Deck1

Question 1

abolish

Answer 1

verb
formally put an end to (a system, practice or institution)
* This tax should be abolished.
* She campaigned to abolish the death penalty altogether.
* They called on the government to abolish tuition fees entirely.
* His government has abolished import quotas and slashed tariffs.
* Over the past six years we have abolished a whole range of direct taxes.
* Slavery was abolished in the US in 1865.
* They outlined the arguments for abolishing the monarchy.

Question 2

abortion

Answer 2

noun
the deliberate termination of human pregnancy, a mis-carriage, the arrest of the development of an organ, typically a seed or fruit.

• to support/oppose abortion
• a woman’s right to abortion
• the country’s strict abortion laws
• Both pro-choice and anti-abortion groups want to ensure their voices are heard.to support/oppose abortion
• a woman’s right to abortion
• the country’s strict abortion laws
• Both pro-choice and anti-abortion groups want to ensure their voices are heard.
• The abortion issue is political dynamite.
• Women’s groups are calling for free contraception and abortion on demand.The abortion issue is political dynamite.
• Women’s groups are calling for free contraception and abortion on demand.

an object or undertaking regarded as unpleasant or badly made or carried out

• She decided to have an abortion.
• Some medical staff wanted the right to refuse to perform abortions.

[uncountable] (medical) the process of giving birth to a baby before it is fully developed and able to survive
SYNONYM miscarriage

• Higher amounts of caffeine may be associated with increased rates of abortion and low birthweight.

Question 3

absence

Answer 3

noun
the state of being away from a place or personan occasion or period of being away from a place or person
* (absence of) the non-existence or lack of

Question 4

absent

Answer 4

Adjective
not present in a place, or at an occasion. (of a part or future of the body) not forming part of the creature in which it might be expected.
(of an expression or manner) showing that someone is not paying attention to what is being said or done

• an absent smile

Verb
(absent oneself) stay or go away.

Preposition
without
* employees could not be fired absent other evidence

Question 5

absorb

Answer 5

Verb
Take in or soak up (energy, or a liquid, or other substance) by chemical or physical action, typically gradually.
Take in and assimilate (information, ideas, or experience)
Take control of (a smaller or less powerful entity), making it a part of oneself by assimilation.
Use of take up (time or resources)

• arm spending absorbs two percent of the national income.

Take up and reduce the effect or intensity of (sound or an impact).
Engross the attention (someone).

Question 6

abstract

Answer 6

based on general ideas and not on any particular real person, thing or situation

abstract knowledge/principles

• The research shows that pre-school children are capable of thinking in abstract terms

existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical reality
(of art) not representing people or things in a realistic way, but expressing the artist’s ideas about them

Question 7

absurd

Answer 7

extremely silly; not logical and sensible

• That uniform makes the guards look absurd.
• Of course it’s not true, what an absurd idea.

the absurd noun [singular] things that are or that seem to be absurd

• He has a good sense of the absurd.

Question 8

abuse

Answer 8

[uncountable, singular] the use of something in a way that is wrong or harmfulalcohol/drug abuse

• The system of paying cash bonuses is open to abuse (= might be used in the wrong way).
• The legal system is open to abuse.

abuse of something

• He was arrested on charges of corruption and abuse of power.
• What she did was an abuse of her position as manager.

[uncountable, plural] unfair, cruel or violent treatment of somebody

• child abuse
• sexual abuse
• reported abuses by the secret police
• She suffered years of physical abuse.

[uncountable] rude and offensive remarks, usually made when somebody is very angry

• to scream/hurl/shout abusea
• stream/torrent of abuse
• The man burst into a torrent of foul-mouthed racist abuse

Question 9

academy

Answer 9

a school or college for special training

• She trained at the Royal Academy of Music
• a police/military academy

(usually Academy) a type of official organization that aims to encourage and develop art, literature, science, etc.

• the Royal Academy of Arts

a secondary school in Scotland

• He went to Ayr Academy.

a private school in the US
a school in England that is independent of local authority control

Question 10

accelerate

Answer 10

[intransitive, transitive] to happen faster or earlier; to make something happen faster or earlier

• Inflation continues to accelerate.

accelerate something

• Exposure to the sun can accelerate the ageing process.

[intransitive] (of a vehicle or person) to start to go faster

• The runners accelerated smoothly around the bend.
• The car accelerated to overtake me.
• The car purred into life and accelerated away.

Question 11

accent

Answer 11

a way of pronouncing the words of a language that shows which country, area or social class a person comes from;

• how well somebody pronounces a particular language
• a northern/Dublin/Scottish accent
• a strong/broad accent

(= one that is easy to notice) with an accent

• She spoke English with an accent.
• The Americans had learned Korean and spoke with a good accent.

the emphasis that you should give to part of a word when saying it

• In ‘today’ the accent is on the second syllable.

a mark on a letter to show that it should be pronounced in a particular way

• Canapé has an accent on the ‘e’.

[singular] a special importance that is given to something

• In all our products the accent is on quality.

Question 12

acceptance

Answer 12

[uncountable, countable] the act of accepting a gift, an invitation, an offer, etc.

• Please confirm your acceptance of this offer in writing.
• He made a short acceptance speech/speech of acceptance.
• Invitations have been sent out and 80 acceptances have already been received.
• So far we have had one refusal and three acceptances.

[uncountable] the act of agreeing with something and approving of it

• The new laws have gained widespread acceptance.

[uncountable] acceptance (into something) the process of allowing somebody to join something or be a member of a group

• Your acceptance into the insurance plan is guaranteed.
• Social acceptance is important for most young people.
• The group is now seeking formal acceptance.

[uncountable] the quality of being willing to accept an unpleasant or difficult situation

• acceptance of death/suffering

Question 13

accessible

Answer 13

that can be reached, entered, used, seen, etc.

• The remote desert area is accessible only by helicopter.

accessible to somebody

• These documents are not accessible to the public.

that can be reached, entered, used, etc. by somebody who has problems walking

• accessible toilets for wheelchair users
• The beach should be accessible to everyone.

easy to understand

• Her poetry is always very accessible.

accessible to somebody

• a programme making science more accessible to young people

(of a person) easy to talk to and to get to know

Question 14

accidentally

Answer 14

by chance; in a way that was not planned

• As I turned around, I accidentally hit him in the face.
• The damage couldn’t have been caused accidentally.

Question 15

accommodate

Answer 15

[transitive] accommodate somebody to provide somebody with a room or place to sleep, live or sit

• The hotel can accommodate up to 500 guests.
• The aircraft is capable of accommodating 28 passengers.

[transitive] accommodate somebody/something to provide enough space for somebody/something

• The garage can accommodate three cars.
• The old town hall now accommodates a Folk Museum.

[transitive] accommodate something
(formal) to consider something such as somebody’s opinion or a fact and be influenced by it when you are deciding what to do or explaining something

• Our proposal tries to accommodate the special needs of minority groups.
• She modified her views so as to accommodate the objections of American feminists.

[transitive] accommodate somebody (with something)
(formal) to help somebody by doing what they want

• I have accommodated the press a great deal, giving numerous interviews.
• I’m sure the bank will be able to accommodate you.

[intransitive, transitive] accommodate (something/yourself) to something
(formal) to change your behaviour so that you can deal with a new situation better

• I needed to accommodate to the new schedule.

Question 16

accommodation

Answer 16

[uncountable] (British English) a place to live, work or stay inrented/temporary accommodation

• Hotel accommodation is included in the price of your holiday.
• We may have to provide alternative accommodation for you.
• First-class accommodation is available on all flights.
• It can be difficult to find suitable accommodation for those in need.
• The building plans include much needed new office accommodation.
• furnished accommodation

accommodations [plural] (North American English) somewhere to live or stay, often also providing food or other services

• More and more travelers are looking for bed and breakfast accommodations in private homes.
• The boat provides reasonable overnight accommodations for four adults.

[countable, uncountable] (formal) an agreement or arrangement between people or groups with different opinions that is acceptable to everyone; the process of reaching this agreement

• They were forced to reach an accommodation with the rebels.
• The two countries should be persuaded to work towards some sort of mutual accommodation.

[uncountable] the way in which the lens (= a part of the eye) becomes flatter or thicker in order to create a clear image of the object that you want to look at

Question 17

accomplish

Answer 17

accomplish something to succeed in doing or completing something

• The first part of the plan has been safely accomplished.
• I don’t feel I’ve accomplished very much today.
• That’s it. Mission accomplished (= we have done what we aimed to do).

Question 18

accomplishment

Answer 18

[countable] an impressive thing that is done or achieved after a lot of work

• It was one of the President’s greatest accomplishments.
• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.

[countable, uncountable] a skill or special ability

• Drawing and singing were among her many accomplishments.
• He was described as ‘a poet of rare accomplishment’.

[uncountable]
(formal) the successful completing of something

• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.
• There is a real sense of accomplishment when everything goes right.

Question 19

accordingly

Answer 19

in a way that is appropriate to what has been done or said in a particular situation

• We have to discover his plans and act accordingly.

(used especially at the beginning of a sentence)for that reason

• The cost of materials rose sharply last year. Accordingly, we were forced to increase our prices.

Question 20

accountability

Answer 20

the fact of being responsible for your decisions or actions and expected to explain them when you are asked

• proposals for greater police accountability

accountability (of somebody) (to somebody)

• the accountability of a company’s directors to the shareholders

Question 21

accountable

Answer 21

responsible for your decisions or actions and expected to explain them when you are asked

• The state spends taxpayers’ money and should be held accountable.

accountable to somebody

• Politicians are ultimately accountable to the voters.

accountable for something

• Someone must be held accountable for the killings.

Question 22

accountant

Answer 22

a person whose job is to keep or check financial accounts

• We talked to the company’s chief accountant.the investigating accountant’s report

Question 23

accumulate

Answer 23

[transitive] accumulate something to gradually get more and more of something over a period of time

• I seem to have accumulated a lot of books.
• By investing wisely she accumulated a fortune.
• We have accumulated a great amount of evidence.

[intransitive] to gradually increase in number or quantity over a period of time

• Debts began to accumulate.
• Dust and dirt soon accumulate if a house is not cleaned regularly.

Question 24

accumulation

Answer 24

[uncountable] the process of gradually increasing or getting more and more of something over a period of time

• the accumulation of wealth

[countable] an amount of something that has gradually increased over a period of time

• an accumulation of toxic chemicals

Question 25

accuracy

Answer 25

[uncountable] the state of being exact or correct; the ability to do something with skill and without making mistakes

• They questioned the accuracy of the information in the file.
• Candidates are judged on technical accuracy as well as artistic expression.
• She hits the ball with great accuracy.

[uncountable, countable] the degree to which a measurement, calculation, etc. is exact or correct

• the accuracy of radiocarbon datingto achieve accuracies of 50–70 per cent

Question 26

accurately

Answer 26

in a way that is correct and true in every detail

• The article accurately reflects public opinion.
• The report accurately reflects the current state of the industry.

in an exact way

• Quantities must be measured accurately.

hitting or reaching the thing that was aimed at

• You need to hit the ball accurately.

Question 27

accusation

Answer 27

a statement saying that you think a person is guilty of doing something wrong or illegal (the fact of accusing somebody)

• I don’t want to make an accusation until I have some proof.
• There was a hint of accusation in her voice.

accusation of something

• accusations of corruption/cruelty/racism accusation against somebody
• At the time, no one believed her accusations against him.

accusation that…

• He denied the accusation that he had ignored the problems.

Question 28

accused

Answer 28

to say that somebody has done something wrong or is guilty of something
accuse somebody of something

• to accuse somebody of murder/a crime
• accuse somebody of doing something
• She accused him of lying.

be accused of something

• The government was accused of incompetence.

to be falsely/wrongly/unjustly accused of something (formal)

• They stand accused of crimes against humanity.

Question 29

acid

Answer 29

[uncountable, countable] {chemistry} a chemical, usually a liquid, that contains hydrogen and has a pH of less than seven.
The hydrogen can be replaced by a metal to form a salt.
Acids usually have a bitter sharp taste and can often burn holes in or damage things they touch.

• The acid burned a hole in her coat.
• Stomach acids can break down the poison.
• You will need a special chemical to neutralize the acid.

[uncountable] {slang} a powerful illegal drug that affects people’s minds and makes them see and hear things that are not really there

• They smoke joints and drop acid.
• He described the music as ‘Brahms on acid’.

Question 30

acquisition

Answer 30

[uncountable] the act of getting something, especially knowledge, a skill, etc.

• theories of child language acquisition

[countable] something that somebody buys to add to what they already own, usually something valuable

• His latest acquisition is a racehorse.
• The money will be spent on acquisitions for the university library.

[countable, uncountable] {business} a company, piece of land, etc. bought by somebody, especially another company; the act of buying it

• They have made acquisitions in several EU countries.
• the acquisition of shares by employees
• The group has announced its first overseas acquisition: a successful software company.
• The company has just made another acquisition.

Question 31

acre

Answer 31

(in Britain and North America) a unit for measuring an area of land;
4 840 square yards or about 4 050 square metres

• 3 000 acres of parklanda three-acre wood
• (informal) Each house has acres of space around it (= a lot of space).

Question 32

activate

Answer 32

activate something to make something such as a device or chemical process start working

• The burglar alarm is activated by movement.
• The gene is activated by a specific protein.

Question 33

activation

Answer 33

the act of making something such as a device or chemical process
start working

• The activation of several target genes results in two major effects.
• to trigger/inhibit/block the activation of something

Question 34

activist

Answer 34

a person who works to achieve political or social change, especially as a member of an organization with particular aims
human/civil/animal rights activists

• Thousands of environmental activists joined the march to demand action on climate change.
• The Prime Minister will face party activists when she addresses the party conference tomorrow.

Question 35

acute

Answer 35

very serious or severe

• There is an acute shortage of water.
• acute pain
• the world’s acute environmental problems
• Competition for jobs is acute.
• The scandal was an acute embarrassment for the President.
• He was suffering from acute chest pains.

an acute illness is one that has quickly become severe and dangerous

• acute appendicitis

describing or designed for patients suffering from an acute illness

• acute patients
• an acute ward

(of the senses) very sensitive and well developed

• Dogs have an acute sense of smell.

intelligent and quick to notice and understand things

• He is an acute observer of the social scene.
• Her judgement is acute.

[usually before noun] {geometry} (of an angle) less than 90°

Question 36

adaptation

Answer 36

[uncountable, countable] the action or process of changing something, or of being changed, to suit a new purpose or situation

• the adaptation of buildings for military purposes

adaptation to something

• The process of adaptation to a new school is difficult for some children.
• making adaptations to your home

[countable] a film, television drama or play that is based on a particular book or play but has been changed to suit the new medium

• a screen adaptation of Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’3.

[uncountable, countable] adaptation (of something) (to something)
(biology)the process of change by which a species becomes better suited to its environment

• the adaptation of desert species to the hot conditions
• Adaptations in plants occur over thousands of years.

Question 37

addiction

Answer 37

the condition of being unable to stop using or doing something as a habit, especially something harmful

• cocaine addiction

addiction to something

He is now fighting his addiction to alcohol.an addiction to TV game shows/social media/gambling

Question 38

additionally

Answer 38

in a way that is more than was first mentioned or is usual

• Additionally, the bus service will run on Sundays, every two hours.

Question 39

adequate

Answer 39

enough in quantity, or good enough in quality, for a particular purpose or need

• They’ll need an adequate supply of hot water.
• The room was small but adequate.
• There is a lack of adequate provision for students who use wheelchairs.
• He didn’t give an adequate answer to the question.

adequate for something

• The space available is not adequate for our needs.

adequate to do something

• training that is adequate to meet the future needs of industry

Question 40

adequately

Answer 40

in a way that is enough in quantity, or good enough in quality, for a particular purpose or need

• Are you adequately insured?

Question 41

adhere

Answer 41

adhere (to something) to stick to something

• Once in the bloodstream, the bacteria adhere to the surface of the red cells.
• Clean the surface first, or the paint will not adhere.
• There was oil adhering to the bird’s feathers.
• The tiles may not adhere properly if you do not use the correct glue.

Question 42

adjacent

Answer 42

next to something

• The planes landed on adjacent runways.
• numbers that are adjacent in the sequence

adjacent to something

• Our farm land was adjacent to the river.
• The vineyards of Verzy lie adjacent to those of Verzenay.
• There is a row of houses immediately adjacent to the factory.

Question 43

adjust

Answer 43

[transitive] to change something slightly to make it more suitable for a new set of conditions or to make it work better adjust something

• Watch out for sharp bends and adjust your speed accordingly.
• This button is for adjusting the volume.
• The brakes need to be adjusted.

adjust something to something

• Adjust your language to the age of your audience.

[intransitive, transitive] to get used to a new situation by changing the way you behave and/or think

• They’ll be fine—they just need time to adjust.

adjust to something

• After a while his eyes adjusted to the dark.

adjust to doing something

• It took her a while to adjust to living alone.
• It can be difficult to adjust to being a parent.

adjust yourself to something

• You’ll quickly adjust yourself to student life.
• My eyes were still trying to adjust themselves to the strong sunlight.

adjust something to move something slightly so that it looks neater or feels more comfortable

• He smoothed his hair and adjusted his tie.

Question 44

adjustment

Answer 44

adjustment (to something) a small change made to something in order to correct or improve it

• I’ve made a few adjustments to the design.
• Some adjustment of the lens may be necessary.

adjustment (to something) a change in the way a person behaves or thinks

• She went through a period of emotional adjustment after her marriage broke up.
• The process of adjustment to life in another country can be very difficult.
• There was a long period of adjustment under the new boss.

Question 45

administer

Answer 45

administer something to manage and organize the affairs of a company, an organization, a country, etc.
to administer a charity/fund/school

• the high cost of administering medical services
• The pension funds are administered by commercial banks.

administer something to make sure that something is done fairly and in the correct way

• to administer justice/the law
• The questionnaire was administered by trained interviewers.

administer something (to somebody)
(formal) to give or to provide something, especially in a formal way

• The teacher has the authority to administer punishment.
• A taxi driver administered first aid to the victims.
• The priest was called to administer the last rites.

to give drugs, medicine, etc. to somebody
administer something

• Police believe his wife could not have administered the poison.

administer something to somebody

The dose was administered to the child intravenously.

administer a kick, a punch, etc. (to somebody/something)
(formal) to kick or to hit somebody/something

• He administered a severe blow to his opponent’s head.

Question 46

administrative

Answer 46

connected with organizing the work of a business or an institution

• an administrative job/assistant/error

Question 47

administrator

Answer 47

a person whose job is to manage and organize the public or business affairs of a company or an institution, or a person who works in an office dealing with records, accounts, etc.

• Such organizational decisions are made by the hospital administrators.
• For an application form, please contact our administrator.

person who manages a computer system and controls who can access it

• If you are unable to access the site, contact your system administrator.

Question 48

admission

Answer 48

[uncountable, countable] the act of accepting somebody into an institution, organization, etc.; the right to enter a place or to join an institution or organization

• Hospital admission is not necessary in most cases.
• Hospital admissions for asthma attacks have doubled.
• the university admissions policy/office
• They tried to get into the club but were refused admission.
• She failed to gain admission to the university of her choice.
• Is there any charge for admission?
• There was a steady decline in cinema admissions during the 1960s.

admission to something

• countries applying for admission to the European Union
• Last admissions to the park are at 4 p.m.2.

[countable] a statement in which somebody admits that something is true, especially something wrong or bad that they have done

• He is a thief by his own admission (= he has admitted it).

admission of something an admission of guilt/failure/defeat
admission that…

• The minister’s resignation was an admission that she had lied.

[uncountable] the amount of money that you pay to go into a building or to an eventadmission charges/prices

• £5 admission
• What’s the admission?

Question 49

adolescent

Answer 49

a young person who is developing from a child into an adult

• adolescents between the ages of 13 and 18 and the problems they face
• Stop acting like an adolescent!

Question 50

adoption

Answer 50

[uncountable, countable] the act of adopting a child; the fact of being adopted

• She put the baby up for adoption.
• The number of adoptions has fallen markedly since the 1970s.

adoption into something

• his adoption into an American family

[uncountable] the decision to start using something such as an idea, a plan or a name

• The widespread adoption of new information technology could save $162 billion a year.
• The committee recommended the adoption of new safety procedures.

Question 51

adverse

Answer 51

negative and unpleasant; not likely to produce a good result

• adverse change/circumstances/weather conditions
• Lack of money will have an adverse effect on our research programme.
• They have attracted strong adverse criticism.
• This drug is known to have adverse side effects.

Question 52

advocate

Answer 52

(formal) a person who supports or speaks in favour of somebody or of a public plan or action
advocate for something/somebody

• an advocate for hospital workers

advocate of something/somebody

• a staunch advocate of free speech

(law) a person who defends somebody in court

• Solicitors often appear as advocates in the lower courts.
• Those charged should be represented by trained, qualified legal advocates.

Question 53

aesthetic

Answer 53

connected with beauty and art and the understanding of beautiful things

• the aesthetic appeal of the songs
• an aesthetic appreciation of the landscape
• The works of art are judged on purely aesthetic grounds.
• The benefits of conservation are both financial and aesthetic.

made in an artistic way and beautiful to look at

• Their furniture was more aesthetic than functional.

Question 54

affection

Answer 54

[uncountable, singular] the feeling of liking or loving somebody/something very much and caring about them

• Children need lots of love and affection.
• He didn’t show his wife any affection.
• She was held in deep affection by all her students.

affection for somebody/something

• Mr Darcy’s affection for his sister
• I have a great affection for New York.

affections [plural] (formal or literary) a person’s feelings of love

• Anne had two men trying to win her affections.
• The object of her affections was a young man named Paul.

Question 55

affordable

Answer 55

cheap enough that people can afford to pay it or buy it

• We offer quality products at affordable prices.
• There is a lack of affordable housing in the city.
• This model is relatively affordable at just $85.

Question 56

aftermath

Answer 56

the situation that exists as a result of an important (and usually unpleasant) event, especially a war, an accident, etc.
in the aftermath of something

• A lot of rebuilding took place in the aftermath of the war.
• the assassination of the prime minister and its immediate aftermath
• How does a country cope with the aftermath of war?
• The president visited the region in the immediate aftermath of the disaster.

Question 57

aged

Answer 57

[not before noun] of the age of

• They have two children aged six and nine.
• volunteers aged between 25 and 40
• Children have the opportunity to meet similarly aged children.

(formal) very old

• my aged aunt
• People caring for an aged relative need support.
• I’m not sure if my aged car can make it up that hill.

the aged

Question 58

aggression

Answer 58

[uncountable] feelings of anger and hate that may result in threatening or violent behaviour

• The research shows that computer games may cause aggression.
• Nowadays our aggression is channelled into sports.

