dl a fennal word meaning to happen or
exist before something or someone else. especially just
before Iv TI
Churchill was a much stronger leader than the man who
precroed him. I The negotiations which precroed the signing
ofthe trroty tookp!ace over a number ofyears. I be preceded
by The snow fall was preceded by a sudden drop in temper-
ature. I In most cases the illness is preceded by vomiting and
headaches.
predate Ipri: Idelll if one historical event or object pre-
dates another, it happened or existed before it Iv Tl
A skeleton/ound in Northern China may predate the oldest
known human remains. I predate sth by 50/100/250 etc
years The root causes ofthe current crisis in the MiddleEast
predate ISra€I's occupation of the West Bank by more than
2000 years.
lead up to /,li:d lAP tu:1 if an event leads up to another
event, it comes before it and often causes it to happen Iv
T not in passive]
The book describes the trial and the events leading up to it
ingreat detaiL I In order to understand the committee's deci-
sion it is necessary to examine the process that led up to it.
come first 'lkAm 1f3:rstf ifone of two events comes first,
it happens before the other event [v phrase]
The rains camefirst, then the storms. I Which cameju-s~ the
chicken or the egg?
be a prelude to Ibi: ::I 'prelju:d tu:/ if an event is a
prelude to a more important event, it happens just before
it and often makes people expect it Iv phrase)
The air-strike was just a prelud€ to the invasion. I Idealists
saw the revolution as a prelude to a better world and a richer
life.
11 to come before something else in a list or
series
come before
precede
come before 1,leArn bllfJ:TJlphrv UT not inprogressive
or passive)
come before sth At a formal meal, thefish usually comes
before the meat. IIn the Greek alphabet, the letter delta comes
bdore the letter epsilon, just as 'd' comes before the 'e' in the
Roman alphabet. I come before The next paragraph said
the same thing as the paragraph which came before, only in
a diJJerent way.
precede /pfI'shdl a fonnal word meaning to come just
before something else in a pattern or series [v T usually in
passive]
be preceded by On car license plates the numbers are
preceded by a letter which indicates the year when the car
was made. I precede sth The number which precedes the
account number is the code for your bank.
12 to do something before someone else does it
do sth first ahead of
be first be ahead of your time
beat sb to It
do sth first I,du: (sth) 'f3:'SII if you do something, go
somewhere, see something etc first, you do it before
someone else Iv phrase)
113 BEFORE
These seats are ours, we got here/irst. I It's mine, I saw it
first. I The person who gives the right answer first gets tIu!
prize.
be first Ibi: 1f3: Tst/ to be the first person to do a particu-
lar thing Iv phrase]
It's my sea~ I was here first. I be first to do sth My sister
always said I would be first to get married, but she was
wrong.
beat sb to It JIbi:t (sb) ltu: It! an informal expression
meaning to get or do something before another person,
when both people are trying to do it first [v phrase J
I wanted to buy the car but someone else had beaten me to
it. 11 reacIu!d to take the last chocolate only tojuul that Cathy
had beaten me to it. I You'd better get down to the shop
quickly before someone else beats you to it.
ahead of I ~'hed ::IvJ if you arrive somewhere or finish
something ahead of someone, you arrive there or finish
it before them [prep 1
carrie arrived at thepubaheadofus. 1Coefinished the race
ahead of Ovelt.
be ahead of your time /bi: :J,hed::lv jJ: T ltalm! if some-
one is ahead oftheir time they do something, especially
by having new ideas before anyone else does it (v phrase)
My grandfather had several aviation ideas which people
laughed at. He was completely ahead of his time.
13 a person or thing that existed before another
person or thing
predecessor
forerunner
precursor
predecessor I'pri:d~ses::lr Illpre-J the person who had
a job before another person {n Cl
Kennedy inherited the Cuban probl€mjrom his prede.cessor
President Eisenhower. I On my desk was a book of poems
which had been left by one of my predecessors.
forerunner /lfJ:1fAnarl the first person, organization,
machine etc which existed before the one that we have now
and which was a model for the one we have now [n Cl
The SUffragettes were theforerunners a/the women's move·
ment.1 Many of these old planes wereforerunners oftoday s
supersonic jets.
precursor Ipn 1k):TS:;Ir/ a fonnal word meaning a person
whose ideas or style are later used by another more famous
person, or an organization, movement or machine which
later develops into one that is more important In Cl
precursor oflto The abacus was the precursor of the
modem electronic oalcutaior. I The concept ofmannedf/ights
in space was devetoped by NACA, which was the precursor
to NASA.
14 words used in written English for describing
someone or something that has been
mentioned earlier in the same piece of wrrting
above
aforementioned
above /::IlbAV/ [adj only before noun]
Ifyou want to find out more about holidays in Spain please
write to the above address for a free booklet. I The path of
the light through the lens is shown in the above diagram.
above [adv] Noneofthe points mentioned above seem to have
much relevance to this discusssion.
the above (n singular or plural] Theabove(=what has been
mentioned above) isjust afurther example of this govern-
ment's unwillingness to tackle environmental issues.
aforemenUonecl/::l'fJ:rmenJand/ a word used especially
in legal documents to describe someone or something that
was already mentioned earlier in the same piece of writ·
ing (adj only before noun]
In theevent ofmy cleath the aforementioned perSlms will each
receive half 0/ my estate.
beforehand 114 BEGINNING
beforehand BEFORE 3 race. I Have your assignment ready for the start of the next
befriend FRIEND 6 semester. I a good/bad ete start to It wasn't a very good
beg ASK FOR 5TH/ASK SB TO DO 5TH 5 , 7 start to the vacation - our car broke down on thefirst day.I
begging: be going begging AVAILABLE 2 from the start JilI and Amy hod been friends from the
start. I a good start in life Breostfeeding will give your
baby a good start in /ife.
Ibeginl theon ••t /1onset 11 10.::0-. 'J:R-/ thetimewhen somethlng
begins, especially something unpleasant such as an illness
£n singular ]
which meaning? the onset of Many old prople in Britain dread the onset of
winter. I Fred's not been able to do much at all since theanset
begin 10 do e START DOING of his illness. I TIu! onset a/the Depression meant starvation
IIOITNIIhlng STH and s4.fJering for millions DJ people.

the beginning of
-
• BEGINNING
- 2 the time when an important new idea,
aomethlng , method, or product is first used or discovered
make aomethIng e STARTSTHI the arrival of the dawn of
MAKESTH the coming ot the advent of
begin
START the birth 01
h'S the arrival of /Oi 3lralv ~1 avl the time when an impor-
begin 10 happen. e START TO tant new idea, method, or product is first used or
exlIt eIC HAPPEN, EXIST discovered, especially one that will lead to important
ETC changes In phrase)
With the arrival of scientific methods in the twentieth cen·
wayII of l8y1ng what • FIRST tury. we have made great progress in treating many ill·
the ftnIt pet! of nesses.1the arriool ofd£mocracy I The arriool ofconveniena!
• foods took much of the hord work out of preparing meals.
.omedling la the coming of /0-;) IkAmll) ;}Vl the time when an impor·
tant new system, idea, product, or method begins to ex ist
begin START DOING 5TH 1, 13, START 5TH/MAKE or be used, causing great changes to society In phrase)
5TH START 1, START TO HAPPEN, EXIST ETe 1 The coming of Westem·style democracy to Eastern Europe
begin: start by/begin by START DOING 5TH 5 has been very sudden. I The Middle East chonged dramati-
begin: to start with/begin with BEGINN ING 4, FIRST 3 , cally with the coming of Islam 6OOyeors after Christ, I Before
START DOING 5TH 5 the coming of the railways in the late 18605 these old roads
beginner LEARN 4 were the only link between towns.
beginning BEGINNING 6 the birth of 160 Ib3:'6 ovl the beginning of something,
beginning: at the beginning/start BEGINNING 3 for example a new political movement, that wiU become
beginning: from the beginning/start BEGINN ING 5 more and more important, and will change the way many
beginning: In the beginning BEGINNING 4 people behave or think In phrase)
beginning: the beginning BEGINNING 1 More than anyone else, Elvis Pres/ey was re5[XJnsiblefor the
birth of rock and roll. I Attacks on Black people grew with
the birth of A,frikal'U!r nationolism, I The birth of modern
. BEGINNING science was to fundamentally change people's attitudes
towards religion. .
1 the beginning of an event, process, period etc
the dawn of lOa Ilb:n avl the beginning of an important
period of time in hi story In phrase I
2 the time when an important new idea, method People have worshipped gods since tfw dawn ofcivilization. !
or product is first used or discovered Ordinary life would never be the same again after the dawn
3 at the beginning of an event, story, period of of the Industrial age, I A small group ofpoets and writers
time etc ushered in the dawn of the Romantic era in literature.
4 happening at the time when an activity, the advent of Jl>i lredvent avJ the time when something
situation, or process begins first begins to be widely used, especially a new machine
5 from the time when an event, situation , or or SCientific method In phrase]
Pollution has got much worse since the advent of the motor
activity began car, I The advent of TV has led to major changes in our social
6 the first part of a story, book, film etc and family life. ! Women workers tended to lose their j obs
7 a written or spoken explanation at the beginning with the advent of I'U!W technolagy,
of a book, speech, or piece of music
3 at the beginning of an event, story, period of
time etc
1 the beginning of an event, process, period etc at the beglnnlng/atart
the beginning
early
start
onset at the beginning/start /at Oa bJ1gmllJ. IstO:rtJ ladv
phraseJ
the beginning 160 bl 'glnlgl In singularl at the beginning/start of Wepay our rent at the beginning
the beginning of It was Friday night. the beginning of the of the month. I There's an incredible car chase at the start
weekend. I Bobby's unexpected visit was to mark the begin- ofthefilm, I At thestartofthecentury, barely3% ofthepopu,
ning ala series of strange events. I the beginning a/a rela- lation was literate. I at the ·beginning/start At the start
tionship I back to the beginning It 's so long since I spoke it looked as though Italy would win, butArgentina improved·
German, I'd hove to go riglU back to the beginning if I took as the game went on.
a class in it now. early /1 3: flil near the beginning of an event, story, period
start /sta:rtJ the particular point or time where something of time etc ladv]
begins In C usually singularl early in the game/ story/ century ete Thegoaikeeper sus·
the start of Th£ athleres are warming up for the start O/tM tained an injury early in tfw game. I Early in the story we
BEGINNING
are IQId that the heroiflJ! is bored with life in the countryslde.1
early on You can make a good impression early on by the
way you come in, introduce yourself and shake hands with
the interviewer. I early If the tumour is deait with early there
is less chance 0/cancerous cells developing elsewhere in the
body.
early ladj only before noun I In the early Fifties (=the flfSt
few years of the 1950s) Srotland's hausing shar/age was still
severe.
4 happening at the time when an activity,
situation, or process begins
in the beginning Initial
at first preliminary
to start wlthlbegin with starting point
initially opening
at the outaet
In the beginning 110 0> bl 'glmul ladv phrasel
In th£ beginning I was criticized/or not being quick enough
but after a we£k or two my typing speeds had improved. Iln
the beginning, p riority wasgiven to those withfamilies look·
ing for accommodation. I Snowflakes began IQ fal/, gently
in th£ beginning and then with more force.
al flr.t (:It Ifs: rst/ at the beginning of a situation or event,
especially when things get worse or better later radv
phrasel
The treatment worked well atfirst, but then the patient began
IQ get worse. I Baf1U!)l was atFlTSI shy with his WlC/e, but little
by little he gained in corlfidence. I Atfirst the boys had plenty
0/food atul water, but supplies ran out quickly.
to start wlt hlbegln with It~ Ista:rt WIO, bl'gm WIO/ at
the beginning of a situation, especially one that changes
later [adv phrase )
The new taxes won't raise much money to start with. but will
ina/ewyears'time. ! Even children who are healthy to begin
with wouldn't survive long in these terrible cotulitions.
Initial., 1I 'OIJ.HI a formal word meaning at the beginning
of something. especially a situation or arrangement that
changes later ladvl
The apjXJintment is initially for thrl!l! months, but may be
extended later on. I Initially, all attempts IQ set up peace talks
were greeted with suspicion.
at the outset {~t Oi lautsel{ if something is known.
believed. decided etc at the o utset it is known etc from the
very earliest point in a period of time or activity [adv
phrasel
Sylvia k1U!w at the outset what her ultimate goals were. l It
had been decided at the outset that Theresa would be our
sjXJkesperson.
initial I' 'OIJ. l/lnltial feelings/costs/reaction ete (=fool·
ings. costs etc that exist or are experienced at the begin·
ning of an event or process) radj only be/ore noun)
Sin"m's initialfeeling when he heard about theaccidmt was
sadness which then turned to anger. I Their initial burst 0/
enthusiasm died down when they realized Iww much work
thejob involved. I The initial cost a/the romputer system is
more than made up for in terms 0/ eventual profit.
prellmlnarr Ip" 'hmj""ri 11 -neril happening.t the begin-
ning of a process or event, especially in order to prepare
for the rest of it ladj only before noun J
The architect's plans are still in the preliminary stages. I
Preliminary market research Jws slwwn that most Ameri-
cans would chooS€ environmentally-friendly products.
starting pOint / lsta:rtIIJ pJmt{ something such as an
idea, a piece of infonnation, or an action that provides a
beginning to something [n C usually singularl
When teaching someone to swim, a good starting point is to
show them /WW to breathe properly in the water. I A good
lecture should provide students with a starting point from
which they can do further research. I starting point for His
comments gave me a useful starting point for my speech.
opening {1:K.Jp.m1rJ/ said or written at the beginning ofa
speech, book, play ete ladj only before noun 1
115 BEGINNING
Monica Dickims' latest novel is a delight to read from the
opening paragraph onwards. I The audience strongly
objected to the opening remarks of the club president's
speech. I Hilary makes a brief appearance in the opening
scene, but doesn't have a major part.
5 from the time when an event, situation, or
activity began
from the beginning! sincelfrom day one
from the outset
start
from the word go
from the beginning/s ta rt Ifrom 0> b, 'gmlU, ' stQ:'~
ladv phrase I
I remember everything that happenedfrom the beginning. I
Terence and Barlxzra 's marriage has been on the rocksfrom
the start. I right from the beginning/start (=from the
very earliest time) Rightfrom the beginning she has had
one luckY break after another. I Rightfrom the start I said
"don't trust him ...
from the word go ffram ~~ ,W3:rd Ig;)(J/ an infonnal
expression meaning from the beginning, used especially
when something has happened or existed continuously
since the beginning [adv phrase )
Eva 's been very supportive from the word go. I The Elfin
TheaJre Company was obvwusly doomed IQ failurefrom the
word go.
sincelfrom day One /sins, fram Ide l I WAn! ifsomething
has been the situation or has been someone's purpose since
or from day one, it has clearly been the situation or their
purpose ever since the beginning [adv phrase)
Stewart decided that from day one he wouldn't talk to the
ot11£r prisoners. I Rightfrom day one the headmaster had
us all quaking with/ear.
from the outset (f~m Oi lautsetj from the time when a
continuing activity or process began radv phrase)
T11£ new group had, from the outset, campaigned for an
improvement in childcare provision. I I was determirw:lfrom
the outset to make the most of going to university.
6 the first part of a story, book, film etc
beginning the first part
the start opening
beginning Ib l ' gmlUI In singularJ
the beginning of The beginning of the movie is very vio-
lent.1 A real sense ofjeakJusy and suspician is established
at the beginning of the novel. I beginning School children
are taught that storie slwuld have a beginning, a middle
and an end.
the start /O~ Ista:rtf the point where a film, book, story
etc begins (n singularJ
the start of I wonder what the piece ofmusic played at the
start ofthatfilm is. I Speakers often give an overview at the
start of a lecture atul a summary at th£ end. I the start I
found t11£ start quite boring so I never really got into the
story.
the first part /~~ 1f3: rst IPa:rl' the first part ofa piece
of writing that has several parts. especially parts that can
be studied separately In phrasel
the first part of Thefirst part of this textbook deals with
nu!Chanics. I Please turn to thefirstpart of the report, which
relates to general c.onsid£rations. I the first part An impor·
tant place has been given, in this first part, to establishing
the scene and the characters.
opening I I ~panJJj/ the first words or phrases ofa book
or play which are very important because they tell you
about the scene, the characters, and the writer's ideas In
singularJ
the opening of The opening of Charles Dickens' 'Bleak
House 'describes a thick Lorukmfog.1 the opening to Such
is the impact of the opening to this tragedy that the audience
feels involved at once. I opening After a slow dream-like
opening, the play expilxks into life.
BEGINNING
7 a written or spoken explanation at the
beginning of a book, speech, or piece of
music
Introduction preamble
Intro prologue
Introduction / ,mtr.>'dAkJanJ a shorlexplanation, descrip-
tion, or discussion at the beginning of a book, piece of
music etc (n Cl
Nler an introduction by the chairperson, we'll get on with
the day's discussions. I introduction to In the introduction
to hisrolloction, Eliot tries to analyse the state o/poetry tocWy,
Intro JI Inll.KJ/ an infonnal word for the introduction of a
speech or piece of music In C J
No one ktwws anything about this subject, so could you give
us a brief intra before you start. I On this show, we like to
keep the intros slwrt so there's more time/or the music. I The
drummer gave a jour-bar intra be/ore the other musicians
.joined in.
preamble /pri: I rembal 11 I pri:rernba11 an introduction to a
speech or piece of writing, especially one that is boring or
too long In Cl
There 's usually a boring preamble at the beginning of Mr
Taylor's U!ctures. I There's a big differeru:t! betww! the docu-
ment's lengthy preamble and the actual content.
prologue /'proulog II-io:g, -Ia:g) an introduction to a
piece of writing, for example a play or a long poem (n Cl
The brk/prologUl! sets the sc£ne/or what is t%llow. I pro-
logue to In his prologue to 'Faust', Goeth€ said some very
interesting things about art.
begrudge: not begrudge JEALOUS 3
behaH: on behaH of REPRESENT 1
behalf: on ab's behalf INSTEAD 2
behave BEHAVE 1, 2
behave: badly-behaved BAD PERSON 5
behave: wel ... behaved POLITE 5
behave badly BEHAVE 3
behave towardsltoward TREAT/BEHAVE TOWARDS 1
116 BEHAVE
as ifnothing has happened. I behavellkeBesensible, won~
you? You re behaving like a two-year-Q/d. I behave towards
sb(=behave in apart1cular way to someone else) The way
a man behaves towards his mother can be a good. indicator
0/ haw he wtll behave towards his wife.
act IrektJ to behave in a particular way, especially in a way
that is noticeable or a little unusual [v IJ
Passengers wha left lhejlight in Rhorks said they had seen
two men acting suspiciously. I act like/as if/as though
Really, that man acts as ifhe's the only person in the world
who has problem:;. I The next time Marsha saw him, she
acted like she had never seen him Wore.
conduct yourself /bn'dAktjo:I ,self/ 10 behave in a par-
ticular way, especially in a situation where people will
notice and judge the way you behave Iv phrase)
Public figures have a duty to conduct themselves responsi-
bly. even in thetr private lives. I By the end o/tlu? course, you
should be able to conduct yourself with corVu:lence in any
meeting .
be /bi:/ be rude/ helpful/silly etc (=to behave in a rude,
helpful, silly etc way) Ivl
He's being very friendly and generous all 0/0 sudden - what
da you think he wants? I Stop being sa stupid, I John is
always rude when my mother comes to stay. I Michelle was
deliberately u1IOO-Qperative when I asked her 10 help. I Try
and be nice to your cousins.
2 to behave well
behave
be good
wel ...behaved
be on your best behavlourlbehavlor
stay out of trouble
keep your nose clean
orderly
behave/bl'helvl to behave in a way that people think is
good or correct, for example by being obedient and not
causing any trouble Iv 11
English soccer teams could soon be allowed back into Euro-

Ibehavel:--~'1FI
pean tournaments, but only iftheir fans behave. I ([you kids
behave this afternoon I'll take you to a movie later. I &me

wblCh me.anlng?
..,-;;.....:.._.........
'*'- In • partICUIIU'
_- peaple simply dan 'I know how to behave. I behave yourself
(=behave well) She says she'll let me stay - but only if I
behave myself
be goocllbi: ' gud/ if a child is good, he or she behaves
well Iv phrase I
Wf¥t ~::o~ "Were the kids good while I was out?" "Yes, they were 1W
trouble at all. "I Bye now, Jessk. Be good! I be as good as
... . TREAT/BEHAVE gold ( =10 behave very well) Judy's teacher says she's been
TOWARDS as good as gold today,
well-behaved Jwel bl'helvdl behaving well on a partic-
ular occasion [adjJ
The children were very well-behaved on the train. I Most of
. BEHAVE the fans are usually well-behaved, but you da get
trouble-makers.
some

t to behave in a particular way be on you. be.t beh.vlou. (British) / beh.vlo.

2 to behave well (American) Ihi: onj;):t .best bl'helvj~rl to try hard to behave
as well as you can, especially in order to please someone
3 to behave badly, unfairly , or illegally
Iv phrasel
4 to change your behaviour in order to become There's an inspector visiting the school today, so I want you
a bener person all to be on your best behaviour. l Our family Christmases
5 the way someone behaves were always very formal, with everyone on their best
behavior.
sta,. out of trouble/l sler aut ;)v ItrAball to try not to
behave badly, especially because you do not want to be
1 to behave in a particular way noticed or caught (v phrase]
behave conduct yourself Don't/orget what the Colonel said ~ have a good time, but
act be stay out o/trouble, I Offyou go, bays. And mind you stay out
o/trouble, I don't want the neighbours coming round here
beheve/b,'helv/lv IJ complaining again.
She 's very good at hoTTU! - but haw does she behave at
school? I Babies are all different: they won't all behave the k_p your no.e cl•• n J,ki:pjJ: r In~z ,kli:nJ an infor-
same. I The government has aa:used TV stations 0/ behav- mal expression meaning to behave well, especially by not
ing irresponsibly by interviewing known terrorists. I behave doing anything wrong or illegal Iv phrase I
as if/ as though He knows he's upset me. but Iu!'s behaving It 's not a great job, but ifyou keepyour nose clean, you should
BEHAVE
be promoted by the end ojth£year. I He's been sentenced to
seven years in prison, but he'll be aut in/our ifhe keeps his
nose clean.
orderl, ' 1:>:Td3 Tli/ an orderly crowd/demonstra-
tion/ march etc (=well-behaved and not violent or out of
control) IawI
Police said it was an orckrly demonstration and there were
no arrests. I The crowd were orderly and in good spirits.
3 to behave badly, unfairly, or illegally
behave badly mess aroundl
misbehave muck about
get into trouble try it on
be up to no good step out of line
act up be asking for trouble
behave badly /b'lhe1v Ibredlil to behave in a socially
unacceptable way, for example by upsetting other people
or by being very irresponsible Iv phraseJ
I knew I'd behaved badly, and I was sorry. 1After years of
being a good wife and mother shefelt like behaving badly
andjust doing what she wanted/or once. I Getting drunk is
rw excuse jor behaving badly.
misbehave l.ffilsbl1helvl to behave badly and causetrou-
ble, for example by fighting, making noise, or causing
damage Iv IJ
Kids tend w misbehave when tfu!y are bared or tired. 1 The
police removed several people from the stadium for misbe-
having during the game.
get Into troubleJ,gellOld 'tThball if someone gets into
trouble, they do something that is illegal or against the
rules, especially something not very serious, and get
caught doing it [v phrase]
get into trouble with At the age offifteen he got into trou-
ble with the police. 1 get into trouble Tony is always get-
ting inW trouble at school. 1 Don't copy my work or we'll both
get into trouble.
be up to no good (also be up to mischief in British
English) Ibi: Ihp Id n~ 'gud, hi: Ihp Id 'mlsIJ&fl ifsomeone,
especially a child, is up to no good or up to mischief, they
are planning or doing something that they know they
should not do, usually in secret rv phrase1
She knew that her brother was up to no good but she didn't
tell anyone. I It's been hours since Steve went out; I hope he's
not getting up to mischief
act up (also play up in British English) I,rekt 'AP, ,plel
'Apl if a child acts up or plays up, they deliberately behave
badly in order to annoy their parents or teachers, espe-
cially because they want to get attention Iphr v IJ
Susie always seems to start playing up just as we're about
to go out. I Divorcedfathersofim allow their kids to act up
when they see them at weekends, which can cause problems
at home during the week.
mess around (also muck about in British English)
'imes dlraund, IIllAk d'haul/ an informal expression mean-
ing to behave in a silly way when you should be working
or paying attention [phr v IJ
Stop messing around and pay attention! 1They just mucked
about all afternoon and went Jwme early. I I never mess
around when I'm using machinery of any kind.
try It on Iltfal It IOnJ an informal British expression
meaning to behave badly in order to fmd out how bad you
can be before someone gets angry with you or punishes you
Iv phrase)
For your firstfew days' teaching, the kids will probably try
it onjust to see how you react. I At home she's allowed to tell
everyone what to do, but she wouldn't dare try it on at work.
step out of IIne/, slep aut dV 'Iaml to behave badly by
breaking rules or disobeying orders, especially in a situa-
tion where everyone is expected to be very obedient Iv
phrasel
The prisoners were warned that if they stepped out of line
tlu!:y would be severely punished. 1 The boss is very tough on
anyone WM steps out of line.
be asking for trouble Jhi: lo:skllJ f~f ,trAhal n·'resk·1
117 BEHAVE
an informal express ion meaning to behave so badly that
if something bad happens to you as a result, you deserve
it IV phrase]
You're asking for trouble ifyou keep on turning up late every
morning. I You really shouldn 't drink so much when you
have to drive - it's just asking for trouble.
4 to change your behaviour in order to become
a better person
reform
mend your ways
turn over a new leaf
reform In Ib:fml [v] ]
There's no point in punishing criminals if we can't also help
them reform. I He was like an evangelist, standing in the
pulpit urging the sinful people to repent and reform.
reformed [adj} A reformed drug abuser, William now helps
other addicts fight their addiction.
mend your ways I Imend j:>:f Iwe1z/ to change the way
you behave, and start being obedient, hard-working etc,
after behaving badly for a long time [v phraseJ
It's possible the college might take you back, but first you'll
have to convince them you've mended your ways. I If he
doesn't mend his ways he'll be injail by tIu! time he's eighteen.
tum over a new leaf J113: f n ~~f ~ Inju: IIi:f 11 -Inu:-/
to decide that you will change the way you behave, because
you really want to stop behaving badly, breaking the law
etc Iv phraseJ
1 know I've done some bad things in the past, but now I'm
turning over a new leaf I The defendant promised to turn
over a new leaf and begged not to be sent back to jail.
5 the way someone behaves
behavlour/behavior manner
antics demeanour/demeaner
conduct
behaviour (British) I behavlor (American) lb. 'helvj"1
In U)
Some people believe that violence on TV can cause aggres·
sive behavior in children. I The prisoner was released be-
cause his recent behaviour suggested that he was no longer
dangerous. I Sarah is doing research into animal behavwr. 1
The best way to raise kids properly is to reward good
behaviour and discourage bad. I behaviour/behavior
towards sb (::::the way you behave to someone else) Their
behaviour towards their guests tends to be rather fonnal.
antics l'renlIksl behaviour that some people think is
stupid or irresponsible but others think is funny [n pluraLJ
Today we can Ibok back and laugh about our student antics. 1
The Queen is said to disapprove of the antics of some of the
younger members of the Royal Family.
conduct I' kondAlct 11 'kccn-I a legal or official word mean-
ing the way someone behaves in public, in their job etc,
especially in matters where moral principles are involved
In UJ
A middle-aged banker has been fined £2()() for violent con-
duct on a train. I The Medical Committee found the doctor
guilty of unethical conduct towards three of his /Xltients. I
code of conduct (=rules of professional behaviour) A new
code of conduct for civil servants will be issued next week.
manner I'mrendfl the way someone behaves when they
are dealing with other people In singularJ
She impressed us all with her business-like manner. I His
fluent English and informal manner have won himfriends
in high places in Washington. 11thought his manner was
a little unfriendly.
demeanour (British) I demaanor (American) Id. 'mi:-
nd r/ the way someone looks and behaves , which gives you
a general idea of their character [n UJ
The chairman's serious public demeanour is in sharp con-
trast with that of his humorous deputy. I He was only in his
early thirties. but already had the demearwur andfailing
constitution of an ageing invalid.
behaviourlbehavlor 118 BELIEVE
behavlour/behavlor BEHAVE 5 belief BELIEVE 5 . 14. RELIGION 1
behaviour: be on your best behaviour/behavlor belief: be beyond belief BELIEVE 12
BEHAVE 2 belief: mistaken belief BELIEVE 15
behavlour/behavlor towards mEAT/BEHAVE belief In yourself CONFIDENT 4
TOWARDS 2 believable BELIEVE 11
behind BEHIND 1 believe BELIEVE I , TH INK SO/NOT BE SURE 1.
behind: be behind LATE 7. LOSE A GAME . THINK/HAVE THE OPINION THAT 1
COMPETITION . OR WAR 3 believe: can " believe SURPRISED 2
behind: be behind ob SUPPORT A PERSON . GROUP. believe : make believe PRETEND 9
OR PLAN 2 believe: not believe BELIEVE 6
behind: be behind me/you/them FINISH/COME TO AN believe : not believe in BELI EVE 7
END 4 believe In APPROVE 1. BELIEVE 3 . 4, TRUST 1
behind: be behind with LATE 5
behind: fall beh ind/drop behind SLOW 8
behind: lie behind REASON 7
behind: put 8th behind you FORGET 4
behind/drop behind SLOW 8
1believe 1:---------.
behind Bb'. back SECRET 6 . UNKIND 2 which meaning?

.,...
behind schedule: be behind schedule LATE 7
behind the tlm..: b. behind the times OLD· believe that • BELIEVE
FASHIONED 2 IOIIl8Ihing la true,
behind your back: can beat ab with one arm tied
behind your back EASY 5
have • P8rtk:.\IIaI: • THINKIHAVE
opinIOn THE OPINION
BEHIND THAT
1 behind bellew t h a I _ .0+ _ TRUST
2 the area behind something or someone in a orllOlMlhingia
picture honeeI, safe eIc

1 behind
behind at/to the rear of
In back of In the background
behind Ibl'hamd/ at or towards the back s ide of some-
thing, and often h idden by it Iprepl adv I
Put a cushion behind you. You 'll/eel more comfortable. I I
got stuck behind a truck all the way to the airport. I As I
entered the room I noticed an enormous desk with an old man
sitting behind. I Now, put your hands behind your back. I
The sun has just disappeared behind a cloud.
In back of IIR Ibcek ~vl an American express ion mean-
ing beh ind, especiall y beh ind a building Iprep l
Our street ran In back of the movie theater. I Cook heard a
loud exploswn/rom a building in back of him.
atlto the rear of /~t . t~ 1I~ 'fiar av/ behind something,
especially something big such as a buildin g or large vehi-
cle Iprepl
A Chevrokt was parked at the rear of the truck. I To the rear
of the houses are the remains of an old barn..
In the background /In Oa ' brekgraundl if someone or
something is in the back ground, it is behind the place
where the main activity is happening [adv phrase1
The postcard showed a beach with"mountains in the back-
ground, I I cou ld hear muffled conversation in the back-
ground. I A statue of Lenin stood in the background.
2 the area behind something or someone in a
picture
background
background J'brekgraundl the area behind someone or
something in a picture or pattern [n Cl
an abstract pattern on a green background I The tha tched
hauses blended almost indistinguishably with a background
of trees. I agains t a background TheFlgures in the p icture
slww up starkly against a plain black background.
being : come into bei ng/existence START TO HAPPEN,
EXIST ETC 2
belabor the point: labour the polnUbelabor the point
EMPHASIZE 2
belated LATE 3
• BELIEVE
1 10 believe that something is true or that
someone is telling the truth
2 to believe somelhing that is not true or may
not be true
3 to believe that someone is able to do
something and that they can be trusted
4 to believe that something or someone exists
5 Ihe act or feeling of believing in something or
someone
6 to not believe that something is true or Ihat
someone is telling the truth
7 to not believe that something or someone
exists
8 to not believe that someone can do
something or that they can be trusted
9 too ready to believe what other people tell
you
10 tending nol to believe what other people tell
you
11 words for describing something that can be
believed because it seems possible or likely
12 words for describing something that cannot
be believed because it does not seem
possible
13 words for describing stories, explanations etc
that cannot be believed because they are
obviously invented and untrue
14 something that someone believes, which
other people may not believe
15 something that someone believes but which is
defin~el y not true
18 whal you say to someone when you do nol
believe what they have told you
17 someone who believes very strongly in
political, moral, or religious ideas
BELIEVE
1 to believe that something is true or that
someone is telling the truth
believe take 5th on trust
accept take 5th at face value
take sb's word for It
believe IbA 'thv, Iv T not in progressive]
believe sth Did the police believe his story? 1 You shouldn't
believe everything you read in the papers. I belleve (that)
People used to believe that th€ sun moved around the earth. I
believe sb No one believed me when I said I hadn't taken
the money. I believe it or not (=you may fmd it hard to
believe this) I asked them/ora $10,000 loan. and believe it
or not they said yes.
accept I;,k I sept.1 to believe something, especially some-
thing that you do not want to believe or that seems difficult
to believe at fIrst fv T not in progressive]
accept that She'Il1U?Ver accept that h er husband has been
unfaithful. I accept sth He seems to accept everything they
say witlwut question. I Sh€ suc:ce.edffJ in persuading tli.ejury
to accept her version of the events.
acceptance [n UJ The late nineteenth century saw an
increasing aa::eptance of Darwin's theories.
take ab's word for It Illelk (sb's) 1W3: rd br Itl to believe
what someone tells you even though you have no proof of
it Iv phrase I
She hodn't known that he'd been in the army, but she took
his wordfor it. 1 "Do you want to check for yourselj?" "No,
I'll take your word for it...
take sth on trust 'Itelk (slh) on ItrAstl to accept that
what someone tells you is true without asking for any
proof, because you have decided to trust them Iv phrasel
I'm afraid I can't let you see the letter, so you'll just hol:<! to
take what I'm saying on trust. 1 He said he'd never been in
trouble before, which I was content to take on trust.
take sth at face velue/llelk (sth) ;;,1 Ifels 'vrelju:1 to
believe what someone says or what you read, without
thinking that it may have another meaning [v phrase]
Everyone gets embarrassed if their humorously intended
remarks are taken atf= value. 1 The letrer, ifwe take it at
face value, suggests that Richard is quite happy in his job.
2 to believe something that is not true or may
not be true
swallow buy
fall for hook, line, and sinker
swallow /l swo1;MJ 11 Iswa:·/ to immediately believe a
story, explanation etc which is not actually true, in a way
that makes people think you are stupid Iv T ]
You mean to tell me you swallowed a story like that? 1 The
kids told her a pack of lies and she swallowed the whole lot. 1
He says he was at work till midnight - that's too much to
swallow I'm afraid.
fan for l'f;)!1 fJ!rl to believe an unlikely excuse or some-
thing that someone tells you in order to deceive you Iv T J
They told me I'd earn over a thousand dollars a week and
Ifellfor it 1 She kfU!w betier than tofallfor thot old excuse.
buy IbaII an informal word meaning to believe an untrue
reason or explanation that someone gives you [v TJ
We could reil him it was an accilknL but he'd never buy thoL 1
He said his cat was sick aUover his Iwmework - as i/I'd buy
a story like that!
hook, line, and sinker "huk IlalD;;,nd 'SllJk~r/ ifsome-
one believes something hook, line, and sinker they
believe it completely even though it is so silly that it could
not possibly be true [adv phrase)
What an idiot! He believed the whole story hook, line, and
sinker! 1 The people seem to have swallowed the government's
promises hook, line, and sinker.
119 BELIEVE
3 to believe that someone is able to do
something and that they can be trusted
believe In
have confidence In
have faith in
believe in Ib! Ili!\' ml {v T not in progressive!
How do you expect anyone to believe in you when you are so
unreliable? 1 Mer the Warerga re scandal the US public
wanted a President they could believe in.
have confidence in /hrev Ikonf!dans In 11 _ I kmn-I to
believe that someone will be able to do something well, for
example because you know that they are good at it or
because they have often done it before {v phrase not in
progressive!
She's not UX)rried about thE operation - she hascompletecon-
julence in her doctor. 1 have every confidence in I'm sure
he'll do a good job - I have every confidence in him.
have faith In Ihrev IfelS 1nl to believe that someone can
do something and feel sure that you can trust them (v
phrase not in progressive]
I havecompletefaith in Jenny - she's thE most reliableperson
I know. 1 No, I don't worry when I'm away - I have great
faith in my employees.
4 to believe that something or someone exists
believe In
beneveln Ib!'li:v Inj (uT not inprogressiveJ
Do you believe in God? 1 It's amazing the number ofpeople
who believe in ghosts.
5 the act or feeling of believing in something or
someone
belief
faith
belief Ib, 'Ii:f/ln CIUI •
beliefin She never lost her beliefin God. 1religious belief
There are countless different fonns of religious beliEf. 1
system of belief Christianity as a system of belief became
more popular in the Western UX)rld. 1 shake sb's bellef(=to
make someone doubt what they believe) Thejudge's deci-
sion shook her belief in the legal system.
faith IfelS/ strong belief that something is true or can be
trusted, especially religious beliefln UJ
Working for the charity c£rtainly gave me faith. 1 faith In
It was her faith in God that helped her survive the long years
in prison. 1 He places a great deal offaith in people's honesty.
6 to not believe that something is true or that
someone is telling the truth
not believe Incredulous
disbelieve take 8th with a pinch of salt
doubt disbelief
not believe /nol h!'1i:v/lv T not in progressive]
not believe sth/sb Shejust didn't believe anything he said. 1
The government has promised so much in the past, it's not
surprising that people don't believe them now. 1 not believe
(that) I don't believe you meant half the things you said. 1
not believe a word ofit(=not believe it at all) He says he'll
marry you but don't believe a word of it. He's married
already.
disbelieve I,dlsb! 'Ii:v/ a formal word meaning to not
believe something, especially something that someone has
told you [v T not in progressive]
He had nothing to gain from lying so we saw no reason to
disbelieve him. 1 Kim, of course, disbelieved every word the
boy said.
doubt Idautf to think that something may not really be
true or that someone may not really be telling the truth (v
T not in progressive J
 BELIEVE
doubt sth/sb In all the years I knew him I never once
doubted his story. I He wondered how he could ever have
doubl£d hEr. I doubt (that) He doubl£d that tJu;car was hers
because everyone knew she had no money. I doubt
whether/if They seriously doubted whether the ktrer had
ever existed.
Incredulous /In IkredjlJl~s 11 -d~-I unable to believe some-
thing because it is so surprising that it seems impossible
ladjl
"A millionaire!" she was incredulous. "Like hell he isJ" I
Everyone looked incredulous when they heurd that Rosemary
used to be a nun. I The announcement was met by
incredulous laughl£r.
incredulously ladvl When IsaidI had been offered a place
at Harvard, my father looked at me incredulously_
take sth with a pinch of salt I ,telk (sth) WIO, ,PIntJ
~v ISJ:1t1 to not completely believe what someone says to
you because you know that they do not always tell the truth
Iv phrase I
It's best to take what he says with apinch ojsaU - he'salways
exaggerating. I If you 're not strict about things .l ike time-
keeping, they're going to take everything else you say with
a pinch of solt.
disbelief 11dl sbA 'Ii:fl the feeling that you cannot believe
someone or something [n UJ
When people hear tragic news their first reaction is usually
one ofdisbelief, I My story was met with a mixture ofdisbelief
and contempt. 1 stare/watch etc in disbelief I stared at
him in utter disbelief.
7 to not believe that something or someone
exists
not believe In
atheist
agnostic
not believe In Inot b~ lli:v 111/ [v T rwt in progressive]
I don·t believe In /ife afrer death. I My kids don·t believe in
Santa Claus'anymore.
atheist I'elai -~stl someone who does not believe in any
god In Cl
A rot of young people in England these days are atheists.
atheism In UI Christianity stillflourished there. despire the
offlCial state doctrine 0/ atheism
agnostic lreg'nosuk, ~g- 11 -'nre-f someone who believes
that it is impossible to be certain whether God exists or not
InCI
She likes to keep an open mind in religious matters and so
refers to herself as an agnostic.
agno~ticism /reg 1nOStISlzam, ;}g- 11 -'nre-f [n UJ Despite
their arguments, I still saw no reason to abandon my
agnosticism.
8 to not believe that someone can do
something or that they can be trusted
have no faith In
doubt
have no faith In /hrev Inat) Ifela Inl Iv phrase rwt in
progressivel
1 have no faith in her. How can you trust someone who
always tells lies? 1 She won't go to see a doctor - she has no
faith in the medical profession at all. 1have little faith in
I always use myoid Leica. I have littl€faith in these modem
cameras.
doubt /daut/ to think that someone may not be able to do
something, or that it may be unwise to trust them [v T not
in progressive)
He wondered haw he could ever have doubf£d her loyalty. I
We knew you'd succeed - we never doubted you for one
moment.
Ita! I words
~
"You say" is used in definitions of some
or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English.
120 BELIEVE
9 too ready to believe what other people tell
you
credulous
gultlble
superstitious
credulous l'kredj~l.s 11 -d3'I-1 ladjl
You may be able to persuade a more credulous audience, but
these peoplE are pretty sophisticated.
gullible I 'gAIlb.11 too ready to believe what other people
tell you, so that you are easily deceived ladj)
How can yau be so gullibk! She·s not really a balkt dancer. I
He seemed to treat me as if I were a gullible schoolgirl.
superstitious I,su:pafstlias, Isju:- 11 Isu:-I too ready to
believe old·fashioned ideas about particular objects or
actions being lucky or unlucky radjl
You krww Mw superstitious he is - he would never walk
under a ladder. 1 Surely you don't believe all that supersti-
tious nonsense about black cats.
10 tend ing not to believe what other people tell
you
sceptical
cynical
doubter
sceptical (also skepUcal in American English) I' skep-
ukol/ladj l
Th£ more I read about the causes of the war the more scepti-
cal I become. 1 sceptical of/about I'm sceptical about any-
thing to do with psychology. I highly sceptical Most doc·
tors remain highly sceptical about the value 0/ alternative
medicine.
sceptically ladvl '·1 don·tthink that's very likely to happen. ,.
said Lucilk sceptically.
scepticism /'skeptAslzamj In UJ You don't think we can
manage it? A year ago I would have shared your scepticism.
sceptic In Cl Lotsofpeopk believe in astrology but I'm some-
thing of a sceptic myself,
crnlc."'sInlkal/ not willing to believe that people have
good, honest, or sincere reasons for doing something [adj)
He 's become cynical and withdrawn since h£ lost his job. 1
cynical about She has had a series of disastrous relation·
ships, and now she's pretty cynical about rove.
cynically ladvl "Life's not as easy as that," she said
cynically.
cynicism /IS In~SlzarnJ In UJ It's nice to see someone so
unaffected by the cynicism of modem times.
cynic In Cl It's obvious even to the most hardened cynic toot
she really means what she says about wanting to help people.
doubter /Idaut;}f/ someone who does not believe that a
plan or suggestion will succeed or that it is the right thing
todolnCI
1 hope to convince any doubters in the audience that our
policies will work.
11 words for describing something that can be
believed because it seems possible or likely
believable authoritative
credible reliable
plausible trustworthy
convincing have a ring of truth
believable lb. 'Ii:vob.ll ladj I
Hardly anything they put on the news programs these days
is believable 1 The murder charges against him were believ-
abk. but could not be proved.
credible l'kred~b~11 something that is credible can be
believed because it seems likely or because you trust the
person who is saying it [adjl
Her story is completely credible. She doesn 't usually exag-
gerate. 1 Make it sound more credible. Tell her you were at
my house. 1 It seems luzrdly credibl€ that the government
should suddenly have started caring about the environment.
 BELIEVE
credibility l .kredl l bllAtif [n UJ Your story lends credibil-
ity to one 0/ the witnesses' statements (=makes it seem
credible).
plaus ible / 'plo:z!b.l/ a statement or claim that is plau -
sible deserves to be believed because it seems reasonable
• or correct radjl
Commercials on TV often use scientists to make their claims
sound plausible. I His explanation sounds fairly plausible
/0 me.
convincing Jbn ' vmsuJI con vincing statements, facts,
or explanations make you believe that they must be true,
even if they seem unlikely at flrst lculjl
His excuses just aren't convincing any more. I There is some
convincing evidence that women are more intelligent than
men. I Iqbal Mirza put up a convincing and spirited defence
in rourt.
convincingly (adv) lfyou lie convincingly enough, people
. will believe you.
.uthorttatlv. /:)!'eor!~t lv. <1- 11
a ' 9a:rateltlv, ;}18J:_/ an
authoritative statement, acoount, or opinion is believable
because the person who makes it knows a lot about the
subject ladj I
Lewis's authoritative history o/the area will tellyou all you
need to know. 1 Your doctor will give you autlwritative reas·
surance that your boby is perfectly healthy.
rellable / rl' la l ~ba ll reliable sources/ information/evi-
dence etc (~that can be believed and trusted) laW I
The Washington Post only publishes information/ram relia·
ble sources. I I don't think his evidence is at all reliable. I At
this stage 0/ the battle, the generals were not receiving any
reliable iriforml1.tion/rom the/rant.
trustworthy I ltcAst IW3: rOil spoken or written statements
that are trustworthy can be believed because they come
from someone you can trust or someone who has a good
knowledge of the subject ladjl
I hi!ard last night/rom a trustworthy source that sire was
leaving tire country. 1 Historians have no trustworthy con·
temporary record to work from.
have a ring of truth Ihrev Cl , fIl) ClV Itru:€lJ a story or
explanation that has a ring of truth contains something
that makes you believe it, even though it does not at first
seem believable Iv phrase Mt in progressive]
ldon'treallytrust her, but some o/what she says has a ring
of truth. I Fairy tales have survived so long because nwst of
them have a ring 0/ truth.
12 words for describing something that cannot
be believed because it does not seem possible
unllkety Implausible
unbeltevable Improbable
be beyond belief be/seem too good
Incredible to be true
Inconceivable
unlikely /An ' Ia lklil stories, explanations, or excuses that
are unlikely cannot be believed because they are so
unusual lawl
That sounds a pretty unlikely story to me! 1 Students invent
all sortsofWllikely explanations as In why they can't do th£ir
hom£work. I h ighly u nlik ely He /old me h£ was an
astronaut - highly unlikely, I thought.
unbelievable / I Anb~ 'l i:vab~ 11 a fact, piece of news, or
story that is unbelievable is difficult or impossible to
believe because it is so surprising ladj)
The things he had heard about her were almost unbeliev.-
able.1 1t Is unbelievable how/ t h at It's Wlbelievable how
fast trains can go these days. I I find it unbelievabl£ that so
many people could buy such a boring lxJok.
be beyond bellet /bi: b, Jond bl 'Ii:[ n-Ja: nd-/ a story,
statement etc that Is beyond belief is so unusual that you
cannot believe it really happened Iv phrasel
His story about how he escaped an avalanche is totally
beyond belie/.
Inc.edlble / m'kredjb>l/ something that is Incredible is
121 BELIEVE
so surprising or strange that it is difficult to believe, even
though it is probably true ladjl
This line was ropabl£ 0/ producing an incredibl£ 100 cars
per hour. I It's incredibl£! We've been h£re a nwnth already.I
it Is Incredible that It is incredible that th£ police still
haven't caught him.
Inconceivable ' IInbn Isi:vClbaII something that is incon-
ceivable is so surprising or strange that it seems corn·
pletely impossible, and you cannot believe that it could pas.
sibly happen or be true law I
it is inconceivable that It's inconceivable that the missing
children could have survived so long without/ODd. I incon-
ceivable Twenty years later, he was still trying to get over
Marcia's death. It seems almost inconceivable, doesn't it.
Implausible J l m'plJ!zAb~l/ a statement or explanation
that is implausible is difficult to believe because it does
not match your experience of the way things usually
happen in life ladjl
His ideas are imaginative, but thRy seem pretty implausible
/0 me. I Gill says sh£ean earn $50,OOOfrom th£job, but this
is an implausible figure.
Improbabl. / l m ' probClb~III - lpra: -1 a statement or event
that is improbable is difficult to believe, even though it
may in fact be true or may actually have happened ladjJ
It was one 0/ the most improbable coincidences 1 had ever
experienced. I hlghly Improba ble "What's your name?"
"Jack Kennedy," came th£ highly improboble answer.
be/. ee m too good to be true /bi: , si:m tu: Igud ~ bi:
Itru:/ if you say that something is too good to be true, you
mean it is very difficult to believe because nonnally things
like this do not happen Iv phrase]
Afr.. holiday if you buy this ear? That sounds too good to
be true.
13 words for describing stories, explanations etc
that cannot be believed because they are
obviously invented and untrue
lame not wash
.ar-fetched not hold water
glib unconvincing
lame /Iennl an excuse or explanation that is lame is
difficult to believe, because the person who says it has not
tried hard enough to make it sound believable ladjl
Sh£'s always got some lameexcus1!for being late. I "I'msony
but I've lost my ticket." It sounded lame but it was the truth.
lamely ladvl He smiled lamely. "I don't really have an
explanation for it. "
far-fetched "fo:r 'fetft .. ! an idea, story, or explanation
that is far-fetched is difficult to believe because it sounds
so surprising, unusual, or impossible {aliil
The idea o/travelling to other solar systems may sound/ar-
fetched but scientists now see it as a real possibility. 1He came
up with some/arfetched story about how his train had been
h£ld up by w-rorists.
glib /glob/ glib remarks or answers are difflcult to believe
because they are made easily and without thinking fatUJ
Sh£ won't talk to me honestly about It - all I get is glib
answers. I It would be glib /0 say that all men likefootboll.
not wa.h Inot Iwof 11 -'WJ:f / an informal expression: if
you say that someone's excuse or explanation doesn 't or
won·t wash , you mean that it cannot be believed, or
trusted, or regarded as sincere IV []
Try telling the American people what you've just told us. It
won't wash. I It's rw use telling me you've been at your
nwth£r's all this time - it just doesn't wash.
not hold water Inot ,h3Uld Iw=>:t~ r, a reason, explana-
tion, or argument that does not hold water cannot be
accepted because it does not make sense or agree with the
facts that are known Iv phrase Mt in progressiveJ
I'm sorry, 1 don't think your theory Iwlds water at all.
unconvincing / 1 t\Jlk~n l vlnsIIJ " / ideas, statements, and
arguments that are uncon vincing do not seem to be true
or right and you cannot be persuaded to believe that they
are ladjl
BELIEVE
Peter had to face his parents that evening with a totally
unconvincing story about what had happened. I The argu-
ments for this theory are unsatisfying and unconvincing.
14 something that someone bel ieves, which
other people may not believe
belief
superstition
old wives' tale
belief {b! 'li:f/ln C/ UI
Peopl£ thought thot the earth wasflnt and this beliifcon-
tinued until at least the 14th century. I In some countries you
can still be persecuted/or your religious beliefs. I contrary
to popular bellef(=despite what most people believe) Con-
trary to popular belief, most students are hardworking and
responslbl£. I bellefthatIt is my belief that women should
light/or their country alongside men.
super.tltlon l.su:pa rl su!.1n, .sju:- 11 ,su: -/ a belief that
some objects or actions are lucky and some are unlucky.
based on old ideas of magic (n C/ UI
Native religious practices were referred to by European mis-
sionaries as superstition. I superstition that It's an old
superstition that walking under a ladder is unlucky.
old wlve.' t.le ,,~ld IW81VZ Itell, a popular belief or
piece of advice that has existed for a long time but which
you think is stupid In Cl
It 's not true that if trees have a lot offruit in the autumn it
will be a cold winter - that '5 just an old wives' tale.
15 something that someone believes but which is
definitely not true
illusion delusion
fallacy ' mistaken belief
myth misconception
illusion /1 'lu:yn/ a belief or idea that is false, especially
a belief in something good about yourself or about the sit-
uation you are in In Cl
She thought he roved her but it was just an illusion. 1 ALco-
hol gives some people tire illusion of being witty and confi-
dent. I illusion thatIn Australia there is a widespread illu-
sion that there are no class barriers. I under an illusion
Peopl£ hod bought these houses under the illusion thot their
value would just keep on rising.
fallacy I' fret:>sil something that a lot of people believe but
which is completely untrue In Cl
The idea that a good night's sleep will cure everything is a
compl£tefallacy. I They still cling to the sentimentalfallacy
of a cosy family life.
myth ImlSI something a lot of people believe because they
want to believe it, not because it is based on fact (n Cl
The first myth about motherhood is that new mothers ins-
tantly fall in love with their babies. I Men often biame their
problems on their hard childlwod. Nine times out often this
is a myth.
delusion /dl' lu:ynl a completely mistaken idea about
yourself or the situation you are in, especially one that
everyone else knows is wrong [n Cl
She now hod to finally forget the dreams and delusions of
lrer youth 1 I was still under the delusion that everyone was
trying to cheat me.
mistaken belief Iml, stelbn bl1li:fl a belief you have
which is wrong, although you do not realize it is wrong at
the time when you have it In Cl
When I started as a teacher I hod the mistaken belief thot
all kids are interested in learning.
misconception l,mlsbn'sepJanJ something which is
not true but which people believe because they do not have
all the facts or they have not properly Wlderstood. the s itu-
ation In Cl
No, it's not actually true that rail travel is more expensive
- that's a misconception. I misconception that Empwyers
seem to share the general misconception that young people
are more efflcient than old.
122 below ground
16 what you say to someone when you do not
Iif.\' I come
~
be lieve what they have told you
off It pun the other one
a Ukety story you could have
I wasn't born yesterday fooled me
come oH It IkAm 'of "I (used when you think that what
someone has said is defmitely not true and that they prob-
ably do not really believe it either)
"I'm sure I'm going to fail, you know. ,. "Oh come of! it. you
couldn't possibly fail after all the work you've done. "
• likely story la Ilalkli ,st=mi/ (used when you think
someone is making a very unlikely excuse)
"I was going to pay the money back as soon as I saw you ...
"A likely story!"
I w.sn-t bom yesterday /a l IWDznt bJ!rn 'jestardi 11
- lwa:znH (used when you think someone is trying to
deceive you and you want to show them that you are not
stupid)
You can't expect me to trust you after all the other promises
you've broken, you know. I wasn't born yesterday. I They
must think 1was born yesterday, giving me a pathetic excuse
like that!
pull the other one ',PU16i 'i\6a r wAIlj (used when it is
quite cJear that someone is not telling you the truth or that
they are trying to trick you)
Oh, pull the other one, John. You can't seriously expect me
to believe that!
you could have fooled me /ill: ,kud h.v ,fu:td 'mi:1
(used when someone has said something which they
believe to be true but which seems to you to be clearly
untrue) .
"He was forty last birthday. " "Well you could have foared
me." I "They're a hord·working and dedicated team. " "Well,
you certainly could've foaled me!"
17 someone who believes very strongly in
political, moral, or religious ideas
Idealist
believer
Id•• nst 181l dlal!stl someone who believes in, and tries to
live their life according to moral principles which are very
pure and honourable but not very practical or useful [n Cl
He was one of those old-fashioned idealists who believed thot
humans were basically unselfish.
idealistic I ,. ,dl. 'IISUk/ (adj l You probably think I'm hope-
lessly idealistic, but I bel;"ve in I£tting my students rkcidefor
themselves what they should study.
benever 'b~ 'li:vaTI someone who believes in a particu-
lar god, religion, or system of beliefs [n Cl
Howcanyouget married. in church i!you'renota believer? I
The policy was supported by all true believers within the
party.
betlever BELIEVE 17, RELIGION 3
believer: be a great believer In APPROVE 2
belittle UNIMPORTANT 4
belligerent FIGHT 3
bellow SHOUT 1
belong: golbelong PLACE 11
belong: not betong DIFFERENT 4
belong to MEMBER 2, OWN 3
belongings OWN 6
below LESS 2, UNDER/BELOW 2
below ground: undergroundlbelow ground
UNDER/BELOW 3
"You say" is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English .
 bemused 123 BEND
bend your armIknee/finger etc "Bend your knees."
below shouted the ski instructor.
bend over I,bend 'auv.'1 to bend your body from the
waist, usually in order to pick something up [v I/ T1
, He bent over to pick up th£ ball. I My back hurt as I bent over
"' to pick blackberries from low bush£s. I bend over sth My
earliest recollections are of my motlrer bending over my cot
to kiss me goodnight.
bend down, Ibend ldaunj to bend your body low enough
to pick something up, touch the floor etc (phr v IJ
bemused CONFUSED 1 You have to bend crown to put things away in the bottom cup-
benchmark JUDGE 8 board. I After that, sh£ bent down and stnrred hocking at th£
bend BEND 1, 2 , 3 , 8, 10, TURN 4 weeds again. I He was bending down. pulling on his socks.
bend: drive sb around the bend CRAZY 5 bow Ibaul to bend your head and upper body slightly, as
bend: go round the bend CRAZY 3 a fonnal greeting or as a sign of respect or obedience [v I)
bend down BEND 2 We stopped and bowed and allowed the Imperial messenger
bend over BEND 2 to pass. I "Good morning sir. .. said Stephen, bowing to the
bend over backwards to do 8th TAY TO DO OR GET Principal.
STH 6 crouch /krautJI to bend your legs under you, in a sitting
position, and lean forwards, especially in order to hide
from someone or jump forwards [v 11
. BEND We crouched in the buslres about twenty metres from tire
house, watching th£door. 1Th£re were six people in th£c/ear·
1to bend something ing, crouching around tire campfire. I crouch down She
crouched down to watch a spider spinning its web.
2to bend your body or part of your body
3ways of saying that something becomes bent stoop /stu:pf to bend down low, especially to pick some-
thing up, then stand up again Iv IJ
4words for describing something that is easy to Th£re were two lettus by th£ door. He stooped and picked
bend th£m up. I Sh£ stooped and hugged th£ little dog.
5 not easy to bend curl up 'Ilent] lAp/ to lie down and bend your legs, arms,
6 words for describing an object, material etc back, and neck into a circular position, so that you feel
that has been bent, especially by natural warm and comfortable Iphr v I I
forces Sh£curred up inh£r bed thot night, thinkingofMich£I.1 The
7 words for describing a line that bends two cats curled up together in tire armchair. I I was so tired
all I wanf£d to do was just curl up and watch TV.
8 ways of saying that a line, road , river etc has
a bend or bends in it fle"/fleksl to bend part of your body backwards and for·
wards. especially because it feels stiff or tired [v Tl
9 words for describing a surface that bends He stood up,flex£d his powerful shoulders and pulled on his
outwards or inwards coat. I A baby's natural position is with tlreirarms bent at
10 the place where something bends th£ elbow and th£ir legs flexed.

3 ways of saying that something becomes bent

1 to bend something
bend
twist
bend Ibendl to make something h;!';e a curved shape, or
fold something at an angle, by pushing or pressing it [v TJ
bend sth Bend th£ wire and hook it through th£ hole in th£
top of th£ lamp. I Someone's bent the aerial! I bend sth
back/away from/down etc We had to bend the branches
back so we could get through the bushes and back onto the
poth. 1Th£ middle port needs to be bent down th£n it acts like
a spring.
twist /twlstl to bend and turn something several times,
such as a piece of wire, cloth, or rope, especially in order
to tie it to something or make something with it [v T]
twist sth Laura twisted the handkerchiefin her hands ner·
vously. I We twisted a wire coat-hanger and used it to open
th£ car door. I twist sth Into/around/through etc Her
long blonde hair was twisted into a knot on tire back of her
h£ad.
2 to bend your body or part of your body
bend crouch
bend over stoop
bend down curl up
bow flex
bend/bend, to move your body forwards or move it down-
wards, so that you can lift something, touch something etc
Iv liT)
He bent and kissed th£ child on th£ h£ad. I The doctor soys
no bending or lifting for at !€ast six weeks. I bend across/
towards Sire bent towards me and whispered in my ear. I
bend buckle
cu~ warp
bend Ibend/ lv IJ
Th£ branches of the tree bent over into th£ water. I Th£ air·
craft is designed so thot the wings bend up to ten degrees. I
It's no good. I tried opening it with th£ knife but th£ blade
bent.
curl /k3:£I1 if a leaf or piece of cloth curls, it gradually
bends, starting at its edges, especially as a result of heat
or dryness Iv 11
I threw tire letter into tlrefire. It curled, then darkened. tlren
burst into flames. I The trouser CUffs were so tattered and
worn they had started to curL
buckle I 'bAk')1 if something strong and hard buckles, it
bends in the middle, usually because of great pressure or
great heat Iv [)
When the train hit tire wall even theeight·inch·thick steelsup-
ports buck red. I Windows shattered with th£ heotjrom th£
blaze and metal doors buckled like cardboard.
warp Iw:):rpl if something made of wood warps, it bends
and twists slightly as a result of too much heat, dryness,
age etc, so that it is no longer flat or straight Iv IJ
To prevent tire violin body from warping, tlrere is a strong
wooden 'spine' along its whole length. I As th£ planks dry
out they warp slightly.
4 words for describing something that is easy to
bend
flexible
supple
jOinted
BEND 124
flexible /' fleks!b>I/ able to bend easily or be bent easily,
especially because it has been made like this to do a par-
ticular job ladjl
The fishing rod is strong but jlexible. I The brake fluid is
transmitted by a system oJ rigid metal tubes and flexible
pipes. I Swiss designers have come up with a novel technique
for making skis nwrejlexible. I Although the turtle's shell
seems very hard it is in fact slightly flexibl£.
supple/' sApal/ leather, skin, wcxxl ete that is supple is
soft but strong and bends easily (adi]
These boots are made from top quality calf leather, which
is soft, suppl£ and durable. I Even when old, the strips of
hamamelis wood are remarkably supple.
Jointed / 'd3:nnt1df a part of a machine or a part of an
animal that is jointed can bend because it is made of
several pieces that are joined together in a way that allows
them to move ladj)
It was a blue-black beetle, with tong,joini£d antmnae. I The
microscope had a powerfuL lamp on a jointed stem, for
illuminating the slides.
5 not easy to bend
stin
rigid
stiff 1st! f/ a substance such as cloth or paper that is stiff
is hard and is difficult to bend ladjl
You will need a sheet of stiff cardboord to make the box. I
Thefrost was melting on the stiff blades of grass as the sun
rose higher. I In the extreme cold our clothes froze stiff, like
plywood.
rigid 11 fld3~dl a word used especially in a technical con·
text: an object or structure that is rigid is strong and will
not bend or change its shape [adjl
Theframework ofthe aircrqft must be rigid yet light I About
a dozen large rigid plates make up the Earth's crust. I We
tend to think of the skeleton as rigid, but this is lWt strictly
true.
6 words for describing an object, material etc
that has been bent, especially by natural
forces
bent warped
twisted curved
bent IbentJ something that is bent has lost its original
shape and is not flat or straight [adi)
How did this spoon get bent? I Do not try to straighten the
rotor-shaft if it is bent. I The hinge was bent and the lid
wouldn't shut properly.
twisted f'twrst~dl something that is twisted has been
bent in many directions so that it has lost its original shape
and may be impossible to recognize ladj]
Where the plane had stood there was now just a mass of
twisted wreckage. I the gnarled and twisted trunk of an old
olive tree
warped /w"rplf a wooden object that is warped has bent
and twisted because of heat or dryness, so that it is no
longer flat or straight lac{i)
An old man was sweeping the warped boards of the front
porch. If struggled with the warped drawers under the gun
rack, searching for cartridges.
curved 1k:J:rvdl having a long, smooth bend in it, usually
because it has been made that way {adjl
The soldier carried a 'kukri ', the traditional Nepalese knife
with a heavy curved blade. I The temple had a curved roof.
in the Thai styl£. I A curved black plastic nwu/ding wasfi/ted
to the fender.
7 words for describing a line that bends
wavy
crooked
wavy l'we1vi/ a line or edge that is wavy has smooth
bends in it in a regular pattern [adj]
BEND
A series of wavy lines appoored on the video monitor. I The
waL!}! line indicates the direction of the radiation.
crookecl/'kruk~dl something such as a line, row, pipe,
or tree that is crooked is not straight but bends sharply
in one or more places [adj]
He had dijJlculty walking with nothing to support him but
a crooked stick. I An untidy huddle of wooden huts, built in
crooked lines, folwwed the lake shore.
8 ways of saying that a line, road , river etc has
a bend or bends in it
bend zigzag
curve winding
wind tortuous
twist
bend /bend/ Iv 11
After the railway bridge the road bends and that's where the
hotel is. I The inrernational dateline bends to avoid passing
through any continents or groups of islands.
curve/k3: f vl ifa road, track, coastetc curves, it has a long
smooth bend in it {v IJ
curve away/round/towards etc The dusty white road
curved away towards the mountains. I Her eyes were drawn
to where the river curved round a wooded promontory. I The
heavily·studded oak banister curved down into the darkness
of the hall.
wind Iwarnd/ if a road, track, or river winds, it has many
smooth bends and is usually very long Iv IJ
wind through/ along/around etc From there the nature
trail winds around the hill then descends the valley towards
Ironlwrse Falls. I He turned his eyes to the grey gleaming
river, winding along towards Dublin. I wind its way We
reached tire National Transcontinental Highway, which
winds its lonely way through the desolare landscape.
twist /twrst/ ifa track, road, or stream twists it has many
sharp bends and changes direction many times {v 11
twist around/along/through etc The narrow stone·
walled lanes twist between innumerable tiny frelds. I twist
and turn The streams twist and turn and are diJTrcult to
follow in the dense jungle.
zlgzag /'z.g:zregf if a road, track, or path zlgzags it has
many sharp bends Iv 11
It was a very steep path that zigzaggedfrom side to side of
the gully. I On the map our route looks illogical, zigzagging
over the mountains from village to village.
winding l'wamdrlJl a winding road, river, flight of stairs
etc is long and has a lot of bends in it [adj only before nounl
The car climbed the winding road up into the hills. I The
forest villages were linked by winding paths but had no
proper roads. I a quiet littl£ town on the banks ofa peaceful,
winding river
tortUOUS /1t:):rtJuas/ a tortuous path, stream, roadetc has
a lot of bends in so that it is very difficult to travel along
[adj usually before noun]
To reach Kandahar we had tofollow narrow, tortuous path·
ways over the mountain ridges. I The old city was a maze of
gates and walls and tortuous alleyways. I the tortuous bends
of the river
9 words for describing a surface that bends
outwards or inwards
curved/curving
convex
concave
curved/curving 1k3: f vd, 1k3: r vIIJI ladjl
The chapel is a very 77UXkrn design, with curoed walls and
a central altar. I The new Volkswagen is much mare stream·
lined and almost all the body panels are curved. I Jan l£aned
back against tire curving wall of the cave.
convex l,kon1veks .. , kan- 11 ,kcun-I a word used especially
in a technical context: a surface that is convex bends out·
wards in a smooth curve so that it is higher in the middle
than at the edges ladjl
BEND
The lower sUrface of an airplane's wing is flat; the upper
surface is convex. I The archaeologists recovered. an ornate
cylindrical vessel with slightly convex sides.
conc.v./.kon'kell' ... . IQn- ll.kom-/ a word used espe-
cially in a technical context: a surface that is concave
bends inwards so that it looks like a bowl or dish (adjl
The telescope contains a large concave mirror to focus light
into the magnifying lenses. I For stripping paint/rom con-
rove surf= you need a special tool with a flexible blade.
10 the place where something bends
bend kink
curve joint
twist
bend /bend/ the place where something bends, especially
a road or river [n C)
We flew low, following the bends of tm river. I You need a
brush with a bend in it to reach back there. I You go around
a bend and thefann is on the right. 1 sharp bend (=one that
bends a lot very quickly) There were no very sharp bends
on the track. I hairpin bend (=an extremely sharp bend)
From the hairpin bend you have a spectacular view over the
jungle.
curve 1k3: rvl a long smooth bend in a surface, line, or
object In Cl
Slater looked out at the blue sea and the long curve of the
shore. I On thefast curve after the straight, Manselllost con·
trol of the ror. I Sm wore a belt which acrentualed tm curve
ofmr hips.
twist /IWISI/ a sudden sharp bend in something In Cl
The path has a lot of twists and turns. I You could have a
twist in the upper bowel - a condition called diverticulitis.
kink /kIQk/ a small sharp bend in something, especially
something that is straight for the rest of its length [n Cl
The water isn't coming through properly. There must be a
kink in the hose somewhere. I There was a kink in the path
just before the bridge.
joint /dpInI/ the place where two parts of someone's body
or two parts of a machine are joined, so that they can bend
at this place In Cl
I've had a lot ofpain in my joints recently, especially in my
wrists and shoulders. I Tm ball-joint connects tm driveshaft
to the gearbox.
beneath UNDER/BELOW 1, 2. 3. 4
beneath: be beneath PROUD 9
benefactor GIVE 18
beneficial HEALTHY 6. HELP 6
benefit GOOD POINT OR CHARACTERISTIC 1. MONEY 7
benevolent KIND 4
bent BEND 6. DISHONEST 2
bequeath GIVE 9
berate TELL SB OFF 2
bereaved DIE 7
berserk: go berserk ANGRY 4. CRAZY 4
berth: give 8th/sb 8 wide berth AVOID 1
beside COMPARE 3. NEXT TO 1
besides AND/ALSO 1. 2
besiege ATIACK 3
besotted: be besotted LOVE 8
best BEST 1. 8
best: as beat you can TRY TO DO OR GET STH 2
best: at your best BEST 6
best: be the beat you can do BEST 7
best: do the best you can TRY TO DO OR G~T STH 2
best: do your best/try your best TRY TO DO OR GET
STH 2
best: hope for the best HOPE 1
best: the best BEST 3
best: the best part/bit BEST 4
best: to the best of my knowledge THINK SO/NOT BE
SURE 3
best-seller POPULAR 3. SELL 15
best-selling SELL 15
125 BEST
• BEST
t better than all others
2 so good that nothing else or no one else is as
good
3 the best people or things in a group
4 the best part of an event, performance, or
activity
5 the best thing that a ccmpany has produced
or that an organization has completed , which
shows how successful it is
6 doing something better than anyone else or
better than you have ever done before
7 to be the best thing that you can do. even
though it is not very good
8 words for describing the activity. subject.
sport etc that someone is best at doing
1 better than all others
best foremost
lineat ultimate
greatest optimum
the prime
top record-breaklng
number one
best /besl/ of a higher quality than anything or anyone
else, or more successful, more skilful, or more suitable
ladjl
TM best ice-cream in the world. is made in Italy. I She won
an Oscar for 'Best Actress' for her performance in 'Silk·
wood'. 1 What's tm best way to cook sweet potatoes? I Take
a look at the photos and choose whichever one you think's
tm best. I by far the best/easily the best (=much better
than any others) It was by far the best vacation I've ever
had. 1 I've read nwst of his books, but 'Mosquito Coast' is
easily his best.
best ladvl I've tried them all, but this is tm one I like best. I
It was the best-organized conference( =the most well-organ·
ized) I'd ever attended. .
fln •• t / 'faln!sl/ of the very highest quality or producing
work of the highest quality ladj)
Fitzgerald was thejmest American writer ofhis generation. I
Tm Silver Pavilion is one of tmfinest examples of Japonese
archilecture. I Many people regard Beethoven's Fifth Sym-
phony as his finest work. I The gallery's collection of early
Impressionist paintings is one of the world's finest.
greate.t /'grelt!st/ the best and most important {adj)
New Yorkers think they live in the greatest city on earth. I
Picasso is generally regarrkd as the grealest artist of the 20th
century. I Gorbachev 's greatest achievement was ending the
Cold War.
the /iS~; before vowels ~i; strong l'Ji:/ the place/shop/per-
son/authority etc (used especially with strong pronun·
ciation, to say that someone or something is the best one
of its kind) [determiner)
East Manhattan is the placefor discos and exciting night·
life. l Our guest speaker today is the authority on Chinese
politics.
top /IOp 1I Imp/ the most skilful, most successful, and most
famous [adj only before noun]
Ballesteros isoneoftlw world's top golfers. I &veral top rock
acts will be appearing at the concert, including The Rolling
Stones and Michael Jackson. I Tm priZl! is to ho.ve your hair
done at a top New York salon.
number one "llAmoo r 'WAn! number one salesperson!
player/model etc (""the one who's most successful in their
company or in the type of work that they do) ladj only before
noun I
For three years he was the company's number one computer
salesman. I Swede.n's number one model has married a little-
known American actor.
BEST
foremost ItfJ!rrn;;MJstJ foremost scientist/expert/auth-
ority/ writer etc (=the most important and most
respected) [adj only before noun)
The coriference was attend£d by some of the world'sf.remost
environmental scientists. I Professor Wilson is America's
foremost authority on ants. . If you 're looking for a romantic present rwthing can beat a
uHlm. t ./AIt!mltl the ultimate person or thing is the
very best of their type that there has ever been, and it is
hard to believe that anything could ever be better [adj
usually before rwun 1
For many people Monroe was and is the ultimate Hollywood
nwvie-star. I The new phone, which is the size ofa pencil, is
the ultimateyuppie accessory. I the ultimate in Our First·
Class passengers enjoy the ultimate in luxury and service.
optimum I'optlm.m 11 'a:p-I optimu m results/perfor-
mance/efficiency/tempcrature/speed. ete (=the best
that can be achieved or the best for a particular purpose,
especially in scientific contexts) ladj only before noun]
It is important to keep tm/actory working at optimum effi-
ciency all the time. I The optimum temperature for produc-
ing steel is around 12()(J>C.
p ..... /praIlTlI prime land/meat/ condition (=ofthe very
best quality and the greatest value) [adj only before noun)
Because it is prime building land it is worth an elU)rmous
amount ofmo11£Y. 1/00% prime US be£! 1 The hotel oa:upies
a prime site in the middle of downtown Tokyo.
record-b . . .klng I'reko:d ,bre,k' Q I -k.fd-I a record-
breaking score, jump, time etc is the highest, fastest etc
that has ever been achieved ladj only before noun]
Alan won the game with a record breaking score of 560
points. 1 The vores were collected and counted in record-
breaking time. 1 a record-breaking 5 seconds/90 feelll
years etc Bannister ran the mile in a record-breaking 3
minutes 59 seconds.
2 so good that nothing else or no one else is as
~
90od
~ be second to none unbeatable
be in a class unsurpassed
01 Ha own you can 't beat
Incomparable there is no substitute for
unrivalled there's nothing like
be . econd to none/bi: ,sek:md t3 IflAn! Iv phrase]
The studio's recording facilities are second to none. 1 As a
soccer player Maradona was second to none.
be In a cia•• of It. own fbi: m;} Ikla:s ;}V Its l;RJn 11
- Iklres-/ to be clearly much better than all of the other things
or people of the same type Iv phrase]
Tire new Mercedes 190 is so comfortable, it truly is in a class
of its own. 1 There are plenty of good athletes around, but
earl Lewis is in a class of his own.
Incomparable /m'kompaJ.)baJ ~ - ' ka:m-, so good that
nothing else can even be compared to it ladj )
Ashkenazy is a pianist of incomparable skill. 1 the incom-
parable beauty of the Scottish Highlands
unrivalle d /An 1ralvaJdl better than all the others, espe-
cially in skill, knowledge, or achievement ladj )
The British Museum possesses an unrivalled collection of
early Egyptian and Greek art. 1 He spoke with unrivalled
authority on all aspects ofgrammatical theory. 1 unrivalled
in Horowitz was unrivalled in his mastery of the violin.
unbeatable fAn Ibi:t:)bal/ a word meaning better than
anything else, used especially when telling someone how
good something is and persuading them to buy it, use it etc
[alij)
Renau/t's new smoll car offers unbeatable valuefor mo11£Y.1
Thefcod's excellent and the service is unbeatable.
unsurpa ..ed I l AJl.S;}rlpo:st .. 11 _l prest .. Ja fonnal word for
describing something such as a skill, quality, or achieve-
ment that is SO good that nothing else has ever been better
than it ladjl
Shakespeare's genius as a dramatist is still unsurpassed. I
Venice, a city of unsurpassed beauty 1Bob Beamon's Olym-
pic longjump record of1968 remained unsurpassed/or more
thon two decades.
126 BEST
you can't beat /ju: ,kamt Ibi:t ~ - ,krent-/ you say you
can't beat something, when you like it and think it is the
best, most suitable, or most enjoyable thing of its kind
You can 't beat a good French wine. I I've always said you
can't beat those old Hollywood movies. 1 nothing can beat
bouquet of red roses.
there I. no sub.Utute for 10e3r IZ In;RJ IsAbst!tjU:1
0: r 11 -tu:t-/ you say t here is no SUbstitute for something,
especially for a particular way of doing something, when
you think that it is the best and that other possible ways
are not as good
if you want to stay healthy there's no substitute for hard
physical exercise. I Watching sport on television can be excit·
ing, but there's no substitute/or the real thing.
there'. nothing Ilke /0e3 rz IMa l I] Jadcj you say there's
nothing like a particular activity or method when you
mean that this is the best and most effective way of doing
something
lfyou've had a long hard day there's nothing like a nice hot
bath to make you feel better. 1 There's nothing like a good
cry to get all your worries out of your system.
3 the best people or things in a group
the best elite
star the pick of the bunch
the cream of
the be. t 10. ' bes~ [n singularl
I clwse a Japanesecamera because I wanted to have the besc 1
She was the best in her year at college. 1the best In his/her
field (=the person who knows most about a particular sub-
ject) When it comes to cancer research, Professor Williams
is probably the best in her field .
• tar/SIQ: r/ the most successful and most admired of a
group of people [n C)
The team wasfull offine players, but Baggill was undoubt-
edly the star. I the star o/Clinton's new team in the Treas·
ury Department I the star of the s how (=the best actor in
a play, film etc) I really like the little girl who played the
hero's daughter - she was definitely the star of the show.
star )adj only Wore noun I My teociz£r was so pleased with
me, she said I was her star pupil. I Bob Woodward, the
Washington Post's star reporter
the cre am of /~ Ikri:m 3vI the small number of people
who are the very best in a particular group, because they
are the most intelligent or the most highly skilled [n
phrase )
The cream of Britain's scientists are being attracted abroad
by highly paid jobs. 1 After three years of military govern-
ment, the cream a/the country's intelligentsia were either in
jail or had /ieen shot.
ellte/el'li:t, •./ elite troops/forces/ members etc (=the
best and most highly-trained) [alij only Wore noun)
ThepalaCf! is guarded by elite troops loyal to the president. 1
the CRS, France 's elite corps ofrillt police
the elite In singular] The Parachute Regiment are the elite
of the British a rmed forw;.
the pick of the bunch 10. ,pIk.v o. 'bAnt}1 an infor-
mal expression meaning the one that you think is the best
among a group of people or things, especially a small group
[nphrase)
The other boys are clever enough but Henry is thepickofthe
bunch. 1 This last poem's my favorite - definitely the pick of
the bunch.
4 the best part of an event, performance, or
activity
the best partlblt
highlight
piece de resistance
the b ••t p.rtlblt 10. ,best 'pO:ft, 'bIq [n phrase)
The best bit of the movie is when the monster gets killed. 1
What was the best part ofyour vacatwn? I It started to rain
and we had to miss out the best parts of the walk.
 BEST 127
highlight /'hallail/ the best and most exciting part of
something such as a journey, a mm, or a period of time In
Cl
Wlum I was young Christmas was the highlight ofthe year. I
We were looking forward to seeing the pyramids, .which
promised to be the highlight of our trip.
piece de resistance/piles d;) rezi:I sto:ns/ the best and
most impressive part of something that someone has made,
especially a meal [n phrase]
And now for my piece de resistance - mushrooms cooked in
red wine, served with Stilton cheese sauce.
BETRAY
be In the lead /bi: In O. '!i:d/ to be the most successful
person, organization, or country in a particular field of
business or study Iv phrase ]
Ifwe are to survive as a car manufacturing country, we need
to be in the lead in our domestic market. I Sweden is certainly
in the lead when it comes to producing good technical
machinery.
7 to be Ihe best Ihing Ihal you can do, even
Ihough it is not very good
be the best you can do

5 the best thing that an organization has
produced or achieved, which shows how
successful it is
showpiece
flagship
showpiece fIJ;)()pi:s/ something such as a new factory
or building that an organization wants people to see,
because it shows what it has achieved and how successful
it is In C usually singular ]
. The university's computer engineering di!partrrumt has
become something DJa showpiece. I The Romanian dictator
built the 'People's Pa1.ace' as a showpiece for his govern-
ment's policies.
showpiece [culj only beforenounl The new bakery is a show-
piece project designed to bring more jobs to the area.
flagship /'f1reg,flp/ the most important and impressive
product that a company produces or owns In C usually
singular)
, The company owns several newspapers, of which the flag-
ship is 'The Los Angeles Times'. I Jaguar's new 'supercar'
is" the flagship of its range.
6 doing something better Ihan anyone else or
better than you have ever done before
at your best be at the height of
be on top form your powers
be at your peak take the lead
be In the lead
at your beat /:xj:n r tbestj when you are at your best you
are performing at your highest level of skillladv phrase ]
At his best, Becker is one of the most exciting tennis players
in the world to watch. I This recording captures Grappelli
at his very best,
be on top form /bi: on ttop IfJ:rm 11 -lta:P-/ if someone
who is good at doing something is on top form, they are
be the best you can do /bi: 0, ,best ju: k.n 'du:/ [v
phrase]
I hope thefood tastesairight - it was the best I could do in
such a short space of time. I This essay is terrible! Are you
telling me it's the best you can de?
8 words for describing the activity, subjecl,
sport elc Ihal someone is besl at doing
best
speciality
best lbes~ [adjl
My best subject at school is English. I He is a good all-round
athlete but his best event is the high jump.
apeclallty /lspeJi 'rel!til the particular activity that you
have most skill and experience in dOing In C)
He's an excellent c/1ifand his speciality is souff/i. I Christie
also runs the two hundred metres, but the one hundred is his
speciality.
bet GAMBLE 2
bet: I bet SURE f
bet: I beUmy bells EXPECT 2
bet: it's a safe betfrt's a sure bet (that)
CERTAINLY/DEFINITELY 3
bet: place a bet GAMBLE 2
bet: you can bet your life/bet your bottom dollar
CERTAINLY/DEFINITELY 2
bet: your best bet DEAL WITH 6
beUhave a bet GAMBLE 1
betray BETRAY 1, 2 , 3 , SHOW A FEELING OR
AITITU DE 2, SHOW/BE A SIGN OF 1
• BETRAY
to be disloyal to your country, your group, or
to someone who trusts you, often causing

, doing it as well as they can Iv phrase}

"Suegavea really good speech last night. .. "Yes, she was on
top form. " I If the French rugby team are on top form there
is no team in the world that can beat them.
them serious hann as a result
1 10 betray your country
2 10 betray a friend or someone who trusts you
be at your peak Ibi: at jJ: r Ipi:kJ if someone, especially 3 10 betray you r beliefs, ideas, or moral
a sports person is at their peak, they are at the time in principles
their life when they are playing best, running best etc Iv 4 the act of betraying your counlry, friends , or
phrase]
Long distance runners are usually at their peak in their mid someone who trusts you
3OS. I When he was at hts peak Nick/aus was one of the best 5 someone who betrays their country or
golfers there's ever been. organization
be at the height of your powers/bi: .1 O. ,hall .v
jJ: r Ipaoorz/ ifsomeone such as a great writer or musician
is at the height of their powers, they are doing the best
work of their whole life Iv phrase] 1 10 betray your country
When Orwell wrote 'Animal Farm' he was at the height of betray
his powers as a writer. I The film sluJws Jimi Hendrix, at turn traitor
the height of his powers, giving a storming version of 'All collaborate
Along the Watchtower'.
batray /bI1trel/ to be disloyal to your country, for exam-
taka tha laad 11 telk Oa Ili:dl to become the most success- ple by helping your enemies or giving them secret infor-
ful person, organization, country in a particular field of mation lV T]
business or study Iv phrase) The general betrayed his country by giving away vital mili-
French universities have produced some interesting research tary secrets, I France was betrayed by the Vichy government
but tm Germans hove rocently taken tm lead. I take the lead in World War Two.
in The Americans are trying to prevent rival corporations
from taking the lead in other jlelds of technowgy, tum traitor /ltJ:rn Ilreua r / to betray your country by
joining its enemies Iv phraseJ
 BETRAY
Atfirst h£fought on th£ Republican side, but h£ turned trai-
tor wh£n h£ thought th£y would lose th£ war. I Th£ junta
could. not survive after two leading o/fLCials turned traitor.
collaborate Ib' lreborel~ to betray your country by help-
ing its enemies when they have defeated your country and
taken control of it {v IJ
collaborate with He was imprisoned in Italy in 1945/or col-
laborating with th£ Nazis. I collaborate Tlwse suspected of
collaborating during the occupation were tried and shot.
collaboration Ib.ireoo'reIJ'JnJ [n Ul Newly-released. records
show there was extensive collaboration with the occupying
army.
2 to betray a friend or someone who trusts you
betray
stab ab in the back
sell sb down the river
. betray Ibl",ell Iv TI
betray sb He betrayed hisfamity andfri£ruis in order to save
hi$ own life. I betray sb to the police/government ete
(=give the police ete information about someone, for exam-
ple where they are hiding) Olga's bestfriend betrayed h£r
to th£ secret police. I betray sb's trust (=betray someone
who trusts you) You have betrayed our trust in you, andfor
that you must be punished. I feel betrayed (=feet that some-
one you trust has betrayed you) When I heard what my
frieruis Iwd said about me I felt angry and betrayed.
betrayal In Ulfeelings of betrayal (=that you have been
betrayed)
stab sb In the back I,streb (sb) In 0, 'brek/ to betray
someone who trusts you, especially someone that you work
with, by saying or doing something that will cause them
a lot of harm [v phraseJ
He seems/ri£ndly, but he wouldn't hesitate to stab you in the
back if he thought it would h£lp him get your job.
se. lib down the river I, sel (sb) daun 0, 'm"1 to betray
a group of people who trusted you to help them, in order
to gain money or power for yourself (v phrase]
The peasant farmers have worked that land assuming that
th£y'd be allowed to buy it, but th£ owners have sold them
down the river_
3 to betray your beliefs, ideas, or moral
principles
betray
sellout
betray Ibl "reil betray your beliefs/ideals/cause/the
revolution (=give up your beliefs and principles, for exam-
ple in order to gain power or avoid trouble [v TJ
The new government Iws betrayed th£ ideals of the revolu-
tion. I Greene was denoun.ced for betraying his Catholic
beliefs and siding with the Communists.
sellout IIse1 lautj to give up your beliefs in order to get
more money, a more comfortable life, or political advan-
tage [phr v II
When the Socialists changed their policy on nuclear weapons
th£y were accused of selling out. I Most of th£ hippies of th£
1960s sold out and became banlrers and businessmen.
4 the act of betraying your country, friends, or
someone who trusts you
betrayal sell..out
treachery treason
betrayallbl'tre"tl In C/ UI
Her family regard her marriage to a non-Muslim as a
betrayoL I act of betrayal Mr Paisley described government
plans to separate Northern Irelandfmm the United Kingdom
as an act ofbetrayaL I betrayalofsb's trustlliiendshipl
confidence etc Thejudge said that what Evans had done
amounred to a betrayal of th£ trust placed in him bY th£
company.
128 better off
treachery /ltretJaril great disloyalty to someone who
trusts you, for example by secretly tricking them, or help-
ing their enemies [n U]
Wh£n th£ King found out about his brother's treachery h£
ordered him to be kilred. I act of treachery A single act of
treachery has brought th£ dowtifall of th£ government.
••• I-out 11 sel autl an agreement between two opposing
groups in which the leaders of one group betray their sup-
porters by allowing the other group to gain too much
advantage [n'C usually singular]
Anti-nuclear campaigners are calling tlw President's accep-
tance o/nuclear !'€sting a complete sell-out. I The settlement
0/ the dispute was a sell-out, leaving the miners worse oJ!
than th£y were before.
treason [Itri:zanj the crime of betraying your country by
helping its enemies [n U1
He was arrested in Italy andflown back to Washington to
stand trialfor treason. I commit treason The two men are
charged with committing treason against the stare./or which
the maximum penalty is death.
5 someone who betrays their country
traitor
collaborator
renegade
traitor 1"re""'1 In Cl
They're all traitors, th£y shauld die! I At th£end of the war
Mata Hart was hanged as a traitor. I traitor to your
country/ prlnclples/party etc When h£ leftNicaragua to
go and live in the US he was denounced as a traitor to the
revolution.
collaborator /bllrebarelt~rl someone who helps th~ir
country's enemies, for example by giving them secret infor-
mation, especially when the enemy has taken control of
that country In Cl
One of the university's professors had been a Nazi collabo-
rator. I Women who were suspected of being collaborators
Iwd th£ir heads shaved in public.
ren.gad./lren~geldl renegade soldiers/troops/Com-
munists/Royalists etc (=who have left an army or group,
especially in order to join its enemies) [adjl
The town was recaptured by renegade troops who had previ-
ously been supporters of the King. I O'Hare, a renegade
member of the INLA known as 'the Border Fox', was shot
dead in an ambush.
betrayal BETRAY 4
beller BETIER 1. 3. 4
better: be better BETTER/RECOVERED 1
beller: do beller BEnER 5, 6
better: feel better RECOVERIGET BETTER 1
better: get better IMPROVE I , 2. RECOVER/GET
BEnER 1
better: had beller do 8th SHOULD/OUGHT TO 1
better: like ab/8th better PREFER 1
better: make sb better CURE 1
better: make sth better IMPROVE 3, 5
better: you'd better WARN 3
better off: you'd be better off ADVISE 2
"You say" is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English.
BETTER 129 BETTER

Ibetterlr=~~
Our aim is to provide our clients with a superior service at
all tinres. 1 In the end it was Agassi'sfitness and superior
technique that won him the game. 1 superior to There's no
real reason to say that French wi1res are necessarily superior
to Italian.
superiority Isu:,Plari ' or1ti , sju:- 11 sU 1PIari l:>:-, - 10:.-1 [n D)
Its chUif selling point is thE undoubted superiority ofits after·
sales service.
of a hlghe. stendard/of higher quality I.v. ,ha,.'
IstrendaTd, av Iha la T 'kwol~tj 11 'kwa:-/ goods or services
that are of a higher standard or higher quality are better
than they were previously or better than goods or services
of a similar kind provided. by others [adj phrase]
Polish electriall industries are now producing goods ofmuch
higher quality with the aid of mOOem technology. I of a
higher standard/quality than Government offICials are
~. RECOVER/GET claiming that the health care available here is 0/ a much
BETTER higher standard than in neighbouring countries.
a cut above 13 luta1bAv",' an infonnal expression mean-
~ . BETTER/
ing clearly better than others of the same type ladj phrasel
RECOVERED Oprah's latest talk show is certainly a cut above any 0/ the

scx:neone~~~~~;;;;;~
rival shows. I a cut above the rest Thefirst applicant we
interviewed was definitely a cut above the rest.
make they Bre III
, when beat Ibi:tl an informal word meaning to be much better
be bet1er than and more enjoyable than something else [v T not in
progressive )
someone In 1l gBrIle beat sth Jake's home-made burgers beat anything you can
or competition get at McDonald's. I beat doing sth It's not a particularly
good job, but it certainly beats being unemployed.
be kind 10 someone 0+ . ' COMFORT/ have the edge on Ihrey Oi 'ed3 onJ to be slightly better
to'm,ake them feel MAKE SB FEEL than something or someone else [v phrase not in
better BETTER progressive)
Both cars are terrific, but I think the Peugeot has the edge
on the Renault because it has four doors. J Having spent a
. BETTER year in Brazil, she hoped she would have the edge over the
other language students.
of a higher standard or quality have an advantage over Ihrev 3n ad 'vamtrd3 '3UV3 T 11
-Ivren-, to be better, more effective, and more useful than
1 better in quality or skill than someone or something else [v phrase not in progressive]
something else The/act that this compuler is so simple to use means that it
2 very much better in quality or skill than has an advantage over most other systems. I have a distinct
someone or something else advantage over (=have a clear advantage over) For certain
3 better than before types 0/ work, natural wood has distinct advantages over
4 words for describing a way of dOing plastics.
something that is more suitable or more likely ba more than a match for Ihi: 11ll;): T6an J ImretJ 6: TI
to be successful to be much more skilful and more successful at doing some-
thing than someone else [v phrase]
5 to perform better or reach a higher standard When it comes to TV debaoos. Senator Murphy's more than
than someone or something else a match/or any 0/ his rivals. I TIw rebel army's tactics are
6 to perform better or reach a higher standard more than a match for the nation's military forces.
than you reached before special I',pel.tl better than something of the nonnal type,
for example by being more enjoyable, more useful. or of
higher quality ladjl
1 better in quality or skill than someone or I don 't want a normal wedding. I want something special. 1
Even though they are princes. WilliamandHarryarenotsin-
something else gled outfor special treatT7U!nt at school. I This is no ordinary
better have the edge on so/a. It's a special one that turns into a bed.
superior have an advantage
of a higher standard! over
of higher quality be more than a
2
very much better in quality or skill than
a cut above match for I~ Ibe head and shoulders above/be heads above
~ someone or something else
beat special
leave sb standing
better l'be'.'1 [adjl put ab/8th in the shade put ab to shame
better than Your school is better than mine. I She 's a better eclipse be streets ahead
driver than me. I The sales Flgures were better than we
expected. I better We could either go to Florida or Califor· be In a different league there's no
nia - which do you think is better? I better at sth/doing run rings around comparison
8th Lucy's better at mathematics than I am. I far better/ be head and shoulde.. above (British) /be heads
much better/ a lot better The Japanese government seems above (American) Ibi: Ihed and 'J3uld;}rz ~bAV , bi: Ihedz
to be much better at running the economy than our abAvl to be clearly doing very much better at something
government. than someone else Iv phrase]
better [adv] You can see much better from up here. 1Ralph We are certain that Fatima will win -she's head and shoul-
would be able to explain this a lot better than I can. ders above the other contenders. 1 There was no dijTlCUlty in
superior {su: Iplari;}T, sju:- 11 su-I products, skills, or serv- deciding woo to give thejob to - MsKamen was heads above
ices that are superior are better than those that you are the other applialnts.
competing against [adj l
BETTER
leave ab standing ,.Ii:v (sb) ' strendlIJf to be so much
better at something than other people that they cannot pos-
sibly compete successfully with you [v phrase)
It seems that in this campaign the Derrwcraticcandidate IuJs
I£ft the opposition standing. I Julie's an excellent typist - her
speed and accuracy leave the rest of us standing.
put IIb/sth In the shade I ,put (sb/sth) on 6, 'JOId/ a Brit·
ish expression meaning to be so much better than others
that their achievements are made to seem ordinary and
unimpressive [v phrasel
Coca Cola's prize-winning advertising cam/Xlign has put all
others in the shade. I The generous response of tlw public to
the disaster puts thegovemment's contribution somewhat in
the shade.
ecllp•• 'l 'kllpsl to be so much better than someone or
something else that they are made to seem unimportant
and not worth paying any attention to Iv Tl
Channel 5's trenumdous line-up of TV programmes has
eclipsed its competitors' best efforts. I Eclipsed by the US
champion at last year's Olympic games, th£former British
champion has decided to retire.
be In a different league /bi: m::l ,dlfaIdnt 'li:gj ifsome-
one is in a different league they are so much better and
more skilful than someone who does similar work that it
would be stupid even to compare them [v phrase]
You can't possibly compare Mozart and Beethoven. Mozart
is in a different league.
run rings around l ,rAn IrII)Z ::Iraundj to perform with
much greater skill than someone else in a competitive
activity such as a sport or an argument [v phrase ]
It's no use arguing with Sophie - she can run rings around
anyone who disagrees with her. 1 Tottenham Hotspur are
running rings around their rivals in what must be the most
exciting cup final in years.
put lib to shame I ,put (sb) to 'Jennl to be so much better
than someone else that they feel slightly embarrassed by
their own lack of skill or quality [v phrase)
Th£elegant way she was dressed put the restofus to shame.
be streets ahead Ihi: ' stri:ts a1hedl to be very much
better than something of the same kind or than someone
you are competing with (v phraseJ
The script is original andfunny, streets ahead ofany other
situation comedy. ) We don 't need to worry about this year's
sales figures - they're streets ahead of the competition.
there's no comparison l/)earz Inau kam'prer!sanl you
say there's no comparison when something or someone
is so much better than something or someone else that it
is not worth comparing the two
"Which apartment do you prefer?" 'Well, th£re's no compar·
ison. TIu! first one we saw is bigger, quieter, and has really
nice furniture ...
3 better than before
better be an improvement on
Improved that's more like It
better l'bet,'/ ladj ]
The/olwwing day, the weather was a littl£ better. I better
than Today, people's general health is a lot better than it
used to be. I get better The standard a/work/ram the class
is getting bettu all the time. I far better/much better/a
lot better Angie spent last week painting her bedroom - it
IlXJks much better.
better [adv] Thiscountry'speop/eare wealthier, healthier,
and better educated than ever be/ore. I Relw/ agencies are
hoping to cope better with the famine than they did in 1990.
Improved Ilm'pru:vd/ better than before as a result of
changes that have been made {adj usually before nounJ
Perhaps you'd lik£ to have a look at our new improved
model? I Using unleaded gasoline in cars dejinil£ly leads to
improved air quality in citles. I much/greatly/vastly
improved This vastly improved information system means
that doctors can see patients' medical histories at the/lick
ofa switch.
be en Improvement on Ihi! an Im Ipru:vrnant Dnl to be
better than something similar, such as a product or
method, that existed before [v phrase]
130 BETTER
The new heating system is certainly an improvement on the
old one. 1 be a big improvement on I wouldn't say it was
my favoril€ show, but it's a big improvement on her last
series.
that's more like "1,6rets mJ: r 'laIk It! you say that's
more like it when something that is not happening or
being done in the way that you want suddenly gets better
'Well if £30 isn't enough, would £40 be all right?" "That's
more like it. "1 Faster, faster - good, that's more like it. I
What's wrong with this bloody TV set? It doesn't seem to be
working - ah, that's more like it.
4 words for describing a way of doing
something that is more suitabte or more likely
to be successful
better
preferable
better l 'beto' /l aclj]
it is better to do sth ff you want to get there quickly it's
better to go by plane. I f think it would be better not to tell
Gail about the accident. She'd only worry. lit is better Nina
decided to write to George about the bad news instead of
phoning - it would be beller that way. I a better Idea/way /
approach About Jock and Mandy's wedding reception - a
gard£n party would be nice, but a better idea UXJuld be UJ rent
a hall.
preferable "prefaldb.,l/ more likely to be successful,
effective, or enjoyable [ad)]
it Is preferable to do sth Wouldn ~ it be pre/erabl£ to take
our vacation in the spring? 1 preferable to For young
offenders, probation is usually preferable to prison as afonn
of punishment.
5 to perform better or reach a higher standard
than someone or something else
do better outclass
outdo outstrip
outshine
do better I,du: 'beto'l lV phrase]
do better than She achieved 95% in all th£ tests. No one in
the school did better than that. I do better The British cham·
pion has completed the course in three minutes - let's see if
his US rival can do better.
outdo laut'du:/ to do better than someone you are compet-
ing with, especially because you want to prove that you are
better [v TJ
Kids always try to outcfu each other in attracting the teach£r's
attention. 1 Western Europe and Japan managed to outcfu
their American competitors in some economic areas.
outshine laut'JaIRI to be clearly more attractive, popu-
lar, or skilful than someone else (v TJ
In her beautiful white satin dress, Sammie easily outshone
the rest. 1 The young Japanese violinist outshone every other
musician at the concert.
outclass laul1klo: s 11 -'kJresl to perform with much
greater skill or success than someone or something else
Iv TI
In thejirst game oftlu! season, the Miami Dolphins simply
outclassed their rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers. 1 There's
never been a jet engine to outclass the Rolls Royc€ Aoon.
outstrip Jaut' strIpl to do very much better than someone
or something else, especially when the person or thing you
are competing with used to be of the same standard [v T ]
Between the ages of 11 and 14, girls tend to outstrip boys in
schoolwork. 1 Th£ new magazine's circulation of210.000out-
strips that of all of its closest competitors.
6 to perform better or reach a higher standard
than you reached before
do better
improve onIupon
do better I,du: 'bet"/l v phrase!
I was convinced that many of the students could have done
BETTER
better if they'd tried. I Mark ran the distance in 30 minutes
last year, but we're Iwping he'll do better this year.
Improve on/upon IImlpru:v on, 3pon 11 -o:n, ~pa:nJ to do
something better than before or make it better than before,
especially by working harder Iv TI
. I'm' sure you could improve on your assignment ifyou spent
a little more time on it. I The Reagan administration did not
believe anyone could improve upon its ecorwmic record.
. BETTERI
RECOVERED
1 to be better after illness or after you have hurt
yourself
2 to be better after experiencing problems or
an unpleasant situation
1 to be better after illness or after you have hurt
yourself
be beHer be over 8th
be well be back on your feet
be fully recovered be up and about
be cured be fit
be be«e, /bi! 'bet>'/ Iv phrase I
Derek's Iwd a bad cold, but he's betrer now. I ['11 just rest
lOOay, and, Iwpefully, I'll be betrer tomorrow. I The doctor
told me to stay off work untill felt betrer.
ba well/bi: 'well to be better after an illness [v phrase!
As soon as you're well we'll go to Florida and have a few
weeks in the sun. I They couldn't really make any firm plans
until Luis was well again.
ba fully recovered Ihi: Ifuli CII kA v;,}fdl to be completely
well again after an illness [v phrase]
Do not give your baby any solid foad until he is fully reco-
vered. 1 We were relieved to/ind thatBarnes wasfully rec0-
vered and able to take part in the race.
be cured Ibi: I kjU;)T dl if someone is cured, they are corn·
pletely better because their illness has been treated suc-
cessfully Iv phrase I
When the patients are cured, they are allowed to leave the
iwspital and return to their familiEs. I She's still rather weak,
but her bronchitis seems to be cured. 1Joseph had returned
from Nairobi two doys /Jifore, apporently cured, but then the
fever flared up again.
be over sth Ibi: I;)UV;)T (sth)1 to be better after a particu-
lar illness Iv TI
You've had a bad attack of malaria, but I think you're over
it now.
be back on your feet /bi: I brek on j:>: r I fi:tf an infor-
mal expression meaning to be well again and able to live
life as usual after being ill Iv phrase]
Nter a doy or two in bed I'll be back on my feet again. I Wait
tillyou're back on yourfeet again before you start worrying
about your exams.
be up and about Ibi: lAp ~md ;)'bautj to be out of bed and
well enough to walk about again, after an illness or acci·
dent has forced you to stay in bed [v phrase]
She's up and about now, and should be back at work in a
day or two. 1 You must be oored lying in bed all day, but
never mind, you'll soon be up and about.
be fit /bi: 'fo~ to be healthy, especially alter having been
ill, so that you are now able to move about as usual, take
exercise etc Iv phrase]
Don't come back to work until you're completely fit. 1Peter's
treatment has been a success - he should be fit again very
sooILI be Iltas a Ilddle (=be extremely fit) Helmut was very
ill last year, but he's asjit as ajiddle now.
131 beyond
2 to be better after experiencing problems or
an unpleasant situation
be over sth
be yoursetf again
be back to normal
be ove, sth /bi: ' ouvo' (sthl/ Iv TI
Experts believe that Colombia is now over the worst of its
troubles. Il think Slwron is over her reading di/JkultiEs, but
she still has problems with math.
be your.en again Ibi: j:>:T'self ;) Igen/ to feel mentally
and physically well again after worries, problems etc
[u phrase]
All morning she Iwd been bad-tempered and moody. Then
suddenly she was herself again, brisk and cheerful. 1 It
wasn't until six months after my husband's death that I
stnrted to feel myself again. -
be back to normal/bi: ,brek ta In:,):rmall if a person or
a situation is back to normal, they are just as they were
before their problems or troubles started {v phrase]
Everything's back to normal now. It almost seems as if the
riots never Iwppened. Il think Judith was affected by shock
but she's back to normallWw.
between BETWEEN 1
between: In between BETWEEN 1
between you and me SECRET 1
• BETWEEN
1 words meaning between
1 words meaning between
between In the middle
in between be sandwiched between
between Ibl'twi:n/ ifsomething is between two or more
things, the things are on either side of it (prep/ adv]
The stone rolled between the bay'sfeet. I The Iwuse is some-
where between here and the airport. I Between the trees and
the river, the slope was covered with beautiful doffodils. I
Ahead of us were ste£p hills and a small valley between.
In between ITn blltwi:n/ ifsomethingis in between two
or more things, it is in the space that separates those things
(prep/ advl
She found a small pool in between the rocks. I The farmer
knocked off the lumps of earth in between the blades of his
ptough. I Why don't we put a wardrobe against each wall
with the bed in between?
In the middle/m ~> 'm,dl/ in or near the centre of the
space between two things [adv]
My parents sat at either end of the sofa with me in the
middle. 1 As far as I can see, Jane's leading the race, Clare
is near the back, and Sally is somewhere in the middle.
be sandwiched between Ibi: 'srenwld3d bl,twi:n 11
- 'srendwItJt-1 to be between two people or things that are
so close that there is not enough space to move [v phrase]
I spent a very uncomfortable evening at the concert sand-
wiched between two fat old ladiRs. I Alan got back to the
parking lot only to find his car sandwiched between a pick-
up and a big truck.
beverage DRINK 4
beware WARN 3
bewildered CONFUSED 1
bewildering CONFUSED 4
beyond MORE THAN A NUMBER OR AMOUNT 1
beyond: h's beyond mellt's a mystery to me
., UNDERSTANO 13
beyond: be beyond belle! BELIEVE 12
I
beyond: be beyond dispute CERTAINLY/DEFINITE LY 1
beyond: be beyond repair REPAIR 7
beyond: be beyond sb's control CONTROL 21
bias 132 BIG
bias PREJ UDICED 3
biased UNFAIR 1, 4, 5 1 words for describing an object, building,
bicker ARGUE 2 animal, organization etc that is big
bid OFFER 5, 6 bIg fair·sized
bid: make a bid l or TRY TO DO OR GET STH 5 large be a fair size
bid sb farewell GOODBYE 1
biggish good-sized
big BIG 1, 4, 7, 9, 10, FAT 1
bulky b. a good slz.
big: be big POPULAR 2
big: be big Inside BIG 6 bl9 /blg/ of greater than average size (slightly more infor·
big: be too big/sman FIT/BE THE RIG HT SIZE 3 mal than large) ladjl
big: great big BIG 2 He lives in a big Iwuse in New York. I ''Which is your car?"
big: how big SIZE 1 "The big red 011£ next to the wall. " I Jim is the biggest in his
big shot POWER 2 family, 1 The wind got loud£r and the waves grew bigger and
big time: hiUmake the big time FAMOUS 6 bigger, 1 She struggled up the hill, carrying the baby and her
big black bag,

1big 1-----:-----, large ' la: f d31 of greater than average size (slightly more
formal than big) [adjl
On the other sW£ of the fence there was a lnrge bulL 1 The
hotel was quite large and really cold. I a large brown enve·
which meaning? lope I Take the larger cushion to sit on - you 'U be TrWre corn·
fortable.
b iggish Ilblgl!1an informal word meaning quite big, but
big in size _ BIG
- - ..... not very big [adjl
These chocolntes cost $2 for quite a biggish box. 1 "What 's
tall in height
tall building, tree,
11 TALL PERSON
• HIGH
- - the house like?" "Well, it has a biggish kitchen but all the
other rooms are quite small. "
mountain etc bulky I 'bAlkil a b ulky object or parcel is bigger than the
usual type and is difficult to carry or store ladj]
big from one sida to ... ' WIDE The men were carrying bulky packages under their arms. I
the other Bulding materials are often too bulky to store easily.
falr-alzed 'Ifea r saIzdl fairly big, especially big enough
a iarge number or • LOT/A LARGE or bigger than you expect [adj only before noun )
amount NUMBER OR It's a/air-sized book. You won 'tfinish it in one day. I Weate
AMOUNT a fair-sized meal. I They are a fair-sized company with
,.......... ,= profits of £15m this year.
important • IMPORTANT be a f.lr size /hi: ;) .fe3 f Isa1z/ to be fairly big, especially
bigger than usual [v phrase I
fat It's a/air size but rwt enonnous. I The table was a/air size,
and di/FlCUlt to move up the stairs.
good.slzed I' gud salull big enough to be useful or satis·
fying [adj only before noun l
_ BIG She gave me a piece of bread and agood·sized hunk ofcheese
be a good size /hi: d Igud lsaIZI to be big enough to be
1 words for describing an object, building, useful or satisfying [v phraseJ
animal, organization etc that is big Even though it's meant to be a JXJrtable TV, it's still quite
2 words for describing an extremely big object, a good size, 1The/LSh hecaught was a good size but not quite
building, animal, organization etc big enough to win the competition.
3 much bigger than other things of the same
type 2 words for describing an extremely big object,
4 words for describing cities, countries, or building , animal, organization elc
areas of land that are big huge/enormous gigantic
5 words for describing extremely large places, massive great big
areas, or distances colossal be a whopper
6 words for describing rooms or the insides of great be quite a size
build ings or vehicles where there is a lot of huge/enormous /hju:d3. l lro:rmdS/ (adj l
space She wears an engagement ring set with a huge diamond. I
My grandmother was wearing an enormous hoL 1 She looked
7 words for describing large numbers or at the huge motorcycle. "I'll never be able to ride thot!" 1
amounts, for example of money or people There was an enormous spider in the bottom ofthe bath I By
8 words for describing extremely large numbers the time 0/ his death the company had grown into an enor-
or amounts mous multi-national operation.
9 large in degree, for example a serious masslve /1mresIv/ extremely big and impressive, espe-
problem, an accident that involves a lot of cially because it is solid and extremely heavy radj l
people, or a job that involves a lot of work Her house is massive. I The ancient temple's massive stone
pillars had begun to crumble, I The bell is massive, weigh·
10 words for describing changes that are very ing over forty tons.
big or have important effects
colossal /k.' ID",t 1I k.' la:·1 extremely and surprisingly
11 the fact of being big in size or degree big ladj l
12 to get bigger There was a colossal statue of the King in the middle of the
13 words for describing a part of the body that is square. I How does he manage to grow such colossal
bigger than usual because of illness, injury watennelons on that dry little patch of land?
etc great /grelt/ a word used especially in literature meaning
14 to make something bigger very big and impressive {adj only before noun ]
Like great sailing-ships, the clouds sped across the sky. I As
far as the eyecouid see, there stretched agreat herd ofbl4falo,
BIG
gigantic /d33llgrenukJ unusually big, in a way that you
cannot ignore [adj)
The ship was sunk by a gigantic wave. I A gigantic hot-air
balloonjloated across the sky. I In the middle of the factory
stood a gigantic machine.
great big /Igrelt bJgJ an informal expression meaning
extremely big lactj only be/ore noun}
They've built a great big shopping mall in theoentre oftown. I
There arejlSh in the POOl. great big ones. I She was given a
great big bunch of/lowers.
be a whopper Ibi: 3 IWD~r H -'wm-, an infonnalexpres-
5ion meaning to be extremely big compared to the usual
size [v phrasel
Look at the size of that marrow - it's a wJwpper.
be quHe a size /bi: ,kwalt 3 Isalzl to be so big that it is
impressive or surprising Iv phrase I
As you can seefrom the remains, the temple was quite a size. I
The car was quite a size, and that sometimes made it di/Trcult
to park.
3 much bigger than other things of the same
type ' Vast distances separate one isolated community from
outslze/outslzed
giant
extra large
outsize/outs.zed / 'autsalz, 'autsalzd/ soml ~thing, espe-
ciaUy something you wear, that is outsize or outsized is
bigger than the ones that are normally available [adj)
The store sells outsize clothesfor larger women. 1 It 's hard
to describe - it's rather like an outsize pair of pliers.
giant / 'd:)Cu~nl/ a giant plant or animal is one that has
grown to an unusually large size or one of a type that is
always much larger than normal plants or animals [adj
only before noun]
Giant cabbages grew in the gard£n. I Be careful. Theforest
is full of giant snakes and spiders.
axtra larga / ,ekstr.l lJa.:: r d3" / an extra large packet,
bottle, or product is much bigger than the size that is
usually sold ladj phrase I
an extra large packet of cornflakes 1 Extra large eggs are
generally a better buy than medium or large.
4 words for describing cities, countries, or
areas of land that are big
big fair-sized
large be a fair size
extensive
big /blg/ ladjl
The nearest big town is twenty miles away. I Which is bigger,
Tokyo or Lonckm? I We've got a big park fairly near our
Iwuse. ) Germany is much bigger than Britain.
large /ta:'d3/ big in area la<UI
He lived awne on the edge of a Iargeforest. I Thefarm build·
ings are spread over a large area. ) Philip found himself in
a large playground surrounded by high brick walls.
axtanslva / Iklstenslv/ covering a very large area radjI
Before the Romans came, the Gauls' kingdom in France was
extensive. 1 Downstairs, there is a large kitchen area and
extensive staffquarters. ) Only a small pool remains in the
basin of what was once an extensive lake.
falr.. slzed / 'fe~r salzd/ a fair-sized town or area ofland
is fairly big, especially bigger than you expect [adj only
before noun I
The fwuse has afair·sizedyard at the back and a smaller
one in front.
be a fair slze /bi: a ,fea r 'saIzl to be fairly big, especially
big enough or bigger than you expect [v phrase]
Braintree is afair size but it isn't exactly a lively town. ) I'm
sure it would hold 5{J() cars. It's quite a fair size.
133 BIG
5 words for describing extremely large places,
areas, or distances
huge vast
Immense enormous
huge /hju:d31 ladj l
Archeologists have found the remains of a huge city in the
middle of the desert. 1 The drawing room looked out over a
huge lawn. I The farm's huge, stretching for over fifteen
miles.
Immense I 1I mens/ a word used especially in literature:
an immense distance or area, especially a very flat area,
is extremely large (adj]
They spent the summer working in the immense potatojieids
south of the capital. I Migrating birds cover immense dis-
tances every winter. 1 60 million years ago, the wlwle area
was an immense marsh.
vast /va:st I) vrestJ vast areas of land, deserts, distances
etc are extremely large and usually have very few people
in them ladj I
Vast areas of the Amazon rainforest have been destroyed. I
another. 1 a vast area of waste land
enonnous / l'n;):rm~sl an enonnous city or distance is
extremety big ladjl
The distances between cities in Russia are Simply enonnous.)
Enormous places like New York must be very difficult to
administer.
6 words for describing rooms or the insides of
buildings or vehicles where there is a lot of
space
spacious cavernous
roomy be big inside
spacious/ 'spelfos/large, with a lot of space ImU l
The holiday villas are spacious, airy, and close to the sea. 1
a spacious, well-designed kitchen 1 Spacious and luxurious
apartments are available to company employees.
roomy 11 ru:mil a house, car, or flat that is roomy is
pleasantly and comfortably large with plenty of space ladj l
The new Toyota saloon is both roomy and comfortable. 1 Her
o/fl£e is much roomier than mine. ) Their new apartment's
very roomy.
cavernous/'krev~rn~sl somewhere such as a room or a
building that is cavernous is large, dark, and high or deep
ladjl
They sheltered from the rain in the cavernous entrance hall
ofthe main station. 1 Theonly people in the cavernous aUdito-
rium were the sound and lighting technicians.
be big Inslde /bi: Iblg m1 sald/ to have more space inside
than you would expect [u phrase}
It looks smallfrom the outsitle but is surprisingly big insitle.1
Most modern small cars are relatively big inside.
7 words for describing large numbers or
amounts, for example of money or people
large substantial
big significant
high generous
Sizeable/sizable handsome
considerable hefty
large /1a:'d3lIadj usually before noun I
She's used to working with large sums 0/ money. 1 Large
numbers of sea birds hove been killed by pollutionfollowing
the oil spillage. I A large proportion of the auawnce ronsisted
of women.
big /blg} big erowd/group/tlp/bonus ete ladjl
Chorles noticed that a big group ofpeople hod gathered out·
side the police station. I The crowd was even bigger this
week. I The wealthiest customers don't always leave the
biggest tips.
BIG
high IhaII high salary/level/proportion etc (=a bigger
amount than is usual or acceptable) {adj usually Wore
lWun)
Someone on such a high salary shouldn'l have to borrow
nwney. I High _Is ofradiation have been reporred near the
nllCi£ar plant. 11 a/ways try to avoid foods with a high fat
content.
slZeable'slzable I' , .mooll fairly large [adj usually
before noun I
She receives a sizable incomefrom her investments. I There
is a sizeable minority ofpeople who claim never to dream. I
Peter stands to inherit a sizeablefortwu! when his aunt dies.
considerable IlQn' s ld~~b.11/1arge enough to have an
effect or make a difference [adj usually be/ore noun!
£1000 is a considerable sum for most people. I The number
a/voters wlw changed th£ir minds at the last minute was con·
siderabi£. I Sugar is alIded in ronsiderabi£ quantities to nwst
soft drinks.
substanUal/,.b'slren!_11substantial amounts/sums/
numbers etc (=large amounts, numbers ete) [adjl
The union is calling/or a substantial pay increase this year. I
The sums paid out to various charities are really quite suIJ..
stantial. I The survey showed that substantial numbers of
15-year-olds were already smoking twenty cigarettes a week.
significant /slg 1mflk.mtf large enough to be noticeable
[adil
Women began to enter the British Parliament in significant
numbers in the 1980s. 1A signiFu:ant proportion of drivers
fail to keep to speed limits. I Investigators found thcU the
amount ofmcney that remained unaccounted/or wasfairly
significant.
generous Ild,3enJldsl an amount that is generous is
larger than the amount that is needed or expected ladjl
Weare not expecting a generous pay rise. 1 She served us help.
ings 0/ meat and potato pie that were very generous. 1 I
usunlly stiragenerous quantity a/rum into thecalre mixture.
h8ndsom. Ilhrensc?m/ handsome reward/donation/
tip/ profit etc (=a large amount of money, especially one
that is generously given) ladj usunUy before noun}
Ozzie i£ft a very handsome tip on the plate. I She received a
handsome reward for finding the wallet.
hefty I 'heftil hefty fme/ charge/bill etc (=an amount of
money that you have to pay that you think is unfairly large)
[adj only before noun ]
He received a hefty finefor causing an accident while driv-
ing. 1 The goods were delivered in three days, accompanied
by a hefty bill.
8 words for describ ing extremely large numbers
or amounts
huge/enormous colossal
vast immense
massive whopping
huge/enormous Ihju:d3 , Ilro:rm~sl (adjJ
A huge number ofpeople turned up for the demcnstration. 1
Their profits are enornwus. I Joan had very litti£ nwney and
herhalel biU was huge. I Enornwus sums ofmoney have been
spent on the construction of the Channel Tunnel.
v.st IVCJ!st 11 vrestJ a vast amount, sum, number etc is so
large that it cannot be easily measured [adj usually before
noun]
The refugees arrWed in vast numbersfrom vilioges all along
th£ border. I Vast quantities of food and drink were con-
sumed at the wedding.
mas.lv. Ilmreslvl so large that it is hard to imagine or
deal with ladjl
Myoverdra[t is massive. I'll never beab/etopay itoff.1 The
sums involved are massive - over $12 billion in thejU"st year
alone.
colossal 11<o'10Si>1 i 1<0'10:-1 an amount, especially of
money, that is colossal is extremely and surprisingly large
ladj]
They spend a colossal anwunt of nwney on their children. I
Jack managed to run up colossal debts with his credit card.
134 BIG
Immens. /ll mens/ extremely large. and often causing
difficulty or problems ladjl
Immense numbers ofrats cxx:upy th£ s£wers ofLondon. IMick
and Keith used to drink immense qunntities of rum.
whopping IIWOpl1) 11 'wo:-I an informal word: a whop-
ping sum of money or number is extremely large and sur-
prising ladj only before noun]
He managed to get a TV C€i£brity to open the theatre - but
at a whoppingfee. I At thedivorC€proceedings shedemandeci
the car and a whopping two-thirds of the family business.
9 large in degree , for example a serious
problem, an accident that invo lves a [at of
people, or a job that involves a [at of work
big large scale/large-scale
great huge/enonnous
major immense
considerable tremendous
big IbIg! ladj only before noun I
The city has a big probi£m with drugs. I We had a big argu-
ment and she i£ft me. I If you think I'm roming with you,
you're making a big mistalre.
gr••t Igrelt/ having a big and important effect or result,
especially a good effect or result ladj only before noun]
Thanks. You've been a great help. I It would be of great
assistance ifcustomers could have the exact money ready. I
1 have great difficulty in reading witlUJut my glasses.
major Ilmeld3~rf big, especially in a way that could cause
serious difficulties [adj only before rwun ]
Heavy traffzc is a major problem in most cities. 1 Think care-
fully before you decide on such a major undertaking. I
Nuclear weapons are a major obstacle on the road to peace.
consld.rabl. Ik~nlsld<Jr;)ball a formal word meaning
large enough and important enough to have an effect or
make a difference {adj usually before rwun I
It was so icy that Mabel had ronsiderable diffICUlty in reach-
ing the top of the hill. I /ifler applying for a visa th£re is
always a considerable delay before you receive it.
large scalellarg.scale 1,10:'d3 'sked -I affecting a lot
of things or people at the same time ladjl
Large-scale devewpment has given new life to the inner city. I
large scale investment in the industry's future Ion a large
scale Devewping countries will need help on a large scale
for many years to come.
huge'enormous/hj.,d3, I 'ro:'=1 extremely big ladjl
The city 0/ Detroit has a huge crime problem. I Having
famcus parents is an enormous help in any career. I The
difference between living in the country and living in the city
is huge. I They took on the huge job of teaching East euro-
peans about Western business techniques.
Immen•• I1I mensl needing or involving a large amount
of attention, effort, money etc ladjJ
Running an organization ofthis size is an immense respon-
sibility. I His contribution to the team '5 success has been
immense.
tremendOUs/tn ImendClS/ big, important and often excit-
ing (adjl
My new job will be a tremendous challenge. 1 Your advice
has been a tremendous help to us. 1 It was a trel1U!ndous
thrill, meeting her in person.
10 words for describing changes Ihat a re very
b ig or have important effects
big radical
major fundamental
sweeping
big IbIg! [adj usually bifore noun]
There are going to be some big changes around here when
the new chairman takes over. l It's a big improvement. I The
roWICi/ has had a big change ofpolicy and no longerfavours
centralization.
major Ilmeld~rl having a big and important effect [adj
usually before nounl
BIG
We have been told to expect major changes in the Earth's
weather during the next ten years. I a major rethink of our
long-term strategy
aw••plng /lswi:PIOI sweeping changes/reforms
(=ones that affect every part of a system. organization etc)
[ad} only blifore noun] . because it has been pulled [v 11
The Government has announced sweeping changes to Bri-
tain's National Health Service. I While he was in office he
made sweeping reforms affecting the justice system.
radlcal/1rredlvll producing a very different situation
from the one that existed [atUI
He made radical alterations to hlsflat and then sold it at a
huge profit. I There has been a radical improvement in
Keith's behaviour since he changed sclwols.
radically [advl She's changed radically since she got
married.
fundam.ntal/,ft\nd~'mentl"'l fundamental changes/
differences etc (=affecting even the Simplest and most
important Parts of something) [adj usually before noun]
There must be afundamental change in the way we live our
lives ifwe are to save the planet. I After the break· in the chief
ordered afundamental review ofthe security arrangements. I
There will clearly have to befundamental alterations to the
country's economic structure.
fundamentally [advl The two players havefwulanumtally
different styles.
11 the fact of being big in size or degree
size
magnitude
Size lsa,z/ [n UI
He was very rude to his school/riends and only his size
stopped themfrom hitting him. 1 The sheer size ofthe build-
ing was amazing. I I hadn't realized the size of the problem
until now. 1of that size They shauldn 't ke€p a dog of that
size in such a small apartment.
magnitude I'mregn!tju:d 11 -tu:dl the magnitude of a
problem/disaster/decision etc (=a [onna] word meaning
great size and importance) In UJ
I cannot emphasize too strongly the magnitude of this
problem. 1ofthls/such magnitude D<rlsionsofthls mag·
nitude shauld not be talren by one person alone. 1The oil spil·
lage in the Gulf was of such magnitude that ils effects wtll
last for decades.
12 to get bigger
gel bigger swell up
expand stretch
grow
get bigger Iget 'b'g.'1 [v phrase]
Mexioo City Is getting bigger every day. 1 That domp patch
on the ceiling has got bigger since yesterday. I As things get
nearer, they seem to get bigger.
exp.nd Ilk 'sprendl a word used especially in a technical
or scientific context meaning to get bigger (v 11
Metals expand when they are heated. 1 Physicists think that
thE universe Is expanding. 1The oomputer industry expanded
rapidly in the 1980s.
expanding (adj] There is an expanding market/or Mexi·
can beer.
expansion /Ik'sprenfan/ In VI Industrial expansion des·
troyed much of Britain's woodland.
grow Igroul to gradually get bigger or gradually increase
In degree [v IJ
Mark's business grew rapidly in thefirst year. I This town
has grown a lot since I was a boy. I Her excitement grew as
she approached his house.
growth Igrovel [n UJ Economic growth Is the only thing tfuU
can save the country.
growing [ad}1 Drug abuse Is a growing problem among the
young.
swan up f Iswel lAp/ if a part of your body swells up, it
becomes larger than usual, especially because of an illness
or injury (phr v IJ
135 bill
I dropped a brick on myfoot and itswelledup Ulrea balloon. 1
The side of his face swelled up after he had two teeth taken
out.
stretch /stretII if something such as a piece of clothing
stretches, it gets bigger and changes its shape especially
Your jeans will stretch a little once you start wearing them. I
The elastic stretches so that the shoe can be slipped on and
off 1 This fabric will stretch if yau wash it in hot water.
13 words for describing a part of the body that is
bigger than usual because of illness, injury
etc
swollen
pufly
swollen l'sw""I.", [ad)]
Thechild's stomach wasswollenftum malnutrition. 1What's
the matrer? Your eyes look swollen. 1 I can't play today - rue
got a swollen ankle.
puffy I' pAfil puffy eyes/face/mouth/skin etc (=bigger
and softer than normal because part of your skin is raised
as a result of being hit, rubbed ete) [ad}1
Her eyes were pt4Jy from lack of sleep. 1 Gabe had the red,
pt4Jy face ofa hard drinker. 1 After a day in the sun our skin
was already pliffy and sore.
14 to make something bigger
extend blow up
stretch magntfy
enlarge
extend 11 kI stendJ to make something larger in area or
range by adding something to it [v T]
They want to extend their luJuse by building a bedroom over
thegarage. I The public gardens cannot be extended because
the town council is bankrupt. I Soft drinks companies are
constantly battling to extend their share of the market.
extension Ilk'stenJ~nj In Cl The extension to the National
Museum MUSes the Picasso collection.
stretch Istret!1 to pull something, especially cloth, so
much that it loses its shape and increases in length, width,
or area Iv TJ
The weight oftheftsh stretched the net until it almost brolre. 1
I lent him my sweater and he stretched it so much that now
it reaches my knees.
enlarge/ln ' la: f d31 to make something, such as a photo-
graph or a space, larger Iv Tl
That's a nice photo, why don't yau get it enlarged? I If the
opening is too small, you can always enlarge it later. I The
new plwtocopier will enlarge documents by up to 100%.
enlargement [n Cl an enlargement of the wedding photo
blow up l,blO<! 'Apl to make a photograph much larger,
especially in order to examine its details [phr v Tl
blow stblit/them up You should blow that photo up and
frame it. I blow up sth This section of the print has been
blown up and the enemy's tanks can be clearly seen.
magnify /'mregnlfal/ to make an image or detail larger
especially by using a microscope [v TJ
This microscope can magnifY an object up to forty times. I
The image is magnlfzed by a series of lenses within the
telescope.
bigger: gel bigger BIG 12
bigger: gel lallerlblgger GROW/GET BIGGER I
j blggesl MAIN I
11 biggish BIG I
bighead BOAST 2
blgheadad PROUD 4
bigol PREJUDICED 1
blgoled PREJUDICED I
blgolry PREJUDICED 3
bilingual SPEAK A LANGUAGE 9
; bill LAW I , PAY FOR 15, 16
.. bill: III Ihe bill SUITABLE 1
bill 136 black and while
bill: foot the bill PAY FOR 9 bite lba't! Iv I/ TI
blmbo STUPID/NOT INTELLIGENT 3 bite sb You can stroke the cat, she won't bite you. I bite sb
bind TIE 3 on the face/hand/leg etc She was bitten on the face and
binding STR ICT 4 hands by a vicious German Shepherd dog. I bite Do notfeed
biography STORY 7 these animals. They may bite.
birth BABY/HAVE A BABY 4 give ab a blte /,g lv (sb) a'baItI to bite someone, not very
birth: be American/French/Japanese ate by birth hard Iv phrasel
COME FROM/ORIGINATE 1 The puppy gave me a biU! while I was playing with it. I f
birth: give birth BABY/HAVE A BABY 5 tlwughtyou said your parrot was tame? It '5 just given me
birth: place 01 birth COME FROM/ORIGINATE 2 a nasty bite.
birth: the birth of BEGINNING 2 sink your t.eth Into I.SIl)kj;)!f Iti:9 IOto:/ to bite apart
birth mart< MARK 4 of the body very hard and violently Iv phrase)
birthplace COME FROM/ORIG INATE 2, 9 The dog jumpedforward and sank its /<!eth into my leg. I She
birthright RIGHT/HAVE THE RIGHTTO 6 sank her teeth into his hand, kicked him in the groin, and
bisexual HOMOSEXUAL 1 ran for her /ife.
bit PART 1, PIECE 1 anap at IISnc.ep retJ to try to bite someone by making quick
bit: a bit LITTLE/NOT VERY 1, SHORT TIME 1 biting movements Iv TJ
bit: a bit 01 LITTLE/NOT MUCH 1, 3 , 8 Every time your puppy snaps at someone, you should let it
I bit: a tiny bit lITTLElNOT VERY 1 know it is doing something wrong. I Sean came running
I bit: do your bit HELP 1 down the road with a small dog snapping at his heels.
bit: every bit of/Inch of/ounce of/drop of
ALUEVERYTH ING 2
bit: not a bit NOT 2
3 a wound caused by an animal or insect biting
you
bit by bit SLOW 3
bit much: it's a bit much UNFAIR 2 bite
bitch COMPLAIN 2 bite Ib.III In Cl
bitch about CRITICIZE 5 Animal bites should be treated immediately. I We woke up
bitchy UNKIND 2 to find ourselves covered in mosquito bites.
bite BITE 1, 2, 3 , MEAL 7
bite: bite your tongue SAY 9 4 to bite something several times, especially
bite: give sb a bite BITE 2 food
bite: grab somethingla bite to eat EAT 2 chew gnaw
bite: take a bite BITE 1
chew your n811s/8 pencil etc peck
bite Into BITE 1
chew /tJu:/ to bite food several times before swallowing

I
bite off BITE 1
bite Ib's head off/jump down ab's throat it Iv IITI
ANSWER/REPLY 2 chew 5th Don't eat so quickly. Chew your food. I chew He
filled his mouth and began to chew.
chew your nell.'e penclletc Itfn: (your nails, ete)1 to
• BITE bite something repeatedly, especially because you are
bored or because you are thinking about something else
1 to bite something Iv phrase I
Helen sat chewing her pencil, unable to write a word. I I like
2 to bite someone chewing gum, it helps me to concentrate. I chew on sth
3 a wound caused by an animal or insect biting Babies like to chew on their fingers when their teeth start to
you come through.
4 to bite something several times, especially gnaw /TO:/ ifanimals gnaw something they bite it repeat-
food edly with their sharp front teeth in order to eat it or des-
troy it Iv IITI
gnaw sth The dog sat in the yard and gnawed its bone. I
gnaw atlon Beavers have teeth strong enough to gnaw at
1 to bite someth ing wood for Iwurs, I gnaw through The mice must have
bite bite off gnawed through the pipe.
bite Into take a bite peck lpekl if a bird pecks something, it makes quick
repeated movements with its beak to try to bite it Iv l i T)
bite lballl Iv TI peck 5th A bird flew down and pecked my head. I peck at
f never biU! my nails, I Barry bit the corner of the packet to chickens that were pecking at the breadcrumbs I peck Wood-
open it. peckers have a iong beak, specially designed for pecking.
bite In CI After two bites ofthe appU! he realised it was rotten. peck In Cl With a quick peck, the bird macle a Iwle in the
bite Into I 'b.II IOtml to bite a piece of food Iv TI eggshell.
He took out a sandwich and bit intoiL I Oneofmy teeth broke
as I was biting into an apple. bits: be failing apart/failing to bits CONDITION/STATE
OF STH 5
bite oH I,ba't 'of 11 -'"fl to remove something by biting
it Iphr v TI bits: faU to bits/pieces/go to pieces BREAK 10
bite olTsth The dog's bitten off the heel of my SMe. I His bits and bobo THING 2
favourite trick is to biU! the tops off bottles. I bite sthllt! bits and pieces THING 2
them off Just bite it off if you can't cut it. bitter SOUR 1
bitter end: to the bitter end FINISH DOING STH 7
take a bite /Itelk Cl 'baItI to bite a piece of food and eat
bitter experience: know from bitter experience
it Iv phrase)
She nodded and took a bite of doughnut. If took a biU!, and KNOWSTH 1
it tasted good. bitterly coldlbitter COLD 5
bizarre STRANGE 6
blab TELL A SECRET 2
2 to bite someone black: be In the btack OWE 8
bite sink your teeth into black and white COLOUR/COLOR 7
give sb 8 bite snap at black and white: In black and white COLOUR/COLOR 7,
WRITE 13
black and white 137 BLAME
black and white: see things In black and white putlle,. the blame on "put, ,Iel 0., 'blelm onl to say
SIMPLE/NOT COMPLICATED 4 who you think is responsible for something bad that has
black look: glv8 ab a dlrtylblack look LOOK AT 7 happened, often unfairly or wrongly [v phrase]
black magic MAGIC 1 After their separation he laid the blame on his wife. I
black marl<et SELL 5 put/ lay the blame on sb for sth The press will put the
black out/have a blackout UNCONSCIOUS 2 blame on the president for the breakdown of negotiations.I
black sheep BAD PERSON 4 puU lay the blame for sth on sb/ sth Farmers have laid
blacklist FORBID 3 the blame/or their problems entirely on EC policies.
blackmail THREATEN 2 apportion blame 1~,JX'!fJ~n 'blelmj to officially state
blackmail: emotional blackmail FORCE 58 TO DO STH 2 which people are responsible for something bad that has
blame BLAME 1 happened Iv phrasel
blame: be to blame FAULT/BE SB'S FAULT 1 It is not easy for the Committee of Inquiry to apportion blame
blame: do not/cannot blame CRITICIZE 9 in such a complicated. case.
blame: get the blame/get blamed BLAME 2 hold sb responsible I ,hould (sb) n'sponslbal 11 -'spa:n·1
blame: only have yourself to blame FAULT/BE SB'S to say that it is someone's fault that som ething bad has
FAULT 1 happened because it was their duty to prevent this from
blame : put/lay the blame on BLAME 1 happening Iv phrase I
blame: shift the blame BLAME 4 hold sb responsible for It 's notfair - our boss is holding
blame: take the blame BLAME 2 us responsibl£for all the company's problems. I hold sb
blame yourself FAULT/BE S8'S FAULT 1 responsible if the buses do not run on time, the drivers
shauld be held responsibl£. I hold sb partly/ largely/
entirely responsible The shipment never arrived, and we
Iblamel----.., are holding thefreight company entirely responsible. I hold
sb personally responsible (=blame one person only) ![the
team fails to increase sales this time, 1 shall Iwld you
which meaning? personally responsible.
reproach yours_" In lpr~J j:>:f ,selfl to feel that some-
say that something is • BLAME thing is your fault and wish that you had done more to pre·
vent a bad situation from happen ing Iv phrase )
someone's fault There 's no point in reproaching yourself. there's nothing you
say publicly that • ACCUSE could have done. I reproach yourself for He reproached
himself con.<;;tantly for not having visited his sick mother
someone is guilty of a before she died.
crime
be responsible for • FAULT/BE SB'S 2 to be blamed for something bad that has
something bad that FAULT happened even if it is not your fault
happens get the blame/get blamed take the rap
be in the firing line carry the can
take the blame take the fall
. BLAME get the blame/get blamed I ,get 00 'blelm, get 'bteundi
Iv phrasel
1 to say or think Ihat someone is responsible for Hurry up! It 's me who'll get the blame ifwe're lale. I The
something bad that has happened airline usually gets blamed if there's a major disaster. I get
2 to be blamed for something bad that has the blame/get blamed for sth The other boys all ran
happened even if it is not your fault away, and Billy got the blame for the accident. I get the
blame/ get blamed for doing sth Karen got blarrwdfor
3 someone who is unfairly blamed for something losing the _I.
4 to blame someone else for something that is
be In the firing IIne /bi: In O~ 'fal~rllJ lalnl ifa person,
really your fault or responsibility group, or organization is in the firing line, they are pub-
5 to say that someone who has been blamed licly blamed for something bad that has happened because
for something is not in fact responsible they are offi cially resJX>nsible Iv phraseJ
6 the act or feeli ng of blaming someone Rail bosses are in thejiring line again/ollowing last week's
mxident. I When the sharehaltkrsfina out about this, you're
going to be in the firing line.
1 to say or think that someone is responsible for take the blame I ,telk O. 'bleunl to accept that peopte
something bad that has happened will blame you for something, either because it is your fault
blame apportion blame or because they think it is your fault Iv phraseJ
say 5th is Bb's fault hold sb responsible
take the blame for I don 't see why I shauld takl! the bla17ll!
for all your mistakes. I He must realize that he 's done some·
put/lay the blame on reproach yourself thing wrong ana that he '/I have to take the blame for it. I
blame Iblem" Iv TI take the blame If this plan goes wrong we'll both take the
blame sb You always blame someone else wMn things go blame.
wrong. I I think your plan is crazy, so don't blame me if it take the rap /,telk 6~ 'rrepl an informal expression
doesn't work! I blame sb for sth The investigators blamed meaning to be blamed and punished for a crime or a mis-
the driver for the train crash. I Susan never said anything, take, even if you did not do it I v phrase I
but secretly SM blamed Mr sister for the child 's death. I take the rap for The police will make sure someone takes
blame sth on sb/ sth Whenru?r children behave badly, the rapfor this, and they don 't care woo it is. I take the rap
people always try and blame it on the teachers. It was a bad mistakl! and I'll probably t.o.kI! tlJ£ rap.
say sth is ab's tauR ! ,sel (slh) I Z (sb's) '6:lt/ to say that carry the can I ,kreri ~~ 'keenj an informal British
someone is responsible for something bad that has hap- express ion meaning to be blamed and punished for some-
pened [v phraseJ thing when it is someone else's fault as well as your OWll
She says it's my fault, but I wasjust doing what she told me Iv phrase I
to do. I Would you say that unemployment is always tM The otlJ£rs all escaped, ana I was l£ft to carry the can. I carry
government'sfault? I He's always said it was her fault that the can for They can sort it out themselves. I'm IIDt carry-
M lost his job. ing the can/or them !
BLAME 138 blue
take the feU,.teIk Oa I ( )!)f an American expression bland ORDINARY 2 , STRONG TASTE OR SMELL 3 .
meaning to be blamed and punished for a mistake or a TASTE OF FOOD OR DRINK 3
crime, even if you did not do it Iv phrase] blank EMPTY 5 . EXPRESSION ON SB'S FACE 3
take the fall for If you think I'm going to roke the fall for blank: draw a blankJcome up with empty hands FAIL 2
the scandal just to protect the Senator, you're crazy. I take blank: your mind goes blank FORGET 3
the fall He won 't go tojail, he'll get one of his associates to blanket ALUEVERYTHING 4
roke the fall. blarelblare out LOUD/NOISY 8
bias' DON 'T CARE 4
3 someone who is unfairly blamed for something blast EXPLODE 4 , TELL S8 OFF 2
blast: at full volume/at full blast LOUD/NOISY 8
scapegoat blast: be 8 blast ENJOY/LIKE DOING STH 5
fall guy blast: have a blast ENJOY/LIKE DOING STH 2
scapegoat , 'skelpgaut/ someone who is unfairly blamed bla8t~off UP 5
or punished for something, because the public want to see blatant OBVIOUS 4
that someone is blamed or punished for it [n Cl btaze FIRE I , SHINE 1
Thecaptain wasjust a scapegoat. The real villains were the blazing BRIGHT 2 , BURN 1
people in charge of the shipping comp any. I The public is bleak HOPE 10. SAD/U NHAPPY 10
looking for a scapegoat, but no one will be punished until bleary-eyed TIRED 8
a full inquiry has been held. bleeding: be bleeding INJ URE 4
fall guy [I f:>:I ga 1/ an American word meaning someone bleep SOUND 14
who is blamed for something because they have been blemish MARK 4
deceived by the people who are really responsible [n Cl blend MIX 2 . 7 . 8
Journalists asked if the Secrerory of Srote was going be the blend In SUIT/LOOK GOOD TOGETHER 2
fall guy for the President's secret arms deal. I There's no blend intolblend In with DISAPPEAR 1
betrer fall guy than a dead man. blessed: be blessed wHh HAVE 4
blind HIDE/NOT SHOW 5 , SEE 15, SIGHT/ABILITY TO
SEE 3 , 4
4 to blame someone else for somelhing that is blind: blind 8S a bat SIGHT/ABILITY TO SEE 2
real~ your fault or responsibility ~ blind drunk DRUNK 3
shift the blame t. blind eye: turn a blind eye IGNORE 3
pass the buck blind faith TRUST 2
blindfolded: can do 8th blindfolded EASY 5
shift the blame / ,11ft 0, 'blelm/ lv phrasel blinding BRIGHT 3
shift the blame onto sb You can't always shift the blame blindlngly obvious OBVIOUS 3
onto your secrerory. I shift the blame for sth Nato shifted
blink SHINE 4
the blameforescalating the arms race onto the Soviet Union. ' blink: be on the blink BROKEN 4
p ••• the buck ' Ipa:s ~;! Ib.... k 11 Ipre s ~' a n informal blinkered PREJUDICED 2
expression meaning to try to blame someone else for a bliss HAPPY 8
problem at work that you are responsible for [v phrase1 blissful HAPPY 7
pass the buck to sb It was his mistake but he tried to pass blissfully happy HAPPY 2
the buck to another manager. I pass the buck You can deal blitz: have a blitz on DEAL WITH 1
with these complaints yourself. It's no use trying to pass the
bloated FULL 3
buck.
blob LIQUID 8
block AREA 2 . BU ILD 3 , PIECE 2 , PREVENT 3 , 6 , 8 .
5 10 say that someone who has been blamed SQUARE 3
for something is nol in facl responsible block up SH UT/CLOSE 6
exonerate blockade PREVENT 6
blockbuster POPULAR 3
exonerate IIg'zonarelt It Ig1za:-1 to publicly and om· bloke: guy/bloke/chap MAN 1
cially show that someone who has been blamed for some. blood-curdling FRIGHTENED 6
thing is not in fact responsible for it [v TJ bloodthirsty CRUE L 1
False accusations were made, but he was eventually exaner· bloody ANNOY 5 , VERY 1
ated. I Twice Bryson was tried and twice exonerated of all blot on the landscape UGLY 4
b/am£. biot out HIDE/MAKE IT HARD TO FINO OR SEE 4
blotch MARK 4
6 the act or feeling of blaming someone blotchy
blow
MARK 5
BREATHE 3 . HIT 3 . SHOCK 7 , SPEND MONEY 3
recriminations
blow: be a serious blow to HARM/BE BAD FOR 1
reproach
blow: come to blows FIGHT 1
recrimination. frllkrlm11neIJanzl asltuation in which blow-by-blow account DETAIL 4
people are blaming each other (n plural] blow hot and cold about CHANGE YOUR MIND 3
Family life had become unbearable/or her - the arguments, blow it/blow your chances CHANCE/OPPORTUNITY 5
the recriminations, the accusations - so she left. I A lways the blowout STOP STH THAT IS HAPPENING 11
coward, he left a note and slipped. away quietly, avoiding the blow the gaH TELL A SECRET 3
recriminations which he knew would follow. blow the whistle TELL 11
reproach In 'pr.x.JtJI sadness that someone has done blow up A IR 6 , BIG 14, EXPLODE 1, 3
something that they should be blamed for In VI blow 5th up out 01 all proportion EXAGGERATE 2
I was sure he was gUilty and I couldn't talk to him without blow your own trumpet /hom BOAST 1
a feeling of reproach. I Jenny turned to her matMr with a blow your toplhit the root/go crazy/go nuts/have a ' It
look ofreproach. "Did you throwaway my dolis?" she asked ANGRY 4
blubber/blub CRY 3
blue SEX/HAVE SEX WITH 11
blue: be blue with cold COLD 6
"You say" is used in definitions of some blue: leel blue SAD/UNHAPPY 2
words or phrases to show they are blue: out 01 the blue EXPECT 9, SUDDENLY 1
especially used in Spoken English.
blue-collar 139 BODY
blue-collar CLASS IN SOCIETY 4 He was telling us again last night MW he saved the lOOm
blu.....yed boy FAVOURITElFAVORITE 2 from certain defeat. Hejust loves blowing his own trwnpet.1
blue moon: once In a blue moon RARELY 1 Sometimes you have to blow your own horn a little if you
blue streak: can talk a blue streak TALK TO S8 15 want to get on in life.
blueprint PLAN 5 crow 1kr.xJ1 a British word meaning to boast about some·
bluff PRETEND 4 thing you have achieved. especially when other people
blunder MISTAKE 3, 4 have been less lucky or successful (v I1
blunt HONEST 4, SHARP 4 Just because you got tire job and Tony didn't, I don't think
blur CLEAAJEASY TO UNDERSTAND 6 you should crow. 1crow about/over We shouldn't start
blurred CLEAR/EASY TO SEE 3 crowing about these profits yet. 1 The crowd was crowing
blurt out SAY 4 over the West Indies' early victory.
blush EMBARRASSED 2 name-clrop Il nelm drop 11 -dra:pl to frequently mention
board GET ON OR OFF A BUS, PLANE ETC 1, the names offamous or important people that you have met
GROUP OF PEOPLE 9 , STAY WITH SB, IN A or spoken to, to make people think that you know them
HOTEL ETC 2 very well Iv IJ
board: on board/aboard GET ON OR OFF A BUS, "When J met Mrs Thatcmr, .. said Edwina. name<iropping,
PLANE ETC 1 "she seemed a very pleasant woman. "
board: take on board ACCEPT 3 name-<iropping In U I Tire book is full of nome-dropping
board: Ihe board MANAGER 3 and gossip. but not much else.
board: sweep the board WIN 4
boaal BOAST 1, HAVE 4
2 words for describing someone who boasts a
I lot
~ I boastful be att talk
bighead name-dropper
boa.tfull 'b:>USlr.11 ladjl
Ican'tstand him. He 's justa boastfUl, conceited little man. I
After more wine had been drunk, everyone became loud and
boastful.
boastfully ladv) "Yes, we have a Mereedes and a Rolls,"
said Jay boastfUlly.
bighead I'b,g/ledl someone who thinks they are very
~ . SHOWOFF important and who shows this by often boasting about
their abilities or achievements rn Cl
None oftire other kids like him, because Ire's such a bighead. I
Billy was a bighead even be/ore he won that prize.
ba all talk Ibh ,,,1 'b:kl if you say that someone is all
talk, you mean that they make all their plans and their
achievements seem more impressive than they really are,
. BOAST and people should not believe them [v phrase]
Sam'sall tolk. I wouldn't wke him tooseriously ifIwereyou.
to talk too proudly about your abilities, n.m.~dropp.r Il nelm drop~r II-dra:p-I someone who
achievements, or possessions because you often mentions the names of famous or important people
want to make other people admire you that they have met or spoken to. in order to make people
admire them In Cl
1 to boast A very distant relative of the Queen, she 's one of the worst
2 words for describing someone who boasts a name-droppers I've ever met.
lot

I boastfut BOAST 2
boat: miss Ihe boal CHANCE/OPPORTUNITY 5
bobs: bits and bobs THING 2
1 to boast bode well/itt SHOW/BE A SIGN OF 6
boast crow bodily BODY 5
brag n.me-drop body BODY 1, 2 , 3 . 4. ORGANIZATION 2
blow your own trumpetlhom body of opinion OPINION 2
boa.t Ib:>USlI I v IITI
boast about She's always boasting about how clever her
children are. I boast Listen, I know you came first in the • BODY
class, but there's no need to keep boasting. I ''I'm not afraid
of any of them," sire boasted, I boast (that) Hank used to 1 the body of a person or animal
boast that Ire had killed over a dozen men, I boast of Two 2 the shape, size, or strength of a person's
YOlUlg men in suits were standing at the W, boasting o/how body
much mOn£» they'd made that week. 3 a part of the body
boast In ClOne ofhis boasts (=things that he boasts about) 4 the body of a dead person or animal
is that he can tell/rom someone's accent exactly where they
comefrom. 5 affecting or concerning your body
brag Ibrregl to boast in a way that annoys other people
Iv liT)
brag about I wish he'd stop bragging about how rich his 1 the body of a person or animal
parents are. I brag I'm the only person he'lllislen w. I'm not
bragging - it's trut!. I brag (that) Kevin used to brag that body
he took a different girl home every night. body I'bodi a 'be,dil In C)
blow your own trumpet (British) I hom (American) By the time I got home my body ached all over and I knew
"bl3U j:>:r iKJn IlrAmp~t, 1h:>:rnJ infonnal expressions mean· I was gettingjlu. I The human body is like an incredibly corn·
ing to boast, especially about what you have achieved plex, delicately balanced machine. I Mammals are charac·
Iv phrasel terized by having hair on their Ixxlies and giuing birth to
BODY
live young. 1 70 to 80 per cent of tire e""rgy required by tire
body is supplied by carbohydrates.
2 the shape, size, or strength of a person 's
body
body figure
build physique
body I'bodi 11 'ba:dil the shape of someone's body In Cl
Jarre Fonda has an amazing body for a woman ofher age. I
A lot of people feel ashamed of tlreir bodies and don't like
taking off their clothes in public.
build Iblldl the natural size and shape of someone's body
In singu/ar/U I
You're exactly ,Ire right buildfora rugby player - you'vegot
good strong broad shoullkrs. I He looks rather like me - we
both have tire same build. lofmedium/slim/ large/small
etc build Tire man the police are looking/or is about thirty
years old, tall, blond and of medium build.
figure I lflgOl r 11 'flgjar/ the shape of someone's lxxly, espe-
cially a woman's body (n C usually singular]
Sire has a fantastic figure - sire could be a model if sire
wanied W. 1 SusU! wore a close-fitting black dress which made
tire mostoflrer figure. 1keep your figure ( ~ keep your body
an attractive shape) Sh£ eats enormous meals but still
manages w keep Irer figure. 1get your figure back ( ~ make
your body an attractive shape again after having a baby
etc) Exerciseand a sensible diet will help you get your jrgure
back ajrer having a baby.
physique ffA' Zi:kJ the shape of someone's body, espe-
ciallya man's lxx1y. used when saying how strong they look
In singular]
William was tall and handsome and had a slim, muscular
physique. 1 His boyish good looks and powerful manly
physique make him very attractive to women.
3 a part of the body
part 01 the body 11mb
body organ
torso
part of the body I ,pa:'!,v 0, 'bodi 11 -'ba:dil In phrase)
Tire oancer may have sprood tootlrer parts ofher body. 1More
lreat is lost through tire !read than through any other part
of tire body. 1 Each exercise is designed w build up muscies
in a different part of your body.
body I'bodi 11 'ba:dil someone's body, not including the
head, legs, or arms [nCl
Mr Price's long body and slwrt arms and legs gave him a
rather strange appearance. 1 The black widow spider has
red-orange markings on its body. 1 Baby monkeys cling to
their mothers' bodies until they are old erwugh to start climb-
ing by tlremselves.
tono JIO:fSOOJ the main part ofa person's body, especially
the upper part including the chest, but not including the
head, arms, or legs In C J
The painting slwwed the torso of a naked woman. 1 Kevin
liked to walk around the house in nothing but a pair ofjeans,
slwwing off his muscular torso. 1 The search led to the dis·
covery of a headless torso in the woods.
11mb IlIm! a word used especially in literature and in med-
ical contexts meaning an arm or a leg In Cl
When ixlbies are born they have very little control over their
limbs. 1 Hundreds ofchildren inAfghanistan have lost limbs
qf!er stepping on mines. 1Tire ca/fsWOd up slowly, with trem-
bling limbs and took its first, uncertain steps.
organ /IO:fg<)n/ a part ofa body, for example the heart or
lungs, that does a particular job In C)
The liver is an extremely complex organ. 1 This diagram
shawstlrepositionoftlremainorgansofspeech. 1Tire baby's
sexual organs are among tire last to develop inside the
womb. 1 vital organs (=most important organs such as the
heart) Her vital organs are intact and she has a good chance
of rerovery.
140 bolt
4 the body of a dead person or animal
body stiff
remains
corpse
cadaver ashes
body I' bodi 11 'ba:dil the body of someone who has
reoently died Cl[n
Police found tire body of a young boy in Epping Forest last
night. 1 Tire woman fell w lrer knees beside lrer son's body
and began crying and wailing. 1 The bodies of tire two sold-
iers were buried with full military Iwoors at Arlington
National Cemetery. 1 dead body What's the matter? Haven't
you seen a dead body before?
corp •• Jb: f psI the body of a dead person, used when you
consider the body as an object and not as a person In Cl
Thieves are digging up rorpses in order to steaijewellery and
gold teeth. 1 Tire streets werefilied with tire stench ofdecaying
corpses.
cadaver Jb'drev<)f, k~ldel - 11 k<)'dre-/ a medical word
meaning the body of a dead person In Cl
In the room was a stainless steel table, on which lay two
cadavers covered in white sheets. 1 Picasso studies an object
the way a surgeon dissects a cadaver.
stiff /soff an informal word meaning the body of a dead
person, used especially in a humorous way In Cl
Hey Sarge! Did you hear? We found another stiff down by
tire docks. 1 Swp standing there like a couple ofstiffs andgive
me some help.
remains /nlmemzl the parts of someone's body that .
remain after they die, especially after their body has been
dead for a long time [n plural]
They found the remains of a young woman under thej100r
boards. 1Theserockscontainthefossilised remainso/extind
animals. 1 The architect's remains are interred in St Paul's
cathedraL
a.h •• "reHz/ the white powder that is left after a lxx1y
has been burned as part of a funeral ceremony In plural]
Sire had brought Irer fatlrer's ashes backfrom England. 1
They burn€d Gandhi's body and scattered the ashes on the
waters of the Jumna river.
5 affecting or concerning your body
physical
bodily
physical I 'flzlkall ladjl
Your son appears w be in good physical!realth. 1 Sire has
suffered terrible physical as well as emotional abusefor over
12 years. 1 A lot ofBritish people avoid physical contact with
strangers. 1Man's primary needs are physical - food, drink
and sleep. 1 physical fitness a training programme that
produces a high level ofphysicalfit1U!SS
physically [adv I At tire end of tire race sire was completely
exhausted, both mentally and physically. 1Attire age of 70
he's still physically very active.
bodily I'bodlli 11 'ba:-I bodily camforts/needs/func-
lions/sensations/suffering etc (=concerned with 'or
aIlecling the body) [adj only before noun)
14'hen you're in these remote places don 't you miss your bodily
comforts? 1 perform your bodily functions (""go to the
toilet. get washed etc) The villagers have to go down to tlU!
lake w perform most of tlreir bodily functions.
I bodyguard PROTECT 3
• bogged down: get bogged down DELAY 2
" bogus PRETEN D 6
!I boil COOK 2, 3
boil: make your blood boil ANGRY 8
boil down to/come down to MEANING 9
boiling HOT 8
boiling/boiling hot HOT 1, 5
boisterous ENERGETIC 1
bokl BRAVE 4
bollocklng: give sb a boltocklng TELL SB OFF 2
bolshylbotshle DIFFICULT 7
bott EAT 4. ESCAPE 4. SHUT/CLOSE 5
bolt from the blue 141 BORING
boil from the blue SHOCK 7
9 10 Iry 10 make a silual ion less boring
bolted SH UT/CLOSE 7
bomb FAIL 7, 8 10 ways of saying thal somelhing becomes
bomb: cost a bomb/the earth EXPE NSIVE 2 boring after a lime
bombard SHOOT 1, TH ROW 8
bombardment SHOOT 8
bombed/loaded DRUNK 3 1 words lor describing an evenl, aclivity, or
bombshell : drop 8 bombshell SHOCK 1 something that you have to do Ihal is boring
bona Ilde REAL/NOT FALSE OR ARTIFIC IAL 1
boring uninteresting
bond RELATIONSHIP 2
bone: have a bone to pick with .ARGU E 4 not very Interesting tedious
bone dry/dry 88 a bone DRY 1 dull uneventful
bone of ·contentlon DISAGREE 7 boring / 'bo:nq/ ladjl
bones: feel 5th In your bones PREDICT 2 All kids/ind schoolwork boring sometimes. I Jimmy could
bones: make no bones about It HONEST 4 never understand why so many people thought golf was
bonfire FIRE 2 boring. I Somehow f got involved in a ooring conversation
bonus PAY SB FOR WORK 3' about/ood prices,
bony THIN PERSON 4 not very Interesting Inot veri I Intr 1stll)I activities,
booblbooboo MISTAKE 5 events, etc that are not very interesting are ordinary and
book: bring sb to book PUNISH 1 not particularly enjoyable or interesting (adj phrase ]
book: by the book RIGHT/PROPER 3 The experiment we do today won't be very interesting but the
book: go by the book OBEY 2 results will be usliful. 1 ThefUm wasn't very interesting but
book: reservelbook BUY 4 we had a nice meal qfterwards.
booked : be booked uplfully booked SELL 16 dull /dAl1boring because nothing different, interesting, or
booking BUY 4 exciting happens (adj]
bookworm READ 7 We spent a dull afternoon with some of Harold's business
boom INCREASE IN NUMBER OR AMOUNT 11 , associates. 1She gotfed up with the dull routine of washing
SOUND 10, SUCCESSFUL 7 . and cooking for the family.
boom out LOUD/NOISY 8 unlntere.tlng IAn l lntr1stll)I something that is unin-
booming LOUD/NOISY 2, SUCCESSFUL 6 teresting is boring and ordinary, and there is nothing new,
boon: be a boon HELP 6 surprising, or different about it ladj )
boondocks: in the boondockslboonles FAR 5 Journalists often have to write exciting reports based on
boost HELP g , INCREASE IN NUMBER OR AMOUNT 6 quite uninteresting events. I Used to dealing with interna·
boost: give ab a boost/a fillipla lift CONFIDENT 5 tional JX)iitics, Te"i thinks our local affairs are remllrko.ply
boost: give 8th a boost HELP 5 uninteresting.
boost sb' s confidence CONFIDENT 5 tedious 11 ti:diasl something that is tedious seems to take
boost sb's ego CON FIDENT 5 or last a long time because it is uninteresting and always
boot KICK 1 the same (adj ]
boot: give sb the boot LEAVE A JOB OR Caring for old peopl£ has its rewards, but most of the time
ORGANIZATION 2 it's tedwus. If didn't want to start a game ofcards with John
boots: get too big for your boots PROUD 7 - f knew it would be tedious.
booze DRINK 6 uneventful / lAnl1ventbl4/ a period of time, journey etc
booze-up DRUNK 7 that is uneventful has nothing interesting or unusual in
boozy DRUNK 7 it ladjl
border EDGE 1, 2, NEXT TO 3 TheJZight to Los Angeles was long, uneventful and tiring.
border: cross the border ENTER 5
bordering on : verging on/borderlng on ALMOST 2, 4
borde~lne UNCERTAIN 3
2 words for describing a job or way of life Ihal
bore BORING 3, 4, HOLE 8 is boring
bored BORING 7 boring stultifying
bored: be bored to tears/bored stiff/bored out of not very inte:resting soul-destroying
your mind BORING 7 humdrum repetitive
boredom BORING 8 monotonous
boredom: relieVe the boredom/monotony BORING 9
bo~ng BORING 1, 2, 3 , 4, 5, 6 boring /'bo:nq/ ladjl
Since she retired, her life has become extremely ooring. I a
boring nine-w-fivejob in an oJFu:e I I can't think ofanything
. BORING more boring than living with just one person for the rest of
my life,
so uninteresting that it makes you feel tired, not very Inter.stlng Inot veri IlOtr 1st101 a job that is
annoyed, or impatient not verylnteresting is boring because the work is always
1 words for describing an event aclivity, or the same and is not very exciting or unusual (adj phrase]
somelhing that you have 10 do that is boring Computer programming isn't really a very interesting job. 1
Temping pays well, but it isn't very interesting.
2 words lor describing a job or way of life thal
humdrum IlhAmdrAml humdrum existence/life/job
is boring (=one in which nothing interesting or exciting ever hap-
3 words lor describing somelhing such as a pens and nothing changes) ladj] .
book, a speech, or a slory Ihal is boring Oa:asioTUlI holidays abroad were the only things that bnght·
4 words for describing a boring person ened up her otherwise humdrum (ife. I Going to night school
5 words for describing a place Ihal is boring to might improve your chances of getting out ofthat humdrum
live in job,
8 words for describing scenery, buildings elc Ihat monotonous Ima 1m:Onas 11 m:. I no:-I boring because you
have no interesting or unusual c haracteristics always do the same thing or because the same thing always
7 how you feel when you are doing something
happens ladjl
Some people think being a fashion model must be exciting
boring - infact it's very monotonous. 1Withoutgoodqualij"lCatilJns,
8 the feeling of being bored you cou ld easily end up in some monotonous job.
BORING
stultifying ,'stAItAfaI-lIJ/ a formal word meaning so
boring that you feel that you are losing your ability to think
intelligently ladj)
Women spend 10 hours a day at this stultifying factory work,
where they are not even allowed to talk to each other. I Soon
qfter her marriage, she began tofind her existence as a house-
wife quite stultifying.
soul·destroylng "saul dl ,str.)J-IIJ! ajob or an experience
that is soul-destroying is extremely boring and makes you
very unhappy because you feel that you are a useless
person and your life has no meaning (adj]
They spend all day sticking paper labels on toy cars - it's
soul-destroying. I Going to the unemployment office and
having to wait there for hours can be a soul-destroying
experience.
repetHlve In 'pet!tlvl if something such as a speech or
a piece of writing or music is repetitive, it is boring
because parts of it keep repeating again and again [adj ]
This is the sort a/repetitive operation that is best performed
by a computer. I Half the studenlsfell asll&!p during the long
and repetitive lecture.
3 words for describing something such as a
book, a speech, or a story that is boring
boring turgid
not very Interesting bore
long-winded send you to sleep
tedious
boring /'bJ:nQ/ ladj)
Once she starts a book. she always finishes it. even if it's
really boring. I He always eruts up Il!lling us one ofhis boring
stories about the war. I On their first date. Brian took Liz
to some boring exhibition of 18th century pottery.
not very Interesting Inrx veri I mtr~suJ)f a book. speech,
story etc that is not very interesting is boring because it
has nothing new or exciting in it ladj phrase]
His autobiography is well-written, but not really very
interesting. If didn't think that lecture about Goeth£ was very
interesting.
lOng-winded f,loJ) 'wmd~d .. I ,b:J)-/ a speech, descrip·
tion. or statement that is long-winded is too long and uses
a lot more words than are necessary [adj ]
Our teacher gives such long-winded answers to any question,
it's best not to ask him anything. I There was another long-
winded and unconvincing speech about the economy.
tedious f 'ti:dias/ a speech, story etc that is tedious is
boring and tiring, especially because it is too long [adjl
Tania gave me a tedious account of what she did at the
weekend. I Introducing too many characters at the beginning
of a story makes it tedious and confusing.
turgid "t3: rd3!df a turgid style of writing uses difficult
language with the result that it is boring and difficult to
read ladj)
The ideas in the book are good, but the slyle's so turgid that
no one will enjoy reading it. 11 spent a whole day ploughing
through piles of turgid legal manuscripts.
bore /ho, '/ to make someone feel bored, especially by talk-
ing too much about something they are not interested in
IV TI .
bore sb Am I boring you? I bore sb with (=bore someone
by talking about a particular subject) He bores everyone
with his stories about his girlfriends. I bore sb to death/to
tears (=make them very bored) Being with babws all day
bores her to tears.
send you to sleep 11 send ju: b 1sli:pf an informal
expression: if a speech, performance etc sends you to
sleep ,it is extremely boring so that you completely stop
paying attention to it (v phrase)
All his talk about his/inancial problems just sends me to
sleep. I We tried to pay attention to the priest, but his sermon
was enough to send anyone to sleep.
142 BORING
4 words for describing a boring person
boring
bore
dull
boring / 'b"nQ/ ladjl
He's so boring - all he ever thinks about isfootball. I We've
got a really boring History teacher. I Once Seangets onto the
subject of computers he can be extremely boring.
bore fb:>:Tf someone who is boring, especially because
they talk too much about themselves or their own interests
Inel
Since she got pregnant she's become a real bore - always
talking about babUis. I Everyone used to go to great lengths
to avoid talking to the offICe bore.
dull/dAl1 someone who is dull is boring because they do
not do or talk about anything interesting or exciting [adj)
She's a nice, polite girl, but rather dulL I On the whole, Bill's
friends are a pretty dull bunch. They just talk about money
the whole time.
5 words for describing a place that is boring to
~
Iivein
~ boring one-horse town
dead nothing ever happens
boring /'b"nQ/ ladjl
The kids mightjind it boring living in the country. I This
is a really boring town - all they have is a bar, a cinema,
and a Chinese restaurant.
de.d Idedl a town that is dead is boring because nothing
interesting or exciting happens, and there is nothing
interesting to do there [adj not before noun]
In summer we get a few visitors. but most of the time this
place is d€ad.
one-horse town f, WAn M:rS ItaunJ an informal expres-
sion meaning a small and boring town [n Cl
He comes from some one-horse town in Oklahoma.
nothing ever happens f ,nAaII] ev;)r IhreJ'"}flZl if you say
nothing ever happens in a town or a place, you mean
nothing interesting or exciting happens there
Nothing ever happens around here. Why can't we move to the
city? I I can't stand this place any longer - nothing ever
happens!
6 words for describing scenery, buildings etc that
have no interesting or unusual characteristics
boring featureless
drab dreary
boring / 'ho:nQI ladjl
The countryside around here isflat and boring. I We drove
for hours along the deserted, boring road.
drab fdrrebf buildings and places that are drab are not
colourlul or interesting to look at radjl
We satfor over two hours in a drab uncomfortable waiting
room I When I came to Manchester from Brazil everything
seemed so drab and colourless.
featureless / 'fi:tJ''i,s/ featureless landscape/plain!
coast etc (=a large area ofland that has no interesting or
unusual features) ladjl
It was flat, featureless coastline. I We were now flying at
1O,{){)/) feet above the featureUiss plains of the Mid West.
dreary IldfIc1ri/ a place that is dreary is not interesting,
attractive, or cheerful radj l
Bob p<ICed up and down the corridors of that dreary old
hospital. I Off I went to aMther dreary government OfflCe.
"You say" is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English .
BORING
7 how you feel when you are doing something
boring
bored
be bored to tears/bored stlffl
bored out of your mind
ab's eyes glaze over
borecl /bo:'d/ladjl
Dad, can we go home now? I'm bored! I Sh£ seems wget bored
very easily. I Gangs o[ bored teenagers roam the streets. I
bored with After a while Julia got bored with lying on th£
beach, so she went off to explore the town. I I'm bored with
pasta and tomatoes - I want something different.
be bored to tears/bored .tiff#bored out of your
mind /hi: ,b:'l:Td ta It IaTz, ,b:l:Td 'stIf, ,b:>: Td aut av j:>:T
Imamdl informal expressions meaning to be extremely
bored (v phrase J
You've been checking thesejigures!or hours, you must be
bored to tears. I Your students aren't stupid, (hey're just
bored. stiff - that's why they're not learning. I Eloine hung
about, bored out ofher mind, whit. th£ two boys talked about
motorbikes.
ab's eyes glaze over J(sb's) ,alZ glelz I~varl ifsome-
onc's eyes glaze over, their eyes become very still and
without expression, as if they are going to fall asleep,
because they are very bored, especially by what someone
is telling them
[ could see her eyes were glazing over, so I quickly said:
"Shall we take a break now?" I As the speech progressed my
eyes started to glaze over, and I felt myselffalling asleep.
8 the feeling of being bored
boredom
monotony
boredom /'b:"'dom/ In V I
Sh£could no longer stand the boredom ofbeing unemployed. I
It's boredom that drives these kids w crime and vandalism. I
sheer boredom (=complete boredom) Gan you imagine the
sheer borerkJm ofdoing th£ same job doy in, doyour for fifty
years? l out of boredom (=because you are bored) Sh£ says
she started having affairs out of boredom.
monotony Ima 1notmi 11 rna 1no:-I the feeling of being
bored because you do the same things all the time, see the
same people etc, and never do anything different In UI
The morwtony of prison life is enough to drive anyone
insane. I sheer monotony (=complete monotony) TIu? sheer
monotony of the work is itself exhausting.
9 to try to make a situation less boring
relieve the boredOm/monotony
rel.ve the boredom/monotony In 1li:v l)a lro:rdam,
ma'notJni I1 -ma'no:-Jlv phrasel
Sometimes she would try out different routes to relieve tlu?
monotony of h£r daily journey. I Harry tried w relieve th£
boredom by singing and whistling.
10 ways of saying that something becomes
boring after a time
the novelty wears off
the novelty wears off Il)a Inovc1lti wearz lof n-lno:v-1
if the novelty wears off, something that was new and
interesting for a short time is no longer interesting
Once the novelty has worn off most of these kitchen gadgets
just sit in tlu? cupboard, unusedfor years. I We played com-
puter games non-stop for a day or so, but the rwvelty soon
wore off.
I born GOOD AT 3
! born: be born BABY/HAVE A BABY 4, STARTTO
HAPPEN, EXIST ETC 2
I born: not know vou 're born LUCKY 2
born yesterday: I wasn't born yesterday BELIEVE 16
borrow BORROW 1, 2
143 BORROW
borrow
back .later
.,...::;.;,
. .",
give something 10 -"
someone and get R
back later. . :,
• SORROW
to get something from someone which you
must give back to them laler
1 to borrow money from someone
2 to borrow something such as a car, book, or
pen
3 to pay money so that you can borrow and
use something for a fixed period
4 words for describing something such as a
car, machine, or money that has been
borrowed
5 money that is borrowed
1 to borrow money from someone
borrow
take out a tean
borrow /'barou 11 'ba:·, 'b,,-/IV UTI
borrow 5th She needs to borrow some nwney to pay the
doctor. I borrow sth from/off Gan I borrow five pounds
offyou till next week? I By the end of the war the Canadian
government had borrowed over $5 billion from its own
citizens. I borrow Companies normally expect to borrow at
cheaper rates than ordinary people have to pay. I borrow
heavily (=borrow a lot of money) Maxwell had borrowed
heavily to finance his business projects.
borrower [n C J The fall in interest rates is bad news for
savers but good news for borrowers.
take out a loan '1te1k aut a 'Ioonl to borrow a large sum
of money from a bank or other financial institution
[v phrase}
We're still paying off the loan we took out to buy our car. I
take out a loan from If you take out a loanfrom thecom·
pony you have to pay it back within two years.
2 to borrow something such as a car , book, or
pen
borrow
have the use of
borrow /'barou 11 'ba:· , 'b,:·/ Iv TI
borrow sth Could [just borrow your pen and I'll write that
down. I [wish Steve would buy himself a bike. He's always
borrowing mine, I borrow sth from/off Sh£found thepoem
in a book she'd borrowed off Mrs Parsons.
have the use of (also have the loan of in British
English) Iha::v Oa ljU:S OV, hrev Oa 1100"0 Dvl to have someone's
pennission to borrow something, especially something
large or expensive such as a car or boat for a particular
length of time Iv phrasel
Could we have the loan ofyour video camera this weekend?1
let sb have the use of sth Dad usually lets me have the use
of his car when he's away on business.
BORROW 144
3 to pay money so that you can borrow and
use som.(!thing for a fixed period
rent lease
hire/rent charter
rent /rent! to pay a certain amount of money regularly for
the use of a house, office, telephone etc over a period of
months or years Iv li T I
rent sth We rented a sma ll apartment until we had saved
enough money to buy a house. I It's hard to[ind an office to
rent in this town I rent sth from You can rent afax machine
from the telephone company. I rent My main reason/or rent-
ing was I couldn't a/ford a mortgage. . boss
hire (British) I rent (American) Iha ,,', rentl to pay a sum
of money to borrow something such as a car, or a piece of
equipment or clothing for a period arhours or days Iv T J
hire/ rent sth Let's hire a car for the weekend and go and
visit Jenny and Steve. I Why pay fifty pounds to hire a suit?
It's ridiculous. 1 hire/ rent sth from When she got /0 Dallos
she ren ted a Ford convertible from the Avis desk.
I•••• Jli:sf to pay rent for the use of buildings, land, or
equipment for a long time, especially for bUsiness purposes
Iv T I
lease sth The Cider Press Company leases the machinery
and buildingsfor $1000 a month. I It would work out cheaper
overall to lease the computers for the project. I lease sth
from The building is actually owned by the government -
we're leasing itfrom them.
charter f'tJa:T(;,TJ to pay money to a company for the use
of one of their planes or ships I v T I
A group ofjournalists chartered an airpiane to fly them to
Addis Ababa. I International Aid Agencies have chartered
ships to transfXJrt supplies to the disaster area.
4 words for describing something such as a
car, machine, or money that has been
borrowed
borrowed rented
be on loan hired/rented
borrowed l 'bor.>U<l 11 'ba:-, 'b"-/ladjl
She seems to have a lot of clothes but most of them are bor-
rowed. I The takeover bid was financed mainly with bor-
rowed cash.
be on loan /bi: on 'l;)On/ ifsomething is on loan from a
library, art collection etc, it has been borrowed from it Iv
phrase ]
These pictures are on loan from the Paul Getty Collection.1
be out on loan (=not be available because it has been bor-
rowed) The librarian phoned to say the book you want is out
on loan to someone.
rented 11rent ~ dJ a house, office, telephone etc that is
rented has been borrowed by someone who regularly pays
a certain amount of money to live in it or use it ladj]
Do you own this apartment or is it rented? I We 've lived in
rented accommodation since we were married so we're
desperate to get our own place.
hired (Brrtish) I rented (American) lha,o'd, 'rent!dl a car,
boat, suit etc that is hired or rented has been borrowed
by someone who pays a sum of money to use it for a short
period of time ladjl
No, the skis aren '/ mine. They're hired. 1I packed everything
I owned into a hired van and drove out of town. 1 The bride
arrived at the church in a rented limousine.
5 money that is borrowed
loan
mortgage
loan /l;)On/ an amount of money that is bor rowed, espe-
cially from a bank or other financial institution In Cl
We had to ask the bank manager for a loan. I repay a loan
The loan has to be repaid at £110 per month. 1 bank l oan
(=a loan from a bank) I 'm hoping my parents can lend me
the money. You have to pay so much interest on a bank loan.
BOTH
mortgage /'tro: Tgld31 a large amount of money that is
borrowed fro m a financial institution in order to buy a
house In Cl
They inl<!nd /0 buy the house if they can get a mortgage. 1
mortgage on The mortgage on our apartment is worth
about $90,000. I take out a mortgage (=arrange to get a
mortgage) Anyone taking out a mortgage should be aware
that interest rates can go up at any time. I pay off a mort·
gage (=pay all ofit back) It took us nearly thirty years /0 pay
off our mortgage.
borrowed BORROW 4
borrowings OWE 4
IN CHARGE OF 4 . MANAGER 2
boss: be the boss CONTROL 4
boss: be your own boss WORK FOR S8 3
boss sb around/about TELUORDEA S8 TO DO STH 8
bossy TELL/ORDER SS TO DO STH 9
botch/botch up DO 8ADL Y 1
both BOTH t
_ BOTH
1 aHecting, involving , or connected with two
things, people etc
1 aHecting , involving , or connected with two
things, people etc
both mutual
the two of them/us/you share
the pair of them/us/you either
each neither
both lboulll [predel<!rminer/ quonti/ierl
they/you/ we both We slwuld share the Iwusework - after
all we both live Mre. I I don't see why they're always so short
of cash. They are both earning afull woge. 1 You'll have /0
decide. You can't both wear the same dress. I both sth and
sth Although both Britain and the States are English-
speaking countries. there are many differences between the
two. 1 both the people/ thtngs etc Both the boys went /0 col-
lege. 1 She raised both her hands in the air. 1both things/
people etc Both doors Iwd fu ll length mirrors attached. 1
both of you / them/ the people etc It was hard /0 believe
that both of them were the same age. 1Both of the envelopes
were marked 'Not known at this address'. I them/you / us
both I have two packets of sugar. Will I need them both? 1
both If you can't decide which of the two books to borrow,
why don't you take both?
'v
the two of them/us/you I ~' 'tu: O,m, AS, ju:1 both
the people that you are talking about [pron I
While the two of them talked about engines, I went into the
kitchen to make coffee. I a romantic dinner - just the two of
us 1 T wont the money /0 be shared equally between the two
ofyou.
the pair of them/us/you 10;, 'pe;, r ;,v 6;,m, AS, ju:J an
expression mean ing both the people that you are talking
about. used especially when you are angry or disappointed
with them (pron J
Get out of here, the pair of you! 1 I 'm sick of Fred and Liza.
I'd love to p lay a joke on the pair of them I There we were,
stranded in the middle of nowhEre with no money between
the pair of us.
each liaJI both of two people or things considered
separately (determiner/ pronl
each side/ hand/ end etc He UJas holding a gun in each
hand. I each There are two bedrooms, each with its own
washbasin and shower. I we/ you/ they each My wife and
I each have strong political opinions and we usua lly
disagree.
mutuel / 'mju:tIu, 11 mutual feelings/friends/interest
et c (=those that both people share) ladj l
The couple were introduced /J) each other by a mutualfriend.1
An investment in my company would be to our mutual
BOTH
benifit. I They would meet every week to discuss matrers of
mutual interest. I We were drawn together by feelings of
mutual respect and admiration .
• har. lf~rl to both have the same characteristic, attitude,
feeling ete Iv TI
My husband and my mother share the same birthday. I They
share an interest in 16th century architecture.
either l' aI6~r 11 li:_! one or the other of two people, places,
or things, or both of them (determiner/ pron ]
either side/ hand/end etc There was a soldier standing on
either side of the palace entrance. I She didn't really like
either suggestion. I You can operate the controls with either
hand. I either of you/ them/ the people I cannot recall
meeting either of the men before. I either We had two sets
of tools and we seemed to have no use for either.
neither " naloo f 11 'ni:_/ not one or the other of two people,
places, or things etc [determinerl pron]
neither person/thing/ side etc When the fight started
neither teaclrer knew what to do. I neither of you/them/
the people Neither of the children was aware of what was
going on. I neither "Do you want tea or co/fee?" "Neither,
thanks. "I neither sth nor sth He had neither beauty nor
intelligence.
bother DISTURB 1, WORRIE D 7
bother: It doesn't bother melit's all the same to melit
makes no difference to me DON'T CARE 2
bother: not bother NOT 00 STH 6
bothered WORRIED 1
bothered: can't be botheredlcouldn't be bothered
LAZY 1
bottle: hit the bottle DRUNK 4
bottle sth up HI DE/NOT SHOW 1
bottom BOnO M 2
bottom: at the bottom BOTIOM 5
bottom: be at the bottom LOW POSITION OR RANK 1
bottom: be at the bottom of the pile LOW POSITIO N
OR RANK 1
bottom: be at the root of/the bottom of CAUSE 11
bottom: hit/reach rock bottom WORSE 6
ii bottom: the bottom BOnOM 1, 3 , 4
~i bottom dollar: you can bet your life/bet your bottom
, dollar CE RTAI NLY/DEFINITE LY 2
bottom line: the bottom line LIMIT 2, MAIN 2
. BOTTOM
the lowest part of something
1 the towest part of something
2 the lowest one of two or more thing s that are
on top of each other
3 the flat bottom surface on the outside of an
object
4 the bottom surface inside something such as
a box, cuP. swimming pool or lake
5 next to the bottom of something such as a hill
or mountain
1 the lowest part of something
the bottom
base
the boHom 10' 'bo"m 11 -'bm-I In singularl
the bottom of The battom ofthe wall is cracked. I thejWwers
down near the bottom ofthe hill I The answer is at the bottom
ofthe page. I Hold the bottom ofthe pow and keep it upright. I
on/around etc the bottom She wore a long flowery skirt
with a frill around the bottom.
base Ibel sl the lowest part or the wide bottom part on
which something stands [n singular]
It was a black china va.se with a round base and a wide rim. I
the base of The base of the column is made of marble. I I
had an injection in tire base of my spine.
145 BOTTOM
2 the lowest one of two or more things that are
on top of each other
bottom
lower
bonom J'botam 11 'ba:-/ bottom drawer/ shelf/layer etc
(.::: tbe one at the bottom) [adj only before noun]
The battom layer of the cake was made of chocolate. I She
rummaged in the bottom drawerofthechest. I Thenyou take
your bottom card and put that on the table.
lower /'I;)U)ff lower deck/ edge/ Up etc (=the one at the
bottom when there is one at the bottom and one at the top)
[adj only before noun)
We drove onto the wwer deck of the ferry. I Thedenttstfilled
two teeth in her lower jaw. I "How can you do thisr' she
asked, her lower lip quivering with emotion.
3 the flat bottom surface on the outside of an
object
the bottom
the underside
the bonom J ~a 'bntem 11 -'bo:-/ [n singular]
the bottom of The bottom of the glass is wet, so don't put
it on the table. I On the bottom ofthe vase there was a maker's
stomp. I the bottom Iflipped over the rock andfound a snail
stuck to the bottom.
the underside 16i 'IInda f sald/ the bottom surface on the
outside of something large [n singular]
the underside of The mechanic lay down to look at the
underside of the car. I There was a layer offoam rubber on
the underside of the carpet. I the underside The boat had
been badly damaged in the accident - its underside ripped
open completely.
4 the bottom surface inside something such as
a box. cuP. swimming pool or lake
the bottom
the floor
bed
the bottom 10' 'bo"m 11 -'bo:-I In singular I
the bottom of Put a blanket in the bottom 0/ a cardboard
box to make a bedfor your puppy. I Shefound the keys right
at the bottom ofher handbag. I the bottom The giant octo-
pus lives on the sea bottom.
the floor /6a 'fb: f / the wide area of flat ground at the
bottom of a valley, the ocean etc [n singular J
the floor of They found fossilized banes on thejWor of the
eave. I the floor of the Indian Ocean I the ocean/ valley
floor Jules Verne travelled to the ocoonjloor in a diving bell.
bed Ibedl the flat ground at the bottom of a river , lake or
sea In Cl
the bed of She caug ht afrag in the marshy bed of the old
canal. I the dry bed of the river I the rlver-bed/sea-bed/
ocean-bed Smooth stones covered the river· bed.
5 next to the bottom of something such as a hill
or mountain
at the bottom
at the foot of
at the bottom I" 0, 'bDtom 11 -'ba:-I next to the bottom
of something such as a hill., mountain, stairs, or a ladder
[adv phrase]
at the bottom of Jordan waited/or her at the bottom o/the
stairs. I At the bottom of the ladder there was a large tin of
paint. I at the bottom "I'll meet you at the bottom, "she said.
and started down the mountain.
at the foot of fat 6a 'fut avl an expression used especially
in British English meaning next to the bottom of some·
thing such as a hill, mountain, stairs, or a tree [prep ]
The hotel is situated in a beautiful village at the foot of the
Malvern hilis. I Bill stood at thefoat of the tree andyell£d,
"Katie. Get down, MW!"
bottomless 146 BRAVE
bottomless DEEP 1 brave jbrelvj not afraid in a dangerous or frightening s it-
bounce: jump up and down/bounce up and down uation, especially when other people would be afraid (adj l
JUMP 1 We must remember the thousands of brave men and women
bounce back RECOVER/GET BETTE R 3 who dwdfor freedom. I In the end,father's brave attempts
bounce off HIT/BUMP INTO 4 , RE FLECT 2 to keep the business going came to nothing. I Confronting the
bound RUN , . TOWARDS " TRAVEL 15 attacker was the bravest thing I've ever done. I brave to do
bound: be bound for GO 1 sth I think they were very brave to criticize the government
bound: be bound to CERTAI NLY/DEFINITELY 2 so openly. I be brave (used to tell someone to behave
bound up: be bound up with CONNECTED WITH 1 bravely) Come on, be brave. Just grit your teeth and it will
boundary EDG E 2 all be over in no time.
boundless LIMIT 8 bravely (adv I Most of the soldiers who fought so bravely in
bounds LIMIT 4 the war were no older than twenty.
bounds: be out of bounds FORBIO 6 courageous fka 'reld3asf brave, especially when you
bourgeois CLASS IN SOCIETY 3 suffer illness or pain. or when other people are opposing
bourgeoisie: the bourgeoisie CLASS IN SOCIETY 3 you [adj l
bout: a bout of ILLNESS/DISEASE 2 Ajkr a courageous struggle against cancer, he died at the
bow BEND 2 age of thirty. I Few willforget her courageous stand against
bow out STOP DOING STH 8 inequality and injustice. I Butfor the actions ofafew coura-
bow to ACCEPT 4 geous individuals, we might all have died.
bowl THROW 4 courageously (advl This was a triumph for all those who
box: the box/the tube TELEVISIO N/RADIO 1 had courageously demanded reform.
boy CH ILD 1 heroic fh l1ldUlk/ extremely brave and admired by many
boycott PROTEST 2, 4 people ladjl
boyfriend GIRLFRIE ND/BOYFRIEND 1 Amy Johnson isfamousfor her heroic solnflightfrom Bri-
boyS/lads MAN 1 tain to Australia in 1930. I Although the nationalists put up
brace yourseH PREPARE 3 heroic resistance, the revolt was crushed in three days. I The
bracing COLD 4 film is a warm tribute to the heroic pilnts of C Division.
bracket GROUP OF PEOPLE 4 heroism f 1herauIZ3mf [n UJ Nelson's heroism (:::heroic
brag BOAST 1 behaviour) in battle won him many honours.
brainchild: be the brainchild of INVENT 1 herolherolne /'hlarnu, 'her.xJlnf a man or a woman who
brainless STUPID/NOT INTELLIGENT 1 does something extremely brave and is admired by many
brains INTELLIGENT 5 , 11 people In Cl
brainwash TEACH 3 A/amous World War Two hero, he later became a US sena·
brainwave/bralnstorm IDEA 2 tor. I Don't try to be a hero. You'll only get hurt. I She was
brainy INTELLIGENT 1 a heroine of the French Resistance, who saved hundreds of
brake STOP MOVING 4 Jews from the gas chambers.
brakes: slam on the brakes STOP MOVING 4 valiant I'vrelianlf valiant attempt/effort/struggle etc
branch AREA OF KNOWLEDGE . DUTIES. STUDY ETC (:::one that is very brave because it has very little chance
1. PART 5 of succeeding) ladj only before nounJ
branch out VARIOUs/OF DIFFERENT KINDS 7 Despite their valiant efforts, doctors were unable to save the
brand CALUDESCRIBE AS 1. TYPE 3 child's life. I Between '73 and '77, Wkeelan made several vali-
brand name NAME OF A TH ING 1 ant attempts to secure the world championship.
brand new NEW 1, 3 valiantly [adv I Friends tried valiantly to put out the fire,
brandish HOLD 5 but in vain.
brash CONFIDENT 3
brat
brave
BAD PERSON 5
BRAVE 1
2 Ihe ability to behave bravely when you are in
a dangerous or frig htening situation
brave: be brave enough to do sth BRAVE 5
courage guts
brave face: put on a brave face HIDE/NOT SHOW 1
bravery nerve
courage / 1kAnd3 1I 'k3:r-j the ability to behave bravely
• BRAVE when you are in danger, suffering illness or pain, or when
other people are opposing you In DJ
1 words for describing brave people or brave She showed great courage during her long illness. I Nelson
actions Mandela will be rememberedfor his courage and integrity
in the struggle against apartheid. I take courage (=require
2 Ihe ability to behave bravely when you are in courage) Driving again after his accident must have taken
a dangerous or frig htening situation a lot of courage.
3 nol afraid of doing Ihings that are very bravery f 'brelv~ril the ability to behave bravely in a dan-
dangerous. even when there is a risk of dealh gerous situation, for example when fighting in a war [n U I
4 not afraid of laking risks or doing somelhing After the war, my uncle was awarded with a medalfor brav-
new and different ery. I Gina surprised us all with her bravery and endurance. I
5 10 be brave enough 10 do something It was an act of the utmost bravery and disregard for per-
sonal safety.
6 not at all brave
7 to nol be brave enough 10 do somelhing Ihal guts fgAtsf the ability and determination to do something
difficult or dangerous that other people are afraid to do [n
you wanted or inlended 10 do plurall
I don't think he can possibly win. but you 'De got to admire
his guts. I Whatever else you may say about Sally, she cer-
tainly has guts. Just look at the way she handled the boss
1 words for describing brave people or brave this morning. I it takes guts to do sth (=you need guts to
actions do something) It took guts and determination to overcome
brave hero/heroine such a severe handicap.
courageous valiant nerve {n3!Tv{ the ability to remain calm and confident in
heroic a dangerous, difficult, or frightening s ituation (n DJ
In a scary situation like that you need someone with plenty
BRAVE
v/nerve. I After a three day siege the kidnapper's nerve/ailed
and hegavehimselfup to the police. I il takes a lot of nerve
to do sth (::::you need a lot of nerve to do something)!t takes
a lot a/nerve to report a colleague/or sexual harassment.
3 not afraid of dOing things that are very
dangerous, even when there is a risk of death
daring intrepid
adventurous daredevil
feartess
daring l 'de3rI1)/ not afraid of taking risks or doing dan-
gerous things lad)I
He would often do very foolish things just to prove how
daring he was. I Hatchard became famous after he led a
daring attack on the German shipyards at Bremen. I It is a
particularly daring stunt. involving being tied up and sus-
pended in mid-air.
adventurous l;xflventJ3Jdsl someone who is adven-
turous enjoys going to new places and having new. possi-
bly dangerous experiences lad)1 . dare to do 5th No one dared to go into the old MUse at
The higher slopes are for the more adventuro~ skz.er.. 1 As
they become more mobile, children become mcreasmgly
adventurous. 1 She was naturally adventurous and loved the
wild landscape o/Columbia with all its beauty and danger.
fearless I' fJafJas/ a word used especiaJly it.'lliterature
meaning not at all afraid of doing dangerous thmgs, so that
other people admire you [adj]
The Comanclu! Indians were great and fearless warriors. I
Her fearless opposition to the military dictatorship has won
admiration from around the world.
fearlessly [adv] He dived fearlessly into the sea from the
highest cliff. . have the nerve to do sth Jhrev bd .n3: r v td Idu: (sth)1
fearlessness In VI When entering the ring, it is essentwl
that bullfighters give an impression offearlessness.
Intrepid /In 'trep kdl intrepid explorer/pilot/astro-
naut/climber etc (=a word used especially in literature
or in newspapers meaning not afraid of going on danger-
ous journeys) [adj only before noun) . . pluck up the courage to do sth I.pl....k ....p b~ ,kt..nd3
This was a place visited by only dedIcated and intrepld
explorers. I Thanks to new technology and the work of
intrepid test pilots, the sound barrier had finally been
broken.
daredevil I'deardeval/ someone who enjo~s doing
extremely dangerous things and taking great rIsks [n Cl
World famous daredevil Evel Knievel will attempt to cross
the Grand Ganyon on a rocket powered motorcycle.
4 not afraid of taking risks or doing something
new and different
daring bold
adventurous audacious
daring /'demg/ ladj)
When she was young, everybody thought my grandmother
was terribly daring because she smoked. I She has always
been very daring in her choice ofclothes. 1 Richard Eyres has
come up with a daring new production of 'Hamlet' on
Broadway_
adventurous 1;xJ. 'ventJ;,rasl someone who is adven-
turous enjoys trying new things or taking risks radj)
This is Delta's most adventurous project to date. I Le Cor-
busier was the most adventurous architect ofmodern times,
always experimenting with new forms and structures.
bold /bould/ not afraid of taking risks and making difficult
decisions [adj]
What we need is a strong leader, someone who is bold enough
to take tough decisions. 1 He was one of the boldest and most
innovative composers of his day, I This is a bold attempt to
tackle the problem of inj1ation.
boldly ladv ) Overcoming her instinctive shyness, she boldly
stepped forward to speak to the crowd.
audacious I:J: 'deII~s/ an audacious action or piece of
work is considered brave and shocking because it involves
taking risks or breaking rules (adj] . of this it is impossible to respect them lad]l
The theft of these paintings was one of the most audacrous
147 BRAVE
crimEsofthuJRCl1cle.1 Wick£shad tak£npartin an aru!acious
plan to take over rival companies and gain romplete control
of the market.
5 to be brave enough to do something
be brave enough to do 8th
dare
have the guts to do sth
have the nerve to do 8th
pluck up the courage to do 8th
have the courage of your convictions
be brave enough to do sth /bi: .brelv tn.... fta 'du: (5th)/
[v phrase) .
Which ofyou is brave enough toflghtme? I He wIShed. he were
brave enough to tell Alice that he wanted a divorce. I An~one
brave enough to get this far would thenjind an electrijied
fence blocking their way.
dare Ide:;jrl to be brave enough to do something that is dan-
gerous or that you are afraid of doing Iv 1 not inprogressivel
night. 1 dare do 5th Dare we take this decision without ~n·
suiting the President? 1 dare My sister used to steal thmgs
from stores, but J would never dare.
have the guts to do sth /hrev 0> ,gAlS I> 'du: (Slh)/ an
informal expression meaning to be brave enough to do
something unpleasant or difficult that other people are
afraid to do [v phrase not in progressive ]
I know he made a mistake, but at least he had the guts to
admit it.' I She's the only one who has the guts to speak her
mind.
to be calm and confident enough to do something that is
frightening or dangerous lv phrase not in progressivel .
Not many people have the nerve to stand up and speak m
front ofa lot ofpeople. I I don '( know how he's got the nerve
to show his face after all the harm he's done.
ta ldu: (sth) 11 -.k3:r-/ to force yourself to be bra~e and do
something that you are afraid of doing, after thinkmg about
it for a long time Iv phrase]
J eventunlly plucked up the courage to tell my parents that
J was going to go and live in Canada. 1 IJavid loves Julie but
he can't pluck up enough courage to ask her to marry him.
have the courage 01 your convictions /hrev 0>
,kA.nd3 ~v j:J!r kdn'vlk!;,nz 11 - .k3.:r-J t? ~ brave enough to
say or do something that you belIeve IS r~t but that o~her
people may think is wrong Iv phrase not m p,"?gr:esswe1
It's a pity she didn't have the courage ofher convlctrons and
finish writing her book. I If they hcu1 the rourageoftheirron·
victions I think they might get more people votmg for them.
6 not at all b rave
cowardly spineless
coward wimp
cowardly J'kau~rd liJ ladj l
He was too cowardly to say what he meant. 1 The new require-
ments have been used by cowardly managers to avoid hiring
blacks. I Tlwse who refused to jight in the war were consi-
dered cowardly and were badly treated. 1 it is cowardly of
sb to do 5th Hisfriends thought it was cowardlyo/Slender
not to admit he had once been to prison.
cowardice/'kaoord!s/In Ul Ihatedmyselffor my cowardice
in dealing with people. 1 Showing cowardice in battle was
always severely punished.
coward I'kaudrdl someone who is not at all brave In Cl
He called me a coward, because' wouldn 'tfight. I Sic.urd is
not a coward; he is aware offear but can overcome it. 1 be
a coward about She knew she was an awful coward about
going to the dentist.
splne.ess Itspalnlas/ someone who is spineless is af~id
to say what they really think or defend themselves against
people who try to co~trol them, cheat them et~. and because
BRAVE
/Jon 't be spineiRss - you have to stand up 10 prople like that. I
1'1u! President has been accused of being spineiRss in tlu!face
of naked aggression.
wlmp IWlmp/ an informal word meaning someone who is
afraid to do something you want them to do or think they
should do, so that you fll1d them annoying or do not respect
them In Cl
Don 'I be such a wimp, Simon. Tell her you want 10 break up,1
148 BREAK
~ break: make a break for It ESCAPE 3
i break: without a break CONTINUOUS 2
~ break down BROKEN 5, CONTROL 8, CRY 4, SEPARATE 4
break even PROFIT 6
break for lunch/dinner/coffee etc PAUSE 2
break free/break awaylbreak loose ESCAPE 3
i. break in ENTER 4, INTERRUPT 1, SPACE/GAP 1
break·in STEAL 8

~
Her uptight parents were making the boy into a wimp. I break in two: break sth In two/In half BREAK 2
Because they don't risk money. corporate financiers are break In twolln half BREAK 8
considered wimps by traders. break Into SPEND MONEY 8
break Into pieces/bits BREAK 9
break new ground FIRST 7
7 to not be brave enough to do something that
\ break off BREAK 4 . 10, REMOVE 2, STOP STH THAT IS
you wanted or intended to do HAPPENING 9, TALK TO SB 17
lose your nerve chicken out break open OPEN 6
get cold 'eet not have the guts break out BURN 3, ESCAPE 3, START TO HAPPEN ,
not dare not have the nerve EXIST ETC 4
break out in a sweaUbreak Into a sweat SWEAT 1
10•• your nerve,.lu!zj:J: r In3:rvl to suddenly lose the
break/recess PAUSE 4
confidence and calmness that you need in order to do some-
thing dangerous or frightening Iv phraseJ break sb's train of thought/chain of thought
Dan wasjust about to ask his boss/ora dayojfwhen he lost
his nerve. I I stood at the topo/the ski-slope/ora minute then
J break
break
the
the
DISTURB 1
bank: it' won't break the bank CHEAP 1
door down OPEN 6
lost my nerve.
break the law ILLEGAL 3
get cold feet /get 1kauld 1fi:tJ to suddenly find at the last break the news/break It to sb TELL 8
moment that you are not brave enough to do something
break the rules ILLEGAL 3
that you have planned to do [v phrase)
break up BREAK 9 . CROWD 5. DISTU RB 2,
The morning ofher wedding she got coldfeet and re/used to
FINISH/COME TO AN END 2. SEPARATE 4 , 8, 9,
go to the church. I On thi! verge of signing a four year con-
STOP STH THAT IS HAPPENI NG 7
tract with MGM studios, Rajferty got cold feet and backed
oul of llu! droL break with the past TRAD ITION 5
break with tradition TRADITION 5
not dare /not 'dea r/ to not be brave enough to do some-
thing because you are afraid of what might happen if you
do it (v I not in progressivel
not dare do sth Thi! older boys used to bully me but I didn't break
dare compla in. I not dare to do sth The child stood on top , ,
o/the rock, not daring to jump down. I not dare I'll have
to tell thi! neighbours to be quiet because John 'll never dare. which mea"ing?
chicken out 11tJ tk!n 1aut! an infor mal expression mean-
ing to refuse at the last moment to do something that you
have said you will do, so that people do not respect you [phr -- .
... ". BREAK

" ' ' ' DESTROY

v It
[was supposed to make the introductory speech, but I chick-
ened out at the last minute. I chicken out of doing sth She
chickened out of telling hi!r father that she and [)avid were
going to live togethi!r.
not have the guts Inot hrev 00 ' gt.tsl an infonnal expres-
sion meaning to not be brave enough to do something that
people think you should do [v phrase not in progressive)
not have the guts to do sth Peg has done all the things [
~. CONDITIONI
never had the guts to try. I not h ave the guts 1 was going
to phone his wife but didn't have the guts. I He wouldn't have STATE OF STH
tlu! guts 10 speakfor himself. I be without/lack guts J oe's
a weak character, without guts or ambition. I She's intelli- ... e TEAR
gent enough, but she lacks the guts.
·~ . STRONG
not have the nerve /not hrev 0::. 103: r vl to not be brave
or confident enough to do something because you think it OB.JECT
is too difficult, dangerous or embarrass ing [v phrase not
in progressive ) ., e DAMAGE
not have the ner ve to do sth He doesn't have the nerve to •• • ' EXPLODE
tell the boss what he really thinks of her. I not have the
nerve How can he stand so close to the edge of the cliff! I
wouldn't have the nerve.
bravery
brawl
BRAVE 2
FIGHT 4
• BREAK
brawn STRONG PERSON 5 1 to break something
brawny STRONG PERSON 2 2 to break something into two pieces
brazen ASHAMED 5 3 to break something into many small pieces

I
brazen It out PRETEND 4
breach ILLEGAL 2
4 to break a piece lram the main part of
breadwinner EARN 6 something
break BREAK 1, 5, 7 , 11 , CHANCE/OPPORTUNITY 1. 5 to break a bone in your body
DESTROY 6. DISOBEY 2 . HOLI DAY 3, PAUSE 6 to stop a machine from working by damaging
I 3, REST 3 it, taking parts out of it etc
I: break: have/take a break PAUSE 2 7 ways of saying that something breaks
BREAK
8 ways of saying that something breaks into
two pieces
9 ways of saying that something breaks into
many small pieces
10 ways of saying that something breaks easily
into pieces, especially because it is weak, old,
or badly made
11 the point or place in an object where it has
broken
12 words for describing things that break easily
or are easily damaged
1 to break something
break
bust
crack
break Ibrelkl to break something, either accidentally or
deliberately Iv TI
Leave that clock alone - you'll break it. I See if you can put
tire plotes away without breaking tlrem I A gang ofyouths
had been roaming the town, setting fire to cars and break-
ing windows. 1 What upset her most was that the burglars
had broken Mr entire collection of African ornaments.
bust IbAstl an informal word meaning to break something
[v TI
Hefelljlat on hisfaceanti bust his glasses. I Hell! I busted
the hefll of my shoe.
crack IkrrekJ to break or damage something so that cracks
appear in its surface [u TJ
Who crack£d my mirror? I Be careful not to crack those wine
glasses - they're crystal.
2 to break something into two pieces
break 8th in two/In half
snap
split
break 8th In two/In ha" I ,breIk (sth) on 'tu:, on 'ha:f 11
- 'heefl to break something into two, fairly equal, pieces Iv
phrase]
That's a big bar ofchocolate. Why don '[you break it in half
and share it with your brother? ! The block of stone was so
huge that it had to be broken in two before it could be nwved.
snap {sneep/ to break something, usually a long thin
object, so that it makes a sudden, short loud noise Iv TJ
snap sth in two/ in half The teacher picked up a stick of
chalk, snapped it in two, and handed me one of the pieces.!
snap sth He was snapping pieces offirewood over his knee
and throwing them onto the fire.
split {spllt{ to break something such as wood or bone into
two parts along a straight line Iv Tl
His hammer fell on tire box, splitting tire lw. I split sth open
(=split something so that you can see inside) Looking at the
skeleton 's head. you could see where a sharp instrument had
split the skull open.
3 to break something into many small pieces
smash
shatter
smash {smeeJI to break something into many small
pieces, especially in a violent way, by dropping, throwing,
or hitting it Iv TJ
A gang of young men came into the bar and started push-
ing people around and smashing glasses. I Her camera was
smashed by the soldiers when she tried to take plwtographs.!
smash sth to pieces/ to bits (:;:smash something into very
small pieces) Every piece of china we possessed had been
smashed to pieces.
smashed ladjJ He cut hisfDOt on a smashed bottle someone
had left on the grass.
149 BREAK
shaH., IIJret)r, to break something, especially glass, into
many very small pieces Iv TJ
Tire explosion shattered office windows 500 metres away. !
A bullet flew past her head and shattered the vase on the
mantelpiece.
4 to break a piece from the main part of
someth ing
break off
chip
break off 'Ibrelk lof 11 _I:l:fl to break ofT a piece ofsorne-
thing, especially so that you can use it or give it to some-
one [phr v Tl
break ofT sth He broke off a pi£ce of bread and gave it to
me. ! break. sth/it/them ofT Don't turn the knob too/ar,
you'll break it off I breaksth ofTsth Why don't you break
a branch off that tree and use it as a walking stick?
chip Itflpl to accidentally break off a small piece from the
edge of something. such as a cup, plate, or piece of wood
[v TI
I'm very sorry, but I've chipped this cup. ! She won't do any
housework in case she chips herfinger nails!! Hefellforward
onto the g round, chipping one of hisfrant teeth and cutting
his fa<2 bodly.
5 to break a bone in your body
break
fracture
shaHer
break Ibre,k/ lv TI
I broke my leg last time I went skiing. ! Let go ofT7J€! You're
breaking my ann. I The window slammed shut on her hands,
breaking two 0/ her fingers.
fracture l'frrektJarf a word used especially in a medical
rontext meaning to partly break a bone so that a large crack
appears in the surface of the bone Iv Tl
My grandmother fell down the stairs and fractured her
ankle. If think we'd betrer give him an X-ray - Ire may have
fractured his skull.
shaHer IIJretar, to break a bone in someone's body into
many small pieces, especially by shooting or hitting them
[uTI
Tire man hit him over tire head with a baseboll bot anti shat-
tered his skull. I His left arm had bef!n shattered by shrap-
nel in tire war.
6 to stop a machine from working by damaging
it, taking parts out of it etc
disable
put 5th out o. action
Immobilize
disable Idls'elball a word used especially in written
instructions meaning to make a machine or a system
unable to work. for example in order to repair it Iv TJ
The robbers had disabled tire bonk's security system. I The
tank's navigational system had been disabled during a
grenade attack.
put 8th out of action I,put (sth) aut >v 'rekf,n/ to
deliberately stop a machine or piece of equipment from
working properly by damaging it, especially because you
want to stop an enemy from using it Iv phrase]
During the night, enemy troops had managed to put seven
aircraft out ofaction. !Reporting from the area was di}TLCult
even before terrorists put all tire telephone lines out ofaction.
Immobilize (also -Ise British) I,'moubllaozl to stop a
vehicle from working, especially a military vehicle Iv TI
Demonstrators imnwbilized tanks by using gasoline bombs. I
Tire general gave instructions to imnwbilize the enemy
aircraft.
BREAK
7 ways of saying that something breaks
break crack
get broken give way
break {breIk{ Iv I1
She dropped a plare and it bra"". I Be gentle when you're
handling the equipment - it's very fragile and might break.
get broken /get 'bfdukanf if something gets broken
someone breaks it accidentally [v phrase }
if you leave your toys there they'll get broken. I A few of the
cups got broken while we were moving Jwuse.
crack IkrrekJ ifsomething cracks, lines appear in its sur-
face and it becomes damaged or starts to break (v IJ
Old china cracks very easily. I I could hear tlu? ice beginning
to crack under my feet. I As a result of the earthquake the
walls had cracked and part of the roof hadfallen in.
give way I.glv 'well if some thing such as a floor, wall,
or bridge gives way. it finally breaks because there is a
lot of pressure or weight against it Iv phrase ]
The bridge was never built for lzeavy trqffr.c and it finally
gave way last year. I I think you ought to get off that balcony;
it looks as ifU's about to give way. I The crowd surgedjor-
ward and the fence gave way under the strain.
8 ways of saying that something breaks into
two pieces
break In two/ln half
snap
split
break In twolln half I ,bre,k on 'Iu<, on 'ho:f II -'h",f{lv
phrasel
I dropped the thermomerer and it bro"" in half. I The log
broke in two and sent up a shower 0/ sparks.
snap fsnrep/ if something snaps, especially something
long and thin, it breaks into two pieces making a short loud
noise Iv IJ
A twig snapped under hisfoot with a loud crack. I Don'tpull
the elastic too hard, or it will snap. I I can't play my guitar
at the moment. 0nR o/the strings snapped while I was tuning
it.
spilt {splnl ifwood, boneetc splits it breaks into two parts
along a straight line [v IJ
The wirulow frames are old and the wood is starting to split. I
split in two/half The back of the chair had split in two. I
split open (=split so that you can see inside) The egg split
open as we watched, and a tiny crocodile appeared.
9 ways of saying that something breaks into
many small pieces
break Into pleceslbits shatter
break up splinter
disintegrate burst
smash
break Into pleceslblts f Ibrelk IOta 'pi:s~z, 'bltsf Iv
phrase }
A mugfell offthe table, breaking into bits on the stonefloor. 1
Eventually the ice began to thaw, and broke into pieces that
floored on the surface of the pond.
break up I ,brelk 'API if a Jarge object breaks up, it breaks
into many pieces especially as a result of natural forces,
or serious damage LPhr v I I
The ship was breaking up under the pressure ofthe ice. I The
Mercedes burst into /lames and broke up, with the burning
wreckage being thrown into the air. I The comet wasformed
when a planet broke up at some time in the distant past.
disintegrate (dlS Ilnt ~gre lll if something disintegrates,
it breaks into many small pieces so that it is completely des-
troyed or so that it completely changes its form Iv 11
The book was so old that when I tried to pick it up it just dis-
inregrared in my honds. I The harbaur wall had been beaten
by countless storms and was slowly starting to disintegrate. I
disintegrate into The vases had disintegrated into a
reddish-brown powder.
150 BREAK
smash (smreJI to noisily break into pieces as a result of
being dropped or hit Iv 11
I heard something smash in the kitchen. Dad must have
dropped a dish. I smash to pieces/bits It fell off the table
and smashed to pieces on the hard floor.
shatter I'Jret;)rl ifsomething, especially glass, shatters,
it breaks suddenly into many very small pieces because it
has been dropped or hit Iv I1
The glass hod shattered, but the photograph itself was
undamaged. I The bowl shattered into a thousand pieces as
soon as it hit the floor.
splinter ('spllntarl ifsomething such as wood splinters,
it breaks into thin, sharp pieces [v I)
Soft wood spiinrers easily. I Our dog dred when a bane splin-
tered in his throat.
burst loo: rst( if something such as a tyre or a pipe bursts,
the force of the air, water etc inside makes it break into
many pieces [v I)
The accident was caused by a tyre bursting. I An oilpipe hod
burst and high octane fuel was pouring into the river.
burst ladj only before noun 1Thej1tJod was caused by a burst
pipe.
10 ways of saying that something breaks easily
into pieces, especially because it is weak , old ,
or badly made
fall to bits/pieces/ come off
go to pieces come away
fall apart/come apart crumble
break off
fall to bHs/pleces (Brrtish) I go to pieces (American)
"b:1 ta lbIts, 'pi:s1z. IgClU t~ ' p i:slzl to break into many
small pieces, especially because of being weak, old, or badly
made Iv phraseJ
The baoks had been well-used, and flnally fell to pieces. I
I used to buy cheap cigarettes which went to pieces before you
hadfmished smoking them. I He cleaned the brass handles,
rubbing them so hard that the sponge fell to pieces.
fall apart/come apart I,b:l ~Ipa:rt. IkAm-( to break
easily into pieces, especially because of being badly made
Iphr v 11
Ionly baught these shoes last week, and theY'refalling apart
already. I When Don picked up the chair, it came apart in
his hands.
break off {,bre.k 'of 11 -',:fl ifa part of something breaks
off, it becomes separated from the main part of it, by break-
ing [phr v [I
One 0/ the plane's wings broke off and it crashed into the
ground. I When Ttried to turn the tap on it broke off in my
hand.
come off I,urn 'of 11 -',:fl ifpart of something comes off
it becomes separated from the main part of it because it is
not fastened to it firmly enough [v liT I
Can youjzx the door? The handle's come off. I come off 5th
She saw something in the road. Her first thought was that
a wheel had come off a car.
come away (IMm alwel( to easily become separated
from a surface when touched, pulled etc {phr v lJ
When she tried to open the closet the entire door came away
andfell on top ofher. I come away in sb's hand (=become
separated very easily or without you realising it) I took hold
of the steering wheel and it came away in my hand.
crumble (' kfMnb>~ to break easily and become a powder,
especially as a result of being old or dry [v IJ
I knew the wine wouldn't taste good because the cork crum·
bled when Iopened the battle. I Some of the tiles around the
bath had crumbled.
crumbling ladj) Nestling amongst the magnUr.cent hills
were the crumbling ruins of an old nwnastery.
Il'&.l "You say" is used in definitions of some
~ words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English .
BREAK 151
11 the point or plaoe in an object where it has
broken
break
fracture
crack
break Ibrelk/ the point where something has broken [n Cl
The plate had been so well repaired that you could hardly
see the break.
fracture /1 frrektJ aria small crack in the surface of some-
thing hard, such as bone or metal [n Cl
An X-ray showed that there was a fracture in the skull. I
Large fractures had appeared in the sUrface of the metal.
crack Jkrrekf a thin line that appears in something hard,
for example glass, stone, or plastic. when it has been
damaged but not broken into pieces In Cl
The room was prettily decorated but there were cracks in the
ceiling. I The mirror had a big crack in it. I hairline crack
(=a very thin crack) Inspecting the vase, Judith could see a
hairline crack near the rim
12 words for describing things that break easily
or are easily damaged
breakable brittle
fragUe crisp
delicate
breakable 1'bre. k.b. 11objects that are breakable break
easily because they are made of glass or other thin, hard
material, and must be handled carefully law l
Before you pack, wrap your breakable possessions in tissue
paper. ! I hope there's nothing breakable in that case. Look
at the way the baggage handlers are throwing it around!
fragIle l'fra:d33.t ~ -<lyll not strong and therefore very
easily broken or damaged law l
The parcel was marked FRAGILE - HANDLE WITH
CARE.! A butteif/y's wings are very fragile.
delicate /Idehk l tl something that is delicate is easily
broken or damaged, especially because it is made of very
thin material. and is attract ive to look at lalU ]
The tea was served in delicate china cups. I Around her neck
was a delicate gold chain, glittering against her sk in.
brittle I' bnttl bard and easily broken, especially because
of being old and dry ladjl
The branches ofdead trees are brittle, and break offeasily. I
Penning makes your hair more brittle.
crisp Iknsp/ something that is crisp is hard, thin. and
breaks easily, when you press on it [adj)
The toast was crisp and hot. I The crisp, dry leaves crackled
underneath her bare feet.
; breakable BREAK 12
,\ breakages DAMAGE 2
breakdown: have a nervous breakdown MENTALLY
ILL 3
breakfast MEAL 2
breakneck speed: at breakneck speed FAST/QUICK 2
breakout ESCAPE 7
breakthrough PROGRESS 3. SUCCEED IN DOING STH 8
breath BREATHE 4
breath: get your breath back BREATHE 8
breath: hold your breath WAIT 4
breath: out 01 breath BREATHE 7
breath: take a breath BREATHE 2
breathe BREATHE 1
~ breathe: can't breathe BREATHE 9
'¥ breathe: not breathe a word/not tell a soul TELL A
· SECRET 4
breathe down ab's neck TELUORDER SB TO DO STH 8
breathe down ab's neck: be breathing down sb's
I
. neck FORCE SB TO DO STH 2
breathe In BREATHE 2
breathe out BREATHE 3
BREATHE
• BREATHE
1 to take air into your lungs and send it out
again
2 to take air, smoke etc into your lungs
3 to send air, smoke etc out of your lungs
4 the act or process of breathing
5 to breathe noisily
6 to breathe with difficulty
7 having difficulty breathing , because of illness,
hard work , exercise etc
8 to breathe normally again after running or
making a lot of effort
9 to be unable to brealhe
10 to kill someone by stopping them from
breathing
1 to take air into your lungs and send it out
again
breathe
braathe Ibri:61 [v llTl
The air was so smoky it was diffiCUlt to breathe. I The doctor
listened to the man's chest to see if he was still breathing. I
breath air/fumes People nowadays are becoming more
and nwre concerlU!d about the quality oftlw air they breathe.!
breathe deeply (=take a lot of air into your lungs each time
you breathe) I want you to breathe deeply and try to relax.
2 to take air, smoke etc into your lungs
breathe in inhale
take a breath gasp
breathe In l ,bri:6 '101 [phr v l i T]
Every tirm I breathe in I get a pain in the ~ sid£ ofmy chest!
breathe in sth I put my handkerchiefover my nose to avoid
breathing in the smoke. I He stopped to breatm in tm mouth·
watering aroma which was coming from the kitchen.
take a breath 11 lel k a Ibre9/ to breathe in once [v phrase}
It was so quiet that I hardly dared to take a breath. I take
a breath of Every time you took a breath of that foul air you
could feel it polluting your lungs. I take a deep breath
(=take a lot of air into your lungs) Taking a deep breath she
dived into the cool water.
Inhale /In 1helll a word used especia lly in a technical or
medical context meaning to breathe air, smoke, or gas in
through your month Iv IITI
inhale sth It is dangerous to inhale the fumes produced by
these chemicals. I Keep the talcum powder away from the
boby'sface so that he doesn 't inhale it. !Inhale Every tirm
he inhaled, his lungs made an awful wheezing sound. I
inhale deeply (=inhale a lot of air or smoke) Stella lit up
a cigarette and inhaled deeply.
gasp Iga:sp 11 ga:spl to breathe in suddenly and sharply,
making a sli ght noise. especially because you are very
surprised or shocked Iv 11
I gasped when I heard how much the ring had cost. I His
hand was so cold it made her gasp.
gasp In C J There were gasps of amazement ( =people gasped)
because tlrey were amazed when the fireworks started.
3 to send air, smoke etc out of your lungs
breathe out
exhale
btow
breathe out I, bri,6 ' aut/lPhr v l i T I
The doctor told her to breathe out slowly. I When I'm swim·
ming I breathe in through my nose and breatm out through
my mouth. I breathe out sth He took his cigarette out ofhis
mouth and breathed out the smoke.
BREATHE
exhale /eks I helll a word used especially in a technical or
medical context meaning to breathe air, smoke etc out of
your mouth Iv li T!
Hold your breath/or 5 seconds, then exhol£ slowly. I She took
a long pull on her cigarette, exhaled and coughed loudly. I
exhale sth The lungs exhale carbon dioxide and water.
blow Ibl;KJ/ to breathe out strongly, especially while
making a circle with your lips [u tlTI
I put the balloon to my lips and blew as hard as I could. I
blow on/into etc "This coffee's too hot to drink ... "Blow on
it - that'U cool it down. " I blow sth He blew smoke rings
across the table.
4 the act or process of breathing
breathing
breath
respiration
breathing ,'bri:OIIJI the process of breathing air in and
out [n VI
The disease in his lungs made breathing very painful I deep
breathing (==breathing a lot of a ir into your lungs) /Jeep
breathing is good/or relaxing your mind and your body. I
heavy breathing (=loud breathing) When I picked up the
phone all I heard was heavy breathing.
breath IbreOf the air that you breathe out or in (n V J
The Iwrsecame so close that I couldfeel its breath on the oock
o/my neck. I bad breath (=breath that smells unpleasant)
His teeth were rotten and he had ood breath.
respiration 'Iresp! IrelJant a medical or technical word
meaning the process of breathing in and out [n V I
The patient's respiration appears to be perfectly normal. I
The heart, brain, and respiration are all affected by the
poison.
5 to breathe noisily
sniff snort
snore sigh
sniff /sOlfl to breathe in noisily through your nose, for
example because you have a cold or because you are crying
Iv I]
Stop snifJing and blow your nose. I "I'm sorry 1got so upset,"
she sniffed. I The dog raised its nose in the air, sniffed, and
then started to follow the scent.
sniff [n C J His mother gave a sniffand asked if he had been
smoking in his bedroom.
snore /snJ!r/ to breathe noisily through your nose or
mouth while you are asleep [v I1
My husoond snores so loudly that lfind it difficult to get to
sleep. I I u:ish you wouldn't sleep on your back - it makes
you snore.
snoring In U I Isn't there something you can do aooutyour
snoring?
snort !snJ:rt/ to breathe out very nOisily through your
nose, especially to show that you are amused, annoyed etc
Iv I]
She was laughing so much she started to snort. I The horse
lowered its head, and snorted at them.
snort [n Cl From the other side o/the library came a loud
unmistakable snort - it was the professor.
sigh /sa ll to breathe in and out deeply and loudly, making
a long sound, especially when you are disappointed, bored,
or tired IV 11
Frank sighed deeply and stared out of the window. I "That's
life, I suppose, "she sighed. I Sighing wearily, she began her
routine of getting ready for bed.
sigh In Cl Andrew handed over the letter with a sigh.
6 to breathe with difficulty
gasp pant
puff wheeze
gasp Igo:sp 11 grespl to breathe very quickty and deeply
because you find it difficult to breathe normally, for exam-
ple after running fast or because you have been injured (v 11
152 BREATHE
The hill was very steep and they were all gasping by the time
they got to the top. I "Do you think you can walk?" 1 asked.
"I'll try, " he gasped. I gasp for breath (=gasp because you
can hardly breathe) His mother was coughing so much that
she kept gasping for breath.
puH IpAfl to breathe loudly and with difficulty, because
you are doing something which needs a lot of physical
effort Iv Il
You could see her pUffing as she carried the heavy washing
basket. I "Sorry I'm so late Maxie," he said, pufFmg
breathlessly.
pant /prent/ to breathe quickly and noisily with your
mouth open, for example, because you are running or
because you feel excited Iv 11
Matt was still panting after his run. I When I reached the
top a/the stairs I was pUffing and panting like an old steam
engine.
wheeze /wi:z/ to breathe with a whistling noise in your
throat and chest because you are m or unhealthy [v IJ
That evening his chest was really bad and he was wheezing
all the time. I When she coughed she made a terrible wheez-
ing sound.
7 having difficulty breathing, because of illness,
hard work, exercise etc
breathless
short of breath
out of breath
breathless / 'bre9Ias/ having difficulty breathing, espe-
cially because you are excited or very tired after hard phys-
ical effort ladjl
She sounded rather breathless, as if she had been running. I
breathless VOice/whisper Tania was talking to him, in
an enthusiastic, slightly breathless voice.
breathlessness In UI The poor lady,judging by her breath-
lessness and flushed cheeks, was exhausted.
breathlessly ladv ] "Ican't walk another inch, " said Mary
breathlessly.
,f',
short 01 breath I 't >v 'breSI unable to breathe easily,
especially because you are unhealthy (ad) phrase]
When I wake up in the morning I'm often very short 0/
breath. I She got short 0/ breath very easily because she was
so overweight. I Thefog irritated his lungs and made him
short of breath.
out of breath / Iaut a\' IbreO( having difficulty breathing
because you have just been running, climbing stairs etc
ladj phrase I
We were all a liltleout of breath when we got on the train. I
Can we have a rest? - I'm a bit out of breath.
8 to breathe normally again after runni ng or
making a lot of effort
get your breath back
get your breath back / Igetj:n r Ibre9 brekf (uphrasel
It took me a/ew minutes to get my breath back ajterclimh-
ing the stairs. I lfyou've got your breath back we can do a
few more lengths of the pool.
9 to be unable to breathe
can't breathe
choke
suffocate
can't breathe / Ika:nt 'bri:(') 11 ,krent-/ [v phrase]
It 's so hot in here! 1 can't breathe! I The worst thing about
asthma is feeling that you can't breathe.
choke ftJaukJ to be unable to breathe because your throat
is blocked or because there is not enough air (u I1
The fumes from the chemicals took his breath away and
made him choke. I At last I reached the shore and fell onto
the sand, choking and spluttering. I choke on The old king
died after choking on a chicken bone.
suffocate / Is"r~kelt( to die because you are unable to
breathe because you cannot get any air (v 11
BREATHE 153 BRIGHT
More than half of the birds had slifJocated during the jour· bright /bral~ ladjl
ney. I It was red·hat and all the windows were cwsed - she Ifolwwed the doctor into the bright light of the consulting·
felt as thaugh she was going to slifJocaI£. I I nearly slifJocated room I After so wng indoors the bright sunshine hurt Jack's
when tlu? pipe 0/ my breathing apparatus broke. «YeS. I There was aflash of bright light beyond theforest and
th£ thunder exploded again.
brightly ladu] The harbar lights, twinkling brightly in the
10 to kill someone by stopping them from distance, were a welcome sight.
breathing brightness [n V] Amina blinlred in the dark at the bright-
choke suffocate ness oJ the lanterns.
strangle smother strong /strD~ 11 S1r:,,~/lights that are strong are bright
and make it easier for you to see, especially a long distance
choke/tj<:MJk/ if a person or smoke, gas etc chokes some-
one, they make it very difficult or impossible for them to ladj]
Our headlamps weren't strong enough to penetrate the dense
breathe lu TI /og_ l You have to becare/ul about which make-up you wear
Don't hold so tight, you're chaking me. I Ifelt myself being
choked by thick, yelww fUmes. I choke sb to death He
under these strong studio lights.
grabbed her around the mck and choked her to death.
strongly (adu I Doylight shane strongly through the cracks
in th£ blinds.
strangle /1slrrelJg.111to kill someone by pressing on their strength Istrc[JS. strenSI [n V] I was surprised at the strength
throat with both hands or with something such as a piece of the spotlights ( ~ how strong they were).
of string so that they cannot breathe [v TJ good fgudf good light in a place where you are working
Police said that th£ uictim had been strangted. I He slid his
is strong enough for you to see what you are doing [ad) I
hands around her neck and tried to strangle her.
We had windows put in the roof which gave us a good light
suttocate/lshf;}keul to kill someone by preventing them to work by. I You'll be able to see thecowurs better ifyou go
from getting any air [v TJ and stand by the window where the light is good.
Don 'f ietyour child play with plastic bags which could suffo-
cate him. I They found her ha/f-sujJocatedfrom the poisonous harsh fha! rIf so strong that it is unpleasant and may hurt
your eyes (ad] ]
gases given ol! by the burning fumi.ture. In the harsh light of the street lamps Michelle Waked tired
smother /ISmA()C)T/ to cover someone's face so that they and old. I The lighting in these o!Trees is so harsh, it giues
cannot breathe [v TI me a headache.
One night, as he lay beside her. she took a pillow and harshness In UI The harshness of the naked lightbulbs
srrwthered him. made t1u? room seem stark.
breather: take a breather PAUSE 2
l breathing BREATHE 4 2 extremely bright
breathing space PAUSE 3 blazing
., breath le.. BREATHE 7 brilliant
i breathtaking IMPRESS 4
bluing /'blelzlij/ very bright and strong, especially when
~ breed BABY/HAVE A BABY 14, CAUSE 6 , TYPE 2
~, breeze: be a snap/a breeze EASY 2 seen from a distance [ad) only be/ore noun]
o breeze In ENTER 1
The blazing lights 0/ the casino shone out across the har-
breeze through: sail throughlbreeze through PASS A
bour. I At twilight, the blazing orange sunset turned into a
muted pink.
TEST 1
brewing: be brewing SOON 6 brt.....t / 'bnlj.nI/ very bright and strong, but also attrac·
bribe MONEY 10, PAY FOR 12, 17 tive and pleasant lad)]
bribery DISHONEST 5, PAY FOR 12 A shaft of brilliant sunlight shane through the dusty attic
brick wall: ft'allke talking to a brick wall POINTLESS 3 window. I All of a sudden the stage was flooded with bril·
bride MARRY 10 liant light. I The ballroom was illuminated by brilliant
brlde-to-bolhusboncl-to-bo MARRY 7 crystal chandelkrs.
bridegroom: groomlbrldegroom MARRY 10
brilliance In U] The brilliance of the sun on the lake was
quite breathtaking.
brlel INSTRUCTIONS 1, SHORT TIME 3, SHORT/NOT
LONG 2, TELL 3
brlel: be brlel SHORT/NOT LONG 5 3 so bright that ~ hurts your eyes or prevents
bright BRIGHT 1, 4, INTELLIGENT 2 you from seeing properly
bright: not Intolllgentlbrlghtlclever/amart blinding
STUPID/NOT INTELLIGENT 1 dazzling
bright and breezy ENERGETIC 2
!i bright and early EARLY 6 blinding / 'blallldl~/ so bright that you cannot look into
! bright luture: have a bright luture SUCCESSFUL 4 it. and it makes you unable to see for a few moments after-
wards ladj]
• bright Idea IDEA 2, INTELLIGENT 9
There was a blind~ flash folwwed by a woo expwsion. I
The sun on the snow IS blinding. I The rabbit was petrified
.BRIGHT by the blinding glare of our headlights.
dazzling / 'dre3hij/ so bright that it hurts your eyes and
makes it a little difficult for you to see (acU]
1 words for describing a light that is bright An unshaded light bulb in the ceiling seemed dazzling after
2 extremely bright the radar room'S semi-darkness_ I Steep cliffs/ell away to a
3 so bright that it hurts your eyes or prevents dazzling beach of white sand fringed with caconut pabns.1
you from seeing properly The houses. when the sun catches them, are 0/ a dazzling
4 words for describing a place where there is whiteness.
plenty of light dazzlingly [adv I We stepped out o/the elevator into a room
so dazzlingly bright that we had to screw up our eyes.
5 not bright
4 words for describing a place where there is
plenty of light
1 words for describing a light that is bright bright
bright good light
strong harsh well lit
 BRIGHT 154 BROKEN
bright Ib raIl/ladj ]
The big windows in this room make it nice and bright. 1 Wor-
lrers welcomed a move to new, bright and fully air condi- brin
tioned offices. I We emerged from a dark corridor into a
bright. airy countyard.
brightness (n UJ After the brightness ojtheyard it took my
eyes some time to adjust to the dim kitchen.
light f1al~ a room that is light has plenty oflight in it.espe-
cially sunlight from its windows (adjl
The theatre has a light and spacwus relu!arsal room. I These
ich me,aning?
bring something or
someone to a place
---
let TAKE/BRING

changing-rooms should be lighter - you can't really tell the bring CAUSE 5. 10. HAPPE N 8 . TAKE/BRING 1. 2. 5
c%r of th£ clothes. • bring about CAUSE 5
well-lit I.we) 'IIt .., a place that is well-lit has plenty of bring around: bring sb around/round CONSCIOUS 3,
light because the sun shines there or there is electric light PERSUADE 4
ladj phrase] bring back START STH/M AKE STH START 5 .
To avoid eye strain make sure your desk is well-lit. I Always TAKE/BRING 4
use headlamps in built-up areas at night unless the road is bring down FALL 11
well-lit. F. bring down: shoot downlbring down DOWN 8
bring In ASK FOR STH/ASK SB TO DO STH 6. ATIRACT
5 not bright 2. FASHIONABLE 4. START STH/MAKE STH
pale poorlbad START 2. TAKE PART/BE INVOLVED 7
bring off: pull offlbring off/carry off SUCCEED IN
dim 80ft
DOING STH 2
weak low bring out SELL 12, SHOW A FEE LING OR ATI1TUDE 5
pale /pell/light that is pale is not bright and has very little bring together MIX 6, UNITE 5
colour in it [adj] bring up LOOK AFTER SB 4 . MENTION 2 . SICKNOMIT 1
I couldn'tget to sleep until I saw thefirstpa/e light ofdawn. I bring up: bring sb up to do 8th TEACH 3
The sunlight through the thick clouds was pale and cool that brink: be on the brink of ALMOST 3
morning. I The banks of the river are bathed in pale moon· briHle BREAK 12
light. broach MENTION 2
dim Idunl a dim light or lamp is not bright. especially '~ broad DETAIL 5. MOST 5. WIDE 1
because it is not very powerful [adj l broad-minded STR ICT 10
The lighting was so dim I could hardly see. I There was noth- broadcast PUBLICIZE/MAKE KNOWN 1.
ing in the room but a tabk, a chair, and a dim lamp. I Dying TELEVISION/RADIO 3 . 5
embers gave out a dim glew in the hearth. broaden INCREASE IN ACTlVllY, FEELI NGS ETG 2
dimly (adv] a dimly-Ut rorridor broil COOK 2
weak Iwi:kJ not very bright so that you cannot see very broiling HOT 5
well ladjl . ~ broke MON EY 17. POOR 3
In the weak light inside tire bus Tom couldn't see to read. I broken BROKEN 1, 2. SPEAK A LANGUAGE 7
the weak glow of the dashooard lights >,;. broken: get broken BREAK 7
weakly [adv I A candle flickered weakly at the end of the broken-down BROKEN 1
tabLe. broken-heartedlheartbroken SAD/UN HAPPY 5
poorlbacl f~ r, bred/ not bright enough, so that it is
difficult to work or see what you are dOing [adjl
Reading inpoor /iglU is very bodfor the eyes. I It wasdiflkult
to find our way down the mountain in the mist and bad
• BROKEN
light. I The light in the brewery was too poorfor us to be able 1 words for describing objects. furniture. or
to judge the colour of the beer. parts 01 the body that are broken
soft Isoft 11 so:ftl not too bright. in a way that is pleasant 2 words for describing machines, pieces of
and relaxing [adj only before noun J equipment etc that are not working
In tire soft evening light Sonya looked ten years younger. I
The restaurant has a romantic atmosphere with soft lights 3 completely broken. so that it cannot be
and background music. I That first summer at university. repaired and must be replaced
the city had sremedfull of a soft warm light. 4 not working properly or well
softly [adv I Coloured lanterns shone softly in the trees and 5 to stop working properly
bushes. 6 not broken or damaged
softness In UI The softness ofcandlelight added atmosphere
to the evening.
low /13U/ low lighting, especially electric lighting, is not
bright so that a place seems pleasant and relaxing ladj l 1 words for describing objects. furniture. or
It was a while before Samuel's eyes got used to the low light- parts of the body that are broken
ing of the intensive care unit. I They keep the light so low at broken bust
that restaurant, you can't really see what you are eating.
chipped busted
cracked broken-down
1 brighten up HAPPY 9
brilliance INTELLIGENT 11
brilliant BRIGHT 2 . GOOD AT 2. GOOD/EXCELLENT 3. 4.
broken I 'br:x;konf ladj]
Thejloor's covered in broken glass. I Her toes were blue with
INTELLIGENT 1 cold. her fingemoils black and broken. I In the corner of the
• brim: be full to the brim FULL 1 room were a broken chair and a rickety old desk. I Sam can't
play ~ his leg is broken. I How did this get broken?
cltlpped Itf Iptf a cuP. plate ete that is chipped has a small
piece broken off the edge of it ladj]
"You say" is used in definitions of some Why do I always get the chipped cup? I Thefood was care-
words or phrases to show they are lessly served on chipped enamel plates.
especially used in Spoken English.
 BROKEN
cracked IkrrektJ something that is cracked is not com-
pletely broken, but has cracks on its surlace as a result of
damage ladjl
Throw lhatjug away. It's cracked. I She put on her cracked,
steel-rimmed glasses. ! All the archaeologist unearthed was
some broken pottery and a few cracked tiles.
bust /bAstl an infonnal British word meaning broken [adj
not before noun]
I can't carry all the shopping home in this bag - it's bust I
The door's bust again. Can you get it/ixed?
busted I'b",sl~dl an infonnal American word meaning
broken la~i1
That little dog got in where the fence is busted. I The car's
got a busted window.
broken·down l ,btdUk:m 'daun .. f broken-down fences/
chairs/buildings (=broken or in very bad condition) rad}
only before noun I
Mall wcu; out on the patio, slumped in a broken-down deck
chair. I [n the town there was one dilapidated hotel and a
few broken-down lodging houses.
2 words for describing machines, pieces of
equipment ete that are not working
not be working bu sted
doesn 't work be out of order
broken be out of acUon
bUst dow n
not be working /not bi: ' w3: f kll)/ [v phrase!
The phone 's not working. l Our car isn't working at the
moment, so I'm having to use the bus. I The elevator didn't
seem to be working, so we walked up the stairs.
doesn't work l,dAUnt I W3:fkJ a mach ine that doesn't
wor k is not able to do the job it is supposed to do because
it is broken Iv phrase!
The headlights don 't work and the brakes nee<i,IXing. I This
camera doesn't work - I'll have to take it back to the store.
broken /'btdUk~n/ a small machine, or a part of a machine
that is broken is not working [adj)
"Wha t's the time?" "I don't know, my watch is broken." I
Som£thing is the matter with the engine. lthink thefan belt's
broken. I There's a place down the road that repairs broken
washing machines.
bust /bASt! an informal British word meaning broken or
badly damaged ladj not bifore naunl
Our television's bust, and so's the radio. I There's no point
in trying to mend it, it's completely bust.
busted / lbASt&dl an informal American word meaning
broken or badly damaged ladj J
Mom.' My bike's busted. I There was nothing much in the
room except for a busted TV and a couple of old chairs.
be out of order /bi: laut ~v 1 :J: f d~TJ if a machine,
especially one used by the public, is ou t of order it is not
working for a temporary period (v phrase)
1 can't call a taxi, the phone's out of order. I The toilets are
almost always out oforder. I When wefinally got to the gas
station the pump had a sign on it saying 'Out of order '.
be out of Bctlon Ibi: laut ~v 'rekI.ml if a vehicle or
machine is ou t of action , it cannot be used at the moment
because it is broken (v phrase!
Three of our tanks are out of action. I These planes may be
OUl ofaction for a week,justforregular maintenance. I Our
washing machine's out of action at the moment. so we use
the laundry down the road.
down ldaunl ifa computer system is down , it is not work-
ing [act.i not Wore noun)
The comput€r system was down all afternoon so we went
home. I go down ("'-stop working) The network has gone
down again and information may have been lost from the
files.
3
completely broken , so that il cannot be
II~ repaired and must be replaced
~ has gone lis gone
ha. had It
155 BROKEN
ha. gone (British) 11. 1I0ne (American) Ihoz 'gon, 'z
Igon n _lg:>:nJ if you say that part ofa machine, especially
a car, has gon e, you mean that it has stopped working
properly Iv phrase I
I'm not sure what's wrong with my car - I think the clutch
has gone. I Q the gearbox is gone it'll cost you a fortune. I
is/are going (; 00 about to stop working) "What's toot
noise?" "It sounds like the suspension's going...
ha. had H Ihoz 'hred "I if you say tbat a machIne has had
it you mean that it is completely broken and cannot be
repaired Iv phrase ]
['m afraid that tape recorder has had it.
4 nol working properly or well
there 's something wrong w ith defective
faulty be on the blink
there's something wrong with 16e~rz ISAmOl1) 'rnl)
WI() U _lr:J:I) _/ jf there is someth i n g wron g with a
machine, it does not work properly and you do not know
exactly why [v phrase I
I can't take any photos today - there's something wrong with
my camera. I 1'here's something wrong with mycar, I think
it 's the starter motor. I h ave something wrong with If the
VCR has something wrong with it, take it back to the store.
fauHy I' ro,hil something that is fa ulty, especially part of
a complicated machine, is either not working or was not
made properly [adjl
A faUlty cable may be causing the problem. I Renew any
spark plugs that are faUlty. I Fires in the home are often
caused by faUlty electrical equipment.
defecttve /dl'fektlv! a machine or a piece of equipment
that is de fective does not work properly because it was
badly made ladj]
Uany ofour products are defective, let us know immediately. I
Companies that produce defective cars must be held respon·
siblefor the accidents that they cause. I a defective engine
be on the blnk /hi: Dn ~ 'blll)kJ an informal expression:
if a pipce of electrical equipment such as a television or
washing machine is on the blink, it sometimes works and
sometimes does not Iv phrase!
My TV's on the blink again. I go on t he b link (=start not
working properly) Every time Diane's dishwasher goes on
the blink, Ron goes over andjlXes it.
5 to stop working properly
go wrong crash
break down pack up
cut out malfunction
fall
110 wronll I,g"" ' ro~ 1I - 'r:>'~1 Iv phrase I
Modern computers don't often go wrong. I go wrong with
If something goes wrong with your car. check the obvious
things first. I Something's gone wrong with this washing
machine.
br••k down I,brelk 'daunl if a large machine, especially
a vehicle, break s down. it stops working completely (phr
v II
She was late for the meeting because her car broke down. I
The elevators in this building are always brooking down.
b reakdown / 'bre lkdaun/ In C/ U! Red hazard warning
lights are installed in the car in case ofbreakdown ("'- in case
the car breaks down).
cut out l,kAt lautj ifan engine elltsout, it suddenly stops
wor king Iphr v IJ
Every time Mark slowed down the engine cut out. I lf the
machine overheats, the engine cuts out automatically.
fall /fel l/ if a part of a machine or of a piece of electrical
equipment fails, it stops working fv [J
The brakesfaiIed and my car ran into the car infront. IIn
the last ten minutes of the game, one ofthe televisum cameras
failed. I One of the engines failed at ao,lJOOfe<!t.
fail u re In U) Investigators traced the cause of the crash to
enginefaiIure.
BROKEN 156 BUILD
crash Ilme!1 if a computer or a computer system crashes,
it stops working [v IJ
My computer has crashed again so I can't give you that in/or- _ BUILD
mation right MW. I Hundredso/hospital records were wiped
out when the network crashed. 1 to build a house, a factory, a wall, a road etc
pack up I.prek IApl an infonnal British expression: if a 2 the process or art of building
machine packs up, it stops working, especially because it 3 a building or group of buildings
is old (phr v II
When this record player pocks up,I'll buy a CD player. I They
won '( know what to do if a pipe bursts or if the heater packs
up. I Don't tell m e the bloody grill's packed up. 1 to build a house, a factory , a wall, a road etc
malfunction /mrel'fAlJkJan{ a formal or technical word build construct
meaning to stop working properly [v I1 put up erect
This is a sign that the computer's hard disk is malfunction-
ing. I Tape recorders or projectors may mal/unction during
build /blld/ to make a house, wall, road ete Iv IITI
a presentation. build 5th His ambition is to build his own house. I The city
council is going ahead with plans to build a new sports com·
malfunction [n CI His job is to spot computer malfunctions plex. I Why are they knocking down that warehouse? It's only
(=problems with the way the computer is working) and just been built. I The road was originally built in Roman
deal with them immediately.
times. I build Are they going to build on this land?
building In VJ There's a lot of building going on around
6 not broken or damaged us (=a lot of houses, offices etc are being built).
Intact put up I ,put 'tl.p! to build a wall ora tall building [phrvTJ
In one piece put up sth They've put up a big new multi·storey hotel on
the edge aftown. I put sth/It/them up [sabel and Pew- have
Intect 'In1trektf not broken or damaged, in spite of being put a stone wall up along the side of the garden.
hit. dropped ete [ad) not before noun l con.tnlct IkanI strtl.ktl to build a large public building, a
Despite the bombing, the fwuse was still intact. lOur furni- bridge, road etc Iv TJ
ture survived the long journey more or less intact. I He dealt The city council has plansfor constructing two new schools
the door a tremendous blow but it remained intact. and a hospital. I This elegant two·storey stone building was
In one piece l ID .WAn Ipi:S/ if something arrives or is constructed in 1/189. I Larer they began ro construct high walls
moved in one piece, it does not get broken in spite of being to defend the town against tire invaders.
moved (adv phrase) construction Ikan 'strtl.kf~n/ In VJ The contract for the
I don't know how we got the piano down in one piece! I The constructinn of tire new Olympic stadium has gone to a
china arrived all in one piece, thank God. French company.
brood THINK ABOUT 6 , WORRIED 2 erect /I 'rcktl a fonnal word meaning to build a public
browbeat FORCE SB TO DO STH 2 building or structure Iv TJ
brown-nose FRIEN DLY 7 This ancient church was erected in 1121. I Wlrenthefig hting
browse LOOK AT 10 was over the Spartans erected a memorial to their dead on
browse through READ 3
the battlefield. I Throughout 19th-century Europe industri-
alists competed to erect grand public buildings in their
bruise INJURE 2
capital cities.
brunch MEAL 2
brush CLEAN 6, TOUCH 3
brush-off: give sb the brush-off REJECTfNOT ACCEPT 6 2 the process or art of building
brush up IMPROVE 3 architecture
brush your teeth/clean your teeth WASH 4 building
brusque RUDE/IMPOLITE 4
construction
brutal VIOLENT 1, 3
brutality VIOLENT 6 architecture /'o:rk~tektfarl the art and practice of plan-
brute VIOLE NT 5 ning and designing buildings In V)
bubble SOUND 16 She's studying architecture at college. I Le Corbusier's
buck: pass the buck BLAME 4, RESPO NSIBLE 10 influence on the development of modern architecture
bucket: kick the bucket DIE 1 architectural f I a:rk1Itcktf~r,}I"/ladjJ He returned to Paris
buckets: sweat like a pig/sweat buckets SWEAT 1 and went to work in an architectural firm (=a firm that
buckle BEND 3 plans buildings),
bud: nip 8th in the bud PREVENT 2. STOP STH THAT IS building / 'bIldIQ/ the process of building In VI
HAPPENING 8 Basic methods of building have changed little in the last
budding WANT 7 century. I It was the invention of pre-stressed concrete that
buddy FRIEND 1, MAN 6 really transformed building techniques. I building indus-
budge MOVElCHANGE POSITION 2 try Thousands of workers in the building industry will lose
budge: won't budge/can't budge 5th MOVE STH OR their jobs as a result of cutbacks.
SB 6 construction /bn' strAkfanj the process or method of
budget SP END MONEY 5 , 9 building large public buildings, bridges, roads etc In UJ
bull KNOW STH 6 He is an expert in road construction. I construction on Con-
bug ANNOY 2, FAULT/STH WRONG 1, struction on the tunnel will begin in April. I construction
ILLNESSlDISEASE 1, LISTEN 3 industry The construction industry has been severely
bug: get the travel/surfing/DIY ete bug INTERESTED 5 affected by the recessinn.
bugger all NONE/NOTHING 1
build
build on
BODY 2, BUILD 1, MAKE 1
AOD 3
3 a building or group of buildings
build up INCREASE IN ACTIVITY, FEELING S ETC 3 , building structure
INCREASE IN NUMBER OR AMOUNT 5 block architecture
build up ab's hopes HOPE 6 development
build-up INCREASE IN ACTIVITY, FEELINGS ETC 6, building /'blldIQ/ In Cl
• INCREASE IN NUMBER OR AMOU NT 9 The whole building shook when a train went past. I There's
BUILD 157 BURN
a plan to convert the farm buildings into p rivate apart·
ments. , We saw brick and timber buildings dating back to
the 15th century.
block Iblok 11 blo,kl a large building divided into smaller
parts In Cl
He owns an entire commercial block in downtown Chicago.'
They are developers ofbig blocks ofapartments desiglWifor
sucr:essful young people. I office/apartment block There's
another new ofj"zce block going up behind the station. I h igh-
rise block (=a very tall block) His studios are on the tenth
/loor 0/ a high'rise block overlooking the river.
development IdI 'vel ~pm~ntl a group of new bu ildings
that have all been planned and built together on the same
piece of land In Cl
This is a small residential development aimed atjirst-time . BURN
buyers. I No further housing or oJTu;e developments will be
allowed in areas o/natural beauty. 1 10 bum and produce flames
structure / lstrAktJ3 r/ a word meaning a large building or 2 10 bum weakly or wilhout flames
a part of a building, used especially when saying what it 3 10 start burning
is made of or how strong it is In Cl 4 10 make something start buming
University Hall is a solid structure in brick and concrete. I 5 to injure yourself by buming part of your
These wa lls are made of light materials and thus will not body
support heavy roof structures. I The stone arch is one of the
6 to damage something by burning il or letting
oldest existing structures.
it get too hot
archHecture / ' a:rk~ tektJ<l r/ the style and design of a
buildin g or buildings In Ul 7 10 destroy something by burning it
We spent the afternoon walking around Rome, admiring the 8 to be deslroyed by fire
architecture. I The cathedral is a fine example of early 9 words for describing things that can be
Renaissance architecture. burned or that burn easily
10 words for describing things that do nol burn
building BUILD 2. 3
bulge STICK OUT 1, 3
easily
bulging FULL 1. STICK OUT 2
bulk: buy In bulk BUY 2
bulk: the bulk 01 MOST 1. 2
bulky BIG 1
1 to burn and produce flames
bulletin: news bulletin NEWS 2 bum be In flameslbe ablaze
bullshit: crap/bullshlt UNTRUE 4 burning blazing
bully CRU EL 6, FORCE SB TO DO 5TH 2 be on fire
bum ASK FOR 5TH/ASK SB TO DO 5TH 5. HOME 11 bum Ib3"1l/ to produce flames and heat Iv 11
bum around/round TRAVEL 7 Some wood was burning in theyard. 1 The candleflickEred
bump HIT/BUMP INTO 5, SOUND 6. STICK OUT 3 briefly, then burned with a steady flame. I The campfire was
bump Into HIT/BUMP INTO 1 now burning away merrily. I These logs are still damp. Do
bump Into/run Into MEET 2 you think they will burn?
bump 011 KILL 1 burning l 'b3" m D/laq; only before nounl
bumpy COMFORTABLE 10 , FLAT 4 Everyone escapedfrom the burning building. I The smell of
bunch GROUP OF PEOPLE 3. GROUP OF THINGS 3 burning rubber filled the air.
bunch: a bunch of LOT/A LARGE NUMBER OR
AMOUNT 2
be on fire Ibi: on I(alarl ifsomethingsuch as a building,
bunch: the pick of the bunch BEST 3
shiP. or car is on fire, it is burning especially because of
bundle GROUP OF THINGS 3, PUSH 3
an accident but it is not supposed to be burning [v phrasel
Wake up! The house is onjire! I The captain radioed an
bundte: make a bundle/fortune RICH 7
S. O.S. to say that his ship was on f ire. I Large areas of the
bundle of nerves: be a bundle of nerves NERVOUS 2 forest are reported to be on fire.
bung PUT 5
bungle DO 8ADL Y 1 be In fteme.lbe .blaze /bi: In IflemlZ, bi: <I ' blelzl to
burden RESPONSIBLE 11 be on fire with a lot of flames. caus ing serious damage Iv
bureaucracy COMPLICATED 2
phrase) .
When thefire department arrived the whole school was In
bureaucratic COMPLICATED 2
flames. I Twelve hours after the bombing raid, many parts
burglar STEAL 6
of the city were still ablaze.
burglarize STEAL 3
burglary STEAL 7. 8 b"zlng l'ble lzllJ/ burning very brightly with a lot of
burgle STEAL 3 flames and heat (adj only before noun J
bu~y STRONG PERSON 2 They sat on the sofa infront ofa blazingjire. I The heatfram
bum BURN 1, 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 . 9
the blazing car could befelt severa l metres away.
bum down BURN 7 , 8
bum Itsell out STOP HAPPENING 2 2 10 burn weakly or without flames
bum outlbum yourself out TIRED 4 smoulder /smokier
flicker
smoulder (British) I smokier (American) l 'smoulcb' l to
burn weakly so that the th ing that is burn ing is red or
smoking, but there are no flames Iv 11 .
The fire in the chemical factory was so intense that It was
"You say" is used in definitions of some still smouldering a week later. I A smallfire smouldered in
words or phrases to show they are IM flreplace. I a pile of smoldering leaves
especially used in Spoken English.

BURN
flicker I'nlk~rl if a fire or flame flickers, it burns
unsteadily Iv 11
A welcoming jirej/ickered in the grate. I By the light of a
flickering oil-lamp, she told US her story.
3 to start burning
catch fire flare up
bu rst Into flames ignite
break out
catch fire l.kretI I fa l ~rl to start burning accidentally [v
phrase I
Twofarm worJrersdied when a barncaught/ireyesterday.1
A pire of rags caught jire and the jire spread Quickly to the
whole[actory. I Diesel engines are safer than petrol engines,
which can catch jire in an accident.
burst Into flam • • , Ib3: rst 1nl;) Iflelrnz/ to suddenly start
burning very strongly Iv phrase)
The plane crashed into the side of the mountain and burst
into flames. I She was standing too close to thejire. and her
dress suddenly burst into flames.
break out f .brelk laut! if a fire breaks out. it starts burn-
ing accidentally. causing a lot of damage [phr v IJ
Over £20,()()() worth ofdamage was caused when afire broke
out in the cellar. I Would you know what to do ifafire broke
out in your school?
R.e up 11 n~r 1hpl to suddenly begin to burn, or suddenly
btun more strongly than before, with a strong, bright flame
Iphr v It
The spilt gasoline suddenly j/ored up in a sheet ofj/am<. I
They threw some dry wood onto the bonjireand itj/ored up,
showering sparks into the night sky.
Ignite ITg lnallJ a technical word meaning to start burn·
ing Iv It
Scientists could not explain why the gas had suddenly
ignited. I a compound that ignites at 450 degrees Celsius
4 to make something start burning
set fire to sthl burn
set 8th on fire put a match to
light Ignite
set fire to sth/• • t .th on fire Iset I[ala r ta (sth), lset
(sth) on I[a larl to make something burn, especially some-
thing that is not supposed to be burnt IV phrase}
The soldiers piled up the books and setjire to them. I Teresa
wondered if the burning log might set fire to the curtains. I
Vikings attacked the villages along the coast and set them
onFrre. I The heat/rom the stove almost set the wallpaper
onFtre.
Rght Ilanl light a fire/ a candle/ a cigarette/ an oil-lamp
etc (=make it start to burn, especially using a match) [vTI
It's/reezing inhere! Let's lightajr.re.1 Ricky lit twocigareues
and gave one to Lauren. I She Ut thegasunderthesauce/Xln.
bum Ib3: r nl to make something bum, for example in order
to provide warmth or protection [u T I
That winter they had to burn some of their furniture to keep
warm. I They used to burn a special lype o/incense to keep
mosquitoes away. I The rioters burned tyres in the streets.
put a match to lput. 'm""J''''1 to make something start
to burn by using a match, especially something small or
something that burns easily Iv phrase l
I tore the retter up and put a match to it. I Filling his pipe
with tobacco, he put a match to it and pUffed away con-
tentroly.
Ignlle /lg InaltJ a technical word meaning to make some-
thing start to burn, especially something that burns easily
such as a gas or chemical Iv TI
The gas is ignited by an electrical spark. I If the mixture
proves diffICult to ignite, increase the pro[XJrtion 0/ethylene.
5 to injure yourself by burning part of your
body
bum
scald
.,
158 BURN
burn Ib,,'nl Iv TI
bu rn yourself Don't touch the iron. You'll burn yourself I
burn you r mouth/fingers/arm etc This soup's really Iwt
- it's burning my mouth. I be/ get burnt Simon was badly
burnt in the explosion and has had to undergo extensive plas-
tic surgery.
scakl lslo:ldl to il\iure part of your body by accidentally
pouring very hot liquid on it Iv TI
scald you rself l/you 're not careful you 'Il scald yourself on
that kettle I scald your arm/leg/ hand ete Peter scalded
the whole 0/ his back when a hot cup of roffee was acciden·
tally spilled over him.
6 to damage something by burning il or letting
it gel too hot
bum s inge
scorch charred
burn Ib3!'nl Iv Tt
Look, Gerry, you've burnt the toast again! I Don't let him do
any cooking. He always burns the pans. I They rescued some
o/their furniture, but most of it was badly burned. I burn
a h ole in s th (=make a hole in something by burning it)
I'm a/raid I dropped my cigarette and burned a hole in the
carpet.
burn In Cl The sofa was covered in cigarette burns (=holes
made by cigarettes burning).
burnt ladjt Hecut away the burntpartofthectoth (=the part
which had been damaged by burning).
scorch Isb:rtJI if a fire or something that is very hot
scorch es something it bums it slightly and leaves a dark
mark Iv TI
The heater was reft on a ll night and it scorched the wall. I
Having the iron on a very high heat can scorch the/abric.
scorch mark [n C I This shirt is ruined - there s a big scorch
mark on the back.
singe Is I nd31 to damage something such as hair, wool, or
paper by burning it slightly so that the ends or edges are
burnt Iv TI
George singed his moustache while he was lighting his
cigarette. I The rug had been singed by a piece of burning
r;oal thot /uulfallenfrom thejire.
ch. rrecl /tJo:rdJ wood, sticks, bones etc that are ch arred
are black because they have been damaged by burning ladj
usually before noun I
In the cave they found some chorred animal bones. I I looked
sadly at the charred remnants of the burnt-out ship.
7 to destroy something by burning it
oom
bum down
Incinerate
burn Ib3!'nl Iv Tt
When I hod read the letter I burned it. I We gathered up all
the dead leaves in the garden and burned them. IAll irifocted
cattle have to be slaughtered and the carcases have to be
burnt.
burn down Ilb3!r n ' daun/ to completely destroy a build·
ing by burning it LPhr v TI
bu rn down sth Last year rioters burned down the prison.I
bu r n sth/ it/ them down The terrorists inside the embassy
threatened to burn it down.
Inciner.te Ilnlsm~relll to destroy unwanted th ings by
burning them in a special machine IvT usuallyinpassivel
Household waste is usua fly incinerated after it has been rol·
lected. I All the clothes thot were affocted by radiation hod
to be incinerated.
8 to be destroyed by fire
bum down gutted
be destroyed by lint bumt-oull
go up in flames/go up bumed-out
-
BURN 159 BUSINESS
bum down l .b3: f n 'daunl ifa building burns down, it Heat the mixture in a flameproof dish. I Children's night-
is destroyed by a fire, especially one that is an accident [phr clothes are usually made/romflam.e-resistant material.
vI) , burner: put 5th on ice/on the back burner STOP
Kids have had to be taught in the local church since the
• DOING STH 3
school burnt down. I Alexandro Palace has burnt down
burning BURN 1

i
twice.
burning hot HOT 1
be destroyed by Ora Jbi: dl,Stf3ld ba, 'fal~rl an expres- burnt-outlburned-out BUR N 8
sion used especially in literature or in newspap~rs mea~ · burrow DIG t
ing to be destroyed by a fire, especially one that IS an aCCI- burst BREAK 9
dent [v phrase) burst In ENTER 1

I
The town's sports centre was destroyed by fire last night,
burst Into flames BURN 3
causing damage estimated at $15 million. I Tokyo was des-
burst into song SING 1
troyed by fire during the great earthquake of 1922.
burst into tears CRY 4
go up in ftame./go uJ! I.g;>u Ap In ~flelmz. Iga~ lAp/ if ; burst open: blow/burst/lly open OPEN 2
something such as a buildmg goes up ID flam~s ,. It.Starts burst out laughing LAUGH 3
burning very strongly and usually burns until It IS des- bursting: be bursting at the seams FU LL 1
troyed [v phrase} . iI bursting with energy: be full of energy/bursting with
Be careful with those matches, or the whole place wlll go up , energy ENERGETIC 1
inflames! I Thefire spread slowly until it reached the gas bury HIDE/MAKE IT HARD TO FIND OR SEE 1
cylinders, then thefactory went up inf/aTTU!S. IIf the oil tnnker
bury the hatchet ARG UE 8
goes up, it could burn for weeks.
bury your head In the sand IGNORE 3
gutted 11 gAt!d/ a building that is gutted is still standing~ bus TAKEIBRING 5
but its inside has been completely destroyed by fire [ad) bush: beat about the bush/around the bush AVOID 5
not usually before noun I
Was there anything worth saving after tlu!/ire? No, the place
was completely gutted. I The old se/woI, gutted by fire, stood
r bush: not beat about the bush HONEST 4
bushed TIRED 1
business BUSINESS 1. 2 . 3 , 5 . COMPANY 1, HAPPEN
at the corner of the road.
11 , JOBIWORK 2. SUBJECT 1. WORK THAT
bumt-out (British) I bumed-out (American) I,b>:'nt , SOMEON E DOES 1
laut .. , Ib3!Tnd taut .. / a building or a vehicle that lS burnt· bUSiness: be in business BUSINESS 6

out or burned.out has had everything inside it destroyed
by fire [adj usually before noun]
In tlu! main square the burned-out shell of the Palace 0/
Justice still smouldered. I The van was burnt-out and com-
pletely blackened by smoke.
9 words for describing things that can be
burned or that burn easily
burn flammable
InflammableNlammable combustible
bum Ib3:'nl to be able to be burned Iv II
Everything that would burn was thrown onto theflre to give
more heat. I burn weWeasily (badly ete a hard wood that
doesn't burn very well I This mixture ofgases burns readlly.
Inflammable (British) I flammable (American) IIn-
Iflrem;}b31 Iflremoodll materials, chemicals, or gases that
are infla~mable will start burning very easily and
quickly, so they can be dangerous radjl
These armchairs are madefrom inflammable material, and
are therefore very drmgerous. I The report stnted that i1iflam-
mable substances were/ound near the building's heating
system. I A sign on the container said: Danger Flammable
Liquid.
nammable/1flreJTl;}bdll a technical British word mean-
ing able or likely to burn very easily, and possibly danger-
ous latUi
The transportatwn of flammable substances is carefully
regulated.
combustible Ik;}m'bAst!bdl/ a technical wo~: mate~ials
or substances that are combustible burn easlly [ad)]
Harry started collecting any combustible materiallu!could
find in the hause. I Lignite is less combustible than the higher
grades of coal.
10 words for describing things that do not burn
easily
fireproof
flameprooflflame--reslstant
fireproof I' falO' pru:fl not easily damaged by flames [atUi
Theatre curtains have to be/ireproo/
flameproof/flame-,.slstant l'fleJrnpru:f, Iflelrn TI -
zlst.1nt! clothes or substances such as glass that are
flameproof or flame--resistant have been specially made
so that they are not damaged by fire [<Ulj I
~
business: do business BUSINESS 6
business: have/run your own business WORK FOR
S8 3
business: it Is sb's joblbuslness RESPONSIBLE 2
business: It's none of your business
PRIVATE/PERSONAL 6
business: line of worklbuslness J081WORK 2
business: mean business DETERMINED 1
business: mind your own business INTERFERE 3 ,
PRIVATE/PERSONAL 6
business: on business WORK/DO WORK 3
business: set-tJp In business START DOING STH 12
• BUSINESS
the general area of activity that companies
are involved in
f all the people, companies, methods etc used
in business
2 business activities such as buying and selling
3 words for describing something that is
connected with business
4 a business activity, for example an
agreement, sale, or contract between two
companies
5 the amount of business a company is doing
6 ways of saying that a company or person
takes part in business activities
7 someone who works in business
1 all the people, companies, methods etc used
in business
business private enterprise
commerce industry
busln.ss, 'blzn!" [n Vi
Manychurches are now run by people with experience in bus-
iness and rwt in theology. I business trip/ lunch/meeting
etc (=arranged for business reasons not pleasure) This is
a busirwss triparuiJ<)u laww I don't liketomix busirwss with
pleasure! I business associate (=someone you do business
with) I've known Mr Henry for years. He's one ofmy father's
old business associates. I head for business (=good under·
standing of business) Spending a year working for a big
BUSINESS 160
company will be good for him - at the moment he has no
head for busimss at all.
commerce ,lkDm3!rS 11 'km_/ the general area of buying
and selling goods and services, especially between compa-
nies or countries (n U]
Th£ government's new measures are aimed to help commerce
and industry. I There is an increasing number a/openings
for women in commerce. I He had a genuinej1air for com-
merce and soon had a brilliant career working for the World
Bank.
privata enterprise I.pralv!t lentarpralz/ business that
is owned by a private person or group of people and not by
the government (n UJ
People are more likely to invest in private enterprise than in
government-owned businesses because it is more profitable. I
TIw new bridge will be paid/or by private enterprise and
there will bea charge/or using it. I Yugoslavia always had
more private enterprise than the other communist states 0/
Eastern Europe.
Industry 1II000stril the general area of making largequan-
tities of goods to be sold to people, especially in factories
InC/ UJ
The government has been criticized for not putting enough
money into industry. I More and more women are entering
managerial positions in previously maJe·dominatedfields
of industry. I heavy industry (:::industry making steel,
cars, ships etc) The Ruhr valley has always been the centre
ofGermanheauy industry. I the textile/motor/engineer-
Ing etc Industry Many people mouedfrom Pakistan ID work
in the British textile industry, where jobs were pkntiful.
2 business activities such as buying and selling
business operations
trade venture
dealings
business flbIzn~s' (n VJ
European busi11£SS now makes up 40% ofour total turnover. I
It doesn't mntter ifwedon't have enough staff. We can 't turn
business away.
trade Itreldl the buying and selling of goods and services,
especially between countries [n Ul
Trade between the majority of European countries will be
much easier because oflM EG. I trade agreement!controV
deftcltJembargoetc Keeping imports low may help reduce
France's trade deficit. I foreign/world/lnternationall
overseas trade Improvement of the methods ofproduction
and increase in overseas trade enlarged Europe's sphere of
W/LUmce. I balance of trade (=the difference between the
amount a cOlmtry buys and the amount it sells) The balance
o/trade between the two countries showed a large Japanese
surplus.
deaUngS/ldi:lIfjZ/ business activities, especially those
that involve the movement of money between companies,
countries, banks etc In plurall
Thecom/Xlny has to paya lot of tax on itsFmancialdealings
during tlw /986-87 tax year. I dealings with TIw tax ins_-
tor is making an investigation into Mr SlockweU's dealings
with a large number of Third World banks.
operations 'lo~lrelJanz lI.o:p-/ a company's opera·
tions are all its activities, especially in one country or one
area of business (n plural]
UK/overseas/international/foreign etc_ operations
Salco mny have to close down its UK operations with the loss
of 1500 jobs. I He was an important decision maker in terms
ofGM's overseas operations. I The company has grownfrom
16,000 to 28,000 staff as its electronics operations have
expandeci
venture,lvcntJ..,r/ a new bUSiness activity which involves
risking money In Cl
We are prepared to lose money on this venture - it is in our
long-term interest. I He is planning to risk everything to get
his next venture off the ground.. I business venture His
lxmkruptcy was the result ofseveral reckless business ven-
tures.
BUSINESS
3 words for describing something that is
connected with business
business
commercial
entrepreneurial
bu.lne•• ,'blzn!s/ ladj only before noun]
During theFzrst week ofthe secretarial course we learned MW
to write business letters. I Grant'sfour years at Harvard bus-
iness school opened the way to a promising career. I Men and
women in impeccable business suits hurried up and down
the corridors clutching files.
commercial Ika ' m3!rJal/ a commercial activity or
organization is concerned with the business of buying and
selling goods and services ladj only before noun)
His first commercial venture was opening a small corner
shop. I The British Empire was builtforcommercial as well
as political reasons. I This computer has all the features
which make it ideal for commercial use.
entrepreneurlal/.ontldpld ' n3:rialll , o:n-/ entrepren-
eurial skills/ability/initiative/spirit etc (-:: : making you
successful in business, because you are willing to risk your
own money to make a profit) [adj only before nounl
Everyone in our sales team has the entrepreneurial skills
needed to secure important deals. I Entrepreneurialjudge·
ment is an essential quality in property trading. I Candidntes
will be chosen on the basis of individual entrepreneurial
initiative.
4 a business activity, for example an
agreement, sale, or contract between two
companies
deal
transaction
de.I,di:I, In Cl
Wickes lost a lot ofmoney on two large property deals. I sign
a deal Daihatsu is due to sign a deal soon with the Polish
car manufacturer, FSQ, I finalize a deal (=finish it) It is
ex_led that tlwrkal will befinalized before IMendofMay.
transaction /trren 'zeek!anJ a business deal between two
or more people or companies where money is given and
something is bought or sold {n Cl
When the transaction is complete it will be at least 2 weeks
before you receive your copy of the contract. I Most transac-
tions are processed by computer at our Head OffLCe.
5 the amount of business a company is doing
business
turnover
-,
buslne •• "blzn1sl In V}
Business is really bad at the moment. They may have to sell
some of their shops in Asia. I Business was good Until June
and then sales fell because people were on vacation. I busi-
ness is booming (=there is a lot of successful business) In
the old days, when business was booming, he used to fly to
New York twice a week.
tumover l't3: rn I ;}()va rI the amount of goods or services
that a company sells in a particular period of time In
singular]
Our corporation has an annual turnover of $3.2 billion. I
Longwood made a profit of E17m on a turnover of £64m. I
Turnover is expected to double now that the recession is over.
6 ways of saying that a company or person
takes part in business activities
do business deal In
deal with operate
trade be in business
do buslne •• ,.du: 'blzn~sl [v phrase}
do business with We don't do busi11£SS with anyone outside
the European car industry. 1 She's very tif.{icient - the kind
BUSINESS
o/person you want ro do busi,",ss with. I do business I hope
you'll think about my offer. I'm sure we can do business. I
do good business (=do a lot of successful business) They've
been ooing very good business lately. They will probably
even expand their operations.
deal with I'di:l w16/ an expression meaning to do busi-
ness with a particular person or organization (v TJ
1 deal withjarmers, selling them things like cattlefeed and
insecticides. I They don't buy their offu:e supplies/rom a store
- they only deal with the manufacturers. I We don't deal with
the octors directly - we usually have to go through their
agents.
trade ltrelljl if a country or large organization trades with
another country or large organization, they buy. sell, or
exchange goods with each other [v 11
trade with Japan needs to trade with Europe and the US
to ensure economic stability. I They produce high quality
crops/or their own consumption and they trade with the rest
of the countries on the continent. I trade Since a disagree-
ment about deliveries, the two companies have ceased to
tratk.
deal In Ildi:llnl to do business buying or selling a partic-
ular product Iv TI
He admitted that he dealt in drug~', always doing business
in the safety a/international waters. 1 The main commodi·
ties he dealt in were rice, tea and lentils.
operate Ilo(X)relt 11 Im-I if a t'Ompany or organization
operates it takes part in business activities, especially in
one country or in one kind of business Iv 11
Olivetti operates in all the major computer markets in thi!
world. 1 Thi!re is a high degree 0/employment security among
these finns because they operate in tight regional labour
mark£ts. 1 &reenview are a small company operating from
a converted barn in a village near Norwich.
be In business /bi: In Iblzn~sl to take part in business
as the owner of a shop or company (v phrase]
In all the twenty years I've been in business this is the worst
period I've seen/or sales. I The insurance companies are in
business to make money, not waste it. I set up in business
(=start a company, shop etc) When I qualified I set up in
business as a financial consultant.
7 someone who works in business
businessman/businesswoman
entrepreneur
middleman
buslnessmanlbuslnesswoman /lblzn1sm:m, IbIZ-
n~ swum;m/ someone who works in business, especially as
the owner or manager of a company [n Cl
A successful businesswoman, she had made her first million
before she was 21. I He is a high·powered international busi·
nessman with a good reputation as a negotiator.
entrepreneur Ilontr~pr~I03:T IIlo:n-1 someone who
arranges business deals and is willing to risk their money
in order to make a profit (n C l
Afew months ago a young property entrepreneur bought a
vacant house, redecorated it and sold it/or twice the origi·
nal value. ! It is impossible for entrepreneurs to insure
against commercial losses.
middleman / lm1dlmrenj someone who helps to arrange
business deals for other people or who buys things in order
to sell them to someone else [n C)
We buy some goods directly from the mamifacturers and
others through middlemen. I act as a middleman (=work
as a middleman) He had acted as a middleman/or British
comJXlnies seeking contracts in the Gulf. I cut out the
middleman (=avoid having to use a middleman) Selling
your house privately cuts out the middleman and saves
money on agent's/ees.
businesslike EFFICIENT 3
businessman/businesswoman BUSINESS 7
buss KISS 1
bust BREAK 1. BROKEN 1. 2
bust: fold/go bust FAIL 10
bust: go bust MONEY 16
161 BUSYIHAVE A LOT TO 00
busted BROKEN 1, 2
bustle BUSY PLACE 2
bustling BUSY PLACE 1
busy BUSY PLACE 1 , 3 , BUSY/HAVE A LOT TO DO
1. 3. BUSY/NOT AVAILABLE 2
busy: be busy BUSY/NOT AVAILABLE 1
busy yourself SPEND TIME 2
+. BUSY/HAVE A
LOTTO DO I
-+ ., BUSY PLACE
.... . BUSY/NOT
AVAILABLE
• BUSY/HAVE A LOT
TO DO
1 busy because there are a lot of things that
you have to do
2 extremely busy, because you have a lot to do
and not enough time to do it
3 words for describing a time or situation in
which you are very busy
1 busy because there are a lot of things that
you have to do
busy
have a lot to do
have a lot on/have a lot going on
have your hands full
be on the go
busy , 'b, z;, IOOj)
She's very busy - it's her daughter's wedding next week. I
The doctor is a very busy man. He doesn't have time to do
his own washing and ironing. I Angela was becoming more
and more unhappy, but hi!r husband was too busy to notice. I
busy doing sth One day when I was busy cleaning the
house, some relatives arrived unexpectedly. I busy with At
a time when she was busy with business matters we decided
not to burden her with our problems. 1 keep sb busy He's
retired now, but his work/or theyouth club keeps him busy.
busily radj] The chefs were busily preparing hundreds of
tantalizing dishes for the banquet.
have a lot to do Ihrev ~ 1101 I;J Idu: 11 -1 10:1-/ to be busy
because there are a lot of things that you have to do, espe-
cially when this means that you must hurry and work hard
(v phrase not in progressive)
Let's get started. We've a lot to do and not much time to do
it. I There's always a lot to do when you have a big family.
have alot on (British) / have a lot going on (Ameri-
can)/hrev;J 1101 lon,hrev~ IIDtgauu] Ion Ii- Ilo:t-/tobebusy.
especially because you have arranged to do a lot of things
during a short period [v phrase not in progressivel
He says he'll try and seeyouas soon as possible, but he has
a lot going on this qfternoon. I We've got so much on at work
I eauldn 't possibly go on holiday now.
have your hands full /hrev jJ: r Ihrendz Ifull to be busy
because you have to deal with a lot of different jobs or
problems, especially ones concerning people Iv phrase not
in progressive I
 BUSY/HAVE A LOT TO DO 162
Things are very diffICult at the moment. The boss has his
hantisfull at times. I have your hands full with You must
have your luznds full with all this work to do and the chil-
dren UJ look ajrer. I have your hands full doing sth The
car was a real wreck. The mechanic would certainly have
his hands full repairing it.
be on the go Ibi: "On ~ I g;x)/ an infonnal expression
meaning to be very busy for a period of time, especially
when this makes you tired [v phrase J
I've been on the go all week - I'm looking forwa rd to a relax-
ing weekend now. I Sizes always on the go. I don't know how
sh£ dMS it.
2 extremely busy, because you have a lot to do
and not enough time to do it
be rushed off your feet
be up to your ears/neck In
be under pressure
be snowed under
be rushed oH your feet /bi: ,rll.Jt ofj::l:t lfi:tl a British
expression meaning to be extremely busy and always rush-
ing around becau se you have a lot of things to do, especially
for other people {v phrase I
It's my son's birthday party tomorrow. I've been absolutely
rushed off my feet getting ready for it. I All the sales assis-
tants are rushed offtheir feet. The shop ought UJ take on more
staff.
be up to your e.rslneck In /hi: Ap b j:;):r Ilafz, Inek
1nl an infonnal expression meaning to be extremely busy
because you have a Jot of work to do in your job, especially
with paper IV phrase]
I'm sorry I can't talk UJ you MW - I'm up UJ my TU?Ck in paper·
work. I Teachers nowadays are up to their ears in adminis-
tration and don't have much time for teaching.
be under pressure /hi: IAnda f IpreJa f/ to be very busy,
especially because other people are making you work hard,
or because you have to do something by a flXed time
Iv phmse]
Jerry says he's under a lot o/pressure at the momentfram
his boss. I A n editor who cannot work accurately under p res-
sure is no good to me. I be under pressure to do sth The
miners are complaining that they are under constant pres-
sure to produa more and more coal. and that safety regula-
tions are being ignored.
be snowed under /bi: ISnaOO 'Andafl to be extremely
busy and hardly able to do all the work you have to do
Iv phrase]
be snowed under with S ince the hurricane, builders and
roofers have been snowed under with work . I be snowed
under Don't expect any help from them - they 're snowed
under at the moment.
3 words for describing a time or situation in
If'& I
~
which you are very busy
busy hectic
lull It 's .11 go
busy I 'blzi/ladj]
I'm going UJ bed. We have a busy day ahead o/us tonwrrow.1
When you are in the policeforce, the night shift is always bus-
iest.1Restaurant managers often employ temporary staff at
busy tim£S 0/ the year.
full /full fUll day/ mOrning/week ete (=one in wh ich you
have arranged to do a lot of things) iadj usually before TJ?unl
Tomorrow will be a very full day. You have severa l clzents
to see and two meetings in the qfternoon.
hectic /Ihektlk/ a time or situation that is hectic is
extremely busy and you are always rushing and often
excited or worried (adjl
Mrs Anderson went home at the end ofanother hectic, tiring
day. IlliIm being in charge of the office, but it can be very
hectic.
H's ..1 go Ilts 1:;):1 Igau/ you say it's all go when you are
very busy and have no time to relax, especially because a
lot of things are happening
BUSY/NOT AVAILABLE
It 's all go around here this morning. Ten new orders, all
marked 'URGENT'.
• BUSY/NOT
AVAILABLE
not available to do something becau se you are
busy or you have already arranged to do
something else
1 to be busy
2 words for describing a telephone line that is
busy
1 to be busy
be busy
be tied up
have 8th on/be doing 5th
have a previous/prior engagement
be otherwise engaged
not available
be busy Ibi: 'bl zi/lv phrase I
If your Wife is busy you 're welcome to come to the party on
your own. I Not MW Step hen, I'm busy. I be busy doing sth
1 was too busy preparing for my exam to watch the/ootball
game.
be tied up Ibi: ltald lAp/ to be busy in your job, for exam·
pIe because you have a lot of work to do or you have an
important meeting, and therefore unable to do anything
else (v phrase]
I'm sorry, Iu! 's tied up at tlu! moment. Could you call back
later? 11 can 't see you tomorrow. I'm tied up all day.
have sth onlbe doing sth IlIrev (sth) 'on, bi: Idu:lQ (sth)1
to have already arranged to do something, for example to
meet someone or to go to a party, so that you are unable
to do something else that someone has invited you to do
Iv phrase not in progressive1
Do you have anything on on Saturday night? lIt 's strange
that they always seem to be doing something whenever we
invite tlu!m around. llfyou"re IWt doing anything tomorrow,
you could come to the beach with us.
have a previous/prior eng.gement /hrev a ,pri:vi~s,
Ipra lar JO' ge ld3mantl a formal expression, used especially
when replying to an invitation, meaning to have already
made a finn arrangement to do something, so that you
cannot do something else rv phrase not in progressive ]
I'Ujust check her diary. she may have a prior engagement. I
Mr Lewis regrets that he is unable to attend, owing to a previ-
ous engagement.
be otherwise engaged Ibi: IAO~fwalz (fl'geld3d/ a
fonnal expression meaning to have already arranged to do
something, so you cannot do something else [v phrase]
We hope to see you on Tuesday, u nless you are otherwise
engaged.
not avallable /nol alvellabalf if you are told that some-
one is not available when you ask to see them or to speak
to them on the telephone, you cannot see them or speak to
them at the present time because they are busy doing some-
thing else ladj]
I'm sorry. Mrs Evans isn't available at the moment. Shall
I get her to call you back?
2 words for describing a telephone line that is
busy
busy
engaged
busy /'blzi/ a telephone line that is busy is already being
used by the person that you want to telephone, so you
cann ot speak to them (adj not before noun)
Every time I try to phone Emma at work, her phone's busy. I
He tried Nick 's suite again. This time the line was busy.
BUSY PLACE
engaged I In I geld,3d1 a British word for describing a tele-
phone line that is busy [adj not before noun I
Janice's number is still engaged. She must have been on the
plwne all morning. I It's pointless plwning the company in
the morning, the lines are always engaged.
• BUSY PLACE
words for describing a place where there are
a lot of people and where there is a lot of
activity
1 words for describing a busy place
2 busy activity in a place
3 words for describing a time when a place is
busy because there is a lot happening or a lot
of work to do
4 not busy
5 words for describing a time when a place is
not busy
1 words for describing a busy place
busy be a hive of
bustling activity/industry
lively
busy I'blzil ladjl
Even though it was eight o'clock the market was still busy. I
Paris rwwadays is a busy and crowded metropolis. I The
main road is busy, so be careful when you try to cross it. I
This is a very busy area, what with the school, the bus station
and the new shopping mall.
busting l'bAsllIJi a bustling town, street, area etc is busy
and noisy. with a lot of people walking about, going in and
out of shops etc ladj usually before noun 1
The bustling downtown area ofChicago is dotted with mas-
sive new offiCi! developments. I The old market is a busy,
bustling place. full of local oowur.
lively /'la1vli/ a bar, restaurant. club etc that is lively is
noisy and full of people who areenjoying themselves ladjl
We got to the disco at about 10 o'clock and it was already
quite lively. I It's the liveliest bar in town, very popular with
the tourists.
be a hive of actlvltyllndustry /bi:;} ,halv;}v rek'llv!ti,
I ml:bstri/ if a room, office, or factory is a hive of activity
or industry it is full of people who are working hard or
doing things in a very active way Iv phraseJ
The family was getting ready to go on a picnic and the
kitchen was a hive of activity. I With only three hours until
the deadline the newspaper office was a hive of industry.
2 busy activity in a place
bustle earnings and goings
the hustle and bustle to·ing and fro--ing
the hurly burly
bustle IlbAsal! busy and noisy activity when a lot of people
are in one place working together, doing business etc In VJ
Helen enjoys being a journalist; she loves the bustle and
excitement ofthe Press Room. I The market is an exciting and
colourful part of town, full of noise and bustle.
the hustle and bustle !~;} ,hAS~I ;}o IbAS~ 1 1 very busy
and exciting activity in a place where all the people are
doing business, working, shopping etc In phrase]
Relax on the beach or enjoy the hustle and bustle of the busy
FlShing-port. lIt's hard to imagine that the jXlrk's only afew
minutes' walk from the hustle and bustle of midtown
Manhattan.
the hurty burly 100 ,h3:'1i 'b3:'1ij the busy movement of
people who are very close together and moving very
Quickly so that it is difficult to see exactly what is happen-
ing In phrase I
In the hurly burly of afoot ball game it's easy to get injured
163 BUSY PLACE
without knowing how it happened. \ I loved working on the
fishing-boat, with long periods of doing nothing and then
the hurly burly of pulling in the nets.
comlngs and goings IlkAmIIJZ ;}o Ig;}UIIJz! busy
activity where people are continually coming to and going
from a particular place In phrase)
Anybody watching the comings and goings at the house
would have tlwught it was a Iwtel! I The detective observed
the suspicious earnings and goings of the men with interest.
to-Ing and fro-lng / IIU:IIJ;}O IfTdUIIJ! busy and nervous
activity where someone is continually moving about or
going between two places, without ever seeming to achieve
anything [n phrase)
I watched my brother's desperate to-ing and fro-ing as he
tried to decide what to pack and what to leave behind. I to-
Ing and fro-Ing between All this to-ing arulfr<ring between
the church and the dressmaker and the caterers - I'll beglad
when the wedding's over.
3 words for describing a time when a place is
busy because there is a lot happening or a lot
of work to do
busy rush hour
hectic the rush
peak the season
busy I'b,zil ladjl
The morning is our busy time here. It's quieter in the after-
noon. I July is our busiest month, when all the tourists come.
hectic /'hckllkl extremely busy, with no time to rest or
relax (adjJ
In the last hectic weeks before the show started we were prac-
tically living in the theatre to get it ready on time. I There
are two hundred guests arriving in one hour! That's why
things are so hectic!
peak Ipi:kJ the peak time or period is the time when
shops, roads, trains etc are busiest [adj only before nounl
There should be more buses to cope with the extra passengers
at peak times. I We usually have two people working in the
shop. but at peak periods we employ extra stoJf. IIn the peak
month oJ July the market sold three hundred tons ofmelons
a day.
nlsh hour (also peak how- in British English) I 'rhJ 'lXI'.
Ipi:k au;}rl the period in the morning and in the evening
when a city's roads, trains, and buses are very busy and
full of people travelling to or from work In singular]
The rush hour in most British cities does not start Until about
80 'clock. I The buses are so crowded during the rush hour,
you never get a seat.
the rush !fj;} 'rAf! a very busy time when a lot of people
are shopping or travelling [n singularl
the Christmas/summer/weekend etc rush We're build-
ing up our stocks ofbooks and toys, ready for the Christmas
rush. I the rush Buy your tickets early and avoid the rush.
the season I~;} 'si:zao! the time of year when a tourist
area is busy and a lot of people go there (n singularJ
The season begins in May. and most ofthe iwrels open then. I
This place gets so crowded during the season. It's much nicer
in the winter when the tourists have gone. I in season
(=during the season) Don't travel to Benidorm in season.
The hotels are crowded.
4 not busy
quiet
sleepy
quiet l'kw'IO'1 ladjl
I was enjoying the tram ride down to the quiet suburb of
Arkawa. \ The city is so quiet now that the Olympics are
over. I Madison Plains, Ohio, is a quiet, thriving community
with 1200 inhabitants.
sleepy 11 sli:pil a sleepy place, especially a small town or
village, is never busy and very little happens there [ad)
usually before noun 1
I stood at my window which overlooked the sleepy fIShing
village. I Sticklepath is a sleepy little town right in the heart
BUSY PLACE
Dj the Devonshire countryside. I It was a sleepy provincial
hotel. not used to having more tOOn two people staying there
at any on€ time.
5 words for describing a time when a place is
not busy
quiet off~peak
slow out of season/off-season
quiet ,'kwalatj a quiet day. weekend etc is one in which
there is very little business or activity and very few people
lad} I
It's been a very quiet morning so Jar. Only two people came
in, and neither of them bought anything. I Even on a quiet
UJef!keOO tlrere are pl£nty of peopl£ on tire b€ach. I This timE
0/ the year is always quiet; it gets busy again after Winter.
slow /sl;x;1 a slow period of time in a shop or business is
one in which there are very few customers and there is
very little business [adjl
Things have been slow, real slow,for months now. I Febru-
ary is the slowest month in the tourist trade.
off-peak flof 'pi:k", a British expression: the ofT-peak
time, period, etc is the time when trains, hotels, tourist
areas etc are not busy [adjl
At off-peak times senior citizens can use the sports centre at
reduced rates. I Take advantage of off-peak reductions for
package holidays.
otT-peak fadvl If you can travel off-peok (=during the ofT-
peak period) it will be cheaper and the trains will be less
crowded.
out of sea.on/oH-season Ilaut ~v ' si:z;m ... , ,of
'si:zan"'l if you go to a tourist area out of season or off·
season you go there during that part ofthe year when it
is not busy and is usually cheaper [adv phrase]
We had arrived in Biarritz out of season and nwst of the
hol£ls were cwsed.. I If you go for a holiday offSl!ason, you 'Il
find some real bargains.
off·season I'of si:zanJ [n singular ) During the off-season
(=the period that is not busy) only the caretaker and
gardener live in the hoteL
busybody INTERFERE 2
, but BUT 1, 2. 3 . 4 . 5, 6. EXCEPT 1
but for EXCEPT 1, IF 7
_ aUT
1 ways of saying that atthough someone wants.
tries, or promises to do something , in fact
they do not do it. or that although something
seems to be true it is not true
2 ways of saying that something is actually true
in spite of facts or problems that make it
seem very unlikely
3 ways of introducing an opinion that is different
from the opinion you have just given
4 ways of saying that although something is
true of one person , thing elc it is not true of
another
5 ways of saying that although one person ,
thing , or situation is similar to another, there is
a particular difference
6 ways of saying that something could happen
but something else prevents it from
happening
"You say" is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English.
164 BUT
1 ways of saying that although someone wants,
tries, or promises to do something, in fact
they do not do it, or that although something
seems to be true it is not true
but
however
but /b~t; strong bAtI [conjunction)
She tried to read the message, but couldn 't. I I keep telling
Roger that what he's doing is illegal, but he won't believe
me. I Sarah told me she was coming to the party, but she
hasn't turned up yet. I You may think this is a democratic
country, but thefact is that only a minority has the right to
vote.
however Ihau'ev;,T/ (used especially in written English)
[adv l
I was hoping to deal with this matter quickly. However, the
situation is much more complicated than I thought. I The
newspapers always carried stories of new advances and
glorious victories. In reality, however, the war was not going
well.
2 ways of saying that something is actually true
in spite of facts or problems that make it
seem very unlikely
but all the same
yet in spite 01 this!
still despite this
nevertheless for all that
even so though
anyway ahhough
but Ib;}t; strong bAtl [conjunction]
Tom's grandfather is over 80, but he still plays gol/. I I was
in terrible pain after my fall but 1carried on walking. I Julia
oftenfrels hom£Sick, but she likes working in lOOia anti plans
to stay. I It had been raining heavily all nwrning but thou-
sands of people turned up to watch the procession.
yet /jetl (used to introduce a fact that seems surprising or
difficult to believe in relation to what you have just said)
[conjunction)
The sun was shining, yet it was quite cold. I Last summer
there was a drought, yet some people were still watering their
lawns every day. I Going to aerobics is such an effort and yet
I enjoy it so much.
stlll/stlll (an infonnal word used to introduce a fact that
makes the problem you have mentioned seem less serious)
ladvi
Thereisn'ta iotofspace in here. Still, it'sa cosy little room I
It'll cost us over $3{)(J to go by bus. Still, that's a lot cheaper
than the air fare. l It rained a lot when we went camping,
but still, we had a g reat time.
nevertheless/; neva T6~ 'Iesl (a formal word meaning in
spite of the fact you have just mentioned) [adv]
1 know you all think this crash was just an accident.
Nevertheless, I must be sure Wore I can write the o/fu:ial
report. I The survey was on quite a small scale. It did,
nevertheless, provide a lot of useful iriformation. I The
teacher's tone was soft and considerate, but nevertheless
commanding.
even so /Ii:van lsaul (in spite of the fact you have just
mentioned) ladv phrase]
Our new system is extremely simple. Even so, it is possible
to make mistnkes. I Sire had only seen Mattlrew GocItI£n once,
but even so she could not forget him.
anyway IleniweII (an infonnal word used when you are
saying that someone does something in spite of a problem)
ladv]
I knew it was a crime, but Idid it anyway. I Ifitrains never
mind. We'll go ahead with the game anyway. '
all the same 1,~:16;} lse lml (used when someone has a
particular feeling or a particular situation exists in spite
of something) ladv phrase]
BUT
Poppy seems quite happy to lend me the money. All the same,
I do feel guilty about it. I Harry had been looking forward
to going abroad for months, but all the same, leaving his
home and family wasn 'f easy.
In spite of thlsldesplte this 'I n 'spa n::lv i)ls, dl 'spa lt
eml (used when something happens even though there are
difficulties or problems) [adv phrase)
I am partially blind, yet 1 manage to do my job in spite of
this. I Peter had a very busy schedule. Despite that, he made
tim£ to read the manuscript I had left with him I The Public
Order Law effectively banned strike action. Despite this the
independent unions continued to call for strikes.
for an that If::Jr ,J:I '3ret/ (used when something is true
in spite of many facts that make it seem unlikely) [adv
phrase I
Juiia was often bad·tempered, impatient and careless, but
for all that she was a lovable person. I I admit there is a great
dool wrong with democrocy. For all that, it is probably the
best form of government we can devise.
though I~:JUI (a word used especially in spoken English
when you are adding a fact or opinion which reduces the
effect of what you have just said) [conjunction]
Dan's been very ill. He's getting better now though. I I think
she's Swiss. I'm not sure though. 11don't really like classi-
cal music, though 1 did enjoy that Pavarotti concert.
although IJ: I'o~uf (used to introduce a fact or opinion
which reduces the effect of what you have just said)
[conjunction )
We've only spent about £500, although that doesn't include
thl! Iwtet bill. I What has happened is disgraC2/ul, altlwugh
not surprising. I They're a very nice couple, altlwugh I very
seldom see them these days.
3 ways of introducing an opinion that is different
from the opinion you have just given
but at the same time/
however having said that
on the other hand mind you
but fb~l ; strong bAil [conjunction]
'Gone with the Wind' was a great movie, but it was much too
long. I I'm very fond of Howard, but he can be so selfish. I I
don 't mind a little discipline, but I can't stand cruelty.
however Ihau ' cv~rl (used especial1y in written English)
ladv l
War is a terrible thing. However, I believe that we must
dlifend our country. I The same cannot be said of all our
employees, however. I Wise investments can produce large
profits. It should be remembered, however, that share prices
can/all.
on the other hand Ion 6i IA6a r ,hrendl (used when
introducing another opinion that is as important to con-
sider as the one you have just given) [adv phrase]
This is a wonderful opportunity to make a lot of money. On
the other hand there are risks involved. I We have good
reason to feel pleased with our progress. On the other hand
we mustn't get complacent.
at the same time/having said that 10' ~o ,seorn
Italm, hrevHJ ,sed ItJretl (used when adding a different opin-
ion that should be considered, because the opinion you
have just given was too general or too strong) ladv phrase)
We cannot ignore the increase in violent crime. At the same
time it is important not to exaggerate the problem. I I respect
judges as legal experts. At the same time Ifeel that no one
should regard them as infallible. I Every historian has to
start off with a theory. Having said that, some theories are
better than others.
mind you f ,ma md Iju:1 (an informal expression used
when introducing a point that suggests an opposite
opinion)
Grandad doesn't like going out much. Mind you, he enjoyed
coming out with us last Saturday, didn't hI!? I I really enjoyed
having my nieces to stay. Mind you, it was pretty exhaust·
ing - they're so demanding and noisy.
165 BUT
4 ways of saying that although something is
true of one person , thing etc it is not true of
another
but while
however by contrast
whereas conversely
but fb~t; strong bAt/lcorijunctionl
In the US it is normal for the police to carry guns, but not
in Britain. I I would never pay that much for a bottle of
mineral water but a lot of people would.
however Ihau 'ev~rl (used especially in written English)
ladvl
Laurel may have been deceived. I, however, was not. I &:anon·
tha is a Quiet, secretive girl. However, her twin sister is out·
going and friendly.
whereas Iw~r l rezl (used especially when you are argu·
ing or trying to prove something) [conjunction]
American cars are generally too large for the Japanese
market, whereas Japanese cars are popular in the Us. I Why
are some cancers cured by chemotherapy alone, whereas
others are unaffected by drugs?
while fwa I11 (used especially in written English)
[conjunctionJ
The colourful picture rooks are perfect for young children
while the story books will appeal to older children. I Some
house plants thrive if placed near a window with plenty of
sunlight while others prefer to be in a more shaded spot.
by contr.st Iba T Ikontro:st 11 - 'ko:ntrrestJ (used when
there is a big difference between one thing, person, or sit·
uation and another) ladv phrase)
The Russian Federation has an area of 17 million square
kilometres. The tiny stateofMonaco, by contrast, has an area
of only 1.6 square kilom€tres. I Light industries, like elec·
tronics, are expanding rapidly. By contrast heavy industries,
like shipbuilding, are in decline.
conversely fk~n lv3:rsli , Ikonv3: r sli 11 'ko:n-I (a word
used especially in a scientific or financial context when one
situation is the opposite of another) [adv)
$1 will buy 100 yen worth of Japanesegoods. Conversely, lOO
yen will buy $1 worth ofAmertcangoods.llfweknowastar's
distancefrom the Earth wecan work out its luminosity. Con·
versely, if we knew the luminosity of stars, we could calcu·
late their distance from the Earth.
5 ways of saying that although one person,
th ing , or situation is similar to another, there is
a particular difference
but
only
except/except for the fact that
but Jbat; strong bAtllconjunction]
He looks just like Mick Jagger, but not as tall. I It's quite
hard to tell an alligatorfrom a crocodile, but a crocodile has
two long protruding teeth.
only I';x.mlil (an informal word) [conjunction I
A viola is like a violin, only larger. I Molly does the SQm€job
as my sister, only she doesn't work full-time.
except/except for the fact that 1Ik I sept, Ik I sept f;jr
6:J ,frekt 6~tl (used when giving one small detail that makes
two things different) [conjunction]
Our house isjust as niceasyours, except it doesn't have such
a big garden. I The Persian alphabet is very similar to the
Arabic exceptfor thefact that several letters have been added.
6 ways of saying that someth ing could happen
but something else prevents it from
happening
but
only/except
but Jbat; strong bAtl [conjunction]
Clark would probably have won the race but his car went
BUT
out ofmntrol and crashed. I I'd offer /1) help you, but I'm busy
just MW.
onl,./except ,'aunli. Ik' sept/ (an infonnal word used to
introduce the reason why something is not possible)
[conjunction J
I'd like to come and live here, only it 's too expensive. I We
could have invited your friends to stay with us, except we
don't have enough beds.
butch MAN 4
butt MAKE FU N OF 5
butt: be a pain in the ass/butt ANNOY 5
butt In INTERFERE 1, INTERRUPT 1
butter up PRAISE 9
butterflies: have butterflies NERVOUS 1
button FASTE N/DO UP 1
button: push 8 button SWITCH ON OR OFF 1
buy BELI EVE 2. BUY 1
buy: be a good buy CH EAP 6
buy/get a round BUY 3
buy In BUY 2
buy in bulk BUY 2
buy oH PAY FOR 12
buy up BUY 2
_ BUY
1 to buy something
2 to buy a lot of something
3 to buy something for someone else
4 to arrange for something such as a seat in a
theatre, plane, or restaurant to be kept for
you so that you can use it later
5 to go to shops in order to buy things
6 to regularly use a particular shop
7 someone who buys goods or services
1 to buy something
buy snap up
gel
purchase
pick up
splash out on
acquire
buy /ba l/lv liT)
buy sth "Where did you buy that dress?", "1 bought it at
Benetton. " I John makes his living buying and selling used
cars. I Sony has bought a controlling interest in ReA
records. I buy sb sth Keith was going to buy me a ring, but
now Iu? says he wants to buy me a watch instead. I buy sth
for sb I really like that tie - I was thinking of buying itfor
my husbandfor his birthday. I buy slh from sb I wouldn 't
buy anything from him - I don't trust him. I buy sth for
$10/ £200 etc The ranch, which was originally boughtfor
$20,000, is now valued at over $2 million. I buy Now is prob·
ably as good a time to buy as any.
get /gc~ 10 get something by buying it, especially ordinary
things such as foOO., clothes, or things for your house Iv T
not in passive 1
get 5th Let me get the drinks. It 's my turn to pay. I Didyou
remember taget the bread? I Our cars on its last legs - it~
time we got a new one. I get sb sth Guess what he got her
f or her birthday, an electric train set! I get sth for sb Here's
$30 - get something nicefor your po. I get sth for £20/ $50
ele What do you think of this leather jacket? I got itfor $40
in tlu? llwrket.
purchas. / ' p3:rtJ!sl a word used especially in bUSiness
meaning to buy something big or expensive such as a
house, a piece of land, or shares in a company etc Iv TJ
Foreign investors are not permitted to purchase land. I MBI
has agreed to purchase an additional 7 million shares of
BoXlJn stock. I If this product does not give complete satisfac-
tion, please return it to the manufact.urer stating when and
where it was purchased.
166 BUY
purchase In U I Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank's purchase
of Midland Bank will create one of the largest banking
organizations in tlu? world.
acquire 1;}'kwaJ'JTI a formal word meaning to become the
owner of something such as land, a company, or a valuable
object, especially over a period oftime Iv T J
In 1982 the business was acquired bya Dutch company. I The
statue was acquired at great expense by the City Corpora-
tion. I In recent years Japanese investors have succeeded in
acquiring many of the most prestigious buildings in New
York.
acquisition "rekw~ IZIJ:mJ In UJ The National Gallery has
set aside £10 million/or the acquisition o/the painting.
snep up 1I snrep IApl to buy something immediately. espe-
cially because it is very cheap or you want it very much,
and you are worried that someone else might buy it first
Iphr vTI
snap up sth If I were you. I'd snap up that dress ~ore some-
one else sees it. I The best bargains tend to be snapped up
immediately. I snap sth/it/them up [[you seeonefor uru:f2r
$J OO, snap it up!
pick up ', Plk 'A pl to buy something that you have found
by chance, especially something that is unusually cheap
Iphr v TI
pick up sth He's hoping to pick up a f ew bargains in the
sales. l lt'sjust a little thing [picked up when I was in Kath·
mandu. I pick sth/it/ them up That picture? Oh, I picked
it up on the market last week.
splash out on l,splreJ I aut on ]I -a:nf an expression used
espec ially in British English, meaning to buy something
you want such as an expens ive meal , dress etc, which you
would not usually buy because it is too expensive Iv T not
in passive]
We splashed out on a bottle of champagne to cerebrate her
promotion. I Despite his small salary, Danny allows himself
ta splash out on fashionab le clothes occasionally.
2 to buy a lot of something
buy a lot of/lots of buy in
stock up buy up
buy in bulk import
wholesale
buy a lot o'lIots
phraseJ
0' Ilbal ;J 'Iot Dv, 'lots Dv 11 -I)oa-I Iv
You've been buying a lot ofclothes recently. Have you decided
to change your image? I We've bought lots offood and drink,
so it should be a really good party.
stock up /Istok lAP 11 ,sto:k-, to buy a large quantity of
something you use regularly because you may not be able
to buy it later, or because you are planning to use more of
it than usualtphr v IJ
stock up on We always stock up on cheap cigarettes when
wego to Holland. I stock up The supermarkets arefull of
peopll! slDCking up for the New Year's haliday. I We might
as well stock up while we're h2re - it'Usaveus ltaving to come
back.
buy In bulk /Ibal In 'bAIk! to buy a large quantity of some-
thing, especially because it is cheaper Iv phrase)
We always buy in bulk. It is so much more economical. I buy
sth in bulk Since we got our freezer we always buy things
in bulk. It 's so ronvenient. I bulk buying (; buying goods
in large quantities) Bulk buying has enabled tlu? company
to cut rosts.
wholes.le ,'h:xJlselll if you buy something wholesale,
you buy a large quantity of it directly from the company
that makes it because it is cheaper ladvl
Mark buys the earrings wholesale and th2n sells them in the
market. I Let 's see ij'wecan get them wlwlesale and save our-
selves a few dollars.
wholesale [adj ] The shopkeeper buys hisfruit and vegeta-
bles at wholesale prices.
buy In " ba l IITlI a British expression meaning to buy
enough of something to last for a long time, for example
because it may be difficult to buy late!;, (phr v T l
BUY
buy in sthPeopie had to buy in candles during the electric-
ity strike. I buy sth/ it/them in Villagers club together to
buy etwugh food in to last through winter.
buy up f Ibal lAp/ to quickly buy all of something such as
land, tickets, food etc, when there is only a limited amount
available [phr v TI
buy up sth In the last/ive years development agencies have
bought up almost all the land in the area. I buy 5th/ it/them
up You'd better hurry ifyou 're hoping to get a ticket/or the
Michael Jackson concert, people are buying them up fast.
import (,m 1pJ:rt/ to buy goods from another country to
be sold, used etc in your country. especially in large quan-
tities Lv T I
The United States has to import some of its oil. I Most of the
wines served in this restaurant are imported/ram France.
imports III mpJ: rtsJ [n plurallln 1989 our imports (:::goods
that were imported) greatly exceeded exports.
3 to buy something for someone else
treat stand sb a drink
buy/get a round be on sb
treat / llri:l( to buy something such as a meal for someone,
especially because you Jike them or you want to celebrate
something [v T!
treat sb to sth He had not seen the children for a week so
he decided to take them out and treat them to a meal. I treat
sb As it's your birthday I tlwught I'd treat you.
buy/get a round ( Iba l , ,gCI;) 'raund( to buy a drink for
everyone in the group that you are with, in a place which
sells alcoholic drinks [v phrase!
I'll get this round. What would you like? 1Jack always leaves
when it's his turn to buy a round.
stand sb a drink "strend (sb) ~ 'drIl)kJ to buy a drink
for someone especially when they cannot afford to buy one
for themselves [v phrasel
"Here's the molWY. " "Put it away. I think I can just about
ajJordto standyou a drink!" I I'mshortofmoneytociay. can
you stand me a drink?
be on sb !bi: on (sb)1 if you say something, especially the
drinks, are on someone, you mean that person is going to
pay for them [v Tl
"Everything 's on me tonight," said Grimes. "/'vejust been
paid. " I the drinks are on the house (=the bar or restaur-
ant is paying for the drin ks) The manager apologized and
told us our drinks would be on the house for the rest 0/ the
evening.
4 to arrange for something such as a seat in a
theatre , plane, or restaurant to be kept for
you so that you can u!*' it later
reserve/book
reservation
booking
reserve (also book in British English) In'ZJ:'v, bukJ
Iv llTl
reserve/book sth I'd like to reserve a seat on the next plane
toAtlanta. I We're thinking of booking a holiday in Malay-
sia this year. I be booked up/ be fully booked ( ~all the
tickets, seats ete have been booked) The lady at the bed and
breakfast says she's booked up till February. I booked solid
(::::all the tickets for a play. show etc have been completely
booked and it is impossible to got any) ThesiUJw was booked
solid/or months to come. 1reserve/ book We'd better reserve
well in advance or we 'Il end up miles from the ski slopes.
reserved [adjl I'm a/raid this table is reserved. sir.
reservation I lrezgTlvelJ<m/ an arrangement to keep
something such as a seat on a plane, a hotel room, or a table
in a restaurant so that you can use it later [n Cl
Hotel reservations Iwve dropped by more than a third since
last year's IRA bombing campaign 1 have a reservation
"I'd like a tablefor two please." "Do you have a reservation.
madam?" 1make a reservation She packed her bags, then
called the airport and made a reservation on the last flight
out of Los Angeles.
167 BUY
booking / lbuk llJ / a word used especially in British
English meaning an arrangement to keep something such
as a room in a hotel or a seat in a theatre so that you can
use it later [n Cl
I'd like to cancel my booking, please. I Advance bookings/or
the show currently total more tOOn £100,000. I make a book-
ing You can make a provisional booking over the phone.
5 to go to shops in order to buy things
go shopping shopper
do the shopping shop around
go to the shops! go window shopping
go to the store
go shopping I ,g,u '/OPIQ 11 -'/0:-1to go to shops to look
at and buy things, often for enjoyment Lv phrase J
Let's meet in town. We'll go shopping together and have
lunch. I I'm just going shopping. Do you want anything?
do the shopping I ,du: 0' '/OPIQ 11 -'/0:-1 to go to shops
in order to buy the things that you need regularly such as
food [v phrase!
On Saturdays we usually do the shopping and clean the car.I
She sent her husband out to do the week's slwpping. I do
my/ your etc shopping I did all my shopping yesterday.
go to the shops (British) I go to the store (Ameri·
can) /Ig;)lll~ ()~ 'fops, Ig;)ll t~~;) Ist;):r 11 - 'fa:psJ to go out
to the local shop or shops in order to buy something, espe-
cially the things that you need regularly such as food [v
phrasel
"Where's Julie?" "She's gone to the shops. " I Mr Parker, my
next-door neighbour, is getting quite old and I sometimes go
to the shops for him. I Alfred went down to the store to get
some whiskey to celebrate the occasion.
shopper ' IJopar 11 'fa:p~rJ someone who is at the shops
buying things [n Cl
Th€ streets were crowded with late-night slwppers. I Thedis-
plays are intended to aUract shoppers into the store.
shop .round I,fop d1raund 11 Ifa:p-f to go to several
different shops comparing goods and their prices before
deciding which ones to buy [phr v I!
Ifyou shop around you could probably get the camera a lot
cheaper than that. 1 shop around for I think it might be
worth slwpping around for a more recent model.
go window shopping Igou 'wlndou /OPIQ 11 -/O!p-I to
look at the things that are shown in shop windows without
intending to buy anything [v phrase!
I thought I'd go window slwpping while my Wife was having
her hair cut.
6 to regularly use a particular shop
shop
patronize
shop I/op 11 /o:pl to regularly use a particular shop, espe·
cially to buy things that you need regularly such as food
[v I not in progressivel
shop at/in I usually shop at Sa/eway. It'sjust around the
corner from my house. 1 A lot of people have stopped shop-
ping there since the new supermarket opened.
patronize (also ·Ise British) I 'pre'r,)nalz 11 'pe, . , 'pre-I a
fonnal British word meaning to use a particular shop,
hotel, restaurant, etc, especially one which is very expen·
sive or high class [v T not usually in progressive ]
The siUJp is patronized by Hollywood's rich and famous. I
The kind of people woo patronize the boutique are mostly
yuppies in their late 205.
7 someone who buys goods or services
customer buyer
client consumer
patron custom
cUentele
customer /1 kt.st~m~rl someone who buys goods from a
particular shop, restaurant, or company In C]
 BUY 168 CALL/DESCRIBE AS

c
We qon 't get many cuswm£rs on Mondays - Saturday is our
bUSleSt ~ay. I The bannan was serving the last customer of
~he evenzng. I Fo~d tu:s launched a big new sales campaign
I
In an effort to brmg m new customers. biggest customer
( = cus~omer who buys the most goods) The Defense Depart-
ment LS one oJ Lockhead '5 biggest regular customers.
client / 'klal;Jnt! someone who pays for services or advice cabinet GOVERNMENT 2
from a professional person or organization [n Cl cache KEEP/STOAE 2
Th£. bank manager's secretary said he had an all-day meet- cack-handed CLUMSY 1
in? with some important clients. I I'll have to meet with your cackle LAUGH 5
dumt before I can accept your terms. I oldest client (=client cadaver BODY 4
who. has been usi~g your company's services for the long- cadge ASK FOR STH/ASK S8 TO DO STH 5
est tIme) Theflrm LSone %ur oldest clients - we don 't want cagey SECRET 7
to lose them. cahoots: In cahoots with WITH 4
pat~n Ilpelf.Jdn/ a word llsedespecially on public notices
cajole PERSUADE 2
meanmg someone who uses a hotel, cinema, restaurant etc cake: biggest slice of the cake MOST 2
Inel cake: take the cake WORSE 6
Car park is reserved for patrons only. 1 The hotel restaur· caked COVER 3
ant is open to patrons and. non-residents. calamity DISASTER 1
calculate CO UNT/CALCULATE 2
c.llent~1e / ,k1i:~n 'tel 11 ,idal;)n'tel, ,kli:-( the people, espe·
calculated DELIBERATELY 3
clally nch people, who regularly use a shop or restaurant
o~ the services of a professional person Ln singular with 5
~
calculated risk: take a calculated risk RISK 3
calculating BAD PERSON 3
smgular or plural verb in British English]
Their clientele used to include exiled Russian aristocrats but calculation COUNT/CALCULATE 9
today it's just an ordinary cafe. 1 Madame Zara caters/or .. call CALUDESCRIBE AS 1. 2, NAME OF A PERSON
a very select clientew. 5. NAME OF A THING 6
call: be on call READY 4, WORK/DO WORK 3
~uyer , 'bala r ( someone who is buying something expen-
call: give sb a call/ring TELEPHONE 1
SIve such as a house, company, or painting, usually from
another person [n Cl .. call: make a call/phone calVtetephone call
We couldn't find a buyer/or our Muse, so we weren't able TELEPHONE 1
to move a/l£r all. I They 've had a lot of enquiries about the call: pay a visit/a call VISIT 1
company - there's no shortage oJ potential buyers. call: phone/call TELEPHONE 1
, call: take a call ANSWER/REPLY 7
~nsu~er (kan 'sju:maT 11 - 'so:-/ a word used especially call a halt to STOP STH THAT IS HAPPEN ING 6
In a busmess or economic context meaning a person who
call at STOP MOVING 6
buys and uses goods and services rn C J
call at/stop at GO 3
A new co'!5umer advice center has opened next to City Hall. 1
call attention to ATIENTlON 7
Compames have been jorced to give in to consumers'
demands/or moreenvironmentallyjriendly products. 1the call back RETURN 2. TELEPHONE 3
c:onsume~ ( = cons~mers in general) We may have to pass
call back/ring back TELEPHONE 3
rncreases m thepnce o/raw materials on to the consumer. call for ASK FDR STH/ASK SB TD DO STH 3, NEED 7,
REASON 10
custom f'kAstarnJ a word used especially in British call for/come for MEET 4
English meaning the business that people give to a shop

I
call..girl SEX/HAVE SEX WITH 9
restaurant etc when they use it [n VJ '
call In ASK FOR STH/ASK SB TO DO STH 6
Local shops have lost a lot ofcustom to the supermarket up
• call in/call round ViSIT 6
the road. 1 The stores in the main street rely heavily on the
touristsjor their custom. 1 The restaurant was/orced to close call It a day STDP oolNG STH 7
due to l=k of custom. call off CANCEL 1, STOP STH THAT IS HAPPENING 2
call on ViSIT 1
buyer BUY 7 call on/upon ASK FOR STH/ASK SB TO DO STH 3 , 7
buzz SOUND 14 call out SHOUT 1
by BEFDRE 4. NEXT TO 1, WAY/METHDD 6 calVphone eaU TELE PHONE 4
by all means YES 2 t call sb names INSULT 1
by and large IN GENERAL 1 ~ call up: be called uplbe drafted ARMY 4
by boat/plane/train TRAVEL 2 call up: ring up/call up TELEPHONE 1
by choice CHOOSE 1
by daylby night DURING 1
by heart: know sth by heart/off by heart KNOW STH
8
• CALL/DESCRIBE
by heart: learn sth by heart LEARN 2
by land/air/sea TRAVEL 2
AS
by-pass ROAD/PATH 5 1 to describe something or someone in a
by-product RESULT 4 particular way
by sight: know sb by sight KNOW SB 1 2 to give someone or something a name that
by that time THEN 2
describes their character or behaviour
by the way AND/ALSO 2
by yourself ALONE 1 3 a word or name that is used to describe the
by yourself: on your own/by yourself ALONE 2, HELP character or behaviour of someone or
13, INDEPENDENT PERSON 4 something
bye GOODBYE 2
bygone PAST 4
bygones: let bygones be bygones FORGET 4
bylaw LAW 1 1 to describe something or someone in a
1 bypass AVOID 4 . 7 particular way
describe 8th/ab a8 label
say 8th/8b 15 brand
call hail 8th/Bb as
CALUDESCRIBE AS 169 CALM
describe sth/sb as Id, 'skra,b (sth/ sb) rezl Iphr v TI with a particular person's name to describe their charac-
I can only describe the/Urn as a total disaster. I Critics have ter, behaviouretc, especially in a way the person does not
been describing him as a creative genius. I Eliot was like In'Cl
described by Lewis as arrogant, sly and insincere. I How During one game I accidentally scored against my own side
would you describe your relationship with your parents? and thus acquired the tag 'wrong way' Jones. I Now that he
Ba), (that) Bth/sb IB I'se, 0'1 (sth/sb) ,z/lv phrase I is a respectable politician he is anxious to shake off the
People say she's too ambitious. I It is an over-simplification 'Mafia man' tag.
to say that Britain is a democracy. I You could say that New called: be called NAME OF A PERSON 4, NAME OF A
York is a city that never sLeeps.
THING 2
call 1b:11 to use a particular word or phrase to describe caller TELEPHONE 5, VISIT 7
someone or something in order to show your opinion of calm CAL M 1, 2, 4, NOT MOVING 5 , PEACEFUL 1, 2
them Iv TI calm down CALM 3, 5
call sb sth Areyou calling mea liar? I "You idiot!" "Wh,at calm sb down CALM 4
did you call me?" I Already his followers were calling him
a saint. I call sth sth Some people are rolling this the art
sale of the century.
label /'lelb."I/ to describe someone, usually unfairly. as
being of a certain type or belonging to a certain group that
Icalm 1--------,
you disapprove of Iv T usually passive]
label sb as The unemployed are often labelled as lazy or
which meaning?
unreliable. I All tOOse who disagreed with the government
were labelled as communists. I label sb a troublemaker/ not becoming excited, • CALM
alcoholic/dissident etc She answered her critics who had nervous, angry etc
labelled her an alcoholic.
brand fbrrendl to describe someone or something as a very
a calm, quiet place • PEACEFUL
bad type of person or thing Iv TI
brand sb/sth as Stalin's opponents were branded as spies
and traitors. I The United Nations branded apartheid as the
true slavery of the twentieth century. I brand sb a racist/ • CALM
traitor/ coward etc The newspapers branded him a racist.
hall sth/sb as I'hell (sth/sb) <.ezf if someone hails some- 1 remaining calm in a d ifficult situation
thing or someone as something, they publicly describe it 2 words for describing someone who is usually
in a particular way that shows that they admire it Iphr v T ] calm
This new drug is being hailed as the biggest breakthrough 3 to become calm afler you have been angry,
in the treatment ofcancer. I Critics are hailing it as the best excited , or upset
Italian movie since Fellini 's 'BYz '.
4 to make someone calmer
5 whal you say 10 someone 10 make Ihem
2 to give someone or something a name Ihat calmer
describes their character or behaviour
call
christen 1 remaining calm in a difficult situation
dub calm presence of mind
call 1k>:11Iv TI cool unruffled
call sth sth They call Chicago 'The Windy City '. I call sb keep your head not fazed
sth We used to call him The GenII" Giant I He's really tough. composed keep a stiff
They don't call him 'The Killer 'for nothing. keep/maintain/not upper lip
christen I' kn sanl to invent a name for someone, and use lose your composure
it whenever you talk about them, especially because you
think it suits them or is funny Iv T I calm Iko:m 11 ko:m. ko:lml staying sensible and relaxed
christen sb sth In the hotel was a girl my own age who wore in a difficult s ituation rather than getting angry, excited,
lacedresses.l christened her Lacy Skirts. I By hisjifth visit, or upset fadjl
Jane had secretly christened him Romeo. I The engine was keep/ stay/remain calm Teri tried to stay calm but her
affectionately christened 'Puffing Billy'. hands were shaking. I calm When I felt calmer I prepared
myself to Inlk to the police. I EveryofU! praised Douglas jor
dub IdAbl to give someone a name, often a humorous name, the calm and competent way he handled the situation.
that describes their character, especial1y when the public calmly !adv ] Calmly and slowly Edie told them to phone/or
start to call them by this name regularly Iv TJ an ambulance.
dub sb sth Journalists dubbed the robbers 'the Kalashnikov
Gang' because of the guns they used. I Margaret Thatcher cool /ku:l/ calm and not showing your emotions, especially
was dubbed 'the Iron Lady '. when other people are getting excited ladj J
Doctors are expected to be cool and act quickly in an emer-
gency. I Underneath his cool exterior his heart was beating
3 a word or name Ihal is used 10 describe the like a drum. I keep/ stay/ remain cool She stayed cool even
character or behaviour of someone or when she was threatened with a knife.
something coolly ladv J Coolly, she grabbed the thief's gun and shouted
label
jor help.
tag keep your head I, ki:p jJ: r I hedl to manage to stay calm
so that you can think clearly about what to do, especially
label / lJelball a word used regularly as a description of in a dangerous situation Iv phrase]
someone or something, showing that people think ofthem, Claire welcomed responsibility and kept her head in every
often unfairly, as belonging to a particular type (n Cl crisis. I The car started to spin on the ice, but Ron kept his
He objects to the sexist label. He doesn 't think he's sexist at head and managed to get control of it again. I keep a cool
alL I They called him an anarchist. a label that Frankie mme head It's important to keep a cool head in business.
to accept as a compliment. composed Ik:;:!m' pauzdl in control of your emotions so
tag Itreg! a word or phrase used regularly in connection that you look and feel calm in a difficult or upsetting situ·
ation (adjJ
CALM
It was a tremendous strain/or her but she looked composed. I
It was severa l minutes be/ore he felt composed enough to
speak to anyone.
keep/maintain/not 108a your composura / ,ki:p,
meln1tem, not .lu:z jJ: r k;)m'pauyr 11 -man-I to succeed in
staying calm in front of other people although you are in
a difficult or annoying situation (v phrase)
"Get out!" said Miss Rochdale. just managing to maintain
her composure with a strong effort. I He stood very still,
ignoring their laughter, trying hard not to lose his
composure.
presence of mind ',preZ3ns av 'mamdf the ability to
stay calm that makes someone able to do the right thing
immediately even in a very dangerous or difficult situation
in phrase!
presence of mind to do sth Even though she was injured
she had enough presence of mind to rescue her friend from
the wreckage. I presence of mind His presence of mind
prevented a serious accident.
unruffled fAn I rAbldl calm and not upset by a difficult sit-
uation, especially one in which someone is trying to upset
you ladj j
Mark was krwwnfor his ability to remain totally unn.iffled
even in the most trying and di./TlCuit situation. I She was a
determined politician who appeared unruffled by such
criticism.
not fazed /nO( Ife lzdl an informal expression meaning
calm in a difficult situation, especially one in which some-
one is trying to confuse or upset you (adjl
He didn't seem at all fazed by her question and he seemed
to enjoy talking about it.
keep a stiff upper lip Iki:p;) ,stIf AJ)3f 'hpl to make an
effort not to show your feelings and to stay calm in a
difficult situation in which most people would show their
feelings, become upset etc Iv phrase l
The British have a reputationfor keeping a stiff upper lip. I
She managed to keep a stiff upper lip even when they jailed
her husband.
2 words for describing someone who is usually
calm
calm even-tempered
placid laid-back
relaxed
calm /ko:m 11 ka:m , ka:lmJ always sensible and relaxed
rather than getting angry, excited, or upset in a difficult
situation (adjl
My sister was always calm and careful. whereas I would get
excited and upset by tlw slightest thing. 1 The nurse had tlw
kind of calm and patient voice that makes you feel better
immediately.
calmness (n VI Everyone depended on her calmness and
effICiency.
placid l'plaesAdl someone who is placid is always calm
and satisfied, so that they never cau se problems or get
angry ladjl
She's a sweet, placid child who rarely gets upset or angry. I
There was a worried look on her normally placid face.
relaxed In IJrekstJ someone who is relaxed is calm and
friendly, so that people like being with them radjl
Our teacher welcomed us in his friendly relaxed way. I He
is usually so relaxed but at the moment he's under a lot of
stress.
even ..temperecl I,i:van IICmpd'fd .. , always calm and
never getting angry (ac{ji
I can't imagine why he reacted like that - he's usually so
even-tempered. I Both of the Harrisons are remarkably even-
tempered.
laldooback I,ield t brek ../ an informal expression meaning
calm and having a relaxed attitude to life, especially in sit-
uations where most people might feel anxious or get angry
ladjl
They are the classic odd couple. He is laid-back and easy-
going; she is more outgoing and nervy. I laid-back about
1 can't believe he's so laid-back about his kids smoking.
170 can
3 to become calm after you have been angry.
exciled. or upsel
calm down compose yourself
cool down/off steady your nerves
calm down I ,ka:m 'daunl {phr v 11
Harris waited until the audience calrrred down before con·
tinuing his anrwuncement. I I could hardly wait to tell him
the good news but I had to calm down before I could speak.
cool down/oH /,ku:1 'daun, 'of 11 - 'o:f/ to calm down after
you have been very angry {phr v 11
The police kept him overnight in one of the cells so he could
cool off. I Leave her alone until she cools down a bit.
compose yourseH Ibm 'pauz j:>:r ,selfl to deliberately
make yourself look and feel calm after you have been upset
(v phrase]
She took several deep breaths in an effort to compose herself
before going downstairs. I He waited a moment outside the
door so that Philip would have time to compose himself.
steady your nerves I. stedi j:>:f 'rn:fvzl if you do some-
thing, especially have an alcoholic drink, to steady your
nerves you do it to make yourself calm [v phrase]
They finally found him in the bar where he had gone to
steady his nerves.
4 to make someone calmer
calm sbdown
calm
calm ab down I,ka:m (sb) 'daun/ to make someone calm
especially after they have suddenly become angry or
excited [phr v TJ
The diJCtor gave him a tranquillizer to calm him down. I I
laid my hands on her slwulders to calm her down but she
pushed. me away. I Takeafew deep breaths, that'llcalmyou
down.
calm /ka:m 11 ka:m, ka:1mJ to make someone calm if they
are worried and upset {v T not in passivel
Although no one really believed her, they did their best to
calm her. I Mothers learn to calm crying children by caress·
ing them.
5 what you say 10 someone 10 make Ihem
~
calmer
~ calm down take it easy
relax chill out
calm down I,ka:m ldaunl (used when someone is angry,
upset or excited and you want them to become calm enough
to think and speak clearly)
HI can't be late again. " "Calm down, don't get so excited
about things. "
relax /nttaeksl (used when someone is worried about
something and you want them to be calm because it is not
necessary or helpful for them to worry)
Relax! The police won 'tfind us here. I Look, relax, will you.
There's nothing you can do about it.
take it easy ,1telk It 'i:zi{ (used when someone is wor-
ried or angry and you want them to be calm and not act so
quickly or wildly)
Take it easy, Father. The officer is only asking a question. I
"Oh my god, we're /ost!" "Take it easy! Just/o/Iow tlw signs
to the George Washington Bridge. "
chill out I IIJIl laut/ (an infonnal American expression
used when someone is worried or nervous and you want
them to be calm)
OK, it's alright - just chill out!
'" camouflage HIDE/MAKE IT HARD TO FIND OR SEE 3
~ campaign FIGHT FOR OR AGAINST STH 1. 2, 4, TRY TO
DO OR GET 8TH 8, VOTE/ELECT 10
campaign/advertising campaign ADVERTISE 3
'.. can CAN 1, 2. 3. 4, 5, LET/ALLOW 5, POSSIBLE 2
, can: can be done POSSIBLE 1
; can: carry the can BLAME 2
can
, can: do everything/ail you can TRY TO DO OR GET STH 3
, can I LET/ALLOW 3
8IJq::iIed in doliJg $ SUCCEED IN
' ~ng
be allc)o.yed to ~
SCimltthItig ,
tt -+. LETU~i...oW
DOING 5TH
•
gqoq8l«lOlng
.~eIh..!.ng
_ CAN
1 to be able to do something because you
have the physical ability, the mental qualities,
or the equipment, money etc that is needed
in order to do it
2 to be able to do something because you
have learned how to do it or you have the
skill that is needed to do it
3 to be able to do something because you
have enough time and you are not too busy
4 to be able to do something because the
situation makes it possible for you to do it
5 to be able to do something because you
have the power, legal rights etc that you need
in order to do it
6 the ability to do something
7 to make someone able to do something
1 to be able to do something because you
have the physical ability, the mental qualities,
or the equipment, money etc that is needed
in order to do it
can have the ability to do sth
be able to do sth be equipped to do sth
be capable of have it In you
can fbn; strong kren/lmodal verb]
can do sth He can run faster than me. I They've invented a
computer that can talk. I How many hamburgers do you
think><>ucan eat? I The man at thegarage said herould have
the car ready for you by Friday, I Why didn't they ask me?
I could have done itfor them for half the price. I lfwe had
a boat we could row across to the island. I can "Do you think
we can afford to take a vacation this year?" " Yes of course
we can!"
be able to do ath Ibi: ,elb.1 to 'du: (,th)1 be able to do
something, especially something that needs a Jot of effort
[u phrase]
Those bags look really heavy - are you sure you 'U be able
to carry them on your own? I After the accident it was a long
time before she was able to walk again. I When you're driv-
ing you have to be able w-use your feet and your hands at
171 CAN
the same time. I be able to My grandpa's getting old now
and he can't do all the things he was able to Wore.
be capable of !bi: I keIpabal DV! to have the power or abil-
ity to do something, especially something very difficult or
unexpected [v phrase)
be capable of doing 5th Lewis is capable of running the
100 metres in under 9.9 seconds. I a hydroelectric power sta-
tilm capable ofgenerating enough energy for halfthe region I
be capable of 5th It's difficult to imagine. that an innocent-
looking young person like her would be capable o/murder.1
be perfectly capable of doing sth (=be capable of doing
something by yourself without anyone helping you) Leave
th£ boy alone, I'm sure he's perfectly capable 0/ fixing it
himself.
have the ability to do ath Ihrev 0; o,blllH to 'du: (sth)1
to have the ability to do something, especially something
unusual or something that most people, machines etc
cannot do [v phrase not in progressiveJ
This computer has th£ ability to 'think' and teach itse/fhow
to cID things, I People wha have a pfwtographic memory have
the ability to remember wfwle pages by just looking at them I
For thisjobyou need to have theabiUty to work under intense
pressure.
be equipped to do ath Ibi: I ,kwlpt to 'du: (,th)1 to be
able to do something, especially to deal with a particular
problem, because you have been properly prepared or had
the right training [v phrase]
By the end ofthe rourse, students sfwuld be equipped to deal
with any business situation. I The emergency seroices are well
equipped w cope with disasters 0/ this kind.
have It In you !,hee\! It 'Inju:/ to have the ability to suc-
ceed in doing something difficult, especially when you or
other people doubt that you can do it [v phrase not in
progressive I
I admired the way you refused w let him bully you - 1 didn't
think you had it in you. I have it in you to do sth No one
thought I could win, but I knew I had it in me w dn it if I
really tried.
2 to be able to do something because you
have learned how to do it or you have the
skill that is needed to do it
can
be able to do sth
know how to do sth
can /k:m; strong keen/ [modal verb ]
can do 5th Can you swim? I He says he canfly a piaru! but
I don't believe him. I Jane could play the piano before she
was 5. I can I don't think he knows how to sew but i/ he says
he can, l€t him try.
be able to do ath Ibi: ,elbal to 'du: (sth)1 to be able to
do something, especially something that involves a lot of
skill or knowledge Iv phrase I
I 've always wanted to be able to speak Japanese. I She regret·
ted not being able to drive. IIn a/ew weeks' time you should
be able to type up to 60 words a minute. I be able to Uyou
want to run as/ast as I can, train hard and you'll soon be
able to,
know how to do 8th I ,n"" hau to 'du: (sth)1 to be able
to do something, especially something practical such as
operating a machine, because you have learned how to do
it [v phrase not in progressive]
Do you know how w use this computer? I I'd turn the thing
offifonly I knew fww, I Young Katiehere knows haw to say
'thank you' in 10 different languages.
3 to be able to do something because you
have enough time and you are not too busy
can
be able to do 5th
it is possible for 8b to do 8th
can /kan; strong keen! [modal verb J
can do 5th can you come around to my apartment tomorrow
CAN
arul help me move somefurniture? I I don't have an appoint-
ment, but I wonder if the dentist could see me today. I can I'm
sure I can't make it, but if I can I 'll phone you.
be able to do 8th Ibi! ,clbaJ la tdu: (sth)! (v phraseJ
She wished she had been able to study more when she was
younger instead of looking after her children. I Despite his
elWYmOU5 workload the president still seems able to go FISh·
ing. I be able to rue promised to help her move house and
if I get this work done I'll be able to.
it Is possible for ab to do 8th f it IZ ,posAbal f:J r (sb)
Id Idu: (sth) 11 -,po:-/ an expression used especially when
you are alTanging something with someone, meaning that
you are able to do something because you have enough
time or are not too busy
Wou ld it be possible/or you to wail? Mrs Thorpe is with a
client at the moment. I Dr Griffiths says that it should be pos-
siblefor him to fit you in on Tuesday afternoon. II was won-
dering iJit would be possible for you to have the roat ready
by tomorrow?
4 to be able to do something because the
situation makes it possible for you to do it
can
be able to do 5th
get to do 5th
can /kdn; strong keen/ Imodal verb]
can do sth I hope we canfind a parking space. I You can
probably get most of the stuffyou need from any hardware
store. I can If you phoTIR after 3 0 'clock you 'U catch him. You
usually can at that time.
be able to do 8th /bi: ,e lbal l;) 'd u: (sth)! lv phrase]
She was able to get her watch repaired the same day. I Prices
start at around $S()(), but you may be able to gel a second
hand one much more cheapiy. 1be a ble toAtjtrst he thought
we cou ldn't afford it but we saved for over a year and were
soon able to.
get to do sth ' Iget l;) 'du: (sth)! to be able to do something
that you have wanted to do for a long time, or something
that you are not normally allowed to do (v phrase not
progressive J
I've always been afan of Madonna and last week I actually
got to see her in concert. I Do I get to stay up late when Dad
comes home from his business trip?
5 to be able to do something because you
have the power, legal rights etc that you need
in order to do it
can
have the power to do 5th
be In a position to do sth
can /kJn; strong kren/ lmodal verbl
can do sth Now they are both sixteen they can get married. I
In the old days the king could dismiss parliament iftheydis-
agreed with him. lIt's my house and I can do whatever I want
here. I can Many people are not mature enough to vote but
the law says they can.
have the power to do 8th Iheev 0;) Ipau;JT IJ 'd u: (slh)/
to be able to do something because you are in a position
of power or authority Iv phrase not in progressive ]
Thejudge has the power to order a witness to give evidence. I
Critics have the power to make or break a play on Broadway.
be in a position to do 5th /hi: In;) p;),z lfan I;) 'du: (sth)/
to have enough authority or power to be able to do some-
t hing Iv phrase]
Only the president is in a position to order the release 0/ the
prisoners. I The only person who's really in a position to criti-
cize my work is my tutor. I The discovery 0/ the new drug
means that doctors are now in a position to help patients
stQJeringfrom the disease. I be in a good/ excellent/better
position to do sth When I have read the whole report I shall
be in a better position to comment.
172 CAN
6 the ability to do something
ability power
capability powers
capacity resources
skill aptitude
ability /o'b, l\ti/ ln C/ D I
Our ability to think and speak separates us/ram other mam-
mals. I She possesses the rare ability to get on well with
almost anyone. l It all depends on the level 0/ ability of the
student. I sb's a bilities as a teach er/doctor etc When I
first started teaching I had little confidence in my abilities
as a teacher.
capability /,ke lp;)'b ll ~til the abil ity ofa person, machine
etc to do someth ing, especially something difficult that
needs a lot of knowledge, skill, advanced equipment etc [n
C/ DI
capability to do sth Only two countries - Russia and
America - have the capability to send humans into space. I
capability of doing sth This computer system gives the user
the capability of accessing huge amounts of data. I capa-
bil ity Man Ray explored the capabilities a/tire camera to
their fu llest extent.
capacity IkJ ' presA ti/ the ability to do something or to
behave in a certain way, especially when th is is a spec ial
ability that most people do not have rn C always singular]
capacit y for He has an enormous capacity for hard work. I
Billy possessed a seemingly infinite capacity for self-
deception. I capacit y to do sth Like all great leaders. she
showed the capacity to take bold imaginative decisions.
skill /ski ll the ability that you need to have learned in
order to do a particular activity or job In Cl
This course is design€d to develop the student's reading and
writing skills. I Being a good manager requires a number
o/highly specialized skills. I Too many children leave school
without having learned a skill that they can use in the
workplaC€_
power / l paU::J T/ a natural ability to do something, espe-
cially to see, hear, speak etc In C]
t he power of sigh t/speech / h earing etc She was so sur-
prised that for a few seconds she lost the power a/speech_ I
The ostrich is a bird that no longer has the power offlight. 1
t he power to do s th Patients with AIDS do not have the
power to fight against common infections.
powers IIpauJrz/ powers of j udgem ent/obser vatio n /
persuasion/ u nde r standing etc (=the ability to do some-
thing that involves mental effort or skHl, such as persuad-
ing, judging etc) In plural]
I must admit I don't have much confidence in his powers of
judgement. I This problem is designed to test your powers 0/
observation. I She impressed us all with her dazzling intellec-
tual powers.
resources /n 'z:;)!TsAz/ qualities such as courage and a
strong mind wh ich someone needs in order to deal with a
difficult situation [n piu ra il
Sailing alone across the Atlantic Ocean is no easy task, and
I had to use all my resources - both mental and physical. I
She's tough - I'm sure she has the emotional resources to
handle it.
aptitude / ' rept~tju:d II -tu:d/ the natural abiJity that some-
one has to learn a new subject or activity and become good
at it In C usually singular]
aptit u de for At an early age Susan showed an aptitude/or
languages. I.a ptitu de A trainee with normal aptitude can
learn these techniques in afew months. I aptitude test All
applicants are given aptitude tests before being invited/ or
interview.
7 to make someone able to do something
enable sb to do sth
make it possible
equip
enable Bb to do sth /"ne ,b.1(sb)", ' du, (sthl/ Jvphrase
not in passive)
CAN 173 CAN'T
The eagle's long wings enable it to glidefor kmg distances. I We haven 't really got enough nwney for the trip - kt's scrub
The youth op/XJrtunities programme is designed to enable it, shall we?
young peopli! tojmd work. 1 Ecorwmists say the ending ofthe be off Ibi: t of 11 . ' :dl if an event or activity i s off, it has
Cold War will enable the US to cut its defe1!S€ budget virtu· just been cancelled because of a sudden problem or change
ally by half in someone's plans [phr v IJ
make It possible I,melk It 'pDs!bal 11 -'pa:-I to provide I'm afraid the party 's off. Nick won't let us use hisjlat.1It's
the situation in which someone is able to do something Lv bad news. The deal's off 1 Does this mean the wedding's ofP
phrase) shelve /felv/ shelve a projectlplaniideai proposal etc
make it possible to do sth The new direct air service will (!"decide not to continue with it at the present time,
make it possible to travel/mm London to Tokyo in less than although it may be considered again in the future) lv T
12lwurs. I Recent advances in biochemistry have made it pos- usually passivel
sible to produce these drugs in huge quantities. I make it Plans/or a new airport terminal have been shelved. I The
possible for sb to do sth Changes in the law will make it idea was considered to be uneconomical, and was shelved in
possible/or men to stay at home to look after young children. I 1975.
make sth possible I'd like to thank everyone - my family,
my friends - who helped to make the whole thing possible. candid HONEST 3
candidate EXAMfTEST 3, VOTE/ELECT 9
equip /I 'kwlpl if education or training equips you to do cannot CAN'T 1, 2, 3. 4
something, especially something slIch as a particular kind
canny INTELLIGENT 4
of job, it prepares you and makes you able to do it Iv TJ
can't/couldn't IMPOSSIBLE 3
equip sb to do 5th The school aims to equip students to deal
can't do 5th FORBID 2
with the kind ofprobli!ms thRy willface in th£ outside world. 1
equip sb for My training as a doctor was intended to equip can 't do sth to save your life BAD AT 2
me/or just this kind a/emergency. can 't/not be able to do sth CAN 'T 2, 4

cancel CANCEL 1
cancel out EFFECTIVE 5
cancel out: cancel each other out EQUAL 7
1can't 1----.,,------,
'\ \f-
which meaning?
Icancell " not be able to do _ CAN'T
something
which meaning? .
cannot be done or • IMPOSSIBLE
cancel a meeting, e _ CANCEL cannot happen
event etc
not be allowed to dQ • FORBID ,
arrange to do .. • • POSTPONEI something •
something later than DO LATER
planned • bad at doing .... • BAD AT
something

