Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's Dictionary 10th Edition

Collins

ADVANCED LEARNER ’S DICTIONARY

10th EDITION

For upper-intermediate and advanced learners of English

Mm

M, m /em/ (M’s, m’s) A1 n-var M is the thirteenth letter of the English alphabet. B1 m is a written abbreviation for metres or metre. ❑ The island is only 200m wide at its narrowest point. m is a written abbreviation for the number million. ❑ Last year exports reached $150m in value. ❑ …500m tonnes of coal. -’m /-m/ -’m is the usual spoken form of ‘am’, used after ‘I’ in ‘I’m’.

ma /mɑ / (mas) n-count Some people refer to or address their mother as ma. [informal] ❑ Ma was still at work when I got back.

MA /em ei/ (MAs) also M.A. n-count An MA is a master’s degree in an arts or social science subject. MA is an abbreviation for ‘Master of Arts’. ❑ She then went on to university where she got a BA and then an MA.

ma’am /m m, mɑ m/ B1 n-count People sometimes say ma’am as a very formal and polite way of addressing a woman whose name they do not know or a woman of superior rank. [mainly am, politeness] ❑ Would you repeat that please, ma’am?

mac /m k/ (macs) n-count A mac is a raincoat, especially one made from a particular kind of waterproof cloth. [brit] ma|ca|bre /məkɑ brə/ adj [usu adj n] You describe something such as an event or story as macabre when it is strange and horrible or upsetting, usually because it involves death or injury. ❑ Police have made a macabre discovery.

maca|ro|ni /m kəroυni/ n-uncount Macaroni is a kind of pasta made in the shape of short hollow tubes.

maca|ro|ni cheese in am, use macaroni and cheese

n-uncount Macaroni cheese is a dish made from macaroni and cheese sauce.

maca|roon /m kəru n/ (macaroons) n-count Macaroons are sweet cake-like biscuits that are flavoured with coconut or almond.

mace /meis/ (maces) n-count A mace is an ornamental stick carried by an official or placed somewhere as a symbol of authority. n-uncount Mace is a substance that causes tears and sickness, and that is used in sprays as a defence against rioters or attackers. [trademark]

mac|er|ate /m səreit/ (macerates, macerating, macerated) verb If you macerate food, or if it macerates, you soak it in a liquid for a period of time so that it absorbs the liquid.

❑ [v n + in] I like to macerate the food in liqueur for a few minutes before serving. ❑ [v n] Cognac is also used to macerate and flavour ingredients and casseroles. ❑ [v] Seal tightly then leave for four to five days to macerate.

Mach /mɑ k/ n-uncount Mach is used as a unit of measurement in stating the speed of a moving object in relation to the speed of sound. For example, if an aircraft is travelling at Mach 1, it is travelling at exactly the speed of sound. [technical]

ma|chete /məʃeti/ (machetes) n-count A machete is a large knife with a broad blade.

Machia|vel|lian /m kiəveliən/ adj [usu adj n] If you describe someone as Machiavellian, you are critical of them because they often make clever and secret plans to achieve their aims and are not honest with people. [disapproval]

❑ …Machiavellian republicans plotting to destabilise the throne.

❑ A Machiavellian plot was suspected.

machi|na|tions /m kineiʃənz, m ʃ-/ n-plural You use machinations to describe secret and complicated plans,

especially to gain power. [disapproval] ❑ …the political machinations that brought him to power.

ma|chine /məʃi n/ (machines, machining, machined)

A2 n-count [oft by n] A machine is a piece of equipment which uses electricity or an engine in order to do a particular kind of work. ❑ I put the coin in the machine and pulled the lever.

❑ …a color photograph of the sort taken by machine to be pasted in passports. verb [usu passive] If you machine something, you make it or work on it using a machine. ❑ [be v-ed] The material is machined in a factory. ❑ [be v-ed + from] All parts are machined from top grade, high tensile aluminium. ❑ [v-ed] …machined brass zinc alloy gears. ● ma|chin|ing n-uncount ❑ …our machining, fabrication and finishing processes. n-count You can use machine to refer to a large and well-controlled system or organization. ❑ …Nazi Germany’s military machine. ❑ He has put the party publicity machine behind another candidate. ➞ see also fruit machine, sewing machine, slot machine, vending machine

machine

noun

synonyms

appliance: He could also learn to use other household appliances. device: It is an electronic device that protects your vehicle 24 hours a day.

apparatus: One of the boys had to be rescued by firefighters wearing breathing apparatus.

ma|chine code n-uncount Machine code is a way of expressing instructions and information in the form of numbers which can be understood by a computer or microchip. [computing]

ma|chine gun (machine guns) also machine-gun

n-count A machine gun is a gun which fires a lot of bullets one after the other very quickly. ❑ …a burst of machine-gun fire.

➞ see also sub-machine gun

ma|chin|ery /məʃi nəri/ n-uncount You can use machinery to refer to machines in general, or machines that are used in a factory or on a farm. ❑ …quality tools and machinery. ❑ …your local garden machinery specialist. n-sing The machinery of a government or organization is the system and all the procedures that it uses to deal with things. ❑ [+ of] The machinery of democracy could be created quickly.

ma|chine tool (machine tools) n-count A machine tool is a machine driven by power that cuts, shapes, or finishes metal or other materials.

ma|chin|ist /məʃi nist/ (machinists) n-count A machinist is a person whose job is to operate a machine, especially in a factory.

ma|chis|mo /m tʃizmoυ, am mɑ tʃi z-/ n-uncount You use machismo to refer to men’s behaviour or attitudes when they are very conscious and proud of their masculinity. ❑ Hooky, naturally, has to prove his machismo by going on the scariest rides twice. macho /m tʃoυ, am mɑ -/ adj You use macho to describe men who are very conscious and proud of their masculinity. [informal] ❑ …displays of macho bravado.

mac|in|tosh /m kintɒʃ/ ➞ see mackintosh

macke|rel /m kərəl/ (mackerel) n-var A mackerel is a sea fish with a dark, patterned back. ❑ They’d gone out to fish for mackerel. ● n-uncount Mackerel is this fish eaten as food. mack|in|tosh /m kintɒʃ/ (mackintoshes) n-count A mackintosh is a raincoat, especially one made from a particular kind of waterproof cloth. [mainly brit] macro /m kroυ/ (macros) adj [usu adj n] You use macro to indicate that something relates to a general area, rather

than being detailed or specific. [technical] ❑ …regulation of the economy both at the macro level and at the micro level. n-count A macro is a shortened version of a computer command which makes the computer carry out a set of actions. [computing]

macro-

is added to words in order to form new words that are technical and that refer to things which are large or involve the whole of something. For example, macroeconomic policies relate to the economic system of a whole country.

macro|bi|ot|ic /m kroυbaiɒtik/ adj [usu adj n] Macrobiotic food consists of whole grains and vegetables that are grown without chemicals. [technical] ❑ …a strict macrobiotic diet.

macro|bi|ot|ics /m kroυbaiɒtiks/ n-uncount Macrobiotics is the practice of eating macrobiotic food. [technical] macro|cosm /m kroυkɒzəm/ n-sing A macrocosm is a complex organized system such as the universe or a society, considered as a single unit. [formal] ❑ [+ of] The macrocosm of the universe is mirrored in the microcosm of the mind.

macro|eco|nom|ics /m kroυi kənɒmiks, -ek-/ also macro-economics n-uncount Macroeconomics is the branch of economics that is concerned with the major, general features of a country’s economy, such as the level of inflation, unemployment, or interest rates. [business] ❑ Too many politicians forget the importance of macroeconomics. ● ma|cro|ec|o|nom|ic /m kroυi kənɒmik, -ek-/ adj [usu adj n] ❑ …macroeconomic policy. mad /m d/ (madder, maddest) B1 adj Someone who is mad has a mind that does not work in a normal way, with the result that their behaviour is very strange. ❑ She was afraid of going mad. ● mad|ness B2 n-uncount ❑ He was driven to the brink of madness. B1 adj You use mad to describe people or things that you think are very foolish. [disapproval] ❑ You’d be mad to work with him again. ❑ Isn’t that a rather mad idea?

● mad|ness B2 n-uncount ❑ It is political madness. A2 adj [usu v-link adj] If you say that someone is mad, you mean that they are very angry. [informal] ❑ [+ at] You’re just mad at me because I don’t want to go. [Also + about] B1+ adj If you are mad about or mad on something or someone, you like them very much indeed. [informal] ❑ [+ about] She’s not as mad about sport as I am. ❑ [+ about] He’s mad about you. ❑ [+ on] He’s mad on trains. ● comb Mad is also a combining form. ❑ …his football-mad son. ❑ He’s not power-mad. adj Mad behaviour is wild and uncontrolled. ❑ You only have an hour to complete the game so it’s a mad dash against the clock. ❑ The audience went mad.

● mad|ly adv [adv with v] ❑ Down in the streets people were waving madly. B2 phrase If you say that someone or something drives you mad, you mean that you find them extremely annoying. [informal] ❑ There are certain things he does that drive me mad. ❑ This itching is driving me mad. B2 phrase If you do something like mad, you do it very energetically or enthusiastically. [informal] ❑ He was weight training like mad.