[uncountable, countable] a violent attack or threats by one person against another person or by one country against another country

• unprovoked military aggression

Question 59

agriculture

Answer 59

the science or practice of farming

• The number of people employed in agriculture has fallen in the last decade.
• 50% of the country’s population depends on agriculture.

Question 60

agricultural

Answer 60

connected with the science or practice of farming

• agricultural policy/land/production/development

Question 61

aide

Answer 61

a person who helps another person, especially a politician, in their job

• White House aides

Question 62

AIDS

Answer 62

a serious illness caused by a virus called HIV that attacks the body’s ability to resist infection (the abbreviation for ‘Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome’)

• the AIDS epidemicto
• fight/eradicate/combat AIDS
• people who have battled and survived AIDS
• AIDS research/education
• She died of an AIDs-related illness at the age of 54.

Question 63

alert

Answer 63

to warn somebody about a dangerous situation or one that requires immediate action
alert somebody

• Neighbours quickly alerted the emergency services.

(be) alerted by something

• Alerted by a noise downstairs, he sat up and turned on the light.

be alerted that…

• The coastguard were alerted that a yacht had run into difficulties.

to make somebody aware of something be alerted to something

• They had been alerted to the possibility of further price rises.

Question 64

alien

Answer 64

(North American English also non-citizen)(law or specialist) a person who is not a citizen of the country in which they live or work

• an illegal alien

a creature from another world

• aliens from outer space

Question 65

align

Answer 65

[intransitive, transitive] align (something) (with something)
to arrange something in the correct position, or to be in the correct position, in relation to something else, especially in a straight line

• Make sure the shelf is aligned with the top of the cupboard.
• The top and bottom line of each column on the page should align.

[transitive] align something (with/to something) to change something slightly so that it is in the correct relationship to something else

• Domestic prices have been aligned with those in world markets.

Question 66

alignment

Answer 66

arrangement in a straight line

• the alignment of the sun, moon and earth at a particular time

out of alignment (with something)

• A bone in my spine was out of alignment.

in alignment (with something)

• The door needs to be in alignment with the frame before you start work on it.

a situation in which something is in the correct relationship with something else

• alignment between A and B
• Alignment between our commercial and creative goals is crucial.

in alignment (with something)

• We will implement policies in alignment with our fiscal goals.
• Property prices are too high and need to be brought back into alignment.

political, business or other support given to one country or group by another alignment with somebody/something

• our alignment with leading Latin American companies

Question 67

alike

Answer 67

in a very similar way

• They tried to treat all their children alike.

used after you have referred to two people or groups, to mean ‘both’ or ‘equally’

• Good management benefits employers and employees alike.

Question 68

allegation

Answer 68

a public statement that is made without giving proof, accusing somebody of doing something that is wrong or illegal

• to investigate/deny/withdraw an allegation

allegation of something

• Several newspapers made allegations of corruption in the city’s police department.

allegation (of something) against somebody

• allegations of dishonesty against him

allegation about somebody/something

• The committee has made serious allegations about interference in its work.

allegation that…

• an allegation that he had been dishonest

Question 69

allege

Answer 69

to state something as a fact but without giving proof
allege (that)…

• The prosecution alleges (that) she was driving carelessly.

it is alleged (that)…

• It is alleged that he mistreated the prisoners.

be alleged to be, have, etc. something

• He is alleged to have mistreated the prisoners.

allege something

• This procedure should be followed in cases where dishonesty has been alleged.

Question 70

allegedly

Answer 70

expressed as though something is a fact but without giving any proof

• crimes allegedly committed during the war

Question 71

alliance

Answer 71

an agreement between countries, political parties, etc. to work together in order to achieve something that they all want

to form/make an alliance alliance with somebody/something

• The Social Democrats are now in alliance with the Greens.

alliance between A and B

• an alliance between education and business to develop the use of technology in schools

a group of people, political parties, etc. who work together in order to achieve something that they all want

• The Green Alliance was formed to campaign against environmental damage.

Question 72

allocate

Answer 72

to give something officially to somebody/something for a particular purpose
allocate something (for something)

• A large sum has been allocated for buying new books for the library.

allocate something (to somebody/something)

• They intend to allocate more places to mature students this year.
• More resources are being allocated to the project.

allocate somebody/something sth

• The project is being allocated more resources.

allocate something to do something

• Millions have been allocated to improve students’ performance.

Question 73

allocation

Answer 73

[countable] an amount of money, space, etc. that is given to somebody for a particular purpose

• We have spent our entire allocation for the year.

[uncountable] the act of giving something to somebody for a particular purpose

• the allocation of food to those who need it most

Question 74

allowance

Answer 74

an amount of money that is given to somebody regularly or for a particular purpose

• an allowance of $20 a day
• a clothing/living/travel allowance
• Do you get an allowance for clothing?

the amount of something that is allowed in a particular situation

• a baggage allowance of 20 kilos
• Roman soldiers received a salt allowance, called salarium, the origin of the word salary.
• The recommended daily allowance of vitamin C is 60–90 milligrams.

(especially North American English)(also pocket money especially in British English)a small amount of money that parents give their children, usually every week or every month

Question 75

ally

Answer 75

[countable] a country that has agreed to help and support another country, especially in case of a war

• our European/NATO allies
• a loyal ally of the United States
• Portugal is a traditional ally of England.

[countable] a person who helps and supports somebody who is in a difficult situation, especially a politician

• a close ally and friend of the prime minister
• her most powerful political ally
• His sister was his ally against their grandparents.

a person who offers their support to a particular group of people in society that they themselves do not belong to, in order to help ensure their basic rights and ability to be happy and successful in society

• Fran has been an ally to First Nations people her whole life.
• Being an ally to somebody means acting when you see an injustice.

the Allies [plural] the group of countries including the UK and the US that fought together in the First and Second World Wars

• the Western Allies

Question 76

alongside

Answer 76

next to or at the side of somebody/something

• Nick caught up with me and rode alongside.

Question 77

altogether

Answer 77

(used to emphasize something) completely; in every way

• The train went slower and slower until it stopped altogether.
• I don’t altogether agree with you.
• I am not altogether happy (= I am very unhappy) about the decision.
• It was an altogether different situation.
• I’m not altogether convinced, I’m afraid.

used to give a total number or amount

• You owe me £68 altogether.

used to introduce a summary when you have mentioned a number of different things

• The food was good and we loved the music. Altogether it was a great evening.

Question 78

aluminum

Answer 78

a chemical element.
Aluminium is a light, silver-grey metal used for making pans, etc.

• aluminium saucepans/window frames
• aluminium foil (= for example, for wrapping food in)

Question 79

amateur

Answer 79

[usually before noun] doing something for pleasure or interest, not as a job

• an amateur photographer

[usually before noun] done for pleasure, not as a job

• amateur athletics

(also amateurish)(usually disapproving) not done or made well or with skill

• The performance sounded very amateur, I’m afraid.

Question 80

ambassador

Answer 80

an official who lives in a foreign country as the senior representative there of their own country

• the British Ambassador to Italy/in Rome
• a former ambassador to the UN2.

a person who represents or promotes a particular activity

• The best ambassadors for the sport are the players.

Question 81

ambitious

Answer 81

determined to be successful, rich, powerful, etc.

• a fiercely ambitious young manager
• They were very ambitious for their children (= they wanted them to be successful)

needing a lot of effort, money or time to succeed

• the government’s ambitious plans for social reform
• Jogging every morning? That’s very ambitious, isn’t it?
• Several interns will be working on three ambitious new projects.

Question 82

ambulance

Answer 82

a vehicle with special equipment, used for taking sick or injured people to a hospital

• Call an ambulance!the ambulance service
• The ambulance crew rushed her to the hospital.

Question 83

amend

Answer 83

amend something
to change a law, document, statement, etc. slightly in order to correct a mistake or to improve it

• He asked to see the amended version.
• The law has been amended to read as follows:…
• Parliament will vote to amend the constitution.

Question 84

amendment

Answer 84

[countable, uncountable] a small change or improvement that is made to a document or proposed new law;
the process of changing a document or proposed new law
to introduce/propose/table an amendment (= to suggest it)

• Parliament passed the bill without further amendment.

amendment to something

• She made several minor amendments to her essay.

Amendment [countable] a statement of a change to the Constitution of the US

• The 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote.

Question 85

amid

Answer 85

in the middle of or during something, especially something that causes excitement or fear

• He finished his speech amid tremendous applause.
• The firm collapsed amid allegations of fraud.

surrounded by something

• The hotel was in a beautiful position amid lemon groves.

Question 86

amusing

Answer 86

funny and giving pleasure

• an amusing story/game/incident
• She writes very amusing letters.
• I didn’t find the joke at all amusing.
• She told us about an amusing incident that happened on her way home.

Question 87

analogy

Answer 87

[countable] a comparison of one thing with another thing that has similar features; a feature that is similar

analogy (between A and B)

• The teacher drew an analogy between the human heart and a pump.

analogy (with something)

• There are no analogies with any previous legal cases.

[uncountable] the process of comparing one thing with another thing that has similar features in order to explain it

learning by analogy

• We can understand this theory by analogy with human beings.

Question 88

analyst

Answer 88

a person whose job involves examining facts or materials in order to give an opinion on them

• a political/financial analysta food/market analyst
• He’s a senior research analyst at Deutsche Bank.

analysts expect/predict…

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year.

according to an analyst

• According to music industry analysts, music downloads are set to decline by as much as 30 per cent this year.

(also psychoanalyst) a person who treats patients using psychoanalysis

Question 89

ancestor

Answer 89

a person in your family who lived a long time ago

• His ancestors had come to America from Ireland.

an animal that lived in the past that a modern animal has developed from

• a reptile that was the common ancestor of lizards and turtles

an early form of a machine that later became more developed

• The ancestor of the modern bicycle was called a penny-farthing.

Question 90

anchor

Answer 90

a heavy metal object that is attached to a rope or chain and dropped over the side of a ship or boat to keep it in one place

to drop anchor

• We raised the anchor and set sail.
• We weighed anchor (= pulled it out of the water).

at anchor

• The ship lay at anchor two miles off the rocky coast.

a person or thing that gives somebody a feeling of safety

• the anchor of the family

(also news anchor)a person who presents a live radio or television programme and introduces reports by other people; an anchorman or anchorwoman

• She was questioned by an NBC anchor about her trip.
• ABC news anchor Peter Jennings

Question 91

angel

Answer 91

a spirit who is believed to be a servant of God, and is sent by God to deliver a message or perform a task. Angels are often shown dressed in white, with wings.

• a host of angels

a person who is very good and kind; a child who behaves well

• John is no angel, believe me (= he does not behave well).
• Mary’s children are little angels.
• I could hardly see Lisa in the role of ministering angel.

(informal) used when you are talking to somebody and you are grateful to them

• Thanks Dad, you’re an angel.
• Be an angel and make me a cup of coffee.

(also angel investor, business angel) a person who supports a business by investing money in it, especially somebody who supports a new small business with their own money

• When will the angels get their money back?
• They started the business with the help of $2 million supplied by angel investors.

Question 92

animation

Answer 92

[uncountable] the process of making films, videos and computer games in which drawings, models or images of people and animals seem to move

• computer/cartoon animation

[countable] a film in which drawings, models or images of people and animals seem to move

• The electronic dictionary included some animations.

[uncountable] energy and enthusiasm in the way you look, behave or speak

• His face was drained of all colour and animation.
• She talked about her new job with great animation.

Question 93

annually

Answer 93

once a year

• The exhibition is held annually.

Question 94

anonymous

Answer 94

(of a person) with a name that is not known or that is not made public
* an anonymous donor
* The money was donated by a local businessman who wishes to remain anonymous.
* the largely anonymous perpetrators of terrorist acts

written, given, made, etc. by somebody who does not want their name to be known or made public

• an anonymous letter

without any unusual or interesting features

• long stretches of dull and anonymous countryside
• new housing estates with their anonymous tower blocks and large barren spaces

Question 95

anticipate

Answer 95

to expect something

anticipate something

• We don’t anticipate any major problems.
• Our anticipated arrival time is 8.30.
• The eagerly anticipated movie will be released next month.

anticipate doing something

• They anticipate moving to bigger premises by the end of the year.

anticipate something doing something

• I don’t anticipate it being a problem.

anticipate that…

• We anticipate that sales will rise next year.

it is anticipated that…

• It is anticipated that inflation will stabilize at 3 per cent.
• The band today announced details of their widely anticipated third album.
• The dog sat up, anticipating a biscuit.

to see what might happen in the future and take action to prepare for it

anticipate something

• We need someone who can anticipate and respond to changes in the fashion industry.

anticipate what, how, that, etc…

• Try and anticipate what the interviewers will ask.

anticipate (doing) something | anticipate (something doing) something
to think with pleasure and excitement about something that is going to happen

• We eagerly anticipated the day we would leave school.
• The more I anticipated arriving somewhere, the more disappointed I was.

anticipate somebody (doing something) (formal) to do something before it can be done by somebody else

SYNONYM forestall

• When Scott reached the South Pole he found that Amundsen had anticipated him

Question 96

anxiety

Answer 96

[uncountable] anxiety (about/over something) the state of feeling nervous or worried that something bad is going to happen

• acute/intense/deep anxiety
• Some hospital patients experience high levels of anxiety.
• Waiting for exam results is a time of great anxiety.
• A lot of anxiety surrounds the issue of human cloning.
• His face betrayed his anxiety.
• The aim is to reduce anxiety and help the patients relax.
• The more reports I study the more my anxiety grows.
• We seem to live in a state of free-floating anxiety that can attach itself to anything.
• anxiety at the deterioration of relations between the powers
• keep having this anxiety dream where I’ve forgotten to do something important.

[uncountable] {psychology} a mental illness that causes somebody to worry so much that it has a very negative effect on their daily life

• Some people are feeling the pressure and suffering from anxiety and depression.
• patients with an anxiety disorder

[countable] a worry or fear about something

• If you’re worried about your health, share your anxieties with your doctor.

[uncountable] a strong feeling of wanting to do something or of wanting something to happen

anxiety to do something

• the candidate’s anxiety to win the vote

A couple of photographers fell over themselves in their anxiety to get a shot of her.

anxiety for something

• the people’s anxiety for the war to end

Question 97

apology

Answer 97

[countable, uncountable] apology (to somebody) (for something) a word or statement saying sorry for something that has been done wrong or that causes a problem

• to offer/make/demand/accept an apology
• You owe him an apology for what you said.
• We should like to offer our apologies for the delay to your flight today.
• We received a letter of apology.

[countable, usually plural] information that you cannot go to a meeting or must leave early

• The meeting started with apologies (= the names of people who said they could not go to the meeting).
• (formal) She made her apologies and left early.

Question 98

apparatus

Answer 98

[uncountable] the tools or other pieces of equipment that are needed for a particular activity or task

• a piece of laboratory apparatus
• Firefighters needed breathing apparatus to enter the burning house.
• Science departments say they are lacking basic apparatus

[countable, usually singular] the structure of a system or an organization, particularly that of a political party or a government

• the power of the state apparatus
• We cannot do without the apparatus of government in protecting the rights of the individual.

[countable, usually singular] {specialist} a system of organs in the body

• the sensory apparatus

Question 99

apparel

Answer 99

(especially North American English) clothing, when it is being sold in shops

• The store sells women’s and children’s apparel.

old-fashioned or formal) clothes, particularly those worn on a formal occasion

• lords and ladies in fine apparel

Question 100

appealing

Answer 100

attractive or interesting

• Spending the holidays in Britain wasn’t a prospect that I found particularly appealing.
• Brightly coloured packaging made the pens especially appealing to children.
• The large salary made their offer even more appealing to him.

showing that you want people to help you or to show you sympathy

• ‘Would you really help?’ he said with an appealing look.

Question 101

appetite

Answer 101

[uncountable, countable, usually singular] physical desire for food

• He suffered from headaches and loss of appetite.
• The walk gave me a good appetite.
• Don’t spoil your appetite by eating between meals.

[countable] a strong desire for something

• carnivorous appetites
• The preview was intended to whet your appetite (= make you want more).

appetite for something

• The public have an insatiable appetite for scandal.
• There is no appetite for (= people do not want) massive federal investment in the US.

Question 102

applaud

Answer 102

[intransitive, transitive] to show your approval of somebody/something by clapping your hands (= hitting your open hands together several times)

• He started to applaud and the others joined in.

applaud somebody

• They rose to applaud the speaker.
• She was applauded as she came on stage.
• The audience applauded loudly.

[transitive] {formal} to express praise for somebody/something because you approve of them or it

applaud something

• We applaud her decision.
• His efforts to improve the situation are to be applauded.
• The decision to save the company has been warmly applauded.

applaud somebody (for something)

• I applaud her for having the courage to refuse.

Question 103

applicable

Answer 103

that can be said to be true in the case of somebody/something

• Give details of children where applicable (= if you have any).

applicable to somebody/something

• Much of the form was not applicable (= did not apply) to me.

Question 104

applicant

Answer 104

applicant (for something)

a person who makes a formal request for something (= applies for it), especially for a job, a place at a college or university, etc.

• There were over 500 applicants for the job.
• Successful applicants will receive notification within the week.

Question 105

appoint

Answer 105

to choose somebody for a job or position of responsibility

appoint somebody

• They have appointed a new head teacher at my son’s school.

appoint somebody to something

• She has recently been appointed to the committee.

appoint somebody (as) something

• They appointed him (as) captain of the English team.
• She’s been appointed British ambassador to the UN.

appoint somebody to do something

• A lawyer was appointed to represent the child.

[usually passive] {formal} to arrange or decide on a time or place for doing something

be appointed

• A date for the meeting is still to be appointed.
• Everyone was assembled at the appointed time.

Question 106

appreciation

Answer 106

[uncountable] pleasure that you have when you recognize and enjoy the good qualities of somebody/something

• She shows little appreciation of good music.

in appreciation

• The crowd murmured in appreciation.

[uncountable, singular] appreciation of something a full understanding of something, such as a situation or a problem, and of what it involves

• I had no appreciation of the problems they faced.

[uncountable, singular] the feeling of being grateful for something

• I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.

in appreciation of something

• Please accept this gift in appreciation of all you’ve done for us.

appreciation for something

• She never shows any appreciation for our efforts.
• The clock was presented to Snell by his colleagues as an appreciation of his work and friendship.

[uncountable, singular] appreciation (in something) increase in value over a period of time

OPPOSITE depreciationan

• appreciation in the value of the house
• capital appreciation

[countable] appreciation (of something)
(formal) a piece of writing or a speech in which the strengths and weaknesses of somebody/something, especially an artist or a work of art, are discussed and judged

• They were asked to write an appreciation of a poem of their choice.

Question 107

appropriately

Answer 107

in a way that is suitable, acceptable or correct for the particular circumstances

• The government has been accused of not responding appropriately to the needs of the homeless.
• The chain of volcanoes is known, appropriately enough, as the ‘Ring of Fire’.

Question 108

arbitary

Answer 108

(of an action, a decision, a rule, etc.) not seeming to be based on a reason, system or plan and sometimes seeming unfair

• The choice of players for the team seemed completely arbitrary.
• He makes unpredictable, arbitrary decisions.

(formal) using power without limits and without considering other people

• the arbitrary powers of officials

Question 109

architectural

Answer 109

relating to architecture and buildings

• architectural features

Question 110

archive

Answer 110

a collection of historical documents or records of a government, a family, a place or an organization;
the place where these records are stored

• the National Sound Archive archive film
• The BBC’s archives are bulging with material.

(computing) an electronic record of the data on a computer system, stored on a separate device for safety and security

• Optical media is perfect for storing archives of critical corporate data, such as financial records.

Question 111

arena

Answer 111

a place with a flat open area in the middle and seats around it where people can watch sports and entertainment

• a concert at Wembley Arena
• an indoor sports arena
• a hockey/basketball arena
• plans to construct a new downtown arena

(formal) an area of activity that interests the public, especially one where there is a lot of opposition between different groups or countries

• the political/international arena

Question 112

arm

Answer 112

either of the two long parts that stick out from the top of the body and connect the shoulders to the hands

• He escaped with only a broken arm.
• Pearl wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly.
• She threw her arms around his neck.
• He was running forward, waving his arms.

by the arm

• The officer grabbed him by the arm (= grabbed his arm).

in somebody’s arms

• She cradled the child in her arms.
• They fell asleep in each other’s arms (= holding each other).

on somebody’s arm

• He walked in with a tall blonde woman on his arm (= next to him and holding his arm).

under somebody’s arm

• He was carrying a number of files under his arm (= between his arm and his body).
• He held the dirty rag at arm’s length (= as far away from his body as possible).
• They walked along arm in arm (= with the arm of one person linked with the arm of the other).
• She touched him gently on the arm.
• Vincent folded his arms across his chest and turned to walk away.
• He has a tattoo on his upper right arm.

the part of a piece of clothing that covers the arm

SYNONYM sleeve

• The arms will need shortening.

the part of a chair, etc. on which you rest your arms

• She perched on the arm of his chair.

a long narrow part of an object or a machine, especially one that moves

• a robotic arm

a long narrow piece of water or land that is joined to a larger area

• A small bridge spans the arm of the river.

[usually singular] arm (of something) a section of a large organization that deals with one particular activity

SYNONYM wing

• the research arm of the company
• The bank plans to sell part of its US finance arm.

Question 113

array

Answer 113

[usually singular] a group or collection of things or people, often one that is large or impressive
* a vast array of bottles of different shapes and sizes
* a dazzling array of talent

(computing) a way of organizing and storing related data in a computer memory

(specialist) a set of numbers, signs or values arranged in rows and columns

Question 114

arrow

Answer 114

a thin stick with a sharp point at one end, which is shot from a bow

• a bow and arrow
• to fire/shoot an arrow
• The road continues as straight as an arrow.

a mark or sign like an arrow (➞), used to show direction or position

• Follow the arrows.
• Use the arrow keys to move the cursor.

Question 115

articulate

Answer 115

[transitive] articulate something (to somebody) (formal) to express or explain your thoughts or feelings clearly in words

• She struggled to articulate her thoughts.
• It is the school’s duty to articulate its practices to parents.

[intransitive, transitive] to speak, pronounce or play something in a clear way

• He was too drunk to articulate properly.

articulate something

• Every note was carefully articulated.
• She spoke slowly, articulating each word clearly.

[intransitive] articulate (with something) (formal) to be related to something so that together the two parts form a whole

• These courses are designed to articulate with university degrees.

[intransitive, transitive] {specialist} to be joined to something else by a joint, so that movement is possible; to join something in this way

articulate (with something)

• bones that articulate with others

articulate something

• a robot with articulated limbs

Question 116

artwork

Answer 116

[uncountable] pictures and photographs prepared for books, magazines, etc.

• Can you let me have the finished artwork for the poster by Friday?