• CANCEL
1 to arrange that a planned evenl will nol now
happen
1 10 arrange Ihal a planned evenl will nol now
happen
cancel be off
eaU off shelve
scrub
cancel ,' krensal/ to arrange that an event or activity that
has been planned will not now happen Iv Tl
We've had to cancel our visit to £angley because Jim is ill. I
Shecalled the restaurant and roncelled the reservation. I He's
had his driving test cancelled. I And when we got to the air-
port the/light had been cancelled!
cancellation I ,krensa' le lfan/ ln C/ U ] cancellation 0/ the
order would mean the /nss of several jobs. I The bad weather
has roused many delays on the subway, but so/ar, there have
been no cancellations (=nothing has been cancelled).
call off f ,k.J:I' of 11 · '::J:fl to cancel an event that you have
arranged and that is just about to begin, because there is
a sudden problem or change of plan {phr v T I
call off 5th The unions will roll of/their strike now that they
have accepted the management 's offer. I call sth/it/ them
off When they saw the state 0/ thefield, they called the game
off. I Hardly anyone can come to the meeting, so we'll have
to call it off.
scrub ISkrAb/ an infonnal word meaning to cancel some·
thing you have arranged, especially because something
forces you to do this Iv TJ
• CAN'T
1 10 be unable to do somelhing because you
do nol have the physical or menial abilily, or
Ihe equipment, money elc thal is needed in
order to do it
2 to be unable 10 do somelhing because you
have not learned how to do it or you do not
have Ihe skill Ihal is needed to do it
3 10 be unable to do something because you
do not have enough time or you are too busy
4 10 be unable 10 do something because you
do not have Ihe power , legal rights elc that
you need in order to do it
5 to make someone unable to do something
1 10 be unable 10 do somelhing because you
do nol have Ihe physical or menial abilily, or
the equipmenl, money etc Ihat is needed in
order 10 do il
can 't/not be able to do 5th
cannot
be unable to do sth
sb's Inability to do sth
be incapable oflnot be capable of
not be equipped/be iU..equipped
powerless
can't/not be able to do sth I,ko:nt, ,not bi! ,e lba! t::.
'du: (sth) 11 ,krent-/ [modal verb]
CAN 'T
She can't see anything without her glasses. I The silly man
packed so much into his suitcase that he couldn't carry it.
We won't be able to sleep tonight until we know she's home
safely. I I've look£d all over Ihe house bUll haven 'I been able
to!ind my keys anywhere. 1I could never have climbed that
ridge - I'm too scared of heights. I can'tlnot be ab le to
"Can you touch your toes?" "No I can't. "
cannot Itkren~l, -not 11 -no:l/ (used especially in written
English) Imodal verbl
Human beings cannot exist without oxygen.. I Lucy could not
answer - tears ulere running down her face. I Scientists
cannot predict what will happen to the earth's atmosphere
if the ozone layer continues to be depleted.
be unUle to do 5th /b;: An,clb.>llo 'du: (slh)/ (usedespe-
cial ly in written English when the fact that someone
cannot do something is a condition they are in for a long
time or permanently) [v phrase)
The doctor told us we would be unable to have children. I
Many children are unable to read and write properly by the
time they finish school. I Those who are unable to pay the
fines are sent to jail. I Bobby tossed and turned, unable to
sleep.
sb's lnebnHy t o do sth /(sb's) Ino,bIl! ti 10 'du: (5th)/ the
fact that someone is Wlable to do something, used espe-
cial1y when you are annoyed with them because you think
they should be able to do it and are too weak, lazy ete In
phrase l
He was angty at my innbility to understand what he was
saying. I The most obvious symptom of the disease is an in-
ability to distinguish betweenfantasy and reality. I US voters
were becoming frustrated at the inability of the Bush
administration to do anything about the debt crisis.
be Incapable oflnot be eapeble of /bi: In'ke'pob.>1
Dv, not bi: I kelp~31 ovl to not have the physical or mental
strength or abilities to do something, often used when you
are criticizing someone {v phrase]
be incapable of doing sth He s so stupid he's totally incapa-
ble of doing the simplest task. I Francesca was so surprised
by the question that for a minute she was incapable of
answering. I be incapable of sth Nero was a cruel man,
utll!rly incapable of pity or sympathy.
not be equlppecl/bem-equlppecl /nnt b;: I ,kwlpl, bi:
, 111'kwlpll not be equipped to do sth to be unable to do
something because you do not have the r ight training or
experience Iv phrasel
The young teacher wasn't equipped to d£al with such a
diJJkult class. I Many judges have little experience ofevery-
day life and are ill-equipped to judge other people. I not be
equipped for Victor does not deserve promotion, he is not
equipped/or Ihejob.
powerl.ss !'paudrJdsl unable to control or stop some-
thing because you do not have the strength or the
knowledge to do this (adj not pefore nounl
powerl ess to do sth Fire swept through the house as we
srood watching, powerless to stop it. I powerless against
The Hungarian protesll!rs were powerless against the might
of the Red Army. I powerless I stood there ll!rrified and
powerless as they stole my money and possessions.
powerlessn ess In UJ His injury gave him a sen.'iieofpower-
lesslless that made him irritable.
2 to be unable to do something because you
have not learned how to do il or you do not
have the skill that is needed 10 do it
can't/not be able to do 8th
cannot
not know how to do 5t h
can't/not be able to do 5th I ,ko:nl, Inol bi: ,elb31ld
'du: (5th) 11 ,krenl-/ l modal verb I
I can understand Quill! a bit of Russian but [can't read it. I
Not being able to drive is a big disadvantage. I can'tl not
be abl e to "Can you cook?" "No, I can't."
cannot I' krendt, -nOI 11 -no:tl (used especially in written
English) Imoda l verbl
There are many diseases which doctors still cannot cure. I
174 CAN'T
The boy /elt/ruslrated because he could nolput his/eelings
I into words.
not know how to do sth Inot n;)IJ ,hau Id Idu: (sth)/ to
be unable to do something because you have not learned
how to do it Iv phrase not in progressivel
No one here knows Iww to use this video camera. lOur
physics teacher loved her subject, but she just didn't know
how to get it across to the students. I I'd like to use the auto-
record facility, but I don't know how.
3 to be unable to do something because you
do not have enough time or you are too busy
can 't/not be able to do 8th
cannot
be unable to do 8th
not be possible for sb to do 5th
can'tlnot be abl. to do sth I,ka:nl, ,not bi: ,e lbili td
'du: (5th) 11 ,ka:nt-/ Imodal verbl
I can't go out to lunch today, [ have too much work to do. I
Joerouldn't come to our party last weekend - he was moving
house. I She has a meeting with her boss tomorrow, so she
won ', beabk to come. I can 't/n ot be able to Look, I know
1 said I'd come, but I can't.
cannot Ilkrenal, -not II -nml/ (used especially in written
Engl ish) [modol verb I
I regret that [cannot attend the conference on Wednesday. I
The doctor cannot see you without a prior appointment.
be unable to do 8th /bi:An,elb.>1 to 'du: (sth)/ (used espe-
cially when you want to be polite about the fact that some-
one cannot do something) Iv phraseJ
I'm sorry. but Mrs Jones is unable to see you now. Please
come back at 6 o'clock. I Unnbk to deal with so many
problems at once, she left her desk in chaos.
not be possible for ab to do 5th Inot bi: ,pos!b31 for
(sb) t, 'du: (sth) 11 -,po:-/ (used especially when you want to
give an excuse or reason for not doing something) Iv
phrase l
I have a full schedule all next week, so I'm afraid it won't
be possible for me to see you then. I We had so many other
orders that it wasn't possible to deliver yours any earlier.
4 to be unable to do somelh;ng because you
do not have the power, legal rights etc that
you need in order 10 do il
c an't/not be able to do 5th
cannot
not have the power to do 5thi
it is not In you r power to do 5th
not be in a position to do 5th
be out of sb '8 hands!
be no longer In sb's hands
powerless
Impotent
sb's hands are tied
can'tlnot be able to do 5th I,kaml, ,not bi: ,el bal Id
'du: (slh) 11 ,ka:nl-/ Imodal verbl
The manager can 'tfireyoufor being pregnant. I We couldn't
get in to see the movle - we weren 'told enough. I [fyou don't
regisll!r your nnme you won '{ be able to vote at the next elec·
tion. I can'tl not be able to I dnn't care if you want to buy
cigarettesforyour mother, until you're J6you won't beabIe
10.
cannot I' krenol, -nol I1 -no:t/ (used especially in written
English) Imodol verbl
Mem bers of the public call1wt enter the building unless they
have an identity card. I In those days a woman could not
divorce her husband except in the most extreme cases.
not heve the power to do 5thnt Is not In your
power to do 5th Inot hrev Od ,paU;Jf Id 'du: (slh), It IZ nl)(
In jJ: r lpauo r la 'du: (slh)1 to be unab1e to do something
because your job does not give you the right to do it Iv
phrase not in progressivel
CAN' T 175 CAREFUL
It is not in lu!r power to increase your salary. but she can capable EFFICIENT 3, GOOD AT 1
recommend it. I Doctors are trained professionals. but they capable: be capable of CAN 1
do not have the power to decide when someone may die. capable: be Incapable oflnot be capable of CAN'T 1
not be In a position to do sth /not bi: In a pa.z IJ<m capable: be quite capable of PA08ABLY 7
la Idu: (sth)J to be unable to do something because you do capacity CAN 6, JOBIWORK 6, SIZE 3
not have the power, knowledge, or the right to do it [u capacity: be full to capacity FULL 1
phrase ] capital MONEY 14. TOWN 2
Police say they won't be in a position to say who planted the capital offence/crime KILL 10
bomb until they have done more tests. I We a re not in a posi· capital punishment KILL 10
tion to disclose any information about our former capitalize on USE STH 4
employees. I scarcely I hardly in a position to do sth The capsize TURN 7, 11
US is hardly in a position to criticizeothercountriesjor wast- captive KE EP SB IN A PLACE 4
ing energy supp lks. captive: hold Bb prisoner/captive KEEP SB IN A
be out of sb's handslbe no longer in ab's hands PLACE 1
TO- 11 - .10:1)-1 if a
/bi! taut av (sb's) 'hrendz, bi: nau .Im:.lgar captivity KEEP SB IN A PLACE 5
problem or s ituation is o ut of som eon c's hands , they are captivity: be in captivity KEE P SB IN A PLACE 3
no longer respons ible for dealing with it because it has capture CATCH 2 . 5
been taken over by someone with more power, or because carbon copy: be a carbon copy of SAME 2
it must now be decided according to the law [v phras e] cards: be on the cards/be in the cards PROBABLY 1
My aUorney said he couldn't help us anymore, as the matter cards: hold all the cards ADVANTAGE 3
was out o/his hands. I It's ntJ longer in my hands, I'm afraid cards: lay/put your cards on the table HONEST 2,
- I've sent a reJX)rt about your son's behaviour to the JX)lice. INTEND 3
power.e •• I l paoort;)sl unable to control or stop some- cards: play your cards close to your chest/vest
thi ng because you do not have the power or legal r ight to SECRET 7
do this ladjl
powe rless to do sth The law ts wrong, but we are power-
less to change it. I powerless a gainst Protestors were
rounckd up and imprisoned, JX)werless against the might 0/ Icarel
the government. I powerless The average citizen/eels com-
pletely JX)werless /aad with the rising tide of crime and
violence.
which meaning?
powerlessness [n VJ For many, the/eeling ofpowerlessness don'1 care what • DON'T CARE
in a world 0/ bureaucracy leads to complete apathy or
depression. happens, don't care
Impotent I l lmp~ntl a forma1 word meaning unable to about a problem alC
deal with a situation because you do not have enough sa
power ladjl
impotent against The Czech nation was impotent against
the Russian invasion. I i mpotent r age/fu ry He sat staring
look afta, a person
look after
,. a thing
• LDOK AFTER
- AFTER
o LOOK -
al hisfallu!r in impolR.nlf ury. I impotent to do sth Thedrug STH
barons were so powerfuLtha t the Bolivian government was IQVe someone
imJX)tent to act against them.
'. LOVE
impote nce In UJ She/eltfrustrated by her own impotence.
untlble to stop him taking her children away. care IMPORTANT 5 , LOOK AFTER STH 2. LOVE 1
ab's hands are tied I(sb's) ,hrendz;)r llald! if someone's care : couldn 't care less DON'T CARE 1
h ands are tied they cannot do what they want to do care: for alii care DON'T CARE 1
because of particular conditions, rules etc, especially ones care: not care DON'T CARE 1
made by someone else care: take care CAREFU L 1. 4 . 8
His hands were lied. If he suggested any changes he was care: take care of DEAL WITH 2, LOOK AFTEA STH 1
always ignored. I The company's hands are tied because of care: with care CAREFUL 1, 6
Government regulations. care: without a care in the world WORRIED 11
care for LOOK AFTER S8 3
5 to make someone unable to do something career HIT/BU MP INTO 2, JOBIWORK 2
carefree WORRI ED 11
prevent
careful CAREFUL 2. 3, 4. 5, 9, SPEND MONEY 7
make it impossible for Bb to do sth careful : be careful CAREFUL 1. 8
prevent /prl lvent/ if something prevents you from doing careful: be careful to do 5th CAREFUL 6
something, it makes you unable to do it [ v TJ careful: take care/be careful WARN 3
prevent sb from doing sth His pride prevented him/rom

Icarefull~---=-::-----.
saying how he really felt. I Fear of reprisals against their
families prevents gang members from helping the police. I
prevent sb I wanted to run into the building to save her but
theflames preven ted me.
make It Impossible for ab to do sth /rnelk " Irn· which meaning?
I Pos~ba l fa r (sb) la Idu: (sth) 11 - Ipa:-I ifa situation or event
makes it impossible for som eon e to do something it
makes them unable to do it {v phrasel
careful - • CAREFUL
The war has made it a lmost impossible/or peoplefram the not careful • CARELESS
two nations to trust one another. I make it impossible to
do sth Bad light was making it impossible to see the ball.I
mak e sth impossible The sudden movements of the train
made sleep impossible. • CAREFUL
cantankerous BAD-TEMPERED 1
canvass ASK A QUESTION 2. VOTE/ELECT 10 1 to be careful when you are doing something
cap COVER 5 and try hard to avoid making mistakes
capability CAN 6 continued
CAREFUL 176
. CAREFUL continued
2 word s for describing someone who is always
carefu l to do things p roperly and to avoid
making mistakes
3 words for describing work or actions that are
done carefully , so that everything is done
correctly and nothing is m issed out
4 words for describing someone who is careful
to avoid danger or risk
5 careful about what you say or tell people
6 ways of saying that someone does something
in a careful way to avoid dange r or risk
7 to do everything that is necessary to avoid
d anger or risk
8 what you say to warn someone to be careful
to avoid danger or risk
9 words for describing actions, statements etc
that are done or made to avoid d anger or risk
1 to be careful w hen you are doing something
and try hard to avoid making mistakes
be careful pay attention to
take care with care
be c.reful /bi: 'keo'f. t/ [v phrase I
Your handwriting is so messy. Can't you be more careful? I
You should always be extremely careful when moving some-
one with a back injury. I be careful to do sth They were
careful not to touch anything until tM police arrived. I be
careful a bout As a lawyer I have to be very careful about
everything I say. I be careful with If he's going to pass his
English lest m'll have to be more careful with his grammar.
take care I,tclk 'k~rl to be careful when you do some-
thing, especially because you want it to be good Iv phraseJ
take care with Sm doesn 't talre enough care with her work.I
take care over Helen always takes a lot of care over the
arrangement ofthejlowers. I take care to do 8th She took
great care to make sure that the evening was a success. 1 take
care You are making too many mistakes. You really m ust
try and take more care.
pay a"entlan to I,pel ;,'tenJan tu:1 if you pay attention
to the details of something, you are particularly careful
about them in order to make sure they are right I v phrase)
You need to pay more attention to your spelling if you want
to get a better grade. 1 A lot ofactors pay too much attention
10 the sound of the words, and not enough attention to the
meaning. 1 Whenever I'm drawing someone'sface I always
pay a great deal of attention to the eyes.
with care IWIll '~r J if you do something with care, you
do it carefully in order to make sure that you do not make
any mistakes (adv phrase)
She has to work slowly and with great care in order to get
thepicturejust right. 1Her room was beautifully furnished,
with a great deal ofcare and attention to detail. J The soup
tasted wonderful. The ingredients had obviously been chosen
with a lot of care.
2 words for descri bing someone who is always
careful to d o things p roperly and to avoid
making m istakes
careful meticulous
methodical con8cientious
thorough
c.reful /'keo'bl/ [adjl
He's a slow and careful worker, and prefers to take a long
time getting things just right rather than rushing them. I
Don't worry, she's very careful - you can trust her to do a
good job. I A cardul translator reads every word before
beginning a translation.
methodical /m! '8od1IYI ~ m! ' 80:-/ someone who is
CAREFUL
methodical always does their work in a carefully planned
way and is careful to check everything they do (adj )
Poirot, always delibera te and methodical, made a list ofall
thE possible suspects. I Barnes is a corucientious and metJuxt-
icaljournalist who would hovecheckOO all of the facts before
writing the story.
thorough 1'9hr=J 11 '9hr~u , ' 9hr~1 someone who is
thorough makes sure that all the work they do is complete
and correct, and is careful not to miss anything ladjl
Dr Jordan is certainly thorough - ifthere is any doubt about
the symptoms, she does further tests. I The tax people will
want to see every invoice you've made in the past 5 years -
they're very thorough.
thoroughness In U I The way he prepared his court cases
had given him a reputation for thoroughness (=for being
thorough).
meticulous Im! 'tlkj~ l ;,sl someone who is meticulous
pays great attention to every detail in order to make sure
that everything is done correctly (adjl
This beautiful jewellery is the work of a meticulous crafts·
man. I My mothEr was extremely meticulous and always
made sure that every room in the house was spotlessly clean. I
meticulous about Our aa:ountant is very meticulcus about
his work. I can't imagine him ever making a mistake.
meticulously (adv) The investigators worked meticulously
through the evidencefor several months. butfound no real
evidence to conllect Murray with the crime.
conscientious I, konJi 'enJ;,s.. 11 ,ko:n-/ someone who is
conscientious has a serious attitude to their work or their
duties and tries hard to do everything they have been asked
to do in the way that it should be done (adj J
She was a very conscientious student and attended ail her
lectures. I His previous employer recommends him highly
and refers to him as honest, hard-working and conscien-
tious.1 conscientious about 1 wish everyone was as con-
scientious as you are about getting to work on time.
conscientiously ladvJ She can be trusted to carryoul her
duties conscientiously and effectively.
3 words for describing work or actions that are
done carefully, so that everyth ing is done
correctly and nothing is m issed out
careful close
thorough scrupulous
methodical painstaking
systematic rigorous
careful /'k~ rfal/ l adj only before nounl
They gave the map a cardul look before walking in the direc·
tion of the church. I A careful inspection showed cracks in
the foundation oJ the building. I Careful attention must be
paid to the ti11i€Softhe tides in the area if you plan on cross-
ing over to the island.
carefully [adv1 Think back carefully to last Monday and
tell me exactly what happened.
thorough I ' Shl.) 11 '9hr.KJ , ' Bhl.Jl thorough search/ in-
vestigation/ check-up etc(=when everyth ing is checked
carefully so that no deta il is missed) ladjl
The police have mad£ a thorough search of the area. I My
doctor gave me a thoroug h check-up and told me there was
nothing wrong with me. I After recent allegations of insider-
trading on the Japanese stock-market opposition MPs are
cailing for a thorough investigation into the wlwle affair.
thoroughly ladvl The proposal will need to be studi£d
throughly before any conclusions are reached.
thoroughness [n VJ Congress praised the thoroughness of
thE inquiry (the thorough way in which it was done).
methodlca. /m1'90d lkal 11 m1 '90:-1 methodical ap-
proach/way etc (=one that uses a series of carefully
planned steps in a particular order) lac{j only before noun 1
To be a successful researcher you have to have a patient and
methodical approach to your work. I I admired the cool and
methodical ulay in which she set about tackling the problem.
methodically [adv) He worked slowly. methodically puUing
all the pages !xJck into their files.
systematic l, s lst !' mretlk "l something su ch as a
search or a study that is systematic is carefully organized
CAREFUL
according to a system or plan SO that everything is checked
or studied thoroughly [adj I
The police carried out a systematic search DJ the house. I You
need to organize your work in a more systematic way so that
the main points are shown more clearly.
systematically {advI In his book. Barthes systematically
explores the relation between signs and their meaning.
clos. /klaus! close look/examination/ questioning!
scrutiny etc (=paylng very careful attention to details) ladj
only before noun]
Take a close look at this photograph. I On closer examina·
tion of the facts it became clear that the boy was innocent.
closely [advl The police questioned him closely about his
involvement in the robbery.
scrupulous l'skru:pj~l asl scrupulous care/ attention to
detail/ precision /c leanliness etc (=very careful1y
making sure that every detail is exactly right, SO that it
cannot be criticized) ladj only before nounJ
Scrupulous cleanliness is turessary when preparingjood in
a restaurant. I The in!JeStigation was carried out with
scrupulous fairness.
scrupulously [adv I You must keep the UKJund scrupulously
clean to avoid illfection.
painstaking / 'peInZ ,le, kID/ painstaking work!study /
research /effort etc (=taking a lot of time and effort
because so much attention is given to every detail) ladj only
before noun I
Nter years o/painstaking research we haveflnally come up
with the right/ormula.1 They began the long andpainstak-
ing job of making a catawgue 0/ all the books in the shop. I
Preparing a textfor publication requires painstaking revi-
sions by the author.
painstakingly ladul The university fuJs published all the
evidence that has been painstakingly collected over the past
century.
rigorous I'ngarnl rigorous tests/ch ecks/examlna-
tion/study etc (=that check very carefully whether some-
thing is safe, suitable ete or of the right quality or standard)
ladjl
Every new drug has to pass a series a/rigorous safety clu!cks
/xifore it is allowed to be put on sale. I The entrance testsfor
people wishing to enter tM diplomatic service are par·
tieu/alrly rigorous.
rigorously (adv l The plane had been rigorously checked
Wore taking offon its last/light.
4 words for describing someone who is careful
to avoid danger or risk
careful watch your step
take care be on your guard
cautious tread carefully/warily
circumspect
wary
keep/have your wits
about you
careful /'ke,'f.I/ladjl
He lOOS always very careJUI when handling chemicals. I
You'll be safe with Jane. SM'S a carefUL driver. I I'm a care·
ful sort ofperson. I always lock doors and windows before
going out. I car eful about You really must be more careful
about acc£pting rides from strangers.
take care 'Itelk Ik~rl to do something in a slow, sensible
way in order to avoid danger or risk Iv phrasel
If you don't take more care when you're driving, one day
you 'U have a serious accident. I take care with I always take
great care with diets, so I don't lose too much weight too
quickly.
cautlous /'Io:J;)sl someone who is cautious does not like
taking risks and is careful to avoid them if possible ladil
For a week Sykes was more cautious than ever, onlyemerg·
ingfromhis hiding-piaceat night. I A more cautious leader
might have avoided conjrontatinn with such a powerfuL
enemy. I cautious about I've always been very cautious
about giving people my address and phone number.
caution /'b:J.n/ ln UI Shestres=i tM inherent risks ofsuch
a plan and the need for cautinn.
circumspect 11S3: tbmspekll a formal word: someone
177 CAREFUL
who is circumspect thinks very carefully before deciding
to do something (adj I
A less circumspect businessman might have authorised the
loon. but Cc.sson aslredfor further iriformaticm. I Gilbert sus-
pected that this question was a trap. His response was polite
but circumspect. I circumspect about Since our car was
broken into, we have been much more circumspect about
where we park it.
wary I'wearil someone who is wary does not easily trust
people and thinks very carefully before getting involved
in any situation that might be dangerous or cause problems
ladjl
wary of She had become extremely wary a/relationships as
a result of her childhood experiences. I wary of Wary of
becoming entangled in Mr friend'sfamily quarrels, Eileen
made an excuse and departed. I wary about The problems
with selling the house had made her much more wary about
financilll maUers. I k eep a wary eye on (=watch something
or someone in a wary way) One of tM guards wasfuldling
with his radio, all the time keeping a wary eye on thefive
prisoners.
warily (advl He made his way up the stairs glancing warily
over his shoulder and keeping cfuse to the wall.
watch your step l ,wOlJ j:>:r 'step n Iwo:tJ-1an informal
expression meaning to be careful, used especially when
you are warning someone that they are likely to make
someone else angry or likely to get into trouble Iv phrase]
You'd better watch your step or you 'il be in trouble with the
boss again. I The teacher got really angry when I started
arguing. I'll have to watch my step in/uture.
be on your guard I,bi: onj:>:r 'go:rd 11 _j:>:r-I to pay care-
ful attention to what is happening and not easily trust
people, in order to avoid getting into danger, being tricked
et c lV phrase]
Bean your guard - theyalways try to ciu!at tourists. I Drivers
have to be on their guard, as faults or signal failures Ct1.n
occur at any time.
tread carefully/warily 'Itred 'kea r f.1li , 'wearl1i1 to be
carefu1 in what you say or do especially when there is a risk
of offending someone or causing trouble Iv phrase1
She kTU!W that she must tread carefully as the subjed ofabor-
tion was a very controversial issue. I Trade worth billions
ofdollars was at risk and thisforced thegovenunent In tread
very warily on the diplomatic front.
keep/haveyourwttsllboutyou f,ki:p, .hrev p:r Iwlts
a lbautjUII to watch and listen very carefully when you are
in a situation that might be dangerous , or in which people
might try to cheat you Iv phrasel
It was only because John kept his wits about him that the boys
managed to get home sqfely. I Buying a second-hand car can
be very tricky. You really have to have your wits about you.
5 careful about what you say or lell people
careful
discreet
guarded
careful /'ke>'fal/ladjl
You have to be carefULwhat you say to her, she's very easily
offended. I "Failing your eXllms isn't the end of the world. ..
said Kay's mother, Ct1.reful not to sound disappointed.
discreet Idl' skri!tl very careful about what you say or do,
so that you do not make people feel angry, upset, or embar-
rassed ladjJ
We don't want to say anything that would offend the Chinese.
I'm sure you can trust our ambassador to be discreet. I People
might gossip ifwearrived together. It would be much more
discreet/or us to go there separately. I A private detective was
sent to make discreet iru}uiries about Miss Hutton'sfman-
dal situation.
discreetly ladu I The maid entered after knocking discreetly.
discretion Idl'skreJ.1n/ln UI I should stress that this qffair
must be handled with the utmost discretion (=in a very dis-
creet way).
guarded I'go!rd!dl a guarded statement, remark etc
deliberately does not show too much about the thoughts or
feelings of the person who is making it [adjl
CAREFUL
In Washington there has been a guarded response to the
latest Soviet proposals on disannament. I Their message was
expressed in very guarded language. I 'What do you want?"
Her tone was guarded and hesitant.
guardedly (adv] "I'm not sure about it any more," said
Alice, gunrdedly ( ~ in a guarded way).
6 ways of saying that someone does something
in a careful way to avoid danger or risk
carefully gingerly
cautiously be careful to do sth
with care feel your way
with caution
carefully /'ke.'f.ti/ [advt
Drive carefully - the roads are icy. I He cleaned the machine
tlwroughly, carefully avoiding the blade. I I tlwught that if
1 trod carefully. I wouldn't stand on any broken glass.
careful [adj] Fencing is a sport which requires careful
supervision (=needs to be carefully supervised).
cautious" ,'b:J;)sli/ if you do something cautiously
you do it slowly and carefully, because you know you are
in a dangerous or difficult situation [adv)
He tiptoed to the door and peered round cautiously. I The US
has react£d cautiously to Mr Yeltsin's speech. I Cautiously.
she moved closer to the edge of the cliff.
with care fWIO .~rl a formal expression used especially
in warnings or written instructions: if someone must do
something with care they must do it carefully to avoid the
risk of harm or damage Iadv phrase)
When the roads are wet drive with extra care. I The label
says: 'Explosives. Handle with care'. I with great care/
with the utmost care (=very carefully) The operation of
lowering the engine must be carried out with the utmost care,
so as rwt to damage the chassis.
with caution /WIO 'b:J'nf if you do something with
caution, you are very careful and you do not take any risks
[adv phrase[
These animals are potentially dangerous and should be
approached with caution. I Evidence g iven by convicted
criminals must always be treated with caution. I The fleet
proceeded with the utmost caution into the Mediterranean.
gingerly "d3Ind3;)rli/ if you move gingerly or touch
something gingerly you do it in an uncertain way, because
you are afraid it will be dangerous, unpleasant. or painful
[adv[
Gingerly, he picked up the dead rat by its tail. I Treoding
gingerly she edged her way across the tin roof ofthe garage. 1
I removed the bandage gingerly and looked at the wound.
be careful to do 8th Ibi: .kearfal la 'du: (sth)/ to care-
fully remember to do something. so that you prevent some-
thing dangerous or unpJeasantfrom happening [v phrase]
Be careful to turn off the stove when you havejinished with
it. 1 He examined the knife, careful to avoid touching the
blade. 1 Whenyoujirst start exercising, you should be care-
ful not to overdo it.
feel your way "fi:ljJ: r 'welj to deal with things slowly
and carefully especially because you are doing something
new, for example a new job [v phrase usually inprogressive)
I've only been in this job for a few weeks so I'm still feeling
my way. 1 feel your way towards (:::carefully try to reach
a result) Peace talks were held and both sides began tofeel
their way towards a truce.
7 to do everylhing that is necessary to avoid
danger or risk
take precautions
play safe
take "no chances
take precautlonSj,telk pr! 'kJ:Janzl to make prepara-
tions before doing something, in order to avoid the risk of
something unpleasant happening Iv phrase)
The accident would never have occurred if they'd taken
precautions. I take precautions against The villagers had
178 careless
already taken precautions against random raids by the
militia. 1 take the precaution of doing sth Bennet had
taken theprecaution oftransferring his house into his wife's
name before his company collapsed.
play safe l,pIel 'self/ to choose a careful way of doing
something instead of a way which has more risks or danger
Iv phrase]
My friends keep advising me to invest my money in stocks
and shares but I've decided to play safe and leave it in the
bank. I The Film Club could have played swe by starting the
season with one of the ever-/XJpular Hitchcock movies, but
instead they chose to show an avant·garde documentary.
take no chancea "telk nau 'tJomslz 11- 'tJren-, to do
something in a very careful way, by avoiding any possible
risks [v phrase]
This time we're taking no chances. Everything will be
planned down to the last detail. 1 take no chances with It
may be dangerous and it may not, but I'm taking no chances
with it.
8 what you say to warn someone to be careful
I I
€I: to avoid danger or risk
~ be careful watch it
take care mind out
look out/watch out
be careful/hi: 'kea'fal/ [v phrase l
There's ice on the roads tonight so be carejul. 1 be careful
with Please be careful with that revolver. 1 be careful (not)
to do sth Be careful not to spill any oj that clear liquid; it's
acid. I be careful(that) you do 5th You'll have to be care·
ful you don't fall overboard. I be careful what/where/
who/how The whole interview will be recorded so you'd
better be careful what you say.
take care I,te ,k 'kea r / (used when you are warning some-
one about something, especially when they do not reaJize
there is a danger or a risk)
Take care. That gun's loaded. 1 Takecare when you open the
van door, sometimes it springs open suddenly. 1 take care
not to do sth Take care not to leave any money in thechang-
ing rooms.
look outlwatch out /.Iuk taut , ,wotJ 'aut 11 ,wo:tJ-1
(used when you are warning someone about something
that is dangerous)
Look outl You nearly hit that wail! I look out for/watch
out for Anyone who goes swimming beyond the reef has to
watch out for sharks.
watch it j'wotJ It 11 'wo:tJ-J (used when someone hasjust
done something dangerous and you are telling them to be
more careful)
Watch it! You nearly knocked my head off with that stickl
mind out I ,mamd ' autj (used when you want someone to
move to one side, to avoid possible danger)
Mind out - there's a snowball coming towards you!
9 words for describing actions, statements etc
that are done or made to avoid danger or risk
careful
cautious
careful/ ' ke.'f.t/ [a~i1
Careful preparation is necessary before a parachute jump.
carefully ladv] In a carefully worded statement, the Presi-
dent called jor an end to the hostilities.
cautlous , tk:l:Jasj an action or statement that is cautious
is carefully prepared or done slowly, because you think
someth ing dangerous or unpleasant might happen (adj]
She took a few cautious steps towards the dog, then started
to stroke it. 1 the union 's cautious reaction to management's
proposals
carefully CAREFUL 6
carefully: tread carefully/warily CAREFUL 4
careless CARELESS 1, 2, 3, 4
CARELESS 179
-'careless I
... . CARELESS
~. STUPID/NOT
SENSIBLE
-+. THINK ABOUT
• CARELESS
not doing things properly or safely and
therefore making mistakes or causing danger
1 paying too little attention to what you are
doing, so that you make mistakes and do
things badly
2 taking too little care in situations that involve
danger or risk , so that accidents happen
3 done or made in a careless way
4 said carelessly and without thinking about the
possible results
5 words for describing someone who decides
too quickly to do something, w~hout thinking
enough about the possible results
1 paying too little attention to what you are
doing, so that you make mistakes and do
th ings badly
careless slack
not take care lax
negligent remiss
carele•• /lke3q~1 not taking enough care with what you
are doing, for example in your job or in your schoolwork,
so that you make mistakes, lose things, or do bad work ladj]
Your work is/ull of spelling mistakes. Try not to be so care-
less in/Uture.1 Careless thieves had le!tflngerprints on the
safe door and were easily tracked down by the police. I care-
less with I'm surprised Bethgat thejob at th£ bank - she's
always been very careless with money. I it is careless of sb
to do sth It was very careless o/you t.o leave your passport
on the seat o[ the car.
carelessly ladv I Someone had carelessly left the gall! open,
letting the dog escape.
carelessness [n VI These mistakes are entirely due to care-
lessness.
not t.ke care Innt te lk Ikearl to not pay enough atten·
tion when you are doing something that you should do
careftll1y, especially because you a re doing it too quickly
IV phrase]
Hejust wasn't taking care while he was cleaning the glass
and it bro~. ! not take care to do sth It was obvious she
hadn 'llaken enough care to check the essay be/ore giving it
to the teacher. ! not take care with You don't take enough
care with your work - you really must try harder.
negligent I1 neglldyntl someone who is negligent, espe-
cially someone in a responsible position, does not take
enough care in their job, so that serious mistakes are made
ladjl
Her husband died during an operation and it has taken her
three years to prove that the medical staff were negligent. !
The missing documents were eventually traced back to a
negligent oJJkial in the Pentagon. ! negligent about Heavy
fines will be imposed on dog owners wlw are negligent about
controlling their animals.
negligently ladv] The inquiry found that the oil company
CARELESS
had acted negligently and would have to pay compensation
for the environmental damage.
negligence rn VI The government has been accused 0/negli-
gence in tackling the AIDS crisis.
slack IslrekJ careless and lazy, especially in your work or
studies, so that things are not done thoroughly or fmished
by the expected tlme (adj not be/ore nounJ
He never fills in/arms right, his/ties are in a mess, and in
general he's very slack. ! slack about The course is very
demanding and you can't afford to be slack about your
assignments.
ID Ilreksl not paying enough attention to details, because
you do not care whether things are done according to the
proper rules or standards radj not be/ore noun)
lax about You don't rwed /oshaw yourofTlCialpass - they're
very lax about security here. IlaxArwther thing thatI think
is very lax - they don't wash their hands be/ore they prepare
the/ood. I Although rather lax in the routine 0/ hausek"'!{r
ing she was a caring mother.
remiss In 'm1sl a formal word meaning failing to do some-
thing that you usually do, and that is your duty or respon-
sibility to do ladj not Wore noun]
I had been remiss and let a few days go by withaut attend-
ing to the accounts. I it is remiss of sb to do sth It was
unusually remiss 0/ her not to notice those mistakes - she's
generally so good at her job!
2 taking too little care in situations that involve
danger or risk . so that accidents happen
careless heedless
reckless Irresponsible
carel.s. 1I k~q"sl not taking enough care in what you
are doing because you do not think about the possible
danger or risk radiI
Some carel€ss idiot I~t this bog lying in the middle 0/ the
floor. I I fs true that he drives very fast but I wouldn't say
he was careless.
carelessly (advl Cigarettes thrown carelessly from cars can
cause forest fires.
carelessn ess [n VJ Anna is lying in the /wspital, and all
because 0/ your carelessness.
reckless / 'reklas/ behaving in a stupidJy careless way
and not thinking at all about the possible danger to your-
self or other people ladj ]
He's always been a reckless driver - it's a miracle he's never
had an accident. I You might think that it's/unny but 1 think
letting fireworks off in the kitchen is reckless.
recklessly llUij] peopte wha recklessly risk their lives in dan-
gerous sports
recklessness In U] An odd/eeling o/recklessness had talam
possessinn 0/ her.
heedless /' hi:dlas/ doing something without paying
attention to other people's warnings about the danger or
risk involved (adj J
I was silly and heedless, ignoring the advice 0/ people wlw
were trying to help me. ! heedless of warnings/ advice etc
Heedless ofour warnings, they attempted to climb the moun·
tain and/ell to their deaths.
Irresponsible " '" 'spons!""1 U - 'sPO,"-, failing to think
carefully about the possible results of your actions, so that
you put other peop]e in a position of danger (adj ]
It's totally irresponsible - leaving the children all alone at
night. ! Irresponsible reporting has been blamed/or the sui·
cide of a man involved in the trial.
irresponsibly ladvl The company has been accused 0/
acting irresponsibly in its attempt to gain competitive
advantage.
irresponsibility I llrJ spo ns~ 'bll lti II -spa:n-/ ln Ullt would
be the height of irresponsibility to alarm the public
unnecessarily.
3 done or made in a careless way
careless haphazard
sloppy superficial
slapdash/slipshod
CARELESS
careless "kc~q~sJ ladj I
You have plenty o[ time, so there is no excuse for careless
work. I The building had been finished in a very careless
way, with loo~ wires and unpainted ceilings. I Careless
handling ofpesticides causes dlJzens of accidents on farms
every year.
sloppy "slopi 11 'slo:pil done in a careless and lazy way,
without proper attention to detail lad})
The report condemned inadequate supervision and the
sloppy approach to solely measures. I Employers are among
tlwse now rompiaining about ttu? sloppy teaching of English
in our sclwols.
sloppily [advl The houses were built very sloppily and are
in fact very dangerous.
sloppiness [n VJ There's no excuse/or workmanship like
that. It 's just plain sloppint!SS!
slapd.sh/sllpshod /'slrepdreJ, ' shPJod 11 -Jo,d/ done
extremely carelessly and Quickly, without paying any
attention to the correct ways of working (adj)
Such slapdash work is completely untlcceptabk - you're at
university now. I We complained to the airline that the in·
flight service was hurried and slapdash. I The entire invest-
igation had been conducted in an unsystematic, almost slip-
shod, manner.
haphazard Ilhceplhrel:)Td ... / done without any clear plan
or system ladj ]
Communication between services was haphazard; roads that
had been resurfaced one week were torn up the next for gas
mains repairs. I Feministgroups are angry at the apparently
haphazard use of hormone treatments on women patients.
haphazardly ladvl While they argued she was haphazardly
throwing all her clothes into a suitcase.
superficial I.su:patlfl!al ... , ,sj u: -II ,su:-1 superficial
examin ation/ study/ inspection/ glance etc (=done very
quickly without looking at all the details) [adjl
The o/Fu:er on duty made a superjrcial inspection of the sol-
diers' uniforms. I Major decisions had been taken, on the
basis of the most superficial of studies.
4 said carelessly and withoul thinking aboul the
possible results
careless
tactless
indiscreet
careless /lkeaTlasJ careless remarks/ talk! words etc
(:::said without thinking about what effect they might have,
and so often causing trouble or embarrassment) (adj only
Wore rwun J
You say afew careless words to a neighbour and suddenly
everyone krwws about it. I OIU! careless word and you could
befilT!dfor telling oompany socrets. 1 It was at/his press con·
ference that the President made afew careless remarks which
led to a political crisis.
carelessly ladvl The newspaper had carelessly described
him as an "Indian chief'.
tactles. / 'trek t1~sl carelessly saying something that
upsets or embarrasses someone, especially by mentioning
something that it would be kinder or more polite not to talk
about (cutl
How could he be so tactless as to make jokes about funerals
when her father'sjust died? I She considers it tactless to men-
tion her friend 's disability. I I wanted to krww about her
dioorce but thought it would be tactless to ask.
tactlessness [n Ul "I can't believe you told her what he said
about her, " said Sieve, amazed at my tactlessness.
tactlessly ladvJ "Would you like to come and. have dinner
with me?" asked Eddie, and then added tactkssly. "Some-
one I invited has cancelled. ..
Indiscreet 11 Indt l skri:t ... / careless about what you say,
especially by talking about things that should be kept
secret ladjl
I wouldn 't trust him with a secret; hecan be very indiscreet. I
it is indiscreet of sb to do sth It was very indiscreet of her
to tell them the sales/igures.
180 carry Ihe day
5 words for describing someone who decides
too quickly to do something , withoul lhinking
enough about lhe possible resulls
rash hotheaded
Impulsive hasty
Impetuous without a second thought
r.sh JrreII doing something without careful thought. so
that you wish later you had not done it (adj1
I think they 've been very rash in marrying so young. 1 I'll
have to check it out carefully before I make any rash deci·
sions. I it is rash to do sth It would be rash to make any
changes before we have consulted the experts.
rashly [advl She'd rashly asked him to marry her and now
she was regretting it.
Impulslve /tm 1pAlslvl doing things as soon as you think
of them. without considering the possible dangers or
problems ladjl
She's so impulsive - she saw the housefor thefirst time and
said she'd buy it straight away. I As a child he was impul·
sive and headstrong but now he's terribly indecisive. I As a
very large man began walking towards me I began to regret
my impulsive interference in the fight.
impulsively [adu) He kissed Iier impulsiuely'/orgetting that
she would now think he was in love with her.
impulsiveness In UJ His impulsiveness surprised her. He
was normally so careful.
Impetuou. I lmlpet!u~ s / behaving without careful
thought. especiaUy because you have an emotional nature
and easily get angry, excited etc ladj)
Ifyou weren't so impetuous you wouldn't have lost your job
- fancy telling the boss you think his company is stupid. I
He says she's a typical woman - impetuous and emotiontll.
Impetuously ladvl "Of course I'll help yoU with thedroJrat·
ing, .. he said, impetuously.
impetuoslty/lm,petJu'osj li 1I -'o,,-/ lnUIAllherproblems
are caused by her own impetuosity.
hotheaded / ,hol'hedjd. 11 ,hO" -/ strongly influenced by
your emotions, rather than thinking in a sensible way
about the possible results of your actions laliil
He had always regretted his hothEaded decision to join the
anny. 1You'retoohotheaded. You should have sat down and
discussed this with your husband instead of walking out on
him.
h •• t, / Ihelstil saying thin gs. making decisions etc
without taking enough time {adj)
I think I may have been a little hasty about firing him. Do
yoU think I shauld give him his job back? 1 Go home and
think about whether you really want to have the operation
- I don't want you to make any hasty decisions.
without a second thought /w lOaut ~ ,sek~nd '9;,:t/ if
you do something without a second thought you do it
immediately without thinking whether it is a good idea or
not ladv phraseJ
Withaut a second thought I agreed w take thejob. I He saw
someone screaming at the window and dashed back to the
burning house without a second thought.
carer LOOK AFTER SB 3
cares WORRIED 9
caress TOUCH 2
caricature PICTURE 5
caring KI ND 3
carnage KI LL 9
carpet: sweep sth under the carpet HIDE/NOT SHOW 2
carried: be carried ACCEPT 6
carried away : get carned away CONTROL 8
carrot PERSUADE 11
.carry CARRY 1, 3, HEAR 2, SUPPORT/HOLD UP 1,
TAKE/BRI NG 5 , 6
, carry on CONTINUE/NOT STOP 1 , 4, 5 ,
CONTINUElSTART AGAI N 1
carry out DO 2
carry the can BLAME 2
carry the day WIN 2
CARRY 181 catch

. CARRY 5 holding or carrying a lot of things

be loaded with under the
to take something somewhere in your hands be laden with weight of
or arms, on your back etc be weighed down wlthlby overtoaded
1 to carry something or someone be loaded with Ihi: Il<X>d~d WIO/ if someone or some-
2 to carry something that is heavy thing is loaded with a lot of things, they are holding or
3 to regularly carry something in your pocket. carrying so many that they cannot hold or carry any more
Iv phrase I
bag etc when you go somewhere I was /aaded with porcels, unable to walk any faster. I A van
4 designed so that it can be easily carried loaded with newspapers arrived at the gates. I be loaded
5 holding or carrying a lot 01 things down with They returned home with the wheelbarrow
loaded down with firewood.
be laden with (hi: 11e1 dn WIO( an expression used espe-
1 to carry scmething or someone cially in literature meaning to be holding or carrying a lot
carry of things 1v phrase I
Whenever her uncle visited he was always laden with gifts. I
bear She was carrying a tray laden with glasses oforangejuice.1
tote be heavily laden with Every bus that clattered by was
carry l'k"'"1 Iv Tt heavily laden with passengers.
carry sth/ sb A porter helped me carry my luggage. I In be weighed down wlthlby Ibi: ,we,d 'daun w,O, batl
Nigeria women carry their babies on their backs. I The to be carrying or holding so many things that it is difficult
waiter approached our table carrying a tray of cocktails. I to move or impossible to hold any more (v phrase]
carry sth t%ut oflaround etc Mrs Browning hasn't The branches ofthe trees wererompletely weighed down with
regained consciousness since she was carried to the ambu- fruit. I She struggied back along the beach, weighed dawn
lance. I She carries that little teddy with her everywhere she by bags, toys, and towels.
goes. under the weight of (li\nd~r OOJ Iwe1t Dvl ifsomeoneor
be.r Ibe~TI a word used especially in literature meaning something falls or moves unsteadily under the weight of
to carry something, especially something important (v TJ something, they do this because they are carrying some-
A rmssenger arrived, bearing a letter from the ambassador. I thing that is too heavy for them to support [prep J
At the head oftm procession a group a/dark-suited men bore He was staggering under the weight oftwo backpacks. 1TIu!
the coffin into the church. washing·line sagged under the weight of all our newly
tote ftautj an informal American word meaning to carry washed clothes. ! Your table is Simply groaning under the
something [v TJ weight of cook books, gardening books. and trashy novels.
1 wouldn't tote that camera around Kabul if I were you. I overloaded (1;MJVOJr11~~d"'l ifa vehicle is overloaded,
Jimmy earned some extra money by toting golf bags for the it is holding or carrying too many things, with the result
neighbors. I a gun-toting cowboy that it can only move slowly and it may not be safe [adj]
That plane is dangerously overloaded. We cannot allow it
2 to carry something that is heavy to take off. I The progress of the overloaded Chevrolet was
agonizingly slow.
lug
cart cart CARRY 2
carte blanche: give sb carte blanche LET/ALLOW 7
lug flAg! an informal word meaning to carry or drag some-
thing that is heavy, with great effort or difficulty [v Tl cartoon PICTURE 5
Breathiess, we lugged our suitcas€S up the hotel steps. II've carve CUT 5, 10
got enough to carry, without lugging that big box as well. carve up SHARE 1
case EXAMPLE 1, SITUATION 5
cart Ikrurtj an informal word meaning to carry something case: be a case in point EXAMPLE 3
that is awkward or heavy (v TI case: In case IF 5
cart sth Madge threw all the empty bottles into a bag and case: In case of IF 1
carted it out to the back yard. I cart sth around I'm not
going to cart your shopping around all afternoon! I cart sth s case: In most cases MOST 7
, case: In that case IF 1
away/off (=to remove something by carrying it some-
where else) There were frightening stories of peop12 being .• case: It Is the case TRUE 1
carted away on stretchers during the night. case: not be the case UNTRUE 1
;;;, cash MONEY 1, 4

II
cash down PAY FOR 3
3 to regularly carry something in your pocket, cash In on PROFIT 7
bag etc when you go somewhere - cast ACTOR/ACTRESS 7
carry .. cast a ballot: cast a vote/cast a ballot VOTE/ELECT 1
cast a shadow over SPOIL 4
carry 11kreri( carry moneyfa chequebookfa gun etc
(=regularly carry something valuable or something that ,.., cast a spell MAGIC 3
you need in your pocket or bag) IV TJ cast-offs/castoffs CLOTHES 5
These cards should be small enough for the client to carry cast/throw SEND 6
at all times. I The police here dan 't carry guns. lIs it true that cast your mind back REMEMBER 2
the Queen never carries any money? caste CLASS IN SOCIETY 1
casual DON'T CARE 5, SOMETIMES 2
casualty INJURE 5, SUFFER 4
4 deSigned so that it can be easily carried cat: let the cat out 01 the bag TELL A SECRET 3
portable catalogue1catalog LIST 1. 5
portable I 'p"'t,ball portable TV/radio/word proces- t!' catapult/propel THROW 9
sor etc (=fairly small and designed so that it is easy to _ catastrophe DISASTER 1

I
carry) ladjl catastrophic DISASTER 2
BonUa has a JXJrtable 11' in the kitchen which she sometimes catch CATCH 1, 3, 4, 5, GET 15, ON TIME 3,
takes up to watch in bed. 11 found Tony sitting in a corner PROBLEM 1
speaking into his portable tape recarder. I TIu! latest laptop catch: not catch HEAR 4
computers are by far the best because they are portable.
 catch a glimpse of
catch a glimpse of SEE 2
catch a whiff: get/catch a whiff of SMELL 9
catch fire BURN 3
catch It: be going to catch it/get It/cop it PUNISH 6
catch on UNOERST AN 0 7
catch sb in the act CATCH 4
catch sb off guard REA DY 7
catch sb on the hop READY 7
catch sb out MISTAKE 6
catch sb red-handed CATCH 4
catch sb with their pants down READY 7
catch sb's eye NOTICE 1
catch sight of SEE 2
catch up IMPROVE 1
catch up: be catching up NEAR 9
catch up with CATCH 1, FAST/OUICK 13
catch-22 PROBLEM 3
. CATCH
1 to catch someone who is trying to escape
from you
2 to catch someone and not let them leave
3 ways of saying that the police catch a criminal
4 to catch someone while they are actually
doing something wrong or illegal
5 to catch an animal using special equipment
or methods
1 to catch somecne who is trying to escape
from you
catch catch up with
get hunt down
corner trap
catch {!<rel!{ to stop someone from escaping, especially by
running after them and then catching them rv T I
The bigger boys ran while the little boys tried to catch them. I
" You 'Il have to catch me first!" she said, running out of the
room. I If the guerrillas catch yau, they will kill yau.
get Igetl to catch someone, especially before doing some-
thing unpleasant to them or punishing them [v T not
usually in passive]
He ranfor his life, but they got him in the end. I When [get
you I'm going to kick your head in.
comer l 'b:Tn:)TI to catch someone by forcing them into
a room or space etc that they cannot escape from [v Tl
The man cornered me - there was no way to escape. I Even·
tually, Lambert was cornered in a hotel room and arrested.
catch up with I,kretj '''P wl~1 to catch someone that you
have been chasing or trying to catch for some time [v T]
If those guards catch up with us, they'll kill us. I You can't
avoid her forever, she'll catch up with you in the end.
hunt down l ,hAot 'daun! to catch someone in order to kill,
hurt, or punish them, after chasing them or trying very
hard to catch them Iphr v Tl
hunt sb/her/them etc down Dan't try to rW! - they'll hunt
you down and kill you. I hunt down sb They had orders to
fly to America, and hunt down the drug barons.
trap Itrrepl to catch someone by skill and cleverness, or
by forcing them into a place where they cannot escape {vT ]
The police trapped the thieves at a road block. I Dan't phane
for help from a call box, the attacker could trap you inside.
trap {n CJ Only when I arrived at the meeting point did I
realize it was a trap.
2 to catch somecne and not let them leave
capture take sb prisoner
round up recapture
capture 11kreptj:)TI to catch a person in order to make
them a prisoner Iv TJ
182 CATCH
That day they captured twenty enemy soldiers. I Two days
after landing he was betrayed, captured, and killed. II
wanted to teach my students what it felt like to be captured
and enslaVed.
capture {n UJ There was a big reward for his capture.
round up I,rauod I "pI to catch several people by bring-
ing them together from different places [phr V T I
round up sb After the riot, thepoJice rounded up thirty-six
of the leaders. / round sb/ us/ them up The army rounded
the protestors up and shot them all.
round-up I'raund "pi {n singular! This Jewish boy was
photographed in 1943 during a round·up in the Warsaw
Ghetto.
take sb prisoner 11telk (sb) ' prl7..3o:)rl to catch someone,
especially in war, and keep them as a prisoner Iv phrase!
The enemy sent a boat out from Spezia to take us prisoner.I
In World War If he was taken prisoner by the Nazis.
recapture Iri: ' kreptj:)TI to catch someone for a second
time when they have escaped after being caught once Iv TJ
The prisoners were recaptured afew hours after their escape. /
I don 't care if they recapture me, 1WW that I've done what I
set out to do.
3 ways of saying that the police catch a criminal
catch nick
arrest take sb Into custody
get
catch {keel!{lv Tl
catch sb We are putting all our efforts into mtching the mur-
derer. I be/ get caught The thieves were never caught and
got away with 5 million dollars.
arrest /:)lrestl if a police officer arrests someone they
catch them, tell them officially that they have done some-
thing illegal, and take them away (v T]
Police arrested 26 demonstrators, over halfoJ them women. I
arrest sb for Wayne was arrested for dangerous driving.
arrest In UI Their ronfessions led to the arrest of six others
(=to them being alTested). I Don't move. You are under
arrest (=1 am arresting you).
get /get/ to catch and punish someone for something ille-
gal they have done Iv Tl
Did the police get the man that stole your car? I They never
got the actual hitman.
nick ImkJ an informal British word meaning to catch
someone, tell them officially that they have done something
illegal, and take them away Iv Tl
nick sb for stb She was nickedfor shoplifting. I They nicked
him for speeding.
take sb Into custody I ,telk (sb) lOt:) ' kAst;xlil to catch
someone and take them to a police station until a court
decides what their punishment will be Iv phrase usually in
passiveJ
He was taken into custody by waiting FBI men. I Police
officers arrived to take him into custody.
4 to catch somecne while they are actually
doing something wrong or illegal
catch
catch sb red-handed
catch sb In the act
catch {keel! {lv Tl
catch sb doing 5th She had caught her daughter stealing
rrwneyfromher purse. I catch sbIfIcatchyouagain, Illere'll
be trouble! I belget caught! could kJsemyjob ifI get caught
selling alcohol to a child.
catch Bb red....nded {,ka:l! (sb) red 'heendjd{ to catch
someone who is in the middle of doing something bad or
illegal, especially stealing, when they are not expecting it
[v phrase usually in passive]
be/get caught red-handed Alison had been caught red·
handed stealing money from the till. I I've caught you red·
handed now, haven't I? How long has this been going on?
CATCH
catch sb In the act / ,k""J (sb) In Oi ''''kt/ to catch some-
one who is in the middle of doing something bad or illegal
by seeing them do it fv phrase]
Wecan 'tprove she's been srealingjrom us. We'll have lOcatch
h£r in the act. I catch sh in tbe act of doing stb Sh£blushed
guiltily, caught in the act DJ looking at his private letters.
5 to catch an animal using special equipment
or methods
catch
trap
capture
round up
snare
catch /kre'J/lv Tl
Last time we went fishing [ caught a huge trout. I a trap to
catch mice I The children were out with their nets, catching
butterflies.
trap /m.epl to catch an animal or bird using special equip-
ment that will hold them so that they cannot escape rv T I
Some o/the birds had been s/wt, others trapped. I They have
a way DJ trapping locusts at night, using bright lights.
trap [n Cl The wolf had been caught in a trap.
snare /sne<lrl to catch a small animaJ or a bird using a wire
or rope that holds the animal or bird so that it cannot move
Iv Tl
Hisfather slwwed him Iww to snare rabbits. I The poacher
went about the fields, checking to see if he had snared
anything.
snare fn Cl A hare had been caught in a snare.
capture 11 kreptJ~r J to catch an animal after chasing or fol-
lowing it Iv Tl
They managed to capture a young elephant. I We could not
get close enough to capture the stallion.
cap ture fn UJ the capture of the great whale
round up JImund lAp/ to catch farm animals, especiall y
cows, horses or sheep, by bringing them together (phr v T 1
The cowboys rounded up the cattle..
c atching SPREAD 11
c atch ing up: be catching up NEAR 9
catchphrase SAYING 4
catchy REMEMBER 7
categorize GROUP/PUT INTO GROUPS 1. TYPE 5
category TYPE 4
cater for PROVIDE 5
cater to PROVIDE 6
caught up MOVE/CHANGE POSITION 7
caught up in: get caught up In TAKE PART/BE
INVOLVED 3
cause CAUSE 1. 14. REASON 3
cause: be the cause of CAUSE 1
cause: with good cause/reason RIGHT/JUSTIFIED 2
cause a rift between ARGUE 9
cause concern/be a cause for concern WORR IED 7
cause death KILL 6
cause doubt/cause uncertainty NOT SURE 3
c ause embarrassment EMBARRASSED 3
cause for complaint COMPLAIN 4
cause inconvenience PROBLEM 11
cause/make trouble PROBLEM 10
cause offence OFFEND 5
cause pain HURT/CAUSE PAIN 2
cause problems PROBLEM 10
;: cause/create problems PROBLEM 9
~ cause sb/sth to do sth CAUSE 2
cause uncertainty: cause doubt/cause uncertainty
NDT SU RE 3
"You say " is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English.
183 CAUSE
Icause I"""'~=-~~...".".---,
which mean~/ng? .,
•
cause $OI1lelhln9 10 • CAUSE
happen or exist ";; t
. reason why ;;. • REASON
$OI1l81hln.9 happens
or Is done
".~=- ..
ways 01 saying .•. • BECAUSE
because
• CAUSE
1 to make something happen
2 to make someone or something do
something
3 to cause someone or something to be in a
particular condition
4 to make someone experience a strong
emotion, such as anger, excitement, or
interest
5 to cause a particular situation to exist
6 to finally cause a particular situation to exist,
at the end of a process or series of events
7 to cause serious trouble , such as fighting, war
etc
8 to deliberately try to cause trouble, arguments
etc
9 to be the reason that makes someone want to
do something or decide to do someth ing
10 ways of saying that an event, action, remark
etc makes people reply or behave in a
particular way
11 to be the earliest and most important cause of
someth ing
12 to be one of the causes of something that
happens
13 to d ec ide or believe that what happens or is
done is caused by a particular thing
14 the action , event etc that causes something
1 to make something happen
cause
be the cause of
be responsible for
cause Ib:zl to make something happen, especially some-
thing unpleasant Iv TI
cause sth Heavy traJJk is causing long delays on the roads. I
These chemicals may contaminate the water supply and
cause cancer. I The autopsy showed that her death was
caused by liver failure. I cause sb trouble/p roblem s/
anxiet y etc The children were always causing their parents
trouble. 1 Try to isolate the problems that are causing you
the most difficulty.
be the cause of !hi: 6~ I b:z DV! to be the specific cause
of a problem or difficulty rv phraseJ
There was not enough evidence to prove that tobacco was the
cause of the disease. I [ believe that these large wage increases
have been the cause of most oJ our economic problems. I It
was a shock to everyone that their marriage broke up, but
Sally and her jealousy was the cause of it. I be the cau se
After a long investigation into theaccident,faulty warning
lights were found to be the cause.
CAUSE
be responsible for Jbi: rJ 'spons!b~1 f;):T 11 - Ispa:n-{ if
someone or something is responsible for a fire, accident,
death etc, they are the only cause or main cause of it and
deserve to be blamed for it (v phrase)
Heart disoose was responsiblefor nwst oftl1£ deaths. I He was
ckorly responsiblefor tl1£ deaths and must be punisl1£dfor
it. I be largely/mainly responsible for Inflation was
largely responsible/or the economic crisis. I be responsi-
ble A/tera rise in the number a/skiing accidents it has been
found that a lack DJ adequate equipment is responsible.
2 to make someone or something do
something
make Sb/6th do 6th
cause Sb/5th to do 5th
make ab/5th do sth Ilmelk (sb/sth) Idu: (8th){ IvphraseJ
Sarah 's very funny_ Her jokes always make me laugh. II
wish you UJOuldn 't slam the door. It makes thefloor shake. I
The things she said make me wonder if she i.., in some kind
aftrouble. I be made to do sth I was made to waitforover
an hour.
cause sb/sth to do sth 11 kJ:z (sb/sth) l;l Idu: (slh)1 a
fomlal word meaning to make someone or something do
something [v phrase lWt in passive]
A dog ran into the road, causing the cyclist to swerve. I A
strike by nurses and doctors might cause many innocent
people to suffer. 1 Suddenly there was a pou.>er cut, causing
the whole computer system to shut down.
3 to cause someone or something to be in a
particular condition
make render
have plunge
get
make /me,k/ Iv TJ
make sb late/sick/ hungry etc That chicken 1 ate last
night made me sick. I Don 't bother me MW - you 'U,nake me
late for work. I make sth safe/interesting/dirty e tc
Engineers have been working through the night to make the
-bridge safe. I ut ~ give the house a new coat ofpaint to make
it more attractive. I make it impossible/necessary/ diffi-
cult etc for sb to do sth The new treatment will make it
necessary for patients to stay in hospital overnigllt. I make
sth difficult!eaSier/ unpleasant etc for sb He could make
things very difficult for us.
have lv, dV, hdv; strong hrevf to make someone or some-
thing be in a particular condition, especially for a limited
time Iv T not in passive]
have sb worried/ interested/fascinated etc He really
had me worried when he said he'd lost the keys. but I think
Ill! was only joking. I Thefilm was full of suspense. it had
the audience on the ~ge of their seats. I have sth ready /
organized/preparetl etc We 'll have your car ready by 3
o'clock.
get Igell to cause someone or something to be in a partic·
ularcondition, especially when this is what you intend to
do or what you are trying to do Iv T not in passive]
get sth dirty/ working/ ready etc There's something
wrong with the television. I can 'tget it working. I These shirts
areas clean as I can get them. I get sb fit/organized / mo-
bile etc We are determined to get the championfit in time
for the next fight.
render 11 rend;lTI a fonnal word meaning to make some-
one or something unable to do something, work properly
ete Iv T I
render sth useless/ impossible/harmless etcBoth run-
ways have been rendered useless by enemy bombings. I His
past affection for Emily rendered any new relationship
impossiblefor him. I render sb unconcious/helpless etc
Suddenly Parfuri struck a blow that rendered his victim
unoonscious.
plunge IplAnd31 to cause someone or something to sud-
denly be in a very bad situation Iv T I
plunge sb/sth into All th£ equipment was ruined in the/ire,
184 CAUSE
plunging the school into debt. I The growing hostility be-
tween the two parties is threatening to plunge the country
into civil war. I Suddenly the theatre was plunged into dark-
ness. Another power failure!
4 to make someone experience a strong
emotion, such as anger. excitement. or
interest
excite whip up
arouse reduce sb to
evoke
excite 1Ik Isa lt! excite interest/jealousy/ suspicion etc
(=make people feel interested, jealous etc) [v T not in
passive ]
Stories about the king's private life excited a good deal of
interest. I Arthur's enormous wealth excited the envy of his
rivals.
arouse !Cl1rauzl arouse anger/ suspicion/ fear etc
(=make people have strong feelings of anger, fear, dislike
ete) Iv TI
The resignation of the managing director is certain to arouse
newfears about thefulureofthe mmpany. 1Suspicions were
aroused when two men were seen running from the bank. I
The issue of women's rights is sure to be discussed; the pas-
sions it arouses are as strong as ever.
evoke !IIV;lUkJ to cause someone to have a very strong
emotion or reaction lV T I
She started to cry in order to evoke sympathy and pity from
her parents. I The latest terrorist incidents are bound to evoke
a wave ofrevulsion in most peopLe. I Her speech today evoked
surprise and resentment/rom many French officials.
whip up 11 WIP lAp! to deliberately make a lot of people feel
interested, excited, angry etc about something that you
think is important Iphr v T I
whip up sth The concert has been organized to publicize
and whip up supportfor the campaignfor nuclear disanna-
ment. I It:S- dijJkult to whip up people's interest in the environ-
ment. 1whip sb/sth/ it/ them etc up The speaker has been
accused of whipping crowds up into frenzies of violent
hatred.
reduce sb to Inldju:s (sb) tu: 11 -ldu:s_1 reduce sb to
tears/silence/ a bag of nerves etc (::;make someone cry,
be silent, be nervous etc, especially deliberately) [phr v T I
Tlwse romantic old fi lms always reduce me to tears. l Our
teacher's bad temper had the effect of reducing thE pupils to
nervous wrecks. l One look from him was enough to reduce
anyone to absolute silence.
5 to cause a particular situation to exist
bring about generate
bring be a source of
create effect
produce make for
bring about fibril) ;llbautl to cause a situation to exist,
especially by working hard for a long time [phr v TJ
bring about sth Education is the only method of bringing
about changes in world population. I The President will
support any fifJorts to bring about a ceastifire. I bring sth/ iU
them about improvements in working conditions and the
union negotiations that brought them about
bring Ibrll)l ifsomething that happens or something that
someone does brings a particular situation, it causes it to
happen as a natural result [v T]
bring disruption/ victory/ chaos etc A postal strike has
brought disruption to most of tile city. I A goal in tile last 5
minutes of the game brought victory to the home team. I
bring sb trouble/wealth/happiness etc His new wealth
has brought him Mthing but trouble.
create f kri left! to cause a particular condition that did not
exist at all to suddenly exist [v TJ
Margot's outburst created an unpleasant atmosphere and
most of the guests left earLy. I lfyou create a diversion, I'll
be able to esape through the window when no one is looking. I
CAUSE
The while walls and. mirrors helped to create an illusion of
space.
creation /kri ' e IJ~nJ [n VJ Thegovernment's main economic
aim has been the creation of wea lth.
produce Iprd'dju:s 11 . 'du!sl if something produces a par·
ticular situation , it has the effect of causing it to exist lv TJ
The new laws have produced a stream of protests from
human rights campaigners. I New characters were
introduced into the programme, producing h ighly favorable
reactions from the public. I Careful investment in industry
will certainly produce afeeling ofconfidence in the economy.
generate l'd3Cn;}reltl a formal word mean ing to cause
someth ing such as a feeling to exist and to grow [v TJ
The discovery o/the Titanicgenerated enonnous interest on
both sides of the A tlantic. I By completing a task on sched-
ule you may generate a/eeling a/pride and acromplishment. 1
Realistic programmes about crirm only seroe to generate/ear
among the public.
be. source of Jbi: :> Is:>:rs DVJ ifsomething is a source
of amusement, confusion, anxiety etc it causes that feel-
ing to exist in people [v phrase!
His extraordinary clothes were a source ofgreat amusement
at the party . I The two players ha ve tlu! same name and this
has been the source of some confusion.
effect /1 'fekt/ a formal word mea ning to cause a particu-
lar situation to ex ist, especially after a lot of work or effort
[v TI
During his term of office, the minister effected substantial
riforms in the education system. I A t last a reconciliation has
been fifjected between the warring factions.
make for J'me1 k b: T/ if somethin g makes for a particu-
lar good situation that people want, it makes it eas ier or
more likely for the situation to exist [v T not in passive!
Regular pruning makesfor easier management of trees and
shrubs. I A ll these suddm changes ofplan don't makefor an
easy life.
6 to finally cause a particu lar situation to exist,
at the end of a process or series of events
resuh In breed
lead to sow the seeds of
give rise to spawn
r.sult In /n lu lt m/IV T not in passiveJ
Secret talks with tlw kidnappers took place which finally
resulted in the release of the two hostages. I More attention
to road safety and an update of driving standards can only
result in a decrease in road accidents. I Constant pressure
to the optic nerve will cause infection and eventually result
in blindness.
lead to f Ilkd tu :J to cause something to happen or ex ist
after some time [v T not in passive I
It was a medical error which led to the dea th of the patient. I
The new regulations should lead to an improvement in our
water supply. I There will be a reward for any iriformation
leading to the arrest of the robbers.
give rtse to f IgIV l ral z tu:1a formal expression: if some-
thing such as an event or action gives rise to a particula r
feeling, s ituation etc, it starts the process that ma kes it
happen rv phrase J
The President's absence from the dinner has g iven rise to
SpecUlntiOIl about h is health. I Two things are g iving rise to
world-wide concern - mass unemployment and the poverty
of underdeveloped countries.
breed Ibri:dl if something breeds unpleasant feelings,
such as anger, fear or unhappiness, it makes more people
have those feelings [v TJ
Teachers shouldn't have favourite pupiL"i. It only breeds
resentment. I Ignorance only breedsfear and contempt ofthe
unknown. I Years ofmismanagement. and injustice have bred
discontent and a lack of conFulence among workers.
sow the . .eds of 'I~ 0;, 'si:dz Dvl to do something
that will cause a bad situation to exist a long time in the
future [v phrasel
In sacking these 3 men, the employers have sown the seeds
185 CAUSE
offuture confiict. I By tWt taking care of the planet, human·
kind is sowing the seeds of its own destruction.
spawn ISp:J:nl if a situation or change spawns a growth
of something or new situation, it causes it to exist Iv Tl
The current obsession with physicaijitness has spawned a
growth in tlw number of health clubs. I The rock and roll
revival spawned a new generation of Elvis Presley imitators.
7 to cause serious trouble, such as fighting , war
etc
set off
trigger/spark off
precipitate
set oH / Iset ' of 11 _':>:fl if someone or somethin g sets off
a fi ght, war etc, it makes it start happening {phr v TJ
set offsth Nobody knows what set offthe riot. I set sth/ it!
them off The revolution lasted several weeks and experts
think that it was the execution that set it of!
trigger/spark off /ltr lg:>T, ,spa:tk lof 11 _1:>:fJ if a small
act ion or event sparks serious trouble, it causes it to
happen very quickly Iv T J
trigger sth Even the smallest diplomatic incident can trig-
gera major international cori/lict. I spark sth/ it!them off
When Franz Josef was assassinated it sparked the First
World War of! I spark off sth Rw ts, sparked off by th£
arrest of seven student leaders, have spread to other univer-
sities.
precipitate /pr A's lp!telt! a formal word meaning to
cause something serious to happen, espec ially more
quickly than was expected [v T I
On 6 May troops invaded the Port, precipitating the Battle
of tlze Coral Sea. I The 1929 slump was so severe that it
precipitated the collapse of the American banking system.
8 to deliberately try to cause trouble , arg uments
etc
InCite stir up
provoke Instigate
Inclte / ml sa lt/ a word used especially in a legal context
meaning to deliberately encourage people to cause trouble,
fight, argue etc Iv T J
incite sth Four men were executed for inciting a rising
against the communist regime. I incite sb to do sth She was
charged with inciting the crowd to rebellion.
incitement In VJ By publishing the book they were guilty
of incitement to (=inciting) raciallwtred.
provoke /pr:>I v:>ukl if something provokes an angry sit-
uation or a reaction, they cause it, usually deliberately (vT J
The new laws have provoked violent. demonstrations in some
towns. I The ambassador's offensive remarks provoked
widespread criticism.
stir up / 1st3:r I lip/ to deliberately try to cause arguments,
fighting ete between peopl e fphr v TI
stir up sth I hope you're not trying to stir up trouble. l It
is not a good idea to stir up any existing rivalry betweenlhe
two brothers. I stir sth/ it up He was accused of trying to
stir rebellion up among the peasants.
Instigate II Inst!ge ll/ a formal word meaning to start trou-
ble by per suading someone to do something bad Iv T l
Aforeign government was accused ofhaving instigated the
bloodslwd.
9 to be the reason that makes someone want to
do someth ing or decide to do somethi ng
lead sb to do sth induce
motivate prompt
I ••d ab to do 8th / ,Ii:d (sb) to 'du: (sth)/ to be the thing
that causes someone to do something, especially after some
time Iv phrasel
What led you to take up teaching as a career? I It was my
interest in gardens that led me to study Biology. I Her war
experiences led her to set up afundfor disabled soldiers.
CAUSE
motivate ,' m;)()t1veItf to be the thing that causes some-
one to have a lot of determination to do something that
others consider to be difficult (v TJ
motivate sb He's a brilliant doctor, motivated only by the
desire to help mankind. I [ don't know MW he managed to
ronvince the newspapers to print the story - 1 think it was
his extreme anger that motivated him most. ! motivate sb
to do sth What on earth motivated you to learn Latin at your
age?
Induce f In I dju:s U I n I du:s/ to be the thing that causes
someone to do something stupid or careless Iv TJ
induce sb to do sth Nothing would induce me to vote/or
them. I Whatever induced her to buy such an expensive car?
prompt /prompt 11 pra:mpt/ to be the thing that causes you
to do something, especially something you have been
thinking of doing for a long time Iv T rwt usually in
progressive I
prompt sb to do sth It was reading his book that promptro
me to write to him. I What exactly prompted you to sack him?
10 ways of saying that an event, action , remark
etc makes people reply or behave in a
particular way
prompt
bring
draw
prompt Jprompt 11 pra:mpt/ to make people interested in
something or want to study something more [v T not
usually in progressive]
Officials are amazed that the exhibition has prompted so
much interest in the public. I The outcome of Conzen 's work
has prompted further research by others.
bring Ibrl l]/ to cause a particular reaction such as criti-
cism or anger [v T not usually in progressive]
The decision to close the school brought a storm of protests
from parents. I The newspaper's attack failed to bring any
response from the Palace. / The clown's wonderful perfor-
mance brought loud applause from the spectators.
draw Idl"J:/ if someone's action or behaviour draws
praise. criticism etc, it causes people to praise it, criticize
it etc [v T ]
The idea of closing the hospital drew heavy criticism from
local doctors. I Complaints about the actress' dress drew a
stinging reply from her manager. I Locals have drawn a
g reat deal of praise for the way they handled the riots.
11 to be the earliest and most important cause of
something
be at the root of/the bottom of
underlying
be at the root of/the bottom o' /bi: at O~ 1ru:t DV, Oa
1bDbm ov 11 -1bm-/ to be the basic cause of a problem or seri-
ous situation [v phrase)
At the root of the country's problems is 25% unemployment.I
lie at the root of I wonder exactly what lies at the root of
his sudden concern for our welfare.
underlying f 1t\nda f 11al _11].' underlying cause/ reason/
factor (;:the one that is the most important and earliest,
but which is not easy to sec or find and is not noticed by
most people) [adj only btifore noun]
Nobody really understands the underly ing causes of the
war./ Psychiatrists treated the underlying problems behind
her illness, rather than her actual symptoms.
12 to be one of the causes of something that
happens
play a part
contribute to
contributory
play a part / lplel ;) lpa:Tt/ if something plays a part in
something, especially the success of something, it is one
of several causes that makes it happen or be successful
Lv phrase ]
186 CAUSE
play a part in Besides dieting, taking exercise plays a part
in wsing weight, 1 T"" genius o/t"" two designers has played
a big part in the company's recent success. 1 play a part
There are many factors which influence a baby's behaviour,
and even the type of birth plays a part.
contribute to /kan1tnbju:t tu! 11 -bjat-J if something con-
tributes to a situation or event. it is one of the causes that
make it happen [v T not in passivel
An increase in the price ofdrugs has contributed to tlu! rising
cost a/medical care. 1 It istJwughtthatpiwt'snegligeru:emay
have contributed to the disaster. 1 Air-conditioning, indi-
vidual desks, and lots of space all contribute to a healthy
working atmosphere.
contributory /bn ItrIbj~ t.1ri 11 -t:>:ri/ contributory
cause/ factor (=one of several causes of something that
happens but not the main cause) [adj only before nounJ
Malnutrition was considered to have been a contributory
cause of death. 1 Alcohol is a contributory factor in at least
50 % of the violent crimes reported.
13 to decide or believe that what happens or is
done is caused by a particular thing
put sth down to
attribute sth to
put 8th down to ' 1PUt (sth) Idaun tu:/ to explain a s itua-
tion, event or behaviour that you do not understand or
cannot explain, by saying that it is the result of someth ing
[phr u TI
He's changed a great deal lately. I put it all down to his
family problems. I We can put his bad manners down to his
lack of education. 1 Her restlessness was put down to excite-
ment and nobody realised she was seriously ill.
attribute sth to /, 't"bju:t (sth) tu: 11 -bj, t-/ a formal
expression meaning to explain a situation or fact, espe-
cially one that you do not understand, by saying that it is
the result of something rphr v Tl
The management attributed the success of the company to thi!
new Marketing Director. I I have never been good at
mathematics, which I have always attributed to missing
several years of school when I was a child. 1 1,150 deaths a
year can be attributed to drunk driving.
14 the action , event etc that causes something
cause stimulus
factor spur
origins Impetus
root
cause /b:z/ ln Cl
Doctors cannotflnd a curefor the illness until they have iden-
tified the cause. I The underlying causes of the present dis.
pute date back to 1987. 1 root cause (=main cause) One or
the root causes of unemployment is the computerization of
industry.
'actor / Ifrektaf / one of several causes of a situation or con-
dition [n Cl
The choice of school for your children will depend on a
numberoffactors. including the size of it. I deciding factor
(=the factor that fmally makes you decide to do something)
The closeness to the river was the deciding factor in clwos-
ing the site/or t""/actory, 1 key factor (=rnain factor) Money
will be the key factor when we decide to buy a new house. 1
factor in His g irlfriend lives in London and I'm sure this
was a factor in him deciding to move there.
origins / lDr~d3!nz 11 l :>! ~ , 10!_/ the first causes from which
a situation. condition etc has developed (n plural ]
T he committee has ordered an inquiry into the origins of the
Vietnam war. 1 Other cultures' beliefs about the origins of
disease and supernatural cures differ from our own. 1 have
origins in Most of our attitude to racism has its origins in
the colonialism of days gone by.
root /ru!t/ the ma in or most important cause ofa situation
or condition In Cl
root of We need to get to the root of the problem. I The roots
a/the war 0/1692 go back to wng Wore 1680,
CAUSE 187 certainly not
stlmulu./stJmj~lasl an event or an action that helps a When Mr Johns retired after 45 years' service. the comfXlny
process to develop more quickly or more strongly [n held a party ill his honour. I A statue has been erected in
singular/Ui honour of all tlu! children who hove died in South Africa.
The renewal o/international trade ought to provide a stimu- mark /ma:rk/ if you do something in order to mark an
lus to the economy. I The appointment ofa new director gave occasion, you do something special as a way of honouring
the project immediate stimulus. or remembering an important day or event [u T J
spur /SP3: f I a fact or event that helps something to happen, Afzrework display was organized to mark the Qu.en's birth-
especially something that needs effort or determination day. I celebrations marking the 400th anniversary of
In singular] COlurnbus'voyage
Big profits have been a spur to investment. I Competition In celebration of Iln lsel~ 'brelJan avj in order to cele-
from Japanese [inns acted as a much needed spur to brate an important event or achievement [prep]
effzeiency. A special song was composed in celebration of the space-
Impetus /11 mp!t~sl an influence that helps a process to craft's safe return.
develop more quickly In singular/ UJ
The impetus for change in the industry was provided by a
new management team. I It is believed that press criticism 2 a special event that has been arranged to
has been tm main impetus behind this sudden improvement celebrate something
in catering services. I The Surgeon General's speech will give celebration
new impetus to the anti-smoking campaign.
celebration I ,sel~ 'brelJanj an event such as a party or
11 caustic UNKIND 2 a special public occasion that is held because people want
caution WARN 1 , 2, 6 to celebrate something [n C]
caution: with caution CAREFUL 6 New Year celebratwns in Scotland go on jor three days. I
cautionary WARN 5 When Charles and Diana got married the whole nation
cautious CAREFUL 4, 9 joined in the celebratwns. I Janine had he birthday cerebra-
cautiously CAREFUL 6 tion a week early.
cave in FALL 10 celebrated FAMOUS 3
cavernous BIG 6 celebration CE LEBRATE 2
cease STOP DOING STH 1. STOP HAPPENING 1 celebration: in celebration of CELEBRATE 1
cease to exist DISAPPEAR 3 celebrity FAMOUS 8
ceasefire PEACE/NO WAR 4 celibate SEX/HAVE SEX WITH 12
ceiling LIMIT 1 censor FORBID 8
celebrate CE LEBRATE 1 censorship FORBID 8
censure TELL S8 OFF 3
central BASIC 1, IMPORTANT 3, MAIN 1, MIDDLE 2
. CELEBRATE centre/center IMPORTANT 8, MIDDLE 1, 2
centre: at the centre/at the center MIDDLE 3
to show that an event or occasion is centre: be the centre of attention ATIENTlON 8
important by doing something special or centre: the centre/the center MODERATE 1
enjoyable centre on/center on ABOUT 2
ceremonial TRADITION 4
1 to celebrate something
ceremony TRADITION 3
2 a special event that has been arranged to cert: be a dead cert CERTA INLY/D EFINITELY 3
celebrate something

1 to celebrate something
certain I=---""""'=
celebrate mark
commemorate In celebration of
do sth In sb's honour/
honor ,--~,-------,-,----,------
celebrate JIsel~breltl to show that an event or occasion
} . CERTAINLYI
is important by doing something enjoyable, for example by DEFINITELY
having a party Iv VTI
Congratulations on your promotion - we must go out and ... . NOT SURE
celebrate! I celebrate sth My mother bought a dozen bot-
tles of champagne to celebrate my twenty-first birthday, I
-'} . UNCERTAIN
celebrate sth with sth Harry celebrated his thirtieth birth- '~ '
day with a meal in a posh restaurant,
commemorate jka l mem<>relt/ to do something to show
that you remember, respect, and are grateful to someone
who did something special or important in the past, espe-
I,
., certain .CERTAINLY/DEFINITELY 6, SURE 1
certain: be sure tolbe certain to
CERTAINLY/DEFINITE LY 2
cially someone who is now dead [u T I certain: make sure/make certain CERTAINLY/
The annual parade commemorates the soldiers who died in ~ DEFINITELY 4. CHECKlMAKE SURE 1
the two World Wars, I The concert commemorated the certain: not be certain UNCERTAIN 1
singer'sjirst recordings which were made in 1948. certain: not be sure/not be certain NOT SURE 1
commemoration Ika1mema1relJan/ [n VJ Candles were lit certainly CERTAINLY/DEFINITELY 1. 2, YES 2
in oorrunemoration of Hiroshima's dead. ~ certainly not NO 1
do sth In ab'. honour (British) I honor (American)
"du: (sth) In (sb's) lona f 11 -I a:ndrj to do something in order
to show your respect for someone, for example because
they have been very brave or have achieved something "You say" is used in definitions of some
very special [v phrase]
A parade was organised in honour of Madame BUer, who words or phrases to show they are
had risk£d her life to save the villagersjrom enemy soldiers. I especially used in Spoken English.
 CERTAINLY/DEFINITELY - 188
. CERTAINLYI
DEFINITELY
1 ways of saying that something is certainly
true , certainly happened etc
2 ways of saying that something will certainly
happen
3 ways of saying that someone or something
will certainly win or succeed
4 to do something in order to be certain that
something will happen
5 certain to happen and impcssible to avoid or
prevent
6 words for describing something that is
certainly true. will certainly happen etc
1
ways 01 saying that scmething is certain ly
I I
~ true. certainly happened etc
~ certainly unquestionably
definitely be beyond dispute
there is no doubt there's no denying
undoubtedly there are no two
without doubt! ways about It
without 8 doubt there Is no question
certainly [ls3: Ttn li/ ladvl
I'm sorry if 1 upset you. I certainly didn't mean to. I Selling
an apartment is difJkult at the moment. but you 'U certainly
have no trouble buying one. I Incredible as they seem, these
events certainly took place. lIt's a very good idea. certainly. I
Certainly you can.
definitely l'defIn~tli, 'deran~tlif so certain that there can
be no doubt at all (advl
I difinif£ly posted the cheque last week. Hasn't it arrived yet? I
"This new blouse will match my red skirt won't it?"
"Definitely. "
there is no doubt /6e;n IZ In;;KJ 'dautJ if you say there
is no doubt about something, you mean that it is definitely
true
there is no doubt (that) There's no doubt that hecompletely
dominates her. I there is no doubt about it/that You can
see they're short ofslaff - there's no doubt about that. I There
was no doubt about it that, without the peacekeeping force,
the civil war would have continued. I there is not a shadow
of a doubt (=there is defmitely no doubt at all) There is not
a shadow of a doubt that these men are guilty.
undoubtedly IA n'daut~dlil if something undoubtedly
~xists, is true etc, everyone agrees that it certainly exists,
IS true etc radv J
The years my parents spent in Kenya were undoubtedly the
happiest of tludr lives. I Racism undoubtedly exists at all
levels of society. I Undoubtedly there's a lot that we don 'I
know about early mankind.
wHhout doubt/without a doubt jW I6 1aut 'daut,
W[e, 1aut OJ 'daut/ you say without doubt when you are cer-
tain that something is true, especially when you want other
people to believe that it is true [adv phrase]
He is witlwut doubt one ofour most successful businessmen. I
Without a doubt, taxation is going to be the key issue in the
President's campaign.
unquestionably /An 'kwestJanOJbli/ a formal word mean-
ing certainly, used especially when you are certain that an
opinion or idea is true [adv]
Japan has unquestionably one ofthe most successful econo-
mies in the world. I Unquestionably money is one ofthe main
causes of disagreement between couples.
be beyond dispute fbi: bl Jond dl 'spju!! 11 - Jo:nd-f if the
fact that something happened or exists is beyond dispute
it certainly happened or exists and no one thinks differ·
ently lv phrase]
CERTAINL Y/DEFINITEL Y
That the reports were stolen is beyond dispute, what we need
to know is who took them. I Her professionalism is beyond
dispute.
there'. no denying I~TZ InOK) dl1nal -11J1 if you say
there's no denying that something is true, you mean that
it is true even if you do not like the fact that it is true, or
do not want to admit it
there's no denying (that) There's no denying Bess likes
country life, but [think. she still misses New York. I there's
no denying it Anna 's looking much better since her opera-
tion. There's no denying it.
there are no two ways about It j~r OJT In:)() tu: welz
;}Ibaut It/ if you say there are no two ways about it, you
are so certain that something is true that you do not think
someone should be arguing with you about it
there's/there are no two ways about it There's no two
ways about it, if we go on vacation this year we can't afford
a new car. I no two ways about it Julia is a very intelli-
gent little girl. No two ways about it.
there Is no question J~r IZ In;;KJ 'kwestf~nf if you say
there is no question, you want people to know that you
are very certain about something you have said or are
going to say
there is no question (that) He says there's no question that
guerillas are holding the Iwstages. I there is no question
about it They're having an affair all right - there's no ques·
tion about it.
2 ways of saying that something will certainly
~
happen
<@ certainly be only/just a matter of time
definitely cut and dried
be bound to you can bet your life/
be sure to/ bet your bottom dollar
be certain to be a certainty
be assured of be a foregone conclusion
for sure
certainly l'ss:Ttnlijladv)
I'll certainly be glad when this course is over. I Roger and
Andy are certainly coming to the party, but I'm not so sure
about Nan.cy.
definitely , 'deflOltli, 'def~n!tlil so certain that there can
be no doubt at all [adv)
She said she'd dlifinitely be back by dinner time. I US offi-
cials have promised that they will dtdinitely review their Star
Wars defense program.
be bound to (bi! Ibaund tu:/ if something is bound to
happen it is certain to happen, especially because that is
what always happens tu phrase]
The kids are bound to be hungry when they get home - they
always are. I My car broke down today. It was bound. to
happen sooner or later.
be sure tolbe certain to Ibi: IfuOJT tU!, bi: ISS:Ttn tu:J
to be definitely going to happen especially because of what
you know about the present situation Iv phrase)
Have you asked Ted? He's sure to know. I Word was sure to
get around that Mrs White was ill. I The drop in prices and
lack of demand are certain to affect the manufacturing
industry. I We are certain to see this technique widely used
in the future.
be assured of {bi: OJIJooTd Dvl a fornlal expression mean-
ing to be certain to get something good or to be successful
(u phrase]
After the success afits recent single. the band is now assured
ofa contract with a major record company. l Our clients are
assured ofcomfortable accommodation and the attention of
our trained staff.
be only/Just a matter of time fbi: ,,,,,nH, ,d3ASl .
ImretOJr OJv ltalm! if you say something is only a matter of
time, you mean it is celiain to happen but no one knows
exactly when Iv phrase]
You 'lllearn how to do it eventually - it's only a matter of
time. I Your father is dying and there's nothing we can do
l'mqfraid. It'sjustamauerojtime.1 be only/just a matter
 CERTAINLYIDEFINITELY
of time before It was only a matter of time be/ore Lynn
found out Phil's secret.
cut and drted Ilut om Idrald ... , if a situation is cut and
dried it is certain to happen because it has already been
planned or decided, and nothing can be done to change it
latjj phrasel
My future was cut and dri«l. I would join my father 'sfirm
and roke it over when he retired. I We made the arrang~
weeks ago. It 's all cut and dried.
you can bet your Ife!bet your boHom dollar fju:
k.,n ,betj:'l: r ' Ial[, ,betj;):r .bot.,m 'dolCl r 11 -,bo:tClm 'do:-} if
you say you can bet your life that someone will do some-
thing, you mean you are very certain that they will do it,
because you know them very well
you can bet your life/your bottom dollar (that) if the
kids see something advertised on Tv. you can bet your bottom
dollar they'll want it. I He said he'd arrange a babysitter for
tonight, but you can bet your life he hasn't done it.
be a certainly Ihi: ;) ' s3: rtnti/ if something is a cer-
tainty, it is certain to happen, especially because the situ·
ation has changed and made it certain [v phrase]
An election is a certainty in the near future. I Being left alone
in Jzer old age, thefate she had always feared, now became
a certainty.
be a foregone conclusion Ibi: ~ IfJ:rgon bn'ldu:yn ~
~gJ:n-1 if something, especially a result, is a foregone con-
clusion, it is certain to happen even though it has not yet
been officially decided Iv phrase I
Ian's bound to get the job - it's aforegone conclusion. I The
outcome of the battle was a foregone conclusion.
for sure /fa 'fUdrl ifYOll say that something will happen
for sure, you mean it will certainly happen [adv]
Yeah,you'll seehim, he'll be thereforsure. ! Milan are going
to win the cup for sure. They are so much better than the
opposition.
3 ways of saying that someone or something
1~ 1 will certainly win or succeed
~ can 't go wrong It's a safe bet!
be a dead cert It's. aure bet (that)
It's In the bag foolproof
can't go wrong Ilko:nt g;KJ Irol) lI ,kren[ gau 11.):1)1 you
say that someone or something can't go wrong if you are
sure that they will be successful [v phrase]
We've been through the plan a dozen times. It can't go
wrong·1 Justfolww the instructions andyoucan'tgo wrong.
be a dead cert Ibi: aided IS3: r tJ an infonnal British worse provision for the poor.
express ion meaning that someone or something will
definitely win or succeed Iv phraseJ
I 'm betting on Sceptre. He·s a dead art In win the Gold Cup.
It's In the bag IllS ,In 0. 'bregJ if you say It's in the bag, you say w h eth er you like it or not when you are telling
you mean .that you will certainly get something you want,
or somethmg you want will certainly happen, because you
have almost got it or it has almost happened already
You're bound to get Bill's job when he leaves. Don't worry.
it's in the bag. I be in th~ bag if we win the next game, the
championship 's in the bag.
It's a safe bet/Ws a sure bet (thatl IllS 0 ,self 'bet, .
Its a ,foor 'bet &n/ mfonnal expressions meaning tha t it is
almost certain something will happen because of what you
know of the situation
Qthe presi.dent supports him it's a sure bet that he'll get a
seat in congress. I As it was tfw first concert of the season it happen because of some mysterious force Iv phraseJ
was a safe bet all tm critics would be there.
foolproof I'fu:lpru:fl foolproof method/system/plan
etc (=one that is certain to work or be successful) radjl
Faxing is virtually a foolproof 7TU!thod of getting iriforma-
tionfromoneplacetoanotheratgreatspeed.j Wehavedeve-
Iopeti a foolproof pion f or rescuing the hosroges.
II ~ "You say" is used in definitions of some
~ words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English.
189 CERTAINL Y/DEFINITELY
4 to do something in order to be certain that
something will happen
make sure/make certain
Insure/ensure
see that/see to It
make surelm.ke certain Imelk 'foor. me lk I s3!rml Cv
phrase]
make sure/certain (that) You must make sure that your
dog is vaccinated against illness. ! The producer must make
certain there is enough ma terial ro fill the one-Iwur
programme. I make sure/certain I think Harry knows the
way, but I'll go with him just to make sure.
Insure (also ensure in British English) Itn 'Iu>'1a formal
word meaning to do something to be certain that something
will happen Iv TI
insure/ensure that It is important to insure that univer-
sitiEs have enough funds to carry out important research. I
A new television campaign has been launched to ensure that
the /wstage!" are not forgotten. I insure/ensure sth To
insure accuracy, three consultants worked closely with the
producer during filming.
see thatlsee to It (thatl l'si: oot, 'si: tu it ootl to make
sure that something someone has asked you to do is done
[v phrase]
I'll see that Jason isn 'tlatefor ,"<hacl again! I Will you phrue
see In it that this work is jinisheti by the end of the Wf£k! I
It's up to the police to see that vandalism in sfwpping malls
is srompeti out. I sec to It "This letter must be posted roday. "
"Don't worry, I'll see to it. ,.
5 certain to happen and impossible to avoid or
11& 1prevent
~ Inevitable predestined
whether you like it be meant to be
or not pre~rdalned
wllly nllly doomed
be fated to the Inevitable
be destined to
Inevitable I I ' nev ltoball latjjl
Many people believe that a nuclear war is inevitable. I Nina
could never escape the inevitable comparisons that people
made betWf£n her and her twin. l it is inevitable that It
was inevitable that he'dflnd out her secret sooner or later.
inevitably ladv] Tax cuts f or the rich inevitably li!ad to
inevitability Il l neV~[~ 'bll~ti/ln UJ He's never been able to
accept the inevitability of change.
whether you like It or not Iwe6~r ju: ,Ialk It J: r Inotf
someone that something is celiain to happen and that they
cannot prevent it even if they do not like it
You're going to have to face him one day. whetmr you like
it or not. I Whi!tlrer she likes it or not, she's got to accept that
her kids are grown up now.
wiRy nllly I, Wlli 'nt Iil something that happens wWy nilly
happens whether you want it to or not ladv]
The government'sforcing all these unpopular laws through
wiUy nilly.
be f.ted to Ibi: 'felt~d tu:1ifsometh ing, especially some-
thing bad, is fated to happen, it seems tha t it is certain to
It seems that she wasfated to be alone in life. I It wasfated
to happen. He should have had his brakes repaired months
ago.
be destined to Ibi! 'dest !nd tu:1 if someone is destined
to do or become something, they will certainly do it or
become it, especially something that will make them
famous or admired (v phrase]
She was convinced that her little boy was clestinOO In berome
President. I Hollywood is the ultimate clestinationfor thoS<!
destined to become stars.
CERTAINLY/DEFINITEL Y 190 CHANCE/BY CHANCE
predestined /po 'dest ~ nd/ something that is predes- champion/be a champion of FIGHT FOR OR AGAINST
tined will certainly happen and cannot be changed because STH 1
it has been decided in advance by a power or force beyond championship COMPETITION 1
our controlladj l chance CHANCE/BY CHANCE 2 , 3,
Life lsn 't a series ofpredestined events: we have some control CHANCE/OPPORTUNITY 1, POSSIBLE 2
over what happens. I predestined to Many religions teach chance: by chance CHANCE/BY CHANCE 1
that man is predestined to suffer. chance: get 5th by chance/accident/luck GET 6
be meant to be /hi: .ment t~ 'hi:1 if you know that a sit- chance: grab the chance CHANCE/OPPORTUNITY 4
uation is meant to be you know it is certain to happen, chance: have/stand a good chance PROBABLY 6
especially because it is right and suitable rv phrase) chance: have/stand little chance PROBABLY 10
AltIwugh saying goodbye was difJkultfor her, she knew it chance: Jump at the chance/opportunity
was meant to be. I We tried to be happy together but it was CHANCE/OPPORTUN ITY 4
never meant to be. chance: little chance/hope/prospect PROBABLY 10
pr..... rd.lned I,pri: :>:fldemd .. , something that is pre- chance: not stand a chance IMPOSSIBLE 2
ordained is going to happen and cannot be changed chance: outside chance PROBABLY 10
because God or a god has already decided that it will chance: take a chance RISK 3
happen ladj not /xifore noun ! chance: there's a chance MAYBE 1
Are our lives pre-ordained or do we have free will? chance: there's a fifty-fifty chance UNCERTAIN 3
doomed Idu:mdl if a situation is doomed it will certainly chance It RISK 3
end in a very bad way for example. in death, failure, etc chance of a lifetime CHANCE/OPPORTUN ITY 2
la(ijl
doomed to do sth Marx taught that capitalist ecorwmies
are eventually doomed to collapse. ! doomed The film is
about a set of a l iens living on a doomed planet. ! doomed
Ichancel-----.
to failure In the rwvel, Jude's marriage is doomed to failure
from tlu? start. which meaning?
the Inevitable I ~i Ilnev~t3ba l l something that is
definitely going to happen and cannot be avoided or opportunity • CHANCEl
prevented In singular ) OPPORTUNITY
It 's time they accepted the inevitable and got a divorce.
something happens • CHANCEl
6 words for describing something that is by chance BY CHANCE
certainly true, will certainly happen etc
lucky~ • LUCKY
certain
definite
conclusive
cerlaln /'S3:'to/ Ia4j1 • CHANCEl
The results are now certain. Clinton will be the new Presi·
dent ofthe United States. !Ignoring all warnings, the general
led his men to certain death.
BY CHANCE
deflnlt. / l defln~t, Idef..m~tl if something is definite it is
the way that things h appen unexpectedly and
certain because someone has stated that it will happen. is seem to h ave no cause
true etc 1a4j1 1 ways of saying that somethi ng happens by
I don 't know what time she's coming. She won 't give me a
chance
dtlinite answer. ! We have some statistics. but we really need
something more diifinile before we can mak€ any firm 2 words for describing something that happens
decisions. by chance
concluslve/k;m 1kJu:slv/ conclusive proof/eviden ce/ 3 the way in wh ich the result of something
argument etc (=that is certainly true and cannot be depends on chance
doubted) ladj l 4 something that happens by chance but
We still have no conciusiveproofthat he was involved in the seems to have been planned or intended ,
crime. ! These experilTl€nts will provide conclusive evidence 5 ways of saying that things are done, chosen
of the connection between smoking and. cancer. ! They have
been able to collect some data, but as yet rwthing really etc simply by chance, and not according to a
conclusive. plan or system
conclu sively ladv} The documents show conclusively that
she was aware of and took part in corrupt deals.
1 ways of saying that something happens by
certainty: be a certainty CERTAINLY/DEFINITELY 2

~~
chance
certify SAY/STATE 6
by chance 88 luck would have it
chain of thought: break ab's train of thought/chain
by accident by coincidence
of thought DISTURB 1
chain reaction RESULT 6 happen to do sth as it happens
chain-smoker SMOKE 3 by chance/ba, 'tfams 11 -'tIreo,/ if something happens
chain store SHOP/STORE 1 by chance, it happens unexpectedly and seems to have no
chair IN CHARGE OF 5 cause [adv phrase ]
chair/chairperson IN CHARGE OF 6 By chance I met an oldfriend on the train. I quite b y chance
chalnnan IN CHARGE OF 6. MANAGER 2 (=just by chance) I'd been Iooking!or this book!or years and
chairwoman IN CHARGE OF 6 I found it quite by chance in the bookstore along the street.!
chalk and cheese: be like chalk and cheese It was quite by chance that I saw your father 's photograph
DIFFERENT 2 in an old newspaper.! by sheer chance/purely by chance
challenge: be a challenge DIFFIC ULT 2 (=completely by chance and surprisingly) By sheer chance
challenging DIFFICULT 2 someone had cancelled their air ticket so I was able to go to
champ WIN 9 Miami after all. I Sometimes we stumble on the answer to
champion WIN 9 a problem purely by chance.
CHANCE/BY CHANCE
by accident lbal 'reksldantf if you do something by acci-
dent, you do it by chance and without intending to do it
[adv phrase 1
I realized that by accident I had started a dangerous
rumour. I Fleming discovered penicillin almost by accident. \
The triggerofthe gun is locked so that it camwt befired by
accident. I quite by accident (=just by chance) Lombardi
heard about their plan quite by accident.
happen to do 8th ,.hrep3n t3 Idu: (sth)/ if you happen
to do something, you do it by chance and not because of
any particular reason or plan [v phrase not in progressive)
She hadn't arranged to meet him - shejust happened to see
him in the street. II'm sorry I didn't pfwnejirst -[just hap-
pened to be passing and tMught I'd drop in. I We're not
related - we just happen to have the same name.
•• Iuck would have It /3Z .IAkwud Ihrev It! you say as
luck would have it when you are telling how something
happened by chance, especially when it was something you
did not want to happen [adv phrase 1
This was the/irst time I had ever seen a panda, and as luck
would have it I didn't have my camera with me. I As luck
would have it, the professor had left only minutes before I
arrived.
by coincidence Ibal bullns~dans{ ifsomething happens
by coincidence, it happens by chance and in a surprising
way, because something that is similar or connected with
it happens at the same time, in the same place, or to the
same person ladv phrasel
My mother is called Anna, and by coincidence my wife's
mother is called Anna too. I by a strange/sad/happy etc
coincidence By a strange coincidence the king was assas·
sinated on the very spot where his grandfather had been
killed.
as It happens I;}z 11 Ihrep;:mz! you say as it happens
when you are mentioning a situation that is surprising
because by chance it is connected with something else that
has been noticed or mentioned [adv phrase 1
We've just seen a really beautiful house and, as it happens,
it's/or sale. I "Do you own any guns, Mr Wright?" "Why,
yes, as it happens, target shooting is my one hobby. " 1 I
needed to borrow a car, and as it happened Andrew wasn't
using his.
2 words for describing something that happens
by chance
chance
accidental
fortuitous
chance Itfams 11 tfreosl chance meeting/remark/dis-
covery etc (=one that happens unexpectedly and was not
planned or arranged) ladj only before noun I
Their /riendship was the result o/a chance meeting. I Heover·
heard a chance remark which made him realize that his
friend was in trouble. I A chance encounter at the conference
gave him the opportunity to tell t.h£ professor about his work
accldental'lreks1 ldentl .. , happening by chance, without
being planned or intended, and especially in a way that has
a bad result ladjl
Are you insured against accidental damage to your
property? I A sysWn of values limits accidental re/ooses of the
substance.
aCCidentally [advl Don't tell Sarah about our plan. She
might accidentally mention it to the wrong person. I I wasn't
sure whether he kicked me accidentally or on purpose.
fortultoua/f:>:£1tju:1t;}s 11 _ltU:-' a formal word meaning
happening by chance and especially in a way that has a
good result ladj]
.This fortuitous meeting made him decide on a career in
politics. 1Only her husband's/ortuitous absence enabled her
to speak freely.
I~~ I words
"You say" is used in definitions of some
or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English.
191 CHANCE/BY CHANCE
3 the way in which the resu lt of something
depends on chance
luck
chance
fate
luck /lAk! the way in which good or bad things happen to
people by chance In VI
There's no skill in a game like roulette, it's all luck. 1 Find-
ing the right person/or the job is largely a matter a/luck.
chance /tJams 11 tJrens/ the way in which things happen
to people without being planned, intended, or controlled
by them [n VI
It was just chance that we saw each other in the street that
day. I Chance played a very small part in those political
changes. I leave sth to chance (: let things happen by
chance) You must plan ahead. You can't leave these things
to chance.
fate /felt/ the power or force that is supposed to control
the way everything happens, so that people cannot control
their own lives [n UJ
He believes that everything that happened thot day had been
deci<kd by fate. I Tfwy saw themselves as victims offate. I by
a twist of fate (= because fate made things happen in an
unexpected way) By a strange twist 0/ fate the judge died
on the very day that Corclell was executed.
4 something that happens by chance but
seems to have been planned or intended
coincidence
accident
coincidence /bu 1 ms1dansl a surprising situation which
happens by chance when two things that are alike or con-
nected happen at the same time, in the same place, or to
the same people In C/ VI
You're going to Bermuda? What an amazing coincidence. So
am I! I Well, isn't thala coincidence! I never expected to meet
you here! I It must be more than coincidence that he
organized the competition and his daughter won the first
prize.
coincidental Ik;}u1lnsJ Identl( [adjj Any resemblance
between the characters in this novel and the teachers at any
real college is purely coincidental (=is just the result of a
coincidence).
accident (I reksAdant/ something that happens by chance
with no plan or intention [n C)
I only met her again through a/ortunate accident. I It was
a cruel accident that Kramer found himself sharing a cell
with the man he hated most in all the world.
5 ways of saying that things are done, chosen
etc simply by chance, and not according to a
plan or system
at random
random
arbitrary
at random ,at'rrendam( if you do or choice things at
random, you do or choose them without using any plan
or system [adv phrase!
The/orms were distributed at random to people passing by. I
She picked up a magazine and started reading here and
there at random 1 Twenty students were chosen at random
,I
to take part in the experiment.
random rrend;}mj something that is random is done or
chosen without using any plan or system [adj]
The union believes thot the random drug resting ofemployees
is an unwarranted invasion oftheir privacy. 1 A/ew rancWm
shots were/ired, but the battle was over.
randomly [adv] Participants for the show are randomly
selected from a long list.
arbitrary (IQ:Tb~tT;}ri, -tri 11 -treriJ something that is
arbitrary is decided or arranged without any reason, plan
or system, especially in a way that seems unfair [adj 1
CHANCE/BY CHANCE
The way the program1TU! of events is organized seems com-
pletely arbitrary to me. I The fans complained aoout the
apparently arbitrary distribution of tickets for the next
game.
arbitrarily I Ia:b ~tldr ~li 11 I O!rb~ 'trerAIi/ (adv ] They seem to
have decided quite arbitrarily that our school must close
down.
• CHANCEl
OPPORTUNITY
t a situation in which it is possible or
convenient for you to do someth ing that you
want to do
2 an extremely good opportunity that is very
unlikely to happen again
3 the possibility of doing th ings that you want to
do or that will bring you an advantage
4 to use an opportunity when you have ~
5 to fail to use an opportunity
1 a situation in which it is possi ble or
convenient for you to d o something that you
want to do
chance break
opportunity place
opening
chance IIIa:ns 11 lIrenslln Cl
I haven't phoned. the garage yet because I haven't had a
chance. I chance to do sth While we were in New York we
had the chance to go up The Statue 0/ Liberty. I chance for
sth Thejob in Australia would be the chance/or a new start
away from all her problems. I chance for sb to do sth The
state fair was the per/ect chance for him to d~play his
flowers. I chance of sth The new police patrol has ruined
the only chance of escape. I second chance (=another
chance after you have fa iled the frrst time) No second
chancesfor him He was warned about this.
opportunity l ,opa ' tju:n1ti Il la:JXlr1tu:-' a chance to do
something, especially something important [n Cl
opportwdty to do sth All he needs is an opportunity to
shaw his ability. 1 opportunity of doing sthJ\fter they had
rejlJsed him the opportunity of improving his position, he
resigned. I opportunity for sb to do sth This system is a
perfect op/XJrtunity for young people to work together in the
community. I equal opportunities (;:the same opportuni-
ties as other people)Allouer the world women aredemand-
ing eqUD.1 opportunities. 1an opportunity arises/ presents
itself /fa suitable opportunity presents itself. we will sell the
Iwuse and move to the States.
opening / laup,m1fJl a chance to do ajobor business that
you have not been able to do before because the situation
was not helpful or suitable [n C l
Anita knew she could start up a successful business - slu!just
needed an opening. I opening in Keep looking and sooner
or later j.'OU willFmd an opening in broadcasting, I'm sure.
break fbre"<1 an infonnal word meaning a sudden or
unexpected chance to do something, especially to be suc-
cessful in your job (n C)
Gary wants to work in television. He's just waiting for a
break. 1lucky break Seeing that advertisement in /he poper
was a lucky' break for me.
place fplclsf a chance to study at a SChool, college or
university [n Cl
Victor has a plllce to study law at Haroard. ! British univer-
sities are offering more higher education plllces this year
than ever before.
192 CHANCE/OPPORTUNITY
2 an extremely good opportun ity that is very
unlikely to happen again
goklen opportunity
chance of a lifetime
golden opportunity I ,gauld.?n opa'tju:nAti n · o:par1tu!-'
[nC]
golden opportunity (for sb) to do sth The management
cou rse is being paidfor by the company and it's a golden
opportunity to improve your skills. I golden opportunity
I got a g rant from my university to study in the USA for a
year. It 's a golden opportunity!
chance of a lifetime / .tfa:ns av a Ila1ftalm" 11 ,tfrens-f
the chance to do something very exciting or important that
you might never be able to do again (n phraseJ
Thisjob is thuharu:£ ofa lifetime. You 'cl be afool rwt wtake
it. I She won a chance of a lt/etime trip to Thailand.
3 the possibility of doing things that you want to
do or that will b ring you an advantage
opportunity scope
room prospects
opportunity Ilopa l tj u:n~ti lI ,o:par 'tu:-! [n C/ UJ
Large companies offer so many more opportunities. 1oppor-
tunity for Thegood thing about thisjob is that there's a rot
of opportunity for travel. 1opportunity to do sth Travel-
ling gives you the opportunity to find out about other
cultures.
room /ru:m, rumf a chance to do things you want to do, in
the way that you want to do them In U I
room for 5th In our lessons there is always room for dis-
cussion and a rgunumt. ! f have two jobs, which doesn't /rove
much roomfor socializing. ! room to do 5th We've /4t the
course deliberately vague, so there's room to concentrate on
your particular areas of interest.
scope /skaup/ a chance to improve your life, your job, or
an area of work without being restricted in any way [n UJ
He refused the post because hefelt it didn't offer him much
scope. I scope for 5th The department prides itself on the
constant scopefor further improvement. I scope to do 5th
Better paid labour means greater scope to increase tlu!
company's profits.
prospects I' prospekts 11 'pra:-I the chance of being suc-
cessful at something in the future, especially your job
[nplural]
He had rwjob, rwfamily, rw home, rw prospectS. 1Empro}~rs
are now offering more jobs with quality training and excel-
lent career prospects. I prospects for The p rospects for an
alliance between the two nations do not look good.
4 to use an opportunity when you have it
take the opportunity
grab the chance
jump at the chance/opportunity
strike while the Iron Is hot
opportunist
take the opportunity / ,!elk Oi opo'gu:n!ti 11 -o:por'Iu:-/
[v phrase!
take the opportunity to do 5th flOOUld like le take this
opportunity wthank you allfor}OOr help. 1 take the oppor-
tunity of doing sth The local peopi£ are used wme rww and
take the opportunity of practising their English with T1U!.
grab the chance I ,grreb 0, 'IIo:ns 11 - 'IIrensl an infor-
mal expression meaning to quickly use an opportunity to
do something, especially when you think you might not get
another chance [v phrase)
grab the chance to do 5th Knowing how dijJ"'zcult it is to
find a job 1 grabbed the chance to be trained as an electri-
cian. I grab the chance It may be the last time he offers }'OU
the job so I'd grab the chance while you can.
CHANCE/OPPORTUNITY 193 CHANGE/BECOME DIFFERENT
lump at the chance/opportunity I' dY'mp >1 0> change course TURN 3
.tfoms, opa , tju:n~ti 11 -, tfrens, o:par,tu:-' to eagerly and change direction TURN 3
quickly use an opportunity to do something [v phrasel change Into BECOME 5
jump at the chance of doing sth You're so lucky. l'djump change your mind CHANGE YOUR MIND 1, 2
at the chance o/meeting Tom Cruise. I jump at the chance change your tune CHANGE YOUR MIND 2
The early retirement plan is excellent and I'm surprised that
people haven 't jumped at tlu? opportunity.
strike while the lron.s hot ' ,stralk wall Oi lalarn IZ
I hot 11 . 1ho:tJ you tell someone to strike while the iron is
rlchangel j
hot when you think they should act quickly while the sit-
uation is most likely to be successful
Don't wait until tomorrow be/ore you tell him. strike whik
which meaning?
the iron is hot! make something • CHANGE/MAKE
opportunist /'opatju:n1st lI.mpar ' tm-, someone who change STH DIFFERENT
always looks for and takes chances that might make them
more successful especially when other people are suffer- become different • CHANGE/
ing In Cl BECOME
It is difficult to tell whether he really wants to help Mayor
whether he isjust an opportunist. 1 As the/inance company
DIFFERENT
started to/ail a/ew opportunists managed to make more
money out of it. change from one • CHANGE FROM
thing to another ONE THING TO
ANOTHER
5 to fail to use an opportunity
miss a chance/an opportunity change your plans, • CHANGE YOUR
miss out on decisions, or opinions MIND
blow It/blow your chances
miss the boat slowly change as part ., DEVELOP
a lost opportunity of a process
ml •• a chancelan opportunity I,mls a 'tfa:ru; , ;)n become something • BECOME
,opa'rju:n! ti 11 -'tfrens, - I Q:~r'tu:-1 {v phrase]
miss a chance/ opportunity Jerry's already sold the car else
to someone else. You 've missed your chance. 1 miss a
chancel opportunity of Denise never misses the chance of not change, stay the • SAME
afree meal. 1 miss a chancel opportunity to d o sth Don't same
miss this great opportunity to fly for half price.
give someone _ EXCHANGE
miss out on J,ml S 'aut on 11 -ren! to fail to use the chance
to do something enjoyable or useful Iv Tl something In return
Her family made her leave school very young so she really for something that
missed out on her education. 1 Ifyou don 't come to the picnic they give you
you'Il miss out on all the fun.
blow It/blow your chance. ,' bl:;x; It, ,bl:;x; j:>: f take a thing or person fi REPLACE
ItJo!ns!z 11 -ltJren-, an informal expression meaning to away and put another
waste a chance that you had to do or get something good there Instead of them
Iv phraseJ
blow your chances ofdoingsth She started running much
too fast at the beginning and blew her chances of winning
the race. 1blow itDon'tpanicandtalktoomuch in the inter-
view or you 'Il really blow it.
• CHANGE/BECOME
miss the boat ' ImlS 0;) 'baut, an informal ex~ression
meaning to be too late to use a n opportunity to do or some-
DIFFERENT
thing good Iv phraseJ
1 ways of saying that people, places, ideas,
Buy your shares in the company now or you 'U miss the boat. 1
He didn 't get his application in early enough so he missed situation s ete change and become different
the boat. 2 to change often or conti nually
alost opportunity ,;, ,lost DjX) 'ti u:n~ti 11 -, b:SI o:p;,r 'IU:-/ 3 a situation in which things change
an opportunity that you wasted by not using it to become 4 words for describing so mething that keeps
successful, enjoy yourselfetc (n phrase] chang ing
Ifyou don't take the job U'Ujust beaMther lost opportunity 5 words for describing someone who has
in your life. changed completely
chances PROBABLY 8 6 willing or able to change when change
chances: blow It/blow your chances becomes necessary
• CHANCE/OPPORTUN ITY 5
chances: take no chances CAREFU L 7
7 very unwi lling to c hange, especially in the
way you do things
chances are PROBABLY 1 8 to be in a situation in which you r life or work
change CHANGE FROM ONE THING TO ANOTHER 1,
never changes, even though you wou ld like it
3 , 6, CHANGE/BECOME DIFFERENT 1, 3,
to change
CHANG E/MAKE STH DIFFERENT 1, 5, 7 ,
EXCHANGE 1, MONEY 4, REPLACE 6 , TAKE 9 words for describing amounts, levels etc that
OFF CLOTHES 1 do not change
change: a change of heart CHANGE YOUR MIND 2
change: hasn 't changed a bit/at all SAME 3
change: make changes CHANGE/MAKE STH
DIFFERENT 1
change placeslpartners etc EXCHANGE 1
CHANGE/BECOME DIFFERENT
1 ways of saying that people, places, ideas,
situations ete change and become different
change
changing
alter
change /tJemd3llv IJ
She's changed a lot since she went to college. I It's amazing
MW much things have changed since we were young. I This
area will change dramatically in the next five years. I The
weather changed before midday to a thick drizzle of rain. I
Her expressinn did not cluJ.nge, and she answered mecalmly. l
change colour (=change in colour) Ithink the paint in this
room has[aded or changed colour.
changing /'t! emd3'Q/ladj only before noun I
[find it hard to keep up with changing fashions. I His book
is concerned with the changing role offathers. I AnseIAdams
loved wide landscapes and changing light.
alter , ';,:lG)rl if something alters, it changes, especially
gradually and over a long period [v IJ
My hometown had hardly altered since when I UXlS last
there. I The study shows how the social and eronomic posi-
tion of women has alrered since 1945. I Her fat:(! hadn't 01_
much over the years.
2
l
to change often or continually
keep changing be in flux/be In 8
fluctuate state of flux
vary
keep changing lki:p ItJemd311J / Iv phrase not in
progressive J
The weather kept changing as they crossed the mountains. I
His ideas about what he wants keep changing. I I'll check the
regulations/or you, they keep changing.
fluctuate f'flAktfuelt/ if something such as a price or
amoWlt fluctuates it changes very often from a high level
to a low one and back again [u IJ
The car industry's annual production/luctuates between 5. 1
million and 9.2 million vehicles. I Cholesterol levels in the
blood fluctuate in the eaurse of a day. I fluctuate wildly
Share prices on the New York Stock Exchange often fluctu-
ate wildly.
fluctuating latUl Your savings will eamfluctuating rates
of interest.
fluctuation , .flAktJu1eIJan/ In C/ U} Is there any way DJ
avoiding fluctuations in coffee and tea prices?
vary f1ve;,rif to change often Iv IJ
His mood varies according to the weathEr. I it varies "How
much milk do you use per day?" "Oh it varies." I We played
chess at six o'clock every evening. It never varied in twenty
}'ears. I vary from day to day Iweek to week etc The
wealth produced by land may vary from year to year, depend-
ing on the weather.
be In fluxlbe In a atate of flux Ibi! In 'flAks, bi: In a
,ste[t av 'tlAks! if something such as a system or a set of
ideas is in flux or in a state of flux, it is changing a lot
all the time, especially in a confusing way, so that you do
not know what it will finally be like [v phrase )
The computer industry is in constantflux, responding all the
time to changes in technology. l Our education programme
is in a state offlux, as new approaches are being developed.
3 a situation in which things change
change upheaval
alteration revolution
turnaround/tumround
change /tJemd3lln Cl
change in There was a sudden change in the weather. I He's
very sensitive to changes in temperature. I The delay was the
result of a change in the way that we administer the grants. I
change There have been so many changes around here lntely
that I'm not sure what's happening anymore.
alteration 1,;):lta'relf<1nj a change in something, espe-
cially one which has happened gradually or naturally In Cl
194 CHANGE/BECOME DIFFERENT
She noticed the alteration in his looks and manner. I histor·
ical alterations in the language I The relationship between
the Unired States and the USSR has altered· MW should this
alteration be exploited?
tumaround (also tumround in British English) / '13:'n-
araund, [t3!rnraundJ a complete change from a bad economic
situation to a good one (n C usually singulari
This year's profits will confirm the company's remarkable
turnaround. I BRITCON's turnround has been achieved by
drastic reductions in manpower.
upheaval IAp'hi:Vc111 a sudden great change that is
difficult to deal with and makes people completely change
their way of living or thinking (n C/ U )
1989 was a year of political upheaval in Eastern Europe. I
the social upheavals of the lastjifty years I The 1921Js were
years of consolidation, following the upheavals of war. I
Moving to a different school can bea big upheavalforyoung
children.
revolution 11 reva'lu:f<1n/ a complete change in the way
of dOing things or thinking, because of new ideas or
methods In Cl
His ideas caused a revolution in education. I Einstein's
General Theory of Relativity started a reoolution in scien-
tiFlC thinking. I Computers are perhaps the greatest tecllrlfr
logical revolution of the twentieth century. I Each scientiflC
revolution alters our view of the world.
4 words for describing something that keeps
changing
changeable variable
erratic inconsistent
volatile unsettled
unstable
changeable / 'tJelnd3>baV feelings or conditions that are
changeable keep changing so that it is difficult to know
what they will be like in a short time la4I1
You love him now, but at your agefeelings are changeable. I
I'm a changeable sort of person. I changeable weather
erratic {I [rretlkl behaviour or a process that is erratic
changes in an irregular and surprising way, when it would
be better if it remained the same ladjl
Her behaviour was becoming more and nwre erratic. I Heat-
ing was difficult owing to erratic supplies of gas, electricity
and water. I The company's erratic performance is a cause
for some concern.
erratically [advl My car has been per/orming very errati·
cally (=giving a very erratic perfonnance), some days it's
great and others it just won't start.
volatne I'v olatal l 11 ' vo: latl/ a volatile situation or
character is likely to change suddenly and unexpectedly
ladjl
The current political situation in the Middle East is
extremely volatile. I The Brazilianformer world champion
is known for his volatile Latin temperament. I She formed
enduring relationships with women and more intense. rola-
tile ones with men.
volatility I , vola[tll~ti 11 [va:-I [n DI Ma1UJfacturingrompa-
nies are experiencing increasing volalility in their markets
(=their markets are becoming more volatile).
unstable IAn ' ste,bc1l/ a person, country, or system that is
unstable is likely to chan ge suddenly and unpleasantly
because something in them is not fmnly established [adjJ
Regimes governed by violence are always unstable. I He
beli£ved toot capitalism was an unstable system ! Was it sa,fe
to trust someone who was so emotionally unstable?
instability I, Insta'blI!til (n UJ The area is going through
a periad of instability (=being unstable) and social crisis. I
Government policies have resulted in higher inflation and
financial instability (=an unstable economic situation).
variable l'veariab<111 changing from time to time ladjl
Demand for the company's products is variable. I the vari·
able central European climate
Inconsistent I [Inkan' slstcmt .. / inconsistent behaviour
or work changes too often from good to bad or from situa-
tion to s ituation [adj J
 CHANGE/BECOME DIFFERENT
People/eel threatened when decision-making is inconsistent
and arbitrary. IA succession 0/ injuries produced an incon-
sistent season/or one DJour best players. I highly inconsis-
tent (=very inconsistent) She is highly inconsistent as a
recording artist - one good album is often followed by a
string oj second-rate a/bums.
inconsistency (n UI The inconsistency o[ her work (=the
fact that it is inconsistent) makes a really good result
unlikely_
unsettled /An'setld/ weather, conditions or situations
that are unsettled keep changing so that it is impossible
to make plans or know what will happen ladj ]
It is dangerous to live there while the political situation is
so unsettled. I The weather has been very unsettled lately. I
wonder what's causing it? I Eliot led a strangely unsettled
life, drifting from place to place and job to job.
5 words for describing someone who has
changed completely
a changed man/woman
reformed
a changed man/woman /3 Itfemd3d Imren, lwum3nf
if you say that someone is a changed man or woman you
mean they have changed greatly from what they were like
before by an important or powerful experience rn phrase 1
She returned/rom her travel a changed woman. I My father
is a changed man now that he is captain of his own ship.
reformed In Ib:Tmdl someone who is reformed has com-
pletely changed their behaviour and stopped doing things
that other people disapprove of, for example stealing or
drinking too much [adjl
Since the birth 0/ his baby. Mark has totally re/orrri£d. I a
reformed character I never drink - except on Fridays -
I'm a reformed character.
6 willing or able to change when change
becomes necessary
flexible
adaptable
flexible 1I fleks !bi111willing and able to change the way
you think or the way you do things so that you can deal
with a new situation or reach agreement with other people
[<Uij]
Ifyou're lookingforajobyou need to bej1exibleabout where
you're prepared to work. 1He said the key to his business suc-
cess was not forgetting to stay flexible.
flexibility I lfleks!lbll!til [n 01 Successful negotiation
requires flexibility (=being flexible).
adaptable 13 1drept3ball able to change the way you do
things or the way you think so that you can live or work
successfully in a new place, situation, or conditions lad)1
In this job you need to be adaptable and able to cope with
unexpected situations. I highly adaptable (=very adapt·
able) Young children are highly adaptable - I'm sure they
won't mind nwving to a different area.
adaptability 13 l drept3 l bIi!til [n 01 All the recent changes
had tested the limits 0/ her adaptability (=how adaptable she
could be).
7 veny unwilling to change. especially in the
way you do things
Inflexible
be set In your ways
conservative
inflexible Iln 'fleks 1bi111 not willing to change the way you
think or the way you do something [adj]
Once she has made a decision she is inflexible. I his inflexi-
ble will and intense patience 1 Union negotiations criticized
the employers for being inflexible on the issues ofpay and
working conditions.
inflexibility Iln l fleks1 Ibl11til (n UJ The inj1exibilityof both
the unions and management will make reaching agreement
very difficult.
195 CHANGE FROM ONE THING TO ANOTHER
be set In your ways /bi= lset InjJ=T Iwe1zl to be unable
to change the way you do things because you have done
them that way for a long time [v phrasel
I'm too old and set in my ways to try living in aforeign coun-
try now.
conservative Ik3n l S3: rv3tlvl preferring things to stay as
they are and disliking any kind of change [adjl
He's rather conservative and believes the old methods are
best. 1 Do women tend to be nwre conserVative than men? 1
The German banks have a deeply conservative approach to
economic policy.
8 to be in a situation in which your life or work
never changes. even though you would like it
to change
be In a rut
be In a rut /bi: In 3 I rAt! to be living or working in a situ·
ation which has been the same for a long time and which
you are not satisfied with and would like to change [v
phrase ]
I'm in a rut at work, it's probably time for a change. 1Once
you get into a rut it's often really difficult to get out of it and
make a new life for yourself.
9 words for describing amounts. levels etc that
do not change
constant
steady
stable
constant / 'konsbnt 11 'kmn-' an amount, rate or level of
something that is constant does not change over a long
period of time ladjl
The patient's blood pressure remains constant. 1We live next
door to a busy street and there is always a constant level DJ
noise in the background.
steady I1 stOOi/ not changing over a long period, especially
when this is good [adjl
Wedrovealldayata steady 65 miles an Iwur. I Largerfami-
lies were being rehoused at a steady rate. I It's important to
keep the temperature of the oven at a steady high heat.
st.bl. / lstelb~11 an amount, level etc that is stable is no
longer changing, after a period of time when it has been
changing a lot [ad}1
When your temperature becomes stable you can stop taking
the medicine. 1 The level of water in the lake is now stable
after last year's drought.
!ID CHANGE FROM
ONE THING TO
ANOTHER
1 to change from one thing to another
2 to keep chang ing from one thing to another
3 a change from one thing to another
4 a gradual change
5 words for describing things that can be
exchanged but still used in ,he same way
6 to change from one vehicle to another as a
part of a journey
1 to change from one th ing to another
change go from
switch go over to
transfer convert to
move go from one extreme to the other
change /tfemd31 to change from one thing to another so
CHANGE FROM ONE THING TO ANOTHER
that you have something different from what you had
before Iv l i T)
change sth I'm going upstairs to change my clothes. I bored. Iv T)
They've changed their phone number. I We had to change the
tyre because we had afiat. I change jobs/ cars etc (=move
from one to another) Women have to be ambitious and will-
ing to change jobs frequently if they want to get to the top
0/ their profession. I change direction/ course (=start
moving in a new direction) Itried to/allow him but he kept
changing direction. I change to sth Japanese industry is
changing to alternative marketing techniques. I change
from sth to sth We've changed from traditional ways of
work to an automated system.
switch (swnJf to change, especially suddenly. from one
thing to another [v IITI
switch to sth I used to play golf but 1 switched to tennis to
get more exercise. I It took a long time/or Americans to switch
to smaller cars. I switch from sth to sth He switched easily
and fluently from English to French to German. I 1 have
switchedfrom the night shift to the day shift. I switch chan-
nels (=change from one programme on television to
another) If you don 't lila! the programme you can always
switch channels.
transfer ftrrens ' f3: rl transfer your affection/allegi-
ance/ support etc (=change from liking or supporting one
person or group, to liking or supporting another) [v T)
The generals are transferring their allegiance to their new
leader. I Fed up with the performances of the team he'd been
watchingfor years, he transferred his support to their rivals.
move Imu:vf to change, especially gradually, from one
thing to another [v 11
move from sth to sth In the book wefollow the hero as he
moves from childhood through boyhood to maturity. I The
bank has moved from private client work to banking for
large rorporations. I move away from Many socialists were
moving away fromfauh in revolution towards a more realis-
tic approach.
go from / ' gou from! go from hot to coldlhappy to sad
etc (::::change from one state or feeling to another) (v T not
in passive]
In seconds this mysterious man had gOlU!from violent anger
to pathetic tears. I We'vegonefrom cool winds to hot humid
weather in the space of a week.
go over to f ,g~ I;KJV~r tu:f to change from one system
to a new one, especially a more modern one IV T not in
passive]
Britain went over to decimal currency in 1971. I The factory
is going over to computerised machilU!ry and many workers
are losing their jobs.
convert to I k~n I V3 :rt tu:1 to change to another religion,
especially because someone has persuaded you to do so [v
TI
In 1976 he converted to Islam. I Large numbers ofpeople are
converting to Eastern religions such as Buddhism and
Hinduism.
go from one extreme to the other Igau fram IWAn
Ikl stri:m t~ 6i 'A6~r l to change from being extreme in one
way to being extreme in another way [v phrase)
This movie goes from one extreme to the other, mixing
romance with Iwrror to entertain its audience. I The hous-
ing marla!t has swungfrom one extreme to arwther over the
past eight months.
2 to keep changing from one thing to another
alternate chop and change
vary rotate
alt.mate f':dtarnelt/ to change repeatedly from one
thing or condition to a different one and back again [v IIT]
alternate between She would. alternate inexplicably
between kindness and cruelty. I The guide explained the sit-
uation, alternating between Spanish and German. I alter-
nate with He has periods of inertia, which alternate with
frenzied. activity. Ialternate sth with sth He alternated aer-
obic exercises with weight training to improve his stamina. I
alternate Good and bad luck seem to alternate in my life.
196 CHANGE FROM ONE THING TO ANOTHER
vary f've.,rif to regularly change what you do or the way
you do it so that you are morc effective or do not become
Teachers can keep students' interest by varying their lessons. I
One of Dickens' great skills as a writer is the way he varies
his styiR. Ilfyou 're bored with the trip to work, try varying
your route. I My doctor said Islwuld. vary my diet a little
more.
chop and change / ,tJop . n 'tJemd3 11 ,tJo:p-/ a British
expression meaning to keep changing plans, activities, or
opinions [v phrase)
You can't chop and change after you've started your career. I
There was a lot oJ chopping and changing in government
p olicy during those years.
rotate JldtJ1teu 11 Irautelt/ if people rotate, they each do
something such as a piece of work once, then another
person does it, then another, and then the fITSt person again
Iv liT I
We rotate ~ I teach French grammar 01U! week, and she
teaches it the next. I rotate ajob/ task etc We usually rotate
the worst jobs so that no one gets stuck with them.
3 a change from one thing to another
change move
switch reversal
change /tJemd31 In C)
change of The police must be notified of any change of
address. I There are more broken promises with each change
of government. I change to Typing work could be speeded
up considerably by a change to word processors. I change
from sth to sth Thechangefrom living in the city to living
in the countryside made her feel a lot healthier. I change
After a number ofchanges, she settled into ajob with a major
bank.
switch fswuJf a complete, and usually sudden, change
from one thing to another [n C )
switch to A sudden switch to new food may cause stomach
upsets. I switch from sth to sth The switchjrom political
activity to family life was hard to handle. I switch of His
sudden switches of mood are diffICult to deal with.
move fmu:vf a change from onc job or kind of work to
another In Cl
move to It's probably time to think about a move to a new
job. I This picture marks the move to the big screen of some
oJour best television comedians. I move Let'sface it - going
from an academic life to the world of business is never an
easy move.
reversal /n IV3: rsalf a change to an opposite process or
course of action [n C usually singular]
reversal of This appears to be a complete reversal oJgovern-
ment policy. I this dramatic reversal a/traditional attitwks I
reversal The profits of supermarkets declined Until 1975
when a reversal began.
4 a gradual change
transition move
trend movement
transition Itrren I ZlJ.,n, _Is 1-/ the process of change, espe-
cially gradual change, from one state or situation to
another In CIUI
transition from sth to sth The transition from a com-
munist system to a free market economy will be difficult. I
transition to sth It's difFICult for someone wlw's been a
stage actress to make the transition to television. I be in tran-
sition (:::: be changing at the moment) The textile industry
is currently in transition. I transition period The new
system will be introduced gradually over a six month tran·
sition period.
trend ftrendf a general change in the way people think or
behave. which is happening at the moment [n C]
trend towards There is a growing trend towards payment
by credit card. I The current trend in this area is towards
part-time employment. I trend /fpresent trends continue, the
earth will be considerably warmer in fifty years. l Our
managers are very alert to IU!W trends in the industry.
 CHANGE FROM ONE THING TO ANOTHER
move fmu:vl the gradual change of a country or society
towards something different [n Cl
move towards/to There is a move towards greater equal-
ity for women in the workplace. I Planners hope to encourage
the move towards increased use of public transport. I The
United Nations was supposed to supervise the move to
indepenrience. I move away from The South African
Government's latest policies show a significant move away
from apartheid.
movement / Imu:vmdntl a gradual change, especially a
political or social change, in which a lot of people are
involved In C/ UI
movement towards There is a gradual movement towards
wierance and understanding. I The modern age a/movement
towards democracy began with the French Revolution in
1789.
5 word s for describing things that can be
exchanged but still used in the same way
interchangeable
interchangeable l l mtJ r 'IJemd3:lbal' if two words or two
things are interchangeable, you can exchange one for the
other and use it in the same way ladjl
The two words have the same meaning and are virtually
interchangeable. I The 'Dents' electric toothbrush is supplied
with two interchangeable heads.
6 to change from one vehicle to another as a
part of a journey
change make a connection
transfer connecting
change 'IIemd31 Iv lITI
Is this a directfIight or do we have to change? I Passengers
for York change at Leeds. I change trains/ planes/buses
ctc We stopped at Los Angeles, just to change planes.
transfer Jtrrens 1f'3: rJ to change from one vehicle to
another, as part ofa joumey, especially when all the other
people in the vehicle do the same Iv IJ
transfer from/to The train broke down so we transferred
to a bus. I At Frank/urtyou will transfer from a DCJO to a
Jumbo Jet. I transfer I must have lost my luggage when we
transferred.
make. connection Jlmelk ~ k~'nekJJrt/ to change from
one vehicle to another that leaves a place at a particular
time [v phrasel
If this bus arrives on lime, we should be able to make a con·
nectinn at 4 pm. and be Iwme fly 6 pm. I make your con·
nection (=manage to change to the vehicle you intended
at the time you intended) I wish this train would hurry up
- I'm not going to make my connection.
connecting Ik~ 'nektlrJJ connecting flight/service/
train ctc (=one that takes you from one part of your jour-
ney to another, where you continue it) ladj only before
noun J
Due to engineering work, there will be a connecting service
between Broxbourne and Cheshunt. I Once in Australia, a
connecting flight will take you to Darwin.
• CHANGE/MAKE
5TH DIFFERENT
1 to change something or someone
2 to change something for a particular use or
purpose
3 to make small changes to something in order
to improve it
4 to deliberate[y change facts or information, for
example in order to influence people 's
opinions
197 CHANGElMAKE 5TH DIFFERENT
5 to change the way something is done or
organized
6 to change something so that it is completely
different from the way it was before
7 a change that has been made especially in
order to improve something
8 words for describing a system , method, rule
etc that can be changed or is easy to change
9 words for describing something or someone
that has been changed and is now different
10 ways of saying that something has been
decided or settled and wi ll definitely not be
changed
11 difficult or impossible to change
1 to change something or someone
change after
make changes revise
change 'IIemd31 Iv TI
They 'De changed the timetable, and now there's only one bus
an hour. I Going to college changed him a lot. It made him
much more mature. I Having a baby changes your life com-
pletely, whatever your age. ! Advertising has changed the
way people think about tobacm and alcohol.
make changes l ,me1k 'tJelnd3~zl to change parts of
something but not change it completely Iv phrase J
make changes to/ in We'll have to make changes in the
family routine when the baby is born. I Willyou be making
any changes ID your new house? I make changes Don't make
any major changes yet. I I've analysed the system and made
changes where I thought they were needed.
alter JIJ:ltarl to change one part of something, in order to
make it better or more suitable [v T J
The Soviet leader altered his plans to include a chat with
local workers. I Can we make this product more cheaply
witlwut signifkantly altering its quality? I You can alter the
appearanceofa room by moving thefurniture. I The sleeves
will have to be altered. I don 'f want to look like Minnie
Mouse.
alteration ' 1 :J: lt~ l reIJdrt/ In UJ This programrne may require
some alteration as our circumstances change.
revls. Irl1va lzl to change an idea or plan because of new
information [v Tl
Thisdisrovery made them revise their old ideas. I You should
review and revise the plan in the light of events as they
unfold. I He may revise his opinion of journalists.
2 to change something for a particular use or
purpose
adapt
customize
convert
adapt Ja 'dreptl to change something so that it can be used
in a different way [v T J
adapt sth They have adapted their house so they can look
after their disabled son more easily. I The movie was adapted
by Forsylhjrom his own besls<!lling novel. I adapt sth to a
situation/ needs/circumstances etc The Japanese adapt
their products to the needs of their customers. I adapt sth
for The material can be adapted for students of any age.
adaptation i ,redrep1Iclf:ml [71 UJ Adaptation o/existing
equipment would be much cheaper than replacing it all with
new technology.
customize (a[so -Ise British) I Ikt\st~mal zl to change
something, such as a car or a piece of equipment, to suit
a particular person or group of people [v TI
General Motors will customize Cczdillacsfor special clients.I
The computer programs can be customised for individual
users.
CHANGE/MAKE 5TH DIFFERENT
convert /kan 1v3: rtf to change something completely so
that it has a different form and can be used for a different
purpose Iv T I
convert sth i n toA Swiss company has/Dund a way to con·
vert animal waste irzto/uel. I This computer system converts
typed signals into synthesized speech. I convert sth We've
converted the basement to give the children nwre room to
play.
conver ted ladjJ The nightclub is in a converted church.
conversion Ik;Jn I V3: rJ;m 11 -:,..,n/ln elm Thecon versinn was
carried out by a local building company.
3 to make small changes to something in order
10 improve it
modify amend
adjust revise
make adjustments
modify , 'moo},fa l 11 'mo:-I to make s mall changes to some-
thing such as a piece of equipment. a set of ideas, or a way
of behav ing in order to improve it or to make it more suita-
ble for a particular purpose or s ituation Iv T l
We can modify the design to make it suitableforrommercia l
production. I Many adults modify their speech when speak-
ing to young language learners. I The university is inves-
tig ating ways of modifying drinking behaviour in
alcoholics.
mod.ification/ ,mod~n 'kc lj "n 11 Ima:-/l n. C/ U) Thegovem-
ment is more interested in the modification of existing poli-
cies than the introduction 0/ new ones.
adjust I;)'dy.stl to make small changes in the position or
le vel of something in order to get the best possi ble result
lu T I
Check and adjust your brakes regularly. 11don 't think the
colour control on this TV is properly adjusted. 1The amount
a/any o/thEse ingredients can be adjusted according to your
taste. I "You don't have to come, " Lewis said, as he adjusted
his tie in a mirror.
adjustment [n C/ U] Correct adjustment of the brakes will
ensure safe driving.
make adjustments !I mcl k ;} Id3Astm;mls! to make small
changes to somethin g such as a mach ine. a system, or the
way something looks Iv phrase]
You caTl use this tool to make adjustments in all kinds of
machines. I Scientists were able to loca te the star by making
a f ew minor adjustments to their original calculations.
amend I;} I mend/ to make small changes to something
written, such as a law or legal agreement Iv Tl
Congress amended the Social Security Act in }967 to help the
disabled. I The law was amended so that profits from drug
dealing could be seized by the government. I Programs writ-
ten in languages such as basic and Q are very easy to edit
and amend.
revise Irll Vii Izf to check a piece of writing from beginn ing
to end and make any changes that are necessary to improve
it lu T I
He gave his work to his/riend to revise, becau')e he/ound it
hard to see his own mistakes. I The publisher will not accept
your manuscript unlil it has been. thoroughly revised.
revision If! IVlym/ [n U I The essa.y was in need afcare/ul
revision (=it needed revis ing carefully) .
revised ladj ] A revised edition afthe novel.
4 to deliberately change lacts or inlormation , for
example in order to influence people 's
opinions
twist falsify
misrepresent put words into sb 's mouth
distort cook the books
twist !twlst! to dishonestly change the meaningofa piece
of information or of something that someone has said. in
order to get some advantage for yourself or support your
own opinion [v T J
198 CHANGE/MAKE 5TH DIFFERENT
Th e lawyers twisted everything I said to make it appear that
I was guilty. I A good salesman can twist the latest news to
support his sales pitch. I Write very clearly SO that he cannot
twist your meaning.
misrepresent / eml srepnl zent! to give people a wrong
idea about someone or the ir opinions, by what you write
or say [v T]
Your reporter has completely misrepresented my opinions
about immigration. 1 Many UXJmenfeel that the histoty books
either ignore or misrepresent them.
distort Idl ' si:):rll to explain facts, statements etc in a way
that makes them seem different from what they really are
(uT I
Journalists were accused of distorting the facts. I a simpli-
fied and often distorted version 0/ events I These jrlddents
were grossly distorted by police witnesses.
falsify / 'f=J: l s~ fal l to dishonestly change official docu·
ments or records so that they contain fa lse information
luTI
SheJalsij1£d her birth certificate roget thejob. IA whole team
was kept busy falsifying oiTzeial government records. I Their
accounts had been falsified over a long period of time
put words Into sb's mouth fpol IW3:rdz 1nl;} (sb's)
'mau91 to pretend tha t you think someone has said some-
thing that is not what they actually said or meant tv phrasel
1 didn't mean that at aU - you'rejust putting words into my
mouth! I You 're putting words into her mouth. You don't
know what she thinks.
cook the books !,kuk 6~ lbuks/ an informaJ express ion
meaning to di shonestly change a compan y's financial
records, in order to steal money [v phrase )
We 've just found oul. Alec's been cooking the books. I The
directors of the company made millions from cooking the
books before the fraud investigators caught them.
5 to change the way something is done or
organized
r change
reorganize
change " f c,nd3lluTI
restructure
reform
The government Lo; considering chang ing the local voting
system. I Agriculture must be changed to reduce damage 10
the environment.
change [n V J Without change, there can be no progress.
reorganize (also ·Ise British) Iri: I:>: rgonalz/ to change the
way that a system or a group of people is organized Iv T I
During the 1980s, the government reorgam:zed the civil serv-
ice. I The proposals/or reorganizing the company have made
many people in the work/orcefeel very insecure.
reorganization lri: lo:rgonall zelJim 11 -g:)IJ;)-1 III U ] ComuL-
tants have recommended the reorganization o/management
roles within Ihe company.
restructure I ,ri: ISlrhklj;)TI to completely change the way
something is organized, espec ially a lar ge political or eco-
nomic system or a big company, in order to make it more
effective Iv T ]
Mr Gorbachev's attempt to restructure the Soviet economy
met with criticism from traditional communists. I In the
coming years a lot of money will go into restructuring the
education system.
restructuring In U) In many cases restructuring results in
a leaner, fitter business organization ready to meet the
challenges of today 's UXJrLd.
reform In 'fo!rm/ to change something such as a law,
system . or public organization, so that it operates with
more justice and fa irness [v TT
7'hey reformed the voling system, and introduced a secret
ballot. I We are working to reform the nation 's prisons.
reform In VI The vast size o/China made radical reform
alnwst im[XJssibly difficult since lhe central government had
littlecontru:l with many areas. j Our iegalsystem is in urgent
need 0/ reform (=urgently needs reform).
reformed ladjl a reformed appeals procedure
CHANGE/MAKE 5TH DIFFERENT
6 to change somethin g so that it is completely
different from the way it was before
transform
revolutionize
reverse
transfonn Jtrrens If;,: rIllI to change something completely,
especially in a way that improves it tv TJ
The changes in Eastern Europe have transformed the Euro-
pean political scene. I Well. yvu'vecertainly transformed this
place. A new mat of paint and it looks great. I As he spoke
I was very conscious of the smile which transformed his
usually inexpressive face.
transformation I LtnensfaT1melj;m/ In C/ UI Pressure
groups are demanding Egypt 's immediate transformation
into a strict Islamic state. I Fortunately there has been a
transformation in attitudes to women working.
revolutionize (also ·Ia. British) f Irevalju:J:maTz{ tocom·
pletely change the way people think or do things, especially
because of a new idea or a new in vention ( v T I
This important discovery has revolutionized our under-
standing of the universe. 1 The new technology is revolu-
tionizing the way music is played, composed and studied_ I
The use of lasers has revolutionized medicine.
reverse /rI I V3!Ts/ reverse a decision/ policy/ process/
trend etc (=change it so that it is the opposite of what it
was before) Iv TI
Thejudge reversed the original decision and set the prisoner
free. I Many of the former administration's policies were
reversed by the new president. 1 The longer the economic
decline is allowed to go on the more dijJicult it will be to
reverse it.
reversal [n Cl This decision marks a dramatic reversal in
th£ policy of th£ USSR.
7 a change that has been made especially in
order to improve something
change refoTm
modification amendment
alteration shake-up
change /tfemd3lln C)
We need some changes ifwe are going to make this company
successful. 11 can't get used to all these changes. 1change
to He hates all changes to his routine. I The computers will
record any changes to the system. I change in We are work-
ing to bring about changes in the laws concerning the righLs
of children.
modification "modM1 I kelf<Jn 11 ,mo:-I a small change
made to something in order to improve it or to make it
more suitable for a particular purpose In Cl
modification to The editor suggested a few modifications
to the text. I We rwed to make some modUzcations to our teach-
ing methods. I modification The new modifications made
it the finest of aircraft.
alteration ,,~:ltd' Telfan/ a change made to something,
especially a small change which makes it different but not
completely different In Cl
I've sent the suit to a tailor for alterations. 1 alteration to
We're having some alterations made to our house. 1 minor
alterations (small changes) Your essay /ooks/ine - I've sug-
gested one or two minor alterations here and there in the
margin.
reform In '6: Tm/ a change made to a system, especially
a political system, in order to improve it In Cl
The new parties have promised to carry out radical politi-
cal and economic reforms. I Feminists sought legal reforms
to ensure that women had genuinely equal opportunities.
amendment /C) 'mcndmC)nt/ a change to a law or a rule
Ine)
amendment to The committee proposed some amendments
to the rules. I amendment Congress passed an amendment
ensuring that the law was fairer to everyone.
shake-up , 'felk hpl a situation in which a lot of changes
are very quickly made in a system, company, or organiza-
tion in order to make it more effective (n Cl
199 CHANGE/MAKE 5TH DIFFERENT
The Administration is planning a thorough shake-up ofthe
welfare system. I The department has not performed well and
is badly in need of a shake-up.
8 words for describ ing a system, method, rule
etc that can be changed or is easy to change
flexible
adaptable
flexible /' neks\bal/ladjl
We need a flexible management system, able to meet the
changing needs of our customers. I Unions would like more
flexible working hours to replace the nine-to-fiueJorty hour
week. 1 The rules are deliberately left flexible as each case
is different.
flexibly (adv l The course isflexibly organised to allow for
a variety of approaches.
flexibility " flek sA' bJI~ti/ In Ul This computer system is
popular with usersfor ilsflexibility and speed ofoperation.
adaptable fa'dreptahal/ a system or way of doing some-
thing which is adaptable can be changed so that it is suita-
ble for very different uses and very different situations
ladjl
The Roman alphabet is an extremely adaptable writing
system used by many different languages. I highlyadapta-
ble (=very adaptable) The parliamentary system has proved
highly adaptable to chnnging circwnstances. I Because they
arefor specialized structures,few of the designs are adapt-
able for other purposes.
adaptability /a ,drepta'bll1til In u] Theeronomic we/fareof
the country depended on the vitality and adaptability of the
national economy.
9 words for describing something or someone
that has been changed and is now d ifferent
changed
revised
altered
changed /tfemd3d/ladjl
lVhen he came backfmm the war he seemed changed, quieter
and more serious than be/ore. I Because of changed condi-
tions in these countries travel is now much easier. I After all
these years 1 found the town utterly changed, almost
unrecognizable.
revised /n 'valzdl revised edition/versionldocwnent/
statement etc (=one that has been changed in order to
improve it or remove mistakes) [adj only befor:e noun!
In the revised edition of the book, some of the charcaters'
names had been changed. 1 The revised version contains a
substantial amount of new materiaL I She was asked to
produce a revised document giving a more detailed analy-
sis of the figures.
altered "~:Itdrd/ changed by a process, event etc and
therefore different in behaviour, character or appearance
ladj]
Long-term use of the drug can result in an altered personal-
ity. 1 As a result ofyears of industrial development, the land·
scape appeared dramatically altered. I Research is being
carried out on genetically altered rabbits.
10 ways of saying that somethi ng has been
decided or settled and will definitely not be
changed
final definitive
Irrevocable there is no going back
once and for all
final /'falnl{something such as an agreement or a decision
that is final cannot be changed, especially because it has
been made by someone with authority [adj i
Thejudges'decision isfirwl. I Th£)! tlwught carefully lxifore
making aflnal commitment to buy. \ Theofficialshavefinal
authority when making decisions.
finally [adv J The new school timetable has not beenfinally
decided yet.
CHANGE/MAKE STH DIFFERENT 200
Irrevocable /I'revdkdbal/ a fonnal word: a decision or
choice which is irrevocable cannot be changed after it has
been made [alU ]
Her decision was immediate and irrevocable. I There were
also occasions in life when an irrevocable choice had to be
made.
irrevocably (advl Britain could be irrevocably tied to a
single European currency.
once and for alii. WAns ;;)nd far 1:>:1/ if you settle, decide,
or prove something once and for all, nothing else needs
to be done about it or can be done about it [adv phrase ]
Let's get this business settled once and/or all. I After a series
of meetings the policy was changed once and for all.
definitive Id l'fm~tlvl something, such as a description
or an explanation, that is definitive is accepted as right
or true, so that it cannot or need not be changed [adj usually
before noun)
The report aims to give a d4initive explanation of the inci-
dent. I With blood samples/ram nwtmr, baby and possible
father, a definitive answer can be given in afew weeks.
there Is no going back /Ile., IZ ,n>u g>UIQ 'b"'k/ if
there is no going back after you have made a decision or
started an action, that decision or action is permanent and
cannot be changed
You've rommitted your time and money to the project now
- there's no going back. 1 It had started as a casual affair
but they both knew that now there was no going back.
11 difficult or impossible to change
Inflexible .Ixeel
rigid Irreversible
Inflexible jln Ifleksjbalj difficult or impossible to change,
even when a change would be better (adjl
The regulatwns are precise and inflexible in such matters. 1
It is a huge, inflexible and impersonal organizatwn.
inflexibility fln ,fleks1 l bl11tif In U] There has been little
change in sexual behaviour because of the inflexibility of
social attitudes.
rigid flnd31dl a system that is rigid is extremely difficult
or impossible to change and is therefore annoying £adjJ
I get very frustrated with rigid bureaucracies. 1 The Presi-
dent will not be able to meet enough people if he is kept to
an unnaturally rigid schedule. 1 The rigid class distinctwns
which characterised British society are beginning to break
down.
fixed /flkstJ times, amounts etc that are fixed, have been
decided and cannol be changed [adj]
The lessons began and ended at/iX£d times. I The policeman
told me there was aFIXed penalty of f20for driving witlwut
a rear light. 1 In Communist Russia prices of all common
commodities used to be fixed.
Irreversible ' 1Ifl I V3: f s!bal/ something such as damage
or a decision which is irreversible cannot be changed in
order to return things to the way they were before [adjj
The decisions of the supreme court are irreversible. 1 The
process of rainforest destruction may be irreversible. 1 Most
heavy drink£rs do irreversible damage to their livers.
• CHANGE YOUR
MIND
to change your plans, decisions, opinions etc
1 to change your mind about something you
intend to do or something you said you would
do
2 to change your opinion about something or
someone
3 to keep changing your mind
4 words for describing someone who refuses to
change their opinions or attitudes
5 to refuse to change your mind
CHANGE YOUR MIND
1 to change your mind about something you
intend to do or something you said you would
do
change your mind backtrack
have second thoughts U-turn
change your mind ' ItJelnd3 j:l:f 'ma1ndl [v phraseJ
No, I'm not going out tonight. I've changed my mind. 1 What
ifshe changes her mind and doesn't turn up? 1 change your
mind about ([you change your mind about thejob.justgive
me a call. I Barry hadn't changed his mind about leaving.
have second thoughts/h",v ,sek'>od '9':15/10 feet less
sure about something that you intend to do. and start to
wonder whether it is a good idea Iv phrasel
have second thoughts about It UlUS obvious that my father
was having second thoughts aoout tm whole project. I Are
you having second tlwughts about emigrating? 1 have
second thoughts Couples contemplating divorce often have
second thoughts when they realize how it will affect their
children.
backtrack I'brektrrekj to change your mind about some-
thing you have publicly promised to do, by saying that you
will only do part of it or that you might not do it at all (v 11
/funwn leaders start to backtrack now, they'Ulose their sup·
porters. I backtrack on The President seems to be back-
tracking on some of his election promises.
U ..tum jljU: t3: f nl a complete change in the plans of a
government or political party so that it decides to do the
opposite of what it said it would do (n Cl .
do a U·turn (:::make a complete change of plans) The
government was forced to do a U-turn after angry protests
aoout their taxation policy. I U·lunl Tfre party lost all public
support after a series of U-turns and policy failures.
2 to change your opinion about something or
someone
change your mind come around!
change your tune come round
a change of heart recant
revise your opinion shift
change your mind 'ItJelOd3 j:>!r 'mamd/ lv phrase)
change your mind about I'm hoping Dad will change his
mind about Louise after he meets her tonight. 1I've changed
my mind about the Riviera. I do like it after all. 1 change
your mind Atfirst the doctor was quite convinced that I was
suffering from a virus. but now he's changed his mind. I
"You'll change your mind again before you're fourteen, "
Peter told me.
change your tune/,tje1nd3 j:l:f Itju:n 11 - 'tu:nl to change
your mind about something and talk about it in a very
different way than you did before [v phrasel
She used to be a Communist, but she changed her tune when
her parents left her all that money. 1 You've changed your
tune all of a sudden! Only yesterday you were saying you
tlwught Christmas presents were a waste of money.
a change of heart j~ ItJemd3 ~v Iho:TtI a complete
change in the way you feel towards something or someone
or in the attitude you have to a particular matter, especially
so that your feeling or attitude improves InphraseJ
have a change of heart He didn't want kids at first, but
fre's had qui/ea cfwnge a/heart. Ichange of heart It's fwrd
If> explain this apporent cfwngeofhrort. Ia change of heart
about We can only hope Congress may have a radical
change of heart about welfare. benefits.
revise your opinion Inlvalz j:>:r ~Ipmj;:mj a fonnal
expression meaning to change your opinion because some-
thing has happened that has made you realize that you
were wrong before (v phrase]
revise your opinion about/of Your mother revised her
opinion of me when 1 was accepted into law school. I Since
visiting the refugee camps, I have revised my opinion about
immigration quotas.
come around (a[so come round in British Eng[ish)
'lkArn (~)Iraundf to change your mind so that you gradually
CHANGE YOUR MINO
begin to agree with someone else's idea or opinion, espe·
cially after they have persuaded you that they are right
[phrvl l
come round to sb's view/ way of thinking etc We had
to talk to Sam/or a long time before he came round to our
way a/thinking. I come round/around [fwe leave her to
think about it/ora while. she may come round. I He'Ucome
around eventually. He doesn'l have any choice. does he?
recant In I krentl to say publicly or formally that you have
changed your mind and stopped believing what you used
to believe, especially about religion or politics [v I J
During the Moscow Show Trials in the 193a:>, prisoners were
forced to publicly recant. I After the Reformation, many
Catholics recanted to avoid punishment.
shift IJlfil an important but usually gradual change in the
way people think about something In Cl
shift in attitude/ approach/ policy etc There has been a
big shift in altitudes towards sex during the past 50 years. I
marked shift (=an obvious shift) We've seen a marked shift
in our approach to the social issues. I shift away from The
emphasis on human rights was a shift away from the poli-
cies of Nixon. I shift towards the shift towards capitalist
thinking in Eastern Europe
3 10 keep changing your mind
chop and change blow hot and cold about
vacillate fickle
chop and change I ,tJop,n 'tJelnd3 11 ,tJo'p-I an infor·
mal British expression meaning to keep changing your
mind about what you are going to do, in a way that annoys
people Iv phrase I
She can never stick to one plan - she's always chopping and
changing. I Howard chopped and changed so much, it droue
me mad.
vacillate f1vres! lelt/ to keep changing your mind about
what you believe or what you are goi ng to do, espec ially
when you have two choices and you cannot decide which
one is best Iv 11
vacillate between The writer seems to vacillate between
approving 01 Collins' actions andlinding them disgusting. I
vacillate The longer you vacillate the less time you'll have
to do anything worthwhile_
vacillation/ l vres~ ' leIJan/ In VI After months of vacillation
the Administrator has/inally reached a deciston_
blow hot and cold about Ihlou ,hot,n ' kould 11 -, ho"-I
an informal expression used especially in British English
meaning to keep changing from being keen to do something
to being unwilling to do it Iv phrase}
She hasn't decided yet ~ she's still blowing hot and cold
about going 10 India. I The whole country's in suspense while
the President brows hot and cold about US inoolvement in
South East Asia.
fickle / ' flk3J/ someone who is fickle is always changing
their mind about the people or things that they like so you
cannot depend on them ladj l
You're sOJzckle! I thought Me/ante was meant to beyour best
friend! I She had been a great star once, but thefickle public
now ignored her movies.
4 words for describing someone who refuses to
change their opinions or attit udes
rigid reactionary
have fixed ideas stick in the mud
inflexible diehard
hidebound intransigent
entrenched
r lglcl /'nd.)~df someone who is l'igid will never change
their mind about what is right or wrong or about how
things should be done ladj]
Our manager was so rigid. he'd never listen to our ideas. I
rigid in your ideas/ opinions etc Andrew was even more
rigid in his attitudes towards child-rearing than hisfather.
woo was himself quite strict. I rigid ideas/ attitudes/
policy etc Any major changes were prevented by the rigid
conservatism 0/ the Church.
201 CHANGE YOUR MIND
heve fixed Ideas /hrev ,flkst al'dl;)z/ someone who has
fixed ideas has opin ions and attitudes that never change,
and often seems unreasonable Iv phrase not in progressive}
Th£s€ old teachers tend to have fixed ideas. 1 have fixed
ideas about He has very JlXed ideas about the way a wife
should behave_
Inflexible fln1fleks!ba ll someone who is inflexible will
not make even the slightest change to their plans or opin-
ions and will not aJlow other people to change the way they
do things ladj]
Don Antonto, an inflexible, arrogant man, failed to recog-
nize his son's artistic ta lents. I Foeh was inflexible. Onct! he
had made a plan, nothing could persuade him to revise it l
a woman of inflexible will and determination
inflexibility /ln1fieks A1 bIJAti/ [n UJ The lack olchangemay
be ascribed to the inflexibility of social attitudes.
hidebound /1 hnl dbnundl a group of people or an institu-
tion that is hidebound has very old·fashioned ideas and
attitudes and is unwilling to change them [adj1
It was predictable that the medical establishment, so hide-
bound and reactionary, would reject Dr Stone's ideas_ I The
hidebound altitudes 0/ Russia's powerfuL aristocracy made
any kind 0/ progress impossible.
entrenched I ln ItrentJtJ entrenched attitudes/ habits/
posi tions etc (=wh ich people have had for a long time and
which will be difficult to change) fadj usually be/ore noun]
fIrmly / deeply entrenched Many English men still have
very firmly entrenched attitudes about women 's role in soci-
ety. I In the small towns white hatred of blacks was deeply
entrenched.
reactionary fri IrekJ.mari 11 -J aneri/ someone who is reac·
tionary is strongly opJX)Sed to change, especially social or
political change, in a way that you think is wrong latti J
The seventy year old president has been condemned as reac·
tionary by his radical opponents. I He is known/or his reac·
tionary views on immigration and the reintroduction a/the
death penalty. I Cultural attitudes to women were more reac-
tionary than in most of Western Europe.
reactionary In C I a bunch 0/ right wing reactionaries
stick in the mud / Istlk In ();) ImAd/ an informal expres-
sion meaning a person who has old-fashioned attitudes and
is unwilling to change or try something new In phrase1
Come on, don 'f be such an old stick in the mud. I Site accused
him 0/ being a stick in the mUd.
diehard f Idal ha: r dl diehard opponents/ loyalists/ sup-
porters (=who refuse to change their beliefs, even when
most other people have changed theirs) ladj only be/ore
noun !
Diehard opponents of the scheme say that they will appeal
against the court 's decision. I The attempled coup was staged
by a group 01 the ex·president 's most dtehard supporters.
diehard In Cl Apart/rom afew union diehards most a/ the
men have accepted the new productivity agreement.
intransigent I lnlt rrens~dFnt/ a formal word: someone
who is intransigent will not change their ideas or inten-
tions. even though many people strongly oppose them ladj J
The Church has been criticized/or being intransigent on the
issues of abortion and birth control. I For many years the
South African government remained intransigent, despite
mounting world opposition to apartheid.
intransigence In U } Britain 's intrans':genct! (=Britain
being intrans igent) is preventing anychanceo/asetllement
10 the conflict.
5 10 refuse 10 change your mind
stand firm
stand your ground
stick to your guns
stand firm f 1strend I f3: r m/ to refuse to change your opin-
ions or plans even though other people are trying to make
you do so I v phrase]
When you know that you are right, you have to stand /irm
and defend your principles. I stand firm against We stood
firm against any deal with the terrorists. I stand firm on
The French were standing/inn on the issue ofagricultural
subsidies.
CHANGE YOUR MIND
stand your ground '.strend j~:c 'graund/ to refuse to
change your position in an argument even though other
people are trying to make you change it [v phrase]
They tried to make him change his mind, but he stood his
ground. I stand your ground against Richard always
went along with Ella's plans, never once daring to stand his
ground against her.
stick to your guns f .suk t:l j:>:r IgAOZ/ an informal
expression meaning to refuse to change your opinion or
your decision about something even though other people
are trying to persuade you that you are wrong [v phrase]
I knew I was right and I stuck to my guns. I I!youjust stick
to your guns, you'll beat them in the end.
changeable CHANGE/BECOME DIFFERENT 4
changed CHANGE/MAKE STH DIFFERENT 9
changed: hasn't changed a bit/at all SAME 3
changed beyond all recognition RECOGN IZE 3
changed man/woman CHANGE/BECOME DIFFERENT 5
changing CHANGE/BECOME DIFFERENT 1
changing: keep changing CHANGE/BECOME
202 CHARACTER OF STH
nature 11 neltf~r1the true character of something, which
you must understand in order to know what it is really like
In singular/ Ui
the nature of The doctor explained the nature ofJulie's ill-
ness. I We must try to understand the nature ofthis political
movement. 1 by its nature (=because of its nature) Com·
puters, by their nature, tend to change the way offICeS are
organized. 1 be in the nature ofsth (=be a pennanent part
of its nature) It's in the nature of elections that campaign·
ing sometimes gets quite tough.
essence ,'e<sans/ the central or most important part of the
something's character rn singular/ U]
the essence of This is the essence of the problem, as I see
it. I The movie brilliantly captures the essence of Cakutta 's
street life. I Sharing is theessenceoffriendship. Iin essence
(=most importantly) His speech was, in essence, a pleafor
understanding and conciliation.
2 one part of the character of something
Ill?: I characteristic attribute

I~
DIFFERENT 2 ~ quality thing
channel TELEVISION/RADIO 6 property there's something about
. chaos DISORGANIZED 3 feature
chaotic DISORGANIZED 1
characteristic l ,krerlkt~'rIstlk., ·a part of the charac-
f
. l. chap: guy/bloke/chap MAN 1
terofsomething that makes it clearly different from other
chapter PART 6
character CHARACTER OF STH 1, CHARACTERI th ings In C usually pluraiJ
PERSONALITY 1, PERSON/PEOPLE 1, 5 ,
If we compare the main characteristics 01 these two fun·
f REPUTATION 1
guages, we can recognize important differences. l One ofthe
t character. a character INTERESTING 6
characteristics of this species is the dark blue markings on
its back. 1 share characteristics/ have characteristics in

I character:
character.
character:
be in character TYPICAL 2
be out of character TYPICAL 6
have character INTERESTI NG 5
common (:::have similar characteristics) The UK shares
many characteristics with other European countries. I The
two diseases have a number of characteristics in common.
quality {'kwol)'i 11 'kwa:-{ an important part of the
character character of something, especially a part that is good In C]
There are certain qualities in Orwell's prose that I greatly
admire. 1 Despite its many qualities, the school simply isn't
getting results. 1 This wine possesses a unique quality. 1 a
quality of There is a wonderful quality olinrwcence in these
paintings.
.... . CHARACTERI
property Ilpro~fti 11 Ipro:_/ a scientific or technical word
PERSONALITY meaning a characteristic that a particular substance or
chemical has (n Cl
~. CHARACTER OF The properties ofthe soil injJueflC£ the growth ofthe plants. I
i<I"' .'LI 5TH We test the chemical and biological properties 0/ the sam·
ples. 1 The conducting properties of solids vary widely.
'eature I'fi:tf~rI an important and noticeable characteris·
tic of something In C]
• CHARACTER OF Th e school's most notablefeature was its air o/calm. 1 Afea·
ture common to all these buildings is a spacious entrance
5TH hall. 1 PatritJtism was a prominentfeature in Bush's election
campaign. 1 a feature of Information on employment is a
the particular combination of features or central feature of this training course.
qualities that make something different from attrtbute I'retr~bju:t/ a characteristic of an organization
anything else or system, especially a good characteristic In Cl
He possesses the essential attributes ofa journalist. 1 Justice
1 the character of something must be an attribute of an ideal society.
2 one part of the character of something thing leHJI an informal word meaning a characteristic of
something, especially one that you like or dislike In C
usually singular ]
1 Ihe character of something The thing that I really hate about this job is having to work
late at night. I All that lovely/resh air - that's the best thing
character a bout living in the country.
nature
there's something about I~ rz 'SAm8u] ~bautJ you
essence say there's something about a thing, a place, someone's
character Ilkrer!krafl (n singular/U] behaviour etc, when you mean that it has a certain qual·
the character of The whole character of the school had ity which you recognize, although you cannot say exactly
changed. 1 This unpleasant episode reveals the true charac· what it is
ter of the government. 1 character Marx 's view of society There's something very strange about this whole affair. 1
stressed its dynamic character. 1 in character Liquids are There was something about the place that gave me the creeps.
different in character from both solids and gases.
I@I "You say" is used in definitions of some
~ words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English .
CHARACTER/PERSONALITY
• CHARACTERI
PERSONALITY
the particular combination of feelings,
behaviour, attitudes and desires that make up
a person's character
f the type of character someone has, that
makes them behave and think in a particular
way
2 a definite character that makes someone
different from other people
3 one part of someone's character
4 to have a particular type of character
5 what someone 's real character is, when this is
different from what they pretend to be or
appear to be
1 the type of character someone has, that
makes them behave and think in a particular
way
character nature
personality disposition
make-up what makes sb tick
temperament
character " krer;\kta r/ thecornbination of qualities that
makes someone a particular kind of person, for example
a good or bad, honest or dishonest person In C usually
singular )
Her character has a very serious side. I More important than
past experience were a candidate's character, education and
stafe of h£alth. I What strikes me most about Hamlet is his
noble character.
personality ', P3!rSd ' nreIAtif a word meaning someone's
character, used especially when you are talking about how
they behave towards other people, whether they are
friendly or unfriendly. confident or easily frightened etc
InC I
Yun has a lovely. warm personality. 1 This election should
be about issues and policies, not about the personalities of
the candidates!
make-up f I melk Apf a word meaning someone's charac-
ter, used especially to suggest that their character is corn·
pletely fLXed and they cannot change it or control it [n
singular]
Her constant attempts to j ustify her actions tell the reader
a lot about heremotionai make-up. 1 This behaviour is part
of our genetic make-up rather than our cultural con-
ditioning.
temperament f ltempaldm~ntf the emotional part of
someone's character, especially how likely they are to
become angry, happy. sad etc In C J
She's got rather a fiery temperament and gets angry very
quickly. 1 My father and I got along very well, having very
similar temperaments.
nature J 'neItJ~rf a word meaning someone's character,
used especially when you are saying whether someone is
naturally good or bad, gentle or severe etc [n C/ U)
Jim was warned that the landlady had an unforgiving
nature and that he shouldn't offend her. 1Kindness and sym-
pathy were in his nature. 1 Their electioneering successfully
appealed to the worst side of people's nature.
disposition f ,dISP~'z'J;ml afonnal word meaning a par-
ticular type of character, which makes someone more
likely to behave or react in a particular way [n C)
Her sweet and cheerful disposition made Miss Mortimer a
greatfavourite with the school children. 1 Only someone with
the dispositinn ofa saint could tolerate Aunt Agathafor more
than afew hours. 1 This is a violentfilm and it is not recom-
mended for people of a nervous dispositinn.
203 CHARACTER/PERSONALITY
what makes ab tick Iwot Imelks (sb) IttkJ if you know
what makes someone tick you understand their charac-
ter, desires, and what makes them behave in the way they
do (nphrase J
After working with himfor five years, I still don 't know what
makes him tick. 1 Barber really gets under the skin of the
people she interviews, to show you what makes them tick.
2 a definite character that makes someone
different from other people
personality
individuality
identity
personalltY J ,P3:r~'nrel!til the quality of being interest-
ing, friendly, and enjoyable to be with, that makes some-
one seem very different from most other people rn UJ
She has everything: beauty, intelligence, personality. It's not
fair! 1 Yes, he's got plenty of talent and ambition, but he's
got no personality. 1 Billie Holiday or Bessie Smith Iuul more
personality than a hundred of today's pop singers.
Individuality I. mdb 1 v1d3U ' rel ~til the quality of being
clearly different from other people and having your own
personal character [n UJ
It's difficult to be part of a highly organized group such as
the armed forces without losing some ofyour individuality. 1
We have a close working relatinnship while retaining our
individuality and separate interests.
identity lal ' dentltil the definite character that a person
or group sees themselves as having, which lets them feel
different and separate from everyone else rn UJ
I suddenly felt as though I had no identity and that I was
completely alone in the world. 1 The islanders are proud of
their strong reginnal identity. 1 sense ofidentity ("'the feel-
ing that you have a strong identity) Some womenfind that
getting married reduces their sense of identity and self
esteem
3 one part of someone 's character
If& Iquality
~ attribute
trait
streak
characteristic quirk
side thing
part of there's something
good points about
qualltY / 'kwol~{i 11 'kwo:-' something such as an ability
or a way of behaving that is part of someone's character
In Cl
Besides intelligence and charm, Bella had some less desira·
ble qualities. 1 There was considerabk agreement in Vic-
torian society about the qualities required by a 'goodfather'. 1
Joseph's essential quality is world-weariness.
attribute 11retr lbj u:tJ a part of someone's character, espe-
ciallya part that is thought by other people to be good and
useful In Cl
One attribute ofa good manager is that they listen very care-
fully to other people. 1 Hope is one of mankind's most endur-
ing and rewarding attributes. 1 He had all the attributes of
a great leader: charisma, energy. discipline and resourciful-
ness.
characteristic f Ikrer lkb Instlk ... / a quality in someone's
character that is easy to recognize In Cl
All great leaders share certain characteristics which must
be seen as the key to their success. 1Ralph can be very mean
sometimes. It's one of his less endearing characteristics.
side Isa ld! romantic/serious/funny etc side ("'a part of
someone's character, especially one that is ver y different
from the rest of their character) In C)
Canning was a very traditional Englishman but he had a
surprisingly romantic side to him as well. 1 The prank with
the wig showed the lighter side of Alice's character. 1 After
his arrest people realized that there had always been a
darker side to his nature.
part of , Ipo:rt ovl one part of someone's character, which
makes them behave or feel in particular ways In Cl
CHARACTER/PERSONALITY 204 cheap
Part of= loves going 10 parties but there's another part that
prefers staying at home. I There is a part of her that I just 5 what someone's real character is, when this is
don'( understand. different from what they pretend 10 be or
good points /Igod IpJlnlS/ the parts of someone's charac- appear to be
ter that you like or approve of, especially when you think true colours deep down
that they also have many faults (n plural) underneath at heart
~ed was a bad manager but he had his good points - for
Instance, fu! was very loyal 10 hisfrknds, I a selfpitying man true colours fllru: I kAl",r zf if someone shows their true
with very few good points I Wfu!n you're dead _pre don't ~lours they do something that shows what they are really
remember your faults - only your good points. hke, when they have been pretending to be something
trait Itrel, trell 11 tre ltl one type of feeling or behaviour that different In plura/J
is particularly noticeable in a person or group of people With the elections safely behind him, Hitler began to sJww
[nCI his true colours. I When someone suggested a karaoke even·
There was a trait in his personality that encouraged people ing, 1 revealed myself in my true colours, as a real stick in
to trust him. I family trait (=a trait shared by members of the mud.
a family) Pride seems to be one o[our family traits. I pers(). u~d.me.th f IAnd", flni:9f if someone is nice, jealous,
nality t rait There are particular personality traits which fT1g~tened etc underneath, they really are nice, jealous,
make people more likely to become victims ofvwlent crime. or frightened even though their behaviour shows a differ·
streak /stri:k./ a part of someone's character that is quite ent character ladv/ prepl
different from the rest of thei r character, especially one I know that she seems very aggressive, but underneath she's
that makes them behave badl y In Cl really Quite shy. I Underneath all that boastfuLtn/Jc you'll
Wfu!n fu!'s drunk fu! has a violent strrok that really frightens find that he's actually quite a nice guy. I underneath it a ll
me. I His otherwise serious nature was lightened by a streak Underneath it all, isn', she just lonely and confused?
ofmischiif, deep down 'Idi:p Idaunf if someone is cruel. dishonest,
quirk /kW3: f kJ a strange or unusual habit or part of some- good etc deep down, t hat is their true character even
one's character In Cl though they hide this in their usual behaviour ladv phrase]
Shealways wentfora three minute walk at exactly 10:45 and Deep down, I think she's rea lly very ambitious. I Yeah, some-
the robber took advantace ofthis lit/re quirk. I Children ofl£n times he can be really nice and polite but, I tell you, deep
have these little quirks which they overcome in later life. down he's an animal!
thing /9 Ifj/ an informal word meaning a part of someone's at h.art I",t tha::ftl if you are a particular type of person
character, especially one that you like or dislike In Cl at heart that is your true character even though you may
One of th~ fhings I like about Mary is the UJay she always sometimes think you are different ladv phrasel
keeps smllmg, even when there are problems. I The nicest She's a traveller at heart. You'll never get her to seUle down. I
thing about Richard is that he doesn't mind being criticized. Paul was an easy·going fellow at heart who wanted only to
enjoy himself.
there's something about /6e;}fZ 'SAJIl8llJ ;}bautf you
say there's some thing about a person when you mean characteristic CHARACTER OF STH 2,
that they have a certain quality in their character which CHARACTER/PERSONALITY 3, TYPICAL 2
affects you in some way, although you cannot say exactly characterize TYPICAL 3
what that quality is charade PRETEND 8
I clan 't know what it is, but there's something about that man charge ACC USE 1. 2. 3. 4. COST 1, 4, RUN 1
which really irritates me. charge: be in charge IN CHARGE OF 1
charge: be In charge of RESPONSIBLE 1
4 to have a particular Iype of character charge: bring charges/press charges ACCUSE 2
charge: free of charge FREE/COST NOTHING 2, 3
be
charge: no charge FREE/COST NOTHING 2. 3
by nature charge: put sb in charge RESPONSIBLE 8
be of a nervous/jealous/amiable disposition charged NERVOUS 5
be in ab 's nature charitable KIND 2
be Jbi; strong bi:/lvl charily GIVE 20. ORGANIZATION 3
She's!unny, intelligent, and talented. I The new teacher was charlatan PRETEND 6
cIour and unfriendly and didn't talk much. I I'm not very con· charm ATIRACT 5
fuient with strangers. charm: worka like magic/like a charm EFFECTIVE 1
charmed life: lead a charmed life LUCKY 2
by nature lbal 'ne1tI", rf if you have a particular quality
by nature it is part of your character and you cannot charming NICE 3
change it ladv phrase] charred BURN 6
She's generous by nature. I His mother, mistrustful by chart RECORD 1
nature, never accepted that Lori's offer was genuine. I I am charter BORROW 3, RIGHT/HAVE THE RIGHT TO 7
not by nature a violent man, but these insults were more than chase FOLLOW 2
I could bear. chase: give chase FOLLOW 2
chase after/go after FOLLOW 2
be of. nervous/jealous/emlable disposition fbi:
chasm HOLE 3
;)V;} tll3:rv",s, tdsel",s , lelmi3001dlspa'zII.mf a fonnal expres-
chat TALK TO S8 4 , 7
sion mean ing to have a character that makes it 1ikely that
you wi1l behave nervously. jealously etc [v phrase] chat: have a chat TALK TO S8 4
He's considerate and sweet-tempered but of a very nervous chat up TALK TO S8 11
disposition. I The young man was of ajeaious disposition chatter TALK TO S8 6
as his fzancee soon discovered. ' chatterbox TALK TO SB 15
chattering: sb's teeth are chattering COLD 6
be In ab's nature Ibi: In (sb's) tnenI",fl if it is in som e-
chatty TALK TO S8 15
on e's nature to do something, they have the sort of charac-
chauffeur DRIVE 4
ter that makes them likely to do it IV phrasel
It was not in his nature to take ri..,k.,.,. I Tcan "t believe she'd chauvinism: male chauvinism PREJ UDICED 6
be so deceiifu I. Tt's just not in her nature. chauvinist PREJ UDICED 7
chauvinist: male chauvinist PREJ UDICED 7
chauvinistic PREJUDICED 5
ch.ap CHEAP 1, 4 , 7, TASTE IN CLOTHES, MUSIC
ETC 6
cheap 205
cheap: be going cheap CHEAP 5
I cheap: not come cheap EXPENSIVE 1
cheap: on the cheap SPEND MONEY 6
cheap and nasty CHEAP 4
. CHEAP
t words meaning cheap
2 cheap and having a fair p rice when
compared to other similar th ings
3 very cheap
4 cheap but bad in quality
5 cheaper than usual because the price has
been reduced
6 ways of saying that something gives you
good quality for the price you pay
7 ways of saying that someone d oes, buys, or
sells something for very little money
8 to make something cheaper by reducing its
price
9 a period of time when a shop reduces its
prices
10 to persuade someone to reduce the price of
something
1 wo rds meaning cheap
I~ I~::::en~ve
not cost much
economical
be low In price
economy
affordable it won 't break the bank
IOW-C08t low-budget
cheap /tJi:pJ costing very little money. less money than
usual, or less money than expected, though often not of the
best quality la«j)
I only pay $20 a weekfor th£ room - tt's really cheap. I Th£
furniture 's slightly damaged - that's why it was so cheap. I
The Russian economy has/ora long time been dependent on
cheap imports DJ grain/rom the US. I The cheapest way of
getting to Chicago is to take a bus. I cheap hoteVrest-
aurant/garage etc (=one that has low prices) There are
plenty o/cheap hotels in the 'Marals' area 0/ Paris.
chcaply (adv] It's possible to live in Japan/airly cheaply. 1
You can pick up several things Quite cheaply at our local
market.
Inexpanslve I , Inlkl spenslv ,,/ a word used especially in
written English meaning not expensive and of good qual-
ity for the price you pay [adj]
The car requires a powerful, but inexpensive and easy-to-
maintain baltery. I Th£friendliness ofth£ people and its inex·
pensive accommodation make Denmark an ideal place/or
tourists. 1 We can thoroughly recommend this inexpensive
but excellent red wine. 1relatively in expensive Most o/the
tools n.eeded are relatively inexpensive and can be bought in
any loca I hardware store.
not cost much Inot 'kost ImAll 11 -'Io:st-I an informal
expression meaning to not be expensive Iv phrase not in
progressive ]
We had a very nice meal and it didn't cost much. 1 Second-
hand furniture doesn't usually cost much. 1not cost much
to do sth It doesn't cost much to get from here to London.
aHordable 1~ ' fJ:rd:Jbal/ affordable housing/ cart
h ealth care etc (=cheapenough for most people to be able
to buy. although it costs quite a lot) ladj usually before
IWun )
The Association exists to provide affordable housing for
working class/amities. 1 a health-insurance program that
would guarantee all Americans affordable, high-Quality
medical care 1 CUny's have a vast range 0/ cars to choose
from at affordable prices.
CHEAP
Iow-cost '1130 'kost .. II-'Io:st .. /low-cost housing/heat-
ing/transport etc (=that is designed to be cheap to use)
ladj only before noun)
1/you want low-cost transport and regular exercise, a bike
is ideal. 1 the provision o/low-cost housing/or the elderly 1
Th£ US is giving lowrost loans ro h£lp under<leveloped coun·
tries in the region.
economlcal /, ek~ ' nomlkal .. , ,i:-11 -1no:-/ a vehicle or
machine that is economical is cheap to run or operate
ladj)
The house has a very economical heating system so bills are
not a big problem. 1 the most economical and efficient wash·
ing machine ever
be low In price Ibi: 1130 ID Ipralsl an expression used
especially in written English: ifa product is low in price,
it is cheap to buy Iv phrasel
Nikon's latest camera is low in price and easy to use. 1 The
·Pocket·Pack' rangeo/toys are very low in price and willpro·
vide hours 0/ pleasure/or the kids.
economy II ' kon~mi 11 I 'ka:-/ econ omy fligh ts/ fares /
package etc (=the cheapest type you can buy) ladj only
be/ore nounl
I got an economy /light to Spain/or £99 return. 1 EcoIWmy
fares don't really seem all that cheap these days.
It won't break the bank lit rWORIot brelk O~ 'breI)k/ an
informal expression used especially in British English: if
you say that something won't break the bank you mean
it is fairly cheap and you can therefore afford to buy it
"I'm not sure if I should buy this suit. .. "Come on! It won 't
break the bank!" 1 How much is it? Two pounds? Oh well,
that won't break the bank.
low.. budget /1 130 'bAd3!t"/ low-budget fi lm/ movie/
produ ction etc (=one that is cheap to make) [ad) only
be/ore noun J
My first acting job was in a low-budget horror movie with
a terrible plot.
2 cheap and having a fai r price when
I@. Icompared to other similar thi ng s
~ reasonable
competitive
not bad
raasonable /'ri::un",bal/ reasonable prices are not too
high and you think they are fair ladjl
Hitachi are offering a very good product at a reasonable
price. 1 The restaurant has a wide menu and the prices are
Quite reasona ble.
reasonably priced [ad) phrase) Visitors to New York may
find it difTLCult to get reasonably-priced accommodation
(=accommodation at a reasonable price)
competHlva /k ~m ' pet!tlvl if the prices charged by one
shop or company are competitive, they are as low as or
lower than the prices charged by other shops or companies
ladj)
I think you 'Ufind our prices are extremely competitive. 1 The
hotel offers a high standard 0/ service at very competitive
rates.
competitively priced latti phrase) call this number forour
free catalogue 0/ competitively priced software.
not bad /not 'bred/ if you say that the price of something
is not bad you mean it is fairly cheap compared to the
prices of s imilar things ladj not be/ore noun]
I paid £15OO/or the car. It 's not bad considering how many
miles it had done. 1 They got the house for $52,000, which
wasn't bad.
3 very cheap
d irt cheap at rockbottom prices!
be a snip at giveaway prices
be a steal
dirt cheap 'ld3: rt 't!i:p"/ an informal expression mean-
ing extremely cheap (adj not usually before nounJ
You can get beautiful leather jackets in the markets and
they're dirt cheap.
CHEAP 206
dirt cheap (adv I She buys all her clothes dirt cheap in
charity shops.
be a snip Ibi: Cl ' sm p! an informal British expression
meaning to be extremely cheap at a particular price Iv
phrase)
be a snip at £10/$50 etc The new word processor package
is a snip at only £399 plus tax. I be a snip It was only fifty
pence - it was a snip!
be a steal /bi: Cl 'stdJ an infonnal American expression
meaning to be extremely cheap Iv phrase]
She says her new Diorouifit was a steal. I be a steal at £10/
$50 etc Our new cheeseburgers are a real steal at only $1.10.
at rockbottom priceslat giveaway prices I>t
IrokbotClm Ipra ls!z, ~ .glvClwe l- 11 - .fo:kbo:tam-J expressions
used especially in advertising: ifa shop is selling goods at
rockbottom prices or at giveaway prices, it is selling
them extremely cheaply [adv phrase ]
Fox Hi-Fi specialize in selling top quality CD players at rock-
bottom prices. 1 In our Sumrrrer Sale we have clothes from
top designers at giveaway prices.
4 cheap but bad in quality
cheap
cheap and nasty
cheap ItJi:pl ladj usually before noun]
The Iwtel room was very small and filled with cheap /urni-
ture. 1 Her hair smelled ofcheap perfume and stale tobacco. 1
Joe was wearing a cheap looking thin yellow sports jacket
and dirty white shoes.
cheap and nasty /, tJhp;)o 'oO!sti 11 - lo(I:S-1 furniture,
jewellery, or clothes that are cheap a nd nasty look cheap
and of very bad quality ladj phrase]
What do you think of these braceiRts? They look really cheap
arui nasty to me. I I don't liIIT! plastic shoes. They always seem
cheap and nasty.
5 cheaper than usual because the price has
been reduced
reduced on sale
cut-price be on offer
£1I$20/20p ete off special offer
be going cheap special
reduced /n 'dju:sl 11 - 'du:stf goods that are reduced are
being sold at a lower price than usual {adj not be/ore noun]
I tlwught I'd make a lemon souffle because lemons were
reduced. 1 Everything's reduced because the store's closing
down next 17Wnth. 1 CDs are reduced/ram $10 to $5.
reductions In 'dAkJanz/ {nplural l massive reductions on all
Christmas goods lfinal reductions on all rrrenswear and chil-
dren's clothes
'I
cut-price kAt 'pra ls. ' cut-price goods or services are
sold at prices that are much lower than the usual price,
either because they have been specially reduced or because
they are being sold by someone who always sells things
cheaply ladj only Wore noun ]
Tottenham Court Road is the best place/or cut·price stereo
equipment. 1 They always have sorrre special of/er at the
supermarket; cut-price cigarettes or free gifts or something.
£1/$20/2Op etc oH 1(£1 ete) 'ofl if there is £1, $20, or
20p etc oiTsomething, its usual price has been reduced by
that amount (n phrase]
We got $10 off because the chair had a scratch on it. 1 20%
off all computers in the Dixons summer sale!
be going cheap /hi: I g~11J 'tJi:pl if something is going
cheap, it is being sold more cheaply than usual [v phrase ]
If they have any bicycle lamps going cheap, can you get me
one? I Have a look in the travel agent and see if there are any
flights to Toronto going cheap.
on sale Ion 'sell/ an American expression: if you buy
something on sale in a shop, you buy it for less than the
price it is usually sold for [adv phrase ]
CHEAP
"How much was your jacket?" "I got it on sale in Mont-
gomery Wards. It only cost $45. " I They were on sale, I got
four for only $30.
be on offer Ihi: Dn IDf;)r 11 -1;):f_1 ifsomethingis on offer,
it is being sold at less than the usual price for a short period
of time Iv phrase ]
Big sale at Sears next week! Hundreds 0/bargains on offer. 1
"Where did you get that lovely pine table?" "They had them
on offer at Habitat. "
special offer l ,speJal 'of;)r 11 -1;):f_1 an unusually low
price for something, usually only for a short period of time
to encourage more people to use the shop (n C J
It 's a special of/er. You get two sweaters/or the price %ne.1
When she was out shopping Maggie used to look out/or all
the special offers. 1 Today 's special offer! Potatoes at 10 pence
a pound.
special / ' speJall an American word meaning something
that is sold at an unusually low price for a short time, espe-
cially to encourage more people to use the shop {n Cl
This week's special: Levijeans at $20. Ion special (=being
sold as a special) We have Bud beer 6-packs on special at $5.
6 ways of saying that something gives you
good quality for the price you pay
be good value be a good deal
value for money get your money's worth
good be 8 bargain
be a good buy
be good value /hi: ,gud IvreJju:/ to be well wor th the
price that you have to pay [v phrase]
The meal was really good value - we got at least six courses
all/or under £10. 1 £600 might seem expensive/ora two-week
holiday, but when you look at all the extras it's quite good
value. I Though they rangefrom $2{J() to $450, they're allgood
value.
value for money {, vrelju: f.:Ir ' IllAnil if something that
is being sold is valUe for money or gives you value for
money, it is well worth the price that you have to pay In
phrase]
At $80 the Sony tape p layer is the best value/or money of the
machines we tested. 1 The show was less than one Iwur lnng
and we didn't really get value/or money.
good {gud/ if you say that a price is good when you are
buying something, you mean it is fairly low and is worth
what you pay ladj]
We got a coffee table and three chairsfor quite a good price
in the market. 1 £20/or a Centre Court ticket? That's good!
be a good buy Ihi: ~ ,gud 'ball if something is a good
buy, it is worth the price you pay for it because it is of good
quality, will last a long time, ete [v phrase]
This car was a really good buy, I've never had any trouble
with it. 1 Oranges are a good buy at the moment. 1 The Tandy
WOO series is a good, saJe buy.
be a good deal /hi: ~ ,gud 'di:ll if something is a good
deal, it is worth the price you pay, because it includes a
lot of additional things or services Iv phrase]
The price o/the holiday includes/ree use ofthe tennis courts,
the pool arui unlimil£d alcohol. It's a really good drol. I They
gave me an excellent deal on my camera.
get your money's worth ' Iget j:>: r 'mAniz W3: r St if
you get your money's worth when you pay to see some-
thing or do something, it is well worth the money you pay
Iv phrase]
The Rolling S tones played/or over three hours and the/ans
certainly got their money's worth. 1 It's a fantastic show -
I can guarantee you'll get your money's worth.
be a bargain ,hi:;) 'bO!rg1nl to be very cheap for what
you get [v phrase 1
I got this shirt when I was in Thailand. It was a real
bargain.
bargain [n C] We picked up some good bargains in the
antiques market yesterday.
CHEAP
7 ways of saying that someone does, buys, or
sells something for very little money
for very Httle money
cheap
for nothing
for very little money If~r ,veri IItl ' rIlAni/ladu phrase]
You can pick up video recorders for very little money if you
know where to look.
cheap ItJi:pl if you buy or sell something cheap, you buy
or sell it cheaply [adv]
Where did you get that camerafrom.? I got it cheap from my
brother. 1 It was a lovely old VW Beetle but I had to sell it
cheap because I needed the money.
for nothing If~r InA91r)( an expression used especially in
American English meaning very cheaply [adv phrase]
We got the car for nothing because the woman wanted to get
rid a/it/ast. I it costs nothing to do sth (=you can do it
very cheaply) Turkey is a great place/or tourists. It costs
nothing to eat out and the hotels are very reasonable.
8 to make something cheaper by recucing its
pnce
reduce/cut
knock £1/$20/20p elc oft
slash
discount
reduce/cut /n'dju:s , kAt 11 n 'du:s-I to make prices,
207 CHEAT
beat ab down I.bi:t (sb) 'daunj to persuade someone to
reduce the price of something by arguing with them about
it Iphr v TI
beat sb down to $50/£20 etc The owners originally wanted
$l(}()()for the harse, butI managed to beat them down to $850.1
beat sb down I heat him down and got the bracelet/or $2.
bargain with I'ba: rg!n W 101to try to persuade someone
to reduce the price of something by discussing it with them
Iv T not in passive]
I bargained with the woman who was selling the plates and
managed to get them for half the usual price. I The locals
were used to bargaining with each other and it was difTlCult
for me to get a good price.
haggle /' ha:gall to try to persuade someone to reduce the
price of something by arguing with them about what it is
worth, especially in countries where this is the usual way
of deciding a price [v 11
haggle over The driver haggled bitterly over the fare. I
haggle I/yougo to a street market, you're going to have to
be prepared to haggle.
cheapskate GENEROUS 3
~ cheat CHEAT 1. 5, 6
cheat on UNFAITHFUL 2
Icheat 1:--:---~:-------1 ",,'

charges, etc cheaper rv Tl

Unless Jaguar can reduce their prices, they will soon be
which meaning?
unable to compete on the American market. 1 There is a lot act dishonestly in
ofpressure on electricity companies to cut their prices. 1 The
company needs to cut costs drastically ifit 's going w survive. 1 order to get money. .,.• CHEAT

reduce sth by 10%/ £20 etc Transworld airlines are w win a game ate
reduce fares by up to 10% in some areas.
reduction/cut In 'dAkjaR, kAtI In Cl lfthere was a reduc- make someone • TRICK/DECEIVE
tion inJares ("' if the fares were reduced) more people would believe something
want to use the service. I Further cuts in oil prices seem that is not true
unlikely.
knock £1I$20/20p etc off / ,ook (£I ete) 'of 11 ,oa:k-/ a dishonest person , • DISHONEST
an informal expression meaning to reduce the price of
something that you are selling [phr v Tl
[ expect if you ask him he '/l knock a couple of pounds off. 1
Knockfif/y bucks off and I'll buy it. • CHEAT
slash Islrej/ a word used especially in advertising mean- to behave unfairly or dishonestly. in order to
ing to reduce the price of something by a very large amount
Iv Tl get money or advantages for yourself
Sony has slashed the price of its new CD player, the D50. 1 1 to cheat someone, especially in order to get
Final Sale. All prices slashed. Everything must Go! I slash money from them dishonestly
sth by 50%/£50/$100 etc British Airways have slashed
fares by over 50%. 2 to cheat someone by making them pay too
discount , 'dlskauntl a reduction in the price you have to much money for scmething
pay for something, which is given to you for a particular 3 to use dishonest methods to get money from
reason, for example because you work for the organization companies, organizations etc
that is selling, or because the goods are damaged In Cl 4 a dishonest method that is used in order to
Is there a discount for cash? 1 15%/30% etc discount get money from a person or organization
Students get a 15% discount on some theatre tickets. I They 5 scmeone who cheats people in order to get
gave me a discount on the carpet because it took them so long their money
to deliver it.
6 to cheat in a competition, game, or
examination
9 a period of time when a shop reduces its 7 to arrange scmething dishonestly, for
prices example a game or election , so that you get
sale the result that you want
sale /sel l/ln Cl
Peopiequeue all nightfor the/irst day a/the Harrods sale. I
The January sales. I I hear Smiths are having a closing-
1 to cheat someone, especially in order to get
down sale. There should be some good bargains. I the sales
(=the time a shop has a sale) When are the sales on again? Ital
~
money from them dishonestly
cheat pull a fast one
10 to persuade scmeone to reduce the price of swindle take sb to the
something con cleaner's
beat sb down trick sb out of you 've been had
bargain with do sb out of double-cross
haggte
CHEAT
cheat Itfiall v T I
cheat sb These salesmen are very clever. Don 'I let th£m cheat
you. I It was only when I saw the painting on sale for half
the price 1paid/or it thatl realized I'd been cheated. I cheat
sb out of He tried to cheat me out a/my share ofour father's
money. I That company owes us £3(}()() and we're not going
to be cheated out of it by some legal trick.
swindle J I sw I ndll to get money, usually a lot of money ,
from a person or organization by cheating them [v TJ
swindle sb He ended up in jail/or swindling the govern-
ment. I They gave mejull market price/or my apartment -
no, they didn '( swindLe me. I swindle sb out of There have
been allegations that senior olTlCiaLs have swindled star ath-
letes out DJ millions DJ dollars.
con Ikon 11 ka:nJ to get money from someone by deceiving
them, after you have persuaded them that you are honest
and that you will help them Iv TJ
con sb out of The old lady was conned out of her life sav-
ings by a crooked insurance dealer. I con sb into doing sth
The dealer conned my aunt into selling her ring for half its
real value. I con sb You paid $300 for that? You 've been
conned.
trick sb out of f Itrlk (sb) aut ovl to get money or posses-
s ions from someone, by tricking or deceiving them Iphr v
TI
The boss tried to trick us out ofour money. l It was only when
he studied the documents that he realized he had been tricked
out of his inheritance.
do sb out of {'du: (sb) aut ovl to cheat someone by not
givi ng them money that they deserve or that they are owed
Iphr v TI
The way I see it, they've done me out o/three weeks' wages. I
She's convinced the sales assistant did her out 0/ £/5.
pull a fast one I,Pul ~ IfO:SI WAn 11 -'frest-J an informal
expression mean ing to cheat someone by means of a clever
trick Iv phrase]
pull a fast one on sb I think she's trying to pull afast one
on us. Don't sig n anything! 1 pull a fast one It's been three
months since he promised us the cheque - he's pulling afast
one.
take sb to the cleaner's {Itelk (sb) la 6;) Ikli:narz/ an
informal expression meaning to cheat someone out or all
their money or possessions Iv phrasel
We really gal taken to the cleaners on that contract. Most 0/
the work they charged usfor didn't need doing.
you've been had Ij u:v bin Ihred/ you say you've been
had when someone has been cheated but they do not real-
ize it
"I bought this antique ivory carving inAfrica. ""You've been
/w. It 's plastic. "
double-cross l ,dAbal 1 kros 11 _Ikn:s( to cheat someone
you pretended to be helping or working with, especially by
helping their enemies Iv Tl
I'm warning you - if you double-cross me, I'll kill you. 1
Harry and Danny double-crossed the gang and escaped with
all the mOTley.
2 to cheat someone by making them pay too
much money for something
overcharge
rip off
fleece
overcharge / ,auva r 'tJo:rd31 to cheat someone by charg-
ing illem more than the agreed or usual price for something
Iv IITI
ovel'Charge sb We were quite sure the hotel had overcharged
us but there was nothing we could do about it. 1 People are
always complaining of being overcharged in that bar. 1
overcharge It seems that the taxi drivers here always
overcharge.
rip off 11fI P l of 11 _I ;}:f{ an informal expression meaning
to cheat someone by charging them m uch more for some-
thing than the usual price Iphr v TJ
rip sb/ her/ them etc off It 's better to buy theatre tickets
directfrom the theatre. Agenciesjust rip you off. 1 rip offsb
208 CHEAT
He apparently earns his living by ripping offyoung kids who
are desperate to get into the music business.
rip-off I 'flp of 11 -o:flln Cl £4/ora glass o/OJke - what a
rip-off!
fleece (f1i:s{ an infonnal word meaning to cheat someone,
especially someone who is easily deceived, by charging
them too much for something or by persuading them to
give you their money [v T J
Some airport shops are accused offleecing their customers,
who don't have any choice but to use them. I When he grew
older and more confused, his children jkeced him for as
much as they could.
3 to use dishonesl methods to get money lram
companies, organ izations etc
fiddle
defraud
be on the fiddle
fiddle f Ifld l/ to dishonestly get money out oran organiza·
tion by cheating it in small ways over a long period of time
Iv IITI
fiddle sth out of The company found out that he had/id·
dled $50,(JOO out 0/ them over the last three years. I fiddle
Most of the staffwerefiddling in one way or another. 1 fiddle
sth Anyone caught fiddling their expenses will be in. serious
trouble. I fiddle sb lfl/md out you 've becnfiddling me you 're
in big trouble.
defraud Id l 'fr.xd/ to get money from a company or organi·
zation. especially a very large one, by deceiving it Iv TJ
defraud sb out of Between them they defrauded the com·
pany out of hundreds of thousands ofdollars. I defraud sb
Theyde/rauded the Tax Department usillg faise names and
forged documents.
be on the fiddle {bi! on 6;) IfldJ/ an informal British
expression mean ing to be getting money dishonestly from
a company or organization, especially one that you work
for over a long period of time [v phrase )
The till is £30 short again - someone must be on thefiddle. 1
It was only after he retired ID the Bahamas that the company
realized he'd been on thefiddle/or years.
4 a dishonest method that is used in order to
get money from a person or organization
swindle fraud
fiddle racket
con seam
swlndle ,lswllldll a well-planned and often complicated
arrangement to cheat people In Cl
Five people have been charged with being involved in the lot·
tety swindle. 1 The whole property development proposal was
a swindle. They never intended to build anything.
fiddle (lfldJI a situation in which people arc cheated, espe-
cially in small ways over a long period of time [n Cl
Thejinn realised some sort affiddle was going on, but. they
had no idea how nmch they were losing. I work a fiddle (:::do
a fiddle) Managers don't really get paid much here, but most
of them are working a few fiddles.
con I kon 11 ko:nl a method or process of getting money
from someone, especially by pretending to be someone else
In Cl
A lot ofpeople gave nwney UJ the charily collectors, not realis·
ing It was a con. I con trick They worked a con trick on a
number of wealthy people by posing as/lnancial advisers.
fraud IfrJ:d( a method of illegally getting money from
someone, often by us ing clever or complicated methods In
C/ UI
Police believe the company was involved in a series offrauds
in banks all over Europe. I Financial losses due to theft or
fraud can be high. I She discovered that she was the victim
of an elaborate fraud.
racket l' rrek11/ an illegal business that is used by crimi-
nals to make a large profit for themselves In Cl
The FBI believe they have found the real criminals behind
CHEAT
a big gambling racket. I The Mafia runs a highly sophisti-
cated drugs racket.
racketeer In Cl The ghetto was a house for
I,n:ek ~ Itl;}rl
.thieves, prostitutes and racketeers (:::people who make
money from rackets) of every description.
seam fskremf an infonnal word meaning a method,
usually used by several people working together, who cheat
someone by making them believe something that is not
true In Cl
I had been tricked and lied to. The wlwle thing was a seam. I
seam to do sth She and her boyfriend were involved in a
seam to get $5 million/rom the company.
5 someone who cheats people in order to get
their money
cheat con-man
cheater swindler
cheat Ilfi:tj In Cl
Don 'f pretend you can't afford to pay me that money back
- you're nothing but a cheat and a liar! I My grandmother
thinks all sales people are cheats.
cheater J'tJht;)rJ an American word meaning someone
who cheats [n Cl
You're a cheater! You only want to marry mother for her
money_
con-man I'kon mre n 11 'kom-J a man who cheats people
by lying to them or pretending to be helpful so that people
trust him In Cl
Two con-men came to the door and offered to take my car
away to be serviced. They must think I'm stupid.
swindler / 'swlndl;,r/ someone who regularly cheats
people or organizations to get money In Cl
Thatfirm is a bunch of swindlers. Don't pay them anything
until the goods have been delivered and checked. 11 wasn't
going to let any kid ofmine work among those swindlers on
Wall Street,
6 to cheat in a competition, game, or
examination
cheat
cheat Ilfi:ll l v 11
That's cheating! Stop looking at my cards. I Anyone caught
cheating will automatically fail this exam. I cheat at
cards/games/darts ctc Once, when someone accused Jesse
ofcheating at backgammon, he pulled out his gun and shot
them dead.
cheating [u] Cheating and bad sportsmanship are comnwn
in professional football.
7 to arrange something dishonestly, for
example a game or election, so that you get
the result that you want
fix
be rigged
fix Iflksl to arrange the result of something, especially of
a sports game, so that it is to your advantage Iv TI
That's the man whojixed the World Series in 1922. I Many
people believe that the outcome of boxing matches arefixed.
fix [n C I Supporters of the losing team protested that the
whole thing was a fix ( = had been fixed).
be rigged /bi: 'ngdl if something is rigged, especially
a vote or an election, it is dishonestly arranged so that a
person or group gets the result they want IV phrase )
The senator resigned after accusations that the election had
been rigged. I They would never have got into power if the
whole thing hadn't been rigged.
cheater CHEAT 5
check CHEC K/MAKE SURE 1, EXAMINE 1. 3, PAY
FOR 15
check: keep/hold sth In check PREVENT 2
check out CH ECK/MAKE SURE 1. TRUE 8
check over EXAM IN E 1
check-up EXAMIN E 3
209 cheering/heartening
• CHECK/MAKE
SURE
1 to check something in order to find out if it is
true or correct
1 to check something in order to find out if it is
true or correct
check verify
make sure/make certain confirm
double-check check out
check ftJckl to take action in order to find out whether
something that you think is correct or true really is cor-
rect or true [v liT)
check that Check that the meal is completely cooked before
you serve it up. I Sally's just checking that she turned off the
water heater. I check sth Dictionaries are most often used
to check spelling, I You'd better check thesefigures again to
make sure there hasn't been a mistake. I check I know it's
cheaper to buy the wine there - 1 checked.
check/ check-up In Cl Myra's taken the baby to the clinic
for his six-month health check (=to check his health).
make sure/make certain I,melk 'fu~r . ,me lk 's3!rtnl
to check because you want to be quite sure that something
is correct or true [v phrase I
make sure/ certain (that) 1 phoned the hotel to make sure
that they had reserved a room/or us. I Be/ore pulling out 0/
a parking place, look in your mirror to make certain there
are no vehicles or pedestrians behind you. I makesure/ cer-
tain J don't think Sarah is in yet, but will you knock at her
door just to make sure?
double"check I .dhbal 'tfckJ to check a second time, so
that you are completely sure Iv IITI
double-check sth Add up the figures, and then double-
check them. I double-check that Double check that you
really <ID want to get rid 0/ a/ile /Jiforeyou delete it I double-
check "Are you absolutely sure you locked the door?" "Yes,
J double-checked...
verify I'ver ~ fa l J to officially check a fact or statement and
show that it is correct Iv TJ
verify sth You can verify the/acts by looking at the audi-
tors'report. I verify that The police visited the clinic to verify
that Mrs Lewis was there.
verification l,verM~ lkelfanJ In UJ The documents are being
sent to the State Department/or verification (=in order to
have the facts in them checked).
confirm Ibnl f3: r mJ to check that an arrangement you
have made has happened or is still going to happen in the
way you arranged [v T J
confirm sth When I phoned to confirm my flight, I was told
there was a strike at the airport. I Ask Miss Peterson to send
a memo confirming the times o/tomorrow's meeting. I con-
firm that Let me just confirm that the money has arrived
in your account.
check out l ,tJek 'aut! to make sure that something, espe·
cially someth ing that someone else has told you, actually
is true Iphr v T I
check out sth We got in touch with the bank to check out
the suspect's story. I We checked out dozen.sofleads about the
Watergate burglary, many of them useless.
checklist LIST 1
cheek: have the nerve/cheek RUDE/IMPOLITE 3
cheeky RUDE/IMPOLITE 2
cheer PRAISE 8
cheer sb on SUPPORT A TEA M OR PLA YEA 2
cheer sb up HAPPY 10
cheer up HA PPY 9, SA D/UNHAPPY 13
cheered: be heartened/be cheered HAPPY 9
cheerful HAPPY 1, 3
cheering/heartening HAPPY 10
cheerless 210 CHILD
cheerless SAD/U NHAPPY 10 girl (::very young girl) A little girl stood sucking her thumb,
cheers DRINK 7 watching us warily.
cheers: ta/cheers THANK 2 toddler f'todl;,r 11 ' to:d-f a small child who is just learn-
chef COOK 10 ing to walk [n C]
c hemistry RELATIONSHIP 2 Mrs May was standing outside the school with a baby in a
c herish KEEP/CONTINU E TO HAVE 2 buggy and a toddler clinging to her skirt. I As toddlers begin
c hest: get sth off your chest TE LL 9 to explore, make sure that all harmful substances are well
ch est: play your cards close to your chest SECRET 7 out of reach.
chew BITE 4
chew sb out TELL SB OFF 2
chew your nails/a penc il etc BITE 4 2 someone's son or daughter
chic FASHIONABLE 1 child daughter
ch icken out BRAVE 7 kid little boyJlittle girl
chief MAIN 1, MANAGER 2 son offspring
chief exec utive MANAGER 2
c hiefly MAIN 5
child Itfarldl a son or daughter of any age [n Cl
Maria was expecting her first child. ! Both my children are
child BABY/HAVE A BABY 1, CHILD 1, 2
married and have children o/their own. 1 Now that the chil-
child-rearing LOOK AFTER S8 4
dren are at school I'm lookingfor a part-timejob. J an only
child (::one that has no brothers or sisters) Alexandra was

IChild 1-------,
which meaning?
a child • CHILD
baby • BABY/HAVE
A BABY
young people, • YOUNG
teenagers etc
CHILD
1 a child
2 someone 's son or daughter
3 a child whose parents have died
4 the period during which someone is a child
1 a child
child boy
kid girl
youngster toddler
child Itfa !ldl a young person from the time they are born
until they are aged about 14 or 15 [n Cl
When I was a child I was a/raid a/the dark. I By the age 0/
two the average child can speak nearly 300 words. ! Children
under 14 pay half the adult/are; children under 3 travel/ree.1
Several people were killed in the bomb attack, including a
child of six.
kid Ikldf an informal word meaning a child In Cl
I loved the movies when I was a kid. ! You couldn't move in
the swimming-pool today - J've never seen so many kids! !
Christmas is great when there are kids around. 1 You surely
don't expect a kid of eight to be interested in politics.
youngster /ljl\l]Std r{ a word used especially by adults
meaning a young person of around ten years and older [n Cl
I don 't think you remember me. I was only a youngster when
you saw me last. 1 Doctors say that parents who smoke are
partly to blame for youngsters taking up the habit.
boy Ib'll a male child In Cl
Most hays like playing/oothall. I Say he/lo to Unck 1'revor
andAunty Edk, there's 0 good boy. I little boy ( ~very young
boy) When I was a little boy, grandpa would sit me on his
knee and tell me stories.
girl Jg3:rJ/ a female child [n C l
TheJenson'sjzrst Ixzbyhad been a girl. I Girls tend to mature
more quickly than boys. ! Th£jilm portrays apartheid as seen
through tMe;,'eS ofa young white girl and her mother. I little
an only child and the centre of her mother's world.
k id Ik ld/ an infonnal word mean ing someone's son or
daughter [n C often plura lJ
Carla and B rad have three kids ~ two boys and a girl. 1 I
thought this wallpaper would be perfect for the kids'
bedroom
son {sAn{ someone's male ch ild [n Cl
I felt sorry for &>b and Eileen 's sons when they split up. 1
You 've got a postcardfromyour son in Wales. I "What does
your son do?" "He's a doctor. " I grown-up son (::adult son)
Linda 's grown-up son is away at college but the younger one
is still at home.
daughter Ild'J:td r / someone's female child [n C l
Clarice is the daughter ofa wealthy lawyer. 1 I have to take
my daughter to nursery school at 1.30. 1 Her daughter works
in an advertising agency. I grown -u p dau ghter (=adult
daughter) We have two grown-up daughters.
little boylllttle girl / lil t! 'b'J r, ,I rd Ig3:q{ someone's
young son or daughter [n Cl
Hilary's son is ten, and her little girl is nearly six. 1 On
Sunday mornings Jack and Sophia 's little boy used to crawl
into their bed while they were still asleep. ! Clare wanted to
buy some sports shoes for her little girl.
offspring IIOflsPfllJ 11 1'J:f_/ a formal or humorous word
for someone's child or children In singular or pluralJ
Parents are generally anxious to protect their offspring. I
Hardly a day goes by without Mrs Molt or one of her off
spring calling around to borrow something_
3 a child whose parents have died
orphan
orphan 1''J: r f<1nl [n Cl
Pepino was a ten-year-old orphan_ His parents had been
killed in the war. I Dr Barnardofounded homesfororphans
in the late nineteenth century.
4 the period during which som eone is a ch ild
childhood
infancy
childhood / 'tfalldhlXlf the period during wh ich someone
is a child In CIUI
Since childhood Margot had longed to be a dancer. 1 Steven
had happy memories of his childhood on thefarm. 1 ch ild-
h ood illness/ experien ces/ dream etc (::that you have
when you are a child) Of course, J had all the usual child-
hood illnesses, like measles and mumps. ! In their autobio-
graphical novels, Tolstoy and Gork}' portray two very difJer-
ent childhoods. ! early childhood Much of my early
childhood was spent with my Aunt in California_
Infancy /1 rnfansi/ a fonna] or technical word meaning the
period during wh ich someone is a very young child [n UJ
A child needs a great deal of love and attention during
infancy. 1 She had had. ten children, and nine of them had
died in infancy.
child's play 211 CHOOSE
child's play: be child's play EASY 2 c!wose whether w be paid by cheque or in cash. I choose
childbirth BABY/HAVE A BABY 5 between (=choose one of two things) We had w c!wose
childhood CHILD 4 between leaving early or paying for a taxi. I choose I can't
children: be able to have children BABY/HAVE A decide which of these vases w buy - I'll let you choose.
BABY 12 .elect /sl l lektl to choose something by carefully think-
children: have children FAMILY 8 ing about which is the best, most suitable etc [v TJ
childish STUPID/NOT SENSIBLE 2 Farmers select only the healthiest animalsfor breeding. I It
childminder LOOK AFTER S8 2 is crucial that parents select the right school for any child
chill COLD 8 with learning difTLCulties. I You will have to ronsider the evi-
chill: lake the chill oH HOT 12 dence, selectfrom it what is relevant, and disregard the rest.
chill out CALM 5. REST 2 pick Iptkl to choose something, especially without think-
chilled COLD 9 ing carefully about it Iv TI
chilling FRIGHTENED 6 He held out a pack ofcards. "Pick a card. Go on, any card. "I
chilly COLD 2. 3 You've picked a bad time to ask for a pay rise - he's just
chime SOUND 15 crashed his car on the way to work. I The names had been
chink HOLE 4 picked at random from the telephom! book.
chip BREAK 4 . PIECE 6 go for l'g:xJ b:rl an informal expression meaning to
chip In GIVE 14 choose something because you are very attracted to it, or
chip off the old block: be a chip off the old block interested in it [v T not in progressive or passive]
LIKE/SIMILAR 6 Whenever we eat out, she always goesfor the most expensive
chipped BROKEN 1 dish on the menu. I f probably wouldn't normally go for a
chlvvy/chlvy ob alon9 HURRY 6 foreign car but I really liked the steering on this Om!.

I chock-a.block: be chock-a-block FULL 1

choice CHOOSE 6, 7, 8
choice: by choice CHOOSE 1
choice: have a choice CHOOSE 1
choice: first choice FAVOURITE/FAVORITE 1
choice: leave sb with no choice/option FORCE S8 TO
take your pick /,telkj:1: r Ip1kJ ifsomeone can take their
pick, they can choose exactly the thing that they want
without anything limiting their choice [v phrase1
You can have whichever prize you like, just take your pick. I
With so many housesfor sale, a buyer with cash can take his
pick. I take your pick of He got hundreds of replies to his
DO STH 3 advertisement and was able w take his pick ofthe applicants.
choice: make a choice CHOOSE 1 make a cholce/,melk Cl 'tJ:11sl to make a decision, espe-
choice: 01 your choice CHOOSE 8 cially a difficult decision, about which thing to choose by
choir SING 3 thinking about all the different possibilities first Iv phrase I
choke BREATHE 9. 10 You're going to have to make a choice. Which dress do you
choose CHOOSE 1. 4. 5. DECIDE 1 prefer? I To leave her family or to stay in an unhappy mar-
i choose: there Is little to choose between/not much riage was a difFrcult decision, but she had made her choice. I
I to choose between UKE/SIMILAA 9 Be/ore you can make the right choice about which course to
J! choose: there's nothing to choose between EQUAL 4 follow, you need a lot more information.
I choose: to choose from CHOOSE 7 have a cholce/,hrev a ItJ:>ISI to be in the situation where
it is_possible for you to choose (v phrase not in progressive]
You have a choicE. You can go to university now or wait until
• CHOOSE nexfSeptember. I Jf I had a choice, I'd work part-time. but
1just can't afford to. I have a choice between On Wednes·
1 to decide which one you want day afternoons the children have a choicE between sports and
2 to finally choose something after carefully art.
considering all the possibilities by cholce/bal ItJ;)JS/ if you do something by choice you
3 to choose a particular one from among many do it after thinking about it and making a free decision to
do it ladv phrase)
similar things Infact he's quite rich, hejust lives in thot tiny apartment by
4 to choose someone for a job. position, team choice. I She stayed in her country by choice when many were
etc leaving to live in a fr ee political climate.
5 to choose someone or something for a
particular purpose 2 to finally choose something after carefully
6 the act or process of choosing considering all the possibilities
7 the range of people or things that you can decide on plump for
choose from settle on opt
8 words for describing a person or thing that
has been chosen decide on IdJ1sald on 11 -a:nl Iv T not usually in
progressive ]
9 to be very careful when you choose
Decide on a colour schemefor the room and stick to it. INter
something a lot ofdiscussion wefinally decided on Wedl1£Sday Ocwber
2nd as our wedding day. I Having decided on how much we
wanted to spend it wasfairly simple to organize the lwliday .
1 to decide which one you want • ettle on / 'sed on 11 -ami if someone, especially a group
of people, settles on something, they finally agree to choose
choose take your pick that thing after considering all the possibilities, discuss-
select make a choice ing it etc (v T not in progressive 1
pick have a chok:e Hiroaki wanted white and I wanted black. so we settled on
go for by choice grey. I Can we at least settle on a datefor our next meeting?1
When the baby was born the parents had still not settled on
choose Itfll,,/lv l i T) a name.
choose sth She chose that house because she liked the
garden. I Why did you choose such a bright rolour? I The plump for l'plAmp f.J: rI an informal expression used espe-
story had been chosen from a selection of stories from the cially in British English meaning to choose one of two or
Middle East. I choose to do sth Few women, offered the more things that you could choose, because you have to
chance of such a career, would choose to stay at home. I make a decision, but without knowing which one you
choose whether/which/when etc The workers could really want Iv T not in passiveJ
They tlwught ofgoing to Madeira or mainland Spain. but
- __ I
CHOOSE
finally plumped/or the Canary Islands. 1She loolred at every
sweat€r in the shop before plumping for a red mohair one.
opt I' OP' 1 'o!ptl a formal word meaning to choose some-
thing after carefully considering all the possibilities Tv 11
opt for 5th Most viewers are consistently opting jor Ught-
hearted TV instead DJ serious documentaries. I Tests have
shown that girls tend to opt/or languages whereas boys are
more likely to study science or maths. I opt to do sth The
society has opted to hold its annual conference in Madrid in
preference to Paris.
3 to choose a particular one from among many
similar things
single out
pick out
single out f Is ll)gaJ Iautl to choose someone or something
from among a group of similar people or things, especially
in order to praise them or criticize them (phr v Tl
single out sb/sth I don't want to single out anyone player.
I think the whole ream played well. 1 Cauld you single out
one/actor that is more important than the others? I single
out for sb/5th Captain Withers was singled outfor special
mention and was awarded the Military Cross.
pick out I rPlk raut! to consider a group of similar people
or things and to choose the one that you like most [phr v TJ
pick sb/ sth/ itlher etc out The ediwr looked through the
fik, picking the best models out. 1There's a whok wardrobe
of clothes over there. Why don't you pick something out? I
pick out sb/ sth He looked through the wurist guide and
picked. out afew exhibitions to see while he was in town.
4 10 choose someone for a job, posnion, leam
etc
choose name
select nominate
appoint be ahortllsted
pick
choose I'iu! zf Iv T]
choose sb The board of directors was criticized for choos-
ing someone who had no experience in lega l matters. I nate sb/ sth for One o/the queues was designated/or peopk
choose sb for The team manager has chosen a stronger side
for the rugby tour than last year's squad. I choose sb to do
sth Choosing a suitable actress to play Ophelia will be
difflCUlt. I choose sb as I sometimes wonder why she chose
Jerry as her assistant. He's useless.
....ct IsA rlcktl to choose someone for a particular job.
position, team etc by carefully thinking about who is the
best, most suitable etc [v TJ
select sb The college selects only twelve students from the
many thousands who apply. 1select sb for I am pleased w
tell you that you have been selected for interview on 2nd
March. I select sb to do sthLieutenant Maines selected the
best jive soldiers to blow up the bridge inpreparationfor the
attack.
appoint 1 ~'pJmtl ifsomeone ina position of power, espe-
cially an employer, appoints someone, they officially
choose someone for an important job or position in an
organization [v TJ
appoint sb The company have appointed a new sales direc-
tor. I appoint sb as The President has appointed Irene
Waters as his chief press offICer. I appoint sb 5th John
Campbell was appointed team coach. 1appoint sb to do sth
A committee was appointed to consider changes to the Prison
Service.
appointment rn VJ Sina? her appointment (=since she was
appointed) Sarah Robinson has hod w deal with two major
crises as ambassador.
pick Jplk/ to choose someone to be a member of a sIX>rts
team IvTI
pick sb The hockey captain picked his team the evening
be/ore tIu! game. 1 pick sb to do sth She was never piclred
to play on teams at school.
name Inelrn/ to publicly say who has been chosen for an
important job or position in an organization [v TJ
212 CHOOSE
name sb as The Principal will be rettring soon. Mr John-
son was reamtly named as her replacement. I name sb sth
We are naming Or Bob McClure head 0/ tIu! IRC in China. 1
name sb Theediwr o/,tIu! Times' has resigned amid apo/U·
ical storm. His successor has not yet been named.
nominate J'nomAnclt n InO!-/ if someone, especially a
group of people, nominates someone, they officially choose
that person for a particular job, piece of work to do etc.
because they are the best person to do it Iv T]
nominate sb to do sth Someone had to go out and speak
to the press, so everyone nominated Sykes. I Through the
irifluence offriends he was nominated to represent his coun-
try at the meeting. I nominate sb as They nominated. her
as the British spokesperson at the International Anns
Coriference.
be .horlUated /bi: rJ:>:rtllstldl a word used especially
in British English: if you are shortlisted for a job or a posi-
tion, you are one of a small group of people who have been
chosen from other people who want the job, and from that
small group one person will be chosen for thejob [vphraseJ
be shortlisted for Three applicants have been slwrtlisted
and will be invitedfor interview next week. I She's been provi-
sionally shortl;.,tect for the TokYo direcwrship.
5 to choose someone or something for a
particular purpose
choose earmark
designate target
choose "iu:zf Iv TI
choose sb/ sth as SeaUle has been chosen as the venuefor
next year's con/erence. I choose sb/sth for Many of the
industries chosen for government investment have in fact
already gone bankrupt. I choose sb/sth to do sth The
fabric that she chose to be made into a dress is a combina-
tion of silk and cotton.
deslgnat. / 'dczlgne ltl to officially choose someone or
something for a particular purpose with the result that
they cannot be used for anything else [v TJ
designate sb/sth They're going w designat£ this sideo/the
canteen a no smoking area. I deSignate sb/ sth as The whole
area has been designated as a redevelopment zone. I desig-
with an EC passport. I designate sb/ sth to do sth He's been
designated to organize a new filing system for the whole
offICe.
eannark 111 ~rmO!rk/ to choose someone or something
from among a larger group so that they can be used for a
particular purpose in the future Iv T ]
earmark sb/sth for 20% o/the budget has already been
earmarked for a new computer system. I earmark sb/ 5th
to do sth The government has already earmarked some of
the troops to be called to the war zone at a moment's notice.
target / Ita:rg!tl to choose a particular group of people or
a particular place as the one that you are going to do some-
thing to, give something to etc [v T usually in passive]
target sb/ sth Of the countries that Amnesty International
targeted, some qf them were found to be still committing
crimes against human rights. I target sb/sth for Many of
the hospitals targeted for closure are in the poorest parts of
London. 1 target sb/sth to do sth Same 0/ the people who
have been targeted to promote the book are majorceiebrities.
6 the acl or process of choosing
choice
selection
choice "i'ISlln Cl
They could have a mortgage or a car. Alf Wt the choice to
Jinny. 1 The decision w /rove home has been a diffICult choice
for me to make. 1 The board denied /hatfinancial consider·
ations had influenced their choice.
•• I.ctlon IsA IlckJanl a choice made by carefully think-
ing about which is the best, most suitable etc In UJ
Thefina/ selection has been very diffICUlt due to tIu! high slim·
dard 0/ applicants for the post. I What exactly are your
CHOOSE
criteria/or selection/or entry to the academy? I The survey
reveals that some hospitals are biased in their selection 0/
patients.
7 the range of people or things that you can
choose from
choice alternative
option to choose from
choice ItJ'1S1 In singular ]
Caravan, hotel, camping, youth hostel - the cfwice is end-
less.1 choice of In your exam you will have a choice ofques-
tlans to be answered. I wide choice (=iarge choice) The shop
had a very wide choice o[ cheeses on display.
option flopfan Il la:p-f one of the range of things, espe-
cially a course ofaetion, that you can choose to do in a par-
ticular s ituation [n Cl
What were our options? We could eilMr sell the house or ask
my parents to lend us tlu? nwney. I The Minister said that
there were/our availa ble options, but d id not say which one
the Governmentfavoured. I keep/ leave your options open
(::;try to delay any decision so that you can choose later)
We didn't mnke a public statement because we wanted to keep
our options open until after th£ election.
ahernatlve /:l:I I13: f natlv 11:l: I ~ , <:eH one of the things you
can choose, especially one that you can choose instead of
another that you do not want In C)
Check out the alternatives before deciding whether to go to
a nearby college. 1alternative to Medical evidence suggests
that these tonics are useful alternatives to more powerfuL
drugs. 1 have no alternative (""be in the situation where
you cannot choose to do anything else) It will tak e a long
time to get there by train, but we don't have any alternative.
to choose from I t ;} ItJU:Z from! if there is a particular
range of things or people to choose from, you can choose
what you want from that range fadj phrase)
There wasn't a very good selection of stories to choosefrom.1
There was a tempting array ofcakes to choosefrom. 1 Ameri·
can television blew his mind. So mnny stations to choose
from.
8 words for describing a person or thing that
has been chosen
chosen selected
choice handplckedJhand-plcked
selection of your choice
chosen 11tJauz;mJ [adj only before noun]
I want my children to be succesiful in their chosen careers.!
You have two minutes to answer questions on your chosen
subject. ! well-chosen (=carefully and successfully chosen)
Her dress was very simple but looked stunning with a f ew
well~chosen accessories.
cholce !tJ:l lsl a person or thing that someone has chosen
I n singular I
Italy was our second choice - all thej1ights to Greece were
booked up. I I don't think much ofyour clwice ofcar but it's
your money. I A Bootles' song is an unusual choicefor wed·
ding music.
.electlon !s AlJekJ3nl a small group of things that have
been carefully chosen from a larger group because the
person who chose them thinks that they are the best, most
suitable etc [n C usually singular }
She showed me a selection of her best drawings and asked
me to choose one. I The designer produced a selection of gar·
mentsfor the woman to try on. I Tests were made on a selec~
lion from the bacteria to prove the scientist's theory.
.elected Is~ ' lekt1dl carefully chosen from a group,
usually for a particular purpose [adj only before noun]
There is a discount of 10% oJJselected items in this store. I
The book is a collection ofselected essays by D.H.Lawrence. 1
specially I carefully selected Six specially selected students
were oJJered places on the new postgraduate course.
handplcked/hand.picked I ,hrend 'p,kt-I people who
are hand~picked have been specially chosen because they
213 chop
are the best or most suitable people for a particular job,
position etc [adj]
The handpicked staff in this school are of an excellent stan-
dard. I With a sma ll, hond·picked SQuad ofex-paratroopers,
GoWns managed to get through th£ defences.
of ,our choice J;)V j3: T IIJ31S1 something of your choice
has been chosen by you, with nothing limiting which one
you choose (adj phrase )
The magician lold her to hold up three cards of her choice.l
You could win afabulous weekend break at a luxurious hotel
of your clwice. I The success of the game depends on each
person signalling a message to a team member of their
choice.
9 to be very careful when you choose
something
shop around picky
pick and choose be particular about
selective be fussy about
choosy
shop around / tIop ~Iraund 11 IJo:p-/ an informal expres-
sion meaning to look at or try several different possibili-
ties before choos ing one, so that you choose the best one,
the cheapest one etc rphr v IJ
Never buy thejirst car you see. Always shop around. I When
you are looking for a good dentist, shop around. I shop
around for Shop around for the best price.
pick and choose 'I Plk ~n ItJU:Z/ if someone can pick
and choose, they are in the situation where they can
choose what they want because there are plenty of things
available to choose from IV phrase ]
pick and choose sth With so many unsuspecting tourists,
London taxi drivers can pick and choose their passengers. I
pick and choose In areas of high unemployment jo/r
hunters cannot afford to pick and choose.
selective Is! 'Jekllvl someone who is selective chooses
things very carefully because they want to choose the best,
most suitable etc (ad)]
selective about Teenagers are becoming m ore seleclive
about the clothes they buy. I People are becoming more and
more selective about whatfoods they buy these days. ! selec-
tive You've got to be very selective when choosing your
companies.
choos, JIIJU:zil an infonnal word: someone who is
choosy chooses things very carefully, because they are not
prepared to have what is not the best [adjl
lVhen you need to find somewhere to live urgently you can 't
always be too choosy. ! choosy about I'm very choosy about
who I invite to my parties. I Europeans are getting choosier
about what they eat.
pick, / Ip lkil an informal American word: someone who
is picky chooses things very carefully because they are not
prepared to have what is not the best [ad})
Don't be so picky! Eat what you are given. I picky about
She's too picky about who she dates, I guess.
be particular about Ibi: paflttk~lar ;)baut/ to be very
careful about choos ing only the very best of something, or
only exactly what you like. usual1y with the result that
people think you are too careful about it Iv phrase]
be particular about what/ where etc Monica is particu-
lar about what tea she drinks. I be particular about sth
He is particular about his appearance, boasting the best
clothes and shoes from France and Italy.
be fuss, about /bi: Ift\si abautl an infonnal expression
meaning to be very careful about choosing only the very
best of something, or only exactly what you like, with the
result that people think you are too careful about it Iv
phrase]
be fussy about what/where etc Since the time she was ill.
she's beenfussy about what she eats. I be fussy about sth
Ifyou are backpacking in the Himalayas you can 't be very
f~y about hotels!
choosy CHOOSE 9
chop CUT 6
chop and change 214 CIRCLE
chop and change CHANGE FROM ONE TH ING TO ring In IJI a line that is in the shape of a circle, especially
ANOTHER 2 , CHA NGE YOUR MINO 3 of people or things surrounding something [n C)
chop/chop up cur 5 The cottage was surrounded by a ring of trees. I Choose the
chop down CUT 7 answer which you think is most correct. and draw a ring
chop off CUT 4 around it. I The hnstage's wrists had red rings on them where
chore JOBITASK 1 the ropes had beenpulkd tight. I in a ring (=in a shape like
choreograph DANCE 4 a circle) The children sat around him in a ring, eager to hear
choreography DANCE 4 his story.
chosen CHOOSE 8 loop /Iu!p/ something such as a piece of string or wire that
christen CA LUDESCRIBE AS 2 is curved round to make a shape almost like a circle In Cl
christened: be christened NAME OF A PERSO N 5 The gate was attached to the post by a loop of rusty wire. I
Christian name: first/Christian name NAME OF A a tattered old s/wpping bag with a loop of string for a
PERSON 1 handle I The roadgoes round in a loop and rejoins the main
chronic LONG TI ME 6 road about 2 kilometres past the town.
chronicle RECORD 2
chubby
chuck
FAT 4, 5
THROW 2
2 having the shape of a circle
chuck away THROW AWAY 1 round
chuck out THROW AWAY 1 circular
chuckle LA UGH 1 round /rauod/ shaped like a circle lad)1
chunk PIECE 3 In the kitchen there was a round table with a vaseof.flowers
chunky THICK OBJECT OR MATERIAL 1 on it. I Violet stared at him with huge round eyes. I The moon
church RELIGION 2 was perfectly round that night. I round·shaped What does
churUsh RUDE/IMPOLITE 1 this round-shaped letter mean?
chum out MAKE 3 circular / ' s3!rkj~ l~r/ shaped exactly like a circle, or
cinch: be a cinch/a piece of cake EASY 2 moving in the shape of a circle lalU)
circa APPROXIMATELY 4 The cattle are kept in a large enclosure surrounded by a cir-
circle AROUNDfROUND 4, CIRCLE 1, FRI END 3 , cular fence. I The Villa Madama has a circular courtyard
TURN 5 with rooms leading off it in all directions. I The procession
circle: come full circle HAPPEN 14 follows a circular route through the town, andjinishes back
circle: move In literary/artistic circles SOCIALIZE 2 in thi! park,
circle/ring CIRCLE 5

3 an object that is shaped like a circle

circle ring
disc/disk
ring IflrJl an object that is in the shape of a circle with a
large round space in the middle In Cl
CUt the onion into rings andfry in a little oil. I You have to
throw thi! UJOOden rings so that they land around thi! bottles. I
He sat in a corner blowing smoke rings.
disc/disk /dISk/ an object that is in the shape of a flat
circle In Cl
A small metal identity disc hung from the dog 's collar. I He
gazed up at thi! pale yellow disk ofthi! moon. I Each player
-l ti ROUND chooses a colowed disk and plac£s it on the board in the space
marked 'go',

• CIRCLE 4 shaped like a ci rcle but with slightly flat sides

1 a circle
2 having the shape of a circle
3 an object that is shaped like a circle
4 shaped like a ci rcle but with slightly flat sides
5 to draw a circle around something
6 half a circle
1 a circle
circle
ring
toop
circle IIS3: Tkal{ an area or line that is in the shape of a
circle In Cl
Thi! teaclm" drew a eireil! on the blackboard. I Thi! JapaTU!Se
flag consists ofa red eireil! against a white background. I Thi!
flashlight threw a dim circle of light onto the wall. I The
circle o/stones at Stonehenge is tlwught to have originally
been a temple. I in a circle (""'in a shape like a circle) The
soldiers stood around me in a circle. I form a circle (=to
make a group of people or things in the shape of a circle)
I want you to form two circles, one inside the other. Boys on
the outside. girls on the inside.
oval
egg-shaped
elllpllcat
oval/ ':xJVJI/ladjl
In the dining room is a highly polished oval table with
matching chairs. I Some pies are oval in shape and some are
round.
.gg..shapecl/'egfe lp~ shaped like an egg, slightly wider
at one end fad))
I could see Robert's little egg-shaped face peering out of the
window.
alllptlcal/l'hptobl/ a technical word meaning in the
shape of a circle with two slightly flat sides fadjl
The earth moves around the sun in an elliptical orbit. I A
striking feature of this architectural style is the elliptical
windows.
5 to draw a circle around something
Circle/ring
clrclelrlng I'S3: r kal, £lrJ/ to draw a circle around some-
thing that is written or drawn ona page, especially in order
to make it easier to see or notice [v TI
Two of the advertisements in the paper had been circled. I
Someone had ringed all the important landmarks on the
map in pencil.
CIRCLE 215 CLASS IN SOCIETY
~--------------~

6 half a circle
• CLASS/GROUP OF
semicircle
semicircle l'seml,S3!rkJI,
The t~tre
[n Cl
was in the form 0/ a semicircle. I Behind the
STUDENTS
beach lS a huge semicircle of limestone cliffs. I in a semicir- 1 a group of students in a school. college etc
cle The teacher had arranged the desks in a semicircle
~micircular , I seml l S3:rkj~I:}rl (adjl Weateatasmalls~i.
cIrcular table which stood against the wall.
' circuit AROUND/ROUND 4
1 a group of students in a school, college etc
~ circular CIRCLE 2 class year
Circulate SPREAD 3, 6 grade set
circulation READ 8 form
circumspect CAREFU L 4
circumstances SITUATION 2 , 5 class Ildo:s 11 Idre'l In Cl
There are twenty kids in the class. 1 She gets along well with

I circumstances: force of circumstances SITUATION 6

circumstances: given the situation/circumstances
SITUATION 6
circumstances: underlin the circumstances
the other children in her class. 1 I'm going out with some
friends from my dance class. 1 They were a very badly
behaved class - the teachers were lerrifled oflhem. I Theeol·
lege has three photography classes at different levels.
SITUATION 6
cite EXAM PLE 2
grade Igreldl a class or group of classes for children of a
c~izen COUNTRY/NATION 5 , LIVE SOM EWHERE 8
particular age in an American schoolln Cl
citizenship COUNTRY/NATION 6
third/seventh/twelfth ete grade She 's in thefiflh grade. I
I really liked my eighth grade math teacher. 1 The third and
city TOWN 1, 4
fourth grade classes are producing a play about the
civic TOWN 4
Pilgrims.
civil POLITE 1
third/fourth/fifth ete ,grader In Cl In Ihe lest, 39% of
civil disobedience PROTEST 4 SIXth-graders (=chlldren in the sixth grade)failed to reach
civil liberties RIGHTIHAVE TH E RIGHT TO 5 the required standard.
Civil rights RIGHT/HAVE THE RIGHT TO 5
civil war WAR 2 form If:>:rml a class or a group of classes for all the chil-
claim ASK FOR STH/ASK S8 TO DO STH 2, 10,
dren of the same age in a British school for children
RIGHT/HAVE THE RIGHT TO 4, SAY/STATE 5, 10
between 11 and 18 [n Cl
third/fourth/ fifth ete form I'm in the third form. I Mrs
claim: lay claim to OWN 8
Daures tookthefiflhfonn to the science museum. I formShes
claimant ASK FOR STH/ASK SB TO DO STH 8 by far the brighl€st pupil in theform.
clam up SAY 8 third/fourth/ fifth ete ·former In Cl Some of the fifth·
clamber CLIMB 1 formers (=children in the fifth form) have started a rock

I
clammy WET 4 band.
clamour/clamor LOUD/NOISY 7
~.ar Jjla r •)3: r 11 jl~rl all the classes for children of a par-
clamp down on STOP STH THAT IS HAPPEN ING 6,
STRICT 3
ticular age In a British school or for students in a particu-
lar year of study at a British university In Cl
clandestine SECRET 4 third/fourth/fifth etc year There are J30children in·the
clang SOUND 9 second year. I I hated teaching the fifth year. They were
clank SOUND 9 always causing trouble. I year He works a lot harder than
~ clap PRAISE 8 11Wst of the students in his year.
clapped~out CONDITION/STATE OF STH 5 third/fourth/fifth ete -year In CI A group offourth·years
_ clarify CLEARlEASY TO UNDERSTAND 2 (=students In the fourth year) are collecting money for food
clarity CLEAR/EASY TO UNDERSTAND 3 aid to Africa.
~ clash ARG UE 1. FIGHT 1, 5 , SU IT/LOOK GOOD
aet Isetl a class for children with a particular level ofabil-
TOGETHER 3 , TIM E/AT TH E SAME TIM E 3 ,
ity in a British school [n Cl
WAR 4 set one/ two etc She's in setonefor maths and English and
, clasp HOLD 2 set two for history. 1 top/bottom etc set I was useless at
class CLASS/GROUP OF STUDENTS 1, CLASS IN sc'!Do1 - a,lwD:Ys in the botto"! set in every subject. 1 set We
SOC IETY 1, CLASSlLESSON 1, GROUP/PUT thmk you ve rmproved sufflCumtly to go up to a higher set.
INTO GROUPS 1, TYPE 4
class: be In a class of its own BEST 2
class: middle class CLASS IN SOCIETY 3
class conscious PROUD 8
• CLASS IN SOCIETY
the social group that someone belongs to, or
the position in society that they have,
IClassl according to their job, family, wealth etc
1 words meaning class
which meaning? ;,;;: 2 belonging to the highest class
3 belonging to the middle class
group- 01 Sf\lCjenl8 in a • CLASS/GROUP 4 belonging to the lowest class
school, coflege' etc OF STUDENTS 5 to move into a higher social class
.- 6 words for describing a society that is not
Ief!Son, perIOd 01 • ~ ... . CLASS/LESSON
divided into classes
teaching
, .- t"'t

I)OCIaI class • ...... . CLASS IN

type,'"of thing
Person
0(
.
•• _ TYPE --
SOCIETY
-
•
1 words meaning class
class
background
status
social standing
caste
CLASS IN SOCIETY
class /klo:s 11 klresf the general social group that someone
belongs to, because of their job, the kind of family they
come from or the amount of money they have In C/ U]
It used to be accepted that people would marry into their own
class. I Great inequalities existed between the different social
classes. I Class isn 'f as easy to define as it used to be. I The
social structure of Britain changed rapidly in the 18th cen-
tury with the rise of the new factory-owning class. I class dis-
tinctions (=differences between social classes) Some people
argue that class distinctions do not exist in the Us.
background / Ibrekgraundf the kind of home and family
you come from, and its social class In Cl
The school takes kids/ram all sorts of backgrounds. I My
mother liked to make sure my boyfriends came from a 'suit-
able' background. I Wecomefrom the same town and share
a similar background. 1 The new rules could deter children
from working·class backgrounds from going to college.
status Ilste lt:lS 11 Istelt;)S, Istre-I someone's position in
society, according to how much other people respect them
especially because of the kind of job they have In DJ
Now that he was a bank manager, he wanted a car that
would reflect his status. 1high/ low status Many mothers
feel that they have very low status in today's society. 1status
symbol (=something that someone owns in order to show
their high status) He bought the painting as a status symbol,
not because he was particularly interested in art.
social standing / ls:JUJ,)1 IstrendlrJl the position someone
holds in society according to how respected and admired
they are In singular I
What kind of social standing do teachers have in Japanese
society? 1high/ low social standing Priests used to always
have a high social standing in the community.
caste Ika:st 11 krest/ a fixed and unchangeable division of
people in society according to the family they are born into,
especially within the Hindu religion In Cl
In the south of India there are up to 20 different castes. 1caste
system an attempt to break down the rigid caste system
2 belonging to the highest class
upper-class elite
aristocracy titled
privileged posh
upper-class I ,hp~r Ikla:s .. 11 - ' klres "l belonging to or
typical of the class of people who have the most money a nd
power and are often from families that own a lot of land
ladj)
Upper-classfamilies still own most of the wealth in thiscoun-
try. 1 a young deb from an upper-class background 1 She
received a conL"entional English upper-class education at
ooarding school and Oxford.
upper class/ upper classes In singular or plurall He has
all the advantages 0/ being born into the upper class. 1
Democracy did little to destroy the wealth and security ofthe
upper classes.
aristocracy ' lrer ~ Ismkl.)si 11 _Ista:-J the group of people,
especially in European countries, who are usually very
rich, and whose families used to own a lot ofland and hold
a lot of power [n C with singular or plural verb in British
English I
Five hundred years ago, all politica I power belonged to the
crown, the aristocracy and the church. 1 It soon became
common/or the daughters of rich merchants to marry into
the aristocracy.
aristocratic ' I refl s~ Ilmet Ik .. 11 ;, IrI s-J[ad)l old, aristocratic
families (=belonging to the aristocracy) 1At one time, hunt-
ing was an aristocratic privilege.
privileged Il prIV ~ lld3dJ having a high position in soci-
ety that has special, and usually unfair, advantages such
as power and money and the best education [ad) 1
In many countries today only a privileged minority get the
chance ofgoing to university. 1 The new tax roncessions give
additional benefits to the privileged classes.
privilege [n DI Some of them arejiruiing it hard to accept
that the days of white privilege (=the times when white
people were privileged) are over. 1Katherine has the sort of
216 CLASS IN SOCIETY
confidence that comes with privilege (:::that only privileged
people have).
ellte /e l1Iia , I-I a small group of rich and powerlul people
who have special, unfair advantages that other people
cannot share [n C with singular or plural verb in British
English I
The President has been accused of developing policies in
fal)()ur of a small eUle. 1 The sort of goods once reseroedfor
the elite are now available to everyone.
elitist radj I The British HOllse of Lords is seen by many as
an elitist institution.
titled Iltaldd! someone who is titled belongs to an upper-
class family , especially in Britain, and is officially called
something such as Lord or Lady lad)]
A lot of the boys at this school are titled.
posh Ipo! 11 po:!1an informal British word for describing
someone who speaks or behaves as if they belong to the
upper class, especially in a way that annoys people ladjl
Shefeit very uneasy in the company ofaUthose posh women
with their posh husbands. 1 rich lawyers with their designer
suits and posh accents
3 belonging to the middle class
middle-class the bourgeoisie
bourgeois white-collar
middle-class I,mldl Ikl a:s .. 11 - lklres"l belonging to or
typical of people who are fairly rich and usually well edu-
cated such as doctors, lawyers, teachers or government offi-
cials , etc [ad))
My mother wanted me to marry a nice boy from a respecta-
ble, middle·classfamily. 1 Most rompany bosses are white.
male, and middle-class. 1 The 'New Yorker ' has a
predominantly middle·class readership.
middle class/ middle classes In singular or plural) The
middleclnssesfeel threatened by high crime rates in the inner
cities, and prefer to live in the suburbs.
bourgeois l' bu;'3wo: 11 bu;,r '3wo:1 typical of richer
middle-class people and their attitudes or way of life, espe-
cially their concern with money, property, and correct
soc ial behaviour [adjl
She rejected her parents' conventional bourgeois lifestyle. 1
ThRy never married because they believed that marriage was
a bourgeois institution.
the bourgeoisie l o~ , bu~r3wO:'zi:1 a word used espe-
cially in political or historical contexts meaning the class
that owns most ofthe wealth, property, and industry In sin-
gular with singular or plural verb in British EnglishJ
The poor viewed with envy the increasing wealth ofthe bour-
geoisie. 1 a revolution that threatened the bourgeoisie
white-collar I t wait Ikol;,r .. 11 -'ka:-I white-collar wor-
kers work in offices, banks, government departments etc
as compared with people who work with their ha nds, for
example in factories or mines ladj only before noun]
The late nineteenth century saw a huge increase in the
number of white-collar workers employed in government
administration. 1 Statistics show that white-collar salaries
have risen, on average, by 3.5%.
4 belonging to the lowest class
working-class humble
lower...class popular
the masses underclass
blue-collar
working;.class ',w3:rk ll] Ikla:s.. 11- 'kJres "/ belongingto
or typicalofthe class of people who have very little money
or power and who work in factories, mines, a nd similar
jobs ladj)
Feminists have detected a slow but real change in the atti·
tudesofworking-class women. 1 She's proud of her working
class origins. 1 a tabloid newspaper with a working·class
readership
working class/working classes In singular or plural l
She sees cuts in public spending as an attack on the work-
ing class.
ClASS IN SOCIETY
lower..class I.l~r 'kla:s" 11 -'klres .. J an impolite word
meaning belonging to the class that has less money, power,
and education than anyone else radjl
It has been shown that children oJ lower-class parents are
kss likely to do well at school. I My rrwther's parents tlwught
my father was terribly lower-class.
lower class/ lower classes [n singular or plural] a special
aid program aimed at the lower classes
the masses /();} I mresJzJ all the ordinary people in soci-
ety who do not have power or influence. especially when
they are thought of as not being very educated In p lura l !
Television has brought cheap entertainment to the masses. I
Lenin's position depended on the support oJ the masses.
blue..collar I.blu! Ikol;)T .. 11 _'ka:_/ blue-collar workers
work with their hands in factories, mines, and similar jobs,
as compared with people who work in offices, banks etc
lad} only before noun!
Most ofhis political support comesfrom blue-collar workers
in the auto industry. I The blue-collar unions are protesting
about the introduction of computerized assembly lines.
humble , thAmb31/ humble background/family/ origins
etc (:::from a low social class and without much money, but
often with a lot of determination to work hard and s ucceed)
ladjl
The school had originally provided agood educationfor chil-
dren ofhumble backgrouruis. 1 Eisenhower, Nixon, and Ford
had all been men ofhumble origins and no inherited wealth.
popular / lpDpj~l:>r 11 Ipre_/ popular e ntertainment/
newspapers/music/ TV programmes etc (::: intended to
be suitable for ordinary people who are not highly edu-
cated, especially for working-class people) lad} not before
nounl
a TV channel that provides mm-stop popular entertainment I
the popular press 1 Avantgarcie theatre is never likely to have
m uch popular appeal.
uncl.relass f tAnd3 rklO!s 11 -klres/ the lowest social class,
con sisting of people who are very poor, often do not have
jobs, and cannotafIord to buy the things considered normal
in society In singular with singular or plural verb in Brit-
ish English I
The government has been accused ofcreating an underclass
of people who have no jobs, no homes. and who often turn
to crime. 1For the black underclass in the United States life
has scarcely improved.
5 to move into a higher social class
move up in the world/go up in the world
upwardly mobile
social climber
move up In the world/go up in the world / t mu:v
lAP In 0;) IW3:rJd, I g~ lAp-I [v phrase]
Since they've moved up in the world they never go back to
visit their working-class parents. I Education, she believed,
was the only way that anyone could move up in the world.
upwardly mobile IIAPW3 fdli tm;)(Jbal l 11 - 'm~ba l l some-
one who is upwardly mobile is in the process of moving
into a higher class. especially because they have a well-paid
job [adj phrasel
a highly educated. upwardly mobile young woman 1 The
dating agency specializes infinding partners for the young
and upwardly mobile.
social climber l ,s;)uJal 'kla lm;)f/ someone who wants
very much to move into a higher social class. and tries to
do this by becoming friendly with people who have more
money and power than they do In C l
The new private schools cater for the children of social clim-
bers rather than those of the old upper classes. 1 The Iwtel
lobby wasfull of the usual hangers-on and social climbers.
6 wo rds for describing a society that is not
divided into classes
classless
classless / ' kla:s l:}s ]I tklres-I a classless society is one
that is not divided into classes and in which there is social,
political, and economic equality ladjl
217 classy
The aim ofthe reoolution was to establish a classless society. I
People who believed that post-war Britain would be class-
less were to be disappointed.
CLASS/LESSON
1 the period of time during which a class is
taught
1 the period of time during which a class is
taught
class lecture
lesson seminar
period tutorial
session
class Ikla:s
11 klresl the period of time during which some-
one teaches a group ofpeopie, especially in a school In ClD i
I was so busy playing football T was late for my geography
class. 1 Joanne's swimming class starts at 6pm at the Olym-
pic Pool. 1 class on/ about Girls at these schools attend
classes on cookery andflower arranging. I in class (=during
the class) Yesterday in class we discussed global warming. \
take a class (:::teach a class) Miss Pal lock is ill so I will be
taking today's class.
lesson f IleS3nl the period of time in wh ich someone
teaches a subject or a skill, s uch as driving or playing a
musical instrument, to a person ora group of people In Cl
I'm afraid Lucy can 'tcome to theplwneat the nwment - shes
having her piano lesson. 1 Dad won't teach me to drive. He
says 1 have to take proper lessons. 1 lesson in Miss Brown
comes every day to give me lessons in French.
period l 'p 1ari;xl1 one ofthe periods of time that a school
day is divided into In Cl
At our school we have four periods in the morning and three
in the afternoon. 1 period o f After lunch 1 have a period of
geography. I double period (:::one class which lasts for two
periods) On Moruiay nwrnings there was French, English,
and then a double period of maths.
session / lseJan/ the period oftime in which a particular
subject or a particular area of a subject is taught. especially
when this is one of a fixed number of classes In Cl
We have 5 hours of English a week. including one session in
the language laboratory. 1 In-company management train-
ing sessions give employees the opportunity to meet people
from other parts of their organization.
lecture / 'lektJ;) rf a class in which a teacher talks to a
group of students at a college or university (n C l
Classes are a combination of discussion groups andformal
lectures_ 1 lecture on After 1 heard his lecture on women's
politics, 1 decided to read his book. 1 give a lecture Profes-
sor Dodgsofi is giving a lecture this afternoon on French
Impressionist painters.
seminar I' sem!na: r I a class in which a teacher discusses
a particular s ubject with a group of students at a college
or university [n Cl
I have to do some workfor next week's seminar. Tt's my turn
to introduce the topic. \ seminar on 70% of the company's
female employees attended a seminar on breast cancer con-
ducted by the National Cancer Institute.
tutorial ftju: It:>:ri;)1 11 tu:-/ a ref:,'1llar class at a British col-
lege or university during which a teacher discusses a par-
ticular subject with one student or with a small group of
students In Cl
Small group tutorials are used to discuss problems which
come up in lectures. I Oxford's one-to-one tutorials are an
effective but also costly way of teaching.
classic GOOD/EXCELLENT 6, LONG TIME 8, TYPICAL 1
classified SECRET 1
ctasslfy GROUP/PU T INTO GROUPS 1, TYPE 5
classless CLASS IN SOCIETY 6
classy EXPENSIVE 3, STYLE/E LEGANCE 2
clatter 218 CLEAN
clatter SOU ND 6
clause LAW 3 . WOAD , PHRASE, OR SENTENCE 3 2 completely clean and free from bacteria or
clean CLEAN 1. 2 . 4. 7. GOOD/MORAL 6 . WASH 5 infection
clean: come clean ADMIT 5 clean hygienic
clean: get cleaned up WASH 1 pure sterile
clean: keep your nose clean BEHAVE 2
clean out CLEAN 7 clean Ildi!nl ladjl
clean up CLEAN 7 , 8 , IMPROVE 3, PROFIT 4 The most important thing is to provide the villages in this
clean your teeth: brush your teeth/clean your teeth area with a supply ofclean drinking water. 1 Drug addicts
WASH 4 have been offered clean needles in order to prevent the spread
of AIDS.
pure Ipju~r, water or air that is pure is completely clean
ICleanl and does not contain anything harmfu1 such as dirt or
bacteria [adj l
Itfeltgood to get awayjrom the city and breathe insomeoj
which meaning? ' that pure mountain air. 1 The water in the lake is so pure
you can drink it.
r-''''::~''''';'-'''''''-.
purity [n VJ There is concern about the purity of our tap
be clean, make water (=how pure it is).
something clsen
w..,
ate '"
.~
wIIb 'w8Ier, soap
'" ' -
• WASH
hygienic Iha, 'd3im1k 11 - 'd3e-, -' d3h-1 clean and likely to
prevent bacteria, infections, or illness from spreading [at{i]
You should use cotton wool to clean the wound. It's much
more hygienic. 1 Dairy produce kept under hygienic condi-
tions lasts much longer. 1 Don't let your cat walk on kitc!um
surfaces - it's not at all hygienic.
CLEAN sterile "sternll 11 -Idll completely clean, free from bac-
teria, and safe for medical or scientific purposes [adj l
All babies' battles and other feeding equipm£nt slwuld be
1 words meaning clean kept sterile. I Red Cross OfflCials say they are ronning dRsper·
2 completely clean and free from bacteria or ately short of disinfectant and sterile bandages.
infection
3 the practice of keeping thi ngs clean , 3 the practice of keeping things clean,
especially in order to avoid infection especially in order to avoid infection
4 to make something clean by moving a cloth, cleanliness
your hand ete across a surface to remove dirt hygiene
5 to make something clean and shiny by
rubbing it or brushing it cleanliness l'kJenlin~ sl [n Ul
Although they're the victims of extreme poverty, the people
6 to rub something hard with a brush or rough here pride themselves on their cleanliness. 1 As children, we
material in order to clean it were taught that cleanliness is very important.
7 to clean a room , house etc hyglene,lhald3i!nl the practice of keeping yourselfand
B to remove d irt and other unwanted things in the place where you live or work clean, in order to prevent
order to make a place clean bacteria, infections etc from spreading [n UJ
9 to make something clean and free from Restaurants may be closed down if they fail to keep up to
infection minimum standards of hygiene. I Lack of hyg iene in th£
kitchen meam that cockroaches and mice were endemic. 1
personal hygiene (=the practice of keeping your body
clean) Many kids just aren't particularly concerned about
1 words meaning clean personal hygiene.
clean Immaculate
spotless/spotlessly clean spick and span 4 to make something clean by moving a cloth ,
clean Ikli!n/ ladjl your hand etc across a surface to remove dirt
Always make sure your haru15 are ckan before you start clean
preparing the food. 1 We try to encourage the kids to keep wipe
their rooms clean and tidy. 1 The waiter pulled out a cloth dust
and wiped th£ table clron. IIt's lovely and clron. I I'm taking
some clean clothes with me in case I have to stay overnight. clean Ildi :nl Iv T I
Here's a mop - could you clean the kitchenjloor? 1 Use a
spotless/spotlessly clean I' spotlos, ,spot!osli 'ldi!n 11 special soft cloth to clean VDU screens. I Sh£ clrons th£
Ispa:t-J clothes, furniture, rooms etc that are spotless are wirukJws twice a week.
completely clean because they have been washed or clean [n singular) Thefront windows need a clean (=need
cleaned ladjl to be cleaned).
We all set to work and within half an hour the whole place
was spotless. 1 Hannah was busy folding piles of newly- wlpe /wa lp/ to move a cloth, your hand etc over a swface
wash£d, spotlessly clean linen. in order to clean it (v T J
You wash th£dishes and I'll wipe th£ table. I Sh£picked up
Immaculate/ 11mrekj':lI!t/ things that are immaculate the can and wiped it with her hand to get some of the mud
are completely clean and look new [mU) of! 1 "Sure is hot in here, "said Reid, wiping his damp fore-
Bobby wore an immaculate white suit. 1 He always wants the head with a grubby handkerchief
place to look immaculate, but he won't do anything to help wipe [n singular] Wash the car inside and out and malre
lreep it that way. sure you give the windows a wipe (=wipe them).
• plck and span J1splk cm ISpc:eOJ a room or house that dust jdAst! to remove dust from the surface of something
is spick and span is very clean and tidy [adj phrase] by moving a soft cloth across it [v TJ
She k£pt h£r kitchen very spick and span. I We'll have the
place spick and span in no time.
CLEAN
dust sth J.Vhen her parents visit, Monika dusts and polishes
all the/umiture. I dust sth off(=quickly dust something
you are holding) She took the picture off the shelf where it
had obviously /,a.in/or years, dusted it off and handed it to
me.
5 to make something clean and shiny by
rubbing it or brushing it
polish
shine
polish /'poIlJ I 'pa:-/ to rub something, especially with
a cloth or brush and sometimes a special liquid or cream,
in order to make it clean and shiny [v TJ
What's the best sttif!to use/or polishing silver? I He picked
a /argeapple/rom the bow~ polished it on his s/eeve and took
a big bite.
polish In singular ] Martha took off her glasses and gave
them a quick polish (=polished them quickly).
shine /Jaml to make shoes clean and shiny by rubbing or
polishing them with a brush or cloth and shoe polish [v TJ
l!you're coming, you'd better shine your slwes and put on
a ckan shirt.
shine [n singular] Those shoes need a shine (=to be shined).
6 to rub something hard with a brush or rough
material in order to clean it
brush
scrub
scour
bftlsh (br"ll to rub something with a brush in order to
clean it Iv TJ
Suede shoes should be brushed regu/arly UJ keep them clean
and neW-looking. I I think you should brush your jacket -
it's covered in cat hairs.
brush [nsingularJ Shall I give your coat a brush?(=brush
your coat)
scrub Iskr"bl to rub something hard with a stiff brush,
soap, and water in order to clean it [v TJ
Mygrandmotherearned her living scrubbing[loorsfor rich
neighbours. I There 's no need to peel potatoes and carrots -
just scrub them.
scour /skaua r / to rub a cooking pan or hard surface with
a piece of rough material in order to clean it [v TJ
Stevie did odd jobs around the house, scoured th£ pots and
pans and S()metimes helped in the garden.
7 to clean a room, house etc
clean sweep
clean out spring-clean
clean up
clean /ldim/lv UTI
clean a room/house etc Go upstairs and clean your room! I
As soon as I clean this place it gets messed up again! I clean
Steve spent most of the afternoon cleaning and tidying up. I
Edna comes in ro clean on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
cleaning In UI Ask me /alRr. I have too much cleaning to do.
clean out 'Ildi:n 1autl to completely clean a room, cup..
board ete Iphr v TI
clean out 5th The apartment needs ro be clearu!d out before
a new tenant can move in. I I think it's time we cleaned out
the garage. I clean 5th/it/them out She says she doesn't
have time ro clean all the cupboards out.
clean up I lkli:n I"pl to clean a place and make it tidy after
someone has made it untidy or dirty (phr v I/ T J
Make sure you clean up and put everything away when
you 'vefinished. I clean up 5th It took us fwurs to clron up
the kitchen this morning. I clean 5th/ it/them up You can
play in your room as long asyoupromise to clean it up after-
wards.1 clean up after sb I'm tired ofcleaning up after all
you kids.
sweep /swi:p/ to clean a place, especially the floor of a
room, using a brush with a long handle [v T)
219 clear conscience
sweep 5th When the last customer had gone, Ed put the
chairs up on the tables and swept thefloor. I sweep out 5th
(=clean a room by sweeping) Guests at the hostel are
expected to make their beds and sweep out their rooms.
spring-clean Ilspnl) Ikli:n/ to clean everything in a
house thoroughly, especially during the spring, even clean·
ing things that you do not clean very often Iv IIT J
I'll be busy spring-cleaning over the weekend, so I'll call you
IU?XI week. I spring-clean a room/ a house ete Lymla spent
the day spring-cleaning her house.
8 to remove dirt and other unwanted things in
order to make a place clean
clean up
sweep up
wipe up
clean up /, ldi:n 'Ap/ [phr v TI
clean up 5th You'd better clean up that coffee before it stains
the carpet. I clean 5th/ it/them up Is that your mess in the
living room? Well clean it up.
clean·up I1 kJi:n "p/ (n singularJ The beach£s are expected
ro reopen shortly after the clean-up, which will cost $5m.
sweep up 11 swi:p 1"pi to remove dust, leaves etc from the
floor or the ground, using a brush [phr v TJ
sweep up 5th It was a cold damp nwming, and the only
person in sight was an old man sweeping up leaves. I sweep
sth/it/them up Oh never mindyour boots. Adorn cansweep
the mud up afterwards. Come in.
wipe up (lwaTp I "pI to remove dirt or liquid from a sur-
face or the floor using a cloth (phr v T)
wipe 5th/ it/them up If you spill any of this paint, you
should wipe it up immediately. I wipe up 5th Wipe up that
mess, will you.
9 to make something clean and free from
infection
disinfect
sterilize
disinfect I,dlssn 'fektf to clean a thing or a place with a
chemical that destroys bacteria, in order to prevent illness
or infection [v TJ
Any serious cut should be clearu!d and disinfected right
away. I The public was warru!d to stay away, and experts
wearing protective clothing were sent in to disinfect the area.
sterilize I1 ster slal zl to make something completely clean
and free from bacteria by heating it or treating it with
chemicals in order to make it safe, especially for medical
or scientific purposes [v TJ
The doctor didn't sterilize the needle properly and my arm
became infected. I Irradiation is commonly used to sterilize
medical equipment. I Wine bottles can be sterilized using
boiling water.
sterilization Ilster~lallzellan 11 -ral~/ [n Ul Thesechemicals
are used in the sterilization of water.
c~aned up: get cleaned up WASH 1
I cleaner's: take sb to the cleaner's CHEAT 1
cleanliness CLEAN 3
cleanse
clear
WASH 4
CLEAR/EASY TO SEE 1, 2, CLEAR/EASY TO
UNDERSTAND 1, 3 , EARN 2, EMPTY 8.
INNOCENT/NOT GUILTY 3 . JUMP 2 . OBVIOUS
1. PAY FOR 5 , SEE 12
clear: be In the clear INNOCENT/NOT GUILTY 1
clear: get clear ESCAPE 2
clear: make clear CLEAR/EASY TO UNDERSTAND 2
clear: make It clear SHOW/BE A SIGN OF 1
clear: not be clear UNCERTAIN 1
clear: stay/keep clear of AVOID 7
clear: unclear/not clear CLEAR/EASY TO SEE 3.
CLEAR/EASY TO UN DERSTAND 4, 5
clear a space SPACE/ROOM 2
clear conscience: a clear conscience GUILTY/FEEL
GUILTY 3
clear-cut 220 CLEARlEASY TO UNDERSTAND
clear-cut OBVIOUS 1 clear Ikllo'/ladj ]
clear off/out LEAVE A PLACE 3 These Japanese televisions are fantastic - the pictuTe is so
clear the air ARGUE 8 clear, I The pfwtographs of Mars sent back by the Voyager
clear the way for POSSIBLE 3 satellite are amazingly clear.
clear up SOLVEIDEAL WITH A PROBLEM 3, sharp If m' pi very clear, especially because the edges of
SOLVE/FIND THE ANSWER 1 , TIDY 2 objects are very easy to see [adj]
This camera gives you aystal clear, sharp plwUJs every time. I

1clear 1---:-----,----. Lichtenstein:S paintings arefull oJstrong colours and sharp

outlines almost like children's comics.
In focus /10 'f:xJk~sf photographs, films, or images that
wh/~1? 'meaning? are in focus have been photographed or fllmed from the

easy to underiltand .. .
..A;._""
CLEAR/EASY TO
correct distance or with the camera correctly set, so that
everything in the pictures is clear ladj phrase]
Her Iwliday photos came out over-exposed and blurred,
• fwrdlyanyofthem infocus, I Roy adjusted the TVsetso that
UNDERSTAND
_ _ -tr_ _ _ 'N
the picture was in sharper focus.
easy to see • CLEAR/EASY TO

,....
SEE
- ~-"<I!-
3 not clear or easy to see
unclear/not clear
obvious. 88IIY ,to • OBVIOUS faint
notice ... blurred
you can 'see through ,; • SEE unclear/not cle.r /I\nlk h ~r. not ' kh~ r l (adj l
It The photographs were not very clear. I I'll try and read this,
but the handwriting's pretty unclear.
logical, ~ on faint Ife lnt/ a picture, shape, image, writing etc that is
cIear~s'or faint is unclear because it is a long way away, there is not
arguments enough light, or it was very lightly drawn [adj ]
There were afew faint pencil lines on the page. I Most people
possible to .. et UNDERSTAND first see the island as aJaint blur through the misty rain. I
understand .. On the wallyoucould see thefaint outlineojtheplace where
a picture used to hang.
blurl'ecl /bb,' dl unclear so that only the general shape can
be seen , and not small details [adj ]
• CLEAR/EASY TO I can see things close up, but, without my glasses, anything
more than a Jew feet away looks blurred. I A ll I have is a
SEE blurred pfwto w remind me of him, I the blurred shape of
a submarine beneath the surface oJ the sea
1 clear and easy to see
2 words for describing a picture, photograph, • CLEAR/EASY TO
etc in wh ich the objects or people are easy to
see clea rly UNDERSTAND
3 not clear or easy to see 1 clearly expressed, in simple language, and
therefore easy to understand
2 to make something such as an explanation,
1 clear and easy to see instruction, or rule completely clear
clear 3 words for describing a piece of writing that
distinct explains or describes something very clearly
clear Ikh.'/ladj] 4 not clearly expressed, so that there is doubt
He had Uift clear footprints in the wet sand. I Even qfter two or confusion about what is meant
thousand years the writing is Quite clear. I The shapes ofthe 5 words for describing a situation that is not
houses were slowly becoming clearer in the early morning clear and is difficult to understand
IighL 6 to make a situation or subject unclear, so that
clearly (adv l Werould clearly see a light glimmering in the there is doubt about what is meant or what is
distance. I Bold black print shows up clearly against a white happening
or pak background.
dlsUnct IdIISlIIJkt,/ an object, line, or shape that is distinct
is very clear so that you can easily see that it is separate 1 clearly expressed , in simple language, and
from the things around it [adjl
Far away, but distinct, was the dark shape of a boat. I As therefore easy to understand
night f ell, the outline of the mountain became less distinct. clear explicit
distinctly (advl Stars that we can see quite distinctly may plain expressly
in fact have died millions of years ago. unambiguous unequivocal
clear Ikl lo'/ladj]
2 words for describing a picture , photograph , Very young children need clear rules about what is allowed
etc in which the objects or people are easy to and what isn't. I clear aboutlon sth The instructions aren't
see clearly really clear about where we should present our passporls. 1
clear
You are TWt allowed to use a dictionary in the test. The regu·
lations are quite clear on this point. I clear to sb It may be
sharp clear to you, but I've got no idea what it means. I crystal
in focus clear (~ex1remely easy to understand) Altfwugh Ron didn '/
actually say so, his meaning was crystal clear. He wanted
us to leave.
CLEAR/EASY TO UNDERSTAND
clearly ladv] The contract says quite clearly that the land-
lord must pay for all repairs to the house. , Procedures for
making insurance claims need to be more clearly defined.
plain Ipleln/language, instructions etc that are plain are
easy to understand because there is nothing difficult or
unnecessary in them that might be confusing [adj usually
before noun 1
She spoke slowly and carefully. using plain. simple lan-
guage. I The document is written in plain English. not in
legal jargon.
plainly ladvl Tell me plainly what you want. I Th£ leaJkt
states plainly what the party's position is on immigration.
unambiguous f IAnrem 1blgju;)SI having only one possible
meaning and therefore very clear (adj)
President Bush made an unambiguous statement - there
would be no new taxes. , Safety guidelines need to be plain
and unambiguous.
unambiguously [advl Everything a computer has to do
must be clearly and unambiguously dtifined for it.
explicit 11k'spllsltl explicit instructions/account!
warning etc (=expressed very cJearly and including every
detaiJ, so that no part of your meaning is hidden) [adjl
The book gives an explicit account of the war from a child's
point of view. I Mr Beazley left explicit instructions that hi!
wasn't to be disturbed. 11 don 't quite understand - could you
be a bit more explicit? I explicit about He:S not being very
explicit about his plans, is he?
explicitly (adv] You were explicitly warned about th£
dangers of taking those drugs.
expressly ! Ik' spres li/ a formal word: if you expressly
state something, you state it very clearly and finnly,
usually in writing (adv]
The new law expressly forbids the importation of radioac-
tive waste. I Although it's not expressly stated in your con-
tract. you are expected to attend weekend training sessions.
unequlvocal / ,Ani' kw Iv:;)kall a formal word mean ing so
clear that the meaning or intention cannot be mistaken or
doubted ladjl
The European Parliament has given the plan its unequivocal
support. I The answer to our request was an unequivocal
<no'. 1This time hisfather was unequivocal: "You're getting
no more money from me, and that's final . ..
unequivocally [adv] She unequivocally rejects any moves
towards conciliation.
2 to make something such as an explanation,
instruction , or rule completely clear
make clear spell out
clarify lay it on the line
make clear I,melk 'kJ ldrl [v phrase]
make it clear (that) The new teacher made it clear that sh£
would not allow talking in class. I make sth clear We need
to make the ground rules clear. I She's anxious to make clear
exactly what she means. I make yourself clear (=make it
clear what you mean) Am I making myself clear?
clarify 11 kJrer ~ fa I1a forma1 word meaning to make som~
thing clearer, especia1ly because people have not corn-
ptetely understood it Iv TI
clarify sth I hope this statement has helped to clarify alew
points. I clarify your position (=make it clear what you
think about something and what your intentions are)
Would the Senator please clarify his position with regard to
abortion?
clarificatlon/,kJrer!n 'kelfanf [n UJ Parts of the document
are ambiguous and in need of clarification (::::need to be
clarified).
spell out I ,spel 'aut! to explain someth ing in the clearest
possible way. especially when you think it should be
unnecessary to make things so simple or to give so many
details Iphr v TI
spell sth/ it/ everything out She doesn 't understand her
job so you have to spell everything out to her. 1Do I have to
spell it outfor you? You are not wanted here. I spell out sth
When you're dealing with government departments it·s
usually neccessary to spell out every detail.
221 CLEAR/EASY TO UNDERSTAND
lay It on the line /, Iel It on O~ 'lalnl an infonnal expres·
sion meaning to state something clearly and forcefully,
especially something that other people may be unwilling
to listen to or accept {v phrase]
Okay, I'm going to lay it on the line. lfyou don't start paying
more attention to the kids, I 'm leaving.
3 words for describing a piece of writing that
explains or describes something very clea rly
clear
clarity
lucid
clear Ikl J:;)rl expressed using clear language and avoiding
difficult or confusing words [adj l
Orwell gives us a very clear description of life as a vagrant
in Paris. I There was a clear account of the meeting in <The
Washington Post' the next day.
clearly [adv I The manual explains clearly what to do ifyour
car breaks down when you're on vacation.
clarity I' klrer AliI the clearness of language used in writ-
ing In VI
written/explained etc with clarity Altlwugh the book's
subject matter is very complicated, it's written with great
clarity. I clarity of expression/ style etc Her wit and
clarity of style make h£r articles a delight to read. I clarity
Students are reminded of the need for clarity in their
answers.
lucid l 'lu!s~d/ lucid explanation/description/prose etc
(=very clear and easy to understand because it has been
skilfully written even though the subject may be difficult)
ladjl
He has become well-known/or his lucid explanations ofcom-
plicated scientifzc concepts. I clear and lucid prose
lucidly Ladv] Miller has written a series 0/lucidly expressed
essays on feminism.
lucidIty /Iu: ' Sld1til [n UJ written with characteristic lucid-
ity and insight (=written in a typically lucid way)
4 not clearly expressed, so that there is doubt
or confusion about what is meant
unclear/not clear vague
ambiguous muddled/garbled
Imprecise
unclearlnot clear IAn1kJ l:;)r, not 'klldrl {adjl
If the instructions aren't clear, you can 't blame people for
making mistakes. I The terms of our tenancy are very
unclear. I unclear/not clear about Their letter tells us
when they're going to arrive, but it's unclear about the
purpose of their visit.
ambiguous /rem1b lgju:;)s/ having more than one possible
meaning and therefore confusing and difficult to under·
stand ladjl
The document's ambiguous wording makes it very difficult
tofollow.IT don't know how to interpret her remark. I think
it was deliberately ambiguous.
ambiguously ladv l ambiguously worded clause in the
contract
ambiguity "remb~' gju:Ati/ln C/ U) Dictionary definitions
should avoid ambiguity. I The report isfull of ambiguities
that require clarification.
imprecise ' 1lmpn 'sa ls.-I words or statements th~t are
imprecise are unclear because they do not descrtbe or
explain something in an exact way when this is necessary
ladjl
I think / can just about manage to finrl the Iwtel, but the
directions are very imprecise. I Many of the terms used in this
book are so imprecise as to be almost meaningless.
vague Ivelg/ unclear, especially because not enough
details are given [adj]
Vague rumours are reaching us about an attempted coup,
but we've had rw offzcial con!innation. I For too long we hnve
been fobbed off with vague promises of prosperity 'in the
future '.
CLEAR/EASY TO UNDERSTAND
vaguely [adv] People of vastly differing cultural back-
grounds are all too oftenjusl vaguely defined as 'Africans'.
muddled/garbled l 'mAdld, 'ga:'b>ldl ifsomelhing that
someone tells you is muddled or garbled, it is very
unclear and confus ing because they themselves have not
really understood it very well [adj l
I heard a garbled version ofthe story from oneofmy students,
who had heard it from someone else. I Bystanders were so
shocked and bewildered they could only give a very muddled
account DJ the events they had witnessed.
5 words for describing a situation that is not
clear and is difficult to understand
unclear/not clear
confused
unclearlnot dear I. . . n'kh~r . not ' klwrl ladjl
A lthough we know some of the rouses DJcancer, it is not clear
why it strikes some people rather than others. I The circum-
stances surrounding his death are still unclear.
confused Ik~m'fju:zdl a situation that is confused is
difficult to understand because a lot of things are happen-
ing at the same time and you do not have enough informa-
tion about it to know exactly what is happening (adjI
The situation in the town's main square is getting increas-
ingiyconfused, and troops have been told to stand by_ I Var-
ious newspaper reports give a rather confused picture of the
state of the economy.
6 to make a situation or subject unclear, so that
there is doubt about what is meant or what is
happening
confuse
blur
cloud/confuse the Issue
confus. fk;m ' fju:zf to make a situation unclear by
making it more complicated [ u T l
The bank already operates under two different names, and
to con/use matters further, they're planning to change I:xJth
of them. I The Press Secretary gave a completely different
version of events, which greatly con/used the situation.
blur fbl3: r f to make the difference between two ideas or
subjects unclear [v T l
Social changes have blurred the differences between male
andfemaie roles within the house. I His novels tend to blur
the distinctwns between reality and fantasy.
blurred ladj) In tire US the dividing line between political
and business interests has become increasingly blurred.
cloud/confuse the Issue 11 klaud, k~n 1fju:z oi 1 Ifu:f to
make a subject or problem unclear by bringing in ideas,
information, etc that are not really connected with it (v
phrase]
We're discussing last year's programme, so don't con/use the
issue by asking questions about next year. II'm talking about
social problems. Mr Bush is just clouding the issue when he
keeps referring to family values.
clearance LET/ALLOW 9, SPACE/ROOM 1
clearing AREA 6
clearly: obviously/clearly OBVIOUS 2
clever INTELLIGENT 1, 4, 9
clever: be too clever by half INTELLIGENT 7
clever. be too clever for BEAT/DEFEAT 4
clever dick INTELLIGENT 7
cliche SAYING 5, WORD, PHRASE, OR SENTENCE 1
cliched USE STH 15
click UNDERSTAND 7
click: It clicked REALIZE 1
I client BUY 7
clientele BUY 7
climate SITUATION 2, WEATHER 1
climatic WEATHER 2
climax EXCITED 8
' climb CLIMB 1, INCREASE IN NUMBER OR AMOUNT 1,
l UP 7 , 14
222 CLIMB
climb/climb up UP 3, 6
climb down ADM IT 4
climb/jump on t~ bandwagon TAKE PART/BE
INVOLVED 2
_ CLIMB
1 to climb up a wall, mountain, tree etc
2 someone who climbs hills or mountains as a
sport
3 the sport of climbing hills or mountains
1 to climb up a wall, mountain , tree etc
climb clamber
scale shin up/shlnny up
climb fklalm/ to move up towards the top of something tall
or steep such as a wall, mountain, or tree, using your hands
and reel fv liT)
climb sth Tom was climbing a tree in the park, when hefell
and broke his arm. I The assault course involves climbing
high wallsandjumpingditches.1 climb up/ over/ontoetc
To get a better view of the game, some of the spectators
climbed on to tlu! roof ofthe refreshment bor. I Oneoftlu! boJ~
lost hisfooting as he was climbing up the steepest {Xlrt of the
cliff. I climb Trying rwt to look down, Stacey began to climb. I
climb down (=go down a wall, tree etc, using your hands
and reel) He had escaped by climbing down the side of the
building.
scale fskel ll to climb to the top of something very high,
especially something that is very difficult or dangerous to
climb IV T)
The rescuers had to scale a tlwusarul foot cliff before they
could reach the injured climber, I TIu! corn had been k£pt up
high in the barn, but the rats appeared to have scaled the
steep ladder, I Tire boat Iwd no rigging harnesses or ad-
equate safety lines, yet our crew scaled the masts barefoot.
elamber f 'klrembarl to climb in an awkward way or with
difficulty, but moving fairly quickly [v 11
clamber up/ down/to etc Somehow [managed to clamber
up tire fel1C€ out of tire dog's reach. I They clambered to tlu!
top ofthe ruined cas tie, where there was a magnifICent view
of the bay. I Koala bears, canying their young, clamber up
the tree trunks.
shin up (British) /shlnny up (American) I,fon 'hP, 'foni
1"pI to climb up something tall and narrow such as a pipe,
tree, or rope, by wrapping your legs around it and pulling
yourself up with your arms [u T not in passivel
[locked mysel!out of the house and had to shinny up a drain·
pipe to get in. I We watclred as small boys shinned up palm
trees and brought coconuts down.
2 someone who climbs hills or mountains as a
sport
climber
mountaineer
climber f Iklalm~tf someone who climbs hills or rocks as
a sport. especially using special equipment [n Cl
The search is still continuingfor a group ofclimbers reported
missing in the Scottish high lands. l One of the most vital
things for any climber is a sturdy pair of boots.
mountaineer f 1maunt! 1nJ~r f someone who climbs high
mountains using special equipment In Cl
Most mountaineers dream of climbing Everest. I Sports
equipment stores in Alpine towns cater for the needs of
walkers, hikers and mountaineers.
3 the sport of climbing hills or mountains
climbing
mountaineering
CLIMB 223 CLOTHES
climbing , lklalffilIJI the sport of climbing hills or rocks close to ALMOST 1
InUI close to: come close to/near to ALMOST 3
She listed her hobbies as horse-riding, climbing and aero- (J close to: nearing/approaching/near to/close to
bics. 1rock/mountain climbing Accident insurance does ALMOST 2
rwt cover youfor dangerous activities such as rock climbing. close up NEAR 6
mountaineering l .mauntl'nlarllJl the sport of climbing close-up NEAR 6
high mountains using special equipment (n UJ close your eyes to: shut your eyes to/close your
Mountaineering is one of the most dangerous sports. I He is eyes to IGNORE 3
Director of the International School DJ Mountaineering in ~ closed: be closed FINISH/COM E TO AN EN D 4
Switzerland. closed book: be a closed book NOT KNOW 4
~ closed doors: behind closed doors SECRET 6
. climber CLI MB 2 closed-minded PREJUDICED 2
climbing CLIM B 3 1
closeness: nearness/closeness NEAR 3
clinch GET 2 closer: get closer/nearer NEAR 8
clinch it DECIDE 5 closet SECRET 8
lA cling to HOLD 2, NEAR 10 closing END 3, LAST 1
cling to the hope that HOPE 5 closing on: be gaining on/be closing on NEAR 9
clinic HOSP ITAL 1 clot THICK LIQUID 3
clinical EMOTIONAL 6 cloth MATERIAL 1
clink SOUND 9 clothes CLOTHES 1
clip CUT 8, PART 7
clique GROUP OF PEOPLE 6
cloak..and..ctagger SECRET 2
clobber/hammer BEAT/DEFEAT 2
Icloth or clothes? 1---,----.
clock: around the clock/round the clock
CONTINUOUS 3 material thatciotlles, - . MATERIAL

,
l
clock: put/turn the clock back PAST 5
clock: work against the clock HURRY 3
curtains etc are made
of '
~ ..
r
clockwork: go like clockwork SUCCEED IN DOI NG

clog
STH 7
PREVENT 8
~
'.
'cIoIheslhat someone'" .... -
-. " CLOTHES
,
close ---.--...""=---::,,.....,
~
have clothe8 on, be "', .. WEAR CLOTHES
wearing clothes
1 1.,..-
. ~.,.,-­
"" • .'!!li~
put on clothes e PUT ON
wljlch mes'1lng?
1-;
clo8e a door, window, - • SHUT/CLOSE
t'
take off clothes
--
CLOTHES
., o TAKE OFF .
'contl!inei', building
&lC

neBI: to SO~~f!I or ~ "~ NEAR

'not wearing
. clothes
-,;".

any --
CLOTHES

$ NAKED
-..".
someone .~<' _ .~

• FASTEN/DO UP
; : : : : place of
".< ,
• CLOTHES
1 words meaning clothes
close AIR 4, CAREFUL 3, END 1, NEAR 1,
SHUT/CLOSE 1
2 clothes that are worn together as a set
close: be close LOVE 1 3 a special set of clothes worn by all the
close: bring sth to an end/to a close FINISH DOING members of a particular group or profession
STH 5 such as soldiers, nurses , or police
close: cut it fine/cut It close ON TIM E 3 4 clothes that are worn for sport
close: draw to a close/to an end FINISH/CO ME TO AN 5 clothes that used to belong to someone else
l' END 2 before they belonged to you
1 close: get near/close NEAR 7
. close: stay close/keep close NEAR 10
close: up close NEAR 6
close a deal FINISH DOI NG STH 6 1 words meaning clothes
close at hand: be close at hand NEAR 4 clothes garment
close by NEAR 1 clothing wardrobe
close down FAIL 10
something to wear wear
close-fitting TIGHT 5
close friend: good/close friend FRIEND 2 piece/artlclelitem of clothing apparel
close in on NEAR 8 cloth•• /kl;xx")z, klouzl the things that you wear, such as
close on ALMOST 1 trousers, shirts, and dresses In plurall
close quarters: at close quarters NEAR 6 1 need to go home to get some clean clothes. I Since I went on
close range: at close range NEAR 6 my diet I've been able to get into clothes that I haven't worn
close ranks UNITE 2 for ages. I The new teacher is very peculiar. His clothes makE
close-run thing: be a close-run thing WIN 6 him look like an eccentric inventor or something.
close shave JUST/ALMOST NOT 2 clothing l 'kl~ llJ l what people w ear, used especially
close/shut SHUT/C LOSE 2, 4 when you are talking about clothes in general and not
close thing: be a near thing/close thing about a particular piece of clothing In U J
JUST/ALMOST NOT 3
CLOTHES
Employers should provide suitable protective clothing for
their workers. I In the poorest countries many people do not
have adequate food, clothing or housing. I heavier. looser
clothing o/the type/aroured in Arab countries
something to wear , .sAmBII) tol IWeJrl an informal
expression mean ing clothes that you can wear, especially
c10thes that are suitable for a particular event or place
[nphrase l
1 must buy something to wear at Julie's wedding. I She said
she's not coming with us because she hasn't got anything to
wear.
plece/artlclentam of cIothlng / ,Pi:s.• O:ftlol, laf~m
~v I kJ:;,u(')]1)/ a single piece ofa person's clothing [nphrase)
There were various articles of clothing on the bed. I Mark
each piece 0/ clothing with the child's name. I Each item 0/
clothing had to be washed separately.
garment I lga:fm)ntJ a word used especially by people
who make or sell clothes meaning a single piece of cloth-
ing In Cl
The price 0/each garment depends on theanwunt o/material
in it and the time that it took to make. I Only two garments
may be taken into the changing room. I Monks wear a spe-
cial garment, called a habit.
wardrobe / 'w::l:rdr:xJb/ a word used especially by people
who write about fashion, meaning all the clothes that you
own [n singular]
Enter our simple fashion Quiz and win a wlw le new
wardrobe. I Their entire wardrobe seems to consist o/jeans,
T-shirts and sneakers. I winter/summer etc wardrobe
(=the clothes you have that are suitable to wear in the
winter, summer etc) By adding a/ew bright buttons or belts
to your old clothes you can have a new summer wardrobe
for very little outlay.
we.r Iwearl evening/casual/sports/children's etc
wear (=a word used especially by people who make or sell
clothes, meaning the clothes worn for a particular occasion
or activity or by a particular group of people) [n UJ
Every spring new beach wear comes into the shops. I You 'U
find a nice range of silk ties in the menswear department on
the fourth floor. I a shop that specializes in evening wear
apparel /a 'preJ;l11 women's/men's/ladies' etc apparel
(=an American word used in the clothing bUsiness mean-
ing the clothes sold in a particular department of a large
store) In VI
Give rnean hour and I'll meet you in Ladies' Apparel. I We'd
like to draw your attention to the sale ofmen's apparel on
the second floor.
2 clothes that are worn together as a set
outfit
costume
outfit 11 aut 1fHI clothes that are worn together as a set,
especially when the colours have been carefully chosen so
that they match In Cl
Michelle was wearing her new outfit, a smart black and red
coat with slwes to match. I Pop singers sometimes wear the
strangest outfits on stage. I The doll comes with a wlwle
range of out/its that you can dress her in.
costume 11kostium I1 1ko:stu:mf a set of clothes typical of
a particular place or historical period, especially those
worn by actors [n C/ Ul
She used to work for a theatre company, designing and
making costumes. I The tourist guides at the castle all wear
medieval costume. I national costume (=the traditional
costume of a country) A group of Hungarianfolk dancers
came on stage, all wearing beautiful national costume.
3 a special set of clothes worn by all the
members of a particular group or profession
such as soldiers. nurses, or police
uniform
unHorm I 'ju:n!f>:'m/ In CI VI
The uniform consists of a grey jacket and trousers or skirt,
black shocs and a black cap. 1 The young WOrru1n all looked
224 CLUMSY
very neat and tidy in their nurses' uniforms. I When I was
a child I used to hate wearing school uniform. I in uniform
(=wearing a uniform) A man in uniform entered the
building.
uniformed ladj only before noun J a uniformed policeman
(=a policeman wearing a uniform)
4 clothes that are worn for sport
kit
uniform
gear
kH Ikltl a British word meaning a setofciothes that some-
one wears for sport In VJ
After the game he put his dirty kit into a plastic bag. 1 She
keeps her squash kit at the o/Fu:e and plays at lunchtime. I
We had to take our gym kit to school that day.
uniform l 'ju:n1b:rmf an American word meaning the set
of clothes that a particular team wears in sport [n Cl
The distinctive uniform of the New York Yankees is white
with afine blue stripe. I The boys' uniforms werefilthy, but
they'd had a good game.
gear /g larl an informal word meaning the set of clothes
that are worn for a sport or activity [n DJ
He has spent a lot of money on his new ski-ing gear. I Now
that I've got all the gear, I'm ready to come out riding with
you.
5 clothes that used to belong to someone else
before they belonged to you
cast-ofts/castoffs
hand-me-downs
cast-offs/castoffs I' ka:st ofs 11 'krest o:[sl clothes that
you no longer wear and have given to someone else, espe-
cially someone who cannot afford to buy new clothes (n
plural l
The two sisters often wore each other 's cast-offs as they grew
older. 1Our mother kept a box of old castoffs and we spent
hours dressing up, pretending to be princesses or pirates.
cast-off/castoff radjl She felt sorry for us and gave us
presents of cast-off clothes, some of them hardly worn.
hand-me-downs I'hrend mi: IdaUnz{ clothes that are
given to a younger child in a family when their older
brother or sister has grown too big for them or stopped
wearing them [n pluralJ
The youngest child in the family usually gets all the hand-
me-downs. 1 All my life [had to wear my brother's hand-me-
downs so I spent my first pay cheque on a brand new suit.
hand-me-down [adj only before nounl Diego UXJre a hand-
me-down jacket, still too big for him.
clothing CLOTHES 1
cloud/confuse the Issue CLEAR/EASY TO
UNDERSTAN D 6
clout POWER 1
club HIT 2 . ORGANIZATION 4
i clue: have no idea/not have a clue NOT KNOW 1. 4. 7
clued up KNOW STH 4
clump GROUP OF THINGS 1, WALK 7
.. clumsy CLUMSY 1
• CLUMSY
1 words for describing someone who does
. things in a careless way and often breaks
things or has accidents
2 words for describing someone who moves in
a clumsy and ungraceful way
CLUMSY 225 COLD

I·
cluster GROUPOF PEOPLE 1. 12, GROUPOFTHINGS 1
1 words for describing someone who does clutCh HOLD 3
th ings in a careless way and often breaks clutter UNTIDY 5
things or has accidents clutter/clutter up UNTIDY 4
clumsy
ham-fisted
cack-handed
be all thumbs
accident prone
klutz
i
l r.
cluttered UNTIDY 1
co-star ACTOR/ACTRESS 5, 6
co-worker WORKER 4
coach TEACH 1, 5
clumsy / ' klAmzi/ladjl .. coarse ROUG H/NOT SMOOTH 1, RUDE/OBSCENE 3
That hairdresser is such a clumsy idiot - look where she cut 0;'
coat COVER 1
my neck. I I was so shy and clumsy when I was seventeen. I coated COVER 3
"You've knocked over my glass!" "I'm sorry. How clumsyoj coating COVER 6
me!" I I've learnt a lot about sailing since my first clumsy coax PERSUADE 2
attempts. cobble together MAKE 2
clumsily [adv I Sam took a cigarette. lit it clumsily and sat cock and bu ll story UNTRUE 3
down. cocktail party PARTY 1
clumsiness In U J He apologized/or h is clumsiness (=for cocky CONFIDENT 3
being clumsy) and offered to pay for the damage. code RULE/REGULATI ON 1
ham·flsted I .hrem I fIS1~d " f clumsy with your hands, so code name NAME OF A THING 1
that you find it very difficult to do simple things [ad)) coed SEX/GENDER 2
Even the most ham-fisted person could put up one of these ;r, coe rce FORCE S8 TO 00 STH 1
sh£lves. I My rather hamflSted attempt to reverse around the !j cohabit LIVE WITH SB 2
rorner was what made me fail my driving test. ~ coherent LOGICAL 2. UNDERSTAND 10
cack-handed l .hek ' hrend1d .. / an informal British '-L coin INVENT 1
expression meaning clumsy with your hands, so that you I coincide SA ME 7, TIME/AT THE SAME TIME 3
often damage or break things especially when you are
repairing things [adjl
i
.
coincidence CHANCE/BY CHANCE 4
coincidence: by coincidence CHANCE/BY CHANCE 1
Don '[ ask Trevor to fix the light - he's so cack·handed he'll cold COLD 1, 2. 3 , 9, EMOTIONAL 6 , UNFRIENDLY 1
only cause more trouble! I Then SheUa tried to repair the cold : be/feel/look cold COLD 6
watch in that rock-handed way of hers. cold: feel the cold COLD 6
be all thumb. /bi: 1::1:1 'fhmzl to have difficulty doing cold : feel the heat/cold FEEL HOTICOLDITIRED ETC 4
something with your fmgers, especially because you are ;:: cold : get cold/colder COLD 7
in a hurry or feel nervous [v phrase I cold: Ice-cold COLD 9
!just couldn 't do up the buttons on my wedd ing dress. Mum t cold : leave sb cold INTERESTED 7
had to help me in the end - I was all thumbs! I Jack seems I. cold: the cold COLD 3
to be all thumbs when it comes to/iddly things like thread- f cold : turn cold/colder COLD 7
ing a needle. cold-blooded CRUEL 2
accident-prone /1 reks !d;mt 1prwn/ so cl umsy t hat you cold feet : get cold feet BRAVE 7
break things and have accidents more often than most cold shoulder: g ive sb the cold shoulder
people ladj phrase I UNFRIENDLY 1
As a boy I was very accident·prone, so no one would ever let cold snap COLD 3
me carry a tray or wash the dishes. I Studies have slwwn cold spell COLD 3
UJOmen to be less accident·prone than men. cold w ater: pour cold w ater on SPOIL 2
klutz /klll.tsl an informal American word meaning some·
one who does th ings in a careless way a nd often breaks
things or has accidents In Cl
Don't let Sheena set the table with the best china - she's such
• COLD
a klutz. I Tom's a real k lutz when it comes to baseball; even 1 words for describing something such as an
if he hit the ball he'd trip on the way to first base.
object, liquid , or surface that is cold
2 words for describing a cold place, room , or
2 words for describing someone who moves in building
a clumsy and ungraceful way 3 words for describing cold weather
uncoordinated 4 words for describing pleasantly cold weather
awkward 5 words for describing extremely cold weather
ungainly 6 ways of saying that someone is, feels, or
uncoordinated /llI.nkau l ~: r d! ne Il !dl someone who is looks cold
u ncoordinated does not control their movements very 7 to become cold or colder
skilfully, and so is not usually good at sports or other phys· 8 to make food and drink cold, for example in
ical activities fadjl order to preserve it
I can't play tennis - I'm too uncoordinated. I He's rather 9 words for describing food and drinks that
unroordinated so he looks a bit odd when he 's dancing.
have been made or kept cold
awkward I ' :t:kw~rdl mov ing in a way that looks clumsy
and uncomfortable (adjl
I feel so awkward in these high heeled shoes. I Janine smiled
as sIze remembered their first, awkward kiss. 1 words for describing something such as an
a wkwa rdly radv 1Penny started to run awkwardly, because
of her injured foot. object, liquid , or surface that is cold
cold
ungalnl, IlI.n 1gemlil moving in a way that looks ungrace-
ful ladjl cool
We laughed when we saw the bird because it looked so cold Ik;)(Jldl having a low temperat ure radj l
ungainly with its long legs and tiny body. I Tessa trudged I washed my face in cold water. I There were no beds so we
towards the house with long ungainly strides. hadrosleepon the cold stonejZoor. I Tlzecarwon 'tstart when
the engine 's cold. I feel cold (:::obe cold to touch) He took her
hand. [tfelt as mid as ice. I stone cold ( ~ very cold) Feel this
radiator - it's stone cold.
COLD
cool {ku:l{ pleasantly cold but not very cold ladj]
We bathed ourfeet in a mountain stream. The water was cool
and refreshing. I I slid into bed between cool white sheets.
2 words lor describing a cold place, room , or
building
cold draughty Idrafty
cool freezing
chilly
cold {k,uld{ ladjl
This room's very cold - why don 't youpUL the heater on?
We spent hours waiting around on a cold station plat/orm. 1
The Antarctic in winter is the coldest place on earth. I feel
cold (""makes you feel cold) The offICe always/eels coldfirst
thing on a Monday morning.
cool {ku:l{ pleasantly cold but not very cold ladil
It 's much cooler over here in the shade. I Medicines should
always be stored in a cool place.
chlllV f 1tJIlif a little too cold and making you feel uncom-
fOl-table ladjl
I think the room's starting to get a little chilly - could you
close the window? I feci chilly (=makes you fee] chilly) Tt
feels quite chilly indoors after being out in the hot sun.
draughty (British) I drafty (American) {'dra:fti 11 'drref-{
a room or building that is draughty or drafty is cold
because cold air is blowing into it from outside [ad) ]
We had our lessons in a draughty classroom in the old school
building. I Her apartment's line in summer, but in winter
it's very dralty.
freezing /1fri:z1rJ l an informal word: a room or building
that is freezing is extremely cold [ad) 1
"It's!reezing in here!" Lisa exclaimed. as she entered the
bedroom. I No wonder I'm cold! I've been standing in afreez-
tng phone booth for the last twenty minutes.
3 words for describing cold wealher
cold frosty
the cold wintry
chilly cold spell
nippy cold snap
cold {k,uld{ ladjl
It's so cold, I can 't believe it 's the middle o/spring. I There's
something about very cold weathRr that gives you an enorm-
ous appetite. I We set out on a cold January evening.
coldness [n UJ [ remember the coldness of that north-east
wind blowing across the plain.
the cold / ~d 'k:;)lddJ an expression meaning cold weather,
used when talking about being outside in the cold weather
InU]
Come in. Don't stand out there in the cold. I Here in the valley
the people are sheltered from the worst of the cold.
chilly / ' tf Ili/ cold enough to make you feel uncomfortable
ladj)
It was a grey, chilly day in early spring I turn chilly
(=become chilly) You'd better take a coat in case it turns
chilly later on.
nippy J'nlpi/ an informal word meaning a little cold [adj l
I'm going indoors. It 's a little nippy out here. I a sudden
change from nippy April weather to blazing sunshine
frosty f 'frosti 11 'fr:>:sti/ very cold and clear, especially so
that the ground is frozen, although it is not snowing [adj l
It was afrosty autumn morning with spiders' webs glisten-
ing in thefrozengrass. I I like the clearness you get onfrosty
days and the sharp bite in the air.
wintry "wlntri/ cold and snowy or rainy, like the weather
you usua1ly have in winter [adj l
We can expect afew wintry showers on the northern hills. I
It's starting to look a bit wintry out there - you'd better take
your overcoat.
cold speN I' k;)Uld I spell a period of several days or weeks
when the weather is much colder than usual In Cl
There UXlS a cold spell at the end of last year and hundreds
226 COLD
of old people died. I During cold spells our water pipes
always freeze up.
cold snap /1kdUld 1snrep/ a sudden short period of very
cold weather In C l
It was a wintry day in April, in the middle ofan unexpected
cold snap. IA cold snap was on, the temperature registering
15 below zero.
4 words for describing pleasantly cold weather
cool crisp
fresh bracing
I
cool /ku:11 pleasantly cold, especially after it has been too
hot ladj]
The day was deligh({ully cool after the blazing heat of tiu!
Ixu;t week. I A cool breeze blew infrom the sea. I The animals
come out in the cool hours of the evening.
coolness [n U J I shivered in the coolness of the night air.
fresh { freff pleasantly cold and windy ladjl
We wa lked towards the sea with a fresh breeze blowing in
our faces. I The /wt weather will continue today, but tomor·
row will be/resher with cool, westerly winds.
crisp /knspl pleasantly cold, dry, and clear Jadj]
Tlove to be out of doors on these bright, crisp Autumn morn·
ings. I The day was cold and crisp, and yesterday's snow
sparkled on the ground.
bracing Il brel sllJ/ cold, fresh and clear in a way that
makes you feel healthy a nd cheerful radjl
Many people visit Brighton because the sea air is so bracing. I
In therool, bracing climate ofthe mountains slzefell roonder·
fully refreshed.
5 words for describing extremely cold weather
freezlngl arctic
freezing cold subzero temperatures
bitterly cold/bitter
freezlnglfreezlng cold "fri:zIIJ, Ifri:zlIJ ' kauld" l
extremely cold radjl .
In the desert, the days are as hot as hell, but the nights are
freezing. I Afreezing cold wind whipped along the deserted
streets. I a long freezing winter
bitterly cold/bitter I, bltafli Ik;)(Jld .. , IblUff extremely
cold and unpleasant radjl
Don 't go out tonight. It's bitterly cold. I We arrived in
Chicago during the bitterly cold winter of 1935. I a bitter east
wind
arctic l 'O:fkt lk/ arctic conditions/ winds (=extremely
cold, usually with ice and snow) [adj only before noun ]
I WDuldn 't take the car out in these arctic conditions. I The
school was set in aflat high place where arctic winds cut you
to tJze bone in winter.
subzero temperatures / ,sAbzli1rdU Itempi1ldtJa r z 11
-zi:rdU-1 temperatures that are very cold and below the
point at which water freezes [n plural]
Subzero temperatures can be expectedfor the rzextfew days. I
Thousands of Kurdish refugees are spending tonight on a
mountainside in subzero temperatures.
6 ways of saying that someone is, feels, or
looks cold
belfeel/look cold goose pimplesJ
freezlnglfrozen goosebumps
feel the cold sb's teeth are
shiver chattering
be blue with cold
belteel/Iook cold {bi: , ,fi:l, ,Iuk 'kould{ Iv phrasel
Aren't you cold, standing out there without a coat on? I One
elderly patient kept complaining that hisfeet were cold. I Tell
me i/youfeel cold. and I'll turn the heating up.
freezinglfrozen l 'fri:zlI). 'fr;xJun/ an informal word
meaning very cold ladj not before TWun]
You may be nice and warm, but I'm bloody freezing. I He's
COLD
only got slwrts on - he must befrozen. I You look absoLutely
frozen.
feel the cold f ,r.:1 0, 'kouldf to feel cold easily [vphrase]
Make sure her room's warm enough - you know how she
[eels the cold. I I never wear a sweater. I don 't seem to feel
the cold as much as other people.
shiver l' II v~rl to shake or tremble a little because you are
cold [ v 11
I'm so cold. [can't stop shivering. I When tlrey pulled him
out of the sea, he was shivering with cold.
shiver In Cl A shiver ofcold ran through him (=his whole
body shivered because he was cold) when he stepped outside.
be blue with cold fbi: ,bill! w,O ' kouldf to be so cold that
your skin turns slightly blue Iv phrase\
He was huddled into his coat, his/ace blue with cold. I Look
at her. The poor girl's quite blue with cold.
goolle plmplell (British) / gooBebumpB (American)
'lgU:S IPlmpalz, 'gu:sb.... mps! the small lumps that you get
on your skin when you are cold In plural]
She was shivering, her arms and legs covered in goose pim-
ples. I I was wearing bermuda shorts and the wind raised
goose bumps on my legs.
sb's teeth are chattering f(sb's) ,ti:9 o:t 'tfret:;)rIlJl if
your teeth are chattering you are so cold that your teeth
keep knocking together and you cannot stop them
Her teeth were chattering with cold. I They stamped around
in the frozen yard, their teeth chattering.
7 to become cold or colder
get cold/colder cool down
turn cold/colder cool
dropll.1I
get cold/colder fget 'kould , 'koolda'f Iv phrasel
The weather usually begins to get colder around the middle
of October. I It 's getting really mid. I reckon we're infor S011U?
snow. I Charlotte, come and eat your dinner or it'll get cold.
tum cold/colder 11t3: t n 'kauld, 'k~lddrl if the weather
or the wind turns cold, it becomes much colder, usually
suddenly fv phraseJ
Get in a good supply offuel before the weather turns cold. I
The wind's turned a lot colder since it moved round tv the
north.
droplfall fdmp, 1'0:1 11 dm:p-f if the temperature drops or
falls it becomes colder, often much colder in a short period
oftime [v 11
As autumn progresses, the temperature begins tofall. I For-
tunately the temperature never dropped low enough for the
water to/reeze. I drop 10/ 20/ 30 ctc degrees The tempera-
ture dropped 10 degrees during the night.
cool down l ,ku:1 'daun/ if something cools down, it
becomes colder, usually after being very hot (phr v I J
It's 100 degrees in India all through the summer, but it begins
to cool down a little in September. I If the engine overheats,
switch it offand do not start it again Until it hl1s cooled down.
cool /ku:11 if hot food or some other hot substance cools,
it becomes colder Iv I]
She took the cake out 0/ the oven and left it on the kitchen
table to cool. I Most liquids contract steadily as they cool.
8 to make food and drink cold , for example in
order to preserve it
cool refrigerate
chill freeze
cool /ku:11to make food cold when it ha.:; been hot or warm
[v TI
One way of cooling the sauce quickly is to place the pan in
a bowl of cold water. I Stir the jam to cool it be/ore putting
it into jars.
chill Itflll to make something, especially food or drink,
very cold, without freezing it Iv T J
Chill the soup in thefridgefor an hour before serving. I White
wine always tastes better if it's been chilled a little.
227 COLLECT
refrigerate ITI 'fTld3:;)relt/ to put food or drink in a
refrigerator in order to keep it cold and fresh Iv TJ
Always refrigerate canned food after you have opened it so
that it doesn't spoil. 1 Poultry,f1Sh and seafood should be kept
refrigerated.
freeze I fri:z/ to make something extremely cold so that
it freezes, in order to preserve it for a long time Iv T I
He froze the vegetables in the freezer com[Xlrtment of his
[ridge. I This dish is suitable for freezing.
frozen / 'fF.luun/ [adj usually be/ore noun! She bought a
package o/frozen peas (=peas that had been frozen).
9 words for describing food and drinks that
have been made or kept cold
cold chilled
cool Ice-cold
cold fkoutdf ladj]
This is a delicious white wine that should be served very
cold. I There's lWthing like a glass o/reallyc:old beerona hot
summer's day.
cool /ku:11pleasantly cold to eat or drink but not very cold
[adjl
It was a hot day, and I was looking forward to a long, cool
drink. I Summer is the time for cool, refreshing salads.
chilled ftf.ldf food and drinks that are chilled have been
made very cold , especially by putting them on ice [ad}1
Waiters carried trays ofchilled champagne. I For a pleasant
summer dessert, serve chilled yoghurt with fruit.
Ice·cold I lal s 'k:;)uld., ice-cold drinks have been made
extremely cold so that they are pleasant to drink. when you
are very hot [adj I
The kids were rewarded with ice-cold lemonade.
collaborate BETRAY 1, TOGETHER 3
collaboration: in collaboration with WITH 3
collaborative TOGETHER 7
collaborator BETRAY 5
collapse FALL 2, 10, UNCONSCIOUS 2
colleague WORKER 4
collect COLLECT 1, CROWD 3, GET 8, INCREASE IN
NUMBER OR AMOUNT 5 , MEET 4 ,
TAKE/BRING 3
collect: call collect TELEPHONE 2
_ COLLECT
to get and keep objects because you think
they are attractive or interesting
f to co llect things
2 somecne who collects things
3 things Ihat have been collectec
1 to collecl things
collect
acquire
collect fka'lekt! Iv T ]
Nige['s Iwbby is mUecting rare books. I Anyone who collects
jazz records should buy this book - it's full of informo.tion
on old recordings.
acquire I:;)'kwal:;)tl to buy or get something, especially
something rare or expensive, in order to add it to a collec-
tion Iv TJ
The Museum hl1s acquired a small collection ofpaintings by
Dali. I He went to great lengths and spent an enonnous sum
of money to acquire this very rare coin/or his coilection.
2 somecne who collects Ihings
collector
COLLECT
collector Ik,'lekt"1 In Cl
The gallery was full 0/ artists, art collectors and dealers. I
She is an authority on, and a collector of, Dutch porcelain.
3 things that have been collected
collection
set
collection {k;:!'1ekfanl a group of things that a person or
organization has collected because they are attractive or
interesting [ n Cl
After lunch I'll show you my stamp collection. I collection
of On the sideboard was his mother's collection DJ crystal
vases. I The museum has one DJ the biggest collections 0/
moths and butterflies in the country.
set fsctl a complete collection of one type of object, espe-
cially a collection that has been gradually built up over a
long time In Cl
I've been collecting American League baseball cards. I just
need one more now to complete the set. I set of My brother
has a complete set of Film Annuals/rom 1927 to 1963.
collection COLLECT 3. GROUP OF PEOPLE 3, GROUP
OF THINGS 1
collection: have a collection GIVE 14
collective EVERYONE 5, TOGETHER 7
collectively TOGETHER 2, 9
collector COLLECT 2
collide HIT/BUMP INTO 3
collision ACCIDENT 2
collision: be In collision with HIT/BUMP INTO 2
colloquial LANGUAGE 1
collusion: in collusion with WITH 4
colony COUNTRY/NATION 2
colossal BIG 2, 8
colour/color COLOUR/COLOR 1, 6. 8,
EFFECT/INFLU ENCE 4 , RACE 1
colour: be an orange/brownish etc colour
COLOUR/COLOR 2
colour: In colour/In color COLO UR/COLOR 6
• COLOUR/COLOR
1 a colour
2 to be a particu lar co lour
3 words for describing dark colou rs
4 words for describing light colours
5 brightly coloured or having a lot of different
colours
6 words for describin g a photograph, film etc
that is produced in co lour
7 words for describing something that has no
colour or is black and white
8 to change the colour of something
9 to lose colour, for example by being washed
or left in the sun
1 a colou r
colour/color hue
shade colouring/colorlng
tint
colour (British) I color (American) I' kAl" 1 In C/ U I
Why don't}'ou paint it yellow? That's a nice bright cotor. I
Look carefully at the rear door. It 's not quite the sa11U? colour
as the rest of the car. I What colour do you want? Choose any
one you like. I The chameleon is one ofthe few reptiles which
changes colour.
shade lieldJ a particular type of one colour, especially
when compared with other types of the same colour that
are lighter, darker etc (n Cl
shade of blue/ green etc Valerie's eyes are a beautiful
228 COLOURlCOLOR
shade 0/ blu£. I Tn the/all. the woods are/ull o/countkss
shades of brown, yellow and orange. I shade When buying
make-up, choose the right shade to match your skin. I The
haze turned the wild summer colours into pastel shades.
tint /tmtl a small amount of a particular colour in some-
thing that is mostly another colour In Cl
The sun shining on her headgave her hair an attractive red
tint. I The glass had a bluish tint to it, like ice. I It was
October, and the leaves had begun to take on their wann
autumn tints.
hue Ihju:1 a word used especially in literature meaning a
colour or a shade of a colour In Cl
The Prince wore majestic robes of a rich purple hue.
colouring (British) I colorlng (American) l'kh l 'n~1 the
colour of something, especially of someone's hair, eyes, and
skin (n DI
This lipstick is perfect for your coloring. I People with very
light colouring need to protect themselves from the sun as
they bum easily. I The shape and pale green coloring of the
young foliage makes it ideal for flower arrangements.
2 to be a particular colour
be red/green ete eolouredlcolored
be an orange/brownish tinted
ete colour
be red/green ete Ibi! (red , ete)/ Iv phrase]
The Japanese/lag is white with a red sun on it. I Frogs are
g reen, toads are brown. That's how you tell the difference. I
"What colour is your car?" ''It's black."
be an orange/brownish ete colour Jbi! ~n (orange,
etc) kAl~rJ to be a coJour that is difficu]t to describe exactly
but is similar to orange, brown etc Lv phrase]
"What colour is it?" "Well, I don't know .... It's a sort of a
yellowish·brown colour, I suppose. " I Nectarines are an
orangey·red colour and look something like peaches. I Her
wedding dress was a delicate ivory colour.
coloured (British) I colored (American) l 'kAl"dl having
one or more colours and not black or white ladj usually
before IwunJ
Thefront door was painted blUe and had a roloured g lass
panel in it. I You can make Christmas decorations from
almost anything - beads, colored ribbons, sea shells - any-
thing. I brightly coloured Th£ cages were full 0/ brightly·
coloured tropical birds.
tinted J 'tlnt~d/ g]ass that is tinted has a slight colour, so
that people cannot see through it, so that light does not
shine too brightly through it, or just for decoration [adj]
Th€ President arrived in a black Mercedes limousine, with
dark tinted windows. I She wore a pair of disgusting pink·
tinted glasses.
3 words for describing dark colours
dark
deep
rich
dark Ido"k/ladjl
She has beautiful dark brown eyes. l /fyou 're going to have
such dark walls I really think you should have a pale carpet. I
"What do you think of this blouse?" "It 's a bit dark - navy
doesn 't really suit you. "
deep /di:p/ deep colours. especially blue. red. or purple.
are strong. dark, and often very attractive [adj usually
before noun J
I'm looking for a deeper shade of purple to paint the
bedroom. I deep blue/ red/ purple etc She looked into his
t'Y€s. They were deep blue. I In the lounge hung long curtains
of luxurious deep red velvet.
rich IntJ/ dark and giving a pleasant fc",ling of comfort and
warmth ladil
I admired the wann, rich rolors of her Persian rugs. I The
horse was splendid to look at, big, strong and well-muscled,
with a rich chestnut coat.
 COLOUR/COLOR
4 words for describing light colours
light pastel
pale faded
light IlauI [acljl
light blue/green/orangeetc This is a nicejacketand ~
alsD do it in a light green. IlIgbt TIu!y both have brown hair,
but Tina's is slightly lighter than Jan '5.
pale lpelil very light in colour [adjl
pale pink/green/blue etc Her dress is pale pink, with a
smaJlflowery pattern. I The old man's pale blue eyes moved
from the dartboard to the bar and then back 0l!ain. I pale
There were dark rings under her eyes and her skm was pale,
because she had slept badly for several nights.
pastel /'prestl 11 pre I ste1, pastel colours. especially pink,
yellow, green or blue, are very light and not at all bright
[aclj only before nounl
Before the baby was born Jenny bought some pretty, pastel
baby clothes. I Mrs Singh preferred sarees in pastel mlours.
such as salmon pink. I The dawn light, all pastel misty blue
and translucent, filtered through the trees.
pastels In plurall White, cream, and pastels (=pastel
colours) suit me better than dark co/(Jurs.
faded I Jfeld!dl if an object is faded, it is a lighter colour
than before because of being changed by the sun, washing,
or age ladjl
The woman wore a/aded blue dress and old brown sandals. I
Joedropped a/aded newspaper picture Oil Woodward's desk.
5 brightly coloured or having a lot of different
colours
colourful/colorful gaudy
multlcoloured/multlcolored garish
colourful (British) I colorful (American) I 'kAlo'f.11[acljl
The garden was/ull of colourful and fascinating flowers. I
You're looking very co/(Jurful today. I really like that dress. I
We came ro a square, with colorful market stalls displa?ing
fruit and vegetables, toys, flowers and many other thmgs.
multicoloured (British) I multlcolored (American)
I JmAltiJ kAl;)rd/ having several different colours, espeCIally
bright colours ladj usually before noun I
A giant multicoloured flag waved in the midday sun. I A
group of African women sat around talking, their ml!lti-
coloured dresses radiant against their dark brown skms.
gaudy I lg'J:di/ something that is gaudy has too many
different colours or is too brightly coloured. with the result
that it looks cheap and in bad taste ladj ]
There was nothing llift in the room except a gaudy plastic
parrot which some friends had left after the party. I She
smelled o/cheap perfume and wore gaudy clothing andfake
costume jewellery.
garish / JgeanJI too brightly coloured in a way that is
unpleasant to look at ladj]
The rugs are stili produced, but they are a little too garish
for western tastes. I The town was full of tourists wearing
shorts and garish T shirts.
6 words for describing a photograph, film etc
that is produced in colour
colour/color
in colour/in color
colour (British) I color (American) l'kA]" 1colour tele-
vision/photograph etc (=one that produces or shows a
picture in colours, not just black, grey, and white) [adj only
before noun]
You need a colour television ro fully appreciate nature
programmes. I The outstanding feature o/this book is its 45
full-page color photographs. I Does your new computer have
a colour monitor?
in colour (British) I In color (American) Im 'kAlo'l ifa
television programme, film, or picture is in colour. it is
produced in colour, not just black. grey. and white ladj/
adu l
229 COLOUR/COLOR
"Is it a black and white movie?" "No, it's in colour." I All
the illustrations in the latest edition ofthe book are in color.1
These 3-D movies are best seen in colour.
7 words for describing something that has no
colour or is black and white
colourlesslcolorless In black and white
black and white monochrome
colourle.B (British) I colorleBB (American) I ' kAl,'],,1
having no colour ladj] . .
Ammonia is a colorless gas with a very characterzstlC pun-
gent odour. I The bottle contained an oily, colourless liquid.
black and white / Jblrek ~n Jwa1t./ black and white
teleVision/photograph/film (=one that has a black,
white, and grey picture) ladj phrase usually be/ore noun]
Black and white TV sets are now very cheap to buy. I I rove
the old black-and-white movies. I Thegaliery is showing an
exhibition of black and white photos by Nigerian born Paul
Coher.
In black and white /m Jblrek :m 'wait.! if a television
programme or film is in black and whit~. it has been
made using only black, white and grey lad) / advl
"Is the/ilm 'casablanca' in colour?" "No, it's in black and
white. " I I hate watching theses sci-fi movie... in black and
white. the special effects aren't as good.
monochrome I JrnonJkrJum 11 'mo:-/ a technical word
meaning having no colour only blaCk, grey, and white or
producing pictures or writing that is no~ in co~our [adj l
A word-processor with a monochrome display IS cheaper
than a colour one.
8 to change the colour of something
colour/color
dye
dlscolour/dlscolor
colour (British) I color (American) I 'kAl" 1to put colour
into something [V TJ
colour/ color stb Last time I tried to colour my hair it
turned red! I Marigold petals were once used for colouring
butter and cheese. I colour / color stb in (=colour inside the
lines of a picture) Josie sat at the table coloring in her pic-
ture while her father made the din11£r. I colour sth gold!
green/red etc The evening sun coloured thefklds and trees
a golden yellow.
dye Ida l/ to change the colour of material, hair, food etc
using a special liquid Iv Tl
I'm bored with this skirt. I'm going to dye it. I Wool and silk
are the materials that are easiest to dye. I She's dyed hEr hair
blonde - it looks so unnatural.
dyed lacljl The Zulu boy wore a headdress of dyed ostrich
feathers.
discolour (British) I dlscolor (American) Id,s ' k,I"1 if
something such as dirt, chemicals, or sunhgh.t di~lours
something, it causes it to change colour, especIally WIth the
result that it looks unpleasant IV TJ
Do not leave expensive cushions near bright windows, the
sun could easily discolour them. I Pollution from the local
factory was discoloring the w,ater in the. river:
discoloured Jadj l Fred smlied. showmg Ius large dlS-
.
coloured teeth.
9 to lose colour , for example by being washed
or left in the sun
fade
lose Its colour/lose its color
run
'ade Ifeldl to lose colour because of sunlight, washing, or
age [v 1] .
Over the years the green paint hadfaded. I Your naturallUllr
colour begins ro fade as you grow older, and eventually you
go grey. . .
faded radj] The curtains that were at one tlme bnght and
cheerful were now faded and torn.
COlOUR/COlOR 230 COME FROM/ORIGINATE
108e 1t8 colour (British) I lose Its color (American) 1 come down with GET 15
1.lu:z Its I kAl;}r( ifa material or object loses its colour, the \: come for: call for/come for MEET 4
colour comes out of it, especially as a result of washing or come forward OFFER 3
sunlight [v phrase 1
f
come from COM E FROM/OR IGINATE 6, 7
Will this shirt loses its colour ifyou wash it? I Tlu! armchair , come fromlbe from COM E FROM/ORIGINATE 1, 3, 5
has lost its colour from standing by the window. come In ARRIVE 3, ENTER 1, 2 , FASHIONABLE 3, GET 5
run IrAnJ if the colours run on an article of clothing when come Into: doesn'1 come into IUdoesn ' t enter Into it
you wash it, some of the colour is lost from one part of it CONN ECTED WITH 9
and goes onto another part of it because the water is too come Into being/existence START TO HAPPEN, EXIST
hot Iv I)
I was so disappointed when I took my favourite 'I-shirt out 1 ETC 2
come Into effecUoperation START TO HAPPE N, EXIST
of the washing machine and found the cotors had run. ETC 3
come of RESULT 8
coloured/colored COLOUR/CQLOR 2 come off BREAK 10, STOP DOING STH 5, SUCCEED IN
colourful/colorful COLOURfCOLOR 5 , INTERESTING 4 . 6 DOI NG STH 3
colourlnglcoloring COLOUR/COlOR 1
colourlesslcolorless COLOUR/COLOR 7
column LINE 7, 8
j come
come
come
off: not come off FAIL 3
off It BELIEVE 16
on HURRY 2, SWITCH ON OR OFF 1
coma: bellie In 8 coma UNCONSCIOUS 1 come on in ENTE R 2
comatose UNCONSCIOUS 1 come out APPEAR 1, FIND OUT 4 , PO UR 2, WASH 9
comb LOOK FOR 4 come out of RESULT 8
combat FIGHT FOR OR AGAINST STH 2
come out of your shell/come out of yourself SHY 3
combination MIX 4, 8 come out on strike STOP WORKING/GO ON STRIKE 1
combination: In combination TOGETH ER 8 come out on top WIN 2
combine MIX 1, 2, 3, 6 , 7, UNITE 1 come out with SAY 4
combined MIX 9, TOGETHER 7 come over JOIN AN ORGANIZATION 4
combined with WITH 7 come over/round VISIT 1
combustible BURN 9 come over: come across well/come over well
IMPRESS 1
I come over all FEEL HOT/COLDfTlRED ETC 1
I come round: come around/round CHANGE YOUR
MIND 2, CONSCIOUS 2
come through SURVIVE 3 , 4
corn. 10 ARRIVE 5 , CONSCIOUS 2, IDEA 3 , TDTAL 3
come to: come/grow/get to START DOING 5TH 13
come to: It comes to HAPPEN 1
come to grief FAIL 3
come to rest STOP MOVING 2
come to the rescue SAVEJRESCUE 2, 5
come up HAPPEN 2, UP 9
come up against PROBLEM 8
come up 10 GOOD ENOUGH 2, REACH I , TOWARDS 3
come up with INVENT 1
come what may NO MATTER WHAT/HOW MUCH ETC 1
&i come with INCLUDE 3, WITH 2 , 6
-+ . COME FROMI
ORIGINATE . COME FROMI
come ARRIVE 2, GO 1, GO TO/ATTEND 1
come: to come FUTURE 4
ORIGINATE
come about HAPPEN 1 to have something or somewhere as a starting
come across FIND 7 point or ptace
come across well/come over well IMPRESS 1
come across a8 SEEM 1 1 ways of saying that someone comes from a
come after AFTER 5 , 9 particular place, town, country etc
come along ARRIVE 4, BABY/HAVE A BABY 4 , GO TO/ 2 the place that you come from
ATIEND I , WITH 2 3 to come from a particular type of family or
come along/come on PROGRESS 1 social g roup
come apart: faU apart/come apart BREAK 10 4 the particular type of family or social group
come around CHANGE YOUR MIND 2 that you come from
come around: come round/come around
CONSCIOUS 2
5 to be grown or made in a particular place,
come away BREAK 10 town, country etc
come back REMEMBER 2, RETURN 1 6 ways of saying that a sound, smell, smoke etc
come before BEFORE 10, 11 comes from somewhere
come between ARGUE 9 7 ways of saying that something such as an
come by GET 6 , VISIT 2 idea, custom, problem, or organization has
come clean ADMIT 5 developed from something that existed at an
come down DOWN 7, FALL 6 earlier time
come down: go down/come down LESS 5
come down hard on STRICT 3
8 to have a particular idea, belief, etc as the
come down on PUNISH 1 most important point from which someth ing
come down to REACH 1 develops
come down to: boil down to/come down to 9 the place, situation etc that something comes
MEANING 9 from or develops from
COME FROM/ORIGINATE
1 ways of saying that someone comes from a
particular place, town , country etc
come from/be from
be a native of
be American/French/Japanese ete by birth
be of French/Italian/Russian ete extraction
be of Scottish/Russian ete ancestry
come from/be from J IkAm from, bi: 'froml [u T not in
progressive or passive J
Shecamejromasmall town in Nebraska. I "Whereareyou
from?" "I'm/rom Paris, France." I lVhile we were on vaca-
tion we visited the Ukraine - that:S where the Cossacks come
from.
be a native of /bi: ~ 'neltlV DV/ be a native of Tokyo/
London/ Wales etc (=to have been born m and to have
spent the early part of your life in that place) [u phrase]
Rughes, who is a native ofBelfast, often uses the city as a set-
ting/or his rwvefs. I He was a native oJ Jacksonville. Florida,
where he was born in 1869.
be American/French/Japanese etc by birth Ibi:
(American, etc) bal Ib3: TSJ to have been born in a particu-
lar country or to be a citizen of that country because your
parents come from there, especially when you now live
somewhere else Iv phrasel
She's lived in Australia for a long time, but she's Irish by
birth. I My parents are both Indian by birth, but they have
American citizenship.
be of French/ltalianlRusslan etc extraction Ibi:
av (French, etc) Ik 'strrekJanJ a formal expression meaning
to be from a French, Italian etc family, even though you
were not born there Iv phrase)
He married an American girl ofFrench extraction. I Wealthy
families here employ domestic servants, mainly of Mexican
extraction.
be of Scottish/Russian etc ancestry Ibi: ov (Scot-
tish, etc) 'rensestri/ if you are of Scottish/Russian ctc
ancestry, relatives of yours that are now dead came from
that country a long time ago Iv phrase]
Many Americans are of Polish ancestry. I Her finefeatures
suggested she was of Arabic or Indian ancestry.
2 the place that you come from
home town place of birth
birthplace home
home town /,haurn l18unl the town where you live now,
where you were born, or where you spent most of your
early life In Cl
She hated her home town so much she would never admit
where she was from. I There had been so many changes in
the p lace, people often felt like strangers in their own home
town.
birthplace l 'b3: r Splelsl the place where someone, espe-
ciaily someone famous, was born [n Cl
We visited the birthplace of Lenin in Ulyanovsk. 1The people
of Stratford have made a lot of nwney from living in
Shakespeare's birthplace.
place of birth I IPiels av Ib3: r SI an expression used espe-
cially in official documents meaning the place where you
were born In phrase I
Forms usually ask you your name, address, nationality and
place of birth. I Where it says 'Place of Birth' write the town
you come from, not the country.
home Ihaum/ the place where you usually live or the place
that you come from, especially when that is the place where
you feel you belong and whercyou would most like to live
Ln Cl
I've lived in cali/orniafor years, but I've never reallyconsi-
dered it to be my home_ I Her home. she said, was in Southern
China, but she hadn't been there since she was a child.
231 COME FROM/ORIGINATE
3 to come from a particular type of family or
social group
come from/be from
be descended from
come fromlbe from ' 1leAm from, bi: Ifroml Iv T 1Wt in
progressive or passive I
Most of the people here come from very poor familiEs. I His
wi/ecamejrom the New Jersey bourgeoisie. I He'sfromavery
upper class background.
be descended from Ibi: d l1 sendAd froml if you are
descended from someone or a group of people who lived
a long time ago, you are related to them, especially some-
one powerful, rich or famous (v phrasel
She always claimed her family was descended from the
ancient Kings 0/ Egypt. I The Japanese are thought to be
descended/ram tribes/rom the north of China.
4 the particular type of family or social group
that you come from
background
origins
background I 'brekgraundl In Cl
How quickly kids learn to read will often depend on both
their ability and their backgrounds. I Sylvu, had always
expected that she would marry someom of a similar back-
ground to herself. I working class/east side/Jewish ctc
background Nearly all top judges are/rom wealthy back-
grounds.
ortglns / 1or1d3!nz 11 1;):-, 10;-/ the social position that you
were born into and in which you spent the early part of
your life, for example who your parents were, whether they
were rich or poor etc [n plural ]
Miller questioned her closely, about her present job, her
family. her origins. I Politicians always talk about their
humble origins - it wins them votes.
5 to be grown or made in a particular place,
town, country etc
come from/be from
come from/be from I IleArn from, bi: Ifroml [v T not in
progressive or passive I
The oranges? They come from Cali/ornia. I Her most strik-
ing clothes are those that comefrom Italy. I All the medical
equipment here is/rom the USA.
6 ways of saying that a sound, smell, smoke ete
comes from somewhere
come from
emanate from
source
come from I 1leArn froml [vT not inpassive J
Coming from outside in the street was the sound of children
playing. I There was an awful smell coming/rom one of the
refuse sacks. I Fortunarely. the wind is comingfrom the west
emanate from I'em:melt froml a word used in a formal
context or in literature meaning to come from Iv T not in
passive!
Delicious smells emanated/rom the kitchen. I A dim orange
light emanated from an open window.
source /s'J:rsl the place that a sound, a smell, smoke, gas
etc comes from In Cl
The sound came from an unknown source, far away in the
distance. I In the case 0/ an electric shock, turn the power off
at its source. I The tank's losing water. but we can 'tfind the
source of the leak.
I~ I " You say" is used in definitions of some
~ words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken Eng lish.
COME FROM/ORIGINATE
7 ways of saying that something such as an
idea, custom , problem, or organization has
developed from something that existed at an
earlier time
come from derive froml
originate be derived from
go back to grow out of
have its origins in develop from
have its roots In evolve from
come from JI kAm from/ [v T 1Wt in progressive or passive 1
All his political ideas come/ram the newspaper he reads. I
The name 'terri€r' romesfrom the Latin word 'terra'mean-
ing the earth. I Their main problem comes/rom the/act that
drinking water -is very scarce in the area.
originate f<J ' nd.3Aneltl to have developed in a particular
place or from a particular situation [v I not in progressive)
No one really knows haw the solar system originated. I
originate in Most people's psychological problems originate
in their early relationship with their parents. I The concept
of 'zero' originated in India.
go back to I g~ Ibrek tu:1 to have developed from some-
thing that happened or existed a long time ago Iv T not in
progressive or passive]
Many phrases in the language go back to early religious
writings. 1 Jojust refuses to get into a car - it all goes back
to when she had that accident.
have Its origins In Ihrev Its lor!d3lnz ID 11 -1'J:r-J ifsome-
thing has its origins in something that existed in the past,
that is where it comes from and is the reason for it being
as it is Iv phrase not in progressive)
Modern medicine often has its origins in ancient ways of
doing things. 1 Many of our religious festivals have their
origins in early pagan traditions.
have Its roots In Ihrev Its Iru:tS 1nl if something such
as a belief or attitude has its roots in conditions that
existed earlier, it developed from them and is still
influenced by them [v phrase not in progressive!
Economic policy in the US has its roots in the free market
system. 1 Modern fairy stories have their roots in ancient
myths and folklore.
derive fromlbe derived from Jdl1ralv from, bi: dl -
lralvd fromJ to have developed from something else, espe-
cially by a long or complicated process Iv T not in
progressive]
Much of the English language is derived from Latin and
Greek. 1 Some children are allergic to milk and to products
derived from milk, such as cheese. 1 Laws to restrict work-
ing hours derivefrom 19th century attempts to protect women
and child workers.
grow out of JlgldU laut DVJ to develop from something
small or simple by becoming bigger or more complicated
Iv T not in progressive or passive}
Socialist ideals grew out of an earlier idea that all men are
created equal. 1The skill of writing grew out ofa wish to put
speech into a pennanent form
develop from Idl1vel;}p from/ to come from an original
idea or fonn and change into something bigger, more
important, or more advanced [v Tl
The whole basis of her novel developedfmm a chance meet-
ing she had with an old friend. 1 Within years, the site
developedjroman area of waste ground into a thrivingfarm.
evolve from Illvolv from 11 Il vo: lv-J to gradually change
from an original fonn into something else, especially into
something better (v T not in passiveJ
The idea for the book evolved from some notes the autlwr
jotted down while he was on vacation. 1 Modern rock music
evolved from American Rhythm and Blues music.
"You say" is used in definitions of some
word s or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English .
232 comfort
8 to have a particular idea. belief, etc as the
most important point from which something
develops
be based on
be the basis of
be founded on
be based on Jhi: IbelSt onJ lV phrase]
Republican policy is based on the idea that people should
compete with each other. 1 Thefilm is based on a popular
Bengali novel. 1 Your test questions will be based on the work
you have done in the past year.
be the basis of Jbi: Cl;} IbeIS! S ovl ifan idea, plan etc is
the basis of another idea, plan etc, it is the original that
the other one is based on [v phrase}
The idea that everyone is entitled to a decent sc/Woling is the
basis of the government's policy on education. 1 This legend
is the basis ofmany modern stories. 1 We have made commit-
ment to the customer the basis of our new policy. 1 on the
basis of On the basis of new information, police have
arrested a man at JFK AirfXJrt.
be founded on Jbi: I faund!d Dnl to have one main idea,
belief etc that something else develops from [v phrasel
His view of society isfounded on the belief that women are
inferior. 1 The constitution in this country is not written. It 's
founded on tradition and precedent. I White resistance to
Civil Rights was founded on age-old fears of denwcracy.
9 the place, situation etc that something comes
from Or develops from
origin birthplace
source starting point
cradle root
origin I l or!d3~n 11 ':>:-, 'o:-J the beginning of and the
reason for something's existence In Cl
A team of top scientists are working to establish the origin
ofthe moon. 1 The rumour is now so widespread, it's difTzeult
to be certain of its origin. 1 a book that tries to explain the
origin of words and phrases
source Js:>:rsf the point or place from which something
starts or comes [n C)
They get their money /rom various sources. I source of sth
Beans and lentils are a very good source ofprotein. 1Journal-
ists will usually refuse to reveal the source of their informa-
tion.
cradle l'kre ldlJ cradle of democracy/civilization/
human society etc (=the place or situation in which these
things flrst started) rn C usually singular)
Ancient Athens is generally thought of as the cradle of
democracy. 1 the African continent, cradle of human society
birthplace , lb3: replelsJ the place wher e something first
started to exist rn C J
birthplace of sth New Orleans, thE birthplace o/jazz I Italy
is usually thought of as the birthplace of the Renaissance.
starting point Ilsto:::rtJIJ P:>lOtJ the idea, piece of infor-
mation, situation etc that something develops from [n Cl
Most historians see the assassination of the Archduke as the
starting point of World War l. 1 Your baby's birth weight is
her personal starting pointfor growth. 1 Let 's take the way
boys and girls are treated differently in school as our start-
ing point.
root JrnaJthe very first reason for or cause of something
else happening or existing [n C]
The root of the unemployment problem is the lack of nwney
available for training young people. 1 The love of money is
said to be the root of all evil.
comeback: make a comeback FASHIONABLE 3
~ comedian JOKE 5
comedy FUNNY 2. 5
t.; comeuppance: get your comeuppance DESERVE 2
}I comfort COMFORT/MAKE S6 FEEL 6EITER 1, 3,
COMFORTABLE 3
11 comfort: In comfort COM FORTABLE 1
comlort 233
Icomfort 1------,
which meaning?
comlortable • COMFORTABLE
be kind to someone COMFORT/MAKE
to make them l eel SB FEEL BETTER
better
• COMFORT/MAKE
SB FEEL BETTER
to make someone reel calmer, more cheerful,
or more hopeful w h en they are worried or
unhappy
1 to comfort someone
2 words for describin g something that com forts
you
3 a feeling of greater calmness. cheerfulness.
or hope when you have been worried or
unhappy
1 to comfort somecne
comfort reassure
console soothe
co~fort 11 kAmf;) rt/ to comfort someone, for exampl e by
talktng to them or putting your a rms around them Iv TJ
He tried to com/m-l her by telling her that everything would
be alright soon. I As a priest I often have to comfort those
whose loved ones ha vejust died. I The two sisters hugged each
other, sharing their grief and com/orUng one another.
eonsole I k~n' s;)(J I '- to comfort. someone when they feel
unhappy or dlsappomted, especially by saying something
that makes them realize the situation is not so bad Iv TJ
Susanna did her best to console her daughter by promising
to buy her another doll. j WilIiam consoled h il1lSel/ with the
thought that at least no one else had been involved in the
accident.
reassure f Lri:aIJua t/ to make someone feel less wOIT ied
or fri ghtened about a situation, for example by being
friend ly to them or by telling them there is nothing to
worry about [v T l
The company is trying to reassure inveszors about the safety
of the money they have invested. I My smile seemed to reas~
sure the wailer. and the embarrassment van ishedfram his
face.
soothe (su:O( to make someone feel more calm and
relaxed when they are upset, anxiou s, or nervous Iv TI
soothe sb When the baby cried his mother soothed him by
stroking his hot little head. j sooth e sb's nerves Maybe a
drink would help soothe your nerves.
2 words for describing somethi ng that comforts
you
comforting reassuring
soothing consoling
comforting f lkAmf~tt l l) f [adjl
It was coniforting to see the lights of the town and know we
would soon be home. ! Stefan sat there with his head buried
in his hands and 1 tried to think o/something comforting to
say.
comfortingly [adv I "It doesn't matter if it ·s broken, I'll buy
you another Olle, " said Gareth conifortillgly.
soothing flsu:Oll)f someth ing that is soothing makes you
COMFORTABLE
feel calm and relaxed when you are upset, anxious, or
nervous ladjl
My aunt had a gentle soothing voice. ! 1 love listening to
Bach's music - I find it very soothing, especially when 1'ue
had a hard day at work.
soothingly [advl She rocked the baby soothingly in her
arms until he fell asleep.
reassuring I Lri:a IJuaTlI) .. f making you feel less wOlTied
or fri ghtened about something [adj 1
It 's reassuring to know that the children are being well
looked-a/ter. ! The doctor laid a reassuring hand on SU!V€n 's
arm. "There's nothing to worry about!" he said. ! enor·
mou s l ~ reass ur ing 1 found his words enormously
reassuring .
reassuringly ladv l Seeing Judith 's worried face, Betly
smiled reassuringly.
consoling fk~nLs;}Uill)l something that is consoling,
especially something that someone says, makes you feel
better when you are unhappy or disappointed [adj]
It was consoling to learn from Melissa smother lhat her
death had been very (J€(Jciful.
3 a feeling of greater calmness. cheerfulness ,
or hope when you have been worried or
unhappy
comfort consolation
relief solace
comfort flkAmfat'f [11 VI
The crying children clullg together for com/ort. ! bring/ give
c,?mfort Your letter bmught me great comfort afler John
dl£d. I take/draw comfort from Ingrid drew great rom·
fortfram her family 's support. I We can take some rom/art
from the thought that alleast we are not the only onesfacing
these problems.
relief fn Lli:fJ the feeling you have when something
worrying or fr ightening has ended or has not happened In
singular/ VI
When tile planefinally landed, weal/felt a tremendous sellse
of relief. ! It was a great relieflo know that the children had
got home safely. I That's a rc liefl/ What a reliefl "/t son iy
a greetings telegram . .. "Whew! That 's a relief For a moment
I thoug~1t it was bad news." I to your relicf(=making yOll
feel relief) Uncle Jar replaced theftlse and switched on tlu!
motor. To everybody's relie/, it worked.! h eave/ breathe a
sigh ofrelief(=breathe loudly to show your relief) Oneof
the guards stopped close to where they were hiding, then
walked away. They breathed a huge sigh of relief
consolation , .konsa lJe lJan I! .ko:n-f a thought or fact
that makes you feel less disappointed or sad, for example
when someone has died or when you have just heard some
disappointing news In singular/ U J
It was some consolation to know that he could take tile exam
again. I1really miss my mother. My oneconso/alion is that
her suffering was not prolonged.
solace f Lsol!s 11 Iso:-f a word used especially in literature
meaning a pleasant feeling of comfort and calmness that
you get from a kind pel'Son, a peaceful place etc when you
are vcry sad or worried In VJ
Can nen turned to her husband for solace. ! find solace
Howardfound solace in the beauty alld tranquillity a/the
mountains. ! bring/ give solace Relig ious faith brings
solace to many people when they need it most.
comfortable COMFORTABLE 1, 2, 9. RELAXED 1, RICH 2
COMFORTABLE
1 feeling comfortable
2 words for describing chairs, places, clothes
etc that make you feel comfortable
3 the feeling of being comfortable
4 things that make you feel comfortable
5 not feeling comfortable continued
COMFORTABLE
.. COMFORTABLE
continued
6 words for describing chairs, places, clothes
etc that make you feel uncomfortable
7 the feeling of being uncomfortable
8 conditions that make you feel uncomfortable
9 words for describing a journey in which you
feel comfortable
10 words for describing a journey in which you
feel uncomfortable
1 feeling comfortable
comfortable In comfort
comfy snug
comfortable Il kAmft;)b.1l , ' kAmfal- 11 'kAmfart-. IkArnft-J
feeling physically relaxed and satisfied ladjJ
I was so comfortable in bed that I didn't want to get up_I It's
vel)' comfortable living in this houst!. I You'll probably find
it more comfortable if you till the seat back. I make your-
self comfortable You sit down and make yourselves com-
fm'table while I gel liS some eoflee.
comfortably (adv ] He was sitting com/ortably in an arm-
chair by the window.
comfy , lkAmfi/ an informal word meaning comfortable
ladjl
"Do you want another pillow?" "No I'm Quite comfy,
thanks. " I I hope you'll be nice and comfy here.
In comfort 11n 'kAmfJrtj if you do something in comfor·t,
you are comfortable while you are doing it ladv phrasel
Travelling first class allows you to enjoy your journey in
comfort. I Now you can watch your favorite movies in the
comfort of your own home.
snug {snAg/ feeling comfortable and happy when you are
sitting down or in bed because you are in a warm place
ladjJ
She looks really snug under all those blankets.
snugly [adv l It wasfreezing outside but we were soon sitting
snugly by theftre.
2 words for describing c hairs, places, clothes
etc that make you feel comfortable
comfortable cosy/cozy
comfy snug
comfortable / ' kAmftab.?1. ' kAmfJt- 1I IkAmfart-. 'kAmft-1
Jadjl
Thomas can sleep on the so/a, but I 'm afraid it 's not as com-
fortable as a bed. 1 She has a big comfortable apartment
overlooking Central Park. II've just got backfrom work and
I'd like to change into some more comfortable clothes.
comfortably [advl Make sure you're comfortably dressed
before you start the walk.
comfy l ' kAmfi/ an informal word: a piece offurnitul'e 01'
clothing that is comfy is comfortable and makes you feel
relaxed Iaclj I
Grandpa likes to sit in the comfy chair beside the fire. I These
old shoes are so comfy. I don't want to get rid of them.
cosy (British) I cozy (American) / 'k""zi/ a cosy room ,
chair, or situation is very pleasant and makes you feel
warm, relaxed. and comfortable !adjl
Thefire had been lit and the room looked bright and cosy. I
I wish I was at home in a nice cozy bed. I There was a cozy
atmosphere in the bar.
cosily/ cozily ladvl The bedroom was cosily furnished in
bright warm colnurs.
snug Is nAg! a room or space that is snug is small, warm,
and comfortable and makes you feel happy and protected
from the cold outside ladjJ
The room looked neat and snug and I hoped she and I would
be alonefor the evening. I A cat will always find the snug-
gest sleeping place in the house.
234 COMFORTABLE
3 the feeli ng of being comfortable
comfort
comfort l 'kAmfartJ [n DJ
After he became rich, he lived a life of idleness and comfort. I
Her new fam i /y will provide her with the comfort and secu·
rity that she lacks at the moment.
4 things that make you feel comfortable
comforts
comforts I lkAmf~fts{ things that make your life more
pleasant and comfortable, especially things that are not
completely necessary but which you are used to having in
your home [n plural}
She was starting to miss thefamiltar comforts oJ her home
in Massachusetts. I material comfOl·ts (=comforts such as
money and possess ions) Her new husband could offer her
a II the material comforts she needed, but she knew she didn't
love him.
5 not feeling comfortable
uncomfortable
uncomfortable /An'kAmftab.?I, - lkAmfat- 11 -'kAmfart-,
-' kAmft·/ladj l
Sue s clothes were soaking wet, and she felt cold and uncom-
fortable. I They were forced to spend another uncomfortable
night at the airport waiting/or their plane. I Thenurses have
to turn him over every few hours because he gets uncomfort·
able lying in the same position all the time.
6 words for describing chairs, places, clothes
etc that make you feel uncomfortable
uncomfortable
spartan
uncomfortable IA nlkAmft~biJ J, -'kAmfat- 11 . lk Amf~rt · .
-' kAmft-/ ladjl
These chairs may look good, but they're very uncomfortable
to sit on. I She was dressed in a !J'efy tight skirt and
uncomfortable·looking shoes.
spartan /'spa:ftn/ a room, building, or conditions that are
spartan are very simple and without comfortable furni-
ture or unnecessary decorations ladj l
The students' rooms are spartan but clean, with lW carpets
or central h£ating. I The hotel was like a different world com-
pared to the spartan accomodation l'd had in the army.
7 the feeling of being uncomfortable
discomfort
discomfort I d l s ' kAmf~rtl [n DJ
There's a limit to the amount of discomfort anyone can put
up with. I acute discomfort (=great discomfort) The
disease causes acute physical discomfort.
8 conditions that make you feel uncomfortable
discomforts
discomforts Idl s1kAmf.Jftsl conditions that make you feel
uncomfortable, for example lack of rest, nowhere to wash
yourself. or very hot or cold weather In plurall
I wasn 't preparedfor the discomforts ofliving in a place with
no electricity or running water. 1 Palin had become
accustomed to all the hardships and discomforts oflife in the
desert.
9 words for describing a journey in which you
feel comfortable
comfortable
smooth
comfortable l 'kAmft~b3I, 'kAmfat- 11 ' kAmfart-, IkAmft-/
ladjl
COMFORTABLE 235 COMMON
"Did}<Ju have a goodflight?" "Yes, very romfortabk thank
you. " I He was looking forward to a nice corrifortablejour-
ney on board the big ship.
oomfartably [adul Talways go by boat - it's the only way
Icommon 1,----..,,------,
w travel conifortably. whICh meaning?
smooth fsmu:l1/ a sm ooth journey is comfortable because
your car or plane does not shake, or the sea is not rough
[a4i1 common "" . COMMON
be

Luckily we had a smooth/light, in perfect weather condi- not common lit RARE
tions.1 Thecar has excellent suspension and thejourneywas
really smooth.

