Deck2 Flashcards
convenience
[uncountable] the quality of being useful, easy or suitable for somebody
- We have provided seats for the convenience of our customers.
- For (the sake of) convenience, the two groups have been treated as one in this report.
- The position of the house combines quietness and convenience.
- In this resort you can enjoy all the comfort and convenience of modern tourism.
ANTONYM inconvenience
[countable] something that is useful and can make things easier or quicker to do, or more comfortable
- It was a great convenience to have the school so near.
- The house had all the modern conveniences (= central heating, etc.) that were unusual at that time.
Idioms
at somebody’s convenience
(formal) at a time or a place that is suitable for somebody
- Can you telephone me at your convenience to arrange a meeting?
at your earliest convenience
(business) as soon as possible
- Please contact us at your earliest convenience.
ADDITIONAL USAGE
flags of convenience
a flag of a foreign country that is used by a ship from another country for legal or financial reasons
marriage of conveninence
a marriage that is made for practical, financial or political reasons and not because the two people love each othera marriage that is made for practical, financial or political reasons and not because the two people love each other
public convenience
a public building containing toilets that are provided for anyone to usea public building containing toilets that are provided for anyone to use
convention
[countable, uncountable] the way in which something is done that most people in a society expect and consider to be polite or the right way to do it
- the rigid social conventions of Victorian Britain
- She is a young woman who enjoys flouting conventions.
- by convention By convention the deputy leader was always a woman.
- Convention demands that a club member should resign in such a situation.
- By convention, planets are named after Roman gods.
- By convention, the Queen gives the Royal Assent to all measures passed by Parliament.
- Convention dictated that dangerous physical action is the part of heroes, not heroines.
- He had the freedom of spirit to cut through convention.
- Her work refuses any concession to polite conventions of ‘good taste’.
- In a surprising break with convention, she wore a red wedding dress.
- Life with the Leighs was not hidebound by rules or convention.
- No young politician can afford to flout convention in this way.
- She knew that she had broken an important social convention.
- They followed the Greek convention of pinning gifts of money to the bride’s dress.
- Here we decided to break with convention.
- The handshake is a social convention.
- They showed a refreshing disrespect for convention.
[countable] a large meeting of the members of a profession, a political party, etc.
SYNONYM conference
- to hold a convention
- the Democratic Party Convention (= to elect a candidate for president)
- Dallas is one of the top convention cities in the United States.
- He addressed the annual Republican convention.
- She was at the Democratic convention.
- journalists reporting from the convention floor
- The party’s annual convention will be held on April 6.
[countable] an official agreement between countries or leaders
- the Geneva convention
- the United Nations convention on the rights of the child
- Most countries have adhered to the convention.
- Over 60 countries have yet to ratify the climate convention.
- The convention established procedures for the transport of toxic waste.
- This is forbidden under the Convention on Human Rights.
- This practice breaches the arms convention.
- a convention governing the conditions under which mining is permitted
- the 1869 convention between Turkey and Persia
- the 1951 United Nations Convention on refugees
- the Berne Convention for the Conservation of European Wildlife
- the UN convention against torture
[countable, uncountable] a traditional method or style in literature, art or the theatre
the conventions of Greek tragedy
- It’s an established convention that the part is played by a woman.
- The novel refuses to conform to the narrative conventions of 19th century realism.
- The novel conforms to the conventions of nineteenth-century realism.
- He challenged the conventions of painting.It’s an established convention that the part is played by a woman.
- The novel refuses to conform to the narrative conventions of 19th century realism.
- The novel conforms to the conventions of nineteenth-century realism.
- He challenged the conventions of painting.
conventional
(often disapproving) tending to follow what is done or considered acceptable by society in general; normal and ordinary, and perhaps not very interesting
- conventional behaviour/morality
- She’s very conventional in her views.
- He turned out to be a very conventional young man.
- The imagery in the poem is somewhat conventional.
- They rejected what they saw as the hypocrisy of conventional society.
OPPOSITE unconventional
[usually before noun] following what is traditional or the way something has been done for a long time
- conventional methods/approaches
- It’s not a hotel, in the conventional sense, but rather a whole village turned into a hotel.
- You can use a microwave or cook it in a conventional oven.
- Her face is not beautiful in conventional terms.
- My sister was taught to read by more conventional methods.
- Raising such a large amount of money from conventional sources would be difficult.
- She had a fairly conventional start to her career.
conversion
[uncountable, countable] conversion (from something) (into/to something) the act or process of changing something from one form, use or system to another
- Their main business is the conversion of farm buildings into family homes.
- Conversion to gas central heating will save you a lot of money.
- No conversion from analogue to digital data is needed.
- a metric conversion table (= showing how to change metric amounts into or out of another system)
- a firm which specializes in house conversions (= turning large houses into several smaller flats)
- A local building firm will carry out the conversion of the farm buildings into business units.
- Cheap solar energy conversion has been the dream of scientists since the 1970s.
- Consult the conversion table to figure out the weight in kilos.
- There are no charges for currency conversion.
- a conversion kit that lets your vehicle run on non-polluting fuel
- Today, after a careful conversion, it is a very comfortable and elegant country home.
- The firm specializes in house conversions.
[uncountable, countable] conversion (from something) (to something) the process or experience of changing somebody’s or your own religion or beliefs
- the conversion of the Anglo-Saxons by Christian missionaries
- his conversion from Judaism to Christianity
- Late in life she experienced a religious conversion.
- She began by supporting monetarist economics, but later underwent quite a conversion when she saw how it increased unemployment.
- her conversion from Christianity to Buddhism
- In the 90s he underwent a religious conversion.
- her overnight conversion to market economics
convey
to make ideas, feelings, etc. known to somebody
SYNONYM communicate
- convey something Colours like red convey a sense of energy and strength.
- convey something to somebody (formal) Please convey my apologies to your wife.
- convey how, what, etc… He tried desperately to convey how urgent the situation was.
- convey that… She did not wish to convey that they were all at fault.
- He managed to convey his enthusiasm to her.
- The novel vividly conveys the experience of growing up during the war.
convey somebody/something (from…) (to…) (formal) to take, carry or transport somebody/something from one place to another
- Pipes convey hot water from the boiler to the radiators.
- A carriage was waiting to convey her home.
- Flowers from the Isles of Scilly were conveyed by steamer to Penzance.
- Pipes convey hot water to the radiators.
- The stone was conveyed by river to the site.
convict
to decide and state officially in court that somebody is guilty of a crime
- be convicted (of something) He was convicted of fraud.
- a convicted murderer
- convict somebody (of something) There wasn’t enough evidence to convict her.
OPPOSITE acquit
- He was convicted of a serious driving offence.
- He was convicted of the murder of two teenagers.
- He was convicted on a drug charge.
- She was convicted for her part in the crime.
- They were convicted on all 13 counts.
conviction
[countable, uncountable] the act of finding somebody guilty of a crime in court; the fact of having been found guilty
OPPOSITE acquitall
- He plans to appeal against his conviction.
- conviction for something She has six previous convictions for theft.
- on conviction an offence that carries, on conviction, a sentence of not more than five years’ imprisonment
- A reward is offered for information leading to the conviction of the attacker.
- He appealed against his conviction for murder.
- He believes that too many defendants are escaping conviction by claiming that they are insane.
- He has three criminal convictions.
- Her lawyer said that she plans to appeal her conviction.
- His sentence on conviction would be life imprisonment.
- Keeping this information from the jury could result in a wrongful conviction.
- The appeal court overturned the conviction against her.
- The conviction rate for rape is extremely low.
- The men’s convictions were declared unsafe.
- They need strong evidence to secure a conviction.
- You are not obliged to acknowledge spent convictions.
- a conviction based on very slim evidence
- a conviction for murder
[countable, uncountable] a strong opinion or belief
* strong political/moral convictions
* She was motivated by deep religious conviction.
* conviction that… We were sustained by the conviction that all would be well in the end.
* The new party is based on the firm conviction that secular government is in the interests of all.
* Judges should not let their personal moral convictions influence sentencing.
* These experiences reinforced my conviction that music helps learning.
* The ex-leaders share a deep conviction that their views on world matters are still vitally important.
* The demise of consensus and the rise of conviction politics.
* The American Constitution reflects certain religious convictions.
* She had this absolute conviction that what she liked others would like.
* Nothing could shake her conviction that she could not be beaten.
* Nothing could shake her conviction that ‘abroad’ was a dangerous place.
* It is the firm conviction of the governors that this child should not be admitted to the school.
* It is my firm conviction that nothing will change until we address the root causes of the problem.
* He had a strong personal conviction about the power of the printed word.
convincing
that makes somebody believe that something is true
OPPOSITE unconvincing
- a convincing argument/explanation/case
- She sounded very convincing to me (= I believed what she said).
- a convincing victory/win (= an easy one)
- He was far from convincing as a leader.
- I found his argument pretty convincing.
- She gave a wonderfully convincing performance in the leading role.
- A long, complicated excuse always sounds less convincing.
- Is there convincing evidence that the treatment works?
- This explanation is not entirely convincing.He was far from convincing as a leader.
- I found his argument pretty convincing.
- She gave a wonderfully convincing performance in the leading role.
- A long, complicated excuse always sounds less convincing.
- Is there convincing evidence that the treatment works?
- This explanation is not entirely convincing.
cooperate
[intransitive] cooperate (with somebody) (in/on something) to work together with somebody else in order to achieve something
- The two groups agreed to cooperate with each other.
- They had cooperated closely in the planning of the project.
- They had cooperated closely in the planning of the project.
- The two companies are cooperating in the development of a new engine.
- We are cooperating on a research project.
[intransitive] cooperate (with somebody/something) to be helpful by doing what somebody asks you to do
* Their captors told them they would be killed unless they cooperated.
* The company has agreed to cooperate with the employment survey.
cooperative
[usually before noun] involving doing something together or working together with others towards a shared aim
* Cooperative activity is essential to effective community work.
* The documentary was a cooperative effort by film-makers from five countries.
* This is a cooperative venture with the University of Copenhagen.
helpful by doing what you are asked to do
* Employees will generally be more cooperative if their views are taken seriously.
OPPOSITE uncooperative
coordinate
[transitive] to organize the different parts of an activity and the people involved in it so that it works well
- coordinate something They appointed a new manager to coordinate the work of the team.
- We need to develop a coordinated approach to the problem.
- a carefully coordinated policy
- coordinate something with something We try to coordinate our activities with those of other groups.
[transitive] coordinate something to make the different parts of your body work well together
* the part of the brain that coordinates body movements
coordination
the act of making parts of something, groups of people, etc. work together in an efficient and organized way
* The aim was to improve the coordination of services.
* coordination between A and B a need for greater coordination between departments
* coordination in something a lack of coordination in conservation policy
* in coordination with somebody/something a pamphlet produced by the government in coordination with (= working together with) the Sports Council
* advice on colour coordination (= choosing colours that look nice together, for example in clothes or furniture)
* a lack of coordination in government policy
* a leaflet produced by the government in coordination with professional bodies
* a need for coordination with the training department
* coordination of conservation activities
* to facilitate better coordination between departments
* The job requires a lot of coordination with others.
* The pamphlet was produced in coordination with residents’ groups.
* There’s a need for greater coordination between departments.
* a lack of coordination in government policy
* a leaflet produced by the government in coordination with professional bodies
* a need for coordination with the training department
* coordination of conservation activities
* to facilitate better coordination between departments
the ability to control your movements well
* You need good hand-eye coordination to play ball games.
coordinator
a person who organizes the different parts of an activity and the people involved in it so that it works well
* The campaign needs an effective coordinator.
cop
a police officer
* Somebody call the cops!