➞ see also madly mad keen ➞ see keen mad|am /m dəm/ also Madam B1 n-count People sometimes say Madam as a very formal and polite way of addressing a woman whose name they do not know or a woman of superior rank. For example, a shop assistant might address a woman customer as Madam. [politeness] ❑ Try them on, madam. B2 n-voc You use the expression ‘Dear madam’ at the beginning of a formal or business letter or email when you are writing to a woman. ❑ Dear Madam, Thank you for your interest in our Memorial Scheme. n-voc [n n] Madam is sometimes used in front of words such as ‘Chairman’ to address the woman who holds the position mentioned.

❑ I have to say this, Madam Chairman. n-count; n-voc You can call a little girl a madam if you are annoyed because she is being naughty and behaving as if she expects other people to do what she wants. [mainly brit, spoken, disapproval]

❑ Sue is a thoroughly precocious little madam if ever there was one. mad|cap /m dk p/ adj [usu adj n] A madcap plan or scheme is very foolish and not likely to succeed. [informal]

❑ The politicians simply flitted from one madcap scheme to another. mad cow dis|ease n-uncount Mad cow disease is a disease which affects the nervous system of cattle and causes death. [mainly brit]

mad|den /m dən/ (maddens, maddening, maddened) verb To madden a person or animal means to make them very angry. ❑ [v n] He knew that what he was saying did not reach her. And the knowledge of it maddened him.

mad|den|ing /m dəniŋ/ adj If you describe something as maddening, you mean that it makes you feel angry, irritated, or frustrated. ❑ Shopping in the January sales can be maddening. ● mad|den|ing|ly adv [adv adj, adv after v] ❑ The service is maddeningly slow.

made /meid/ A1 Made is the past tense and past participle of make A2 adj If something is made of or made out of a particular substance, that substance was used to build it. ❑ [+ of] The top of the table is made of glass. ❑ [+ out of] What is the statue made out of? phrase If you say that someone has it made or has got it made, you mean that they are certain to be rich or successful. [informal] ❑ When I was at school, I thought I had it made.

-made /-meid/ comb [usu adj n] -made combines with words such as ‘factory’ to make adjectives that indicate that something has been made or produced in a particular place or in a particular way. ❑ …a British-made car. ❑ …specially-made footwear. made-to-measure adj [usu adj n] A made-to-measure suit, shirt, or other item of clothing is one that is made by a tailor to fit you exactly, rather than one that you buy already made in a shop.

made-up also made up adj [v-link adj, adv adj n] If you are made-up, you are wearing make-up such as powder or eye shadow. ❑ She was beautifully made-up, beautifully groomed. adj [usu adj n] A made-up word, name, or story is invented, rather than really existing or being true. ❑ It looks like a made-up word. adj If you are made-up, you are happy. [brit, informal] ❑ I’ll be made up if I get in the top five, that would be great.

mad|house /m dhaυs/ (madhouses) n-count [usu sing]

If you describe a place or situation as a madhouse, you mean that it is full of confusion and noise. ❑ That place is a madhouse. mad|ly /m dli/ adv [adv after v] You can use madly to indicate that one person loves another a great deal. ❑ She has fallen madly in love with him. adv [adv adj] You can use madly in front of an adjective in order to emphasize the quality expressed by the adjective. [mainly brit, emphasis] ❑ Inside it is madly busy.

mad|man /m dmən/ (madmen) n-count A madman is a man who is insane. [informal] ❑ He wanted to jump up and run outside, screaming like a madman.

Ma|don|na /mədɒnə/ n-proper Catholics and other Christians sometimes call Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, the Madonna.

mad|ras /mədr s, -drɑ s/ adj [adj n] A madras curry is a rather hot spicy curry.

mad|ri|gal /m dri əl/ (madrigals) n-count A madrigal is a song sung by several singers without any musical instruments. Madrigals were popular in England in the sixteenth century. mad|woman /m dwυmən/ (madwomen) n-count A madwoman is a woman who is insane. [informal] mael|strom /meilstrɒm/ (maelstroms) n-count [usu sing] If you describe a situation as a maelstrom, you mean that it is very confused or violent. [literary] ❑ [+ of] …the maelstrom of ethnic hatreds and vendetta politics. ❑ [+ of] Inside, she was a maelstrom of churning emotions.

maes|tro /maistroυ/ (maestros) n-count A maestro is a skilled and well-known musician or conductor. ❑ …the urbane maestro’s delightful first show.

ma|fia /m fiə, am mɑ f-/ (mafias) n-count [with sing or pl verb] The Mafia is a criminal organization that makes money illegally, especially by threatening people and dealing in drugs. ❑ The Mafia is by no means ignored by Italian television. n-count You can use mafia to refer to an organized group of people who you disapprove of because they use unfair or illegal means in order to get what they want. [disapproval] ❑ They are well-connected with the south-based education-reform mafia. mag /m / (mags) n-count A mag is the same as a magazine. [informal] ❑ …a well-known glossy mag.

maga|zine /m əzi n, am -zi n/ (magazines) A2 n-count A magazine is a publication with a paper cover

which is issued regularly, usually every week or every month, and which contains articles, stories, photographs, and advertisements. ❑ Her face is on the cover of a dozen or more magazines. n-count [usu supp n] On radio or television, a magazine or a magazine programme is a programme consisting of several items about different topics, people, and events. ❑ …a live arts magazine. ❑ …’Science In Action’, a weekly science magazine programme. n-count In an automatic gun, the magazine is the part that contains the bullets. ma|gen|ta /məd entə/ (magentas) colour Magenta is used to describe things that are dark reddish-purple in colour. mag|got /m ət/ (maggots) n-count Maggots are creatures that look like very small worms and turn into flies. mag|ic /m d ik/ A2 n-uncount Magic is the power to use supernatural forces to make impossible things happen, such as making people disappear or controlling events in nature. ❑ They believe in magic. ❑ Older legends say that Merlin raised the stones by magic. A2 n-uncount You can use magic when you are referring to an event that is so wonderful, strange, or unexpected that it seems as if supernatural powers have caused it. You can also say that something happens as if by magic or like magic ❑ All this was supposed to work magic. ❑ The picture will now appear, as if by magic! B1 adj [adj n] You use magic to describe something that does things, or appears to do things, by magic. ❑ So it’s a magic potion? ❑ …the magic ingredient that helps to keep skin looking smooth. A2 n-uncount [oft n n] Magic is the art and skill of performing mysterious tricks to entertain people, for example by making things appear and disappear. ❑ His secret hobby: performing magic tricks.

B2 n-uncount If you refer to the magic of something, you mean that it has a special mysterious quality which makes it seem wonderful and exciting to you and which makes you feel happy. ❑ [+ of] It infected them with some of the magic of a lost age. ● B2 adj Magic is also an adjective. ❑ Then came those magic moments in the rose-garden. n-uncount [usu with poss] If you refer to a person’s magic, you mean a special talent or ability that they have, which you admire or consider very impressive.

❑ The fighter believes he can still regain some of his old magic. adj You can use expressions such as the magic number and the magic word to indicate that a number or word is the one which is significant or desirable in a particular situation.

❑ …their quest to gain the magic number of 270 electoral votes on Election Day. adj [adj n, with neg] Magic is used in expressions such as there is no magic formula and there is no magic solution to say that someone will have to make an effort to solve a problem, because it will not solve itself. ❑ There is no magic formula for producing winning products. adj If you say that something is magic, you think it is very good or enjoyable. [mainly brit, informal, approval] ❑ It was magic – one of the best days of my life.

magi|cal /m d ikəl/ B2 adj Something that is magical seems to use magic or to be able to produce magic. ❑ …the story of Sin-Sin, a little boy who has magical powers. ● magi|cal|ly /m d ikli/ adv [adv with v] ❑ …the story of a young boy’s adventures after he is magically transported through the cinema screen. adj You can say that a place or object is magical when it has a special mysterious quality that makes it seem wonderful and exciting. ❑ The beautiful island of Cyprus is a magical place to get married. mag|ic bul|let (magic bullets) n-count In medicine, a magic bullet is a drug or treatment that can cure a disease quickly and completely. n-count A magic bullet is an easy solution to a difficult problem. [informal] ❑ A lot of people are looking for some sort of magic bullet that will solve this problem.

mag|ic car|pet (magic carpets) n-count In stories, a magic carpet is a special carpet that can carry people through the air.

ma|gi|cian /məd iʃən/ (magicians) n-count A magician is a person who entertains people by doing magic tricks.

mag|ic mush|room (magic mushrooms) n-count [usu pl]

Magic mushrooms are a type of mushroom which contain a drug and may make the person who eats them believe they are seeing things which are not real.

mag|ic wand (magic wands) n-count A magic wand or a wand is a long thin rod that magicians and fairies wave when they are performing tricks and magic. n-count You use magic wand, especially in the expression there is no magic wand, to indicate that someone is dealing with a difficult problem which cannot be solved quickly and easily. ❑ There is no magic wand to secure a just peace. ❑ People can’t expect him to just wave a magic wand.