10 words for describing a journey in which you

fee uncomfortable
. COMMON
uncomfortable 1 existing in large numbers or in many places
rough 2 happening often or in many places
bumpy
uncomfortable IAnlkAmft~baJ, -lkAmf~t- 11 - ' kAmf~n- ,
-'kAmft-/ [adjl
I hate travelling by train - the carriages are always so dirty 1 existing in large numbers or in many places
and uncomfortable. I In those days visiting the island meant common be ten a penny/
a long uncomfortable voyage across choppy seas. be everywhere be a dime a dozen
rough IrAfl a sea journey that is rough is uncomfortable commonplace
because bad weather makes the boat go up and down a lot
[a4i1 common I'korn.n 11 'ka:-/ [adj l
It was a rough crossing and most of the passengers were Rabbits are common in many parts of Europe, I Jones is a
seasick. very common name in Great Britain. 1 Flatheads are a
common type oJ fish and good to eat. 1 The commonest
bumpy J'bftmpi/ ajourney by car or plane that is bumpy aluminium-rich ore is bauxite_
is uncomfortable bec!use bad road conditions or bad
weather make the car or plane shake a lot lalU! be everywhare /bi; levriwe<}f/ to be extremely common
After a bumpy landing. all lire passengers cheered and and be seen in many different places Iv phrase!
thanked the pilot. I To get to Agra we had to endure a long No one had even heard of mountain bikes ten years ago, but
IWW they're everywhere. I Girls with long, straight hair were
bumpy ride in an old bus.
everywhere in the 196/1S. 1 The new fashions may look stronge
comfortably off: be comfortably off RICH 2 now, but they'll soon be everywhere.
comforting COMFORT/MAKE SB FEEL BETTER 2
commonplace I'kom~npl els 11 'ka:·/ things that are
comforts COMFORTABLE 4 common place exist in large numbers so that they are not
comfy COMFORTABLE , . 2 considered. to be special or unusual even though in other
comic FUNNY 2, JOKE 5 places they may be much less common [adj IWt before noun ]
comical FUNNY 1 Avocado pears are expensive and hard to find here but in
coming: had It coming DESERVE 2 California they are commonplace.
coming: the coming of BEGINNING 2
be ten a penny (British) I be a dime a dozen (Ameri-
coming: up and coming SUCCESSFUL 3
can) /bi: lien OJ 'peni. bi: OJ ,da lm;) IdAunj informal expres-
coming up: be coming up SOON 5 sions meaning to be very common in a particular area and
comlngs and goings 8USY PLACE 2 therefore not be considered special or unusual [v phrase )
command TELUORDER 58 TO 00 5TH 2, 7 Porsches are ten a penny in the area where we live. 1 These
command : have a good command of KNOW 5TH 4 days famous artists are a dime a dozen in New York.
commandeer TAKE STH FROM 58 3
commemorate CELEBRATE 1, RE MEMBER 11
commend PRAISE 2 2 happening often or in many places
commendable PRAISE 7 common be rife
commendation PRAISE 5 widespread prevalent
com ment SAY 1, 11 epidemic proportions pervasive
comment: be a comment on SHOW/BE A SIGN OF 5 commonplace
commentary DESCRIBE 5
commerce BUSINESS 1 common 11korn;)n 11 I km·/ happening often or in many
commercial BUSINESS 3, PR IVATE/NON-GOVE RNM ENT 1, places [adjl
ADVERTISE 3 It's a comnwn error. I Many of the commoner forms ofcancer
commiserate SYMPATHIZE 2 can now be treated successfUlly. I common among Bad
com mission JOanASK 3, PAY SB FOR WORK 3 dreams are more common among children than adults. J it.
commit CRIME 4, DO 6 is common for sth to happen It's very common for new
commit sth to memory LEARN 2 fathers wfeel jealous q{ter the birth of a baby.
commit suicide KILL 12 commonly [adv I Computers are becoming more and more
comm itment WORK HARD 6 commonly used in the classroom as a teaching aid.
committed WORK HARD 4 widespread , 'wa1dspred/ happening in many places or
comm ittee GROUP OF PEOPLE 9 done by many people ladj)
common LOT/A LARGE NUMBER OR AMOUNT 8, This kind of problem is much more widespread than people
COMMON , . 2. EVERYONE 5 . SAM E 1 imagine. 1 The great advantage of this product is its low cost
common : have a lot In common LIKE/SIM ILAR 7 and widespread availability. I the widespread use of anti-
common : have nothing In common DIFFERENT 2 biotics in modern medicine
common : not common RARE 1 epidemic proportions / ep~ , demlk prOJ'p:>:fJiilnzl
common : uncommon/ not common RARE 2 reach / grow to/ increase to epid emic p roportions
common knowledge: be common knowledge KNOW (=become so common that it is a serious problem) [nplurol l

I STH 12
common sense SENSI BLE 6
Street crime has reached epidemic proportions during the
last few years. 1 TmidenlS of burglary in tire capital have
increased to epidemic proportions.
COMMON
commonplace Ilkom;}nplels 11 Ika:-J happening very
often, with lhe result that it is not considered to be special
or unusual fadj not before noun }
Heart transplant operations are now commonplace. l It used
to be rare to see young people sleeping on the streets of London
- these days it's become increasingly commonplace.
be rife !hi: Ifalfl ifbad behaviour such as stealing or vio-
lence is rife in a particular area it happens very often there
(v phrase ]
Drug-taking was rife on university campuses. I The business
world should do something about the corruption which is
rife in the stock market. I be rife with Hollywood is rife with
gossip.
prevalent /'prev::Il;mtj a formal word: a problem, idea, or
type of behaviour that is prevalent in onc place, time, or
group of people is common there [ad) J
Stres">-reiated diseases are much less prevalent among rural
communities. I The idea that dreaming is essentialfor sanity
has been prevalent in popular science since the eighteenth
century.
pervasive /~ rl velslvl problems, behaviour, or situa-
tions that arc pervasive are very common and are spread-
ing to more and more people or areas so that they are
impossible to prevent [adjl
Violence and crime are pervasivefeatures ofcity life. I What
can be done to counteract the pervasive influence oftelevision
and advertising? I The results of the survey slww just how
pervasive thew beliefs are. 1 all-pervasive (=extremely per·
vasive) Modern society has been shaped and controlled by
these all-pervasive economic pressures.
commonplace COMMON 1, 2
commotion LOUD/NOISY 7
communal SHARE 3
communicable SPREAD 11
communicate CONTACT S8 2, EXPRESS 1, 2
communication CONTACT SS 4, MESSAGE 1
community SOCIETY 2, 3
community: the community SOCIETY 1
commute TRAVEL 5
commuter TRAVEL 11
compact SMALL 1, 3
companion WITH 5
companionship FRIENO 8
company COMPANY 1, 3, WITH 1
company: be good company ENJOY/LIKE DOING STH 7
company: have company VISIT 7
company: in sb's company WITH 1
company: prefer your own company ALONE 3
. COMPANY
an organization that makes or sells goods or
services in order to get money
1 a company
2 a company that is owned and controlled by a
larger company
3 connected with or belonging 10 a company
1 a company
company multinational
firm conglomerate
business partnership
corporation
company IlkAmp;mi/ [n Cl
My father worksfor an insurance company. 1 She's the boss
ofa small company which makes greetings cards. I manage/
run a company When wefirst started I had to run the com-
pany on my own. 1 set up/start a company The company
was set upjustajter the end of the war. I a company goes
bankrupt/bust/out of business (=it owes so much
money it has to stop doing business) A lot of well-known
236 COMPANY
UK companies have gone bankrupt in recent years. 1 parent
company (=one that owns a smaller company) Ford UK's
parent company in America is planning big cut-backs in
production.
firm 1f3: f rnl a company, especially a small one that makes
goods or provides services such as giving legal or finan·
cial advice [n Cl .
Before he became senator he worked for a lawjirm in Los
Angeles. 1 Th£jlrm employs about lO/ul/·time sf11jJalUl4
part-tiIM workers. 1 set up/start a firm He lift Chrys/er alUl
set up his own management consultancy firm.
buslne•• " blzn~ s/ a shop or company etc that sells goods
or provides services, especially one that employs a small
number ofpeop\e or even only one person [n Cl
Jack 's a builder - he has his own business. I manage/run
a business My husband runs the business when I 'm away. 1
small business A lot of small businesses have been badly
hit by the recession. I set up/start a b usiness When wefirst
set up our printing business there were only two ofus - now
it 's grown and there are 20 people working here.
corporation I.k:l:fp;) IreIJ. m/ a large company that
employs a large number of people [n Cl
IBM is one of the bigg est corporations in the Us. 1 Kodak
started out as a small business in Rochester, New York, and
expanded into a thriving multinational corporation.
multlnatlonal ,.ITIAlu 'm:elan;)I"'1 a very large company
that has offices or factories in many different countries
Ine]
Ifyou workfor a multinational, it is Quite likely that you will
be sent to work abroad. I The major cigarette producers are
massive multinationals with a large and profitable market
to prota:t. 1 multinational company/ corporation It is the
big multinational companies such as BP, ESSO and Shell
which dominate the market.
conglomerate /k;)n'glom;) r ~ t 11 -' gla:-/ a very large
business organization that consists of several different
companies which have joined together {n C l
A vast American conglomerate Iw.s announced plans to buy
the site at a cost of well over a billion dollars. I In the mid·
19805 the big financial conglomerates muscled into the
market.
partnership I'pa:rtn;)fflp/ a company that belongs to two
or more people, especially a small company that provides
professional services In Cl
My first job after I qualifted was with a small accountancy
partnership. 1 Jennings, McKeough and White, a leading
advertising partnership
2 a company that is owned and controlled by a
larger company
subsidiary
subSidiary /s,b 'S1di,ri 11 -dieri/ln C]
Harris-Daishowa is a subsidiary of Japan's serond largest
paper company. 1 subsidiary company Idemitsu plans to
establish a subsidiary company in the US with a capital of
around four million dolla rs.
3 connected with or belonging to a company
company
corporate
company /' kArnponi/ company car/policy/profils/logo
etc [adj only before rwunl
Company profits have more than doUbled in the last four
years. 1 It is rwt company policy to exchange goods without
a receipt. 1 The new job has the added attraction of the use
of a company car.
corporate / lb:fpar5t/ corporate identity/image/
loyalty/planning etc (=connected with a large company,
especially with the general opinion that people have of it)
[adj only before nounl
Managers are worried about the company's corporate
image. 1 Computers play a large part in our strategic cor-
porate planning process.
comparable
I
comparable UKEiSlMILAR 1
comparative COMPARE 4
compare COMPARE 1
compare: can' t/doesn't compare with WORSE 1
• COMPARE
1 to consider two or more things, people, ideas
etc, especially in order to show how they are
similar to or different from each other
2 a description or examination that compares
things in order to show their similarities or
differences
3 words used when you are making a
comparison between two or more things ,
people etc
4 having a particular quality when compared
with something else
1 to consider two or more things, people, ideas
etc, especially in order to show how they are
similar to or different from each other
compare draw an analogy
liken draw a parallel
make a comparison contrast
compare l k:Jm'pe~rl (uT)
compare sth/ sb When they had finish€d their surveys. the
students were asked to compare their results. I Compare the
styles of the two poets. I compare sth/ sb with If you com-
pare him with other children of his own age, he's not very
tall. I She was getting increasingly fed up with the way he
kept comparing her with his ex-wife.
liken l 'l a l k~n, to describe something as being similar to
something else, usually in a written description, especially
in order to make it easier to understand (v TJ
liken sth to TIw autlwr likens dreams to normal waking
imagination. I Plato likened mental images to shadows.
make a comparison ',melk ~ brn'prer!sanj to compare
two or more situations or ideas, people etc, often in order
to show that one is better than the other [v phrase]
make a comparison between The report allows the reader
to make a direct comparison between the two types 0/ car. 1
make a comparison with You could make a comparison
with schools in America, but it wouldn't be/air.
draw an analogy "dr;): ~n ~'nrel ~d3il to compare two
similar situations or ideas in order to explain or prove
something about one of them [v phrase ]
draw an analogy between The author draws an analogy
between the space adventures shown in 'Star Trek ' and the
adventures undertaken by ancient Greek heroes.
draw a parallel "dn: ~ Iprefdlell to compare two differ-
ent situations in order to show that they have some similar-
ities {v phrase ]
draw a parallel between/with Le/t·wing politicians are
drawing parallels between events leading up to the last war
and current political problems.
contrast ' k~n Itra:st 11 _I tnest( to compare two things, sit·
uations, ideas etc in order to show how they are different
from each other [v Tl
contrast sth with It is interesting to contrast life in the
country now with what it was like a hundred years ago. 1 In
the/Urn, the peaceful life of afarmer is contrasted with the
violent existence of a gangster. 1 contrast sth Contrast the
styles of the two painters. 1 compare a nd contrast (=show
the similarities and differences) Compare and contrast the
various methods of teaching grammar to advanced students.
11'& 1 " You
say" is used in definitions of some
~ words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English.
237 COMPARE
2 a description or examination that compares
things in order to show their similarities or
differences
comparison
comparison ' k~m'prer!sanl [n C]
a comparison of The magazine article is a comparison of
people's working habits infour very different countries. 1 A
comparison of Barcelona and Londonfound that both cities
had high levels 0/ air pollution. 1 a comparison between
You could do an interesting comparison between what the
town is like now and Iww it was in the eighteenth century.
3 words used when you are making a
comparison between two or more th ings,
people etc
compared to/with beside
in comparison/ as against
by comparison by analogy
in contrast! in proportion to
by contrast
compared to/with /k,m'pe,'d tU!, WIO/ [prepl
Americans think they're good drivers compared to drivers
in other countries. I Statistics slww that there has been a 20%
reduction in burglary compared with last year. 1It has a lot
of extra features, which is why it's expensive compared to
other cars.
in comparlsonlby comparison /10 k~m'pre r! s.:m. ba l
k~m'prer!sanj as shown when compared with another sit·
uation, idea, person ete [adv phrasel
in/ by comparison with In comparison with others of the
same size, this company doesn't employ many security sta!f. 1
Black Americans are generally poor by comparison with
whites. 1 in/ by comparison My car is so slow that it makes
a bicycle look fast in comparison!
in contrastlby contrast /In ' kontro:st. ba l 'kontra:st 11
_Iko:ntrrestJ an expression used when you are showing the
difference between the things, situations, people etc that
you are comparing [adv phrase]
I was always reading when I was a kid, but my daughter,
by contrast, just watches television all day. 1in contrast to
In contrast to the hot days, the nights are bitterly cold.
beside (bll sal dl a word used when you are showing that
something seems more or less impressive, important etc
when compared to something else [prep ]
Tom 's efforts at digging seemed so weak beside Martin's that
he soon gave up. 1 Some parts of Delhi are so old that most
European cities look young beside it.
as against J~z ~ I geost' an expression used when you are
comparing two pieces of information, facts, etc in order to
show how they are different [prep]
Last year there were 443 industrial accidents as against 257
in 1985. 1 With only fifty seven inhabitants per square mile,
as against a world averageofover seventy, the country lsfar
from overcrowded.
by analogy (ba I ~ Inrel:x13i' an expression used when you
are showing the similarities between two different situa·
tions or ideas in order to explain something about one of
them [adv phrase]
by analogy with We talk about the 'memory' of a computer
by analogy with the brain of a human being. 1 by analogy
He analyzes the violence in ancient Rome and, by analogy,
the violence in modern cities.
In proportion to Jln pr~ l p;):rJ;.m tu:1an expression used
when you are showing that something does not seem cor·
rect, suitable. impressive etc when compared. with the
things that surround it [prep]
Her feet are very small in proportion to the rest ofher body.1
Tessa always thinks that, in proportion to herown problems,
other people's just don't exist.
COMPARE
4 having a particular quality when comparec
wilh somelhing else
relative
comparative
relative f'rel;)tivl (adj usually before noun)
She was terrified o/flying, so the relative advantages DJair
travel didn 't tempt her at alL I relative merits (=the advan-
tages and disadvantages oftwo or more things that are com-
pared with each other) The two l1um stood at the bar discuss-
ing the relative merits 0/ various sports cars. I it is all
relative (=it can not be judged on its own, but must be com-
pared with others) It 's all relative. isn't it? [mean someone
who is poor in this country would becollsidered well off ill
a really poor country.
relati vcly (adv I Once you 'tie mastered the basic strokes of
squash, the rest is relatively simple.
comparative Ikdm I preldlivl comparative happiness/
comfort/ safety etc (=happiness, comfort, safety etc that
is fairly satisfactory when compared to another, or a previ-
ous state of happiness, comfort, safety etc) [adj only before
noun I
After a lifetime of poverty, his last few years were spent in
comparative comfort. 1 In that region blackberries had
become a comparative rarity. I To escape the oombing,
familes shelt£r in the comparative safety of the sewers.
comparatively (advl We were absolutely broke in those
days. Now we're comparatively well off.
compared lo/with COMPARE 3
comparison COMPARE 2
comparison: in comparison/by comparison
COMPARE 3
comparison: make a comparison COMPARE 1
comparison: there's no comparison BETTER 2
compassion SYMPATHIZE 4
compaS5tonate KIND 3
compatible SUITABLE 2, TOGETHER 8
compel FORCE S8 TO DO STH 1
compel sb to do sth FORCE SB TO 00 STH 3
compelled: be forced/compelled to do sth MUST 1
compelled: feel compelled to do 5th MUST 4
compelling INTERESTING 3 , PERSUADE 9
compensate PAY FOR 8
compensate for EQUAL 10
compensation PAY FOR 8
compete COMPETE W1TH/TRY TO BEAT 1 . TAKE
PART/BE INVOLVED 1
Icompete I~"""""_=-".."....,,-,
whlc meBnl«l.l
~~
~.:-:--C~O~M:"P:".'E~T~E:"'W"::I~T::-H:'l'
TRY TO BEAT
-+ • COMPETITION
• COMPETE WITHI
TRY TO BEAT
to try be more successful than everyone else,
for example in business, or in an el ection or
competition
1 to oompele with other people or organizations
2 a situation in which people compele with
each other
3 words for describing a situation in which
people compele with each olher very strongly
238 COMPETE WITHITRY TO BEAT
4 a person or organization that is competing
against you
5 words for describing people who enjoy
competing with olhers
1 to com pete with other people or organizations
compete vie
be In competition with pit yourself against
fight contest
compete Ik;)m'pia/ to try to be more successful than
another person or organization, especially in business i v IJ
compete with They hope that with their new engine design
they will be able to compete with the larger manufacturers.!
compete for Throughout the 19BOs. computer companies
competed fiercely for market share. 1If British businesses
want to compet£ for European graduates, they will have to
improve working conditions. I compete against Performers
rome to the festival from all over the world to compet£
against each otlier. I compete Advanced technology and low
wage costs are helping the Taiwanesefirms to rompete inter-
nationally. 1can't compete (=unable to compete, especially
with other businesses that are much larger or more
advanced) The sma ll independent bookstores simply can't
compete with the big national chains.
be In competition with Ihi: In ,kompl 'tllan Wilt 11
- Iko:m-/ to be in the situation where you are competing
with another person or organization IV phrase]
James 's restaurant is now so good that it is in competition
with some of the best in San Francisco. 1 be in competition
for In some places,[armers are in competition for land with
expanding cities and industries. 1 The brothers were in com·
petition with each other for the same woman.
fight /falt/ to compete strongly for something, especially
for an important job or position which you want very much
Iv lITI
fight sb for In his speech, Kennet said he woull1 fight
Thomas for the leadership of the party. I Ilght for Jf you
want the job, you'll have to fight for it. There are several
strong candidates.
vle /val/ to compete very strongly with someone, especially
over a long period and when the competing people or
groups are very similar in ability, determination etc [v IJ
vie for Simon and Julian were vying for her attention all
through dinner. 1 vie with Helen was the brilliant girl who
vied with Vukani to be top of the class. I The two major tab-
loid newspapers vied with each other for the best stories.
pit yourself against /'pH jJ:rself ;)Igensr( to compete
with someone in a fight or competition, especially some-
one who is stronger, more powerful etc than you iv phrase]
In a desperate bid to dom/nall? the market, they hod pitied
themsJ!/ves against the glants ofth£ compull?r industry. I pit
your wits against (=compete with someone in a test of
knowledge) In this quiz ordinary people pit their wits
against a panel of celebrities.
contest Ik,n'te"l contest the final/the US Open/the
election etc (=to compete in a sporting event or election)
Iv TI
In 1991 Whill? contested the US Open and the J G &ott
Trophy. I The leadership ei£ction will be contested by four
candidates.
2 a situalion in which people compete with
each other
competition race
rivalry battle
light straight light
competition 'Ikomp! 'tJfan 11 ,ka:m-( a situation in
which people or organizations compete with each other,
especially for something which they all want but which
only one of them can get rn Ul
com petition between SometiTrU!S there's a lot 0/ competi-
tion betwemchildrenfor their mother's attention. I strong/
COMPETE WITHITRY TO BEAT 239 COMPETITION
fierce/stiff/tough competition (=when people compete I was sorry to hear they had gone out of business, but I'm
strongly with each other) There isfl£rce rompetition between qfraid it's a case of the survival of thejittest.
the three leading soap manufacturers. I competition for
Competition/or these jobs is very tough - we had over 2()()
applicants for just six posts. 4 a person or organization that is competing
rivalry f I ralv;,lri/ competition, especially friendly compe- against you
tition, between two or more people or organizations over competitor
a long time In Ul rival
rivalry between There is often rivalry between brothers the competition
and sisters to do better at school. I rivalry The two women
are good friends but there is a lso an element a/rivalry in competitor / k~mlpet 1 t;::lTI a person or company that
their relationship. I fierce/ intense rivalry These acting offers the same goods or services as you [n Cl
awards are contested in an atnwsphere of in.tense rivalry. This is secret information, which could be 0/ great value ID
our competitors. I We bought the same computer for less
fight ffa ltl a situation in which people compete strongly money from one 0/ their competitors.
against each other, especially for an im portant job or posi-
tion [n Cl rival / lra1val/ a person or organization that competes
Truman was appointed President after a long and difficult against you to get something valuable or important [n Cl
fight. I fight for thefightfor a major construction contract The two girls were rivalsfor Jack 's attention. IAt that point,
race lrelsl a situation in which people or groups, espe- Gore was Mr Clinton's main rival for the Democratic
cially politicians or businesses, compete to win something nominatwn.
very valuable or important In Cl rivalladj only before noun! Rival travel agents are selling
She won 40,(}()() votes in the San Francisco mayoral race. I tickets cheaper and cheaper.
the arms race I race for In the race/or the White House, can- the competition Ill;::l ,knmpl l uJan II -I krum-! all the
didates will do anything. I the race is on (=the competition companies or people competing against you I n singular
has started) The race is on tojind a cure/or AIDS, and drug with singular or plural verb in British English]
companies have already invested millions in research. Our sales figures are 10% ahead of the competition. I The
baHle / 1bretll a situation in which opposing organizations secret of success is to make sure that the competition never
compete over a long period, often very fiercely, for power, catches up.
control, or business [n C]
battle for Thi!re was a long batllefor rontrol ofthi! publish·
ing company. I battle The German company Daimler-Benz
5 words for describing people who enjoy
competing with others
won the aerospace contract after a bitter and protracted
battle. competitive
straight fight ! Istrelt Ifail! a British expression mean- competitive /kdm 1petltlv/ radj ]
ing a competition involving only two people or groups, I hate playing tennis with Stephen. He's so ·competitive. I
especially after other people or groups have stopped taking highly/ fiercely competitive You have to beFzercelycom-
part In singular] petitive to survive in this industry.
a straight fight between With only two competitors left, competitiveness In U] His competitiveness tends to make
it'll bea straightfight between themfor thechampwnship. 1 other people avoid playing with him.
in a straight fight The Socialist candidate beat the Liberal
in a straight fight. competent GOOD AT 1, GOOD ENOUGH 1
competition COMPETE WITH/TRY TO BEAT 2,
COMPETITION 1
3 words for describing a situation in which
competition: be in competition with COMPETE
people compete with each other very strongly WITHrrRY TO BEAT 1
competitive rat race competition: the competition COMPETE WITHITRY TO
cut-throat the survival of the BEAT 4
dog-eat-dog fittest
competitive Ik;::lm 1 pet1t lv/ladjl
I hate working in advertising. It's all so competitive. I
highly/ fiercely competitive In such ajiercely competitive
environment, it's inevitable that some companies will go out
Icompetition 1---,
of business. which meaning?
cut· throat f I kAt 9r;::lutl cut-throat competition/busi-
ness/politics etc (=very competitive, so that people are a competition • COMPETITION
prepared to do anything to be more successful even if they
hurt other people) [adj usually before noun) compete with • COMPETE WlT"/
Life is tough in the cut-throat world ofpolitics. I There is cut- someone, try to be TRY TO BEAT
throat competition between drug companies these days. better than them
dog-eat-clog f ,dog i:t 'dog 11 -d>:g-f a dog-eat-dog situ·
ation is one in which people are competing so strongly that be against someone ,. AGAINST SB IN
they care only about their own success and will do any- in a game or A GAME
thing to achieve it [n phrase! competition
Ifwedon 'tpublish the story, our rivals will - it's a case of •
dog-eat-dog. 1dog-eat-dog world/business etc Advertising take part in a • TAKE PART/BE
is a dog-eat-dog business. competition INVOLVED
rat race Ilrret rels! a situation or way of life in which
everyone is competing strongly all the time, especially at
work, with the result that they always feel worried and
they do not enjoy their lives In singular !
7'he stress ofthe rat race is a majorcause ofhealth problems. I
• COMPETITION
Weary of the rat race, we left the city and bought a small an event or game in which people or teams try
farm. fo do better than each other in order to win
the survival of the fittest /r,;::I S;::IT Ivalv.1I ;::lv 6;::1 ' fIt1st/
a s ituation in which only those people or organizations that 1 a competition
compete most strongly and with most determination can
continue to exist In phrase}
COMPETITION
1 a competition
competition championship
contest tournament
competition , .komp! ItJJ.;m I1 ,kCl!m~1 an organized event
in which people or teams compete agains t each other, espe-
cially using their skill In Cl
She won first p rize in a crossword competition. I It '5 one of
l/wsecompetitions where you have to make up a slogan about
some breakfast cereal. I take part in!enter a competition
Are you thinking of entering theFzshing competition?
conte's t J1konlesl I1 'ka:n-I a competition, especially one
that does not involve skill and where the winner is chosen
by a group of judges In Cl
beauty i baby contest ( ~to find the most beautiful woman
or baby) the annual 'Miss World' beauty contest I entcr a
contcst I entered the arm-wrestling contest at the local/a ir. I
enter sb inf for a contest Mrs Harris has decided to enler
Henry f or the baby contest.
championship / 'tJrempi,nJ,p/ a competition to find the
best player or team in a particular sport, especIally onc that
involves several stages or games In Cl
DisapPointingly, Lendl was knocked out in theftrst round
a/the US Open tennis championship. I We beat the Dodgers
in the semi-jinals, and went on to win the championship. I
After several unsllccesiful attempts to qualify for the cham-
pionship, this year he has won a place.
tournament Il t~rn:;)~ntJ a competition in a sport or
game in which each player or team plays several matches,
and the winner is the onc who wins the most matches In Cl
Thirty matches were played during the chess tournament,
which lasted three weeks. I Laura has I1€ver actually won a
professional golf tournament, but she still earns a good
living by playing.
competitive AMBITIOUS 1 , CHEAP 2 . COMPETE WITHI
TRY TO BEAT 3 , 5
competitor COMPETE WITHITRY TO BEAT 4, PLAY A GAME
OR SPORT 3 , TAKE PART/BE INVOLVED 10
compile WRITE 2
compile a list LIST 5
complacent PROUO 5
complain COMPLAIN 1
complain of HAVE 5
. COMPLAIN
1 to say that you are annoyed or dissatisfied
about something
2 to complain continuously in an annoying way
3 a written or spoken statement complaining
about something
4 someth ing that you complain about
1 to say that you are annoyed or dissatisfied
about something
complain take Itlthe matter
make a complaint up with
lodge a complaint! object
file a complaint make a fusslklck up a fuss
protest air your grievances
complain /bm'pJem/ to say that you are annoyed, dis-
satisfied , or unhappy about something or someone [v IIT
not in passive )
" You. never ask my opinion about anything, " she corn-
plailzed. I They've already been given a 10% raise, sf! why
are they complaining? I complain about Local residents
have been complaining about the noise/rom the airport. I
complain that Peop~ complain thot they don 't get enough
iliformation. Icomplain to sb Stubbs complained to the chef
that the meat was overcooked. I complain bitterly
240 COMPLAIN
(=complain very strongly) Workers who had lost their jobs
left thefactory complaining bitU!rly about the way they had
been treated.
make a complaint I ,me) k ~ bm' pleJnt/ to fonnally com-
plain about something to someone in authority Iv phrase l
make a complaint about I will certainly be making a
formal complaint about this disgracefuL incident. I make a
complaint to sb She made a complaint to the manager and
demanded her money back. I make a complaint against
sb If anyone makes a complaint against the police it will be
tlwroughly investigated. I make a complaint I understand
that you wish to make some kind of complaint.
lodge a complaint (BritiSh) I file a complaint (Ameri·
can) / .lod3 ~ kdm'ple lnt, Ifal l 3- I1 ,la:d3-J to ~ake an o~.
cial compla int, usually in writing, to someone In authOrIty
Iv phrasel
lodge/ file a complaint that A senior diplomat lodged a
complaint that he had been assaulted by a police officer. I
lodge/ file a complaint against In response to recent lay ·
ofJs the union is filing an offICial complaint against the
company.
prote.t Jpr.)ltestl to complain about something, cspec~y
publicly or official!)', because you are annoyed and thmk
it is unfair Iv liT not in passivel
He was carried away in a police van, protesting loudly. I "I
don't want to go to this new place, it sounds a real dump, "
Sasho protested. I protest (to sb) about The journalists
have protested to government officials about the way they
were treated. I protest (that) Angry workers are protesting
that they are being made to suffer for the government's mis·
takes.1 protest sth (especially American) She protested the
management 's action very loudly.
takeltlthe matter up with Jlte lk It, 0<) , mret ~r ' APW I ~I
to speak or write to someone in authority complaining
about something and continue to do so, to make sure that
something is done about it tv phrasei
Ifyou m iss school again, I shall have to take the matter up
with the principal. I "I'mfurious about them closing down
that hospital." "Why don't you take it up willl your MP?"
object l:tIb'd:sekti to complain because you disapprove of
someone's action rv Il
Do you think anyone would object if I park my car infront
of the gate? I object to I'm afraid you'll have to practise your
music somewhere else. Our neighbours are objecting to the
noise.
make a fus. (also kick up a fuss in British English)
I ,me lk '" IfAS, ,klk Ap '" 'fl\S/ to complain about something
in an angry or excited way, and more loudly than is neces·
sary Iv phrasel
She made such a fuss about a little lump of mud on her
carpet. I l don't see why you're kicking up all this fUSS, I
haven't done anything wrong. I Kate was very upset but she
didn't want to make a fuss in public.
air your grievances '.ea Tj:>:T ' gri:v.?ns~z' to tell other
people that you feel angry because you consider that you
have been treated unfairly Iv phrase]
There are regular meetings where workers are g iven an
opportunity to air their grievances. ! Mrs Craddock had an
embarrassing habit of stopping him in the street and airing
her grievances in a loud voice.
2 to complain continuously in an annoying way
go on about whinge
nag whine
grumble bitch
moan misery
gripe fusspot
go on about /g30 Ion ~baut I1 - Iam-/ an informal expres-
sion meaning to keep complaining continuously about
something Iv T not in passivel
Our neighbours are always going on about the noise our
dogs make. I go on and OD about (=go on about someth ing
for a long time) Look, I'm sorry I kept you waiting, but
there's no need to go on and on about it.
nag /nreg} to keep complaining to someone about their
COMPLAIN
behaviour, work etc, especially in order to make them do
something that they do not want to do [v IITI
nag sb about My dad's always nagging me about my hair
and telling me UJget it cut. I nag at sb Sh€ kft h€r last job
because the boss used to nag at her all the time. 1nag I have
to stay at home and put up with Cia ire's incessant nagging. I
nag sb I wish you'd stop nagging me.
grumble /1grAmball to keep complaining in a ba d-
tempered or unhappy way because you are feeling dissatis-
fied [v 11
"Why are the trains always late?" he grumbled angrily. I
When I explained that the library was closed the old man
shuJJkd off grumbling to himself. I grumble about Sh€'s
always grumbling about something or other - ifit's not the
weather. it's her husband.
grumbler [n Cl Don '( talre any notice of Denis. He's just an
old grumbler.
moan /maun/ to keep complaining in an unhappy voice
about the situation you are in or the things you have to do
[v 11
I can '( understand why you lot are all moaning and groan-
ingjust because we have to get upearly. j moan abontLook.
you're always moaning about other people not helping you,
but you never help anyone.
moaner [n Cl She's such a moaner - to listen to her, you'd
think the whole world was against her.
gripe /grmp/ an informal word meaning to keep complain-
ing about something unimportant [v]1
gripe about He came in griping about how cold it was in
th€ barn. I I got really irritated wh€n Christinagriped abaut
th€ lack of co·operation from my kids. I grtpe I kft home
because my mum was always griping.
whinge /w lnd31 a British word meaning to keep complain·
ing ina very annoying way, especially about the conditions
you Jive or work in [v Il
There's no place in the army for people who whinge. 1
whinge about I don 't know why you keep whingeing about
being underpaid. You earn a wt more than I do.
whine Iwa Inl to keep complaining in a sad, annoying
voice about something unimportant [v I]
whine about I wish you wouldn't whine about every little
thing that you don't like. 1 whine For heaven's sake stop
whining. Nobody has touched your precious records.
whiner [n Cl We'd better kove the kids at home. TIuty're
terrible whini!rs.
bitch Iblt!1 to keep complaining in a nasty way about
someone when there is no good reason to complain [v IJ
bitch about Everyday sh€ bitches abaut how siow h€r secre-
tary is. 1Don't trust him. He's always bitching about people
behind th€ir backs. I bitch Our ojternoons were spent
gossiping and bitching in the kitchen.
misery f I mlu ril an infonnal British word meaning some-
one who is always complaining, is never happy, and does
not like other people to enjoy themselves [n C)
You are an old misery. Ever since we came away on holiday
you've doni! nothing but moan. j If you think I'm inviting
Gail to the party, you're wrong. She's such a misery.
fusspot I lfASpot 11 -po:tl a British word for someone who
often complains about sman, unimportant things and who
is very careful about things such as what kind of food they
will eat [n Cl
Don't be such a fusspot, that small amount of garlic won 't
kill you! j What afusspot! That 's three times I've rewritten
this letter for her so far!
3 a written or spoken statement complaining
about something
complaint
protest
complaint Ibm 1plelOt/ a statement in which someone
complains about something or someone In C/ U ]
Ifyou get a complaint from ani! of our customers, you must
report it to me. I Stevens had ignored complaints about his
noisy all·night parties. I All day the airline's switchboard
has been jammed with complaints from disgruntled
241 complete
travelkrs abaut [light delays. I complaint tbat Th€ prin-
cipal received a number of complaints from parents that
their children were being bullied. I complaint against sb
The ni!W committee will handle complaints against the
police. I letter of complaint I'm very angry about this inci-
dent and I've already drafted a klter of compioint.
protest j1pldU[estj a public or official complaint about
something that has happened, especially because it seems
very unfair In C/ UI
There were angry protests about the way the prislJners had
been treated. I The court's decision brought afurious pro-
test/ram the company which nowfaces alive million dollar
bill for damages. I make a protest I'm writing to you to
make the strongest possible protest about the increase in
rent. I shoutlletter etc of protest There were shouts 0/
protest /ram the crowd when the referee stopped the game.
4 something that you complain about
complaint grumble
cause for complaint gripe
grievance
complaint /k>m 'plemt/ [n Cl
Our main complaint is the poor standard of service. I Ifyou
have a complaint, you should write to the manager. I TIu!
students drew up a document listing their complaints.
cause for complaint /lb:z f~r k~m'pJetnt/ a good
reason to complain In phrase]
not have cause for complaint We'Ve helped him in every
way we can, so I don't think Iu! has any causefor complaint. I
not give sb cause for complaint "Is the/ood here good?"
"Well it's never given me any cause/or complaint."
grievance I I gri:vans! something that makes you feel you
have been unfairly treated and that you complain about
I
[n Cl
I was glad to see thot sh€ hod forgotten all h€r oid grie-
vances. j We would like to tell the management about our
grievances regarding working conditions. I grievance
against AnYOni! who has a legitimate grievance against the
company can take it to the arbitration committee.
grumble IlgrAmbaJI a British word meaning something
that you are dissatisfied about and keep complaining about
in a quiet way [n Cl
When I was in the Navy, our main grumble was about the
food, but nobody dored UJ make a romplaint. IV you hove
any grumbles, you can bring them to me.
gripe Igralpl an infonnal word for something unimportant
that you keep complaining about [n C)
It is a common gripe among passengers that there are no
rdreshments on th€se trains. I I hove a coupk ofgripes abaut
the way my schedule is organized.
complaint COMPLAIN 3, 4, ILLNESS/DISEASE 1
complaint: cause for complaint COMPLAIN 4
complaint: lodge a complaint/file a complaint
COMPLAIN 1
complaint: make a complaint COMPLAIN 1
complement SUITILOOK GOOD TOGETHER 2,
SUITABLE 3
complete COMPLETE 1, 2. 3, FINISH DOING STH 1
complete: be complete FI NISH DOING STH 8
complete 1:-=-,....,..------,
meaning?
complel",:npt mlaelng
anything .>
:-"-----
-+. FINISH DOING
STH
COMPLETE
. COMPLETE
1 with all its parts included, and nothing
missing
2 including every possible detail, fact, process,
or action
3 to make something complete
4 not complete
1 with all its parts included, and nothing
missing
complete In full
lult In Its entirety
whole be all there
complete Ik,m'pti:tl ladj]
the romprete works of William Shakespeare in one volume I
This sugar bowl doesn't look complete - shouldn't it have
a lid? I Archaeologists have discovered a complete and
almost undamaged skeleton ofone ofth£ earliest mammals. 1
Buy one 0/ tlwse beautiful plates every month until your
collection is complete.
full /full full name/address/set ete (=one that is corn·
plete) ladj only before noun]
Plrose wrlte}<)urfull address at th£ topofth£form 1A child
has usually developed a full set of milk te£th by th£ age of
three. I Sidney got married in his/ull army uniform.
whole/haull complete, especially when this is very good,
impressive, or unusual [alij only before noun]
You should see John's new hi-fi. He's got the wholeouifit -
speakers, CD, double tape deck - the IoL 1 For years scholars
have been piecing together fragments and now we have the
whole original manuscript. I Cindy ate a whole apple. core
and all.
In full /In 'full if something is paid in full or written,
described, explained etc in full, everything necessary is
included and nothing is left out ladv phrase]
Th£ text of th£ President's speech will be published in full
in tomorrow's papers. 1 The bill had been stamped 'Paid in
Full'.
In Its entirety /IID Its ID 'tal<1rAtil if something is read.
perfonned. seen, understood etc in its entirety, the whole
of it is read, perfonned, seen, understood etc, especially
when it is something very large or complicated [adv
phrase]
Th£ show hod been performed in its entirety at th£ Sydmon-
tonlestiooi belorea large audience. 1 As wecame nearer still
we saw the dreadful scene in its entirety. IIfwe are to under-
stand the process of world revolution in its entirety, we need
to Iookfar inw th£ past.
be all the,. Ibi: 1;):1 Il)earl to be complete and not lack-
ing in any of the parts that should be there Iv phrasel
The Monopoly game is quite old but you 'llfind it's all there
- the dice and th£ cards and everything. 1 Ch£ck the police
reJXJrts. It's all there.
2 including every possible detail, fact, process,
or action
complete comprehensive
thorough exhaustive
lull
complete Ik,m'pli:1/ lacijJ
Police made a complete search of the area but were unable
w find th£ attacker. 1 This is a complete list of all British
publishers. 1 More take off, th£ captain ordered a complete
baggage ch£ck.
completely [adv] The car was in terrible condition, but it
has now been completely restored.
completeness [n U I For the sake ofcompleteness we should
add these figures to the report.
242 completely
thorough I'Shrn 11 'Sh""', 'Shrnl a thorough search,
examination, check etc includes everything that can be
included ladj]
Haveyou had a thorough medical check-up within the last
year? 1 Since evidence of the fraud came to light, Congress
has been demanding a tlwrough investigation. 1 The more
tlwroughyour notes, the more usefullhey will beforrevision
purJXJses.
thoroughly [adv] These are the principles on which the
syllabus is based and every l£ach£r should understand th£m
thoroughly.
thoroughness [n U] Despite the tlwroughness of their
research no new discoveries have been made.
full Ifull including all the important facts, information, or
details ladj only before noun I
The atlas also contains very full geographical descriptions
ofeach country 1Full details of the travel arrangements will
be published as soon as possible. 1 The police chief wants a
full report of the accident by first thing tomorrow morning.
fully laciv] Tolstay describes his early childhood very fully
in th£ novel. 1 Any complaints will befully investigated.
comprehensive I IkompTllhenslv" 11 ,kmm-J very
thorough, especially because it is important that nothing
is left out and that every possible problem is dealt with
ladj]
The nuclear plant was given a comprehensive inspection
Ix!/ore being declared safe. 1This is the largest and most com-
prehensivestudy ever made ofthe city'ssocialproblems. 1 We
offer our customers a comprehensive servicE to meet all their
needs when travelling abroad.
comprehensively (advJ The book deals comprehensively
with every aspect of Greek civilization.
exhaustive Ilg1Z'J:Stlv' so complete that not even the
smallest detail or possibility is missed Ladj l
As a result ofexhaustive inquiries the police are at last able
to issue a description of the murderer. 1 The list shown here
is by no means exhaustive.
exhaustively [adv] The report has been exhaustively
examined for errors.
3 to make something complete
complete
make up
complete Ikom'pJi:ti Iv T]
Thot hot and th£ shoes really complete th£ outfit. 1Stqano
only 1U!edet1 one more volume to complete his collection. I This
exercise involves completing sentences.
make up I,melk IApl to complete a group, set, or amount
by adding something or someone to it [phr v T]
make up sth We need two more players to make up the
team 1U}<)u hoven'tgot enough to payfor that, I'll make up
/Ju! money. 1Th£ casserole dish made up Janin£ 's set ofexpen-
sive Le Creuset kitchen ware.
4 not complete
incomplete
partial
Incomplete ' 1Inkam 1pli:t .. , radj]
Students are given incomplete sentences and must choose the
correct words to fmish them 1 &ientifk knowledge in this
area is still incomplete. 1 For many, a good meal is incom-
plete witlwut a fine wine.
parUal/ 'pa: rJ<111 only containing or including part of
what is necessary to be complete (adj only before noun]
This only provides a partial explanation of whot hop[X!1Wd.1
From w/rere I was standing I hod a partial viewqf /he house. 1
At best, the mission was a partial success.
I completed
completely
FINISH OOING STH
COMPLETELY 1
8
 COMPLETELY
. COMPLETELY
1 completely and in every way
1 completely and in every way
completely positively
fully in every way
totally In every respect
entirely In every sense
wholly through and through
absolutely whole-heartedly
utter1y
completely /k,m 'pli:tli/ [adul
Keith 's dad was completely different from. whnt I'd expected. I
She/eit warm and comfortable. completely relaxed. I Gradu-
ally. the country became completely isolated/ram the main
stream of EuropeancuJture. 11 intended to giveyou the card
on Saturday but I rompiel£ly forgoL I By your impati£na! you
have completely ruined all our work.
complete ladj only be/ore noun J He treeds a complete rest
(=needs to rest completely) for a few weeks. I The whale
thing's a complete waste of time.
fully / 'fuli/lad u l
fully clothed/ furnished/equipped ete The apartment
wasfully furnished when we moued in. I They must befully
rooked beforeyou eat them. I fully conscious/aware/con-
vinced/ informed etc J am fully aware of tlw problems
involved in this kind DJ operation. I fully understand/
realize/appreciate etc The causes of the decline in the birth
rote are notfully understood. I We were neverfully consulted
before the plan was announced.
full (adj only before noun) You ha ve our /ull support (=we
support you fully) in this campaign. I Afull explanation is
called for.
totally /'"u,l -i/ladu l
totally impossible/ unacceptable/ incapable etc The
French and the British have totally different attitudes
towards sex. I Jjwefound their terms totally unacceptable
we wouldn't do a deal. I My mind just went /l)tally blank and
I couldn't remember the damn number. I totally refuse/
ignore/ reject/ fail etc The earlier surveys were almost
totally ignored.
total ladj usually before nounl A third world war might
result in the total destructwn of our civilizatwn (=might
cause it 10 he lotally destroyed). I They ha ue reached /l)tal
agreement on all issues.
entirely l m'talO)qi/ ladvl
The research results have been obtained by using an entireLy
new experimental te(:hnique. I an entirely satisfactory con·
clusion to the episode I I was not emirely happy with the
arrangement. I She can go with you or stay till later. it ·s
entireLy up to you. I entirely 8(.-ree/ disa(.7J"ee He thinks it's
all a waste of time and I entirely agree. I consist entirely
of/ depend entirely on etc TIw programme consists almost
enUrelyoftaped interviews with survivors of the HoLocaust.
wholly / 'houl-li/ (a formal word) ladu l
not wholly responsible/ reliable/ committed etc The
commission fowuJ that the duty ofTu:er was not wholly
responsible. I The evidence we have is not wholly reliable. I
wholly unacceptable/ unexpected/ unfounded etc 1
regard these proposals as wholly unacceptable. I Help came
from a wholly unexpected source.
absolutaly ! 'rebs~lIu:tli , ,rebsa llu:tlif (advl
absolutely right/ perfect/correct etc Mr Moriyana is
absolute/ycorrect - it would be impossible/or us all to go.1
I am not absolutely sure that I know what it means. I abso-
lutely crazy/ terrible/ awful 7'he movie I saw last nig ht
was absolutely dreadful. I absolutely incredible/ fan-
tastic/ amazing etc "How was the holiday?" "Absolutely
brilliant." I absolutely no/ none/ nothing/alllevery-
thing He just sat there doing and saying absolutely noth·
ing. 1There is absolutely no evidence against him. I They've
taken absolutely everything.
243 COMPLICATED
absolute f 'rebs;)lu:tJ ladj only before TWun) We halR no afJso.
IUI£ proof( =il has not been absolutely proved) that he is the
murderer. I What absolute nonsense.
un_Fly 11t\1.:)T)il a formal word used especially to describe
things that are completely wrong. untrue, impossible etc
[aduJ
utterly impoSSible/ useless/worthless etc Without UN
help illOOuld have been utterly impossible to arrangeihecon·
ference. I Whether you slept with her or not is utterly irrele·
vant. I utterly reject/ spoil/ destroy etc We utterly reject
the philosophy 0/ compulsory wage control.
utter lad) only before noun I We all watched in utter amaze·
ment (=utterly amazed). I the government 's utter stupidity
in pursuing such a policy
positively I' poz!tlvli 11 'pa:-/(used when describing very
strong or surprising opinions or actions) (adv ]
positively brilliant/ ridiculous/ awful etc Her per/or·
mance was positively marvellous. I The food in this place
isn't just bad, it's positively revolting.' I positively
refuse/ deny/ promise etc He positively nifuses to get
involved with them, no matter how much money they offer
him. I They had positiuelydestroyed the place. Nothing was
left intact.
in evary way / In Icvri 'well suitable/identicaVdifIer-
ent etc in every way (=suitable. identical etc in every
detail) ladu phrase J
She is suitablefor the job in every way, I have no hesitation
in recommending her. I The two drawings are identical in
every way.
In every respect lID ,evri n' spcktJ (used when a descrip-
tion is true in every way when you consider every detail)
ladu J
The proposals are unworkable in every respect. I cannot
recommend them to my members. I Grace was aJine woman
- perfect in aLmost every respect. It was a g reat privilege to
work for her.
in every sensa 1m levri Isensl (used when a word or
phrase that you use is true in every possible way that it
could be understood) ladv phrase]
There are still men who want to be in every sense, the 'head
oftlw lwusehoW'. I in every sense of the word She was a
true sportswoman - a professional in every sense ofthe word.
through and through ' ,Oru: ;)n IOru:! if someone is
good. bad etc through and through every part of their
character and behaviour shows that they are like that fadv
phrase I
I don 't trust him. He's rotten through and through. I After
30 years there, Iw felt he was an Australian through and
through. I Einstein was a realist through and through.
whole·heartadly ' lh:)Ol 'ho.=rt!dlil whole-heartedly
agree/approve/ support/ recommend etc (=completely
and willingly) fadvl
I whoie·heartedly approve ofyour decision to get married. I
She suggested that the company needed a more nux:lern
image and. the directors agreed wlwle·heartedly.
whoJe-hearted ladj J The government ho.s agreed /0 give the
pLan its who le·hearted support (=s upport it whole-
heartedly).
complex COMPLICATE D 1. 2, WORRIED 9
compliant OBEY 6
complicate DIFFICULT 6
complicated COMPLICATED 1. 2, 3
COMPLICATED
having many different parts and usually
difficult to understand
1 words for describing machines, equipment
etc that have many different parts
2 words for describing a complicated system,
process, or way of doing th ings
3 words [or describing a complicated
statement, explanation, or description
COMPLICATED 244 concept

1 words for describing machines, equipment 3 words for describing a complicated

etc that have many different parts
complicated
complex
Intricate
complicated l ' kompl~keuAd 11 'ko:m-/ [adjl
The brain is like a very powerful, very complicated corn-
puter. 1DNA has a complicated chemical structure. I All the
equipment they use for keeping fit these days seems pretty
complicated.
complex /'kompJeks 11 ,ka:m'pleks/ compJicated and
difficult to understand lad}1
This is an extremely complex device that uses the latest laser
tec!uwlogy. I The engines needed to power these cars are
highly complex in design.
complexity /k<:lm'pleks!til [n V J Electronic equipment is
increasing in bo th efficiency and complexity.
Intricate " mtnk!t/ c1everly or skilfully made or
designed, with a lot of small details or parts [adjl
A telescope is an intricate piece ofequipment. I The workings
of this watch are incredibly intricate.
statement, explanation, or description
complicated
convoluted
tortuous
complicated / ' kompllkenld n 'ka:m-/ladjl
Senator Briggs gave some very complicated reasons for his
change in policy. I f can't work out how to programme the
video. The instructions are too complicated. I He knows all
the complicated Latin names for plants.
convoluted 11 konv;l' l u:t ~ d ... 11 ,ka:n-I con voluted
speech!exp lanation/language etc (=with a very compli-
cated structure and therefore difficult to \Ulderstand or nol
making good sense) ladj)
He always uses a lot ofconvoluted arguments to support his
theories, but no one's ever impressed. I The structure o/the
poem is extremely complex and its language convoluted.
tortuouS / 't:>:TtJu;lsl complicated and long and therefore
confusing or annoying (adj l
The book begins with a long, rortwus introduction. I At last,
an end to the tortuous negotiations was in sight.

2 words for describing a complicated system, complication PROBLEM 1

process, or way of doing thi ngs compliment PRAISE 1, 5
compliment: pay sb a compliment PRAISE 1
complicated red tape
complimentary FRE E/COST NOTHING 1, PRAISE 6
complex bureaucracy comply with OBEY 2
elaborate bureaucratic component PART 3
intricate compose WR ITE 2
complicated l'komp l ~keIIAd 11 lka:m-J involving a lot of compose yourself CALM 3
actions, details, processes etc, often more than are neces- composed CALM 1
sary or helpfut ladjl composed of: be composed of CONS1ST OF/
The arrangements she makes always seem to be so compli- BE MADE OF 1
roted. I Eddie loves puzzles and sums. The more complicated composure: keep/maintain/not lose your composure
the betrer. I A lot of the problems are caused by the compli- CALM 1
cated instructions. compound MIX 4 . WORSE 5
complex J'kompleks 11 ,ka:m 'pleks ... / a process or system comprehend UNDERSTAND 2
that is complex involves a lot of different actions that comprehensible UNDERSTAND 10
influence each other and that must be done correctly if it comprehension UN DERSTAND 9
is to be successful (adj l comprehensive COMPLETE 2
Plwtosynthesis is a complex process which is not yet/ully compress PRESS 4
understood. I The honeybee will do a very complex done. in comprise CONSIST OF/BE MADE OF 1
order to indicate where food is. compromise AGREE 5
complexity /k;;,m I pleksAtil [n UJ Many claimants are put off compulsion WANT 9
by tlw. sheer compkxity of insurance company rules. compulsive STOP DOING STH 9
e.aborate /1 'Ireb<Jr ! tf very carefuUy planned and very 'I' compulsory MUST 5
detailed, sometimes unnecessarily so (adj1 compunction: havelfeel no compunction GUlLTYI
Scheele first produced oxygen by using an elaborate series FEEL GUlLTV 3
a/experiments. I The marking system/or these exam papers con CHEAT 1, 4
is rather elaborate. '" con-man CHEAT 5
Intrlcate /l lntrl k !tl involving a lot of different processes t concave BEND 9
and needing a lot of attention to detail [adjJ conceal HIDE/MAKE IT HARD TO FIND OR SEE 1, 4,
Pocket calculators can solve the most intricate mathema ti- HIDE/NOT SHOW 1. 2
cal problem in seconds. 1 The politics of the situation are conceal yourself HIDE/MAKE IT HARD TO FIND OR SEE 2
certainly intricate. concealed HIDE/MAKE IT HARD TO FIND OR SEE 5
red tape f Ired Itelp/ complicated official rules or an offi- It concede ADMIT 1, LOSE A GAME. COMPETITION , OR
cial system that you have to obey before you can do or have WAR 2
something, and which you fmd annoying In UJ conceit PROUD 6
There 's so much red tape involved in getting my work conceited PROUD 4
pennit.1There must bea way rocutthrough all this red tllpe. conceivably MAYBE 1
bureaucracy Ibjua I roki.'lsi, ~ _I re:-I a complicated, offi- conceive INVE NT 1
cial system designed by a government or large organiza- conceive of IMAGI NE 1
tion, with many rules, processes etc that must be obeyed concentrate ATTENTION 1
or roHowed, and which is annoying or confusing because concentrate on ATTENTION 2
ofthis In VI concentration ATTE NTION 1
Hopeful immigrants can be totally confused by the concept IDEA 7
bureaucracy that amtrois citizenship applications. I Govern·
ment departmen ts have been urged to cut down on
bureaucracy in order to save money.
bureaucratic 'lbju<)J.)'krretl k",1 involving a lot of com-
plicated official rules and processes ladj )
Theprocedurefor registering is so bureaucratic! I bureau- " You say" is used in definitions of some
cr atic nigh tmare (=extremely complicated) Administer- words or phrases to show they are
ing t.M new tax was always going to be a bureaucratic especially used in Spoken English.
nightmare.
concern 245 CONDITION/STATE OF STH

concern • CONDITION/STATE
OFSTH
1 the condition that something is in
2 to be in good condition
3 to be in very good condition
• ABOUT 4 words for describing buildings, houses, and
, places that are in bad condition
• 5 words for describing cars, fu rniture , and
-. . THINK/HAVE machines that are in bad cond ition
THE OPINION 6 words for describing cloth, paper etc that is in
THAT bad condition
7 to gradually get into bad condition
~
f 1,. concern ABOUT 2 , WORRIED 6 , 7 , 9
concern : C8Use concern/be 8 cause tor concern
WORRIED 7
concern: not my concern DON'T CARE 3
1 the condition that something is in
concerned WORRIED 1 condition
concerned: 8S far as I' m concerned THINK/HAVE THE state
OPINION THAT 2 shape

t.
~ concemeded: be concerned with ABOUT 2
condHlon fk,n'd,! , nfln C/Ul
concern : not worried/not concerned/unconcerned The price of used cars varies according to tlw.ir condition. I
WORRIED 11 How ~ll your p lants will grow depends on the quality and
concerning ABOUT 1 condItIOn 01 the soil, I be In (a) good/bad/ reasonable etc
concerted TOGETHER 7 condition We may need to decorate it, but tm basic struc-
concession LET/ALLOW 11 ture of. the hou.se is in very sound condition. I I'm not buying
concessions: make concessions AGREE 5 an~thlng untll I see what kind 0/ condition it's in. lOur
conciliatory ARGUE 8 sclellce lnboralories were in such a terrible condition we've
concise SHORT/NOT LONG 2 had to close them.
conclude DECIDE 3 , FI NISH DOING STH 1, 5 , 6
~t~t. /steltl a w~rd meaning the condition that something
concluding LAST 1 IS rn, used especIally when it is in a bad condition because
conclusion END 1 it has been badly looked after In Cl
conclusion: be a toregone conclusion the state of One o/the things people complain a/most is the
CE RTAINLYIDEFINITELY 2 stateolthesidewa/ks, I Given thegeneral state olhis health
conclusion: come to/reach the conclusion DECIDE 3 it may take him a while to recover from the operation. I ~
conclusion: jump to the conclusion DECIDE 3 8 goodlb~~/ reasonable etc state When I got back honre.
conclusive CERTAIN LY/DEFINITELY 6 I UXlS horrified to see what a terrible state the kitchen was in.
concoct INVENT 4, MAKE 6 shape /Jelp/ a word meaning the condition that some-
concrete REAUNOT IMAGINARY 2 thing is in, used especially when you are surprised at how
concur AGREE 1 good or bad the condition of it is In Ul
condemn DISAPPROVE 2, PUNISH 3 in excellent/ terribJe etc s hape Considering how old the
condemned CQNDITIONISTATE OF 5TH 4, KILL 11 wash~ng machine is, it's not in bad shape. I Buiid£rs are
condemned: be condemned to FORCE 58 TO DO STH 3 workmg on the Jwuse, trying to get it back into some kind
, c ondense LlOU ID 6 , SHORTINOT LONG 3 a/reasonable shape. I What sort a/shape was your motor-
condescending RUDE/IMPOLITE 6 cycle in after the accident?
condition CONDITIONISTATE OF STH 1, CONOITIONISTH
THAT MUST BE DONE 1, 2 , ILLN ESSiDISEASE
1, TEACH 3 2 to be in good condition
condit ion : be In bad cond ~lon CONDrTlONISTATE OF be In good cond ~lon
STH 4 , 5 be In good shape
condition: be In good condition CONDITIONISTATE be In good nick
OF STH 2 , FIT PERSON 1
condition: be in perfect/mint condition
be In good condition fbi: on ,god kon'd '! ' nf IvphrtlS£1
U you look after It, your CD player sJwuld remain in good
CONDITIONISTATE OF STH 3
conditionfor a number ofyears. I an apartment within walk-
condition: be out ot cond ition/shape FIT PERSON 3
ing distance oJthe city, in good condition and recently deco-
condit ion: on condition/on condition that IF 2 rated I be in excellent/ great etc condition J bought a
condition: on condition that CONDITIONfSTH THAT couple oJ antique chairs yesterday - they're in excellent
MUST BE DONE 3 condition.

Icondition 1-------. be In good shape Ibi: 10 Igud IIelp/ if something is in

good shape, it is in good condition, especially when you
do not really expect it to be, or when it was not always in
such a good condition Iv phrase!
Docwr Morrissey wld her that her leg was healing well, and
which meaning? was now m very good shape. I To avoid accidents, it's impor-
condition that an • CONDITION/
- tant l!J check that all your tools are in good shape before
startmg.
object, machine, STATE OF 5TH be In good nick /bi: In .eud ImkJ an informal British
building IIIC Is In ex ~ression : if something is in good nick, especially some·
thmg old or used, it is still in good condition and working
8OI'TleIhlng that must .... . CONDITION/5TH well Iv phrtlS£1
bedone ~ THAT MUST BE She k€eps her car in really good nick. I My stereo's quite old
DONE but it's still in pretty good nick.
CONDITION/STATE OF STH
3 to be in very good condition
be In perfect/mint condition.
be as good as new
be In perfect/mint condition {hi: [11 ,p3: r rlkt , .'';llnt
kdn t dlI.1nf if something is in perfe.c t ~r mint ~ondlt10n .
it looks as good or works as weUas It dld when It was new,
especially because it has not been used or handled very
much Iv phrase] ..
The book is 200years old, but it 's still in perfect COndUlOll.!
Champagne will keep in perfect condition a/most
indefinitely. 11 can 'f. believe it. She's selling me her car for
only £800 and it 's still in mint condition.
be _ goad as new /bi: dZ ,gud 3Z Inju! 11 _I nu: / ifsome-
th ing is as good as new , it looks almost as g~ or works
almost as well as it did when it was new, especially after
it has been cleaned or repaired Iv phrasel
I'll giue lhis old chair a coat o/paint and it'll be as good as
new. I Each til71€ the carpet 's cleaned it comes up as good as
new.
4 words for describing buildings. houses. and
places that are in bad condition
be in bad condition tumbledown
be In bad repair ramshackle
dilapidated be in a state
derelict condemned
run-down crumbling
be In bad condition /bi: In ,bred k:m'dlj~nJ rv phrase ]
It's a lovely city, but most of the buildings are in vel?' bad
condition. I Considering the bad condition the place is m, the
price seems much too high. I be in terrible/ dreadful etc
condition The house rrolly is in terrible condition - it would
cost far too much to repair.
be In bad repair /bi: In ,bred rt 'pe;)rl if a b~ilding, roa.d
etc is in bad repair, it has not been repaIred when It
needed to be and is now in very bad condition [v phraseJ
Major roads'in the UK are in very bad repair, not having
been designed to carry so much trajJic. l It isthegovernmen~'s
fau lt that so many of our hospitals are in such bad repmr.
dilapidated Id ~ '1 rep!delt~d' a buiJding that is dilapi-
dated is in very bad condition because it has not been
looked after or repaired for a long time ladjJ
We stayed in an oid, dilapidated hotel with a leaky roof I
Jesse was raised in a large, dilapidated house on the East
Side.
derelict l'der1hktl something, such as a house or piece
of land that is derelict is in very bad condition because
it has been empty and unused for a very long time (adj l
In the middle of town is a tkrelict building tlult used to be
the school. ! At night they sleep huddled together in a tkre.Iict
barn. I Tile land behind the factory is stony and derellct.
run-down l,rAn 'daun"l a run-down area ofa city i.s !lne
in which the buildings and roads are all in bad cond itIon,
especially because the people who live there do not have
enough money to look after them properly [adjl
We drove through the run-down ~treelS o/Harli!m. ! Since the
textili! company moved out. the area 's gotten very run-down. !
the run-down tenements, abandoned warelwuses, and lit·
tered streets
tumbledown f 'tAmbaldaunf tumbledown building/
house/ cottage etc( =one that is old, in bad condition, and
beginning to fall down, but often in a way that is attractive)
[adj only before nounl
We arrived at a tumbledown cottage, surrounded byover·
grown rose bushes and a broken/ence. I Sydney T~h was
a collection. 0/ tumbledown old buildings in Paddmgton.
ramshackle I lrremJrek.:111a building that is ~a.ms.hackl e
is in ver y bad condition and looks as though It IS likely to
fall down, especially because it was badly built, with cheap
materials ladj only before noun } . is in such bad condition that you will soon not be able to
The river was lined with ramshackle Iwuses that jutted out
ouer the water. I Surrounding the mine are muddy hillsides
packed with ramshackle tin huts.
246 CONDITION/STATE OF STH
be In a state /bi: '";) Istelt/ a British expression mean·
ing to be in very bad condition, especially being dirty and
u ntidy Iv phrase) . .
The house is all right, but the garden really lS in a state_I
be in a bad/ awful/terrible etc state Inspectors said that
the school buildings were in a terrible state, and were poten-
tially dangerous.
condemned Ik;) 'demdf if a bu ilding is condemned, it is
in such a bad condition that an offi cial decision has been
made to destroy it, because it is no longer safe to use radjl
Homeless people often gather in the condemned buildings on
the East Bank. I Hundreds of old people stili live in con·
demned houses because the city cannot afford to find them
modern apartments.
crumbling l'krhmbll l)1 crumbling building/ wall/
ruins etc (::::breaking into pieces because it is so old and
so damaged by the weather) lad} only before noun 1
We visited the magnificent crumbling remains of some
ancient Greek temples. I the old town houses with their crum-
bling /at;ades
5 words for describing cars. furniture. and
machines that are in bad condition
be In bad condition be on Its last legs
be In bad shape has seen better days
decrepit be shot
clapped-out rickety
beat-up
be falling apart/failing to bits
be In bad condition /bi: In ,bred k;)n'd lj~n/lvphraseJ
When 1 bought the car it was in very bad condition. I In the
churchyard the graves were all in bad condition, choked with
weeds. I be in terrible/dreadful ~tc condi.t~on Tt's a ni~
piece offurniture, but in such ternble condltzon you won t
get much money for it.
be in bad shape Ibi: In ,bred 'jelpl if something is in
bad sh ape, it is in bad condition, especially because it has
not been looked after properly Iv phrase]
I slwuld go to the dentist soon, my teeth are in really bad
shape. I By the time they reached the shore, the ship was in
pretty bad shape.
decrepit Idl 'krep ~ t/ something that is decrepit is in very
bad condition because it is old and has been used a lot, so
that it is now almost impossible to use it for what it was
designed to do ladjl
The decrepit old bed squeaked every time 1turned over. I The
bus lookEd so decrepit that J couLd not believe it would take
us to the next city without breaking down_
clapped-out I ,klrept laul '" an informal British expres·
sion: a machine or vehicle that is clapped-out is in very
bad condition and does not work properly because it is old
and has been used too much (ad)]
Ofcourse the carpet 's a mess - all we've got is a clapped-out
old vacuum cleaner. I She owns a clapped-out twelve-year-
old Ford.
beat-up I,bi:t 'hp. 1 an informal Americ~ word: somt;-
thing that is beat-up is in very bad condition because It
is old, used a lot, and is nol well looked after ladj]
They had a wooden box/or a table and a couple of beat-up
clw.irs. I He drove a beat-up old Chevrolet that belched. black
smoke into the air.
be faIling apart/falllng to bits Ibi, ,r"hg ,'po, ' !.
,6:1Il) ta 'bltsl if somet hing is falling.a.part or.ls. falling
to bits it is so old and in such bad condItIon that It 15 break-
ing into pieces, is very weak, and is very easily damaged
(v phrase I
Imust get some new shoes. These ones arefalling apart. I She
had kept the letter all these years and now it wasfaded and
falling I1J bits.
be on Its last legs Ibi: on Its , Irest 'Iegz 11 - ,Irest-/ if
something is on its last legs, it has been used so much and
use it any more Iv phrase]
We'll have to start looking around/or a new car - this one's
on its last legs.
CONDITION/STATE OF 5TH
has seen batter day. Ih~z si:n lbet;)r Idelz/ if some-
thing has seen better days it is not in the good condition
it once was in, because it is old or has been used a lot
Iv phrase!
The carpets, curtains, and cushions had all seen better days
but stiIllooked quite pretty. I She lived in a rambling Vic·
torian house that had certainly seen better days.
be shot Ibi: If ot 11 -IJa:tf if something such as a machine
or piece of clothing is shot, it has been used so much that
it is broken or very weak. and can no longer be used
[v phrase]
There's 110 point trying to repair the caT. The engine's shot. I
be shot to hell (=in very bad condition) Sure, the uplwl-
stery's shot to hell but it's still a oomfortable sofa.
rickety f'nk!ti/ rickety chair/ table/staircaseetc (=one
that is in such bad condition it looks as if it might break
or fall down if you try to use it) ladj)
Th£y sat around the card table on rickety old chnirs. I The
staircase was old and rickety. I a rickety bamboo fence
6 words for describing cloth, paper etc that is in
bad cond ition
shabby ratty
worn tatty
battered dog-eared
threadbare
shabby I'frebil clothes, books etc that look shabby are
no longer in good condition because they are old and have
been used a lot laqj)
John was standing in the doorway in his shabby blue suit. I
She wore shobbY blw:k clothes, with holes in the elbows of
her jacket. I Jon looked around the room with its shabby
furniture.
shabbiness In VJ She tried to ignore thefaded carpet and
the shabbiness of the curtains.
worn IWJ:Tnl something such as material or cloth that is
worn is thinner or weaker in certain parts as a result of
being used a lot over a long time [adjl
There was a womPersian rugontheparquetjloor.j We used
to cut up worn blankets to make sleeping bags for the chil·
dren. I The brake pads are very worn.
battered I 'bre",'dl something that is battered is old and
in bad condition because it has been hit, dropped etc
several times without being repaired ladjl
The professor got out a bottered copy afShokespeare's plays. 1
Granny turned up at about six o·clock. wearing her winter
coat and a battered old purple hat. I He carried everything
he owned in a battered suitcase.
threadbare 1'9redbeo'l threadbare clothes/curtains/
carpets etc (=made of cloth that has become very thin and
weak because it has been used so much) ladjl
She stood shivering in her threadbare dress. I There was a
clean but threadbare rug on the floor beside the bed.
ratty "rretil an informal American word: clothes, books,
etc that are ratty are no longer in good condition because
they are old and have been used a lot (adjl
Spencer had on this very sad, ratty old boihrolx!. 1The houses
are all dark. like miserable ratty boxes.
tatty I'tretil in bad condition and slightly tom as a result
of being used a lot ladjl
At the wirutow of the cottage hong tatty, faded curtains. 1
Some of our textbooks are starting to look rather tatty.
dog-eared I'dog ,o'd 11 'd"g-I a dog-eared book/page/
photograph etc (=one that is in very bad condition as a
result of being used or handled so much) [aQil
Professor Brightly walked into the lecture holl with a pile
of oog·eared notes under his arm. I On the other wall was
a dog·eared calendar with faded pictures.
7 to gradually get into bad condition
fall Into disrepair
go to rack and ruin
fall Into disrepair l,b:1 Jnt~ ,dJsn Ipe3TI if something
247 CONDITION/5TH THAT MUST BE DONE
such as a building falls into disrepair, it is not well looked
after and never gets repaired when it needs to be, so that
its condition gradually gets worse Iv phrase]
Dave and Sally couldn't afford to get anything done to the
house and it/ell into disrepair. I Standing in thefi€lds were
pieces of farm machinery that had long since fallen into
disrepair.
go to rack and ftlin /goutd ,rrek :md Iru:!nJ ifsomething
goes to rack and ruin, its condition is deliberately
allowed to get worse and worse until it becomes almost
impossible to save or repair [v phrase]
He's let his/atlu!r's old house go to rack and ruin. ! It seems
that the government is prepared to let all our hospitals and
schools go to rack and ruin.
• CONDITION/5TH
THAT MU5T BE
DONE
1 something that must happen first before
something else can happen
2 something that is stated in an agreement or
contract as being necessary before
something else can happen or be allowed
3 ways 01 saying what the conditions of an
agreement are
4 without any conditions
1 something that must happen first before
something else can happen
condition
precondition
prerequisite
condition Ikon'd'fanl In Cl
condition forlof Finance ministers claimed that all the
conditkms for economic revival were already in place. 11n
her view, women 'sfull participation in the /ahor market is
a necessary condition of liberation.
precondition " pri:k:;,n IdlJanl a formal word meaning a
situation that has to exist before something else can
happen In C)
precondition forI of One of the most obvious preconditions
for economic growth is a stable government. I To Marx, the
violent overthrow of capitalism was a precondition of
socialism.
prerequisite Ipri:1rekw!z!tl a formal word meaning
something that must happen, or something that someone
must have, before something else can happen or exist [n CJ
prerequisite forI of Adequatefood and shelter are tlu! mini·
mum prerequisites of a decent life. I Some measure ofeduca·
lional attainment is a prerequisite for employment there.
2 something that is stated in an agreement or
contract as being necessary before
something else can happen or be allowed
condition proviso
terms stipulation
requirements
condition Ikon'd'fanl In Cl
One of the conditions of the agreement was that both sides
would call an immediate ceasefire. I It is a condition of my
contract with the university that I spend halfof the summer
vacatwn doing research. I As a condition ofgiving them the
rights to the movie, we insisted on a share of the profits. I
meetlsatisfy a condition (:::;obey what is demanded by a
condition) The World Bank will only agree to make this loan
if certain conditions are met. I lay I down impose a condi·
tion (:::;state what must be done) The Pentagon laid down
CONDITION/5TH THAT MU5T BE DONE
strict conditions regarding the export DJ these weapons. I
under the conditions of (=according to what is stated in
an agreement) UruJ.er the conditwns of the CA TT trade
agreement, farm subsidies would be gradually phased out.
term. {t3!r rnz/ the conditions that are stated in a written
agreement, contract, or legal document (n plural]
President Bush refused to reveal the terms o/the peace agree-
ment to the press. I Alan's lawyer wants w alter the terms
of his contract with the computer company. I under the
tenns of (=according to the terms 00 Under the terms of
the will, Mallory could only inherit the family home if he
agreed to continue living there.
requirements 1nl kwa I:)r rnants! a set of things that you
must do or must achieve in order to be officially allowed
to do something or have something fn plural I
A high grade in mathematics is oneo/the requirements/or
entry to medical school. 1 meet/satisfy/ fulfil require-
ments (=do or achieve certain stated things) Restaurant
owners have had to improve hygiene standards in order to
meet new government requirements. 1 The business does not
satisfy all the requirements necessary to qualify for tax con-
cessions.
proviso /PJ.j IV31Z;Juf a single condition that you make
before you agree to do something In Cl
We will lend you the money, Mr Renton, but there is one
proviso - you must inform us before making any purchase
over flOoo. I with the proviso that Bill had le!t all his
nwney to his grandson with the proviso that it must be spent
on his education.
stipulation ' lstJpjIJ1Ielfan! a specific condition that is
clearly stated as part of an agreement {n Cl
He was commissioned to write a play, the only stipulation
being that it must have some connection with the Russian
revolution. 1 The union is pressing for higher pay but has
made no stipulations about the numbers of workers to be
employed.
3 ways of saying what the conditions of an
agreement are
on condition that
be conditional on/upon
on condition that Ion k;Joldlfan 63t/ if you agree to do .
something on condition that something else happens, you
will only do it if this thing happens {conjunction I
Ron lent me the money on condition that I paid it back within
three weeks. 1General Motors agreed to supply trucks to the
Chinese government on condition that they altered their pric-
ing policy on cars. 1on one condition (=if this one thing
is done) You can borrow the car on one condition - that you
promise to be back before midnight.
be conditional on/upon 'k~m ld lJanal on, 3 lpon/ if an
offer, agreement, or someone's permission is conditional
on something else, it will only be given if something else
happens (v phrase)
Offers offinancial aid were conditional upon the company
changing its management structure. 1 Permission to usefire-
arms is conditional on the consent of the Chiefof Police.
conditional [adj J They have made us a conditional offer
(=an offer that is conditional on certain things being done). and began to talk to him.
4 without any conditions
unconditional
no strings attached
l
unconditional IIAnk30 dlfao31 "'1 unconditional sur-
render/release/agreement etc (=which someone agrees
to without any conditions) [adj usually before noun}
General Schwartz said he would fight on until tlu? enemy
agreed to an unconditional surrender. 1They arecampaign-
ing for (he unconditional release of all political prisoners. not agree with you lad) phraseJ
unconditionally [adv) If you are not completely satisfied
with our service, we will unconditionally refund your rrwney. any longer. 1 But of course tlu? politicians were too sure of
no strings attached ' 1fi3U IstrIl)Z 3 1tretftl if you offer themselves to bother what other propk thaught.
something or ask for something with no strings attached,
you offer it or ask for it without stating any conditions
248 CONFIDENT
Emergency food aid should be given with no strings
attached. 1 Beforeyou accept the loan you'd better make sure
that there are no strings attached.
~ conditional: be conditional on/upon CONDITION/STH
" THAT MUST BE DONE 3
,. conditions SITUATION 1. 2,.WEATHER 1
J condolences: send/offer condolences SYMPATHIZE 2
condone APPROVE 1
conducive : be conducive to HELP 5
conduct BEHAVE 5, DO 1, SHOW/LET SB SEE STI1 5,
TAKE/BR ING 6
conduct an experiment TEST/EXPERIMENT 2
conduct an inquiry: hold/conduct an inquiry
INVESTIGATE 1
conduct yourself BEHAVE 1
confer GIVE 5
conference MEET 6
confess ADMIT 3, 5
confess: I must admltll must confess ADMIT 3
confession ADMIT 6
confide In TELL 9
confidence CONFIDENT 4, TRUST 2
confidence: boost sb's confidence CONFIDE NT 5
confidence: give sb confidence CONFIDENT 5
confidence: have confidence in BELIEVE 3, TRUST 1
confidence: In confidence SECRET 6
confidence: lack confidencelbe lacking In confidence
CO NFI DENT 7
confident CONFIDENT 1, SURE 1
• CONFIDENT
1 words for describing a confident person
2 to behave in a confident way
3 too confident
4 a feeling of being confident
5 to make someone feel more confident
6 to make someone feel less confident
7 not confident
1 words for describing a confident person
confident assured/self-assured
self-confident assertive
sure of yourself
confident , 'konf!daot 11 Ikam-/ sure that you can do
something, or deal with a situation successfully, and not
worried that you might fail, or do something wrong ladj]
Gemma seems so confident, it 's hard to believe it '5 her first
month here. I She s a very ronjulmt public speaker. I Hardy"s
relaxed, confident manner soon earned him the liking and
respect of his team. 1 confident about The more familiar
you are with this machine, the more confident you will be
about using it.
confidently ladvl Ed walkerl up to the stranger ool1fldently
self-confident Iself 'konf!dant 11 - Ikam-/ sure that yOll
have ability, that people like you, that you are attractive
etc, and not afraid or nervous in social situations (ad) I
Latirner's elder brother was tall, handsome, and very self-
conju1ent. 1 As a child he wa..'ii always self-rorifident, happily
joining in with adult conversations. 1 Gradually the mer-
chants in the medieval cities developed into a powerful and
self-confident elite.
sure of yourself I lfu~r 3V j:l:r ,selfl very sure that your
actions and opinions are correct, even if other people do
He sounded so positive and sure ofhimself that I didn't argue
assured/salf-assured la1foord, Iself 3 lJuar d ... , very
confident in the way that you deal with other people,
CONFIDENT 249
especially in public s ituations when people's attention is
fixed on you [adj I
She noticed the assured way Dr Saito responded to the
difficult questions. I a brisk, assured introductory speech !
When [first met him, / thought he was very self-assured. but
he's actually quite shy.
a.s.rtlve 1 ~ IS3!rtJvl
willing to calmly and confidently
say what you think, ask for what you want. or di sagree
with other people, without being nervous or embarrassed
lad}1
The report shows that women are becoming more assertive
in the workp/nce. I He was an assertive young man who made
his presence/elt.
assertively (adv ] Students are taught how to make com-
plaints assertively, rather than agressively.
assertiveness [n UI Assertiveness is a skill that many people
have not developed, I assertiVeness training
2 10 behave in a confident way
assert yourself
assert your. ." 1~ I S3 :rt j:):r ,selfl to behave confidently,
for exampJe, by saying what you th ink, in a way that makes
other people notice and respect you Iv phrase]
You have to assert yourself if you want to be promoted. 1
Peoplejust take advantage of him because he doesn 't assert
himself elWugh.
3 too con fident
overconfident
cocky
brash
overconfident / , ::N.JV3 r1 konf!dant 11 -Ika:n-/ladjl
After a few months 0/ driving it's easy to become overconfi-
dent and start to talrefoolish risks. 1 Labour's overconjulefll
'victory' rally may have eventually lost them the election.
cocky /'koki 11 'ka:ki/ an informal British word meaning
too confident, in a way that annoys other people ladjl
I think she didn't get the job because she was too cocky in the
interview. 1 Don't praise him too much - we oon't want him
to get cocky!
brash JbrreJJ behaving too confidently, for example by
talking loudly. or be ing too friendly with people you do not
know, in a way that annoys other people ladj l
He was noisy, loud-mouthed and brash. 1 a brash New
Yorker with plenty of money l It needed a brash young poli-
tician, such as I was in 1949, to speak out.
4 a feelin g of being confident
confidence morale
self-confidence belief In yourself
assurance/self-assurance
confidence / I konr!d.1ns 11 'kam-J the belief that you have
the ability to do things well, or deal with s ituations suc-
cessfully In. VI
You need patience and confidence to be a good teacher. 1 I
went into theexamfull ofoonjidence, but it was more diffICUlt
than I had expected. 1 restore sb's confidence (=give some-
one confidence again) Going back to work restored my con-
Jidence and made me fee-I like a worthwhile person again. 1
confidence to do sth It was a long time before J had the oon-
fidence to tell other people what to do.
self·confldence /self 'konf~dan s 11 - 'ka:n-/ the belief
tha t you can do things successfull y, that people like you,
that you are attractive etc, a nd the abiJity to behave calmly
and confidently in social situations In UI
He's only seventeen, but he has eIWrnwus self-confidence. 1
A lack of self-confidence often stemsfram your relationship
with your parents. 1She sacquired much more authority and
self-confidence since [ last saw her.
.ssurance/seHa.ssurance /;, 'fu:1rdns, ,self d 'fu..1r;)ns/
a feeling of calm confidence shown especially by the way
you behave in a difficult situation, which is often the result
of having a lot of experience In UI
CONFIDENT
She envied the older woman s assurance. 1 Her/other had
all the self-assurance, power and klWwledge that she lacked.1
Danby spoke to the committee with the assurance 0/ an
expert.
morale Im3 lra: 1 11 md1 rrell the level of confidence felt by
a person or by a group of people who work together In UJ
Letters from home are always good for the moral£ of kids
away on camp. I Morale is very low among the morejwlior
staff. 1 We used to sing songs and make jokes to keep TTUJrale
up.
belief In yourself /b! 'Ii:f In jJ: r lself! confidence in your
own abilities, value, and judgment, which makes it likely
that you will be successful at something In phrasel
You mustn 't lose your beli((in yourself ifyou want to become
an actor.
5 to make someon e feel more confident
give sb confidence
boost sb's confidence
boost morale/raise morale
boost ab 's ego
give sb a boosUa fillip/a lift
give sb confidence f ,g lV (sb) 'konf!dans 11 -'ko!n-f Iv
phrase I
Going to university was goodfor me. [t gave meron/idence.1
give sb the confidence to do sth Good training will give
a learner the conjulence to enjoy skiing. J give yOll confi-
dence in yourself Surely this latest success should give us
confidence in ourselves.
boost Bb's confidence /, bu!st (sb's) 'konfldans 11
-' ka:n-f an event or action that boosts someone's confi-
dence quickly makes them feel more confident Iv phrase)
Winning this race will really boost the team 's cori/idencefor
the Olympics. 1 To boost myam/idence J went/or a haircut
and bought some new clothes.
boost morale/ralse morale f ,bU:SI malra: l, ,reIZ- 11
-'rreIJ to raise the level of confidence and satisfaction of a
group of people Iv phrasel
The prisoners organised regular football games to raise
morale in the camp. 1 Involvement in decisinn-making boosts
the morale 0/ any workforce tremendously.
boost sb's ego I ,bu:st (sb's) ' i:gau/ to make someone feel
more confident about themselves, for example by saying
good th ings about their appearance, character , or work
Iv phrase)
It was nice to have my work praised for once - it really
boosted my ego. I It would boost his ego no end if /re found
out Jane/anded him.
give sb. boost/. 1I1I1p/. 11ft I ,g'v (sb) 0 'bU:SI , 0 'f!l lr,
a 111ft/ if something gives you a boost/a filUp / a lift, it
makes you feel happier a nd more confident Iv phrase ]
Nothing could have given the team a bigger boost than that
vietmy over Canada. 1 A valuable order from Japan gave
the company a much-rwededJillip. 1When [ was/eeling down,
talking to Marion always gaL't! me a lifl.
6 to make someone feel less confident
shake sb's confidence
demoralizing
shake sb's confidence ' ,Je lk (sb's) 'konf1 d.1ns 11
-lka:n-J if something shakes someone's confidence, it
makes them feel unsure ortheir abilities and less confident
Iv phrase]
Losing his job really shook his confidence. 1 Her confidence
was badly shaken when. she WQ.'i involved in a car acciden t
some years ago.
demoralizing /dl 'mordla lzllJ 11 -Im:>:r-/ making people
feel that they cannot be successful at something they are
trying to do, so that they become unwilling to continue
with it lad} I
I find my failure to Slick to a diet very demoraliz ing. 1 the
demoralizing effects of unemployment
d emoralize Iv T J if we explain the problem clearly to the
staff, it shouldn 't demoralize them too much,
 CONFIDENT
7 not confident
lack confidence/be Insecure
lacking in confidence demoralized
unsure of yourself
lack confldencelbe lacking In confidence / ,Irek
lkonndans, bi: .lrekllJ 1fl 1konfAdans n - 'ko:n-f tonotbecon-
fident about your abilities, your popularity, your appear-
ance etc [v phrase)
Shecould be very good at this work, but she lacksconjldence.1
Not surprisingly, he was lacking in oonjuie1'iC£ and depressed
ajterhisrejection. l lack(the)confldencetodo sth Women
often lack the confidence to take part in union affairs.
lack of confidence [n phrase I A lack of conFuJence in his
abilitiRs meant he did rwt publish hisfirst volume ofpaetry
untillu! was"43.
unsure of your.eH /AnlJuar;;lv j~=r ,selfl not confident
about your abllities. achievements, or character, especially
because you are young or have very little experience of
something [adj phrase]
The new trainee seemed shy and unsure oJ himself. but soon
became increasingly conjldent. I Sheila had marrWd very
young, at a time when she was unsure of herself and her
future.
Insecure J Ilnsl 1kjuaTI not confident about making your
own decisions, trying new experiences, or forming new
relationships, for example, because you are worried that
you will not be successful, or that people will disapprove
of you if you do ladjl
Mostpeoplefeel ins<?cure and homesick when they leave home
to go to college. I These 'paramilitary' team games generally
appeal to insecure young men who are trying to prove them-
selves. I insecure about sth Although she's a model she's
very insecure about her looks.
insecurity [n Ul Extremejeaiousy is usually rooted in deep
anxiety and feelings of insecurity.
demoralized Jdllmoralalzd 11 - Im~m-I a group of people
who are demoralized have lost all their confidence that
they can succeed at something they are trying to do, so that
they become unwilling to continue with it ladj l
Thegeneral was killed enrly in the battle, and his demoral·
ized army was soon defeated. I If the management is Mt
optimistic about thefuture, employees may /:x!t:ome demoral-
ized.
confidential SECRET 1
confidentiality SECRET 10
confine KEEP S6 IN A PLACE 1, 2, LIMIT 6
confined: be confined to ONLY 5
confines LIM IT 4
.' confirm CHECKJMAKE SURE 1, PROVE 2, SAY/STATE 3
confiscate TAKE STH FROM S6 3
conflict DIFFERENT 8, WAR 2
conflict: be In conflict with DISAGREE 2
conflicting DIFFERENT 8
I conform OBEY 3
, conformist CONVENTIONAL 1
conformity OBEY 3
confront ACCUSE 1, AITACK 1, DEAL WITH 5
confrontation FIGHT 5
6: confronted: be confronted with PROBLEM 6
~ confuse CLEAR/EASY TO UNDERSTAND 6, CONFUSED
• 3. 5
confuse: cloud/confuse the Issue CLEAR/EASY TO
i UNDERSTAND 6
~ confused CLEAR/EASY TO UNDERSTAND 5, CONFUSED
1 , MENTALLY ILL 5
_ CONFUSED
1 worried and uncertain, for example about
what someth ing means or what is the rig ht
thing 10 do
250 CONFUSED
2 confused because something is very diHicult
to understand
3 to make someone feel confused
4 words for describing a statement, situation etc
Ihat makes you feel confused
5 to make a mistake and think that one thing or
person is another, because you are confused
1 worried and unce rtain , for example about
what someth ing means or what is the right
th ing to do
confused be in a muddle
confusion mixed-up
bewildered bemused
confused fk;,n ' fju:zdf worried and uncertain, for exam-
pIe about what something means or what is the right thing
to do, especially because there are several possible mean·
ings or several things that could be done etc [adj]
Ifelt very con/used because I didn't krww whether he wanted
to see me or Mt. I Sorry, I'm a bit confused - do you mean
you want us to keep the vacancy open for you or not? I con-
fused about Many young people are con/used about what
career to choose - there are so many possibilities. I confused
face/ expression etc Jamie was staring at the map with a
confused expresswn, trying to work out where they were.
confusion fk;,o Ifju:ynJ a situation in which people feel
confused In UI
confusion about/ over There is still a lot ofconfusion about
how much fat it is safe to eat in your diet. I Confusion over
the new regulations has prompted the government to distrib-
ute information packs. I confusion Fear, hatred and con-
fusion are the legacy of the Vietnam War. I throw sb/ sth
into confusion (=make them feel confused) The news that
the Managing Director was to resign threw the company's
future into ron/usion.
bewildered /bl 'w lldo'd/ very oonfused, and often having
a surprised expression on your face, because you do not
know why something is happening, or because things are
happening very quickly [adjl
'What's happening?" asked the bewild€red young man, as
he opened the door to four policemen. I Customers stood.
bewildered, as the bank robber made off with a stash of
money. I bewildered by/ at My grandmother was bewil-
dered by the sudden and rapid change from poverty to
wealth.
be In a muddle fhi: In ;, ImAd11 an informal British
expression meaning to be confused, especially because you
are trying to do something complicated or because you
have a lot of things to do [v phrasel
I wonder ifyou could help Emma sort out the papers - she's
in a bit of a muddle. I be in a muddle about Th£re were
four phone calls at once and the secretary was in a muddle
about who wanted to talk to who. I get into a muddle It 's
best to paint the backgroundj1.rst and then the pattern. That
way you don't get into a muddle.
mixed-up f Iffilkst IAp. f confused. especially over a long
period of time and una ble to decide what to do, especially
because of personal or emotional problems {a.cljl
I'm so m ixed up. I met this terrific guy six months ago and
now I'vefound out he's married. What should ldo? I Hispar-
ents are divorced and hisfather brings home a different girl
every week. No wonder he's a mixed-up kid.
bemused /bl 'mju:zd/ confused, surprised, and slightly
annoyed by what has happened, or by what someone has
said ladjl
When she told him to leave, hejust sat there with a bemused
expression on his face. I The girl appeared bemused, even
upset. "What are you talking about?" she said. I bemused
by Bemused by the sudden change in events, the authorities
were slow to respond.
CONFUSED
2 confused because something is very difficult
to understand
puzzled perplexed
baffled mystified
puzzlecl /'PAzaldl confused about something, especially
because you have no experience of it and cannot under-
stand it [adjl
The waiter looked puzzled and explained that he wasn'l
familiar with Western-style cooking. I pu zzled by/at Doc-
tors were puzzled by the unusual marks on the child'slace.1
We were both puzzled at the appearance of a horse in the
street. I puzzled look/expression ete He admitted, with a
puzzled frown, that he didn 'I understand a word of the
speech.
baffled , 'brefaldl confused about something that you have
tr ied very hard to understand, but have not been able to
fadil
"I still can '( get the right answer, " said Dane, looking baf-
/led. I Detectives admit they are bajJ1ed as to the identity of
the killer. I baffied by For years sci£ntists have been boffled
by the strange circles that have appeared in rornjzelds.
perplexed Ip~r ' plekst, a formal word mean ing confused
and worried by an event or situation that you do not under-
stand faQi f
Jim obeyed his fuss's strange instructions, but remairwd per-
plexed and a little anxious. ! perpJexed expression /
smile/ face etc Stephen shrugged his shoulders. A perplexed
expression passed over his /ace. ! perplexed by Julie, per-
plexed by her boyfriend's sudden outburst, kept out 0/ his
way.
mystified I'mlst! faldl completely confused. about some-
thing because it is difficult or impossible to understand
fadjl
mystified by [ am completely mystified by your son 's
behaviour. ! mystified 'l'hechildren watched, mystified, as
their grandfather sniffed the powder from the back 0/ his
hand.
3 to make someone feel confused
confuse baffle
puzzle throw
confuse / k~n'fju!z, Iv TI
His sudden change in mood completely con/used her. ! Don 'I
show him the oth£r wayo/doing it - it 'll only con/use him.!
Om/used by the noise and blinding lights, the horses
panicked and stampeded into the crowd.
puzzle 1I pAul1 if something p uzzles you, it confuses you
because you cannot understand it, or why it has happened
fuTI
The/act that none o/his letters had been answered rather
puzzled him. I what puzzles me is What puzzles me is why
she doesn't just leave him.
baHle /Ibeefall if something baffl es you, you cannot
understand it at all,even though you try very hard to IvTI
The exact nature oJ black holes continues to baffle scientists. I
Karen's best attempts to explain the situation simply served
to baffle Ihe children.
throw 18r:x;J if someth ing t h rows you, it makes you sud-
denly feel confused because it is unexpected and surpris-
ing lu T I
[ muld answer most a/the questions but the last one really
threw me. I Janice wasn't particularly pleased that we'd
arranged a surprise party - in/act it completely threw h£r.
4 words for describing a statement, situation etc
that makes you feel confused
confUSing bewilderi ng
puzzling baffling
confuSing Ik~n ' fj u : z llJl something that is confusing
makes you feel confused because its purpose or meaning
is not d ear or simple ladjJ
This is M t a good title/or the lx>ok - it is too confusing. I
251 conjunction
The London Underground can beron/using ifyou're Mt used
to it.
puzzling 1I pAul I rJl an event, situation or fact that is p uz-
zling makes you feel confused because it is difficult to
understand ladj ]
Tire thing [find mosl puz.zling is that she never mentions her
kids. I He said someone was trying to kill me - it was all very
puzzling and distressing. I Police are trying to make sense
0/ a puzz ling chain 0/ events toot led up to the kidnap
attempt.
bewildering Ibllw lldJrllJ/ an event or situation that is
bewildering makes you feel very confused, especially
because you do not understand why it is happening, or
because it is something new and unusualladjl
It was thefirst time she Iw.d ever been to a/ootball game ancl
she found it all very bewildering. I Young children find
hospital a strange and bewildering place. I Everyonefincis
the transition/ram child to adult bewildering and disturb-
ing to some degree.
baffling Ilbeefl l!)1 extremely difficult or impossible to
understand, and therefore making you feel extremely con-
fused faQi j
//ound his sudden refusal to come to the weddingrompietely
~illg.! New evidence hasprovi.deda clue to oneo/th£most
Ixiffling crimes the police Iw.ve had to deal with.
5 to make a mistake and think that one thing or
person is anolher, because you are confused
contuse
mix sb up
get sth mixed up
confuse Ik:m'fju:z/lv TJ
Try Mt to con/use )'Our' and. 'you're'. I confu se sth/sb with
Sparkling wine can easily be con/used with champagne. I1
always con/use her with her sister. I n ot to be confu sed
with {=do not confuse with)former US politician Donald
Regan - not to be con/used with Ronald Reagan
mix sb up /,m lks (sb) IApl to make a mistake and think
that one person is anothel- person Iphr v T J
My sisler and [look so alike people are always mixing us
up. I m ix sb up with Donald never went 10 university - 1
think you're mixing him up with Keith.
get sth mixed up I .gel (slh) mltsl lAp/ to confuse one
thing with another Iv phrasel
get sth mixed up with Children learning to write often gel
'b' mixed up with 'd'. 1get 5th mixed u p They got his bag·
gage lags mixed up and sent the suitcases to Seatlle ins tead
of Portland.
confusing CONFUSED 4
confusi on CONFUSED 1, DISORGANIZED 3
congeal THICK LIQUID 3
conglomerate COM PANY 1
congratulate PRAISE 10
congratulations PRAISE 10
congregate CROWD 3
conjecture GUESS 6
conjunction: In conjunction with WITH 3, 7
Iconnect 1-----.
which meaning?
join two things ~ .JOIN 5TH
together TOGETHER
c onnected with , • CONNECTED
related to WITH
attached to an object, • ATTACH
surface etc
connect
connect CONNECTED WITH 6 , JOIN STH TOGETHER 2 , 3
connect: connect up JOIN STH TOGETHER 1
connected: be connected CONNECTED WITH 1, JOIN
5TH TOGETHER 5
connected: be connected with CONNECTED WITH 3
connected: well-connected FRI END 5
e CONNECTED
WITH
1 ways of saying that a fact, event etc is
connected with something else that causes it
or affects it in some way
2 to have a connection with something , for
example by being similar or related in some
way
3 to have a social or professional relationship
with another person or organization ,
especially of a secrel or dishonest kind
4 words for describing things that are
connected with each other , especially by
being similar in some way
5 having a clear connection with the subject
that is being considered or talked about
6 to show or believe that there is a connection
between two facts, events, ideas, or people
7 something that connects two facts , events,
ideas, or people
8 not connected in any way
9 having no connection with the su bject that is
being considered or talked about
1 ways of saying that a fact, event etc is
connected with something else that causes it
or affects it in some way
be connected there is a correlation
be related between/with
be linked be bound up with
be associated go hand In hand
there is a linkf
connection between
be connected /hi: ka'nekt!dl [v phraseJ
It seems likely that the western diet and high levels of heart
disease are ronnected. I be closely connected The increase
in tobacco sales and the recent advertising campaign are
closely connected. I be connected with Changes in moral
values tend to be ronnected with changes in a society's eco-
nomic standing. I The most common illnesses among VDU
operators are connected with the eyes and vision.
be related Ihi: n ' leu!df if two or more things are
related, they are connected with each other because one
affects or causes the other [v phrase]
be related to Each country has its own problems, which are
related to its economic and political position. I Families
reported widespread hardship directly related to absentee or
alcoholic fathers. 1 be closely related The income of disa-
bled people is closely related to the severity of their disabili-
ties. 1 be related It 'sfa irly obvious that pollution and heavy
car use are related.
be linked (hi: '11I)ktf if two things are linked, one affects
or causes the other. although the connection is not always
easily seen and cannot always be proved [v phrase!
Drug dealing and prostitution are often linked. I be linked
with Aluminium in water is now being linked with prema-
ture aging. 1 be linked to People need assurances that their
p ension will be linked to increases in the cost of living.
be associated /bi: <}'sauJielt~dl if problems ordifficul-
ties are associated with a particular situation or event,
they are likely to happen because of it Iv phraseJ
252 CONNECTED WITH
be associated with Low educational achievement is
strongly associated with poverty and disadvantage. 1 He had
private troUbles, associated with hisfamity. 1 be associated
Financial problems and marital problems are often
associated.
there Is a link/connection between I~r IZ <}'III)k,
k:}I nekJan bItwi:nl if there is a link or connection between
two things they happen or exist together, and one is
affected or caused by the other
Parents often cannot see that there is a connection between
their behaviour and. that of their children. 1 There 's a dd'i,nite
connection between modern central heating systems and
asthma. 1 There has always been a link between democracy
and ideas oJ equa lity.
there Is a correlation between/with flle,r 12 ,
,kor ~ lJelfan bltwi: n, wu) 11 -, kJ:-/ if there is a correlation
between two things, they happen or exist together and it
seems likely that one causes or influences the other
One of the students asked wlrether there was any correlation
between rainfall and temperature. I In tests, there was no
correlation found between diet and intelligence. I Asfar a.'i
voting behaviour goes, there is a strong correlation with
sOCial class.
be bound up with Ibi: ,baund 'AP wlC11 if something is
bound up with something else, the two things are so
closely connected that neither ofthem can be properly con-
sidered or successfully dealt with on its own Iv phrase)
His problems are all bound up with his relationship with his
parents. I Th e political struggle in Romania was bound up
with what was happening in the rest of Eastern Europe.
go hand In hand fg:}u ,hrend 10 'hrendl if two ideas, sit-
uations, or problems go hand in hand they tend to happen
or exist together and there is a close connection between
them [v phrase not usually in progressivel
In most societies, wealth and power go hand in hand. 1 go
hand in hand with For a long time, education went hand
in hand with religion.
2 to have a connection with som ething, for
example by being similar or related in some
way
be related
there is a connection between
have/be something to do with
be a relationship between
be intertwined
be related /bi: n lJelt~dl tv phrase ]
Scientists are conducting experiments to show how thought
and speech are related. 1 Most languages spoken in Europe
are related. 1 The theory of evolution pointed outfor thefirst
time that humans and other mnmmals were related.
there Is a connection between Ibear I Z:} ka'nekJan
hltwi:nJ if there is a connection between two things, there
are some things about them that are similar or related
[v phrase1
There used to be a much closer connection between the arts
and sciences than there is today. l Is there any connection
between the poet's background and his political thinking?
havelbe something to do with fhrev, hi: ISAm91I) t:}
'du: w lb/ if something has something to do with or is
something to do with something else, the two things are
connected in some way, although you are not always sure
in exactly what way IV phrase not in progressive I
I'm not sure what her job is. but it's something to do with
marketing. I Terri 's going into hospital tomorrow - it's
something to do with her leg, J think. I have/be a lot to do
with (=be closely connected) His decision to move overseas
Iws a lot to do with his financial problems.
be a relationship between Ibi: <} n 'leIJ.1nfip bltwi:nl
to be connected in a way that you can see or explain [v
phrase]
In most writing systems, tlrere is a clear relationship between
pronunciation and spelling. 1 The book sets out to prove that
there is a strong relationship between violent behavior and
some types of food.
 CONNECTED WITH
be Intertwined Ihi: I Jnla f 'twamdJ if two things are
intertwined, they are so similar and so closely connected
that it is impossible to consider them separately [v phrase]
be closely intertwined Her religious and social concerns
arecflJsely inWtwined. I be intertwined with In the midlii£
ages,foreign trade gradually became ini£rtwinro with every
aspect of economic activity.
3 to have a social or professional relationship
with another person or organization,
especially of a secret or dishonest kind
be connected with
have links/connections with
be linked w~h
be connected with Ihi: k3'nekt~d W I ~I (1' phrase J
He's connected with the City Police Department. I Senators
an demanding to know whether the vice-president is in any
way connected with the arms suppliers.
hav.lnks/connectlons wHh /hrev '1II]ks, k~lneklanz
WJtJ! to have a relationship with someone, espeCia lly with
an organization that most people disapprove of Iv phrase J
SIu! strongly denies that she has any connections with the
IRA. I have dose llnk slconn ection s with The govern·
ment still has close trading links with South Africa.
be Inked with Ibh 'h Qkt WIOI to be connected with the
activities of an organization, especially one that people dis-
approve oflv phraseJ
Police are still saying tlw maJIa may be linked with the
shooting.
4 words for describing things that are
connected with each other, especially by
being similar in some way
related
associated
allied
related I" Ileu!d/lGtU l
Lead£rs will meet to discuss the debt crisis, investment and
other relaled issues. 1closely related The two questions are
closely rewted but will need to be considered separately.
a.soclated Ja l ~Jie l t~d , a ls3USi-J associated pr ob-
. lems/dlfllculties etc (=that are often connected with a
particular situation or event, and are likely to happen as
a result of it) ladj usually before nounJ
The group tours schools, talking to kids about drug abuse
and Its associated problems. I I was war1l<d by the doctor
about the associated side effects of the new treatment.
.. l ed 1'8!lald, at laldl allied in dustries/or gani zationsl
trades etc (=connected with each other because they are
similar or because they depend on each other) (adj usually
/xifore lWun I
Thereare strong trade unions in most ofthe motor and allied
industries. 1 the medical and other allied health occupations
5 having a clear connection with the subject
that is being considered or talked about
relevant
pertinent
relev..t I lrel!v,ntl ta<iil
If you join in the discussion, make sure that what you say
is rekvant. 1 Students willJInd a list ofrekvant articles at
the back of the book. I relevant to Tonight's documentary
will be highly relevant to any woman who has suffered dis-
crimination in the workplace.
relevance [n VJ I didn't really understand the rekvanceof
her comments.
pertinent / lp3: r tAnanl/ a formal word meaning directly
connected with and important to the subject that is being
considered [adjJ
Please keep your comments pertinent and briej.1 I think it
may be pertinent at this point to raise the question of how
the new department will befundRd. I pertin ent to The police
253 CONNECTED WITH
department is appealing for any information that may be
pertinent to this inquiry.
6 to show or believe that there is a connection
between two facts, events, ideas, or people
connect make a connection
link establish a link/connection
associate
connect Ibtnektl [v TJ
connect sth with I knew we had met before but I just
couldn't connect tlw face with the name. 1 con nect 5th
Despite some similarities between these attacks, police say
they are not connecting the two incidents.
link JI IIJkl to show or believe that there is a connection
between two things, even though the connection may not
be easy to see or prove [v TJ
link sth and sth The study ckarly links smoking in preg-
nancy and low birth weight in babies. I link sblsth with
His name has been linked. with severalfanwus actresses since
he and his wife seporat£d Inst year. I The health department
has linked several cases offood. poisoning with contaminated
shellJlSh.
.aaoclate la'S<KJJielt. a'sausi-I if you a ssociate some·
thing with something else, the two things are always con-
nected. in your mind [v TJ
associate sth with Shoppers tend to associate certain brand
names with high quality. I Peopi£ associatJ! theold days with
good times, and seem to forget the hardship they endured. I
associate 5th and sth Many of us associate food and
comfort.
make a connection /.melk a ka'nekJanJ to realize that
two things are connected IV phrase ]
make a connection between Young children quickly make
a connection between the pictures in books and the real
objects they see. 1 make a connection It's obvious to me that
drinking so much alcohol makes her put weight on, but she
seems unable to make the connection.
e.tabllsh a link/connection II,strebh l , ' h Qk ,
k~tnekJanl to prove or discover that something is connected
with something else Iv phrase]
Police have so far fa iled to establish a connection between
the two murders. 1 In the 1980s, a link was established
between ozone depktion and the use of CFC gases.
7 something that connects two facts, events,
ideas, or people
connection link
relationship point of contact
connection I k~' n ekJanl [n Cl
The two incidents might have something to do with each
other. but I can '{see lheconnection. 1 close connection Close
connections exist between the various Christian churches. 1
con nection between sth a nd sth Five year oids are (00
young to understand the connection between behaviour and
its consequences.
relationship In IlelJ.mJl pl the way in which two things
are connected and affect each other , or the way in which
the connection can be explained [n Cl
Interest rates and governrn.enl spending are connected, but
the relationship is quite a complex one. 1 relationship tol
with What exactly is the company's relationship to the steel
industry? 1 relationship between sth a nd sth The rela-
tionship between the government and the press is constantly
changing.
link /I ll)kJ a connection of some kind between two people
or between two events or situations In Cl
link between Since theirdioorce, the only link between them
is their young son. I l ink with Children must study the past
in order to understand its links with the present. 1sever Icut
lin ks (:;; break all connections) It was a condition ofrunning
for political office that he should sever his links with the
banking business.
point of contact I tp:> 1n l ::IV t kontrekt 11 _ I ka:n-J one way,
CONNECTED WITH
or one of very few ways, in which two very different things
are connected [n phrasel
The two cultures have very few points of contact. I point of
contact between It's difFrcult to find a point of contact
between the theory and the practice.
8 not connected in any way
no connection
unrelated/unconnected
no connection '.nau ka'nekJanJ In phrase]
no connection between Police could find no connection
between the bombing and any krwwn terrorist organiza-
twn. 1no connection with What she said seemed to have no
connection with what had gone be/ore. I no connection All
the.')e events are random - there's no connection.
W1related/unconnected ',Ann 'l elt~d .. , IAnb1nekt!d .. ,
things that are unrelated or unconnected are not con-
nected. although there may be some similarities between
them ladjl
Memory training can help you remember strings of com-
pietelyunrelatedfacts.1 Two children have gone missing in
apparently unrelated incidents. 1 The images thatjlashed on
the screen seemed to be totally unconnected. 1 unconnected
with Advisors are supposed to be unconnected with any
politiml party.
9 having no connection with the subject that is
I@.I being
~
considered or talked about
irrelevant
be beside the point
have/be nothing to do wHh
have no bearing on
be neither here nor there
doesn 't come Into It/doesn't enter into It
be a red herring
Irrelevant /l lrel !vantj ladjl
Chris continued to annoy her with questions on totally irrele-
vant subjects. I "But I didn't know it was illegal to park
here." "That's completely irrelevant. "I irrelevant to To
many young peopif!, the church seems outdated and irrele-
vant to modern times.
irrelevantly (advl "That's Mrs Wilson, "she said "the one
with the Aga stove. " she added irrelevantly.
be beside the point /bi: bl1sald ba 'P:>Int/ ifsomething
is beside the point, someone has mentioned it but you
think it is not connected with or not important to what you
are talking about Iv phrase]
I know he's married, but that's beside the point. I I couldn't
think of anything to say that dtdn 't appear either dumb or
beside the point.
havelbe nothing to do with /hrev, bi: ,nADIIj t~ 'du:
wlb/ something that has nothing to do with a situation
is not connected with it in any way and does not affect it
I v phrase not in progressive I
She has no proper qualjfzcation, but that has got nothing to
do with her ability as a teacher. I I don 'l know what's lhe
matter with Billy - he says it's nothing to do with school. I
My father was a remotejigure who had nothing to do with
my everyday life.
have no bearing on Ihrev ,n~ 'be.1nl) onJ to not be con·
nected with something, and have no effect or inflUence on
what is done or decided (u phrase not in progressive]
How many kids you have has no bearing on how much tax
you pay. I A suspect's criminal record should have no bear-
ing on the trial.
be neither here nor there /bi: ,nalb;, r ,hl;,r n:>!r 'w r /
you say something is neither here nor there when some-
one has mentioned something that they think is important
but you do not agree tv phrase]
They kept telling me they didn't know about the new rule,
but I said that was neither here nor there. ! What I think
about your husband is neither here nor there.
254 CONSCIOUS
doesn't came Into It/doesn't enter Into it I,d'''''nt
kAm 'lntu It , ,dAZant em;,r-I you say something doesn't
come into it or doesn't enter into it to tell someone that
something which they have mentioned does not influence
or affect what you are talking about IV phrase!
Whether the applicant is a num or a woman doesn't come into
it. I I'm afraid this is company policy, and your own views
on the matter simply don 'l enter into it.
be a red herring I,bi:;' red 'hem)1 facts or infonnation
that are not connected with the matter that is being dis·
cussed or considered, and takes people's attention away
from what is really important [v phrase]
The searchfor ]00% reliability is a red herring. The impor-
tant issue is MW to increase production.
connecting CHANG E FROM ONE THING TO ANOTH ER 6,
JOIN STH TOGETHER 3
connection CONNECTED WITH 7, JOIN STH TOGETH ER 6
connection: establish a link/connection CON NECTED
WITH 6
connection: have linkS/connections with
CONNECTED WITH 3
connection: make a connection CHANGE FROM ONE
THI NG TO ANOTHER 6 , CONN ECTE D WITH 6
connection: no connection CON NECTED WITH 8
connection: there is a connection between
CONNECTED WITH 2
connection: there Is a link/connection between
CONNECTED WITH 1
connoisseur KNOW STH 6
conquer BEAT/DEFEAT 3, PR EVENT 12
conquest WIN 3
cons: pros and cons ADVANTAGE 2
conscience GOOD/MORAL 10, GUILTY/FEEL GUILTY 2
conscience: be on your conscience GUlLTYfFEEL
GUILTY 1
conscience: a clear conscience GUlLTV/FEEL GUILTY 3
conscience: clear your conscience GUILTY/FEEL
:. GUILTY 4
conscience: have a bad/guilty conscience
GUILTY/FEEL GUI LTY 1
conscience: salve your conscience GUILTY/FEE L
G UILTY 4
conscientious CAREFUL 2
conscious CONSCIOUS 1. DELIBERATELY 3
conscious: be conscious KNOW STH 2
conscious: be conscious of KNOW STH 14
conscious: become aware/conscious NOTICE 1
• CONSCIOUS
1 able to think , feel, and know what is
happening around you
2 to become conscious again after being
unconscious
3 to make someone conscious again when they
have been unconscious
1 able to think, feel , and know what is
happening around you
conscious
awake
conscious / 'konJ;,s 11 'ka:n-/ (ad) not before noun]
The driver was still conscious when the ambularu:e reached
the scene ofthe accident. I Aunt Martha died peacefully, cons-
cious to the end. I I was bareLy conscious but I knew Rob was
there, holding my hand.
awake /;,Iwelk! conscious again after having been given
a drug that made you unconscious [adj rwt before nounl
Will I be awalre by the time I get back to the ward? I We won't
beable to tell i/tMoperation was successful until she'sfuUy
awake and can speak.
CONSCIOUS
2 to become conscious again after being
unconscious
regain consciousness
come round/come around
come to
regain consciousness In ,gem IkonJdsn~s 11 - 'ka::n-J to
become conscious again after being unconscious, espe-
cially for a long time (v phrase)
Doctor. do you think she'll ever regain consciousness? I Your
wife died under the anaesthetic without regaining conscious-
ness.
come round (Brrtish) I come around (American) f ,kAm
(a) ' raundJ to become conscious again gradually, especially
after having been given a drug to make you unconscious
[phr v l]
She was coming around, but she stillfelt dizzy_I The police
are wailingfor him to come round so they can question him
about the attack.
come to l,kAm 'tu:/ to become gradually conscious again
after being made unconscious, especially by being hit on
the head [phr v I[
He/eit a sudden blow, and when he came to, M was tied to
a chair with a gag over his mouth.
3 to make someone conscious again when they
have been unconscious
bring sb round
resuscitate
bring ab round fIbril) (sb) lraund/ to make someone cons-
cious, especially someone who has been unconscious for
a short time, for example because they have fainted or been
hit on the head [phr v T[
An old woman fainted in church, and they had difficUlty
bringing her round. I In an effort to bring him round. some-
one threw a bucket of water on him.
resuscitate I rllsl\S ~le lt/ to use medical methods and
equipment to make someone conscious when they have
become unconscious and nearly died, because they have
had a serious accident, suddenly become very ill etc {v Tl
The emergency team tried to resuscitate thefire victims. but
they all died. I Thejamily was kept out ofthe room while the
patient was being resuscitated with shock treatment.
resu scitation I rlI SAS ~ IlelJ;ml [n UJResuscitation equipment
slwuld be kept in every operating room. 1 mouth·to-mouth
resuscitation
consciously DELIBERATELY 2
conscripted: be conscripted ARMY 4
conscription/the draft ARMY 4
consecutive SERIES 3
consensus AGREE 6, OPINION 3
~ consent LET/ALLOW 9
consent: give your consent LET/ALLOW 8
consequence RESULT 1
consequence: as a consequence SO/CO NSEQUENTLY 1
consequence: be of great consequence IMPORTANT 1
consequently SO/CONSEQUENTLY 1
conservative CHAN.GElBECOM E DI FFERENT 7,
CONVENTIONAL 1
conserve SAVE STH TO USE LATER 1
consider REMEMBER 9. THINK ABOUT 2, 4,
THIN K/HAVE THE OPINION THAT 1
considerable BIG 7, 9
considerate KIND 1
considerate/thoughtful KIN D 2
consideration: be under consideration THINK ABOUT 2
considered : all things considered IN GEN ERAL 2
consist of CONSIST OF/BE MADE OF 1
11&1 "You say" is used in definitions of some
~ word s or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English.
255 constrained
et CONSIST OF/BE
MADE OF
1 ways of saying that something is made of or
contains a number of parts, substances etc
2 ways of saying that something has a
particular thing or substance in it
1 ways of saying that something is made of or
contains a number of parts , substances etc
consist of he composed of
be made of comprise
be made up of
consist of /k:;mlslsl DV/ rvT not in progressive or passive I
Bolognaise sauce consists of minced ~ onion, tomatoes.
mushrooms. garlic and seasoning. I Lorna's whole wardrobe
consisted of jeans. tee shirts and sweaters. I The senior
management team cons ists of John. Betty and Ken. I He
mixed a special drink, consisting of gin. vodka and cherry
brandy.
be made of Ibi: Ime1d DV / to contain a particular sub-
stance or material (v phrase]
The candlesticks are made of brass. I She mixed a batter
made offlour. eggs and water. I What's this carpet made oj?
be made up of /bi: Ime ld l AP Dvl to cons ist ofa number
of separate things or people Iv phrase)
The US government is made up of two leg islative assemblies
- Congress and the Senate. I The United Nations is made Up
of more than 200 individual nations. I The jury was mnstly
made up of women.
be composed of Ibi: kam Ipauzd Dvl to be naturally
formed from a group of substances or parts Iv phrase]
The earth's atmosphere is composed mainly of nitrogen,
oxygen. and carbon dioxide. I The human Ixxiy is composed
of billions of tiny cells.
comprise Ikam Ipralz/ a fonnal word meaning to consist
ofa number of parts , groups, organizations etc [v T not in
progressive ]
The house comprises 2 bedrooms. a kitchen, and a living
room. I The city's population comprises mainly Asians and
Europeans.
2 ways of saying that something has a
particular Ihing or substance in it
contain
contain Ikanlteml [v T not in progressive or passive]
Water contains hydrogen and oxygen. I It is important to eat
FlSh or eggs, as they contain protein and vitamins. I The film
was banned because it contained a number of extremely
violent scenes.
consistency THICK LIQUID 4
consistent SAME 4
consistent: be consistent with SAME 7
consolation COMFORT/MAKE SB FEEL BEITER 3
console COMFORT/MAKE SB FEEL BETTER 1
consoling COM FORT/MAKE SB FEEL BETTER 2
conspicuous OBVIOUS 1
conspiracy PLAN 6
conspire PLAN 3
constant CHANGE/BECOME DIFFERENT 9, CONTINUOUS
1 . 4 . KEEP DOING STH 2. SAME 4
constantly ALL THE TIME 1, KEEP DOING STH 1
constituent PART 3
constitute BE 1, 2, 3
constitution: to have a strong/good etc constitution
HEALTHY 2
constitutional LEGAL 2
;; constrained : be constrained LIMI T 5

constraints
constraints LIM IT 3
construct BUILD 1 , MA KE 1
construction BUILD 2
constructive USEFUL 1
construe sth as UNDERSTAND 6
consult ADVISE 3, ASK A QU ESTION 1
consultant ADVISE 6 , DOCTOR 2
consume EAT 1, USE/CONSUME 1
consumer BUY 7 , USE/CONSUM E 2
consumption USE/CONSUME 3
consumption: unfit for human consumption EAT 14
contact CONTACT S8 1, 4
contact: be In contact CONTACT SS 2
contact: come into contact TOUC H 3
contact: keep In contact CONTACT S8 2
contact: lose contact CO NTACT SB 5
contact: make contact with CONTACT S8 1
contact: point of contact CONN ECTED WITH 7
e CONTACTSB
to write to, talk to, or telephone someone, for
example for business reasons or because you
are friendly with them
1 to contact someone
2 to reg ularly telephone or write to someone
3 to succeed in contacting someone by
lelephone
4 the process by which people contacl each
other
5 to no longer speak to or write to someone
1 to contact someone
get In touch with approach
contact get onto
make contact with
get In touch with ' Iget In 'tAtf wlfJl to write to or tele-
phone someone, especially someone you do not see very
often (v phrase not in passiveJ
I really ought to get in touch with Penny. It 's been ages. I On
her friend's advice she got in touch with a lawyer specializ-
ing in/amity /.aw. I We're still trying to get in touch with the
person who wrote the original letter.
contact 11knntrekt 11 t ko:n-' to write to or telephone some-
one especially for the first time, in order to give or ask for
information Iv T I
The missing girl's parents appealed to her to contact the
police. I I've contacted the association secretary and she 's
sending me more details. 1 In a/ew days you will becontactffi
by one 0/ our staff and asked to complete a quick ques-
tionnaire.
make contact with / t me I k 1kontrekt W I 0 11 .1 kmn-J to
succeed in contacting someone, especially when this
involves some difficulty Iv phraseJ
The pilot finally managed to make contact with the control
tower. I Sometimes making contact with other people can be
the biggest problem/or young people in a city_ I make con-
tact The signaL<;; had been growing weaker and by th€fifth
day we were unable to make contact.
approach J::.tpldUtfl to write to or speak to someone that
you do not know or have not contacted before, in order to
offer them something or ask them for something (v T J
The government has approached 15 major companies,
asking them to support the new training scheme_ I Instead
0/ going to wholesalers we approached the manufacturers
direct.
get onto Jget Inntu: 11 - Ia:n-' an informal expression
meaning to telephone or write to someone in order to com-
plain, explain, or ask for something Iv T rwt usually in
progressive 1
I'll get onw Eddy andfind out what's happening. 1 The store
manager said he would get onto the factory about the late
delivery.
-
256 CONTACT S8
2 to reg ularly telephone or write to someone
be in contact keep in contact
keep In touch/stay In touch communicate
be in contact fbi: 10 'kontrekt 11 -'ka:n-f to regularly tele-
phone or write to someone so that you quickly fmd out
about any news IV phrase ]
be in contact with If you are already in contact with the
school, it will be easier to discuss any difficulties. 1 How did
he know about the baby? Was he in contact wilh the mother?1
be in contact We need to be in constant contact white the
business is expanding SO rapidly_
keep In touch/stay In touchf ,ki:p on 'tAtf, ,stel on 'tAtff
to continue to see, speak to, or write to someone when you
are no longer working with them, living near them etc
lv phrase]
Bye now_ Don'tforget to keep in touch. 1 They met in Greece
one summer and stayed in touch by sending occasiorud post-
cards. I keep in touch with/stay in touch with I haven't
kept in touch with any of the people I went to school with.
keep In contact ' I ki:p In 1knntrekt 11 . 1ko:n-I to continue
to write to or telephone someone although you are far away
from them IV phraseJ
keep in contact with I 've managed to keep in contact with
all the girls in my graduating class_ 1 keep in contact The
two patrol units are able to keep in contact by means of slwrt
wave radios.
communlcat. / k~lmju:n!keltl to exchange information
or conversation with other people, by telephone, letter or
in person Iv IJ
communicate with sb They kept him locked up for five
days and even prevented him/rom communicating with his
family. I communicate Modern technology makes it much
easier to communicate.
3 to succeed in contacting someone by
telephone
get hold of
get through
reach
get hold of Ilget 'h;)Uld nvl to manage to contact some-
one by telephone after trying several times Iv phrase]
Where have you been? I 've been trying to get hold 0/you all
week. lIt's no use trying to phoTU! her at work - sire's impos-
sible to get hald of
get through I tget leru:J to manage to contact someone
by telephone, especially after some delay or technical
problem (ph r v 11
get through to sb By the way, did you get through to
Sharon? 1It takes ages to get through to the right person, even
ij'someone does answer the phone. I get through lfinally
got through, but by then she'd gone home.
reach /rinf' a word meaning to contact someone by tele-
phone, used especially when you are saying whether you
can or cannot contact them IV TJ
Will we be able to reach you here/or the next few days, in
case there are any problems? 1Neil was the last to know. He
was offin the mountains somewhere. and wecouldn 't reach
him.
4 the process by which people contact each
other
communication
contact
communication Ik::. ,mju:n!1 kelfan/ In DJ
The computer is the best means 0/ communication between
severa l partners at different locations. 1 In a /.arge compli-
cated organization, good communication is vital. I There
have been a few communication probLems but now we are
in regular contact.
contact 11knntrekt 11 I ko:n-' a word meaning the process
of writing, telephoning, or speaking to other people, used
especially when you are talking about improving this
process [n VJ
CONTACTSB 257 CONTINUE/NOT STOP
contact between We need more contact between staff and
management. I contact with Local clubs provide/or regu- 3 something such as a bowl, tin, box etc that
lar contact for people with the same interests. can be used for keeping things in
container
5 to no longer speak to or write to someone receptacle
lose touch container fkdn IteIndrl [n CJ
lose contact Ice cream comes in piasticcontainers. I The sandwiches are
in those plastic/ODd containers in the rrifrigerator. I The dRck
lose touch 1.lu:z 'tht}' to not speak to, write to, or see was full oJ big cargo containers.
someone for a long time, so that finally yOll do not know
where they are lV phrase not in passive! receptacle /n' septdkCJll a formal word meaning a con-
lose touch with I've lost touch with all my old army tainer In Cl
friends. I lose touch At the end o[ the summer everyone went Can't you find a more elegant receptacle for this excellent
their different ways and we all lost touch. wine? I Please put disposable diapers in the receptacle
provided.
lose contact , .Ju:z 'kontrekt 11 .Ika:n-J to no longer be
able to contact someone by radio or electronic signals, as
a result of technical problems [v phrase]
I:, container CONTAIN/HOLD 3
contaminate DIRTY 5
Signals from the spacecraft had been growing weaker and contaminated DIRTY 2
mission control has MW lost contact altogether. I lose con- contemplate THINK ABOUT 4, 5
tact with The plane's radio equipment/ailed and the crew .,.. contemporary MODERN 3, NOW 5, TIME/AT TH E SAME
lost contact with air traflic controllers at the base. • TIM E 6
contempt HATE 3
contagious SPREAD 11
contend: have to contend with DEAL WITH 5
contain CONSIST OF/BE MADE OF 2. CONTAIN/HOLD 1,
contender: strong contender WIN 8
INCLUDE 1
content HAPPY 1, SATISFIED 2
contain yourself CONTROL 7
contented HAPPY 3
contentious DISAGREE 7

• CONTAIN/HOLD contentment HAPPY 8

contents IN/INSIDE 1, 7, LIST 3
contest COMPETE WITHITRY TO BEAT 1,
1 ways of saying that a space or container has COMPETITION 1
something inside it contestant TAKE PARTfBE INVOLVED 10
2 ways of saying that a space, container, room contingent GRO UP OF PEOPLE 2. REPRESENT 4
etc is big enough to contain a certai n number contingent: be contingent upon DEPEND/IT DEPENDS 1
or amount continual CONTINUOUS 4. KEEP DOI NG STH 2
continually KEEP DOING STH 1
3 something such as a bowl, tin, box etc that
continue CONTINUE/NOT STOP 1, 2, 4,
can be used for keeping things in CONTIN UE/START AG AIN 1, 2, 5
continue to be STILL 1

1 way s of saying that a space or container has

something inside it
be in sth
Icontinue 1------,
contain which meaning?
be In 5th I' hi, In (sth)J Iv TJ
Is there any milk in the fridge? I "Where's dad?" "In the continue doing • CONTINUE/NOT
kitchen. " I There were a few pairs of socks in the drawer. I something and not STOP
The knives are in the left hand cupboard. $lap ,
contain Ikdn1te ml to have something inside [v T not in
progressive I continuous, not • CONTINUOUS
He opened the bag, which contained a razor, soap, and a stopping ,
towel. I The tank contains two different species of tropical
f'lSh. I Thefirst electric cars will probably contain a battery start again after • CONTINUE/
weighing nearly a thousand pounds. $lopping START AGAIN
continue to be, feel • STILL
2 ways of saying that a space, container, room
ete something
etc is big enough to contain a certain number
or amount
hold
take • CONTINUE/NOT
hold Ih;)l.J1dl to be able to contain a particular number of
things or a particular amount of something Iv T not in
progressive or passive I •
STOP
Thisjug hoids about a pint. I The hotel dining room can hold 1 to continue doing something without stopping
up to 50 people. I The gas tank on a small car should hold 2 to continue doing something wrong, bad , or
at least six gallons.
annoying
take {tellef to only have enough space to contain a partic- 3 to continue doing something difficult in a
ular number of things, people etc or a particular amount
of something [v T not in progressive or passivel determined way
My car am only takejive people. I The/reezer will take about 4 to continue happening without stopping
50 litres of ice-cream. I I'll have to throw out some clothes - 5 to make a situation, process, activity etc
the closet can't take any more. continue
CONTINUE/NOT STOP
1 to continue doing something without stopping
continue drive on/play onl
go on read on/walk on ete
cany on get on with
keep keep up
pursue have not/never
looked back
continue fkan Itmju:1 [v li T!
continue doing sth They continued arguing long after
everyone else had gone to bed. I We must continue searching
until wefind all the missing children. I continue to do sth
She continued to live in the same house ajf£r the death ofher
husband. I Several undergrowul organizations continued to
operate in secret during the war. I continue 8th The lights
went out and he was unable to continue his work. I continue
I stopped the car because 1 was too tired to continue. I con-
tinue with My teach€r advised me to continue with my
studies.
continuation Ik:m.tmju'eIJ.-m/ [n UJ There is nojustifica-
lion/or the continuation of the war (=for continuing it).
go on l .g3U Ion 11 _IO:nf to continue doing something that
you have started without allowing anything to stop you
!phr v 11
go on doing s th When J tried to interrupt, he ignored me
and went on speaking. I The marriage is a disaster. I don't
klww why they go on living together. I go on The baby
started crying at ten and went on all night. I go on with The
delegates decided to go on with their meeting instead of
breaking offfor lunch.
carry on f I kreri Ion 11 _I a:n/ an expression used especially
in British English, meaning to continue doing something
without allowing anything to stop you [phr v [J
carry on doing sth Peter carried on working until ten
o'clock last night. I If you have been taking malaria tablets
while abroad, you should carry on taking themfor a month
after you return. 1 carry on It was almost too dark to see
properly, but he carried on to the end of the book. 1 carry on
with Don't stop! Carry on with your writing.
keep fld:pf keep moving/ going/listening/watching
(=continue to move, go etc, especially because it is neces-
sary) [v T rwt in progressive ]
We were so tired but knew toot we had to keep moving. 1 Keep
going till you come to a crossroads. 1 Stay by the radio and
keep listening fn case there's a message.
pursue / p~rlsju: 11 -lsu:1 a formal word meaning to con-
tinue with a course of action that you have begun, until it
is finished [u TJ
The US intends to pursue vigorous programs in space
science. 1 It's a domestic dispute and the police have decided
not to pursue the matter.
drive on/play on/read on/walk on etc I 'dra. v on,
IpJe l on, lrid on, Iw:>:k 001 to continue driving, playing,
reading, walking etc when you could have stopped [phr v IJ
It did not seem to be a very interesting town, so they drove
on. l ane of the protesters ran onto the stage but the orclres-
tra played on.
get on with {get lOO wu~ 11 _IO:O-{ an infonnal expression
used especially in British English meaning to continue
doing a piece of work and not talk or do anything else [vT]
Get on w ith your work, please. There's a lot to do. 1 Get on
with it! We don 't have a ll day. 1 You 'd better go now so I can
get on with my homework.
keep up 'Iki:p IApl an express ion meaning to continue
to do something as well or with as much effort as you have
been doing until now, used especially when giving some·
one encouragement (phr v TJ
keep it up You're doing a good job, boys. Keep it up. I keep
up sth Keep up the good work everyone. We've almost
reached our target 0/£50,000. I The eMmy have kept up the
attack all through the night.
have not/never looked back Ihrev loot, loe v~r lukt
IbrekJ if you have not looked back or have never looked
back since doing something in the past, you have con-
tinued to be successful all the time since then (v phraseJ
258 CONTINUE/NOT STOP
The team hasn't looked back since winning their first game
o/the season. 1 I left school at 16 intending to start my own
design company and have never looked back.
2 to continue doing something wrong , bad , or
annoying
continue
keep/keep on doing sth
persist
continue Ik~nltlOju:1 IV IITJ
continue doing sth If you continue making that noise I
shall report you to your parents. 1 continue to do sth
Despite all the warnings people oontinue to use the drug. 1
continue with Ifyou continue with this stupid behaviour
weshall have rw alternative but to expel youjrom the college.
keep/keep on doing sth I, ki:p , ,ki:p on 'du:lD (Slh)1
to continue to do something which is annoying (v phrase
not in progressiveJ
That man keeps staring at me. I wish he'd stop it. 1He didn't
want to hear any more but OUvia kept on talking. I The chil-
dren kept on complaining until we got back home.
persist fp~r l s l stl a formal word meaning to continue to
do something bad although you have been warned not to
doil lvll
persist in doing sth He persisted in smoking even when
lying ill in bed. I persist in sth You know what the penalty
is arul yet you persist in your disruptive behaviour.
3 to continue doing something difficult in a
determined way
persevere keep at
press on soldier on
stick at itJstick to it undaunted
persevere I IP3!rs1 I VI~rl to continue trying to do some-
thing in a very patient and determined way in spite of
difficulties Iv II
persevere with Physics is a diffrcult subject, but if you
persevere with your studies Fm sure you'll do well. 1 perse-
vere in Scott never gave up. He persevered in his efforts to
solve this long-standing problem. 1 persevere We haven't
managed to reach an agreement yet, but we'll persevere.
press on ' Ipres lOO 11 - 10:01 to continue doing something
or going somewhere in spite of difficulties, because you are
determ ined to finish your work,journey etc without delay
Iphr v 11
I was/inding the book hard to understand, but I decided to
press on to the erul. I We're nearly there, so let's press on while
it's still daylight. 1 press on with Despite opposition the
government is pressing on with its welfare program. I press
on regardless (=ignoring all difficulties) It started to rain
and a strong w ind blew. but he pressed on regardless.
stick at It (British) / stick to It (American) I,"k 're. n,
IstIk tu It! infonnal expressions meaning to continue work-
ing or studying in a very determined way in order to
achieve someth ing [v phrase ]
If you stick at it, I'm sure you'll pass your examinations
easily. 1 It was hard work, but they stuck to it and got the
job done.
keep at ' 11d:p Iret! to force yourself to continue working,
practising etc in order to achieve something, even though
il needs a 101 of effort Iv Tt
keep at sth I wish I'd kept at my math when I was at sclwol.l
keep a t it You'll have to keep at it jfyou want to play the
piano as well as your fatlrer does.
soldier on I IS;)(JJdJaf Ion 11 -lam/ an expression usedespe-
dally in British English meaning to continue doing some-
thing in a steady determined way even though it is very
difficult [phr v 11
The team were all feeling seasick but they soldiered on
valiently. 1 I'm soldiering on in the hope that things will get
better.
CONTINUE/NOT STOP
undaunted JAnlIDmt~dl someone who is undaunted
does not give up because of difficulties, dangers etc, but
continues to do what they intend to do radjl
People said he was attempting an impossible task. but he
went on with his work uruiaunted. I The cadets seemed
undaunted despite the dangers that lay ahead.
4 to continue happening without stopping
continue persist
go on proceed
carry on progress
continue Ik:m 'unju:1 [u 11
The noise continued/or several hours. I Unless there are seri·
ous negotiations, lheFtghting will continue. I Interest in Elvis
Presky continues years after his death.
continuation Ikanttmju ' elf<)n/ In UJ the continuation a/the
war in China (=the fact that the war continued)
go on , .g3U Ion 11 -Io:.nl to continue, especially for a long
time (ph r v 11
The discussion went on/or another four hours before agree-
ment was reached. I The applause went on for ten minutes
after Pavarotti left the stage. 1 go on and on (=continue for
a ver y long time) The noise went on and on. No one seemed
to know how to turn the alarm off.
canyon (Ikreri Ion 11 _IO:nJ to continue, especially in
spite of problems or opposition [phr v IJ
The celebrations carried on just as if nothing had happened. 1
The struggle for liberation will carry on long after I am
dead.
persist /p;,rl s lstl a formafword: if a problem or bad con-
ditions persist, they continue to exist because you cannot
stop them Iv 11
See your doctor if th€ symptoms persist. 1 If th€se adverse
weather conilitions persist the game will be cancelled. 1 Ifyou
persist, I shall beforced to report you to the manager.
proceed /pral si:dl a formal word. meaning to continue in
the way that has been planned Iv I]
Work on the new tunnel is proceeding very well. I According
to the newspaper the negotiations are proceeding smoothly.
progress jpm lgres( if an activity or situation progresses
it continues to happen or develop gradually over a period
of time Iv IJ
As the meeting progressed Jack became more and more
irritable. I As the war progressed it became increasingly
difficult to buy fresh food.
5 to make a situation, process, activity etc
continue
carry on keep up
maintain preserve
perpetuate
ca..,., on ' Ikreri Ion 11 _Io:nt to continue something, often
when it has been started by someone else [phr v T]
carry on sth The old man expects his son to carry on the
family traditions. 1 Who 's going to carry on the project when
she leaves? 1 In the eighteenth century, his research was
carried on by Dubois.
maintain Jmem Item 11 m;}n-f to make something continue
in the same way or at the same high standard as before [vT]
Air France has maintained a h igh level o/servicefor many
years. I For the sake of the children he is maintaining
friendly relations with his ex-Wife.
maintenance , lme 1ntan;}ns/ In VJ Atfirsta newly indepen-
rknt country relies heavily on the maintenance of existing
links (=existing links being maintained) with the colonial
pou-er.
perpetuate /p;}rtpet!ueJt( to ma ke something bad con-
tinue to exist, especially an unjust situation or false ideas
Iv TJ . carry on after lunch? 1 carry on with As soon as Mr Saun·
This new book perpetuates all the old myths about the
Kennedyassassinations. I The proposed law will perpetuate
existing ocooomic and class inequalities.
259 CONTINUE/START AGAIN
keep up 'I ki:p t"p/ to make something contin ue, espe-
cially when it is difficult and effort is needed {phr v T J
keep up sth We've kept up our friendship despite the recent
misunderstandings. I Nature groups intend to keep up the
pressure until the government changes the law.
preserve fpn ·z3: rvl to make something good, especially
a situation, continue because you think it should not be
allowed to disappear [v T]
We want to preserve friendly relations with all our neigh-
bouring countries. 1 All the names in th€ book have been
changed to preserve the victims' Q1wnymity.
preservation JIPrcz;:,r ·vc l!anj In VI Thegovernment iscom-
milted to the preservation of( =to preserving) law and order.
. CONTINUEI
START AGAIN
1 to continue doing something after stopping
2 to conti nue talking about something after
stopping or after talking about something else
3 to start doing something again, especially
something bad or something you had
decided not to do again
4 to continue something that someone else has
started
5 ways of saying that something conti nues after
stopping
1 to continue doing something afler stopping
continue resume
start again take up again
go on pick up where you left off
carry on reopen
return to restart
go back to renew
continue Ik;}n ltmju:1 Iv li T]
continue doing sth They continued playing tennis as soon
as the rain stopped. 1 He's not sure whether he'll be able to
continue skiing competitively after the operation. I continue
to do sth Bring the soup to the boil and when it has cooled,
continue to cook it in th€ oven. I continue The referee decided
to stop the fight because Jones was too badly hurt to con·
tinue. 1continue sth He has decided to go back to Cambridge
to continue his medical studies.
start again I.sta:rt ;,Igenl to start again, continuing the
same thing that you were doing before you stopped Iv
phrase]
start doing sth again Nter a two week rest I was ready to
start running again. 1 Billy was afraid to say anything in
case she started crying again. I start to do sth again
Marian stared through the window. It was starting to snow
again. 1 start sth again I 've had a good vacation and T'm
not exactly looking forward to starting work again. 1start
again He gave up smoking, but recently he's started again.
go on ' lg;)U 1nn 11 _Ia:n/ to continue doing something after
a short pause [phr v IJ
go on doing sth After a short breakfor ccffee tMy went on
working until30'clock. 1 go on Occasionally he would stop
writing, read through what he had written, and then go on. I
go on with Let's stop now. We 'll go on with this tomorrow.
carry on flkreri 1011 11 -la:nJ an expression used especially
in British English, meanin g to continue doing something
that has been planned or decided on rphr v 11
carry on doing sth She decided to carry on working after
having the baby. I carry on It 's one o'clock now, Shall we
ders gets back, we'll carry on with the meeting, I Okay, the
fun's over. Carry on with your work.
CONTINUE/START AGAIN 260
retum to In 1t3: r n tu!/ to start doing a particular job again
after a period when you were doing something else (v T not
in passive}
return to sth After many years in musical comedy Ginger
Rogers decided to return to more serious drama. IIf compa-
nies provided good child carefacilities it would make return-
ing to work a reasonable option jor mothers. I return to
doing 5th She watched the television jor a while and then
returned to cleaning the floor.
go back to Igau Ibrek tu:! to start doing a particular
activity or job again after a short period when you were
doing something else Iv T not in passive]
go back to sth Melanie made h erself a cup oJ tea and then
went back to her reading. I Somemotirersgo back tofull-time
work only a few weeks after their baby is born. I go back
to doing sth Since Archie could not get regular UXJrk as an
actor he went back to being an electrician.
resume fn'zju:m 1 -' zu:mf a fonnal word meaning to
start doing something again after a pause or interruption
IvTI
Collins was SO seriously injured that he was unable to resume
his career. 1 They stopped talkingfor a moment LO see where
the noise was coming from and then resumed their con-
versation. - go back to using drugs?
resumption In 'umpJ,mf In V] The New Year was marked
by a resumption of the hunger strike by political detainees.
(=they started their hunger strike again)
take up again f ,telk I. . . p ;:)genf to start doing something
such as a sport or artistic activity again after a long period
of time when you were not doing it [phr v T]
take sth/it up again I stopped playing the guitar when I
wasflfteen. Now I would like to take it up again. 1 take up
sth again Although it's a long time since she won a compe-
tition, she is tempted to take up professional tennis again.
pick up where you left oH Iplk l Ap we;:) r you left 'ofl
to start something again, for example a discussion, rela-
tionship, or course of study, continuing from exactly the
point where you originally stopped [v phrase]
J know J left you. Sandra, but why can't we pick up where
we left off? I Nter a long absence J went back to college,
Iwping to pick up where I'd left off
reopen Id: I ;:)up;:)nl reopen an inquiry I casei debate etc
(=start an inquiry etc again, especially because new infor·
mation has been found) Iv TJ
Since important new evidence has been discovered, we have
decided to reopen the investigation. 1 Reports from the
medical scientists have reopelU!d the debate on tobacco
advertising.
restart Iri: Ista: ftl to start something again, especially a
planned. activity, after it has been stopped or delayed for
a period of time [v TJ
We will restart training sessions after the Christmas break. 1
Now that war is over, health organizations Iwpe to restart
the immunization programme.
renew 1nl nju:: 11 rl l nu:l renew youretIorts/attempt etc
(::::start again with more effort. energy etc) [v Tl
Later John felt strong enough to renew his efforts to climb
the mountain. 1 The rebels waited until daylight and then
relU!wed their attack on the city.
2 to continue talking about something after
stopping or after talking about something else
continue return to
go on go back to/get back to
continue Ik;Jn'tmju:/ lv l i T)
continue sth We'll have to continue our conversation later. 1
continue Continuing in a quieter voice, she asked Iww long
he'd been married. 1 "There's aMther thing I wanted to tell
you, " Joe continued.
go on ' lg:xJ Ion 1 -'oml to continue talking especially
when you need to say more about something etc [phr v IJ
"Anyway," she went on, "why do you want to know?"1 Go
on, teU us what happened next. 1goon to say/tellltalketc
a bout After talking about the tax increases, he went on to
say that some people would lose their jobs. 1 go on with Once
everyone was quiet he could go on with h is story.
continuous
ratum to Inl t3: f n tu:/ to start talking about a subject
again having already talked about it earlier in your con·
versation, speech etc IV T not in passive)
Returning to what you said earlier, do you really think there
is a chance of a complete ceasefire? 1'fu I was saying," said
Liz, returning to h£r favourite theme, "men are such cowards."
go back tolget back to / ,g"" 'b",k tu:, ,get-/ to con·
tinue talking about a subject that you started but did not
fmish talking about before [v T not in passive I
Getting back to what we were saying earlier, do you think
you 'll be able to come? I Finally I'd like to go back to the point
I made at the beginning of my lecture.
3 to start doing something again , especially
something bad or something you had
decided not to do again
go back to
revert to
slip back Into
go back to ' Ig<>u ·brek tml [V T not in passive)
go back to sth Now that he's out of prison he's golU! back
LOa liJeofcrime. 1go back to doingsth Doyouthinkshe'U
revert to In l v3: rt tu:1 to start a particular kind of
behaviour again, especially bad behaviour, after you had
stopped for a period of time IV TJ
I hope she doesn't revert to her old ways and start gambling
again. 1 I went to a school where we had to speak French aU
the lime, but outside schoollwurs I reverted to English.
slip back Into / ,shp 'b",k Into:/ to gradually start doing
something bad again after you had stopped, because you
are not determined enough to prevent yourself from doing
it (v T not in passiveJ
slip back into doing sth It 's very easy for alrolwlics to slip
back into having afew drinks after work. 1 slip back into
sth Children will often slip back into babyish ways to get
what they want.
4 to continue something that someone else has
started
pick up/take up
pick up/take up I.plk lAP, ,te lk I ..... pl iphr v Tl
pick up sth Pewr poused and John picked up the story. I In
the semnd movement the strings take up the theme from the
horns. I pick sth/it up Detectives started the investigation in
London and Paris police have picked it up at their end.
5 ways of saying that something continues after
stopping
continue
resume
renewal of
continue Ik;Jn'unju:1 [v IJ
The tour continued after a rest day in Bordeaux. 1 After a
while the rain stopped, allowing the game to continue.
continuation [n D ] Any continuation of the p resent crisis
(:::a situation in which the present cris is continues) may
weU lead to economic disaster.
resume 1nl zju:m 11 - Izmml a fonnal word meaning to con·
tinue after stopping or after a delay {v 11
The g ame resumed when it had stopped raining. 1 It will be
a long time before production at thefactory can resume. The
fire did a lot of damage.
resumption In lz . . . mpJan/ [n VJ The resumption of trade
between the two countries (::::tbe fact that trade has started
again) is a sign of improved relations.
renewal of Ifllnju:;JI;:)v 11 .I nu:-/ ifthere is a ren ewal of
a particular feeling or activity, it starts again after stop-
ping for a period of time [n singular)
There has been a sudden relU!wal of interest in ecology. 1 The
United Nations has sent negotiators to the areafollowing the
renewal of hostilities along the border.
I continuous CONTI NUOUS 1, 5, 6
CONTINUOUS
• CONTINUOUS
1 continuing to exist for a long time without
stopping, changing , or being interrupted
2 words for describing work or activity that
continues for a long time without ever
stopping
3 continuing for a long time without even
stopping at night
4 words for describing something unpleasant,
annoying, or frig htening that happens
continuously or repeatedly
5 words for describing a process that continues
to develop or change over a period of time
6 words for describing lines, rows of objects etc
that have no spaces or breaks in them
1 continuing to exist for a long time witho ut
stopping , changing, or being interrupted
continuous uninterrupted
constant on-golng
continuous fbn'tlnju;)s/ fadjJ
Altlwugh we nearly always need extra drivers. we cannot
guarantee continuous employment. I Gas central heating
provides instant warmth and a continuous supply 0/ hot
water. ! an organization that provides continuous monitor-
ing of world health problems
constant I lkonst;)nt 11 'ko!n·/ something such as a state,
feeling or need that is constant is continuous so that it
seems to be there all the time fadj usually before noun]
During the war we lived in constant/ear of being bombed. I
A new-born baby needs constant care and attention. I
Whenever our daughters visit us during the holidays there
is a constantjlow oftelephone callsfrom ooriousfriends and
boyfrwnds.
constantly [adv] The country is very unstable and the
government is constantly in danger of being overthrown.
uninterrupted ! , . . . mnt;;l'rAptld ... ! something good or
pleasant such as peace or sleep that is uninterrupted con-
tinues for a long time with no interruptions [adj only before
noun]
That night she had the luxury of ten hours ofuninterrupwd
sleep. I A long period of uninterrupted peace in the region
was ended when civil war broke out.
on-going ! Ion gaull) 11 'run-/ an on-going activity, situa-
tion, or piece of work is not intended to end at a definite
time, but will continue into the future ladj only before
nuun!
It is hoped that on·going talks between the superpowers will
lead to a reduction in nuclear weapons. I We have a major
un-going research programme into North Sea pollution.
2 words for describing work or activity that
continues for a long time without ever
stopping
non~stoplnonstop solid
without a break day In, day out
on end with no let up
at a stretch
non-stop/nonstop I.non Istop ... 11 Ino:n 'sta:p"'! (adv)
She's been driving non-stop for hours. 1 Make sure he does
some hornelVOrk - he'll watch TV nonstop if you let him.
non-stop/nonstop [adj only before noun! After four days
ofnonstop partying at tfIR carnival we were both exhausted.
without a break /Wlr, laut a 'brelk! without any pauses
for rest [adv phrase1
Victor talked for forty minutes without a break. I On aver-
age, the human mind cannot concentrate on spoken irifonna-
tionfor more than six minutes without a break.
261 CONTINUOUS
on end Ion lend/ ifsomething unpleasant or unusual con-
tinues for hours, days, weeks etc on end, it continues for
that time without stopping [adv phrase)
The rain had been falling for days on end. I In Siberia the
temperature can stay more than twenty below freezing for
months on end.
at a stretch /;)t;) I stretfl if someone works or does some-
thing for ten hours, three days etc at a stretch, they do it
for that time without stopping, although this may be
difficult or unusualladv phrase]
TfIR miners were exhausted as they had been workingfor ten
hours at a stretch to finish the new tunnel. I You will have
to be away filming on location for three or four days at a
stretch.
solid I l so l~d lI'sa:-1 if you do something for two solid
hoW'S, three solid weeks etc you do it continuously for that
period with no breaks at alllatU only before noun I
Nter eight solid hours ofdriving, I was exhausted. 1 We had
to sit there through two solid hoursofloud brass band music.
day In, day out Idel Iln del laut! if something happens
day in, day out it happens every day and is always the
same, so that it becomes very boring [adv phrase]
Working in a factory involves the same routine day in, day
out. I the old brown jacket that he wears day in, day out
with no let up !Wlr, ,nau Ilet Apl if something bad con-
tinues with no let up it happens continuously for a long
time and it does not stop or get any better (adv phrase]
It rainedfor three days with no let up. I The Principal went
on, with no let uP. telling us the reasons why we hadfailed.
3 continuing for a long time without even
stopping at night
day and night
around the clock/round the clock
twenty-lour-hour
day and night f idei ;)n 'nail! continuously, all day and
all night ladv phrase]
The sky was litup, day and night, by thefire in thefactory,1
During his illness I was by his side day and night. I During
the war people worked night and day making ammunition.
around the clock (also round the clock in British
English) !(;),raund r,., IkIok ~ -lkIa:kj if you work around
the clock, you work all day and all night without a break,
especially because there is something very urgent which
you have to do (adv phrase I
Since the outbreak of war, journalists have been lVOrking
round the clock to keep up with the dramatic events in
Czeclwswvakia. I Security guards patrol the perimeter wire
around the clock.
round-the-clock /'raund 0, klok 11 -kla:k/ladj only before
noun] We want a round-the-clock guard on the murder wit-
nesses for their protection.
twenty-lour-hour / 'twenti f)!f au;)fl twenty-four-hour
service/guard/radio etc (=one that is done or provided
continuously, all day and all night) ladj only before noun)
Call any time of the day or night. We provide a twenty-four-
hour repair service. 1 Radiotron FM. the only station that
offers you twentyfour·hour radio
4 words for describing something unpleasant,
annoying, or frightening that happens
continuously or repeatedly
continual endless/unending
constant without respite
perpetual persistent
Incessant unrelenting
nagging never-ending
contlnual / k~n'tlnju~l f [adj usually before noun]
The exhaustionfelt by new parents comesfrom the continual
disturbance of their sleep patterns. 1 The drodline was get-
ting closer and we were under continual pressure to reach
our targets.
CONTINUOUS
continually [adv] I am continua lly amazed and depressed
by the way the government runs the country.
constant , Ikonsbnt 11 ' ka:n·J constant argument/pain
etc (=annoying because it does not stop happening) [adj
usually before noun I
There was a constant ache in one of his teeth. I He left the
office because he could no longer stand the constant gossip.
perpetual /po " petJuol/ a state or feeling that is perpetual
seems to be there all the time and is very annoying, upset-
ting, worrying ctc (adj only before nounl
For many working mothers, balancing the demands ofchil-
dren andjob is a perpetual strain. I Her husband's perpetual
jealousy made her feel anxious.
Ince ••ant 110 IseS3nt/ something unpleasant and annoy-
ing, especially a noise, that is incessant continues over a
long period of time and never stops [adj only before noun]
The rush Mur is awful, with the incessant noise ofcars and
buses. I A ll afus were victims of incessant interrogation and
brutal mental and physical torture.
in cessantly {adv l Mike smoked incessantly and his room
smelled disgusting.
nagging /'nregl~/ n agging doubt/fear/worry/suspi-
cion (=one that is probably incorrect or unnecessary but
which stays with you all the time and does not go away)
ladj only before noun)
He had a nagging suspicion that something terrible was
about to happen. I Helen could not rid hErself of a nagging
doubt about her sister's honesty.
endless/unending ,'endhls, II.n ' end1fJ/ something
unpleasant or tiring that is endless or unendin g con-
tinues for a long time without seeming to end [adjJ
We were all irritable because of thE children's endless quar-
relling. I The wet winter days seemed at times unending.
without respite /wl~aut 'resptt/ a formal expression:
something difficult that con tinues wit hout respite does
not stop or become easier fadv phrase)
The war continued without respite for eight long years.
persistent /~r 'SJstant/ a persistent problem or illness
is not very serious but it continues to exist even though
you try to get rid of it ladj)
He has a persistent cough because of his smoking. I The
krwcking wasfaint but persistent, making it impossible to
sleep.
unrelenting /,Ann 'lentll)"l a fonnal word: an unpleasant
situation or feeling that is unrelentin g continues for a
long time without stopping [adj)
Th£ unrelenting pressures of the job started to affect her
health. I Despite the unrelenting opposition of the authori-
ties, I have decided to educate my child at home.
never-ending "nevO}r 'end ll) .. J having no end. or lasting
so long that you think it will never end [adj)
TIu! boredom of married life seemed n£ver-ending_ I Life had
become a never-endingcycieofworking, eating, and sleeping.
5 words for describing a process that continues
to develop or change over a period of time
continuous
steady
progressive
continuous Ikan 'u nj u<)S/ [adj usua lly before nounl
Th£re has been a continuous improvement in the standard
oflu!r spoken English. I This bicycl£ is the product of years
of continuous development and refinement.
continuously ladv) TIu!databose·is continuously updated.
steady I' stedil a steady increase, decrease, change. or
movement is continuous or always happens at the same
speed ladj usually before noun)
This company's profits have been in steady decline since the
1980s. I The 20th century has seen a steady improvement in
the rights of women. I The exhibition is popular and is
attracting a steady stream of visitors.
steadily (adv I The divorce rate has risen steadily since the
19511s_
262 control you rself
progressive IpJd 'gresIv/ getting continuously better or
continuously worse [adj usually before noun!
The progressive build·up ofpollutants in the atmosphere has
led to a weakening of the ozone layer. I Since the 19505 there
has been a progressive fall in the numbers of adults who
cannot read and write.
progressively [advl Her fever is getting progressively
worse. I think we should call a doctor.
6 words for describing lines, rows of objects etc
that have no spaces or breaks in them
continuous
solid
unbroken
continuous Ik;)n Itmju:::Isl iadjl
The traffic was awful, a continuous lineo/vehicles extended
asfar as the eye could see. I A continuous she£t ofpaper was
speeding through the newspaper printing machines.
solid J'sol1d 11 'SO:_/ without any spaces at all (adj usually
before noun I
The graph shows our profits as a dotted line and our sales
as a solid /ine_ I TIu! tide had left three solid bonds of white
slu!lIs on tlu! beach_
unbroken /lI.n 'bJdUk:::ln/ an unbr oken line or space has
no breaks, changes etc in it that spoil it [adjl
The carvings ran in an unbroken line across the facade of
thE building. I When we reft the tent we saw an unbroken
plain of white snow.
contour SHAPE 2
contrac t AGREE 7, GET 15
contradict DIFFERENT 8, DISAGREE 1
contradictory DIFFERENT 8
contraption MACHINE 1
contrary: on the cont rary/the reverse
OPPOSITE/REVERSE 4
contrary to expectations EXPECT 9
contrast COMPARE 1, DIFFERENT 13
contrast: by contrast BUT 4
contrast : In c ontrast/by contrast COMPARE 3
contrast with DIFFERENT 1
contrasting DIFFERENT 5
contravene DISOBEY 2, ILLEGAL 3
contribute GIVE 14, TAKE PART/BE INVOLVED 1
contribute to CAUSE 12
contribution: make a contrIbution GIVE 14
contributor WRITE 15
contributory CAUSE 12
contrive ARRANGE A MEETING, EVENT ETC 3
contrived REAL NOT IMAGINARY 5
control CONTROL 1, 2, 14, 17. 18
control: be beyond sb 's control CONTROL 21
control: be in control CONTROL 1, 10
control: be under sb's control CONTROL 5
control: bring sth under control CONTROL 16
control: have sth under control CONTROL 10, DEAL
WtTH 4
control: have total control CONTROL 3
control: keep sth under control CONTROL 12
c ontrol: out of control CONTROL 21
c ontrol: take c ontrol CONTROL 15
control/have control 01 OWN 2
control yourself CONTROL 7
"You say" is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English.
CONTROL 263 CONTROL
control /k~n'tr~ 11 [v TJ
clcontroll-",.·.------. He can't control the kids he teaches. I The rebels have con-
tolled the area since the revolution in 1986. I Martha controls
thefmancial sideoftlu!. business. I Oloco is a huge company,
which meaning? controlling over half the world's oil trade. I It's usually the
editor who controls what goes into a newspaper.
control something or , • CONTROL manlpulate /ma'nlpj'::lellj to cleverly control someone so
that they agree to do what you want them to do, even if it
someone hanns them [v TI
be in charge of an • IN CHARGE OF He's very clever, he knows just how to manipulate me so that
he gets his own way. I Thejudgegave Miss O'Rourkea light
activity, group of sentence, because she had been manipulated by her lover.
people atc manipulative /maIOlpj'::latrv 11 -Ier -I [ac.{i J Because they
rarely get what they want by demanding it, children often
be the manager of a • MANAGER resort to manipulative behaviour.
company, manipulation/m~lnlpj'::lleIJanJ In UJ Manipulation might
organization atc , win you afew arguments but it 'lllose youfriends in the end.
be pulling the strlngs /bi: ,puhD 0, "!rIDZ/ to secretly
examine, check • EXAMINE control an organization, country or situation, by controll·
something " . ing the person or group that is officially in charge of it [v
phrase ]
In theory the President runs the country, but most people
klWW the banks are pulling the strings. I There must be some-
. CONTROL one behind all tlu!se riots, pulling the strings.
1 to control a situation, person, or grOl.lp and callthetune/shots / ,ko:t 0, 'tjll:n, 'Jots 11 -'tum, -'Jo:ts/
to control a situation so that everyone else has to do what
make them do the things you want you say, agree with you etc [v phrasel
2 to control a process, system etc so that it He'll never admit it, but it's the Wife that calls all the slwts
works properly and does not cause problems in thatfamily.1 It's always been our policy that the customer
3 to completely control a situation so that no should call the tune.
one else can influence it be in the driving seat /bi: 10 0:;) 'dralvll) Sh1/ an infor-
4 to be able to control a person or group so mal expression meaning to have more power than every-
that they obey you, do what you want etc one else in a particular organization or situation, so that
5 to be controlled by someone else you control everything, especially after a time when others
have controlled everything Iv phrase]
6 to completely control someone so that they I started my own company because I like to be in the driving
have no freedom seat. I be firmly in the driving seat This isJwwthegovern-
7 to control your feelings and remain calm in ment is now made up, with the Socialistsfirmly in the driv-
difficult situations ing seat.
8 to no longer be able to control your feelings be in control /hi: In k:;)n 11fdull to be able to control a sit-
9 to control yourself again after you have been uation, organization or area, usually because you have
very angry, upset etc more m Hitary power of financial power than anyone else
10 to manage to control a difficult situation Iv phrase]
be in control of The anti-governmentforces are still in con-
11 to no longer be able to control something or trol of the area. I be in control No one is really in control
someone so the gangs just fight it out among themselves.
12 to control something or someone carefully over steer /stJ:;)r/ to control the way a situation develops, but
a period of time so that they remain the way without using force, so that you achieve what you want to
you want them to be, do not get worse etc achieve Iv T]
13 methods, laws etc that are used to control steer 5th He 's very good at steering the conversation so that
situations or activities we talk about him. I steer sb towards/ away from She has
steered the company away from financial ruin.
14 to control machines, equipment, or vehicles,
using your hands, feet, tools etc
15 to get control of a situation, organization, or 2 to control a process, system etc so that it
place that someone else was controlling works prope rly and does not cause problems
16 to get control of a situation that you could not control
control before regulate
17 to control a movement or physical action govern
18 the ability or power to control someone or control /k,n'trout/ Iv Tl
something control 5th This button controls the temperature in the
19 words for describing an action or movement building. I Rocky Head power station works 24 hours a day,
that someone has controlled controlling the electricity supply to over five million Jwmes.1
20 words for describing someone or something a new law to control tlw[lowofimrnigrants I control howl
that can be controlled
what/which etc The valves in the heart rontrollww quickly
blood is pumped round the body.
21 difficult or impossible to control
regulate /lregj~lelt/ if rules, laws, principles etc regulate
a process or system, they carefully control it so that itoper·
ates properly and continuously Iv T]
1 to control a situation, person, or group and Strict rationing has been introduced to regulate the food
supply. I Wages and working hours are regulated by a series
make them do the things you want of laws passed last year. I Sweating and shivering both help
control be in the driving seat to regulate the body's temperature.
manipulate be In control regulation / , regj~ 'leIJanl In VI There should be stricter
be pulling the strings steer regulation of the additives in our food.
call the tune/shots govern I l gl\v~rnJ iflaws, rules, principles etc govern the
CONTROL 264
way a system or situation works, they control how it
happens, what happens etc tv TI
There are very strict laws governing cigarette advertise-
ments. 1The price ojthe metai isgoverned bythedemandfor
it. ! Very few societies believe that our lives are governed
entirely by chance.
3 to completely control a situation so that no
one else can influence it
dominate stranglehold
monopolize have total control
monopoly
dominate I 'dom ~ nc [ t 11 'do:-/ to be the most powerful or
important person or thing in a situation and therefore con-
trot it completely [v TJ
Men still tend to dominate the world of law, hardly any top
judges are women. I You shouldn 't allow your job to
dominate your life like that. I A handful DJ multinational
companies dominate th£ economy.
domination , ,dnm ~ InclJan 11 .da:-J In UI thl!dDmination 0/
three or four companies in the coffee market
monopolize (also -Ise British) 'm::.lnop~lalz 11 m;,l no:-1
to completely control an activity, situation etc and unfairly
prevent other people or organizations from having any con-
trol over it at all [v T ]
All night he monopolized the conversation, not letting
anyone else get a word in. \ The nineteenth century saw a race
between European states to monopolize the African trade
routes.
monopolization /m::. I nop~lallze'J;;m 11 - rna:p;)I:J-/ [n D] the
almost total monopolization (=the act of monopolizing) of
the world's ivory supplies
monopoly /rm'nop::.li \\ m::. lna:-I a situation in which one
person or organization unfairly has complete control In C
usually singular]
monopoly of/ over It was not easy to persuade the
monarchy to let go of its monopoly o/power. I Within a/ew
years, the company had a virtual monopoly over all trade
with India. I monopoly l/you don't regulate broadcasting
you can end up with a monopoly.
stranglehold l'str.:el)galh:lUldl total power and control
over a situation, organization etc especially when this is
thought to be unfair and not good for the situation, organi-
zation etc [n singular I
have a stranglehold on For years, two giant recording
companies have had a stranglehold on the CD market. I The whole town seems to be under the control %ne/amily. 1
break the stranglehold (=to stop someone having com-
plete control) Satellite TV should at last break the strangle-
hold 0/ the big national TV channels.
have total control /hrev ItdUti kJn ItrdUll to control a s it-
uation so much that other people are prevented from
having any power or control over what happens, the way
things happen etc Iv phrase not in progressivel
In modern politics, no one political group can expect to have
total control. 1 have total control over He has total con-
trol over the way his career is developing.
4 to be able to co ntrol a person or group so
that they obey you , do what you want etc
have a hold on/over
have sb eating out of your hand
wrap/twist sb round your little finger
have sb In your pocket
hold sway
be the boss
have a hold on/over Il hrev ~ Ih;)(Jld on , <KJV:;)rl to be able
to control someone because you have some emotional
power over them , for example, because you know their
secrets (v phrase not in progressive ]
He seems to have some kind 0/ hold over all those kids ~ ['m
not sure J like it. 1 It's been two years since we divorced, but
he still has a hold on me.
have sb eating out of your hand fhrev (~b) , i!U1) aut
CONTROL
~v jJ: r 'hrend/ to be able to control someone because you
have made them like you so much that they will do
whatever you want [v phrase not usually in progressive ]
I introduced Mr Wilkinson to my rrwther. Within minutes she
had him eating out o/her hand. I He's brilliant injob inter-
views - he always manages to get the panel eating out ofhis
hand.
wrap/twist ab round your IiUle finger f Irrep, ltW lst
to be able to control someone so
(s b) raundj:r:r 11'11 I fll)g::.fl
that they do what you want especially because they are
very attracted to you 1v phrase ]
Get Rebecca to ask Dad/or the money - she can wrap him
round her little/inger. I A hard-bitten business tycoon, he
has a girlfriend o/twenty-three who can twist him round her
little/inger.
havasbIn yourpocket /hrev(sb) Inj", 'pokjt II -Ipa:-/
to be able to control someone such as a policeman or poli-
tician so that they do what you want, because you know
something bad about them, or because you are illegally
paying them money or threatening them IV phrase not in
progressive 1
Tradelli has the cops in the Eighth Precinct in his pocket. I
Drug smugglers often have one or two customs ofJkials in
tlwir pocket.
hold sway "h:JUld ISWC I' ifa person, group, or their ideas
holds sway in a place or society at a particular time, they
have the most power or influence over what people believe
or the way they behave [v phraseJ
He was raised in the Southern states, where the Ku Klux Klan
held sway. I hold sway over This all happe.n£d long ago.
when priests held sway over the majority o/the Irish people.
be the boss /bi: O~ rbos 1I -' b:mf ifYOll say someone is
the boss within a family or group, you mean they have the
most power over the other people in it Iv phrase ]
You'd better ask Mom - she's the boss around here. I show
sb who's boss (=show them that you are in control) He
regularly beats up on other members o/the gang,just to show
them who's boss.
5 to be controlled by someone else
be under sb 's control be at sb's mercy
be in sb's power doormat
be under sb 's spell
b. under sb's control /bi: lAnd~r (sb's) kctnIU-;,ul{ Iv
phrase ]
Almost three thousand troops are under Captain Marsh 's
control. I Roughly a quarter o/the area came under Soviet
control.
be In sbls power Ibi: In (sb's) lpa();)fl if you are in some-
one's power you have to do whatever they want you to do,
especially because they have some emotional power over
you Lv phrase]
He 'll do whatever I tell him to do: he's completely in my
power. 1 have sb in your power She seems to have all the
senior party members in her power.
be under abls spell/bi: IAndJ r (sb's) Ispcll if you are
under someone's spell they have almost complete power
over how you feel, the way you behave etc especially
because you love or admire them very much [u phrase ]
Marty couldn 'l stop thinking about Mr all day. He was obvi-
ously under her spell. I come/fall under sb's spell (:::start
to be under someone's spell) She loves the company 0/show-
biz personalities, and many have fallen under her spelL
be at sbls mercy /bi: ~t (sb's) I m 3 :fSi/ if you are at
someone's mercy they have the power to decide whether
good or bad things happen to you, ina way that you cannot
prevent Iv phrasel
Children ojtenfind themselves at the mercy 0/other kids who
are older and bigger. I Is it rea lly right to put the economy
completely at the mercy of internationa l investors? I Once in
prison, inmates are at the guards' mercy.
doormat f Id:r: f mretl an infonnal word meaning someone
who lets other people treat them badly and who does not
complain or try to change their situation In C]
CONTROL 265
Why don't you stand up/or yourself? You're such a doormat. I
He treats her like a doormat and she lets him.
6 to completely control someone so that they
have no freedom
dominate keep sb down
domineering repress
oppress walk all over
oppressive
dominate I'domlneu n 'da:-Jlv TJ
He's a very aggressive person, totally dominating everyone
he works with. I TheclUlracter at the centre o/thefilm is a
lonely young man who is completely dominated by his
mother.
domination I.doml ' nelJan 11 .do:-J In V J The domination
of the mother is very well brought out in the book.
domineering l .domYm,mlJ" II .da:-1 someone who is
domineering a lways wants to control what other people
do and never listens to what they want [adil
Of the three/riends. Hattie was the domineering one. 1 He's
arrogant and domineering and never listens to an)'one. I the
cartoon stereotype of the hen·pecked husband and the
domineering wife
oppr••• (::J 1pres( to control la rge groups of people or
nations by using violent or unfair methods, for example
by not allowing them any rights Iv 'I'J
Since colonial times, black people in South Nrica have been
oppressed by the white miIWrity. I Marxists have studied the
role of thefamity in oppressing women.
oppressed ladj J Gay people suffer just as much discrimina-
tion as any otlier oppressed minority. I the oppressed nations
of Latin Amf!rica
oppression 1::J'pref;m/ (n Ul He's spent a lifetime!ighting
oppression and injustice.
oppre.alve /::J 'prcslv/ oppressive laws or govern~ent
actions control people so tightly that they have very littl e
freedom left ladj I
The Naz is introduced a number of oppressive laws directed
at the Jewish population. I South African people bear the
brunt of racial violence, oppressive policing and fascist
activity.
keep sb down I,ki:p (sb) 'daunf to control someone by
not allowing them to u se their natural abilities, intelli·
gence, or energy to improve their s ituation [phr v T J
be k ept down Huge sections oftlu! population are kept down
by hunger, poverty and illiteracy. I keep sb down In
Marlowe's opinion, religion was invented in order to keep
people down.
repre.s In Ipresl if someone in a position of power
represses people, they control them by using soldiers,
police etc to stop them having any social or political free-
dom IvTI
It's a cruel and viciDus regime that represses all opposition.I
They tried to repress us, but our faith kept us strong through
those evil times.
repressive (adj] the repressive tactics ofthf! occuPYingfo~
repression I n'pref :Jn( In VI Most afthe refugees arefleemg
from repression in their homeland.
walk all over /,w:d J:1 '::JUV::J T/ an informal expression
meaning to treat someone badly by doing whatever you
wanl to doand without caring about what they want or feel
Iv phrasel
Why do you let him just walk all over you, have you no
pride?1 Don 'tlelyour boss walk all over you, tell him you 're
too busy to do it.
7 10 control your feelings and remain calm in
difficult situations
control yourself restrain yourself
self.·control contain yourself
discipline yourself restraint
self~iscipline keep your temper
CONTROL
control yourseN Ik;m Itr:xJ1 j:>: TI self! to succeed in behav-
ing calmly and sensibly when you are actually very angry,
excited, or upset Iv phrase]
She anrwyed me intensely, but I managed to control myself
and remain polite. I Bill was about to hit me, but fhen, with
an effort, he controlled himself I At last the great day came.
Anne was so excited she could hardly control hf!rself.
seN-control {,self k;)n 'troul, the ability to behave calmly
and sensibly even when you feel very excited, angry etc In
UI
Girls in the convent were taught obedience, discipline and
self-control. I I think you showed great selfcontrol in keep·
ing the news a secret for so long.
discipline vourself f'd ls ~ pl ~n jJ: r ,self! to control how
hard. you work, how much exercise you get, how much you
eat etc because you know it is good for you Iv phrase ]
discipline you rself to do sth Shf!'s disciplined hersel/to
run at least two miles a day. I discipline yourself /fyou're
going to be successful in managing your own business you've
got to Learn to discipline yourself.
seH-dlsclpline lse lf 'd IS~ pl ~ nf the ability to make your·
self work hard , take a lot of exercise. not eat the wrong
foodsetc because you know it is good for you todoso In VI
I don't know if I've erwugh self-discipline to workfull·time
and go to night school. I Successful volunteers need to Learn
self-reliance and self-discipLine.
re.train vour.elf fn ISlreln j:l:T ,scll1 to stop yourself
doing or saying something that you really want lo say, espe-
cially something that might have a harmful result Iv
phraseJ .
Corwr couldn '{restrain himselfany longer: "I'm gomg to tell
that husband of yours exactly what [ think if him ... I res-
train yourself from Tt was all I could do to restrain myself
from demanding to kIWw everything.
contain yourself Ik::Jn1 IemjJ: T1selfl to be able to stop
yourself from showing how angry, excited etc you are (v
phrase I
can hardly contain yourself( =be nearly not able to con·
tain yourself) The kids are dying to tell you all about it -
they can hardly conta in themselves. I contain yo~rself I
know you're very excited, but can you try and rontam your·
self till we get home?
restraint In 'streInI/ lhe ability not to do someth ing that
you very much want lo do because you know it 1s more
sensible not to do it fn VI
Jackson was commendedfor his restraint in dealing with
the criminal. I show/ exercise restraint (=to behave in a
controlled way) Considering how angry I was; T think I
showed great restraint. I The governrrumt is urging investors
to exercise restraint and not to panic.
k.epyour temper Ilki:pj:l:T Item}X)t/ to manage to stay
calm when it would be very easy for you to get angry (v
phrClS<!1 .
I knew they were trying to annoy me but [ was determmed
to kf!ep my temper. I Police oiTzcers are expected to keep their
tempers whatever people say to them. I Go and see the boys '
fath£r about the brokf!n window but please try and keep your
temper.
8 to no longer be able to control you r feel ing s
lose control crack up/crack
get carried away break down
go to pieces give in to
snap
loa. control /, lu:z k.m Itr.K.Ill [v phrase]
She always said she'd never ever hit a kid, but one day she
just lost control. I Even the stiffest gun laws can 't protect us
against someone who loses control in afit of madness. I The
police asked everyone to stay calm but a few people lost con-
trol and started screaming.
get carried away (get Ika:rid ::Jl we l/ to be so e xcited,
angry, interested etc that you are no longer able to control
what you do or say Iv phrase I
CONTROL
I'm sorry I shouted so much. I think I got rather carried
away. I She returned from her shopping trip with about
twenty bags. "I'm sorry - I got a bit carried away in
Liberty's, " she said.
go to pieces I ,gdU ta Ipi: s~zl to be so upset or nervous
that you cannot control what you are doing and cannot
think sensibly [v phrase]
I was so neroous in my driving test I just went to pieces. I
Keeping busy was the only thing that kept her from going
to pieces during the divorce.
snap {sneep/ to suddenly become very angry or upset. after
you have been trying to stop yourself getting angry or upset
for a long time [v I]
Leroy tried to igrwre tM men's comments, but finally he
snapped.
crack up/crack I,krrek r"p . krrek/ an informal expres-
sion meaning to be so upset that you cannot control your
emotions or what you are doing. especially after you have
been upset or unhappy for a long time [v I)
She won't answer the phone, she never goes out and she's
really behind with her work - I think she's cracking up. I
A few months after the trial, Baldwin finally cracked.
break down I Ibrelk 'daun/ to be unable to stop yourself
from crying, especially in public rphr v 11
Several of the people at the funeral broke down and wept
openly. I White House aides said the President was 'unwell'
yesterday after he broke down during a TV interview.
give in to Iglv Im tu:/ if you give in to an emotion such
as anger or unhappiness you can no longer control that
emotion and begin to shout, cryetc [v TI
He eventually gave in to his anger and shot his wife's lover. I
Unhappy, but determined not to give in to melancholy reflec-
tions, she turned her tlwughts to other things.
I 9 to control yourself again after you have been
~ I very angry, upset etc
~ snap out of it
get a grip on yourself
pull yourself together
snap out of It / ,snrep laut av ItI to suddenly start to con·
trol yourself after you have been very sad or upset and
make yourself feel better again [v phrase I
You've been in this moodfor days now - I wish you'd snap
out of it. I He's so depressed. He doesn'l seem able to snap out
of it at all.
get a grip on yourself / ,get a Igrlp on j:>:r ,selfl you say
get a grip on yourself when you want someone to stop
behaving in a very emotional way, especially when they
are so frightened or upset that they cannot control the way
they are behaving
Sheila started screamimg hysterically. Ruth shook her: "Get
a grip on yourself! We don't want to get caught. " I Occasion·
ally Georgie wouldfind Tommycrying, and he'd tell him (J)
get a grip on himself.
pull yourself together 11 pul jJ: rself ta Ig~arl you say
pull yourself together when you want someone to stop
behaving emotionally. especially when you are a little
annoyed or embarrassed at the way they are behaving
Pull yourselftoget.hi!r. It's ridiculous to get upset about some-
thing so silly. I He arrived at the courtroom, very white and
nervous. "Pull yourself together, Bradshaw," said the
lawyer.
10 to manage to control a difficult situation
be In control
have sth under control
have a grip on
be in control/bh IR kan'tldUl! Iv phrase}
Weber's one of those men wlw always seems to be in control. I
be in control of We're still in control of things here, but I
can't guarantee it'll stay that way. I He's still not really in
control of hL"> emotions.
266 CONTROL
have sth under control/hre.v (sth) Anda r kan'tr;x)11 to
have succeeded in controlling a difficult or dangerous
situation rv phrase not in progressive]
Firefighters now have the blaze under control. I The guests
will be arriving any minute now, but Gait says she has every·
thing under control.
have a grip on I,hre.v a 'grip onl to manage to control a
difficult or dangerous situation, where people are oppos·
ing you or trying to stop you, especially after a time when
you had no control [v phrase not in progressive)
President Garcia now seems to have a better grip on the anny
and police. I have a firm grip on (=have very strong con-
trol over) He has ajirm grip on the company'sjinances.
11 to no longer be able to control something or
someone
lose control
lose your grip
lose control / ,Imz kan'tJ";)UI/ Iv phrase!
lose control oflover Coming round the corner, he almost
lost control ofhis car. I When people lose their jobs, they lose
control over many other aspects of their lives. I lose control
For years heron the company efficiently but he recently seems
to have lost all control.
lose your grip I ,lu:z j:>:r 'grIpl to no longer be able to
control a situation that you have had difficulty controlling
for a long time [v phrase]
By 1965, US troops in the area were beginning to lose their
grip. I lose your grip on Clive's been behaving very
strangely - I think Ire's losing his grip on the situation.
12 to control something or someone carefully over
a period of time so that they remain the way
you want them to be, do not get worse etc
keep sth under control
keep a tight rein on
keep sth under contrai l ,ki:p (sth) And;)r k;)n 'tr::RJII to
control a situation carefully so that it stays the way you
want it to be and does not get worse [v phrase]
Jonson's been struggling for years to keep his drinking
under control. I There is rw foolproof way of keeping the
spread of HIV under control.
keep a tight rain on / ,ki:p a ItaU Irein onl to control
a person or situation very carefully so that you always
know what is happening Iv phrase]
The finance secretary will keep a light rein on government
spending in the coming year. I keep sb/sth on a tight rein
She is used to keeping all her family on a tight rein.
13 methods, laws etc that are used to control
situations or activities
controls
restraints
controls Ikan'tnulz! In plural]
Within rrwnths, rrwst of the wartime controls on trading were
abandoned. I rigid controls (=very strict controls) Rigid
rent controls ensured that no one paid too muchfor housing. I
tight controls (=strict controls) Ethnic groups around the
country are strongly opposing the introduction of tighter
controls on immigration.
restraints In'stremtsl laws or beliefs that control an
activity or situation, especially by not allowing people to
do exactly what they want to do In plural ]
Every society has its own restraints on moral behaviour. I
Travellers dream of living a free life, away from the res-
traints of urban existence. I impose restraints (=make
rules in order to control someone or something) As they
grow older, kids begin to rebel against the retraints imposed
by their parents.
CONTROL
14 to controt machines, equipment, or vehicles,
using you r hands, feet, tools etc
control work
operate be at the controls
contro1 /bn 1tr.xJ11 to make a vehicle work [v TI
She's a good driver and controls the car very well. I It was
once thought that women wouldn 't be able to control large
vehicles such as buses or juggernauts.
operate ,I Dp~re lt I1 la:·/ to control a large or complicated
machine or piece of equipment Iv TJ
Some medicirres may cause drowsiness. If affected do not
dri ve or operate machinery. I Do you know how to operate
the a ir conditioning? I They passed a cement mixer that was
being operated by two men in dusty overalls.
work IW3! rkl to make a complicated machine or piece of
equipment do what it is meant to do Iv Tl
Does anyone here know how to work this microwave? I
Jimmy look a look at the steam gauges, while Carrie worked
the controls.
be at the controla ,bi: ~t O~ k~ n Itr.xJlz/ if someone is at
the controls of a large vehicle or plane, they are driving
it. flying it etc Iv phrasel
Tlwugh he had his parachute on, he remained at th£controls
of the plane and told the crew to bale out. I When we were
-kids UJe used to sit in a cardboard box. pretending iD be a t
the controls of a spaceship.
15 to get control of a situation, organization , or
place that someone else was controlling
take control seize
take over take
taka control " te l k k:;m'tr.IUll Iv phrase!
take control of Following requestsfrom the police, tlu?army
has now taken control oflh£area. I Anne Williams will take
control of the research division on August 5th. I tak e con -
trol He's invested a lot of money in the company since he took
control last May.
take ovar I ,te lk ' d(.}V~rl to get control of a country or
organization, especially when the people in that country
or organization do not want it to happen [phr v lIT)
tak e over sth British Airways wants to take over a smaller
rival airline. I One ofhis greatestfears is that the media will
completely take over political life. I tak e over There have
been widespread reports of arrests and beatings since the
army took over.
take-over [ Ite l k d()v~r/ln Cl Thom pson's attempted. takR.·
over (=a s ituation in which one organization takes over
another) of Sun Tours was a failure.
••lze /si:Z/ if an army seizes power or an area of land, they
get control of it by usi ng force to suddenly take political
control (v TI
The General has been Head of State since he seized power in
19820 lit wasnOt until September 10th that tfw US heard of
the enemy s intention of seiz ing the island.
take (te lkl to get political and mil itary control ofa coun-
try or part of a country. espec ially during a war Iv T J
Rebel forces have taken the northern part of the country.
16 to get control of a situation that you could not
control before
bring 8th under control
regain control
bring .th under control / ,bw) (sth) Anda r k:;m'tf3U11 [v
phrase)
Mostfarm animaL d iseases have been wiped out or brought
under control by regular inoculation I Th e Communists
brought the Resistance under control by imprisoning their
leaders. I Government a ttempts to bring the drug problem
under control have so far failed.
reg.ln control /rl ,ge ln kan Itr.xJ11 to get control of a s it-
uation again after you had lost control of it Iv phrase!
regain control of Conservative Democrats now wanted iD
267 CONTROL
regain control of the Democratic Party. I At last she seemed
to regain control of the situation, and started to speak. I
regain control AjtJ!r the police had regained control, they
set about arresting the ringleatkrs.
17 to control a movement or physical action
control
control I k~n 1tr:.lU11 [v T I
Babies cannot control their neck muscles until they are about
three months old. I He had a nervous twitch in his cheek that
he could not control. I When exercising you should try to care-
fu lly control all your movements.
18 the ability or power to control someone or
something
control
control / k:~m'trnul l [n UI
control ofl over The general's control over his supporters
IUls weakened in recent months. I In divorce cases, custody
and control aftlre children usually goes to the mother. I con·
t rol Control is all-important to him' he can't stand anyone
disagreeing with him or not obeying him. I Generally, her
driving's OK, but her clutch control isn't very good.
19 words for describing an action or movement
that someone has controlled
controlled
restrained
disci plined
controlled /k.n'trouldj (adjl
Metlwds of relaxation include practising medillltion and
controlled breathing. l All her movements were elegant and
controlled.
restrained In 'strelndl movements or expressions that
are restrained are more controlled than they would
usually be, espec ially because it seems more polite or
acceptable to control them ladjl
They noticed that Harry had appeared at the back of the
room, so now their laugh ter was more restrained. I Despite
the fact she was so angry, she closed the door in a quiet,
restrained way.
disciplined I'd I s~ pl ~ndl movements or actions that are
discipUned are carefully controlled, especial1y because
you have been trained to con trol them (adjl
Th e enemy conducted. a d isciplined retreat to another hill,
and then waited.
20 words for describing someone or something
that can be controlled
controllable
manageable
controllable /k.n ' troul, b,I/l adj l
Some people prefer to cook with gas, saying thej1ame is more
controllable. I The national debt is large but relatively
controllable.
manageable 11ma!n I d3:;)b.111 small or easy enough to be
controlled fadjl
Class sizes have got to be kept down to m anageable proper·
tions. I You 'Il soon learn that stress can be manageable and
within your control. I The US economy would be more
manageable if dejense spending were reduced.
21 difficult or impossible to control
uncontrollable runaway
unmanageable rampant
out of control be beyond sb 's control
get out of hand wild
uncontrollable I , Ank~n 'tr.lUi:;)b.1I" 1 radj l
She was shaking with uncontrollable anger. I Cancer need
not necessarily be an uncontrollable disease. I The spiral of
inflation and wage rises has become uncontrollable.
CONTROL
uncontrollably [advl Mark laughed uncontrollably when
he saw what the dog had done to my hat.
unmanageable /i\n 1 mrenld3;)b<111 too difficult, big, com-
plicated etc to be controUed ladjl
The problem of aid distribution is becoming almost
unmanageable. I Her thick brown hair g rew tangled and
unmanageable.
out of control , . aut ;:)v k;m Itr.xJ11 no longer able to be con-
trol1ed ladj phrase]
Very few parents will admit that their teenage children are
out of control. I The fire was out of control by the time the
secondfire engine arrived. I The car spun out o[control and
hit a tree. I Nicky's determined that her spending won't get
out DJ control again.
gat out of hand /get .aut av 'hrendf ifsomething, espe-
cially a situation, has got out of hand, it has become so
serious or difficult that it can no longer be controlled (v
phrase)
Every year we say we'll spend less at Christmas, and every
year it still gets out ofhand. I We all knew that the costs were
totally out of haOO.
runaway J IrAn;)Welf increasing or spreading in an unex-
pected way that cannot be controlled [adj only before noun]
The President wants to raise living standards witJwut caus-
ing runaway inflation. I They see technology as a runaway
force that humans can no longer control.
rampant I'rremp;)nt/ growing, spreading or continuing
very quickly, in a way that is impossible to stop radjI
It wasn't military action but rampant disease that finally
caused the population to surrender. I Corruption soon
became rampant.
be beyond sb's control /bh bl ,jond (sb's) kon "roul 11
- do:nd-J a situation or force that is beyond your control
is one that you are not able to control, especially if some-
one else is controlling it or because no one can control it
[v phrase]
He might have been able to manage Minny on her own, but
Amy was beyond his control. I circumstances beyond our
control (=a situation that we cannot control) Due ro circum·
stances beyond our control, we have had to cancel tonight's
performance of 'Carmen '.
wild IwalldJ if something that is usually controlled is wild
it grows or develops in a completely uncontrolled way,
especially because no one has tried to stop it [adjl adv]
run wild (=develop or grow uncontrollably) New laws have
been introduced to stop property speculation from running
wild. I The ivy on the empty old house had run wild. I wild
Occasionally, the laughter would erupt into wild hysterics.
controllable CONTROL 20
I controlled CONTROL 19
controls: be at the controls CONTROL 14, DRIVE 1
controls CONTROL 13
controversial DISAGRE E 7
controversy DISAGREE 6
convalesce RECOVER/GET BETTER 2
convalescence RECOVE R/GET BETTER 5
convenience: at your convenience TIME/HAVE TIM E 1
~ convenient CONVENIENT 1, NEAR 4
convenient: not be convenient CONVEN IENT 2
• CONVENIENT
1 words for describing something that is helpful
for you because it saves you time or trouble,
or does not spoil your plans or arrangements
2 not convenient
"You say" is used in definitions of some
word s or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English .
268 CONVENIENT
1
words for describing something that is helpful
I I
~ for you because it saves you lime or trouble,
~ or does not spoil your plans or arrangements
convenient be good for
handy a good time
suit no trouble!
fit in with no problem
convenlant /k;)n' vi:ni;)nt/ Iadj I
TV dinners are convenient because they are ready to heat and
eat. I A loose brick in the wall served as a very convenient
hiding-place/or the spare front door key. I convenient to
do sth I find it much more convenient to live near my place
of work. I convenient for sb I'd like to set up an appoint-
mentfor next Tuesday. Will 11 o'clock beconvenientfor you?
conveniently [adv l Folding chairs can be stored con-
veniently when you have limited space.
convenience [n UI The bus is cheaper than a car but you
don't have the convenience of being able to park outside the
house do you?
handy 11hrendiJ an informal word: if something is handy
it is convenient for you, because it is easy to use or helps
you to do something ladij
Many soft drinks are now available in handy little cartons. I
My mother said she wanted to help with the kids, which was
really handy when AI and I wanted a night out together. I
handy for sth Public libraries are handy for finding infor-
mation about local history.
suit Jsu:t, sju:t I1 su:tJ ifan arrangement, especial1y a time
or date, suits you, it is convenient for you Iv T not in pro-
gressive or passive ]
"Which day would suit you best?" "I'm free on Sunday. " I
Finding a date to suit everybody is going to be diJTzeult. I The
meeting will be held at the Conference Centre. J hope that
suits all the delegates.
fit In with I. fit Iln WIN if a suggested plan or arrangement
fits in with your plans, it is convenient for you because
you do not need to change your plans or arrangements in
order to do it Iv T not in progressive or passiveJ
Meeting on Saturday would fit in with my plans perfectly
because I'm going into town that day anyway. I We'd like to
go outfor a meal on Thursday evening, but does thatfit in
with what you're doing?
be good for Jbi: 'god 6: rJ an American expression: if
something, especially an arrangement, time, date etc is
good for you, it is convenient because you do not need to
change your other arrangements in order to do it [v phrase)
Ten 0 'clock. is goodfor me. Can you go at that time? I So every-
one's meeting at the beach? That~· good for me.
a good time I;) ,god ltalm/ the most convenient time to
do something, especially something you are delaying In
phrase]
" I'm too busy to talk to you now. .. " Well when would be a
good tirrw?" I a good time for I'm afraid this isn't a good
timefor me, I have to be somewhere in ten minutes. See you
Iarer. I a good time to do sth Perhaps Wedrwsdayafternoon
would be a better tirrw to talk about this.
no trouble/no problem /n;xJ ItrAbal, n;}(J IprDbl~m 11
- 'pro:b-I if someone asks you to do something and you say
no trouble or no problem, you mean that you will do it
because it is very easy or convenient for you
"Can you pick rrw up at 6 o 'clock?" "No trouble - I'll stop
by after work. "I ''You'll have to make your own breakfast,
I'm afraid. .. "No problem, I'm not really hungry anyway...
2 not convenient
inconvenient be bad for
not be convenient a bad time
Inconvenient l ,mk;)nJvi:ni;)nt"'l [adj]
Having the bathroom downstairs is very inconvenient. I The
computer couldn't have broken down at a nwre inconvenient
moment. I inconvenient for sb It would have been incon-
venient for him to move out of his house just Wore his
CONVENIENT
exams.1 inconvenient to do 5th It would be inconvenient
to leave early today_
inconvenience In UJ The library wasclosedfor two weeks
for redecorating, at considerable inconvenience to the
students.
not be convenient /nDl bi: k.m1vi:nicmt/ if something
especially an arrangement, time or date is not convenient,
it is not suitable for yOll because you are busy. can not go
somewhere ete [v phrase ]
Susan said that two 0 'clock was not convenient, because she
already had an appointment then. I not be convenient for
If Wednesday 's meeting is not convenient/or everyone, wecan
change it to another day. I it is not convenient to do sth
fJit is not convenient to go to your local bank,iust teleplwne
for advice.
be bad for /hi: 'bred 6: rl an American express ion: if
something, especially an arrangement. time, dateetcts bad
for you, it is not conven ient beca use you have other plans
or arrangements [v phraseJ
Saturdays are bad/or me. Could !..Ve play Fridays instead? 1
Would it be badfor you if we didn't drive through St Louis?
a bad time 13 ,txed Ilal ml a time that is not convenient
because you are busy. have problems, have other arrange·
ments etc [n phraseJ
I can talk to you later if I've caught you at a bad time. 1 a
bad time for We 'd love to go camping with you this weekend
but it 's a bad time for us - we have a lot of work to do. 1 a
bad time to do sth You chose a really bad time to arrive,
1 have got to pick the kids up from school.
convention MEET 6. RU LE/REGULATION 2
conventional CONVENTIONAL 1
• CONVENTIONAL
always following the opinions and behaviour
that most people think are normal, right, and
socially acceptable
1 words for describi ng conventionat people,
attitudes, methods, or ways of living
2 not conventional
1 words for describing conventional people,
attitudes, methods, or ways of living
conventional conservative
conformist suburban
straight traditional
conventional Ik::m l venlan3JI ladjl
My mother is very conventional andfinds it hard to accept
that [ live with my boyfriend. 1 Rosemary led a quiet, con·
ventional life until she !..Vent to university. 1 Her outrageous
stage act is seen as a challenge to conventional morality. I
Some people believe in acupuncture but I still believe in a
more conventional approach to medicine.
conventionally [adv l He was a very normal·looking young
man, conventionally dressed. It was hard to believe he was
a mass·murderer.
conformist I kan'r:,:rm ~stf always wanting to think and
behave in the same way as most ordinary people, so that
you never do anything different or originallad}1
Your problem is that you are too conformist in your think·
ing. I /n some systems, students are expected to be conformist
and not to question what they are taught.
conformist In Cl He's such a conformist.
conformity (n UJ All the work was carried out in an
.atmosphere of strict conformity.
straight Istre lt' an informal word meaning conventional
.and often rather boring ladj not usually before TWun ]
J can't stand it when your friends come to visit - they 're so
.straight. 1 Paul's quite nice but he's awfully stra ight.
'conservative Ik:m'SJ:rv;;Jt lvl someone who is conserva-
tive is rather old fashioned in their a ttitudes, beliefs, style
269 convictions
of clothes etc, and does not like change or new ideas ladj l
The wealthy middle classes form the most conservative sec·
tion of Western society. 1 middle·aged men in conseroative
business suits
con servatively [advl The manager emerged, smartly but
conservatively dressed in a grey suit and striped tie.
suburban Isa 1b3: r banJ typical of the attitudes and way of
life of people who are always very conventional and ordi-
nar y. and who disapprove of anyone who does not live or
behave like them [adj ]
She hated her parents' suburban attitudes. 1 Despite her
suburban clothes and appearance she was popular at
cv/lege.
tradltlonal /tra ldl! an311 following id~ and methCKis that
have existed for a long time. and not interested in anything
new or differen t [adj l
Many traditional teachers still think ofcomputers as useless
toys. 1 traditional male values
2 not conventional
unconventional nonconformist
alternative dropout/drop-out
unorthodox
unconventlona' / IAnkan ' venl ana) " /l adjl
Their relationship will never last - she is much too uncon'
vent ional for him. 1 His business methods were unconven-
tional but successful. I There was a t ime when you cou.ld be
accused of being a Communist just for wearing unconven-
tional clothes.
alternative l a:l't3: r natl v 11 ;) :1-, re i-I alternati ve
methods, ideas, wa ys oflivingetc are completely different
from the ones that most people regard as nonnal and right.
and are based on different principles [adj only before noun I
Alternative medicine can cure many problems but not dis·
eases like cancer. 1 an alternative lifestyle
unorthodox IAn I ;): rSadoks 11 ·do:ksl ideas, behaviour. or
methods that are unorthodox are original and different
from what is normal , a nd so some people disapprove of
them ladj l
Because they are unorthodox, her ideas are often brilliant
and sometimes useless. 1 His unorthodox approach to violin
playing has offended the purists. 1 The authorities kept a
close watch on anyone with UlZorthodox views.
nonconformist 1I nonkan I fJ: r m!sl" 11 I no:n-I refusing to
think or behave in the same way as most ordinary people,
or to follow accepted ways of doing things ladj I
As a writer he remained nonconformist all his life, always
searching for new m eans of expression.
nonconformJst [n C I Nazi Germany was a society in which
nonconformists were not tolerated.
dropoutldrop-out 1'dropaul 11 'dro:p-I someone who
decides not to work or take part in nonna! society, because
they want to be different and live life their own way In Cl
Consider ing he was a college drop-out he has had a uelY suc,
cessful bUSiness career. 1 the army of hippies and dropouts
wandering about the roads
converge CROWD 3. JOIN 5TH TOGETHER 4
conversation TALK TO 58 7
conversation: be In conversation TALK TO SB 4
conversation: get into conversation/fall Into
conversation TALK TO 58 5
conversation: make conversation TALK TO SB 4
conversationalist TALK TOSB 15
converse TALK TO SB 4
converse: the converse OPPOSITE/REVERSE 2
conversely BUT 4
convert CHANGE/MAKE STH DIFFERENT 2, PERSUADE
4. 5
convert to CHANGE FROM ONE THING TO ANOTHER 1
convex BEND 9
convey EXPRESS 1. TAKE/BRING 5. 6
convict GUI LTY 5, PRISON 4
convictions: have the courage of your convictions
BRAVE 5
convince
convince PERSUADE 6, SURE 2
convinced SURE 1
convincing BELIEVE 11 , PERSUADE 9
convivial FRIENDLY 5
convoluted COMPLICATED 3
cook COO K 1, 2, 3, 10
cook the books CHANGE/MAKE STH DIFFERENT 4
cook up INVENT 4
• COOK
1 to cook a meal or make something such as
bread, soup etc
2 to heat focd in a particular way until it is
ready to eat
3 ways of saying that food is being cooked
4 words for describing food that has not been
cocked
5 to cook food too much so that it does not
taste good
6 the activity and skill of cooking
7 a style of cooking especially in a particular
country or area
8 a method of cocking a particular meal or dish
9 words for describing something that is used
in cooking
10 someone who cooks
1 to cook a meal or make something such as
bread , soup ete
cook prepare
make pulsth on
Ilx rustle up
get
cook Ikuk/ to cook a meal, or cook a particular vegetable,
meat etc fv lIT]
cook sth What are you going to cookfor tomorrow's lunch? I
He lived by himself and cooked his own meals. I I know a
great way ofcooking steak. I cook I'm too tired to cook after
work. I do the cooking Virginia usually did the cooking,
and Diana did the washing.
make ImeIkl to cook a meal or a particular dish, such as
soup, bread etc Iv TI
Do you make your own bread? I I'm going to make a pie/or
supper tonight. I My mother used to make delicious straw-
berry jam.
fix /fIks/ an infonnal word used especially in American
English meaning to cook or prepare a meal or part of a meal
Iv T)
flx sth I have tofa supper MW. I fix sb sth You're too late
for dinner, but I can/ix you some scrambled eggs.
get /get! an informal word meaning to cook or prepare a
meal (v T Mt in. passive]
get sth I'll get the dinner while you put the children to bed. I
get sb their lunch/dinner etc Grandpa s ill, so you 'U have
to get him his dinner.
prepare/pn'pe~ rl to prepare a meal or part of a meal,
especially something that takes time, effort, and skill Iv Tl
She was still preparing supper when her guests arrived. I
Prepare a vinaigrette sauce with olive oil, white wine vine-
gar and mustard.
put 8th on I ,put (Slh) 'on 11 - 'renl put the dinner/pota-
toes/vegetables etc on (=start cooking something) rphr
vTI
Put tm dinner on. I'm hungry, 1 They'll be here In ten
minutes. You'd better put the potatoes on.
rustle up /.rAsaIIAp/ to quickly cook something without
any preparations and using whatever food you have avail-
able Iphr v T)
rustle up a meal/ dinner etc She managed to rustle up a
270 COOK
delicious meal with just a little salad and some eggs. I rustle
something up "What on earth are we going to eat?" "Don't
worry, I'm sure I can rustle something up...
2 to heat food in a particular way until it is
ready to eat
cook bake
boil roast
simmer grill
Iry broil
cook Ikukf Iv lIT)
cook sth You should cook the vegetables slowly in a pan of
salted water. I Smoked sausages must be cooked be/ore you
can eat them. I cook Peel and cook gently for half an hour.
cooked. (adj] Rose ordered a cooked chicken from the
butcmr. 1 Cooked food should be left to cool before putting
it in the refrigerator.
boil Ibolll to cook food in boiling water Iv l i T)
boil sth I boiled the rice in a large saucepanfor about eight
minutes. 1 Boil the onions until they are tender. I boil Boil
in hot water to renwve the colour.
boiled ladj) She always has a boiled egg for brealifast.
simmer / 1slm~r/ to cook food slowly in water that is boiJ ~
ing very gently Iv I/ Tl
simmer sth Break the macaroni into small pieces and
simmer it in. a /XIn of salted water. I simmer gentlyIslowly
Combine all ingredients and simmer gently for 30 to 45
minutes.
f1'Y IfraJI to cook food in hot oil or fat Iv II TI
fry sth Fry the onions until they're golden brown. I It's a
good idea to coatfish with breadcrumbs beforeyoufry it. I
fry Fry in Iwt fat.
fried [adj l The doctor advised me not to eat too muchfried
food. 1 fried eggs served with baron
bake IbeIkl to cook food in an oven (v IlTl
bake sth Bake the cake in a fairly hot oven for about 30
minutes. 1On Monday sm used to boke breadfor tm whole
week. I bake Bake on a low heat for two hoUrs.
baked ladjl We often Iwve boked potatoes with a cheese
filling.
roast /raust/ to cook something, especially a large piece
of meat, in an oven or over a ft.re (v IITl
roast sth Roast the lamb carefully so that it is nicely
browned but not burnt. I Before roasting a chicken I usually
stuff it with herbs and onion. I roast Roast for 2 hours at
gas mark 6.
roast (adjl Roast beef can be served with a mustard sauce.
grill /grIll a British word meaning to cook food by putting
it close to very strong heat Iv IITI
grillsth It 's much healthier to grillfood tlwn tofry it. 1 grill
Grill with tomatoes and serve hot.
grilled ladj l Grilled steak slwuld be served immediately.
broll /bi.J ll/ an American word meaning to cook food by
putting it close to very strong heat Iv IITl
broil sth (Quer tmchicken pieces with butter and broil tmm
until they're golden brown. I broil Brush the kebabs lightly
with sesame oil and broil for 20 minutes.
broiled ladj) Iordered broiled steakJrenchfriesand salad.
3 ways of saying that food is being cooked
cook simmer
be on bake
boil Iry
cook IkukJ Iv IJ
While the fXJtatoes are cooking, you can prepare the salad. I
How long will it tak.e to cook?
be on /bi: Ion 11 _I a:n/ if food is on, it is being cooked
Iphr v IJ
The sauce is on, so dinner will be ready in about twenty
minutes.
boil Ibolll to be cooked in boiling water Iv IJ
When the rice has boiled/or ten minutes, it should be ready
to serve.
COOK
boiling radjl lhi! st7U!1l of boiling cabboge
simmer Ilslm;)rl to be cooked in liquid that is just boil-
ing or is almost boiling lV IJ
Leave the soup to simmer jor ten minutes or so.
bake Ibe lle) to be cooked in an oven [v IJ
The pies are baking in the oven.
fry Ifrall to be cooked in a pan of oil lu II
While the onions are frying add the tomatoes and stir. I I
could smell bacon!rying in the kitchen downstairs.
4 words for describing food that has not been
cooked
raw
uncooked
undercooked
raw 1"':1 [aqil
His favourite cure jor a hangover is a raw egg mixed with
a measure of brandy. I a salad made with raw carrots,
cauliflower, and onion
uncookad 'IAnIkukt., food that is uncooked has not yet
been cooked. but it must be cooked before it is eaten lacti
usually before noun}
You can store uncooked beefsteaks in your freezer jor up to
jive months. I Wash a cupful o/uncooked brown rice and put
it in a saucepan.
undarcooked I I And;)r'kukt ... , not cooked enough [adj]
It was a terrible meal. The meat was tough and the vegeta-
bles were uncrercooked. I It is dangerous to eat undercooked
pork as it may contain bacteria.
5 to cook food too much so that it does not
taste good
overcook
overcook II;)Uv;:Ir 1kuk/ [v TJ
Be careful not to overcook the corn. I Most vegetables go soft
and mushy if they have been overcooked.
overcooked [adjl I complained to the waiter that my steak
was overcooked.
6 the activity and skill of cooking
cookery
cooking
cookery I 1kuk~ril a word used especially in British
English meaning the art or skill of cooking [n UJ
Books about gardening or cookery are always popular. I
cookery class/book/lesson etc In our cook€ry classes we
are warning how to make a souffle.
cooking I1 kukllJI the activity of cooking (n D J
His hobbies inciucre cooking and wine·making. I cooking
classes/lessons/ course etc (American) She's taking a
cook ing class at night school.
7 a style of cooking, especially in a particular
country or area
cooking
cuisine
cooking I lkukllJl the way food is cooked by a particular
person or in a particular place [n DJ
I can recommend that new Greek restaurant. Their cooking
is excellent. I ff you don't like my cooking, you can always
do il yourself. I French /Chinese/Italian etc cooking
Karen loves Italian cooking. I home cooking (=the kind
that you do at home) There 's nothing quiteas good as home
cooking.
cuisine IkwllZi:nJ a formal word meaning a style of cook-
ing belonging to a particular country or area, especially
when t he food is of high quality [n UJ
The cuisine on board tM ship was as good as any you might
find on shore. I French/Chinese/Italian etc cuisine a
restaurant specializing in French cuisine
271 copy oul
8 a method of cooking a particular meal or dish
recipe
recipe I lres~pil a set of instructions for cooking a partic-
uIar kind of food or meal In Cl
recipe for can I hapeyour recipeforchocolatecalre? j recipe
chicken and mushroom pie madefrom a traditional recipe I
That was delicious. You must give me the recipe. I recipe
book I've looked in all the recipe books but I can 'tfind out
Iww to make a good Moussaka.
9 words for describing something that is used
in cooking
cooking
culinary
cooking I 'kuklQI cooking utensils/apples/oill salt etc
(=used for or in cooking, and not usually for anything else)
[adj only before nounJ
We keep all the cooking utensils on the bottom shelf. I That 's
cooking chocolate - you shouldn't really eat it on its own.
culinary ' lkAl ~nari 11 'kAl~neri, Ikju:I-' a fonnal or techni-
cal word meaning u sed for or in cooking ladj only before
noun]
Mint is perhaps the best-known of culinary herbs. I The use
ofgarlic, wMther for medicinal or culinary purposes, dates
back several centuries. I Her culinary skills leave much to
be desired.
10 someone who cooks
cook
1 chef
cook Ikukf In Cl
ff you don 'I like your dinner b/a11U< lhi! cook. I Over lhi!
summer I worked as a cook at an oceanside restaurant. I a
good/excellent etc cook (=sorneone who cooks well) His
mother's a marvellous cook.
chef IJefl a skilled cook, especially the most important
cook in a hotel or restaurant In Cl
Marco's boyhood ambition had been to become a chef in one
of Ihe big hotels.
cookery COOK 6
cooking COOK 6, 7. 9
cool CALM 1. COLD 1. 2. 4, 7. 8, 9, UNFRIENDLY 3
cool down COLD 7
cool down/off CALM 3
coop sb up KEEP SB iN A PLACE 1
cooperate/co-operate TOGETHER 3
cooperative/co-operative HELP 7
cop It: be going to catch It/get itlcop It PUNISH 6
cope DEAL WITH 4
copious LOT/A LARG E NUMBER OR AMOUNT 4
copy COPY 1, 2 , 3, 4 , 6 , IMITATE 1
copy: make a copy COPY 2
copy down COpy 1
copy out COPY 1
COpy
. COpy
1 10 copy a piece o f writing. a drawing ete
using a pen or pencil
2 to produce a copy of something written or
printed using a machine or computer
3 to Illegally copy something . especially in order
to make money
4 to copy something that someone etse has
wrilten or thought of and pretend it is you r
own work
5 words for descri bing a piece of work in which
many of the words or ideas have been
copied from someone else
6 somethi ng that has been made to took
exactly ti ke something etse
l
1 to copy a piece of writing . a drawing etc
using a pen or pencil
copy copy down
copy out transcribe
copy /' kopi 11 'ka:pi/ tvT t
copy sth Copy the map and label it carefully. 11 copied the
instructions into my diary. I copy sth from drawings copied
from photograplls
copy out I.kopi 'aut 11 ,ka:-/ to copy the whole ofa piece
of writing using exactly the same words Iphr v T l
copy out sth At school we often had to copy out wlwle chap-
ters/rom the Bible. I copy sth/ it/ them out Why cUm 'tyou
write a letter, and then I'll copy it out and send it.
copy down , Ikopi Idaun 11 Iko: ·' to copy a short piece of
written information such as a list or an address Iphr v T I
copy down 5th I looked at the theatre poster and copied
down the dates of the play I wanted to see. I copy sth/ it/
them d own Roger copied the train times down on the back
of an envelope.
transcribe fluen 'skralb/ to write an exact copy ofa piece
of writing or a speech Iv TI
transcribe 5th Samia spent many hours in the museum,
carefully transcribing the ancient tex ts. I Reporters often
record interviews on tape and then transcribe them later. 1
transcribe 5th into (=transcribe something using special
signs or a different alphabet) transcribing words into
phol1£tic script
I1
to produce a copy of something written or
printed using a machine or computer
copy photocopy/xerox
make a copy reproduce
copy / ' kopi 11 ' ka:pi/ tv T t
Would you go down to the print room and copy these docu-
mentsfor me? I Copyingfilesfrom onefloppy disk to another
is a simple operation. I Film can be copied onto videotape.
make a copy J ,me1k:;, ' kop i 11 · 'ka:pi/ Iv phrase I
make a copy of If the photocopier's working, I'll make a
copy of Dr Feynman 's report for you_ I When you select the
original backup option, it automatically makes a copy of
your file before saving the edited version. I make a copy I
want to send out this letter to all our staff Can you make
some extra copies?
photocopy (atso xerox in American Engtish) / 'fout>kopi.
' ZI.~roks 11 ·ko:pi, · ra:ksJ to copy a document or picture onto
a piece of paper by us ing an electronic machine that photo-
graphs it tv TI
I photocopied the letter before sending it. 1 Where can I get
these papers xeroxed?
photocopy/ xerox In C) Please send a photocopy of your
birth certijicate.
272 COpy
reproduce 'I ri:pro1dju:s 11 ·'du:s/ to print a copy ofa pic-
ture, document etc especially in a book or newspaper fv T I
be reproduced The picture was reproduced in several
magazines. 1 A photograph can be reproduced thousands of
times without much loss ofquality. I reproduce 5th We are
grateful to the US information service for permission to
reproduce the original text of the American Declaration 0/
Independence.
3 to illegally copy something . especially in order
to make money
copy fake
pirate counterfeit
forge
copy /'kopi 11 'ka:pi/ tv Tt
It is illegal to copy another company's trademark. 1 Unfor-
tunately, these keys are very easy fJJ copy.
copying In U I Unauthorized copying of this tape is strictly
prohibited.
pirate f Ipa lill.}{f to illegally copy something such as a book
or a record ing and sell it without the permission of the
people who produced it Iv T I
The shop's OWl1£rs are aocused a/pirating videos and stereo
recordings worth over £4000. I As soon as the book was pul>-
lished, it was translated and pirated all over Europe and the
Middle East.
pirate lad) only be/ore noun I He made a lot of money sell-
ing pirate cassettes (=cassettes which have been pirated).
forge If:>: r d31 to illegally copy someth ing. especiaUy some-
thing written or printed on paper, in order to decei ve
people tv T f
The thiefforged my signature on a cheque. 1 An expert was
called in to verify that the passport had been forged.
forgery In U I Spearman is now serving a three·year prison
sentence for forgelY (=the crime of forging).
fake /felk, to make something that looks exactly like a
valuable object, such as a work of art, in order to deceive
people tv T I
We discovered that the antique vase was not genuil1£ - it had
infact beenfaked. I There is a great deal offaking of tribal
art.
count.rfeit /Ikauntdrfllf to illegally copy money in order
to use it for dishonest purposes IV T J
There werefears OW.l the ten-dollar bills could easily becoun-
I£r/eited.
couterfciting In UI Detectiues are conducling a major cam-
paign against counterfeiting (=copying money illegally).
counterfeit In Cl The detective realized the $100 bill was a
counterfeit (=it had been counted·eited).
counterfeit lad)1 He entered the country using counterfeit
papers (=papers which had been counterfeited).
4 to copy something that someone etse has
wrinen or thoug ht of and pretend it is your
own work
copy lift
plagiarize steal
crib
copy /'kopi 11 'ka:pi/ tv IITI
copy 5th She wasfurious to discover that another scientist
had cop fed her ideas. I copy New measures are being taken
to prevent studentsfram copying in examinations. 1 copy 5th
straight from (=copy it without changing anything) This
isn't your own work - you 'ue copied it stra ightfrom the text
book.
plegiarlze (atso ·I.e Brrtish) /'pleld3,ralZ/ to copy words.
ideas etc from a book, article etc written by someone else,
and use them in your own work, pretending that you
thought of them Iv IITI
Carl hasn 't an original idea in his head. He simply plagia-
rizes from other novelists. 1 plagiarize 5th The book was
published in 1923, and since then it has been blatantly
plagiarized by several writers.
COpy 273 CORRECT
crib /knbl an infonnal British word mean ing to copy On the island they had built an exact replica ofthPfamous
someone else's wTitten work, especially in an examination Opera House 0/ Naples. 1perfect and detailed replicas 0/real
Iv lIT I weapons
crib sth No wonder Kevin got such a good mark jor his reproduction 'I rhpldldAkJiml a copy ofa painting, piece
homework - he cribbed it all from me. I crib I was once of fUrniture etc that is produced and sold In Cl
caught cribbing at school and I was severely punished. Ofcourse this picture isn't the original - it's only a reproduc-
lift IlI ftl to copy a par t ora book, article, speech etc that tion. I They have a beautiful reproduction of a Ming vase.
someone else wrote, and include it in your own work so l"epl'oduction ladj j The company produces a range of
that you can pretend you wrote it all rv T usually passive] reproduction furniture.
be lifted One paragraph a/his essay has been lifted/rom forgery 1'f;): r d3~ri l a copy of someth ing such as a docu-
an economics textbook. 1 be lifted straight out of(=be lifted ment or money that has been illegally made in order to
from something using exactly the same words) As I listened deceive people In Cl
to her speech, I realized that whole chunks of it had been The banknotes were forgeries. I Further investigation re·
lifted straight out %ne o/Churchill's speeches. vealed that the document was a forgery.
steal IstdJ to take someone else's ideas and use them imitation Il un! 'te llan '" a copy of something such as an
without their permission in order to make money from expensive material that looks the same but costs much less
them [ v TI ladj only before noun )
Most a/his ideas are stolenfrom other designers in his ojJke. 1 Mrs Chesterfield wore an imitation fur coat. I Imitation
Rival restaurants started sending spies into our kitchens to jewellery is sometimes difficult to distinguishfrom the real
steal our secret recipes. thing.
imi tation In Cl The plants in the hall looked magnificent
5 words for describing a piece of work in which but they were only imitations.
many of the words or ideas have been copybook: textbOOk/copybook PERFECT 1
copied from someone else cordial FRI ENDLY 4
derivative core MAI N 2 , MIDDLE 1
rehash corner CATCH 1
corner: around the corne r/round the corner NEAR 4
derivative Idl' n v~t l vl n ot origi na l, but st rongly corner: be around the corner/be round the corner
influenced by someone else's work or partly copied from SOON 5
i t ladjl corner shop SHOP 3
There is nothing new in her poetry. It is derivative in style corner the market SEl l 17
and unexciting. I ln the twenties, white jazz was often com- cornerstone BASIC 2
mercial and derivative. corny USE 5TH 15
rehash , 'ri:hrell something such as a piece of writing or corollary RESULT 7
a film wh ich is really a copy of another earlier one, corporal punishment HIT 4
although some things have been changed to make it look corporate COMPANY 3
original In Cl corporation COMPANY 1
It 's so obvious that Nathan 's article isjust a rehash of that corpse BODY 4
article I wrote a month ago. I/sn 't this new fi lmjust a rehash correct CORRECT 1, 3 , 5, POLITE 3, RIG HT/PROPE R 1, 2
of the original 1959 version? correct: be correct in saying/thinking etc CORRECT 2

6 something that has been made to look

exactly like something else
copy replica
Icorrectl------,
duplicate
facsimile
reproduction
forgery
which meaning?
model imitation
correct answer, • CORRECT
copy / 'kopi 11' ka:pi/ [n Cl information, position
I've requested a copy of my insurance policy. I This watch etc
looks like a Rolex but it 's only a copy. I This statue isa copy
ofthe one in the Louvre. I exact cop y Can you make an exact not correct _ WRONGI
copy of this picture? INCORRECT
duplicate I 'dj u!p l ~k~ t 11 'du:-I an exact copy ofsomething
that can be used in the same way ladj only before noun I behaving in a pol~e • POLITE
I've been given a dup licate set of keys to the house. I dup li- or formal way
cate copy A duplicate copy o/ the invoice will be retained
by our accounts department. a way of doing • RIGHT/PROPER
dup lica te In Cl ThP copy command is capable of creating something that most
exact duplicates of your files.
people accept or
facsimile Ifee k 'S lmbli/ an exact copy of an old or valuable approve of
document or piece of writing and the paper or material it
was written or prin ted on [n Cl
I was s/wwn afacsimile ofone of Voltaire's letters to Freder·
ick thP Great.
model / ' modl 11 'mo:dll a small copy of something such
• CORRECT
as a buildingor a sh ip, made in exactly the same form and w ithout m i stak es and based on true facts
shape [n Cl
We bought a brass model ofthe Eiffel Tower as a souvenir.I 1 words for describing answers. statements,
working model (=one in which the parts move) a work- calculations etc that are correct
ing nwdel of Newcomen 's steam engine 2 to be correct in what you say or thin k
model [adj only before noun ] a model car 3 in the cor rect order. position etc
replica Ilrep hk~' an exact copy of something such as a 4 ways of saying that someone does something
building, a vehicle, or a weapon , usually the same size as in the correct way
the original In Cl
continued
CORRECT
_ CORRECT continued
5 to make something correct that was not
correct before
6 words for describing something that is always
correct
1 words for describing answers, statements,
calculations etc that are correct
correct
right
accurate
co"ect /k;,'rektl something such as an answer, fact, or
calculation that is correct is true. has no mistakes etc,
especially because it is the only answer or result that is
possible [ad} }
Can anybody teLL me the correct answer? I That is not the
correct way to spell Mississippi. I Fortunately our calcula-
tions turned out to be correct and we arrived on time.
right frartl something that someone says or thinks that is
right, is correct or true, especially because it contains the
true facts or details l ad)]
"You're married now, aren 'tyou?" "Yes, that's right. " I No,
Susannah, 57 is not the right answer. I Recent experiments
have proved Professor Hutchison 's theories to be right.
accurate f l cekj'5rdtf accurate information/ report/ des-
cription/prediction etc (=correct especially because all
the details are true or because it is as close to the truth as
is possible) [adjl
We expect the information in encyclopaedias to be accurate. 1
The victim was able to give the police an accurate descrip-
tion of her attacker. 1 The spokesperson confirmed that the
report in this morning's newspaper was accurate.
accurately ladv ] It is impossible to predict the weather
accurately.
accuracy [n V] The accuracy of the woman's portrait was
amazing.
2 to be correct in what you say or th ink
be right
get 5th right
be correct In saying/thinking etc
be spot on
hit the nail on the head/put your finger on it
be on the right track
be right /bi: lral.tl [ v phrase]
Yes, you're right. There isn 't enoughfoodfor us all. 1 be right
about I'm sorry I didn't believe you. I see you were right
about her all along. 1 be right in saying/ thinking et c He
was right in saying that Newton 's theories needed
improvement.
get 8th right Ilget (slh) I ra lll to say the correct facts or
details when you are telling a story, describing an event
etc lv phrase]
Don't believe what he's saying, he never manages to get the
facts right. I OrweLI really got it right when he said that some
men are more equal than others.
be correct in sayinglthlnklng etc /bi: k;} lrekl In
(saying, etc)! if someone is correct in saying or thinking
a particular fact, the fact is correct. especially when they
are not sure if it is correct or not [v phrase]
I believe that I am C01Tect in saying that unemployment has
increased by 23% this year.
be spot on Ibi: Ispot I on 11 -,spO:I-1 an informal British
e:ll.."pression meaning to be exactly right, especially by guess-
ing correctly Iv phrase I
"Is the answer 42?" "Spot on! Well done, Mary." 1 Thejour-
naUst had certainly done his homework and his questions
u!ere spot on_
hit the nail on the head/put your finger on it Ihlt
274 CORRECT
Cl;} ,neil on Cl;} Ihed, put jJ: r I flIJg~r on III to say something
that is exactly right and that is the answer to a problem
which people have been thinking about for a long time [v
phrase]
"I don 't know why she's unhappy. Maybe she's homesick."
"You know, I think you've hit the nail on the head." I You
put your finger on it when you described Frank as pig-
headed. That 's the exact word for him.
be on the right track Ibi: on Cl;} Iralt Itrrekf to not yet
know the complete answer to a question or problem, but
be close to fmding it because you are already partly cor-
rect I v phrase]
No, that's not quite right, but you're on the right track. 1
Scientists have notyetfound an answer to this problem, but
they are confident they are on the right track.
3 in the correct order, pOSition etc
right the right way up
correct the right way round
right I raltl in the order, position etc that is corrector that
someone thinks is correct [adj l
Thesefilesaren't in the right orc/J!r. They should be arranged
aiplwbetically. I She pushed tm hatfurtmr back on mr /wad
and asked me, "Is it right now?" 1 No, that painting 's not
right. You need to lower the left hand corner a little.
correct I blrekll the correct order/sequ ence/position
etc (=the exact one that is correct) [adjl
Skiing will be much easier iftheC01Tect arm {XJsition is held. 1
He couldn't remember thR correct sequence ofnumbers for the
electronic lock_ 1 Rearrange the words in the correct order to
form a grammatical sentence.
the right way up le,;} .rall weJ IApl if something is the
right way up, the top of it is facing up, the way it is
intended to ladv phrase]
Make sure the box is the right way up before you open it. 1
No wonder the picture doesn't make sense. You're not hold·
ing it the right way up.
the right way round le,;;, lrall we l 'raund/ a British
expression: if something is the right way round, the front
is facing in the correct direction [adv phraseI
Your chairs aren 't the right way round. Could.VDU turn and
face this way please. 1 "Is this sweater the right way round?"
"No, you've got it on back to front. "
4 ways of saying that someone does something
in the correct way
correctly
rightly
right
correctly / k;}lrektlil done or said without making any
mistakes or with the correct facts or details, espec ially
when there is only one poss ible way, answer or result [adv]
The teacher asked the students some questions to see if they
had understood her instructions correctly. I When handled
correctly, tools are per/ectly safe for children to use. 1 This
is terrible. You have only spelled half the words in this sen-
tence correctly.
rightly Ilralti i/ done or said in a way that is correct,
because you have an the correct facts or details [advl
If I remember rightly, Jackie is six and Robert is nine. I As
she rightly said, no one deserves to be treated. like that. I He
rightly pointed out that there are too many people to fit in
the car.
right I raltl something that is done right is done correctly
and well. especially according to someone's own ideas or
opinions ladv not before Verb )
I guessed right and won the competition! I I don'l mind how
long it takes, just as long as you do it right.
5 to make something correct that was not
correct before
correct put/set sb straight
correction put/set the record straight
CORRECT
correct /k.'relct/ Iv TI
The teacher was sitting at her desk, correcting her students'
essays. I Correct me ifI'm wrong but haven't we met belore?1
The great thing about word processors is that you can cor-
reet any mistakes you make before the text is printed out.
correction Ik;)'rekf;mJ In Ul Your small handwriting makes
correction a/your work (=makes correcting your work) very
diffr.cult.
correction fkeJ IrekJimJ a mark or note correcting some-
thing on a piece of written work In Cl
Myessay was covered in corrections in red ink. I It must have
been a rough copy - there were so many corrections.
putlset sb straight I .put, .set (sb) Istre lt/ to tell some-
one the true facts when they have made a mistake, espe-
cially if you are annoyed by their mistake Iv phrasel
He thought the/ood and drink was/ree. so we had to set him
straight. I put/set sb straight about Let me put you
straight about Andy. he is not a thief
putlset the record straight /, put, ,set ~. 'reko:d
streIt 11 -k:;}rd-/ to tell people the true facts about something,
especially in public, because you want to make it very clear
that what is believed is in fact not correct [v phrase ]
It 's time we set the record straight. The newspapers are
wrong - thisjactory will not be closing down, your jobs are
safe. I Let me set the record straight once andfor aU. I have
never accepted a bribe.
6 words for describing something that is always
correct
infallible
infallible /In 'frel jbal/ladjl
Cats have an infallible sense oJdirection and can alwaysfind
their way home. I I believed that all maps were irifallible
until this one made me get lost. I Spelling checkers on word
processors are useful but far from infallible.
infallibility Iln, fretA 'bllAtif ln DJ I'm constantly amazed at
the infallibility of her memory.
correction CORRECT 5
correctly CORRECT 4 , RIGHT/PROPER 3
correlation: there Is a correlation between/with
CONN ECTE D WITH 1
correspond SAME 7 , WRITE 3
correspondence LETIER 1
correspondent RE PORT 3
corresponding SAME 8
corroborate PROVE 2
corrode DAMAGE 6 , DECAY 5 , 7
corroded DECAY 6
corrupt BAD BEHAVIOUR OR ACTIONS 5 , DISHONEST 2
corruption DISHON EST 5
cosmopolitan RACE 3
cost COST 1, 2 , 3 , LOSE/NOT HAVE ANY MORE 2
cost: at a cost of COST 2
t cost: at a cost to SUFFER 2
cost : at no extra cost FREE/COST NOTHING 3
cost: at the cost of LOSE/NOT HAVE ANY MORE 2
cost: It'U cost you EXPENSIVE 1
cos1: knowltlnd out to your cost SUFFER 2
• cost: meet the cost of PAY FOR 1
~
cost: not cost much CHEAP 1
cost: whatever the cost DETERM INED 4
" cost a bomb/the earth EXPENSIVE 2
cost a fortune EXPE NSIVE 2
cost a lot EXPENSIVE 1
cost nothing/not cost anything FREE/COST NOTH ING 1
cost sb dearly/dear SUFFER 2
" You say " is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken Eng lish .
275 COST
..., • EXPENSIVE
... . FREE/COST
NOTHING
~ . PAYFOR
• COST
1 the amount of money you have to pay to buy
something, do something, or produce
something
2 ways of saying or asking how much
something costs
3 to calculate the cost of something or decide
how much something should cost
4 to take or ask for a certain amount of money
in return for something that you are selling
1 the amount of money you have to pay to buy
something , do something . or produce
something
cost fare
price toll
charge rent
fee rental
rate running costs
cost /kost 11 k;:,:stf In C usually singular]
The cost of electricity has fallen in the last twelve months. 1
Inflation affects the cost ofeverything you buy. I As housing
costs rise, more and morefamities are beingforced to move
out of th£ city into cheaper areas. 1 high/low cost Equip-
ment is sometimes available at a low cost/or elderly people. 1
cost ofllving (=the amount of money you need for things
such as food, clothes and housing) The government has got
to do something about the high cost of living. 1 cut costs
(=reduce the cost of producing something in a company)
Because of the recesswn, it is essential that we cut costs
wherever possible. 1 at no extra cost (=without having to
pay more) We will deliver and install the equipment at no
extra cost.
price /prals/ the amount of money you must pay in order
to buy something In C/ U]
This is a good product at a reasonable price. 1 high/low
price Don't buy anything from them - they charge the
highEst prices in Londcn. 1 You can get cars in Europe at very
low prices. 1 oil/food/house etc prices Food prices are MW
relatively stable. but the economic crisis is fa r from over. 1
charge a price They charge the same pricesfor a takeaway
as they do lor eating in the restaurant. I haifprice (=half the
previous price) You s/wuld get down to Mor[ey's - they're
selling beds at half price. 1 price rise (=increase in the
price) In the longer term, experts say they expect price rises
In be gradual but persistent. 1 market price (=the price that
people are paying or are willing to pay for something) The
current market price/or a house like this is around $60,000.1
the asking price (=the price that someone wants you to
pay for something they are selling) The asking price was
£SO but they said they'd aa:ept £40.
COST
cha,r ge /tfa: rd31 the amount of money that you pay for a
service, or that you pay in order to do something or use
something [n Cl
Gas and electricity charges are set to rise at the end of tire
year., I admission charge( =the amount of money you must
pay m order to go into a public place) There is an admis-
sion charge 0/£6.50. but everything isfreeonceyou 're inside.I
a t no extra charge (:;:without having to pay more) Mem-
bers and their guests are permitted to use the recreational
facilities at no extra charge. I set cbarge (=one that is
always the same) There is a set charge of 15%/or service.I
additional charge (=one that is added to the normal price)
Before buying, always check that there are no additional
charges.
fee fr.:1the amount of money that you pay to a person or
organization for a professional service, for example medi -
ca l b'eatmen t or education I fl C ]
school/ legal/ medical fees Our parents worked hard to
/Xlyour school/ees, so wejeft it was our duty to do well. I Last
year alone, the company paid over $12 million in legalfees.1
lee You can gel dozens oj ben~f"itsfor a/eeofjust $20 a year.
rate /renl the usual cost of a service or job [n Cl
We are able to offer a whole range Dj seruices at very reasona-
ble rates. I hou rly/ weekly/ daily rate She charges an
hourly raleof$4oo, which is pretty high, but she's one of the
best agents in the business. I the going rate (=the rate that
people usually pay a t the present time) What 's the going
rate for an air trip to Mexico City? I fixed rate (=one that
is alwa ys the same) There isafixed ralefor thejob, regard-
less of how long it takes.
fare Ife;} rl the cost of a journey on a bus, train, plane etc
Inel
train/ bus etc fare How much is the trainjare/rom Toronto
to Montreal? Iln addition to her rent and/ood expenses, Suz;
spends another $15 per week on bus/ares. I fare She couldn 't
get home because sll£didn'l haveelwugh money/or the/are.I
fare increases British Rail is to announce/are increases 0/
over 6% next month.
tOil /IdOl! money that you have to pay in order to drive over
some bridges 01' roads In C J
In Franceyou have to pay tolls on many a/the major roods. I
There was an uproar about recent proposals to double the
roll on the Severn Bridge between England and Wales.
rent /rent/ the sum of money you pay every month or week
to li ve in or use a place that you do not own In C usually
singular ]
My rent is £250 per month, bUll don '( ha ve to pay for elec-
tricity_ I put up the rent (=increase it) The landlord is
going to put up the rent soon. I rent rise (=an increase in
rent) Rent rises haveforced many small busin£SSeS auto/the
city. I low/ high rent 1800jrancs per month? That's a very
low rent/or central Paris!
rental / I rentlf the sum of money that you pay to use a car
televis ion. tools etc over a period of time In C usually
singular )
Car rental is $45 a day and you need a clean driving licence. I
The rental on the TV includes maintenance and repairs.
running costs / lr"'lI1J ,kosts 11 -,b:stsl the amount of
money you need to keep and use something such as a car,
hou se. building or factory In plural]
The business has 011 annual turnover 0/ $1 billion. Three
quarters goes on running costs. leaving a net income oj$250
million.
2 ways of saying or asking how much
something costs
cost set sb back
how much be prIced at
be sell for
retail at fetch
at a cost of go for
cost Ikost 11 k"stl Ivl
cost £10/ $5/ a lot etc The holiday costs $600 per person,
including hotel accommodation, meals and transport. I How
much does it cost? I Although it costs considerably more to
276 COST
do it this way, it does work out cheaper in the long run. I cost
a fortune/ cost a bomb (=a very large amount of money)
How could you afford it? It must Juwe cost a bomb!
how much f ,hau ' mAtl/ you ask how much when you
wa nt to know the price or cost of something fadv phrase I
That s a beautiful rug - how much did you pay/or it? I "How
much is that watch?" ''It 's $300."
be Ibi; slm"e bi:1to cost a part icular a mount of money I v I
be £5/ 820/ a lot of money etc "How much are the large
tomatoes?" "They're 65cents a kilo. " I Look at this silk scar/
I bought. It was only $18/ I How much would it be to go by
plane instead a/going by train?
ret~1I at {n'ted reil an expression used espec ially in a
bus mess con text, meaning to cost a particular a mount
when sold in shops [ u T not in passive ]
retail at £10/ $50/ £5000 ote Someojthejabricsjrom India
retatl at over $looa meter. IRetailing at around £5000, Ford's
new m.odel will be dif.fl.Cult to beat/or reliability and econom-
ical driving.
at a cost of { ~t ~ 'kost:;)v 11 - 'b:st-, an express ion used
especially in news reports: if something is done sold etc
at a cost ofa particular amount, that is how much it costs
Iprepl
Surveys are being conducled in 10 European Statesat a cost
oj £SO million.
se t sb back / Iset (sb) ' brek/ if something tha t you buy
sets you back a ~rt icula r amount of money, usually a
large amoun t, that IS how much it costs, espec ially when
you think that it is very expens ive Jphr v TJ
set sb back £200/ $400 etc A really good quality sewing
machine will set you back at/east £300.1 set sb back What?
24 carat gold? I bet that set you back. l lfslze'shoping to buy
a new spartscar, it's going (0 really set her back a bit!
~ e pr~cecI ~ t /bi: Ipm lsl ret, an eXPI"CSsion used especiaUy
In bus mess: If a product is priced at a particular price that
is how much the person who makes or sells it has dec ided
it s hould cost Iv phraseJ
The book, which is priced at £38, will be available in the
shops/rom September. I Later on I watched a demonstrat ion
oj their new cordless phone, priced at $350. I Alternatively,
you may decide to opt/or the/ult a la carte menu priced at
700 francs, including wines.
sell for I 'sel fO:fl sell for £400/ $600 e tc (=cost a parti cu-
lar amount of money, especially when you think this is
more than it is wOl1h) Iv T not in passive]
Houses in this area are selling for over $400,000. I Rare edi-
tions like this usually sell for about £200 apiece in antique
bookshops or from specialist dealers.
fatch /fetll if sc;tmething fetches a particular pr ice, it is
sold for that prIce or someone receives that amount of
money by selling it, especially at a publi c sale Iv T not in
progressive or passive J
fetch £40/ $500 etc Van Gogh s 'Sunflowers' is expected to
fetch more than $20 million at tomorrow 's auction. 11admit
th£ old car's a bit a/a wreck. but I'm still hoping it'lljetch
£90 or so. I The chairs fetched a good price, a [most double
what we paiel/or them.
go f~r / lg;)(J fJ: rl if something goes for a particular price
that IS how much someone has paid for it, especially when
there was no fixed price Iv T not in passive]
go for £100/ $250 etc Watches like that are going/or about
£15 down the market these days. I How much did those lovely
pine chairs go for in the end? I go to sb for £100/ 8250 etc
The painting finally went to a private collector f or $60
million, after some/rantic bidding.
3 to calculate the cost of somelhing or decide
how much something should cost
cost estimate
price quotation
cost /kost 11 b :sl/ a word used especially in bus iness
mea ning to ca lculate the total cost ofa plan or process Iv T
usually in passive)
be costed Unfortunately, the project had been incorrectl}1
costed and the money ran out several months be/ore
COST
oompletion. I get/have sth costed It would be a goad idea
to get tire plan costed btifore presenting it to the board.
prlce /prals/ to decide how much a product should cost Iv T
usually in passive J
No matter how good the finished product is, if it 's not cor·
rectly priced. it won" sell. I When you have chosen your fruit
and vegetables, please take tbem to tbecbeckout wbere they
will be weighed and priced.
estimate IleSl~m~tl a statement of how much money a
piece of work will probably cost In Cl
Simpson's Builders are good - they give/ree estimates and
the work is always done on time. I It's always a good idea
to get an estimate and a guaranteed/inishing date before put-
ting your car in for repairs.
qUDtatlon Ikw:X; 'teIJ;m/ a written statement of exactly
how much money a piece of work will cost In Cl
Get afew quotations/rom dijJerentjlf'ms so thntyou can com-
pare prices be/ore deciding which one to use. I quotation for
Theystill haven't given us a quota twnfor the k itchen exten-
sum.
4 to take or ask for a certai n amount of money
in return for something that you are selling
charge
want £20/$40 etc for sth
charge 11/0: r d31 if someone charges a particular amount
of money for a service or product, that is how much you
must pay them for it Iv TJ
char ge £5/$60 etc for They charge $25 for a half hour
class.! Small shops charge much higher prices/or the same
praducts. I charge s b £5/$60 ete The cheapest doctor we
couldflnd charged us/our hundred/ranes/or ajive minute
examination and a bottle ofpills. I charge £5/$60 etc These
lawyers charge t~ most exorbitant/ees, but they never seem
to be short 0/ clients.
want £201$40 atc for a th fwon ' (£20, e'c) r,, '
(sth) 11 wa:nl-I an informal expression meaning to ask for
or expect to be paid a certain amount of money for some-
thing that you are selling to another person [phr v TJ
Yes, I might be interested in a new TV How much do you
want/or it? 1Bob said he'd give Frank privareguitar lessons
- but he wanted $80 an hour.
costly EXPENS'VE 1
costs SPEN D MONEY 9
costume CLOTHES 2
cosy/cozy COMFORTA BLE 2
cotton on UNDERSTAND 7
cough up PAY FOR 2
could MAYBE 1
coukt : we/you/they could always SUGGEST 3
coukt do with NE ED 1, 4
couktn't: can 't/couldn 't IMPOSSIBLE 3
council ORGANIZATION 2
counselllng/counseUng ADVISE 5
counsellor/c ounselor ADVI SE 6
count COUNT/CALCULATE 1
count: keep countlkeep track COUNT/CALCU LATE 4
count/count up COUN T/CALCULATE 4
count/leave me out TA KE PART/BE INVOLVED 13
count on D EPEND ON/RELY ON 1, EXPECT 3
count on: can count on DEPEND ONIR EL Y ON 2
count the cost SUFFER 2
. COUNTI
CALCULATE
t o use numbers to fin d an amount, valu e etc
1 to say numbers in order
2 to calculate an amount, price, or value
3 to calculate an amount or price, but without
being very exact
277 COUNT/CALCULATE
4 to count objects, amounts , numbers etc in
order to fi nd the total
5 to take one number or amount from another
larger number or amount
6 to multiply one number by another
7 to divide one number by another number that
is usually smaller
8 to calculate or cou nt wrongly
9 a number or amount that is calculated
1 to say numbers in order
count
countdown
count fkaumf Iv 11
At nursery school the children start learning to count. !
count to Shut your eyes, count to twenty, then come andfind
us.
countdown 11kaunldaun! the action of counting back-
wards in seconds, for example from ten to zero, when wait-
ing for something to happen at a particular moment, espe-
cially when a spaceship is sent into space In singular)
NASA has stopped the countdown/or t~ space shuttle mis-
sion becauseo/technicalproblems. ! Thecoun/.d{)wn is now
underway; only five minutes to li/t-o/f.
2 to calculate an amount, price, or value
calculate make
work out figure
figure out
calculat. / ' kre l kj~ leltl to find ou t how much something
will cost, how long something will take etc, by using num-
bers Iv T I
calcula te sth Jim calculated t~ cost 0/ travelling lo
Chicago. I Oil prices are calculated in dollars. I calculate
h ow much / h ow many/how far et c 1 was trying to calcu-
late how long it would take to paint a ll the rooms. 1 calcu-
late that Sally calculated that qfter paying all her bills she
would have £100 left.
calcula tion I l krelkj~ 'l e lf<i'nl [n VI Details 0/ sales and
expenses are used in the calculation 0/profits. (=to calculate
profits)
work out 1,W3: f k 'autl an expression used especially in
spoken English, meaning to calculate an answer, amount,
price, or value whr v TJ
work out sth You can work out the answer by adding all
the numbers. I work sth / it/them out Be/ore going ahead
with the project, you ought to work the costs out. II'm not
sure how much money Gillian owes me. I'll have to work it
out. J work out how m uch / how many etc You'll have to
work out how much food you need to feed six people for a
week.
figure out I.flgar 'aut 11 (f lgj;lf -/ an expression used espe-
cially in American English meaning to calculate an
amount, answer etc Iphr v T J
flgul'e out sth It wasn't a difficult calculation, but Sam
seemed to have a lot 0/ trouble figuring out the answer. 1
fi gure sth / it/them out I don't know how much we spend
on groceries. I'll leave you to figure that out.
make Ime l kl an informal word meaning to calculate a
total lu T not in passive)
mak e it 250/ 20 k Uos/ S50 etc "How much do ] oweyou/or
the meal?" "I make it $10.50." I Will you count these/igures
again? I make t~ tOlaI 248, but Chris made it 249. ! t hat
m akes 250/ 20 kilos etc I paid/or the taxi and the movie,
so that makes £15 you owe rn£.
figure "flg;,t 11 'flgj;,rl an American word meaning to cal·
cuIate an amount Iv TJ
Larry figured his expenses/or the past month. I This ;s the
current m£thod for figuring social security retirement
benifits.
COUNT/CALCULATE
3 to calculate an amount or price, but without
being very exact
estimate
assess
estimate , leSlbmelt/ Iv T J
estimate that The police department estimates (hat the
number of violent crimes will increase this year by about
15%. I estimate sth to be At that point, the public sector
di!ficit was estimated to be around £45 billion. I estimate sth
at Thepopulationoj Adelaide is estimated al 917,000. I esti-
mate h ow much/ how many/ how far etc Our staff will
help you estimate how muchfabric you will require. I esti-
mate sth Advanced technology enables us to estimate the
trajectory of the rocket to the nearest centimetre.
assess IdlsesJ to calculate what t he value or cost of some-
thing is. especially before buying it or selling it [v T J
assess sth The garage assessed the cost ofrepairing the car. I
I took the ring to ajeweller to have its value assessed. I assess
sth at The total value of the paintings is assessed at $20
million.
4 to count objects, amounts, numbers etc in
order to fi nd the total
count/count up keep countl
add up keep track
add keep a tally of
at the last count plus
count/count up Jkaunt , Ik<lunt IApJ [v TI
The teacher counted h£r students to make sure none of them
was missing. I Just count up the number ofdays you've been
absentfrom work this year. l It took us ages to count up all
the numey.
add up ',red IAPI to put together a set of numbers or
amounts and calculate the total Iphr v T I
add up sth Now add up each column offigures. I John added
up thi! bill andfrowlU!d. He had been overcharged. 1add sthl
it/ them up Write down all your travelling expenses, and
then add them up and let us know how much we owe you.
add lred( to put two or more numbers, amounts, prices etc
together in order to calculate the total (v IIT ]
add sth and sth If you add 24 and 36, you g et 60. 1add sth
to You can/ind the total cost of the trip by adding the air
fare to the price of hotel accommodation. I VATat 15% will
be added to the bill. I add Some of these kids don 't even know
how to add and subtract.
addition J;) ldlJ3nJ [n V I We were taught how to do addition
(=how to add numbers) at school today.
at the last count lat 6a IIO:SI 'kaunt 11 -llrest-J ifthere
is a particular number of something at the last count, this
is what the total was the last time anyone checked (adv
phrase I
At the last count, only 18 Japanesefirms were making car
parts in America. I Greg has a special room for his collec-
tion of model cars, which totalled 235 at the last count.
keep count (British) I keep track (American) I ,ki:p
'kaunt , ,ki:p '(rrek, to keep a record of numbers, objects.
a mounts etc over a period of time, so that you always know
what the present total is each time you add something new
Iv phrase )
keep count of I always keep count of the money I spend on
the car. I Keep count of the number of people you lnterview;
it's imfXJrtantfor our research. I keep co unt I don 'I know
how many points our (earn scored; I didn't keep count.
keep a tally of I,ki:p;) Itreli Dvl to keep a record ofnum·
bers that are to be added Up, for exam ple by writing or
marking them on pa per or by collecting things that
represent the num bers Iv phrase ]
Steve kept a tally of the days he spent in prison by scratch-
ing marks on the wall. I These plastic rings help the sales
assistants to keep a tally of the number of garments cus·
tamers have taken into the changing rooms.
plus /plAsJ (used in s[Xlken English between numbers or
amounts that you are adding) [prep]
EigJu plus six L'ifourteen. I Tlurcost is £45 plus £5 for delivery_
278 COUNT/CALCULATE
5 to take one number or amount from another
larger number or amount
subtract deduct
take minus
take away
subtract IS:lb'trrekt( a word used especially in educa-
tional or technical contexts, meaning to take one number
or amount away from another Iv liT ]
subtract sth from If you subtract 10from l OO, you are left
with 90. I You calculate the overall profit by subtracting the
amount in column A from the amount in column B. I sub-
tract 7'odd could add and subtractfaster than all the other
children.
subtraction /s;)b 'trrekJanl In UI Jennifer finds subtraction
a little difficult.
take Itelk( to take one number or amount from another
lu TI
take sth from If you take J 7 from 100 you get 83. I Don't
forget to take £26 from the first total. I take sth off I took
35 % off the price·to work out the discount.
take away Iltelk ;)I Wel / a word used especially in spoken
English, meaning to take one nllmber from another Iphr
uT I
take sth away from Take 19 away from 48 and then add
15. I Take this number away from tlu! total. I take a way sth
Find the result by adding 9 and taking away 20.
deduct fdl'dAkt/ to subtract an amount of money, points
etc from a total, especially when followin g official rules or
an official system Iv TJ
deduct sth from Your employer will deduct income taxfrom
your salary. I Your monthly repayments will be deducted
from the total anwunt that you owe. I deduct sth Mark..<; may
be deducted for illegible handwriting.
minus (ImalOJsl (used in spoken English between num·
bers or amounts when you are taking one from another)
Iprepl
3{) minusfive leaves 25. I Total receiptsfrom sales minus the
total wage bill and overheads equals profit.
6 to multiply one number by another
multiply
times
multiply l ' mAIt ~ pla I J Iv IIT I
multiply sth by Multiply eight by three. 114 multiplied by
11 makRs 154. 1 multiply sth Mr James showed thi!c/ass that
by multiplying the two numbers you could find the total. I
multiply by To find the price in Japanese yen, you multi-
ply by 86.
multiplication I lmAltjpl ~ ' kelJanl In VI A calculator is par-
ticularly useful for processes like multiplication.
times Ilallnz/ (used in spoken English between numbers
that you are multiplying) [prep I
Five times six equals thirty. I What is nine times eighteen?
7 to divide one number by another
divide
go into
divide fdA Ivaldl to divide one number by another number
that is usually smaller Iv lIT l
divide sth by if you divide thirty by five, you get six. I Figure
51 shows the total amount ofrevenue divided by the number
of men employed. I di vide by It is easier to divide by 10 than
by 12. I divide s th into If you divide sixteen into sixty.[our,
you get four.
division /dllv lyml [n VI Division (=the process of dividing
one number by another) L'i quite a difficult area of maths
for children to learn.
go into I lg;)U Ilntu:( a word used especially by or to chil·
dren at school: if one number goes into a la rger number
a particular number of times. the larger number can be
divided that many times by the smaller number Iv T not
in progressive or passive]
COUNT/CALCULATE
16goes into 80jive times. I How many times will nine go into
eighty-one?
8 to calculate or count wrong ly
miscalculate
miscount
lose count
miscalculate Ilmls l krelkj~leltl [u UT)
miscalculate sth The company had seriously miscalculated
the total cost of the new offices. I miscalculate how much/
how many/ how long etc We miscalculated how long the
journey would take and arrived late. I miscalculate We
have too many chairs. I must have miscalculated.
miscount , .mls'kaunt/ to count something wrongly (u
lITI
miscount sth OfflCials miscounted the votes so the whole
process had to be repeated. I miscount I thought everyone
was here. but 1 must have miscounted.
lose count I.lu:z IkaunlJ to forget how many things or
people you have already counted, when you are counting
a lot of things over a long perioo [u phrase 1
I've been trying to keep a record DJ how many tickets we've
sold, but I've lost count.
9 a number ·or amount that is calcu lated
calculation estimate
sum estimated
calculation 'lkrelkj~lleIJ.ml (n Cl
This type 0/ calculation would take several hours without
a computer. I According to our calculations, 2000 jobs will
be lost. I do/make a calculation We can solve this probl€m
by doing a/ew simple calculations. I Once all the necessary
calculations have been made the experiment can proceed.
sum IsMTl/ a word used especially in British English mean·
ing a simple calculation, especially one done by children
as an exercise in school In Cl
It'll be quicker if I use a calculator jar these sums. I We had
to do some really hard sums today.
e.tlmal. / le st!m~tl what you think the number, price,
or value of something probably is, after calculating it
quickly In Cl
Here are some estimates of the amount offood we will need
for the wedding. I I'm allowing £300, but that's only an esti·
mate. I rough estimate (=not exact but gcxxl enough to be
useful) This proposal represents a rough estimate afthe cost
afmaterials and labor. 1conservative estimate (=an esti-
mate that is probably too low, so you can be sure that the
true amount will not be less than this) The paintings have
been valued at $3.5, which is probably a conservative
estimate.
estimated Ilest~meltAdl an estimated number/cost/
value etc (=a number, cost etc that is not exact but has
been roughly calculated) ladj only /xifore nounl
The tunnel is being constructed at an estimated cost of £15
million. I This country welcomed an estimated 800.()()()
tourists last year.
countdown COUNT/CALCULATE 1
counterattack ATTACK 4
counterbalance EQUAL 7
counterespionage spy 1
counterfeit COPY 3
counterpart SAME 9
counterproductive FAIL 4
countersign SIGN YOUR NAM E 1
counting INCLUDE 4
counting: not counting INCLUDE 7
countless l OT/A LARGE NUMBER OR AMOUNT 3
country AREA 1, COUNTRY/NATION 1. 4,
COUNTRYSIDE 2
country: go to the country VOTE/ELECT 3
country: home country COUNTRY/NATION 7
country: the country COUNTRYS IDE 1
279 COUNTRY/NATION
,~""'"' """-;,&::.~
0+ It COUNTRY'
NATION
~tt\e <;oor1\fY8lde,1lOI --+. COUNTRYSIDE
the c[ty
• COUNTRY/NATION
1 a country
2 a country that is partly or completely
controlled by another country
3 land that belongs to a particular country
4 all the people who live in a particular country
5 a person from a particular country
6 the legal right of belonging to a particular
country
7 the country where you were born
8 having a great love of your country
9 people or groups who want thei r country or
area to be independent
10 happening in, or concerning a particular
country
11 words for describing laws, policies,
organizations etc that belong to or concern a
particular country
12 happening in or involving many countries
1 a country
country power
nation land
state
country 11 hntril a separate independent area of land
whose people have their own government and president,
ministers, king etc [n C )
Brazil is one of the biggest countries in the world. I The
northeast of the country will experience heavy rain/all and
high winds. I Most people in this country are worried about
the economy. ! all over/all around the country Women's
rights groups are being set up all over the country.
nation 11nelf.10/ a country considered especially in teons
of its people and its social and economic conditions and
structures In Cl
Japan has become the richest nation in the UXJrid. I Represen-
tativesjrom th£ world's leading industrial nations will meet
in Geneva. I We seem to have become a nation of borrowers.
stale Istelt/ a country considered especially as a political
unit that has a particular type of political organization [n
Cl
In 1830 Greece became an independent state. I For more than
70 years the Soviet Union was a one·party state. I At the
present time. OPEC has 13 member states. I In 1948 the state
of Israel was proclaimed, but its existence has been continu-
ally chall€nged by neighbouring countries.
power II~TI a strong country which is able to influence
other countries politically or economically [n C J
France was the only Europeanpower not to sign the treaty. I
world power (=having influence all over the world)
Japan 's economic growth has made it a world power. I
superwpower (=one of the most powerful countries in the
world) The two super·powers came to the brink a/a confron-
tation during the Cuban missil€ crisis.
land /Irendl a word used especially in literature meaning
a country In C)
COUNTRY/NATION
His travels in Mediterranean lands provided him with the
inspiration for many oJ his poems and songs. l Our story
takes place in afar-off land, long, long ago.
2 a country that is partly or completely
controlled by another country
coklny
satellite
colony I'kol:mi 11 I ko:-/ a country that has no independent
government of its own and is controlled by another, more
powerful country, especially one that is far away [n Cl
The United States wasoncejust a colonyo/Great Britain and
had toflght/or its independence. ) In 1980 thejormer Brit-
ish colony oJ Rhodesia achieved legal independence as tlu!
Republic of Zimbabwe.
colonial/k~'I;xmi;)11 ladj] The people DJ Africa have success-
fully [ought against cokmial rule. (=rule by countries which
have made them into colonies)
satellite /'sret!lalt! a country that is under the political
influence of another more powerful country which is near
to or next to it In Cl
At one time, most East European countries were satellites of
the Soviet Union.
3 land that belongs to a particular country
territory
soli
territory I lter!t.1ri 11 ~ t;):ri l [n VJ
Utah finally became US territory in 1850. I It was claimed
that the gUErillas had been operating within Angolan
territory.
soll /s;)111 on British/French/VS etc soil (=a word used
in J,Xllitical contexts meaning on land that belongs to Bri-
tain, France, the VS etc) [n Ul
The treaty will be signed on American soil. 1 This was the
first time that a Swedish monarch had ever set foot on
Spanish soil.
4 all the people who live in a particular country
country nation
people population
country I lkAntril all the people who live in a particular
country, considered especially with regard to their opin·
ions, beliefs, and feelings [n singular]
The president doesn't seem to care what the country thinks
about his policies. I People think our country has lost its
desire for success.
paople /' pi:pal/ all the people of a country, considered
especially with regard to their political beliefs and politi-
cal behaviour In C with singular or plural verb in British
English I
President Kennedy promised the American people a great
future. 1 It was a fair election, the people have given their
verdict. and we have to accept it.
nation / lneIJ;ml all the people of a country, considered
together as one group, especially when talking about
important events that affect everyone in the country In
singularl
The President will broadcast to the nation this evening. 1
When Churchill died the whole nation went into mourning.
population I ,Popjg'le IJ<1n 11 IPo:-1 the total number of
people who live in a particular COlll1try or the total number
ofa particular group of people In C usually singular]
In Western European countries the population is no longer
increasing. I Since unijJCation. the population of Germany
is about 80 million. I The country's Jewish population was
angered by the TV programme on Hitler.
5 a person from a particular country
citizen
national
8 native of
280 COUNTRY/NATION
citizen /lslt~l3nl a person from a particular COlll1try. espe-
cially one who has special rights in that country, such as
the right to vote and the right to live there permanently [n
Cl
She's a Japanese citizen but lives in Paris. I He became an
American citizen after living therefor some years. I Citizens
of at least twenty countries have been delayed by the air
traffk controllers' strike.
natlonal / 'nreJan~11 someone who is a citizen of a partic-
ular country, but who is living in another country In C]
Hundreds of Polish nationals served in the Britsh army
during the Second World War. I Following the coup. most
foreign nationals were expelled from the country.
a native of I;) IneHlv ;)Vl a fonnal expression meaning
someone who was born in a particular country In phrase]
Picasso was a native of Spain, altlwugh he spent most ofhis
life in France.
6 the legal right of belonging to a particular
country
nationality
citizenship
nationality l ,meJ~'nrel!ti l In c/m
French/Get'man/British ctc nationality Despite being
born in Germany. these children do not have an automatic
right to German nationality. I dual nationality
(=nationality of two countries) Sabine has dual national-
ity because her mother is French and her father is English. I
The form asks you to state your name and nationality.
cItIzenship l'sIt~unJlpl the legal right of belonging to
a particular country, especially when this right 15 given
to someone who comes from another country In VI
After five years in the US. foreign nationals can apply for
full US citizenship. 1 Zela Budd was granted British citizen·
ship and subsequently ran in the British Olympic team.
7 the country where you were born
home country
native land
home country (I h;)Um I kAntri/ lne]
After the end of the Olympics, the athletes will all return to
their home countries. I Racist groups are ca lling for all
immigrants to be sent back to their home countries.
native land Ilnelt lv Ilrendl an expression used in formal
contexts or in literature, meaning the country where you
were born [n C J
Native Americans were killed or forced to leave their native
lands. I The general's body was returned to his native land
for a military burial.
8 having a great love of yo ur country
patriotic
nationalistic
patriotic I ,pretri'ouk .. , ,pel - II ,peltri'a:llk "'l ladjl
We're just good, patriotic Americans. ready to defend our
freedom. 1 The concert ended with the singers and audience
singing patriotic songs together.
patriot l'pretri;)I, -triot, lpel _ 11 Ipellri;)I, -trin:tJ In Cl De
Gaulle will always be remembered as a great French patriot.
patriotism (lpa:tri;)tlZam, lpel_ 11 Ipel_1 In VJ One ofthefea-
tures of the Bush campaign was to qUEstion Bill Clinton's
patriotism.
nationalistic l, nreJana ' lI suk"'l someone who is nation~
alistic is very proud of their own country, but often has
no respect for people from other countries because they
believe that their own country is much better ladjl
At the time of the Falklands War the British newspapers
were very nationalistic. I German d£monstrators attacked a
refugee camp in Rostock and chanted nationalistic slogans.
9 people or groups who want their country or
area to be independent
nationalist
COUNTRY/NATION
nationalist f 'nref.,n;)l~stl nationalist organization/
movement/party/politician ete (=one that wants to
make their country or area politically independent) radj
only before noun]
The Scottish Nationalist Party wants Scotland to leave the
United Kingdom. I Nationalist politicians were arrested and
put in prison.
nationalist In Cl Indian nationaiistsjinally won indepen-
dence/or their country in 1947.
nationalism In Vl The end of the Ccld War was followed
by an upsurge DJ nationalism in Eastern Europe.
10 happening in, or concerning a particular
country
national internal
domestic at home
natlona. / loreJ.10311 happening in or concern ing a partic-
ular country. as opposed to any of its parts or any other
countries [adj only before noun]
The national news will follow the international news. I
Today is National No-Smoking Day. I Winners of the
regional competitions compete in the national FmaL<:;. I The
Prime Minister will try to protect Britain's national interests
at the conference.
domestic Ida1mestlkJ happening in or concerning a par-
ticular country, as opposed to any other countries {adj only
before nounl
TIwy produce cars both for th£ domestic market and for
export_ I This year's Presidential election is being fought
largely on domestic issues. I Domesticflights within Russia
remain extremely cheap, but international flights are pro-
hibitivelyexpensive.
Intemal /ln 1t3: r nll internal affairs/problems/matters
(=affecting a particular country, especially politically, but
not involving any foreign countries) [adj only before noun]
Each country has the right to control its own internal
affairs. I The nation's internal problems have drawn public
attention away from the crisis abroad.
at home /at Ih~ml events that happen at home happen
within your own country and do not involve any other
countries [adv phrase]
Participation in th£ Gulf War,followed by economic diffICUl-
ties at home, has been very expensive for the government.
11 words for describing laws, poliCies,
organizations elc that belong to or concern a
particular country
national
state
federal
natlonal / 1nreIana11 [adj only before nounj
Alttalia is the national airline of Italy. I The national cur-
riculum lays down rules about what students should learn
at particular stages of their education. I a national policy
for energy
atate Isteltf state education/pension/benefits/sup-
port etc (=provided and controlled by the government, not
by private organizations) {adj only before noun]
Parents can choose between state education and private
schools for their children. I a reduction in the state subsidy
for the railways
federal f I fed.1ral/ controlled by or involving the central
government, as opposed to the governments of the separate
states that make up a large country, especially the United
States laclj only before noun)
Most people want to see new federal gun laws introduced. I
A number Q{federal offICials have been charged with corrup-
tion. I Medicaid is a large federal health care program for
the poor.
12 happening in or involving many countries
international
multinational
multilateral
281 COUNTRYSIDE
Intematlonat I Imt~T IoreIanal"/ladj I
The Olympic Games, ofcourse, is the year's major interna-
tional event. I This is CNN, bringing you all the latest inter-
national news. I Sixteen countries are attending the confer-
ence in order to draw up an international agreement on the
disposal of toxic waste_
multinational I InWtlInreIao;)I .. , multinational com-
pany/firm/corporation etc (=a company that is very
large and has offices in several different countries) tadj
only before noun J
Many multinational companies arefinding trade is bad this
year. I His business has been taken over by a huge multi-
national oil corporation.
multinational In C) Shell was one offour multinationals
who were fimd for environmental pollution.
multnateral'lnWtI IlretdIdl"l multilateral agreement!
treaty/negotiations/talks etc (=involving the govern-
ments of several different countries) [adj only Wore noun]
Theforeign minister will propose a multilateral agreement
on arms controls.
countryside COUNTRYSIDE 1
• COUNTRYSIDE
the parts of a country which are not near cities,
where there are farms, fields, villages etc
1 the countryside
2 words for describing something or someone
that is in or from the countryside
1 the countryside
countryside
the country
countryalde /1kAntrisa ldf (used especially when you are
talking about the beauty or appearance of this kind of area)
In UI
We spent a week walking in beautiful countryside. I We have
to act now to save the countrysidefor future generations_I an
expensive girls' school situated deep in the heart of the
countryside
the country /0;) IkAntri/ (used. especially when you are
talking about living in the countryside and the differences
between the countryside and the city) [n singular]
We'vefound a lovely little cottage in the country_ I Th£ doctor
has recommended a trip to the country, away from the
stresses and strains of city life. I Living in the country, you
feel the changing of the seasons, you are so much closer to
nature.
2 words for describing something or someone
that is in or from the countryside
country
rural
rustic
country I luntril {adj only before noun)
It took us an hour to reach the farm house, driving along
winding country roads_ I Old country churcMs are a big
tourist attraction. I Country folk don't like people from tM
towns buying up cottages in their villages and using them
as second homes.
rural ,lruaral/ a word meaning from the countryside or
existing in the countryside, used. especially when you are
talking about social problems or conditions that exist there
ladj usually before noun}
People who live in rural areas often depend on public trans-
portation. I If the number of tourists continues to expand,
they will pose a considerable threat to traditional rural life. I
Developing countries are often characterized by a widening
gap between urban affluence and rural poverty.
rustic /lrAstlkf a word meaning from the countryside or
existing in the countryside, used. especially when you are
COUNTRYSIDE 282 COVER
describing things or people that are interesting, attractive,
6 a thin flat piece or amount of something that
and old-fashioned laq;1
The picture showed a typical rustic scene.. I American touris~ covers a surface
are fascinated by the village's rustic charm. I The rustrc 7 to remove the cover from something
simplicity o/the/urniture is highly appealing.
coup/coup d ' e!a!
couple
REBELLION/REVOLUTION 2
MARRY 11 , TWO 2
1 to put something on, over, or around another
couple: a couple of SOME/A FEW 1, TWO 1 thing, for example in order to protect it, keep
courage BRAVE 2 it warm, or improve its appearance
courage: have the courage of your convictions cover/cover up wrap up
BRAVE 5 put 5th over coat
courage: pluck up the courage to do sth BRAVE 5
cover/cover up I l kAv~r, IkAv;!r Ihpl ( u TJ
courageous BRAVE 1
cover sth/sb Cover thefood, so thatjlies don't touch it. I
courier MESSAGE 2 , TAKE/BRING 9
cover sb/sth with Birds cover their eggs with straw to keep
course DIRECTION 1, MEAL 9 , SUBJECT 7
them warm and safe. I They covered the old lady with a
course: be on course PROBABLY 6 blanket and waitedfor the ambulance to arrive. I cover up
course: In the course of/during the course of sth (=cover something completely) She always wears a lot
DURING 1 of make-up to cover up her spots.
course: three<ourse meal MEAL 6
course of action/course DEAL WITH 6 put sth over I,pot (sth) lauvC)rl to put a cloth, piece of
course of drugs/treatment/Injections SERIES 1
material etc on top of something in order to cover it Iphr
uT I
course of events: In the normal course of events
An air hostess brought him a rug to put over his legs. I You
USUALLY 1
will need to putfine netting over the cage to prevent the insects
coursework WORK THAT S8 DOES 2 escaping.
court FRIEND 7 . JUDGE 9 , TRIAL 2
court: comelbe brought before the court JUDGE 12 wrap up 11 rrep I Apl to put paper, plastic, c~oth etc around
courteous POLITE 1
something in order to decorate or protect It or to prevent
it becoming too cold or too dry [phr v T l
~ courtesy POLITE 4
wrap up sth Have you wrapped up all your Christmas
Coventry: send 5b to Coventry TALK TO S8 19
presents yet? I wrap sth/it/ them up The butcher had
cover COVER 2, 4, 5, ENOUGH 2, HIDE/MAKE IT
wrapped the meat up welllxifore delivering it. I wrap sth
HARD TO FIND OR SEE 1, HID ElNOT SHOW 5 ,
up in Trout is easy to cook. Just brush it with oil and wrap
INCLUDE 2, REPORT 1, SIZE 4 , TRAVEL 3 it up in silver foil.
cover/cover up COVER 1
cover for REPLACE 2 coat lbut! to thinly cover the whole surface of something,
cover up HIDEfNOT SHOW 2
especially food, with a liquid or other substance [v TJ .
cover-up HIDE/NOT SHOW 3
coat sth with/in A special machine coats the nuts wlth
chocolate, I Coat the fISh completely in flour before putting
cover your tracks HIDE/NOT SHOW 2
them in the egg mixture.

2 ways of saying that one th ing partly or

completely covers another
cover
envelop
cover I l kAv~rl [u TJ
Posters of Elvis covered practically the whole wall. I A s you
can see from the weather map. huge rain clouds are com-
pletely covering the South East, I He was about fifty, with
strands of fair hair covering a receding hair line.
... . HIDE/MAKE envelop Im ' velapl a word used especially in literature
HARD TO FIND meaning to cover something completely so that it is
OR SEE difficult to see or touch (v TJ
The mist and rain enveloped theforest so that we could only
see the nearest trees. I A t sunset, darkness enveloped the town
in a sudden rush.
enveloping /adj only before noun l The bomb threw up an
enveloping cloud of dust.

