Set 5

recondite |ˈrɛk(əә)ndʌɪt, rɪˈkɒn-|

adjective

(of a subject or knowledge) little known; abstruse: the book is full of

recondite information.

ORIGIN mid 17th cent.: from Latin reconditus ‘hidden, put

away’, past participle of recondere, from re- ‘back’ + condere

‘put together, secrete’.

recondite

adjective

the recondite realms of Semitic philology: obscure, abstruse, arcane,

esoteric, little known, recherché, abstract, deep, profound, cryptic,

difficult, complex, complicated, involved; over/above one's head,

incomprehensible, unfathomable, impenetrable, opaque, dark,

mysterious, occult, cabbalistic, secret, hidden; rare Alexandrian.

ANTONYMS straightforward, simple, familiar.correspondence |kɒrɪˈspɒnd(əә)ns|

noun

1 a close similarity, connection, or equivalence: there is a simple

correspondence between the distance of a focused object from the eye

and the size of its image on the retina.

2 [ mass noun ] communication by exchanging letters: the

organization engaged in detailed correspondence with local MPs.

• letters sent or received: his wife dealt with his private correspondence.

ORIGIN late Middle English: via Old French from medieval

Latin correspondentia , from correspondent-

‘corresponding’ (see correspondent) .

noun

1 there is some correspondence between the two variables: correlation,

similarity, resemblance, comparability, compatibility, agreement,

consistency, congruity, conformity, uniformity, harmony, affinity,

accordance, accord, concurrence, coincidence; association,

relationship, connection, interaction.

2 I caught up on some urgent correspondence: mail, post, communication,

written communication; letters, messages, missives.

3 he kept up a ceaseless round of correspondence: letter writing, writing,

written communication.noun (pl.adversaries)

one's opponent in a contest, conflict, or dispute: Davis beat his old

adversary in the quarter-finals.

adjective |ˈadvəәs(əә)ri, adˈvəәːsəәri|

another term for adversarial. the confrontations of adversary politics.

ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French adversarie, from

Latin adversarius ‘opposed, opponent’, from adversus (see

adverse) .

adversary

noun

he parried the strokes of his adversary with almost contemptuous ease:

opponent, rival, enemy, foe, nemesis, antagonist, combatant,

challenger, contender, competitor, opposer, fellow contestant;

opposition, competition; rare corrival. ANTONYMS ally,

supporter.

advisory |əәdˈvʌɪz(əә)ri|

adjectivehaving or consisting in the power to make recommendations but

not to take action enforcing them: the Commission acts in an advisory

capacity.

• recommended but not compulsory: the EC has put forward an

advisory maximum figure.

noun (pl.advisories)

an official announcement or warning. a frost advisory.

advisory

adjective

she agreed to serve the central committee in an advisory role: consultative

c o n s u l t i n g, a d v i s i n g, c o u n s e l l i n g, r e c o m m e n d a t o r y,

recommending, assisting, helping, aiding. ANTONYMS executive.assurance |əәˈʃʊəәr(əә)ns|

noun

1 a positive declaration intended to give confidence; a promise:

[ with clause ] : he gave an assurance that work would begin on

Monday.

2 [ mass noun ] confidence or certainty in one's own abilities: she

drove with assurance.

• certainty about something: assurance of faith depends on our trust in

God.

3 [ mass noun ] chiefly Brit.insurance, specifically life insurance.

ORIGIN late Middle English (in sense 2): from Old French, from

assurer ‘assure’.

usage: In the context of life insurance, a technical distinction is

made between assurance and insurance. Assurance is used of

policies under whose terms a payment is guaranteed, either after a

fixed term or on the death of the insured person; insurance is the

general term, and is used in particular of policies under whose

terms a payment would be made only in certain circumstances

(e.g. accident or death within a limited period).assurance

noun

1 nothing could shake her calm assurance: self-confidence, confidence,

self-assurance, belief in oneself, faith in oneself, positiveness,

assertiveness, self-possession, self-reliance, nerve, poise, aplomb,

presence of mind, phlegm, level-headedness, cool-headedness;

coolness, calmness, composure, collectedness, sangfroid,

equilibrium, equanimity, imperturbability, impassivity,

nonchalance, serenity, tranquillity, peace of mind; informal cool,

unflappability. ANTONYMS self-doubt; nervousness.