[countable, uncountable] a work of art, especially one in a museum; works of art as a group

• 30 original artworks have gone missing from the museum
• a collection of artwork from tribal cultures

Question 117

ash

Answer 117

[uncountable] the grey or black powder that is left after something, especially tobacco, wood or coal, has burnt

• cigarette ash
• black volcanic ash
• Ash from the volcano fell over a wide area.
• She flicked ash out of the window carelessly.

ashes [plural] what is left after something has been destroyed by burning

• The town was reduced to ashes in the fighting.
• the glowing ashes of the campfire
• The fire had died to cold ashes.
• (figurative) The party had risen, like a phoenix, from the ashes of electoral disaster.
• She had seen all her dreams turn to ashes.

ashes [plural] the powder that is left after a dead person’s body has been cremated (= burned)

• She wanted her ashes to be scattered at sea.

[countable, uncountable] {also ash tree} a forest tree with grey bark

[uncountable] the hard pale wood of the ash tree

(specialist) the letter æ, used in Old English, and as a phonetic symbol to represent the vowel sound in cat

Question 118

aspiration

Answer 118

[countable, usually plural, uncountable] a strong desire to have or do something

• I didn’t realize you had political aspirations.

aspiration to do something

• He has never had any aspiration to earn a lot of money.

aspiration for something

• What changes are needed to meet women’s aspirations for employment?

[uncountable] (phonetics) the action of pronouncing a word with a breath that can be heard, as in the /h/ sound

• in house in English

Question 119

aspire

Answer 119

to have a strong desire to achieve or to become something

aspire (to something)

• She aspired to a scientific career.

aspire to be/do something

• He aspired to be their next leader.

Question 120

assassination

Answer 120

the murder of an important or famous person, especially for political reasons

• The president survived a number of assassination attempts.
• the assassination of John F. Kennedy

Question 121

assault

Answer 121

[uncountable, countable] the crime of attacking somebody physically

• Both men were charged with assault.
• sexual assaults

assault on/upon somebody

• A significant number of indecent assaults on women go unreported.

[countable] assault (on/upon/against somebody/something) (by an army, etc.)

the act of attacking a building, an area, etc. in order to take control of it

SYNONYM attack

• An assault on the capital was launched in the early hours of the morning.

[countable] assault (on/upon something) the act of trying to achieve something that is difficult or dangerous

• The government has mounted a new assault on unemployment.
• a two-year legal assault on alleged tax fraud
• Three people died during an assault on the mountain (= while trying to climb it).

[countable] an act of criticizing somebody/something severely

SYNONYM attack

• The suggested closures came under assault from all parties.

assault on/upon/against somebody/something

• The paper’s assault on the president was totally unjustified.

[countable, uncountable] {law} an act that threatens to harm somebody physically, whether or not actual harm is done

Question 122

assemble

Answer 122

[intransitive, transitive] to come together as a group; to bring people or things together as a group

• All the students were asked to assemble in the main hall.
• She then addressed the assembled company (= all the people there).

assemble something

• to assemble evidence/data
• The manager has assembled a world-class team.
• He tried to assemble his thoughts.

[transitive] assemble something to fit together all the separate parts of something, for example a piece of furniture

• The shelves are easy to assemble.

Question 123

assembly

Answer 123

[countable] a group of people who have been elected to meet together regularly and make decisions or laws for a particular region or country

• state/legislative/federal/local assemblies
• Power has been handed over to provincial and regional assemblies.
• The national assembly has voted to adopt the budget.
• the California Assembly
• the UN General Assembly
• assembly elections
• an elected assembly

[uncountable, countable] the meeting together of a group of people for a particular purpose; a group of people who meet together for a particular purpose

• They were fighting for freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.
• He was to address a public assembly on the issue.

an assembly point (= a place where people have been asked to meet)

[countable, uncountable] a meeting of the teachers and students in a school, usually at the start of the day, to give information, discuss school events or say prayers together

• The deputy head was taking (= leading) school assembly that day.

[uncountable] the process of putting together the parts of something such as a vehicle or piece of furniture

• Putting the bookcase together should be a simple assembly job.
• a car assembly plantthe correct assembly of the parts

Question 124

assert

Answer 124

to state clearly and definitely that something is true

assert that…

• She continued to assert that she was innocent.
• The report asserts confidently that the industry will grow.

assert something

• She continued to assert her innocence.
• The German Chancellor was anxious to assert her government’s commitment to European unity.

+ speech

• ‘That is wrong,’ he asserted.

it is asserted that…

• It is commonly asserted that older people prefer to receive care from family members.

assert yourself to behave in a confident and determined way so that other people pay attention to your opinions

• You’re too timid—you must try to assert yourself more.

assert something to make other people recognize your right or authority to do something, by behaving in a determined and confident way

• to assert your independence/rights
• I was determined to assert my authority from the beginning.

assert itself to start to have an effect

• Good sense asserted itself.

Question 125

assertion

Answer 125

[countable] a statement saying that you strongly believe something to be true

SYNONYM claim

• He was correct in his assertion that the minister had been lying.
• Do you have any evidence to support your assertions?

[uncountable, countable] the act of stating, using or claiming something strongly

• the assertion of his authority
• The demonstration was an assertion of the right to peaceful protest.

Question 126

asset

Answer 126

a person or thing that is valuable or useful to somebody/something

• In his job, patience is an invaluable asset.
• Being able to speak a foreign language is a major asset.
• I’m not sure if his forcefulness is an asset or a liability.

asset to somebody/something

• She’ll be an asset to the team.

[usually plural] a thing of value, especially property, that a person or company owns, which can be used or sold to pay debts

• the net asset value of the company
• Her assets include shares in the company and a house in France.

asset sales/management

• income from fixed asset investments
• financial/capital assets
• to freeze a country’s assets

Question 127

assign

Answer 127

to give somebody something that they can use, or some work or responsibility

assign something (to somebody)

• The teacher assigned a different task to each of the children.
• The two large classrooms have been assigned to us.

assign somebody something

• We have been assigned the two large classrooms.
• The teacher assigned each of the children a different task.

to provide a person for a particular task or position

assign somebody (to something/as something)

• They’ve assigned their best man to the job.
• Two senior officers have been assigned to the case.

assign somebody to do something

• British forces have been assigned to help with peacekeeping.

[usually passive] to send a person to work under the authority of somebody or in a particular group

be assigned to somebody/something

• I was assigned to B platoon.
• He was assigned to the Royal Canadian Navy in 1975.

to say that something has a particular value or function, or happens at a particular time or place

assign something to something

• Assign a different colour to each different type of information.

assign something sth

• The painting cannot be assigned an exact date.

assign something to somebody (law)

• to say that your property or rights now belong to somebody else
• The agreement assigns copyright to the publisher.
• She has assigned the lease to her daughter.

Question 128

assistance

Answer 128

help or support

• technical/economic/military assistance
• financial assistance for people on low incomes
• Can I be of any assistance?
• Despite his cries, no one came to his assistance.
• The other passengers went to her assistance.

with the assistance of somebody/something

• He can only walk with the assistance of crutches.

assistance with something

• She offered me practical assistance with my research.

assistance in doing something/to do something

• The company provides advice and assistance in finding work.

Question 129

assumption

Answer 129

[countable] a belief or feeling that something is true or that something will happen, although there is no proof

• an underlying/implicit assumption
• We need to challenge some of the basic assumptions of Western philosophy.
• We are working on the assumption that everyone invited will turn up.
• It was impossible to make assumptions about people’s reactions.
• His actions were based on a false assumption.
• She arrived at college with a whole set of assumptions inherited from her family.

[countable, uncountable] assumption of something

(formal) the act of taking or beginning to have power or responsibility

• their assumption of power/control
• the assumption of responsibility by the government for the disaster

Question 130

assurance

Answer 130

[countable] a statement that something will certainly be true or will certainly happen, particularly when there has been doubt about it

SYNONYM guarantee, promise

• They called for assurances that the government is committed to its education policy.
• Unemployment seems to be rising, despite repeated assurances to the contrary.

(also self-assurance)[uncountable] belief in your own abilities or strengths

SYNONYM confidence

• There was an air of easy assurance about him.
• It was good to see some of her old assurance coming back.

Question 131

assure

Answer 131

to tell somebody that something is definitely true or is definitely going to happen, especially when they have doubts about it

assure somebody (that)…

• You think I did it deliberately, but I assure you (that) I did not.
• Let me assure you that I will try to help you.
• We were assured that everything possible was being done.
• She’s perfectly safe, I can assure you.

assure somebody (of something)

• We assured him of our support.
• I won’t let you down, I can assure you of that.

assure somebody

+ speech

• ‘He’ll come back,’ Susan assured her.

(formal) to make yourself certain about something
assure yourself of something

• He assured himself of her safety.

assure yourself that…

• She assured herself that the letter was still in the drawer.

to make something certain to happen

SYNONYM guarantee

assure something

• Victory would assure a place in the finals.

assure somebody something

• Victory would assure them a place in the finals.
• This achievement has assured her a place in the history books.

Question 132

astonishing

Answer 132

very surprising; difficult to believe

SYNONYM amazing

• She ran 100m in an astonishing 10.6 seconds.
• I find it absolutely astonishing that you didn’t like it.

Question 133

asylum

Answer 133

(also formal political asylum)[uncountable] protection that a government gives to people who have left their own country, usually because they were in danger for political reasons

• to seek/apply for/be granted asylum
• There was a nationwide debate on whether the asylum laws should be changed.

[countable] {old use} a hospital where people who were mentally ill could be cared for, often for a long time

Question 134

athletic

Answer 134

physically strong, fit and active

• an athletic figure/build
• a tall, slim athletic girl

Question 135

atrocity

Answer 135

a cruel and violent act, especially in a war

• In the war, both sides committed atrocities.

Question 136

attachment

Answer 136

[countable] {computing} a document that you send to somebody using email

• No attachment was included.

[uncountable, countable] the act of joining one thing to another; a thing that joins two things together

• All cars have points for the attachment of safety restraints.

attachment of something to something

• They discussed the attachment of new conditions to the peace plans.

attachment to something

• They had to check the strength of the seat attachments to the floor of the plane.

[countable, uncountable] attachment (to somebody)

• a feeling of love for somebody/something
• a child’s strong attachment to its parents
• Prisoners can develop attachments to their guards.

[countable, uncountable] attachment (to something)
belief in and support for an idea or a set of values

• the popular attachment to democratic government

[countable] a tool that you can fix onto a machine, to make it do another job

• an electric drill with a range of different attachments

[countable, uncountable] {British English} a short time spent working with an organization such as a hospital, school or part of the armed forces

• a 4-month training attachment

on attachment (to something)

• She’s on attachment to the local hospital.

Question 137

attain

Answer 137

attain something

to succeed in getting something, usually after a lot of effort

• Most of our students attained five ‘A’ grades in their exams.
• We only consider applicants who have attained a high level of academic achievement.
• attain (a) degree/standard/level/proficiency/mastery

attain something
to reach a particular age, level or condition

• The cheetah can attain speeds of up to 97 kph.

Question 138

attendance

Answer 138

[uncountable, countable] the act of being present at a place, for example at school

• Attendance at these lectures is not compulsory.
• Teachers must keep a record of students’ attendances.

[countable, uncountable] the number of people present at an organized event

• high/low/falling/poor attendances
• There was an attendance of 42 at the meeting.
• Cinema attendances have risen again recently.

Question 139

attribute

Answer 139

attribute something to something

to say or believe that something is the result of a particular thing

• She attributes her success to hard work and a little luck.
• The power failure was attributed to the recent storms and high winds.

attribute something to somebody

to say or believe that somebody is responsible for doing something, especially for saying, writing or painting something

• This play is usually attributed to Shakespeare.
• a quote that has often been falsely attributed to George Patton

to regard a quality or feature as belonging to somebody/something
attribute something

• The committee refused to attribute blame without further information.

attribute something to somebody/something

• Ancient peoples attributed magical properties to the stones.
• The goals commonly attributed to management are status, power, salary and security.

Question 140

auction

Answer 140

a public sale in which things are sold to the person who offers the most money for them

• an auction of paintings

at auction

• A classic Rolls-Royce fetched (= was sold for) £25 000 at auction.

up for auction

• The house is up for auction (= will be sold at an auction).
• an internet auction site

Question 141

audio

Answer 141

connected with sound that is recorded

• auand video recordings/files/clips
• The audio quality was poor.

Question 142

audit

Answer 142

an official examination of business and financial records to see that they are true and correct

• an annual audit
• a tax audit
• preparing the accounts for audit

an official examination of the quality or standard of something

• an environmental audit

Question 143

authentic

Answer 143

known to be real and what somebody claims it is and not a copy

• I don’t know if the painting is authentic.

true and accurate

• an authentic account of life in the desert
• the authentic voice of young black Americans

made to be exactly the same as the original

• an authentic model of the ancient town
• Take a trip on an authentic Spanish galleon to the famous Papagayo beach.

Question 144

authorize

Answer 144

to give official permission for something, or for somebody to do something

authorize something

• I can authorize payments up to £5 000.

authorize somebody to do something

• I have authorized him to act for me while I am away.
• The soldiers were authorized to shoot at will.

Question 145

auto

Answer 145

a car
* the auto industry

Question 146

autonomy

Answer 146

the freedom for a country, a region or an organization to govern itself independently

SYNONYM independence

• a campaign in Wales for greater autonomy

the ability to act and make decisions without being controlled by anyone else

• giving individuals greater autonomy in their own lives

Question 147

autumn

Answer 147

the season of the year between summer and winter, when leaves change colour and the weather becomes colder

in the autumn of something

• in the autumn of 2010

(figurative)

• He is in the autumn of his career.
• in early/late autumn

the autumn term (= for example at a school or college in Britain)

autumn leaves/colours

• It’s been a very mild autumn this year.
• a crisp/chilly/wet/cool autumn
• their autumn collection of dresses (= designed to be worn in autumn)
• Demand always rises during the autumn and winter months.

Question 148

availability

Answer 148

the fact that something is possible to get, buy or find

• the availability of cheap flights

(British English)

• This offer is subject to availability.

the fact that somebody is free to see or talk to people

• Check her availability before you schedule the meeting.

Question 149

await

Answer 149

await somebody/something

to wait for somebody/something

• He is in custody awaiting trial.
• Her latest novel is eagerly awaited.

await somebody
to be going to happen to somebody

• A warm welcome awaits all our guests.
• Who knows what dangers may await us?

Question 150

awareness

Answer 150

[uncountable, singular] knowing something;
knowing that something exists and is important
awareness of something

• an awareness of the importance of eating a healthy diet
• There was an almost complete lack of awareness of the issues involved.
• to raise/heighten/increase public awareness of something
• a greater/a growing/an increasing awareness of something
• a marketing campaign to increase brand awareness

awareness that…

• There seems to be a general awareness that this is not the solution.

[uncountable] interest in and concern about a particular situation or area of interest

• environmental awareness
• Energy Awareness Week
• the emergence of a new social awareness among young people

awareness about something

• The group is trying to raise public awareness about homelessness.

Question 151

awkward

Answer 151

making you feel embarrassed

• There was an awkward silence.
• I felt awkward because they obviously wanted to be alone.

difficult to deal with

SYNONYM difficult

• Don’t ask awkward questions.
• You’ve put me in an awkward position.
• an awkward customer (= a person who is difficult to deal with)
• Please don’t be awkward about letting him come.
• It makes things awkward for everyone when you behave like that.

not convenient

SYNONYM inconvenient

• Have I come at an awkward time?
• That’s a bit awkward for me—could we make it earlier?

difficult or dangerous because of its shape or design

• This box is very awkward for one person to carry.
• This tool will reach into awkward corners, such as under kitchen units.

not moving in an easy way; not comfortable

• He tried to dance, but he was too clumsy and awkward.
• I must have slept in an awkward position—I’m aching all over.

Question 152

backdrop

Answer 152

everything that can be seen around an event or scene

• The mountains provided a dramatic backdrop for our picnic.

the general conditions in which an event takes place, which sometimes help to explain that event

• Her comments came against the backdrop of growing demand for vaccines.

a painted piece of cloth that is hung behind the stage in a theatre as part of the scenery

• She was an artist who designed backdrops for movies and stage plays.
• The photographer poses his subjects against painted backdrops.

Question 153

backing

Answer 153

help and support from somebody to do something; financial support for something

SYNONYM support

• The police gave the proposals their full backing.
• They have won financial backing from the EU.

material attached to the back of something in order to protect it or make it stronger

• Remove the backing paper from the adhesive tape.
• The fabric has a special backing for durability.

[usually singular] {especially in pop music} music that goes with the main singer or tune

• a backing group/singer/track

Question 154

backup

Answer 154

extra help or support that you can get if necessary

• The police had backup from the army.
• We can use him as a backup if one of the other players drops out.
• The hospital has a backup power supply.

(computing) a copy of a file, etc. that can be used if the original is lost or damaged

• Always make a backup of your work.
• a backup copy

Question 155

badge

Answer 155

a small piece of metal or plastic, with a design or words on it, that a person wears or carries to show that they belong to an organization, support something, have achieved something, have a particular rank, etc.

• She wore a badge saying ‘Vote for Coates’.
• All employees have to wear name badges.
• He pulled out a badge and said he was a cop.
• parking for disabled badge holders
• The police officer flashed his badge.

a symbol of a particular quality or status

• His gun was a badge of power for him.
• Her badge of office, a large gold key, hung around her neck.
• He saw his injuries as a badge of honour.

Question 156

baulk

Answer 156

[intransitive] baulk (at something)

to be unwilling to do something or become involved in something because it is difficult, dangerous, etc.

• Many parents may baulk at the idea of paying $100 for a pair of shoes.
• He baulked for a moment.
• ‘I can’t afford it,’ he finally admitted.

[intransitive] baulk (at something)

(of a horse) to stop suddenly and refuse to jump a fence, etc.

[transitive, usually passive] {formal} to prevent somebody from getting something or doing something

(be) baulked of something

• She looked like a lion baulked of its prey.

Question 157

balanced

Answer 157

keeping or showing a balance so that different things or different parts of something exist in equal or correct amounts

• The programme presented a balanced view of the two sides of the conflict.
• a balanced diet (= one with the quantity and variety of food needed for good health)
• The report was accurate and well balanced.

Question 158

ballet

Answer 158

[uncountable] a style of dancing that tells a dramatic story with music but no talking or singing

• She wants to be a ballet dancer.
• ballet shoes

[countable] a story or work of art performed by a group of ballet dancers

• ‘Swan Lake’ is one of the great classical ballets.

[countable + singular or plural verb] a group of dancers who work and perform ballet together

• members of the Royal Ballet

Question 159

balloon

Answer 159

a small bag made of very thin rubber that becomes larger and rounder when you fill it with air or gas.

• Balloons are brightly coloured and used as decorations or toys.

to blow up/burst/pop a balloon

• My balloon has burst!
• A thousand balloons were released to mark the event.
• They tied the balloons to the back of the car.
• helium balloons for the children’s party

(also hot-air balloon)a large balloon made of strong material that is filled with hot air or gas to make it rise in the air, usually carrying a basket for passengers

• We went up in a balloon.
• She crossed the Atlantic in a hot-air balloon.

Question 160

ballot

Answer 160

the system of voting in writing and usually in secret; an occasion on which a vote is held

• The chairperson is chosen by secret ballot.
• The union cannot call a strike unless it holds a ballot of members.

ballot for something

• a ballot for the Conservative leadership

ballot on/over something

• a ballot over strike actiona ballot on the new contracts

the ballot [singular]

• the total number of votes in an election
• She won 58.8% of the ballot.

Question 161

bankruptcy

Answer 161

the state of being bankrupt

SYNONYM insolvency

• The company filed for bankruptcy (= asked to be officially bankrupt) in 2009.
• moral/political bankruptcy
• There could be further bankruptcies among small farmers.

Question 162

banner

Answer 162

a long piece of cloth with a message on it that is carried between two poles or hung in a public place to show support for something

• A banner year (means a very good year worth advertising)
• A huge banner over the street said ‘Welcome home’.
• Protesters carried a banner reading ‘Save our Wildlife’.
• Banners demanded the leader’s resignation.
• The demonstrators carried banners bearing various slogans.
• They marched forward with banners waving in the wind.
• A banner strung across the road read, ‘Welcome home, boys!’Banners demanded the leader’s resignation.
• The demonstrators carried banners bearing various slogans.
• They marched forward with banners waving in the wind.
• A banner strung across the road read, ‘Welcome home, boys!’

a title or advertisement across the top or bottom or down the side of a page on the internet

• They put up a website banner advising customers to order early.
• A banner saying ‘To be continued…’ appeared on the screen.

Question 163

bare

Answer 163

not covered by any clothes

• She likes to walk around in bare feet.
• They wore shabby clothes and their feet were bare.
• His bare legs were covered in wiry golden hairs.

(of trees or countryside) not covered with leaves; without plants or trees

• The winter sun filtered through the bare branches of the trees.
• a bare mountainside
• We looked out over a bare, open landscape, stripped of vegetation.

(of surfaces and objects) not covered with or protected by anything

• bare wooden floorboards
• Bare wires were sticking out of the cable.
• The walls were bare except for a clock.
• The only lighting was a bare bulb hanging from the ceiling.
• The walls have been stripped bare.

(of a room, cupboard, etc.) empty

• The fridge was completely bare.
• bare shelves

bare of something

• The house was almost bare of furniture.

[only before noun] just enough; the most basic or simple

• The family was short of even the bare necessities of life.
• We only had the bare essentials in the way of equipment.
• He did the bare minimum of work but still passed the exam.
• She gave me only the bare facts of the case.
• It was the barest hint of a smile.
• Nothing more is known apart from the bare statement issued to the press.

Question 164

barely

Answer 164

in a way that is just possible but only with difficulty

• He could barely read and write.
• The music was barely audible.
• She was barely able to stand.
• We barely had time to catch the train.

in a way that almost does not happen or exist

• She barely acknowledged his presence.
• There was barely any smell.

just; certainly not more than (a particular amount, age, time, etc.)

• Barely 50% of the population voted.
• He was barely 20 years old and already running his own company.
• They arrived barely a minute later.

only a very short time before

• I had barely started speaking when he interrupted me.

Question 165

bargain

Answer 165

a thing bought for less than the usual price

• I picked up a few good bargains in the sale.
• The car was a bargain at that price.
• bargain prices

an agreement between two or more people or groups, to do something for each other

• He and his partner had made a bargain to tell each other everything.
• I’ve done what I promised and I expect you to keep your side of the bargain (= do what you agreed in return).
• Finally the two sides struck a bargain (= reached an agreement).

bargain with somebody

• I’ll make a bargain with you.
• Her part of the bargain was to look after the car.

