DICTIONARY
5th EDITION
For intermediate learners of English
Collins
Pronunciation
In this dictionary the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is used to show how the words are pronounced. The symbols used in the International Phonetic Alphabet are shown in the table below. In written English, the same sound can be shown by more than one letter or combination of letters. This can make spelling difficult in English.
IPA symbols
Vowel Sounds
ɑ calm, ah
act, mass
ai dive, cry
aiə fire, tyre
aυ out, down
aυə flour, sour
e met, lend, pen
ei say, weight
eə fair, care
i fit, win
i me, seem
iə near, beard
ɒ lot, spot
əυ note, coat
ɔ claw, more
ɔi boy, joint
υ could, stood u you, use
υə lure, pure
turn, third
fund, must
ə the first vowel in about
i the second vowel in very
Notes
Consonant Sounds
b bed, rub
d done, red
f fit, if
good, dog
h hat, horse
j yellow, you
k king, pick
l lip, bill
m mat, ram
n not, tin
p pay, lip
r run, read
s soon, bus
t talk, bet
v van, love
w win, wool
x loch
z zoo, buzz
ʃ ship, wish
measure, leisure
ŋ sing, working
tʃ cheap, witch
θ thin, myth
ð then, bathe
d joy, bridge
Primary and secondary stress are shown by marks above and below the line, in front of the stressed syllable. For example, in the word abbreviation, represented /ə bri vi eiʃən/, the second syllable has secondary stress and the fourth syllable has primary stress.
Compound words, that is words which are made up of more than one word with either a space or a hyphen between them, are not usually given pronunciations. Pronunciations for the individual words that make up the compounds are usually found at their entries at other parts of the dictionary. However, compounds words are given stress markers. Where appropriate, American pronunciations are given immediately after the British English pronunciations and are preceded by the abbreviation am
A number of words are shown in the dictionary with alternative pronunciations with /ɑ / and / /, such as ‘path’ /pɑ θ, p θ/. In this case, /pɑ θ/ is the standard British pronunciation. However, in many other accents of English, including standard American English, the pronunciation is /p θ/
xvi
Grammatical labels used in the dictionary
Nearly all the words that are explained in this dictionary have grammar information given about them. For each word or meaning, its word class is shown in small capital letters, just before the definition. Examples of word classes are n-count, verb, pron, and adv.
Some meanings in entries have more than one word class. For example: control 2: v-t & n-uncount
This means that control is both a transitive verb and an uncount noun for meaning 2: You can’t control what other people think. He lost control of his car. behind 1: prep & adv
This means that behind is both a preposition and an adverb for meaning 1: Put the cushion behind his head. She led the way upstairs, with Terry following behind. The sections below contain further information about each word class.
Verbs
A verb is a word which is used to say what someone or something does or what happens to them, or to give information about them.
V-I
An intransitive verb is one which takes an indirect object or no object, e.g.: sleep: She slept till noon.
V-T
A transitive verb is one which takes a direct object, e.g.: eat: I ate my chicken quickly.
V-T/V-I
Some verbs may be transitive or intransitive depending on how they are used, e.g.: open: He opened the window. (transitive) The doors opened. (intransitive)
V-T PASSIVE
V-T PASSIVE means passive verb. A passive verb is a verb that is formed using a form of be followed by the past participle of the main verb. Passive verbs focus on the person or thing that is affected by the action, e.g.:
born: My mother was 40 when I was born.
PHR-VERB
PHR-VERB means phrasal verb. A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and an adverb (e.g. catch up) or a verb and a preposition (e.g. call for), which together have a particular meaning. Some phrasal verbs have both an adverb and a preposition (for example add up to). catch up: I stopped and waited for her to catch up. call for: I shall be calling for you at seven o’clock. add up to: Profits can add up to millions of dollars.
xvii
LINK-VERB
A link verb is a verb such as be, feel, or seem. These verbs connect the subject of a sentence to a complement. Most link verbs do not occur in the passive, e.g.: be: She is my mother. feel: It feels good to finish a piece of work. seem: Everyone seems busy.
MODAL
A modal is a modal verb such as may, must, or would. A modal is used before the infinitive form of a verb, e.g. You must see a doctor. In questions, it comes before the subject, e.g. May we come in? In negatives, it comes before the negative word, e.g. Anne wouldn’t mind going to Italy to live. It does not inflect; for example, it does not take an -s in the third person singular, e.g. She can take care of herself.