* children playing cops and robbers
* a TV cop show
* Lots of children play cops and robbers.
* Penn stars as a rookie cop out to prove himself.
* The film is based on the true story of a New York cop.
* The star was stopped by traffic cops on Friday night.
Idioms
it’s a fair cop
(British English, informal, humorous) used by somebody who is caught doing something wrong, to say that they admit that they are wrong
not much cop
(British English, slang) not very good
* He’s not much cop as a singer.
cope
to deal successfully with something difficult
SYNONYM manage
* I got to the stage where I wasn’t coping any more.
* cope with something He wasn’t able to cope with the stresses and strains of the job.
* Desert plants are adapted to cope with extreme heat.
* She copes very well under pressure.
* She had to cope without any help.
* She is unable to cope with her increasing workload.
* She was struggling to cope with the demands of a new baby.
* Some people find unemployment very difficult to cope with.
* Will the prison system cope adequately with the increasing numbers of prisoners?
* Everyone finds different ways of coping with bereavement.
* I got to the stage where I just couldn’t cope any more.
* In heavy rain the system can’t cope and it floods.
* The family is learning to cope without a car.
copper
[uncountable]
(symbol Cu)
a chemical element. Copper is a soft red-brown metal used for making electric wires, pipes and coins.
- a copper mine
- copper pipes
- copper-coloured hair
- Her hair shone like burnished copper.
- She works mainly in copper.
- copper alloyed with arsenic
coppers [plural] (British English) brown coins that do not have much value
* I only paid a few coppers for it.
[countable] (British English, informal) a police officer
* Apparently, her dad’s a copper.
* There are a couple of coppers waiting outside.
copyright
if a person or an organization holds the copyright on a piece of writing, music, etc., they are the only people who have the legal right to publish, broadcast, perform it, etc., and other people must ask their permission to use it or any part of it
* Copyright expires seventy years after the death of the author.
* They were sued for breach/infringement of copyright.
* copyright in/on something Who owns the copyright on this song?
* out of copyright His work is now out of copyright.
* in copyright The songs remain in copyright.
* Copyright protects your work from being commercially exploited by someone else without your consent.
* Databases are generally protected by copyright.
* Ownership of copyright can be transferred.
* The family still holds the copyright on his works.
* The publisher has the copyright on all his books.
* They sued her for breach of copyright.
corporation
(abbreviation Corp.)
a large business company
* multinational corporations
* the Chrysler corporation(abbreviation Corp.)
an organization or a group of organizations that is recognized by law as a single unit
* urban development corporations
an organization or a group of organizations that is recognized by law as a single unit
* urban development corporations
correction
[countable] correction (to something) a change that makes something more accurate than it was before
* I’ve made a few small corrections to your report.
* The paper had to publish a correction to the story.
* I’ve got to make one or two small corrections to the text before it’s finished.
* Make any necessary corrections before the text is printed.
* Now is the time to make any course corrections.
* These stock-market corrections were expected.
[uncountable] the act or process of correcting something
* There are some programming errors that need correction.
* The work was returned the student for correction.
* in-flight course correction
(old-fashioned) punishment
* the correction of young offenders
correlate
[intransitive] if two or more facts, figures, etc. correlate or if a fact, figure, etc. correlates with another, the facts are closely connected and affect or depend on each other
* The figures do not seem to correlate.
* correlate with something A high-fat diet correlates with a greater risk of heart disease.
* The average speed of the vehicles correlates closely with the severity of the accident caused.
[transitive] correlate something to show that there is a close connection between two or more facts, figures, etc.
* Researchers are trying to correlate the two sets of figures.
* Property values are negatively correlated to the tax rate.
correlation
a connection between two things in which one thing changes as the other does
* correlation between A and B There is a direct correlation between exposure to sun and skin cancer.
* correlation of A with B the correlation of social power with wealth
* A strong correlation exists between the fatness of parents and their children.
* The second group of measurements had a high correlation with the first.
* The study showed a significant correlation between smoking and heart disease.
* The study showed a significant correlation between the baby’s sleeping position and the risk of cot death.
* the correlation between speed and risk of accident
* the correlation of height with weight
correspond
[intransitive] to be the same as or match something
SYNONYM agree, tally
* Your account and hers do not correspond.
* correspond with something Your account of events does not correspond with hers.
* correspond to something The written record of the conversation doesn’t correspond to (= is different from) what was actually said.
* The movement of the dot on the screen corresponds exactly with the movement of the control lever.
* Check that this number corresponds with the one on the document.
* The presence of neutrons explains why the atomic weights of elements do not correspond with their atomic numbers.
* Wages did not rise to correspond with the price increases brought about by the wars.
[intransitive] correspond (to something) to be similar to or the same as something else
* The British job of Lecturer corresponds roughly to the US Associate Professor.
* Their nursery schools correspond roughly to our infant schools.
* The word corresponds roughly in meaning to our ‘homesickness’.
[intransitive] correspond (with somebody) (formal) to write letters or emails, etc. to somebody and receive letters or emails, etc. from them
* She corresponded regularly with her former teacher.
* I have corresponded with him in the past.
correspondence
[uncountable] the letters, emails, etc. a person sends and receives
* personal/private correspondence
* The editor welcomes correspondence from readers on any subject.
* the correspondence column/page (= in a newspaper)
* correspondence with somebody Jane Austen’s correspondence with her sister
* He was leafing through piles of correspondence.
* I have seen the correspondence between the company and the college.
* Numerous items of correspondence have been received on this subject.
* Please send correspondence to ‘Money Monthly’.
* The department intercepted the correspondence of foreign diplomats.
* The secretary deals with all the correspondence.
* copies of her correspondence with the composer
* files full of confidential correspondence relating to the company’s expansion plans
* the correspondence columns of the ‘London Review of Books’
[uncountable, countable] the activity of writing letters
* correspondence (with somebody) I refused to enter into any correspondence (= to exchange letters) with him about it.
* in correspondence We have been in correspondence for months.
* We kept up a correspondence for many years.
* I have been in correspondence with the manager of the store.
* I have had correspondence with the company director on this matter.
* I would spend the time reading or catching up on my correspondence.
* It would be foolish for a doctor to enter into correspondence with a patient.
* a lively correspondence in ‘The Times’ about ways of preparing tripe
[countable, uncountable] correspondence (between A and B) a connection between two things; the fact of two things being similar
* There is a close correspondence between the two extracts.
* The child can see the one-to-one correspondence of the buttons and buttonholes.
* a close correspondence between theory and practice
correspondent
a person who reports news from a particular country or on a particular subject for a newspaper or a television or radio station
* She’s the BBC’s political correspondent.
* a foreign/war/sports correspondent
* our Delhi correspondent
* a correspondent for a Canadian newspaper
* Now, a report from our Hong Kong correspondent.
(used with an adjective)
a person who writes letters, emails, etc. to another person
* She’s a poor correspondent (= she does not write regularly).
* He was a vivid and witty correspondent.
corresponding
matching or connected with something that you have just mentioned
SYNONYM equivalent
* A change in the money supply brings a corresponding change in expenditure.
* Profits have risen by 15 per cent compared with the corresponding period last year.
* The Redskins lost to the Cowboys in the corresponding game last year.
* Fewer houses are available, but there is no corresponding decrease in demand.
* corresponding to something Give each picture a number corresponding to its position on the page.
corridor
a long narrow passage in a building, with doors that open into rooms on either side
* His room is along the corridor.
* It was interesting to walk the corridors of my old school.
* Narrow corridors lead off from the main hallway.
* Portraits line the corridors of the palace.
* She led us through a maze of hotel corridors to our room.
* The corridor links the old part of the hospital with the new.
* The corridor runs down the middle of the building.
* The office is just down the corridor on the left.
* a corridor that leads to the kitchen
* the labyrinthine corridors of the building
* Go along the corridor, turn left, and you’ll see his office in front of you.
a long narrow piece of land belonging to one country that passes through the land of another country; a part of the sky over a country that planes, for example from another country, can fly through
* UN troops will secure the land corridor so that food supplies can reach the trapped civilians.
a long narrow piece of land that follows the course of an important road or river
* the electronics industry in the M4 corridor
* a now-submerged land corridor between northern Africa and southern Europe
(British English) a passage along the side of some railway trains, from which doors lead into separate compartments
Idioms
the corridors of power
(sometimes humorous) the higher levels of government, where important decisions are made
* She had considerable influence in the corridors of power.
* She was a minister with considerable influence in the corridors of power.
corrupt
(of people) willing to use their power to do dishonest or illegal things in return for money or to get an advantage
* It was seen as the only way to overthrow a corrupt regime.
* They promised to seek out the corrupt officials who had accepted the bribes.
* one of the most notoriously corrupt city councils
(of behaviour) not honest or moral
* They had been engaged in corrupt practices.
* The whole system is inefficient and corrupt.
(computing) containing changes or faults, and no longer in the original state
* corrupt software
* The file on the disk seems to be corrupt.
corruption
[uncountable] dishonest or illegal behaviour, especially of people in authority
* allegations of bribery and corruption
* The new district attorney has promised to fight police corruption.
* He strongly attacked corruption and favouritism in the government.
* She was brought down by a corruption scandal.
* The corruption allegations proved false.
* This police unit was established to fight corruption.
* corruption among high-ranking government officials
* corruption in government
* There were allegations of bribery and corruption.
[uncountable] the act or effect of making somebody change from moral to immoral standards of behaviour
* He claimed that sex and violence on TV led to the corruption of young people.
[countable, usually singular, uncountable] the form of a word or phrase that has become changed from its original form in some way; the process by which a word or phrase changes form in this way
* The word ‘holiday’ is a corruption of ‘holy day’.
* He thought it was possible to secure the language from corruption and decay.
[uncountable] [computing] the effect when data is changed by accident in a computer system due to hardware or software failure
* A failure of a hard disk can cause unrecoverable data corruption.
costly
costing a lot of money, especially more than you want to pay
SYNONYM expensive
* Buying new furniture may prove too costly.
* Synonyms expensive
* These measures could be costly to employers.
* These teaching methods are too costly in terms of staff resources.
* This process is costly in computer time.
* The old palace may prove too costly for the Duke to maintain.
* You want to avoid costly legal proceedings if you can.
causing problems or the loss of something
SYNONYM expensive
* a costly mistake/failure
* Mining can be costly in terms of lives (= too many people can die).
* Privatizing the rail network turned out be a costly mistake for the government.
* The six-month delay will be costly for the company.
councilor
a member of a city or county council
* Councillor Ann Jones
* Talk to your local councillor about the problem.
* He is the area’s only Green county councillor.
* She served as a Conservative councillor for Harwich for many years.
* Talk to your city councillor about the problem.
counseling
counsel somebody to listen to and give support or professional advice to somebody who needs help
* She counsels clients on mindfulness and coping with stress.
(formal) to advise somebody to do something
* counsel something Most experts counsel caution in such cases.
* counsel somebody to do something He counselled them to give up the plan.
counselor
a person who has been trained to advise people with problems, especially personal problems
* I went to see a debt counsellor and she agreed to come to the bank with me.
* He talked to a counsellor about his marriage difficulties.
* Have you thought of talking to a marriage guidance counsellor?
* She turned to a professional counsellor for help.
* The centre is staffed by specially trained counsellors.
(North American English, Irish English) a lawyer
(North American English) a person who is in charge of young people at a summer camp
counter (long flat surface)
a long flat surface over which goods are sold or business is done in a shop, bank, etc.
* behind the counter I asked the woman behind the counter if they had any postcards.