Question 166

barrel

Answer 166

a large round container, usually made of wood or metal, with flat ends and, usually, curved sides

• a beer/wine barrel
• They filled the barrels with cider.
• The art of barrel-making is an ancient skill.

the contents of or the amount contained in a barrel; a unit of measurement in the oil industry equal to between 120 and 159 litres

• They got through two barrels of beer.
• Oil prices fell to $9 a barrel.
• Crude oil prices hit record highs of more than $70 a barrel.

the part of a gun like a tube through which the bullets are fired

• Tom found himself looking down the barrel of a gun.
• The barrel was aimed directly at me.
• He fired one barrel and then fired again.

Question 167

basement

Answer 167

a room or rooms in a building, partly or completely below the level of the ground

• Kitchen goods are sold in the basement.
• a basement flat/apartment
• She lives in a two-room basement flat.

Question 168

basket

Answer 168

a container for holding or carrying things.

• Baskets are made of long thin pieces of material that bends and twists easily, for example plastic, wire or wicker.
• a shopping basket
• a picnic basket
• a clothes/laundry basket (= in which dirty clothes are put before being washed)
• a wicker/wire basket
• a cat/dog basket (= in which a cat or dog sleeps or is carried around)

the amount contained in a basket

• a basket of fruit

(also cart, shopping cart both especially North American English)

a facility on a website that records the items that you select to buy

• Click to drop items into your shopping basket.
• 82 per cent of shoppers have abandoned an online shopping basket in the last year.

the net and the metal ring it hangs from, high up at each end of a basketball court;
a point that is scored by throwing the ball through this net

• to make/shoot a basket

(economics) a number of different goods or currencies

• the value of the rupee against a basket of currencies

Question 169

bass

Answer 169

[uncountable] the lowest tone or part in music, for instruments or voices

• He always plays his stereo with the bass turned right up.
• He sings bass.
• a pounding bass line

(also bass guitar)[countable] an electric guitar that plays very low notes

• a bass player
• bass and drums
• Eilís Phillips on (= playing) bass

[countable] a man’s singing voice with a low range; a man with a bass voice

• He answered my question in a surprisingly deep bass.

[singular] a musical part that is written for a bass voice

(also double bass) [countable] the largest musical instrument in the violin family, which plays very low notes

Question 170

bat

Answer 170

(noun) a piece of wood with a handle, made in various shapes and sizes, and used for hitting the ball in games such as baseball, cricket and table tennis

• a baseball/cricket bat

an animal like a mouse with wings that flies and feeds at night (= it is nocturnal).

• There are many types of bat.

(verb) to hit a ball with a bat, especially in a game of baseball

• He bats very well.
• Who’s batting first for the Orioles?

IDIOMS

bat your eyes/eyelashes
to open and close your eyes quickly, in a way that is supposed to be attractive

bat a thousand (informal)
to be very successful

• He made another sale? He’s really batting a thousand!

go to bat for somebody (informal)
to give someone help and support

not bat an eye (informal)
to show no surprise or embarrassment when something unusual happens

• She didn’t bat an eye when I told her my news.

at bat
(in baseball)
trying to hit the ball with a bat

• It’s his first time at bat in the major leagues.

at-bat
an occasion when a player is trying to hit the ball with a bat

• Who had the most at-bats last season?

(as) blind as a bat (humorous)
not able to see well

• She’s as blind as a bat without her glasses.

have bats in the/your belfry (informal) (old-fashioned)
to be strange or crazy

like a bat out of hell (informal)
very fast

• She was driving like a bat out of hell.

right off the bat (informal)
immediately; without delay

• We liked each other right off the bat.
• The threat of a strike is one of the issues we have to deal with right off the bat.

Question 171

battlefield

Answer 171

a place where a battle is being fought or has been fought

• heavy casualties on the battlefield
• He was wounded on the battlefield.

a situation in which people are opposed to each other; a subject that people feel strongly about and argue about

• Arkansas is among the key electoral battlefields.
• Education policy is an ideological battlefield.

Question 172

bay

Answer 172

[countable] a part of the sea, or of a large lake, partly surrounded by a wide curve of the land

• the Bay of Bengal
• Hudson Bay
• a magnificent view across the bay
• apartments overlooking the bay

[countable] a marked section of ground either inside or outside a building, for example for a vehicle to park in, for storing things, etc.

• a parking/loading bay
• Put the equipment in No 3 bay.

[countable] a curved area of a room or building that sticks out from the rest of the building

[countable] a horse of a dark brown colour

• He was riding a big bay.

[countable] a deep noise, especially the noise made by dogs when hunting

(also bay tree) [countable] a small tree with dark green leaves with a sweet smell that are used in cooking

[uncountable] the leaves of the bay tree, used in cooking as a herb

Idioms

at bay

• when an animal that is being hunted is at bay, it must turn and face the dogs and hunters because it is impossible to escape from them

hold/keep somebody/something at bay

• to prevent an enemy from coming close or a problem from having a bad effect

SYNONYM ward off

• I’m trying to keep my creditors at bay.
• Charlotte bit her lip to hold the tears at bay.

Question 173

beam

Answer 173

a line of light, electromagnetic waves or particlesnarrow beams of light/sunlight

• the beam of a torch/flashlighta laser/electron beam (British English)
• The car’s headlights were on full beam (= shining as brightly as possible and not directed downwards).

a long piece of wood, metal, etc. used to support weight, especially as part of the roof in a building

• The cottage had exposed oak beams.

(especially British English)(North American English usually balance beam) a wooden bar that is used in the sport of gymnastics for people to move and balance on

• The gymnast performed a somersault on the beam.

a wide and happy smile

• a beam of satisfaction

Question 174

beast

Answer 174

(old-fashioned or formal) an animal, especially one that is large or dangerous, or one that is unusual

• wild/savage/ferocious beasts
• mythical beasts such as unicorns and dragons

a person who is cruel and whose behaviour shows a lack of control

SYNONYM animal

• The beast in her wanted to destroy his house.

(informal, often humorous) an unpleasant person or thing

• The maths exam was a real beast.

(informal) a thing of a particular kind

SYNONYM animal

• His new guitar is a very expensive beast.

Question 175

behalf

Answer 175

in behalf of somebody | in somebody’s behalf

(US English) in order to help somebody

• He began a petition in behalf of the farmers.

on behalf of somebody | on somebody’s behalf

as the representative of somebody or instead of them

• On behalf of the department I would like to thank you all.
• Mr Knight cannot be here, so his wife will accept the prize on his behalf.

in order to help somebody

• They campaigned on behalf of asylum seekers.

because of somebody; for somebody

• Don’t worry on my behalf.

Question 176

behavioral

Answer 176

connected with behaviour

• behavioural problems/difficulties

connected with the scientific study of human and animal behaviour

• behavioural science/research

Question 177

beloved

Answer 177

[only before noun] loved very much

• in memory of our dearly beloved son, John
• They were glad to be back in their beloved Ireland.

beloved by/of somebody

loved very much by somebody; very popular with somebody

• the deep purple flowers so beloved by artists
• She was beloved by all who knew her.
• She ran one of the little tea rooms so beloved of Londoners at the turn of the century.

Question 178

bench

Answer 178

[countable] a long seat for two or more people, usually made of wood

• a park bench

the bench [singular] {law} a judge in court or the seat where he/she sits; the position of being a judge or magistrate

• His lawyer turned to address the bench.
• She has recently been appointed to the bench.

[countable, usually plural] {in the British parliament} a seat where a particular group of politicians sit

• There was cheering from the Opposition benches.

the bench [singular] {sport} the seats where players sit when they are not playing in the game

• the substitutes’ bench
• He started the game on the bench but finished as the team’s top scorer.
• He’s sick of spending every game on the bench.

(also workbench) [countable] a long heavy table used for doing practical jobs, working with tools, etc.

• a carpenter’s bench

Question 179

benchmark

Answer 179

something that can be measured and used as a standard that other things can be compared with

• Tests at the age of seven provide a benchmark against which the child’s progress at school can be measured.

Question 180

beneath

Answer 180

in or to a lower position than somebody/something; under somebody/something

• They found the body buried beneath a pile of leaves.
• The boat sank beneath the waves.

not good enough for somebody

• He considers such jobs beneath him.
• They thought she had married beneath her (= married a man of lower social status).

Question 181

beneficial

Answer 181

beneficial (to something/somebody)

improving a situation; having a helpful or useful effect

SYNONYM advantageous, favourable

• A good diet is beneficial to health.
• They finally came to a mutually beneficial agreement.

Question 182

beneficiary

Answer 182

beneficiary (of something)
a person who gains as a result of something

• Who will be the main beneficiary of the cuts in income tax?

beneficiary (of something)
a person who receives money or property when somebody dies

• She was the sole beneficiary of her father’s will.

Question 183

beside

Answer 183

next to or at the side of somebody/something

• He sat beside her all night.
• a mill beside a stream

compared with somebody/something

• My painting looks childish beside yours.

Idioms

be beside the point
to not be important or closely related to the main thing you are talking about

• Yes, I know it was an accident, but that’s beside the point.
• They took my words out of context, but that’s beside the point.

beside yourself (with something)
unable to control yourself because of the strength of emotion you are feeling

• He was beside himself with rage when I told him what I had done.
• They were beside themselves with excitement.

Question 184

besides

Answer 184

an addition to somebody/something;
apart from somebody/something

• We have lots of things in common besides music.
• Besides working as a doctor, he also writes novels in his spare time.
• I’ve got no family besides my parents.
• I’ve got plenty of other things to do besides talking to you.

Question 185

betray

Answer 185

to give information about somebody/something to an enemy
betray somebody/something

• He was offered money to betray his colleagues.

betray somebody/something to somebody

• For years they had been betraying state secrets to Russia.

betray somebody/something
to hurt somebody who trusts you, especially by lying to or about them or telling their secrets to other people

• She felt betrayed when she found out the truth about him.
• She betrayed his trust over and over again.
• I have never known her to betray a confidence (= tell other people something that should be kept secret).

betray something to ignore your principles or beliefs in order to achieve something or gain an advantage for yourself

• He has been accused of betraying his former socialist ideals.

to tell somebody or make them aware of a piece of information, a feeling, etc., usually without meaning to

SYNONYM give away

betray something

• His voice betrayed the worry he was trying to hide.

betray yourself

• She was terrified of saying something that would make her betray herself (= show her feelings or who she was).

Question 186

beverage

Answer 186

any type of drink except water

• laws governing the sale of alcoholic beverages
• Studies on the consumption of various alcoholic beverages have been conducted.

Question 187

bias

Answer 187

[uncountable, countable, usually singular] a strong feeling in favour of or against one group of people, or one side in an argument, often not based on fair judgement

• accusations of political bias in news programmes (= that reports are unfair and show favour to one political party)
• Employers must consider all candidates impartially and without bias.
• Some institutions still have a strong bias against women.
• The article examines gender bias in our schools.

[countable, usually singular] an interest in one thing more than others; a special ability

• The course has a strong practical bias.
• Leila had a marked scientific bias.
• In British universities there was a bias towards pure science.

[uncountable, countable] the fact that the results of research or an experiment are not accurate because a particular factor has not been considered when collecting the information

• If a response rate is low, the risk of bias in the findings will be greater.

[uncountable, singular] the bias of a piece of cloth is an edge cut diagonally across the threads

• The skirt is cut on the bias.
• a bias strip

Question 188

bid

Answer 188

an offer by a person or a company to pay a particular amount of money for something
bid for something

• A German firm launched a takeover bid for the company.
• At the auction (= a public sale where things are sold to the person who offers the most), the highest bid for the picture was £200.

bid on something (North American English also)

• the highest bid on the picture
• Any more bids?

bid (for something) (North American English also) bid (on something)
an offer to do work or provide a service for a particular price, in competition with other companies, etc.

SYNONYM tender

• The company submitted a bid for the contract to clean the hospital.

(used especially in newspapers)
an effort to do something or to obtain something bid for something

• a bid for power
• bid to do something
• a desperate bid to escape from his attackers

(in some card games) a statement of the number of points a player thinks they will win

Question 189

bind

Answer 189

[transitive] {formal} to tie somebody/something with rope, string, etc. so that they/it cannot move or are held together strongly

bind somebody/something to something

• She was bound to a chair.

bind somebody/something together

• They bound his hands together.

bind somebody/something

• He was left bound and gagged (= tied up and with a piece of cloth tied over his mouth).

**[transitive] bind something (up) **
(formal) to tie a long thin piece of cloth around something

• She bound up his wounds.

[transitive] to make people, organizations, etc. feel united so that they live or work together more happily or effectively
bind A (and B) (together)

• Organizations such as schools and clubs bind a community together.

bind A to B

• She thought that having his child would bind him to her forever.

[transitive, usually passive] to force somebody to do something by making them promise to do it or by making it their duty to do it

bind somebody (to something)

• He had been bound to secrecy (= made to promise not to tell people about something).

bind somebody to do something

• The agreement binds her to repay the debt within six months.

[intransitive, transitive] to stick together or to make things stick together in a solid mass bind (together)

• Add an egg yolk to make the mixture bind.

bind something (together)

• Add an egg yolk to bind the mixture together.

[transitive, usually passive] bind something (in something)
to fasten the pages of a book together and put them inside a cover

• two volumes bound in leather

[transitive, often passive] bind something (with something)
to sew a piece of material to the edge of something to decorate it or to make it stronger

• The blankets were bound with satin.

Question 190

biography

Answer 190

the story of a person’s life written by somebody else;
this type of writing

• Boswell’s biography of Johnsona
• biography by Antonia Fraser
• The book gives potted biographies of all the major painters.

Question 191

biological

Answer 191

connected with the science of biology

• the biological sciences

connected with the processes that take place within living things

• the biological effects of radiation
• the biological control of pests (= using living organisms to destroy them, not chemicals)

(of a member of a person’s family) related by blood

• a child’s biological parents (= natural parents, not the people who adopted him/her)

(of washing powder, etc.) using enzymes (= chemical substances that are found in plants and animals) to get clothes, etc. clean

• biological and non-biological powders

Question 192

bishop

Answer 192

a senior priest in charge of the work of the Church in a city or district

• the Bishop of Oxford
• Bishop Pritchard
• He was appointed Bishop of Ely.
• He’s the diocesan bishop and he has three suffragan bishops to help him.

a piece used in the game of chess that is like a bishop’s hat in shape and can move any number of squares in a diagonal line

Question 193

bizarre

Answer 193

very strange or unusual

SYNONYM weird

• a bizarre situation/incident/storybizarre behaviour

Question 194

blade

Answer 194

the flat part of a knife, tool or machine, which has a sharp edge or edges for cutting

• The machine comes with a plastic guard over the blade to protect the operator.

one of the flat parts that turn around in an engine or on a helicopter

• the blades of a propeller
• rotor blades on a helicopter

the flat wide part of an oar (= one of the long straight pieces of wood that are used to row a boat) that goes in the water

a single flat leaf of grass

• Not a blade of grass stirred.

the flat metal part on the bottom of an ice skate

Question 195

blanket

Answer 195

a large cover, often made of wool, used especially on beds to keep people warm

• It’s cold tonight—can I have another blanket?
• The baby was wrapped in a blanket.

[usually singular] blanket of something
a thick layer or mass of something

• a blanket of fog/snow/cloud
• (figurative) The trial was conducted under a blanket of secrecy.

Question 196

blast

Answer 196

[countable] an explosion or a powerful movement of air caused by an explosion

• a bomb blast
• 27 schoolchildren were injured in the blast.
• The blast ripped through the building.

[countable] a sudden strong movement of air

• A blast of hot air hit us as we stepped off the plane.
• the wind’s icy blasts

[countable] a sudden loud noise, especially one made by a musical instrument that you blow, or by a whistle or a car horn

• three short blasts on the ship’s siren
• The driver opened the door letting out a blast of Bob Marley.
• He gave a short blast on his trumpet.

[countable]{used especially in newspapers} strong criticism

• Blast for prison governors in judge’s report.

[singular] {informal} a very happy experience that is a lot of fun

• The party was a blast.
• We had a blast at the party.

[countable] {North American English, informal} a piece of advertising or information that is sent to a large number of people at the same time by email

• They sent out email blasts and posted information on all their websites.

Idioms

a blast from the past
(informal) a person or thing from your past that you see, hear, meet, etc. again in the present

(at) full blast
with the greatest possible volume or power

• She had the car stereo on at full blast.

Question 197

bleed

Answer 197

[intransitive] to lose blood, especially from a wound or an injury

• My finger’s bleeding.
• She slowly bled to death.
• He was bleeding from a gash on his head.
• The small blood vessels in the nose bleed easily.

[transitive] bleed somebody (in the past)
to take blood from somebody as a way of treating disease

[transitive] bleed somebody (for something)
(informal) to force somebody to pay a lot of money over a period of time

• The company seems intent on bleeding us for every penny we have.

[transitive] bleed something to remove air or liquid from something so that it works correctly

[intransitive] bleed (into something) to spread from one area of something to another area

• Keep the paint fairly dry so that the colours don’t bleed into each other.

Question 198

blend

Answer 198

[transitive] to mix two or more substances together

blend A with B

• Blend the flour with the milk to make a smooth paste.

blend A and B (together)

• Blend together the eggs, sugar and flour.

[intransitive] to form a mixture with something
blend with something

• Oil does not blend with water.

blend (together)

• Oil and water do not blend.

[intransitive, transitive] to combine with something in an attractive or effective way; to combine something in this way

blend (something) (together)

• The old and new buildings blend together perfectly.

blend something (and/with something)

• Their music blends traditional and modern styles.

[transitive, usually passive] blend something to produce something by mixing different types together

• blended whisky/tea

Question 199

bless

Answer 199

bless somebody/something

to ask God to protect somebody/something

• They brought the children to Jesus and he blessed them.
• God bless you!

bless something to make something holy by saying a prayer over it

• The priest blessed the bread and wine.

bless somebody/something

(formal) to call God holy; to praise God

• We bless your holy name, O Lord.

bless somebody/something
(old-fashioned, informal) used to express surprise

• Bless my soul! Here comes Bill!
• ‘Where’s Joe?’ ‘I’m blessed if I know!’ (= I don’t know)

Question 200

blessing

Answer 200

[usually singular] God’s help and protection, or a prayer asking for this

• to pray for God’s blessing
• The bishop said the blessing.

[usually singular] approval of or permission for something

• The government gave its blessing to the new plans.
• He went with his parents’ blessing.

something that is good or helpful

• Lack of traffic is one of the blessings of country life.
• It’s a blessing that nobody was in the house at the time.
• Her looks turned out to be more of a curse than a blessing.

Question 201

blow

Answer 201

to send out air from the mouth + adv./prep.

• You’re not blowing hard enough!
• The policeman asked me to blow into the breathalyser.

blow something + adv./prep.

• He drew on his cigarette and blew out a stream of smoke.

**when the wind or a current of air blows, it is moving;

• when it blows, the wind is blowing
• The birds were singing and a warm wind was blowing.

+ adv./prep.

• A cold wind blew from the east.
• It was blowing hard.
• It was blowing a gale (= there was a strong wind).

to be moved by the wind, somebody’s breath, etc.; to move something in this way + adv./prep.

• My hat blew off.

+ adj.

• The door blew open.

blow somebody/something + adv./prep.

• I was almost blown over by the wind.
• She blew the dust off the book.
• The ship was blown onto the rocks.
• The bomb blast blew two passers-by across the street.

blow something + adj.

• The wind blew the door shut.

if you blow a whistle, musical instrument, etc. or if a whistle, etc.
** blows, you produce a sound by blowing into the whistle, etc.**

• the sound of trumpets blowing
• The referee blew his whistle.

[transitive] blow your nose to clear your nose by blowing strongly through it into a tissue or handkerchief

• She grabbed a tissue and loudly blew her nose.

blow (somebody) a kiss
to kiss your hand and then pretend to blow the kiss towards somebody

[transitive] blow something to make or shape something by blowing

• to blow smoke rings
• to blow bubbles (= for example, by blowing onto a thin layer of water mixed with soap)
• to blow glass (= to send a current of air into melted glass to shape it)

blow (something)
if a fuse blows or you blow a fuse, the electricity stops flowing suddenly because the fuse (= a thin wire) has melted because the current was too strong

to break open or apart, especially because of pressure from inside; to make a tyre break in this way

• The car spun out of control when a tyre blew.
• The truck blew a tyre and lurched off the road.

blow something
to break something open with explosives

• The safe had been blown by the thieves.

[transitive] blow something (informal)
to make known something that was secret

• One mistake could blow your cover (= make your real name, job, intentions, etc. known).
• We’re going to blow his operation wide open.

[transitive] blow something (on something) (informal)
to spend or waste a lot of money on something

• He inherited over a million dollars and blew it all on drink and gambling.

[transitive] blow something (informal)
to waste an opportunity

• She blew her chances by arriving late for the interview.
• You had your chance and you blew it.

[transitive]In this meaning blowed is used for the past participle.
blow somebody/something (British English, informal) used to show that you are annoyed, surprised or do not care about something

• Blow it! We’ve missed the bus.
• Well, blow me down! I never thought I’d see you again.
• I’m blowed if I’m going to (= I certainly will not) let him treat you like that.
• Let’s take a taxi and blow (= never mind) the expense.

[transitive, intransitive] blow (something)
(North American English, informal) to leave a place suddenly

• Let’s blow this joint.

Question 202

boast

Answer 202

to talk in a way that shows you are too proud of something that you have or can do

• I don’t want to boast, but I can actually speak six languages.

boast about something

• She is always boasting about how wonderful her children are.

boast of something

• He openly boasted of his skill as a burglar.

boast that…

• Sam boasted that she could beat anyone at poker.
• Hay’s booksellers justifiably boast that they cater for all tastes.

+ speech

• ‘I won!’ she boasted.

(not used in the progressive tenses) boast something
to have something that is impressive

• The hotel also boasts two swimming pools and a golf course.
• Rhodes boasts 300 days of sunshine a year.
• This is a region which proudly boasts its own distinct culture.

Question 203

bold

Answer 203

(of people or behaviour) brave and confident; not afraid to say what you feel or to take risks

• It was a bold move on their part to open a business in France.
• Few people have been bold enough to criticize the manager.
• a bold and fearless warrior

(of printed words or letters) in a thick, dark type

• Highlight the important words in bold type.
• bold lettering

(of shape, colour, lines, etc.) that can be easily seen; having a strong clear appearance

• the bold outline of a mountain against the sky
• She paints with bold strokes of the brush.

Question 204

bombing

Answer 204

1. an occasion when a bomb is dropped or left somewhere; the act of doing thisrecent bombings in major citiesThe neighbourhood was badly damaged by enemy bombing.