Nouns
N-COUNT
N-COUNT means a count noun. Count nouns refer to things which can be counted, and they have both the singular and plural forms. When a count noun is used in the singular, it must normally have a word such as a, an, the, or her in front of it, e.g.: head: She turned her head away. room: Go to my room and bring down my handbag, please.
N-UNCOUNT
N-UNCOUNT means an uncount noun. Uncount nouns refer to things that are not normally counted or which we do not think of as individual items. Uncount nouns do not have a plural form, and are used with a singular verb, e.g.: help: He shouted for help rain: We got very wet in the rain bread: She bought a loaf of bread.
N-VAR
N-VAR means a variable noun. Variable nouns are uncount when they refer to something in general, and count nouns when they refer to a particular instance of something, e.g.: night: He didn’t leave the house all night. Night finally fell.
Other variable nouns refer to substances. They are uncount when they refer to a mass of the substance, and count nouns when they refer to types or brands, or to one serving of the substance, e.g.:
coffee: Would you like some coffee? We had a coffee.
N-SING
N-SING means a singular noun. A singular noun is always singular and must have a word such as a, an, the, or my in front of it, e,g,:
sun: The sun was low in the sky. fault: It was all his fault.
xviii
N-PLURAL
N-PLURAL means a plural noun. A plural noun is always plural and is used with plural verbs, e.g.:
dislikes: Consider your likes and dislikes about your job. finances: Here are some tips on how to manage your finances.
N-TITLE
N-TITLE means a noun that is used to refer to someone who has a particular role or position. Titles come before the name of the person and begin with a capital letter, e.g. President Bush, Queen Elizabeth
N-VOC
N-VOC means a vocative noun. A vocative noun is a noun that is used when speaking directly to someone or writing to them, e.g.:
darling: Thank you, darling. dear: You’re a lot like me, dear.
N-PROPER
N-PROPER means a proper noun. A proper noun refers to one person, place, thing, or institution, and begins with a capital letter, e.g.:
Earth: We don’t know everything about the Earth. Customs: Customs discovered the goods in his suitcase.
Other Word Classes
ADJ
ADJ means an adjective. An adjective is a word which is used to tell you more about a person or thing, such as its appearance, colour, size, or other qualities, e.g.:
angry: An angry crowd gathered. brown: She has brown eyes. wet: My gloves were wet.
ADJ BEFORE N
This means an adjective that is normally used only in front of a noun. For example, you can talk about an indoor market, but you cannot say ‘The market was indoor.’
ADJ AFTER LINK-V
This means an adjective that is normally used only after a link verb. For example, you can say they are glad to see you, but you cannot say ‘a glad woman’.
ADV
ADV means an adverb. An adverb is a word that gives more information about when, how, or where something happens, e.g.:
tomorrow: Bye, see you tomorrow. slowly: He spoke slowly and clearly. home: She wanted to go home.
xix
CONJ
CONJ means a conjunction. Conjunctions are words such as and, but, although, or since, which are used to link two words or two clauses in a sentence, e.g.:
although: Although I was only six, I remember it. but: I’m sorry, but it’s true. since: So much has changed since I was a teenager.
CONVENTION
A convention is a word or fixed phrase which is used in conversation, for example when greeting someone, apologizing, or replying. Examples of conventions are hello, sorry, and I’m afraid, e.g.:
hello: Hello, this is Susan. Could I speak to Nancy please? sorry: Sorry I took so long.
I’m afraid: I’m afraid I don’t agree.
DET
DET means a determiner. A determiner is a word such as a, the, my, or every which is used at the beginning of a noun group, e.g.:
an: Her holiday came to an end when she broke her foot. the: Daily walks are the best exercise. every: We had meetings every day.
EXCLAM
EXCLAM means an exclamation. An exclamation is a word or phrase which is spoken suddenly or loudly in order to express a strong emotion, e.g.:
oh: ‘Oh!’ Kenny said. ‘Has everyone gone?’ wow: Wow, this is so exciting!
QUANT
QUANT means a quantifier. A quantifier is a word or phrase like plenty or a lot which allowed you to say in a general way how many there are of something, or how much there is of something. Quantifiers are often followed by of, e.g.:
all: He was talking to all of us.
enough: They had enough money for a one-way ticket. whole: We spent the whole summer in Italy.