3 words for describing something or someone

_ COVER
f to put something on, over, or around another
thing , for example in order to protect it, keep
it warm , or improve its appearance
2 ways of saying that one thi ng partly or
completely covers another
3 words for describing something or someone
that has been covered WITh something
4 a piece of paper, cloth, or other material that
is used to cover something
5 something that is designed to fit on a
container or piece of equipment in order to
close or protect it
that has been covered with something
covered caked
encrusted coated
plastered
covered f ' khv<lrdl {adj not usually before noun ]
covered with/ in/by The desk was a mess, completely
covered with papers and pens. I When the children returned
Iwme, covered in dust. parents began to complain. I The ice,
dangerously thin, was covered by a thin layer of snow.
encrusted fml!aAst!d/ covered with something thick
and hard that is difficult to remove [adj Mt lxifore noun!
encrusted with He took off his gloves, which were deeply
encrusted with dirt. and threw them into the washing
machine. I mud!dirtlblood etc encrusted (=encrusted
with mud dirt, blood ete) Evan reached into the pocket ofhis
mud-encrusted jacket and drew out a yellowing map.
COVER
pla.tered l'plo:sIO'd I 'pl",s-I covered thickly with
something such as mud, especially in a way that looks
unpleasant [adj not before noun )
plastered with/ in He Iook£d at his garrUin tools, old and
plastered with mUd. I Her face was plastered in make-up.
caked Ike lktj covered with something thick and hard,
especially mud ladj not before nounl
caked with/ in Matilda '5 boots were cak£d in mUd. I The
walls,j1oors, and beams oftire old house were cak£d with the
filth of a lifetime.
coated I' koutjdl food that is coated in sugar, oil, choco-
late ete is covered in sugar, oil etc, especially in order to
improve its taste {adj not usually be/ore noun!
coated with/ in Young new potatoes are best served coated
in butler and sprinkled with fresh mint. I evenly coated
Toss the aubergines in theoil until they are all evenly cooted.
283 crazy
layer 1'le'.'1In Cl
Apply twoor three layers a/nail polish to prevent the rolour
from chipping. I A thin layer of dust covered everything in
the room, as if no one hcuI been there for a long time. I She
cut the cake across the middle and. added a layer o/straw·
berry jam.
fllm /fIlrnj a very thin. clear covering that has appeared
or been left on the surface of something [n Cl
A film of oil lay on the sUrface of the water.
coating I'kautll]/ a very thin covering of liquid that has
been put on the whole surface of something In Cl
He gave the metal a coating 0/ oiL I The nuts had a choco-
late coating.
7 to remove the cover from something
uncover

4 a piece of paper, cloth, or other material that uncover JAn lkAva r/ [v Tl

is used to cover something Miss Christie was in the kitchen uncovering dishes offood. 1
Men working near the tomb of Saladin uncovered an
cover elaborate mosaic.
wrapping/wrapper
covering coverage REPORT 2
covered COVER 3
cover IlkAvar/ ln Cl covered : be covered in EVERYWHERE 2
Take your f eet off the chair! /'vejusl washed those cushion covering COVER 4
covers. I Iron Maiden a lways have very striking record covert SECRET 2
covers. I Mr Evans gave him a Holy Bible with a soft, red coward BRAVE 6
cover and pictures inside. cowardly BRAVE 6
wrapping/wrapper /lrrep11], Irre~ r/ the paper that is coy SHY 1
put around something, especially food. in order to protect cozy/cosy COMFORTABLE 2
it In Cl crack BREAK 1. 7 , 11 , HITIBUMP INTO 5, HOLE 4,
The children '5 pockets were full of candy wrappers. I There SOLVE/FIND THE ANSWER 1, SOUND 6
was garbage everywhere - food wrappings, empty tin cans crack a joke: make a joke/crack a joke JOKE 4
and rotting f ruit. I Charli£ tore the wrapper off the pack of crack down on STOP STH THAT IS HAPPENING 6,
cigarettes and took one out. STRICT 3
covering IlkAvarlfJl something that is used to cover a crack of dawn: at the crack of dawn EARLY 6
large flat area In C/ UI crack sb up/break sb up LAUGH 7
I can't decide what kind offloor covering to have in my new • crack up MENTALLY ILL 3
kitchen. I The coverings had been removed, revealing dry crack up: not all It's cracked up to be DISAPPOINTED 3
green tennis courts. crack up/crack CONTROL 8
cracked BROKEN 1
5 somelhing that is designed to fit on a crackers: be nuts/crackers CRAZY 1
cracking: get cracking HURRY 2, START OOING STH 2
container or piece of equipment in order to
crackle SOUND 11
close or protect it
cradle COME FROM/ORIG INATE 9
cover top crafty INTELLIGENT 8, 9
lid cap cram FULL 6
cover IlkAva r/ {n Cl cram for STUDY 2
Amos replaced the cover of the cheese dish. I The engineer crammed with: be crammed with FULL 2
removed the coverfrom the back ofthe TVand began search- cramped SMALL 4
ing for a fault. crank STRANGE 7
IlcI /hdf someth ing that is specially designed to fit on top craplbullshlt UNTRUE 4
of a box, pan etc in order to close it In C] crap: a toad of crap/be crap BAD 1
Does this saucepan hove a lid? I He lifted the lid of the great crash ACCIDENT 2. 3 , BROKEN 5, FAIL 11 . SOUND 6
wooden chest andfound his mother's old wedding dress. crash course FAST/QUIC K 10
crash Into HIT/ BUMP INTO 1, 2
top Itop 11 ta:pl something, especially something you push crash out SLEEP 9
or turn, to close a pen, bottle etc In Cl crasher INVITE 4
Makl! sure the tops are securely on the bottles so that they
don't leak. I It really annoys me when Dorry doesn't put the crater HOLE 3
top back on the toothpaste tUbe. crave WANT 6
craving WANT 8
cap Ikeepl something, especiaUy something small, round crawl FRIENDLY 7, SLOW 13
and flat that you press or turn on an object in order to close crawling with: be crawling with FULl 8
it In Cl
craze FASHIONABLE 6
Remove the gas cap by turning it twice to the left and. then
crazy CRAZY 1 , 7. MENTALLY ILL 1
back to the right. I He took a whisky bottlefrom his pocket,
unscrewed the metal cap and began to sip. crazy: be mad about/crazy about LI KE SB OR STH 2,
LOVE 8
crazy: drive ab crazy/nuts CRAZY 5
6 a thin flat piece or amount of something Ihal crazy: drive sb crazy/nuts/up the wall ANNOY 2
covers a surface crazy: go crazy/go nuts CRAZY 3, 4
layer crazy: go mad/go Insane/go crazy MENTALLY ILL 3
crazy: not be crazy about DON'T LIKE 1
film
coating
CRAZY
Icrazyl---_
which meaning?
behaving in a crazy, • CRAZY
very strange way
mentally ill • MENTALLY ILL
• STUPID/NOT
doing things that are
not sensible SENSIBLE
CRAZY
so stupid or strange that peopl e think you are
almost mad
1 words for describing someone who is crazy
2 behaving in a strange, often amusing way so I sorrow, anger etc or because of drugs [adj]
that people think you are mad
3 to start feeling as if you are crazy, especially
when you are in a very unpleasant or very
boring situation
4 to start behaving in a crazy , uncontrolled
way, especially when you are very excited
5 to make someone feel crazy or behave in a
crazy way
6 someone who is crazy
7 words for describing crazy things that people
do or say, or crazy situations
1 words for describing someone who is crazy
crazy be insane
be nuts/crackers be out of your mind/
madlbarmy off your rocker
need your head be stark raving mad
examined deranged
crazy / 'krelzij someone who is crazy does things that are
so strange or stupid that people think they are mad (adj l
We MW have 12 cats at our house - the neighbours must
think we're crazy! I The expedition was led by a crazy
Frenchman who didn't know the meaning of the wordfear.1
completely/ totally/crazy Put that g un down! Are you
totally crazy or something? I crazy to do stb You're crazy
to lend him all that money - you'll never get it back.
be nuts/crackers /hi: 'flAts, 'krrek;rz/ infonnal expres·
sions meaning to be crazy Iv phrase]
"Michelle goes for a 5 mile jog every day before breakfast. "
"She must be nuts. "I Usually when you tell people you're a
train spotter they look at you as i!you'recrackers. 1 be com-
plete ly nuts/crackers I expect you 'Il think I'm completely
nuts, but I've decUUd to g ive up my job and go and live in
fndia.
madlbanny Imred, 'bo:rmil infonnal British words
meaning crazy Ladjl
You spent £90 on a pair of shoes? You must be mad! I com-
pletely mad/banny Moniea 's new boyfriend is completely
barmy - he phones her up from Australia every day. I mad!
barmy to do sth She's mad to turn down an offer like that.
!,eecI your head examined / ,ni:dj::>:r Ihed Ig.zocmAndJ
Ifyou say that someone needs their h ead examined, you
mean that you think they are crazy because they have done
something that you do not approve or agree with Iv phrase
not in progressive l
"Her father'sjust given her a motorcyclefor her 16th birth-
day. " "That man n£eds his hood examitredl"l/fyou ask me
anyone who believes in UFOs needs their head examined.
be Insane /bi: m'seml to be behaving in a way that is
284 CRAZY
completely crazy, especially because it is dangerous [v
phrasel
"I'm thinking oJ going parachute jumping this weelrend. "
"Are you insane? You could get yourself killed!" I be com-
pletely/ totally insane You'd have to be tota lly insane to
take a small boat out in this weather!
be out of your mind/oH your rocker /bi: .aut;)v j:>:f
'malnd , ,ofj::>:r 'rok;:,r ~ - 'ro:k-J if you say that someone is
out of their mind or off their rocker, you mean that they
are suggesting something or intending to do someth ing
which seems completely crazy (v phrase]
When I said I wasgoing to retire at 45 myfriendsall tlwught
1 wasoJJmy rocker! I Tell the[XJlia? You must beoutofyour
mind!
be st.rIt raving mad /bi: ,sto:rk .relvll) Imred/ an infor-
mal British expression meaning to be completely crazy
Iv phrasel
He must be stark raving mad to go out in this weather
witlwut a coat. I Ofcourse I'm flot going to give away all my
money. What do you think I am? Stark raving mad?
deranged /dl 'remdJdl behaving in a crazy and often dan-
gerous way, especially because of ext reme feelings of
It was clear from his wild appearance and behaviour that
he was deranged. I In his latestfilm he plays a deranged sex
killer.
2 behaving in a strange, often amusing way, so
that people th ink you are mad
dotty/batty
be out to lunch
flaky
doHylbatty I'doti, 'breti 11 'da:-I informal British words
for describing someone, especially an · old person, who
behaves in a slightly strange, often amusing way, so that
people think they are mad ladjl
Next door to us lived a batty old lady who used. to have long
conversations with her plants. I My uncle frequently UXJre
shoes which didn't match, and everyone thought he was a bit
dotly.
be out to lunch Ibi: .aUI I;) 'IAntll an informal expres·
sion: someone who is out to lunch behaves in a strange,
confused way a nd does not seem to know what is happen-
ing around them [v phrase]
Our English teacher's really out to lunch - every week she
sets us Iwmework, and then the follo wing week she never
remembers to collect it back in again. I be completely out
to lunch It amazes me Iww lie got thejob in thefirstplace
- the guy's obviously completely out to lurych.
flaky I'flc lkil an infonnal American word for describing
someone who seems unable to think clearly and behaves
in a strange but often amusing way [a dj]
Christy was kind of j1nky, but everyone liked "er. I You
couidn 't trust Sam to do anything im]XJrtant, he was too
j1nky.
3 to start feeling as if you are crazy, especially
when you are in a very unpleasant or very
boring situation
go crazy/go nuts
go mad
go round the bend
go crazy/go nuts / ,gau Ikrelzi, ,g;:x; ' flAts/ Iv phrase I
He rouldn 't spend Qlw ther IOyoors inprison - he'dgo crazy. I
She 's going crazy at the moment - she's desperate to leave
her husband but she can'tjind a job. I I'd go nuts if 1 had
to get up that early every morning.
go mad / Igau 'mredl an informal British expression
meaning to start feeling as if you are crazy, especially when
you are in a very unpleasant or very boring situation [v
phrase]
Working ill afactory's so boring - after afew weeksyoustart
to go a bit mad. I1 think I'll go mad if 1 have to spend another
day in this office.
CRAZY
go round the bend Ig~ jraund (l);, 'bendl an informal
expression meaning to start feeling as if you are crazy, for
example because you have so much work to do, you are
extremely worried about something, or YOll hate the situ-
ation yOll are in so much [v phrase]
In my last year at college I had so much studying to do I
almost went round the bend. I We didn't know what had hafr
pened to our daughter - we were both practically going
round the bend.
4 to start behaving in a crazy, uncontrolled
way , especially when you are very excited
go crazy/go nuts
go mad
go berserk
go crazy/go nuts l.g<KJ Ikre lzi, Ig:xJ Intl.ts/ [v phrase ]
TtwJans went crazy when Madonna came onto the stage. I
The carnival takes place in February and the entire city goes
crazy for a week. j As soon as the dog sees anyone at the door
he goes completely nuts.
go mad I.gatl Imred{ a British expression meaning to start
behaving in a crazy, uncontrolled way, especially when
you are very excited I v phrase I
When Italy scored the winning goal the crowd went mad,
shouting, singing and waving their scaroes. I Karen goes
absolutely mad if anyone tickles her feet.
go berserk Ilg~ b3: T1 S3: Tkl to suddenly start behaving
in an extremely wild, violent, and often frightening way
IV phrase I
The man suddenly went berserk and began shouting at
evetybody on the platform infront of me. I When the referee
gave Germany a penalty the Dutchfam went totally berserk
and started smashing up the stadium .
5 to make someone feel crazy or behave in a
crazy way
drive sb crazylnuts
drive sb mad
drive sb round the bend
drive ab crazy/nuts /I dralv (sb) Ikrelzi, IflAts/ (vphrase l
I must look for another job - this one's driving me nuts. I
Have you smelled my new aftershave? It's supposed to drive
women crazy! I Those kids are enough to drive anyone crazy
- I'll be glad when they go back to sclwol.
drive sb mad / Idralv (sb) 'mred/ a British express ion
meaning to make someone feel crazy or behave in a crazy
way Iv phrase I
I can't wait to get my exam results! All this waiting is driv-
ing me mad! I Stuart hates doing crossword puzzLes - he says
they drive him mad!
drive sb round the bend , .dralv (sb) •Taund 6a ' bend/
an informal expression used especially in British English:
if something such as a lot of work , worry or doing some-
thing you hate drives you round the bend, it makes you
feel completely crazy (v phrase]
I have so much work to do a t the moment, it 's driving me
round the bend. I She was really glad when she gave up
teaching. It was driving her right round the bend.
6 someone who is crazy
nut manlacllunatic
nutcase/loony nutter
madman/madwoman weirdo
nut /flAt/ ln Cl
A lot of people think he's a real nut, but he's actually quite
harmless. I Why are you asking me all these questions about
my private life? Are you some kind of nut or something?
nutcaselloony /lnA lkel s, ' Iu!ni/ someone who behaves
in a crazy and often amusing way and who has strange
ideas [n Cl
Our old maths teacher was a real nutcase - he used to eat
chalk because he said it was good for your bones. I In the
285 CRAZY
19605 everyone thought that vegetarians were a bunch of
loonies ~ now one in ten people in this country is vegetarian.
madman/madwoman / 'maxim;:>n, 'ma:dwumzmJ a word
meaning a person who is completely crazy, used especially
when saying that someone behaves like someone who is
mad lnC I
like a madman/ madwoman Helen started Laughing Like
a madwoman. I Stan was rushing around like a madman,
trying to get the meal ready in time. I madman/ mad-
woman Every time I walk past her window she always stares
at me as if I'm some kind of madman.
manlacllunatlc / Imelflirek , 'lu:fl;}tJk/ a person who
behaves in a crazy and often violent or dangerous way In C I
He drives like a maniac. I People are scared to go out at night
in case they're attacked by some maniac with a knife. I com-
plete/ raving lunatic (=someone who is completely crazy)
We'd better get out of here quickly - that guy's obviously a
raving lunatic. I I was unable to make any sense ofhis Letter,
and I decided that the man was a complete lunatic.
nutter / In...t;)r, an informal British word meaning a
person who has strange ideas or who behaves in a strange
and often frightening way In Cl
Sometimes you get these nutters calling you on the phone at
30'clock in the morning. I complete nutter He's a complete
nutter, he's got no sense of danger whatsoever.
weirdo / IW];}Td;}{j/ an infonnal word for a person who
looks strange or who behaves in a very strange and often
unpleasant or frightening way In Cl
Whenever I travel on the subway I always seem to end up sit-
ting next to som€ weirdo. I He had long hair and was always
smoking strange smelling cigarettes - most people thought
he was a real weirdo.
7 words for describing crazy things that people
do or say, or crazy situations
crazy
mad
Insane
madnessllunacy
screwy
crazy / 'krel zi/ladj l
While I was at coLLege I did some really crazy things. I You
actually believe there reaLLy is a Loch Ness monster! That
must be about the craziest thing I ever heard! I com-
pletely/ totally crazy "There's one bus every week... "That's
totally crazy!"
mad /ma:d/ a British word meaning crazy (adj ]
It's mad - there are eight people working in that tiny office.
arul the room next door is empty! I Shefeit a sudden mad urge
to teLL him how much she loved him. I completely/ totally
mad It would be completely mad to give up now, just when
you 're starting to become successful.
screwy / 'skru:i/ an informal word used especially in
American English, meaning crazy and making no sense,
especially in an amusing way ladjl
"What do you think of Dan 's idea?" "The wlwle thing sounds
pretty screwy to me. " I She has all these screwy theories about
how psychic energy from crystals can cure all kinds of
iLLnesses_
insane /m'sc m/ something that is insane is completely
crazy, because it can not possibly succeed or is very
dangerous {adj l
For some insane reason he decided to do the whole journey
in one day. I it is insane to do sth It would be insane to try
and Land the aircraft there ~ the runway 's not nearly long
enough.
madness/lunacy /' m redn~s . 'lu:n;}Si/ if you describe a
s ituation or someone's behaviour as madness or lunacy,
you mean that it is completely crazy In V I
Jean Renoir's film shows the madness of war. I it's mad-
ness / lunacy They can 't build a big road through all that
beautifuL parkland - it 's madness! I it is madness/ lunacy
to do sth It was lunacy to imagine that Hitler would stop
once he had reached Poland. I sheer/ complete/ pure mad-
ness/ lunacy The doctor said it would be pure madnessfor
someone in his condition to go back to work. lIt would be
sheer lunacy to close down Britain's coal industry and be
forced to rely on foreign imports.
creak 286 CRIME
creak SOU NO 7 oHenc. (British) I oH.n•• (American) /,'fens/ a word
cream: the cream of BEST 3 used especially in a legal context meaning an action which
creamy THICK UQUID 1 can be punished by law In Cl
crease FOLD 3 , 5 , LINE 3 , 4 Tarrant is now injailfor various ojJenses, including rape. I
creased FOLD 5 , LIN E 10 There has been a sharp increase in drug-related offe1W!S over
creased: get creased FOLD 5 the past year. I offences/ offen ses against A man has been
charged with sexual offences against young childrerL I crimi-
nal offen ce/ offense Are you aware that the possession 0/
Icreatel stolen property is a criminal offence? 1 serious offen ce/
offense Two people are being held on suspicion of serious
offences under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. I minor
which meaning? offcnce/ otIense (=:one that is not very serious) an unjust
system that imposes heavy penalties/or minor offences
make or produce • MAKE felony I 'felanil a word used especially in the American
lega1 system meaning a serious crime such as murder or
something a violent attack [n Cl
• INVENT You were carrying weaponsfor the purpose o/committing
think of a new idea, a felony. I Johnson was preparing his defense against the
method, machine etc felony chnrges of rape and armed robbery.
mlscleme.,or I,mlsd! Imi:IlCI f / a word used especially in
create CAUSE 5 , INVE NT 1. MAKE 4 the American legal system meaning a crime that is not very
creation INVENT 3 serious In Cl
creative ART/CULTURE 4, IDEA 5 Horowitz had severa l misdemeanors on hisfile by th£ time
creator: the creator of INVENT 2 he was twelve. I McFarlane pleaded guilty to four federal
credible BELIEVE 11 misdemeanours based on charges that he had lied to
credit: be a credit to PROUD 3 D:mgress.
credit: be In credit OWE 8
credit: get/buy 5th on credit PAY FOR 4
creditor LEND 3 , OWE 7
2 criminal activity in general
crime
credulous BELIEVE 9
delinquency
creed RELIGION 1
creep FRIENDLY 7, OBEY 7, SLOW 13, WALK 8 criminal activity
creeps: give sb the creeps FR IGHTENED 7 crlm. /kralrn/ ln UI
creepy: spooky/creepy FRIGHTENED 6 The police are introducing new measures (0 deal with the
crest TOP 1 growing problem of crime. I the continuing debate about
crew GROUP OF PEOPLE 5 crime and punishment I crime rate/ statistics/prevention
crib COPY 4 etc Nassau now has the third highest crime rate in the
crime CRIME 1. 2 world. I There is a police offICer responsible/or giving advice
crime : be 8 crime BAD BE HAVIOUR OR ACTIONS 2 on crime prevention to local residents. I violent crime Vio·
crime: capital offence/crime KILL 10 lent crime increased by 36% in America last year. I serious
crime: turn to crime CRIME 4 crime The new computer system speeds up administrative
work and releases more police time for tackling serious
crime. I petty/ minor crime (=:crime that is not very seri-
CRIME ous) Children who end up on the streets are likely to get
drawn into petty crime and prostitution. !crime wave (=:a
actions such as stealing or violence for which situation in which there is a lot of crime) Mayor Daly called
people can be punished by law for urgent action last night, to combat the escalating crime
wave in the city.
1 a particular criminal action delinquency Idl 'l llJkw.msil criminal behaviour that
2 criminal activity in general seems to have no reason, such as fighting or destroying
3 involving crime or the punishment of crime things, especially when this is done by young people, and
4 to do something that is a crime which is therefore considered to be a social problem [n UJ
5 someone who is guilty of a crime Delinquency and drug addiction are more common in areas
of high unempiDyment. I juvenile d elinqu en cy (=delin·
6 a group of people who plan and organize quency among young people) Education has an important
serious crime part to play in the battle against juvenile deliquency.
criminal Bcllv"y /,knm~nal rek1tlvAti/ ln Ul
Without boxing, Wilson might have been involved in crimi-
1 a particular crim inal action nal activity at an early age. I The flow 0/ information
crime felony between public and police is vita l if criminal activity is to
offence/offense misdemeanor beswpped.
crlme /kralrn[ In Cl
The number ofcrimes reported to the police seems to increase
every }IOOr. ! crime against Violent crimes against the
3 involving crime or the punishment of crime
criminal
elderly are becoming more common. I commit a crime (=:do
something that is a crime) The statistics show that young criminal I1knm!nall (adj on ly before noun I
people are committing more crimes, particularly oftmft and Once she "ad qualiJtOO as a lawyer, she decided w special·
violence. I serious crime A support group has be€n set up ize in criminal law. I criminal investigation (=inquiring
to help the victims ofserious crimes. I convict sb of a crime about a crime) The Mayor wasfurious when he heard there
(=decideofficially in a law court that they did it) Th£ men's was going to be a criminal investigation into his staffs
families claim they have been unjustly convicted ofthe crime.! activities.l criminal record (=:a list made by the police of
solve a crime (=:find out who did it) Police are no nearer someone's crimes) Because of his criminal record Jack was
to solving the crime than they were four years ago. I the finding it very diJTlCult to get a job. ! criminal tendency
scene of the crime (=:the place where it was done) When (=:towards criminal behaviour) Blake was a restless, violent
detectives arrived at the scene 0/ th£ crime, the victim had young man with obvious criminal tendencies.
been dead for over four hoUrs.
CRIME
4 to do someth ing that is a crime
commit
get Into trouble
turn to crime
commit I k~'mnl commit a crime/ offence/ murder/
assault/ rape etc (=do something that is a crime, espe-
cially a serious or violent crime) [u TJ
Brady committed a series of brutal murders. I Women
commit/ar fewer crimes than men. lIt now seems likely that
Mason was sent to prison/or an offence he never committed.
get into trouble I.get IOld ItrAbal/ to get into a situation
in which you are blamed or punished for doing something
illegal [u phrase )
He got into trouble in Holland/or exporting arms to a bunch
of terrorists. J get into trouble with I'm worried about
Wayne. He's always getting into trouble with the police.
turn to crime "t3: Tn la IkralmJ to begin a way of life that
involves crime [v phrase1
Many young people turn to cr ime because they are bored and
frustrated. I Steven came to Lorulon at the age of seventeen,
and when he could rwtflnd work, he turned to crime.
5 someone who is guilty of a crime
criminal lawbreaker
offender felon
delinquent wanted
crlminal /1 kfl mlnall someone who is guilty of a serious
crime or of several crimes [n Cl
The police are hunting for a dangerous criminal named
Joseph DeCosta. I hardened criminal (=one who has a lot
of experience of crime) In prison young Dliver found him-
self among hardened criminals. I common criminal
(=guiltyofordinary crimes, not of political crimes) We treat
these terrorists as common criminals, but they think they're
revolutionaries.
offender /a 1fend;,rl a word used especially in an official
or legal context meaning someone who is guilty ofa crime
InCI
A flrst time offender is treated less severely than one who
alroody has a criminal record. 1 Dne area oftheprison is used
exclusively for sex offenders. I About 30% ofknown offenders
are juveniles.
delinquent /dI1hl)kwant/ a person, especially a young
person, who is guilty of criminal behaviour such as fight-
ing or destroying things [n Cl
Many children become delinquents because they are neglected
by their parents. 1juvenile delinquent (=one who is stiB
a ch ild) Peter can be aa;urately described as ajuvenile delin-
quent, ha ving been in trouble with the police several times.
delinquent (adj l an institution for delinquent children
lawbreaker Ilb:brelka r/ a word used especially in
newspapers or on television meaning a person or organi-
zation that does something illegal [n Cl
The penalties must be severe enough to deter lawbreakers. 1
What if the lawbreaker is a multinational corporation with
more power than the legal autlwrities?
felon / 'fclanJ a word used especially in American English
meaning someone who is guilty of a serious crime [n Cl
Oakdale Prison holds over 6(){) dangerous f elons. 1 A pack
of young felons had knocked down an old woman and left
her for dead.
wanted J IwontAd 11 Iwo:n-I someone who is wanted is
being looked for by the police because they are believed to
be guilty of a crime (adj l
wanted for Richards is wantedfor the murderofa security
guard at the City Bank on the night ofDecember 5th. 1 most
wanted The mass murderer known as the 'Yorkshire
Ripper' wasfor a long time the most wanted man in Britain.
I~I "You say" is used in defin ilions of some
~ words or phrases 10 show Ihey are
especially used in Spoken English.
287 CRITICIZE
6 a group 01 people who plan and organize
serious crime
gang underworld
ring organized crime
syndicate
gang /grerJ/ a group of criminals who work together in ille-
gal activities (n Cl
Lafferty was 011.e of the gang that robbed the Cornvilie Bank. I
Gangs virtually rule East LA - there are neighborhoods
where even the police won't go. 1 armed gang (: with guns
or weapons) An armed gang has been operating in the area,
robbing j ewellery stores and banks. 1 gang member
(=someone in a gang) Gang members are sworn to socre(}'
when they join. 1 gang war (=between gangs) The killing
is thought to be associated with the gang war that has been
raging in the city.
ring /f1rJl a group of people who work together and
organize an illegal trade, especially drug dealing [n Cl
Drugs rings are now operating in most large cities of the
world. 1 The auctioneers organized a secret ring to control
antique sales.
syndlcate , lslOdlklt/ a word used espec ially in Ameri-
can English meaning a large and powetful organization
that controls illegal businesses and criminal activities [n
Cl
In Illinois sales 0/cocaine are so profitable that the big syn·
dicates are losing interest in other criminal activities. I
criminal syndicate Vito Genovese, former boss of New
York's most power/ul criminal syndicate
underworld f IAnda r W3: rJdl th e group of secret organiza-
tions that plan and organize crime in a particular city [n
singulnr J
Dwen has been active in the Boston underworld for many
years. 1 Only someone with underworld connections could
have known about the planned robbery.
organized crime /I:.'l:rganalzd Ikralln/large criminal
organizations that plan and control serious crime such as
robbing banks or selling drugs [n UJ
TIw police need more resources to combat organized crime. I
In America organized crime is already moving into areas
of I£gitimate business.
criminal BAD BEHAVIOUR OR ACTIONS 2, CRIME 3, 5,
,~ ILLEGAL 1
a:s
~ criminal activity CRIME 2
Cripple
crisis
INJURE 3
SERIOUS SITUATION 2
I' criSp BREAK 12. COLD 4
~ criterion JUDGE 8
critic CR ITICIZE 3, JUDGE 1
critic: be a critic of CRITICIZE 1
critlcat CRITICIZE 7, IMPORTANT 1, SERIOUS
SITUATION 1
Critical: be critical CRITICIZE 1
criticism CRITICIZE 6, JUDGE 1
criticism: be open to criticism CRITICIZE 8
critiCism: receive/come In for criticism CRITICIZE 8
criticize CRITICIZE 1
• CRITICIZE
1 to say what you think is w rong or bad about
someone or something
2 to strongly criticize someone or something in
public, for example in a newspaper or on
television
3 someone who criticizes, especially someone
who publicly criticizes a politician, plan , or
system
4 to criticize someone or something in an unfair
or annoying way
continued
CRITICIZE 288
. CRITICIZE continued
5 to talk about someone in a rude or
unpleasant way when that person is not
present
6 something that you say or write in order to
criticize something
7 words for describing people, remarks etc that
criticize
8 to be criticized by someone else
9 to not criticize someone
1 to say what you think is wrong or bad about
someone or something
criticize launch an attack on
be critical lay Into
attack be a critic of
crltlclza (also -Isa British) , 'k"'lsa,z, Iv [ITI
criticize sb/sth My mother is always criticizing my cook·
ing. I criticize sb/sth as The lntest economic report has been
criticized as being too pessimistic. I criticize sb for doing
sth Police criticlzed driversfor travelling too/ast in the/og.1
criticize It's easy to criticize, but you don't have to deal with
these problems. I strongly criticize The UnUm Nations has
been strongly criticized jor its failure to take action.
be critical /hi: I kntlloll to express disapproval of some-
thing such as a plan, a system, or a way of doing something,
especially by mentioning its faults (v phrase]
be critical of Miller was critical of the way in which the
company conducted its business. 1 be highly critical The
article is highly critical of US policies towards Central
America. 1 be critical Many judges disapproved of the new
law but were unwilling to be openly critical.
aHack fClluekl to criticize someone or something very
strongly, especially using powerful language and often in
public IV TI
attack sb/sth The senator made a speech attacking George
Bush. I Osbor,",'s play attacks middle-class attitudes and
values. 1 attack sb for sth Congress attack ed the Adminis-
tration for its lack of concern for the unemployed.
launch.n .ttaek on I II:l:ntJ Cln Cl Itrek on! to begin and
continue very strong criticism of someone or something,
especially usingpowerlullanguage and in public (v phrase]
Several newspapers launched an attack on Churchill. 1
France launched a bitter attack on European Community
proposals to reducefarm subsidies. 1 Purvis started his cam·
paign by launching a vitriolic attack on what he contemp-
tuously called 'the cowards' charter'.
lay Into f llel mtu:/ an infonnal expression meaning to
criticize someone very strongly for something they have
done IvTI
lay into sb The teacher really laid into us this morning -
told us we'dallfaiI ifwedidn'tstartdoing some work. 1 lay
into sb about You should have heard her laying into the
kitchen sta!! about the food being cold.
be a critic of Jbi: Cl Ikrmk Dvl if someone is a critic of
the government, a person in authority etc or what they do,
they regularly and publicly criticize them [v phrase 1
She has been a critic of this government's policiesfor many
years. 1 be an outspoken critic of (=one who is not afraid
to criticize strongly and publicly) He is an outspoken critic
ofthe police and their methods. I be sb's greatest/biggest
ctc critic (=criticize them more than anyone else does) Mr
l£vy has established a reputation as the committee's biggest,
most vehement critic.
"You say" is used in defi nitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English .
CRITICIZE
2 to strongly criticize someone or something in
public, for example in a newspaper or on
television
slam pillory
pan do a hatchet job on
tear to shreds
slam /slrem/ a word used in newspapers meaning to criti-
cize someone or something very strongly in a public state-
ment [v TJ
slam sb for doing sth Police slammed. driversfor ignoring
safety warnings. 1 slam sb/sth TV boss slams the press.
pan /pren! to strongly criticize something such as a film,
play, or a performance by writing about it in a newspaper,
talking about it on television etc [v TJ
The movie was panned by all the critics.
tear to shreds /lteCl r t~ IJredzJ to find many faults in
someone's ideas or arguments and criticize them very
severely [v phrase ]
When the prosecutor had presented his case, the defence
lawyer tore his arguments to shreds.
plllOl'Y ,'p,loril ifa lot of people pillory a person, they join
together in criticizing that person very strongly in pubh c
[v T usually passive]
be pilloried The minister was pilloried in the pressfor lying
to the country. 1 Middleton suffered the ultimate humiliation
of being pilloried by his colleagues infront of the television
cameras.
do a hatchatjob on Idu,. 'hre'fl.d30b on II -d3ruh-1an
informal expression meaning to criticize every part of
someone's character or work in a newspaper or on tele-
vision , in order to destroy their image [v phrase]
Republican columnists did a hatchet job on Dukakis.
3 someone who criticizes, especially someone
who publicly critic izes a politician, plan, or
system
critic
critic I'k"" kf In Cl
The President answered his critics in a televised speech. I
Critics of nuclear power point out that the problem of
storing radioactive waste remains unsolved.
4 to criticize someone or something in an unfair
or annoYing way
find fault with denigrate
pick holes In put down
knock get at
run down
find fault with JI(alnd If:>:lt WIO/ to criticize someone for
a specific mistake or fault in their work, especially a small
and unimportant one Iv phrase)
Whenever the manager comes around, I always think he's
trying to find fault with my work. 1 Even the most critical
reviewer could not find fau lt with her performance.
pick holes In / IPlk 'hClUlz mJ to flnd and criticize small
incorrect details in someone's ideas, statements etc Iv
phrase]
It's easy to pick holes in his theory. 1I wish you'd stop trying
to pick lwles in everything I say.
knock Inok 11 nrukJ to criticize someone, their work, or
their performance in an unfair and annoying way Iv T)
When the critics knock your music, does it upset you? 1I know
it 's becomefashionable to knock Mrs Thatcher, but I think
she did a good job of running the country. 1 don't knock it!
Hey, don't knock it! It 's the only suit I've got!
run down I IrAn 'daun/ to keep unfairly criticizing some-
one or their work so as to make them seem less important
or less successful than they really are [phr v T]
nm sb/sth/it/her etc down You have two clever children.
Why are you always running them down? I run down sb/
CRITICIZE
sth She has no talent herselfsoshe gets her satisfaction/rom
running down other people's work.
denigrate Ilden AgreJt/ a [onnal word meaning to unfairly
criticize someone or what they have achieved. especially
when their actions might normally deserve approval [v TJ
They don '[ wish to denigrate the achievements of teachers,
only to point out opportunities/or improvement. I Tradition·
ally. Communists tended to denigrate intellectuals.
put down I.put 'daunJ to make someone feel unimportant
or stupid especially by criticizing them in front of other
people Iphr v Tl
put sb/her/them etc down I hate his habit DJ putting me
down in front of other people and humiliating me. I put
down sb He's very good at putting down people he doesn't
like.
get at "get retj an informal expression meaning to keep
criticizing someone by making remarks about their
behaviour or habits. especially in an unkind or annoying
way Iv TI
get at sb about My mother keeps getting at me about the
state ofmy room. I getat sb Whenever he talks to me [always
feel he's trying to get at me in some way.
5 to talk about someone in a rude or
unpleasant way when that person is not
present
talk about sb slag off
behind their back bad-mouth
bitch about
talk about sb behind their back I,""k ,bouI (sb)
bl,hallld oe~r 'ba!k/ to talk about and criticize someone
when they are not present rv phrase I
I hate people who talk about you beh ind your back and then
pretend to be nice to you when they meet you.
bitch about l'bltJ dbautl an informal expression mean·
ing to make nasty remarks about someone when that
person is not present [v Tl
People in our offICe are always bitching about each other.
slag off I Is1reg 'of 11 -'J:fl an informal British expression
meaning to criticize someone in a nasty way when they are
not present [phr v Tl
slag off sb She spent the whole evening slagging off her ex·
boyfriend. I slag sb/her/them etc off When the team isn't
winning everyone starts slagging th~m off.
bad-mouth I ' ba!d mau81 an informal American expres-
sion meaning to say bad things about someone when they
are not present Iv TJ
She's always bad·mouthing her old colleagues. I Directors
have bad-mouthed him all over Hollywood, so he hasn't done
a film for three years.
6 something that you say or write in order to
criticize something
criticism slur
attack put~down
critique
criticism I ' kntbslzam! what you say or write when you
criticize someone or something [n C/ UI
The committee has made four specific criticisms of the
government's transport policy. I Th£ most common criticism
ofthe magazine is that it is not colourful enough. I He's very
sensitive to any kind ofcriticism. I constructive criticism
(=criticism which suggests ways to improve something)
I'm always ready to accept constructive criticism. I severe/
fierce criticism (=very strong criticism) The article con-
tainedjlRrce criticism ofMr Jeffries and his staffat the hospi-
tal. I harsh criticism (=criticism that is too strong and
unfair) Admittedly, some of my criticisms may have been a
little harsh.
attack la 'trekl a very strong public expression of criti·
cism. espec ia lly in politics In Cl
The communist newspapers often contained attacks on the
Church. I This could not be called valid criticism, it was a
289 CRITICIZE
vicious personal attack. 1 scathing attack (=one that is
extremely strong and shows no respect) a scathing attack
on the Administration's handling of the crisis
critique (lcrI 'ti:kJ an article, book, speech etc which care-
fully examines a subject and points out what is wrong or
bad about it In Cl
Th£ speech was a devastating critique of Reagan 's economic
policy. I Marx's critique of capitalism in tlw 19th century
slur Isi3: rl unfair criticism that reduces the good opinion
that people have about someone fn C]
Your accusation of bribe·taking is a slur which [shall never
forgive.
put-down I I put daun{ something that someone says to
someone, especially in front of other people, that criticizes
them and makes them feel stupid or unimportant [n Cl
It was a cruel put-down, and hurt h£r deeply. I She was a
master of the sarcastic put·down.
7 words for describing people, remarks etc that
criticize
critical
scathing
critical Ilkrltlk<l11 critical letter/ remark/report etc
(=one which criticizes something or someone) ladjl
Critical remarks by a teacher can damage the confidence of
children. I highly critical (=very critical) The government
hasjust published a highly critical report on the state of the
education ~ystem.
scathing , ' ske li'm)1 criticizing someone or something
extremely strongly and in a way that shows you have no
respect for them tadj)
Her new book is a scathing attack on American imperialism
in Central America. I scathing about He is particularly
scathing about those consultants wlw charge ridiculously
high fees.
8 to be criticized by someone else
receive/come in for criticism
be under attack/come under attack
get/take a lot of flak
be open to criticism
target
receive/come In for criticism In, si:v , I kAm In f<J r
I krlt ~slzamf tv phrasel
The unions came infor strong criticismfrom the government
after the strike. I Recent statements by the Secretary General
have received a good deal of criticism in the national press.
be under attack/come under attack Ibi: IAndar
a 1trek, kAm-1 to be severely criticized, especially in public
tu phrase]
His theories came under attack from other scientists. I Bank
managers are under attackfor their refusal to reduce interest
rates on loans to small businesses.
get/take a lot offlak I,gel, ,I<ok, lol,v 'n",k 11 -10:1-1
an informal expression meaning to receive a lot of strong
public criticism for something [v phrase I
Ifyou become a politician, you must expect to get a lot offlak
during your career. 1 The immigration department is taking
a lot of political flak for not moving faster to help refugees.
be open to criticism Ibi: I;)up~n t<J 'krll~srzamJ ifsome·
one or something is open to criticism, there are 15000.
reasons for criticizing them Iv phraseJ
The general is open to criticismfor his handling ofthe war.I
Current reforms in the legal system may be open to criticism
if they appear to be undemocratic.
target I 'to!r g~ tl an organization, person in authority etc
that is criticized by a lot of people [n Cl
target of The President is the main target of the newspapers
attacks. I target for The Communist Party has become the
main targetfor critical attack among left wing intellectuals.
CRITICIZE 290 CROWD
crow BOAST 1
9 to not criticize someone crow: as the crow files STRAIGHT 2
do not/cannot blame crowd CROWD 1, 4. FRIEND 3
crowd: follow/go with the crowd IMITATE 3
do not/cannot blame I, du: not , ,krenot ' ble lm/ if you
say that you do not blame or cannot blame someone for crowd: in-crowd GROUP OF PEOPLE 6
doing something, you mean that you think it was a reasona- crowd around/round ARO UND/ROUND 2
ble thing to do and you cannot criticize them for it [v crowd in ENTER 7
phrase l
Clive's going to move to a better job. I don 't blame him I I
can see you're annoyed with me/or being late and I don't
blame you. I do not/cannot blame sb for sth Yo u can 't
blame her for get ling a divorce, her husband 's always treated
Icrowd 1--------,
hRr badly. which meaning?
critique CRITICIZE 6 lots of people ., CROWD
cronies FRI END 3
crooked BEND 7 , DISHONEST 2 a ptace with a lot of .. BUSY PLACE
crop GROW PLANTS, VEGETABLES ETC 3 activity and people
crop up HAPPEN 2
cross ANGRY 1. CROSS 1, TRAVEL 1 full, no more seats or _ FULL
cross: a cross between MIX 8 places left
cross-examine/cross-question ASK A QUESTIO N 4
cross my heart PROMISE 6
cross out REMOVE 4
cross-purposes: beltalk at cross-purposes
UNDERSTAND 11
• CROWD
cross sb 's mind: enter sb's mind/cross sb's mind
THINK STH/HAVE A THOUGHT 1 1 a large number 01 people who have gathered
cross-section PART 8 in one place or who are all moving in the
same direction
2 an angry, violent crowd
. CROSS 3 to come together so that a crowd forms
4 ways of saying that people fill a place and
1 to go across a space, area etc move around in it
5 ways of saying that the people in a crowd
separate and leave, so that the crowd
disappears
1 to go across a space, area etc
6 words for describing a ptace with large
across cut across
numbers of people in it
over cut through
cross
across I;) I kros 11 d I kr.>:sl {prep J
runlfly/ wa1kllook etcacross ThR little baY ran across thR 1 a large number of people who have gathered
road to meet them. 1flying across the Atlantic 1 A group of in one place or who are all moving in the
people were standing on the mountainside, gazing out across same direction
lhe valley. crowd horde
over II~v~ rl a word meaning across, used especially mass throng
when saying that someone goes across something and also swarm crush
above something at the same time [prepJ
go/ fly etc over In the autumn, greatjlocks ofgeese fly over crowd /kr,ud{ In Cl
the country heading south. 1 Take the third turning on the I don 'I go 10 foatball gam£S because I don 'I like big crowds. I
left, go over the bridge, and you're there. crowd of The IhW grabbed my harutbag and disappeared
cross /kros 11 kn:sl to go across an area of land, a road. into a crowd of tourists. 1By the time the police arrived the
a river etc rv T} small group of spectators had become an angry crowd. 1
cross sth He pians to cross the Himalayas onfoat. 1Beyond crowds of(=large numbers of people in the same area) The
the houses the lane became a rough track crossing a bridge streets were busy with crowds of Saturday morning
towards the UXJOd. 1 cross the road Children need to be s/wppers.
taught how to cross the road safely. mass {mresl a very large crowd which is not moving and
cut across I I kAt dlkros 11 -d l kr.>:s/ to go across an area of which is very difficult to move through [n singular]
land such as a field, instead of going around it on a path mass of It was difTlCult to see the statue because there was
or road [v T J a mass ofpeople infront ofit. 1 seething mass (=when there
Farmers have begun putting up fences to prevent visitors are far too many people all pushing and trying to go some-
from cutting across their land. 1 They branched away from where) In no time at all the border had become a seething
the path and cut across the grass. mass ofrefugees. 1solid mass (=when people cannot move
because they are so close together) The road was blocked
cut through l.kAt 'Bru:/ to go across an area such as a by a solid mass of protesters.
garden, a wood, or a group ofbuUdings, instead of going
around it on a path or road , because it is quicker [v TJ swarm {sw:>:rrnj a large crowd of people who are moving
Instead of taking the main road I cut through the church· quickly in many directions in a very uncontrolled way In
yard andjumped over the wall at the bottom. 1Hefound the Cl
restaurant by chance, cutting through the shopping mall. swarm of Outside the school a swarm ofsmall children ran
around shouting and laugh ing.
crossfire: be caught in the crossfire SHOOT 5 horde {h::>: rd/ a large crowd of people, especially people
crossing TRAVEL 8 that you do not like or approve of, moving in an uncon·
crotchety BAD-TEMPERED 4 trolled way In Cl
crouch BEND 2 horde of A horde ofscreaming kids ran into the playground
CROWD
when the bell rang. I She ran down the steps of the court
house, pursued by a Iwrdeojreporters and cameramen. I in
hordes Every summer tnurists arrive in Iwrdes, making life
unbearable/or the local residents.
throng lem.] 11 ero:D/' word used especially in literature.
meaning a very large crowd [ n Cl
They entered the main squareandjoined tlw swaying,laugh-
ing throng. I throng of Goats, mules and carts moved along
the dusty road with the throng of refugees.
crush (krAfl a cro\'·:d of people who are all pressed close
together so that it is very difficult to move between them
[n singular]
Unable to get out o[ the crush, Chris began to panic. I There
was chaos as people tried to escape thej1arnes and two chil-
dren were badly injured in the crush.
2 an angry . violent crowd
mob
rabble
mob /mobll mo:bf a crowd of violent and noisy people,
behaving in a way that is difficult to control In Cl
The mob ran through the main street, hreaking windows
and setting fire to cars. I mob of They found themS€Ives
surrounded by a mob of angry youths.
rabble I'freball a crowd of noisy, violent people who are
not organized or controlled In singular]
Their army was nothing f1Wre than an untrained rahbleand
would never be ready for battle. I rabble of We watched them
passing by - a rabble of drunken, unwashed youths shout-
ing at the tops of their voices.
3 to come together so that a crowd forms
gather mass
collect congregate
form converge
gather l'greOo'l Iv 11
By the time the President arrived a large crowd had
gathered. I gather on/at/in etc Nobody knew what was
happening. Small crowds began to gather on street corners. I
The whole family had gathered at the front door to wave
goodbye.
collect /k~ l] ektl if a crowd collects, people gradually
come together so that there is a croWd, usually because
they stop to watch or listen to something [v IJ
A crowd was collecting outside the building, wa iting for us
to come out. I Crowds were starting to collect outside the
theatre to await the arrival of the royal couple.
form / b: r ml if a crowd forms, more and more people join
a group of people who have stopped to watch or listen to
something, so that there is a crowd rv IJ
A cheering croWdfarmed round the winner. I Already crowds
wereforming as more and more people stopped to watch the
rescue operation.
mass Imres! ifa lot of people mass in a particular place,
they all go to that place a t the same time so that there is
a very large crowd IvI)
mass on/ at/ in etc Troops are massing a II a long thefron-
tier. I As the pleasure boat approached the harbour entrance,
sightseers massed on deck to take in the view.
congregate / ' kDl)gr~gelt 11 'kO!I)_1 if people congregate
in a particular place, they fonn a crowd in that place, espe-
cially because they want to meet each other Iv IJ
congregate on/at/in etc Teenagers always seem to con·
gregate outside the cafe. I Hundreds of people had con·
gregated in the SQuare to hear the Pope's message.
converge / k~n 1V3: rd31 if groups of people converge in a
particular pJace, they come there from many different
places and meet together with others to fonn a large croWd.
in order to do something or go somewhere Iv I )
converge at/ in etc The two groups of demonstrators con·
verged at Hyde Park. I converge on (=converge towards)
Thousands of hippies converged on the town for a rock
festival.
291 CROWD
4 ways of saying that people fill a place and
move around in it
crowd mill around/about
fill swarm
crowd Ikr.udl Iv lITI
crowd sth Shoppers and tourisL'tcrowded the market SQuare
every day. I In the evenings artists and artisans crowd the
cafes and bars of Montmartre. I crowd in Fifty or more
people managed to crowd in. just to hear the reading of
uncle's will. I crowd around s b/ sth Fans and plw-
tographers crowded around Madonna as she arrived at the
airport.
fill /fill if a lot of people fill a place, there are so many of
them in the place that there seems to be no room left for
anyone else I v T 1
Crowds filled the streets, bringing traffic to a standstill. I
Soon an audience of over 3000 filled the entire theatre.
mll around/about I,ml l ;) 1round , ~IOOUl:/ ifa lot of people
mill around. they move around a place in different direc-
tions. without any particular aim, especially while wait-
ing for something [phr v I J
Students were milling around in the corridor, waiting to go
into thee:xam room. I Severa l trains had been cancelled and
the commuters milled around, grumbling and wondering
how to get home.
swarm /SW;):rm/ if a lot of people, especially people that
you do not like or approve of, swarm around a particular
place, they flU it and move around it very quickly in an
uncontrolled way [v IJ
swarm across/ along etc Every day tourists swarm
through the narrow streets of the old city. lIt was thefirst·
day of term and children were swarming around the school.
5 ways of saying that the people in a crowd
separate and leave. so that the crowd
disappears
disperse melt away
thin out break up
dispersa /d l 'Sp3:rsl Iv IJ
Once the ambulance had left, the crowd began to disperse. I
The troops used teargas and the demonstrators Quickly
dispersed.
thin out 11 eIn ' aut/ if a crowd thins out. the people gradu-
ally start to separate and leave so that there are fewer
people Iphr v lJ
By midnight, the crowds outside the concert hall were begin-
ning to thin out. I If I waited until the crowd thinned out a
bit it would be easier to find Rob.
malt away / Imelt 'Jl we l/ if a crowd melts away, the
people leave gradually and quietly, hoping that no one will
notice (phr v 11
The excitement of the arrest was over, and everybody began
melting away, not wanting to be questioned by the police. I
As he went on with his speech, he could see that his audience
was losing interest and starting to melt away.
break up / ,brelk 'Apl if a large crowd breaks up, people
start to leave and move away in small groups [phr v I1
The crowd began to break up, leaving afew people staring
at the wreckage. I When the police arr ived the crowd broke
up very quickly.
6 words for describing a place with large
numbers of people in it
crowded teeming
packed overcrowded
be swarming with
crowded 11 kraudAdl so full of people that it is difficult to
move or find a place to sit or stand ladj )
The trains are always verycrowdedfirst thing in the morn-
ing. 11 really wanted a swim but the beach was croWded. !
crowded with Natalie knew the cafe would be crowded with
noisy teenagers.
CROWD
packed /p"'kti so crowded that there is no space left and
it is impossible to move or find a place to sit or stand ladj]
The cmb is reol/y popular. By 9 o'clock it's packed. I packed
with The train to Paris UJQS packed with British soldiers.
be swarming wHh Ibi: 'sw:>:tmll) w16/ if a place is
swarming with people it is very full of people who are
moving about a lot, especially people that you do not like
or approve of [v phrase!
Since the invasion the town has been swarming withforeign
troops. I Long Wore the stars arrived the place was swarm·
ing with newspaper reporters.
teeming l' ti!m1rJl teeming city/streets/markets ete
(=very full of people and activity) [adjl
th£ teeming streets a/Cairo I teeming with It was the start
of the new semester, and the campus was teeming with
students.
overcrowded 11;JUV~Tlkraud~d"l containing what yOll
think are too many people or too many things for the space
available [<Uij l
The room was overcrowded and it was difficult to breathe. !
Fertilisers should be used in small and overcrowded
gardens. ! Britain is a uniquely overcrowd£d country.
overcrowding [n UJ A major cause of trouble in Britain's
prisons is overcrowding.
crowded CROWD 6
crucial IMPORTANT 3
crude RUDE/OBSCENE 3, SIMPLE/NOT
COMPLICATED 1
cruel CRUEL 1. 2. 3. UNKIND 1
cruel: be cruel to CRUEL 6
. CRUEL
1 deliberately causing pain, and not caring at
all if other people suffer
2 words for describi ng cruel behaviour, crimes ,
punishments etc
3 very unkind in the way you talk to someone
or talk about them , and not caring if you
upset them
4 deliberately cruel and unkind to someone
because you really want to upset them
5 cruel behaviour or treatment
6 to treat a person or animal in a cruel way
7 words for describing people, activities,
actions etc that are not cruel
1 deliberately causing pain, and not caring at
all if other people suffer
cruel sadistic
ruthless sadist
heartless bloodthirsty
cruel /' kru:,I/ [adjl
Lieutenant Brand was a cruel man who mack the lives a/the
young soldiers a misery. ! Teachers these days aren't nearly
as cruel as they were when J was at school. ! cruel to Her
parents were very cruel to her when she WQ.<;; young. I it is
cruel to do sth J think it's cruel to kill animals/or sport.
cruelly [advl Prisoners/ram ethnic minorities were treated
especially cruelly.
ruthless 11 ru:9lasl not feeling any pity for anyone and not
caring how many people suffer in order to achieve or gain
something ladj]
Government orders were carried out in a completely ruthless
way. I Stalin made Russia a modern industrial power
through ruthless dictatorship.
rutblessly [adv I Opponents within the party were ruthlessly
eliminated.
heartless 11ha: rtlasl not feeling any pity and not caring
about other people or their problems [adjl
292 CRUEL
How can you be so heartless as to abandon your children now
when they need you I7Wst? I She was a heartless, rrwney-
grabbing woman wlw made her fortuTl£from the misery and
desperation 0/ others.
heartlessly [advl He heartlessly left us there in the middle
of the desert witlwut food or water.
sadistic 1s;J'dlstlkj cruel and seeming to get pleasurefrom
making other people suffer [adil
The principal was a sadistic man who enjoyed tormenting
his students with threats and punishments. I Freya took a
kind 0/ sadistic pleasure in the horrors she described. I "I'm
a/raidyou will never seeyourchildren again, "he said with
a sadistic smile.
sadistically [adv) The man was taken deep into a Missis-
sippi/orest by a local gang and sadistically mUrdered.
sadist f lseld1stl someone who enjoys being cruel to other
people [n Cl
Andrea 's father was an absolute sadist. It's not surprising
she hates him.
bloodthirsty / 'bIAde3:' sti/ someone who is bloodtblrsty
is extremely violent and cruel to anyone who opposes them
and seems to enjoy violence or killing (adj]
The two soldiers were surrounded by a bloodthirsty crowd,
wielding axes, knives and clubs. I Parker's the most wicked,
bloodthirsty villain that ever darkened the doors o/thisjail.
2 words for describing cruel behaviour, crimes,
punishments etc
cruel inhumane
barbaric cold~blooded
Inhuman tyrannical
cruel / 'kru:ol/ [adjl
People were shocked at the news 0/ these cruel, sadistic
murckrs. I The American Constitution protects US citizens
from 'cruel and unusual' punishments. I Children seem to
enjoy fairy stories where the villains receive cruel punish-
ments.
barbaric Iba:flbrenk/ completely without normal con-
cern for the suffering caused to other people ladj)
A spokesman condemned the bombing which killed twelve
people as a barbaric act o/terrorism. I Outside Spain, a lot
of people think bullfighting is barbaric.
Inhuman 11n ' hju:manJ ven' cruel and not showing any of
the pity or concern that normal people feel when they see
other people suffering (mm
Most people think apartheid is a totally inhuman system. I
The government has been accused 0/ using artijkial and
inhuman criteria to decide which refugees shou ld be
deported.
Inhumane " whju:'meln/ inhumane treatment/con-
ditions/methods etc (=that are not considered acceptable
because they cause too much suffering) (adjl
Amnesty International is protesting against the inhumane
treatment of these political prisoners. I This method of
slaughtering chickens is now regarded by many as inhu-
mane.
cold-blooded / ,kould 'bIAd ld . / cold-blooded murder/
killing etc (=violent acts done without any pity or sorrow
for the suffering caused by them) [adj usually before noun]
The whole community was horrified by the cold·blooded
murckr 0/ the young girls.
tyrannical It! lrrenlk..111if someone's behaviour is tyran-
nical, they use their power to cruelly force other people to
do what they want ladjl
He is a man with a tyrannical reputation. I Her behaviour
to us as children was always strict, sometimes tyrannical and
overbearing.
3 very unkind in the way you talk to someone
or talk about them , and not caring if you
upset them
cruel nasty
unkind mean
CRUEL
crual /'kru:ol/ladjl
He's not ugly! How con you be so cruel? I Shnrongot angry
and said some very cruel lhings. I cruel to Sam had a lways
been/at, and drooded going wschool because the other chil·
dren were so cruel to him. I it is cruel to do sth Don 't laugh.
It's cruel to make/un a/people's misfortunes.
cruelly ladvl He suddenly and very cruelly broke off their
relationship.
unkind J..\n ' kamd .. , say ing thin gs or behaving in a way
that you know will upset someone ladjl
Young children can be very unkind to each othEr. I H ow can
you be so unkind? You know we only want what's best for
you. I unkind to Sometimes my guardians were very unkind
to me but I didn '[ dare complain. I it is unkind to do 5th
It was very unkind a/him to criticize her like that infrant
0/ everyone.
unkindly [advl Gemma remarked unkindly that Sarah's
dress looked awful.
n ••ty /'na:sti 11 'nrestiJ deliberately and unnecessarily
unkind and unpleasant to someone [adj )
Sandy often makes nasty comments about her colleagues. I
My cousin has a nasty side to his character. I nasty to Don't
be so nasty to your sister!
nastUy [advl "Why should I care what you think?" he said
nastily.
mean /m i:n/ unkind, unfair, and unpleasant to someone
[ad} not usually before nounl
"We don't need any advicefromyou." "Don't be so mean.l
was only trying to help. "I You did that on purpose, didn't
you? You're so mean! I it is mean of sb to do sth It was
,nean of Jack to ll!il on his friends.
4 deliberately cruel and unkind to someone
because you really want to upset them
malicious sptte
malice vindictive
spiteful
malicious /mC}IItJC}s/ deliberately cruel and unkind to
someone because you really want to upset them and enjoy
doing so ladjl
Miss Simms took a malicious pleasure in other people's mis-
fortunes.1I've had enough of the malicious gossip that goes
on in this village. I Mr Jameson dismissed the allegations
as malicious rumours.
maliciously [advl Beatrice maliciously delighted in Cather-
ine's dismay.
malice j lmrel ~s/ the intention of wanting to hurt or upset
other people, especially ifthey have done nothing to harm
you In VI
There was no malice in his words,just disappointment. I " I
see" she said. and her little eyes glittered with malice.
spHatul J'spal tblj deliberately nasty to someone in order
to hurt or upset them, espec ia lly because you are jealous
of them or are angry with them (adj)
Then [ did a spitiful thing - I told her husband abaut the
other man. I spiteful to I tried to like Camilla but I couldn't
forget how spite/ul she'd been to me in the past.
spitefully [adv) "Doreen never liked you," Rob said
spitefully.
spite {spaUI a feeling of wanting to hurt or upset other
people by saying or doing cruel things, especially if you feel
jealous or think you have been unfairly treated In VJ
Ceraid 'sfeelings of injustice turned to bitterness and spite. I
pure/sheer spite (::spite and nothing else) Jgrwre what
Martin says. It's pure spill!. l out of spite (=because of spite)
Out of spite, Sylvia passed on the story of the affair to the
newspapers.
vindictive jvm 'd lktlV/ deliberately cruel and unfair
because you want to harm someone who has harmed you
[adjl
"I'll pay her back/or this. " "Don 't be so vindictive. It doesn't
help anyone. " I After thediuorce, Sally's ex·husband became
increasingly vindictive.
vindictiveness In UJ Tom's ge1U!rosity to his friends was
matched by vindictiveness w those who/ell out o/his/auo"r.
293 CRUEL
5 cruel behaviour or treatment
cruelty persecution
Inhumanity atrocities
abuse sadism
mlstreatment/llI·treatmentl
maltreatment
crueHy /'kru:CJlti/ cruel behaviour [n VJ
Steve's Wife had left him because oJ his cruelty. I As civilized
beings we have a duty to minimize the cruelty and stif.{ering
we inflict on animals. I treat sb with cruelty (=oo cruel
to someone) The invading troops treated civilians with great
cruelty.
Inhumanity 1,l nhju: ' mrenAti/ cruelty which includes
violence and a complete lack of feeling for people's suffer-
ing In V I
Reformists were appalled by the immorality and inhuman-
ity of the slave trade. I The novel focuses on the inhumanity
of labour camps and long-term imprisonment.
abuse 1C}'bju:s/ deliberately cruel treatment of someone,
especially someone that you are respons ible for or should
look after In VI
The abuse ofslaves by their owners in 19th century America
was a common occurrence. 1child abuse (=cruel treatment
of children) Socia 1 workers are most concerned about the
recent increase in cases of child abuse.
mlstreatment/IH·trealmenllmaltrealmenl /m,s·
'trhtm:mt. 11 Itri:tm:lnt, mrel ' tri:tmC}ntJ cruel treatment of
people or animals In V)
There can be no good reasonfor the ill-treatment offactory-
farm animals. I Jailers singled out certain prisoners for
maltreatment.
persecution JIP3:rS~ 'kju:J;mJ cruel treatment of people
because of the ir reIigious or political beliefs. or because of
the race they belong to In VI
Many Jewsjled to America lo escape persecution in Europe. I
After years of persecution, the Kurdish people are finally
receiving attention from the world's media. I the relentl£ss
persecution of American Communists in the 19505
atrocities I;» ' tros~tiz 11 eJ1tro: -/ extremely cruel and
shocking actions against people, especia Uy during a war
In plurall
Survivors from the concentration camps had witnessed
unspeakable atrocities. I commit atrocities Retreating
soldiers told stories of awful atrocities committed by the
enemy.
sadism /' se1dlum/ taking pleasure in cruel acts [n VJ
Sadism may stemfrom a desire to dominate. I Bullying and
sadism were commonplace in the school.
6 to treat a person or animal in a cruel way
be cruel to pick on
mistreat/ill·treat victimize
abuse downtrodden
persecute bully
treat ab like dirt
be cruel to jbi: ' kru:<Ji tu:/lv phrase]
My father drank too much and was often very crueito my
mother. I Does scientifzc research have to involve being cruel
to dumb animals?
mlstreatJIIl-treat Imls1tri::t, II'tri:tJ to deHberately treat
a person or an imal in a cruel way, especially when you are
responsible for looking after them Iv TI
It looks as though this dog has been mistreaWil by its owner. 1
Neighbours were sure that the young couple had been ill-
treating their Children.
abuse /:I 'bju:zj to treat someone in a cruel way, especially
someone you have a close relationship with, for example
a member of your family, or someone you are responsible
for Iv TI
Anyone wlw is accused of abusing their children is inves-
tigaWil very thoroughly by the social services. 1 A/rer sepa·
ration many lOOmen who have been abused by their hus-
bands return to face further cruel treatment.
CRUEL
persacute /l p3: r slkju:t/ to be cruel to a person or group
of people over a period of time. because of their political
or religious beliefs or because of the race they belong to Iv
TI
For centuries these people have been persecuted because of
their religion. I Under the old regime. people with [lift-wing
beliefs were cruelly persecuted. I He was persecuted along
with all the other Jews in the village.
persecutor In Cl She still bore a great deal DJ bitterness
towards her persecutors ("'the people who had persecuted
her).
treat sb like dirt ,.tri:t (sb) ialk Id3: TtJ an informal
expression meaning to treat someone as if they were com-
pletely worthless and not care about their feelings Iv
phrasel
She treats him like dirt but he still loves her. 11don 'I know
how she put up with him treating her like dirt/or all those
}'€UYS. I I wouldn 'I UXJrk/or her - she treats her staff like dirt.
pick on Ilp lk on 11 ~ a:nl an informal expression meaning
to choose someone from a group to treat cruelly and
unfairly especially by repeatedly criticizing them lV TJ
Bullies usually pick on }'ounger children. I Older members
of staff often pick on an apprentice and make his life a
misery. I She eauldn't understand why the teacher wa..<;
always picking on her - it seemed so unfair.
victimize (also -Ise British) l 'v1ktbma1zl to treat some-
one unfairly especially by punishing them or making them
sutTerfor something that is not their fault because you dis-
like their rei igiolls or political beliefs or the class, race ete
they belong to Iv TJ
The company say she was not dismissed because ofher polit-
ical activities but she claims she was victimized. I He wasn't
happy at the school and said he was victimized because of
his colour.
downtrodden ,' dauntrodn 11 ~tra:dn' someone who is
downtrodden has lost their self~respect and the respect of
others because they have let themselves be treated badly
and have not complained or tried to change their situation
[adjl
She hoped she would never become lik£ one of those down~
trodden women she saw - struggling aJnng with heavy shop-
ping and screaming children. I The workers were so down-
trodden that they had no spirit or energy to rebel.
bully "bulil to treat someone weaker and less able to
defend themselves cruelly in order to hurt or frighten them
or to get something that you want [v TJ
He started playing truant because he was bullied at school. I
He bullied her into going back to work. l It is typical of an
ambitious ego to push and bully in order to get its own way.
7 words for describing people, activities,
actions etc that are not cruel
humane
humane Ihju: Imem/ [adij
Isn 't there a more humane way of killing cows? I Imprison-
ment is not a humane form of punishrrumt.
cruelty
crumb
CRUEL 5
PIECE 5
crumble BREAK 10
crumbling CONDITION/STATE OF STH 4
crunch EAT 5
crunch: when It comes to the crunch/when It comes
to It DECIDE 4
crusade FIG HT FOR OR AGAINST STH 4
crush CROWD 1. SQUASH 1, STOP STH THAT IS
HAPPENING 7
crush: have a crush on LOVE 8
crushed SQUASH 2
crux MAIN 2
cry CRY 1. 6
cry: don't cry CRY 8
cry: make Bb cry CRY 7
cry out SHOUT 2
cry your eyes out CRY 2
294 CRY
. CRY
1 to cry because of sadness, pain, or strong
emotion
2 to cry a lot
3 to cry noisily or in an annoying way
4 to start to cry
5 to be almost crying
6 to cry even though you are not sad or in pain
7 to make someone cry
8 ways of telling someone not to cry
1 to cry because of sadness, pain, or strong
emotion
cry tearful
weep have tears In your eyes
be in tears
cry Ikrall Iv 1\
TIw boyJell over am start£d crying. I "Don't cry, p/oose don't
cry" he said, HI didn't mean to upset you. " I Natasha cried
with happiness when she heard that the war was over. I cry
for sb (=cry because you want someone) a lost little girl,
cryingfor her mother I cry about/over She's crying about
her doll. I'm afraid I broke it. I Years later he still sometimes
cried over Maggie and the way she treated him. I cry your·
self to sleep (=cry until you fall asleep) At night I'd cry
myself to sleep, thinking about you.
cry In singular) You'llfeel better when you 'lie had a good
cry.
weep Iwi :pl a word used especialJy in literature meaning
to cry because of sadness or strong emotion, usually quietly
and for a long time [v I]
When their brother went away, the childrenfound places to
weep aJnne. I Weeping mourners followed the coffin to the
churchyard. I weep bitterly (=cry strongly) His mother
wept bitterly and his father sat grimJaced_
be In tears /hi: In ItI;)fZ/ to be crying, especially because
you are very unhappy (v phrase)
Most ofus were in tears by the time he'djinished his story. I
My little girl came home in tears. "What's wrong darling?"
T asked.
tearful /1tI;)rfall someone who is tearful is crying a little
or almost crying because of sadness or other emotion [adjl
Thefamily had a teatful reunion at the airport. I Kate tried
to console the tearful child.
tearfully (adv] "It's .. .it·s not/air" she said teaifully.
have tears In your eyes /hrev ItJ;)rZ In j:J:r lalzl to be
very sad and almost crying [v phrase not in progressive)
Yusuf had tears in his eyes, and I knew he was thinking of
home. I Janet turned to me with tears in her eyes and begged
me to help her.
2 to cry a lot
cry your eyes out
tears rolVrun down sb's Cheeks
cry your eyes out ',kral j::l:r lalz autl an informal
expression meaning to cry a lot or for a long time because
you are very unhappy [v phrase]
It was such a sadjilm. Icriedmyeyesoul. 1C€cilcameround
later, crying his eyes out, asking me to forgive him.
tears roll/run down sb's cheeks IIU;)r Z rdUl , r.... n
,daun (sb's) 'tfi:ks, if tears roll down someone's cheeks
they are crying, probably without making a sound [v
phrase]
He stood silently, tears rolling down his cheeks, while the
music played. I She showed us the letter with tears running
down her cheeks.
CRY 295 cumbersome
have a lump In your throat Ihrev Z) I]Amp mjJ: r ,6rJUtl
3 to cry noisily or in an annoying way to have a tight feeling in your throat and feel that you might
sob blubber/blub start crying [v phrase not in progressive ]
snivel/sniffle crybaby There was a lump in my throat and I didn't speak because
whimper I knew IUJOuld cry. 1bring a lump to sb's throat ThR sight
of the soft green hills ofher homeland brought a lump to her
sob /sob 11 so:bJ to cry noisily while breathing in short throat.
sudden bursts (v [] fight back tears " fan brek 'tl~rzf to try very hard not
The child covered her face with her hands and started to sob to cry even though you are almost crying (v phrase I
uncontrollably. I He pressed his face into the pillow as he Bill fought back his tears and tried to comfort Sarah 's
sobbed, trying to mUffle the sound. I "It was all my fault." mo,lu1r. I [bongro my halUldown on llu1 table,fighting bock
slu1 sobbed. "[ did it." tears of rage andfTlLStration.
sob [n Cl ''I'll befine. don't worry, "she said, barely able to
hide her sobs.
snlvellsnlffle / Isn lvdl. 'smfal/ to cry in a weak, complain- 6 to cry even though you are not sad or in pain
ing way and at the same time draw in air noisily through cry
your nose [v IJ sb's eyes water
The child snivelled and his mother told him to be quiet. I She
kept sniffling into her handkerchief and saying MW unfair cry flaalf lv 11
everything was. Peeling onions makes you cry.
whimper I t wlmp~rl to make a quiet. continuo~s, ab'. eyes water /(sb's) lalz .w:):t"rl if someone's eyes
unhappy sound like an animal in pain, or to say someth mg water, they have tears in their eyes, usually because of
with this sound in your voice [u I] something such as wind or smoke going into them
He began to whimper withfear, "It's coming closer!" he said. 1 An icy wind blew intomyface, making my eyes water. I Jo's
''I'm sorry, "she whimpered, but Richard wasn't listening. eyes were wateringfram the acrid smoke that/i.lled the room.
whimper In Cl The boy's crying died down to a whimper.
blubber/blub /'bIAba r , blAb/ an informal word meaning 7 to make scmeone cry
to cry loudly and without any control in a very annoying make sb cry
way Iv IJ reduce sb to tears
For goodness sake, stop blubbering and tell me what's bring tears to sb's eyes
wrong. 1 He broke down and blubbed like a baby.
cry'baby /'kral,belbi/ someone, especially a child, who make .b cry l .meJk (sb) 'kral/ lu phrasel
cries too much or too easily, often in a way that other chil· David often teases his little sister and makes her cry. I She
dren think is a sign of weakness [n C] was so unhappy that the slightest thing made hRr cry.
"We don 'I lik£ playing with &Jbby, "said Lucy. "He's a little reduce sb to tears /f1 ldju:s (sb) t;) ItJ;:Ir Z I1 ·ldu:s·1 to
crybab)'. " I Don'l be such a crybab}'! It's only a little cui. make someone cry by behaving unkindly or by making
them feel sad [v phrase ]
He nagged and complained, and reduced Louise to tears. 1
4 to start to cry She was often reduced to tears by the sight of children
start to cry/start crying begging.
burst Into tears bring tears to sb's eye. IbfllJ ItJarz t;} (sb' s) lalzl if
break down a remark, song, film etc brings tears to someone's eyes
·turn on the waterworks it makes them fee] so sad that they cry [v phrase]
His quiet UJOrds brought tears to my ~es. 1 The old song
start to cry/start crying Ilsta:rt la Ikml, Ista:rt IkrallJl always brought tears to Rick's E!)!es.
Iv phrase] . . .
Give the baby something to eat or she wlllstartcrymg agarn.1
Jim turned away from me and started to cry. 8 ways of telling someone not to cry
burst Into tears 11 b3: rst Jnt~ It Jar z/ to suddenly start to don't cry
cry because you are upset about something Iv phrase] there there
Laura burst into tearsarui ran out ofthe room. I He managed don't cry I,d:x.mt Ihal/ Please don't cry! You'll make me
to get back inside the house before bursting into tears. want to cry as well. ] It 's alright, he won't hUrt you - don't
break down Ilbrelk ldaunj to start to cry after trying to cry.
control yourself for some time [phr v [J . there there /16ea r '6e;,rl you say there there to some-
As thefuneral service began Frames broke down and cned one, especially to a chUd, in order to comfort them when
Iu1lpiessly.1 [left quickly, nol wanling to break down infronl they are crying
of the children. 1 break down In tears Anne broke down There there, don't cry - your Mommy 'lJ be here soon. 1 She
in tears when she was told her son was safe. stood rocking the sobbing girl, "There there!" she said softly,
tum on the waterworks I lt3: r n on Oa ' W J!ta r w3: r ksf "It's all over now."
an infonnal expression meaning to deliberately start to cry
in order to get someone's sympathy or persuade them to crybaby CRY 3
do something Iv phrase] crying out for: be crying out for NEED 2
It's nogood turning on the waterworks. You can't stay Jwme cube PIECE 2. SQUARE 3
from school, and that's final! cuddle HOLD 6
cue: on cue O N TIM E 1
cuff: off-the-cuff THI NK ABOUT 10
5 to be almost crying cuisine COOK 7
be close to tearslbe on the verge of tears culinary COOK 9
have a lump in your throat culpable GUILTY 1
fight back tears culprit GUILTY 2
cult FASHIONABLE 1. RELIGION 2
be close to tearslbe on the verge of tears Ibi:
,klaus la Itlafz, bi: on 6a IV3: rd3 ;:1V luarzl [u phrase] culllvale FRIEND 7. GROW PLANTS, VEGETABLES ETC I
The lesson UX1S going very badly and the student teacher was cultural ART/CU LTURE 2
close to tears. ]Her hands were shaking. She was on the verge .... culture ART/CULTURE 1
of tears but Paul didn't realise that. • culture vulture ART/CULTURE 5
cultured ART/CULTURE 5
cumbersome HEAVY 4
cunning
cunning INTELLIGENT 8 , 9
cup WIN 10
cup of tea: not be sb 's cup of tea DON'T LIKE 1
curb STOP STH THAT IS HAPPENING 6
cure CURE 1, 3 , SOLVE/DEAL WITH A PRO BLEM 1 . 2
. CURE
1 to make someone better when they are ill ,
especially by means of medical treatment
2 to give someone medical treatment in order
to try to cure them
3 something such as a medicine or form of
treatmer:1t that cures someone who is ill
4 medical treatment that is intended to cure
someone who is ill
5 words for describing a disease that cannot be
cured
1 to make someone better when they are ill,
especially by means of medical treatment
cure fix
make sb better take 5th for
heal
cur. I kju;)Tj to make someone who has an illness com-
pletely well again, especiaUy by means of medical treat-
ment [uT)
cure sth The drug is used to cure heart disease. I In the old
days they tJwught that tuberculosis could be cured by giving
people lots offresh nwuntain air. I cure sb Many cancer vie·
tims can be cured if the disease is detected early enough. I
cure sb of sth The book isfull ofherbal remedies which can
supposedly cure people DJ all manner 0/ ailments.
cu rable [ad}) Some cancers are now completely curable
( ~ can be completely cured).
make ab beUer i .melk (sb) lbe[~rl to make someone who
is ill well again, especially when they have an illness that
is not very serious [v phrase 1
Take this - it'll make you a /ot beller. I I've hod all kinds
o/medicines/mm thechemisl, but nothing seems to make me
any better. I make a h eadache/cold/ pa in etc better She
refuses to take anything to make her headache better.
heal /hi:11ifsomething such as a cream heals a cut, wound
ete on someone's skin, it makes it completely better [v TJ
This cream is used for healing minor cuts and bruises. I The
seawater is now so polluted it would inJect rather than heal
an open u)ound.
fix /f lksJ a word used especially in American English
meaning to make a part of t he body that is damaged com-
pletely better, for example a broken leg [v TJ
Do you think the doctor will be able to Fzx my leg for me? I
As soon as J get this shoulder FlX£d I'll be back at work.
take sth for I'telk (sth) b:rl to take a drug or medicine
in order to cure an illness [phr v T J
That 's a bad cough! Are you taking anything for it? I The
drugs that he takes for his blood pressure can make him
rather irritable at times.
2 to give someone medical treatment in order
to try to cure them
give sb treatment
treat
operate
give sb treatment Ilg lv (sb) Itri:tmdmf Iv phrase J
The ambulancemen gave him emergency treatment on the
way to the /wspital. I We'll start by giving you a course of
treatment with a new antibiotic. I give sb treatment for
The disease was so far advanced that it was decided trot to
give the patient any treatment for her condition.
296 CURE
treat Jtri:tj to give someone the treatment that cures a par-
ticular illness or medical problem, especially when this is
the usual way of curing it Iv TJ
treat sth The usual way of trea ting malaria is to give the
patient large doses ofquinine. I treat sb Some US Iwspitais
refuse to treat people wlw don't have medical insurance. I
treat sb for sth Theformer President is in Bethesda Medi-
cal Hospital where he is being treatedfor a liver condition. I
treat sb with sth Doctors began treating AIDS patients
with the drug AZT in the mid 80s.
operate f Iop~relt 11 10:-J if a doctor operates on someone,
they cut open their body in order to repair or remove part
ofthe inside oftheir body [v 11
operate on Afamous brain surgeon came up from Boston
and operated on Billyfor three hours. I operate It looks seri-
ous - we may have to operate.
3 somethi ng such as a medicine or form of
treatment that cures someone who is ill
cure antidote
remedy medicinal
cure /kju>'/In Cl
cure for What 's the bestcurefor a hangover? I Asyet there's
no known curefor the disease. I cure These tablets will ease
the symptoms but they're not a cure.
remedy l'rem~d i J a way to treat a health problem, espe-
cially a small unimportant problem such as a co1d, a
stomach ache etc, using plants or other natural methods
InC I
I tried everything, including herbal remedies such as drink-
ing camomile tea, but none of them worked. I remedy for
Salt water is a good home remedy fo r a sore throat.
antidote f 'rentldOXJtJ a med icine that will stop the effects
of a poison or dangerous drug In Cl
Unless an antidote is given immediately the patient could
die.I antidote to There is no known antidote to a bite from
this snake.
medicinal f m~ IdlS3ndlJ medical herbs/plan ts/proper -
ties etc (=usefu] for treating iHnesses) ladj ]
The Greeks used the leaves for medicinal purposes. I The
camomile plant is cultivated mainly for its medicinal
properties.
4 medical treatment that is intended to cu re
someone who is ill
treatment operation
medical treatment surgery
therapy
treatment Iltri:tmdntj a method that is intended to cure
someone who is ill [n C/ UI
The doctor said she would have to go into hospitalfor treat-
ment.1 Penicillin is US€d in the treatment of a wide range of
illnesses. I receive treatment for Doris received treatment
for cancer two years ago. I cou rse of treatment After a
course of treatment the patient's conditiDn began to improve
rapidly.
medical treatment Ilmed lkal Itri:tm;mtj treatmentofan
illness by a doctor us ing drugs, hospital care, operations
ete In UI
Foreign visitors can get emergency medical treatment free
of charge. I Are you currently receiving medical treatment
for any other illness?
therapy /1gerdpiJ a series of treatments for mental or
physicaJ problems, usually without drugs or operations In
UI
The therapy involves getting the patient to tell the doctor
about their early childhood. I This child is clearly very dis-
turbed emotionally and may require long-term therapy. I
have therapy After I carrw out ofhospital I had to have ther·
apy once a week on my ann to help it move more easily.
operation 1IDPd IretIan 11 IO:P-/ in an operation, a doctor
cuts open your body in order to repair or remove part of
the inside of your body {n Cl
CURE
Your Grandmother's had to go into hospital for an oper-
ation. I operation on sth After three operations on my leg,
I could walk perfectly again. I have an operation He's had
several major operations on his hip already_ I carry ouU
conduct/perform an operation The surgeon who carried
out the operation said that it was 100% successful.
surgery J1s3: Tdyri/ treatment by doctors in a hospital
who cut open your body in order to repair or remove part
of the inside of your body [n UJ
have surgery After the accident she had to have surgery. I
surgery on He went into Fort Worth Medical Centre to have
emergency surgery on his heart. I carry out! conduct/per-
form surgery The surgery was carrkd out under a loca l
anaesthetic. I undergo surgery (=have surgery) The doc-
tors decided she wasn't strong enough to undergo surgery. I
major surgery (=complicated and possibly dangerous sur-
gery) She is still recoveringfram major surgery that she had
two weeks ago.
5 words for describing a disease that cannot be
cured
Incurable
Incurable /In 'kju.r.>b.I/l adjl
My doctor told me that the cancer was incurable. I Patients
with illnesses that are incurable often seek alternative treat-
ments such as homeopathy.
cured: be cured BETIERlRECOVERED 1
curiosity FIND OUT 9
curious FIND OUT 9 . INTERESTED 1, STRANG E 2
- curl BEND 3
curl up BEND 2
currency MONEY 5
current NOW 4, WATER 3
currently NOW 1
curriculum SU BJ ECT 7
curse MAGIC 2. SWEAR 1. 2
, curse: put a curse on MAGIC 3
297 CUT
cut out for: not cut out for WRONG/UNSUITABLE 2
cui-price CHEAP 5
cut short STOP STH THAT IS HAPPENING 2
cut short: cut sb short INTERRUPT 1
cut-throat COMPETE WlTHfTRY TO BEAT 3
cut through CROSS 1. CUT 3
cut your own throat HARM/BE BAD FOR 2
. CUT
1 to cut the surface of something using a sharp
instrument such as a knife
2 to accidentally cut part of your body
3 to separate something such as paper, string,
wood , or wire into two pieces by cutting it
4 to remove something by cutting it from
somelhing else that it is connected to
5 to cui somelhing such as food, paper, or
wood into several pieces
6 to cut food inlo a lot of small pieces
7 10 make trees, bushes etc fall down by cutting
them
8 to cut plants, bushes, grass etc in order to
make them shorter or smaller
9 to cut someone's hair. beard , fingernails etc
to make them look better or neater
10 to make a shape by cutting
11 a mark, space , or injury made by cutting
1 to cut Ihe surface of something using a sharp
instrument such as a knife
cut pierce
slit
slash
make an incision

~ cursory FAST/QU ICK 6

curt RUDE/IMPOLITE 4 cut /kAt/lv lITI
curve BEND 8 , 10, TURN 4 cut sth You'll need a sharp knife tocutthat steak. I Cutthe
curved BEND 6 , ROUND 3 carton across the top. I The stony road had cut the tyres pretty
curved/curving BEND 9 badly. I cut These scissors are blunt - they won't cut
cushy EASY 3 properly. I cut sth open Rescue workers had to use special
cuss SWEAR 1 equipment to cut open the steel doors.
custody: be In custody KEEP SB IN A PLACE 3 slit Ishtl to make a straight narrow cut in the surtace of
, custody: have custody LOOK AFTER SB 4 something such as skin or material, usually in order to
custody: hold/keep sb In custody KEEP SB IN A open it Iv TJ
PLACE 1 He killed the animal by slitting its throat. I When the zipper
custOdy: take sb into custody CATCH 3 on my jeans brake, I had to slit them up the side to get them
custom BUY 7, TRADITION 1 off. I slit sth open John slit the envelope open with a knife
customary USUALLY 3 and took out the letter.
~ customer BUY 7 slash IslreJI to cut with a fast, violent movement, using
customize CHANGE/MAKE STH DIFFE RENT 2 a knife, especially with the intention of causing damage or
cut CUT 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 , 9, 10, 11, GO TO/ATIEND 3, injury Iv TI
REDUCE 1 , 8 , SHARE 6 Vandals had slashed the priceless painting with a knife. I
cut: reduce/cut CH EAP 8 A drunk had slashed him across the face with a broken
cut above: a cut above BETIER 1 bottle. I I wouldn 'I leave your car there - unless you want
cut across CROSS 1 to have your tyres slashed.
cut and dried CERTAINLY/DEFINITELY 2 plerc. / pl~rsl to make a small hole in something using
cut away REMOVE 2 an instrument with a sharp end Iv Tl
cut back REDUCE 6 Pierce the lid of the carton with the straw. lOne of the
, cut dead: cut sb dead IGNORE 4 museum's exhibits is a skull pierced by a spear. I pierce a
cut down CUT 7 . REDUCE 3, SHORT/NOT LONG 3 hole in sth Jewellers use a special gun to pierce a tiny hole
cut down: cut sb down to size PROUD 10 in your ear and insert an earring at the same time.
cut in INTERRUPT 1 make an Incision I ,melk ;)n m'sl3anl to cut into some·
cut it fine/cut It close ON TIME 3 one's body using a special knife during a medical operation
cut it out STOP DOING STH 2 Iv phrase I
.. cut off CUT 4. REMOVE 2 The surgeon began by making an incision about six inches
cut off: cut sb off from SEPARATE 7 long. I When making rieeper incisions a larger scalpel is used.
cut off: cut yourself off SEPARATE 10

1 cut off: get cut off TELEPHON E 7

cut-off point LIMIT 1
cut out BROKEN 5, CUT 4. 10. REMOVE " STOP
2 to accidentally cut part of your body
cut
DOING STH 6 scratch
cui oul for: be cut out for SUITABLE 1 graze
 298

5 to cut something such as food , paper, or

wood into several pieces
What wOfd is the picture illustrating?

~
chop/chop up
slice saw
What the 200 English students in our survey said: e dissect
cut 35%
slice 29% LooII a.t tiIl>~ ";.
other 36%
slice /slaJ s! to cut food. such as bread , meat. or
vegeta bles into thin fla t pieces [v T]

"YOU can
> .,,-
,wofd '\0 rl~~P;Jt!~~&~
" CUT What the 200 English and American teachers in
1 to cut the su rface of something using a our survey said:
sharp instrument such as a knife
2 to accidentally cut part of your body slice 72%
3 to separate something such as paper. coop 20%
string. Wood . or wire into two pieces by other 8%
cutting it
4 to remove something by cutting it frorn
~ something else that it is connec ted to
\.!.J to cut something such as food, paper, or
wood into several pieces
CUT
cut IkAt! [v TI
cut your fmger/knee/hand ete That knife's very sharp
- carefulyou don't cutyourfinger with it. I She'sjustcuther
hand trying to open a can 0/ sardines. I cut yourself He
always cuts himself if he has to shave in a hurry.
scratch /skrretJI to accidentally cut part of your body very
slightly, and not very deeply [v TI
"What's that mark on your arm?" "Oh, I scratched it on a
rock!" I Ralph got scratched all over when he was running
through the bushes.
graze Igrelzl to slightly break the surface of your skin by
rubbing against something, for example when you fall on
the ground [v T I
[fell over playing football and grazed my kne£.
3 to separate something such as p,per , string ,
wood, or wire into two pieces by cutting it
cut slice through
cut through saw through
cut 'k'" [v TI
She took a pair a/scissors and carefully cut the piece a/paper
down the middle. I Somebody had cut the rope during the
night and now the boat was gone.
cut through I lkAt eru:1 to cut wire, string etc into two
pieces, especially when it is thick or difficult to cut tv Tl
You will need special wire-cutters to cut through that wire. I
He struggled through the th ick greenery, wishing he had a
machete to cut through the vines.
slice through IIsla1s Sru:1 to cut through something
easily with one long movement of a sharp knife [v Tl
A kitchen knife would slice through that thick cord with no
problem at all. I The blade of the guillotine fell, slicing
through the man's neck.
saw through l is;): Sru:1 to cuta piece of wood. metaletc
into two pieces using a tool that you push backwards and
forwards across its surlace [v Tl
Firemen had to saw through the railing to release the little
boy. I Michael was sitting at the top of the tree, sawing
through one of the branches.
4 to remove something by cutting it from
something else that ~ is ccnnected to
cut off amputate
chop off snip
sever cut out
cut off I,k" ' of 11 -',:fl [phr v TI
cut off sth They had to cut off his leg. 1 cut sth/it/them
off Don't throw that cheese away! Just cut the mouldy part
off.
chop off ' ItJop l of 1I ItJa:p I;):fl to cut something off by
hitting it with hard violent strokes, using a sharp tool (phr
vT I
chop off sth Chop of[ the head and tail and cook the rest
ofthejlSh. 1 chop sth/lt/them off We had to clwp tlU! legs
oftlU! table off to getit through tlU! door. I The Kingordered
tlwt all the reb€/s slwuld Iwve tlU!ir heads clwpped off.
sever I l sev~rl to cut ofT a part of someone's body, espe-
cially in an accident or an attack [v T I
Some motorcycle accidents involve victims having their
heads severed. I The sword severed his left ear.
severed fadjl Surgeons were able to sew the severed finger
back on.
amputat. I ' rempj~elt/ to cut oifsomeone's leg, foot, arm
etc in a hospital operation (v IITI
amputate sth We will have to amputate the injured/oot. I
Teresa was rushed to hospital to have her leg amputated
before the injection could spread. 1 amputate When gan-
grene sets in. the doctor has no choice but to amputate.
amputation 11rempjg 1 telJi1nl {n C I if the infection spreads
quickly. amputation may be necessary.
amputated {adjl Patients can often feel amputated limbs,
even though tlwy have been removed.
299 CUT
snip ISnIpl to cut something oifby making quick cuts with
a pair of scissors [v IIT I
snip around/along/through etc She quickly snipped
around the edges of the photo so it UJ'Ouldjit in the album. I
snip sth off (=remove by snipping it) Wash the beans, snip
the ends off, and cut them French style.
cut out l .kAt 'autl to remove something by cutting all
around it {phr v T}
cut out sth You can cut out the badparts and use the apples
forcooking. j She cuts out pictures ofherfavoritemoviestars
and puts them on her bedroom walls. I cut 5th/it/them out
Doctors are considering the possibility ofcutting the tumour
out.
5 to cut something such as food , paper, or
wood into several pieces
cut chop/chop up
slice saw
carve dissect
cut I kA~ [v T I
cut sth Who 's going to cut the cake? I cut 5th up (=cut all
of it into pieces) The murderer cut up the body and hid it
under tlU! jloorbaards. I cut sth Into pieces/chunks/
squares etc Melons and pineapples should be peeled and
cut into chunks before serving. I Things were in such short
supply that newspapers had to be cut into squares and used
for toilet paper.
slice Islalsl to cut food. such as bread, meat, or vegetables
into thin flat pieces {v TJ
Thejirst machine slices the loaves, the second wraps them. I
Slice the lemon thinly using a sharp knife.
sliced (adj l a salad of lettuce and sliced cucumbers I sliced
white bread
carve Ikmrvl to cut a large piece of cooked meat into
pieces for a meal with a big knife fv TJ
He carved the beef thinly and evenly. I carve sth into slices
Remove the meat from the pan, carve it into slices and
arrange in a Iwt serving dish.
chop/chop up I'fop, ,'fop ' AP 11 'fa:p-I to cut something
such as vegetables or wood into smaller pieces [v TI
He took his axe and went out to the back yard to chop some
wood. I ThR.se old chairs can be clwpped up for firewood. I
Chop this onion up for me will you?
saw /s;):1to cut wood or another hard material into pieces,
using a tool that you push backwards and forwards across
its smface Iv T J
This piece of equipment will saw wood. plastic. and metal
equally well.
dissect Id l' sekt, dal -I to cut a dead animal or dead person
into parts for teaching or medical purposes [v Tl
Next week in our biology class we're going to dissect a rat. I
Thefossil specimens werecare/ully dissected and exami1U!d
under the microsl:ope.
6 to cut food into a [at of small pieces
chop shred
grate dice
mince/grind
chop "fop n 'fa:pl [v TI
chop sth My mother was chopping vegetables in the
kitchen. I chop sth into pieces/segments/ chunks etc She
took an onion and began to chop it into small pieces.
chopped [a<VI Do not add tlU! chopped meat until tlU!oil is
very Iwt.
grate Igreltl to cut food such as cheese or vegetables into
a lot of very small thin pieces by rubbing it against a special
tool which has holes in it {v TI
Grate S011U! cheese and spread it over the top of the fish pie.I
He was grating some coconut over chicken breasts, an idea
he got from a Mexican cookbook.
grated {adj l Haveyou ever thought a/using grated carrots
in your salads?
CUT 300
mince (British) I grind (American) /m ln' , gralnd/ to cut
food. especially raw meat, into very small pieces by put·
ting it through a spec ial machine Iv T I
Cut the meat up small. or mince it if you like. I She priifers
to grind her own beef becnuse she thinks itsjresher.
minced (British) I ground (American) ladj J The main
ingredient ofmoussaka is minced lamb.
shred IIredl to cut food, especially vegetables, into long
thin pieces before cooking it or eating it Iv TJ
Remove Ilu! outside leoves and shred the oobbagej"lJU!ly. I Th e
sauce should be added after the spinach has been shredded
orc!wpped.
shredded ladj) a salad consisting o/a/ew bits a/shredded
lettuce
dice Idal s/ to cut food, especially raw vegetables, into
small square pieces Iv T I
Peel the cucumber and dice it. I The potatoes are diced and
cooked in sa lted water.
diced ladj] Melt three tablespoons o[ butter in a saucepan
and add the diced vegetables.
7 to make trees, bushes etc fall down by cutting
them
cut down fell
chop down hack
'I
cut down kAt 'daun/ [phr v T I
cut down sth We had to cut down the cherry tree because
it was diseased. I Cutting down forests will only create worse
erowgical problems. I cut sthl it/them down The rosebush
gOl so big that in the end I had to cut it down.
chop down J,tfop 'daun 11 ,tfa:p-I to cut down a tree or
a strong plant, using a sharp tool Iphr v T ]
chop sth/ it/ them down The oak was blocking the view
from our window so we asked our neighbour to clwp it
down. 1chop down sth The firs! thing we have to do is to
chop down those bushes.
fell /fell to cut down trees, espec ially a large number of
them, using special equipment Iv TI
He earned a good living felling trees. I The trees they had
felled had vanished, stolen by rival timber merchants.
hack /hrekJ to cut trees, plants etc by hitting them with
a heavy knife or other sharp tool us ing short violent move-
ments Iv IITI
hack a path/ road/your way through etc (=make a path
by cutting down plants and trees) Slowly they hacked their
way through theforest. I hack at Evans removed his knife
from his belt and began to hack at the bushes. I hack sth
down (=cut something dow n by hacking it) He spent his
days hunting, fIShing, and hllcking trees down.
8 to cut plants, bushes, grass etc in order to
make them shorter or smaller
cut trim
mow clip
prune
cut fkAt/ cut the grass/ the lawn/ the hedge (=cut off
some of the grass or leaves to make it look neater) Iv T J
I'll cut the grass after lunch. I We usually cut the hedge every
month iT) summer.
mow J m~J to cut grass, using a special machine to make
it look neater Iv T J
It 's time to mow tire lawn again. I The gardener spent the
whole afternoon mowing the grass and sweeping up the
leaves.
prune Jpru:nl to cut away some of the branches ofa tree,
bush, or plant to control its growth Iv TI
Spring is the best time to prune overgrown shrubs. I The rose
bush UXlsn 't pruned thisyear so I doubt ifwe'regoing to have
many flowers.
trim Itrlml to cut small amounts off something such as a
bush or grass in order to make a neat shape or surface (u Tl
Doyou have time to tn'm the edges ofthe lawn bejoreyougo?1
We're not chopping the conifers down, just cutting the tops
off and trimming them a little around the sides.
CUT
clip Ikhp/ to cut small amounts off something such as a
bush, using small quick movements with a spec ial tool
s imilar to scissors Iv Tl
Now t!wt he's clipped the hedge the garden laoks a lat tidier.
9 to cut someone's hair, beard , fingernails etc
to make them look better or neater
cut
trim
shave
cut /kAl/ Iv T)
Who cuts your hair? I Roy stopped to get his hair cut on the
way 10 work. I Do you mind not cutting your dirty nails over
the table?
cut In singular] Your hair needs a cut (=needs to be cut).
trim Itrlmf to cut a small amount off someone's hair, beard
etc so that it looks neat Iv T I
My grandfather would spend hours in front of the mirror
trimming his beard. I Couldyoujust trim my hair and thin
it out on top.
trim In singular) Giveyour j"mgemaiisa trim (=trim them).
shave fIe lv f to cut the hair on your face, head. or body
extremely short us ing a special sharp blade, so that your
skin feels smooth Iv I/ T!
I hate shaving with a blUnt razor. I shave sth One side of
Maggie's head had /.0 be s!wved before the operation.I shave
sth off (=remove by shaving) She insisted that he shave his
beard off before she would marry him.
shave (nsingulari Hefell his chin to see ifheneeded a shave
(=needed to shave).
shaven fadj I All the prisoners had shaven (=shaved) heads.
10 to make a shape by cutting
cut
cut out
carve
cut /kAl/ Iv T)
cut sth Cut a 20 centimetre square from the middle of the
cloth. I Hal cut a notch in th2 stick and tied a string around
it. I cut sth to the shape of The carpet was cut to the exact
shape of the floor. I cut sth into a square/ circle etc First
cut lhe paper into a triang le.
cut out 11 kAt 1aU(j to make or remove a shape from a sheet
of paper or other material by cutting it Iphr v TJ
cut out sth Sfella stood at the kitchen table, cutting out the
patternfor a new dress. I cut sth/ it/them out The children
drew Christmas trees on their pieces of paper and cut them
out carefully.
carve lka:rvl to cut shapes out of solid wood or stone (v TI
These statues were proba bly carved during the reign of
William Ill. I Michelangelo carved hisjiguresfrom single
blacks 0/ marble.
carved (adj J She g lanced at the carved crucifh: above her
bed.
11 a mark , space, or injury made by cutting
cut graze
scratch gash
slit
cut I kA~ In C)
You're covered in cuts and bruises. Haveyou been in ajight?1
That 's a nasty cut - you might need a couple of stitches in it.
scratch fskrretfl a cut, especially one that is small and not
very deep on the sk in, or on the surface of a hard material
such as wood In Cl
It 's not very serious - justa scratch. I Look at the table now
- it's covered in scratches. I A lways clean and dry your skis
and check the bottoms f or scratches.
slH Islnl a straight cut that goes right through a material
so you can see what is on the other side of it In Cl
He made a s lit in the side of the tent with his penknife.
CUT 301 DAMAGE
greze!grelz! an area of skin which has been slightly cut
by rubbing against a surface, for example when you fall
onto the ground [n Cl
There were grazes on his elbows and knees, but otlu!rwise
he was alright.
gash fgreJI a large, deep cut in someone's skin [n Cl
That's a nasty gash you 'De got on your knee. I The accident r. dab LITTLE/NOT MUCH 1
D
~ dab hand: be a dab hand GOOD AT 4
Mt her with a deep gash above the l~t e)".
dabble in DO 1
1 cute BEAUTIFUUGOOD·LOOKING 2. 3 dad FATHER 1. 2
cutting UNKIND 2 Daddy FATHE R 2
cutting edge: at the leading edge of/cutting edge of daft STUPID/NOT SENSIBLE 1, 3, 4, 5
ADVANCED 1 daggers: look daggers at LOOK AT 7
cycle ORDER/SEOUENCE 1 dally: hourly/dally/weekly/monthly etc REGULAR 1
cyclist DRIVE 5 dainty SMALL 1
cylindrical ROUND 4 damage DAMAGE 1, 2, HARM/BE BAD FOR 1, INJURE
cynical BELIEVE 10 2, SPOIL 5
damage: do/cause damage DAMAGE 1
damage: hann/damage sb's reputation REPUTATION 3

Idamagel--
, .-, _
which meaning?
, . ,

damage something • DAMAGE

- ~
not working properly • BROKEN
,~
In bad condition ... • CONDITIONI
'~ ....... ;0','"'"

", STATE OF STH

-
• DAMAGE
1 to do physical harm to something such as a
machine, building, or a natural structure
2 physical harm that spoils something's
appearance, usefulness etc
3 causing damage. especially to people 's
health or to the natuml world
4 to delibemtely damage something such as a
building, room , or machine
5 to delibemtely spoil the appearance of
something
6 ways of saying that weather , water, chemicals
etc gradually damage something over a long
period of time
7 to damage or destroy something by using it a
lot or for a long time
8 damage caused by continuous use over a
long period

1 to do physical h8lm to something such as a

" You say" is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English .
machine, building . or a natural structure
damage do harm
do/cause damage hurt
ham
damage f 'dremld3/ to damage something so that it no
longer works properly or looks as good as it did Iv TJ
Be carif'ul - you 'il damage the paintwork. I Heavy rain and
storms have severely damaged thisyear'scrop. I Your parcel
was Ulifortunawly damaged in the mail. I Smoking damnges
your health.
damaged lalUJHe was on his way to Nakhodka to inspect
a damagedjreighter.
dolcause damage f Idu: , .1o!Z 'dremld3f an expression
meaning to damage something, used especially when
saying how much damage there is Iv phrase]
Picture restorers have>Jo learn to clean a painting without
DAMAGE
doing any damage. I do/ cause damage to Too much sun-
light can cause a lot 0/damage to your skin. I dol cause seri-
ous damage/ a lot of damage ete The explosion caused a
great deal DJ damage to the area.
...", Iha: r mJ if something such as a chemical or a natural
process hanns something, especially someone's health or
a natural structure, it damages it. usual1y permanently
IvTI
It is now clear that these gases harm the ozone layer. I Cover
young plants in plastic sheeting to SlOp them being harmed
byfrost.
do harm Idu: Iho:Tmj an expression meaning to harm
something, used especially when saying that something is
hanned a little, a lot etc Iv phrase)
Taking vitamins may not help but they certainly uxm 't do
any harm I do harm to Drinking alcolwl during pregnancy
can do a great deal of harm to the developing foetus.
hurt Ih3!Tlf an American word meaning to damage some-
thing, especially by accident Iv T I
1 backed into your car, but I don '( think J hurt it. I You can
play baseball in the back yard, but be careful you don 't hurt
anything.
2 physical harm that spoils something 's
appearance, usefulness ete
damage
breakages
damag. , 'drem,d31 In UI
The insurance company have said they 'll pay for any
damage. l it 's amazing how much damage a group 0/ little
kids can do to a playground. I irreparable/ irreversible
damage (=damage that cannot be repaired) Lack ofoxygen
can cause irrejXJrable brain damage and death. I serious/
extensive/ severe damage (=a lot of damage) Ha ving
suffered extensive damage already, it may now be too late
to save the ozone layer. \ minor/superficial damage
(=damage that is not very serious) A small bomb had
exploded butdamnge to the building wasjairly superficial.
braakage. /'bre l kld3~zl things that have been broken
while being sent somewhere or borrowed by someone, and
that usuaUy have to be paid for In plural)
You can hire wine glasses from the store but you'll have to
pay f or any breakages.
3 causing damage, especially to people's
health or to the natural world
damaging
harmful
damaging l'dremld311)/ something that is damaging
causes damage, especially if you have too much of it ladjl
Many people do not realize the damaging effect on the liver
that too much alcohol can have. I The sun/Wers screen out
damaging ultraviolet light. I The walls provide a shelter
from the damaging north winds.
harmful /'ho!Tmblf something that is harmful always
causes damage to people, the natural world etc ladjl
The group are trying to encouragefarmers not to use harm-
fulfertiliZl!rs and pesticides. I A lot ofresearch has been done
into the possible harmful effects of television on children's
development. I Before it is sold, milk is heaU?d to a very high
temperature to get rid. of any harmful bacteria.
4 to deliberately damage somelhing such as a
building, room , or machine
smash up sabotage
vandalize tamper with
vandal desecrate
smash up 'lsmreJ I" pI to damage something completely
because you are angry, because you want to threaten some-
one etc Iphr v TJ
smash up sth Angry strikers broke into the factory and
smashed up all the new machinery. I smash sth/ it/ them
302 DAMAGE
up As aflnal warning, the gang smashed his car up before
they lefL
vandaUze (also -I •• Br~ish) I 'vrendal-.,z! to deliberately
damage someone's property, especially public property, for
no good reason, but just because you are oored or enjoy
doing it Iv T usually passive]
The high school has been vandalized twice this month. I It's
supposed to be impossible to vandalize the new style ofpublic
telephone.
vandalism In Ullt can be difficult for thepolil:< to proted
empty property from vandalism.
vancla. / ·vrendll someone who deliberately damages some-
one else's property. especially public property, for no good
reason but just because they are bored or enjoy doing it
Ine l
Vandals got into the doctor's office last night and nearly
wreck£d theplaa!. 1vandal-proof(=impossiblefora vandal
to damage) The new vandal-proof telephone booths will be
introduced next year.
sabotage 11 sreoota:31 to deliberately and secretly damage
equipment, vehicles etc that belong to an enemy or oppo-
nent, so that they cannot be used [v T J
Somehow someone managed to break in and sabotage the
computer system. I Every US fighter plane had been saJxr
taged by the enemy.
sabotage In VI Acts ofsaootageagainstpower stations were
not uncommon.
tamper with / ltremP<JT w,tJ/ to deliberately and illegally
damage or change part of something in order to spoil it or
prevent it from working properly Iv TI
Someone had tampered with the lock on my door. I After the
accident police discovered that the car's brakes had been
tampered with.
desecrate fides I kreTl/ to damage a church or other holy
place Iv TI
The church had been desecrated by vandaL'!:. I an article
about neo-Nazis desecrating a Jewish cemetery in Paris
desecrationfldes~ 'krelJan/ln VJ thedesecratinn ofa Chris-
tian altar
5 to deliberately spoil the appearance of
something
deface
d.face Id, 'fml lv TI
The OfflCial portrait ofPrincess Diana was defaced by hooli-
gans who painted all over it. I He was arrested for defacing
government property with graffiti.
6 ways of saying that weather, water, chemicals
etc gradually damage something over a long
period of time
wear away
corrode
erode
we.r away I.we;)r ;)Iwel/ to damage something over a
long time with the result that it becomes gradually smaller
Iphr v TI
wear away 5th The action a/the sea is constantly wearing
away the cliffface. I wear 5th/ it/ them away The power-
ful winds have worn some of the brickwork away..
corrode Ik~·r.KJd1 if a chemical corrodes something
metal, it damages it and makes it gradually disappear or
become weaker Iv TJ
Salt corrodes metal. I if the batreries leak, they can corrode
the case of your flashlight.
corrosion /ka ' rauyn/ln UI The problem is how to protect
the metal surfacefrom corrosion (=the process of corroding
something).
corrosive / k~ IIdUS I vI [adj ] a bottle ofcorrosive acid (=acid
that corrodes)
erode /lli.KJdI if water, wind, air etc erodes rock, land,
soil etc, it gradually damages it over a long time by remov-
ing little pieces of it Iv TJ.
DAMAGE
ice. and running water have severely eroded the
Rain, wind,
nearby mountains. I Thefwlds had been over-used and were
eroded and barren.
erosion 1"ldUpn/ln V I Terraced pacidY-JU!ilJs on ste1!p hill-
sides may lead to soil erosion and landslides.
7 to damage or destroy something by using it a
lot or for a long time
wear away
wear out
we.r away ' .weara1wel! [phr uTl
wear away sth Ouer the years the carpet had been worn
away, leaving barepatches in it. I wear sth/it/them away
Continued use is gradually wearing the stone steps away.
we.r out l.we;Jr laut! to cause a tot of damage to some-
thing, especially a machine, by using it a lot or for a long
time. so that it does not work any more [phr v Tl
wear out sth He played. the video again and again until it
was UXJrn out. I wear sth/it/them out Don 't use your wind-
shield wipers too often - you'll wear the motor out.
8 damage caused by continuous use over a
long period
wear
wear and tear
wear IWe:l'/ln VI
Excessive tyre wear may be caused by faulty brakes. I Every
six months examine the drive beltfor wear and replace it if
necessary.
we.r and te.r /1 we;Jr an I~ r/ the amount of damage you
expect to be caused to furniture, cars, pieces of equipment
etc, by using them for a long period of time In phrase]
Wear and tear means the value of a new car can drop dra-
matically in the ftrst couple ofyears. I normal/everyday
wear and tear (=the degree of wear and tear you expect)
Allowing/or normal wear and tear. that cooker should last
you another five years.
damages PAY FOR 8
damaging DAMAGE 3, HARM/BE BAD FOR 3, SPOIL 5
damn: not give a damn DON'T CARE 1
damp WET 4 , 5
dampen/damp WET 8
damper: put a damper on SPOIL 4
dance DANCE 1. 2. 3, 5
• DANCE
1 words meaning to dance
2 to do a particular dance
3 a particular set of movements performec to a
particular type of music
4 to invent a set of movements or steps to be
used in a dance
5 a social event at which people dance
1 words meaning to dance
dance
dancing
dance /dams 11 drens/ to move your feet and body in time
to mu sic [v I I
We danced for hours. until our feet were aching. 1 Before
coming to America he danced with the Bolshoi Ballet. I
dance across/ around et c The couple danced across the
floor. I dance to mus ic/jazz etc We spent the whole night
dancing to reggae at the 'Tropicana'. 1 dance the nigh t
away (:::dance all night) To celebrate. they had an expensive
meal. then danced the night away in an exclusive nightclub.
dance [n C J I went over to ask Lucy for a dance (=to ask her
to dance with me).
303 DANCE
danCing I ' da:ns,~ 11 'dlen-/ln VI
The dancing went on until 3 o'clock in the morning. lit was
a great evening, with music, dancing and lots of food. I
disco/folkljazz/tap etc dancing ['m not much good at
ballroom dancing_
2 to do a particular dance
dance
do
dance Ido:n, 11 da:nsl dan ee t he waltz/the tango/ th e
polk a ete Iv TI
Would you like to dance the tango with me?
do Idu:1do a dan ce/ the tango/ the waitz ete (used espe-
cially when talking about whether someone knows how to
do a dance) Iv TI
Can you do the/oxtrot? I The men did a strange dance which
they said would bring rain.
3 a particular set of movements performec to a
particular type of music
dance
steps
dance Ido:n, 11 dlen'/l n Cl
She knew aU the /al£St dances. I I preferoldjashioned da7lC£S
like the waltz or the tango. 1 dance craze (=the style of
dance which is very popular at the moment) Michael Jack·
son's 'Moonwalk' was the latest dance craze to hit America.
I folk dance (:::a traditional country dancc) We were/asci-
noted by sonU! of the Wea l folk dances.
steps /stepsJ the movements you make with your feet
which are part of a particular dance [n plural]
I'm not very good at /earningcomplicated dance steps. I Can
you show me the right steps/or this dance?
4 to invent a set of movements Or steps to be
used in a dance
choreograph
choreography
choreographer
choreograph J'koriagro:f, 110:- 11 1k:>:riagrrefJ [v TJ
The m embers of this dance group usually choreograph tlu?ir
own work, 1 She has been commissioned to choreograph a
modern ballet/or the Nationa l Dance Theatre.
choreography l,irori 'ogr;Jfi, ,10:- 11 ,Io:ri'a:g-I !he art or
inventing steps and movements and combining them into
a dance [n VI
She studied choreography at the Royal School of Balkt. 1I
thought Bejart's choreography was absolutely amazing.
choreographer J1korilogldfa r , Ik:>: - 11 Ib=ri'o:g-/ a
person who invents the movements or steps to be used in
a dance In Cl
He is resident choreographer of the Washing ton Ballet.
5 a social event at which people dance
dl nce bi ll
disco prom
dance Ida:ns 11 dlens/ln Cl
Gil£s loved going to dances and parties. I The annual dinner
and dance is next Friday at 7.30. I hold a dance (=organizc
a dance) They often hold da7U2s in the church halL
disco J'dlsbo/ a social event at which young people dance
to popular music (n Cl
Are you going to the disco tonight? 1 The youth club is
organizing a disco on Saturday night.
ball /bJ:11 a fonnal social event at which people dance and
for which formal clothes must be worn In Cl
The erut of term ball is IU!xt week. I hold a ball (=organize
a bait) Lady Srevenson is holding a ballfor her daughrer 's
21st birthday.
DANCE
prom /prom 11 pra:mJ an American word meaning a dance
held every year for the students of a school, especially at
the end of their last year In C usually singular I
Joey walked me home after the prom. I bi gb scbool prom
The group first played together at a high school prom.
dancing DANCE 1
danger DANGEROUS 7. 8, RISK 1
danger: be a danger to DANGEROUS 1
danger: be fraught with danger/dangers
DANGEROUS 3
danger: be in danger DANGEROUS 4 , RISK 7
danger: be in danger of RISK 4
danger: be out of danger SAFE 1
dangerous DANGEROUS 1, 2, 3, RISK 2
dangerous ground: be on dangerous ground RISK 4
• DANGEROUS
1 words for describing a dangerous person or
animal
2 words for describing somelhing that is likely
to cause death or physical harm. such as a
chemical, disease, or machine
3 words for describing a situation or activity in
which you risk being killed or injured
4 to be in a situation in which you may be killed
or injured
5 to put someone else in a dangerous situation
6 to do something that is dangerous and may
even lead to you r own death
7 the possibility that you might be killed or hurt
8 something dangerous that can happen to you
when you are doing something
1 words for describing a dangerous person or
animal
dangerous
be a danger to
be a menace
dangerous ,'demd:y(;)s/ [adjl
A police spok esman said th e man was armed and
dangerous.] The jungle is infested with lions, tigers, and
other dangerous animals.
be a danger to /bi: ;} 'demd3ar tu:/ someone who is a
danger to people is behaving in a way that is dangerous
to other people, especially without realizing it lu phrase)
A drunken driver is a danger to himself and to other road
users. J That man is a danger to the community. He slwuld
be locked up.
be a menace /bi: ;} 'menls/ someone who is a menace
behaves in a dangerous way, without thinking about the
safety of other people Iv phrasel
be a menace to He is a menace to himself, to us, and to many
other inflDCl!nt people. ] Poachers remain a constant numace
to wildlife. I be a menace People like that are a menace. They
shouldn't be allowed on the road.
2 words for describing something that is likely
to cause death or physical harm. such as a
chemical, disease, or machine
dangerous be a hazard
pose a threat be a fire risk!
threaten health rllk
hazardous death trap
dangerous I ' dellldyros/ladjl
Several children have been injured playing with these dan·
gerous toys. I Dangerous drugs such as heroin and crack are
freely available on the streets 0/ Washington. I Gastro·
enteritis can be extremely dangerous for babies. ] highly
DANGEROUS
dangerous These old gas heaters are highly dangerous if
not used with care.
dangerously (adu) The car swayed dangerously.
pose a threat / ,PiXJZ ;} '8retJ a formal expression: if
something poses a threat, its existence is dangerous to
people I v phrase I
pose a threat to Chemicals in our drinking water could pose
a serious threat to public health I The senator warned o/th,e
threat posed to m illions a/people by the continued existence
o/stockpiles a/nuclear weapons. I pose no threat Scientists
feel that present levels 0/ radiation pose no threat.
threaten f'Oretn' if something such as an activity or a
problem threatens something such as a place, animal, or
way of life, it could cause it to no longer exist (v Tl
Illegal hunting threatens the surviva l 0/ the African
Elephant. I The volcano has become so active it is now
threatening the town 0/ Santa Ma rta .
hazardous , 'hreza rdasj hazardous chemicals/ waste/
s ubstances etc (=a technical word meaning dangerous
and likely to seriously harm people's health) ladjl
Hazardous waste is bUrnt under carefully controlled condi·
tions. ] Employees who were exposed to hazardous sutJ..
stances are now claiming compensation.
be a hazard /bi: a 'hrezard/ to be likely to kill people,
cause accidents etc rv phraseJ
Ice on the road is a major hazard at this time 0/ the year. ]
be a hazard to Polluted underground water sources were
a hnzard w human health and to wildlife. I be a 1Ire/
health hazard That tyre dump is a seriousjire hazard.
be a fir. rlsk/healthrlsk /bi:J 'fa' ar ,ri sk , 'helO ,rlskl
to be Ukely to cause a flre or to damage people's health lu
phrase)
You can't leave that gas heater on all night, it's afire risk. ]
The court ruled that the restaurant was a health risk and
ordered it to be closed down.
death trap ,'deS lrrep/ something such as a vehicle or
building which is in such a dangerous condition that
anyone who goes in it r isks being killed In Cl
f wouldn't advise you to take that car out on the road. It's
a real death trap. I Fire-safety inspecwrs described the base-
ment night<lub as a death trap.
3 words for describing a situation or activity in
which you risk being killed or injured
dangerous be fraught with danger/dangers
perilous treacherous
hazardous hlgh·risk
risky stunt
dangerous /' delndYf;}sJ [adjl
Motor·racing is a dcmgerous sport. I Frank knew that tm
river could be dangerous. I a dangerous assignment I it is
dangerous for sb to d o sth It 's dangerous/or women to go
out on the streets at night. I highly dangerous We could try
to cross the river here. but it would be highly dangerous.
dangerously [adv I The bus was dangerously overcrowded.
perilous I'per ~ I ;}s/ a word used in literature or in news·
papers: a journey or adventure that is perilous is very
dangerous [adjl
The roost perilous moment 0/ the voyage was when their
small boat a lmost overturned in a storm. ] Climbers would
often be overcome by vertigo on the perilous descent.
hazardous " hrezardas/ hazardousjourney/ operation!
undertaking/ occupation (=one that is dangerous for the
people involved in it) ladjl
Being the President's bodyguard was obviously a hazardous
occupation. I In 1820 the voyage to Australia was a hazar·
dous undertaking. I Here on the front line, life was more
hazardous. The regiment had lost fourteen officers.
risky , 'n ski/ an action or plan that is risky is one in which
it is easy to make a mistake and be kilIedor irtitu"ed because
of it ladj l
Removing the/use/rom an unexploded bomb is always a
risky operation. I He'll have to land the aircraft in aFU!ld.
Risky! But there's no alternative.
DANGEROUS
be fraught wRh danger/danger. Ibi: ,fro:! wI6
Idelnd,3af, Idemd3;)fz/ if a situation or activity is fraught
with danger, it is very dangerous, especially because it
takes place in a dangerous place (v phraseJ
The peacekeeping operation along the frontier is fraught
with danger. I The life oj a deep-sea fisherman is/raught
with dangers.
treacherous I ltretJ~J.)sl places or conditions that are
treacherous are very dangerous for anyone who is walk-
ing, driving, climbingetc in them, especially because it is
not easy to see the danger [adj]
The snow hadJrozen hard and the ski slopes were treacher-
ous. I Strong winds and heavy rain are making driving con-
ditions treacherous in some areas.
high-risk I .hal 'r isk .. , high-risk occupation/ category/
behaviour etc (=in which the people involved do very dan-
gerous things) [adj only before nounJ
Deep-sea diving is regarded as a high-risk occupation, I high
risk behaviour anwng drug addicts, such as sharing dirty
needws
stunt /sLAnt! a dangerous trick that is done to entertain
people, especially in a mm In Cl
Unlike nwst other Hollywood movie stars, Schwarzenegger
does all his own stunts. l One of his favourite stunts was to
ride his motorcycle with the front wheel up in the air.
4 to be in a situation in which you may be killed
or injured
be in danger be in peril
be at risk be In trouble
be In danger /bi: m 'demd3ar, [v phraseJ
You are in danger. You must kave at once. I I had not real-
ized what danger we were in until I noticed that the water
level was r["ing. I be in grave danger (=be in a very dan-
gerous s ituation) It soon became clear that our wives and
children were in very grave danger.
be at risk Ibi: at ' r1 ski to be in a situation in which you
are likeJy to be harmed by violence, an illness etc, espe-
cially because you are weak and easy to attack [v phrasel
be at risk from We need to protect wives who are at risk
from violent husbands. I The people w/w are nwst at risk
from theflu epidemic are old people and people with chronic
lung conditions. I be at risk A special /wstel is being set up
for young people who are homeless and ronsidered to be at
risk.
be In perll /bi: In Iper!11 an expression used especially
in literature meaning to be in a dangerous situation [v
phraseJ
The messenger warned the king that he was in great peril. I
The destruction of the forest had begun and it soon became
clear that the whole tribe was in imminent peril. I be in
grave peril (=be in great peril) In 1940, when our country
was ingrave peril, only one man stood between us and defeat.
be In trouble Ibi: In ' trAball to be in a dangerous and
difficult situation, especially because of an unexpected
problem [v phrase)
Our water supplies were low, and thefGOd had alnwst run
out. We were in serious trouble. I Scott said nothing, but I
knew from his face that we were in trouble.
5 to put someone else in a dangerous situation
endanger
put sb's life at risk
endanger /l nldelnd3ar, endanger someone's life/
health/safety etc (=to put someone in a dangerous situa -
tion which would badly affect their health, safety etc) [v Tl
Smoking during pregnancy could endanger your baby 's
health. I Tlu?cityauthoritiescomplained that lowj1yingair-
craft were endangering public safety. I In some cases where
there is violence in the home, a child's life may be directly
endangered
put sb's life at risk I, put (sb's) Ila lf ~ ,risk} to put some-
one in a dangerous situation in which they could be killed,
especially by not obeying safety rules [v phraseJ
305 DANGEROUS
It is important to carry out safety procedures. We don't want
to put people's lives at risk. I The nuclear power industry is
putting at risk not only tlu? health of its workers but also the
lives of tlu?ir children.
6 to do something that is dangerous and may
even lead to you r own death
risk your life dice with death
risk your neck at your peril
take your life in at your own risk
your hands
risk your IHe "nskj:>:t Ilalfl to do something very dan-
gerous, especially in order to help someone, when you
know that you may get killed because of your action Iv
phrase I
She risked her life to save the drowning child. I Every day
firefighters risk their lives in the course of their duty.
risk your neck /, r1 sk j:>:r 'nekl an informal expression
meaning to do something very dangerous in order to help
someone, used especially when you think the action is
unnecessary [v phrase]
Why should I risk my neck trying to rescue common crimi-
nals? I Don't try too hard. It's not worth risking your neckR
Jor.
take your life In your hands" lelk j:>!r lJalf In j:>! t
,hrendz/ an informal expression meaning to put yourself in
a situation in which you may get killed, espec ially when
it is a situation which you cannot control [ v phrase]
There 's so much traffic on Saturday nwrnings. Every time
you cross the road you take your life in your hands. I You 'U
be taking your life in your hands if you ret Eric drive you
home.
dice with death I ,daIS WI~ 'deOI to deliberately do some-
thing which is so dangerous that you may eas ily get killed,
especially when you do it for excitement [v phraseJ
Anyone who tries to climb that mountain in this weather is
dicing with death. I And now stand by for more thrills as
those amazing acrobats, the Ballero Brothers, dice with
death on the high trapeze.
at your perll /~ j:>: r Iper!11if you warn someone that they
do someth ing at their peril, you mean that it would be
very dangerous for them to do it [adv phraseJ
Any climber w/w neg lects these simple precautions does so
at their peril. I Ignore this warning at your peril.
at your own risk /:}tj::m ,oxm 'rlskl if you do something
a t your own risk you must accept that it is dangerous and
that it will be your own responsibility if you get killed or
hurt ladv phraseJ
The cliff path is dangerous. Anyone who goes beyond this
point does so at their own risk. If/you're determined to swim
in ih£ river, f can 't stop you, but it's entirely at your own risk.
7 the possibility that you might be killed or hurt
danger
risk
danger l 'deond3,'1 In VI
As Jane entered the cave, she experienced a strange sense of
danger. I Martin had been in battle many times and he was
accustomed to danger. I Danger! Keep out!
I risk /nskl a word meaning the possibility that you might
be killed or harmed if you do something dangerous, used
especially when you want to say how great the possibility
is tn VJ
How much risk is there in this kind of operation? I One of
the attractions of mountain-climbing is the risk involved. I
risk to Although the disease is known to affect cats, there
is no risk to humans.
8 something dangerous that can happen to you
when you are dOing something
danger risk
peril hazard
DANGEROUS 306 DARK
danger ('de lnd30'{ In C usually plural) pitch dark/pitch black ( ,pIlI 'do:'k- , ,pIlI 'blrek _{
Young people should be warned aoout the dangers of drug completely dark, so that nothing can be seen [adj not
abuse. I Coalmining was a job with many dangers and/ew usually before noun )
rewards. I face dangers (=do something that involves It's pitch dark in there. } can't see a thing. 1 Inside the cellar
dangers) All oox£rs are well aware of the dangers they face it was pitch black.
when they go into the ring for afight. the dark /6~ 'do:rk/a situation where there is no light,
peril , I per AI, a word used especially in literature meaning for example when you are in a room where all the lights
something that can cause danger, especially during ajour· have been turned ofT, or in a forest at night In singularJ
ney In C usually plura l ] Most children are afraid of the dark. 1 Don't sit there in the
For the next four months Cook braved the perils of the dark. Put the light on.
Antarctic seas. INone ofthe young cadets who set offon that darkness /'do:rkn!s/ a place or time where there is no
calm September morning could haveforeseen the perils that light In V)
/ay ahead. Th£ voice was coming from somewhere in the darkness. 1As
risk Ifl sk} something dangerous that might possibly my eyes became used to th£ darkness ! could make out a bed
happen to you if you do something [n C usually plural ] in the corner ofthe room. I The attack took place during the
A lot 0/ children start smoking without realizing what tire hnurs of darkness. 1 in complete darkness Colour films
risks are. I Of course you can 'I say there are no risks, but must be developed in complete darkness.
flying is one a/the safest/arms a/travel. I It '5 important that dim {dn"{ light that is dim is not very bright lacljl
you drive quickly, but don 'I take any risks. In the warm dim light the room looked curiously inviting. 1
hazard /1 hreZ3 r d/ something that may be dangerous, The evening light grew dim and they went inside.
cause accidents etc [n C J dimJy (adv J The moon shone dimly behind the trees.
Divers are well aware of the hazards of their job. ! Stairs can the haR·llght to. 'ho:f l.II 11 - 'href-{ dull, grey light like
present a particular hazard to older people. 1Flashing signs the light of the early morning or early even ing [n singularJ
warned drivers of potential hazards ahead. He urged the mule forward through the halflight of the
oonana grove. ! in the half-light It was diffICult to see who
dangle OOWN 11
dank WET 5
was standing there in the dim half-light Of the holL.
dapper SMARTiWELL·DRESSED 1
dare BRAVE 5 2 almost dark but not completely dark
dare: I dare say PROBABLY 1 dim dimly-lit
dare: not dare BRAVE 7 unlit darkened
daredevil BRAVE 3
daring BRAVE 3, 4 dim /d lm/ a room or place that is dim is fairly dark so that
do'" COLOUR/COLOR 3, DARK 1 you cannot see very well there (adj ]
dark: be In the dark NOT KNOW 5 Inside the smoll room it was dim and rooL !A pale lightjlick-
da"': glow In lhe do'" SHINE 5 ered in the dim passage. 1 The interior of the store was dim
dark: It gets dark DARK 4 and cluttered.
dark: the dark DARK 1 unlit /IAn1 1It .. / an area, building, or room that is unlit is
dark because there are no lights on there [adj I
The path was unlit - she needed a tarch ta find her way. !
Idarkl Behind the gasoline pwnps the unlit garage stood liIre a huge
black shadow.

which meaning? - dlmly ..Ut l ,dlm1i '1It .. / an area or building that is dimly·
lit is fairly dark because the lights there are not very bright
ladj)
wtthout light or • DARK At night avoid shortcuts through dimly·lit alleyways or
across empty parks.
brightness . darkened I ' da:rk~ ndl a darkened room or building is
dark ~Iour '" ,. ~C
• COLOURlCOLOR
- . darker than usual, especially because its lights have been
turned off or there are no lights [adj only before tWun]
The prisoner lay in a darkened room .

• DARK 3 dark in a sad, frightening, or unpleasant way

gloomy
1 words for describing a place where there is dingy
liUle or no lighl the shadows
2 almosl dark bul not completely dark
3 dark in a sad , frighlening, or unpleasant way gloomy I'glu:mil fairly dark, especially in a way that
seems sad ladj J
4 10 become dark The bar was gloomy and smelled of stale cigar smokE. 1
[never liked visiting Dr Alien in his gloomy old stUdy.
the gloom [n singularJ Jon could hear her voice but was
unable to see anything in the gloom.
1 words for describing a place where there is
dingy f' dmd3i/ a room, street, or place that is dingy is
liUle or no light
fairly dark and usually dirty and in had condition [adj)
do'" darkness He ate lunch in a dingy little cqfe next to the stati01L 1 The
pllch dark/pitch black dim room was dingy and damp.
the dark the half-light the shadows to, 'Iredouz{ the place near a bullding, ·
dark {do: 'k{ laclj I trees etc where it is darker than everywhere else because
Thick curtains covered the window - the room was quite it is hidden from the sun's light In pluralJ
dark. ! Tony was attacked and robbed in a dark alley. ! I Someone was hiding in the shadows at the end ofthegarden.!
shrank back into the darkest corner of the room, and prayed Two!igures movedoUl ofth£:;hadows into the moonlit street.
that the soldiers would not see me. 1 No, you can't play out·
side, it's too dark. lIt was a dark night and he was afraid
th£y might get /ast if they went across the Frelds.
DARK 3IYl DEAD
dayllght robbery: be dayllght/highway robbery
4 to become dark EXPENSIVE 5
It gets dark fall ;. days LIFE 1
the light fades be plunged Into darkness days: has seen better days CONDITIONISTATE OF STH 5
darken days: In those days THEN 1
days: It's one of those days UNLUCKY 2
It gets dark lit Igers Ida: f kJ when i t get s dark, the sky days: one of these days FUTURE 2
becomes dark, usually because it is night days: these days NOW 2
It was starting to gel dark outside and lights were coming dazed SHOCK 3, UNCONSCIOUS 1
on all over the city. I The men will leave as soon as it gets dazzle IMPRESS 2, SEE 15
dark. I When we were camping we used to go to sleep as soon dazzling BRIGHT 3 , IMPRESS 4
as itgotdark. I It's getting very dark out there - there's going dead BORING 5, DEAD 1, 2
to be a storm. dead: be dead to the world SLEEP 7
the light fad •• 10. ,Iall ' feulzl if natural light fades, i t dead: drop dead DI E 1
gradually becomes weaker, because night is coming dead: go dead FEEL HOT/COLDITlRED ETe 5
The Light slowly began to Jade and the trees became mere dead: stone-ciead/dead as a doornail DEAD 1
shadows. dead: stop dead/stop In your tracks STOP MOVING 1
darken lido: fk;m/ if the sky d arkcn s it gradually dead end PROGRESS 5
becomes darker than before, often because of bad weather dead on your feet : be dead on your feet/ready to drop
Iv 11 TIRED 1
In ajew minutes the sky darkened and heavy rain began to
fall. I caine looked out over the darkening landscape.
fall /fo:ll nigh t/even ing/ da rkness falls (=a word used
especially in stories meaning that the night begins and it
, ~--.-----,~
1dead 1------,-
becomes dark) Iv IJ
We got back homejust as night wasfalling. 1Darkn£SSfell which meBnlng'~
on the town and the streetlights came on one by one.
be plunged Into d.rkne•• fbi: ,PIAfld3d I n{3 'da : 'kn ~S/
ifa room, building etc is plunged into darkness it is sud-
denly made dark because all the lights have been turned
dead, not Ilvjng . -,;
~

die or be kUIed
---_._
_ DEAD
. DIE
...... -
ofT Iv phrase I
Suddenly the light went out and the narrow stairs were the body of 8 dead ~ . BODY
plunged inro darkness. I Lightning struck the power lines, persoit or IinlmBi
plunging half the city into darkness.
not die de8plte an __ --....,..1
> . SURVIVE
darken DARK 4
darkened DARK 2
accident, lllnas lie
ri darkness DARK 1 not exist any more -') . EXIST
dart FAST/QUICK 7
~ da.h HURRY I , UTTLE/NOT MUCH 3 , RUN 1
I dash: I must dash/fly LEAVE A PLACE 2
dash off WRITE 4
dash Bb's hopes DISAPPOINTED 4
• DEAD
da.hing BEAUTIFUUGOOD·LOOKING 2
data INFORMATION 1
1 words for describing a person or animal that
database INFORMATION 2 is no longer alive
date FASHIONABLE 9, TIME THAT IS PLANNED 1 2 words for describing a plant or object that is
date: make a date ARRANGE A MEETING, EVENT ErC 2 not living
date: out of date OLD·FASHIONED 1
date: to date NOW 3
daled OLD·FASHIONED 1
dating: be dating RELATIONSHIP 4 1 words for describing a person or animal that
daughter CHILD 2 is no longer alive
daunt FRIGHTENED 7 dead late
, daunting DIFFICULT 1
dawdle SLOW 7
deceased lifeless
stone--deadldead as a doornail
dawn: at the crack of dawn EARLY 6
dawn: the dawn of BEGINNING 2 dead Idedl lawl
dawn on REALIZE 1 Sm's stopped breathing, arut I can 't feel any pulse - Ithink
day: carry the day WIN 2 she's dead. I A line oJ nwurners waited to pay their last
day: fix/name/set the day MARRY 4 respects to the dead President. 1 Tm doctor told him that
day: give me sb/sth any dayl PREFER 1 unl£ss m stopped drinking m would be dead within a year, 1
day: It's a little late In the day LATE 8 Thefirst casualty reports we have/rom thefighting are 16
day: It'. not my day UNLUCKY 2 deed and over 150 wouruted. 1 dead on arrival (=already
day: make Bb 's day HAPPY 10 dead when arriving at hospital) She was rushed ro thelwspi·
day: win the day WIN 2
tal by ambulance but was p ronounced dead on arrival. I the
day and age: In this day and age NOW 2
d ead (=dead people) At this time ofyear the villages malre
offerings to the spirits DJ the dead.
day and night CONTINUOUS 3
day In, day out CONTINUOUS 2 dec ••• ed IdI ISi:stf a formal word meaning dead, used
day off/afternoon off etc HOLI DAY 3 espec ially when talking about someone who died recently
day on8: slnce/from day one BEGINNING 5 lawl
day to day ORDINARY 1 Tm President was an oldfrierut of her deceased fatmr, Dr
day to day: live from day to day PLAN 12
Bernstein. I the deceased (=the dead person, or people,
day trip TRAVEL 10
especially someone who has just died) The deceased are ro
daydream ATTE NTION 5, DREAM I , 2, IMAGINE 2
be buried at St Mark 's church on Friday 15th.
dayllght LIGHT 1 stone-cte.d/de.d ••• doornail J1st::N.,m 'ded, Ided ~z
~ 'cb:rne11/informal expressions meaning dead, used when
DEAD
you are completely certain that someone is dead [adj not
before nounl
Tom poked the bird with a stick. "Yeah, it's as dead as a
doornail. ..
late / I e,~ the late Mr Smith/ professor / president ete
(8 word for showing respect for someone who has died,
usually recently) lad} on ly belore nounl
The painting was donated w the University by the /ale
Duchess DJ Windsor. I My late wife always made her own
cakes. I His style reminds me very much of that other jazz
legend, the late John Coltrane.
Ilfele•• / 'la,flJS/lifeless body/corpse/face ete (=wh ieh
shows no sign oflife) ladjl
He took the dead girl's hand. It lelt 00/4 and lifeless. I A
couple of soldiers dropped the apparently lifeless body over
the side 01 a cliff.
2 words for describing a plant or object that is
not living
dead
inanimate
dead /ded/ladjl
It was autumn, and the path was covered in dead leaves.
Thesej10wers look dead - shall I throw them away?
In ani mat. /m 1ren!m!tl inanimate object / thing/
matter (=that contains no living material) iadjl
In some cultures inanimate objects such as mountains are
worshipped as gods. I The painting wos 01 a oollection 01
inanimate objects which had been placed on th2 artist's table.
deaden/dull REDUCE 2
deadline: meet a deadline ON TIME 4
deadlock PROGRESS 5
deadly KILL 7
deadpan EXPRESSION ON SB·S FACE 3, SERIOUS
PE RSON 4
deaf HEAR 6
deaf: be stone deaf/be as deaf 88 a post HEAR 6
deaf ears: fall on deaf ears IGNORE 2
deafening LOUD/NOISY 3, 4 , 5
deal BUSINESS 4
deal: a good deal/s great deal l OTfA LARGE NU MBER
OR AMOUNT 9
deal: a great deal of/a good deal of LOT/A LARGE
NUMBER OR AMOUNT 1, LOTNERY MUCH 1
deal: be a good deal CHEAP 6
deal: close a deal FI NISH DOING STH 6
deal: make a dealldo a deal AGREE 3
deal: no big deal UNIMPORTANT 1
deal In BUSINESS 6. SELL 4, 5
deal with ABOUT 2, BUSINESS 6, DEAL WITH 1. 2 ,
TREAT/BEHAVE TOWARDS 1
e DEALWITH
to take action in order to find the answer to a
problem or make sure that something is done
properly
1 to take action in order to find an answer to a
problem or improve a difficult situation
2 to take action in order to make sure thal
arrangements are made properly , work is
done properly etc
3 to deal with a difficult situation in a particular
way
4 to deal successfully with a difficult problem or
situation
5 to be in a situation in which yo u have to deal
with someth ing unpleasant or difficult
6 a particular way of dealing with something
308 DEAL WITH
1 to take action in order to find an answer to a
problem or improve a difficult situation
deal with grapple with
handle have a blitz on
tackle
deal with l 'di:1 w,O/lvTI
How should the government deal with the AIDS crisis? I Your
main duty will be to deal with complaints from customers.!
Troops are now in the border area dealing with the situa·
tion. ! It 's really hard to deal with such aggressive people.
handle /'hrendll to deal with a problem or a difficult situ-
ation in an effective and skilful or sensitive manner (v TJ
Rose could handle anything that went wrong with her car. I
If these issues are badly handled there may be civil war. 1
Don 't worry, I can handle him. I There '11 be some problems,
but nothing that you can't handle.
handling [n singularJ A committee will examine the
Government's handling o/(=lhe way il handled) the crisis.
tackle /'trekal/ to make a determined effort to deal with
a diffieull problem Iv TI
Right, that 's the problem, how can we tackle it? I Extra cash
is needed to tackle alcohol abuse. I Talk to someone who's
I been through all this, see how they tackled it. I Unemploy-
ment could be tackled by an investment programme.
grapple with / 'grrep,1 w,O/ 10 try hard 10 deal with a
difficult problem or situation, especially for a long time [u
T not in passive J
We have been grappling with this problem for months, but
without success. I The government must now grappl£ with
the twin problems of unemployment and a weak economy. I
The book grapples with a number of moral issues.
have _ blitz on 11hrev ~ 1bins on! to begin to deal, espe-
cially in a very determined way, with a problem which has
been ignored for some time [u phrase l
The police are planning to have a blitz on drunk drivers this
Christmas. Ilfweforget the other jobs andjust have a blitz
on thejiling, we should be able to get it done in a day.
2 to take action in order to make sure that
arrangements are made properly. work is
done properly etc
deal with take care of
handle process
see to follow up/follow up on
attend to
deal with l'di:1 w,l>l lvTI
Miss Jones deals with all requests for information. I Every
call to the advice service is dealt with by sympathetic coun-
sellors. I There is now only one doctor dealing with growing
numbers of patients.
handle /' hrendIJ to deal with something in a skilful or
responsible way Iv TJ
Could you handle this inquiry about aa:ommodation at the
coriference? I Mr Trent's personal assistant handles his
affairs with great tact and efficiency. I We've decided to let
the laW}'ers handle everything, that way we won't have to get
involved.
se. to I lsi: tu:/ to deal with a practical matter, especially
for someone else Iv T l
"We must send a telegram toJohn 's mother. " "Don't worry,
Lionel will see to that. " I My brother sa w to all thefuneral
arrangements, which was a great help. l It's our job to see
to repairs and mainl€nance work.
attend to I ~ 'te n d tu:/ to deal with business or personal
matters, especially small ones that are not very important
IvT I
Our son attended to all correspondence, and kept the
accvunlS. I ['m really busy right now. There are a lot olthings
to attend to before the trade fair. I We W€re working late,
attending to last minute detaiL,;.
DEAL WITH
take care of ,,!elk 'kedf Dvl to do everything that is
necessary to make sure that arrangements are made or
work is completed [u phrase)
There are still a lot of things to take care of before we go on
vacation. I "Sue is organizing the music, who's taking care
ofthefood?" "John said he'd do that." I Leave it to us, we'll
take care of everything for you.
process I'pr;}()ses 11 IpfQ!_/ if an organization such as a
government department processes a letter. official paper
etc, it deals with it (v T usually in passivel
You should allow two weeks for your visa application to be
processed. I Computers have given banks the power to process
millions of transactions a day. I By the time your applica-
tion for a nwrtgage has been processed, the survey should
have been done.
follow up (British) / follow up on (American) /, fol>u
l AP, ,foi;}() I ....p on H ,fa:iau lAP ren/ to take further action
in order to deal with a complaint. request, letter etc [phr
uTI
follow up sth Our rule is that the complaints department
must/ollow up a letter within two days. I We alwaysfollow
up on our customers ' comments. I follow 5th/it/them up
Look, here's the original memo. They simply forgot to follow
it up.
3 to deal with a difficult srtual ion in a particular
way
treat
play
approach
treat Itri:rj to deal with something in a particular way and
with a particular attitude (v TJ
treat 5th You will need to treat this very seriously. I All
claims for insurance compensation are treated equally.I
treat 5th as We slwuld treat crime as a social problem. I
According to police the fire is being treated as suspicious.
play Iplel! to deal with a situation by behaving in the way
you think will be best in order to achieve the result that
you want [v TJ
play sth aggresslvely/carefullyete We need to play this
quite aggressively. I Have you decided how you want to play
it? I play it by ear (=decide what to do at the last moment
accord ing to how the situation develops) Some people makE
a planfor an interview, but I liIre to play it by ear.
approach l;;IlprdUtJI to begin to deal with a difficult situ-
ation in a particular way or with a particular attitude rvT J
I don't think refusing to negotiate is the right way to
approach this problem. I Try to relax before the exam, and
you 'll approach it in a better frame 0/ mind.
4 to deal successfully with a difficult problem or
situation
manage overcome
cope rise above
come/get to grips with rise to the occasion
have 5th under control take sth In your stride
manage Il mrenl d31 to deaJ successfully with a fairly
difficult but quite ordinary situation [v liT]
"How did you manage while you were unemployed?" "Luck-
ily, I had some savings. " I I'll be away for a week, do you
think you can manage on your own? I manage sb/ sth Helen
was always a difficult child. None ofher teachers knew how
to manage her. I The seminar discusses typical work·related
problems and strategies to manage them.
cope Ik;,upl to succeed in dealing with a very difficult sit-
uation or problem [v I]
[told her [ CQuldn 't cope, I wasn't well enough. I She's very
inexperienced, but ['m sure she can cope. I cope with Young
Sam coped very well with his father'S sudden death. I We
must find a new way o/coping with the situation.
comelget to grips with I ,kt..m, ,get ta 'grIPS wl~1 to
consider, understand, and deal seriously with a very
difficult or important problem or situation (v phrase ]
309 DEAL WITH
The present government hasfailed to come to grips with the
country's economic problems. I Teachers must be prepared
to spend time getting to grips with new technology. I No COWl-
try has really got to grips with the problem 0/nuclear waste.
have sth under control/hrev (sth) ,,\.nd;)T k~n 'tr.xJ11 to
be dealing successfully with a difficult situation at the
moment [v phrase not in progressive or passiveJ
The police have the situation under control. I Theflight was
very bumpy but the pilot assured us that everything was
under control. I bring 8th under cQntrol (=start to deal
with it successfully) The new government has the unenvi-
able task of bringing Poland's/oreign debt under control.
overcome ' ldUV;;lTlkt..m/ to deal successfully with a
problem so that it no longer exists or is not as bad [v TJ
I've a/ways want.ed to overcome my fear of spiders. I The
school overcame the problem of funding by getting local
ftrms to sponsor them. I The/actors that cause rioting ronnot
be overcome quickly.
rtse above" ralz ;;I I bAVI to deal with a problem or difficult
situation, by being able to ignore it, so that you can suc-
ceed in what you are doing [v T not in passive]
Kate rose above all t.he trouble at horm! and did well in her
classes. I Mervin had risen above his limiting social position
and made it as a successful businessman.
rise to the occasion I,ralz t;;l ~i ;;Ilkelynl to deal suc-
cessfully with a sudden, unexpected situation or problem
[v phrase]
Steve, who was seldom surprised by anything, rose to the
occasion at once. I There was a moment's siwnce, then El/a,
rising to the occasion said, "Please come in, gentlemen. "
take sth in your stride ,ltelk (sth) m jJ!T 'straldl to deal
with an unexpected or difficult problem calmly and confi-
dently Iv phrase]
They never get upset, they just take everything in their stride. I
Liz seems to be taking the divorce in her stride.
5 to be in a situation in which you have to deal
with something unpleasant or difficult
face have to contend with
face up to have sb/sth to reckon with
confront
face Ifels/ if you face a difficult problem, or a difficult
problem faces you, you must deal with it [v TJ
face 5th Latin America faces a growing debt problem. I
McManus faced the biggest challenge of his career. I the
problems faced by learners of English I the situation now
facing the government I be faced with/by The doctor was
faced with the task of breaking the bad news to the bay's rela·
tives. I We are faced by a crisis in our society.
face up to I lfels lAP tu:1 to accept and deaJ with an
unpleasant fact or something difficult instead of ignoring
it Iv TJ
You shouldface up to things, not just pretend that nothing's
happening. I It's time the governmentfaced up to spending
more on health arul education. I The Principle accused par·
ents 0/ not facing up to their responsibilities.
confront I k~n 'frfl.nt/ to have to deal with something very
difficult or unpleasant in a brave and determined way [vT I
confront 5th We try to help people confront their problems. j
The union forced the management to confront the issue of
equal pay. I be confronted with/ by On my first day at
work I was confronted with the task ofchairing a meeting. I
As oil revenues slump, Saudi citizens are con/ronted by
recession.
have to contend with Ihrev t;;l k;;ln I tend wl~1 to have to
deal with a problem or several problems, especiaJly when
you are already in a difficult situation Lv phrase]
The speakers at the meeting had to contend with a faulty
microphone. I No one should have to contend with that kind
o/drunken, violent behaviour. I have sth to contend with
Don't worry about me, you have enough to contend with.
have ab/ath to reckon with /hrev (sb/sth) t> 'rek>n WIO/
to be in a position where you must deal with something or
someone so difficult or powerful that you might not
succeed [v phrase)
DEAL WITH 310 DECAY
You 'll have tire boss to reckon with ijyougo home this early. I
Anyone attempting to invade the country will have to reckon
with the peacekeeping force. • DECAY
to go through natural chemical changes that
6 a particular way of dealing with something slowly destroy things like wood, dead flesh,
course of action/course option or vegetables
approach your best bet 1 ways of saying that natural substances decay,
course of acllon/cour.e " k::!:fs av 'rekJ.m, b:rs/ an such as wood, plants, or flesh
action or several actions which could be taken in order to 2 words for describing natural substanoes that
deal with a particular situation In phra."le l have decayed
The best course DJ action would be le speak to /u!r and tell 3 ways of saying that food decays
her the whole story. l One possible course DJ action is to
increase tax£s on alcohol and tobacco. I Jim didn't want to 4 words for describing fooe that is no longer
start an argument, so sympathy seemed to be the sa/est fresh and has started to decay
course. 5 ways of saying that metal decays
approach /a'pldUtf/ a way of dealing with a problem, 6 words for describing metal Ihat has decayed
difficult situation, or job In Cl 7 to make something decay
approach to Each of the delegates suggested a different 8 the prooess of decaying
approach to the problem. I the government 's aggressive
approach to the whole question ofhomelessness I approach
The company must adopt a much more radical approach.
option 11opJan 11 1a:p-Jone of several ways that you could 1 ways of saying that natural substances decay,
choose in order to deal with a problem or a difficult situa- such as wood , plants, or flesh
tion In Cl decay decompose
Workingfull-time may not beyour best option. I What other rot perish
option do I have? I Have we discussed all possibk options? I
Our only option now is to contact the police. decay /d,'ke,/ Iv 11
your best bet Jj:l:r 'best ,betl an informal expression Over tlu! years, the wooden staircase had slowly decayed, I
meaning the best way of dealing with something [n phrasel Freezing conditions will stop most things from decaying. I
We decided that our best bet was to kave him where he was In a warm climate wherej1esh decays rapidly, there is more
and go and get h£lp. Il!you"re thinking ofcoming herefrom risk of infection from dead animals.
8is1wps Srortford, a bicycle's your best bet, th£ roads get very decaying [adj ] They came across the decaying remains of
busy. a sheep. I Th£ stream was block£t1 by decaying vegetation.
rot lrot I ra:tJ if something such as a plant, wood, or fruit
dealer SELL 9, 10 rots, it decays and becomes soft [v 11
dealings BUSINESS 2 The farmer cuts the grass, leaves it to rot, then ploughs the
dear EXPENSIVE 1 jieldagain.1 rot away (=rot very badly so that it becomes
dear: cost sb dearly/dear SU FFER 2 extremely weak or gradually disappears) I stepped on some
death DIE 1, 2, 6 floorboards that had rotted away and my foot went right
death: accidental death DIE 2 through thefloor.
death: be close to death/near to death DIE 5 rotting IIUljI {{you lift up a rotting log you willFmd all sorts
death: beat/kick/stab ete sb to death KILL 1 of insects underneath.
death: cause death KILL 6 decompose " di:bm 'p;xn/ ifsomething decomposes, it
death: dice with death DANGEROUS 6 decays and gradually breaks up or disappears Iv 11
2' death: put sb to death KILL 10 Police CQuld not establish th£ cau& ofdeath as th£ body had
J death: sentence sb to death KILL 10 completely decomposed. I Coal is formm from peat, which
death: to death DIE 2 consists of different kinds of organic matter that have
death by misadventure DIE 2 decomposed.
death penalty: the death penalty KILL 10 perish /' penJI ifsomething made of rubber or leather per-
death row: be on death row KILL 11 ishes, it decays and becomes weak, so that it breaks easily
death sentence KILL 10 Iv 11
death trap DANGEROUS 2 In the stable was an old horse's harness, but the kather had
death warmed up: look like death warmed up /death perished. I Diving equipment is treated w ith a chemical to
warmed over ILL 1 stop it from perishing. I The cause of the leak was obvious:
death 's door: be at death's door DIE 5 tlu! washer had perished and needed rep lacing.
deathbed: on your death~ed DI E 5
debatable UNCERTAIN 4
debate DISCUSS 1. 2. 5 2 words for describing natural substanoes that
debate: be the subject of debate/discussion have decayed
DISCUSS 3 rotten mildewed
debate: open to question/debate UNCERTAIN 4 decayed putrid
debt OWE 4 mouldy/moldy
debt: be deep/heavily In debt OWE 2
debt: be in debt OWE 1
rotten , Irotn 11 lro:tnl something that is rotten has
debt: be over your head in debt OWE 2
decayed badly so that it is soft and usually smells
unpleasant ladjl
debt: be up to your ears/neck In debt OWE 2
The drainpipe was blocked w ith rotten leaves. I These
debt: get Into debt OWE 3
window frames will have to be replaced. T hey're rotten.
debt: run up debts OWE 3
debtor OWE 6 decayed /d,'ke,d/ going through the natural chemical
debunk PROVE 4 changes that make things decay ladj ]
debut FIRST 5 &es will often build th£ir nests in decayed wood. I Th£ battle·
decadent BAD BEHAVIOUR OR ACTIONS 3, BAD
FuM was covered with .haif-<iecayed corpses.
PERSON 4 mouldy (BritiSh) I moldy (American) /'mouldi/ some·
decay DECAY 1. 8 thing that is mouldy has bacteria growing on it that you
can see [adjl
DECAY 311
There were some mouldy fruit boxes in the rorner. I The room
hadn't been openedfor yrors, and stn£ll£d of m ice and moldy
cloth.
mllclewed / 'm.ldju:d 11 -du:d/leather, cloth, wood, ele that
is mildewed is covered with a white substance that is
caused by it decaying in wet conditions [adj]
Anthony looked at the mildewed leather chair and decided
to sit on thejloor. I Marjorie studied the mildewed old pfw..
tograph with interest.
putrid /1 pju:tr!dl something that is putrid has decayed
very badly and smells extremely unpleasant [adj]
Neighbours alerted the police after they noticed an over-
powering smellofputrid/lesh comingfrom the cellar. I VuL-
tures and other birds of prey are able to feed off the most
putrid animal remains.
3 ways of saying that food decays
go bad go stale
go off go sour
go bad I,g.u 'bredl Iv phrasel
Don't eat those tomatoes. They've gone bad. I You should use
eggs, /ish. and meat within a few days, as they go bad vel}'
quickly.
go off 'lg:KJ lof 11 _':):fl meat, milk, or something cooked
that goes off has begun to decay and is no longer good to
eat Iphr v 11
I think this milk'sgoing ofT. Will you smell itfor me? 1 Yo u'd
better throw that lamb away - I think it's gom off.
go stale ' lg:KJ •steIlI bread, cakes etc that go stale become
dry and hard and unpleasant to eat Iv phrase J
The bread's gone stale - I had to throw it out. I Put the bis·
cuits back in the tin or they'll go stale.
go sour l .gOKJ Isau;}r/ milk, fruit juice, wine elc that goes
sour has been kept for too long so that it tastes bitter and
smells bad IV phrasel
Every day,/arms are pouring away gallons o/milk that has
gom sour. I Wine in an open bottle will quickly go sour.
4 words for describing food that is no longer
fresh and has started to decay
rotten sour
bad rancid
stale oil
mouldy/moldy
rotten Ilrotn 11 Iro:tnl fruit, vegetables, meat etc that is
rotten is very badly decayed, has gone soft, smells
unpleasant, and cannot be eaten [adjl
There were some very cheap oranges on the market but most
o/them were rotten. I The trash can had been overturned and
rotten vegetables covered the sidewalk. I the unmistakable
smell 0/ rotten eggs
bad Ibredl beginning to decay and no longer good to eat or
drink [ad}1
That sandwich looks bad to me - you'd better throw it away. 1
I spent the week in bed, sick/ram eating bad seafood when
we first arrived.
stale /stetll bread, cake etc that is stale is hard, dry, and
unpleasant to eat [adjl
We hOO nothing fiJ give themfor lunch but sw le bread. 1 We'd
better throw these crackers out - they're stale.
mouldy (British) I moIety (American) I'mooldil covered
with bacteria that grow especially in slightly wet condi·
tions lad}1
It is dangerous to/eed mouldy hay to horses. I In the/ridge
was some rrwuldy cheese and a rotten lettuce.
sour /saoo r/ milk, cream, wine etc that is sour tastes bitter
and smells unpleasant [adj]
Some spilt milk, sticky and sour, attracted a cloud o/insects. 1
The wine was so sour that I couldn't drink it.
rancid /'rrens~d/ rancid butter/ oil/ fat (=tasting bitter
and smelling unpleasant) [adj J
The little hut wasfull of the sm ell ofrancid butter and wood·
smoke. I go/ turn rancid (=become rancid) Most cooking
decency
oils contain a stabilizing agent that prevents them/rom turn·
ing rancid.
off lof 11 o:fl a word used especially in British English
meaning beginning to decay and unpleasant to eat or drink
lad} not before noun)
Don't cook that steak. I think it's ofT. 1 Mostofthefood was
delicious, but the cheese tasted distinctly off.
5 ways of saying that metal decays
rust
corrode
rust /rll.Stj if something made of iron rusts, it decays by
becoming brown and rough, losing its strength, especially
because it has not been protected from the damaging effects
of water [v IJ
The tank is rusting badly and the water mny start to leak
out at any time. I Gold will not rust. I rust away (=rust so
badly that something begins to break into pieces) My car
exhaust is beginning to rust away.
corrode /k;}'TdUdI if metal corrodes it decays by becom·
ing weak and changing its colour, especially because it has
not been protected from the damaging effects of water and
air [vI ]
Both batteries hod corroded badly. 1 The equipment hadn't
been in the watl!r long enough to corrode.
6 words for describing metal that has decayed
rusty
corroded
rusty /'rll.stil rusty metal has become rough and brown
because it is decaying, especially because it has not been
protected from the damaging effects of water and air ladj ]
In the shed were some damp newspapers, a tin hat and some
rusty tools. I a rusty nail
rust[n VI Youcan'tsee it, but underneath the car is covered
in rust.
corroded /k;} '1.KJd~dl metal that is corroded has become
weak and has changed colour, especially because it has not
been protected from the damaging effects of water and air
lad} I
The doors swung loosely on their corroded hinges.
7 to make somethi ng decay
rot
corrode
rot lrot 11 ,m'l Iv TI
Sugar rots your teeth. I The floor 0/ the little boo.t had been
rotted by sea water.
corrode /k;} I r<KJd1 if a chemical or chemical process cor-
rodes a metal, it makes it decay Iv T l
Acid can corrode most metals. l Over the years, rain, wind,
and sun had corroded the statue, turning the bronze a bright
green.
corrosion Ik;}' r;}uYnJ [n VI Zinc is resistant to corrosion in
the air.
corrosive /k;}' r.KISIV/ ladj l That chemical is highly corro-
sive (=cOITodes things very easily), so be careful.
8 the process of decaying
decay
decay Id. ' ke' / ln U I
Toothache is om o/the/irst signs o/chronic tooth decay. I
Tiny organismr;; that live in soil assist the process of decay.
decayed DECAY 2
deceased DEAD 1
deceit TRICK/DECEIVE 9
deceitful TRICK/DECEIVE 10
deceive TRICK/DECEIVE 1
deceive: be deceived/tricked TRICK/DECEIVE 4
deceive sb into TRICK/DECEIVE 2
decency GOOD/MORAL 7
decent 312 DECIDE
decent GOOD ENOUGH 1, GOOD/MORAL 1. 3. 5 choose to do sth I told him to drive slowly, but as usual he
deception TRICK/DECEIVE 7. 9 clwse to ignore my advice. I More and more young couples
deceptive SEEM 6 today are choosing not to marry. I if you so choose(=ifyou
deceptively SE EM 6 chocse to do this) He believes peopl£ should be allowed to
decide DECI DE 1. 2. 3. 5 use drugs if they so choose.
decide: be decided by DEPEN D/IT DE PENDS 1 take It Into your head to do sth I,telk It Int) j ~:f ,hed
decide: be 'or sb to decide DECIDE 4 ta 'du: (sth)1 if someone takes it into their head to do
decide: can 't decide/can 't make up your mind something, they suddenly decide to do something that you
DECIDE 9 think is stupid or strange (v phrase not in progressive I
decide: have not decided/have not made up your He's only met her once and now he's taken it into his head
mind DECIDE 8 to ask her to many him. I For some reason they took it into
decide: make ab decide to do 5th DECIDE 5 their heads to go swimming at midnight.
decide on CHOOSE 2
2
Idecide 1------, to decide after thinking carefully about what
you should do, especially when you have to
make an important decision
decide
which meanil}g? make up your mind
make a decision
decide what to do, • DECIDE arrive aUcome to/reach a decision
decide that something come down in favour of
is true resolve

choose something or • CHOOSE
someone
decide the resu~ of • RESULT
something
• DECIDE
1 to decide to do something
2 to decide after thinking carefully about what
you should do, especially when you have to
make an important decision
3 to decide that something is true or make a
judgment about something
4 ways of saying that someone has the right or
responsibility to decide
5 ways of saying that something makes you
decide
6 something that has been decided
7 good at making decisions quickly and firmly
8 to have not yet decided about something
9 to be unable to decide about something
10 not good at making decisions quickly and
firmly
1 to decide to do something
decide
choose
take it Into your head to do 8th
decide Idl 'sa ldl to make a choice that you are going to
do something (v lI T not usually in progressive J
decide to do sth She ckcided not to buy the dress because
it was too expensive. I Both tire kids are sick, so rue decided
to stay home today. 1 decide (that) if you ckcide that you
dcn't want your bike any nwre, let me know - I'd like to buy
it.1decide what/ how/ when etc Have you ckcided whot ta
get Tony for his birthday? 11 couldn't decide whether to go
with them or not. 1 decide against sth/doing sth (=decide
not to do something) We've decided against going to Spain
thisyear. We can't reallyqfford it. , decide "Which restaur-
ant should we go to?" "Oh, I don't know - you decide. "
choo.e Itfu:zl to decide to do something because you
want to, often without considering what otherpeopie want
IV T I
decide Idl'sa ldl [v liT not usually in progressive I
d ecide to do 5th In the end, I decided to leave college and
join the Navy. I decide They've been considering our offer
for two weeks now. It's taking them a long time to di!cide. I
decide on Having decided on a career in journalism. I wrote
to all the major newspapers askingfor an interview. I decide
(that) Kevin 's]mally decided thot he wants to go back to
Chicago. 1 decide how/ what/which etc S tudents shouid
think very carefully before deciding whot subjects to take. 1
it is decided that It has been decided thot there should be
no furth£r investment in the nuclear industry.
make up your mind " melk Apj:>:f ' malndl to decide in
a determined way to do something, especially after think-
ing about it for a long time Iv phrase]
make up your mind to do sth Now that she's made her
mind up to resign, there's no way you can persuade her not
to. 1 make up your mind (that) They hod made up their
minds when they married that they didn't want children. I
make your mind up J wish he'd make his mind up - we
can't wait forever! I make up your mind how/ what/
which etc Once we've made up our minds what day we're
going, I'll make reservations for the flight .
make a decision I,melk ~dl' S IY nJ to decide after think-
ing carefully about something, especially aboutsomethmg
that is very important [v phrase)
It took me a long time to make my decision. I An unmarried
girl who becomes pregnant obviously has some serious deci-
sions to make. I make a decision to do sth She's finally
made the decision to leave her husband. I make a decision
about We don 't have to m~ a decision about that now, let's
think about itfor a day or two.
arrive at/come tolreach a decision I~ ,ralV at, ,lwn
tu: , ,ri:tf a dJ'Si"yn/ to omcially decide about an important
matter after discussion and careful consideration Iv phrase
not in progressive)
Before reaching a decision the chairman usually talks to
senior managers. I arrive at a decision on/about Thecom·
mittee members have been Iwlding discussions all day, but
they have not yet come to a di!cision on any of the proposals. 1
Ha ve the Directors arrived at a di!cision about thefuture of
the company?
come down In favour of IkAm ,daun In 'felV:::'f ovl an
expression used especially in news reports mean ing to
decide finally to support one plan or action instead of other
plans or actions (v phrase I
After long, lunt.ed. discussions the union executive romedown
in favour of accepting the new pay offer. I The Senate has
come down in favour of the appointment of Judge Thomas
to the US Supreme Court.
resolve Ifl'ZDlv I1 flIZO:lv, rI'z~:lvl to make a finn deci-
sion to do something in the future, especiaUy because of
mistakes or bad experiences in the past Iv T not in progres·
sive or passive)
DECIDE
resolve to do sth After the divorce she resolved never to
marry again. If returned to the laboratory, resolving to stay
there until the experiment wasfmished. I resolve that Even
before Kevin started school his mother resolved that he
should one day become a priest.
3 to decide that something is true or make a
judgment about something
decide jump to the conclusion
conclude deduce
come to/reach infer
the conclusion
declde /dllS8ld/lv T not in progressive]
decide (that) After testing the brakes on my car I decided
that thRy were safe. I He looked around tlU? room again and
decided h£ did not much like fheplace., decide whether/
which/what etc She couldn't decide whether the hat suited
her or not.
conclude /k:m I klmdf to decide that something is true or
to make ajudgment about something after considering all
the facts [v T not in progressive]
conclude that Thejury listerred carefully to the evid£nce and
concluded that the man was guilty. I From what we know
about the nwon it seems reasoooble to conclude that it is
predominantly composed ofrock. I conclude from sth that
Davis ooncludesfrom an annlysis of traffic accidents that the
speed limit should be lowered.
come tolreach the conclusion l,kArn t~, Iri:tJ ~~
k~n I klu!ynJ to decide that something is true or make a judg·
ment about something after considering all the facts care-
fully and for a long time [v phrase]
come to/ reach the conclusion that After long consider-
ation the Administration hasfinally reached the conclusion
that taxes must go up. I I am gradually coming to the con·
clusion that you were right about this Iwuse. There's some·
th ing strange about it. I come to/ reach any conclusions
The proposal will need to be examirwd thoroughly before any
conclusions can be reached.
Jump to the conclusion I Id3Amp t;;, 6~ k~n 'klu:ynf to
decide too quickly that something is true, without carefully
considering all the facts, especially with the result that
your decision is wrong Lv phrase I
jump to the conclusion that For some reason the police
immediately jumped. to the conclusion that I'd stolen the car. I
jump to conclusions about You shouldn't jump to concLu·
sUms about things that you don't knowelWugh about. Ijump
to conclusions We mustn'tjump to conclusions. There may
bea perfectly reasonableexplanationfor him being so late.
deduce Idl'dju!s 11 dl 1du: sl a word used especially in a
scientific context meaning to decide that something must
be true because of ot her facts that you know [v T not in
progressive I
deduce that Darwin's observations led him to deduce that
plants and animals could adapt to their surroundings. I
deduce sth from sth The police surgeon was able to deduce
tl7£ probable time ofdeath from the temperature a/the body.
Infer Iln I b:TI to fonn an opinion or decide that something
is probably true because of other information you already
know [v T oot usually in progressive I
infer that It would be wrong to infer that she is a communist
just because she was once seen at a demonstration. I infer
from sth that From archaeological evidence we can
reasonably infer that these people used stone cutting tools.
4 ways of saying that someone has the rig ht or
responsibility to decide
be up to sb
rest with
be for sb to decide
the ball Is in your/their court
when it comes to the crunch/when it comes to it
be up to sb Ibi: lAP t;;, (sb)1 ifsomethingis up to you, you
are free to decide about it yourself and without anyone's
help tv T I
313 DECIDE
It's up to sb "Shall we finish the job now or /eove it till
tomorrow?" "I don't mind, it's up to YOu ." ! be up to sb
what/when/whether ete It's up tJJ them what they do with
the money. I be entirely up to sb Whether or not you have
the operation is entirely up to you, Mr Dakin.
rest with 1I rest Wlol if a decision rests with someone,
they have the authority to decide what should be done [v T
not in progressive or passivel
The committee has made certain recommendations, but the
final decision rests with the President. I The/ate ofthe airline
rests with the Mr Branson. His decision is expected
tomorrow.
be for sb to decide Ibi: f.J:T (sb) tJ dll saId! ifsomething
is for you to decide, you are the only person who can
decide about it [v phrase]
I'm not telling you which party to vote/or. That'sfor you to
decide. I it is for sb to decide what/ whether/ when etc
It 's for Joan to decide whether she wishes to continue living
with her parents.
the ball Is In ,ourlthelrcourt 16~ Iln:IIZ In Ij :>:T, I ~T
Ik:>:Tt/ if the ball is in your court, it is your turn to make
a decision and other people are waiting for that decision
I've told you what 1 think of you.r idea - tl7£ baU's in your
court now. I The employers have made a generous pay offer
and the ball is now finnly in the union's court.
when It comes to the crunch/when It comes to
It Iwen It I kArnz t~ 6~ I krAntJ, wen It I kArnz tu It/ an informal
expression meaning at the time when someone is forced
to make a difficult and important decision {adv phrase I
Many people say they haven't decided who to votefor yet, but
we believe that when it comes to the crunch they'U vote/or
the Democrats. I OfflCially the Church remained neu.tral, but
when it came to it most of the priests supported the workers.
5 ways of saying that something makes you
decide
make sb decide to do 8th
decide
clinch It
make sb decide to do sth lme ,k (sb) d, ,sa,d t:> 'du,
(sth)1 [v phrase not in progressive or passivel
What made you decide to come and. live here? I Two of my
best friends were soldiers. I suppose that 's what made me
decide to join the army.
decide IdIlsaIdl to make someone finally decide to do
something which they have been thinking about doing [v T
not in progressive or passive 1
what decides sb is I had been thinking ofg iving up smok·
ing. Whalfioolly decided me was a TV prog ramme about
lung cancer. I decide sb to do sth My first meeting with
Preminger - that was the thing that really decided me to
come to Hollywood. I decide sb against Orwell's experiences
in Burma decided him against a career in the army.
clinch it Ilkl lntJ It} to make someone finally decide to do
something wh ich they had already almost decided to do
[v phrase not in progressivel
clinch it for sb 1 had almost decided to accept thejob, but
the offer ofa company car really clinched itfor me. I clinch
it We'd thought about living around here when we retired.
Then we saw this beautiful house, and that clinched it.
6 something that has been decided
decision
decision Id, 'Slpn/ ln Cl
You may not like it, but that's my decision and I'm sticking
to it.! Some ofher decisions were highly questionable. I deci-
sion to do sth My decision to leave school when I was only
15 was the worst mistake I ever made. I decision on The
government is expected to announce its decision on an aid
package for famine victims tomorrow. ! big decision (=a
difficult and important decision) I need time to think - leav-
ing a job is a big decision to have to make. I sb's decision
is final (=cannot be changed) The referee's decision isfinal.
DECIDE
7 good at making decisions quickly and firmly
decisive
decisive Id , 'salS,v/ladj l
We are still waiting/orJim to make up his mind. I wish he
would be more decisive. I The firm needs strong, decisive
management if it is to survive the crisis. I Gilmore demon-
strated a talent for quick, decisive action.
decisively fadv) lfthe police had acted more decisively, the
disaster could have been prevented.
decisiveness In UJ The Mayor acted with speed and deci-
siveness (=in a decisive way) in response to the riots.
8 to have not yet decided about something
have ,not decided/have not made up your mind
be undecided
sit on the fence
keep your opUons open
have not decided/have not made up ,our mind
Ihrev Inot dJ 'sald~d. hrev Inot meld hp jJ!f 'mamdl [v phrase)
have not decided what/how/whether etc I haven't
decided what I'm going to get my brother for his birthday. I
Steve hasn't made up his mind whether he's infavourofthe
idea or not. I have not decided "Are you selling your
Iwuse?" "We haven't decided yet. "
be undecided Jhi: ,AndI'sald!dl someone who is
undecided has not yet decided about something, especially
something important Iv phrase]
"Is Fred going to take the job?" "He's still undecided. " I
undecided about!as to A third of the voters remain
undecided about how they will vote. I undecided what!
which/whether etc He hesitated, undecided whether to go
or stay.
sit on the fence Ilslt on ()d 1fensl to deliberately avoid
making a decision about which side to support in an argu·
ment [v phrase]
Stop sitting on thefence and make up your mind whose sicre
you're on. I Throughout the bitter disputes between the two
groups the President sat firmly on the fence. refusing to get
involved.
keep ,our options open lki:p j,:r 'op!,nz ,oupon 11
_'o:p_1 to deliberately avoid or delay making an important
314 DECORATE
Indecision 11 mdI ISIyn/ the slate or characteristic of not
being able to decide about something [n VI
After months of indecision the Mayor's offICe has finally
approved the plansfor a new hospital. I She hates indecison,
deceitfulness, laziness.
10 not good at making decisions quickly and
firmly
Indecisive
wishy-washy
weak-willed
Indeclslve / ,mdl'salsIV/ fadjJ
My boyfriend's so indecisive. I'm always the one who has to
choose where to go and what to do. I An indecisive com-
mander is unlikely to win the confidence of his men.
indecisiveness [n VJ The report criticized thechairmanfor
his indecisiveness (=for being unable to take decisions) and
lack of leadership.
wishy-washy I'w lIi,woIi 1I -,wadi, - ,w:>!Ii/ someone
who is wishy-washy does not like making decisions, and
does not have strong beliefs or opinions about anything
ladjl
There are too many wishy-washy politicians in Congress.
That's why rwthing geisdo1U!.1 She's so bloody wishy-washy
- never has anything to say about anything!
weak-willed "wi:k 'wlld .. / someone who is weak-willed
is unable to make decisions because they do not have the
determination or strength of character to do it [adj]
I don't think David will ever beable to give up chocolate, he's
far too weak-Willed. I We always looked on her as mther a
weak-willed individual wlw was never going to get anywhere
in life.
decidedly VERY 1
"' decimate KILL 6
decision DECIDE 6
decision: arrive at/come to/reach a decision DECIDE 2
decision: make a decision DECiDE 2
decisive DECIDE 7
decked out: be decked out DECORATE 2
declaration SAY/STATE 9
I declare SAY/STATE 1, 3. 6

~
declare war WAR 5
decision so that you are free to decide later Iv phrase]
She could have signed the contract there and then if she had decline LESS 7. REFUSE 1. REJECT/NOT ACCEPT I .
wanted, but she preferred to keep her options open. I There's WORSE 3
been no decision yet. [ wanted to keep our options open until decllnelbe on the decline LESS 5
we had a chance to analyze the results. 'l<l. decompose DECAY 1
Ai decor DECORATE 2
'1 decorate DECORATE 1, PAINT 2
9 to be unable to decide about something
can't decide/can 't make up your mind
be in two minds
dllher
• DECORATE
indecision to improve the way something looks by
adding something attractive to it
can't declde/can't make up your mind 11 ko:nt
d,'sald, ,ka:nt meIk Ap j:>:r 'mamd 11 Ihent-/ [v phrase] 1 to decorate something
can't decide what/how/whether etc I can't decide 2 deccrated in a particular way
whether I like that colour or nolo I She can't make up her 3 things that are used to decorate something
mind what brand ofperfume wbuy. 1 can't decide/cannot
make up your mind "Are you going to marry John?" "[ 4 used to improve the appearance of a room .
don't know. I can't make up my mind. .. building, piece of furniture etc
be In two minds /bi: In ,tu: lmamdz{ an informalexpres- 5 words for describing something that has a lot
sion meaning to be unable to decide whether or not to do of decoration on it
a particular thing Iv phrase] .
be in two minds about My parents want me to study law,
but I'm still in two minds about it. 11 was in two minds about
buying this car, but the salesman persuaded me. I be in two 1 to decorate something
minds whether to do sth Actually I was in two minds decorate
whether to accept your offer or not. garnish
dither /'dltJd r / a British word meaning to be unable to tart up
make a flJT1l decision about something and keep changing
your mind about it Iv IJ decorate I 'dek.renll v TI
Stop dithering, man, and make up your mind. I dither over decorate sth Are you going to derorate tfze ofJrce for
I don't know whether she'll ever sign the contract - she keeps Christmas? 1 Theflower arrangers had di!rorat£d the church
dithering over it. beautifully for the ceremony. 1 decorate Slh with For the
DECORATE 315 deep in thought
parade the childr en are going to decorate old hats with garnish I lgO: fnljl food that is used to decorate and add
ribbons and flowers. taste to a dish [n Cl
garnish ' lga:TmJ/ to improve the way food looks by Serve thefish with a garnisho/ /errwn. I Fresh parsley is often
adding some other, usually colourful, food to it [v Tl used for garnishes.
garnish sth with You could garnish the soup with red and
green peppers. I Put the salad in the/ridge/or a/ew hours, 4 used to improve the appearance of a room,
then garnish it with sprigs D J mint. I garnish sth Before
serving the pie, add a little parsley to garnish it. building, piece of furniture etc
decorative
tart up I.ta:rt lAp/ an informal British expression mean-
ing to decorate a place so that it looks bright and new, but ornamental
often in a way that looks cheap and unpleasant Iphr v T J dacoratlve /'dekareJtIv 11 'dekilrd-, 'dek:nel-I [adjl
tart up sth I don't like the way they've tarted up Gur office. The oil lamp is purely decorative, and does not give much
lllooked better the way it was be/ore. I tart sth/ it/ them up light. I Thefrant of the building has manyfine decorative
'The Waggon and Horses' used to be a really roug h pub but features.
now they've tarted it up.
omamental /,J:fneJ'mentl"l designed to decorate some-
thing and to look interesting ladjl
2 decorated in a particular way Large plants in ornamental pots stood on the patio. I Jona·
than peeped through the ornamental ironwork of the gate.
decorated be festooned with
be decked out decor
adorn 5 words for describing something that has a lot
decorated Ildek;)reltAdl [adj l of decoration on it
decorated with The Christmas tree was decorated with fancy
golden bells. 1 a wide-brimmed straw hat decorated with ornate
colored ribbons 1 richly/ elaborately decorated Sabina elaborate
stood in the centre ofan elaborately decorated living room.
fancy ,'frensil having a lot of decoration, perhaps too
ba decked out /bi: ,dekt lautl to be specially and colour- much laclj l
fully decorated, especially for a celebration or party [v Underneath his jackEt he wore ajancy red silk waistcoat. 1
phrasel Everyone at the carnival had big!ancy hats on. I Tdon't like
be decked. out with The whole street was decked out with his paintings. They're a little too fancy for me.
flags and streamers to celebrate the wedding. 1 be decked
out for Behind the door was mwther table, all docked out ornate /J: r1neltl something that is ornate, such as a
for the party. bu ilding or a piece of furniture, has a 10t of decoration on
it, especially in a grand, expens ive, and rather complicated
adorn Id 'cb: f nJ a formal word usually found only in liter- style ladjl
ature meaning to decorate something in a beautiful or Our school is in an ornate building that was once a rich
artistic way [v T] man's house. I On the altar there were two ornate gold cand-
be adorned with The walls of the church were richly lesticks. I Her eyes were drawn towards the chamber's ornate
adorned with carvings and pictures. 1adorn sth with The pink ceiling.
bridesmaids adorn their heads with flowers. 1 adorn sth ornately [adv] Hilary sat down on the edge of an ornately
Exquisite caroings adorned the walls and ceilings of the carved chair.
Sultan 's private apartments.
alaborate /l 'lreoor ~tl highly decorated, with a lot of small
be 'estooned with Ihi: fc' stu:nd w161 if a place is fes- details ladjl
tooned with something, it has long chains offlowers, flags, A ll different kiruls a/metals htuJ been shaped intv elaborate
or material hanging all around it, giving a bright and designs to make the great door of the church. 1 That poster
cheerful appearance [v phrase] is difFICult to read because it's so elaborate.
On the day o/the/estival the streets were/estoonro withflags
and banners. decorated DECORATE 2
decor 11dello: f 11 dell kml the particular way that a room decoration DECORATE 3
or building is decorated, including all the colours, furni - decorations DECORATE 3
ture, pictures etc [n Ul decorative DECORATE 4
The hotel has been completely refurbished combining decorator PAINT 4
nwdern decor with English antiques. I It was a comfortable decoy TRICKlDECEIVE 8
enough room, but I didn't think much of the decor. decrease LESS 5, 7, REDUCE 1
decrease In value: faU/decrease/go down In value
3 thing s that are used to decorate something
decree
VALUE 7
TELUORDER S8 TO DO STH 2, 7
decorations decoration decrepit CONDITION/STATE OF STH 5
ornament garnish decrlmlnalize LEGAL 3
decorations "dek;)'reljanz, things used to decorate a
room, building, street etc, usually for a special occasion In
I, dedicated WORK HARD 4
deduce DECIDE 3
plural] deduct COUNT/CALCULATE 5
We've decided not to put up Christmas decorations this year deed D0 9
because we won 't be at home. 1 I don't like the table decora- deep COlOUR/COl OR 3 , DEEP 1, 2, l OW SOUND
tions in this restaurant. 1 The church is collecting money to .
. 1 OR VOICE 1, STRONG FEELING OR 8ELlEF 1
help pay for the decorations at the Flower Festival. I deep: nol deep DEEP 5
omamant 11 J: r neJrn;mtl an object, often something fairly 1 deep: 40 metres/100 feet etc deep DEEP 3
small made of thin baked clay, glass etc, that is used in a deep down CHARACTER/PERSONALITY 5 , REAUNOT

i
room or house to make it look more attractive [n Cl
There was nothing to brighten up the room except a few
Christmas ornaments. I The thieves didn't actually take very
m uch, but they smashed all our little ornaments.
decoration "deb ' re ljan' anythi ng that is used to
decorate a room or a piece of furniture [n U J
The only decoration in the room was a picture above tllefire-
place. 1 Vines are often grown for decoration.
FALSE OR ARTIFICIAL 5
deep end: be thrown In at the deep end DIFFICULT 10
deep In thought: be lost In thoughUdeep In thought
THINK A80UT 8
[~[ "You say" is used in definitions of some
~ words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English.
DEEP 316 defend
the streel. I ankIe-deep/ knee-deep ete (; deep enough to
. DEEP reach your ankles, knees etc) There had been ajlood in the
kitchen and the water was a lready ankle-deep.
words for describing seas, rivers, h ol es etc in
which the bottom is very far from the surface 4 to become deeper
1 words meaning deep get deeper
2 ways of saying that something is put or kept a deepen
long way down from the surface of something get deeper Iget 'di:po'l lv phraseJ
3 ways of saying how deep something is The water was getting deeper and deeper: it was already up
4 to become deeper to his knees. I The snow got deeper overnight and by morn·
5 not deep ing the fields were completely covered.
deepen 11 di=pdn/ a formal word meaning to become
deeper Iv 11
In IIIe middl£ of the pool tile waler suddenly d£epens. I We
1 words meaning deep drove on for three miles through deepening snow until we
deep were forced to turn back,
bottomless
the depths 5 not deep
deep Idi:pf something that is deep has a long distance not deep
between the surface and the bottom (adjl shallow
Beam{ul. The warer is very d£ep here. I A d£ep hole had been not deep Inot 'di:pll<UljJ
dug in the middle of the construction site. I Some kinds DJ Cbme into the water, it's not deep. I The wound isn't very deep
industrial waste can safely be dumped in the deepest parts so it shouldn 'I talre long 10 heaL I Theoil wel/goes down over
of the ocean. I There were deep drifts of snow on each side a hundred metres, but in oil mining tenns this is not deep.
of the road. I The blade had gashed her arm, leaving a d£ep
wound. shallow I IJa:I~1 having only a short distance from the
depth ldepel ln UI Becauseofitsdepth (; because it is deep) bottom to the surface, and usually wider than it is deep
Lake Baikal is al ways very cold. [adj l
Nigel waded into lheshol/ow waler al lhe edge ofthe pond. I
bottomle•• I'botomlos 11 'ba:-I bottomless pit/abyss/ The river becomes very shallow a t this point. IIn a shallow
ravine etc (=extremely deep and seeming to have no depression on the edge of the airfield there were three large
bottom) ladjl fuel tanks. I Cook the peppers in a shnllow ovenproof dish.
Although the hole was nol very deep, to the child il seemed
like a bottomless pit. I She described the sensation 0/ losing deepen DEEP 4 , tNCREASE IN ACTIVITY, FEELINGS
consciousness as like sinking into a bottomless black abyss. ETC 3. WORSE 4
the depth_ lOo 'depesl a word used especially in litera- deeper: get deeper DEEP 4
ture meaning the very deepest part of something [np lurall deeply DEEP 2
As I peered into the well I t!wught I heard a voice calling up deface DAMAGE 5
from Ihe depths. I A dark cloud seemed 10 emerge from the default OWE 3
deplhs of the earlh. deleat BEAT/DEFEAT 1. 3. 5. LOSE A GAME,
COM PETITION. OR WAR 1
defeat: admit defeat/accept defeat LOSE A GAM E,
2 ways of saying that something is put or kept a
COMPETtTION . OR WAR 2
long way down from the surface of something defeat: suffer a defeat LOSE A GAM E, COMPETITION,
deep OR WAR 1
deeply deleated LOSE A GAME, COMPETITION. OR WAR 6
deep Idi:plladvl defeated: be defeated LOSE A GAME, COMPETITION,
deep in/ downlbelow etc Turtles lay their eggs deep in tIu! OR WAR 1
sand and leave them there until they hatch. I Putting his delect FAULT/STH WRONG 1. 2
hands d£ep in/[) his poclrets, he realized he had no money I£ft.1 defective BROKEN 4
deep underground Hidden deep underground is a nuclear defence/defense DEFEND 2, 3
research station. I As we dug deeper, we uncovered a large defence: come to sb 's delence/delense DEFEND 1. 3
waaden chesl. defence: In defence of/defense of DEFEND 1, 3
d_plll l 'di:plil deeply buried/submerged/embedded defence: In sb 's defence/defense DEFEND 3
etc (=a long way down from the surface) [adv) defencelessldefenseless WEAK 3, WEAPON 3
They found rock with gold in it deeply buried beneath the defences/defenses DEFEND 2
earth 's sUrface. I It is said that there is an ancient city deeply defend DEFEND 1, 3
submerged in Ihis part of the ocean. I The roadf ol/owed the
deeply cut river valley.
Idefendl------,
3 ways of saying how deep something is
depth which meaning?
40 metresl100 feet etc deep
• DEFEND
,
depth Idepell n C/ U J defe nd someone or
What is the depth oJ the container? I a metre/ two kilo- something that is
metres etc in depth At this part of the river the water is being attacked
no more than a metre in depth. I to/at a de pth of The cage ,
takes the miners down to a depth of alxJUt two hundred prevent someone or _ PROTECT
metres. something from being
40 metres/100 feet ete deep 1(40 metres, etc) 'di:pl harmed
having a depth of 40 metres, 100 feet etc [adjl
The swimming pool is two metres deep. I The bomb had made
a crater five metres deep and had wrecked every building in
DEFEND
• DEFEND
1 to defend a person, place , or country against
violent attack
2 actions, systems, military forces etc that are
used for defending a person, place, or
country
3 10 defend a person or their ideas, rig hts, or
principles against criticism or attack
1 to defend a person, place, or country against
violent attack
defend
come to sb's defence Idefense
in defence of Idefense of
defend Idl'fendl to take action in order to prevent a
person, place, or country from being attacked Iv TJ
defend sb/sth At school he always defended his little
brother. 1 The city is defended by over 30,000 troops. 1 defend
sth from/ against It became impossible to defend the base
from airborne attack. I defend yourself She picked up a
stick to defend herself against her attacker.
come to y'S defence (British) I defense (American)
l.kAm I ~ (sb's) dJ' fens/ to defend another person or country
that is being attacked [u phrase)
ifwe hadn't rome to his defence, he might have been killed. 1
Things _med to begoing badly until NATOforcescame to
their defence.
In defence of (British) I defense of (American) 110
dl' fens ~vl in order to defend a place, especially your own
country [prepl
Would you be prepared to fight in defence ofyour rountry? 1
Th ese brave young men have given their lives in defence of
freedom.
2 actions, systems, military forces etc that are
used for defending a person, place, or
country
defence /defense self-defence/
defences /defenses self-defense
defensive
defence (British) I defense (American) Id . ' fens 11 'di: -
fensl ln V I
He is one ofthe President 's top advis4?rs ondefense. 1Theami-
aircraft missiles are designed purely for defence, not f or
attacking neighbouring states. I defence spending/ bud-
get/cuts etc (=connected with the money that a govern-
ment spends on defence) There are plans to increase defence
spending by 6%. 1 The US defellSe budget is the biggest in
the world.
defences (British) I defenses (American) Id, 'fensjzl
all the forces and equipment that are available for defend-
ing: a place [n plural!
The new radar system is an important part of the country 's
defences. I The city's defenses were not strong enough to with-
stand a prolonged air aUack.
self-defence (British) I seH-defense (American) I ,self
d l' fens/ actions that you take to defend yourself against
attack In VI
How can the police describe these s/wotings as acts of self-
defence? I Monica is an expert in karate, the Japanese art of
self.cJefence. I in self-defence (=in order to defend yourselO
The UN troops are an7led, but they are only allowed to shoot
in self-defence.
defensive Id, 'fenslvl actions or weapons that are defen-
sive are intended to be used only for defending yourself,
not for attacking anyone else [atVl
Police OiTlC£rs claimed that t!wir actions during tlu! riots were
purely defensive. I The arms embargo covers both defensive
317 definitely
and aggressive weapons. I defensive mea sure (=an action
taken for defending something) These troop movements are
described by the South African government as a 'defensive
measure'.
3 to defend a person or their ideas, rights, or
principles against criticism or attack
defend
come to sb 's defence/defense
stand up for
stick up for
in ab 's defence/defense
in defence of/defense of
defenceJdefense
defend Idl 'fend! Iv TI
defend sb/ sth The President appeared on TV to defend his
tax proposals. I John was the on ly one who defended me
when things started going wrong. I defend sb from/
a gainst The Press Secretary has th£ diffICult job ofdefend-
ing the Queen against these media attacks. I defend your-
self As a [XJlitician you have to be able to defend yourself
when things get rough. I defend sb/ sth vigorously (=very
strongly) Union bosses have p ledged that they will
vigorously defend their members' right to strike.
come to sb's defence (British) I defense (American)
, ,lu.m t:;) (sb's) d l'fensl to say something to defend someone
who is being criticized Iv phrase]
Dad seemed to think the accident was my fault, but J udy
came to my defence and told him what had happened. 1This
was t!w only n,ewsfX1per that came to Prince Char!£s' defence.
stand up for I, strend lAP f;): T, to strongly defend a person
who is being criticized, or strongly defend your own beliefs
or principles when they are being attacked Iv TT
You have to be prepared tosIDnd upfor the Ihingsyou believe
in. I The rest of them used to be really nasty to me, but Susie
always stood up for m e.
stick up for J,Sil k lAP fu:TI an informal word meaning
to defend someone who is being criticized, especially when
no one else will defend them Iv Tl
It was really nice of you to stick up for me like that.
In ab's defence (British) I defense (American) I'" (sb's)
dl ' fensl if you say something in someone's defence you
say it in order to defend them from criticism ladv phrase]
As fa r as ['m concerned, there is rwtlzing you can say in her
defence. I I oug ht to say, in Jim 's defence, that he only heard
about the meeting half an hour ago.
In defence of (British) I defense of (American) I m
dJ 1fens :>"1 if you do or say something in defence of some-
thing, you do or say it to defend something that is very
important to you, such as your rights or principles [prep]
The miners went on strike in defence of their jobs. I She spoke
bravely and defiantly in defence off reedom of speech.
defence (British) I defense (American) Id l 'fensl a writ·
ten or spoken statement that defends something against
criticism, especial1y something that is very important to
you [n singularl
The article was a rather unconvincing defence of her eco·
nomic record. I robust defence (=strong defence) Delars
gave a typically robust defence of his vision of a federal
Europe.
defendant ACCUSE 6
defender/guardian PROTECT 3
defense: come to sb 's defence/defense DEFEND 1, 3
defense: in defence of/defense of DEFEND 1. 3
defense: in sb 's defence/defense DEFEND 3
defensive DEFEND 2
defer POSTPONE/DO LATER 1
defiant DISOBEY 3
deficient ENOUGH 12
define MEANING 6
definite CERTAINLY/DEFINITELY 6
definite: distinctldeflntte OBVIOUS 1
• definitely CERTAINLY/DEFINITELY 1. 2
definition 318 DELAY
definition MEANING 2 keep 11ci:p/ an informal word meaning to delay someone
definitive CHANGE/MAKE STH DIFFERENT 10 when they are trying to go somewhere Iv T not inpassivel
deflaled DISAPPOINTED I I know you're in a hurry so I'll try not to keep you longer than
deiormed SHAPE 4 is necessary. I He should be here by MW. What 's keeping him?
defraud CHEAT 3 detain IdI 'telnl a formal word meaning to delay someone,
deftly GOOD AT 4 especially by keeping them talking or working Iv TI
defy DISOBEY I I won't detainyoufor much longer, Miss Reid. There arejust
degenerale BAD BEHAVIOUR OR ACTIONS 3 . BAD afew more questions that I need to ask you. I Don't let me
PERSON 4 detain you, I k now you have a train to catch. I be unavoid-
degrading ASHAMED 4 ably detained (=by something you can't prevent) He apolo-
degree: by degrees SLOW 6 gised jor being so lare and explained /lwt he had berm
degree: to a degree/to some degree PARTLY 1 unavoidably detained.
degree: to a greater extent/degree MORE THAN STH
OR SB ELSE 1
degree: to a lesser degree/extent LESS 1
2 to delay an event or process
dehydrated DRY 5, THIRSTY 1 delay set back/put back
delecled SAD/UNHAPPY 4 hold up get bogged down
delay DELAY 1. 2 . 3 . POSTPONE/DO LATER 1 delay Id! 'Iell if something such as a problem delays an
delay: without delay IMMEDIATELY 1 event or a process, it makes it happen later than was
planned or interrupts it so that it takes longer (u T usually
in passive 1
Idelayl be delayed The work has been delayed by a dispute. I The
completion of the tunnel was delayed for several months by
a series of technical problems. I delay 5th Bad weather
which meaning? delayed the opening oj the school jete.
hold up I ,h~l d '''pI if a problem holds up a process or
make someone or activity, it interrupts it so that it takes longer [phr v T l
something late hold sth/sb/it/her etc up We were hoping toji.nish the
repairs today; what 's holding us up is the shortage of spare
cancel a meeting, _ CANCEL parts. I hold up 5th A disagreement over some minor details
·event etc is holding up the negotiations. I Production was held up
when one of th£ machines broke down.
arrange to (10 - • POSTPONEI .et backlput back I,set 'brek, ,put 'brek/ to delay a
8CJI11tIhIng-1at8r than DO LATER planned process or activity by a nwnber of weeks, months
planned ' ete (phr v TI
set sb/stb/itlher etc back Your mistake has set us back
several weeks. I set back sb/sth The ambassador's state-
ment has set back talks to release the hostages by several
DELAY months. I Then the civil war broke out, setting back the
m odernization a/the country by 10 years.
to make someone late or slow get bogged down Igel ,bogd 'daun 11 -,ba:gd, ,bo:gd-I
if a person or planned piece of work gets bogged down,
1 to delay someone or something so that they they are delayed and prevented from continuing because
arrive somewhere late of complicated or difficult problems [v phrase ]
2 to delay an event or process get bogged down in The project got bogged down in a series
3 a situation in which someone or something is oj legal disputes. 1 get bogged down Try to avoid getting
delayed bogged crown by complicated bureaucratic procedures.
4 to deliberately delay something or someone
because you are not ready or for your own 3 a situation in which someone or something is
advantage delayed
delay
hold-uplhotdup
1 to delay someone or something so that they delay Id, ' le'lln C/ UI
arrive somewhere late Any delay in the production process is costly to a company.I
delay keep You can expect long delays on the roads because a/vacation
traffic. I A recent report blames airport security for the
make sb late detain
majority offlight delays. I three months'/several weeks'
hold up ete delay After thrw months' delay workjinally began on
delay Id,' le'/ lv T usually in passive I the new project.
be delayed Our plane was delayed by jog. 1 Mr Evans has hold-up/holdup I' h:>uld hpl a delay, especially one
been delayed but will bejoining us slwrtly. I delay sb/sth caused by an unexpected problem, that interrupts a jour-
I mustn '[ delay you, I can see you're ready to leave. ney or a piece of work [n Cl
make ab .ate f ,me lk (sb) 'Je ll/ Iv phrase not in passive) There's a major hold-up on the London-Brighton road
make sb late for sth Th£ accident made us late/or work. I because of an accident. I ln spite of all the holdups we got
Now I must hurry, or / shall miss my bus, and thal'U make the bridgejinished on time. I We didn'l know what was caus-
me [at€ for my appointment. I make sb late doing sth ing the hold-up in the accounts department, but we guessed
Catching a later train made Frank late getting to the office. the computer had broken down.
hold up I ,hauld I "pi to delay someone or something when
they have started to go from one place to another {phI" v TJ 4 to deliberately delay something or someone
be held up On their way to the hospital they were held up because you are not ready or for your own
by heavy traffIC. 1Her letrer took a month to get here. It must advantage
have been held up in the post offICI! strike. I hold sb/slh/ il/
her etc up The doctor should be here by now. [ wonder stall
what's holding him up. play for time
delaying tlctfcs
DELAY
stall / sl~:11 to deliberately delay because yOll are not ready
to do something, answer questions ete (v IITI
stall sb Canyou try and stall Mr Hill until next week? I can't
pay him just now. I stall Quit stalling and tell me where
you've hidden the gun.
pia, for tlme /, plel f;:lT 'talm[ to deliberately try to delay
doing something or making a decision. because yOll are not
ready or want more time to think about it [v phrase I
Helen knew that all she could do was to play jor time until
the police arrived. I "Tell me what you are going to do, "she
demanded. "Well." I said. playing/or time, "there are several
possible options ... "
delaying tactics Idl 'leJ -11J .trekt [ksf methods used, espe-
cially by politicians, in order to delay an action or plan so
that something can be done during the delay [n plural]
Some politicians are prepared to use delaying tactics to
obstruct the course ofjustice. 1 The peace negotiations were
being held up by the delaying tactics of France and Great
Britain.
delaying tactics DELAY 4
delegate REPRESENT 4. RESPONSIBLE g, TELUORDER
SB TO DO STH 4
delegation REPRESENT 4
delete REMOVE 4
deliberate DELI BERATELY 3. SLOW 2
deliberately DELIBERATELY 1, 2
• DELIBERATELY
1 deliberately. not accidentally
2 deliberately doing something bad or
dishonest
3 words for describing something that is done
deliberately and not accidentally
4 aCCidentally. not deliberately
5 words for describing something is done
accidentally and not deliberately
6 doing something without realizing you are
doing it
1 deliberately. not accidentally
deliberately pointedly
on purpose make a point of
Intentionally
deliberately Id! 'lIba",tlil [adu l
She did it deliberately. didn't she? 1 He deliberately mispelt
her name, so she would not think the letter was from him. 1
Deliberately ignoring him, 1 crossed the room and walked
out the door. 1 Oh yes, I put it there deliberately so you would
notice it.
on purpose Ion Ip3: r p;)SJ an expression used especially
in spoken English: if you do something, especially some-
thing bad, on purpose you do it deliberately (adu phrase]
I should think they've done it on purpose, to avoid paying
you the money. 1 He thinks I got pregnant on purpose, so that
he wouldn't leave me. 11didn 'I do it on purpose, you know.
It was a complete accident.
Intentionally I m'tenjan;)lil if you do something inten-
tionally you do it deliberately. especially after thinking
carefully about what will happen if you do it [adv l
He had intentionally arranged to be out when his mother
called. 1 The article is intentionally provocative and looks
likely to cause a stir.
polntedl,. / tpJlnt!dlil if you say or do something point-
edly, you say or do it carefully and deliberately so that
other people notice it and pay attention to it [adv]
Miss Phillips looked at the clock pointedly and I realized that
it was tiTlU! for me to leave. 1 The slwpkeeper made a rude
comment about shoplifters and looked pointedly at the boy
standing next to me.
319 DELIBERATELY
pointed (adj] Myfather has been asking some pointed ques-
tions about how [ spend my money.
make a point of l ,me1k a tP::'l lnt Dvl to do something very
carefully and deliberately so that other people see you and
understand why you are doing it [v phrase]
make a point of doing sth Kramer made a point of look-
ing very bored while the colonel was speaking. 1 You should
make a point of arriving fifteen minutes early at the office
every morning - show that you're keen. 1 make a point of
sth "Did you complain about it?" "Yes, I made a poi1lt of it. "
2 deliberately doing something bad or
d ishonest
deliberately consciously
knowingly wilfully Iwlllfully
deliberately Id! 'iIbar:>t1il ladv l
It is still not clear whether the fire WQ!, started deliberately
or lWf. 1 Rogers was dismissedjrom the army for deliberately
disobeying an order. 1 Groups like this deliberately stir up
trouble, encouraging fans to go on the rampage.
knowingly It ndUll]li/ if you knowingly do something
wrong or illegal, you do it deHberately even though you
know it is wrong [adv I
lfany employee knowingly breaks the terms of this contract
they will be dismissed immediately. I Stansjreld would never
have knowingly become inoolued in political espionage.
consciously / 'konj:;,sli 11 'ka:n-I if you do something
consciously. especiall y someth ing unfair, you do it
deliberately and you realize what you are doing [adu]
Mast school teachers do not consciously discriminate between
their students. 1 He proceeded. quite consciously, to destroy
their relatwnship through neglect and indifference.
wilfully (British) I wlllfully (American) l!wIlfatil if you
wilfully do something wrong or hannful, you do it deliber-
ately or with so little thought that it is almost as bad as
doing it deliberately [adv]
The new evidence was eitlu!r rwt available or was willfully
ignored when earlier historians tackled the subject. 1 You
imply toot I acted wilfully but the truth is, I never realized
that my actions would cause so much harm.
3 words for describing something that is done
deliberately and not aCCidentally
deliberate calculated
intentional premeditated
conscious
deliberate Id! 'lIbar.~ ladjl
One of the runners has been tripped up but 1 don't think it
waR deliberate. 1 Recent demonstrations are a deliberate
attempt to force political change in an undemocratic way. 1
This was murder - cold-blooded. deliberate murder.
Intentlonal/lOltenja n~l / an intentional action is done
deliberately rather than being the result of chance [adjl
1 realized that the damage was not intentional but 1couldn't
help feeling annoyed. ! It was me that threw the stone that
hit you but [ swear it wasn't intentional.
conscious I lkDnj~s 11 tka:n -/ conscious decision/
effort/ attempt etc (=deliberate and carefully considered
in order to have a particular efTect) ladj only before noun I
Julia made a conscious efJort to appear detached and uncon-
cerned, even tfwugh she was very upset. 1 Dylan's latest
record is a conscious attempt to break away from his old
image and try out a new style.
calculated I tka;:lkj~lelt ! dl a crime or dishonest action
that is calculated is deliberately and carefully planned and
thought out ladjl
They have been proved guilty of a calculated attempt to
deceive the American public. 1 The cruelty with which Men-
gele's orders were carried out was ruthless and calculated. 1
cold and calculated ( ~deliberate and without any pity)
She got rid of her victims one by one, with cold and calcu-
lated precision.
premeditated Ipri: 1 med!leIt1d H pn -/ a word used
DELIBERATEL Y
especially in a legal context: a p remeditated crime or act
of violence is one which is deliberate and has been planned
ladjl
The jury must decide whether the attack was premeditated
or simply an argunrent that got out 0/ hand.
4 accidentally, not deliberately
accidentally/by accident unintentionally
by mistake not mean to do 5th
accldentaHr/by accident I treks~ Identli .. , bal 'reks1-
d.nli [advl
If the computer is accidentally switched of/. you may lose a
lot ofdata. I As I was standing up from my chair our hands
touched accidemally. I We discovered thefonnula quite by
accident while doing a piece of unrelated research.
by mistake Iba l mllstelk/ if yOll do something b y
mistake, you intend to do one thing but you accidentally
do something else instead [adv phrase]
She must have taken my keys by mistake. I It was so dark
I took a wrong turning by mistake. I 'What if they slwot me
by mistake?
unintentionally "Anm ltenfcm3liJ if you do something
unintent ionally, you do not intend to do it or you do it
without realizing what the result will be (adu]
Quite unintentionally I had annoyed him. I Whether inten-
tionally or unintentionally, thefact remains that she misled
the committee. I Research shows that most teachers uninten-
tionally quicken their pace as the lesson progresses.
not mean to do 8th Jnot ' mi:n tu: du: (sth)J an expres-
sion meaning to accidentally do something, used especially
when you are saying sorry for something you have done
or when you are angry because someone is blaming you
Iv phrase not in progressive I
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hUrt your feelings. I Whatever she
did. I'm sure she didn't mean to cause any trouble. I Why are
you shouting at me? I didn't mean to break it you know!
5 words for describing something is done
accidentally and not deliberately
accidental
unintentional
be an accident
accidental 1,reks! 'dentl . , something that is accidental
happens because of chance or luck and not because anyone
did it deliberately ladjl
They've charged too much/or the wine but I'm sure it was
accidental. I ThR new labelling reduces thR risk 0/an acciden-
tal mixing 0/ reactive chemicals.
unlnte ntlonal / ,Anln ' tenfan31 . ( said or done acciden-
tally, especially when you are trying to say or do something
else ladjl
I know it looks like they were very rude, but ['m sure it was
quite unintentional. IIf I gave you the impression I wasn 't
interested in going out with you I can assure you it was
unintentional. I The referee ruled that the hand-ball was
unintentional.
be an accident /bi: ~m 'reks!dcmt/ if you say that some-
thing was an accident, you mean that you are sorry it
happened, but it was not done deliberately [v phrase usually
in past]
He didn't mron to break your g uitar, it was an accident. I
It was an accident. The handle just came off when I picked
it up.
6 doing something without realizing you are
doing it
Inadvertently unconscious
unconsciously invol untary
Inadvertently 1IIfl3(;Pv3: rt3ntii( if you do something
inadvertently. especially telling someone some secret
information, you do it without realizing because you are
not careful enough [adv I
320 DELICIOUS
The Finance Minister inadvertently revealed Budget secrets
to journalists. I My wife has suspected I'm having an affair
ever since I inadvertently mentioned the name 0/ afemale col-
league. Iln a panic I inadvertently pushed the accelerator
instead of the brake.
unconsciously /An ' konf 3sli ll ·'ka:n·1 if you do some--
thing unconsciou sly, you do it without realizing that you
are doing it [adv J
When she told me her children had head lice I unconsciously
started to scratch my head. I Every time she phones her par-
ents she unconsciously drifts into a Scottish accent.
unconscious ( An'konf~s 11 · 'ka:n·/ an action, choiceetc
that is nnconcious is not done deliberately but it may
show your true feelings [adj only before nou.n}
Many women are the victims o/unconscious discrimination
by men. I His comments were an unconscious insult to Irish
people.
Involuntary /m ' voI3nt.7ri 11 m ' va:J~nteri/ an action or
movement that is involuntary is completely accidental
because you can not control it [adjl
We are all tax payers and therefore involuntary contributors
to the arms race. I My involuntary exclamation shocked the
room into silence.
delicacy FOOD 4
delicate BREAK 12. DIFFICULT 5, ILL 3, STRONG
TASTE OR SMELL 3
delicious DELICIOUS 1
• DELICIOUS
1 words for describing food or drink that tastes
very good
2 words for describing food, especially meat
and fruit, that is full of juice and tastes good
3 words for describing food or drink that looks
or smells delicious
1 words for describing food or drink that tastes
very good
delicious taste good/nice
tasty palatable
good
delicious id. 'I'f.si [adjl
Thank you, that was a delicious moot. I The tomato soup was
hot and smelt absolutely delicious. I It is the nutmeg which
gives the dish its deliciousjZavour. I ''What do you think of
the wine?" "Mmm, delicious!"
tasty (IteIsti/ food such as meat, fish, cheese etc that is
tasty has a fairly strong taste which you like [adj]
These sausages are really tasty - where did you buy them? I
Served hot or cold, these tasty little cheese balls are ideal as
an appetizer. l It's hard to believe that something so tasty can
be prepared on one small gas ring.
good Igod/ if you say that a particular food or drink is
good, especially one that you are eating now or have just
eaten, you mean that it is delicious [adjl
This is a really goocipizza. I think I'll have another slice. I
That was the best ice-cream I've had for a long time.
taste good/nice I ltelst 'gud, Inals( if you say that some-
thing tastes good or tastes nice, you mean that it is deli-
cious lV phraseJ
This casserole tastes nice. How did you make it? I Chopped
parsley tastes good with nwst vegetables. J I'd been looking
forwa rd to myfirstglassofthe local wine and was surprised
when it didn 't taste good.
palatable f I pC:el ~t3bal( a formal word meaning having a
pleasant taste, but not really delicious fadj]
The wine is extremely palatable and is reasonably cheap. I
We are doing our best to make hospital meals more
pakztable_
DELICIOUS 321 depend on
demeanour/demeanor BEHAVE 5
2 words for describing food, especially meat demo PROTEST 4
and fru it, that is full of juice and tastes good demolish DESTROY 3, EAT 6
juicy demolition DESTROY 4
succulent demonstrate EXPLAIN 3. PROTEST 2. PROVE 1. SHOW
A FEELING OR AITITUDE I , SHOW/BE A SIGN
Juicy ('d3U:si( ladj) OF 1
[like my swaks to be teruler, juicy and full offlavour. I As demonstration PROTEST 4
a starter, we had delicious juicy tomatoes stuffed with rice. demonstrative SHOW A FEELING OR ATIITUDE 3
succulent I l sAkj~l~ntJ meat or fruit that is succulent has ~. demonstrator PROTEST 5
a lot of juice and is very delicious radjl ,..; demoralized CONFIDENT 7
This part of the country is/a11Wusfor its/ine wines and suc-
culent peaches. I My mother had prepared a fresh, green
~I' demoralizing CONFIDENT 6
demote DOWN 13
salad with succulent fat prawns nestling in it. demystify EXPlAIN 4
denigrate CRITICIZE 4
3 words for describing food or drink that looks
I
denomination RELIGION 2
denote MEANING 1
or smells delicious
denounce DISAPPROVE 2
appetizing mouth-watering
~ dent HOLE 1. 8
tempting make your mouth water 'is dentist DOCTOR 4
appetizing /lcepAtalZlIJI food that looks or smells
appetizing makes you feel that you want to eat it ladj J
An appetizing smell of baked applesjilled tlu! Iwuse. I TIu!
soup didn't look very appetizing but it tasted delicious. I TIu!
food supplledfor tlu! school trip was Iwrdly appetizing but
we were so hungry we ate it all.
tempting j 1temptlIjl food or drink that is tempting looks
or smells so good that it is difficult to stop your self from
eating or drinking it, especially when you think you should
not have it ladj)
The tempting aroma ofroast beefwafted up the stairs. I The
chocolate cake was tempting but I couldn't have any because
of my diet.
mouth-watering JI mau9 1wO:t3r I DJ food that is mouth~
watering smells or looks delicious, especially in a way that forbid somethi"9 -; . FORBID
persuades you to buy or eat it [adj] ~

The waitress came round with a tray of mouth-watering

cream cakes. I In our delicatessen we sell a mouth-watering deny REFUSE 4. SAY/STATE 8
array of cooked meats and cheeses. deny: there's no denying CERTAINLY/DEFIN ITELY 1
make your mouth wate, /,me lk jJ: r lmau9 IWJ:t<)T/ if deny yourself NOT HAVE 5
food or drink makes your mouth water, it makes you feel depart LEAVE A PlACE 4
very hungry and ready to eat because it looks or smells so department PART 5
good [v phrase l , department store SHOP 2
The smell of dinner is making my mouth water. departure: be a departure from OIFFERENT 1
depend: it depends DEPEND/IT DEPENDS 3
delight HAPPY 8 depend on DEf'>END ON/RELY ON 1, DEPEND/IT
delight: bo a delight ENJOY/LIKE DOING STH 5 DEPENDS 1

I
•
ff
. delight: take delight in/take a delight in
ENJOY/LIKE DOING STH 4
dollght: tho joys/dollghts 01 ENJOY/LIKE DOING STH 5
depend on/rely on NEED 3

~
,Idependl
-
delight in ENJOY/LIKE DOIN G STH 4
,) delighted HAPPY 5 , .
delighted: be delighted with PROUD 1 .
delightful NICE 1 which" meaning'l " ~
i
,
delinquency CRIME 2
delinquent CRIME 5 depend on 'someone • DEPEND ON/
iJ deliver BABY/HAVE A BABY 6 . PROMISE 7. or something to do RELY ON
! TAKE/BRING 2
what you need, work
deliver 8 speech TALKiMAKE A SPEECH 1
deliver the goods/come up with the goods DO 2 prope~etc
delivery BABY/HAVE A BABY 6
whl!l will happen " • DEPEND/IT
delude yourself WRONG/INCORRECT 6
deluge WATER 2 depends on somathing DEPENDS
deluge: deluge of/avalanche of LOT/A LARGE
NUMBER OR AMOUNT 6
believe that someone • TRUST
delusion BELIEVE 15 is honest and will not
delusions of grandeur: have delUSions of grandeur hann YOU. cheat you
PROUD 7 atc
deluxe GOOD/EXCELLENT 1 "
delve Into INVESTIGATE 1 need something or _ e NEED
demand ASK FOR STH/ASK S6 TO DO STH 3, 10. someone to survive or
INSIST 1. TELUORDER SB TO DO STH 1 continue .
demand: be in demand POPULAR 2
~ demand: meet the demand NEED 8
demand: there's no demand POPULAR 6
;1 demanding DIFFICULT 2
DEPEND/IT DEPENDS
. DEPEND/IT
DEPENDS
1 ways of saying that the way something
happens or is done will be decided or
influenced by particular facts or possible
events
2 ways of saying that the truth of an idea or
statement depends on whether particular
facts or ideas are correct
3 ways of saying that something can change or
is uncertain because it depends on
something else that can also change
1 ways of saying that the way something
happens or is done will be decided or
influenced by particular facts or possible
events
depend on rest on
be dependent on hinge on/hang on
be determined by be decided by
be dictated by be contingent upon
be based on
depend on Idl 'pend on 11 -o:n/ ifaresult. fact, or decision
depends on something else. it is not certain or because it
changes if the other thing changes [v T not in progressive)
depend on sth The amount I earn depends on the kind of
work I'm doing. I Perhaps we'll go out tomorrow. It depends
on what your Dad's doing. I The price oj a shirt depends on
the amount o/material and labour involved in making it. I
it depends whether/where/when etc "Can you give me
a lift?" "It depends where you're going. " l it all depends We
may beat inflation; it all depends whether we can keep wages
down.
be dependent on Ihi: d,' pend~nt on! a formal expression
meaning to depend on [u phrase)
The speed of the plane is dependent on the riffickncy of the
engines. I Be~ts paid will be dependent on length ofserv-
ice with the company.
be determined by fbi: dl l t3: r mmd balf if the quality or
nature of something is determined by other things, it
depends on them [v phrase]
The colour of the rock is determined by the type of mineral
present in it. 1 The warmth of the sweater will of course be
detennimd by the sort ofwool used. I An individual's metab-
olism is initally cktermined by his or her genetic make-up.
be dictated by /bi: dJk'telt~d balf ifa decision, choice,
or result is dictated by something it depends very strongly
on it, and leaves no choice for the people involved [v phrase)
Fashion styles are often dictated by practical needs. 1A coun-
try's choice of export products is dictated by geography,
climate, or natural resources.
be ba.ed on fbi: lbelst on! if an amount of something
that is calculated is based on certain facts, it depends on
them IV phrase I
Your pension will be based on the amount you are earning
when you retire. 1 This year's funding for the program is
based on the number of applications that we received last
year.
rest on f lrest on 11 -o:nJ if someone's success or achieve-
ment etc rests on something, it depends on it [v TJ
Success in management ultimately rests on goodjudgement.1
Your reputation will rest on your achievements.
hinge on/hang on l'hlfld3 on, 'ha:ij- 11 -mnl ifa result,
especially an important result, hinges on or hangs on
something happening, it depends on it completely (v Tl
Thefuture prospects of a student hinge on his performance
in these examinations. 1 They know the result of the champ-
ionship hinges on their actions in the next few minutes. 1
Chicago's fate hangs on the future of the Stock Market in
New York.
322 DEPEND ON/RELY ON
be decided by Ibi: dl'saldld ball if what someone does
or what happens is decided by something else, it depends
on it [v phrase I
Thefurnre ofthe school will be decided by the results of this
survey. I Your clwice of tool will be decided by the hardness
of the wood you are working on.
be contingent upon fbi: kan'tInd~nt ;}.ponf a formal
expression meaning to depend on whether or not some-
thing will happen in the future [v phrase]
Whether the industry survives is contingent upon next year's
orders. I Victory is contingent upon winning the next battle.
2 ways of saying that the truth of an idea or
statement depends on whether particu lar
facts or ideas are correct
be based on
rest on
ba based on fbi: lbe,st onf if an opinion or an idea is
based on a set offact.:; or ideas, then it will be wrong if these
facts or ideas are not correct [v phraseJ
His argument is based on assumptions that seem strange to
most readers. 1 The entire theory is based on these statistics.
re.t on f Irest on 11 -o:nl if a decision, statement, or belief
rests on an idea, then it will be wrong if the idea is not true
IvTI
This policy rests on the idea that traditional ways are always
best. 1 Your case appears to rest on the testimony a/this rather
unreliable witness.
3 ways of saying that something can change or
~
is uncertain because it depends on
~ something else that can also change
depending on
according to
It depends
depending on fd llpendTI) onf if something happens or
changes depending on something else, if the second thing
changes, the first thing changes too (prep}
Inflation goes up and down depending on the state of the
economy. 1 In many languages there are different wordsfor
'you' depending on who you are talking to. 1 Depending on
who you ask, you'll get various estimates for the cost of the
building work.
according to Ja'lo:rd ll) tu:/ if something happens or is
done according to something else, then the first thing
changes in order to be suitable or correct for the second
thing [prep 1
Telephone charges vary according to the time of day. 1 We
group our students according to their level of competence. I
She wears jeans or a skirt, according to her mood.
It depend. fit dJ'pendzf ifsomeoneasks you a question
and you say it depends, you mean you cannot give a
definite answer because the thing that they are asking
about ma~ change or may be different in different
situations "-
"Are you coming out tonight?" "Maybe. It depends. "I "Do
you enjoy parties?" "Sometimes. It depends. "I "Do you two
get on well?" "It depends. "
• DEPEND ON/
RELY ON
1 to trust someone or something to do what
you need or expect them to do
2 words for describing someone that you can
always rely on
3 words for describing something such as a
machine, method, or piece of information that
you can rely on
4 words for describing people or things that
you cannot rely on
DEPEND ON/RELY ON
1 to trust someone or something to do what
you need or expect them to do
rely on count on
depend on bank on
trust
rely on In'laI on II-o:nllv TJ
You're the only person who canfly this plane, so we're all
relying on you. I Truman was relying on the advice o/mili-
tary experts. I rely on sb/ sth to do 5th We rely on th~ new
data system to give us the nwst up-to-date and aa:urate rn/or·
mation.1 rely on sb/sth for sth During theuoyage we.relied
on the radi%r news olihe outside world.I rely heaVIly on
These projects have always relied heavily on Federa l aid.
depend on /dt'pend un n-o:nJ to rely on someone to do
what you need or expect them to do because you know that
they are the type of person that you can trust lu TI
depend on sb to do 5th You can depend on Al~n .to arrive
on time. I The manager tkpends on me to keep hun lIiformed
about production levels. I depend on sb It's good to know
I can depend on you any time I need help. I depend on sb
for sth We are MW facing the most serious challenge in our
history and we depend on you, our allies, for support.
trust /trAst! to have confidence in someone's ability or will-
ingness to do what needs to be done Iv T J
trust sb to do 5th We can certainly trust Sarah to look after
the house while we are away. 1 He was a man who could be
trusted to keep cool and act responsibly in a crisis. 1 trust
sb with sth I wondered how anyone could trust an idiot like
that with such an important assignnumt. 1trust sb "But MW
do I know it'U workr' "Just trust me. " I trust sb's judge-
ment (=rely on someone's ability to judge well) I wasn't
sure what we should do, but I trusted his judgement.
count on /1 kaunt on 11 -o:nJ to rely on someone to do some-
thing that you need them to do, especially to give you help
or support Iv TJ
count on sh to do sth We are counting on you to wake us
up in time. 1 count on sth "Will my car be ready by five
o 'clock?" "Possibly, but don't count on it. " I I represent the
Socialists. Can we count on your vote? I count on sb for
help/support etc In the UN tkbate the Amerioons will be
counting on tlu? British for support.
bank on /'brel]k on n-o:n/ to rely on something happen-
ing or someone doing something so that you can make
plans for the future Iv TI
They might offer you arwther job, but I wouldn 'r bank on
it. 1 We are expecting to get government approval for our
plans, in fact we are banking on it.
2 words for describing someone that you can
always rely on
reliable solid
can rely on steady
dependable be a safe pair of hands
be there
can count on
reliable In 'Ia,ob. ll ladjl
Hasn't Mark arrived yet? That's odd, he's usually so rell-
able. I Select an honest and reliable dealer woo will supply
you with high quality goods.
reliability f rl,la la'bll~ti/ In UI This latest evidence casts
some doubt on her reliability (=on how reliable she is) as
a witness.
can rely on Ik;m nljal unJ if you say that you can rely
on someone, you mean that they can be trusted to do some-
thing that you need or expect them to do [v phrase I
I can always rely on Helen. If she promises to do something,
she does it. I "You won't tell anyone, will you?" "You can rely
on me. "I He's only a child. Can he be relied on? 1I hope we
can rely on your discretion.
dependable /d ) Ipcndabal/ someone who is dependable
can always be relied on to work or perlorm to the same
satisfactory standard, especially in a difficult situation
ladj]
323 DEPEND ON/REL Y ON
She is one ofthe most tkpendable pla}~rs on the team. 1I hove
the greatest confidence in J ohn. He is honest, effICient and
wholly tkpendable. .
dependability /dllpendalbll ~ti/ l n UJ Cardenas gamed a
reputation/or dependability (=for being dependable) and
sound judgement.
can count on Ikan 'kaunt onl if you can count on some-
one, you can always rely on them to help or support you
Iv phrase]
Jfyou ever need any help, you krww you can always rount
on me. 1 Paddock was not particularly intelligent but I feU
sure 1 could count on his loyalty.
solid /lsol1d 11 ' so:-/ someone who is solid can always be
relied on to be honest and to behave in a socially accepta-
ble way [adj usually before rwun]
Rex was everyone's idea of a solid, respectable lawyer. I
Susan's husband was a good man - solid, decent, but so
boring!
st.ady 11 stedij someone who is steady is very honest and
has a serious attitude to the ir work ladjl
Tlu?re's no need to worry about her, she's very steady. I
steady worker We know he has a drink problem, but 11£ is
a steady worker, and it would be unreasonable to fire him.
be a aaf. pair of hands /bi: a ,self pear av 'hrendzl an
expression used especially in newspapers: if so.meone Is a
safe pair of hands you can rely on them do a difficult and
important job without making mistakes or taking risks
Ivphrasel
The campaign has been entrusted to Mr Patten, widely
regarded as being a safe pair 0/ hands.
be there /,bi: 163!r( an informal expression meaning to
always be ready to help someone or be sympathetic when
they have problems or worries IV phrase I
be there for sb Don't worry - whi!never you need me I'll be
there/or you. I Parents should always be therefor tlu?ir chil-
dren, especially in the difflCult teenage years. I be there
That's why 1 hated my father. He was never there wlwl I was
in trouble or feeling down.
3 words for describing something such as a
machine, method, or piece of information that
you can rely on
reliable
can rely on
tried and testedJwell-trled
reliable In 'la,ob, llladjl .
Luckily we hod a reliabl£ map ofthe area to help us. I VaccI-
nation is thi! most reliable method of preventing infection. I
reliable source (=a source of information that you trust)
1\Je heardfram a reliabl£ source that Elizabeth Taylor is get·
ting married again.
reliability In ,la l ~'b ll ~ti/ln UI There is some uncertainty
about the reliability o/tlu? data (=about how reliable the
data is) used in this research. I The advantage of this system
is its reliability and speed.
can rely on Ikan n Ilal onl [v phrase)
. You can rely on the fXJstal service. It's really very good. I What
we need is some hard evidence that we can rely on.
tried and te.ted/well-trled ' Itrald an 'test!d, Iwel
Itra ld .. / a method or plan that is tried and tested or well-
tried has been used many times before and is known to be
one that you can rely on ladj phrase)
Massage is a tried and tested method of treating stress-
related illnesses. I An experienced teacher will demonstrate
some well-tried practical techniques that have beenfound to
work in t1l£ classroom. I This traditional medicine is made
to a tri£d aruJ testedformula containing more than a dozen
herbs.
4 words for describing people or things Ihat
you cannot rely on
unreliable
can't rely on
DEPEND ON/REL Y ON 324 DESCRIBE
unreliable ' .AnrI1Ialb",l.. j [adjl deacribe /dl ' skralb/ to givea written or spoken account
My old car is getting so unreliable; 1 think it's time [ bought of a person, thing, place etc, by providing a lot of details
a new one. I Amanda's the rrwst unreliable person J've ever about them so that other people can imagine what they are
krwwn. You never know what time she's going to arrive. I like Iv TJ
Long range weather forecasts are notoriously unreliable. can you describe the man who threatened you? l It 's hard
unreliability " AnrIlal~'b!l~til In UJ the unreliability of to describe what he's like. Sometimes he's aggressive. some·
statistical evidence times he 'sfriendly. lIt was hopeless trying to describe such
can't rely on , .kmnt fi lia l on 11 ,ka:nt-J [v phrase] an enormous country injust a couple ofparagraphs. I I had
You can't rely on the buses. They're quite often late. I Most to describe my symptoms to the doctor at the hospital. I How
of the soldiers in the Emperor's army were inexperumced con- would you describe your job?
scripts and could not be relied on. give a description of },gIV d dl'sknpfan cv} to describe
someone or something. especially by giving details about
dependable DEPEND ON/RELY ON 2 what they look like Iv phrase J
dependence ADDICTED 4 It 's important that you give the police an accurate descrip·
dependent ADDICTED 1 tion of the robbers. I The brochure gives a general descrip-
dependent: be dependent on DEPENO!IT DEPE NDS 1, tion of the island and lists a ll the amenities available to
NEED 3 tourists.
depending on DEPEND/IT DEPENDS 3
depict DESCRI BE 3
deplete REDUCE 5 2 to describe an event, situation , or experience
deplorable BAD BEHAVIOUR OR ACTIONS 2 describe give an account of
deplore DISAPPROVE 2 talk about tell of
deport LEAVE YOUR HOME/COUNTRY 5 write about
deposed: be deposed GET RID OF 4
deacrlba /dl'skralb/ to givea written or spoken account
deposit PAY FOR t4 . PUT 1. 16
of an event. situation, or experience, by providing a lot of
deposit: put a deposit on PAY FOR 3
details about it so that other people can imagine what it is
depraved BAD PERSON 2
like Iv TJ
depreciate VALUE 7 Many of the soldiers were asked to describe life on the
depress SADfU NHAPPY 11 Western Front. ! Some DJ the events described in the article
depressed SADfUNHAPPY 2 have shockEd our readers. I Could you try to describe, in
depressing SAD/UNHAPPY 9, 10 detail, the procedures that you used in the operation? l it's
depression FAIL 11 . HOLE 1, SADfUNHAPPY 12 hard to find the words to describe how I felt when she told
deprive sb of 6th TAKE STH FROM S8 2 me the news.
deprived POO R 2
talk about }'t::l:k dbaut/ to describe something that you
depth DEEP 3 have seen or experienced by talking to people about it I v Tl
depth: be out of your depth UNDERSTAND 12 My grandfather loves talking about his experiences in Italy
depths: the depths DEEP 1 during the war. I II s best to talk about your problems to
deputation REPRESENT 4 someone - maybe they can help you.
deputize REPLACE 2
deputy MANAGER 4. REPRESE NT 3
write about " ralt dbaut/ to describe an event. situation
etc in writing Iv Tl
deranged CRAZY 1
Get the children to write about what they do in their free
derelict CONDITION/STATE OF STH 4
time. I Graham Greene wrote about his experiences in Mexico
derisory UTILE/NOT MUCH 7
in his book 'The Lawless Roads'.
derivative COpy 5
derive from/be derived 'rom COME FROM/ORIGINATE 7 give an account of / ,gIv :m d 'kaunt cv/ to describe an
derogatory DISAPPROVE 4 event. experience etc by just giving the details of what
descend DOWN 3, 5
happened, but without adding your own feelings or opin·
descend on/upon VISIT 3
ions etc [v phrasel
descendant FAM ILY 7
The book gives an account of the author's travels in Africa. I
He began his lecture by giving a brief account of the many
descended: be descended from COME
different religions in the region. I give sb an account of
FROMfORIGINATE 3. FAMILY 7
After regaining consciousness she was able to give police a
describe DESCRIBE 1. 2 remarkably detailed account of the accident.
describe: be difficult/hard to describe EXPRESS 5
describe sth/sb as CALU DESCRIBE AS 1. DESCRIBE 3 tell of I 'tel Dvl to describe an event, situation etc, espe·
dally as though it was a story, in order to make it sound
more exciting or impressive (v TI
. DESCRIBE Many ofthe prisoners have told ofthe terrible conditions they
were kept in and how they were beaten. I Some of the local
stories tell ofa tragedy on theclif/s where a young girl fell
1 to describe a person , thing , place etc, by to her death. I tell sb of On his return he told us of the many
saying what they are like terrible and wonderful things he'd seen on his journey.
2 to describe an event, situation, or experience
3 to describe someone or something in a 3 to describe someone or something in a
particular way, for example to show that you particular way, for example to show that you
think they are good , bad, interesting elc think they are good, bad , interesting etc
4 a written or spoken account that describes a describe sth/sb as depict
person, tl:ling, place ete portray sb/sth as paint a picture
5 a written or spoken account that describes an
describe sth/sb .s /d, 'skra,b (sth/sb) ",z/ Iphr v T J
event, situation , experience etc I wouldn't describe thejob as boring, just a little repetitive. I
John describes himselfas the intelligent but shy type. I The
victim described her attacker as a well-built man in his late
40's.
1 to describe a person, thing, place etc, by
portray ab/sth as Ip::l: r'tre, (sb/sth) cezl to describe
saying what they are like
someone or something by deliberately choosing certain
describe details about them in order to make people form a particu·
give a description of lar opinion about them, especially a bad opinion rphr v Tl
DESCRIBE
In an attempt to descredit Bilw, the police portrayed him as
a man of violence. I The treatment has been portrayed as a
painless way of curing cancer, which is untrue. I portray
sb The m agazine has been criticized/or the way it portrays
women.
,I
depict Id P IktJ to describe someone or something, espe-
cially in writing, by providing a lot of details which give
a very true idea of what they are like [u TJ
depict sb/ sth Dublin today is still very similar to the place
which James Joyce depicted in his novel 'Ulysses'. I His sto-
riesdepict life in Trinidadas seen through theeyeso!ayoung
boy growing up there in the early 1950s. I depict sb/sthas
In this new biography she is depicted as a lonely and
unhappy woman.
paint a picture f I pel nt ~ IPI ktf ~rl paint a bleak/ grim/
rosy etc picture (=describe in a very pleasant or very
unpleasant way, which may be quite different from the
truth) I v phrase I
He'spainted a very grimpictureo/her but really he's not that
bad. ) Visitors to the country bring back stories ofdreadful
suffering, but the government-controlled press paints a very
different picture. I The picture ofthe President painted by the
media is one of an amiable, easy-going kind of guy.
4 a written or spoken account that describes a
person, Ihing, place etc
description portrayal
descriptive profile
description Idl 'sknp/ .n/ln Cl
The police have issued a description a/the two men who were
seen running away/rom the scene a/the crime. I I thought
his description a/the house he grew up in was very beauti-
ful. I description of sb/ sth as Her description Df him as an
unfeeling and selfISh beast is totally un/air. I answer/fit a
description (=look like the person who has been
described) A man fitting that description was seen leaving
the house shortly after the crime was committed.
descriptive Idl lsknptlvl a piece of writing that is
descriptive contains a lot of details describing what some.
one or something is like. rather than teUing a story or
describing events [adjl
The book contains many fine descriptive passages about
everyday life in China. 1 There's far too much descriptive
writing in the novel. 1 Some of Wordsworth 's best poetry is
descriptive and recalls scenes of his childhood.
portrayal/p:l:fltrel ~ 11 a description of a person, thing,
place etc that deliberately chooses certain details about
them in order to make people form a particular opinion
about them, especially a bad opinion [n Cl
Steinbeck's portrayal of life in small-town Amerk'a is very
realistic. 1 Miss Jackson's portrayal of her father, both in
words and images, leaves us in no doubt as to his real
nature. 1 portrayal of sb/ 5th as J cannot accept tm article's
JXJrtrayal of these men as bloodthirsty terrorists.
profile l'pr;}Ufalll a short description of someone's life,
work, and character. especially of someone famous, which
is written in a newspaper, shown on television etc In Cl
Listening to the radio profile of Manckla. J was amazed to
hear what his life has been like. 1Every week tm magazine
presents the profile of a well-known sports personality.
5 a written or spoken account that describes an
event, situation , experience etc
description report
account commentary
description IdllsknpJanl a written or spoken account of
an event, situation, experience etc, which gives a lot of
details so that people can imagine exactly what it is like
InC I
The articl£ contained a beautiful description ofthe wedding. I
vivid description (=very clear and realistic) He gave a
vivid description of tm events leading up to the revolution. 1
graphic description (=very clear description. usually
including unpleasant details) Her diary rontains a graphic
description of her experiences in tm prison camp.
325 DESERVE
account Ja1kauntl a written or spoken description of an
event that just gives the details and not someone's own feel·
ings or opinions In Cl
In mr diary she provides us with a detailed account aftm
first time she ever met the king. 1 Both climbers published
accounts aftheir ascent of Everest. 1 blow-by-blow account
(=an account giving all the details of an event just as they
happened) We got a blow-by·blow account oftm interview
as soon as she arrived home. 1 eyewitness account (=an
account given by someone who saw the events they
describe) A passer·by was able to give an eyewitness account
a/the accident. I frrstband account (=an account given by
someone who was present at or took part in the events they
describe) An Americanjournalist'sfirsthand aa:ount afthe
Revolution is the mast objective view oJevents we have so far.
report Irllp3: f t/ an official written or spoken description
ofa situation or event, which describes and explains what
happened In Cl
As soon as you get back from China I want you here in my
office I1J give me afUll report. I The report statffi that theacci·
dent had been caused by human error. 1 According to the
newspaper report there were three gunmen involved in the
robbery.
commentary I 'k om;mtari 11 'ka:m;mteri/ a spoken
description of an event such as a game, a race, or an impor·
tant ceremony, which is given while it is happening, espe-
cially on television or radio {n Cl
commentary on George spent the ajrernoon listening to the
commentary on the game. 1 Chet Brinkley gave tm televison
commentary on President Kennedy'sfuneral in 1963. 1 run-
ning commentary (=a continuous commentary all the
time that something is happening) Sarah was looking out
ofher window and giving us a running commentary on what
was happening out in tm street.
description DESCRIBE 4. 5
description: give a description 0' DESCRIBE 1
descriptive DESCRIBE 4
desecrate DAMAGE 4
f desert LEAVE A JOB OR ORGAN IZATION 7, LEAVE A
~ RELATIONSHIP 1
deserted EM PTY 3
deserts: get your just deserts DESERVE 2 .
deserve DESERVE 1, 2
deserve: get what you deserve DESERVE 2
deserve: well-deserved/well deserved DESERVE 3
• DESERVE
1 to deserve to receive something such as a
reward , punishment, or praise
2 ways of saying that someone deserves the
problems, difficulties etc that they are having
3 words for describing something, especially
something pleasant, that someone deserves
1 to deserve to receive something such as a
reward , punishment, or praise
deserve be sb' s by right
merit have earned
be owed
deserve Id 11 Z3: rvI if someone deserves something such
as a reward or a punishment, it is right that they should
receive it for what they have done IV T not in progressive]
deserve 5th I'm glad she got the prize - she thoroughly
deserved it. I After all that work you desenJe a rest. I Whatever
did 1 do to deserve such horrible children? 1deserve to do
sth Tm German team deseroed to win tm championship -
they played much better than any ofthe other teams. I richly
deserve (=very much deserve something bad) Smfinally
got tm punishment she so richly deseroed.
deserving ladj 1Th£ money is only given to the most deserv-
ing cases (=to the people who need it most and therefore
deserve it most).
DESERVE
,I
merit mer ~tl merit further attentlon/a closer look/
close examination etc {=be good enough or suitable to
deserve more attention, consideration etc} Iv T not in
progressive 1
It's an interesting idea and it certainly merits/urther atten-
tion. ITdidn't think his poem was ofa high eru;ugh standard
to merit inclusion in the collection. I This is a major scien-
tific breakthrough which merits/ar greater acclaim than it
has so far received.
be owed Ihi: I;)udl be owed an explanation/answer/
apology etc (""deserve to have something explained,
answered etc, especially by someone who does not want to
do this) Iv phrasel
Shefe€/s she's owed an apology after all the cruel things you
said about her. I Why didn't you come to my party - I think
I'm at least owed some kind of explanation.
be ab'. by right Ibi: (sb's) hal Iralt/ if you say that an
im[X)rtantjob, prize etc is someone's by right, you mean
it should definitely be given to them because they are the
person who most deserves it [v phrase)
Mishimafelt that the Nobel Prize was his by right, and was
surprised to hear that Kawabata had received it instead. I
This decision is being fiercely contested by the Mohawk, who
claim that the land is theirs by right.
have eamed /hrev 13: r nd/ to deserve something such as
reward, success, or someone's respectetc because you have
worked very hard I v phrase I
I think Paul slwuld getfirst prize - he's certainly earned it. I
Princess Anne has earned a lot ofadmiration and respectfor
her work for the Save The Children Fund.
2 ways of saying that someone deserves the
I~ I problems, difficulties etc that they are having
~ deserve serve sb right
had it coming get your just deserts
get what you deserve get your comeuppance
deserve /dl lZ3: r V/ [v T not in progressive}
deserve 5th What have / done to deserve all this trouble? I
deserve it I hit him but he deserved it. I deserve to do sth
The man is a brutal killer - he deseroes to die. I deserve sth
for sth I said some cruel things to him, but he deserved it
for the way he treated me.
had it coming I,hred It 'kArnllJl you say someone had it
coming when you think they deserve the punishment or
bad experiences that they have got. and this is what you
expected to happen I v phrase)
I don't feel sorry for him at all. He had it coming. I had it
coming to you/her etc I'm surprised he's complaining
about his Wife leaving him - he's had it coming to himfor
years
get what you da.ervel tget wotju: dl'Z3: TV/ you say
someone gets what they deserve when they receive a
punishment or something unpleasant happens to them as
a result of their own actions. and you think they deserve
it Iv phrasel
I don 'I care what happens to those English soccer fans - as
far as I'm concerned they'll get whot they deserve. I "Do you
feel sorry for him?" ''No, Ire shouldn't have hit that guy - he
got whot he deserved. "
.erve ab right / IS3: r V (sb) I rani you say it serves some--
one right when you think they deserved to have something
unpleasant happen to them, especially when you think
they have been stupid or unkind [v phrase not progressive]
"Tom's video's been stolen, .. "It serves him right - I'm always
telling him to lock the door but he never listens to me. '" serve
sb right for doing sth No wonder you were sick - serves
you rightfordrinking so much. I it would serve you right
if It 'd serve you right if I told your father about what you
did yesterday.
get your Just deaerts/getj:>:r td3"st dl tZ3!rtS/ ifa very
bad person gets their just deserts. they flnal1y get
punished or something very unpleasant happens to them.
after they have avoided punishment for a long time
[v phrase)
The hoted dictator finally got his just deserts. I In the end
Wild Bill got his just deserts when two lawmen shot him.
326 DESIGN
get your comeuppance/,get j:>! r leArn IAp::ms/ to finally
get the punishment or unpleasant experiences that you
deserve for something bad that you have been doing
fv phrase]
The evil Mr Grove gets his comeuppance at the end of the
story. I Let them laugh. ThR:y'Uget tlreirromeuppancesooner
or later.
3 words for describing something, especially
something pleasant, that someone deserves
well-cleservedlwell deserved
well-earned
well-deserved/well deserved 11wel dJ' Z3: r vd.1 lad}]
Jaguar has a well-deserved reputation for producing fine
cars. I Canada's victory against tire US Iwckey team was well
deserved.
well-eamad Ilwel t 3:rnd., well-earned rest/reputa-
tion/holiday etc (=one that someone eaITlS because they
have worked very hard for it) [adj only before noun )
At the end of their walk they stopped off at a nearby hotel
for some well-earned rest. I In 1971 Jane Fonda won a well-
earned Oscar for her performance in 'Klute'.
design OESIGN I . 2. PATIERN 1
• DESIGN
to decide and plan the way something new
will look and work
1 to design something
2 the way that something has been designed
3 someone whose job is to design things
1 to design something
design
plan
design Idl tza 1nl to design something such as a machine,
building or piece of clothing Iv T)
Sally's amazing. She designs and mak£s all her own clothes. I
He used to be a professional cyclist - now he designs bikes
for a French company. I The new office layout was designed
by a firm of specialists. I be well designed The school has
not been very well designed - the corridors are too narrow.
plan /plren/ to design something such as a city or build-
ing by deciding how the different areas, rooms etc should
be arranged Iv TI
The town was originally planned in the 19505, when there
werefewer cars. I They are having a new house built and they
are planning the garden themselves. I We planned the
stadium very carefully, with special facilities for the
disabled.
2 the way that something has been designed
design
design Id l 'lalnl In VI
There is nothing wrong with the design, but the engine is
simply not effr.cient enough. ITn a skycraper ofthis size. good
design is essential.
3 someone whose job is to design things
designer
architect
planners
designer /d l'za ln~ rl someone whose job is to design new
machines. furniture, clothes etc [n C]
She works as an industrial designer. I All theatres need
designersfor the sets, lighting and costumes. , He claims he
was t!refirst major fashion designer to sell to younger people.
DESIGN
.rchltect , lo.:Tk!tekt/ someone whose job is to design
buildings In Cl
The building was designed by the famous architect Frank
Lloyd Wright.
planner. f 'plren~rzJ the people who are responsible for
planning something large such as a city. park. or large
public building In plurall
I sometimes wonder if planners ever actually consider the
needs of the people the building is/or. I The town planners
are responsible f or the new shopping complex.
designed: be designed to PURPOSE 2
designate CHOOSE 5
designer DESIGN 3, FASHIONABLE 1
desirable SEXY 1
desire SEX/HAVE SEX WITH 4 . WANT 8, 9
desired effect: havefachieve the desired effect
EFFECTIVE 1
desolate EMPTY 3 , SAD/UNHAPPY 5
despair HOPE 9 . 11
despair: drive sb to despair SAD/UNHAPPY 11
despair: In despair HOPE 12
despairing HOPE 12
despatch/dispatch MESSAGE 1. SEND 1, 4
desperate HOPE 10, SERIOUS SITUATION 1
desperate: be desperate WANT 4
desperate: be desperate for NEED 2
despise HATE 1
despite DESPITE 1
despite the fact that/In spite of the fact that
ALTHOUGH 1
despite this: in spite of this/despite this BUT 2
• DESPITE
even though the situation i s difficult,
unusual, unpleasant etc
1 words meaning despite
1 words meaning despile
In spite of In the face of
despite through
In spite of / In 'spaJt ~v'lPrep J
In sp ite of everything I just said. I still enjoyed tire trip. I
People became hea lthier in spite of the shortages. by eating
good, ·simplefood. I/n spite of tire language difficulty, we
soon became friends.
de.plte fdl' spalt/ (used especially in written English)
Iprepl
Despite the heat, he wore a black leather jacket. I Greg is
determined to travel alone despite hisfri.ends' warnings. I
Despite my misgivings. I took thejob. I She ran into Sam in
the bar. despite her efforts to avoid him. I despite yourself
(=despite efforts to behave or reel differently) At tire end of
the nwvie, despite herself, Liz began to cry.
In the face of I l n o~ 'fels ~vl ifsomeone does something
in the face ora very difficult or unpleasant situation, they
succeed in doing it even though that situation seemed
likel y to stop them Iprepl
She hos shown extraordinary courage in theface ofher cri~
pling illness. I They managed to pass anti-slavery laws in
theface of violent opposition/rom Southern whites.
through ISru:/ if someone continues to do something
through a difficult or unpleasant situation, the situation
does not make them stop doing it IPrep 1
Ded icated nurses kept the hospital open through all the
shooting and bombings. I through thick and thin
(=through difficult as well as pleasant limes) JiII had
always been a loyal girl, woo supported her friends through
thick and thin.
327 DESTROY
despondency SAD/UNHAPPY 12
despondent SADfUNHAPPY 2
destination TRAVEL 15
destined: be destined to CERTAINLYfDEFINITELY 5
destiny FUTURE 7
destitute POOR 1
destroy DESTROY I , 2, 6 , KILL 6 , 14. SPOIL 6
• DESTROY
to damage something so badly that it cannot
b e repaired or it no l onger exists
1 ways 01 saying that bombs, fi res, storms ete
destroy a building, town, or area
2 to deliberately desl roy something so Ihat it
can not be repaired or no longer exists
3 to destroy a building because it is in bed
condition or in order to build something else
in its place
4 the act or result of desl roying something
5 to destroy a car or other vehicle in an
accident so that it cannot be repaired
6 to destroy someone's hopes, friendships,
happiness, beliefs ete
7 causing great damage, so lhat things are
destroyed
1 ways of saying that bombs, fires, storms ete
destroy a building, town, or area
destroy be flattened
devastate obliterate
be ravaged by wreck
de.troy Idl'strJI' {v TJ
The earthquake destroyed much of the city. I Huge areas of
rainforest are being destroyed every year by mu ltinational
companies sl!i!king quick profits. I During the war, nearly
two and a half million homes had been damaged or
destroyed.
deva.tate/'devasteltj to cause so much damage to a place
or an area that most of the things there are destroyed Iv TJ
be devastated by Tire island was devastated by a hurricanJ!
in 1970. I Some 600 acres ofcentral Koln had been deoostaled·1
devastate sth Floods and disease devastaled tire harvest.
be ravaged by Ibi: 'rrevld3d bal' if a place or an area is
ravaged by war, fire etc, it is very badly damaged and a
lot of it is destroyed Iv phrase!
Eritrea has been ravaged by war for the last 20 years. I
In summer huge areas o{ the French countryside are regu-
larly ravaged by foresl fires.
be flattened Jbi: 'flretndJ if an area such as a town or a
forest is flattened all the buildings or trees there are
destroyed by bombs, storms etc [v phrase J
be flattened by Thow;ands of miles of woodland werefiat-
tened by storms last month. I be flattened Our house in
B erlin was completely flattened.
obliterate 1~ lbht~rc lt/ to destroy a place so completely
that nothing remains, and it is difficult to see or imagine
what was once there Iv TI
The village had been obliterated a month earlier, and 61
people had been killed. I Freqwmljlooding elX!ntually obliter·
ated all traces of the community that used to live there.
wreck lrekl to damage something such as a building so
badly that it cannot be repaired or used aga in [v T I
The power station was wrecked by a huge gas explosion. I
The air bases had been pretty well wrecked by the bombings.
I~ I "You say" is used in definilions of some
~ words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English.
DESTROY
2 to deliberately destroy someth ing so that it
cannot be repaired or no longer exists
destroy
wreck
destroy Idl'str:Hf lV Tl
Rioters soon reached the more afllwmt part of town, destroy-
ing property and looting stores. I Here is your replacement
credit card. Please destroy the old one. I Their mission was
quite clear - they were to destroy the US fleet.
wreck Irekf to deliberately damage a machine or all the
things in a room so badly that they cannot be repaired Lv TJ
He came home drunk again. threatening to wreck the apart-
ment. I Most of the public plumes around here have been
wrecked by vandals.
3 to destroy a building beca use it is in bad
cond ition or in order to build something else
in its place
demolish
knock down/pull down
tear down
demolish Id. 'moilJ 11 d. 'mre-I to destroy a building using
heavy equipment [v TI
When the Church DJSt John was demolished, a cave was dis-
covered beneath it. I Some of the apartment blocks were so
badly design£d they had w be demolislwd within alew years
01 being built,
knockdown/puU down / lnok 'daun, .pul1daun 11 .Drek-f
to destroy a building or part of building, especially a house,
usually in order to build something new [phr v T l
knock down sth We made the living room bigger by knock-
ing down afew intl!rior walls. I She was brought up in a tatty
little house that has since been pulled down. I knock sth/
it/them down We will have to knock a number of houses
down to build the new access road.
tear down , I ~r IdaUn{ a word meaning to destroy a large
building or part ofa building, especially because it is dan-
gerous [phr u T]
tear down sth During the occupation, several churches and
historic buildings were torn down. I tear sth/ it/them
down The tower was so badly damaged in the storm that
the owners were forced to tear it down.
4 the'act or resu lt of destroying someth ing
destruction demolition
devastation be In ruins
destruction Id. ' SlfhkJan{ In VI
Tire war led w widespread death and destructwn, 1 What can
we do to slow down the destruction of the ozone layer?
devastation I l dev~lste IJ.1nl the result of an area being
completely and violently destroyed In D J
The scene after the explosion was one of utter devastation.
demolition 11dctOO IIIJ_ml the deliberate destruction of a
building, because it is in bad condition or in order to build
a new one In UJ
The building ofthe new freeway is going to mean the demo-
iition ofan entire housing complex. I Theoldfactory will be
pulled down by denwlition experts.
be In rulns /bi: In 1nl:!nzl if a town, city etc is in ruins,
it has been completely destroyed [v phraseJ
The village was in ruins. Nothing had survived. I Four days
and nights ofcontinuous bombing had lfift the city in ruins.
5 to destroy a car or other vehicle in an
accident so that it cannot be repai red
wreck
write off
total
wreck lrekf Iv Tl
I was stupid enough to lend him my car, and he completely
wrecked it!
328 detail
wrecked (adj] Thousands of wrecked vehicles layaban-
doned along the roadside.
write oH I lraIt lof 11 _' : dl a British word meaning to
damage a vehicle, especially a car, so badly that it can
never be used again rphr u TJ
wrtteoffsth He's managed to wrile offtwo cars already this
year. I write sth/ it/them off She wrote her mother 's car
off the first time she drove it.
write-otT I'ralt of 11 -o:fl [n Cl Luckily Ire escaped with alew
scratch2s but the car was a complete write-off(=was so badly
damaged it could never be used again).
total / lt~1 an American word meaning to damage a vehi·
cle, especially a car, so badly that it can never be used again
Iv Tl
It was a terrible accident. Both veh icles were totaled.
6 to destroy someone's hopes, friendships,
happiness, beliefs etc
destroy
wreck
break
destroy /dl lstr:ll/ [v TJ
Because of this dreadful experience, my faith in human
nature was completely destroyed. I Even close relationships
can be destroyed by alcohalism, 1 Norway has destroyed
England's chances of a place in the final.
wreck I rek/ to completely destroy someone's relation-
sh ips, hopes, chances etc, especially by doing or saying
something without thinking of the likely results (v TI
As everyone had warned him, the affair wrecked his marri-
age. I The minister's provocative speech wrecked any chances
of a peace settlement.
break Ibrelkj break sb's spiritlreso]ve/ willlresistance
etc (=destroy someone's detennination although they have
tried hard to keep it) [ v TI
Years in prison had not broken Mr Mandela 's spirit. I
Threats to harm her childrenfinally broke Petra 's determi·
nation not to betray her friends.
7 causing great damage, so that things are
destroyed
destructive
devastating
destructive /dll strAkuvl fadj]
We were shown a video about the destructive effects ofcarbon
monoxide on the environment. I Jealousy can be a powerfuL
and very d£structive emotion. I Each of these bombs has ten
times the destructive power of the bomb that was used on
Hiroshima.
destructively (adv ] Some of the scientists on the project
became worried that their discoveries would be used de·
structively.
devastating I ldev~te l tlIJI having the effect ofdamaging
something so badly that it is completely destroyed [ad}1
The US then launched its most devastating attack of the
entire war. I The impact on the countryside around. Cher-
nobyl has been devastating. I devastating effect Africa's
latest drought has had a devastating effect on its rural
population.
destroyed by fire: be destroyed by fire BURN 8
~. destruction DESTROY 4
destructive DESTROY 7
detach REMOVE 2
detach yourself from SEPARATE 10
I detached EMOTIONAL 6
detail DETAIL 1
detail: give more details DETAIL 7
detail: go Into detail/details DETAIL 4
~ detail:· go into more/greater detail DETAIL 7
" detail: in detail DETAIL 4
DETAIL
. DETAIL
one of the specific points or facts in
something such as a plan, description,
written agreement, or design
1 a detail
2 all the details about a subject, person etc
3 small details in something such as a contract
or set of rules
4 containing or giving a lot of details
5 not containing a lot of details
6 not containing enough details
7 to give more information about something by
adding details to what you have already said
or written
1 a detail
detail thing
point nuance
detail f'd;,tellll d.'tellf In C/ Ul
She looked closely at every detail ojthe plans before approv-
ing them. I I like the idea of a one-day conference, but we'll
Il€ell to work out all the details. I She /uul someproblems with
her employer. [forget the d£tails. I You 've made some good
general points in this essay, but you need to pay nwre atten-
tion to detail. I Canaletto's pictures contain an enormous
amount of detail. I have an eye for detail (=be good at
noticing details and judging their effect) He 'd make a good
interior designer, he has a real eye/or detail. I full details
(=the complete details about something) For full details of
this exclusive offer. just send a stamped addressed envelope.
point Ip'JIDt( a particular detail in something such as a
plan, a statement, or a written agreement that needs to be
considered [n Cl
I'd like to discuss one or two small points with you before we
publish the report. I At the end ofher speech she summarized
all the points she had mentioned. I Almost everything has
been agreed. There is just one final point that has to be
settled.
thing !BllJ! an informal word meaning one of the details
in something such as a plan, a story, or a written agreement
In Cl
I want to ask you about my contract. There are one or two
things I don't quite understand. I In this new version o/the
story several things have been changed.
nuance ( I nju!o:ns 11 I nu !*! a very small and specific detail
in a language, for example a small and delicate difference
in meaning between similar words [n C/ U]
Living in a country helps you to understand the nuances 0/
the language. I Flnnn O'Brien's work is full of subtle
nuances, which/oreigners may Fmd di!Trcult to und2rstand. 1
I'm not disagreeing with the spirit o/what he's saying ~ it's
more a question of nuance.
2 all the details about a subject, person etc
particulars the ins and outs of
specifics technicalities
particulars /p;}TIt I kj';fI;}Tz/ the exact details of a particu·
lar person, plan, agreement etc In pluralJ
I am not interesti!d in theparticularsofwhodoes what. Ijust
want the job finished. I The treaty was signed despite some
haggling over the particulars of each country's stock of
weapons. 1take down sb's particulars (=write down their
persona] details, for example their name and address) After
the police officer had taken down their particulars, the two
men explained what had happened.
specifics !sp1l s lflksj all the separate facts and details
about something, especially a plan or statement (nplura l ]
The proposals look good in broad terms, but are rather weak.
on specifICS. I get down to/go into specifics (=consider or
329 DETAIL
talk about the details) Now that we've agreed on the geMml
principles of our policy, let's get down to specifics. I I can't
go into speclfrcs at this tinw, but I can tell you that the Mayor
categorically denies all the allegations against him.
the Ins and outs of jOi I mz and law ovl an infonnal
expression meaning all the exact details of something corn·
plicated such as a problem, a situation, or a way of doing
something (n phrase]
I can't tell you all the ins and outs of the situation over the
phone, I'll write toyou next week. I l found lll€elled to spend
Quite a while learning all the ins and outs of the system.
technlc.Htles ( I tekn1 1krel1tizl technical details of some-
thing such as a system, process, or skill which you can only
understand if you have special knowledge [n plural]
I asked him to explnin the technicalities of laser·printing. I
They discussed the technicalities of this delicate operationfor
some time.
3 small details in something such as a contract
or set of rules
the smalUtlne print
technicality
the small/fine print (O;} ,srro:l, lfaln IpTlntJ details that
are included in a contract or agreement and are written in
small print, with the result that people do not always notice
them [n phraseJ
I'm afraid you can't cancel your contract now. You should
have read the small print. I A close study of the small print
will reveal that many o/these insurance policies do not cover
the cost ofrepairing storm damage. I Sometimes special con·
ditions are hidden away in the fine print.
technicality " tekn! 'kael! til a small detail in a law or a
set of rules, especially one on which a decision is based [n
C usually singular!
She was obviously guilty, but eventually we were forced to
release her because of some legal technicality. I on a tech·
nicality (=because of a technicality) England 's 400m relay
team were disqualified from the Commonwealth Games on
a technicality.
4 containing or giving a lot of details
detailed go into detail/details
elaborate blow-by-blow account
In detail In~epth
detailed f'diaedd 11 d.'teIldf !mU!
We CDuldn 't find a detailed map of the region. I We need as
much detailed information about the case as possible be/ore
we can make a decision. I Police o/Freers have put together
a detailed description of the man they want to interview. I
Market research is usually very detailed, involving tlwu·
sands of people answering hundreds of questions.
elaborate / lllrebaTClt/ elaborate plans/preparations/
notes/excuses etc (=carefully produced and full of details)
ladjl
Elaborate preparations were being madefor the president's
visi( I She /uul prepared an elaborate excusefor her absence. I
The diaries have been published in one volume, with
elaborate biographical notes by Professor Em')on.
In detail / m ldi:tell 11 *dlltell/ if you talk or write about
something in detail, you include a lot of details or pay
attention to all the details [adv phrase]
The victim was able to describe her attacker in detail. I
in greater/more detail (=more thoroughly and including
more details) I think we need to discuss the matter ingreater
detail. I in some detail (=including qu ite a lot of details)
Fortunately he was able to recall the events of that evening
in some detail.
go into detall/details ( lg;}U Int;} Idi:tCII(z) 11 -dlltell(z)1
to include a lot of details when you are describing or
explaining something, especially something that you have
already mentioned Iv phrase]
Without going into detail! can tell you that we have had a
very s=ful year. I Be brtef lfyou go into too much detail
people will get bored. I Chapter 1 is a brii!/ outline of the
DETAIL
process, then the next chapter goes into all the technical
details.
blow.by..blow account f 1bl;:M) hal bl~ a'kaunt/ a full
and detailed description of an event. in which everything
that happened is described in correct order [n phrase)
I want a blow-try-blow account of the whole meeting, what
was said, and what was decided.
In-depth " In 'depe., In-depth study/interview/analy-
sis/survey etc (=one that is done very thoroughly in order
to fmd out as much information as possible) [adj l
The committee has ordered an in-depth study of juvenile
crime. 1We shall be conducting a series of in-depth interviews
with economic experts.
in depth [adv phrase] Going to college gave m e an oppor-
tunity to pursue in depth some of the ideas I had gathered
from left-wing magazines.
5 not containing a lot of details
broad rough
general outline
broad Ibr;):dl broad outline/ generalization/ under·
standing etc [ad) only before noun )
can you give me a broad outline of what the speech was
about. I It 's only a short course, but it's enough to give you
a broad understanding of the subject. I To say that people
are healthier than they used to be is a broad generalization
- the reality is a little nwre complex.
generaI J' d3€!naral/ general account/description/ ideal
picture e tc (=which does not give detailed fa cts or infor-
mation) lad) only before noun]
This is a general acrount ofthecomputer'sfacilities. For fur-
ther details refer to the instruction manual. IT need to have
a general idea of the programme before I can start detailed
planning. 1 The book g ives a certain amount of general
advice on diet.
rough Jrll.fl rough idea/ planldescription/ontline etc
(=which is intentionally not detailed, but provides enough
information to help you understand something) [ad) only
before noun]
Ganyou give me a rough idea of what the building will look
like when it's finished? 1 We've drawn up a rough plan but
we haven't worked out all the costs. I The programme notes
give a rough outline of the story of the opera.
outline J1autlalnj outline agreement /knowledge/ap.-
proval etc (=based on general principles, not on exact
details) [ad) only before noun]
Students taking this course n£ed to have at least an outline
knowledge ofcomputing. I The two leaders have reached an
outline agreement on controlling short range nuclear
weapons.
6 not containing enough details
vague
sketchy
thin
vague /ve lgJ providing too few details to give a clear idea
about something [ad)]
There were vague rumours of an armed rebellion. I His
instructwns were rather vague. 1 They couldn 't even give me
a vague idea ofhow much it was likely to cost. I vague about
She was extremely vague about her plans and merely said
that she was going to work abroad.
sketchy f' sketJiJ sketchy information/notes/report!
knowledge etc (=not thorough or complete enough
because it lacks details) ladj]
It would be very unwise to change our policy on the basis of
such a sketchy report. I I 'm afraid my knowledge of the sub-
ject is rather sketchy.
thin fBInf a piece of information or a description that is
thin is not detailed enough to be useful or effective [ad) not
before noun I
I was disappointed with your history essay, it seemed a little
thin in terms ofcon tent. 1 I'm afraid the evidence is really too
thin as it stands. We need to investigatejurther.
330 determined by
7 to give more information about something by
adding details to what you have already said
or written
give more details elaborate
expand on go Into more/
enlarge on greater detail
be more explicit specify
give more details / lg1V rro:r Idiaeilz 1I 4d l 1tellzf [v
phrase]
can you g ive me more details about the cost ofthese courses,
please? I The press offu:er was unable to give any more details
about the assassination attempt.
expand on jlkl sprend on 11 -<I:n/ to provide more informa-
tion about something in order to ma ke it easier to under-
stand Iv Tl
Could you expand on your last comment, please? I When
asked to expand on his accusations ofin)ustice, lhejournalist
refused to say any more.
enlarge on fi n 'I(l!rd3 on 11 -run/ to provide more facts and
details about something that you have already mentioned
in a general way [v T I
At first the author simply lists the main points of the book,
without enlarging on them. I The interview will give you an
opportunity to enlarge on the ideas you put on your applica-
tionform.
be more explicit jbi: Im.J:r Ik'sph s~tf to give much
clearer and more detailed information about something,
especially when you have been asked to do this [v phrase ]
I don't understand what your plan is exactly, could you be
a little more explicit? I b e more explicit about The main
political parties need to be much more explicit about their
policies for the environment.
elaborate j l1lrebarelt/ a fonnal word meaning to provide
more details about something that you have said or writ-
ten, especially in order to make it easier to understand (v
liT I
e laborate on/ upon I would like MW to elaborate upon the
points raised in my introduction. I elaborate What exactly
do you mean by 'traditional education '? Would you care to
elaborate? 1 elaborate an argument/ point etc This argu-
m ent will be elaborated more fully in the next chapter.
go Into more/greaterdetaU Jlg~ Int<) Irro:r. IgreIt:)r
Idhtell 11 -d1 1telll to give someone more details about some-
thing that you have already said or written tv phrase ]
Her talk was interesting, but I wish she'd gone into nwre
detail about the early part of her career. 1 I don't have time
to go into more detail, perhaps we could talk about this
tomorrow.
specHy/l spes!fal/ to state something exactly and with
full details, so that it is completely clear what you want.
what must be done etc (v TJ
specify that The rules clearly specify that competitors are
rwt allowed to accept payment. I specify which/where/
how etc Architects usually specify which particular hard-
wood they want to use. I specify sth The order specifies a
December deadline for completion of the work.
detailed DETAIL 4
details INFORMATION 1
details: give more detailS DETAIL 7
details: go Into detail/details DETAIL 4
detain DELAY 1, KEEP S8 IN A PLACE 1
detainee KEE P S8 IN A PLACE 4
" detect NOTICE 1
detective INVESTIGATE 3
detention KEEP S8 IN A PLACE 5. PRISON 2
deter PERSUADE 12
deteriorate WORSE 3, 4, 7
determination DETERMI NED 6
determine FIND OUT 1
determined DETERMINED 1, 2, 3
determined by: be determined by DEPENDI
IT DEPENDS 1
DETERMINED
• DETERMINED
if you are detennined to do something, you
have decided to do it and you w ill not l et
anything stop you from doing i t
1 to be determined to do something
2 words for describing behaviour or actions that
show determinaUon in a difficult situation
3 always very determined to do what you have
decided to do
4 to be extremely determined to do something
5 determined to d o something , even if you
have to hun or cheat other people in order to
do it
6 the quality of being determined to achieve
whatever you have decided to do
1 to be determined to do something
determined 'be resolved
be intent on mean business
8et your mind on purposefu lly
be set on tenacious
detennlned Id , "3:'mlndl ladj)
determined to do sth She 's determined to enjoy every
minute DJ her vacation. I Both sides in the dispute seemed
determirreti not to compromise. I det ennined (that) Ruth
was determined that nothing would get in the way ofher pro-
motion. I He's determined the evening will be a success. I
determined in The tenants are d£termined in their opposi-
tion to the latest rent rises. I det ermined There's no point
in trying to stop her - it 'll only make her even more
determined.
belnlent on /bi: In 1tent onl to be determined to do some·
thing, especially something that other people do not
approve of or think you should do Iv phrase)
be intent on doing sth He 's one ofthose people who a lways
seems intent on stirring up trouble among his workmates. 1
There's not much you can do if people are really intent on
destroying themselves with drugs. I be intent on sth He's
intent on a confrontation. Nothing can persuade him
otherwise.
set your mind on "setj:>:r 'mal nd onJ if you set yo~
mind on doing something, you are determined to do It,
especially something that you will have to work hard to
achieve Iv phraseJ
set your mind on sth Once she's set her mind on something,
there's no stopping her. I set your mind on doing sth She's
set hi!r mind on having a big posh wedding.
be set on ,bi: Iset onJ if you a re set on doing something,
you are determined to do it even if other people do not think
you should Iv phrase )
be set on dOing sth Well, if you're really set on marrying
this man, I suppose we'll have to let you. 1 be dea d set on
doing sth (=be very determined to do something) I think
he's crazy, but he's dead set on travelling all that way alone.
be resolved (hi: f J 'zolvd 11 -'za:lvd/ a formal expression
meaning to be determined to do something because you are
sure that it is the r ight thing to do Iv phrase!
be resolved to do s th We were resolved to make our coun·
try a true democracy. I be resolved that The city authori·
ties are resolved that thi! school will be built within six
months.
me.n buslne•• ',mi:n 'b lzn!s/ to be determined to do
something, even if it involves hanning someone, especially
when other poople think you are not serious about doing
it rv phrase not in progressive 1
I could tellfrom the looks on their frJCi1S that theSl! guys m£allt
business, so I quickly handed over all the money I had. I He'S
not kidding. This time he means business.
331 DETERMINED
purposefully I 'p3:'posflil in a way which shows that you
are determined to do someth ing (adv]
She strode purposefully up w the door and rang the bell
loudly.
tenacious /t~ IneIJ:JS/ bravely determined to do some·
thing you have decided to do and unw ill ing to give up
trying even when the situation is very difficult and people
are opposing you ladjl
He proved to be a worthy and tenacious opponent.
tenaciously ladv ) Citizensfought tenaciously w keep the
troops out of the city.
2 words for describing behaviour or actions that
show determination in a difficult situation
detennlned resolute
stubborn dogged
steadfast
determined Idl 't3: rmA ndl determined resistan ce/
OPPOSition /efforts (=when the people involved are very
determ ined) ladj usually before noun]
The French anny met with determi.ned resistancefrom enemy
troops. I Workers made a determined effort to stop thefac·
wry from being closed down.
stubborn / 'stAb;;rnf s tubborn opposition/resistance/
defen ce etc (=when the people involved are very deter·
mined to get what they want in a difficult situation and
refuse to let anyone change their mind) !adj usually before
noun!
People showed stubborn resistance to the plansfor a TWClear
power station in the town. I Despite tire stubborn opposition
of the business lobby, the President mnnaged w raise interest
rates.
stUbbornly ladv] KeTTY knew the policies would be stub-
bornly resisted by opponents.
st •• df ••t / ' stedfa:st 11 -frest/ s t ead fast actions or
behaviour show that you are determ ined not to change
your beliefs or your support for someone, especially
because you want to be loyal to them ladj]
steadfast belief/r efusal/support etc Naomi 's steadfast
beliefin the cause never left her for one moment. 1 My par·
ents'steadfast nifusal to support thi! dictator was to cost them
dearly later on. I s teadfast in your loyalty/ detennina-
tion Churchill rould have remained in offu:eonly ifhis party
had remained steadfast in their loyalty.
steadfastly [adv! Afew left·wing organizations strodfastly
opposed the war.
,.solute / 'rezalu:l/ resolute actions or behaviour show
that you are strongly detennined not to change your opin·
ions or intentions, even though other people want you to
change them ladj)
She's best remembered for hi!r resolute commitment le
women~ equality. I He had a resolute sense ofpurpose which
intimidated all his enemies. lOur actions must be resolute
and our faith unshakable if we are to succeed.
resolutely [adv) He resolutely refused to reveal where he 'd
got his information.
dogged , 'dog1d 11 'd:>:-/ dogged actions or behaviour
show that you are very detennined to continue doing some-
th ing, even though it is difficult or t.akes a long time, and
refuse to let others prevent you lad) usually before noun]
Everyone admired his dogged determination to teach him·
selfwread.1 Thedoggedpersistenceofthepolicefmallypaid
of[ when Hooper told thi!m where he'd seen the woman.
doggedly ladvl A little boy was doggedly stalking a butter·
fly with a net.
3 always very determined to do what you have
decided to do
determined strong-willed
single-minded uncompromising
detennlned Id, ''':'mlndl ladj]
Eddie is a very determined and highly ambitious young
man. I My aunls were bold, and extremely determined; I knew
they wouldn't give up the fight easily.
DETERMINED
single-minded ,.sll)g<J1 'mamd1d., someone who is
single·minded has one main aim and works very hard to
achieve it fadjJ
To be sua:essful in this job, you have to be single-minded and
tireless. I Modern Americans very often spend their whok
lives in the single-minded pursuit of wealth. I Mrs Thatclu!r's
single-minded efforts to reverse Britain's industrial decline
strong-willed "strO!) 'wlld .. 11 IstlJ!I)-/ always very
detennined to do what you want to do, even if other people
think it is not a good idea to do it ladjJ
At seventy-nine. she is as strong-willed as sh£ ever was.
uncompromising /An Ikompr;)malzl I) 11 -'ka:m-, unwill-
ing to change your opinions or intentions because you are
sure you are right, even when other people think you are
being unreasonable ladj l
Many people know him as an uncompromising business-
man, but away from work he's kind and reasonable. 1 Her
father's uncompromising character meant she grew up to be
a shy, nen'Ous young woman.
4 to be extremely determined to do something
go to any lengths
be hellbent on
whatever the COBt
go to any IengthS 'tg;)U tu teni tlel]Ssl to be willing to
do anything in order to succeed. even if you have to cheat,
be cruel. risk danger, or spend a lot of money Iv phrase not
in progressive1
He's prepared to go to any lengths to find the men wluJ killed
his daughter. 1 No matter what she wants, he'll go to any
lengths to get it for her.
be hellbent on {bi: thel'bent oD/ an informal expression
meaning to be extremely detennined to do something, espe-
cially something dangerous or something that may have
a bad result [v phrase ]
Bob's hellbent ongoing through with the plan, even thnugh
everyone knows it 'U end in disaster. 1Gangs ofyouths ram-
paged through the streets, hellbent on destruction.
whatever the cost Iwol lev;lr OJ Ikosl 11 -'b:stl if you
do something whatever the cost you are detennined to do
it and do not care if you have to spend a lot of money, work
very hard, do something dangerous etc [adv phrase ]
1 want him back here as soon as possible, whatever the cost_I
They are determined to win back the disputed territories,
whatever the cost in human tenns.
5 determined to do somelhing, even if you
have to hurt or cheat other people in order to
do it
ruthless
stop at nothing
by fair means or foul
ruthless I Iru:81;lsl so detennined to get exactly what you
want that you do not care if you have to hurt other people
in order to do it ladjJ
When it comes to business, she s completely ruthless. 1He was
known as the most ruthless man in the entire army. 1the ruth-
less ambition of senior party workers
ruthlessly ladv] Since he was seventeen he's been striving
ruthlessly to become a top business executive.
ruthlessness (n V] It is her ruthlessness that got her where
she is today.
stop at nothing I. stop Jt 'nA811] 11 IS1o:p-1 if you say
someone will stop at nothing to get something, you mean
they will do anything in order to get it, even if it is cruel.
dishonest. or illegal [v phrase]
Where her career is concerned, she'll stop at nothing to get
what she wants.
by fair means or foul Ibal .feJ r mi=nz ::>:r 'faull if some-
one is determined to do something by fair means or foul,
they will use dishonest methods if honest methods do not
succeed [adv phrase )
He has to win every argument, by fair means or foul. 1 By
fair means or fOUl, we're going to win.
332 devastating
6 the quatity of being determined to achieve
whatever you have decided to do
determination willpower
will spirit
resolve tenacity
drive perseverance
determination Id l tt3!rm! 'nelf.ml fn U1
Mandy received an award for her courage and determina-
tion in overcoming her disabilities. 1 determination to do
sth He left home at eighteen, with the determination never
to return again. 1 Nothing will weaken our determination
to make our country free and democratic once again. 1
dogged determination (=determination from someone
who will fight hard in order to achieve something) Thanks
to their dogged determinatwn and hard work, they managed
to survive the recession.
will/WIll the strong desire to do or achieve something ln V]
the will to live/ recover/ get better, etc When her hus-
band died, she seemed to lose the will to live. I the will to
do sth Without the will to succeed, you'll never make it to
the top.
resolve In 'zolv 11 n 'za:lv. n Iz::>:lvl a formal word mean-
ing a strong determination to succeed in doing something
especially because you are sure that it is a good thing to
do In Ul
Spending millions of dollars on anti-terrorist security
has demonstrated the President's resolve to the UXJrld. 1
strengthen/ harden/ stiffen sb's resolve (=make it
stronger) The abduction of her daughter strengthened her
resolve to make the city a safer place for children.
drive Idralvl the determination and energy that makes you
successfully achieve something In UJ
Without my mother's drive and energy, our family would
have starved. 1 He's clever enough, but he lacks drive.
willpower I 'wll,pauaTI the ability to control your mind
and OOdy in order to achieve whatever you decide to do
[nUl
Giving up smoking is a question of willpower. 1 by sheer
willpower (oby willpower only) She made hRrseif walk
again by sheer willpower, when her doctors had given up
hope.
spirit / 'splrAtf the courage and energy that someone shows
when are determined to achieve something or determined
not to let a difficult situation destroy their will In Ul
She was defeated in the end, but showed a lot of spirit
throughout the game. 1 fighting spirit (=brave determina-
tion to keep fighting in a difficult situation) Konishiki
hadn 't lost hisjighting spirit yet. I break sb's spirit (=make
them lose their determination to fight, be brave etc) The
Iwurs vfinterrogations and beatings were designed to break
his spirit_
tenacity It'd Inreslti/ a formal word meaning the determi-
nation to never stop trying to succeed in something or to
allow anyone to stop you from doing what you want to do
In Ul
During the war years, Stalin relied heavily on the courage
wui tenncityofthRSovi£tpeople. 1YoumaynotlikethRman,
but you can 't help admiring the skill and tenacity with which
he argued his case.
perseverance I.P3: rS! 'VltlJdnsl the ability to keep trying
for a long time to do something which is difficult even
when you are unlikely to be successful In U1
Learning aforeign language requires patience and persever-
ance. 1 Nothing important con be achieved without per-
severance.
deterrent PERSUADE 13
detest HATE 1, 2
detonate EXPLODE 2
detour: make a detour AVOID 7
detract from SPOIL 1
detriment: to the detriment of HARM/BE BAD FOR 1
detrimental: be detrimental to HARM/BE BAD FOR 1
devastate DESTROY 1
devastating DESTROY 7
devastation 333 devU's advocate
devastation DESTROY 4 embryonic. I The embryonic wind industry is anxious to
develop DEVELOP 1, 4, GET 15, GROW/GET BIGGER 1, persuade people to use this new form 0/ energy.
INVENT 1 emerging II ' m3:rd3IfJl in an early stage ofd evelopmenl
develop from COME FAOMfORIGINATE 7 and only just beginning to be noticed ladj only before rwun l
develop into BECOME 5 In 1911 tm ru?wly emerging car industry/aced a crisis. 1 Many
Western economies are now encountering competitionfrom
lh€ emerging nations 0/ Asia and Africa.
Idevelopl----, 3 a process or period during which somecne or
which meaning? something develops
development
change over a period • DEVELOP evolution
of time and become progression
bigger, stronger, development Idl t veI3pm:mt/l n UJ
better etc More research is necessary for the development 0/ a curefor
diseases like AIDS and cancer. I Most other countries cannot
increase in number or • INCREASE IN keep up with Taiwan's dramatic development as an indus-
amount NUMBER OR trial economy. 1 A child's emotional developmeflt may be
AMOUNT severely damaged by a traumatic experience in its early
years.
increase in activity, • INCREASE IN developmenta l /dl ,veI3p ' mentJ .. / ladjj The new car is still
ACTIVITY, at the developmental stage (=still being developed).
feelings etc
FEELINGS ETC evolution l. i:v3 '1u:fan, lev;)- 11 lev';)-/ a long, gradual
process during which something develops and changes.
• PROGRESS usually becoming more advanced In VI
gradually move Th€ book explains the evolution 0/plant and animal life on
towards achieving earth. 1 If}'Du are interested in the evolution of our national
something dishes, we have some recipes }'DU can try.
progression IprJ'grefan/ a development from one situa·
tion or state to another In U I
Young children go through the normal progression of learn-
. DEVELOP ing to walk, and then talk, I The progresswn of Stomi's writ-
ing in later years rejkcts hif> private life. I progression from
1 to change over a period of time and become 5th to 5th The progression from school to university is
bigger, stronger, better etc difTlCult for many students.
2 in the process of developing
3 a process or period during which someone or 4 to cause something to develop
something develops develop
4 to cause something to develop evolve
5 to help someth ing to develop
develop Id,'veiop/lv TI
At school we're trying to teach young people to develop a sense
of responsibility. I The department is developing a strategy
1 to change over a period of time and become to fight unemployment.
bigger, stronger, better etc evolve /llvolv 111 'yo: lv, I IY~:lv/ to change something
slowly over a long period so that it becomes better Iv TI
devek>p If you want to be a poet, you must evolve your own style of
evolve writing.
develop Id , 'veiop/lv 11
The disease is so slow to develop that some patients may die 5 to help something to develop
0/ old age first. I As the EC develops it will become stronger
both economically and socially. I develop from / into She nurture
developed from a shy child into an international star. toster
evolve /ll velv 11 I' vo:lvl to develop and change gradually nurture / ' n3: rtfa r/ to spend a lot of time and effort think-
over a long period of time, especially in ways which make ing about and helping a plan. idea or feeling to develop Iv T l
it eas ier to succeed or to continue to exist Iv 11 The Presidenl has nurtured the idea of nuclear arms reduc·
Life evolved on earth over millions 0/ years. I The city's tion/or at least seven years. 1 During those long years in the
importance as afinancial centre has evolved slowly.I evolve refugee camp , deep grievances were nurtured.
into Fish have evolved into around 30,()()() different species. foster / tfoSla r 11 ' b:_, 'fo:-/ to help a skill, feeling, idea etc
to grow and develop over a period of time Iv T)
2 in the process of developing These classroom activities are intended to foster children's
language skills. l It had been the government's fXJ licy tofoster
developing
close ties with neighbouring states.
embryonic
emerging developed ADVANCED 2
developing DEVELOP 2
developIng Id , ' vel.p' Q/ ladj only Wore noun i development BUILD 3 . DEVELOP 3
Nourishing food and exercise are very important to a
developments NEWS 1
developing child. I These drugs are effective in the develop-
deviant NORMAL 4
ing stages 0/ the disease.
device MACHINE 1, TOOL 1, WAY/METHOD 5
embryonic Ilembri1oDlk .. I1 -'o:mk .. / plans, activities etc devices: leave sb to their own device. ALONE 2
that are embryonic are in a very early stage of develop- devil: be a devil DIFFICULT 3
ment, so that all the details have not yet been fully planned devil: talk ot the devil/speak 01 the devil ARRIVE 4
or decided liUUi devil'. advocate: play devll's advocate DISAGREE 5
The plans for th£ huge new conference centre are still
devious 334 DIE
devious DISHONEST 1. 3
~ devise INVENT 1 1 to die as a result iliness, old age etc
devote SPEND TIME 3 die drop dead
devote attention to ATIENTION 2 death kick the bucket
devoted FAITHFU L 1, LOVE 4 pass away/pass on snuff it
devoted: be devoted to LOVE 3 go
devotee LIKE S8 OR STH 8
devotion FAITH FUL 2, LOVE 2 die Id. 'I Iv 11
devour EAT 6 The old man knew he was dying. ITwant to see [reland again
devout RELIGION 3 before I die. I The former President died during the night,
dexterity GOOD AT 8 after a kmg illness. I die of The brilliant young actor
diagnose FIND OUT 5 Richard Beckinsare dred suddenly ofa heart attack at tm age
dialect LANGUAGE 1 of30.1 die in your sleep (=die while sleeping) Two nights
diametrically opposed OPPOSITE/REVERSE 3 later the old woman died peacefully in her sl€ep. I die a
dice CUT 6 natural death (=die as a result of illness or old age) Few
dicey RISK 2 people believe that the Emperor died a natural death.
Dickensian OLD-FASHION ED 4 death Ideel the event of someone dying In DJ
dictate TEL UORDER S8 TO 00 STH 1 On her father's death $100,000 was placed in trust for h£r
dictated by: be dictated by DEPEND/IT DEPENDS 1 until she was twenty-one. I Charlotte remained in Paris until
dictatorial TELUORDER SB TO DO STH 8 her death in 1956. 1 Do you believe in life cifter death?
'. dictatorship GOVERNMENT 4 pass away/pass on Ilpa:s 31wel, IPa:S Ion n Ipres 'mnl
diction SPEAK A LANGUAGE 10 expressions used instead of the word 'die' when you want
die DIE t . 8 to say it in a more gentle or polite way (phr v I not in
die: I could have died/I almost died EMBARRASSED 1 progressiveJ
die: I nearly/almost died LAUGH 6 "Your nwtmr passed away during tm night, " tmdoctor told
die away DISAPPEAR 2 him_ I I'm a widow_ My husband passed on last year.
die away/fade away QUIET 5 go /g;lUl a word meaning to die, used when someone has
dlelbe killed DIE 2 just died or is going to die very soon, and you want to say
die down QUIET 5, STOP HAPPENING 2 it in a gentle or polite way lv IJ
die for DIE 4 His heart is very weak. He may go at any time. I Well, we all
die out DISAPPEAR 3 have to go some time.
die young DIE 3 drop dead ' ,drop Ided n ,dra:p-I to die suddenly while
you are walking, sitting, or doing something IV phrase ]
One morning he dropped dead in the street on his way to
work. I drop dead from Many of the prisoners had dropped
dead from heat and exhaustion.
kick the bucket Ilklk 6;) Ibt.k1t/ an informal and
whjch. .fI1!anlng.'?fj
.• • J
humorous expression meaning to die Iv phrase not in
progressive J
die or be killed • DIE I inherited the old place wMn my Pa finally kicked the
bucket. I When I kick the bucketyou'U be a ble to live on my
dead, nOt IMng • DEAD life insurance.
'",,& ........ - -.-v
snuff It /1 snt.f ItI an informal and humorous British
kill someone or • KILL expression meaning to die [v phrase not in prog ressive}
something
,
it
.. ""
I. " You all think I'm about to snuff it, don 't you.' Well you're
wrong, I 've got prenty of years reft in me yet.
not die despite an ' . SURVIVE
accident: Illness 'ete • 2 to die in an accident, in a war, through
n.ot e! iSl ~)'.~ - , ,. • • EXIST violence etc
dielbe killed lose your life
death come to a sticky end
to death perish
. DIE accidental death suffer heavy losses
death by misadventure
1 to die as a result of iliness, old age etc
2 to die in an accident. in a war, through dlelbe killed Id." bh 'k,ldl Iv I)
violence etc
My parents died in a car crash. I Ten people were killed and
several were injured last night when a bomb exploded near
3 to die when you are still young tm Stock Exchange, 1 be kllled by At least twenty peopre
4 to die in order to save someone, or because were killed by mortar attacks in Sarajevo yesterday. I be
of something that you believe in kllled in action (=while fighting in a war) We had three
5 words for describing someone who is about sons. Two of them were killed in action out in Vietnam_
to die death Ideal the event of someone dying in an accident. in
6 the death of a person in an accident, from a war, through violence etc In DJ
disease, or in a war Carelessness in the workplace can lead to injury and even
droth 1 AjWr tm droth ofmr eld£st son in th£ war, Mrs Jack,
7 ways of saying that someone's close relative son was unwilling to let any of her other children join the
or close friend dies armedforces. I violent death (=death caused by violence)
8 ways of saying that a plant dies People in this part of town live under constant threat ofvio-
9 words for describing an illness that someone lent droth.
is certain to die from to death It3 Ideel burn/ starve/freeze/choke etc to
death (=die as a result of being burned, not having any food.
to eat etc) [adv phraseJ
DIE
Explorers on an earlier expeditwnfroze to death in a bliz-
zard. I (f we don't do something about the famine in these
countries now. millinns of people will starve to death.
accldenta. death I , reks~dend Ideel a legal and official
expression meaning death resulting from an accident [n VJ
Altlwugh most people believe she was murdered, tlw police
are claiming that it was a case of accidental death. I This
{XJlicy provides/ull insurance in the case ofaccidental death.
death by ml.adventure ' ldeS bal mls;)d1vcntj;)rl a
legal expression meaning death resulting from an accident,
used especially when stating the judgement of a court [n
phrase]
At the inquest the jury returned a verdict of death by
misadventure.
loa. your life l .iu:zjJ! r Ilalfl an expression usedespe-
cially in news reports and in literature meaning to be killed
because of a terrible event (v phrase]
Thousands lost their lives in the great famine. ! His grand·
father lost his life in a coal mining disaster. I In the Second
World War, hundreds ofthousands of German civilians lost
their lives as a result of Allied bombing.
come to a sticky end "kAm tu ~ ,suki 'endl an infor-
mal expression meaning to die in a violent or unpleasant
way, used especially when you think the person who died
deserves this [v phrase not in progressive]
At the end of the film the prisomrs are rescued, and the
pirates come to a sticky end. I Nicolae Ceaucescu, theformer
Romanian dictator, eventually came to a very sticky end.
perish l 'pertJl a word used especially in literature, or in
descriptions of past events, meaning to die in a terrible
event [u 11
Everyone aboard the ship perished when it sank of/the coast
of Maine. I Many good people perished in the Jnng trek across
the desert.
suffer heavy losses /,s,..f~r ,hevi 'Ios!,z 11-'b:sAz/ if
military forces suffer heavy losses, a very large number
of their soldiers die while fighting [v phrase l
The US forces withdrew after suffering heavy losses. I The
division had suffered heavy losses at Brody in July 1944.
3 to die when you are still young
die young
be cut off In your prime
untimely death
die young t idal Ijll.lJ/ to die when you are young [v phrase)
Like so many other pop stars, Jim Morrison died young. I
I'd rather die young than be senile.
be cut off In your prime /hi: kAt ,of m j;):r 'pra lml to
die when you are still young, strong, and active as a result
of an accident, sudden illness etc [v phrase]
Marcu.s could have had a brilliant career ifhe had not been
cutoffin his prime. t be cut offin your prime by Dolly was
an emrgetic woman woo was suddenly cut off in her prime
by scarlet fever.
untimely death IlI.n ltalmli 'deSI someone's death, hap-
pening before it would normally be expected In singular]
He became chairman of the Reserve Bank and remained its
head until his untimely death in 1928.
4 to die in order to save someone, or because
of something that you believe in
die for
give your life/lay down your life
martyr
die for Ildal fo! rf [u T not in passive]
The soldiers were prepared to diefor their Queen and coun-
try. I people who have diedfor their beliefs or their religion
give your Ilfellay down your IHe ' lglV j;):r Ila lf, Ile(
daunjo:r Ilalfl an expression used especially in literature
or in descriptions of past events, meaning to die to save
someone or because of something that you believe in [v
phrase)
335 DIE
This memorial commemorates those who gave their lives in
tlw Great War, 1914·1918. I give your life for/lay down
your life for He was ready to lay down his life for his
comrades.
martyr Ilmo:rt~r/ someone who is killed because of their
religious or political beliefs, and becomes very famous
because of this In Cl
The early Christian martyrs were massacred in their
tlwusands. I Romero became El Salvador's martyr and his
funeral was attended by 80,000 mourmrs. I make sb a
martyr/ make a martyr out ofsb (=make people think
someone is a martyr) When the student died in prison, the
government realized that they had made him a martyr.
martyrdom In U] His martyrdom (=the fact that he was
killed for his beliefs) encouraged the people to resist.
5 words for describing someone who is about
to die
dying on your deathbed
be close to death/ be at death 's door
near to death
dying l'da l- lgl [adjl
The old UXJman lay dying in the back room I Duclas plunged
his knife into tlw dying Corsican's chest. I &ott realised his
father was a dying man.
be close to death/near to death Ibi: ,kJ>us I. 'dee,
InI~r t~ 'deSI a formal expression meaning to be going to
die very soon (v phrase I
Mrs Benson is close to death now. I hope her son gets here
in time. I When frsherman spotted the boat, its crew were
already near to death.
on your deathbed /onjO!r 'de8bed/ to be lying in your
bed, about to die (adv phrase ]
My grandmother gave me that ring when sm was on her
deathbed. I He felt compelled on his deathbed to seek God's
forgiveness.
be at death's door Ibi: ~t ,deSs 'do: r/ to be extremely
ill and likely to die soon [v phrase ]
When they saw that she was at death 's door. they sent/or the
priest to come to her bedside.
6 the death of a person in an accident, from
disease, or in a war
death
fatalities
loss of life
death Ideel In C usually plurall
The numberofdeatl1sfromAIDS is increasing. t In the last
jive years deaths have fallen because of lower speed limits
and tough drink-driving laws. I The bomb caused at least
om death, and several serious injw-ies. I the death toll (=the
number of deaths in one terrible event) The latest death toll
in the Turkish earthquake is over 2000.
fatalities /f~'trelbtizf the number of people who have died
in accidents or from illnesses, especially when this is being
calculated officially In plural]
Afifth of all road fatalities are caused by people not wear-
ing seatbelts. I Mostfatalitiesfrom this infection occur within
the first two weeks of life.
10•• of life t llos ;)V Ilalf 11 ,1;):s·1 a formal expression
meaning the deaths of people in an accident or in war rn
phrase]
The Bishop condemned what he called 'thisfutile and tragic
loss of life '. I Fire had broken out on board the ship, which
sank without great loss of life.
7 ways of saying that someone's close relative
or close friend dies
lose be widowed
bereaved be orphaned
lose flu:z/ if you lose a close relative or friend, they die
[vTJ
DIE 336 DIFFERENT
Sharon lost her husband in a climbing accident in the different DIFFERENT 1. 5 . 6. VARIOUs/OF DIFFERENT
Himalayas. I It 's a terrible thing to lose someone very close KINDS 1
to you. I Some of tM survivors have lost all their family in different: be different DIFFERENT 4
the earthquake. different: be no different from SAME 2
loss [nsingularl Twoo/her sons were killed in the war and different kinds: of different kinds
she still mourns their loss (=losing t hem). VARIOUS/OF DIFFERENT KINDS 1
bereaved Ib! I ri:vdl having recently lost a close relative different kinds/types/sorts of VARIOUs/OF DIFFERENT
or friend as a result of their death (adj] KINDS 1
The bereaved mother stood by her son's grave, her eyes different way: In a different way Di FFERENT 9
flooded with tears. I Research into cot deaths has reassured different way: In different ways VARIOUS/OF
bereaved parents that they are not to blame. DIFFERENT KINDS 6
bereavement In VJ Jim's depression had been brought on
by the bereavement he had suffered (=because he had been
bereaved) earlier in the year.
be widowed Ibi: ' wld;xxll if someone is widowed, their
husband or wife dies Iv phrase]
Idifferent 1-----.
Uncle Mac was widowed at the age offifty-one, but he remar-
ried be/ore the end 0/ the year.
which meaning?
widowed [adjl Sue's widowed mother came to live with her. different from _ DIFFERENT
be orphaned Ibi: ,:>: rfandl if someone. especially a child. something or
is orphaned. both their parents die Iv phrase ] someone else
Paulo was orphaned at the age of three. when both his par-
ents were killed in a plane crash. different from what is • UNUSUAL
orph aned [adjl StefJi's working in a home for orphaned usual
children in calcutta.
behaving differently • CONVENTIONAL
8 ways of saying that a plant dies from most people in
die society
wither
die Idal/lv II
No wonder your plants a [ways die. You never water them. I
l tlwught the geraniums might die if l planted them outside.I
• DIFFERENT
Because of the drought all their crops have withered and
died. 1 different from before, or from something or
dying tadj only before noun I The warm air was thick with someone else
the scent of dying flowers. 2 to be completely different from something or
wither l ' wl~arl to die after gradually drying up and someone else
becoming smaller and weaker, especially through lack of 3 different from anything or anyone else
water rv IJ 4 10 be very different from other people and
Nter two weeks without water the plant just withered and therefore difficult to work with or be friendly
dted.
withered IOOj) The vase was/ull o/witheredflowers. with
5 words for describing two or more things that
are d ifferent from each other
9 words for describing an illness that someone 6 of the same type, but not the same one
is certain to die from 7 words for describing something that is
fatal different from other things because it has a
terminal particular purpose or is 01 a particular type
fatal / 'feltJl a fatal illness will kill the person who has it 8 ways 01 saying that a statement, story, or
ladjl piece of information is d ifferent from another
One ofthe most difTlCult tasksfor a doctor is telling a patient one when it should be the same
that they Iwve a/atal disease. I AIDS can devewp at differ· 9 ways 01 saying that someone does something
entspeeds but sofar it seems fObea lwaysfatal. l prove fatal
(=eventually be fatal) Without immediate treatment, the in a different way
fever may prove fatal. 10 to be able to recognize or show how
terminal l' t3:rm~nall a terminal illness is one that something or someone is different from
cannot be cured, and the person who has it will die from something or someone else
it 1<Ulj1 11 to be the thing that makes someone or
She has terminal cancer. I St Helen 's Hospice caresfor people something different from other people or
with terminal illnesses. I the terminal stages (=the last things
stage of a disease that is killing them) Many of the patients
are in the terminal stage of the disease. 12 a detail, fact, or quality that makes someone
terminally [advl Her father is terminally ill. Or something different from other people or
things
diehard CHANGE YOUR MiND 4, EXTREME 3 13 the amount of difference between two or
diet EAT 9. FOOD 3 more things, amounts, or people
diet: go on a diet EAT 9
differ DIFFERENT 1. DISAGREE 1
differ: agree to differ DISAGREE 1
difference DIFFERENT 12, 13
difference: it makes no difference UNIMPORTANT 2
difference: tell/see the difference DIFFERENT 10
difference: there's a world of difference between
"You say" is used in definitions of some
f DIFFERENT 2 words or phrases to show they are
differences: patch up/settle your differences ARGuE 8 especially used in Spoken English.
 DIFFERENT
1 different from before, or from something or
someone else
different differ
not the same vary
unlike contrast with
not like diverge
distinct be a departure from
dissimilar
different , Id lfar:mt! [adj not before noun ]
You look different. Have you had your hair cut? I Life would
be very different now if th£ computer had not been invented. )
[ was surprised at how it affected her but then everyone's
different aren '( they? I different from (also different than
in American English) The equipment here is different/rom
what I have used in other companies. I This estimate is differ-
ent than what we were told to expect. I completely/totally
different When Ifinally met him he was completely differ-
ent from his photograph. I markedly different (=very
different in a way that is easily noticed) His sixth symphony
is markedly different in character from his earlier work -
it is lighter and more joyful.
not the ••me /not a;} IsennJ if two things are not the
same. or one thing is not the same as another thing, they
are different lad} phrase not before nounl
No two srwwflakes are ever exactly the same. I I've tri£d Mex-
ican food here in London, but itjust isn't the same as in
Mexico City. I Nter my trip around the world, I realized that
things were no longer the same between me and my boy·
friend.
unlike flAn lJalk" f completely different from a particular
person or thing [prep]
Her earrings were unlike any I had ever seen. IIn his jeans
and T-shirt, Charles looked most unlike a lawyer. I Unlike
my husband I love going to the theatre. I For developing
countries this technology is a new tool unlike anything that
preceded it.
not like (not 'Ia lkf if someone or something is not like,
or does not look, sound, behave ete like, another person
or thing, the two of them seem different to you (prep 1
This dress is not like the one Iordered. l It doesn 't sound like
a frog. Are you sure it's not a toad? I Most mysterious, a
murder which was rwt like any other murder he had ever
known. I He isn't much like his brother, is he?
distinct jdl IstlIJk1f someone or something that is distinct
is completely different from another person or thing with
. the result that they are considered to be a different type,
style ete ladjl
The styles ofpainting in the exhibition are all very distinct. I
distinct from This stage of the disease is distinctfram the
others because this is when you have thefever. I This isamore
structured version of the language, as distinctfrom its vari-
ous spoken forms.
dissimilar {dl l slm11;,r. dIS ISI_{a formal word: two things
that are dissimilar are completely different, especially
when you would expect them to be similar ladjl
The experiment proves that dissimilar metals cool at differ-
ent rates. I dissimilar from The two children looked asdis-
similar from each other as one could imagine. I dissimilar
to Being ethnically dissimilar to any o/its neighbours, the
Basque country proves to be an interesting holiday des-
tination.
differ f 'dlfJ r{ to be different because they have different
qualities, features etc (v I1
People's abilities differ but tludr rights and opportunities
should be equal. I differ from Humans differ from other
mammals in their ability to speak and use tools. I differ in
Shrimps from around the world differ in color, size and
shape. I differ greatly/ widely (=dilTer a lot) [fyou ask a
hundred people the same question, their opinions will differ
widely.
vary {Ivei1ri( if several things of the same t ype vary, they
are all different from each other, especially as a result of
different conditions that exist (v I]
The efJects ofthis medicine will vary according to individual
337 DIFFERENT
health, weight and. sex. I vary considerably/greatly/
widely (=vary a lot) We have several witnesses to the
robbery, but accounts vary considerably. I vary in The
Questions in the exam vary in difficulty.
contr.st with ( k~m'trQ!st Wit) 11 -Itrrest-/ if one thing
contrasts with another thing, the difference between them
is very easy to see and is sometimes surpris ing [v TI
His extrovert personality contrasts with his sister's quiet. shy
personality. I The snow was icy and white, contrasting with
the brilliant blUE sky. I contrast sharply/markedly with
(=to be extremely differen t) These results contrast sharply
with other medical tests carried out in Australia.
dlverga jdal 'v3!rd3, d ~-{ if two things diverge they used
to be the same or similar but something has made them
become different (v IJ
We beliEve that these two languages were once very simiiClr,
but hundreds a/years ago they diverged. I diverge from It
is at this point that Julia 's career diverges/rom the normal
path of a classical actress.
be a departure from /hi:;, dl'pa!rtj;,r from{a method,
way of behaving etc that is a departure from the usual
one is different because it is new and unusual Iv phrase)
The addition of cream to the soup is a departure/ram the
traditional recipe. I The use a/television in the classroom is
a departure from generally held views on education.
2 to be completely different from something or
someone else
have nothing in common
bear no relation to
be worlds apart/be poles apart
be like chalk and cheese
be a far cry from
there's a world of difference between
be a different kettle of fish
be a whole new ball game
have nothing In common {hrev InASl1] In ' kom;,n 11
- 'ka: -f if two or more people or things have nothing in
common, they do not have the same qualities, features, or
opinions and it is difficult for them to be friends, work
together etc [v phrase rwt in progressive J
Apartfrom thefact that we went to the same sclwol, we have
absolutely nothing in common. I have nothing in common
with Batavia was a completely new modern city, having
nothing in common with other Indonesian towns.
bear no relation to /be;)r I n~ n l lelj.1n tu:/ to be com-
pletely different from and not connected in any way with
another person or thing lV phrase not in progressive J
The picture afmy mother on her wedding day bears almost
no relation to the tired, grey·/zaired woman 0/ today. I This
murder bore no relation to the earlier killings.
be worlds apartlbe poles apart {hi: IW3!Qdz J Ipo: rt,
bi: Ip:xJlz ~ I po:rtj people, beliefs, or ideas that are worlds
or poles apart are so completely different that there is
almost nothing about them that is similar (v phrase J
Musicians and physicists usually consider themselves to be
poles apart. I We arejust worlds apart in our political views.
be like chalk and cheese Ihi: lalk ,tj:):k ~n 'tji:z/ an
informal British expression: iftwo people who are related
or good friends are like chalk and cheese they are com-
pletely different in a way that surprises you (v phrase J
It's hard to believe that they're brothers - they're like chalk
and cheese!
be a far cry from {hi:;, ,fa: r 'kra I from{ if a situation
is a far cry from another situation or place, it is so differ·
ent that it is almost the opposite Iv phrase]
This is the 1990's, it's afar cry from the nineteenth century
when women were not even allowed to vote. I We ate dinner
at the Ritz, afar cry from our usual hnmburger and/ries.
the ra's a world of difference between (Oc~rz ;)
IW3:f!d ~v Idlfar;,ns bltwi:n{ if you say there is a world of
difference between two activities or situations, you mean
that they are completely different from each other and
people should not expect them to be the same
DIFFERENT
Th€re is a world of difference between an occasional walk
after your meal, and proper, regula r exercise.
be . different kettle of fish Ibi: > ,dl fm nt ketl >v 'flfl
an informal express ion: ifYOll say a situation is a differ-
ent kettle offish, you mean it is different from the exist-
ing s ituation, especially because it is more d.ifficult [u
phrase]
I've been involved in radw advertising, but television ads are
a compierely different kettle of fISh. I Looming French at
school was easy, but trying to speak it in France lL'OS a differ-
ent kettle of fish.
be a whole new ball game Ibi: ~ ,h~1 nju: '00:1
gC lm 11 -nu:-I an infonna1 expression used especially in
American English: if you say a situation is a w hole new
ball game, you mean it is different from the existing situ-
ation and you have never had the experience of it before
[v phrase1
Since the development of the micro chip, selling computers
has become a whole new ball game.
3 different from anything or anyone else
unique Individual
be one of a kind distinct ive
be a one-off
unique /j u: I ni:kj something unique is so different.
special, or unusual that it is the only one of its kind fadjl
As jar as I know it's unique and there/ore very valuable. I
The taur gave us the unique opportunity of seeing what life
was really like in the desert. I Miles Davis was a brilliant
trumpeter and a unique individual.
uniquely [adul Fellini 'sfilms create a UXJr/d that is uniquely
and personally his own.
be one of. kind /hi: ,WAn:lV a 'kol ndJ someone or some-
thing that is one of a kind is different because it is the only
one made [v phrase J
Yes, the dresses in OUr boutique are expensive, but each of
thEm is one of a kirul.
be a one-off /hi: ~ .WAn Iof/ an express ion used espe·
cially in British English meaning to be so different or
unusual that people do not expect to fmd it or experience
it again [v phrase]
I was really upset when llost that hat. It was a one-off - I'll
never find another like it. 1 The Government said the/igures
were a one-offand that unemployment would rontinue to falL
Individual I . md A'V ld3u;:,I "1 an i ndividual style, way of
doing things etc is different from anyone else's and is often
fairly unusual [adjl
Each baby has its own, individual personality. 1 a very
individual approach to comedy I a tennis player with a com-
pletely individual style 1 His clothes are very individual.
distinctive IdJ lstuJkt lv/ something that is distinctive
has a special quality, character , or appearance that makes
it different from anything else and easy to recognize ladj)
He has a very distinctive voice - quiet and soft in tone. 1Birds
of this type have distinctive blue and yellow markings. I The
building's most distinctive feature is its enormous dome-
shaped roof
distinctively [adv} Of all these post-war writers Beckett Ilas
a distinctively new approach.
distinctiveness [n UJ The distinctiveness 0/ tllis design
comes from its balance 0/ shape and texture.
4 to be very different from other people and
therefore difficult to work with or be friendly
with
be different stick out like a sore thumb
not belong be out of step
not fit In be on a different wavelength
be different Ihi: 'dlfa r~ntf [v phrase }
A nyone wlw shows any signs 0/ being different or unusual
j ust isn't made to/eel welcome. 1 You know how Stephen 's,
you know, different? I saw him buying a rat last week!
338 DIFFERENT
not belong Inot hi 1101] 11 - 11::':1]/ someone who does not
belong is so different that people do not like them, do not
help them to become one of the group etc [v I not in
progressive]
l/eell j ust don 't belong here anymore. I'll have to look/or
another job. 1From the rrwment shejirstjoined the company,
Sally just didn't belong.
not fit In Jnot fit 'ml to be so different that people do not
want to accept you (phr v 11
He's never been happy living in the city. He just doesn 't/it
in very well. 1I'm not surprised she's le/l the job. She never
fitted in around here.
stick out like a aore thumb Ist lk laut la lk IS::.: T leArnl
to be very different and unusual, especially in the way you
dress or look , so that people notice you and look at you
Iv phrase not in progressive I
I'm not going, I'd stick out like a sore thumb in an expen-
sive restaurant dressed like this!
be out of step Jhi: laut av ' stepl to be different from the
other people in a group because you behave in a different
way and have different ideas [v phrase]
be out of step with I was always out 0/ step with the other
kids in my class. I be out of step Anyone who was out ofst€p
or tried to be individua listic UXlS ignor~ or ridiculed.
be on. different wavelength Ihi: on;) Idlfmnt IwelV-
let)9, to have different ideas, attitudes etc from someone
else, with the result that you do not understand each other
Iv phrasel
My dad doesn't understand me, he's on a different
wavelength. 1 No, I wasn't criticizing you! You krww. some-
times I think we're not on the same wavelength!
5 words for describing two or more things that
are different from each other
different contrasting
distinct divergent
diverse
different J'd lfar:mtl [adj only Wore noun]
Everyone in the room spoke a different language. 1 Try put·
ting dt/Jerent kinds 0/food in the cage to see what the monkey
eats. I It's in t€resting to see how all the different characters
in the play react to the same event.
distinct Idl 'su~ktf quite clearly different from each other.
so that it is easy to divide them into groups ladj only lxifore
noun)
When you look into the sky you can see distinct groups 0/
stars. 1 The competition is divided into three distinct
categories.
dlver. e Jdal lv3: TS 1 1dA-. dal-J things that are diverse are
different from each other and cover a wide range ofposs i-
ble styles. types etc latU l
The music college aims to encourage talents as diverse as
members a/symphony orchestras and pop groups. 1All the
members of the ream romefrom totally diverse backgrounds.
contrasting Ik;ln'tra:slJI] 11 -'trres-f two or more things
that are con trasting are different from each other but are
both acceptable, correct ete ladj usually before noun}
During the debate the two candidates' contrasting views were
obvious. 1 The room had white walls and contrasting
curtains and carpets in dark reds and greens.
divergent Idal 'V3: rd3J nt , d ~-I divergent interests/
opinions/ theories ctc (=very different from each other
and which make people disagree with each other) [adj )
Ifa newspaper is to be objective, it slwuld employ journalists
with divergent political views. 1 widely divergent The
problems o/these two countries are wid£ly divergent and one
solution alone will rwt solve them.
6 of the same type. but not the same one
different alternative
another variation
other variant
else
DIFFERENT
different ,'dlbrant/ (adj only before noun)
I see you 've painted the/ront door a different COWUT. I Every
timelseehershehasadijJerentfw.irstyle.! Somepeoplesay
this is Shakespeare's work, but we think it was written by
a different poet.
another 1 ;) lnA~a rl a different one from the one that you
already have Idelenniner/ pron ]
Mary's broken her leg so we need another actress for the
part. 1I saw a/ilm last night about strange creatures/ram
another planet. I Thi!! box i!! full. I'll go get another. I
another one 1 love Agatha Christie. I've just finished one
of her books and I'm going to start another one.
other "A{');:,rl different ones from the ones that you already
have Ideterminerl pron)
Although we live in Hollywood we go shopping. and have
arguments, just like other families. I This towel is wet. Are
there any others? II don '[ like pizza. What other things have
you got to eat?
else lels/ something/ somewhere/ anyone/who/noth-
ing etc else (=different from the one that has just been
mentioned) [adj only after noun)
Go and play somewhere else. I'm trying to work. I Mw else
was there, apartfromyou and Cannen? I She's obsessed with
money - never thinks about anything else. I Since there was
nothing else to do they lay down and went to sleep.
eltemetlve (also eltemete in American English)
IJ:I'u:n;)t!Y. J:l't3!n~t 11 J:I ' (3:r-, rel-; ' J: l u:m~t, 'rel_/ differ-
ent but able to be used instead of the usual one [adj usually
only before noun J
My dictionary gives 'organize' and 'organise' as alternative
spellings. I The bridge is closed so we advise you to use an
alternate route. I We can offer you an alternative insurance
option known as 'Plan B'.
variation "ye~ri leIJ~n/ something that is done in a differ-
ent way from the way that is typical or usual [n Cl
variation to This recipe makes an interesting variation to
the traditional Christmas cake. I variation on The play's
plot is a variation on the theme of plalonic love.
variant /' vec1ri;)nt/ something that is slightly different to
what is nonna! or typical but which is still acceptable [n Cl
The English and Americans often spell words differently. but
both variants are aa:eptable. I The personal name Llo}d and
its variant Floyd are Celtic in origin.
7 words for describing something that is
different from other things because it has a
particular purpose or is of a particular type
special
particular
specle' / ',pe! , I/ designed only for a particular purpose
and therefore not the same as other similar things ladjl
He had to be put on a special diet after hi!! heart attack. I A
special tool called afladget i!! us£dfor thi!! part of the job.
particular lp3r'trkj~la rl a particular thing or person is
one definite example of this type of thing or person, not just
any example [adj only before noun ]
The lights were arranged to give a particular effect. I In
regions where there is new industrial development, particu-
lar attention is given to Wildlife. I I didn't have any particu-
lar plan in mind.
8 ways of saying that a statement. story. or
piece of information is different from another
one when it should be the same
contradict be at variance with
conflict there Is a discrepancy
go against between
be at odds with contradictory
be Inconsistent conflicting
with discrepancy
contradict l,kontld1dlkt 11 ,ko:n·/ if a statement, story.
fact etc contradicts another one, it is so different that it
makes the other one seem untrue or impossible [v TJ
339 DIFFERENT
The account o[ events given by the witness contradicted the
accused's version. 1Have you read these newspaper reports?
They totnlly contradict each other. I The results ofhi!! experi·
ments seem to contradict the laws of physics_
conflict /k<IR 1 nIktl if an idea, or belief etc conflicts with
another it is so different that it causes a problem la think
or believe both at the same time Iv I1
conflict with The building safety procedure conflicts with
legal fire regulations. I What you are asking me to do con-
flicts with my moral principles, I canrwt do it. I conflict
When personal interest and political duties con/lict, we expect
politicians to show their loyalty to the government.
go against 'lg;)U ;) Igenst/ if something someone says or
thinks goes against what yOll think, it is different from
your opinion, attitude etc Iv TJ
What the teacher was saying went against everything his
parents had taught him. I Try to keep to what the group has
decided, even if it goes against your personal opinion_').
be at odds with /bi: at lodz W I(} 11 -' o:dz-I if a statement.
story. fact etc is at odds with another, the two things are
so completely different that one of them must be untnle
IV phrase]
Inspector Bryall 's murder theory is completely at odds with
thefacts. 1The government da::ision to raise taxes was at odds
with their policies on inflation.
be inconslstant wHh Jbi: I I nk;)n 1SlSt.1nt W I(}/ ifa state-
ment, story. fact etc is inconsistent with what you expect
or already know ofthe situation, it is completely different
from what is expected {v phrase1
His behnviour is totally inconsistent with data from other
brain damaged patients. I Britain's pollution regulations
are inconsistent with stricter European regulations.
be at variance with Ibi: ;)t l yec1ri:ms WJ(}I a formal
expression meaning to be different and not always accept-
able [v phrase}
Tradition and culture are often at variance with the needs
of modern living.
thare Is a discrepancy between I(}e;)r l Z a dJ 'skrep-
;)nsi bltwhnl if you find that there is a discrepancy
between two things you have found a small but important
difference which makes one of them wrong
It seems there's a discrepancy between what we ordered and
what s on the bill. I They found a discrepancy between the
two stories, pro ving that one of the witnesses was lying.
contradictory 11Kontrd Id Iktari . . ~ I kom-/ ideas, state-
ments, results etc that are contradictory are different
from each other, especially when you would expect them
to be the same ladjl
The two boys gave contradictory accounts of the accident. I
The spe«h was full of contradictory stntements.
conflicting Ik:m1fllkt I[J/ conflicting advice/opin-
ions/emotions/evid ence etc (=so different from each
other that you do not know which to believe) lad} only
before noun ]
She asked a few friends for help and received a great deal
of conflicting advice. I f tried to find out what the strange
man looked like but the children gave me conflicting
descriptions.
discrepancy /dJ1skrep:msi/ a small fact or detail that is
different from what you expected, especially one that
makes you think that something is wrong In C)
Whenever he works out his accounts there are always dis-
crepancies. I discrepancy between The discrepancy
between the two sets of figures suggests that someolU! has
been stooling money from the bank. I discrepancy in An
investigation has uncovered a curious discrepancy in his
story.
9 ways of saying that someone does something
in a different way
differently along different lines
In a different way otherwise
differently / 'dlf,r:mtli/ladv)
The words 'through' and <threw' sound the same, but they
are spelled differently. I She was differently dressed today,
DIFFERENT
wearing jeans for a change. I I believe you, but I think the
police might see it differently.
In a different way lID;) ,dlfar~nt 'wel' [adv phrase]
These three chemicals react to heat in slightly different ways. I
They were all affected by their mother's death but each
reacted in a different way.
along different lines {dlolJ ,dlfar;)nt IlalI1z 11 ;)iJ!I]-1
using a different method or system [adu phrase]
Their organization was run along different lines to ours.
otherwl•• , '1I.6,;}rwa I'z/ if you do, say, or think otherwise,
you do, say. or think something different from what has
already been mentioned [adv only after verb l
[have aLways beenfaith/ut to my wife and anyone who says
otherwise is a liar. I We must treat this bomb scare seriously.
It would be stupid to do otherwise. I The government claims
that there is rw problem with the water supply but this survey
suggests otherwise.
10 to be able to recognize or show how
something or someone is different from
something or someone else
tell sb/sth apart distinguish
tell/see the difference draw/make a distinction
differentiate discriminate
tellsb/sth apart / ,rel (sb/ sth) "pa:'t/ if you can tell two
things apart, you can see which one is Which, even though
they are very similar [phr v T I
I know one of the paintings is a copy but J can 'f tell them
apart. I It's very confusingfor the teacher because she can't
tell the twins apart. I tell sb/8th apart from It's impossible
to tell the expensive wine apart from tlu! others.
telllsea the difference 'Itel, ,si: (};) 'dtrar<>nsl if two
people or things are similar and you can tell the differ-
ence, you can recognize what is different about each one
[v phrase !
We ate snake and it tasted just like chicken. I couldn't tell
the difference. I John can stay up late so why can't I? I don't
see tM difference. 1 tell the difference between Some people
who are colour blind camwt tell the difference between red
and green.
differentiate " dlf;}'renjielt/ to know, see, or show the
difference between a group of people or things Iv liT I
differentiate between As journalists we have to differen-
tiate between facts and opinions. 1 differentiate sb/sth
from I can't describe the taste ofthe champagne but I could
certainly differentiate itfrom other wines. 1 differentiate
The main problem with computers is that you cannot teach
them to differentiate.
distinguish Idl'stHJgWljl to be able to recognize and
understand the difference between two or more similar
people or things Iv IITI
distinguish between The two paintings are so similar that
only an expert can distinguish between the original and the
copy. 1 distinguish sb/ sth from Ofrourse their nwther has
no difficulty in distinguishing one twinfrom another. 1 dis-
tinguish sth Dogs can distinguish a greater number of
smells than humans.
draw/make a distinction I,dr;):, ,melk;) dl'stll]kjanl
to say what the difference is between two or more similar
people or things [v phrase]
draw a distinction between Most societies draw a distinc-
tion between tM status ofan unmarried woman and a mar-
ried one. 1 draw a clear/sharp distinction between In the
government 's education proposals there is a clear distinction
made between academic and practical tralning.
dlscrlmlnat. 'dl'sknm~nelt/ to be able to find existing
differences between similar people or things in order to
make a choice [v I/ T J
discriminate between A very small child is not very good
at discriminating between such things as squares and trio
angles. 1 discriminate sth His hearing has been affected
and he can no longer discriminate certain sounds.
340 DIFFERENT
11 to be the thing that makes someone or
something different from other people or
things
distinguish
set sb/sth apart
distinguish Id. 'st'Q gw .fllv TI
distinguish sb/ sth from TMre's not a lot that distin-
guishes her from the other candidates. 1 All the characteris-
tics that distinguish birdsfrom other animals can be traced
to prehistoric times. 1 distinguish sb/ sth Hair and eye
colour are tM only th ings that distinguish the two victims.
set sb/sth apart I Iset (sb/sth) a'po:rtl if a quality sets
someone or something apart it makes you notice them
because it is so different or unusuallphr v TJ
What set tM play apart was the way it dealt with the rape
scene. 1set sb/sth apart from His ckdication and charisma
really set him apartfram previous Communist Party leaders.
12 a detail. fact. or quality that makes someone
or something different from other people or
things
difference
distinction
distinguishing feature/mark
difference I 'dlfar;,nsl In Cl
He's speaking Italian, not Spanish. Don't you know the
difference? 1 difference between They are identical, there
is absolutely no difference between them 1 The difference
between the two cheeses is that one is madefrom goat's milk.
distinction ldl'stll]kjan f a clear, but usually small, differ-
ence between similar things In Cl
distinction between Blood samples can provide a clear dis-
tinction between the two forms of the disease. 1 distinction
It may seem a trivial distinction but if you say 'le' instead
of 'la' no one will understand you.
distinguishing leature/mark Id .' st'Qgw'f'Q ,fi!tf".
,mo!Tkl a feature of a particular person or thing which
makes them look different from other s imilar people or
things In Cl
The distinguishing feature ofthe African elephant is tM size
of its ears. 1 You must declare any distinguishing marks on
your /Xlssport.
13 the amount of difference between two or
more things, amounts, or people
difference gulf
contrast divide
gap disparity
difference I 'dlf<1I.msf In singular/ U]
Ifyou put all your savings towards the cost of a bike. your
father and 1 will pay the difference. 1 difference between
There is a vast difference between daytime and nighttime
temperatures in the desert. 1 difference in age/size etc
There was fifteen years or so difference in age between the
two women.
contrast / 'konlro:st 11 'ko:ntrrestl the difference that is
very clear when two things that are very different are put
together or compared [n singular/ U]
contrast between There could not have been agreater con-
trast between bratM'- and sister. 1 stark/ marked/striking
contrast (=a big contrast) The contrast between life in the
country and the city is very marked. 1 contrast One is sweet
and the other is very plain - it's a nice contrast.
gap Igcepl a difference in the age, way of life or understand~
ing between two people or two groups of people In C]
gap between There is an eleven-year age gap between Mr
Harper and his new Wife. 1 The gap between rich and poor
is becoming wider in this country. 1 gap This community
project aims to reduce the huge cultural gaps which separate
the ethnic minorities in Melbourne.
DIFFERENT
guH IgAlfl a very great difference and lack of understand-
ing between two groups of people, especially in their
beliefs, opinions, and way of life [n C usually singular1
gulfbetween There is no cknying the gulf between men and
women. I In some companies the gulf between management
and unions is as wide as ever. I gulf It is almost impossible
to cross tm gUlf that separates the castes in the Hindu class
system.
dlvld./d~ 'vaJdj a difference between two groups of people,
especially in their beliefs, opinions, and way or life which
means they will never be friends, become the same ete
[n C usually singular]
divide between Do you think we can ever break down the
divick between social classes?
dlsparltv /d l ' sprerlti/ a fannal word meaning the large
difference between two things, used especially when you
think the difference is unfair or may cause problems (n
C/ U]
dispari ty between There is still a dL"iparity between rich
and poor children in th€ir access to high€r education. I dis-
parity in Theyare/irmfrlimds despite the disparity in their
ages.
r differentiate DIFFERE NT 10
dlNerently DIFFERENT 9
f differing VARIOUS/OF DIFFERENT KINDS 1
.;] difficult DIFFICULT 1, 5, 7, 8, 9
i difficult: find 5th difficult DIFFICULT 10
cl dlNlcult: make IIle dlNlcult PROBLEM 9, 10
'~ difficult: not difficult/hard EASY 1
~ difficult position: be In a difficult/awkward position
PROBLEM 7
difficult to find: be difficult to find/hard to find FIND 4
,)1 ~'OI' difllGulty _ _e _ _ _ _ _
compllcl!ted ~=> . COMPLICATED
-:':<"Pi'-
• DIFFICULT
1 difficult to do or understand
2 words for describing something that you need
all your skill , knowledge etc to do
3 very difficult to do, especially because it
involves a lot of hard physical work
4 difficult to do because it is complicated,
involves working with small objects etc
5 words for describing a situation or subject
that is difficult to deal with, talk about etc
6 to make a situation more difficult
7 words for describing someone who is difficult
to live with. work with. or do things with
because they are unhelpful , they always
disagree etc
8 words for describing a situation or period of
time that is full of problems, worries etc
9 words for describing difficult conditions that
make what you are doing more difficult
10 to have a lot of difficulty when you are trying
to do something
11 to make something that you are doing seem
more difficult than ~ really is
341 DIFFICULT
1 difficult to do or understand
I@. I
~
diNicult
hard
take some doing
be a tall order
tough it's easier said
daunting than dooe
be no easy task not the easiest
dHflcult l 'dlflk>l~ ladj]
Till! book is full of long difficult words, I I couldn't answer
the last question - it was/ar too difTlCult. I difficult for sb
It was difficult for US because we'd never studied French
before. I difficult to see/hear/describe etc The insects are
so small that they are difficult to see without using a micro-
scope. l itis difficullto do sth It's difficult to imagilU! how
anyone could possibly find till! film enjoyable. I find sth
difficult Shefound it extremely dijJicult to forgive him a/rer
what he'd done to her. I make it difIicult for sb to do sth
My mother's illness made it difflCUlt for her to walk.
hard Iha: rdJ difficult and needing a lot of mental effort or
understanding (adjl
I thought the exam was really hard. I Trying to forget her
- that's the hordest thing ofall. litis hard to do sth They're
both really good - it's hard to know which one to choose. I
hard for sb It's hardfor parents to understand how a child
feels. I find it hard to do sth Ifind it hard to believe that
he didn't know the gun was loari«1.
tough ItAfl very difficult and needing a lot of mental or
physical effort ladj]
The reporters asked her a lot of tough questions. I It's tough
being at till! top ofany company. I tough to do/ beat etc Till!
Chicago Bears are an excellent team and. they're going to be
tough to beat.
daunting /1 <b:ml 01 if something that you are going to do
is daunting it seems very difficult and makes you worried
that you may not succeed [adi]
Climbing Everest is a daunting challenge for any moun·
taineer. I daunting task Rescue workers now face the dawzt-
ing task of clearing up a/rer the earthquake. I find sth
daunting She found the prospect of playing against
Navratilova both daunting and exciting.
be no .a.y task Jbi: n~u .i:zi tta:sk II-Itresk/ if doing
something is no easy task, it is very difficult and takes a
lot of time and effort (v phrase I
Finding a solution to the present crisis in the Middle East
is no easy task. I The roads are often dangerous, and getting
food to the civilian population has proved to be no easy task.
take some doing (ltelk st\m ldmll)( an informal expres-
sion: if something takes some doing it needs a lot of effort,
skill, or determination, and you admire someone who does
it Iv phrase not in progressive ]
Winning 3 gold medals in the Olympic Games takes some
doing. I I'm amazed she could write a new book every 6
months - it must have taken some doing.
be a taU order (bi: ;) lo:ll;):rd;)r( an informal expression:
if you say that something you have been asked to do is a
tall order, you mean that it seems very difficult and you
think it is unlikely that you will be able to do it [v phrase]
"can you finish all this work by Friday?" "Sounds like
rather a tall order to me, I'll see what I can do. "
It's e.sler said than done (Its li:zi;)r lsed ()an ldAn/
if you say that a suggested action or plan is easier said
than done, you mean that it is more difficult than people
realize
"Why don't we save some money and buy a house?" "That's
much easier said than done. "I I'm always saying I'm going
to give up smoking, but it's easier said than done.
not the easiest /nDt i';i: li!zilst( not the easiest thing
to do/ place to find / dish to make etc (=a British expres·
sion meaning it is actually very difficult to do these things)
ladj phrase only be/ore noun]
I'll take you there myself - it's not the easiest place to get to
if you don't have a car. I "Why don't you invite Tom?"
"Because eight 0 'clock on a Sunday morning isn't the easiest
time to contact him!"
DIFFICULT
2 words for describing something that you need
all your skill, knowledge etc to do
challenging taxing
demanding exacting
be a challenge stretch
teBting
challenging l 'tJrel ~ nd311J1 difficult in an enjoyable a nd
interesting way because you need to use all your skill,
knowledge. and determination to do it [adj ]
Teaching young children is certainly challenging, both men-
tally and physically. I She left her !astjob berouse she didn 't
find it challenging enough.
demanding Idl'ma:ndll) 11 dl ' mren-f ajoh or something
that you have to do that is demanding is difficult because
you have to work hard and use a lot of effort [adj l
My doctor has told me that J shou ldn 't try and do anything
too physically demnnding. I The new recruits had toget used
to a demanding schedule of training and study.
be 8 challenge /bi: ~ 'tJre11nd3f if something you are
planning to do is a challenge, it seems exciting because
it is difficult and you will need to use all your skill.
knowledge. and determination to do it Iv phrase!
I chosetostudy law because I thought it would bea challenge.
testing f'testlQf a testing time/experie nce/ situation
etc (=one that makes you use all your effort, patience, and
determination a nd shows how strong you are mentally)
ladj usually before nounl
First we lost our business, then our house - it was a testing
timefor both qf us. I Fighting in a bottle is probobly the most
testing experience that anyone ever has to face.
taxing Iltreks ll)/ difficult for someone because it needs
more mental or physical effort than they are able to give
ladJl
Shefeit that working full-time and taking a course would
be too taxingfor her. I Mary'sjob at the library wasn't very
taxing and she had time to think of other things.
exacting Ifg 1zrektlIJI needing a lot of hard work and great
care in order to make sure that it is done wellladj ]
Film·editing is a difficult and exacting job.
stretch IstretJI ifan activity, job etc stretches you, it is
difficult enough to make you use all your skill, ability etc,
and this helps you become better at doing something Iv T I
I was disappointed with th£ course - J didn 'tfeell was being
stretched enough. 1 The exercises are designed w stretch the
abilitll:!s of even th£ nwst advanced students.
3 very difficult to do, especially because it
involves a lot 01 hard physical work
hard arduous
strenuous punishing
backbreaking! be a slog
back-breaking be murder
gruelling be a devil
hard fho:rdl tiring and needing a lot of work. energy, or
physical effort ladj !
I've had a hard day at the office - I think I'll go straight to
bed. 1 Their car broke down and they were suddenly faced
with a long hard walk back to the nearest town.
strenuous I ls trenju ~1 needing a lot of physical effort
ladjl
The most strenuous part ofth£ wa lk was th£.rmal climb to
the summit. I You sJwuldn 't bedoing any strenuous exercise
at your age. 1 After half an hour of strenuous effort we
managed to get the piano into the house.
backbreaklng/back·breaklng l 'brekbrelklQI back
breaking work, especially work that involves carrying
and lifting heavy things, is extremely hard and needs a lot
of physical effort ladJl
It was bockbreaking work lifting the nets full of fISh .
gruelling Ilgru:aIIQ/ extremely tiring because it lasts a
long time and you have to use a lot of effort all the time [adjj
342 DIFFICULT
The Le Mans 24 hour race is the most gruelling event in the
mowr·racing call:!ndar. I Before they are allowed to join the
army, young recruits are put through a particularly gruel-
ling endurance course.
arduous I 'o: rdju~ s 11 -d3u~sl work or a journey that is
arduous is long and tiring and needs a lot of strength and
effort ladj l
In those days long-distance travel was slow and arduous. !
They were city folk and they weren 't accustomed to the
arduous work on the farm.
punishing I lpAnlJIQI punis hing schedule/ workload/
climb etc (:::one that is extremely hard and uses so much
of your energy that you feel tired and weak) [adjl
He set himselfa punishing schedule oftalks, lectures and con-
ferences all over America. 1 Young hospital doctors have a
punishing workload and it 's not surprising that they some-
times make mistakes.
be a slog Ihi: ~ 'slog 11 -'slo:&I an infonnal British expres·
s ion: ifsomething is a slog, it takes a lot of time and effort
and is often boring [v phrasel
He didn't becomefamous overnight - it 's been a long hard
slog. I Thefirst halfofthe boak wasquit£ int£restillg but the
last part was a bit of a slog.
be murder Ihi: I m3! rdd rl an infonnal expression: ifsome-
thing is murder, it is extremely difficult and needs a lot
of effort or sk ill Iv phrase I
By the end of the race I was totally exhausted and the last
2{}(}metres were absolute murder. 1it is murder doing sth
It 's murder trying to get the rork out of the bottle once it's
fallen inside.
be a devil /bi: ;J Idev!11an infonnal expression: if some-
thing is a devil to do, it is extremely difficult, especially
in an annoying way. and takes a lot of effort Iv phrase!
be a devil to do Ink stains are a devil to get rid of. 1 have
a devil of a job doing sth There are no street signs any-
wh£re - J had a devil of a job finding the place.
4 difficult to do because it is complicated,
involves working with small objects etc
tricky
ftddly
tricky "tn kil difficult to do because it is complicated or
needs great care ladjl
Calculations which involve percentages are often Quite
tricky. I be a trick y business (=be difficult to do) Rd'uel-
ling in mid air is a tricky business.
fiddly 11fldli / difficult todo because you have to deal with
very small objects ladjl
He managed to.ru the television. but it was a time-consuming
andfuidly job. I fiddly to eat/mend/open ete I dan 't like
shrimps - they're so fiddly to eat.
5 words lor describing a situation or subject
that is difficult to deal with, talk about etc
difficult sensitive
awkward touchy
tricky be a hot potato
delicate
difficult I'dlflk>ltl ladj!
Dea th is a difficult subject for many prople. I What makes
it so difficult is that she's already married and has twochil-
dren. I one qf tJw most difflilllt political issu£sfacing the Brit-
ish government
awkward /';:,:kw;Jrdl difficult to deal with or talk about
because it is embarrassing or makes people feel uncomfort-
able lacjjl
The more h£ tried wget out of the situation, the more aWk-
ward it beaune. 1 The others didn't like her because sh£ was
always asking awkward Questions. 1 You mustn 't tell me any-
thing more - you might put me in an awkward position. 1
awkward for sb My ex-Wife is refusing to let me see my own
children and is genera lly trying to make things as awkward
for me as sh£ can.
DIFFICULT
tricky ,'trlki/ difficult to deal with because it is compli-
cated and full of problems radjl
It's going to be very tricky finding a way out a/this mess. I
Teachers often have to deal with tricky situations such as
interviews with angry parents. I be a tricky business (=be
difficult to deal with) Advising people about their personal
problems can be a tricky business.
delicate / 'deJlk ltf a delicate matter, subject, s ituation
ete is one that yOll must be very careful talking about or
dealing with because you risk offending or upsetting
people ladjl
It's a very delicate matter - I'm not sure what 1 should say
to her. I Mavis had never really talked to her boss before and
she was wondering how best to approach the delicate Ques-
tion of her salary.
sensitive ,'scnsltlvl something such as a political or
social problem or a document that is sensitive is likely to
cause trouble and disagreement [adjJ
Race relations are still an extremely sensitive issue in the US,
as the recent riots in Los Angeles have shown. 1 The adminis-
tration claims that the documents contain information of a
highly sensitive political nature and is refusing to allow
them to be made public.
touchy l'lAtJil a touchy subject, especially a problem that
affects someone's personal life, is one that you must be very
careful talking about because you r isk upsetting or offend-
ing them ladj only before noun ]
[fyou must ask her about her divorce, try to be tactful; it 's
still rather a touchy subject with her. 1 Talking about abor-
tion can be a touchy business.
be a hot potato Ibi: ~ ,hot p~ltelt~ 11 ~ ,ha!t-I an infor-
mal express ion: a political problem that is a hot potato is
one that is very difficult for the government to deal with
because there is a lot of disagreement about it rv phrase]
Japan 's future role as a military power is something of a
political hot potato at the nwment.
6 to make a situation more difficult
complicate
complicate 11kompl !keIt 11 1ka :m ~1 to make a s ituation,
problem etc more difficult by making it more complicated
luTI
complicate sth When I had been married aboutseuenyears
an old boyfriend appeared on the scene, complicating my
life. 1 complicate matters/ things Far from helping the
situation, the introduction a/the new regulations is likely to
complicate matters. 1 greatly complicate A student who has
no desire to learn greatly complicates the teacher's job.
7 words for describing someone who is difficult
to live with , work with, or do things with
because they are unhelpful, they always
disagree etc
difficult impossible
awkward bolshylbolshle
problem not the easie"t
dHflcult l 'dlflk<1lt/ a difficult person is difficult to be with
and live with, because they are not helpful or friendly, or
will not do what you want ladj ]
My father was an extrem ely difficult man who never really
got on well with anybody. 1 T he book is/ull of useful advice
about /ww to deal with even the nwst difJkult teenager. 1
difficult a bout J wish you 'd stop being so difficult about
this - we're only ask ing you to wait afew more minutes.
awkward I ' ;):kw~ rdl an awkward person is difficult to
deal with because they are deliberately unhelpful and will
not do what other people want them to do, especially in
onler to cause problems for them ladj ]
Does Karen rea lly not want to go to the party or is she just
being awkward? 1 He can be very awkward when he wants
to be. I a wkward about ffshestarts getting awkwardaboUl
it, tell her she 's fired.
problem I 'probl;;m 11 'pro:-f problem child/ teenager/
case (=one who continues to behave badly and often gets
into trouble) [adj only Wore noun ]
343 DIFFICULT
The new teacher had a couple of problem children in her
class, and she had to send them to the Principal. I In some
problem cases we have to ca ll in the police.
Impossible Ilm lpos!bal 11 Im lpa:-I someone who is
impossible is extremely annoying because they are very
difficult to deal with and behave in a very unreasonable
way IlUijl
Honestly! Nigel's just impossible sometimes!
bolshy/bolshie I 'bolfi 11 'b>ulfil an informal British
word: someone who is bolshy behaves in an unhelpful,
bad·tempered way and argues with the people that they are
supposed to obey ladj ]
Her boss isn 't happy with her - he thinks she been far loo
holshy recently. I Stnp being so bloady holshie and just get
on with it, will you?
not the easiest Inot l'ii: l i !zi~stl not the easiest person
to get on with/work with ctc (=a British expression
meaning actually very difficult to get on with, work with
etc) {adj phrase only before noun]
I'm not surprir;ei/. you 'De Iuu1 problems with Diane. She's not
the easiest person to work with, is she?
8 words for describing a situation or period of
time that is fu ll of problems, worries etc
difficult tough
hard bad
difficult I 'dlfll<altf laQiI
J was going through a difficult period in my life and she
helped me a lot. I Tom's got himself into a really diffICult sit-
uation with the credit card company and he doesn't know
what to do. 1 difficult for sb Until the economic climate gets
better, things are going to be extremely difFICult/or a great
many people.
hard Iho:rd/ a hard period oftime is full of great problems
and difficulti es and makes people suffer a lot {adj ]
You can tellfrom her fac£ that she's /uuJ a hard /ife. lit ~ been
a long hard winter for all the birds and animals. 1 times
are hard (=life is hard) After the war times were hard and
we barely had etuJugh to eat.
tough Ithf/ a tough situation or period of time is very
difficult and you need aU your strength. effo rt, and deter·
mination to deal with it [adjl
Slwps and small businesses have had a tough time lately. 1
He 's a good person to be with If ever you're in a tough
situation.
bad Ibred} a bad situation or period of time is difficult
because it is unpleasant, unhappy, or unsuccessful [adjl
The US auto industry has had another bad year. 1 Things
got so bad that I had to give up my job. 1People in the West
just don 't know how bad it is in the Third World.
9 words for describi ng difficult conditions that
make what you are doing more difficult
difficult
adverse
hostile
difficult l 'dlflkJlt/l adjl
They've succeeded in rescuing at least twenty survivors,
despite very dijJkult conditions. 1Icy roads made driving all
the more diffICult.
adverse IIredv3: rsl adverse conditions make it difficult
for someone to do something, or for something to exist [adj
only before noun]
In spite of adverse weather, two of the climbers reached the
summit. I For the past year the company has been strugg ling
to survive against adverse conditions.
hostile l 'hosta Il 11 'ho:stl . 'ho:sta lll hostile conditions,
land etc are difficult for people to live, travel, or exist in
ladjl
The Antarctic survey team will be using vehicles specially
design£d to cope with the hostile environment. 1 Settlers were
confronted with a /wstile, barren country.
DIFFICULT
iOta have a lot 01 difficulty when you are trying
to do something
have difficulty/trouble
find sth difficult
with dllllculty
have a hard time
would be hard pressed to do sth
have a job
have your work cut out
It Is a struggle
be thrown In at the deep end
have dlHlculty/trouble /hrev 'dl qk.1lti , trhbal/ [ v
phrasel
have difficulty/ trouble (in) doing sth When [reached the
top o/the stairs my heart was beating quickly and I had great
difficulty breathing. I Jfyou are having difJkuIty in/inding
the money I may be able to lend you some. I have difficulty /
trouble with A lot of Japanese students o[ English have
difficulty with the pronunciation Dj 'b's and 'u 's.
find sth difficult / ,f,!Od (sth) ' d,f,k3 I ~ Iv phrase I
She'sJinding the course very difTzeult at the moment. I find
it difficult to do sth {find it verydjfflCult to talk about my
problems with other p eople. I Companies are [inding it
increasingly difficult to recruit good graduates.
with difficulty IW IO IdlfIkalti/ if someone does some·
thing with difficulty, they have to use a lot of effort
because it is difficult for them [adv phrase )
The old man moved slowly and with difficulty. 1 She
managed to stay awake, but only with great difficulty.
have a hard time Ihrev a Iho:rd ltalml to find it very
difficult to do something, especially because there are
unexpected problems or because you have difficulty per-
suading other people rv phrase J
have a hard time doing sth You 'll have a hard time per-
suading her to lend you the car, after what happened last
time. 1 have a hard time [tried tofind the house but! had
such a hard time / decided to give up.
would be hard pressed to do sth /woo bi: ,ha:'d
Iprest ta 'du: (sth)1 if you say someone would be hard
pressed to do something, you doubt that they would be able
to do it because you think it is too difficult for them rv
phrasel
The two girls look so similar that you'd be hard pressed to
tell the di/ferel1C£ between them. I They'd hove been hard
pressed to find a better manager.
have a Job /hrev , 'd30b 11 -'d30:b/ an informal expres·
sion mean ing to fmd it very difficult to do something, so
that it is likely you will fa il Iv phrase )
have ajob doing sth You'll haveajob,mding a store that's
open at this time of night. ! have ajob to do sth The team
will hove a job to get back to the top of the league. 1 you'll/
she'll etc have ajob "Do you think I'll catch the next train?"
" You'll have a job - it leaves in 5 minutes. "
have your work cut out /hrev jJ: r IW3:rk kAt laut! an
informal expression meaning to have to work very hard
if you are going to succeed in doing something Iv phrase
not in progressive]
I'll have my work cut out to get this design finished by this
afternoon. i She might just be able to reach those targets, but
she'll have her work cut out.
It Is a struggle l it I Z a IstrAg»l/ ifit is a struggle doing
something, you have to try very hard and even suffer in
order to do it
it is a struggle doing sth It was a struggle trying tofeed
afamilyoffiveon my wages.! Rick's very tall and it can be
a real struggle finding clothes that'[l fit him. ! find it a
struggle to do sth (=find it difficult to do 5th) Hefound it
a struggle to hide his truefeelings about her. ! it is a strug-
gle lt wasastruggie, but we made it in theend.! only after
a struggle (=only after trying very hard because it was
very difficult) She managed to get her money out ofthe wel-
fare offICe, but only after a struggle.
be thrown In at the deep end Ibi: 18rxln In ZltOa 'di:p
end! an informal expression meaning to have to start doing
344 DIG
something difficult such as a new job without having any
training or help {v phrasel
When / first started teaching I was really thrown in at the
deep end - J had a class offorty six·year·olds all on my own.
11 to make something that you are doing seem
more difficult than it really is
make a meal of
make heavy weather of
make a meal of /IIDC lk;) 'mi:i DV/ to pretend thata piece
of work you have to do is more difficult than it really is,
espec ially so that other people will notice and feel sorry for
you Iv phrase ]
Whenever / ask my husband to do the wash ing he always
makes a real meal of it. ! There's no need to make such a meal
of it - here, give it (0 m e.
make heavy weather of /mel k ,hevi IweO~r ov/ an
expression used especially in British English mean ing to
make something more difficult tha n is necessary or take
much more time to do it than is necessary Iv phrase!
J still haven't fini shed the report - I'm afraid I've made
rather heavy weather of it. I They seem to be making very
heavy weather ofgetting thefurniture out ofour house - it's
taken them 3 hours already.
difficulties: fraught with problems/difficulties
PROBLEM 5
difficulties: present problems/difficulties PROBLEM 9
difficulties: run Into problems/difficulties PROBLEM 8
dllllculty PROBLEM 1
difficulty: have difficultyltrouble DIFFICU LT 10.
PROBLEM 6
difficulty: with dllliculty DIFFICULT 10
diffident SHY 1
dig DIG 1
dig out DIG 2, FIND 2. HOLE 8
;
, dig up DIG 2, FIND OUT 3
" dig your heels In REFUSE 2
. DIG
to move earth out of the ground, especially
using a spade
1 to dig earth out of the ground
2 to remove scmething from the ground by
digging
1 to dig earth out of the ground
dig burrow
excavate plough/plow
tunnel
dig /d,g! Iv IITI
Dad and I spent the afternoon digging and weeding in the
garden. 1 dig a hole/ trench/ ditch (=make a hole by dig-
ging earth out of the ground) After playing around with the
bonefor a while, the dog dug a hole and buried it. ! dig for
(=dig in order to [mt! something) The children were digging
for buried treasure. ! dig down (=dig deeply into the
ground) Rescue workers dug down until they found the
body. 1 dig up the road/street/highway (=break up the
surlace of the road, for example to make repairs) The elec-
tric company is digging up the road outside our house. ! dig
the garden (=dig and turn over the earth to prepare for
planting things) Digging the garden is really hard work!
excavate I 'ekskaveltl excavate a hole/ chamber/
trench etc (=dig a deep or large hole, especially as a prepa-
ration for building something) Iv TJ
The turtle excavates a hole in the sand and then lays its eggs
in it. ! Workers had already begun excavating thefounda-
tions for the house.
tunnel / 1tAnll to dig a long passage under the ground, espe-
cially one that people or vehicles can pass through [v IJ
 DIG 345
In tire movie the prisoners tunnelled their way out o!thecamp
and escaped. I Special drilling equipment is being used to
tunm/ beneath the sea bed. I Worms tunnelling in the ground
create a healthier environment for plant life.
burrow J1bAldU 11 'b3:~ if an animal burrows, it makes
a passage under the ground by digging through the earth
as it moves forward [v UT not in passive]
burrow a hole The rabbits had burrowed a hole under the
fence. I burrow The documentary showed pictures DJdiffer-
ent animals burrowing underground.
plough (Brijish) I plow (American) Iplaul 10 Iwn over the
earth in a field using special equipment in order to prepare
it for growing crops [v l i T ]
The fields are ploughed as soon as the winter crop is
removed. I Farmers wer e plowing their land and planting
cotton seeds.
2 to remove something from the ground by
digging
dig out excavate
dig up mine
exhume
dig out I .dl g lautl to uncover something which is just
below or partly below the surlace of the ground by digging,
and then remov ing it [phr v TJ
dig sb/sth/it/her etc out These weeds are too big to pull
out with your hands: you'll have to dig them out. 1 1 was
trapped under the snow. Ali I could do was hope that some-
one would come and dig me out. 1 dig out sth A couple of
local people helped us dig out the car, which was by now com-
pletely stuck in the mud.
dig up I ldlg IApl to remove something from the ground
by digging, especially something which is several feet
under the ground (Ph,. v Tl
dig up sth Thieves came in the night and dug up the body. 1
1 don '( know why archaeologists get such a thrill from dig-
ging up broken pots. 1dig sth/it/them up Yesterday. our
cat dug an old badger skeleton up in the yard.
axhuma /lg 1zju:m, eks1bju:m 11 Ig1zu:m, Ik' sju:ml a formal
word meaning to remove a dead body from its grave, espe-
cially in order to check how the person died [v TJ
Stilum's body has recently been exhumedfor further exami-
nation. 1 Before the trial could continue it was necessary to
exhume the bodies of th£ murderer's victims.
excavate / l eksk~veIlI to remove ancient objects from the
ground or uncover ancient houses. villages etc. by taking
away the earth carefully [v T]
Archaeologists are excavating a Bronze Age settlement on
the outskirts of the village. 1 The mosaics excavated in 1989
have now been fully restored.
excavation I leksk;,IvelJanl [n Cl The excavation revealed
layer after layer of ancient fortifications.
mine Ima Inf to take minerals such as coal, iron, or dia-
monds outofthe ground, espec ially by digging a deep hole
and a series of passages {v IIT J
The coal company has decided not to mine beneath our town. 1
mine sth Lead has been mined in this areafor hundreds of
years. 1 mine for gold/silve r etc Most of the new settlers
came here to mine for gold.
digest UNDERSTAND 5
digit NUMBER 1
dlgntfled PRIDE/SELF·RESPECT 2
dlgnttary IMPORTANT 6
dignity PRIDE/SE LF-RESPECT 1
digress SU BJECT 5
digs STAY WITH SB, IN A HOTEL ETC 4
dilapidated CON DITIO N/STATE OF STH 4
dilemma PROBLEM 3
diligent WORK HARD 4
,'; dilute REDUCE 7, WATER 6
dlluled PURE 4
dim BRIGHT 5, DARK 1, 2 , SEE 11 , STUPID/NOT
INTELLIGENT 1
"~ dim view: take a dim view of DISAPPROVE 1
DIRECTION
I;: dime a dozen: be ten a penny/be a dime a dozen
i COMMON 1
~ dimension PART 9
dimensions SIZE 1
diminutive SHORT PERSON 2
dlmty-lIt DARK 2
din LOU D/NOISY 7
dine EAT 2
dingy DARK 3
dinner MEAL 3 , 4 , 5
dinner party MEAL 5, PARTY 1
dinosaur OLD·FASHIONED 4
dip HOLE 1, PUT 11
dip Inlo READ 3
diplomat REPRESE NT 5
dlptomatlc POLITE 2, REPRESENT 5
dire stralt&: be in dire straits PROBLEM 7
direct HONEST 3, PERSONALLYIYOURSELF 3, STOP
MOVING 8, STRAIGHT 2, TELUORDER SB TO
DO STH 2, WAY/ROUTE 3
!
direct: can you direct me to WAY/ROUTE 6
direction DIRECTION 1
direction: In opposite directions OPPOSITE/R EVERSE 5
direction: in the direction of TOWARDS 1
direction: the opposite direction/the other direction
r OPPOSITE/REVERSE 5
direction: which direction D IR ECTION 2
• DIRECTION
1 the direction towards which someone or
something is moving , is aimed etc
2 how you ask which direction something is in,
which direction someone is travelling in ete
3 the ability to guess or find the right direction
1 the direction towards which someone or
something is moving , is aimed ete
direction course
way bearing
direction Idj'rek!, n. da l-I In Cl
The planet has several moons travelling around it, all
nwving in the same direction. I Why does she keep pointing
in that direction? Perhaps she wants us to go over there. 1
Frightened by the sound offootsteps, the rabbits ran off in
all directions. 1 the direction of Suddenly Anna heard loud
shouts coming from the direction of the kitchen. 1 in
sb's/ sth's direction (=towards someone or something) J
was /wping he wouldn't look in our direction and notice us
sitting there. 1 in the right/wrong direction We're going
in the right direction now - I can see the main road up
aheacLl in a southerly/ easterly etc direction The plane
was traveling in a northeasterly direction when it was hit
by lightning.
way /we lf the genera} direction in which someone or
something is moving, is aimed ete In C usually singularl
The bear went that way - you can see its tracks in the snow. 1
It is important to consider which way the /wusefaces, as that
determines how much sun it gets. 1 the right/ wrong way
They knew they had gone the wrong way when they looked
at the map and realized they should have crossed a bridge.
course fk:J:rs/ the direction in which something such as
a ship or aircraft is moving, which has been planned on
a map [n C usually singularl
The pilot decided to change the plane's course to avoid heavy
fog. I on/off course (:::following the correct/incorrect
course) It was only when we couldn't see that island that we
rea lised we'd been off course for several days.
baarlng f 1be<1r lIJf a technical word meaning the direction
in which a ship. plane etc is travelling. in relation to where
north is In C l
What was the ship's bearing wh£n th£ accid£nt occurred? 1
DIRECTION 346
take a bearing (=find out what your bearing is) Having
lost thecompass, wecouldn't tak£ a bearing. I geUfindilose
your bearings If you get lost, you can get your bearings
from the sun with thi aid ofa wrist watch. I We lost our bear-
ings a little in the woods but eventually managed to reach
the river.
2 how you ask which direction something is in,
wh ich direction someone is travelling in etc
which way
which direction
which way I.wlt! 'well you ask someone which way
when you want to know the general direction that some·
thing is in. that someone is travelling in ete fadu phrase}
Which way did she go? I "Excuse me, which way is the
Natural History Museum?" "That way. Keep walking and
you'll see it on the lIif/."
which direction l.wll} d~'rekJanf you ask someone
which direction when you want to know exact details
about which direction something is in, about which direc-
tion someone is travelling in ete [n phrase)
Which direction do Ioe take once we reach the top of the hill?
3 Ihe ability 10 guess or find the right direction
sense of direction
senae of dlrectlon",.sens ~v d~ 'rekJ.m/ In phrase]
When night came we rost all sense ofdirection and were soon
completely lost. I good/bad sense of direction Tim has a
very gOOd sense of direction; he can always find his way
around a city he's never even visited be/ore.
directions INSTRUCTIONS 1. WAY/ROUTE 1
directions: ask for directions WAY/ROUTE 4
directions: give Bb directions WAY/ROUTE 3
directive TELUORDER SB TO DO STH 7
director MANAGER 2
director: managing director MANAGER 2
dirt DIRTY 6
dirt: treat ab like dirt CRUEL 6
dirt cheap CHEAP 3
dirt road ROAD/PATH 3
dirty DIRTY 1, 4. RUDE/OBSCENE 1, SEX/HAVE SEX
WITH 11
dirty: get sth dirty DIRTY 4
dirty look: give ab a dirty look DISAPPROVE 3
dirty look: give sb a dlrtylblack look LOOK AT 7
dirty old man: SEX/HAVE SEX WITH 8
dirty tricks DISHONEST 5
. DIRTY
1 words meaning dirty
2 dirty in a way that is harmful to people's
health
3 words for describing a place that is dirty and
unpleasant
4 to make something dirty
5 to make something dirty and dangerous, by
means of chemicals, waste products etc
8 somelhing that makes things dirty
1 words meaning dirty
dirty muddy
grubby dusty
filthy greasy
grimy soiled
mucky
dirty 1'<13: 'til ladj l
We were hat and dirty q{ter working in the garden all
DIRTY
afternoon. I She was wearing dirty jeans and a stained
yellow T-shirt. I Keep your dirty fingers off the tabloclothil
London seems much dirtier than it did last time I was here.
grubby I' grAbil someth ing that is grubby is fairly dirty,
usuaUybccause it has been used a lot and not washedlaltil
He wiped his eyes with a grubby handkerchief. I There were
some bundles of letters tied up with grubby white tape.
filthy ,'fI19il extremely dirty ladj l
Don't come into the kitchen - your shoes are absolutely
filthy! 1 We didn't go swimming because the water looked
filthy. I It was undoubtedly thefiUhiest place she had ever
seen.
grlmY /'gralmi/ something that is grimy has a covering
of dark-roloured dirt on its surface, especially because it
has not been cleaned for a long time ladjl
Tt wasdiffkuU to see through the grimy windowsofthecafe.1
The wlwle town was grimy from smoke and cool-dust.
mucky /'ntAki/ an informal word. meaning dirty, used
especially in British English ladjl
Don't wearyour best shoes - you'll only get them all mucky. I
I'm lWt going to drink from tlwse mucky cups!
muddy J'ntAdil covered in mud ladjl
Steven came in from the rain, in muddy boots and wet
clothes. I She didn't wipe her feet, but left a trail of muddy
footprints behind her as she crossed the hall. 1muddy roads
rutted by army trucks
dusty l'dAstil full of dust or covered in dust, especially
because it has not been used for a long time (alijl
The room was dark and dusty. Obviously no one had been
herefor months. I It was a long dusty ride back to the villoge.
gre ••y , 'gri:si, -zi/ someth ing that is greasy has a sub-
stance on it which is oily and slippery or sticky, and looks
unpleasant and dirty [adjl
The two FIShermen were wearing greasy sweaters and torn
trousers. I She had greasy block hair whichfell ouer her eyes.
.olled l~ lld/ a formal word: clothes, sheets etc that are
soiled are dirty and need to be washed ladjl
The soiled linen is collected twice a day and taken to the
hospital laundry. I heavily soiled (=very soiled) For heav-
ily soiled clothes, set the washing machine to a hotter wash
and use more washing pouxl£r.
2 dirty in a way thal is harmful to people 's
health
unhygienic
polluted
contaminated
unhygienic J,Anhat ' d,3i:nlk ... 11 ·'dJen-, - 'd3i:n·1 places,
conditions, methods etc that are unhygienic are likely to
cause illness and infection because they are not clean
enough lalUl
It is unhygienic to keep raw and cooked mMts tDgether. 1The
restaurant's kitchens were described by health inspectors as
disorganized and unhygienic.
poRuted Ipo'lurt~dl water, air, ground etc that is polluted
is dirty and dangerous because there are chemicals or
waste products in it (adj]
The Jin Jiang River is very pollutro. I polluted with The
soil on the old factory site is badly polluted with lead, cad-
mium and mercury.
contaminated Jkm 'Irem~neIt~d/ something such as food
or water that is contaminated has dangerous, hannful, or
unwanted things in it, such as chemicals or bacteria ladjl
The source of the infection was contaminated water. 1
Uncooked, cold or reheatedfood generally can all beconlami-
noted. Freshly cookedfODds are safer. I contaminated by
The ground is contaminnted by chemicals which have IRnked
from the storage tanks over the last 20 years.
3 words for describing a place that is dirty and
unpleasant
squalid sordid
seedy hovel
DIRTY 347
squalid I 'Skwolld 11 'skwQ!-, very dirty and unpleasant
because of lack of money or care (at:ti l
We hurried through the squalid streets where the/Odory wor-
kers live. 1 The conditions in which these refugees have been
livingfor over two years are unimaginably squalid. I a tiny,
squalid apartment on the sixth floor
seedy , ' si:di/ a place such as a bar or hotel that is seedy
looks old. and a little dirty, and may be used for something
illegal ladj)
The bar looked rather seedy, so we decided to go somewhere
else. 1In 1957 I took ajob as a night clerk in a seedy Manhat-
tan Iwtel. I There are many small, seedy offices that line the
upper storeys of the shops.
sordid I ' so!rd~dl an area that is sordid is dirty and
unpleasant and there is a lot of crime or suffering there
ladj l
The hotel turned out to be in the sordid Schwabinger Strasse
- the red-light area!
hovel J 'hovill 11 IhA- , ' ha!-/ a small home which is dirty
and not strongly-built, especially because the people who
live there are extremely poor [n Cl
In the poor quarters of the city were generations offamilies
living side by side in rat-infested hovels.
4 to make something dirty
get sth dirty
dirty
soli
get 5th dirty / ,get (Slh) 'd"'ti/ Iv phrase I
I won '( help you with the car - I don '( want to get my hands
dirty. 1 We wear overalls so we can paint without getting our
clothes dirty. I Children like to get themselves really dirty
sometimes.
dirty /ld3: rti/ to make something dirty , especially clothes
IvTI
You can borrow my gloves, but please try not to dirty them. I
As he stood on the paving stone, muddy water splashed up
and dirtied his trousers.
sol /s:)fl/ a fonnal word meaning to make something, such
as cloth or clothing, dirty on the surface, often with waste
from the body Iv TI
The book had ix!rmsoiled byJoad'sdirtyfingers.1 The baby
has soiled his diaper again.
5 to make something dirty and dangerous, by
means of chemicals, waste products etc
pollute
contaminate
pollute fpd 'lu!t/ to make air, water, the ground etc dirty
by putting chemicals or waste products into it, so that it
is unsafe for use by people or animals Lv T J
pollute sth Companies that pollute the environment must
be punished. I pollute sth with How long can we go on pol-
luting our seas with industrial waste?
pollution /p,'lu:!'n/ In UI The use of coal and gas results
in pollution of (=in it being polluted) the atmosphere.
contaminate I k;;m'lrem~ne ItI to accidentally make a
place or a substance dirty and dangerous by adding some-
thing to it, for example chemicals or bacteria Iv TJ
The growth of bacteria may contaminate the water supply.I
Thefood was contaminated by an infected worker during the
production process.
contamination /kdn ,uem1 I nelfanf In Ul Modernfeeding
and watering systems should prevent contamination ofrows '
food and water. (=prevent it being contaminated)
6 something that makes things dirty
dirt grime
muck pollution
dirt /d3!rt/ dust, mud or other substances which make
somethingdirtY,and which are removed in clcaning In UJ
He took off his glasses, which were covered with dirt, and
DISABLED
wiped them on his shirt. I Dark colours are best - they don't
show the dirl. I speck of dirt (=small piece of dirt) The
rooms were cleaned until eve1Y speck of dilt and grit was
gone.
muck /mll.kj an infonnal word used espec ially in British
English meaning dirt or mud [n UI
Don't play football in your new jeans, you 'il get them covered
in muck. I A truck smeared in muck eventually came along
and picked up the hitchhikers.
grime Igra lm/ thick, dark dirt that covers a surface over
a period of tim e and is ditncult to remove [n VI
I had a lnng bath to gel the grime out of my skin. I black/
brown/ grey with grime (=black, brown etc because there
is grime on it) The small window over the front door was
brown with grime.
pollution /po llu:fanI substances, especially chemicals or
waste from factories or houses, that makes wa ter, air, the
ground etc dirty and unsafe to use [n UI
Thepollution in the MeditelTanean makes swimming dan·
gerous_ I Thanks to new controls, the pollution from the
central plant has been dramatically reduced.
disabilities: people with disabilities DISABLED 1
disability DISABLED 2
disable BREAK 6
disabled DISABLED 1
• DISABLED
unable to use part of your body in the normal
way, either from birth or because of an
accident or illness
1 words meaning disabled
2 a physical or mental problem that makes
someone disabled
3 not disabled
1 words meaning disabled
disabled handicapped
people with disabilities special needs
dls.bled fdls'elb"ld/ unable to use part of your body in
the normal way, either from birth or because oran acci·
dent or illness, especially so that you have difficulty
moving around [adjJ
Disabled passengers can travel free on public transport. I
You can gel special help ifSOrnROTlI! in thefamity is disabled. I
Richard Scott, the writer, is himselfdisabled and can speak
from experience. I the disa bled (=disabled people) All
rooms in the howl hovefacilitiesfor lhedisabled. I disabled
toilets/ parking ete (=for disabled people) Disabled wileis
are provided on every floor of the building.
people with disabilities /,pi:pal wu~ ,dls;, 'bI1 1tizl an
express ion meaning disabled people, used when talking
about them as a group, the problems they have, things that
are provided for them etc [n phrase I
Like many people with disabilities, I get very angry when I
am treated as if I were stupid. I training opportunities for
young people with disabilities I We want to hear the opin-
ions of parents of young children, people with disabilities,
and pensioners, about the design oJ the leisure centre.
handicapped / ' hrend lkrept/ a word meaning disabled
that is conSidered offensive by some people {ad} 1
the education of handicapped children I physically han-
dicapped Rosie was born physically handicapped. I men-
tally handicapped (=handicapped in the mind, not in the
body) We need 10 improve public Ulul£rstanding ofllu! needs
and potmtials of mentally hondicapped people. I the handl·
capped (=handicapped people) an advisory service for the
handicapped
special needs { Ispef al 'ni~dzf people, especially chil·
dren, who have special needs, need different teaching
methods, educational equipment etc and sometimes go to
DISABLED
separate schools, because they are disabled in some way
rn plural!
Children with special needs can often be taught in ordinary
classes. I This I£qfkt I£lls you what to do if your child has
special needs.
2 a physical or mental problem that makes
someone disabled
disability
handicap
disability , .dlsa'bil!ti/ a physical problem that makes
someone disabled, for example being unable to walk or
speak In C/UI
His disabilities have not stopped him from achieving
remarkable success. l Our equal opportunies policy means
we employ people regardless of gender, race, or disability. I
Because ['m in a wheelchair, the first thing people Mtice
about me is my disability.
handicap / 'hrendlkrep/ a mental or physical problem that
makes someone disabled In C/ U}
The people who rome to this club have various types of han-
dicap. I We help people with menial or physical handicaps
to find work. I Babies ofalcoholic mothers can be born with
a severe degree of handicap.
3 not disabled
able-bodied
able-bodied / leThal Ibodid. 11 _Iba:_/ an expression used
when comparing people who are disabled with people who
are not [adj usually before noun)
Able-bodied peopl£ do not really understand the needs of the
disabled. I She competes on an equal basis with her able-
bodied colleagues. I the able-bodied (=people who are able
bodied) PHAB is a club for the physically handicopped and
the abl£-bodied.
disadvantage DISADVANTAGE 1, 2
disadvantage: advantages and disadvantages
ADVANTAGE 2
disadvantage: be at a disadvantage DISADVANTAGE 3
disadvantage: be to sb's disadvantage
DISADVANTAGE 4
disadvantage: have a disadvantage DISADVANTAGE 3
DISADVANTAGE
1 something that makes it difficult for you to
succeed or to do what you want to do
2 a part or feature of something, such as a
plan, product or way of life, that causes a lot
of problems
3 to have a disadvantage compared with other
people
4 ways of saying that something gives someone
a disadvantage
1 something that makes it difficult for you to
succeed or to do what you want to do
disadvantage
handicap
disadvantage /ldls~d lva!ntTd3 11- lvren -/ ln C/ Ul
Since elephants do not need to move very far, their great size
is no disadvantage. 1I SUffered less disadvantages than other
orphans thanks to the care or my teachers. I social disadvan-
tage and deprivation
handicap /'hrendlkrep/ something that prevents you from
doing something as well as you would without it [n Cl
Not being able tn drive is quite a handicap if you live in the
country. I Witlwut the handicap of a working class back-
ground he would surely have gotten into Yale. I handicap
348 DISADVANTAGE
to sb His lack of height does not seem to have been a han-
dicap to him. He is as good an athlete as anyone else in the
school.
2 a part or feature of something , such as a
plan, product or way of life, that causes a lot
of problems
disadvantage liability
drawback limitations
disadvantage /, dls:KI ' vo:ntld311 - ' vren-/ [n Cl
One of the disadvantages of the new system is its slowness. I
She has written a book about the disadvantages of being a
woman in politics. 1 In the end we decided that the advan-
tages outweighed the disadvantages.
drawback / Idl":)!brekj a disadvantage of a situation,
product etc, especially when it is one of several disadvan-
tages In Cl
People always want to know about your private life, That's
0'"' of the drawbacks of being famous. I This cough m£di-
cine has one drawback. It makes you sleepy. I drawback to
doing sth The wild weather is the main drawback to sail-
ing in the extreme north west.
liability /l lal~'bll!ti/ a person or thing that is a disadvan-
tage because they are likely to cause problems for you In Cl
That's $3000you've lost the company - you're a liability. I
This product that was once so popular is now a liability tn
the/irm. I serious liability By now he had become a seri-
ous liability, so they got rid of him.
limitations / ,11mllteTJanz/ the limits on how good some-
one or something can be, what they are able to do etc In
plural]
As a student he recognized his limitations, but did little to
improve himself. I We made an inspection of the building's
resources and limitations.
3 to have a disadvantage compared with other
people
have a disadvantage the odds are stacked
be at a disadvantage against you
be handicapped disadvantaged
have a disadvantage /hrev;} IdIS~ ' vo: n tld3 11 -' vren-/
[v phrase IWt in progressive]
You are just as intelligent as the other candidates but you
have one disadvantage - you have IW experience. I Freddi.e
has a slight disadvantage because he has never water skied
before.
be at a disadvantage /hi: <K ~ ,d ls;xI'va:nUd3 11 _Ivren-/
to have a disadvantage, especially because you do not have
the experience or qualities that make you more likely to
succeed in doing something Iv phrase]
When I apply for jobs 1 find I'm always at a disadvantage
because 1 can't drive. I People with previous convictions are
always at a disadvantage when on trial in a court of law. I
put sb at a disadvantage The test put candidates whose
first language was not English at a disadvantage.
be handicapped /bi: IhrendlkreptJ to have a disadvan-
tage which makes it very difficult for you to do something
Iv phrase!
be handicapped by The new headteacher has tremendous
enthusiasm but shR's handicapped by her lack ofexperience. I
In all their ambitious plans the company has been han-
dicapped by an outdated system of management. I be han-
dicapped He thought himself handicapped because of his
poor background.
the odds are stacked against you /31 I odz a~r ISta:kt
;,'genstju: 11 -,o:dz-/ to have a big disadvantage in a com-
petition, ejection etc so that you are very unlikely to win,
especially because other people are working against you
unfairly
I'm not surprised we did so badly in the election. The odds
were stacked against us rightfrom the start. I With every big
comJXlny in town trying to stop them. the odds are obviously
stacked against them.
DISADVANTAGE
dl••dv.ntaged ,.dls:x!' vo:ntld3d 11 .I veen -! ifsomeone
is disadvantaged, they are suffering social or economic
disadvantages such as lack of money or bad education, so
that they have less chance of being successful than other
people ladjl
Children/rom disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely to
go to university than other children. I the disadvantaged
(=disadvantaged people) Booth invented schemes to help the
disadvantaged in the community.
4 ways of saying that something gives someone
a disadvantage
be to ab's disadvantage
be against
be to sb's dlsadvantage /bi: '" (sb's) ,d,sod'vo:nud3 11
. Ivren-/ [v phrase]
Her height will be very much to her disadvantage if she
wants to be a dancer. I In politics he found that his
aristocratic background actually worlred to his disadvan-
tage.1 be to the disadvantage of Thegovernment hasreor-
ganized the taxation system to the disadvantage of the
low-paid.
be against Jbi: ~ I gens l l if time, age etc is against some-
one, they are not likely to succeed in doing something
because they do not have enough time, are too old or young
etc Iv TI
We had to get Stevie to a Iwspital and we knew time was
against us. I He wanted to become a pilot but bad eyesight
was against him.
I disadvantaged DISADVANTAGE 3. POOR 2
lit disagree DISAGREE 1
..,.. . ARGUE
-} e ' REFU5E
• DISAGREE
1 to have or express a different opinion from
someone else
2 ways of saying that two people or groups
disagree very strongly with each other
3 ways of saying that the members of a group
disagree with each other
4 to be a cause of disagreement, especially
among the members of a group
5 to disagree with something that most people
agree with
6 a situation in wh ich people disagree with
each other
7 words for describing something that people
disagree about
" You say" is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English.
349 DISAGREE
1 to have or express a different opinion from
someone else
disagree not see eye to eye
not agree contradict
be In disagreemenU take Issue with
not be in agreement agree to differ
differ
disagree ' ldIS~ l gri:/ if someone disagrees with someone
else, or if two or more people disagree, they have or
express opposing opinions about something [v I not in
progressive I
disagree with I slwwed my article to the editor. He dis-
agreed with almost everything I'd written. I disagree Tell
him what you think slwuld be done, and if he disagrees try
to persuade him. I disagree about!on We disagreed about
religion and politics, but we were still good friends. I It is
comnwnfor judges to disagree on the way the law should be
interpreted. I strongly disagree 1 didn 't say anything but
I strongly disagreed with most of what she said.
not agree Inol ~ Igri : / if someone does not agree with
someone else, or if two or more people do not agree, they
do not accept each other's opinion, or agree about what
should be done Iv 1 not inprogressiveJ
not agree with I know you won't agree with me. but I think
the Iwuse would look better painted white. I You slwuldn 't
vote for policies you don't agree with. I not agree A lot of
people think that capitalism is the only system that works.
but I don't agree. I not agree on/about We couldn't agree
on what to do in the afternoon, so we just stayed at home.
be In dl.agreement/not ba In agreement /bi: In
, dl s~ lgri:m<mt , not bi: In ~'gri!m;mt/ formal expressions
meaning to disagree Iv phrase]
be in disagreement withAltlwugh I am not in agreement
with everything that has been said, I believe we have made
progress in our negotiations. I be in disagreement over As
usual France and Britain were in disagreement over agricul-
tural subsidies.
differ 'Id If~ r / if people differ about something, they have
a range of different opinions on the subject [v 11
differ about/ over Critics differed about the importance of
Osborne's new play. I All politicians agree that inflation
must be brown but they differ over TrU!thods ofachieving this. 1
widely differ (=differ a lot) Views differ widely about dis-
cipline in schools - some people think teachers are too strict,
and others that they are not strict enough.
not .ee eye to eye /not si: lal tu lal/ if two people do
n ot sce eye to eye on something, they have different opin-
ions about it and this often leads to arguments Iv phrase
not usually in progressive ]
Occasionally we don't see eye to e:ve. but most of the time we're
very happy together. I not see eye to eye on/ about sth
Although my father and I don't quite see eye to eye on cer-
tain subjects, we respect each other 's opinion. I not see eye
to eye with sb She only has one surviving son, wllo slle
rarely sees eye to eye with.
contradict f Ikontld1dlkl 11 Iko:n·' to say that what some-
one else has just sa id is wrong [v TJ
Don't contradict your father. I I sensed that she wasn't used
to being contradicted. I The fight started when one oJ his
drinkfng companions contradicted something he had said. I
flatly contradict (=completely contradict) The newspaper
printed an artic1ejlatly contradicting everything I'd said in
my speech.
take Issue with /Ie lk IIJU: WIO/ to disagree strongly
with someone about something they have said or done, and
to argue with them about it Iv phrase]
take issue with sb over I must take issue with you over
what you said yesterday. I I took issue with Meeker over the
way he was running the company.
agree to differ / ~ I gri: t~ Idlf~ r/ to stop arguing with
someone about something and accept that they cannot be
persuaded to agree with you (v phrase not in progressive)
The two sures /uuJ agreed to differ. I I'm sick ofall your argu·
ments about religion - why can 't you two just agree to differ?
DISAGREE
2 ways of saying that two people or groups
disagree very strongly with each other
be at loggerheads Irreconcilable
be in conflict with fall out with
be at odds
be at loggerheads /bi: ;)t il ogafhedz 11 - 'b:g-f if two
people or groups are a t loggerheads, they strongly dis-
agree with each other and argue, usually about a problem
or decision lV phrase )
As a result oftlu! strike, neighbours and even/amities were
soon at loggerheads. I be at loggerheads over/about
Spain and Great Britain had been at loggerheadsfor months
over the air/ares deal.
be In conflict with Ihi: In 'konn'kt W I~ 11 -'ko:n-J to
strongly disagree with someone and to be continually
opposing them and arguing against their actions and inten-
tions [v phrase]
Rather than be in continual conflict with his boss, Bruce
moved to another job. I Union leaders are again in conflict
with management. this time over enforced redundancies.
be at odds /bi: '" ' odz 11 - 'o:dzj 10 disagree wilh a person,
organization, or way of thinking and be opposed to them
Iv phrasel
be at odds with sb There could be no progress while the
country's leaders were at odds with each other. I be at odds
over sth Washington and Moscow were still at odds over the
testing and development of new nuclear weapons.
Irreconcll.bl./ I , rekan ' sa ll ~bi11f irreconcilable differ-
ences/views/attitudes etc (=when there is so much
difference that agreement is impossible) (adj ]
When irreconcilllble differences exist between two people, it
is better toot they slwuld separate. I Their views had really
been irreconcilable from the beginning. I irreconcila ble
with Both these ways 0/ looking at the world are valid but
utterly irreconcilable with each other.
filii out wtth / , fJ:1 'aut w16/ 10 disagree strongly with and
argue with someone, especially about something unimpor-
tant, so that your good relationship with them is damaged
[v T not in progressive]
Sadly the leading actor jell out with the producers and the
film was never made. 1 fall out with sb over I don't want
to fall out with you over such a trivial matter.
3 ways of saying that the members of a group
disagree with each other
be dlvldedlsplit split
division rift
be dlvlded/spllt (hi: d~'vald&d, 'split! if the members of
a group are divided or split over something, especially an
important political matter, some strongly support one atti-
tude to it and the others disagree and support another [u
phrase l
bedividedJsplit over Roosevelt was ready to take America
into the war, but the Republicans were hopelessly divided
over the issue. 1 be divided/split The emplo}'€rs' threat to
dLsmiss a ll thE strikers has Il;ft thE wor/iforce deeply dividEd, I
be divided/ split down the middle (=into two equal and
opposing groups) We are split right down the middle over
the question of nuclear disannament.
division fd& ' Vlynl disagreement among the members of
a group that causes it to separate into smaller groups, each
with a different opinion [n C/ U)
There are signs ojgrowing division within the administra·
tion about tJw. best strategy to adopt. 1division over There
was a deep division in the Republican Party over policy on
Central America.
spaR /spllt( a serious disagreement that divides an organi-
zation or group ofpeop)e into two smaller groups [n C]
There is great danger Dj a split in the party if a competent
leader is not/DUM soon. 1 split over A split over company
(XJlicy resulted in the departure of the Assistant Manager.
rift Inft, a very serious disagreement that divides a group
for a very long time or prevents two people or organizations
from continuing to live or work together [n C]
350 DISAGREE
A rifl has developed between the security police and the
army. 1 As a child I always j elt insecure because offamily
rifts. 1 It took a good five years jor the rift within the party
to mend.
4 to be a cau se of disagreement, espec ially
among the members of a group
give rise to/lead to/cause disagreement
divide
split
give rise tonead tolcause disagreement /glv Ira IZ
tu:, lli:d tm, IkJ:Z d ls;}lgri:m;}nt( [v phrase)
The abortion issue has given rise to some disagreement
among doctors. 1 It was Garcia's plan to redistribute land
that caused nwst disagreement in the Senate. 1Ideas on child
care may be different between parents and lead to disagree-
ment.
divide (d1 Iva ld( to cause strong disagreement among a
group of people so that they separate to form different
groups with different opinions [v Tl
Should they pay the new tax? It was a question that divided
the community. I The issue dividing the Church was the
acceptance of women into the priesthood.
split (spil t( a word used especially in a political context
mean ing to cause strong disagreement among a group of
people so that it is divided into two smaller groups [v Tl
Many people believe that Europe is the one issue that could
split the British Conservative Party. 1 split the country/
party etc down the middle (=split it into two equal and
opposing groups) Feelings about the war split the country
right down thE m Utdle.
5 to d isagree with something that most people
agree with
dissent
play devll's advocate
be out of tune with
dl.sent (d I1 sent/ to express strong disagreement with an
official opinion or with one that is accepted by most people
Iv 11
Although afew delegates might dissent, the majority would
vote in favour of the plan. 1 The decision was supported by
alnwst everyone. Baldwin alone dissented strongly.
dissenting ladj only before noun] Very few dissenting voices
were heard from the left wing political parties.
plav devll's advocate (ple l ,devalz IredV:}k&l/ to
deliberately argue against an opinion, although you may
not really disagree with it, especially in order to make a
discussion more interesting or to test the strength of the
arguments tu phraseJ
He doesn't really believe money is more important than love.
He's just playing devil 's advocate. 1 I had an obligation to
play devil:S advocate and so I took the other side in the debaf£.
be out of tune with Jhi: laut:}v ItjU:n WICI 11 _Itu:n-/ if
someone is out of tune with most other people, they do
not agree with them or do not show an understanding of
them [v phrase]
The governor's attitudes are out of tune with public oplnion. 1
Her latest speech slwws that she is out of tune with her
advisors.
6 a Situation in which people disagree with
each other
disagreement friction
difference of opinion discord
controversy dissent
disagreement ( l dI S;}lgri:m~nlf In UJ
disagreement about/over/as to There has been
widespread public disagreement about the law on tobacco
advertising. 1 There is some disagreement as to whether the
disease Ls curable. I disagreement Meetings to solve the clebt
problem always ended in total disagreement. 1 disagree-
ment between/among There is a surprising amount of
 DISAGREE
disagre£ment among economic experts about the effects DJ
interest rates rises.
difference of opinion I tdlfarnns;)v <J lpJrij ~nJ a situation
in which two people or groups disagree with each other,
and which may cause an argument fn phrase]
There seems to be a difference of opinion between the two
groups. I I 've had dijJeref1C£S ofopinion with him but we can
still work together. I difference of opinion about/over/on
There is some difference of opinion over the question of
Federal Aid.
controversy , lkontI<JV3!si, k::m1trov;)si 11 Ika:ntIdV3!rsi/ a
serious argument or disagreement especially about some-
thing such as a plan or decision, that contin ues for a long
time, usually in public [n C/ U)
The new trade agreement has ended years of bitter con-
troversy in the European Community_ I controversy over/
about/ surrounding The controversy over the nuclear
. energy program is likely to continue. 1 The controversy sur-
rounding D.H.Lawrence's novel 'The Rainbow' wasfuelled
by traditional attitudes to sex.
friction l 'fTlkJ,mJ continuous disagreement and angry
feelings or unfriendliness between people [n UJ
There has been serious friction between the two army com-
manders. 1 Teenage children begin to assert their indepen-
dence and this can lead to a good. deal of friction in the
family.
discord I' dl s k~: rdl a formal word meaning strong dis-
agreement that makes people feel unfriendly towards each
other In U I
The question ofarms control has always bren a source ofdis-
cord in Congress. 1 Money is the single biggest cause ofmost
marital discord.
dissent Id J' sentl a refusal to accept an official opinion or
an opinion that most people accept [n UJ
During the Mayor's speech there were several murmurs of
open dissentfrom the crowd. J It's a totalitarian state which
will not tolerate political dissent.
7 words for describing something that people
disagree about
controversial
contentious
bone of contention
controverslal / ,kontld'v3!rJal .. 11 ,ko!n-/ something or
someone that is controversial causes a lot of disagreement
and argument, often in public, because a lot of people have
strong feeJings and opinions about it ladjJ
A recent government paper on education contains some con-
troversial new ideas. I MaxweU soon became a controversial
figure in the world of big business. 1 The decision to use the
bomb remains the most controversial of the Second World
War.
contentious Ik;)n ItenJ;)s/ contentious issue/ subject!
problem etc (=one that is likely to cause a lot of disagree-
ment and argument) radj]
Abortion has always been a contentious subject. 1 The cir-
cumstances of J.F.Kennedy's assassination remain highly
contentious.
bone of contention l,b;:HJn ;)V k;m ItenJanl a subject that
people strongly disagree about for a long time and often
argue about [n phrase]
The new tax on property is likely to become a serious bone
ofcontention. I bone of contention between The children 's
edurotion has been such a bone ofcontention between me and
Dan that I hardly dare mention it.
disagreeable BAD-TEMPERED 1
disagreement ARG UE 5, DISAGREE 6
disagreement: be in disagreement/not be In
agreement DISAGREE 1
disagreement: give rise tol1ead to/cause
disagreement OISAGREE 4
disappear DISAPPEAR I , 2. 3. LOSE/CANT FIND 3
disappear without trace/vanish without trace
DISAPPEAR 1
351 DISAPPEAR
• DISAPPEAR
1 ways of saying that a person, vehicle, or
object becomes impossible to see or
impossible to find
2 ways of saying that a sound , feeling etc
disappears
3 ways of saying that a type of animal or plant.
or a custom, practice ete stops existing and
disappears .
1 ways of saying that a person, vehicle, or
object becomes impossible to see or
impossible to find
disappear
vanish
disappear without trace/vanish without trace
vanish Into thin air
go missing
go/move/sail etc out of sight
facie away
blend Into/blend In with
disappear "dJS;)'pl;)rl to become impossible to see or
fmd Iv I]
"Where's Tom?" "I don't know - he's disappeared. "I The
magician made his assistant disappear. 1 disappear be-
hind/ under/ int%ver etc Suddenly the cat disappeared
under a chair. 1 disappear from view/ sight Sheila 's car
turned the corner and slowly disappeared from view.
disappearance In U] The mysterwus disappearance of Lord
Lumn (=the mystery of why he disappeared) has never been
so lved.
vanish I lvremJI to disappear suddenly and in a way that
cannot easily be explained [v IJ
I thought I saw a mouse under the bed but when 1 looked it
had vanished. 1 In the darkness Nick saw a strange light
appear and then vanish. 1 vanish into/behind/ under etc
One minute Pierce was by my side, the next he had vanished
into the crowd.
disappear without trace/vanish without trace
IdlS;)IPI;)r wloaut Itrels, IvrenlJ-1 to disappear completely
without leaving any sign of what happened [v phrase not
in progressive]
Afather and son have disappeared without trace while on
a walking expedition in the mountains. 1 Several aircraft
and ships have vanished without trace in the notorious
Bermuda Triangle.
vanish Into thin air IlvremJ IOta 1610 Ie;)r/ to disappear
very suddenly in a way that seems impossible Iv phrase!
I don't understand where my pencil has gone - it seems to
have vanished into thin air. 1 Just when we thought Mark
had vanished into thin air we heard a shoutfrom behind a
rock.
go missing Ilg;:HJ Iml sl IJI a British expression: ifa person
or thing goes miSSing, they disappear from the place
where they should be Iv phrase]
go missing from Liz went missing/rom class so the teacher
called her parents. 1 go miSSing He's a strange man - some-
times he goes missingfor days and doesn't tell a soul. 1Secu·
rity was tightened up at the embassy after a number of
importantjiles went missing.
go/move/sail ete out of Sight I(go, e'c) aut.v 'sa"1
if something or someone goes, moves etc out of sight,
they gradually go away from you until you cannot see them
any more [v phrase ]
The yacht sailed away into the distance and out of sight. 1
We watched his car as it rounded the bend and sped off out
of sight.
fade away I,feld ;) lwe JI to disappear very slowly [phr v IJ
She thought she sawa shadow move in thecornerofthe room
DISAPPEAR 352
and as she watched it slowly faded away. I The last red
streaks ofthe sunset hadfackd away into the darkening sky.
blend Intolbland In with f ,blend IllltU: •• 11ll WIlJ/ to
deliberately become impossible to see or fmd by trying to
look exactly the same as the background or the things or
people around you rv T not in passive)
These butterflies can change colour in order to blend into
their surroundings. I BrUTW was hoping to blend in with the
crowd and escape unnoticed.
2 ways 01 saying that a sound, leeling etc
disappears
disappear go away
fade away die away
wear off
disappear f ,dlS;J'Pl'3 C{ Iv IJ
I was lying in bed with terrible back pain and suddenly the
[Xlinjust disappeared. I You need time to get over it. Grief
ck>esn't disappear overnight, you know.
fad. away l .feId ;)'We l' to gradually disappear over a
long time (phr v 11
The laughter faded away when they realized that the man
was actually dead. IAs the last notes of the songfaded away
the audience began to applaud Wildly. I The memory of the
experience faded away over the following months.
wear ott I,We;)T 'of II - ' ~:ff if something, especially the
effect of something, wears off, the effect gradually disap-
pears (phr v 11
The pain seemed to get worse as the anaesthetic wore off. I
The effects of child abuse never wear off. I Once the initial
shock has worn ojJyou'll realize that things aren't as bad
as you first thought.
go awa,,',g~ ~'well ifan unpleasant feeling, situation
etc goes away, it disappears, especially when you have
been trying to get rid of it for a long time (phr v 11
I'm sure the problem will go away in the next week or so. I
I can 't do anything to make this _ h e go away, I His shy-
ness soon went away when he started school.
die away l,ciaJ ~'weJI a word used especially in literature
meaning to gradually disappear [phr v 11
As the rhythm ofthe music died away screams could be heord
in the distance. I The sound of the drumming hooves grew
fainter and eventually died away.
3 ways of saying that a type 01 animal or plant,
or a custom, practice etc stops existing and
disappears
become extinct disappear
extinction vanish
die out cease to exist
become e~tlncl Ibl,kAm Ik' stll)kt/ if a type of animal
becomes extinct, all animals of that type die so that it does
not exist any more I v phrase)
Dinosaurs became extinct millions ofyears ago. I Jjnothing
is done to save the whales now the species will soon become
extinct.
extinction /lk'suqkJan/ ln VI
The Worldwide Fundfor Nature is trying to save the bird
from extinction (=from becoming extinct). I The North
American bison was hunted almost to extinction. I face/be
threatened with extinction (=likely to soon become
extinct) The red flying fox now faces extinction. I Many
endangered species are threatened with extinction.
die out t,dal 'aut! if a type of animal, plant, or an illness
or custom dies out it stops existing, especially gradually
Iphr v 11
Diseases such as leprosy and polio have almost completely
died out. I The country is changing very quickly and many
of the old traditions are dying out. I The nearest comnwn
ancestor of man and the modern great apes died out about
30 million years ago.
disappear t,dIS3'pt3 rl ifsomething disappears, it stops
existing, and can no longer be seen or felt [v 11
DISAPPOINTED
Thousands of square miles of rainforest are disappearing
each year. I The dolphin has just about disappeared from
the coasts of Britain. I All my worries have completely dis-
appeared, and I feel a lot better now.
disappearance In VI The increase in tourism may result in
the disappearance of the islanders ' traditional way of life
(:::::may make it disappear).
vanish I 'vremfl to disappear completely Iv IJ
All hopes offinding the boy alive have vanished. I With the
growing popularity of large supermarkets, small corner
shops are rapidly vanishing. I vanish without a trace (=so
that nothing remains afterwards) Like so many dance
crazes, the 'moonwalk' was popular for a while in the clubs,
then vanished without a trace.
cease 10 exlsl I,si:s tu Ig' zlstl to stop existing Iv phrase]
The town which Joyce wrote about has long since ceased to
exist. I As of 1991, the Russian Communist Party effectively
ceased to exist.
dlsappotnt DISAPPOINTED 4
disappointed DISAPPOINTED 1
• DISAPPOINTED
sad because something you hoped for did not
happen or because something or someone was
not as good as you expected them to be
1 words meaning disappointed
2 the feeling of being disappointed
3 words for describing something or someone
that makes you feel disappointed
4 to make you feel disappointed
1 words meaning disappointed
disappointed dellated
let down disillusioned
discouraged disenchanted
disappointed / ,dISO'p,mtld/laciil
We left the show freling rather disappoinied. I These doys the
President is a disappointed old man. I disappointed with
The union leader said he was disappointed with the pay
offer. I disappointed in My father was very disappointed
in mefor choosing acting instead of a legal career. I disap-
pointed to learn/ hear/see etc We were disappointed to
heor thot the Michael Jackson tour had been cancelled, I dis-
appointed that Caroline seemed disappointed that you
couldn't come to the party. I disappointed by The commu-
nity crafts centre is disappointed by the city council's lack of
enthusiasmfor the project. I bitterly disappointed (=very
disappointed) They were bitterly disappointed when they lost
the final game of the series.
lel down Illet 'daunJ if you feel let down, you feel disap-
pointed because someone has broken a promise, behaved
badly, or not done something they said they would do [adj
phrase not before noun!
feel let down Jim felt extremely let dnwn. He had trusted
tlwse people. I They were ashamed of their daughter's
behaviour, and felt badly let down. I let down "Yes," she
murmured, crushed and let down. <If suppose it's best that
we split up. "
discouraged IdlS 'kArld3d 11 -' k3:r-f disappointed
because you feel that you will not be able to succeed in
doing something ladj not usually before noun]
There's no need to look so discouraged - you're sure to win. I
discouraged by Jamfelt discouraged by the mws that she'd
failed her driving test for the third time. I discouraged
about Some peopre have be£n at the same revelfor ten years
and are very discouraged about their promotion prospects.
deflated /di! 'fl,ald, dl-/ if you reel deflated, you reel dis-
appointed because you have lost confidence or your pride
has been hurt radj not before noun!
feel deflated I came out of the boss's offI.Cefreling utterly
DISAPPOINTED
deflated. I Professor Thompsonfelt somewhot deflated by the
announcement that the physics prize would go to a rival
college.
disillusioned f IdlS11 1 U:3~ndl disappointed because you
have lost your belief that someone is a good person, or that
an idea or plan is right (at:{iJ
disillusioned with/by As David grew older he became
increasingly disillusioned with socialism. I Disillusioned by
his team's performance the manager resigned. I disillu-
sioned a disillusioned veteran a/two World Wars [Impos-
sibly high expectations of the new regime have left many
voters disillusioned.
disillusion ment In U I The fwneymoon period was soon/ol-
lowed by the usual disillusionment with day-to-day reality.
disenchanted , .dlsln ' tJo:nt1d I1 -ltJrent-, disappointed
with something that you used to enjoy or believe in, or with
someone who you used to have great respect for ladjl
disen chanted with Nter three divorces he must be pretty
disenchanted with married life. I The fans quickly became
disenchanted with the club's expensi{,Je new player when he
failed to score goals. I disenchanted The party's greatest
problem is trying to win back the suppport of its own disen-
chanted members.
disenchantment In V J Disenchantment with the pop world
led Jason to start a new life on a farm in Nova &atia.
2 the feeling of being disappointed
disappointment
disappointment l,dlsa'p:> lntmant/ (n VJ
She couldn't hide her disappointment at being left out ofthe
team. 1 to sb's disappointment (=causing someone to feel
disappointed) To his great disappointment hefailed to get
into university. 1 deep disappointment This latest rejection
left me with feelings of anger and deep disappointment.
3 words for describing something or someone
that makes you feel disappointed
disappointing not all it' s cracked up
be a disappointment to be
be an anticlimax be a no n~event
be a letdown discouraging
not live up to/ disheartening
come up to expectations
disappointing /ld lsalp:)J nt ll].' [adj ]
The meeting was very disappointing - rwthing was agreed. I
This has been a disappointing yearfor French wine. 1 In his
interim report the chairman announced disappointing first
quarter results.
disappointingly [advl She played rather disappointingly
in the piano competition and only came third.
be a disappointment Ibi: a , d l ~'p:)Intmantl to not be
as good as hoped or expected [v phrase]
The trip was a big disappointment - it rained every day. I
The only time I saw Elvis Presley live he was something of
a disappointment, out of tune and overweight. I be a disap-
pointment to sb Tt's only a small house. I hope it won't be
too much of a disappointment to you. 1 be a great disap-
pointment T've always been a great disappointment to my
parents, who hoped I would become a lawyer or a doctor. I
be a bitter disappointment (=be a big disappointment
that makes you feel very sad) Failing to win the World
Series was a bitter disappointment to the team.
be an anticlimax Ibi: an ,rentl'klalmreksl something
that is an anticlimax does not seem very exciting or
interesting because it comes after something that was
much better tv phrase]
Going back to work after a month travelling in China is
bound to be an anticlimax. 1 Compared to the excitement of
the earlier parts of the film, the ending was a bit of an
anticlimax.
be a letdown Ibi: a Iletdaun/ an informal word: if an
event or performance is a letdown, it is disappointing
because it is not as good as you expected it to be [vphrase!
The firework display was a terrible letdown, we only saw
353 disapproval
four rockets. I What a letdown! They came on stage two Iwurs
late and didn't play any of their old songs.
not live up to/come up to expectations /not I,v
lAp tu, urn lAp tu ekspek 'te l!anz/ if someone or something
that you thought would be really good does not live u p to
or does not come u p to expectation s it is not as good as
you thought it would be (v phrase]
Despite the enormous cost ofmaking it, thefilm didn't come
up to expectations. I The design consultant will be held
responsible if the advertisement doesn '( live up to expecta·
tions. 1 fail to live u p to expectations I failed to live up
to my parents' expectations, particularly at school.
not all It' s cracked up to be /not 1::>:1 Its krcekt lAP ta
bi:1 an informal expression meaning not as good as people
say it is [adj phrase]
Northbourne Leisure Centre isn't all it's cracked up to be,
they don't even have a sauna. 1 Being a fashion model isn't
all it's cracked up to be. It is extremely hard work.
b. a non-event Ibi: a Inon I I vent 11 - Ina:n-I an event or
occasion that is a non-event is disappointing because
nothing interesting or exciting happened [v phrase]
Sue's party was a totalrwn-event. OnlYfivepeopie turned up.
discouraging Idls lkAn d311] I1 - lk3:r-1 people or remarks
that are discouraging make it seem less likely that you
will succeed in doing something, and often make you lose
the desire or willingness to do it ladj]
When I asked him how far it was to the nearest garage, his
answer was discouraging. 1 You 'Il need to point out the stu-
dents'mistakes, but try not to sound too discouraging. I My
father made a few rather discouaging remarks about my
academic abilities.
disheartening Idls Iha:ftflIl]l making you lose hope and
determination, so that you feel sad and want to give up
something you were trying to do lad)]
One of the most disheartening things she said was that all
my hard work had been a waste of time. I disheartening
to hear/know/see etc Tt was very disheartening to hear the
President say that he could see rwfuturefor the industry.
disheartened [adjJ Some of the soldiersfound the training
so tough that they became disheartened and gave up.
4 to make you feel disappointed
disappoint dash sb's hopes
let sb down discourage
disappoint l , dls~'p;)lntl [v TJ
The band disappointed thousands offans by cancelling at
the last minute. I Sorry to disappoint you, but this picture's
afake.
let ab down 1I Jet (sb) 'daunl if someone lets you down,
they make you feel sad because they break a promise or do
not behave as well as you expected them to [phr v TI
Hepromised to be here by eight o'clock but it looks like he's
tet us down again. I She had been badly let down by her last
husband.
dash sb's hopes "dre! (sb's) 'h~psl if someone or
something dashes your hopes, they make you very dis-
appointed by doing something or telling you something
that is the opposite of what you hoped or expected [v
phrase]
Renewed fighting has dashed all hopes 0/ an early settle·
ment. 1The/amily·s hopes thot their daughter would be/ound
alive were cruelly dashed by a telegram that arrived. this
morning.
discourage IdIs lkAnd3 11 - lk3:r_1 to make someone think
they will not be able to succeed in doing something, so that
they lose the desire and willingness to do it [v T]
What discouraged me most was our lack of progress in the
pay negotiations. I A teacher must krww Iww to give construc·
tive criticism whilst not discouraging the student. ! You
should not be discouraged by one little failure.
disappointing DISAPPOINTED 3
disappointment DISAPPOINTED 2
disappointment: be a disappointment DISAPPOINTED 3
disapproval DISAPPROVE 1
disapproval
disapproval: voice/express/register ete your
disapproval DISAPPROVE 2
disapprove/not approve DISAPPROVE 1
• DISAPPROVE
1 to think that someone, or their behaviour,
ideas etc are bad or unsuitable
2 to say that you disapprove of someone or
something
3 to look at someone in a disapproving way
4 words for describing words or expressions
that are used to show disapproval
5 to start to be disapproved of by many people
1 to think that someone, or their behaviour,
ideas etc are bad or unsuitable
dlsapprovel have a low opinion of
not approve think badly 01
disapproval not hold with/not
frown on/upon go along with
take 8 dim view ot
dlsapprov.'not approve ,.d lsa 'pru:v, ,not a1pru:v/
[v I not inprogressiveJ
disapprove of sb/sth Her falher disapproved of her boy-
friend. I Many people disapprove a/medical experiments on
animals. I I don '( approve 0/ the way she dresses. I disap-
prove of sb doing sth My friends rather disapprove of me
smoking. I disapprove He wanted to become an actor, but
his JXlrents didn 't approve. I stronglyI thoroughly disap-
prove I strongly disapprove ofanyone who goes out at night
and leaves their children alone. 1 Women priests are
thoroughly disapproved ofby many in the traditional church
hierarchy.
disapproval I ,dlS, 'pru: v>11 In UI
disapproval of The vote indicated tlreir disapproval of
government policy( =that they disapproved ofit). I obviousl
apparent!evident disapproval (=disapproval that people
can see) To the evident disapprova l of the audience, the
singer on stage was only pretending to sing, while a record-
ing was played.
frown on/upon J1fraun on, ;}pon 11 -run, -:lpa:n/ ifa group
of people frown on or upon particular behaviour, they
think that it is not the right way to behave [v T not in
progressive!
Thechurch peoplefrowned on those who spent Sunday morn-
ings in bed. 1 On the whole specUlation is frowned upon
because it sometimes drives prices up.
take a dim view of Jte lk ;} ,dim IvjU: DVJ if someone,
especially someone in authority, takes a dim view of
something that someone has done, they think that it should
not be done but they do not actually forbid it [v phrase)
[took a dim view of the way my daughters stayed out until
midnight. 1The electorate took a dim view of tire new health
bill.
have a low opinion of /hrev;} II;JCJ ;} Iplfij;m DV/ to dis-
approve of a person or group in general, not just one part
of their character rv phrase not in progressive ]
My new boyfriend has a low opinion ofmost girls. 1 Undeter-
red byhis mother's low opinion ofhim. our hero becomes very
rich and successful.
think badly of I , e l~ k 'bredli ovl an infonnat British
expression meaning to disapprove of someone especially
because of a particular thing that they have done [v phrase
not in progressive ]
[ could not bring myself to hate her or even to think badly
ofher, but sh£ had hurt me, IPlea",. Har~ you must not think
badly of me. I had no choice,
not hold with/not go along with Inot 'h>tJtd WIO . not
gdU ;} 'IDIJ WI~ 11 -a 'b:IJ-J informal expressions meaning to
disapprove of particular behaviour or ideas [v T not in
progressive 1
354 DISAPPROVE
[ don't hold with socialism. Never have. 1 Most of the staff
don't go along with unions around here.
2 to say that you disapprove of scmeone or
scmething
voice/express/register etc denounce
your disapproval deplore
condemn
voice/express/register etc your disapproval
J(voice, etc) j:l:r dl sa'pru:vJI/ to say, write, or show, espe-
cially publicly, that you disapprove of someone or some-
thing Iv phrasel
My father could easily have opposed our marriage or at least
expressed his disapproval. 1 Football manngers voiced their
disapproval ofpeopl£ who sell tick£ts unofflCinlly. I Not many
people are able to indicate their disapproval without caus-
ing offence. 1How can dissatisfied taxpayers register disap-
proval of government policies?
condemn Ik;}n'dem/ if people condemn someone's
behaviour, or an idea or plan, they clearly state that they
strongly disapprove of it, espec ially because they think it
is morally wrong [v Tl
condemn sth Politicians and religious leaders have univer-
sally condemned this act of terrorism. 1 condemn sth as
Lawyers were quick to condemn proposals for new legisla-
tion as unconstitutional. 1Tire destruction ofrainforests has
been condemned as a disaster for the environment. 1 con·
demn sb for doing sth Thejudge wascondemnedfor fail-
ing to examine the case thoroughly.
condemnation ' Ikond;}m'nelf,. m, -dem- 11 ,ka:n-/tn UJ His
speech was a condemnation of terrorism. 1 There is almost
universal condemnation of apartheid.
denounce Idl ' nauns/ to say publicly that you strongly
disapprove of a plan, idea, or person and think that they
are morally bad tv TJ
denounce sb/ sth The Republicans denounced the waste of
public money involved in the new program. 1 Every Scottish
MP rose to denounce the idea. 1 denounce sb/sth as Dar-
win'S theories about evolution were denounced by many
people as monstrous and antireligious.
deplore /dl 'pb:TI a formal word meaning to disapprove
very strongly ofa situation or of someone's behaviour, and
believe that something should be done to stop it rv T not
in progressive or passive I
We deplore the use of violence against innocent people. 1 The
entire world deplores this tragic situation and agrees that
SWift action is needed.
3 to look at someone in a disapproving way
give sb a disapproving look/glance
give ab a dirty look
frown
give sb a disapproving look/glance I ,glv (sb) ,
,dls;}pru:vlI] 'Iuk, 'gla:ns 11 ·'glrensJ to look at someone in
a way that shows you disapprove of something they have
said or done [v phrase]
His sister gave him a disapproving glance and he realized
he had said the wrong thing. 1 Mrs Kawakamigave me a dis-
approving look, understandably reluctant to think ill ofher
son.
glv. ab a dirty look /lglv (sb);} ,d3: rti 'Iukf an infor-
mal expression meaning to look quickly and angrily at
someone in a way that shows you disapprove strongly of
what they have said or done rv phrase ]
Tlredriver ofthat car gave mea really dirty look when! over-
took lrer. 1 Sire couldn't say anything rude to me infront of
the boss so she just gave me a dirty look .
frown Ifraun/ to make a slightly angry or unhappy expres-
sion with your face in order to show someone that you dis-
approve rv IJ
Cassie hod burnt the beef. Mr Bannerfrowned, but said noth·
ing. 1 frown at Mrs Goldfrowned at the children, woo were
getting mud all over their clothes.
 DISAPPROVE 355 discredit
tragedy l'trred3~dil a terrible and very sad event or situ-
4 words for describing words or expressions ation that usually results in suffering or death [n C/U)
that are used to show disapproval The death of 15,000 seals last summer is 011£ ofseveral trage-
disapproving dies that have been linked to North Sea pollution. I In his
derogatory poetry, he recalls tm tragedy that engUlfed Europe between
1914 and 1918.
pejorative
calamity Ik~ 'I remAt~ a terrible and unexpected event that
disapproving l.d IS:} IPru:V1I)<I, [adj] causes great damage and loss fn C/ Dl
My father made some disapproving comments about my Thejlood was a calamity from which Banglndesh has never
clothes, but let me go out in them. I The governor had stern. really recovered. I We prayed to God to protect usfromfur-
disapproving words for the strikers at East Hampshire. ther calamity.
disapprovingly ladvl When oneo!tm gu£sts started smok-
ing the /wstess glared at him disapprovingly.
derogatory Idl'rog<ltari 11 dl'ro:g<ltJ:ri/ derogatory 2 words for describing actions. events etc that
remark/comment/word/terrn etc (=one that strongly cause a disaster
criticizes someone or something) [adj] disastrous
She is always making derogatory remarks about the Royal catastrophic
!amily. I 'Pig'isaderogatoryword!orpoliceo/Tu:er.1 Sreven tragic
didn '( mind if his aunt overheard his derogatory comments
alxJut her cooking. disastrous /dl 'za:stns 11 dl'Zres-, causing destruction
pejorative /pl'd30r.ltJV 11 _'d:p:_, -' d3m -/ pejorative
and suffering fadj)
term/word/connotation (=one that shows disapproval, There was afauit in the engine design, which had disastrous
often in an offensive way) radj] consequences. I Below our hotel, much 0/ the damage
'Yuppie is a pejorative term for a young, rich person. 1 in
J wrought by the disastrous three-day storm was still appar-
the pejorative sense (=the pejorative meaning of a word ent.
that is not always disapproving) He uses the word 'girl' in disastrously [advl Things went disastrously wrong when
the pejorative sense when referring to women. two of the plane's engines failed simultaneously.
catastrophic 11 kret~lstrnflk .. I1 - 'stra: -I resulting in
widespread destruction, suffering, and death radii
5 to start to be disapproved of by many people The catastrophic war between Iraq and Iran is over. 1 The
1811 Into disrepute flood was catastrophic, drowning hundreds of people and
making thousands homeless.
fall Into disr.pute / ,b:llnt~ ,dlsrl ' pju:t/ if an activity catastrophically [adjl The number of ships sunk by the
or organization falls into disrepute, people start to dis- enemy rose catastrophically, with one out offour destroyed..
approve of it because they have found out something bad
.,bout it Iv phrase] tragic 11 trred31 kJ causing a great deal of suffering and sad-
This dangerous method oftreatment has nowfalien into dis· ness Ladjl
repute. 1 The company fell into disrepute after a number of Thefire on board the boat last week was a tragic accident. 1
financial scandals. The accident at the nuclear power station at Chernobyl
proved tragic for the people in the surrounding territory.
disapproving DISAPPROVE 4 tragically [adv I Seven children were tragically killed in the
\ disapproving: give sb 8 disapproving look/glance accident.
DISAPPROVE 3
disastrous DISASTER 2
~ disarray: be in disarray DISORGANIZED 1
disaster ACCIDENT 1, 2, DISASTER 1 disbelief BELIEVE 6
disaster: be a disaster FAIL 6 disbelieve BELIEVE 6
disc/disk CIRCLE 3
discard THROW AWAY 1
_ DISASTER discerning TASTE IN CLOTH ES, MUSIC ETC 3
discernment TASTE IN CLOTHES, MUSIC ETC 2
a terrible event that happens suddenly. discharge LEAVE A JOB OR ORGANIZATION 6
causing destruction and suffering and often disciplinarian STRICT 1
disciplinary PUNISH 4
causing the deaths of a lot of people discipline PUNISH 1. SUBJECT 6
1 words meaning a disaster discipline yourself CONTROL 7
2 words for describing actions, events etc that disciplined CONTROL 19, OBEY 4
disclose TELL A SECRET 1
cause a disaster
disco DANCE 5
dlscolour/dlscolor COLO UR/CaLOR 8
dlscoloured/dlscolored MARK 2
1 words meaning a disaster discomfort COMFORTABLE 7
disaster tragedy discomforts COMFORTABLE 8
catastrophe calamity disconnect SWITCH ON OR OFF 2
disconnected OFF/SWITCHED OFF 1
disaster Idl 'za:st:>' 11 dl '''''-I In C/ UI discontented SATISFIED 7
Many people clearly remember the Aberfan disaster, in discontinue STOP STH THAT IS HAPPENING 4
which 116 schoolchildren were killed. I Natural disasters discord DISAGREE 6
such as the drought two years ago have left the region discount CHEAP 8
devastated. I War, famine and disaster are everyday events discourage DISAPPOINTED 4, PERSUADE 12, PREVENT 1
on our TVscreens.1 a disaster area (=a place where a dis- discouraged DISAPPOINTED 1
aster has happened) San Francisco was officially declared discouraging D!SA PPOINTED 3
a disaster area after the earthQuake in 1989. discourteous RUDE/IMPOLITE 1
catastrophe I k~ 'trestnfil an extremely terrible event discover FIND 6, FIND OUT 1, 2
that causes widespread destruction, suffering, and death discover: find/discover FIND 7
InC/ UI discovered: newly discovered NEW 5
Tm Second World War was a rotastrapm!or tm USSR, cost- discovery FIND 8, FIND OUT 10
ing nearly 20 million lives. 1 Complacency has led to some discovery: make a discovery FIND 6, FIND OUT 1
appalling ecological catastrophe. 1 Notfor the first time in discredit SPOIL 5
history, predictions of world catastrophe are in the air.
discredit
dlscredltlbrlng d iscredit on REPUTATION 3
discreet CAREFUL 5, POLITE 2
discrepancy DIFFERENT 8
discrepancy: there Is a discrepancy between
DIFFERENT 8
discretion SECRET 9
discriminate DIFFERE NT 10, UNFAIR 4
discriminating TASTE IN CLOTHES, MUSIC ETC 3
dlacrimlnation UNFAIR 7
discriminatory UNFAIR 4
discus. DISCUSS 1, TALK TO S8 3
discuss: be much/widely discussed DISCUSS 3
Idiscuss or argue? 1---,
talk about a problem, • DISCUSS
about work ete
argue w~h someone • ARGUE
because you disagree
wnh them
. DISCUSS
1 to consider somelhing by talking aboul il from
several points of view
2 to discuss something in order to reach an
agreement, especially in business or politics
3 ways of saying that something is being
discussed
4 words for describing something than can be
discussed and changed before a decision is
made
5 a meeting or situation in which something is
discussed
1 to consider something by talking about it from
several points of view
discuss kick 5th around
talk about debate
talk over put your heads
have a talk about together
discus. Id ! IskASJ to talk about something in order to
exchange ideas or decide something I v T I
I'd like to discuss the new contract with you later this week. I
Union leaders are meeting management today to discuss new
pension arrangements. I Therommitteehas been discussing
the pros and mns of the new plans. I YeUsin has proposed
a summit to d i.scussfurther arms reductions.
talk about " t:>:k ~bautf to talk to someone in order to
exchange ideas or decide something, especially in an infor-
mal situation with someone you know well Lv TJ
talk about sth I know you're in some trOUble. Let's have a
cup 0/ coffee and talk about it. I She was glad to be able 00
talk about her problem and hear someone else's opinions and
comments. I talk to sb about He mad£a mental rwte to talk
to Francesca about a birthday present for her cousin.
talk ovar "t;):k ';:x;v ~rl to discuss something, especially
a problem, calmly and thoroughly, with someone such as
a friend or someone you work with, in order to try to decide
something [phr v TI
talk over sth I'm lucky. I can usually talk over my problems
with my boss. I talk it over After talking it over, she began
ID see adoption as an alternative to luJVing her own children.I
Let~ havesome lunch and talk it over. Wedon't need oodecirle
anything in a hurry. I ta lk sth over We need to meet and
talk the whale thing over.
356 DISCUSS
have a talk about I hee" ~ 'o:k ~bautl an informal
expression meaning to discuss something, especially with
just one other person or in a small group Iv phrase I
lfyou 're upset go and have a good talk about it with a. coun-
sellor. I I'm sure she wa.nts to apologizefor what she did. We
had a long talk about it afterwards.
kick sth around f,kl k (sth) ~ 'raund' an informal expres-
sion meaning to discuss an idea with a group of people in
order to decide whether it is good or not Iphr u T I
That idea had been kicked around by the magazine's last
owners. I Sam 'sgot oneor two proposals - perhaps we could
kick them around for a while.
debate Id! 'beltl to discuss different choices of what to do
before choosing the best one [u T l
debate wh ere/what/whether etc We debated wh£th£r to
fly or go by train. finally deciding on the train. I They had
already debated where to go on vacation, Yosemite or Lake
Tahoe. I debate 5th We were debating the best way to reach
the river, when a passing ranger kindly pointed it out.
put your heads togethe, "putj:>:r 'hedz t3 , ge6~ f l an
informal expression meaning to meet with someone else
and to talk about something, especially a difficult problem,
in order to decide what to do rv phrase]
I don't understand what's wrong, but let's put our heads
together later and see if we can figure it out. I put your
heads together over Now that you are here, we will be able
to put our heads together over some of the details.
2 to discuss something in order to reach an
agreement, especially in business or politics
negotiate bargain ing
thrash out debate
hammer out have jt out
negotlete /01 ' g>ufiel~ Iv IITI
negotiate an agreement/ contract/price etc Foreign
Ministers are meeting at talks in Geneva to negotiate a treaty
banning all chemica l weapons. I Union leaders have
. negotiated an agreement on a shorter working week. I
negotiate with Nelson Mandela refuses to negotiate with
the South African government until all political prisoners
have been released. I n egotiate She's good at negotiating,
she knows /WW to compromise.
negotiation 1 00,g~Ji 'e lfiln/ln DJ It took two yearsofnegoti·
ation to end the war.IProblems at work are more likely to
be solved by tactful negotiation than by confrontatton.
thrash out J,8rref 'autl to discuss a difficult problem
thoroughly with another person or group until agreement
is reached or an answer to the problem is found (phr v TJ
thrash ou t sth We've spent all day trying ro thrash out a
solution to our problems. I Differences over EC policy were
w/t 00 be thrashed out at a later date.
hammer out I1 heelOOr lautJ hammer out an agreemen t!
policy/strategyetc (=thoroughly discuss and come to an
agreement) iphr v TJ
Canado and the US have hammered out afinal/onn/or their
trade agreemenL I The advertising strategy was hammered
out by the company 's rop executives.
bargaining Ilba:fg!n1ol discussion in politics or busi·
ness during which each group tries to gain for themselves
as many advantages as possible but has to give something
or do something in return In DI
Ajler much borgaining, we agreed 00 share the pro]1.ts 5().5Q.1
Effective bargaining by their union has gained clothing
workers a 9% pay rise.
debata /d J'belt, to discuss a political or social problem,
publicly and officially Iv I/ TJ
d ebate sth The new law was debated in Parliament on 14
February. I The Senate was rleboting a veoo 0/economic sanc-
tions against South /ifrica. I debate The government clearly
refuses to give us an opportunity to debate any longer.
d ebate [n D I This matter has been the subject of intense
public debate (=has been very strongly debated by the
public) in recent weeks.
DISCUSS
have H out, .hrev It lautj to have a very thorough discus-
sion with someone about something you feel strongly
about, in order to make your opinion clear and prevent
arguments in the future [v phrase]
Look. why don 't we have it out once and/arall? I can't stand
this constant arguing. I have it out with She'sgoing to have
it out with him when he gets home tofind out what the matter
is.
3 ways of saying that something is being
discussed
be under discussion
be much/widely discussed
be the subject of debate/discussion
be on the agenda
be under discussion /bi: IAndd r dl'skAJanJ ifsomething
such as a situation, plan, or proposal is under discussion,
people are discussing it with the intention of deciding what
to do about it [v phrasel
A proposal to reduce the size o/the army has been uru:lerdis-
cussian/or some time now. I A title/or the new book is still
under discussion. I The plans are still under discussion.
be much/widely discussed /bi: ,mAtJ. ,waldli dJ1skAStj
if something is much discussed or widely discussed, a
lot of people discuss it and argue about it Iv phraseJ
The issues have been widely discussed but so far no one has
drawn any conclusions. I Healthy eating is much discussed
these days, and several books have been publLf;hed to nwet
growing popular interest.
be the subJect of debate/discussion Ibi: 0,
ISAbd31kt ~v dl1belt, dllskAJan/ ifa problem or subject is the
subject of debate or discussion, it is discussed a lot
because a lot of people have strong opinions about it
(v phrase)
Environmental issues have been very much the subject 0/dis·
cussion recently. I The implications of the change in East·
West relations are the subject 0/ extensive debate in univer·
sities across Europe.
be on the agenda /bi: on ~i ~'dJend~/ ifsomething con·
cerning the public or society is on the agenda, most people
have heard of it and are talking about it Iv phraseJ
The recent riots have put the problem o/unemployment back
on the agenda. I They will no doubt ensure that the TV issue
is on the agenda again.
4 words for describing something than can be
discussed and changed before a decision is
made
negotiable
be open to discussion/negotiation
357 disgusting
decided to go ahead with the proposal to ban cigarette
advertising.
debate Idl'ben/ a formal discussion in a public place
such as a parliament, in which two or more groups take
it in turns to state their opinions on a subject and then vote
for or against it fn Cl
The Prime Minister spoke last in the debate on abortion. I
We often have debates at school. I open a debate (=be the
first speaker in a debate) Opening the debate will be Donald
Dunn, the famous conservationist.
negotiations /m ,gaufi 'elfanz/ a meeting oftbe represen·
tatives of two opposing groups in an official or business
context during which they discuss things and try to reach
an agreement In plurall
Pay rates areflXed by negotiations between trade unions and
employers. I After negotiations lasting almost a whole day,
we managed to reach a satisfactory agreement. I The present
peace negotiations are going very well.
talks It:'l:ksl formally organized discussions between
governments or business organizations, which may last
several days or more, in order to reach an agreement on
something Ln plural)
She is a member 0/ the Russian negotiating team at the
Geneva arms ralks. I Th£ ralks took place at Camp David and
continued over three ooys. I Representatives of the business
community emerged happy from their talks with the Indus·
try Secretary.
forum 11b:r~ml an organization, meeting, television
programme etc that allows people to publicly discuss
things of general interest [n Cl
The association began as a/orum/or sharing ickas about
management problems. I provide a forum TIw main pur-
pose o/the conference was to provide a/orum/or community
workers to discuss government health policy.
discussion DISCUSS 5
discussion: be open to discussion/negotiation
DISCUSS 4
discussion: be the subject of debate/discussion
DISCU SS 3
discussion: be under discussion DISCUSS 3
1disease 1-.-, --."..------,
which -meaning? -
a disease _ ILLNESS/
DISEASE
belli • ILL