* He pushed the money across the counter to me.
* He works at the meat counter.
* I served behind the counter at the cafe for a few hours a week.
* She handed me my coffee over the counter.
* The assistant behind the counter gave a curt nod.
* The bartender wiped down the counter in silence.
* There was a line of people waiting at the checkout counter.
* They sat on high stools at the bar counter.
* all the goods on the counter
* an airline check-in counter
* post office counter staff
(also countertop)
(both North American English)
(British English worktop, work surface)
a flat surface in a kitchen for preparing food on
* He put his bags down on the kitchen counter.
* The kitchen had black marble counter tops.
a small disc used for playing or scoring in some board games
(especially in compounds)
an electronic device for counting something
* The needle on the rev counter soared.
* You need to reset the counter.
a person who counts something, for example votes in an election
* You can get computers to help the counters to count the votes.
IDIOMS
over the counter
goods, especially medicines, for sale over the counter can be bought without a prescription (= written permission from a doctor to buy a medicine) or special licence
These tablets are available over the counter.
This kind of medication cannot be bought over the counter.
under the counter
goods that are bought or sold under the counter are sold secretly and sometimes illegally
* Pornography may be legally banned but it is still available under the counter.
counter (argue against)
[usually singular] counter (to somebody/something) (formal) a response to somebody/something that opposes their ideas, position, etc.
* The employers’ association was seen as a counter to union power.
* The government’s programme should be an effective counter to unemployment.
* an effective counter to the blandness of modern culture
counterpart
a person or thing that has the same position or function as somebody/something else in a different place or situation
* The Foreign Minister held talks with his Chinese counterpart.
* The women’s shoe, like its male counterpart, is specifically designed for the serious tennis player.
* COMPARE your opposite number
* European environmentalists have their counterparts in the US.
* The actress who played the Queen looked uncannily like her real-life counterpart.
* Women soldiers will join their male counterparts at the army base.
* corporations that trade with their counterparts in other countries
* the difficulty of translating terms with no direct counterpart in the other language
* the modern counterparts of those medieval writers
countless
very many; too many to be counted or mentioned
* I’ve warned her countless times.
* The new treatment could save Emma’s life and the lives of countless others.
coup
(also coup d’état)
a sudden change of government that is illegal and often violent
* He seized power in a military coup in 2008.
* to stage/mount a coup
* He was sentenced to death for his part in the attempted coup.
* a failed/an abortive coup
* She lost her position in a boardroom coup (= a sudden change of power among senior managers in a company).
* The coup was immediately put down and the plotters were shot.
* an army coup against the president
* Months of unrest in the company led to a boardroom coup that saw four directors voted out.
* The regime was overthrown in a bloodless coup led by young army officers.
the fact of achieving something that was difficult to do
* Getting this contract has been quite a coup for us.
* He pulled off a major diplomatic coup by winning agreement from all the warring factions on a permanent ceasefire.
* He managed to pull off a major diplomatic coup.
* Winning that contract was her greatest coup.
courtesy
[uncountable] polite behaviour that shows respect for other people
SYNONYM politeness
* I was treated with the utmost courtesy by the staff.
* We asked them, as a matter of courtesy, if we could photograph their house.
* It’s only common courtesy to tell the neighbours that we’ll be having a party (= the sort of behaviour that people would expect).
* He listened to all the complaints with great courtesy.
* It’s a matter of courtesy to write and thank people after a party.
* It’s common courtesy to warn your neighbours if your children are going to have a party.
* She contacts clients regularly as a professional courtesy.
* her unfailing courtesy to everyone
* He bowed his head with exaggerated courtesy.
* We asked them as a matter of courtesy.
[countable, usually plural] [formal] a polite thing that you say or do when you meet people in formal situations
an exchange of courtesies before the meeting
* The prime minister was welcomed with the usual courtesies.
Idioms
courtesy of somebody/something
(also by courtesy of somebody/something) with the official permission of somebody/something and as a favour
* The pictures have been reproduced by courtesy of the British Museum.
given as a prize or provided free by a person or an organization
* Win a weekend in Rome, courtesy of Fiat.
as the result of a particular thing or situation
* Viewers can see the stadium from the air, courtesy of a camera fastened to the plane.
do somebody the courtesy of doing something
to be polite by doing the thing that is mentioned
* Please do me the courtesy of listening to what I’m saying.
* She might have done me the courtesy of replying to my letter.
have the courtesy to do something
to know when you should do something in order to be polite
* You think he’d at least have the courtesy to call to say he’d be late.
* You could at least have had the courtesy to let me know.
coverage
[uncountable] the reporting of news and sport in the media
* media/newspaper/press coverage
* tonight’s live coverage of the hockey game
* There was blanket coverage (= reports everywhere) of the royal divorce.
* Media coverage of the march focused on the few fights that broke out.
* The TV company was given a special award for its news coverage.
* The minister’s resignation was given widespread coverage.
* The story dominated local news coverage.
* The wedding had wide press coverage.
* There’s been massive television coverage of the World Cup.
* There’s live coverage of the game on TV.
* There was blanket coverage of the attacks.
[uncountable] the range or quality of information that is included in a book or course of study, on television, etc.
* magazines with extensive coverage of diet and health topics
* The book gives good, general coverage of the subject.
* The volume offers incomplete coverage of the history of philosophy.
[uncountable, countable, usually singular] the amount of something that something provides; the extent to which something covers an area or a group of people
* Immunization coverage against fatal diseases has increased to 99 per cent in some countries.
* The service has a coverage of 90 per cent of the UK population.
(North American English)
(British English cover)
[uncountable] protection that an insurance company provides by promising to pay you money if a particular event happens
* insurance coverage
* Medicaid health coverage for low-income families
* People fear losing coverage if they switch employers.
* the possibility of expanding health care coverage to all
cowboy
(North American English also cowpoke old-fashioned or humorous) a man who rides a horse and whose job is to take care of cattle in the western parts of the US
a man like this as a character in a film about the American West
* old Hollywood cowboy movies
(British English, informal, disapproving) a dishonest person in business, especially somebody who produces work of bad quality or charges too high a price
crack
[intransitive, transitive] to break without dividing into separate parts; to break something in this way
* The ice cracked as I stepped onto it.
* crack something He has cracked a bone in his arm.
* The dish had cracked quite badly.
* The leather/mud/paint/plaster had cracked.
[intransitive, transitive] to break open or into pieces; to break something in this way
* + adv./prep. A chunk of the cliff had cracked off in a storm.
* (figurative) His face cracked into a smile.
* crack something to crack a nut
* crack something + adv./prep. She cracked an egg into the pan.
** [transitive] crack something/somebody (on/against something) to hit something/somebody in a short hard manner**
* I cracked my head on the low ceiling.
* He cracked me on the head with a ruler.
* He stood up suddenly, cracking his head on the low ceiling.
* As I leapt up, I cracked my skull on a beam and passed out.
[intransitive, transitive] to make a sharp sound; to make something do this
* A shot cracked across the ridge.
* [no passive] crack something He cracked his whip and galloped away.
** [intransitive] if your voice cracks, it changes in depth, volume, etc. suddenly and in a way that you cannot control**
* In a voice cracking with emotion, he told us of his son’s death.
[intransitive] to no longer be able to function normally because of pressure
* Things are terrible at work and people are cracking under the strain.
* They questioned him for days before he cracked.
* The old institutions are cracking.
* She is under a lot of pressure but is showing no signs of cracking.
* The stresses of his job became too great and he finally cracked.
[transitive] crack something to find the solution to a problem, etc; to find the way to do something difficult
* to crack the enemy’s code
* (informal) After a year in this job I think I’ve got it cracked!
* ‘How’s the investigation going?’ ‘I think we’ve cracked it.’
* A team of experts finally cracked the code.
* We need some more solid evidence if we’re going to crack the case.
[transitive] crack something to find a way of stopping or defeating a criminal or an enemy
* Police have cracked a major drugs ring.
[transitive] crack (open) a bottle (informal) to open a bottle, especially of wine, and drink it
[transitive] crack a joke (informal) to tell a joke
Idioms
crack the whip
to use your authority or power to make somebody work very hard, usually by treating them in a strict way
crack wise
(informal) to make jokes
* This entertainer can crack wise with the best of them.
get cracking
(informal) to begin immediately and work quickly
SYNONYM get going
* There’s a lot to be done, so let’s get cracking.
a hard/tough nut (to crack)
a difficult problem or situation to deal with
not all, everything, etc. somebody’s cracked up to be
(informal) not as good as people say
* He’s not nearly such a good writer as he’s cracked up to be.
use a sledgehammer to crack a nut
to use more force than is necessary
craft
[countable, uncountable] an activity involving a special skill at making things with your hands
* traditional crafts like basket-weaving
* a craft fair/workshop
* Sheep shearing is a highly skilled craft.
* Subjects taught include art and craft, drama, and languages.
* The men practised various traditional crafts, such as carving toys out of bone.
[singular] all the skills needed for a particular activity
* chefs who learned their craft in top hotels
* the writer’s craft
* comedians plying their craft for an agency
* a carpenter who is a real master of his craft
[uncountable] (formal, disapproving) skill in making people believe what you want them to believe
* He knew how to win by craft and diplomacy what he could not gain by force.
[countable]
(plural craft)
(formal) a boat or ship
* Hundreds of small craft bobbed around the liner as it steamed into the harbour.
* a landing/pleasure craft
[countable]
(plural craft)
an aircraft or spacecraft
crawl
[intransitive] (+ adv./prep.) to move forward on your hands and knees or with your body close to the ground
* Our baby is just starting to crawl.
* A man was crawling away from the burning wreckage.
* She crawled under the fence.
* As night fell, we managed to crawl back to our lines.
* Has the baby started to crawl yet?
* We spent an hour crawling around on our hands and knees looking for the key.
* She was forced to crawl along through the thickening mist.
[intransitive] (+ adv./prep.) when an insect, a spider, etc. crawls, it moves forward on its legs
* There’s a spider crawling up your leg.
[intransitive] (+ adv./prep.) to move forward very slowly
* The traffic was crawling along.
* The weeks crawled by.
* The traffic was crawling as I left the city.
* The taxi crawled to a halt.
[intransitive] crawl (to somebody) (informal, disapproving) to be too friendly or helpful to somebody in authority, in a way that is not sincere, especially in order to get an advantage from them
* She’s always crawling to the boss.
[transitive] crawl something (computing) to search the internet in order to record and list data
* A protocol controls which pages a web crawler will crawl.
Idioms
come/crawl out of the woodwork
(informal, disapproving) if you say that somebody comes/crawls out of the woodwork, you mean that they have suddenly appeared in order to express an opinion or to take advantage of a situation
* When he won the lottery, all sorts of distant relatives came out of the woodwork.
make your skin crawl
to make you feel afraid or full of horror
* Just the sight of him makes my skin crawl.
creativity
the use of skill and imagination to produce something new or to produce art
* Creativity and originality are more important than technical skill.
creator
[countable] a person who has made or invented a particular thing
* Walt Disney, the creator of Mickey Mouse
[singular] God
credibility
the quality that somebody/something has that makes people believe or trust them
* to gain/lack/lose credibility
* The prosecution did its best to undermine the credibility of the witness.
* After the recent scandal, the government has lost all credibility.
* The media were talking of a credibility gap between what he said and what he did.
* BBC backing for the scheme will enhance its credibility.
* Funding from the World Bank lends credibility to the project.
* He had instant credibility with customers.
* She’s been helping to restore market credibility for a new industrial process.
* Recommendations from two previous clients helped to establish her credibility.