NUM
NUM means number, e.g.:
ten: It took almost ten years. billion: …3 billion dollars.
ORD
ORD means ordinal. An ordinal is a number that is used like an adjective or an adverb, e.g.: hundredth: …the hundredth anniversary of his birth. second: It is the second time I have met him.
xx
PHRASE
A phrase is a group of words which have a particular meaning when they are used together. This meaning is not always understandable from the separate parts, e.g.: out of the blue: His resignation came out of the blue sit tight: Sit tight, I’ll be right back.
PREDET
PREDET means a predeterminer. A predeterminer is a word such as all or half which can come before a determiner, e.g.:
all: She’s worked all her life. half: She’s half his age.
PREFIX
A prefix is a group of letters which are added to the beginning of a word in order to make a different word. The same prefix added to different words changes the meaning of the word in the same way. For example, adding un- to the beginning of a word makes it mean the opposite, e.g. unfriendly and unhappy are the opposite of friendly and happy
PREP
PREP means a preposition. A preposition is a word such as by, with, or from which is always followed by a noun group or the -ing form of a verb, e.g.:
near: He stood near the door. of: She is a young woman of twenty-six.
PRON
PRON means a pronoun. A pronoun is used to refer to someone or something that has already been mentioned or whose identity is already known, e.g.:
her: Liz travelled round the world with her boyfriend. theirs: I don’t know whose book it is. Somebody must have left theirs. this: I have seen many films, but never one like this.
xxi
Aa
a /ə, strong ei/ or an /ən, strong n/ The form an is used in front of words that begin with vowel sounds.
det You use a or an when you are referring to someone or something for the first time, or when you do not want to be specific. ❑ Today you’ve got a new teacher. ❑ A waiter entered with a tray. ❑ He refused to work with an orchestra ever again. det You can use a or an in front of nouns when the noun is followed by other words that describe it more fully. ❑ There’s a feeling that we have been cheated. det You can use a or an instead of the number ‘one’ in front of some numbers and measurements. ❑ …a hundred miles. det You use a or an in expressions such as eight hours a day to express a rate or ratio. ❑ Prices start at £13.95 a metre. aback /ə b k/ phrase If you are taken aback, you are very surprised or shocked by something.
❑ People were taken aback by his resignation.
abandon /ə b ndən/ (abandons, abandoning, abandoned) v-t If you abandon a thing, place, or person, you leave them permanently or for a long time. ❑ His parents had abandoned him.
● abandoned adj ❑ …an abandoned village.
● abandonment n-uncount ❑ …her father’s complete abandonment of her. v-t If you abandon an activity or idea, you stop doing it or thinking about it before it is finished. ❑ He abandoned his studies after two years. ● abandonment n-uncount
❑ Rain forced the abandonment of the competition.
n-uncount If you do something with abandon, you do it in a carefree way. ❑ He danced with abandon. abate /ə beit/ (abates, abating, abated) v-i When something abates, it becomes much less strong or widespread. [formal] ❑ The crime wave shows no sign of abating.
abbey / bi/ (abbeys) n-count An abbey is a church with buildings attached to it in which monks or nuns live or used to live.
abbreviate /ə bri vieit/ (abbreviates, abbreviating, abbreviated) v-t If a word or a phrase is abbreviated, it is made shorter. ❑ ‘Kansas’ is abbreviated to ‘KS’. ● abbreviated adj ❑ …a very abbreviated description of the project.
abbreviation /ə bri vi eiʃən/ (abbreviations) n-count An abbreviation is a short form of a word or phrase. ❑ The postal abbreviation for Kansas is KS. abdicate / bdikeit/ (abdicates, abdicating, abdicated) v-i If a king or queen abdicates, he or she resigns. ❑ The king was forced to abdicate.