negotiable Im 'g~Jiabal , ·f~·/ an offer, price, agreement

etc that is negotiable can be discussed and changed before
being agreed on [adj not be/ore noun )
We are looking/or an experiencedjounalist tojoin the news
have a disease
get a disease
• HAVE
• GET -
team. The salary is negotiable. I The offer is negotiable, so
/eelfree to suggest changes. I The contract is/or a period 0/ disease ILLNESSlDISEASE 1
six months, and is not negotiable. dlsemba'" GET ON OR OFF A BUS. PLAN E ETC 2
disenchanted DISAPPOINTED 1
be open to discussion/negotiation fbi: ,>upon t, disenfranchise VOTE/ELECT 7
dl'skAJan, m ,gauJi lelfanl if something is open to discus·
disfigure INJURE 3
sion or negotiation, it has not yet been officially decided
disgrace ASHAMED 3, 4
and you are allowed to discuss it and suggest changes [v
phrase) disgrace: be a disgrace BAD BEHAVIOUR OR ACTIONS 2
Which company gets the franchise is open to negotiation. disgraceful BAD BE HAVIOUR OR ACTIONS 2
disgruntled SATISFIED 7
disguise HIDE/MAKE IT HARD TO FI ND OR SEE 3.
5 a meeting or situation in which something is HIDE/NOT SHOW 1
discussed disguised HIDE/NOT SHOW 4
discussion talks disgust DISGUSTING 2. 3
debate forum disgusted DISGUSTING 4
disgusted: be disgusted ANGRY 3
negotiations
disgusting BAD BEHAVIOUR OR ACTIONS 2,
discussion Id. 's!<A!,nl In C/ UI DISG USTING 1
Discussions were long and hard. but an agreement was
finally reached. I The committee, after much discussion, has
DISGUSTING
• DISGUSTING
1 so unpleasant that it almost makes yo u feel
sick
2 the feeling you have when you think that
something is disgusting
3 to fill you with a feeling of disgust
4 full of disgust
1 so unpleasant that it almost makes you feel
sick
disgusting repulsive
revolting nauseating
gross sickening
foul
disgusting fdlSlgAstlIJ . dlz-/ a taste, smell, person,
activity etc that is disgusting is so unpleasant that it
almost makes you feel sick [adj ]
This hamburger tastes disgusting, 1 can't eat it. I Did you
see that programme about heart surgery on TV last night?
- It was disgusting. I Ifyou are brought up to think that sex
is disgu.."iting it is hardly surprising if you have problems
forming relationships.
revolting /r I1v;)UitllJl ifsomething is revolting, it tastes,
smells, or looks so unpleasant that it almost makes YOll feel
sick [adjJ
I can't stand pickled onions - they 're revolting! I Clearing
the blocked drain was a revolting job. I Ducks are one ofthe
few animals that will eat that reoolting creature, the slug.
gross Igrwsl an informal American word meaning dis-
gusting ladj]
He threw up on the floor at the party. It was really gross. I
As for his wife's family, Kramer had always found them
gross and stupid beyond belief
foul lfaull a taste or smell that is foul is disgusting [adj]
The mud bath smelkdfoul. They said it was b€causeofthe
sulphur in it. I Garsareto blamefor thefoul smog that oovers
the city. I I gulped down the water to take the foul taste out
ofmyrrwuth. 1foul-smelling The bags ofgarbage had been
piled up in a foul-smelling heap at the bottom of the stairs.
repulsive Irr lpAlsrv/ so disgusting that you do not want
to look at it or touch it ladj ]
We saw photographs of repulsive skin diseases. I Many
young girls suffering from anorexia find their appearance
repulsive.
nauseating l'n:>:zieltIl). -si- 11 -zi-, -3i-1 a smell that is
nauseating makes you feel physically sick [adjJ
There was a nauseating smell in the public lavatory. I In
summer, the stench from the sewage plant is nauseating.
sickening Ils1kanrI) . 's rknrI)/ something that is sicken-
ing, especially a smell, a noise, or something that you see,
is so disgusting, frightening, or unpleasant that it makes
you feel physically sick [adj l
There was the sickening sOWld ofhis hand hitting the child. 1
In the sickening stench of the factory, the girls worked twelve
hours a day, filleting fISh.
2 the feeling you have when you think that
something is disgusting
disgust
revulsion
disgust JdlSlgASt, dlZ-1 [n DJ
He couldn't hide his disgust when presented with the dish of
sheeps' eyes. I disgust at As a teenager she wasfilled with
disgust at the thought ofher parents having sex. I in disgust
(=feeling disgust) She held the glass away from her in dis-
gust. "What's this awful stuff you've given me to drink?"
revulsion In IvAlfanJ a strong, sudden feeling of disgust
In VI
358 DISHONEST
When it was her turn to go past the ooffin, she was seized by
a strongfeeling ofrevulsion and stepped back. I News ofthe
atrocities produced a wave of anger and revulsion.
3 to fill you with a feeling of disgust
disgust turn your stomach
revolt sicken
disgust /dlSlgASt, dlZ-1 Iv T rwt usually inprogressiveJ
His habit of always sucking on his moustache really dis·
gusted her. I The heat, the rwise, the smell of the other pas·
sengers; everything about the subway disgusted him. I You
don't just bore me. You disgust me!
revolt In IV;KJltj ifsomethingrevolts someone, they think
it is extremely disgusting Iv T not usually inprogressiveJ
I have always been revolted by the very idea of deliberately
causing pain. I He kissed her full on the lips in a way that
revolted her.
tum your stomach / 1t3: r nj:>: r IstAmak/ to make you feel
ill because it is disgusting or frightening Lv phrase )
It was thefirst crash the doctor had been to. The sight ofthe
dead body turned his stomach. I The strike has meant piles
of rotting garbage. "It 's enough to tllrnyour stomach", said
one resident.
sicken I ISlkanl if something such as violence or someone
else's suffering sickens you, it makes you feel ill and you
wish you could stop it [v TJ
When he returned, the reporter told how he was sickened by
the horrors of the Ethiopian Civil War. I The sight of the
blood sickened her and she ran out of the room.
4 full of disgust
disgusted
sickened
nauseated
disgusted Jd rs I gAst~d . dlZ-( [adj rwt before nounl
Ann was disgusted when she saw the dirty hotel room.
sickened I'srkandl if you are sickened when you see or
hear about violence or suffering etc. you think that it is ter-
rible and wish you could stop it [adj not before nounJ
1 was sickened when I heard about the terrible oonditions in
the children's home.
nauseated I I n:>!Zielt !d , -si- 11 -zi-, -3i-f if you are
nauseated by something, it makes you feel physically sick
radj rwt before noun I
The sight of the woman's burnt face made them feel
nauseated.
dish FOOD 4. MEAL 9
dish out/dole out GIVE 4
disheartening DISAPPO!NTED 3
dishes: wash the dishes/do the dishes WASH 7
dlshevelled/dlsheveled UNTIDY 2
dishonest DISHONEST 1. 3
• DISHONEST
1 words for describing someone who cannot be
tr usted to tell the truth or to behave in a fair or
honest way
2 words for describing someone who is
dishonest in the way they do the ir job
3 words for describing something that is done
in a dishonest way
4 words for describing a person or situation that
g ives the appearance 01 being dishonest
5 d ishonest behaviour, especially done lor
personal advantage
DISHONEST
1 words lor describing someone who cannot be
trusted to tell the truth or to behave in a fair or
honest way
dishonest sneaky
devious unscrupulous
have no scruples
sly
untrustworthy
dishonest Id"'onls! 1 1-'mol ladj]
Mr Evansjust made a mistake about the money, he isn 'I dis-
honest. ! Politicians are widely regarded as dishomst and
self-seeking. 1Afew dislwnest deawrs give tIw used car trade
a bad name. I it is dishonest of sb to do 5th It was very
dishonest o[ him to lie about his qualifications.
devious l'di:vi'3sl someone who is devious cannot be
trusted because they use dishonest methods to get what
they want. especially by maki ng careful and complicated
plans which they keep secret ladj]
You have to be pretty devious to be successful in that sort oJ
business. 1 I always tlwughi there was SDm£thing slightly
devious about him.
si, Islall someone who is sly deliberately and cleverly
hides their real intentions and feelings in order to get what
they want without other people realizing what they are
doing ladj l . one that is carefully and secretly made so that someone can
Kids ofthat age can be very sly - you neverqwte know what
IItey'reupto. 1With a sly laugh he told everyone Ilwthe knew
who had really stolen the money.
slyly [adv] They had slyly arranged to have a party while
we were away for the weekend.
untrustworthy IAn l trAstw3:r~il someone who is
untrustworthy cannot be trusted, for example because
you know that they have been dishonest in the past. or
because ihey look dishonest ladj]
Never lend her anything, she's totally untrustworthy. I One
ofhis eyes was always halfclosed, which gave him a slightly
untrustworthy appearance.
sne.ky / ' sni:kil someone who is sneaky tricks or
deceives people by being dishonest and secretive, but
usually not in a very bad or serious way ladjl
We weren 't allowed out at night when we were kids so we had
to be real sneaky and climb out the window. I1 know that
what I did was a little sneaky, but it was the only way I could
get to see her.
unscrupulous /Anlskru :pj ~l~s, willing to do anything in
order to get what you want, without caring if it is dishonest
or if it hanns other people {adj l
As an employer he was completely unscrupulous. employing
children to work at night. I Certain unscrupulous companies
in th2 wine trade encourage th2 growers to add sugar to their
grape juice.
have no scrupl.s "hrev n~u 'skru:palz/ someone who
has no scruples is willing to do anything in order to get
what they want, without caring if it is dishonest or if it
hanns other people (v phrase not in progressivel
She has no scruples at all - the only things she's interested
in are power and money. I have no scruples about Once
he's decided that he wants something he has absolutely rw
scruples about how he gets it.
2 words for describing someone who is
dishonest in the way they do their job
corrupt
crooked
bent
corrupt /b1rApt/ someone who is corrupt uses the power
that goes with their job for illegal or dishonest purposes,
especially by accepting money or gifts from people who
want their help ladj l
It was revealed that corrupt officials in the city housing
department had made millions ofdollars in bribes. Iln later
years the regime became even morerorrupt. inrompetent, and
reliant on th2 secret police.
359 DISHONEST
crooked ,'kruk!d/ someone who is crooked is involved
in illegal or dishonest business activities radjI
I always thought he was crooked - he would never explain
just how he had made so much money. I crooked car-dealers
with thin moustaches and gold-filled teeth
bent IbentJ an informal British word for describing some-
one, especially someone in an official position, who uses
their power illegally or dishonestly radjl
Our health and safety rul£s are good, buI Iwlflhe inspectors
are bent. I Afew bent coppers can give the whole policeforce
a bad name.
3 words for describing something that is done
in a dishonest way
dishonest unscrupulous
devious fraudulent
underhand
dishonest ,dls'onA st 11 - 10:-/ radjl
I kri£w that Guy wouldn't be involved in anything dishonest.I
There was some suspicion that he had got the money by dis-
Iwnest m£Qns. 1 I can 'I tell them tlwt - it would be dislwnest.
dishonestly fadvl The committee accepted that neitlu?r of
the two ministers hnd acted dishonestly.
devious I 'di:vi ~sl a plan, method etc that is devious is
get what they want without other people realizing what
iheyare doing ladj ]
Some of the kids were in the corner. planning something. No
doubt it was something devious. ! It was all part of a devi-
ous plot to discredit the President.
deviou sly [adv I The journalist had phrased the question
deviously. making it extremely difflCultfor her to answer.
underhand I I A nd~ r 'hre n d .. / an action or method that is
underhand is dishonest and secretive, so that people do
not realize the true intentions behind it [adj]
He was a well-respectedfigure in the town. who would never
have been involved in anything underhand. J In a series of
very smart, very underhand moves, she had gradually taken
complete control of the company.
unscrupulous /Anlskru:pj~l~sl an action or method that
is unscrupulous is designed to help you get money, power
etc, even if this involves being very dishonest and harm·
ing other people ladj]
How could you possibly have cheated the old man out of his
life savings? It was totally unscrupulous. Junscrupulous bus-
iness methods
fraudulent /' fr:>:dj ~I'nt 11 -d3>-/ actions or methods that
are fraud ulent are deliberatelY dishonest and usually
illegal, and are done in order to gain money (adj)
The government is investigating ways to preventfraudulent
banking practices. !Persons making fraudulent insurance
claims will be liable to prosecution.
fra udulently fadv l There are severe penalties for fraudu-
lently filling out inrome tax forms.
4 words for describing a person or situation that
gives the appearance of being dishonest
SUSpicious dubious
shifty be up to no good
dodgy disreputable
suspicious IS~ I SpIJ~sl something that is suspicious,
such as a person's behaviour or something that happens,
makes you feel that something dishonest is being done 0 1'
planned ladj]
It all seems very suspicious to me. How can anyone have that
much money without working? I A rather suspicious-looking
package had been wft outside her door. I Both the children
had died in suspicious circumstances.
suspiciously [adv] Th2re 's a man over there acting very sus·
piciously. Do you think we ought to call the police?
shifty ,'Jlfti/ someone who is shifty looks or behaves as
if they are doing or planning something dishonest (adj l
DISHONEST 360 DISOBEY
What are you looking so shifty about - is there something dirty trlcks / ,d3: T li Itflksl dishonest activities that are
you haven't told me? I Tlw carpet seller gave them a shifty designed to gain political advantage, for example by
look and Wd tiu!m right to the back of the shop_ spreading false infonnation about your opponents {n
dodgy "dod3i 11 'do:-' an infonnal British word for plural!
describing a person, plan, or business deal that seems very Bush denied that members of his election stq/J had been
dishonest rad) J involved in dirty tricks. 1 dirty tricks campaign They had
Don't buy a car from him, he's a real dodgy character. I The carried out a dirty tricks campaign to discredit opposition
whole thing looks distinctly dodgy to me. leaders.
dubious f1dju:bi;)S 11 'du!·, something that is dubious, dishonesty DISHONEST 5
such as a person's behaviour or a business arrangement, disillusioned DISAPPOINTED 1
does not appear to be completely right or correct. so that disincentive PERSUADE 13
you think it is probably dishonest in some way [ad)] disinfect CLEAN 9
He had been involved in some dubious activities during the disintegrate BREAK 9
war. I highly dubious Apparently the ship was carrying disinterested FAI R 4
a highly dubious cargo when it was raided by police. I The
disk/disc CIRCLE 3
whole deal seems a little dubious to me.
be up to no good Ibi: lAp t;} n;KJ Igud[ an informal
expression: if you think someone is up to no good you
think they are doing or planning something dishonest,
even though you do not know exactly what it is Lv phraseJ
Idislikel
Anyone waiting around on street corners at night must be
up to no good.
which meaning?
disreputable Idls'repj';lt~bal l a person or organization dislike • DON'T UKE
that is disreputable is not respected or approved of,
because people believe it is involved in dishonest or ille- hate • HATE
gal activities [adj]
a disreputable doctor. with a history of supplying illegal
drugs 1Some ofthe more disreputable employment agencies dislike DON'T LI KE 1, 5
take a commission of 50 % of your wages. dislike: take an Instant dislike to DON·T LIKE 1
dislocate INJURE 2
5 dishonest behaviour, especially done for disloyal UNFAITHFUL 1
personal advantage dlstoyalty UNFAITHFUL 3
dismal SAD/UNHAPPY 10
dishonesty sharp practice
dismantle SEPARATE 5
corruption wheeling and dealing dismayed WORRIED 1
bribery dirty tricks dismiss LEAVE A JOB OR ORGANIZATION 2.
graft REJECT/NOT ACCEPT 5
dishonesty IdIs 1 on1sti 11 - 10:-1 In U I dismount GET ON OR OFF A BUS, PLANE ETC 2
No one suspects you of dishonesty. we just think you have disobedience: civil disobedience PROTEST 4
been a little careless. 1 The report accuses both politicians of disobedient DISOBEY 3
dishonesty and of misrepresenting the facts. disobey DISOBEY 1, 2
corruption Ib1rll.pfanl dishonest or illegal behaviour by
someone in an official position, who uses their power for
personal advantage In V]
The government had promised to end corruption in public
• DISOBEY
service. 1Bribery and corruption are rife in the big cities, and 1 to not do what you are told to do by someone
every government offICial expects his cut. in authority
bribery I l bralb~ri/ the practice of offering money or gifts 2 to disobey a rule or law
to someone in a position of authority, such as a police 3 always disobeying people in authority
officer or government official, in order to persuade them
to help you In UI
Executives of the company had been involved in the bribery
of government ofFlCiais. 1 Bribery and corruption were 1 to not do what you are told to do by someone
widespread during the Marcos administration. in authority
graft Igra:ft 11 greeft! an American word meaning the dis- disobey go against sb's wishes
honest exchange of money, gifts, or favours for personal defy rebel
advantage, especially between local businessmen and city disobey 'ldIS;}lbel, IdI S;}U-/ lv I/T I
officials (n VJ disobey sb David disobeyed his parents and threw a party
Tiu! MaFw had a hand in all tiu! big graft in tiu! neighbor- while they were away. 1disobey It was unfair ofthe teacher
hood. I At that time thE whole city ran on a mixture oJ graft to make us stay after school but I didn't dare disobey.
and police brutality. disobedience / .dl s;} 'bi:di;}ns, .dls~1 [n Ul The kids were
sharp practice ' IJa:Tp ' prrekt~s/ business activities or caught trying to go out to a disro and were punishedfor their
ways of making money that are clever and dishonest, disobedience.
though not actually illegal InUl defy [dJ1fa II to deliberately and openly disobey someone
We couldn't discover anything illegal, but there was in authority and not care about what will happen because
definitely some sharp practice going on. 1 His grandfather of this Iv TI
had made afortune out ofa piece ofcommercial sharp prac- Billy d£FU!d his teacher and smoked openly_ I She said siu!
tice in the 19th century. would defy the party leader and vote against him.
wh_llng and dealing l.wi:111] ~n 'di:JII]I activities that defiance [n VJ There wasn 't much Charles could do about
involve a lot of complicated and usually dishonest deals, his daughter's defiance.
especially between business competitors or political oppo- go against sb's wishes /,g<JU ~genst (sb's) Iwlgzl to
nents, that are des igned to bring advantage to each side In not do what someone has asked you to do, or what you
phraS£1 know they want you to do IV phrase]
There's a lot of wheeling and dealing in the used car busi· They went against their parents' wishes and got marriOO in
ness. 1 Most of the increase in profits camefrom what might secret. I Sacha went against her family's wishes by leaving
loosely be termed wheeling and dealing. school to get married at 16.
DISOBEY
rebel /n' beV to deliberately behave in a completely differ-
ent way from the way you are expected to behave by soci-
ety or by your family Iv 11
rebel against Teenagers will rebel against any adult w/w
tries to control them. I Mason was put in jail several times
for rebelling against army discipline. I rebel She was
expected u> go u> university, but rebelled and left school at
fifteen.
rebellion [n Ui My own form o/teenage rebellion was to
grow my hair long and play loud. music.
2 10 disobey a rule or law
disobey disregard
break contravene
violate flout
dl80bey l .dlS;! lbel , I d l ~-I disobey a rule/order etc tu
TI
He plearkd guilty U> two charges ofdisobeying orrkrs. I Pro-
testors disobeyed the rules and blocked the city's main roads.
break /bre lk/ break a rule/the law (=disobey it) Iv TI
Pupils who break the ru les and smoke in school will be
expelled. I That driver's breaking the law. I They broke the
agreement by moving their troops across the border.
vlolate / 'valalelt/ to disobey or act against a law or an
important agreement (v TJ
Don continually violated the company's safety rules. 1 This
action violated th£ constitution and th£ Civil Rights Act. 1
Police have arrested twenty people accused ofviolating a ban
on ckmonstrations.
violation I ,V81;} 'lclj;m/ [nC/ Ul/cameacrossseveralexam-
ples of violations oftrajJ"rc laws. 1 The movement of troops
was in violation ofthe peace treaty (=went against what had
been agreed).
disregard /,dlsn 'go:fd/ to disobey a rule, instruction etc,
by ignoring It Iv TI
Marlowsometimes disregards the law, but his aim isalways
justice. 1 By disregarding speed limits and passing red lights
we somehow got to the airport in time.
disregard rn VI You have shown a total disregard for my
instructions. (=totally disregarded them)
contravene / , kontr<l ' vi:n 11 ,ka:n~/ a formal word mean-
ing to break a particular written law or rule lV Tl
The sale of this milk may contravene public health regula-
tions. IIfa licena holder contravenes any ofthese conditions,
their licence will be withdrawn.
contraven tion /, kontrd ' vcnJ,:m n ,ko:n-J In C/Ul Driving
faster than the speed limit allows is a contravention of th£
Road TrojJic Act (=contravenes it).
flout Iftauti flou t a law/ rules ete (=deliberately and
openly break law or rules etc especially because you think
they are unnecessary or stupid) lv T l
Many barownersflout the laws on under..agedrinking. lOur
restaurant isperfectly so,[e and it is quite untrue to say we're
flouting fire regulations. 1 Th e decisions of elected govern-
ments should not be flouted.
3 always disobeying people in authority
disobed ient rebellious
defiant rebel
di sobedient / ,dl s<l ' bi:di;}nt .. , ,dISox)-/ someone, espe·
cially a child, who is disobedient does not do what they
are told to do by their parents, teachers, employers etc ladjl
Stop being disobedient, and do as you're told. 1 Lee stood
before her like a disobedient schoolboy. I She soid that ifwe
were disobedient she would send us home.
d isobedience In VI Any act of disobedience was severely
punished.
defiant Idl'far;mt/ not obeying people in authority and
showing that you have no respect for them ladjl
Her reply was clear and defiant. I Defiant party members
openly challenged the ieorkrship. I defiant of sb/ sth
Demonstrators becam e increasingly defiant of police
rontrols.
361 DISORGANIZED
defiantly (adv) The prisoners defiantly sang a revolution·
ary song as they were led away.
defiance In UI She looked upruhim withdeflllnce. I Heacted
in defiance of the laws.
rebelllous /n 'belj;}S/ someone, especially a young person,
who is reb elliou s deliberately disobeys people in
authority such as their parents or teachers ladjl
She was headstrong and rebellious. I He has changed a lot
since his rebellious adolescence.
r ebel / 'rebal/ someone, especially a young person, who
behaves in a completely different way from the way people
are expected to behave by society and by people in
authority In Cl
He was a rebel even when he was still at school. Iln his black
leather jacket and chains he looked every inch the young
rebel.
disorder DISORGANIZED 3. ILLNESS/DISEASE 1
disorganized DISORGANIZED 1, 2
• DISORGANIZED
1 words for describing events, organizations,
systems ete that are not well organized
2 words for describing someone who is bad at
organizing things properly
3 a disorganized situation
1 words for describing events, organizations,
systems etc that are not well organized
disorganized be a shambles
chaotic be In disarray
be a mess
disorganized (also ·I.ed British) /dlS ' ",'gona ,zd/ lad} 1
I'm not going to any more of these conferences - they're
always so disorganized. 1 This is the mostdisorganizedfiling
system I've ever come across - it's impossible to find any-
thing. I ln its disorganized state the regiment soon suffered
a drop in morale.
chaotic Ike l ' otlk 11 - 'o:tlk/ full of disorganized activity
so that there does not seem to be any plan or pattern at all
lad}1
Compared ro my previous offzce this one was larger, rwisier,
more crowded and chaotic. I The food distribution seemed
chaotic but at least everyone got something to eat. I the
chaotic early days of the Morown record label
be a mess /bi: ;} lrues/ if an organization, situation, or
group of things is a mess it is extremely disorganized and
untidy [v phraseJ
By general agreement the welfare program is a mess, riddled
with ineffiCiency and corruption. 1 When I first got to th£
camp at Abassia the wlwle place was a mess. 1 DrJenkins '
filing system was a mess. Several patients' files had been
'lost '.
be a .hamble. /bi: Cl 'Jrembalz/ if someth ing such as an
event or situation is a sh ambles, it is very disorganized
[v phrase ]
By 1985, the Soviet economy was a shambles. 1Qwe can 't even
agree on a name, the wlwle thing is going to be a shambles. 1
be a complete/utter shambles The event was an utter
shambles from start to finish.
be In disarray /bi: In ,dI S;} ' rel / ifa group of people, espe-
cially a political party, is in disarray, it is disorganized ,
especially because people in it are disagreeing with each
other or because it has been defeated by another party [v
phrasel
The democrats are in disarray after very poor results in the
election. 1 throw st h into disarray (=make it become dis·
organized) Victory seemed unlikely even before th£ Presi-
dent's resignation threw the party into disarray.
DISORGANIZED
2 words for describing someone who is bad at
organizing things properly
disorganized
untogether
disorganized (also -Ised British) /dlS'O:'g,na,zd/ ladjl
You're so disorganized Ewen! What have you done with the
letters I gave you? I They 're the most disorganized bunch o[
incompetents I've ever met.
untogether I,Anld l geo;)rl an informal word meaning dis-
organized, used especially in spoken English ladj rwt
usually before noun]
He's so untogether he'll never manage to get there on time!
3 a disorganized situation
chaos
disorder
confusion
chaos Ilkef-Ds 11 -o:sJ a situation that is full of disor-
ganized activity and is completely out of control [n UJ
The French Revolution was a period ofchaos, but produced
some great literature. I The arrival a/triplets brought chaos
to our well-ordered hollsehold. J in chaos (:::in a state of
chaos) When the police managed to get into the apartment
they found it in chaos.
disorder Idls,.:>!rd:Jrl a situation in which things or people
are not in the correct position, place, or order, so that they
are imposs ible to control or organize in VI
Before, the garden had been untidy; now, it was a scene of
complete disorder. I The Civil War came at the end ofa long
period of social disorder. I in disorder The Koreans
retreated in disorder.
confusion Ik;)ll 'fj U:3anj a very disorganized situation
usually with lots of noise, in which a lot of things are hap-
pening at the same time, so that it is difficult to understand
or control In UJ
A scene of indescribable confusion/ollowed the explosion. I
We threaded our way out of the noise and confusion of the
old bazaar into brilliant sunlight.
disparity Di FFERENT 13
dispassionate FAIR 4
dispatch/despatch MESSAGE 1, SEND 1, 4
dispel GET RID OF 2
dispensable NEED 10
dispense: can dispense with NEED 9
disperse CROWD 5 , LEAVE A PLACE 12
display SHOW A FEELIN G OR AITITU DE 1, SHOW/LET
S8 SEE STH 6, 7, 8
display: be on show/on display SHOW/LET SB SEE
STH 7
display: put sth on show/on display SHOWfLET S8
SEE STH 7
displeased SATISFIED 7
displeasure ANNOY 6
disposable TH ROW AWAY 2
disposal: at your disposal AVAILABLE 1
dispose of GET RID OF 1, THROW AWAY 1
disposition CHARACTERlPERSONAlITY 1
disposition: be of a nervous/jealous/amiable
disposition CHARACTERfPERSONALITY 4
disposition: have a happy/cheerful/sunny disposition
HAPPY 3
disproportionate EQUAL 11
disprove PROVE 4
dispute ARGUE 6
dispute: be beyond dispute CERTAI NLYfDEFINITELY 1
disqualify FORBID 7
disregard DISOBEY 2, IGNORE 2
disrepair: faU into disrepair CONDITION/STATE OF STH 7
disreputable DISHONEST 4
disrepute: bring sb/sth Into disrepute REPUTATION 3
disrepute: fall into disrepute DISAPPROVE 5
disrespectful RUDE/IMPOLITE 2
362 DISTANCE
disrupt DISTURB 2
dissatisfied SATISFI ED 7
dissect CUT 5
disseminate SPREAD 6
dis&ent DISAGREE 5, 6
dissident PROTEST 5
dissimilar DIFFERENT 1
dissipate WASTE STH 1
dissolute BAD BEHAVIOU R OR ACTION S 3
dissolve LIQUID 6, 7
dissolve Into laughter LAUGH 3
dissuade PERSUADE 12
distance DISTANCE 1
distance: from a distance/at a distance FAR 3
distance: in the distance FAR 3
distance: it 's no distance NEAR 4
distance: keep your distance NEAR 11
distance: some distance/a good distance FAR 1
distance: some distance/quite a distance/a good
distance FAR 2
distance: within walking/driving distance NEAR 4
• DISTANCE
1 the d istance between one place or point and
another
2 the distance that something can travel. reach ,
or operate over
3 ways 01 saying what Ihe distance is between
two points or places
4 ways of saying that an area continues for a
particular distance
1 the distance between one place or point and
another
distance
how far
distance /'dos!,",/ In C/ UI
What 's the distaTUX! you have to run in a marathon? I Women
in Third World countries often have to walk long distances
to get water. I distance between The students have to meas-
ure the distance between the two objects. I distance from sth
to sth What's the distancefrom here to the station? I a dis·
tance of 5 metres/2 miles etc The rod should be placed
at a distance of 40 inches from the light SQurce.
how far I,hau 'fa:rf an expression meaning the distance
from one place to another, used especially when asking
what the distance is, or when you are not sure what the dis-
tance is ladu phrase)
How far is it to the garage? I How far does your boyfriend
have to travel to work? I I can 't remember howfar John said
it was to the camp site. I QuestionA:jind out how far thefirst
car would travel on 10 litres of petrol. I God knows how far
it is to the nearest station!
2 the distance that something can travel , reach ,
or operate over
range
range /re,nd31 In C/ UJ
range of The rockets have a range of 2000 to 4000 km, I The
phone has a built·in transmitter with a range of about 50
kilometres. I within range (=at a distance that is less than
the range) As soon as the tanks come within range, open
fire! l out of range (=at a distance greater than the range)
The demonstrators were hurling rocks but the police stayed
out of range.
 DISTANCE
3 ways of saying what the distance is between
two points or places
from apart
away away from
off
from /frnm; strong from 11 fldm; strong frhm , fro:m,I ifsome-
thing is 10 kilometres/ 30 yards/ 30 minutes etc from some-
thing else. that is the distance or the travelling time
between the two things {prep J
I parked the car about 50 yardsfrom the building. I Now they
were only a few miles from the border. I The park is five
minutes/ram our house. I When I speak to my mother on the
phone I have to hold the receiver a few inches/ram my ear
because she talks sa loudly.
away la'wetl jf something is 10 kilometres/ 30 yards/ 30
minutes etc away, it is that distance or travelling time
from a ·place, person, or thing that you have already men-
tioned [adv I
By now, Simone would be hundreds a/miles away. ISle/an
could see Deborah standing about 200 yards away. I I quite
often go to Toronto on the weekend, it's only an hour and a
half away by car.
off lof 11 o:fl if something is 10 kilometres/ 3D yards ete otI,
that is how far it is from you or from the place you are talk-
ing about [advl
The nearest town isfifteen kilometres off. I The robbers must
be a long way off by now. I Even when we were thirty miles
off, you could already see a glow in the sky from the lights
of Calgary.
apart /;) lpruTt/ three miles/several metres/a couple of
inches etc apart (=when two places, objects, or people
have a distance of three miles, several metres etc between
them) ladvl
The seeds shauld be plonted a few inches apart. I Stand on
the skis withYOllr feet well apart. I Car apart (=a long way
apart) Timothy had a broad face, and his eyes seemed far
apart.
away from /;) IWel froml if a person or thing is three
miles, a few inches, a long way etc away from another
person or thing, there is a distance of three miles, a few
inches etc between them {prep I
The station is about two miles away from the city centre. I
He was standing three metres away from the bomb when it
exploded. I You don't have to shout - I'm only standing two
feet away from you!
4 ways of saying that an area continues lor a
particular distance
extend
stretch
extend /lklstend/ to continue for a particular distance,
over a particular area, or in a particular direction {v IJ
extend around/over/through etc The desert extends over
five different countries. I From the comer of the terrace the
path extended down to the sea.
stretch Istretfl to cover a large area ofland [v I1
stretch from 5th to sth The valley stretches from Vassai
in the north to Momere in the south west. I stretch for The
river stretches for over 100 miles.
distant UNFRIENDLY 2
distant future: in the not too distant future SOON 1
distant/far-off FAR 3, 4
distil PURE 3
!;i\ distinct CLEAR/EASY TO SE E 1. DIFFERENT 1. 5
distinct/definite OBVIOUS t
distinction DIFFERENT 12
distinction: draw/make a distinction DIFFERENT 10
distinctive DIFFERENT 3
distinctly remember REMEMBER 4
• distinguish DI FFERENT 10, " , SEE 4
distinguish yourself 00 WELL 1
distinguishing feature/mark DIFFERENT 12
363 DISTURB
distort CHANGE/MAKE STH DIFFERENT 4
distorted SHAPE 4
distract DISTURB 1
, distract sb's attention ATIENTION 9
distraught UPSET 2
distress UPSET 3
distressed UPSET 1
distressing UPSET 5
distribute GIVE 4, SHARE 1. SPREAD 5
district AREA 2
distrust TRUST 5, 6
distrustful/mistrustful TRUST 7
disturb DISTU RB 1. 2
• DISTURB
to make noise, cause problems etc so that
someone cannot continue what they are doing
or so that a meeting, event etc cannot
continue in its usual way
1 to disturb someone who is doing something
2 to disturb a situation or event that is calm,
peaceful, well organized etc
1 to disturb someone who is dOing something
disturb break sb's train of thought!
put sb off chain of thought
bother distract
disturb Id l' stl: 'bl [v T I .
I think we're disturbing Martin. Let's go and talk in your
offlCe. I Sorry W disturb you again Too, but could you just
answer one more question. I Will it disturb you ifl listen to
the radio? I The reason so little was stolen is that the robbers
were disturbed before they had finished.
put sb oH 'Iput (sb) 'ofl a British expression meaning to
stop someone doing something well, especially something
difficult, by preventing them from thinking clearly about
what they are doing (phr v TI
r was adding up a long column of numbers when my cat
jumped onto the table and put me off. I All those people
watching him ploy probably put him off. I Don't be put off
by theflashing lights. I put sb otIsth Stop chatting to her
- you're putting her off her homework.
bother /'b06;)T 11 'bo:-/ to disturb "someone who is doing
something, especially in a way that is annoying [v TI
Will you stop bothering me all the time! I'm trying to get on
with this sewing. I Sorry to bother you, but could you explain
again how to use the Xerox machine?
break sb's train of thought/chain of thought
l,breJk (sb's) Itrem;)v '9J:t , Itfeln-I to disturb someone so
that they forget what they were thinking about (v phraseJ
The phone rang, breaking my train of thought.
distract IdJ Istrrektl to disturb someone who is trying to
work, read, study etc, especially by making them pay atten-
tion to something else [v Tl
distract sb Don't talk in lectures because it distracts other
students. I distract sb from doing 5th The slightest thing
will distract young children{romgetting on with their r.rork.1
distract sb from sth You may be putting your job at risk
if you allow your partner to distract you from your work.
2 to disturb a situation or event that is calm ,
peaceful , well organized etc
disturb upset
disrupt break up
distUrb Idl ' stl: 'bl Iv TI
Every year the quiet of the countryside is disturbed by noisy
campers and tourists. I Nothing must be allowed to disturb
the smooth-running a/the Presidential tour. I An excellent
movie which portrays how murder and political intrigue
disturb the peace of a sleepy provincial town.
DISTURB
dlsnlpt Id IS1rApt/ to disturb a situation, system, event etc,
so that it cannot happen or work in its usual way [v TJ
The aim olthe strike was to disrupt rail services as much as
possible. 1Moving to a new school can disrupt a child's edu-
cation, especially between the ages of eleven and sixteen.
disruption /dls 1rApf<1o/ In VJ The weather has caused ser-
ious disruption to road and rail travel.
upset /Ap1set/ to disturb a plan, situation, relationship etc,
especially so that people feel confused or angry [v T]
Young children don't like anything which upsets their daily
routine. I He could not believe that one moment offoolishness
could upset his once happy marriage so drastically.
upset ,I Apset' [n Ul Her leaving caused tremendous upset in
the office (=upset it a lot) and SM was very difflCult to replace.
break up I.brcl k IApl break up a meeting/demonstra-
tion/ march etc (=deliberately disturb it or prevent it from
continuing, especially in a violent way) [phr v Tl
break up sth Police broke up the demonstration with tear
gas and dogs. I The conference was broken up by animal
rights campaigners who had gained entry by posing as
journalists and cameramen. I break sth/it/them up
Breaking meetings up and harassing party members arejust
some of the tactics our opponents have used.
disturbed MENTALLY ILL 1
disuse: fall into disuse USE STH 9
disused USE STH 9
dither DECIDE 9
dive DOWN 3, 6, JUMP 1
diverge DIFFERENT 1
divergent DI FFERENT 5
diverse DIFFERENT 5, VARIOUS/OF DIFFERENT KINDS
2, 3
diversify VARIOUS/OF DIFFERENT KI NDS 7
diversion TRICK/DECE IVE 8
divert attention ATIENTION 9
divide COUNT/CALCULATE 7, DIFFERENT 13,
DISAGREE 4 , SEPARATE 3 , 4 , 8
divide/divide up SHARE 1
divided: be divided/spill DISAGR EE 3
diviSion DISAGR EE 3, PART 5
divorce DIVORCE 1, 2
divorce: end in divorce DIVORCE 1
divorce: get a divorce DIVORCE 1
divorce: get divorced DIVORC E 1
. DIVORCE
1 to legally end your marriage
2 the legal ending of a marriage
3 someone who is no longer married to their
former husband or wife
4 ways of saying that a husband and wife no
longer live together, usually because they
intend to end their marriage
1 to legally end your marriage
get divorced get a divorce
divorce end in divorce
get divorced Ilget d! 'v:J:fstl [v phrase]
My parents got divorced last year. I Before getting divorced,
you should think carefully about the effect it will have on the
children.
divorce Id! IV;):fSI if someone divorces their husband or
wife, or if two people divorce, they legally end their mar-
riage [v li T]
divorce sb Finally, affRr years of unhappy marriage, Eva
divorced Stanley. I He kept promising Mr that he would
divorce his Wife, but he never actually did it. I divorce
Petra 's parents had divorced when she was about seven years
old.
364 do
get. divorce / ,get ~d! IV:J:fS/ to take the necessary offi-
cial actions to legally end your marriage lv phrase]
It took nearly a year for my brother to get a divorce. I get
a divorce from Steve says he will marry me if I can get a
divorce from my husband.
end In divorce / Iend In d! 'V;):fsl if a marriage ends in
divorce it is legally ended [v phrase)
Nearly 4 out of 10 marriages in the US end in divorce. I It
was inevitable that their marriage should end in divorce.
2 the legal ending of a marriage
divorce
divorce /d!IV:J:fS/ [n C/ UI
Caroline's husband had asked her for a divorce and she had
agreed. I The two women sat drinking wine and discussing
their divorces and affairs. I I've only seen my ex-wife once
since the divorce. I divorce rate (=the number of divorces
each year) The divorce rate has risen steadily since the 1950s.
3 someone who is no longer married to their
former husband or wife
divorced
divorcee
.
ex-husband/ex-wife
divorced Id! IV;):rst/ no longer married to your former
wife or husband radjl
Sue's parents are divorced. I At twenty-!ive Maria is now
divorced, and lives with her three children. I More than 80%
of divorced men, and 75% o[ divorced women, go on to
remarry.
divorcee /d! lv:J:fsi:1 someone who is legally no longer
married to their former husband or wife [n C)
Pam is a divorcee who has to bring her 1 year old daughfRr
up on her own. I Most of the people on the holiday seemed
to be divorcees.
ex-husbandlex-wife I ,eks IhAzband , ,eks Iwalf/ the
man or woman that someone was once married to [n Cl
I had a letter from my ex-wife yesfRrday. I Women who are
attacked by their husbands or ex·husbands often fail to
report them to tM police.
4 ways of saying that a husband and wife no
longer live together, usually because they
intend to end their marriage
separated
separate
separated / ' separelt!dj [adjl
David and I have been separatedfor the last six momhs, but
we're rwt legally divorced yet. I separated from Victoria:S-
separated from her husband and caring for her children
alone.
.eparate 11sepdren/ if a husband and wife separate, they
no longer live together, usually because they intend to get
divorced Iv 1]
Linda and George have only been married for a year and
they're already thinking of separating. I Anne and I sepa-
rated for three months, but we are now together again.
divorced DIVORCE 3
t divorcee
divulge
dizzy
DIVORCE 3
TELL A SECRET 1
BALANCE 6
~ do DANCE 2 , DO 1, ENOUGH 2 , EXAMITEST 2,
IMITATE 6, JOBIWORK 2, MAKE 6, PARTY I ,
PERFORM 5, PLAY A GAM E OR SPORT 1,
-
.' SPEND TIME 4. STUDY 1, TRAVEL 3 , 6 , VISIT
:.
" 4 , WORKlOO WORK 1
~ do: have/be something to do with CONNECTED WITH 2
do: not do 8th NOT DO STH 1
I do: something to do 00 10
do: what are you/they etc doing? DO 7
do 365 DO
do: what do you think you're doing? DO 7
10 something that people do for enjoyment,
do: will do GOO D ENOUGH 1
do: won't do GOOD ENOUGH 4 interest ete
do away with KI LL 1, STOP STH THAT IS HAPPENING 4
do-gooder INTE RFERE 2
do In INJURE 2
do 11 SUCCEED IN DOING STH 2
1 to do something
,. do nothing/not do anything DO STHITAKE ACTION 4 do perfonn
do sb in TIRED 5 go about conduct
do sb out of CH EAT 1 dabble In give
do sth for HELP 2
do Idu:/ lv T I
do 5th to EFFECT/INFLUENCE 1 Slu!doesa lot of work for charity. I Idoha!fanlwurofexer·
do up FASTEN/ DO UP 1, REPAIR 2 cises every morning. I Don 't disturb me now - I'm doing
do weii DO WELL 1, SUCCESSFUL 1, 2 something . I Howard did some rapid calculations on the
do without NOT HAVE 5 back ofan envelope. I 95% of housework is done by women.I
do without: can't do without NEED 3 Mlatever kind ofjob you do, you slwuld take pride in doing
do you good HEALTHY 6 it well. I do the washing/ cleaning/drying etc You wash
the dislu!s, and I'll do tm drying,

Ido 1---------, go about Jlg:xJ a'bautl to do something, especially ajob

that you usually door a planned activity IvT not infX1SSivel
go about sth The old man hummed to himself as he went
about his job in the garden. I go a bout doing sth How
which meaning? would you go about reorganizing the kitchen? I go a bout
it Your work needn't be too diffiCUlt. It depends how you go
do an activity or task • DO about it.
dabble In J'drebal Inl to sometimes spend time doing
not do something • NOT DOSTH something that you are interested in or enjoy, but not in
a very serious way IV T J
do something to solve • DO STHITAKE When he was younger he used to dabble in astronomy. I She
a problem ACTION dabbled occasionally in Democratic Party politics.
take part In doing .. TAKE PART/BE perform / paf1fj:fmj perform a duty/ task/ceremony/
operation etc (=do it and be responsible for it, or in charge
something with other INVOLVED of it) Iv TI
people You willocex[J€C/£d wperlormyourduties w tm best olyour
" ability. I The ship's captain performed the wedding cere-
do something well . DOWELL nwny. I The operation was performed by a team oJ doctors
at Harefield Hospital.
do something badly e DOBADLY
conduct /kan'dAktl conduct an experiment / survey/
try to do what someone , . IMITATE inquiry etc (=do something, especially in order to fmd out
or prove something) [v Tl
else does In exactly The training department is going to ronduct a survey ofatti·
the same way as them tudes towards racism within the rompany. I The inquiry was
ronducted in an atmosphere ofgreat fear and secrecy. I We're
do an exam or test ", EXAMITEST ronducting a routine investigation. There's nothing to worry
about.
do something again • AGAIN
give fglv/ give a talk/lecture/speechiperformanceetc
do whet you are told • OBEY (=talk, speak, sing, perform ete in front of a group of people)
to do IvTI
Mr Banks gave a short talk about his travels in Africa. I
not do what you are .. DISOBEY Professor Williams is to give a series of lectures on environ·
told to do mental pollution. I Tm band gave one 01 tm best perfor-
mances of their career.
deal w~h a problem • DEAL WITH
or s~uatlon 2 to do something that has already been
planned or ordered
carry out put into practice

.. DO
1 to do something
2 to do something that has already been
planned or ordered
3 to do something good or useful that you have
worked hard to do
4 to do something after a delay or pause
5 to continue to do something or start dOing
something without waiting
6 to do something that is bad or that people
think you should not do
7 ways of asking what someone is doing
8 words for describing someone who is doing
something
9 something that someone does
execute
Implement
deliver the goods!
come up with the goods
carry out 11kreri I autf to do something that has been
planned or that someone has asked you to do (phr v T l
carry out sth Teachers are refusing to carry out the tests
that the government has ordered. I If my instructions had
been carried out, tlu! accident would not have happened. I
She's carrying out an investigation into the causes of liver
disease.
execute ,I eks!kjmtf a word used especially in official,
legal, or bUSiness contexts, meaning to do something that
you have carefully planned or that you have agreed to do
IvTI
Our directors make the decisions, but it's the managers who
have to execute them. I The work on the building was
executed in six months. 1 These were premeditated and care-
fully executed murders.
DO
Implement Illmpl~mentl implement a plan/a pro-
posal/ recommendations/policy etc (=do something
after an official decision has been made that it should be
done) [v TJ
Very few parties in government ever want to implement polit-
ical reform. I an international team set up to implement
recent UN recommendations I We need a strategy that can
be implemented quickly.
put Into practice I.po; mt~ Iprrekt~sl if you put ideas
or something you have learned into practice, YOll do some-
thing according to those ideas, and see if they are effective
Iv phrase]
He was determined to put into practice everything he had
learnt on the training course. I A lot o/these modern theories
about teaching sound really good, until you actually try and
put them into practice.
deliver the goodslcome up with the goods
Idl,llv~r O;J 'gudz, kAm lAp WIO-/ informal express ions
meaning to successfully do what other people have asked
you to do or expect yOll to do, for example as part of your
job Iv phrase I
What the country needs is an economic and political system
capable 0/delivering the goods. I Top players like Gascoigm
are brought in to win championships, and if they don 't come
up with the goods, they're out.
3 to do something good or useful that you have
worked hard to do
achieve
accomplish
achieve /a 'tJi:v/ to succeed in doing something good or
getting the result you wanted to get, after trying hard for
a long time Iv Tl
At the end ofthe course you really feel that you have achieved
something. I The company intends to achieve all these goals
within the next five years. I By the age of twenty, she had
already achieved fame and wealth.
accomplish /a 'kAmpIJJ 11 alko:m-, alkAm-/ to succeed in
doing or finisrung something good that you have planned
to do, after trying hard for a long time Iv T I
In his time as President he accomplished very little. I We have
only six months left to accomplish our task.
4 to do something after a delay or pause
get on with
get around to/round to
get on with I,get 'on Wlc) 11- 'o:n-I todo something after
a delay, especially when you feel impatient to do it, or when
another person feels impatient with you because they think
you are wasting time Iv T not in passivel
Once the movie hadjinished, I was able to get on with my
work. I Stop messing around - just get on with it! I Heavy
rain is preventing rescue teams from getting on with the
search.
get around to (also get round to in British English)
I ,get (a)'raund tu:/ to fmally do something that you have
been intending to do or saying you will do for some time,
but which you have not been able to do because you were
too busy or you did not want to do it [v T not in passive)
I must gel round to painting the kitchen some day. I "Have
you done that report yet?" "Sorry, I never got around to it. "
5 to continue to do something or start doing
something without waiting
go ahead
proceed
go aheed (, g>o " hedl [phr v l)
The conference will go ahead whether the speaker turns up
or not. I "Can I start eating now?" "00 ahead!"
proceed Ipld lsi:dl a formal word meaning to do some.-
thing without waiting Iv I not in progressive}
366 DO
"Please proceed, "said the judge to the attorney. I proceed
to do sth She then proceeded to list his faults andfailings,
one by one.
6 to do something th at is bad or that people
think you should not do
be up to 5th commit
get up to stoop
indulge in
be up to sth Ibi: IAp tu: (5th)1 if someone is up to some-
thing they are probably doing something bad, but you do
not know exactly what Iv Tl
Why is he lying to me? What's he up to? I The kids have been
whispering and giggling all day - I think thRy're up to some-
thing. I be up to no good (=be doing something bad) It was
obvious that the stranger hanging around the school gates
was up to no good.
get up to ' ,get IAp tu: (sth)1 to do something that other
people disapprove of, especially because you think it is
amusing or because you enjoy it IV Tl
She peeped into the bedroom to see what mischiefher grand-
son was getting up to. I When we were students, I.V€ used to
get up to all sorts of things.
Indulge In JIn IdAld3 Inl to do something that you enjoy
very much even if you think there is some reason why you
should not do it [v Tl
indulge in sth Occasionally she indulges in a bottle of wine
or a box ofchocolates. I indulge yourself I knew I shouldn't
smoke, but I like to indulge myself once in a while.
commit Ik~lmTtJ commit a crime/murder/suicide/
adultery etc (=do something which is against the law or
which is morally wrong) Iv TJ
It's not sure yet whether she died naturally or committed sui-
cide. 1Taylor is inprisonfor a crime he didn't commit. I We
were taught to pray every time we committed even a minor
sin.
stoop /stu:pJ to do something that you know is morally
wrong because you think it is the only way that you can
achieve what you want to achieve [ v IJ
stoop to doing sth His lawyers even stooped to using his
own children to provide evidence against him. I In the end
he was so desperate that M stooped to flattering her. I stoop
to sth I can't believe the depths to which some people will
stoop. She's even tried insulting him in public.
7 ways of asking what someone is doing
I~ Iwhat
~
are you/they ete doing?
what are you/they ete up to?
what are you/they etc playing at?
what do you think you're doing?
whet ere you/they etc doing? (,wDt 0:' (you etc)
'dmll]/
He's been a long time - what's he doing there? I What are
you two doing?
what are you/they ate up to? Ilwot a: T (you etc) lAP
tml (used when you think someone is secretly doing some.-
thing bad)
You look guilty, Stuart. What have you been up In? I They've
been locked in there all nwrning - what are they up to?
what are you/they etc playing at? (,wDt 0:' (you
etc) 'plel- IIJ ;:et/ (used when you are angry and think some-
one has done something very wrong or stupid)
~he slwuldn 't have told him what I said. What was she play-
mgat? I You boys! What on earth do you think you 'replay-
ing at? Stop it at once!
~hat do you think you're doing? 11wot du: ju: le Il]k
p:T 'du:IIJ/ (used when you think or have just discovered
that someone is doing something very wrong or stupid)
You seem to be trying to wreck our marriage. What do you
think you're chJing? I What does Tony think he's chJing, spend-
mg all hlSfather's money like that?
DO 367
8 words for describing someone who is doing
something
active
in action
,I
active rektlv/ doing something, in order to help a group
or organization that you are a member of ladj l
Polly is a member 0/ the Green Party and is very active in
all their campaigns. I active member Today there are over
5,000 active members in the Acera church.
in action /In 'rekJ;ml if you see someone in action, you
see them doing the job or activity that they are trained to
do or usually do [adv phrase I
The film showed members of the Fire Brigade in action at
afire at an oil refinery. II've heard a lot about his talents
as a dancer - I'd love to see him in action.
9 something that someone does
action feat
thing to do act
activity achievement
activities accomplishment
deed exploits
action l'rekJ. nl In Cl
You can 't be blamed/or the actionsojyourparents. I Shesud·
denly leanedforward. an action which sent a shooting pain
down her spine. ! People were judged by their actions, fWt
by their thoughts.
thing to do 1,911) t~ 'du:I a stupid/clever/nasty etc
thing to do [n phrasel
I slwuldn 't have been driving while I was drunk - it was a
really stupid thing to do. ! That wasn't a particularly clever
thing to do, was it?
activity /rek 'tl v 1til a situation in which people are doing
things, moving around and looking busy [n Ul
There seems to be a lot of activity in the town centre today
- is there going to be some kind ofdemonstration? ! Military
activity was secretly taking place for weeks before the
invasion.
activities lrek'tlv~tiz( things that people do, especially
as a group and in an organized way, which are criminal
or which are disapproved of by the government [n plural]
Four spies werejailedforactivities against the state. ! There
is growing evidence of drug·smuggling activities in and
around our ports.
deed (di:dJ a word used especially in literature meaning
something very brave, very good or very bad that someone
does In Cl
It's a tale of heroism and great deeds. I One day he will pay
for his evil def!ds. I good deed Well, that's my gooddi!edfor
the day.
feat [fin( something that someone does that is admired
because it is very difficult and you need a lot of skill,
strength etc to do it [n Cl
perfonn a feat It was as if she was about to perform some
magical/eat.' accomplish/achieve a feat He led his team
to victoryfor the tenth time, afeat no captain had achieved
before him. , a feat of incredible feats of memory
act (rekt/ act of courage/stupidity/cruelty/kindness/
violence ete (=a brave, stupid, cruel etc action) [n Cl
Saving the boys/rom the river was an act ofgreat courage.,
The Bislwp said he could never agree with such acts of
violence.
achievement Ja'tJi:vmant/ something important that
you succeed in doing by your own efforts [n Cl
Learning to ride a horse at the age of seventy was a great
achievement. l One of hisjmest achievements was organiz·
ing the state visit of the Queen. , She was so proud of her
achievement of learning Russian that she rewarded herself
with a trip to Moscow.
accomplishment 1~ 'kAmphJmant If ~Iko:m-, a 'kAm-1
something good that someone has succeeded in doing and
that they are proud of doing In Cl
DO BADLY
The rugby team's wulefeated run this year is an outstand-
ing accomplishment. , The SOCiety is giving a dinner for top
businesswomen, to reward and recognize their accomplish-
ments. ! Being able to play the piano brilliantly is just one
of her many accomplishments.
exploits J'ekspbusJ brave and exciting actions that
people are told about and admire [n plural l
The children loved to hear their father tell stories ofhis war-
time exploits. , His earlier exploits as a top detective made
him the obvious choice for Chi£f Commissioner.
10 something that people do for enjoyment,
interest etc
activity something to do
pursuits hobby
pastime
activity lrek ' tlv~ti[ [n Cl
What kind of activities do you enjoy? , lay on activities
(=provide them) In the afternoon, there will be plenty of
activities laid onfor the kids. I outdoor/indoor activities
Sh€ enjoys horse-riding and other outdoor activities. ,
leisure activities There are very few leisure activities avail-
able/or teenagers.
pursuIts lpo'sju,ts 11 por'smts/literary/academic/artis-
tic/ intellectual etc pursuits (:=a fonnal word usually
found only in literature meaning things that people do
because they enjoy them, especially things that involve
mental effort) In plurall
After he retired, my grand/ather was able to devote his time
to literary pursuits. , Her husband never showed much
interest in her intellectual pursuits.
pastime ('pa:sla lm 11 'pres-( an activity that is pleasant,
relaxing and usually not very difficult, that you do when
you are not working, because you enjoy it [n Cl
Sunbathing was not a popular pastime until the second half
of this century. l Our cat'sfavourite pastime is sitting at the
window and watching the people walk by.
something to do l ,sAm911) t~ 'du~1 something that you
can do and that will stop you feeling bored because you
have nothing to do [n phrasel
What he needs is something to do in his spare time. , I don '(
mind h€lping - it'll give me something to do.
hobby J 'hobi 11 'ha:-I something that you do for interest
and enjoyment regularly over a long period of time, for
example, collecting things or being interested in a partic·
ular activity or subject In Cl
His favourite hobby is stamp collecting. I What are your
hobbies?
. DO BADLY
1 to do something in a careless or unskilful way
1 to do something in a careless or unskilful way
do badly bungle
mess up/make a botch/botch up
mess of screw up
muck up fluff
make a hash of not do yourself justice
make a bad job of mismanage
do badly I,du, 'bredli/IV phrase I
do sth badly We asked them U! pack the glass and chinafor
us, but they did it very badly. I do badly I think I did pretty
badly in the exam today.
mess up/make a mess of (,mes 'AP, ,melk ~ 'mes Dvl
to do something badly, especially when it is important that
you do it well Iphr v IITI
mess sth/it up Don 't ask Joe to do it - he's sure to mess it
up.! mess up The coach will be mad ifwemess up this time
- it's a really important game. 1 make a mess of I'd rather
pay a professional to paint the kitchen - kfWwing me, I'd
make a mess of it.
DO BADLY
muck up '.IIlAk IAPI an infonnal expression used espe-
cially in British English, mean ing to do something badly.
so that you fail to get the result you wanted (phr v TJ
muck up 5th Lou thinks sire hos muck£d up her end-of-term
exams. I muck sth/it up This is your last chance - if you
muck this assignment up you will lose your job.
make a hash of I.melk ~ 'hreJ 0\11 an informal expres-
sion meaning to do something very badly. so that the result
is completely different from what you intended Iv phrase]
She picked herself up and started the dance again. deter-
mined not to make a hash o/it this time. I make a complete
hash of T made a romplete hash 0/ the interview - I don't
stand a chance oJ getting the job.
maka a bad Job of I ,melk, bred 'd30b DV 11 - 'd30:b-1 to
do something badly, especially a piece of practical work,
so that it does not look good or does not work properly Iv
phrase]
The builders made a bad job of the roof - it's stillleoking.
bungl. /'b .... IJgall to fail to do something properly or suc·
cessfully, especially as a result of stupid or careless mis·
takes Iv TJ
The plan seemed simple enough. but the ClA managed to
bungle the operation.
bungling In VI Because ofbureoucratic bungling tIu? haspi-
tal had never been built.
botchlbotch up IbOll. ,botf 'AP 11 ba:tf/ to do something
badly, especially a practical job such as making or repair·
ing something, as a result of being too careless or having
too little skill Iv TJ
botch sth What we wanted was a sort ofpatio by the back
door. but the builders completely batched it. I bot ch sthllt
up We hired someone to rrx the computer system. but he
botched it up even more. I botch up 5th [wouldn't take your
car to that garage - they botch up the simplest jobs.
screw up J.skru: IApl an informal expression meaning to
spoil something you are trying to do, by making stupid mis·
takes Iphr v I/ TJ
screw 5th/it up r was so nervous about the driving test that
I screwed the wlwle thing up. I screw up 5th My audition
was going really well until I screwed the last part up. I screw
up (especially American) If a player screwed up too often
in a game he was out of the team.
ftuff /fIAf/ an informal word meaning to do something
badly because you are not paying enough attention, espe-
cially when it is your turn to do something in a play or in
a game IvTI
lwasso nervous that lfluffed my lines. l It should have been
an eosy catch. but he flUffed it.
not do yourse" Justice /not ,du: j::>:rself 'dy..st~sJ to
perform less well than you can do in an examination, game
etc, for example because you do not try hard enough [v
phraseJ
My gran4!ather was very intelligent. but he never did him·
I There were a couple of good perfor-
selfjustice at school.
mances, but most of the players didn't really do themselves
justice.
mismanage I. ml s 1mrenId31 if someone who is in charge
mismanages a system or planned piece of work, they do
it badly because they do not organize and control it
properly Iv TI
The whale project was seriously mlsmanagedfrom the begin-
ning. I This government stands accused ofmtsmanaging the
economy and putting millions out of work.
• DO 5TH/TAKE
ACTION
to do something in order to deal with a
problem, a difficult situation etc
1 to do something
2 to take aClion in order 10 deal with other
people's arguments. fights. problems etc
368 DO STHfTAKE ACTION
3 something that someone does in order to
deal wrth a problem or difficult situation
4 to not take any action. especially when
something needs to be done
1 to do something
do sth take steps/measures
take action move
act
do something J'du: ISAm91lJI to do something in order
to deal with a problem, difficult situation etc, especially one
that needs to be dealt with urgently {v phrase]
do something about When areyou going to do something
about lhe broken window? lit's time the police did something
about all this illegal parking. I do something Quick; do
something! There's water all over the kitchenjloor! I There
are people dying out there. We must do something before it's
too late.
take action I ltelk IrekJ<1nJ to do something in order to
prevent something bad from happening or continuing,
especially because it is your duty or responsibility to do
this {v phrase)
This illegal trade will continue unless we take action to stop
it. I Action was taken once tests revealed the presenceofharm·
ful chemicals in the wal£r. I take action on sth Congress
is expected to take strong action on the problem oforganized
crime. I tak e action against sb Mr Cooper called on the
government to take action against the strikers. I take
prompt/immediate action As soon as the captain became
aware that the ship wasonfire. he took prompt action topre--
vent a disaster.
act lrektl to use your power or authority to deal with an
u rgent problem I v II
We must act before the situation gets out of control. I Some
generals accuse the government ofacting too hastily in clos·
ing down military bases. I Despite the growing tension, the
police seemed unable or unwilling to act.
take steps/measures 'Ite lk Isteps, lme~rzl if a
government or someone in a position of power takes steps
or measures, they do what is necessary to improve a.situ·
ation or to deal with a problem, especially by makmg a
number of changes Iv phrase ]
Managers must take steps to ensure that everyone under·
stands the new regulations. I We apologizefor thecon/usion
over your recent order and have taken steps to see it does not
occur again. I Drastic measures will be taken against those
wlw engage in terrorism.
move Jmu:vl if a person or organization moves to do some-
thing, they start to take action, especially in order to deal
quickly with an urgent matter Iv 11
Airport authoritiEs are moving quickly to improve security
following a seriEs ofbamb threots. I During the post year the
company has moved to strengthen its management. I If
anyone wants to put in a takeover bid they'll have to move
quickly.
2 to take action in order to deal with olher
people's arguments, fights, problems elc
step In
Intervene
step In I 1step 'Inl to become involved in a difficult situa·
tion , especially a quarrel or a fight between two other
people or groups, in order to stop the trouble or to help both
sides become friends again {phr v IJ
Thomas had listened to tm argument for long enough and
he stepped in to defend Miss Price. I The military police
stepped in to prevent serious bloodshed whenfighting broke
out between two groups of American soldiers.
Intervene 'IIDQflvi:n/ to become involved in a difficult
s ituation, especially a war or a quarrel between other
people or countries, in order to find an answer to the
problem, stop the fighting etc Iv IJ
 DO STHITAKE ACTION
War broke out in Vietnam and the Americans decided to
intervene. I The referee intervened when two of tM players
started tofight. I intervene in The UN was Mt authorized
to intervene in a country's internal affairs.
intervention ,. Inlar I venf,m/ (n U1government intervention
in private industry
3 something that someone does in order to
deal with a problem or difficult situation
action measure
step move
action f'rekfanf what someone does when they use their
power to deal with a problem or to achieve something (n VJ
Strong action is needed to restore law and order. I The Presi-
dent's response to the crisis was all too typical:jine talk but
no action. I action on Resid£nts were promised action on pol-
lution/rom the localfactories ten years ago but nothing has
happened.
step !step! one of a series of things that someone does in
order to deal with a problem or to achieve success [n Cl
We think we've discovered the virus; the next step is to do
some tests on it. I Her first big step towards a career in movies
was her move to Hollywood. ! These steps are necessary i/the
company is to succeed in the European market.
maasure / lmeyrj an action taken by a government or
someone in authority in order to deal with a problem or
improve a situation, for example by making a new law or
rule In C usually plurall
Government oiTrciais refused to say what measures were
being planned to deal with the refugee crisis. ! Japanese
businessmen have called/or measures to restrict American
imports.
move /mu:v/ one of a series of actions that someone plans
in order to achieve a particular result [n C]
The UN's latest move to stop the fighting has ended in
failure.! His first move after taking over as chairman was
to improve childcarefacilities for emplDyw; with children.!
The management have offered less money than we wanted
so what's our next move?
4 to not take any action, especially when
~
something needs to be done
~ do nothing! sit there/stand there
not do anything be all talk
take no action non-Intervention
stand by!slt by
do nothinglnot do anything I ,du: InA811). Inot du:
'eniBll)f Iv phrase ]
The crowd started ID throw bottles and bricks, but the police
did IWthing. I We thaught it would be best ID do nothing until
Mr Porter could give us more information. I Well, if you
won't do anything, I'll/ind a lawyer who will.
take no action ' Irelk n;)U 'rekJ;mf to do nothing, espe-
. cially because you have deliberately decided to do nothing
[v phrase]
You could clearly see people drowning and yet you took rw
action to save them. ! If you have already paid the arrwunt
shown on this bill, you need tak€ rw further action.
stand by/sit by I,strend Iba), ISlt 'balj to take no action
to stop something bad from happening, especially because
you do not care what happens Iphr v 11
Why didpooplejust stand by while she was attacked? I We
CDuldn 't just stand by and let them shut down our school, so
we organized a protest.
sit there/.tand there Ilslt ()e;)r, 'strend ()earl if some-
one sits there or stands there when something bad hap-
pens and urgent action is needed, they do nothing and do
not even move lv phrase!
One ofthe children has been bitten by a dog! Don 'tjuststand
there - do something! ! I don't understand how he could sit
there and read the paper at a time like this.
be all talk Ibi: 1:>:1 't>:k/ an informal expression: if you
say that someone is all talk you mean that they are always
369 DOCTOR
talking about doing something but they never actually do
it [v phrase ]
These politicians! They're all talk and rw action.
non-Intervention f Inon tntaflvenJ. m 11 Ino:n-' a word
used especially in politics meaning the principle of taking
no action in the affairs of other countries or organizations
In VI
Before the First World War America had a policy of non-
intervention in Europe.
. DOWELL
1 to do something well, with skill and care
1 to do something well, with skill and care
do well excel
do a good job acquit yourself well
make a good job of distinguish yourself
do well I ,du: 'well Iv phrasel
do sth well Jf a firm does a job well, we use them again. !
Whenever Oily does something he does it well. Ido well Don't
worry about the test - I'm sure you'll do well.
do a good Job I,du: 0 gud 'd30b 11 -'d3a:bl to da some-
thing well, especially ajob that you have been asked to do
[v phraseJ
You can always rely on Charlie to do a goodjob. I You're
doing a good job there, Sally. You can look after the kids
again! I do a good job of They did a really grxxJ job of
decorating my bathroom.
make a good Job of I ,me.k 0 gud 'd30b ov I -'d3a:b-1
to do something well, especially a piece of practical work,
so that it looks good or works well [v phrase]
The hairdresser made a good job of your hair. It looks
lDveiy.1 We'vejust had a new heating system installed, but
unfortunately they didn't make a very good job of it.
excel ' lk1scl/ to do something much better than most
other people, especially because you have a natural abil-
ity to do it weUlv I not in progressive]
I didn't exactly excel academically and I left school as soon
as I had the chance. ! excel at/in He played cricketfor Mid-
dl£sex but it was footboll that he really excelled at. I
Whatever you excel in, one ofour award categories will cover
you. ! excel yourselC(:::doeven better than usual) Costner
has excelled himself in this movie - deFmitely his best per-
formance yet.
acquit yourseH well,a,kwltj;):rsclf 'wcll to success-
fully do something difficult or something that you have not
done before, especially in public [v phrase]
He had. to do a TV interview about the book, and I must say
he acquitted himself very well.
distinguish yourself Idl 'sliggw.! jo:'selfl to do same-
thing very well, so that people notice you, praise you, and
remember you (v phraseJ
McEnroe had first distinguished himself by winning the
Junior Singles Title at Wimbledon. ! Shejoined the Reagan
team in the early 80s, and quickly distinguished herself with
a series .of key foreign policy speeches.
·1 doable POSSIBLE 1
~ docent TAKE/BRING 9
.,. dock ARRIVE 3
doctor DOCTOR 1
• DOCTOR
1 words meaning a doctor
2 a doctor who has special skills
3 a doctor who treats people who are mentally
ill
continued
DOCTOR 370 done

. DOCTOR continued
3 a doctor who treats people who are mentally
ill
4 a doctor who treats people's teeth psychiatrist
5 a doctor who treats animals shrink
analyst
psychiatrist Isal 'ka I>lr!st 11 s.·1 In Cl
1 words meaning a doctor Her psychiatrist told her she no longer needed to take tran·
doctor quack quillizers. I Child pyschiatrist Dr Goldman has written a
physician the medical profession book on anorexia in young girls. I see a psychiatrist (::::go
GP to be treated by a psychiatrist) He still goes to the hospital
once a month to see the psychiatrist.
doctor " dokb r 11ldo:k-1 someone whose job is to treat shrink IJnfjkl an informal word meaning a doctor who
people who are sick or injured and who has passed profes- treats people with mental illness [n C l
sional examinations after studying for several years in The shrinks at the Jwspital said they think Gary needs
medical school In Cl therapy. I That g uy 's crazy - he ought to see a shrink.
Doctor, I k£ep getting a pain in my throat. I Tracy is
interested in journalism, but Sarah wants In be a docwr. I analyst /'renaqst/ an American word meaning a doctor
She looks very ill - you'd better call a doctor. I see a doctor who treats people with mental and emotional problems by
(=visit a doctor so that they can examine you) I went to see meeting them regularly and talking to them about their
the doctor about my chest but she said there was nothing problems [n C J
wrong with me. I the doctor's (:::the place where the doctor My analyst told me that I was obsessed with my mother. I A
works) "Where's Karen?" "She's at the Mctor's. " I Doctor team ofanalysts studied the child's behavior for a period of
Smith!Jones etc I'd like to makE an appointment to see two months.
Doctor Patel some time this morning.
physician /f1 l zlJanl an American word meaning a doctor 4 a doctor who treats people's teeth
InCI dentist
My physician told me to stop smoking. I His parents are both
physicians in a busy hospital. dentist I l dent ~stl In Cl
GP l ,d31! ' phI a British word meaning a doctor who is My crentist told me I shouldn't eat so much chocolate. I
trained in general medicine and whose job is to treat the see/visit the dentist (=go to the dentist and be examined
people who live in a particular local area rn C] or treated) You should visit the dentist two or three times a
If your GP can't help you he will refer you to a specialist. I year. I the dentist's (=the place where the dentist works)
A lot 0/ GPs are too quick to prescribe drugs, instead 0/ I hate going to the dentist's.
i€tting the body get better on its own.
quack /kwrek/ an informal word for a doctor who is not 5 a doctor who treats animals
very good or for someone who claims to be a doctor but has vet
not been properly trained In Cl veterinarian
That quack doesn't know a thing about medicine! I My doctor
is one of those quacks who charge the earth jor useless vet Ivel/ In Cl
treatment. Jane's taking her kitten to the vet on Friday. I Could you call
the medical profession I~> 'medlvl pro ,fe!,nl doe· the vet and ask him to come to thejarm? I'd like him to have
tors, nurses etc considered as a group [n phrase] a look at one oj the horses.
Tfw magazine's chUiffunction is to keep tfw medical projes· veterinarian "ve~r ~ 'nearianJ an American word for a
sion up to date with the latest technological advances and doctor who treats animals In Cl
drugs. I These proposals are unpopular with most ojthe med· Have your dog's teeth cleaTU!d by your veterinarian at least
ical profession. once a year.
document RECORD 1
2 a doctor who has special skills documentation PROVE 3
specialist doddte: be • doddle EASY 2
consultant dodge AVOID 4, 6
surgeon dodge: sidestep/dodge/duck AVOID 5
dodgy DISHONEST 4
speCialist l' speJal! st/ a doctor who has special dog PROBLEM 9
knowledge of a particular illness, part of the body, or type dog: walk the dog WALK 19
of medical treatment In Cl dog-eared CONDITION/STATE OF STH 6
The doctor arranged jor Marcel to see a top specialist in dog eat dog COMPETE WITH/TRY TO BEAT 3
Paris. I eye/heart/cancer etc specialist Professor Hallo· dogged DETERMINED 2
way, an eye specialist, organized a national suroey ojeye dis· dogsbody WORK HARD 5
eases in children. I specialist in Professor Williams is one dole: be on the dole JOBIWORK 9
ojtfw world's lroding specialists i.n radiotherapy. dole out: dish out/dole out GIVE 4
consultant Ikan ' sMt"!Jnt/ a British word meaning a doctor doll yourself up/get dolled up PUT ON CLOTHES 2
who has special knowledge of a particular area of medicine dollop PIECE 3
and who is in charge of a hospital department that deals domain AREA OF KNOWLEDGE , DUTIES, STUDY ETC 1
with this area of medicine In Cl domestic COUNTRY/NATION 10, FAMILY 3, HOME 5, 6,
The consuUant told Jean that an operation was necessary PRIVATE/PERSONAL 3
to save her life. I consultant psychologist/paediatrician dominant MAIN 1, POWER 2
etc Dr Jamieson is the consultant psychologist at St dominate CONTROL 3, 6, HIGH 5
Andrew's hospital. domineering CONTROL 6
surgeon ,'S3!fdYn/ a doctor who does operations in a donate GIVE 6
hospital In Cl donation GIVE 20
Tfw surgeon told reporters that three--year--old Sarah was donation: make a donation GIVE 6
making very good progressfollowing her heart transpiant.1 done: be done FINISH DOING STH 8
brain/heart/eye etc surgeon (=a doctor who does oper· done: be through wl."/be done with FINISH DOING
ations on the brain, heart etc) Afamous brain surgeon came STH 4
up from Boston and operated on him for three hours.
done 371 DON'T CARE
done: havelbe done with it FIN ISH DOING 5TH 7 because you think that other people's actions or opinions
done thing: be the done thing/be the way It's done are completely unimportant Iv phrase ]
RIGHT/PROPER 2 'Where's Lucie?" she demanded, "I don 't know and I couldn't
done up FASTEN/DO UP 2 care less." 1couldn't care less about Shelley was one of
donkey work WORK THAT SOMEONE DOES 4 tlwse people wlw couldn't care less about what other people
donkey's years LONG TIME 1 tlwught of Mr.
donor GIVE 18 bepastearing/bi: ,pa:st 'kearn) ll -,prest-/tonolonger
donor: kidney/blood etc donor GIVE 18 care about something that you were worried about for a
long time, because you realize that the situation cannot be
changed Iv phrase)
I used to get really upset when he UJOuldn't see me, but now
I'm past caring. 1Bill had been talking to th£ other girl all
evening but by now Mandy was past caring.
for alii eara Ifar ,3:1 ' al ,keatl you say that someone can
do something for all I care when you mean that you do not
care at all whether they do it or not (adv phrase]
I don't want to hear any more about her. Sh£ can drop dead
" . NOTHAVE for aliI care. 1 My children never write to me. I could be dead
for all thRy care.
4 e NOTKNOW who earas? / ,hu: lke<lrz/ you say who cares? when
someone has told you something which they think you
~ • DON'T LIKE should be interested in or worried about, but you are not
"Did you know that sh£'s been divorced twice?" "Who
" . DON'TCARE cares?" 1 who cares what/where/ when etc WIw cares
whether he can spell or not, when what he's writing about
. . . NOT MOVING is so interesting?
-+ . DON'T THINK 80 what? I,sau 'wotj you say so what? when someone
has told you something and you do not think that it is
it
'" 1
DOUBT IT
important, especially if they have criticized you and you
feel that they have no right to do this
" You 've been drinking again." "Yes I have - so what?" 1
• DON'T CARE "Phil was really angry wmn m heard wlwt you'd done. ""So
what? It's none of his business. ..
1 to not care about what happens or what shrug oH I.IrAg lof 1 _':dl to behave as if you do not care
someone does, because it is completely about something bad or disappointing that has happened
unimportant to you to you [phr v T )
2 to not care what happens or is decided,
shrug off sth In the finals Steve only came third but he
shrugged off his disappointment. I shrug sth/it off Euen
because you will be equally happy with when he was a child, and hisfather used to slwut at him, he
whatever happens or is decided was able to shrug it off.
3 what you say when you do not care about a
problem that someone else has
2to not care what happens or is decided,
4 words for describing someone who does not
seem to care about something I Iwhatever happens or is decided
~ because you will be equally happy with
~
5 words for describing the way someone
not mind I'm easy
behaves or talks when they do not seem to
not be fussy suit yourself
care about something
it doesn't matter to me have no objection
It doesn't bother me
1 to not care about what happens or what not mind Inot 'mamd/lV phrase lWt in progressive]
I~ Isomeone
~
does, because it is completely
unimportant to you
not mind where/ what/ whether/how long etc. Josie
didn 't really mind whether they came to visit her or Mt. I He
not care for all I care
didn't mind Iww long m waited. /ifter all mhad all day. I
not mind "Shnll we have red wine or white?" "Iclim'tmind.
not give a damn who cares? I'Il/eave it to you. "
couldn 't care less so. what?
not be fuss, Inot bi: 'fASi/ an informal expression mean-
be past caring shrug off ing to not care what happens or what is decided, especially
not car. Inot I ke;:>fl [v I not in progressive] when someone has asked you what you would prefer lV
I didn't krww where I was going and I didn't care, so long phrase]
as it was a long way away. I Go where you want, do what "Do you want to sit in the front seat or the back?" "I'm not
WU want. I don '[ care. I not care about Eileen doesn '( really fussy. " 1 not be fussy where/what/which etc I'm not
care about clothes much. I not care who/what/where ete fussy where I stny. as long as it's cheap. 1 not be fussy about
She was having an affair and she didn't care wlw knew She's lWtfussy about wlwt kind of ear sm drives.
about it. I not care that John doesn't seem to care that he's It doesn't maHarto me lit .dAzant .mretCl r b 'mi:1 you
upsetting you so much. say it doesn't matter to me when it is not important what
not glva a damn Inot Ig1V ~ 'dreml an impolite expres- happens to you
sion meaning to not care at all about something [v phrase Ifyou 'd ratlwr not rome, it doesn't matter to me. 1 I don't think
not in progressive] it matters to him what kind of mess he lives in.
not give a damn about You're so sel/ish. You don 't give a It d_sn't bother me (also It's an the same to me,
damn about anyone. I not give a damn what/ who/ why It makas no dlHareneato me) /lt .dAL1nt ,broa r lmi:,
etc I don 't give a damn what you think. I not give a damn Its ,J~I ~;) Iselm I~ 'mi:, It .melks nau Idlf,;Jldns t;) Imi: 11
It's rw use trying to appeal to the government's sense ofjustice -I ba:~-I you say it doesn't bother me etc when you do not
- they just don't give a damn. care whether you do one thing or another, because
couldn't care lass /, kudnt kea r lies/ an informal expres- whatever is decided will not have a very important effect
sion meaning to not care at all about something, especially on you
DON'T CARE
"Do you want to drive or do you want me to?" "It doesn't
bother me. "I You can go on Thursday or Friday - it's all
the same to me. I We can either stay in or eat out. It makes
no difference to me.
I'm . . .y /alm 'i:zi/ you say I'm easy when someone asks
yOll which one of two things you would prefer, and you
want to tell them that you do not mind what is decided
"Do you want to watch tlu? news or the late night movi£?"
"I'm rosy."
suit yaura.1f '.su:t j~: r I self! you say suit yourself when
someone has told you what they are going to do, and even
though you do not think it is a good idea, you do not care
whether they do it or not
"I've changed my mind. I'm not coming with you ... "Okay
then - suit yourself!" I "Do you mind if I sit here?" "Suit your·
self' she said, without looking up.
have no obJection /hrev , n~ db 'd3ekIanf to not care
whether someone does something or not, especially when
they have asked for your permission or approval [v phrase
not in progressive)
As long as your parents have no objection, you're very wel-
come to COI'n€ on vacation with us. I h ave n o objection to
sb doing sth They said they had no objection to us leaving
a little early.
3 what you say when you do not care about a
If& I problem that someone else has
~ not my problem that 's your problem/lookout
not my concern toug h!
not my problem /not lma l ,Problam 11 -IPro:b-/ "Your
brother's behaviour is getting worse and lOOrse. " "Tlw.t's not
my problem." ! It's shocking I know, but it's not really our
problem.
not my concern Inot Imal kan ls3: r n/ (used to say that
you do not care about a problem because you are not
responsible for dealing with it)
"What shall we do about the things that were damaged?"
" f shan't do anything, it 's not my concern. "
that'. your problem (also thet'. your lookout in
British English) Ibrets IjJ: r ,probl ~m, beets IjJ: r Ilukaut I!
-,pra:b-/ (used when someone has asked for your help or
advice but you will not help them because you think they
areresponsible for dealing with the situation themselves)
"But what am I going to do about my kids?" "Tha t's your
problem. " I "What shaUI do if the poliCf!find out?" "That's
your lookout, I'm qfraid. "
touglll /lAq (used when someone te1ls you aboutaproblem
they have and you do not have any sympathy for them,
especially because you feel a ngry or impatient with them)
"If she finds out, that'U be the end of our marriage. "
"Tough!" I "But ifyou don 'tCOl1U!,l'U have to go to theparty
on my own. .. "That's tough!"
4 words for describing someone who does not
seem to care about something
apathetic unmoved
Indifferent blaM
unconcerned
apathetic /lrep;,lgetlk., not interested in anything and
unwilling to make any effort to change or improve things
ladjJ
People in this country are so apathetic - half o/them don 't
even bother to vote. ! Since her illness she has been listless
and apath2tic. I apath etic abou t The governrrumt can't
af/ord to be apatlretic about th2 rise 0/ extreme right-wing
groups.
apathetically ladvl A few students lounged apathetically
at the back of the haU.
apathy l 'repa8il (n UI Charity organizers have had to put
up with both apathy and outright opposition.
Indifferent / 10 IdlfiJrJnt/ not seeming to care about what
is happening, especially about other people's problems or
feelings ladjl
372 DON 'T CARE
indifferent to The men stood in a small grouP. indifferent
to tire argument that was going on across the road. !
indifferen t My motlrer never cared much about us. Sire was
cold and indifferent.
indifferently [adv) Ju lia wandered about tire room, glanc-
ing indifferently at the paintings.
indifference In VI All our requests/or government help
have been met with complete indifferena.
unconcemed I l l\nk:m l s3: Tnd/ not worried about or
caring aoout something, because you think it does not
affect you or concern you [adj not before noun I
unconcerned about A lot of large companies remain
unconcerned about the environment. 1 seem!look!a ppear
u nconcerned He walked past the youths, trying to look
unconcerned. I unconcerned with The president seemed
totally unconcerned with the crisis.
uncon cernedly 1,l\nk;,nls3!Tn~dlil [adv l All around him, tire
people carried on walking and talking unconcernedly.
unmoved 11\0 'mu!vdl feeling no pity, sadness, or sympa-
thy, in a situation where most people would feel this [adj
not before noun I
Garth was on the floor groaning in pain. His daughter
looked on unmoved. ! unmoved by Unmoved by his pleas,
Lucy strolled out of the room. I r emain unmoved How can
anyone remain unmoved by pictures of starving children on
our TV screens?
bl • • ' /'bla:zel 11 bla! IZe11 not caring or worrying about
something that other people think is important, so that
people think you are not a responsible person [adj not
usually Wore noun I
She used to be very I'n€ticulous about her work but she's
becoming very blase. ! blase abou t I wish Antlwny wasn't
so bJaseabout his money. He slwuld save more/or thefuture.
5 words for describing the way someone
behaves or talks when they do not seem to
care about something
c asual nonchalant
offhand gaily
c •• u . I / ' kre3u;,11 seeming not to care or pretending not
to care about something [adj]
She hurried into the room with no more than a casual glance
at the children standing outside. 1JejJ has a verycasual atti-
tude towards his schoolwork. 11 walked up and started talk·
ing to her, trying to sound casual.
casually ladvl My father looked rosuaUy through my school
report. though I knew h2 was con.cemed about my progress.
offhand 'Ioflhrend. I! ,:l!f-I speaking or behaving in a
way that makes people think that you are not interested
in or do not care a bout what they are saying lal{i!
She seemed a littl£ojJhand andjust said she would deal with
oUr complaints later. 1 otThand with The store manager was
rather of/lumd with us atfirst. ! offhand reply!manner!
attitude etc He has a very offhand attitud£ to anyone in a
position of authority.
nonchal. nt / l nonJ~lant I! Ina:nJa1lo:ntl deliberately
trying to pretend that you do not care about something,
even jf you actually do care about it [adj J
When Peter approached, she did her best to appear non-
chalan( I With a nonchalant wave, Julian disappeared with
the police officers. I We could s(!£ the nonchalantfigure of the
tall Englishman strolling unconcerned across the grass.
nonchalantly radv l "Did she happen to mention my name?"
he asked nonchalantly.
nonch alance [n UI Sire took a drag of her cigarette, feign-
ing nonchalance.
gaily I'ge llil doing somethjng in a way that shows you do
not care about its effects, even thou gh it is wrong or may
cause trouble for someone [advJ
The lOOman next door was in tlu! yard, gaily throwing gar-
bage over the fence. I I went on gaily telling the stranger
about my problems at work, unaware that he was my new
boss.
DON'T LIKE 373
• DON'T LIKE
1 to not like something or someone
2 to not like someone and be unfriendly to them
because of something they have done in the
past
3 to stop liking something or someone
4 to make someone dislike someone or
something
5 a feeling of not liking something or someone
1 to not like something or someone
don't like not be to your tastel
dislike liking
not be fond of/keen on not be your thing/bag
not be crazy about take an Instant dislike to
not think much of not be Bb's type
not be sb's have no time for
cup of tea not take kindly to
don't IIke /1 d;Junt Italkl [v T rwt inprogressivel
don't like sb/sth You don't like chocolate, do you? I Why
did you invite Claire? You krww 1 don't like her. I I like the
styre but I don't particularly like tlU! colour. I He's not hanest
with people - that's what I don 't like about him I don't like
doing sth Mason clearly did not like dealing with stran·
gers.1 SIU! doesn't like being told what to do. I don't like sb
doing sth Giuliano didn't like people watching him when
he was painting. I don't like to see/hear etc I don't like
to see good food wasted. I don't like it when The boss
doesn't like it when you interrupt him.
dislike "dls l(alkj to think someone or something is
unpleasant and not like them [v T not inprogressivel
dislike sb/sth I don '[ know why you dislike my father so
much. I Most children dislike sour or bitter tasting foods. I
dislike doing sth SteplU!n disliked having to get up early
in tlU! morning. I dislike sb/ sth intensely (=dislike them
very much) Muriel disliked Paul intensely, she disliked his
bullying and his Iulrsh voice.
not be fond of (also not be keen on in British English)
Inot bi: 'fond DV , not bi: Iki:n on 11 - 'fccnd-j infonnalexpres-
sions, meaning to not like something or someone very
much, although you do not have a strong feeling of dislike
for them [v phrase)
Mrs Macready was not particularly fond of children. I Actu-
ally ['m not very keen on modem art. I not be overly fond
of/keen on (-:: : not like it very much) Marcus usually stayed
in New York - he was not overly fond of Los Angeles.
not be crazy about Inot bi: Ikrelzi =>baUlI an informal
expression meaning to not like something such as a plan
or a suggestion very much (v phrase]
I wasn't too crazy about the idea, but I went along with it. I
They weren't exactly crazy about any of my suggestions.
not think much of Inot B'Qk 'mA'! ovl to think that a
person, performance, idea etc is not very good [v phrase not
in progressivel
Didyou see thatfilm, 'Memphis Belre'? I didn't think much
0/ it. I The students didn't think much of their new teaclu!r.
He was boring.
not be ab'a cup of tea loot bi: (sb's) IeAP;lv 'ti:/ an infor·
mal British expression: if you say that a particular activity,
book, mm etc is not someone's cup of tea, you mean that
it is not the kind of thing that they enjoy {v phrase]
'TIU! Curse ofDracula' - no thanks, horror films aren't really
my cup of tea. I Joining a political party might not be every-
body's cup of tea, but it certainly has its advantages.
not be to your t.atelllklng Inot bi: t~ j:>:t IteJSt,
l)alkIIJ/ if you say that something is not to your taste or
is not to your liking, you mean that it is not the kind of
thing that you like or that you think is good (u phrasel
He invitffl me to a jazz concert, but I explained tlult that kind
of music was not exactly to my taste. I I/thedecorations are
not to your liking we can easily change tlu!m.
DON'T LIKE
not be ,our thing (also not be ,our bag especially
in American English) Inot bi:j:l:t '81IJ, not bhj:>:t 'bc:eg,l if
you say that a particular activity is not your thing, you
mean that you are not interested in it or that you do not
enjoy it Lv phrase J
Sailing's really not my thing. I'm afraid of water. 11 don't
think I'll go to the office party - discos aren't really my bag.
take an Instant dislike to llelk:;)n Itnstmt dlsl)alk tu:1
to decide immediately when you meet someone that you
do not like them [v phrase not in progressive )
The two men took an instant dislike to one another. I Usually
I reseroejudgement until I know more about someone, but
in this case I took an instant disliJre to the woman.
not be Bb'a type Inot bi: (sb's) ltalp! if someone is not
someone's type, they are not the kind of person someone
usually likes or enjoys being with [v phrase)
Vicky'sfrientlsjust aren't my type. I You surely don't imagine
she's having an affair with Rob? He's not her type at alL
have no time for " hrev noo ltalm 6: t l to dislike a
person, their attitude, or their behaviour and have no
respect for them [v phrase not in progressive I
Myfather had no timefor people wlw were always complain-
ing. I Yvonne's interested in nothing but money. I've no time
for tlult kind of attitude.
not take kindly to Inot telk lkalndli tu:/ to be unwilling
to accept a particular situation, suggestion, or type of
behaviour, because you find it annoying [v phrase IWt in
progressive]
He doesn 't take kindly to being disturbed in tlU! milk/re ofthe
night. I My wife didn't take kindly to tlU! idea of nwving
house.
2 to not like someone and be unfriendly to them
because of something they have done in the
past
have something against there Is no love
have It In for lost between
bear a grudge
have something against I,hc:ev (sth) ~ ' geostl ifsome-
one has something against someone else, they dislike
them for a particular reason, although you do not know
what that reason is [v phrase not in progressive)
I'm wt sure what it is, but Ithink Ire'sgot something against
me. I She seems to have something against men.
have H In for I,hrev It 110 f:>:TI if someone has it in for
you, they dislike you and are always looking for ways to
hurt you, especially because of something you have done
in the past [v phrase not in progressive]
SIu! keeps writing nasty things about me in the press. She
seems to have it in/or me/or some reason. I I don't klWW why
anybody would have it in for Eddy. Ire's a really nice guy. I
really have it in for The boss has really Iuld it in/or her
ever since she rdused to work at weeJrends.
bear a grudge I t~r ~ IgrA d3f to continue to dislike
someone and feel angry with them, because you believe
they harmed you in the past and you have not forgiven
them [ u phrase not in progressive]
Ahmed Sinai hurt my aunt Alia so badly that she bore a
grudgefor twentyjiveyears. lIt isn't in Diana's nature to
bear grudges for long. I bear a grudge against He always
bore a grudge ¥ainst mefor Iulving opposed him.
there Is no love loat between / Oe~r IZ to;}(J IIAV t)ost
bltwi:n 11 -,b:st-I if there is no love lost between two
people, they dislike each other and do not have a friendly
relationship
There's no love lost between her and her next-door neigh·
bour. l lt is clear from these letters that there was little love
lost between the Princess and lu!r stepmother.
3 to stop liking something or someone
go off
go oH Ilgoo lof 1I _':l:fl an infonnal British expression
meaning to stop liking something or someone [v T not in
passiveJ .
DON'T LIKE 374 double standards
Sill! went off meat after slll!'d seen how they killed till! be doubtful /hi: 'dautfaJ/ if you are doubtful about some·
animals. I [ used to be a Michael JacksonJan but I've gone thing, you do not believe that it will happen or should be
off him lately. done [v phrase]
He hoped the trip would bea success, but Sue was doubtfuL. 1
"Could you look after till! boby? SIu!~ no troub/eat all." Miss
4 to make someone dislike someone or Evans looked doubtful. 1 be doubtful about "Billy's sure
something to come back soon. " ''I'm doubtful about that. " I be doubt·
put sb off Cul (that) The doctor says she'll try to treat it with antibi·
turn sb against otics, but she's doubtful that it will work.
put Bb off / ,put (,h) 'of 11 - ' "f/ if something that you
be dubious /hi: 'dju:hi as 11 . Idu:-f if you are dubious
notice or experience puts you off a person, thing, activity about something, you do not think it is a good. idea or that
it is true [v phrase)
etc, it makes you dislike them [phr v T J
[liked the house in some ways, but what really put me off "Do you think they'll /et us in?" Gabby looked dubious. 1 be
was those dark trees overhanging the/ront windows. I put dubious about Marian is still dubious about whether any
sb ofIsth My experiences that weekend were enough to put of the government 's 'solutions ' can work.
meoffcampingfor till! rest of my /ife. 1 be put otIby Don 't I'd be surprised If la id hi: saflpralzd Iff you say I'd be
be put of! by his aggressive manner. He's really quite nice. surprised if something is true, or something will happen,
turn ab against 1.13!rn (sb) ~Igenstj to change someone's when you want to show that you think it is very unlikely
feel ings so that they start to dis like or oppose someone that I'd be surprised if they make it in time jar till! show. 1 I'd be
t hey used to like Iphr v T I
very surprised if Ronnie got the job - he just doesn't have
Are you trying to turn my son against me? I The Senator's enough experience.
racist remarks turned a lot of people against him. I think not fal 16ltJk Inoll a British Engl ish expression:
you say I think not when you think that something that
has just been said is not true or will not happen
5 a feeling of not liking something or someone "The Social Democrats will probably win the ei2ction. .. "I
dislike think not. The Conservatives have a clear lead in the polls...
aversion I wouldn't have thought so far ,wudnt av 18:'1:1 s.:>o/
you say I wouldn' t have thought so when someone asks
dislike / ,dlS' talk. / ln UJ
dislike for/of He knew his chifif's dislike of unnecessary f or- you if something will happen or is true and you think it
is unlikely, but you are not sure
mality. 1Sill! could not hide Ill!r personal dislike of till! mon.1
Although most peop/e support /JU! PresUknt's aims. they have "Do you think John and Carmen will be coming tonight?"
a strong dislike for some DJ her methods. ! His colleagues "I wouldn't have thought so. ThEy're very busy at the
regarded him with a vague dislike, 1 intense dislike (=very moment. "I "Did you put them in the cupboard?" "[ wouldn't
strong dislike) She has always had an intense dislike DJ have thought so, but you might as well have a look."
authority figures. ' doodle DRAW 1
Bverslon 1~IV3:rJan 11 -3;m/ a stron g, sometim es I doomed CERTAINLY/DE FI NITELY 5 . FAIL 5
unreasonable, dislike of something (n C/ U) l door: break the door down OPEN 6
aversion to Diane seems to have an aversion to any kind !\ door: next door NEXT TO 3
oJ hard work. I He could not overcome his aversion to sex. I door: pull/push the door to SH UT/CLOSE 1
aversion Stephen had no feelings of aversion or horror doormat CONTROL 5
wlll!n Ill! touched till! dead body. doornail: stone-deadldead as a doornail DEAD 1
doorstep: on your doorstep NEAR 1
dope STU PID/NOT SENSIBLE 7
• DON'T THINK 501 dosage AMOUNT 6
dose AMOUNT 6
DOUBT IT ~
'
dash
doss
MONEY 1
SLEEP 9
1 ways of saying that you think it is very unlikely dossier ·INFORMATION 2
dot: on the dot EXACT 3. ON TIME 1
that someth ing is true or will happen
dote on LOVE 3
doting LOVE 4
, dotted SPREAD 10
1 ways of saying that you think it is very unlikely dotted line LINE 1
[@. [ that something is true or wi ll happen ~
dOily/batty CRAZY 2
double INCREASE IN NUMBER OR AMOUNT 3.
~ don 't think I'd be surprised If LIKE/SIMILAR 5. TWO 4, 5. 6
doubt I think not double/treble/quadruple INCREASE IN NUMBER OR
be doubtful I wouldn't have AM OUNT 6
be dubious thought so double/triple in value VALU E 6
.~ double as USE STH 5
don't think l .d;}lJnt '9u)k/ [uT not inprogressivel double back RETURN 6
don't think (tbat) AtJlTSt, I didn't think /JU!young man was
going to reply. I He doesn't thinkAmy'sgoing toge! h£re in double-check CHECK/MAKE SU RE 1
double~cross CHEAT 1
time. I don't think. so "Do we have any coffee left?" HI cum 't
think so - I'll have a look . " I "Is Mr Brown there?" "No, I J double entendre JOKE 2
double standards UNFAIR 6
don't think so, 1 saw him go out earlier. "
doubt /dauV to believe that something is probably not true
or will probably not happen [v T not in progressive]
doubt if/whether 1 suppose we'd better go, but 1 doubt if
it 'll be very exciting. I Andy doubts whether the car will last
much longer. 1 doubt (that) Chris doubted thot Ill! would
win the photo competition, but thought he might as well
enter. I doubt it "Is his girlfriend mad at him?" "1 doubt
it. ., 1 There was a possibility Maggie had been delayed, but "You say" is used in definitions of some
Ill! doubted it. words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English .
doubt 375 DOWN

5 to go down a slope, a ladder, stairs etc

1do U bt 1"""""""'' ' ' ' ' ' ' '-=--"-71 6 to go down under the surface of water, mud

whi~'lP1eaniQfI?,:, • ,?,
etc
J
7 ways of saying that something in the air
comes down to the ground
not feel, s_ure . .. . NOT SURE 8 to make a plane, boat etc go down by
~, " i? ' t ""- , - - ~ "-1 attacking it or damaging it
think SOmelhilJ9 Will ~ 'l> . DON'T THINK SOl 9 to let something that you are holding go
notJliippe~: is nOt ' DOUBT IT i down, slowly and carefully
tr~~ " 10 to move part of your body down
•
-
a situation that no'
one Is sure abOlIt
,~ • UNCERTAIN
11 ways of saying that something or someone
hangs down Irom something they are
attached to
12 the distance downwards
doubt BELIEVE 6 , 8, DON'T THINK SO/DOUBT IT 1, 13 to move a person down to a lower position in
NOT SURE 1 the company or organization they work in
!f doubt: be in doubt UNCERTAIN 2 14 to go down to a lower position on a list 01
" doubt:
doubt:
have doubts NOT SU RE 2
have no doubt SURE 1
people or things competing against each
~ doubt: raise doubts NOT SURE 3
other
doubt: there is doubt about UNCERTAIN 2
doubt: there Is no doubt CERTAINLY/DEFINITELY 1
doubt: without doubt/without a doubt 1 moving down
CERTAI NLYIDE FINITELY 1 down downstairs
doubter BELIEVE 10 downwards/downward earthwards
doubtful PROBABLY 9, UNCE RTAIN 2 downhill downward
doubtful: be doubtful DON'T THINK SOfDOUBT IT 1
dough MONEY 1 down l daunl towards a lower position (adu/ prep]
dour UNFRIEN DLY 2 I told you not to climb on that table. Get down! I Tears ran
down BROKEN 2 , DOWN 1, 2, DRINK 3 downhisface, I It must havefallen down th£backofth£sofa. 1
,t down: get sb down SAD/UNHAPPY 11 down into/from/t%ff etc He's gone down to the base-
ment to get some more beer. I The accident happened when
11 down: low/down SAD/UNHAPPY 2
, down: up and down UP 1 we were coming down off the mountain.
down-at-heel POOR 1 downwards (also downward in American English)
down In the dumps: be down in the dumps Ildaunw~fd(z)1 a word used especially in written English
SAD/UNHAPPY 2 mean ing towards a lower position [adu )
down on your luck: be down on your luck POOR 3 The plane spiralled downwards. I He began sliding slowly
down payment: make a down payment on PAY FOR 3 downwards off the /.edge. I Jack sat on top of the hog's car-
down the drain WASTE STH 2 cass and stabbed downward to open its belly.
down to: be down to RESPONSIBLE 2 downhlll ' ldaun 1hII .. , if you move, walk, driveetc down-
down-to-earth ORDINARY 1 hill you go down a slope [adv J
down tools STOP WORKING/GO ON STRIKE 1 We set offdownhill towards the lake. I After we get to the top
it'll be downhill all th£ way to Kendal.
downstalrs /.daun'steaTz<l / down towards a lower floor
Idownl-----, in a building [adv)
I met him as I was going downstairs. I We'd better start
making our way downstairs. it's nearly closing time. I Jfyou
which meaning? come downstairs one more time you 'll get a smack!
earthwards /1 3: f9W<:If dzf a formal word meaning down
moving or facing
down - • DOWN
- towards the ground from the sky or from a high place ladvJ
Moments later he lost his footing and was falling earth-
wards. I As they /loated earthwards the leaves resembled a
golden snowfall.
not high up $ LOW
downward ' ldaunw<:Ifd/ downward movement/ thrust!
under or below , • UNDER/BELOW tug/pressure (=that moves or pushes down) lcutj only
something or before noun I
someone He managed to pull himselffree with a sudden downward
.... movement ofhis hands. I She gave the bell-rope a SWift down-
ward tug. I The downward pressure on my chest became
the amount or level of '" LESS
something, goes down
reduce the amount or '
level of something
• REDUCE- more intense.

2 facing , looking, or pointing towards a lower

pOSition
downwards/downward
down
. DOWN face down

1 moving down downwards (also downward in American English)

l'daunw~Td(z)/ladvl
2 facing, looking , or pointing towards a lower
She glanced downwards and said nothing. I He was point-
position ing downwards at something which lay on th£ ground in
3 to move down through the air front of him. ) The writing sloped downward across the
4 ways 01 saying that the sun moves down in page. I The aircraft came to rest with its nose pointing down-
the sky ward into the gully.
DOWN
down /daun/look/glance/stare/gaze down ladv)
She gazed down at the ring on her finger. I The doctor
glanced down at the notepad on his desk. I They looked down
and refused to say anything.
fece down I rfels 'daunt if someone is lying face down,
they are lying with their face down towards the ground
ladv phrase ]
DouglasJound her lying face down across their bed. I fling
yourself face down (=deliberately fall and lie face down)
lflung myself/ace down on the gravel just as the bomb went
off.
3 to move down through the air
dive
descend
dive Idalvl if a plane or a bird dives, it moves quickly
down through the air [v I J
A squadron of Zero fighters dived out of the sky and began
dropping bombs. I The hawkstopped in midflight and dived
down on its prey.
dive In Cl Alter the engine stopped the plane went into a steep
dive.
descend Id r I send! a formal or techn ical word mean ing
to go down through the air Iv I)
If you wish to descend. simply push tl2£ controls forward_ I
The spacecraft descends through the atmosphere at speeds
in excess of 17.000 mph.
descent [n singular 1 During my descent the paraclUlte
became tangl£d.
4 ways of saying that the sun moves down in
the sky
go down
sink
set
go down l ,g<)U 'daun/ to move downwards in the sky and
disappear over the horizon [phr v I]
We sat on the balcony and watched the sun go down. I The
sun was starting to go down and the air gradually became
cooler.
sink /SlfJkJ a word meaning to go down slowly. used espe-
cially in descriptions of events or when telling stories [v I1
As the sun sank lower and lower the sky first turned pink
and then orange. I The sun sank and darkness fell on the
island.
set [set! if the sun sets, it moves close to the horizon and
then goes below it [v IJ
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
setting [adj only before noun] She watched him walk away
in the light of the setting sun.
5 to go down a slope, a ladder. stairs ete
go down
descend
go down / ,gou 'daun/ Iv UT )
go down sth He went down the stairs too quickly andfell. 1
go down to/from/under etc Why don't we go down to the
river for a swim? I I was in no hurry to go down into the
subway. I go down Right, here's the slide. Who's going down
first?
descend Idl 1send/ a formal word meaning to go down
stairs, a hill etc, especially steadily or carefully [v liT]
descend sth Mrs Danvers descended the stairs. I descend
As he started to descend he noticed that the clouds were lift-
ing above the hills. I descend into/from/to ete The leopard
d£scended slowly from the tree and walked towards where
we were standing.
descent (n singular 1 We began our descent (=descending
journey) into the vall£y.
376 DOWN
6 to go down under the surtaee of water, mud
ete
sink submerge
dive go under
plunge
sink {suJkJ to go down below the surface of water. mud.
sand etc, without being able to control or prevent it [v IJ
Hundreds ofpassengers tried desperately to escapefrom the
boat as it sank. I sink without trace (=sink and disappear
completely) Her father's ship had sunk without trace. I sink
into The guns sank deeper and deeper into the mUd. I She
sank lower into the steaming water, overcome by a sudden
feeling of drowsiness.
sinking (adj only before noun I Heswamawayfrom the sink·
ing ship.
dlve /dalv/ to deliberately go head-fIrst down into water
Iv /)
dive into sth Ralph dived into the pool. I dive in A passer-
by saw that the boy was in difficulties and dived in to rescue
him. I dive She dived and swam upstream. I The subrru:zrine
can dive to greater depths than any previous submarine.
dive rn Cl a perfect dive from the rocks into the lake
diving In VI She has won prizes/or her diving.
plunge JplAnd3J to jwnp into a river, lake etc Quickly.
making a lot of noise Iv II
plunge into sth Cobbett plunged into the icy water.I plunge
in I plunged infully-cwthed and pulled her to the bank of
the river.
submerge JSdb ' m3: r d31to deliberately go under the sur-
face of water. usually in order to move or swim under the
water Iv IJ
At the appropriate signal the submarine submerged and set
coursefor Manila atfull speed. I Peter pulled on the mask
and submerged again.
submerged [adj only before IWun] The divers explored the
submerged wreck.
go under J,g;)U 1And~ rJ if a ship or person goes under
they sink below the surface of water, usually after an acci·
dent [phr v I1
By the time the sea rescue service arrived, the ship had gone
under. I According to the only survivor, his comrades went
under one by one, screaming in terror.
7 ways of saying that something in the air
comes down to the ground
come down
land
touch down
come down l ,kAm 'daun/ if a plane, bomb etc comes
down somewhere, it comes down to the ground there. espe-
cially by accident [phr v I1
Airline offLCials believe that the plane came down somewhere
in the Andes mountains. I One of the missiles came down in
a heavily populated suburb of Beirut.
land /trendl if a plane or a bird lands, it comes down to the
ground in a controlled way Iv 11
We shall be landing at Singapore airporl at 3 am local time. I
A flock of Canada geese landed on the river in front 0/ us.
landing In C J Captain Edwards brought the plane infor a
perfect landing.
touch down ,,[A[f 'daunj if a plane touches down. it
arrives safely on the ground at an airport but has not yet
stopped moving [phr v I]
The King's private plane touched down at Heathrow airport
at exactly 12.15 this ojternoon. I We shall be touching down
in about an hour's time.
8 to make a plane, boat ete go down by
attacking it or damaging it
sink
shoot downlbring down
DOWN 377 draw 10 a close/lo an end
sink IS IDkl sink a ship/boat/submarine ete (=damage
it so badly that it goes under the water) Iv TJ 13 to move a person down to a lower position in
Submarines were used to sink the enemy's supply ships. I One the company or organization they work in
battleship was sunk and two were badly damaged in last demote
night's fighting. downgrade
shoot downlbring down ' .Ju:t Idaun, Ibnl] 'daunl to
damage an aircraft so badly that it falls down to the ground demote Id (I m~ to move someone down to a lower posi-
and crashes (phr v T 1 tion in their company, organization etc, especially because
shoot sth / it/ them down Most of the attacking planes had they have not been working hard enough or because they
been soot down or damaged. I shoot down sth In May 1960 have done something wrong [v T J
the Russians shot down an American U2 spy plane. I One Unless you do something seriously wrong, you are unlikely
helicopter gunship had been brought down by small-arms to befired or demoted. I If the management does not promote
fire from the Mujaheddin. her and demote that idiot she works with, there is no justice
in this world.
downgrade I ldaungreld, daunlgre rd 11 Idaungre ldl to
9 to let something that you are holding go move someone down in ajob by making their job or posi·
down, slowly and carefully tion less important [v T I
lower We will only downgrade you ifyou do not comprete the train-
ing period satisfactorily. I downgrade sb to All heads of
lower 1'louo'l Iv TI department were downgraded to regular teaching staff.
The coffin was lowered slowly into the ground. Ilfyou lower
that end we'll easily get it through the doorway. I They
watched the man being lowered downfrom the helicopter on 14 to go down to a lower position on a list of
a stretcher. people or things competing against each
other
10 to move part of your body down lall
lower slip
put sth down fall lfo,11 [v 11
lower Il ldU;:,rl to slowly move part of your body down [v TJ 'Vogue' by Madonnafell three places last week and this week
lower your head/arms/body He ordered the prisoners to is at number jive. I fall to Britain hasfalien to ninth place
lower their arms slowly. I Sharon lowered her head and in the new list of world economic output statistics.
looked away, clearly embarrassed by what SM had Mne. I slip Ishpl to fall slowly over a period oftime Iv Il
lower you rselC(:::sit down carefully, using your hands for Mansell has now slipped into third position. I slip down TM
support) The old man lowered himself carefully into his team has been slipping down the league table and really
chair. needs some new players if it is to improve.
put 5th down I,put (sth) 'daun/to move part of your body , downbeat EXPECT 7
down into a lower position [phr v Tl
You can put your hands down now. I Putting his head down,
rf downcast SAD/UNHAPPY 4
downgrade DOWN 13, IMPORTANT 10
Sam charged at me.
downhill DOWN 1
downhill: go downhill WORSE 4
11 ways of saying that something or someone downsize REDUCE 6
hangs down from someth ing they are downstairs OOWN 1
attached to downtown TOWN 4
hang downtrodden CRU EL 6
,.. downwards/downward DOWN 1, 2
dangle 4 doze SLEEP 2
hang Ih"'DI [v lJ
hang from In the corner of the room was a large lamp,
hanging from the ceiling. I The watch was on a gold chain
that hung from his belt. I hang down Hold one end of tM
1a doze off SLEEP 3
dozens of LOT/A LARG E NUMBER OR AMOUNT 2
drab BORING 6
draconian STRICT 6
rope in your hand and let the other end hang down. I hang ~ draft WRITE 10. 11
on The keys are hanging on a naillly the door. I hang over/ :;; draft: conscription/the draft ARMY 4
WIder/next to etc A picture of their parents hangs over the drafted: be called uplbe drafted ARMY 4
bedroom door. I hang He stood very still, his arms hanging drolly: draughty/drolly COLD 2
loosely, hisfeet apart. drag PASSITIM E PASSING 3. PULL 5 , 6
dangle l'd"'Dg.II to hang loosely, moving slightly from drag: be a drag ANNOY 5
side to side [v IJ drag on LONG TIME 3. PASSfTI ME PASSING 3
da ngle from Dangling from her ears were two large gold drag out LONG TIM E 9
earrings. I He dangled Mlplessly from tM cliff. trying not drag sb Into TAKE PART/BE INVOLVED 7
to look down. I dangle over/under/next to etc We sat on drag up/rake up REM IND/MAKE S8 REMEMBER 2
the edge of the pool with our legs dangling in the water. drag your feet WILLING 4
drain DRINK 3. EM PTY 6
TIRED 1
12 the distance downwards drained
dramatic EXCITED 6, SHOW OFF 2, SUDDENLY 2
1 drop dramatize EXAGGERATE 2
drop Idrop 11 drO!pl a distance in a downward direction draughty/dralty COLD 2
[n C usually singular] draw ATTRACT 2, CAUSE 10, DRAW 1, EQUAL 5,
SM IooIrRd over tM clifJand wasfaced with a terrifYing drop PULL 1, 6, SHUT/CLOSE 1
of at least a hundred metres. I Be cardul jumping across draw a line LINE 11
there, it's a big drop. draw near NEAR 7
~ draw on SMOKE 1, USE STH 2
q draw the line at REFUSE 5
IIf?! I "You say" is used in definitions of some Ii draw to 8 c lose/to an end FINISH/COME TO AN END 2
~ words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English.
 378

1 to make a picture . design, or pattern

using a pencil o r pen
What word is the picture illustrating? draw scribble
sketch trace
What the 200 English students in our survey said : (lIC'odl!)
draw 35% •• ••• 4."
bored
other
26%
39%
.
L_at- " , ,..-
doodle /'du:dl! 10 draw small shapes, lines or
patterns without really thinking about what you
are doing, for example when you are listening to
someone talking or when you feel bored {v JI
- '< 6 • '1
You can.,.,., that do ..... is .the most
• DRAW appropriate
,
word to de"",ibe the Picture,'
. , ,./ ~ , . . . -~ . ~ "

(!) to make a picture, design, or pattern What the 200 Eng lish and American teachers in
using a pencil or pen our survey said:
doodle 80%
bored 4%
other 16%
DRAW 379 drenched

.drawl= • DREAM
1 a dream
2 to have a dream

"""' . PAINT 1 a dream

-+ . PICTURE
. DRAW
1 to make a picture, design, or pattern using a
pencil or pen
1 to make a picture, design, or pattern using a
pencil or pen
draw scribble
sketch trace
doodle
draw /dm/lv l i T)
draw 8th The children were drawing pictures 0/ their
houses. I Draw a line on the map between point A and point
B. I I drew a moustache on a photo of the Queen. I draw
Edward is very talent€d - he can draw, sing and play the
guitar.
drawing [n C J She slwwed rrw a drawing she had done of
one of her cats.
sketch /sketJf to makeaquick and simple drawing, espe-
cially so that you can remember what something looks like
Iv UTI
sketch 5th Mr Hale sketched the view from his Iwtel
window. I She toured France, visiting and sketching
rotJu:!drals. I sketch He enjoys sketching and writing poetry.
sk~tch In C) This is just a sketch, not thefinal picture,
doodle /' du:dl/ to draw small shapes, lines, or patterns
without really thinking about what you are doing, for
example when you are listening to someone talking or
when you reel bored Iv IJ
I always doodle on my notepad when I'm talking on the
phone.
doodle (n C J His test paper was covered in little doodles.
scribble 11sknbCJIJ to draw untidy lines or shapes on paper
or on a wall [v I1
Katie can 't draw a real picture yet but she enjoys scribbling
with crayons. I scribble all over/on Oh rw! One o[the kids
has scribbled all over my report!
scribble [n C l How am I going to get your scribbles off the
wallpaper?
trace Itrelsl to copy a picture by putting transparent paper
over it and then drawing along the lines of the picture [v T J
The children traced th£ map o[ France and then wrote in the
names o[ the places they had visited.
drawback DISADVANTAGE 2
drawing PICTURE 1
drawn THIN PERSON 6, TIRED 8
I drawn Into: get drawn into TAKE PARTfBE INVOLVED 3
dread FRIGHTENED 2, 4
dream
nightmare
daydream
dream Idri:ml a series of thoughts, events, and images
that you experience while you are asleep (n Cl
I never remember my dreams when I wake up, I I had a
strange dream last night - you and I were in some sort of
tropical[orest, I bad dream (: an unpleasant or frighten·
ing dream) The baby's very upset, I think she had a bad
dream.
nightmare I lnal[me:lrl a very unpleasant and frighten.
ing dream In Cl
He wokefrom a nightmare. trembling withfear.1 Years a[tu
tlu! accident I still have nightmares about it.
daydream I tdeJdri:ml a series of pleasant thoughts and
images that you experience when you are awake, so that
you do not notice what is happening around you (n Cl
Ingrid was brought out ofher daydream by a shoutfrom her
mother, I Shirley knew that lMse ideas were nothing more
than a girl's romantic daydreams.
2 to have a dream
have a dream
dream
daydream
have a dream "hrev :l 'dri:m/lv phrase)
He had a dream in which he was running through the/orest,
and being chased by a bear. I I keep having tlu! same dream
about trying to get across a deep river.
dream Idri:ml to have a dream or have dreams [v liT]
dream (that) Last nightI dreamt thot [was lyingona beach
in the caribbean. I dream of/about Stephonie often dreams
o[ long sea journeys, I dream Do animals dream?
daydream I 'deldri:mj to think pleasant thoughts when
you are awake and when you should be paying attention
to something else Iv 11
Stop daydreaming. and concentrate on what I'm saying! I
daydream about Colin began to daydream about whnt he
would cW if he won a lot of money.
r dreary
drench
BORING 6, SAD/UNHAPPY 10
WET 7
1.3 drenched WET 3
1dress 1----.".--"....-,,----,
which meaning?
put on clolhes > • PUT ON
.....' , CLOTHES
wear clothes, have
clothes on
• WEAR CLOTHES

dreadful BAD I , 3
dreadfully: terribly/dreadfully VERY 2 clothes • CLOTHES
dream DREAM 1, 2, IMAGINE 2, WANT 11
dream: have a dream DREAM 2 take off clothes • TAKE OFF
dream: In your wildest dreams EXPECT 9 CLOTHES
dream come true: a dream come true
not wearing any ~i' . NAKED
.-
GOOD/EXCELLENT 2
dream of WANT 6 clotheS . ~....._"
dream up INVENT 1 ~
dress/get sb dressed 380 DRINK
dress/gel sb dressed PUT ON CLOTHES 3 of be€rs and talked about old times. I have a drink of Can
dress up PUT ON CLOTHES 1, 2 [havea drink of water, please? I have a drink Sit down and
dressed: be dressed WEAR CLOTHES 2 have a drink - you look thirsty.
dressed: be dressed as WEAR CLOTHES 1 sip ISlpl to drink something slowly by taking very small
dressed: be In/be dr....d In WEAR CLOTHES 1 mouthfuls of it Iv IITI
dressed: get dressed/dress PUT ON CLOTHES 1 sip sth Sue was sitting at the bar sipping a Martini. ! She
dribs and drabs: In dribs and drabs FEW/NOT MANY 5 paused in the middle of her sentence to sip her hot coffee. I
dried DRY 5 sip at He waited, sipping nervously at his drink.
drift MEANING 10, TRAVEL 7 sip In Cl Billy took a sipfromhis glass o/water and began
drift apart SEPARATE 9 to speak. I I only had time/or afew sips of tea before we had
drift off SLEEP 3 to go.
drifter TRAVEL 13 quench your thirst l.kwentJ jJ: f '93: f stl to drink a lot
drill HOLE B, PRACTISE/PRACTICE 3, 4 of something in order to stop being thirsty Iv phrasel
drill a hole In HOLE 9 We stopped in a small village to quench our thirst and rduel
drink DRINK 1, 4 , 5, 6 the jeep,
drink: can hold your drink DRUNK 9 thirst-quencbing ladjl [rind th""" new yoghurt drinks very
drink: don't drlnk/doesn', drink DRINK 8 thirst-quenching.
drink: give up drinking/stop drinking DRINK 9 suck ISAkI to suck liquid into your mouth in order to drink
drink: have a drink/have something to drink DRINK 6 it Iv IITI
drink: have been drinking DRUNK 1 suck 5th The children cut the oranges in pieces and sucked
drink: have had too much to drink DRUNK 1 the juice out noisily. I We went to the store and bought
drink: something to drink DRIN K 4 lemonade and sucked it up through our new curly straws. I
drink: stand sb a drink BUY 3 suck You can regulate breast milk supply by letting your
drink and drive DRUN K 5 baby suck as often as she wants to.
drink driving/drunk driving DRUNK 5 .apllap up I(rep, .lrep 'Apl if an animal laps or laps up
drink problem: have a drink problem/a drinking a liquid, it drinks it with quick movements of its tongue
problem DR UNK 6 Iv T )
drink up DRINK 3 lap sth The wolf cubs were lapping water from the pool. I
lap sth/it up Her cat lapped the milk up eagerly, I lap up

Idrinkj----:::-,. -~.,-----,
:- .. '~
slh The dog started to lap up the spilt bef!r,

2 to drink very quickly

which meaning? gulp/gulp down
:}I. " swig
drink
'. '~
~
wanting a drink
<, •
_ DRINK
_ THIRSTY
gulp/gulp down jgAlp • •gAlp 'daunl to drink something
quickly, taking large mouthfuls Iv TJ
gulp sth [ quickly gulped my tea and dashed out of the
room_ I gulp sth down "Hurry up, " I said. Manny gulped
having drunk too _ DRUNK his beer down and followed me.
much alcohol , gulp In Cl He took afinalgulp andhand£d thegiass to her, I
He took a couple of gulps of whisky before continuing with
his story.
swig ISWIg! to drink something quickly, especially from
. DRINK a bottle, taking large mouthfuls Iv IITI
swig sth The builders spent all night in the bar, swigging
1 to drink something bef!r and telling stories, I swig from The old man wandered
2 to drink very quickly along, swigging occasionally from a whiskey bottle. I swig
3 to drink all of something on (=drink from something) Billy was sitting in a corner
4 something that you drink swigging happily on a bottle of gin.
swig In Cl It 's lemonade. Would you like a swig? I She licked
5 alcoholic drinks her lips and took another swig oJ cold water.
6 to drink something alcoholic
7 what people say to express good wishes
when they drink together 3 to drink all of something
8 words for describing someone who never drink up pOlish off
drinks anything alcoholic knock back drain
9 to stop drinking alcoholic drinks down
drink up / ,dnUk 'Ap/lphr v IITI
drink sth/it/them up Qyou children drink all your milk
1 to drink something up, you can have a pU!ce of cake each. I drink up sth She
drink quench your thirst
drank up her brandy and signalled to the waiter to bring
her another one. I drink up Come one, drink up and we can
have suck go home.
Sip lap/lap up
knock back "nok 'brek 11 ,Ro:k-{an infonnal expression
drink /d"uki Iv IITI meaning to quickly drink large quantities of an alcoholic
drink slh Drink your coffee /Jifore it gets cold, I "What drink Iphr v TI
UXJuldyou like to drink?" "Orangejuice, please." I English knock back sth In the course of one evening he knocked
people drink a lot of tea. I The water was foul, but Tdrank back ten pints of bef!r, I knock sth/it/them back Harry's
as much as I could stomach. I drink He didn 'I take a glass, asking for another glass of Scotch. He can certainly knock
but drank straight from the bottle. it back,
have /hrevl to have a drink of something (v T IWt in down Idaunf to drink an alcoholic drink in one mouthful
passive] IvTI
have coffee/milk/beer etc We always have coffee in the He downed his bef!r and immediately asked for another~ I [
nwrning. I have a cup oftea/ a glass of milkl a beer etc watched her as she ate everything on her plate and downed
Robin had a glass ojmilk with his lunch. I We had a couple several glasses oJ wine.
DRINK
polish oH I,poll! ' of 11 ,po,lI! '><fl to finish something
that you enjoy drinking, especially quickly or before some-
one else can drink it [phr v Tl
polish sthlit/them off I think I'll poli:;h that last beer off
before George gets in. I polish off sth Whit. he was talking
to me he poli:;hed off a whot. bottle of wine.
drain Idreml drain a bottle/glass/cup etc (=drink every-
thing that is in it including the last few drops) [v TJ
Hiroaki drained his glass then offered to buy everyone
another Oni!. I The sun was hot. and Peter drained his water
bottle in one go.
4 something that you drink
drink soft drink
beverage someth ing to drink
drink Idroqk/ln Cl
Ingrid was at th£ bar. sipping her d rink. I I made him a nice
hot drink. I drink of 5th The old man gave the ch ildren a
drink of milk and something to eat.
bevarage ,'bevcmd31 a word meaning something that
you drink, used especially in restaurants and in businesses
that supply food and drinks In Cl
Non-alcoholic beverages will be on saw in the cafeteria. I
Beverage sales in most restaurants can mean the difference
between profit and loss.
soft drink I,soft 'dflqk 11 ,,,,,ft-I a cold drink that does not
contain alcohol rn Cl
On the plane they only served snacks and soft drinks. I He
handed me a refreshing soft drink made from orange and
lemon juice.
something to drink 11SAm611) b IdrJl)kl an expression
used especially in spoken English meaning a drink In
phrase!
Would you like something to drink? I I'm going to get some-
thing to d rink.
5 alcoholic drinks
drink booze
alcohol liquor
drink IdrJl)kl an alcoholic drink or alcoholic drinks in
general In C/ V I
"Con I offeryoua drink?" "I'll have agin and tonic,pi€ase. "I
if you arrange the food for the party I'll take care of the
drinks. I An enonnous amount ofdrink is consumed over the
Christmas and New Year holidays. I Peter complained that
there hadn't been enough drink at the party.
alcohol I' relk, holll -h,,11 a word meaning alcoholic
drink, used especially in the context ofmIes and warnings
about such drinks In VI
She refuses to have any alcohol in the house. I Pregnant
women are advised not to drink alcohol. I Freddie has a
stomach u lcer, so he'll be offalcoholfor a While.
booze Ibu:zl an informal word meaning alcoholic drinks
In VI
Have you bought some boozefor Jake 's party? I HI had too
much booze last night, " he said, holding hi:; head. I The
doctor told Jimmy to stay off the booze for a while.
liquor 11 11 k:;, rI an American word meaning alcoholic
drink, especially strong alcoholic drink In VI
We bought some gin at a liquor store on Fifth Avenue. I The
sale and ronsumption of liquor on the premises isforbidden.1
hard liquor (=strong alcohoJic drink) He got used to drink-
ing hard liquor at an early age.
6 to d ri nk something alcoholic
have a drink/have something to drink
drink
have a drlnk/hav. som.thlng to drInk Ihrev ,
IdrJl)k, hrev ,sAm6II) t3 'drnJkJ Iv phrase}
Let's have a drink. It may help us get over the shock. I He'd
obviously had a roupt. of drinks, and was not/it to drive. I
They went back to the hotel to have something to drink.
381 dripping/dripping wet
drink IdnQIc/ to drink alcoholic drinks, especially when
you do it habitually Iv lJ
You shouldn't drink if you're taking a course of medicine. I
He started drinking and smoking when he was only 14. 1
drink and drive (=drink alcohol before driving your car)
People who drink and drive make me really angry.
drinking In VI Hi:;family life i:; beginning to beaffecll!d by
his drinking.
7 what people say to express good wishes
I@. I when they drink together
~ cheers
here's to us/absent frlendsl
the happy couple etc
cheer. ftfl;)Tzl (what people say to express good wishes
when they raise their glasses just before drinking some-
thing alcoholic)
"Cheers, Hendrik. .. "Cheers. " I We raised our glasses together
and said, "Cheers. " I "Cheers, and good luck with the new
job . .. "Cheers. Thanks."
h ...·s to us/absent frl.nds/the happy couple
etc f hl;)T Z tu: (us, etc)f (what people say to wish someone
happiness or success)
"Here's to the happy couple!" cried the bride's father and
everyone sipped their champagne. I Good luck with the bus-
iness, John. Here's to your first million dollars! I "Here's to
Jenny," said the boss, raising his glass towards her. "To
Jenny, " we all chorused.
8 words for describing someone who never
drinks anything alcoholic
don't drink/doesn 't drink
teetotal
not touch
don't drink/doesn't drink l ,d;)(Jnt 'dTll)k, IdAu nt
'dnqlc/ Iv lJ
I'll have orangejuice please. I don't drink. 1Ben is the only
one of my friR-nds who doesn't drink.
teetotal "ti: 't;)utl"l someone who is teetotal never
drinks anything containing alcohol, often for religious or
moral reasons ladjl
After a warning from her doctor, Mrs Morel is now com-
pletely teetotal. 1 He's a teetotal, non-smoking, vegetarian
yoga teacher.
teetotaller In Cl He 's recently become a strict teetotaller.
not touch Inot ItAtfl to not drink even a little of anything
alcoholic, usually becau se you have decided to stop drink-
ing alcohol Iv T not in progressivel
I used to drink a bottle of whisky a week but I never touch
it these days. ! not touch a drop He's a reformed character
- hasn't touched a drop in the last year.
9 to stop drinking alcoholic drinks
give up drinking/stop drinking
be on the wagon
glv. up drinking/stop drinking I,g'v Ap 'dnqk'q,
jstop 'drJl)kll) 11 · ,sta:p-f to stop drinking anything alco-
holic, especially because it is causing you social or health
problems Iv phrase)
Sam's been told that unless he stops drinking soon, he will
dt. ofa liver di:;eose. I She'll need her family's help ifshe's
going to giue up drinking for good.
be on the wagon fbi: on 0;) Iwregen{ an informal expres·
sion meaning to only drink non-alcoholic drinks because
you have temporarily stopped drinking anything alcoholic
Iv phrase1
Do you want a beer, Harry, or are you still on the wagon? I
Todd promised his wife he would go on the wagon for a
whole year.
I drinker DRUNK 6
:f drip POUR 2
" dripping/dripping wet WET 2
dripping with sweat
dripping wllh sweat: be pouring/dripping/running
with sweat SWEAT 1
drive DETERM INED 6. DRIVE I . 2 . FIGHT FOR OR
AGAINST STH 4. FORCE SB TO DO STH 3 .
PUSH 5. TAKElBRING 5. TRAVEL 2. 8 . TRY TO
DO OR GET STH 8
drive: go for a drive DRIVE 2
drive off LEAVE A PLACE 4
drive sb around the bend CRAZY 5
drive Bb crazy/nuts CRAZY 5
drive sb mad CRAZY 5
drive sb somewhere DRIVE 3
drive sb to despair SAD/UNHAPPY 11
drive up: push up/drive up/force up INCREASE IN
NUMBER OR AMOUNT 6
drive yourself too hard WORK HARD 3
DRIVE
1 to drive a car , train , motorcycle or other
vehicle
2 to go somewhere in a car or on a motorcycle
3 10 take someone somewhere in a car or on a
mOlorcycle
4 someone whose job it is to drive a car, train,
etc
5 someone who regularly drives or is driving a
car , train, motorcyc le or other vehicle
1 to drive a car. train , motorcycle or other
vehicle
drive be behind the wheell
ride a. the wheel
be at the controls joyridlng
drive Idralvf to drive a vehicle, usually with four wheels
or more, such as a car, bus, or train Iv I/ T]
Can you drive? I She'd been driving/or six Iwurs and was
very tired. I Drivecare[ully. There's ice on the roads wnight.1
drive a car/ bus/train etc We need somrone to drive the
sclwol bus. I What do you mean, you can't picture a woman
driving a tank?
ride lraldl to drive a vehicle with two wheels, such as a
bicycle or motorcycle [v l/ T J
ride sth I ride a bicycle to work every day. I Riding a motor-
cycle is sa/er than riding a scooter. I ride After you've been
riding all day. you are really glad to reach your campsite.
be at the controls Ibi: ~l OJ k:;m '11d01zl to be the person
who is actually flying an aircraft or sailing a large modem
boat Iv phrase I
The King himself was at the controls when his helicopter
landed. I The power boat, with Don at the rontrols, swept
around the bay. I be at the controls of When I was a ch ild
I used to imagine myself at the controls 0/ a fighter plane.
be behind the wheel/et the wheel /bi: bl ,hamd 0,
'wi:I,;)t 0;) 'wi:11 to be the person who is actually driving
a car, bus etc I v phrase J
An old PonUac pulled up, with a young Mexican man at the
wheel. I Seymour was glad w be behind the wheel again qfl£r
his driving ban had been lifted.
Joyrldlng Ild:p lraldlrJl a British word meaning driving
a stolen car very fast and dangerously for excitement [n UJ
Joyriding is the most common type 0/ crime among boys
under lB. I A group o/youths wentjoyriding in stolen cars,
causing three accidents before the police caught them.
joyrider In Cl Joyriders (.:::people who go joyriding) are
becoming a serious problem in the inner cities.
2 to go somewhere in a car or on a motorcycle
drive go for a ride
go by carlblke etc take a ride
go for a drive
3B2 DRIVE
drive Idralvl to go somewhere in a car [v r}
drive to/ from / into/ towards etc Last year, we drove all
the way to south·e ast Florida. I Nter a disastrous evening
out they drove Iwme in silence. I drive "Willyou beroming
by train?" "No, ! think I'll drive. " I drive around (.:::drive
to different places without planning where to go) They
drove around/or a while before stopping at Rhonda 's house.
go by car/bike etc Ig~ ba l (car, ete)1 an expression
meaning to go somewhere in a car, on a bicyc1e etc, used
especially if you are comparing different methods of travel-
ling Iv phrase)
We 're pkmning to go to Lyons by bik£ and then take the bus
to Montpeilier. I You can get to Salisbury by car in 2 hours
but if you have to go by train it takes ages.
go for a drive ' lgJU fJr ;) 'dralvl to go for a journey in a
car, for enjoyment Iv phrase }
Dove and I went/or a drive in thecounl1y on Sunday. I She
went out/or a drive at 60 'clock and nobody's seen her since.
go for 8 ride l ,g;)IJ fJr ~ lraldl to go for a short journey
in a car or on a bicycle, especially for enjoyment Iv phrase I
We spent the vacation rock climbing, walking andgoing/or
bicycle rides. I They climbed into Amie's station wagon and
went/or a ride down to the shore. I We all went/or a ride
in Mick's battered old jeep.
take. ride f Ilelk J 'raldl an American expression mean-
ing to go somewhere in a car or on a bicycle especially for
enjoyment Iv phrasel
take a ride to Let's lake a ride down to the coast thisa/ter-
noon. I take a ride It was unusual that someone should be
taking a ride on a stormy night like this.
3 to take someone somewhere in a car or on a
motorcycle
take sb somewhere 11ft
drive sb somewhere ride
take sb somewhere I'telk (sb) sAmweJrl Iv phrase}
take sb to the stalion/library/school etc Donna'sfather
took us to the stalion. I Look, it's no problem. J can take you
to the bank on my way to work. I take sb home/back etc
BiIly's/eeling sick. Would you mind taking him hoTTU!?
drive ab somewhere /'dralv (sb) SAmwe;)rl to take
someone somewhere in a car Iv phrase)
drive sb to a hotel/ station!school etc "Drive me back to
my hotel. "she said. "I want to go to bed. "I drive sb home/
back etc Come by bus and my mother will drive you home.
11ft IllftJ a British word meaning a free car journey which
you give to someone to help them to get somewhere [n Cl
I'm going to London, too! Do you want a lift? I a lift to Do
you think I could have a lift to work? My husband wants the
car. I give sb a lift lan saw me standing at the bus stop and
stopped to give mea lift. I hitch a lift ( ~ get a lift by stand-
ing at the side of the road, ask ing drivers to stop) I hitched
a lift/rom Plymouth to Birmingham then caught a bus/or
the last/ew miles.
ride /raldl a word used especially in American English
meaning a free journey by car, which you give to someone
to help them to get somewhere [n Cl
Sure, I'm going downtown. Do you want a ride? I a ride to
How about a ride to the station? It would save time. I give
sb a ride Tommy gave me a ride down to Wilmington. I
hitch a ride (=geta ride by standing by the side of the road,
asking drivers to stop) We took the bus as/ar as Niagara
Falls, th£n hitched a ride to Toronto.
4 someone whose job it is to drive a car, train .
etc
driver
chauffeur
driver I ldra l v~rl In C l
truck/ bus/ train etc driver A lot of truck drivers stop at
this restaurant becauseU's open all night long. I HaIry asked
thecab driver to stop outsick the store/or a ample o/minutes
while he bought a paper. I driver The limousine pulled up
DRIVE
outsid£ the church and the driver got out and helped the brilk
and her father out.
chauffeur J1JaufCl r , JOXJ I f3: r J someone whose job is to
drive a car for someone e1se, especially someone rich or
important In Cl
He got out a/the car and ordered his chauffeur to come back
at two 0 'clock .
5 someone who regularly drives or is driving a
car, train, motorcycle or other vehicle
driver rider
motorist cyclist
motorcycllst
driver /ldrmvClr/ ln Cl
Many drivers sujJer f rom backache. I The car was almost
torn in half in the crash but amazingly the driver was
unhurt. I He's such a bad driver 1 won 't go in the car with
him.
motorist IlmCluta r~ st l a word meaning someone who
drives a car, used especially when talking about the costs
of driving or the 1aws that affect driving In Cl
Most motorists have car radios and many now have mobile
pholU!S. 1 Motorists are devetoping the habit ofbuying a new
car every other year. I the motorist (=al1 motorists) The
countrysilk is being d£stroyerlfor the berwjJt of the nwtorist.
motorcyclist IIJTl;M)t3 r I sa l k.l~ stl someone who rides a
motorcycle (n CJ
Three nwtorcyclists dressed in black rode past. 1 The Presi-
dent 's car arrived with its escort of police motorcyclists.
rider /l raTd3 r / someone who rides a bi cycle or motorcycle
InC ]
The rider wasn't badly hurt but his bicycle was all smashed·
up. 1 The leading rider in this year's motorcycle champion·
ship is Wayne Rainey.
cyclist I' salkl~ s tf someone who rides a bicycle (n Cl
Most cyclists in London have their bikes stolen eventually. 1
There was a steady stream ofcyclists and pedestrians along
the main road.
driver DRIVE 4. 5
driving torce: be the driving torce IMPORTANT 7
driving seat: be In the driving seat CONTROL 1
droop WEAK 5
drop DOWN 12, FALL 5. 6, 7. 8, INCLUDE 6, LESS
5, LIQUID 8, STQP DOING STH 3, 4. TAKE
PART/BE INVOLVED 14, TAKE/BRING 5
drop: a drop In the ocean lITTLEJNOT MUCH 6
drop: a drop 01 LITTLE/NOT MUCH 3
drop: be dead on your teet/ready to drop TI RED 1
drop: every bit at/Inch at/ounce of/drop of
t ALUEVERYTHING 2
drop a bombshell SHOCK 1
drop a hint SAY 3
drop behind: lall behind/drop behind SLOW 8
drop dead DIE 1
dropllall COLD 7, LESS 7
drop In/drop by VISIT 2
drop oil SLEEP 3
drop out LEAVE SCHOOL OR COLLEGE 1. REJECT/NOT
ACCEPT 7. TAKE PART/BE INVO LVED 12
dropout CONVENTIONAL 2, LEAVE SCHOOL OR
COLLEGE 2
drought DRY 2
droves: In droves LOTlA LARGE NUMBER OR AMOUNT 7
drown out HEAR 5
drown your sorrows DR UNK 4
drowsy TIRED 2
drudge WORK HARD 5
drudgery WORK THAT SOMEONE DOES 4
drug DRUG 1. 2
drug: hard drug DRUG 2
drug abuse DRUG 3
383 DRUG
• DRUG
a chemical substance that peopl e swallow,
smoke, or take i n to their blood
1 a drug
2 an illegal drug
3 to take a drug into your body
4 words for describing someone whose mind is
changed or inlluenced in some way by
drugs, especially illegal drugs
5 to take too much of a drug
6 to put a drug into someone's body in order 10
stop them from getting a disease
1 a drug
drug
drug IdrAg) a chemical substance that is taken into your
lxxly as a medicine, for example in order to stop you feel·
ing pain or to help you to sleep (n Cl
Morphine is a very powerfuL drug. 1 Doctors are trying out
a new drug for pain relief in childbirth. 1 The drugs I take
for hay fever make me feel very drowsy.
2 an illegal drug
drug hard drug
narcotics soft drug
illegal substance
drug /drAg) a drug that is taken illegally, for pleasure or
because it is a habit, that can have very hannful physical
or mental effects (n Cl
Heroin is just about the most addictive drug you can get. 1
Customs officials seized 15 k ilos of drugs today, thought to
have a street valu£of£5(}(),()(}(). 1 drug a ddict (=someon e who
is dependent on drugs) He was a drug addict, hooked on
heroin. 1 d r u g u ser (=someone who take s drugs)
Researchers estimate that there are over two million drug
users in the UK. 1 drug-rela ted (""connected' with the use
of drugs) Polia are very concerned. about the recent increase
in drug·related crime. 1drug-induced (""caused by the use
of drugs) Coleridge's poem 'Kubla Khan ' was the result of
a drug-induced vision.
n.rcotlcs /na:flkotlks 11 -'kO!-/ a word meaning illegal
drugs, used especially by the police and in the caurts in the
US In piurall
Laws governing the sale of narcotics vary from state to state.1
PolicE are investigating a recent spate of narcotics offenses
in Miami.
.I.gal substance /I ,lhgc1i 'slIbsQnS/ an expression used
especially by the police or in a law court meaning an ille-
gal drug In C usually plurall
Tucker was charged with the possession of an illegal
substance.
hard drug I ,ha:rd 'drAg/ an illegal drug that can cause
a lot of damage, or even death , to anyone who regularly
takes it In Cl
Parents and teachers are concerned about the increasing use
of hard drugs among young people. 1 hard drugs such as
heroin and cocaine
sott drug / ,soft ' drAg 11 ,s:>:ft-/ an illegal drug that people
take for pleasure and that is considered to be fa irly harm·
less In C]
Relations between the police and the community would
improve if certain soft drugs were rruulR.legaL 1 A lthough it's
considered a 'soft' drug, some doctors are saying that the
long-term use of cannabis can be very harmfuL
3 10 take a drug into your body
take be on sth
UN drugab~
DRUG
taka/te'k! [v TI
[can't take penicillin, I'm allergic to it. I Until she went to
college Sarah had never smoked, never drunk alcohol and
had certainly never taken drugs. I take a couple of aspirins
usa /ju:z/ to regularly take illegal drugs [v TI
Shejirst started using smack when she was thirteen. I I dis-
covered Graham had been using heroin when I found a
syringe in his room.
drug user/user In Cl People working day to day with drug
users are now approaching drug addiction in a new way.
ba on sth /bi: 'on (sth) 11 -' 0:0-/ to take a particular drug
regularly. especially because you are dependent on it Iv T)
People who are on cocaine or speed may experience shaking,
sweating and panic attacks. I Many o/the patients here have
been on tranquillizers such as Valium/or years,
drug abuS. / 'drAg ~,bju:sl an expression used especially
in official or medical contexts meaning the illegal use of
drugs [n DI
Experts on drug abuse stress that we should think of it as
an illness and not as a crime. I The world health organiza-
tion has published a report on drug abuse and addiction.
4 words for describing someone whose mind is
changed or influenced in some way by
drugs, especially illegal drugs
high be out of your head!
stoned be out of it
wired
high /ha,/ feeling very excited, happy, and full of energy
because of the effects of a drug [adj not before noun J
The only time she talks to anyone is when she's high. I high
on drugs/ecstasyILSD etc Paul's parents knew he was
acting strangely but they didn't realize he was high on
drugs. I as high as a kite (=very high) Tina told me she
loved me, bUf she was as high as a kite at the time.
stoned Ist~nd' an informal word meaning feeling
unusually excited and happy or extremely relaxed as a
result of taking a drug [adj not before noun]
Carl was too stoned to take anything seriously. I stoned out
of your head/mind (=unable to behave normally as a
result of taking a drug) Rick is always smoking dope. He
even went to an interview once stoned out of his mind.
wlracl/wal~rd' an informal American word meaning feel-
ing very excited and nervous as a result of taking a drug
[adj not before noun]
I was so wired I began scratching uncontrollably at the
bedspread.
ba out of your haad/be out oflt /bi: ,aut ov jo:' 'hed,
bi: 'aut ~v ItJ infonnal expressions meaning to not know
what you are doing or what is happening around you,
because you have taken an illegal drug rv phrase I
Sally hasn 't a clue what's going on. She's out of her head
most of the time. I They had taken some magic mushrooms
and were completely out of it by the time they arrived at the
party.
5 to take too much of a drug
take an overdose
overdose on
take an overdose "lelk ~n '<lUV~rd~sl to take a dan-
gerously large amount of a drug, usually deliberately Iv
phrase1
Quick, call an ambulance, I think he's taken an overdose.
overdose In Cl Marilyn Monroedied in 1962from a drugs
overdose (=from taking an overdose).
overdo.e on I' CKJV~rd3US on 11 -run} to take a dangerously
large amount of a particular drug, usually by accident [vT I
He overdosed on heroin and was found dead in his room.
I
I~ "You say" is used in definitions of some
~ words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English .
384 DRUNK
6 to put a drug into someone's body in order to
stop them from getting a disease
vacclnatellmmunize jab
Injection inoculate
shot
vacclnate/immunlze "vreks1nelt, 'Im~nalz' Iv T J
vaccinate/immunize sb The virus could quickly infect
peopleofaU ages who have not been vaccinated. I Mostpeople
immunize their puppies as soon as possible. I vaccinate/
immunize sb against It is the aim of the EPI to vaccinate
all children against tuberculosis.
immunization/ vaccination "lmj~nal'zeIJan, ,vreks1-
'nelJan II -mj~n:rl [n Dl a mass immunization programme
against cholera
Injection Im'd3ekJanl a drug put into someone's body
with a needle, usually for medical reasons In Cl
The disease can easily be treated by a series of injections and
pills. 1 give sb an injection I'm just going to g ive you a
small injection, It UXJn 't hurt. I injection of Rose is diabetic,
and has to have an injection of insulin every day.
inject Iln'd3ektl [v Tl The drug was injected straight into
the vein (=put straight into the vein, using a needle).
shot IJot 11 Ja:t, an informal American word meaning a
drug put into someone's body with a needle, usually for
medical reasons In Cl
My arm is still sorefrom the shot J had at the doctor's yesf£r-
day. I shot of Give him a shot of morphine.
lab /dsreb/ an informal British word meaning a drug put
into someone's body with a needle for medical reasons In Cl
The doctor gave the baby a jab, which made her cry. I
choleraltetanus/hepatitis jab I had to have a tetanusjab
when I cut my hand badly.
Inoculate 'I'nokj~lelt 11 -'na:-I to put a drug into some-
one's body using a needle in order to stop them from get·
ting an illness lV Tl
inoculate sb My arm hurts where I was inoculated yesf£r-
day. I inoculate sb against My company arrangedfor me
to be inoculated against hepatitis before my trip to India.
drunk DRUNK 1, 6
I
drunk: blind drunk DRUNK 3
drunk: get drunk DRUNK 4
drunk driver DRUNK 5
drunk driving: drink driving/drunk driving DRUNK 5
• DRUNK
affected by having drunk too much alcohol
1 words meaning drunk
2 a little drunk
3 very drunk
4 to drink a lot of alcohol and get drunk
5 to drive while you are drunk
6 someone who is often drunk
7 words for describing an occasion or time
when people get drunk
8 the sick feeling you have the day after you
have been drinking
9 not drunk
1 word s meaning drunk
drunk have had one too many
drunken have had too much to drink
pissed have been drinking
dftlnk /ckAqk! a perscn who is drunk is affected by having
drunk too much alcohol, so that they cannot think clearly
or move steadil y radj I
DRUNK
She was so drunk she could hardly walk. I I can't remember
how I got ho"", last night. I must hove been very rlnmk. I The
guy was drunk all the time. so you couldn't really tell what
his real personality was like. I drunk on The sailors stag-
gered back to their ship, drunk on ch€ap liquor.
drunken j1drAI)bnl a drunken person is drunk and their
drunken behaviour shows that they are drunk [adj only
before nounJ
A couple ofdrunken Englishmen were arguing with a police-
man outside the bar. I The place was full of noise and
drunken shnuting. I Crowes got into a drunken brawl with
another seaman and split his head open. I in a drunken
stupor (=almost unconscious as a result of being drunk)
We/ound him lying by the roadside in a drunken stupor.
drunkenness [n VI She hoM Morel because ofhis drunken-
ness (=because he was always getting drunk) and his vio-
lent temper.
pi ••ed /plst! an infonnal British word for drunk [adj not
before noun ]
Every time she goes to a party she gets pissed. I Don't listen
to him, he's pissed.
have had one too many Jh;)v hred IWAD tU! ImeniJ a
humorous expression meaning to be drunk rv phrase]
1 think you'd better lake her ho"",_ She looks as ([she's hod
one too many.
have had too much to drink /h,v h",d ,tm IIlAtf t,
'drlIJkJ to have dnmk too much alcohol so that you feel very
drunk or sick (v phrase]
I think I should drive you home tonight - you've had too
much w drink. I One night, hoving had far too much w
drink, he stumbled overboard and drowned.
have been drinking /h,v bim 'drtQklQ ~ -bIn-/ ifsome-
one bas been drinking, you know that they have been
drinking alcohol because they appear drunk or their breath
smells of alcohol rvphrase]
I could tell Doreen had been drinking because she couldn't
walk straight and kept giggling. I You've been drinking.
Don't deny it. I can smell your breath.
2 a [ittle drunk
tipsy
merry
mellow
tipsy / 'upsi/ [adjl
Peter had ordered a bottle ofchampagne and seemed a little
tip~y. I Not too much for me thanks, I'm feeling a bit tipsy
already.
merry J'merit a British word meaning fee1ing very happy
because you are slightly drunk (ad) oot before noun]
We were all very merry by the time the party broke up. I Some
of the officers' wives got quite merry celebrating our recent
victory.
mellow Ilmei;)(JI pleasantly friendly and ready to talk
because you are slightly drunk [ad) not before noun ]
After a couple of bottles of wine we were all beginning to feel
mellow.
3 very drunk
blind drunk paralytic/legless
roaring drunk pissed out of your
smashed/plastered head/mind/brain
bombed/loaded
blind drunk / ,blaInd 'drhQk/ [adj not before nounl
She was blind drunk and kept falling over. I Every Satur-
day night he came Iwme blind drunk.
roaring drunk "f:>:rIIJ 'drAIJkl very drunk and very
noisy (ad) not before noun]
They were all roaring drunk and kept singing rude songs.
smashed/plastered "smreJt, IpJa:st~Td U IpJres-/ infor-
mal words meaning very drunk [adj not before ooun]
We went to a nightclub in town last night and got absolutely
plastered. I She came Iwme completely smashed at about
2 0 'clock this morntng.
385 DRUNK
bombed/loaded /bomd, 'Ioud!d 11 ba:md/ informal
American words meaning very drunk (ad) not before noun]
Tracy'sreallyloaded. We'd better lake her home. I Weallgot
totally bombed last night at Bob's party.
paralytic/legless ,lpreld1htlk ... . lJegl;)sl informal Brit-
ish words meaning extremely drunk [ad) not before noun]
Don 'tgive Dove anything else wdrink - he's already legless. I
The day I got my exam results we went om andgot absolutely
paralytic.
plssed out of your head/mlndlbraln "plstaUl;)v j:J: T
Ihed. 'mamd, 'brem/ an informal British English expres-
sion meaning to be so drunk that you do not know what
you are doing [ad) phrase)
My uncle always gets pissed out of his head at weddings.
4 to drink a [at of alcoho[ and get drunk
get drunk
drown your sorrows
hit the bottle
get drunk I,get 'drAIJkJ [v phrase]
You should beasha1rU!d ofyourself - getting drunk like thot. 1
Their idea of a good time is to go out and get drunk. I get
drunk on She sometimes gets drunk on two glasses of wine.
drown your sorrows 'Idraun j:>:T ISDldUZ 11 -'so:-' to
drink a lot of alcohol with the purpose of getting drunk. in
order to forget your problems [v phrase]
After his girlfriend left he spent the evening drowning his
sorrows in a local bar. I Have another whisky and drown
your sorrows, I'll look after you.
hltthe boHle / ,hIt 0, 'botl 11 -'ba:tl/ an informal expres-
sion meaning to start to drink a Jot of alcohol habitually,
especially in order to forget your problems [v phrase]
When his wiJedied he hit the bottle again. I My sister'S been
hitting the bottle a lot lately and her work is starting to
suffer.
5 to drive whi le you are drunk
be over the limit drink driving/drunk
under the Influence driving
drink and drive drunk driver
be ovar the limit 'hi: ,auv;)T 0;) '1lm1tf to have drunk
more alcohol than is legal and safe for driving (v phrase]
He was caught driving over the limit and had to pay a large
fine. I In a large proportion offatal accidents it isfouM that
one driver is over the limit.
under the Influence "Aoda T Oi Imfluans/ a formal
expression: if someone drives under the influence, they
drive while their senses are affected by having drunk alco-
hol [adv phrase]
Her son was arrested/or driving under the influence. I Wit-
nesses claimed that Jones was under the influence of alco-
hol at the time of the accident.
drink and drive " dffl)k an Idralv/ an expression mean-
ing to drive after you have been drinking alcohol, used
especially in warnings about the dangers of doing this [v
phrase)
Stay alive! Don't drink and drive. I Drinking and driving
can kill.
drink driving (British) / drunk driving (American)
' ldflIJk 'dralvIIJ, IdrAIJk Idra lV IIJ' the act of driving while
under the influence of alcohol [n UJ
Drink driving causes over 800 deaths a year on the roads. I
He wasfound guilty ofdrunk driving and bannedfrom driv·
ing a car for five years.
dr. .k driver ' ldrAl)k 'dralvaTI someone who drives while
they are drunk In Cl
My aunt got knocked down by a drunk driver. ITthink there
should be more severe punishments for drunk drivers.
I~ I "You say" is used in definitions of some
~ words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English .
DRUNK
6 someone who is often drunk
drunk drunkard
drinker have a drink problem/
alcoholic a drinking problem
lush
drunk /drfl.IJkl someone who is drunk or who often gets
drunk In Cl
A couple of drunks. who were crouched in a doorway.
shouted something as we hurried past. I Tfrere's no point
talking to her, officer, she's a hopeless drunk.
drinker ' Idfll)ka f / someone who often drinks a Jotofalco-
holln Cl
HehadthewaterytyeSaruiswollennoseojadrinki!r. 1heavy
drinker (=someone who regularly drinks a lot of alcohol)
Paul and Jane were both heavy drinkers and they spent most
a/their time in the local bar. 1hard drinker (=someone who
regularly drinks very large amounts of alcohol , often with
the result that they behave badly or damage their hea1th)
He quickly earned the reputation as a hard drinker and
heU-raiser.
alcoholic '.relka'hohk .. I1 _IID:_I someone who drinks too
much alcohol every day but is not able to stop drinking it
In Cl
His mother was an alcoholic who drank herself to death
when he was very young. I Many alcoholics are unaware that
they have a problem until it is too late.
lush IIAil an informal American word for someone who
habitually drinks too much alcohol In Cl
You'll see her sitting at the bar all day. She's a real lush. I
Carol could see the man was a lush - his breath reeked of
whiskey and he oouldn't keep his halUfs off h£r.
drunkard IldrAlJk~rdJ a word used especially in literature
meaning a person who is habitually drunk [n Cl
Tlwy were all drunkards, but Arthur was the worst of them
all. I Unfortunately she had married an incurable drunkard.
have a drink problem (British) I a drinking prob-
lam (American) Ihaw ~ 'dnlJk ,ProbJ~m, ~ 'dnl)kllJ- 11
- Ipra:b-j to be unable to stop the habit of drinking too much
alcohol so that it has a bad effect on your life lV phrase not
in progressive I
My sister has a drink problem but she won't admit it. lOne
ofmy patients has a severe drinking problem which is affect-
ing his health.
7 words for describing an occasion or time
when people get drunk
drunken
boozy
booze-up
drunken l 'dr"l)k~nl ladj only before noun1
Once, after a drunlren party, we took all our clothes off and
went swimming in the river. I A civilized dinner party can
easily turn into a drunken orgy.
boozy I'bu:zil an inform31 word: boozy party/night out
ete (=where people drink a lot of alcohol) ladj only before
1Wunl
She's going for a boozy night out with her friends.
booz...up l 'bu!Z "pi an infonnal British expression mean-
ing a party or other occasion where people drink a lot of
alcohol In Cl
We usually get tDgether with our friends for a booze-up at
Christmas.
8 the sick feeling you have the day after you
have been drinking
hangover
hangover f' hrelJ3UV~rl the feeling of headache and sick-
ness that you get the day after you have drunk too much
In Cl
I can't drink gin. it gives me a really bad hangover. I She
woke up the next morning with a terrible hangover.
386 DRY
9 not drunk
sober
sober up
can hold your drink
sober l ' s;)Ub~rl (adji
Drunk or sober. Lucille was excellent company. I The bride-
groom was the only sober man at the wedding. I stone cold
sober (=completely sober) She must have thought we were
all very rltlk, because we were pretty drunk and she was
stone cold sober.
sober up 1,S<KJbeJr IAp/ to gradualJy become less drunk
until you are no longer drunk at all [phr v I]
[ had sobered up by th£ time th£ police arrived. I You '/l need
time to sober up before you meet my parents.
can hold your drink Ik:m ,h~ldj:>!r 'drllJk[ if you can
hold your drink, you are able to drink a large amount of
alcohol without getting drunk [v phrase}
He can really hold his drink. I've seen him drink seven
whiskies and still play a good game of billiards. I I can't hold
my drink nearly as well as I could when I was younger.
drunkard DRUNK 6
drunken DRUN K 1. 7
dry DRY I , 2. 3. 4, SWEET 3, TH IRSTY 1
dry: bone dry/dry as a bone DRY 1
dry-clean WASH 6
dry land LA NDfGROUND 3
dry out DRY 3
dry 8th oH DRY 4
dry up DRY 3, FORGET 3
_ DRY
1 having little or no water in it
2 words for describing places thal have very
little water or rain, or periods of time when
there is little or no rain
3 to become dry or drier
4 to make something dry or drier
5 words for describing something that has had
liquid removed in order to preserve it
1 having little or no water in it
dry
bone dry/dry as a bone
dry Idra ll having no water or liquid inside or on the sur-
face ladjl
The wood was dry and it burned easily. I He needs to change
into some dry clothes. I I always put a plastic bag over my
bicycle seat to k£ep it dry. I Is this paint dry? I My mnuthfelt
so dry that I oould hardly speak. I Because I have dry skin
I have to use lots ofmoisturizing cream. I The apples should
be stored in a cool dry plac:€.
bone dry/dry as a bone/,ooun 'dra l. Idra f ~z eJ ' b~.m/
completely dry and containing no water at 311 [adj phrase)
[forgot to water the plants and the soil has gone bone dry. I
The clothes have been out in the sun all day - they s/wuld
be as dry as a bone by now.
2 words lor describing places that have very
little water or rain , or periods of time when
there is little or no rain
dry parched
arid drought
dusty
dry Idraft having little or no rain [adj l
It's beena very dry sumrnerand there's not e1Wugh waterfor
the plants to grow_ I Singapore's /wt, dry climate makes it
an ideal place to visit at any time ofyear. I dry season (=a
 DRY
long dry period which comes at the same time every year)
The river beds are like well-trodden roads during the dry
season.
dryness [n Ul The dryness afthe summer wasfallowed by
heavy rain/all during the winter.
,I
arid rer 1dl land that is arid is extremely dry and
produces poor crops because there is very little rain [adj l
The group a/travellers stared in amazement at thearid /and.
scape of th€ desert. I Much of Namibia is arid country and
only fit for rearing cattle and goats.
dusty ,'dASti/ a place, especially a road or street, that is
dusty is dry and covered with dust radj l
The road to Agra was long, hot, and dusty. I He pushed his
bicycle along the dusty streets in the growing heat o/the day.
parched /pa:'tJt/ ground that is parched is completely
387 DURING
dried Idmdl dried food or plants have been allowed to
become dry, or have had the liquid taken out of them in
order to preserve them radj]
Dried herbs are very convenient but I think fresh ones give
abetter flnvour. I The good thing about drledflnwers is thot
they last so much ronger. IAddfour tablespoons ofdried milk
to a pint of cold water, and stir Until dissolved.
dehydrated Ildi:haI1dreJll,d .. 11 db Ihaldrel11dl dehy-
drated food has had all the liquid taken out of it by an
industrial process so that it becomes a powder which can
be used easily by adding water again (adjl
Astronauts usually eat dehydrated food while they are in
space. 1 We live in an age of 'instantfood' -alnwsteverything
we eat is canned, dehydrated or frozen.

I
dual TWO 5
dry because the weather has been very hot and there has dub CALUDESCRIBE AS 2
been no rain for a long time [adj] ~ dubious DISHONEST 4
The earth was so parched that there were huge cracks in it. I t dubious: be dubious DON 'T THINK SO/DOUBT IT 1
The parched yellow lamisaopeof Death Vall£y stretched out f,'. duck AVOID 2, 6
for miles in front of them,
t duck out of AVOID 2
drought Idrautj a long period when there is little or no • duck/shir1l: your responsibilities RESPONSIBLE 10
rain so that there is a lack of water and plants die In C/U) due OWE 5
SouthernAfrica is suffering th£ worst drought ofthe century due: be due EXPECT 10
- in some places it has not rained for three years, 1 Their due to BECAUSE 1
cattle cannot survive long in severe drought conditions. dull BORING 1. 4. SHINY 5
dull: deaden/dull REDUCE 2
3 to become dry or drier
,
dull moment: never a dull moment INTERESTI NG 4
dumb SPEAK A LANGUAGE 12. STUPID/NOT
dry dry up
I. dry out shrivel/shrivel up
INTELLIGENT 1
dumb: be struck dumb SAY 8
dry Id",,/Iv 11 dumbfounded SURPRISED 3
Wet clothes soon dry on a warm day. 1Thepaintshould take dummy FALSE 2
about six hours to dry. 1 All my shirts were hanging out to dump PUT 5, THROW AWAY 1, UNTIDY 6
dry on the balcony. I Leave the dishes on the draining board dumps: be down in the dumps SAD/UNHAPPY 2

.
to dry, don't bother about wiping them. dumpy FAT 3
dry out I ,drat I autj to become completely dry (phr v 11 dunk PUT 11
You mustn't let the soil dry out or the plants will die. 1 It's duo TWO 2
best to leave plastic containers on a sunny windowsill so that dupe TRICK/DECEIVE 5

I
they dry out thoroughly. duplicate COPY 6
dry up /,dral 'Apl ifa river, lake etc dries up, it becomes durable STRONG OBJECT 1
completely dry through lack of rain and there is no water duration TIME/HOW LONG 1
in it [phr v 11 duress: under duress FORCE S8 TO DO STH 1
Last summer the river dried up and you could walk right ii! during DURING t
across it. 1 The drought has caused the reservoir to dry up i during this time PERIOD OF TIME 4
and many people are without running water.
dried-up laWI The only signs of life in the dried-up old
riverbed were a few frogs. _ DURING
shrlvel/shrlvel up ,'fnval •• frlval I hp/ if a plant or a
fruit shrivels or shrivels up it becomes smaller and the 1 during
surlace has many deep lines because it is so dry (v 11 2 ways of saying that one thing happens during
The plants are starting to shrivel - they need some water. 1
There was so little rain that many of the crops shrivelled up
Ihe time that something else happens
and died.
shriveHed radii We had nothing to eat apart from a couple
of shrivelled appks.
1 during
during through
4 10 make something dry or drier In throughout
dry in the course off over
dry 5th off during the course of by daylby night
dry Id",,/ Iv TJ during J 'djuiJrll) 11 'du-/ all through a period of time, or at
She'djust had a shower and was drying her hair. 1 We built some point in a period of time (prep ]
afire to get ourselves warm and dry our clothes. 1 Here's a Terry's work has improved a lot during the last three
handkerchief - stop crying and dry your eyes. months. 1 During the summer we spend a lot more time out
. dry .th oH / ,dml (sth) 'of ~ -'o:fl to completely dry the ofdoors. 1At some time during the night a thief got into the
surface of something or someone's skin (phr v T I building. 1 This place was an air-raid shelter during the
The dog was soaking wet and we had to dry her off before war. 1 During her time at the university she was awarded
she could get back into the car. I Clean the plastic cover with several prizes for her outstanding work.
a damp sponge, then dry it off with a soft cloth. In Ilnl at some point in a period of time (prep I
In the lastfew minutes we have been getting reports ofa large
explosion in central Belfast. 1 The long vacation is in July
5 words for describing something Ihal has had and August, 1In 1982Paget was living in Geneva. 1I aways
liquid removed in order to preserve it feel drowsy early in the morning.
dried
In the cour.e of/during the cour.e of Iln 00 110:'8
dehydl'8ted ~v, djuafJl) Oa Ib:Ts ~v 11 duarll)-I a formal expression
DURING 388 EACH OTHER

E
meaning during a process or period of time, especially a
long period (prep I
In the courseojafew years Lambert built up a highly sucess·
fut export business. I In the course ofher research she disco-
vered some imjXJrtant new facts about Stalin. I We expect to
see some important political developments during the course
of the next week or two. t. eg EXAMPLE 3
each ALUEVERYTHING 1 , BOTH 1, EVERYONE 3
through fermI during and continuing to the end of a
period of time. especially a long period [prep J each and every one EVERYONE 3
The party started around eleven arul continued through the each other/one another EACH OTHER 1
night until dawn. I She had lived through two World Wars. I each other's throats: be at each other's throats
alllhrough (=during all ofa period) All through the long ARGUE 1
hot summer they worked in the cotton fz.elds. each ... the other EACH OTHER 1
throughout IBru: I aut! during all of a particular period
from the beginning until the end (prep J
Throughout his school years he was always in trouble with
the teachers. I He had a nightmare that recurred/rom time
to time throughout his life.
1each 1-------,.,-
over / I~v~ r/ during all of a particular period, especially
which meaning?
a period that is or seems a long time (prep)
She's been a great Il£/p to me over the past year. I They plan each thing - It ALU
'>( ..
to rederoraw their house over the Christmas period. I This EVERYTHING
lack ofco..operation was a problem he encountered again and .- .:1

again over the next few years. each person • EVERYONE

by daylby night /bal Idel, bal IRaltf if you do something
by day or by night you do it during the day or night {adv
phrase I
By day he works as a waiter but he studies every evening and • EACH OTHER
IuJpes to go to university. I Tlu! army started its attack by
night, hoping to surprise the enemy. 1 ways of saying that two or more people or
groups do something to each other, give
2 ways of saying that one thing happens during somethi ng to each other etc
the time that something else happens 2 words for describing something that people
while do to each other, give to each other, or feel
meanwhile about each other
In the meantime
while /wail/ during the same period of time (conjunction ]
He read the newspaper while he waited for his train. I Let's 1 ways of saying that two or more people or
sit in the other room while Daddy finishes the washing up. groups do something to each other, give
meanwhlle /1mi:nwall/ during the same period of time something to each other etc
that something is happening [advl each other/one another exchange
She lay asleep. Meanwhile th£ rain continued to fall. 1 Here each ... the other trade
we are, sitting around arguing about politics. Meanwhile
thejighting goes on and people are getting killed. each other/one another finJ IAo~r, WAn ~lnA6~r l
In the meantlme /lo O~ Imi:ntalm/ during the period of [pronl
time between now and a future event or between two events The twins looked at each other and giggled. I As the years
in the past [adv phrase I went by, our love for each other grew stronger. I The birds
We'll meet again on April 21st, and in the meantime I'll col· circle one another, displaying their colourful feathers, as
lect some more information for you. I Tlu! doctor should be part of their courtship ritual. I If rrwther and I were together
here soon. In the meantime try to relax. I I saw Vanessa again for too long, we began to get on each other's nerves.
six TTWnths lawr. She had in the meantime been travelling each .... the other 11 i:tJ ... Oi I Ao~r /
about the country campaigning against abortion. Kerry and Sam met again at a party, each equally pleased
to see the other. I T he two leaders shook hands, each grasp-
dust CLEAN 4 ing tll£ ather by tll£ elbow and nodding. I Committee mem-
dust: not see someone for dust LEAVE A PLACE 6 bers are quarrelling, each accusing the other ofbeing respon·
dusty DIRTY 1, DRY 2 sible for the error.
dutch: go dutch SHARE 5 exchange /lks 1tJelnd3f exchange looks/glances/in-
duties WORK THAT SB DOES 1 sults etc (=look at each other . insult each other etc) Iv Tl
dutiful OBEY 4 Danny and his lawyer exchanged uneasy kJoks. I As Sally
duty JOBfTASK 1 approached wearing her new dress, her friends exchanged
duty: be on duty WORKIDO WORK 3 glances but tried not to giggle. I The two actresses were
duty: have a duty to do 8th/be sb's duty to do 5th exchanging insults loudly in the dressing room.
SHOUlDIOUGHT TO 1
Iracle /treld/ trade insults/blows etc (=insult each other,
i dwarf HIGH 5, SHORT PERSON 3, TAl l PERSON 3
hit each other etc in an argument or fight) [v T l
dwell on TH INK ABOUT 6 The brothers always seemed to end up trading insults. I We
dwindle LESS 5 traded blows and wrestled for several minutes, each ofus
dye COlOUR/COlOR 8 refusing to give way.
dying DIE 5
' dying: be dying WANT 4
dying day: to/until your dying day ALWAYS/FOREVE R 1
; dying ollhlrsl: be dying ollhlrsl TH IRSTY 1
dynamic EN ERGETIC 1 "You say" is used in definitiDns of some
words or phrases to ShDW they are
especially used in Spoken English .
EACH OTHER
2 words for describing something that people
do to each other, give to each other, or feel
about each other
mutual
reciprocal
two·way
mutual I1mju:tJu~11 mutual respect/hatred/support etc
(=respecting, hating etc each other equally) ladj]
Their reLationship was based on mutual respect. I The meet-
ing broke up in an atmosphere of mutual suspicion with
rwthingachieved. 1the feeling is mutual He was very much
in love with Hilda and the feeling appeared to be mutual.
mutually ladv] AjWr weeks ofdiscussion the two sides have
reached a mutually acceptable settlement. (=one that both
sides can accept)
raciprocal /n 'stpidkal/ a formal word: reciprocal agree.-
ment/obligation/ visit etc (=in which one person or coun-
try does or gives the same thing to another, as they have
officially agreed to do) [adj only hefore noun]
OUr ships visited Bres! and Cherbourg and French ships
made reciprocal visits to our ports. I ln countries which do
not have reciprocal health agreements with your own, you
will need to take out separate health insurance.
two-way ( ,tu: 'wCl-~ 1 two-way communication/ex-
change/contact etc (=when the two people or groups
involved have an equal chance to express their opinions
and are listening to or helping each other) ladj only before
noun)
Managers who want two-way communication with their
stqff must be prepared to listen to what they have w say. I
the need for two-way co-operation between the two research
teams
I eager ENTH USIASTIC 1
eager: be keen to do sth/be eager to do 5th WANT 3
! eagerness ENTHUSIAsn c 3
~ eagle-eyed NOTICE 2d he th FORGET 3
~ ear: go in one ear an out t 0 er
;t ear: lend an ear LISTEN 1
ear: play it by ear PLAN 12
ea,-spllttlng LOUD/NOISY 6
'111 earache: backache/earache/stomach-ache/toothache
1! earlier
earllesl
PAIN 3
BEFORE 2. 6. 9
FI RST I
early BEGIN NING 3 , EARLY I , 2, 3, 4, 6
earty: be early EARLY 1
early days: It's early days EARLY 5
early hours: the early hours LATE 6
earty riser WAKE UP/G ET UP 5
_ EARLY
1 before the expected time or the time that was
arranged
2 before the usual time
3 early enough so that you make sure you can
do something, prevent something etc
4 words for describing something that happens
earlier than expected or earlier than usual
5 too early
6 early in the morning
1 before the expected time or the time thal was
arranged
early ahead of schedule
be early with time to spare
ahead of time
earl, / ',,'Ii/ladv]
I won't be here on your birthday, so I'llgiveyouyour present
389 EARLY
early. I The only people who got there early were the people
who travelled by bus. l It amazes rrw how early some people
put up their Christmas decorations. I seven months/three
years etc early We managed to pay back our loan six
months early.
be early /bi: '3:Tli/ to arrive early, especially earlier than
you intended Iv phrase ]
You're early, but don't worry, we like that. I Christine and
Peter are usually late, occasionally on time, but never early.
ahead of time (a,hed av 'Ialrnj an Arnericanexpression
meaning earlier than the expected or arranged time [adv
phrase]
l/hearrivesfor work ahead o/tirrw, he gets no extra pay/or
it. I We will try to complete the building ahead of time.
ahead of schedule />,hed >v 'Jed3U:1 11 - ' sked3UI/
earlier than the officially agreed time radv phrasel
If hejlnishes the script ahead of schedule, we might be able
to get it publtshed in time/or Chrtstmas. I six months/ two
weeks/a year etc ahead of schedule The rerwvation ofthe
school has just been completed three months ahead of
schedule.
with time to spar. (W IO ,tal m ta 'spear( if you arrive
somewhere or finish something with time to spare, you
arrive there or finish it early, so that there is some time
left for you to relax or do anything else [adv phrase]
We tlwught we would be really late arriving at the port, but
we caught the ferry with time to spare. I with ten
minutes/half an hour etc to spare I finished the exam
with half an hour to spare.
2 before the usual time
early
earl, /'3:'Ii/ ladvl
My little girl started walking very early - at nine months! I
David made a special effort to get up early so he could go
swimming before breakfast. I I'll be halTU! early today. Maybe
we could go out/or a walk or something.
3 early enough so that you make sure you can
do something, prevent something etc
early
in good time
earl, /'3:'1i/ladvl
The hospital managed to cure him because his doctor had
diagnosed the cancer so early. I Luckily. Norma didn't hit
the other car because she was able to brake early enough.
early ladj only before noun l The use ofthis drug is especially
important in the early detection 0/ cancer cells. I They
installed an early warning system to alert people about
enemy aircraft and missiles.
in good time Iln ,gud 'talrnj early enough to not have to
rush, so that you are likely to succeed in doing something
[adv phrase}
Take this catalog but make sure you placeyour order in good
time. I Let me know in good time what day your JXlrty is on
so I can arrangefor a babysitter. I Get to the station in good
time, in case the train arrives early.
4 words for describing something that happens
earlier than expected or earlier than usual
early
earl, / '3:'Ii/ladj only before noun I
I decided to take an early lunch and go into town. I Banks
oflen make heavy chargesfor early withdrawal offundsfrom
deposit accounts. I The company told him that he could take
early retirement (=he could stop working before the usual
age) with a full pension if he wanted to.
5 too early
1(&1loo early/loo soon It's earty days
~ unllmely Jump the gun
premature
EARLY
too earlyltoo soon flU: 13: TIi. tu: Isuml (advl
It didn't occur to me that I was starting to have the baby
because it was too early. I too early/too soon to do sth It's
still too soon to tell if the new medicine is going to be effec-
tive. I too early/too soon for sth There aren't any rasp-
berries in the stores yet. It's too early for them. I far too
early/too soon (=much too early) You can't get married
next week! That's/ar too soon. I way too early/too soon
(=much too early) LeIOI hit the ball way too soon.
untimely /An 'talmlij untimely death/end/accident
(=much earlier than usual or expected, so that people are
surprised by it) [adj usually before nounl
She had only been married/or 2 months when her husband
died in an untimely accident. I Before his untimely death in
1991, Freddie Mercury was a brilliant singer and perjomer.
premature f'prematfa r , -tJua r , Iprema 1tJua r 11 Ipri:ma-
'tfuaTJ something that is premature happens earlier than
it should as part of a natural process ladj J
Her mother's death put a premature end to her childhood. I
It has been proved that sunbathing causes premature ageing
of the skin. I Her baby was premature and weighed only 2kg.
prematurely [adv] Recurring illnessesforced him to retire
from work prematurely.
it's early days I ItS ,3!rtj 'delzl a British expression: if
you say it's early days, you mean that it is still too early
in a process or event to know what will happen
It's still early days but all the signs are that the operation
has been a success. I it's early days yet "It looks like
Liverpool are going to win the championship. " "Oh I don't
know. It's early days yet. "
Jump the gun I,dy.mp l')~ 'gim/ an infonnal expression
meaning to do or say something too early. before you know
what is going to happen next, so that you risk making a
mistake [v phrase J
I'm sure she'll marry you, but isn't it jumping the gun to buy
the ring before you ask her?
6 early in the morning
early at the crack of dawn
first thing bright and early
earl, I''''HI [adv[
ThecorifereTU2 stansat 8:3050 we'll need to leave quite early.!
Early the rwct day, Jamie received a cali/rom his mother.
first thing I, f3: rst '9ITJ/ an infonnal expression meaning
as soon as you have got up in the morning, or as soon as
you have started work (adv phrasel
[makEteafirst thing in the morning.! Don't wony, l"Uphone
her first thing tomorrow.
at the crack of dawn /~t 6~ ,krrek ~y 'd:>:n/ very early
in the morn ing [adv phrase I
"Why are you so tired?" "My brother phoned me upfrom Los
Angeles at the crack ofdawn. " ITgot up at the crack ofdawn
to go fishing.
bright and earlv I,bralt dnd 13:rJjl if you get up bright
and early, you get up very early in the morning, especially
because there is something that you want to do fadv phrase)
We're going camping tomorrow, so we must be up bright and
early. I Waking bright and early, I wentfora swim and took
the dog for a walk.
earmark CHOOSE 5
earn EARN 1. PROFIT 3
earn: have earned DESERVE 1
earn/make a living EARN 3
t earn/make good money EARN 4
i' earn your keep EARN 3
. EARN
1 to be paid a particular amount of money for
the work that you do
2 to earn a certain amount of money, after tax
etc has been taken away from your pay
390 EARN
3 to earn enough money to pay for the things
that you or your family need
4 to earn a [at of money
5 the money that someone earns
6 someone who earns money
1 to be paid a particular amount of money for
the work that you do
.am get
be paid/get paid be on
make gross
earn 13:rnl Iv TJ
earn £17.000 per year/ $15 an hour etc He was a car-
penter earning about £200 a week. 1 The President of Con-
tinental Motors earns $500,000 a year. I earn money She
earned money by playing the piarw in a bar. I I don't krww
how much he earns.
be paid/get paid Ibi: 'peld, get 'pe,dl [v phrase I
be paid £50/$100 etc The cleaners are paid less than WOO
francs a week. I How much do you think the President gets
paid?
make /melk/ to get money by working, especially a lot of
money and especially when you have your own business
[vT I
He makes a lot 0/ money. I Top fashion models can make
$300,000 a year. I At that time business was booming, and
we were making $5000 a week. easy.
gat /get/ an informal word meaning to earn a particular
amount of money every hour, week etc Iv T rwt inpassiveJ
get £10/$50 etc for doing sth How much do you get for
babysitting? ! get £3.50 per hour/$250 a week She'll be
getting £15 per lwur rwct month. I A newly-qualified teacher
usually gets about 48 yuan ($32) a month.
ba on /hi: on 11 -a:.n/ an infonnal British expression mean-
ing to earn a particular amount of money each year [v Tl
In January, I'll be on £23,350. I How much were you on in
your last job? I She is on a very good salary.
gross /grdUS/ a word used especially in American English
meaning to earn a particular amount of money each year,
before tax has been taken away Iv TJ
Jack grosses $58,000 ayror, but then he has to pay taxes and
health insurance out of that. l /fyou gross over $100,000 you
slwuld consult a good tax accountant.
2 to earn a certain amount of money, after tax
etc has been taken away from your pay
take home
net
clear
take home I,telk 'hdUm/ [v phraseJ
She takes home only £150 a week for nearly thirty lwurs'
work. I He worked until recently in a car factory where he
took home $40,000 a year.
take-home pay In phrase] (=the pay remaining after tax
has been taken away) My dad's take-lwme pay was 40 shill-
ings a week.
net /netl a word used especially in American English
meaning to earn a particular amount of money after tax has
been taken away Iv TI
I was netting $24,000 a year. I Frank nets a measly $17,000
after taxes.
claar Ikll~rl to earn a particular amount of money after
tax etc has been taken away, especially in ajob where you
work for yourself Iv TJ
SalOm hod a good year alO cleared £60,000. !A good lawyer
can clear $200,000 a year.
I@. I " You say" is used in definitions of some
~ words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English .
EARN
3 to earn enough money to pay for the things
that you or your family need
earn/make a living
support yourself/your family
earn your keep
aam/make a living ,.3: f O, ,melk:) IIIV!!)I Lv phrase!
He earn£fi his living by teaching English. I It is difflCUlt to
make a living as a professional athlete. I earn a good/
decent living (=earn more than enough) Unless the work-
ing people of this country are making a good living, the
government camwt expect to win the election.
support your.eH/your family fs;}'pJ:rt j:>:rself. jJ: r
'frerwli/ to pay for the things that you or your family need
out of the money that you earn, especially when you are
the only person in the family who is earning money [v
phrasel
Make sure that you will earn enough in that job to support
yoursel[. IAfter hisfatlwr dWd, Peter had w leave school and
find a job to support his family.
earn your keep ,.3:r njJ: r 'ki:pj to earn enough money
to pay for your food and other needs, especially if you are
living in someone's house without paying them Iv phrase]
You can stay with us, butyou'll be expected to earn your own
keep.
4 to earn a lot of money
earnJmake good money make a fortune
be highly paid/well paid rake It In
.arn/mak. good mon.y ,.3: r n •• melk gud 'ffiAnil to
be paid a lot of money by the person or company you work
for, or a lot of money from your own business Iv phrase]
He earns good money working nights and "",e!rend shifts. I
She makes good money, but she's extravagant so it doesn't
Inst very wng.
be highly paid/well paid Ibi: ,halli 'peld, ,wet 'peldl
to be paid a lot of money by the person or company you
work for [v phrase}
She's a bank manager so she must be very well paid. I Deep
sea divers are so highly paid because of the element ofdanger
in their work.
highly-paid/well-paid lodj] As soon as Iw qualifIed he got
himself a well-paid job in a design company.
make a fortune f .melk;l 1f:>:TtJem/ to eam a very large
amount of money, especially where you are in control of
a business or in a job where you work for yourself [v
phrasel
He makes afortune selling houses. I She could make afor-
tune as a model if she wanted to.
rak.lt in ,Irelk It InJ an informal expression meaning to
earn a lot of money quickly [v phrase]
He's a good salesman - he must be raking it in. I Top doc-
tors rake it in these days.
5 the money that someone earns
pay earnings
salary Income
wages wage
pay 'pell the money that is paid to someone, either
monthly or weekly, for regular work that they do [n DJ
She's moving to a new job with better pay. I When do we get
our pay? I sick pay (=pay that you get when you are sick
and cannot go to work) He was on sick pay for the two weeks
he spent in hospital. I pay day (=the day when you receive
your pay) I'm glad tomorrow's pay day, I've got absolutely
no money.
salary f'srel;lrif a fixed amount of money that is paid
monthly, usually directly into a bank account and espe-
cially to professional people [n C]
I spent a whole month's salary on my vacation. I He receives
afabulous salary as chairman of the company.
391 easier
wages l'weld3!zl the money that someone in a non-
professional job receives each week, and that is usually
given to them in the form of coins or notes in a packet (n
plural]
We usually get our wages on Thursday afternoon. I I was
paying for bills, food and everything from my wages. I If I
take a holiday I'll lose out on two weeks' wages.
.amlngs / ' 3: rnlljz/ the total amount of money you earn
from any work you do (n plural]
I spend half my earnings on childcare. I The basic pay is
poor, but with overtime the average earnings are nearly £180
per week. I the annual earnings of an able and ambitious
industrial worker
Incom. ' 1IIJkAm, IIn ~1 the total amount of money that
someone receives in a particular period, including money
from work, profits, savings, rent etc [n C/ UJ
What is your income, and how much do you spend each
month? I Her pension is her only source of income now that
she's retired. I The annual income per person in tlwse coun-
tries was less than $250. I high/low income Now that we
have a higher family income, we'll be able to move to a bigger
house. I income from sth He has a very comfortable inrome
from his lawyer's salary and various investments. I dispos-
able income (=money that someone has earned and that
remains for them to spend after paying rent, taxes etc)
Reducing taxes is the best way to increase people's dispos-
able income and boost the economy.
wage Iweld31 the amount of money, usually calculated
hourly and paid weekly, which someone earns for work
they do, especially work in a non-professional job [n
singular]
TIwy earn the basic wage of $11.50 per hour. I Without
quallfzcations it's difficult to get a job with a decent wage. I
Thegovernment would like to slow the rate of wage increases.
6 someone who earns money
the breadwinner
wage.earner
salaried/on a salary
the br.adwlnner IlJ~ 'bredwIn~r, the member of a
family who earns the money to support the others [n
singular]
Chrissie became the breadwinner for her mother and her
children. I Economic policies are forcing more wives to be-
come the family breadwinner.
wag .....rn.r , 'weld3 .3: r n;lTf someone who hasajob and
earns wages In C J
If the man is the wage-earner and the wife doesn't work, she
becomes dependent on him. I Families witlwut wage-earners
must seek relieffrom government social security programs.
salarl.d/on a salary Ilsrel;lrid, Dn ~ 'srel;lril earning a
regular amount of money each month [adjJ
salaried people and wage-earners IPart-time teachers have
different working conditions than teachers on a salary.
earnest SERIOUS PERSON 1
earnest: be In earnest SERIOUS/NOT JOKING 1
earnings EARN 5
ears: be all ears INTERESTED 3
ears: be up to your ears/neck in BUSY/HAVE A LOT
TOD0 2
ears: be up to your ears/neck in debt OWE 2
earshot: out of earshot HEAR 4
earshot: within earshot HEAR 2
earth/Earth WORLD 1
earth: cost a bomblthe earth EXPENSIVE 2
earth: where on earth/where in the world WHERE 1
earthwards DOWN 1
ease EASY 7. REDUCE 2
ease: at ease RElAXED 1
ease: put sb at their ease RELAXED 3
ease up SLOW 12
ease up on STRICT 9
f(, easier: It's easier said than done DI FFICULT 1
, easier: make sth easier EASY 7
easiest
easiest: not the easiest DIFFICULT 1, 7
easily EASY 5
easily: may well/easily PROBABLY 2
easily-led PERSUADE 10
easy EASY 1. 3
easy: go easy on STRICT 9
easy: I'm easy DON 'T CARE 2
easy: take It easy CALM 5, RElAXED 2, REST 1
easy going STRICT 10
easy stages: in easy stages SLOW 5
easy target: be an easy target AITACK 9
easy to get along with/easy to get on with FAIENDl Y t
easy to see: It's easy to see OBVIOUS 1
easy to understand/follow UNDERSTAND 10
easy to use EASY 4
easy way: the easy way EASY 6
easy win WIN 5
. EASY
1 not difficult to do or understand
2 extremely easy to do
3 words for describing a job or way of life that
is easy and does not require much effort
4 words for describing something that is easy to
use
5 ways of saying that someone can do
something easily, without trying hard
6 the easiest way to do something or the
easiest thing to do
7 to make something easier for someone to do
1 not difficult to do or understand
easy
not difficult/hard
simple
e ••y f'i:zif ladjl
The exam was easy. lOur new romputer system should make
the UXJrk a lot easier. I It looks so easy, doesn't it? I easy to
read/learn/see/use etc All instructions are in large print
to make them easier to read. I It's quite an easy language to
learn. I This son ofdecision is never easy to make. I it is easy
to do sth It's easier to write about things you know than
things you don't know. I easy for sb to do sth It's never easy
for a man to admit he's wrong.
not difficult/hard fnnt 'd,fIblt, 'ha:'df fairly easy ladjl
You should try windsurjing some time - it isn't difficult. I
not difficult to learn/ understand/ find etc Basic mas-
sage techniques are not hard to learn. I It's not difficult to
see why she's so unhappy all the time.
simple / ' slmp<1IJ something that is simple is easy to
understand or do because it is not complicated (adj]
I like this recipe because it's very simple. I There is no simple
solution to the problem ofovercrowding on public transpor-
tation. I simple to use/do etc cameras are becoming
lighter, smaller, and simpler to use. Iit is as simple as that
If you want a pay rise, askfor one - it's as simple as that!
2 extremely easy to do
I I
~
~
be a clnchla piece
of cake
be a snapla breeze
be child 's play
be like falling there's nothing to it
off 8 log anyone can
be a doddle be a pushover
be a cinch/a piece of cake fbi: a Ismt! , a ,pi!s av IkeIk/
informal expressions meaning to be very easy to do Iv
phrase)
Getting the money off him was a cinch. I I thought the exam
would be a piece ofcake. I Learning French is a piece ofcake
compared to trying to learn Japanese.
392 EASY
be like f.lllng off. log fbi: la,k ,f.l:IIO of' ' log 11 - 'lo:g/
an informal expression meaning to be so easy that you do
not have to make any effort or develop any skill in order
to be able to do it (v phrase]
Kids these days use computers all the time, it's like failing
off a log for them. I Lewis cruised past the other runners so
effortlessly, he made it look like falling off a log.
be • doddle fbi: , 'dodl 11 -'da:dlf an informal British
expression meaning to be very easy to do, used especially
about examinations, tests, questions etc Iv phrase ]
"You passed your test?" "Yes - it was a doddlet' I Jeanfinds
most crossword puzzles a doodle.
be a snapla breeze /bi: a I snrep, a 'bri:zl informal
American expressions meaning to be very easy to do [v
phrasel
Growing tomatoes is a snap. I Jack's an electrician, so wiring
the new house will be a snap for him. I Persuading Dad to
loan us his car was a breeze.
be child's play Ibi: ltfaIldz plelJ something that is
child's play is actually very easy to do, even though it is
usually considered to be difficult Iv phrase)
Persuading people to give away their money is child's play
when you know how. I Once they'd found the key, cracking
the code was child's play.
there's nothing to It /6eOJr z IMeU] ItU: It! you say
there's nothing toit when you are describing something
that you think is very easy to do, even though other people
may think it is difficult and may think that they cannot do
it
Anyone can drive. There's nothing to it. I Within a couple of
minutes, Anne had the washing machine working again.
"There, .. she said. "Nothing to it."
anyone can J leniwAn kren/ you say that anyone can do
something when you mean that it is so easy that everyone
could do it
Anyone can learn to cook. 11don't know why you think you're
so clever - anyone can do that. I Politicians insist that there
are plenty ofjobs and that anyone can get one if they really
try,
be a pushover Jbi: a lpuJauVOJ r / someone who is a
pushover is very easy to defeat, persuade etc Iv phrase]
The kids all think he's a real pushover. 1The other team had
never played together before, and we tlwught they'd be a
pushover.
3 words for describing a job or way of life that
is easy and does not require much effort
easy
cushy
e •• y f' i:zif [adjl
He has lived an easy life in college for the last few years. I
Being a teacher isn't easy. I have it easy (=have a very easy
life) Lawyers really Iwve it easy - lots ofmoTU!)! for very little
work.
cushy f'kuJiJ if you describe someone's job or life as
cushy, you mean that they have an extremely easy job or
life and you are jealous of them or do not approve of them
ladjl
Her new job sounds pretty cushy to me. I a cushy number
(=a British expression meaning a cushy job or way oflife)
What a cushy number, living rent-jree in return for taking
the dog out once a day!
4 words for describing something that is easy to
use
easy to use
user-friendly
easy to use /,i!zi t;; Iju:Z/ [ac{j phrase]
This new camera is fully automatic and very easy to use. I
&my's easy to use camcorder costs less than $500.
user..frlendly Jdu:za r 'frendli .. / computers, equipment,
technical books etc that are user-friendly are specially
designed to be easy to use and easy to understand [adj]
EASY 393
Home computers are designed to be as user-/riendly as
possible. I Our college library has a whole range of user-
friendly encyclopedias and dictionari£s.
5 ways of saying that someone can do
something easily. wrthout trying hard
easily
effortles8
come naturally
can do 5th blindfolded
think nothing o'
can do 5th standing on your head/
with your eyes shut
can beat ab with one arm tied behind your back
easily l'i:zJIiI ladvl
Some children makefriendseasily_ IA burglar could easily
climb in through that window. I easily done/seen/remem-
bered etc The symptoms a/measles are easily recognized. I
Dqffodils are easily grown both outdoors and indoors.
effortl••• /lef~ rtld sl something that is effortless is done
in a way that makes it seem very easy, although in fact it
is very skUfullcuUl
He 's a great golfer - he makes it seem so effortless. I Other
musicians were amazed by Parker's ejJortiess improvisa-
tional skill, constantly producing a stream 0/ new ideas.
effortlessly ladvI TIw horsejumpeci graaifuUy and effort-
lessly over the fence.
come n.tur.11y J,kAm 'nretJa~l jJ if something comes
naturally to you, you seem to have a natural ability to do
it, so that you can do it well without having to try hard.
[v phrase TWt in progressive)
come naturally to Speaking in public seems to come quite
naturally to h£r. I Looking after babies doesn't come natur-
ally to all new mothers. I come n aturally Her family are
all actors, so it probably comes naturally.
can do sth blindfolded Ikon ,du: (sth) 'blamdfould ldl
to be able to find a place easily, because you h ave done it
so many times before [v phraseJ
Don't worry. I 've driven to the Bronx so many times I could
do it bUncifolded_
think nothing of 1,91Qk '1lA91Q Dvl to think that some-
thing is a very easy and normal thing todo, although most
people think it is difficult and unusual (v phrase TWt in
progressive I
Emily thinks nothing o/preparing a meal/or twenty prople_1
Be/ore cars were invented, people thought TWthing a/walk-
ing six miles to work.
can do sth standing on your headlwHh your
e,ea shut Jk~n du: (sth) ,strendll) onjJ!f 'hed. Wl(~ jJ:r 'alz
.JAtl to be able to do something very easily, especially
because you have done it SO many times before Iv phrase)
He's a really good mechanic - he could do it standing on his
head.
can beat ... wHh one arm tied behind your back
fbn birt (sb) Wli) .WAn a:fm .tald blhalnd j:>:f 'brekj to be able
to beat someone very easily because you are much better
than them (v phrase]
Tyson's the better boxer - he could beat the other guy with
one hand tied behind his back_
6 the easiest way to do something or the
easiest thing to do
the easy way
80ft option
the •••, w., Ii)i 'i:zi ,well {n phrase l
The easiest way a/making money is to get other people to do
it/or you. I do things the easy way As a student, Louise
was lazY. and always did things tlw easy way. I take the
easy way out (=avoid the difficult way by doing something
that is easier) I was going to make her a birthday cake, but
took the easy way out and bought one.
eat your words
soft option I ,soft I opJcm ~ ,SJ!ft 'a:p-! if someone takes
the soft option they choose to do the easiest thing they can,
rather than something that is better but more difficult.
because they are lazy In Cl
take the soft option Instead a/working to keep their mar-
riages, more and more people are taking the soft option and
getting divorced. I be a saft option Some prople think thot
studying languages instead 0/ sciences is a soft option.
7 to make something easier for someone to do
make sth easier spoonfeed
facilitate hand sth to sb on a platel
smooth the way on a sliver platter
ease
m.k. sth ••• Ie, "melk (sth) 'i:zi:;Jf/ [v phrasel
The new system will make buying and selling houses much
easier. I make it easier for sb to do sthHealth autlwrities
want to make it easier for patients to be treated at home. I
make things/ life easier We've got a new secretary start-
ing tomorrow - that slwuld make things easier. II wish there
was a reliable train service - it would make life a lot easier.
f.clllt.t. / f~' sl l~teIl/ a fonnal word meaning to make it
easier for a process to happen or for someone to do some-
thing IvTI
Do computers/acilitate learning? I A program has been set
up to facilitate cooperation between police and the
community.
smooth the w., '.smu:b i)a 'well to make it eas ier for
someone to do something or for something to happen, by
dealing with any problem that might prevent it [v phrase)
smooth the way for His/ather smoothed the way/or him
to get ajob with one a/tire big banks. I The Queen's visit has
smoothed the way for next month's talks.
•••• /i:Z/ to make it easier for a process to happen or move
forward, especially by officially changing something that
has previously been making it difficult [v TJ
TIw I",lp Q{ UN experL' eased the transition to inllependeru:£.1
President Yelisin's offer will ease the process of arms
reduction.
apoonf••d f's pmnfi:d/ to make it too easy for someone
to do something by giving them too much information and
help, so that they do not learn for themselves [v T I
Don't spoon/eed him - he's got to learn how to do things/or
himself! I SpooQ{eeding studenls is never a good idea - they
always/ail when it comes to exams.
....d sth to ... on a plate (Brrtish) Iona silver .....t.
t.r (American) I,hrend (sth) t:;J (sb) on ~ 'plelt . on ~ I S llv~f
' pl ret~fl to give someone what they want so that they do not
have to make any effort to ach ieve it, win it ete [v phraseJ
Getting thejob was so easy. They virtually handed it to me
on a plate. I You have to go out and look/orajob. Nobody 's
going to hand one to you on a silver platter.
eat EAT 1, 2
eat: couldn 't eat another thing FULL 3
eat: have something to eat EAT 2
eat: not get enough to eat HUNGRY/STARVING 1
eat: something to eat FOOD 1
eat a horse: I could eat a horse HUNGRYIWANT TO
EAT 1
eat Into REDUCE 5
eat out of your hand: have sb eating out of your hand
CONTROL 4
eat up EAT 6 . USE/CONSUME 1
eat your words ADMIT 4
" You say" is used in definitions of some
word s or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English _
EAT 394 EAT

swallow f'swnlau 11 'swo:-f to move food from the mouth

to the stomach through the throat [v lIT!
Since the operation on his throat he's found it diffiCult to
swallow. I swallow 5th It'll be easier to swallow those
tablets ifyou take them with water. I She wouldn't touchjlSh
jor years after she swallowed that flShbone.
eat something tuck In l,tAk 'ml an informal British expression mean-
ing to eat eagerly and with enjoyment (phr v Il
food Dinner's ready everyone. Tuck in! I Nick was already at the
table, tucking in. I tuck into "This is delicious!" he said,
waritlng to Hi • HUNGRY/WANT tucking into his steak and kidney pudding.
TO EAT leecl lfi:dl if animals or babies feed, they eat or drink Iv I!
The pigs were feeding from a trough in the mirldle of the
.. . HUNGRY/ yard. I Most new babies will want to feed every few hours. I

eat a Iillle to 888 what

kind of taste
1----- STARVING
-~~
• • TASTE OF FOOD I
OR DRINK
feed on The larvaefeed on the young shoots of water-lilies.
lick [Ilk/ to eat something by rubbing it with your tongue
IvT I
lick sth Johnny was sitting in the kitchen licking an ice-
somethlng has r - -....... cream. lUck 5th oITa plate/knife etc It was so delicious,
I licked every lnst bit of it off my plate.
drink
2 to eat a meal
have have something to eat
• EAT eat
dine
have a snack
snack
1 to eat
food grab somethlng/a bite to eat
2 to eat
a meal have Ihlevl to eat a particular meal Iv T!
3 to eat
too much Shall we have dinner rww? I It's very important to have a
4 to very quickly
eat good breakfast in the morning. I They had an exquisite meal
5 to eat
noisily in an Indonesian restaurant.
6 to eat
all of something and not leave any eat Ji:tl to eat a meal Iv IJ
What time shall we eat? I Maxim 's is one of the best places
7 someone who enjoys eating a lot to eat in this town. I eat out (=eat a meal in a restaurant)
8 to eat small amounts of food , especially We go to the movies once a month and eat out every couple
because you are not hungry or do not like of months.
what you are eating dine /damJ a formal word meaning to have a meal with
9 to eat less in order to lose weight other people, often a formal or official meal, especially in
10 to stop eating for religious reasons the evening [v I1
11 to refuse to eat I have received an invitation to dine with the Mayor. I dine
12 to do something without having eaten out (=have a meal in a restaurant) It's a place where the
famous can dine out and not be noticed.
anything
13 words for describing something that can be grab somethlng/a bite to eat / ,grreb SAme!!), d ,bait
tu 'i:tf to eat something quickly. such as a small meal or
eaten a piece of bread, because you are in a hurry [v phrase]
14 words for describing something that cannot Let's grab something to eat before we go out. I Do you want
be eaten to grab a bite to eat or can you wait until we get home?
have something to eat /hrev ,SAmel!) tu 'htl to eat
something such as a small meal or a piece of bread Iv
phrase ]
1 to eat food Halfway to Berlin we stopped to have something to eat. I The
eat tuck In movie didn 'f startfor arwther hour, so we had something to
have feed eat in the cafe over the road.
consume lick have a snack I ,hrev d 'snrek/ to eat a small meal in the
swallow time between your main meals Iv phrase]
eat li:~ [v liT!
He prefers to just have a snack at lunchtime and a larger
eat sth I'm so fu ll. I couldn '( eat another thing. I Ken's meal in the evening. I Do youfeellike having a snack now
decided to stop eating meatfor afew weeks. I Eat your dinner or would you rather wait?
bejoreitgoescold. 1eat No wondershe's so overweight - she's snack In Cl They stopped for a snack (=a small meal) at a
always eating. roadside caf~
have /hrevl an informal word meaning to eat something snack /snrek/ an American word meaning to eat small
[v T! amounts offood fairly regularly at any time of the day Iv IJ
have sth If you're hungry, have a sandwich. II'll just have Children wha snack are often developing poor eating habits. I
one nwre piece ofcake. I havesthforlunchldinner/break snack on Tim was always snacking on potato chips and
fast etc Why don't we have eggs for lunch? popcorn so he never ate good healthy food.
consume Ik.m'sju:m 11 -I su:m/ a word used especially in
scientific or technical contexts meaning to eat or drink 3 to eat too much
something [u Tl stuff/gorge yourself guzzle
In order to survive human beings need to consumefood and pig out overeat
water. I At one point he was consuming over a bottle of
make a pig of yourself
whisky a day. I People who consume large amounts of
animalfats are more likely to get cancer and heart disease. stuff/gorge yourself /'StAr, 'g:>:rd3 j:>:rselfl infonnal
consumption [n U] Food products have dates printed on expressions meaning to eat so much food that you cannot
them to show if they're safe jar consumption (::::safe to be eat anything else Iv phrasel
consumed).
EAT
Don't stuffyourself like that, Pamela. You'll make yourself
ilL I stuff/gorge yourself with Having stujJed himselfwith
burgers, Terry found it impossible to eat dessert. I gorge
yourself on The Romans would gorge themselves on grapes
and plums.
pig out I,plg laut! an informal expression meaning to eat
a lot more than is healthy or necessary {phr v 11
Last night we pigged out and ate three pizzas. I pig out on
When he's depressed he always pigs out on ice-cream.
make a pig of yourself /melk ;} Iplg ;)V j:>!f lselfl an
informal expression meaning to eat too much food, which
is considered rude because you are eating with other
people Iv phrase I
[made a real pig of myself. [ had two whole pizzas all for
myself. I Don't make such a pig of yourself, you've eaten
enough.
guzzle /1 gAul1to eat or drink a lot of something in a rude
or badly behaved way Iv TI
Who's guzzled all the wine? I He has been guzzling my ice-
cream again. What a pig!
overeat , , ;x)v~r'i!tJ to regularly eat more than is healthy
or necessary [v I usually in progressive ]
1 notice you've been overeating recently. You need to watch
your weight. 1 Many people who overeat do so for psycho·
logical reasons rather than /rom hunger.
4 to eat very quickly
wolf down
bolt
gobble
woN down " wulf ldaun/ an informal word meaning to eat
food quickly and eagerly, especially because you are very
hungry or are in a hurry [phr v T)
wolf down sth I wolfed down my breakfast but still felt
hungry. 1 They were already /ate so they wolfed down their
lunch and caught the 2.30 train. 1wolfsth/it/them down
When the !oodfinally came she wolfed it down immediately.
bolt ,b;}ult/ to eat something too quickly, especially
because you are in a hurry [v T]
bolt sth Don't bolt your food! Chew it up slowly. I bolt down
sth He bolted down two hamburgers then washed them
down with Coca-Cola.
gobble 1'gDb, 1 11 'ga:-I to eat something quickly and nois-
ily, especially because you are taking a lot of food into your
mouth [v TJ
gobble sth Don't gobble your food - it's bad manners. 1
gobble sth down/up Mike gobbled his lunch down then
dashed off to meet his next client.
5 to eat noisily
munch
crunch
munch /mAntJ/ to eat something noisily, especially for a
long time [v TI
Paul spent the whole afternoon munching a packet of bis-
cuits. 1 Mark was slowly munching his last piece of cake.
crunch /krAntJ/ to noisily eat something hard [v TJ
He drank his orange juice and crunched a half burnt piece
of toast. 1 Jilt was reading the paper, crunching a raw carrot
as she read.
6 to eat all of something and not leave any
eat up polish off
finish demolish
devour scoff
finish off/up
eat up /,hl 'Ap/ [phr v TI
eat up sth Come on, boys - eat up your supper and get to
bed. I eat sth/It/them up Margaret ate it all up and then
askedfor more. 1 We were always taught to eat OIU vegetables
up.
395 EAT
finish Ilflnl!1 to finish eating the rest of something you
have already eaten most of {v TJ
Finish your soup and then you can have some dessert. 1 I
finished my lunch, repacked my back pack and Sf!t offagain. I
!f you finish that quickly we could still make the 70 'clock
show.
devour 'dllvau~fl to eat all of something quickly because
you are very hungry [v T J
After the tennis match the boys devoured the sandwiches in
seconds. 1 There was a plague of slugs, devouring all the
green vegetables in the whole village.
flnlsh off/up 1,fm'l 'of, 'Ap 11 -'o:f/ to eat the rest of the
food that is still on the plate, in the pan etc [phr v Tl
finish off/up 5th Who finished off the cake that was reft
after the party? 1Can someonefinish up these strawberries,
otherwise they'lljust be thrown away. I finish 5th/it/them
off Finish those carrots off and you can have some dessert.
polish off 1 ,polol 'of 11 ,pa:101 'o:fl to eat everything that
is available, with great enjoyment, until there is none left
Iphr v TI
polish off sth At dinner he polished offsixfudge brownies
and then asked for some more. 1 polish 5th/it/them ofT
If anyone wants more pizza, come and get it before Dan
polL<:;hes it all off.
demolish IdllmohJ I dl'ma:-/ a humorous word mean-
ing to eat all of something very quickly [v T ]
The kids demolished the cake in a few minutes. 1 I've seen
Marian demolish a big box of chocolates in one sitting!
scoff Iskof 11 sb:f, ska:f/ an infonnal British word mean-
ing to eat something quickly and eagerly, and especially
to finish it all [v TJ
I lift three pies in thefridge and someone's scoffed the Iot' l
Next door's cat has scoffed all Ginger's grub!
7 someone who enjoys eating a lot
bIg eater
gourmet
like your food
big eat.r I lblg 'i!t;}fl someone who usually eats a lot of
food In Cl
Don't give me such a large portion. I'm not a big eater. JWhat
can I cook for them? They're such big eaters.
gourmet Ilgu;}mel 11 'gu;}r-. gu;}r lmel/ someone who
knows a lot about food and drink and likes good quality
food and drink In Cl
They're real gourmets and buy only the best cuts of meat. 1
Many gourmets say that Gamembert should never be kept in
a fridge. I gourmet food/cooking etc (=very good and
usually expensive) The shop only sells gourmet food, at
astronomical prices.
like your food Illalk jJ!f 'fu:dJ an informal expression
meaning to enjoy food and to usually eat a lot [v phrase not
in progressive I
Give him a big plate of spaghetti. He likes hisfood. I "Now
there's a man who likes his food, " she said, as her brother
took a third helping of pie.
8 to eat small amounts of food , especially
because you are not hungry or do not like
what you are eating
nibble be a fussy/picky eater
pick at play/toy with your food
hardly touch your food/dinner/meal etc
nlbble / 'nlbal/ to eat small pieces of food by taking small
bites Iv IITI
nibble sth Everyone stood around, drinking cocktails and
nibbling patato chips. I nibble on/at Since she started her
diet, shejust n ibbl£sat a carrotfor her lunch. I nibble The
rabbit sniffed at the reUuce leo.f and then began to nibble
slowly.
pick at /'p,k re~ to only eat a little bit ofa meal because
you are not hungry or because you feel ill or unhappy [vTI
[felt terribU! and [ only picked at my dinner. I [sat picking
at my Christmas pudding, wishing I were somewhere else.
EAT 396
hardly touch your food/dinner/meal etc I ,ho:'dli
'tAtf j:>:r (food, ete)1 to eat almost none of your dinner, meal
etc Iv phrase)
Areyoujeeling okay? You've hardly touched your dinner. I
We were so full by the time dessert came that we hardly
touched it.
be a fussy/picky _te, Ibi~;! ,fhSi, ,Pl ki ' i!td T{to refuse
to eat particular types of food and only eat food that you
especially like Iv phrasel
Stan 's such apickyeater it's impossible to know what to cook
for him.
play/toy with your food I,ple" ,'" w,O jo:' ' fu:dl to
use your fork, spoon etc to move the food around your plate
instead of eating it Iv phrase)
Don'lplay with your food. Ifyou don't want it,leave it. I He
toyed with his food while he considered his answer.
9 to eat less in order to lose weight
diet
go on a diet
diet
diet I 'd., at{ [v Ii
I 've been dieting for two months and I've lost 6 kilos. I She
di£ted, went on ex€rcise programs but still she didn '[ attain
that perfectfigure she was looking/or.
go on a diet Ilg~ on ~ I da l ~tJ to decide to follow an eating
plan that controls the type and amount of food that you eat
so that you lose weight [v phrase]
She went on a diet four weeks ago but she still looks fat. 1
I'm going on a strict diet, starting next week.
diet f ldal~tf an eating plan that controls the type and
amount of food that you eat so that you lose weight (n C]
I've tried all the-diets and they never work. 1 This new diet
involves eating very small amozmts throughout th£ day.
iOta stop eating for religiou s reasons
fast/go on a fast
fast
fastlgo on • fast Ifo!st, Ig;KJ on ~ Ifa:st 11 _Ifeestl to eat
little or no food for a fixed period oftime, especially for reli·
gious reasons (v IJ
EDGE
strike The Palestinians have been on hunger strike slru:£ last
Tuesday in what seems a futile attempt to get prisoners
released.
12 to do something without having eaten
anything
on an empty stomach
on an empty stomach Inn an ,cmpli I stAm~kl if you do
something on an empty stomach, you do it when you have
not eaten recently [adv phraseJ
lfyou drink on an empty stomach you are bound to get drunk
very quickly. I You'd be stupid w att£mptto walk a ll tllnt way
on an empty stomach. 1 I don't liIre going to work on an empty
stomach so I always have breakfast.
13 words for describing something that can be
eaten
edible
edlbl. / 'ed~b~11 food, plants, and animals that are edible
are suitable for people to eat and will not cause illness or
death [adjl
<~re these mushrooms edible?" "Oh yes, and they're cleli·
cious!" 1 There are many edible fruits growing wild in the
coastal forest.
14 words for describing something that cannot
be eaten
Inedible
unfit for human consumption
Inedible I lOled~b~11 food, plants, and animals that are
inedible cannot be eaten [adj]
Only the tail andfins can be eaten. The rest is totally inedi-
ble. I Mark hodn't realized that the leaues 0/ the rhubarb
plant were inedible.
unfH for hum.n consumption IAD,fn f~r ,hjmm~n
k~nlsAmpJanl an expression used especially in official
contexts meaning not suitable for people to eat [adj phrase ]
Most ofthis meat is so old it is unfitfor human consumption. 1
Warning: Animal Feed only - Unfitfor human ronswnption.

I
eater: big eater EAT 7
He lived alonefor several year s, praying andfasting. 1 The
inhabitants of the island fast twice weekly on bread and eavesdrop LISTEN 3
water. 1During Ramadan. Moslems go on a month~longfast. ebb LESS 6
ebb: lowest ebb LEAST 3
f.st Ifo!st 11 frestl a period of time when a person eats little eccentric STRANGE 6
or no food, especially for religious reasons [n C l echo LIKE/SIMILAR 3, REPEAT 3, SOUND 5
The/ast Iosts/or throo days so I try not to think about/ood.1 eclipse BETIE R 2
The people hold afast and th£n have a great banquet at the
economic MONEY 11
end as a celebration.
economical CHEAP 1, SPEND MONEY 7
economics MONEY 11
11 to refuse to eat economize SPEND MONEY 5
refuse food a economy CHEAP 1, MONEY 12
starve yourself i ecstasy ENJOY/LIKE DOING STH 9
ecstatic HAPPY 2
go on hunger strike
edge EDGE 1, SLOW 13. WALK 14
refuse food In Ifju:z Ifu:dl to not eat any oftbe food that edge: give sb the edge ADVANTAGE 4
h as been offered to you [v phrase ) edge: have the edge on BETIER 1
Reporters noticed that the p rincess started refusing food at edge: on edge NERVOUS 1
official dinners. 1 Most babies refuse cereals that are not edge: put sb on edge NERVOUS 6
sweetened. edge: take the edge off REDUCE 2
starve yourse" I lstCI!rv jJ!rselfl to refuse to eat, with the edge of your seat: be on the edge of your seat
result that you make yourself ill or even die [v phraseJ ~ EXCITED 3
Gina had an argument with her mother and was determined
to get revenge by starving herself 1 You must eat more or
you'll starve yourselfll starve yourself to death The police
are saying that he starved himself to death.
. EDGE
go on hunger strike ' lgeJu nD IhAI)g~ r stralk/ if some- 1 the edge of an object, surface, or place
one goes on a hunger strike, they refuse to eat for days 2 the edge of a country or area of land
or weeks in order to protest about something or bring
public attention to a political matter (v phrase)
More than 300 prisoners went on hunger strike in February
in protest against th£ living conditions. 1 be on hunger
EDGE 397 EFFECTIINFLUENCE
edgy NERVOUS 1
1 the edge of an object, surface, or place ' edible EAT 13
~e rim educate TEACH 3
border
outskirts
perimeter
margin J,
~
educated INTELLIGENT 1
educator TEACH 5
education TEACH 4
edge /ed31 In Cl , educational TEACH 6
Karensat on the edge a/the bed and put on her slwes. I Don'! eerie STRANG E 3
walk too near the edge of the elif!. IGhardaia is a small town effect CAUSE 5, EFFECTilNFLUE NCE 5, RESULT 1
right on the edge oJ the desert. I A group of children were effect: come Into effect/operation START TO HAPPEN ,
playing by the water's edge. I The roat was old and fraying EXIST ETC 3
at the edges.
effect: have/achieve the desired effect EFFECTIVE 1
border I lro:r~rl a narrow band that goes around tbeedge effect: have an effect on EFFECT/INFLUENCE 1
of something such as a picture or a piece of material, espe- effect: have no effect EFFECTIVE 4
cially one that has a decorative purpose In Cl effect: In effect/effectively IN FACT 1
The tablecloth had a brightly patterned border. I a picture effect: net resuttJeffect RESU LT 2
0/ a tree, with a red border I a borckr DJ/lowers around the effect: take effect EFFECT/INFLUENCE 1
lawn effect: to that effect MEANING 9
outskirts J l autsk3: Tts/ the areas on the edge ofa city. fur-
thest from the centre In plural)
on the outskirts of Her parents lived in a big house on the
outskirts a/Tokyo. I the outskirts of We heard gunshots . EFFECTI
as we drove through the outskirts oJ the city.
rim (rrm/ the circular edge of something. especially the INFLUENCE
edge at the top of a glass or cup, or the outside edge of a to have an effect or influence on someone or
wheel or a pair of glasses [n CJ something
Aunt Laura got out her best china cups with the gold rims. I
John's glasses had small lenses and steel rims. I We climbed 1 to affect something or someone, so that they
up to the rim of the volcano and looked down into it. change in some way
perimeter Ipa1nm!ta r/ the outside edge around an 2 to have an important effect on the way
enclosed area of land such as a military camp or a prison someone or something develops
In Cl 3 having an important effect on the way
Security guards walk around and check the perimeter of the
site every hour. I perimeter fence/ wall! road etc (=one someone or something develops
that goes around the perimeter) A secure perimeter fence 4 to influence someone's opinions or decisions,
should be at least two metres high. I We drove around the especially so that they change their mind
perimeter road of the airjzeld, searching for clues to the about something
break-in. 5 the way that an event, action, person etc
margin Il ma:rd3!n/ the part at the side of a printed or affects someone or something
written page that is left empty and usually has no writing
onillnCI
Leave a two centimetre margin on the left·hand side of the
page and a one centimetre margin an the right. I Someone 1 to affect something or someone, so that they
had written some comments in the margin. change in some way
affect tell
2 the edge of a cou ntry or area of land have an effect on leave your mark on
border do sth to take Its toll
frontier have an impact on take effect
boundary Impact
border IlbJ:rddrl the official line that separates two coun· affect /, 'fekt/ Iv Tl
tries or the area of land near to this line [n Cl The rise in gas prices is likely to affect the cost ofel€ctricity. 1
the Italian/Brazilian/Nigerian ele border (= the border Scientists are investigating the ways in which the oceans
between Italy, Brazil etc and another country) Isn't Manta affect the climate. I How will these new tax£s affect peop/€ on
near the Italian border? I cross the border As soon as we lower inaJmes? I emergency food ailtfor areas affected IJy the
crossed the border we began to see signs ofpoverty. I on the drought I badly/seriously affect California was very
border Jeumont is a small town on the French-Belg ian badly affected by forest fires. I Prolonged exposure to these
border. I the border with (=the border separating one games could seriously affect children's eyesight.
country from another) It is a mountainous region, occupy· have an effect on 11 hrev dn 11 fekt onl to cause a partic-
ing a large area near the border with Nepal. I border town/ ular kind of change in something or someone [v phrase]
arealdispute etc The army's main task was to patrol the have a good/bad/serious etc effect on The war was
border regions. having a disastrous effect on the economy. I Moderate drink·
frontier IlfrhntIa r 11 frhn1tlarl the border of a country, ing can have a benejrcial effect on your health. I The
especially the actual point where people and vehicles are experumce had a profound effect on me. I have little effect/
officially allowed to cross from one country toanother[nCl no effect on The tobacco companies claimed that their
All tro/TlC crossing thefrontier will be thoroughly searched, advertisements had little effect on lheoveralllevel ofcigarette
causingeuen longer delays. I frontier town/post/guards sales.
etc He was stopped by soldiers at a frontier post. do sth to /Idu: (sth) tu:/ an informal expression meaning
boundary 11baunddriJ the official line that marks the edge to affect something, especially in a harmful way {phr v Tl
of an area of land, for example of a farm or of a local area Look what the storm has done to the flowers. I Do you ever
within a country [n C l think about what those cigarettes must be doing to your
A special commission was set up to re-examine the bound- lungs?
aries of English counties. I The Mississippi River forms the have an Impact on /Ihrev an Ilmprekt onf if an event,
boundary betl.Ve€n Tennessee and Arkansas. invention, or new idea has an impact on something, it
affects it in important ways and causes big changes Iv
phrasel
EFFECT/INFLUENCE
Gagarin's spaceflight had an imrrwdiate and wide-ranging
impact on US scientijlC policy. I Developments in microelec-
tronics have had a major impact on industrial processes.
Impact ' 1ImprektJ a word used especially in business or
financial contexts, meaning to affect something such as
sales or profits [v Tl
The recent take-over of the company is likely to impact profit
expectations for 1994.
tell /tell to have a noticeable and often harmful effect on
a person or on a situation, after something has been hap-
pening for a long time Iv I not usually in progressive]
tell on The strain of living with her violent husband was
telling on Judy. I tell Eventually Edberg s greater experience
started to tell, and he won tlw fifth set easily.
leave your mark on 1. Ii:v j,!r Ima:rk onl to have an
important and pennanent effect. for exarnpleon an organi-
zation or on a person's character Iv phrase l
The years he spent in prison left their mark on him for the
re.'·.;t of his life. 1 The long dispute has left its mark on the
mining industry. 1leave your mark She was only in the job
for two years but she certainly left her mark.
take Its toll /,telk ItS 't~ 1 1 to have a serious and harm-
ful effect on something or someone, especially after con-
tinuing for a long time [v phrase 1
take its toll on Myfather's work was mentally exhausting,
and eventually it took its toil on his health. I take its toll
Civil war and drought have taken their toll, and the popu-
lation of the region is greatly reduced.
take effect 11telk I 1fektJ if something takes effect, espe-
cially a medicine or drug, or a new plan or system, it starts
to have an effect [v phrase l
The dentist gave me an injection which took effect al17Wst
immediately and I didn 't feel a thing. lIt will be a while
before the government's new economic policy takes effect.
2 to have an important effect on the way
someone or something develops
influence shape
have an influence on
have Implications for
mould/mold
Influence I 1tnfluansl to have a long-lasting effect on the
way something develops or on the way someone behaves
or thinks [v T I
The revolution of 1789 influenced eventsfar beyond France. I
Health edurotion programmes are starting to influence peo-
pie's eating habits. I A wOOle generation of painters was
influenced by Monet's style.
have an influence on ' Ihrev an 'Influ;)ns onl to affect
the way something changes or develops [v phrase I
D. W. GrifJith had an enormous irifluence on the development
of17Wtionpietures. I Thefuture level offuel prices will have
a major influence on energy policy.
have Implications for Ihrev Impl! 'kelI;mz b: f / to be
likely to have effects on something in the future that are
bigger and more important than the effects that can
immediately be seen [v phrase not in progressive]
The exjXlnsion of business in eastern Germany has impor·
tant implicationsfor the country as a whole. I This rourt case
may have wider implicationsfor pressfreedom and the pub--
lie's right tD know what politicians are doing.
shape Ifelp/ to have an important, long-lasting influence
on the way a person thinks and behaves, or on the way a
society, organization, or country develops [v TJ
Our childOOod experiences are important in shaping our
character. I The reign of Augustus shaped the course of
Roman history until the fourth century. 1 Canadian educa-
tion was shaped by men woo were trained in Scottish
universities.
mould (British) I mold (American) Im:>uldl to have an
effect on the way someone's character develops, especially
by deliberately influencing their attitudes and opinions
when they are young [v Tl
He was trying to mould me into a good, quiet, religious girl,
and 1 didn't like it one bit. I A privileged upbringing can
398 EFFECT/INFLUENCE
mould young minds, giving tmm sets ojvalu£s that they will
never shake off.
3 having an important effect on the way
someone or something develops
influential
influence
far-reaching
InfluentIal 1,mnu 'enf,I-1 ladjl
Marx was clearly the most influential of all the socialist
writers. I influential in doing sth Altlwugh she was not
a professional politician, her views were influential in shap·
ing government policy. I highly influential a highly
irifluential art magazine that is widely read by dealers
Influence /1mfluans/ a person or a belief, institution, idea
etc that strongly influences the way someone or something
develops In Cl
The two main influences in a child's development are the
family and the sclwol. I Her book examines the way that reli-
gious influences affected the development of European art
and music. I My bestfriend, Tom Harwood, was arwther big
influence in my life. I influence on Your son is a bad
influence on the other boys, Mrs Brown.
fa,.reaching 11 fa: f 'ri:tJIIJ"'1far-reaching effects/ irn-
plicatlons/changes/ consequences etc (=that affect very
large numbers of people, or affect things in very important
ways) ladjl
Perhaps the 17Wstfar·reachingconsequence of the Industrial
Revolution was the 17Wvement ofpeople from the countryside
into the cities. I Theeffects ofGorbachev's policies were pro-
found andfar-reaching.
4 to influence someone 's opinions or decisions,
especially so that they change their mind
about something
influence colour/calor
sway enter into
,I
Influence Infiu;)nsl [v T]
influence sb 1 don't want to say anything to influence you.
You musl mak£ upyourown mind. I It 's naturalenoughfor
a child to be influenced by itsparents'ideas. 1Thejury's ver-
dict was clearly illflUi!nced by tmir sympathy jor tm dejen-
dant. I influence sb to do sth What was it that influenced
them to give the contract to a GermanJirm?
sway Iswel l to influence someone when they have not yet
firmly decided about something, especially by saying
something clever that makes them change their mind [v TI
be swayed He was very easily swayed. I Don't let yourselfbe
swayed by these arguments. I sway sb Politicians often try
to sway undecided voters by promising lower taxes.
colour (British) I color (American) l 'kAl.'1 colour sb's
judgement/ attitudes/opinions etc (=influence them,
especially so that they become less fair or reasonable) lV TJ
How can he make fair and impartial decisions if political
loyalties always colour his judgement? l It seemed to me that
she had allowed her own/eelings ofdisappointment to colour
her whole view of the acting profession.
enter into I lentdf 1 mtu:1 if something such an emotion
or an opinion enters into a decision or choice that you
have to make, it is one of the things that influence you
when you decide or choose lV T not in passive]
Try not to let your personalfeelings enter into the decision. I
Ofrourse 17Wneydoesn't enter into it. It's just a more interest·
ing job.
5 the way that an event, action, person elc
affects someone or something
effect
influence
Impact
effect I' 'fek~ In C/UI
The effects of the strike were fell right across the country. I
EFFECTIINFLUENCE
She's still recovering from the effects of her ordeal. I etTect
on experiments to measure the effect of fertilizers on crop
yields I with little etTect/without much etTect I tried
using detergent to remove (}re stain, but without much effect. I
have the effect of (=have as an effect) We tried to persuade
her not to go, but this simply had the effect of making her
even more determined.
Influence l ' mflu.:ms/ the continuing effect that something
has on the way things happen or develop. or on the way a
person thinks and behaves [n singular/ V J
influence on The book attempts to demonstrate the
in/luenceo!theslarsonpeop!e's lives. I profound influence
(=deep and important) Darwin's ideas have had a profound
influence on our view oJ the world. I exert an influence
(=have an influence over a long period) Throughout the
1920s and 30s, memories o/the Great War exerted a power-
ful influence on/oreign policy.
Impact / 11mprektl the important effects and changes that
are caused by an event, invention, or new idea [n
singular/ DJ
impact on The book describes the revolution and its immedi-
ate impact on the lives of ordinary Russians. I impact The
full impact of changes in computer technology will be felt
within the next few years.
effective EFFECTIVE t , 3, EFFICIENT 3
leffective or efficient? 1-
•
producing the result • EFFECTIVE
that was want~ or
intended
working well, without • EFFICIENT
wasting time, money,
or energy
• EFFECTIVE
producing the result that was wanted or
intended
1 words for describing a method , plan, or
system that produces the results that you
intended
2 words for describing a method, plan, or
system that is always effective
3 words for describi ng an effective medicine or
type of medical treatment
4 not effective
5 to make something ineffective
1 words for describing a method , plan, or
system that produces the results that you
intended
effective have/achieve the desired effect
work successful
work like magic/like a charm
eHectlve / l' fekuv/ ladjl
There are many effective ways of using videos in language
teaching. l Our training programmes cover a range ofeffec-
tive management techniques. I The adverts were very simple
but remarkably effedive.
effectively (adv] Children have to learn how to communi-
cate effectively.
effectiven ess [n UJ Any mistakes will seriously reduce the
effectiveness of the system.
work IW3: r kl if a method or plan works, it produces the
result that you wanted, especially if this is rather unex-
pected Iv II
399 EFFECTIVE
What do you think of JiU's suggestion - do you think it will
work? I This recipe works just as well lf you use gruyere
cheese instead of mozarella. I This type of sales talk works
with most people - they usually end up buying something.
have/achieve the desired eHect " ha:v , " tfi:v 6.
dI .za I:;)rd I 'fekt/ to produce the result or effect that is
intended, especially by using a clever or carefully planned
method [v phrase I
I told the class that if they didn 't stop talking they would all
have to stay late - that had the desired effect! I Gradually
increase the amount ofmedicine talren until the desired effect
is achieved.
successful /S<:Ik I sesf.?11an action, event, or piece of work
that is successful produces very good results radj]
Our new advertising campaign has been very successfuL I
Did you have a successful shopping trip? l It was one of the
President 's most successful speeches. I highly successful a
highly successful strategy
work like magicllike a charm 11w3: r k laI k I mred31 k,
lalk::. ItJa: Tm/ if a plan, method, ortrick works like magic
or like a ch arm, it works extremely well, so that things
happen in exactly the way that you planned [v phrase]
The trick worked lilre a charm. My father never suspected a
thing. 11 told the kids I'd take them outfora burgerarulfries
if they behaved themselves - it worked like magic!
2 words for describing a method , plan, or
system that is always effective
reliable
sureflre
Infallible
neveT fails/works every time
foolproof work wonders
reliable IT! 'Ia..batl ladj I
Eating healthily and taking regular exercise is the only reU·
able method of losing weight. I 'Psychological Profiling' is
becoming increasingly reliable as a technique for identify-
ing criminals. I It 's a rather oldjashioned system but it's
100% reliable.
r eliab ility /r1 l lald ' bll ! til [n V I The advantages of the
computerized process are speed and reliability.
sureflre I 'Joorfal~ rl surefire method/ way/ solution
(=one that is certain to be effective) [adj only before 1UJunl
/ k1UJW a surefire way of starting the car onfreezing winter
mornings. I The government sees lower interest rai£S as a
surejire solution to the banks' bad debt problems.
foolproof 11fu:lpru:f/ a method, system , or plan that is
foolproof is always effective, because it is simple to under-
stand and operate, and cannot go wrong fadjl
I thought this method was foolproof until four customer
orders went missing . I Each document goes through a fool-
proof system of checking which ensures that there are 1UJ
mistakes in the final text.
Infalllble / lnlfrel!b<)l{ a method or system that is infal-
lible always produces the right result and never goes
wrong latV l
There is no infallible way of predicting exactly what the
weather will be like. I Banks claim their cash-dispensing
computers are infallible.
infallibly ladv l The President believes thot this stral£gy will
infallibly lead to America's economic recovery.
never fails/works every time I lneva r ' fel lz, IW3:rkS
evri lta lml a method that never fails or works every time
is one that you know to be very effective because yOll have
tried it many times and it has always been successful
[v phrase not in progressive ]
Try buying your girlfriend somej1owers and taking her out
for an expensive meal - it works every tim€! I One method
that never fails is to convince the buyer that lots of other
people want to buy the house.
work wonders I IW3: r k IWAnddrz/ to be surprisingly
effective in dealing with a difficult problem or situation
[v phrase 1UJt in progressive]
If you can't get a stain out of your clothes, rubbing salt in
works wonders. ! Afew words of praise can work U!onders
lfone of your employees isn't very conjulent.
EFFECTIVE 400 EFFICIENT
wages. I He treated me so badly at the end, it cancelled out
3 words for describing an effective medicine or any ofthegoad times we'd had. I cancel each other out The
type of medical treatment two arguments simply cancel each other out.
effective
effectIvely: In effect/effectively IN FACT 1
wort< effects RESULT 5
powerful/potent effeminate WOMAN 4
eHeetive , , 'fckt lvf [adj ] efficiency EFFICI ENT 3
These tablets are effective if taken twice daily jor five days. I efficient EFFICIENT I , 2. 3
effective in Doctors soon realized that this drug was also
effective in relieving the symptoms of arthritis. I effective
against Penicillin can be taken in various/arms and is effec- lefficient or effective? I
tive against a wide range of infections.
effectiveness [n DJ a survey to test the effectiveness DJa low- working well, w~hout • EFFICIENT
cholesterol diet
wasting time, money,
work fW3: r kJ to have the effect that you want it to have [v I I or energy
It 's too late/or surgery but chemotherapy mightjusl work. I
These antibiotics will only work if you take thejull course producing the result • EFFECTIVE
of treatment.
that was wanted or
powerful/potent J'pau3 r f<Jl , 'pdUtJntl a medicine or intended
drug that is powerful or potent is very strong and works
very quickly with the result that it should be used very
carefully ladj ]
Little is known about the long-term effects ofpowerful drugs
such as Duromine. I Nicotine is a powerful appetite suppres- • EFFICIENT
sant. I Th£se Inblets are pretty potent so don 't drive whil£ you working well and effectively w ithout wasting
are taking them.
time, money, or energy

4 not effective 1 words for describing an organization or

ineffective have no effect
doesn 't work rail
Ineffective , . mA·fektlv ~' having very little effect, so that
it does not achieve what it is meant to achieve [adj l
Studies have sJwwn this to be an ineffective teaching tech-
nique. I The German tactics were so ineffective that Brazil
had complete control in midfi£ld. I The government's
approach has been ineffective in reducing unemployment.
ineffectiveness [n VI the ineffectiveness and wastefulness
of subsidising state-owned companies
doesn't work ,.dt\unt ·W3: r k/ if something doesn 't
work i t does not produce the result that you want [v
phrase]
My doctor recommended several different creamsfor dry skin
but none of them worked. I If stain remover doesn '( work,
you 'd better send your dress to the dry cleaners. I Being polite
dvesn't always work when you are complaining about
something.
have no eHect ,hrev .nau .·fektf if something has no
effect it does not simply work badly, it actually has no
effect at all Iv phrasel
Paul realized that his words were having no effect; Karen
was rwt going In change hRr mind. I ThR drugs had rw effect. I
Farmers who have tried the new fertilizer say that it has no
effect and that crops have not improved.
fail /feIl, if you are trying to do something and it fails, it
is not at all effective and does not produce the result that
you want IV I not usually in progressive)
My attempt to lose weightfailedcompl£tely. 1ThRJacksons'
plans to buy their own housefailed because the bank would
not lend them enough money.
5 to make something ineffective
neutralize
cancel out
neutralize (also -Iae British) / 'njll""']'lz 11 'nu:-/ to pre-
vent something from having any effect or stop the effect
that it was having Iv TJ
Congress can try to neutralize new legislation by modifying
it or delaying it. I Recent events have done much to neutral-
ize the irif[uence oJ the right-wing.
cancel out I.krensal ·autJ if something cancels out some-
thing else, ithas an equal but opposite effect, and so makes
it ineffective [phr v T J
cancel out sth Increases in rent cancel out any rise in
system that is well-organized and works well,
without wasting time , money ete
2 words for describing a machine that works
well and efficiently
3 words for describing someone who does their
work efficiently, uses thei r time well, and
achieves good results
4 to make a business or system more efficient
5 not efficient
1 words for describing an organization or
system that is well-organized and works well,
without wasting time, money ete
efficient well-oiled machine
well-run smooth
e"lclent /1'fII.n~ ladj ]
The company is well-known for its friendly, effICient sen;·
ice. I The first thing I did was to create an effICient and
accurate filing system. I Since the computer system was
installed, the college's administration has become much
more effICient. I Isn't it more efficient to collect all the in/or·
malion at the same time?
efficiently [adv] Under new management, the business
worked much more effzciently and sales increased immedi·
ately.
well-run I.wel ·rt\n"l efficient because of good manage-
ment and organization [adjl
A well-run supermarket will always have a good selection
offresh products. I The public transportation in this town
is very well-run and inexpensive.
well-olled machlne / .wel :>Ild lll<J'fi:rl/ an organization
or system that is very efficient and operates easily, without
any problems [n singular]
The administration runs like a well-oiled machine. IAs soon
as we receive the alert, the fire station becomes a well-oiled
machine.
smooth Ismu:OI a system or operation that is smooth
operates efficiently and without problems or difficulties
ladj]
To ensure a smooth change-over, I will start work one week
before my predecessor leaves the post. I a smooth and elegant
system
smoothly [adv ] The whole rescue was carried out smoothly
and with the minimum offuss.
EFFICIENT 401
2 words for describing a machine that works
well and efficiently
efficient
reliable
labour-saving
efficient ," [If(mt/ [adjl
This is the most efficient and economical washing machine
on the market. lOur new heating system seems to be very effi-
cient. The /wuse is much warmer now.
efficiently (adu1 The trams work very efTlCientiy despite
their antiquated appearance.
reliable /n'lalaball a machine or vehicle that is reliable
works well and efficiently and is not likely to break or stop
working ladj]
These old Citroens are very reliable, I 've had no trouble with
mine. t The photocopier isn'l very reliable - sometimes the
copies are so/aintyou can 't even read them. I It 's about time
the school invested in some reliable and up-to-date audio-
visual equipment.
reliability In ,Ial a'bl l!ti/ln VI Ford's newfamily sedan is
built/or reliability (=to be reliable) and comfort.
labour-saving IlJe lba r se1v 1'l1 labour-saving equ ip-
ment or machines make it much easier or quicker for you
to do a particular kind of work [adj only before noun]
Labour-saving machinery means that we now employ fewer
people. I labour-saving d evice NOUXldays most people tt;tke
for granted Iabour·saving d£vtas such as wa.~hing machmes
and vacuum cleaners.
3 words for describing someone who does their
work efficiently, uses their time well. and .
achieves good results
efficient well-organized
efficiency businesslike
effective run a tight ship
capable productive
efflclent fl'fIfantf laq;]
The doctor was cheerful and effLCient, which immediately
made me feel more relaxed. I They are not very efficient in
the way they do business. I When going for a job interview
it is important that you present a smart, l'/TlCient appearance.
efficiently [adv] Margaret dealt with all our inquiries very
effICiently.
eHlclency IllffJ,msil an efficient way of working (n Ul
She was praised for her efjkiency in organizing the trip to
Moscow. I The way you dress, your phone manner, and your
general efJki€ncy are all vital pre-requisites for success in
your job.
eHectlve I1I fektlvl someone who is effectiye, especially
someone in a position of authority, deals qUIckly and suc-
cessfully with the work they have to do [adjl
The manager seems to be very effective and has excellent
leadership qualities. I An effective teacher will always
produce better exam results.
effectively [advl Management hadfailed ro deal effectively
with the problem and were now facing the consequences.
effectiveness [n UJ The course is designed to help you
improve your effectiveness (""'how effective you are) in
managing people.
capable I I keIpa~11 someone who is capable does things
well and confidently and does not need anyone else's help
or advice [adjl
Sandra is very capable and will take good care ofthechil-
dren while I 'm in hospital. I A very capable lawyer is work·
ing on the case. I Rebecca was, without question, the most
capable technician on the team.
capably [adv J Mr Stevenson chaired the meetingfirmly and
capably.
well-organized (also -i.eeI Britjsh) 'I wel ,:>: rganalzd "l
someone who is well-organized is efficient because they
plan and organize things well [adjl
Joanne 's very weU"rganized. She always gets her work done
on time. I You'd make a really good personal assistant -
you're so well-organized.
EFFICIENT
businesslike I 'bl zn~s- J alkl efficient and practical,
without wasting time on anything that is unnecessary [adj]
We were met by a businesslike receptionist. I I was very
embarrassed but the doctor was reassuring and business-
like. 1a businesslike approach
run a tight ship IrAn a ItaIt IJIP! to manage a business
or company very efficiently, especially by having strict
rules and by not allowing the people working there to have
much freedom [V phrase]
We run a very light ship here - all employees must be at their
desks by eight-thirty or they lose an Jwur's pay.
productive Ipfd1dAktlvl someone who is productive does
ajob efficiently and with good results, because they work
faster than most people or do more work than most people
ladj]
Studies show that iffactory workers have short butfrequent
breaks they become much more productive. I The most
productive members of staff should be rewarded by finan·
cial bonuses.
4 to make a business or system more efficient
Improve/increase efficiency
streamline
ratIonalize
improvelincrease efficiency IlmIPru:v, In, kri:s
IlflJansi/ [v phrase]
We must increase efjkiency and reduce costs ifwe are ro make
a profit this year. \ Thecompany has roncentrated onpronwt·
ing worker involvement and improving efTlCiency. I The new
management techniques should result in increased efTlCiency
and better production levels.
streamline I Istri:mJa 1nl to make the processes of a busi-
ness or system simpler so that it operates more quickly and
more efficiently [v T ]
We have streamlined the whole business by introducing a
new computer system which provides easy access to the infor-
mation. I Streamline your health and beauty routine so that
you have time to do it every day.
rationalize (also ·Ise British) I IrreJanalalzl a word used
especially in British English meaning to make a business
or system more efficient by making it quicker, more
modern. and less wasteful Lv T]
The experiment resulted in rationalizing and increasing
agriculture production. I Since the administrative sid2 of the
business has 00m rationalized, all departments have become
more efTLCient. . .
r ationalization I IrreJanaJall zelJan 11 -I'J-I [n Ul Ratwnall-
zation within the industry means that some workers may lose
their jobs.
5 not efficient
inefficient Ineffective
ineffectual badly-run
IneHlclent 1 11n~ IfIJ.mt .. / ladjl
The postal service in this country is very ineffic:ient. I M~"! ·
hers of the public have complained that the czty counCil zs
inefflCient and disorganized.
inefficiency [n DJ The lawyer's inefficiency meant that we
would have ro wait another month before moving into our
new house.
ineffiCiently [advl No wonder the rl€W cashiers have been
working so inefficiently - they've never been given any
training.
IneHectual " m~ I fektJ uaJ"1a person or organization that
is ineffectual is not able to get th ings done because they
are not quick enough or good enough [adj]
The police were completely ineffectual in this matter. I He's
a nice enough man, but rather ineffectual as a team captain.
ineffectually [adv I The government is tackling the problem
of homelessness very ineffectually. People need homes now!
IneHectlve ' IIn ~ lfekt lvl someone who is ineffective.
especially someone in a position of authority, is not able
to deal successfully with the work they have to do [aclj l
A combination of ineffective management and inadequate
EFFICIENT 402 EMBARRASSED
investment brought about this collapse. I [sometimesf ool that
I
else: or else IF 6
she is j ust tota lly ineffective in this job. elsewhere PLACE 5
ineffectivel y [adv} Yes, he did r un the meeting, but so t elucidate EXPLAIN 1
ineffectively that we never decided anything! t" elude ESCAPE 5

I
badly-run I.bredli Irll.n<ll / an organization that is badly- elusive FIND 4
run produces bad results because it is badly managed [adj j emaciated THIN PERSON 5
The reason our company has made no profit this year is emanate from COME FROM/ORIGINATE 6
because it is very badly-run. I Tire country has boon so badly· embargo FORBID 11
run tha t we really need a change o[ government. embargo: put/Impose an embargo on FORBID 5
embark GET ON OR OFF A BUS. PLANE ETC 1
embark on/upon START DOING STH 2
leffortl . embarrass EMBARRASSED 3
embarrassed EMBARRASSED 1

wljlcfi meaning 1
~""::_~"I~- • EMBARRASSED
use your Slrength. ~ . TRYTODOOR feeling uncomfortable in a social situation,
ability etc to try and GETSTH especially when you h ave said or done
do ~lng ., something that makes you seem stupid
wor1< hard ~ WORKHARD 1 words meaning embarrassed
2 10 become red in the face because you are
effort TAY TO DO OR GET 5TH 8 , WORK HARD 6
embarrassed
effort: be 8 waste of effort POINTLESS 1 3 to make someone feel embarrassed
effort: in an effort to do 5th TRY TO DO OR GET STH 7
effort: make an effort TRY TO DO OR GET STH 2
effort: put a lot of effort into sth WORK HARD 1 1 words meaning embarrassed
effortless EASY 5, GRACEFUL 2 embarrassed sheepish
egg sb on PERSUADE 1 embarrassment mortified
egg-shaped CIRCLE 4
self-conscious squirm
ego: boost sb ' s ego CONFIDENT 5
egocentric SELFISH 1 uncomfortable I could have dledl
either BOTH 1 awkward I almost died
either way: could go either way UNCERTAIN 3 embarrassed (Im1brerast/ [adj J
eject LEAVE A PLACE 10 I always get really embarrassed wh€n I have to give a talk
eke out LONG TIME 9 infront ofa lot of peop le. I Th€re'sno need to beembarrassed,
eke out 8 living/an existence SURVIVE 5 you have a lovely singing voice. I They all saw me - iwnestly,
elaborate COMPLICATED 2, DECORATE 5, DETAIL 4. 7 I've never felt so embarrassed in my whole life! I em bar·
elapse PASSfTIME PASSING 1 rassed a bout A lot ofpeoplefeel embarrassed about taking
elated HAPPY 5 off th€ir clothes in public. I acutely e mbarra ssed (=ex·
elation HAPPY 8 tremely embarrassed) He seemed to be acutely embarrassed
elbow PUSH 7 when we asked wh€re the money was.
elbow room SPACE/ROOM 1 embarrassment (Im1breldSlmnt/ the feeling you have
elder OLD/NOT YOUNG 2 when you are em barrassed In UI
J elderly
elders
OLD/NOT YOUNG 1
OLD/NOT YOUNG 2
He looked down at thej100r in an attempt to hide his embar-
rassment. I acute e mbarrassme n t (=great embarrass-
men t) Wlren I wld Caroline haw beautiful sire kIokffllrer face
~ eldest OLD/NOT YOUNG 3
J elect VOTE/ELECT 4 flush€d with acute em barrassment.
.;t election VOTE/ELECT 5 self·consclous (self ' konf:;)s 11 - 'ka:n-/ embarrassed
election: caU an election VOTE/ELECT 3 about your body or how you look, talk, move ete [adjJ
election: hold an election VOTE/ELECT 3 [ hate wearing glasses - tJwy a lways make m£f eel really self
electioneering VOTE/ELECT 10 conscious. 1 self-conscious a bout Young adolescents tend
electoral VOTE/EL ECT 5 to feel very self-conscwus about th€ir appearance.
electorate VOTE/ELECT 6 self-consciously {adv J He got up rather self-consciously and
elegance GRACEFUL 3, STYLE/ELEGANCE 1 walked towards the stage.
el_nt BEAUTlFUUGOOD·LOOKING 1, 4 , GRACEFUL uncomfortable /An ' kAmft:;)b31, .lkAmfat- 11 -' kAmfart-,
1, 2 , STYLE/E LEGANCE 2 _Ik.unft_( feeling so em barr assed that you fmd it hard to
element GROUP OF PEOPLE 3, PART 3 relax with other people or you cannot think what to say
element: an element of UTILE/NOT MUCH 8 ladjl
element: be in your element ENJOY/LIKE DOING STH 2 A ll this talk about love and romance was starting to make
element/grain 01 truth TRUE 5 me feel uncomfortable. I For a few minutes there was an
elementary SIMPLElNOT COMPLICATED 2 unronifortabk siknee between tlrem. I Sire alwaysfelt ratlrer
elevate UP 13 uncomfortable in her fa ther 's presence.
elevated HIGH 6 awkward /I J:kw;}Td( feeling so nervous and embarrassed
eleventh hour: at the eleventh hour ON TIME 3 that you do not behave in a natural way, especially because
elicit FIND OUT 7 you think you seem strange or different from ot her people
eligible MARRY 16 ladjl
eliminate STOP STH THAT IS HAPPENING 6 "Would you like to come and see a movie with me?" he asked
elite BEST 3. CLASS IN SOCIETY 2 . GROUP OF in a shy, awk ward voice. I For one awk ward moment /
PEOPLE 6 thought I had said something terribly wrong. I a wkwa rd

I
~ elliptical CIRCLE 4 a bout I often f eel awkward about telling people my true
elongated LONG 1 f eelings.
elope MARRY 1 awkwa rdly (adv J David fe Lt loo shy to say anything, and
eloquent EXPRESS 3 looked at them awkwardly.
else DIFFERENT 6 awkwardness [n U I I sensed a certain awkwardness in h€r
manner.
EMBARRASSED
sheepish I 'Ji:p 'Jllooking or feeling a little embarrassed
because you feel guilty about something [adj usually before
rwunJ
Debbie arrived late for work with a sheepish grin on her
face. I He gave her a sheepish look and said "I'm very sorry,
[forgot it was your birthday."
sheepishly [adv I We asked th£ 1wf£1 staffto explain. but they
just said nothing and smiled at us sheepishly.
mortified I'tn:)!rt~fa ldl very shocked, embarrassed. or
ashamed because you realize that you have done some-
thing stupid or wrong rad) not before noun]
Deaver was rrwrtified by his mistaif£ and immediaf£lyadmit·
ted that he was wrong. I When I discovered that the rest of
the party were all wearing evening dress I felt utterly
mortified.
squirm {skw'3: r m/ to feel extremely embarrassed and
uncomfortable because of something very stupid that you
did or said [v IJ
Whenever I think back to what I said at the party it really
makes me want to squirm. I squirm with embarrassment
The little boy" SQuirmed with embarrassment when his
rrwther told him off in front vf his friends.
I could have dled/l almost died 1.1 kud hav 'da,d.
al 1:l:lm:::KJst 'daldl you say I could have died or I almost
died when you want to say you felt extremely embarrassed
Suddenly I saw that she was standing right behind me and
had heard every word I'd said about her - honestly, I could
have died!
2
1
to become red in the face because you are
embarrassed
blush
go/turn red
blush IblhJI if someone blushes their face becomes red
because they are embarrassed IV IJ
Wh en I tvld her I loved her she blushed and laoked away. I
He realized Iww foolish he Iwd been and blushed deeply. I
blush at Paul blushed at their rude remarks.
go/tum red I lg;KJ, It3: r n Ired/ if someone or someone's
face goes red or turns red, their face becomes red because
they are embarrassed (v phrase ]
They all started laughing at her and her face suddenly
turned bright red. I go/ turn as red as a beetroot (:::::become
very red) I can't wait to see hisface when you tell him - he'll
go as red as a beetroot!
3 to make someone feel embarrassed
embarrassing cause embarrassment
embarrass be an embarrassment
embarrassing /l m1breldS IIJ/ something that is embar w
rassing makes you feel embarrassed (adj l
I don't want to talk about it right now, l find it too embar-
rassing. I "She locked herself in a public toilet and couldn 't
get out. " "How embarrassing!" I The doctor began by asking
me a series of highly embarrassing questions about my sex
life. I embarrassing to/ for sb The revelations about the
President's university life was to prove deeply embarrassing
to the government.
embarrass ,l m1brelds/ to make someone feel embar-
rassed Iv Tl
Ilwpe Tdidn'tembarrassyou infrontofyourfriends. I Tchose
my words carefully, in order to avoid embarrassing anyone. I
The politician embarrassed her colleagues by her racist
remarks about immigrants.
cause embarrassment I .b:z Im 'bretdsm.m[/ if a s it-
uation or an action causes embarrassment to someone,
it makes them feel embarrassed in front of a lot of people
Iv phraseJ
cause sb embarrassment His wife'sfrequent affairs with
other men had caused him acute public embarrassment. I
cause embarrassment to The main aim of the article was
to cause the greatest JX)ssible embarrassment to the govern·
ment just before the general election. I cause embarrass-
ment If you want I'll leave - I don't want to cause any
embarrassment.
403 EMOTIONAL
be an embarrassment /bi: .m Im 'breldsm~ntf if some-
one or something is an embarrassment to someone, they
make them feel embarrassed or ashamed to be connected
with them [v phrase]
Look at the way he's dressed. It's an embarrassment. I be an
e mbarrassment to He started drinking heavily and was
an embarrassment to h is friends and the people who had
helped him with his career. ! After Stalin'S death tire word
'Stalinism' became something ofan embarrassment to Rus-
sian Communists.
embarrassing EMBARRASSED 3
embarrassment EMBARRASSED 1
embarrassment: be an embarrassment
EMBARRASSED 3
embarrassment: cause embarrassment
EMBARRASSED 3
embassy REPRESENT 5
embedded in IN/INSIDE 6
embezzle STEAL 5
emblem SIGN/SYMBOL 1
embrace ACCEPT 3, HOLD 6, INCLUDE 2
embroiled: getlbecome embroiled TAKE PART/BE
INVOLVED 3
embryo BABY/HAVE A BABY 3
~ embryonic DEVE LOP 2
If emerge FIND OUT 4
emergency SERIOUS SITUATION 2
emerging DEVELOP 2
emigrate LEAVE YOUR HOM E/COUNTRY 4
eminent FAMOUS 2
emit SE ND 6, SOUND 4
emotion FEEL HAPPY/FRIGHTENED/BORED ETC 2
emotional EMOTIONAL 1, 3
emotional blackmail FORCE SB TO DO STH 2
• EMOTIONAL
1 words for describing someone who has
strong feelings and shows them openly
2 behaving in a way that shows strong feelings
3 words for describing events and situations
that make people feel very emotional
4 words for describing someone who is too
emotional, becomes sad too easily ete
5 words for describing a story. film. song etc
that is too emotional
6 not emotional or not showing your feelings
1 words for describing someone who has
strong feelings and shows them openly
emotional
passionate
emotlonal / l'm;)UJan~ l / l adj l
I krww it's a cliche but the Italians are more emotional than
we are. I Grandpa gets very emotional wlren he talks about
tire war. I In an emotional outburst he accused me of dis-
honesty, disloyalty, and callousness.
paSSionate J'preJanltf having very strong feelings, espe.
ci al1y of love or anger, and showing them openly ladj]
She was a handsome Spanish woman with a passionate
nature and a warm, generous heart. I Sometimes f wish he
was nwre passionate, not so rational about everything.
2 behaving in a way that shows strong feelings
emotionally
passionately
with feeling
emotionally / 1 'm;KJfan~li/ladvl
fram shook my hand and said emotionally. ''I'll miss you,
EMOTIONAL
my friend." I One of his problems is he always reacts too
errwtionally to things.
pas.lonately l ' preI;Jn~tJ il in a way that shows very
strong feelings of love or anger [advl
She kissed me passionately and said " f love you." I He pas-
sionately denied that he had another motive than the good
of the nation.
with f ••llng (w16 Ifi: ll lJ/ if you say or write something
with feeling, you do it in a way that shows you have strong
feelings about it (adv phrasel
"No!"saidPeter. with/eeling "JjUSl don't want to hear about
it. "I SM wrires with great/e£ling about the/ate a/the re/u-
gees, having been a refugee herself in the last year.
3 words lor describing events and situations
that make people feel very emotional
emotional emotive
moving poignant
touching
emotlonal /I ' m;x;!an; ljladjl
There were emCJtional scenes here today at the funeral. I
Newspaper reporters were there to record tlw emotional reun-
ion between the woman and her children. I highly emo-
tionalMost rouples remember the arrival oftheir first baby
as a highly emotional time.
moving / Imu:v IrJ/ a moving account. experience, or event
makes people feel strong emotions of pity, sadness, or joy
ladj )
Th2film isa very moving accountofli/e in the r(f{ugeecamps
of Beirut. I It was a moving experience to meet my half-
brother at last - we both cried. 1 TM scene at tM end a/act
III is very nwving. when Rqfael/lljinds out that her husbond
has betrayed her.
touching ' It. . tJIIJ/ a to uchi ng event, moment, or action
makes people feel a little sad and happy at the same time,
and makes them like the people involved fadj]
It was a touching scene when old Mr Adams received his leav-
ing present. I He replied with a touching and humane direct·
ness: HI just want to go home to my family, that's all. " I It
was touching to see them together. They were obviously still
in love after thirty years of marriage.
• motlve /I Imaul I vI emotive issu e/ area/ ph rase/ word
etc (=one that makes people have very strong feelings or
emotions, especially of anger) [adjl
The election campaign tried to aooid emotive issues like abor-
tion and child abuse. I highly emotive (=very emotive) TIu!
documentary deliberately uses highly emotive language,
talking about 'exploitation ' and 'blackmail'.
poignant / Ip.:> mjantj a poignant event, image, remark etc
makes you feel great sadness and pity ladj l
It was a poignant moment. They lu!ld hands and looked into
each other's eyesfor the last time. I This is one of her most
beautiful and poignant works. 1 TM sight 0/ East and West
GerTTu:lIlS embracing with tears in their lO'es was particularly
poignant.
poignantly ladv) His remarkable life and tragicdeothpoig-
nantly express the hopes and disappointments of a whole
generation.
4 words for describing someone who is too
emotional, becomes sad loo easily etc
sentimental gooey
sentimentality maudlin
soppy
sentimental I Isent! Imend .. , someone who is sentimen·
tal is too easily affected by emotions such as sympathy.
love, or sadness ladjJ
She's so sentimenlai - she cried all morning when she heard
that her gold/ish had di£d. 1 sentimenta l abou t I always
keep all myoid love letters - I suppose I'm a bit sentimental
about them.
sentimentality /Isent~men Itrel!ti/ a tendency to become
emotional and to enjoy feel ings such as sadness, sympathy,
404 EMOTIONAL
and self-pity. especially in a way that other people think
is silly In UI
Theftlm isflawed by moments ofmelodrama and sentimen·
tality. 1He talked about his ho17U!land with all tM sentinum·
tality of an expatriate.
soppy I'SOpi 11 'sc:pil an informal word: someone who is
soppy seems silly to other people, because they express
feelings of love or sympathy in a way that is too emotional
ladj )
soppy about I don't know how}'Ou can be so soppy about
that dog ofyours. I soppy Then he got all soppy and started
talking about the 'good old days'.
gooey l'gU:i/ an infonnal British word meaning express·
ing your love for someone, especially a baby. in a way that
other people think is silly (adj]
Babies make her go all gooey.
maudlin , ' m:>:dl lnl talking in a sad and emotional way,
especially after drinking alcohol (adjl
f hate New Year - everyone gets so maudlin after tlu!jirst
few whiskies.
5 words for describing a story, film . song etc
that is too emotional
sentimental schmaltzy
soppy tearjerker
sentlmental /,se n t ~ ' mentl .. /ladjl
He's mad£ afoTtunefrom singing sentimental songs. 11quite
erUoyed the movie but I thought the ending was a little
sentimental.
soppy "sopi 11 ' so:pil an informal word: a song, poem etc
that is soppy seems silly to people because it expresses feel-
ings of love and sympathy in a way that is too emotional
ladjl
She never tired of listening to soppy love songs. I He bought
her a Valentine's card with a really soppy verse in it.
schmaltzy I'JmJ:ltsi{ an informal word: mus ic, 'TV
programmes, films etc that are schmaltzy are intended to
make people feel emotional, especially in an insincere way
ladj)
I can't stand those American soap operas - they're so
shmaltzy. I Sometimes the lyrics lean so far toward the
emotional that they become positively schmaltzy.
tearjerker IIt l3f Id33:fkaf/ an infonnal word meaning a
story. play, mm etc that is intended to make people feel sad
and cry In Cl
It was a real tearjerker - everyone was crying when the lights
went up.
6 not emotional or not showing your feeling s
unemot ional matter-of-fact
cold detached
clinical impassive
un.motlonal / ,.... nl'mauJanal .. ' [adjJ
Police were shocked at the unemotional way the murderer
described the killings. I Pat's father was a distant, unemo-
tional man wlw couldn't really talk to hLr;; children.
unemotionally ladv] She described the accichmt wzemotion-
ally, but later burst into tears.
cold Ik;}()ldl not showing any feelings and especially not
showing friendliness, humour, or pleasure ladjJ
She accused me of being cold and uncaring towards her. I
TIu! officers were cold and aioofin their dealings with other
ranks.
coldly ladv) The woman coldly told us to mind our own
business.
cllnlcal /'klln lkall not showing the feelings that people
usually show in an upsetting situation, because you have
to do ajob or because you really have no feelings about the
situation ladj ]
His words were harsh and clinical - "I don't love you any
more. It is over. I am leaving you. " I I try to be clinical - to
look at things objectively.
clin ically [adv I The description of McShane's death is
clinically cold.
EMOTIONAL
matt.r..af~fa ct I lmret~r ;;Jv 'frekt .. / showing no emotion
when you are talking about something that is very fright-
ening, embarrassing etc [adj )
We were surprised at the matter-offact way Judith described
her husband's death. I A spokesman listed the casualties in
a detached. matter-of-fact tone a/voice. I The condom adver-
tising campaign is going to be very straightforward and as
matter-o/-fact as possible.
detached /dl 'tretf tl trying not to react in an emotional
way, so that you can do your job properly or make the cor-
rect decis ions about something [adjl
Samantha seems able to take an objective. detached view of
her own problem{j. I remain detach ed (=not become emo-
tional alx)Ut something) Witnessing all th€ pain and suffer-
ing, it is sometimes dijJkuIt for relief workers to remain
detach£d.
Impassive Jlm'pres lvf not allowing your feelings to show
on your face, so that people find it very difficult to guess
how you feel ladj l
Mr Deacon remained impassive throughout the trial. I There
was not a flicker of surprise on his impassive face.
impassively [adv) The three men sat impassively watching
their captors.
emotionally EMOTIONAL 2
emotive EMOTIONAL 3
emphasis EMPHASIZE 3
~. emphasize EMPHASIZE 1
• EMPHASIZE
to gi ve special force to a statement, fact, or
idea sh owin g that it is important
1 to emphasize 'something
2 to emphasize something too strongly
3 the special force or attention g iven to an idea,
statement etc
4 saying or doing something in a way that
emphasizes something
1 to emphasize something
emphasize play up/make great
stress play 01
highlight accentuate
underline unde~o re
drive the point homel point up
drive home the point with the accent on
emphasize (also -Ise British) / 'emf,saIZ/ Iv TI
emphasize sth She made a gesture with her hands in order
to emphasize what she was saying. I The candidate made a
short speech emphasizing the needfor solidarity. I I can't
emph asize enough (=this needs to be emphasized a lot)
I can 't emphasize enough how much we need your dona-
tions.1 emphasize that I must emphasize that any inJorma-
tion yougive may be used against you at a later date. I [tmust
be emphasised that not all 'natural' remedies are safe.
stress Istres/ to emphasize a statement, fact, or idea by
repeating it or by talking about it more than the other
things you are saying, in order to make sure that people
take notice of it and understand it Iv T J
stress sth In his speech, the President stressed the need/or
ecological reforms. I It should be stressed that this chemical
is highly dangerous. I stress t ha t Martin stressed that he
did not want any trouble at the meeting.
highlight / 'haIialt/ to emphasize somethin g such as a
problem or a fact, especially by providing new information
about it Iv TI
This news report highlights some of the problems faced by
old people in winter. I We use selective information, high-
lighting the good points 0/ our product.
underllne / ,AI1d;}r 'lalnl ifsomethingthat happens under·
lines a fact, especially one that is already known, it makes
405 EMPHASIZE
people notice it again, and helps to emphasize that it is true
IvTI
Yesterday's shelling of a Red Cross hospital underlines the
difficulties faced by rescue teams. I More rioting in South
Africa has underlined the government's lack of control.
drive the point home/drive home the point / ,d"Hv
();} IP::> lnt ' h~m. Idra lv h;}Um ();) Ip:H ntl to emphasize a fact
or idea by giving additional, often surprising or shocking,
information about it {v phrase]
Shefeels strongly about the loss of the rainforests and drives
the point home with a tragic description of the Amazon
region. I drive hom e the point t hat Many of the health
warning posters slwwed grieving relatives to drive 1wTr/2 the
point that drink-driving can kill.
play up/make gr_t play of " ple l 'AP, melk Igrelt 'plel
DV / to emphasize a fact or idea, by giving it more attention
than anything else, especially if you are trying to make it
seem more important than it really is [phr v T J
play up st h When you go for that interview remember to
play up your exper ience of teaching in Japan. I On TV last
night the Democratic candidate was clearly playing up his
caring image. I make great play of sth The Prime Minister
made great p lay of the need for unity in the face of crisis.
accentuate /;)k' sentfuelt/ to emphasize something, espe-
cially the differences between two conditions or s ituations
IvTI
Instead ofmaking people more equal, the British education
system accentuates the differences between rich and poor. I
She would a lways p ickfriends wlw were slightly overweight,
in order to accentuate her own slim figure .
underscore ' IAndarlsk::>:tl a word used especially in
Amer ican English: if an even t u nder scor es a fact, espe-
cially something people should feel a little worried about,
it makes them notice it and pay more attention to it [v TJ
The chaos after a power cut underscores how dependent we
have become on computers. I The role 0/ public opinion is
underscored in three news items today.
point up I IPJlnt lAp/ to make something, especially the
true facts of a situation, clearer and more noticeable (phr
vTI
point up sth This accident has pointed upyet again the need
for better signalling at thejunction. I The relative affluence
o/the commercial Quarter points up the grinding poverty 0/
the city as a whole.
with the accent on IWIr, 6i lreksant onJ ifsomething is
done with the accen t on a part icular quality or feature,
that quality or feature is emphasized [prep)
Toptours Travel is now offering numerous special vacation
packages with the accent on choice. I a new range of chil-
dren's toys with the accent on safety
2 to emphasize somelhing too strongly
overemphasize
labour the polntlbelabor the point
overemphasize (also ·Ise British) " atW;)r 'emf;)sa lzl IV
TI
[ think this book overemphasizes the importance o/religion
in the history of the United States. I People have overemp ha·
sized the role ofeconomic sanctions in bringing about polit-
ical change.
labour the point (British) / belabor the point (Ameri-
can) " Ieloo r 6;) Ip::)] ot, bl, leloo r / to emphasize an idea or
a fact too strongly. especiall y by repeating it often so that
people get bored Iv phrase I
I understand what you're saying - please don 't labour the
point. I Without wishing to belabor the point, J would like
to remind you not to snwke in here.
3 the special force or anention given to an idea,
statement etc
emphasis
stress
emphaSis / 'emfC)sAs/ln C/ UJ
emphasis on In Japanese society there is a lot 0/ emphasis
EMPHASIZE
on academic success. I place emphasis on In the early part
of the book a greater emphasis is placed on the injustice DJ
human suffering. I with the emphasis on Bradford college
offers a whole range of courses for adults, with the empha·
sis on student-centred learning. change/ shift of emphasis
(:::;a change in what is being emphasized) Over the last
decade there has been a shift in political emphasis from
social equality to individual pro/it.
stress IstresJ the special attention or consideration given
to a particular fact, idea, plan, or activity [n UI
with the stress on Today's drug relUlbilitation centers offer
advl.c£, but with the stress on self-help. I stress on The stu-
dents are tired of the typical American college's stress on the
importance DJclass attendance. I place stress on (=say that
you think it is important) She made many points in her
speech, placing great stress on the need/or childcare/acili-
ties in tlu! workplace.
4 saying or doing something in a way that
emphasizes something
emphatically
emphatic
emphatically I fml fretlklil said in a way that emphasizes
something [adv]
"You're absolutely right, " he said emphatically. I She sets
out flu arguments politely but emphatically. I emphatically
deny The government took the accusations 0/ corruption
seriously and emphatically denied any link with the Mafia.
emphatiC Ilm1fret lk/ said or done in a firm. clear way
that emphasizes what is meant or intended [adjl
Clare gave an emphatic nod 0/ the head when asked if she
wanted to come. I an emphatic denial I With an emphatic
gesture Previn raised his baton and the concert began.
emphatic EMPHASIZE 4
emphatically EMPHASIZE 4
empirical REAUNOT IMAGINARY 2
emptoy USE STH 2
employ/hire JOBlWORK 10
employed: be employed by WORK FOR S8 1
employee WORKER 1
employer WORK FOR S8 2
employment JOBIWORK 1
empties EMPTY 1
empty AVAILABLE 3, EMPTY 1, 2, 3, 4 , 5, 6, 7, LEAVE
A PLACE 1, POUR 1, PUT 10
empty hands: draw a blank/come up with empty
hands FAI L 2
empty stomach : on an empty stomach EAT 12
• EMPTY
1 words for describing containers such as
boxes, bottles, or glasses that are empty
2 words for describing rooms that are empty
3 wqrds fo r describing towns. buildings, or
areas that are empty because there are no
people or animals in them
4 words for describing a building, room, seat,
space etc which is empty because no one is
using it
5 words for describing something that is empty
because nothing has been written, drawn , or
recorded on it yet
6 words meaning to make something empty by
removing what was in it
7 ways of saying that a room or place becomes
empty because the people in it leave
8 to make a place empty by making people
leave it
406 EMPTY
1 words for describing containers such as
boxes, bottles, or glasses that are empty
empty
empties
empty / 'empti/ladjl
He was sitting there with an empty plate in front 0/ him. I
"Would you like a drink?" she said, noticing that my glass
was empty. II/that box is empty, we can store the kids' toys
in it. I A train 0/ empty coal-wagons rumbled through the
station. I The/reezer's nearly empty.
emptle. I'emptizl an informal word meaning empty con-
tainers, especially empty bottles fn p lural)
Tire bartender took a crate 0/empties down to the cellar and
came back with a/ull DIU!. I You can get some money back
if you return the empties to the shop.
2 words for describing rooms that are empty
empty
bare
empty Ilemptil a room that is empty has no people in it
laclj l
His footsteps echoed in the empty passage. I She sat in the
empty schoolroom, gazing out 0/ the window.
bare lbea r/ a room that is bare has no furniture or objects
in it [adj]
The room WG.<;; completely bare except for a bed agatnst the
wall. I We spent a long time walking through the bare rooms,
remembering the games we used to play there.
3 words for describing 'towns, buildings, or
areas that are empty because there are no
people or animats in them
empty wasteland
deserted uninhabited
desotate lonely
ghost town
empty / ' empti/ ladj I
[ was a
little afraid when [realised that the street wQsempty.1
f,fwe're lucky, we'll find an empty beach. I He stared out of
the train window at mile after mile of empty plain.
deserted Id! 1l3 :ft1dl a place or building that is deserted
is empty and quiet, especially because the people who are
usually there have all left !adj]
[came back to firuJ the house dark aruJ deserted. I In the high
mountains a/the Massif Central there are many deserted vil-
lages and/arms. I By day the streets are deserted; by night
the people come out and search for food .
desolate I 'des;)l;)t/ an area that is desolate is empty and
sad-looking, because there are no people there, no trees or
plants growing, and nothing attractive to see radj]
We looked out over a desolate landscape 0/ bare trees and
stony fields. I The little mining t.own was desolate and ugly. I
a path that led into desolate grey marshes
ghost town 11 g3Usl taunl a town that is empty because
all the people have left. even though the buildings are still
there In Cl
In California there are a number 0/ghost towns which date
from th€ end of the gold rush oJ 1849. I Since the closing of
the coal mines the place has become a ghost town.
wasteland I 'welstlrend, -I;)ndl an area ofland, especially
in a town, that is empty, ugly, and unused [n C/ U]
The area down by the docks is just a wasteland. I Wild
flowers and weeds began to grow in the bomb sites and
wasteland 0/ the inner cities.
uninhabited 'Ihnln' hreb!t!d "" an uninhabited area or
house has no people living in it (adjl
It looked as if the house was now uninhabited. I Most of the
islands in Clear Bay are uninhabited. I I UXlS now into rough
uninhabit£d country, with nothing to see/or miles and miles.
lonely ,'I;)unli/ a lonely place is a long way from where
people live and vel1' few people go there [adj usually before
noun)
EMPTY 407 end
They felt mrvous walking along the lonely country roads at turn out I lo:rn laut/ a British expression meaning to
night. I It was wild country, with a few lonely /anns and empty a cupboard, a drawer, pockets etc, especially when
empty villages. you are looking for someth ing [phr v T J
turn out 5th The headmaster told them to turn out their
pockets. I The thieves had turned out the drawer, scattering
4 words for descr ibing a building, room , seat, the contents on thejZoor.
space etc which is empty because no one is
using it
empty free
7 ways of saying that a room or place becomes
empty because the people in it leave
vacant unoccupied
empty
empty ' Iemptil {adjl
You order the drinks and I'll look for an empty table. I empty I1emptil to become empty because all the people
Roland found an empty first-class compartment in the car· leave Iv 11
riage next to the buffet car. I brand new offtce blocks, lying When we reached Dortmund the carriage emptied, and I was
empty because of the recession left alone. I Soon, the churchyard had emptied as the wed·
ding guests made their way to the reception. I By the autumn.
vacant Ilvelk.mt/ a building, room, seat etc that is vacant the hotels along the sea front were emptying, and the town
is not being used and is available for anyone to use ladi l became quiet again.
If you're looking for somewhere to rent, I think there's a
vacant apartment in my building. I There don '( seem to be
any vacant rooms in tire whole of London! I He sat down in 8 to make a place empty by making people
a vacant chair next to Christine. leave it
fr •• ffri:/ a seat, space, or room that is free is not being clear
used and no one has arranged to use it, so it is available
for anyone to use [adj] clear I kll~rl to empty a place by asking the people in it to
Is this seat free? I There are never any parking spaces free leave [v Tl
at this time ofday. I What time will the meeting room befree? Police cleared the area and carried out a controlled explo-
sion. I Unless there is silence I shall have to clear the court.
unoccupied / An1okjgpald 11 - Ia:k-I an unoccupied
house, room, office etc is not being lived in or used lad) ] emulate IMITATE 2
The old houses are still standing, but many are now unoc- en route TRAVE L 1
cupied. I It 's a scandal that there are so many unoccupied enable POSSIBLE 3
buildings in this city, and so many homeless people. enable sb to do sth CAN 7
encircle AROUND/ROUND 2
5 words for describing something that is empty enclose AROUND/ROUND 3
encompass INCLUDE 2
because nothing has been written , drawn, or
encounter MEET 2. 7. PROBLEM 6
recorded on it yet
blank
empty
blank
space
blank /blreUk/ blank cassette/ disk/ screen/ sbeet of
paper etc (=with nothing written or recorded on it) [adj ]
1encourage 1------,
Each school is provided with two video recorders and ten which meaning?
blank cassettes. I Inside tm envelope was a blank sheet of
paper. I Blank disks must be fOr11Ultted /x>fore thf!)' can be help someone to do tl HELP
used in a computer. something, hetp
empty / 'emptif a page or piece of paper that is empty has something to happen
nothing written or drawn on it [ad)]
He stared at tm empty page. Tm test was nearly over and be kind to someone . COMFORTI
he had not managed to answer any 01 tm questions. I The to make them feel MAKESB FEEL
painting was an almost empty canvas with alew red blobs bener BETTER
in the centre.
blank Iblrel)k/ an empty part of a line of writing, especially make someone more • CONFIDENT
where it has been deliberately left empty [n C] confident
Please read the questions and then fill in the blanks.
space /spelsl an empty area left in a piece of writing, espe-
cially so that you can write something in it [n C] encourage HELP 4 , 5 , 6. PERSUADE 1
Fill in the space after the word 'Name '. I Leave a space/or encouragement HELP 10
me to write my signature. encouraging HOPE 7
encrusted COVE R 3
end END 1, 2, EN D/POINT 1. FINISH/COME TO AN
6 words meaning to make something empty by END 1, 2 . PART 5 . PURPOSE 1. STOP STH
removing what was in it THAT IS HAPPENING 9
empty end: at one end SIDE 3
drain end: at the end END 3
turn out end: at the end of the day BASIC 4
end: be at an end FINISHfCOME TO AN END 1
empty / 'empti/ lv TJ end: bring 5th to an end/to a close FIN ISH DOING
The milk was bad so he emptied the bottle into the sink. I The STH 5
dustbins are emptied once a week. I The police made us stand end: come to an end FIN1SHfCOME TO AN END 1, 2.
against the wa II and told us to empty our pockets. STOP HAPPENING 1
drain Idre Inl to make something such as a large container end: draw to 8 close/to an end FINISH/COME TO AN
or a machine empty by removing all the liquid from it [uTI END 2
The canal has been drained and the land used to make a end: finish/end FIN ISH DOI NG STH 5
garden. I The water system must be drained before you start end: in the end EVENTUALLY 1. 2
work on the tank. end: on end CONTINUO US 2
end: put an end to STOP STH THAT IS HAPPENING 6
end 408 END/POINT
end: stand 8th on end VERTICAL 2 end lendlln C usually singular]
end: to the bitter end FINISH DOING STH 7 [found the end of the film very moving. I at/by/towards
end In divorce DIVORCE 1 etc the end By the end o/the story. the main characters have
end II all KILL 12 all either died orgone mad. I Youdan'tfindoutwholhekilkr
end of your tether: be at the end of your tether is until the very end.
FED UP 1 ending IlenduJI the events that happen at the end of a
end result RESULT 2 story or fIlm (n C]
end up ARRIVE 5 , EVENTUALLY 1 Spielberg changed the ending 0/ 'Close Encounters' several
end with/finish with ENO 3 times before releasing the final version. I The ending of
'Brave New World' is comical and sad at the same time. I

1end 1,..-----..,.....-----,
which meaning?
the end of a story,
event, period of time
ate
the end of an object
happy ending (;an end in which everyone in the story is
happy) I'm sick of all these Hollywood movies with hoppy
endings.
finale /fI 1no:li 11 fl'nreli/ the end ofa piece of music or a
show, especially when it is very exciting or impressive [n
C]
C' END A choir ofover 100 singers came onto the stage/or theJinale.1
thefinal£ of Beethoven 's Third Symphony I grand finale( =a
very exciting and impressive fmale) The laser show and the
fireworks were a thrilling grand finale to the Olympic
_ END/POINT Games.