mag|is|te|rial /m d istiəriəl/ adj [usu adj n] If you describe someone’s behaviour or work as magisterial, you mean that they show great authority or ability. [formal] ❑ …his magisterial voice and bearing. ❑ The Cambridge World History of Human Disease is a magisterial work.

mag|is|trate /m d istreit/ (magistrates) n-count A magistrate is an official who acts as a judge in law courts which deal with minor crimes or disputes. ➞ See feature box at legal mag|ma /m mə/ n-uncount Magma is molten rock that is formed in very hot conditions inside the earth. [technical] ❑ The volcano threw new showers of magma and ash into the air. ➞ See also colour supplement mag|na|nim|ity /m nənimiti/ n-uncount Magnanimity is kindness and generosity towards someone, especially after defeating them or being treated badly by them. [formal] ❑ The father of one victim spoke with remarkable magnanimity. mag|nani|mous /m n niməs/ adj If you are magnanimous, you behave kindly and generously towards someone, especially after defeating them or being treated badly by them. ❑ I was prepared to be magnanimous, prepared to feel compassion for him. ● mag|nani|mous|ly adv [usu adv with v] ❑ ‘You were right, and we were wrong,’ he said magnanimously. mag|nate /m neit/ (magnates) n-count A magnate is someone who has earned a lot of money from a particular business or industry. ❑ …a multimillionaire shipping magnate. mag|ne|sium /m ni ziəm/ n-uncount Magnesium is a light silvery-white metal which burns with a bright white flame.

mag|net /m nit/ (magnets) n-count If you say that something is a magnet or is like a magnet, you mean that people are very attracted by it and want to go to it or look at it. ❑ [+ for] Prospect Park, with its vast lake, is a magnet for all health freaks. n-count A magnet is a piece of iron or other material which attracts iron towards it. ❑ …a fridge magnet.

mag|net|ic /m netik/ adj [usu adj n] If something metal is magnetic, it acts like a magnet. ❑ …magnetic particles. adj You use magnetic to describe something that is caused by or relates to the force of magnetism. ❑ The electrically charged gas particles are affected by magnetic forces. ● mag|neti|cal|ly /m netikli/ adv [adv after v] ❑ …metal fragments held together magnetically. adj [usu adj n] You use magnetic to describe tapes and other objects which have a coating of a magnetic substance and contain coded information that can be read by computers or other machines. ❑ …her magnetic strip ID card. adj [usu adj n] If you describe something as magnetic, you mean that it is very attractive to people because it has unusual, powerful, and exciting qualities. ❑ London’s creative reputation has had a magnetic effect.

mag|net|ic field (magnetic fields) n-count A magnetic field is an area around a magnet, or something functioning as a magnet, in which the magnet’s power to attract things is felt. mag|net|ic tape (magnetic tapes) n-var Magnetic tape is plastic tape covered with iron oxide or a similar magnetic substance. It is used for recording sounds, film, or computer information.

mag|net|ism /m nitizəm/ n-uncount Someone or something that has magnetism has unusual, powerful, and exciting qualities which attract people to them. ❑ There was no doubting the animal magnetism of the man. n-uncount Magnetism is the natural power of some objects and substances, especially iron, to attract other objects towards them.

mag|ic re|al|ism also magical realism

n-uncount Magic realism is a style of writing or painting which sometimes describes dreams as though they were real, and real events as though they were dreams.

mag|net|ize /m nitaiz/ (magnetizes, magnetizing, magnetized) in brit, also use magnetise

verb If you magnetize something, you make it magnetic. ❑ [v n] Make a Mobius strip out of a ribbon of mild steel and magnetise it. ❑ [v-ed] …a small metal chessboard with magnetized playing pieces. mag|net school (magnet schools) n-count A magnet school is a state-funded school, usually in a poor area, which is given extra resources in order to attract new pupils from other areas and help improve the school’s performance.

[journalism]

mag|ni|fi|ca|tion /m

nifikeiʃən/ (magnifications)

n-uncount Magnification is the act or process of magnifying something. ❑ Pores are visible without magnification.

n-var Magnification is the degree to which a lens, mirror, or other device can magnify an object, or the degree to which the object is magnified. ❑ The electron microscope uses a beam of electrons to produce images at high magnifications.

mag|nifi|cent /m nifisənt/ B1+ adj If you say that something or someone is magnificent, you mean that you think they are extremely good, beautiful, or impressive. ❑ …a magnificent country house in wooded grounds. ❑ …magnificent views over the San Fernando Valley. ● mag|nifi|cence n-uncount

❑ [+ of] …the magnificence of the Swiss mountains. ● mag|nifi|cent|ly adv [adv after v, adv adj/-ed] ❑ The team played magnificently throughout the competition.

mag|ni|fy /m nifai/ (magnifies, magnifying, magnified) verb To magnify an object means to make it appear larger than it really is, by means of a special lens or mirror. ❑ [v n n] This version of the Digges telescope magnifies images 11 times. ❑ [v n] A lens would magnify the picture so it would be like looking at a large TV screen. ❑ [v-ing] …magnifying lenses. verb To magnify something means to increase its effect, size, loudness, or intensity. ❑ [v n] Their noises were magnified in the still, wet air. verb If you magnify something, you make it seem more important or serious than it really is. ❑ [v n] They do not grasp the broad situation and spend their time magnifying ridiculous details.

mag|ni|fy|ing glass (magnifying glasses) n-count A magnifying glass is a piece of glass which makes objects appear bigger than they actually are.

mag|ni|tude /m nitju d, am -tu d/ n-uncount If you talk about the magnitude of something, you are talking about its great size, scale, or importance. ❑ An operation of this magnitude is going to be difficult. phrase You can use order of magnitude when you are giving an approximate idea of the amount or importance of something. ❑ America and Russia do not face a problem of the same order of magnitude as Japan.

mag|no|lia /m noυliə/ (magnolias) n-var A magnolia is a kind of tree with white, pink, yellow, or purple flowers.

mag|num /m nəm/ (magnums) n-count A magnum is a wine bottle holding the equivalent of two normal bottles, approximately 1.5 litres. ❑ [+ of] …a magnum of champagne.

mag|num opus n-sing [oft poss n] A magnum opus is the greatest or most important work produced by a writer, artist, musician, or academic. ❑ …Gadamer’s magnum opus ‘Truth and Method’.

mag|pie /m pai/ (magpies) n-count A magpie is a large black and white bird with a long tail.

ma|ha|ra|ja /mɑ hərɑ d ə/ (maharajas) also maharajah

n-count A maharaja is the head of one of the royal families that used to rule parts of India.

ma|hoga|ny /məhɒ əni/ n-uncount [oft n n] Mahogany is a dark reddish-brown wood that is used to make furniture.

❑ …mahogany tables and chairs.

maid /meid/ (maids) n-count A maid is a woman who works as a servant in a hotel or private house. ❑ A maid brought me breakfast at half past eight. ➞ see also old maid maid|en /meidən/ (maidens) n-count A maiden is a young girl or woman. [literary] ❑ …stories of noble princes and their brave deeds on behalf of beautiful maidens. adj [adj n] The maiden voyage or flight of a ship or aircraft is the first official journey that it makes. ❑ In 1912, the Titanic sank on her maiden voyage. maid|en aunt (maiden aunts) n-count A maiden aunt is an aunt who is not married. [old-fashioned] maid|en name (maiden names) n-count [usu poss n] A married woman’s maiden name is her parents’ surname, which she used before she got married and started using her husband’s surname.

maid|en speech (maiden speeches) n-count A politician’s maiden speech is the first speech that he or she makes in parliament after becoming a member of it. [brit] maid of hon|our (maids of honour) n-count A maid of honour is the chief bridesmaid at a wedding. [am] mail /meil/ (mails, mailing, mailed) A2 n-sing [oft by n] The mail is the public service or system by which letters and parcels are collected and delivered. ❑ Your check is in the mail. ❑ The firm has offices in several large cities, but does most of its business by mail. A2 n-uncount [oft the n] You can refer to letters and parcels that are delivered to you as mail ❑ There was no mail except the usual junk addressed to the occupier. A2 verb If you mail a letter or parcel to someone, you send it to them by putting it in a post box or taking it to a post office. [mainly am] ❑ [v n + to] Last year, he mailed the documents to French journalists. ❑ [v n n] He mailed me the contract. ❑ [v n + with] The Government has already mailed some 18 million households with details of the public offer. [Also v n] in brit, usually use post

A2 verb To mail a message to someone means to send it to them by means of email or a computer network. ❑ [be v-ed prep] …if a report must be electronically mailed to an office by 9 am the next day. [Also v n] ● A2 n-uncount Mail is also a noun. ❑ If you have any problems then send me some mail. ➞ see also mailing, chain mail, email, hate mail, junk mail, surface mail