Question 205

bonus

Answer 205

an extra amount of money that is added to a payment, especially to somebody’s wages or salary as a reward

• a £100 Christmas bonus
• productivity bonuses
• the row over bankers’ bonuses
• What is actually paid will depend on the bonus payments made at the end of the policy.

anything pleasant that is extra and more or better than you were expecting

• Being able to walk to work is an added bonus of the new job.
• As a bonus, club members can get free tickets for all the family.
• One of the great bonuses of retirement is having time to spare.

Question 206

booking

Answer 206

(especially British English) an arrangement that you make in advance to buy a ticket to travel somewhere, go to the theatre, etc.

• a booking form/hall/clerk
• Can I make a booking for Friday?
• Early booking is recommended.
• No advance booking is necessary.
• We can’t take any more bookings.

an arrangement for somebody to perform at a theatre, in a concert, etc.

Question 207

boom

Answer 207

a sudden increase in trade and economic activity; a period of wealth and success

• Living standards improved rapidly during the post-war boom.

boom in something

• a boom in car sales
• a boom year (for trade, exports, etc.)
• a property/housing boom

[usually singular] a period when something such as a sport or a type of music suddenly becomes very popular and successful

• The only way to satisfy the golf boom was to build more courses.

a long pole that the bottom of a sail is attached to and that you move to change the position of the sail

[usually singular] a loud deep sound

• the distant boom of the guns

a floating barrier that is placed across a river or the entrance to a harbour to prevent ships or other objects from coming in or going out

a long pole that carries a microphone or other equipment

Question 208

boost

Answer 208

boost something
to make something increase, or become better or more successful

• to boost exports/profits
• to boost productivity/spending
• The movie helped boost her screen career.
• to boost somebody’s confidence/morale
• Getting that job did a lot to boost his ego (= make him feel more confident).
• The new service helped boost pre-tax profits by 10%.
• The total was boosted to nearly $200 by donations from parents.
• an attempt to boost the number of barn owls living in the wild
• to boost her chances of winning next month’s election
• A last-minute rush by Christmas shoppers boosted sales.

boost something (North American English, informal, becoming old-fashioned)
to steal something

Question 209

bounce

Answer 209

if something bounces or you bounce it, it moves quickly away from a surface it has just hit or you make it do this

• The ball bounced twice before he could reach it.

bounce off something

• Short sound waves bounce off even small objects.
• The light bounced off the river and dazzled her.

+ adv./prep.

• The ball bounced high and she missed it.

bounce something (against/on/off something)

• She bounced the ball against the wall.

bounce (up and down) (on something) (of a person) to jump up and down on something

• She bounced up and down excitedly on the bed.

bounce somebody (up and down) (on something) to move a child up and down while they are sitting on your knee in order to entertain them

• I bounced the baby on my knee while Pete did the dishes.

bounce (something) (up and down) to move up and down; to move something up and down

• Her hair bounced as she walked.

+ adv./prep. to move up and down in a particular direction

• The bus bounced down the hill.
• The car bounced its way along the dirt road.

+ adv./prep. (of a person) to move somewhere in a lively and cheerful way

• He bounced across the room to greet them.

bounce (something) (informal) if a cheque bounces, or a bank bounces it, the bank refuses to accept it because there is not enough money in the bank account to pay it

bounce ideas (off somebody)/(around)
to tell somebody your ideas in order to find out what they think about them

• He bounced ideas off colleagues everywhere he went.

bounce (something) (back)
if an email bounces or the system bounces it, it returns to the person who sent it because the system cannot deliver it

• I tried to send her an email but it bounced.
• The system automatically bounces emails which contain attachments

bounce somebody (from something) (especially North American English, informal)
to force somebody to leave a job, team, place, etc.

• He was soon bounced from the post.

(informal) to leave a place or group of people

• All right, cool, we’ll bounce.

Question 210

bound

Answer 210

bound to do/be
something certain or likely to happen, or to do or be something

• There are bound to be changes when the new system is introduced.
• It’s bound to be sunny again tomorrow.
• You’ve done so much work—you’re bound to pass the exam.
• It was bound to happen sooner or later (= we should have expected it).
• These problems were almost bound to arise.
• You’re bound to be nervous the first time (= it’s easy to understand).

forced to do something by law, duty or a particular situation
bound by something

• We are not bound by the decision.
• You are bound by the contract to pay before the end of the month.

bound (by something) to do something (formal)

• I am bound to say I disagree with you on this point.
• They are legally bound to appear in court.

(in compounds)prevented from going somewhere or from working normally by the conditions mentioned

• Strike-bound travellers face long delays.
• fogbound airports

(also in compounds)travelling, or ready to travel, in a particular direction or to a particular place

• homeward bound (= going home)
• Paris-bound
• northbound/southbound/eastbound/westbound

bound for…

• a plane bound for Dublin
• touristswho are bound for Europe
• college-bound high school students

Question 211

boundary

Answer 211

a real or imagined line that marks the limits or edges of something and separates it from other things or places; a dividing line

• After the war the national boundaries were redrawn.
• (British English) county boundaries
• boundary changes/disputes
• The fence marks the boundary between my property and hers.
• Scientists continue to push back the boundaries of human knowledge.
• It is up to the teacher to set the boundary between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour.
• He could just see her beyond the boundary wall of the cemetery.
• to extend the boundaries of high art to include some popular music

(in cricket) a hit of the ball that crosses the boundary of the playing area and scores extra points

• He hit 13 boundaries from 183 balls.

Question 212

bow

Answer 212

[intransitive] to move your head or the top half of your body forwards and downwards as a sign of respect or to say hello or goodbye

• bow (to/before somebody/something)
• He bowed low to the assembled crowd.

bow down (to/before somebody/something)

• The people all bowed down before the emperor.

[transitive] bow your head
to move your head forwards and downwards

• She bowed her head in shame.
• They stood in silence with their heads bowed.

to bend or make something bend (+ adv./prep)

• The pines bowed in the wind. bow something
• (+ adv./prep) Their backs were bowed under the weight of their packs.

Question 213

breach

Answer 213

breach of something
a failure to do something that must be done by law

• a breach of contract/copyright/warranty
• They are in breach of Article 119.
• (British English) (a) breach of the peace (= the crime of behaving in a noisy or violent way in public)
• Selling goods constituted a breach of regulation 10B.

breach of something
an action that breaks an agreement to behave in a particular way

• a breach of confidence/trust
• a breach of security (= when something that is normally protected is no longer secure)

a break in a relationship between people or countries

• The disagreement caused a serious breach in Franco-German relations.

an opening that is created during a military attack or by strong winds or seas

• They escaped through a breach in the wire fence.
• A breach in the mountain wall permits warm sea air to penetrate inland.
• The mortars blew a large breach in the castle walls.

Question 214

breakdown

Answer 214

an occasion when a vehicle or machine stops working

• a breakdown on the motorway
• a breakdown recovery service
• Most breakdown services give priority to women travelling alone.
• The national breakdown organizations are on hand to help motorists 24 hours a day.

a failure of a relationship, discussion or system

• The only ground for divorce is the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage.
• marriage breakdown
• There has obviously been a breakdown in communications between the two sides.
• The breakdown of the negotiations was not unexpected.
• the breakdown of law and order

detailed information that you get by studying a set of figures

• First, let’s look at a breakdown of the costs.
• Please provide us with a breakdown of expenditure by department.

(specialist) the process of a substance breaking into the parts of which it is made

• the breakdown of proteins in the digestive system

(also nervous breakdown (old-fashioned))
a period of serious mental illness in which somebody is unable to deal with normal life

• It all became too much and he had some sort of breakdown.

Question 215

breakthrough

Answer 215

an important development that may lead to an agreement or achievement

• to make/achieve a breakthrough
• a significant breakthrough in negotiations
• a major breakthrough in cancer research

Question 216

breed

Answer 216

[intransitive] {of animals} to have sex and produce young

• Many animals breed only at certain times of the year.

[transitive, intransitive] to keep animals or plants in order to produce young ones for a particular purpose

breed something (for/as something)

• The rabbits are bred for their long coats.
• Greyhounds were originally bred as hunting dogs.
• the first panda to be bred in captivity

breed from something

( She’s a lovely cat. Will you breed from her?

[transitive] breed something
to be the cause of something

• Nothing breeds success like success.

[transitive, usually passive] breed something into somebody
to educate somebody in a particular way as they are growing up

• Fear of failure was bred into him at an early age.

Question 217

brick

Answer 217

[countable, uncountable] baked clay used for building walls, houses and other buildings; an individual block of this

• The school is built of brick.
• a pile of bricks
• a brick wall

[countable] a plastic or wooden block, used as a toy for young children to build things with

Question 218

briefly

Answer 218

for a short time

• He had spoken to Emma only briefly.
• She met John briefly on Friday night.

in few words

• Briefly, the argument is as follows…
• Let me tell you briefly what happened.

Question 219

broadband

Answer 219

a way of connecting to the internet that allows you to receive information, including pictures, etc., very quickly and that is always active (so that the user does not have to connect each time)

• plans to provide rural areas with fast broadband

(specialist) signals that use a wide range of frequencies

Question 220

broadcaster

Answer 220

a person whose job is presenting or talking on television or radio programmes

• She is a writer and broadcaster on environmental matters.

a company that sends out television or radio programmes

• the new Australian rugby broadcaster, Channel Ten

Question 221

broadly

Answer 221

generally, without considering details

• Broadly speaking, I agree with you.
• broadly similar/comparable/equivalent/consistent

if you smile broadly, you smile with your mouth stretched very wide because you are very pleased or are enjoying something very much

Question 222

browser

Answer 222

(also web browser)

a computer program that lets you look at or read documents on the World Wide Web

• What do you use as your default browser?

a person who looks through books, magazines, etc. or at things for sale, but may not seriously intend to buy anything

• There were one or two browsers in the bookstore.

Question 223

brutal

Answer 223

violent and cruel

• a brutal attack/murder/rape/killing
• a brutal and repressive regime

direct and clear about something unpleasant; not thinking of people’s feelings

• With brutal honesty she told him she did not love him.

Question 224

buck

Answer 224

(informal) a US, Australian or New Zealand dollar; a South African rand; an Indian rupee

• They cost ten bucks.
• We’re talking big bucks (= a lot of money) here.

a male deer, hare or rabbit (also called a buck rabbit)

(plural buck)(South African English) a deer, whether male or female

• a herd of buck

(old use, informal) a young man

the buck
[singular] used in some expressions to refer to the responsibility or blame for something

• It was my decision. The buck stops here (= nobody else can be blamed).
• I was tempted to pass the buck (= make somebody else responsible).

Question 225

buddy

Answer 225

(North American English also bud)(informal) a friend

• an old college buddy of mine
• Howard and Mick were drinking buddies.
• We were good buddies.
• I’d like you to meet an old college buddy of mine.

(also bud)(both North American English, informal) used to speak to a man you do not know‘

• Where to, buddy?’ the driver asked.

(especially North American English) a partner who does an activity with you so that you can help each other

• The school uses a buddy system to pair newcomers with older students.
• Her driving buddy was in trouble.

Question 226

buffer

Answer 226

a thing or person that reduces a shock or protects somebody/something against difficulties

buffer against something

• Support from family and friends acts as a buffer against stress.

buffer between A and B

• She often had to act as a buffer between father and son.
• The organization acts as a buffer between the management and the union.

a buffer state (= a small country between two powerful states that helps keep peace between them)

a buffer zone (= an area of land between two opposing armies or countries)

• Peacekeepers have been sent in to establish a buffer zone between the rival forces.

(computing) an area in a computer’s memory where data can be stored for a short time

Question 227

bug

Answer 227

(especially North American English) any small insect

• There’s a bug crawling up your arm.

(informal) an illness that is usually fairly mild but spreads easily from person to person

• a flu bug
• There’s a stomach bug going round (= people are catching it from each other).
• I picked up a bug in the office.
• He’s off work with a flu bug.

(usually the… bug)[singular] {informal} an enthusiastic interest in something such as a sport or a hobby

• She’s been bitten by the travel bug.
• Toya has been bitten by the skin care bug.
• She was never interested in fitness before but now she’s been bitten by the bug.

a fault in a machine, especially in a computer system or program

• The software is full of bugs.
• My computer’s really slow at the moment—it must be some kind of bug.

(informal) a small hidden device for listening to other people’s conversations

• They planted a bug in his hotel room.

Question 228

bulk

Answer 228

the bulk (of something)
the main part of something; most of something

• The bulk of the population lives in cities.
• The great bulk of the work has now been done.

the (large) size or quantity of something

• Despite its bulk and weight, the car is extremely fast.
• a bulk order (= one for a large number of similar items)
• bulk buying (= buying in large amounts, often at a reduced price)

in bulk

• It’s cheaper to buy in bulk.

[singular] the weight or shape of somebody/something large

• She heaved her bulk out of the chair.
• the looming dark bulk of the cathedral

Question 229

burden

Answer 229

a duty, responsibility, etc. that causes worry, difficulty or hard work

• to bear/carry/ease/reduce/share the burden
• the burden (of something)
• The main burden of caring for old people falls on the state.
• burden on somebody
• the heavy tax burden on working people
• a burden to somebody
• I don’t want to become a burden to my children when I’m old.

(formal) a heavy load that is difficult to carry
SEE ALSO beast of burden

Question 230

bureaucracy

Answer 230

(often disapproving) the system of official rules and ways of doing things that a government or an organization has, especially when these seem to be too complicated

• unnecessary/excessive bureaucracy
• We need to reduce paperwork and bureaucracy in the company.

a system of government in which there are a large number of state officials who are not elected; a country with such a system

• the power of the state bureaucracy
• We are living in a modern bureaucracy.

Question 231

burial

Answer 231

the act or ceremony of burying a dead body

• a burial place/mound/site
• Her body was sent home for burial.
• His family insisted he should be given a proper burial.
• baptism, marriage and burial services

Question 232

burst

Answer 232

to break open or apart, especially because of pressure from inside; to make something break in this way

• That balloon will burst if you blow it up any more.
• The dam burst under the weight of water.
• Shells were bursting (= exploding) all around us.
• (figurative) He felt he would burst with anger and shame.

burst apart

• There was a danger that the engine would burst apart.

burst something

• Don’t burst that balloon!
• The river burst its banks and flooded nearby towns.
• a burst pipe

[intransitive] + adv./prep. to go or move somewhere suddenly with great force; to come from somewhere suddenly

• He burst into the room without knocking.
• Suddenly the door flew open and Jo burst in.
• The sun burst through the clouds.
• The words burst from her in an angry rush.
• I felt as though my heart would burst out of my chest.

[intransitive] be bursting (with something) to be very full of something; to be very full and almost breaking open

• The roads are bursting with cars.

to be bursting with ideas/enthusiasm/pride

• The hall was filled to bursting point.
• The hall was full to bursting.
• (informal) I’m bursting (for a pee)! (= I need to use the toilet right now).

Question 233

cabin

Answer 233

a small room on a ship in which you live or sleep

• I lay in my cabin feeling miserably seasick.

one of the areas for passengers to sit in a plane

• the first-class cabin

a small house or shelter, usually made of wood

• a log cabin

Question 234

cabinet

Answer 234

(usually the Cabinet)[countable + singular or plural verb]
a group of senior members of a government that is responsible for advising and deciding on government policy

• a cabinet meeting
• (British English) a cabinet minister
• (British English) the shadow Cabinet (= the most important members of the opposition party)

[countable] a piece of furniture with doors, drawers and/or shelves, that is used for storing or showing things

• kitchen cabinets
• a medicine cabinet
• The china was displayed in a glass cabinet.

Question 235

calculation

Answer 235

the act or process of using numbers to find out an amount

• Cathy did a rough calculation.
• By my calculation(s), we made a profit of £20 000 last year.
• Our guess was confirmed by calculation.

the process of using your judgement to decide what the results would be of doing something

• Decisions are shaped by political calculations.

(disapproving) careful planning for yourself without caring about other people

• an act of cold calculation

Question 236

canal

Answer 236

a long straight passage dug in the ground and filled with water for boats and ships to travel along; a smaller passage used for carrying water to fields, crops, etc.

• the Panama/Suez Canal
• an irrigation canal

a tube inside the body through which liquid, food or air can pass

Question 237

candle

Answer 237

a round stick of wax with a piece of string (called a wick) through the middle that is lit to give light as it burns

• a flickering candle
• The room was lit by candles.
• to blow out/snuff out a candle

Question 238

canvas

Answer 238

a strong heavy rough material used for making tents, sails, etc. and by artists for painting on

• tents made from heavy canvas

[countable] a piece of canvas used for painting on; a painting done on a piece of canvas, using oil paints

• a sale of the artist’s early canvases

Question 239

capability

Answer 239

the ability or qualities necessary to do something

• Age affects the range of a person’s capabilities.

capability to do something

• She has the capability to become a very fine actor.

capability of doing something

• Animals in the zoo have lost the capability of catching food for themselves.

capability for doing something

• his capability for making sensible decisions
• beyond/within the capabilities of something/somebody
• beyond/within the capabilities of current technology
• a company’s production capabilities

the power or weapons that a country has for war or for military action

• Britain’s nuclear/military capability

Question 240

capitalism

Answer 240

an economic system in which a country’s businesses and industry are controlled and run for profit by private owners rather than by the government

• the growth of industrial capitalism in the West

Question 241

capitalist

Answer 241

based on the principles of capitalism

• a capitalist society/system/economy

Question 242

carbon

Answer 242

(symbol C)a chemical element. Carbon is found in all living things, existing in a pure state as diamond and graphite.

• carbon fibre
• iron with a high carbon content

[uncountable] used when referring to the gas carbon dioxide in terms of the effect it has on the earth’s climate in causing global warming

• carbon emissions/levels/taxes
• (British English) How do we move to a low-carbon economy?

(also carbon copy) a copy of a document, letter, etc. made with carbon paper

(also carbon copy) a person or thing that is very similar to somebody/something else

[countable] a piece of carbon paper

Question 243

cargo

Answer 243

the goods carried in a ship, an aircraft or a motor vehicle

• The tanker began to spill its cargo of oil.
• a cargo ship

Question 244

carriage

Answer 244

(also coach)(both British English)(North American English car)[countable]
a separate section of a train for carrying passengers

• a railway carriage

a road vehicle, usually with four wheels, that is pulled by one or more horses and was used in the past to carry people

• a horse-drawn carriage

(British English)(also handling North American English, British English)[uncountable] (formal)
the act or cost of transporting goods from one place to another

• £16.95 including VAT and carriage
• Orders are despatched within 28 days but allow time for carriage.
• a contract for the carriage of goods

[countable] a moving part of a machine that supports or moves another part, for example on a typewriter

• a carriage return (= the act of starting a new line when typing)

[singular] {old-fashioned} the way in which somebody holds and moves their head and body

SYNONYM bearing

• She showed her pedigree on her face and in her carriage.

Question 245

carve

Answer 245

to make objects, patterns, etc. by cutting away material from a piece of wood or stone, or another hard material

carve something

• a carved doorway

carve something from/out of something

• The statue was carved out of a single piece of stone.
• The beads were carved from solid ivory.

carve something into/in something

• The wood had been carved into the shape of a flower.
• (figurative) Over the centuries, melting snow had carved valleys in the landscape.

carve in something

• She carves in both stone and wood.

[transitive] carve something (on something)
to write something on a surface by cutting into it

• They carved their initials on the desk.
• A Latin inscription had been carved on the lid of the box.

to cut a large piece of cooked meat into smaller pieces for eating

carve (something) | carve (somebody) something

• Who’s going to carve the turkey?

[transitive, no passive] to work hard in order to have a successful career, reputation, etc.

carve something (out)

• He succeeded in carving out a career in the media.

carve something (out) for yourself

• She has carved a place for herself in the fashion world.

Question 246

casino

Answer 246

a public building or room where people play gambling games for money

• a new hotel and casino in Las Vegas

Question 247

castle

Answer 247

a large strong building with thick, high walls and towers, built in the past by kings or queens, or other important people, to defend themselves against attack

• a medieval castle
• Windsor Castle

in/at the castle

• • They were invited to a banquet in the castle.
• They sought safety within the castle walls.

(also rook) (in chess) any of the four pieces placed in the corner squares of the board at the start of the game, usually made to look like a castle

Question 248

casual

Answer 248

not formal

• casual clothes (= comfortable clothes that you choose to wear in your free time)
• family parties and other casual occasions

[usually before noun] not showing much care or thought; seeming not to be worried; not wanting to show that something is important to you

• a casual manner
• It was just a casual remark—I wasn’t really serious.
• He tried to sound casual, but I knew he was worried.
• They have a casual attitude towards safety (= they don’t care enough).

[usually before noun] without paying attention to detail

• At a casual glance, everything seemed normal.It’s obvious even to the casual observer.

[usually before noun] not permanent; not done, or doing something regularly

• casual workers/labour
• Students sometimes do casual work in the tourist trade.
• They are employed on a casual basis (= they do not have a permanent job with the company).

[usually before noun] without deep feelings

• a casual acquaintance
• a casual friendship
• to have casual sex (= to have sex without having a steady relationship with that partner)

[only before noun] happening by chance; doing something by chance

• a casual encounter/meeting
• a casual passer-by
• The exhibition is interesting to both the enthusiast and the casual visitor.
• The disease is not spread by casual contact.

Question 249

casualty

Answer 249

[countable] a person who is killed or injured in war or in an accident

• Our primary objective is reducing road casualties.
• Both sides had suffered heavy casualties (= many people had been killed).

a person who suffers or a thing that is destroyed when something else takes place

SYNONYM victim

• She became a casualty of the reduction in part-time work (= she lost her job).
• Small shops have been a casualty of the recession.

(also casualty department, accident and emergency)(all British English)(North American English emergency room)
the part of a hospital where people who need immediate treatment are taken

• The victims were rushed to casualty.
• We waited in casualty until a doctor could see us.
• He works as a doctor in casualty.

Question 250

catalog

Answer 250

a complete list of items, for example of things that people can look at or buy

• a mail-order catalogue (= a book showing goods for sale to be sent to people’s homes)
• to consult the library catalogue
• An illustrated catalogue accompanies the exhibition.
• Please take a look at our online catalogue.

a long series of things that happen (usually bad things)

• a catalogue of disasters/errors/misfortunes

Question 251

cater

Answer 251

to provide food and drinks for a social event

(British English) cater for somebody/something

• Most of our work now involves catering for weddings.

(British and North American English) cater something

• Who will be catering the wedding?

Question 252

cattle

Answer 252

cows and bulls that are kept as farm animals for their milk or meat

• a herd of cattle
• twenty head of cattle (= twenty cows)
• dairy/beef cattle
• The prisoners were herded into trucks like cattle.

Question 253

caution

Answer 253

care that you take in order to avoid danger or mistakes; the fact of not taking any risks

• extreme/great caution
• with caution
• Statistics should be treated with caution.
• He could find himself making enemies as well as friends unless he proceeds with the utmost caution.