finish, come to an .. FINISH/COME 3 ways of saying that something happens at the

end
in the end, finally ,
TO AN END
• EVENTUALLY
• end of an event, period , book, film etc
end with/flnish with at the end
closing late
finish dQing • FINISH DOING final
something 5TH end wlthlflnish with I 'end WI~, 'fImJ wI~/lv T not in
'A'il : "'~ ... - - - - .... "- I}
passive I
stop something that ls , • STOP 5TH THAT i The concert finished with a song by &hubert. I The chapter
-
happening 4 IS HAPPENING ends with a section on rents and housing benefit. I The 80s
ended with a collapse in the world economy.
closing /lkl~uZI£J1 closing remarks/words/speech/
_ END ceremony etc (;done at the end of a meeting, film, book
etc) ladj only before noun]
In his closing speech, he thanked the organizers of the con·
1 Ihe last part of an event or period of time ference. I In the closing shot ofthe film, Hoffman walks away
2 the last part of a book, film , or show from the camera without looking back. I Th€ closing para·
3 ways of saying that something happens at the graphs were very moving.
end of an event, period , book, film etc final/'fa lnll happening at or near the end of an event or
process {adj only be/ore noun)
The war reached ilsFlJUl1 stages in July. I Hisfinalsummary
was concise and to the point.
1 the last part of an event or period of time at the end I>t Oi 'endlladv phrase]
end Thefilm was rather sad - at th€ end the main character dies. I
conclusion lfyou have any qU€Stions, canyouask them at tJreendplease.
close late/leul if something happens in late August, late spring
etc, it happens near the end of that time (adj]
end lendJ (n singular 1 I was very tired, and slept until late morning. I Thejzrst swal·
The end of the game was really exciting. I at/by Itowards lows arrive in late spring. I late in August/the evening/
the end He le/tNew York at the end ojDecember. I Towards 1918 etc The lake froze over late in the year.
the end o/the interview I was beginning to/eel that J might
/uwe got the job.
conclusion Ikan 'klu:ynj the end of an event or piece of
work, especially one that has several different stages or has
• END/POINT
lasted a long time [n singularJ
1 the part or point at the end of something,
The yachts sailed into the harbour at the conclusion of the
race. I Professor Brown's book is the conclusion of many especially of a long thin object
years of intensive research. I bring sth to a conclusion
(=make something reach a conclusion) The talks are aimed
at bringing the dispute to a conclusion. 1 the part or paint at the end of something,
clos.'kl~zf a formal word meaning the end ofa period especially of a long thin object
of time or an activity [n singularJ end nose
We returned home, tired but happy, at the c10~ of the day, I
The droth of Rhodes marked the close of the greorest period point head
of British imperial expansion in Africa. I draw to a close lip
(=come near ID the end) A< the 19th century drew wa crose ... end lendlln C]
She dipped the end of her brush inw the paint. I Wash the
2 the last part of a book, film, or show leeks and chop them up finely, discarding the tough green
ends. I a long pole with a hook at one end J He started clean·
end ing hisfingernails with the broken end ofa match. lat both
ending ends/at either end The baton is long and thin with a small
finale rubber ball at either end.
pOint /p:)lnt/ the thin, sharp end of something such as a
needle, stick, or sword In Cl
END/POINT 409 ENERGETIC
Polly tapped the metal point of her umbrella on the wooden the USSR was no ionger an ally of the US but an odversary.1
floor. I The sewing machine would not work because the Symes grabbed his adversary by the throat and wrestled him
point of the needle had bro/ren off to the ground.
tip IlIp' the narrow part right at the end of something such
as a branch, a finger or toe, or a piece of land In Cl
The doctor felt thuhild's neck with the tips of hisjingers. 1
2 used by or working for the enemy
From root to tip the plant is about twenty centim etres long. I enemy
The cat was black with a white tip to its tail. I a holy city at hostile
the southern tip of India enemy " ermmi/ (adj only before noun)
nose InauZ/ the nose DCa plane/rocket etc (=the rounded They heard the sound ofenemy aircraft above and ran to the
part at the front) [n Cl shelters. 1 He had died in a surprise attack by enemy troops. 1
The nose o/the plane dipped as we came in to land. I sth's Enemy gunfire blasted the building.
nose Each missile carries 150 kilos of high explosive in its hostile / 'hostaIJ 11 Iha:stl. 'ha:stalll belonging to a coun-
nose. try that wants to attack and defeat your country, and is
head fhedf the head of a matchstick/pin/nail etc (=the therefore dangerous [adj only be/ore noun)
rounded end part of a small object, especially one whose Hostileforces have taken control ofcities in t11£ mrth of the
other end is pointed) In Cl country. 1 The reporter stayed for six months in hostile ter-
There is a hole in the tube, no bigger than the head o[ a ritory, reporting on the war.
matchstick. I The head of the bolt must not protrude above
the face of the casing.
• ENERGETIC
i
endanger DANGEROUS 5, RISK 8
endear yourself to LIKE S8 OR STH 7
endearing NICE 3 1 words for describing someone who is full 01
energy or who uses a lot of energy without
I endeavour/endeavor to do sth TRY TO DO OR GET
STH 1 getting tired
endemic SPREAD 12 2 happy and very energetic
ending END 2 3 words for describing energetic activities,
ending: happy ending HAPPY 11 behaviour etc
endless/unending CONTINUOUS 4 4 the physical and mental strength that makes
endorse SUPPORT A PERSON , GROUP, OR PLAN 2
endowed: be endowed with HAVE 4 you energetic
ends: make ends meet SU RVIVE 5
endurance STRONG PERSON 6
endure STAN D/BEAR 1, SUFFER 1
, enduring LONG TIME 6
1 words for describing someone who is full of
energy or who uses a lot 01 energy without
.. enemy AGAINST/OPPOSE 2, ENEMY 1, 2
r. enemy: the enemy EN EMY 1 getting tired
energetic dynamic
vigorous hyperactive
_ ENEMY be full of energyl tireless
bursting with energy boisterous
someone who you are fighting against in a
war energetic "enar'd3etlk .. , very active and able to work
hard for a long time (adj]
1 an enemy America needs a young, strong, energetic leader who will
2 used by or working for the enemy change things. 1 My molh£r was a bustling energetic woman,
always in a hurry, always busy. I After a break, you slwuld
feel energetic and confident enough to tackle another
1 an enemy assignment.
enemy foe vigorous ,lvlgarasl energetic, strong, and very healthy
the enemy adversary
[adjl
He was a strong, vigorous, handsome man.
enemy , 'en<}mif rn Cl be full af energylburBtlng with energy fbi: ,fiJl,v
Even though these soldiers were our enemies, 1 eauldn 't help 'ena r d3i. I b3: rstll) wl{'}~1 to be very energetic and eager for
feeling sorry for them. 1 common enemy (=a shared enemy) physical activ ity Iv phrase]
Britain and France decided to unite andfight against their As usual, she iookedfresh andfull of energy. I After a iong
common enemy. vacation thi! kids come back to the school bursting with
the enemy 16i 'enamil the country or group of people you energy and enthusiasm.
are fighting against in a war Ln singular with singular or dynamic Idal1nremIkl very energetic, determined to suc-
plural verb in British English) ceed, and full of new ideas [adjl
How did the enemy get Iwld of this information? 1 Anyone a dynamic young woman with big ambitions 1 Churchill
found guilty ofhelping the enemy was sentenced to death by provided dynamic and inspiring leadership when it was
firing squad. most needed.
foe I f~1 a word used formally or in literature. meaning hyperactlve"halpar'rekuv .. , someone who is hyper~
a person or country that wants to attack and defeat you or active is too active and often nervous, so that they are
your country (n C J unable to relax or work calmly [adj]
Spain was once England's greatest foe. 1 Have courage We soon became exhausted looking after our hyperactive
friends, and with God's help we shall defeat our foes. I As young daughter. 1 hyperactive executives who never stop
u:e approaclu!d thi! camp a guard called out: "Who goes there rushing around
- friend or foe?"
tlrele •• I ltal ~q~sl tireless worker/campaigner etc
adversary J1redvarsari 11 ~seril a word used fonnally or in (=one who does something using a lot of effort for a long
literature, meaning a country or person that you are fight- time without ever getting tired) {adj usually before noun I
ing against, or that has strongly different aims and beliefs He was a very popular teacher and has been a tireless worker
from yours, and is therefore always a possible enemy In C] for the school. I She has been a tireless peace campaigner for
The peace talks proved that even great adversaries were many years.
capable of cooperation. I It became clear in April 1945 that
ENERGETIC 410 enjoy yourself
boisterous !'rolsr3rns/ someone, especially a child or tireless /ltalaT)asl tireless efforts/work etc (=never
young man, who is boisterous is very energetic and noisy, limited by tiredness or lack of energy, especially because
often in a way that annoys other people (atUl someone is determined to achieve something) [adj usually
He's a n ice boy. but rather boisterous. I A large, boisterous before noun 1
crowd poured into the bar. singing and shouting noisily. The prisoners were finally released, thanks to the tireless
boisterously iadv I The boys were out in the backyard play- efforts of their families and friends.
ing and fighting boisterously. tirelessly (adv) Rescuers UJOrked tirelessly wfree the sur-
vivors from the rubble.
2 happy and very energetic lively Illal "liI full of quick, energetic movement or activity
and therefore exciting or enjoyable ladjJ
IIvety bright and breezy A group ofchildren dressed in peasant costumes entertained
vivacious be a live wire us with a lively dance called a tarantella. I Any question
animated feel alive about taxation is likely to produce a lively debate in
be full of beans parliament.
lively IlJalvli/ chectiul and active radjl animated l ' renAme l t~df animated conversation/ dis-
He was a lively. attractive boy with lots offriends. I You must cussion/ voice etc (=fuil of excitement and strong feelings)
invite some lively young people to tlu! party to cheer us all up. IlUijl
liveliness In VJ Miss Hill must have been at least 90, and The two Americans were having an animated discussion
so / was surprised by her liveliness and sense o[ humour. about golf. I Pel£r was engaged in an animated conversation
at the bar.
vivacious Iv ~ 'velf~S/ a woman or girl who is vivacious
has a lot of energy and a happy and attractive manner [mUl
He married Sarah Leadbeater, a beautiful, vivacious and 4 the physical and mental strength that makes
etUertaining young woman. I Laura was an all-ATTU!rican you energetic
type - cul£, blonde, vivacious. energy get-up-and-go
vivaciously ladv I ''It 's so wonderful to see you aW" she said
vlgour/vlgor vitality
vivaciously.
animated /'ren!mctt!dl full of interest and energy, espe- energy /'enard3il (n VJ
cially when talking to someone ladjl Certain vitamins can give you more energy, if you 're always
Atflrst she was silent but gradually she became quite ani- feelingUred.1 She'sgottremendousenergyanda hugeoopac-
mated, talking and laughing with the other giris. I He tends ity for hard work. 11 don't have the time or energy w go out
to be more animated in the presence of women. in the evenings.
be full of beans /bi: ,ful a" Ibi:nz.j an informal expres- vigour (Brilish) I vlgor (American) I ' vog>'1 physical and
sion meaning to feel happy, energetic, and eager, and to mental energy, determination, and strength [n VI
show this by the way you behave Iv phrase] He set about his task with renewed vigour. I Each morning
When the kids went off to their sum11l€rcamp they were all she wakes up with a renewed sense of vigour and deter-
excited andfull of beans. I You'd never think she'd been ill mination.
- she came in this morning full of beans. get.. up-and..go 'Iget hp an Ig:xJ1 an energetic determina-
bright and breezy /,brail an 'bri:zi/ cheerful and ener- tion to get things done without delay rn phrasel
getic in your manner and in the way you talk to people [adj We need someone around here with some get-up-and-go! I
phrase! Monday morning blue')? Here's a way to start the day with
Most people are tired by this time of day, but she's as bright that get-up-and-go feeling_
and breezy as ever_ I His bright and breezy manner tends to vitality I"al' trel~til healthy energy and cheerfulness In U)
irritat€ people. She is full of vitality, energy, and sex appeal. lOne of
b. a live wire Ibi: ~ Ilal" Iwa laT/ someone who is a live Picasso's most striking characteristics was his unbounded
wire is extremely lively and energetic, and you never know vitality.
what they will say or do next [v phrase)
It's going to befun working with Bill. He's a real live wire. energy ENERGETIC 4
energy: be full of energy/bursting with energy
fe" alive I ,fi:1 >'I"vl to feel full of energy, happy, and EN ERGETIC 1
free Iv phrasel enfranchise VOTE/ELECT 7
She felt really alive for the first time in her /ife. I It's only
engage JOBJ\o\lORK 10
when he's driving at high speeds that hef"'ls truly alive.
engaged BUSY/NOT AVAILABLE 2
engaged: be engaged MARRY 5, USE STH 7
3 words for describing energelic aclivities, engaged: be engaged In TAKE PART/BE INVOLVED 1
behaviour etc engaged: be otherwise engaged BUSYINOT
energetic lively AVAILABLE 1
engaged: gel engaged MARRY 4
vigorous animated
engagement MARRY 4
tireless
engagement: have a previous/prior engagement
energetiC 'lena T 'd,3etlk~1 involving a lot of physical or BUSY/NOT AVAILABLE 1
mental activity (adj) engaging NICE 3
I don't feel like doing anything very energetic this evening. engine MACHINE 1
I 've had a tiring day. I Prem was lying on his bed, resting engineer ARRANGE A MEETING. EVENT ETC 3
after an energetic game of squash. engrossed INTERESTED 3
energetically (adv l We sawayoung man in a boat rowing engrossed: be engrossed In ATTENTION 3
energetically against the current. enhance IMPROVE 5
vigorous 1'''lgar;sl using a lot of energy and strength enigma MYSTERIOUS 3
ladjl enigmatic MYSTERIOUS 4
Ensure that your dog has at least twenty minutes ofvigorous enjoy ENJOY/LIKE DOING STH 1. HAVE 4
exercise every day. I Nathaniel Sherman 's warm, vigorous enjoy yourself ENJOY/LIKE DOING STH 2, 3
,
handshake
vigorousl y [adv) He seized me by the shoulders and shook
11l€ vigorously. I The president's policy was vigorously
opposed by the democrats. I~ I words
~
"You say" is used in definitions of some
or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English.
ENJOY/LIKE DOING 8 TH 411
• ENJOY/LIKE
DOING 5TH
1 to enjoy doing something
2 to feel happy when you are doing something ,
especially when you are with other people
3 to do things that you enjoy
4 to enjoy something that most other people
would not enjoy, especially something bad or
unpleasant
5 words for describing experiences, activities,
and events that people enjoy
6 words for describing someone who enjoys a
particular activity very much
7 words for describing someone that other
people enjoy being with
8 ways of saying that you do something just
because you enjoy it, not for any serious
reason
9 the feel ing you get when you enjoy doing
something
10 to enjoy being praised, being famous etc
11 words for describing someone who is only
interested in enjoying themselves
12 activities that you do to enjoy yourself
1 to enjoy doing something
enjoy get a lot of pleasure
like out oflfrom
love savou r/sav~r
be fond of with relish
anJoy Im'd3'l' l lvT ]
enjoy doing sth My fatMr enjoys playing golf at weekends. I
Angela's really enjoying working abroad, ! enjoy sth I en-
joyed your party. I Did you enjoy the game? I enjoy every
minute/ moment of TM class was difflCul~ but fan erlioyed
every minute a/it. I thoroughly enjoy (=enjoy every part)
Thanks/or a lovely evening. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I enjoy
st h immensely (=enjoy very much) It 's afascinating/ilm
- we enjoyed it immensely.
like /Ialkl to enjoy something, especially something that
you do regularly [v T not in progressive or passive l
like doing 5th Did you like living in Africa? 1 I think most
of our staff like working here. 1 like to do 5th He likes to
relax in the evenings after work. 1 Joanne doesn't like to
cook. 1 like sth I don't like meetings, especially if they go on
for too long. 1 I really liked that bit in the movie when David
became invisible.
love /IAVI to always enjoy a particular activity very much
[v T not in progressive or passive )
love doing st h Bonnie loves going out on the boat. I Chil-
dren love helping out with jobs in the kitchen. 1love to do
sth These officials love to make you feel stupid. 1 I loved to
hear Joe's stories about the sea. 1love 5th She loves her work.
be fond of /bi: ' fond DV 11 · ' fo:nd-/ to enjoy doing some-
thing, and try to do it as often as you can [v phrase )
be fon d of doing sth Unfortunately, my kids are very fond
of spending money. 1 Unless you 'refond of messing around
with engines it wou ld be better to take your car to a garage.
get a lot of pleasure out ofnrom I,get a lot av 'ple3ar
aut av, fram 11 -Io:t-, -o:v/ an informal expression meaning
to enjoy something very much, especially something you
own [u phrase}
Theguitarcost mea iotofmoney, but I do get a lot ofpleas-
ure out of it. 1 She gets such a lot of pleasure f rom that car
of Mrs.
savour (Br~is h) ' . .vor (American) I' selvarl to make an
activity or experience last as long as you can, because you
are enjoying every moment of it [v Tl
ENJOY/LIKE DOING 8TH
Carey read Peter's letter slowly, savouring every UXJrd. If sat
near the window of the plane so I could savor every second
of tM take-ojJ.
w i th rallsh IWIO ' rehf l if you do something with relish
you do it eagerly and with a lot of enjoyment [adv phrase 1
Kate lit a cigarette and inhaled with relish 1 Charles
described with relish the way hegot his revenge on Malcolm.
2 to feel happy when you are doing something,
especially when you are with other people
enjoy you rself have a whale of
have a goodlwonderful/ 8 t ime
marvellous/terrific have a blast
ate time be In your element
have fun
have the time of your life
enjoy yourseH /In 'd3J1 jJ:rself/ lV phrase]
Just relax and enjoy yourself. There's nothing to worry
about. I Oh, do we have to leave now? I was just beginning
to enjoy myself I The park wasfull ofpeople, enjoying tMm·
selves in the sunshine
have a goodlwonderful/marvallous/tarriflc ate
time Iheev a (good, etc) 'ta lm/ to enjoy yourself very much
at a social occasion, performance, event etc Iv phrase]
Did you have a good time last night? 1 David and Johnnie
said they had a great time at the football game. 1 have a
good etc time doing sth We used to have a wonderful time
going riding in the vacations.
have fun 11 hrev 'fAnl to enjoy yourself, especially doing
an activity with other people, or doing something that is
not serious Iv phrase]
For the first time in years, I was beginning to have fun. 1
Havefun at the party! 1 have fun doing 5th We had great
fun trying to guess woo Met's new girlfriend was.
have the time of your IIfe /ha;v c)a ,talm ~v jJ: r 'laiC/
to enjoy yourself so much, especially by doing an activity
or going to a social event, that you are likely to remember
it for a long time [v phrase ]
"Your vacation sounds fantastic. " 'We had the time of our
lives!" 1 A lan was having the time of his life, playing to an
audience for once.
have a whale of a time /hrev a Iwel l av a ltalm/ an
informal expression meaning to enjoy yourself very much
Iv phrase ]
"Didyou enjoy tM party?" "Oh, we had a whale ofa time!" I
have a whale of a time doing 5th Harry and Rita were
having a whale of a lime drinking all the cham/Xlgne they
could find.
have a blast I,hrev a 'blo!st 11 -'bJrestJ an informal
American expression meaning to have a very good time [v
phrase]
Afew of the guys came up to my apartment after the game
- we had a blast!
be In your element /bi: In j:l:r 'eI1mant/ to be enjoying
yourself because you are doing something that you like to
do and that you do well [v phrase]
Aunti£ Paula was in her element, cooking all sorts ofgoodies
for the Christmas visitors. 1 Jan was ofcourse in his element
and delighted the kids with his silliness.
3 to do things that you enjoy
enjoy yourself live It up
have fun have a good time
enjoy yourself Iln'd:pI j:l:rseifl [v phrase )
I found the wlwle event preUy boring, but the kids seemed
to be enjoying themselves. 1 Bill's really enjoying himsel/out
in Australia, isn 't he?
have fun I Ihrev IfAnl to do enjoyable and exciting things
[v phrase]
All he thinks about is having fun. 1 Michael says his aims
are to have fun and make money, in that order.
live It up / ,l lv It IApl an informal expression meaning to
enjoy yourself very much by going out a lot and spending
a lot of money on socia] activities [u phrase]
ENJOY/LIKE DOING STH
I had saved about two thousand dollars, so I decided to live
it up in Vegas before going home. I Pat spends most of his
time at college getting drunk and living it up.
have a good tlma /hrev;) ,gud ltal m/ to enjoy what you
are doing. especially the way you live your life over a
period of weeks, months etc [v phrase]
He wants his son to have a good time at college. I I was too
intent on having a good time to pay much attention to my
parents.
4 to enjoy something that most other people
would not enjoy, especially something bad or
unpleasant
revel In gloat
get a kick out of take pleasure In
take delight In/ delight In
take a delight In get off on
relish wallow In
revel In /trev:.11 1nl to enjoy something very much, espe-
cially something bad or unpleasant, or something not
everyone would enjoy Lv T)
I think Terry enjoys being ill - he's revelling in all the atten·
tion he's getting. I Some!ootball players seem to revel in their
bad reputation. I "Doesn't he mind all the media attention?"
"Oh no, he revels in it!"
get a kick out of Iget ~ Iklk aut Dvl to enjoy doing some·
thing, especially something that other people disapprove
of IV phrase I
Maggi.e gets a big kick out of taking married men away from
their wives. 1He seems to get his kicks out ofpretending he's
some kind of fascist.
take delight Inltake a delight In I,telkdl 'Ian In, ,telk
;) dl 'lalt 1nl to get a lot of pleasure from a situation where
someone else is at a disadvantage or is being hurt, embar'
rassed etc [v phrase 1
take delight in doing sth [took great rklight in watching
him make afool of himself I People used to take a rklight
in watching public hangings.
relish f Irellff to very much enjoy doing something that
hanns someone else, or that other people would not enjoy
doing Iv T I
relish doing sth The reporter seemed to relish asking all
those personal questions. 1 relish sth Some members of the
new army would have relished an opportunity to hunt down
guerilla troops. I relish the thought/ prospect of (=relish
the idea of doing something in the future) She clearly
relished the prospect of breaking the news to them.
gloat fgldUtf to get pleasure from someone else's failure
or bad luck, especially when you have been more success-
ful or luckier than them [v 11
gloat over Have you come to gloat over my problems? 1gloat
"ltold you that idea wouldn't work." "Well, there's no need
to g loat"
take ple.sureln "telk 'plepr Inl to enjoy doing some·
thing bad to other people [v phrase)
He seems to take pleasure in hurting her feelings. I Charlie
takes a malicious pleasure in bullying the smaller kids.
delight In Id lllalt In} to enjoy doing something that makes
other people feel a little uncomfortable or embarrassed
IvTI
delight in doing sth Taxi drivers delight in taking new
arrivals through the worse slums in Harlem. 1 delight in
sth She's the kind of woman who delights in pointing out
other people's mistakes.
get off on 'Iget lof on 11 _I:>:f o!ol an informal expression
meaning to get pleasure from an activity, especially a dan·
gerous or frightening one that other people disapprove of
IvT ]
Jimmy really gets offon driving at 150 mph in thefast lane. 1
I wonder if doctors get off on having all that power.
wallow In IIWDldU ID 11 Iwo:-I to enjoy being sad, feeling
sorry for yourself etc, especially in order to make people
notice you and pay attention to you [v TI
Since his girlfriend kft him Ire 's been wallowing in Sf!/f-pity. 1
a nation wallowing in defeat
412 ENJOY/LIKE DOING STH
5 words for describing experiences, activities,
and events that people enjoy
enjoyable be a delight
lun the joys/delights 01
good/great fun be a blast
pleasurable be a good laugh
pleasure
enJoyable I m'dSOI,b>l1 ladj]
Exercise may be hard work, but it can also be enjoyable. 1
Kirk 's most enjoyable reporting assignments were based in
Washington. I Good teachers try to make their lessons more
enjoyable by using varied activities.
enjoyably ladv] She spent the week quite enjoyably, read·
ing books and going for long walks.
fun IfAol an experience or activity that is enjoyable and
exciting In UJ
We had a lot offun at the disco last night. I fun doing sth
It 's beenfun dancing with you, but I have to go home MW. I
sb's idea of fun Running around ajreezing hockey field
isn't my idea of fUn. I half the fun (=as enjoyable as the
experience itself) Planning a vacation is half thefun.
good/great fun Ilgud, Igrelt IfAOI a British expression
meaning very enjoyable and exciting [adj phrase ]
Skiing is great fun , but it's expensive.
ple.surable , Ipleyr~b311 giving you a lot of pleasure,
enjoyment and satisfaction [adj)
Tire pkasurabk effet:1S ofany drug quickly wear of/. I Many
womenfind breastfeeding satisfying and pleasurabk. I [find
gardening a very pleasurable hobby.
ple.sure 11ple:)dr I an experience or activity that makes
you feel happy and satisfied [n C]
Smoking is one of his only pleasures. I Winswn's greatest
pleasure was his garden. 1 The simple pleasures in life are
the best.
be a delight Ibi: a dr'lartl an event or activity that is a
delight is extremely enjoyable, especially when you did
not expect it to be tv phrase]
Working with horses can be a delight. 1 Your letter was a
rklight. I be sheer delight Qycling to work was sheer rklight
during the summer months.
the Joys/delights of 10' 'dSO>Z, dl 'Ians ovl the partic·
ularly enjoyable experiences that are part of an activity rn
phrase]
The course aims to give an introduction to the joys of scuba
diving. I A lot is said about thejoysofparentlwod, but not
about the drawbacks. 1 the delights and mysteries of
Thailand
be. blast Ibi: ~ 'blo:st " - 'blrestl an informal American
expression meaning to be very enjoyable and exciting
[v phrase]
The party was a blast. We didn't stop dancing till three in
the morning.
be a good laugh Ibi" ,gud 'Io,f 11 -'Irefl an informal
British expression meaning to be enjoyable and amusing
Iv phrase]
We went skating on Saturday - I /reptjalling over, but it was
a good laugh.
6 words for describing someone who enjoys a
particular activity very much
keen
avid
great
kean lki:nl keen gardener/sportsman/ golfer/ painter
etc (=enjoying gardening, sport etc so much that you spend
a lot of your free time doing it) {ac:(j only before noun!
Goethe was a keen amateur geologist. 1 Paul, a keen sports·
man, prided himself on his level of fitness.
avid I'rev!dl avid reader/collector/ listener (=doing
something as often as you can, with great enjoyment and
interest) [adj only before noun!
ENJOY/LIKE DOING 5TH 413
Tim's father is an avid collector oJ old blues and jazz
records. I A keen writer and avid newspaper reader, Jenny
had always wanted to be a journalist.
great /greIt/ great traveller/readcr/talkeretc (:::having
an eager, lively interest in travelling, reading etc. so that
you do it as often as you can) [ad) only before noun I
Shirley is a groot traveller and a wonderful companion. I be
a great onc for (British) I was never really agrrot one/or
sport as a child.
7 words for describing someone that other
people enjoy being with
be good company
fun
be a good laugh
be good company /hi: ,gud I kAmpanil if someone is
good company, they are interesting and enjoyable to be
with [u phrasel
I like sharing a room with Shirley - she's very good corn·
pony. I It was a wonderful evening - plenty ofgoodfood and
good company.
fun IfAnI someone who is fun is enjoyable to be with
because they are amusing, humorous and cheerful radjl
be good/ great fun (British) Tire O'Brien boys were great
fun. I a fun person/ b'1lY / girl (American) My aunt is such
a fun person, not at all like my father.
be a good laugh Ibi: , ,gud 'Io:f 11 - 'I",fl an informal
British expression meaning to be amusing and cheerful
when you are with other people [v phrase ]
[love visiting Caroline - she's a really good laugh.
8 ways of saying that you do something just
because you enjoy it, not for any serious
reason
for fun
for a laugh
for the hell of It
for fun ff.,r IfAni if you do something for fun you do it
because you enjoy it and not for any other reason [adv
phrase]
When we started our band we played music in restaurants
justfor fun. I She malres a lot ofTTWney reading IuJroscopes.
but slre'l! do ours for fun.
for a laugh /f.,r., 110:f 11 -llref/ a British expression mean·
ing in order to enjoy yourseJf and to make people laugh (adv
phrase]
Sally came into the room wearing a clown costume, complete
with big red nose - she'll do anything for a laugh! 1 Dave
and I went out with my little sister and her friends, just/or
a laugh.
for the hell of It /f.,r O~ Ihel ~v Itl if you do something
for the hell of it, you do it only because you enjoy it and
for no other reason, especially if it is something that other
people disapprove of [adv phraseJ
Jimmy was very drunk that night and broke aU the windows
in the empty house just for the hell of it. I A lot of rich kids
this side of town are turning to crime just for the hell o/it.
9 the feeling you get when you enjoy doing
something
enjoyment
pleasure
ecstasy
enjoyment IIn 'd3::llmJnt/ ln VJ
If you organize your days properly, you 'U get much more
enjoyment out ofyour trip. I Mychildren area source ofgreat
enjoyment to me. I with enjoyment Steve told me, with great
enjoyment. the story about the tame lion at the airfield. I
enjoyment of sth The/ilrn crew didn't stop Manina 's enjoy·
ment of tire game.
ple.sure IlpleJJr, the happiness or satisfaction that you
get from something [n V ]
ENJOY/LIKE DOING 5TH
Music has always brought com/ort and pleasure to people
throughout the world. I with pleasure Charles smiled with
pleasure as he walked onto the stage.
ecstasy , Iekstasi/ a feeling of extreme enjoyment, happi·
ness and satisfaction Ln V]
be in ecstasy (=feei ecstasy) They were in ecstasy as they
lay in each other's arms. 1 sheer/ pure ecstasy (=complete
ecstasy) Just let the chocolate melt in your mouth. It's sheer
ecstasy! I ecstasy the ecstasy of victory
10 to enjoy being praised , being famous etc
bask In
lap sth up
bask In " bo:sk In Il l bresk-J to enjoy a situation where
people are saying how good or successful you are (v T J
The Prime Minister is still basking in the success of his visit
to Washington. I She's the kind o/woman who basks in the
glory of a successful husband although she's never achieved
much herself.
lap ath up l 'lrep (sth) Apl to enjoy getting a lot ofatten-
tion or praise Iphr v T]
As she left the theatre, the young actress smiled and waved,
lapping the attention up. I When Eric said [ was the best
programmer he'd ever trained, I lapped it all up.
11 words for describing someone who is only
interested in enjoying themselves
self·lndulgent
hedonist
self-Indulgent Il self In1d ....Jdynt ... ' someone who is self·
indulgent spends a lot oftime and money on pleasure and
enjoying themselves [adjl
My first husband was spoiled, irresponsible and self-
indulgent. I The great thing about vacations is that you can
be as self-indulgent as you want without feeling guiUy.
self-indulgence [n VI A/ter a weekend 0/ such self-
indulgence, rwbody wanted to go back to work on Monday
morning.
hedonist I 'hi:dan!st/ someone who believes that pleastrre
and enjoyment are the most important things in life [n Cl
The senator's son was an unashamed hedonist, despised even
by those who accompanied him on his wild nights in the
casinos.
hedonism [n U] The < Luxury Weekend' at the Savoy Hotel
is two days and nights 0/ pure hedonism for those rich
enough to afford it.
hedonistic l ,hi:d~'nl s tlk"'l ladjl She led a hedonistic life in
Berlin.
12 activities that you do to enjoy yourself
recreation
leisure
recreation I lrekri lelJan/ various activities, especially
physical activities and games, that you do to enjoy your·
self fn VI
The qfternoons at the conference were leftfree/or recreation. I
Playing cricket. andfootball is the main recreation available
to the children 0/ Sowew.
recreational [ad)l The town's recreationalfacilities were
totally inadequate until the new sport center was built.
leisure I 'le'p r 11 'Ii: ~' the time when you are not working,
when you can enjoy yourself, especially by doing some-
thing relaxing In V]
leisure time/activity/facilities A reduction in average
working Jwurs has led to an increase in leisure time. 1There
is always money to be made in tourism, sightseeing, or other
leisure·time activities I Your standard 0/ living not only
depends on your income, but also on the amount 0/ leisure
you enjoy.
leisure ladj only before nounl The city authorities have
plans to build a new leisure centre (=a place for people to
relax and enjoy sport and social activities).
enJoyable
enjoyable ENJOY/LIKE DOING STH 5
enjoyment ENJOY/LIKE DOING STH 9
enlarge BIG 14
enlarge on DETAIL 7
enlighten EXPLAIN 1
enlightened INTELLIGENT 6
enlist JOI N AN ORGANIZAT ION 2, 5
enormous BIG 5
enormous: huge/enormous BIG 2. 8, 9
enormouslylhugely VERY 2
enormously/tremendously LOTNERY MUCH 1
enough ENOUGH t . 3 . 4
enough: be enough ENOUGH 2
enough: have enough ENOUGH 5, 6
enough: have had enough FULL 3
enough : have had enough of FED UP 1
enough : not enough ENOUGH 8
enough : not .•• enough ENOUGH 10. 11
enough : not be enough ENOUGH 9
enough: not have enough ENOUGH 12, 13
enough to eat: not get enough to eat
HUNGRY/STARVING t
. ENOUGH
as m u ch or as many as is needed or wanted
1 enough of something that you need
2 ways of saying that there is enough food ,
money, time etc for what you need
3 big enough, strong enough, old enough etc
for a particular purpose
4 to do something enough , or to happen
enough
5 to have enough of something
6 to have enough time, money etc to be able to
do what you want to do, buy what you want
to buy etc
7 more than enough, but not too much or too
many
8 not enough of something, or less of
something than is needed
9 ways of saying that there is not enough food ,
money. time ete for what you need
10 not good enough, not important enough etc
to do something
11 to not do something enough , or to not
happen enough
12 to not have enough of something
13 to not have enough time, money etc to be
able to do what you want, buy what you want
etc
1 enough of something that you need
enough
suffiCient
adequate
enough /1 'nAf/ [quantifier)
enough people/things/ money ete Is the baby gettiTl/l
enough milk? I Would you all sit down please. I think there
are erwugh chairs. I enough I need SO~ more 11Wney. You
didn't give me erwugh. I enough to do sth There's enough
material here to make two pairs of curtains. I Do you earn
erwugh to support your family ? I enough money etc for We
wanted a bigger boat, but we didn't have erwugh 11Wney for
one. IIlwpe you kft enough room/or my luggage in the back
a/the car. I enough of I 've read enough a/this book to know
that I 'm going to enjoy it.
sufficient Iso 'fII.n~ a formal word meaning enough [adjt
sufficient for Seven hours sleep is sulJkient for 11Wst
414 ENOUGH
people. I sufficient to do sth Soon the plane had gained
su,fTtciimt might to cross tm nwuntains. I It was claimed that
the level ofalcohol in the man '5 blood was suffICient to cause
an accident. I sufficient A letter was sent to all divisions
asking if they had st..ifJi.cient resources. I Is that sufficient?
adequate ,I red I kw &tJ an amount of something that is
adequate is just enough for a particular purpose !adjl
adequate for The boot has an adequate supply o//ood and
water for ten days at sea. I Are the parkingfacilities adequate
for fifty cars? I adequate The department cannot carry out
the necessary research without adequate funding.
adequalely ladv) Growing children need to be adequately
fed (=given enough food).
2 ways of saying that there is enough food,
money, time etc for what you need
be enough cover
do last
suffice meet sb 's needs
be enough Ibi: 1 'lIAfl [v phrasel
"Here's $250. Do you need more?" "No that's enough. " I be
enou gh for All this/ood should be enough/or Ilm peopte! I
be enough to do sth Afew dropsoflemonjuice were enough
to give the sauce a delicious, tangy flavour.
do Jdu:/ a word used especially in spoken English mean-
ing that a particular number or amount will be enough for
what you need [v liT not in progressive )
will do Could you :xerox this, please. Ten copies will do. I
I can tend you some money - will £10 do? I will do sb for
A/ew sandwiches will do usfor lunch. I sh ould d%ughl
to do (=will probably be enough) Ten baUtes a/wine should
d%r the party. I should/ought to/ will do sb Here's £20
for the shopping - that should do you.
.ufflce /sa 'falsl a formal word meaning to be enough [v I
rwe in progressive ]
wllllwould suffice Omar was conFuient that their supplies
would szifju:e until they reached their destination. I should
suffice to do sth (=will probably be enough to do it) These
few examples should sufFzce to illustrate how social attitudes
are changing .
cover /lkAvar/ ifan amount of money covers the cost of
something, it is enough to pay for it [vT not in progressive]
Do you think $100 will cover the cost of repairing the
damage? I I wrote a cheque to cover various expenses. I
Western aid to Third World countries barely covers the
interest on their loans.
la.t Ilo:st n1<£51/ if an amount of something such as food.
or money lasts for a certain period oftime, there is enough
of it for Ihat period Ivl
last for/tilUlhrough I have $100 in traveter's chocks but
I cWn't think tlwl'lIlast till the end o/the vacation. I last 3
days/ 2 years ete Do you think our spending money will last
the trip? I last sb for etc Thefood we'recanying should last
us for three days.
me.t sb's needs f Imi:t (sb's) 'ni:dzj if an amount of
something meets someone's needs, there is as much of
it as that person needs IV phrase I
In many parts ofthe world, there is not enoughfODd to meet
everyone's needs. I Existing stocks of coal should meet our
needs for the coming year.
3 big enough, strong enough, old enough etc
for a particutar purpose
enough
sufficiently
,",ough 11'lIAfl ladv)
big/ strong etc enough to do sth Carl was the only man
strong enough to lift the huge stone. I When children are old
enough to walk, they need constant attention. l big enough
etc Will that box be big enough? I I'll return to work when
I 'm well enough. I big enough ele for Is he experienced
enoughfor such an important job? I The road wasjust wide
enough for a truck to pass.
ENOUGH
sufficiently ISd IflJantli/ a formal word meaning enough
ladvl
Politicians have ignored this problem because they do not
consider it sufflCiently important. I sufficiently big etc to
do sth The drill must be sufflCiently powerfuL to cut hores
through solid steel. I sufficiently big etc for The measure-
ments are sufficiently accurate for our purposes.
4 to do something enough, or to happen
enough
enough
sufficiently
enough I" nAf/ladv I
enough to do sth l'Ve studied the subject enough to know
the basic/acts. I It has rained enough this summer to give
us a good harvest. I enough Thejudge gave her a light sen·
tence because she'd already been punished erwugh.
sufficiently I s~ I Flf,mtHJ a formal word meaning enough
[advl
When he had recovered sufficiently from his accident, he was
interviewed by the police. J sufficiently to do sth The price
was increased sufficiently to cover production costs.
5 to have enough of something
have enough
be OK tor/be all right tor
be well off tor
have enough "hrev J'nf\f/ [v phrase not in progressive]
If] had enough money, I'd stop working now! I f think we've
had enough exercise for one day. I have enough to eat/
drink! spend ete We must make sure that everyone has
enough to eat.
be OK forlb. all right for /bi! ~ Ikel f:n r , hi: ;):I'raH
f:): rI
informal expressions meaning to have enough of
something that you need, such as time, money, or food
Iv phrasel
Areyou sureyou're OKforcash? I "Do you have to rush off?"
"No, I'm OK/or time. " I We're all right/or vegetabks, but
we need to buy some more fruit.
b. wall oH for Ihi: ,wel'off:>:rl an informal expression
meaning to have plenty of something that is needed or that
makes life easier or more pleasant [v phrase]
We're quite well offfor public transport in this part of the
country. I Th£ school's reasonably well off/or books and
equipment but there does seem to be a shortage of well quali·
]/£d staff.
6 to have enough time, money etc to be able to
do what you want to do, buy what you want
to buy etc
ha\(e enough can afford
have the time/money/ can spare
skill etc run to
have enough I lhrev I l nf\fl [v phrase not in progressive]
have enough time/ money etc to do sth I'll have enough
time to read the report this evening. I The company has
enough spare money to build a new cafeteria.
have the time/money/skill ete Ihrev 0, (time, ete)1
to have enough time, money, skill etc for a particular pur·
pose, especially when a lot of time etc is needed Iv phrase
not in progressive I
have the time etc to do sth Anyone who has the money to
buy a Ferrari must be very rich. I He didn't know if he had
the skill or strength to carry out this task. I have the time
etc He said he didn't have the time to go to meetings every
week.
can afford 'k~n d'b: rdl to have enough money or time
to do something [v phrase]
can afford sth (=have enough money to buy or pay for it)
I think we can afford a new washing machine. I Not many
parents can afford private education/or their children. I He
likes to drink the best whisky he can afford. I can afford to
415 ENOUGH
do sth (=have enough money to do it) Gasey wished he could
afford to stay in a decent holel. I can afford the time (=have
enough time to do something) I'd like to come shopping with
you tomorrow, but I'm not sure] can afford the time.
can spara ' k~n ISpedr, to have enough time. money etc
for a particular purpose, because you do not need it all for
other purposes [v phraseJ
I'd love to come to the party, but I'm nnt sure if I can spare
the time. I Thefirm has agreed to improve the toiletfacili·
ties as soon as they can spare the money. I Can you spare a
couple of minutes to talk about nex t week's programme?
run to , IrAn tu:1 an informal British expression: if some-
one can run to something or if their money runs to some-
thing, they have enough money to pay for it, especially
when it is something expensive Iv T nnt in progressive or
passive]
I don't think my salary quite runs to Iwlidays in the Carilr
bean! I The company budget wouldn't run to a Mercedes, so
I had to make do with a Ford instead.
7 more than enough, but not too much or too
many
more than enough
plenty
ample
more than enough 'Im;):r O;1n J'nf\fJ [quantifier]
I've given you more than enough money to pay for every-
thing. 1 There were more than ennugh people to set up the
stage.
plenty 11 plentil a lot more than enough [quantifierl
Do you need any more paper? No, thanks, I've still got plenty
here. I plenty of There 's no need to run. We've got plenty of
time.
,I
ample rempal/ if an amount of something is ample, there
is more than enough of it ladj l
Don't put too much sugar in the mixture. One spoon/ul will
be ample. I He was given ample opportunity to express his
opinion.
8 not enough of something or less of something
than is needed
not enough shortage
Insufficient lack ot
too IIttlelloo tew be In short supply
scarce be short
inadequate
not enough /not IlfiAfJ [quantifier]
not enough time/money/sleep etc You're not getting
enough sleep. I I'Ve written all the letters, but I can't find
enough envelopes. I not enough to do sth There wasn 't
enough evidence to prove their allegations. I not enough for
sb to do sth We had brought sandwiches, but not enough
for us to have one each. I not enough NUrses get paid quite
good money, but it's not enough considering the amount of
overtime they have to do. I not nearly/nowhere near
enough (=much less than enough) There are some trained
lawyers and accountants in the company, but not nearly
ennugh of them. I The time they've given us is nowhere near
enough.
Insufficient I IJn s ~lfIJ~nt" l a formal word meaning not
enough [adjl
There are a number ofproblems for agriculture in this area. ~
such as insufficient rainfall. I insufficient to do sth The
data we have is insufficient to enable us to form any con·
clusions.
too Ilttleltoo few I,tu: Illtl, ItU: Ifju:1 not enough for a
particular purpose (quanti/ierl
too few people/things/places etc Transport on the island
is diffICult because there are too few roads. I too little time/
money/ food etc The government has paid too little atten·
lion to th£ meds o/disabledpoopie. I too few/too little to
do sth There were some policemen in the street, but toofew
to keep controi ofthe crowd. I too little/too few for Wecan't
ENOUGH
put any more seats in the aircraft. It would leave too little
space/or storing equipment. I too little Teachers are paid
f1JO little, compared with doctors and lawyers. ) too little too
latc (=when someone's effort or help is not enough) At last
food worth $1 miliilm was sent to the refugees, but it was too
little too lare.
scarce /ske:;Jrs/ not existing in large enough amounts or
numbers compared with what people need {adj not Wore
noun]
During the war years, clothing, slwes and furniture were
scarce and often 0/ poor quality. I Oil will become scarce
within the lifetime a/most people alive today,
Inadequate Iln'red~kw1tl an amount of something that
is inadequate is not enough for a particular purpose [adjJ
The state pension is wholly inadequate - no one can live on
£40a week. ) An inad.equare meal leaves us/eeling hungry. )
inadequate to do 5th The amount 0/ fertilizer used was
inadequate to ensure a good harvest.
shortage ,IJ:J: f tld31 a situation in which there is not
enough of something fn Cl
water/food/fuel etc shortage Water slwrtages are always
a problem in big cities. ! shortage of There is a shortage of
skilled workers in the electronics industry. ! In some areas
the slwrtage of accommodation is serious.
lack of l'lrek ovl if there is a lack of something there is
not enough of it fn singular]
Th£ building was never jinished ber:auseo/a lackoJnwney.)
He admitli!d that his/ailure was caused by his lack 0/derer-
mination. )At a height 0/25,000/eet, tlu lack 0/oxygen causes
dizziness and headaches.
be In short 8upply Ihi: In d:>:rt s;)'plall ifa product is
in short supply people cannot buy or get enough of it fv
phrasel
As a result ofthe strike, coal is temporarily in short supply.!
Health workers reported that medicines and basic equipment
were in short supply.
be short Ihi: IJ:>:rtl if time or money is short there is not
as much of it as you would like fV phrase]
Money's a little short this month - we'd better be careful
about spending. I When time is short you can't consider every
detail.
9 ways of saying that there is not enough food,
money, time etc for what you need
not be enough
be running short
not last/won't last
not be enough loot bi: 11 ol\f/lv phrase]
not be enough for One Loa/of bread won't be enough for
everyone. I not be enough to do sth The water from the
reservoir is not enough to irrigate the whole area.
be running short Ihi: Irl\llII) lJ:>:rtf if food, water, time
etc is running short, it is becoming less and less, so that
soon there will not be enough left [v phrase ]
Food andfuel were running short. I We knew that time was
running short and we must hurry.
not last/won't last foot Il00st, w;)(Jm lIo:st 11 -llrest/ if
an amount of something such as food or money does not
last for a certain period of time. there is not enough of it
for that period Iv]
not last for/till/ through I'm a/raid our stocks 0/ coal
won't last through the winter. I not last 3 days/2 years etc
My wages don't even last a week.) not iast sb The/ODd won't
last us very long.
10 not good enough, not important enough etc
to do something
not ... enough
not sufficiently
not ••• enough Inot ... IflAfl
not ... enough to do sth My Spanish isn't good enough to
understand Spanish radio. I She didn't arrive early enough
toseethejU'Stparto/thejiim) not.., enough Wecan'tinvire
416 ENOUGH
the Johnsons. We don't know them well enough. I not .,.
enough for This room isn't large enough for public
meetings.
not sufficiently loot s;) lfIJ.mtlil a formal expression
meaning not good enough, not important enough. etc ladv]
She was not offered ajob because they thought she was not
sufficiently qualified. I not sufficiently, .. to do sth The
report is not sufficiently detailed to give us all the informa-
tion we require.
11 to not do something enough , or to not
happen enough
not ... enough
too little
not ••• enough loot ... II0000fl
not ,.. enough to do sth He doesn 't love her enough to marry
her. I not , __ enough We lost the game because we hadn 't
practised enough.
too HHIe 11tu: l11tll if someone thinks or cares about some-
thing too little, they do not think or care about it enough
ladvl
They cared too little about the house to spend much money
on repairs. I Theftrm concentrates too much on short-term
profits and too little on long-tenn development.
12 to not have enough of something
not have enough be running short of
be short of deficient
be short on be starved of
go short be lacking In
not have enough Inot hrev Ilol\fl [v phrase not in
progressive ]
not have enough time/ money etc to do sth We dnn't have
enough time to go shopping now. I He didn't have enough
interest in the matter to pursue it. I not have enough time
ctc The computer cannot handle all these programs. It does
not have enough memory. I not have enough to do/eat/
drink etc Children get bored if they don't have enough to do.
be short of Ibi: IJ:J:rt Dvl to not have enough of something
that is necessary, such as money, food, or material [v
phrase]
I was short of money, so George lent me $20. I After some
months at sea, the ships were desperately short 0/fuel. I I
think water's the only thing that we're short of.
be short on Ihi: IJ:J:rt 001 an infonnal expression mean-
ing to have less than you should have of a useful or impor-
tant quality Iv phrase)
Warren is a good worker, but short on new ideas. I I some-
times felt our evenings together were a little short on fUn.
go short Igau IJ:>:rtl to live for a period of time without
as much money , food etc as you want or need [v phrasel
go short of Even in advanced countries many families still
go short of food. I go short For ten years my father went
short to give me a bigger allowance than he could afford.
be running short of /hi: 1rl\OII) IJ:>:rt Dvl to be using so
much of something that you will soon not have enough of
it left Iv phrase]
We're running short o/fuel. We'd better getso17U! more. I The
refugees are running short of supplies and winter is
approaching.
deficient IdJ ' flJ i1ntf a word used especially in a scientific
context meaning not containing as much of a particular
substance or not having as much ofa particular quality as
is necessary [adj]
deficient in Your diet is defLCient in vitamins. I protein!
nutrient/ iron etc deficient The condition oJprotein defi-
cient famine victims was shocking. I deficient Healthy
plants require a certain amount 0/ phosphorus. DeFLCient
plants are weak and stunted.
deficiency [n C/ U] patients suffering from vitamin D deft-
cumcy (=not having enough vitamin D)
be starved of Ihi: Isto:rvd Dvl to be given much less of
something than is needed [v phrase]
ENOUGH 417 ENTER
The poor child was starved of love. I She admitted that living
on the remotefarmshe had been starved o/conversation and
ideas. I In some countries. organizations helping the poor are
• ENTER
being starved of cash and other resources. to go or come into a room, building, or other
belaeklng In /hi: IlreklIJ 1nl to not have as much ofa cer· place
tain good quality as is necessary or usual [v phrase!
At the moTrU!nt he is lacking in cvnjideru:£. I Public buildings 1 to go or come into a room , building .
of the mid 20th century are often lacking in style. someone's house etc
2 to tell someone that they can come into your
13 to not have enough time, money etc to be room , house etc
able to do what you want, buy what you want 3 to enter a place quietly or secretly
etc 4 to enter a place illegally or by using force
not have enough
5 to enter a country, legally or illegally
can '1 afford
6 to enter a place in order to watch or take part
be strapped for cash in an event that is happening there
7 ways of saying that a large number of peeple
not have enough InDt hrev I t fil\f[ [u phrase not in enter a place city, country etc
I
progressive ) 8 to allow someone to enter a place, building ,
not have enough time/money etc to do sth Ella didn't
have erwugh free time to learn another language. I I have countryetc
some money saved. but rwt enough to buy a car yet. 9 to refuse to let someone enter
can't aHord I jka:nl ;)If:l:rd 11 .krent-, to not have enough 10 ways of saying that something enters a
money or time to do something [v phrase] space, especially by going throug h the
can't afford to do sth (=not have enough money to do it) surface
I make all my clothes because I can't afford to buy them. j 11 a door or space that you go through when
can't afford sth (=can't afford to buy or pay for it) Flying you enter a place
lessons were very expensive and he could not afford them. I
can't afford the time I can't afford the time to stand here
and chat to you.
be strapped for cash Ibi: ,st""pt f,' 'krefl an informal 1 to go or come into a room, building ,
expression meaning to not have enough money at the someone's house etc
present time {v phrase] go In burst In
/fyou are seriously strappedfor cash, I'm sure Robert could
give you a job. I Sarah confided that she was even more come In barge In
strapped for cash than I was. enter breeze In
make an entrance/your entrance
, enquire: Inquire/enquire ASK A QUESTION 2
enquiries: make Inquiries/enquiries INVESTIGATE 1 go In I ,goo ''"/ lphr v I1
enquiry: inquiry/enquiry INVESTIGATE 2 Dad wants us to go in before it gets dark. I There was a man
enrage ANGRY 8 at the door trying to stop people from going in, I go into
enrich IMPROVE 5
Demonstrators are handing out leaflets to everyone going
enrol/enrol! JOIN AN ORGAN IZATION 1, TAKE PART/BE
into the building.
INVOLVED 8 , 9 come In I .leArn 110/ if someone comes in, they enter a
1 room or building that you or other people are in [phr v I ]

-
ensue AFTER 5
t ensuing AFTER 4 Beverley was in the waiting room when a man came in. sell-
entail MUST 3. NEED 1 ing candy. I There was a knock on the door. "Come in," she
- entangled MOVE/CHA NGE POSITION 1 called, I come in to do sth The kids always come in to have
their lunch at one 0 'clock. I come into I don't like having

1
i
~
enter ENTER 1, 4, 5, 10, JOIN AN ORGANIZATI ON 1,
PUT 13, TAKE PART/BE INVOLVED 8, 9
enter sb' s mind/cross sb's mind THI NK STH/HAVE A
THO UGHT 1
so many students coming into my class late.
ente, /Ienta r / a formal word meaning to go or come into
a room, building etc [v lI T]
~ enter Into EFFECTIINFLUENCE 4 enter sth As soon as Tommy entered the room, he knew there
Ii enter into: doesn' t come into It/doesn't enter Into it was something wrong. I enter You're not allowed to enter
CONN ECTED WITH 9 without my permission.
& enter Into the spirit: get into/enter Into the splrtt make an entrance/your entrance f I me lk ~m lentmns,
I TAKE PART/BE INVOLVED 2 j:l:r lentr."ms/ to enter somewhere in a way that makes the
people who are already there notice you Iv phrase ]

lent er I ~---:-::::--::---:-.,........,
I waited until everybody was sitting quietly before making
my entrance, I make a grand entrance Madonna likes to

- meaning?
-which' =. make a grand entrance to any party she goes to,
burst In l .b3!rst '1 nl to suddenly and noisily enter a room
Iphr v IJ
Suddenly two men with guns bUrst in and told us to lie on
90 Into El room, ,. . ENTER lhej700r. I burst into There have been complaints about
police bursting into people's houses at random in order to
buBdlng, COU~ry ete search for drugs.
jolri an grgan(zallon ""' . .JOIN AN barge In "ba: r d3 'Inj to suddenly enter a room where you
ORGANIZATION are not wanted, for example because you are interrupting
""'"' __ = .. n. someone [phr v 11
get ()J'l a bus, pI8ne ~ . GETONOROFF I was studying quietly when Ben suddenly barged in. I barge
in on sb It's impossible to concentrate when people keep
elc " A BUS, PLANE barging in on you. I barge into The directors looked up in
" ETe surprise as the strikers came barging into the meeting.
breeze In 11bri:z 1 ml to enter a place confidently and
calmly, especially when other people would be a little
nervous or embarrassed to enter [phr v 11
ENTER
Kalie breezes in at eleven o'clock each morning, two hours
lare. 1 breeze into Cites just bre€Zed into the 0/T1Cf!, used the
phone, and then breezed out again.
2 to tell someone that they can come into your
room, house etc
ask sb In come In
Invite sb In come on in
ask sb In J,a:sk (sb) 'In 11 ,resk-J [phr v Tl
Why don't you ask your friend in? I Her room'S a lways so
untidy she doesn 't like asking people in. I ask sb in for a
drink/a coffee etc Ask him in jor a coffee.
InYHe ab In/m.valt (sb) 'Inl to tell someone they can come
into your room or home, especially someone you do not
know weIJ Iphr v T I
Never invite strangers in without asking to see some/orm Dj
identifrcation. I A sa lesman came around this morning and
I made the mistake DJ inviting him in.
come In I IkArn 11n! you say comcin when you want some-
one to come into your room, home, or office
Come in and sit down. I'll be ready in a minute. I Hello Mrs
Addison. Come in. How are you?
come on In ' IleArn on IIn 11 -o:n-I you say come on in
when you want someone to come into your room. home, or
office, especially when you want to be friendly and make
the other person feel welcome
Hi! Come on in! Can I Fzx you something to drink?
3 to enter a place quietly or secretly
sUp In
sneak In
slip In 'Isl lp 'lnl to enter a place quietly and quickly
without being noticed [phr v IJ
Maggie opened the door silently and slipped in. I slip into
Occasionally, a latecomer would slip into the room and stand
at the back of the audience.
sneak In "sni:k IlnI to enter a place secretly, hoping that
no one will notice you [phr v IJ
When he was drunk he would sneak in late, hoping his wife
wasasleep. I sneak into It's difficult to stop the kids sneak·
ing into each other's rooms.
4 to enter a place illegally or by using force
enter trespass
get In Intruder
gain entry penetrate
force your way In occupy
break in
enter I'ent~fl (v UTJ
AnyoneJowui enrering DeJeme Department property without
permission will be arrested. I enter through/by etc It
appears the burglars entered through a back window.
get In Ilget Il nI to succeed in entering a room, building,
or area which is locked or difficult to enter, especially by
using force or by rmding an unusual way in (phr v 11
How did you get in? Tlu! door was locked. I get into Thieves
Iuul apparently got into the apartmerns by posing as elec·
tricians.
gain entry ' Igem lentril ifsomeone. especially criminals
or the lX>lice gain entry, they succeed in entering a locked
building or room, especially by using force [v phrase]
The police gained. entry by smashing down the door. I gain
entry to Intercom Security Systems can make it more
difficult for strangers to gain entry to your home.
force your way In ' 1(:):fS j;)!r we l I1nl to succeed in
entering a building or room by using force, especially when
someone is trying to stop you Iv phrase]
A number of demonstrators forced their way in, pushing
security guards aside. I force your way into A man was
arrested today after forcing his way into a Network News
studio.
418 ENTER
break In I,brelk 'Inl to enter a building by using force.
in order to steal something (phr v IJ
If anyone tries to break in, the alarm system automatically
comes on. I brea k into Thieves broke into the Haymarket
Gallery and made off with paintings to the value of £2
million.
break-in I 'bre lk ml In Cl Police were notifiedofa break-in
(=the illegal entering of a building by force) at the Water·
gate but/dingo
tre.pa•• / ltres p~s, -pres/ to illegally enter or be on some-
one's land or in a building without permission from the
owner {v IJ
trespass on Carlson was fined. $1000 for trespassing on
government property. I trespass We can't just walk across
their garden - that's trespassing!
trespasser [n CI Trespassers will be prosecuted.
Intruder Iln'tru!d~fl someone who enters a building or
area illegally, especially in order to steal something [n Cl
Jo had become so nervous that she imagined she lu!ard
intruders at night, moving about in the kitchen.
penetrate I'pen~treltl a word used especially in a mili·
tary context meaning to enter an area that is well guarded
or dangerous to enter Iv T]
The barbed wire fences and security shields made the air
base very difficult to penetrate.
occupy I ' okj~pal 11 'wk-' ifan army occupies a place, it
enters it and stays there in order to take control of it Iv IJ
Russia occupied a group of islands near Japan at the end
of the Second World War. 1 5()(} students occupied the
administration block of the University.
occupation 'IDkjg' pe IJan 11 ,Q!k-I [n UJ SOviet troops are to
end their eight year occupation of Afghanistan.
5 to enter a country, legally or illegally
enter
cross the border
enter I'entafl [v UTI
enter a countryJthe US etc Thousands ofpeople are enter-
ing West Germany from the East. I Everyone entering the
country is liable to strict security checks. I enter Barbed wire
fences and mineFzelds are designed to stop people leaving or
entering.
cross the border "kros 6~ Ib;): rd ~r 11 ,kr:>!s-I to enter
a country from another country which is next to it, and is
not separated from it by the sea [v phrase]
cross the border into Every day more and more desperate
refugees are crossing tlu! border into Kenya. I cross the
border You must show your passport wlu!n you cross tlu!
border.
6 to enter a place in order to watch or take part
in an event that is happening there
get In
gain admission
get In J,get' onJ !phr v 11
We queued in the rainfor two hours and still didn't get in. I
The organizers have taken on extra security guards ID pre·
vent peoplejromgetting in without paying. I get into You
won't hnve any trouble getting into the concert - they've only
sold holf the tickets.
gain admission I,gem oolmlJanl a formal expression
meaning to be allowed to enter a place where an event is
being held, especially when it is difficult or takes a long
time Iv phraseJ
gain admission to Footballfansjinally gained admission
to tlu! stadium after police opened the gates. I gain admis-
sion Brown gained admission by claiming to be a news-
paper photograplu!r.
7 ways of saying that a large number of people
enter a place, city, country etc
pour in/flood In trickle In
crowd In Influx
troop In
ENTER
pour InIfIood In l.pJ:r I ID, I flAd I ml if a lot of people pour
in or flood in. they all enter a place at the same time {phr
vI]
pour/flood into An estimated 50,000 people poured into
London ouer the weekend jor the opening 0/ the Common-
wealth Games. I pour/ flood in As soon as the news was
broadcast on TV, journalists started flooding in from all
over the world.
crowd In f .kraud -tnJ ifa lot of people crowd in, they all
enter a place, especially a place that is not big enough for
so many people (phr v 11
As soon as the gates were opened thousands of screaming
fans crowded in. I crowd into She's not very well - she
doesn 'f want dozens of people crowding into her room.
troop In / ,tru:p' lof ifa group of people troop in they enter
a place. often in a tired and unwilling way [phr v 11
After the game they all trooped in to eat. I troop into sth
Every morning we had to troop into the school hall for roll
call.
trickle In , .trllol '1nl if people trickle in, they enter a
place gradually and not all at the same time [phr v I]
trickle into The bell rang and the students trickled into the
class. I trickle inAfewfanshad a/readystnrlRdlf) trickle in.
Influx f IlnflAIcs/ the sudden or unexpected arrival of a large
number of people In V I
influx of The sudden influx affamiLies needing work and
housing did cause some problems at first.
8 to allow someone to enter a place, building,
country etc
let In
admit
let In / ,let 'Iof (phr v TI
let in sb The Senator was asked whether the US should con-
tinue to let in Vietnamese refugees. I let sb/her/them etc
in There's Ryan at the door. ut him in, would you?
admit lad I mltf to officially allow someone to enter a public
place in order to watch a game, performance etc Iv TJ
admit sb to Lat€com€rs will rwt be admitted to the perfor-
mance. I They refused to admit Paul to the game because his
ticket was out of date. I admit sb I'm afraid we can only
admit four more people.
9 to refuse to (et someone enter
keep out ba,
shut out turn sb away
refuse entry
keep out f ,ki:p 'autl to prevent someone from entering
a place, for example by locking doors and windows, or
building fences [phr v TI
keep out sb A new alarm has been/itted. in an effort to keep
out intruders. I keep sb/her/them etc out Try to keep Ed
out of the room while I wrap his present, will you?
.hut out /,fAt 'autl to shut a door, window etc in order
to prevent someone from entering, especially because they
would be interrupting you or annoying you {phr v TJ
shut sb/her/ them etc out John shut everybody out of the
kitchen so that he could prepare his grand surprise. I shut
out sb He s lammed the door, shutting out the dogs.
refu.e entry In IfjU!Z 'entril to refUse to allow someone
to enter a country or a public place [v phrasel
refuse sb/her/them etc entry The immigration people
refused her entry because they thought she would attempt to
stay. I refuse entry to The management reserves the right
to refuse entry to anyone who is improperly dressed.
bar Ibo: f / to officially forbid someone from entering a
building or area, especially because they have caused trou-
ble or because it is dangerous for them to go there rv Tl
Bill's not allowed into that restaurant - he was barred last
week. 1 We've had to bar visitors from the garden because
some of the pathways aren't safe.
tum ab away I lo:fn (sb) ~lweJ/ to refuse to ietsomeone
into a building where a public event is happening, espe-
cially because it is full [v phrase]
419 ENTHUSIASTIC
There were so many protestors at the meeting that the
organisers were turning people away. I turn sb away at the
door We've got no chance ofgetting into the COrl(X!rt - they're
turning people away at the door.
10 ways of saying that something enters a
space, especially by going throug h the
surface
enter seep In
penetrate permeate
enter f'ent;)rl [v liT]
Bacteria can enter through a cut or graze on the skin. I The
bullet entered his rib cage from the left side.
penetrate / Ipen!trelt/ ifsomething penetrates an object
or substance, it fully enters it, or goes through it IV TJ
The sun's rays can penetrate the sea to a depth of twenty
metres. I shells that wi ll penetrate even the thickest
armour-plating
seep In I,si:p Ilnl if liquid seeps in, it gradually enters
a substance or a place {phr v 11
Despite all our efforts to stop it, the floodwater was still
seeping in.
penneate /1 p3: fmielt/ if a liquid permeates an object or
substance it enters it and spreads through it, especially
because the objector SUbstance has small holes in it [v T }
Over the years, the rain had permeated the wooden structure
of the house. I Toxic chemicals may permeate the soi/,
threatening the environment.
11 a door or space that you go through when
you enter a place
entrance way In
entry access
entrance/'entransl [n Cl
The actress slipped in by the back entrance to a void waiting
reporters. I entrance to It took usages tofind the entrance
If) the park.
entry /'entri/ an American word meaning the door or
space you go through to enter a place In C]
entry to We stopped at the entry to the church to admire the
architecture. I entry I'll meet you outside the entry.
way In /Iwel I 1nl the entrance to a large public building
(n Cl
The museum was so erwrmous that 1 couldn't find the way
in. I There's a redjZashing sign above the door saying 'Way
In'.
acce.s f I reksesl the way things are arranged so that the
public can enter somewhere fn UJ
The entrance has been widened to give improved access for
disabled people. I access to City officials are considering
building a path to give the public access to the site.
~ enterprise: private enterprise/free enterprise
~ PRIVATE/NON-GOVERNMENT 1
entertain INVITE 2, PARTY 4
~ entertainment PERFORM 8
enthralled INTERESTED 3
enthuse ENTHUSIASTIC 2
enthusiasm ENTH USIASTIC 3
enthusiasm: be full of enthusiasm ENTHUSIASTIC 1
\'" enthusiast LIKE S8 OR STH 8
enthusiastic ENTH USIASTIC 1
• ENTHUSIASTIC
having a strong active feeling of interest and
enjoyment
1 enthusiastic about something you are doing,
about something that is about to happen etc
2 10 talk about something in an enthusiastic way
continued
ENTHUSIASTIC
• ENTHUSIASTIC
continued
3 enthusiastic feelings or behaviour
4 to make someone feel enthusiastic about
something
5 not enthusiastic
1 enthusiastic about something you are doing ,
about something that is about to happen etc
enthusiastic belget excited about
keen be raring to go
eager zealous
be full of enthusiasm
enthusiastic Im,6jmzi'resllk 11 -,6m-1 [adjl
We are looking for an enthusiastic person to work in our
sales department. I The Cleveland Browns were cheered onto
the/ield by an enthusiastic crowd. I She'll be an e=lknt
teacher, she's so enthusiastic and lively. lOur manifestO drew
an entl'lusiastic response from the public. I enthusiastic
about The president was enthusiastic about the proposals.
enthusiastically [adv] "That's a brilliant idea!" said
Linda enthusiastically. I The audience reacted very enthusi-
astically.
keen /ki:nJ a word used especially in British English
meaning enthusiastic about your work, studies ete [adj ]
Our new secretary doesn't have much experience, but she's
very keen. I The team isfull ofkeen, ambitious and creative
young players. I keen to do sth They are very keen to solve
this problem for you. I keen on sth/doing sth She seems
very keen on learning to drive.
keenly ladv] He is keenly interested in these new techniques.
keenness In U] Stephen 's parents were delighted at their
son's keenness and progress at school.
eage, 11 i!g~rl very enthusiastic and excited about some-
thing that is going to happen or about something that you
want to do ladjl
eager to do sth Jenny was eager to read me the poem that
she had written. I eager The teacher could see the children's
eager littlefaces as she told them about their trip to the zoo. I
The crowd waited with eager anticipation for the band to
come on stage. I eager for sth They were eager for a glimpse
of the singer.
eagerly ladv] She eagerly tore open the letter.
be full of enthusiasm Ibi: ,ful.v In '6ju:zireZ3l11 11 -'60:-1
to be very enthusiastic about an idea or plan, and talk about
it with great excitement lV phrase I
Roger wasfull of enthusiasm for Tony's plan. I Last time I
spoke to her she was full of enthusiasm.
belgat axclted about Ibi:, get Ik'saJt~d ~bautl to be
enthusiastic about something that is going to happen lV
phrase]
We were all excited about the trip. I / was beginning to get
really excited about his idea.
be raring to go Ibi: Irec1rlIJ b Ig~/ to be extremely
enthusiastic and excited about something that you are
going to do, so that you cannot wait to begin (v phrase I
Cbme on, hurry up. The kids are raring to go. I As usual, she
was all packed and raring to go kmg before / was ready.
zealous/'zel~1 extremely enthusiastic about something
such as a political or religious idea which you believe in
very strongly, and behaving ina way that shows this [adjl
Only the most zealous supporters of Thatcherism were in
favour of the tax.
zealously [adv) Until rww the Democrats have zealously
opposed any reduction in the Healthcare budget.
2 to talk about something in an enthusiastic way
enthuse
be full 01 it
420 ENTHUSIASTIC
enthuse /m ' 8ju:z 11 m ' 8u!z/lV 11
enthuse about/over Jenny spent the evening enthuSing
about Terri's apartment. I She was enthusing over my
English essay, which / didn't think was very good.
be full of It Ibi: Iful ~v It1an informal British expression
meaning to talk a lot about something because you feel
enthus iast ic about it (v phrase]
She's really pleased. with her newjob - she wasfullofit when
/ saw her last night.
3 enthusiastic feelings or behaviour
enthusiasm
eagerness
enthusiasm /m I8ju:zireum 11 m'Bu!-/ [n V]
with great enthusiasm (=very enthusiastically) She plays
tennis with great enthusiasm. but not very well. I
enthusiasm for He shares your enthusiasm for jazz. 1
enthusiasm the enthusiasm. energy and creativity of our
wor/iforce
.age'ne"/'i:g~rn~ sl very enthusiastic and excited feel-
ings or behaviour because of something that is going to
happen or something you want to do {n VI
He could see the eagerness in her face. I in sb's eagerness
to do sth He nearly fell down the stairs in his eagerness to
get to the phone.
4 to make someone feel enthusiastic about
something
Inspire
motivate
fire Ifire up
Inspire ImlSpaI;)rl to make someone feel enthusiastic
about something and make them feel that it is worth doing
[uTI
His book inspired students and workers. I Today's lecture
really inspired me to rood more poetry.
inspiring radjl After hearing Joe's inspiring story, / was
determined to raise as much money as / could for cancer
Research.
motivate Ilm~ot~veItl to make someone feel enthusias-
tic about their work or their studies especially when you
want them to work hard for you IV Tl
motivate sb How can we motivate these students? I The suc-
cess of a company depends on the ability of its managers to
motivate worl\ers. I motivate sb to do sth I/we introduce
this scheme, our staffwill be motivated to make more sales.
fire (Brrtish) Iflre up (American) IfaI.', ,fam 'Apl to make
someone extremely enthusiastic so that they want to work
very hard to achieve something Iv T]
fire sb with enthusiasm The spm:hfu-ed the audience with
enthusiasm. I fire sb up By the end of the meeting the sales
team were allfired up and eager to start selling.
5 not enthusiastic
I~ I
~
nol enthusiastic
unenthusiastic
your heart's not In It
lack of enthusiasm
half-hearted muted
lukewarm
not enthusiastic /not In l 8ju:zi 1restIk 11 - IBu:-/ [adjl
Dad wasn't very enthusiastic, but he agreed to help me. I Are
you sure you want to see a movie? You don't look particularly
enthusiastic about it.
unenthusiastic 'IAnIn9ju:zilrestIk .. 11-8u:-/ a formal
word meaning not at all enthusiastic [adj not before nounl
The management were initially unenthusiastic about the
id£a 0/ spending large sums of money on a new computer
system I The bank manager was markedly unenthusiastic
about the company's loan proposal.
WlenthusiasticaUy [adv ] He looked unenthusiastically at
the paper on his desk.
half·hearted I,ha:f 'ha:t!d- 11 'href ,ha:rt!dl half-
hearted attempt/way/response/support ete (=showing
very little enthusiasm and not making much effort) [acUl
ENTHUSIASTIC 421 EQUAL
She made a luzlf-hearted attempt to tidy the apartment. I My
mather's luzlf-hearted suppart did rwt help me much. I Their 3 having equal rights or advantages or an
luzlf-hearted &orts raised £/0 for the fund. equal position to someone else
half-heartedly ladvl Peter laughed half-heartedly at 4 to be the same in quality, standard, or abilITY
Ricluzrd's oid jokes. . as something else or someone else
lukewarm , .Iu:k'w::l:rm", lukewarm response/reac- 5 to be in an equal position in a game,
tion etc (=not enthusiastic about something that someone competition etc
has suggested or done especially because you do not think 6 ways of saying that two amounts, numbers
it is very good) [ad} J etc become equal to each other
Their response to my idea was only lukewarm. 1 There was
a ripple 0/ rather lukewarm applause. 7 ways of saying that two things have equal
and oppOSite effects
your heart's not In It fj:>:r ,ha:rts not IIn HI if you say
your heart's not in it, you mean you are not enthusiastic 8 to make two or more things equal to each
about something you are doing, especially because you are other in amount, [evel, or importance
not interested in it any more or because you do not think 9 a situation in which two or more amounts or
it is worth doing levels are equal, or in which the relationship
I really loved teaching atflrst but my heart's not in it any between them is correct
more. I My heart's not in this job. Infact I hare it. 10 to be equal to or replace something good that
lack of enthusiasm I .trek::lv m l 9ju:zireum 11 . 19u:-( if someone has lost
someone shows a lack of enthusiasm about something, 11 not equal in number, amount, or level
they are not as enthusiastic about it as people expect them
to be {n phrase I 12 not having equal rights or advantages or
Sam slwwed a distinct lack of enthusiasm when I told him equal chances to do things
my holiday plans. I the government's lack ofenthusiasm for
women's rights
muted /'mju:t Ad/ muted response/enthusiasm/ reac- 1 the same in number, amount, or level as
tion etc (=express ions of feelings which are not as something else
enthusiastic as usual or as expected) [adj usually before equal
noun I equivalent
The crouxl gave a muted response to the speech. as old/strong/long etc as
entice PERSUADE 7 equal l 'i:kw.11 ladjl
enticing ATTRACT 4 equal to The alcolwl in a pint of beer is equal to that in tux;
entire ALUEVERYTHI NG 2 glasses of wine, I The distance between A and B in the dia·
entirely COMPLETELY 1 gram is equal to the diameter of the circle, C. I equal When
entirety: in its entirety ALUEVERYTHI NG 2, COMPLETE 1 supply and demand are equal the company will make a
entitle RIGHT/HAVE THE RIGHT TO 2 profit. I Dilute the syrup with an equal volume of water, stir
;;J entitled: be entitled NAME OF A THING 2 and serve with ice. I of equal power/strength/weight etc
entitled: be entitled to RIGHT/HAVE TH E RIGHT TO 1 When facing an opponent ofequal strength. Bar/w,.'s speed
entitlement RIGHT/HAVE THE RIGHT TO 4 give her a big advantage.
entrance ENTER 11 equally ladv I She divides her time equally between her work
l- entrance: make an entrance/your entrance ENTER 1 and her children.
, entrant TAKE PART/BE INVOLVED 10 equivalent /l lkwlvalcmt/ something such as an amount,
entrenched CHANGE YOUR MIN D 4 level, or quantity that is equivalent to something else has
entrepreneur BUSINESS 7 an equal effect or result but is not completely the same as
entrepreneurial BUSINESS 3 it ladjl
entrust RESPONSIBLE 8 equivalent to The volcanic eruption on Krakatoa had an
entry ENTER 11 , TAKE PART/BE INVOLVED 10 explosive power equivalent to 20,000 tons of TNT. ! Unem-
~ entry: gain entry ENTER 4 ployed workers receive welfare payments and rent assistance
envelop COVER 2 equivalent to 50% ofthei,. usual income. I equivalent [[these
envious JEALOUS 3 prizes are not in stock we will send you an equivalent gift
~ environment SITUATION 2 from our range of quality perfumes.
•. envisage PREDICT 2 as old/strong/long ate as I.z (old, etc) .zl something
~ envoy REPRESENT 4 that is as old, strong, long etc as something else is of
envy JEALOUS 3 , 4 equal age, strength, length ete
ephemeral SHORT TIM E 4 Atfourteen J eremy was already as tall as hisfather. I The
epic STORY 5 nation was once rrwre as strong as the other major powers
epidemic LOT/A LARG E NUMBER OR AMOUNT 5, in Europe. I Few substances are as unstable as fluorine,
i! SPREAD 12
'- epidemic proportions COMMON 2 2 to be or become equal to something in
• episode PART 6 number, amount, or level
I epitome: be the epitome of TYPICAL 3 be the same match
. epitomize TYPICAL 3
equal keep pace with
equal EQUAL 1, 2, 3, 4
i; equal: be equal to EQUAL 4 be the same /hi: 63 Ise1m/ if two amounts,levels ete are
(I equal footing: on an equal footing EQUAL 3 the same they are equal Iv phrase1
' The experiment was repeated by Professor SchUXlrtz and the
equal opportunities RIGHT/HAVE THE RIGHT TO 5
~ equal rights RIGHTfHAVE TH E RIGHT TO 5 results were the same. I The northern route is longer than
the southern one but the fare is the same. I be the same
size/weight/power etc The Citroen BX and the Montego
• EQUAL are roughly the same weight and have similar power units.
equal / ' hkw31/ a word used especially in a technical or
scientific context meaning to be exactly equal to a number,
1 the same in number, amount, or level as amount, or level fv not in progressive)
something else Air pressure at sea level equais 1.03kg per square rentimetre. I
2 to be or become equal to something in The rrwst If.{icient basis for the trade of goods is when
number, amount, or leve[ demand equals supply.
EQUAL
match /mret!1 to be equal in number or amount to some-
thing that is itself already very high or very great Iv TJ
The data memory capacity should match or eXceed the rated
memory o[ the processor. 1TIU! only cars which could match
the acceleration 0/ the Ferraris were the She/by Cobras and
Aslon Martins.
keep pace with Jki:p IpelS WIO/ to increase Quickly
enough to remain equal to something else which is also
increasing quickly Cv phrase]
Working-class incomes kept pace with increases in the cost
DJ living. I There has been a constant expansion of the city
boundaries to keep pace with a growing population. I Sales
were so good that even with 24 hour shifts we could hardly
kocp pace with demand.
3 having equal rights or advantages or an
equal position to someone else
equal equal
equality peer
on an equal footing parity
equal I' i:kw;)11 people who are equal have the same rights
and advantages as each other [adjl
Democracy is based on the idea that all peopk are equal. I
During the war, when women 0/ all classes had to go out to
work, we suddenly seemed to be much more equa l. I My par-
ents'marriage was unusual in that they treated each other
as equal partners. I equal rights/pay/opportunities ctc
(=whcn everyone has the same rights etc, so that they are
all eq ual) We don't want special treatment, just equal rights
for black and white. I Women were given th£ vote and
granted equal citizenship in the 1950 constitution.
equality II 'kwoJ~ti 11 Ilkwm-1 equal rights, advantages,
or chances to do things [n V]
There is a long way to go before women achieve full equal·
ity with men. I The church preaches the idea 0/ the equality
ofall people in the eyes of God. I equality of opportunity
(=an equal chance to do things in work or education) Some
groups may at first need preferential treatment in order to
have real equality 0/ opportunity.
on an equal footing Ion an 1i:icw;)1 Ifutl1)1people, coun·
tries, or organizations that are on an equal footing in a
particular situation are being treated as equal, even though
this would not happen in other places or s ituations [adj
phrase]
place/ put sb on an equal footing (=treat them in the
same way) We hope that in our school, teach£rs, parents and
stulientsareplacedon an equalfooting. I on an equal foot-
ing It's the beginning o/the course so you're all on an equal
footing - none of you knows anything.
equal / 'i:kwal/ someone who has the same rights, advan-
tages, and position in society as someone else, with the
result that they can have equal respect for each other [n
C usually plural I
Most women these days want marriage to be a partnership
of equals. I treat people as equals (=shaw equal respect
to all people) The police have a duty to treat all members 0/
the rommunity as equals.
peer /pWf/ a word used especially in a technical or offi-
cial context meaning someone who has the same back-
ground or position in society as you [n Cl
Thejury system gives you the basic right to bejudged by your
peers. I Everyone wants to be successful in the eyes of their
peers. I At about three years old, children begin to take an
interest in their peers.
parity / 'prerAti/ a word used especially in a political con·
text meaning the state of being measurably equal, for exam-
ple by receiving equal wages or having equal numbers of
jobs as another group (n VI
parity with Part-time workers are demanding parity with
their full-time colleagues. I Middle class blacks in the US
have not yet achieved parity with whites in graduate school
entries. I parity We don't wanl to dominate - we just want
parity. . particular moment in a game or competition have the same
422 EQUAL
4 to be the same in quality, standard, or ability
I@.I as something or someone else
~ be as good as rival
be equal to match
be on a par with be evenly matched
equally there's nothing to
equal choose between
be as good as Ibi: az 1 gud azl [v phrase I
I don 'I think she ever recorded a song as good as 'Stormy
Weather'. I "Is it as good as the new Ford?" "Better, I promise
you!" I They say that the new Argentinian striker will be as
good as Maradona.
be equal to Ihi: 1i:kwaJ tU:J to be as good or as important
as all the other things that are available rv phrase)
There's no doubt that she can produce work that is equal to
anyone else's in her class. I The architecture here is equal to
anything found in Europe.
be on a par with /hi: on a Ipo:r w13/ to be as good or
almost as good as something that is very good [v phrasel
The quality o/thegoods in these shops is on a par with any-
where in the United States. I By 1500 the richest citizens of
London were on a par with the great landowning families.
equally / 11:kwali/ equally strong/good/ difficult etc
(=equal in strength, quality etc) lado]
if the tests are equally difficult, the results will be useful. I
Not all kinds of music are equally good. I You may think
Sieve makes a lot of mistakes but the rest ofyou are equally
stupid.
equal /'i:kwal/ to be as good, impressive, or successful as
something else that is good, impressive etc [v T usually in
negative sentences I
No one has ever equalled her performance as Juliet. I The
cloth dyers 0/ ancient Tyre produced beautiful colours that
have never been equalled by even the finest synthetic dyes. I
The prestige o/the Jingerebir mosque was equalled only by
that of Sankore.
rlval / ' ralv<1l/ to be almost as good, impressive, or success-
ful as something that is very good, impressive etc Iv TI
None of the North Italian cities rivalled Turin in defensive
strength. I The Boeing STOL airliner would rival the Brit·
ish Aerospace 146 'whisper jet' in terms o/noise, range and
versatility.
match /mretJI to be as good as something else or equal in
size, speed, power etc Iv TI
The facilities at the club were only matched by one or two
other clubs in Europe. I The Messerschmidt could not match
the Spitfire for spocd of climb.
be evenly matched Ibi: ,i:v<1n1i Imret]t .. , ifcompetitors
or opponents are evenly matched. they have almost equal
ability so a game or competition between them will be very
even [v phrase I
The two wrestkrs were evenly matched. I It seems that the
teams are evenly matched but the French have more
experumce.
there'. nothing to choo.e between /Oea rz InA911)
t:l It]U:Z bltwi:nl you say there's nothing to choose
between two things or people when they are both equally
good and you can not say which is better
A/ter the interviews we had to admit there was nothing to
choose between the two candidates. I There's really nothing
to choose between the performance of these two cars.
5 to be in an equal position in a game,
competition etc
level tie
be neck and neck be all square
draw photo finish
draw
'evel / ' lev<1l/ two teams or competitors that are level at a
number of points [adj not be/ore nounl
EQUAL
Thanks to today's victary they are level with their main
rivals, AC Milan, at the wp of the Italian leag ue. I They
scored in the eighth minute but/our minutes later we were
level. Ilfthe scores are level a/t£r 90 minutes, extra time will
be played. I draw level ( ~ get enough points to be level)
Faldo has drawn level with Ballesteros on twelve under par.
be neck and neck /hi: I nck:m I nekJ an infonnal expres-
sion meaning that two people, horses etc are doing equally
well in a race or competition, so that it is impossible to
guess who will win [v phrase)
The two horses are running neck and neck. I For three miles
now both yachts have been neck and neck. I The Republicans
and Democrats are neck and neck in the opinion polls.
draw IdrJ:/ a game in which both opponents or teams have
equal points at the end, so that neither wins In Cl
Last week's draw at Chelsea was a very good result for
Arsenal. I Neither side has scored. It looks as if it's going to
be another draw. I end in a draw (=finish with scores
eq uaI) if the final ends in a draw, the game will be decided
on penalties.
draw fdr'J:/ to finish a game with the same number of
points as youropponent,so that neither of you wins Iv liT I
draw with Real Madrid drew with Barcelona in the last
game of the season. I draw a game/match The Australian
rugby team drew the first game of their European tour,
sixteen·all against France at Lyon. I draw "Did you win?"
"No, we drew. "
tie Ilall if two ofthe competitors in a game or competition
tie, they get the same number of points Iv lIT]
Woosnam and Lyle tied for fourth place on 264. I tie with
I won theju-st competition and tied with Wilson in tm second.
tie [n Cll/there is a tie (=iftwo competitors get the same
score) the prize money will be split.
be all square /bi: ,'J:I ' skw~rl an infonnal expression:
if two teams or competitors are all square at a particular
moment during a game or competition, they have an equal
number of points (v phrase)
Two minutes to go and the teams are still all square. I finish
all square (=be all square at the end) Thanks to a last
minute drop goal by Gregory they finished all square.
photo finish "f'JUt~u IflOlJ/ a fmish to a race between
horses, dogs, or people that is very nearly equal so that it
is extremely difficult to say who has won (n Cl
It's aphowj'mish - we'll hove w bring in thejudges w decicle
the winn£r. I After a very close-run race, it ended in a photo
finish.
6 ways of saying that two amounts, numbers
etc become equal to each other
balance out
even out
balance out 11brel<ms lautJ if two amounts, numbers etc
balance out, they become equal or have an equal effect,
especially if this happens over a fairly long period oftime
Iphr v lJ
Sometimes we have a slight loss and sometimes a slight
surplus, but over time they balance out.
even out /,i:van 'autl if two amounts, movements, or
levels even out, they gradually become equal or the differ-
ences between them disappear (phr v 11
You have to waitfor a little while before the water level in
the two pipes evens out. I The current fluctuations should
gradually even out to produce a steady supply of electricity.
7 ways of saying that two things have equal
and opposite effects
offset
counterbalance
cancel each other out
offset I1 nfset, Inf' set 11 I'J:fset, I'J:f' setJ if something such
as a cost or a sum of money offsets another cost. sum etc,
it has an opposite effect so that the situation remains
unchanged Iv TJ '"
423 EQUAL
The savings on staff wages are offset by the increased main-
tenance costs. I TIu! cost of the equipment you use for work-
ing at home can be offset against tax. I $3000m was spent in
US schools to offset the disadvantages of about 6 million
school children.
counterbalance I,kaunrar'brel:msl to have an equal and
opposite effect to something such as a change, an influence,
or a feeling [v TI
The loss in government income is exactly counterbalanced
by the increase in taxation. I Fortunately there are strong
democratic forces in the country that counterbalance any
extremist influences. I His fear of his father is counter-
balanced by a genuine respect for him.
cancel each other out 11 krensal i:IJ A~~r Iautl if two
changes, facts, or events cancel each other out, they have
equal and opposite effects so that eventually neither of
them has any effect on anything Iv phrase]
The two sets of waves cancel each other out. I Thefinancial
losses would have cancelled one another out.
8 to make two or more things equal to each
other in amount. level, or importance
balance even out
equalize redress the balance
strike a balance balancing act
balance / 'brelons{ Iv T J
balance sth with She tries to balance the amount of time
she spends at work with the time she spends at home. I No
government so far has been able to balance the number of
jobs available with the number of people out of work. I
balance sth These conjlicting injlueru:£S need w be balanced
lf the child is to exploit its talents w the full .
• quallze (also ·1•• British) /' i:kwolalZ/ to change things
so that people are treated equally, especially in their
employment Iv TJ
The Association of Women Teachers in New York/ought to
equalize male andfemale pay. I Miners demanded a stan·
dard rate throughout the country to equalize wages. I We do
not object to policies equalizing opportunity.
strike a balance ' Istralk ~ 'brel~nsl to achieve a situa-
tion in which you give the correct amount of attention and
importance to two opposing activities or ideas [v phrasel
sbike a balance between School children have to learn to
strike a balance between work and play. I Prison reformers
are trying to strike a balance between punishing offenders
and helping them to avoid repeating their offences. I strike
a balance Most reporters are either violently for or violently
against the government, but some try to strike a balance.
even out "i:van laut! to change a number oflevels or
amounts so that the differences between them become
smaller [phr v TI
even out sth Thefinancial assistance helps to even out the
variations between different areas. IA special valve evens out
any changes in pressure. I even sth/it/them out They take
all your payments and even them out over the whole year.
redress the bal.nee /n ,dres 1I~ 'brel~nsf to make a sit·
uation cq ual or fair again after it has not been fair or equal
Iv phrase J
We're trying to encourage people with disabilities to apply
for these jobs, which will hoJX!fully redress the balana! a bit. I
Eventually, if the population ofone species rises too much a
new epidemic will come along to redress the balance.
balancing act / 'brelclnsllJ rektJ an attempt to keep two
opposing groups satisfied by giving each of them part of
what they want (n Cl
The UN is negotiating with the rebels and tm government
but it's a difJkult balancing act. I Shefeels she can rw longer
maintain the balancing act ofpkasing her parents and her
parents· in· law.
9 a situation in which two or more amounts or
levels are equal, or in which the relationship
between them is correct
balance
equilibrium
EQUAL
balance ,'breldns/ In singular]
balance between In the healthy person there is normally
a balance between activity and rest. I upset the balance
(=change and harm the balance) The biological balance is
upset by over-intensive/arming.
equilibrium l.i:kw1 I hbri<:lmj a technical or scientific
word meaning a state in which two or more forces, such
as temperature and pressure, remain at a particular level,
but would all change if anyone of them were changed [n
singular I
Any chemical reaction will tend to reach a state of
equilibrium. I The operation of the fret? market maintains
an equilibrium between supply. demand and price. I be in
equilibrium (=be balanced, equal etc) The concentration
o/nitrate in the soil will be in equilibrium with the amount
re-absorbed by th€ atmosphere.
10 to be equal to or replace something good that
someone has lost
make up for
compensate for
make up for I, me I k lAP b: r 1to replace or balance some-
thing good that has been lost or something bad that has
been done, by providing or doing something equally good
IvTI
Nothing they can do will make up for the damage they have
caused. 1 He had to train twice as hard as the other athletes
to make upfor his lackofnaturalability. 1 more than make
up for (=make up for something very well) The weather
was a bit cold, but the beautiful scenery more than made up
for it.
compensate for I lkDmpanse lt b: t 11 'ka:m-I to replace
or balance something good that has been lost or is lacking,
by providing or doing something equally good I v TJ
Ray tries to compensate for his shyness by telling a lot of
jokes. 1 It is hoped that the new car's style and design will
rompensate for its Jack of speed. 1 Failures in this area will
have to be compensated for by successes in other areas.
11 not equal in number, amount, or level
unequal
disproportionate
imbalance
unequal /An 'i:kwZ)JI (adj]
of unequal size/length etc Thesuspension was simply two
metal arms of unequal length with a spring between them. 1
unequal in size/length etc The boxers were so unequal in
size that it was never really a true contest.
disproportionate / , dI Sp[d'JX):Tf<m~t"l a disproportion-
ate share of something is higher than it should be because
the thing has not been shared equally ladjl
Children who disrupt lessons at school take up a dispropor-
tionate amount of the teacher's time. 1 The report shows that
a disproportionate number of black women do unskilled,
low-paid work. 1 They are claiming that the richest areas of
the country are getting a disproportionate share of govern·
ment grants.
disproportionately [adv 1The poorer cities ofthe industrial
north have disproportiolUltely high rates ofchild mortality.
Imbalance,lm'brel;)flsl a state in which two things are
not equal, especially if this is unfair or causes problems
InC/ VI
The economy is failing because of the great imbalance
between imports and exports. 1 Eighty per cent ofour wealth
belongs to jive per C€nt oJ tlw people, and tlwre's no legisla-
tion to counter this imbalance. 1 At the higher levels of
management, there's definitely a gender imbalance.
12 not having equal rights or advantages or
equal chances to do things
unequal
inequality
424 EQUIPMENT
unequaI /An1i:kw;)l/ unequal treatment, relationships,
conditions etc are unfair to some of the people invol ved
because they do not have equal rights or advantages [a<lil
The unequal distribution of wealth seems to be afeature of
our system of government. 1 When people are forced to com·
pete on unequal terms they become resentful. I It was an une-
qual relationship. He was rich, powerful and experienced -
I was very young and naive.
Inequality 1,IflI 'kwogti 11 - 'kwre-I the lack of equal treat-
ment in society, especially the lack of an equal chance to
get a good job or have a good education [n VJ
Black workers continued toface inequality and segregation
in employment. 1 Class divisions and inequality are perma-
nent features of society.
equality EQUAL 3
equalize EQUAL 8. SCORE 1
equally EQUAL 4
equate SAME 12
equilibrium EQUAL 9
equ ip CAN 7, PREPARE 4, PROVIDE 2
equipment EQUIPMENT 1
• EQUIPMENT
1 all the special tools, machines, and clothes
that you need for a particular activity or
purpose
1 all the special tools, machines, and clothes
that you need for a particular activity or
purpose
equipment things
apparatus stuff
gear tools
kit
equipment I,' kw ,pm,n" [n VI
Dentists m ust take great care in sterilizing all their equip-
ment. 1 office/video/sports etc equipment The leisure
centre has a shop selling sports equipment. 1 Companies will
be expected to provide evidence that they have installedfire-
fighting equipment on the premises. 1 piece of equipment
The money will buy a new piece of equipment for the
laboratory.
apparatus ' IrepZ)lrcl tZ)s 11 -'rre-/ the tools and machines
used especially for scientific, medical, and technical
purposes In VI
This experiment can be performed using the apparatus
slwwn in the diagram. 1 breathing/gym/surgical etc
apparatus Astronauts have special breathing apparatus. 1
Contesting gymnasts then have to demonstrate some exercises
using the gym apparatus.
gear Igl;)TI the equipment and special clothes that you
need for a phys ical activity, especially a sport [n VJ
[fyou're going canoeing you'll1U!ed the right gear. 1 The
mountaineers wentjlrst,followed by thR porl£rs and donkeys,
carrying tlw gear. I camping/fishing ele gear We piled all
our camping gear into the back of the car.
kit Ikltl sewlng/repair/shavlngele kil(=a setofall the
small objects you need for a particular purpose that are
kept together in a bag, box, or other container) In Cl
The sewing k it contained needles, pins, thread and a pair of
scissors. 1 Don't forget to pack a towel, soap, pyjamas and
shaving kit. If ruslwd to tlw cupboard to get tlwjirst aid kit,
but there was virtually nothing in it.
things le IfJzl an informal word meaning the pieces of
equipment or clothes that you need for a particular activity
In plurall
Get your things ifyou want to go sailing. I painting/sewing
ete lhings Becky realized slw'd left al/lwr painting things
back at the house.
EQUIPMENT
stuff /stAff an informal word meaning the equipment you
need for a particular activity [n U1
cleaning!cricket etc stuff The cleaning stuffs in the cup-
board behinrl the door. I We might as welt take the volley·
bolt stuffifwe'regoing to the park. I stuff The trouble with
photography is that you have to carry so much stuffwith you
everywhere.
tools /tu:lz/ the equipment that someone uses to help them
do their job [n plural]
The plumber went back out to the van to get his tools. I The
miniature tape recorder and the/ax machine are the tools
o/the nwdern reporter. I tools of the trade (=equipment
necessary for a particular job) For a window cleaner a
ladder, bucket and cloth are the tools of the trade.
~ equipped: be equipped to do 8th CAN 1
! equipped: not be equipped/be Ill-equipped CAN'T 1
equitable FAIR 2
equivalent EQUAL 1, SAME 8, 9
era PERIOD OF TIME 2
eradicate STOP STH THAT IS HAPPENING 6
erase FORGET 4, REMOVE 4
erase: rub sth out/erase REMOVE 4
erect BUILD 1, VERTICAL 1
! get out 11 get 'aut! to escape from a place or country when
erode DAMAGE 6 . REDUCE 5
. erotic SEX/HAVE SEX WITH 11
errand JOBfTASK 1
erratic CHANGE/BECOME DIFFERENT 4
~ erroneous WRONG/INCORRECT 2
I error MISTAKE 1, 2
. error of judgment/judgement MISTAKE 3
~ erupt START TO HAPPE N, EXIST ETC 4
escalate INCREASE IN ACTIVITY, FEELINGS ETC 1,
~ INCREASE IN NUMBER OR AMOUNT 1
escalating INCREASE IN ACTIVITY , FEELINGS ETC 5,
INCREASE IN NUM BER OR AMOUNT 2
escape ESCAPE 1, 2. 3, 4, 5, 7, LEAVE A PLACE 7.
SURVIVE 1
1 escape: can't escape/get out ESCAPE 10
escape: escapes me FORG ET 3
escape: make your escape ESCAPE 1
l escape: there is no escape ESCAPE 10
escape/get away ESCAPE 9
I escape sb's notice NOTICE 3
• ESCAPE
to get away from a dangerous or unpleasant
situation, from a place where you are being
kept, or from someone who is chasing you
1 to leave a place, country etc where you are in
great danger
2 to escape from a dangerous building , car,
plane etc
3 to escape from a prison or from someone
who is tryi ng to keep you in a place
4 to escape by runni ng away as quickly as
possible
5 to succeed in escaping from someone who is
chasing you , so that they are unable to catch
you
6 words for describing someone who has
escaped, especially from a prison
7 an act of escapin g from a prison , from the
police etc
8 to help someone escape from a prison or
from a place where they are being kept
9 to escape from an embarrassing or difficult
situation
10 unable to escape
425 ESCAPE
1 to leave a place, country etc where you are in
great danger
escape make your escape
get out get away
ftee
escape (I'skelpf to get away from a place, country etc
where you are in danger, especially when it is difficult to
do this because someone is trying to catch you or stop you
leaving (v l/ T]
Troops have been ordered to shoot if they see anyone trying
to escape. I Just before the soldiers entered our village we
escaped by car, taking only a few clnthes anrl some food. I
escape from/into / through/over etc The lucky ones were
the families that managed to escape to America or Israel. I
The Berlin Wall's main/unction was to stop people escap-
ing from the East into Western Europe. I We'll be safe once
we've escaped across the border. 1 escape sth They had
trekked across the desert/or hundreds ofmiles to escape civil
war and famine. I escape sb (=escape from someone who
is trying to catch you or hann you) The old man told us how
he had helped a Jewishfamily escape the Nazis during the
war.
there is a serious risk that something bad will happen very
soon [phr v IJ
Before the government started rounding up dissidents, afew
people managed to get out. I Eventually we began to realize
there was no way ofgetting out. I get outorAll US tourists
and journalists are being advised to get out of the country
as soon as possible.
flee {fli:f a word used especially in newspapers and in
descriptions of events, meaning to escape as quickly as JX>S'
sible, because you are in great danger [v I/ T ]
flee the country/the city etc News isjust reaching us that
the President hasfled the country. I flee from/ to/into etc
Most o/the women there were Somalis,j1eeing/rom the civil
war. 1 Up toflve million political refugees havej1ed to other
countries.
make your escape f ,melk j:>:r I'skelpf to escape from
a place or a dangerous situation, especially when you do
this Quickly and secretly, as soon as you have a chance [v
phrase]
The kidnappers left the door openjust long enoughfor Billy
to make his escape. I We spent weeks waiting for the oppor·
tunity to make our escape. I make your escape from She
was one of the few opposition politicians that managed to
make their escapefrom the country before the regime really
took control.
get away f ,gel :l'WClf to escape from a dangerous situa·
tion, especially when you escape just before anything bad
can happen to you [phr v I I
Thosefew minutes were enough for Marie to get away and
phone for help. I get away from/to/into The streets are
blocked with women and children, trying to get away into
the surrounding countryside.
2 to escape from a dangerous building , car,
plane etc
escape abandon ship
get out bail out
get clear
escape ' I'SkClpf (v IJ
Only four people managed to escape before the roof col·
lnpsed.1 It was a nasty accident - we were very lucky to escape
unharmed. I escape from/ through/ into etc It appears
that the dog escaped through the back window 0/ the bus.
get out I,gel 1aut! to escape from an enclosed space where
something dangerous is happening, for example from a
burning building Iphr v 11
Tlwse cartons shouldn't be stacked. against the door - it
would be impossible to getout in an emergency. I get out of
People were running panic·stricken along the corridors,
desperate to get out of the building.
ESCAPE
get clear I.get 'kllafl to move quickly away from some-
thing dangerous in order to avoid death or injury. for exam-
ple from a falling or burning building [v phrase]
get clear of Army bomb experts are urging everyone to get
clearoJthearea.1 get clear Get clror! The building'sabout
to collapse.
abandon ship /a Ibrend~m If lp/ to escape from a ship that
is sinking [v phrase J
The crew and passengers are preparing to abandon ship. I
Abandon ship! Abandon ship!
ball out I.bell 'aut, to escape from an aircraft that is going
to crash Iphr v I]
Pilot J im Korenski bailed out ofthe aircraftjust in time and
was only slightly hurt.
3 to escape from a prison or from someone
who is trying to keep you in a place
escape make a break for it
get out break out
break freelbreak away/break loose
escape /,Iskelp/ (v IJ
The prisoner knocked the guard over the head and then
escaped. ] escape from/into/through etc Most people who
managed to escape/rom prisoner-o/-war camps were later
found and shot. I Grant had escaped through a bathroom
window while in police custody.
get out ' .get 'autl to escape from a prison or from a build-
ing or room where you are being kept [phr v I]
Thedoors and windows are allfirmly locked - / don 'f know
how we're going to get out. I get out of No one has ever
managed to get out 0/ this prison alive.
break 'ree#break away/break loosa , .brelk ' fri:,
.bre lk a1wel , .bre lk Ilu:sl to escape from someone who is
holding you Iv phrasel
With a violent twist he broke/ree and ran out a/the room. I
One of the prisoners broke loose but was sMt be/ore he
reached the perimeter fence. I b reak free etc from Then
Sammy brok£freefrom Judd and mculefor the door, scream·
ing as she ran.
make a break for It Ilme lk Cl Ibre l k far Itl to escape
quickly and suddenly, as soon as you have a chance (v
phrase I
I'm going to lock the door to make sure you don't try and
mak€ a break for it. I Two men who had made a break for
it while doing hard labour were brought back and put in
solitary confinement.
break out 11bre1k laut/ to escape from a prison or simi·
larplace, especially when this is done by a group of people
in a carefully planned way (ph r v IJ
We're going to try to break out. Are you coming with us? I
break out of Measures to stop patients breaking out ofhigh·
security psychiatric hospitals have been criticized as
ineffective.
4 to escape by running away as q uickly as
possible
escape take to your heels
run away/run off scatter
bolt run for your life
run for It/make a run for it
escape Illskclp/ [u IJ
One of the bank clerks started to chase the robbers, but they
escaped and disappeored into the crowd. I escape throughl
over/ from etc Whenever the old man appeared in the yard,
the kids would escape, laughing, over the fence. I Josie
managed to escape from her attacker and call the police.
run away/run oH ' IrAn a lwel, IrAn lof 11 _I;>:fl to try to
escape from danger or from someone who is chasing you,
by running away as quickly as possible (phr u IJ
It 's no use running away - the whole p lace is surrounded
by police.I Delia managed to get. away from the man and ran
off screaming. I run away from We knew that if we ran
away from the dogs they would probably attack us, so we
moved slowly backwards towards the car.
426 ESCAPE
bolt /b:xJlt/ to suddenly run away very quickly, as soon as
you have a chance, especially because you a re very fright-
ened Iv I!
I tried to bolt, but my legs wouldn't move. I One ofthe horses
got into a panic and bolted. I bolt across/int%ut ofetc
Like a hunted animal, she bolted across the parking lot.
run for It/make a run for It (I rAn f:>r It, mel k a IrAn far
Itl to suddenly run away very quickly because you are in
danger of being caught, especially when you are doing
something illegallV phrase)
I can hear someone coming down the corridor. Quickly, run
for it! I Spotting a police car in the distance, he lowered his
head and ran for it. l It's no use trying to stay andfight -
we're going to have to make a run for it.
take to yourheela Iltclk taj:l: 1 Ihi:lz/ a word usedespe-
dally in stories meaning to escape by running away very
Quickly lV phrase)
The kids immediately look to their heels as Mrs Brewster
appeared around the corner. I As soon as I got to Euston
Road I took to my heels and ran.
scatter ' lskreta 1/ if a group of people scatter, they run
away in different directions because they are frightened
or in danger Iv IJ
At the sound of the gun the demonstrators scattered. I The
scene was chaotic, with people scattering in all directions.
run for your life ' IfAn f;)1 j:l:r Ila lfl to run away as
quickly as possible because you are in danger of being
killed Iv phrcu;el
Gunda struggled free and ran for her life. I The prisoners
jumped downfrom the high wal~ picked themselves up and
ran for their lives.
5 to succeed in escaping from someone who is
chasing you, so that they are unable to catch
you
escape sUp through sb's
get away fingers
give sb the slip shake off
throw sb off the make a clean getaway
scent elude
escape /1 ' skelp/ Iv liT]
It looks cu; if they've escaped. They're probably over the
border by now. I escape into/ from/across ete Criminals
generally know t.heir neighborhood well, so it. 's not difflCult
for them to escape into the back streets. I Keep a close eye on
them - don 't let them escape/ram you,I escape sb So far the
terrorists have managed to escape the police.
get away I lget alwe ll to escape from someone who is
chasing you, especially when there is no chance that you
will be caught afterwards [phr u 1]
How could you let him get away! I Police believe the gunmen
got away in a white Ford pickup. I get away from It was
terrifying. The dog was so crazy I thought I'd never get away
from him. I get clean away (=get away completely) Detec-
tives followed the man as far as the harbour, but then he
jumped into a speedboat and got clean away.
gIve ab the slip / ,glV (sb)~. 'slip/ to escape from some-
one who is chasing you by tricking them or doing some-
thing unexpected [u phrase ]
Watch him very corefully - he might try and give us the slip. ]
By dressing up as a man and wearing a wig she was able
to give her pursuers the slip.
throw ab oH the scent IIBldu (sb) of6a lsentj to escape
from someone who is chasing you or trying to find you by
cleverly doing something that makes it impossible for them
to know where you are [v phrase)
Continuing his escape by boat was the perfect way to throw
the police offthe scent. ] Archer hod transferred a ll his nwlley
into his wife's account in a desperate attempt to throw the
FBI off the scent.
slIp through ab's flngera / ,slip eru, (sb' s) 'fIQgo'z/ to
escape from someone just when they think they have
caught you [u phrase ]
Police officers had him surrounded, but he somehow
managed to slip through their fingers.
ESCAPE 427
shake off ,.Jelk Inf 11 _I::>:fl to escape from someone, espe-
cially someone who has been chasing you for a long time,
for example by hiding or by going faster than them [phr
vTI
shake off sb Mailer disappeared into a dark basement,
hoping to sha/w off the gang. I shake sb/her/them etc off
"You run on ahead, " panted Maclean. "and try to shake
them off"
make a clean getaway /mclk ~ ,kli:n IgctaWCI/ tOSllC-
cessfully escape after a crime, leaving no signs to show
where yOll are (v phrase]
The terrorists had apparently crossed the border minutes
after the explosion, anti made a clean getaway.
elude /1'lu:dl a fonna! word meaning to cleverly avoid
being found or caught by someone, especially for a long
time Iv TI
Despite a $25,000 reward on his head, he continues to elude
the authorities. I For several months tlrey had eluded the
biggest manhunt in American history.
6 words for describing someone who has
escaped, especially from a prison
escaped be on the run
be on the loose runaway
be at large fugitive
.scaped /t'skerptJ ladj only before 7Wun]
The public has been warned not ID approach the escaped ron-
viet. as he may be dangerous. I Members oJ the French
Resistance tri£d to help escaped prisoners-oj-war return to
their home countries.
be on the loo.e /hi: on 6", lJu:s/ someone who is on the
loose has escaped from the police or from a prison and is
likely to be dangerous [u phrase]
There is a ruthli!ss band ofmurderers on the loose in Haiti. I
A man is on the loose in the south DJ the country, and is
described as extremely dangerous.
be at large /hi: ell I Ja:rd31 someone who is at large has
escaped from a prison or has not yet been caught by the
police after doing something criminal, and is likely to be
dangerous [v phrase 1
So long as this murderer is still at large, parents are being
warned to keep a close watch on their children at all times.
be on the run Ihi: on (:Id 1rA11} someone who is on the run
is trying to escape or hide from someone who is chasing
them, especially the police or someone who wants to hann
them rv phrase I
All ofus are deserters - we're all on the run. I on the run
from Nervous and carrying only a small bag with a few
clothes and toys, she appeared to be a mother on the runfrom
a violent husband.
runaway IlrAndwel1 runaway child/soldier/slave etc
(=who has escaped from somewhere without permission)
ladj only before noun]
This was afavourite hiding placefor runaway slaves. I Their
job was to get runaway children off the city streets and into
sate accommodation.
runaway In CI We all knew that runaways would, ifcaught,
be shot without trial.
fugitive 11 tju:d3At Ivl someone who has escaped from the
police or from danger, who has to keep moving from onc
place to another so that they will not be caught In Cl
Thepenalty for hiding I2ft-wingfugitives wos death. I fugi-
tive from afugitivefrom Stalin's oppressive regime
7 an act of escaping from a prison , from the
police etc
escape
breakout
jailbreak
escape , l'skelPI (n Cl
They had plaruwd their escape right down ID the last detail. I
It was one of the most daring escapes in recent history. I
escape from Publication of the book was dependent upon
Woods' escape from South Africa with his family.
ESCAPE
breakout f IbrcIkautj an escape from a prison, especially
one that involves several prisoners and is done using vio-
lence In Cl
Prison governors met today to discuss ways of preventing
similar breakouts in thefuture. I breakout from There was
a mass breakout from a city cenier prison yesterday.
Jailbreak l 'd3cllbrelkl a word used especially in Ameri·
can English, meaning an escape from a prison, especially
by a large number of prisoners In C)
Twelve prisoners are on the run following a jailbreak in
Boston.
8 to help someone escape from a prison or
from a place where they are being kept
get sb out
spring
get ab out J ,get (sb) 'au4 [phr v TI
Luciano was counting on his majia cronies to get him out. I
get sb out of Kerrison 's a good lawyer - he'll get you out
ofjail.
spring /sprTIJI an informal word meaning to help someone
escape from a prison [u T]
Leave everything to us. We'll spring you. No problem.
9 to escape from an embarrassing or difficult
situation
escape/get away
extricate yourself
talk your way out of
escape/get away /llske lp , Iget d1we1f [v]
She had been talking to Mr carter for halfan hour so I went
across to help her escape. I Mason always felt fwrribly
embarrassed when people started to cry, and tried to think
ofanexcusetogetaway.1 cscape/get away from Mr Bealey
suddenly felt stifled in the crowded room and escapedfrom
the group, saying he was going to get another drink. I That
woman never stops talking - it's almost impossibk to get
away from her without seeming rude.
extrtcate yourself f 'ekstr1kclt j:J: r ,selfl a formal or
humorous expression meaning to escape from an
unpleasant or embarrassing social situation [v phrase]
Once they realized that I had been lying all the time, it was
almost impossible to extricate myself I extricate yourself
from Instead ofalways extricating yoursel/from situations
in which you feel uncomfortabw, try to face them and over-
come them.
talk your way out of f ,b:k j:J!r weI laut DV' to escape
from an unpleasant or embarrassing situation by giving
explanations, making excuses etc (v phrase]
Phil never does him fwmework, but always manages to talk
his way out of it. I I don't know how she's going to talk her
way out of this one.
10 unable to escape
can't escape/get out there is no escape
trapped be imprisoned
be stuck be a prisoner
can't escape/get out,.ka:nt I'skelp, get laut ~ .krent-/
Iv phrase]
You can't escape, I've locked all the doors and windows. I
Help! I can't get out! I can't escape/get out from Four
women wlw couldn't escape from the scene were injured by
[lying gloss.
trapped /trrept/ unable to escape from a dangerous place,
from a place where someone is keeping you, or from an
unpleasant situation radj]
The children were trapped. in the bedroom of the blazing
hause. I Danny slDpped ID free a trapped rabbitfrom a snare. I
I feel so trapped. I can't leave that lousy job Until the house
ispaidfor.
be stuck Ibh 1st"kj to be unable to escape from an
unpleasant or boring situation [v phrase)
ESCAPE 428
Jodie's stuck in an unhappy marriage. I It's so boring being
stuck in this shop all day.
there la no escape 10000r IZ IRO'K) I 'skel p/ you say
there's n o escape when there does not seem to be any way
of escaping from a dangerous or unpleasant place or
situation
Don't even try to get out o/here - there's no escape. I there' s
no escape fro m There seems to be no escape/rom the hurry
and confusion of city life. I an indestructible prison from
which there was no escape.
be Imprisoned Ibi: lm1prIzand/ to be unable to escape,
or feel too frigh tened to escape, from the place where you
are or from an unpleasant situation [v phr ase J
Some o/these old people are imprisoned in their own homes
by the threat ofviolence on the streets. I We're imprisoned here
- there's no point trying to escape.
be a prisoner Ibi: a Ipnzan;}T} to be unable to escape, for
example from a place, an unpleasant situation, or your own
thoughts and opinions, so that you feel you cannot do any-
thing to change things [v phrase 1
There was no way out, and they realized with horror that
they were prisoners. I Once 1 had given up work and was
looking after the baby I sometimesfeit that 1 was a prisoner
in my own home. I be a prisoner of Until headmiUed what
he had done, George would be a prisoner of his own guilt.
escaped ESCAPE 6
escort TAKE/BRING 1. WITH 2
especially ESPECIALLY 1
Iespecially or special") I .1-
more than any other • ESPECIALLY
person or thing
special, unusual • UNUSUAL
• ESPECIALLY
1 words meaning especially
1 words meaning especially
especially least of all
specially notably
particularty 01 all people
in particular more than anyone
above all special/particular
most of all
especially I I ' speJt1lil much more than usual, or much
more than other people or things [advl
I'm f eeling especially tired tonight because I've had so m uch
work tOdo_ 1Paris isalwaysfuU oftourists, especially during
tlu! SU11l11l2r rrwnths. I Middle-aged m£n, especially those who
are ovenveight or smoke, are suscep tible to heart-attacks. I
A hat is especially us~u l in p rotecting you from the heat 0/
the sun. I especially if/when It's a lways difficult being in
aforeign country, especially ifyou don't speak tlu! language. I
I was delighted to receive yOW" letter, especially when you said
you were coming to visit.
specially 'lspeJali1 a British word meaning especially
which is used in conversation [adv ]
I bought it specially for you. I We specia lly wanted to see the
Eiffel Tower and Montmartre. I specially if/when Cars are
very useful - specially when you live a long way from the
nearest town.
particularly l ~r ltI kj~la q i/ more than the others or more
than usual ladv)
Ifound the section on child psyclwlogy particularly interest-
ing. I Alcolwl is particularly dangerous when tak en with
tranquilizers. I India p roduces good quality carpets, partic-
u larly in Kashmir. I particularly if/wh en It's often
ethnic
diffICult to find a safe plaa to go jogging. particularly ifyou
live in a big city .
In particular Iln ~ rltlkj~l a r l one person, thing, or part
of a group more than the rest [ad v phrase ]
Mothers in particular, feel a strong bond with their chil-
dren. 1The war had inflicted great damage on the transport
system in genera l and the railways in particular. I Society
has changed greatly over th£ last 20 years. In particular
computers have had a big influence on our lives. I anything/
nothing/ something in particular I asked whether there
was anything in particular I should read in preparation for
tlu! lecture.
above all /albA\' 1:J:ll most importantly [ad uphraseJ
Get plenty of sleep. eat lots of good food, and above a ll try
to relax. I There were many qualities that made h im a great
leader. Above all, he had charisma. I above all else (=more
importantly than anything else) Women want better pay,
but above a ll else they want equal righ ts.
most of all " m<:lUsI ClV I:J:II more than anything or anyone
else [ad v phrase ]
Swimming and. tennisarefun, but I like dancing most ofa ll. I
Out of everylxJdy at sclwol she was the person who helped
me most ofalL 11 was overcome by a strange sense of loneli-
ness. Most 0/ a ll I missed my wife Sarah.
least of all /, li:st av I:J:I .. , especially not [adv phrase]
Nobody wants to stop youfrom/ollowing the career ofyour
choice, least ofa ll me. I I never thought I'd get married. least
of a ll to someone as beautiful as Heum.
,I
notably nautablil a formal word meaning especially,
used when saying that someone or something is an
tant example of what you are talking about ladv]
Asian countries, notably Japan and Korea, are among the
i mpor~
richest nations in the world. I A numbero/resp ectedphilos-
ophers, most notably Leibniz, criticized Newton's theories.
of al people lav I::d Ipi:pall an expression meaning more
than anyone else, used when someone has said or done
something you think is very surprising or unl ikely for
them to do or say (ad v phrase]
I don 't believe that he, of a ll people, could say something so
unk ind. I You of a ll people should have known better .
more than anyone 111Tl:J: r ban leniwA n/ more than any
other person (adv phrase )
Freud, more than anyone, was responsiblefor the esta blish-
ment 0/ pyschology as a science. I You more than anyone
slwuld know what it's like to have no money and tW job.
special/particular f lspeJt1I, par l tl kj~ l a rl if you pay
special/particula r attention to someth ing or someone,
you pay more attention to them than to any other thing or
person (adj only before nounJ
You need to pay particular attention to your spelling - you're
m aking a Int 0/careless mistakes. I I'd like to g ive my mother
a special mention - she was a big help to me when I was
writing the book .
espionage Spy 1
espionage: counter espionage SPY 1
essence CHARACTER OF STH 1. MAIN 2, MEAN ING 10
essence: in essence BASIC 4
essential BASIC 1. NEE D 5
essentially BASIC 4
essentially: basically/essentially MEANING 9
essentials IMPORTANT 9. MAIN 3
establish FIN D OUT 1 , START STH/MAKE STH START 3
establish a linklconnectlon CONNECTED WITH 6
esteem: hold sb In high esteem/regard ADMIRE 1
estimate COST 3. COUNT/CALCULATE 3. 9. GUESS 2,
3, 4
estimated CO UNT/CALCULATE 9
estimated: an estimated APPROXIMATELY 2
estranged SEPARATE 9
etc AND/ALSO 3
eternal ALWAYS/FOREVER 3
eternity: an eternity LONG TIM E 1
ethical GOOD/MORAL 5, 8
ethics GOOD/MORAL 9
ethnic RACE 2
ethnic group 429 everlasting
ethnic group RACE 1 it should have been. Iend up doing sth We ended up having
etiquette RULE/REGULATION 2 to postpone our decision. I end up as Our chess game!inally
f euphoria HAPPY 8 ended up as a draw.
euthanasia KILL 13 at la.t lat IIQ! st 1I ~qrestl after a long period of waiting or
evade AVOID 4. 5 travelling (adv phrase I
evaluate JUDGE 2 At last the rain stopped and they were able to continue their
evasive AVOID 5 game. I I walked for severallwurs along a dusty road and
eve: on the eve of BEFORE 1 at last [ came to the edge of a large town. 1 at long last
even FLAT " HORIZONTAL 3 (=after waiting or travelling for a very long time) It was late
even: break even PROFIT 6 October when, at long last, our house was ready to move into.
even: get even with REVENGE 1 in time IIn lta l m/ after a certain period of time, and espe-
even-handed FAIR 2 cially after a gradual process of change or development
even if IF 1 fadv phrase]
even out EQUAL 6, 8 She started as an ofTrcejunior and in time became director
even so BUT 2' of the whole company. 1 Jarvis was a strange man, but in
even-tempered CALM 2 time I got to like him.
even though ALTHOUGH 1
evening: morninglafternoon/evening HELLO 1
evening meal MEAL 4 2 ways of saying that somethi ng will eventually
evenly matched: be evenly matched EQUAL 4 happen in the future, although you do not
evenly spaced REGULAR 3 know when
event GAME/MATCH 1. HAPPEN 9, 10 eventually in time
event: In the event of If 1 in the end sooner or later
event: in the normal course of events USUALLY 1
eventful HAPPEN 13, INTERESTING 4 eventually I I'ventJuali, -tJ;)J il [adv]
eventually EVENTUALLY " 2 Ifyou walk far enough along this road you will eventually
find the hotel. I Why g o on Lying to him? You'il have to tell
him the truth eventually. I Do you think the human race will
• EVENTUALLY eventually destroy itself?
in the end ITn bi lendl if something will happen in the
end , it will happen eventually, especially a fter a very long
1 ways of saying that something eventually time [adv phrase]
happened in the past You can't escape - wherever you go the police will find you
2 ways of saying that something will eventually in the end. I In theend they will win the war, even ifthey lose
happen in the future, although you do not one or two battles.
know when in time IIn Italm/ after a certain period of time, and espe-
3 ways of saying that something is finally cially after a gradual process of chan ge or development
happening now after you have waited for a (adv phrase]
long time
He is inexperienced but he will learn. in time_ I These
proposals will, in time, mean the end of the legal system as
we krww it.
• ooner or later Ilsu:nOf :):f Ilc lta'fl ifsomething is going
1 ways of saying that something eventually to happen sooner or later, it will certainly happen but you
do not know exactly when [adv phrase]
happened in the past
Sooner or later you will have to go out andfind ajob. I I'm
eventually end up sure Brian will turn up sooner or later. I He is worried that
In the end at last sooner or later his business will fail.
finally in time
eventually Il lventJu;)li, -tJ;)1i1 after a long time, especially
after a long delay ladv ]
3 ways of saying that something is finally
happening now after you have waited for a
"Did you manage to get what you wanted?" "Well yes, even-
tually. " ! The train was over three hours late. We eventually long time
got home at quarter to twelve. I The fire in the OfTlCe block at last
was eventually brought under control, but not without a finally
struggle. at la.t lat II00st 11 - llrestJ if something is happening or has
eventual ladj only before noun] Hecontinui!d to serve as the happened at last, it is happening now after a long period
president's economic adviser until his eventual retirement of waiting [adv phrase J
(=until he eventually retired) in 1960. The weather is changing at last - winter will soon be over.I
In the end IIn ()i lcndl after a long time, during which a "Dinner's ready!" shouted Nick. "At last!" said Frank. I At
lot has happened ladv phrase] last /h£y've finished the TlU!eting.
Atfzrst [didn 't want to go with them but in the end I agreed. I finally 1I faJ nal-il if something is finally happening or has
I spent all afternoon trying to mend the shower. I gave up finally happened, it is happening now after a long delay
in the end. 1 In the end it was Rita, thejuniorassistant, who or after a lot of difficulty fadv]
solved the problem. I'm glad we'vefound outfinally woo this purse bewngs to. I
finally 1I ramal-il after a long time and especially after The government is finally starting to make some progress
much doubt or difficulty fadv] in its battle against inflation.
Jim finally decided, after much tlwught, to leave his job. I
Th£y finally succeeded in tracing the girl's parents. I What ever ALWAYs/FOREVER 2
finally convinced me that our theory was correct was an ever: as ever/like always USUALLY 2
article in 'Scientifze American '. ever: for ever and ever ALWAYS/FOREVER 1
end up ' Icnd 1hpl if someone or something ends up in a ever: not ever NEVER 1
particular situation or state, they eventually come to be in ever since SINCE 1
that situation or state [phr v I not in progressive) ever so VERY 1
Forbes ended up in prison for not paying his taxes. I I had everlasting ALWAYS/FOREVER 3
a sweater that my mum knitted that ended up twice the size
every 430
leveryl-------,
which meaning?
everything . ALU
EVERYTHING
every person • EVERYONE
in every place .. EVERYWHERE
every ALUEVE RYTHING 1, EVERYONE 3
every bit oflinch of/ounce of/drop of
ALUEVE RYTHING 2
every day/week/year etc REGULAR 1
every metre/mlle/10 kilometres etc REGULAR 3
every one: each and every one EVERYONE 3
every place EVE RYWH ERE 3
every so often SOMETIMES 1
every time ALWAYS/EVERY TIME 2 , WHEN 2
everyday ORDINARY 1
everyone/everybody EVE RYO NE 1
everyone: for everyone EVERYONE 4
everyone knows KNOW 5TH 12
. EVERYONE
1 all th e people in a group or in the world
2 anyone 01 the people in a group or in the
world
3 every individual person in a group
4 words for describing something that is for
everyone, affects everyone etc
5 words for describing feelings that everyone
has. somelhing that everyone does ete
1 all the people in a group or in the wo rld
everyone/everybody
all
the lot a. them/us/you
the whole world/office/neighbourhood etc
all and sundry
all round/all around
everyoneleverybody /levriwAn, 'evri,bodi 11 - ,ba:di/
Ipron J
I'd lilre to wish everyone h€re a very happy New Year! 1 Every·
body knows that Paris is the capital of France, I Help your-
selves, th£re's plenty offoodforeveryone. 1 It's thesortofp/aa!
where everyone knows everyone else.
all /o:lf every person in a group Ipredeterminer/ quantijier ]
all the people/ the children/ the teachers etc (=all the
ones in a group) John spoke for all the workers, I All the
members turned up for the meeting. I we/you/us etc all We
all felt tired so we didn't go out. 1 Can you believe it. Th£y
fired us all amt closed the factory. 1 all of us/ you/them
Come in, all of you, and sit by the fire, I The police arrested
fifteenfans. All of them live in £omton. 1all people/ chil-
dren/teachers etc (=all the ones in the world) All children
love candy.
the lot ofthem/us/you /0, 'Iot.v 6.m, hS ,jU: 11 -'10:1-/
an infonnal British expression meaning all the people in
a group, used especially when you do not like those people
IpronJ
"Outside. th£ lot ofyou!" h£ sMuted. 1/ hate the lot ofthem. 1
Those two have tricked the lot of us,
EVERYONE
the whole world/office/neighbourhood etc /0.
h:xJI (world etc)! everyone in the world, office, neighbour-
hood etc, used. especially when this is a surprisingly large
number In phrase I
On 13th May, Churchill spoke from London and the whole
worLd listened. I Alright, keep your voice down, you don't
have to tell the whole office. I The whole town has been
affected by this disaster. Everyone knows someone who died,
all and sundry f 10:1 ~m 'sAdrif an informal expression
meaning everyone, used especially when everyone has
been told something or invited to something and you think
that fewer people should have been told or invited In
phrase!
Her sister toLd her mother, who then toLd all and sundry, 1
1 don't want to invite all and sundry, just a few closefriends.
all round (British) / all around (American) / ,0:1
(a) lraund .. / if there are smiles, tears. bad feelings etc all
round. everyone in a group smiles, cries, feels angry etc
ladv phrase)
There were smiles all round as he stood up to make his
speech. 1 After the argument there were bad feelings aLL
around. I Thi!re were tears aLL round when it was time for
us to go back to England.
2 anyone of the people in a group or in the
world
anyone/anybody whoever
any no matter who
any Tom, Dick or Harry any fool/any idiot
anyonelanybody I leniwAn, 'eni,bodi 11 - ,ba:dil (pron )
Don't worry about it. It can happen to anyone. I Chocolate
cake isn '{ difflCult to make. Anyone couLd do it. 1 Sarah liked
him more than anyone else she knew. I Anyone wlw wants
to go on thi! trip should sign this list,
any "enif (used especially when you are definitely not talk·
ing about a specific named person) ldeterminer/ pron]
any/ man/ chUdlteacher etcAsk any teacher and they'll
tell you I'm right, I any of the men/ the children/ the
teachers etc Any oJ the people in the crowd could havefired
th£ p istol. 1 any of you/ them/ us Th£y all krww who did
it. Ask any of them.
any Tom, Dick or Harry feni Ito m ,dlk :):r 'hreri 11
ta:m-/ an informal expression meaning anyone in the
- I
world, used especially when you mean that you should be
more careful about who you choose to do something [n
phrase)
I wouldn't tell just any Tom, Dick or Harry. Il!you don 't
have someone at the door, any Tom, Dick or Harry could turn
up at the party and walk straight in.
whoever fhu: levarI if something happens in the same
way whoever is involved, it happens in the same way with
anyone [pron l
Whoever you ask, you will get the same answer. I He always
smiled and raised his hat to whoever came his way.
no matter who Inau Imreta r 'hu:f if something happens
in the same way no matter who is involved, it happens
in the same way with anyone and it is not important who
they are {pron I
Sam wanted to feel that others, no matter who they were,
agreed with him. Il!someone comes to your door you should
always ask for some form of identijication, no matter wlw
they say they are.
any foollany Idiot feni Ifmi, eni'ldiatJ if you say that any
fool or any idiot can do something, you mean that anyone
can do it because it is extremely easy, and if someone
cannot do it they must be very stupid (n phrase]
Any fool could see that thi! child was unhappy. II've never
been very good with machines but our new microwave is
excellent - any fool can use it.
3 every individual person in a group
each
every
each and every one
EVERYONE
each li:tJI (determiner/pron l
each person/member/student ctc Each member of the
winning team received a medal and shook tfw Queen's hand. I
we/they ete each There were six a/us in the expedition and
we ooch had different reasons/or taking part.I each of you /
them/ us The nurse went/rom bed to bed giving each one
a/us our drugs or medicine. I each onc Children/allow the
same pattern o/physical development but each one at a differ-
ent pace. I onc/a piece/ a few ete each There are six sweets
left; that means we can have three each.
every 11evri{ a word meaning every person in a group,
used especially when saying that all of them must do some-
thing, or all of them are certain to do something
ldetenninerJ
Every teacher knows that class work can be exhausting. I
Every new member ofSlQ/f has to sign a special declaration
oJ secrecy. I every single (=every one. making sure that
none at all are missed out) Fire regulations state that evely
single child should be out of the building in three minutes. I
The employees had all been vely hard-working and loyal but
Mr Davidson had to ask every single one of them to leave.
each and every one I ti:tJ and levri tWAnl an expression
meaning every person in a group, especially if you think
it is surprising that every person is included fpronl
There were over two hundred children in the hospital but
each and every one was given a large Christmas present. I
each and everyone or you/ them/ us Each and every one
of us saw him take the money and are prepared to say so in
court.
4 words for describing something that is for
everyone, affects everyone etc
for everyone across the board
all round/all around for all
for everyone I far levriwAnl [adv phrase]
Don't worry. There's enoughfor everyone. I The new system
will provide benefits for everyone. I The snow meant
problems for everyone.
al round (British) I all around (American) / " ,t (» 'rnuOO/
if people get something all round or all around someone
gives something to everyone (adv phrase]
Bernie ordered drinks all round. I Miss Western shook hands
all around and led the way up the stairs.
across the board la ,kros oa ' bJ: rdl ifsomething, espe-
cialJy a change, happens across the board, it affects or
involves everyone, especially in a company or organization
ladv phrase )
They decided on a pay increase of 10% across the board. I
There will be changes across the board.
for all /far tJ:l/ an expression meaning for everyone, used
especially when talking about something that everyone
deserves to have, such as a job, or freedom [adv phrase]
Justice for all! I In his acceptance speech the President
promised civil rightsforall. 1There would be)obsforall in
an ideal society.
5 words for describing feelings that everyone
has, something that everyone does etc
universal common
unanimous share
collective
universal I du!n1 IV3!fS()I./ done. felt, used etc by every-
one [adj}
There does not appear to be universal agreement on the
future of the British monarchy. l it is not easy to write a song
that has uniL'ersai appeal.
universally ladv] He was a great man who was universally
admired.
unanimous /ju: 1 men1mas/ una nimous decision/ vote/
view, etc (=one that everyone agrees with) lad)]
The committee reached a unanimous decision to close the
Iwspital. I There has been a unanimous vote in favour of
electing Mr Watson. I be unanimous in The Symbolist poets
and artists were unanimous in their aversion to the photo-
graphic image.
431 EVERYWHERE
unanimously [adv J The board agreed unanimously not to
negotiate.
collective Ib' lcktlv/ collective decisions, responsibil-
ities, guilt etc, are shared or made by every member of a
group (ad) usually Wore nounJ
Unless we act now to protect the environment, we shall have
failed in our collective responsibility to future generations. I
The present crisis is a result of the collective failure of the
political parties to put forward a plausible economic
programme.
collectively (adv] Collectively (=taken as a group), the
tobacco companies spend about £1 0 million on advertising
a year. I the various economic niforms now known collec-
tively as perestroika
common I tkom~n 11 Iko:-I something that is common to
everyone is something that everyone shares (ad)1
Luckily we all had a common language, English, which
meant we could communicate with each other. I Monkeys and
apes are so similar that it is reasonable to say they have a
common ancestor. I common to These problems are rommon
to all modem societies.
share IIca rl ifpcople share a feeling, belief etc, they a ll
have that feeling, belief etc Tv T not in progressive or
passive]
One thing united all three men, they shared a burning hatred
of the political regime under which they lived. I None of us
are close friends but we all share an interest in sport.
shared fad) ] All ofusfeit a shared responsibility towards
our widowed mother_
everything ALUEV ERYTHING 1
everything: have everything going for you
ADVANTAGE 3
everything: mean/be everything to IMPORTANT 5
everything but the kitchen sink ALUEVERYTHING 3
everywhere EVERYWHERE 1. 2, 3
everywhere: be everywhere COMMON 1
• EVERYWHERE
1 in every country or area of the world
2 in or on every part of a building, area, or
surface
3 in or to every part or many parts of a town,
countryetc
4 in or to any place
1 in every country or area of the world
everywhere global
all over the world the world over
worldwide
everywhere Itevriwc;,f/ (adv]
Everywhere, even in the Antarctic. there are signs that the
Earth is getting wamwr. I Women everywhere are beginning
to assert their rights. I a message of hope for peace-loving
people everywhere
all over the world IJ ;i t ~uvaf 0;, IW3: fJdl in every part
of the world, used especially to say how much a particular
idea, organization etc has spread ladv phrase]
The Red Cross is a large organization with members all over
the world. I The concert was televised and was watched by
millions ofpeople all over the world. I All over the world pe0-
ple's lives are being changed by the new technology.
worldwide / ,w3: Qd twal d. , happening, existing, or
having an effect in all parts of the world lad)]
Theflrm has a worldwide reputation for effICient seroice. I
a worldwide campaign to combat AIDS
worldwide ladv! The telecommunications network operates
worldwide (=in all parts of the world). I Of tlw 12 million
refugees worldwide, 6 million are under 18.
global / 'glaub.Jl/ a word used especially in newspapers,
meaning involving or including the whole world lad)
usually before noun ]
EVERYWHERE 432 EXACT
It is vital to eriforce a giLJbal ban on whaling. I Only the UN nationwide l,neIJan'wald"l n ation wide search/ hunt!
can tackle global problems like pollution 0/ the atmosphere. survey etc (=done in every part of the country) [adj usually
the world over IO~ I W3: qd I :R.IV~rI an expression mean- /xifore noun]
ing in every country or area of the world, used especially a nationwide hunt for the murderer I A nationwide survey
when say ing that something is the same in each country 0/ schools shows that conditions are not improving.
[adv phrase] nationwide [adv 1a major food retailing company with over
Hollywoodjilms are popular the world over. I Children are 200 stores nationwide
much the same the world over; they all enjoy a good story. widespread I Iwaldsprcd{something, especially a bad sit-
uation, that is widespread is happening in many parts of
2 in or on every part of a building , area, or a town. country etc, in a way that is impossible to stop or
controlladjJ
surface The government does not have suflkient funds to dea l with
everywhere be covered in the widespread famine and disease. I Yesterday's riots are
all over all over the place continuing and the looting is becoming widespread.
everywhere Ilevriwe:)f{ (adv l all over the place 1:>:1 I~UV;)f 6;} 'plcls! an informal
The whole street wasjlooded; there was water eVeJywhere.1 expression meaning in or to many different parts of a town
The/ire spread everywhere, especially over the east side of or country [adv phrase J
the island. I Everywhere in the hospital I was aware DJ a When I was in the army I travelled all over the place. I He
strong antiseptic smell. went all over the place lookingfor a shop selling corkscrews
all over /'J:I 1~.JVa rl in or on every part of something but couldn't find one.
[prep/ adv[
By the time he'dJinished eating th£cake he had chocolate all
over hisface.1 Frona 'sgot{XJsrerso/MichaeIJacksonallover
4 in or to any place
anywhere/any place
her bedroom wall. I They'vepainted their housepinkallover.
It looks awful. 11 played tennis yesterday and when I woke anywhere (also any place In American English)
up this morning 1 was aching all over. I 'cniwc;)r, 'cni plcls/ ladvJ
be covered In (bi: IkAV;)fd 1nl if someone or something You can buy them anywhere and they are very cheap. I We
is covered in something. especiaUy a substance or liquid, never go any p lace or do anything interesting. I anywher e
they have it in or on every part of them [v phrase] in Is there a supermarket anywhere in this town ? I an y-
You 're covered in mud! What on earth haveyou been doing? I where else I'm so happy here. 1 couldn't possibly imag ine
The garden was absolutely covered in leaves by the time the living anywhere else. I an ywhere n ear The children were
stonn passed. never allowed to go anywhere near the main road.
all over the place IJ:I lat.JV;)f 6;) ' plelsl an informal evict LEAVE YOUR HOME/COU NTRY 3
expression meaning left or put untidily in many different evidence PROVE 3. SIGN/INDICATION 1
parts of a room, building etc [adv phrase] evidence: be evidence SHOW/BE A SIGN OF 2
I looked into his room - there were clothes and old maga- evident OBVIO US 1
zirzes all over the place. I The balJy didn't want to eat itsfGOd evidently OBVIOUS 2
and started throwing it all over the place.
evil BAD BEHAVIOUR OR ACTIONS 1, 6, BAD
PERSON 1
3 in or to every part or many parts of a town, evocative REMIND/MAKE S6 REMEMBER 2
country etc evoke CA USE 4 , REM IND/MAKE SB REMEM BER 2
everywhere here, there and evolution DEVELOP 3
every place everywhere evolve DEVELOP 1. 4
all over nationwide evolve from COME FROMfORIGI NATE 7
ex PAST 4
wherever you gol widespread
ex~husband/ex-wife DIVORCE 3
look all over the place exacerbate WORSE 5
everywhere I l evriw~f{ [adv] exact EXACT 1. 2
Ah, you'vefound my keys. I've been looking everywherefor exact/precise location PLACE 2
them. I Health clubs are everywhere nowadays. I The tourists
said they were tired of London; they'd been everywhere and
seen everything.
every place !'evri plels! an informal American word
• EXACT
meaning everywhere [adv] perfectly true or correct in every detail
We searclred every place but we couldn'lfind him. It turned
1 words for describing a number, amount, time
out he'd been home all the time.
etc that is exact
all over IJ:I ';)(JV;)fl in or to many different parts ofa town,
country etc, especially when you want to say that you have 2 words for describing an exact copy,
been to many places [prep!adv] translation, description etc
The choir has sung in concerts all over the country. I We have 3 exactly a particular time
branches o/the bank all over the city. I We reallyenjayed our 4 exactly a particu lar number or amount
holiday in Canada. We travelled all over. 5 ways of saying exactly what, how, where etc
wherever you gonook Iwcar1 eva f ju: Ig;)U, 'lukJ if you 6 ways of saying that someth ing hits or lands
fmd a particular thing w herever you go or look , you fmd on an exact point or position
it in all the different places that you go to or look in ladv 7 doing something in exactly a particular way
phrasel
There seem to be/ountains wherever you look in this park. I 8 exactly the right one, exactly the one you
When I was in Itldia I saw poverty wherever I went. 1 He want etc
seems to make friends wherever he goes. 9 not exact
here, there and everywhere 'Ih l;)f IOe;) r ;)nd
Icvriwc~fJ an informal expression meaning in many differ-
ent places, without any particular plan or pattern (adv
phrase I 1 words for describing a number, amount, time
I've been collecting bits o/information/rom here, there and etc that is exact
everywhere. 1There are so many video shops in the town now. exact
They seem to be springing up here, there, and everywhere. precise
EXACT
exact /Ig 'zrekt/ ladj usually before noun l
I looked at the clock and noted the exact time;four twenty-
seven. I Satellite pictures have given us the exact locations
ojsecret stores of weapons. I Theexactamountoftnxyoupay
depends on the size a/your/amily. I He said, and I remem-
ber his exact words: "If 1could afford it, I'd buy you anything
you wanted; anything at all." I to be exact (used when
giving an exact answer, statement etc) The other day -
Thursday. to be exact ..:. Dr Mortimer lunched with us.
precise /Pr! IsaTsl precise details, costs, measurements
etc are exact lad)]
Ifyou telephone for help after breaking down. we will need
the precise details ofyour location. I The precise cost of the
project is almost impossible to estimate. I By giving him a
precise time when I would arrive, I ensured that someone
would be at home. I be precise (:::give precise information)
It is difficult to be precise about the numbers of casualties
as information is lWt available.
precision Iprll s lynl In VJ The important things are safety
and precision (=being precise).
2 words for describing an exact copy ,
translation, description etc
exact strict
accurate literal
faithful word for word
exact i ,g 'zrek~ [adjl
They built an exact replica of the famous opera lwuse in
Naples. 1 The exact translation is 'jungle man' but it means
'ape' or 'monkey '. 1 The witness gave an exact account ofhow
she had obtained the cheques.
accurate l ' rekj~l.1t/ exact, because it has been written or
made very carefully [adj]
You must keep an accurate record of work~ so that other
people know what you have done. 1 Her new novel set in 19th
century I ndia provides a historically accurate picture of the
times. 1 The translations are always accurate and usually
done with great style.
faithful 1IfCI efall a faithful copy of something is as close
as possible to the original ladj usually before lWun l
His toy cars are faithful copies of the originals. 1 This is a
faithful reconstruction of the Anglo-Saxon village that stood
here.
faithfully [adv] I copied the drawing asjai/Jifully as I could.
strict /stflkt/ strict sense/interpretation/order (=one
that is exact and correct according to accepted rules) ladj
usually before noun J
In the strict sense of the word, we do not have any 'rights'
at alL 1 Dates must be listed in strict chronological order. 1
A strict interpretation ofthe regulations would cause chaos.
IIteral / 'lu.aldij literal translation/meaning/interpre-
tation (=one that has exactly the same words or meaning
as the original) ladv usually before noun}
A literal translation ofthe text might sound odd in English. 1
Government policy was nationalization in the literal mean-
ing of the word. I Many idioms defy literal interpretation,
and have to be understood metaphorically,
literally [adv ) 'Vino de tavola'literally means 'table w ine',
word for WOrc:l / 1w3: r d f:)r Iw3 : rd/ if you r:epeat, learn ,
or copy something word for word, you use the exact words
that are in it [adv phrase]
How is it that you can repeat word for word what the man
said? 1 Brand knew the regulations word for word; he'd
learned them when he was ajuniorofficer. 1 If you translate
something wordfor word, you sometimes produce garbage.
3 exactly a particular time
exactly on the dot
precisely sharp
exactly i'g'zrektlii [adv ]
She looked at her watch. It was 10.30 exactly. I At exactly half
past eight the doors will be opened. 1 We arrived home at
exactly the same time,
433 EXACT
precisely Iprr 'salslil a word meaning exactly, used espe-
cially in careful descriptions or instructions [adv)
It was precisely 4.37 in the morning as a large black car
stopped at the front door. I At precisely three o'clock the
bombs exploded.
on the dot Ion 6;) IdOl 11 _'dQ!tl an informal expression:
if you do something at a particular time on the dot, you
do it at exactly that time because you do not want to be late
(adv phrase)
on the dot of six/ ten/nine-thirty etc The pub doors
opened on the dol of six and we marched in. I at six/tenl
nine-thirty etc on the dotAt ten o'clock on the dot he left
my p lace and went home.
sharp ifm'pi al nineo'cIock/six/len-lhirty sharp (=.1
exactly nine o'clock etc, when this is the time when some-
one should arrive, when something should happen etc)
[advl
I arrived at Piccadilly at 8 o'clock sharp. 1 Thefilm begins
at four 0 'clock sOOrp so get there early.
4 exactly a particular number or amount
exactly
precisely
exactly i'g'zrel<tlii [advl
There were exactly twenty four bottles so we had three each. 1
You 'U need exactly three cubic metres ofconcrete. 1 After tax
it came to $95 exactly,
precisely /pn 'salslil a word meaning exactly, used espe-
cially in careful descriptions [adv]
The gap between the two surfaces must be precisely 3. 75 cen-
timetres.
5 ways of saying exactly what, how, where etc
exactly
just
precisely
exactly /Ig'zaektlil [adv]
The doctors can't say exactly what's wrong with mother;
we're very worried about her. 1 Where exactly do you come
from? I can't quite place your accent.
Just /dy.stl an informal word used in spoken English,
meaning exactly [adv ]
That'sjust the rightplacefor the vase, don't you think? 1 I'm
so glad you're expecting a baby; that's just wOOt I wanted.
to hear.
precisely Ipr l' salsli/ (=used especially in careful descrip-
tions) [adv ]
I cannot remember precisely what I did that afternoon. 1 We
want to know precisely what funds are available.
6 ways of saying that something hits or lands
on an exact pOint or position
right smack
bang plumb
right iralli [adv]
right in/on/up etc He hit me right in the eye! 1 She ran out
right infrant of the car and the driver couldn't avoid her! 1
The space capsule landed right on target two miles fram
shore.
bang /breIJI an infonnal word meaning on an exact point
or position [adv}
bang inion/up etc It hit him hang on the back ofthe rreckl
He dropped the mug of coffee bang in the middle of my
research papers!
smack Ismrek/ smack in the middle of/in front of(=an
informal word meaning exactly in a place, especially when
this is unpleasant in some way) [adv)
ThRy live smack in the middle ofa large lwusing estate. 1She
was standing smack in the middle of the room. 1 A garbage
truck decided to park smack infrant of our house.
EXACT
plumb /plArnJ plumb in the middle/through the middle
(=an informal word meaning in or through the middle)
ladv)
An old oak tree stood plumb in the centre of the field. I She
cut the birthday cake plumb through the middl£.
7 doing something in exactly a particular way
exactly religiously
strictly to the leher
exactly /Ig'zrektli/ [adv)
Assemble the table exactly as slwwn in the diagram on the
l'!ft. I The manager will «dt you exnctly how thefonns should
be filled in.
strictly /1stnktlij if you follow rules, instructions or a plan
strictly, you make sure that everything you do is exactly
allowed or included in the rules, plan etc (advl
l/wedo this strictly by the ruiRs, we'll never finish it. I The
immigration laws have been strictly implemented. I Martha
and Joan kept strictly to their part 0/ the house.
religiously In 'lld~slil if you do something religiously.
you do it in exactly the way that yOll are supposed to do it
[adv)
I followed the instructions religiously, but could not make
the machine work. 1Julia lost weight by sticking religiously
to her diet. I They come to class religiously every week, but
to be Iwnest, they don't learn much English.
to the letter Ita 03 Ilet3 r / if you obey rules or instructions
to the letter, you obey them exactly, even if this means
doing something that is not sensible [adv phrase I
People follow the company's guidelines to the letter. I The
instructions given in chapters 2~31 must be carried out to
the letter.
8 exactly the right one, exactly the one you
want etc
exactly
just
precisely
exactly /Ig 'zrektli/ [adv only be/ore nouns and who, what
ele)
This is exactly the kind 0/job that computers are good at. 1
"Do you mean the tall manfram the butcher's?" "That's
exactly who I mean!" I They knew exactly what they wonted.
Just /dJAS~ (=an informal word, used especially in spoken
English) Iadv I
I'm not sure just who you mean. I Mallorca? That's just
where we had our holiday. I He said he was leaving her and
prooeeded to do j ust thot!
precisely /pn 'salSli/ (=used especially in careful descrip-
tion, arguments etc) [adv]
What, precisely, do you mean by 'relativity'. 1His depression
was caused by precisely those qualities which made him a
popular writer.
9 not exact
vague inexact
rough loose
hazy impressklnistlc
vague/veIg! an explanation, promise, reason etc that is
vague is not exact, but you think that it should be [adj]
The doctor's vague explanations only increased Clara's
fears. INo one was willing to say exactly what Alma had lied
about, beyond vague rriferences to 'protecting others '. I be
vague about (=explain something in a vague way) The
management was vague about the details of wage increases.
vaguely I adv] They murmured vaguely when I asked how
wng they had been there.
rough jrAf/ a rough calculation, guide, idea etc is not
exact, especially because it is done or thought of quickly
ladj only before noun]
Here are some rough calculations of the costs. 11 can only
give a rough indication of where the problems lie. I It's only
a rough guide but this is basically what you should do.
434 EXAGGERATE
hazy j 'helzil a memory, understanding, idea etc that is
hazy is not clear and not exact lac{j J
I only have a hazy idea of how this thing works. 1 Her
recollections, though hazy, made it clror that she could have
seen the attacker. I a hazy memory ofa long, low cottage with
an apple tree by the door
Inexact " Inlg 'zrekt"l a formal word meaning not exact
[adj l
This method is relatively simple, but notoriously inexact. I
Finding people with the right level of competence and
experience/or the job can be a time-consuming and inexact
process.
loo.e Ilu:s/ loose translation/ interpretation/sense
(=not exact) !ac{j usually before noun I
This is only a loose translation of the original paper. I A
looser interpretation of the law would lead to more con·
victions.
loosely (adj ) The term 'empire 'is often loosely applied to a
federation of states.
Impressionistic Ilm1prcJa1mslIk .. j an impressionistic
account or description is not exact, because it is based on
feelings, not facts fadjl
The story of his adventures in Canada is impressionistic
rather thanfactual. I Evaluation of teacher effectiveness is
often vague and impressionistic.
exacting DIFFICU LT 2
exactly EXACT 3, 4, 5, 7, 8
exaggerate EXAGGERATE 1
• EXAGGERATE
to make something seem bigger, more
important, more serious etc than it really is
1 to make someth ing seem better, more
important etc than it really is
2 to make a situation or problem seem worse or
more serious than it really is
3 words for describing statements, claims etc
Ihat exaggerate
1 to make something seem better, more
important etc than it really is
exaggerate overrate
overstate stretch the truth
overemphasize overdo
axaggerate/Iglzred33reIlI [v I/ T]
Darren says that he's seen <The Great Escape' at least twenty-
flve times but I think he's exaggerating. I "I'm bleeding to
death!" "Don't exaggerate - it's only a little cut. "I exagger-
ate sth It is impossible to exaggerate the importance ofthis
meeting. I greatly exaggerate (=exaggerate a lot) Freder-
ick's cruelty to his animals has been greatly exaggerated.
oYeratate/ICKJV;)T' stelt/ to describe something, especially
a situation, in a way that makes it sound more important
or serious than it really is, especially because you want to
get people's attention Iv TJ
overstate sth It is hard to overstate the importance of oil
in the economy - it has made the country solvent again. I
Some residents said that the dangers had been overstated,
until one of the children was actually killed in the woods. I
overstate your case/the case (=exaggerate the facts that
support what you are saying) Like a politician I may have
overstated my case in order to make my point.
overemphasize (also ..I se British) ' l:)(Jv3r 1emF.Jsalzj to
pay too much attention to a particular detail in something
that you are describing and make it seem more important
than it really is lv TJ
The report overemphasizes the role of the teacher. Children
also learn from their parents and from each other. I It has
been said thot the benefits of the drug hove been overemphas,
ized, while the risks hove not been adequorely expwred. I The
EXAGGERATE 435
importana ofstrict hygiene in the preparalwn offood cannot
be overemphasized.
overrate II:;KJV~I renl to consider someone or something
to be better, more effective ete than they really are Iv TJ
SO"", peopl£ adored Elvis Pres/ey, but I think people over-
rate him. l It is impossible to overrate the therapeutic effect
o/massage on tlu! human l:xxiy. I be vastly/ greatly over~
rated llikejunkjood but these new freeze dried meals are
vastly overrated.
stretch the truth I ,stret! 6d I tru:9/ to exaggerate some-
thing so much that it is almost not true [u phrase]
It 's stretching the truth to say Chris is a born leader,
although he does manage peopl£ quite well. I be stretching
it They say she sings like Madonna, but that's stretching it
a little.
overdo I , ;)(Jv~ r 'du:/ to do something in such an exagger·
ated way that you spoil the effect that you want it to have
and you do not get the result that you wanted [u TI
overdo it I pretended to be sick but she didn '[ believe me,
I think I overdid it. I Be/riendly with her, but don't overdo
it. She might get the wrong idea. I overdo 5th We only
wanted to frighten Mrs Wilkinson a little, but her screams
made us think perhaps we'd overdone the glwst noises.
2 to make a situation or problem seem worse or
more serious than it really is
make too much of dramatizel
blow sth up out of all overdramatize
proportion be melodramatic
lay it on make a thing of
make too much of ' Imelk tu: ImAtJ ov/ to treat some-
thing that has happened as though it were more important
or serious than it really is Iv phrase)
The press made too much ofhis stupid remark. He was only
joking. I She loved thefacl that he'd given her flowers, but
she didn 't make too mucho/it in case he never did it again.
blow sth up out of all proportion " bl"" (sth) 'P aut
av 1:>=1 pra l pJ:rJ.ml to unnecessarily become extreme1y
annoyed, upset, worried etc about something that has hap-
pened, because you think the situation is worse or more
serious than it really is Iv phrase ]
It wasjust a simple disagreement. Don't blow it up out ofall
proportion. I The management is obviously very concermd,
but we do not wan t the incident to be blown up out of all
proportion.
lay It on /,Iel It lonl a n informal expression meaning to
deliberately exaggerate an emotion or feeling, espec ially
because you want to make someone feel sorry for you Iv
phrase I
Alright, don't lay it on. I'm sorry. I lay it on thick You really
laid it on thick with that woman. She was nearly crying, she
felt so sorry for you.
dramatlzeioverdramatize (also "se Britsh) I'drrem-
ata lz, ~varld rremata l z/ to describe a situation in a way that
makes it seem more serious than it is because you want
to make it seem more interesting or exciting [v TJ
Don't dramatize the situation. Just tell us thefacts, as simply
as you can. I The scandal, although undoubtedly overdrama·
tized by the press, will rock the world ofpolitics/or some time
to come.
be melodramatic Jbi: Imelddr;} lmreuk . J to behave as
though the situation you are in is more serious than it
really is, so that you seem too sensitive or silly Lv phrase)
Oh. don't be so melodramatic! You're not the only one wlw
has ever failed a driving test. I She says she'U kii/ herself if
I leave her. I hope she's just being melodramatic!
make a thing of Ilmclk ~ 1911) Dvl an infonnal expres-
sion meaning to make a situation or problem seem worse
by talking about it all the time Iv phrasel
Don't make a thing olit. The more you ask her to stop smok-
ing the more she'll do it. I No one would have even noticed
he was drunk if his Wife hadn't made such a thing of it. I
make a big thing of If you make a big thing of having no
money he might offer to pay for your meal.
EXAMITEST
3 words for describing statemenls, claims etc
thal exaggerate
exaggerated melodramatic
extravagant it is an exaggeration
exaggeration to say/claim etc
overstatement
exaggerated /lg'zred}aren1dJ ladj)
The boys sat around thefire telling exaggerated stories about
their SJXlrting achievements. I The numbers killed in the nw-
sacre are probably exaggerated but nevertheless most of the
tribes have been decimated. I wildly exaggerated (=ex·
tremely exaggerated) Some wildly exaggerated claims have
been made about this so-called 'wonder-drug'.
extravagant /1k Istrrevagant/ something that is extrava-
gant exaggerates so much that it seems unreasonable or
embarrassing [adj ]
Extravagant claims have been madefor some herbal reme-
dies including the cur'ing of baldness. I[found my mother's
extravagant displays of q/fection embarrassing.
exaggeration /Iglzredsalrc lf;mj a statement that makes
somelhing seem better or worse, bigger or smaller elc than
it really is In C/ UI
Jim's notfat, that's an exaggeration. He'sjusta littIeover·
weight. I How much of the story was exaggeration is impos-
sible to say. I gross exaggeration (=a big exaggeration) It
would be a gross exaggeration to describe the film as a
masterpiece, but it has some good moments.
overst.tement I l auvarsteltm~ntl a statement that
describes a situation as being more important. better,
serious etc than it really is [n C]
He said she was really beautiful - a slight overstatement I
thought. I To say the company was going bankrupt is an
overstatement. We have one or two financial problems, that's
all.
melodramatic f lmeladra'mretlk. / a statement, claim etc
that is melodramatic makes the situation seem more
serious than it really is, so that people think tbeperson who
says it is too sensitive, silly etc [adj]
His st01Y about how they were stranded at the airport was
so melodramatic it was ridiculous. I The defendant made a
rather melodramatic appeal/or a lenient sentence.
It Is an exaggeration to saylclalm etc lit IZ an
Ig lzred3a lrelfan ta (say, etc)/ if you say that it is an exag-
geration to say or claim something, you mean that if you
said it you would be exaggerating, even though it is partly
true
II is an exaggeration to say that he earns more money than
anyone I know, but he is certain ly very well paid. I It is no
exaggeration at all to say that unless we tackle this problem
it will destroy us.
exaggerated EXAGGERATE 3
exaggeration EXAGGERATE 3
exaggeration: it is an exaggeration to say/claim etc
EXAGGERATE 3
exam EXAMfTEST 1
exam: give sb a test/exam EXAMfTEST 4
e EXAMITEST
1 an exam or test
2 to do an exam
3 someone who does an exam
4 to give someone a test or exam
5 a person who judges an exam or test
1 an exam or tesl
exam practical
examination final
test assessment
quiz testing
oral
EXAMITEST
exam 'Ig' zeemj a set of questions to find out how much
someone knows about a particular iiubject. especially one
that is given at the end oCa course of study. or at the end
of a school year In Cl
Did you do well in your exams? I The jirst question on the
exam paper was really difficult. I history/ French/typing
ete exa m Danny has his biology exam tomorrow and he
hasn 't done any revtsonfor it yet. I exam on At the end of
the course t/rere's an hour 's written exam on everything
}'Ou've learned. I entrance exam (=an exam you take in
order to enter a school or university) The entrance exams
for Tokyo University are extremely competitive. I pass/ fall
an exam Anyone who/ails this exam will have rodo it again
in two maruhs. 1 To pass this exam you must score 40% or
over.
examination , Ig I zrem ~ ' nellani a formal or official word
for exam [n Cl
The examination results will be announced in September. I
Students are required to sit written examinations at the end
ofth£firstyear.1 pass/ fail an examination Havingfailed
his examinations, Colin idt university and/ound work as
a salesman.
test 'testf a short set of spoken or \\'ritten questions tofmd
out how much a person knows a bout a particular subject,
or a practical activity that someone must do to show their
ability In Cl
spelling/ readin g/Biology etc test In the spelling test
Bobby only got one word wrong. I test on The teacher 's
giving us a test this afternoon on English grammar. I pass/
fail a test I'm happy /0 tell you that you passed all th£ tests.1
driving test He / ailed his driving test because he d idn 't
signal Wore turning.
quiz fkwlzj an American word meaning a quick short test
that a teacher gives to his or her class In Cl
When I was at college we used to get quizzes almost every
week. I pop qulz(;a quiz given suddenly and unexpectedly)
The teacher threw a pop quiz at us and I got a really low
score.
oral {'':):F.Jl{ a word used especially in British English
meaning a spoken exam, espec ially one that tests your abil-
ity to speak a foreign la nguage In C]
Terry got an A in his Spanish oral.
practlcal /'prrekukalf a British word meaning an exam
that tests your ability to do things, rather than write about
them, for example in a subject such as chemistry, cooking,
or photography In Cl
We've got our chemistry practical tomorrow morning.
flnal /' fa lnl/ the last exam tha t someone takes at the end
of a course of study, especially at a university In C usually
plural in British Eng lishJ
During my finals f was revising till midnight almost every
night. I Wh£n 's your biology final?
assessment I:J t seslOOntf a method used to find out how
good a student is at a particular subject, for example by
giving them written work, tests, or exams In VI
Assessment is by means 0/ a written exam at the end of the
course. I contin uous assessment (=assessment through-
out a student's course of study, instead of only at the end)
Most schools nowadays prefer to use continuous assessment,
because it g ives a/airer pictureo/how the student has done
during the whole year.
tes ting f ItestuJ! the system of using exams and tests to
find out how good someone is at a particular subject In UI
The government plans to introduce compulsory testing in
junior schools/mm the age 0/7. I I believe that some sort 0/
testing is always necessary in order to motivate students.
2 to do an exam
take do
sit have
take /""ki Iv TI
Only 25% 0/ all the students who took this exam passed. If
took my driving test when f was 18, but /oiled.
436 examine
sit Isul a British word meaning to take a written school
or college exam Iv T I
f sat my final exams last year.
do Idu:1 an informal word meaning to do an exam (v TJ
I'd better go home - I've got to do an exam in the morning. I
The kids are doing a test this TTUJrning.
have (also have got in British English) /hrev, h,v 'got i
.1 go:t! if you have an exam, you are going to do one, espe-
cially at a particular time or on a particular day (v TJ
f have a written exam in the morning and an oral in the
oIternoon. I She's got her driving test next week.
3 someone who does an exam
candidate
candldate /1k<.endAd!t 11 -delt , -d~t/ a British word mean·
ing someone who does an exam In Cl
Candidates shnuld be at their desks 5 minutes hliore the stQ1·t
0/ the examination.
4 to give someone a test or exam
give sb a test/exam set sb a test
test examine
give ab a test/exam /lg lV(sb) ~ Itest, Ig lz<.em/ to make
someone answer a set of questions, especially questions
about a particular subject Iv phrase)
f hope she doesn 't g ive us a test - f don 't krww anything about
American History. I give sb a test! exam on Before the inter·
view they g ive you a test on computers.
test /test/ to ask someone written or spoken questions in
order to fmd out what they know abou t a particular sub-
ject Iv TI
test sb Some teachers are against testing children at such
a young age. I test sb on Make sure you understand every·
thing you've learned because tomorrow you 'il be tested on it.
set sb a test ',set (sb) :J Itest! a British expression mean-
ing to give students a set of written questions about a sub-
ject Iv phrase )
Next lesson I'm selting you all a test to see how much you 've
learned.
examlne /Ig Izrem!n/ a formal word meaning to ask some-
one questions in a n exam in order to find out what they
know about a particular subject Iv T J
examine sb on S tudents will be examined 011 a ll aspects 0/
R ussian literature and history. I examine sb To save time,
students will be examined in groups of three.
5 a person who judges an exam or test
examiner
examiner Ilg I zre m~ na rl a British word meaning a person
who judges exams or tests In Cl
The examiner told him to relax and then asked him to turn
on the eng ine. 1 Students who. in the opinion 0/ the
examiners, do not reach the required standard must take the
exam ag ain.
exam ination EXAM/TEST 1, EXAMINE 3
exam ine EXAMfTEST 4 , EXAM IN E 1. 2 , LOOK AT 4
examine: need your head examined CRAZY 1
lexamine 1-------,
which meaning?
study something or • EXAMINE
someone in order to '
fi nd something out
an exam or test • EXAMITEST
EXAMINE
• EXAMINE
to carefully look at or consider objects,
people, facts, or methods in order to find
something out or make a judgement
1 to examine something in order to find
something out or make decisions
2 to examine a person , for example in order to
find out if they are healthy or are doing a job
properly
3 an act of examining something or someone
1 to examine something in order to find
something out or make decisions
examine go through/over
look at/have a look look over
at/take a look at check
analyze check over
study scrutinize
inspect
examine I l g t zrem~ nl Iv Tl
exaIl)ine sth Experts who examined the painting believe it
is genuine. I Her new book examines the causes of social dis-
content. I Having carefully examined all the technical evid-
ence, we have decided to make certain changes in the engine
design. I examine sth for (::;in order to fmd something) The
police will examine the weapon for fingerprints.
look at/have a look at/take a look at / 'luk ret, ,hrev
~ 'luk ret, ,te lk ~ IJuk retl to study and consider something
such as an idea. a problem, or a possible plan, especially
in order to decide what to do Iv T)
We need to look very carefully at ways o/improving our effi-
ciency. I The bank is looking at a number of investment
opportunities. I I think we should have a look at tire whole
issueo/women's rights. I Let's take a closer look at language
as a system of communication.
analyze (also analyse in British English) l'ren,la02I to
examine something closely and in detail, especially a
problem or a piece ofinfonnation, in order to understand
it Iv TI
We have to identify and analyze the company's problems
before we can solve them. I A computer analyses all the data
sent back by the satellite. I Who gets th£ mDrury is a key ques·
,I
tion in analyzing the federal aid program.
study slAdij to spend a lot of time examining something
very carefully, for example a document, a plan, or a
problem Iv TI
1 haven't had time to study these proposals so I can't com-
ment on them. 11 studied the map for a long lime, trying to
choose the most suitable route for our journey. ! A team of
scientists has been studying the effects of acid ra in over a
twenty-year period.
Inspect Iln' spektl to look at something closely in order
to find out more about it or fmd out ifit is satisfactory, espe-
cially because it is your job or official duty to do this [u TJ
The building is regularly inspected by afire-safety offzcer.1
Russian and American teams will have the right to inspect
each other's missile sites. I Realizing that thefrant wheel had
hit a iargestone, I got out of the car to inspect the damage.
go through/over 11 g;ru 'Srn:, 1OOV;}r1to examine some·
thing such as a document or plan thoroughly from begin·
n ing to end, especially in order to check that it is correct
IvTI
I'd like to go over last month's accounts with you. I We went
over the contract with our lawyers until we were satisfied
thot it was foolproof,
look over 1,luk 'auv~rl to look at every part of someth ing
in order to see if it is satisfactory, but fa irly quickly and
without paying much attention to detail [phr v TJ
look over sth I've looked over all the documents and they
437 EXAMINE
seem okay, but I'll need more time to study them. I look sth/
it/them over I've brought along some samples of my work.
Do you have a few minutes to look them over? I She looked
the car over with an expert eye and asked its price.
check /tJekJ to exam ine something to make sure that it
is correct, safe, or satisfactory Iv TI
check sth An inspector would visit the hospital regularly
In clu!ck standards ofhygiene. I Th£ir passports were c/reeked
try immigration offu:ers at lheairport. I check 5th for (=in
order to find) Check the building for structural damage.
check over l ,tJek ';}UV;}rl to quickly examine every part
of something to make sure that it is correct or safe {Phr u T J
check over sth The editor always checks over what I 've
written. I check 5th/tt/them over I've asked the mechanic
to check the car over before we go on vacation.
scrutinize (also ·I.e British) I ' skru:t ~ na lzl to examine
something very closely and carefully in order to find out
whether there is anything wrong, especially because it is
your official duty to do this [v TJ
The inspectors have the power to scrutinize all cargo docu-
ments in detail. I It is the duty of the Treasury Secretary to
scrutinize every aspect of government spending. \ A police
inspector scrutinized our faces with a suspicious eye.
2 to exam ine a person, for example in order to
find out if they are healthy or are dOing a job
properly
examine
inspect
examine Ilg 'zrembnf to examine someone's body us ing
medical skills or equipment, in order to find out if there
is anything wrong Iv TI
The doctor examined her and diagnosed appendicitis. I I'm
going to the hospital tomorrow to have my knee examin€d
again.
Inspect Iln ' spektj to officially examine a group of people,
especially soldiers, to make sure they are doing their job
properly and obeying instructions Iv TJ
General Allenby arrived to inspect the troops.
3 an act of examining something or someone
examination check-up
analysis study
inspection scrutiny
check post mortem
examination IIg 1zremb InelJ<Jo/ ln C/ UI
After a brief examinalwn by a loca l doctor, 1 was taken to
the city's main hospital. I A detailed examination of popu·
latwn statistics reveals a steady decline in the birth rate. I
be under examination (=be in the process of being exa-
mined) The committee's latest proposals are still under
examination. I on closer examination (=when examined
more closely) Atfirst sight the vases looked very attractive
but on closer examination they were seen to be cracked in
several places.
analysis /0)' nrel~s~sl a detailed examination of something
in order to understand it better, especially when this
involves studying a large amount of information In C/ U )
An analysis DJ data from Australia shows that skin cancer
is on the increase. I If Smith's analysis is correct, our
economic difficulties are caused by a lack of investment.
Inspection I m'spekJ<Jnj a thorough examination of some-
thing, especially by someone in an official position, in
order to find out more about it or find out if it is satisfac-
tory In C/ UI
There are regular inspections of the prison by government
health officers. I close inspection (=very detailed) A close
inspection revealed that the door was Mt infact completely
solid. I carry out an inspection Education offICers carry
out monthly inspections of the local schools. I tour ofinspec·
tion (=an official journey or visit to inspect something)
Marshal Joffre visited twelve military camps on his tour of
inspectwn.
EXAMINE
check ftfekl an examination of something to make sure
that it is correct, safe, or satisfactory In Cl
check on There are regular checks on the quality of goods
leaving our factory. I carry out/run a check ("" make a
check) All routine safety checks were carried Qut before the
flight. I spot check (=an unplanned check on a thing or
person that is chosen from a group by chance) Spot checks
by customs officers led to the arrest of several drug
smugglers.
check"up f 'tIck Apt a medical examination to make sure
that someone is healthy In Cl
I seemy dentist every six monthsforacheck-up. I give sb/ sth
a check-up The vetgave both our horses a thorough check-
up and pronounced them fit to race.
study "stAdi{ a careful examination ofa particular sub-
ject or problem, especially onc that is done over a period
of time [n Cl
Studies of dolphins have shown that they are able to com-
municate in/onnation to each other_ I make a study A series
of studies was made to discover the relationship between diet
and behaviour.
scrutiny l 'skru:t1nil a formal word meaning careful and
thorough examination of something [n UJ
Closer scrutiny of the document revealed a number of
interesting facts. I come under public scrutiny (=begin
to be closely examined by people) Onceyou becomefamous
your private life comes under public scrutiny_
post mortem I~st ImJ:rtam/ a medical examination of
a dead body in order to fmd out how the person died In CJ
A post mortem revealed that the woman had died of blood
poisoning. I carry out! do a post mortem A [KJlice pathol-
ogist carried out a post mortem on the body.
examiner EXAMITEST 5
example EXAMPLE 1. IMITATE 5
example: be a good example TYPICAL 3
example: be an example to GOOD/MORAL 2
example: follow sb's example IMITATE 4
example: for example/for Instance EXAMPLE 3
example: give an example EXAMPLE 2
example: make an example of PUNISH 1
example: set a bad example BAD BEHAVIOUR OR
ACTIONS 5
example: set an example IMITATE 5
. EXAMPLE
1 a typical example of something such as a
type of behaviour, a type of person , or a type
of situation
2 to mention something as an example, in order
to explain what you mean , prove you are
right ete
3 what you say when you give an example
1 a typical example of something such as a
type of behaviour, a type of person, or a type
of situation
example instance
case exemplify
example Ilglza:mp~l lllg l zrem-/ a typical kind of
behaviour, person, situation etc that you mention in order
to explain what you mean, show that what you are saying
is true etc In Cl
Can you think ofan example of this? I There are $0 many sit-
uations in which children can feel isolated. Dioorce is an
obvious example. I classic example (=an extremely typi-
cal example) His behaviour was a classic example ofa man
who can 't control his ambition. I shining example (=an
example of something you admire) The company's success
is a shining example of the way in which the government's
new policies are revttalizing industry. I prime example
438 EXAMPLE
(=an example of something that you do not like) Hitler,
Mussolini, Franco, all prime examples of men hungry for
power.
case Ikelsl an example of something that has happened,
especially something bad or unpleasant In Cl
I saw at least three similar cases ofchildren dying due to the
lack of water when I was working in India. 1Cases ofhUman
error are being reported all the time. I in sb's case Some-
times earthquakes cause tidal waves and, as in Japan 's case,
these can be deadly. I classic case (=an extremely typical
case) Recent government spending on the schools is a clas-
sic case oJ too little, too late.
Instance I llnst~nsl an example ofa particular kind of sit-
uation, used especially when it is a good, typical example
of what you are talking about [n Cl
This book isyet another instanceoftheauthor's!ascination
with death_ I There have been many instances ofcooperation
between the two countries in recent years. I In some instances
it is the young people themselves who tell the police about the
drug problem in their area.
exemplify Ilg'zempl~fal l ifa particular person, situation,
or type of behaviour exemplifies something, it is a typi-
cal example of it [v T not in progressivel
Thesefemale astronauts exemplify a new tradition among
nuxiern women. I The rrwdern spirit ofreoolt was best exem-
plUzed by the work of Kafka and Freud.
2 to mention something as an example, in order
to explain what you mean , prove you are
right etc
give an example
cite
give an example JlglV an Ig'zQ!mp~ 1 1I _Izrem-/ [v
phrasel
I don't really understand what you mean_ Could you give me
an example? I I think my theory could be best explained by
giving an example from everyday life. I To illustrate his
[KJint, he gave the example of the Amazonian tribe that had
no contact with civilization_
cite /salt/ a formal word meaning to name a particular
person, situation etc as a typical example of what you are
talking about Iv T I
cite sth I can cite several recent racial attacks which prove
my point. I Th.e report contained details of the poison gas and
cited examples of accidents involving it_ I be cited as Bri-
tain is often cited as an example of a declining industrial
power_
3 what you say when you give an example
for examplel say
for instance take
eg be a case In point
such as by way of illustration
like to name but 8 few
for examplelfor Instance Ifar Igl zQ:mp~l, fdr Im_
st.ms I1 _Izrem-J [adv phrase]
Many countries are threatened by earthquakes. For example,
Mexico and Japan. \ Today's parents have many problems_
What do you do, for example, ifyou find your child taking
drugs? I We have books on all types of unconventional medi-
cine_ Acupuncture and faith healing, for example. I Not all
prices have increased so dramatically_ Compare, for
instance, the price of oil in 1980 and the price now.
eg 11 i: 'd3i:J (used in written English when yOll are giving
a series of examples of something)
SomeproofoJidentity is requ,i red eg driver's license, pass-
port. I Many English words have been borrowedfram other
languages, eg 'chic' from French.
such as ,I SAl] rezj (used when you want to give one or two
typical examples of something but not all the examples that
are possible) [prepl
There are many reasons why the invasion failed, such as
the lack of proper food and the shortage of ammunition. \
EXAMPLE
People's ability to do the tests was influenced by/actors such
as age, sex, and ethnic background.
like I lal kj (used in spoken English when you are giving
a example which is typical of what you mean) (prep]
You should ask someone who knows all about engines. like
Simon. I We still haven't settled a number o/problems, like
who is going to be in charge here while I'm away.
say Isell (used in spoken English when you are suggest-
ing something such as a price, a time, or a place, and you
want to know what the other person thinks about this)
ladul
"Why don't we meet in front o[ the restaurant, say at 1
o'clock?" "Fine. " I It 's a nice pieceo/furniture. 1could offer
you say £200 for it. I Why don't you come back later, say in
a/ew hours' time, after you 've had chance to think it over.
take !telk/ (used when you are ta lking about something
and you want to give an example ofa certain type of situ a-
tion , person etc, in order to prove that what you are saying
is correct)
I can think of lots ofpeople who got worse grades than you
and still have good jobs. Take Julie. I take sb/ sth for
example Take me for example. I've never relied on other
people for help.
be a case In point Ibi: ~ ,kels In IpoIntl a particular
person, situation etc that is a case in point, is a very good
or typica1 example of what you have just mentioned Iv
phrase)
Some birds have retur11£d to England af'ter once being exinct
here. Theretumof the osprey isacase inpoint. I Some women
have managed to achieve success infootball. A case in point
is Anne Spencer.
by way of Illustration lbat Iwet 3V 11;)lstrcIJan/ a fonnal
expression: if you name a particular situation, person etc
by way of illustration, you want to use it as a way of
expla ining what you mean [adv phrase}
Other countries have totally different laws on abortion and
euthanasia. By way of illustration let us look at the cases of
Germany and Japan.
to name but a few It ;) I"elm b3t ;) Ifj u:1 if you give
several examples of something to name but a few, you
mean that these arejust a few examples of what you mean
and there are many more [adv phrase)
So many industries have been hit in the recession. Steel, coal.
construction to name but a few.
exasperate ANNOY 2
exasperating ANNOY 5
exasperation ANNOY 6
excavate DIG 1. 2
exceed MORE THAN A NUMBER OR AMOUNT 2
exceedingly VERY 2
excel DO WELL 1
excellent GOOD AT 2, GOOD/EXCELLENT 1. 2. 3. 4
except/except for EXCEPT 1
except/except for the fact that BUT 5
except: only/except BUT 6
• EXCEPT
1 words meaning except
2 something or someone that is not included in
a rule, does not follow the expected pattern
etc
1 words meaning except
except/except for but for
apart from/aside from bot
bar with the exception of
excepting
exceptlexcept for Ilk'sept, Ik'sept fo:rl [prep/ conjunc-
tion)
She'll eat anything except pork. I Everyone's going except
439 exchange
Donald. I We turned offevery light exceptfor one small lamp
in the corner. I Exceptfor the hotel it was a smashing holi-
day. I except (that) The house wasjustas I had left it except
that everything was covered with dust. I I've got one exactly
the same as thl1l except it 's wooden. I except do s th a com-
puter that can do anything except talk to you
apart from (also aside from especially in American
English) 1;) lpo:rt from , ~Isald froml (used to introduce one
small point which makes your statement not completely
true) [prep)
Apart from an occasional game of tennis, she doesn't take
any exercise. I There are no poisonous snakes in Britain
apartfram the adder. I This essay's good apartfram a couple
ofspelling mistakes. I Aside/rom a toothbrush she took no
other baggage with her.
bar Ibo: rl (used to introduce the only thing, person, or
group about which your statement is not true) [prep I
He died with no possessions bar a small piece of land in
Ireland, I Nobody from the village, bar the vicar, had ever
been as far as !.orulon.
excepting / tk' septll)/ (a formal word used to introduce
the only thing, person, or group about which your state·
ment is not lnte) [prep ]
Excepting one or two mosaics found in Sussex, all Roman
remains in Britain fall into three styles. I It was the la,.gest
building in the city, excepting only the parliament building.
but for l ' bAt f:>:rl (used to introduce the only thing that
makes a description of something not completely tnte)
Iprep l
There was a complete silence but for the occasional sound
of distant traffIC.
but Ib3t; strollg bAtl (used especially after the words none,
nothing, all, anyone etc) [prep]
I can come and see you any day but Thesday. 1 There's noth·
ing in the room but an old chair. I Anyone but Tommy would
have realized I was trying to apologize.
with the exception of IWI~ Oi Ik'sepfan Dvl (a formal
express ion used to introduce the only thing, person, or
group about which your statement is not tnte) (prep]
All the Canadian provinces, with the exception of Quebec.
have restricted the sale of alcohol. 1 wi th the possible
exception of I think every student, with the possible exceJr
tion of Fauzi. will pass the exam.
2 something or someone that is not included in
a rule, does not follow the expected pattern
etc
exception
exception ' lk'sepJ.nl In Cl
Women do not usually reach the highest level ofBritish poUt-
leallife, but there have been one or two notable exceptions.1
minor exception (=one that is not very important) Give
or take afew minor exceptions, the legal system in the two
countries is remarkably similar. I exception to a rule The
only possible exception to this rule is if the driver learned to
drive before 1950, in which case they do not need to have taken
a driving test .
excepted INCLUDE 7
excepting EXCEPT 1
exception EXC EPT 2
exception: make an exception LET/ALLOW 11
exception: take exception to OFFEN D 2
exception: with the exception of EXCEPT 1
exception: without exception ALUEVERYTHING 1
exceptional GOOD/EXCELLENT 4. UNUSUAL 1. 2
exceptionally: remarkably/exceptionally VERY 2
excerpt PART 7
excess TOOfTOO MUCH 5
excess: an excess of TOOfTOO MUCH 2
excess: in excess of MORE THAN A NUMBER OR
AMOUNT 1
excess: to excess TOOITOO MUCH 3
excessive TOOfTOO MUCH 4
exchange ARGUE 5, EACH OTHER 1. EXCHANGE 1. 2
exchange: in exchange/in return EXCHANGE 3
EXCHANGE 440
. EXCHANGE
10 give something to someone and receive
from them something of the same type or of
equal value
1 to exchange one thing for another
2 an act of exchanging one thing for another
3 ways of saying what you give and what you
get when you exchange th ings
1 to exchange one thing for another
exchange barter
swap trade In
do a swap change places/
trade 5th for partners ete
change
exchange Jlks 'tfemd31 to exchange one thing for
another, especially so that you get something that you need
or something that is more useful to you Iv T l
exch ange sth if the shoes do !Wttit, we 'll be happy to ex-
change them. I At the end o/the game, players traditionally
exchange shirts with each other. I exchange sth for sth
We've exchanged our busy city home/or a Quiet counny cot-
tage /or the summer. 1 The government is issuing coupons
which can beexclwngedforfood.
exchange In UJ Both parties are/ree to withdraw/ram the
transaction prior to exchangeo!contracts (=before the con-
tracts have been exchanged).
swap [swop 11 swo:pl an informal word used especially in
British English meaning to exchange something, usually
with someone you know lv llTl
swap sth for I'll swap my sweets for your tennis ball. 1 1
would have swapped everything for a hot bath and a com-
fortable bed. 1 swap sth Jerry couldn't see the screen very
well so we swapped seats. I swap We both like each other's
sweater better than our own so why don 't we swap?
do a swap I ldu: a ISWOp 11 . Iswa:p/ an informal expres-
sion: if two people do a swap with each other they
exchange things so that they each get what they want Iv
phrasel
Jim had the stamp I wanted and I had the stamp he wanted
so we decided to do a swap. I Look, let 's do a swap - my CD
player for your video recorder.
trade sth for / Itreld (sth) f'J:rJ to exchange something for
something else, especially as part of an agreement that you
have made with someone [phr v TI
SomeofReagan's aides were alleged la have traded armsfor
hostages. 1Janice traded Mr first<iass return t icket to New
Yorkfor a round-tM-world trip, economy class.
change Jt!cmd3J to exchange something you have bought
or chosen because you have decided you want something
different or because there is something wrong with it IvTI
change sth for Take the skirt back to the store and change
itfora black one. I change sth I don 't really want the pasta
l WW - l'dratherhaveasalad. Can / change itplease?l l only
bought tlwse shoes last month and they have a hole in them
already, so I'd like to change them.
barter / Iba:ft;}fl to exchange something that you have for
something that you want or need without giving or taking
money for it Iv UTI
barter sth for sth R ussia barters oil for meat. 1 barter
with On arrival in the island the crew bartered with the
natives as a way of establishing friendship.
barter In UI In the mountain areas, most of the trade is still
done by barter (=people barter to get what they need).
trade In ' Itreld 110/ to give your old car, washing machine
etc to the company or shop that you are buying a new one
from, so that they will let you buy the new one for a slightly
lower price [phr v TJ
trade in sth If you trade in your old Chevrolet we will give
you up to $2(}{)()ojJyour new 1994 model. I lradeslh/ iUlhem
EXCITED
in This sewing machine is so old-fashioned. Why don't you
trade it in and get a new one? I trade in sth for This shop
does a special deal wMreyoucan trade in}Y)urold washing-
machine for a new one.
change placeslpartners ate IIJelnd3 (places, Clcll 10
give someone your place, partner ete and take their place,
partner etc Iv phrase l
Halfway through the dance everyone had to change part·
ners. 1change places/ partners etc with Would you mind
changing places with me? I can't see from here and you're
taller than I am.
2 an act of exchanging one thing for another
exchange
interchange
exchange Jlks 1 t!clnd31 [n C usually singular I
The exchange of prisoners took place on a bridge over the
Mekong river. Il n any negotiations there must be an honest
exchange of information.
Int.rchang. / ll nl~rtJe lnd31 the useful exchange of ideas
or infonnation between people or organizations, especially
when this happens continuously over a long period oftime
[n C usually singularl
There has been a continual interchange of artistic and
philosophical ideas between Eastern and Western cultures. 1
There is a productive interchange of ideas between teachers
and teacher trainers on these courses.
3 ways of saying what you g ive and what you
get when you exchange things
in exchangelin return
for
In exchange/ln return /In Iksl t!e lnd3. In n 113: r n/ if you
do or give something in exchange for something else. such
as help, a gift etc you door give it because you will receive
the help, the gift etc if you do [adv[
in exchan ge/ return for I've offered to paint the kitchen in
exchangefora week'S accommodation. I The university gets
free use of PsiTech computers in exchangefor M lping with
research projects. 1in exchange/ return What willyougive
me in exchange? 1She gave usfood and clothing and asked
for nothing in return.
for /fa r ; strong (;):fl in exchange for [prep )
They gave me £200 for the old Fiat! I was amazed! 1I'll give
you three chocolate bars for that ball.
excitable EXCITED 2
excite CAUSE 4, EXCITED 11 , 13
excited EXCITED 1, 4, NERVOUS 2
excited: belget excited about ENTHUSIASTIC 1
• EXCITED
happy and full of energy because something
good has happened or is going to happen
1 excited about something
2 too excited
3 excitedly waiting to see what happens next
4 words for describing an excrted group of
people, such as a crowd or the people
watching a game or performance
5 words for describing an experience that
makes you feel excited
6 words for describing an exciting story, film,
book etc
7 an exciting experience
8 the most exciting part of something
g the feeling of being excited
10 to do something just for excrtement
11 to make someone feel excited
EXCITED
12 to talk very excitedly about something
13 to make someone feel sexually excited
1 excited about something
excited
exhilarated
thrilled
excited Ilk I saIt~dl feel ing very exci ted, especially about
something good that is about to happen [adjl
excited about The children were all very excited about their
presents, and couldn't wait to open them. I You must be/eel-
ing really excited about getting married. I excit ed at We
were too excited at the prospect of Friday 's party to think
nwch about our schoolwork. I excited As she spoke, her voice
became more and more excited and I had to tell her to calm
down.
excitedly (adv l Lucy was laughing with delight and chat-
ting excitedly.
exhilarated /Ig 1zlldrelt1dl feeling very excited and full
of energy because yOll are experiencing something that you
have never experienced before. especially something dan-
gerous or unusualladj not before noun J
Thejlrst time Ij1ewa plnnealone, [felt both exhilarated and
scared. ! She stayed awake all night, exhilarated IJy her elec-
tion victory.
thrilled ISflldl very excited and pleac;ed, for example
because you have been told some good news, or because
you are doing or about to do something that you really want
to do [adj not before noun I
Ifelt thrilled to be back in Africa again. I thrilled byl atl
with Everyone's thrilled at the news. I thrilled to pieces
(American) I thrilled to bits (British) (=very thrilled) He
was fhrilkd to pieces when he was told that he'd won the com-
petition.
2 too excited
overexcited
excitable
overexcited l ,dUvdnklsalt!d "l someone, especially a
child, who is overexcited has become too excited. and it
is difficult for them to control their emotions lad) I
On Christmas Eve the kids always get overexcited and can 't
sleep. ! Be gentle when you play with him - you mustn't let
him get overexcited.
excitable Ilk lsaudooll someone who is excitable gets
excited too easily ladj J
Puppies are naturally affectionate and excitable. ! highly
excitable (=very excitable) On my first day 's teaching, I
had a class of highly excitable 5 year olds.
3 excited ly waiting to see what happens next
be on the edge of your seat
be on tenterhooks
be all agog
be on the edge of your seat Ibi: on Oi ,ed3 dV j::l:r 'si:tj
to be very excited when you are watching someth ing
because you do not know what will happen next Iv phrase I
It was a really good thriller - [ was on the edge of my seat
all the way through. ! keep sb on the edge of their seat
(=make someone feel very excited because they do not
know what will happen next) Hitchcock keeps his viewers
on the edge of their seats right to the very last second.
be on tenterhooks Ibi: on 'tent;)Thuks/ to be nervous
and excited because you are anxiously waiting to hear the
result of something, or to know what happens at the end
ofa story [v phrase I
After the interview Fran was on tenterhooks, wondering if
she'd got the job. ! keep sb on tenterhooks (=make some-
one feel nervous and excited by not telling them something)
Don't keep me on tenterhooks - did [ pass the exam or didn't
I? I Agatha Christie keeps the reader on tenterhooks until the
final pages of the story.
441 EXCITED
be all agog Ibi: 1::1:1 ~Igog n _l gO:gj to be listening very
carefully because you are very interested and excited and
you are waiting for someone to tell you something, espe-
cially what happened next [v phrase J
Come on, tell us what happened - we're all agog.
4 words for describi ng an excited group of
people, such as a crowd or the people
watching a game or performance
excited hysterical
In a frenzy high spirits
fever pitch
excited IIklsaJt!dl [adjl
Excited Eng landfans watched their team win 2- 1 against
Andorra. I Senator Thomson pushed his way through the
group of excited reporters that had gathered in the street.
In a Irenzy Iln d I Frenzi/ in a state of great and uncontroll-
able excitement radj phraseJ
There are JUSl two minutes to go ofthis game, and the crowd
is in an absolute frenzy. ! work yourself into a frenzy
(=become more and more excited until you are in a frenzy)
The audience had worked themselves into afrenzy by the end
of the show.
lever pitch I 'fi:v;)r pltll a very high level of excitement
among a crowd of people who are watching a public event
InUI
reach fever pitch When Elvis finally came on stage, the
screaming reachedfever pitch. ! at fever pitch Excitement
amon75 the crowds was now at fever pitch.
hysterical IhI lstenk.Jlf behaving in a wild and uncon-
trollable way, especially by shouting or crying because you
are extremely excited [adj J
Hystericalfans tried to stop the pop star's car from driving
away. ! Just calm down! Getting hysterical isn 't going to
help, is it?
high spirits I ,hal Isplr !tsl excited and cheerful feelings
or behaviour, especially of a group of young people In
pluralJ
They didn't mean to cause any damage - it was just high
spirits. ! be in/ be full of high spirits It was the last day
of term and everyone was in high spirits.
5 words for describing an experience that
makes you feel excited
exciting exhilarating
thrilling heady
exciting /lk' s3IIIQ/ [miil
Her holiday in South America was the most exciting trip she
had ever Iwd. I Middleton is a very quiet town where noth-
ing exciting ever happens.
thrilling I'STllIl)' very exciting, especially ma~ing you
feel slightly frightened in an enjoyable way lad}]
Seeing a lion in the wild was a thrilling experience. ! We went
for a thrilling ride on the Ghost Train at thefunfair.
exhilarating IIg I zl l;)relt 11)/ an experience or an activity
that is exhilarating makes you feel excited, and full of
energy, especially because it is dangerous ladj]
Skiing is an exhilarating sport. I Some people try to avoid
danger wherever possible, while others find it quite
exhilarating_
heady 11hedil heady days/atmosphere/excit ement ete
(=a formal word meaning making you feel very excited,
hopeful. and full of energy) radj only before nounJ
He often wished he could relive the heady days ofhis youth. !
.... the heady excitement of being in lo ve
6 words for describing an exciting story, film ,
book etc
exciting nailbiting
thrilling actlon~packed
dramatic
EXCITED
exciting l,k'sa'"QI lacij]
Kids often want more exciting books than the ones they're
offered at school. 1 I really like Spielberg'sfilms - they're
always so exciting.
thrilling 1'9n lilJl very exciting. especially making you
feel slightly frightened in a pleasant way [adj ]
The book is another thrilling story of mystery and suspense.
dramatic Idr~'mretJkf a dramatic story, film etc, has a
lot of exciting and unexpected things happening in it (adj]
'A Man For All Seasons' is a tense and dramatic story, based
on historical/act. I Theftlm has a very dramatic ending.
dramatically ladvl From the beginning, the story unfolds
dramatically.
naHbltlng f InellbaltlrJl extremely exciting because you do
not know what is going to happen next [adj only be/ore
noun]
Thefllm has a nailbilingfinish. I The plot twists and turns
all the time - it's really nailbiting stujJ.
action-packed I,rekfan 'prekt'l a film, book ete that is
action-packed has a lot of exciting action in it [adj usually
before noun]
The kids settled down with an action·packed adventure
moviefrom the video store. 1 an action·packed plot dealing
with true life during the Civil War
7 an exciting experience
thrill
adventure
excitement
thrlll /Brl l1 an event or experience that gives you a feeling
of excitement and pleasure [n C usually singular]
It was a real thrill for the lads to meet their favourite pop
stars. I the thrills and spills (=the exciting exper iences,
moments etc in a film, race etc) Don't miss all the thrills
and spills of Formula 1 Grand Prix racing on Channel 26!
adventure /ad IventJarl an exciting experience in which
something dangerous or unusual happens [n C/ U]
He used to enjoy telling us about his adventures at sea. 1 I
left home when I was seventeen. looking for adventure. 1
sense of adventure (=a desire to do unusual or dangerous
things) When she was a schoolgirl, her sense of adventure
was always getting her into trouble.
excitement /lk1saJtmaml something unexpected or
unusual that happens and makes you feel excited and
unable to relax {n Cl
Gerry found it diffICult to sleep after all the excitements of
the day. 1 The biggest excitement of the day was when Jose
accidentally set off the fire alarm.
8 the most exciting part of something
climax
high point/spot
highlight
climax /Iklarmc:eks/ the most exciting or important part
of a story or experience, usually near the end, when the
story or experience has been gradually becoming more and
more exciting up to this part {n Cl
The discovery of the ruins of an ancient palcJ.ce was the
climax of a very exciting expedition. 1reach a climax The
opera reaches its climax in the third act.
high point/spot I' ha! P'Int, spot 11 -spo:~ the most excit-
ing, enjoyable, or important moment of an event or
activity, especially one that lasts a long time (n Cl
Getting her thesis published was the high point oJ her time
at college. 1 Easter was the high spot of the Christian year.
highlight /lhaIlart/ the part of an event or activity such
as a holiday or a game that is the most exciting or enjoy·
able. and that you remember most clearly [n Cl
For me, the highlight ofour travels was our time in India. 1
Highlights ofthe game will be shown on Channel! this even-
ing. 1 I suppose the highlight was when Bob Dylan came
O1zstage without the band and sang 'Like A Rolling Stone'.
442 EXCITED
9 the feeling of being excited
excitement exhilaration
thrill hysteria
excitement /Iklsa ltmant/ [n UJ
In the stands, the crowd was shouting with excitement. 1 She
still remembers the excitement in their village when thejirst
American soldiers arrived.
thrlll /Bnll a sudden very strong feeling of excitement,
mixed with pleasure and sometimes fear [n C usually
singulcJ.r]
Her voice sent a thrill through him the first time he heard
it. 1get a thrill out of Even though I've been acting for 40
years, 1 still get a thrill out of going on stage on the first
night. 1 give sb a thrill Using guns always gave me a
strange thrill.
exhilaration /Iglzllalrelf~nl a feeling of happy excite-
ment, for example that you get from an exciting physical
activity or from something you have achieved In UJ
Nothing can compare with the exhilaration of riding a
motorcycle very fast. 1 Shefelt again the same exhilaration
that she had felt when shefirst saw her newborn baby.
hysteria Ih l1 st l.lria 11 . Isteria! extreme excitement that
makes people cry, laugh, shout etc uncontrollably [n UJ
&me of the young girls in the crowd were screaming with
hysteria. I mass hysteria (=that is present in a whole
crowd of people) There were scenes o/mass hysteria as the
Beatles arrived at the airport.
10 to do something just for excitement
do sth for kicks
do sth for the thrill of it
do sth for kicks /Idu: (sth) far Iklksl to do something,
especially something dangerous or harmful, in order to get
a feeling of excitement and not for any other reason ( v
phrase]
Rich kids who turn to crime do it just for kicks, and not
because they need the money. 1 Thefirst time she took heroin
it wasjustfor kicks, but now she's really hooked.
do 5th for the thrill of It I ,du: (sth) fa' 0' 'enl av III to
do somethingjust to get a feeling of excitement or because
you are bored, and not for any more serious reason [v
phrase ]
Gina would gamble away thousands of dollars in casinos
just for the thrill of it. I He ought to take our relationship
seriously - I didn't marry him just for the thrill of it.
11 to make someone feel excited
get sb excited thrill
excite give ab a thrill
get sb excited 'Iget (sb) Ik lsalt!d/ an informal expres·
sion meaning to make someone excited [v phrase not in
passive]
All this talk about the party is getting me real/y excited. 1get
sb excited about It's so wifair - you get us all excited about
going on vacation then you say we're not going after all.
excite Jlklsartj a word used especially in formal or writ·
ten English meaning to make someone excited [v T not
usually in progressive or passive]
excite sb Being part of the crowd at the ball game had
always excited me. 1 excite yourself/herself/themselves
etc Th£ doctor said you sJwuld rest and not excite yourself.
thrlll/Bnll to make someone feel very happy and excited
(v T not usually in progressive!
thrill sb Her first sight ofthe African landscape thrilled her
enormously. 1it thrills sb to do sth It thrilled Sara to leam
that the stranger was a member of the Royal Family.
give sb a thrill I,g'v (sb) a 'enll if something gives
someone a thrill, it makes them feel happy and excited,
although it is very simple or may seem unimportant [v ··
phrase)
Catching smal/ animals used /() give the boys a thriLL 1 I wish
she'd spoken to the kids - it would have given them a great
thrill.
EXCITED 443 EXERCISE

12 to talk very excited ly about something • EXERCISE

go Into raptures over
go Into rapture. ova, 'ls::MJ mU 'rreptf;)rz '3UV;)fl to talk to walk, do sports etc in order to stay healthy,
in an excited and happy way about something you like very and become stronger
much Iv p hrase ) 1 to exercise
The child went into raptures over the expensive gifts her
mother had bought her. I be in raptures about/ over/ at 2 to exercise a particular part of your body
Kathy was in raptures at the news that her daughter was 3 activities that you do in order to stay healthy
expecting a baby. and become stronger
4 a set of movements that is intended to
13 to make someone feel sexually excited exercise a particular part of you r body
excite
turn ab on
titillate 1 to exercise
excite /Ik lsall/l v T I exercise get exercise
excite sb She excites me in a way that no other woman can. I do exercise} train
get sb excited (=make them exc ited) When you see a strip. take exercise work out
show, does it get you excited, or do you just feel embar-
rassed?1 I suppose some men mightjind pictures like this sex- exercl. . 'leks:>TsalZ/ to walk, do sports etc in order to stay
uallyexciting. healthy and become stronger [v IJ
I exercise every day and get plenty offresh air. I She likes to
tum sb on 1113:rn (sb) Ion 11 -lrenJ an informal expression exercise by working in her garcren. I Just because you 're on
meaning to make someone feel sexually excited (phr v T J a diet it doesn't moon you don't need to exercise.
It's difficult t.lling your partnD what actua lly turns you on.)
She really turns me on. do e~ercl.a/.t.k. exarcl.e ',du: 'e~Tsa l z, ,telk·, to
turn-<ln [nsingularl My last IxJyjriend alwaysfound nurses' exercIse, especially regularly [v phrasel
un iforms a real tum-on (=they really turned him on). You should do at least Fifteen minutes' exercise each day. I
I know I should do more exercise, but I never seem to have
titillate l'tltAleltl if pictures. stories etc in newspapers time. I Most of the people here never take any exercise at all.
and books titillate people, they are deliberately intended
to make people feel slightly sexually exc ited [v TJ gat exercise , ,get l eks~Tsalz' to do exercise, especially
Papers like the Sunday Sport use these kinds of articles to as part of your daily work or daily life Iv phrase]
titillate their read£rs. The doctor says I don '( get enough exercise. I Walking to the
titillation /, tlt A'lclJanj In UI Theplay has beenrorukmned car is the only exercise you get!
as just an excuse for sexual titillation. train Itreml to do hard exercise regula rly in order to get
tit.i Uating ladjJ Some men mightjind the pictures titillat- fit or remain fit [v I1
ing - I think they're offensive and degrading to women. Larry trains at the gym jive mornings a week. I I'm not as
fit as I should be. I don't train enough.
or excitement EXCITED 7 . 9 wor~ out I ,w3: Tk lautl to exercise very actively, usually
exciting EXCITED 5. 6 by dOIng a programme of exercises every day or regularly
exclaim SAY 4 [phr v 11
exclude INCLUDE 6 . TAKE PART/BE INVOLVED 14 He works out every day in the gym. I I go jogging every morn-
excluding INCLUDE 7 ing and work out with weights twice a week.
exclusive EXPENSIVE 3 , ONLY 5 , REPORT 2
exclusive of INCLUDE 7
~ excruciating HURT/CAUSE PAIN 2 2 to exercise a particular part of you r body
excursion TRAVEL 10 exercise
excuse FORGIVE 1, LET/ALLOW 11 , REASON 5 , 6
exerclse / 'eks~Tsalzlto make a particular part of your
excuse me SORRY/APOLOGIZE 3 body move and work in order to make it stronger or to keep
excuse me? REPEAT 7 it healthy Iv T)
excuses: make excuses REASON 9 SWimming exercises all the major muscle groups.
execute DO 2 , KILL 10
executive GOVERNMENT 2 , MANAGER 1
exemplify EXAMPLE I , TYPICAL 3 3 activities that you do in order to stay healthy
exempt LET/ALLOW 11 and become stronger
exercise EXERCISE 1. 2, 3 , 4 , PRACTISE/PRACTICE 4 . exercise keepo-fltJaerobics
USE STH 2 workout training
exercise: do exercise/take exercise EXERCISE 1
'. exercise: get exercise EXERCISE 1 exercise I leks~ T sa lzl physical activity that you do in
order to become fit or stay fit [n UJ
The only exercise I get is walking to work. I Thirty minutes
1exercise /1.,.........."..."...,--- of squash gives you as much exercise as an hour ofany other
game. I strenuous exercise (=very hard exercise) Do not
start a programme of strenuous exercise if you have any
whIch meanIng? heart problems.
workout I' W3: Tkaut/ a series ofhard continuous exercises
do physical exerclse .. EXERCISE that you do regularly in order to keep fit In Cl
Start your workout with some gentle stretching exercises. I
IObecome~ I always feel good after a vigorous workout.
healthy keep-fltI••roblcs "ki:p 'fit, ~'r.xJblksl an activity in
pra!:llse In Older 10 . PRACTISEI which you exercise regu larly. usually in a class with other
people, in order to keep fit In U)
become bailer PRACTICE Our loca l gym does keeP1it classes. I / met him on the way
to keep-fit. I Clare's now into healthy eating and aerobics.
training /'trelnllJl regular hard exercise which you do in
order to get fit or remain fit [n Ul
EXERCISE
I do two Iwurs ' training every evening - an hour running
or swimming, and an hour in the gym. I You want to join
the running club? Training is at tpm Tuesdays and Thurs-
days.1 weight training (=which involves lifting weights)
The community centre offers such activities as dance classes.
aerobics and weight training.
4 a set of movements that is intended to
exercise a particular part of your body
exercise
• )(arcl •• / l e~ TsalZl a movement or a set of movements
that you do regularly in order to keep a particular part of
your body strong and healthy In Cl
The doctor gave me some exercises to h£lp cure my backache. I
Try this exercise: stand with yourleet slightly apart and put
your hands fla t on the flaor without bending your knees. I
do exercises She does a/ew exercises every morning before
brealifast.
exhale BREATHE 3
exhaust FINISHfUSE ALL OF 5TH 1, TIRED 5
exhausted FINISH/USE ALL OF STH 2 , TIRED 1
exhausting TIRED 6
ex haustion TIRED 7
exhaustive COMPLETE 2
• x hlb~ SHOW A FEELING OR ATIlTU DE 1, SHOW/LET
SB SEE STH 7
exhibition/exhibit SHOWILET SB SEE STH 8
exhibitionist SHOW OFF 2
ex hilarated EXCITED 1
exhilarating EXCITED 5
ex hilaration EXCITED 9
exhume DIG 2
exile/send Int o exile LEAVE YOUR HOME/COUNTRY 5
ex ist EXIST 1
. EXIST
to be something that is present as a physical
or living object, a real institution or practice
etc
1 10 exist
2 to not exist
1 to exist
exist occur
exlltence be in existence
there is be In operation
be found
axlst Ilg1ZISt/ [v I not in progressive I
Do ghosts really exist? I The Earth has existed/or more than
four thousand. million years. I The custom o[ arranged
marriage still exists in many countries. I It's no use trying
to pretend toot the problem doesn't exist. I there exists
There now exists a significant body 0/ scientifk research on
the subject.
axlstence / l glzlsl§nsl [n UI
the existence of When she was at university she began to
question the existR.nce 01 God (=whether God exisled). I It
was Louis Pasteur who first discovered the existence o[
microscopic organisms (=the fact that they existed) known
as bacteria. I existence Du.ring thefirst 40 years 0/ the UN's
existence th€re have been more than 100 wars around the
world. I sth's very existen ce (=the fact that something
exists at all) a small theater company that depends on
government grants/or its very existence I owes its existence
to (=exists only because of) The modern German economy
owes its existence to tire massive injection oJAmerican capi·
tal after World War II.
thare I. /~r Izl if you say thercis something, you mean
that it exists
444 expect
Do you think there is life on other planets? 1 There s still a
lot olpoverty in rumlareas. II didn't knaw th£re was a Com-
munist PartY in the United States. I There is plenty 01evidence
to suggest that children are bet~r at learning languages
tOOn adults.
be found /bi: ' faundl to exist in a particular place.
product, situation etc Iv phrase]
DeerareloulUi in many parts olWestR.m Europe. I The the"",
0/ a man trying to escape is found in many 0/ Graham
Greene's novels. 1 Calcium is/ound in large amounts in all
dairy products except buttR.r.
occur l'eJ ' lo:rl a word used especially in a scientific con·
text: if something such as a particular type of substance
or illness occurs in a particular place, it exists there Iv I
not in progressive I
occur in/at/between Chromium and nickel occur com-
monly in areas which are also rich in magnesium. I Whoop--
ing cou.gh is a condition which occurs mainly in young chil-
dren. I Tire Japanest! j sound does not occur in European
languages.
be In exlstence /bi: In IglZlstans/ to exist at a particu·
lar time or during a particular period (v phrase)
By 1985 there were less than 100 copies 0/ the book in exis-
tence. 1Mammals have been in existence[or many millions
o/years.1 remain in existence (=be still in existence) Few
o[ NieJXe's photographs remain in existence today.
be In o_.tlan /bi: In ,0po'reIJ.n 11 -,a:p-/ if something
such as an organi:r.ation or plan is in operation , it exists
and has started to do its work, have an effect etc Iv phrase ]
The British National Health Service has now been in opera-
tion for more than three decades. I Until the program has
been in operation/or some time we won't be able to sort out
any 01 the problems. I With the sysU!m now lully in opera-
tion the community will soon feel the benefits.
2 to not exist
~
non-exlatent
~ extinct
there ' s no such thing
non..x ••tent 'Inon IglZIstmt .. I1 ,no:n-I something that
is non-existent does not exist (adil
Food is scarce and luxury goods are almost rwn·exis~nt. 1
In rural Japan crime is virtually non-existent. I He kept put-
ting his hand to his head, as though adjusting a non-existent
hat.
extinct I Ik Ist IlJktf if a type of animal is extLnct, it does
not exist any more [adj l
The white rhinoceros is now almost extinct. I These cliffs
contain the fossilized remains o[ extinct animals.
there's no such thing I~rz Inau SAt! lelIJI you say
there's no su ch thing when you are very sure that some-
thing does not exist
I don 't believe in a Loch Ness Monster - there 's no such
thing! I there's no such thing as "Juan is theperfect man!"
"Don 't be ridiculous, there's rw such thing as the perfect
man!"
existence EX IST 1, LIFE 2
existence: be In existence EXIST 1
existence: eke out a living/an existence SURVIVE 5
existing NOW 4
exodus LEAVE YOUR HOMEICOUNTRY 4
exonerat e BLAME 5
exorbitant EXPENSIVE 5
expand BIG 12, INCREASE IN ACTIVITY, FEELINGS ETC
1. 2
expand on DETAIL 7
~ expanding INCREASE IN NUMBER OR AMOUNT 2
expanse AREA 5
expatriate FOREIGN 2
expect EXPECT 1, 4
expect: I expect EXPECT 2
expect: just what you 'd expect TYPICAL 2
expect: lead sb to expect EXPECT 5
expect 445
or wait?
• EXPECT
1 to believe that something will happen, for
example because it seems very likely, or
because it has been planned to happen
2 what you say when you expect something to
happen
3 to make plans or take action that depend on
something that you expect to happen
4 to expect someone or something to arrive,
especially because this has been planned
5 to make someone expect something
6 expecting something good to happen
7 expecting something bad to happen
8 ways of saying that something happens in the
way you expected , so that you are not
surprised
9 ways of saying that something happens
which you did not expect
10 words for describing someone or something
that is expected
1 to believe that something will happen, for
example because it seems very likely, or
because it has been planned to happen
expect think 8th Is likely
think anticipate
expect Ilk' spekt/ Iv Tt
expect sb to do sth No one expected the President to resign. I
He was rwt as enthusiastic as I had expected him to be. I
expect sth The army is expecting a W! oJ casualties in the
attack. I I had never been to a fortune-teller before and I
didn '/ really kTww what wexpect. I ThE roadworks start n£Xl
week and delays are expected for the nat few months. I
expect sth to happen I never expected this ta happen. I For·
tunately the operation went much better than we had
expec/2d I expect (that) Tom had been expecting that Louise
would pay him a visit and she did. I expect to do sth The
rent was £200 a week - much more than we had expected to
pay. I fully expect (=confidently expect that something
will definitely happen) I was fully expecting ta be offered
Fmancial assistance for my research.
expectation I lekspeklte lJanJ rn UJ He has little expectation
ofachieving success (: he does not really expect to achieve
it).
think 1919kf to think that something is likely to happen
(v T not in progressiveJ
think (that) When the policearrivedI thaught I was going
to get arrested. I When he started his own business he never
thaught that one day he'd be a millionaire. I think Just as
I thought. you're late again.
think ath la likely I ,9lg k (sth) IZ 'l.,klil to think it is
like ly that someth ing will h appen rv phrase not in
progressiveJ
Jerry says we'll be a ble to finish the job in two days bu.t I
don't think that's very likely. I think It Is likely (that) Do
you. really think it's likely that they'll grant us visas?
anticipate Ire nltl s~ peItI to expect that something will
happen, and be prepared for it Iv T t
EXPECT
anticipate sth Organisers are anticipating a large crowd
at the carnival this weekend. I Urifortunately, the ceremony
did not run as smoothly as had been anticipated. I antici-
pate that It is anticipated that by next year interest rates
will have dropped lJy 1 %. I anticipate doing sth I knew it
was an adventure holiday but I did!Wt anticipate spending
my days upside down in a freezing lake.
anticipation fre nltl s~ lpelJanl (n V I Brigg stared at the new
car with a sense ofexcited anticipation (: an excited feeling
of anticipating something pleasant) that he had not/eit since
childhaod.
2what you say when you expect someth ing to
~
happen
~ I expect my expectation Is
I bet/my bet is I suspect
I wouldn't be I would think!
surprised I should think
• expect laI Ik lspekt/
Hasn't Tony arrived yet? He'll be here soon, I expect. I I
expect (that) I expect your motlu?r will be overjoyed when
shE hears you're having a baby. I I expect so ''A1an will lend
you the money, won't he?" "Yes, I expect so."
• bet/my bet Is /al lbel, mal lbet IZ/ (infonnal expres-
sions used to introduce something that you expect to
happen because of what you know about someone or about
the way things usually happen)
She says she's coming to my party but I bet she doesn't. I
Sandra says she's never going to have any children, but my
bet is she has three kids btiforeshe's2S. 1It'soursummercar-
nival tomorrow. I bet it rains.
I wouldn't be surprised lal ,wudnt bi: SOlrl pra1zdl (used
when you think it is fairly likely that something will
happen because of what you know about a situation or
about someone's character)
They haven't been happy since they went to live in Australia
- I wouldn't be surprised if they came back. I "Do you think
the government will raise taxes?" "I wouldn 't be surprised. ,.
my expectation Is Imal lekspekltelJ im Izl (a fonna]
expression used to introduce something that you expect to
happen because of information that you have)
My expectation is that exports will double over the nextfive
years. I There has been no word from the kidnappers that
they will release a hostage, but my expectation is that tlrey
will.
I suspect la l SOlISpektj (used when you have a feeling that
something is going to happen, especially something bad or
unpleasant)
You'Ujind Rick's parents rather hard w talk to, I suspect. I
She won 't be g iven any extra holiday, and neither, I suspect,
will you. I I suspect (tha t)! suspect that 10 )IOOrs ofler the
book is published, nobody will even remember the name of
the author.
I would think (also I should think in British English)
la l wud 1911Jk. aI Jud '911JkJ (used when you think something
is likely to happen although you are not really sure)
Don't worry lfyou miss the train. There'll be another Om!
soon, I would think. I I would/should thlnk(that) I shauld
think Sarah and Greg will be going to the party, I I would!
should think so "Will you haveFmished work by 6.30?" "Oh
yes, I should think so. "
3 to make plans or take action that depend on
something that you expect to happen
in expectation/anticipation of
reckon on/figure on
count on
In expectation/anticipation of lID ,ekspek'telf,n,
renltl S~ lpelJan DV! if you make plans or take actions in
expectation or anticipation of something happening, you
do this because you expect it to happen and you want to
be prepared (prep t
In anticipation ofa visUfrom the health inspecwrs, tJw super·
market was tharoughly cleaned. I Foryears we've been living
EXPECT
with our suitcases packed in constant expectation of being
given permission to leave the country. I The workers have
called off their strike in expectation of a pay settlement.
reckon on (British) I figure on (American) !'rek,n on,
'flgar on 11 'flgj;}r om/ informal expressions meaning to
expect something to happen, so that you make plans or take
actions that depend on it happening lV T not in passive]
reckon/figure on sb doing sth We can reckon on about
lOO people coming to the meeting. I reckon/figure on sth
We had expected it to take about an hour to get home. but
wehadn'treckonedon tiU!trafflC. 1reckon/figure on doing
sth She owes the bank millions. but she's figuring on
making over $500,000 on a real estate deal.
count on I' kaunt on 11 ·o:n/ to expect something so much
that your plans depend on it happening and you are com-
pletely prepared for it when it happens lV T]
count on sb doing sth We've spent the past six weeks cam·
paigningfor Mr Clinton, so we're counting on him winning
this election. I count on sth Everything had been so well
organized but nobody had counl€d on the bad weather. I
count on doing sth Parents must count on spending time
helping their children with homework.
4 to expect someone or something to arrive,
especially because this has been plannec
expect
expect ! ,k' spekt! Iv TI
I'm expecting a letter from Japan. I Come in! We've been
expecting you. Iffyou 'd like to sit down and wait, Mr Pear·
son is expected any minute.
5 to make someone expect something
lead sb to expect
arouse expectations
lead sb to expect /.li:d (sb) tu Ik' spektj to encourage
someone to expect something, especially something that
does not actually happen [v phrase]
We were disappointed because the advance pUblicity had led
us to expect a really spectacular show. I The Iwtel had been
recommended, but it was not what we had been led to expect.
arouse expectations /~Irauz ekspek'teIJanz/ ifsome·
thing that someone says arouses expectations, it makes
people begin to expect something good or interesting [v
phrase ]
arouse expectations of The prime minister's remarks
aroused expectations Of tax cuts.
6 expecting something good to happen
optimistic
optimist
upbeat
optimistic /,optl 1 mlstIk .. IIlo:p-1 someone who is
optimistic expects something good to happen or expects
a situation to have the best possible result [adjJ
The team manager sounded quite optimistic when I asked
him about tomorrow's game. I "We should be able to finish
this job in a couple of days." "Aren't you being a little
optimistic?" I optimistic about In spite of all the problems
we remain optimistic about the company's/uture.
optimistically [advJ "Everything's going to he fine, " he
assured me optimistically.
optimism /loptJm lzam 11 Imp·/ [n V I I think the latest eco-
nomic report gives us some groundsfor optimism (=a reason
to be OPtimistic).
optimist IIDpt!m~st II lo:p_1someone who always expects
good things to happen and expects every situation to have
the best possible result In Cl
Anyone wOO works in politics has to be an optimist. If they
weren't, they'd get depressed. I "With three of our players
injured, do you really think we can win this gamer "I've
always been an optimist. ..
upbeat /1 Apbi:tj expressing a cheerful attitude and show·
ing that you expect to succeed, even though the situation
may not be encouraging lad) 1
446 EXPECT
The senator gave an upbeat assessment of the Republicans '
chances in theforthcoming election. I Altlwugh it had been
a bad yearfor the motor industry, manufacturers were trying
to be upbeat in their sales forecasts.
7 expecting something bad to happen
pessimistic gloomy
pessimist fear the worst
downbeat
pessimistic Ilpes~ 'mlstlk .. / someone who is pessimis*
tic expects something bad to happen or expects a situation
to have the worst result that is possible ladjl
Don't be so pessimistic. Things will turn out all right in the
end. I Their pessimistic oonclusion was that the company
would be bankrupt within the next two years. I pessimis*
tic about He was injured in last week's game and is pessi·
mistic about his chances of playing next season.
pessimistically ladvJ As Ruth pessimistically observed,
more people are involved in accidents in the Iwme than any·
where else.
pessimism I lpes~m l zamJ In V] Since the military coup, the
nation's mood. has been one of pessimism (=has been pes·
sim istic).
pessimist /'peslmlst/ someone who always expects bad
things to happen and expects every situation to have the
worst possible result In Cl
Henry expects everything to go wrong. He's an awful pes-
simist. If can't stand thesepessimists who are always predict·
ing doom and disaster.
downbeat / 'daunbi:t/ expressing an attitude that is not
at all hopeful and showing that you do not expect success
lad)]
Latest economic surveys are more downbeat as a result of the
recent decline in world trade.
gloomy 11glu:mi/ not having or offering much hope for the
future lad)1
With 25% unemployment in the area, people here have a very
gloomyviewo/thefuture.1 A year ago it seemed thatapeace
treaty was possible. but now the outlook is much more
gloomy. I Despite all the grave warnings and gloomy predic·
tions, the canadian PaciflC Railway proved a great success. I
gloomy about Most political analysts are gloomy about the
country'sfuture.
gloomily lodvl He spoke gloomily about tiU! prospect of a
prolonged civil war.
gloom rn VJ Gavendishfaced the future with a deep sense
of gloom (=feeling very gloomy).
fear the worst "fl~r ()~ IW3 :rstj a formal expression
meaning to expect a situation to have the worst possible
result because you know how bad the situation is I v phrase]
He 's getting his exam results tomorrow. I think he/ears the
worst. I After she'd seen Iww bad the newspaper reports were,
she feared the worst. There was no way a scandal could be
avoided.
8 ways of saying that something happens in the
way you expected, so that you are not
surprised
as expected live up to sb's
come as no surprise expectations
predictable be only to be expected
as expected Jrez Ik'spekt!d/ if something happens as
expected, it happens exactly in the way that people
expected it to happen [adv phrase]
As expected, the three men were sentenced to life imprison·
ment. I The results show, as expected, that heart disease is
most common in people whn are overweight. I as was/had
been expected Yesterday, as had been expected, the govern-
ment announced its intention to launch a public enquiry.
come as no surprise 11leArn ~z .nau sar 1pralz/ ifa piece
of information or a fact comes as no surprise, it is what
you expected [v phrase not in progressiveJ
After a series of political scandals, news of the president's
resignation came as no surprise. I come as no surprise to
EXPECT 447
sb Tina was shocked when she heard she was not being
promoted, but it came as no surprise to the rest o/us. I come
as no great surprise It came as no great surprise to hear
they were ge~ting a divorce.
predictable Iprl 'dlkbball happening as you expected. in
the usual or typical way radj ]
His speech was long, boring and predictable. I Barrat's reac-
tion to our criticisms was entirely predictable - he angrily
rejected everything we said. I The results of the survey were
very predictable. Over hill/the people interviewed said they
thought smoking was a bad habit.
predictably [adv1 Predictably, the Security Police were
cleared of all charges in the internal enquiry.
live up to sb's expectations ' 11Iv Ap la (sb 's)
.ekspek'telfanzl if someth ing lives up to your expecta-
tions. it is as good as you expected it to be (v phrase]
The show certainly lived up to our expectations - it was won-
derful entertainment. 1 The highly publicized new rail net-
work is not living up to our expectations - trains are still
not arriving on time_
be only to be expected ' l:xJnli t:) bi: Ikl spektAd/ if
something, especially something bad or unpleasant, is
only to be expected, it is what you should expect in that
situation Iv phrase]
He was expelled from the school, but that was only to be
expected, ronsidering hLfi bad behaviour. 1 l¥hen you're over
60, it's only to be expected that you can't do as much as you
used to.
9 ways of saying that something happens
which you did not expect
unexpected unannounced
unexpectedly out of the blue
unforeseen in your wildest dreams
contrary to more than you had
expectations bargained for
unexpected ' IAnrkl spektAd"l not expected, especially so
that you are surprised or not prepared ladj]
Allow a couple of extra hours'journeyfor any unexpected
ck/ays. I Altlwugh h€ wasn 'I a young man his dealh was still
rather unexpected. I the unexpected (=something that you
did not expect) And then Ihe unexpecred Iwppened. She
kissed me.
unexpectedly f ,Amk'spektldlil if something happens
unexpectedly, it happens when you are not expecting it,
usually so that you are surprised or not prepared for it
ladv)
I was just about to start my trip when, totally unexpectedly,
my sister said she was roming with me. 1 We rea!ived an unex-
pectedly large number of applications for the job.
unforeseen ftAnf::l:r' si:n'" unforeseen changes/ prob-
terns/effects/ obstacles etc (=ones which you did not
expect or prepare for and which usually cause you
difficulty) ladj)
We had to cancel our visit to Egypt because of unforeseen
problems. 1 Once you have started the training you will not
be allowed to leave, unless unforeseen circumstances arise.
contrary to expectations / Ikontldri tu ekspek'tel -
f ,mz 11 ,kamtreri-I a formal expression: if something hap-
pens contrary to expectations. it is the opposite of what
people expected to happen ladv phrase]
Contrary to expectations, Mr Stevens managed to fight off
the disease and lived to the age of 90. 1 contrary to sb's
expectations Contrary to everyone's expectations Michael
won the competition.
unannounced f IAnd1naunst"l unannounced arrival/
visit/interruption etc (=not expected because no one was
told about it before it happened) ladjl
Security is very tight, and unannounced visitors are not
encouraged. r arrive unannounced Bella atTived at JuUo's
apartment one afternoon, unannounced.
out of the blue 11aut ~v lid Iblll:1 if something happens
out ofthe blue, you are not expecting it at all [adv phrase ]
One evening she telephoned me out of the blue and told me
she was in some kind of trouble.
EXPENSIVE
In your wildest dreams ITn j:>:r Iwa Tld~sl 'dri:mz/ if
something happens that you did not expect in your wil-
dest dreams, it is so good that you never thought that there
was any possibility that it could happen [adv phrase ]
She was expecting to do well, but never in her wild£st dreams
had she imagined that she would get the gold medal.
more than you had bargained for 'Iffi:>:r 6anju: Jro
Ibo:rglnd f::l:rl if you get more than you had bargained
for, you have more problems or difficulties while doing
something than you had expected or prepared for
We got more than we had bargained,for when we bought the
house. It needed so much work doing on it! I Their sununer
vacation turned out to be much more expensive than they had
bargained for.
10 words for describing someone or something
that is expected
expected
long-awaited
be due
expected 'lklSpekt~df [adj only before noun]
The expected announcement that the President is resigning
was made earlier today. 1 Equipment must be available in
srif]r.ci£nt quantity for Ih€ expecred number ofsllKi£nts. I Sh£
spent all day tidying the Jwuse upfor the expected visit ofher
in-laws.
long.awalted /1101) ;}lweH~d H 'b:I)_1 a long-awaited
event. book. film etc is one that people have been expect·
ing for a long time [adj only before noun I
The long-awaited new magazine for nurses is being pu~
lished next month. 1 An invitation to the party gave me the
long-awaited opportunity of meeting the judge in person.
be due (bh 'dju: 11 - 'du:( to be expected to happen or arrive
at a particular time [v phrase)
When is your ba/:Jy due? 1 be dueat five o'clock/ thirteen
hundred hours etc Thejlightfrom New York is due at
10:30. 1 be due in an hour/ three months/ two days etc
I've ruined the meal and our guests are due in halfan hour! 1
be due to do sth He was on leave and not due to return to
the barracks until five days later.
::., expectancy: life expectancy LIFE 1
expectant BABY/HAVE A BABY 7, WAIT 4
expectation: in expectation/anticipation of EXPECT 3
expectation: my expectation Is EXPECT 2
expectations: live up to sb's expectations EXPECT 8
expectations: not live up to/come up to expectations
DISAPPDINTED 3
expected EXPECT 10
expected: as expected EXPECT 8
expected: be expected to do sth SHOULD/OUGHT TO 1
expected: be only to be expected EXPECT 8
expecting: be expecting BABY/HAVE A BABY 7
expedient WAY/METHOD 5
expedition TRAVEL 9
expel LEAVE A JOB OR ORGANIZATION 5, LEAVE
SCHOOL OR COLLEGE 3, LEAVE YOUR
HOME/COUNTRY 5
expend USE/CONSUME 1
expenditure SPEND MONEY 9
expense: at the expense of HARM/BE BAD FOR 1
expense: go to great expense SP END MONEY 2
expense: spare no expense SPEND MONEY 2
expenses SPEND MONEY 9
expensive EXPENSIVE 1, 3
• EXPENSIVE
1 words meaning expensive
2 extremely expensive
3 words for describing restaurants , clothes,
areas of the c ity etc that are expensive and
fashionable continued
EXPENSIVE
. EXPENSIVE continued
4 too expensive for you to be able to buy it or
pay for it
5 words for describing prices that you think are
too high
1 words meaning expensive
~
expensive costly
~ dear it'U cost you
COlt a lot not come cheap
high pricey
expensive 'I k I spensl vl costing a lot of money , especially
when compared to the pri ce of similar things [adjl . .
The tourists all had expensive Japanese cameras. I Wme IS
much nwre expensive here than it is in France. I TIu! wash·
ing machines all cost a lot 0/ money, and we decided to buy
the one that was the least expensive. I Buy ing a house can
be incredibly expensive these days. I expensive to run/ pro-
duce/ do etc Big cars like the Ford LTD II are extremely
expensive to run.
de.r Idl~rl a British word meaning expens ive, used espe-
cially when talking about things that are sold in shops (adj
not Wore noun]
These strawberries look a bit dear. I The blue jacket is
slightly dearer, but it :s a much beUer material. I No you can't
have an ice-cream - they 're too dear.
co.t • lot 1I kost 3 'Iot 11 IIo:st 3 'lo:tJ if something, espe-
cially something you do, costs a lot it is expensive [v
phrase I
Going to lhe cinema in London costs a lot. I I mannged to fmd
the bike I wanted but it oost a lot. 1 cost a lot to do 5th Did
it cost a lot to go to Turkey by train?
high Ihal' prices, rents. or charges that are hi~ are at a
level which is more expensive than usual lad) ]
Rents in Helsinki are very high compared to the rest of Fin-
land. 1lrif{ation means higher prices. I Many people cannot
,I
afford the highfees charged by lawyers.
costly kostJi 11 'lo:stliJ a plan, activity etc that is costly
is too expensive and wastes money [adjl .
Theflnance committee rejected their plan because they Sflld
it was too rostly . I Selling your house can be a costly and tune-
consum ing business. 1 Buying all tlwse computers was a
costly mistake.
It'll co.t you / ltl' kostj u: n· 'b:st-J an informal expres-
sion: if you say it'll cost you when someone wants to buy
something, you mean it will be expensive for them
"I really want to see Madonna in concert. " "It'll cost you!"1
You can get new parts specially machfor these, but it'll rost
}<lu.
not come che.., InO( leArn 'tJi:pl an infonnalexpression
meaning to be expensive, used especially when you think
that even though something is expensive. it is still worth
buying [v phrase not in progressive I
Gibson guitars don't come cheap, but they sound g reat. I
Hiring a good secretary won't come cheap, but it's worth it
for a small business.
pricey ,Ipralsij an informal word meaning very expensive
or too expensive, used especially when you are deciding
whether or not to buy something [adj not usually before
noun]
No, we can't eat here. It 's much too pricey. 1 I like this shirt
but it looks a bit pricey.
2 extremely expensive
coat a fortune
coat a bomb/the earth
astronomical
cost. fortune I,kost 3 1f:J:rtJanJ an informal expression
meaning to be very expensive [v phrase I
448 EXPENSIVE
Our car's broken down again - it's going to cost afortune
to get UFzxed. 1 cost sb a fortune That painting must have
cost you a fortune.
co.t. bomblthe earth "kest ;) Iborn, Oi 13: re 11 ,Io:st
~ 'ba:m-' informal British expressions meaning to be very
expensive Iv phrase]
I can't imagw how she affords to send her kids to that school
- it m ust cost a bomb. I Private health care needn't cost the
earth. 1 cost sb a bomb/ the earth The divorce cost me a
bomb.
••tronomlcal / ,rest:r3 l oomlkJol .. 11 -100:-/ a price or cost
that is astronomical is extremely h igh (adjl
The cost of building new subway lines these days is astro-
nomical. 1 Th epa inting was soldfor an astronomical price.
3 words for describing restaurants, clothes.
areas of the city etc that are expensive and
fashionabte
expensive exclusive
luxurious upmarket
fancy plush
posh cla88Y
expensive /I k' speoslvl !adj)
My uncle took us out to dinner at an expensive restaurant
in York 1Thelwuseison West Boston Avenue. DetroU's most
expensive residential area. I C/apton arrived at the club
wearing an expensive--looking suit.
expensively radvJ an expensively tailored suit
luxurlou. /IAg l zju<Jri~s, 13g ' 3ua ri;)S 11 1<lg' 3uari~s/ luxurt·
ous hotel/ apartmentlhouseetc (:::one that is expen s~ve
because it is large, very comfortable and has expenSive
decorations and furniture) radj l
The star owns a luxurious apartment in the centre of
London. I The hoU!l suiU! looked very luxurious in the
brochure.
luxuriously tadv l Her yacht was luxuriously furnisiu!d,
and there were gold taps in all the bathrooms.
f.ncv ,'frensil a word used to describe cars, clothes,
restaurants etc that look expensive, used especially when
you feel annoyed because you do not have enough money
to buy or use them {adjl
He drives around in a big fancy car and thinks he's some-
thing special. I J ust because she has all that fancy camera
equipment doesn 't mean sh2 can take better pictures than me.
posh Ipo! np<l!!1 a posh hotel, restaurant, car etc is one
that looks expens ive and looks as if it is used or owned by
people who have a lot of money and who belong to a hi gh
social class (adj )
When}<lu ....famous}<lu 'll be able to stay in a posh hoU!1and
drink champagn£ all doy. I Her father had hired a really
posh car to drive us to the wedding - I think it was a Rolls.
exclusive Ilk 'sldu:slvl places. organizations, clothes etc
that are exclusive are so expensive that not many people
can afford to use them or buy them [adj]
The store, in Harvard Square. sells exclusive designer
clothes. I Prina! Charles went to a highly exclusive boys'
school in Scotland.
upm.rkal 'lAp 'rna:rk~t"'l upmarket shops, newspapers,
houses etc are usually used or bought by people who belong
to a higher social class or have more money than ordinary
people, and are therefore more expensive [adj l ,
I was surprised when I saw her apartment - I d have
€XJ)i!CU!d a lawyer to have something a little more upmarket. 1
They dlm 'l like doing their shopping at ordinary department
stores - they prefer to use upmarket slwps like Harrods.
plush IplA!1 plush hotel/office/ apartment ete (=one
that looks expensive because it contains a lot of m ce fur-
niture. decorations ete) [adjl
We walked past the doorman into the plush reception area
of the Hi/ton HoU!l. I The vice-presilknt of the oompany had
a large, plush offlee on the top floor of an imposing sky-
scraper.
c ....V ,'k.1a:si lI 'kJresil a classy restaurant, hotel, area
of town etc is fashionable and expensive, and is used by
EXPENSIVE
people who have a lot of money or belong to a high social
class la<tjl
She took us to a very classy seafood restaurant in the old part
of the city. I Brookline is one of Boston '5 classier districts,
with large houses set in beautiful surroundings.
4 ways of saying Ihat something is too
expensive for you to be able to buy it or pay
for it
can't afford
prohibitive/prohibitively expensive
price 5th out of the market
can't afford 11 kamt C)'f:J:rd 11 ,krent-/ if you can't afford
something, you do not have enough money to buy it or pay
for it [v phrase]
can't afford sth I'd love a new car, but Ijust can't afford
it. I can't afford to do sth When I was young we couldn't
afford to take vacations.
prohibitive/prohibitively expensive /pro 'hlbjuv,
pl.lJ hIb~tlvli Ik J Spern>1v 11 pldU-/ prices or costs that are pro-
hibitive or prohibitively expensive are so high that
people cannot pay them or decide not to pay them because
they are too expensive [adjl
In those days air transport costs were prohibitive and fruit
had to be carried by ship. I For most people, the cost ofliving
in the centre of town is prohibitive. I Taking a company to
court over a claim can be prohibitively expensive.
price sth out of the market / ,pralS (srn) aUl ,v
0,
' ma:fkbtf to make something so expensive that people will
no longer buy it because they can buy something similar
at a lower price Iv phrase ]
be priced out of the market British electrical equipment
is likely to be priced out of the market by cheap imports. I
price yourself out of the market Ford don 't want to put
up their pricl!s any more - they're worried about pricing
themselves out of the market.
5 words for describing prices that you think are
[~ [ too high
~ exorbitant be daylight robbery/
extortionate
steep
be highway robbery
inflated prices
be a rlp.off fancy prices
exorbHant /lg1zJ:cb!t;)ntf prices or rates that are exor·
bitant are very much higher than you think they should
be ladjl
The restaurant charges exorbitant pricesfor not very good
food. I SoTrU! credit companies lend money at exorbitant rates
of interest.
extortionate /lkl sc>:rl an5tf extortionate prices, rents,
charges etc are very much higher than they should be and
you think they are unfair [adjl
Landlords charge extortionate rents because they know their
tenants have nowhere else to live. I You had to pay him $100
for ten minutes' work? That's extortionate!
steep fsti!p/ an informal word: prices, charges, rents etc
that are steep seem unusually or surprisingly high [adj not
before noun]
It's hard to find an apartTrU!nt in Hamburg and ifyou do the
rents are pretty steep. I $80? That 's a bit steep for a shirt isn't
it?
be a rip-off Ibi!;) I rlp off an informal expression: if you
say that something is a rip.off, you mean that someone is
charging much too much money for it [v phrase]
what a rip--offi They're charging £SOforcupfinai tickets -
what a rip-off! I be a complete/total/real rip·off I
wouldn't go to that club - it's a complete riJroif.
be daylight robbery (British) / be highway robbery
(American) fbi: Idelialt lrob~ci , bi: Iha1wel· n. Iro:·/ infor-
mal expressions: if you say that a price or charge is day-
light robbery or highway robbery you mean it is very
much higher than it should be Iv phrase)
I 'm notpaying £5foran ice<:ream - that's daylight robberyf I
449 EXPERIENCE
We knew it was highway robbery but we had no choice but
to pay.
Inflated prices / In,flert!d Iprals!z! prices that are much
higher than usual and much higher than they should be,
so that the person who charges them can make a big profit
InpluraLJ
Nightclubs often charge inflated prices for drinks. I at
inflated prices He makes his living selling soft drinks to
sumTrU!r tourists at vastly inflated prices.
fancy prices 'Ifrensi 'prals!zf an infonnal expression
meaning prices that are too high and which are charged
especially in order to make people think that they are get·
ting something that is of high quality In plural]
They charge all these fancy prices, but you can get clothes
which are just the saTrU! in any high street shop.
experience EXPERIENCE 1, 3. EXP ERIENCED 3, FEEL
HAPPY/FRIGHTENED/BORED ETG 1, FEEL
HOTlGOLDITIRED ETG 1, HAPPEN 12
experience: bad/terrible/dreadful etc experience
EXPE RIENCE 2
experience: have youth/experience etc on your side
ADVANTAGE 3
experience: know from bitter experience KNOW STH 1
j;. experience: lack experience EXPERIENCED 4
,[experience I
which
someihing tbat _
happens to someone
f)xpei!enoed In It job, -;; • EXPERIENCED
I!CIMtY etc " ,.
'~i'f¥~ .
a test or experl!nerrt .. . TESTI
EXPERIMENT
• EXPERIENCE
1 something that happens to you and causes
you to change or influences you in some way
2 a bad experience
3 to have experiences that are sad, happy etc
and that ca use you to change or influence
you in some way
1 something that happens to you and causes
you to change or influences you in some way
experience
adventure
fortunes
experience flk 'splaci;)nsl In Cl
The book is based on her experiences as a reporter in El Sal-
vadar. I Middle America was badly affected by the whole
Vietnam experience. I The Commission isaskingpeoplefrom
ethnic minorities to tell them about their experiences of
racism in the workplace. I quite an experience (=a very
interesting, exciting etc experience) Jumping out ofan air·
plane at ten thousand feet is quite an experience, I can tell
you! I memorable/ unforgettable experience (=that you
will always remem her) Meeting her after all these years was
an unforgettable experience, one I will always cherish.
adventure /;)d Ive ntI~ff an experience where interesting,
exciting, and sometimes dangerous things happen to you
Ine/ UI
The nwvie is about some kids shipwrecked on an island, and
the various adventures that happen to them. I The story of
EXPERIENCE
her single-handed voyage across the Atlantic is one oJ
heroism and adventure.
fortun •• , ' f:>: rtJ ;IRZ/ the experiences that happen to you
over many years, and how they influence the way you live
your life, how happy or successful yOll are etc. especially
when this is told in a story, film ete [n p lural I
The book is about the fortunes 0/ a family of settlers in the
Mid West. I Afler he IRft his hom£, his fortunes improved. I
changing fortunes The movie traces the changing/artunes
of a poor family in Southern Australia.
2 a bad experience
badlterrible/dreadful trauma
ate experience ordeal
nightmare
badlterrlbleldreadful ate e"perlenee I(bad, etc)
Ik ' Spl.i1ri.msf In Cl
You shouldn't let one bad experience make you give up
trying. I It was one a/the worst experiences a/my life, and
one I never want to see repeated. .
nlghtmara /' naltme;}rl a very unpleasant or frightening
experience that happens to you, when you feel that you
have no control over what is happen ing In C usually
singular I
Starting school can bea nightmare for some children. I As
the ship went down, people were rushing around in the dark
screaming and yelling. It was an absolute nightmare. I Let's
Iwpe that the dreadful nightmare of nuclear war never
becomes a reality.
trauma / t tr.>:I113, t traUrrg/ a very bad experience or shock
that has a lasting effect on you In C/ U)
June never recovered. from the trauma of her husband's
violent death. I The trauma children experience if their par·
ents divorce can last well into adult life.
ordeal /:>:r tdi:l. t:>:rdi:ll a time in which you experience
great suffering, anxiety, and often danger In C)
His ordeal began six months ago, when allegations about
his private life first appeared in the newspapers. I Despite
urui£rgoing a terrifying ordool, she was ablR to give the police
a detailed description of her attackers.
3 to have experiences that are sad , happy etc
and that cause you to change or influence
you in some way
experience
know
go throughllive through
experience I lk ' spl~ri~nsl Iv T not usually in passive I
I've never experiel'1C£d anything like the joy I felt when my
daughter was born. I At that nwnumt, I experie1lCi!d a strange
mixture offear and excitement.
know In:>u1 know hardship/ joy/ sorrow etc (=a word
used especially in literature meaning to experience hard-
ship. joy, sorrow etc) Iv T nnt in progressive)
In his seven short years, he has known war, [amine and
death. I I don't think I've ever known true happiness.
go throughnlva through I 'g.u ern:, 'h v ern:1 to ex-
perience a period of difficulty, unhappiness etc Iv T l
Betty'sgone through a lot recently - I think you ought to try
and be nice to her. I They were of the generation thot hod
lived through the Depression and a UXlrld war.
• EXPERIENCED
words for descr ibi ng someone who h as don e a
particular job or activity for a l ong t ime so
that they are skilled and k now a l ot about it
1 experienced in a particular job or activity
2 knowing a lot about tife, people etc
3 the knowtedge, skill etc that someone has
after doing something for a long time
450 EXPERIENCED
4 not experienced in a particular job or activity
5 not knowing very much about tife, pecpte etc
6 tack of experience
1 experienced in a particular job or activity
experienced old hand
seasoned know the ropes
practlsed/practlced pro
veteran
experienced I l k ' sp l ~ri~nstJ [adjl
Mr Bruce is a very experienced teacher; he has been work-
ing in this school for wn years. I As you become nwre
experienced you willfind the job gets easier. I experien ced
in sth Our doctor is very experienced in tlu?se matters; you
slwuld follow his advice. I experien ced in doing st h The
job would suit someone experienced in dealing with overseas
clients. I highl y experienced (=very experienced) Kale
WheelRr, a highly experrencedjournalist, has been chosen to
cover the story.
se.soned I l si:Z3ndl season ed traveller/ campaigner/
politician ctc (:=someone who has done something regu-
larly for a long time and knows all the problems involved)
[adj only before noun)
Being a seasoned travellRr, he wasfully preparedfor the tong
delay at the airport. I Seasoned campaigners liIre Sakharov
understood the dangers of speaking out.
praetlsad (British) I praetlead (American) 1' pr",ktlstl
someone who is practised in a particular job or skill has
become good at it through experience ladj]
A practised. observer would quickly rwtice changes in the
birds ' behaviour.llfall the", highly trainedandpracticed
engineers couidn 'tfb: the machine, then who could? I prac-
tised in a skilful salesman. practised in the art ofpersuasion
veteran "velar-ml someone who has been doing some-
thing important in public life for a very long time and is
respected by other people In C usually before noun I
veteran campaign er/statesm a n / b roadcaster etc
MilleU is a veteran campaigner for women's rights. I The
vel£ran broadcaster Alistair Cooke is well known on both
sides of the Atlantic. I veteran of Desmond Tutu, veteran
of the struggle against apartheid, was enthroned as Arch-
bishop of Cape Town in 1986-
old hand 1.:xJld thcend/ someone who has been doing
something for a long time and knows all the best ways of
doing it In Cl
Mrs BakRr will show you whot to do: she's an old hand. I You
can 'tfool an old hand like me. I've been buying antiquesfor
30 years and I know a fake when I see one. I old hand a t
Charlie will show you how to win money at the races. He's
an old hand at it.
know the ropes , . n:xJ t";~ t ldUps/ to know how to do all
the parts ofajob or to be abJe to deal with a system because
you have had a lot of experience [v phrase not in pro-
gressive)
The best way to learn is to spend some time with someone woo
knows the ropes. I It seems a very complicated business at
first, but don 't worry, you'll soon get to know the ropes.
pro Ipr.xJ1an informal word meaning someone whom you
admire because of their great skill and experience in a par-
ticular job, profession, or activity [n Cl
The business is run by pros who know exoctly what they are
doing. I old pro If there's arlSh down there he'll catch it -
he's a real old pro.
2 knowing a lot about life, people etc
experienced streetwlse
have been around hard-bitten
be a man/woman of the world hardened
sophisticated worldly
experienced I lkt spl a ri~nstl (adj]
Paul liked to turn to more experienced people for advice. I
EXPERIENCED
Rick was stili YOWlg, but he was experienced enough to know
when people were not relling the truth. I experienced In My
elder brother was a lot more experienced in these matters
than I was.
have be.n around /hav .bi:na'raund 11 -I bm-I if you say
that someone has been around, you mean that they have
had experience of many different situations and many
different types of people and so they can deal with new sit-
uations confidently and easily [v phrase]
When you '00 been around a bit you get to know wlw to trust
and who to avoid. I You could reil thot this guy had been
around, just by the corifuient way he talked.
be a man/woman of the world /hi: Cl .mren, Iwum:m
av 6a IW3!rtdj to be someone who knows a lot about life, has
had a lot of different experiences etc and is not eas ily
shocked by things Iv phrase]
The boss is a man of the world - I'm sure he'll understand.
sophisticated Isa'fIstlkeIt~d/ someone who is sophisti-
cated has a lot of knowledge and experience of clever,
fashionable things, and shows this by the way they talk and
behave ladj ]
Diana had become a glamorous, sophisticated woman who
knew all the rich and famous people in Paris. I a fashion
magazine that should appeal to the sophis ticated
businesswoman
streetwtse / lstri:twalzl an infonnal word for describing
someone who has had a lot of experience oflife in big cities
and knows how to deal with or avoid dangerous situations
or people ] a~il
Young kids these days are much more streetwise than we ever
were at their age - I suppose theY hove to be. I Spend a rouple
ofyears in a big city and you tend to become very streetwise
and cautious.
hard·bltten 1I ha:: rd Ibltn"l someone who is hard-bitten
has developed a hard, unsympathetic character because
their experience oflife has been difficult and unpleasant
law]
Miss Davies is not really the tough, hard-bitten business-
woman that she appears to be. I Sam's experience ofprison-
life had made him hard-bitten, cynical and ruthless.
hardened ,'ha:'dndl hardened criminal/cynic etc
(=very hard and strong mentally as a r esult of r egularly
dealing with difficult situations) lad} only before noun)
Even the most hardened criminal would have been shocked
by the brutality of the crime. I I hove seen hordened jour-
nalists become lost for words when con/ronted by her.
worldl, I' W 3:CJdlil having a lot of experience and
knowledge about life and the practical rather than the
moral reasons for people's actions ldilj)
For a priest he was surprisingly worldly. ! She was much
older and more worldly than I was.
3 the knowtedge , skill etc that someone has
after doing something for a long time
experience
experience Ilklsplarians/ [n UJ
Most of the school inspectors had at least ten years ' teach-
ing experience. ! Applicants/or the post 0/ Financial Direc-
tor must have had experience in banking and accountancy.!
previous experience Have you any previous experience of
working in industry? ! gain experience I'm doing volun-
tary work for an insurance company in order to gain
experience. ! wide experience (=experience in many differ-
ent places or situations) Jane's wick experience ofteaching
English abroad enabled her to understand the problems of
foreign students in Britain. 1 practical experience
(=experience of actually doing things) Some of the experts
know all the theories but have no practical experience.
4 not experienced in a particular job or activity
Inexperienced novice
lack experience rookie
be new to the uninitiated
untrained
451 EXPERIENCED
Inexperienced Illmk'spJarianst .. , [adj]
Inexperienced managers often have problems with their
stoffl There are afew inexperiencedpiayers on the team who
may feel nervous. 1 inexperienced in I was young and rela-
tively inexperimced indooling with m£mbers of the opposite
sex.
lack experlence / Ila:k Ik'splariansl to not have enough
experience of doing a particular job or activity [v phrase
not in progressive]
I know Sally lacks experience, but she's tremendously
enthusiastic. I lack experience of When Glover was put in
chorge of the department everyone knew thot he lacked
experience of management.
be new to Ihi: Inju: tu: ~ _Inu:-, to have had very little or
no experience in a partiCular job or activity. because you
have only just started it Iv phrase]
As you are new to the job we will not expect you to work as
fast as the others. 1 There are special skiing lessons for
anyone who is new to the sport.
untrained /IAnltremd .. , someone who is untrained is
doing ajob or activity that they have not yet been officially
taught to do law]
Untrained nurses are not allowed to treat patients who are
seriously ill. 1 untrained in Unfortunately, the school
library system has been designed by teachers, untrained in
library methods.
novice /Inov~s 11 Ina:-{ someone who has just started
doing a particular job or activity and has very little or no
experience [n Cl
The Eiger is a dijJi.cult mountain to climb. Novices should
not attempt it. ! complete novice (=someone who has no
experience at all) Even though I was a complete novice, I
managed to hit the centre of the target with my first shot.
rookie/I ruki/ an American word meaning someone who
is still new and inexperienced in an activity or job, espe-
cially in a sport, the anny, or the police [n Cl
Don't be too hord on the g uy, he's just a rookie. I The Red
Sax rookie pitcher Roger Clemeno mack a great debut at
Fenway Park.
the unlnltlatecl/Oi IAnllmfieu~d' a formal or humorous
word m eaning people who have no experience or
knowledge of a difficult subject or skill In plural)
tolfor the uninitiated To the uninitiated, most computer
systems seem complex and difflCult to understand. ! The
classes are designed for the uninitiated, to teach them the
basics of car mechanics.
5 not knowing very much about life, people etc
Inexperienced green
Innocent unsophisticated
naive
Inexpertenced 'IInfklsplarianstj ladj]
He's too young and inexperienced to go abroad on his own. I
I realize now that at the age of eighteen I was very inex-
perienced and painfully immature.
Innocent III nasantj having very little experience of the
world, so that you do not realize that some people might
want to cause others harm law)
He's so innocent that he'll never suspect we're lying. I Think
again before you involve that innocent young girl in your
criminal activities. I Monica, you poor innocent fool, don't
you see that you're walking right into a trap?
innocence fn VJ Dan's innocence prevented himjrom realiz-
ing that the man was a crook.
naive/nail i:v 11 na:'i:v' having little experience of life. so
that you believe that life is simple and are too ready to trust
people ladj]
I was too young and naive to realiZe that he was trying to
bribe me. I He hod a naive and childish belir!! thot Marxism
would solve all the world's problems.
naively ladv] He believed, somewhat naively, that love was
more important than anything else in the world.
green {grimj having very little experience of life, so that
you are easily deceived or fail to understand what is really
happening in a particular s ituation lad} not before noun)
EXPERIENCED
Even when I was 211 was so green, I had no idea that my
bestfrumd was on drugs. I Young Eleanor isn't as green as
you might think; she knew Roland wasn't telling the truth.
unsophisticated I thn s;>lflst~ke lt ! d" l having little
knowledge or experience of clever, fashionable things, and
showing this by the way you talk and behave (adj ]
She was a country girl, shy and unsophisticated. so differ-
ent/rom her rich cousins in New York. 1lfelt very ignorant
and unsophisticated when I was with my brother and his
university friends.
6 lack of experience
inexperience
lack of experience
inexperience '1Inlk ' spl<1ri;msl the fact of having little or
no experience in a job or activity [n UJ
The new teacher's problems in the classroom were entirely
due to inexperience. I If any of the new assistants makes a
mistake, the boss usually puts it down to inexperience.
lack of expertence "lrek dV I k I splari~nsl the fact of not
having enough experience in a job or activity [n phrase!
It doesn't matter about her lack ofexperience - we can easily
train her for the job.
experiment TEST/EXPERIMENT 1
experiment: do an experiment/test TEST/EXPERIM ENT 2
experiment on TEST/EXPERIMENT 4
experiment with TRY STH TO SEE IF IT IS GOOD 1
experimental TEST/EXPE RIMENT 5
expert GOOD AT 2. KNOW STH 6
expertise KNOW STH 13
expire FINISH/COME TO AN END 5
explain EXPLAIN 1. 3. 5, REASON 7 . 8 . 9
!\ explain: let me explain EXPLAIN 2
explain away REASON 8
1~::--~7"1
lexplain
-
whiChi meaning? .
.. ~ fl ,t"'''
explaln,lK!lP ~
to understand ' '--
. EXPLAIN
1 to make something easier for someone to
understand
2 what you say when you are trying to explain
something
3 to explain to someone how something works
or how to do something
4 to explain a difficult subject using simple
language
5 to provide full information about something .
such as a set of plans or ideas, in order to
explain it to people
6 a written or spoken statemenl that is intended
to explain something
~
"You say" is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English.
452 EXPLAIN
1 to make something easier for someone to
understand
explain enlighten
throw light onl elucidate
shed light on by way of explanation
explain Ilk 'spleln/ to explain something, for example by
describing it in a clear and simple way, or by providing
more information [v l i T]
explain sth to sb Can you explain the rules of the game to
me? I I'll explain it to you later. I explain sth I don't under-
stand this word. OJuld you explain it please? I It's too
diffICult to explain. I explain Let me explain, it's actually
very simple.
throw light onlshed light on I IBfdU Ilall on, ,fed Ilall
onf to provide new information which makes something
easier to understand, especially something which has been
studied, but which is still not well understood (v phrase]
These discoveries may throw light on the origins DJ the
universe. I Scientists working in the Gobi desert have thrown
new light on the lijeofdinosaurs. 1New light has been shed
on the behaviour oJBlack Holes, as a result ofthis discovery.
enlighten l lO llalln/ a formal word: if you enlighten
someone, you explain something to them or tell them about
something, especially because they have asked you to do
so [v T not in passive I
We are notfamiliar with this procedure. Could you enlighten
us? I She had no idea what was going on, yet Baldwin seemed
unwilling to enlighten her.
elucidate " 'lu:s~del tJ a fonnal word meaning to provide
fuller information in order to explain clearly something
which is difficult to understand or which has not yet been
fully understood Iv TJ
She collected any evidence which might help her to elucidate
the problem. I He fully elucidated this point later in his
speech.
b, wa, of explanation Ibal Iwel ~v ekspl~'nelfanl if
you say something by way of explanation, you add a short
statement in order to explain more clearly what you mean
ladv phraseJ
He added, by way ofexplanation. that the UN's role here was
purely advisory. I "Mr Wilrnou will be here shortly," his
secretary told me. "His train has been delayed," she con-
tinued, by way of explanation.
2 what you say when you are trying to explain
~
something
~ In other words put It like this}
let me explain put it this way
that Is let me rephrase that
to put It another way
In other words IIn IAo~r IW3:Tdzl (used to introduce a
simpler or shorter expression to explain the meaning of
what you have just said)
He was proud of his powers of persuasion - or, in other
words, his salesmanship. I He was being held here against
his will. In other words, he was a prisoner. I They believe in
one person, one vote. In other words, democracy.
let me explain I Ilet mi: Ikl splelOl (used when you are
going to explain something to someone because you think
they have not fully understood it)
[ can see you're a little confused, Let me explain. brilif/y. I [
know this investment sounds like a crazy iclea, but it isn't
really. Let me explain.
that Is /IOret Izf (used when you are explaining the mean-
ing of the previous word or phrase by giving more infor-
mation about it)
Thefare is reduced for children, that is, anyone under 15
years old. I Be sure to practise allfour language skills - that
is, reading, writing, listening and speaking - in every lesson.
to put It another wa, It~ ,put 11 ~ lllAO~ T ,well (used
when you have explained something in one way and you
are going to try to make it clearer by explaining it in a
different way)
EXPLAIN
Money makes money. To put it another way, the greater th2
investment. the greater the profit.
put It like this/put It this way / ,put It I.,k '0", ,put
It Ilhs wel l (used when someone is unsure what you mean
and you are going to try to explain in a way that will help
them to understand)
"So everyone passes the test?" " WeLL. put it like this - you
would have to be an idiot to Jail. " I Put it this way, honey
- what the boss doesn 't know isn't going to bother h im .
let me rephrase that I t let mi : ri: 1frelz 6rell (u sed wh en
yOll are going to use different words to say something
again. because you have just said it in an unsuitable way
and it may not have been understood correctly)
['m sorry, let me rephrase that. That wasn '( what I meant
to say at all. I I didn 'f mean to offend you. Let me rephrase
that.
3 to exptain to someone how something works
or how to do something
tell demonstrate
explain give Instructions
tell /tel/ Iv TI
tell sb how I what Marcus told me how the machine
worked.I This leaflet tells you Iww ro avoid getting malaria. I
If you tell me how to get there I'm sure I'll remember.
explain 11 kl spiel nl to explain to someone how to do some-
thing or how something works [v l/ T I
expain how/ what He explained how to get to the hotel
where tlll!Y were to meet. I There is a notice on the wall which
explains what to do in case of/ire. I explain sth This book-
let explains the new procedure. I explain Some o/you don't
know how our information service works, so I'll explain.
demonstrate I ldem:}nstre 1tl to show someone how to do
or use something by doing it or using it while they watch
you Iv IITI
demonstrate sth TIll! skiing instructor started the lesson
by demonstrating turning technU';ues. I Always demonstrate
to children the right way to cross the road safely. I demon-
strate how The company hired a trainer to demonstrate
Iww to use the computer system. I demonstrate Ifyou allow
me to demonstrate, you 'il see how easily it works.
give Instructions Ilglv Inl strAkJanz/ to explain to some-
one how to do something, especially by telling them in the
right order all the details of what they should do [v phrase1
give instructions about/ on The book gives detailed
instructions about maintaining and repairing the engine. I
give sb instructions The salesman gave me instructions
on how to use my washing machine. I The pilot was given
landing instructions over the radio.
4 to exptain a difficult subjeot using simple
language
simplify
demystify
simplify f ' s lmpl ~ fal l to explain something difficult in
simple language so that it is easier to understand [v TI
We have done everything we can to simplify the procedure. I
Her talk was excellent; she took a comprex situation and sim-
plified it in a way her audience could uruJerstand.
demystify " di! 'mlst1fall to give a simple, clear explana-
tion of an important but difficult subject so that it is easier
for ordinary people to understand [v TI
This new book demystifies some of the computer language
currently in use. I The professor has demystified the latest
discoveries in astronomy so that even children can under-
stand them.
5 to provide fult information about something ,
such as a set of plans or ideas, in order to
explain it to peopte
explain
set oul
453 EXPLODE
explain / ,k" ple ml Iv TJ
President Roosevelt o/ren made radio broadcasts to explain
and justify his policies. I The new l£ajkt explains the Labour
Party's position on unemploYl1umt. I The architect explained
his ideas for the new building.
.et out 11 set I aut! to explain facts, arguments, reasons etc
by stating them clearly and in a carefully planned order
Iphr vTI
set out 8th The group's policies are set out in a leaflet
entitled 'TIll! Green Way'. I She set out th€ reasonsfor her res-
ignation in a conFulentiaiietter to her boss. I set sth/ it out
Thefacts, as you have set them out, seem convincing enough.
6 a written or spoken statement that is intended
to explain something
explanation
account
Instructions
explanation I lekspl<"l' nellan/ (n Cl
Each of the diagrams was accompanied by a simple expla-
nation. I We can 'tfollow the teacher'S explanations because
they're all in French. I A new explanation of the structure
of DNA was published last week in the medical journal, 'The
Lancet'.
account /<"I lkaunt/ a detailed description of a process
which also explains how it happens and what makes it pos-
sible In Cl
So far no linguist has given us a satisfactory account ofhow
children learn language. I The modern account of the crea·
tion o/the universe is based on the so-called 'big bang theory'.
Instructions / m' strt\klanzl written or spoken infonna-
tion that explains in detail how to do something, how to use
something etc [n plurall
Read the instructions carefully before using the machine. I
I want to try out our new video camera but I can'tjind the
instructions. IBe/ore you start the test, switch on the (ape arui
listen carefully to the instructions.
explanation EXPLAIN 6 , REASON 2 . 5
explanation: by way of explanation EXPLAIN 1
explanation: find an explanation SOLVE/FIND THE
ANSWER 1
explanation: provide/come up with an explanation
REASO N 8
explicit CLEAR/EASY TO UNDERSTAND 1
explicit: be more explicit DETAIL 7
explode EXPLODE 1 . 2
• EXPLODE
1 ways of saying that bombs. chemicals etc
explode
2 to make something e xplode, espeoially a
bomb
3 to damage or destroy a building , car etc by
means of a bomb
4 the noise and violent force that is produced
when something exptodes
5 capable of exploding
1 ways of saying that bombs, chemicals etc
explode
explode go up
blow up go oft
explode /1k Ispl:xxl/ to burst suddenly and violently with
a loud noise, usually causing a lot of damage [v I1
The car crashed. and its petrol tank exploded afew minutes
later. I Becarejul with fireworks; they can explode in your
face.
EXPLODE 454 EXPRESS
blow up l .bl;MJ '''pl to explode and be completely des- exploit USE A PERSON 1, USE STH 2 , 4
troyed [phr v 11 exploits DO 9
Tlzeplane blew up when it was still on the runway. I David explore TRAVEL 6
ran away from his truck, thinking that the gas tank was explosion EXPLODE 4 , INC REASE IN NUMBER OR
going to blow up. AMOU NT t1
go up I.gat} lAp/ an informal expression meaning to explosive EXPLODE 5
explode and be deslroyed by a big frre [phr v 1I export SE LL 4
I can smell gas. Don 'I liglzla match or tlU! wJwlepJace might exports SElL 11
go up! I Grandpa was telling us aboUl his nul(V days and lww expose SHOW/LET SS SEE STH 2 , TELL A SECRET 1
his ship went up after hitting a mine. express EXPRESS 1, SAY/STATE 1
90 off I,g"" 'of 11 -'o:fl ifa bomb gcesoff. il explodes [phr express: can 't express EXPRESS 5
v II express Interest INTERESTED 1
The bomb wenl offin his/ace. I Luckily lhe device didn 'I go express no interest INTERESTED 7
off and. no one was hurt. express opposition: voice/express opposition to
AGAINST/OPPOSE 4
express your thanks/gratitude THANK 1
2 to make something explode. especially a express yourself EXPRESS 2
bomb
let off detonate
set oft explode • EXPRESS
let off 1,lel 'of 11 -'o:fl [phr v TI to let people know what you are feeling or
lel offsth We lel of/fireworks in Ihe slreel on 41h July. I let thinking
slh/ it/ them off The kids have been letting slink bombs off
again. 1 to express what you Ihink or feel . especially
set oH I,set 'of II -';dl to deliberately or accidentally using words. but also by means of physical
make a bomb explode [phr v T J signs
sel slh/ it/ them off Those responsible/or setting Ihe bomb 2 to express your ideas or feelings clearly and
off musl have known that the bor would be full a/people. I
set ofT sth The soldiers daren't move in case they set off a well
mine. 3 good at expressing your ideas or feelings
detonate /'det;me lt/ a technical word meaning to make clear[y and well
a bomb explode deliberately or acc identally [v TI 4 not good at expressing your ideas or feelings
Bomb disposal experts det.onated the bomb harmlessly in a clear[y
nearby FU!ld. I The device was designed to be detonated by 5 words for describing ideas. feelings etc that
whoever opened the parcel. are difficult to express in words
explode / I k'splaudl to make a bomb, especially a very
large one, explode IV TJ
The guerrillas exploded a device sim ilar to this Onl! last
month. I India exploded its first nuclear bomb in 1974. 1 to express what you think or feel , especially
using words . but also by means of physical
3 to damage or destroy a building , car etc by signs
means of a bomb express get sth over
blow up convey put sth into words/
communicate find the words to say sth
blow up I,bl"" ' hpl [phr v TI say
blow up sth The terrorists blew up all the bridges on the
road from the capital. I The ship was blown up by enemy .xpr••• / lklspres/ lv TJ
agents while it was in harbour. I blow sth/ it/ them up Our express sth He's alwaysfound it hard to express hisfeel-
mission was to get across the bridge and blow it up before ings. I Martin 'sface expressed rageand/rnstration at being
tile enemy could reach it. cheated. I Many of his films express the fears and anxieties
of the post-war years. I express sth by/ through etc
Workers traditionally express their discontlmt by going on
4 the noise and violent force that is produced slrike. lln this speech, Othello expresses hisjealousy through
when something explodes powerfuL images.
explosion expression / Ik ' sprelanl In Cl His poems were a desperate
blast expression of his lonelinl!ss and isolation.
explosion I I k' sptauynl [n Cl
conveV Ihn I vei l to express a sense of what you or other
Tile explosion shook the building. I The force of the explo· people are feeling or thinking, especially without stating
sion had broken all tlM windows of the houses in the vicin- it directly [v T I
His tone conveyed an unmistakable warning. I I tri€d to
ity 0/ the vehicle.
convey my sympathy by touching her hand. I His office con-
blast Ibla:SI 11 blre"l a word used especially in newspapers veyed an impression 0/ efflCiency and seriousness,
and in written descriptions of events meaning the noise
and violent force that is proouced when a bomb explodes communicate Ik;J'mj u:n! ken/ to manage to express
what you think or feel with words, movements, or by the
[nCI
Kemp was badly injured by tile blast/ram a high explosive way you behave Iv T I
bomb. I The mufJled blasts shook the walls and every light She tried to communicate her fears to her mother. I You can
in the building went off.
communicate your mood. to your baby without realising it. I
Andrea smiled at Jamie, communicating her affection for
him with her eyes.
5 capable of exploding ••V lse ll if someone's behaviour, appearance, or some-
explosive thing they produce says something, it expresses their feel-
ings, attitudes etc Iv T J
explosive Ilk"pl""Slvl [mUl say sth This painting says so much in such a simple way.I
Tilesegases are highly explosive and should be handled very One look said it a ll - Richard knew that Sally wouldn 't
care/ully. 1An explosive device was hidden on board the ship. marry Mm. I say a lot about (""express something very
EXPRESS 455
clearly) Thefacl sile didn'l invite her TTUJlher 10 her wedding
says a lot about their relationship.
get 8th over I,get (sth) 'CKJvarf to express an idea or feel-
ings to someone, espec ially someth ing that is difficult to
expla in , so that they can understand (phr v T J
Try to get this idea over to your students. I get sth over to
sb Ginafelt trapped and insecure but/ound it difJicult to get
this over to her husband.
put sth Into wordslflncl the words to say sth I ,put
(sth) ,"la IW3!fdz •• famd~;) ,W3 : f dz ta lsel (5th)! to express
your feelings or ideas clearly in words. especially when
this is very difficult to do, and you have to try very hard
to think of the right words [v phrase]
She tried to put these/eelings inro words. I He could notfind
th£ words to tell her that he was leaVing.
2 to express your ideas or leelings clearly and
well
express yourself
communicate
project yourself
express yourse" I lk' spres j;):rselfl to make your feel-
ings or thoughts about something known clearly, so that
other people are able to understand [v phrase)
lfmd it hard to express myselfin writing. I The children were
encouraged to express themselves freely and openly.
communicate /ka 'mju:n Akelt/ to make your feelings or
thoughts clear to others, especially by talking or wr iting
about them Iv II TI
The course is designed to enable people to communicateejfec-
tively in speech and writing. 1 communicate sth She's
clever, but. she mn't communicate her icIl!as. I communicate
with Many parents find. it difFzcult to communicate with
their teenage sons or daughters.
communication /b,mju:n! IkeIJi1nJ {n UJ Lack ofcommu-
nicatwn, not lack ofcaring. often makes marriages break up.
project yourself Ip"" d3<'kt jo:'selfl to express what you
think or feel in a confident way that other people admire
{v phraseJ
Sam projects himself well - he slwuld stand a good chance
in the interview. 1 Your problem ispresentation - you don't
project yourself very well.
3 good at expressing your ideas or feeling s
clearly and well
expressive
articulate
eloquent
expressive flk'spresTv/ showing very clearly what a
person thinks or feels ladj ]
She is a wonderful actress, with striking, expressive fea-
tures.1 The cameras caught Gorbachev's expressive hand
movements. I He had a quiet but expressive voice.
expressively [adv] She had tiny hands which she waved
.a round expressively when she spoke.
artlculate / o:r' t l kj~ I Atl able to talk or write easily and
effectively about what you think and feel [adj/
He is handsome, confident and. articulate, like many of the
students at this college. 1 You have to be articulate to begood
at debating.
eloquent / ' el ~kw~nt/ expressing ideas and feelings in
very clear, beautiful language, especially in a way that
persuades people to agree with you, or fully understand
what you are saying [adjl
She was an eloquent speaker. able to move and inspire
audiences. I The poem is full of eloquent phrases about the
beauty of nature. I Few will forget his eloquent defence of
individual freedom.
eloque ntly {adv] Stein eloquently describes the pain of
losing someone you love.
eloquence (n VJ Despite his charm and eloquence, there was
something about him that made him unpopular.
EXPRESSION ON S8'S FACE
4 not good at expressing your ideas or feelings
clearly
Inarticulate
be at a loss
Inarticulate f Ilno: r 't l kj ~ l !tf unable to express what you
are feeling or thinking because you cannot think of the
right, or best, words to use (adj)
Maisie had always thought of herself as being uneducated
and inarticulate, and was surprised that anyone should ask
her opinion. 1 They interviewed the boxer after the[ight, but
he was pretty inarticulate.
be at a 10sS /bi: ;}t ~ 'Ios 11 ~ Ib:s/ to be unable to express
yourself clearly or properly, especially because you are ner-
vous, upset, or embarrassed [v phraseJ
He asked her exactly why she wanted to leave, but she was
completely at a loss. 1 be at a loss for words She was at a
loss for words to thank them for this gift. I be at a loss to
explain [ was at a loss to explain my sudden fit of rage.
5 words for describing ideas, leelings etc that
are d ifficu lt to express in words
can't express
be difficult/hard to describe
indescribable
can't expres. / ,kQ:nt Ik' spres 11 Ikrent-/ (v phrase I
[ canTrot express my gratitude for your kindness. 1 She
couldn't express how happy and relieved she was. 1 Words
can't express the terrible grief [felt on losing my daughter.
be difficultlhard to describe Ibi: ,dlflkalt, ,ha: rd t:)
dl ' skralb/ to be difficult to express what a feeling,
experience, taste etc is like in words {v phrase]
The atnwsphere of tension and nervousness here is hard to
describe. I It's difJkult to describe the taste offrogs' legs,
they're rather like chicken only sweeter.
Indescribable / ,lndls ' kralb:;.b<111 if emotions, situations
etc are indescribable, they are so terrible, so good, or so
strange that you cannot describe them properly (adj ]
I woke up on the day after my wedding with a /e€ling of
indescribable joy. 1 The chaos and confusion was indescrib-
able. 1 Th e curtain rises on a scene of indescribable
loneliness.
indescribably (adv) A long, low moan, ind£scribably sad.
swept over the moor.
expression EXPRESSION ON SS 'S FACE 1. SAYING 1.
WOR D, PHRASE , OR SENTENCE 1
• EXPRESSION ON
SB'S FACE
the way som eone shows in their face what
they feel or think about something
1 the expression on someone's face
2 words for describing a face that sh ows a lot
of feeling
3 words for describing a face that shows no
feelings or opinions
1 the expression on someone's face
expression
look
expression /lk' spreJan/ln Cl
His expression became serious as he listened to her story. I
an expression of surprise/fear/ a musement etc "I'm not
going with him," said Maria, with an expression ofcontempt
on her face. I wear an expression (::::have an expression)
Wearing an expression a/utter boredom, Harry turned back
to his book. I expression on sb's face Have you ever seen
EXPRESSION ON S8'S FACE 456 EXTREME
the expression on someone's faa when they've just had a poker-faced f 'p;xJk;;t felst/ showing no hUmour or enjoy·
really bad shock? ment in your express ion, especially because you are not
look /Iuk/ sad/disappointed/annoyed etc look (=an amused by, or disapprove of, what has been said or is hap·
expression that shows you are sad, disappointed, annoyed pening ladjl
etc) [n Cl Our teachers were a dusty, poker-faced lot, who had long/or·
give a look of/ give sb a look of Hegave her a look o/com- gotten what it was like to be young. I poker-faced members
plete hopelessness. I the look on sb 's face (=someone's of the church hierarchy
expression , especially an angry. shocked or disappointed
expression) You should have seen the look on his/ace when expressionless EXPRESSION ON S8'S FACE 3
I told him I was leaving. I the look in sb's eyes The bored expressive EXPRESS 3, EXPRESSION ON SB'S FACE 2
look in Shelley's eyes suggested she didn't quite share my expressly CLEAR/EASY TO UNDERSTAND 1
enthusiasm. I dirty look (:::an expression of disapproval or exquisite BEAUTlFUUGOOD·LOOKING 4
anger) She's been giving me dirty looks all morning. What exquisitely BEAUTIFUUGOOD·LOOKING 6
have I dnne wrong? extend BIG 14. DISTANCE 4, INCREASE IN ACTIVITY,
FEELI NGS ETC 2. LONG 3 , LONG TIM E 9.
REACH 1
2 words for describing a face that shows a lot extend over LAST FOR A PERIOD OF TIME 1, SIZE 4
of feeling extended family FAM ILY 2
expressive extensive LOT/A LARGE NUMBER OR AMOU NT 1, BIG 4
animated extent AMOUNT 7, SIZE 2
extent: to a lesser degree/extent LESS 1
expressive Jlk'spreslvl [ad)1 extent: to some extent/to a certain extent PARTLY 1
He has black wavy hair and dark expressive eyes. I With her exterior: the exterior OUT/OUTSIDE 7
great voice and expressive/eatures. she would have made a exterminate KILL 8
good actress. external OUT/OUTSIDE 6, 9
expressiveness [n VJ Beauty is not about evenfeatures but extinct EXIST 2
about thi! expressiveness of the humanface. extinct: become extinct DISAPPEAR 3
animated f ' ren~melt~d' showing a lot of lively interest extinction DISAPPEAR 3
or excitement [adjl extinguish STOP STH THAT IS HAPPENING 11
As hi! talked about her, his face became animated. I Sheiia extort GET 9, TH REATEN 2
has the gift of keeping her expression animated and her extortionate EXPENSIVE 5
attentionfocussedfully on the speaker. extra ADO 6, MORE/EXTRA 1
extra large BIG 3
3 words for describing a face that does not extract FIND OUT 7, PART 7, REMOVE 1
extraction REMOVE 5
show any feelings or opinions
extraction: be of French/Italian/Russian ete
expressionless deadpan
extraction COME FROM/ORIGINATE 1
impassive Inscrutable extradite LEAVE YOUR HOME/COUNTRY 5
blank poker-faced extraordinarily VERY 2
expresslonless /lk ' spreJ.nl,s/ ladjl extraordinary STRANGE 6, UNUSUAL 1, 2
Oswini was watching her with expressionless eyes. IAs Gold- extravagant EXAGGERATE 3, SPEND MONEY 4
wyn sat expressionless behind his desk he told me I was no extreme EXTREME 1
longer needed by the company. extreme: go from one extreme to the other CHANGE
FROM ONE THING TO ANOTHER 1
Impassive flmlp<eslvf not showing any emotion. espe-
cially in a situation where you would normally expect extreme: go to extremes TOOfTOO MUCH 3
someone to be sad, shocked, upset, etc [adj] • extreme: go to the other/opposite extreme
The defendant remained impassive as the judge described OPPOSITE/REVERSE 2
him as evil and a menace to society. I Russell kept his/ace
impassive and rontinued to listen.
impassively [advl Adams was staring impassively at the
carnage caused by the blast.
EXTREME
blank fblrelJkf showing no emotion, interest, or under-
words for describing strong opinions and
standing in your express ion, for example because you are beliefs, especially political or religiOUS
bored, or have not been paying attention to what is being beliefs, that most people regard as
said [aQiI unreasonable or unacceptable
She looked at the blank/aces 0/ the children and wondered
if they would ever learn anything. I Sister AgI7£S looked 1 words for describing extreme opinions, beliefs
blank and Benedicta laughed. or people
blankly ladv I He stared blankly at the paper HI don '/ think 2 extreme behaviour or opinions especially in
he can read," whispered Betly. politics
deadpan " dedprenf deliberately showing no humour in 3 someone who has extreme opinions or beliefs
your expression, even though what you are saying or doing
is meant as a joke (adj only before noun I
She's brilliant at keeping a deadpan/ace when she's really
teasing you. 1 words for describing extreme opinions, beliefs
deadpan ladv l They look at each other d£adpan, and then or people
look at me. extreme ultra
Inscrutable f In I skru:t:}balf someon e who h as an extremist far
inscrutable expression shows no emotion or reaction, so hardline all or nothing
it is impossible to guess what they are thinking or feeling
[adjl extreme /Ikl stri:m/ [adj usually before rwunl
She looked for some response, but Jean's expression I cannot agree with her extretrn! views on abortion. I Tradi-
remained inscrutable. I the inscrutabl£ gaze of the palace tional Conservatives are worried that the extreme Right is
gunrds gaining a large/ollowing among younger party members. I
inscrutably [advl The little girl was staring at him, Rickman was an extreme advocate ofcompletely secular edu-
seriously but inscrutably. cation. I More extreme feminists argue that marriage is
simply I£galized prostitution.
EXTREME
extremist Ilk'stri:m~stf extremist political organiza-
tions have extreme aims that most people think are
unreasonable, and often do not work within established
political structures in order to achieve them ladjJ
Neither o/these extremist solutions seemed very popular with
tlu! voters. I extremist elements within the party
hardllne 11ha! r dlalnl having defmite, fixed. political opin-
ions and aims, and completely unwilling to accept or sup-
port anything different, or less extreme ladj only before
noun!
The anny is run by a/ew hardUne generals. I The imprisoned
leader of a hardline IRA faction went on a hunger strike
yesterday morning.
ultra /' AltfO/ uIlra-right-wlng/left-wlng/radical etc
(=far more right-wing, left-wing ete than usual) {prefIX I
The recent rise in ultra-right-wing politics has been accom-
panied by riots in eastun Genrumy. I The Socialist party has
been infiltrated by members o/the ultra-radical 'True Path'
group.
far Ifo:rl far-left/far-right (:::the most extreme left: wing
or right wing of a political organization, or among fol-
lowers of a set of political beliefs) ladj only before nounl
Some of these far-left parties seem to be more interested in
attacking each other than in opposing government policy.!
afar-right pamphlet called 'The New State'
all or nothing '1:>:1 :>:r I nA81fJI willing to risk everything
in order to achieve extreme aims, and refusing to accept
anything less ladj phrase ]
[ find her 'all or nothing' approach to life very disconcert-
ing. I With him, it:s all or rwthing. kill or die. He's absolutely
ruthless.
2 extreme behaviour. actions, or opinions etc
extremism
extremism Ilklstri:mlldmj In UJ
There has been a disturbing growth of extremism at both
ends of the political spectrum I The ideological extremism
of Zdhanov made him an outcast within his own party. I
Changing the electoral system might open the door to extre-
mism by giuing a degree ofpower to small minority parties.
3 someone who has extreme opinions or beliefs
extremist zealot
fanatic fundamentalist
hardllner diehard
militant lunatic fringe
extremist 11k 'stri:mlst/ someone who has extreme opin·
ions, especially about politics or religion In C l
The government condemns a ll people who want some form
of social justice as extremists. I There seems to be no end to
the war between Protl!stant extremists and the IRA. I The
temple was stormed by Sikh extremists.
fanatic Ifa'nretrk/ someone who agrees with and supports
very extreme political or religious aims, and is completely
certain that their own opinions are right, and that people
who disagree must be wrong In C]
Historians have portrayed Luther as a fanatic but this was
far from the case. I [realized he was a pro-Fascist fanatic
and dangerous to deal with.
fanatical (adj J He is known to supply arms and ammuni-
tion to fanatical separatist groups.
fanaticism Ifa 1nret!s lldml (n Ul Her religious fanat icism
has alienated most of her old friends.
hardllner " ha:rd'lamar, someone who believes very
deeply in a set of political aims and ideas, and will not
accept or support any changes to them, even if this
unreasonable or unhelpfuJ In Cl
Senator Jake Carn was a well-known anti·&Jviet hardliner
in the Republican party. I The Prime Minister has been criti-
cized by hardliners in his party for trying to appease the
unions.
militant IlmlJ!tantl someone who is willing to work out-
side usual political structures, and use illegal or violent
methods if necessary, in order to achieve political change
[nC]
457 eyesore
She used to be a militant but her vkws are no innger quite
so extreme. I A crowd of militants took to the streets to give
more strength to the anti·racist demonstration.
militant [adjl The newspaper is run by a bunch ofmilitant
feminists.
zealot IlzeJat/ someone who has very extreme beliefs
about something, especially about religion, and who thinks
that everyone else should live their lives according to reli-
gious rules and beliefs In C]
Afew zeaints strongly objected to the proposed sale of alco-
hol at the local store. I The department was kept under cons·
tant surveillance by anti-communist zeaints.
fundamentalist "fAnda'mental-lst/ someone who fol-
lows the rules of their religion very strictly, even when
these seem very unusual, and unsuitable for the modern
world [n Cl
My grandfather was a devoutly religious man - today he
would be called a fundamentalist. I Christian fundamen-
talists believe that the world was created insix days, and will
not allow their children to be taught other wise.
diehard /1 dal ha: r dl someone who completely refuses to
accept new ideas, especially political ideas, even after most
other people have accepted them In Cl
Salisbury, Walton and afew other diehards still refused to
join the coalition. I Despite the attitude of some of the die-
hards. more and more money was being spent on new
nursery facilities for working mothers.
diehard [adj only before nounJ The government supported
Burnell to keep his diehard supporters happy.
lunatic fringe " Iu:nauk 'frmd31 a small number of
people within a larger organization or movement, whose
ideas are so extreme or unusual, that most people think
they are stupid or a little mad In singular with singular or
plural verb in British Englishl
The lunatic fringe has really harmed the public image of
gays. I Animal rights campaigners blame the latest set of
bomb attacks on the lunatic fringe within the movement.
extremely VERY 2
extremism EXTREME 2
extremist EXTREME 1, 3
extricate yourself ESCAPE 9
extrovert SHOW A FEELING OR ATTITUDE 3
extrovert/extroverted FR IENDLY 3
exultant HAPPY 6
eye LOOK AT 3
eye: can do sth standing on your head/with your
eyes shut EASY 5
eye: catch sb's eye NOTICE 1
eye: have a good eye for TASTE IN CLOTH ES, MUSIC
ETC 3
eye: have eyes In the back 01 your head NOTICE 2
eye: have eyes like a hawk NOTICE 2
eye: In front 01 sb's eyes/before sb's eyes SE E 6
eye: keep an eye on LOOK AFTER SB 1, RESPONSIBLE
7, WATCH 3. 6
eye: keep your eyes peeled/open WATCH 7
eye: make eyes at LOOK AT 8
' eye: not take your eyes off WATCH 2
eye: sb 's eyes glaze over BORING 7
eye: sb 's eyes water CRY 6
eye: set eyes on SEE 1
eye: shut your eyes to/close your eyes to IGNORE 3
eye: there's more to sb/sth than meets the eye
SEEM 6
eye: turn a blind eye IGNORE 3
eye-opener: be an eye-opener SURPRISED 7
eye sb up LOOK AT 8
eye to eye: not see eye to eye DISAGREE 1
eyesight SIGHT/ABILITY TO SEE 1
eyesore UGLY 4
I~ I " You say" is used in definitions of some
~ words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English.
fable 458 FAIL

fabla STORY 3
F • FAIL
t o not be successful in something you are
doing
1 10 fail in someth ing that you are trying to do
fabric MATERIAL 1 2 to fail after trying very hard for a long time
fabricate INVENT 4
fabrication: be 8 fabricaUon UNTRUE 2
3 ways of saying that a plan does not achieve
0\ face DEAL WITH 5 , OPPOSITE/FACE 1, SURFACE 1
what it was intended to achieve
face: be written all over sb's face OBVIOUS 3 4 to have the opposite result to the one Ihat
'ace: can't look sb In the face ASHAMED 1 was intended
lace: fall flat on your face FALL 2 5 words for describing a plan or attempt that
face: In the face of DESPITE 1 seems certain to fail
face: on the face of It SEEM 3 6 ways of saying that an event is completely
face: put on a brave face HIDE/NOT SHOW 1 unsuccessful, especially because it was badly
face: sb's face lights up SMILE 2
planned
face: till you 're blue in the face POINTLESS 3
face down OOWN 2 7 ways of saying that a new product, book, film
face the music PUNISH 5 etc fails to achieve popularity
face to face OPPOSITE/FACE 1, 8 to fail an examination or test
PERSONAll YiYOURSElF 2 9 ways of saying that a relationship, especially
face--up UP 2 a marriage, is no longer successful or happy
lace up to DEAL WITH 5 10 ways of saying that a company, shop etc is
face value: take 8th at face value BELIEVE 1 unable to continue in business
faced with: be faced w ith PROBLEM 6
facet PART 9
11 a period during which a lot of companies fail
facetious JOKING/NOT SERIOUS 2 and a lot of people lose their jobs
facilitate EASY 7
facilities SERVICES 1
facsimile COPY 6 1 to fail in something that you are Irying to do
fail come to grief!
failure come unstuck
be unsuccessful not make It
not succeed
fall /feil/ Iv \J
fall t o do sth [ fa iled to convinee h im that I was r igh t. I If
facl$: infor~tion .... . INFORMATION wefail to deal with these problems now, they will get out of
control. I completely fail If they were trying to put us ou t
abc:l\l] I!OI1l8thlng or of business, they havefailed completely, I fall Desp ite a ll their
someone ... ~ ..jZ"!iIF~ ....._ ....~. efforts to secu re peace agreements, they have failed.
sometti'ng that'1s
true.
h!>W&ritlll atc
If"".~UE ,~
failure / 'feilj>' /In C/ UI
She never tries anything beca use she's terrijred offailure (=of
~. failing). I His ability has been ca lled into question after a
n umber ofrecent failures (=after failing a number of times
In fact, really " . IN FACT recently), I failure to do sth Tlrefailureof tlre inrernntionnl
comm un ity (=the fac t that it has fa iled) to deal effectively
fact TRU E 6 w ith the p rob i£m has cost thousands of lives.
fact: as a matter of fact IN FACT 3 be unsuccessful /hi: It\nS3k Isesfall a fonna! expression
fact: in fact IN FACT 1, 3 mean ing to fa il in something that you are try ing to do Iv
fact: It 's a fact TRUE 1 p hrase )
fact: the truth is/the fact is IN FACT 1 be Wlsuccessful in doing sth These days, many well-
faction GROUP OF PEOPLE 7 QualiFIed young peopi£ a re u nsuccessful in securing j obs. I
factor CAUSE 14, PART 9 &ientists have been singula rly unsuccessful in expla ining
facts INFORMATION 1 these developments in hUman history. I be unsuccessful If
10 facts: stick to the facts TRUE 3 a man has been repeatedly unsuccessful, he may well lose con-
faculty TEACH 5 Jutenee in himself,
fad FASH IONABLE 6 not succ. .d Inot sdk' si:d/ to fail or not be completely
fade COlOUR/COlOR 9 successful [v 11
fade: hopes are fading HOPE 9 if that was your p urpoSE, you didn 't a ltogetlrer succeed, I not
fade: the light fades OARK 4 succeed in doing sth The a uth or h as not succeeded in con-
fade away DISAPPEAR " 2 vincing the reader that h is theory is right.
'l; fade away: die away/fade away QUIET 5 come to grief/come unstuck I ,leArn td 'grd, IkArn
' faded COl OUR/COlOR 4 t\n 'stAkj infonna! expressions meaning to fa il seriously,
fall BROKEN 5 , EFFECTIVE 4 , FAil 1, 3 , 8 , 9 , 10 after fIrSt being successful, especially because you are
fall: never falls/works every time EFFECTIVE 2 try ing to do something harder than you are really able to
fail: without fail ALWAYS/EVERY TIM E 1 do [v phrase]
fail to do 5th NOT 00 STH 1 His attempt to cross the A tlantic on a raft soon came to grie[.1
fall to Impress: not Impress/faU to Impress IMPRESS 5 He'd better be more careful - he's come u nstuck before now. I
fall to notice NOTICE 3 She came unstuck when she tried to chali£nge people w ith
fail to understand: I fail to understand UNDERSTAND 13 more k nowledge and experience than herself.
not make" Inot Ime1k It1an informal express ion mean-
ing to fail in your job, especially because you do not earn
a lot of money or do not become well known and respected
Iv phrase]
FAil 459
She soon realized she'd never make it in lhecut-lhroat world
o/journalism. I No one was surprised when he didn't make
it as a pop star. I Thousands set out to befilm stars but only
a handful mnke it.
2 to fail after trying very hard for a long time
get nowhere for nothing
draw a blank/come to no avail
up with empty hands fruitless
In vain
get nowhere / ,get In~we;)rl [v phrase]
We discussed this/or /wurs, but got nowhere. I get nowhere
with I think you slwuld help her: she's getting nowhere with
those accounts.
draw a blank (British) I come up with empty
hands (American) l.drJ: <) 'blrel)k, ,urn Ap WI" .empti
I hrendzJ informal expressions meaning to fail to find or dis-
cover information you are looking for [v phrase]
Once again police investigators have drawn a blank. I She
tried to find out some/acts about her natural mother but
came up with empty hands.
In vain /In Ivern/ if you tried to do something in vain, or
if your efforts were in vain, you completely failed after a
lot of effort ladv phrase I
Doctors tried in vain to save him but he died just before
dawn. 1 Police have spent hours searching in vain for the
missing teenager. 1 The moment he came in I could seefram
my father's worried face that his journey had been in vain.
vain {adj only before noun] I remembered all my vain
attempts to change his mind.
for nothing lfa f 'flAOull ifall your work, preparation etc
is for nothing, you have tried to achieve something, and
spent a lot of time on it, butfailed in the end [adv phrase ]
All that hard work was for nothing. ThE contract went to
another company. I We didn't qualify for the race - all that
training for nothing.
to no avail Ita In~ alverl/ a formal expression: if you
tried to do something to no avail, you tried for a long time
or in many different ways but did not get any good result
ladv phrasel
I wrote him several letters, but to no avail. I We tried new
machinery, better materials, and different working hours,
all to no avail. 1 All our efforts had been to no avail.
fruitless /'fru:tlos/ fruitless attempt/search/effort/
negotiations/journey (=one that fails, after much effort,
to bring the result that you want) (adj ]
I spent the next three hours in a/ruitless search 0/ her room. I
Afrer weeks offruitlEss argument th£y finally agreed to go
their separate ways. I Their attempt to settle the dispute by
peacqul negotiations proved fruitless.
3 ways of saying that a plan does not achieve
what it was intended to achieve
fall come to nothing
not succeed not come off
unsuccessful come to grief
be a failure do no good
go wrong fall through
not work unproductive
fall/feil/lv 11
If this plan/ails, we'll be in deep trouble. I The government
tried a new approach to the problem, but this experiment
failed after only a few months. I Th£y resorted to military
action only after all other methods o/persuasion had/ailed.1
fail to do sth Conscription had failed to provide a solid
defence for th£ country.
failed [adj only be/ore noun] a/ailed aUempt to rescue the
/wstages
not succ.ed /not ~k'si:dl [v IJ
Hoover's att€mpts to boost the economy did not succeed. II
argued that neither strategy could succeed. 1not succeed in
doing sth The campaign might not succeed in eliminating
the disease but it would make people think about health and
hygiene.
FAil
unsucce••ful / ,Ansak'sesf.1I"1 unsuccessful attempt/
experiment/result etc (=one that has failed) lactil
Theuns~ulcoupwasledbyjunioroffu:ers.1 There/woe
been several unsuccessful attempts to find a cure/or this dis-
ease. 1 She received a letter/ram the college in/orming her
that her application had been unsuccessful.
be a failure /bi: a IfeTljarl if an attempt to do something
is a failure , it completely fails to achieve what was
intended Iv phrase!
The club 'sjirst attempt tofind new members was afailure.1
be a complete/total failure The new Musing programme
has been a complete/ailure.
go wrong /18;)0 lrol) 11 _IJj:lJ/ if a plan. action etc goes
wrong, or if something about it goes wrong, something
happens to make it fail after it has started well [v phrase]
At this point the experiment began to go wrong. I His
presidential campaign went badly wrong when questions
were asked about his taxation plans. 1 We Iwped/or so much.
What went wrong? I go wrong with Everything went wrong
with McFarlane's operation.
not work Inot I W3: fkl if an idea or method does not
work, it does not achieve what is intended [v IJ
This approach soTTU?times does not work with older stud£nts.1
I told Mom that I was too sick to go to school, but it didn't
work.
come to nothing /Iurn la InA81lJI if an idea or plan
comes to nothing, it has been talked about or thought
about confidently, but never actually happens [v phrase not
in progressive]
All her plans to travel around SouthAmerica came to rwth-
ing. I There had been talk of producing an illustrated edi-
tion but it came to rwthing.
not come oH Ilnot urn 'of/ if an arrangement or busi-
ness deal does not come ofT, it is planned and discussed,
but then something happens to stop it [phr v I not in
progressive 1
That $4 million export deal didn't come off after all.
come to grtef I.urn la 'gri:fl if an activity comes to
grief, it fails suddenly or seriously [v phrase not in
progressive J
His building business came to grief when the bank re/used
to wnd him money. I ThI! peace talks will oome to grW if the
terrorists strike again.
do no good 11 du: n;KJ I gudl if something you do to try to
help or deal with a problem does no good, it does not have
any useful effect [v phrase ]
He tried to kick down the door but it did no good. I You can
try and persuade hEr to change her mind, but I don't think
it'll do any good.
fall through / ofo:l '6ru:/ if a plan, arrangement or deal
falls through, something stops it from happening, with
the result that people are disappointed [phr v I not in
progressiveJ
The dealfell through because theycouldn 't get enough molWJl
from the bank. l It was unbelievable - it took two years to
set the whole thing up and it/ell through at the last minute!
unproductlve/,Anpr~'dAktlv"l a meeting, discussion etc
that is unproductive produces very few good results [adjI
The meeting was long and noisy, but unproductive. l It was
one o/tlwse unproductivecon[ronlations between unions and
management.
4 to have the opposite result to the one that
was intended
backfire
counterproductive
self·defeatlng
backfire I.breklfal~f 11 IbrekfaI<Jfl ifaplan or action back-
fires, it is intended to do one thing but instead does the
opposite [v IJ
His plan to get attention /xu:kfired, and instead of being
promoted hi! lost his job. I backfire on sb Trying to mnke
your partner jealous by flirting with other people can easily
bacjifire on you.
FAIL
countarproductlve / .kaunt<:lCpId 1dAktl v", intended to
make something better, but actually making it worse [adj
rwt usually be/ore noun]
Putting young offenders in prison can be counterproductive.I
Constant correction by a teacher is often counterproductive,
as the student may become afraid to speak at aU.
self.defeatlng "self dI1fi:tIlJ .. J an action or plan that is
self-defeating is not well planned or is badly done, so that
it produces the opposite effect from the on e intended (adj l
Taxing poor people to pay jor }wspitais is always self-
de/eating. I her self-defeating attempts to make him love her
5 words for describing a plan or attempt that
seems certain to fail
doomed
lost cause
non-starter
doomed Idu:mdf not having any chance at all of succeed-
ing ladjl
doomed to failure All our efforts were doomed to/ailure.1
Ifyou re/use to provide any information to the user, th£n your
computer program is doomed to failure. I doomed He said
that the capitalist system was doomed because it exploited
people. I his doomed attempt to escape I doomed from the
start Their business venture was doomedfrom the start, as
they did not have the necessary capital.
lost cause /.lost Ib:z 11 .b:st-/ something that people try
to do. although it seems very clear to other people that it
cannot succeed In Cl
Trying to interest most teenagers in classical music is a lost
cause. I an obvious lost cause like the government's attempt
to curb tile tabloid press
non-starter /non IstO!rt~r 11 no: n-/ an informal British
word meaning an idea or plan that has no chance of s uc-
ceeding tn Ct
He has an ideafora novel, but it looks like a non-starter. I
I'm afraid Peter's plan to payoff our debts by borrowing
more would be a non-starter.
6 ways of saying that an event is completely
unsuccessful, especially because it was badly
planned
be a fiasco
be a disaster
be a shambles
be a fiasco /bi: ~ fi' reskdU/ to be completely unsuccess-
ful, in a way that makes people feel disappointed and
embarrassed [v phrase]
It was a fiasco! Nobody knew wllat tlley were doing and
everything went wrong. I The slww turned inlo ajUlSCO when
rru!mbers ofthe audience invaded the stage. I be a complete
fiasco Th£ treasury's attempts to regulate exchange rates
were a complete jlaSCO. '
be a dls.ster /bi: ~ dl'za:s~r 11 _lzreS-/ ifan event, espe-
cially a social event, is a disaster, it makes people feel
angry, disappointed. or embarrassed, instead of being
enjoyable Iv phrase1
Our ju-st date was a disaster. I The whole visit was sorru!thing
of a disaster, and he was still recovering from it months
later. I be a totall complete disaster Even the host would
have to admit that the evening had been a complete disaster.
be a shambles /bi: ~ 'Jremhalz/ if a situation or event
is a shambles, it is completely unsuccessful because it has
been very badly planned or organized Iv phrasel
The whole coriference was a shambles because half the
speakJ!rs did not COrru!. I The way this sclwol is run is a sham-
bles. I be a complete shambles Let's hope this year's cele-
brations aren't a complete shambles likE last year's were.
460 FAIL
7 ways of saying that a new product, book, film
etc fails to achieve popularity
be a failure
flop/be a flop
bomb
be a failure /hi: ;:l 'fellj~r/ [v phrase]
Her first film was a commercial failure, but was praised by
the critics. I The latest model seems likely to be afailure since
cheaper versions are available.
lIoplba a flop /flop, bi" 'flop 11 -fla:p/ ifa product, play,
or performance flops , it is not successful because poop!e
do not like it [v 11
The rnoviefloppedfor several reasons. I It was just another
so-called 'wonder product' that flopped when people failed
to buy it. I Despite all the pUblicity, the show was aj1op. I
His new record re/eased in January turlU!d out to be a
complete j1op.
bomb /bom 11 ba:m/ an American word: ifa product, ptay,
or perfonnance bombs, it is not successful because people
do not like it Iv I]
The critics loved tile movie but it bombed at the box office. I
Altlwugh the show was a hit in Britain it bombed on
Broadway.
8 to fail an examination or test
fail flunk out
flunk bomb
fail /fed/ Iv II TI
fail sth He enjoyed the course. but he failed the exam. If
think shefailed her driving test again. I I passed English and
Geography, but failed Latin. I fail "How did you do in
Accountancy?" HI failed . ..
flunk /flMJk/ an American word. meaning to fail an exami-
nation Iv IITl
flunk sth I thought I was going toflunk math, but I got a
D. I flunk "Did you pass?" "No, I flunked."
flunk out /lflAl)k lautl an American word. meaning to fail
a course at college or university and be forced. to leave (phr
v Ii
flunk out of college/school etc Steveflunked out of Yale
because he did nothing but go toparti£s.1 flunk out ({you
don't work hard this semester, you're going to flunk out.
bomb /bom 11 ba:tn/ an American word meaning to fail
very badly Iv T I
I bombed the English !£St yesterday - some of the questions
were real tricky_
9 ways of saying that a relationsh ip, especially
a marriage, is no longer successfu l or happy
fail
go wrong
be on the rocks
fail /fell/Iv If
If your marriagefails it is hard to malre a new start in life.I
trapped in a failing relationship
failed fadj only before nounl And what have I achieved?
This house. two children and a failed marriage.
go wrong / Ig~u lrol) 11 _lr"J:I)/ if a marriage or other rela-
tionship goes wrong, or something about it goes wrong,
something happens or changes to make it fail after it had
started well [v phrase J
It was soon after this that the marriage went wrong. I Only
the two ofyou know what went wrong. I After a year things
started to go wrong in their relationship.
be on the rocks /bi: on 1I~ 'roks 11 -'ro:ks/ an infonnal
expression: ifa marriage is on the rocks, it is in difficul-
ties and likely to fail Iv phrasel
We knew for years toot their marriage was on the rocks.
FAIL 461 FAIR
Luckily, I sold my shnres just before the crash. I The Wall
10 ways of saying that a company, shop etc is Street Crash was disastrous/or many American business-
unable to continue in business men. I stock market crash (=crash in the organizations
fail go bankrupt that buy and sell shares in companies)
go under fold/go bust lean /lim/ lean period/time/spell ete (=a difficult period
close down go to the wall of time for companies because they cannot sell their goods
or services easily and cannot make profits) {adj usually
fall /fell/ [v I1 be/ore noun1
A large number o[ businesses failed when it became TTWre Annual pro/its are down again this year - like many other
diffLCUlt to borrow money. I 352 banks failed in the month banks we've been having a pretty lean time. I go through
of December. a lean period/time/spell etc (=be affected by a lean
failure Ilfcllj;}T[ [nel Last year saw a record nwnberojcom- period/ time/ spell etc) The car industry has been through
pany failures (""of companies that have failed). a really lean period recently.
go under l .g<:lU I AnddTI an informal word meaning that
a business, bank. or company fails [phr v J I failing that IF 3
When the company went under, some o[our workers found failure FAIL 1
positions with Ford. failure: be a failure FA IL 3, 7
close down I t kl<:lUZ ldaun/ if a shop, factory, Or business ~ f.inl CLEAR/EASY TO SEE 3, STRONG TASTE OR
closes down, it stops making or selling goods [phr v IJ SME LL 3, UNCONSCIOUS 2
Some of the mines are closing down. I The Museum of faint: feel faint ILL 4
Malaga amwunced that it would be closing down. ! When faintest Idea: not have the faintest idea/slightest
the/actorycloseddown, ha/fthecommunitywasouto/work. idea/least Idea NOT KNOW 1
closure / tkl<XJ3;}T/ (British) Ln Cl The colliery closure f.lr FAIR I . 2, 3, GOOD/EXCELLENT 9
(=closing) was expected, although the timing came as a fair: fair's fair FAIR 1
shock. fair: not fair UNFAIR 3
closing (American) [n UJ The closing a/the Minton Savings fair: play fair HONEST 2
and Loan was a great loss to the town. ~
fair: to be fair/in all fairness FAIR 2
go bankrupt I tg~ Ibrel]krAptl if a person or company fair amount: a fair amount of/a fair bit of LOT/A
goes bankrupt, they are legally forced to sell tbeir LARGE NUMBER OR AMOUNT I
property and possessions to pay their debts [v phrase1 fair bet: It's a fair bet PROBABLY 2
Her father went bankrupt in 1984. I He bought a small print· fair bit: quite a billa fair bit LOTlALARGE NUMBER OR
ing jirm that had gone bankrupt. AMOUNT 9
fair crack of the whip: give sb a fair crack of the whip
fold/go bust Ibuld, tg;:,u 'bAstl infonnal expressions
meaning to fail and be unable to continue in business [v 11 FA IR 2
Most of the companies dependent on the steel works folded fair means: by fair means or foul DETERMINED 5
within wet!ks. I The rubber factory where Mr Bucket worked fair-minded FAI R 3
suddenly went bust and had to close down. fair size: be a fair size BIG 1, 4
fair-sized BIG 1, 4
go to the wall /.g;:,u t;) 0;) Iw:l:Il an informal expression
:it. fair way: a fair way/quite a way FA R 1
meaning to fail and be unable to continue in business, espe- ~ fair way: a fair way/quite a way/a good way FA R 2
ciaUy because of difficult economic conditions [v phrase]
OVer 300 small firms have gone to the wall in the past year. I
High interest rates will/orce many small businesses to go to
the wall.