Ü mail out B1+ phrasal verb If someone mails out things such as letters, leaflets, or bills, they send them to a large number of people at the same time. [mainly am] ❑ [v p n] This week, the company mailed out its annual report. [Also v n p] in brit, use send out

mail

noun

collocations

noun + mail: fan, hate, junk, snail adjective + mail: first-class, second-class; undelivered, unopened, unsolicited verb + mail: deliver, forward, redirect, send; receive

mail|bag /meilb / (mailbags) also mail bag n-count

A mailbag is a large bag that is used by postal workers for carrying mail.

mail|box /meilbɒks/ (mailboxes) n-count A mailbox is a box outside your house where your letters are delivered. [am] n-count A mailbox is a metal box in a public place, where you put letters and packets to be collected. They are then sorted and delivered. [mainly am] in brit, use post box

B2 n-count [usu sing] On a computer, your mailbox is the file where your email is stored.

mail car|ri|er (mail carriers) B1+ n-count A mail carrier is a person whose job is to collect and deliver letters and parcels that are sent by post. [am] in brit, usually use postman or postwoman mail|ing /meiliŋ/ (mailings) n-uncount Mailing is the activity of sending things to people through the postal service. ❑ The newsletter was printed towards the end of June in readiness for the next mailing. n-count A mailing is something that is sent to people through the postal service. ❑ The seniors organizations sent out mailings to their constituencies.

mail|ing list (mailing lists) n-count A mailing list is a list of names and addresses that a company or organization keeps, so that they can send people information or advertisements. mail merge n-uncount Mail merge is a word processing procedure which enables you to combine a document with a data file, for example a list of names and addresses, so that copies of the document are different for each person it is sent to. [computing] ❑ He sent every member of staff a mail-merge letter wishing them a merry Christmas.

mail or|der (mail orders) n-uncount [oft by n, n n] Mail order is a system of buying and selling goods. You choose the goods you want from a company by looking at their catalogue, and the company sends them to you by post.

❑ The toys are available by mail order. n-count [usu pl] Mail orders are goods that have been ordered by mail order. [mainly am] ❑ I supervise the packing of all mail orders.

mail|shot /meilʃɒt/ (mailshots) n-count A mailshot is a letter advertising something or appealing for money for a particular charity. Mailshots are sent out to a large number of people at once. [brit]

maim /meim/ (maims, maiming, maimed) verb To maim someone means to injure them so badly that part of their body is permanently damaged. ❑ [v n] Mines have been scattered in rice paddies and jungles, maiming and killing civilians.

main /mein/ (mains) B1 adj The main thing is the most important one of several similar things in a particular situation. ❑ …one of the main tourist areas of Amsterdam. ❑ My main concern now is to protect the children. ❑ What are the main differences and similarities between them? phrase If you say that something is true in the main, you mean that it is generally true, although there may be exceptions. ❑ Tourists are, in the main, sympathetic people. n-count [usu pl] The mains are the pipes which supply gas or water to buildings, or which take sewage away from them. ❑ …the water supply from the mains. ❑ The capital has been without mains water since Wednesday night. n-plural

The mains are the wires which supply electricity to buildings, or the place where the wires end inside the building. [mainly brit] ❑ …amplifiers which plug into the mains.

main clause (main clauses) n-count A main clause is a clause that can stand alone as a complete sentence. Compare subordinate clause.

main drag n-sing The main drag in a town or city is its main street. [mainly am, informal]

main|frame /meinfreim/ (mainframes) n-count A mainframe or mainframe computer is a large powerful computer which can be used by many people at the same time and which can do very large or complicated tasks.

main|land /meinl nd/ n-sing [n n] You can refer to the largest part of a country or continent as the mainland when contrasting it with the islands around it. ❑ She was going to Nanaimo to catch the ferry to the mainland. ❑ …the islands that lie off the coast of mainland Britain.

main|line /meinlain/ adj [adj n] A mainline railway is a major railway between two important places. ❑ …the first mainline railway to be built in Britain for almost a hundred years. ❑ …London’s mainline stations. adj [adj n] You can use mainline to describe people, ideas, and activities that belong to the most central, conventional, and normal part of a tradition, institution, or business. ❑ We observe a striking shift away from a labor theory among all mainline economists.

main|ly /meinli/ B1 adv [adv with v] You use mainly when mentioning the main reason or thing involved in something. ❑ He did not want to take up a competitive sport, mainly because he did not have anyone to play with. ❑ The birds live mainly on nectar. B1 adv You use mainly when you are referring to a group and stating something that is true of most of it.

❑ The African half of the audience was mainly from Senegal or Mali.

❑ The spacious main bedroom is mainly blue.

mainly adv

synonyms

chiefly: His response to attacks on his work was chiefly bewilderment. mostly: I am working with mostly highly motivated people. largely: The French empire had expanded largely through military conquest.

generally: As women we generally say and feel too much about these things.

primarily: Public order is primarily an urban problem.

main road (main roads) B1+ n-count A main road is an important road that leads from one town or city to another.

❑ Webb turned off the main road and drove round to the car park.

main|spring /meinspriŋ/ (mainsprings) n-count [usu sing]

If you say that an idea, emotion, or other factor is the mainspring of something, you mean that it is the most important reason or motive for that thing. [written]

❑ My life has been music, and a constant search for it has been the

mainspring of my life. ❑ You begin to understand what actions were the mainspring of the story.

main|stay /meinstei/ (mainstays) n-count If you describe something as the mainstay of a particular thing, you mean that it is the most basic part of it. ❑ Fish and rice were the mainstays of the country’s diet. ❑ This principle of collective bargaining has been a mainstay in labor relations in this country.

main|stream /meinstri m/ (mainstreams) n-count [usu sing] People, activities, or ideas that are part of the mainstream are regarded as the most typical, normal, and conventional because they belong to the same group or system as most others of their kind. ❑ …people outside the economic mainstream. ❑ The show wanted to attract a mainstream audience.

main|stream me|dia n-sing [with sing or pl verb]

The mainstream media refers to conventional newspapers, television and other news sources that most people know about and regard as reliable. ❑ We have seen how the mainstream media uniformly support the official government line on this. ❑ The story got little mainstream media coverage. ➞ See feature box at press Main Street n-proper In small towns in the United States, the street where most of the shops are is often called Main Street n-uncount Main Street is used by journalists to refer to the ordinary people of America who live in small towns rather than big cities or are not very rich. [am] ❑ This financial crisis had a much greater impact on Main Street. main|tain /meintein/ (maintains, maintaining, maintained) B2 verb If you maintain something, you continue to have it, and do not let it stop or grow weaker. ❑ [v n] The Department maintains many close contacts with the chemical industry. verb If you say that someone maintains that something is true, you mean that they have stated their opinion strongly but not everyone agrees with them or believes them. ❑ [v that] He has maintained that the money was donated for international purposes. ❑ [v with quote] ‘Not all feminism has to be like this,’ Jo maintains. ❑ [v n] He had always maintained his innocence. B2 verb If you maintain something at a particular rate or level, you keep it at that rate or level. ❑ [v n + at] The government was right to maintain interest rates at a high level. B2 verb If you maintain a road, building, vehicle, or machine, you keep it in good condition by regularly checking it and repairing it when necessary. ❑ [v n] The house costs a fortune to maintain. ❑ [v-ed] The cars are getting older and less well-maintained. verb If you maintain someone, you provide them with money and other things that they need. ❑ [v n] …the basic costs of maintaining a child. ➞ See feature box at urban synonyms

retain: The interior of the shop still retains a nineteenth-century atmosphere. preserve: We will do everything to preserve peace. sustain: The parameters within which life can be sustained on Earth are extraordinarily narrow. keep up: There will be a major incentive among TV channels to keep standards up.

assert: The defendants, who continue to assert their innocence, are expected to appeal. state: ‘Our relationship is totally platonic,’ she stated. claim: He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him. contend: The government contends that he is fundamentalist. profess: Why do organisations profess that they care?

main|te|nance /meintinəns/ B2 n-uncount The maintenance of a building, vehicle, road, or machine is the process of keeping it in good condition by regularly checking it and repairing it when necessary. ❑ …maintenance work on government buildings. ❑ The window had been replaced last week during routine maintenance. n-uncount Maintenance is money that someone gives regularly to another person to pay for the things that the person needs. ❑ …the government’s plan to make absent fathers pay maintenance for their children. n-uncount If you ensure the maintenance of a state or process, you make

sure that it continues. ❑ [+ of] …the maintenance of peace and stability in Asia.

mai|son|ette /meizənet/ (maisonettes) n-count A maisonette is a flat that usually has a separate door to the outside from other flats in the same building. Many maisonettes are on two floors. [brit]

maize /meiz/ n-uncount Maize is a tall plant which produces long objects covered with yellow seeds called sweetcorn. It is often grown as a food crop. [mainly brit] ❑ …vast fields of maize.

in am, usually use corn

Maj n-title Maj is a written abbreviation for major when it is used as a title. ❑ …Maj D B Lee.

ma|jes|tic /məd estik/ adj If you describe something or someone as majestic, you think they are very beautiful, dignified, and impressive. ❑ …a majestic country home that once belonged to the Astor family. ● ma|jes|ti|cal|ly /məd estikli/ adv [usu adv with v, oft adv adj] ❑ Fuji is a majestically beautiful mountain.