* The administration was facing a credibility crisis.
* The certificate has great credibility in France and Germany.
* The government is desperate to regain credibility with the public.
* The prime minister’s credibility suffered in his handling of the crisis.
* The use of computer models adds credibility to the forecasts.
* There is little credibility among scientists for the book’s claims.
* her credibility as a witness
* This story has no credibility at all.
credible
that can be believed or trusted
SYNONYM convincing
* a credible explanation/witness
* It is just not credible that she would cheat.
* It seems barely credible that anyone could have walked so far in a day.
* You need imagination to make what you write fully credible.
* It seemed to be a credible account of events.
* There’s only one credible witness in the case.
* They haven’t yet come up with a credible explanation.
that can be accepted, because it seems possible that it could be successful
SYNONYM viable
* Community service is seen as the only credible alternative to imprisonment.
creep
[intransitive] (+ adv./prep.) (of people or animals) to move slowly, quietly and carefully, because you do not want to be seen or heard
* I crept up the stairs, trying not to wake my parents.
* I heard someone creeping around the house.
* He crept stealthily along the corridor.
* She crept up behind me.
* I could hear someone creeping around downstairs.
* He crept forward towards the sound of voices.
* She crept into her sister’s room.
* The cat was creeping stealthily through the long grass.
[intransitive] (+ adv./prep.) (North American English) to move with your body close to the ground; to move slowly on your hands and knees
[intransitive] (+ adv./prep.) to move or develop very slowly
* Her arms crept around his neck.
* A slight feeling of suspicion crept over me.
* A feeling of dread crept over him.
* Trucks are creeping along Interstate 70 in convoys.
[intransitive] (+ adv./prep.) (of plants) to grow along the ground or up walls using long stems or roots
[intransitive] creep (to somebody) (British English, informal, disapproving) to be too friendly or helpful to somebody in authority in a way that is not sincere, especially in order to get an advantage from them
* He’s always creeping to the boss.
Idioms
make your flesh creep
to make you feel afraid or full of horror
* Just the sight of him makes my flesh creep.
* The story made his flesh creep.
critically
in a way that says what you think is bad about somebody/something
* She spoke critically of her father.
in a way that is extremely important because a future situation will be affected by it
* a critically important decision
in a way that is serious, uncertain and possibly dangerous
* He is critically ill in intensive care.
in a way that involves making fair, careful judgements about the good and bad qualities of somebody/something
* I looked at myself critically in the mirror.
in a way that is connected with the judgement of critics of art, music, literature, etc.
* a critically acclaimed artist
critique
a piece of written criticism of a set of ideas, a work of art, etc.
* She wrote a feminist critique of Freud’s theories.
* The book provides a radical critique of modern workplace structures.
crown
[countable] an object in the shape of a circle, usually made of gold and precious stones, that a king or queen wears on his or her head on official occasions
* The crown was placed upon the new monarch’s head.
* the emperor’s jewel-encrusted crown
the Crown [singular] the government of a country, thought of as being represented by a king or queen
* land owned by the Crown
* a Minister of the Crown
* Who’s appearing for the Crown (= bringing a criminal charge against somebody on behalf of the state) in this case?
* a piece of Crown land
the crown [singular] the position or power of a king or queen
* She refused the crown (= refused to become queen).
* his claim to the French crown
* He succeeded to the crown of Spain.
* In 1553 the crown passed from Edward VI to Mary.
* In 1688 the crown was offered to William and Mary.
[countable] a circle of flowers, leaves, etc. that is worn on somebody’s head, sometimes as a sign of victory
[countable, usually singular] (informal) the position of winning a sports competition
* She is determined to retain her Wimbledon crown.
* He lost his world crown to the Korean champion.
* He won the final race of the season to clinch the world crown.
(usually the crown) [singular] the top part of the head or a hat
* There were raindrops on his bald crown.
* She swept her hair into a bun on the crown of her head.
(usually the crown) [singular] the highest part of something
* the crown of a hill
* from the crown of the final bend
[countable] the part of a plant just above and below the ground
* Roses bloom on shoots that sprout from the crown of the mother plant.
[countable] the top of a tree or other plant
* Nests were built high in the crowns of trees.
[countable] an artificial cover for a damaged tooth
[countable] the part of the tooth that is above the gum
[countable] anything in the shape of a crown, especially as a decoration or a badge
[countable] a unit of money in several European countries
* Czech crowns
[countable] an old British coin worth five shillings (= now 25p)
Idioms
the jewel in the crown
the most attractive or valuable part of something
* The Knightsbridge branch is the jewel in the crown of a 500-strong chain of stores.
crude
[usually before noun] (of oil and other natural substances) in its natural state, before it has been processed or refined
* crude oil/metal
(statistics) (of figures) not changed or corrected
* the crude mortality rate
* We adjusted crude effects for age, education, height and weight.
(of people or the way they behave) offensive or rude, especially about sex
SYNONYM vulgar
* crude jokes/language
simple and not very accurate but giving a general idea of something
* In crude terms, a heart attack is a plumbing problem in blood vessels around the heart.
(of objects or works of art) simply made, not showing much skill or attention to detail
* a crude drawing of a face
cruise
a journey by ship or boat, visiting different places, especially as a holiday
* I’d love to go on a round-the-world cruise.
* a luxury cruise ship
* They met on a cruise.
* a cruise along the coast
* a pleasure cruise around the bay
* Modern cruise liners have every conceivable luxury on board.
* Now they could afford the world cruise they had promised themselves.
* She worked on a cruise ship as a croupier.
* They are going on a Mediterranean cruise.
* This year’s cruise will visit the Norwegian fjords.
* We will be taking a cruise down the Nile.
* You can take a leisurely cruise on the lake.
cruise verb
* I’d love to cruise down the Nile
crush
[transitive] crush something/somebody to press something so hard that it is damaged or loses its shape; to press somebody so hard that they are injured
* The car was completely crushed under the truck.
* Several people were crushed to death in the accident.
* His hand was badly crushed in the accident.
* He was crushed beneath a bus.
* She was crushed between two cars.
* insects that had been crushed underfoot
[transitive] crush something to break something into small pieces or into a powder by pressing hard
* Add two cloves of crushed garlic.
* They crush the olives with a heavy wooden press.
* Crush the biscuits finely before adding them to the mixture.
[transitive] crush somebody/something + adv./prep. to push or press somebody/something into a small space
* Over twenty prisoners were crushed into a small dark cell.
* She was crushed against the wall.
[transitive, intransitive] crush (something) to make something full of folds or lines; to become full of folds or lines
* She crushed the scrap of paper in her hand.
* The crisp paper crushed like eggshells in his fingers.
[transitive] crush somebody to use violent methods to defeat people who are opposing you
SYNONYM put down, quash
* The army was sent in to crush the rebellion.
* Attempts to crush serious popular unrest led to civil war.
* The government succeeded in crushing the military rising.
crush somebody to destroy somebody’s confidence or happiness
* She felt completely crushed by the teacher’s criticism.
* He always has this fantastic energy. Nothing can crush him.
* Their new self-confidence could not be crushed.
Idioms
crush it
(informal) to do something very well or be very successful
SYNONYM smash it
* She got up on stage and absolutely crushed it—the audience was going wild!
* His latest film is crushing it at the box office.
crystal
[countable] a small piece of a substance with many even sides, that is formed naturally when the substance becomes solid
* ice/salt crystals
[uncountable, countable] a clear mineral, such as quartz, used in making jewellery and attractive objects
* crystal earrings
[uncountable] glass of very high quality
* a crystal chandelier/vase
* Every table had been set with fine china and crystal.
[countable] a small piece of a mineral that some people believe has the power to bring health or happiness
* She claims that Smoky Quartz is a powerful healing crystal.
[countable] a piece of glass or plastic that covers the face of a watch
(also meth, crystal meth) (informal) a powerful illegal drug, methamphetamine, that looks like small pieces of glass
cue
an action or event that is a signal for somebody to do something
* cue (for something) Jon’s arrival was a cue for more champagne.
* cue to do something I think that’s my cue to explain why I’m here.
* Her husband took his cue, and said that it was time for them to leave.
* This remark provided the cue for the crowd to start jeering.
* This was the cue for her to come into the room.
cue (to do something) a few words or an action in a play that is a signal for another actor to do something
* She stood in the wings and waited for her cue to go on.
* He had not yet been given the cue to go on to the stage.
a long wooden stick with a leather tip, used for hitting the ball in the games of billiards, pool and snooker
Idioms
(right) on cue
at exactly the moment you expect or that is appropriate
* ‘Where is that boy?’ As if on cue, Simon appeared in the doorway.
* I can’t just cry on cue!
* take your cue from somebody/something
to copy what somebody else does as an example of how to behave or what to do
* Investors are taking their cue from the big banks and selling dollars.
* They all took their cue from their leader.
cult
[usually singular] cult (of something) a way of life, an attitude, an idea, etc. that has become very popular
* the cult of physical fitness
* the cult of youth
a small group of people who have extreme religious beliefs and who are not part of any established religion
* Their son ran away from home and joined a cult.
* the members of a religious cult
(formal) a system of religious beliefs and practices
* the ancient cult of ancestor worship
cultivate
cultivate something to prepare and use land for growing plants or crops
* The land around here has never been cultivated.
* The land here has been intensively cultivated for generations.
cultivate something to grow plants or crops
* SYNONYM grow
* The people cultivate mainly rice and beans.
* Olives have been cultivated successfully in southern Australia.
cultivate somebody/something (sometimes disapproving) to try to get somebody’s friendship or support
* He purposely tried to cultivate good relations with the press.
* It helps if you go out of your way to cultivate the local people.
cultivate something to develop an attitude, a way of talking or behaving, etc.
* She cultivated an air of sophistication.
* This modern image is actively cultivated by the company.
curiosity
[uncountable, singular] curiosity (about something) | curiosity (to do something) a strong desire to know about something
* Children show curiosity about everything.
* I felt a certain curiosity to see what would happen next.
* The letter wasn’t addressed to me but I opened it out of curiosity.
* His answer did not satisfy my curiosity at all.
* Sophie’s curiosity was aroused by the mysterious phone call.
* intellectual curiosity
* ‘Why do you ask?’ ‘Oh, just idle curiosity’ (= no particular reason).
* Harry’s curiosity got the better of him and he unlocked the cupboard
* I needed to satisfy my curiosity about what it was like to make records.
* Kaylee stood staring with open curiosity.
* School should awaken a child’s natural curiosity.
* She has an insatiable curiosity about life.
* The children watched us with mild curiosity.
* Their curiosity was aroused by his strange behaviour.
* We went to the show out of curiosity more than anything else.
[countable] an unusual and interesting thing
* The museum is full of historical curiosities.
curious
having a strong desire to know about something
* SYNONYM inquisitive
* He is such a curious boy, always asking questions.
* curious about something They were very curious about the people who lived upstairs.
* curious as to something Everyone was curious as to why Mark was leaving.
* curious to do something I was curious to find out what she had said.
* Her secretive manner had made me curious.
* I was curious about how she would react.
* I was intensely curious to know more about him.
* I’m just curious to know what you think.
* Puppies are naturally curious.
* She was curious as to why he was there.
strange and unusual
* There was a curious mixture of people in the audience.
* It was a curious feeling, as though we were floating on air.
* it is curious that… It was curious that she didn’t tell anyone.
* a slightly curious statement.
* The wine tasted rather curious.
* She coped with the frankly curious looks of the men.
* I find it very curious that you did not tell anyone.
curriculum
the subjects that are included in a course of study or taught in a school, college, etc.
* The school curriculum should be as broad as possible.