11 a period during which a lot of companies fail

and a lot of people lose their jobs
recession crash ,'futr pe!'II9!,1 01'
slump lean behaviour "
8ctlons, ~~~~onlr~:.,.-;":-;
depression
recession In IseJan/ a period when a country's economic '!ha! art bIIae.d ~
growth stops and there is less trade, so that many compa-
nies have to reduce the number of workers they employ ~reaaons
,~

InC/ UI
unfalr~or ~ . UNFAIR
The car industry, like most other industries, is feeling the
effects a/the recession. I severe recession (=very bad reces· .behavIo\Jl' c~_,',,",, ~ ·
sion) In times a/severe recession companies are a/ten/arced "
to make massivejob cuts in order to survive. I in recession actlor1s, detlslons ~C ' " WRONGI
(=sufTering from a recession) The economy is in recession Iha! are not b!l8lld on UNJUSTIFIED
and will remain so for at least another year. good .re/IIIOIl8
slump IsiAmpl a period when there is a big reduction in
trade so that many companies fail and many people lose
their jobs [n Cl
The JX)st-war slump sent the unemploymentjigures to twice . FAIR
the expecwd level. I slump in the car/building etc indus-
try There is a slump in the building industry at the nwment. reasonable according to most people's ideas of
justice
depression /dl'preJanl a period oftime lasting several
years wben greatly reduced business activity severely 1 words for describing a situation, system, way
affects a country's economic growth, and many people lose of treating someone etc, which most people
their jobs [n Cl
In Germany the depression in the late 1920s helped Adol/ wou ld regard as reasonable and acceptable
Hitler's rise to JX)wer. I Some economists are comparing the 2 words for describing a situation , judgment,
current world recession with the great depression a/the 19305. description of events 8te in which everyone is
crash IkrreJI a sudden and unexpected fall in the value of treated equally and no one gets special
shares in companies, with the result that many companies treatment
have to close and many people lose their jobs (n Cl continued
FAIR
• FAIR continued
3 words for describing someone who treats
people fairly
4 able to be fair because you are not personally
involved in a situation
1 words for describing a situation, system, way
~
of treat ing someone etc, which most people
~ would regard as reasonable and acceptable
fair reasonable
just fair's fair
fair Ife" 1 [ad}]
I'm always ready to accept fair criticism. I All suspected
criminals should have the right to a/air trial. I At one time
you would/ail the test ifyou made just one mistake, but now
the system is much fairer. I it is fair to do sth J think it is
only/air to warn you that I shall be watching your progress
uerycarf!fully. I it's not fair Louiseonly got thejob because
her father works there. It's not/air. I fair comment A man
with more ambition than ability - I think that's jair
comment.
fairly [advl Most a/our employees/eel that they have been
fairly treated.
fairness [n VI Judges will have different ideas offair1U!Ss
(=what is fair).
Just fd3Ast/ just decision/ punishmenUsettlement etc
(=one which gives someone what they deserve or have a
right to expect) [ad}]
Many ofus did notfeel that the court 's decision was just. I
a just and lasting peace
justice/'d3Ast ~ s/ [n Ul By 1973 there was a strong sense that
justice (=fair treatment) for women had been delayed too
long.
reasonable l'ri:un~baJ I an agreement or offer that is
reasonable is one that most people would regard as fair
and sensible radjl
"The more books you sell, the more we'll pay you." "Okay,
that sounds reasonable. " I Wefinally agreed on what I think
is a preUy reasonable compromise. I it is only reasonable
that U I do all the cooking, it's only reasonable that you
should look after the children.
'air's fair ' I fe~rz Ifed c/ you say fair's fair when you are
telling someone that they should do something because it
is right and fair that they should do it, especially after you
have done something for them
I did some baby-sittingfor you once and now I'm asking you
to do the same/or me. Come on,fair'sfair.
2 words for describing a situation , judgment,
I@ I description of events etc in which everyone is
'I\! treated equally and no one gets special
treatment
falc to be fair/In all fairness
equitable it is right that
give sb a fair crack balanced
of the whip even-handed
fair Ife,'/ Iad}]
We pay all our workers, men and women, a t the same rate,
r think that'sfair. I a fairer society in which every citizen
enjoys greater security I fair to sb The inspectors' report was
fair to everyone, and did not single out any individual for
blame. I it is only fair (that) Wepaidfor our eldest child
to go on a boating trip and it's onlyfair that we do the same
for the other two.
fairly [adv ] The world's wealth should be more evenly and
fairly divided among its peoples.
fairness [n U] Shouldn't we question thefairness ofa taxa-
tion system in which the poor bear the heaviest burden?
equitable l'ekw1tdbal, equitable distribution/ shar-
ing/ solution etc (=a formal word meaning giving equally
to everyone involved) [adj l
462 FAIR
The equitable distribution of resources and wealth must be
a priority of the new socialist government. I The territory is
claimed by both sides in the dispute, but an equitable solu-
tion to the problem is still hoped for.
equity In UJ Feminists have used a combination of strate-
gies to achieve equity for women. (=fa ir treatment equal to
men)
give Bba fair crack ofthewhlp I,g lv (sb), ,fea' ,krrek
dV (l)~ I W I p/ an infonnal British expression meaning to give
someone as much chance to do something as everyone else,
especially so that they can prove their abilities (v phrase]
I want to give everyone afair crack ofthe whip, so we'll take
it in turns to be chairman.
to be .alrlln all fairness It~ bi: 'fe~T , In 1:):1 I fedrn~ sl
you say to be fair or in all fairness when you have criti-
cized someone or something and in order to be fair you are
mentioning a fact to show that they are not so bad
Nadia's so bad-tempered these days, but to befair. she does
have a lot to put up with. I I've n£ver seen them play so badly ,
tlwugh in all fairness, it should be remembered that three
0/ their best players were ill.
It Is right that l it IZ lra lt (l)dt/ if it is right that some-
thing should happen, it is fair according to your idea of
equality
Tt is right that the people who earn most should pay most
tax.1 It isn't really right that Jimshould take all the blame
when everyone else was behaving just as badly.
balanced I ' bret'ns~ balanced report/approach/view /
judgement (=one in which fair and equal treatment is
given to all sides of an argument or subject) ladj usually
/xifore noun 1
'Newsweek' gave a reasonably balanced report on the crisis. I
Recently historians have taken afar more balanced view of
the Irish question.
even-handed / , i:van ' ha:ndl,d ... / treating everyone
equally and not showing special favour to anyone (adj]
Local magistrates are expected to respect the law and pro-
vide even-handed justice. I The BBC has the reputation 0/
being even·handed in its coverage of election news.
3 words for describing someone who treats
people fairly
fair
just
fair-minded
fair Ifea'l [ad) not usually before noun]
The boss is a hard man, hard butfair. I Now come on, let's
befair and give her credit for what she's done. I fair to sb
I've always tried to befair to all my children.
fairness [n U ] They appreciated the dealer's fairness in
pointing out that he could make no guarantees.
fairly [adv ] r believe I acted fairly when I expelled tlwse
students.
Just /dy.stl a formal word: a just king, leader etc makes
judgements and treats people in a way that is fair and
morally right lad}]
He was the perfect choice/or Emperor - just, patient, merci-
ful and of royal blood.
falr ..mlnded /Ifed ' mamdld ... 11 Ifedc Imamd1dl someone
who is fair-minded is able to see situations in a fair and
reasonable way and always cons iders other people's opin·
ions [adj l
The Chairman is afair-minded man, so will listen to any
criticism ofhis proposals. I She remained maddeningly fair·
minded, even about her greatest opponents - she could
a lways see their point of view.
4 able to be fair because you are not personally
involved in a situation
objective neutral
unbiased Impartial
dispassionate not take sides
disinterested
FAIR 463 FAITHFUL
objective '~b l dJektJvl not influenced by personal opin-
ions or emotions, especially when you have to make judg-
ments about something [adj]
['m afraid I can't give an objective opinion about this book
1fait hfu11--:-;--::;-:-:--~
~ ... fi '; :)J
because I wrote it. I It's always dlfJkult to be objective about
such a sensitive issue as abortion. I We cannot make a deci- which meaning? '" '
sion until we have an objective assessment of our business >
prospects. be faithful to a friend. • FAITHFUL
objectivity , .obd3ek ' trv!ti 11 ,o:b-I [n DJ Most quality an organization. . j:
newspapers aim at objectivity (=aim to be objective), but/ew country etc
achieve it.
objectively [adv] {{you're worried about your marriage. not be faithful ,- " UNFAITHFUL
get the advice of someone who can look at the problem
objectively. deliberately dQ , . --t • BETRAY
unbiased 'An lbalast/ not influenced by personal opinions something that harms
or a tendency to support a particular person Of side, and someone who trusts
therefore able to make a fair judgment [adj] you
This murder case has had so much publicity that it will be
difJiculttofindan unbiasedjury. IIwant fohaveyourfrank
and unbiased opinion on this article I've written.
dispassionate Idls'preJi1n~tJ a fonnal word meaning not
influenced by emotion and therefore able to consider
• FAITHFUL
things fairly and make a fair judgment [adj] always giving support or love to someone so
It is vety dijJ"zeult to stand back and takE a dispassionate look that you can be trusted by them
at one's own achievements and failures. I The cold, dispas-
sionate logic of Raymond's arguments drove mr crazy. 1 faithful to a friend , or an organization, country
dispassionately (adv] As he talked. Teri tried to consider ete
what m was saying dispassionately and she had to admit 2 faithful behaviour
that some of it made sense. 3 faithful to someone you have a sexual
disinterested Idls IInlc ~st~dl able to be fair in consider- relationship with
ing a particular situation because you are not involved in
it and do not expect to gain any personal advantage from
it ladjl
Do you want to hear th£opinion ofa disinterested observer? I 1 faithful to a friend, or an organization , country
afinancial consultant who can offer completely independent ete
and disinterested OOvice faithful staunch
neutral f 'nju:trol 11 Inu:-J not supporting any side in a dis- loyal stand by/stick by
agreement, argument, quarrel etc ladjl devoted be true to
1 never got involved in tlrelr arguments - I always remained
neutral. I Civil servants are supposed to be politically neu- falthful /'fe,Sf,l/ladjl
tral, serving governments of any political party with equal Helen is my most/aith/ul/ri£rui. I Tom /uuJ been a/ai/hlul
loyalty. member oftm Youth Club since he was thirteen. I faithful
neutrality Inju: 'trreJAti 11 nu:-/ In DJAs a professional medi- to During the political crisis most ofthe president's advisers
ator she was always careful to lnaintain a strict neutrality remainedfait/iful to him.
(:::to be completely neutral) in her consultations. 10yal /'b l~11 faithful even in times of trouble or when other
Impartlal /l m'pa:fIalf able to make fair judgments or people are no longer being faithful lOOjJ
decisions about a situation because you do not support Karen's very loyal. she never says a word against her
anyone who is involved in it IadjJ /ri£nds.1 Al/ his life he has beena loyal supporl£ro/the Grren
Historians try to be impartial, but they cannot free them- Party. I loyal to Most o/th£ soidi£rs have[led, but a/ew have
selves entirely from their own opinions. I Our representative remained loyal to the general.
attended the peace negotiations merely as an impartial devoted fdl 'V<lUt~dl devoted follower/friend/husband
observer. etc (:::one who is very loyal to a person because they care
impartiality I lm,pa:fIi'rel~ti l In UJ Sometimes 1 question deeply about them or because they enjoy or support what
my boss's impartiality (=think he may not be impartial). they do) ladjl
impartially IadvJ Perrauit and Francois were men who Antonia 's devoted husband took care oJmr during her long
administered justice calmly and impartially. illness. I Tire band has a small but devoted following who
not take sides /not telk 'Saldzl to deliberately not sup- go to all their concerts.
port either side in a disagreement. argument etc Iv phrase] staunch Isto:ntf 11 sto:ntf . strentfl staunch supporter/
not take sides in Tt is important that social workErs do not ally/friend etc (=always remaining faithful in spite of
takE sides infamilydisputes. I We cannot take sides in this problems or difficulties) [adj usually before noun]
cotiflict. but simply offer our services as a neutral third Tm US has been a staunch ally of Israel for many years
party. I not take sides She deals with arguments between now. I Even the Prime Minister's staunchest supporters are
her students assertively and fairly. and never takes sides. beginning to admit that they doubt tm effectiveness of her
policies.
fairly QUITE/FAIRLY 1
faith BELIEVE 5 , RELIG ION 1, TRUST 2 stand by/stick by J'strend bal, Istlk ball to give support
faith: blind faith TRUST 2
to a friend or country that is in difficulty Iv Tl
My mother stuck by me when 1 was dismissedfmm my job. I
faith: have faith In BE LIEVE 3
Sh£did not real/ystarui by Hert when his business/el/apart.I
faith: have no faith In BELIEVE 8
They were supposed to be our allies but they didn't stand by
faithful EXACT 2. FAITHFUL 1. 3 us when war broke out.
be true to Ihi: Itnl: tml an expression used especially in
stories meaning to be faithful to someone. especially a
friend Iv TI
" You say" is used in definitions of some You've been true to me a ll these years. How can I reward
words or phrases to show they are you? 1They would remain true to their oldfriend no matter
especially used in Spoken English. what happened.
 464

What.. the right word? 11 to make someone fall, tor examp le by

hi tting them or pushing them
What word is the picture illustrating? knock over/down knock sb to the
,
push over ground
What the 200 English students in our survey said : @ bring down
(make sb) lall 39%
tr;p (sb up) 24% Look at trip
other 37%
trip (also trip up in British English) /Inp, ,Inp
-"pI to make someone fall by putting your foot or
! Read tile choices al FALL another object in their way, so that they hit it
with their foot and lose their balance [v T]

You can see that trip is the most appmpr;ate

• FALL word to descri.be the picture
1 to accidentally fall from a hig h position
towards the g round What the 200 English and American teachers in
2 to fall to the g round from a standing our survey said:
position trip (somebody up) 87%
3 to lall Of almost fall from a standing fall over 5%
position other 8%
4 an act of falling

10 ways of saying that a large structure falls

d own, for example a building , wall, or
bridge
® 10 make someone fall , fOf example by
hitting them or pushing them
FAITHFUL 465 FALL
fall Into disrepute DISAPPROVE 5
2 faithful behaviour lalllnto disuse USE STH 9
loyalty allegiance fall Into place UNDERSTAND 7
devotion solidarity fall Into sb's hands GET 6
fall off FALL 1. 5
loyalty /'br.lti/ln CI UI fall off a log: be like failing off a log EASY 2
I would like to thank you allfor your loyalty. I loyalty to fall on deaf ears IGNORE 2
Sharon's loyalty L<;first of all to her family. 1 your loyalty faU on hard times POOR 5
lies with sb (=you should show loyalty to them) Where faU on your feet LUCKY 1
exactly do your loyalties lie - with the company or with your
faU out FRIEND 9
friend Mr Lowell? I unswerving loyalty (=unchanging
loyalty) Dalton showed unswerving loyalty to his employer fall out with DISAGREE 2
~, faU over FALL 9
throughout the trial. I divided loyalties (=feelings of .,
loyalty to two different groups) The war has created divided , faU over/down FALL 2
faU silent QUIET 5, TALK TO S6 17
loyalties in many families, setting brother against brother •
and father against son. , lallthrough FAIL 3
fall to bits/fall to pieces/go to pieces BREAK 10
devotion /d l1vdUJanf loyalty to someone you have strong
feelings of admiration, respect etc for [n Ul
devotion to He sJwwed his devotion to tlu! Presicknt by writ-
ing an article about his great qualities. I unfailing/un- • FALL
swerving devotion (=unchanging devotion) She cared/or
her stepmother with unfailing devotion throughout her long 1 to accidentally fall from a high position
illness. towards the ground
allegiance I;) 1Ii:dynsl a fonnal word meaning loyalty to 2 to fall to the ground from a standing posrtion
a leader, organization, or country, especially when this is 3 to fall or almost fall from a standing position
publicly stated in a ceremony [n VJ 4 an act of falling
Their way 0/ life Lft British, and their allegiance is to the
Queen. I proclaim/pledge your allegiance to Oppositinn 5 ways of saying that something falls from a
leaders have proclaimed their allegiance to the new high pOSition towards the ground
government. 6 ways of saying that rain, snow. leaves etc fall
solidarity / ,sDI~ I drer~ti 11 ,so!-/ loyalty between different as part of a natural process
social or political groups or between all the people in a 7 to let something fall , deliberately or
group, because they all have a shared purpose and need to accidentally
work together to s ucceed [n VI 8 to fall Irom a very high position
In this part ofthe country family solidarity is stronger than 9 ways of saying that an object falls onto its
anything else. I solidarity among Solidarity among black
people in South Africa is essential if progress is to be made. 1 side from an upright pOSition
solidarity with By writing articles in defence of the strike 10 ways of saying that a large structure falls
he showed his solidarity with the teachers. down, for example a building, wall, or bridge
11 to make someone fall , for example by hitting
3 faithful to someone you have a sexual them or pushing them
relationship with 12 to make something fall on its side Irom an
faithful
upright pOSition by hitting rt or pushing it,
Ildellty either accidentally or deliberately

falthful/ 'rerer_1! ladjl

faithful to When my husband goes abroad I don't know if
he's faithful to me. I faithful wife/husband/lover ete 1 to accidentally fall from a high pOSition
Maria liked to flirt with men at parties, but she was afaith- towards the ground
ful wife, he was sure. fall tumble
fidelity /fl'delltil the fact of being faithful to your wife, fall off be thrown
husband etc fn UJ take a fall
The qualities he respects most in a woman are patience,Jutel-
ity and self-control. fall /b:11 to accidentally fall onto or towards a lower level
by accident [v IJ
lake ARTIFICIAL 2, COPY 3, FALSE 1, 2, PRETEND 3 The thief was climbing out of a bedroom window when he
lall DARK 4, DOWN 14, FALL 1, 2, 4 , 5. 6 , 9. LESS 5 fell. I Don't stand on that ledge - you might fall. I fall out
lall: d,opllall COLD 7, LESS 7 of/from Fred/ell out o/the tree,fracturing his ann in two
fall: have a fall FALL 2 places. I The child had fallen from a fourthfloor window,
fall: take a fan FALL 1 but wasn't even badly hurt. 1 fall down the stairs/steps
• lall: take the lall BLAME 2 etc There was concern/or the Queen Mother yesterday after
,; fall about LAUGH 6 shefell down a short/light of steps at the airport.
fall apart/come apart BREAK 10 fall oH 11 f::l:1 l of 11 - 13:fl to fall from a place where you are
fall apart: be failing apart/falllng to bits CONDITIONI standing or sitting, such as a chair, a horse, or a ladder (phr
STATE OF STH 5 v llTl
, lall asleep SLEEP 3 Om! minute she was happily riding her bike along the street,
lall behind/drop behind SLOW 8 and Ih£ next minute she'dfalten off. I I watched her gylnrUlS-
~ fall/decrease/go down In value VALUE 7 tic routine on the narrow bar. "Don't you ever fall DJ]?" I
fall down FALL 10 asked. I fall otTsth Jim was laughing so. much that hefell

I
~
!
fall flat on your face FALL 2
tall 10'
lall guy
lalllll
lallln
BE LIEVE 2, TRICK/DECEIVE 4
BLAM E 3
ILL 5
FALL 10
fall In love LOVE 7
off his chair.
take a fall/ ,terk 0 'r"v
to fall off something heavily, espe·
cially when doing a sport or activity where this is likely
to happen tv phrase ]
She's in the hospital after taking a nasty fall off her motor-
cycle. 1 Even the most experienced professionaljockeys expect
lall in with AGR EE 2. FRIEND 6 to take a fall occasionally.
FALL
tumble IllAmball to fall quickly down a slope or down
stairs, rolling over and over and unable to stop until you
reach the ground Iv IJ
tumble down/ off/into etc She tumbled down the stairs
and Innded ina heap at the bottom. I Sh£ let out a yell oftri-
umph as she tumbled into the water.
be tlvown Ibi! 'er;)(Jn/ to fall offa horse or similar animal
because of its violent and sudden movements Iv phraseJ
The lOOman who was thrown/rom her horse unfortunately
landed on h£r head. 1Rodeo riders can suffer appalling inju-
ries after being thrown by bulls and steers.
2 to fall to the ground from a standing posrtion
fall over/down collapse
fall topple over
have a fall keel over
fall flat on your face go head over heels
f.U over/down 1.6:1 ':KJV3 r •'daunl to fall onto the
ground because you have lost your balance, hit something
with your foot ele (phr v 11
Mwnmy - I fell over and hurt my knee. I Sarahfell down
in the mud and laughed loudly.
fall lb,11 to fall to or towards the ground Iv II
fall to/towards The clown slipped on a banana skin and
fell to th£ ground. I fall He tripped andfell right infront of
me as we wereerossing the road. I You poor thing! Did you
fall and bang your head, sweetheart?
have a fan 11 hrev a I f=>:11 if someone, especially an old
person, has a fall, they fall and hurt themselves [v phrase
rwt in progressive I
My neighbour has had a/all and broken a rib. I Grandma
hod a bad fall in the snow thot winter.
fan net on your face 1(:):1 ,flret onj=>:T Ifel s/ to fall over
suddenly so that you are lying on your front on the ground,
especially in a way that makes you look funny [v phrase]
The last time I wore high-hocled shoes 1lell!lnt on my faoe
outside a restaurant. I He needed to be supported/rom both
sides to avoid/aUing on his/ace.
collap •• lko'lrepsl to fall suddenly and heavily onto the
ground, into a chair etc, because of tiredness, illness, or loss
of strength Iv IJ
One 0/ the horses collapsed from exhaustion after the race. I
Isobel appeared. to be momentarily overcome by the heat and
rollapseci into the nearest chair.
collapse {n singular I After Stephen's sudden collapse
during the meeting, he was rushed to the hospital.
topple over I ,top;;ll lauv;,f n ,tad to move unsteadily
backwards and forwards and then fall heavily onto the
ground (phr v 1I
He screamed and erred out Wore toppling over onto the sicfe..
walk_ I The calf suddenly became rigid, toppled over, and
went into a convulsion.
keel over 11ki:1 I;)()V;)fl to suddenly fall to the ground,
because you are ill or suffering from shock [phr v 11
She'd been complaining 0/ a headache all morning, and
suddenly she just keeled over. I As the j ury announced its
verdict, the defendant turned pale and keeled over onto the
courtroom floor.
go head ovar heels /g;)() ,hed ;)()V;)f 'hi:lz/ to fall with
so much force that you are thrown forward, and you roll
over and hit something [v phrase )
Sh£ stepped on the polishedfloor, slipped, and went head over
heels. crashing into th2 table.. I As the train braked he went
head over heels - he could have really hurt himself!
3 to fall or a lmost fall from a standing position
trip lose your balance
slip lose your footing
stumble
trip (also trip up in British English) ItrIp, ,trIP 'Apl to hit
something with your foot while you are walking or run-
ning, so that you lose your balance and fall or almost fall
Iv I)
466 FALL
I didn't push him, h£ tripped_I Th£ danger is thot old people
will trip and/all, and lay undiscovered in tiwir house/or
days. If didn't see th2 step and I tripped up, sprawling head-
long across tiwfloor. I trip over/ on sth Pick up that Ix>x
- someone might trip over it. I She tripped on a loose paving
stone and broke her ankle.
Slip /sIJp! to accidentally slide on something wet or
smooth, so that you lose your balance and fall or almost fall
Iv IJ
The horse sUpped as it landed on the wet grass, but recovered
and won the race. I slip on sth 1 slipped on a patch 0/ oil
and nearly/ell into th2 road. I slip over (:: : : slip and fall onto
the ground) It 's nothing serious, sh2just slipped over in the
hallway and grazed her ~.
stumble , l slAmball to hit your foot against something or
put your foot down awkwardly while walking or running,
so that you lose your balance and almost fall (v IJ
In her hurry she stumbled and spilt the milk all over the
floor. I stumble over sth Neighbors were alerted to the bur-
glary after they heard someone stumbling over tiw garbage
can outside the house.
lose Jour ba.ance / ,lu:zjJ: f 'brelans/ to suddenly fall
or almost fall when you are doing something that needs
balance, such as riding a bicycle or standing on a ladder
Iv phrase )
Dad leaned too far forward on the lodder, lost his bolan.c£,
and toppled off. I Be careful not to lose your balance as you
turn the corner.
lose your footing I llu!zj=>:f Ifut llJl to lose your balance
because something under your foot makes you slip, espe-
ciall y when you are walking or climbing over an uneven
or slippery surface [v phrase]
I lost my footing on the snowy bank and/ell in the river. I
He realised he was in danger a/loSing his/ooting and being
carried over the edge.
4 an act of fa lling
fall
'''llb,11the movementoffalling towards the ground from
a tree, wall, building etc [n Cl
When I was learning to ride a horse l luuJ several nasty falls. I
break sb's fall (=prevent someone from falling too hard)
Luckily th£ bushes under th£ wall broke my fall. I a 3Ofootl
20m ete fall (=a fall through a distance ofaofeetl20m ete)
She hod a 50ftfall and was lucky only to break h£r arm.
S ways of saying that something falls from a
high position towards the ground
fall
fall off
drop
'an lb,11 fv II
fall outlinto/ from ete Sh£ opened the cupboard and every-
thing fell out. I Can you help me? My car lreys have fallen
through a hole in th£ floorboards_ lIt fell off the table and
onto th£floor. I fall on Carifulthot box doesn 'tfall on you
Chorlotte!
'all off I ,b~ 'of 11 -'"fl ifsomethingfalls off a wall, piece
of furniture etc it falls to the ground because it has become
separated or broken Iv IITI
I didn't touch the handle, itjustfell off! I fall offsth It's not
just that tiles keepfalling off the roof - th£ whole house is
in a state 0/ disrepair.
drop Idrop 11 drmpl to fall suddenly from a high ptace
straight down onto or towards the ground [v 11
Two bottles rolled across the table. dropped onto th£ floor.
and smashed. I The otter watched th£ fish drop from the
bird's talons into the water below.
6 ways of sayi ng that rain. snow, leaves etc fall
as part of a natural process
fall
dfop
come down
FALL 467
lalllf,,11 to fall from the sky or from a tree Iv [I
It was October, and the leaves were falling. I fan off sth I
hope the plums won 'tfall offthe tree before they're ripe. I fall
on sb/ sth Th e raindrops fell on my bare head in a steady
patter.
drop /drop 11 dra:p/ if fruit, leaves etc drop from a plant,
or if a plant drops fruit, leaves etc, they fall from the plant
because they are ripe or because they are dying IV I/ Tl
Dying petals had droppedfrom the roses already. I drop sth
The peach trees were dropping their fruit jastf!r than we
could collect it.
come down ,. leArn I daunJ if rain, snow etc comes down,
it falls quickly and heavily (phr v 11
We can't go out now - the rain's really coming down. I Hail
came down like rocks and bounced off the windshield.
7 to lel something fall , deliberalely or
accidentally
drop
drop Idrop 1 dra:pl to stop holding something, so that it
suddenly falls Iv TI
Be oar<iful notto drop that bowl. it's very valuabl£. I I've been
so nervous lately and I keep dropping things. I "You Iuwe
dropped your handkerchief, Madame," lw said, smiling. I
She dropped a couple of sugar lumps into her coffee.
8 to fall from a very high position
plunge
plummet
drop
plunge /pl.-\nd31 to suddenly fall a long way from some-
where high up [v 11
The aeroplane's enginesfailed and it plunged into the ocean.. I
plunge off/ down/ into etc Their car swerved to avoid a
truck that went out of control, and plunged off the cliff. I
plunge to your death (=to fall a long way and be killed
as a result) A skydiver plunged to his death yesterday when
his parachute failed to open.
plummet I 'plAmlt1 to fall from somewhere hjgh up, very
quickly and very straight Iv l] . someone with a vehicle, so that they fall over and usually
The rope snapped, causing the climber to plummet several
hundred/eet down the nwuntain_ I All ofa sudden there was
a tearing sound, an escape of gas and tire hot-air balloon
plummeted.
drop Idrop 1 dra:pl the distance something has to fall from
a high position down to the ground [n singular]
Katoomba Falls has a drop ofover 240 metres. I I looked out
ofthe window - it was about a 2Qftdrop to tile balcony below.
9 ways of saying that an object falls onto its
side from an upright position
fall over topple over
fall tip over
fall over I If;):] IdUv;)rl [phr v 11
The bookcase fell over wlren we tried to nwve it. 1 The sign
outside fell over with a clatter.
lal[ Ib:11 to fall sideways towards the ground Iv l]
fall across/ ont%n top of etc A huge tree had fallen
across the entrance to the cave. I A pile 0/ crates fell on top
ofone o/the drivers as he UXlS storing them in the warehouse. I
fall [ watched, amused, as the tent pole teeteredfrom side to
sick, and then started to fall.
fallen ladjl The road was blocked IJyfall£n trees(=trees that
had fallen).
topple over 'ItDp.:J1 IdUV:;)r I1 Ito:-I if something topples
over, it moves unsteadily backwards and forwards then
falls to the ground [phr v 11
The baby put one more brick on the tower and it toppled
over. I That plant's going to topple over i/you don't put it in
a bigger pot.
FALL
tip over I.tlp 1;x}V;)rl to suddenly fall to the ground as a
result of not being properly balanced [phr v 11
I sat on the edge ofthe tabl£, and the whore thing tipped over. I
Don't put anything more on that shelf - it'll tip over.
10 ways of saying that a large structure falls
down, for example a building, wall, or bridge
fall down fall In
collapse cave In
fall down I I f:>:1 I daun,l to fall down, especially as a result
of being old or damaged Iphr v II
The housecouldfall down soon i/no one moves in and does
some quick repair work. I That autumn our barn fell down
in the storms and killed all the animals inside.
collapse Ik;) 'JrepsJ ifa building, wall etc collapses, it sud-
denly falls down because of a weakness in the structure,
or because of a sudden violent force [u 11
There was a loud explosion and the whole apartment block
simply collapsed. I The wall collapsed onto a group afchil-
dren wlw were playing next to it.
fan In I I fJ!] I Inl if a roof falls in, it falls to the ground
inside the building {phr v 1J
During the hurricane the roof fell in, and I was trapped
underneath for five hours. I fall in on if the ceiling isn'l
repaired it might fall in on us.
cave In I Ike1v 'ml if a roof or wall etc caves in, it sud-
denly and heav ily falls inwards especially because it is
weak and in bad condition (phr v l]
The roof has caved in, so the whole building has been
declared unsafe. I cave in on During the denwlition, steel
pillars were used to prevent the concrete ceiling caving in on
the workers.
11 to make someone fall , for example by hitting
them or pushing them
knock over/down knock sb to the
push over ground
trip/trip up bring down
knock over/down I I nok I;)UV;)r , 'daun 11 I na:k-J to hit
get injured or killed [phr v TJ
knock over/ down sb He knocked down an old worrmn
crossing the road and drove offwithout reporting it. 1Quick.
someone 's been knocked over - call an ambulance!
push over I ,pof IdUv~rl to deliberately push someone
with your hand so that they fall to the ground [phr v TJ
push sb/ her/ them etc over Another little kid came and
pushed him over onto the grass. I push over sb A couple of
youths pushed over the old man and snatched his wallet.
trip (also trip up in British English) It"p, ,trip 'hpl to
make someone fall by putting your foot or another object
in their way, so that they hit it with their foot and lose their
balance Iv Tl
trip sb The referee gave a penalty after the goalkeeper
accidentally tripped another player in the 60th minute. I One
of the athletes claimed she hadn't fallen, but had been
tripped. I trip sb up We stuck out a long pole and. tripped
him up.
knock sb to the ground I,nok(sb) t./);) 'graund 11,na:k-I
to hit someone so hard that they lose their balance and fall
to the ground [v phrase1
His assailant knocked him to the ground and. ran of/with
the suitcase. I Suddenly I was knocked to the ground by a
piece offlying timber.
bring down I Ibm] 'daunl to make someone fall to the
ground, especialJy by jumping on them or hold ing them
around the waist [phr v TJ
bring sb/ her/ them etc down I threw myself at him as he
tried to escape, and brought him down at once. I bring down
sb The lioness leaptjrom her crouching ]XJsition, to bring
down her quarry.
FALL
12 to make something fall on its side from an
upright position by hitting it or pushing it,
either accidentally or deliberately
knock over lip over/up
upset overturn
knock over I,nok 13UV3 T n rna:k-/lphr v TJ
knock over sth She turned around so Quickly that she
knocked over tlu! stool. I knock sth / it/th em over He
knocked a candlestick over when he got up from the table. !
We used to set a tin can on a tree trunk and throw stotze.lJ at
it until we knocked it over.
upset /I\plset/ to accidentally knock or push something
over, so that its contents fall out and spread over a wide
area Iv TI
When I went to visit my Aunt I upset a vase afflowers all over
her new carpet. I Standing on a chair to get a better view of
the experiment Bill upset a whole bottle DJ acid onto the table.
tip over/up I .t l p l;:KJVd T , lAp / to make something fall over.
usually by accident, by making it lose balance [phr v TJ
Someone tipped the Christmas tr(!£ over and all the branches
got broken.
overtum I1 dUV3 T I t3: TnJ to make something fall on its side
or turn something over completely, especially by pushing
it very hard [v T]
The wind was so strong that it overturned dustbins. and even
parked cars. I We knew at once that we'd been burglarized.
Furniture had been overturned and drawers were emptied
all over the floor.
fallacy BELIEVE 15
fallout RESULT 4
false ARTIFICIAL 2. FALSE 1, PRETEND 3. UNTRUE
2, WRONG/INCORRECT 2
false name NAME OF A PERSON 3
false pretences: under false pretences
TRICK/DECEIVE 10
false start START DOING STH 11
468 FAMILY
false /fo:ls/ladj usually Wore noun I
I wore an eyepatch and a false moustache. I The cupboard
has a fa lse back and the drugs were hidden behind it. I He
has been using a false identity to cover up his criminal
activities.
fake /felk! an infonnal word for false ladjl
He offered to sell me afake passport for $600. I J could tell
the signature wasfake - it had obviously been added later.
phoney/phony /1 f;mnif an informa1 word: something
that is phoney is false, but is usually obviously false, so
that people realize it is not real Iadj usually before noun]
I left a phoney name but the right telephone number. I He
tried to get in using a phony ID card.
2 an object, document, painting etc that is false
fake
forgery
dummy
fake I felkj an object that is made to deceive people into
th inking that it is old, valuable, or made by a famous
person In Cl
Is the painting a genuine Picasso, or a fake? I The carving
turned out to be a clever fake.
forgery I l b:rd3~ril a picture, letter, or official document
that is not what it seems, but is made to deceive people [n Cl
TIu! cheque must be aforgery. I Jftheydiscover thattlu! will
is a forgery, you will go to jail.
dummy f IdAmil a d ummy object is one that is made to
look like the real object but cannot be used [adj only before
noun]
The soldiers paraded with dummy ri./7£S madeofwood and
painted black. I The little boy had his own dummy
steering-wheel.
falsehood L1EfTELL A LIE 2
falsify CHANGE/MAKE STH DIFFERENT 4
fame FAMOUS 7
fame: be at the height of your fame FAMOUS 1
fame : rise to fame/achieve fame/win fame FAMOUS 6

Ifalsel-------. fam i liar FRIE NDLY 6, RECOGN IZE 2, USED TOI

ACCUSTOMED TO 2
familiar: be familiar with KNOW STH 3
which meaning? familiar: not be fam iliar with/be unfamiliar with NOT
KNOW 4
• FALSE familiarize yourself with LEARN 1
not real, but intended
family FAM ILY 1, 2, 3
to appear real In family: extended family FAM ILY 2
order to deceive family: one-parent family/single-parent family
people FAMILY 1
family : run in the family FAM ILY 3
I;Irtificial, not natural j It ARTIFICIAL family name NAME OF A PERSON 1
pretend to do or ~ _ PRETEND
somethl,,9 • FAMILY
1 a family whose members all live in the same
. FALSE house
2 a group of people who are all related to each
1 words for describing objects, documents etc other
that are not real, but are intended to appear 3 belonging to or involving the people in a
real in order to deceive people family
2 an object. document, painting etc that is false 4 to belong to the same family
5 someone who belongs to your family
6 someone who is related to you because they
have married someone in your family
1 words for describing objects, documents etc 7 ways of saying that you are related to people
that are not real, but are intended to appear who lived a long time ago
real in order to deceive people 8 ways of saying that two pecple have children
false together
fake
phoney/phony
FAMILY
1 a lamily whose members all live in the same
house
family folks
nuclear family background
one-parent famllyl parents
single-parent family
family ' Ifrerwlil a group of people who are related to each
other and live together, for example a mother, father, sons
and daughters [n C with singular or plural verb in British
Englishl
Th£averagefamilysPf!J1(is$200awet!konfood. 1[get on well
with my/amily.1 close-knit family (=one whose members
care about each other a lot) We're a very close-knit family.
nuclear family I. nj u:klia r Ifremali 11 Inu:-I a family
which consists only of parents and their children, without
grandparents, aunts. uncles etc In Cl
In the traditional nuclear family setting, it is the/ather's duty
to provide for his wife and children.
one-parent family/single-parent family l ,wAn
pear-mt .frema li. Js1I)gal pear.mt-. a family in which there is
only one parent [ n Cl
Many of the children in the school come from one-parent
families.
folks Ifauksl an infonnal word meaning your family, espe-
cially your parents [n plural]
She's gone back homl! to see her fo lks. I Myfolks were wait-
ing for me at the station.
background " brekgraundl your family and the social
class you grew up in [n Cl
The two men are from very different backgrounds. I It all
depends on your background - intelligence and character
are less importantfor lhisjob. I from a middle-class/poor
etc back ground Kate came from a solid working-class
background. I Th£ school was established to h£lp children
from deprived backgrounds.
parents / 'pec1rdntsf your mother and father In plurall
Anne's parents were farmers. I natura l parents (::=the
actual mother and father who had a child) The baby had
to be taken away from her natural parents because they were
found to be unfit to look after her. I fos ter parents (=a man
and woman who look after a child that is not their own) My
foster parents have been really kind to me.
2 a group of people who are all related to each
other
family
extended family
family I' fre malil a group of people who are all related to
each other, including all the grandparents, aunts, uncles
etc [n C with sing ular or plural verb in British English]
The wholefamity came to her funeral. I Some of our famity
emigrated to Australia in the 1930s. I in the family
(::=known, owned etc only by members of t he family) That
business has been in the samefamity for eighty years.
extended family IIk l stend1d ' frem.11il a family not only
of parents and children , but also in which grandparents,
aunts, uncles etc li ve together or close to each other {n Cl
There were ten brothers and sisters and various other mem-
bers of the extended family living in the house. I Bringing
up children in the absence ofan extendedfamily or any real
community life is no easy task.
3 belonging to or involving the people in a
family
family
domestic
run In the family
family I ' fre"", fil family home/b usiness/holiday/ prob-
lern/ma tters etc [adj only before noun]
I hate family holidays, there are always too many arg u-
ments. I Duxford Autos started off as a small fam ily
469 FAMILY
business. I I'll shut up - you don 't want to hear about ail my
family probl€ms. .
domestic Ida ' mestlk{ domestic violence/ problem/
trou ble / a rgument etc (=between members ofa family)
[adj only before noun ]
Apparently he's had a lot of domestic trouble lately and he
couldn't concentrate on his work. I Women who are victims
of domestic violence often are reluctant to seek help f rom
people outside th£ family.
run In the family 11rAn In Od 1f::emali/ if an illness or type
of behaviour run s in t he family, it is common in that
family [v phrase not in progressive]
Asthma runs in the family. I Arrogance must run in their
family. Her dad thinks he's wonderfUL too.
4 to belong to the same lamily
be related
be ,elated /bi: n 'l e lt ~ d / if you are r ela ted to someone,
you are both members of the same fam ily [v phrase )
be related to She says that she's related to Princess Diana. 1
I didn 't know you two were related to each otlu!r. I be related
Giovanni and I a re related.
5 someone who belongs to your family
relative
relation
next of k in
relatlve / 1relat lv/ {n Cl
Mrs Lewis was in England visiting relatives. I Women often
have to care for young children or sick relatives. I distant
r e lative (=one who is not closely related to you) She
inherited the money from a distant relative who died in Aus-
tralia. I close relative (=someone who is closely related
to you) Only close relatives were allowed to attend the
funeral, which was held in a small church near our home.
relation In 1le lfanJ a word mea ning a relative, used espe-
cially in spoken English In C)
Sh£ took me back home to meet all her friends and relations. I
Is Stella a relation of yours? I b lood r elation (=a person
who is related to you by birth, not marriage) He was a blood
relation of Lady Fiena.
next of kin I,nekst av ' kml the person or people who are
most closely related to you, for example your husband or
mother, and who need. to be told when you die or if you have
a serious accident {n phrase ]
The police will not tell us the dead man's name until his next
of kin have been informro. I Th£ coll€ge need to know your
next of kin in case something happens to you.
6 someone who is related to you because they
have marr ied someone in your family
mother-in-law! hatf-brother!
son-in-law etc half-sister
stepmother! by marriage
stepfather etc i n-laws
mother-In-Iaw/son-In-Iaw etc mothe r -/ fa ther-/
br other-/sister-/ daughter-/ son-in-Iaw (=related to you
because someone in your family is married to them) [n Cl
Thomas was a son-in· law of the President. I He always
addressed hisfather·in-lawas 'MrJackson'. 1prospective
son -/m other- et e in-law (=someone who you will be
related to by marriage) We had already begun to regard
Jane as our prospective daughter-in-law.
stepmother/stepfather ete (=sameone wh o
becomes your mother, sister, son etc when the person you
are related to marries for a second time) [ n Cl
Myfa ther married Jenny, who has a daughter - so now I've
got a stepmother and a stepsister. I Todd is my stepsonfrom
Helen 's first marriage.
half-brother/haH-slster I 'ha: f b"O.', 'ha:f SISt.' 11
'href-{ if one of your parents marries a second time, and
then has a child, that child is your h alf-brother or half-
sist er In C)
FAMilY
Anthony is my half-brother, and Robert is my full brother. I
Yes, Made looks very like me but she's actually my
half-sister.
by marrlage /ba l lmrer ld3/ if someone is related to you
by marriage, they are related to you because you married
someone in their famHy, or they married someone in your
family radv phrase]
She's my aunt. but only by marriage. I My best/riend mar-
ried my brother, so now we're related by marriage.
In·laws [I In b:zl an infonnal expression meaning the
family of your husband or wife, especially their parents [n
pluroll
Luckily, I get on quite well with my in·laws. I I've left the baby
with the in-laws.
7 ways of saying that you are related to people
who lived a long time ago
be descended from descendant
ancestor
be descended from /hi: dJ 'sendbd froml to be related
to a person or group of people who lived a long time ago
[v phrase]
He is descended from Abraham Lincoln. I Sheena is
descended /rom a long line of Scottish farmers.
ancestor 11rellsasta r , -ses- 11 -ses-J a person who you are
related to who lived a long time ago, especially someone
important In Cl
He fJJld her tales about hisfamous ancesfJJrs, I The King gave
this land to an ancestor of mine.
descendant JdllsendantJ a relative ofa person or group
of people who is born many years after them fn Cl
The descendants of the original Dutch settlers in South
Africn came to be known as Afrikaners. I direct descendant
Michelle claimed to be a direct descendant of Napoleon
Bonaparte.
8 ways 01 saying that two people have children
together
have children
start a family
have children /hrev 'tfIldron/ Iv phrasel
He is lookingforward to getting married, sealing down, and
having children of his own. 1 Jan and Dave didn't want to
have children but I think they are quite lonely now.
start a family /IS10: r 1a IfrelIl3liJ to have children. espe-
cially when you have planned it [v phrasel
Now we have been marri£d for six years, it is time to start
afamily. I When we have somewhere w live perhaps we can
think of starting a family.
famine HUNGRY/STARVI NG 3
famished: starving/ravenous/famished
HUNGRYIWANT TO EAT 1
famous FAMOUS 1
famous: be famous for FAMOUS 2
famous: become famous/well known FAMOUS 6
. FAMOUS
1 well known and talked about by many people
2 famous because of a special skill,
achievement. or quality
3 famous for a long time and talked about by
many people . clever.
4 receiving a lot of attention in the newspapers,
on television etc because you are famous
5 famous because of something bad
6 to become famous
7 the lact 01 being famous
470 FAMOUS
8 someone who is lamous, especially in the
world of entertainment or sport
9 not lamous
1 well known and talked about by many people
famous noted
well-knownl be at the height
well known of your fame
world-famous! high profile
world famous
famous I 'felmasf radjl
She collects signed phofJJgraphs offamous peopl£. l One day
l'lI befamous. I Afamous battle wasfoughton this veryspot.l
Would you like to try some of the famous ToKay dessert
wine? I Virginia isfamous as the birthplace of American
presidents. I the rich and famous (=people who are rich
and famous) a night club in LA that caters for the rich and
famous
well-known/well known Jlwelln~n-'I fairly famous,
especially in a particular place or among a particular group
of people ladjl
She works in local radio, and is quite well known in the
Houswn area. I I'd never heard of her, but apparently she's
very well known in medical circles. I He writes the advertise-
ments for a well-known brand of cigarettes.
workl-famouslwortd famous 11\V3:Tld lfelmas .. ' very
famous all over the world ladjl
Come to Brazil for Rio's world-jamous carnival. I [remem-
ber the performance that made him world famous.
noted /1naut1df noted musician/scientist/surgeon etc
(=well known and respected because of a special ability or
achievement) (adj only before nounl
The noted surgeon Dr Christian Barnard will perform the
operation. I The author quotes Stephen Jay Could, the noted
Harvard scientist, to sUPJXJrt his theories.
be at the height of your fame Jbi: at eJa Ihalt ~\I j:>:r
Ifelm/ to be at the point in your life, especially your work-
ing life, when you are most famous [v phrase)
John Travolta was at the height ofhisfame in the late seven-
ties. 1 As a champion boxer at the height of hisfa11Z€, Cas-
sius Clay changed his name to Muhammad Ali and became
a Black Muslim I In thel92lJsthe CotfJJn Club in Harl£m was
at the height of its fame.
high profile "hal 'praufaIJ-'J if a person or organization
has a high prottle they attract a lot of attention, for exam-
ple because they are im{K)rtant or are res{K)nsible for con-
trolling a lot of money In singular!
He was a millionaire newspaper owner with a ~ry high pro-
file. I We intend to give the Enterprise Allowance Scheme a
much higher profile.
high-profile [adjl Martin Lord has a high-profile job at
Pan American Airlines.
2 famous because of a special skill,
achievement, or quality
be famous for renowned
be well known for
be noted for
eminent
be famous for /bi: 'felmas f:>:rJlV phrase]
Mother Theresa isfamousfor her work with the poor. I Their
fann is in the Bordeaux district./amousfor its wines. I The
Spartans were famous for being brave, but not for being
be well known for Ibi: Iwel Inaun fJ:rl to be fairly
famous for a special skill, achievement, or good quality [v
phrase]
My grandmother, who was well known in the villagefor her
kindness, helped them. ! Stephen Hawking is well knownfor
his work on the theory of black holes. I He is best knownfor
his plays, although he regarded his novels as his most serious
work_
FAMOUS
be noted for /bi: ' n~t!d b:r/to be well known fora par-
ticular quality, skill or activity, especially something that
is unusual [v p hraseJ
The waiters are always rude. They are noted/or it! I We grew
up in a city noted/or its excellent music,food, andjashion.1
Sweden is a country noted jor its high expenditure on
welfare.
renowned In' naundl famous and adm ired by a lot of
people, because ofa special skill, achievement. or quality
[adjl
Dizzy GUiespie, the renowned trumpeter, died yesterday.
r en owned for Barbados is renowned/or the marvellous
cricket p layers it produces. I renowned a s Father Tom was
becoming renowned as a preacher - people travelled from
far and wide to attend his church.
eminent Ilem m~ntl eminent doctor/p rofes sor/scie n ~
tist (=famous and respected because they are very good at
the work that they do) [ad) usually before noun)
She's an em inent psychiatrist, and works at the Harvard
Medical &hool. I Companies can afford to hire the most
eminent lawyers to represent them.
3 famous for a long time and talked about by
many people
celebrated
legendary
celebrated I'sel!brelt!dl very well known, admired and
talked about by many people, especially because of good
qualities fadj only before noun]
Van Cogh, perhaps Holland's most celebrated artist, died in
poverty.! Zelda Fitzgerald was a celebrated society hostess
and her parties are remembered to this day. I America was
inspired by the celebrated speech which John F. Kennedy
made at his inauguration.
legendary l 'ledyndJri 11 ~deril very famous and having
some special or unusual quality, that people like to talk
about, usually because it is funny or interesting [adj
usually be/ore noun]
The party was attended by Samuel Goldwyn, Hollywood's
legendary film producer. I The old actor can still use his
legendary charm. I During one ofhis legendary drinking ses-
sions in New York, Molloy was arrested for fighting.
4 receiving a lot of attention in the newspapers,
on television etc because you are famous
be in the public eye
be in the spotlight/limelight
much talked about
sb 's name Is on everyone's lips
be In the public eye /hi: ID b;) IPAbhk lal/ to receive a
lot of attention, so that whatever you do may be reported
in newspapers, on television etc Iv phrase]
The President'sfamily is constantly in the public eye. I A th-
letes who are in the public e}'€ have a resp:msibility to behave
in a sensible way. ! Afailed actor. he managed to remain in
the public eye by hosting a regular programme on TV
be In the spotllght/Mmellght /bi: In 00 'spotlaJt, 'I. 'ID-
la lt 11 - Ispa:t-I to receive a lot of attention in the
nev,fspapers, on television etc, but usually only for a short
period of time I v phrase]
In her dreams she was back in the spotlight, surrounded by
her faithfulfans. I Since 'Home Alone' was released, its young
star has been permanently in the limelight.
much talked about "tJlAtf It:l: kt dbaut/ receiving a lot
of attention from newspapers, television etc, and talked
about by a lot of people, because of something interesting
or surprising fadj phrase I
Following the publication ofhis new book he became much
talked about, a controversialfigure. ! She is Australia's most
talked about TV actress.
sb's name Is on everyone's lips I(sb's) Inelm IZ on
,evriwAnz ' lI psl if someone's na me is on everyone's lips
they are very well known and talked about for a short time,
usually because of a news story
471 FAMOUS
As a result of the scandal, the tall Texan millionaire's name
was on everyone's lips.
5 famous because of something bad
notorious
Infamous
notorious Indlllt:ui;)s, nd-I famous or widely known
because of something bad, for example for being criminal,
violent. or immoral ladj]
I One ofBritain's most notorious criminals has escapedfrom
prison. I H is bad manners are notorious. I notorious for
English soccer fans are notoriousfor their drunkenness. I If
you go to the club, be careful. It's notorious for drugs and
violence.
Infamous I I 1nf;)m;)sl famous for being bad, especially for
being immoral or evil [ad) only before noun]
The 'Cheka' was the Tsa r 's infamous secret police. I That
infamous prison camp is now a museum. I the infamous
Yorkshire Ripper
6 to become famous
become famous/well known
rise to fame/achieve fame/win fame
make a name for yourself/make your name
achieve notoriety
rising star
hit/make the headlines
hit/make the big time
become famous/well known Ib ll um 'felmds, wel
In'JUn/ Iv phrase ]
SoTlU! peopl£ dream 0/ becoming /anwus. I Doctor Nathnni£/
became well known in the city where he practised.
rise to fame/achieve fame/win fame /lralZ b Ifelm,
Ifel m, IW I n •fel ml to become famous, especially sud-
;) I tf i:v
denly fv phrase I
He rose tofame as a n architect in the 195OS. I She wonfame
as the youngest-ever Olympic champion gymnast . I
Mohandas Gandhi was later to achieve fame as the
Maha tma who freed India from British rule.
rise to fame [nphrase ] The beginning of the century saw
the rise to fame of the great New York hotels.
make a name for yourself/make your name
' Ime lk;l I ne lm far j:>!T ,self, ImeT kj:>:r •ne TIn/ to become well
known. especially because of a particular skill or ability
and especially as a result of hard work (v phrase)
make a name for yourself as/make your name as She
first made her name as a journalist at the age of 22. I He is
beginning to make a namefor himselfas afashion designer
with original ideas. I make a name for yourself/make
your name By 1930 Hemingway had written the early !Wvels
with wh ich he made his name.
achieve notoriety I;), t!i:v n;)ut;) lra1;)til to become
famous for something immoral or crimina1 (v phrase]
He achieved notoriety when the police raided his hotel. !
achieve a certain notoriety The club has achieved a
certain notoriety as a gathering placefor criminals and drug
dealers.
rising star l .ralz llJ Isto: rl someone, especially a young
person, who is quickly becoming famous (n C]
She 's one of the rising stars of politics, and is a very good
public speaker.
hit/make the headlines ' Ihl t, Imelk 6a 'hedlalnz/ to
suddenly become very famous and receive a lot of atten-
tion from the newspapers, television etc, sometimes only
for a short time Iv phrase]
Kitty Kelly hit the headlines with her sensational book about
Nancy Reagan. I Eighteen months ago ozone hit the head·
lines. and we were told that earth was losing its vital pro-
tection. I The cyclone in Bangladesh made the headlinesfor
three days.
hit/make the big time " hlt, Imelk Oa Iblg tal ml an
expression used especially in newspa~rsa nd on television
meaning to suddenly become very famous, successful, and
FAMOUS 472 FAR
rich, especially after a long time trying to become famous
[v phrase] 9 not famous
He made the big time when hejoined the Dallas Cowboys as unknown
a quarterback. I After years of struggling to play in small obscure
concert halls and clubs, the group have finally hit the big a nobody
time.
unknown I ,... n ' n ~n" / fadjl
With a group of unknown actors and very little money, she
7 the fact of being famous set up her theatre. I Gorbachev was virtually unknown in the
fame West when he came to power. I As well as sing ing the old
stardom favourites, he performed some relatively unknown pieces.
renown unknown In Cl He clwsejor thisfilm an instantly success-
ful unknown, Steve McQueen.
fame Ifeml/ [n VI obscure lab ' skjua r/ someone or something that is
Money and fame meant nothing to them. They were not
worldly people. I Sylvia Plath 's fume has grown since her obscure is known about only by a few people, because they
belong to a group, place, or subject that not many people
death. I SIw came In Hollywood in search affame and/ortune. know about or are interested in [adjl
stardom 11sto= rddm/ great fame in popular music, films, Only an obscure country newspaper carried the news of his
sport etc In U J death. 1 Those lines were written by an obscure Englishpoet
Stardom is the dream o/most young singers and actors. I She named Mordaunt before the year 1790. 1 My nephew has
feared that by having a baby she had sacrificed her chances made a brilliant discovery in some obscure branch ojphysics.
o/stardom. obscurity In UJ Nter the accident he retiredfrom acting and
renown 1n lnaun/ pennanent fame and admiration th at died in rela tive obscurity (:::he was hardly known when he
has been gained because of something good such as great died) .
sk ill, knowledge, or bravery In UJ
The general's victories brought renown to himself and his
,d
a nobody 'n;)UtY.x1i/ someone very ordinary, who is not
famous, important, or successful [n singular]
family for generations to come. 1 Speakers oj international Why not apply for it? You don 't want to be a nobody for the
renown will attend the conference. rest ofyour life, do you? 1 It's difflCUltjor an ambitious young
man to realize he's a nobody.
8 someone who is famous, especially in the fan LIK E S8 OR STH 8 , SUPPORT A TEAM OR
world of entertainment or sport PLAYER 3
star big name fan: be a Milan/Raiders/Secker fan SUPPORT A TEAM
celebrity legend OR PLAYER 1
superstar household name fan out SPREAD 4
personality fanatic EXTR EME 3
fancy AlTRACTEO TO SB 1, DECORATE 5,
star fs to: tf a very famous and successful actor, singer, EXPENSIVE 3, WANT 1
musician, dancer, or sports player In Cl fancy: nothing fancy SIMPLE/PLAIN 1
Mick Jagger is my favourite rock star. 1 Elizabeth Taylor fancy: take a fancy to ATIRACTED TO S8 1
has been afamous movie star since the age often. 1 These fancy: take your fancy WANT 1
remarkable young actors are the stars of tomorrow. 1 fancy prices EXPENSIVE 5
bigftop star All the big stars will be there. 1He was one of fancy yourself PROUD 4
the top movie stars of his generation. fantasize IMAG INE 2
celabr"y Is! 'Iebr!tij a very famous and popular person, fantastic STRANGE 4
especially one who works for televis ion or in the entertain- fantastiC: marvellouslwonderfullfantastlc/terrlflc
ment business [n Cl GOOD/EXCELLENT 2 , 3 . 5
Now he's a celebrity, people forget toot he's also a poet. 1 fantasy IMAG INE 2
Many celebrities lend their support to charity events. far EXTREM E 1, FAR 1, 2
superstar Ils u: p~rsta:r, 'sju:- 11 Is u:-f a very successful far: be few and far between RARE 1
star, especially one who is known all over the world [n Cl far: how far DISTANCE 1
The superstar Freddie Mercury died in 1992. 1 Ronald far: go too far/take sth too far TOOITOO MUCH 3
Reagan was once a movie actor, but he was never a far: not far NEAR 1
superstar. far: will go far/will go a long way SUCCESSFUL 4
personality 1IP3! rSd' n re l~til someone who is well known, far afield FAR 1
especially because they often appear on television and at far away: a long way off/far offltar away FAR 3
public events [n Cl far cry: be a far cry from DIFFE RENT 2
She is a world dass athlete and also a TV personality. 1 For far-fetched BELIEVE 13
years, she was one ofthe best-loved personaliti£s in the gossip far-flung FAR 4
rolumns of Fleet Street newspapers. far-off: distant/far-off FAR 3, 4
big nama /,b lg 'nelml an informal word meaning a far-reaching EFFECT/INFLU ENCE 3
famous and successful pcrlormer [n Cl far-sighted: long-sighted Itar-sighted SIGHT/ABILITY
Eric Hawkins, one of the big names of modern American TO SEE 2
dance 1 He's persuaded some of the biggest names in show
business to appear in his film.
legend I ' Iedynd/ someone who has become very famous
over a long period of time, especially because they are very
• FAR
good at a particular activity In Cl 1 travelling a long distance from one place to
Pele is afootballlegend, the greatest player the world has another
ever seen. 1 living legend (=-someone who has become a
legend while still alive) Mother Theresa has become a living 2 ways of saying that one place is a long way
legend, a modern saint. from another place
household name I1haush~ ld ' nelmJ a person, company, 3 far away from you, but still close enough to
or product that is a household name is so famous that be seen or heard
everyone knows their name In Cl 4 words for describing a town, country etc that
My mother was a houselwld name, but that didn't make life is far away
easy. 1 Coca-Cola is a Iwusehold name all over the world.
FAR
5 words for describing a place that is far away
from where most people live or go, and is
therefore very quiet or boring or difficult to
reach
6 too far away to reach
7 words for describing something that can
travel or reach a long distance
8 words for describing something that does not
reach or travel very far
1 travelling a long distance from one place to
another
'a, some distancel
a long way a good distance
a fair wayl miles
quite a way far afield
far /fa:'/Iadv)
Haveyou driven/ar? I We climbed quite/ar up the mountain
before stopping jor lunch. I I think the Iwrses have come/ar
enough/or one day; we'll have to stop. I further/farther
We wallredfurther than we had intended because It was such
a lovely day. I furthest/farthest This is thefurthest! have
ever travelled on my own. I as far as I'll come with you as
far as the main road.
a long way la .101) 'wel 11 - ,b:I)-/ very far fnphrasel
They'vecomea long way, I expect they're tired and hungry. I
We still have a long way to go this afternoon. I We walked
a long way before we reached the house.
a fair way/quHe a way la ,fea r Iwel , Ikw81t a -I fairly
far, used especially when you a re warning someone that
a distance is longer than they think In phrasel
Look at the map. It's afair way to drive in one day. I The
children will have to walk quite a way if we take them fnto
the woods.
some dlstancela good distance ' ISAm 'dlstms , a
,gud-( further than usual or further than you expected In
phrase!
Jose accompanied usfor some distance until we reached the
highway. I You must have traveled a good distance since this
morning.
miles /maTlzl an infonnal word meaning a very long way
In plural!
We walked miles yesterday! I [looked at the gas gauge in
despair - I still had miles to drive.
far afield 11fa:r a 'fi:ldl if you travel far afield, you travel
a very long way from the place where you usually live [adv
phraseJ
Onfine days we wanderedfar afield. I as far afield as His
work took him asfaraJl£1Ii as Moscow and Delhi. I further/
farther afield Next day we ventured farther ajl£ld and
sailed out to one of the islands.
2 ways of saying that one place is a long way
from another place
'a,
a long way
a fair way/quite a way/a good way
some distance/quite a distance/a good distance
miles
nowhere near
far Jfa:'/ fadv)
Howfar is the swimming pool? I far away Her children all
live pretty far away, but they come to visit as often as they
can. I far from/far away from Weweresittingtoofarfrom
the stage to be able to see very much. I further/farther Tt
takes me long enough to get to work, but Brion lives evenfur-
ther away. I furthest/farthest Tire poorest regions are the
furthest from the capital. I far above/below/behind The
river stretched out far beww us in the valley.
473 FAR
a long way la 1101) Iwel 11 -,b:I)-1 a long distance from
another place [n phrase I
a long way from We're a long wayfram Sydney - it'd take
at leastfour hours. I a long way away Katoomba is a wng
way away but T'm sure we'll have time to go there tomorrow.I
a long way away from Is the airport a long way away from
the city ? I a long way a head/below/ behind etc The line
of cars at a standstill stretched a long way ahead, right up
the freeway.
a fair way/quite a wayla good way la ,fea r Iwel ,
Ikwan ;}-, ;} ,gud-( fairly far from somewhere, and far
enough to make it difficult to get there [n phraseJ
"How far is the main road?" ''It's afair way, it'll take you
at least half an hour to walk there. " I a fair way etc from
T'U give you a ride ifyou want, the campus is a good way fram
here. I a fair way etc away (from) Quite a way away from
the boat, we saw someone swimming.
some dlstancelqulta a dlstancala good dis-
tance JISAIll 'd lstans, ,kwalt ::1-, :) ,gud -I fairly far from
somewhere, not as close as you would expect or as close as
would be convenient [n phrase ]
some distance etc away His girlfriend lived some distance
away. I some distance etc fromlawayfrom Thefarm was
a good distance from the actual town. I some distance
above/behind/ below etc We could hear the music from
quite a distance across the valley.
miles lmallzl an informal expression meaning very far
from somewhere [n plural I
miles away I don't see Sophie very often, she lives miles
away. I miles from Our offices are miles from the station,
I'll come and pick you up in the car. I miles above/below /
behind etc Miles below us, the buildings werejust tiny dots.
nowhere near Jlnauwc.;:,r In1;:,rl an expression meaning
a long way from somewhere, used especially when you still
have a long way to go or you want to make someone believe
that you were not near a place [prep}
He was nowhere flear that cliff when his Wife was killed. I
I had been nowhere near CUrolyn 's apartment that night. I
They were only halfway up the mountain, nowhere near the
summit.
3 far away from you , but still close enough to
be seen or heard
In the distance
on the horizon
a long way offllar off/far away
distantlfar-off
from a distance/at a distance
way off
at long range
In the distance lID Od IdI stans/ in a place that is a long
way from where you are, so that things there look small,
or do not sound loud (adv phrase!
On a clear day you can see the mountain.'> in the distance. I
Tn the distance storm clouds were gathering. I As we drove
over the bridge the music of the fiesta resounded in the
distance.
on the horizon fon o~ h;:,'rarunJ at the point far away,
where the land or sea seems to meet the sky [adv phrase ]
Another ship appeared on the horizon. I There was only one
house in sight, away on the horizon.
a long way offlfar off/far away I:) 1101) WCI ' of, Ifo:r
'of, ,fa:r:) 'wel 11-,b:I)-/inaplaceveryfarfromwhereyou
are now, so that it is difficult to see or hear what is there
(adv phrase!
Somew/I£re, a long way off. a baby was crying. l It was pitch
black, but the faint barking of dogs could be heard a long
way off I Far away, to the East, you can just see the spire
of the cathedral.
dlstantlfar-off I'd lstant, Ifa:r ofl farfrom where you are
now but close enough to be seen or heard [adj only before
noun)
If you listened carefully you could hear the far-off noise of
traffle. I A distant voicefram the orchard called, "Where's
Hekn?" I Nula gazed out at the pale, distant hills.
FAR
from a dlstance/at a dls t ance /fldm ~ 'dl stans, ~t;>-I
from a place that is a fairly long way away ladv phrase)
From a distance the rocks on the hillside looked just like
sheep. I You could tell at a distance he was drunk.
way off I.wel l off an American expression meaning far
from where you are radv phrase )
lheard the bellsfrom way off I Wayoffinthedistance loould
see the janwus towers o/th£ Manhattan skyline.
at long range lat .loIj I re1nd3 11 - .b:I)-/ if you shoot som e·
thing or someone at long range, yOll shoot them from far
away (adv phrase)
The police ofFICer fired one shot at long range and hit the
man. I Marksmen are trained to be accurate at long range.
4 words for describing a town. cou ntry etc that
is far away
dlstant/far-off
faraway
far-flung
dlstantlfar-off I 'distant , Ifa:r ofl far away from the place
where you ar e (adj usually before nounl
TIu! strangers camefrom a distant town. I BecausetheFl/!ht-
ing was going on in afar-off land, the war just didn 't seem
real.
faraway I' fo:i.}we ll a faraway country or land, espe-
cially one that you have been told about or have read about,
is very far away, strange, and very different from your own
country [adj only before noun)
Grand/other told them stories of the faraway countries he
had visited when he was young. I Hildaflicked through the
brochure, dreaming of an exotic vacation in somefaraway
place.
far-flung 11fo: c 'flAI) "1far-flung places are all connected
with a particular organization, country etc but they are all
very far away from it ladj only before noun]
Our job", to organize thecompany'sfarflung olTras. 1After
the war many of France'sfar-flung colonial territories began
to seek independence.
5 words for describing a place that is far away
from where most people live or go, and is
therefore very quiet or boring or difficult to
reach
remote In the middle of
Isolated nowhere
out of the way way out
off the beaten track backwater
secluded In the boondocksl
miles from anywhere boonles
remota In'maut/ far away from other places or people,
and not known or visited by many people [adj)
They live in a small, remote mountain village. I We have now
managed to bring famine relief to people in even the most
remote areas.
remoten ess fn V] The remoteness of the house was the only
thing that made them hesitate about buying il.
Isolated , I81s.JleItAdl a long way from other towns, build·
ings, or people, especially in a quiet place where you are
alone ladjl
l speru most of my childhood on an isolated fann in South
Australia. I Try to avoid using ",olated bus-stops at night. I
The oases are becoming increasingly isolared as the desert
grows.
isolation/ ,als;!'leIJanj [n VJ The community was protected
from change by its isolation (=because it was isolated).
out of the way I,aut;!v O;! Iwel"/ fairly far from any town
or from where other people live, and rather difficult to fmd
and travel to [adv phrase)
The house is a little out of the way, but you should be able
tojind it.
out-of-the-way ladj only before noun} This must be one oj
the most out-ofthe-way places if' Scotland.
474 FAR
off the be aten track f 1Df o;! ,hi:tn ItrrekJ a place that
is off the beaten track is a long way from the places where
people usually go or vis it, which usually makes it more
interesting to visit [adv phrase)
Our friend took us to afantastic, empty beach that was off
the beaten track. I The little restaurant was so far off the
beaten track that we almost didn't[ind it. I You only have
to go a f ew miles off the beaten track to get away from the
tourists.
secluded IS I'klu!d!df a secluded place is private and
quiet because it is a long way from other people la£tjl
They drove to a secluded spot in the country to have their
picnic. t From their luxury apartment they have access to a
secluded beach. I Teri managed to[ind an empty table in a
fa irly secluded spot at the back of the restaurant.
m iles from anywhere "mallz fmm 'eniwea r/ a long
way from a town , village, or from where people usually go
or live [adv phrase ]
That summer we rented a cabin in Maine, miles from
anywhere.
In the middle of nowhe re IIn o;! Imldl ~v 'nauwea c/
in a lonely place a long way from towns or villages. where
you do not expect to find any houses (adv phrase)
Suddenly they came across a little motel in the middle of
nowhere. lIt se£m£d very strange that a perfectly good car
should be abandoned like that in the middle of nowhere.
way out ',we l 1aut! an expression used especially in
American English, meaning far from where you are now
or far away from the nearest town (advl
way out in/past/ beyond etc I live way out in Laurel
Canyon. I You want the MacPhersonfarm? It 's way out past
the river.
backwater f' brekw:>!t;!c 11 -w:>: -, -wO!-1 a British word
meaning a small town or village that is far from a city. and
that you think is boring or old-fashioned because it never
seems to change In Cl
After living in a big city for so long, Samanthafound tlu!
sleepy backwater of her youth incredibly dull. I No young
families or new ideas have come into the village and it has
become a timeless backwater.
In the boondockslboonles fIn O;! 'hu:ndDks, Ibu:niz n
-do:ks/ informal American expressions meaning in a part
of the country that is a long way from any town ladv
phraseJ
I 'm not moving to that p lace - it's out in the boondocks. I
Elisagrew up in the boonies, soshedoesn't know much about
city life.
6 too far away to reach
out of range
out of reach
out of range 'I8ut ~v 'relnd31 too far away to be hit by
a shot from a gun ladu phrasel
Just as the marksman was going to shoot, tlu! hijacker moved
out of range. I The village was just out of range. lout of
range of out of range of enemy gunfire
out of reach I,aut ;!V 'ri:tJI too far away to pick up or
touch [adv plirase l
Gary jumpedfor the ball but it was just out of reach. l out
of reach of Put thefood somewhere out ofreach ofthe dog. I
ou t of sb 's reach I keep the cookies up there - well out of
the children's reach.
7 words for describing something that can
travel or reach a long distance
long-range
long-ciistance
Iong-heul
Ion9-1ange ,,)01) 'retnd3" It ,i:>!I)-/long-rangemisslle/
gun etc (=a weapon that can hit something far away) [adj
only before noun )
By 1958 the USSR was leading in the race to produce long-
range missiles. I These very long-range guns can fire only
a f ew rounds an hour.
FAR
long-distance f 1101) IdIS(:;ms .... 11 .(:):1)-/ long-distance
trade/transport/telephone call etc (=between places
that are a long way away from each other) (adj only before
noun]
Long-distance phone calls can be very expensive. Ia long-
distance bus service linking tM cities 1 TM development of
long-distance commerce led to greater cultural contacts
between continents.
long-haull,log ''''':1. 11 ,b:g-Ilong-haul tllghtlaircraft
(=travelling long distances) (adj only before noun]
Our long-haulflightsfrom Miami to Hawaii take less than
10 hours. I For the third year running they have been voted
best long-haul tour operator by travel agents.
8 words for describing something that does not
reach or travel very far
short-range
short-haul
short-range/.]:>:rt 'remd3<1' short-range missile/gun
ete (=a weapon that can only hit something that is a short
distance away) [aclj only before noun]
These ships only carry short-range missiles so we have to get
close to the enemy target beforefrring.
short-haul I ,fo:' ''''':1 -1 short-haul tllght/aircraft ete
(=only travelling short distances) [aclj only before IWun ]
The service on short-haul flights from this airport has
improved a lot recently.
t faraway FAR 4
tf fare COST 1
I
farewetl LEAVE A JOB OR ORGANIZATION 4
farewell: bid sb farewell GOODBYE 1
farther FAR 1
farthest FAR 1
fascinate INTERESTED 4
fascinated INTERESTED 1
faSCinated: be fascinated by INTERESTED 2
fascinating INTERESTING 1. 2. S. 6
fascination OBSESSION 1
fashion FASHIONABLE S. 7. MAKE 7, WAY/MANNER 1
fashion: be in fashion FASHIONABLE 1
fashion: be out of fashion FASH IONABLE 8
fashion: be the fashion FASHIONABLE 1
fashion: come into fashion FASHIONABLE 3
fashion: in a ••. fashion WAY/MANNER 2
• fashion: set the fashion/trend FASHIONABLE 4
fashionable FASHIONABLE 1, 2
• FASHIONABLE
words for describing clothes, places, activities
etc that are considered exciting and new by a
lot of people
1 words for describing fash ionable clothes,
places, activities etc
2 words for describing someone who wears
fashionable clothes, has fashionable things
etc
3 ways of saying that something becomes
fashionable
4 to make something fashionable
5 activities, products, styles etc that are
fashionable
6 activities, products etc that are fashionable for
a short time
7 the business or study of making and selling
fashionable clot hes, shoes etc
8 words for describing clothes, activities etc that
are not fashionable
9 ways of saying that something becomes
unfashionable
475 FASHIONABLE
1 words for describing fashionable clothes,
places, activities etc
fashionable be the latest thing
trendy chic
be In fashion be the fashion
in be the In thing
be In vogue designer
be all the rage cult
fashionable I'frefan,ball popular with many people,
especially for a short period of time ladj]
Silks and red shoes werefashionable among the ladi£s aftM
French court. I The video game 'Streetfighter 2' is very
fashionable at the moment. 1 He is dining quietly with a
friend at one of Hollywood's morefashionable restaurants. 1
This shop is perfectfor those who want fashionable clothes
at affordable prices.
trendy 11 trendil very fashionable, new, and exciting, and
used or worn especially by people who want other people
to notice how fashionable they are {adj]
Emma buys her clothes in Camden Lock, a trendy north
London flea market. I In the mid·sixties, Beatles haircuts
were considered really trendy. 1 She's bought a Peugeot 205?
Oh. very trendy. 1 Many 'hard left' commentators thought
feminism was just a trendy middle-class phase.
be In fashion Jbi: ID Ifrefanj if clothes, music, places, or
activities are in fashion, they are fashionable and popu·
lar with many people at the present time Iv phrasel
Tracksuits, cycling shorts and running shoes are very much
in fashion now for everyday wear. I Surprisingly, flared
trousers are infashiDn again. Quaint country styles and rot-
tage furniture have been in fashion for a long time now.
In fInI an infonnal word meaning fashionable at the
present time (adj]
Gstaad is the in place to go skiing in winter. 1 It's the kids
on the street who decide what's in, not the designers.
be In vogue Ihi: In 1vaugf if something, especially a style
of music, decoration, art etc, is in vogue, it is fashionable
at the moment with a particular group of people Iv phrase)
His photographs, stark and sometimes shocking, are very
much in vogue with young intellectuals. 1Do you remember
when New Wave music was in vogue?
ba all the rage Jbi: 10:10;> I reI d31 if something, especially
an activity, is all the rage, it is very fashionable, and popu-
larwith a lot of people, especially for a short time [v phrase)
Surfing is all tM rage on beaches throughout the world. 1
Buying a cabin in the mountains may be all the rage at the
moment, but is it really a sound investment?
be the latest thing /hi: 0;> ,Ielt bst 191rJ/ to be the most
recent and most popular fashion now Iv phrase]
Have you tried Japanesefood? It's the latest thing. I be the
latest thing in Herbert's house looks like afactory - it's the
latest thing in modern architecture.
chic IfhkJ very fashionable and expensive, and showing
a lot of good judgement about what is attractive and what
is good style IlUijl
Her sweater was chic and expensive. 1 Recently I went to a
very chic party with very sophisticated guests. I a chic
restaurant in &ston
be the fashion Jbh o;} 'fref;m/ you say that something
is the fashion when you are telling people that something
is fashionable Iv phrase)
"Why do those kids have pink hair?" ''It's the fashion. " I be
the fashion among sb Wearing coats hanging off one
shoulder is thefashion among schoolchildren at the moment.
be the In thing {bi: Oi In 181rJI an informal expression
meaning to be the fashionable thing to do (v phrase ]
be the in thing to do Having a baby seems to be the in thing
to do at the moment. 1 be the in thing Those Mega CD
rompuwrs really are the in thing.
d ••lgner fd I lzalnarl made by a famous, fashionable. and
expens ive designer [adj only before Mun)
Sh€ has a marvellous job,and a magnificent Manhattan
apartment/illed with designer clotMs. 1 At this Iwtel, break·
fast can be enjoyed in the cosiness of a designer bedroom. 1
FASHIONABLE
Prices are about a third lower here than at designer
boutiques
cult /hlt/ cult film/figure/TV show etc (::::one that is
very popular with a small group of fash'ionable people,
especially young people) [adj only be/ore noun]
New Order were a cult band before becoming commercially
successful. I the cult TV series 'The Prisoner'
2 words for describing someone who wears
fashionable clothes, has fashionable things
etc
fashionable
trendy
fashlonabla/'freIan,bal/ ladjl
Nirole has always wanted to be part ofthejashionable Paris
set. I It's a tiny cafe. where either very poor or very fashiona-
ble people go. I I've never really been very fashionable, but
I know what I like.
trendy JltrendiJ someone who is trendy likes to always
dress, behave, decorate their home etc in the most fashiona-
ble way. especially so that people notice how modern and
fashionable they are ladj ]
The bar was full DJ financiers and trendy young advertis-
ing agents. 1 a trendy. sel/-conFulent photographer with
greenjramed g lasses
3 ways of saying that something becomes
fashionable
come into fashion
come in
make a comeback
come Into fashion l ,kArn lOt;) 'frefan/lv phrase]
When mini-skirts/irst came inw fashion, women said they'd
never wear them. 1 As soon as one pop group comes into
fashion, another goes out. 1 come back into fashion Short
haircutsfor men went outfora time, and then l!teycame back
into fashion.
come in l,kArn 1101 to become fashionable, especially for
a short period of time Iphr v I1
Skateboarding first came in during the early 1980s 1 New
fashions seem to rume in and go out again much more
quickly these days.
make a comeback I,melk;) 'kAmb<:ekl if something
makes a comeback, it becomes fashionable and popular
again, after having been unfashionable for a long period
of time Iv phrase]
Who 'd have thought pial/arm soles would ever make a come-
back? I Games like 'Ludo' and 'Snakes and Ladders' are
really making a comeback.
4 to make something fashionable
set the fashion/trend
bring In
set the fashion/trend I,set 0;) 'f<:eJan, 'trendl to make
something new fashionable, by doing, using, or wearing it.
so that a lot of people copy you Tv phrase ]
For over a decade now. Princess Diana has been setting the
fashion all over the world. 1Michael Jackson set the fashion
ofu-wring only one ginve. 1 To save the planet we must set
the trend of caring for the environment.
bring In f,brlIJ '1nl to make something fashionable, espe-
cially by showing itor selling it for the first time Iphr v T]
bring in sth The New Look was brought in by Christian
Dior in the 19505. 1Bob Oeldo/was responsiblefor bringing
in the age a/the charity rock concert. 1 bring sth/it/ them
in Toy manufacturers are always bringing new games in.
and making them mare and more expensive.
5 activities, products, styles etc that are
fashionable
trend fashion
vogue the latest thing
476 FASHIONABLE
trend Itrendl an activity, a way of thinking. or a way of
doing something that is becoming more fashionable [n Cl
The 'Green' approach ro living is a trend that should be
encouraged. 1 Break dancing in the street was a slwrt-Jived
trend. 1 Madonna started the trend for wearing lace and
cruciFLXes in the early 19805.
vogue Iv;)UgI a style of music, clothes, art ctc that is
fashionable with a particular group of people [n Cl
People's/ondness/or wearing black and other dark colours
was a vogue I never really liked. 1a voguefor the paintings
of Claude Lorraine
fashion ('freJanJ an activity, pnxluct, style etc that is
faShionable (n Cl
She was always supplied with the latest Paris/ash ions. 1
Taking recreational drugs such as Ecstasy is a/ashion that
could havefatal results. 1 Thefashion in London is ro hold
parties in disused warehouses.
the latest thing 10;) ,Ielt~ st '9 IIJ( the most fashionable
and newest thing to do, wear, or have In phrase]
The latest thing is to wear only white clothes. 1 The latest
thing ro do in Mediterranean resorts isjetskiing. I No matter
how expensive, he always has to do the latest thing.
6 activities, products, styles etc that are
fash ionable for a short time
lad
craze
fad ffeedl a very fashionable thing to do that lasts for a
short time, especially something that a lot of people, for
example older people, disapprove of [n Cl
Police hope that warehouse parties are simply afad that will
disappear in tilne. 1 Little gold cocaine spoons became afa1i,
openly worn on gold chains. 1 At school we had a fad for
bleaching our hair with peroxide.
craze IkreIZf a very fashionable activity, that is popular
only for a short time, especially among yOlmg people or
children [n C]
Skate-boarding is the latest craze to hit the streets of New
York. 1 Roller blades are the latest craze. and are sure to
bring their own joys and hazards. 1 There was a craze for
collecting cigarette cards when we were at schooL
7 the business or study of making and selling
fash ionable clothes, shoes etc
fashion
fashion I 'freIani In UI
Claudia edits a high-ciassfashion magazine. 1 Thefashion
industry relles on young people having pi£nty ofrrwney. I I'm
not really interest£d in/ashion. 1afashion school in South
Landon
8 words for describing clothes, activities etc that
are not fashionable
be out of fashion unfashionable
out old-fashioned
be out of fashion Ihi: ,aut ;)v 'freJ.ml to be no longer
fashionable Iv phrase]
Hi.., clothes are always slightly out offashion. as though he
buys them in the saws. 1 It was a posed, stilted photograph
in a style that went out offashion thirty years before. I Rock
and Roll music began in theftfties, but has never gone out
off(L<;;hion. 1 Many oftoday's styles go out offashion almast
as soon as they come in.
out lautl an informal word meaning no longer fashionable
ladj not usually before noun]
In the new healthy age, taking drugs is really out. 1 Electronic
disco music wasfashionable in theBOs but is now right out. 1
It's really out these days to wear lots of badges, belts and
buckles.
unfashionable IAn 'freJan~baJI something that is un-
fashionable is no longer fashionable, so that very few
people now do it. wear it, use it etc ladj]
FASHIONABLE
It's still a bit unfashionable to admit to liking Barry
Manilow. altlwugh millions ofpeople buy his records. I Don't
throwaway unfashionable ciothes. give them to a charity
shop. I Be warned, this nightclub will not let unfashionable
people through its doors.
old-fashioned '.auId I fre!30d .../ something that is old-
fashioned was fashionable in fonner times, but not any
more, so that it seems to belong to a past age, or be suit-
able for older people laqj)
She wore an oldjashioned snwcked nightdress. I The apart·
ment was gloomy and old-fashioned. with dark furniture
and heavy curtains. I Graham had a bushy moustache and
long blond Iwir like an oldjashioned rock musician ·s. I They
would lunch nearly every day at Le Bourse aux Vill.'~. an old-
fashioned bistro next door to the hotel.
9 ways of saying that someth ing becomes
unfashionable
go out
date
go out Ilg~ lautj to stop being fashionable [phr v Il
Jogging went out when it was fo und to be harmful for the
joints. I You don't still wear those do you, they've gone r ight
out.
date Ide ltl to gradually become unfashionable, and be
replaced with more modern styles, methods, ideas etc [v IJ
The trouble with highfashion clothes is that they date very
quickly. I Certain styles of music will never date, and will
always be popular.
I~ '.sl EAT 10, FAST/QUICK 1, 4. 8. 9, TIGHT 1
'ast: as 'aat as you can FAST/QUICK 3
f ••,: go f.st/qulckly PASSiTIME PASSING 2
I
last: move 'ast/qulckly FAST/QUICK 12
'ast/go on a fast EAT 10
fast one: pull a fast one CHEAT 1
fast
o+ e lMMEDIATELY
• FAST/QUICK
1 moving or travelling fast
2 moving or travelling extremely fast
3 moving at the fastest possible speed
4 words for descri bing cars, trains, planes etc
that can go fast
5 words for describing a fast movement or
physical action
6 words for describing an action, process,
piece of work etc that is done very quickly
and without delay
7 to move very fast in a particular direction
8 ways of saying that something happens
quickly or someone does something quickly
9 words for describing a process of change or
improvement that happens unusually fast
477 FAST/QUICK
10 words for describing a course of study that
you do more quickly than is usual
11 to move faster. work more quickly etc
12 to do someth ing very quickly
13 to move as fast as someone or something
else
14 to move faster than someone or something
else
1 moving or travelling fast
fast at speed
quickly swift
quick
fast I fa:S! 11 frest/ladul
The plane wasflyingfast and low. I I'm not going in Peter's
car, he drives too fast. I Patricia walked/aster andfaster as
the heavy footsteps grew louder.
fast [adjl I don't know whether she'll win the race, but she's
certainly very fast. I the fastest runner in the world
quickly I' kwIldil fast. especially for a short distance ladu I
Richard quickly ran down the stairs. I The women went
quickly back into their houses. I Here's the guard-room. If
you walk past quickly, no one will see you.
quick /kwrkJ a word meaning quickly, used especially
when you are telling someone to come or go quickly [advl
Come quick, there's been an accident. I You'll have to walk
quicker than that if you want to keep up with me.
at speed I~t Ispi:d/ a formal express ion: ifa car or train
is travelling at speed, it is travelling fast ladv phrase I
The train was already travelling at speed when she tried to
open the carriage door. I Make sure that your vehicle can be
safely driven at speed_
swift Iswlft! a word used especially in literature meaning
movi ng fast with a continuous, flowing movement [adjJ
Thefalcon isapowerful bird, immensely SWift injlight.1 We
had to steer our ship through the swift currents of the Bering
Straits.
swiftly [adv] White clumps of cloud were moving swiftly
across the sky.
swiftness In Ul The athlete moved with the swiftness of a
bird in flight.
2 moving or travelling extremely fast
at high speed at breakneck speed
at a terrificl be really moving
tremendous speed like lightning
at high speed fat .hal lspi:dl ifsomething such as a vehi-
cle or part of a machine is moving at high speed, it is
moving very fast ladv phraseJ
A truck tra velling at high speed struck a youth crossing the
street. I a metal disc revolving at high speed
high·speed ladjl The police finally caught up with the
thieves after a high-speed car chase.
at a terrHlcltremendous speed fat ~ ta.nflk, tn -
.mendds ' sphdl travelling extremely fast [adv phrase ]
I always feel nervous when you're driving, you go at such a
terri/k speed.. t The train was hurtling towards us at tremen-
dous speed.
at breakneck speed ,d! .brelknek 'spi:dJ travelling
dangerously fast radv phrase J
The doctor jumped into a waiting car that drove away at
breakneck speed. I J enny stepped onto her skis and sped off
at breakneck speed down the g listening, white mountain.
be really moving Ibi: .rldJi 'mu:vIIJf you say that some-
one or something is really moving when you mean that
they are going extremely fast Iv phrase I
There 's Lewis out infront of the other runners. He's really
moving. I That car must have been really moving when it hit
the van.
FAST/QUICK
Ilk. lightning Italk IlaltDlfJl moving extremely fast, often
with a single sudden movement [adv phrase] . 6
ShaM stood up and his hand nwved like lighUling to the gun
at his hip. I Somewhere a dog barked and. like lightning, the
cat darted into some bushes.
3 moving at the fastest possible speed
as fast as you can
at top speed
flat out
as fast as you can In Ifm st ;)z ju: Ikren 11 - ,frest-! [adv
phrase I
This is an emergency. Please come as/as! as you can. I He
ran as fast as he could to catch up with the others.
at top speed I:;H .top 'spi:d 11 - Ita:p-/ ifa vehicle moves
at top speed, it moves as fast as it can go [adv phrase]
After the trial, they led the man out of the back door and
drove him away at top speed. I Riding a rrwtorcycie at top
speed on wet roads is a recipe for disaster.
flat out f ,flret laut! at the fastest speed possible when
using all the strength or power there is [adv phrase)
Going flat out. the BMW 325 will reach a speed 0/140 miles
per Iwur. I The exercise involved running flat out for two
minutes and then resting for one minute.
4 words for describing cars, trains, planes etc
that can go fast
fast
high-speed
supersonic
last I fa:st 11 frest/ladjl
Rosa caught the/aslest train there was to London. I Boeing's
new plane is/aster and more luxurious than anything else
they have ever produced. I Fast cars and. expensive living had
always been a passion 0/ his.
hlgh*speed (.hal ' spi:d ", high-speed train /com-
puter/drill etc (=one that moves or operates very fast) [adj
only be/ore noun 1
In these days 0/high-speed travel, more and. more people are
visiting/ar away places. I Journey times have been cut down
considerably since the introduction of high-speed trains.
supersonic '.su:p~'sonlk .. . .sjU!- 11 .SU:p;}flsa:-, super-
sonic aircraft/travel/flight etc (=faster than the speed
of sound) ladj usually before munl
Concorde is capable of travelling at supersonic speeds. I
Thanks to supersonic travel, busy executives can attend meet-
ings in New York and be back in London the same day.
5 words for describing a fast movement or
physical action
quick
rapid
swift
quick Ikw .kl ladjl
Harold greeted me with a Quick nod 0/ the head. J She wore
high-heeL' and walked with short, quick steps_ I Marjory told
Philip that I wasn't to be trusted, and then she cast a Quick
glance towards me to see if I'd heard.
rapid "rrep!d/ very fast with short repeated movements
or sounds ladjl
She could hear rapid footsteps approaching. I The patient
often develops a fever and breathing becomes rapid. I In
rapid Italian, Charlotte asked for a taxi.
rapidly ladvl Tim's heart was beating rapidly as he stood
up to make his first public speech.
swift ! swlftl a word used especially in writing meaning
very fast with one quick movement ladj]
Garth knocked him unconscious with one SWift blow to the
head_ I The girl washed herself with deft, swift nwvements,
gasping at the coldness of the water.
swiftly ladv] He turned swiftly to meet his attacker.
478 FAST/QUICK
words for describing an action, process,
piece of work etc that is done very quickly
and without delay
quick rapid
swift prompt
speedy cursory
quick Ikw .k/ladjl
1 had to make a quick decision. I That was Quick - did you
do everything I asked? I WeofJer our customers a Quick. reli-
able service.
Quickly ladvl The retiring chair wants the committee to
appoint a successor as quickly as possible.
swift ISW I ftJ swift reaction/reply /response/ denial etc
(=done or made immediately) ladj]
My critical remarks brought a swift reaction from Bruce. I
When questioned about the crime she answered with a SWift
denial.
swiftly [adv 1The pianist left swiftly after the performance.
speedy (' spi:di/ speedy return/transfer/ arrival etc
(=done or made successfully, as Quickly and efficiently as
possible) ladj only before IWunl
We are working to ensure the safe and speedy return of all
the refugees to their homes. J Speedy replacement offaulty
comporumts is guaranteed.
speedily [advl The problem must be dealt with speedily
before any more damage is dnne.
rapid l' r rep1dl rapid deciSion/calculation/response
etc (=done or made extremely quickly) radj usually before
IWunJ
Having read the message, I came to a rapid decision. l Our
armedforces are capable ofa rapid response to any aggres-
sion. I Carson made a rapid calculation in his head and
decided that $1200 was afair price_
prompt Iprompt 11 pra:mptl prompt action/reply/de-
livery etc (=done or made without delay because quick
action is needed) radj usually before lwunJ
A major disaster was prevented by the prompt action of the
safety officer. I It is important to ensure prompt delivery of
goods that retail customers order.
promptly [advl Please reply promptly to this invitation.
cursory I I 10: fs;}ril cursory inspection/examination/
glance etc (=one that you do quickly and without paying
much attention to details, in order to save time) ladj usually
before noun]
After only a cursory glance at their serurity passes, the guard
let the two men into the building. I The scope of this study
does not permit anything but a cursory look at the subject.
7 to move very fast in a particular direction
race streak
tear whizz
fly zoom
dart speed
race l rel s/ to move somewhere as fast as possible [v 11
race back/up/into etc Hearing the children's screams, she
raced back to the house. I A police patrol came racing up
Roosevelt Avenue. I "Wait for me, .. cried Bobby, but the
others raced on ahead.
tear /te;}fl to move somewhere very fast. especially in a
dangerous or careless way (v 11
tear away/ up/across etc Beverly's dog came tearing
across th£field towards me. I I stumbled several times as I
tore madly down the mountain, determined to catch them up.
fly /flal/ to move extremely quickly. especially because you
are in a hurry [v IJ
fly past/up/along etc As I slowed down another car flew
past me and turned to the left. I Paul rushed into the house
and flew upstairs, calling to me.
dart (dO!TtJ to run, fly. or swim with a sudden quick move·
ment Iv IJ
dart through/ back/across etc I could see small silvery
Fcsh darting through the water. J When she saw me she darted
back into the kitchen as if she was trying to hide.
FAST/ QUICK
streak Istri:kJ if someone or something streaks some-
where, they run or fly there so fast that you can hardly see
them Iv II
streak across/ past/ away ete Two aircraft streaked across
the sky. 11caught a glimpse a/the cat streaking away into
the shadows.
whizz IWlzl to move extremely quit:kly through the air or
along a road with a loud whistling noise [v 11
whizz past/by/throu gh ete A bullet whizzed past my oor.1
He was standing in the middle 0/ the road with cars whizz-
ing by on either side.
zoom /z.u:mJ ifa car, bus, plane ete zooms somewhere, it
moves there extremely fast with a loud noise Iv IJ
zoom past/through/ over ete The plane zoomed low over
the airJreld. I At dawn our bus was zooming across the
Arizona desert.
speecl /spi:dl to move somewhere very quickly. especiall y
in a vehicle [v 11
speed alon g/by/towards ete An ambulance sped by on its
way to an accident. I I could imag ine James Bond in a/ast
sports car. speeding towards the French Riviera.
8 ways of saying that something happens
quickly or someone does something quickly
quickly
fast
quickly l' kw ,klll [adv]
She undressed quickly and gotinto bed. 1 "Fine,l'll meet you
in about ten minutes. .. said John, putting tlu! phone down
quickly. 1 Everything happerwd so quickly, I just got con·
fused. 1J,f a fire brolre out in tlu! warehouse it would spread
very quickly.
faat IfO!SI n fres~ if you do something fast , especiaUy
something that you do continuously for a period of time,
such as working. writing, talking etc, you do it quickly
[adv l
I can typefaster than you. 1 Don't talk so fast, I'm trying to
write down what you say.
fast {adj] I can see you're a fast worker. You've finished
already. 1She's not only a good editor, she's also really fa st.
9 words for describing a process of change or
improvement that happens unusually fast
rapid meteoric
fast swift
speedy at an alarming rate
rapid "rrep!d/ [adj usually before nounl
Since 1960 there has been a rapid increase in tm number of
cars on the road. 1 Adolescence is a period of rapid change,
which mnrks lhepassingfrom child to adult. 1Rapid weight
loss and diarrhoea are the main signs of serious injection.
rapidly [adv I Production costs have risen more rapidly than
prices. 1 a rapidly deteriorating situation
faat Ifa,SI 11 fres~ [advl
Things arechangingfast in the communications industry. 1
Thefax machine isfast becoming the top-selling product of
electronics manufacturers. 1 fast -growin g/developin g/
disappearing etc Chicago was once thefastest·growing city
in tm world.
fast ladj I Once trade·barriers are renwved. the country can
ach~vefaster eronomic growth.
speedy JI spi:dil speedy recovery/ conclu sion!end etc
(=ha ppening very quickly and soon) [adj only blifore nounl
We were sorry to hear ofyour illness. and wishyou a speedy
recovery. 1 The Prime Minister put forward his p lans for
bringing the war to a speedy conclusion.
meteoric ' ,mi:ti ' Drl k .. 11 - I;,:r lk .. , - Ia: rl k .. , meteoric
rise/ career (=achieving success extremely quickly and
suddenly) [adj]
Since Madonna's meteoric rise to fame, she has been accom-
panied by bodygunrds wherever she goes.
swift /SW lft/ happening very quickly and without inter-
ruption ladjl
479 FAST/QUICK
The senator's progress upward through the party was swift
and uninterrupted. 1 Swi/tfashion changes mean that the
shop has to change its stock every six to eight weeks.
lit an alarming rate /~I <In <I ,Ia:rmllJ lrelll ifsomething
happens a t an alarming rate, it happens so quickly that
it makes people ver y worried [adv phrase!
The Amazonian rainforest is disappearing at an alarming
rate. 1 The number of people dying from lung cancer has
increased at an alarming rate.
10 word s for describing a course of study that
you do more quickly than is usual
rapid
intensive
crash course
rapid / ' rrep~dl ladj only before Mun}
The college offers a rapid programme of trainingfor librar-
ians. 1 Rapid learning: Learn to speak a new language in
12 weeks!
,In
Intensive Itenslv/ an intensive course of study is one
in which you are taught a lot in a short time radjl
Before moving to Paris. Michael went on an intensive course
to improve his French. 1Altera brie/periodofintensivetrain·
ing, I was allowed to malre my first parachute jump.
crash course /1krreJ b: rs/ a course of study in which
you learn a particular skill in a very short time in order
to prepare yourself for a job rn C l
crash course in We offer crash courses in word processing.I
crash course How to edit textbooks in 1 day - our training
program was more of a crash course.
11 to move faster, work more quickly etc
go faster quicken your pace
speed up gain/gather
pick up/gather speed momentum
accelerate put on a spurt
go taster / I g~ 'fa:st<l r 11 - 'fres-, [v phrase ]
We must go faster or we'll be too late. 1 You've only covered
half the syllabus sofar, J"u'll have to go a "'tfaster ifJ"u're
going to finish it in time. 1go faster a nd faster (=more and
more quickly) As the train started to go downhill, it went
faster and faster.
speed up "spi:d I '"'pi to make a process happen more
quickly Iphr v T I
speed up sth Electronic systems have enabled us to speed
up business transactions. 1speed sth/ it/ them up There are
ways of speeding the process up.
pick up/gather _eel I ,p,kAP, ,greO:>' ' spi,,,, ifa vehi·
cle, especially a large vehicle picks up speed or gathers
speed, it starts to gradually move faster Iv phrasel
Francis leaned back in his seat as the ptane picked up sp<>?d.1
T~ truck was already moving. gathering speed with a deep-
throated roar.
accelerate I<lkl se l ~re lt/ if a vehicle or someone who is
driving accelerates, the vehicle starts to go faster [v I]
Ian drove up Park Boulevard and headed out of town.
accelerating rapidly. 1 The Ferrari Mondia l can accelerate
from zero to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds.
quicken your pace , ,kw lk<lnj:):r 'peIS/ an expression
used especially in stories or descriptions of events, mean·
ing to begin to walk faster Lv phrase ]
Because the man was still behind her. Susie quickened her
pace and hurried to the harel. 1 "I have some questwns to ask
you, Mr Murray, .. said the reporter. quiclrening his step to
keep up with me.
gain/gather momentum I,gem, ,greba r ImU l men~mJ
if something gains or gathers momentum. it travels
faster and faster, especially going down a hill, because it
is pushed forward by the forceofits own weight Iv phrase ]
As the train went down the hill it began to gather momen-
tum. 1 The srope was getting steeper and their sledge was
gaining momentum all the time.
FAST/QUICK
put on a spurt I.put on ~ ISp3:ft/ to suddenly move,run,
or ride much faster for a short distance, especially during
a race [v phraseJ
Putting on a final spurt he won the race by 0.4 of a second.
12 to do something very quickly
move fast/quickly
make short work of
move f.st/qulckly I.mu:v 'fo:st. ' kw lkli 11 -'fresH toda
quickly what needs to be done in order to get what you want
Iv phrase]
The board of directors meets tomorrow so if you want that
contract you 'U have to move fast. I We have forty minutes
until our train goes and westill haven 'tpacked - we'd better
movefast!
make short work of /me lk .IJ:ft ' w3: f k Dvl to finish
something quickly and easily, especially a meal or ajob Iv
phrase not in passive1
Peter was hungry and made short work DJ the excellent
omelette Sally had prepared for him l Our guide, who was
used to mountain walking, made short work of the twelve-
mile journey back to camp.
13 to move as fast as someone or something
else
catch up with
be gaining on
keep up with
catch up wHh l ,kretJ lAP WI~I to move forward fast
enough to reach someone who was in front of you going in
the same direction Lv T not usually in passive]
Go on ahead. ['/l catch up with you later. 1After a long chase,
the police car caught up with the stolen van.
be gaining on Ihi: 'gelnll] on 11 -o:nJ to be getting closer
and closer to someone that you are chasing or trying to
pass, because you are moving faster than they are [v
phrase I
We ran but the boys were gaining on usfast. I Senna is still
infrant but Prost in the Renault·WiUiams is gaining on him.
keep up with I ,ki:p 'AP WI~J to succeed in moving as fast
as someone else, when they are moving very quickly and
remaining level with them [v T not in passive}
Sww down! I can't keep up with you. I She took big strides
and Charlie had to run to keep up with her.
14 to move faster than someone or something
else
pull ahead
leave ab behind
leave ab standing
pull ahead I ,pul <J lhedl to pass another vehicle on the
road and move in front of it because you are going faster
Iphr v 11
Ifyou see a police car pull ahead, slow down. They may want
you to stop. I I turned around and saw that, out of the dust
and the crowd, another car was pulling ahead to join us.
leave sb behind " Ii!v (sb) bl'halndJ to move far in front
of someone who cannot run, walk, drive etc as fast as you
Iphr v T ]
We were all running to catch the bus, but the others had
longer legs and gradually left me behind. I leave sb way
behind (=a long way behind) Dinah urged her horse on
until she had wft all the other riders way behind.
leave sb standing I, thv (sb) ' st~ndllJl an infonnal
expression meaning to move very far in front of someone,
especially in a race, because you are much faster than them
Iv phraseJ
earl Lewis was easily thefastest man on the track. Every-
one else was left standing.
i fasten ATTACH 1 , FASTEN/DO UP 1
480 FASTEN/DO UP
• FASTEN/DO UP
1 to fasten clothes, shoes, belts, bags etc
2 words for describing clothes, bags, belts etc
that havebeeh fastened
3 to unfasten clothes, shoes, belts, bags etc
4 words for describing something that has not
been fastened , or that has been unfastened
1 to fasten clothes, shoes, belts, bags etc
fasten zip up
do up tie
button
fasten 1Ifo:san 11 'fre-I to join together the two sides of a
coat, shirt, bag etc so that it is closed [v TJ
"I'm going now, .. she said,fastening her coat. I I can 'tfasten
this suitcase, there's too much stuff in it. I We will shortly be
landing in Athens. Please fasten your seatbelts and extin-
guish all cigarettes.
do up t ,du: I Apt to fasten clothes or buttons, fastener s etc
on clothes Iphr v T ]
do up sth He's old erwugh to 00 up his shoelaces by himself 1
Can you help me do up the buttons on this dress? 1 do sth/
it/them up Make sure you do your coat up. It 's cold outside.
button t 'bAtnf to fasten the buttons on a piece ofclothing
IvT]
He began buttoning his shirt and putting on his tie. I button
sth up She Shivered, and buttoned her woollen cardigan up.
zip up I, ZJ P 'Apl to fasten clothes, bags etc using the zip
that is on them [phr v T J
zip up sth You'vejorgotten to zip up your pants! I zipsth/
It/them up SIw took some money out of Iwr handbag and
zipped it up again quickly.
tle/UH/ tie sboelaces/a tiel a scarf etc (=fasten them by
making a knot) [v TJ
Don 't forget to tie your shoelaces! I Do you want me to help
you tie your tie? I tie your hair back She tied her hair back
with a long red ribbon.
2 words for describing clothes, bags, belts etc
that have been fastened
fastened
done up
fastened /'fo,,,,nd 11 'fre-/ladj not before noun]
Is your safety belt fastened? I She wore a stylish pale-blue
coat, fastened with large white buttons. 11f your bag had
been securely fastened the thief wouldn't have been able to
get his hand into iL
done up l ,dAn 'Apl clothes, or buttons, zips etc on clothes
that are done up have been fastened [adj not before noun]
Make sure the top button on your shirt's done up. I He rushed
out of the room, with his pants only half done up.
3 to unfasten clothes, shoes, belts, bags etc
unfasten unzip
undo untie
unbutton loosen
unfasten IAn 'fmsan 11 -'fre-I to open the two sides of a
coat, shirt, bag etc so that it is open [v TJ
Could you unfasten my dress for me? I It was hot in the
waiting-room, and Rosie had .to unfasten her coat. I
Unjastening his seatbelt, Jack stepped out of the car.
undo 'An' du:J to unfasten clothes or buttons, ~teners etc
on clothes [v T 1
Let me help you undo the buttons on thatjackeL I Hisfingers
were shaking, and he had great difficulty undoing his
collar. I I undid the clasp of the gold chain and put it around
mymck.
FASTEN/DO UP
unbutton lAD I bAtO/ to unfasten the buttons on a piece of
clothing Iv Tl
The old man sat down. arul began to unbutton his shirt. I 'at
She unbuttoned her uniform. and changed into her normal
cliJthes.
unzip IAn'zlpl to unfasten clothes. bags etc using the zip
that is on them [v T]
She wasjust unzipping her dress when the phone rang. I He
unzipped his briefcase and took out a letter.
untie IAn1ta11 untie shoelaces/a tie/scarf etc (=to
unfasten them by opening the knot) [v T I
He began sliJwly Wltying his necktie. 1Amy untied her apron
and folded it neatly on the chair.
loo•• n /'lu:sanJ to unfasten clothes a little in order to
make yourself more comfortable [v T I
His stomach felt really full and he had to liJosen his belt. 1
If someone has had a heart attack turn them on their side,
loosen any tight clothing, and send for a doctor.
4 words for describing something that has not
been fastened , or that has been unfastened
unfastened open
undone unbuttoned
unf.staned /An'fa.:sand I1 .tfre_, [adj not before IWun ]
Paul woke up to find his collar urifastened and his shoes on
thejloor. I come unfastened (=become unfastened) The
bracekt has a sqfety chain, so that if it comes unfastened it
won't fall off
undone f .An 'dAI1~f clothes, or buttons, fasteners etc on
clothes that are undone are unfastened [adj not before
nounl
She smelkd ofcheap per:/ume, and her bliJuse had thr"" but-
tons undone. I A group of men in dark suits sat with their
ties undone smoking and playing cards. I come undone
(=become unfastened) He tied his shoelaces with a doubk-
knot so that they wouldn't come undone.
open f'aup~nf a shirt, bag etc that is open is not fastened
ladjl
It was very hot and the men had their shirts open to the
waist. 1 Emily realised that her handbag was open and her
money gone. I come open (=become open) I suddenly real-
ized that my blouse had come open. I was so embarrassed!
unbuttoned fAn 'bAtndf clothes that are unbuttoned
have the buttons unfastened ladj not before noun]
His trousers were unbuttonro and his shirt was hanging
out. I come unbuttoned (=become unbuttoned) Can you
help me? My dress has come unbuttoned at the back.
I
'astened ATTACH 3. FASTEN/DO UP 2
faster: go faster FAST/QUICK 11
fat FAT 1, 5, THICK OBJECT OR MATERIAL 1
1 words for describing someone who is fat
2 extremely fal
3 fat and not very tall
4 fat in a pleasant and attractive way
5 words for describing a part of the body that is
fat
6 a fat stomach
7 to become fatter
8 to make a person or animal fatter
" You say" is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English.
481 FAT
1 words for describing someone who is fat
porlty
overweight hefty
big pot·bellled
large
fat ffretf the word fat is considered impolite and sho~d
only be used when talking to close members of your family,
close friends etc, or when talking about people who are not
present ladjl .
I'm getting too fat for all my clothes - I must go on a dIet. I
afat little boy with a turned-up nose and rosy cJ:eeks I After
thirty years he liJoked just tIu! same, only a lutk fatf£r. 1
Hurry up you great fat lump! We're going to miss the bus.
overweight f.~:}Ttwert~f too fat, especially so that you
are unfit or fatter than is good for you ladjl
The doctor said I was slightly overweight and that I needed
to take more exercise. 15 kilos/ lO pounds etc overweight
My nwther is about 50 pounds overweig ht and she smokes
like a chimney. I grossly overweight (=extremely over-
weight) Peopk who are grossly overweight are more likely
to suffer from high bliJod pressure.
big fblgj a word meaning fat and tall, used especially when
you do not want to say fat because it would be impolite [adjJ
Rosemary is very attractive even though she is a big g irl. I
'High and Mighty' is a clothes store for big, tall men.
large /la: Td3/ a word meaning fat, used especially when
you do not want to say fat because it would be impolite radjl
I spent most ofthe train journey squashed between two rather
large women. 1 Large peopk often find it diffICult to find
fashionabk clothes that fit them.
portly l ip:>: Ttli/ a word used especially in litera~: some-
one, especially a fairly old man, who is portly IS fat and
round ladjl
The bishap was a dignified rather portly man, with white
hair. I As Mr Pickwickgrew older he became more and more
portly.
hefty / Iheftif a man who is hefty is fat, but is also tall and
strong laq;l
Her sons were both hefty, energetic boys. I The mechanic was
a big hefty man wha could lift up the front of a truck with
his bare hands.
pot·bellled I'po! ,beli:d 1 'POlt! someone who is pot-
bellied has a round stomach that sticks out at the front.
especially because they eat or drink too much, or beca?se
they are suffering from having no food to eat for a long time
1a4i1
Our teacher was a bald, pot-bellied man ofabaut 50. 1I was
getting rather pot-bellied. so I started doing exercises every
morning. I In the camp were literally thousands of pot-
bellied, malnourished refugees.
2 extremely fat
obese
obesity
gross
ob ••e/:au'bi:s/ extremely fat in a way that is dangerous
to your health 1a4i1
She's not just/at, she's positively obese! I He was so obese he
had to have special clothes madefor him. I 50% of the women
on the island are obese.
obesity /~ 'bi:s!tif a word used especially in medical con-
texts meaning the condition of being too fat in a way that
is dangerous to your health f nUl
Obesity can lead to heart disorders and other health
problems. I The program is aimed at reducing obesity among
young women.
groSS/gr.xJs/ an informal word meaning very fat and very
unattractive [ac;U not before noun J
I was so gross I could hardly look at myself in the mirror.
FAT
3 fat and not very tall
dumpy
tubby
stout
dumpy /1 dAmpil someone who is dumpy, especially a
woman or a child. is fat and very short [adj]
She was a dumpy, plain woman, severalyears older than her
husband. 'In his youth William hod been a dumpy little baoy
who had a tendency to eat too much chocolate.
tubby I 'lAbil someone who is tubby is short and has a fat,
round stomach ladjl
The banker was a tubby,jolly-Iooking man with afriendly
face. , He's getting a bit tubby - too much ofhis wife's cook-
ing I expect.
stout /staut/ someone, especially a middle-aged person,
who is stout is short and fat [adj ]
The colonel was rather sOOrt and stout. with a round face
and grey moustache. I Outside the door stood a stout woman
in a tweed coat, who was breathing heavily from her walk
up the hilL
4 fat in a pleasant and attractive way
plump
chubby
plump IplAmpl a word meaning fat, especially in a
pleasant and attractive way, often used when you do not
want to say fat because it is impolite fatUI
a plump healthy-looking child , Her mather was a chee/ful,
plump woman with an infectious laugh. I He's a little on the
plump side. but quite handsome.
chubby ,ltJAbi/ someone who is chubby, especially a
small child, is fat in a pleasant, healthy-looking way ladjl
The baby was pink and chubby. , Who's that chubby little
girl with the dark hair?
5 words for describing a part of the body that is
fat
lat podgy/pudgy
plump Ilabby
chubby lull
fat I f"'~ latUI
I hate going swimming - I don't like people seeing my/at
kgs. , My swmach's much fatter than }'Ours.
plump IplAmpl plump face/waist/bottom ete
(=pleasantly fat) ladj l
The docwr's Wife had a plump face and a nice smik. , The
cook's waist looked rather plump for such a small apron.
chubby I' 'JAbil chubby flDgers/ cheeks/arms ete (=fat
and round in an attractive way) [adjl
The baby reached out with its chubby little fingers. , When
he smiled. dimples appeared at the corners 0/ his chubby
cheeks.
podgy/pudgy I'Pod3i, 'PAd3i,1I 'pm-I podgy lingers/
hands/face etc (=smali and fat, especially in an amusing
way) ladjl
His pudgy littlefmgers were CQvered in chocolate. , Eisi<! had
a large bady and a padgy face.
flabbr/'flrebi/ covered in soft loose fat in a way that looks
very unattractive [adj l
Her bady was getting old andf/abby. , John'sjlabby white
thighs wobbled like jellies as he walked across the beach.
full/full futllips/mouth/faee/ breasts (=fat and round
in an attractive way) [adj]
Joanna 's full red lips were jlXffl. in an inviting smile. I A
black necklace hung down over her full breasts.
I~ I
~
"You say" is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English .
482 FAT
6 a fat stomach
paunch spare tyre
pot belly mlddle-age spread
beer gut
paunch /P:J:ntJ/ .a man who has a paunch has a large
noticeable stomach [n Cl
I'm getting a bit ofapaunch - I need to do some exercise. I
He lay on his chair with his hands clasped abave his paunch,
listening to the radio.
pot bally I'po' ,beli 11 'pm'l a round stomach that sticks
out at the front, especially when this is the result of eating
or drinking too much, or when someone is suffering from
not having any food to eat for a long time en Cl
Larry was a short guy with a moustache and a pot belly. I
You really should do something abaut that pot belly of
yours. I People all over the world were shocked by these
images 0/ starving children with pot bellies. too weak even
to stand up.
beer gut /'bICl f ,gAt./ an informal expression meaning a
fat stomach caused by drinking too much beer l n Cl
His beer gut was popping the buttons on his shirt. I At only
seventeen Lorne already had the beginnings 0/ a beer gut.
spare tyre Ils~r ItaI3 f / an infonnal British word mean-
ing a ring of fat around the waist [n C J
You should go on a dii!t - look at that spare tyre!
middle-age spread I,mldl eld3 I spred/ the fat around
the waist that people gradually get as they grow older In
phrase]
A hJt ofpeople start to get middle-age spread when they're
over 30.
7 to become fatter
put on weight
gain weight
fill out
put on weight I ,put on Iwenl to become fatter and heav-
ier [v phrase]
John 's put on a Iota/weight recently, hasn't he? I put on 5
kilos/21bs etc I put on several pounds while I was on holi-
day. so now I'm on a strict diet.
gain weight /,geln, 'weltl to become fatter and heavier.
especially until you reach the weight you should be [v
phrase]
No matter how much I eat. I can't seem to gain weight. I gain
2 kilos/ 41bs ete He 's gained at ieastjive kilos since he was
born.
fill out I,fd 'autJ to start getting fatter after being too thin
[phr v II
He was terribly thin when he came out of hospital, but he's
fil1£d out a lot since then. , She looks much healthier now and
her face has star1£d w fill out.
8 to make a person or animal fatter
fatten up
fattening
fatten up 'I fretn IAp/ to make an animal fatter by giving
it a lot of food so that it will produce more meat [phr v TJ
fatten up sth The/arT7U!rs are/attening up their cattle and
getting them ready for market. , fatten sth/it/them up I
never eat duck pate - they force-feed the ducks in order to
fatten them up.
'aHanlng /'fretnIIJ/ food that is rattening makes you fat
ladj l
I mustn 't have any more afthat cream cake. It's very fatten-
ing. , CraWfISh tastes better and is iessfattening thanfried
fISh.
fatal 483 FAULTIBE SB'S FAULT
latal DIE 9 , KILL 7
latalltles DI E 6 4 words for describing feelings or behaviour
late CHANCElBY CHANCE 3 , FUTURE 7 that are typical of a father
'ate: tempt 'ate RISK 5 paternal
lated: be lated to CERTAINLY/DEFINITELY 5 latherty
latelul IMPORTANT 1
lather FATH ER I , 2 paternal/pa 1t3: rnll paternal feelings or behaviour are
father: the father of INVENT 2 like those of a father towards his children ladj1
He shaws no parernal feelings wwards his daughter. 1 My
elders in the newsroom kept a paternal eye on me.
• FATHER fetherly {'fa:O,'JjJ behaving In a kind way towards some-
one who is younger than you, which shows you care about
them a lot, as if you were their father [adjl
t words meaning lather Hefelt a deep,fatherly qfJe£tionfor th£se young peopre, and
2 what you call your father when speaking, treated them as if they were his own children. 1 From ih£
writing letters etc plane window he could still see the two young women, and
3 the state of being a father gave them a fatherly wave.
4 words for describing fee lings or behaviour
latherhood FATHER 3
that are typical of a father latherly FATH ER 4
latlgue TIRED 7
fatten up FAT 8
1 words meaning father fattening FAT 8
fatuous STUPIDINOT SENSIBLE 4
father
lault FAUlTISTH WRONG I , 2
dad .ault: be at fault FAULTIBE SS'S FAULT 1
old man fault: be sb 's faurt FAULTIBE SS'S FAULT 1
father {'fmO,'{ In Cl fault: can't fault PERFECT 1
My father is a doctor, I We'd better go and see how }Y)ur fault: find fault with CRITICIZE 4
father 's getting on in the kitchen. 1 Like most faih£rs I felt lault: not be sb's fault FAUlT/BE SS'S FAULT 2
anxious when my son got hisFzrst motorbike. fault: say ath Is ab's fault BLAME 1
dad {dred{ an informal word meaning father In Cl 'ault: through no fault of your own FAULTIBE SB'S
FAULT 2
My dad took nre swimming on Saturday, 1Congratulations!
How does itfeel to bea dad? 1All the mumsand dads were
standing at the school gates to pick up their kids.
old man I.auld Imrenl an informal expression meaning
father, especially used when talking about him to someone
else (n singular]
my/ her/ John's etc old man My old man never could
understand why I married Daris! 1 the old man (=my
father) I'm going to visit the old man next week. -i't . FAULTIBE sa'S
FAULT
2 what you call you r father when speaking,
"" . FAULTISTH
writing letters etc WRONG
Dad Daddy
Father Pop
Dad {dred{ an informal word that you call your father 1nl
Dad always sits in the same armchair in the sitting room. I
You've won the competition, Dad, well doTU!!
Father {'fo:.O,'{ a formal word that you call your father
1nl • FAULT/BE SB'S
No. Father, it's my life and I'm not always going to 00 what
you want! I Tell Father we're going out now, will you, and FAULT
ask if he needs anything,
Daddy {'<!redi{ an informal word meaning father, used by t to be responsible ior something bad that has
or to small children 1n l happened, such as a mistake or an accident
Daddy, can I have a drink please? I You dDn't want it? Give 2 not responsible for something bad that has
it w Daddy then. happened
Pop {pop 11 pa:p{ an informal American word meaning
father 1nl
Hi, Pop, how're you doin '? I Pop and I went/or a walk while
Mom was at the hairdresser's. 1 to be responsible for something bad that has
happened, such as a mistake or an accident
3 Ihe state of being a father be Bb'. lault be at lault
latherhood be to blame only have yourself to blame
be reaponslble blame yourself
fatherhood {'fa:o.'hud{ fn VI
Jeny doesn ~ tn.ke ih£ responsibilities of faih£rhood very seri· be .b'. f.ult {bi: (sb's) 'f:l:I~ ifsomething bad that has
ously, 1 He didn ~ realize what faih£rhood would actually happened is someone's fault, they should be blamed for
involve. it, especially because they made a mistake, or failed to do
something that they should have done Iv pizrosel
"The dag's esroped." "That's your fault. You Uift ih£ ga re
open. " I Whyda I alwaysgetih£ blamefor things thataren~
FAULT/BE SB'S FAULT
my fault? ! be sb's own fault (=be your fault and no one
else's) Slu!failed tlu! test but it was herownfault - slu!didn't
do any work. I be sb's fault (that) Don't blaTrU!yourselffor
the aa:ident. It was Jim 's fault the brakes weren't working. I
be the fault of TIu! serious wss of moral£ is tlu! fault of
senior management. I be sb's fault for doing 8th (=be
someone's fault because they did something) He lost hisjob,
but it was his own fault for telling lies.
be to blame /hi: ta 'blennl if someone is to blame for
something very bad or serious that has happened, they
caused it to happen, especially by doing something wrong.
not being careful, or not doing their job properly Tv phrase 1
be to blame for There will be an enquiry to find out who
is to blame/or the train crash. I She was as much to blame
for the break up o[ their marriage as he was. I be to blame
Ewn though crimejzgures have risen drastically. the Govern-
ment is not entirely to blame.
be responsible/bi: rl'sponsAbal 11 . Ispam-I if someone
is responsible for something bad such as a serious acci-
dent or a crime, they caused the accident or did the crime
and should be punished for it fv phrase]
Two windows are broken and the head teacher wants to
know who is responsible. 1 Eddie's been sacked and seems to
think I'm in some way responsible. I be responsible for The
police do not know who was responsible for the accident. 1
feel responsible (=to think that something is your fault)
You mustn V""I responsibl£for his death You did everything
you could.
responsibility jfl,sponsA 'bllAti 11 -Ispren-/ [n DJ The driver
accepted responsibility for the crash and agreed to pay
damnges.
be at fault Ibi: at 'f:>:ltJ ifsomeone, especially a group of
people, or an organization, is at fault. then they are respon·
sible for something bad that has happened because they did
not behave correctly. or did not take enough care Iv phrase]
In many cases ofbad behaviour in children, it is the parents
who are really at fault. I Whilst it is cl£ar thot the plane
crashed through negligence, it is difFzcult to prove that it is
the airline that is atfault.
only have you ....H to blame/,~nli hrev j:>:rlseifb
1bleJrn/ if you only have yourself to blame for something
bad that bas happened, it is your own fault that it bappened
and you should not feel sorry for yourself (v phrase not in
progressivel
His wlfe's kft him but lu!only hos himselfto blame - Iu! was
a terrible husband. 1 only have yourself to blame for I
didn't train hord enough so I know I've only got myself to
blame for not winning the race.
blame you ....lf 'I blelm j:>:r 1selfJ to think that it is your
fault that something bad has happened, so that you feel
very upset or ashamed [v phrase]
You mustn't blame yourself- it wasn't your fault. 1Children
sometimes feel that they had a part in the break-up of their
parents' marriage and blame themselves. 1blame yourself
for Tom can't go on blaming himselffor his mistakes. He
must think of the future.
2 not responsible for something bad that has
II.'! Ihappened
~ not be ab's tault
through no fault of your own
can't help it
not be sb's fault Inot bi, (sb's) '[0,111 if something bad
that has happened is not someone's fault, they are not
responsible for making it happen and should not be blamed
for it (v phrase]
The /wspital workers keep getting blamedfor things which
aren't their fault, and it's causing a lot of badfeeling. 1 not
be sb's fault (that) Don't moan at me. It's not my fault
you're in troubk.
through no faun of your own ,aru: nau If:>:It ;:)v j:>lr
l;:)Unj ifsomething bad happens through no fault of your
own, it is not your fault that it happens but you suffer
because of it (adv phrase I
484 FAULT/5TH WRONG
He lost his job through lWfault of his own and lWW has to
sell his house to pay his debts. I Haemophiliacs who, through
lWfauIt of their own, are infected with the Aids virus should
receive compensation.
can't help n I ,kern! 'help It 11 ,icrent-/ you say I can't help
it when someone is blaming you for something and you
mean it is not your fault because you are not in control of
the situation Iv phrase!
I can '( help it if the car keeps breaking down! 1 I'm sorry if
my coughing botlu!rs you, but I can't Iu!/p it. II trU!ci not to
cry but I just oouldn't Iu!lp it.
_ FAULT/5TH
WRONG
1 a fault in the way something works
2 a fault in someone's character
3 a fault in a set of ideas, or in a pian,
argument, explanation etc
1 a fault in the way something works
fault bug
detect what's wrong
fault 1[O:I!1 something that is wrong with a part of a
machine. piece of equipmentetc that makes it not work cor-
rectly In Cl
It sounds like tlu!re's afault in one oftlu! wudspeaicers. I
locate a fault (=find out what the fault is) The engineer is
trying to locate tlu!fault. I design fault (=a rault in the way
something was designed) The manufacturers havefound a
designfault in the 1992 model and they're asking all owners
to bring their cars in to be checked.
defect J'di:fekt, dl1fektl something that is wrong or
missing that makes a machine, piece of equipment etc not
work correctly, especially because it was wrongly or badly
made In Cl
This def ect in the braking system caused several accidents. 1
This program checks your disks and lf any difeds arefouM,
it locks out those areas. 1 The manufacturer's liability is
limited to problems caused by defects in materials or
mant.ifacture.
bug /b"gf a small fault in the instructions given to a com-
puter that stops it working correctly [n Cl
The program has so many bugs, it is almost impossible to
use. 1 We have a new programmer who is going to try to/ind
and eliminate the remaining bugs.
what'. wrong 'I wots I rDIJ 11 _I r:)!IJI what it is that stops
a machine, piece of equipment etc working properly [n
phrasel
I've taken tlu! car to tlu! garage so hopefully ttury'll reil us
what's wrong. I what's wrong with The phone is broken
and we don 't know what's wrong with it.
2 a fault in someone's character
fault weakness
flaw defect
faun Ir"lt/ In C usually plura/)
The secret of a good relationship is to accept each other's
faults and not try to chongethem. I She's my bestfriend and
I love her dearly, but slu! has her faUlts. I for all/ with all
his faults (=even though he has these faults) For all his
faUlts, Iu! wos a goodfallu!r.
flaw Ifb:/ a fault in someone's character that is usually
their only fault but that still has a serious effect {n Cl
TIu! /law thot lends to Dtlu!lw's downfall is his jeawusy. I
It was this flaw, Joanne kru!w, that had caused so many
probl£ms in lu!r life.
FAULT/STH WRONG
weakn ••• , ' wi:kn~sl a small fault in someone's charac-
ter or a slight lack of some quality such as courage or good
judgement In Cl
All ream members have their strengths and weaknesses. Let's
concentrate on those strengths. I I ttwught his weakness, if
he had one, was his vanity.
defect "di:fekt. dl1fektJ a fonnal word meaning a fault in
someone's character In Cl
Whatever his defects as a human being, Rousseau's genius
was clearly apparent. I This mast lamentable rkfect waS,
perversely. the very thing that made A l ia love him.
3 a faun in a set of ideas, or in a plan,
argument, explanation etc
weakness
Haw
w ••kn••• /'wi:kn!sl a small fault in a set of ideas, argu-
ments, plans etc, that makes them harder to accept or
believe In C)
The weakness in this theory is that it assumes all people are
the same. I I would like to deal with certain weaknesses in
theMonelarist approach to economic planning. I One weak-
ness in his argument is thefact that it was six months before
he made an offICial complaint - if it was so serious. why
wait?
flaw Ifb:1 a mistake or weak point in a plan, system, or
set of ideas, which makes the whole thing less effective
than it should be In C)
For all its flaws, our present electoral system is probably
better than any of the alternatives. l It only takes a little logic
to reveal the flaws in Irving's argument. I fatal flaw ( ~ a
serious weakness that makes something completely
ineffective) There wasonefatalf/aw in the de[endant 's case.
faulHess PERFECT 1
fautty BROKEN 4
faux pas MISTAKE 5
favourlfavor ADVANTAGE 4 . PREFER 1. UNFAIR 1. 4
favour: ask a favour ASK FOR STH/ASK S6 TO DO
STH 7
favour: be all forlbe all In favour of APPROVE 2
favour: be in favour POPULAR 1
favour: be in favour of SUPPORT A PERSON . GROUP,
OR PlAN 1
favour: be In sb 's favour ADVANTAGE 4
favour: be out of lavour POPULAR 5. 6
favour: come down In favour of DECIDE 2
favour: do sb a favour HELP 2
favour: in favour of INSTEAD 1
favour: the odds are stacked in sb's favour
ADVANTAGE 3
favourable/favorable PRAISE 6
favourable: be favourable for/to HELP 5
favoured/favored FAVOURITEiFAVORITE 2
favourtte/favorlte FAVOUAITElFAVOR ITE 1. 2
favourite: be (the) favour1teibe (the) favorit. WIN 8
• FAVOURITEI
FAVORITE
1 words for describing the thing or person that
you like better than any others
2 someone who is liked better and treated
better than everyone else by their teacher,
employer etc
"You say " is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English.
485 lax
1 words for describing the thing or person that
you like better than any others
favourite/favortte preference
preferred number one
first choice
favourite (British) Ifavorite (American) I'fe l v"'!~ ladj
only before noun I
Three times a week he ate pasta at his favourite Italian
restaurant. I Who ~ your favourite band? I NaUlsha'sfavorite
author was J.D. Salinger.
favourite/ favorite In Cl Let Peter have the cherry candies
because they are hisfavoriles (=the ones he likes best). I She
had a large chestnut mare called Bess which was her
favourite.
preferred Jprt In: rdl a formal or technical word meaning
favourite or best [adj only before noun)
There are three ways of separating the metal from the ore.
The preferred method in this rose is an electrolytic process. I
These creatures travel great distances while searching for
their priferred food.
Hrat choice J.b:Tst 'tJ:HSf the thing or person you like
best and would choose fIrst when you have several lo
choose from [n Cl
Boston was our first choice, but Chicago is also suitable. I
Wood is lilrely to remain the first choice for furniture for a
very long time to rome. I Prances was our FITSt clwice as a
name for the baby.
preference/'prefarnru;/ a liking for one thing or person
rather than another In Cl
lfyourFlTstchaia is rwtavailable we will sendyouyour next
preferena. I There are definite regional preferences amongst
our clients. I preference for At some universities there is a
preference for students from private schools.
number one 1.00moo T IWAn/ your number one cus-
tomer, patient etc is the one you like best fadj only before
nounJ
George was so well-behaved. He was our number one
palient.1 Eileen. is our number one customer. She always buys
the best of everything and seUles her bills on time.
2 someone who is liked better and treated
better than everyone else by their teacher,
employer etc
favouritenavortte teacher'. pet
blue-eyed boy favoured/fevored
favourfte (British) I favorlte (American) l 'felvi1r!~ In Cl
Teachers are rwt suppased In havefavoriles, but they always
do. I Lucinda is always going on overseas trips. She's the
boss's favourite.
blue-eyed boy I ,btu: aId 'roll an infonnal British
expression meaning a boy or man who is treated better
than anyone else by his teacher, employer, parent etc,
because they think he is perfect and do not notice his faults
In C usually singular)
Tom Cruise is Hollywood's blue-£yed boy at the mament and
can't do a thing wrong!
teacher's pet l.ti:tJ;,rz lpet! an informal expression
meaning someone who is their teacher's favourite student
and who is therefore disliked by the other students [n C
usually singular]
Jania was the /£acher's pet wha never behaved badly and
always did her hamework. I Donald wascrying becausesame
of the other children had called h im /£acher's pet and
wouldn't play with him.
favoured (British) I f.vored (American) I'fclv"dl
receiving special attention, help, or treatment especially
when this seems unfair ladj only before nounl
She will see her favored clients at any time of the day or
night. I Specially fa voured areas of A,frica receive mare
foreign aid than others.
I favourttlBmlfavorltism UNFAIR 7
fax SEND 5
fazed
fazed: not fazed CALM 1
fear FRIGHTENED 2, 10
fear: for fear of FRIGHTENED 2
fear of heights HIGH 7
fear the worst EXPECT 7
fearful: be fearful FRIGHTENED 2
fearless BRAVE 3
feasible POSSIBLE 1
feast MEAL 6
feat DO 9
feature ACTORlACTRESS 5, CHARACTER OF STH 2
featureless BORING 6
fed up: be fed up FED UP 1, SAD/U NHAPPY f
. FED UP
feeling tired and slightly angry because
something annoying keeps happening, or
because what you are doing is boring,
continues too long etc
1 to be fed up
1 to be fed up
I~ Ibebe tired
~
fed up
of
have had It up to here
be plssed off
be sick of be at the end of
have had enough of your tether
have had It jaded
ba fad up Ibi: ,fed 'Apl Iv phrase I
be fed up with 5th/with doing 5th I'mfed up with schoot
I'll be glad In leave. I Aren'tyoufed up with working atthe
sameplaceforso long? I be fed up He waitedfor two hours.
then hegotfed up and lift. I "What's the matrer?" "I'm just
fed up. Bored. " I get fed up with I'm gettingfed up with this
weatMr. It's been raining for weeks.
be tired of /hi: ltal;)rd Dvl to be fed up because you have
been doing something or have experienced something
boring, annoying etc for too long [v phraseJ
be tired of sth/doing 5th Gabrielle was tired ofstaying at
home with the children. I get tired of 5th Well, if you get
tired o[ life in the city, you can always come back home. I I
get tired 0/ listening to the same old tunes every day.
be sick of Ibi: ISlk DV' to be very fed up and annoyed,
especially with a situation or someone's behaviour that has
continued for much too long [v phrase]
be sick of doing 5th I'm sick of washing dishes - I'm going
In buy a dishwasher! I be sick of sth/sb A Int ofpeopk are
sick of this government and want a change. I be sick and
tired of (=be very sick 00 You must be sick and tired of
hoving In dl!al with other peopk's probkms all day. I be sick
to death of(=be extremely sick of) I'm sick to death of all
these stupid qu£stions about my private life.
have had enough of Ihav ,bred IllIAf Dvl if you have
had enough of someone's behaviour, the way someone is
treating you etc, you are very fed up with it and will not
accept it any longer [v phrase]
have had enough ofsth Stop interrupting. I'ue had just
about enough ofyou and your stupid remarks. I After years
ofhis abusive behaviour, Julie reft home. She'd had enough
ofit. I have had enough The work was boring and the offICe
was depressing. By the end of the first week she had had
enough.
have had It Ih3v 'hred ItI you say you have had it when
you are so fed up with someone's behaviour or a situation
that you cannot accept it any longer and you want it to
come to an end Iv phrase)
I've had it. I'm taking the kids and going In Mom's. I have
had it with She's IookingforalWther job - she's just about
had it with this place.
486 feel your way
have had It up to he,. /h3v ,hred It Ap td Ihl3 rl you say
you have had it up to here when you feel angry and very
fed up with someone's behaviour or a situation rv phrase]
have had it up to here with Dave's had it up to here with
the kids. They've been complaining and arguing all day. I
have had it up to here ltellyou, I'vejust about had it up
to here - what with all the staffing problems and MW the
computer breaking down. I feel like resigning.
be pissed oH Ibi: IPlst 1of/ an informal British expres·
sion that some people think is impolite, meaning to be very
fed up lV phrase J
be pissed off with He's thoroughly pissed ojJwith hisjob. 1
be pissed off I think you'd betrer try and cheer her up. She's
really pissed off
ba.t the end of your tether /bi: .-Oi lend~v j:J: r Ite&r/
to be so worried, tired, and unhappy, that you feel you can
no longer deal with a difficult, unpleasant, or upsetting sit·
uation Iv phrase 1
I had norrwney, my husband was sick, and I couldn't get a
job. [ was at the end ofmy rether. I She didn't know whot In
do to stop the baby crying - she was at the end 0/ her tether.
Jaded /ldJeldAdl fed up with an activity or job because you
have been doing it for a very long time and you no longer
find it interesting or exciting la~i1
Ajter two years oflh£same routine I wasfeeling jaded. 1The
show is popular withjaded New Yorkers who are tired ofthe
usual big· budget productions. I Mick Jagger arrived at the
airport looking jaded after almost a year of touring.
federal COUNTRY/NATION 11
federation ORGANIZATION 4
fee COST 1, PAY SB FOR WORK 2
feeble WEAK 2
feed EAT 1, FOOD 2, 5, MEAL 1
feed up FOOD 5
feedback REACT 4
feel FEEL HAPPY/FRIGHTENED/BORED ETC 1,
J FEEL HOTlCOLDiTlRED ETC 2, KNOW STH 14,
THINK/HAVE THE OPINION THAT 1, TOUCH 1, 5
feel: can't feel anything FEEL HOT/CCLDITIRED ETC 5
feel: not feel a thing HURT/CA USE PAIN 4
feel: not feel yourself/not be yourself ILL 2
feel about/around LOOK FOR 5
feel/be FEEL HOT/CCLDITIRED ETC 1
i1 feel for SYMPATHIZE 1
feel guilty GUILTY/FEEL GUILTY 1
• feel guilty: not feel guilty GUILTY/FEE L GUILTY 3
feel like WANT 1
feel sick/feel sick to your stomach ILL 4
feel sth In your bones PRE DICT 2
feel the cold COLD 6
feel well: not feel well ILL 4
feel your way CAREFUL 6
-+.
FEEL HAPPYI
FRIGHTENEDI
BOREDETC
-+. FEEL
TIREDETC
FEEL HAPPY/FRIGHTENED/BORED ETC
. FEEL HAPPYI
FRIGHTENEDI
BORED ETC
1 to feel happy, frightened , bored , upsel etc
2 a feeli ng of happiness, fear, boredom etc
1 to feel happy, frightened , bored, upset etc
feel be overcome with/by
be give way to
experience nurse
harbour/harbor
feel /fi:l/ [v]
She'sJeeling a little nervous, but she's stilllookingforward
to the wedding. 11 could hear strange sounds outside the
houseandstarred tofeel really scared. I Fe£ling bored, Kerry
stood up and wandered round the room. I She felt bad about
having been so rude to him.
be /hi ; strong bi:! to feel happy. frightened, bored, upsetetc
[v]
Don '( be scared - our dog 's very friendly. I Your [atlrer will
be delighted when he hears the news. I Polly's going to be
really angry when she /iruls out you 'De broken her watch.
experience /lk'spI3ri:lnsl a formal word meaning to feel
very strong emotions such as joy. pride, or sorrow Iv TJ
I experienced a great sense of loss when my Father died. IAs
his son sprinted fDward thefmish line. Mr Hayes experienced
a flush of pride.
harbour (British) / harbor (American) / 'ha:'b,'/ to have
bad feelings about something for a long time, especially
when you do not show them Iv Tl
A lot of people still harbor suspicions about foreigners. I
I harbored secretfears that my marriage wasjust too good
to last. I She thought he must enjoy harbouring grudges and
taking revenge.
be overcome wlthlby Ibi: ;K)v:!r1kAm WIt!'), ball to feel
an emotion such as sadness or disappointment so strongly
that you are unable to remain calm or think clearly lV
phrase]
When Diana met the starving children she was overcome
with pity and outrage. I Suddenly, I was overcome by a feel-
ing of panic. I Receiving the prize in hlJ1wur of her dead
father, she was overC0172€ with emotion.
give way to I.g lv 'wel tu:1 to allow a strong emotion to
show, especially after you have been trying not to feel it
or show it (v phrase]
Giving way to her grief, Anna burst into tears. I He was
ashamed to have given way to such feelings of self-pity.
nurse /n3: f s! nurse resentrnent/anger/a grievance/a
grudge (=have angry feelings for a long time but not
express them) [v T not in passive]
After the argument Philip said rwthing more but sat nursing
his anger. I She never nurses a grievance or plans revenge.
2 a feeling of happiness, fear , boredom etc
feeling a sense of
emotion passion
feeling l 'fi:III)1 something that you feel, such as anger,
pleasure, or dislike, either about yourself or about some-
one else, or about something that has happened [n Cl
a feeling of horror/sadness/rage etc TIu! news of Mrs
Harrison 's sudden deathjilled me with afeeling ofsadness. I
feeling Firejzghters could not conceal their feelings at the
simple 172€morial service for tlu! disaster victims. I Jenny's
husband is romplerely indifferent ta her needs andfeelings. 1
strong feeUng This experience left me with a strong feeling
0/ disappointment.
487 FEEL HOT/COLDITIRED ETC
emotion /1'm:xJf,m! a strong feeling that is very difficult
to control, for example a feeling oflove, sadness, or great
pleasure In C/ U I
The accused man showed little sign ofemotion as Iu! was sen-
tenced to jail. I Emotions that he didn 't understand welled
up inside him as Iu! spoke. great/deep emotion Larina
describes Bukharin as a man oJ great emotion, easily given
to tears.
a sanse of I;) Iscns Dvl a feeling of something such as lone-
liness, peacefulness etc, especially a feeling that stays with
you for a long time or permanently (n phrase)
A sense of security is important to a very young child. I His
paintings ofrural scenes convey a sense ofpeacefulness and
tranquility. I The unemployed are often overco172€ with a
sense of powerlessness.
paa.lon I lpref;mJ a strong and deeply felt emotion, espe-
cially a strong feeling of sexual love for someone or a strong
belief in an idea or principle (n C/ U]
After ten years of marriage, Bob still Jelt deep passion for
his Wife. I He throws himself into his art with a creative pas-
sion. I There is a common prejudice in this country that
Italians display their passions more readily than the
English.
• FEEL HOT/COLDI
TIRED ETC
1 to feel hot, cold , tired, hungry etc
2 ways of saying that something feels hot,
rough, wet etc when you touch it
3 a physical feeling of heat, cold, tiredness,
hunger etc
4 experiencing physical feelings more strongly
than most people
5 unable to feel anything in a part of your body
1 to feel hot, cold, lired , hungry etc
feel/be
experience
come over all
feel/be /fi:t, bi:/ [ v]
I'm really hot, would you open the window please? I After
their long walk in the mountains, John and Dave were both
very thirsty. I All of a sudden [felt weak all ouer and had
to sit down. I Sally had a long massage and afterwards felt
completely relaxed.
experience I1k I Spli1ri~nsl a formal word meaning to have
a feeling of pain, sickness etc, especially for a long period
of time l v Tl
I have experienced a lot ofdiscomfort at having to sit in badly
designed chairs at work. I Many women experiencefeelings
oflUlusea when theyarejirstpregnant. I Allofthepeopl£ who
had previously experienced severe tension felt extre172€ly
relaxed after their yoga class.
come over all / 1kAm I;KJV:!f :):1/ come over all funny /
weak/dizzy (=an infonnal British expression meaning to
suddenly feel weak, tired, ill etc) [v phrase]
I was standing at the bus stop when suddenly I ca172€ over
all dizzy. I I'm sorry. I missed what you said. Ijust cat1U! over
all funny for a minute.
2 ways of saying that something feels hot,
roug h, wet etc when you louch il
feel
feel /fi:l/ [v]
The diamond felt surprisingly rold when [ touched it. I
[think she has a temperature, her foreheadfe£1s very hot. I
She hotes wearing this swearer. She says itfeels too prickly. I
feel like (=feel the same as) Velour is a shiny fabric that
feels like velvet,
FEEL HOT/COLDITIRED ETC 488 few words
go to sleep / ,gau '" 'sli:p/ if. part of your body, such as
3 a physical feeling of heat, cold, tiredness, your arm or foot goes to sleep. you have no feeling in it,
hunger etc especially because it has been in the same position for a
'eellng long time [v phrase]
sensation When I'm driving long distances my leg sometimes goes to
sleep. 1 Can you stop leaning on me please? My arm's gone
feeling /'fi:hQ/ In Cl to sleep.
When he woke up, he was aware of a tight feeling in his go dead I,g~ 'dedI if a par1 of your body goes dead, you
chest. I When the dtJorbell rang I had a sudden feeling of have no feeling in it and it hurts to move it, either because
panic and just wanted to run away. I funny feeling (=a you are very cold. because it has had weight on it. or
strange or unusual feeling) Giving blood doesn " hurt but because it has been in the same position for a long time [u
}'OU get a funny feeling in your arm.
phrasel
sen ••tlon /sen I seljanI a physical feeling, especially one It was so cold that my fingers had gone dead and I couldn't
that is unclear or difficult to describe In Cl write my name. I When 1 woke up my arm had gone dead -
She felt a cold sensation as the icy water dripped down her 1 must have been lying on it.
back. I A common sign of brain tumours is a tingly, numb
sensation in the toes andfingertips. 1He was aware that he t feeling FEEL HAPPYfFRIGHTENED/BOREO ETC 2,
was being beaten, then gradually the last sensations a/pain FEEL HOT/COLDITIRED ETC 3
left him and he lost consciousness. 'eellng: have/gel the 'eellng (Ihal) THINK SO/NOT BE
SURE 1
feeling: gut feeling INSTINCT 1
4 experiencing physical feelings more strongly
than most people
sensitive
1
~
feeling: have a feeling KNOW STH 14
'eellng: wllh 'eellng EMOTIONAL 2
'eellngs OPINION 1
feel the heat/cold feelings: hurt sb's feelings UPSET 3
senaHlve f 'sens~tlvl [adjJ
J feelings run high ANGRY 7
He says this scarFs too itchy - he's very sensitive and won't Ii feet: be back on your feet BEn ERlRECOVERED 1
wear anything that's made/ram wool. I sensitive to Since i feet: be on your feet STAND 1
.. feet: be swept off your feet LOVE 7
her illness she has been sensitive to the slightest pain. I sen·
feet: drag your feet WILLING 4

I
sitive teeth/eyes/skin (=reacting strongly to cold, pain,
smoke etc) 1 can't eat ice cream because 1 have sensitive teeth. feet: fall on your feet LUCKY 1
sensitivity I,sens~ 'tlv!ti/ln 01 How long you can stay out 'eel: 'Ind yoor 'eet USED TO/ACCUSTOMED TO 4
in the sun depends on your sensitivity to the sun's rays. feet: get to your feet STAND 2
feet: have your feet on the ground SENSIBLE 1
feel the heat/cold /,fi:16, 'hi:t, 'kauld/ to be affected feet: on your feet STAND 2
by heat or cold more easily than most people, especially
, feet: put your feet up REST 1
because you are old or because you are not used to it Iv
phrase) ., feet: stand on your own feet/your own two feet
~ INDEPENDENT PERSON 3
The elderly are 1TUJre likely to feel the cold, and slwuld try
and keep as warm as possibk in the winter. lIt can get very feign PRETEND 3
Iwt in Spain at this tim£ofyear - tlwse English tourists must
really be feeling the heat. I
~.'
fell
'ellow
felon
CUT 7
MAN 1, WITH 5
CRIME 5
felony CRIME 1
5 unable to feel anything in a part of your body female WOMAN 1. 2, 3
numb go to sleep feminine WOMAN 4
have no feeling go dead feminism WOMAN 5
can't feel anything feminist WOMAN 5
fence : sit on the fence DECIDE 8
numb Inl\rn/ apart of your body that is numb, has no feel- fend for yourself IN DEPENDENT PERSON 3
ing in it for a short time, especially because it is cold or ferocious VIOLENT 2. 3
because your btood has been stopped from reaching it [adjl 'eroclty VIOLENT 6
It was so cold that his toes were numb. I He tigh/;!I1ed the rope fertile BABY/HAVE A BABY 12. GROW PLANTS,
around my wrists until my handsfeU numb. I go numb The VEGETABLES ETC 4
dentist waited until my jaw went numb before starting to lervenl STRONG FEELING OR BE LIEF 1
drill my teeth. I numb with cold 1 was numb with cold, but festooned: be festooned with DECORATE 2
kept on skiing anyway.
'elch COST 2. TAKE/BRING 3
numb [v Tl Tfre anaesthetic is injected into the base of the
'elish OBSESSION 1
spine and numbs the body from the waist down (=makes it
fetus: foetus/fetus BABY/HAVE A BABY 3
numb).
feud ARGUE 6
numbness [n U1After the numbness woreoff. my leg/eit sore
and swollen. fever pitch EXCITE D 4
feverish HOT 9, HURRY 4
haYe no f_lIng /hrev ,nau 'fi:hlJ/ if you have no feel- few FEW/NOT MANY 3
ing in a part of your body. you are unable to feel anythin? .." few: 8 few FEW/ NOT MANY 1, SOMElA FEW 1
in it. usually permanently, and often because of an aCCI- few: be few and far between RARE 1
dent or illness Iv phrase rwt in progressive] few: very few FEW/NOT MANY 2
After the strok£, he had nofeJ!ling in his lift side. I She had
few words: 8 man/woman of few words TALK TO S8 16
no feeling below her knees; her legs were trapped under the
rock.
canlt fee. anything I ,ko!m fhl'eni911J 11 ,krent-I to not
be able to fee) pain, heat, touch ete in part of your body espe-
cially because it is hurt in some way Iv phrase1
Since her motorbike accident, she can 'tfeel a nything below
the na:k. I The doctor prick£d her toe with a pin, but she
couldn'tfeel anything. I Although he is no longer totally
paralysed, he still can't feel anything in his right leg. "You say" is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English .
FEW/NOT MANY
a small number of • FEW/NOT MANY
people or things -
a small arnouhl of
something '"
-
• LITTLE/NOT
MUCH
some, a few e SOME/AFEW
• FEW/NOT MANY
1 a small number 01 people or things
2 a very small number of people or thi ngs
3 a smaller number than you would expect
4 a small number of people or things that are
part of a larger group
5 ways of saying that a small number of people
arrive, leave, move ete over a long period of
time
1 a small number of people or things
a few 8 handful of
8 small number of sparse
one or two
• f ew I> ' fju'l lquantiflerl
a few people/things/ places etc Could you lend me afew
dollars until tomorrow? I Barbara 's only lived there/or a
few weeks. 1 Addafew dropsafaliveail In the mixture. 1 There
was 1W one on the streets this early except for a few lonely.
hurryingfl.gures. I a few 0[(=8 small number out of a larger
number) There were only afew of us wit at the end of the
party. 1a few Most ofthe trees were destroyed by thefire, but
a few survived.
• small number of I;, IsmJ!) 'fit\mb~r avl a formal
expression meaning a few people, things, places etc, espe-
cially when they are part of a very large number
[quantiFIerl
a small number of people/ things/places ete Doctors
believe only a small number of people are at risk from the
disease. I The new system is being tested in a small number
of schools. 1 A relatively small number of industrially
advanced countries control the world economy. I a small
nwnber Hundreds ofpeopi£ begin the training programme,
but only a small number complete it successfully.
one or two ' l wAn ~:T ItU:"" an infonnal expression mean-
ing a very small number of people or things [quantifier}
one or two people/things/ places etc We've had one or
two problems with the car but nothing serious. I Mr Lowe
has to see one or two people this morning, but he should be
free this a/t.errwon. l one or two of (=one or two out of a
larger number) I've read one or two ofhis books and 1 didn 't
really e/1iay them. l one or two I really like h is books, but
I've only read one or two.
a handful of I;} ' hrendful '3VI a very small number of
people or things, especially when this number is disap·
pointing or only just enough [quantifieri
a handfu l of Only a handful ofartists. in Britain can make
a living from painting. 1 A handful afpeopw stayed qfter the
concert to help clear the chairs away. I a hand ful "How
many US companies have been su~ul in the Japanese
market?" "No more than a handfuL. "
ap8r" /spo.:. Ts/ ifsomething is sparse, there are only very
small amounts of it, especially spread over a large area
lac{i )
Trees are sparse in this part of the world because of the
489 FEW/NOT MANY
continuous wind that blows across the plains. I Driving
through these small towns I was surprised at the sparse
traffIC.
sparsely ladv) Much ofSiberia is sparsely populated (=With
very few people, spread over a large area).
2 a very small number of people or things
very few
almost no
hardly any/scarcely any
very few 11 veri 'fju:/( quantifier)
very few people/ things/ places etc In the J950s and early
J961Js, very few people were unemployed. 1 The eel is one of
the very few creatures in the world that can kill by electro-
cution. I Very few colleges these days refuse admission on
grounds of age alone. I very few "Do many women become
judges?" "Very few. " I very few of Very few afmy friends
really understand me.
almost no '1:>:im'JUst 10'30/ so few people or things that
there are alrnost none [quantifier]
There are almost no black students at the coli£ge. I Almost
no visits were made to the small museum last month. l Our
foreign correspondent has reported alnwst no signs of
organized protests in Batavia.
hardly any/scarcely any ' lha:Tdli 'eni , IskeaTsli-/ so
few people or thinb75 that there are almost none, especially
when this number is disappointing or unexpected
Iquantiflerl
hardly any people/ things/ places etc Although it was
Monday morning there were hardly any people around. I The
container was sealed, so hardly any particles ofradioactive
dust could have escaped. 1hardly/ scarcely any of(=hardly
any of a large nurnber) Scarcely any of the private schools
replied to tire researcher's questionnaire. I hardly/ scarcely
any There are supposed to be a lot of teaclu!rs at the confer-
ence, but I've met hardly any.
3 a smaller number than you would expect
not many
few
not many Inot 'meni/l quantiFrer]
not m any people/ places/ things etc Not many peopi£
came to tlu! party, but it was still fun. I There aren't many
theatres in Toronto, infact there are only three. I not man y
of Not many of these stray cats willfind a good home. I not
many "Do we have any eggs left?" "Not many. We nl'£d some
more. "
few Ifju:/ a very much smaller nurnberor a rnuch srnaller
nurnber of people or things than you would expect
(quantifier)
few people/ places/ t hings etc She UXlS very quiet and
madefew friends at school. 1She wft In find a better job and
I think she has few regrets. 1 few When we counted the
number ofguests who came, there were relatively few. I few
of Veryfew ofthe women questioned blanled their husbands'
viownce on alcohol. 1so few Why do sofew Englishpeopw
speak German? I surprisingly few We advertised but had
surprisingly few replies.
4 a small number of people or things that are
part of a larg er group
a minority of
a minority of /'3 mal'nor~ti '3\1 11 - m~ 10:>:-/ a srnall group
of people or things frorn within a larger group, usually
fonning rnuch less than halfofthe larger brrQUP (quantifier)
Only a minority of union members voted infavour ofcon·
tinuing the strike. I a minority An active minority in the
senate is trying to impose its will on the majority. I a
smalVtiny etc minority of Joyce is among the tiny
minority of arthritis patients who experience these sym-
ptoms. I We usually manage to reach an agreement among
ourselves but in a small minority of cases we had to call in
an arbitrator.
FEW/NOT MANY 490 FIGHT

5 ways of saying that a small number of people

arrive, leave, move ete over a long period of
time
J'ight I~~=~
a trickle
in dribs and drabs
.whlCb "arilng? .
in ones and twos h~a. lIghI. "' ~ . FIGHT
• trickle I~ 'tTlkalJ a number of people going in small IIOmeOI'Ie p..._ 1li'r .,.......
,
groups from one place to another, especially from one coun·
try to another, over a long period of time In singularJ work. hard fc)r or ." .",. FIGHT FOR OR
a trickle of Since the rebellion there has been a steady trickle against 80riiethlng AGAINSTSTH
o/refugees making their way across the border. I a trickle yOti1hink Is good or
Theflow o/immigrants/rom Russia has slowed to a trickle. bad
,
In dribs and drab. Iln ,dnbz::m 'drrebzl ifpeoplearrive,
leave etc in dribs and drabs, they come or go in small period of fighting
groups and not all together ladv phrase I betWeen countries or
The wedding guests were arriving in dribs and drabs. I At armies
five thirty, the staff began to leave the building in dribs and
drabs. a violent persOn . · VIOLENT
In on•• and twos I In I WARZ ~n Itu:zl if people arrive,
leave etc in ones or twos, they arrive etc on their own or
in very small groups (adv phrase)
People arrived for the party in ones and twos. I There were
only aboutfifty people in the hall, standing around in ones
• FIGHT
and tUXJs. t to fight
2 to start a fight or try to start a fight
fewer LESS 1
fewer and fewer LESS 1 3 behaving in a way that is likely to start a fight
fewest: the fewest LEAST 2 4 a fight involving a small number of people
fiance/fiancee MARRY 7 5 a fig ht involving a large number of people
fiasco: be a fiasco FAIL 6
fib LlEfrELL A LIE 2
fickle CHANG E YOUR MIND 3
ficUon STORY 1. UNTRUE 2 1 to fight
fiddle CHEAT 3. 4 fight get Into a fight
fiddle: be on the fiddle CHEAT 3 have a fight come to blows
fiddle with HOLD 4. REPAIR 4 struggle clash
fiddly DIFFICULT 4 wrestle
fidelity FAITHFUL 3
field AREA OF KNOWLEDGE. DUTIES. STUDY ETC 1. fight Ifalll if someone fights another person, or if two
SUBJECT 6 people fight, they push, hit, or kick in order to hurt each
field: the field/the field of battle WAR 7 other Iv IITI
fierce VIOLENT 2 Two men were fighting in the street outside. I fight sb He
fiery HOT TASTE 1 said he wouldfrghtanyone who tried to stop him leaving the
fifty-fifty chance: there's a fifty-fifty chance room. I fight about/over (=fight because they disagree
UNCERTAIN 3 about) The police were called in when two men in the bar
fight ARGUE 1. COMPETE WITHITRY TO BEAT 1. 2.
began fighting over a game of cards.
FIGHT t . 4. FIGHT FOR OR AGAINST STH 4. have a fight Ilhrev 3 Ifani to fight with another person
VOTE/ELECT 9. WAR 4 Iv phraseJ
fight: be spoiling for a flghUlooklng for a fight Did you have afight at school today. Billy? I have a fight
FIGHT 2 with I didn't want to have afight with him because he was
fight: get Into a fight FIGHT 1 much stronger and tougher than me.
fight: have a fight FIGHT 1 stRlggle I I strhgall to fight someone who is attacking you
fight: pick a quarrel/a fight ARGUE 4 or holding you, especially so that you can escape from them
fight: put up a fight FIGHT FOR OR AGAINST STH 3 [v 11
fight a war WAR 4 The victim had obviously struggled/uriously against her
fight back FIGHT FOR OR AGAINST STH 3. PREVENT 12 attacker. I struggle to do sth Vinee struggl£d to frre him-
fight back tears CRY 5 selffrom the policeman's grip.
fighUfight against FIGHT FOR OR AGAINST STH 2. 3 wrestle Ilresall to fight someone by holding, pulling, or
fight for FIGHT FOR OR AGAINST STH 1 pushing them rather than hitting them Iv I1
wrestle with Archie was still wrestling with the intruder,
with his arm around the man's throat. I wrestle The two
boys wrestled for a whik then gave up, tired.
gat Into a fight I ,get mtu 3 Ifaltl to have a fight with
someone, especially when you do not want a fight but it
happens as the result of an argument Iv phrase]
In all my time at sclwolI only ever got into afightonce. I Joe
went out, got drunk and got into a fight.
come to blows 1I kAm t;) 'bl;)Uzl if two people come to
blows, they start fighting after an argument or when both
people are very angry Iv phrase]
Kate and Gea!! argU£d fiercely and almost came to blows.
"You say" is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken Eng lish.
FIGHT
clash /klreJ/ iftwo groups of people with opposing politi·
cal opinions clash, they fight for a short time [v I1
Two Sikh extremist groups clashed outside the Golden
Templi! in Amritsar yesterday. I Police clashed with demon-
strators for the second time in a week.
2 to start a fig ht or try to start a fig ht
start a fight
pick a fight
be spoiling for a fight/looking for a fight
start a fight I.sta:rt <l tfalt! [u phrase]
Don't talk whim - he's just trying w swrt a fight. I He
creliberately stnrteti aright sa that he coultt claim he had been
attnck£d. I The fight was started by a group of British
tourists.
pick a fight / ,p,k, 'faI~ to deliberately start a fight with
someone, especially by arguing with them or saying rude
things to them Iv phrase I
pick a fight with 1 walked into a bar and a drunk tried to
pick afight with me. I pick a fight Nowadays he no longer
picks fights - he even avoids fighting altogether.
be spoiling for a fight/looking for a fight /bi:
ISpJlllIj r<lr <l tfalt, ,JUkll]-/ to want to get rid of angry or vio-
lent feelings by fighting or trying to start a fight Iv phrase!
He was walking around with hisjlStsClenched. spoiling/or
ajight. ! The men needed no excuse to attack us, they were
looking for aright.
3 behaving in a way that is likely to start a fight
aggressive
belligerent
aggressive 1~lgreslvl wanting to fight or attack someone
lattil
The men were drunk. aggressive and very unpleasant. I Vin-
cent's aggressive behaviour often got him into trouble.
aggressively ladv ) He glared aggresively at me.
aggression/~'greJan/ln U} When parents divorce, children
often respond with anger and aggression (=aggressive
behaviour or feelings).
belligerent /b~ '1Id.)<lTdnt/ wanting to fight or argue, espe-
cially in order to prove that you are the best, the most
important etc ladj }
Their stupid conversation had put me in a belligerent mood
and I told them to shut up. I He is a small man, but tough
and belligerent.
belligerently [adv I She pushed open the door belligerently
and walked in.
4 a fight involving a small number of people
fight brawl
punch-up scuffle
scrap fracas
fight /f"~ In Cl
There has been afight in thefactory. I It started as an argu-
ment and ended as a figh t. I be in a fight He can't remem·
ber hew many fights he's been in.
punch-up l'phntJ hp/ an informal British word meaning
a fight In Cl
Some drunks began calling us names and it ended in a
punch-up. lOur clothes were stained with earth and blood
after our punch·up.
scrap Iskreep/ a short fight, especially between children
InCI
Two young kids were having a scrap in the playground.
brawl /hr.>:I/ a violent fight between a group of people in
a public place- In Cl
The argument turned into afull-scale brawl with chairs and
glasses being throw n. I He got hisface cut in a brawlout·
side a nightclub.
scuffle /'skhfal/ a short fight that is not very violent and
which usually only involves people pushing each other [n
Cl
491 FIGHT FOR OR AGAINST STH
There was a brief sc<ifj1€ as the crowd left the football
ground. I a scuIDe breaks out (=a scuft1e starts suddenly)
Rioters threw stones at the fXJlice and afew scujJles brokE out.
fracas J'frreka: n 'frelk~sl a short, noisy argument
between a number of people that may turn into a fight In
singular]
Protestors gained entry to the hall and the meeting broke up
inacon/usingfracas. 1Trrere was afracas outside tire court
house as the suspect emerged.
5 a fight involving a large number of people
fighting confrontation
battle riot
clash
fighting /'f.,ug/ a fight or fights involving a large
number of people [n UJ
It was a violent political demonstration, and there was some
fighting. I fighting breaks out (=fighting starts suddenly)
Fighting broke out in the crowd after the referee awarded
a penalty to Argentina.
battle / 'bretl/ a fight between two large groups of people
In Cl
a battle between police and students I pitched battle (=an
unusually large fight) A pitched battle between the two
gangs had led to several injuries.
clash /klreJ/ a short fight between two large groups of
people who have opposing political opinions [ n Cl
There were clashes last night between local residents and
young people attending the pop festival.
confrontation /,konfr.m'teIJan II lko:n-! a situation in
which there is a lot of angry disagreement between two
groups, wh ich may develop into a large fight [n Cl
TIw police were obviously anticipating a confrontation, as
they were heavily armed.
riot 1I ral;x/ an uncontrolled violent fight in a public place
involving a large number of people, especially people who
are protesting about something (n Cl
When it was announced that the price of bread would rise
by 50%, there were rwts in several cities. 1 The railway sta·
tion was closed because there had been riots near the parlia·
ment building. I a riot breaks out (=a riot starts) A riot
broke out at the stadium when the home team lost 5-0.
'. FIGHT FOR OR
AGAINST STH
to work very hard to support or oppose a
belief, principle, or person
1 to fight for something or someone that you
think is good
2 to fight against an activity, situation etc Ihat
you think is bad
3 to fight against someone powerful or against
something bad that they are trying to do
4 the act or process of fighting for or against
somethi ng
1 to fight for something or someone that you
think is good
fight for campaign
work for championlbe a champion of
fight for I'falt 6: r l to work with great detennination in
order to gain the right to do something, or in order to bring
changes that will improve society rv T J
In every country o/the world women have had to light for
equality. I We arerlghtingfor the right w join a trade Wlion. 1
Freedom of speech is something worth fighting for.
FIGHT FOR OR AGAINST STH
work for II W 3!Tk f.):TI to work continuously and patiently
to make changes that will improve society or the world
[vT]
Nelson Mandela has worked/or a non-racial South Africa
all his life. I The organization has become a small but
signijkant force working for change. I work tirelessly
(=work without stopping) She will be remembered as some-
one wlw worked tirelessly for educational reform.
campaign Ikrem Ipeln/ to work for a long time. for exam-
ple making speeches, writing to newspapers and the
government etc, in order to persuade people that something
needs to be done [v IJ
campaign for Women campaigned/or equal pay and equal
rights throughout the 19605. I This newspaper has cam-
paigned vigorouslyJor the restoration o/the death penalty. I
campaign to do sth He was one of the people who cam-
paigned to change the law on homosexuality. I campaign
Ajrer months o[campaigning local parents have persuaded
the council to provide a school bus service.
campaigner In C1 During his years as a human rights
campaigner he was arrested seven times.
champion/be a champion of 1"Jrempion, bi, 0
Itfrempi~n ovf to publicly fight for and defend an aim or
principle such as the rights of a group of people Iv Tl
Martin Luther King champion£d the rights ofblack Ameri-
cans. 1 Throughout her political career she was a champion
ofprison rriform. 1 He was awarded the honour for years of
championing the cause of religious freedom.
2 to fight against an activity, situation etc that
you think is bad
fight/fight against wage war on
combat campaign
ftghtlflght against Ifalt , 'fait ogens'l to work with great
determination in order to stop something you think is bad
from happening, or to remove something in society that
you think is bad [v Tl
We're determined tofight drug abuse in schools. 1Staff are
fightingaplnnwcwsethefacwry. I The ANChas spent OOlf
a century fighting against racism.
combat 11kombret. k:.lm Ibret 11 k~m Ibret, I ko:mbretl to take
action effectively in order to oppose something bad such
as injustice, crime, or illness Iv Tl
President Bush emphasized the importance of combating
international terrorism. 1 Doctors are still seeking ways to
combat AIDS. 1 The government sees price controls as a way
to combat inflation.
wage war on l,weld3 IW;'>:r onl if a group or organiza-
tion wages war on something such as an illness, bad con-
ditions. or crime, they fight against it for a long time in a
very determined way Iv phrasel
The World Health Organization is waging war on malaria. l
Throughout 1990 the police waged war on street gangs in an
effort to eradicate organized crime.
campaign Ikrem I peml to work hard for a long time, for
example making speeches, writing to newspapers and the
government, in order to persuade people that something
bad or unjust must be stopped [v IJ
campaign against He was thefirst MP to campaign against
the testing of nuclear weapons. I campaign to do sth The
Animal Rights Movement is campaigning to stop experi-
ments on live animals.
3 to fight against someone powerful or against
something bad that they are trying to do
fight/fight against put up a fight
resist hold out against
resistance make a stand
light back oppose
stand up to
fight/fight against IfaIt, 'faIt 'gen"1 Iv T]
They want to build a new road across this park, but we'll
J!fJht them. I It's no useJ!fJhting against the l£gal ti£partml!nt
on this issue ~ they're too powerful.
492 FIGHT FOR OR AGAINST STH
re.lst In IZ I St! to fight in a very determined way against
changes that you think will be unfair or could take people's
freedom away [v T J
We shall resist any changes that threatEn our personal
freedom. 1 By resisting the MaFm's attempts to control tlW
region. Dolei was putting his own life in danger. 1The Presi-
dent resisted popular pressure for the death penalty to be
restored.
resistance In I Zlstmsl fighting in a very determined way
against changes that you think will be unfair or could take
people's freedom away [n VI
resistance to Much of the resistance to social andpoJitical
change is from people who oppose the government. 1
resistance She becam£ one ofthe ,ymbols ofresistana! both
at 00"'" and abroad. I meet with resistance ( =10 be
strongly resisted by people) Any policy that creates unem-
ployment is likely to meet with strong resistance.
fight back Ilfalt 'brekl to fight against someone who is
doing something that harms you fphr v I]
Children are oftEn powerless to Frght back when they are
trrol£d unfairly. I You mustJ!fJht back ifyou became a victim
ofdiscrimination. 1 The immigrant workers were oppressed
and starved until they finally lost the will w J!fJht back.
stand up to I,st.rend I hp tu:1 to refuse to accept bad or
unfair treatment from someone, especially someone who
is stronger or more powerful than you are [v Tl
Don't let the boss treat you like that. You should stand up
to him a bit more. 1 He was a ruthless tyrant wlw always got
his own way because no one was brave enough to stand up
to him.
put up a fight I ,put Ap 0 'faItI to fight in order to show
that you are against something that you think is bad or
unfair, even though you are not likely to succeed in stop-
ping it {v phrase)
AltOOugh we put up aJ!fJht, wecouldn't swp the school being
closed. 1 People are not going to accept new tax increases
without putting up alight.
hold out against 'lh;}Uld laut :.lgenstf to fight for as long
as poss ible against a change that someone powerful is
trying to make, because you think it is wrong or unfair Iv
T]
The workers held outfor several months against the closure
ofthe mine, but they were eventually defeated. 1 Doctors are
holding out against the government's attempts to reorganize
the health service.
make a stand I,melk ~ Istrendl to show publicly that you
think something is wrong, and take action to stop it {v
phrase)
make a stand against Gandhi and his followers made a
determined stand against the racist policies of the govern-
ment. 1 make a stand We saw innocent people being
arrested, but no one made a stand; we just let it happen.
oppo.e/~lp;}Uzl to fight against something such as a law
or system that you think is wrong (v T]
Those who opposed the regime were put into prison or even
executed.
opposition I I opd Iz1Jan n 10;-1 [nUl The newspaper became
well known for its FJ.erce opposition to apartheid (=for
fiercely opposing apartheid).
4 the act or process of fighting for or against
something
light campaign
struggle crusade
battle drive
fight Ifanl [n singular]
fight against We all have a duty to help the police in their
fight against crime. 1 The government is creating two
hundred new jobs as part of itsfight against unemployment
in the area. 1 fight for Miners say they will not give up the
fight for better working conditions.
struggle Ilstrhgall a long, hard fight involving a lot of
work and suffering [n C usually singular}
struggle for Nkrumah led the people in their struggle for
independence. 1 struggle against Lifefor somefarmers was
FIGHT FOR OR AGAINST STH 493 FIND
a continuous struggle against JX)verty and persecution. I
struggle Many OILlS were imprisoned. but we never gave up
the struggre. finally
baltla I'bretll a long, hard fight against something such
as an illness. crime. or social and economic problem In C
usually singular!
battle against the battle against inflation I The president
is fully commitred to the baare against drug traffICking. I
win the battle against At inst the World Health Organi-
zation is winning the battle against malaria in the region.
the laaithlt;1ll or
'1-------
c.mpalgn Imm I pe I nJ a planned set of actions or events,
such as public meetings, letters to the government etc, that
is intended to persuade the public that something is bad , finally EVENTUALLY 1. 3. LAST 4
or unfair and should be cbanged In Cl finance MONEY 13. 14, PAY FOR 11
campaign for Motoring organizations have started a cam- finances MONEY 6
paign/or better roads. I campaign against Our campaign financial MONEY 11
against alcohol abuse is supported by the medical profes- find FIND 1. 3. 5, 6. FIND OUT 1. GET 1
sion.1 vigorous campaign (=a very strong campaign) find: be dlfflcuR to find/hard to find FIND 4
Clark 's vigorous campaign against the dumping 0/ nuclear find: can 'l find LOSE/CAN 'T FIND 1
waste will continue. I launch/mount a campaign (=start find a solution SOLVE/DEAL WITH A PROBLEM 1
a campa ign) The unions are launching an effective cam- find an explanation SOLVE/FIND THE ANSWER 1
paign against racial discrimination_ find/discover FIN D 7
CN• •e /km: 'seldl a fight that someone continues for a find faull wllh CRITICIZE 4
long time, because they feel strongly that something is find oul FIND OUT 1. 2. 3, 7
morally wrong and must be changed In Cl find out about FIND OUT 6
crusade against She will continue her crusade against sex find ab guilty GUILTY 5
and violence on TV: I crusade As apoliticians/U!'s made t/U! find ab nol guilty INNOCENT/NOT GUILTY 3
fight for women's rights into a personal crusade. find 5th dlfflcuR DIFFICULT 10
drlve /dralv/ a planned effort by an organization, govern- find sth Interesting INTERESTED 2
ment etc to achieve a change within a short time that will find the words: put sth into words/find the words to
improve a particular situation that affects people's lives [n say sth EXPRESS 1
Cl find time/make time TIME/HAVE TIME 4
The Health Department is about to launch an anti-smoking find your feel USED TO/ACCUSTOMED TO 4
drive_I economy drive (=a drive to reduce spending) The find your way FIND 5, WAY/ROUTE 5
government 's economy drive has failed to produce the flnd your way around USED TO/ACCUSTOMED TO 4
expected savings_
fighting FIGHT 5, WAR 1
figment of your Imagination IMAGINE 3
figure BODY 2. COUNT/CALCULATE 2, MONEY 3,
NUMBER 1. 2. SHAPE 1. TH INK/HAVE THE
OPINION THAT 1
.. figure: keep your figure THIN PERSON 3
figure-hugging: sklntlghtlfigure-hugging TIGHT 5
figure on: reckon onJtjgure on EXPECT 3
figure out COUNT/CALCULATE 2 UNDERSTAND 8
figure out/work out SOLVE/FIND THE ANSWER 1
figure prominently In/be prominent In IMPORTANT 7
figurehead LEADER 1 IInd out about a
file GO 2. INFORMATION 2. KEEPiSTORE 3 8Ubjec:I
file: in single file LINE 7
file: keep slh on file KEEPISTORE 3 look for eornethIng 01' .... . LOOKFOR
file a complaint: lodge a complaint /file a complaint ~ that leloet
COMPLAIN 1
fill CROWD 4, FULL 5, 6 Ioee, can't fIIId ..., . LOSE/CAN'T
fill a need NEED 8 sornethlng 01' FIND
fill In/fill oul WRITE 5 someone
fill In lime SPEND TIM E 2
fill out FAT 7
fill sb In on TELL 4
fill up FULL 5, 6
filled wllh : be filled wHh FULL 2
. FIND
filling FULL 4 1 to find something or someone thal is losl or
fillip: give ab a boostla fillip/a 11ft CONFlDENT 5
film CCVER 6
missing
film star /movle star ACTOR/ACTRESS 1 2 10 find somelhing or someo ne after a long or
flllhy DIRTY 1. RUDE/OBSCENE 1 carefu l search
flllhy rich: slinking rich/flllhy rich RICH 3 3 to find something Ihat you need, such as a
final CHANGE/MAKE STH DIFFERENT 10. END 3. job o r a place to live
EXAMITEST 1, LAST 1 4 difficull lo lind
final analysis: In the final analysis/last analysis 5 10 find a place thal you are Irying to gel to
BASIC 4 6 to find somelhing importanl or valuable,
finale END 2
especially knowledge or informalion, after
finalize FINISH OOING STH 6
Irying to find it for a long lime
confinued
 FIND
. FIND continued
7 to unexpectedly find something, especially
something interesling or useful , even though
you were not actually looking for it
8 something that you find or discover
1 to find something or someone that is lost or
missing
find
turn up
find /famd/lv TI
Terry's lost his passport I Iwpe hejinds it. I I've Ioolred every-
where, but / can 'lfind my notebook. I The children were even-
tually f ound hiding in an old mine shaft. I Luis was gone.
and she had no way of ever finding him again.
tum up 1.13: r n IAp/ if something turns up, someone finds
it in an unexpected place after everyone has stopped look-
ing for it (phr v 11
Don 't UXJrryabo utyour diary - it'll turn up. I Tlwse miss-
ing keys haven't turned up yet. I We can't have lost those
papers. They'll probably turn up in the wrong file or some-
thing like that.
2 to find someth ing or someone after a long or
careful search
track down locate
trace dig out
track down I. trrek 'daunl to find someone or something
that is difficult tofmd, by searching or by making inquiries
in several different places Iphr v TI
track down 5th The police need your help to track down the
murderer. I We've got copies of all the documents, but we
haven't managed to track down the originals. I track sb/
5th/ it/ her etc down We finally tracked him down in a
cheap hotel on th€ other side of town.
trace Itrelsl to find someone or something by making care-
ful inquiries about them in the places where they have
been Iv TI
trace sb/ sth Mr Philips is anxiously trying to trace h is
m issing daughter. I Sofar we hauenot been able to trace the
letter you sent us. I trace sb/ sth to The source of irifection
was traced to a food store in the canteen.
locate {1;)(J'kelt n ' l;)Ukeltl to find out where something is
by means of official, established, or technical methods
IvTI
The authorities have so far failed to locate either the miss-
ing vehicle or its driver. I Having lccated the/aully cylinder,
stop thi! engine and remove it. IAny student who understands
the Library cataloguing system should have no difFrculty in
locating a particular book on the library shelf.
location 11;)U 'keIJanl [n UJ Techniques / or the location of
tumours (=for locating tumours) have been improved as a
result 0/ recent medical advances.
dig out {Idl g laut, to find something you have not seen
for a long time, or that may not be easy to find, especially
in order to give it to someone who has asked for it [phr v TJ
dig out 8th Could you dig out tlu! old family plwtag raphs
to shnw Grandma? I1took the opportunity to dig out a few
factsandjigures about this remote island. I dig 8th/it/them
out 1 have her address som ewhere - I'll dig it out/or you
when I get time.
3 to find something that you need, such as a
job or a place to live
find
find If,md/lv TI
My son and his Wife have bothfoundjobs in the city. I We'll
never be able to fmd a house we liIre as much as this one. I
The/inn was lucky to find someone to replace the designer
wlw lefllnst rrwnth.
494 FIND
4 difficult to find
be difficult to find/hard to find
elusive
be dlfflcuH to flncflhard to find /bh ,d,f,k. lr b ' famd ,
Iha: f d-, if someone or something that you need is difficult
to find or hard to find, you cannot easily find them
because there are not many of them (v phrase)
Goad suqJare Iwrd 10 jind rwwadays. I Wlwt we wanted was
a house with a big garden - som ething that was difFlCult to
find in tlu! middle 0/ a city.
elusive ' 11)U:S IVI an elusive person or animal is difficult
to find . often because they do not want to be found [adjJ
We repeatedly tried to contact the manager, an elusive man
who was never in his office. I The/ox was elusive and clever.
Matt only g limpsed him once or twice.
5 to find a place that you are trying 10 get to
find
find your way
find If,md/ lv TI
Excuse me, I'm trying w find the post offICi!. I It took us half
an Iwur UJ find your house. I There are illuminated signs to
help people jind the emergency exit.
find your way ' lfa lndjJ:f 'well to get toa place by find-
ing the right way to go [v phrase]
find your way to It was my first visit to New York, but I
managedwfuuimywaywthestudw.1 find your way Birds
find their way by using the sun and stars. I find your own
way (=find your way without anyone's help) There 's no
need to come with me. 1 canjind my own way.
6 10 find something important or valuable,
especially knowledge or information, after
trying to find it for a long time
find unearth
dIscover turn up
make a discovery strike
find Ifa I nd! to find something important that no one knew
about before, especially information or a way of doing
something (v T J
Medical scientists are determined to find a cure/or cancer. 1
Evidence 0/early hUman settlement has been/ound in these
caves. I The President's opponents claim to havefound con-
clusive proof that he cheated in the recent elections.
discover Idls ·kAv;Jf, to find an object, a substance, a
place, information etc that is important and that no one
knew about before tv TJ
Climbers have discovered a new route up the north face 0/
the mountain. 1 The planet Pluto was discovered in 1930. I
Becquerel. a French physicist. disrouered radioactivity in
uranium salts.
make a discovery , .rnelk;) dls·kAvaril to find some-
thing important, interesting, or surpris ing tha t no one
kn ew a bout before [u phrase]
Amaz ing discoveries have been made by anthropologists
excavating in the Rift Valley. I Juneau and Harris made a
discovery that started Alaska 's first gold. rush.
unearth IAn ' 3: f81to find something that was hidden or
kept secret for a ]ong time, especially information [v T J
The investigators have unearthed some new evidence about
the possible cause 0/ the crash. I His research unearthed a
great deal o/intriguing information. I Narcotics agents are
continuing their inquiries after unearthing a vast cache 0/
cannabis.
turn up l .t3: f n IApl to find something interesting or
useful, especially infonnation, while you are sear ching
carefully (phr v T not usually in passive]
turn up sth It was a painstaking search, but the police
failed to turn up any clues. I A thorough examination 0/ the
company's account books turned up seveml interesting/acts.
FIND
strike /SlraIk/ strike oil/gold (=suddenly fmd large
natural quantities of it in the earth after digging or search·
ing) IV TI
When prospectors struck gold in California, the west was
opened up jor development. I 1/ the rompany doesn '( strike
oil soon, we'll have to pull out our investment.
strike In C J a major oil strike (=discovery of oil) in Ecuador
7 to unexpectedly find something , especially
something interesting or useful, even though
you were not actually looking for it
find/discover
come across
stumble on/across
flnd/discover Ifalnd, dl s l kAv~rl (v T not inprogressiveJ
We/Dund a lovely seafood restaurant by the harbour. I A
local/arrrrer once found a box ofsilver coins in the fleid he
was ploughing. I The bodyo[a middle-aged man was disco-
vered by a man walking his wg. I I never really discovered
poetry untill went to university.
come across 'lkAm <) tkros 11 · 'kQ:s/ to find something
unexpectedly when you are not looking for it but are doing
something else Iv T not in passive]
Sometimes when you 're digging in the garden you may come
across a piece of bone. I I came across an interesting news
item in yesterday's 'Times'. I One day while cleaning Paul's
room, she came across his diary and started to read it.
stumble on/acroaa /'stAmbi11 on, a,kros 11 ·om, -a,m!sl
to tmd something by chance and unexpectedly, especially
something that was secret or that no one knew before [v
T not in passive ]
Customs oJFu:ers searchingfor drugs accidentally stumbled
on a terrorist bomb plot. I In the course ofhis work Fleming
had stumbled upon a new anti-bacterial substance - penicil-
lin. I Was Jenkins murdered by government agents because
he had unwittingly stumbled across some military secret?
8 something that you find or discover
discovery
be a real find
discovery /dls'kAV<lril something important that has
been found and that no one knew about before [n Cl
Among the discoveries oJ the late nineteenth century were
several new chemical elements, including radium. I New
archaeological discoveries prove the existence of an ancient
civilization in the Indus Valley. I chance discovery (=one
that happens by chance) The chance discovery oJ a blood-
stained shirt led to the capture of the killer.
be a real find /bi: a ,nal 'faloo/ ifsomeone or something
is a real find, you were lucky to find them because they
are very goCKl, useful, or interesting [u phrase )
That little restaurant was a realfind. I Last month the club
signed on a new player. He's only 17 but he's proved to be a
real find.
" You say" is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English .
495 FINDDUT
find out
..". • SOLVE/FIND
THE ANSWER
..;e. C> CHECK/MAKE
SURE
. FINDOUT
1 to find something out by deliberately trying to
get information or by asking people
2 to find something out accidentally, for
example because someone tells you
3 to find out something that was secret or that
people did not know anything about
4 ways of saying that something which is secret
or not generally known is found out
5 to find out exactly what something is or what
the cause of something is
S to find out useful information about a subject
7 to find out information from someone by
asking them questions or by forcing them to
tell you
8 to try to find out something private or
personal about someone else
9 words for describing someone who likes
finding things out, especially someone who is
too interested in other people's private lives
10 something that someone has found out
1 to find something out by deliberately trying to
get information or by asking people
find out ascertain
see establish
discover determine
find suss out
make a discovery glean
find out / ,famd 'aut/ [phr v liT)
find out which/ what/how etc He 's gone tojmd out which
gate the plane goes from. I I think it's worth finding out
exactly what's missing before we start accusing people. I find
something/anything/ it etc out Do you think you could
find something out!or me? I flnd out "Doyou sel/pizza base
mix?" "I'm not sure but I'llfind outforyou. " I find out sth
Look it up in the telephone book and find out the address. I
find out (that) As a result oJmy interrogation Ifound out
that she was married to the witness.
see /si:1 to look somewhere for the information you want
Iv IITI
see if/whether He 's been looking in the newspapers to see
iftlwre are any jobs he can apply for. I see how/ where/
what etc Jemma 's making a Christmas cake - let's go and
see how she's doing. I see "Is she ready yet?" "I don't know.
I'll go and see...
RNDOUT
discover Idls'kAv~r, to succeed in finding out infonna-
tion, espec ially information that is difficult to fmd Iv TJ
discover what/ how/ where etc Did you discover what
company he works jor? I discover sth Sh£ has never been
able la discover her father's true identity. I Neworganiza-
tions need to discover the most effICient ways 0/ operating.
find {famdl to fmd out a fact orfmd out that something is
true as a result of the questions you have asked, especially
by asking a lot of people for their opinions Iv TJ
find that The survey found that 40% of women had /x!en
unfaithfuLto their husband:;. I When I asked all my friends
I found that you were right.
make. discovery ,. melk 3 dlS I k.wanf to fmd out some-
thing that no one else has ever known or seen, especially
by using scientific methods Iv phrase)
Scientists studying the effects of acid rain have made an
affirming discovery. I make a discovery about As a result
of the space program we have made important d iscoveries
about th£ nature o/the Universe. I make the discovery that
The museum's art director hasjust made the embarrassing
discovery that the painting is a fake.
ascertain 'I resa t1teln/ a formal word meaning to fmd out
if a fact that you think is true is reany true [v IITI
ascertain sth The case remains a mystery. The police were
never able to ascertain the true/acts. I ascertain that The
pathologist ascertained that the victim had d ied/mm a gun-
shot wound. I ascertain how/ when/why etc A doctor
should examine the patient to ascertain where the pain LI:i
lorolized.1 ascertain Asfar as we hove /x!en able to ascer-
tain, our client is not involved in anything illegal.
establish "'"reb"J' to find out facts that will prove that
something is true I v T I
establish sth We haven 'tyet establislu!d thecause o/the acci-
dent I establish that It was quickly established that several
members of the crew had /x!en negligent. I establish how/
where/ why etc Fleming ronducted many experiments,
seeking to establish how the bacteria can suroivefor so long.
determine Idl lt3!rm~nl to find out the exact details or
facts about something, especially by using technical
methods and equipment Iv T] ~ phrase I
detennine 5th By using sonar equipment, they were able
to determine the exact position 0/ tlu! wreck.. I determine
what/why/how etc Th£ experts set out to determine just
what had caused the explosion. I detennlne that The survey
0/ traf/k accidents determined that seat belts reduced seri-
ous injuries by up to ninety per cent.
suss out " Ms lautj an informal British expression mean-
ing to find out details about someone or something, espe-
cially Quietly or secretly (phr v T ]
suss sb/sth/ it/ her et c out I'm suspicious about this busi-
ness - that's why I want you ID suss it out/or me. I suss out
sb/sth It took a long time to suss out the system and under-
stand my legal rights. I suss out where/how/ when etc
We're trying ID suss out where he keeps his money.
glean /gli:nJ a formal word. meaning to find out informa·
tion about something from what other people are saying
about it rather than by asking questions Iv Tl
In the rourse o/my ronversations with the agents I managed
to glean some useful information. I I was not able to glean
muchjrom such a cursory examination o/the documents.
2 to find something out accidentally, for
example because someone tells you
find out be told
discover come to sb's attention/notice
hear hear through/on the grapevine
learn straight from the horse'. mouth
gather at first hand
find out /,falnd laut! [phr v UT not in progressive )
I'ue borrowed herear - I hope she doesn 'tjlrlli out. I find out
(that) When she/ound out you were going to be her teacher
she was thrilled. I find out where/ why/ how etc If she
FuuJsout whyhe~ganeshe'llbefurious. 1 findoutsthIhope
she ru!ver finds out the real reason 1 asked her to marry me.
496 FIND OUT
discover Id ls'kAvarl to find something out, especially
something that is completely unexpected, shocking, excit-
ing etc Lv T not in progressive )
discover (that) When she discovered she was pregnan~ she
was really pleased. I He's in a terrible state - Iu!'sjust disco-
vered that his wife's been seeing someone else. I discover
why/ where/ howetc Has your mother never discovered
why you're out late every night? I discover 5th It was while
I was making dinner that I discovered a brilliant way to
make sure the spaghetti is cooked.
hear /h la rI to find out a fact, especially something about
a person, because a lot of people are talking about it, it is
in the newspapers etc [v lIT not in progressive]
hear 5th We've heard such a lot about you/rom our daugh·
ter. I "Nina 's quit her job. " "Yes, so I 've hrord. "I hear about
How did you rome to hear about the accident? I hear (that)
I hear you're moving to Toronto. I hear what/ why/ how
etc When the authorities h£ard what we were doing, they
tried to stop us.
learn Ib:rn/ to find out a fact that you want to know or
should know because someone accidentally tells you , you
read it in the newspapers etc Iv lIT not in progressive)
learn sth Now thot all the records oJthe case hove /x!en /os~
I doubt i[we will ever learn the truth. I learn of/ about She
only learnt 0/ her mother 's death when she read the
announcement in 'The Times'. I I cannot comment on the
proposal because I have only just learned aoout it. I learn
(that) She was overjoyed to learn that her husband was to
be released with the other hostages.
gather / lgreOa r/ to know a piece ofinfonnation because
that is what you hear people saying Iv T not in progressive I
gather (that) I gather you've decided not to resign after all.I
gather slh They didn~ gather much, just that Tim had
booked into a hotel on Friday night. I from what I can
gather (=acoording to what I have found out) The rost 0/
living is cheaper in Britain than it is in France, from what
I can gather.
be told /bi: 'tauld/ if you say you have been told a fact,
you mean you know it because someone told you it Iv
be told (that) I've /x!en told you haven't /x!en doing your
homework. Is this true? I I'm told (that) (=someone has
told me) Major is an extraordinary man - I'm told Iu! used
to be some sort 0/ showman. I so I'm told Madrid is a/as·
cinating city, or so I'm told.
come to u'. attention/notice IlkAm ta (sb's) alten/an,
Inaut~sl a formal expression: if something such as a
problem or a mistake comes to someone's attention or
notice, that person fmds out about it, especially because
someone else tells them about it [v phrase I
come to sb's attention/ notice that It has rome to my
notice that your account is overdrawn by £200. I come to sb's
attention/ notice He was running an illicit business/rom
his rollege room until it came to the attention o/the principaL
hear through/on the grapevine /, hl ;J t Om:, on l)a
Igrelpva lnl to find out about something, especially a secret,
because the information has been passed on from one
person to another in conversation (v phrase)
"Did you know she's going out with a married man?" "Yes,
1 heard it through the grapevine. "I hear on the grapevine
that Sarah had heard on th£ grapevine that the rourt would
be calling Lorry to testify.
straight from the hor.e'. mouth /, stren fldm 6;J
,hJ: rslz I mauBl an infonnal expression: if a fact about a sit-
uation is straight from the horse's mouth, you fmd out
about it from the person who is directly involved in it and
not from someone else [adv phrase)
It isn't just a story put out by her agent, this is straight/rom
tlu! horse's mouth. I hear/have 5th straight from the
horse's mouth I'm sure Sue's going to resign. I heard it
straight /rom the horse's mouth yesterday.
at first hand /;Jt 1f3: t st 'hrendl if you fi nd out informa-
tion at first hand, you find out about it because you were
in the place where it was happening [adv phrase1
1 saw at first hand what nurses have to do when my child
was in hospitaL I Living in the village I learnt at first hand
how these people su,ffer.
FIND OUT
3 to find out something that was secret or that
people did not know anything about
find out get to know
uncover/unearth get wind of
dig up get wise to
get at
find out I,famd taut} [phr V l i T not in progressive}
He's be£n inprison, but he doesn 't want his employers tofind
out. I find out what/why/how etc Dad was!urious when
Iwfound out where I was living. I find out (that) It was three
months be/ore my parents/ound out I'd been going out with
Peter. I find out sth Ifshe should ever find out my secret slw
would never agree to marry me. I rmd sb out (=find out
someone's secret) You can't keep pretending you're sick.
Someone's bound to find you out eventually.
uncover/unearth IAfl1kAv;lr, An ' 3!rel to find out infor-
mation that has been deliberately kept secret, especially
while studying or examining a particular subject [v TJ
Detectives have unrovered aplot to smuggle weapons into the
country. I It seems that the princess's biographers have
unearthed a secret love affair.
dig up I,dlg 1Apf to fmd out information about someone's
past that they have deliberately tried to keep secret, espe-
cially because it is embarrassing (phr v Tl
dig up sth She was always afraid that the press might dig
up some scandal from her past. I dig sth/it/them up
I wanted to dig afew morefacts upfor my article. I dig sth
up on sb He told his private detective that Ire uxmted as much
as he could dig up on the girl.
get at I 'get ""I to find something out, especially the truth
about a situation, or facts which someone has tried to hide
IvTI
It's hard to get at the/acts wlren people are afraid to speak
out. r I'm sure she's lying, but we'll/ind a way of getting at
the truth. I He made her reveal everything, using his charm
to get at the information he wanted.
get to know f Iget t~ Inaul to find something out, espe-
cially something that someone does not want you to know
about IV phrasJ! I
You've been very naughty. I hope your father never gets to
know. I get to know about How did all th£se people get to
know about the party? I get to know (that) So11U!how tlw
police got to know she was trading without a licence. I get
to know sth How did you get to know all this? Who told you?
get wind of f Iget 'WInd Dvl an informal expression mean-
ing to find out about a situation or something that is going
to happen, especially when it is supposed to be secret
Iv phrasel
I don't want that reporter getting wind of this. I Somehow,
Iw got wind oftlw arrest before it happenRtt and honded him-
self in to the police.
get wise to 11 get Iwalz tu:J an informal expression mean-
ing to find out about something such as an illegal activity
that has been happening for some time [v phrase)
The gang ran a drug smuggling racket for several years
until the police got wise to their activities. I When wefinally
got wise to him we realized he'd beenfooling us all the time.
4 ways of saying that something which is secret
or not generally known is found out
come out emerge
come to light! get out
be brought to light it transpires that
coma out II leArn I aut/ if information or a fact that people
knew nothing about comes out, people find out about it,
especially as a result of an official inquiry (phr v IJ
The truth is gradually coming out. I One of the things that
came out in the consultation was that she had a deep hatred
of her father. I it comes out that During the trial it came
out that she had tried to commit suicide.
come to Ilghtlbe brought to light I ,!<Am to 'Iall, bi:
lbr.>:t ta lIaltl if new information or a new fact comes to
497 FIND OUT
light or is brought to light, people find out about it Iv
phrasel
llresh evidence has come to light since the report was pub-
lished, I Some serious problems have been brought to light
by the latest report on health and safety. I it comes to light
that It has recently come to light that some tranquillizer
drugs are addictive.
emerge I11 m3: r d31 iffacts emerge from a meeting, or an
inquiry, people find out about these facts for the first time
and may be shocked or surprised [u IJ
More details oftire plan emerged at yesterday's meeting. I it
emerges that During the court case it emerged that both
men had convictionsfor terrorist offences. I Before too long
it began to emerge that Freeman was not as innocent as he
claimed.
gat out 'Iget lautl if a piece of information gets out,
people fmd out about it even though other people have tried
very hard to keep it secret [phr v I I
Qanyofthisgetsout we'll be in serious trouble. I it gets out
that [fitgets out that we knew about the danger all the time
we'Ulose all our clients.
It transplr.s that lit trrenlspalarz Oat/ a formal expres-
sion: if it transpires that something is true, people find
out that it is true
The manager fired two employees last month when it trans-
pired thot they hod brolwn the bonk's rules on trading. lIt
now transpires that he was collecting money under false
pretences.
5 to find out exactly what something is or what
the cause of something is
Identify
pinpoint
diagnose
Identify lal1dentjfal/ to find out exactly what the cause
or origin of something is [v T]
After yeors ofresearch scientists hove identif'wd the virus /hot
is responsible for the disease. I Experts are examining the
engine but the cause of tire problem has not yet been
identifzed.
identification lalldent~fb lkelJ~nf [n UJ Health Offu:ers are
working hard on the identiflCation of the source of the food
poisoning.
pinpoint Ilpmp:>mt/ to find out exactly what something
is or what exactly is causing something {v TJ
pinpoint sth It's very hord to pinpoint Sylvia's problem but
it is connected with Iwr childhood. I Thonks to tlw aircraft's
black box recorder the cause of the crash was easy to pin-
point. Ipinpoint what/how Iwhen ete lfyou are experienc-
ing di/Tzeulties with your work are you able to pinpoint what
is causing them?
dlagno •• /dalagn~z 11 -n~sl to find out what is wrong
with someone or something, especially what illness some-
one has, by making a careful examination {v TJ
diagnose sth If cervical cancer is diagnosed in its early
stages it can be cured. I diagnose sb (=find out that they
have a particular disease) Several years ago, she was diag-
nosed as having Alzheimer's disease. I diagnose sth as
Programmers diagnosed the problem as a compul£r virus. I
diagnose whatl how/where etc When I took my car to the
garage, they soon diagnosed what the trouble was.
diagnosis l,dal~g 'n;)IJsAsJ [n Ul Much progress has been
made in the diagnosis of genetic diseases.
6 to find out useful information about a subject
find out about keep abreast of!
get some information keep up to date with
gen up on
find out about l,f.!Od 'aut ob.utl Iv TI
The careers centre can help you to find out about new job
opportunities. I Normal children seem to be possessed with
tlw desire to find out about the world around t!wm. I "I'm
going on a course in rej1exology. " "Oh, where did you fmd
out about that?"
FIND OUT
gat somelnfonnatlon I.get sam Infar'me IJ~nl to find
out infonnation about a s ubject by going to a place wh ich
provides information, for example a library or a tourist
information office [v phrase )
lfyou want ro know about birds wrire ro the RSPB ro get
SOm€ information. I You will be able to get most o/the infor-
mationyou needjoryour project/ram the university library. I
get some information about!on I've written to the tourist
information centre to get some information about the area.
gen up on l.dJen I ... p on ~ -Q:n/ an informal British
expression meaning to find out information on a subject
so that you know everything about it, especially for a par-
ticular occasion Iv TJ
You should gen up on tlu! company before you go for your
interview. I Suzie's really into karate so I'm going UJ gen up
on it before our date.
keep 1Ib....t ollk_ up to d.ta with 1,ki,p .'brest
DV , ,ki:p hp t) 'dell wl~1 to ma ke sure that you know the
latest information on a subject, for example by regularly
reading about it Iv phrase )
Teachers are expected to keep abreast of developrrumts in
their particular subject. 1 TechTWlogy is advancing at such
a staggering pace that it is dtffkult to keep abreast of it. 1
I read the newspapers every couple of weeks, just to keep up
to date with one or two topics.
7 to find out information from someone by
asking them questions or by forcing them to
tell you
find out worm 8th out of
get 8th out of elicit
extract
ftnd out I,faux! 'aut! (phr v TI
flnd out sth "Did you find out his address?" "No, he
wouldn't tell me anything. " I find out what/how/when
etc I want you to find out what really goes on in that mas-
sage parlour. 1 find sth/it out [found one thing out - she
used to be married to a famous rock star.
get .th out of 1,get (sth) 'aut ov 11 -0"1 to fmd out a par·
ticular piece of infonnation from someone, especially by
forcing them to tell you Iphr v TJ
He's TWt telling us who did thejob with him but we'liget it
out ofhim eventually. I [want you ro inrerrogate the prisoner.
See what you can get out of him.
extract Ilk 'strrekt[ to find out infonnation from someone
who does not want to give it, by asking them questions or
by using physical force Iv TJ
extract sth We questioned the prisoner for several hours,
but we were unable to extract any further information. 1
extract sth from The terrorist group had used torture to
extract the names of informants f rom a police offzcer.
worm sthoUl of 11W3:rm (sib) l aut Dv R -o:v/ to find out
information from someone who is unwilling to give it, espe-
cially by being clever. making them feel they can trust you
.te (phr v TI
I don't think he wanted to tell me her name but I managed
to worm it out of him. 1 Bertrand was still suspicious and
decided he would try to worm the story out of her however
he could.
elicit /I'lts!tf to find out infonnation from someone by
giving them another piece of infonnation, in the hope that
it will make them tell you what you want to know Iv T J
elicit sth You should try to elicit as much information as
possible about your client's needs. 1elicit sth from We have
made persistent inquiries but we have been unable to elicit
further iriformation from any of the witnesses.
8 to try to find out something private or
personal about someone else
snoop
pry
nose around
498 FIND OUT
.noop {snu:pJ to try to find out about someone'S private
affairs. especially by secretly looking in their house.
examining their possessions etc [v IJ
What were you doing in my room? You were snooping,
weren't you? 1 Anyone snooping in Lilo's things would have
thaught she was a model. she had so much make·up. I snoop
around If any of those reporters come snooping around, tell
them I have nothing to say to them
pry /pra lJto try to find out about someone's private life by
asking a lot of personal questions in a way that people find
rude or annoying Iv 11
[wanted ro know more bullfelt [ would be prying if [asked
any more questions. 1 I don't want to pry, but I couldn't help
noticing that you swned a little upset about sonrething. I pry
Into ["In sick and tireil ofpeopleprying inro my personallife.
'I I
nose around n~z ~ raundJ an informal expression
meaning to look around a place, especially someone's home
or office, to try to fmd out things that do not really concern
you Iv UTI
nose around an office/ room/ house etc [ got suspicious
when I found him nosing around my office early one morn-
ing. I nose around The thaught of Katheryn nosing around
at his work, asking questions, made him furious.
9 words for describing someone who likes
finding things out. especially someone who is
too interested in other people 's private lives
curious nosy
curiosity nosy parker
inquisitive
curious / ' kjuari~1 wanting to find out about someone or
something because you are very interested in them ladjJ
"Why do you want to know about Gatherine?" "Oh no
reason, I'mjust curious. "I Being naturally curious animals,
cats often find their way into dangerous places. 1 curious
about Even eight year old children often become curious
about drugs. 1 curious to lea.mJknow/see etc The surpris·
ing news made him curious to learn more.
curiously {advl "Why are you wearing that ring?" said
Sally, looking at me curiously.
curlosHy Ilkjuari l os~ti I -Io:s-/ the desire to find out
about things In VJ
""Sayou"re Arthur·s newgirifriedareyou?'". she said. eyeing
me with curiosity. I curiosity about Oily was bursting with
curiosity about the new house. 1satisfy sb's curiosity (=tell
them about something so that they are no longer curious)
He told her all he knew but he couid still not sat isfy her
curiosity.
Inquisitive /m'kwlz! tlvl always wanting to find out
about what people are doing, how things work, what is hap-
pening .te ladj)
Jenny was a very inquisit ive child, always asking "why?" 1
Journalists have ro be inquisitiveJearless and determined.I
When I mentioned Steve's 1Ulme she became inquisitive.
nos, I'nouzi/ always wanting to find out things that do not
concern you, especially other people's private affairs ladjl
Don't be so nosy! It 's none of your business how much her
dress cost. I What else. she wand2red. had the nosy little
woman found old about her?
noay parker l,n:K.Izi 'pa:rk:.J r/ an informal expression
meaning someone who always tries to find out about other
people's private affairs a nd often causes problems for other
people In Cl
There are I1Ja man.v ofthese nosy parkers going around doing
what they call social research. I Susan wanted ro know all
the details of their divorce. She's a real nosy parker.
10 something that someone has found out
discovery
flndtng
discovery Idls'kAvari/ something such as a new fact or
method. that someone has found out, either accidentally or
as a result of careful inquiry In Cl
FIND OUT 499 FINISH/COME TO AN END
AtjirstIdid rwt realize the importance ofmy discovery. I dis-
covery that £aura is still slifferingfrom the shock ofthe dis·
covery that her husband is having an affair. I discovery
• FINISH/COME TO
about The depletion of the ozone layer has been one of the
nwst dramatic discoveries about our planet in recent years. AN END
finding I rfalndllJl the infonnation that someone has found
out as a result of their studies, work etc [n C usually plural] 1 ways of saying that an event, aClivity, story,
Thefrndings ofthe survey inm the spread ofAIDS corifirmed situation etc ends
loose of other studies. I The police force has had its image 2 ways of saying that a period of time ends
severely battered by the commission's jmdings. lOur survey 3 ways of saying that Ihe time that you have to
covered too f ew cases to make our finding statistically sig- do something in is finished
nifICant.
4 ways of saying that a problem or bad
finding FI ND OUT 10 experience has ended

I
fine GOOD/EXCELLENT 1, 5, HEALTHY 1, PAY FOR 5 ways of saying that documents, tickets,
18, PUNISH 2, THIN OBJECT OR MATERIAL 1, 3 agreements elc are no longer legal, or can no
fine figure: be a fine figure of a man longer be used
BEA UTIFUUGOOD·LOOKING 2
flne·tune IMPROVE 4
finest BEST 1
finger TOUCH 1 1 ways of saying that an event, activity, story,
finger: have a flnger In every pie TAKE PART/BE situation etc ends
INVOLVED 5 come to an end
end
finger: have your finger on the pulse KNOW STH 9
finish be at an end
finger: hit the nail on the head/put your finger on it
CORRECT 2 be over
~ finger: not 11ft a finger HELP 11 end /end/lv II
i finger: pull/get your finger out WORK HARD 8 The war in Vietnamfinallyended in 1975.1 Their marriage
finger: wrap/twist sb around your little finger ended after only two years. 1 The question·and-answer ses·

l CONTROL 4. USE A PERSON 1

fingerprints MAAK 1
~ fflngerprlhnts/prlnts f MARK 6 h ili STEA 5
Ingers: ave your Ingers 1n t e t L
fingers: slip through ab's fingers ESCAPE 5
fingers: work your fingers to the bone WOAK HARD 2
~ fingers crossed: keep your fingers crossed HOPE 1
'i1
;;
fingers crossed/keep your fingers crossed LUCKY 8
'
fingertips: at your fingertips HAVE 2 , KNOW STH 4
finish EAT 6, FIN ISH DOING STH 1, FINISH/COM E TO
AN END 1 , FINISH/USE ALL OF STH 1. STOP
DOING STH 1
finish: from start to finish ALUEVERYTHING 2
finish: get sth finished FINISH DOING STH 1
'i~ finish: not finish FINISH/USE ALL OF STH 3
finish: photo finish EOUAL 5
finish/end FINISH DOING STH 5
finish flrsUcome In first WIN 1
finish off FINISH DOING STH 2, 5
finish off/up EAT 6
finish sb oH KILL 1
~ finish with FINISH DOING STH 4
finish with: end with!flnish with END 3
finish work STOP DOING STH 7
sion begins at 2.30. I'm not sure when it'll end. I The story
ends on a hopeful note. I end with Our celebrations will end
with a spectacular firework display. I The rrwvie ernkd with
everyone riding oJJinto the sunset. I end in Our discussions
always end in an argument.
finish Itflmfl if something such as a fIlm, meeting, or
lesson finishes ata particular time, it ends at that time Iv I1
''What time does sclwolfmish?" "At 3.110. " I The movie shauid
havejinished by rww. They'll be home soon. I Do you think
their meeting will befinishing soon?
be over Ibi: t;;llJll;)rJ if an event or an activity is over, it
has ended (phr v 11
The show should be over by ten, at the latest. I Let's go home.
I think the party's just. about over, anyway. I Right, that 's
theformal part of the interview over. Is there anything you'd
like m ask us? I be all over ( =be completety finished)
It 'sallover between me and Jerry. I'm leaving him I That's
it - Wimbledon is all over for another year.
come to an end I turn tU;;In tendl if a situation or event
comes to an end, especially one that has continued for
some time, it ends because it cannot continue any longer
[v phrase)
When this temporary job comes to an end, I'll be unemployed
again. I When she finally got to the barbecue, things were
coming to an end, so she didn't stay long. I The team's run

Ifinish I=--."...,,---:'~,.,.........,..
"' ~~
of success seems to have come to an end.
be at an end /bi: ;K;;In lendJ a fonnal expression: if some-
thing such as a meeting or conversation is at an end, it has
ended because someone wanted it to end [v phrase]
Which meanIng? · I regret to say that our friendly relationship is now at an
end. I The young man stood up, realizing that the interview
ftnlsh doil1ll ,.... . FINISH DOING was at an end.
something . STH
~

an event, period of
---""----
• FINISH/COME 2 ways of saying that a period of time ends
end before the year/month!
tlma etc ftn.1shes
- ...
"'""""-
TO AN END
,. -"...-... come to an end
be over
day Is out
draw to a closel
use alt bt someth/hg ""J> • FINISHIUSE ALL
~ ~I '
OFSTH break up to an end
end lend/Iv 11
The school year ends in June or July. I Winter was ending,
and the first fWwers of spring had begun to appear. I The
evening ended cordially with handshakes all round.
"You say" is used in definitions of some come to an end / tu rn tu;;ln tendJ ifa longperiodoftime
words or phrases to show they are comes to an end, it ends Iv phrase]
Autumn came to an end with the first snow. I A generation
especially used in Spoken English . of civil conflict hlld finally come to an end.
FINISHICOME TO AN END
be over Ihi: I:KJVZlfl ifa period oftirne is over, it has ended
Iphr v 1I
Tire long vacation was almost over, and she hadn't even
begun her rollege work. 11think nngoing to tose my I£mper
before this evening is over.
break up Itbre1k I hp/ an expression used especially in
British English: if a school or the students of a school
break up, a part of the school year ends and the holidays
begin \phr v I I
When does your school break up? I The kids break up on
Wednesday.
before the year/month/da y l a out /bl ,f,,' 0, J"',
,mAne, ,del IZ taut! before the year, month, day has ended
ladv phrasel
She'll be marriffi before the year's out. I Before the month
was out, they had sold the house.
draw to a close/to an and l.drJ! tu;> 'kl:xrL, tu:)n Icnd/
an expression used especially in stories or descriptions
meaning to gradually come to an cnd [v phrase]
This long hot summer was drawing to an end. I And so, as
1992 draws to a close, we look back on the great events a/tm
year.
3 ways of saying that the time that you have to
do something in is finished
be up
run out
be out of time
be up /bi: lAp! if the time allowed for something is u p, it
is finished \phr v lJ
"Time's up, "said their U!acher. "Stop writing, everyone!"1
The two weeks you asked for are up, and you still haven't
repaid the money. I The President may be asked to resign
Wore his four-year term is up.
run out IrAn tautl if the time available for doing some·
thing, especially something very important runs ou t, it
comes to an end so that there is no more time left [phr v I]
We'd almostfinished solving theprobll!m when our timi! ran
out. I The desperate searchfor survivors continues, but time
is running out.
be out of tlme /bi: taut av tta lmj an expression used espe-
cially on radio or television meaning to have no time left
Iv phrasel
I'm sorry listeners, we have to stop there. We're out of time.
4 ways of saying that a problem or bad
experience has ended
be over/be all over It's all In the past
be ove r and done with be closed
be behind melyoU/them
be overlbe al. over Ihi: t~var, bi: t:>:1 t;xwa r/ (phrv IJ
Don't worry, your troubles will soon be over. I His captors
finally released him, and his tong ordeal was over. I There
had been a fight in the bar, but when I got there it was all
over.
be over and done with /hi: taf..lVaran tdAn wll1/ ifsome-
thing unpleasant or something you have been worrying
about is over and don e with, it has completely fmished
and does not affect the present situation lV phrase]
I'm TWtgOing tlJ question her about what happened all tJwse
years ago. They are over and done with as far as I'm am-
cerned. I You should try and forget abaut whot happened.
It's over and done with TWW.
be behind me/you/them /bi: bl 'haond mi:,ju:, O.rn/ if
an unpleasant experience is behind you , it is completely
finished so that it does not affect your life any more (u
phrase I
You 'll get out of prison in two years, and then all this will
be behind you. I It had been sheer hell, but he was sure the
worst of it was behind him TWW, and Ire could lookforward
to the future.
500 FINISH DOING STH
H'. BIlIn the p.s t I lts t:>!1 In l1a IpO!st 11 _IJXestJ if you
say it's all in th e past. you mean that an unpleasant
experience has ended and can be forgotten
You mustn't think about it. It's all in the past now.
b . clo. .d fbi: 'kl>uzdl if you say that a particular sVb-
ject or conversation is closed, you mean that you are not
willing to discuss the subject any more, especially because
it is an unpleasant subject Iv phrase ]
I think we canforget all about that unfortunate incid£nt. As
far as I am concerned, the matter is closed. I Until we can talk
about this in a civil manner, I consider the discussion closed.
5 ways of saying that documents, tickets.
agreements etc are no longer legal, or can no
longer be used
run out
expire
run out I t fAn taul/ if a ticket, document, or agreement
runs out it can no longer be used or no longer has any legal
or official value (phr v I)
J want to use this train ticlret before it runs out. I We're look-
ing for a new sJwp as the lease on this one runs out soon. I
The current US - Soviet arms treaty runs out at the end of
this year.
expire /1 k t spalarl if a ticket or a legal or official document
expires, the period of time during which it can be used has
ended Iv IJ
I'm afraid we can '[ accept this credit card - it expired last
week. I My pGSSJXJrl doesn't expire until 1999. I She retired
six months before her contract expired.
expiry ladj J What's the expiry date on your driving licence?
• FINISH DOING
STH
1 to finish doing something or making something
2 to finish something by adding the last parts
that make it complete
3 to be close to finishing something
4 to fin ish using something
5 to finish an event, performance, meeting,
lesson etc .,
6 to finish a business agreement or a plan by
settling it in a satisfactory way
7 to finish something that is unpleasant or
difficult
8 words for describing something that has been
fin ished
9 not finished
1 to finish doing something or making something
finish be through
complete polish off
get st h finished conclude
finish I'fl m f/lv IITI
finish doing sth 1just want to finish cutting up these vege-
tabl£s. I Willie wail£d until Janine hod finished speaking
before telling Iu!r the truth. I flnish sth You can 't go out until
you 'l!e finished your homework. I 1 was in London in the
winter of 1984 finishing a Master's degree at the London
School of Economics. I "To think thot you might hove been
.... "Carlos didn 'tjinish the sentence, I After he died, several
paintings were found that he hod never finished. I fin ish
These reports take ages tlJ write but we should havejinished
by Monday afternoon.
complete Ikam tpli:tJ to finish doing something, espe-
cially something that is complicated or takes a long time
IvTI
FINISH DOING STH
Contractors expect work on the tunnel to be completed by the
end ofmxtyear. I The painting of the Sistine Chapel took
four years to complete. I The novel was not published until
42 years after it was completed. I When the new building is
completed there should be more space for everyone.
completion tn U I On completion of the course (=when the
course has been completed) you will be a fully qualified
accountant.
get sth finished I ,gel (S1h) 'flmIII to make an effort to
f'mish something before you do something else, especially
when you have to finish it before a particular time tv
phrase ]
I'd like to get all these iettersjinish£d so I can mail them on
my way home. I He doesn't think he's going taget thedecorat-
ing finished in time.
be through /bi: ISru:1 an informal expression meaning
to have fmished doing something [phr v I I
be through with "When will the car be ready?" Hr should
think the mechanic will be through with it in about an
hour. "I be through We thought it would only take afew
minutes to put up the tent but IYy the time we were through
it was dark.
polish off l,pollI 'of 11 ,po:1I1 'o:fl to quickly finish a
piece of work. without making a lot of effort, especially so
that you can do something else instead [phr v T t
polish off sth I'tlpolish off the rest of this ironing before
we go out. I polish sth!it/them off There were 100 tests to
mark but we polished them off in an evening.
conclude fkdn'klu:df conclude your worklinvestiga·
tion/study etc (=a fonnal word meaning to finish it
properly and completely. especially so that you are ready
to use the results to do something) Iv TI
By July the research team had concluded the main part of
its work. I The police have TWW concluded their investigations
and are ready to prosecute.
2 to finish something by adding the last parts
that make it complete
finish off
put the finishing touchltouches to
tie up the loose ends
finish off l,flnII 'of 11 -'o:fl to finish something by adding
the last parts or details [phr v T I
finish off sth 1 came to work early this morning to finish
offsome urgent workfor the boss. I finish sth/it/them off
The decorator said he could finish the front bedroom off at
the weekend.
put the finishing touch/touches to l,puI(\o ,flnlllg
ItAtJ. 'tAtHz tu:f to finish something by adding the last
details, especially in order to make it look nice Iv phrase I
Sue's just putting the finishing touches to her make-up. I
Frilly pink curtains put theJinishing touch to Lorna 's newly
decorated bedroom. I The team are busy putting theflnish-
ing touches to the new design.
the finishing touch/touches [n phrase! Your patio is
lovely. Those tubs offlowers are the perfectfinishing touch.
tie up the loose ends f ltal Ap 6d ,Iu:s 'endzf to fmish
a meeting, an agreement etc by dealing with all the details
that remain lV phrase I
/fwe can tie up the loose ends in the next ten minutes, we'll
breakfor an early lunch. I Apartfrom afew loose ends that
need /() be tied up, everything has gone according to schRdule.
3 to be close to finishing something
be nearly finished
be on the last lap/in the home stretch
be nearly finished (also be nearly done in Ameri-
can English) fhi: InldfJi 'fmllt, bi: ,nldfJi IdAnf [v phrase]
I'm nearly finished - [just want to put/hesefiles away. I Are
you TU!arly done in the shower? I Just give me a couple nwre
minutes. I'm nearly through.
be on the last lap/In the home stretch Ibi: on 00
,Io:st 'Irep, m 0:;, ,h;)Um 'stretJ 11 ·Ilrest-f to have almost
501 FINISH DOING STH
finished something, especially something that has taken
a long time Lv phrase]
At least once we get on the train we'll know we're on the last
lap of our journey. I We're in the home stretch now. The
negotiations should be over IYy next nwnth.
4 to finish using something
finish with
be through with/be done with
finish with l'flnII wlOI Iv T not in passivel
Canyoupass me the scisrors whenyou'vefinished with tlu!m,
please? I "Have you finished with the Monopoly game?"
"Yes. " "Well put it away then. "
be through with/be done with Ibi: '6TU: WIO, bi: '!lAn
wl6f expressions used especially in American English
meaning to have nearly finished using something
Iv phrase]
Are you through with that hammer yet? I be through!done
I need to use the fax machine. Can you let me know when
you're done?
5 to finish an event, performance, meeting,
lesson etc
finish/end conclude
wind up finish oH
bring 8th to an end! round oH
to a close
finish/end I 'hmI, endl Iv TJ
rmish/end sth Our history teacher never finishes the class
on time. I When Sir George finished his speech there was a
moment's silence. I finish/end sth by doing sth The priest
ended the service IYy saying a short prayer. I finish/end sth
with She always ends her meals with a cup of coffee and a
cigaretu!. I She ended her recital with an old French song.
wind up f,walnd IApf to gradually bring to an end an event
or activity such as a meeting that you are in control of,
making sure that it finishes at the right time Iphr v liT!
wind up sth I'd like to wind up this debate and lakea vote.I
wind 5th/it/them up Mark wanted to wind the meeting up
quickly because he had a plaTU! to catch. I wind up About
40 minutes after the interview starts, the cameraperson will
sigruzl to you to start winding up.
bring sth to an end/to a close I ,brig (sth) IU on 'end ,
tu d 1k1;)UZ/ formal expressions meaning to fmish a meet·
ing, lesson etc IV phrase]
Ifwecan bring this part ofthe l1'U!eting to a close we can move
on to the next item.
conclude /kan 'klu:df to formally or officially end a meet-
ing, public event, speech etc by doing one fmal thing that
makes those involved feel that it is finished successfuJly
Iv IITJ
conclude sth with The seroice was concluded with a hymn I
conclude with Delors concluded with an appeal to support
European unifICation. I conclude by doing sth I'd like to
conclude by thanking everyone who has worked so hard to
make this conference possible.
finish off f,flnlJ lof 11 ·'::d/ to complete an event. perfor-
mance, piece of work etc by doing one flnal thing that is
necessary or suitable [phr v lI T)
finish off sth by doing sth We finished off our vacation
by spending two days in Santa Fe. I fmish off sth with Dan
finished off his act with a joke about the Vice-President. I
rmish off Please finish off now. The test will end in three
minutes.
round off I,raund 'of 11 - ':,:ff to do something as a way of
ending an event, performance etc in a suitab1e or satisfac-
tory way [phr v T I
round off 5th To round offNatioruzl Peace Week, a concert
was organized in the park. I round sth off with Kate
rounded her performance off with a nwving version of
'Memories', accompanied by a solo violin. 1 She served us a
splendid dinner, rounded off with a marvellous orange
mousse.
FINISH DOING STH
6 to finish a business agreement or a plan by
settling it in a satisfactory way
settle sew up
conclude finalize
wrap up close 8 deal
se"le /'setl/ lv TI
In the end we settled the deal on very /avorable terms. I So
that settles it. We 'Upay youhal/thepurchaseprice MW, and
the rest over two years. I We talked to the carpenter to settle
plans for the expansion DJ the restaurant.
conclude Ik<ln ' kJu:df conclude a deal/treaty/agree-
ment etc (=sllccessfully finish an agreement, especially
one that is important and involves a large number of
people) Iv Tt
The British car industry has just concluded a deal with the
Japanese government. I European governments are trying
to conclude a treaty to ban certain atmospheric tests.
conclusion Ik;)n I klu:yn/ln UJ The/uture a/ the prisoners
will be decided on the conclusion a/the armistice (=wh en the
armistice is concluded).
wrap up ' .rrep lAP' an informal expression meaning to
fmish a meeting, a business agreement. or a plan by
settling everything quickly in a satisfactory way (phr v T I
wrap up sth If they accept our price weron wrap up tire deal
rightaway. I wrap sth/it/ them up l want w wrap this
1'11eeting up as quickly as possible. 1 have another appoint-
ment in an hour.
sew up I. S;MJ lAp/ an informal expression meaning to
settle a business agreement or plan in a satisfactory way,
especially in a way that is favourable to you (phr v TJ
sew sth/it/them up I called the real estateagenL Thecon-
tract's all been sewn up and we can move into the apartment
next week. ( sew up sth Bob reckons he can sew up the deal
quite quickly but I'm not so sure.
IInallze (also -Ise British) I 'fal!1,t-a,Z/ to do the last things
that are necessary in order to settle an agreement, plan, or
arrangement in a satisfactory way Iv T I
Mr Samuels isflying to Detroit to/inaiize the details and
sign the contract. I Don't proceed any further with any plans
or finalize any arrangemen ts until you have proper
a~thority.
close a deal /,k):KJz;} 'di: l/ to finish making a business
agreement, especially where a large amount of money is
involved [v phrase]
The oil comJXlny has just succeeded in closing a d£alfor the
/and.
7 to finish someth ing that is unpleasant or
difficult
see 8th through get It over with/get It
to the bitter end over and done with
stick It out havelbe done with It
see sth through I,si: ("h) '8TU:1 [phr v T]
1found the course really hard, but T told myself I must see
it through. I Tt may seem insignUtcant, but there is some value
in seeing a project through.
to the bitter end It<> i);} ,bttO:'lr lend/ if you do something
to the bitter end, you continue doing it in a detennined
way until it is finished, even though it is very unpleasant
or difficult [adv phrase]
Despite his irtiury, John kept playing in the game to the bitter
end. ( Campaigners vowed to carry on the Civil Rights strug-
gl£ to the bitter end.
stick It out I,suk: It 'autl to finish doing something in
spite of great difficulty or pain [v phrase ]
The pain nearly forced Sally to stop work, but sire stuck it
outfor the rest of the ooy. III was cold. hard work but Harry
intended to stick it out until the end of his contract.
get It over with/get It over and done with I get
It I~M.IV~r wli) , get It I ~v~r ~n IdAn WIO/ to do something
unpleasant that you have to do as quickly as possible. so
that it is fmished and you can stop worrying about it rv
phrase ]
502 FINISH/USE ALL OF STH
['m going to make an appointment at the dentist and get it
over with Wore the holidays. I Should I tell mom the truth
now and get it over and done with?
havelbe done with It Ihrev. hi: IdAJl Wli) Itl an expres-
sion used especially in British English meaning to do or
fmish something now so that you can stop thinking about
it or worrying about it Iv phraseJ
if you're having your hair cut you might as well have it
permro a t tire same time and be done with it. I Let's just book
the flight and have done with it. We can always cancel if it
turns out we can't go.
8 words for describing something that has been
finished
IInlshed be complete
completed be done
flnlshecl /' f,noJt/ladj]
A il the p acking was finished and we were ready to leave. I
A young couple moved into the house three weeks after it was
finished. I The finished book was more of a personal diary
than an autobiography. I finished article/ product Look-
ing at lhefinished article you couldn 't tell it was madefram
recycled paper.
completed Ibm' pli:tld/ fmished, especially after a long
period of time or a lot of work or effort ladj J
We'/lonlygetpaid i!thejob issatisjacwrilyrompleted.1 The
rompletedfilm will be on general release in March. I At last
a ll the arrangements were completed and we waited impa-
tiently for the big day to arrive.
be complete Ibi: k,m ' pti:~ if something that takes a par-
ticular length of time or involves a number of stages is
complete, it is fmished Iv phraseJ
You'il be paid more when your training is complete. I When
the mixing process is complete the mixture is ready to be
heated.
be done /bi: IdAn/ to be successfully finished (v phrase]
When the slwpping·s cW,", l"/l rome and I1lR£tyoufor a drink. I
Mom won't let me watch television till all my homework's
done.
9 not fi nished
unfinished
Incomplete
unllnl.hecl / An'f , noJ~ ladj]
On lrer desk was an unfinished letter to her mother. I The
company still has a number of unfinished projects. I To this
day. the building remains unfinished. I unfinished busi-
ness (=something you intend to do but have not had a
chance to finish) lfyou '/l excuse me, l have some unfinished
business to attend to.
Incomplete 1 . l n k:~mlp li :t"l something that is incom-
plete does not contain everyth ing that is needed to finish
it properly la<jjl
The bridge remained incomplete until 1910, when it was
finished by German engineers. I These changes, tlwugh
useful, are only part ofan incomplete process. I Spoken lan-
guage contains many phrases and incomplete sentences.
• FINISH/USE ALL OF
STH
1 to use all of something so that there is none left
2 ways of saying that all of something has been
used SO that there is none left
3 to not use all of something
4 words for describing something that is never
all used
FINISH/USE ALL OF 5TH 503 FfRE

1 to use all of something so that there is none left
finish exhaust
use up run out of
finish /lflOlfl to eat or drink all of something so that there
is none left [v TJ
The kids havefinished the ice-cream. I Terry finished all his
drink in one gulp_ I Don't open a new bottle until you 've
finished the old one.
use up I du:z I lip/ to use all of something, especially some-
thing important such as a supply of food or money. and to
have very little chance of getting any more [phr v TJ
use up sth Some old people are Wt with a choice between
using up the last a/their fuel or freezing to death. I They've
used up all their assets - now nothing can save them from
bankruptcy. I use sth/ it/them up HI wanted some o/that
green paint." "Too bad, I've used it all up...
exhaust /Ig IU!st/ to use all of something, especially a
natural supply of something such as coal, oil. or gas [v TJ
There is the danger that, in time, the human race will
exhaust the world's store of useful energy. lOver-intensive
farming had exhausted the supply of nutrients in the soil. I
Nter exhausting all her ready excuses, she could think of
nothing lelt to say.
run out of l,fAn 'aut ov 11 -mvl to use all of something that
you want or need so that you have to get some more Iv T
not in passivel
By the time they got to the camp they'd runoutolwater.1 I've
3 to not use all of something
not finish
leave
not finish /nol 'flmf/ lv TI
No you can't have another notepad - you haven't finished
that one yet. I Try not tofinish your food rations too quickly.
We don't know when there will be more.
leave /Ii:v/ to not use or eat all of something, especially
because you do not want to, or because you want to keep
some IvTI
leave sth I think Tom may be sick - he left nearly all his
dinner. I leave sth for sb They didn't use all thefuel sup.
plies - they left some/or us. I leave sb sth Move uP. you lot.
Leave me some space!
4 words for describing something that is never
all used
Inexhaustible
Inexhaustlble / ,Inlg 'ZJ:stAb",l/ inexhaustible supply/
source/list etc (=one that is never fmished because it is
so big) [adj l
The enemy seemed to have an inexhaustible supply ofammu-
nition. I I regarded my father as an inexhaustible source of
cash and good will. I The list was inexhaustible.

I
finished FINISH DOING STH 8
run out of cigarettes. Do you think you could go down to the finished: be finished FINISH/USE ALL OF STH 2
st.ore and get some? _ finished: be nearly finished/be nearly done FINISH
__ DOING STH 3
2 ways of saying that all of something has been
{
finished: get 5th finished FINISH DOING STH 1
finishing touch: put the finishing touch/touches to
used so that there is none left
FINISH DOING STH 2
be finished be all gone It finite LIMIT 7
exhausted none left/not any left fire FIRE 1, 2, 3, LEAVE A JOB OR ORGAN IZATION
be used up run out 2, SHOOT 2
be finished /bi: 'flOlft/ having used all of a supply of fire: be on fire BURN 1
something, especially food Iv phrase) fire: be playing with fire RISK 5
In this area, errl£rgeru:ylood aid is likelY to befinished within fire: catch fire BURN 3
days. I When thot can 'sfinished, there won't be anyIWlllelt. 1 fire: makelbulld a fire FIRE 4
Are all the vegetables finished yet? fire: set fire to sth/set sth on fire BURN 4
exhausted Jlg'ZJ:stldJ a supply of something, or a place fire: there's no smoke without fire TRU E 5
that produces something, that is exhausted is one in fire: under fire SHOOT 5
which all the materials, etc have been used so that there flrelll'e up ENTHUSIASTIC 4
is nothing left (adjl fire questions: shoot/fire questions at sb ASK A
The oxygen supply would soon become exhausted. I All fhol 's OUESTION 3
left are some barren hillsides and a couple of exhausted fire risk: be a fire risk/health risk OANGEROUS 2
mines. I It's only a matter of time before the world's oil sup.
plies are exhausted.
be used up /bi: .ju!zd 'hpJ a supply of something, espe-
cially something important, that is used up has all been
Ifire 1----------.
used [v phrase]
The logs are all used up - we don't have anything to make which• meaning?
a fire with. I When the fertile elements in the soil are used
up, the land becomes incapable of producing anything. fire, flames ate • FIRE
be all gone /bi: ,::I=I'gon 11 -'g:>:nl an infonnalexpression:
if something is all gone, there is none of it left because it
has all been used [v phrase]
make something burn
make someone leave
-+ .
--- - - -<-.
BURN
• LEAVE A JOB OR
My money's all gone. How the hell can I pay for anything? I
"Are there any cookies ltift?" "No, they're ail gone... their job ORGANIZATION
none left/not any left 1,00n 'left, ,not eni 'Ieftl if there
is none left or not any left of something, all ofit has been
used or sold iadj phrasel
there is none left/there are none left Don't eat any more
cake or there will be none leftfor me. I there isn't any left/
. FIRE
there aren't any left I'm sorry but there aren't any dresses 1 an uncontrolled fire that has started
left in a size 12. I there is no wine/milk etc left There's aCCidentally
no coffee left. Shall I go and get some more? 2 a fire that someone has made in order to
run out J,rAn 'autJ if something. especially something you keep warm, cook on etc
regularly need or use, runs out, all ofit has been used [phr
vII 3 the heat and light produced by something
Our supplies had run out and all we could do was wait. I that is burning
Ifcoal reserves run out. the situation will become critical. I 4 to make a fire
It was a dreodlul party:jlrSt the vodka ran ou~ then the beer,
then the CD player packed up.
FIRE
1 an unconlrolled fire Ihat has started
accidentally
fire inferno
blaze the flames
fire If3l0'1 In Cl
Thirty people died in a fire in Chicago last night. I Several
fires are now burning out of control in the hills around the
town. I a fire breaks out (=starts suddenly) Investigators
believe thefire broke out when/aulty electrical wiring over-
heated. I forest fire (=a very large fire in a forest) A huge
forest fire is burning in central Brazil.
blaze jblelzl a large and dangerous fire that has started
accidentally [n C usually singular]
Andrew survived the blaze on the oil rig by jumping into the
sea. I The wind was blowing/rom the east, making the blaze
in flu! apartment block worse. I Firemen tackled a huge blaze
in a warelwuse in Stratford last night.
Inferno fln 1f3: t mul a word used especially in newspapers
and in literature, meaning very large, very hot, and very
dangerous fire, especially in an enclosed space such as a
building [n C usually singular]
Thirty passengers died in the inferno. I The building became
an injerrw, dropping white-hot pieces ofmetal on to the street.
the flame. fb~ Iflelmzf the parts ofa fire that are burn·
ing In plurall
The most important thing is to stop the flames spreading. I
Q"thej1ames reach the gas tank the whore place will go up!
2 a fire that someone has made in order to
keep warm. cook on etc
fire
bonfire
fire Ifa l~rl a small, controlled fire that you make in order
to provide heat or to cook food [n C]
In the evenings the whole family would gather around the
fire. I The kids were out collecting dry sticks for the fire. I
log/coal etc fire (=a fire that burns logs, coal etc) There's
nnthing more comforting than a nice log fire.
bonllre /lbonfa l~T 11 'bo:n-I a ftre made outdoors, espe-
cially one that is used for burning things you no longer
want such as dead leaves and wood fn Cl
Autumn bonfires were burning in several ofthe neat subur-
bangarriens.1 build/make a bonfire At the end o!theyard
are some broken chairs the kids can use to build their bonfire.
3 the heat and light produced by something
that is burning
fire
flame
fire Ifalo'l In UI
Most animals are afraid offire. 1 Learning how to use and
control fire was a major step forward for the human race. I
The building was destroyed by fire in 1803.
flame /flclmj the hot bright area of burning gas which is
produced by something that is burning [n Cl
Coal gas burns with a bright blue j1ame. I You can sterilize
a n£edl€ by holding it in aflame. I The candle-jZo"",jZick-
ered and then went out.
4 to make a fire
make/build a fire
light a fire
start a fire
makelbuild • fire I,merk, Iblld ~ Ifa l~rl [v phraseJ
Kumar built a Jire out DJ old rags, newspapers - anything
he couldfind. 1 There aren't really enough materials herefor
us to be able to build a fire.
light a Ilr8',lalt ~ Ifal~TI to deliberately make a fire start
burning, especially in order to provide heat or to cook
something Iv phrase]
504 FIRST
It was her job to light afire every morning before thefamily
got up. I In such a strong wind it was almost impossible to
light a jZre.
start a fire I Ista:Tt ~ Ifal~TI to make a fire start burning,
especially in a place where it might cause damage Iv
phraseJ
The kids accidentally started a fire in the garage and were
too scared to tell anyone. I Troops are fighting to control a
fire started by rebels. I The fire was started by a hot coal
which JeU onto the carpet.
fired: be fired LEAVE A JOB OR ORGANIZATION 3
fireproof BURN 10
firing line: be In the flrtng line BLAME 2
firm COMPANY 1. HARD 1
firmly TIGHT 1
first FIRST 1, 2. 4
first: a first FIRST 6
first: at first BEGINNING 4
first: be first BEFORE 12
first: be first/second etc POSITION/RANK 3
first: be the first to do sth FIRST 7
first: come first WIN 1
first: do 5th first BEFORE 12
first: finish first/come In first WIN 1
first: flrstlylflrst FIRST 3
first and foremost MAIN 5
first chOice FAVOURITE/FAVORITE 1
first/Christian name NAME OF A PERSON 1
first-class GOOD/EXCELLENT 1
first-hand: PE RSONALLYIYOU RSELF 3
first-hand: at first hand FIND OUT 2
first language LANG UAGE 3
first meet MEET 5
first move: make the first move FIRST 8
first of all FIRST 2, 3
first part: the first part BEGINN ING 6
first place WIN 1
first place: in the first place FIRST 3
first prinCiples BASIC 3
first sight: love at first sight LOVE 7
first thing EARLY 6
first time: the first time FI RST 4
• FIRST
1 before all others in order or time
2 happening or done first , before anything else
3 ways of saying that the fact or reason you are
going to mention is the first one and will be
followed by others
4 happening or done for the first time
5 the first performance or appearance by a
person, film etc
6 words for describing someth ing that has
never happened or been done before
7 to do something that has never been done
before
8 to be the first person to take action in a
situation instead of waiting for someone else
to do something
9 something that is the first of its type
1 before all others in order or time
first earliest
original Inaugural
Initial
first 1f3: rst/ coming before all others in order or time radjl
I've only read the first chapter of the book. 1 Thefirsl thing
you karn in tennis is fww to fwld tire racquet. 1 Tchaikovsky's
1812 overture wasfirst on the concert programme. I the first
to do sth Jo was the first to arrive.
FIRST
orlglnal /;)ind3rnal, -dyn<J11 existing first, before being
changed or replaced by someone or something else [adj
only before noun}
Our original plan was to go camping, but in the end we
decided to stay in a hotel. I Theoriginal edition of 'Biko' was
published in 5 languages. I Th£ house has full central h£at-
ing. which was instailed by the original owner.
originally (adv I We think the car originally belonged to an
Tndian prince.
inHial II' nIJ,11initial stage/ reaction/ mal etc (=the frrst
one at the beginning of a process or activity rather than
the ones that come later) [ad) only be/ore noun)
I was only involved in initial stages of the planning. I My
initial reaction to the news was relie/, bulas I thought more
about it I began to/eel angry. I Following some initial triaL"i,
fourteen people were treated with the drug.
initially [adv) I'm not really sure who initially thought DJ
it but it seems like a good idea to me.
earliest 113: rli~ stJ happening or existing before all others
at the very beginning ofa period of time [actj usually before
noun I
'The Comedy oj Errors' is one oj Shakespeare's earliest
plays. 1 The earliest form of transport was probably some
kind of sledge. 1From the earliest days of her marriage she
had been unhappy.
Inaugural / 1'n:>:gj'5r~11 inaugural lecture/meeting/
speech etc (:::one that an important person does or makes
when they first start a new job, a new organization starts
working etc) [adj only before noun]
Projessor Eston gave his inaugural lecture in 1860. 1 The
inaugural meeting drew a large audience.
2 happening or done first, before anything else
first
first of all
first /f3: rst/ before all the other events or actions (advJ
He's had a bad year. First he lost his job, then his wife left
him. 1First wash the mushrooms, and when they are quite
clean, leave them to dry. 1 When 1 pick up the rrewspaper I
always read the sportspagejirst. 11want to see the college
and meet all the staff. but first I'm going to have a cup of
coffet!·
first of all / ,f3: rSt:;)V 1:>:11at the beginning, before a lot of
other events or actions (adv phrase ]
We spent a month touring America. First of all we went to
see my sister in Dallas. 1 Everything went wrong today. First
of all the car broke down .... I First of all. let me welcome
everyorre to the meeting.
3 ways of saying that the fact or reason you are
going to mention is the first one and will be
followed by olhers
firstlylflrst to start with/begin with
first of all In the first place
flrstlylflrst 11f3: rstli, If3! rstl [adv]
Th£ building is unsuitable.]trStly because it is too small, and
secondly because it is in the wrong place. I The business is
facing serious problems: first we are in debt, also we are
losing customers. 1 Injection may becausedjlrstly by drink-
ing contaminated water, and secondly by not washing your
vegetables correctly.
first of aII / 1f3: rst:;)v 1:>:1/ (used when the reason you are
giving flrst is the most important one) (adv phrase ]
"Why don 'tyou think I could do thejob?" 'Well, first ofall,
you 're lazy and unpunctual. " 1 There were several reasons
why they divorced. There was the violence first of all, and
also the drinking.
to start withlbegln with It> Slo't WIO, hI 'gm-I (used
when your reason or fact is the most easy to see or under-
stand) [adv phrase I
1 don't think he's capableofdoing thejob. To start with, he 's
much too old for this sort of work. 1 I think she should be
rrwved into a class. To begin with, shefinds the present work-
load much too easy.
505 FIRST
In the first place /m 6:;) Ifj: rst pie IS/ (used when you are
arguing with someone and you are going to give the first
reason that proves that what you are saying is true) [adv
phrase ]
Quinn couldn't have committed the crime. In thejirst place,
he isn 't a violent sort ofman. 1 No I don 't want to buy an ern:y-
clopaedia. In the first place I never have time to read any·
thing, and secondly I'm broke.
4 happening or done for the firsllime
first
the first time
first If,,'SlI [adv usually before verbl
The Americansjirst landed on the moon in 1969. 1 The book
was first published in Australia last year. 1 Where did you
jirst hear about our organization?
the first time /6;;) 1f3: TSt Italm/ (used when there are
many other times after the first one) [adv phrase]
1 remember thefirst time we met. 1 'I'hejirst time I travelled
by air, I felt really nervous.
5 the firsl pertormance or appearance by a
person, film etc
debut
premiere
maiden
debut / Idelbju!, ldebjU! 11 deI1bju:, dl -/ someone's fU-st
public performance, especially in a play, a mm or a sport
[n C usually singular]
Charlie Chaplin made his fi lm crebut in 1913. I It's abnost
ten years since Boris Becker made his debut in international
tennis.
premiere /'premiea r II pn 'ml:;)rl the first public perthr-
mance of a play or fIlm [n C usually singular]
film/movie premiere The Princess of Wales will be attend·
ing a film premiere tonight in London's West End. 1 world
premiere (=the frrst performance anywhere in the world)
Music-lovers gathered in Boston for the world premiere of
Gershwin 's opera, 'Porgy and Bess '. 1 premiere I've been
invited to the premiere oj the new Schliessman play.
maiden / 'meJdn/ maiden speech/ voyage/flight (:::the
first one that a particular person, ship, or aircraft makes)
lad) only before noun!
She's dreading the ordeal oj her maiden speech to Parlia·
ment. 1The USS Enterprise is to set out on its maiden voyage
next year. ! Twojetscrashed on their maidenj7ights last year.
6 words for describing something that has
never happened or been done before
unprecedented
a first
unprecedented IAn 'presAdent!dl something that is
unprecedented has never happened before and is com-
pletely unexpected ladjl
An unprecedented number ofcars entered the race. ! The sit-
uation is unprecedented. I Th£ police took th£ unpreced£nted
step ofpublishing the victim's plwtograph. 1 The depression
that started in mid-1929 was a catastrophe ofunpreced£nted
dimensions for the United States.
• first I:) 'h:rst/ something that has never been done or
achieved by anyone before and is therefore surprising or
exciting In singular ]
Roger Bannister'sfour-minute mile was a notablefirst in the
history of athletics. ! There's no such thing as a first in
human relationships. It's all been done before. 1 During the
1960's the Soviet Union achieved a series of firsts in space
exploration.
7 10 do somelhing that has never been done
before
be the first to do 5th pioneer
show the way/ break new ground
lead the way
FIRST 506 FIT/BE THE RIGHT SIZE
be the first to do sth fbi, 00 ,(,,'st 10 'du, (sth){ Iv original lacljl Only a millionaire could afford to buy an
phrasel original Picasso (=a picture by Picasso that is not a COpy).
The Spanish were the first to keep cattle in the American
deserts. I She was the first to see the importcmce of the IIrstlyfll,st FIRST 3
nineteenth century writers. I Yuri Gagarin became lhefirst fish about/around LOOK FOR 5
man to fly in space. fish out TAKE STH FROM SOMEWHERE 1
show the wa,ne acl the wa, {,}"" O. 'we •• ,Ii,d O. l ishy SUSPECT 2
'wel' to be the n~t to do something, especially something lIt FIT/BE THE RIGHT SIZE 1. 4. PUT 9
good or successful. which may encourage others to do lIt: be. good lIt FIT/BE TH E RIGHT SlZE 1
something similar [v phrase! lIt: be lIt BETIERlRECOVERED 1
Developing products which do not harm the environment is lIt, be lIt 10 live In LIVE SOMEWHERE 10
very important now, and this company has shown the way. I lIt: keep lIt FIT PERSON 2
We have shown the way by reforming our working practices, lIt: nol lIt FIT/BE TH E RIGHT SIZE 3
and others will no doubt follow our example. I Once the l it: unflllnol lIt WRONG/UNSUITABLE 3
Japanese had led the way. manufacturers in other countries fit in RELATIONSHIP 2, SUITABLE 1, TIME/HAVE
soon began to use robots on a large scale. TIME 4
pionee r IlpalO)'nlarl to be the first to invent or find a new fit In: not fit in DIFFERENT 4
method of doing something, and so to make it possible or lIt In with CONVENIENT 1
easier for others to do the same Iv Tl fit like 8 giove FIT/BE THE RIGHT SIZE 1
He pioneered techniquesfor photographing rrwving objects. I IIllphyslcally lIt FIT PERSON 1
Heart-transplant surgery was pioneered by Professor Chris- IH Ihe bill SUITABLE 1
tian Barnard. I fit to live In: not be fit to live In LIVE SOMEWHERE 11
pioneer in C) She became jarrwus as a pioneer 0/ (=the
person who pioneered) prison niform.
pioneering (adj) Her valuable pioneering work (=work
pioneering new ideas) in the Fleld of education will be
remembered.
1fit 1..---- --;: ---.---,---,
break new ground I,bre lk nju: Igroond 11 -nu:-J ifsome-
one or their ideas break new ground they are completely
new and different from anything that existed before, espe- r------...,
which meaning?
be \lie r1g/118Ize -+ . FIT/BE THE
cially in a way that others cons idered a risk tv phrase]
Roosevelt's social reform programme broke new ground. I
Banks believe that this accounting system has broken new
ground in the complex world of airline finance. I The Arts
Theatre Company have brolrenfresh ground in this stunning
hew.lot of ~
and 8Irehg\t1
-+ . - RIGHT SIZE
FIT PERSON

production with their revolutionary lighting technique. do -a.e 10 keep fit -'t • EXERCISE

8 to be the first person to take aclion in a In good heaIih .... . HEALTHY

•• •
situation instead of waiting for someone else a u i t _ or ..,. • SUIT/LOOK
to do somelhing ~ng. lOok good GOOD
make the fi rst move TOGETHER
take the Initatlve
make the first move /melk ()~ 1f3: TSt Imu:v/ to be the SIiftabIe fI:Ir • -+ e SUITABLE
frrst one to act in a situation where both sides feel nervous, purpCIIIII, job IIIC
embarrassed, angry etc [v phrase)
The employees madethefirst movewendthestrilre.1 So"",
body's got to make thejirst rrwl.Je, why don't you call Stuart
- this stupid quarrel has gone on too long. I I'd always been
attracted to her. but I was too shy to make the first rrwve.
• FIT/BE THE RIGHT
t ake thelnltatlve/,telk Oi I InJJ~tlvl to be the first one
to act in a situation, especially when you think people are
SIZE
being silly because they wait for someone else to do some- 1 ways of saying Ihat clothes fit
thing first (v phrase( 2 10 pul clolhes on 10 see if they fit
Everyone was standing around in silence. so I took the initia- 3 ways of saying Ihat clolhes do not fil
tive and tried to explain why we had come. I The disarma-
ment talks failed because neither side was prepared to risk 4 10 be Ihe right size or shape for a particular
taking the initiative. space
5 10 be almoslloo big 10 fil into a space
9 something tha( is the first of ils lype
prototype 1 ways of saying thal clothes fit
original fit fit like a glove
protolJpe {' prou",""Pi the first model o(something, espe- be the right size grow Into
cially of a machine or a new invention, that is often be . good lit
improved in later models [n Cl
Pi/nts have begun testing a prototype of the new aircraft. I fit {(,~ if clothes Ill, they are the right size and shape for
The prototype of this particular romputer was developed by you when you put them on (v liT not in progressive or
an American in 1975. passivel
"Do you think this skirtfits all right?" "It looks as ifitfits
ortglna l /a'nd3maJ, -dyn~J/ something such as a picture perfectly. "II'm sure you'll be able to find a suitable dress
or a piece of writing that is not a copy but is the one thatfits. You'reaskmdardsize. lllt sb Clare'sgrowna lot,
produced for the frrst time by the artist or writer them· I'm just hoping these boots are going w fit her. II think a
selves In Cl size seven or eight would haf!€ fitted you better.
No, theportrait's""tacopy.It~anoriginal.1 This isaplww·
graph 0/ the famous manuscript. The original is in the city be the right size /bi: O~ I fait ISSIZ/ [u phrase)
museum. I've bought a blouse/or Alison. It's a very pretty colour and
FIT/BE THE RIGHT SIZE
just the right size too. I iWly don '( you try it on to see ijU's
the right size? I be the right size for Are you sure those
pants are the right size for Bill?
be. good fit /hi: d .gud IfIt/ to fit very well and be corn·
fortable to wear (v phrase)
That suit was a grxxijit, but! didn't like the pattern. I They
issued me with a unijonn. Luckily it was agoodfit and didn '(
1U!ed any alterations.
fit like a glove/.fn lalk d IgIAV/ to fit the shape ofyonr
body penectly Iv phrase not in progressive]
The dress/itted her like a glove. It looked as ifit had been
made for her.
grow into / lgtdU Intu:/ if a child or young person grows
into clothes. they grow big enough to be able to wear them
[v T not in passive]
I know this sweater's still too big for Jenny, but she'll soon
grow into it.
2 to put clothes on to see if they fit
try on
try on f llmI Ion 11 -'o:n/ lphr v TJ
try sth/It/them on Try these shaeson and see ijth2y'rerom·
Jortable. I It was a really nice sweater, but when she tried
it on, it nearly came down ID her knees. I try on sth Nter
tonight's rehearsal all the actors will be trying on their
costumes.
3 ways of saying that clothes do not fit
not 11t grow out 01
be too big/small
not be the right size
tight
can't get into
not fit Jnot 'fIt! Iv In not in progressive or passivel
If those boots don 'tfit, you can try a larger size. I not fit sb
There was nothing wrong with the coat, it just didn'tfit her.
be too blg/small/bi: ,tu: 'bIg, 'sm:>:IJ Iv phrase]
You can '( wear your father's suit, it'sfar too big. I I have to
buy Tim some new sandals. The ones he's wearing are too
small. I be too big/small for Alan was wearing an over-
coat that was two sizes too big for him.
not be the right size /not bi: (la ,ralt 'salZ/ tv phrase)
I bought him a shirt, but it wasn't the right size. 1 not be
the right size for If those gloves aren '( the right si2efor you,
I can take them back to the shap.
grow out of J ,gfdU 'aut DV ~ -o:vl if a child or young
person grows out of clothes, they grow too big to wear
them Iv T not in passive 1
I always have to wear my brother's clothes after he'sgrown
out o/them. I It isn't worth spending much on children's
clothes, since they grow out of them so quickly.
Ught II"~ clothes that are tight are uncomfortable to wear
because they are too small and press into your body [adjl
I don't wear my black dress very much It's very tight around
the waist. 1 If your shirt collar's too tight, undo your top
button.
can't get Into " ko:nt get 'Intu: n ,krent-I if you can't get
into a dress, skirt, trousers etc, you have difficulty putting
them on because they are too small Iv phrase]
I've got so fat lately I can '( get into these jeans.
4 to be the right size or shape for a particular
space
be the right size
fit
wtll go
be the right size Jbi: ~a ,ralt 'salzf (v phrase]
We didn't know if the carpet would fit in the bedroom, but
it turned out to bejust the right size. I be the right size for
The screw was exactly the right size for the hole he had
drilled.
fit If, ~ to be the right shape or not too big for a particular
space, hole etc [v liT not in progressive or passiveJ
507 FIT PERSON
fit in/into Do you think my desk will fit in that corner? I
We've designed a computer that fits into an ordinary brief
case. I fit We were going to put thefridge between the stove
and the washing machine, but it wouldn't fit. I fit sth Does
your key fit the lock on the garage door?
will go /wll'g-;,u/ if something will go into a particular
place or space, it is possible to put it there Iv 11
will go in/into I've bought a dictionary. Will it go in your
bag, or is it too big? I I've 11U!asured the space, and with a
bit of luck, the washing machine slwuldjust about go into
it. I will go It's no good trying toforce it, it just won't go.
5 to be almost too big to fit into a space
squeeze
it's a squeeze
squeeze fskwi:z{ to get into a space with great difficulty
and only by forcing your way into it because the space is
almost too small for you Iv 11
squeeze into/through/past etc The little tunnel was so
narrow that only one person at a time could squeeze into it. 1
I squeezed through a hole in the hedge into the garden. 1
squeeze in The bus was already full but someone opened
the doors and another passenger squeezed in.
It's a squeeze IIts a 'skwi:zJ lfit's a squeeze, there are
too many people or things in a small space
It'll be a squeeze with ten people in this small office. 1 it's a
tight squeeze It was a tight squeeze, but we eventually got
all the luggage into the car.
. FIT PERSON
healthy and strong so that you are able to do
work or sport that n eeds a lot of effort and
energy
1 words meaning frt
2 to remain fit by doing exercise, sport etc
3 not fit
1 words meaning fit
fit Iphyslcally fit be In good condition
fitness/physical fitness athletic
be in shape
fit (British) I physically fit (American) If'l, ,f,zJkli 'f,ll
ladj)
We ca11U! back from our cycling tour suntanned and fit. I
After the accident, I was determined to get physically fit
again as soun as possible 1 Many W011U!n feel fitter and
healthier during pregnancy than at any other ti11U!. I To do
any sport at international level you have to be extre11U!ly fit.
fitness (British) I physical fitness (American) I'flln,s,
,fIZ!k.?l'fltn~sf In VI
A ki!en sportsman, he prided himselfon his level 0/fitness. 1
Each Tuesday during training we had to listen to a l€cture
about physical fitness. I The magazine contained several
articles about natural beauty. healthy eating, fitness and
exercise.
be In shape Ibi, on 'Je'pl to be fit and healthy, with a
strong body that is not fat Iv phrase)
ifyou're in shape, a 10 kilometre run should befairly easy. I
be in good shape Sorry I couldn 't give you a better ga11U!
- T'm not in very good shape. l get in shape (=doexercises
to become fit) lfyou stop playing racquet ball/ora spel~ ifs
real hard to get back in shape.
be in good condition (hi: In ,gud k~n'dlJanJ to begener-
ally fit and healthy. especially because you take exercise
regularly (v phrase)
We were bothgood runners and in good condition but we still
found the course difficult. I keep yourself in good condi-
tion Most ofthi! players had kept themselves in good condi·
tion over the sum11U!r months.
FIT PERSON 508 FLAT
ethletle lree 'letJk, .e-I fit, strong, and usually also good flames: be in flameslbe ablaze BU RN 1
1<Uti1
at sports flames: burst Into flames BURN 3
He can play any sport, he's naturally a thletic. IIfyou want flames: go up In flames/go up BURN 8
me to play. I will. but I'm not very athletic. flames: the flames FIRE 1
flammable BURN 9
2 to remain fit by doing exercise, sport etc flammable : Inflammablelflammable BURN 9
flank SIDE 1
keep fit
flare up BURN 3
stay In shape/keep In shape lIash SHINE 2. SHOW/LET SB SEE STH 1
keep fit I.ki:p 'fit! a British express ion meaning to flash your money around SHOW OFF 1
remain fit by doing exercise, sport ete Iv phrase! llashy SHOW OFF 3
Shi! keepsjit by joggingjive miles every day. I We've got a lIat FLAT 1. HOME 2, HORIZONTAL 3
match next month, so we've got to keep ourselves reasonably flal: and that's flat REFUSE 3
fit. I Keeping fit now seems to be a national obsession. flat on your face: fall1lal on your face FALL 2
stay In shepelkeap In shape ' Islel In 'felp, ,ki:p In flat out FAST/QUICK 3
'fel pf to exercise regularly in order to be fit and strong and
not fat Iv phra.~el
He's good at badminmn but plays handball m keep in shape. I
Carrie likes to keep in good shape and spends hours at the
• FLAT
gym. 1 words for describing flat land or a flat surface
2 to make a surface or piece of land flat
3 words meaning not fit 3 ways of saying that a surface, road , or piece
unfit of land becomes flat
not be in shape 4 not flat
be out of condition/shape
unfit ,."nl
rill a British word meaning not fit and not able
to do hard physical activ ities easily. especially because you 1 words for describing flat land or a flat surface
do not take enough exercise ladjl lIat
I realised how unfit I was when I tried to run up the stairs. I
level
The survey shows that the typicall6-year-o/d is unfit, lazy,
and probably plays no sports at a ll. even
not be In shape /not bi: IR IJeJp/ an American expres- flat fnretJ smooth and level, without raised or hollow parts
sion meaning to be unfit Iv phrasel on the surface [adjJ
I can't play for thi! ream this weekend. I'm not in shape. l Our It 's best to useaflat surface to write on. I Thejlattestcoun-
opponents weren 't in shape but they still beat us. try in Europe is Holland, with only a few hills to the south. I
be out of condltlon/ahape fbi: laut::lv kan'dIJan. IJelpJ Thi! hause had a flat roof which they used for sunbathing. I
to be unfit at the present time, especially when you have The surface of the lake was so jiat it looked like a sheet of
been fit in the past (v phrasel glass.
I used to cycle twenty miles a day but now I'm really out of level , llevaJ/ a surface, piece ofland etc that is level is com-
condition. I He knew that he was out of condition and it pletely flat and does not slope in any direction [adjl
would be r isky to attempt the climb. They built the hause on level ground. I No wonder thi! table
wobbles. The/loor isn 't level. I Make sure the cement is abso-
fitness/physical fitness FIT PERSON 1 lutely level before leaving it to dry.
fits: have sb in fltslstitches/hysterlcs LAUGH 7 even /1 i:van/ a sunacesuch as a floor or road that is even
fits and starts: by/In fits and starts REGULAR 2 is completely flat and all its parts are at the same height
fittest: the survival of the fittest COMPETE WITHfTRY ladj)
TO BEAT 3 When the carpenters hadfinished, thej100r had a good even
fitting RIGHT/PROPER 2 sUrface. I After driving for so long on the g ravel I was g lad
fix ATIACH 1, CHEAT7, COOK 1. CURE t . LIMIT 6, to gel on an even stretch of road.
REPAIR 1
flx: be In a fix PROBLEM 7
Ilxlllx up ARRANGE A MEETING, EVENT ETC 1 2 to make a surface or piece of land flat
fix/name/set the day MARRY 4 flatten
fix ab up with PROVIDE t level
fixation OBSESSION 1 roll/press/squash elc 5th flat
fixed ATIACH 3, CHANG E/MAKE STH DIFFERENT smooth
11 . LI MIT 7. MOVE STH OR SB 6
fixed address: be of no fixed address/abode HOME 10 fleUen I' fi retnl Iv T I
fixed Ideas: have fixed Ideas CHANGE YOUR MINO 4 flatten sth They flattened thi! juM with a roller before the
IIzz SOUND 13 big game. I Thi! batmm ofthi! skis used m be curved but have
fizzle out STOP HAPPE NING 1 now beenflatrened m achieve highi!r speeds. I flatten sth out
flabbergasted SURPRISED 2 Shi! lioed at thi! edgeofa largejudd which had beenflattened
flabby FAT 5 out to serve as an airstrip.
flag TIRED 4 level /llevaJI to make a piece of land flat and s top it slop-
flag down STOP MOVING 7 ing in any direction [v T J
flagrant OBVIOUS 4 level 5th It is important to level the land before planting.I
flagship BEST 5 level s th off/ out The site of the explosion had now been
flair GOOD AT 8. STYLE/E LEGANCE 1 levelled out and was going to be made into a parking lot.
flak: get/take a tot 01 flak CRrTlCIZE 8 roll/press/squ.sh ete sth flet I ,rout , ,pres, ,'kwoJ
flake PIECE 5 (sth) 'firet 11 - ,skw,;J-1 to make something flat by rolling i t,
flake out SLEEP 4 pressing it etc fv phrase )
flaky CRAZY 2 Roll thi! pastry jiat, then transfer it m a baking tin. I1spread
flamboyant SHOW OFF 2 out the g roundsheet and smoothed it flat.
flame FIRE 3 smooth /smu:l>/ to make the surface of something such
ftameprooflflame resistant BURN 10 as paper or cloth completely flat and smooth (v TJ
FLAT 509 focus on
smooth sth Smoothing the crumpled photograph. he flattering SU1T!LOOK GOOD TOGETHER 1
promised me it wasn '/ ruined. I smooth sth down/ out flattery PRAISE 9
Across the table, Tanya smoothed down her skirt and looked flaunt SHOW/LET SB SEE STH 3
at her watch. I Every morning she smoothes the bedclothes flavour/flavor TASTE OF FOOD OR DRINK 1
out and dusts the room. flavoured/flavored TASTE OF FOOD OR DRINK 2
flaw FAULTISTH WRONG 2, 3
flawed PERFECT 10
3 ways of saying Ihal a surface, road, or piece
• 'lawless PERFECT 1. 2
of land becomes flal fi fleck PIECE 5
flatten/flatten out flee ESCAPE 1
level oH fleece CHEAT 2
flatten/ftatten out / 'fla:m, ,fla:m ' au~ Iv IJ fleeting SHORT TIME 3
The road widens andflattens as it nears the sea. I The land flesh: In the flesh PERSONALLYIYOURSELF 2
here hasjlattened out into a plain without a hill or a bump flex BEND 2
to be seen. I At the top of the hill the groundflattens out and 'Iexible BEND 4 . CHANGE/BECOME DIFFERENT 6 .
the climb slwuld be easier. CHANGE/MAKE STH DIFFERENT 8
flick THROW 7
level off I lleval 'of 11 - 1;:,:fJ to become flat and level, espe-
ciaily after sloping (phr v IJ flick through: leaf/flick/thumb through READ 3
Where the path levels out you willfind an old cottage. I After '"cker BURN 2. SH INE 4
climbing steeply through woodland the lane levelled off. flies: there are no flies on INTELLIGENT 4
flight TRAVEL 8
~ flimsy THIN OBJECT OR MATERIAL 3

I
4 not flat fling RELATIONSHIP 5, THROW 3
rough hilly flip: toss/flip THROW 6 , TURN 10
bumpy roiling flippant JOKING/NOT SERIOUS 2
uneven mountainous flirt TALK TO SB 11
float ON/ON TOP OF 2, SUGGEST 1
lumpy
flock GO 2
rough JrAft a surface, road, or piece of land that is rough ftog SELL 1
has a lot of irregular holes or raised parts on its surface flog sth to death TOorroo MUCH 3
[adj] flood GO 2, WATER 2. 5 . WET 7
Thefarm can only be reached by means of a rough track. I flood in: pour in/flood in ENTE R 7, GET 5
Jansen 's detailed p/wtographs of the rough, cratered sUrface
ofthe moonfirst appeared in 1850. I You nEed a jeep to cover
flood a' LOT/A LARGE NUMBER OR AMOUNT 6
flooding WATER 2
such rough terra in. floor HIT 3
bumpy IlbAmpi/ a surface that is bumpy is flat but has ~ floor: the floor BOTIOM 4
a lot of rounded lumps on it, especially so that it is difficult
for anything to move over it smoothly (adj ]
I11 ffloorsbePace'1 SPACE/ROOM 1
lop/ a op FAIL 7
After /wurs driving along the bumpy road the back wheel i'I floppy SOFT 4
finally fell off I Most teams refuse to play here because the ! flounce out LEAVE A PLACE 9
Fudd is too bumpy. f~ flourish SHOW/LET SB SEE STH 3
uneven fAn 'i:van/ a surface that is uneven has parts that ~ flout DISOBEY 2
are not level, so that the whole surface is not flat or regu- ftow LlOUID 4 . POUR 2. PROVIDE 3
lar [adjl flowing GRACEFUL 2
The sidewalk is very uneven - be careful where you walk. I fluctuate CHANGE/BECOME DIFFERENT 2
There was no carpet on the uneven floor. very dangerous to fluent SPEAK A LANGUAGE 8
anyone in barefeet.1 One ofthe tables hnd a smooth, polished fluff DO BADLY 1
toP. but the other one was rough and uneven. fluffy SOFT 3
lumpy "IAmpil a bed or chair that is lumpy has lumps fluid LlOUID 1
under the surface so that it is uncomfortable to sit on or fluke LUCKY 3
lie on [adj l flunk FAIL 8
Sandra lay on the lumpy bed, unable to sleep. I A ll the hotel flunk out FAIL 8
could offer him was two smelly blankets and a lumpy old fluorescent SH INE 5
mattress. flush RICH 4
hili, /' h,li/ an area ofland that is hilly has lots of hills [adjl flutter: have a flutter GAMBLE 1
the hilly farmlands of New JerSf!JlI The vineyards are hilly flux: be In flux/be In a state of flux CHANG E/BECOME
and difTlCult to cultivate. I My route was over a rough and DIFFERENT 2
hilly track. but I kept moving steadily. fly FAST/OUICK 7. TAKE/BRING 5 , TRAVEL 2
roiling / 'r""log/ rolling hills/ fields/farmland etc fly: I must dashllly LEAVE A PLACE 2
(=with a lot of rounded, not very steep hills and valleys, fly: time flies PASSfTIME PASSING 2
especially when this looks attractive) radj only before nounJ fly off the handle ANGRY 4
He stood at the top of the hill. admiring the rolling land- fly open: blow/bursUfly open OPEN 2
scape.1 The castle is set in rolling hill countryside to the north Ity/speed by PASSfrlME PASSING 2
of Or vieto. Ity up UP 4
mountainous 11maunt!ll:}s/ an area of land that is moun- flying colours: pass with flying colours PASS A TEST 1
tainous has lots of mountains [adjl flying start: get off to a ftying stan START DOING
The mainland of Greece is mountainous and largely infer- STH 10
tile. I Thanks to its remoteness. the mountainous backbone flying visit VISIT 8
of the island remained unexplored for centuries. fob sb off L1E1TELL A LIE 1
fob sb off with GIVE 16
flatmate LIVE WITH SB 3 focus: be the focus of attention ATTENTION 8
flatten FLAT 2. PRESS 4. SQUASH 1 focus: in focus CLEAR/EASY TO SEE 2
flatten/flatten out FLAT 3 focus attention on ATTENTION 7
flattened SQUASH 2 focus on ABOUT 2, ATIENTlON 2
flattened: be flattened DESTROY 1
II flatter PRAISE 9
'
fodder 510 follow-up
fodder FOOD 2
foe ENEMY 1 3 the straight line in something where it has
foetus/fetus BABY/HAVE A BABY 3 been folded
foil PREVENT 3 fold
foist 6th on GIVE 16 crease
fold FOLD 1, 3
foldlfold up FOLD 1, 2 fold Ifauldl a straight line where something especially
fold/go bust FAIL 10 paper or cloth has been folded [n Cl
He cut the paper along thefold. I She lay there in the narrow
bed, her chin resting on the fold oJ the sheet.
• FOLD crease /kri:s/ a straight fold, made carefully, especially
in clothing In C l
He sat down gently so as not to spoil the creases in his new
1 to fold a piece of paper, cloth etc suit. I / fo lded the paper back into its original creases and
2 words for describing something such as a put it into the drawer.
piece of furniture or equipment that is made
in such a way that it can be folded
3 the straight line in something where it has 4 to open something that is folded
unfold
been folded
4 to open something that is folded unfold IAD ' f>uldl lv TI
5 ways of saying that clothes get fold s or lines He took out his hondkerchw!. unfolded it and brew his nose. I
in them w hen you leave them somewhere, or "/ must lay the table. "she said, unfolding a clron white linen
tablecloth. I Charres nervously unfolded the letter that had
when you wear them arrived from his employers.

5 ways of saying that clothes get folds or lines

1 to fold a p iece of paper, cloth etc in them when you leave them somewhere, or
fold when you wear them
fold up/fold crease
turn down get creased
fold If~uldf to bend a piece of paper or cloth etc, laying or creased
pressing one part of it over to the other part (v T) crease /kri:sl if clothes crease, they get folds or lines in
fold sth Fold the paper a long the dotred line. I fold sth in them when you leave them somewhere, or when you wear
two/half (=across the middle) Dan took the ticket and them Iv I1
folded it in two. I fold sth into a square/triangle etc These trousers will crease if you don't hang them up
(=making it the shape ofa square etc) Around his neck he properly. I Linen isa beautifulfabric but it creases very easily
wore a handkerchkffolded into a triangle. and needs to be pressed regularly.
fold uplfold I ,fould ' AP, fouldl to fold a piece of paper, get cre.sed I.get 'kri:stJ an informal expression: if
clothing etc several times in order to make it a smaller or clothes get creased, they get folds or lines in them when
neater shape, especially before you put it away or inside you leave them somewhere, or when you wear them IV
something Iv T J phrase] .
fold up sth Carefully folding up his newspaper, he stood up Don't put your shirts in there - th€)! '11 get creosro. I My Jacket
and went to th£ door. I fold sth Shall I show you the right got all creased last night. I'll have to iron it.
way to fold a I1Ulp? I He a lways folds his c/nthes carefully
before putting them away. I fold 5th/it/them up She wrote creased Ikri:stJ clothes that are creased have folds or
her name at th£ bottom of the letter, folded it up and put it lines in them because you have left them somewhere or
in an envelope. been wearing them [adj]
folded ladj only /)ifore noun J a pile offo lded towels His shirt was creased at the back where he had been lying
down on it. I Professor Hainesfinally sOOwed up wearing
tum down / .t3: r n 'daunj turn down a sheet/blanket/ a badly creased suit with stains on the front.
collar/page etc (=so that the top or corner of it is pressed
down) Iphr v TJ folding FOLD 2
turn down sth I turned down a corner of the page / was
reading and shut the book. I She turned down the blanket.
trying to persuade the child to get into bed. I turn sth/it/
them down Button up your jacket and turn the collar down.
! folklore
folks
follow
TRADITION 2
FAMILY I , PERSON/PEOPLE 2
AFTER 5. 9, FOLLOW 1, 3, SUPPORT A TEAM
OR PLAYER 1, UNDERSTAND 4
follow: easy to understandltollow UNDERSTAND 10
2 words for describing something such as a followlgo with the crowd IMITATE 3
follow In sb 's footsteps IMITATE 4
piece of furniture or equipment that is made
follow on FOLLOW 1
in such a way that it can be folded
l: follow sb aroundlabout FOLLOW 1
folding
fold/fold up
i follow sb's advice ADVISE 4
follow sb's example IMITATE 4
folding l 'fould lQlladj only before nounJ
A deck chair is a kind offoldingchair you use on the beach. I
Her typewriter was on a folding table in the tent I He had
one of tOOse folding bikes you can fit in the back of a car.
foldlfold up Ifould, ,fouJd ' Apllv I not in progressiveJ
i
.

,
follow sb's lead IMITATE 4
follow suit IMITATE 1
follow uplfollow up on DEAL WITH 2
follow-up AFTER 5

My umbrellnfolds up andfits into my handbag. I I want a

push chair thatfolds eosilyand weighs very little. I fold up
into sth (:fold ioto the shape of something else) Th€)! have
a futon, a Japanese bed that folds up into a sofa.
" You say" is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English.
FOLLOW 511 FOLLOW
chaS./tJelS/ to quickly follow a person an animal that is
Ifollowl .
trying to escape from you in order to catch them (v Tl
chase sb I chased himforafew hundred metres, but he was
.' ~ .. '~ faster than me. I chase sb along/down/up etc Suddenly
:cwhlcli :meanlng? the dog spotted a cat and chased it up a tree. I chase sb
away /off( =to chase someone in order to make them leave)
Fortunately our dad was there, and managed to chase the
walk, run, di1\ie me troublemakers away.
Il!IhInd someonec,. chase fn C l Did you see the car chase in the movie 'The
French Connection '?
. ~ 8!lmeone or
somellll.,g
. =
study a subject III
school or colle!J!I ~
' c
,

i
.~ -----
-t e AFTER

.....
. -l> . STUDY
---':-'",
. FOLLOW
1 to follow someone
2 to follow a person or animal quickly,
especially in order to catch them
3 to closely follow a person or animal in order
to watch them and find out where they go
4 to closely follow another vehicle
1 to follow someone
follow tag along
follow ab around/about follow on
folow l'fol;MJ I1 Ifo.:._/ to walk. drive, run etc behind some-
one, in the same direction as them [v li T)
follow sb/sth Follow me and I'll show you whi!re the ojJ"rce
is. 1 Alter tlu! ceremony tlu!y allfolwwed the coffin out of the
church and into the cemetery. 1 Tom Selleck walked in, fol·
lowed by a crowd of photograplu!rs. 1 follow Sarah didn't
know where the theatre was so Fiona went first and every-
body else follOwed.
follow .b around (also follow .b about in British
English) I,fol"" (,b) ,'muod, ,fol,u (,b) .'baut 11 ,fo:·1 to
keep following someone everywhere they go, especially in
a way that they find annoying [phr v Tl
Thi! cat/allows her around everywhere. I No you can't have
any more money, Stephen - and stop following me about!
tag along I, trep' loq 11 .,' Io:ql to follow someone and go
somewhere with them because they have let you do so,
although they do not really want you to go with them [phr
vlJ
TIu! older boys decided to let Billy tag awng. 1 tag along
behind Susan tagged along close behind us, singing to her-
self. 1 tag along with Why do you hove to keep fngging awng
with me? It gets on my nerves.
follow on /,fo1au 'on 11 ,fo:1;JU lo:n/ an expression used
especially in British English meaning to follow someone
to the place where they are going but at a later time (phr v 11
You go alu!ad. rI/follow on later. 1 follow on behind TIu!
bus set off first and we followed on behind in the car.
2 to follow a person or animal quickly,
especially in order to catch them
run after be on/at sb's heels
chase chase after/go after
In pursuit give chase
pursue
run aH., 'IrAn 'O!fidr 11 - Iref-/ to run in the same direc-
tion as someone who is running or walking away from you,
especially in order to catch them [v TI
Two policemen ran after the man, but couldn't catch him. I
The sales assistant ran after her to tell her she'd liift her bag
on the counter. 1 Don't let that dog get away - run after it.
In pursuit Iln par IsjU:t 11 -ISU:I/ an expression used espe-
cially in stories and news reports: if you are in pursuit of
someone, you chase them because you want to catch them
ladv phrasel
Running furiously in pursuit he shouted, "Stop thie!!" I in
hot pursuit A deer suddenly ran across the road, with a
hunting dog in hot pursuit. I in pursuit of He set offin pur-
suit of Darren but didn't manage to catch him.
pursueJJY.lrlsju: 1I-'su:1 a word used especially in news
reports meaning to chase someone in a very detennined
way fv TJ
PC Smyth was shot twice as he pursued two men across the
fields. I The ship was being pursued by enemy submarines.
be on/at ab's h.e.s Jhi: on, rei (sh's) 'hi:lz/ to follow
very closely behind someone who is trying to escape from
you, especially when you want to catch or attack them
Iv phrasel
The rebels headedfor the border but government troops were
still at tlu!ir lu!els. 1be hard/ hot/close on sb's heels Just
15 minutes into the race Lawson was already hot on the
champion's heels. I on/at sb's heels He rushed out of the
theatre with a pack of reporters at his heels.
cha.e afterlgo after l'tJm ,o:ft", 'g"'" 11 ·,ref-I to
follow someone quickly especially because you want to
give them something or tell them something [v TJ
Margaret had left her umbrella on the bus but luckily
another passenger chased after her to give it to her. I He went
after her to try UJ explain that he hadn't really meant UJ hurt
her. I Don't bother going after him now. Let him calm down
first.
give chaS.,.gIV ItJel sJ an expression used especially in
stories meaning to start to quickly follow someone who is
trying to escape from you, in order to catch them [v phrase J
The driver saw the robbery quite clearly but it was impos-
sible to give chase because of all the trafJrc.
3 to closely follow a person or animal in order
to watch them and find out where they go
follow stalk
tall track/trail
shadow hound
follow I'fol,u 11 'fo:·1 Iv Tl
Hefolwwed lu!r home to find out wlu!re slu! lived. 1 Wheneuer
you come here make sure that you are not being followed. I
Slu!complained to a police off= thot slu! was beingfolwwed
by two strangers.
tall/tell/ if someone such as a police officer tails someone,
they secretly follow that person to find out where they are
going or what they are doing [v TI
Two policemen tailed him all day, in the hope that he would
ked tlu!m to the drugs deal£rs. 1 We hod to lose tlu! two peopre
who were tailing us before we could meet. I A black car had
been tailing usfor the last 5 miles.
tail (n Cl Put a tail on him. (=make someone follow him
secretly) I want to know about everything he does in the next
24 hours.
shadow ,'Jred;JU1 to follow someone or something very
closely in order to watch all their movements without them
realizing that they are being followed [v TI
US submarines shadowed the Soviet ships and recorded their
sonar signals. I Consumed with jealousy, he shadowed her
for three days hoping to catch her with her lover.
stalk /SD:kj to follow a person or animal quietly in order
to catch or kill them Iv Tl
FOLLOW
Polar bears stalk seals resting on the ice. I The killer would
stalk his victim, overpower her and then brutally murder
her. I As quietly as a cat stalking a bird, Nicandra approa-
clred tire Iwrse.
trackltran Itreek. trelll to follow a person or animal
closely. especially by looking for signs that they have gone
in a particular direction [v TJ
The police trailed the gang to their hideout. I Dogs are used
to track the wolves to their lair in the forest.
hound fhaundJ to keep following someone, asking them
questions ete because you want to know what they are
doing, in a way that makes them think they are being
treated unfairly [v T usually in passive]
He Iwd been Iwundedfor years by the security police. I After
the rourt case she was hound£d relentlessly by the press.
4 to closely follow another vehicle
be/sit on sb's tall
tailgate
belsit on ab'. taU /bi:, ISlt on (sb's) 'tell! Iv phrase!
A police car was on their tail within seconds of the alarm
going off. I That car's been sitting on my tail for the last 10
minutes and I can't get away from it.
t_ngate /1teilgeltl an American word meaning to closely
follow another vehicle (v IJ
1 hate people who tailgate - it's really dangerous!
follower SUPPORT A PERSON , GROUP, OR PLAN 6
following AFTE R 4 , SUPPORT A PERSON , GROUP, OR
PLAN 6, SUPPORT A TEAM OR PLAYER 3
folly: be fotly STUPID/NOT SENSIBLE 3
fond LOVE 4
fond: be fond of ENJOYfLlKE DOING STH 1, LIKE S6
OR STH 1, 5 , LOVE 1
fond: not be fond of/keen on DON'T LIKE 1
fondle TOUCH 2
, food FOOD1 , 2
I food: be off your food HUNGRY/WANT TO EAT 4
food; go without food HUNGRYfSTARVING 1
food: like your food EAT 7
i! food: playltoy with your food EAT 8
. FOOD
•
1 words meaning food
2 food for animals
3 the Iype of food that a person or animal
regularly eals
4 a kind of food thal is Iypical of a particular
area or country
5 to give food to a person or animal
1 words meaning food
food refreshments
something to eat nourishment
grub foodstuffs
food l fu:dl what people eat in order to grow and stay alive
In CID!
The carbohydratesJats and proteins infood provide us with
energy. I AftEr his first lreart attack, Ralph was wld by his
doctor to avoid all rich food, I The refugee camps are over·
crowded and supplres offood and rrredicine are rapidly run-
ning out, 1 Babres start eating solid foods between the ages
offour and nine "umths. I fast food ( ~ food that is prepared
and served quickly to customers) a new chain offastfood
outkts I junk food (~ focd that is not very healthy and is
always prepared so that you can eat it immediately) You
slwuldn't eat all thatjunkfood, it's badfor you. I health
food (~a special kind of food that people eat because they
think it is good for their health) 'Cel£stial Seasonings Teas'
are available at your local health food store.
512 FOOD
something to ._t ' ISAm911) tu li!t/ an expression used
especially in spoken English, meaning some food, often a
small meal that you eat quickly [n phrase]
Have I got timefor something to eat before we go out? 1 Can
1get you a drink or something to eat? 1 "Here's a dollar, "said
Michael. tossing some coins to the begging child, "get your-
self something to eat. ..
grub /grAbl an informal word meaning food [n U]
Where's the grub? I'm starving, 1 Vera's got a job at the
hospital, dishing out grub and cleaning up,
refreshments Irllfrefm~ntsl food and drink which is
served at a public meeting, a penonnance, or on a long
train journey [n plural)
Mrs Thompson has kindly offered to provide the refresh-
ments for tire school sports day. I ligbt refreshments ( ~ a
small quantity of food) There will be an interval half way
through the performance when light refreshments will be
served.
nourishment IIOhnJm~nt 11 1n3! _, IOh_1 the things that
are needed for life which you get from food [n DJ
Thefoetusgets nourishment via the mother'S blood supply. 1
A growing child needs proper TWurishment and parents
slwuld ensure that they are providing tire riglU kinds offood.
foodstuffs /1 fu:dslA.fs/ a word used especially in bUsiness
or economics meaning particular types of food (n plural)
Romania is experiencing shortages offoodstuffs and impor-
tant raw materials. I Restrictions have been imposed to give
Britishfanners protection against the import offoreignfood-
stuffs. I The policy ha.s resulted in huge surpluses offood-
stuffs that are dumped on world markets at low prices,
2 food for animals
food
fodder
feed
food lfu:dl In VI
NeW-born birds stay in their nest while their mother goes out
insearchoffood.1 catldogetcfood Thecatfood was so dis-
gusting Tiddles wouldn't eat it.
fodder I'fod,' 11 'fo:-I food for farm animals, especially
cattle and horses [n DJ
All the lejt-over crops are chopped up and used as cattle
fodlfer. I Tire horses lifred their heads wlren the tractor drove
past, and then returned. to their fodder .
feed lfi:d/ chickenlbenlanimal etc feed ( ~food for birds
or animals, especially in the fonn of grain) In DJ
A large part ofour income goes on animal feed. I Thefarm
has invested ina devicefor storingchickenfeedJrom which
the animals can help themselves.
3 the Iype of food that a person or animal
reg ularly eals
di,et
diet I'da"t/ In Cl
Many lrealth probkms can be cured by clwnging your diet. I
balanced diet (=a good mixture of healthy foods) Excer-
cise and a well-balanced diet ","ps you fit and healthy. I
staple diet (=a main diet consisting of one or two basic
foods) People in the coastal region live on a staple diet ofrice
andjzsh. I diet of During their training, soldiers learn how
to survive on a dret a/fruit, nuts and animals they have killed
and cooked tlreTnSf!lves.
4 a kind of food that is Iypical of a particular
area or country
dtsh
spectallty
delicacy
dish Id,JI In Cl
Paella is a favourite Spanish dish. 1 The restaurant serves
some excellent French dishes. I a delicious local vegetable
dish with a spicy peanut sauce
FOOD 513 FORBID
specIalIty 1,spe!i'rel!til a kind of food which is thought for EXCHANGE 3. INSTEAD 2. SINCE 1. TIME/HOW
to be the best in a particular restaurant or area, especially LONG 2. TO/IN ORDER TO 1 . TOWARDS 1
one that it is famous for In Cl for: be for PURPOSE 3
"You must try the breast ofphrosant, "said the waiter, "it's for: be for sth USE STH 5
our speciality. "I local speciality Raclette is a local special- for: be all forlbe all In favour of APPROVE 2
ity consisting of cheese melted over cooked meats and for: play/run/swim ete for REPRESENT 1
patatoes. for all that BUT 2
delicacy 1'deltkasij a rare and expensive kind of food for all I know NOT KNOW 3
which people in a particular area think is very tasty [ne ) for all time ALWAYS/FOREVER 1
Squid is a delicacy in this part ofItaly. I Hasan pliEd us with for ever and ever ALWAYS/FOREVER 1
drinks and an arrayofEgyptian delicacies which he brought for It: be In for It/for it
from the kitchen. forbid FORBID 1. 3

5 to give food to a person or animal

feed
feed up
feed lfi:dl Iv TI
Have you fed the cats? I I couldn 't come to th£ phone, ! was
feeding the baby. I feed sb on sth The milking rows arefed
on a very rich diEt. I He has tofeed afamily ollour on £10
a day. I feed sb sth Feed the patient a little teo and dry taust
atfirst.
feed up I .fi:d lAp/ to give food. to a person or animal in
order to make them fat or because they are not eating
enough [phr v T ]
feed sb/ her/ them ete up When I go home during the holi-
days my Mum alwaysfeeds me up. I feed up sb We'll hove
w start feeding up the turkey for Thonksgiving soon.
foodstuffs FOOD 1
fool STUPID/NOT INTELLIGENT 3. STUPID/NOT
SENSIBLE 7. TRICK/DECEIVE 1
fool: any fool/any Idiot EVERYONE 2
fool: be fooled TRICK/DECEIVE 4
fool: be nobody 's fool INTELLIGENT 4
fool: play tha fool STUPID/NOT SENSIBLE 8
fool: you coukl have fooled me BELIEVE 16
fool around/about STU PID/NOT SENSIBLE 8
foolhardy STUPID/NOT SENSIBLE 1
foolish STUPID/NOT SENSIBLE 1. 3
foolish: sillylfoollsh STUPID/NOT SENSIBLE 4
foolishness STUPID/NOT SENSIBLE 9
foolproof CERTAINLY/DEFINITELY 3. EFFECTIVE 2
foot: at the foot of BOTIOM 5
foot: get off on the wrong foot START DOING STH 11
foot: on foot WALK 1
foot: put your foot down INSIST 1
foot: put your foot In It MISTAKE 5
foot: shoot yourself In the foot HARMfBE BAD FOR 2
foot: stamp your foot ANGRY 6
foot tha bill PAY FOR 9
footing: on an equal footing EOUAL 3
footpath ROAD/PATH 7
footprint MARK 6
footstep WALK 16
footsteps: follow In sb's footsteps IMITATE 4
forbid
not let someone do
aomethlng
not BlIowed by law _ ILLEGAL
• FORBID
to refu se to allow someone to do something,
or refuse to allow som ething to be done
t to tell someone that they must not do
something
2 to not be allowed to do something
3 to state officially that someone must not do
something
4 ways of saying Ihal a particular activity is
forbidden
5 to officially forbid the sale of or trade in
particular goods
6 to forbid someone from going somewhere or
entering a place
7 to forb id someone from taking part in an
activity
6 to officially forbid people from reading books,
watching films etc that are considered morally
harmful or politicalty dangerous
9 words lor describing political organizations
thal are forbidden to meel or exist
to words lor descri bing activilies that are
lorbidden by social custom or because of
accepted moral standards
11 an official order or statement that forbids
someone from doing something

Ifor I,,--~----, 1 to tell someone that they must not do

something
tell sb not to do 8th/say ab can ' t do 8th
which meaning? not let/not allow
forbid
for a purpoee. In - • TOIIN ORDER TO
tell ab not to do sthlsay ab can't do sUI I,lel (sb)
order to do aomethlng not b Idu: (sth), l sel (sb) ko:nt Idu: (sth) I -krent-J luphraseJ
Grandfather w ld me oot to play footba ll in the back yard. 1
for a period 01 time • TIME/HOW The teacher so id we shouldn't talk during the cltJss. I lfthey

airIce a time or _nt

-•
~
LONG
SINCE
say we can't enter the town we'll have to malrecamp here.I
My doctor told me not to drink any alcohol for the next six
weeks.
In the peat not lellnot ••Iow Inot Ilet, nOla l 1auJ to tell someone that
the purpoee 01 en they must not do something, and to prevent them doing it
IvT]
actIvItY. toOt, machine not let sb do sth When I was young, my mother WDuldn 't
lite /et me eot chocoiah!. I John went straight w the hospital, but
FORBID 514
the doctor would not let him see his wife immediately. I Dad
never lets anyone borrow the car. I not allow sb to do sth
Her family did not allow her to marry the man she loved. I
not allow sth My uncle doesn't allow smoking in his house.
forbid Ifar'bldj a formal word meaning to say strongly
that someone must not do something in future Iv Tl
forbid sb to do sth [forbid you to come home so lare again! I
forbid sth I don't want you to talre ri5ks. Infact Iforbid it. I
forbid sb from doing sth Her father forbade her from
going out at night.
2 to not be allowed to do something
not be allowed to do 8th can't do 8th
be forbidden to do 8th be not to do 8th
not be allowed to do sth fnnt bi: .,Iaud", 'du: (sth)f
Ivphrasel
Sorry Jack. I'm not allowed to go out till I'vefinished this
homework. I They 're not allowed to repair it themselves
because oJ the sq/'ety regulations. I You're not allowed to
smoke in here.
be forbidden to do sth fbi: f",bldn t. 'du: (sth)f to be
officially not allowed to do something [v phrase)
Journalists areforbidden to give details of damage caused
by the bombing. I The worlrers are low paid and they are/or-
bidden to strike. 1 strictly forbidden (=absolutely forbid-
den) Jews were strictly forbidden to own property or to
engage in any business.
can't do sth f tko::nt tdu: (sth) 11 tkrent-f a word usedespe-
cially in spoken English meaning to not be allowed to do
something (v phrase]
You can't park there. 1 I'm sorry, you know I can't discuss
my work. It 's very secret. 1 Apparently, I can't even leave the
country until I have informed the Interior Ministry.
be not to do sth Ibi: tnot 13 tdu! (sth)/ an expression
meaning to not be allowed to, used especially when giving
instructions [v phrase)
You're not to tell anybody about thi5! I The boss told us thot
we were not to make personal teleplwne callsfram work. 1
Students are not to leave the college campus after dark.
3 to state officially that someone must not do
something
forbid put/impose a ban on
prohibit outlaw
ban blacklist
forbid ff,"bldf Iv Tt
forbid sth New government regulations willforbid imports
ofuncooked meat products. 1 The Democrats have promised
to forbid any new oil exploration on the south-west coast. I
forbid sb to do sth Ifweforbid/armers to bum stubble we
must suggest some other method of disposal. 1 Club rules
forbid members to smoke in the spectators area. 1 forbid sb
from doing sth There are rules forbidding civil servants
and the police from taking part in demonstrations.
prohibit fpr:>'hlblt 11 prau-f to forbid an activity by
making it illegal Iv Tl
prohibit sth International Law prohibits the use ofchemi-
cal weapons. 1Protesters calledfor abortion to be prohibited
by a chonge in the law. I prohibit sb from doing sth The
government is planning to prohibit shopkeepers from sell-
ing cigarettes to children.
ban /been/ to forbid someone from doing something, espe-
cially by means of a law or agreement [v T}
ban sb from doing sth Charles was banned from driving
for six months, after being caught speeding again. 1 The
ministry has banned oil companies from selling off their
petrol stations. I ban stb The new school rule bans eating
in classrooms. 1 a treaty banning all nuclear testing
putllmpose a ban on 'tput, Jrntpalz Cl tbeen onj to make
an official rule to say that something is forbidden or cannot
be used [v phrase1
FORBID
In 1978 the Americangovernment put a ban on aerosols with
CFCS. I It was decided not to impose a ban on unpasteurised
milk and cheese.
outlaw Itautb:f to completely forbid something by
making It illegal Iv T I
Attempts to outlaw/ox hunting hove always failed. I Slav·
ery was not offICially outlawed in Australia until 1859.
blacklist f'btrek,hSlf to officially forbid someone from
doing a particular job, by putting their name on a list of
people who must not be allowed to do that job Iv Tl
Members a/the Communi5t party have been blackli5ted and
are unable to find work. 1 When she tried to get a loan she
found she had been blackli5ted.
4 ways of saying that a paltic ular activity is
forbidden
be forbidden will be prosecuted
be prohibited be banned
no smoking/parking etc
be forbidden fbi: f,"bldnf Iv phrase I
Cycling in the park isforbidden. I it is forbidden to do sth
It i5forbidden to lreep pets in the house. I be strictly forbid-
den (=be oompletely forbidden) At college, playing music
after 10 pm was strictly forbidden.
forbidden radjl At night we used to sneak out o/the house
to enjoy theforbidden delights of drinking and dancing in
the bors.
be prohibited /bi: prCl1hlb!t!d 11 -prnu-j an expression
used especially in official notices and warnings meaning
to be forbidden by law Iv phraS<!l
Playing music in the street is prohibited. I it is be pro-
hibited to do sth It i5 prohibited to photocopy thi5 work
without permission. 1 be strictly prohibited (=be abso-
lutely prohibited) Trading on Sundays used to be strictly
prohibited.
no smoking/parking atc /nClu (smoking, ete)/ an
expression used especially on signs and notices meaning
smoking is forbidden, parking is forbidden etc
Put that cigarette out. Can't you see the 'No Smoking' sign? 1
This is a No Parking area, but you can park just over the
road. I No Fishing. By order of Thames Water Authority.
will be prosecuted /wll bi: tpros~kju:t!d 11 - tpro:-J an
expression used especially in signs and notices meaning
that anyone who breaks the laws mentioned will be taken
to court and punished rv phrase 1
Shoplifters (=people stealing in shops) will be prosecuted. I
Trespassers (=people who enter someone else's land
without permission) will be prosecuted.
be banned fbi: 'brendf to be officially forbidden by laws
or by agreement [v phrase)
In this village pop festivals are banned because of protests
by tire villagers. I After many accidents, the 'Mille Miglia'
road-race in Italy was eventually banned.
5 to officially forbid the sale of or ttade in
particular goods
Impose sanctions
put/Impose an embargo on
Impose aanctlons jlm 1P;wz 'srel]kfanz/ to officially
forbid trade or dealings with a country as a way of punish-
ing it or in order to stop it doing something [v phrase]
impose sanctions on Reagan imposed sanctions on the
USSR after the invasion a/Poland. I impose sanctions If
the whaling nations continU€ to flout the ban, the only option
will be to impose sanctions.
put/lmposa an embargo on / tput, ImtpClUZ 3n
Im t ba: rg3U on! to forbid the sale or trade of a particular
product, especially as a way of pWlishing a country rv
phrase}
U there are further outbreaks of the disease the government
may put an embargo on Irish cattle. I an embargo on all
Iraqi oil products
FORBID
6 to forbid someone from going somewhere or
entering a place
be out of bounds
be off limits
ground
be out of bounds Ibi: ,aut av rbaundzf if a place is out
of bounds, you are not allowed to go there or enter it (v
phrasel
When I was younger, my parents allowed me to go anywhere
except the town centre, which was out ofbounds. I be out of
bounds to sb The swimming pool is out oJ bounds to chil-
dren unless there is an adult there.
be off IimHs/bi: lof Illm!tsl if a place is off limits, you
are officially forbidden to go there [v phrase)
The officer told the soldiers that the town was off limits. I be
ofIlimits to That area o/thecountry is of/limits to tourists.
unless they have special permission.
ground /graund/ an informal American word meaning to
forbid a child to go out with their friends. go to the cinema
etc because they have done something wrong [v Tl
Mr Finkelstein grounded his kids after they were caught
Fzghting at school. I Suddenly, Chuck'sfatlu!r yelled: "I've
had enough of you! You 'ye grounded/or a week."
7 to forbid someone from taking part in an
activity
bar
suspend
disquaUIy
bar Iba:rf to forbid someone from taking part in an
activity, especially because they have done something
wrong [v T usually in passive]
be barred from doing sth The three guilty men were
barred from ever working on the Stock Exchange again. I
bar sb In 1903 the New York School Board baTTed married
women/rom teaching.
suspend ,sa 'spendl to forbid someone from continuing to
study or to work for a period of time, because they have
broken a rule or done something wrong [v TI
TIu!y caught her chooting in tlu! exam and suspended lu!rfor
a week. I A lawyer in Boston was suspended from practice
for three months while a complaint was investigated.
suspension /salspenJiml [n VJ In this case, the maximum
period of suspension (=of being suspended) is one year.
disqualify Idls'kwol~fal 11 - 'kwa:-/ to forbid someone
from taking part or competing in an event or activity, espe-
cially a sports competition, because they have broken a
rule Iv TI
disqualify sb from The judges disqualified the world
championfrom the race. I Mr Maxton was disqualifiedfrom
acting as a director ofa public company for ten years. I dis-
qualify sb Thret! British athleres have been disqualifiedfor
taking drugs.
8 to officially forbid people from reading books,
watching films etc that are considered morally
harmful or politically dangerous
censor
ban
censorship
censor ,lsenSO)rl to examine films, books, letters etc and
take out any parts that are considered to be morally harm-
ful or politically dangerous Iv TI
The government censored all letters and telegrams going
abroad during the war. I In this counJry newspapers are cen-
sored and no criticism of the ruling party is tokrated.
ban fbrenf to forbid a book, mm, play etc from being sold,
seen, performed etc because it is considered morally harm-
ful or politically dangerous Iv Tl
Films like that slwuld be banned! I Children's comics were
banned in my haUSi! becaUSi! my parents thaught tlu!y weren 1
515 FORBID
a good inf/uellCf!. I 'Lady ChatterWy's Lover' was banned
when it was first published.
censorship I'scn~rI lpl the practice of officially examin-
ing fllms, books, letters etc to take out any parts which are
considered to be morally harmful or politically dangerous
In UI
Thereareplansfor the censorship ofall news ifwar begins. I
Any films that are shown here have to pass government
censorship.
9 words for describing political organizations
that are forbidden to meet or exist
banned outlawed
proscribed illegal
banned fbrendf ladjl
TIu! People~ Party, which is still banned, is supported by
35% of the voters. I Leaders of the banned trade union were
arrested last night.
proscribed /prnu'skralbdl a formal word for describing
something, especially a political organization, that is for-
bidden to operate (adj only before noun]
Mr Smith is a member ofthe proscribed Nationalist League,
an extreme right-wing party. I She was arrested for allow-
ing her students to read proscribed books.
outlawed I'autb:dl a political organization that is out-
lawed is completely forbidden to operate because it is con-
sidered extremely bad or dangerous [G£(iJ
Despite being outlawed, the group continued to have meet-
ings in secret. I He was imprisoned for being a member of
the outlawed Communist party.
.Iegall J 'li:gall an illegal political organization is forbid-
den to operate by law [adjl
Johan Brown was the leader of the reform movement when
it was still illegal. I An increasing number ofracist attacks
are being carried out by the NPA and other illegal
organizations.
10 words for describing activities that are
forbidden by social custom or because of
accepted moral standards
taboo
tlttcil
taboo lta'bu:. tre 'bu:J a subject, word, or activity that is
taboo is not normally talked about or done because it is
considered embarrassing or offensive according to social
custom or accepted moral standards (adjl
Death is still a taboo subject/or many people. I Sex Wore
marriage is no longer taboo in some countries.
taboo (n Cl Taboos (::taboo subjects, activities etc) vary
widely from one outline to another.
Illicit If 'hs!t/ illicit love affair/relationship etc (=one
that is secret because society disapproves very strongly of
it) ladj usually before noun t
His wife had long suspected that he was having an illicit rela·
tionship with someo"" in tlu! offICe, I Slu!feit guilty qfter lu!r
illicit meeting with David.
11 an official order or statement that forbids
someone from doing something
ban embargo
Injunction sanctions
ban fbaenf In Cl
ban on The ban on short-range nuclear missiles is a vital
first step towards disarmament. I a totaV complete/abso-
lute ban The government is considering a total ban on
cigarette advertiSing. I impose a ban on (=decide to put a
ban on) The authOrities have beenforced to impose a ban on
tlu! use ofgarden hases because of tlu! water shartage. I lift
a ban (=decide to stop having a ban) When the ban was
lifted two years ago there was a sudden rush of applicants.
FORBID
Injunction ITn 'd;)AI)kfanJ an official order made by a court
forbidding someone to do something, which includes a
threat of punishment if they ignore the order [n Cl
A cowt injunctionjorbade elive Heywood to enter his wife's
house. I take out an injunction (=get an injunction from
a court) The government is taking out an injunction against
the newspaper to try to stop it publishing a secret report.
embargo /Im 1bo:fgaul an official order forbidding trade
of a particular product with a particular country for polit-
ical or economic reasons In Cl
trade/oil/arms etc embargo There was a reiaxationo/the
American trade embargo. I embargo on 5th an embargo
on Irish dairy products. I embargo on a country The
government has imposed an arms embargo on countries
involved in international terrorism.
,I
sanctions sreI)kJanzl official orders forbidding trade or
dealings with a particular country. used as a way of punish-
ing them or stopping them from doing something rn plural}
sanctions against sb The French parliament supported the
idea of sanctions against Mussolini. I put/impose sanc-
tions (=start having sanctions) Reagan imposed sanctions
against tfi€ USSR.
forbidden: be forbidden FORBI D 4
forbidden: be forbidden 10 do 81h FORBI D 2
forbidding UNFRI ENDLY 4
force FORCE SB TO DO STH 2 , 3 , OPEN 6, PUSH 6,
STRONG PERSON 5 , VIOLENT 6
force: be the driving force IMPORTANT 7
force: in force/in strength LOT/A LARGE NUMBER OR
AMOU NT 7
force: use force FORCE S8 TO DO 5TH 1
force of habit HABIT 2
force open OPEN 6
force 8b to do 8th FORCE SB TO 00 STH 1
force 8th on FORCE SB TO 00 STH 4
force your way PUSH 7
force your way In ENTER 4
• FORCE sa TO DO
5TH
1 to make someone do something that they do
not want to do, by using threats
2 to force someone to do something by trying
hard and continuo usly to persuade them , so
that it is very d ifficu lt for them to refuse
3 ways of saying that som ething such as a bad
situation forces someone to do something
4 to force someone to accept something that
they do not want
1 to make someone do something that they do
not want to do, by using threats
force 8b to do 8th use force
make ab do sth use strongarm tactical
coerce methods
compel under duress
force ab to do ath /of"" (,b) t, 'd., (sth)/ [v phrase I
The thieves tied me up antiforced me to lie on tfi€j1oor, I be
forced to do sth All the hostages were forced to hand over
their passports. I I only gave him the money because I was
forced to, I force sb into sth Sh£ claimed that sh£ had
initially refused to take part in the robbery, but wasforced
into it by h£r husbonti.
make ab do.th /,melk (, b) 'd., ('Ih)/ [v phrase]
The circus has been prosecuted for making tlu! animals do
cr~l and dangerous tricks. 1 Even though it is compulsory
to wear seat belts we can't rnaIre people wear them. I be made
to do sth He was made to lieface-down on thefloor with his
hands behinti his head.
516 FORCE 58 TO DO 5TH
coerce /k;KJ'3: f sl to force someone to do something that
they do not want to do by threatening that something bad
might happen to them if they don't do it [v TJ
coerce sb into doing sth The mine owners coerced the
workers into going back to work by threatening to close down
the mines completely. I coerce sb into sth Political oppo·
nents were put into camps during the war and coerced into
forced labour. 1 coerce sb Israel's leaders are refusing to be
coerced by the United States.
coercion Ikau l 3: f f3nl [n VI When peaaiful methods of
persuasion had failed the government tried using coercion
(::::using threats to force someone to do something).
compe. /kam'pel, a word used formally or in literature,
meaning to force someone to do something by threatening
them IvT I
compel sb to do sth Jfnecessary, we can compel you to pay
or go to prison. I Finally, with threats ofviolence against him
anti hisfamily, they compelled him to w.lk.1 compel sb "Do
not compel me, " I cried. "I would rather die!"
use force I Ju:z 1f:J:fsl if someone uses force, they hit,
shoot, or use other fonns of violence against people in order
to make them do something or stop them from doing some-
thing [v phrase]
In the fight against terrorism governments often have no
clwice but to useforce. I The law permits every citizen to use
reasonableforce to defend themselves or their property. 1use
force against sb Thepolice have recently had. toclefenti their
policy of using force against rioters.
use strongann taeUes/methods Iju:z IstfDIja::fm
,trektlks, ,meB;KIz 11 - lstr.:>:r.J-1 ifa group of people such as the
police use strongarm tactics or methods, they use vio-
lence or the threat of violence to make other people do
something, and you think this is wrong [v phrase ]
The police have been accused of using strongarm tactics
when breaking up strikes and public demonstrations. I use
strongarm tactics/ methods to do sth More and more
credit companies are using strongarm methods to collect
debts which are owed to tlu!m.
under dure•• /Anda f dju Ires 11 -du'resl if someone does
something under duress, they only agree to do it because
they have been threatened, not because they want to do it
(adv phrase)
The defendants claimed that their confessions were made
uncler duress anti were tlu!refore not valid evidence. I Treaties
that have been imposed under duress often turn out to be
highly unequal and un/air.
2 to force someone to do something by trying
hard and continuously to persuade them, so
that it is very difficult for them to refuse
force bully
make push
put pressure on browbeat
pressurize emotional blackmail
pressure be breathing down sb's neck
force /f:l:',/Iv TI
force sb to do sth Women's organizations are trying tofora
thegovernment to appoint more women to senior positions. I
force sb You don't have to come if you don>t want to.
Nobody'sforeine you. I force sb into doing sth Her par-
ents are trying to force her into marrying a man she hardly
knows. I force sb into sth I had never thought of buying
an insurance policy, and I wasn't going to allow myself to
beforced into it now by some young salesman. 1 force sb out
of Eddle feets that h£ was forced out of his job in orcler to
make way for a younger man.
make lmelkj to make someone do something by telling
them they must do it [v Tl
make sb do sth I wanted to watch thefilm but my parents
made me do my Iwmework. 1 Karen made him promise never
to discuss the subject again. I make sb I really didn't want
to go but she made me.
put pressure on lput IpreJar onl to force someone to do
something they do not want to do by making them feel they
FORCE 58 TO DO 5TH
should do it because it is their duty or because other people
are depending on them [v phr ase!
put pressure on sb to d o 5th Her husband 's putting pres-
sure on her to give up her job and stay at home. I They're
always putting p ressure on us to do more work. I put p res-
sure on sb Listen. I'm not trying to put any pressure onyou,
I 'm just offering you some/riendly advice.
pressurize (also -Ise British) l' p,eforaJzl t o unfairly
make someone feel tha t they must do something, especially
someth ing that is not suitable or good for them Iv TJ
pressurize sh into doing sth Japanese school children are
often pressurized into studying very hard/rom an early age
by tlreir parents. 1 pressurize sb ff sire f et!1s you're trying
to pressurize her in any way she won't do it.
pr•• sur. "prefar / a word used especially in American
English meaning to force someone to do something that
t hey do not want to do, especially by using your influence
unfairly I v T I
pressure sb to do sth Her boyfriend is pressuring her to
have an abortion. I pressu re sb I'll get this done as soon as
I ron - just cum'tpressure me, OK! I pressure sb intadoing
5th The committee pressured him into resigning.
bully I 'buli/ to unfairly force someone to do something that
yOll know they do not want to do by shouting at them,
threatening them ete I v l i T J
bully sb into doing stb ffyou try and bully him inwgiving
you the money he's sure to say nn - you slwuld try and per-
suadehimgently. j bully sb into sth I didn't want to go on
this holWay but my boyfritmd managed w bully me into it. 1
bully sb Don ~ let tire saksman bully you - it's your choice. 1
bully Sire was a wonderful boss. Sire never bullied or threa·
tened but she always got the best/rom her workers.
push /pull to strongly encourage someone to do some-
th ing, especially something that they think is difficult I v TI
push sb to do sth My parents k",p pushing me wget agood
job. I push sb We were taught by excellent teaclrers who
pushed us really hard. 1push sb Into doing stb T/rese days
children are being pushed into learning almost as soon as
they can ta lk.
browbeat J'braubi:tJ to force someone to do what you
want them to do by repeatedly asking them to do it until
they fmally agree to do it [v T I
b r owbeat s b in to doing sth They tried to browbeat h im
into handing over the tnjormation. I browbeat sb into sth
I rea lly didn't want w malre this spetiCh - I was browbeaten
into it by my collrogues. I browbeat sb The salesm an tried
browbeating me but it didn't work.
emotional blackmail /l lmduj iJnd l Iblrekme ll/ an
attempt to force someone to do something, by making them
feel guilty for not doing it In VI
She's always using errwtional black mail and playing on
other people'sf",/ings. 1Any relationship thot hos to depend
on emotional blackmail can't be a healthy one.
be breethlng down sb's neck /bi: ,bri:O' Qdaun (sb's)
Inekl an informal expression: if someone is breathi n g
down you r n eck about something, they keep ask ing you
when you are going to do it in order to make you do it soon
[v phrase )
I'm a lready really busy today, and now Paul's breathing
down my neck saying he wants the Paris deal completed as
soon as possible. I have sb breathing down your n eck
We'd better star t sending out those letters soon - I 've had my
boss breathing down my neck about it a ll week.
3 ways of saying that something such as a bad
situation forces someone to do something
force leave 5b with no
make ab do 5th choice/option
drive be condemned to
compel ab to do 8th
foree /f':'s/ lv TI
force sb to do stb TIrey hod so little nwney that they were
fOrcl!d w sell tire farm. 1 We only stopped p laying when we
wereforred w by bod weatlrer. 1 force sb into stb In tire
third world. girls are a/ten/arced into prostitution because
they have no other means 0/ earning money.
517 forces
make sb do sth I,me ,k (sb) ,du: (sth)/ lv phrase not in
passive ]
What made him decide to leave hisjob so sudd£nly? I Previ·
ous experilmce has mack me think twice about getting mar·
ried again.
drive Idralvl if someth ing, especially someone else's
behaviour drives someone to do something, it has such a
bad effect on them that it forces them to take extreme action
[vTI
drive sb to do sth At the trial she claimed that her hus·
band's violence against h£r th roughout her marriage had
driven h£r to kill him. I drive sb to despair/ desperation
Tire general/eeling of hopelessness is driving many people
wdespair. 1drive sb t o drink (=make someone drinkalco-
hol all the time in order to forget their situation) Fear 0/
losing his job almost drove him to drink. I drive sb into
doin g sth Her moth£r's continua l nagging drove her into
running away/ram home.
compel sb to do sth Ikompel (sb) 10 'du: (Slh)1 a word
used formally or in literature, meaning to force someone
to do something (v phrase 1
Th£ high cost 0/ materials will compel manufacturers to
increase their prices. 1 These people are rompelled by poverty
to commit crime. I More and more details a/her private life
appeared in the press, thus compelling h£r to resign.
leave sb with no choice/option 1,Ii:v (sb) w,O ,n""
Itj:)IS, lopj Jn II -Ia:p-/ifabadsituationorsomeone'saction
leaves you with no choice or option but to do someth ing,
you are forced to do it because it is the only thing you can
do even though you may not want to do it tu phraseJ
leave sb with n o choice/option but to do sth You leave
me with no option but to resign. I leave sb with n o choice/
o ption Nter the dog attacked the postman we had to have
it destroyed. We were wIt with no choice.
be condemned to Ibi: kon 'demd lu:1 to be forced to
accept a very unhappy situation because there is nothing
else you can do Iv phrase 1
be condemned to do sth The rich lived in luxury whiw
thousands were condemned to live a life 0/ poverty and
despair. I be condemned to sth When her marriage broke
up she saw herself condemned to loneliness and exile.
4 to force someone to accept something that
they do not want
force 5th on
Impose
Inflict 8th on
foree sth on I'f,:" (Slh) on 11 -o:n/ !Phr v TI
He thinks /ha t just bemuse Ire's tire boss Ire canforce his opin·
ions on everybody. I You shouldn't blame your /ath£r - the
decision was/arced on him by his situation. I The victorious
armies/orced humiliating conditions on the local popula-
tion.
Impo" / l m l p~zl if you impose your ideas and bel iefs
on other people, you force them to have the same ideas and
beliefs as you [v TJ
impose sth on Parents should try to avoid imposing their
own beliefs and moral values on their children. I impose sth
Within days of being appointed offICe manoger Ire had
imposed his own working methods.
impositlon I I I rnp:;:lIZljan! In UJ Libyano./Fu:ialsareagainst
what they see as the imposition 0/ American jllfluence on
their country's affairs.
Inflict sth on lon 'fll kl (sth) on I -o:nJ to force someone
to accept something that causes them harm or suffering
!phr v TI
Tire new policy means thot even higher bills will be it1flicted
on the tax payer. I As time progressed, the k ing inflicted
harsher and harsher measures on the people.
forced : be forced/compelled to do 8th MUST 1
forceful PERSUADE 8, 9
forces ARMY 1
forces: join forces UNITE 1
foreboding 518 FORGET
foreboding FRIGHTENED 10
forecast PREDICT 1, 3 3 in or to a foreign country
foregone conclusion: be a foregone conclusion abroad
CERTAINLY/DEFINITELY 2 overseas
foreground: in the foreground FRONT 4
foreign FOREIGN 1 abroad lo'bro:dl lodv ]
be abroad My boss is abroad this week. I go/live/work etc
abroad We wanted to go abroad for our holiday this year,
but we can't afford it. I abroad The company Iwpes to
. FOREIGN increase its share of the market both at home and abroad. I
Keino 's job is to look after the interests of Kenyan athletes
1 not from or belonging to your own country abroad.
2 a person who comes to your country from overseas / ,;xJVCl r Isi:z", in or to a foreign country, espe·
another country cially one that is a long distance away [adv 1
3 in or to a foreign country gO/ live/work etc overseas I went overseas and worked as
a journalist in Thailand. I })avid joined the army in June
and was sent overseas in September. I overseas The radio
broadcast is for listeners overseas.
1 not from or belong ing to your own country
foreigner FOREIGN 2
foreign
foreman IN CHARGE OF 3
overseas foremost BEST 1
foreign I' for j n 11 'b:-, 'fo: -I ladjl foremost: first and foremost MAIN 5
Tlwusands DJ foreign students come to England every forerunner BE FORE 13
summer to study English. I There are several methods of foresee PRE DICT 2
teaching foreign languages. l Over 500 foreign banks have foreseeable PREDICT 5
now established offices in the USA. I He soundsjoreign, but forestall PREVENT 3
1 don '/ rerognize his accent. Where do you think he comes forever ALWAYS/FOREVER 1
from? forever: be forever doing sth KEE P DOING STH 1
over•••s 'I;)UV3 rl si:z ,"/ overseas students/trade/cus- forewarn WARN 1
tomers ete (=from another country. especially a country forfeit LOSE/NOT HAVE ANY MORE 1
that is a long distance away) [adj only before noun] forge COPY 3
The university has a large number of overseas students. I forge ahead PROGRESS 2
Overseas trade is expected to increase signijrcantly next forgery COPY 6. FALSE 2
year. I Th.e car industry is suffering because of overseas forget FORG ET 1. 2. 4. STOP DOING STH 3
oompetition. forget: don 't forget REMEMBER 8
forget: forgive and forget FORGIVE 1
forget: never forget/always remember REM EMBER 6
2 a person who comes to your country from forget it FORG IVE 2
another country
foreigner alien
immigrant expatriate FORGET
foreigner l'for1n;)r 11 '0:-, 'fo:-I a word sometimes used to no longer remember something
in an impolite or disapproving way meaning someone who
comes from another country [n C J 1 to forget facts, information . or something that
It is difficult for aforeigner to understand these old tradi- happened in the past
tions_ l Our son has married aforeigner - we hope their chil- 2 to forget to do something that you have to do
dren will be bilingual. I Jo is in Madrid attending a summer
course for foreigners. 3 to forget something suddenly or for a short
time
immigrant 11"n~gr;)ntl someone who leaves their own
country and goes to live in another country, especially 4 to deliberately try to forget about something
because they hope to earn more money or have a better life sad or unpleasant that happened to you in
lli_~CI • the past
Most ofthe immigrants in France comefrom North Africa. I 5 words for describing someone who often
illegal immigrant (::::.an immigrant who has come into a forgets things
country illegally) TIu! ship'scaptain was arrestedfor trans- 6 the inability to remember anything
porting illegal immigrants.
immigrant ladj only before nounllmmigrant workers often
get the lowest-paid jobs.
.alien / 'elli:-ml a legal word meaning someone who lives or 1 to forget facts. information, or something that
works in your country, but who comes from another coun- happened in the past
try In Cl forget
Some aliens may qualify for citizenship under the new law. I
illegal aliens Corrupt offICials have a llowed hundreds of not remember
illegal aliens into the country. have no recollection of
expatrlate /eks1pretriClt. -triclt 11 CkSlpcl-1 someone who forget Ifo"getl Iv IITi
has gone to live in a foreign country, especially because It 's my birthday tomorrow. 1 hope you haven't forgotten. I
they have a job there or have enough money to live there forget sth/ sb There's a wonderful new restaurant - [forget
without working [n Cl the name - just opened down by thE riverside. I I'll never
He's been working in Barcelona for a year, but his friends forget MW beautiful you loolred onour wedding day. 1forget
are all expatriates, not local people. I Klaus is a German (that) I keepforgetting that you don't take sugar in coffee. I
expatriate who has been living in Portugal since he sold his forget what/where/how etc She forgot where she'd
business in 1989. parked thE car. I forget about Charles hasforgotten about
expatriate [adj l Several expatriatefamities have left the Tanya coming to visit.
country since war broke out. not remember Inot rllmemoor{ to not be able to remem-
ber something that you are trying to remember [v IITl
FORGET
"How did you get horru< after the party last night?" "I can't
remember. "I not remember sb/sth I went up to him and
shook his hand but he ctearly didn't rerru<mber me. I Let's
play another song - I can't remember the words to that one. I
not remember what/where/how etc Banks couldn't
remember where he'd arranged to meet tMm and there was
no way to contact them now. I not remember doing 8th She
must have brought th£ cigarettes with Mr because he didn 't
remember buying any.
hey. no recollection of Jhrev 1n:KJ reka 'lekJan DV' a
formal expression meaning to not be able to remember
something [v phrase not inprogressiveJ
Eva has no rero llection a/her mother at aIL She died during
the birth. I f have no recollection 0/ living in Australia, as
myfamity kftfor England when [ was three years old.
2 to forget to do something that you have to do
torget
not remember
slip your mind
forget /f'''get/ Iv VT!
"Did you post/hat kUer?" "Oh, I'm sorry, [forgot" I forget
5th Dave wrote a list so he wouldn't/orget all the things he
had totio. I forget to do sthIforgot to tel/ you to bring plenty
of warm clothing. 1forget about I'm sorry I didn't write to
you but in the excitement [forgot all about it. I clean forget
(=to completely forget) He meant to invite Monica to thi!
party but he clean forgot!
not remember Jnot fI'memt>arf to forget to do some-
thing, especially something important that you wanted to
remember Iv II Tt
not remember sth I brought the wi~ g lasses but un/or-
tUlUltely I hadn't remembered the corkscrew. 1not remem-
ber to do sth She didn't rerru<mber to lock the windows when
she went out. I not remember I asked Ran to close the win-
dows before leav/ng the Muse but he didn 't remem~r.
slip your mind I ls11pj:>: r 'ma1ndl tfsomething that you
must do, especially something that is not very important,
slips your mind, you forget to do it because you are too
busy thinking about other things (v phrase)
"I'm sure we agreed to meet here." "Maybe U'sjust slipped
his mind. "I slip your mind that Jean'sjust moved house
- it probably slipped her mind that we'd arranged to meet
upfor coffee yesterday.
3 to forget something suddenly or for a short
time
your mind goes blank can 't place
be on the tip of your dry up
tongue go In one ear and out
escapes me the other
your mind _ . bl. .k /jJ:' ,malTld gouz 'blre ~k/ if your
mind goes blank you are suddenly not able to remember
a fact or piece of information at a time when you need it
My mind's gone blank - / can't remember her name. I A nne
had studied really hardfor the exam but when she saw the
exam paper her mind went blank.
be on the tip of your tongue Ibi: on c);} ItIP;}V j:>:r ItAIjI
if a name ison the tip of your tongue, you usually know
it but have difficulty remembering it at that moment (v
phrase!
That place we visited in Paris, what's it called? It 's on the someone should forget something bad that someone else
tip of my tongue. Oh yes - La Geode.
asc.pe. me ,llske lps mhJ ifa name escapes you, yOll [ know you never got along with your father when you were
forget it for a very short time but you know you will
remember it soon [v phrase)
I 've seen that actor in quite afewjilms but h is name escapes live .th down 1.ll v (sth) 'daunj to live long enough for
me for the m oment.
cantt pl.ca I.ka:nt 'ple ls 11 ,krenH if you can't place past [phr v TI
something such as a person, a smell etc, you recognize it
but have forgotten the name or where you met them before . one. I'll never live it down. I The President has got it wrong
Iv phrase!
I'm sure I've seen him btifore but [just can't plaa h im. I Her down sth Will she be able to live down tlu?se racist remarks?
perfume seemed so familiar but he oouldn'tplace it.
519 FORGET
dry up ' Idral •Apf to forget what you were going to say or
what you are supposed to say when speaking or acting,
especially because you are nervous [phr v IJ
I'd been talking corifidently for about five minutes and all
ofa sudden ljustdried up. I There was one worrying moment
where the actor playing Hamlet seemed to dry up for a few
seconds, but he soon remembered the next line.
go In on•••r .nd out the other Jg'3U Im WAIl II;}f ;}nd
laut ~i IA~~ rl if a piece infonnation, details etc go in one
ear and out the other you forget them very quickly
because you are not interested or listening properly [v
phraseJ
She uncl£rstands nothing aboutfootball so it all goes in one
ear and out the other. Iljind physics so boring. ltjust goes
in one ear and out the other.
4 to deliberately try to forget about something
sad or unpleasant that happened to you in
the pest
forget erase
put 5th out of your take your mind off
mind let bygones be bygones
put sth behind you live sth down
forget /f."ge~ Iv lIT I
forget sb/ sth Years after theY'd divorced Oliviafound it
very di/TlCu/t ID forget John. I forget (that) Forget [ men-
tioned it. I didn't mean to hurt yourfeelings. I forget People
said he had been injured in the war and drank to forget. I
forget about We can/orget about the accident now and con-
centrate on getting on with our lives.
put .th out of your mind I,PUt (sth) aut;}v j:>:r ' mamdl
to make yourself stop thinking about something bad that
has happened. to you so that you can think clearly about
what you are doing at the moment [v phraseJ
Try to put the other candidates out of your mind and con·
centrate on doing your best in the interview. l It 's best to put
the wlwle thing out ofyour mind. The marriage would never
have worked.
put .th behind you /,put (5th) bl 'Mind ju:/ to forget
something sad or unpleasant that h appened in the past so
that you can continue with your life and try to be happy
(v phraseJ
Try and put the incident behind you and get on with nonnal
life. I The team have put last week's disappointment behind
them and are looking forward to next week's garru!.
.r••• /llre lz Illlrelsl to succeed in making yourself forget
something bad that has happened, especially something
that has stayed in your mind for a long time a nd is difficult
to forget Iv T!
Nothing anybody does or says can erase the memory of tlu!
pain and hardship we suffered. I Alice looked at him and
tried to erase from her mind thatfact that he had hurt her
so much.
take your mind off ' .Ielkj:>:r lma lnd of! if you do some-
thing to take your mind ofT something bad that has hap-
pened or that worries you, you do it in order to forget it for
a short time [v phrase J
I IDve gardening, it really takes my mind ofJthings. I Hefioo.
that the best way to take his mind off impending exams is
to play IDts of sports.
let bygone. be bygone. /let ,balgonz bi: 'batgonz 11
-g:>:nz/ you say let bygones be bygones when you think
has done in the past and forgive them for it [v phrase ]
a child but don't you think it's time you let bygones be
bygones?
people to forget something bad or stupid that you did in the
live it down 1 behaved so stupidly - and infront ofevery-
and the press are not going to let him live it dDwn. I live
FORGET 520
5 words for describing someone who often
forgets things
forgeHul scatterbrained
have 8 bad memory have a memory
absent-minded like a sieve
forgetful /fa r I getf~JI someone who is forgetful often for-
gets things, especially things they have to do, so that people
think they are not very organized ladj j
Someforge(ful person had left their bag on the train. I I'm
getting very forgetful in myoid age - I just can't remember
people's names.
forgetfulness [n V I Fabiano had all the symptoms of the
disease; slow speechJorgetfulness and lack ofooncentration.
have a bad memory /hrev a I bred I memarif to not be
able to remember things, especially facts or information
(v phrase not in progressive!
John has problems with his ~hool work because he has such
a bad memory. I have a bad memory for I have such a bad
memory for names, I'm sorry.
absent-minded f ,rebsant 'ma1od!d .. j someone who is
absent-minded always forgets things, such as where they
have put something or what they have to do, especially
because they are thinking about other things [ac(il
He spends hours looking/or his glasses when usually they
are in his pocket. He's so absent-minded. 1 John liked to give
peopk the impression that he was a typical absent-minded
professor, with his head lost in thought.
scatterbrained Ilskret;rbremd/ someone who is
scatterbrained is always forgetting to do things and losing
things because they do not think about things in a practi-
cal way ladjl
Mrs Pearson isfar too scatterbrained to run a business. She
can't even look after her own money.
scatterbrain In Cl You took a list to the store but/orgot to
read it? What a scatterbrain!
have a memory .Il.a sieve Ihrev; ImeJl'lari lalk; ISIVI
an infonnal expression meaning to be unable to remem-
berthings. espec ially facts or infonnation [v phrase not in
progressive )
He can never remember peopk 's names - he has a memory
like a sieve.
6 the inability to remember anything
amnesia
loss of memory
amnes.a /rem 1ni:zi; 11 -3;/ the medical condition of not
being able to remember anything, especially caused. by
damage to the brain after an accident. illness etc In VI
Carlton suffered/rom amnesiafor quite a whik after the car
crash - he didn't know where he lived or anything.
amnesiac lrem lni:zirekj In Cl In his latestfilm he plays an
amnesiac (=someone with amnesia) who meets his Wife but
doesn't recognize her.
Io.s of memory / llos;}v Imemari 11 Ib:s-I the state of not
being able to remember anything, especially for a short
time [n phrase I
Taking this drug can lead to temporary loss 0/ memory.
forgetful FORGET 5
forgive FORGIVE 1
forgive: I forgive you FORGIVE 2
forgive: never forgive FORGIVE 4
forgive and forget FORGIVE 1
forgive me SORRY/APOLOGIZE 2
"You say" is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English .
FORGIVE
• FORGIVE
to decide n ot to blame someone or be angry
with them alth ough they have done
something wrong
1 to forgive someone
2 what you say to someone to tell them that you
forgive them
3 words for describing behaviour that cannot
be forgiven
4 to refuse to forgive someone for something
they did in the past
1 to forgive someone
forgive pardon
excuse forgive and forget
forgive /f;flg IVJ [v li T not in progressive )
forgive sb/sth I'm sorry I called you a liar - do you for·
give me? ! Carelessness might have been forgiven but not
deliberate sabotage. 1 forgive sb for sth I don't think she'll
ever forgive mefor telling Richard her secret. I forgive It's
very hard toforgive whenyouhove been deeply hurt by sonw-
one. I forgive sb sth lfind it hord to forgive him his unkind-
ness to Anna.
forgiving (adjl Some teachers are more forgiving than
others.
excuse Ilklskju:z/ to forgive a small fault such as care-
lessness, rudeness, lateness etc [v T not in progressive]
Please excuse my bad hondwriting. II hope you'll excuse my
brotlu!r if he talks too much, he's rather excitable.
pardon 11pa::Tdn/ a fonnal word meaning to fo~ive some-
one for something that is not serious, such as Impolite or
bad-tempered behaviour [v T not in progressive]
pardon sb for sth I am so sorry about tho~ Mr Judd. Please
pardon my daughter for her littk outburst. 1 pardon. sth
Frank's behaviour was childish, but easy to pardon consider-
ing all he hod been through.
forgive and forget If;r IglV ~md f;rlget/ to forgive some-
one for something that happened in the past, usually a long
time ago (v phrase usually in infinitive]
You two haven 't said a word to each other for a year now.
Don't you think it's time t%rgive and/orget? I Angela's
father was not a man who found it easy t%rgive andforget.
2 what you say to someone to tell them that you
~
forg ive them
~ it 's all right! forget it
alright/OK don't give it
I forgive you another thought
don 't worry about it no hard feelings
it's an rlght/alrlghtlOK I Its I=>:llralt, J:llrart, 1;}U Ikel /
(used when someone tells you they are sorry and they feel
bad about what they have done)
"Look, I'm really sorry about all the trouble I 've caused you. "
"It's OK, everything's been sorted out. " I "I'm afraid I've wst
thot baokyou lent me. ""It's all right I'm sure I hove another
copy somewhere. ..
I forgive you la! f;rlg IVju:/ (used especially when talk-
ing to a close friend or member of your family, to tell them
you have stopped being angry with them)
I was very upset by what you said, but anyway lforgive you,
so let's befrienlis again.
don't worry about It , 1d;)l.Jnt lWATi ;)baut It 11 _IW3:ri-/
(used when someone says they are sorry about something
they have done and you want to tell them that it is not
important)
"I should have given you the information this afternoon. I
apologize." "Don't worry about it."
FORGIVE
forget H If~ r 'get It! (an informal expression used when
someone says they are sorry, and you want to tell them that
you do not blame them at all)
"I do feel guilty about spoiling your plans." "Forget it. I
know you didn't mean to. "
don't give It another thought Id~.Jnt .g l v It <llfl/t~<lr
'9;,:tj (a polite expression used when someone says they are
sorry, and you want to tell them that there is no need for
them to be sorry)
"I'm sony we had to cancel the party. .. "Oh, plrose don 1 give
it another thought. It wasn't your fault you were ill'"
no hard feelings / ,nO(} ho:'d 'fi:hqz/ (an informal
expression used when you want to tell someone that you
are not angry with them, even though they have upset you
or you have quarrelled with them)
Okay, I'll leave. No hardfeelings, Sam, I quite understand
why you don '( want me around.
3 words for describing behaviour that cannot
be forgiven
unforglvsble/unforgiveable
inexcusable
unforglvable/unforglveable / ,Anfo" glvobal- /ladjl
What you did to your poor mother was uriforgiveable. I In
party politics the only unforgivable crinu! is disloyalty.
unforgivably (adv) The manager's treatnu!nt of her was
unforgivably cruel.
Inexcusable /,lnlk 'skju!Z<)bal/ an action or situation that
is in excu sable cannot be excused and someone must be
blamed for it, because there is no good reason for it [adj]
Anyone can make a mistake, but to ignore basic safety regu-
lations is quite inexcusable. I it is inexcusable that It is
iru?xcusable that the governnu!nt has never paid a cent to the
widows of these brave nu!n.
inexcu sably [advl The boys were inexcusably rude to their
teachers.
4 to reluse to forgive someone for something
they did in the past
never forgive
bear a grudge
hold It against
never forglve /.nev;,r f;,flg1V/ (v phrase 1
J UXlS once unfaithful to her, and sm's never really forgiven
me. IIfanything happened to the children while I was look·
ing after them I'd never forgive myself.
be .r. grudge IIbe3r 3 Igri\d31 to feel anger or dislike
towards someone for a long time because you believe that
they have harmed you or treated you badly Iv phrasel
We had to expel him from the college, and I think he still
bears a grudge. 1 bear sb a grudge I feel that she treated.
me unfairly, but I don 't bear her any grudge.
hold It .galns t 11h;,uld It 3 1genst/ to continue to blame
someone for something, so that it influences your attitude
towards them (v phrase)
([you rifuse to help him now, he 'll hold it againstyoufor
the rest of your life. r llwpe you won't hold it against me if
J of/er you SOnu! f riendly criticism.
fork out PAY FOR 2
form ASK A OUESTION 9 , BE 1, 2 , CLASS/GRO UP
OF STUDENTS 1, CROWD 3, MAKE 4 , 7,
SHAP E 1
form : In the shape of/In t he form of SHAPE 3
form : true to form TYPICAL 2
form a group/get Into a group GROUP OF PEOPLE 12
form a part of/form part of PART 10
form a picture/an Idea IMAGINE 1
form of TYPE 1
formal POLITE 3
formality POLITE 4
formation ARRANGE A GROUP OF THINGS OR PEOPLE 2
former BEFORE 6, PAST 4
521 FORWARD
formerly BEFORE 2 , PAST 3
formless SHAPE 5
formula: recipe forlformula for WAY IMETHOD 4
formulate PLAN 1
fort: hold the fort RESPONSIBLE 7
forte: be sb 's forte GOOD AT 9
forthcoming SOON 5
for1l1right HONEST 4
~ forthwith IMMEDIATELY 1
fortuitous CHANCE/BY CHANCE 2
fortunate LUCKY 1. 2, 3
fortunately: luckltylfortunately LUCKY 7
fortune: be worth a fortune VALUE 3
fortUne: be worth a fortune/be worth millions RICH 3
fortune: c ost a fortune EXPENSIVE 2
fortune : have the good fortune to do sth LUCKY 1
I
fortune: make a bundle/fortune RICH 7
fortune : make a fortune EARN 4. PROFIT 4
fortune/small fortune MONEY 2
fortunes EXPERIENCE 1
forum DISCUSS 5
forward FRONT 4, SEN D 3
forwardlforwards FORWARD 1
forward-looking MODERN 2
... forward planning PLAN 2
• FORWARD
1 ways 01 saying that someone or something
moves or faces towards the front
2 to move forward
1 ways of saying that someone or somelhing
moves or faces towards the front
forward/forwards on
ahead onward
forward (also forwards in Brrtish English) / ' b:'wo' d(.)/
ladul
She leaned slowly forward and whispered "I love you" in his
ear. I Ever since we had the crash the car won't move for·
ward, only bockward. 1 Bill took two st£ps forward and
shook Mark's hand. 1 Sit facing forward with your legs
straight out in front of you. 1 Bending your kTU!1!S forward
will help you to control the skis more easily. 1 Siru:£ I'd last
seen him he'd grown his hair forwards into afringe and cut
it slwrt over the ears. I backwards a nd forwards Tm chil-
dren ran backwards and forwards along the beach, trying
to catch each other.
.h• • d /3 l hool if someone or something moves ah ead,
looks ah ead etc, they move or look towards a place in front
of them fadul
"1 can see sonu!thing on the horizon" shouted the sailor,
pointing ahead. I He stuck his head out oltm window but
it was impossible to see ahead through thefog. I straight
a h ead (=directly ahead) The horse moved straight ahead,
not looking at tm people on either side.
on Ion 11 o!n, ::Imf if someone or something moves on , tbey
move forward in order to get to a particular place (advl
The bonk? Keep on in this dim:tion!or about lOO metres, and
you 'll see it on your left. I Could you run tm videotapeon to
tm part oftheftlm where she tells him she's divorcing him I
str aight on (=directly ahead) No wonder we got lost. We
turned right when we should have gone straight on.
onward (also onwards in Brrtish English) / 'onwo'd(.) 11
lo!n~ , . 1::I:n·1 if someone or something moves, travels etc
onward, they move or travel forward, especially in order
to continue a journey (adv)
Onward he rod£, deep into the dork and gloomy forest. 1 The
train moved out of the station slowly, and crept onward
among ruined houses, and over the river. I We wandered
slowly onwards, pausing now and again to admire tm view.
FORWARD 522 FREE/COST NOTHING
Iree AVAILABLE 3 . 5 . EMPTY 4. FREE TO DO WHAT
2 to move forward VOU WANT , . 2. 4. 5. FREElNOT IN PRISON 1.
advance nose 2. FREE/COST NOTH ING 1. 2. MOVE STH OR
move up surge SB 4
free: be free from NOT HAVE 4
advance lad' va: ns 11 ~d Ivrensl if a person or army, free: be free to do sth LET/ALLOW 5
ad vances. they move forward in a slow and determined free: feel free LET/ALLOW 4
way, for example, in order to threaten or attack someone
free: for free FREE/COST NOTHING 2, 3
lu 11
As her teacher advanced she desperately tried to think ofan free: set ab free FREE/NOT IN PRISON 2
excuse/or her behaviour. I advancc/across/into/through Iree gift FREE/COST NOTHING 4
ete In early 1940 the army began to advance across France. free hand: give sb a free hand LETlALLOW 7
detennirwd to conquer Paris. I A woman cried out in/ear as free of charge FR EE/COST NOTHING 2, 3
the man advanced menacingly towards them. free 8th of GET RID OF 2
free time TIME/FREE TIME 1
move up , .mu:v I Ap/ if someone or something that is in
free will : of your own free will WILLING 2
a line of other people or things moves u p , they move for-
ward to be in the position immediately in front of where
they were before [phr v IJ
TIU! bank clerks seemed to be working really slowly as I
moved up the line. I move up next t ol alongside ete Sud-
Ifree 1-----".".----,
denly a car moved up alongsic:h Joseph and the driver
shouted something at him. which meaning?
no •• /n;KJz! if a vehicle noses through or into something,
it moves forward slowly and carefully in order to avoid hit· cost nothing • FREE/COST
ting things in its way [v 11 NOTHING
n ose through/ past/in etc The Rolls·Royc£ was slowly
rwsing along the busy roadway. crowded with market stalls not In prison or being • FREE/NOT IN
and old parked cars. I nose your way TIu! ship cautiously kept somewhere PRISON
nosed her way through the small FIShing boats in the against your ·will
harbour. ,
surge /s3: r d31 if a crowd of people s urges, the people sud· allowed to do ' e FREE TO DO
denly move forward together very quickly [ v 11 , whatever 'you want WHAT YOU
surge forwa rd/ through / into etc More recent bar riers are withOut being
d£signed to give way if spectators surge forward too vw.
lent/y.1 Demonsirators surged through the streets, demand·
controlled or ..........-
WANT

ing tlu! President 's resignation. restricted

•
loster DEVE LOP 5 . LOOK AFTER SB 5 not controlled by -+ . INDEPENDENT
loul DISGUSTING 1 another country or COUNTRY OR
foul-mouthed SWEAR 3
foul play KILL 2
found START STH/MAKE STH START 3
found: be found EXIST 1
organization'
not being used, not
busy
-
ORGANIZATION
• AVAILABLE -
found: not 10 be hadlfound AVAIlABLE 6
found : nowhere to be found LOSE/CAN'T FI ND 2
foundation BASIC 2
foundations: lay the foundations PREPARE 5
lounded: be lounded on COME FROM/ORIGINATE 8
• FREE/COST
four-letter word SWEAR 2
fracas FIGHT 4
NOTHING
fraction PART 2
fractious BAD·TEMPEREO 4
1 words for describing something that you can
fracture BREAK 5, 11 have or do without having to pay for it
fragile BREAK 12. WEAK 2 2 ways of saying that you can get something or
fragment PIECE 6 do something without having to pay for it
fragrance: scent/perfume/fragrance SMELL 2 3 ways of saying that someone does something
fragrant SM ELL 4 for you wrthout asking you for any money
Irall WEAK 2 4 something which is given free by a company,
frame GUILTY 4
especially as a way of helping to sell its
lramed: be Iramed by AROUND/ROUND 3
products
framework SYSTEM 1
Iranchlse VOTE/ELECT 7
frank HONEST 3

..
frantic HURRY 4, WORRIED 3
fraternize SOCIALIZE 2
1 words for describing something that you can
lraud CHEAT 4
have or do without having to pay for it
fraudulent DISHONEST 3 free be on the house
fraught: be fraught with danger/dangers coat nothing! complimentary
DANGEROUS 3 not cosl anything
fraught with probJemsldltflcultles PROBLEM 5
free /fri:/ladjl
frayed TEAR 4
There are ojl£nfree concerts in the park at lunchU.,.,. 1 The
Ireak LIKE SB OR STH 8 . NORMAL 6 . STRANGE 7 . clinic also o/fersfree advice on contraception. 1 "There must
UNUSUAL 1 be some chargef or your delivery service. " "No, sir, it's abstr
freckle MARK 4 /u u,ly free. " I Car parking is free af/er 6 pm.
Ireckled MARK 5
co.t nothing/not co.t anything / ,kDSl ' M9' Q, ,not
kost leniB l1J 11 IkJ:st-, to be free, especially when this is
unusual Iv phrase not usually in progressive]
FREE/COST NOTHING
Recycling our garbage costs nothing. and in the long term
il will save Ih£ cily a 101 of money. I Why don ~ you gel Ih£
gas company to come and check/or leaks? It wouldn't cost
you anything and it would put all our minds at rest. 1 not
cost anything to do 5th It didn't rust us anything to get
here. No one bothered to check if we had a ticket.
be on the hou.e/hi: Ion 00 IhauS/ ifdrinks or meals arc
on the house. they are given to you by the owner of the
bar or restaurant which serves them and you do not have
to pay for them {v phraseJ
All drinks are on the /wuse! I No, put your wallet away. sir.
II's on Ih£ house. I Th£ owner lel us have Ih£/irsl bottle of
wine on th£ Iwuse.
complimentary l.kompJ!'mentari .. U .ko:m-/ com-
plimentary tickets/pens etc (=things that a company.
theatre etc gives to people free, especially in order to adver-
tise) 1<Uti1
Karen's sister works at the New York Ballet and she's
managed to get us some complimentary tickets. I There was
a complimentary bottle of champagne and bowl offruit on
the table in my Iwtet room.
2 ways of saying that you can get something or
do something without having to pay for ~
free free of charge
for nothing no charge
for free
"ee Ifri:1 ladvl
Buy two packets and you get another onejree. I People over
60can lravel complel<ly free. I Several people managed to gel
into the grounds free by climbing over the fena.
for nothing If.' 'flA9'ql without having to pay for it, espe-
cially when this is unusual [adv phrase)
Igot thiscotfor nothing bemuse the woman nextdoordidn 't
need il any more. I Frederick had gol Ih£ limber for nolhing
at the scrap yard. 1 My dad owns the club so we get in for
nothing.
for fr •• lfu r I fri:1 an informal expression meaning
without having to pay to do something or get something
ladv phrasel
Children umkr 5 can see Ih£ show for free. I I gal all these
booksforfree because th£o/Frce I work in wasgoing 10 Ihrow
them away.
tree of clY!rge /.fri: ~v 'tJa: rd31 an expression meaning
without having to pay to do something or get something,
used especially in advertisements and official notices ladv
phrase}
Guests can parkfree ofchorge all day. I Copies ofthe leqflel
can be obtainedjree ofchargefrom your laeallibrary. I This
policy ensures that you get emergency medical treatmentfree
0/ charge when travelling abroad.
no ch_rge/ ,113U 'tJo:td31 if there is no charge for some-
thing you do not have to pay to get it or do it, especially in
a shop, hotel etc fn phrasel
no charge for In most Japanese restaurants. there is no
charge/or the tea. I no charge to do sth There's no charge
to leave your things in the cloakroom. I no charge "How
much is the prescription?" "No charge - pregnant women
are exempt from payment. ..
3 ways of saying that someone does something
for you without asking you for any money
free of charge at no cos. to
for nothing at no extra cost
no charge for free
tr. . of charge I,fri: ~v 'tJm r d31 [adv phrase)
She looked so miserable I gave her an ice cream free of
chorge. I Th£ cash mochine seTV"", is provitJOOfree ofchorge,
as long as your account is in credit.
523 FREE/NOT IN PRISON
for nothing If.' 'flA9,ql without asking you for any
money, especially when this is unusual ladv phrase)
Janel took Ih£ /amp 10 Ih£ shop to reploce the bro""" parts
and the assistant offered toflX itfor lWthing. I My aunt's a
caterer and she did the food at our wedding for nothing.
no charge f I n3U ItJa: r d31 if there is no charge for some-
thing, it is done Cor you free in a shop, hotel etc [nphrase]
"How much is it/or adjusting the brakes?" "Don't worry
about it. there's no charge. "I "Will there be anything to pay
for tm repairs?" "No charge - the television 's still under
guarantee. sir. ..
at no coat to I~t InCIU Ikost tu: 11 -'Io:sH if a service is
provided at no cost to someone, they do not have to pay
for it [prepl
The HelpUne provides advice on all types of personal
problems al no cosl to Ih£ caller. I Th£ health seTVlcefacility
is available at no cost to employees and stajJed by registered
nurses.
at no extra coat I~t I nall ekstrn I kost 11 . 1b!st/ if a shop
or a company does something at no extra cost. they do it
without asking you for any more money (adv phrase)
Many activities are available at the hotel at no extra cost,
but theatre trips and excursions are not included. I at no
extra cost to The electronics store is offering to install the
satellite dishes at rw extra cost to the buyer.
for free If~r I fri:/ an informal expression: if someone does
something for free, they do it without asking for any
money, although people are usually paid to do it ladv
phraseJ
Th£ bond has agre£d 10 appear al the chority conc£r/ for
fr",,· 1You'll be able 10 lreal mefor free wh£nyou'rea doctor.
4 something wh ich is g iven free by a company,
especially as a way of helping to sell its
products
free gilt
freebie
fr. . gHt I,fri: Iglft! something which is given free by a
shop or a company, especially in order to advertise its
products In Cl
Buy three skincare products and you can choose your super
fr"" gift. I We came back from th£ tour round Ihe factory
loaded down wilh fr"" g ifts.
freebie /'fri:bi=/ an informal word meaning something
which a company gives free with its products, or which it
gives to the people it employs In Cl
"Where did you get that calendar?" "It was a freebie from
work." 1 Gimmicks and freebies do not create lasting cus-
lamer loyolty.
• FREE/NOT IN
PRISON
1 not in prison or being kept somewhere
against your will
2 to allow someone to leave a prison or a place
where they are being kept against their will
1 not in prison or being kept somewhere
against your will
free at liberty
freedom be out
" You say" is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English .
FREE/NOT IN PRISON
fr_ {fri:{ [lUij]
Hisfirst act as afree man was to go to a bar for a cool glass
of beer. I The rapist was given a jive year prison sentence,
but he could befree in 18months. 1The hostages are now/ree
ajt£r their five-day ordeal.
freedom / 1fri!d~mJ the state of being free because yOll are
not in prison (n DJ
One o[ the terrorists was arrested again ajler only 48 Iwurs
offreedom. I The prisoners-aJ-war were digging an escape
tlmnel. scrabbling their way through the earth to freedom.
at liberty /3t IlloortiJ ifa criminal is at llberty. they are
not in prison because the police cannot catch them [adj
phrasei
Tonight only one 0/ the escaped prisoners remains at liberty;
the other seven are now back in Central Prison. I Marty
Walker, known as 'The Wolf', was at liberty for many years
before the police apprehended him.
be out /bi: 'aut! if someone is out, they have been offi-
cially allowed to leave prison [phr v 11
McMurphy will be out next Thursday. I Their crimes were
sa terrible that they will never be allowed out.
2 to all ow someone to leave a prison or a place
where they are being kept against their will
set sb free release
let sb g%ut free
.et.b tree/,set (sb) 'fri:J to allow someone who is a
prisoner to be free I v phrase I
set sb/her/them etc free After 10 years in captivity I
couldn't believe it when my captors finally set mefree. I set
free sb France is ready to set free five convicted terrorists
in return for the release 0/ the hostages. I Most 0/ the
prisoners of war were set free after the war ended.
ret ab golout "Iet (sb) Ig3U, 'aut! to allow someone to
leave a place where they have been kept, usually a prison
[v phrasel
Let me out! I'm innocent! I Due to a lack ofevidence against
the suspect, the police had to let the prisoner go. I I just kept
praying everyday that the kidnappers would let me go.
rele.se In 'li:sJ to officially allow someone who is a
prisoner to be free Iv TJ
The terrorists agreed to release her after her company paid
tM ransom. I I was released after serving a year and a half
ofmy sentence. I Chile has released ten political prisoners as
a gesture of goodwill.
release [n U J On their release (=when they were released),
the hostages were greetffl by relatives. I She went to the kid-
nappers to beg for her son's release.
free /fri:' to allow someone who is a prisoner to be free,
especially because people have been asking for this {v TJ
Many o/theseyoung offenders should hove beenfreed a long
time ago. I The dictator's supporters are demanding that he
be freed from prison and returned to power.
• FREE TO DO
WHAT YOU WANT
1 allowed to do whatever you want without
being controlled or restricted
2 words for describing activities that are not
controlled or restricted
3 the right to do what you want without being
controlled or restricted
4 words for describing a country where people
are free to do whatever they want without
being controlled or restricted
5 to make a country free
524 FREE TO DO WHAT YOU WANT
1 allowed to do whatever you want without
being controlled or restricted
free
be at liberty to do sth
freely
free {fri:{ [lUij not usually bifore noun]
free to do sth I like living alone. That way I'm free to dn
whatever I want. I A classroom should provide a stimulat-
ing environment where children are free to play and learn. I
free As long as whites control the government in this coun-
try, blacks will never be free.
be et liberty to do sth {bi: ot ,hb,rli I, 'du: (Slh){ a
formal expression meaning to be free to do something, espe-
cially because someone has given you permission to do it
or because the situation allows you to do it [v phraseJ
"Who sent you?" "I'm twtat liberty to say." I You are quite
at liberty to refuse my offer if you wish.
freely /'fri:li/ if you can travel, speak, operate etc freely.
you can do it as much as you like and in whatever way you
like [adv]
Hisjob allowed him to travel freely and to stay away from
home/or long periods. I In England he could write/re£ly,
withoutfear of arrest. I the ability affirms to operatefreely,
with the minimum of government interference
2 words for describing activities that are not
controlled or restricted
free
open
open-ended
fr_ {fri:{ [adj only be/ore TWun]
Gorbacheo finally caltffl/or ajree market and/re£ ela:tions. 1
This computer program assures thefree movement offacts,
figures, and text between files.
open J' ;)Upan/ if an activity or event is open, anyone can
take part in it [adj ]
The military government has agreed to hold open elections. I
We are holding an open competition to find a name for our
new ship.
open ..ended 'I;)()p~n 'end~d" l not restricted by time,
length, subject ete [adj]
The summit meeting was intended to be wide-ranging and
open-ended. I As well as practice exercises, students should
be encouraged to do more open-ended activities.
3 the right to do what you want without being
controlled or restricted
freedom
liberty
freedom {'fri:d'rn{ [n V]
Thousands attended the demonstration. callingfor greater
freedom and human rights. I Parents these days give their
children too much freedom. I the freedom to do sth This
bank account gives you the freedom to withdraw money
wMnever you want. I freedom of speech/choice/expres-
sion etc Every individual has the right tofreedom ofexpres-
sion.
Iberty ,'lIb;)rtij a person's legal right to do whatever they
want without being controlled or restricted. by the govern-
ment In UJ
Boswell/ought/or liberty and equality, eventually dying/or
his cause. I All United States citizens have the right to life,
liberty, and (he pursuit o/hoppimss. I The curfew represents
an infringement of the personal liberty of all people living
in the area.
4 words for describing a country where people
are free to do whatever they want without
being controlled or restricted
free
FREE TO DO WHAT YOU WANT 525 FRIEND
free {fri:{ l a~i1
We will continue our struggle until our country is/ree. IAfter
years in exile it would be woru:l€rful to return to afree South . FRIEND
Africa. I free from They were idealists, striving for a land
free from tyranny and oppression. 1 someone that you like and know well , but
who is not a member of your family
2 a very good friend
5 to make a country free
3 a group of friends
free
4 to have a friendly relationship with someone
liberate
5 to have important or rich friends who can
free /fri:/ to make a country free so that another country help you
no longer politically or militarily controls it or forces 6 to become someone 's friend
people to accept its government [v Tl 7 to try to make someone become your friend
He joined the resistance movement, detennined to free his
country from the enemy. I The allres arrived in Brussels on because you want them to help you
September 3rd and Antwerp was freed the next <kly. 8 a friend ly relationship with someone
IIb.rate ,lllooreltj to make a country free so that another 9 to stop being friendly with someone
country no longer politically or militartly controls it, espe-
cially as the result of a battle Iv T[
Algeria was liberated/ram France in J962. I The troops' aim
is U> liberate the country by the end of the year. 1 someone that you like and know well, but
liberation {,hba're'I.n{ In U[ Every year the villagers who is not a member of your family
celebrate their liberation (=being liberated)from the Nazi friend buddy
troops in 1945. mate friend of a friend
f,eeb[e FREE/COST NOTHING 4
pat
freedom FREE TO 00 WHAT YOU WANT 3 . FREE/NOT friend {frend{ In Cl
IN PRISON I , RIGHT/HAVE THE RIGHTTO 3 "Dad, this is my friend Steve." I I'm 17I££ting an old col/ege
freedom : give/allow ab complete freedom friendfordinner U>night.1 Ionagothera<kltewithafriend
LET/A LLOW 7 of mine. I old friend (=one that you have known a long
freedom fighter REBELLION/REVOLUTION 4 time) Lotte'soruwfmy oldestfriends. I be a good friend to
freelance WORK FOR S8 3 sb (=to be someone's friend and help them a lot when they
f,eely FREE TO 00 WHAT YOU WANT I , WILLING 2 have problems) John was a really goodfriend to mR- when
freeway/expressway ROAD/PATH 4 I had all those problems last year.
freeze COLD 8 , HARD 5 , NOT MOVING 2 , 6 , STOP mate /mell/ an infonnal British word meaning a friend
MOVING I , STOP STH THAT IS HAPPENING 1 In Cl
f,eezlng COLD 2 He went off to tlu! pub with his mates. 1 "This is a mate of
freezing/freezing cold COLD 5 mine, " said Terry. "Rod Barton. ..
freezing/frozen COLD 6 pal {prel/ an informal word meaning a friend In Cl
frenzy: In 8 frenzy EXCITED 4 NiclwlaswasapalofWilliam'satschooL I Thanksforhelrr
frequency OFTEN 5 ing us out, Frankie. You're a real pal.
frequent OFTEN 4 buddy I' bAdil an infonnal American word meaning a
frequently OFTEN I , 3 friend In Cl
freoh AGAIN 1, COLD 4 , NEW I , 2 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 9, SMELL 4 Terry arrived with two of his buddies. Iarmylhigh schooV
tresh: be fresh In your mind REMEMBER 4 war buddy Shipley had been asked by an old Army buddy
tresh air AIR 2 to join the Nixon campaign.
fresh start: make 8 fresh startla new start START
friend of a trtend I, frend ClV Cl 'frendl someone who is not
OOINGSTH 9
really your friend, but is a friend of one of your friends In Cl
freshen up WASH 1 I got the tickets through a friend of a friend who works in
I,eohly RECENTLY 1 the theatre. I No I <kln 't know him personally, he's afriend
fret WORRIED 2 of a friend of mine.
frfcllon DISAGREE 6
friend FRI END 1
'rlend: be friends FRIEND 4 2 a very good friend
friends: become friends FRIEND 6 good/close friend Intimate
friend: bestfrfend FRIEND 2 best friend Inseparable
friend: good/close friend FRIEND 2
friend: have frtendsln high places FRIEND 5, POWER 2 good/close friend /,goo, ,kt"", 'frend{ someone that
friend: be juot good "[endo SEX/HAVE SEX WITH 14 you know very well and like very much In Cl
friend: make friends FRIEN D 6
Helen is one of my closest friends. I Sarah and I didn't get
friend of a friend FRI END 1
along very well at/irst but now we're really goodfriends.1
Vice President Mondale camR- to our house often because he
was a close friend of my father'S.
Ifriend I::-=---~..,........".. best friend I, best 'frendl the one special friend who is
more important to you than any other In Cl
Even my best friend won't tell me the truth about myself. I
whIch meanIng? caroline and her best friend both had babies within three
weeks of each other.
Intlm.te /'lntAm~l/ friends who are intimate know each
eomeone you know . .. FRIEND other very well [adjl
well, _-18gUIerIy ate
be~ Iltal<lnd, po/IIe
way t o _
-+. FRIENDLY
- .....- ....
She had no really intimatefriends, andfound it dijJkult U>
meet people. I on intimate terms (=knowing each other
very well) He was on intimate terms with his boss, and they
often saw each otlu!r outside work.
Inseparable {.n 'separob.t{ friends who are inseparable
are together most of the time ladjl
FRIEND
My brother and James have been inseparable since they were
at elementary school. I In the old days the three girls were
inseparable friends.
3 a group of friend s
circle set
gang cronies
crowd
circle I J S3:Thll the people you know, especially a group
offriends who all know each other and often meet socially
[n C usually si ngular J
circle of friends He had a large circle a/friends. I circle
Since her children have started school Diana's circle has
widened to include the mothers of other children.
gang /greQ/ an infonnal word used especially by young
people, meaning a small group of friends who often meet
socially In Cl
Are you coming out with the gang tonight? We 're all going
to the cinema. I one of the gang (::::accepted into the group
offriends) She's trot really oneo/the gang. but I invited her
w the party.
crowd Ikraud/ an informal word meaning a group of
friends who often do things or go out together [n singular I
He wasn't with his usual crowd at the club last night. lOur
son got in with a bad crowd and ended up in prison.
set /setj the tennis/golf club/yachting etc set (=a group
of friends who meet socially. especially because they are
all interested in the same, usually expensive, sport) In
singular ]
She's got herself in with the gol,{ set.
cronies /Ikrnunizl a group of people, especially men, who
know each other, and will help each other, even if this
means being sJightly dishonest [n plural]
Weiss was careful not to upset his political cronies. I Her
father is probably in the bar, drinking with his cronies.
4 to have a friendly relationship with someone
be friends
be friendly with
be pally
be frlends /bi: ' fre ndz/ Iv phrase I
He'llforget the quarrel, and we'll all befriends again. I be
friends with I've beenfriends with Amandafor seven years
MW, ever since we were at school together.
be friendly with [bi! I fre ndli W 10/ to behave in a friendly
way to someone, although you may not actually be fr iends
Iv phrase ]
They werefriendly with Dr Bruce, even tOOugh they held a
higher opinion of Dr Rayrnond. I Her boyfriend thought she
was too friendly with Simon. I Phil and I became very
friendly with the owner of the restaurant.
be pally [bi: I preliJ an informal expression used especially
in British English meaning to be friends Iv phrase]
We got pally, the two of us, before h£ moved In Manchester. I
be pally with Were you pally with her at university?
5 to have important or rich friends who can
help you
have friends In high places
well-connected
have friends In high places /hrev 1 frendz In I hal
Iplel s~zl [v phrase not in progressive]
He won't lose his job - he has friends in high places!
welJ..connected I lwel k;,l nekt!d .. / having friends who
have a lot of influence [adjl
He was weU·connected, and as a result got a good job in a
legal company. I She seemed very well-connected, and twice
managed to get me an invitation to an Embassy dinner.
526 FRIEND
6 to become someone's friend
make friends befriend
become friends fall In with
strike up a friendship
make Mends J,mel k Ifrendz/ to begin to be friendly with
a person or a group of people [u phrase]
Paul envied the way his brother could makefriends so easily.
1How are you getting along at school Louise? have you made
any friends yet? I make friends with I tried to makefrientls
with the people next door, but they were very urifr iendly.
become friends Ibl IIwn IfrendZ/ if two people become
friends, they begin to be friends, especially after they have
known each other for a fairly long time [v phrase]
They were at college together but.didn 't becomefriends until
they joined the same company. I We'd become goodfriends
over the years. I become friends with I becamefrientls with
Andrea while we were both working in the disco.
strike up a friendship ' Istralk AP;' IfrendfIpl to make
friends with someone very quickly, especially if you do it
intentionally [v phrase 1
The two women struck up afriendship when they met on holi·
day. I We metfor the/irst time at a business conference and
we immroiately struck up afriendship which has lastedfor
years.
befriend Ib l l frendl to be friendly to someone who needs
help, for example someone with financial or emotional
problems {v T l
[ was very IDnely wh£n [left home, but [ was befrilmded by
someone I met at work, woo introduced me to all hisfriends.
fall In with 11fJ:1 1In WleJ/ to begin to be friends with a
group of people, especially people that other people do not
approve of [v Tl
He'sfallen in with a bad crowd. 11soonfell in with a group
of local people.
7 to try to make someone become your friend
because you want them to help you
cultivate
court
woo
cultivate 1IkAlt!velt/ if you cultivate a fr iendship, rela·
tionship etc you try to make friends with someone for a
reason, for example because you think they can do some·
thing for you [u Tl
If you want to succeed in politics it is advisabl£ to cultivate
a relationship with the media. I He cultivated powerful bus-
iness connections.
court /}Q:rtj to be very friendly with and pay special ~tten·
tion to someone important in order to make them lIke or
approve of you [v TI
In an election year politicians spend their time courting
the voters. I Cohen has been courting investment bankers
abroad.
woo Iwu:/ a word used in business or political contexts
and newspapers meaning to persuade people to help or sup-
port you by saying things they want to hear [v Tl
Interested buyers have been wooing the airline companies. I
The advertising campaign was designed to woo new
customers.
8 a friendly relationship with someone
friendship
companionship
friendship / 'frendJrp/ In C/ U]
We knew our friendship would survive the quarrel. I I
enjoyed Harold's friendship, but I didn 't trust h is business
judgement. I friendship with I had no close friendships
with other boys at school. I friendship between the close
friendship between our daughters
companionship / k~mlprenj;,nllpl a friendly and corn·
fortable relation sh ip with someone that you enjoy spend·
ing time with [n DI
FRIEND
He was lonely and looking for companionship, so he joined
a social club. I Many people remarry because DJ a need for
companionship and affection.
9 to stop being friendly with someone
fall out
fall out ' 16:1 taut! an expression used especially in Brit-
ish English: if two people fall out, they stop being friends
or have an argument [phr v 11
We've never falwn out before. I fallout with sb It can be
difficult ifyoufall out with someone you work with. I fall
out over sth Dr Wills and Dr Packer were oldfrumds, but
thEy fell out over the operation.
friendly FRI ENDLY 1. 4 . 5, HARM/BE BAD FOR 5
friendly: be friendly with FRIEND 4
. FRIENDLY
1 having a friendly character or manner
2 words for describing someone who makes an
effort to be friendly and kind to other people
3 words for describing someone who enjoys
being with other people and makes friends
easily
4 words for describing relationships,
conversations, arguments ete in wh ich people
are friendly towards each other
5 words for describing a place or situation in
which people behave in a friendly way
towards each other
6 too friendly, in a way that you find unpleasant
7 to behave in a very friendly way to someone
such as your teacher or employer, in order to
make them like you or make them do
something for you
1 having a friendly character or manner
friendly affable
pleasant/nice amiable
easy to get along withl genial
gel on with approachable
warm
friendly / 'frendli/ easy to talk to, and ready to behave like
a friend towards people you have not met before ladjl
Ella was very friendly and I liked her immediately. I I met
thefarmer, afriendly man wlw offered me tea and cakes. I
friendly to/towards [feel [can ask her to help me because
she's always been very friendly to me.
friendliness [n Ul Everywhere he was treated with kindness
and frumdliness.
pleasant/nice J'plezant. nal s/ someone who is pleasant
or nice is friendly and very easy to like [adj l
We met some really nice people at the party, friends of my
sister. I I enjoyed my visit tlJ Ireland - everyone I met there
was so pleasant. I Jean's new boYfriend seems very nice,
doesn't Iw?
easy to get along wHh (especially American) I easy
to get on with (especially British) / ,i:zi I. gel .'loQ WIO,
,i~i t~ get 'on WH~ 11 -~I):I!I) -J friendly, relaxed, and not the
sort of person who causes unnecessary problems or argu-
ments radj phrase]
What's he like? Is he easy to get along with? I Most of the
teachers are fairly easy tlJ get on with.
warm /W:>:Tmj someone who is warm is very friendly in
a sincere way, and seems to really like and care about other
people lacti usually before nounl
She'll make a wonderful nurse because she's such a wann,
caring person. I He welcomed us with a warm smile.
warmly ladv I She greered us warmly.
527 FRIENDLY
aftable /'refabal/ someone who is affable. especially a
man, is polite, friendly, and cheerful [adjl
The s/wpk£eper was always smiling, ajJabw and polire. I She
married an affable. overweight businessman.
amlabl." e lmi~bal' someone who is amiable is friendly
and likeable, and does not become annoyed easily ladj I
The plumber was an amiable young man. I The two brothers
were very different - the older one was amiable and good-
natured, while the younger one was very quick-tempered.
genial " d3i:ni~11 friendly, often laughing and making
jokes, and enjoyable to be with [lU{i]
Dr Saito has a wann, genial manner. I The Professor was
a most genia I companion and our stay was a very pleasant
one.
approachable 1~'pr.xJtlabal' someone who is approach-
able is friendly and easy to talk to, even though they are
in a more important position than you [adj]
Th€ head teacher is very approachable and always ready to
listen to your problems. ! Despite his fearsome reputation,
the President is actually very down-to-earth and approach-
abw.
2 words for describing someone who makes an
effort to be friend ly and kind to other people
hospitable
nelghbourly/neighborly
welcoming
hospitable , 'hospltabal, ho'spl - 11 hO:'SPI -, 'ha:spl -'
friendly to people who are visiting you in your home or in
your country, and ready to welcome them [adjl
Everyone I met in Spain was very hospitable and kind. I The
Smiths are a /wspitabwfamily, always happy ID have people
to stay with them.
hospitality ' ,hospb'trel bti 11 ,ha:-' [n Ul I must write to
thank themfor their /wspitality (=for being hospitable when
I visited them).
nelghbour.y (British) I nelghborfy (American) /'nel-
b~fJil behaving in a friendly and helpful way towards your
neighbours ladj ]
It was very neighbourly of them to call round and ask i[we
wanted help moving furniture. I She smiled and waved to
me in a neighborly way.
welcoming l 'welk~mll)l behaving in a way that shows
you are glad to have other people visiting your home or
your country, and doing things to make them feel relaxed
and happy to be there latUl
He stood at the door with a welcoming smile. I My relatives
in Canada are always so welcoming when I visit them.
3 words for describing someone who enjoys
being with other people and makes friends
easily
sociable
outgoing
extrovert/extroverted
sociable / 'souf.b. I/ ladj l
If sfw seems not tlJ want to talk tlJ you, don't be offended -
she's just not very sociable. I He is a pleasure to be with -
sociable, at ease with people and very amusing.
outgoing / ,aUl'gCKJII)'4/ someone who is outgoing likes
to meet and talk to new people and is not nervous in social
situations [adjl
She's become more outgoing since she left home and went to
college. I We TU!ed an outgoing person/or this job, because
it involves meeting a lot of people.
extrovert (British) I extroverted (American) / 'ekstro-
V3: Tt. 'ekstr~v3:Ttbdl someone who is extrovert or extro-
verted is lively and confident and enjoys being with a lot
of people ladj]
When youfirst meet him, he seems like the typical extrovert
American. I Lisa is very extroverted, but her sister Martha
is a little shy. I I'm sure Bob will enjoy doing the speech -
he's pretty extroverted.
extrovert [n Cl Tim is an extrovert (=an extrovert person).
 528

. .. ~ .
.What'.
. the rI~' word? '
1 words meaning frightened
fri tened scared stiffl
What word is the picture illustrating? scare scared out of your
er eel witS/scared to death
What the 200 English students in our survey said: petrified panic-stricken
frightened 42%
fear 17% LOOkatac...cl ' ' ' · .~;_.-~ K~~ .. ,~J¥
..;: ,~ • .<.~' •
.' ",,:oC-
other 41%
scared /skc;)rdl frightened. especially because
'. you are in a dangerous situation {ad;1
, Read ,the choices at FRJOHTEH£D '
"
You can see
ti,at ....... is the f'n!,s( " ~
appropriate word to describe the pic~re :
,, .....
.. FRIGHTENED What the 200 English and American teachers in
0 words meaning frightened our survey said :
scared 53%
Go to section 1 ' frig htened t7%
other 30%
FRIENDLY
4 words for describing relationships,
conversations, arguments ete in which people
are friendly towards each other
friendly
amicable
cordial
frlendl, I'frendli/ltuUl
It's a good idea to try and havejriendly relations with your
neighbours. I friendly rivalry between two students I on
friendly terms (""in a friendly way) In spite ofour earlier
quarrel, we parted on very friendly terms.
amicable" rem!hbal/ an amiCable agreement or way of
settling a problem is one that is arranged in a friendly way
and without people arguing or getting angry with each
other [adj]
The Chairman stressed that his departure was totally amic-
able. I Independent experts have been called in to find an
amicable solution to the company's personnel problems.
cordial I 'ko:'di,1 11 -<13>11 a cordial relationship between
two people or groups is one in which people are polite and
friendly to each other although they are not close friends
ladjl
Britain and Portugal have had cordial relations for more
thanfour centuries. 1 The young professor received a cordial
welcome on his first visit to Haroard.
cordially [adv I He greeted them cordially and asked them
to sit down.
5 words for describing a place or situation in
which people behave in a friend ly way
towards each other
friendly
welcoming
convivial
friend., I'frendlil [adj l
The restaurant had gaad food and afrumdly atmosphere. 1
Ours is a friendly OfflCe but we all work hard.
welcoming 11 welbmllJl a place, room etc that is welcom-
ing makes you feel relaxed and happy to be there ladj]
We've redecorated the room where our guests stay to make
it more welcoming. 1 A bunch offresh flowers on the table
always looks welcoming.
convlvlal/bn1vl viCllI a formal word: a convivial event
or social situation is one in which people are friendJy to
each other and enjoy themselves [adj J
The four of us spent a convivial evening at home, playing
cards and drinking beer. 1 Uncle Jim was in a convivial
mood that night.
6 too friendly, in a way that you find unpleasant
over-friendly smarmy
familiar slimy
obsequious
over-friendly 'IClUVCl r lfrendli"l [alU)
The manImet at the pub was a littleover-friendly so Imade
an excuse and left early.
familiar IfCl1mlliClrl talking to someone as if you know
them very well although in fact you do not, in a way that
people may find unpleasant or offensive [adj)
Some of these taxi-drivers are a littletoofamiliar.1 She came
up to me and started talking in such afamiliar way that I
thought I must have met her before.
obsequious IClb1si:kwiClsl someone who is obsequious
always tries too hard to be friendly and helpful, and always
agrees with what other people say, in a way that people find
very annoying [adj ]
His obsequious manner was beginning to irritate me. I The
sales assistant was almost obsequious in his gratitude.
obsequiously [advl She kept nodding and smiling
obsequiously.
smarmy Ilsmo:rmil an informal British word: someone
who is smarmy behaves in a very friendly way but seems
completely insincere [adj]
529 FRIGHTENED
I really don ~ like these smarmy TV presenters. 1That girl
is so smarmy you feel you can't believe a word she says.
slimy 11sIalmil an informal word: someone who is slimy
is too friendly, praises people too much etc, in a way that
is clearly dishonest and that makes you think they arejust
trying to get something from you [adjl
1 thought atfirst h£ was really slimy and harrible, but infact
he's quite nice! I He was a typical slimy politician, going on
about :the innate good sense of the voters'.
7 to behave in a very friendly way to someone
such as your teacher or employer in order to
I
make them like you or make Ihem do
something for you
suck up to grovel
kiss up to creep
crawl brown-nose
suck up to 1I shk 1hp tu:1 an informal expression mean-
ing to say or do a lot of nice things to someone in order to
please them or make them help you in some way [v TJ
I hate people who suck up to the manager. 1 Sucking up to
the teacher doesn't mean you'll pass your exams.
kiss up to /lklS lhPtu:/ an informal American expression
meaning to say ordoa lot ofnice things to someone in order
to please them or make them help you in some way Iv Tl
He was made hall monitor after kissing up to the principal
last term.
crawl /kF.>!11an informal British word meaning to praise
someone insincerely and be very friendly to them, espe-
cially because you want to ask them for something [v Il
If you crawl, your workmates will hate you and your boss
will just despise you. I crawl to He crawls shamelessly to
anyone that could affect his chances of promotion.
crawler fn Cl He's such a crawler!
grovel/1groval 11 19ra:-, IgrA-/ to behave in a very respect-
ful, obedient way towards someone, because you want
them to help you or forgive you Iv Il
It seems as if they won't give you a loan unless you're pre-
pared to really grovel. 1 grovel to I grovelled to my parents
and begged them to forgive me.
grovelling [adjl He received a grovelling apology.
creep jkri:p/ an informal word meaning someone who
pretends to really respect or admire someone, but only in
order to make the other person like them or do something
for them In Cl
She never disagrees with the boss - what a little creep! I He's
the class creep - the worst thing is, the teachers are stupid
enough ro lilee him.
brown.nose/1braun nClUZ/ an infonnal American word
meaning someone who pretends to really respect or admire
someone, but only in order to make the other person like
them or do something for them [n Cl
He's always telling the boss what a wondeifulplace this is
to work - what a brown-nose!
friends: become friends FRIEND 6
friendship FRIEND 8
friendship: strike up a friendship FRIEND 6
fright: get a fright FRIG HTEN ED 5
fright: give ab 8 fright FRIGHTENED 7
frighten FRIGHTENED 7
frighten/scare sb Into FRIGHTENED 8
frightened FRIGHTENED 1
• FRIGHTENED
1 words meaning frightened
2 to be unwilling to do something or be worried
about d oing something, because you are
frightened about what may happen if you do it
3 to have a strong fear and dislike of something
4 to always be frightened and worried about
something that might happen continued
FRIGHTENED
• FRIGHTENED continued
5 to be suddenly frightened by something that
happens
6 words for describing something that makes
you feel frightened
7 to make someone feel frightened
8 to deliberately frighten someone, especially
because you want to make them do
something
9 words for describing someone who easily
gets frightened
10 the feeling of being frightened
11 an event or situation that frightens people
1 words meaning frightened
frightened scared stiff/scared out of your
scared wits/scared to death
terrified panic-stricken
petrified
frightened I'fraltndl feeling nervous and afraid because
you think that something very unpleasant is going to
happen to you [adjl
Don't befrightened, it's only thunckr. I Afire broke out at
th£ sclwol but teach£rs were able to lead th£frightened chil·
dren to safety. I frightened (that) (=frightened because you
think something bad may happen) Alice kept quite still,
frightened thot th£ dog might bite h£r.
scared /ske;)fdl frightened. especially because you are in
a dangerous situation [adj l
The first time I went on a motorcycle I was really scared. I
8h£ stood in the doorway, scared and trembling, hiding/rom
th£ man who hodfollowed her. I scared (that) (=scared
because you think something bad may happen or has hap-
pened) I didn't dare try to walk - I was scared I'd broken
my leg.
terrtfled Itter~faldl extremely frightened of something
dangerous or unpleasant ladj]
We ran out of th£ house, too terrified to look back. I terri·
fied (that) (" terrified because you think something bad
may happen) We were terrified thot the Security Pol~ would
find out wh£re we had hidden th£ film.
petrHled f 'petrMaulf extremely frightened, especially so
frightened that you cannot move [adj)
He had thi:! gun pointed at my head. I was absolutely petri-
fied. I Sh£ just s/ood th£re, petrified at th£ thought of th£
crowds waiting outside.
scared stlff/scared out of your wlts/scared to
death/, skeard IstIf, ,skeardaut;)vj::l!r IwIts, Iskeardt::l 1deBI
informal expressions meaning extremely frightened [adj
phrase]
You must have been scaredstif/w!zenyousaw the car coming
straight towards you. I Helen had to gofor an interview with
the school Principal - she was scared stiff. I I knew a man
was foLlowing me, and J was scared out of my wits. I Some
ofthe prisoners were only 160r 17 - they looked tired. bewil-
ckred and scared In death.
panic-stricken ['prenlk ,strlk;)nj so frightened that you
cannot think clearly or behave sensibly. especially when
something has suddenly frightened you [acU]
Afew seconds after th£ explosion th£ street was full ofpanic·
stricken peopleJleeing in all directions. I In a panic-stricken
attempt to free herself from Annie's grip, she snatched the
scissors off th£ table.
"You say" is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English .
530 FRIGHTENED
2 to be unwilling to do something or be worried
about doing something, because you are
Irightened about what may happen if you do it
be afraid/scared! fear
frightened dread
be terrified for fear of
be fearful
be afrald/scaredlfrlghtened fbi, .'frerd, 'skeo'd,
'fraItndl [v phrase]
be afraid etc to do sth Many women are afraid to go out
alone at night. I he afraid ete I should really gofor an Aids
test but I'm afraid. I be afraid etc of doing sth MarOra
asked me to come because she was scared of going there on
her own. I Many people undergoing surgery arefrightened
of hoving an anaesthetic. I be afraid ete (that) 8h£ was
frightened thot ifsh£ went In the police, her husband would
beat her up again.
be terrified Jbi: Iter~fa ldJ to be unwilling to do something
because you are extremely frightened about what may
happen if you do it Iv phrase I
be terrified (that) I didn't tell my parents I was pregnant.
I was terrified thot th£y would throw me out of th£ house. I
be terrified of sthldoing sth They always travel by boat
because Jimmy's terrified offlying.
be fearful/bi: tfl;)rfi111 to be unwilling to do something
because you are worried about the possibility of trouble or
danger IV phrase]
he fearful of sth!doing sth After thefirst terrorist attacks
people were fearful of discussing politics. I Th£ Energy
Department, fearful of public reaction, has cancelled its
plans to buildfour new nuclear reactors. I be fearful that
She gave up smoking when she was pregnant. featful that
it might damage h£r baby.
fear IfI;)rJ a word used especially in news reports or
descriptions of events, meaning to be frightened about
what may happen if you do something [v T not in
progressive]
fear (that) Government officialsfear thot iflhRy put up taxes
th£ywill Iosetheekction. I Th£rescu£rsdugslow/yandcare-
fully, fearing that the wreckage might collapse on top of
them. I fear sth Many afthe gang's victims refused to give
information to the poLice because they feared reprisals.
dread fdredf to dislike doing something that you know you
have to do because you are frightened or worried about
what may happen when you do it (v TJ
I've got an interview with the bank manager tomorrow - I'm
dreading it. I He always dreaded asking themfor their rent
money because he knew it would end in an argument.
for fear of ff;)r tfl;)r '}VI if you are unwilling to do some-
thing for fear of something bad happening, you are fright-
ened that something bad will happen if you do it (prep ]
The workers are unhappy but will not complain for fear of
losing their jobs. I I didn't turn on the light, for fear of
waking the baby.
3 to have a strong fear and dislike of something
be afraldlscaredlfrlghlenedlterrtfled of
have a phobia about
be efrald/scaredlfrlghtened/terrlfled of fbi,
;)Ifreld, Iskea rd, Ifraltnd, Iter!fald Dvl [v phrase]
It's amazing how many people are afraid ofspiders. I You'll
never persuade Ian to climb up there! He's terrified of
heights. I Everyone in our class was scared of Mr Walsh.
have a phobia about I.hrev d • [;)Ubi;) :lbaotj to have a
strong and unreasonable dislike and fear of something.
especially of something which is not frightening [or most
people [v phrase not in progressive]
She has a phobia about telephone answering machines and
will never leave a message. I Carol had a phobia about
snakes - even talking about them made her shiver.
FRIGHTENED
4 to always be frightened and worried about
something that might happen
be afrald/scared/frightenedlterrlfled
live in fear
dread
be efrald/scaredlfrlghtenedlterrlfled Ibh ,'freld,
Iskea rd, 'fralOld, Iter!fald/ [v phrase )
be afraid ete (lbat) l'mfrighten£d he'll have a heart attack
and die. I be afraid ete of sth/ doing sth When people are
afraid DJ losing their homes it imposes great strains on
family life. I be afraid et e She's scared, she has a/ready lost
one child to the disease and fears it may happen again.
Ilveln fear 1,llv In 'fl ::'lr! to always be afraid of something
unpleasant that is fairl y likely to happen Iv phraseJ
live in fear of 8th/doing 8th After leaking the secret docu-
ment Sarah lived infear of being found out. I live in fear
(that) The surgeon lives in constant/ear that something will
go wrong in an operation when h£'steeling tired.
dread Idredl a word mean ing to be continually frightened
and very worried about something that might happen, used
especially when you are telling someone that this is how
you feel I v T not in progressive I
I dread my parents finding out T liffl. I S he won't go to a
specialist because she dreads being told she's unable to have
children. I He was the one man I dreaded meeting again.
5 to be suddenly frightened by something that
happens
get a fright go as white as a sheet
paniC nearly jump out of your skin
get a fright / Iget ;> Ifralt/ Iv phrase not in progressive I
I got a/right when I realized how close we were to the cliff
edge. I Give her a hot sweet drink - she's had a/right. I get
the fright of your life (:::get a serious fright) She got the
fr ight o/her life when Danny ran in with his head bleeding.
panic J'premkJ to suddenly become so frightened that you
can not think clearly. especially if this makes you do some·
thing dangerous or stupid Iv 11
When the parachute didn't open I just panicked. I The sol·
dierspanicked and openedfire on the raiders. I Whenaplane
gets into difflCulty it is essential that the pilot does not panic.
go.s whlte.s a she.t Ig~u ~z Iwalt ~z ~ 'fi:tf to sud-
denly feel very frightened, with the result that your face
becomes very pale Iv phrase not in progressivel
She went as white as a sheet when the nurse came in with
a hypodermic needle. I You 're as white as a sheet. What's
happened?
nearly Jump out of your skin f ,m~rli d3Amp laut ~v
jJ: r 'sk mf to make a sudden movement because you are
frightened or surprised by something that happens very
suddenly rv phrase not inprogressiuel
When IU! shouted at her she nearly jumped out 0/ her skin. J
Tnearly jumped out of my skin when I saw the bull coming
towards me.
6 words for describing something that makes
you feel frightened
frightening spine~chilling
scary blood-curdling
terrifying spooky/creepy
halr~ralslng chilling
frightening / 'frallnIQ/ ladjl
Nuclear war is a/rightening prospect. I For onefrightening
moment Hal thought the truck was going to hit him. I it is
frightening to do/ have etc It can be very frightening to
leave Iwme and move to a new city. I It was very frightening
to have so little control over my life.
scary f ' skearif frightening, for example because some-
thing is strange or difficult to understand radjl
I don't know haw hefouna out where I lived. It's really scary. I
The Atlantic can be/erocious and being at sea ca n be lonely
531 FRIGHTENED
and a little scary. I We stayed up late telling scary ghost
stories.
terrifying f Iter ~fal-JrJf extremely frightening la djl
His victimfought back tears as slU! described her terrifying
ordeal. I Thefirst time 1 went hang·gliding it was terrifying,
but rww I love it. I There are/ew things more terrifying than
being trapped in a burning building.
hair-raising J' he.1 r Irelzll)J an experience that is hair-
raising is frightening because it is dangerous ladjl
A/ter various hair-raising adventures inA{ghanistan, New-
combe settled in Northern India. I We ended up making a
hair· raising 200 kilometre night drive to the Guatemalan
border.
splna-chllllng f Ispa ln .tfllll)l something such as a story,
film, or statement that is spin~hilling is frightening
because it clearly describes or shows frightening events
ladjl
The colloctwn iJu:lutks a·spine-chilling ghost swry by Edgar
Allan Poe. I TIU! only journalist to witness tlw rebellion gave
a spine-chilling account of atrocities carried out by both
sides.
blood-curdling I' btAd k3:' dll QI blood-curdling
scream/yell/roar etc (:::very frightening) [adj only hfifore
nounl
Mary went upstairs to look for Dean and seconds later I
heard a blood·curdling scream. I tlU! blood-curdling howls
0/ tlU! wolves in the forest
spooky/creepy /'spu!ki, 'kri:piJ a place or story that is
spooky or creepy is frightening. especially because it is
dark, strange etc radjl
This wood is really spooky in the dark. I The house looked
OK/rom the outside but inside it was all dark and creep.y. 1
Will you shut up about ghosts! You always scare me with
that spooky talk!
chilling J'tflhIJf a fact. statement or experience that is
chilling is frightening because it is extremely cruel. vio·
lent, dangerous etc [adj ]
TIU! laUJyer gave a chilling demonstration ofhow the accused
used a towel to suffoca te his victim. I TIU! capta in's message
ended with the chilling words: "Mission completed. A ll
prisoners disposed of" I I realized, with chilling clarity, that
ifthe/i.re spread to the storage tanks, we would all be killed.
7 to make someone feel frightened
frighten make sb's hair stand
terrify on end
scare spook
give sb a fright alarm
startle rattle
give sb the creeps daunt
frighten I 'f,.unl Iv TI
frighten sb Does the thought o/death/rightenyou? I Take
that silly mask off - you're/rightening the children. I it
frightens sb to know/ think etc Itfrightens m e to know
that the rapist still hasn't been caught. I frighten the life
out ofsb (:::make someone feel very frightened) What are
you doing creeping up on me like that? You frightened the
life out 0/ me!
t.rrlfy /' ter~falf to make someone feel extremely fright·
ened Iv TI
terrifY sb The teacher terrified her so much that she hated
going to school. I Helen suffers from agoraphobia and the
idea of leaving the house rerrlfres her. I it terrifies sb to
think/ know etc It terrlfled her to think that in six m onths
timeshe would have to stand up in/ront o/a class and teach
them something.
scare / ske~rl
to make someone feel frightened, especially
by making them think somethin g very unpleasant might
happen IvTI
scare sb He was driving fast just to scare us. I We're not
really going to get into trouble - I think the police are trying
to scare us. I it scares sb to know/think etc It scared him
to think that his mother might never recover. I scare the hell
out of sb (:::make someone feel very frightened) SIU! scared
the hell out o/me wlU!n she said she had to go into hospital.
FRIGHTENED
give sb a fright I.glv (sb) d 'fraltl to make someonesud·
denly feel frightened so that they make a sudden movement
or their heart starts beating quickly Iv phrase not in
progressive I
You really gave T7U!afright whenyou crept up behind me like
that. I give sb a hell of a fright (=make someone suddenly
very frightened) I accidentally touched a live wire in the
motor and even though it didn't hurt me it gave me a hell
ofafright.
startle / Ista:rrl/ to frighten someone by suddenly appear-
ing, moving, making a sound ete Iv TJ
Oh! You startled me. Ididn'lseeyou there. I The noise start-
led him and he dropped his glass on thej1oor. I Any unex-
pected movements can startle the animal, so it must be
approached slowly and steadily.
give ab the cr•• ps '.g lv (sb) 6() 'kri:psl ifa person or
a place gives you the creeps, they make yOll feel slightly
frightened and nervous because they are strange [v phrase}
This house gives me the creeps - it's so dark and quiet. I Sue
hates being left alone in the office with Graham - he gives
her the creeps.
makesb's hair stand on end I ,rnelk (sb's) IheaT strend
on ,endl an informal expression: if something such as a
story or account makes your hair stand on end it makes
you very frightened Iv phrase}
When you hoorsol7l£q{the things that happened in tluiprison
camps - it 's enough to make your hair stand on end! I Wait
until I tell you about the murder - it'll make your hair stand
on end.
spook /spu:k/ an informal American word meaning to
frighten someone, especially if this makes them react by
doing something you do not want them to do [v Tl
I don't want to spook her so I won't tell her about the break-
in.. I The election ofa Marxist government has spooked inves-
tors and they're trying get their money out of the country. I
Something suddenly spooked the cattle and they stampeded.
alarm I:;) 110: rrnf to make people feel very worried about a
}X:lssible danger Iv Tl
We don't wish to alarm people unnecessarily but it would be
wise to avoid drinking the tap water here. I Many women are
alarmed by suggestions ofa link between the pill and breast
cancer.
alarming ladjl There have been several alarming incidents
where planes have almost crashed.
rattle /lrretl/ if a situation rattles you it causes you to feel
worried although you are trying to remain confident or
brave Iv TJ
She refuses to let personal attacks rattle her. I John Major
was rattled by industry's latest attack on his economic
policies.
daunt fdJ:ntf ifa difficult or dangerous situation daunts
you, it makes you lose your courage or confidence so that
you feel that you will not be able to deal with it success-
fully IV Tl
She knew she had only a one in three chance of surviving the
operation, but the risk did not daunt her. I Far from being
daunted by the dangers ahead, Maria actually seemed to
enjoy the cha llenge.
daunting [adj] In general, pilotsjind bombing trips both
daunting and stimulating.
8 to deliberalely frighten someone, especially
because you want 10 make them do
something
frighten/scare sb into
terrorize
frlghten/seare sb into I'fraltn, Iske:;) T (sb) Intu:1 to
make someone feel frightened about what will happen if
they do not do something, so that they do it [phr v Tl
frighten/ scare sb into doing sth The Nationalists kept
on talking about the "Communist threat" to scare people into
voting for them. I He accused the police offrightening his
client into making a confession. I frighten/scare sb into
sth Many adults think they should frighten their children
into good behaviour, but it is never a good idea.
532 FRIGHTENED
terrorize (also -Ise British) Iltc~ralz/ to deliberately
frighten people. over a long period of time, by using vio-
lence or by threatening them, especially in order to make
them do what you want Iv Tl
terrorize sb Some of the older children dominated the
playground and terrorized the smaller kids. I A gang 0/
youths are roaming the city, vandalising stores, settingFlTes
and terrorizing people. I terrorize sb into doing sth
(=make someone do something by using violence, threats
etc against them) With threats, beatings and even murder,
the workers were terrorized into leaving their unions.
9 words for describing someone who easily
gets frightened
scare easily
timid
be of a nervous disposition
sea,. easily / l sk~T ,i:z ~ li/ to easily get frightened Iv
phrasel
Being a police ofFlCer isn't a job for someone who scares
easily. I I'll go down and see what that noise was. I don't scare
easily you know.
timid f1 t lmAdf easily frightened and unwilling to do any-
thing that might be unpleasant or dangerous ladjJ
Decker knew that his boss was wrong. but was too timid to
tell him. I They think I'm just a timid woman, but I'll show
them they're wrong. I It is timefor being bold, not timid, and
chancing your luck on something new.
be of a nervous disposition Ibi:;tv;t In3: Tv:;)s dlsp~­
Iz1Jan/ a formal expression meaning to get easily frightened
and upset [v phrasel
People of a nervous disposition may be upset by some of the
scenes in thefollowing programme. I In our opinion the can-
didate is intelligent,friendly, but ofa very nervous disposi-
tion and lacking in confidence. I He had such a nervous dis-
position, I wouldn 't like to rely on him in a crisis.
10 the feeling of being frighlened
fear panic
terror foreboding
I•• r /F,,'/In C/ UI
Even after years of therapy. thefeelings offear and unhap·
piness are still with her. I All the hopes andfears of the last
twelve months would be resolved today. I fear of The whole
of his life has been dominated byfear offailure. I Over the
weekend fear of a possible war spread. I fear that (=fear
because you think something bad may happen) Thecrea -
tive writer's worstfear is that his imagination may desert
him.
terror f'tcrdTf a very strong feeling of fear [n DJ
in terror (=feeling terror) The passengers screamed in
terror as the plane dropped several hundred feet. I sheer
terror (=complete terror) I will never forget the look of sheer
terror on her face when I found her in the blazing house. I
strike terror into sb (=make someone feel terror) Mr Joll
was careful and gentle and didn't strike terror into me like
other dentists did.
panic f Ipren lkj a sudden strong feeling offear that makes
people unable to think clearly or act sensibly (n UJ
Public health officials did nothing about the radioactive
milk, afraid o/panic. I With a growing sense ofpanic, Chris
emptied the bag onto the table and searchedfrantically for
the tickets. ! in panic (=feeling panic) Inpanic, he began to
throw water on the burning saucepan of oil.
foreboding IfJ: T1baudlIJf a feeling of fear because you
think something bad is going to happen although you do
not have any real reason for thinking this In UJ
As they waited at the ailfield Sara had the samefef!ling of
foreboding that she had felt be/ore her father died.
11 an event or situation that frightens people
scare
terror
horror
FRIGHTENED
scare Isk~ rl a situation in which a lot of people are fright·
ened of something such as a serious illness, violence or a
problem which may harm them [n Cl
Aids hascausedsuch a scare thatfewer and/ewer peopl£are
giving blood. 1 scare about/over A year after CherTWbYl
the scare about radioactive food had died down. 1 bomb
scare (=a scare caused by a report of there being a bomb)
Retail sales were down due to a spate of bomb scares before
Christmas.
terror , Itel":)rl an event or situation that makes people feel
extremely frightened, especiall y because they think they
might be killed In C usually singular )
the terror of Being in a tunnel reminded him o[ the terror
ofbeing trapped underground 1Kampucheans who rem€m·
ber the terror of the Pol Pot regime want to see him behind
bars.
honor ,IhOId r 11 'h:l:-. Iha:-' an event or situation which
frightens and shocks people because they see terrible
things happening In C)
the horror of One woman cried as she told 0/ the horror of
seeing workmares killed in the lift. 1 They joined the anti·
nuclear campaign after seeing alUm about the horrors 0/
Hiroshima. I horror Children in these/amine-strickm areas
simply cannot be protectedfrom the horror all around them.
frightening FRIGHTENED 6
frills: no.frllls SIMPLEIPLAIN 1
fringe GROUP OF PEOPLE 7
fringe benems PAY S8 FOR WORK 3
frisk LOOK FOR 6
fritter away WASTE STH 1
frivolous JOKING/NOT SERIOUS 2
Ifro m I--.--,--.-------:-:----:-:--~
which meaning?
since a partlculer tlme - • SINCE
01"' dale .!!t"'"'"--
Come from, origirlale • COME FROMI
ORIGINATE
from DISTANCE 3. SEEM 5. SI NCE 1
from here HERE 4
from now AFTER 2, FUTURE 6
from now on AFTER 3
from out of nowhere SUDDENLY 1
from the word go BEGINNING 5
from then on AFTER 3
from there THERE 3
from the way SEEM 5
from time to time SOMETIMES 1
from ... to. .. TIME/HOW LONG 2
front FRONT 1, 4, HIDE/NOT SHOW 5, PRETEND 8
front: be in front/be out in front WIN 7
front : be fronted by LEADER 2
front: In front FRONT 5, 6
front: In front/In the front FRONT 4
front: In front of SEE 6
front: In front of/ahead of BEFORE 8
front : the front FRONT 2, 3, WAR 7
front: up front · FRONT 4, HONEST 2, PAY FOR 3
front line: the front line WAR 7
• FRONT
t the side or surface of something that is
nearest to you or furthest away from the back
2 the part of a space. room . vehicle etc that is
furthest forward
533 FRONT
3 the position at the front of a crowd or line of
people. vehicles etc
4 at, in, or towards the front
5 at, in, or towards a position that is further
forward than you
6 at or to a position that is directly in front of a
person, building etc
1 the side or surface of something that is
nearest to you or furthest away from the back
front
front I frAn~ In C usua lly singular)
She was wearing a T·shirt with a picture of an elephant on
thefrant. 1A path leadsfram the back yard round to thefront
of the house. 1 He marked thefront and back of the envelope
in black ink: 'SECRET'.
2 the part of a space. room. vehicle etc that is
furthest forward
the front
the front I~<J 'frAol/ In singular]
There was a picture of Chairman Mao at the front of the
classroom. I Tlu!re's only roomfor two people in thefront of
most cars. I At tlu! front 0/ tlu! cage was a dish with a few
scrapsoffood in it. 1 All the seats at the back ofthe hall were
already occupied so we had to sit right at the front
3
the position at the front of a crowd or line of
people. vehicles etc
the front
the front IO~ 'frAntJ In singular)
I stood in the linefor 2 hoUrs lx!fore I got to thefront.1 Joseph
p ushed to thefront of the crowd to see what was happening.
4 at, in, or towards the front
front at the head of
in front/In the front forward
up front in the foreground
front IfrAn~ ladj only before TWun)
Jordon and Tom and I got into thefrant seat ofGatsbY'scar.1
Laura prefers to sit in one 0/ tlu! front rows at the movies. I
There was a large picture of CUnton on the/ront page oftlu!
evening newspaper. I You should have knocked on thefront
door. I A cat had got its front paw trapped in the netting.
In frontlln the front JIn IfrAnt, In ~<J ' frAml in the front
part of a space, room, vehicle etc ladu phrase)
At most rock ooncerts the rows infront are always full 0/
screaming kids. I He sat in the front beside tlu!driver. I We
were looking for a two·storey building with a verandah in
thefront.
up front lAP IfrAml if someone is up front in a room or
vehicle, they are in the most forward position possible [adv
phrasel
The only people to laugh were the American soldiers who sat
up f ront. I She liked sitting up front with the driver.
at the head of I~t ~<J 'hcd Dvl at the front of a line of
people or group of people )prep)
A man at the head 0/ the line was arguing with the sales
lady. 1 A t the head of the procession marched an army band.
forward , 't):rw;,rdl if you move forward, you move
towards the front of a room, space ete [adv l
Mr Hoffman stepped forward to collect his prize. I Can we
sit a little/urther forward? I can't seefram here.
In the foreground IIn ~a 'f::l:rgraundl in the part of a
picture, scene, or view that is closest to you ladv phraseJ
"That 's me, " he sa id. pointing to a child in theforeground
of the faded photograph. 1 From her balcony she could see
a group ofpalm -trees in tlu!/oreground and the mountains
beyond.
FRONT 534 FULL
5 at, in, or towards a position that is further
• FULL
forward than you
In front
1 ways of saying that a container, room , place
ahead
elc is full, so that no more things or people
up ahead
can go in it
In front tm Ifrl\nt/ ladv phrase ] 2 fu ll of a substance, things , people etc
He drove straight into the car in/ront. I Ellie walked in/ront, 3 feeling full of food, so that you do not want to
carrying the ba lJy. eat any more
ahead lathedl a short distance from the front or face of 4 words for describing food that makes your
someone or something (adv)
Let Tom walk ahead ofyou - he knaws this path very well. I
stomach feel full
He looked ahead down the road towards the village. I 5 to become full
straight ahead (=directly ahead) The driver was staring 6 to make something full
straight ahead. concentrating on the trafflc. 7 to make something full again after part of
up ahead lAp ;, 'hcdl in the distance but not very far in what is in it has been used
front of you ladv phraseJ 8 ways of saying that a place or area is full of a
There is a policeman up ahead directing traffic. I Up ahead lot of animals, insects, or people all moving
we could see the bright lights oJ Las Vegas/lashing on and around
off. I "Excuse me, where's the post office?" "Up ahead on the
right . ..