maj|es|ty /m d isti/ (majesties) n-count You use majesty in expressions such as Your Majesty or Her Majesty when you are addressing or referring to a King or Queen. [politeness]

❑ His Majesty requests your presence in the royal chambers.

n-uncount Majesty is the quality of being beautiful, dignified, and impressive. ❑ …the majesty of the mainland mountains. ma|jor /meid ə / (majors, majoring, majored) B2 adj [adj n] You use major when you want to describe something that is more important, serious, or significant than other things in a group or situation. ❑ The major factor in the decision to stay or to leave was usually professional. ❑ Studies show that stress can also be a major problem. ❑ Exercise has a major part to play in preventing and combating disease. n-count; n-title A major is an officer of middle rank in the British army or the United States army, air force, or marines. ❑ …Major Alan Bulman.

n-count [oft poss n] At a university or college in the United States, a student’s major is the main subject that they are studying. n-count [n n] At a university or college in the United States, if a student is, for example, a geology major, geology is the main subject they are studying. ❑ She was named the outstanding undergraduate history major at the University of Oklahoma. verb If a student at a university or college in the United States majors in a particular subject, that subject is the main one they study. ❑ [v + in] He majored in finance at Claremont Men’s College in California. adj [n adj, adj n] In music, a major scale is one in which the third note is two tones higher than the first. ❑ …Mozart’s Symphony No 35 in D Major. n-count [oft n n] A major is a large or important company. [business] ❑ Oil majors need not fear being unable to sell their crude. n-plural The majors are groups of professional sports teams that compete against each other, especially in American baseball. [mainly am] ❑ I knew what I could do in the minor leagues, I just wanted a chance to prove myself in the majors. n-count A major is an important sporting competition, especially in golf or tennis. ❑ Sarazen became the first golfer to win all four majors. ➞ See feature box at global warming synonyms

major

adj

vital: The port is vital to supply relief to millions of drought victims. critical: He says setting priorities is of critical importance. important: The planned general strike represents an important economic challenge to the government. significant: I think it was significant that he never knew his own father.

ma|jor|ette /meid əret/ (majorettes) n-count A majorette is one of a group of girls or young women who march at the front of a musical band in a procession.

ma|jor gen|er|al (major generals) also major-general n-count; n-title In Britain, a major general is a senior officer in the army. In the United States, a major general is a senior officer in the army, air force, or marines.

ma|jor|ity /məd ɒriti, am -d ɔ r-/ (majorities) B2 n-sing [with sing or pl verb, usu sing] The majority of people

or things in a group is more than half of them. ❑ [+ of] The vast majority of our cheeses are made with pasteurised milk. ❑ Still, a majority continue to support the treaty. ● phrase If a group is in a majority or in the majority, they form more than half of a larger group. ❑ Surveys indicate that supporters of the treaty are still in the majority. n-count A majority is the difference between the number of votes or seats in parliament or legislature that the winner gets in an election, and the number of votes or seats that the next person or party gets. ❑ Members of Parliament approved the move by a majority of ninety-nine. ❑ According to most opinion polls, he is set to win a clear majority. B2 adj [adj n] Majority is used to describe opinions, decisions, and systems of government that are supported by more than half the people involved. ❑ …her continuing disagreement with the majority view. ❑ A majority vote of 75% is required from shareholders for the plan to go ahead. n-uncount [oft with poss] Majority is the state of legally being an adult. In Britain and most states in the United States, people reach their majority at the age of eighteen. ❑ The age of majority in Romania is eighteen. ➞ see also absolute majority, moral majority ma|jor league (major leagues) n-plural The major leagues are groups of professional sports teams that compete against each other, especially in American baseball. ❑ Chandler was instrumental in making Jackie Robinson the first black player in the major leagues. adj [usu adj n] Major league means connected with the major leagues in baseball. ❑ …a town with no major league baseball. adj Major league people or institutions are important or successful. ❑ James Hawes’s first film boasts major-league stars. phrase If someone moves into the major league or makes it into the major league, they become very successful in their career. [journalism] ❑ Once a girl has made it into the major league every detail is mapped out by her agency.

make

CARRYING OUT AN ACTION

CAUSING OR CHANGING

CREATING OR PRODUCING

LINK VERB USES

ACHIEVING OR REACHING

STATING AN AMOUNT OR TIME

PHRASAL VERBS

make /meik/ (makes, making, made)

Make is used in a large number of expressions which are explained under other words in this dictionary. For example, the expression ‘to make sense’ is explained at ‘sense’.

A2 verb You can use make with a wide range of nouns to indicate that someone performs an action or says something. For example, if you make a suggestion, you suggest something. ❑ [v n] I’d just like to make a comment. ❑ [v n] I made a few phone calls. ❑ [v n] I think you’re making a serious mistake. verb You can use make with certain nouns to indicate that someone does something well or badly. For example, if you make a success of something, you do it successfully, and if you make a mess of something, you do it very badly. ❑ [v n + of] Apparently he made a mess of his audition. ❑ [v n + of] Are you really going to make a better job of it this time? verb If you make as if to do something or make to do something, you behave in a way that makes it seem that you are just about to do it. [written] ❑ [v as if to-inf] Mary made as if to protest, then hesitated. ❑ [v to-inf] He made to chase Davey, who ran back laughing. verb In cricket, if a player makes a particular number of runs, they score that number of runs. In baseball or American football, if a player makes a particular score, they achieve that score. ❑ [v amount] He made 1,972 runs for the county. phrase If you make do with something, you use or have it instead of something else that you do not have, although it is not as good. ❑ Why make do with a copy if you can afford the genuine article? phrase If you make like you are doing something, you act as if you are doing it, and if you make like someone, you act as if you are that person.

[informal] ❑ Bob makes like he’s a fish blowing bubbles. make /meik/ (makes, making, made) B1+ verb If something makes you do something, it causes you to do it.

❑ [v n inf] Grit from the highway made him cough. ❑ [be v-ed to-inf]

I was made to feel guilty and irresponsible. B1+ verb If you make someone do something, you force them to do it. ❑ [v n inf] You

can’t make me do anything. ❑ [be v-ed to-inf] They were made to pay $8.8 million in taxes. B1+ verb You use make to talk about causing someone or something to be a particular thing or to have a particular quality. For example, to make someone a star means to cause them to become a star, and to make someone angry means to cause them to become angry.

❑ [v n n] …James Bond, the role that made him a star. ❑ [v n adj] She made life very difficult for me. ❑ [v n adj that] She’s made it obvious that she’s appalled by me. ❑ [v n adj to-inf] Rationing has made it easier to find some products like eggs, butter and meat. ❑ [v n + of] Does your film make a hero of Jim Garrison? B1+ verb If you say that one thing or person makes another seem, for example, small, stupid, or good, you mean that they cause them to seem small, stupid, or good in comparison, even though they are not. ❑ [v n inf] It can be argued that having such a good team to captain would make anyone appear a good leader. verb If you make yourself understood, heard, or known, you succeed in getting people to understand you, hear you, or know that you are there. ❑ [v pron-refl -ed] Aron couldn’t speak Polish. I made myself understood with difficulty. B2 verb If you make someone something, you appoint them to a particular job, role, or position. ❑ [v n n] Mr Blair made him transport minister.

B2 verb If you make something into something else, you change it in some way so that it becomes that other thing.

❑ [v n + into] We made it into a beautiful home. verb To make a total or score a particular amount means to increase it to that amount. ❑ [v n amount] This makes the total cost of the bulb and energy £27. B1+ verb When someone makes a friend or an enemy, someone becomes their friend or their enemy, often because of a particular thing they have done. ❑ [v n] Lorenzo was a natural leader who made friends easily. ❑ [v n + of] He was unruly in class and made an enemy of most of his teachers. phrase If someone makes something of themselves or makes something of their life, they become successful. ❑ My father lived long enough to see that I’d made something of myself. ❑ The nuns who taught him urged him to make something of his life and he did. to make friends ➞ see friend

make /meik/ (makes, making, made) A1 verb To make something means to produce, construct, or create it.

❑ [v n] She made her own bread. ❑ [have n v-ed] Having curtains made professionally can be costly. ❑ [v n + from/out of] They make compost out of all kinds of waste. A1 verb If someone makes a film or television programme, they are involved in creating or producing it. ❑ [v n] We are making a film about wildlife. ❑ [v-ed] …the film ‘Queen Christina’, made in 1934. A1 verb If you make a meal or a drink, you prepare it. ❑ [v n] You wash while I make some lunch. ❑ [v n n] Would you like me to make us all a coffee?