● abdication n-uncount ❑ …the abdication of the
king. v-t If you abdicate responsibility for something, you refuse to accept the responsibility for it any longer. ❑ Their parents have abdicated their responsibilities. ● abdication
n-uncount ❑ …an outrageous abdication of their duties. abdomen / bdəmən/ (abdomens) n-count Your abdomen is the part of your body below your chest where your stomach is. ● abdominal / b dɒminəl/ adj before n ❑ …the abdominal muscles. abduct / b d kt/ (abducts, abducting, abducted) v-t If someone is abducted, he or she is taken away illegally. ❑ He was charged with abducting a taxi driver. ● abduction (abductions) n-var ❑ …the abduction of British tourists. aberration / bə reiʃən/ (aberrations) n-var An aberration is an incident or way of behaving that is not normal. [formal] ❑ I think this attack was an aberration, an incident that does not occur on a regular basis. abide /ə baid/ (abides, abiding, abided) phrase If you say that you can’t abide someone or something, you mean that you dislike them intensely. ❑ I can’t abide people who can’t make decisions.
▶ abide by phr-verb If you abide by a law, agreement, or decision, you do what it says. abiding /ə baidiŋ/ adj before n An abiding feeling or memory is one that you have for a very long time. ❑ He acquired an abiding interest in history.
➞ see also law-abiding ability /ə biliti/ (abilities) n-var Your ability is the quality or skill that you have which makes it possible for you to do something. ❑ Her drama teacher noticed her ability. ❑ …his leadership abilities. ❑ …the human ability to communicate using language.
suffix
-ability
replaces -able at the end of adjectives to form nouns that refer to a particular state or quality. For example, reliability is the state or quality of being reliable.
abject / bd ekt/ adj You use abject to emphasize that a situation or quality is shameful or depressing. ❑ …abject poverty. ❑ The scheme was an abject failure.
ablaze /ə bleiz/ adj after link-v Something that is ablaze is burning fiercely. ❑ Within seconds, curtains and woodwork were ablaze. ❑ Two houses were set ablaze. able / eibəl/ (abler, ablest) phrase If you are able to do something, you have the skills, freedom, or other means which make it possible
a
for you to do it. ❑ I was never able to play any sports. adj An able person is clever or good at doing something. ● ably adv ❑ He was ably assisted by Robert James.
able
adj
synonyms
capable: She’s a very capable speaker. experienced: The team is packed with experienced professionals. skilled: New industries demanded skilled labour not available locally. competent: He was a very competent golfer.
suffix
-able forms adjectives that indicate what someone or something can have done to them. For example, if something is movable, it is possible to move it.
abnormal / b nɔ məl/ adj Someone or something that is abnormal is unusual or exceptional in a way that is worrying. ❑ She has an abnormal fear of strangers. ● abnormally adv ❑ …abnormally high levels of fat.
abnormality / bnɔ m liti/ (abnormalities) n-var An abnormality is an unusual part or feature of something that is worrying or dangerous. ❑ …a genetic abnormality.
aboard /ə bɔ d/ prep & adv If you are aboard a ship or plane, you are on or in it. ❑ No-one else was aboard the plane. ❑ It took two hours to load all the people aboard.
abolish /ə bɒliʃ/ (abolishes, abolishing, abolished) v-t If someone in authority abolishes a practice or organization, they put an end to it.
❑ Parliament voted to abolish fox-hunting. ● abolition / bə liʃən/ n-uncount ❑ …the abolition of slavery. abominable /ə bɒminəbəl/ adj Something that is abominable is very unpleasant or very bad. ❑ Their treatment of him was abominable. ❑ …this abominable war.
Aboriginal / bə rid inəl/ (Aboriginals) n-count An Aboriginal is a member of one of the tribes which were living in Australia when Europeans arrived. ❑ …health and housing for Aboriginals.
Aborigine / bə rid ini/ (Aborigines) n-count Aborigine means the same as Aboriginal. This word could cause offence.
abort /ə bɔ t/ (aborts, aborting, aborted) v-t If an unborn baby is aborted, the pregnancy is ended deliberately and the baby is not born alive.
v-t If a process, plan, or activity is aborted, it is stopped before it is finished. ❑ The take-off was aborted.
abortion /ə bɔ ʃən/ (abortions) n-var An abortion is a medical operation in which a pregnancy is deliberately ended and the baby is not born alive. ❑ His girlfriend had an abortion. ❑ ...anti-abortion groups.
abortive /ə bɔ tiv/ adj An abortive attempt or action is unsuccessful. ❑ …three abortive attempts to light a fire.
abound /ə baυnd/ (abounds, abounding, abounded) v-i If things abound, or if a place abounds with things, there are very large numbers of them. [formal] ❑ Stories abound about when he was in charge. ❑ San Francisco abounds with lawyers.