(formal) a warning or a piece of advice about a possible danger or risk

• a word/note of caution
• Some cautions must be mentioned—for example good tools are essential to do the job well.

Question 254

cautious

Answer 254

being careful about what you say or do, especially to avoid danger or mistakes; not taking any risks

• The government has been cautious in its response to the report.
• They’ve taken a very cautious approach.
• They expressed cautious optimism about a solution to the crisis.

cautious about somebody/something | cautious about doing something

• He was very cautious about committing himself to anything.

Question 255

cave

Answer 255

a large hole in the side of a hill or cliff or under the ground

the mouth (= the entrance) of the cave

• The area contains vast underground cave systems.
• a cave-dweller (= a person who lives in a cave)
• We took shelter in a dark cave.
• a collapsed limestone cave

Question 256

cease

Answer 256

to stop happening or existing; to stop something from happening or existing

• Welfare payments cease as soon as an individual starts a job.

cease to do something

• You never cease to amaze me!

cease something

• They voted to cease strike action immediately.
• He ordered his men to cease fire (= stop shooting).

cease doing something

• The company ceased trading in June.

Question 257

cemetery

Answer 257

an area of land used for burying dead people, especially one that is not next to a church

• He was buried in a private cemetery.

Question 258

certainty

Answer 258

[uncountable] the state of being certain

• There is no certainty that the president’s removal would end the civil war.
• I can’t say with any certainty where I’ll be next week.

[countable] a thing that is certain

• political/moral certainties
• Her return to the team now seems a certainty.

Question 259

certificate

Answer 259

an official document that may be used to prove that the facts it states are true

• a birth/marriage/death certificate

certificate of something

• a certificate of motor insurance

an official document proving that you have completed a course of study or passed an exam; a qualification obtained after a course of study or an exam

• a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (= a British qualification for teachers) certificate of something
• A certificate of completion will be issued to all who complete the course.

Question 260

challenging

Answer 260

difficult in an interesting way that tests your ability

• challenging work/questions/problems
• I have had a challenging and rewarding career as a teacher.

done in a way that invites people to disagree or argue with you, or shows that you disagree with them

• She gave him a challenging look. ‘Are you really sure?’ she demanded.
• Dealing with challenging behaviour in school is never easy.

Question 261

chamber

Answer 261

[countable] a hall in a public building that is used for formal meetings

• The members left the council chamber.
• the Senate/House chamber

[countable + singular or plural verb] one of the parts of a parliament

• the Lower/Upper Chamber (= in Britain, the House of Commons/House of Lords)
• The party has gained more seats in the Chamber of Deputies in the Italian parliament.
• Under Senate rules, the chamber must vote on the bill by this Friday.

[countable]{in compounds} a room used for the particular purpose that is mentioned

• a Bronze Age burial chamber

a space in the body, in a plant or in a machine that is separated from the rest

• the chambers of the heart
• the rocket’s combustion chamber
• the chamber of a gun (= the part that holds the bullets)

a space under the ground that is almost completely closed on all sides

• They found themselves in a vast underground chamber.

(old use) a bedroom or private room

• Lady Eleanor was found dead in her chamber.

Question 262

championship

Answer 262

(also championships [plural])
a competition to find the best player or team in a particular sport

• the National Basketball Association Championship
• He won a silver medal at the European Championships.

the position of being a champion

• They’ve held the championship for the past two years.

the Championship
the football (soccer) league in England and Wales that has the second best teams in it, after the Premier League

Question 263

chaos

Answer 263

a complete lack of order

• economic/political/domestic chaos
• Heavy snow has caused total chaos on the roads.

in chaos

• The house was in chaos after the party.
• The country was thrown/plunged into chaos by the president’s death.

Question 264

characterize

Answer 264

characterize somebody/something
to be typical of a person, place or thing

• the rolling hills that characterize this part of England
• The city is characterized by tall modern buildings in steel and glass.

to describe or show the qualities of somebody/something in a particular way
characterize somebody/something

• How would you characterize the mood of the 1990s?

characterize somebody/something as something

• activities that are characterized as ‘male’ or ‘female’ work

Question 265

charm

Answer 265

[uncountable] the power of pleasing or attracting people

• He was a man of great charm.
• The hotel is full of charm and character.

[countable] a feature or quality that is pleasant or attractive

• her physical charms (= her beauty)

[countable] a small object worn on a chain or bracelet that is believed to bring good luck

• a lucky charm
• a charm bracelet

[countable] an act or words believed to have magic power

Question 266

charming

Answer 266

very pleasant or attractive

• The cottage is tiny, but it’s charming.
• She’s a charming person.
• What a charming name.

(ironic, informal) used to show that you have a low opinion of somebody’s behaviour

• They left me to tidy it all up myself. Charming, wasn’t it?

Question 267

charter

Answer 267

a written statement describing the rights that a particular group of people should have

• the European Social Charter of workers’ rights
• a rail passenger’s charter
• a charter of rights for people with disabilities

a written statement of the principles and aims of an organization
SYNONYM constitution

• the United Nations Charter

an official document stating that a government or political leader allows a new organization, town or university to be established and gives it particular rights

• The Royal College received its charter as a university in 1967.
• Certain towns were allowed to hold weekly markets, by royal charter.

the hiring of a plane, boat, etc.

• a yacht available for charter

Question 268

chase

Answer 268

to run, drive, etc. after somebody/something in order to catch them or it
chase somebody/something

• My dog likes chasing rabbits.
• The kids chased each other around the kitchen table.
• We were chased by a bull while crossing the field.

chase after somebody/something

• He chased after the burglar but couldn’t catch him.

chase somebody/something + adv./prep.
to force somebody/something to run away

• Chase the cat out—we don’t want her in the kitchen.
• This particular fish chases off any other fish that enters its territory.

chase something
to try to obtain or achieve something, for example money, work or success

• Too many people are chasing too few jobs nowadays.
• The team is chasing its first win in five games.

(informal) to try to persuade somebody to have a sexual relationship with you
chase after somebody

• Kevin’s been chasing after Joan for months.

chase somebody

• Girls are always chasing him.

chase somebody (informal)

• to persuade somebody to do something that they should have done already
• I need to chase him about organizing the meeting.

+ adv./prep. (informal)
to rush or hurry somewhere

• I’ve been chasing around town all morning looking for a present for Sharon.

chase something (specialist)
to cut patterns or designs on metal

• chased silver

Question 269

cheek

Answer 269

[countable] either side of the face below the eyes

• chubby/rosy/pink cheeks
• He kissed her on both cheeks.
• Couples were dancing cheek to cheek.

-cheeked
(in adjectives) having the type of cheeks mentioned

• chubby-cheeked/rosy-cheeked/hollow-cheeked

[countable] {informal} either of the buttocks

Question 270

cheer

Answer 270

to shout loudly, in order to show support or praise for somebody, or to encourage them

• We all cheered as the team came on to the field.
• Cheering crowds greeted their arrival.

cheer for somebody/something

• The fans cheered for their team.

cheer somebody

• The crowd cheered the president as he drove slowly by.

[transitive] [usually passive] to encourage somebody or to give them hope or comfort
be cheered (by something)

• She was cheered by the news from home.

Question 271

choir

Answer 271

[countable + singular or plural verb] a group of people who sing together, for example in church services or public performances

• She sings in the school choir.
• He joined the church choir when he was eight.
• to conduct/lead/direct a choir
• a male voice choir
• The children’s choir will perform some Christmas songs.

the part of a church where the choir sits during services

Question 272

chop

Answer 272

to cut something into pieces with a sharp tool such as a knife

chop something

• He was chopping logs for firewood.
• Add the finely chopped onions.

chop something (up) (into something)

• Chop the carrots up into small pieces.
• (figurative) The country was chopped up into small administrative areas.

[usually passive] {informal} to suddenly stop providing or allowing something; to suddenly reduce something by a large amount
SYNONYM cut

be chopped

• Their training courses are to be chopped.

be chopped from something to something

• The share price was chopped from 50 pence to 20 pence.

chop somebody/something
to hit somebody/something downwards with a quick, short movement

• Guzman tried to chop the ball on the ground and use his speed.

Question 273

chronic

Answer 273

(of a disease) lasting for a long time; difficult to cure

• chronic bronchitis/arthritis/asthma

having had a disease for a long time

• a chronic alcoholic/depressive

(of a problem) lasting a long time; difficult to solve

• the country’s chronic unemployment problem
• a chronic shortage of housing in rural areas

Question 274

chunk

Answer 274

a thick, solid piece that has been cut or broken off something

• a chunk of cheese/masonry

(informal) a fairly large amount of something

• I’ve already written a fair chunk of the article.
• This one project has taken a substantial chunk of our budget.

(linguistics) a phrase or group of words that can be learnt as a unit by somebody who is learning a language.

• Examples of chunks are ‘Can I have the bill, please?’ and ‘Pleased to meet you’.
• The listening texts consist of short, bite-sized chunks which are accessible to beginners.

Question 275

circuit

Answer 275

a line, route or journey around a place

• The race ended with eight laps of a city centre circuit.
• The earth takes a year to make a circuit of (= go around) the sun.

the complete path of wires and equipment along which an electric current flows

• an electrical circuit
• a circuit diagram (= one showing all the connections in the different parts of the circuit)

SEE ALSO closed-circuit television, integrated circuit, logic circuit, printed circuit, ring circuit, short circuit

(in sport) a series of games or matches in which the same players regularly take part

• This is her biggest triumph in nine years on the women’s tennis circuit.
• He announced his retirement from the professional circuit last year.

a track for cars or motorcycles to race around

a series of places or events of a particular kind at which the same people appear or take part

• the lecture/cabaret circuit

a series of different exercises that you do one after the other when doing circuit training in sport or fitness training

• I do circuits in the gym twice a week.

a regular journey made by a judge to hear court cases in each of the courts of law in a particular area

• a circuit court/judge

Question 276

circulate

Answer 276

when a liquid, gas or air circulates or is circulated, it moves continuously around a place or system

• The condition prevents the blood from circulating freely.

circulate something

• Cooled air is circulated throughout the building.
• if a story, an idea, information, etc. circulates or if you circulate it, it spreads or it is passed from one person to another
• Rumours began to circulate about his financial problems.

circulate around something

• There’s a story circulating around the office that you are about to leave the company.

circulate among somebody

• newspapers circulating among minority communities

circulate something

• Who has been circulating these rumours?

to send goods or information to all the people in a group circulate something

• They circulated a petition for his release.
• The book was circulated widely in Russia.

circulate something to somebody

• The document will be circulated to all members.

[intransitive] to move around a group, especially at a party, talking to different people

Question 277

circulation

Answer 277

[uncountable] the movement of blood around the body

• Regular exercise will improve blood circulation.
• to have good/bad circulation

[uncountable] the passing or spreading of something from one person or place to another

• the circulation of money/information/ideas

in circulation

• A number of forged tickets are in circulation.
• The coins were taken out of circulation.
• Copies of the magazine were withdrawn from circulation.
• putting computer viruses into circulation

[usually singular] the usual number of copies of a newspaper or magazine that are sold each day, week, etc.

• a daily circulation of more than one million
• The newspaper has a daily circulation of 20 000.

the movement of something (for example air, water, gas, etc.) around an area or inside a system or machine

• Poor air circulation can cause condensation.

the fact that somebody takes part in social activities at a particular time in circulation

• Anne has been ill but now she’s back in circulation.

out of circulation

• I was out of circulation for months after the baby was born.

Question 278

citizenship

Answer 278

the legal right to belong to a particular country

• They were granted full French citizenship.
• You can apply for citizenship after five years’ residency.

the state of being a citizen and accepting the responsibilities of it

• an education that prepares young people for citizenship

Question 279

civic

Answer 279

officially connected with a town or city

• civic buildings/leaders

connected with the people who live in a town or city

• a sense of civic pride (= pride that people feel for their town or city)
• civic duties/responsibilities
• The competition would be an opportunity to foster civic pride.
• Voting should be a matter of civic duty.

Question 280

civilian

Answer 280

a person who is not a member of the armed forces or the police

• Two soldiers and one civilian were killed in the explosion.
• Hundreds of innocent civilians have died in the air strikes.
• Further measures are needed to protect civilians.
• The group was accused of targeting civilians.

Question 281

civilization

Answer 281

[uncountable] a state of human society that is very developed and organized

• the technology of modern civilization
• The Victorians regarded the railways as bringing progress and civilization.

a society, its culture and its way of life during a particular period of time or in a particular part of the world

• the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome
• diseases that are common in Western civilization

[uncountable] all the people in the world and the societies they live in, considered as a whole

• Environmental damage threatens the whole of civilization.
• Could this be the end of civilization as we know it?

[uncountable] {often humorous} a place that offers you the comfortable way of life of a modern society

• It’s good to be back in civilization after two weeks in a tent!

Question 282

clarify

Answer 282

(formal) to make something clearer or easier to understand

• clarify something
• to clarify a situation/problem/issue
• I hope this clarifies my position.
• The law on drugs needs to be clarified.
• Talking to someone has helped clarify my feelings.
• clarify what/how, etc…
• She asked him to clarify what he meant.

clarify something
to make something, especially butter, pure by heating it

• clarified butter

Question 283

clarity

Answer 283

the quality of being expressed clearly

• a lack of clarity in the law
• The brilliant clarity of his argument could not be faulted.

the ability to think about or understand something clearly

• clarity of thought/purpose/vision
• With painful clarity she remembered the day he had died.

if a picture, substance or sound has clarity, you can see or hear it very clearly, or see through it easily

• the clarity of the sound on the recording

Question 284

clash

Answer 284

clash (with somebody) | clash (between A and B)
a short fight between two groups of people

• Clashes broke out between police and demonstrators.
• Eight people were wounded in a clash with border guards.
• Several people were injured in violent clashes with the police.

clash (with somebody) (over something) | clash (between A and B) (over something)
an argument between two people or groups of people who have different beliefs and ideas

SYNONYM conflict

• There has been a head-on clash between the two candidates over education policy.

the difference that exists between two things that are opposed to each other

SYNONYM conflict

• a clash of interests/opinions/cultures
• a personality clash with the boss

a situation in which two events happen at the same time so that you cannot go to or see them both

• a clash in the timetable/schedule

[usually singular] a loud noise made by two metal objects being hit together

• a clash of cymbals/swords

(used in newspapers, about sports)
an occasion when two teams or players compete against each other

• Bayern’s clash with Roma in the Champions League

the situation when two colours, designs, etc. look ugly when they are put together

Question 285

classification

Answer 285

the act or process of putting people or things into a group or class (= of classifying them)

• a style of music that defies classification (= is like no other)

a group, class, division, etc. into which somebody or something is put

• a document with the security classification ‘confidential’
• The material was put into the highest security classification.
• These messages could be said to fall under the classification of ‘abuse’.
• Gambling addiction and alcoholism are included in the same general classification.
• The classification ‘science’ covers a great many different subjects.

(biology) the act of putting animals, plants, etc. into groups, classes or divisions according to their characteristics

• The classification of bony fish is extremely complicated.

(specialist) a system of arranging books, tapes, magazines, etc. in a library into groups according to their subject

Question 286

classify

Answer 286

classify something (+ adv./prep.) to arrange something in groups according to features that they have in common

• The books in the library are classified according to subject.
• Patients are classified into three categories.
• All rural settlements were classified according to their size.
• people classified by ethnic group
• These can be classified under five headings.

classify somebody/something as something to decide which type or group somebody/something belongs to

• Only eleven of these accidents were classified as major.
• Would you classify it as a hard drug or a soft drug?

usually passive] classify something to state that information is officially secret

• The government insists on keeping certain documents classified.

Question 287

cliff

Answer 287

a high area of rock with a very steep side, often at the edge of the sea or ocean

• the cliff edge/top
• the chalk cliffs of southern England
• a castle perched high on the cliffs above the river
• We set off along the cliff path.

Question 288

cling

Answer 288

[intransitive] to hold on tightly to somebody/something

• cling to somebody/something survivors clinging to a raft
• Leaves still clung to the branches.
• cling on to somebody/something She clung on to her baby.
• cling on Cling on tight!
• cling together They clung together, shivering with cold.

[intransitive] to stick to something

• a dress that clings (= fits closely and shows the shape of your body)
• cling to something The wet shirt clung to his chest.
• The smell of smoke still clung to her clothes.
• Her hair clung to her hot damp skin.

[intransitive] cling (to somebody) (usually disapproving) to stay close to somebody, especially because you need them emotionally

• After her mother’s death, Sara clung to her aunt more than ever.

Question 289

clinic

Answer 289

a building or part of a hospital where people can go for special medical treatment or advice

• Your local family planning clinic can give you advice about birth control.

(North American English) a building shared by a group of doctors who work together

an occasion in a hospital when medical students learn by watching a specialist examine and treat patients

an occasion at which a professional person, especially a sportsman or sportswoman gives advice and training

• a coaching clinic for young tennis players
• Holmes put on a boxing clinic and beat Shavers twelve out of twelve rounds.

Question 290

clinical

Answer 290

[only before noun] relating to the examination and treatment of patients and their illnesses
* clinical research (= done on patients, not just considering theory)
* clinical training (= the part of a doctor’s training done in a hospital)
* She regarded her patients from a purely clinical standpoint.

(disapproving) cold and calm and without feeling or sympathy
* He watched her suffering with clinical detachment.
* How can you be so cold and clinical about your son’s accident?

(disapproving) (of a room, building, etc.) very plain; without decoration
* Everything in the nursery was white and clinical and there were no pictures on the walls.

Question 291

clip

Answer 291

a short part of a film that is shown separately

• Here is a clip from her latest movie.

(often in compounds)
a small metal or plastic object used for holding things together or in place

• a hair clip
• toe clips on a bicycle
• She put a clip in her hair.

a piece of jewellery that fastens to your clothes

• a diamond clip

[singular] the act of cutting something to make it shorter

• He gave the hedge a clip.

a set of bullets in a metal container that is placed in or attached to a gun for firing

Question 292

closure

Answer 292

the situation when a factory, school, hospital, etc. shuts permanently

• factory closures
• The hospital has been threatened with closure.
• Spending cuts could mean the closure of the village school.

the temporary closing of a road or bridge

• There will be road closures and diversions in the area from 8 p.m.
• The accident caused the complete closure of the road.

the feeling that a difficult or an unpleasant experience has come to an end or been dealt with in an acceptable way

• The conviction of their son’s murderer helped to give them a sense of closure.
• People who lose family members need closure, not false hope.

Question 293

cluster

Answer 293

a group of things of the same type that grow or appear close together

• The telescope is focused on a dense cluster of stars at the edge of the galaxy.
• The plant bears its flowers in clusters.
• a leukaemia cluster (= an area where there are more cases of the disease than you would expect)

a group of people, animals or things close together

• a cluster of spectators
• a little cluster of houses

(phonetics) a group of consonants that come together in a word or phrase, for example /str/ at the beginning of string

• a consonant cluster

Question 294

coalition

Answer 294

a government formed by two or more political parties working together

• The two parties have formed a coalition.
• a two-party coalition
• a coalition government
• (in) coalition (with somebody) The two parties governed in coalition for four years.
• They didn’t rule out coalition with the Social Democrats.
• coalition between A and B a coalition between the Socialists and Communists

a group formed by people from several different groups, especially political ones, agreeing to work together for a particular purpose

• The network is a global coalition of environmental and consumer groups.

Question 295

coastal

Answer 295

of or near a coast

• coastal waters/resorts/scenery
• a coastal path (= one that follows the line of the coast)

Question 296

cocktail

Answer 296

a drink usually made from a mixture of one or more spirits (= strong alcoholic drinks) and fruit juice. It can also be made without alcohol.

• a cocktail bar/cabinet/lounge/shaker

a dish of small pieces of food, usually served cold

• a prawn/shrimp cocktail
• fruit cocktail

a mixture of different substances or elements, often ones that do not mix together well

• a lethal cocktail of drugs
• The show was a heady cocktail of jazz and political satire.

Question 297

cognitive

Answer 297

connected with mental processes of understanding

• a child’s cognitive development
• cognitive psychology
• They are studying the links between cognitive and linguistic development in young children.
• This is both a cognitive and an emotional process.

Question 298

coincide

Answer 298

[intransitive] (of two or more events) to take place at the same time

• It’s a pity our trips to New York don’t coincide.
• coincide with something The strike was timed to coincide with the party conference.
• The singer’s arrival was timed to coincide with the opening of the festival.

[intransitive] {formal} (of ideas, opinions, etc.) to be the same or very similar

• The interests of employers and employees do not always coincide.
• coincide with something Her story coincided exactly with her brother’s.

[intransitive] {formal} (of objects or places) to meet; to share the same space

• At this point the two paths coincide briefly.
• coincide with something The present position of the house coincides with that of an earlier dwelling.

Question 299

coincidence

Answer 299

the fact of two things happening at the same time by chance, in a surprising way

• a strange/an extraordinary/a remarkable coincidence
• What a coincidence! I wasn’t expecting to see you here.
• It’s not a coincidence that none of the directors are women (= it did not happen by chance).
• By (sheer) coincidence, I met the person we’d been discussing the next day.

[singular] {formal} the fact of things being present at the same time

• the coincidence of inflation and unemployment

[singular] {formal} the fact of two or more opinions, etc. being the same

• a coincidence of interests between the two partners

Question 300

collaborate

Answer 300

[intransitive] to work together with somebody in order to produce or achieve something

• Researchers around the world are collaborating to develop a new vaccine.
• collaborate (with somebody) (on something) We have collaborated on many projects over the years.
• collaborate (with somebody) (in something/in doing something) She agreed to collaborate with him in writing her biography.

[intransitive] collaborate (with somebody) (disapproving) to help the enemy who has taken control of your country during a war

• He was accused of collaborating with the enemy.

Question 301

collaboration

Answer 301

the act of working with another person or group of people to create or produce something

• It was a collaboration that produced extremely useful results.
• The new plane was a triumph of European industrial and technical collaboration.
• collaboration with somebody (on something) the results of a fruitful collaboration with the industry
• in collaboration with somebody She wrote the book in collaboration with one of her students.
• in collaboration with somebody on something The government worked in close collaboration with teachers on the new curriculum.
• collaboration between A and B collaboration between the teachers and the government

[countable] a piece of work produced by two or more people or groups of people working together

• collaboration with somebody/something The exhibition is a collaboration with the Australian Centre for the Moving Image.
• collaboration between A and B This mission was a collaboration between the National Space Agency of Japan and NASA.

[uncountable] collaboration (with somebody/something) (disapproving) the act of helping the enemy during a war when they have taken control of your country

• his wartime collaboration with the Nazis

Question 302

collective

Answer 302

done or shared by all members of a group of people; involving a whole group or society

• collective leadership/decision-making/responsibility
• collective memory (= things that a group of people or a community know or remember, that are often passed from parents to children)

used to refer to all members of a group

• The collective name for mast, boom and sails on a boat is the ‘rig’.