B1 verb If you make a note or list, you write something down in that form. ❑ [v n] Mr Perry made a note in his book. ❑ [v n] Make a list of your questions beforehand. verb If you make rules or laws, you decide what these should be. ❑ [v n] The police don’t make the laws, they merely enforce them. A2 verb If you make money, you get it by working for it, by selling something, or by winning it. ❑ [v n] I think every business’s goal is to make money. ❑ [v n + out of/from] Can it be moral to make so much money out of a commodity which is essential to life? verb If something makes something else, it is responsible for the success of that thing. ❑ [v n] What really makes the book are the beautiful designs. n-count The make of something such as a car or radio is the name of the company that made it. ❑ …a certain make of wristwatch. phrase If you say that someone is on the make, you disapprove of them because they are trying to get a lot of money or power, possibly by illegal or immoral methods. [disapproval]

make /meik/ (makes, making, made) v-link You can use make to say that someone or something has the right qualities for a particular task or role. For example, if you say that someone will make a good politician, you mean that they have the right qualities to be a good politician. ❑ [v n] You’ve a very good idea there. It will make a good book. ❑ [v n n] I’m very fond of Maurice and I’d make him a good partner. v-link If people make a particular pattern such as a line or a circle, they arrange themselves in this way. ❑ [v n] A group of people made a circle around the Pentagon. v-link You can use make to say what two numbers add up to. ❑ [v amount] Four twos make eight. make /meik/ (makes, making, made) verb If someone

makes a particular team or makes a particular high position, they do so well that they are put in that team or get that position. ❑ [v n] The athletes are just happy to make the British team. ❑ [v n] He knew he was never going to make director. verb If you make a place in or by a particular time, you get there in or by that time, often with some difficulty. ❑ [v n prep] They were trying to make New Orleans by nightfall. B1 phrase If you make it somewhere, you succeed in getting there, especially in time to do something. ❑ …the hostages who never made it home. ❑ I just made it! B2 phrase If you make it, you are successful in achieving something difficult, or in surviving through a very difficult period. ❑ I believe I have the talent to make it.

B2 phrase If you cannot make it, you are unable to attend an event that you have been invited to. ❑ He hadn’t been able to make it to our dinner.

make /meik/ (makes, making, made) verb You use make it when saying what you calculate or guess an amount to be. ❑ [v n] All I want to know is how many T-shirts Jim Martin has got. I make it three. verb You use make it when saying what time your watch says it is. ❑ [v n n] I make it nearly 9.30. ❑ [v n n]

‘What time d’you make it?’—‘Thirteen past.’

make /meik/ (makes, making, made)

Ü make for phrasal verb If you make for a place, you move towards it. ❑ [v p n] He rose from his seat and made for the door. phrasal verb If something makes for another thing, it causes or helps to cause that thing to happen or exist.

[informal] ❑ [v p n] A happy parent makes for a happy child.

Ü make of phrasal verb If you ask a person what they make of something, you want to know what their impression, opinion, or understanding of it is. ❑ [v p n] Nancy wasn’t sure what to make of Mick’s apology.

Ü make off phrasal verb If you make off, you leave somewhere as quickly as possible, often in order to escape. ❑ [v p] They broke free and made off in a stolen car.

Ü make off with phrasal verb If you make off with something, you steal it and take it away with you. ❑ [v p p n] Masked robbers broke in and made off with $8,000.

Ü make out B2 phrasal verb If you make something out, you manage with difficulty to see or hear it. ❑ [v p n] I could just make out a tall, pale, shadowy figure tramping through the undergrowth. ❑ [v n p] She thought she heard a name. She couldn’t make it out, though. ❑ [v p wh] I heard the voices, but couldn’t make out what they were saying. B2 phrasal verb If you try to make something out, you try to understand it or decide whether or not it is true. ❑ [v n p] I couldn’t make it out at all. ❑ [v p wh] It is hard to make out what criteria are used. ❑ [v p] This was, as far as I can make out, the only time he’s had proper employment. phrasal verb If you make out that something is the case or make something out to be the case, you try to cause people to believe that it is the case. ❑ [v p that] They were trying to make out that I’d actually done it. ❑ [v n p to-inf] I don’t think it was as glorious as everybody made it out to be. ❑ [v p] He was never half as bad as his teachers made out. phrasal verb If you make out a case for something, you try to establish or prove that it is the best thing to do.

❑ [v p n + for/against] You could certainly make out a case for this point of view. [Also v n p] phrasal verb When you make out a cheque, receipt, or order form, you write all the necessary information on it. ❑ [v n p + to] If you would like to send a donation, you can make a cheque out to Feed the Children. ❑ [v p n] I’m going to make out a receipt for you. phrasal verb If two people are making out, they are engaged in sexual activity. [mainly am, informal] ❑ …pictures of the couple making out on the beach.

[Also v p + with]

Ü make over phrasal verb If you make something over to someone, you legally transfer the ownership of it to them.

❑ [v p to n n] John had made over to him most of the land. ❑ [v n p to n] They moved on to a larger farm and in time made it over to Francis.

Ü make up phrasal verb The people or things that make up something are the members or parts that form that thing.

❑ [v p n] UK shoppers make up the largest percentage of foreign buyers.

❑ [be v-ed p + of] Insects are made up of tens of thousands of proteins.

[Also v n p] B2 phrasal verb If you make up something such as a story or excuse, you invent it, sometimes in order to deceive people. ❑ [v p n] I think it’s very unkind of you to make up stories about him. ❑ [v n p] I’m not making it up. The character exists in real life. phrasal verb If you make yourself up or if someone

else makes you up, make-up such as powder or lipstick is put on your face. ❑ [v n p] She spent too much time making herself up.

❑ [v n p] She chose Maggie to make her up for her engagement photographs. ❑ [v p n] I can’t be bothered to make up my face.

phrasal verb If you make up an amount, you add something to it so that it is as large as it should be. ❑ [v p n] We can’t cover our costs, and rely on donors to make up the difference. ❑ [v n p] The team had six professionals and made the number up with five amateurs.

❑ [v n p + to] For every £100 you save, I will make it up to £125. B2 phrasal verb If you make up time or hours, you work some extra hours because you have previously taken some time off work. ❑ [v p n] They’ll have to make up time lost during the strike.

[Also v n p] phrasal verb If two people make up or make it up after a quarrel or disagreement, they become friends again. ❑ [v p] She came back and they made up. ❑ [v p n] They never made up the quarrel. ❑ [v p + with] They should make up with their ex-enemy in the West. ❑ [v n p + with] I’ll make it up with him again. phrasal verb If you make up something such as food or medicine, you prepare it by mixing or putting different things together. ❑ [v p n] Prepare the souffle dish before making up the souffle mixture. [Also v n p] phrasal verb If you make up a bed, you put sheets and blankets on it so that someone can sleep there. ❑ [v p n] Her mother made up a bed in her old room. Ü make up for B2 phrasal verb To make up for a bad experience or the loss of something means to make the situation better or make the person involved happier.

❑ [v p p n] Ask for an extra compensation payment to make up for the stress you have been caused.

Ü make up to phrasal verb If you say that you will make it up to someone, you are promising that you will do something good for them after they have been upset or disappointed, especially by you. ❑ [v n p p n] I’ll make it up to you, I promise.

❑ [v n p p n + for] I must make it up to him for the awful intrusion of last night.

make-believe n-uncount If someone is living in a make-believe world, they are pretending that things are better, different, or more exciting than they really are instead of facing up to reality. [disapproval] ❑ …the glamorous make-believe world of show business. n-uncount You use make-believe to refer to the activity involved when a child plays a game in which they pretend something, for example that they are someone else. ❑ She used to play games of make-believe with her elder sister. ❑ …his make-believe playmate. adj You use make-believe to describe things, for example in a play or film, that imitate or copy something real, but which are not what they appear to be. ❑ The violence in those films was too unreal, it was make-believe. make|over /meikoυvə / (makeovers) n-count If a person or room is given a makeover, their appearance is improved, usually by an expert. ❑ She received a cosmetic makeover at a beauty salon as a birthday gift. n-count If an organization or system is given a makeover, important changes are made in order to improve it. ❑ The biggest makeover has been in TV drama. mak|er /meikə / (makers) B2 n-count The maker of a product is the firm that manufactures it. ❑ …Japan’s two largest car makers. B2 n-count You can refer to the person who makes something as its maker ❑ …the makers of news and current affairs programmes. ➞ see also peacemaker synonyms

maker

noun

manufacturer: …the world’s largest doll manufacturer. producer: The estate is generally a producer of high quality wines. creator: I have always believed that a garden dies with its creator. make|shift /meikʃift/ adj [usu adj n] Makeshift things are temporary and usually of poor quality, but they are used because there is nothing better available. ❑ …the cardboard boxes and makeshift shelters of the homeless. make-up also makeup A2 n-uncount Make-up consists of things such as lipstick, eye shadow, and powder which some women put on their faces to make themselves look more attractive or which actors use to change or improve their appearance. ❑ Normally she wore little make-up. n-uncount [usu poss n] Someone’s make-up is their nature and the various qualities in their character. ❑ There was some fatal flaw in his makeup. n-uncount The make-up of something

consists of its different parts and the way these parts are arranged. ❑ [+ of] The ideological make-up of the unions is now radically different from what it had been. make|weight /meikweit/ (makeweights) n-count If you describe someone or something as a makeweight, you think that they are not good or valuable and that they have been included in an activity in order to fill up a gap. [disapproval] ❑ He has not been signed to the club as a makeweight to fill out the numbers.