* on the curriculum (British English) Spanish is on the curriculum.
* in the curriculum (North American English) Spanish is in the curriculum.
* Chinese has been introduced into the curriculum as an option.
* His disability does not prevent him from following the mainstream curriculum.
* More room should be given to foreign languages in the curriculum.
* Pupils use computers across the curriculum.
* Student choose from optional subjects in addition to the core curriculum.
* Students use computers across the curriculum (= in all or most subjects).
* Teachers feel that the present curriculum is too narrow.
* They all have to study French because it’s on the curriculum.
* We cover all areas of the curriculum.
* the balance of subjects within the curriculum
* All children should have access to the mainstream curriculum.
* Classroom teachers need to be involved in curriculum planning and development.
* Educational inspectors said that the college had failed to deliver the curriculum adequately.
* In those days the curriculum was pretty narrow.
* Many teachers follow the curriculum to the letter.
* Nutrition education is now in the curriculum.
* The government is introducing a national curriculum for schools.
* These subjects are not part of the core curriculum.
custody
the legal right or duty to take care of or keep somebody/something; the act of taking care of something/somebody
* Who will have custody of the children?
* The parents were given joint custody of the two children.
* The divorce court awarded custody to the child’s mother.
* The parents were locked in a bitter battle for custody.
* The bank provides safe custody for valuables.
* in the custody of somebody/something The castle is now in the custody of the state.
* If valuables are placed in the safe, the hotel is responsible for their safe custody.
* The children were under protective custody.
* a bitter child custody dispute
the state of being in prison, especially while waiting for trial
* After the riot, 32 people were taken into police custody.
* (British English) He was remanded in custody, charged with the murder of a policeman.
She will remain in custody while reports are prepared about her mental condition.
* The opposition leader has been taken into protective custody.
* They did not have enough evidence to place her under custody.
* They try to keep young people out of custody.
* The man died while in police custody.
cute
pretty and attractive
* a cute little baby
* She’s so cute!
* (British English) an unbearably cute picture of two kittens (= it seems sentimental)
* How cute!
* She had a cute little nose.
* You were such a cute baby.
(especially North American English, informal) sexually attractive
* Check out those cute guys over there!
(especially North American English, informal) clever, sometimes in an annoying way because a person is trying to get an advantage for himself or herself
* She had a really cute idea.
* Don’t get cute with me!
cutting
(also press cutting)
(both British English)
(also clipping, press clipping North American English, British English)
an article or a story that you cut from a newspaper or magazine and keep
* newspaper/press cuttings
* She had kept all the press cuttings about the murder.
* a cutting from ‘The Guardian’
a piece cut off a plant that will be used to grow a new plant
* Take geranium cuttings in late summer.
* After about four weeks you will be able to see whether the cuttings have taken.
* Take cuttings from mature plants in the spring.
* These plants are easy to propagate from leaf cuttings.
* You can see whether the cuttings have taken.
(British English) a narrow open passage that is dug through high ground for a road, railway or canal
cynical
believing that people only do things to help themselves rather than for good or honest reasons
* a cynical view/smile
* cynical about something Do you have to be so cynical about everything?
* his deeply cynical attitude
* Her lips curled into a cynical smile.
cynical (about something) not believing that something good will happen or that something is important
* I’m a bit cynical about the benefits of the plan.
* Her experiences with men have made her thoroughly cynical about love.
* I’m a little cynical about her motives.
not caring that something might hurt other people, if there is some advantage for you
* a cynical disregard for the safety of others
* a deliberate and cynical foul
dairy
[uncountable] milk, cheese and other milk products
* The doctor told me to eat less red meat and dairy.
[countable] a place on a farm where milk is kept and where butter and cheese are made
[countable] a company that sells milk, cheese and other milk products
[countable] [New Zealand English] a small local shop
* I went to buy a paper at the corner dairy.
dam
a barrier that is built across a river in order to stop the water from flowing, used especially to make a reservoir (= a lake for storing water) or to produce electricity
* the Narmada dam in India
* The dam burst.
* The dam burst and the valley was flooded.
* The dam has been breached and there is a danger of flooding.
* The dam holds back the water.
* a large hydroelectric dam on the Colorado River
(especially South African English) an artificial lake where rain or spring water is collected and stored
* The dam was quite full after the winter.
(specialist) the mother of some animals, especially horses
(also dental dam) a small rubber sheet used by dentists to keep a tooth separate from the other teeth
damaging
causing damage; having a bad effect on somebody/something
* damaging consequences/effects
* damaging to somebody/something Lead is potentially damaging to children’s health.
* Smoking is damaging to health.
* These new measures will do nothing to raise school standards: they may be positively damaging.
* A strike would hit public services and be politically damaging for the government.
* This was one of the most damaging allegations made against him.
dare
(not usually used in the progressive tenses)
to be brave enough to do something
* She said it as loudly as she dared.
* dare (to) do something He didn’t dare (to) say what he thought.
* They daren’t ask for any more money.
* (literary) She dared not breathe a word of it to anybody.
* Dare to be different!
* There was something, dare I say it, a little unusual about him.
* Grammar Point dare
* I hardly dared breathe.
* I wouldn’t dare go by myself.
* He didn’t dare (to) say what he thought.
[transitive] to persuade somebody to do something dangerous, difficult or embarrassing so that they can show that they are not afraid
* dare somebody Go on! Take it! I dare you.
* dare somebody to do something Some of the older boys had dared him to do it.
Idioms
don’t you dare!
(informal) used to tell somebody strongly not to do something
* ‘I’ll tell her about it.’ ‘Don’t you dare!’
* Don’t you dare say anything to anybody.
how dare you, etc.
used to show that you are angry about something that somebody has done
* How dare you talk to me like that?
* How dare she imply that I was lying?
I dare say
(also I daresay especially in British English)
used when you are saying that something is likely
* I dare say you know about it already.
darkness
the state of being dark, without any light
* After a few minutes our eyes got used to the darkness.
* The house was plunged into total darkness when the electricity was cut off.
* The sun went down and darkness fell (= it became night).
* There is an extra hour of darkness on winter mornings.
* Parking is not allowed during the hours of darkness.
* Her face was in darkness.
* They managed to escape under cover of darkness.
* Her eyes seemed to glow in the darkness.
* It was becoming impossible to see the map in the gathering darkness.
* The car disappeared into the darkness.
* The room was swallowed by darkness.
* The valley lay in darkness.
* We waited for the darkness to lift.
* the inky darkness of the tunnel
the quality or state of being dark in colour
* It depends on the darkness of your skin.
(literary) evil
* the forces of darkness
database
an organized set of data that is stored in a computer and can be looked at and used in various ways
* The database is updated monthly.
* The new database contains 200 000 images.
* We have over 8 000 customer names in our database.
* We’re trying to create our own computerized database.
* a very large database of information
dawn
[uncountable, countable] the time of day when light first appears
* SYNONYM daybreak
* at dawn They start work at dawn.
* It’s almost dawn.
* We arrived in Sydney as dawn broke (= as the first light could be seen).
* I woke up just before dawn.
* summer’s early dawns
* He works from dawn till dusk (= from morning till night).
* The plane took off, leaving London behind in a blue-grey dawn.
* COMPARE dusk, sunrise
* Dawn was breaking over the valley.
* She awoke to another glorious dawn.
* He always got up to greet the dawn.
* Be prepared for cold nights and foggy dawns in the mountains next week.
* Ammunition was seized during a dawn raid on the house.
[singular] dawn (of something) the beginning or first signs of something
* the dawn of civilization/time/history
* Peace marked a new dawn in the country’s history.
* the dawn of a golden age in European ar
* We are seeing the dawn of a new era.
* This sudden success may prove to be a false dawn.
* This appointment marked the dawn of a productive era in her scientific career.
Idioms
at the crack of dawn
(informal) very early in the morning
* I have to get up at the crack of dawn.
break of day/dawn
(literary) the moment in the early hours of the morning when it begins to get light
deadline
a point in time by which something must be done
* I prefer to work to a deadline.
* deadline for something The deadline for applications is 30 April.
* It will be a struggle to meet the deadline.
* She began to panic as the deadline approached.
* The Wednesday deadline passed without any communication from the rebel leader.
* The deadline set by the High Court is Monday 3rd March.
* We’re asking them to extend the deadline.
* We’re working to a very tight deadline.
deadly
causing or likely to cause death
* SYNONYM lethal
* a deadly weapon/disease
* He was charged with possession of a deadly weapon.
* deadly poison
* The cobra is one of the world’s deadliest snakes.
* The terrorists have chosen to play a deadly game with the civilian population.
* (figurative) The loss of skills training was deadly for the economy.
** [only before noun] extreme; complete**
* I’m in deadly earnest.
* We sat in deadly silence.
* They are deadly enemies (= are full of hatred for each other).
* The missile found its target with deadly accuracy.
extremely effective, so that no defence is possible
* His aim is deadly (= so accurate that he can kill easily).
* It was the deadly striker’s 11th goal of the season.
* The man possessed an absolutely deadly charm.
(informal) very boring
* The lecture was absolutely deadly.
(also more frequent deathly) like a dead person; suggesting death
dealer
a person whose business is buying and selling a particular product
* an art/antique dealer
* dealer in something He’s a dealer in second-hand cars.
* Always buy from a reputable dealer.
* It is always a good idea to sell through a licensed dealer.
* Contact your dealer for more information.
* Return the unit to your dealer for repair.
* She set up in business as an antiques dealer.
* She’s a dealer in the financial futures market.
a person who sells illegal drugs
* a crack dealer
the person who gives out the cards in a card game
debris
pieces of wood, metal, building materials, etc. that are left after something has been destroyed
* Emergency teams are still clearing the debris from the plane crash.
* Several people were injured by flying debris in the explosion.
* Debris rained down around them.
* Police have spent the day sifting through the debris for clues.
* She found a pair of children’s shoes among the debris.
* The tank exploded, scattering debris all over the field.
(formal) rubbish or pieces of material that are left somewhere and are not wanted
* Clear away leaves and other garden debris from the pond.
* the debris of their lunch
* Remember to clear the drain of debris regularly.
* These worms feed on plant debris.
debut
the first public appearance of a performer or sports player
* He will make his debut for the first team this week.
* the band’s debut album
* She’s making her New York debut at Carnegie Hall.
decisive
very important for the final result of a particular situation
* a decisive factor/victory/battle
* Climate was a decisive factor in establishing where the tournament should be held.
* She has played a decisive role in the peace negotiations.
* a decisive step (= an important action that will change a situation) towards a cleaner environment
* Synonyms essential
* It is the chief executive’s opinion which is ultimately decisive.
* Gettysburg was the decisive battle of the Civil War.
* Morrison scored the decisive goal in the 75th minute of the game.
able to decide something quickly and with confidence
* decisive management
* The government must take decisive action on gun control.
decision-making
the process of deciding about something important, especially in a group of people or in an organization
* responsibility for decision-making
* All the staff should be involved in the decision-making process.
deck
the top outside floor of a ship or boat
* on deck I was the only person on deck at that time of night.
* When we heard the alarm, we went up on deck.
* **below deck(s) **As the storm began, everyone disappeared below deck(s).
one of the floors of a ship or a bus
* the upper/lower/main deck of a ship
* We sat on the top deck of the bus.
* My cabin is on deck C.
a floor or platform similar to the deck of a ship
* There is an open-air observation deck on the building’s top floor.
* He fell from the upper deck of the car park.