Question 303

collector

Answer 303

(especially in compounds)
a person who collects things, either as a hobby or as a job

• a stamp collector
• ticket/tax collectors
• a major collector of Japanese art

the leader of a district in some South Asian countries

Question 304

collision

Answer 304

an accident in which two vehicles or people crash into each other

• collision between A and B a collision between two trains
• collision with somebody/something Stewart was injured in a collision with another player.
• a head-on collision (= between two vehicles that are moving towards each other)
• a mid-air collision (= between two aircraft while they are flying)
• in collision with somebody/something His car was in collision with a motorbike.
• Wind and ice were blamed for the collision involving up to 12 vehicles.

(formal) a strong disagreement between two people or between ideas, opinions, etc. that are opposed to each other; the meeting of two things that are very different

• collision between A and B a collision between two opposing points of view
• collision of A and B In his work we see the collision of two different traditions.

Question 305

colonial

Answer 305

connected with or belonging to a country that controls another country

• a colonial power
• Tunisia achieved independence from French colonial rule in 1956.
• Western colonial attitudes

(often Colonial) typical of or connected with the US at the time when it was still a British colony

• life in colonial times
• the Colonial government of Vermont

Question 306

colony

Answer 306

[countable] a country or an area that is governed by people from another, more powerful, country

• former British colonies
• the Declaration of Independence of the 13 colonies and the creation of the United States

[singular + singular or plural verb] a group of people who go to live permanently in a colony

[countable + singular or plural verb] a group of people from the same place or with the same work or interests who live in a particular city or country or who live together

• the American colony in Paris
• an artists’ colony

[countable + singular or plural verb] {biology} a group of plants or animals that live together or grow in the same place

• a colony of ants
• a bird colony

Question 307

colorful

Answer 307

full of bright colors or having a lot of different colors

• The male birds are more colorful than the females,

interesting or exciting; full of variety, sometimes in a way that shocks people

• a colorful history/past/career
• one of the book’s most colorful characters

Question 308

columnist

Answer 308

a journalist who writes regular articles for a newspaper or magazine

• a newspaper columnist

Question 309

combat

Answer 309

fighting or a fight, especially during a time of war

• in combat He was killed in combat.
• armed/unarmed combat (= with/without weapons)
• combat troops
• combat boots
• aerial combat
• Knightly combats were only a very small part of medieval warfare.

Question 310

comic

Answer 310

humorous and making you laugh

a comic monologue/story
The play is both comic and tragic.
She can always be relied on to provide comic relief (= something to make you laugh) at a boring party.
He wore a red nose and novelty glasses for comic effect.
a blackly comic futuristic fantasy

[only before noun] connected with comedy (= entertainment that is funny and that makes people laugh)

a comic opera
a very fine comic actor
Charlie Chaplin was a comic genius.

Question 311

commander

Answer 311

a person who is in charge of something, especially an officer in charge of a particular group of soldiers or a military operation

military/allied/field/flight commanders
the commander of the expedition
General Eisenhower was Supreme Allied Commander in Western Europe.
the commander of US forces in Iraq

(abbreviation Cdr) an officer of fairly high rank in the British or American navy

(abbreviation Cdr) (in England) a London police officer of high rank

Question 312

commence

Answer 312

to begin to happen; to begin something

The meeting is scheduled to commence at noon.
I will be on leave during the week commencing 15 February.
commence with something The day commenced with a welcome from the principal.
commence something She commenced her medical career in 1956.
The company commenced operations in April.
to commence bankruptcy proceedings against somebody
commence doing something We commence building next week.
commence to do something Operators commenced to build pipelines in 1862.

Question 313

commentary

Answer 313

commentary (on something) a spoken description of an event that is given while it is happening, especially on the radio or television

a sports commentary
Our reporters will give a running commentary (= a continuous one) on the election results as they are announced.
He kept up a running commentary on everyone who came in or went out.

[countable] commentary (on something) a written explanation or discussion of something such as a book or a play

a critical commentary on the final speech of the play

commentary (on something) a criticism or discussion of something

The petty quarrels were a sad commentary on the state of the government.
The movie is a biting commentary on contemporary life in a big city.
political commentary

Question 314

commentator

Answer 314

commentator (on something) a person who describes an event while it is happening, especially on television or radio

a television/sports commentator
He’s one of the great sports commentators of our time.

commentator (on something) a person who is an expert on a particular subject and talks or writes about it on television or radio, in a newspaper or on social media

She’s a political commentator for the BBC.

Question 315

commerce

Answer 315

trade, especially between countries; the buying and selling of goods and services

Leaders of industry and commerce met at the summit in Paris.

Question 316

commissioner

Answer 316

(usually Commissioner)
a member of a commission (= an official group of people who are responsible for controlling something or finding out about something)

the Church Commissioners (= the group of people responsible for controlling the financial affairs of the Church of England)
European Commissioners

(also police commissioner especially in North American English) the head of a particular police force in some countries

the head of a government department in some countries

the agriculture/health, etc. commissioner
Commissioner Rhodes was unavailable for comment.
The Economic Affairs Commissioner, Albert Johnson, resigned over the issue.
The merger has been referred to the European Competition Commissioner.

(in the US) an official chosen by a sports association to control it

the baseball commissioner
a commissioner for the Central Collegiate Hockey Association

Question 317

commodity

Answer 317

(economics) a product or a raw material that can be bought and sold

rice, flour and other basic commodities
a drop in commodity prices
Crude oil is the world’s most important commodity.
basic agricultural commodities

(formal) a thing that is useful or has a useful quality

Water is a precious commodity that is often taken for granted in the West.
Time is a very valuable commodity.

Question 318

communist

Answer 318

connected with communism

communist ideology

Communist governed by or belonging to a Communist party

a Communist country/government/leader

Question 319

companion

Answer 319

a person or an animal that travels with you or spends a lot of time with you

travelling companions
Geoff was my companion on the journey.
(figurative) Fear was the hostages’ constant companion.

a person who shares your experiences, especially when these are particularly pleasant or unpleasant

She was a charming dinner companion.
His younger brother is not much of a companion for him.
They’re drinking companions (= they go out drinking together).
We became companions in misfortune.
He was an entertaining dinner companion.

a person, usually a woman, employed to live with and help somebody, especially somebody old or ill

She lived in the house as a companion to our grandmother.

one of a pair of things that go together or can be used together

A companion volume is soon to be published.

used in book titles to describe a book giving useful facts and information on a particular subject

A Companion to French Literature

Question 320

comparable

Answer 320

similar to somebody/something else and able to be compared

A comparable house in the south of the city would cost twice as much.
comparable to/with somebody/something The situation in the US is not directly comparable to that in the UK.
Inflation is now at a rate comparable with that in other European countries.
comparable in something The two machines are comparable in size.

Question 321

comparative

Answer 321

measured or judged by how similar or different it is to something else
SYNONYM relative

Then he was living in comparative comfort (= compared with others or with his own life at a previous time).
The company is a comparative newcomer to the software market (= other companies have been in business much longer).

connected with studying things to find out how similar or different they are

a comparative study of the educational systems of two countries
comparative linguistics

(grammar) relating to adjectives or adverbs that express more in amount, degree or quality, for example better, worse, slower and more difficult

Question 322

compassion

Answer 322

compassion (for somebody) a strong feeling of sympathy for people or animals who are suffering and a desire to help them

to feel/show compassion
She was known as a hard woman with no compassion, no emotion.
In an overworked doctor, feelings of compassion are soon lost.

Question 323

compel

Answer 323

to force somebody to do something; to make something necessary

compel somebody to do something The law can compel fathers to make regular payments for their children.
I feel compelled to write and tell you how much I enjoyed your book.
The court has powers to compel witnesses to attend.
compel something Last year ill health compelled his retirement.

compel something
(not used in the progressive tenses)
to cause a particular reaction

He spoke with an authority that compelled the attention of the whole crowd.

Question 324

compelling

Answer 324

that makes you pay attention to it because it is so interesting and exciting

Her latest book makes compelling reading.
His eyes were strangely compelling.

so strong that you cannot resist it

a compelling need/desire
He was a sad man with a compelling need to talk about his unhappiness.

that makes you think it is true

There is no compelling reason to believe him.
The new studies provide compelling evidence in support of these concepts.

Question 325

compensate

Answer 325

[intransitive] compensate (for something) to provide something good to balance or reduce the bad effects of damage, loss, etc.

SYNONYM make up for

Nothing can compensate for the loss of a loved one.

[intransitive] compensate (for something) to act in order to balance or correct something wrong or not normal

SYNONYM make up for

In the second experiment, the temperature was raised to compensate for this bias.

[transitive] compensate somebody (for something) to pay somebody money because they have suffered some damage, loss, injury, etc.

Her lawyers say she should be compensated for the suffering she had been caused.

Question 326

compensation

Answer 326

compensation (for something) something, especially money, that somebody gives you because they have hurt you, or damaged something that you own; the act of giving this to somebody

to claim/award/receive compensation
The employer has a duty to pay full compensation for injuries received at work.
in compensation to receive £10 000 in compensation
She received a cash sum by way of compensation

(especially North American English) money that an employee receives for doing their job

Send your CV and current compensation to Executive Search Consultant.

[countable, usually plural, uncountable] compensation (for something) a thing or things that make a bad situation better

I wish I were young again, but getting older has its compensations.
The grey streets of London were small compensation for the loss of her beloved Africa.

Question 327

competence

Answer 327

(also less frequent competency)
competence (in something) | competence (in doing something) the ability to do something well

to gain a high level of competence in English
professional/technical competence

(law) the power that a court, an organization or a person has to deal with something

The judge has to act within the competence of the court.
outside somebody’s area of competence

(also less frequent competency)
(specialist) a skill that you need in a particular job or for a particular task

The syllabus lists the knowledge and competences required at this level.
You will agree with us a personal learning contract, based on an assessment of personal competences in relation to career objectives.

Question 328

competent

Answer 328

having enough skill or knowledge to do something well or to the necessary standard

He’s very competent in his work.
competent to do something Make sure the firm is competent to carry out the work.
I don’t feel competent to comment.
competent at something She is highly competent at her job.

of a good standard but not very good

Ron was a competent player—more than that, he was good!

having the power to decide something

The case was referred to a competent authority.

Question 329

compile

Answer 329

compile something to produce a book, list, report, etc. by bringing together different items, articles, songs, etc.; to collect information in order to produce a book, list, etc.

We are trying to compile a list of suitable people for the job.
The album was compiled from live recordings from last year’s tour.
The figures were compiled from a survey of 2  000 schoolchildren.

compile something (computing) to translate instructions from one computer language into another so that a particular computer can understand them

Question 330

complement

Answer 330

complement something to add to something in a way that improves it or makes it more attractive

The excellent menu is complemented by a good wine list.
The team needs players who complement each other.
The flavours in the dish complement each other perfectly.

Question 331

completion

Answer 331

[uncountable] the act or process of finishing something; the state of being finished and complete

the completion of the new hospital building
Satisfactory completion of the course does not ensure you a job.
The project is due for completion in the spring.
The road is nearing completion (= it is nearly finished).
the date of completion/the completion date

[uncountable, countable] (British English) the formal act of completing the sale of property, for example the sale of a house

The keys will be handed over on completion.
The floorboards were replaced prior to completion of the sale.

Question 332

complexity

Answer 332

[uncountable] the state of being formed of many parts; the state of being difficult to understand

the increasing complexity of modern telecommunication systems
I was astonished by the size and complexity of the problem.

complexities [plural] the features of a problem or situation that are difficult to understand

the complexities of the system

Question 333

compliance

Answer 333

the practice of obeying rules or requests made by people in authority

compliance (with something) procedures that must be followed to ensure full compliance with the law
in compliance with something Safety measures were carried out in compliance with paragraph 6 of the building regulations.
(business) The compliance officer is responsible for enforcing policies and procedures.

compliance with somebody/something (disapproving) the quality of being too willing to agree with somebody or do what they want

He was appalled by his parents’ unquestioning compliance with the regime.

Question 334

complication

Answer 334

a thing that makes a situation more complicated or difficult

The bad weather added a further complication to our journey.

[countable, usually plural] {medical} a new problem or illness that makes treatment of a previous one more complicated or difficult

She developed complications after the surgery.
Infertility is one of the complications of this type of radiotherapy.

Question 335

comply

Answer 335

comply (with something) to obey a rule, an order, etc.; to meet particular standards

They refused to comply with the UN resolution.
All furniture must comply with the fire safety regulations.
When requested to leave, they refused to comply.
What sanctions can they take against us if we fail to comply?

Question 336

compose

Answer 336

compose (something) to write music

Mozart composed his last opera shortly before he died.
music specially composed for the occasion

[transitive] compose a letter/speech/poem to write a letter, etc. usually with a lot of care and thought

She composed a letter of protest.

[transitive]
(not used in the progressive tenses)
compose something (formal) to combine together to form a whole

SYNONYM make up

Ten people compose the committee.

[transitive, no passive] {formal} to manage to control your feelings or expression

compose yourself Emma frowned, making an effort to compose herself.
compose something I was so confused that I could hardly compose my thoughts.

Question 337

composer

Answer 337

a person who writes music, especially classical music

Verdi was a prolific composer of operas.

Question 338

composition

Answer 338

[uncountable] the different parts that something is made of; the way in which the different parts are organized

the chemical composition of the soil
the composition of the board of directors
the size and composition of an average class

[countable] a short text that is written as a school exercise; a short essay

a composition on the effects of crime
In the exam you will have to do a composition.

[countable] {formal} a piece of music or art, or a poem

one of Beethoven’s finest compositions

the act of composing something, especially a piece of music; the art of writing music
pieces performed in the order of their composition

to study composition

(art) the arrangement of people or objects in a painting or photograph

Question 339

compound

Answer 339

a thing consisting of two or more separate things combined together

compounds derived from rainforest plants
The air smelled like a compound of diesel and petrol fumes.

(chemistry) a substance formed by a chemical reaction of two or more elements in fixed amounts relative to each other

Common salt is a compound of sodium and chlorine.

(grammar) a noun, an adjective or a verb made of two or more words or parts of words, written as one or more words, or joined by a hyphen. Travel agent, dark-haired and bathroom are all compounds.

Most compound nouns form their plurals in the usual way.

an area surrounded by a fence or wall in which a factory or other group of buildings stands

life inside the prison compound

Question 340

comprehensive

Answer 340

including all, or almost all, the items, details, facts, information, etc., that may be involved
SYNONYM complete, full

a comprehensive list of addresses
a comprehensive study
comprehensive insurance (= covering all risks)

(of a victory or defeat) gained or lost by a large amount

The cricket team finished the season with a comprehensive victory over their rivals.

Question 341

comprise

Answer 341

(also be comprised of)
to have somebody/something as parts or members
SYNONYM consist of

comprise something The collection comprises 327 paintings.
a DVD box set comprising seasons 4 and 5
be comprised of somebody/something The committee is comprised of representatives from both the public and private sectors.

comprise something to be the parts or members that form something
SYNONYM make up

Older people comprise a large proportion of those living in poverty.

Question 342

compromise

Answer 342

[countable] an agreement made between two people or groups in which each side gives up some of the things they want so that both sides are happy at the end

After lengthy talks the two sides finally reached a compromise.
In any relationship, you have to make compromises.
a compromise solution/agreement/candidate

[countable] compromise (between A and B) a solution to a problem in which two or more things cannot exist together as they are, in which each thing is reduced or changed slightly so that they can exist together

This model represents the best compromise between price and quality.
It was a fair compromise between the two sides.

[uncountable] the act of reaching a compromise

Compromise is an inevitable part of life.
There is no prospect of compromise in sight.
There could be no compromise with the nationalists.

Question 343

compulsory

Answer 343

that must be done because of a law or a rule
SYNONYM mandatory

English is a compulsory subject at this level.
compulsory education/schooling
The strikers are protesting against the threat of compulsory redundancies.
There is no compulsory education in this part of Africa.
it is compulsory (for somebody/something) to do something It is compulsory for all motorcyclists to wear helmets.

Question 344

compute

Answer 344

compute something (formal) to calculate something

The losses were computed at £5 million.
These measurements can be used to compute the average size.

[intransitive]
(in negative sentences)
(informal) to make sense

That just doesn’t compute.

Question 345

conceal

Answer 345

to hide somebody/something

conceal somebody/something The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster.
Tim could barely conceal his disappointment.
She sat down to conceal the fact that she was trembling.
conceal somebody/something from somebody/something For a long time his death was concealed from her.

Question 346

concede

Answer 346

[transitive] to admit that something is true, logical, etc. after first denying it or resisting it

+++speech ‘Not bad,’ she conceded grudgingly.
concede (that)… He was forced to concede (that) there might be difficulties.
concede something I had to concede the logic of this.
** concede something to somebody** He reluctantly conceded the point to me.
concede somebody something He reluctantly conceded me the point.
it is conceded that… It must be conceded that different judges have different approaches to these cases.

[intransitive, transitive] concede (defeat) to admit that you have lost a game, an election, etc.

After losing this decisive battle, the general was forced to concede.
Injury forced Hicks to concede defeat.

[transitive] to give something away, especially unwillingly; to allow somebody to have something

concede something (to somebody) The president was obliged to concede power to the army.
England conceded a goal immediately after half-time.
concede somebody something Women were only conceded full voting rights in the 1950s.
The firm should concede a significant salary increase to its employees.

Question 347

conceive

Answer 347

conceive something (formal) to form an idea, a plan, etc. in your mind

He conceived the idea of transforming the old power station into an arts centre.
The dam project was originally conceived in 1977.

(often used in negative sentences)
(formal) to imagine something

conceive of somebody/something (as something) God is often conceived of as male.
conceive (that)… I cannot conceive (= I do not believe) (that) he would wish to harm us.
conceive what/how, etc… I cannot conceive what it must be like.

when a woman conceives or conceives a child, she becomes pregnant

She is unable to conceive.
conceive somebody Their first child was conceived on their wedding night.
She was unable to conceive a child naturally and was offered fertility treatment.

Question 348

conception

Answer 348

an understanding or a belief of what something/somebody is or what something/somebody should be

conception of something Marx’s conception of social justice
He has no conception of how difficult life is if you’re unemployed.
conception that… I had to reassess my conception that she was basically an honest person.

[uncountable] the process of forming an idea or a plan

The plan was brilliant in its conception but failed because of lack of money.

the process of an egg being fertilized inside a woman’s body so that she becomes pregnant

the moment of conception
A child is born about 40 weeks after conception takes place.

Question 349

concession

Answer 349

something that you allow or do, or allow somebody to have, in order to end an argument or to make a situation less difficult

The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike.
to win a concession from somebody
a major/an important concession
She made no concession to his age; she expected him to work as hard as she did.

[uncountable] concession {of something} (to somebody/something) the act of giving something or allowing something; the act of conceding

the concession of university status to some colleges
Clinton’s concession speech (= when she admitted that she had lost the election)
Military support was offered in return for the concession of territory.

[countable, usually plural] {British English} a reduction in an amount of money that has to be paid; a ticket that is sold at a reduced price to a particular group of people

They may grant tax concessions to encourage foreign investors.
Tickets are £3; there is a £1 concession for students.
Adults £2.50, concessions £2, family £5
Travel concessions are available to older people.

a right or an advantage that is given to a group of people, an organization, etc., especially by a government or an employer

The Bolivian government has granted logging concessions covering 22 million hectares.
The company has just won a mining concession in the north of the country.

the right to sell something in a particular place; the place where you sell it, sometimes an area that is part of a larger building or store

the burger concessions at the stadium
(especially US English) They went to the concession stand to get a hot dog.

Question 350

concrete

Answer 350

made of concrete

a concrete floor

based on facts, not on ideas or guesses

concrete evidence/proposals/proof
‘It’s only a suspicion,’ she said, ‘nothing concrete.’
It is easier to think in concrete terms rather than in the abstract.

a concrete object is one that you can see and feel

Question 351

condemn

Answer 351

SAY SOMETHING IS BAD
to say very strongly that you think something is bad, usually for moral reasons

**condemn somebody/something **
The government issued a statement condemning the killings.
**condemn somebody/something for/as something **
The editor of the newspaper was condemned as lacking integrity.

SOMEBODY TO PUNISHMENT
[usually passive] to say what somebody’s punishment will be

be condemned (to something)
He was condemned to death for murder and later hanged.
be condemned to do something
She was condemned to hang for killing her husband.

SOMEBODY TO DIFFICULT SITUATION
[usually passive] to force somebody to accept a difficult or unpleasant situation

be condemned to something
He was condemned to a life of hardship.
be condemned to do something
They were condemned to spend every holiday on a rainy campsite.

SOMETHING DANGEROUS
[usually passive] to say officially that something is not safe enough to be used

be condemned (as something)
The meat was condemned as unfit to eat.

to say officially that something is not safe enough to be used
a condemned building

SHOW GUILT
condemn somebody to show or suggest that somebody is guilty of something
She is condemned out of her own mouth (= her own words show that she is guilty).

Question 352

confer

Answer 352

[intransitive] confer (with somebody) (on/about something) to discuss something with somebody, in order to exchange opinions or get advice

He wanted to confer with his colleagues before reaching a decision.

[transitive] confer something (on/upon somebody) to give somebody an award, a university degree or a particular honour or right

An honorary degree was conferred on him by Oxford University in 2019.

Question 353

confess

Answer 353

to admit, especially formally or to the police, that you have done something wrong or illegal

After hours of questioning, the suspect confessed.
confess to (doing) something She confessed to the murder.
confess (that)… He confessed that he had stolen the money.
confess to somebody (that)… She confessed to me that she had known his true identity for some time.
confess your crime, error, etc. We persuaded her to confess her crime.

to admit something that you feel ashamed or embarrassed about

confess something She was reluctant to confess her ignorance.
confess to (doing) something I must confess to knowing nothing about golf.
confess (that)… I confess (that) I know nothing about golf.
+++ speech ‘I know nothing about it,’ he confessed.
confess yourself + adj.
(formal) I confess myself bewildered by their explanation.

confess (something) (to somebody) (especially in the Roman Catholic Church)
to tell God or a priest about the bad things you have done so that you can say that you are sorry and be forgiven

They had confessed their sins and done their penance.

confess somebody (of a priest)
to hear somebody confess their sins (= the bad things they have done)

Question 354

confession

Answer 354

a statement that a person makes, admitting that they are guilty of a crime; the act of making such a statement

After hours of questioning by police, she made a full confession.
His confession was extracted under torture.

a statement admitting something that you are ashamed or embarrassed about; the act of making such a statement
SYNONYM admission

I’ve a confession to make—I lied about my age.

(especially in the Roman Catholic Church) a private statement to a priest about the bad things that you have done; an occasion when you make such a statement

The priest heard her confession and granted absolution.
I used to go to confession every Saturday as a child.