mak|ing /meikiŋ/ (makings) B2 n-uncount [n n] The making of something is the act or process of producing or creating it. ❑ [+ of] …Salamon’s book about the making of this movie. phrase If you describe a person or thing as something in the making, you mean that they are going to become known or recognized as that thing. ❑ Her drama teacher is confident Julie is a star in the making. phrase If something is the making of a person or thing, it is the reason that they become successful or become very much better than they used to be. ❑ This discovery may yet be the making of him. phrase If you say that a person or thing has the makings of something, you mean it seems possible or likely that they will become that thing, as they have the necessary qualities. ❑ Godfrey had the makings of a successful journalist. phrase If you say that something such as a problem you have is of your own making, you mean you have caused or created it yourself. ❑ Some of the university’s financial troubles are of its own making.

prefix

malforms words that refer to things that are bad or unpleasant, or that are unsuccessful or imperfect. For example, malware is a type of computer program that damages a computer.

mal|ad|just|ed /m ləd stid/ adj If you describe a child as maladjusted, you mean that they have psychological problems and behave in a way which is not acceptable to society. ❑ …a school for maladjusted children.

mal|ad|min|is|tra|tion /m l dministreiʃən/ n-uncount Maladministration is the act or process of running a system or organization incorrectly. [formal] ❑ …a request to investigate a claim about maladministration.

mala|droit /m lədrɔit/ adj If you describe someone as maladroit, you mean that they are clumsy or handle situations badly. [formal] ❑ Some of his first interviews with the press were rather maladroit.

mala|dy /m lədi/ (maladies) n-count A malady is an illness or disease. [old-fashioned] ❑ He was stricken at twenty-one with a crippling malady. n-count In written English, people sometimes use maladies to refer to serious problems in a society or situation. ❑ When apartheid is over the maladies will linger on.

ma|laise /m leiz/ n-uncount Malaise is a state in which there is something wrong with a society or group, for which there does not seem to be a quick or easy solution. [formal] ❑ There is no easy short-term solution to Britain’s chronic economic malaise. n-uncount Malaise is a state in which people feel dissatisfied or unhappy but feel unable to change, usually because they do not know what is wrong. [formal] ❑ He complained of depression, headaches and malaise.

ma|laria /məleəriə/ n-uncount Malaria is a serious disease carried by mosquitoes which causes periods of fever.

malaria

word history

The word malaria come from early Italian mal, meaning ‘bad’ and aria, meaning ‘air’. People used to think that the bad air coming from the swamps around Rome caused this particular fever. We now know that it’s the mosquitoes that inhabit this type of area which are to blame.

ma|lar|ial /məleəriəl/ adj [usu adj n] You can use malarial to refer to things connected with malaria or areas which are affected by malaria. ❑ …malarial parasites.

Ma|lay /məlei/ (Malays) B2 adj [usu adj n] Malay means belonging or relating to the people, language, or culture of the largest racial group in Malaysia. B2 n-count A Malay

is a member of the largest racial group in Malaysia. B2 n-uncount Malay is a language that is spoken in Malaysia and in parts of Indonesia.

Ma|lay|sian /məlei ən/ (Malaysians) B2 adj Malaysian means belonging or relating to Malaysia, or to its people or culture. B2 n-count A Malaysian is a person who comes from Malaysia.

mal|con|tent /m lkəntent/ (malcontents) n-count [usu pl] You can describe people as malcontents when you disapprove of the fact that they are dissatisfied with a situation and want it to change. [formal, disapproval] ❑ Five years ago a band of malcontents, mainly half-educated radicals, seized power.

male /meil/ (males) B1 adj Someone who is male is a man or a boy. ❑ It was the first new prison for adult male prisoners to be opened in Scotland for 60 years. ❑ Most of the demonstrators were White and male. ● male|ness n-uncount ❑ …the solidarity among men which is part of maleness. B2 n-count Men and boys are sometimes referred to as males when they are being considered as a type. ❑ A high proportion of crime is perpetrated by young males in their teens and twenties. B2 adj [adj n] Male means relating, belonging, or affecting men rather than women. ❑ Women entered the workforce in greater numbers and male unemployment rose. ❑ …a deep male voice. B2 n-count You can refer to any creature that belongs to the sex that cannot lay eggs or have babies as a male. ❑ Males and females take turns brooding the eggs. ● B1 adj Male is also an adjective. ❑ After mating the male wasps tunnel through the sides of their nursery. male chau|vin|ism n-uncount If you accuse a man of male chauvinism, you disapprove of him because his beliefs and behaviour show that he thinks men are naturally superior to women. [disapproval]

male chau|vin|ist (male chauvinists) adj [usu adj n] If you describe an attitude or remark as male chauvinist, you are critical of it because you think it is based on the belief that men are naturally superior to women. [disapproval] ❑ The male chauvinist attitude of some people in the company could get you down. ● n-count A male chauvinist is a man who has male chauvinist views. ❑ I’m not a male chauvinist.

male-dominated adj [usu adj n] A male-dominated society, organization, or area of activity is one in which men have most of the power and influence. ❑ …the male-dominated world of journalism.

mal|efac|tor /m lif ktə / (malefactors) n-count A malefactor is someone who has done something bad or illegal. [formal] ❑ …a well-known criminal lawyer who had saved many a malefactor from going to jail.

ma|levo|lent /m levələnt/ adj A malevolent person deliberately tries to cause harm or evil. [formal] ❑ Her stare was malevolent, her mouth a thin line. ● ma|levo|lence n-uncount ❑ …a rare streak of malevolence. ● ma|levo|lent|ly adv ❑ Mark watched him malevolently.

mal|for|ma|tion /m lfɔ meiʃən/ (malformations) n-count A malformation in a person’s body is a part which does not have the proper shape or form, especially when it has been like this since birth. [written] ❑ …babies with a high incidence of congenital malformations.

mal|formed /m lfɔ md/ adj If people or parts of their body are malformed, they do not have the shape or form that they are supposed to, especially when they have been like this since birth. [formal] ❑ …malformed babies. ❑ More rarely, the tubes have been malformed from birth.

mal|func|tion /m lf ŋkʃən/ (malfunctions, malfunctioning, malfunctioned) verb If a machine or part of the body malfunctions, it fails to work properly. [formal] ❑ [v] The radiation can damage microprocessors and computer memories, causing them to malfunction. ● n-count Malfunction is also a noun.

❑ There must have been a computer malfunction.

mal|ice /m lis/ n-uncount Malice is behaviour that is intended to harm people or their reputations, or cause them embarrassment and upset. ❑ There was a strong current of malice in many of his portraits.

ma|li|cious /məliʃəs/ adj If you describe someone’s words or actions as malicious, you mean that they are intended to harm people or their reputation, or cause them embarrassment and upset. ❑ That might merely have been malicious gossip.

● ma|li|cious|ly adv [usu adv with v, oft adv adj] ❑ …his maliciously accurate imitation of Hubert de Burgh. ➞ See feature box at truth

ma|lign /məlain/ (maligns, maligning, maligned) verb If you malign someone, you say unpleasant and untrue things about them. [formal] ❑ [v n] We maligned him dreadfully when you come to think of it. adj [adj n] If something is malign, it causes harm. [formal] ❑ …the malign influence jealousy had on their lives. ➞ see also much-maligned

ma|lig|nan|cy /məli nənsi/ (malignancies) n-var A tumour or disease in a state of malignancy is out of control and is likely to cause death. [medical] ❑ Tissue that is removed during the operation is checked for signs of malignancy.

ma|lig|nant /məli nənt/ adj [usu adj n] A malignant tumour or disease is out of control and likely to cause death. [medical] ❑ She developed a malignant breast tumour. adj If you say that someone is malignant, you think they are cruel and like to cause harm. ❑ He said that we were evil, malignant and mean. ma|lin|ger /məliŋ ə / (malingers, malingering, malingered) verb [usu cont] If someone is malingering, they pretend to be ill in order to avoid working. [disapproval] ❑ [v] She was told by her doctor that she was malingering. mall /mɔ l, m l/ (malls) B1 n-count A mall is a very large enclosed shopping area.

mal|lard /m lɑ d/ (mallards) n-count A mallard is a kind of wild duck which is very common.

mal|le|able /m liəbəl/ adj If you say that someone is malleable, you mean that they are easily influenced or controlled by other people. [written] ❑ She was young enough to be malleable. adj A substance that is malleable is soft and can easily be made into different shapes. ❑ Gold is the most malleable of all metals.

mal|let /m lit/ (mallets) n-count A mallet is a wooden hammer with a square head.

mall rat (mall rats) n-count Mall rats are young people who spend a lot of time hanging around in shopping malls with their friends. [am, disapproval]

mal|nour|ished /m ln riʃt/ adj [usu v-link adj] If someone is malnourished, they are physically weak because they do not eat enough food or do not eat the right kind of food.