* a roof/rooftop deck
(also deck of cards)
(both especially North American English)
(British English usually pack)
a complete set of 52 playing cards
(especially North American English) a wooden floor that is built outside the back of a house where you can sit and relax
* After dinner we sat out on the deck.
a part of a sound system that records and/or plays sounds on a disc or tape
* a cassette/tape deck
a set of slides (= pages created on a computer that contain text and images) that are used to accompany a person’s presentation
* Three slides into my 35-slide deck, they asked me to turn off the projector.
Idioms
all hands on deck
(also all hands to the pump)
(saying, humorous) everyone helps or must help, especially in a difficult situation
* There are 30 people coming to dinner tonight, so it’s all hands on deck.
clear the decks
(informal) to prepare for an activity, event, etc. by removing anything that is not essential to it
hit the deck
(informal) to fall to the ground
declaration
[countable, uncountable] an official or formal statement, especially about the plans of a government or an organization; the act of making such a statement
* to issue/sign a declaration
* the declaration of war
* the Declaration of Independence (= of the United States)
* The declaration asked governments to consider introducing new environmental taxes.
* All four countries have adopted the declaration against hunting these rare animals.
* The government will issue a formal declaration tomorrow.
* the UN declaration on Human Rights
[countable] a written or spoken statement, especially about what people feel or believe
* a declaration of love/faith/guilt
* She had been waiting for him to make a declaration of love.
* The Russian leader received a ringing declaration of support yesterday.
* Synonyms statement
[countable] an official written statement giving information
* a declaration of income
* customs declarations (= giving details of goods that have been brought into a country)
* The company will only provide insurance if the information on the proposal form and declaration is correct and complete.
* We were asked to sign a declaration to the effect that we were UK citizens.
* False declaration of hours worked may lead to dismissal.
[countable] (British English, politics) an official announcement of the number of votes each candidate has received in an election
* The declaration of the poll will take place tomorrow morning.
[countable] (in cricket) the act of ending an innings before all your players have batted
* After England’s declaration at 379 for 6, they overwhelmed their hapless opponents.
dedicated
working hard at something because it is very important to you
* SYNONYM committed
* a dedicated teacher
* dedicated to something She is dedicated to her job.
* dedicated to doing something The charity is dedicated to serving young people with special needs.
* The workforce is small but highly dedicated.
* The movement obviously still has its dedicated followers.
* The ship was painstakingly rebuilt by a dedicated team of engineers.
[only before noun] designed to do only one particular type of work; used for one particular purpose only
* Software is exported through a dedicated satellite link.
dedication
[uncountable] [approving] the hard work and effort that somebody puts into an activity or a purpose because they think it is important
* SYNONYM commitment
* hard work and dedication
* dedication to somebody/something I really admire Gina for her dedication to her family.
* It takes dedication to be successful in a sport.
* Not everyone has the dedication and the talent to achieve this.
* The job requires total dedication.
* You will need dedication and determination to complete the course.
* He paid tribute to the high level of dedication and professionalism of the staff.
* There was no doubting Luke’s dedication to the campaign.
[countable, uncountable] a ceremony that is held to show that a building or an object has a special purpose or is special to the memory of a particular person
* the dedication of a new city church
[countable] the words that are used at the beginning of a book, piece of music, a performance, etc., or when receiving an award, to offer it to somebody as a sign of thanks or respect
deed
(VERB) deed something to somebody to give somebody property or rights using a deed
* He deeded the property to his wife shortly before his disappearance.
(NOUN) (formal, literary) a thing that somebody does that is usually very good or very bad
* SYNONYM act
* It’s a stirring tale of heroic deeds.
* a brave/charitable deed
* She tried to do a good deed every day.
* They will be punished for their evil deeds.
* She would not be able to relax until the deed was done.
* The prince swore she would be punished for her dastardly deeds.
* They paid children to do their evil deeds.
* demands that the country should apologize for its past deeds
* evil deeds perpetrated by wicked people
* warriors who performed glorious deeds
(NOUN) a legal document that you sign, especially one that proves that you own a house or a building
* The deeds of the house are missing.
* Many of the villagers have no land deeds.
* The deeds are perfectly valid legally.
* The deeds to the property are with my lawyer.
Idioms
your good deed for the day
a helpful, kind thing that you do
* I took Sarah’s children to school so I’ve done my good deed for the day.
* She felt that she had done her good deed for the day.
deem
to have a particular opinion about somebody/something
* SYNONYM consider
* deem somebody/something + noun The evening was deemed a great success.
* deem somebody/something + adj. She deemed it prudent not to say anything.
* I deem it an honour to be invited.
* They would take any action deemed necessary.
* deem somebody/something to be something The strike was deemed to be illegal.
* deem (that)… Inspectors deemed that the standard of teaching was unsatisfactory
default
[uncountable, countable, usually singular] what happens or appears if you do not make any other choice or change, especially in a computer program
* The default is fifty lines.
* The default option is to save your work every five minutes.
* What is your default browser?
* All my life, envy has been my default emotion.
[uncountable, countable] failure to do something that must be done by law, especially paying a debt
* in default (on something) The company is in default on the loan.
* Mortgage defaults have risen in the last year
defect
a fault in something or in the way it has been made that means that it is not perfect
* a defect in the glass
* Goods with slight defects are sold at half price.
* The photograph shows slight defects due to age.
* The book contains serious defects.
* The builders agreed to remedy the structural defects.
* A structural defect meant that the bridge could not be opened in time for the Millennium celebrations.
* The inspector found defects in the aircraft’s construction.
* a fundamental defect in the product
* This product is no longer on sale because of a manufacturing defect.
* major defects in the education system
* a defect of her character
* Many people argue that the present system of voting has some serious defects.
* The manufacturer is responsible for any defects that may cause damage.
* Vulnerable people are going short of money because of defects in the payment system
(sometimes offensive) a physical problem with part of somebody’s body or the way that it works
Some people dislike the use of defect to refer to a physical problem, as they think it suggests that a person is not as good as other people.
* a speech defect
* The child had a mild heart defect.
* He has a congenital heart defect.
* Congenital defects occurred in 30% of babies born in areas where the weapons were used.
* The drug is widely known to cause birth defects.
* There is evidence that air pollution can cause birth defects.
* Over-breeding in pedigree dogs can cause major genetic defects in puppies.
defender
a player who must stop the other team from scoring in games such as football (soccer), hockey, etc.
a person who defends and believes in protecting something
* a passionate defender of human rights
defensive
protecting somebody/something against attack
* As a defensive measure he built a series of coastal forts and watchtowers.
* These are purely defensive measures.
* Troops took up a defensive position around the town.
behaving in a way that shows that you feel that people are criticizing you
* Don’t ask him about his plans—he just gets defensive.
* He is extremely defensive about his work.
* Her manner was oddly defensive, as he hadn’t intended any criticism at all.
* Whenever anyone mentions women’s rights, he gets rather defensive.
(sport) connected with trying to prevent the other team or player from scoring points or goals
* defensive play
* a largely defensive campaign
deficiency
[uncountable, countable] the state of not having, or not having enough of, something that is essential
* SYNONYM shortage
* deficiency (in something) Vitamin deficiency in the diet can cause illness.
* deficiency of something a deficiency of Vitamin B
* He’s suffering from a severe vitamin deficiency.
* I’ve been prescribed iron tablets to make up the deficiency.
* Lack of sunlight can cause deficiency in vitamin D.
* These symptoms indicate a protein deficiency.
* The condition is caused by a deficiency of calcium.
[countable] deficiency (in something) a fault or a weakness in something/somebody that makes it or them less successful
* deficiencies in the computer system
* He considers the lack of central control to be a serious deficiency.
* serious deficiencies in the health service
* The deficiencies in their argument are easy to spot.
* Unless these underlying deficiencies are rectified the system can never be efficient.
* The deficiencies of medical care in poorer areas are many.
deficit
(economics) the amount by which money spent or owed is greater than money earned in a particular period of time
* a budget/trade deficit
* in deficit The trade balance has been in deficit for the past five years.
* a budget deficit running at 7% of GDP
* the US trade deficit with Japan
* We are facing a substantial trade deficit.
* The US trade deficit ballooned to a record $167 billion.
* The UK remained in deficit with all countries outside the EU.
* If the government didn’t run such huge deficits, the country would not have financial problems.
* The company has run up a deficit of £30 000.
* The government was forced to sell state-owned companies to fund the budget deficit.
* The trade balance shows a deficit of two million dollars.
* You cannot cut a budget deficit simply by raising taxes.
* to prevent the country from moving into deficit
(formal) the amount by which something, especially an amount of money, is too small or smaller than something else
* There’s a deficit of $3 million in the total needed to complete the project.
* The team has to come back from a 2–0 deficit in the first half.
* We will find it hard to make up this deficit.
* United are hoping to overturn a two-goal deficit from the first leg.
defy
defy somebody/something to refuse to obey or show respect for somebody in authority, a law, a rule, etc.
* I wouldn’t have dared to defy my teachers.
* Hundreds of people today defied the ban on political gatherings.
* He is willing to defy his own party.
* Journalists were openly defying the authorities.
* The protesters continued to defy a court injunction.
defy belief, explanation, description, etc. to be impossible or almost impossible to believe, explain, describe, etc.
* a political move that defies explanation
* The beauty of the scene defies description.
* His face was so odd that it defies description.defy belief, explanation, description, etc. to be impossible or almost impossible to believe, explain, describe, etc.
* a political move that defies explanation
* The beauty of the scene defies description.
* His face was so odd that it defies description.
defy something to successfully resist something to a very unusual degree
* The baby boy defied all the odds and survived (= stayed alive when it seemed certain that he would die).
Idioms
I defy you/anyone to do something
used to say that somebody should try to do something, as a way of emphasizing that you think it is impossible to do it
* I defy anyone not to cry at the end of the film.
* I defy you to leave without buying something.
delegate
a person who is chosen or elected to represent the views of a group of people and vote and make decisions for them
* Congress delegates rejected the proposals.
* The delegates voted to support the resolution.
* a delegate from the local Labour party
* the British delegate to the United Nations
a person who attends a conference
* The conference was attended by delegates from 56 countries.
* They decided not to send a delegate to the conference.
delegation
[countable + singular or plural verb] a group of people who represent the views of an organization, a country, etc.
* the Dutch delegation to the United Nations
* a delegation of teachers
* A well-known academic will head the delegation.
* The British delegation walked out of the discussions in protest.
* The Prime Minister met with an all-party delegation from the city council.
* The delegation included representatives from nine nations.
* The delegation will visit several Middle Eastern countries for talks.
* The government invited an international delegation to inspect the plant.
* a delegation representing the new regime
* an official delegation from Austria
* We have arranged a meeting with a high-powered delegation of Asian business leaders.
[uncountable] the process of giving somebody work or responsibilities that would usually be yours
* delegation of authority/decision-making
* All managers should learn effective delegation.
* Many of these tasks can be dealt with by delegation.
* delegation of responsibility
delete
delete something (from something) to remove something that has been written or printed, or that has been stored on a computer
* Your name has been deleted from the list.
* This command deletes files from the directory.
* (British English) Mr/Mrs/Ms (delete as appropriate)
* Delete the word ‘it’ and insert ‘them’.
* The file had been accidentally deleted.
* I deleted your last email by mistake—could you send it again?
delicate
easily damaged or broken
* SYNONYM fragile
* delicate china teacups
* The eye is one of the most delicate organs of the body.
* the delicate ecological balance of the rainforest
* Babies have very delicate skin.
* a cool wash cycle for delicate fabrics
* Her bones felt as delicate as a bird’s.
* The glasses looked very delicate.
(of a person) not strong and easily becoming ill
* a delicate child/constitution
* His health had always been delicate.