about /ə baυt/ prep You use about to introduce who or what something relates to or concerns. ❑ Helen’s told me about you. ❑ …advice about exercise. ❑ He couldn’t do anything about it. prep When you say that there is a particular quality about someone or something, you mean that they have this quality. ❑ There was something special about her. adv About in front of a number means approximately. ❑ The child is about eight years old. adv & prep If someone or something moves about, they keep moving in different directions. ❑ The kids ran about in the garden. ❑ She had wandered about the woods all day. adj after link-v If someone or something is about, they are present or available. ❑ There’s lots of money about. phrase If you are about to do something, you are going to do it soon. ❑ The film was about to start. how about ➞ see how what about ➞ see what just about ➞ see just
usage
about
Don’t use an -ing form in ‘about to’ sentences. Don’t say, for example, ‘You are about crossing the River Jordan’. Say ‘You are about to cross the River Jordan’. ❑ I was about to go home.
above /ə b v/ prep & adv If one thing is above another one, it is directly over it or higher than it. ❑ He lifted his hands above his head. ❑ …the flat above mine. ❑ A long scream sounded from somewhere above. adv & n-sing & adj before n You use above in writing to refer to something that has already been mentioned. ❑ …the results described above. ❑ For additional information, contact any of the above. ❑ I may be reached at the above address. prep & adv If an amount or measurement is above a particular level, it is greater than that level. ❑ The temperature rose to just above 40 degrees. ❑ …above average levels of rainfall. ❑ …people of 18 years and above. prep & adv If someone is above you, they are in a position of authority over you. ❑ …the people above you in the positions of power. ❑ I had orders from above. prep If someone thinks that they are above something, they think that they are too good or too important for it; used showing disapproval. ❑ He considered himself above such childish behaviour. prep If someone is above criticism or suspicion, they cannot be criticized or suspected because of their good qualities or their position. ❑ Everyone in the Military Council was completely above suspicion. over and above ➞ see over
usage
above
Don’t use ‘above’ in front of a number when you are talking about a quantity or number of things or people. For example, don’t say ‘She had above thirty pairs of shoes’. Say ‘She had over thirty pairs of shoes’ or ‘She had more than thirty pairs of shoes’. ❑ It cost over 3 million pounds. ❑ He saw more than 800 children there.
A abnormal 2 above
abrasive /ə breisiv/ adj If you describe someone’s manner as abrasive, you think they are rude and unkind. ❑ His abrasive style upset one member of Congress. adj An abrasive substance is rough and can be used to clean hard surfaces.
abreast /ə brest/ adv If people or things walk or move abreast, they are side by side. ❑ They walked three abreast. prep If you keep abreast of a subject, you know all the most recent facts about it. ❑ He always keeps abreast of the news.
abroad /ə brɔ d/ adv If you go abroad, you go to a foreign country. ❑ I would love to go abroad this year.
abroad
adv
synonyms
overseas: Her only relatives live overseas. away: Sophia was away on a business trip.
abrupt /ə br pt/ adj An abrupt action is very sudden and often unpleasant. ❑ Her holiday came to an abrupt end when she broke her foot. ● abruptly adv ❑ He stopped abruptly. adj Someone who is abrupt is rather rude and unfriendly. ● abruptly adv ❑ ‘Good night, then,’ she said abruptly.
absence / bsəns/ (absences) n-var The absence of someone or something is the fact that they are not there. ❑ The letters had arrived in my absence.
❑ …her husband’s frequent absences. ❑ In the absence of a manager, staff must make their own decisions.
absence
noun
synonyms
lack: Despite his lack of experience, he got the job. deficiency: They did blood tests on him for signs of vitamin deficiency.
shortage: Vietnam is suffering from a food shortage.
absent / bsənt/ adj If someone or something is absent from a place or situation, they are not there. ❑ He was absent from work for 35 days. adj If someone appears absent, they are not paying attention. ● absently adv ❑ He nodded absently.
absentee / bsən ti / (absentees) n-count An absentee is a person who should be in a particular place but who is not there. ❑ …absentees from work. ❑ The agency will force absentee fathers to pay for their children.