❑ About thirty per-cent of the country’s children were malnourished. mal|nu|tri|tion /m lnju triʃən, am -nu -/ n-uncount If someone is suffering from malnutrition, they are physically weak and extremely thin because they have not eaten enough food. ❑ Infections are more likely in those suffering from malnutrition. ➞ See feature box at poverty

mal|odor|ous /m loυdərəs/ adj [usu adj n] Something that is malodorous has an unpleasant smell. [literary] ❑ …tons of malodorous garbage bags.

mal|prac|tice /m lpr ktis/ (malpractices) n-var [oft n n]

If you accuse someone of malpractice, you are accusing them of breaking the law or the rules of their profession in order to gain some advantage for themselves. [formal] ❑ There were only one or two serious allegations of malpractice. ❑ …alleged financial malpractices.

malt /mɔ lt/ (malts) n-uncount Malt is a substance made from grain that has been soaked in water and then dried in a hot oven. Malt is used in the production of whisky, beer, and other alcoholic drinks. ❑ German beer has traditionally been made from just four ingredients – hops, malt, yeast and water. n-count A malt is a drink made from malted milk and sometimes other flavourings. [am]

malt|ed /mɔ ltid/ adj [adj n] Malted barley has been soaked in water and then dried in a hot oven. It is used in the production of whisky, beer, and other alcoholic drinks.

Mal|tese /mɒlti z/ (Maltese) B2 adj [usu adj n] Maltese means belonging or relating to Malta, or to its people, language, or culture. B2 n-count A Maltese is a person who comes from Malta. B2 n-uncount Maltese is a language spoken in Malta.

mal|treat /m ltri t/ (maltreats, maltreating, maltreated) verb [usu passive] If a person or animal is maltreated, they are treated badly, especially by being hurt. ❑ [be v-ed] He said that he was not tortured or maltreated during his detention.

mal|treat|ment /m ltri tmənt/ n-uncount Maltreatment is cruel behaviour, especially involving hurting a person or animal. ❑ [+ of] 2,000 prisoners died as a result of torture and maltreatment.

malt whis|ky (malt whiskies) n-var Malt whisky or malt is whisky that is made from malt.

mal|ware /m lweə / n-uncount Malware is a type of computer program that is designed to damage or disrupt a computer. [computing] ❑ Hackers conceal malware in pop-up windows. ➞ See feature box at email

mam /m m/ (mams) n-count Mam is used to mean mother. You can call your mam ‘Mam’. [brit, dialect] ❑ You sit here and rest, Mam.

mama /məmɑ / (mamas) n-count Mama means the same as mother. You can call your mama ‘Mama’. [brit, old-fashioned]

mam|ma /mɑ mə/ (mammas) also mama n-count

Mamma means the same as mother. You can call your mamma ‘Mamma’. [am, informal]

mam|mal /m məl/ (mammals) n-count Mammals are animals such as humans, dogs, lions, and whales. In general, female mammals give birth to babies rather than laying eggs, and feed their young with milk. ➞ See feature box at animal

mam|ma|lian /m meiliən/ adj [adj n] In zoology, mammalian means relating to mammals. [technical] ❑ The disease can spread from one mammalian species to another.

mam|ma|ry /m məri/ adj [adj n] Mammary means relating to the breasts. [technical] ❑ …the mammary glands.

mam|mo|gram /m mə r m/ (mammograms) n-count

A mammogram is a test used to check for breast cancer using x-rays.

Mam|mon /m mən/ n-uncount You can use Mammon to refer to money and business activities if you want to show your disapproval of people who think that becoming rich is the most important thing in life. [disapproval] ❑ It is not every day that one meets a business-person who is not obsessed with Mammon.

mam|moth /m məθ/ (mammoths) adj [usu adj n] You can use mammoth to emphasize that a task or change is very large and needs a lot of effort to achieve. [emphasis] ❑ …the mammoth task of relocating the library. n-count A mammoth was an animal like an elephant, with very long tusks and long hair, that lived a long time ago but no longer exists.

mam|my /m mi/ (mammies) n-count In some dialects of English, mammy is used to mean mother. You can call your mammy ‘Mammy’. [informal]

man /m n/ (men, mans, manning, manned) A1

n-count A man is an adult male human being. ❑ He had not expected the young man to reappear before evening. ❑ …the thousands of men, women and children who are facing starvation. B2 n-var Man and men are sometimes used to refer to all human beings, including both males and females. Many people prefer to avoid this use. ❑ The chick initially has no fear of man.

n-count If you say that a man is, for example, a gambling man or an outdoors man, you mean that he likes gambling or outdoor activities. ❑ Are you a gambling man, Mr Graham?

n-count If you say that a man is, for example, a London man or an Oxford man, you mean that he comes from London or Oxford, or went to university there. ❑ …as the Stockport man collected his winnings. n-count If you refer to a particular company’s or organization’s man, you mean a man who works for or represents that company or organization.

[journalism] ❑ …the Daily Telegraph’s man in Abu Dhabi. n-sing Some people refer to someone’s husband, lover, or boyfriend as their man. [informal] n-plural In the armed forces, the men are soldiers, sailors, marines, or airmen of lower rank, as opposed to the officers. ❑ 150 officers and men had to be taken straight to hospital. ❑ …a drill sergeant who would work with the men at least one hour every morning. n-count In very informal social situations, man is sometimes used as a greeting or form of address to a man. [formulae] ❑ Hey wow, man! Where d’you get those boots? verb If you man something such as a place or machine, you operate it or are in charge of it.

❑ [v n] …the person manning the phone at the complaints department.

❑ [be v-ed] The station is seldom manned in the evening. ➞ see

also manned, ladies’ man, no-man’s land phrase If you say that a man is man enough to do something, you mean that he has the necessary courage or ability to do it. ❑ I told him that he should be man enough to admit he had done wrong. phrase If you describe a man as a man’s man, you mean that he has qualities which make him popular with other men rather than with women. phrase If you say that a man is his own man, you approve of the fact that he makes his decisions and his plans himself, and does not depend on other people.

[approval] ❑ Be your own man. Make up your own mind. phrase If you say that a group of men are, do, or think something to a man, you are emphasizing that every one of them is, does, or thinks that thing. [emphasis] ❑ To a man, the surveyors blamed the government. phrase A man-to-man conversation or meeting takes place between two men, especially two men who meet to discuss a serious personal matter. ❑ He called me to his office for a man-to-man talk. ❑ Me and Ben should sort this out man to man. the man in the street ➞ see street man of the world ➞ see world

Ü man up phrasal verb If you man up, you start to be more brave in the way that you deal with a situation. ❑ [v p] You need to man up and confront them.

-man /-m n/ comb [adj n] -man combines with numbers to make adjectives which indicate that something involves or is intended for that number of people. ❑ …the four-man crew on board the fishing trawler. ❑ …a two-man tent.

mana|cle /m nəkəl/ (manacles, manacling, manacled) n-count [usu pl] Manacles are metal devices attached to a prisoner’s wrists or legs in order to prevent him or her from moving or escaping. verb [usu passive] If a prisoner is manacled, their wrists or legs are put in manacles in order to prevent them from moving or escaping. ❑ [be v-ed prep/adv] His hands were manacled behind his back. ❑ [be v-ed] He was manacled by the police.

man|age /m nid / (manages, managing, managed)

B1 verb If you manage an organization, business, or system, or the people who work in it, you are responsible for controlling them. ❑ [v n] Within two years he was managing the store. ❑ [be v-ed] Most factories in the area are obsolete and badly managed. ❑ [v n] There is a lack of confidence in the government’s ability to manage the economy. verb If you manage time, money, or other resources, you deal with them carefully and do not waste them. ❑ [v n] In a busy world, managing your time is increasingly important. ❑ [v n] Josh expects me to manage all the household expenses on very little. B1 verb If you manage to do something, especially something difficult, you succeed in doing it. ❑ [v to-inf] Somehow, he’d managed to persuade Kay to buy one for him. ❑ [v n] Over the past 12 months the company has managed a 10 per cent improvement. B1 verb If you manage, you succeed in coping with a difficult situation. ❑ [v] She had managed perfectly well without medication for three years. ❑ [v] I am managing, but I could not possibly give up work. verb If you say that you can manage an amount of time or money for something, you mean that you can afford to spend that time or money on it. ❑ [v n] ‘All right, I can manage a fiver,’ McMinn said with reluctance. verb If you say that someone managed a particular response, such as a laugh or a greeting, you mean that it was difficult for them to do it because they were feeling sad or upset. ❑ [v n] He looked dazed as he spoke to reporters, managing only a weak smile. convention You say ‘I can manage’ or ‘I’ll manage’ as a way of refusing someone’s offer of help and insisting on doing something by yourself.

❑ I know you mean well, but I can manage by myself.

man|age|able /m nid əbəl/ adj Something that is manageable is of a size, quantity, or level of difficulty that people are able to deal with. ❑ He will now try to cut down the task to a manageable size. ❑ The present flow of refugees was manageable. man|age|ment /m nid mənt/ (managements)

B2 n-uncount Management is the control and organizing of a business or other organization. ❑ The zoo needed better management rather than more money. ❑ [+ of] The dispute is about wages, working conditions and the management of the mining industry. ❑ …the responsibility for its day-to-day management.

B2 n-var [with sing or pl verb] You can refer to the people who control and organize a business or other organization as the management. [business] ❑ The management is doing its