* She has a delicate constitution and has to be careful with what she eats.
* a rather delicate child
small and having a beautiful shape or appearance
* his delicate hands
made or formed in a very careful and detailed way
* the delicate mechanisms of a clock
showing or needing careful or sensitive treatment
* I admired your delicate handling of the situation.
* a delicate problem
* The delicate surgical operation took five hours.
* This is a somewhat delicate subject.
* a politically delicate situation
* I wasn’t sure how to approach the delicate matter of pay.
* He warned that the talks were at a very delicate stage.
* This has done nothing except to inflame an already delicate situation.
(of colours, flavours and smells) light and pleasant; not strong
* SYNONYM subtle
* a delicate fragrance/flavour
* a river scene painted in delicate watercolours
delighted
very pleased
* a delighted smile
* delighted to do something I’d be absolutely delighted to come.
* ‘Can you stay for dinner?’ ‘I’d be delighted (to)!’
* delighted that… I was delighted that you could stay.
* delighted by something She was delighted by the news of the wedding.
* delighted at something They were highly delighted at the court’s decision.
* delighted with something I was delighted with my presents.
* delighted about something We are delighted about the decision.
* delighted for somebody I was so pleased and delighted for him when he started losing weight.
* I’m delighted to see you all.
* We were delighted to hear of your success.
* Mrs Cartwright said she would be only too delighted to present the prizes.
* They were delighted with the results.
democracy
[uncountable] a system of government in which the people of a country can vote to elect their representatives
* parliamentary democracy
* the principles of democracy
a pro-democracy demonstration in the capital
* the need to overcome political apathy and advance on the road to democracy
[countable] a country that has this system of government
* Western democracies
* I thought we were supposed to be living in a democracy.
* We live in a multi-party democracy
[uncountable] fair and equal treatment of everyone in an organization, etc., and their right to take part in making decisions
* the fight for justice and democracy
* people who believe in true democracy
democratic
(of a country, state, system, etc.) controlled by representatives who are elected by the people of a country; connected with this system
* a democratic country
* a democratic system
* democratic government
* They are aiming to make the institutions of the EU truly democratic.
* Exercise your democratic right to vote.
* There have been major changes in the constitution, but the system remains democratic.
* They have a fairly democratic form of government.
based on the principle that all members have an equal right to be involved in running an organization, etc.
* democratic participation
* a democratic decision
based on the principle that all members of society are equal rather than divided by money or social class
* a democratic society
* democratic reforms
* In 1776 these were considered dangerously democratic principles.
Democratic (abbreviation Dem., D) connected with the Democratic Party in the US
* the Democratic senator from Oregon
demon
an evil spirit
* The people believed the girl was possessed by demons.
* demons torturing the sinners in Hell
* an ancient ritual to exorcise demons
* tales of travellers attacked by evil demons
something that causes a person to worry and makes them unhappy
* the demons of jealousy
* She’s had to battle her personal demons throughout her adult life.
* He is plagued by demons which go back to his traumatic childhood.
(informal) a person who does something very well or with a lot of energy
* He skis like a demon.
* He’s a demon: he gets up early, he works out, he goes home early, he studies, he works out again…
Idioms
the demon drink
(British English, humorous) alcoholic drink
demonstration
(also informal demo especially in British English)
[countable] demonstration (against somebody/something) a public meeting or a march (= an organized walk by many people) at which people show that they are protesting against or supporting somebody/something
* to take part in/go on a demonstration
* to hold/stage a demonstration
* mass demonstrations in support of the exiled leader
* anti-government demonstrations
* a peaceful/violent demonstration
* I’ll give a quick demonstration of some first-aid techniques.
* Police in riot gear dispersed the demonstration.
* Taxi drivers staged a demonstration against the new law.
* The demonstration was called off at the last minute.
* The government does not wish to provoke further demonstrations.
* The president’s decision provoked public demonstrations.
* The strike was a dramatic demonstration of the power of the workforce.
* The visiting president was greeted by hostile demonstrations.
* Thousands gathered for a peaceful demonstration.
* a protest demonstration against the war
* demonstrations calling for an end to sanctions
* demonstrations in protest at the arrests
* demonstrations in protest of the administration
* mass demonstrations against cuts in the health service
* physical demonstrations of affection
* police intervention at demonstrations
* student demonstrations in favour of a multi-party system
* As a student, she had taken part in many demonstrations.
* Protesters go on demonstrations, armed with flowers to give to the police.
* She was given to quite embarrassing public demonstrations of emotion.
* The election results gave ample demonstration of collapsing support for the Communist Party.
* The performance was a remarkable demonstration of his abilities.
* There were mass demonstrations in support of the exiled leader.
* They are holding a peaceful demonstration in Central Park.
* This is a clear demonstration of how something that seems simple can turn out to be very complicated.
* We bought the demonstration model at half price.
* We were given a brief demonstration of the computer’s functions.
[countable, uncountable] an act of showing or explaining how something works or is done
* We were given a brief demonstration of the computer’s functions.
* a practical demonstration
* a demonstration model (= a model used to show how something works)
* Sandra and Nigel provided a demonstration of salsa dance steps.
[countable, uncountable] an act of giving proof or evidence for something
* a demonstration of the connection between the two sets of figures
* a demonstration of how something that seems simple can turn out to be very complicated
[countable] an act of showing a feeling or an opinion
* a public demonstration of affection
* a demonstration of support for the reforms
denial
[countable] a statement that something is not true or does not exist; the action of denying something
* denial (of something) the prisoner’s repeated denials of the charges against him
* The terrorists issued a denial of responsibility for the attack.
* denial that… There was an official denial that there would be an election before the end of the year.
* in denial She shook her head in denial.
* His question was greeted with a chorus of denials.
* Jefferson made no denial of his actions on that night.
* The chairman of the company issued a denial of the allegations.
* The document contains an explicit denial that the company ever sold arms.
* When I asked if she had cheated in the exam, she answered with a vehement denial.
* a denial from senior officials
[countable, uncountable] a denial of something an act of refusing to allow somebody to have something they have a right to expect
* Pressure groups have drawn attention to the denial of human rights in some areas.
* The advertising ban is a denial of freedom of speech.
[uncountable] the act of refusing to accept that something unpleasant or painful is true
* in denial The patient is still in denial.
* Some people are in denial about the situation.
denounce
to strongly criticize somebody/something that you think is wrong, illegal, etc.
* denounce somebody/something She publicly denounced the government’s handling of the crisis.
* denounce somebody/something as something The project was denounced as a scandalous waste of public money.
* The government was bitterly denounced for the emergency measures.
* These new regulations have been widely denounced.
to tell the police, the authorities, etc. about somebody’s illegal political activities
* denounce somebody as something They were denounced as spies.
* denounce somebody (to somebody) Many people denounced their neighbours to the secret police.
* Someone in the village must have denounced them to the authorities.
dense
containing a lot of people, things, plants, etc. with little space between them
* a dense crowd/forest
* areas of dense population
* The forest is quite dense at that point.
difficult to see through
* SYNONYM thick
* dense fog/smoke/fumes
* The fog was getting very dense.
(informal) stupid
* How can you be so dense?
* John’s all right, but he can be a bit dense sometimes.
difficult to understand because it contains a lot of information
* a dense piece of writing
(specialist) heavy in relation to its size
* Less dense substances move upwards to form a crust.
* All that is left of the star is a small, dense core.
density
[uncountable] the quality of being dense; the degree to which something is dense
* The population density in this city is very high.
* low density forest
* an average density of 2.4 people per hectare
[countable, uncountable] [physics] how thick a solid, liquid or gas is, measured by its mass per unit of volume
* the density of a gas
* similar stars of the same mass and density
* Vitamin D deficiency causes a loss of bone density.
(computing) the amount of space available on a disk for recording data
depart
[intransitive, transitive] to leave a place, especially to start a trip
* depart (for…) (from…) Flights for Rome depart from Terminal 3.
* She waited until the last of the guests had departed.
* depart something (North American English) The train departed Amritsar at 6.15 p.m.
* OPPOSITE arrive
* He departs for New York tomorrow morning.
* The plane was scheduled to depart at 8.30.
* The plane was scheduled to depart later that day.
* They shook hands all round and prepared to depart.
* We depart from Heathrow at ten o’clock tonight.
* Most of the tourists had departed the area.
* This train will depart in three minutes.
* You must depart for England immediately.
[intransitive, transitive] (North American English) to leave your job
* the departing president
* depart something He departed his job December 16.
* He departed the troubled firm after less than a year in the post.
* Giving a large pay-off to a departing executive may be seen as rewarding failure.
Idioms
depart this life
* to die. People say ‘depart this life’ to avoid saying ‘die’.
dependence
the state of needing the help and support of somebody/something in order to survive or be successful
* Our relationship was based on mutual dependence.
* financial/economic dependence
* dependence on/upon somebody/something his dependence on his parents
* the dependence of Europe on imported foods
* OPPOSITE independence
* The government wants to reduce industry’s dependence on coal.
* a heavy dependence on imported materials
* her economic dependence on her husband
* his total dependence on his family
* Their relationship is based on a strong mutual dependence.
(also dependency) the state of being addicted to something (= unable to stop taking or using it)
* drug/alcohol dependence
* dependence on alcohol
dependence of A and B (specialist) the fact of one thing being affected by another
* the close dependence of soil and landforms
dependent
needing somebody/something in order to survive or be successful
* a woman with several dependent children
* dependent on/upon somebody/something You can’t be dependent on your parents all your life.
* dependent on/upon somebody/something for something The festival is heavily dependent on sponsorship for its success.
* 74% of people in the survey were at least partially dependent on their cars.
* Jane had never met anyone so utterly dependent.
* Many of the patients are closely dependent on staff for day-to-day emotional support.
* Modern science is critically dependent on high-performance computing.
* Small companies are dependent upon the local economy.
* The country is heavily dependent on oil and gas imports.
* The land is dry and wholly dependent on irrigation.
* The various organs of the body do not function in isolation but are mutually dependent.
dependent on/upon something addicted to something (= unable to stop taking or using it)
* to be dependent on drugs
dependent on/upon something (formal) affected or decided by something
* A child’s development is dependent on many factors.
* The price is dependent on how many extras you choose.
* Your access to a good education is largely dependent on where you live.
* The amount of benefit you receive is entirely dependent on the amount you have paid in.
dependent on something (grammar) (of a clause, phrase or word) secondary to another clause, phrase or word
* The word ‘because’ forces the clause to be dependent on some other main clause.
depict
to show an image of somebody/something in a picture
* depict somebody/something (as somebody/something) a painting depicting the Virgin and Child
* depict somebody/something doing something The artist had depicted her lying on a bed.
* The carving clearly depicts a dragon inside a circle.
* paintings depicting scenes from mythology
* The panels depict scenes from the life of St Ursula.
to describe something in words, or give an impression of something in words or with a picture
* depict somebody/something The novel depicts French society in the 1930s.
* depict somebody/something as somebody/something The advertisements depicted smoking as glamorous and attractive.
deploy
deploy somebody/something to move soldiers or weapons into a position where they are ready for military action
* 2 000 troops were deployed in the area.
* At least 5 000 missiles were deployed along the border.
* Tanks were deployed effectively during the long campaign.
deploy something (formal) to use something effectively
* to deploy arguments/resources
* She rejected the arguments that had been deployed against her.
deployment
[uncountable, countable] the act of moving soldiers or weapons into a position where they are ready for military action
* the deployment of peacekeeping forces
* troop deployments
[uncountable] (formal) the act of using something effectively
* the deployment of resources/staff
deposit
[usually singular] a sum of money that is given as the first part of a larger payment
* SYNONYM down payment
* They normally ask you to pay $100 (as a) deposit.