absent- minded adj An absent-minded person is very forgetful or does not pay attention to what they are doing. ● absent-mindedly adv ❑ He did it automatically, almost absent-mindedly.
absolute / bsəlu t/ (absolutes) adj before n Absolute means total and complete. ❑ …absolute beginners. ❑ It’s absolute nonsense. n-count & adj before n Absolutes or absolute principles are believed to be true or right for all situations.
synonyms
absolutely / bsə lu tli/ adv Absolutely means totally and completely. ❑ Jill is absolutely right. ❑ It’s an absolutely brilliant book. ❑ I absolutely refuse to get married. adv Absolutely is an emphatic way of saying yes or agreeing with someone. Absolutely not is an emphatic way of saying no or disagreeing with someone. ❑ ‘Was it worth it?’—‘Absolutely.’ ❑ ‘Did he approach you?’—‘No, absolutely not.’
synonyms
absolute adj
complete: It shows a complete lack of understanding by management.
total: There was an almost total lack of management control.
sheer: His music is sheer delight.
unalloyed: …an occasion of unalloyed joy.
absolutely adv
completely: Dozens of flats had been completely destroyed. totally: Young people want something totally different from the old ways. fully: I don’t fully agree with that. wholly: For urban areas this approach was wholly inadequate. utterly: Such an allegation is utterly without foundation.
absorb /əb zɔ b/ (absorbs, absorbing, absorbed) v-t To absorb a substance means to soak it up or take it in. ❑ Plants absorb carbon dioxide from the air. ❑ Some sugars are absorbed into the bloodstream very quickly. ● absorption n-uncount ❑ …the absorption of iron from food. v-t If a group is absorbed into a larger group, it becomes part of the larger group. ❑ The small local radio station has been absorbed into the commercial network. ❑ …the ability of a bigger bank to absorb a smaller one. ● absorption n-uncount ❑ The award is evidence of his absorption into the musical establishment. v-t If you absorb information, you understand and remember it. ❑ Sometimes he only absorbs half the information. ❑ Try to give employees time to absorb bad news. v-t If something absorbs you, it interests you and gets all your attention. v-t If something absorbs a force, it reduces its effect. ❑ These shoes are not designed to absorb the impact of running.
absorbed /əb zɔ bd/ adj after link-v If you are absorbed in a person, activity, or subject, they get all your attention. ❑ She was totally absorbed in her partner.
absorbing /əb zɔ biŋ/ adj An absorbing activity interests you a great deal and takes up all your attention. ❑ …an absorbing hobby.
absorption /əb zɔ pʃən/ ➞ see absorb abstain / b stein/ (abstains, abstaining, abstained) v-i If you abstain from something you like doing, you deliberately do not do it.
❑ You can’t totally abstain from eating. ● abstention
/ b stenʃən/ n-uncount ❑ This diet includes complete abstention from bread. v-i If you abstain during a vote, you do not vote. ● abstention (abstentions) n-var ❑ The voting was twenty in favour, six against, and sixteen abstentions.
abstinence / bstinəns/ n-uncount
Abstinence is the practice of not having something you enjoy, often for health or religious reasons. ❑ His long abstinence from writing is surprising.
abstract / bstr kt/ (abstracts) adj & phrase
An abstract idea or way of thinking is based on general ideas rather than on particular things. You can also talk or think about something in the abstract. ❑ It’s too easy to talk about these things in the
a
abrasive 3 abstract
A abstract. adj before n & n-count Abstract art makes use of shapes and patterns rather than showing people or things as they actually are. An abstract is an abstract work of art. n-count An abstract of an article or speech is a short piece of writing that summarizes the main points.
absurd / b s d/ adj & n-sing If you say that something is absurd, you think that it is ridiculous or does not make sense. The absurd means things that are absurd. ❑ The thought of being a movie star was absurd to her. ❑ …a highly developed sense of the absurd. ● absurdly adv ❑ Prices were still absurdly low. ● absurdity (absurdities) n-var ❑ …the absurdity of all wars.
abundance /ə b ndəns/ n-sing & phrase
If there is an abundance of something, or if something is in abundance, there is a large quantity of it. ❑ …an abundance of safe beaches.