(formal) a statement of your religious beliefs, principles, etc.

a confession of faith

Question 355

configuration

Answer 355

(formal or specialist) an arrangement of the parts of something or a group of things; the form or shape that this arrangement produces

configuration of something The design is based on four configurations of squares.
There was a changing configuration of lights coming from the stadium.
in a configuration The stars seemed to appear in a different configuration.

(computing) the equipment and programs that form a computer system and the way that these are set up to run

Performance will vary depending on your hardware and software configurations.

Question 356

confine

Answer 356

[often passive] to keep somebody/something inside the limits of a particular activity, subject, area, etc.

SYNONYM restrict

be confined to (doing) something The work will not be confined to the Glasgow area.
confine yourself to (doing) something I will confine myself to looking at the period from 1900 to 1916.

[usually passive] to keep a person or an animal in a small or closed space

be confined (in something) Keep the dog confined in a suitable travelling cage.
Here the river is confined in a narrow channel.
The soldiers concerned were confined to barracks (= had to stay in the barracks, as a punishment).

be confined to bed, a wheelchair, etc. to have to stay in bed, in a wheelchair, etc.

She was confined to bed with the flu.
He was confined to a wheelchair after the accident.
She’s been confined to a wheelchair since having a bad fall.be confined to bed, a wheelchair, etc. to have to stay in bed, in a wheelchair, etc.
She was confined to bed with the flu.
He was confined to a wheelchair after the accident.
She’s been confined to a wheelchair since having a bad fall.

Question 357

confirmation

Answer 357

a statement, letter, etc. that shows that something is true, correct or definite

I’m still waiting for confirmation of the test results.a statement, letter, etc. that shows that something is true, correct or definite
I’m still waiting for confirmation of the test results.

a ceremony at which a person becomes a full member of the Christian Church

a confirmation service

a Jewish ceremony similar to a bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah but usually for young people over the age of 16

Question 358

confront

Answer 358

confront somebody/something (of problems or a difficult situation)
to appear and need to be dealt with by somebody

What is to be done about the economic problems confronting the country?
I was suddenly confronted by the task of rewriting the entire book.
The government found itself confronted by massive opposition.*

confront something to deal with a problem or difficult situation

SYNONYM face up to

She knew that she had to confront her fears.

confront somebody
to face somebody so that they cannot avoid seeing and hearing you, especially in an unfriendly or dangerous situation

This was the first time he had confronted an armed robber.
Confronted by an angry crowd, the police retreated.
The demonstrators found themselves confronted by a line of police, blocking the road.

confront somebody with somebody/something to make somebody face or deal with an unpleasant or difficult person or situation

He confronted her with a choice between her career or their relationship.
These texts constantly confront the reader with their demanding claims.confront somebody with somebody/something to make somebody face or deal with an unpleasant or difficult person or situation
He confronted her with a choice between her career or their relationship.
These texts constantly confront the reader with their demanding claims.

be confronted by/with something to have something in front of you that you have to deal with or react to

Most people when confronted with a horse will pat it.

Question 359

confrontation

Answer 359

a situation in which there is anger between people or groups who disagree because they have different opinions

confrontation (with somebody) She wanted to avoid another confrontation with her father.
confrontation between A and B Confrontation between employers and unions has resulted in strike action.

Question 360

confusion

Answer 360

a state of not being certain about what is happening, what you should do, what something means, etc.

The announcement caused a lot of confusion.

confusion about/over something There is some confusion about what the correct procedure should be.
confusion as to something There was a confusion as to what to do next.

the fact of making a mistake about who somebody is or what something is

To avoid confusion, please write the children’s names clearly on all their school clothes.

confusion between A and B confusion between letters of the alphabet like ‘o’ or ‘a’

a situation in which you feel embarrassed because you do not understand something and are not sure what to do

in confusion He looked at me in confusion and did not answer the question.
Sacha felt confusion sweeping over her as she read the letter.

[uncountable] a confused situation in which people do not know what action to take

Fighting had broken out and all was chaos and confusion.
Her unexpected arrival threw us into total confusion.

Question 361

congratulate

Answer 361

congratulate somebody (on something) to tell somebody that you are pleased about their success or achievements

I congratulated them all on their results.
The authors are to be congratulated on producing such a clear and authoritative work.

congratulate yourself (on something) to feel pleased and proud because you have achieved something or been successful at something
You can congratulate yourself on having done an excellent job.
The organizers are congratulating themselves on attracting record numbers to the event.

Question 362

congregation

Answer 362

a group of people who are gathered together in a church for a religious service, not including the priest and choir

The congregation stood to sing the hymn.

a group of people who regularly attend a particular church

members of local congregations

(formal) a group or collection of people, animals or things

Large congregations of birds may cause public harm.

Question 363

congressional

Answer 363

related to or belonging to a congress or the Congress in the US

a congressional committee/bill
the midterm Congressional elections

Question 364

conquer

Answer 364

conquer somebody/something to take control of a country or city and its people by force

The Normans conquered England in 1066.
In 330 BC Persia was conquered by Alexander the Great.

conquered territories/subjects/lands

The Roman empire offered citizenship to its conquered peoples.

conquer somebody/something to take control of a country or city and its people by force

The Normans conquered England in 1066.
In 330 BC Persia was conquered by Alexander the Great.

conquer somebody to defeat somebody, especially in a competition, race, etc.

The world champion conquered yet another challenger last night.

conquer something to succeed in dealing with or controlling something

The only way to conquer a fear is to face it.
Mount Everest was conquered (= successfully climbed) in 1953.
He will need to conquer his nerves to progress in this competition.

conquer something to become very popular or successful in a place

The band is now setting out to conquer the world.
This is a British film which could conquer the US market.

Question 365

conscience

Answer 365

the part of your mind that tells you whether your actions are right or wrong

to have a clear/guilty conscience (= to feel that you have done right/wrong)

This is a matter of individual conscience (= everyone must make their own judgement about it).
He won’t let it trouble his conscience.

a guilty feeling about something you have done or failed to do

She was seized by a sudden pang of conscience.
I have a terrible conscience about it.

[uncountable] the fact of behaving in a way that you feel is right even though this may cause problems

freedom of conscience (= the freedom to do what you believe to be right)
Emilia is the voice of conscience in the play.

How could people of conscience allow this to happen?
individual rights and rights of conscience on our campuses of higher education

Idioms

in (all/good) conscience
(formal) believing your actions to be fair
SYNONYM honestly

We cannot in all conscience refuse to help.

on your conscience
making you feel guilty for doing or failing to do something

I’ll write and apologize. I’ve had it on my conscience for weeks.
It’s still on my conscience that I didn’t warn him in time.
It was on his conscience that he hadn’t called her.
I’m sure she has something on her conscience.

prick your conscience | your conscience pricks you
to make you feel guilty about something; to feel guilty about something

Her conscience pricked her as she lied to her sister.

Question 366

consciousness

Answer 366

the state of being able to use your senses and mental powers to understand what is happening

I can’t remember any more—I must have lost consciousness.
She did not regain consciousness and died the next day.the state of being able to use your senses and mental powers to understand what is happening
I can’t remember any more—I must have lost consciousness.
She did not regain consciousness and died the next day.

the state of being aware of something
SYNONYM awareness

his consciousness of the challenge facing him
class-consciousness (= consciousness of different classes in society)

the ideas and opinions of a person or group

her newly developed political consciousness
issues affecting the popular consciousness of the time

Question 367

consecutive

Answer 367

following one after another in a continuous series

She was absent for nine consecutive days.
He is beginning his fourth consecutive term of office.
After six consecutive defeats, the team was almost ready to give up.
Interest rates rose again for the fifth consecutive month.
They achieved their third consecutive year of record sales.

Question 368

consensus

Answer 368

an opinion that all members of a group agree with

consensus (about/on something) She is skilled at achieving consensus on sensitive issues.
There is a growing consensus of opinion on this issue.
an attempt to reach a consensus
There now exists a broad political consensus in favour of economic reform.
consensus politics (= that people in general agree with)
consensus (among somebody) (about/on something) There is a general consensus among teachers about the need for greater security in schools.
consensus that… There seems to be a consensus that the plan should be rejected.
by consensus They have always governed by consensus.

Question 369

consent

Answer 369

[uncountable] permission to do something, especially given by somebody in authority

The written consent of a parent is required.
consent to something Children under 16 cannot give consent to medical treatment.
to refuse/withhold your consent
without (somebody’s) consent He is charged with taking a car without the owner’s consent.

agreement about something

She was chosen as leader by common consent (= everyone agreed to the choice).
By mutual consent they didn’t go out (= they both agreed not to).[uncountable]

an official document giving permission for something

Your family, in effect, signs the consent for you.

Question 370

consequently

Answer 370

as a result; therefore

This poses a threat to agriculture and the food chain, and consequently to human health.
She failed her exams and was consequently unable to start her studies at college.

Question 371

conservation

Answer 371

the protection of the natural environment
SYNONYM conservancy

to be interested in wildlife conservation
Road development in the area has been limited by conservation programmes.

the official protection of buildings and objects that have historical or artistic importance

the conservation of ancient monuments/manuscripts/our cultural heritage

the act of preventing something from being lost, wasted, damaged or destroyed

to encourage the conservation of water/fuel
energy conservation
practices that are good for the community, such as water efficiency and resource conservation

Question 372

conserve

Answer 372

conserve something to protect something and prevent it from being changed or destroyed

new laws to conserve wildlife in the area

conserve something to use as little of something as possible so that it lasts a long time

Help to conserve energy by insulating your home.
Renewable energy resources can help conserve fossil fuels and reduce carbon emissions.

Question 373

considerable

Answer 373

great in amount, size, importance, etc.
SYNONYM significant

The project wasted a considerable amount of time and money.
Damage to the building was considerable.
Considerable progress has been made in finding a cure for the disease.

Question 374

considerably

Answer 374

much; a lot
SYNONYM significantly

The need for sleep varies considerably from person to person.
Interest rates on bank loans have increased considerably in recent years.
Pollution levels have considerably reduced in this time.
Prices are considerably higher than they were a year ago.

Question 375

consistency

Answer 375

(approving) the quality of always behaving in the same way or of having the same opinions, standard, etc.; the quality of being consistent

She has played with great consistency all season.
We need to ensure the consistency of service to our customers.

the consistency of a mixture or a liquid substance is how thick, smooth, etc. it is

Beat the ingredients together to a creamy consistency.
The cement should have the consistency of wet sand.
The songs on the album have an overall consistency of approach.
a fudgy concoction with a rather runny consistency
The soil is baked to a rock-like consistency.
The mixture should have the consistency of thick cream.
Knead the dough to the right consistency.
Add milk to produce a soft dropping consistency.

Question 376

consistently

Answer 376

(approving) always the same

Her work has been of a consistently high standard.

OPPOSITE inconsistently

in a way that does not change and continues for a period of time

We have argued consistently for a change in the law.
European policymakers have consistently failed to respond to economic shocks.

in a way that has different parts that all agree with each other

Studies have not consistently demonstrated any benefit.

Question 377

consolidate

Answer 377

consolidate (something)
to make a position of power or success stronger so that it is more likely to continue

With this new movie he has consolidated his position as the country’s leading director.
Italy consolidated their lead with a second goal.

consolidate (something)
(specialist) to join things together into one; to be joined into one

All the debts have been consolidated.
consolidated accounts
The two companies consolidated for greater efficiency.

Question 378

conspiracy

Answer 378

a secret plan by a group of people to do something harmful or illegal

conspiracy (to do something) a conspiracy to overthrow the government
They were charged with conspiracy to murder.

conspiracy against somebody/something conspiracies against the president
a conspiracy of silence (= an agreement not to talk publicly about something that should be made public)

Question 379

constitute

Answer 379

(not used in the progressive tenses)
to be considered to be something

Does such an activity constitute a criminal offence?
Climate change constitutes a major threat to life.
to constitute a danger/crime/breach/nuisance
His action was interpreted as constituting a threat to the community.

(not used in the progressive tenses)
to be the parts that together form something

SYNONYM make up

Female workers constitute the majority of the labour force.
People under the age of 40 constitute the majority of the labour force.

to form a group legally or officially

SYNONYM establish, set up

be constituted (by somebody/something) The committee was constituted in 1974 by an Act of Parliament.

Question 380

constitution

Answer 380

[countable] the system of laws and basic principles that a state, a country or an organization is governed by

your right to vote under the constitution
According to the constitution…
to propose a new amendment to the Constitution
the South African Constitution
A two-thirds majority is needed to amend the club’s constitution.

[countable] the condition of a person’s body and how healthy it is

to have a healthy/strong/weak constitution

[uncountable, countable] {formal} the way something is formed or organized
SYNONYM structure

the genetic constitution of cells

[uncountable] {formal} the act of forming something
SYNONYM establishment

He recommended the constitution of a review committee.

Question 381

constitutional

Answer 381

[only before noun] connected with the constitution of a country or an organization

constitutional government/reform
a constitutional amendment
She had long advocated constitutional reform.

allowed or limited by the constitution of a country or an organization

They can’t pass this law. It’s not constitutional.
constitutional rights
a constitutional monarchy (= a country with a king or queen whose power is controlled by a set of laws and basic principles)

OPPOSITE unconstitutional

Question 382

constraint

Answer 382

[countable] a thing that limits something, or limits your freedom to do something

SYNONYM restriction

constraints of time/money/space
financial/economic/legal/political constraints
constraint on something This decision will impose serious constraints on all schools.

[uncountable] strict control over the way that you behave or are allowed to behave

At last we could relax and talk without constraint.

Question 383

consult

Answer 383

to go to somebody for information or advice

consult somebody If the pain continues, consult your doctor.
consult somebody about something Have you consulted your lawyer about this?
a consulting engineer (= one who has expert knowledge and gives advice)
**(North American English) consult with somebody (about/on something) **
Consult with your physician about possible treatments.

to discuss something with somebody to get their permission for something, or to help you make a decision

consult somebody You shouldn’t have done it without consulting me.
consult somebody about/on something I expect to be consulted about major issues.
consult (with somebody) (about/on something) I need to consult with my colleagues on the proposals.
We consulted quite widely before deciding what to do.

consult something to look in or at something to get information

SYNONYM refer to

He consulted the manual.
If you’re not sure which plug to buy, consult the manual.

Question 384

consultant

Answer 384

a person who knows a lot about a particular subject and is employed to give advice about it to other people

a technology/design consultant
She is clearly being coached by image consultants.
consultant on something the president’s consultant on economic affairs
consultant to somebody/something He was happy to act as a consultant to the company.

(British English) a hospital doctor of the highest rank who is a specialist in a particular area of medicine

a consultant in obstetrics
a consultant surgeon

Question 385

consultation

Answer 385

[uncountable] the act of discussing something with somebody or with a group of people before making a decision about it

a consultation document/paper/period/process
consultation with somebody/something The decision was taken after close consultation with local residents.
in consultation with somebody/something acting in consultation with all the departments involved

[countable] a formal meeting to discuss something

There have been extensive consultations between the two countries.countable] a formal meeting to discuss something
There have been extensive consultations between the two countries.

[countable] a meeting with an expert, especially a doctor, to get advice or treatment

A 30-minute consultation will cost £50.

[uncountable] the act of looking for information in a book, etc.

There is a large collection of texts available for consultation on-screen.

Question 386

consumption

Answer 386

the act of using energy, food or materials; the amount used

the production of fuel for domestic consumption (= to be used in the country where it is produced)
Gas and oil consumption always increases in cold weather.
The meat was declared unfit for human consumption.
He was advised to reduce his alcohol consumption.
consumption of something Doctors say that children need to increase their consumption of fruit and vegetables.
(figurative) Her speech to party members was not intended for public consumption (= to be heard by the public).

the act of buying and using products

Consumption rather than saving has become the central feature of contemporary societies.
The industry faced a serious challenge in trying to stimulate consumption.

(old-fashioned) a serious disease of the lungs

Question 387

contemplate

Answer 387

[transitive] to think about whether you should do something, or how you should do something

SYNONYM consider, think about/of

contemplate something You’re too young to be contemplating retirement.
contemplate doing something I have never contemplated living abroad.
contemplate how/what, etc… He continued while she contemplated how to answer.

to think carefully about and accept the possibility of something happening

contemplate something The thought of war is too awful to contemplate.
How could you even contemplate such an idea?
contemplate how/what, etc… I can’t contemplate what it would be like to be alone.
contemplate that… She contemplated that things might get even worse.

**contemplate (something) (formal) **
to think deeply about something for a long time

to contemplate your future
She lay in bed, contemplating.

contemplate somebody/something (formal) to look at somebody/something in a careful way for a long time

SYNONYM stare at

She contemplated him in silence.
He sat there, contemplating his fingernails.

Question 388

contempt

Answer 388

the feeling that somebody/something is without value and deserves no respect at all

with contempt She looked at him with contempt.
I shall treat that suggestion with the contempt it deserves.
beneath contempt His treatment of his children is beneath contempt (= so bad that it is not even worth feeling contempt for).
in contempt Politicians seem to be generally held in contempt by ordinary people.
contempt for somebody/something They had shown a contempt for the values she thought important.
He has a deep contempt for racists.
His remarks betray an utter contempt for the truth.
She looked at him with barely disguised contempt.
She’d developed what she considered a healthy contempt for authority.
He did not want to risk the contempt of his fellows.
He felt nothing but contempt for her.

contempt for something a lack of worry or fear about rules, danger, etc.

The firefighters showed a contempt for their own safety.
His remarks betray a staggering contempt for the truth (= are completely false).

(also contempt of court) the crime of refusing to obey an order made by a court; not showing respect for a court or judge

He could be jailed for two years for contempt.
in contempt She was held in contempt for refusing to testify.

IDIOM

familiarity breeds contempt
(saying) knowing somebody/something very well may cause you to lose respect for them/it

Question 389

contend

Answer 389

[transitive] contend that…
(formal) to say that something is true, especially in an argument

SYNONYM maintain

I would contend that the minister’s thinking is flawed on this point.

[intransitive] contend (for something)
to compete against somebody in order to gain something

Three armed groups were contending for power.

Question 390

contender

Answer 390

a person or team with a chance of winning a competition

contender (for something) a contender for a gold medal in the Olympics
a leading/serious/strong contender for the party leadership
contender to do something Germany last night emerged as a contender to stage next year’s event.
He’s gone from being a serious title contender to being totally written off.
She was considered a leading contender for the Democratic presidential nomination.
a strong contender for the gold medal
He is seen as one of the leading contenders for the post.
Peter is a contender for the gold medal in the Olympics.
She is a strong contender for the party leadership.
The team has proved that it is a genuine title contender.

Question 391

content

Answer 391

contents [plural] the things that are contained in something

He tipped the contents of the bag onto the table.
Fire has caused severe damage to the contents of the building.
She hadn’t read the letter and so was unaware of its contents.
She picked up the glass and drank the contents.

contents [plural] the different sections that are contained in a book

a table of contents (= the list at the front of a book)
a contents page

[uncountable] the subject matter of a book, speech, programme, etc.

Her poetry has a good deal of political content.
Your tone of voice is as important as the content of what you have to say.
The content of the course depends on what the students would like to study.
This study is based on a content analysis of press coverage of the president during his time in office.

[singular] {following a noun}
the amount of a substance that is contained in something else

food with a high fat content
water/moisture/protein/DNA content
the alcohol content of a drink

[uncountable] {computing} the information or other material contained on a website or other digital media

digital/video/online content
We plan to spend more on creating content for the website.
delivering premium content to users
a method of sharing content over the internet
to stream/access/consume/view content
content management
content providers such as Netflix and Amazon
The way people are accessing their Web content is changing.
They haven’t updated the content of their site.

Question 392

contention

Answer 392

[uncountable] anger between people who disagree

SYNONYM dispute

One area of contention is the availability of nursery care.
Privatization of the health service remains a point of contention.
There is no contention between the two groups.

[countable] contention (that…) a belief or an opinion that you express, especially in an argument

It is our client’s contention that the fire was an accident.
I would reject that contention.
Her main contention is that staff should get better training.
There is no evidence to support her contention.

Idioms

a bone of contention
a subject that causes people to disagree

Where to go on holiday is always a bone of contention in our family.

in contention (for something)
with a chance of winning something

Only three teams are now in contention for the title.
There were three left in serious contention for the prize.
Their team is still in contention for the championship.

out of contention (for something)
without a chance of winning something

The Jaguars are now out of contention.
The Comets were eliminated from play-off contention.

Question 393

continually

Answer 393

in a way that is repeated many times so that it is annoying

They argue continually about money.

in a way that continues without a break

SYNONYM continuously

the need to adapt to new and continually changing circumstances
New products are continually being developed.

Question 394

contractor

Answer 394

a person or company that has a contract to do work or provide goods or services for another company

a building/roofing/electrical contractor
a defence/security/military/civilian contractor
a private/an independent contractor
to employ an outside contractor

Question 395

contradiction

Answer 395

a lack of agreement between facts, opinions, actions, etc.

contradiction (between A and B) There is a contradiction between the two sets of figures.
How can we resolve this apparent contradiction?
in contradiction to something His public speeches are in direct contradiction to his personal lifestyle.

the act of saying that something that somebody else has said is wrong or not true; an example of this

I think I can say, without fear of contradiction, that…
contradiction of something Now you say you both left at ten—that’s a contradiction of your last statement.

Question 396

contrary

Answer 396

contrary to something
different from something; against something

Contrary to popular belief, many cats dislike milk.
The government has decided that the publication of the report would be ‘contrary to the public interest’.
Contrary to expectations and the weather forecast, we had a fine day for the experiment.

[only before noun] completely different in nature or direction

SYNONYM opposite

contrary advice/opinions/arguments
The contrary view is that prison provides an excellent education—in crime.

Question 397

contributor

Answer 397

contributor (to something)
a person who writes articles for a magazine, book or website, or who talks on a radio or television programme or at a meeting

a regular contributor to this magazine
I am a contributor to several blogs.

contributor (to something)
a person or thing that provides money or goods to help pay for or support something

Older people are important contributors to the economy.
the largest net contributor to EU funds

contributor (to something)
something that helps to cause something

Sulphur dioxide is a pollutant and a major contributor to acid rain.

Question 398

controversial

Answer 398

causing a lot of angry public discussion and disagreement

a highly controversial topic
one of the most controversial of London’s new office blocks
A controversial plan to build a new road has met with protests.
Winston Churchill and Richard Nixon were both controversial figures.

Question 399

controversy

Answer 399

controversy (over/about/surrounding somebody/something)
public discussion and argument about something that many people strongly disagree about, think is bad, or are shocked by

to arouse/cause controversy
a bitter controversy over/about the site of the new airport
The controversy surrounding his latest movie continues.
The President resigned amid considerable controversy.