* All deposits are non-refundable.
* deposit on something (British English) We’ve put down a five per cent deposit on the house.
* I had to leave a €50 deposit on the bike.
* We’ve put down the deposit on our new car.
* The shop said it would reserve the rug for him if he paid £20 as a deposit.
* All deposits for holiday cottages are refundable.
[usually singular] a sum of money that is paid by somebody when they rent something and that is returned to them if they do not lose or damage the thing they are renting
* to pay a deposit
* They’ll probably ask you to leave a deposit.
* The car costs $50 per day in rental, plus a $200 deposit which you will get back at the end of the week.
* You’ll get back your deposit once we’ve checked the bikes are all right.
* If furniture is damaged, you will forfeit your deposit.
* You have to pay a deposit of $1 200 as well as two months’ rent.
a sum of money that is paid into a bank account
* Deposits can be made at any branch.
* OPPOSITE withdrawal
* Bank deposits have increased by 2.3%.
* She made a deposit of £60 into her account.
(in the British political system) the amount of money that a candidate in an election to Parliament has to pay, and that is returned if he/she gets enough votes
* All the other candidates lost their deposits.
a layer of a substance that has formed naturally underground
* mineral/gold/coal deposits
* The region has many deposits of valuable oil.
* an area with large mineral deposits
a layer of a substance that has been left somewhere, especially by a river, flood, etc., or is found at the bottom of a liquid
* The rain left a deposit of mud on the windows.
* fatty deposits in the arteries of the heart
* glacial deposits
* The floods left a thick deposit of mud over the fields.
Idioms
on deposit
(of money) placed in a deposit account
- With interest rates so low, there is little point in having cash on deposit.
depression
[uncountable] a medical condition in which a person feels very sad, anxious and without hope and often has physical symptoms such as being unable to sleep, etc.
* She was diagnosed as having clinical depression.
* She suffered from severe depression after losing her job.
* He had a family history of depression.
* Depression does not always have a particular cause.
* Bereavement can often lead to depression.
* Depression affects a surprising number of people.
* He was in a state of acute depression.
* He’s been off work for months with depression.
* Her depression has lifted now.
* His wife had left him and he was being treated for depression.
* She had been receiving medical treatment for depression.
* She was gradually coming out of her depression.
* The actor says he suffers frequent bouts of depression.
* The onset of depression often follows a traumatic event.
* a new drug used to treat depression
[uncountable, countable] the state of feeling very sad and without hope
* There was a feeling of gloom and depression in the office when the news of the job cuts was announced.
* These results should not be a cause for depression.
* Her mood swung from the depths of depression to coping well.
* It is easy to slip into a mood of depression.
* moments of deep depression
* She fell into a black depression and refused to leave her room.
* I was in the depths of depression after receiving my exam results.
* In a fit of depression, she threw away all her books.
[countable, uncountable] a period when there is little economic activity and many people are poor or without jobs
* The country was in the grip of (an) economic depression.
* the great Depression of the 1930s
* He grew up during the Great Depression of the 1930s.
* Many people lost their jobs in the great depression of the 1930s.
* The country is experiencing a severe economic depression.
* periods of severe economic depression
* The housing market has gone into depression.
* The depression seems to be deepening.
(formal) a part of a surface that is lower than the parts around it
* SYNONYM hollow
* Rainwater collects in shallow depressions on the ground.
* From the air, the photos show a shallow depression on the planet’s surface.
(specialist) a weather condition in which the pressure of the air becomes lower, often causing rain
* an atmospheric depression moving east from the Atlantic
deprive
to prevent somebody from having or doing something, especially something important
* They were imprisoned and deprived of their basic rights.
* Why should you deprive yourself of such simple pleasures?
deputy
a person who is the next most important person below a business manager, a head of a school, a political leader, etc. and who does that person’s job when they are away
* I’m acting as deputy till the manager returns.
* She was appointed deputy head of the school.
* A new deputy has not yet been appointed.
* She is acting as deputy to the chairman of the board.
* a former deputy chairman of the Democratic Party
the name for a member of parliament in some countries
* 23 women were among the 77 deputies elected.
(in the US) a police officer who helps the sheriff of an area
derive
to come or develop from something
* The word ‘politics’ is derived from a Greek word meaning ‘city’.
* This income was derived directly from his writing.
* Wealth and position in society derived largely from land ownership.
(formal) to get something from something
* He derived great pleasure from painting.
* Females and cubs clearly derive some benefit from living in groups.
* We can derive some comfort from this fact.
(specialist) to obtain a substance from something
* The new drug is derived from fish oil.
descend
(formal) to come or go down from a higher to a lower level
* The plane began to descend.
* The results, ranked in descending order (= from the highest to the lowest) are as follows…
* descend something She descended the stairs slowly.
* OPPOSITE ascend
(formal) (of a hill, etc.) to slope downwards
* At this point the path descends steeply.
(literary) (of night, darkness, a mood, etc.) to arrive and begin to affect somebody/something
* SYNONYM fall
* Night descends quickly in the tropics.
* descend on/upon somebody/something Calm descended on the crowd.
descent
[countable, usually singular] an action of coming or going down
* The plane began its descent to Heathrow.
* (figurative) the country’s swift descent into anarchy
* OPPOSITE ascent
* I made a slow and painful descent down the stairs.
* The engines failed on the plane’s descent to Newark.
* The plane was making its final descent so we had to fasten our seat belts.
* The space capsule used parachutes to slow its descent.
* They began the difficult descent of the mountain’s south face.
* We slowed the balloon’s rate of descent.
* (figurative) his descent into alcoholism
* the descent from the top of the mountain
[countable] a slope going downwards
* There is a gradual descent to the sea.
[uncountable] a person’s family origins
* SYNONYM ancestry
* to be of Scottish descent
* ** descent from somebody** He traces his line of descent from the Stuart kings.
* She claims direct descent from Queen Victoria.
* Humans and other apes followed separate lines of descent from a common ancestor.
* She is Hungarian by descent.
* She is of mixed European and African descent.
* groups sharing common descent
* people of West Indian descent
* Most European languages have a common descent.
designate
[often passive] to say officially that somebody/something has a particular character or name; to describe somebody/something in a particular way
* be designated (as) something This area has been designated (as) a National Park.
* The school has been designated a specialist science academy.
* be designated (as being/having something) Several pupils were designated as having moderate or severe learning difficulties.
* a designated nature reserve
* designated seats for the elderly
* These areas have been specially designated for children.
* In 2017 Hull was designated (as) the UK City of Culture.
* The area has now been formally designated as a Site of Special Interest.
to choose or name somebody for a particular job or position
* designate somebody/something The director is allowed to designate his/her successor.
* designate somebody (as) something Who has she designated (as) her deputy?
* designate somebody to do something the man designated to succeed the president
[often passive] to show something using a particular mark or sign
* be designated (by something) The different types are designated by the letters A, B and C.
desirable
(formal) that you would like to have or do; worth having or doing
* She chatted for a few minutes about the qualities she considered desirable in a secretary.
* Such measures are desirable, if not essential.
* The house has many desirable features.
* Experience of computers is highly desirable.
* It is desirable that… (British English) It is desirable that interest rates should be reduced.
* (especially North American English) It is desirable that interest rates be reduced.
* It is desirable (for somebody) (to do something) It is no longer desirable for such young children to take formal written tests.
* OPPOSITE undesirable
* A new direction was felt desirable for both parties.
* It is clearly desirable that domestic and European law should be compatible.
* It is clearly desirable to have a common set of principles throughout the industry.
* This kind of work is seen as desirable.
* An end to the hostilities remains a highly desirable objective.
* a desirable home/feature/residence/property/area
(of a person) causing other people to feel sexual desire
* She suddenly saw herself as a desirable young woman.
* He found her intensely desirable.
desktop
a screen on a computer that shows the icons of programs and files that can be used
* desktop icons
the top of a desk
(also desktop computer) a computer with a keyboard, screen and main processing unit that fits on a desk
desperately
in a way that shows you have little hope and are ready to do anything without worrying about danger to yourself or others
* She looked desperately around for a weapon.
extremely, especially when talking about bad situations
* desperately ill/unhappy/lonely
* He grew up desperately poor.
very much, especially when talking about difficult or bad situations
* They desperately wanted a child.
* He took a deep breath, desperately trying to keep calm
destruction
the act of destroying something; the process of being destroyed
* the destruction of the rainforests
* a tidal wave bringing death and destruction in its wake
* The central argument is that capitalism sows the seeds of its own destruction (= creates the forces that destroy it).
* By doubling its prices, the industry sowed the seeds of its own destruction.
* Children will quickly test their toys to destruction.
* He gasped as he saw how much destruction she had wrought with the hammer.
* He had miraculously survived the destruction of the spacecraft.
* He witnessed the destruction of most of his work in a studio fire.
* Some shopkeepers closed early to prevent the wholesale destruction of their property by the hooligans.
* The earthquake caused loss of life and property destruction.
* The tornado left a trail of destruction behind it.
* Three of the paintings escaped destruction.
* a war of mutual destruction
* the destruction brought about by war
* the environmental destruction caused by road building
* the threat of nuclear destruction which haunts the post-war world
* the wanton destruction of public property
* those who seek the destruction of our way of life
destructive
causing destruction or damage
* The war demonstrated the destructive power of modern weapons.
* the destructive effects of anxiety
* Opencast coal mining is among the most environmentally destructive activities carried out in Wales.
* It was a very short-sighted and ultimately destructive plan.
* These substances can be destructive to health.
* downright destructive behaviour
* environmentally destructive policies
* potentially destructive emotions
* People have to learn how to handle destructive emotions like anger.
negative or not helpful
* destructive behaviour/impulses/tendencies
* destructive emotions that fuel anger and self-pity
* They don’t think about how damaging and destructive their words are.
detain
detain somebody to keep somebody in an official place, such as a police station, a prison or a hospital, and prevent them from leaving
* One man has been detained for questioning.
* He has been detained without trial for nearly two years now.
* He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.
* Over 60 people have been detained in connection with the coup attempt.
* Prisoners cannot be detained indefinitely without charge.
* She was arrested and detained for distributing pro-democracy leaflets.
* The law allows police to detain suspects for questioning for up to 48 hours.
* Two people were detained in hospital following the crash.
* Two men have been detained in custody.He has been detained without trial for nearly two years now.
* He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.
* Over 60 people have been detained in connection with the coup attempt.
* Prisoners cannot be detained indefinitely without charge.
* She was arrested and detained for distributing pro-democracy leaflets.
* The law allows police to detain suspects for questioning for up to 48 hours.
* Two people were detained in hospital following the crash.
* Two men have been detained in custody.
detain somebody (formal) to delay somebody or prevent them from going somewhere
* I’m sorry—he’ll be late; he’s been detained at a meeting.
* The minister was unavoidably detained in Lisbon on affairs of state.
detection
yes
detention
yes
deteriorate
yes
determination
yes
devastate
yes
devil
yes
devise
yes
devote
yes
diagnose
yes
diagnosis
yes
dictate
yes
dictator
yes
differ
yes
differentiate
yes
dignity
yes
dilemma
yes
dime
yes
dimension
yes
diminish
yes
dip
yes
diplomat
yes
diplomatic
yes
directory
yes
disability
yes
disabled
yes
disagreement
yes
disappoint
yes
disappointment
yes
disastrous
yes
discard
yes
discharge
yes
disclose
yes
disclosure
yes
discourage
yes
discourse
yes