❑ Food was in abundance.
abundant /ə b ndənt/ adj Something that is abundant is present in large quantities. ❑ There was an abundant supply of energy.
abuse (abuses, abusing, abused)
noun /ə bju s/, verb /ə bju z/
v-t & n-var If someone is abused, or if they are victims of abuse, they are treated cruelly and violently. ❑ …investigation of alleged child abuse.
❑ …human rights abuses. v-t & n-uncount You can say that someone is abused if rude and insulting things are said to them. Abuse is rude and insulting things that people say when they are angry. ❑ He was verbally abused by other soldiers.
❑ I was left shouting abuse as the car sped off. v-t & n-uncount If you abuse something, you use it in a wrong way or for a bad purpose. Abuse of something is the use of it in this way. ❑ The rich and powerful can abuse their position. ❑ …an abuse of power. ❑ …alcohol abuse.
abusive /ə bju siv/ adj Abusive language is extremely rude and insulting. ❑ He is accused of using abusive language towards staff. adj Someone who is abusive is cruel and violent towards someone else. ❑ …her cruel and abusive parents.
abysmal /ə bizməl/ adj Abysmal means very bad or poor in quality. ❑ My knowledge of the subject was abysmal. ● abysmally adv ❑ Standards of education are abysmally low.
abyss / bis/ (abysses) n-count An abyss is a hole in the ground which is so deep that it is impossible to measure. ❑ He looked over the edge of the abyss. n-count You can refer to a frightening situation which could have terrible consequences as an abyss. [written] ❑ He took his country to the abyss of war.
academic / kə demik/ (academics) adj before n Academic means relating to life or work in schools, colleges, and universities, especially work which involves studying and reasoning rather than practical or technical skills. ❑ …the academic year. ❑ Their academic standards are high. ● academically adv ❑ He is academically gifted. adj Someone who is academic is good at studying. n-count An academic is a member of a university or college who teaches or does research. adj If you say
that something is academic, you mean that it has no real relevance or effect. ❑ The match result is academic for this team, who automatically qualify for the European Cup. ➞ See also feature box at university synonyms
academic
adj
scholarly: He was a quiet, scholarly man. intellectual: He belonged to an intellectual elite. learned: She is a serious scholar, a very learned woman.
academy /ə k dəmi/ (academies) n-count
A school or college specializing in a particular subject is sometimes called an academy.
❑ …the Royal Academy of Music.
accelerate / k seləreit/ (accelerates, accelerating, accelerated) v-t/v-i When the rate or speed of something accelerates, it increases.
❑ We need to accelerate the pace of change. ❑ The car accelerated. ● acceleration n-uncount
❑ …acceleration to 60 mph.
accelerator / k seləreitə/ (accelerators) n-count In a vehicle, the accelerator is the pedal you press to go faster.
accent / ksənt/ (accents) n-count
Someone who speaks with a particular accent pronounces the words of a language in a way that indicates their country, region, or social class.
❑ He had a slight American accent. n-count An accent is a mark written above or below certain letters in some languages to show how they are pronounced. n-sing If you put the accent on a particular feature of something, you give it special importance or emphasis.
accentuate / k sentʃυeit/ (accentuates, accentuating, accentuated) v-t To accentuate something means to emphasize it or make it more noticeable. ❑ His shaven head accentuates his large round face.
accept / k sept/ (accepts, accepting, accepted)
v-t/v-i If you accept something that you have been offered, you say yes to it or agree to take it.
❑ I accepted his offer of employment. ❑ All those invited to the conference have accepted. ● acceptance n-uncount ❑ …acceptance of the invitation to Moscow.
v-t If you accept a fact, you believe that it is true or valid. ❑ He could never accept that he had been wrong. ❑ Her parents accepted her decision. ● acceptance n-uncount ❑ …a theory that is steadily gaining acceptance. v-t To accept a difficult or unpleasant situation means to recognize that it cannot be changed. ❑ Urban dwellers often accept noise as part of city life. ❑ We also accept that some marriages do not survive. ● acceptance n-uncount ❑ …his calm acceptance of whatever comes his way.
v-t If you accept the blame or responsibility for something, you admit that you are responsible for it. v-t When an organization or group accepts someone, they give them a job or allow them to join their group. ❑ They refused to accept women as bus drivers. ❑ Stephen was accepted into the family. ● acceptance n-uncount ❑ Would he be popular enough to gain acceptance? ➞ see also accepted ➞ See also feature box at university
absurd 4 accept