6 at or to a position that is directly in front of a 1 ways of saying that a container , room, place
person, building etc etc is full, so that no more things or people
in front can go in it
l ull be bursting at the seams
In front /In I[rAntl close to the front or face of someone or
someth ing ladv] lull up be full to capacity
in front of sbl sth She parked the car infront ofthe offICe. I bulging be chock-a-block
The bartender put the drink in front of me. I in front The overftowlng be packed out
town was now behind us and there was nothing inj'ront but be full to the brim
a dark, winding road.
full /rul/laW]
frontier EDGE 2 The trash can isfull - can you empty it, please? I There were
frontrunne r WIN 8 threefull boxes on thejloorofthegarage.1 Thewaiter 's job
frostad SEE 13 was to make sure everyone's glass wasfull. I You'll have to
Irosty COLD 3 , UNFRIENDLY 3 park your van in a side street - the car park'sfull. I If the
frown DISAPPROVE 3 restaurant isfull we could have a snack in the bar.
frown on/upon DISAPPROVE 1 full up 11full "pI a British expression: a container such as
frozen: freezlnglfrozen COLD 6 a bag, box, or drawer etc that is full up has no more room
fruga l SPEND MONEY 7 in it for anything else ladj phrase not before noun)
fruit: bear fruit SUCCEED IN DOING STH 4 I can'tfit any more clothes into this suitcase, it'sfull up. I
Irul"ul SUCCEED IN DOING STH 4 full up with drawers full up with papers, old letters, en-
fruitless FAI L 2 velopes and bills I On the kitchen tabw were boxesfull up
frustrate ANNOY 2, PREVENT 3 with crockery and glasses wrapped in newspaper.
fru stra ted ANNOY 4 bulging /'bAtd3'g/ something such as a bag or a pocket
frustrat ing ANNOY 5 that is b ulging is so full that the objects inside it push its
frustration ANNOY 6 sides outwards ladj)
Iry COOK 2, 3 He took a sweet out of a bulging paper bag and popped it
luddy duddy OLD·FASHIONED 3 into his mouth. I Tina stood on the platform, a huge bunch
ludge AVOID 5 offlowers in one hand and a bulging suitcase in the other. I
luel INCREASE IN ACTIVITY, FEELINGS ETC 4 bul ging with On the donkey's back was a sack, bulging
luglt lve ESCAPE 6 with onions.
lullil SATISFIED 6 overflowing 11~v~r I f1:lUII] "/ a container of liquid that
fulfiVmeet requirements NEED 8 is overilowing is so full that the liquid flows over the sides
lulllllad SATISFIED 2 of the container [adj]
lullllled: be lullilled HAPPEN 4 The ba th is overflowing! Who forgot to turn off the taps? I
lulfilling SATISFIED 4 overflowin g with Kerry handed me a g lass overflowing
lullllmentllulllllmenl SATISFI ED 5 with wine, trying not to let it spill on the carpet.
lull BUSY/HAVE A LOT TO 00 3 , COMPLETE 1 , 2, b. full to the brim /bi: .fuI t:l O:l IbrIml if a container
FAT 5 , FULL 1 is full to the brim, it is rull right to the very top, especially
lull: be lull FULL 3 with Jiquid Iv phrase]
lull: be lull 01 FULL 2 He poured the whisky slowly. When the glass wasfull to the
full: be full of ideas IDEA 5 brim he drank it in one gulp. I be full t o the brim with The
lull: be lull 01 It ENTHUSIASTIC 2 kitchen was filthy. The sink was full to the brim with dirty,
lull: be lull to the brim FULL 1 smelly wat€r.
lu ll : In lull COMPLETE 1 be bursting at the s.ams Jbi: Ib3! r stll] ~t 6:l Isi:mzl
lull-bod ied STRONG TASTE OR SMELL 1 ifa room or bu ilding is bursting at the seams, it is so ftlU
full-flavouredlfull-flavored STRONG TASTE OR SMELL 1 of people that hardly anyone else can fit in Iv phrase )
fuU-grow n/fully grow n ADULT 1 More and more wedding guests conti.nued to arrive, until tlu!.
tull of beans: be full of beans ENERGETIC 2 house was bursting at the seams. I The little souvenir shop
.a full of holes HOLE 7 was bursting at the seams, and peopw struggli!d to get in and
full of yoursetf: be full of yourself PROUD 4 out.
full stomach: on a full stomach FULL 3 b. full to capacity /bi: ,ful '0 ko '","'l,i/ if a public
full swing: be In full swing HAPPEN 6 building is full to capacity, it contains the largest nwnber
lull up FULL 1 of people officially allowed in it Iv phrase]
FULL
Once th£/ootball stadium wasjull to capacity, it would have
been dangerous to let more people in. I The train was full to
capacity so people started climbing onto the roof
capacity [adj only before IWun 1There was a capacity crowd
for the group's last live gig.
be chock-a-block fbi, ,tJob 'blok 11 - 'tJa,k, bla'kJ an
informal British expression: if a room, vehicle, or build-
ing is chock-a-block, it is so full of people that you cannot
move easily in it [v phrase]
lcouidn 't sit down on the bus - it wascJwck-a-block.1 chock-
a-block with The cinema is usually chock-a-block with chil-
dren on Sunday afternoons.
be packed out /bi: Iprekt laut! a British expression: if
something such as a theatre is packed out, it is completely
full Iv phrasel
I've never seen anything like it - the stadium was absolutely
packed out last night.
2 full of a substance, things, people etc
be full of be stuffed with
be filled with be packed with
be crammed with
be full of fbi, 'ful ovf Iv phrasel
The buses were full of people returning from work. I He
pulled out a wallet[ull ofrrwney and handed me a $20 bill. 1
a bucket full of rainwater
be filled with fbi, '[I1d WIO/ ifa container is filled with
something, it has had as much of something or as many
things as possible put inside it [v phrase I
/ tried the drawer, which was jilled with neat piles of care-
fully folded shirts. I Large plant pots add interest to any
sma ll garden, especially when theyarefilled with colourful
plantsandjlowers.1 a giassj"rontedoabilU!tfilled with rare
coins and old medals
be crammed with Ibi: Ikrremd WIO/ ita container or a
room is crammed with something, it is so full of it that
nothing else can possibly be put in it Iv phrase]
The box was crammed with books. I managed to pull one out
and opened it to see what was inside. I Because his mouth
was crammed withfood, I couldn't understand what Lenny
was saying. I Detectives found that the attache case was
crammed with drugs and cash.
be atuffed with Ibi: I stAft W101 it a container is stuffed
with things, it is very full of several different things that
have been put in it in a careless or untidy way Iv phrase]
Brenda came slowly up the road, carrying shopping bags
that were stuffed with food for the weekend. 1 She searched
for her car keys in a small handbag stliffed with make-up,
tissues and money. I a huge picnic basket stliffed with tasty
delicacies
be packed with /bi: Iprekt wlof if a room, train, build-
ing etc is packed with people, it is extremely full and there
is no room to move I v phrase J
The dance/lOOr was packed with young couples. I On the day
ofher funeral the little church was packed withfriends and
relations.
packed ladj] The packed bus came to a halt and everyone
got out.
3 feeling full of fooe , so that you do not want to
eat any more
be lull btoated
have had enough stuffed
couldn't eat another thing on a full stomach
be full (also be full up in British English) fbh 'ful, bi, ,ful
'Ap/ IV phrase)
Dad doesn't want any ice-cream - he says he'sfull. I "Have
you had enough to eat, dear?" "Yes, thanks, I'mfull up. "
have had enough Ih~v ,hred 1I fiAf/ to be full, especially
when you have not finished your meal or everything on
your plate IV phrase]
No des..<:;ert for me, thank you, I've had enough. I Leave it if
you've had enough.
535 FULL
couldn't eat another thing "kudnt ,i:t ~,nAo~r le1rJ/
you say I couldn't eat another thing when you have eaten
a lot, especially becau se you enjoyed the food, and are very
full Iv phrasel
The apple pie is delicious but / won't have another slice -
I couldn't eat another thing.
bloated /'bl:xJt1dl having eaten so much that your
stomach feels very full and uncomfortable ladj l
Ifeel really bloared. I wish I hadn't earen so much. 1 bloated
with Hefell onto the sofa, his stomach bloated withfoOO.
stufted /stAftl an informal expression meaning extremely
fullladjl
"ljo more, " groaned Alan. ''I'm stuffed!"
on a full stomach Ion ~ ,ful ' stAm~k/ if you do some-
thing on a full stomach, you do it soon after eating a meal,
when you are still feeling fullladv phrase]
It isn 't wise to go swimming on a full stomach.
4 words for describing food that makes your
stomach feel full
filling
heavy
stodgy
filling f'flh~f food that is filling makes your stomach feel
full very quickly, especially when it does not look as though
it willladj)
I'll only give you a small amount of rice because it's quite
filling. 1afcourse I liked your chocolate cake, but it·s sofill·
ing I couldn't possibly eat another piece. I Pizza Rustica is
an especially rich andfilling dish, so choose the antipasto
with care.
heavy , 'hevi/ food that is heavy makes your stomach feel
full and you can feel it lying in your stomach for a long time
after you have eaten it [adj]
Some peopiefind wholemeal bread too heavy. I "Excuse me",
said Rich as his stomach rumbled, "that fruitcake J'vejust
eaten was a bit heavy. "
stodgy / ' stod3i 11 'sto.-/ food that is stodgy makes you feel
full, is bad for your health, and usually has very little taste
ladjl
Stress, lack of rest and too much stodgy food had made
Pauline break out in spots. I Thefood in Suzie's Cafe tends
to be stodgy rather than fresh and light.
5 to become full
1111
fill up
fill/fIt/Iv 11
They opened the Mors and the hall quickly filled. 1 Afrer the
firstfew rains oftheyear, the well started tofill.1 fill with
As I strolled across the beach I rouMfeel my shoesfilling with
sand.
fill up l,fl1 lAp/ if a public place such as a cinema or
restaurant fills up, it gradually becomes full of people (phr
vII
About half an hour before the beginning of the movie, the
cinema starts to fill up. I fill up with At four o'clock the
swimming pool filled up with children whose parents had
brought them straight from school.
6 to make something full
liII pack
1111 up stuff
cram load/toad up
flll/fll/lv TI
fill sth I filled the saucepan but forgot to turn on the gas. I
fill sth with I would love to fill my wardrobe with new
clothes. 1 Some of the syringes had been filled accidentally
with the wrong drug.
flll up 11 fll 'Apl to fill a container such as a glass, a box,
or a bag, especially one that already has a small amount
of something in it [phr v T]
FULL
fill up sth Harold went around filling up everyone's
glasses. I fill sth up with Dianajilled the tin up with bis·
cuits and handed it to Chris. I fill sth/it/them up ''Fill it
up, " said Max to the garage attendant.
cram IkrrernJ to push too many things or too much of some-
thing into a container or space so that it is very full Iv Tl
cram sth with Timmy crammed his mouth with handfuls
of berries. I cram sth into Once I had crammed aU my shirts
and sweaters into my suitcase I could hardly close it.
pack Iprek/ to make a large number of people or things go
into a space where there is not enough room for them all
luTI
pack sth int%nto etc Passengers complairwd that the bus
536 FUNNY
be swarming with Ibi: ' swo:rml ij wl~1 to be full of
animals, people, insects etc, all moving around very
quickly or busily [v phrase]
The place is swarming with birds. I At this time of year the
town is usually swarming with tourists. I The camp site was
filthy and swarming with flies.
be crawling with Ibi: 'kr:>:hg wl~1 to be full of a lot of
insects, animals, or people all moving around, especially
ones that you find unpleasant in some way [v phraseJ
The whole place was crawling with tourists. I We were dis-
gusred to find the wlwle house crawling with bugs and
roaches.

l
company packs too many people onlD the buses. I The 'UIIy COMPLETELY 1
organizers managed to pack over a thousand people into the lully grown GROW/GET BIGG ER 2
auditorium. fumble about/around LOOK FOR 5
fumble with HOLD 4
stuff IstAff to fill something such as a bag or pocket by lun ENJOY/LIKE DOING STH 5. 7
pushing things into it very tightly Iv TJ fun: for fun ENJOY/LIKE DOING STH 8
stuff sth into She stuffed somecwthes itUo an overnight bag
lun: good/great lun ENJOY/LIKE DOING STH 5
and lift immediately. I stuff stb with Th e bays crept mID
fun: have fun ENJOY/LIKE DOING STH 2, 3
the orchard and stuffed their pockets with plums. I stuff sth
fun: make fun of MAKE FUN OF 1
full of sth To make sure that the hat keeps its shape, you
can stuff it full oJ newspaper. function PARTY 2, PURPOSE 3, WORKING/NOT
BROKEN 1
Ioad/load up Iloud, ,loud' Apl to fill a vehicle with goods, functional USE STH 13
furniture etc Iv TJ fund MON EY 9 , ORGANIZATION 3 , PAY FOR 11
load sthlload up sth Loading the van was dlf./kult !Jer:aus£ fundamental BASIC 1, BIG 10
our furniture is really heavy. I This giant machine can load fundamentalist EXTR EME 3
up a J(X}ton truck every few minutes. I load sthIJoad up sth
with Two men were Wading up a truck with boxRsofmewns. ~ fundamentals BASIC 3
loaded ladjl A truck Waded with frozen meat was backed ~ lundlng MONEY 14
into the delivery yard. funnily enough: oddly enough/funnily enough/
strangety enough STRANGE 2
funny FUNNY 1 , STRANGE 1
7 to make sOmething full again after part of funny: feel funny/peculiar ILL 4
what is in it has been used funny: oddlfunny STRANGE 2 , 5
refill funny: see the funny side of FUNNY 6
replenish funny story JOKE 1
top up
reflll/,ri:'fll/l u TI
refill sth As soon as sheemptled her glass, the waiter re/"lIled
• FUNNY
it. I You can now bring your empty shampoo bottles to the making you laugh
shop and UJe will refill them. I We need some nwre paper to
rejill the phatocopier. I refill sth with Mary refilled every- 1 words meaning funny
one's cups with coffee. 2 a type of writing , theatre etc that is not serious
refill I 'ri:fll/ln Cl That was a wvely cup of coffee - could but intended to be funny
I have a refill, please? 3 words for describing a situalion that is funny
replenish In 'plcmJ/ a formal word meaning to make because the opposite of what is expected
something full again, especially with supplies of something happens
such as water or food Iv Tl 4 how you feel or look when you hear or see
In an emergency, water can be pumped in this way to replen- something funny
ish the irrigation canals. I Shartage offood and poor trans·
portation means that the stores are not able ta replenish their 5 the particular quality in a person, situation ,
shelves as often as they would like to. book etc Ihat makes them funny
top up I, top' Ap 11 ,to:p-I to fill a glass, cup etc that is half 6 the ability to know when something is funny
full or nearly empty [phr v TJ and to laugh at funny situations
top sth/it/them up "More wine anyone?" ''Yes. Please.
could you top mine up ... I top sth up with Pour a little
brandy over the sugar and top it up with champagne.
top up (British) I 'top Ap n 'ta:p-/ln Cl "Would you like a 1 words meaning funny
top up?" he said, pointing to her glass. funny hilarious
make sb laugh humorous
8 ways of saying Ihat a place or area is full of a amusing witty
lot of animals, insects, or people all moving amuse be a laugh
around comical light-hearted
be teeming with funny l'fAn~ ladjl
be swarming with Jamie told usa reallyfunny joke last night. I It was sofunny
be crawling with when hefel/offthestage - Ithaugh I'd die laughing. I Mary
wasflJJUlY, intelligent and great company. I His story about
be t_mlng with Ibi: 'ti:mlg wl~1 be full of people, their Iwneymoon was one of the funniest things I've ever
animals. insects etc all moving around (v phrase] heard. I bilariously/ hysterically funny (=extremely
The small stretch of water was teeming with wildfowl. I He funny) Everyoneexcept me seemed ID/"md her m isWkes hilar·
entered Times Square which was teeming with theater- iously funny.
goers. I The tragedy is that this whole region remains teem- make ab laugh I ,melk (sb) 'Io:f 11 -'Iref/lu phrasenot in
ing with desperately poor people. passive]
FUNNY
I must tell that to Frank, it'll make him l£lugh. I Charlie
Chaplin was blessed with an incredible gift for making
people l£lugh. I it makes sb laugh when We looked so much
alike. It used to make me l£lugh when people thaught UX! were
sisters.
amusing /a1mjulZllJl funny and entertaining [adj]
He was witty and amusing, and he kept her laughing and
enrertained all through dinner. J My mother was embar·
rassed but I found the situation quite amusing. I Wright's
account ofhis adventures is highly amusing. I We tharoughly
enjoyed ·PygmaUon'. It really is a most amusing play_
amusingly [advl Ray told his story very amusingly, exag-
gerating a little perhaps.
amusa ,a 1mju!z/ ifsomething amuses you, you think it
is funny so that you want to laugh or smile Iv TJ
amuse sb Hisjokes amused the children, but I thought he
was being silly_ I I read extracts/rom Moishe's letters, some
o/which amused his mother, some o[ which saddened her. I
it amuses sb to think/see/ hear It amused me to think of
the police busily searching for clues in the wrong place. 1
what amuses me is .... What amused me was the way she
always made the same excusefor being late.
comical I Ikomlbi 11 'ka:-J behaviour or situations that
are comical are funny in an odd or unexpected way.
although they are not usually intended to be ladjl
Everyone laughed at the comical way in which Katy, our
four-year-old, tried to feed herself. I Carlo looked so comical,
striding along in a coat which nearly touched the ground. 1
The situation at my grandmothers house had becomealmDst
comical with everyone falling over each other to help move
the furniture.
comically ladv I He bowed comically and asked my sister to
dance.
hilarious J hl'leari~sl extremely funny [adjl
He entertained us with hilarious stories about his experiences
in the navy. 1 The choir practice was hilarious because 1W
one could sing in tune. 1 Annie got the cleaning job, which
1 found hilarious in view of her dislike of housework.
humorous I 'hju:m~ros 11 'hju:_. IjU:-J a remark, story,
letter etc that is humorous is deliberately funny and enter-
taining, usually in a clever way ladjl
We all listened to Ann's humorous account of her first week
as a teacher. 1 'Huckleberry Finn' is a masterpiece of
humorous fzction. 1 Some of the responses to our question-
naires are very humorous.
humorously [advl Every Saturday he comments
humorously on the political events of the past week.
witty ,IWlti! using words and expressing thoughts in a
clever, amusing way [adjl
Sam 's witty and intelligent and greatfunto be with. I HamJr
ton's new play has a witty script but the acting is terrible.
wittily [adv [ "Cordon looks like El Cid in that hat, .. said
someone wittily.
be a laugh /hi: ~ 'Io:f 11 - 'Irefl ifa person or a situation
is a laugh. they are amusing and give you a lot of fun [v
phrase[
Wait until you meet Tony. He's a real laugh. 1 Wouldn't it
be a laugh if they all went to the wrong hotel!
IIght..hearted ',lalt 'hmTtld .. , something that is light-
hearted is funny in a gentle way. although it is about a sub-
ject that is usually serious [adj only before rwunl
The/Um takes a light-hearted view of life in prison. IIn her
work she displays a light-hearted attitude towards sex and
marriage.
light-heartedly [advl Somehaw, Moore's book manages to
deal light-heartedly with subjects such as death and illness.
2 a type of writing, theatre etc' that is not serious
but intended to be funny
comic
comedy
comic ,'kumlk 11 'km-' comic verse/song/opera etc
(=not serious but intended to entertain people and make
them laugh) [adj only brifore noun [
Max entertained us with hisjolres and comic songs. 1 Whilst
537 FUNNY
she has written several volumes of serious poetry, she's pos-
sibly better krwwnfor her comic verse. 1 Most criticsJind his
acting talents better suited to comic roles.
comedy 11komldi 11 IkCJ!-, a fIlm. play etc that is intended
to entertain people and make them laugh [n C/ U J
The play's supposed to be a comedy but I didn't think it was
funny at all. I He won the awardfor the best comedy perfor-
mance of the year. 1 After years as a serious actress she
switched to comedy. winning many awards.
3 words for describing a situation that is funny
because the opposite of what is expected
happens
Ironic
Irony
ironic /al'romk 11 _Ira: -/ something that is ironic is funny.
but in a sad or unexpected way because it is caused by the
opposite of what should happen [adil
How ironic! He wasjust telling us to be careful when hefell
and broke his leg. I She is well knownfor her ironic humour. I
it is ironic that It's ironic that healthfanatics are often the
least healthy people.
ironically [adv J Ironically, the government ended up harm-
ing the very people it was trying to help.
Irony /'alar~ni/ something that is funny. but in a sad or
unexpected way because it is caused by the opposite of
what should happen [n CI VI
the irony of The irony of the situation was obvious - if I
told the truth. nobody would believe me! 1 the irony is that
The irony is that some of the poorest countries have the
richest natural resources. 1 irony Life isfull of ironies. some
hilarious, some tragic.
4 how you feel or look when you hear or see
something funny
amused
amusement
amused J ~'mju:zdl someone who is amused by some-
thing thinks it is funny so that they smile or laugh {adj.not
usually before noun 1
amused byI at Everyone expected her to be angry but Cl£lire
was quite amused by what happened. 1 amused Amos
ambled into the kitchen with an amused grin on his face. I
greatly l highly amused My grandmother seemed to be
greatly amused at my remarks.
amusement /~ Imju:zm~nt' the feeling you have when
you think that something is funny [n VI
Mary-Jane's little stories were a source of endless amuse-
ment. 1 in amusement She smiled in amusement as she
watched the cats playing with the wool. 1 amusement at
Gloria couldn't hide her amusement at what the children
were saying. 1 to sb's amusement (=making them feel
amused) Suddenly the table infront ofthe teacher collapsed,
to the amusement of the whole class.
5 the particular quality in a person, situation,
book etc that makes them funny
humour/humor
comedy
wit
humour (British) I humor (American) /'hju:m:>' 11 'hju:-,
'ju:-/ [n VI
It was diffICult at first to appreciate the humour of the situ-
ation. 1 Written with compassion and humor, the story is an
absorbing one, ensuring a quick read. 1 She was a delight-
ful person./ull ofgentle humour and quiet courtesy. I black
humour (=humour that makes unpleasant subjects seem
funny) Tom Lehrer's black humor offended some people. who
Joundjokes about such subjects as nuclear war unacceptable.
comedy /'komjdi 11 'ka:-/ the quality in a book, fllm, tele-
vision programme etc that is intended to entertain people
and make them laugh In UJ
FUNNY 538 FUTURE
The actors have triro to put sonre comedy inw a play which
isn~ really funny. I Much of the comedy in the book COrru!S
from the autlwr's ability to make ordinary events seem future
ridiculous. [ Thestorycontainsanei.eT1U!nlOfbizarrecomedy.
wit IWIt! the ability to use words and express ideas in a
clever and amusing way, especially when it is shown in
conversation or writing In VI
He seemed to have everything you could want in a man -
intelligence, wit, elegance and charm. I The wit and irony -. e WILL
o[ the original novel has been lost in the film version. I As
a professor he would entertain his stu.tienlS with acuteobser·
vations and almost savage wit

6 the ability to know when something is funny

and to laugh at funny situations
• FUTURE
sense of humourl see the funny Bide of t the time in the future
humor can laugh 2 at some time in the future, but you do not
can take a ioke know exactly when
. .nse of humour (British) / humor (American) I,sens 3 likely to happen at some time in the future
:}v Ihju:m:}f/ln phrase) 4 words for describing something that will
Maybe I'm kJsing my senseofhumar, but [just didn't/md happen or exist in the future
that movie very funny. I She's a marve/kJus woman - has 5 likely to achieve something or have a
a great sense of humour and sh£'s lots DJfUn. I English/ particular position in the future
French/German etc sense of hUmour I moved to
Englandyears ago but [still don't understand the English 6 ways of saying how much time will pass
Sen.s€ of humour. before something will happen
.,.n take a Joke/k.n ,.elk. 'd3>Uk/ to be able to laugh 7 what is going to happen to someone or
and not get angry, for example when other people say some- something in the future
thing funny about you or make you look stupid Iv phrase1 8 a general idea of what is likely to happen in
I hope she can take a joke. otherwise sm's going w have a the future
real surprise when she sees what they've dOM to her car. I
What's wrong? Can 't you take a joke?
. . . the funny side of ,.si: 00 'fAni said Dvl to realize
that a situation that seems to be bad can also be funny Iv 1 the time in the future
phrasel the future
I was very angry when I got locked out ofthe house, but even·
tually [saw thefunny side ofit. I [explained to the custonrer the future 10, 'fju:tJ"/ln singularl
tlult it was all my mistakeand/ortunately he saw the/UMY It's TW good worrying about the past - you must start think-
side 0/ the situation. ing about thefuture. I Many of Nostradamus' predictions
about thefuture have come true. I My boss asked me if[ had
.,.n laugh Ik.n 'Io:f U -' Irefl to beabte to laugh and joke anyplansforthefuture.1 see into the future( =to see what
about your own mistakes and faults or about past will happen in the future) Sonre people ckJim that they can
experiences which did not seem funny when they were see into thefuture by examining the position of the stars. I
happening Iv phrasel the car/train/society ete of the future (=the one that will
We can laugh now. but at the time it seemed like the end oJ exist in the future) The car of the future will probably run
the world. I can laugh at yourself Don't roke yourself too on hydrogen.
seriously - it's a good thing if you can laugh at YOUTSl!If
sometimes.
furious ANGRY 2, 7
2 at some time in the future, but you do not
fumlsh PROVIDE 1
know exactly when
furore In the future one day/some day
furrow
ANGRY 7
LINE 5 some time/sometime one 0'
these days
further FAR 1, MORE/EXTRA 1 In the future IIn 00 'fju:tJ,'/ladv phrasel
further: advancelfurther HELP 5 A cure for cancer may well be found in the future. lin the
further/advance your career SUCCESSFUL 1 near future (=soon) Scientists are worning that there could
further on AFTER 8 be a big earthquake in Tokyo in the near future. I In the
furthermore/moreover AND/ALSO 2 Immedlate future (=very soon) [ don't think that the eco·
furthest FAR 1 TWmic situation will get better in the immediate future, but
furtive SECRET 7 there is sonu /wpe that things could improve next year. I
furtively SECRET 6 in/for the foreseeable future (=from now for as long as
fuse: have a ahortfuse BAO-TEMPERED 5 you can imagine or plan) The Prime Minister said that Brit-
fusion MIX 8 ish troops would have to remain inNorthem [relandfor the
fuss PROBLEM 1 fo~biefUture. lin the distant future (=a very long
fuss: make a fuss IMPORTANT 11 time ahead in the future) Manned space travel to other solar
fusa: make a tusalkfck up a fuss COMPLAIN 1 systems may be possible in the distant future.
fusa: make a fuss ot KIND 5 some time/sometime 1.$Am ltalm, ISAlUtalmJ at a time
fusspot COMPLAIN 2 in the future that has not yet been arranged ladv phrasel
fussy ARGUE 3 Would you like to go for a drink some time? I I promised
fusay: be fussy about CHOOSE 9 Eliznbeth I'd take her to the zoo sometime soon. I [ was think·
tussy: not be fussy DON'T CARE 2 ing of asking Jane out on a date sometime next week.
tUBSY eater: be a tusBy/picky eater EAT 8 . one day/some day It WAn 'del , ,SAm 'dell at an
futile POINTLESS 1 unknown time in the future. especially a long time in the
future AFTER 4. FUTURE 4. 5. 7 future ladv phrasel
future: have a bright future SUCCESSFUl4 There'll probably be a united Europe one day - not in my
future: In the future FUTURE 2 lifetime though. I Healwoys knew that sonreday she'd want
, tuture: the future FUTURE 1
FUTURE
/JJ go back /JJ Vietnam I One day you'll thlmk mefor making
you study hard.
one of the.e dava/1wAn;}V Oi:z 'delzl at some time in
the future, used especially when you think that something
will probably happen or that someone will probably do
something fadu phrasel
Om of t/uSR days s/u'1l be sorry for what s/u's dom. I
Richard shouldn't work so hard - he'll have a heart attack
one of these days.
3 likely to happen at some time in the future
be on the horizon
be in store
be on the horizon /bi: on 00 h;,lralZan/ if something,
especially an important change or event is on the horizon
it seems likely to happen at some time in the future Iv
phrasel
Political change seems to be on the horizon in North Korea. I
After two weeks a/talks a solution to the dispuU! isfinally
on the horizon.
be In store /hi: In I SI:>! r I if something unexpected such
as a surprise or a sudden problem is in store for someone,
it is about to happen to them Iv phrase)
be in store for There was a surprise in storefor Paul when
he got to his ofj"UX!. I be in store At that tim£ t/uy had no i£iea
what was in store, nor what the result ofit would be. I what
fate/the future holds in store for (=what is going to
happen to someone in the future) When they first arrived
in t/u US t/u refugees were afraid ofwiuIt thefuture might
hold in store for them there.
4 words for describing something that will
happen or exist in the future
future
to come
ahead
future,'fju:t!eJfl [adj only before noun ]
Women often wish to return to their jobs at somefuture date,
for example when their children start school. I It's our duty
to protect the countryside so that it can be enjoyed by future
generations. I The US administration 'sfuture economic poli-
cies will be severely qffected by the mounting burden ofdebt
to countries like Japan. I for future reference (=for your
use as information in the future) Is it alright if I keep these
statistics for future referena?
to come Itd lurn/ in the future [adv phrase!
generations/years/along time to come In years to come
people will look back on today as a turning point in the his-
tory ofthe world. I Nuclear power stations will still be needed
for a long time to come, until cheaper, safer forms of energy
arefound. I be still/yet to come (=to not have happened
yet and will happen soon) The best is still to come - there's
chocolate ice cream for dessert.
ahead 'd1hedl in the future, used especially when you
know you will have problems or difficulties in the future
ladv]
the day/week/months ahead He had his breakfast and
thought about the day ahead. Ille ahead The government
faces some difficult decisions in the weeks and months which
lie ahead. I ahead of sb I know there are some big problems
ahead of us, but I'm sure we can overcome them.
5 likely to achieve something or have a
particular position in the future
future prospective
potential in the making
future {'fju"j,,{ ladj only before noun]
Giggs is a very talentedfootballplayer - he could beafuture
captain o/Wales. I Before tire scandal erupted he was being
talked about as the future President of tire United States.
potential {po'tenj,l{ potential customer/client/wit-
ness etc (:;;someone who might become a customer etc in
the future) ladj only before noun]
539 FUTURE
The aim of the survey is to find pol£ntial customers for our
products. I Police belkve they may havefound a potential wit-
ness. I It's wrong to regard all soccer fans as potential
trouble-makers - it's only a small minority who are respon-
sible for the violence.
prospectlve/pr.J1spektIvl prospective candidate/em-
ployee/husbandlbuyer etc (""one who wants to get or
may be chosen for ajob, position ete in the future) {adj only
before noun]
My mother keeps introducing me to men wlw she considers
to be prospective husbands. I Texaco has introduced a com-
pulsory HIV testing program for all prospective employees.
In the making /In bd ImelklIJI a top player/a world
champion/a frrst class lawyer etc in the making
(=someone who is likely to do very well in their field of
work or sport if they have the right training) ladj phrase]
When I first saw her play tennis I knew that there was a
future Wimbledom champion in the making.
6 ways of saying how much time will pass
before something will happen
from now
away/off
from now IfI<Jm lnau/ an hour/2 days/lO years etc from
now (=an hour 12 days, 10 years etc from the moment when
you are speaking) (adv phrase]
The bomb is timed to explode 10 minutesfrom JWW. I A year
from now you'll probably have forgotten that the accident
ever happened. I In about hundred years from now there
could well be no rainforest left.
away/off /d1wel , of 11 <}:f/ if something that you know
will happen is 6 months, 4 days, a week etc away or off,
it will happen after 6 months, 4 days, a week etc have passed
ladv]
Mary was desperately looking forward to her retirement,
which was 12 years away. I The wedding was more than a
year away but she had already bought a dress for it. I The
exams are still a few weeks off - I've got plenty of time to
prepare for them.
7 what is going to happen to someone or
something in the future
future
fate
destiny
future/'fju:tJeJfJ In singular ]
I've called you into my office in order to discuss your future
with this company. I havea great/promising future (=to
seem likely to do very well in their career, sport etc) He's
afantastic basket ballplayer - he has a greatfuture ahead
of him. I Noriko has a promising future as a classical
violinist. I sb's/sth's future looks uncertain (=it is not
certain what will happen to them) The corporation hns
already lost $200 million this year and its future looks
increasingly uncertain.
fate/felt/ what will or must happen to someone or some-
thing, used especially when something bad is going to
happen [n C usually singular)
Congress will meet to discuss the fate of the US space pro·
gram. I decide sb's/sth's fate (decide what will happen
to them) The fate oft/u prisoners will be decided by a panel
of three judges. I sb's/sth's fate is sealed (=their fate is
fixed and there is nothing they can do to change what will
happen) Thefate of the factory is sealed - the owners say it
must close next month.
destiny /'dest!ni/ a person's destiny is what they are
going to do in their life and what is going to happen to them
during it In C usually singular]
The government wants to give people more control over their
own destinies. I be sb's destiny to do sth Hitler believed
that one day it was his destiny to become leader of Germany.
FUTURE 540 GAMBLE

8 a general idea of what is likely to happen in

the futu re
the outlook
prospect
scenario gabble
G
TALK TO SB 14
the outlook Illi lautlukJ what is expected to happen in gadget MACHINE 1, TOOL 1
the future In singular} gaff: blow the gaff TELL A SECRET 3
Despite recent setbacks the generalecorwmicoutlook remains galle MISTAKE 5
good. I t he outlook for TIw long li!rm outlook for the US gag JOKE 1. PREVENT 4, SICKNOMIT 2
steel industry is particularly worrisome. gaga MENTALLY ILL 5
prospect "prospekt 11 'pro:-I the prospect of something gaily DON'T CARE 5
happening is the idea or possibility that it will happen in
the future In Cl
the prospect of sth l dolng sth TIw prospect of putting Igain 0 r earn? I-----;;:--:;;::;;;;;iffirl
weapons in space is/rightening to many people. I I had read
a great deal about Professor Chomsky and I felt very excited get aomethlng . GET
at the prospect of meeting him. I We are facing the prospect
ufa very hard winter. I prospects for Prospects/or a peace earn money
settlement in the Middle East are not very hopeful at the
moment. I prospect! hope I never have 10 have a brainoper- I~ In nulTlbet' or
-
.. . INCREASE IN
-
atien - it must be an appalling prospect. amount NUMBER OR
scenario Is1 I na:ri;)(J a _Inre_, - Ine-J a description of a AMOUNT
series of events which could happen in a particular situa-
tion, especiaUy a bad situation in the future (n Cl
present a scenario The scenario presented by some environ- gain GET 7, 11 , INCREASE IN NUMBER OR
mentalists is 0/ a global catastrophe in which the earth's AMOUNT 1, PROFIT 1
atmosphere is polluted and the human race dies out com- gain enlry ENTER 4
pletely. I nightmare/worst-<:ase scenario (=the worst pos- gain ground MORE THAN BEFORE 2
sible situation that could happen) In a worst-case scenario, gain height UP 3
Iraq would launch a nuclear strike against Israel and this gain In MORE THAN BE FORE 3
would draw them into the war. gain/gather momentum FAST/QU ICK 11
gain weight FAT 7
futuristic MODERN 3 gaining on: be gaining on FAST/QUICK 13
gaining on: be gaining on/be closing on NEAR 9
gall WALK 17
gall ANNOY 1
gall: have the gall to do 5th RUDElIMPOLlTE 3
galling ANGRY 9, ANNOY 5
galore LOT/A LARGE NUMBER OR AMOUNT 4
gamble GAMBLE 1
" gamble: a gamble RISK 2

• GAMBLE
to try to win money by guessing who will win
something, what will happen etc, or by
winning a game tha t is played for money
1 to gamble
2 to gamble an amount of money on something
happening, fO( example on a race,
competition etc
3 someone who gambles
4 to risk money in business in the hope of
making a large profit

"You say" is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English.
1 to gamble
gamble play 'or
money
gambling have a flutter
bet/have a bet play the horses
g8mble /'gremb.'/ lv II TI
She's very religious - she doesn't smoke, she doesn 't drink,
and she doesn 't gamble. I gamble heavily (=gamble often
using a lot of money) When his Wife kft him he started gam-
bling heavily - some nights he lost tlwusands 0/ dollars. I
gamble sth away (=waste a large amount of money by
gambling) Our songambl£s halfhis wages away every week.
g8mbllng / 'gremb h ~/ the activity of gambling In UI
Any form ofgambling is strictly prohibiU!d. I He had to beg
his father for money to payoff his gambling debts. I Gam-
bling is the number one industry in the state 0/ Nevada.
GAMBLE 541
betlhave a bet fbet, Ihrev ~ lbet! to gamble money on the
result of a race, game, or a competition Iv IJ
I hate losing money, so I only bet occasionally. I bet/have
a bet on Sm had a bet on tm Derby and won £500.
play for money IlpleJ far 'ffiAnil to gamble money on the
result of a game which you are playing, such as cards [v
phrasel
Do you want to play for money to make the game more
interesting? I You're allowed to play cards in the bar, but
you're IWt allowed to play for money.
have a flutter I,hrev d I flAtdrl an infonnal British expres-
sion meaning to gamble a small amount of money in one
particular race, when you do not usually gamble Iv phrase]
It's the big race next week. Areyougoing to haveajlutter?1
have a flutter on I had a littleflutter on thi! Grand National
and won £5.
play the hors•• 'lplel Od Ih.1: cs~zl an American expres-
sion meaning to gamble money on horse racing Iv phrase 1
Barry would never think DJ gambling on cards but he loves
to play the horses.
2 to gamble an amount of money on something
happening, for example on a race,
competition etc
bet put £10/$20 on 5th/lay £10/$20 on 8th
back place a bet
bet lbell Iv TI
bet £10/$100 etc on Andrew bet £10 on a horse called
Lucky. I Onefan has bet $200,000 on the Redskins winning
the Saperbowl. I bet sb £10/$100 etc (that) My broth€r bet
me SOp that England would win the World Cup. If bet you
$5 that m doesn't turn up! I bet £10/$100 etc How much
are you willing to bet?
back /brekJ to gamble money on a horse, team or person
which you think will win a particular competition. [v T J
back sb/sth We backed a horse named Light For Me that
jinismdjirst at unl back sthlsb to win sth Uncle Barry
has baclred Arsenal to win tm FA Cup.
put £10/$20 on sth/lay £1 0/$20 on sth /pul(£IO,
ete) on (sth) , lel -/ to gamble a particular sum of money on
the horse or team that you think will win a race or a com-
petition Iphr v TI
He put £5 on a horse called Desert Orchid in the 3.30 at
Cheltenham. I Lenny laid twenty bucks on the Bills to win.
place a bet Ilpiels a lbetj to say which horse, team, com-
petition etc you want to gamble on and pay the money
which you want to gamble Iv phrase ]
place a bet on I've placed a bet on a horse in the next race. I
place a bet All bets must be placed before tm start of tm
race.
3 someone who gambles
gambler
punter
gambler / 'g3!mblo'l In Cl
My grandjather was a drinker. a womaniser, and a gam-
bler, but m was greatfun w be with. I heavy gambler (=one
who often gambles and loses a lot of money) The King is a
heavy gambler - he thinks twthing of losing $100.()(X) in a
single night at the casilUJ.
punter IlpAnta r / a British word meaning someone who
gambles money, especially on a horse race [n Cl
The punters got very angry when they heard that the race
had been fl.Xed.
4 to risk money in business in the hope of
making a large profit
speculate
speculate / lspekjlJlettj to buy a large amount of shares,
land, or foreign money in the hope of making a large profit
when you sell it [v IJ
GAME/MATCH
Her fatmr had rn£Uk his money spetulating on th€ New York
Stock Exchange. I speculate in shares/land etc Terry
speculated in mining shares and lost a lot of money.
speculator 1nl Spetulators (=peopie who speculate) have
been buying Deutschmarks, betause they think tm value of
the Mark will rise soon.
gambler GAMBLE 3
gambling GAMBLE 1
game GAME/MATCH 1, SPORT/GAME 2
game: be game WILLING 1
game: give sb a game PLAY A GAME OR SPORT 2
game: give the game away/give the whole thing
away TELL A SECRET 3
game: match/game GAME/MATCH 1
• GAME/MATCH
an occasion on which people play a game or
take part in a sport
1 a game
1 a game
match/game event
match meeting/meet
game
match (British) I game (American) Imrelf, gmn/ an
organized game that is played between two teams [n C J
match/game between The match between Liverpool and
Arsenal will decide the championship. I footballibaseball
etc game Tonight's baseball game is very important. I Did
you see the Giants' game yesterday?
match ImrelJl an organized game, especially one lhatcon·
sists of several parts and is played between two people [n Cl
Thefirst match of the tournament is Becker against Agassi. 1
tennis/boxing/chess etc match There's a boxing match
on TV tonight.
game /ge llnl an informal game in which you play just for
fun In Cl
Joe and I played golf all morning. We had a really good
game. I game of Do you want a game of chess?
event /] I ventl a match or competition, especially one that
is important and is attended by a lot of people [ n CJ
sporting event John rarely misses a sporting event in his
town. I big/ major event (=important event) As ajournalist
she covers many of the big events.
meeting (British) I meet (American) l 'mi:"Q, mi:1/ a
sports event consisting of a number of different races on
the same day [n C J
athletics meeting This is the most important athletics meet-
ing of the season. I race meeting (=a meeting consisting
of a number of horse races) It was thefirst time Annie had
ever been to a race meeting. I track meet (=athletics com-
petition) Tm alMmeriron track meet is scheduledfor Satur·
day July 25.
games 542 GENEROUS
games SPORT/GAME 1
gamut: the whole gamut VARIOUS/OF DIFFERENT
KINDS 5
• GENEROUS
gang CRIM E 6, FRIEND 3, GROUP OF PEOPLE 5, 10
gangling TALL PE RSON 1 1 words meaning generous
gap DIFFE RENT 13, HOLE 2, SPACE/GAP 1 2 nol liking to spend money or to give money
gape LOOK AT 2 or g ifts 10 other people
garbage RUBBISHIWASTE 1, USELESS 2 3 someone who does nol like spending o r
garbage: be garbage/s load of garbage BAD 1 giving money
garbled: muddled/garbled CLEAR/EASY TO
UNDERSTAND 4
garden path: lead ab up the garden path
TRICK/DECEIVE 3 1 words meaning generous
garish COLOUR/COLOR 5 generous
garment CLOTHES 1 kind
garnish DECORATE 1, 3 open-handed
gash CUT 11
gasp BREATHE 2, 6, SURPRISED 3 generous/'d3CIL1r3sl willing to give money, spend time
gatecrash GO TO/ATTEND 1 etc in order to help or give pleasure to other people [adj ]
gatecrasher INVITE 4 Their father was a wealthy and generous man. I "I'll give
gateway to WAY/METHOD 4 you £10. " "Thank you, that's very generous, "I The hospitnl
gather CROWD 3, FIND OUT 2, GET 8, INCREASE IN was built with the help of a generous donation from a
NUMBER OR AMOUNT 5, MEET 3 wealthy businessman. I generous to She is generous to the
gather dust USE STH 9 children and often gives them presents. I it is generous of
gather momentum: gain/gather momentum sb to do sth It wasextreTTU!ly generousofher togiveyou that
FAST/OUICK 11 money. I hope you appreciate it. I generous with your
gather round AROUNDIROUND 2
time/money/help (=give it generously) She's always very
gathering MEET 6, PARTY 1
generous with her time.
gaudy COLOUR/COLOR 5
generously [adv I Many people have given generously to the
children's club.
gauge JUDG E 1, MEASURE 1
generosity "dJen;)lroslti ~ . Ira:-I [n UJ She relies too much
gaunt THIN PEASON 6
on tJw generosity of her friends (=on the fact that her friends
gawky GRACEFUL 4 are generous).
gay HOMOSEXUAL 1
gaze LOOK AT 2 kind Ikalndl generous to people and really interested in
gaze: avert your eyes/gaze LOOK AT 9 making them happy IOOjl
gear CLOTHES 4, EOUIPMENT 1 Sh€ is a kind and though(ful woman, I [ accepted Michael's
gear up PREPARE 1
kind offer, I kind to They were very kind In me wh€n I went
to visit them in Gennany.1 it is kindofsb to do sthIt was
~ gear up: be geared up READY 1
kind. of you to lend me the money for my train ticket.
gear yourself up PREPARE 3
kindly ladvl Mrs Hoskins has very kindly volunteered In
gen up on FIND OUT 6 provide refreshments.
gender SEX/GENDER 1
open-handed {1<KI~n Ihrendld"l generous to large num-
bers of peopte IOOj]
He has the reputntion of being an open-handed host- I The
government was not open-handed when it caTTU! tofwuling
the arts.

2 not liking to spend m oney or to give money

~ • IN GENERAL
general DETAIL 5
general: in general IN GENERAL 1
general: in general/generally speaking IN GENERAL 2
general public: the general public ORDINARY 3
general store SHOP 3
generalize SIMPLE/NOT COMPLICATED 4
generally IN GENERAL 1, MOST 5, USUALLY 1
generally speaklng/aa a rule IN GENERAL 1
generate CAUSE 5, MAKE 4
generation AGE 5
; generoua BIG 7, GENEROUS 1
j generous: be generous GIVE 13
"You say" is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English,
or g ifts to other people
stingy miserly
mean penny-pinching
tight/tight-listed
stingy {'stlnd3i{ not generous, especially in small ways,
when you could easily afford to be generous (ad})
They are rich, but they are rerribly stingy, I stingy with [
don't know why she had to be so stingy with the drinks at
the party - they have plenty of money,
me.n Imiml a word used especially in British English
meaning not generous [adj ]
My brother's really mean. He's never bought anyone a birth-
day present in his life. I He was the TTU!anest man I had ever
workedfor. I Don't be so mean, You can afford to buy lunch
for a change!
tight/tlght-flsted ltalt, ltalt Ifl st~d "l informal words for
describing someone who is not generous and tries very
hard to avoid spending money [adj)
She's really tight with money and only puts the heating on
ifit's!reningrokL I Our tightjlStedemployers won'tpay us
for the Christmas holiday,
miserly IImalz3Tlil not at all generous, and hating to
spend money ladjl
Jeff is a hard. miserly farmer who spends as little as ]XJssi-
bleon himselfor hisfarm, I They paid us a miserlysumfor
our work.
GENEROUS 543 get up to
penny..plnchlng ,I peoi I pmtf IIJI spending very little, or getIn the way of PREVENT 1
always spending less than is needed, often because you do getInto INTERESTED 5
not have very much ladjl getInto: can't get into FIT/BE THE RIGHT SIZE 3
H is grandparents were hUlTWurless and penny-pinching. I getIt UNDERSTAN D 2
Unfortunately we have a penny-pinching local government, getIt: be going to catch it/get it/cop it PUNISH 6
so sports facilities are awful. getoff GET ON OR OFF A BUS, PLANE ETC 2,
PUNISH 8
3 someone who does not like spending or - get oH lightly PUNISH 7
get off on ENJOY/LIKE DOING STH 4
g iving money
get off with PUN ISH 7
miser tlghlwad get on GET ON OR OFF A BUS, PLAN E ETC 1
skinflint cheapskate get on : not get along/not get on RELATIONSHIP 3
mls.r /Ima lza r/ someone who hates to spend any money get on/get ahead SUCCESSFUL 1
at aU. and gets great satisfaction from saving money [n Cl get on with CONTINUE/NOT STOP 1, 00 4
She complains that her husband is a miser who never lets get onto CONTACT SB 1, SUBJ ECT 3
her have any money. I When the old miser died, they found get out ESCAPE t , 2 , 3, FIND OUT 4 , GET ON OR OFF
$5o,()()() hidden in his bedroom A BUS, PLANE ETC 2, LEAVE A PLAC E 3,
skinflint , IskIn I fl I Ot/ an informal word for someone who REMOVE 1
hates to spend or give money In Cl get out: can 't escape/get out ESCAPE 10
get out of AVOID 2
We waited/or the old skinflint to find his wallet and pay us
our money. r get over RECOVERfGET BETTER t , 3
get over: can 't get over SURPRISED 2
tlghtwad /'tanwod 11 -wa:d/ an infonnal American word
get over: get it over with/get it over and done with
for someone who hates to spend or give money In Cl
Joe is such a tightwad - h£ won't even buy his own FINISH DOING STH 7
newspaper. get/put sb's back up OFFEND 1
get round: get around/round AVOID 3, 4, SPREAD 3
cheapskate /1tli:pskelt/ an infonnal word for someone get round/around PERSUADE 2
who dislikes spending money, and does not care if they get sb down SAD/U NHAPPY 11
behave in an unreasonable way to avoid spending it In C l
get sb out ESCAPE 8
Howard called the taxi, he rode with us, and then the cheap-
get ab out of SAVE/RESCUE 2
skate didn't even offer to pay any of the fare.
-i get sb to do sth PERSUADE 1
I get Bb up/out of bed WAKE UPfGET UP 7

i
genial FRIENDLY 1
genius INTELLIG ENT 11 get 8th off SEND 2
genius: a genius INTELLIGENT 1 -. get sth off your chest TELL 9
" genius: stroke of genius IDEA 2 get 8th out WASH 9
!i"' genocide KILL 9 , get 8th out of FIND OUT 7, GET 9 , 11 , TELL A SECRET 5
"lil: gentle KIND 1 get sth over EXPRESS 1
" gentleman MAN 1 get ten years/six months/a fine etc PUNISH 5
• gents/men 's room TOILET 1 get through: go through/get through SPEND MONEY 3
genuine REAUNOT FALSE OR ARTIFICIAL 1, 3 get to ARRIVE 1, REACH 3
:f genuine: the genuine article REAUNOT FALSE OR get to: come/grow/get to START DOING STH 13
I ARTIFICIAL 1 get to: how do I get to WAY/ROUTE 6
~ genuinely REAUNOT FALSE OR ARTIFICIAL 4 get to be BECOME 6
geriatric OLD/NOT YOUNG 8 get to do sth CAN 4

i gestation period BABY/HAVE A BABY 9

gesticulate SIGN/GESTURE 2
gesture SIGN/GESTURE 1, 2 I
get together ORGANIZE 1
get·together PARTY 1
get up STAND 2, WAKE UP/GET UP 4
gesture at/towards POINT AT 1 , get-up-.and..go ENERG ETIC 4
get ANSWERfREPLY 7, BECOM E t , 2, 3 , 7, BUY 1, get up to 00 6
CATCH 1, 3 , CAUSE 3, COOK 1, EARN t , GET
t , 2 , 3, 4 , 5 , 12, t5, 16, REACH 4 , SCORE 1,
TAKEfBRING 3, UNDERSTAN D 1
get: be going to catch it/get it PUNISH 6
get along/get on RELATIONSHIP 2
Iget I-~~----,
get along: not get along/not get on RELATIONSHIP 3 which meaning?
get around TRAVEL 6
get around: get round/get around PERSUADE 2 get or receive • GET
get around: there 's no getting around It ADMIT 2 something
get around to/round to DO 4
get around/round AVOID 3, 4, SPREAD 3 become something (i' BECOME
get at CRITICIZE 4, FIND OUT 3, THREATEN 1
get away ESCAPE 1, 5, LEAVE A PLACE 7 buy something 11' BUY
get away: escape/get away ESCAPE 9
get away with PUNISH 8 get money for work fl EARN
.. get back GET 10, RETURN 1
get back at REVENGE 1 get to a Place' "t .. ARRIVE
_ _ _ _ w .. _ _ _

get back to ANSWER/REPLY 1

geUbecome MORE THAN BEFORE 3
• ayallable for peQpleto t '"'1> . AVAILABLE
get by SURVIVE 5 . have
~ "-
;I; get by In SPEAK A LANGUAGE 7
., get down WRITE 6
get points In a gI\Ine' -+ . SCORE
h get down to START DOING STH 4 _or 8port ~ ""
get In ARRIVE 3 , ASK FOR STHfASK SB TO DO STH 6,
ENTER 4 , 6, WIN 1
get in/get home RETURN 1
I get In/Into GET ON OR OFF A BUS, PLANE ETC 1
GET
. GET
1 to get something that you want through your
own effort, skill , or work
2 to succeed in getting something that is
difficult to get or that other people cannot get
3 to be given something
4 to get something by buying it, stealing it. or
being given it, used especially when you
want to say how someone got something
5 to get a letter, telephone call, message etc
6 to get something by chance
7 to get more and more of something over a
long period of time
8 to get a lot of something from several different
places or people
9 to get something from someone by using
force or threats
10 to get back something that you had before
11 to get something useful, such as knowledge
or experience by doing something
12 to get good or bad treatment, remarks etc
from people
13 words for describing something that you can
get in a particular place
14 to suddenly get such a lot of messages, work ,
people etc that you cannot deal with them
15 to get a disease or illness
16 to get a particular result in a test ,
examination, or in your schoolwork
17 to not get something that you could or should
get
1 to get something that you want through your
own effort, skill, or work
get win
obtain find
secure attain
get Iget/ lv T not in passivel
get sth Stuart got a job as a computer programmer. I It
usually takes four years to get a degree at an American
university. I She's getting the money to pay jor her vacation
by working weekends. lU'you get the right answer they'll give
you a/ree camera. I get yourself sth Did you get yourself
somewhere to live near work? I Michelle's managed 10 get her-
self a new boyfriend.
obtain I~blte lnl a fannat word meaning to get something
IvTI
Information about visas and passports can be obtainedfrom
your local library. I Small business often have great
difflCulty in obtaining creditfmm banks. I Until recently it
was practically impossiblefor Gatlwlic women to obtain a
divorce from their husbands.
secure /SllkjuafJ to succeed in getting official pennission
or agreement for something especially when this is
difficult to achieve [v TJ
Foster and Dean [nc has secured contracts worth $£15m to
buildJlShing boatsfor Thailand. I France was abk to secure
the release of two of its hostages in Lebanon.
win /wmj to succeed in getting something such as some·
one's sUPlXlrt or trust by your own efforts [u Tl
The Republican party is proposing big cuts in taxes in an
effort to win the support of the voters. I Her tough stance on
foreign policy issues won her many admirers around the
world.
find IfaIIld/to get the money, time, energy etcthat you need
to do something tv TJ
544 GET
IfIcanfind thenwney, rI/come to the theatre with you. I I'd
really like to go fishing, but I can never seem to find the lime
these days. I Eventually, she found the courage to confront
her husbond about the phatographs.
attain / ~Iteml a formal word meaning to succeed in get·
ting something that you have been aiming at or wanting,
especially after a long period of time tu Tl
More women are attaining positions afpower in public life. I
[fwe work closely with other countries, we can attain the goal
of a good life and a secure world. I Anyone who wants to
attain fluency in a foreign language should buy one of our
dictionaries.
2 to succeed in getting something that is
difficu~ to get or that other peeple cannot get
get land
get hOld of clinch
get/lay your hands on wangle
get Ige~ Iv T not in passivel
Getting the money for the house wasn't easy. I If I get first
prize it'll be a miracle.
get hold of 'Iget 'h<KJld ovl to get something that is
difficult to get by finding it or borrowing it Iv phrase]
Do you krww where I can get hold of a German- Japanese
dictionary? I I've managed to get hold Dfa couple aftickets
for the game.
gatllay your hands on Ilget. ,Ic lj:>:f 'hrendz onl to get
something that you want or need very much, or have been
trying hard to get Iv phrase I
The property companies would love to get their hands on the
area around the station because the land there is worth afor·
tune. I I bet he can't wait to lay his hands on all that money.
land Itrend/land a job/contract/interview/place etc
(=to succeed unexpectedly in getting a job etc. that was
difficult to get) Iv TI
land sth A French company has landed a contract to supply
computers to China. I land yourself sth He's managed to
land himself an amazing job in advertising. I Zoe landed
herselfa part in the Broadway production of The Sound Of
Music.
clinch Ildlnt!1 clinch the deal/contract/champion-
ship/title (=to finally succeed in getting it after trying
very hard) Iv TI
We finally clinched the contract by offering them a lower
price. I It was the BM 40's superior design that clinched the
deal. I Germany scored twice in the last ten minutes to clinch
the championship.
wangle l'wrelJgall an infonna1 word meaning to get some-
thing, especially something that is difficult to get, by using
a clever and often slightly dishonest trick or plan IV TI
wangle 8th "They're sending me to Paris next weekend."
"How did you manage to wangle that?" 1wangle it so that
Gail has wangled it so that we can go in without tickets.
3 to be given something
get be awarded
receive Inherit
be given
get /ge~ Iv T not in passivel
For Christmas I got a watch from my girlfriend and some
money from my JX1rents. I Did you get any medals in the
war? I Housewives are oftEn expected to work long hours
without getting any reward for their efforts.
receive In'si:v/ a word used especially in written English
or in an official contexts meaning to be given something
Iv TI
Disabled peopk are entitlOO to receive s/nte ben€jlts. I In 199(}
she received an Iwnorary degreefrom Harvard University. I
NASA continues to receive the full support of the US
administration.
be given Ibi: Iglvanj to be given something, especially on
one occasion (u phrase ]
GET
At the trial he was given the maximum sentence of30years.1
I didn't find the advice I was given at the seminar particu-
larly helpful. I She was lucky enough to be given another
grant to continue her studies.
be awarded Jbi: a lw~:rd~df to be given a prize, especially
by an important official organization, because you have
achieved something [v phrasel
Commander Gibson was awarded the Purple Heart for his
bravery. I The restaurant has been awarded 4 stars in the
Good Food GUide. I Yasunari Kawabata was the first
Japanese writer to be awardM the Nobel prizefor literature.
Inhertt /In'herAtl to get money, property, or possessions
from someone after their death [v TJ
inherit sth Who will inherit the house when he dies? I
inherit sth from sb She inherited the money from her
mother.
inheritance fn DJ He's net entitled to receive his inheritance
(=the money ete that he inherits) until he's 21.
4 to get something by buying it, stealing it, or
being given it, used especially when you
want to say how someone got something
get
acquire
get /ge~ Iv T not in passiveJ
'Where did you get that shirt?" "My brother gave it to me. "I
[ think she gets all her ideas from books.
acquire /a I kwala rI to get something, especially something
big. expensive, or difficult to get {u TJ
The Boston Museum of Fine Art.~ has recently acquired
several paintings by Salvador Dali. I The US acquired the
Philippines from Spain in the nineteenth century.
5 to get a letter, telephone call, message etc
get pour in/flood in
receive on receipt of
come in
get / ge~ Iv T not in passiveJ
I got a letter from Jane last week. I Did you get any message
about the washing machine? I We kept getting strange phone
calls at odd times o[ the day.
receive In 'si:v/ a fonnal word meaning to get a letter, tel-
ephone call, message etc [u TJ
Thank you for your letter. concerning the post of Sales
Manager, which we received last Thursday. I By the time the
police received the call it was too late.
coma In I .um 'In} if telephone calls, messages, reports
or letters come in, they arrive at an office where people are
waiting for them [phr v IJ
Reports are coming in ofan explosion in the centre ofParis. I
Several calls have come in from people who think they can
identify the two men.
pour In/flood In /IP:J!r, ,fl . . .d 'ml ifletters, calls, mes-
sages etc pour in or flood in, a large number of them are
received (phr v I I
Letters of support have been pouring in since we began our
appeal. I Switchboard operators say they have been over-
whelmed by the sheer volume of calls that have been flood·
ing in.
on receipt of Ion rllsi:t ovl an expression used in a bus-
iness or official context: if someone does something on
receiptofa letter, sum of money etc, they do it when they
receive it [prep ]
On receipt ofa cheque for £5 we will send you afull colour
booklet which explains how to lose 10 kilos injust2 months. I
The Department of Social Security can only issue benefits on
receipt of your claim forms.
6 to get something by chance
get sth by chance/accident/luck
come by
fall into sb's hands
come Into sb's possession
545 GET
get sth by chance/accident/luck / ,gel (Slh) ba ,
'tfo:ns, 'reks~d~nt, lJ . . . k II-'tfrens-f [vphrasenotinpassivel
I got the job by accident -I was working in a nearby office,
and someone asked me ifI knew anything about cars. I Some-
times you can get valuabre antiques by chance - for exam-
ple when you're clearing out an old building.
come by f'kAm ball to get or find something, especially
by chance [v T not in progressivel
I came by the letter by chance when I was looking for some-
thing in her desk. I After the war,jobs were very hard to come
by. I Ella came by a little shop that sold exactly the type of
paper she was looking for.
fall Into ab'. hands l,b:1 Int~ (sb's) 'hrendzJ if some·
thing important such as a secret docwnent or piece ofinfor-
mation falls into someone's hands, an enemy succeeds
in getting it and may use it against you Iv phrase]
In 1942 secret documents showing the exact position of Brit-
ain's radar defencesfell into the hands of the enemy. I This
map must not be allowed to fall into the wrong hands.
come Into sb's possession " leArn 1Ot.l(sb's) p~'zef~nl
if a valuable object or an important piece of information
comes into someone's possession, they get it tv phraseJ
How did the painting come into your family's possession? I
Private letters between Lady Sarah and an American
millionaire have come into the possession of a national
newspaper.
7 to get more and more of something over a
long period of time
accumulate gain
amass acquire
accumulate I;>'kj u:rnjgle ltl to gradually get more and
more money, possessions, knowledge etc over a perioo of
time Iv T J
Henry Ford accumulated a iarge/ortuneduring his years
as head of the Ford Motor Co. I By the late 19505 scientists
had already accumulated enough evidence to show a clear
link between smoking and cancer. 11 just don't know how
we've managed to accumulate so much junk!
amass 1;>lmresl to gradually collect a very large amount
of something such as money or knowledge Iv T ]
People who concentrate only on amassing large amounts of
weaUh anapossesswns are oj/£n d£eply unhappy. I The secret
service has amassed a large body ofknowledge about the pri-
vate lives of leading politicians.
gain Igeln/ to get more and more experience or confidence
in doing something, or more and more support or admira-
tion [v TJ
11 took mea long time to gain enough con,{u1ence losing solo
infront ofa large audience. I Ross Perrol has gained sup-
port among young voters in the recent elections. I Groups
such as Acid Banana are gaining something of a cult
following.
acquire I ~ 'kwal~rl to get the knowledge, skill, or ability
to do something by your own efforts, or to become well
known because of your skill and abilities [v TJ
It took him a long time to acquire the skills he needed to
become a professional artist. I Some apes have acquired the
ability to communicate with humans using sign language. I
In recent years Itzak Perlman has acquired an enviable repu-
tation as one of the world's most accomplished violinists.
8 to get a lot of something from several different
places or people
collect
gather
assemble
collect /ko' Jekl/ to get things of the same type from differ·
ent places and bring them together Iv TJ
Before they wrotE thefinal repart they had to spena6 months
collecting facts anafigures. I I've been collecting samples of
thedif!erent types of rock which occur in this area. I Could
you collect the names ofall those who would be interested in
a trip to Seattre.
GET
gather Ilgre~:}rl to search for and get things of the same
type from different places [v TJ
Many o/the plants in the gardens were gathered on trips to
Japan and China. 1 She found that slaying at hotels on the
beach was an excellent way to gather material/or her novel.
assemble/;)'sembal/ to get and put together something
such as proof or infonnation in an organized way [v TJ
We will let you have the report as soon as we have assembled
all the data. 1 Defence lawyers say they need more time to
assemble the evidence for their client's case.
9 to get something from someone by using
force or threats
get 8th out of
squeeze
extort
get 8th out of I ,get (sth) 'aut DV
11 -o:v/ to make someone
give you something such as money or information by
persuading them, tricking them, or threatening them [phr
vTI
I managed to get the money out of him by saying I needed
it for my sick mother. 1 The police did everything they could
wget the name DJhis accomplice out ofhim, but he wouldn't
talk.
squ ••ze/skwi:zl to force someone to give you whatever
you want, for example money or infonnation, even though
they try very hard not to give it [v TJ
squeeze sth out of/from sb They won't stop till they've suc-
ceeded in squeezing every last penny out ofyou. I See if you
can squeeze any nwre information from them.
extort 'lk'Sb:Ttf to illegaUy force someone to give you
money by threatening them with violence [v Tl
extort money from! out of sb The majra makes most of its
money from prostitution and. extorting money from small
businesses. I extort sth Corleone wasfound guilty ofextort-
ing money and organizing protection rackets.
extortion I lk ' so:TJanj [n VI Barratt is charged with extor-
tion (::oextorting money from people) and murder.
10 to get back something that you had before
get back recoup
regain reclaim
recover win back
retrieve
get back I,get 'brekj [phr v T not in passivel
get back sth Remind me to get back that book I lent to Paul. 1
get sth/it/them back The kidnappers said the Masans
would not get their son back unless they paid them $40,000
in cash. I getsth back from She's trying to get her son back
from her husband.
regain In' gem/ to get back an ability or quality that you
have lost, for example your freedom, your power or your
confidence [ v T J
Bill spent two weeks in the hospital regaining his strength
after the operation. I Forces loyal to the President are strug-
gling to 1l!/Iain control over the Eastern part ofthe city. 1 A/fRr
four years at home with the children, Molly was desperate
to get ajob and regain her independence and sel/<onjldence.
recover In 'kAv~TI to get back something such as an abil-
ity that you have lost, or something that has been stolen
from you [v T J
The bank is planning to sue the company in order to try and
recover it's money. I Young Jimmy certainly seems to have
recovered his appetite.
recovery In VI The book tells the story ofthe recovery (=the
recovering) of a stolen bomb by American agents.
retrleve /rI1tri:vl to get back something after you have put
it somewhere Iv Tl
retrieve sth I had left my bag at th£ railroad station and
went back to retrieve it. I retrieve sth from He bent down
and retrieved his knifefrom the dead soldier's back. 1 Ifyou
want to retrieve ajilefrom the computer press FIND and then
enter the name of the file you want.
546 GET
retrieval In VJ The information is stored on discfor easy
retrieval ( ::050 that it can be retrieved eas ily).
recoup In 'ku:pl to get back money or profits that you
have spent or lost [v TJ
recoup sth She put $50 on the next race in an attempt to
recoup her losses. I recoup sth from The dentist gives treat-
mentfor freeand then recoups thecostfrom the government.
reclaim In 'klelln/ to get back something that belongs to
you which someone else has taken or which you have let
them have [v Tl
reclaim sth You can reclaim tax i/youfindyou have paid
too much. I I had to wait two hours at the airport to reclaim
my luggage. I reclaim sth from When the Native Americans
fought to reclaim their wnd from the settlers, they were
slaughtered by the thousands.
win back I ,win I brek/ to succeed in getting something
back by trying hard Iphr v T I
win back sth The Miami Dolphins hope to win back the
Superbowl. 1 The airlines ore trying to win back passengers
by offering special low fares at certain times. I win sth!
him/them etc back Jack could see no way of winning his
wife back.
11 to get something useful, such as knowledge
or experience, by doing something
gain
get 5th out of
profit from
gain Igeml Iv TI
I didn't get much money when I was doing the job but I
gained some valuable experience. I What advantages did
America have to gain by signing the trade agreement with
Mexico and Canada. I Since Feinstein was elected as mayor
the town has gained a hospital, two schools and. a new
link·road.
get 5th out of I,get (sth) 'aut DV 11 -o:vl to get something
useful from a situation, especially new knowledge or
experience {phr v T J
What doyouexpect to get out ofyour stay in Canada? I Your
kctures last term were really good - I gOl a lot out of them.
profit from " prnf1t from 11 Iprmflt fTl\.mJ to get an advan-
tage from something, especially unfairly IV Tl
The only people who stand to profit from the new tax laws
are the very rich. I The big banks are profiting from other
people's misfortlUles by taking their /wIneS and savings.
12 to get good or bad treatment, remarks etc
from people
get be greeted with
receive meet/be met with
be on the receiving end
get Igetl (v T not in passive]
It's always nice to get praisefrom people about your work. I
All I got was a quick "Hello pop" and then off he went to
schooL 1It's not easy being in thisjob - you get a lot ofgrief
and aggravation.
recelve/n'si:v/ a fonnal word meaning to get good or bad
treatment from people [v Tl
Traffic cops often receive abusefram angry nwtorists. I The
airmen showed signs of the punishment they hcu1 received at
the hands oftheir captors. I James' condition may have been
caused by the treatment he receivedfram his parents when
he was a child.
be on the receiving end Ibi: on Oa rl Isi:VII) ,endl to be
the person who has to suffer something unpleasant, espe-
cially when usually you are the person who gives this treat-
ment to other people Lv phrase)
As a teacher I often have to criticize my students' work, so
it was strange finding myself on the receiving end. I The
people on the receiving end of the government's policies are
the poor and the unemployed.
be greeted with Ibi: 'gri:t~d WI(}I if a plan, idea, or some-
thing new is greeted with a reaction, it gets that reaction
Iv phrase I
GET
The new plan was greeted with enthusiasm. I Her first
attempt to break the record had been greeted with ridicule
and treated as trivial by the press.
meet/be met with Imin , bi: Imet WI{J} ifan idea or plan
meets with or is met with a reaction, especially a good
one, it gets that reaction IV T l
Vera '5 p lan met with our fu ll approval. I The campaign has
met with some success, but not as much as we hoped. lOur
proposals were met with a favourable response at the
meeting.
13 words lor describing something that you can
get in a particular place
obtainable
obtalnable /ab 1telnab.11/ [adj not usually before noun)
Copies of the booklet are obtainable from your local post
offzce. I Freshfruit and veg have become readily obtainable
all year around.
14 to suddenly get such a lot 01 messages, work,
people etc that you cannot deal with them
be swamped with
be Inundated with
be knee-deep In
be swamped with Jbi: ' swDmpt WH!) 11 .Iswa:mpt-I [v
phrase I
Since we started the advice service we have been swamped
with requests/rom people who need help. I The newspaper's
oiTzces were swamped with calls protesting at its reporters '
behaviour.
be Inundated with /bi: 'In;)nden!d WltJ/ to get so many
telephone calls, offers, requests etc after a statement or
request has been made that it is difficult to deal with them
all [v phrase I
Soon after the story ofour little girl's illness appeared on TV;
we were inundated with offers of help. I Employment agen-
cies have been inundated withjob hunters since the company
closed down. I After we advertised in the local newspaper,
we were inundated with phone calls.
be knee-deep In /bi: ,ni: 'di:p m/ if you are knee.deep
in work, mail, etc you have a lot of t hese things to deal with
Iv phrasel
We're knee-<i£ep in applirotionsfor tlwjob we advertised last
week. I I'm not coming out tonight I'm qjraid. I'm knee-deep
in extra work.
15 to get a disease or illness
get pick up
catch develop
contract come down with
get {get{lv T not usually in passivel
I think I'm getting a cold. I Trust him to get toothache on the
day ofhis interview. I Mostpeople think that ifyougetcancer,
there's no hope. I get sth from/offsb Nick's got a .<;Ore throat
- Iw probably got it off Wura.
catch Ikret.I[ if you catch an illness such as a cold or fever,
you get it, especially from another person, or because you
have been bitten by an insect Iv TJ
catch a cold/pneumonia etc I can 't come to the party - I've
caught a cold. I Towards the end o/ term three boys caught
scarf£tfever. I catch sth from/off sb Ithink I'm getting ""
flU - I must have caught it off one of my students. I catch
sth from sth You cannot catch the AIDS virusfrom mosqui·
toes or other insects.
contract Ik:m 'trrektl a formal or medical word meaning
to get a serious illness Iv T l
Orwell contracted tuberculosis during the war and eventu·
ally died/ram the disease. I By the mid-eighties there was
growing knowledge about who was at high risk o/contract-
ing AIDS. I Dr Chalmers is trying to fmd out how many
people may have contracted the disease in her area.
547 GET ON OR OFF A BUS, PLANE ETC
pick up I,Plk IAPI an expression meaning to get a not very
serious illness such as a cold, a stomach problem etc, used
especially when you want to say where you got it [phr vT ]
pick up sth I picked up a stomach bug on holiday in
Turkey.1pick sth/it up Brendan has a cold. He must have
picked it up at school.
develop /d ,' vel;)p[ to graduaUy become ill with a partic·
ular illness, but not by catching it from someone else Iv T
not in passive]
After her family had brought her homefrom hospiml, slw
developed pneumonia. I It is possible to develop diabetes in
your teens or early twenties.
development In U] a vaccine to prevent the development of
influenza
come down with f,kAm 'daun wll'J[ to become ill with
an illness which is not serious, especially so that you have
to stop work or stay in bed [v TJ
come down with a cold/measles etc He came down with
measles on his/ifth birthday. I Miss Winters thought Imight
be coming down with something and told me to go /rome.
16 to get a particular result in a test,
examination , or in your schoolwork
get
score
get {ge~ Iv T not usually in passivel
What did you get in the maths test? Sixty-five percent, better
than last time. I Sure, he's smart! He got straight A-grades
at high school. I I got a B+ for my essay on the causes afthe
French Revolution.
score /sb:TI to get a particular number of points or marks
in a test or exam Iv TJ
Thirty percent 0/ the students scored more than 400 points
in the qualifying test for medical school. I Children from
poorer homes generally scored lower marks in their school
exams.
17 to not get something that you could or should
get
I06e out
miu out
pass ab by
lose out 1.Iu:z 'autf to not get something such as ajob,
contract etc because it is given to someone else instead [phr
v I1
lose out to sb In the end we lost out to a French company
because tlu!y could do the job cheaper. I lose out It 's simple
- unless you make an lif/ort you're going to lose out. I lose
out on Time and time again, women seem to lose out on pro-
motions and career opportunities.
miss out /.mls laut! to not get something or be able to
enjoy something because you are not in the right place at
the right time [phr v Ii
miss out on She was so busy studying at university that she
missed out on all tlwfun. I &t to the sales early toaooidmiss·
ing out on all the best bargains. I miss out Kim has to be
involved in everything, otherwise shefeels she's missing out.
pass ab by 'Ipa:s (sth) 'bal II Ipres-/ if a chance or enjoy-
able experience passes someone by, they do not get it
because they do not make an effort or pay enough atten-
tion to it (phr v T not inpassivel
Sometimes I feel that all the best things in life are passing
me 1Jy. I Seize opportunities while you can - don't let them
passyou by. I He ended upa bitter old man whofelt that life
had somehow passed him by.
. GET ON OR OFF A
BUS, PLANE ETe
1 to get on a bus, train, plane etc
2 to get off a bus, train, plane etc
GET ON OR OFF A BUS, PLANE ETe
1 to get on a bus, train, plane ete
get on
get In/Into
embark
mount
board on board/aboard
get on I.get 'on I . IO:nJ gcton a bus/trainlplane/ship/
bicycle etc Iv UT J
get on sth Get on a Number 16 bus infrant %ur house.
It'll talre you straight to the town centre. II'll come over to
FranJifurt my,.,lf I'll get on the 11£Xt plane. I Jimmy and Ben
got on their bikes and. rode offas/ast as they could. I get on
The train stopped at a small station. No one got on or of/.
gat Inllnto Ilget Iln, 'Intu:1 to get into a small vehicle, for
example a car or boat Iv IITI
get in/into sth I got in a taxi and went to the hospital
immediately, I The most di,ff'/Cult part is actually getting inU!
the root. I get in The door on the passenger side of the car
was open. "Quick, get in. " the driver shouted.
board IbJ:rdl a formal or official word meaning to get on
a ship, plane, or train Iv T J
A week later he boarded a ship boundfor New York, I Pas-
sengers boarding Flight AP 321 for Paris should proceed to
Gate 9.
embark /Im'bo:rkl a formal or official word: ifpeople,
especially a lot of people, embark, they get on a ship Iv I)
A large army had assembled at the docks and was ready to
embark. I embark for The Pilgrim Fathers embarked for
America in 1620.
embarkation l ,cmbo:flkcI J..,n! In U) Embarkation
(=embarking) will begin one Mur before the ship is due to
leave port.
mount Imaunt/ to climb onto a horse or bicycle Iv UTI
mount sth The king's son nwunted his horse and rode
away. I Mounting his bicycle rather unsteadily, Mr Polly
wobbledjromonesid2oftheroad w !heother, I mount Shall
I hold the horse's bridle for you while you mount?
on board/aboard Ion 'bo:rd, :;)'bo:rd/ if you get on
board or aboard a ship or plane, you get onto it [prep/ adv I
12 o'clock! It's time to get on board the ship. ! A group ofmen
carrying sub-machine guns climbed aboard the plane. ! The
crew of the USS Saratoga saluted the President as he came
on board.
2 to get off a bus, train , plane ete
get 011 disembarl<
get out dismount
leave
get oH /,get 'of 11 -'o:Q get otra bus/ train/ plane/ ship/
bicycle/ horse etc Iv II TI
get ofT sth Lennox got off the plane and made his way
through customs. 1The hill was so steep that she had to get
off her bike and walk. I get ofT Tell the driver I want to get
off at the 11£Xt sU!p,
get out /,get 'aut! to getout ofa car, boat, or train [phrv I1
If the car breaks down again, I'mgomg to get out and walk. I
Everyone else got out at StJames'sandIwas the only person
left on the train, I get out of The police officer ordered him
to get out of his car.
leave /li:vl a word used in official advice or notices mean-
ing to getoffa train or ship on which you have been travel-
ling Iv TJ
When you leave the train, please make sure that you have all
your belongings with you. I Passengers leaving the ship at
Alexandria should proceed to the immigration offICe.
disembark l,dIS~m'bQ:rkl a formal or official word
meaning to gel off a ship or plane I·v IJ
We were allowed to disembark an hour after the ship had
docked. I As soon as passengers disembark at the airport,
they are taken to a security checkpoint.
dismount fdl s 'maunt/ to get down off a horse or bicycle
Iv IJ
They dismounted and led their horses through the forest. 1
Steep hill! Cyclists are advised to dismount.
548 GET RID OF
Iget rid of 1-----,
which meaning?
get rid of something _ GET RID OF
or someone you don't
like
throwaway things _ THROWAWAY
you don't need or
want any more
remove something _ REMOVE
GET RID OF
1 to get rid of something that you do not want,
for example by selling it, removing it, or
giving it to someone else
2 to get rid of ideas, behaviour, influences ete
that are regarded as bad or harmful , so that
they no longer exist in a place or organization
3 to have got rid of something that you do not
want, so that you no longer have it
4 to get rid of a leader, somecne in authority
ete
5 to fi nd and get rid of the bad people in an
organization or in society
1
to get rid of something that you do not want,
I@.I
for example by selling it, removing il, or
~ giving it to someone else
get rid of will have to go
dispose of shed
get shot of
get rid of I,get 'rid QVI to take action so that you no longer
have something that you do not want Iv phrase]
I think it s about time we got rid of some of this junk. I
Waxing is a pai!iful but effective method of getting rid of
unwanted body hair. I Once you've got them, mice are quite
difficult to get rid of I After Christmas I'm going U! make
a big effort to get rid of some of my debts. I Sooner or later
this old piano will have to be got rid of
dispose of Id ( ISJX)UZ DV 1 -a:v/ to get rid of something,
especially something that is difficult to get rid of Iv TJ
After killing his wife, he had U! find a way of disposing of
her body. I Factories are using the river to dispose of their
industrial waste, I The hoUS<? was so badly infested wit/i cock-
roaches that aUlhe furniture had to be disposed of
get shot of I,gct 'Jot DV 1 -'Jret-I an informal expression
meaning to get rid of something, especially something that
you have been trying to get rid' of for a fairly long time [v
phraseJ
I can't wait to get shot of this stupid car - it keeps breaking
down all the time. I Everybody's in a rush lo get shot o/their
shares in the company.
will hav. to go IWll .hrev t., 'g:;)(J1 if you say that some-
thingwilI have to go you think it should be got rid of,espe-
dally because you do not like it Iv phrase )
1 can '[ stand this carpet. I'm sorry Lany. it 'U have to go.
shed /fed/ a word used especially in newspapers meaning
to get rid of something, especially something you have too
much oflvTJ
Shed tha,., extra pounds with our new high-fibre diet, I The
coal mine closed shedding 125 jobs. I When he's been drink·
ing he sheds aU his inhibitions and does the most outrageous
things.
GET RIO OF
2 to get rid of ideas, behaviour, influences etc
that are regarded as bad or harmful, so that
they no longer exist in a place or organization
rid 8th of
free 5th of
dispel
rid sth of / ' nd (sth) ov 11 -o:vl [phr v T not usually in
passive]
McCarthy tried to rid America of the 'evils DJ Communism '.1
One day scientists will be able to rid the world v/this terri-
ble disease. 11 can '( seem to rid my mind DJ what hilppened
on the day of the accident.
free 8th of /'fri: (sth) ov 11 -o:vl to get rid of ideas,
behaviour, influences ete that are considered bad or harm-
ful and have been present for a very long time [phr v TI
Neighbourhood watch schemes have succeeded in virtually
freeing the area of crime. I Aid organbiQtions are trying UJ
free the country DJ the ravages of two decades of civil war. I
The decision to free the country of CommunLfit control was
a turning point in its history.
dlspel /dJ 'spell to get rid of beliefs. ideas or feelings from
people's minds, especially if they are false or hannfullv TI
The Central Bank attempted to dispel rumours ofa possible
financial crisis. I Freddie Mercury's death did nothing to
dispel the hysteria that surrounds AIDS.
3 to have got rid of something that you do not
want, so that you no longer have it
be rid of
be glad/happy to see the back of
be rid of /bi: Irld Dvl to have got rid of someone or some-
thing, so that they are not there to worry or annoy you Iv
phrase)
AtfirstIwasgladto be rid ofthe extra work but then /real·
ized how much money I was Losing. 1 The sooner we're rid
of this government the better. 1 She says she'll buy a car as
soon as she's rid of all her debts.
be gladlhappy to see the back of Ibi: ,gtred, ,hrepi
t~ si: ~ 'brek DV/ to be very pleased you have got rid of some-
thing Iv phrase I
I'llbegUut to seethe back ofall this unpacking. 1 We'dasked
so many questions the car salesman seemed happy to see the
back of us.
4 to get rid of a leader, someone in authority
etc
get rid of oust
overthrow be deposed
get rid of I.get Ind DV' Iv phrase I
He'sa terrible manager - it 's about time they got rid ofhim. 1
We've got to get rid of the leadership. They have betrayed us.
overthrow ' l:xJv~ fler;)U1 to take power away from a
leader or government especially by force Iv T)
In 1963 General Kassem, Iraq's President, was overthrown
and murdered. \ The Iranian revolution in 1979 overthrew
a dictatorship which hod been supporli!d by the USfor years.
overthrow / 1;)Uv~ rOldu/ln D) The President came to power
after the overthrow of Emperor Haile Selassie (=after he had
been overthrown).
oust laustl to take away a leader's position of power [v TJ
The President was ousted in a coup in 1980. 1Attempts were
then made to oust Mrs Thatcher as party leader.
ousted [adj only before noun J Supporters ofousted dictator
Jean·Claude Duvalier have been terrorizing the city's
inhabitants.
be deposed Ibi: d. 'pouzdl if a political leader, king, etc
is deposed, their power is taken away from them Iv phrase)
In 1399 King Richard was deposed by his cousin Henry.
deposed ladj only before noun) The deposed king set up a
government in exile.
549 GHOST
5 to find and get rid of the bad peopl~ in an
organization or in society
get rid of weed out
purge root out
get rid of / rget Irld Dvl [v phrase)
New police chifif Brody promL"ied to get rid of the city's drug
dealers. ! One of the administration:"i first tasks is to clean
up the system and get rid of protegees of the ex·President.
purge fP3: Td31 if the leaders of a political organization
purge a group of people from that organjzation, they get
rid of them because they have political views which they
strongly disagree with [v TJ
Previous attempts to purge extremists from the party have
failed. I Lenin wanted to purge the organization of any
undesirable elements.
purge [n C/ UI the Stalinist purges of the 1930S 1 The new
leader ordered the purge of all suspected Communistsfrom
the party.
weed out f ,wi:d lautj to find out those people who are not
suitable to belong to an organization or group, and get rid
of them [phr v TI
The report claimed that there were at least 30,000 ineffzcent
teachers that needed to be weeded out. ! The government is
planning new ways of weeding out subversivesfrom sensi·
tivejobs.
root out 1I ru:t 1autf to try hard to find out all the people
who are not suitable to belong to a certain group or organi·
zation, especially when it is not easy to know who they are,
and get rid of them [phr v T I
The military government claims to have rooted out all those
who stood in the way of progress. 1 the efforts of the health
services to root out incompetent doctors
getaway: make a clean getaway ESCAPE 5
getaway: make your getaway LEAVE A PLACE 7
getting on: be getting on OLD/NOT YOUNG 1
getting on for: be getting on for ALMOST 1 . OLD/NOT
YOUNG 9
getting out: I'm getting out of here LEAVE A PLACE 2
getting there: be getting there PROGRESS 1
ghastly BAD 1
ghet10 POOR 7
ghost GHOST 1
ghost town EMPTY 3
• GHOST
1 words meaning a ghost
2 words for describing places where there are
ghosts
1 words meaning a ghost
ghost spectrelspecter
phantom spook
apparition poltergeist
spirit ghostly
ghost f g~ust/ a dead person who appears again after they
have died, either as an image or as something that you feel
is really there [n C)
Do you believe in ghosts? 1 Hamlet is haunted by the gOOst
of his father. 1 What's the matter with you? You look like
you 'vc seen a ghost! ! ghost story (=about ghosts) She gave
me a book of ghost stories, which I greatly enjoyed.
phantom I 'frent~ml a word used in literature meaning a
frightening and unclear image of a dead person [n C J
Suddenly a phantom appeared out ofthe mist, terrifying the
hikers. I Local people claimffi to have seen a phantom horse·
man, who rode across the hills on the night of thefull moon.
apparition Ilre~lrIJanJ an image ofa dead person that
you see suddenly [n Cl
GHOST
A strange apparition appeared in/rent a/them on the path. I
Two of the women said they saw an apparition in the church,
next to the statue of the Virgin Mary.
spirit I lsp1r! tl the part DCa person that is believed to con-
tinue to live after they have died In Cl
In Japan people believe that the spirits a/the dead return to
visit the earth every summer during the ObonJestival. I They
prayed to the spirits oj their ancestors to protl!Ct them from
disaster.
spectre (British) I spacter (American) / 'spek,o'/ a word
used in literature for a ghost, especially a frightening one
[nC[
The boy was standing there again. Was he a spectre return-
ing to haunt Fleury? I They say toot the spectres of the mur·
dered children walk through the grounds at night.
spook /spu:kJ an informal British word for a ghost [n Cl
You're not afraid a/spooks are you? I I wouldn't spend a
night alone in that house; U'sfull a/spooks!
poltergelst / 'pol,o'g'IS'11 'paul-/ a type of spirit that
moves objects or throws furniture about, often causing
damage and making a lot of noise In C]
I think we've got a poltergeist; every morning I keep finding
that things have moved during the night. I The only way of
ridding a house DJ a poltergeist is to call in a priest.
ghostly / 'gaustli/ like a ghost [ad} usually before noun[
She saw a ghostly figure some distance ahead DJher. I Down
the hall he could h£ar the sound of ghostly laughter.
2 words for describing places where there are
ghosts
haunted
haunt
spooky
haunted J I h:>mt1d/ a place that is haunted has ghosts in
it [adj[
The people in the village refused to go near the castle because
they thouglU it was haunted. I haunted house I don't believe
in all this nonsense about haunted houses and witches on
broomsticks.
haunt Ih;>mt/ if a ghost haunts a place, it appears there
often Iv T not usually in progressive]
haunt sth The ghost of the murdered duhe still haunts the
castle. I They say that phantoms and witches haunt these
woods at night. I be haunted by Th£ bedroom is haunted
by the ghost of a young girl. who was locked in there until
she died, many years ago. I The bar is haunted by the ghosts
of ruined gamblers.
spooky I1 spu:kil an informal word: a place that is spooky
feels strange and makes you feel that there are ghosts there
lad} ]
Let's get out of here. this place is really spooky! I What a
spooky castle! It would be a great place to make a film.
ghostly GHOST 1
giant BIG 3
giant: a giant TALL PERSON 1
'" giddy BALANCE 6
gift GIVE 19
~ gift: have a gift for GOOD AT 3
gifted GOOD AT 3, INTELLIGENT 2
gigantic BIG 2
glgg[e LAUGH 6
550 give up
., GIRLFRIENDI
BOYFRIEND
1 a girlfriend or boyfriend
1 a girlfriend or boyfriend
girlfriend lover
boyfriend mistress
partner old flame
girlfriend I1g3:TJfrend/ a girl or woman that you have a
friendly, loving relation sh ip with, usually over a fairly
long period [n Cl
I can 't wait to meet my brother's new girlfriend. I Every time
I saw Alan. he seemed to have a different girlfriend. I ex-
girlfriend (=a former girlfriend) A lex won't stop phoning
his ex-girlfriend.
boyfriend I'b:) lfrend{ a boy or man that you have a
friendly loving relationship with, usually over a fairly long
period [n C]
Denise is very upset because she's just split up with her
boyfriend. I At the age offourteen the most imporlant thing
in some girls ' lives is to get a boyfriend. I ex-boyfriend (=a
former boyfriend) I saw my ex-boyfriend recently - he's mar-
ried now!
partner I'PQ:rtn~rl a person that you have a loving rela-
tionship with, especially someone that you live with as if
you are married, but without being officially married [n Cl
The airline offers special low-cost fares to the husbands,
wives, or partners ofits employees. I sexual partner Because
of the risk ofAIDS, people are havingfewer sexual partners.
lover l 'IAV.,rf a person, especially a man, that you have a
sexual relationship with, without being married to them
and usually without living together [n Cl
The girl claims that she was the President's lover for five
years. I She had been attacked by aformer lover. I be lovers
We were lovers for ten years, while both being married to
other people.
mi.tre.s / 'ml str~sl a woman who has a secret sexual rela·
tionship with a married man In Cl
The King madefrequent trips to Vienna to meet his Hungar·
ian mistress. I She suspected her husband had. a mistress but
had no way of p roving it.
old flame I ,:xJld 1 flelm/ someone who was your girlfriend
or boyfriend in the past, especially someone that you still
like In C]
Bruce is one ofNicky's oldjZames. I I met an oldflame last
night. but I couldn't think of much to say to him.
gist MEANING 10
gist: the gist MAIN 3
give ADD 4. DO 1, GIVE 1, 2, 6. 17, JOB/TASK 3,
LOOSE 2. PARTY 4 , TELL 2
give: be given GET 3
give: not give anything away TELL A SECRET 4
give away GIVE 1, 6, 15
give back GIVE 11
give in ACCEPT 4. LOSE A GAME. COMPETITION. OR
WAR 2
give In: hand Inlgive In GIVE 7

I
giggles: have the giggles LAUGH 6
gingerly CAREFUL 6 give In to CONTROL 8
girl CH ILD 1 givellend a hand HELP 1
I girlfriend GIRLFRIEND/BOYFRIEND 1 give off SEN D 6, SMELL 7
give or take APPROXIMATELY 1
give out SEND 6
give out: hand out/give out GIVE 4
give up GIVE 12, STOP DOING STH 3, 4, 5
give up: I give up NOT KNOW 7
"You say" is used in definitions of some
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English .
GIVE 551 GIVE

1
Igivel to give somelhing to someone without
expecting to be paid for it
give give away
which meaning? let sb have spare
give /g ,v/ lv TJ
give someone • GIVE give sh sth J gave him $10. I Why don't we give her some
' something flowers/or her birthday? I They gave me this leaflet - it's
really helpful. I Let me give you some advice. I give sth to
be given something • GET sb Mrs Richardson gives most of her spare money to char-
ities. I Russell was accused of giving secret infannation to
provide what • PROVIDE the enemy.
someone needs let sb have/.let (sb) 'hawl to give something to someone.
especially something that they have asked for or something
generous or not • GENEROUS that they need [v phrase not in passive I
generous I'veforgotten my notebook. Could you let me have something
to write on? 1Let Phi! have another drink. if he wants one. I
give something to • EXCHANGE Our lawyer says he can let us have a copy of the contract by
someone,and take the end of next week.
something from them give away I.glv a'well to give something to another
In return ' person because you do not want or need it [phr v TJ
-
give everyone equal • SHARE
give sth/it/them away We had too muchfurnitureand we
decided to giue some of it away. I Last year eueryone was
amounts of buying all her records but now we can '1 even give them
something away.1 give sthaway to Tom 'sparentsarefurious with him
because he keeps giving all his toys away to hisfriends.1 give
offer something to • OFFER away sth My Wife gave away my best raincoat - she said
someone it looked old and dirty.
spare Ispe~rl if you can spare a particular amount of
something, you can only give that amount because you
need the rest for yourself Iv T J
. GIVE spare sth Ho w much money do you need? I can spare $10. 1
spare sb sth We don't have very much coffee, I'm afraid, but
1 to give something to someone without we can spare you a little.
expecting to be paid for it
2 to give something to someone by putting it 2 to give something to someone by putting it
near them or in their hand near them or in their hand
3 to give something to someone because they give hand
have done something good or helpful let sb have slip
4 to give something to all the people in a group pass
5 to officially give something to someone
6 to give money. food etc in order to help 91ve /g ,v/lv T I
give sh sth Give me that gun! I Sophie gave Ted her jacket
people who are poor, people who have no to Iwld while she tried on a new coat. I give sth to sb Would
homes etc you give the letter to your uncle when you see him?
7 to give something to a person in authority or let sb have Illet (sb) 'hrevJ to give something to someone.
into someone else's control especially something that they have asked for and that you
8 to officially give the ownership or control of do not really want to give them Iv phrase not in passive)
something to someone else [think you'd better let me have that knife before you hUrt
9 to arrange lor something to be given to someone with it. I Finally, after a lot ofcoaxing, Jimmy let
his teacher have the letter.
someone after you d ie
10 to give something to someone after you have pass lpa:s U presl to give something to someone, especially
because they cannot reach it Iv TJ
owned or used it pass sthPass the salt please. I pass sb 5th Wouldyoupass
11 to give something back to someone who had me my bag. It's under your chair. I pass 5th to sb Ellis
it before quickly passed the note to the woman, looking around to
12 to unwillingly give something to someone else check that no one had noticed.
or stop having it yourself hand Ihrendl to take something in your hand and give it
13 to generously g ive money, gifts etc to to someone by putting it in their hand Iv Tl
someone hand sb sth The nurse handed me a glass of brown liquid
and told me to drink it. I As the delegates entered the room
14 to join with other people in giving money in they were each handed a name-badge. I hand sth to sb
order to help pay lor somethi ng Would you please hand your ticket to the man at the door. I
15 to give someone someth ing extra when they hand 5th down (=from a high place) Will you hand that
buy something box down off the sm/I?
16 to give somelhing that is useless or unwanted slip (sllpl to quickly give someone something small such
to someone else, because you want to get rid as money, by putting it into their hand , especially so that
01 it other people do not notice Iv T )
17 to give a disease to someone slip sb sth J know it's a private party. but ifyou slip the door·
man $5 he'lliel you in. I slip sth into sb's hand/pocket
18 someone who gives something etc During the meeting she reached under the table and
19 something that you give to someone on a slipped a note into my hand,
special occasion or to Ihank them for something
20 something such as money or food that is
given to help people
GIVE 552
3 to give something to someone because they
have done something good or helpful
reward
reward In IW:>:Tdf [v TJ
reward sb with The best way to teach your child to read
is to reward him with lotso/pra ise. I reward sb Thejinder
will be rewarded because the ring has great sentimental
value.
4 to give something to all the people in a group
hand out/give out share out
hand around/round dish out/dole out
pass around/round serve
distribute
hand out/give out , .hrend laut, .glv lautl [phr v TJ
hand/give out 5th Tomorrow the princess will be handing
out gifts at a children's hospital. I The examination won 't
begin until I 've finished giving out the question papers. I
hand/give out 5th to sb OUtside the embassy, students were
handing out leojlets to everyone wha wolked past. I Every
morning a glass of water was given out to each of the
prisoners and it had la last Ihem the whal£ doy. I hand/give
5th out Organizations go around handing food packages
out at railroad stations, where many o/the city's homeless
spend their days. I Some of you will have to share a book -
I've given them all out.
hand around (also hand round in British English)
I,hrend (a) Iraundl to go from person to person offering or
politely giving them something such as a drink, a cake, etc
IphrvTI
hand around 5th Dorothy was handing around coffee and
biscuits when we arrived. I hand sth/it/them around
Would you mind helping me hand the crackers around.
please?
pass around (also pass round in British English) j ,pre,
(;,)'nmnd 11 Ipres·1 if a group of people pass something
around, one person offers or gives it to the next person,
who then offers or gives it to the next etc [phr v TI
pass around sth Pass around those chocolates - don't keep
them all to yourself! I A list was passed round and we each
had w sign our name. I pass sth/itlthem around They had
what was obviously ajoint and they were passing it around.
dlstrlbute /dl'strlbju:t/ to give something such as food or
medicine to a large group of people, especially by using a
planned system of delivering it to them Iv TJ
distribute sth to sb The Red Cross have started distribut-
ingfODd and blankets to villages in theflood area. I distrib-
ute 5th among About $250,000 ofmedical supplies has been
distributed among families affected by the epidemic. I dis-
tribute sth Protestors walked through the streets distribut-
ing leaflets.
us
distribution [n UJ I.d lstr ~ 'bju:Jan/ The distribution of
aid has become moredijJkult since theFl/lhting began.
share out ',fear lautj to divide something into equal parts
and give a part to each person in a group [phr v Tl
sh are out sth As long as they share out tlw work, nobody
minds. I share sth/it/them out Mr Ramsay opened the
parcel and. shared the contents out equally. I share out sth
among When he dies his property will be shared out among
his children. 1share out sth between The prize money will
be shared out between the j oint winners.
dish out/dole out f ,dlf laut. ,dOKJI laut/ to give some--
thing, especially food or money, to people who are waiting
to receive it [phr v T I
dish/dole out sth On the steps ofthe oombed building relief
workers were doling out rice and powdered milk. I
dish / d ole sth out Although our mother prepared all our
food it wos our fa ther wha always dished it out. I dish/ dole
out sth to sb Air hostesses were doling out mints to the
passengers.
serve fS3: rvf to give food or drinks to someone, especially
as part of a meal or party Iv TJ
serve sth The mrol will be served shartly. I serve sb She
can't I4lk wyou IWW - she's seruin/i the guests. I serve sth
GIVE
to sb Don't serve champagne to the children. 1 serve sb with
sth During the conference delegates were regularly served
with coffee and biscuits.
5 to officially give something to someone
award confer
present allocate
grant allotted
award 1;}'W'J: rdf award someone a prize/ degree/ pay
rise etc (=to officially give someone a prize, degree etc,
especially as a reward for their hard work or for something
they have done) [v T usually in passive)
be awarded sth She was awarded the Nobel Prize for her
work in medical research. I A woman who suffered brain
damage during an operation has been awarded $300,{)()() in
compensation. I award sb s th Management have awarded
all factory employees 5% pay increases.
award In Cl The nurses' pay award wasriDt nearly as much
as they expected.
present Ipr! Izent! to give someone something, especially
a prize, as part of an official ceremony tv TI
present sth The company's Vice-president will present the
prize for the Best Salesperson of the year. I present 5th to
sb At yesterday's ceremony the Colonel presented medals to
the men who had fought in the campaign. I A little girl
presented a basket of flowers to the President's wife. I
present sb with sth Before he left London, Mr Bush was
presented with a petition from the Campaign for Nuclear
Disarmament.
presentation f .preun Itelfanl [n Ul The movie star said she
wished she could have attended the presentation of the
awards.
grant Igra:nt 11 grrentl to give someone something that
they have asked for, especially pennission to do something
as the result of an official decision [v TI
grant sb sth The authorities have refused to grant him a
visa to visit the Us. I grant sth The company's application
to build a billion dollar leiSUre complex has been granted
by city hall. I grant sb's request I am pleased to in/onn you
that your request/or housing benefit has been granted.
confer Ik;)n' fJ: rl confer a degree/ honour/title etc (=to
officially give someone a degree, honour etc especially as
a reward for what they have achieved) [ v TJ
confer sth on sb The university has already con/erred
honorary degrees on several prime ministers. I confer on sb
sth The President trusted him so much that he conferred on
him the role 0/ 'Principal Advisor'.
allocate l 'relakeItI if someone in authority a llocates
something such as money, a house, ajob etc to someone,
they decide to give that person some ofthe money, or one
of the houses. jobs etc that are available (v TI
allocate 5th to sb Thecompany has allocated £1000 to him
to get the project started. I allocate sb with sth It's the
manager's job to allocate each member of the team with a
pariicular task. I allocate sb sth Several singl£parentfami·
lies have been a llocated Jwmes on the new site.
allocation l,rela'ke1fanl [12 U J Theallccation D/places at the
university is based on candidates' examination results.
allotted la'lot~d U .1 10:·1 allotted money/ time/space
etc (=the money, time etc that has been officially given or
allowed to someone for them to do something) (at(j only
before noun I
This department has already spent all its allotted budget. I
David. wasn't able to finish the task within the allotted time.
6 to g ive money, food etc in order to help
people who are poor, people who have no
homes etc
give donate
go to make a donation
give away subscribe to
give jglvj Iv UTI
give sth to sb He regulllrly g ives 5% oJhis income to those
in need. I give sth Nat eIWugh peopl£ are prepared w give
GIVE
their time and money. I give sb sth It is estimated that the
English give animal welfare organizations over £2()() million
per year. I give Christmas is the time when the homeless
suffer most and people are asked to give generously.
go to Ilg~ tmf if something such as a sum of money goes
to someone, especially to a group of people who are poor,
hungry, sick etc, it is given to them Iv T rwt in passive]
All the money raised will go to the Kurdish refugees.
give away I.glv ;)I WCI / to generously give money or
useful things to help people who need them more than you
do Iphr v TI
give away sth She's an eccentric old woman who's given
away all her savings. I give 5th/it/them away He's very
secretive about his money but he gives at least $10 million
away a year.
donate Jd;)C.m 'nelt 11 'daunelt/ to give something such as
money or blood, to an organization that does things to help
the public, or to help people who are poor, sick, hungry,
ete Iv IITI
donate sth to The magazine says it will donate all profits
to medical research. I donate sth Hospitals are publicly
appealing for people to donate blood. I donate to sth If the
company wants to donate to charity, it should do so
discreetly.
make a donation I Ime1k ~ d~'neIJanl to give an
amount of money to an organization that helps people who
are poor, sick etc Lv phraseJ
make a donation We're collecting for the Save the Children
Fund. Would you like to make a donation? I make a dona-
tion to sth Michael Jackson has made several large dona-
tions to charities.
subscribe to /sob'skralb tu:/ to give money regularly to
an organization, in order to help it continue its work, espe-
ciaily work that involves helping other people Iv TJ
Some firms subscribe to sporting events and good causes
simply to avoid paying tax.
7 to give something to a person in authority or
into someone else's control
hand In/give in pass on
turn in/turn over surrender
hand over sign away
hand sb over/ relinquish
turn sb over
hand inlglve In I,hrend Iln, IglV Ilnl to give something
to someone, for example so that they can check it or look
after it [phr v TJ
hand/give sth in I want to grade your assignments before
the vacation. so be sure to hand them in on time. I hand/give
in sth When you leave the Iwtel, please hand in your key at
the desk. I Luckily, someone gave in her purse at the lost
property office.
tum In/tum over /lt3: r n 1In, 1t3: r n '~v ~rl to give some-
thing such as weapons or important documents to the
police or to government officials, when you should not
legally have them or you have been offiCially asked to give
them Iphr v T J
turn sth in/over Police are worried about the number of
people who have illegal weapons, and they are encouraging
them to turn them in at their local police station. I turn in/
over sth to sb The government is refusing to turn over the
documents to the UN inspection team.
hand over I,hrend I~uv~r, to give something to someone
because they have asked or forced you to do so Iphr v T 1
hand over sth The robbers forced them to hand over the
money. I I'm afraid I can't hand over the keys to the house
Until the rontract has been signed. I hand sth over If you
don't hand it over I'll shoot!
hand sb overlturn ab over "hrend (sb) l~lJV~r . It3:rn
(sb) I~V'JT/
to give a prisoner to another group of people,
especially the police or the people in authority in another
country (phr v TJ
553 GIVE
hand/turn sb over to sb The terrorists were taken to the
airport, where they were handed ouer to the French autlwri·
ties. I hand/turn over sb The kidnappers promised to go
to the embassy and turn over all their hostages within 24
hours.
pass on ' IPa:S Ion 11 lPres 'o:nl to give information or
documents to another person [phr v Tl
pass on sth OjJiciais admitted that they failed to pass on
important information. I pass on sth to sb T/w committee's
j"mdings hove been possed on to the Ministry ofHealth. I pass
sth/it/them on He was accused ofstealing secret documents
and passing them on to the enemy.
surrender Is'J 1rend'J rI to give your power or possessions
to someone else because you have been forced to do this or
have agreed to do it [v TI
surrender sth The President has indicated that he intends
to surrender power on February 7th. I surrender sth to sb
They promised to abide by the peace agreement and sur-
render all their weapons to the occupying forces.
sign away Ilsal n ~lweTI to let someone else have your pos-
sessions or rights by signing a paper {phr v T I
sign away sth With a stroke of the pen he signed away his
claim to the family estate. I sign sth/it/them away You
can't just sign it away.
relinquish In 'III]kwIJI to let someone else have your posi-
tion, power or rights, especially unwillingly [v TJ
The United States is pressing the Haitian army to relinquish
power. I The Purdeys relinquished control ofthe famous gun·
smith company many years ago. 1The prince was persuaded
to relinquish his claim to the throne.
8 to officially give the ownership or control of
something to someone else
hand over
transfer
make over
hand over ' Ihrend l'JUv'Jrl Iphr v TJ
band over sth to sb In 1997 the sovereignty o[ Hong Kong
will be handed over to China. I hand over 5th It was only
after many legal battles that he agreed to hand over the
farm. I hand 5th/it/them over She had to hand it over
eventually.
handover "hrend~v'Jrl {n UJ Negotiations have begun in
preparation for the handover of power to the new
government.
tranafer Itrrens 1f3: rl transfer power/responsibility/
control etc (=officialiy give it to another person. organi·
zation, or country) [v Tl
transfer sth to sb The military government is refusing to
transfer power to a democratically elected civilian govern·
ment. I In 1923 the ownership of the forest was transferred
to a rich Dutch family.
r,
transfer I1 trrensf3! [n U 1Is the peacliful transfer ofpower
possible in South Africa?
make over I,merk l~ v'JrJ to officially give something
such as money or property by signing a legal document.
so that it belongs to someone else (phr v Tl
make over sth to sb Before he died he made over thefamily
business to his daughter. I make sth over to sb Old people
sometimes unknowingly make huge sums of money over to
unscrupulous business advisers.
9 to arrange for somethi ng to be given to
someone after you die
leave
bequeath
will
leave fli:vf Iv TI
leave sth to sb She left all her money to her three children. I
leave sb sth He was so grateful to the nurses wlw had looked
after him that he left them £1000 each in his will.
GIVE
bequeath /b l ' kwi:6. bl ' kwh6/ a formal word meaning to
officially arrange for something you own to be given to
someone else after your death [v TJ
bequeath sth to sb Altalus beJiueathed his kingdom and
treasures to the Romans. I bequeath sb sth John Frazer
mnde a will bequeathing his local church £5000.
will /w ill an official document that you sign to say what
you want to be done with your property after your death
Ine]
My mother left me these earrings in her will. I make a will
(=write a will) He made his wiUjust hours before he died.
10 to give something to someone after you have
owned or used it
pass on
be handed down
pass on I.pa:s Ion 11 Ipres l o:n/ to give to someone else
something that has been given to you, especially after you
have finished using it (phr v TJ
pass sth/it/them on There '5 only one copy DJ the leaflet. so
when you've read it please pass it on. I pass on sth to sb
When he gave up playingfootball, he passed on all his gear
to me.
be handed down /bi: Ihrend ld Idaunl if someth ing is
handed down. it is given to a younger person in the same
family. for example to a sister or brother, or to a son or
daughter [v phrase J
This ring belonged to one of my ancestors and has been
handeddownfromgeneratwn to generation. 1 be handed
down to sb In most big /amities, clothes are handed down
to younger brothers and sisters.
11 to give something back to someone who had
it before
give back restore
retum hand back
give back I,glv 'brekl [phr v TI
give sth / it/them back Don'tforget to give my pen back
whenyou'vejmished using it. 1 givesth back to sb He's had
that bookforayear now and he still hasn 'f given it back to
nw.1 give sb sth back We'll have to cancel the show and give
the audience their money back. 1 give sb back 5th Give us
back our ball. I give back sth to sb You should give back
loose packages to the man who left them with you.
retum In ' t3!rn,l to give something back to the person or
organization that legally owns it, especially after you have
borrowed it from them [v Tl
return 5th to sb Your passport will be returned to you, as
soon as your visa application has been dealt with. 1 return
5th All library books must be returned before the weekend.
return [n DJ The store is ojJeringa $10,000 reward for the
return of the j ewels.
restore In IstJ: r / a formal word meaning to give some-
thing valuable back to its owner, especially after it has been
taken from them [v T J
restore sth to sb When wefind the stolen vehicle we shall,
ofcourse, make sure that it is restored to its rightful owner. 1
In 1905 both Japan and Russia agreed to restore Manchuria
to China.
hand back I thrend IbrekJ to give something back to some-
one by hand Iphr v T]
hand sth /it/them back Here's the file you want. Please
hond it back whenyou'vefinished with it. I hand sthl itl
them back to sb The ofTrciallooked at her identity card
carefully and then honded it back to her. I hand back sth
Teachers will hand back student assignments after the vaca·
tion. I band back sth to sb She honded back the photograph
to him.
12 to unwillingly give something to someone else
or stop having it you rse~
give up abandon
let 5th go sacrHlce
part with trade away
554 GIVE
give up I ,gl v ' Ap/lphr v TI
give up 5th 1 had to give up the shop when my rheumatism
got too bad. I We sholl never give up tilefreetiomthot we hove
won. 1 give sth/it/them up He says it is legally his and he
won 'f give it up.
let sth go I llet (sth) IgauJ an informal expression mean-
ing to allow something to pass from your ownership or con-
trol. especially as a result of someone winning it or buying
it from you [phr v Tl
The Americans have held the world record for many years
and they're not going to let it go without a fight. I I've
nowhere to store all this china so I'm letting the whole lot
gofor £50.
part with Jlpo:rt w13/ to very unwillingly allow some-
thing valuable that you own to pass from your ownership,
by selling it or giving it to someone {v TJ
I'm reluctant to part with any of my precious books. 1 People
moving to smaller houses from large ones are sometimes
forced to part with treasures they have been hoarding for
years.
abandon fd tbrenddnl to leave something somewhere so
that it can be taken from you or so that you lose it Iv TI
abandon sth Abandon your weafXJns and walk slowly
towards the fence! 1 abandon sth to Thousands of people
in the reg ion have been forced to abandon their homes to
enemy troops.
_erNlee /tsrekrAfal sJ to agree or decide to stop having
something that is valuable, especially in order to gain
something more important [ u TJ
sacrifice sth to do sth He sacrificed a promising career to
look after his hondicapped daughter. I sacrifice sth for The
nation is not prepared to sacrifICe its independence for the
sake of an alliance with a powerful neighbour.
trade away ' Itreld ;)I Wel/ to let someone take a right,
advantage etc from you, in exchange for something that
you want, in a way that people think is wrong [phr v Tl
trade away 5th for (=lose one thing and gain another) The
Unions would be wrong to trade away their futurefor slwrt·
termfinancialgain. 1trade away 5th It's disgusting to trade
away your democratic rights in this way.
13 to generously give money, gifts etc to
someone
be generous
lavish sth on
shower
be generous Ibi: 'd3Cnar;)s/ (v phrase)
We've received thousands of dollars to help the children -
everyone's been incredibly generous. 1 be generous to sb He
was very generous to her when they divorced and let her keep
the Muse and the car. 1 be generous with 5th (=give a lot
of something) When it comes to training, Marion's always
been generous with her time.
lavish sth on l'lrev lf (sth) on 11 -a:nf lavish gifts/moneyl
attention/affection on someone (=to give a lot of gifts,
attention etc to someone, especially in an uncontrolled or
wasteful way) Iphr v T]
For years he lavished expensive gifts on the girl. 1 She's often
been accused of lavishing too much attention on just one or
two students.
shower IIfaud rl to give someone a lot of gifts, love, prizes
ete Iv T]
shower sb with sth Trudi was treated as a special guest
and was showered with gifts everywhere she went. I His
family loved him so much they showered him with affection. I
shower sth on/upon sb When Elvisfirst became famous
he had honours and awards showered upon him
14 to join with other people in giving money in
order to help pay for something
contribute pay 5th towards
make a contribution have a collection
chip in have a whip-round
GIVE
contribute Ik'n'trlbju:~ Iv IITI
contribute sth to/towards 5th In recent years big corpo-
rations have contributed large sums a/money to the Presi·
dent's campaignjunds. I Would you like to contribute some-
thing towards Carol's retirement present? I contribute 5th
All the money that is contributed will go to help the victims
a/the earthquake. I contribute It's/or a good cause. I hope
everyone will feel able to contribute.
contribution f I kontr! 'bju:Jan 11 I kmn-Jln CJ Thanks to all
the private contributions we've received we can now afford
to build the new chemotherapy department.
makeacontrlbutlon/,melk ~ .kontr!'bjU!J.m II- ,ka:n-/
to give an amount of money so that it can be used with other
people's money to pay for something [v phrase]
We are collecting money for repairs to the church roof If any
ofyou would like to make a contribution, we shall be most
grateful. I make a contribution to 5th Each member will
be expected to make an annual contribution of £15 to party
funds.
chip In l ,tJIP IlnI an infonnal expression meaning to join
with a group of people in giving a small amount of money
in order to pay for something [phr v liT I
/feveryone chips in we'll be able to get her a nice present. 1
chip in 5th They all chipped in a dollar so that they could
get a bottle of whisky.
pay sth towards /1 peT (sth) tal WJ!fdz/ to give part ofthe
money needed to pay for something Iv phrase]
pay 5th towards 5th I don't mind paying something
towards Samantha 's wedding present. I Shefeels it's partly
her fault the TV's broken so she's ready to pay $50 towards
a new one. I pay towards 5th Although students receive
government grants, parents are still expected to pay towards
living costs.
hava a collection / Ihrev d kd'lekJ;m/ to collect a small
amount of money from each person in a group [v phrase]
They had a collection at the bar and they raised over eighty
dollars. 1 Every Christmas we have a collection for charity
at work.
have a whip-round I,hrev d 'Wlpraund/ an informal
British expression: if a group of people have a whip-
round, everyone in the group immediately gives some
money they have in their pocket in order to buy something
with the total amount that is collected Iv phrase]
It's Sally's birthday tomorrow. We'd better have a whip-
round so we can get her a present.
15 to give someone something extra when they
buy something
give away
throw In
give away IIg1v ~ Iw ell ifa company gives away some-
thing, they give it to people when they buy the company's
products !phr v TI
give away sth Th€y'regiving awayfree wineglasses when
you spend more than $15 on gas. 1 700 concert ticki!ts were
given away to people buying CDs or cassettes. I give 5th
away with sth "Where did you get that badge?" "They're
giving them away with this week's Melody Maker
magazine. "
throw In /,9r.lU IIn/ to give someone something at no addi-
tional cost when they buy something from you [phr v T J
throw In sth You buy five pounds of apples and I'll throw
in thesepears and a couple oforanges. 1 throw sth/it/them
in Never mind the chairs - I'll throw them in with the table.
16 to g ive something that is useless or unwanted
to someone else, because you want to get rid
of it
palm 5th off on offload
foist 5th on fob ab off with
pelm sth off on I,po:m (sth) 'of on 11 -'"f o:nl an infor-
mal expression meaning to get rid of something which you
know to be faulty or ajob which you know is unpleasant.
555 GIVE
by giving or selling it to someone else without telling them
about its faults !phr v T J
Iflw tries to palm that old Ford ofhisof!onyoujust tell him
you're not interested. 1 I've managed w palm tlult early morn-
ing class off on Mary, she's desperate for work.
foist sth on Ilf:l)st (slh) on 11 -o:nl to get rid of a thing or
piece of work that you do not want by giving it to someone
else !phr v TJ
It 's no use trying t%istyour work on me. 1 foist sth ofIonto
sb He's always trying t%ist the children affon to me while
he goes out and enjoys himself
otfload /ofll dud 11 "J:f-I to get rid of something such as
work or responsibility that you have too much ofhy giving
part of it to someone else I v TJ
You should try and ojjload some of your dulies and relax
more, instead of spending all day at the offlCe. 1 The bank
are trying to ojJ1oad some of their US holdings.
fob ab off with I,fob (sb) 'of w,6 11 ,fo:b (sb) ',:f-I to
make someone accept something that is not as good as or
not the same as the thing that they actually wanted (phr
vTI
I askedfor the original 1965 recording, but the man in the
store tried t%b meoffwith a 1970s version. I Don't [et him
fob you ofJwith SOfm? cheap imported whisky - you want the
r ea l thing.
17 to give a disease to someone
give
pass on
infect
give Ig,v/lv TJ
give sb sth Don't come too close - / don't want to give you
my cold! I Carol was convinced that Brian had given her
measles.
pass on I IPo:s Ion 11 Ipres lo:n/ an expression meaning
to give someone an illness such as a cold, or a slight fever,
used especially when talking about avoiding giving it to
other people !phr v TJ
pass on sth Janet stayed at home for a couple of days
because she didn't want to pass on her cold to anyone else. I
pass sth/it on Be careful that your dog doesn't pass it on
to other dogs - you'd probably best keep him indoors.
Infect fin IfektJ to give someone an illness, especially one
that is serious Iv TI
infect sb The cholera victims have to be isolated so that they
do not infect other patients. 1 infect sb with sth Every time
you sneeze or cough you may be injecting others with your
germs.
infection IlOlfekJanl [n UI We takestrictprecautwns when
treating AIDS patients even though the risk of infection ("'of
being infected) is very low.
18 someone who gives something
donor benefactor
kidneylblood etc donor philanthropist
donor IlddUn~fl a person, organization, or country that
gives something, especially money, to another organiza·
tion or country so that they can use it to help other people
Inel
Money for the new health centre has come mostly from pri-
val€ donors. I Some donor countries have criticized the way
in which their aid is being distributed.
kldnaylblood ate donor /(kidney, etc) d~ndf/ someone
who gives a part of their body so that it can be used in the
medical treatment of someone else In C J
kidney/blood etc donor Unless more blood donors come
forward it may be necessary to cancel some operations. 1
donor The patient needs a liver transplant and the search
has begun/or a suitable donor.
benefactor /Iben!.frektd f/ someone who gives some·
thing, especially a large amount of money, to an organiza-
tion or institution such as a school, hospital or library [n C I
Getty Iuld lx!en the museum's chief lx!nefacwr. 1 public
GIVE 556 go/belong
benefactor(o::a benefactor who helps the public) Wishing gleeful HAPPY 6
to be seen as a public benefactor, the company has given the
city two million pounds towards a new leisure (.'entre.
philanthropist If! 'lceneldPbStj a rich person who gives
a lot of money to help poorer people [n Cl
In Victorian times, factory owners were often also philan-
I
~
"
II!
glib
glide
BELIEVE 13
SLIDE 1
glimmer of hope: 8 glimmer of hopela ray of hope
HO PE 7
glimpse: calch a glimpse of SEE 2
thropists. I the millionaire philanthropist, Graham Paulo r:! glisten SHINE 3
glistening SHINY 3
glitter SHINE 3
19 something that you give to someone on a gloal ENJOY/LIKE DOING STH 4. HAPPY 6
special occasion or to thank them for global ALUEVERYTHING 4. EVERYWHERE I . WORLD 2
something globe ROUND 2
gift globe: lhe globe WORLD 1
present globetrotter TRAVEL 12
reward gloom SAD/UNHAPPY 12
gloomy DARK 3, EXPECT 7, HOPE 10, SAD/UNHAPPY 8
glH Iglft{ In Cl gtorlfy PRAISE 2
Tire sword was a gift to tlu! Queen/ram tire Sultan a/Brunei. I glorious GOOD/EXCELLENT 5
Fred's retiring Friday so we'd better think of a suitable gift gloss SHINY 4
/ar him. I Sire apefU!d all h£r birthday gifts a/rer eveyone Iuu1 gloss over TALK TO SB 20
finished their cake and ice cream. glossy SHINY 1
present 11 prezantJ something that you give to someone on glove: fit like a glove FIT/BE THE RIGHT SIZE 1
their birthday or on a special occasion In Cl glove: hand in glove WITH 4
He got a lot DJexpensive presents/or his 21st birthday. I The glow LIGHT 1, SHINE 1
watch was a present from my mother. I Christmas/ birth- glow In the dark SHINE 5
day/ anniversary present Wecan't afford to spend much glowing HEALTHY 3, PRAISE 6
on Christmas presents this year. glue STICK 1
reward In 'w::>:rdl something that is given to someone as glued: be glued/rooted to the spot NOT MOVING 2
thanks for something helpful that they have done In Cl glum SAD/UNHAPPY 4
There will be a reward of $50,000 for anyone giving police glul TOOrrOO MUCH 2
injonnation that may lead to this man's arrest. I She got no glullon GREEDY I
reward for all the hard work she did. glutton: be a glutton for punishment SUFFER 5
gluttony GREEDY 1
20 something such as money or lood that is gnaw
go
BITE 4
BECOME 4, DIE I , GO I , 3 , HAPPEN 5, LEAVE
given to help people
A PLACE I , 4, PLAY A GAME OR SPORT "
donation PROGRESS 1, REACH 1, TRAVEL 1,
charity WORKING/NOT BROKEN 1
handout go: be on Ihe go BUSY/HAVE A LOTTO DO 1
donation Id",,' nel!,nl In Cl go: from the word go BEGINNING 5
Any donation however small, will be gratefully received. I go: give it a go/a whirt TRY STH TO SEE IF IT IS GOOD 1
The Famine Appeal has raised more than a million pounds go: give il a gollry/whlrl TRY TO DO OR GET STH 4
through private donations and/und-raising activities. go: have a go TRY STH TO SEE IF IT IS GOOD 1, TRY TO
DO OR GET STH 4
charity l'tIrer lti/ money or help given to help the poor, go: I must go LEAVE A PLACE 2
the sick ete (n UJ
Many homeless people are too proud to askforcharity. I All go: I must goll have to go TELEPHONE 7
money raised by the concert will go to charity. go: it's all go BUSY/HAVE A LOT TO DO 3
go: let sb gotout FREE/NOT IN PRISON 2
handout j'hrendautf a word meaning money, food ete that go: make a go of SUCCEED IN DOING STH 1
is given to someone who is poor, used especially when you go: to take away/to go MEAL 8
think they should not be given it or should not have to ask go: will go FIT/BE THE RIGHT SIZE 4
for it In Cl go: will have to go GET RID OF 1
The unemployed needjobs, not government handouts! I She
go about DO 1
applied/or a bank loan because she did not want to depend
on her father for handouts. go after TRY TO 00 OR GET STH 5
go after: chase after/go after FOLLOW 2
giveaway prices: at rockbottom priceslat giveaway go against DIFFERENT 8
prices CHEAP 3 go--ahead MODERN 2
given: be given GET 3 go-ahead: give sb/sth the go-ahead LET/ALLOW 8
I: given: not be given to NOT DO STH 10 ~ go all out TRY TO DO OR GET STH 5
given the situation/circumstances SITUATION 6 -:! go along with AGREE 2
glad HAPPY 4 ~ go along with: not hold with/not go along with
glad: be glad/happy to see the back of sth GET RID ;:; DISAPPROVE 1
OF 3 ~ go around/round AROUND/ROUND 4, SPREAD 3, 12,
glad: be glad/happy/pleased 10 do 81h WILLING 1 TURN 1
gladly WILLING 2 go around and around TURN 1
glance LOOK AT 5 go around/round in circles TUR N 1
glance: at a glance IMMEDIATELY 4 go away DISAPPEAR 2, LEAVE A PLACE 1, 3
glance: shoot/cast/throw a glance LOOK AT 5 go back PAST 5, RETURN 1
glance off HIT/BUMP INTO 4 go back: return/go back RETURN 2
glare LIGHT I , LOOK AT 7 go back on PROMISE 9
glaring OBVIOUS 4 go back the way you came RETURN 6
glassy SHINY 1 go back 10 COME FROM/ORIGINATE 7 . CONTIN UE/
glaze over: sb's eyes glaze over BORING 7 START AGAIN 1, 3
gleam SHINE 1 go back lo/gel back 10 AGAIN 3 , CONTINUE/START
• gleaming SHINY I AGAIN 2
iI glean FIND OUT 1 golbetong PLACE 11
go-between 557 GO
go-between MESSAGE 2
go by G0 4
go by car/bike ete DRIVE 2
go down ooWN 4 . 5 . LOSE A GAME . COMPETITION . OR
WAR 1. WORSE 3
go down/come down LESS 5
go down to REACH 1
go down well LIKE S8 OR STH 1
go lor --
~
ATTACK 1. CHOOSE 1. COST 2 . TRUE 1 . TRY
TO 00 OR GET STH 5
go Irom CHANGE FROM ONE TH ING TO ANOTH ER 1
go-getter AMBITIOUS 1
---
~ • LEAVE A PLACE

"'" • DRIVE
go halves SHAR E 5
go in ENTER 1 trawl 10 oIher
go in for TAKE PART/BE INVOLVED 8 countries, cItIe8-BIC
go Into COUNT/CALCULATE 7 . HIT/BUMP INTO 2 .
INVESTIGATE 1. WORKloo WORK 2 • ff ENTER
go moo/quack/bang/beep ete SOUND 4
• go 011 DECAY 3 . DON'T LIKE 3 . EXPLODE 1. LEAVE A -' • GO TOIATTEND
go
PLACE 1. SLEEP 3 . SOUND 4
oil/pass oil HAPPEN 5
go off with/walk off with STEAL 1
. ,

\19 past B person, , Cl! PASSIGO PAST

~ go on CONTINUE/NOT STOP 1. 4 . CONTINUE/START p..,.8\.c
AGAIN 1. 2
go on about COM PLAIN 2 \19 acroaa a street,
go on at ASK FOR 5TH/ASK S8 TO 00 STH 4 area etc ~-'"
go on for LAST FOR A PERIOD OF TIME 1
go on/keep on TALK TO SB 9 gQing to Iiappeh, win • 8 WILL
go out FASHIONABLE 9 . LEAVE A PLACE 1. happen , •
SOCIALIZE 1. STOP HAPPENING 2 . SWITCH
ON OROFF 2 bI!come ~ng , • BECOME
go out of your way to do 8th TRY TO DO OR GET 5TH 6
go out to TRAVEL 4
go out with/go with RELATIONSHIP 4
go over
go over to
REMOve 4 , REPEAT 4 , VISIT 1
CHANGE FROM ONE THING TO ANOTHER 1.
e GO
JOIN AN ORGANIZATION 4 1 to go somewhere
go round TURN 1
2 ways of saying that a lot of people go
• go through/get through SPEND MONEY 3
go through/over EXAMINE 1
somewhere or go in a particular direction at
go through with PROMISE 7 the same time
go to GIVE 6 . GO TO/ATTEND 1. 2 3 ways of saying that a train. boat. or plane
go together/go with SUITABLE 3 goes somewhere
go to your head: let 5th go to your head PROUD 4
go up EXPLODE 1. INCREASE IN NUMBER OR
AMOUNT 1. UP 3 , 6 , 7
go up to REACH 1 1 to go somewhere
go with AGREE 2 . SUIT/LOOK GOOD TOGETHER 2 . go be off to
WITH 2 come be headinglheaded
go with: go together/go with SUITABLE 3 make your way be bound for
go with/go hand In hand with RESULT 7 proceed be on your way
go without NOT HAVE 2 . 5
head
go without : not go without RICH 2
go /g:xJ/ lu I 1
go to/ into/ down / home/ tbere etc Whereareyougoing?1
He was here earlier but he's gone haTM now. I Elizabeth's
going toaparty - can I go too, Mom? I I wouldn't go to Egypt
in August. It's too hot. I The two girls went down the stairs
nervously, trying not to make a sound. I Until the middle
ages, it was thought that the sun went around the earth. I
go IJyou won't rome with me rU ga alone. I go and do 5th
Go and get the scissors for me, will you?
come IkAmJ if someone comes, they go to the place where
you are or to the place where you are going IV 11
come to/ fromlhome/ herc etc Come here! I How many
people are coming to the party? I I came all the way down
here especially to see him, and now he's gone! I come Billy
wants to come as well. I come and do 5th Come and meet
myfaliu!r.
make your way I,mel k j;:,: T 'well to go somewhere, espe-
cially slowly, carefully, or with a little difficulty, for exam·
pIe because you are trying to move through a crowd Tv
phrasel
"You say" is used in definitions of some make your way to/ through/ there etc After escaping
words or phrases to show they are f rom prison, he managed to make his way to safety. I Will
especially used in Spoken English . passengers on Flight 762 to Moscow please make their way
GO
to the departure lounge. I She slung her bag over her shoul-
der and began to make her way through the crowd.
proceed Ipld'si:dl a formal word meaning to go some-
where, especiaUy when you are continuing ajourney [phr
vl]
proceed tol down/ there etc After lunch we shall proceed
to Hampton Court, palace of King Henry the Eighth. I They
went to California for a ten-week vacation, sailing to San
Francisco and then proceeding in a leisurely fashion to San
Diego. I proceed Before proceeding they looked around to
see if they were being folrowed.
head IhOOf to go in a particular direction with a firm inten-
tion in your mind (v I1
head towards/across!a way etc He headed across the
,lelds in the direction o/the/arm buildings. I head for It was
starting to rain, so we decided to head for home. I head
north/ west etc The pilot took off and headed south.
be oH to /bi: 'orm: 11 - ':>:f~J an informal expression mean·
ing to be going somewhere now or soon {v TJ
We're all offto Florida next week. I I'm just off to the shops.
Is there anything you need?
be headlnglheaded Ihi: 'hedlI), 'hedAd/ to be going in
a particular direction, especially on a long journey [v
phraseJ
be heading/ headed for They said they were heading for
Mexico. I Wepassedafarm wagon headedfor the market. I
The spacecraft is tlwusands ofmiles away now, heading for
Mars. I be heading/ headed southward/north/home ete
I'm not quite sure where we are but I think we're heading
in the right direction. I Where are you headed?
be bound for Ibi: 'baund b:rf if a person, ship, planeetc
is botuld for a place, especially a place that is far away,
they are going there [v phraseJ
The captain told me that the ship was bound/or New York. I
The plane rook oJ!from Athens, round for Rome, with 145
passengers on board. I Hundreds of squealing animals were
herded into trucks bound for the slaughterhouse. I north-
bound/ westbound etc (=going towards the north, west
etc) Go to Tremont and take a westbound train on the Green
Line.1 Two suspected terrorists were removedfrom a Paris-
round flight.
be on your way Ibi: I DD j:): r 'well to be going somewhere
at the present time {v phrase)
be on your way to/ from/ there etc I can't stop to talk now,
I'm on my way to work. I They 'U be on their way home by
now.
2 ways of saying that a lot of people go
somewhere or go in a particular direction at
the same time
pour flock
stream flood
troop file
swarm
pour (pJ:rl to go together as a large crowd into, out of, or
through a place Iv 11
pour in/out/through etc Kids poured out of the school
gates at/our 0 'clock. I As soon as the doors were opened, the
crowd poured in, pushing and shoving.
stream Jstri:mJ to move along as a continuous flowing line
or crowd, all going in the same direction Iv Il
stream along/through/past etc People were streaming
alrmg the lane towards the fair. I Outside the window, all
humanity seemed to be streaming past.
troop Itru:pJ to walk together in a group or groups all going
in the same direction, especially in a way that shows you
are tired or unwilling to go somewhere Iv 11
troop along/back/home etc A bell rang and the children
all trooped. back to school. I The miners, their faces black·
ened, were trooping home after the long shift.
swarm /sw:):r m/ if a large, uncontrolled group of people
swarms somewhere they go there as a large crowd and
move around, especially in a way that is a little annoying
Iv I1
558 GO TO/ATTEND
swarm inion/to ctc Outside, in the hot sunshine, dirty
ragged children swarmed in and out of the gateway. I Fans
were swarming around him, begging himfor his autograph.
flock Iflak 11 fla:kJ ifa lot of people flock somewhere they
go there from many different places, usually because some-
thing interesting or exciting is happening there [v IJ
flock to/into/ there etc Crowds afover a quarter of a mU·
lionj70ck to the raceway each)'ear from all parts ofAmerica.
flood /flAd! if people flood into a place, they go there in
very large numbers especially in a way that is difficult to
control [v I1
flood across/lnto/out etc Thousands ofrefugees have been
flooding across the border. I Every day, more peoplejlood
into job centres looking for work.
file Ifal ll to walk in a line one behind the other in a well
organized way [v IJ
rue int%ut of The students began filing quietly into the
classroom. I file past People filed past the coffin to pay their
respects to the dead President.
3 ways of saying that a train, boat, or plane
goes somewhere
go
call atJstop at
run
go Ig,ul Iv I1
go to/ past/there etc Does this bus go to London Bridge?1
go west!south etc This is the only train going northfor the
next two weeks. I go on (=continue after stopping) After
refuelling in Singapore the plane will go on to Australia.
call at/stop at l 'lod rei, 'stop rei 11 'stO!p-1 ifa train, bus,
or ship calls at or stops at certain places, it goes to and
stops at those places on its way to another place [v Tl
The ship will call at Port Said and Djibouti before sailing
on to Bombay. I Do the buses stop at West Park College?
run IrAol if a train or a bus runs it goes to the same place
regularly I v I J
run fromlto etc There's a train that runsfrom Singapore
all the way up to Bangkok. I run In Florence that day there
was a strike and none of the buses were running.
4 to go somewhere in a particular kind of
vehicle
go by
take
go by l 'g;)(J ball go by car/bus/rail/air etc (=go some-
where in a car, bus, train etc) [v TJ
''Are they driving there?" "No, they're going by fmin ". I Now
that public transport is getting so expensive, many people are
choosing to go by car.
take/telkj take a taxi/bus/train etc (=go somewhere in
a taxi, bus, train etc and pay for your journey) {u Tl
It was loo far 10 walk. so we decided to take a cab.
_ GO TO/ATTEND
1 to go to a particular event such as a party, a
game, or a concert
2 to regularly go to a school, class , church etc
3 to deliberately not go to school, work etc so
that you can do something else instead
1 to go to a particular event such as a party, a
game, or a concert
go show up
attend put In an appearance
come make an appearance
come along gatecrash
turn up
GO TO/ATTEND 559
go Ig>o1 Iv 11
go to Did you go to the baseball game last Wf!f!irend? I Every-
one in town wanted to go to the concert but it was impossi-
bletogel tickets. I go There was a really great party at Peter's
Muse last night but I couldn't go.
attend I~ I tendl a fannal word meaning to go to a particu-
lar event (v I1TI
attend sth She suddenly had to cancel all her plans in order
to attend her mother'sju17£ral. I Do I have to attend the meet-
ing? I attend It's an important decision being voted on and
all rollege staff are expected to attend.
come IkAml a word used especially in invitations, mean-
ing to go to a party, concert, or other event with the person
who is inviting you, or at that person's house Iv fJ
We're having a party on Saturday. Would you like to come? I
I do hope you can come! I come to Who else is coming to the
game?
come along l .kAm .,1101) 11 -~ 'l ::l:I)1 an informal expres-
sion used especially in British English: ifsomoone comes
along to a particular event, they come to it, especially
because you have invited them (phr v 11
We're having a little party at my Iwuse tonight. Do youfeel
like coming along? I Yesterday Bob, Sue and I went for a
picnic. Liz came along later on. I A number ofprofessional
journalists have been asked to COrnR along to give their cu1vice
to the students.
tum up 110: r n •hpl an informal expression meaning to go
to a particular event, used especially when you are saying
how many people go to it (phr v 11
The organizers hcu1 expected about 500 people to come, but
over 1000 tur11£d up in the end. 1 turn up for Union mem-
bers often fail to turn up for meetings.
show up I.f <KJ 1hpl to go to a particular event that you are
expected to go to (phr v 11
It's my sister's birthday party. She'll be very disappointed
ifI don 'tshow up. 1 show up for I knew Vandervolle wanted
the diamond, so I was expecting him to show up for the
auction.
put in an appearance Ilput In;)n ;)lpIJr.msl to go to an
event such as a party, but only for a short time, especially
when you are expected to go to it but do not really want to
go [v phrase!
I hate these official cocktail parties, but 1 suppose I'd better
put in an appearancefor halfan hour.
make an appearance I, melk;)n ;}lpli1l.Jnsl if a famous
person makes an appearance at a particular event, they
go to it, usually for a short period of time [v phrase!
Michael Jackson made a brief appearance and then rushed
ojftoanotherengagement. 1The vice-president is scheduled
to make an appearance at the exhibition at 3 o'clock.
gatecrash I'ge ltkrrefl to go to a party or event that you
have not been invited to {v TJ
We had a few drinks, then gatecrashed Simon 's party. 1
Police were calWJ. to remove several photographers who had
gatecrashed the reception.
2 to regularly go to a school. class. church etc
go to
attend
be al
go to I'g>o tu:1 Iv Tl
We used to go to church every Sunday. I The school that I
went to was an hour away from my home. 1He's been going
to these Spanish classesfor months and he still can 'taskfor
simple directions.
aHend f;)'tendf a formal word meaning to regularly go to
something such as a school or class [v I/ Tl
attend sth He had been sent to England at the age of eight,
to attend a school in London. 1 Those mothers who had
attended the prenatal classesfound childbirth much easier. 1
attend The hospital has a special clinic and patients are
encouraged to attend if they have any problems after their
operations.
good
be at f Ihi: cetl to regularly go to a particular place such
as a school, offIce, or factory because that is where you
study or work [v Tl
I'm at Bel/on School. What abaut you? I I met my husband
when we were at college. 1 My grancifather was at the BBC
for 25 years before he retired in 1976.
3 to deliberately not go to school . work etc so
that you can do something else instead
sklvelskive off cut
play truant/play hooky go01 off
skive/skive off IskalV, Iskalv 'of II-I;,:fl an informal
British word meaning to deliberately not go to school, work
etc, because you are feeling lazy [v IJ
He says that he was so ill he IUld to be sent homefrom schooL
I bet he's skiving. 1 Have you been skiving off again? You 'U
get caught one of these days.
play truant (British) I play hooky (American) I ,ptel
Itru!~nt, .piel 'hukil if a child plays truant or plays hooky
from school, they deliberately stay away from school
without their parent's permission [v phrasel
Billy was caught playing truant and has been given extra
homeworkfor a month. 1 What are you boys doing out here
at this time of day? Playing hooky, T suppose?
cut IkAt! an infonnal word used especially in American
English: if a student cuts classes, school etc, they deliber-
ately do not go to the classes that they should go to [v TJ
When J was a student at university, J often used to cut lectures
and go jLShing.
900t oH Ilgu:f 'Df 11 _I;,:f/ an informal American expres-
sion meaning to deliberately stay away from school or
work and waste your time somewhere (phr v 11
The first time I find anyone goofing ojf or not doing their
share of the work, I'll fire them on the spot. Ilf the kids get
bared in this school, they just goof off some plGj:e.
goal PURPOSE 1
goal: reachlachleve your goal SUCCEED IN DOING
STH 2
gobble EAT 4
gobsmacked SURPRISED 3
god-awful BAD 3
going: be going AVAILABLE 2 , ON/SWITCH ED ON 1
going: gel going START DOING STH 6
going: get sb going ANNOY 1
going: get sth started/going SWITCH ON OR OFF 1
going: set 5th going SWITCH ON OR OFF 1
going back: there is no going back CHANGE/MAKE
STH DIFFERENT 10
going begging: be going begging AVAILABLE 2
going by: judging by/judging from/going by SEEM 5
going for you: have everything going 10r you
ADVANTAGE 3
going on: be going on HAPPEN 6
going on: what's going on SITUATION 4
going on: what's happenlng?/what's going on?
HAPPEN 7
going strong: be going strong LIVING/ALIVE 1
going to do sth: be going to do sth INTEND 1, WILL
1. 2
goings-on HAPPEN 11
golden opportunity CHANCE/OPPORTUNITY 2
goldmlne PROFIT 5
gone: be all gone FINISH/USE ALL OF STH 2
gone: has gone /Is gone BROKEN 3
good BRIGHT 1. CHEAP 6. DELICIOUS 1. GOOD AT
I . GOOD/EXCELLENT I . 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
GOOD/MORAL 1, 4 , 7 , POLITE 5 , SUITABLE 1,
USE STH 8
good: as good as ALMOST 2
good: be as good as EQUAL 4, GOOD AT 10
good: be as good as new CONDITIONISTATE OF STH 3
good: be good BEHAVE 2
good: be good at GOOD AT 1
good: be good for CONVENIENT 1, USEFUL 1
good 560 GOOD AT
good:
good:
good:
good:
be good to KI ND 1
be no good BAD AT 1, USELESS 1
be up to no good BEHAVE 3, DISHONEST 4
do no good FAIL 3
Igood 1~"""if"""""~c--1
good: do you good HEALTHY 6
good: for good ALWAYS/FOREVER 1
whlch'meanlng:t-
good: give as good as you get REACT 2 good In qualtly, • GOODI
good: it's no good/no use POINTLESS 2 EXCELLENT
standard 8IC
good: make good RICH 7, SUCCESSFUL 1 :1lI---- .... -
good: no good BAD PERSON 1
good: not as good WORSE 1
good: not as good as GOOD AT 11 , WORSE 2
tnOI'8ity good
good at doing
-,
• GOOD AT
-
• GOOD/MORAL
~. -
good : not be much good BAD AT 1 8Oi'nethlng, skllful
good : not be very good BAD AT 1
good: not much good/no good/not any good BAD 1 good enough, • GOOD ENOUGH
good: not very good BAD 5 l8Ilsfactory
good: that 's very kind of you/good of you THANK 2
good: think you' re too good for PROUD 9 good point or • GOOD POINT OR
good and ready READY 1 charadel'lslic - CHARACTERISTIC
good books: be in ab 's good books/good graces
SATISFIED 1
good buy: be 8 good buy CHEAP 6
good deal: 8 great deal ofla good deal of l OT/A
ntc;e, pleaaanl
better than aomeIhing
• NICE
------ -
• BETTER
LARGE NUMBER OR AMOUNT 1 01' someone else
good enough GOOD ENOUGH 1
good-for-nothing lAZY 1 become better, make ' - • IMPROVE
good for you: be good for you/be good for your health eom8thlng better
HEALTHY 6, 7 ~.
good friend: good/close friend FRIEND 2 correce_,
good-humouredlgood-humored NICE 2 In~, poeIIIon, ......;..;.......,
good Idea IDEA 2
good Idea: H' s a good idea SHOU LD/OUGHT TO 2
8IC
good-looking BEAUTIFUUGOOD-LOOKING 1, 2 .ay 1!OIi*h!ng 01'
good-looking: not good-looking UGLY 1
good luck: a run of good luck LUCKY 4
, aomeone.j~ good
good luck/best of luck LUCKY 5 - • CONDITIONI
good m anners: have good manners POLITE 1 STATE OF STH
good morning/afternoon/evening HELLO 1
good-natured NICE 2 • SUITABLE
good of: be good of KIND 2 tiI----
good point GOOD POINT OR CHARACTERISTIC 1
good points CHARACTER/PERSONALITY 3
• SUITI
LOOK GOOD
good shot : be a good/bad shot SHOOT 10
TOGETHER
good-sized BIG 1
good terms: be on good terms RELATIONSHIP 2 • • RIGHT/PROPER
good thing: a good th ing/job LUCKY 3
good thing : the good thing about GOOD POINT OR
CHARACTERISTIC 1 .... . HEALTHy
,
good thing: too much of a good thing TOOfTOO
MUCH 2
--. --
-+. EFFECTIVE
good time: all in good time WAIT 2
good time: have a goodlwonderfullmarvellouslterrific
etc time ENJOYILIKE OOING STH 2

• GOOD AT
1 able 10 do somelhing well
2 much bener al doing somelhing Ihan mosl
people are
3 good al somelhing even without being trained
to do it, because you have a natural ability
4 good al doing things with your hands
5 words for describing a job or piece of work
that requires special skill, especially one
where you use your hands
8 likely to become very good at something
7 good at doing a lot of different things
8 the ability to do something well, as a result of
training, experience, or natural ability
9 a type of work, sport, or other activity that you
" You say" is used in definitions of some are especially good at
words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English ,
GOOD AT
10 to be as good as someone else at doing
something
11 be not as good as someone e lse at doing
something
1able to do something well
I@.Ibe good at
~ good
competent
know what you 're doing
proficient adept
able accomplished
capable
be good at Ibi, 'gud "'11 IV phrase)
be good at 5th When she was at school she was very good
at art. I {f you speak French every day, you should soon get
quite good at it. I I admire her - she's very good at her job. I
be good at doing sth &!b is particularly good at dealing
with people, and should make an excellent manager.
good Igudl good singer/player/teacher etc (=good at
singing, playing, teaching etc) [adj ]
Mr Dakley could teach you to drive - I've heard he's a very
good instructor. I Frank had always been a good football
player, and it was no surprise when he was clwsen for the
school team. I We're going tc see our local youth orchestra
tonight. Apparently they're very good.
proficient Ipi.)lfffantJ having reached an acceptable stan-
dard in something, by learning or practising it [adj]
proficient in Beforeyou can study at a British university.
you have to be projlCient in English. I proficient lfyou are
not a proFlCient typist, do not type your own work.
proficiency rn UJ I started playing the violin at quite an
early age, gaining more pro.rlCtency as time went on.
able /'elbal/ good at doing something, especially at doing
a difficult or important job that involves a lot ofresponsi-
bility ladj usually before nounl
Mrs Thomas is a very able teacher. 1Weinberger was widely
regarded as one of the most able members of President Rea-
gan's staff,
capable I'kelpaball someone who is capable can be
trusted to do ajob or piece of work well and without need-
ing other people's help or advice [adj]
You 're dog will be quite safe with Mr Metha - he's a very
capable vet. 1I liked thejirst candidate - she seemed very
capable. I I'm always happy to leave the kids with Martha.
She's such a capable girl.
competent 11 komp!t~mt n 1ka:m-I someone who is com-
petent has enough skill and knowledge to be able to do
something to a high or satisfactory standard ladj]
Competent skiers shouldfind no difflCulty with the course. I
He was a rompetent reader by the age ofseven. I highly com-
petent Tonita is a highly rompetent translator.
know what you're doing '11l:)U wotj:)!r Idu: II)1 you say
that someone knows what they're doing when you
admire and trust them because they are good at something
Iv phraseJ
My accountant saved me over £1000 in tax last year; he cer-
tainly knows what he's doing! I You seem to know what
you're doing - I'll leave you to it.
adept Ilredept, ~'dept 11 a'dept/ good at doing something
that needs care and skill, for example dealing with people
or with difficult social situations ladjJ
adept at Of all our staff, Peter is the most adept at dealing
with difJkult customers. I After years ofservice in the Cairo
embassy, M Lapierre has become extremely adept at Middle
Eastern diplomacy.
accomplished /a'kt..mphJt I1 ~Ika:m-, a1kt..m-/ accom-
plished wrlter/actor/musicianllinguist etc (=someone
who is very good at writing, acting, or other artistic skills,
especially as a result ofa lot of practice and training) ladjl
561 GOOD AT
Graham Greene was an accomplished writer whose novels
have been published in several languages. I highlyaccom-
plished Johann Sebastian 8aeh had three sons who all
became highly accomplished musicians and. oomposers.
accomplishment [n CJ Dancing is one a/her many accom-
plishments. (=things that she is good at)
2 much better at doing something than most
people are
skilful/sklllful brilliant
skilled excellent
expert outstanding
great
sklHul (British) I skllHul (American) l'skIif>11 good at
doing something because you have had a lot of experience
or training and you use this in a careful and intelligent way
ladj)
Gascoigne is an extremely skilful player. I Although he
lacked Tyson's knock-out punch. he was the more skillful
boxer. 1 skilful management/driving/diplomacy etc
(=done by someone who is skilful) Success in business is the
result ofskilful management. I She was congratulated on her
skilful handling of the trade negotiations. I skilful at/in
Racing drivers have to be skilful at avoiding collisions with
other cars.
skllfully/skllIfully ladvl Pele won the ball and skilfUlly
headed it into the back of the net.
skilled IskIidl someone who is skilled at a particular job
is good at it because they have had a lot of experience and
training ladjl
Adjina was a skilled architect. I skilled at/in Our aim is
to develop a team ofrounsellors who are skilled at dealing
with peaple's personal problems. I highly skilled (=very
skilled) The engineeringjirm hasjired thirty stoff. some of
them highly skilled. I Shamir has the reputation of being an
extremely skilled negotiator.
expert 'leksp3: rtl extremely skilful at doing something
because you have gained a Jot of knowledge or experience
of this particular subject or activity over a long period of
time ladjl
Despite her bad eyesight, she was an expert dressmaker. 1
expert at/in Politicians are usually expen at turning a
crisis to their advantage. I expert help/advice/opinion
etc (=given by someone who knows a lot about it) Tennis
coaches will be available to provide expen advice.
expertly ladv] The campaign was well-publicised and
expertly co-ordinated.
great Igrelt/ great actor/player/ scientist etc (=one of
the best in the world and famous and respected because of
this) ladj only before nounl
Olivier was agreat actor. 1Some ofthe warld'sgreatestath-
letes will be competing in the Olympic Games. I McEnroe was
possibly the greatest tennis player of all time.
brilliant I'brllj~nt/ extremely clever and skilful at some-
thing, so that people admire you for your skill ladj]
Mr Lanigan had the reputation of being a brilliant young
lawyer. I Paganini was a brilliant violinist,famous for his
technical skill in both playing and composing music. I bril-
liant at She's brilliant at her job.
brilliance In UJ Hendrix's brilliance as a rock guitarist
remains unsurpassed, even to this day.
excellent I'eksalantl extremely good at something ladjl
Andrew is an excellent runner; he's in the school cross-
country U!am. I She's enthusiastic and hordworking and has
all the potential of being an excellent teacher.
outstanding /aut lstrendllll so good at doing something
that you are noticeably much better than other people who
do the same thing ladj)
Christie is one ofthe most outstanding British athletes a/his
generation. I As a musician he was moderately success[ul,
but never outstanding. I I've taught some good mathemati-
cians over the years, but Sara is quite outstanding.
GOOD AT
3 good at something even without being trained
to do it, because you have a natural ability
talented have an aptitude for
gifted have a gift for
be a natural born
talented I'trelon'jdl ladjl
Steven plays the trombone and Kalie and Louise the violin.
They're a very talented family. I Choosing the lead was
extremelydjfflCUit as all the actors were extremely talented. I
mUlti-talented (=good ata lot ofthings) May I present our
multi-talented musical maestro, Mr Jonnie Starr.
gifted I' gl ft !dl very good at doing something, especially
art, music, or sport, because you were oom with the abil-
ity or skill ladjl
Picasso was one of the most gifted artists who ever lived. I
"She plays thepiano beautifully. " "Yes. she certainly is very
gifted. "I gifted children (=good at school work, music etc
because they were born with special abilities) Researchers
followed the development of a group ofgifted children over
five years.
be. natural /bi: ~ 'ncetfaJ"311 to be good at doing some.
thing and fmd Ueasy as soon as you start doing it Iv phrase)
Look at the way he swings thnt golf club. He's a natural. I
be a natural with John sfwuld settle into teaching quite
Quickly. He's a natural with small children.
have an aptitude for I1 haw :>n I rept~tju!d fJ! T 11 -tu!d-I
to have a natural ability to learn a particular subject or
skill very easily and quickly [v phrase IWt in progressive I
Soon after starting senior school she discovered that she had
an aptitude jar science.
have a gift for 11 haw :> •g ift fJ: TI have a gift for lan-
guages/ painting/ mnsic/ dancing etc (=-have a special
natural ability to do something very well, especially some-
thing artistic) rv phrase not in progressive)
You should study painting at roUege - you have a gift/or
it. I Mozart showed a gift jar music even when he was very
young.
born /bJ:rnj born leader / teacher/ writer etc (=someone
who clearly has a natura) ability to lead, teach etc well, so
that it seems as if they do not need to be taught how to do
it) ladj only before nounl
When I read hisJII'St essays I knew that he was a born writer.I
She has all the right qualities - she's a born leader.
4 good at doing th ings with your hands
be good with your hands deftly
skilled skilful
be handy with be a dab hand
ba good with your hands Ibi: ,gud W I ~ jo:' 'h.,ndzl
to be good at making or repairing things with your hands
Iv phrase I
Jeremy built these cupboards himself He's very good with
his hands.
skilled Isk lldl skilled craftsman/worker (=one who has
had a lot of training and experience at doing ajob in which
they use their hands) [awl
All the goods we sell are moere by skilled crqfismen. I skilled
inlat Thepeoples of the Near East were skilled in making
beautiful carpets.
be handy with /bi: Ihrendi Wllll an infonnal expression
meaning to be good at using a particular tool or piece of
equipment [v phrase]
He hasn't been a decorator for years but he's still pretty
handy with a paint brush. I lfshe's as handy with a tennis
racket as she is with a golf club you don't stand a chance of
winning.
deftly I'defllil if you do something deftly, you do it
quickly and skilfully with your hands (adv]
Look how deftly she sews. I The device was ereftly erefused bY
a bomb disposal expert.
deft [a<tit HisdeftJmgers moved up and down the keyboard.
deftness In U I With dliftrwss and speed, Tom assembled the
shelfunit.
562 GOOD AT
sklful (also sklHul in American English) I'sk llfall good
at doing things with your hands, especially because you
have had a lot of practice or training [adjj
I love watching her paint - she's so skilful. 1 skilful at A
fisherman needs to be skilful at choosing the rig ht moment
to put the line into the water.
skilfully/skillful1y ladvl The sleeve had been sewn bock
on so skilfully that you couldn 't tell it had been tom.
be. d.b hand /bi: ;) Idreb 'hrendl an informal British
expression meaning to be very good at doing something
difficult or complicated with your hands, because you have
done it many times before Iv phrase)
be a dab hand at She~ a dab hand at putting up wall-
paper. 1beadab hand with Let me do that. I'm a dab hand
with a screwdriver.
5 words for describing a job or piece of work
that requires special skill, especially one
where you use your hands
skilled
skilled Isklldl ladj only before noun I
There's not much skilled work available at the moment. I
highly skilled Replacing the gearbox is a highly skilledjob
- I don't think I'd be ablE to do it.
6 likely 10 become very good al something
promising/shows promise
potential
promising/show. proml •• Ilprom! sllJ, ,J:>uz Ipro-
m!s U Ipra:_1 someone who is promising or shows
promise, especially someone who is young, is good at
something and seems likely to become very good and suc-
cessful at it [adjl v phrase )
show promise The new England team members show a lot
a/promise. I a promising actor/musician/player ete Her
brother was a promising young musician wlwse career was
brought to a tragic end in a car accident.
potantlal lpa',en!,11 natural ability that could be deve-
loped so that you become extremely good at something [n
UI
Stephen is a player with real potentiaL I have/show poten-
tIalHe's}Uung but heshaws a lot ofpotentiaL I She may not
be a great violinist yet but she has potential.
7 good at doing a lot of different things
versatile
all-rounder
ver.atlle /' v3: r s:;:,tall 11 -S3t1/ good at doing a lot of differ-
ent things and able to learn new skills quickly and easily
[a<til
Shiriey is a very versatile cook; she can do Chinese. Indian.
or ltalianjDOd, in/act anything you want. I Meryl Streep is
a wondeifully versatile actress.
versatility 11V3:Ts:>ltJ l ~til [n U] What impressed us most was
his versatility.
....round.r IIJ:l l raunc:b TI a word used especially in Brit-
ish Enc1ish, meaning someone who is good at doing a lot
of different things In C usually singularl
He's good at cricket, rugby, and running - h£:S a bit oj an
all-rounder. I We're looking/or a good all-rounder - some-
one who can run the ofjlce, deal with customers' complaints.
and so on.
8 the ability to do something well, as a result of
training , experience, or natyral ability
skill flair
ability dexterity
talent
skill Isk,V the ability to do something well especially
because you have learned and practised it [n C/ UJ
GOOD AT 563
Being a teacher requires many different skills. I The course
will give you tM skills you need to become a sUcces$ul
rnnnager. I The pilot showed great skill and oourage and suc-
ceeded in landing tM plam? I The Australian team played
with a lot 0/ skill and determination. I skill at His skill at
finding the weak pcint in other people's arguments made him
a formidable opponent in debates.
ability '~ 'bll~til the ability to do something well. either
because you have learned how to do it or because you are
naturally good at it In VI
Moria will be a fine musician; she slwws a lot 0/ ability. I
ability at My teaclu!r told me I had a natural ability at
~nnis. 1 ability to do sth No one doubts his ability to get
work done quickly . I spelling/ reading/ writing ete abll·
Ity (=the level of ability In spelling, reading etc) The chil·
dren are divided into groups according to their reading
ability.
talent J'treklOt/ a natural ability to do something very well
In C/UJ
He showed a loto/talent when 1 saw him play in the national
championships. 1John Lennon '5 talent as a songwriter was
matched by McCartn£y 's talent as a compcser. I talent for
Sh£ has a remarkable talentfor plllying the piano. I hidden
talents (=ones that people don't know about) J never knew
you were so good at making speech£S. Do you have any other
hidden talents?
flair Ifle3T I a special ability to do something very well and
in a way that shows a lot of imagination [n singular U J
Being a good salesman requires skill, flair, and a good
knowledgeofyour product. I The Russian skatersgavea very
good performance but they lacked tM artistic flair of Tor·
ville and Dean. I have a flair for Ifyou haveaflair for lan-
guages, there are some good career opportunities in the EG.
dexterity Idek'ster~ti/ the ability use your hands or
fingers very Quickly and well (n UI
Playing a keyboard or string instrument requires great dex-
terity. I Agassi showed skill and dexterity in returning h is
opponent's shots.
9 a type of work, sport, or other activity that you
are especially good at
strength
be ab's forte
not be sb's strong point
strength /strelJ8 , strenS/ something that you are particu-
larly good at in your job, in a sport, or in your life in general
In Cl
Before choosing a career you should spend time identifying
your personal strengths and weaknesses. I In baseball my
strength has always been pitching.
be sb's forte /bi: (sb's) 'fJ:teJ 11 - 'fJ:rtJ to be the activity
that you are best at I v phrase I
"Th is pudding's delicious!" "Making desserts is certainly
her forte . .. I I'm afraid that getting on with people is not
really her forte. No one'sseen her smile since she started work
here.
not be sb's strong point Inot bi: (sb's) IstrDlJ pJlnt 11
· 'stn:lJ-f to not be one of the things that you do wen Iv
phraseJ
Tact was never my strong point and I was always upsetting
people. [ U cooking isn't one of your strong points why rwt
suggest gOing to a restaurant instead of having a dinner
party?
10 to be as good as someone else at doing
something
be as good aa
can hold your own
rival
be •• good •• /bi: .z 'gud .ll Iv phraseJ
He's only sixteen, but he's as good as any of the older boys
in the team I Your French Is ~nilely improving, you'll soon
be as good as your sister. [ be as good an actor/ player/
singer etc as He's as good an actor as you.
GOOD ENOUGH
can hold your own f I hauJd jJ:r I aun/ to be good enough
at something to be able to do it with people who are older ,
more experienced etc than you Iv phrase l
She's very intelligent, she'll be able to hold her own, even in
the advanced class. I can hold your own w1ib Hecan hald
his own with the best players in the league.
rlva1 /lraJvall to be as good at something as another person
who is famous for being very good at it I v T I
In his time he was an excellent runner, rivalling Carl Lewis
as the top American sprinter. [ There'slW one else who could
rival her in terms of sheer talent.
11 be not as good as someone else at doing
something
be not as good as
be no match for
be not as good .s /bi: Inot <JZ 'gOO :lz/ lv phrase]
Danni's a good singer, but she's not as good as her sister
Kylie.1 be nowhere near as good as (=be much less good
at something than someone else) I cUm't know why they
cluJse Nickfor the team - he's nowlu?re near as good as me.
be no match for Jbi: 000 I meetJ b: TI to be much less good
at something, especially a sport or game, than someone
else, and therefore be likely to be easily defeated by them
Iv phrase]
TIu? Canadian basketball team were no matchfor the Ameri-
cans, who uxm by 30 points. I Unfortunately I'm no match
for you when it comes to playing cards.
• GOOD ENOUGH
1 good enough
2 to reach a good enough standard
3 to officially state that something is good
enough aKer examining it
4 not good enough
1 good enough
good enough passable
satisfactory respectable
adequate competent
be alt rlghUOKlokay decent
acceptable will do
reasonable
good enough / 'gOO [loAfl [adj phrase]
lftM woother's good enough IDmorro w, we could go FIShing. I
good enough for It 's just an ordinary table wine but it's
good enough Jar a p icnic. I I'm bored, and [ think that's a
good enough reason for leaving my job. I good enough to
do sth Their car industry is good enough to compete with
European manufacturers.
well enough ladv phrasel She sings well enoug h to be in
the choir.
satisfactory I l sret ~s' freruril good enough so that every-
one is happy about something latUI
We mustfind a satWactory solution to the problem %ver-
crowding in the school. I You won't get paid unless you do
a satisfactory job. I The hospital said that most afthe sur-
vivors were in a satisfactory condition. I The union and the
employers have reached a satisfactory agreement on pay.
satisfactorily Iadv JLord Lucan 's disappearance has never
been satisfactorily explained.
adequate / ' axl lkwAt/ good enough for a particuIarpur-
pose, especially by being of a high enough level, amount,
or quality lruijl
Emp/nyers must provide adequate training opportunities. I
if you're going to teach economics, you need to have an
adequare understanding oJstatistics too. I Now that we have
exrended tM hall, th£se small electric hearers are no longer
adequate. I adequate for Make sure that the lighting is
adequate for your guests to see what they are eating.
GOOD ENOUGH
adequately fadvl Some students oonnot express themselves
adequately on paper.
adequ acy rn U I There are doubts about the adequacy ofthe
medical care that was provided.
be all rlghtlOK Ibi: 1:>:1 Ira lt , alI'kcf' infonnal expres-
sions meaning to be satisfactory although not especially
good Iv phrasel
Oneolthechildrenmadethiscalre. I hope it's a ll right. I "Did
you enjoy thefilm?" "Oh, it was a ll right, nothing specia l. "I
beal! right/OK for This dictionory is OKlor beginners but
for more advanced students I'd recommend something else.
all righ tlOK ladvl Is the car going OK? I Don't worry,l'm
managing a ll right.
acceptable lok' septob,11 good enough to be able to be
used for a particular purpose [adj I
We had a lot a/applicants/or thejob but only a/ew a/them
were acceptabk. I This synthetic materia l is a cheap and
acceptable substitute/or rubber. 1low-/at cheeses with quite
an acceptablej1avour I acceptable to The dispute was set-
tled in a way that was acceptable to both sides.
acceptably [adv] reprographic material of an acceptably
high stanciord
reasonable Ilri:zan3bal/ fairly good but not especially
good ladj l
Most ofher work is ofa reasonable standard. I A reasonable
number 01 people turned up lor the meeting. I We hod an
enjoyable weekend and the weather was quite reasonable.
reasonably ladv I It does make life easier when the children
are reasonobly well-behaved. I We want to be reasonably
sure that everything's safe.
panable I 'p=b>1 11 'pro-I something, such as a product
or a performance, that is passable is satisfactory but not
very good lawl
There was some bread, a little cheese and a passable French
wine. I He gave a passable imitation of Charlie Chaplin. I
She met a teacher who spoke passable English in a town on
the Rumanian-Hungarian border.
respectable /rl lspekt3ball r espectable total/ wage/
score/speed etc(=large enough or good enough to be satis-
factory) ladjl
We raised our score to 142, quite a respectable total. I As a
skilled electrician, Bridgeman earned a very respectable
wage. I An electric vehicle can attain a respectable speed on
surprisingly little power.
respectably ladv l This candidate did respectably (=well
enough) rather than brilliantly.
competent f l komp!t~nt Il lka:m-1 a piece of work or a
performance that is competent is done to a satisfactory
standard bu t does not have any especially good or skilful
features latljl
Most of the essays were competent but one was outstanding. I
The new congressman made reasonably competent speeches
and was listened to with some attention. I Ben took out his
pen and produced a quick but very competent sketch of the
building.
decant I ' di,s.m~ a word used especially in spoken English
meaning ofa good enough quality or standard ladj)
I want to provide my boys with a decent education. 1 There
isn't one decent restaurant around here. lIt's impossib le to
earn a decent living up here in Alaska.
decently ladv l decently cookedlODd
will do IW ll 'du!f an informal expression meaning to be
good enough for a particular purpose Iv phrase )
If you don't have any butter, margarine will do. I I want
someone to practisejirst aid on. You'll do, Stmon. I will do
sb (=be good enough for someone) Don't bother fetching me
another chnir. This one'll do mefine.
2 to reach a good enough standard
make the grade live up to
measure up meet
come up to have what It takes
make the grade /lmelk O~ Igreldl to succeed in reach·
ing the necessary standard. especially in a very difficult
job Iv phrasel
564 GOOD ENOUGH
She would like to become a lawyer but she's not sure whether
she'll malrethegrade. I Only the talentedlew make the grade
in prolessiono l golf.
measure up Ilme~r lAp/ an expression used especially
in questions and comparisons meaning to be good enough
to do a particular job or to reach a particular standard (phr
vII
m easure up to How will the General Secretary measure up
to his new task? I m easure up We'll give you a week's trial
in the job so we can see how you mrosure up.
come up to ' lkAm lAP tu:/ com e up to a standard/
expectation s (=be as good as was expected) Iv T rwt in
passive!
The new design dDesn't come up to our usual standards. I The
computer system has certainly come up to expectations ~ it's
great!
live up to I.ltv lAP tu:/ live up to you r expectation s/
standard /reputa tion etc (=be as good as was hoped for
or expected) Iv T rwt in passive!
The trip lived up to a ll our expectations - it was woru:/erfUI.1
He has been under a lot of p ressure to live up to his reputa-
tion as the world's best player.
m_t Imi '~ to be good enough according to a standard that
has been officially established. Iv TJ
Does the water that comes out of our taps meet government
health standards? I The building does not meet the essential
safety requirements. I Only one system succeeded in meeting
the main perjorrrumce spectjlCations.
have what H tak.s "hrev wot It Itelks/ an informal
expression meaning to be good enough at something, espe-
cially something difficult, to be able to do it successfully
[v phrase not in progressive ]
Do you have what it takes to run this business, or shall I give
someone else the chance? I If'you hnve what it takes and can
stand the pace of advertising, you can earn a very good
salnry.
3 to officially state that something is good
enough after examining it
pass
pass Ipa" 11 presl lv T I
Each car has to be passed by a team of inspectors before it
leaves the factory. I His blood p ressure was rather high so
the doctor couldn 't pass him as fit for the job.
4 not good enough
not be good enough not be up to scratch/not
unsatisfactory come up to scratch
won 't do substandard
Inadequate not live up to
not be good enough Inot bi, 'god ,llIAfllv phrase)
I'm afraid [ can't translate this letter. My Italian isn't good
enough. I not be good e nough for The soil here isn't good
enoughlorarablelarming. I f paid $4Olor thot chompagne,
but it wasn't good erwugh for your snobbish friends. I n ot
be good e nough to do sth a good club p layer, but rwt good
enough to play lor h is country
n ot well e n ou gh [adv phraseJ She didn't play well enough
to be selected lor the team.
unsatisfactory /An lsret!s lfrekbril not good enough
because it causes problems or makes people unhappy ladj]
People should not accept unsat[ifactory products, they should
complain. I [t was a nwst unsatisjactorymeeting; rwt asingie
decision was made. I Sharing my offICe with the two secre-
taries p roved an unsatWactory arrangement.
won't do f IW:X..ln1 'du:/ an infonnal expression meaning
to not be good enough for a particular purpose Iv phrase]
f need strong nylon thread. Cotton won't da. I I can't lICCI!pt
this quality of work. Itjust won't do. t won 't do for Hand-
written notes won't do for our purposes. You 'U have to type
them.
Inadequate /m 'a:d!kwAt/ not good enough for a partic·
ular purpose or for someone's needs ladj l
GOOD ENOUGH
The disease spread quickly because ofpoor living conditions
and inadequate health care. I hopelessly inadequate
(=extremely inadequate) The training that nurses get is
lwpel£ssly inadequate. 1inadequate for My light clothing
was hopelessly inadequate for the cold Japanese winter. I
inadequate to do sth Our firefighting equipment is inade-
quate to deal with a major fire.
not be up to scratch/not come up to scratch
11 not hi: hp to) 's]met]. I not leArn I\p-/ if someone's perfor-
mance, work, or products are not up to scratch, they are
not of the standard that is usually expected [v phrase]
[ wonder if Sykes is ill. His work hasn't been up to scratch
lately. I Schools are being threatened with closure if exam
results are not up to scratch. Ilfthey don't come up to scratch.
you can do them all again.
substandard ',sAb'stren<bfd .. , substandard housing/
accommodation/materials/goods ete (=generally con-
sidered to be below the necessary standard) {adjl
More money should be spent on the improverrumt 0/substan-
dard lwusing. 1 The company lws been accused of using sub-
standard materials in the manUfacture of automobile com-
ponents. , Most household goods sold here are substandard,
but food is plentiful and cheap.
not live up to ' Inot Ilv IAptu:1 not live up to yourexpec-
tations/standards/hopes/ldeals etc (=not be as good as
you hoped or expected) [v T Trot in passive I
The film didn't live up to our expectations. It was too long
and the acting was som£times appalling. ,Markfourullhat
he Simply could rwt live up to his parents' high starulards.1
So far, she has not lived up to the tremendous talent she
displayed earlier.
• GOOD/EXCELLENT
1 well made or of good quality
2 words for describing something such as an
event, experience, book, or holiday that you
really enjoy
3 words for describing something such as an
idea, plan, or suggestion that you think is
very clever, suitable, or likely to succeed
4 words for describing an achievement, piece
of work, or pertormance that is of a very high
standard
5 words for describing good weather
6 words for describing works of literature,
music, or art that are generally considered to
be of very high quality
7 the standard by which you measure how
good something is
8 a piece of art. literature ete that is extremely
good
9 not really good, but not bad
1 well made or of good quality
good first-class
excellent fine
good quality/high quality superlo,
quality deluxe
good Igud/ ladj ]
She loves goodfood and good wine. 1 NiJron make really good
cameras., A lot of our bestfurniture is madefrom tropical
hardwood. 1 My bike is quite good, but yours is better.
excellent Il eksal3nt/ extremely good quality or very well
made la<lil
Noise levels were low owing to the excellent insulation
throughout the building. 1 This wine is quite dry and makes
an excellent accompaniment/or summer food. 1 Throughout
our stay, the seroice was excellent.
565 GOOD/EXCELLENT
excellence In UJ We were all very impressed by the excel-
lence of the design.
good qualltylhlgh quality I,god 'kwol,!i , ,hal· 11
- 'kwa:I-1 well made, from good materials {adj phrasel
This method produces very high quality steel. 1 It's worth
buying good quality cosmetics rather than cheap .ones. 1 We
use only the best quality ingredients for our PIZZas. 1 of
good/high quality Spanish rugs are usually ofgood qual·
ity. 1 Their main aim is to produce plentiful crops of hIgh
quality.
quality 1 1kwn1 l ti 11 1kwa: -J a British word for describin~
goods, products, materials etc that are of a high quality ladj
only Wore noun]
The Barbour jaclret is a quality product which should last
you a lifetime. 1 Across the road was a store dealing in qual-
ity furniture.
flrst-cl.ss/1n:Tst Ikla:s .. 1I-'klres"/aproductorasen:-
ice that is first-class is much better than most others lad; ]
Jaguar has always made first-class cars. 1 The food and
drink at the restaurant are always first-class.
fine Ifaml of a very high quality and often valuable, rare,
or very skilfully made [adj only before noun]
The collar is madE of finest English Ioce. 1 Mrs FiElds lws
a collection ofratherjimprints.1 The trainpassesnearGate
Manor, ajine Victorian mock Jacobean hall.
superior Isu: Iplari:JT, sjU!- 11 su-I a word used especi~ly
in advertising meaning better made or of a better quahty
than most similar products fadj only before noun)
Style, comfort and superior cuisine are the rrwst important
characteristics of a good hotel.
deluxe IdlllAks 11 - IJuksl deluxe model/version/ edition
etc (=one that is of high quality because it has more fea-
tures or uses better quality materials than other ones made
by the same company) ladj only Wore lWun)
The deluxe model comes complete with an in-car CD player
and car-phone. 1Longman has published a deluxe, leather-
bound edition of Johnson 's Dictionary.
2 words for describing something such as an
event, experience, book, or holiday that you
really enjoy
good superb
excellent amazing/lncredlble
perfect be out of this world
great a dream come true
marvellouslwonderfuUfantastlc/terrific
good Igod/ ladj]
"Did you enjoy your trip?" "Yes, it was really good. "I There
doesn't seem w be anything good on TV these days. 11 always
try to takeacoupleo/good books on vacation with me. 1 Did
you have a good day at your rrwther's?
excellent l' eksal3ntl extremely good [adj]
Our local theatre has put on some excellent productions. 1an
excellent film
perfect l'p3: Tflkt/ so good that it could not be made any
better lawl
It was a perfect day out. I This church is a perfect example
of Gothic architecture. 1 "How was your hOliday?" "Oh, just
perfect!"
great fgrelt/ an informal word meaning very good [adj}
Thanks/or a great afternoon. 1 "Did you have a good holl-
day?" "It was great!"
marvellousJwonderfullfantastlc/terrlflc I' ma!'
v-3J3S IWAncbTfai fren1trestlk, b1nflkj extremely good, espe-
cially in a way that makes you feel happy or excited ladjl
This bluebeny piE is wonderful. 1 The kids lwd a marvel·
lous time playing on the beach. 1 His latest song's terrific! 1
W.e had afantastic time at the party on Saturday. 1 abso-
lutely marvellous/fantastic The food at the lwtel was
absolutely marvellous - all homebaked.
sup8J'b/sjU! 'p"rb, SU!- D so-I extremely good, especially
because it is of the highest quality or very skilfully done
lodj]
GOOD/EXCELLENT
This film is worth seeing [or the costumes arone: they're
superb. I The mom affords a superb view across the bay.
superbly [adv[ Japaneselood is always superbly presented.
arnazIngftncredlble /;JlmelzIIJ, Inlkred ~ball extremely
gcql, especially in a surprising and unexpected way [adj]
Thijlreworks were an amazing sight. I Being tlrere with my
wife when the baby was born was an incredibk experience. I
The book's amazing - you must read it!
be out of this wortd /hi: .aut 3V 61s ' w3: TJdf uyou say
that something is out of this world. you mean that it is
so good, enjoyable, etc, it is unlike anything you have ever
experienced Iv phrase]
Her new apartment's out of this world. I This is the best souf
fle I've ever tasted - it's out of this UXJrid.
• dream come true /a .dri:m kAm Itru:/ an event or
piece of news that is a dream come true is something that
you have wanted to happen for a long time but you never
really thought that it would happen [n phrase[
Finally meeting my real mother after all these years was a
dream come true. I "How do you feel about winning the lot-
tery?" ''It's a dream come true, "she replied, "I'm stunned ...
3 words for describing something such as an
idea, plan, or suggestion that you think is
very clever, suitable. or likely to succeed
good marvellous/wonderful/fantastic/
neat terrific
excellent brilliant
great attractive
good {gOO{ [a<!il
"Why don't you write to your bank and ask/or a loan?"
"That's a good idea. "I [thought it would be a good idea to
arrive early. I That 's the best suggestion you've made all
day. I The best way 01getting your children to Irornloreign
lang uages is to send them to stay abroad.
neat { ni:~ an informal Aroerican word meaning good [culj [
Jim and I need more time together away from the kids, so
werome up with this neat idea ofmeeting after UXJrk. I "Why
dan't we go to the beach!" " Yeah that sounds really neat. "
excellent J'eksalant/ extremely good ladjl
I had some ~llent advice/rom one a/my teachers. 1 Mr
Peters has thought up an excellent plan for raising the
money. I That's an excellent idea!
gr.at /grelt/ an informal word meaning very good used
especially to show that you approve of someone's ideas,
plans etc very much [adj ]
It sounds like a great idea - let's try it! I You want to go to
the beach instead! Yeah, great, why not.
marvellous/wonclerfullfente.tlclterrHlc {' ma:'-
V.d3S, IWAnd3 r fal. fren'trestlk. {3 lnfllcf extremely good. in a
way that makes you feel happy or excited [adj]
['ve just tlwugh olalantastic idRrl. I "What da you think 01
Kate's suggestion?" "I think it's terrific. ..
brtlllant / lbnIj3nt/ an informal British word meaning
extremely good and clever ladj)
"Maybe we s!wuld invite them over here instead 0/going to
their place. .. "Brilliant/H I Joanna came up with a brilliant
idea for a new book.
attractive [3 Itrrektlv/ attractive ofTer/ proposition/
packageetc (:one that is very good and makes you want
to acoept it) [culj [
Thejob pays well, you get a company car and 30 days holi-
day per year - it's certainly an attractive offer. I We've put
together what we think is a very attractive package, includ-
ing discounts. special offers. and free credit.
4 words for describing an achievement, piece
of work, or performance that is of a very high
standard
good impressive
excellent exceptional
outstanding admirable
brilliant
566 GOOD/EXCELLENT
good {god{ [adj[
Harry's work is always very good. I Rosemary does a good
job here.
excellent {'eksalont/ extremely good [adjl
They complimented her on her I!XC£llent English. I Many
studies reported excellent results with the drug.
outstanding [aut 'strendllJl extremely good and therefore
noticed and admired by many people [a<!i[
The conquest 0/ Everest was an outstanding achievement. I
Some o/the carving on these statues is outstanding.
brilliant /' brllj::mtl extremely good, and showing an
unusually high level of skill or intelligence [adj]
Michael Horden 's perfonnance as King Lear was brilliant. I
Nter a brilliant career at St Luke's Hospital she was g iven
her own department. I The decision to reorganize the com-
pany was a brilliant success.
Impre ••lve {lm'preSIV{ good and admired bypeop[e [culj[
The Chicago Bears gave an impressive performance/or the
first lifteen minutes 01 the game. I John and his collrogues
have undoubtedly produced the most impressive results to
date.
• xceptlonal/rkl sepJ.m~l[ work that is exceptional is
better than other work of the same type la<!iJ
He writes good essays. but I wouldn't say that his work is
particularly exceptional.
exceptionally [adv! Only exC1!ptiDnally bright students are
entered/or the examination.
admirable {'red""r.>bal{ something that is admirable has
good quaJities that make you like and admire it ladj l
It is an admirable book, thefirst to tell the whale truth about
the war. I I was always amazed by the admirable simplicity
a/her lOOrk. I He has beenjustly rewarded/or achievements
that are both admirable and unforgettable.
5 words for describing good weather
good marvellous/wondertullfantastlcIterrlflc
nice glorious
lovely fine
good {gOO{ [a<!i!
Did you have good weather in FraTUX!? I The weather report
says the weather should be good over the weekend.
nlee /nars! nice day/evening/ morning/ weather (:one
that is sunny and not too oold) [adn
"Good morning, Mr []avis. Nice day . " I We 'll go to the beach
tomorrow. if the weather's n ice.
lovel, / 'iAvli/lovely day/evening/ morning/ weather
(: a word used especially in British English meaning sunny
and warm) [a<!il
They were sitting outside because it was such a lovely day. I
Lovely weather for March, isn 't it?
mervellous/wonderfullfente.tlctterrlflc {' ma:'-
v3las, 'WAnd~rfal , fren'trestlk , {3lnflkJ marvellous/ won-
derfullfantastic/terrific weather (=weather that is
sunny and hot and which you enjoy very much) [adj ]
The weotherwas marvellous, but th£loodwasawlul. I What
a/antastic day! Let's go to the roast.
glorious l 'gIJ:riasl glorious day/ morning/summer/
weather (:a word used especially in British English mean-
ing one that is extremely sunny and hot) ladj)
It was a glorious summer's morning . I It seems a pity to be
indoors on such a glorious day.
fine [fam! not cloudy or raining, so that the air and sky
are clear [adj]
It was a line night. so we decided to wa lk !wme across the
fields. I a fine morning in April
6 words for describing works of literature,
music, or art that are generally considered to
be Of very high q uality
good
great
classic
GOOD/EXCELLENT
good /gud/lawl
Good music seems to be a thing of the past. I Students need
to read a lot DJgoodflCtion in order to form their own opin-
ions about quality.
great fgrelt/ extremely good and skilful, and therefore
admired and remembered by many people for a long time
lad} I
Many 0/ our great works ofart are being sold and exported.,
There's some debate as to what ronstitutes great poetry. I The
Rennaissance period produced some of the greatest architec-
ture DJ all time.
classic I'klreslkl classic film/book/story/album etc
(=one of the best of its kind) [adj only before noun ]
2001 is a classic seienceliction rrwvie. I The Rolling Stones
produced a string ofclassic singles in the mid 60s including
'Satisfaction' and 'Time is on my side',
classic [n Cl Wim Wenders'nwvies like 'Paris, Texas' have
become modern classics.
7 the standard by which you measure how
good something is
quality
standard
quality /'kwol!ti 11 I kwa:-I the measure of how well some-
thing is made or produced, or how good a material is [n U J
Supermarket wines tend to vary in price and quality. I We
always guarantee the best quality to our customers. I be of
good/reasonable/poor etc quality She always insists
that her writing paper is ofgood quality. I The recording is
of very poor quality.
standard It strend:l Tdl the measure of how well someone
does something [n C/ UJ
above/below a standard In reading tests, 15% of
schoolkids were/ound to be below the standard/or their age. I
be of a good/high standard All his work is ofa very high
standard. I be up to standard (=be of an acceptable level
or degree) I'm afraid your driving isn't yet up to standard. I
standard of work/workmanship etc The standard of
workmanship on this table is extraordinarily high. I set the
standard (=be the first to reach a high level that other
people try to copy) Jason set the standard/or the rest of the
class.
8 a piece of art, literature etc that is extremely
good
work of art
masterpiece
work of art I tw3: Tk;)v la:Tt/ a painting, or other piece of
art which has been very skilfully made and is of an
extremely high standard In phraseJ
The rollection contains several imJXJrtant works of art. I
Several priceless works ofart were stolenfrom the museum,
including one painting by Picasso.
masterplece/lma:st:lfpi:s 11 'mres-f a book, mm, paint-
ing etc, which is one of the best of its kind (n Cl
Gaugin's 'Women ojTahiti' is a masterpiece. I The'Mona
Lisa'is Leonardo's masterpiere. I The novel is one o/thegreat
masterpieces of 20th Century Literature.
9 not really good, but not bad
be OK
fair
not be bad
be OK /bi! ,~' kell an informal expression meaning to not
be really good, but not be bad Iv phrasel
His new jilm's OK, but it's not as good as people say. I My
German isn't verygood,justOK. 1The weather was OK most
ojthe time, but it rained a lot on the tastjew days.
fair /fe:lTI not really good, but as good as you can expect,
according to the person, situation etc {adjl
She gave afair performance - not her best, but she has been
illfor several months. I Your written work isfair, but you
567 GOOD/MORAL
need to concentrate on your conversational skills. I For an
American, he does a pretty jair imitatiDn of a Londoner.
not be bad "nOl hi: Ibredf to not be really good, but be
better than you expected [v phrase}
I suppose the/ODd isn't bad/or the price you pay. I not be
bad at all (=bemuch better than expected) Hey, they aren't
bad at all, considering this is their first record. I not be so
bad (=be better than you said or imagined) The party
wasn't so bad after all. In jact, we quite enjoyed ourselves.
, GOOD/MORAL
1 words for describing someone who is honest,
kind, and unselfish
2 someone who is extremely good
3 behaving in a way that most people think is
morally correct
4 words for describing an action that is honest,
kind, and unselfish
5 words for describing behaviour that is morally
correct
6 words for describing behaviour, humour ete
that is not sexually offensive or morally
harmful
7 what is good in pecple 's character or in the
world
8 words for describing ideas, problems, laws
etc that are connected with what is morally
right or wrong
9 rules or standards of moral behaviour
10 somecne's personal ideas of what is morally
right or wrong
11 words for describing someone who thinks
they are morally better than other pecple
1 words for describing someone who is honest,
kind, and unselfish
good decent
noble virtuous
the salt of the earth
good /gud/ law)
They were good people, and helped the girl and her baby. I
I try to lead a good life. I There are good and bad people
wherever you go.
noble 11 naub311 someone who is noble seems to be good
in a special way because they do what is right, or help other
people, without thinking of themselves ladjl
He had a noble, generous character. I a young man full of
noble ideals I I'm not noble enough to give you up.
the saH of the earth /~ 1~:1t:lY ~i 13: rO/ if you say that
someone is the salt of the earth, you mean that they are
an example of the best type of person, who works hard, is
very kind, honest etc In phraseJ
Old Jim is the salt of the earth. He would do anything for
anyone. I Those aid workers are marvellous - the saU ofthe
earth.
decent ,'di:s.-?nl/ someone who is decent is basically good,
in an ordinary sort of way ladj]
Mel's a decent man, and he will help you as much as hecan. 1
a decent ordinary hard-working medical officer I She's the
only decent person in thefamity_
virtuous f ' y 3 : Tt!u:lsl a formal word meaning very good
and honest and always behaving according to the highest
moral standards radjl
Father Tom was a hard-working, virtuous man. liked and
respected by everyone. I They wanted him to marry a virtu-
ous young woman from a respectable family. I Rousseau
believed that man was born virtuous and became evil
through civilization.
GOOD/MORAL
2 someone who is extremely good
sai nt angel
saintly be an example to
saint /selnt/ someone who is unusually kind. generous,
helpful ete and is therefore considered to be very special
InCI
Your mot/u!r's a saint. She's done so much to help us. I 1
always thought she was a very selfrsh woman but she was
an absolute saint compared to Abigail. I He's a saint. He
spends all his spare time helping out at th£ local fwspital.
saintly / 'selntlil behaving in a very good way. especially
living your life in a very pure and holy way [adjl
He was a saintly man who always pUlothers before himself. I
According to the book Pasteur and Einstein were men DJ
exemplary, even saintly, private lives.
angel "emdyl' someone, especiaUy a child or woman,
who is gentle and very kind [n Cl
Patty was an angel. and rwOOdy had anything to say against
her. I He has a very innnocentjace but believe me, he's no
angel.
be .... e.ample to Ibi! ~n Ig' zo:mp31tu: 11 -Izrem-I if you
say that someone or someone's behaviour is an example
to the rest of a group of People, you mean that person is so
good that other people can learn from them Iv phrase]
"You 'rea very brave young man. An example to all o/us.''' 1
His discipline and organization should be an example to
teachers everywhere.
3 behaving in a way that most people think is
morally correct
decent
respectable
upright
decent I'di:santl a decent person has the same ideas
about what is right and wrong as most people in society
do [adj only before noun J
Ask any decent person and they will tell you it's wrong to kill
animals/or sport. I All decent people will have been shocked
by this appalling bomb attacK.
respectable In 'spektoball behaving and living your life
in a way that is considered morally correct by society, espe-
cially because of the family you come from latUl
Tony was always in trouble with the police when he was
young, but he's now a respectable married man. 1 He came
from a less respectable background - the illegitimate son 0/
an actress. 1 The girls in the school come from very respect-
able/amilies.
respectability /fI,spekta'bl l ! ti/ In Ul Many 0/ the worst
gangs~rs maintained an air o/respectability (=appeared to
be respectabte).
upright 11 ApraltJ someone who is upright is honest, obeys
the law, and always behaves according to the moral stan-
dards of society [adj usually /:Nifore noun ]
Most upright, law-abiding citizens have very little contact
with the police. 1 Maggie's parents set her a good example,
being upright and hard-working people.
4 words for describing an action that is honest,
kind , and unselfish
good
noble
good Igudl [adjl
The nuns here do mnny good things/or people in the local
community. 1it is good of sb to do sth It was very good 0/
you to hand th£ money in to th£ police - many people would
havejU$l kept it. I good deed (=a good action) Victor deooted
his life to helping others and didn't expect any reward for
his good detids.
noble I'Il:lUbatl if someone does something n oble, they do
something that is very good and brave, without thinking
of their own needs or safety, and therefore they deselVe
respect and praise radj)
568 GOOD/MORAL
The brave S(}/diers will be remembered/or their nobk self-
sacrifice. I Pledging all the money that he had won ID Cancer
Research was a noble gesture. 1it is noble of sb to do sth
It was very noble o/you to refuse to take the money.
nobly [adv] He nobly volunteered to take the message.
5 words for describing behaviour that is morally
correct
right honourable Ihonorable
ethical be abovelbeyond reproach
decent
right lra l ~ morally correct ladj not usually before noun I
You can't do that. lt:S- not right. I [only want to do th£ right
thing. I It's not right to tellli£s. I it's only right (=anything
else would not be right) It's only right that parents should
help their children.
right [n U J She always tried to teach her children the differ·
ence between right and wrong.
rightly ladvJ They've been punished/or their crimes, and
qui~ rightly.
ethlcal / l,alk.>11morally correct, especially according to
a set of ideas about how people should behave, for exam-
ple, in a particular profession radjl
Is it ethical to use this drug to control patients' behaviour? 1
There is only one ethical way to carry out this experiment.
decent Ildi:santl fair, polite. or kind ladj not usually before
noun ]
Perhaps Jack wanted to do something decent./or a change. 1
it is decen t of sb to do sth It's very decent of you to be S(}
pkased/or me - I know how much you wanted to win this
competition. 1 That was decent 0/ him.
d ecently ladvl You could at least try to behave decently
(=behave in a way that is decent) towards the people you
have to work with.
honourable (British) I honorable (American) I'onac-
abal 11 10:-/ morally correct, and showing that you have
high moral standards, especially if you are doing some-
thing that you feel is your duty [adj J
It would not be honourable/or me, as a S(}licitor. to reveal
my client's business to anyone. 1The most honourable thing
that he can do in these circumstances is to resign.
honourably ladv I Despite his anger at having been wrongly
accused, Peterson behaved honourably throughout the trial.
be abovelbeyond reproach Ibi: a1bAv, bl1jond f1 -
IpfdUtJ 11 -do:nd-/ so good that no one can criticize or fmd
any faul t IV phraseJ
Throughout this ordeal her behaviour was beyond
reproach. 1 We need a chairman wfwse reputation and
character are above reproach.
6 words for describing behaviour, humour etc
that is not sexually offensive or morally
harmful
wholesome
clean
wholesome /'h:xJlsaml wholesome behaviour, activi-
ties, books etc are considered good and suitable for every-
one because they are not in any way offensive ladjl
He read your new book and said it was wlwlesome and not
at all offensive. I The good thing about this gam£ is that it
provides clean and wholesome/un/or all the/amily_
clean /kli:nl clean humou r / jokes/ fu D etc (:;not offen-
sive to anyone) radj ]
good clean fun The camping trip was all good, clean/un. I
keep it clean (=not do or say anything morally offensive)
He's been asked to tell some jokes in his speech but he's got
to keep it clean.
7 what is good in people's character or in the
world
goodness
good
decency
GOOD/MORAL
goodne.s "gudn!sl what is good in a person's charac-
ter In VI
Sh£ had a wonderful combination of beauty and good1l£SS. 1
His goodness shines through his every action.
good (god( good actions and behaviour In V ]
Everyone has a clwice between good and evil. I Some good
may come from this disaster.
decency f'di:sansif kindness, honesty. and fairness in the
way that you treat other people (n UJ
You can rely on their decency and good sense. I have the
decency to do sth I think you should have the decency to
tell him you are already married. I common decency
(=ordinary decency that most people have) He borrowed
mnney from me and didn't even have the common decency to
pay me back.
8 words for describing ideas, problems, laws
etc that are connected with what is morally
right or wrong
moral
morally
ethical
moral ( 'morn] 11 'm,,-( ladj usually before noun]
We/allow the moral laws laid down by our religion. I They
live aocording ID a deeply h£ld moral code. I Everything that
he writes has a high moral purpose. I moral obligation
(=something that you do not have to do, but your moral
sense says that you must do) You have a rrwral obligation
to help your sisters children.
morality Im~lfrel1til [n VJ There was a lot ofpubUc debate
about the rrwrality of the invasion (:::whether the invasion
was a good or bad action).
morally l 'mofClIi 11 Irm:_1 according to what is right or
wrong, good or evil [adv]
We are nwrally opposed to capital punishment. 1 The govern·
ment is morally obliged to do all it canfor the refugees. 1 It
is rrwrally wrong to punish someonefor something they did
not do.
ethlcal / ' e9,kall ethical problems, reasons etc are con·
nected with the system of beliefs about what behaviour or
actions are considered morally right or wrong in a partic·
ular job, by the people who do that job ladj]
As a scientist he doesn't like to work with human embryos
or sex cells because of the ethical problems involved. 1 He is
a vegetarian on ethical grounds.
ethically [adv ] Using animalsfor medical reasons is, in my
view, ethically unacceptable.
9 rules or standards of moral behaviour
morals standards
ethics values
morals I lmoralz 11 'm:>!-I the basic ideas that a person or
a society has about what is morally good and right In
plurall
He only knew the morals, customs and beliefs of his moun·
tain village. 1 the influence of rock music on the minds and
morals of young people 1 Hany dosen't seem to have any
rrwrals at all.
ethics l ' eSlksl a system of rules about what is morally
right or wrong, especially rules followed by a reJigious
group or people in a profession [n plurall
N/airs between doctors and patients are a matter ofethics.I
What are the differences between Muslim and Christian
ethics? I code of ethics (=system of ethics) As a therapist
he has to follow a very strict code of ethics.
standards , lstrendClTdzl personal rules for behaviour,
based on an idea of what is morally good and right rn
plurali
He was a good man who kept up the very highest standards
throughout his life. 1 There has been a serious decline in
moral standards among the kids of today.
569 GOOD/MORAL
values Ilvrelju:zl the ideas that a person or group has
about what things are good, right, and important in life [n
plural]
As a child he had admired hisfath£r's ualues and lifestyle. I
a black identity based on black culture and black values 1
She rejected the traditional values of her society.
10 someone 's personal ideas of what is morally
right or wrong
conscience sense of right and wrong
scruples prinCiples
conscience 11konf ans 11 1kmn-/ the inner sense of what
is right or wrong that makes you feel guilty if you do some-
thing wrong In e / UJ
Her conscience would not let her take all the credit for their
work. 1 guilty/ bad conscience It was a guilty conscience
that made him admit stealing the money. 1 clear/ good con-
science Marie got up especia lly early to do all her work so
that she could enjoy herself afterwards with a clear con-
science.1 sociaUpolitical etc conscience (:::a moral sense
of how society should be) He was a man of strong social am-
science, giving all his money to the poor of the city. 1
conscience-stricken (:::feeling guilty because you have
done something wrong) She hurried home. conscience-
stricken about having left all the dishes for Natalie to do.
aCftlple. 11skru!p3lzl personal moral principles that stop
you from doing something morally wrong [n plural]
He is very ambitious and has absolutely no scruples. 1 These
large drug syndicates are not affected by moral scruples -
they just want to make a profit.
senae of right and wrong "sens ~v lralt ~nd lrol) 11
- In:IJI knowledge of what is right or wrong, especially
knowledge that you naturally have, or have been taught to
have In phrase]
My father brought me up to have a sense ofright and wrong
and he trusts me to tell th£ truth. I Some of the k ids in this
school just don't seem to have a sense of right and wrong.
principles I lprms!palzl strong ideas about what is
morally right and wrong, that you try to foHow in every·
thing that you do [nplural!
against sb's principles (:::morally wrong to that person)
I won't get involved in a deal like this - it's against all my
principies. 1 principles Jimmy tried to live according to
Christian principles.
11 words for describing someone who thinks
they are morally better than other people
self-righteous
sanctimonious
holier-than-thou
self.righteous I ,sel f lraltj:lsl feeling very confident
about how good you are and about your high moral stan-
dards, in a way that annoys other people [adj]
His grandparents were stern arut self-righteous. I Ken's
always so self-righteous about how much money he manages
to save each month.
self-righteousness rn Ul His self-righteousness makes me
sick!
self-righteously [adv] "[ always give plenty ofnwney to
charity, .. h£ boasted self-righteously.
sanctlmonious / ,srel)kt! Im~unjas " l behaving as if you
are morally better than other people, especially in telling
them what you think is right and wrong [atU ]
Don't be so sanctinwnious Heien! I'll live my life the way I
want to live it. 1 The Principal reacted to the school party with
an air of sanctimonious disapproval.
sanctimoniously Iadv ] He answered my question so sane·
timoniously that I just knew he didn't approve.
holier-than-thou " hauli:l r ~an I ~aul showing other
people very clearly that you think you are morally better
than they are ladjl
I know he doesn't smoke or drink but [ wish he wasn't so
holier-than-thou. I Her holier-than-thou attitude really gets
on my nerves.
GOOD POINT OR CHARACTERISTIC
GOOD POINT OR
CHARACTERISTIC
1 a good q uality or characteristic that someone
or something has
2 the only good point that someone or
something has
1 a good quality or characteristic that someone
or something has
good polnl benefit
the good thing about merit
virtue plus/plus polnl
advantage the beauty of
good point I,gud 'pom!/ In Cl
One o[ the good points about new software padtages is that
t/ury're so easy ID use. I Derek certainly 00s hisfaults but he
has good points too.
the good thing about Ib, ,gud 'S'D .bautl an informal
expression meaning a good quality that something has,
especially when this makes it better or more enjoyable than
something else {n phraseJ
Thegood thing about this school is that the teachers areaU
so enthusiastic. I I likE being able to work at home - that's
one of the best thtngs about this job.
virtue f ' V3!Ttfu:/ a formal word meaning a good charac-
teristic that something has, especially when this makes it
better, more useful ele than something else In Cl
the virtue of My little car may not be very fast, but at least
it has the virtue DJ being chrop to run. I There are several
plans for the new bridge but the virtue of this one is that it
costs much less than the others.
advantage/ad IVO: nl 1d3 11 _Ivren-J a good point that some-
thing has, especially when th is helps you to be in a better
position than other people In Cl
A healthier lifestyle is just one of the advantages of living
in the country. 1 The main advantage of using word proces·
sors is the amount of time you save.
benefit /lben1fltJ a good point that something has, wh ich
is good for you or helps you in some way (n Cl
Think ofthe benefits our health care plan has ID offer. I The
easy-to-use design of the K-400 is a significant benefit.
mertt Ilmer 1tJ one of the good characteristics of something
such as a plan, system, or way of doing something [n CJ
The merits ofthe new health programme are gradually being
recognized. 1 The two great merits oj this book are its style
and the author's skill in handling detail.
plus/plus point Ipl .. , 'piA> pom!/ an additional quality
that helps to make something more useful, valuable, or
attractive than other things of the same type (n Cl
We are recommending this hotel because we see its closeness
to the beach as a doifinire plus. I A good degre£ is the only
qualijtcation we requirefor tlrejob, but experience is always
a plus point.
the beauty of 100 'bju:ti ,vl a particularly good quality
that makes something especially usefW, suitable, or likely
to be successful In phrase I
the beauty of it Our new generator runs entirely on recy-
c/edfwd. That's the whole beauty of it. I lbe beauty ofsth
is that The beauty ofthe plan is that it only requires a sma ll
investment.
2 Ihe only good point that someone or
something has
saving grace
redeeming feature
_vlng grace I Ise1v11J Igre1sl [n Cl
Generally he was hopeless at baseball. His one saving grace
570 GOODBYE
was toot he could pitch. 1 I hate this house. Its only saving
grace is that it's near the centre of town.
red.emlng feature !n Idi: mllJ lfi:tf;) rl the one good
quaJity that something or someone has, which saves it
from being completely bad, useless, or unacceptable [n C J
The heroineojthe novel is cruel and evil, with no redeeming
features. 1 Coal is relatively expensive but its redeemingfea·
ture ts that it is in plentiful supply.
goodbye GOODBYE 2
goodbye: say goodbye GOODBYE I
• GOODBYE
1 to say or wave goodbye to someone
2 ways of saying goodbye to someone
1 to say or wave goodbye to someone
say goodbye wave goodbye
bid ab farewell wave Bb off
say your goodbyes see ab off
say goodbye/l seI gud Ibal! to say goodbye to someone,
or to say the last things that you want to say to them before
you leave each other Iv phrase)
J'vejust come ta say goodlJye. I She Wt so suddenly, he didn't
get a chance to say goodlJye. I say goodbye to I said good·
bye to the children, and got into my car. 1 Before he retired
the boss went back to Philadelphia to say goodlJye to all the
staff there.
bid sb farewell!,b ld (sb) fe;)r'well an expression used
fonnerly or in literature, expression meaning to say good·
bye to someone, especially when you know you will not
meet again for a very long time [v phrase ]
The time has come ID bid you all/arewell. I bid farewell 10
And so Queen Victoria bade farewell to her most trusted
servant.
say your goodbyes Ilsel j=>!r gud lba lz/ if two or more
people say their goodbyes, they say the last things they
want to say to each other before leaving each other for a
long time I v phrase I
The two leaders were preparing to say their final goodbyes
on Thursday. I We delayed saying our goodlJyes Until the last
possible moment.
wave goodbye Ilwelv gud1bal/ to wave to someone as
they go away from you or as you leave them Iv phrasel
"Come back soon!" callm Mary, waving goodbye from
behind the gate. I wave goodbye to She waved goodlJye w
him through the car window.
wave sb off II we1v (sb) lof 11 - 1'J:f/ a British expression
meaning to wave to someone as they go away from you [phr
v TI
A crowd ofchildren had gathered on the stationplatjorm to
wave him off. I She looked behind and saw her mother
uxwing her off from the kitchen door.
••e Bb oH I,si: (sb) lof 11 _1'J!fl to go with someone to the
door of your house or to a place such as a station or airport
in order to say goodbye to them when they leave [phrvTJ
A ll our friends and neighbours had come to the airport to
see us off. 1 Mrs Carey went to the door to see him off.
2 ways of saying goodbye to someone
I~ I
~
goodbye
bye
see you laler
so long
see you see you around
see you tomorrow/In the mornIng/at the club etc
goodbye lgud'ba ll "GoodIJye, Mrs Moore." "GoodIJye, Dr
Aziz." 1GoadbyeLouise. S<!eyouagainsometime. 1Thank·
you for calling. Goodbye.
bye Iba ll (an informal word)
"Bye, Annie... "Bye, mom, " said Annie, kissing her mother
on the cheek. I "Bye, I'll seeyou soon. Take care. .. "You too.
GOODBYE
Bye. "I bye for now I have to go now, but I'll see you again
tomorrow night. Bye jor now.
••• you flsi: ju:/ (an infonnal expression used when
saying goodbye to someone you know you will probably see
again soon)
See you, Darren. I see you soon Have a nice vacation. See
you soon.
see ,ou tomorrow/In the morning/et the club
etc /si:ju: (tomorrow, etc)/ (used when saying goodbye to
someone that you expect to meet again at a particular time
or place)
"See you in the morning, " she said as she closed the door. I
"&e you wmorrow night at dinner," he said. I We'll be back
next week. See you then.
••• you later I.si: ju: lJeltaTI (an infonnal expression
used when saying goodbye to someone that you know you
will meet again on the same day)
Bye, dad. I'll see you later. I You're coming to the party
tonight, aren '( you? Good. See you later then.
so long Is~ 1101) 11 - 'b:IJ/ (an infonnal expression used
when saying goodbye to someone that you do not expect
to meet again for a long time)
"So long," he said. "Don't forget to write to me." I She
grabbed Nick by the shoulders and hugged him affection·
ately. "So long, Nick. "
see ,OU around f ,si: ju: 3 l raund/ (an informal expres-
sion used when saying goodbye to someone that you hope
or expect to meet again soon, but you are not sure when)
Okay, Frank, I'd better go now. I'll see you around. I She
turned and waved at the gate. "See you around. "
i goodbyes: say your goodbyes GOODBYE 1
goodness GOOD/MORAL 7
goodnighllg00d night SLEEP 14
goods SELL 11
~ goods: deliver the goods/come up with the goods
i
•
gooey
gool
~;TIONAL 4
STUPID/NOT SENSIBLE 7
~ goot around STUPID/NOT SENSIBLE 8
, gool/gool up MISTAKE 4
, goot off GO TO/ATTEND 3. WORK HARD 9
goose pimples /goosebumps COLD 6
gorge: stuff/gorge yourself EAT 3
gorgeous BEAUTIFUUGOOD·LOOKING 1, 2, 4
gonnless STUPID/NOT INTELLIGENT 1
gory VIOLENT 4
gospel truth: be the gospel truth TRU E 4
gossip RUMOUR/RUMOR I , TALK TO SB 8, 15
gourmet EAT 7
govern CONTROL 2, GOVERNMENT 5
government GOVERNM ENT 1. 5.
PUBLIC/GOVERNMENT 1
government: be In government GOVERNMENT 5
.. GOVERNMENT
1 the people who are responsible for running a
country
2 the people who have the mosl powerful
positions within a government
3 the organizations that make up the
government and are responsible for carrying
out its decisions
4 words meaning a government that controls
everything and allows no freedom
5 to be the government of a country for a
period of time
571 GOVERNMENT
1 the people who are responsible for running a
country
government
administration
regime
government /l gAV<1m3nt, IgAV<1nmant 11 tgAv3rn-1 the
group of people who are responsible for running a coun-
try, for example, by making laws, collecting taxes, and
providing public services such as education and health
care [n C with singular or plural verb in British Englishl
The government has announced a massive investment
programme for the railway system. I During the Second
World War, the British government evaamted childrenfrom
cities to the countryside. I Western governments have already
contributed millinns ofdollars in aid/or thefamine victims. I
the Conservative/Liberal etc govenunent (:::the govern-
ment run by the Conservative/ Liberal party etc) We hope
the new Conservative government will do something for all
the homeless people. I form a government (=become the
government, usually after an election, and decide which
people will do which jobs in the government) When a party
wins an election thefirst thing it has to do is tcform a govern-
ment. I government spendlng/statistics/fundlng/buil-
dings etc Government statistics show a rise in th£ number
0/ single-parent families.
administration /3d , mml tstrc lJanl the government ofa
country, especially the government of the United States [n
Cl
the BnshlReagan/Kennedy/Nixon etc administration
(=the government when this person was President) The
Bush administration picked up where the Reagan adminis-
tration left off. I The Clinton administration is less infavour
offree trade than its predecessor. I I am deeply grateju/for
all that you have done for this Administration andfor our
country.
reglme /rel '3i:mj a government that has not been elected
in fair elections, especially one that does not allow its
people much freedom [n Cl
The Communist regime has just celebrated/arty years in
power. I The new President has declared an amnestyfor polit·
ical prisoners who opposed the previous regime.
2 the people who have the most powerful
positions within a government
leadership
cabi net
executive
leadership 1I li:darJ Ipl the leader of a government and the
other people in high positions of power [n singular with sin·
gular or plural verb in British Englishl
In East Germany, the Communist leadership tried to stay in
power by promising rapid political change. I The Conserva-
tive leadership wasfaced with an election in the very near
future.
cabinet I'kreb~n~tl the group of important politicians
who run the different departments in a government, for
example defence, education, health etc. and advise the
leader of the government [n C with singuiaror plural verb
in British Englishl
The Prime Minister has offered her a job in the cabinet. I
cabinet minister (=one of the politicians in the cabinet)
Th£ spy s(.'a ndal involved two cabinet ministers and a/ew
senior civil servants. I cabinet meeting (=a meeting when
the cabinet discusses something) At a cabinet meeting on
September 17th a decision was taken which would change
the course of history.
executlve/lgtzekj~tlvl the part ofa government that is
responsible for carrying out the law and other decisions
[n singular I
Eriforamumt of the law is the executive's duty. I In theary, the
civil service is the non-political arm of the executive.
GOVERNMENT
3 the organizations that make up the
government and are responsible for carrying
out its decisions
the state officialdom
the authorities Ihey
the powers that be
the state I~~ 'stenl In singular!
Many citizens are worried by the increasing [XJUJer of the
state. I In Eastern Europe, until recently the state controlled
everyaspeclo/people's lives. I state-run (=owned and con-
trolled by the state) Misha works/or a state-run mine eol-
lective near Odesssa.
the authorttl•• ,Oi ~:'eor~ti:z 11 -~Ie=>:r-I the people or
organizations that are in charge in a country or in an area,
and have the power to decide what people are allowed to
do [n plural]
The authorities are trying to prevent illegal immigrants
from remaining in this country. I The pilot was picked up
by local fIShermen, who handed him over to the French
Qutlwrities. I The military authorities would not allow us to
film any damaged buildings.
the ~wer. Ih.t be/l);, lpau;,r z ~t 'hi:/ an informal
expressIon meaning the people in government responsible
for making decisions, used especially if you think that they
have too much power or that they use their power badly
In phra.s£1
The powers that be have decided. that the new highway will
run straight through thefarmland. If understand that the
protestors outside the airbase have become rather unpopu-
lar with the powers that be.
oHlcl"dom /;>Ifl!ald;>ml a word meaning government
departments or the people who work in them, used espe·
cially when you think that they are deliberately unhelp-
fulln UI
As so often happens when dealing with officialdom, she
experienced af..ling ofhelpless frustration. I He had abused
his authority, and had stood for everything that was most
corrupt in officialdom.
they IlleJ/ an informal word meaning the government or
a government department, used especially when talking
about things they have done or decided [pronJ
They put him inprisonfor three monthsfor rdusing to pay
hisUJx. I IdanHnowwhat they think they're doing, privatiz·
lngall the best haspitais.1 Haveyou heard that they're going
to close down 25 cool mines?
4 words meaning a government that controls
everything and allows no freedom
dictatorship totalitarian
junta police state
tyranny
dlet.tor.hlp Idlk1teJtar!lp/ a government in which one
person or group has total power and uses it unfairly and
cruelly In Cl
In 1971 the country's 10 year military dictatorship came to
an end. I Thedownj'all ofthe bruUJI dicUJtorship led to thr..
years of civil war.
Junta l'dJAnt;>, Ihunlal a government run by a small group
ofarmy officers who have not been elected but have taken
power by force In Cl
Opponents of the junta have mysteriously 'disappeared'_ I
a military junta
~r.,nvpu r.mil a situation in which a government, espe-
cIallyan illegal one, rules unfairly and cruelly In UJ
Under the tyranny of Joseph Stalin, millions died.
totalR.rI.n /~Itrel~ Iteari~nf a totalitarian govern-
ment, country, or system of government gives all power to
the state and none to the people, so that the government can
control everything that people do lad) 1
Totalitarian states have no fU!wspapers that criticize the
government's actions. I Thefear of terrorism might lead to
an increase in surveillance and other totalitarian trends.
572 graceful
police st.te Ip~ Iii:s ISlen/ a country or society in which
the government gives the police a lot of power in order to
prevent people opposing the government In Cl
This is the kind ofthing which happens in a JXJlice state, not
in America. I The new laws will not actually make the coun·
try a police state but they will move in that direction.
5 to be the government of a country for a
period of time
govern be In government
government hold office
run rule
be In power
govem Il g ....van 11 ~aml to officially and legally control a
country and make 311 the deciSions about taxes. laws.
publ1c services etc Iv liT]
govern a country/Italy/France etc We have a right to
govern our own country without interference from foreign
powers. I A thr..·party coalition had governed Italy since the
parliamentary electwns ofJune 2. 1 govern The King could
only govern through ministers who had tlu? confidence of
Parliament.
govemment / lgAvamant, Ig....vanm;>nl 11 Ig.... varn-/ the way
a country is governed In DJ
Having a strong leader does flf)l guarantee good govern-
ment.1 The current Liberal Party has no actual experience
of government. I After years ofcorrupt government people
are tired of JXJUtics. '
run Ir. . nJ to be in control ofa country, especially if you have
not been legally elected to govern it Iv TJ
The revolutionary council ran the country until elections
were held. I In the seventies people sometimes wondered who
ran Britain, the government or tlu? unions. I The MarQuez
family run the island like a medieval kingdom.
be In power /bi: In lpauarl if a political party or a politi-
cian is in power, they are the government or the leader
of the government at that time Iv phrase]
The Nationalistparty was in power for forty years. I Politi-
cians make a lot of promises during an election campaign.
but when they are actually in power things are very different.
be In government Ihi: In Ig ....vam:mt I1 -v;>rn-I ifapoliti-
cal party is in government. it is governing the country Iv
phrase I
Now that tlu? Communists were ingovernment,life began to
change. I He thought it unlilrely that the Republican party
would be in government for much longer.
hold office , ,hould 'ofls 11 - '0:[-' 10 have an importanljob
in a government, for example as its leader or as head of a
government department [v phraseJ
During the war Churchill held offzce as Prime Minister. I The
President Iwlds offlCefor aFzxed tenn offour years. I She had
previously held offICe as Minister of Education.
rule /ru:11 to have complete control over a country espe-
cially if you have not been elected Iv TJ '
Great Britain ruled the American colonies until 1776. I In
1860 Italy was a collection of small states ruled by princes
and dukes.
rule In UJ For many years Algeria was under French rule
(; France ruled Algeria).
ruling lad) only before naunJ The looder of the ruling
Motlu?rland Party during the 1980s was Turgut Ozal.
GP DOCTOR 1
grab TAKE STH FROM SS I , TAKE STH FROM
SOMEWHERE 2
grab at/snatch at TAKE STH FROM SOMEWHERE 3
" grab some sleep: snatch/grab some sleep SLEEP 2
grab aomethlng/a bite to eat EAT 2
grab the chance CHANCE/OPPORTUNITY 4
grabs: be up lor grabs AVAILABLE 2
grace/gracefulness GRACEFUL 3
graceful GRACEFUL I , 2
GRACEFUL 573 great lengths

_ GRACEFUL 3 a graceful appearance or way of moving

moving in a smooth and controlled way that
is attractive to look at
1 words for describing a graceful person
2 words for describing graceful movements
3 a graceful appearance or way of moving
4 not graceful
1 words for describing a graceful person
graceful lithe
IIght-footed/Ught on your feet elegant
graceful / 'grelSfat/ [adjl
The bride was tall alUi graceful, with a beautiful smile. I OUr
waiter was a slim, graceful boy of about 16. I We could see
a group of graceful antelopes through the trees.
IIght ..footednlght on your 'eet I.tan 'fut~d .. , ,lalt on
j:>:r lfi:tl walking, running, dancing etc as if your body is
very light so that you can move gracefully and quickly [adj I
It was/un Learning to dance withPolly. who was very light-
footed. I He's very tall and well-built, but he's surprisingly
light an his feet.
lithe /la.O/ able to bend, stretch, and move easily and
gracefully [adj usually be/ore noun I
Rass was tall, with a lithe graceful body. I I felt awkward
among the lithe. sun-tanned young girls on the beach.
elegant /'elAg;mtl an elegant person dresses, behaves,
and moves in a graceful and attractive way ladj]
The door was opened by a tall, slim and elegant young
woman. I The dancers looked so elegant as they moved slowly
roulUi the ballroom.
2 words for describing graceful movements
graceful flowing
grace/gracefulness
poise
elegance
grace/gracefuln••• /gre ls, 'grelsfaln~sJ [n UI
Kim had all the grace and charm ofa young woman though
she was still only a girl. I Her beauty and gracefulness made
Sylvie one ofthe most popular ballerinas in the company to
watch.
pol •• /rXHZI a calm and very graceful way of moving your
body, or of standing or sitting [n UJ
Margerie was very beautiful, with the grace and poise oJ a
movie star. I Many people admire Princess Diana's dress
sense and poise.
elegance I 'elAgansl a graceful and attractive manner or
appearance [n UJ
Francesca was struck by the elegance of the other guests.
4 not graceful
inelegant
gawky
Inelegant IIn'ellg~mtl [adj]
Nicholas, stiff and inelegant, followed Mr Grant into the
offICe. I his first rather inelegant attempts at dancing the
waltz
gawky I'g~:kil moving in a nervous and awkward way,
as if it is difficult to control your anns and legs [adj]
A thin, gawky teenager came into the classroom I I felt
gawky in my ill-jitting suit and heavy shoes.
... gracefulness: grace/gracefulness GRACEFUL 3
grade CLASS/GROUP OF STUDENTS 1, GROUP/PUT
• INTO GROU PS 1, RESULT/GRADE 1, 2
!: grade: make the grade GOOD ENOUGH 2
i gradual SLOW 3
gradually SLOW 6

i graduate PASS A TEST 1

graduate: graduateibe graduated LEAVE A SCHOOL

·
elegant effortless
smooth OR COLLEGE 1
graffiti WRITE 15

i
graceful/'grelSf>I/ladjl graft DISHONEST 5
The acU!r accepf£d his prize with a graceful bow. I In a ~ grain PIECE 5
ful sweep, the two planes turned and crossed each other. grain: element/grain of truth TRUE 5
gracefully [adv ] An owl swooped gracefully across the grand IMPRESS 4
clearing. grand total TOTAL 1
elegant I 'el!g:mt/ moving in a graceful and very smooth grandeur: have delusions of grandeur PROUD 7
way, and having a pleasing and attractive appearance grant GIVE 5
generally la<u1
Selina was a tall woman with an elegant way ofmoving and
beautiful clothes. I Andrew was deep in conversation,
f granted: I grant you/granled ADMIT 2
granted: take It for granted (that) THINK SO/NOT BE
SU RE 2
making elegant gestures with one hand as he spo/re. granted: take sb for granted IGNORE 1
elegantly ladvl The Princess walked elegantly inro the grapevine: hear sth on/through the grapevine
room. RUMOUR/RUMOR 2
smooth /smu:OI graceful and without any sudden I? grapevine: hear through/on the grapevine FIND OUT 2
changes in movement [adj only before noun] -i: grapple with DEAL WITH 1
Swing the tennis racquet in one smooth movement. I Tom
crossed the stream with a smooth leap and continued
J grasp HOLD 3 . 8 , UNDERSTAND 2
grasping GREEDY 2
running. grass TELLll , 12
smoothly ladv I The snake glil/es smoothly rowards ito prey.
flowing l'fl~IIJI flowing movements are made together
I grass roots: the grass roots ORDINARY 4
grate CUT 6
gracefully and without interruption {adj only before noun] grateful THANK 3
Steve turned, raised his arm and threw the ball all in one ~ grating UNPLEASANT 4
flowing movement. I The two athletes ran together withjlnw- gratitude THANK 4
ing strides. gratitude: express your thanks/gratitude THANK 1
effortle•• I'ef;Jrtl~1 effortless movements or actions are C gratuitous NEED 10, WRONG/UNJUSTIFIED 1
very smooth and controlled, as though they are made grave SERIOUS PERSON 3, SERIOUS SITUATION 1
without any effort at all, especially because the person who graze CUT 2, 11 , TOUCH 3
makes them has a lot of skillla<u1 greasy DIRTY 1
She performed her next complicated dive in one effortless great BIG 2. 9 , ENJOY/LIKE DOING STH 6. GOOD AT
movement. I The champion, as usual, makes skiing look 2 . GOOD/EXCELLENT 2 , 3, 6
e!fortless_ great deal: a great deal of/a good deal of LOT/A
effortlessly (adv 1The pianist'sjingers ran effortlessly over LARGE NUMBER OR AMOUNT 1
the keys. great tengths: 90 to great lengths to TRY TO DO OR
GETSTH 3
greater 574 group
greater MORE THAN BEFORE 4 , MORE THAN STH OR greed Jgri:dl a strong desire for more money. possessions,
SB ELSE 1 power etc than you need, without caring if other people
greater degree: 10 a greater degree MORE THAN 5TH have enough In VJ
OR SB ELSE 1 He stole out ofgreed, not n£CeSSity. I He risked his money and
greater than MORE THAN A NU MBER OR AMOUNT 1, 2 lost it, a victim of his own greed and stupidity. I greed for
greatest BEST 1 The greed/or power a/local politicians is simply amazing. I
greally LOTNERY MUCH 1 pure greed No one needs to earn salari£s as big as that. It 's
greed GREEDY 1, 2 pure greed, that's all it is.
greedy GREEDY 1, 2 g •• aping {' gra:, p' Q 11 'gra:s-{ very greedy so that you are
greedy gul8 GREEDY 1 not at aU generous and treat other people very badly lad}
only before noun I
They had to move when their grasping landlord increased
_ GREEDY the rent again. lIt is feared that a large amount 0/ money
in aid would only allow grasping military leaders to build
wanting more food, money, power ete than up their weapons supplies.
you need and not earing if other people have materlanstlc Imo,tl il ri~' l lst l k"'J believ ing that having a
enough lot of money and possession s is the most important thing
in life lad)]
1 greedy for food or drink Kids these days are very materialistic. They only seem to be
2 greedy for money, possessions, power elc interested in expensive toys and computer games. l It is clear
that Western societies are becoming more materialistic with
their increasing wealth. I Members of this sect have rejected
modern materialistic values.
1 greedy for food or drink materialism Ima 1tlari311 zamj In UJ They disliked the materi-
greedy gluttony alism of the West and went to live in Nepal.
greed pig green EXPERIENCED 5
glutton greedy guls green with envy JEALOUS 3
greedy { 'gri:di{ ladjl greel HELLO 2
Don't be so greedy - ieavesolTWcake/oreueryoneels<. I She's greet: be greeted with GET 12
a spoilt, greedy little girl. I Takeyour greedy fingersojJthat greetings HELLO 2
pie- you've had more than enough already, grief SAO/UNHAPPY 12
greedily ladv I He drank noisily and greedily, taking huge grief: come to grief FAI L 3
gulps from the bottle. grievance COMPLAIN 4
greed Igri:dl a strong desire for more food or drink than grievances: air your grievances COMPLAIN 1
you need, without caring ifother people have enough In VI grieve SAD/UNHAPPY 6
You don 'I really want that ice cream - it's just greed. I pure grill COOK 2
greed We carried on eating, out of pure greed, Until we felt grill/give ab a grilling ASK A QU ESTION 3
sick. grim SERIOUS PERSON 3, SERIOUS SITUATION 1
glutton "glAtnl someone who eats or drinks a lot more grime DIRTY 6
than necessary. usually with the result that they make grimy DIRTY 1
themselves ill In Cl grin SMILE 1, 3
"Is there any more pie?" "Don't be such a glutton. you've grind SCUASH 1, WORK THAT SB DOES 4
already had Quite enough. "I Uncle Richard was a glutton, grind: mince/grind CUT 6
who ate everything in sight. grind: awoUgrind STUDY 2, WORK HARD 4
gluttonous ladjl I was disgusted by their g luttonous grind 10 a hall STOP MOVING 3 , WORK THAT SB DOES 4
behaviour. grip HOLD 3 , 8, STICK 2
gluttony l'gIAtilrUl the act of eating or drinking much grip: be In the grip of SUFFER 1
more than necessary, usually with the result that you grip: come/get to grips with DEAL WITH 4
become ill or unheallhy In VI grip: get a grip o~ yourseH CONTROL 9
The level of heart disease in the western world is a measure grip: have a grip on CONTROL 10
of our g luttony. I The amount o//ood that people consume gripe COMPLAIN 2, 4
over Christmas is nothing short of gluttony. _, gripping INTERESTING 3
pig Ipl g} an informal word for someone who is greedy In Cl groan SHOUT 2, 3
You pig. you ate all that chorolate - you oould have saved grocery store: aupermarkeUgrocery store
solTW/or me I greedy pig What agreedy pig! Hedidn 't leave SHOP/STORE 2
any foodfor us. I make a pig ofyourself(=eat a 101 offood groggy ILL 4
greedily) She made a real pig a/herself at din,",r last night. groom PREPARE 4
groom/bridegroom MARRY 10
greedy guts 11 gri:di gAlS/ an informal British expression
~ groove LINE 5
used especially by children. meaning someone who is
extremely greedy [n singularJ gro88 BAD BE HAVIOUR OR ACTIONS 2, DISGUSTING 1,
Mum, that greedy guts has eaten all the jelly! I Hey, greedy EARN 1, FAT 2, TOTAL 1
guts, leave those sweets alolU!. They're milU!. grotesque UGLY 2
grouchy BAD·TEMPERED 1
ground FORBIO 6, LAND/GROUND 2
2 greedy for money, possessions, power etc ground: have your feet on the ground SENSIBLE 1
greedy grasping ground: knock sb to the ground FALL 11
greed materialistic ground: leave the ground UP 5
ground: stand your ground CHANGE YOUR MIND 5
greedy {'gri,di{ sary ladjl ground: the ground LAND/GROUND 3
The thieves only got caught bemuse they got too greedy and
groundless REASON 12, WRONG/UNJUSTIFIED 1
went bock to the house a serond tilTW. I Some landlords have grounds REASON 3
become greedy and are demanding higher rents than people
can ajJord. I greedy for Companies are too greedy for groundwork: do the groundwork/spadework
profits, neglecting the so,fety and job satisfaction of their PREPARE 1
employees, group GROUP OF PEOPLE 1, 2, 3 , 4 , 12, GROUP OF
greedily [adv l "How much money are you offering?" she THINGS 1, GROUP/PUT INTO GROUPS 1
asked greedily,
group 575 GROUP OF PEOPLE
group: fonn 8 group/get into a group GROUP OF

I
A cluster of people, all anxious to shake his hand. formed
PEOPLE 12 around tm speaker. I Some relatives were standing in a
- group together UNITE 1 cluster around her hospital bed.
knot Inot 11 na"l a small group of people all sitting or

Igroup I,,---...,.......,...~=---->
" ~ .",
,which meaning '1:.
7' .~ ,-.....-
group' of people ...". . GROUP OF
'c PEOPLE
.group of things llt GROUPOF
.' THINGS
• GROUP/PUT
INTO GROUPS
S GROUPOF
PEOPLE
1 a group of people all standing or sitting
together in the same place
2 a group of people who all do something
together or go somewhere together
3 a number of people who are thought of as a
group, especially because they have the
same characteristics
4 a number of people who are thought of as a
group because they are all the same age,
earn the same amount of money ete
5 a number of people who work closely
together as a group
6 a small group of people who are unwilling to
let other people join them
7 a group of people within a political or
religious organization who do not agree with
the ideas of most other people in the
organization
8 a group of people who share the same ideas
and beliefs
9 a g roup of people whose job it is to make
decisions, give advice, find out facts ete
10 a group of young people who go around
together, and often cause trouble, fight with
other groups etc
11 a group of peopte who have been chosen to
give information, ask questions ete
12 to form a small group by coming close
together
1 a group of people all standing or sitting
together in the same place
group
cluster
knot
group jgru:pl several people who are together in the same
place fn C with singular or plural verb in British English]
A small group ofpeople had gathered to listen to his speech. 1
The waiter moved/mm group to group, offering glasses of
sherry and savoury snacks. I I want all the children to sit in
groups o/fiue, one in each corner of the room.
cluster I'klfl.st~rl a brrouP of people standing or sitting
very close to one another, for example in order to see some-
thing or talk to someone, etc [n C]
standing very close to one another [n Cl
Tm knot of men at the bar had started talking about the
ekctfuns. 1Outside the hotel a little knot of bystanders hod
gathered to see what was happening.
2 a group of people who all do something
together or g o somewhere together
group
party
contingent
group Igru:p/ ln C with singular or plural verb in British
English I
A group ofus went outfora drink to celebrate SOnia's birth-
day. I We were warned not to walk in the mountains except
in groups oJ three or more. I The tickets are very expensive
although there is a discount/or school groups.
party 11pa:rtil a group of people that someone has formed
in order to go somewhere ordo something in an organized
way In C with singular or plural verb in British English!
We're taking a large party of children on a camping trip in
the summer. 11 give parties oftourL~ts guided tours oftlw
cathedral_
contingent I k;}n1 tlndyntj a group of people representing
a particular country, organization, beliefetc [n C with sin-
gular or plural verb in British EnglishJ
Not surprisingly there was a large student contingent at the
demonstration. I Contingents of various nationalities had
travelled to be at tlw conference in Paris.
3 a number of people who are thought of as a
group, espeCially because they have the
same characteristics
group assortment
bunch element
lot batch
collection
group Igru:p/ [n singular with singular or plural verb in
British English I
The people I work with are a really friendly group. I TIw
restaurant was really busy last night. We had a group 0/
salesmen in. I Most human beings/eel the need to belong to
a group.
bunch IbMtJI an infonnal word meaning a group of people
In singularl
Tmy're a weird bunch, the/amily who'vejust moved next
door. 1 Karen didn't like the idea of hoving a bunch of kid1;
running around the house, screaming and shouting. I the
best ofthe bunch (=the best person in a group) Of all the
people they had interviewed, Miss Holmes was the best of the
bunch. 1 a mixed bunch (=a group of very different people)
TIw students in my class are a mixed bunch. some of them
are retired, others are quite young.
lot /Iot 11 la:t/ a British word meaning a group of people,
especially a group of people that you do not like In singularl
1 don't like her new friends. they're a snobbish lot. I Don 't
take any notice of that lot, they're just ignorant. I We've got
another lot of visitors com ing this weekend.
collection Iko'lekJanl a group of people, especially people
who you think are strange or unusuaJ In C usually
singular]
There was an interesting collection ofpeopieat the wedding. I
Jack brought an odd collection a/characters homefrom the
racetrack.
assortment 1;}ls:::I:rtm;}ntl a group of people who are all
very different from each other (n C usually singular]
We shared the train compartment with an odd assortment
offellow travellers. 1 In the bar the only people I could see
were conmen, pickpockets and an assortment of other
unsavoury characters.
GROUP OF PEOPLE
element Ilel~mdntl the criminal/student/fascist ete
element (=a group of people who have the same ideas,
aims, beliefs ete that are different from those of a larger
group, especially when you do not like or agree with them)
fn C with singular or plural verb in British English)
The chiefhad been warned that there were criminal elements
within the Security Police. I They seem to be trying to get rid
ofall kfl-wing elements in the party. I The committee agreed
on the need to get rid o[the hooligan elements amongst/oot-
ball supporters.
batch Ibre'fl a group of people who are all dealt with
together at the same time, for example because they are all
arriving at a new job or institution together [n Cl
Tire latest batch ofnEW recruits had just arrived at tire camp.
4 a number of people who are thoughl of as a
group because lhey are all lhe same age,
earn the same amount of money etc
group
bracket
band
group Igru:pl age/income/blood etc group (=a group of
people with the same age, income, or blood type) [n C with
singular or plural verb in British English]
Tire good thing about tire class is that all tire students bekmg
to the same age group. I The hospital is desperate/or donors
fTOm the rhesus negative blood group.
bracket J 'brrekltJ tax/income/age bracket (=a group
of people who are cons idered, especially for official or
financial purposes, to be a group because they have the
same tax, income, or age) [n Cl
Several companies have produced pension plans speciju:ally
for peopl€ in the higher income tax bracket.
band Ibrendl income/tax/age etc band (=a group of
people whose income, tax, or age comes within a particu-
lar range) In Cl
Thes£ changes wi/loot affect people in the lowest tax band, I
As you move into the higher income bands, the charges start
to increase.
5 a number of people who work closely
togelher as a group
team gang
crew unit
team 'Ii:m/ a group of people who have been chosen to
work together to do a particular job [n C with singular or
plural verb in British EnglishJ
The boss had a good team working/or him, and he was well
respected. I Four lecturers made up the team 0/experts neces·
sary for the project. , medical/health research etc team
The entire medical team that had been sent to the area were
captured and held hostage for eighteen months.
crew /kru:/ a group of people who are trained to work
together and use equipment, especially on a ship or aircraft
[n C with singular or plural verb in British English]
The plane crashed slwrtly after take-off and everyone on
baard, including tire pilot and his crew, was killed. I Could
the camera crew come to a meeting after rehearsal this after-
noon please? I The captain returned to find some of the crew
members busily repairing the mainsail on the deck.
gang Igregl a group of people, especially men, who work
together doing something such as heavy physical work, or
something illegal or dishonest [n C with singular or plural
verb in British English]
Hel€n walk£d past the building site and the gang of workers
all whistled. , Tourists are being warned about several
gangs of thieves operating near the airport.
unit f'ju:n1tf a group of people that has officially been
fonned to work together to do a particular job or be respon-
sible for a particular problem [n C with singular or plural
verb in British English ]
Orreoftlrepolia7l'umfrom tlredrng unit will be visiting local
schools. , Hospital offICials plan to use the donations to set
up a ru!W cardiac unit.
576 GROUP OF PEOPLE
6 a small group of people who are unwilling to
let other people join them
clique
elite
In-crowd
clique Ikti:kl a small group of people who like the same
things and are very friendly with each other but who do
not want other people to join them In C with singular or
plural verb in British English]
At the beginning of term I joined a little clique which I later
grew to detest. Ia clique of literary friends who thought they
were so superior
ellte /eI 1Ii:t, I-Ja group of people who are the richest, most
powerful, best educated etc people in society, and who do
not want others to share the advantages of their position
[n C with singular or plural verb in British English]
Only a small elite can afford to send their children to this
schaol. I All tire glamorous Washington elite were at tire
dinner that evening.
elite radj] Anyone who studied at the college joined an elite
band of well-connected lawyers, doctors and businessmen.
In-crowd I I In kraud/ a small group of people who are
admired by others because they are very fashionable, or
who know things that other people do not, and who do not
let many other people join them [n singular with singular
or plural verb in British English]
Ever since he bought his new sports car he's really become
one of the in-crowd. , Within the political in-crowd are some
extremely influential figures.
7 a group of people within a pclitical or rel igious
organization who do not agree with the ideas
of most other people in the organization
faction
fringe
splinter group
faction I' frekf,n/ a group of peopte within a political or
religious organization who do not agree with most of the
people in that organization, and who try to make other
people accept its own ideas [n C with singular or plural verb
in British English I
Within the army there was a pro-war faction, pushing for
a declaration of war. I The whale of tire COWltry has been
taken over and destroyed by warring religious factions.
fringe Ifnnd31 a group of people in a political or religious
organization who have ideas that most people in theorgani-
zation do not agree with and consider extreme [n singular
with singular or plural verb in British English I
the right-wing/nationalist/radical etc fringe The ter-
rorist fringe condemned the decision and threatened to use
force. , Many changes in the church's ideas have meant that
many followers have moved to a more spiritualistic fringe. '
lunatic fringe (=people with extreme, stupid ideas) There
are always some people on the lunaticjringe who 'U votefor
an idiot with no policies.
splinter group I Ispllnt;}r Igru:p! a small group of people
who leave a larger political or religious group to fonn their
own smaller group, because they do not completely agree
with the larger group's ideas, beliefs, aims etc [n C with sin-
gular or plural verb in British English]
Cli/ton and hisfollowers broke awayfrom the party to form
a splinter group that believed in reoolution. not ~orm. I Tire
splinter group rapidly gained support from discontented
members.
8 a group of people who share lhe same ideas
and beliefs
school
movement
school/sku:V a group of artists, writers etc who share the
same ideas, style of work etc [n C]
GROUP OF PEOPLE 577
There is no lknying the influence a/the Impressionist school
in his painting. I He seems to be very much part of the
Marxist school in his approach to politics. I school of
thought (""a group of people who believe in the same
theory, ideaete) Onesc/wQlofthouglUargu£s that introduc·
ing stiffer penalties would bring the crime rate down.
movement I t mu:vm:mtl a group of people who share the
same ideas or beliefs and who work together in order to
achieve a particular aim, especially to change things and
make people think differently In Cl
The peace movement was sparked off by people protesting
about the war in Vietnam. I The early days oJ the women's
movement. I As he grew older he found himself more and
more attracted to the Zionist movement.
9 a group of people whose job it is to make
decisions, give advice, find out facts ete
board committee
panel working party
board IbJ:Tdl a group of people in an organization who
make rules and decisions about how the organization
works, give permission for certain plans to be carried out
etc In C with singular or plural verb in British English]
Ifyou don't agree with the result you can appeal to the board
of examiners. I The licensing board has rtifused us permis-
sion to sell alcohol on the premises. I In October, the schools
board, an independent advisory group, recommended that
uniforms become compulsory.
panel / 'prenll a group of people who have been chosen to
give advice, judgements, opinions etc about a particular
subject, usually because they know a lot about it [n C with
singular or plural verb in British English!
He was on a [Xlnel ofjudges for afamous literary prize. I All
applicants are questioned by a [Xlnel of experienced inter·
viewers. I I've been invited to join the panel on a radio arts
programme.
committee / k~ 'mlti/ a group of people who have been
chosen or elected to have the job of controlling how an
organization is run In C with singular or plural verb in Brit-
ish English)
The church has ckcided to raise money for a new roof and
they've asked me to be on tm committee. I It was discovered
that there was no safety committee on the oil-rig destroyed
in the disaster.
working party II W3:rkll] tpo:rti/ a group of people
chosen to consider a particular problem in detail and to
write a report that suggests what should be done about it
In C with singular or plural verb in British Englishl
A Police Force working party concluded that many people
found the police intimidating. I A working party was set up
to investigate and act on the report's findings.
10 a group of young people who go around
together, and often cause trouble, fig hi with
other groups etc
gang
gang /gre~/ In C)
The two main gangs in the area are known as the 'Bloods'
and the 'Grips'. I Gang members have tattoos and wear spe-
cial clothes to id€ntifY themselves. 1 During th£ wrekend there
were violent clashes between rival street gangs. I Gangs of
youths are terrorising the neighbourhood - some residents
are afraid to go out.
11 a group of people who have been chosen to
give information , ask questions ete
sample
sample /'sa:mp,1 11 'srem·/ In C)
56% ofthe women in the sample said that they supported the
government's policies. I random sample (=one that is
chosen completely by chance, not according to a plan)
These answers were drawnfram a random sample ofthee lee-
torate. 1representative sample (=one that is designed to
GROUP OF THINGS
contain the same balance of different types of people as the
group it is taken from) The report'sfindings are based on
large, nationally representative samples of children.
12 10 form a small group by coming close
logether
group huddle
form a group/get into a group cluster
group /gru:p/ to stand or sit close together so that you fann
a group Iv IJ
group around/behind/outside etc Students grouped
rowuJ. the notice board to find out their exam results. I group
round/together Julia sat down at the piano and the others
grouped together to sing.
form a group/get Into a group 'Ib:rm ~ Igru:p, Iget
I mu ~ I gru:pl to stand or sit close together in order to make
a group so that you can do something together (v phrase l
The class should form groups of six for this exercise. I We
got into groups and went off in different direttions to look
for her. I form a group round/outside/behind ete
Several people formed a group round the speaker.
huddle / 'hAdll to form a group by moving very close to one
another, especially in order to keep warm, feel safer, etc
Iv I)
huddle round/outside/beside etc Some beggars were
huddling in the entrance to keep dry. I huddle together We
had been lost for Iwurs and had to huddle together to keep
warm.
cluster 11 klAstdrl to fonn a small group by moving very
close to each other in order, for example, to look at some·
thing, talk to someone, etc [v I]
cluster round/outside/beside etc Parents and their chil-
dren had clustered outside the shop window to look at the
toys on display. I cluster together Some nurses were
clustered together in the corridor, giggling about something.
• GROUP OF THINGS
1 a number of separate things Ihal are thought
of as a group because they are close
together or they are all similar in some way
2 a group of Ihings that belong together, are
made together, or are deall with together
3 a group of things of the same kind that are
lied together or joined together
4 a group of things of the same kind put on top
of each olher
1 a number of separate things that are thoug ht
of as a group because they are close
together or they are all similar in some way
group cluster
collection clump
lot assortment
group /gru:p/ [n C with singular or plural verb in British
English)
A group ofnew hoUS€S is to be built on th£oldplayingfU!ld.1
There were groups of chairs around the dancefloor so that
people could sit and chat between dances. I The pool is over
th£re behind that group oftrees. 1T<Xkly you will learn a new
group of verbs.
collection /ko'lekj,n/ a group of things of the same kind,
or things of different kinds, that have been put together
InCI
There's an odd collection of objects on her desk. I On the
bedroom floor was a messy collection of shoes, socks, and
underwear. I A collection of empty wine-bottles, that he
planned to throwaway some day, stood in a corner of the
room.
GROUP OF THINGS
lot /Iot Illa:tf an infonnal British word meaning a group
of things In singular]
this lot/that lot She handed me a bag ofold clothes. "Could
you take this lot to the dustbin for me please?" 1Right lads,
let's pick up this lot and go homl!. I Bring that lot over here,
will you?
cluster IlklAsta r/ a small group of things of the same kind
which are dose to each other (n Cl
From the airpiane we could already see little clusters DJ
houses. I The ring I want to buy has a cluster oJ diamonds
and sapphires on it. I Most galaxies are [ound in clusters
rather than in isolation.
clump IklAmp/ a big group of trees, bushes, or other plants
growing very close together In C]
We tethered the horses to a clump of trees. I I'll never forget
the day I Jell into a huge clump of poison ivy.
assortment /aIS::I:rtmantJ a group of things of different
kinds, or different things of one kind, mixed together [n C
usually singular]
On thej700rwas an assortment ofbaxesandpackages. I The
soldier received a bizarre assortment DJ shirts, biscuits, and
canned food in his parcel.
2 a group of things that belong together, are
made together, or are dea" with together
set
batch
sat lsetl a group of things that together form a whole, or
that are used together In C with singular or plural verb in
British English 1
We bought them a set ofplatesfor their wedding gift. 11keep
a spare set oJ house keys. in case I lose these. I / had to buy
a whole new set 0/ tyres.
batch JbretfJa group ofthings ofthe same kind which are
made at the same time or dealt with at the same time [n C
with singular or plural verb in British English]
The baJrer rook a batch offreshly baked roUsout ofthe oven. I
Mr Green, I have a batch oJ letters here/or you to sign. I Sort
th€/iles into batches and give one batch to each secretary.
3 a group of things of the same kind that are
tied together or joined together
bundle
bunch
sheaf
bundle I lbAndl, a group of things such as papers. clothes,
sticks, that are fastened or tied together [n C with singular
or plural verb in British English]
I've just been reading through this bundle of old letters. I
John came in with a bundle a/twigs/or the/ire. 1 She tied
her cloth£s into a bundle that she could carry.
bunch /bAntJ/ bunch of flowers / keys/grapes etc (=a
group of them, fastened, tied, or held together) rn C with
singular or plural verb in British English]
He handed her a huge bunch of roses. 1 Has anyone seen a
bunch of keys? I She brought us a lovely bunch of grapes.
sheaf lJi:f/ sheaf of papers/notes etc (=a lot of pieces
held or fastened together in a flat pile) [n Cl
He had a sheafofpapers under his arm. 1 Iforgottoput that
sheaf of rwtes in my briefcase.
4 a group of things of the same kind put on top
of each other
pile
stack
heap
pile (pall! In C with singular or plural verb in British
English)
On the table is a pile of books which he consults from time
to time. 1 She turned the hot water on and put another pile
of dirty dishes into the sink. 1 Put those letters on the other
pile. I He swept the dead leaves inw piles.
578 GROUP/PUT INTO GROUPS
stack Jstrek/ a large number of things put neatly on top
of each other In C with singular or plural verb in British
English)
Next to the bottles was a tall stack ofpinstic cups. I You'Ulmd
my El/a Fitzgerald album in that stack ofrecords over there. 1
The whale stack feU over and half the plates were broken.
heap /hi:p{ a large number of things which have been put
on top of each other untidily [n C with singular or plural
verb in British English1
In the caves which were inhabited you find huge heaps of
animal bones. 1 We walked through the bombed area, past
heaps of smoking rubble.
• GROUP/PUT INTO
GROUPS
1 to put things or people into groups
1 to put thing s or people into groups
group sort
categorize class
classify grade
group {gru:p{ to separate people or things into groups
according to a system Iv T usually passive}
be grouped according to/ under At summer camp the kid..c;
are grouped according to the sport they want to learn. 1 A
wide range of musical styles are grouped under the title of
'World Music'. 1 be grouped together The books have been
grouped together under subject headings. 1 group sb/sth
Divide everyone into different nationalities and group them
accordingly.
categorize / 'kret bgaralz( to divide people or things into
groups according to what type they belong to Iv T]
categorize sth/sb according to Our books are categorized
according to subject - romance, sci-fi, thrillers etc. 1catego-
rize sth/sb The data was compiied and categorized by com-
puter. 1 categorize sthlsb as At the age of seven he was
wrongly categorized as educationally sulJ.normal.
categorization {lkret!g;:,raI1zeIJan 11 -fd-{ In VJ the categori-
zation ofprisoners according la the type of crime they have
committed
classHy {'klresAfal{ to decide what group books, plants,
animals etc belong to according to a system Iv TI
classify sth as He wasn't sure whether to classify the plant
as a moss or a lichen. 1 This government classiFIeS far too
much material as secret. 1 classify sth Scientists have dis-
covered a new type of butterfly which has rwt yet been
classified.
classification { ,klre s~fA 'kerJan{ [n VI The Dewey decimal
system is used in the c/assiflCation of library books.
sort {s:):rt( to arrange a large number of things in groups
so that they can be dealt with separately Iv TJ
sort sth She comes into the office before the rest of the staff
to sort the mail. 1He 'd lived therefor 20years, so it took him
a week to sort and pack his things. 1sort sth into She sorted
the clothes into two piles, those to be washed and those to be
ironed. 1 sort sth according to We have to sort the eggs
according to size.
class Jkla:s 11 k1resJ to regard people, things etc as belong·
ing to a particular group, especially according to an offi-
cial system Iv TJ
class sb/sth as Approximately 10 milium Americans are
classed as alcoholics. 1 Thisprisonlwusesthe390mostdan-
gerous criminals in Britian, those classed as 'category A '. 1
Heroin and cocaine are classed as hard drugs.
grade Igreldf to separate things such as food, drinks, or
products into groups according to quality Iv T ]
All thefruit is taken to the warehouse wh£re it is graded and
packed. 1 One supermarlret now grades its wines on a scale
of 1 to 9 from driest to sweetest.
grovel 579 GROW PLANTS, VEGETABLES ETe
grovel FRIENDLY 7 Incr••• • In .Iz. Irn.kri:s In 'salzf if something
grow BECOME " 2 , 3 , 7 , BIG 12, GROW PLA NTS, increases in size, it becomes bigger, especially as a result
VEGETABLES ETC " GROW/GET BIGGER " of particular conditions Iv phrase)
INCREASE IN ACTIVITY, FEELINGS ETC 3 , As the plant grows. the roots also increase in size. I If the
INCREASE IN NUMBER OR AMOUNT 1 tumour is not removed it will increase in size and may cause
grow in MORE THAN BEFORE 3 a blockage.
grow into BECOME 5 , FIT/BE THE RIGHT SIZE 1 matur. /m3 It!m rl ifa plant matures it grows to its full
grow out of COME FROM/ORIGINATE 7 , FIT/BE THE size Iv I)
RIGHT SIZE 3 , STOP DOI NG STH 5 A tree takes many years to mature. I In the Iwt weather the
- grow to: come/grow/get to START DOING STH 13 fruit matured quickly.
• grow up AOULT 3

2 words for describing someone or something

that has finished growing
fully grown
adult
mature
fully grown I.fuli Ig~n " l having reached normal adult
4 _ GROW/GET size la<tit
BIGGER A/ully grown elephant can weigh several tons. I He UXlS very
.-------1
-+ _ GROW PLANTS, tall even Wore he was/ully grown. I The shrubs weretrans-
planted/ully grown from other parts of the country.
VEGETABLES . duH l'redAtt, ,'dAltl adult animaVlnsect/ female etc
ETC
~lnggelS -. _ BIG
- (=a word used especially in a scientific context meaning
one that has finished growing, used especially when corn·
paring it with one that is younger) (adj only before noun)
bigger' In 8Iz8 The disease can be very serious in adult animals. I The adult.
insect attracts its mate by sight, sound and smell. I The skull
numbers or amounta .>. . INCREASE IN seemed too small and light to belong to an adult male.
Incr.a NUMBER OR m.ture frn~·t!mrf a plant or animal that is mature has
AMOUNT finished growing and developing [adj]
The house has a lovely garden surrounded by mature oak
-+ _ INCREASE IN trees. I A hen LfO a mature female chicken, more than ten
ACTIVITY, months old.
FEELINGS ETC

• GROW/GET BIGGER
1 ways of saying that people, animals, or plants
grow bigger
2 word for describing someone or something
that has finished growing
1 ways of saying that people, animals, or plants
grow bigger
grow Increase In size
get taller/bigger mature
develop
grow /grOXJI to become bigger and more developed over a
period of time, as part of a natura] process [u JJ
Some children grow more Quickly than others. I These plants
will start growing in the spring, and flower in early
summer.1ThefLSh are kept in tanks until they have grown
enough to be released into the river.
growth In VI A healthy diet is necessaryfor a child's normal
growth (=for a child to grow normally).
get tallerlbltilge r I.get 't:d~r, 'blg~rl to become taller
or bigger over a period of time Iv phrase)
She was already 1.Bm when she was 13 bw she didn't get any
taller after that. I That dog's getting bigger and bigger. I'm
sure you feed him loo much.
d.velop Idl 1vel3pl to become bigger and more complete
over a period of time, as part of a natural process [v IJ
Jt takes nine monthsfor the human embryo to develop fUlly, I
Geraniums need a good soil and plenty of ligh~ and devewp
best at relatively high temperatures.
development In U) Someparents/ear that air polutionmay
harm their children's development ( =how their children
develop).
• GROW PLANTS,
VEGETABLES ETe
1 to grow plants, vegetables etc
2 to put seeds or young plants into the ground
so that they can grow
3 the quantity of grain, vegetables, or fruit that
is grown in one season
4 words for describing land where the soil is
good for growing plants
5 words for describing land where the soil is
not good for growing plants
1 to grow plants, vegetables etc
grow
cultivate
raise
grow 18",u/lv TI
Why dtJn 't you grow vegetables in your garden? I This soil
is perfect/or growing carrots. I Herbs are quick and easy to
grow from seed.
cultlv.t./'kAlt~velt/ to grow plants, vegetables, grain etc
especially in order to sell them IV TJ
The peasants cultivate rice on the terraC£d hillsides. I Gradu·
ally it was/ound moreprojitable to cultivate vines and olives
rather than grain, I Now the land is barren, but once tobacco
was cultivated here.
cultivation 1,kAtt! 'vel!.nf In VI The book has detailed
instructions on the cultivation 0/ maize.
cul tivated latijl Wild strawberriRs ore smaller than the cui·
tivated variety.
r.'•• /relzj to grow plants, especially in large amounts to
be used as food Iv TI
Last year we raised a good crop ofonions. I Tomato plants
can be raised from seed in a heated greenhouse.
GROW PLANTS, VEGETABLES ETC 580 GUESS
There arefew more barren places on earth than the area sur-
2 to put seeds or young plants into the ground rounding a volcano.
so that they can grow
plant
sow
plant (pla:nt 11 plrent( Iv TI
r growing INCREASE IN ACTIVITY, FEELINGS ETC 5,
INCREASE IN NUMBER OR AMOUNT 2
growing number/increasing number MOR E THAN
BEFORE 1
Before you plant the seeds prepare the soil carefully . I Her growl SAY 6
grand/atflRr planted large numbers offruit trees at tfIR back grown man/woman ADULT 1
of tfIR house. ~ Many of the f/lJwers that we planted in our grown-up ADULT 1
garden have been killed by the very cold winter. growth INCREASE IN NUMBER OR AMOUNT 9
sow /s;){J/ to plant seeds in the soil. especially in a planned grub FOOD 1
way and at the best time of year for them to grow well [v grubby DIRTY 1
lIT I grudge: bear a grudge DON'T LIKE 2 , FORGIVE 4
sow seeds Sow the seeds in a line about 20 centimetres grudgingly WI LLING 4
apart.j sow wheat!corn/rice etc ff I had a little more land, gruelling DIFFICULT 3
I rould sow some wheat. I sow [fyou want an early crop, you gruff ROUGH VOICE 1
should sow in September. grumble COMPLAIN 2, 4
grumpy BAD-TEMPERED 1
,; grunt SAY 6
3 the quantity of grain, vegetables, or fruit that i guarantee PROMISE 3 , 5
is grown in one season t. guarantee: give sb a guarantee PROMISE 3
crop guard PROTECT 1 , 3 , 4
harvest guard: be on your guard CAREFUL 4
guard: catch ab off guard READY 7
crop (krnp 11 Iaa:p( In Cl
guard against PR EVENT 2
The rain was so bad this year that he lost the whole crop DJ
barley. I With high·yield varieties of rice the farmers can guarded CAR EFUL 5
grow two or three crops a year. I potato/cereal/rice elc guardian LOOK AFTER SB 5
crop Indian farmers have doubled their output DJ cereal guardian: defender/guardian PROTECT 3
crops like wheat. I record/bumper crop (=an unusually guerrilla/guerilla REBELLION/RE VOLUTION 4
large crop) Thanks to the lovely weather we had a bumper guess GUESS 1 , 2 , 3 , 4
crop of peaches and nectarines this year. :~ guess: at a guess APPROXIMATELY 1, GUESS 2
harvest I'ha: r v 1st/ the crops that are ready to be gathered guess: have a guess/take a guess GUESS 2
guess: I guess PAOBABLY 1
or that have been gathered at a particular time of the year
guess: it's anybody 's guess NOT KNOW 8
In Cl
We have to get the harvest in before the bad weather arrives. I guess: make 8 guess GUESS 1
olive/grain/grape etc harvest Thisyear's olive harvest guess: my guess is GUESS 1
was the best since the war. I a bumper harvest (=an guess: your guess Is as good as mine NOT KNOW 8
unusually large harvest) As a result of several bumper har- guess right GUESS 3
vests, the country now has a grain surplus. guess wrong GU ESS 7

4 words for describing land where the soil is

good for growing plants
_ GUESS
fertile to form an opinion about something without
rich knowing all the facts, so that you are not sure
if you are correct
fertile ('f"taIl 11 ' f"rlI( lacU]
l/th£priceofwheat increases, tfIR !£ssfertik land up the hill- 1 to guess what has happened or what is likely
side will hove to be cultivated. 1 Farmers ltift the TlX:ky hills to happen
of New Englandfor the fertile plains oftfIR Middk West. 2 to guess something such as a number,
fertility 1f3:r't1I~ti/ln VJ You must do all}'Ou ron to improve
the fertility o/your soil (=to make your soil more fertile). amount, or fact
3 to guess something correctly
rfch (,nI( rich soil/land (=good for growing plants, espe-
cially because it contains plenty of the substances that 4 an"attempt to guess something or an opinion
plants need) IOOjJ formed by guessing
It's easy to grow good crops on the rich farmlcmd 0/ the 5 a guess that is not based on much
Ukraine. I Cauliflowers need a rich soil and never do well information and is therefore likely to be wrong
in dry conditions. 6 the process of forming a judgement about
richness In UI Settlers arriving in the valley were amazed something by guessing
at the richness o/the soil.
7 to get the wrong answer by guessing

5 words for describing land where the soil is

not good for growing plants
poor 1 to guess what has happened or what is likely

~
barren
to happen
~ guess my guess Is
poor (puo'( poor soil/land (=not good for growing plants, make a guess surmise
especially because it lacks the substances that plants need)
speculate
IOOj l
The land around here is very poor because ofyears o/inten- guess (ges( Iv IITI
sive/arming. ! poor in sth The problem is that the soil is guess what/how etc Guess what happened next. I guess
very poor in minerals - put some fertilizer on it. at We can onlyguessat thecauseo/thecrash.! guess (that)
barren ,'breranj land that is barren is useless for grow- The young physicists could not have guessed. that their dis-
ing crops on and is usually dry and bare [adjl covery would mean a major scientifIC breakthrough. I guess
Wesetoffup th£ rocky, barren slapes of the mountain. 1 TfIR sth It's impossiblE to guess the outcome ofthese negotiations. I
land, once rich OJUifertik, has become barren over (fIR years. 1
GUESS 581
guess I'm only guessing. but I think we can expect STWW in
the next couple of days.
make. gu••• '.melk;) Igcsl to guess something, espe-
cially when you are trying to answer a question or explain
how something may have happened (v phrase]
make a guess at/about/as to I can only make a guess at
wha the thief might be. I make an intelllgent/educated/
informed guess (=guess something using the information
available to you) We can make an educated guess as to where
he bought the drugs, but we have no proof I make a guess
"How Itmg do you think it would take us to get thereP" "I have
no idea. 1 C()uldn't even make a guess . ..
speculate 'lspekj'51cltl to think about or discuss some-
thing in order to guess what its causes or results might be
Iv 11
speculate about/on/ as to I wouldn't like to speculate
about the outcome 0/ the meeting. I Edward began to specu-
late on what life would be like if he were single again. I
speculate We don '( kMW why the prehistoric stone circles
were built. We can only speculate.
my gue•• 's/mal Iges III you say my guess is when you
are telling someone what you guess has happened or will
happen
my guess is (that) My guess is that Dad decided to get a
later train. I lcan't be sure ofthis, but my guess is they'll buy
the equipment from Japan.
.urml_/ ~ rl maIz, IS3:rrnaIzl a formal word meaning to
guess something about a situation, someone's intentions
etc IvTI
surmise that Emily privately sunnised that Dixon had sent
her the anonymous gift. I surmise what/how etc Holm£s
had said nothing and I cou ld only sunnise what h is course
of action would be.
2 to guess something such as a number,
amount, or fact
guess at a guess
have a guess/take a guess reckon
put sth at estimate
gu••• Igesl Iv IIT I
guess what/how much ete Guess how much I paidfor this
watch! I guess Did you know the answer or were you just
guessing? I guess at We can do no nwre than guess at the
dote of this manuscript. I guess (that) Detectives guessed
that the attacker must be aged from 25 to 30.
"'v. a ·gu ••• (British) I take • gu ••• (American)
Ilhrev ~ Iges, Itelk ~ Igesl to try to answer a question by
guessing Iv phrase ]
"What does 'infrasonic' mean?" "I'm not sure, but I'll have
a guess. " I "No, I don't krww how much the piano cost. "
"Take a guess. "
put .th at I 'put (sth) retl put the cost/the value/sb's age
etc at (=guess that it is a certain amount, age etc without
trying to be very exact) [phr v TI
I'dputherageataround3S.1 Therostofthe improved roods
and electrical railways is put at about 42 billion dollars.
at a guess /cM. ~ Igesl you say at a guess when you are
giving your opinion about a number, amount etc and you
want to make it clear that you are only guessing ladv
phrasel
At a guess, I'd say that about 5(}() people work here. I at a
rough guess (=when you know that your answer is not at
all exact) "What do you think tile picture's worth?" "Around
$2000, at a rough guess."
reckon I'rek~nl a British word meaning to guess a
number or amount without calculating it exactly Iv T rwt
in progressive1
reckon (that) Joe reckoned he'd worked at least 00 haurs
that week. I Fromtheoldestfossilsdiscovered, wecanrec/ron
that life started at least three thousand millions years ago. I
be reckoned at The Duke's personal!ortune was reckoned
at over $100 million.
•• tlmat./lest~meJtJ tojudge the value, size, speed etc of
something partly by calculating and partly by guessing,
but without being exact tv T J
GUESS
estimate (that) I would estimate that we'll get back to
Toronto by around 8.30. I It was estimated that over 5()()()
people took part in the demonstration. I be estimated at The
costafthe war is estimated at more than $10 billion, though
no one can be sure.
3 ID guess something correctly
guess
guess right
estimate
g_•• Igesllv I/ T not in progressive I
guess "I thinkyou 're about 29. " "That's right! How did you
guess?" I guess sth Samantha won a huge fruit cake by
guessing its weight. I You've guessed my secret. I guess
What/who/ where etc You'll never guess who I saw last
night. I guess (that) She guessed immediately that I was
pregnant.
gue•• right Ilges IraIt! to answer a question correctly by
guessing Iv phrase not in progressive I
"I glNSSed that you might be George 's brother. " "Well, you
guessed right. "I Which hand have I got the chocolate inP if
you guess right you can have it.
eatlmate I lest~mertf to judge correctly the value, size,
speed etc of something partly by calculating, partly by
guessing [v T not in progressive!
estimate what/ how much etc I'll try to estimate how
much thefumiture is worth. I estimate sth It's very difflCUU
to estimate the speed of a moving vehicle as it passes you.
4 an atlempt to guess something or an opinion
formed by guessing
guess
estimate
gu ••• lgeslln Cl
This is only a guess, but I think Barbara might have gone
to Jan's house. I "Where are you going for vacation?" "I'll
give you three guesses!" I I didn't really know the answer.
It was just a lucky gU€SS.
••tlmate I'estlm~tl an opinion about the value, size,
speed etc of something that is formed partly by calculat-
ing and partly by guessing In Cl
According to som£ estimates, almost two thirds a/the city has
been destroyed by the earthqualre. I at a rough estimate
(=making an estimate that is not intended to be exact) A t
a rough estimate, I should say that the repairs will cost
around £60. I conservative estimate (=an estimate that is
deliberately low) We're predicting a 10% rise in oil prices
- and that's a conservative estimate.
5 a g uess that is not based on much
information and is therefore likely to be wrong
rough guess hunch
shot In the dark wild guess
rough gue•• 'IrAf Igesl the answer you give when you
are trying to guess a number or amount but you are not
able to be exact [n C usually singular 1
I'd say Mrs Roberts was about 35, but that 's only a rough
guess. I make a rough guess It ~ terribly diflkult to calcu-
late, but one can make a rough g uess and say the cost of the
advertising campaign will be half a million.
.hot In t ... dark I ,lot on o. 'da:'k 11 ,lo:t-I a guess that
you make when you have no infonnation at all, so that it
is almost certainly wrong In phrase]
I know it's a shot in the dark, but maybe Barnes has used
his telephone number as a secret code-number.
hunch IhAntll a strange feeling that you know the answer
to something, even though you have very little information
to help you to guess In Cl
lt'sjust a hunch, but it 's possible the murckrer may have been
a woman. I have a hunch I have a hunch that Jodie may
be planning a surprise party.
GUESS 582 GUILTY
wild gU•• S 'lwalld Igesl a guess, especially an answer,
that may seem stupid or is very likely to be wrong [n C J
This is a wild guess. but is the answer Michael Jackson? I
I'll take a wild guess and say Te1U!rife.
r guilt GUILTY/FEEL GUILTY 2
guilt-ridden GUlLTYlFEEL GUILTY 1
guilty GUILTY 1
guilty: feet guilty GUILTY/FEEL GUILTY 1
guilty: ftnd 8b guilty GUILTY 5
6 the process of forming a judgement about guilty: ftnd 8b not guilty INNOCENT/NOT GUI LTY 3
guttty: not feel guilty GUILTY/FEEL GUILTY 3
something by guessing gUilty: not guilty INNOCENT/NOT GUILTY 1
guesswork speculative guilty: plead not guihy INNOCENTfNOT GUILTY 2
speculation conjecture guilty: the guilty GUILTY 2
gue••work / lgesw3: r kl the method of trying to find the guilty: the guilty party GUILTY 2
answer to something by guessing, because you have little
or no information to help you fn VJ
Up to this point the police investigation has been based on
guesswork, with TW h£lp from members of the public. I pure
guesswork (=that is not based on any infonnation at all)
1guilty1----
"How did you work out the answer to the puzzle?" "Oh, it which meaning?
was pure guesswork. "
speculation "spekj ~ t leIJJnf guesses about what is hap- guilty of a crime 9 0UILTY
pening, will happen. or has happened, which may not be
correct [n usually) feel guilty JIbout I >- • GUILTY/FEEL
There has been a lot v/speculation about the date a/the next somethll)9 " GUILTY
election. I News 0/ the violent demonstration comes amid
speculations about the release 0/ the hostages. I pure specu· feelsony for what ,,- • REGRET/FEEL
- 1
~
lation (=that is not based on any infonnation at all) The ·'you have done SORRY
President said that the newspaper report about his health
was 'pure speculation '. somet~lng Is
•
-- - ..........,
-; • FAULT/BE SB'S
speculatlve/ ' spekj~ldtJv 11 -Iemv/ an opinion, explana- . someone's f$utt , FAULT
tion etc that is speculative is based on guessing and not
on facts ladjt not guilty of a crime o INNOCENT/NOT
All a/these company predictions are basically speculative. J .~ GUILTY
- wo. ___ __
TheoriJ!s o/the origin o/life are pattly speculative, since there , .~
is so little direct evidence available. I highly speculative , say that someone is • ACCUSE
Much o/ the discussion was highly speculative. guilty of a crime'
conjecture/bn 'd3ektJdr/ a fonna} word meaning guess- - ,
ing that is based on incomplete infonnation {n UJ say l1! thlnk :\hat - _ BLAME
Tt's a matter/or conjecture who wrote the original text in the something is. , .
fifteenth century. I pure conjecture (:::that is not based on someone's fault
any infonnation at all) Thejudgedismissed the evidence as
pure conjecture.

7 to get the wrong answer by g uessing • GUILTY

guess wrong
overestimate
underestimate
guess wrong / ,ges 'roQ 11 - ' r:>:Q/ Iv phrasel
I guessed she was about ten years old, but I guessed wrong.
overe.Umate/, dUVdr lest!menl to guess that something
is bigger, faster, more expensive, more important etc than
it really is [v TI
The company overestimated the number o/jobs that it would
be able to offer. I When you are driving, it's very easy to over-
estimate the distance between your car and the one in front
of you.
overestimate IldUv~rlest!m~tJ In CJ We thought the job
would cost $5000. but this was an overestimate( =we overes-
timated the cost).
under••tlmete I , Anddr lest~melt/ to guess that some-
thing is smaller, slower, cheaper, less important etc than
it really is Iv TJ
We underestimated the anwuni 0/ drink we needed for the
patty. so we had to buy some more. 1 Never underestimate
the importance 0/ public opinion.
underestimate IIAnddrlest~m~tl [n Cl There could be 50
people at the wedding, but this is probably an underestimate
(:::1 have probably underestimated the number of people).
1I guesswork GUESS 6
guest STAY WITH SB, IN A HOTEL ETC 3, VISIT 7
guest: be my guest LET/ALLOW 4, YES 2
t guest: house guest STAY WITH SB. IN A HOTEL ETC 3
•
'{i guest onlbe a guest on TAKE PART/BE INVOLVED 6
guidance ADVISE 5
j gutde INSTRUCTIONS 2, TAKElBRING 7, 9
guidelines INSTRUCTIONS 1
1 guilty of a crime or of doing something bad
2 someone who is guilty of something bad or
criminal
3 to show or prove that someone is guilty
4 to deliberately try to make someone seem
g uilty, when in fact they are not
5 to officially state in a court of law that it has
been proved that someone is guilty
1 guilty of a crime or of doing something bad
guilty
responsible
culpable
guilty /' gIlti/ ladj)
guilty of 8th A shoplreeper is guilty of an ojfenc£ if hi! sells
alcohol to anyone under thi! age of 18. 1 guilty of doing sth
1 may have been guilty a/neglecting my family at times. and
If"" very /xuJ aboUI thol. 1 guilty Why did you try to cvn-
cml thi! namesoflhi! lwoguilty men? 1 plead guilty (=admit
In a court of law that you are guilty) Thi! defendanlpleaded
guilty to the charge. and asked for 10 other offences to be
taken into account.
guilt In VI II's up to lhi! prosecution to establish lhi! defen-
dant's guilt (=that he is guilty).
r •• ponslble /n ' spons!bi11 11 rt Ispa:n-/ guilty of doing
something criminal or wrong or of causing something bad
to happen [adj oot be/ore noun]
responsible for This man was responsible/or the deaths
of three teenage girls in a horruLC road accident. I Bundy
GUILTY 583
may have been resfJ{lnsible f or up to 25 murders spread
across seven states. j I 'd liJre to explain that I am not respon-
sible/or firing anyo!the workers in this division. I respon-
sible Following a series of leaks, the government has
launched an internal inquiry to find out wlw is responsible.
,I
culpable kAlpab~ 1 1 a word used especially in fonnal or
legal contexts , meanin g guilty of caus ing something bad
to happen, especially because you did not do a nything to
prevent it ladj 1
Lawyers are debating whether allowing a terminally ill
patient to die amounts to culpable homicide. I if people
develop smoking·related diseases, are they, or the tobacco
companies. culpable?
2 someone who is guilty of something bad or
criminal
the culprit
the guilty party
the guilty
the culprit 1~'J ' kAlpr!tl someone who has done some·
thing wrong, especially a crime {n Cl
Some money was taken/rom my desk yesterday; 1 think T
know who the culprit is. I In/ormation given to police by an
iriformer resulted in the culprits being brought to justice.
the guilty party JO';J ,gllti IpO!rtiJ a formal expression
meaning the person who is guilty oCa crime or something
wrong, used especially when people are trying to find out
who is gu ilty [n phrase I
We think we know who the guilty party is, but we need your
help to find the evidence. 1It 's silly to imagine that one part-
ner in a divorce is completely innocent and that the other is
the sole guilty party.
the guilty 103 'gl ltil a n expression mean ing people who
are guilty of crimes, used especially when you are talki ng
about them in a general way [n piuralJ
It sometimes seems that our legal system protects the guilty
while making life very hard for the victim.
3 to show or prove that someone is guilty
Implicate
Incriminate
Incriminating
Implicate 1 'lmpJ~kelt/ to show that someone has been
involved. in a crime Iv TI
implicate sb in sth Newevid.ence implicates Mr Stapleton
and his Wife in th£ blackmail atl€mpL I The mll1UJging direc-
toro/the bank was implicated in afraudscandal. I impli-
cate sb She is claiming that the police are deliberately trying
to implicate her.
Incriminate I In I knmlnelt/ to be proof that someone is
guilty of something Iv T I
Tape recordings 0/ alleged conversations between the two
suspects are unlikely to incriminate them. I Th£se tapes
incriminnte a number of well-known politicians.
Incriminating Iln'krlm bneltlol incriminating evi-
dence/documents/ tapes etc (=that prove that someone
is guilty of something) [adj l
They tried to dispose a/the incriminating evidence by burn-
ing all their blood-stained clothRs. I The most incriminating
object was the receipt/ram the Iwtel. I highly incriminat-
ing 1 understand the police have f ound some documents
which are highly incrimlnaling.
4 to deliberately try to make someone seem
guilty, when in fact they are not
set sb up pin 5th on
frame plant
. .t ab up I ,sel (sb) IApJ an informal expression meaning
to deliberately make it seem that someone is gu ilty of a
crime that they are not really guilty of [phr v T usually in
passivel
GUILTY/FEEL GUILTY
[)on 't go to meet him. It sounds like you're being set up. I He
wasn't guiltyolthelraud; h£'d been set up by his businESS
rivals.
frame Ifrelml to make someone seem gu ilty of a crime,
especially by providing something that seems like proof
[v '1'1
frame sb That's not my handwriting and it 's not my signa-
ture! I've beenfram£d. I fra me sb for The accused told the
court that the police tried to/rame him for assault.
pin sth on J Ipm (sth) on 11 -ami an informal expression:
ifthe police pin a crime on someone, they prove that the
person is guilty or they make it seem that the person is
guilty Iphr v '1'1
The police pinned the murder on two men woo were later
proved to be innocent. 1 You're not going to pin it on me! I
was a hundred miles away at the lime.
plant Iplo:n. 11 pt",ml to put something such as illegal
drugs or stolen goods into someone's house or into their
pocket, to make it seem that they are gu ilty of a crime [vTI
plant sth on sb Someone planted the drugs on her before
sh£ /eft the country. I plant sth The police found the slnlen
cameras in his/lat. but he insisted they had been planted.
5 to officially state in a court of law that it has
been proved that someone is guilty
find ob guilty
convict
find ab guilty I ,faond (sb) ' g,lol [vphrasel
be found guilty of The two men were/ound guilty o/the
murder and jailed for /ife. I He was found guilty 01 supply-
ing drugs. I llnd sb guilty l/thejury finds him guilty 11£
will f ace a maximum sentence of seven years.
convict Ihn 'V1ktl to officially state in a court oflaw that
someone is guilty, especially of a serious crime, and decide
what punishment they should have IV TI
be convicted of All four men were convicted of illegally
bringing drugs into the country. 1 Have you ever been con·
victed 0/ a criminal offence? I convict sb 1/she is convicted,
she will be sent to prison.
• GUILTY/FEEL
GUILTY
t to feel guilty because you have done
something wrong . especially something that
has harmed someone else
2 a guilty feeling
3 to not feel guilty about something, even
though other people may think it is wrong
4 to try to stop yourself feel ing guilty about
something
1 to feel guilty because you have done
something wrong , especially something that
has harmed someone else
feel guilty be on your conscience
be/feeJ ashamed feel bad about
have a bad/guilty guilt-ridden
conscience
feel guilty l ,fi:1 'g iltil [v phrasel
He took some money out D/his mother's purse but then/elt
guilty and put it back. I feel guilty about Many working
mothers/eel gu ilty about leaving their children and going
out In work. I feel guilty for doing sth I heard he had been
ill and thenl e/t g ui/ty lor getting mad at him. I feel guilty
that Wh£n my Grandmother died Ilelt guilty that I had not
visited Mr more while she was alive. I [eel guilty at Dis·
couering his wife wasn't having an affair made him f eel
guilty at his lack 01 trust.
GUlL TVIFEEL GUlLTV 584
be/feel ashamed I ,bi:, ,fi:I.'fe,mdl to feel very guilty
and disappointed with yourself because you have done
something that you know is wrong [v phrase]
When 1 realized how much I had upset her I was ashamed.I
be/ feel ashamed of Don 'I be ashamed o/yourfeelings. They
are perfectly normal. I be/ feel ashamed of yourself Feel·
ing slightly ashamed DJ herself, she apologized for being so
rutk. 1 be/ feel ashamed that He was thoroughly ashomed
lhot he hod stolen lhe maney.1be/ feel ashamed to do sth
She/elt too ashamed to tell her parents she was pregnant. I
be/ feel bitterly ashamed When [found out the truth [ was
bitterly ashamed/or ever having called her a liar.
have a bad/guilty conscience Ihrev ~ jbced, .gliti
'konJans 11 -'ko:n-/ to feel guilty for a long time and keep
thinking about something bad that you have done, so that
you do good things to make yourself feel less guilty Tv
phrase not in progressive J
For months after the accident he had a bad conscience and
couldn't sleep at night. I have a bad/guilty conscience
about Why is she being so nice to everyone all of a sudden?
She's obviously got a guilty conscience aoout something.
be on your conscience /hi: onj::>:t Ikonf ans 11 - 'ka:n-I
if something bad that you have done is on your con-
science you cannot stop feeling guilty and thinking about
it [v phrase!
Even if you didn't get caught, the murder would be on your
consciencefor the rest ofyour life. I I 'm going to tell my wife
I had an affair - I can't live with this on my conscience.
feel bad about I ,fi:1 ' bred .boutl to reel a little guilty aod
sad about something you have done or are going to do that
you know is not very good or right [v phrase!
I felt bad about lying to her. I We don't visit our parents as
often as we should - wefeel bad about that. I You're much
too busy to help Ian move house - don 't feel bad about it.
guIlt-ridden I 'grit ndn/ feeling so guilty about something
bad you have done that you cannot think about anything
else laliil
Hefeit so guilt-ridden after stealing the money that he put
it back in the cash register. I Afrer the accident she became
guilt-ridden and neurotic and had a nervous breakdown.
2 a guilty feeling
guilt remorse
shame conscience
guIlt Igrltl In UI
Davis eventually confessed because hefound he couldn 't live
with his guilt. I guilt about/at The man had an obsessive
guilt about having survived the holocaust when so many
/rimds hod nol. I She/eit both relief and guilt al admitting
her problems. I a sense of guilt (: a feeling of guilt) Divorce
often leaves those concerned with a sense 0/ guilt. I racked
with guilt (=feeling extremely guilty) Racked with guilt.
he decided to confess everything.
shame Ifelml a feeling of guilt and disappointment with
yourself because you have done something that you know
is wrong In U 1
Getting pregnant before she was married had left her with
an in.tense/eelingo/shame. 1shame at Sherouldn'thilleher
shame at having hit her child. I shame about Too many
teenagers are taught tofeelguilt or shame about sex. I die
of shame (=be very ashamed) I'd die of shame ifmy par-
ents found out that I smoke.
remorse In Im;:,:ts/ a strong feeling of guilt about some-
thing you have done wrong and feel sorry about (n U1
He admitted killing the man but showed no sign ofremorse. I
remorse for She was full of remorse for being so cruel to
her younger brother. I remorse a t Many men are afflicted
with guilt and remorse at leaving their wives. I twinge/
pang of remorse (=a sudden feeling of remorse) The
woman sounded so nice, McKee feU a twinge of remorse at
whol he had done to her family.
conscIence I 'konf .n, 11 'ko:n-I a feeling of guilt which
stops you doing something wrong or which makes you feel
unhappy about something wrong that you have already
done In VI
guzzle
Her murderer was a psychopath with a total lack of con-
science. I twinge/pang of conscience (=a sudden feeling
of guilt) He was capable of making the most ruthless deci-
sions with no apparent pangs of conscience.
3 to not feel guilty aboul something
not feel guilty have no qualms about
a clear conscience have/feel no compunction
not feel guilty Inot fi:1 ' glltil to not feel guilty about
something lv phrase not usually in progressive ]
I made her cry but 1 don 'tfeel guilty - she deserved it. I not
feel guilty about Working mothers shouldn't feel guilty
aoout wanting a career. I I don't understand how on earth
he can go on lying like that and notfeel guilty about it.
a clear conscience I~ ,kh <l r ' konfans 11 - 'ka:n-I a feel-
ing that you have done nothing wrong or that you do not
consider something you have done to be wrong so that you
can relax and do not need to worry about it In phrase!
with a clear conscience You canface Lionel with a clear
conscience - you've done nothing to harm him I have a clear
conscience Let them say whatever they like. 1 have a clear
conscience.
have no qualms about " hrev n:KJ Ikwa:mz ;}/)aut/ to not
feel guilty about something you have done. even thou~h
other people think that it is wrong [v phrase not in
progressive]
She had no qualms about sending her young children to
boarding school. 1 Donald had been stealing sliJ.lionery from
work for years and had no qualms about it.
haven.e. no compunction /hrev, fi:J I n<lU bm I pAlJk-
fan / a formal expression meaning to not feel guilty ah?ut
something you have done even though other people thmk
that it is wrong I v phrase not in progressive J
have no compunction about Eliot f elt no compunction
about living at the expense of hisfriends. I have no com-
punction I warn you. These people have no compunction
whatsoever and cannot be trusted.
4 to try to stop yourself feeling g uilty about
something
salve your conscience
clear your conscience
salve your conscience i lsrelv j::>:r Ikonfam 11 - 'ka:n-I
to try to stop yourself feeling guilty by doing something
good or kind Iv phrase J
She feU guilty and tried to salve her conscience by inviting
him out for a meal. I Don't think you can salve your con-
sciences by giving us money. We won 'tforgive you that easily.
clear your conscience ' Ikl l<lf j::>: r Ikonfam 11 -'ko!O-/
to stop yourself feeling guilty by telling someone abot.Jt
something bad that you have done Iv phrase not in
progressive 1
She decided to clear her conscience and confess everything.I
He knew he might get into trouble if he went to the police but
he had to do it to clear his conscience.
guinea pig TEST/EXPERIMENT 6
gull DI FFERENT 13
gullible BELIEVE 9
gulp/gulp down OR INK 2
gun down SHOOT 3
gun: jump the gun EARLY 5
I gunllre SHOOT 8, 9
guns: stick to your guns CHANGE YOUR MIND 5
W gurgle SOUND 16
guru AOVISE 6
t, gut feeling INSTI NCT 1
guts BRAVE 2
~ guts: hate sb's guts HATE 1
~ guts: have the guts to do sth BRAVE 5
j; guts: not have the guts BRAVE 7
III gulled BURN 8
i guy/bloke/chap MAN 1
Ii guzzle EAT 3
habit 585 hand back
force of habit Ilf;:):rs ~v Ihreb!tJ you say force of habit

habit
H
ADDICTED 4, HABIT 1
when you are explaining that the reason you continue or
someone else continues to do something is because it has
become a habit
"We bought you a washing machine Granny, so whydo you
still wash everything by hand?" "Force of habit, I suppose,
dear, "I They don 'I really need to do il lhal way any more,
it habit: break the habit STOP OOING STH 5 it's just force of habit.
, habit: force of habit HABIT 2
habit: get Into the habit of START DOING STH 7 habitable LIVE SOMEWH ERE 10
,.. habh: have a habit of doing 5th HABIT 2, OFTEN 2 habttual OFTEN 4
habit: kick the habit STOP OOING STH 5 habitually ALWAYS/EVERY TIME 1
habit: not be In the habit of NOT 00 STH 1 D hack CUT 7, REPORT 3
'.I habit: not make a habit of It NOT 00 5TH 10 hack: It hacks me off/It ticks me off AN NOY 1
habit: out of habltlfrom habit HABIT 2 hacked off: ticked off/hacked off ANNOY 4
hackneyed USE STH 15
had IF 1
. HABIT had: has had it BROKEN 3
had: have had It FED UP 1
something that someone does repeatedly and had: to be had AVAILABLE 2
often does not realize because they have done had: you've been had CHEAT 1
it so many times before haggard TIRED 8
f haggle CHEAP 10
1 words meaning a habit hall: be hailed as PRAISE 4
2 ways of saying that someone does something hall sth/ab as CALUDESCRIBE AS 1
because il is a habit they have hair: tet your hair down RElAXED 2
hair: make sb's hair stand on end FRIGHTENED 7
hair-raising FRIGHTENED 6
half: break In two/In half BREAK 8
1 words meaning a habit half: break sth In twolin half BREAK 2
habit half-asleep TIRED 2
mannerism half-baked STUPID/NOT SENSIBLE 5
ways half-brother/ half-slster FAMILY 6
half-hearted ENTHUSIASTIC 5
habit /' hrebltf In Cl half-light: the half-light DARK 1
She has a lot of littl€ habits Ihal I find really irritaling. I half-starved HUNGRYISTARVING 1
Don 'I tell my molher I smoke, she thinks il's a filthy habit. I half the time OFTEN 1
At first you think "I'll just have one cigarette, ,. but thi!n it half-truth lIEITELL A LIE 2
becomes a habit and you 're smoking 60 a day. I get into the halfway MIDDLE 4
habit of doing sth It's easy to get into the habit o/not lock· halfway: meet sb halfway AGREE 5
ing the door, then one day you rome home and allyour things hallmarks: have all the hallmarks of SEEM 1
have been stolen. hallucinate IMAGINE 3
mannerism / Imrenan u m/ a way of speaking or a small hallucination IMAGINE 4, SEE 9
movement of the face or txxly that is slightly different from halt STOP MOVING 1, STOP STH THAT IS
other people's, which someone often uses, especially one HAPPENING 1
that seems slightly odd [n C) halt: call a halt to STOP STH THAT IS HAPPENING 6
He has inherited all hisfather's mannerisms, like thatfunny halt: come to a halt STOP MOVING 1
way Iu? has of wrinkling his nose when he talks. I Students halt: come to a stop/halt STOP MOVING 3
will ofum pick on a teacher's mannerisms when they want halt: grind to a halt STOP MOVING 3
to make fun of them. halve REDUCE 1
ways /welZ/ someone's habits and their usual behaviour, ham-fisted CLUM SY t
used especially when you think they seem rather odd and ham It up ACTOR/ACTRESS 8
you cannot understand them fn plurall hammer HIT 7
The boss had some strange ways - [ remember she always hammer: clobber/hammer BEAT/DEFEAT 2
used. to make us run around the oJ]ice every morning before hammer: come/go under the hammer SELL 6
we started work. I He 's lived with them - he knows their hammer out DISCUSS 2
ways. hamper PROBLEM 9
hand GIVE 2
2 ways of saying that someone does something hand: a hand HELP 10
hand: be close at hand NEAR 4
because it is a habit they have
hand: by hand PERSONALLY/yOURSELF 1
have a habit of doing sth
hand: get out of hand CONTROL 21
out of habit/from habit hand: give/tend a hand HELP 1
force of habit hand: give Bb a big hand PRAISE 8
have. habit ofcloing sth /hrev, ,hreblt,v 'du"Q (sth)/ hand: have a hand In TAKE PART/BE INVOLVED 4
to do something often, especially something annoying, hand: hold ab 's hand HOLD 6
because it is a habit you have Iv phrase not in progressive ] hand: in hand HOLD 1. REMAIN/BE LEFT 1
Robert has an annoying habit of saying the wrong thing at hand: in your hand HOLD 1
lhe wrong lime. I She has a habil of leaving lhe fronl door hand: know somewhere like the back of your hand
open when she goes out. KNOW STH 3
out of hebltlfrom habit /aut ~v I hreb~l. f~m Ihreb!t/ hand: on the other hand BUT 3
because it is your habit, not because you have thought hand: run your hand over/along etc TOUCH 1
about what you are doing and decided this is what you hand: take sb by the armlhand etc HOLD 7
should do [adu phrase) hand: to hand HAVE 2
Many people go to church out of habit, not because of any hand: IIy your hand at TAY STH TO SEE IF IT IS GOOD 1
deep religious beliqs. I From habi~ I started to walk towards hand around/round GIVE 4
the Barrto de Gartru!n where I used to live. M hand back GIVE 11
hand down 586 HAPPEN
~ hand down: be handed down GIVE 10
t hand
hand
In/give In GIVE 7
in glove with WITH 4
• HAPPEN
hand in hand: go hand in hand CONN ECTED WITH 1
hand In hand: go with/go hand In hand with RESULT 7 1 words meaning to happen
hand in your notice/resignation LEAVE A JOB OR 2 to happen unexpectedly
ORGANIZATION 1 3 ways of saying Ihal something happens thal
hand-me-downs CLOTHES 5 is planned or arranged
hand out/give out GIVE 4 4 ways of saying that something actually
hand over GIVE 7. 8 happens after you have hoped, expected,
hand round: hand around/round GIVE 4 worried, or said it wou ld happen
handbook INSTRUCTIONS 2
5 10 happen wil h a good or bad result
handful: a handful of FEw /NOT MANY 1
handicap DISABLED 2, DISADVANTAGE 1 6 ways of saying that something is happening
handicapped DISABLED 1 now
handicapped: be handicapped DISADVANTAGE 3 7 ways of asking what is happening
handle DEAL WITH 1. 2. HO LD 4. TREAT/BE HAVE 8 10 be Ihe place where, or Ihe time whe n,
TOWARDS 1 somethi ng imporlant happened
handling 01 TREAT/BEHAVE TOWARDS 2 9 something that happens, thal is not planned
handmade MAKE 9 10 something planned that happens
handout GIVE 20
11 a series 01 bad, unpleasanl, or shocking
handpicked/hand-picked CHOOSE 8
hands: be good with your hands GOOD AT 4 Ihings Ihal happen at the same time
hands: be in good hands SAFE 1 12 ways of saying that somelhing happens to
hands: be out of sb's hands1be no longer in sb's someone or something
hands CAN'T 4 13 words for describing a period of time in which
hands: 1811 Into sb's hands GET 6 a 101 of things happen
hands: get/lay your hands on GET 2 14 10 happen again
hands: hold hands HOLD 6
hands: play into sb's hands HELP 1
hands: sb's hands are tied CAN 'T 4
hands: take your life In your hands DANGEROUS 6 1 words meaning to happen
hands down: win hands down WIN 4 happen there Is
hands full: have your hands full BUSY/HAVE A LOT occur it comes to
TO DO 1
come about
hands off TOUCH 6
hands-on TAKE PART/BE INVOLVED 5 happen / ' hrep:m/ I v I I
handsome BEAUTIFUUGOOD-LOOK1NG 1, 2, BIG 7 ThRaa:UJentOOppemdattwoo 'cla:kthis qfternoon. 1WOOt 's
handwash WASH 6 happelWd? Why are )!ou crying? I The strangest thi~ hap-
handwriting: wrttlng/handwrltlng WRITE 8 pened when I was in Singapore, I Before I realised what was
handwritten WRITE 13 happening, the car had spun off the road and into a ditch. I
handy CONVENIENT 1. NEAR 4. 5. USEFUL 1 You mustn 't go there alone. Why, anything might happen! I
handy: be handy with GOOD AT 4 it happen that It som etimes happens that the engine
handy: come In handy/useful USE FUL 3 overheats.
hang ATIACH 2, DOWN 11 occur /:J 1 k3: t l a formal word meaning to happen [v lJ
hang: get the hang of LEARN 1 These violent incidents frequently occur without any warn-
hang around WAIT 1 ing. I The court will have to decide exactly what occurred on
hang in the balance: be/hang in the balance the night Melior died_ I Tornadoes occur when a ux:zrm
UNCERTAIN 2 weather front meets a body of very cold air.
hang on HOLD 2 occurrence /, ' kA"ms 11 " b:-f[n UJ ThR drug is being rested
hang on: hinge on/hang on DEPENDflT DEPENDS 1 to assess the occurrence of side effects (=how often they
hang on: hold on/hang on WAIT 2 occur).
hang on: keep sb hanging on WAIT 5 come about 11leArn ~ I hautl to happen, especially as a
hang on/hold on WAIT 1 result of earlier events or decisions [phr v I not in
hang onto KEEP/CONTINUE TO HAVE 1, 5 progressive 1
hang out SPE ND TIM E 1 Our problems came about because we ignored the advice of
hang over SOON 6 experts. I Social reforms have often come about as a result
hang together LOGICAL 2 of political revolutions. I Why this sudden change should
hang up TELEPHON E 7 have come about we do /Wt know. I come about that How
hang-up WORRIE D 9 did it come about that the murderer made such a mistake?
hangover DRUNK 8, REMAIN/BE LEFT 4 there I. Illc:Jr Izl if there is an event, accident, change
hanker after WANT 6 etc, it happens, especially unexpectedly
haphazard CARELESS 3 There has been a major accident on the Dallas-Fortworth
happen HAPPEN 1. 4 turnspike. I There was another shooting incident in Belfast
~ happen: be happening HAPPEN 6 last night. I You should consult a doctor if there is any change
happen: as it happens CHANCE/BY CHANCE 1 in your condition.
happen: nothing ever happens BORING 5 H com •• to lit IkArnz tu:/ an expression used when you
happen: what's happening/what's going on HAPPEN 7 mean that a situation becomes so bad that something
:;; happen again HAPPEN 14 extremely unpleasant happens
happen to HAPPEN 12 it comes to this/ that/ it etc So it's come to this! So desper-
• happen 10 do slh CHANCE/BY CHANCE 1 atefor a drink that you steal money from your own daugh-
ter! I Sell the house? Surely it hasn 't come to that yet. I it
comes to sth /fit comes to afight we'll be ready for them.
I~ I " You say" is used in definitions of some
~ words or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken English.
HAPPEN
2 to happen unexpectedly
crop up turn up
come up present itself
arise
crop up Itkrop lAP I1 .kro:p-, an informal expression: if
something such as a problem crops up, it happens sud-
denly and unexpectedly [phr v I I
A ooupwofprobwrm; cropped up whiwyou were away. I If
anything crops up, give me a call. I You have to learn to deal
with d(fflCult situations when they crop up. It's not a skill
that can be Illught.
come up I. kAm I t\pf if something, especially a problem
or a chance to do something comes UP. it happens unex-
pectedly Iphr v Ii
He rang le say he would be late home - something had come
up at the office. I You expect a/ew problems to come up when
you change to a new computer system. I There are job vacan-
cies/ram time to time. I'll let you krww if anything comes up.
8r1 •• /3 Iralz/ a fonnal word: ifa problem or difficult situ·
ation arises. it happens and comes to your attention (u I
not usually in progressive J
We must make the document absolutely clear to ensure mis-
understandings do not arise. I The legal probwmsfirst arose
when we tried to sell our house. [ arise from (=arise as a
result of something) conflict a rising from tensions between
the different ethnic groups
turn up Jlo:rn IApl ifsomething such as ajob or a chance
to do something turns up, it happens or becomes avaUa-
ble through good luck [phr v I not in progressivel
Don't worry, something will turn Up. I I've been lookingfor
ajobfor two months. If nothing turns up soon, I think I'll
go abroad. for a while.
present It.eH Jpn lzent Itselfl a formal expression : if a
chance to do something presents itself it happens and you
notice it Iv phrase not in progressive)
You could not expect an opportunity like this to present itself
more than once in your lifetime. [ We had been waiting until
the right occasion presented itself.
3 ways of saying that something happens that
is planned or arranged
take place
be
take place Jlte lk Iplels/ Iv phrase)
Where is the meeting taking place? I The wedding will take
place at St Andrew 's church. I Police have obtained a court
injunction to prevent the demonstration taking place.
be /bi ; strong bi:/ ifa planned event is at a particular time
or place, it happens or is arranged to happen a t that time
or place (v)
Dinner is at eight, so be there by half past seven. I There is
a big carnival in Kingston every year. [ Last year's degree
ceremony was in the main faculty building.
4 ways of saying that something actually
happens after you have hoped, expected,
worried , or said it would happen
happen be lullllled
come true materialize
be realized
happen I 'hrep>nl Iv 11
For some time there had been predictions of a major earth-
quake, and thenonApril19,I9IJ6, it happened. I We'd always
feared that this might happen.
come true / lkAm Itro:J if your wishes, dreams etccome
true, what you have wished Cor or dreamed about actually
happens Iv phrasel
PattersQn's dream came true when he won the Boston mara-
thon on his/frst attempt. [ Good luck to you, Katie, and may
all your wishes come true. 1 If scientists' predictions come
true, the Earth's temperature will rise by five degrees in the
next fifty years.
587 HAPPEN
be . .- . c l (also .... Brrtish) Ibi: 'n>I'lzdl if your expec·
tations, hopes, fears etc are realized, what you expected
or hoped for actually happens Iv phrase 1
At thirty-fwe her ambition ofrunning her own business was
finally realized. I My worst fears were realized when I saw
what wos on the exam paper. If feEl conjuJent that the high
expectations I have of my new job will be realised.
be fulfilled Ibi: ful' fddl if a wish or promise is fulfilled,
what someone wished for or promised actually happens Iv
phrase I
The witches told the king that his wish would befuifilled
before the year was over. I We k new that the 'd£mocratic elec-
tions' were a promise which would not befulJilled.
materialize (also -I •• British) /m;)'tlari;)iaIZI if an event
which has been planned, expected, or promised material-
izes. it actually happens Iv I usually in negative sentences I
Marx predicted a revolution in England, but this never
materialized. I Even if the salary raise materializes, it won't
be worth much. I fall to materialize (=not happen) The
promised recovery failed to materialize and unemployment
kept on rising.
5 to happen with a good or bad result
turn out go
work out/pan out go off/pass off
turn out Ilo: rn lautl to happen so that the fmal result is
good, bad, unexpected etc Iphr v I1
We were worried when only twenty people came to the party
but it turned out very well. I How did things turn out in the
end? I The operation didn't turn out quite as expected, did
it? I as it turned out We were expecting James at twelve
o'clock but, as it turned out, he was d£/ayed and didn't arrive
until three.
work out/pan out IIW3:rk laut, Ipren lautj informal
expressions meaning to happen with a particular result,
especially a successful or unsuccessful one [phr v 11
work out well!all right/ brilliantly etc Some campaigns
work out better than others. l It's too ooriy to say whethu this
plan isgoing to succeed - weshalljust have to see how th ings
work out. I We had afew problEms when Jakejirst gave up
work. but things are panning out very well now.
go If.3UI if something such as an arranged event or some-
one's work goes well, badly etc, it happens in a way that
is successful or unsuccessful etc Iv I J
Did the party go well? I Things went badly for the oompany
last year. Their profits are down by 50 %. [ How's thejob
going these days?
go off/pa•• off I,g"" 'of, ,pa:s-II -,pres 'o:fl if an
arranged event goes off or passes off well or successfully,
it happens and is completed successfully [phr v I not in
progressive]
go off well/successfully etc Thanks to the helpfUl stqff at
the hatel, the oonferena went ojJvery well. I Having planned
the celebrations with SO much care. we were relieved that they
had passed ojJ smoothly.
6 ways of saying that something is happening
now
be happening be in full swing
be going on under
be In progress be In operation
be on
be happening Ibi: 'hrep.nI QI Iv phrase 1
She looked Into the room to see what was happening. I What's
happening over there, where all the noise is coming from? [
The economy is in recession, and there is no point pretend-
ing it isn't happening.
be going on /bi: Ig3UIIJ IDnl if something is going on it
is happening, especially if it makes you feel worried or
annoyed Iv phraseJ
They're making a terrible noise upstairs, but I can 'tfind out
whal's going on. [ When she realised what was going on,
HeWn demanded a divorce. I What the hell's going on? What
are you doing in my office?
HAPPEN 588
be In progr.s. [bi: In Ipr~gres 11 -Ipra:-, a fonnal
expression: ifan arranged event, game, or operation is in
progress, it has started and has not finished yet {v phrase]
At the/ar end. o/the train a card game was still in progress. I
There must be no noise in the school while examinations are
in progress. I An emergency relief operation is already in
progress in Southern Sudan.
be on [bi: Ion 11 - I Q:n/ to be happening now or to be going
to happen [phr v lJ
The presidential election was on when we arrived in the
States. I People have to learn to economize when there is a
war on. I The summer sales are on next week.
be In full.wlng /bi: I n I ful ISWIIJI if an organized activity
or an event such as a party is in full swing, it has already
been happen ing for some time and people are taking part
in a very active way [u phrase I
By the time I got there the party was infull swing and every-
one was dancing. I Barcelona wasjull o/visitors, and prepa-
rations/or the Olympic Games were in/ull swing.
under Ilhndarl under construction/investigation/re-
view/discussion etc (=being constructed, investigated
etc) [prep]
ThedetaUs o/theplan are still under discussion. ! While the
company's tax records are under investigation, business
trading has been suspended.
be In operation Ibi: In lopalrelJan I! - IO:P-/ if a plan or
a system is in operation, it is being used and is working
IV phrase]
In Java there are a number 0/ irrigation systems in opera-
tion. ! More than 20 training programmes are in operation,
with almost 2000 trainees.
7 ways of asking what is happening
what's happening?/what's going on?
what's up?
what's happenlng?/what's going on? / ,wots
'hrepanll), Iwets gaulIj lonl
The room began to shake and we stared at each other infear.
"What's happening?" asked Robert. I "What's going on at
the town hall?" asked my mother. "There's a huge crowd of
people there. "
what's up? 11wets Ihpl (an informal American
expression)
What's up, guys? You doing anything tonight?
8 to be the place where, or the time when,
something important happened
see the scene of
witness bring
see /si:j a word used especially in newspapers and books:
if a period of time sees something such as problems, vio-
lence, or changes in society, that is the period in which they
happen [v T Mt usually in progressive J
1981 saw major riots in several cities in the UK. I The last
40 years have seen important changes in public attitudes to
social and moral issues.
witness Ilwltnlsl a word used especially in newspapers
and books: if a perioo of several years witnesses impor-
tant events, that is the period in which they happen Iv T]
The 19/!Os witnESSed a breakthrough in East/West relations. I
The period 1880- 1914 witnessed a revolution in English
education.
the scene of loa 'shn ovl the scene of a violent,
unpleasant, or important event is the place where it hap-
pens In phrase I
Siracusa, in the south. was the scene of an important naval
battle. I It look the police about ten minutes to arrive at the
scene of the crime.
bring /brlQ/ if a period of time brings changes, problems
etc they happen at that time Iv T rwt in passive]
The 19305 brought hardship for many. I The new school term
always brings fresh ideas aruJ suggestions. I February
brings the rains.
HAPPEN
9 something that happens, that is not planned
event happening
occurrence thing
Incident phenomenon
event I11 vcnt/ something that happens, especially some-
thing that is important or interesting (n Cl
Meeting Professor Keamey was an event which changed my
life. I The events leading up to the war are well·known. I At
seven 0 'clock they have dinner, during which they catch up
on the day's events. ! sequence of events (=the order in
which events happened) Police are attempting to reconstruct
the sequencf! ofevents on the night ofthe killing. I the course
of events (=the way that events happened which was not
planned in any way) Nothing we could have done would
have changed the course of events.
occurrence/a'kAr.ms !I a'b:-I a fonnal word meaning
something that happens, used especially to say whether
something happens often or rarely In C]
Earthquakes are an unusual occurrence in EnglaruJ but are
not totally unkMwn. I Vicious fights and arguments were
a daily occurrence in the shipyards.
Incident I11 nsldantl something that happens, especially
something that is unusual or unpleasant or something that
is part of a longer series of events In Cl
Apartfrom the incident in Las Vegas our vacation was com-
pletely troubl£jre£. I In her autobiography, Stagestruck, she
remembers many humorous incidents from her life in the
theatre. I I remembered the violent incident that I had wit-
nessed in the Piazza. I without incident (=without any-
thing unpleasant happening) To my great relief the meal
passed without incident.
happening I' hrepanIIjj something that happens, espe-
cially something that is strange or unusual In Cl
The happenings of thl? last two days had liift me f€f!ling
dazed. I The ancient Chinese beli£ved that when a comet
appeared ail kinds of strange happenings might occur.
thing 1611)/ an informal word meaning something that
happens In C]
I can still remember things that happened when I was a little
kid. I Afunny thing happened to me on the way to work this
morning.
phenomenon /fllnombn~m !! fllna:m!nO!n, -n3n/ (plural
phenomena) a natural or social process that can be seen
or is known to happen, and often studied because it is not
fully understood In Cl
Scientists have studied this phenomenonfor years. I Another
interesting phenomenon is that of magnetic fields. ! The
breakdown offamily life is a relatively recent phenomenon. I
A thorough understanding of mathematics is su./Tzeient to
explain a wide variety of natural phenomena.
10 something planned that happens
event
occasion
proceedtngs
event I r I ventf something that happens which has been
planned and arranged such as a party, performance, or
sports competition [n Cl
A display o/water-skiing has been organized. but the event
had to be cancelled because of bad. weather. I annual event
(=an event held every year) The town's beer festival is an
annual event. I social/sporting event She lookedforward
to social events like the embassy cocktail parties.
occasion lalkclyn! an important social event, ceremony,
or celebration [n CJ
The opening ceremony of the 1992 Olympiad was a memor-
able occasion. I special occasion (=an occasion that you
think is very special) She was saving four bottles of their
best champagnefor a special occasion. !quite an occasion
(=a very exciting or important occasion) It was quite an
occasion. All the local dignitaries were there, dressed in their
finest clothes.
HAPPEN
proceedings /pro'si:d,OzJ all the things which happen
during an official meeting or discussion, especially in a
court of law or in parliament In plural]
You can sit along the back wall o/thecourtroom to watch
the proceedings. I Brigadier Jackson took charge 0/ the
proceedings and decided woo would speak 1U?Xt.
11 a series of bad. unpleasant. or shocking
things that happen at the same time
affair business
goings-on scenes
a':talr /'dtfe'drl someth ing that happens, especially some-
thmg unpleasant or shocking, which usually involves
several people and several events [n C usually singularl
This court case is an awful affair - I'm so worried. I They
have rnad£ a movie about the Watergate affair rolled 'All the
President's Men '. I We will have to sort out this affair before
it goes any further.
goings-on , .g:)()ll]z Ion 11 -Io:n/ an informal word mean-
ing things which have been happening somewhere espe-
cially ones that surprise, annoy or shock you [n piural )
Gwen still believed Fran 's story, despite the odd goings-on
at the pub. I Sunil walked close behind meand told me about
the goings-on in his ofFICe.
b':lslness / 'bl zn!sj a set of connected events which you
th~k are unpleasant, shocking, annoying etc [n singular )
ThLS argument has gone on too long - I'm sick of the whole
business. I That was a nasty business, those murders.Did you
see it in the papers?
scenes/si:nzj things that are happening at the same time
in the same place involving a lot of people, all behaving in
an angry, excited etc way [n plural)
Angry scenes in Parliament followed the minister's state-
ment. I enwtional scenes at the airport
12 ways of saying that something happens to
someone or something
happen to undergo
experience meet with
happen to /lhrepaD tu:j if something happens to ·some·
one or something, it happens and has an effect on them,
usually a bad effect [v T not in passive]
The crash wasn't her fau lt, it could have happened to
anyone. I What has happened to Carlo? He seems depressed
about something. I Nobody seems to care about what is hap-
pening to our village.
experience /Ik'splariansl if someone experiences some-
thing such as a problem, a difficult situation etc, it happens
to them [v TJ
She experienced a lot a/problEm, with herlu-st child. I South
Korea has experienced the social upheavals that come with
industrialisation. I experience at first hand (=experience
something yourself instead of just being told about it)
During the war they experienced atfirst hand the Iwrror of
nig ht bombing raids.
undergo j.Andaf lgau/ if someone or something under-
goes a change or an unpleasant event it happens to them
or it is done to them [u TI
He was frightened when he realized he would have to
ur:de~go a dangerous heart operation. I S ince the death of
hLS Wife he has undergone a profound change in his outlook
on life. I In the last few years the m useum has undergone
extensive renovation.
meet with / 'mi!t w16/ to get a particular reaction espe-
cially ar:
progressive]
unpleasant one, from other people [v T ~t in
Many UJOrking women meet withprejudicefrom men. I He
liked to do things on his own so if he met with any interfer-
ence he became very angry.
I~~ I word
" You say" is used in definitions of some
s or phrases to show they are
especially used in Spoken Eng lish .
589 happy 10 do 8th
13 words for describing a period of time in which
a lot of things happen
eventful
action-packed
eventful/I tycntfal/ a period oftime that is eventful is one
during which a lot of interesting or important things
happen ladil
It has been an event/ul week in jXJlitics, with the resignations
of no fewer than three Presidential advisers. I When Mari-
lyn Monroe died the press was anxious to uncover every
aspect of her eventfULcareer.
actlo ....pack.d / ' rekf_n prekt{ action-packed holidayI
trIp/film etc (=one during which you do a lot of exciting
things or during which a lot of exciting things happen) [adj
usually before noun I
We provide action-packed holidays for children including
rid~ng, sailing, rock-climbing, and canoeing. I another
actwn·packed adventure movie starring Harrison Ford
14 to happen again
happen again repetition/repeat
recur repeat performance
come full circte repeat Itself
happen again /, hrep:m algenl [v phrase]
She apologized for the incident and promised it wouldn't
happen again. I My car broke down on thefreeway last week
and it happened again yesterday.
recur In uf(3!f/ a fonnal word meaning to happen again,
once or repeatedly [v I )
A ltlwugh the treatmentfor skin cancer is usually successful,
the problem can recur later. 1 Ancient astronomers disco·
vered that eclipses recur in a cycle of about nineteen years.
recurrence Ifl lkA r.ms 11 -l k3! r-J rn C/U] She reported
several recurrences of the same technical fault (=that the
same fault had recurred several times).
come full clrcle/,urn ,fut ' s3: f kall if events or situa·
tions come full circle, they end in exactly the same way
they began [v phrase)
At the end ofthe film things comefull circle and the two cou·
pies are reunited.
repetition/repeal /Irep! 'tlf;m, rI 'phtl an event or
action that is the same as something that happened before
In Cl
repetition/repeat of This accident is a repetition of what
happened to m e afew weeks ago. I I want everyone to behave
themselves in church this week. We don'l want a repeat oflast
week's problems. I Will next Saturday's game be a repeat of
Germany's triumph last season?
repeat performance /rl,pinp;}f'fJ:rmanSj something
that happens in exactly the same way as it happened before
usually with all the same problems In C] ,
We must try to make this camp a success. We don't want a
repeat performance of last summer's disaster. I Having
driven to work through thick snow and ice, I wasn't looking
forward to a repeat performance on the way home.
repeat Itself Irl'pia Itself! if you say that a set ofevents
repeats itself, you mean that things happen again in just
the same way [v phrase 1
Each time somrone takes revenge, the cycle of violence repeats
itself. I history repeats itself We can remember the last war
and we are determined TWt to allow history to repeat itself.
~ happening HAPPEN 9
happily LUCKY 7
happiness HAPPY 8
happy HAPPY 1. 3 . 4. 7. 11 . SATISFIED 1. 2
happy: make sb happy HAPPY 10
happy couple: the happy couple MARRY 10
happy ending HAPPY 11
happy to do 5th: be glad/happy/pleased to do 8th
WILLING 1
HAPPY