2 you have my assurance that I shall write to you: word of honour, word,

guarantee, promise, pledge, vow, avowal, oath, bond, affirmation,

undertaking, commitment; archaic troth, parole.

3 there is no assurance of getting one's money back: certainty, guarantee,

sureness, certitude, confidence; hope, expectation. ANTONYMS

uncertainty.

4 they required him to take out life assurance: insurance, indemnity,

indemnification, protection, security, surety, cover, coverage;

guarantee, safeguard, warranty, provision.advisory

adjective

she agreed to serve the central committee in an advisory role:

consultativeconsulting, advising, counselling, recommendatory,

recommending, assisting, helping, aiding. ANTONYMS executive.

advisory |əәdˈvʌɪz(əә)ri|

adjective

having or consisting in the power to make recommendations but

not to take action enforcing them: the Commission acts in an advisory

capacity.

• recommended but not compulsory: the EC has put forward an

advisory maximum figure.

noun (pl.advisories)

an official announcement or warning. a frost advisory.

arbiter |ˈɑːbɪtəә|

noun

a person who settles a dispute or has ultimate authority in a

matter: the Secretary of State is the final arbiter.

• a person whose views or actions have influence in a particular

sphere: an arbiter of taste.ORIGIN late Middle English: from Latin, ‘judge, supreme

ruler’.

arbiter

noun

1 he believed that Britain could play a major role as arbiter between Moscow

and Washington. See arbitrator.

2 the great arbiter of fashion: judge, authority, determiner, controller,

director, governor, master, expert, pundit, critic.

rogue |rəәʊg|

noun

1 a dishonest or unprincipled man: you are a rogue and an embezzler.

• a person whose behaviour one disapproves of but who is

nonetheless likeable or attractive: Cenzo, you old rogue!

2 [ usu. as modifier ] an elephant or other large wild animal living

apart from the herd and having savage or destructive tendencies: a

rogue elephant.

• a person or thing that behaves in an aberrant or unpredictable

way, typically with damaging or dangerous effects: he hacked into

data and ran rogue programs | a rogue cop who took the law into his own

hands.

• a seedling or plant deviating from the standard variety.verb [ with obj. ]

remove inferior or defective plants or seedlings from (a crop). the

sowing has to be rogued to remove aberrant seedlings.

ORIGIN mid 16th cent. (denoting an idle vagrant): probably from

Latin rogare ‘beg, ask’, and related to obsolete slang roger‘vagrant

beggar’ (many such cant terms were introduced towards the

middle of the 16th cent.).

rogue

noun

1 you are a rogue, Colin, without ethics or scruples: scoundrel, villain,

reprobate, rascal, good-for-nothing, wretch; Spanishpicaro;

informal rat, bastard, son of a bitch, s.o.b., nasty piece of work,

dog, cur, louse, crook; Brit. informal scrote; Irish informal

spalpeen; N. Amer. informal slicker; W. Indian informal scamp;

informal, dated rotter, bounder, hound, blighter, vagabond; dated

cad, ne'er-do-well; archaic miscreant, blackguard, dastard, knave,

varlet, wastrel, mountebank, picaroon.

2 we were at school together—he was a right little rogue: scamp, rascal,

imp, devil, monkey, mischief-maker; informal scallywag, monster,

horror, terror, holy terror; Brit. informal perisher; N. Englishinformal tyke, scally; N. Amer. informal hellion, varmint; archaic

scapegrace, rapscallion.

colleague |ˈkɒliːg|

noun

a person with whom one works in a profession or business.

ORIGIN early 16th cent.: from French collègue, from Latin

collega ‘partner in office’, from col- ‘together with’ + legare

‘depute’.

colleague

noun

one of her colleagues in the lab: fellow worker, workmate, teammate,

co-worker, associate, partner, co-partner, collaborator, ally,

comrade, companion, confederate; Frenchconfrère; informal oppo;

Austral./NZ informal offsider; archaic compeer; rare consociate.

deluge

noun

1 many homes were swept away by the deluge: flood, flash flood, torrent;

Brit. spate.2 yesterday's deluge had turned the pitch into a muddy swamp: downpour,

torrential rain, torrent of rain; thunderstorm, rainstorm,

cloudburst. ANTONYMS drizzle.

3 a deluge of complaints: barrage, volley; flood, torrent, avalanche,

stream, storm, shower, cascade, spate, wave, rush, outpouring.

ANTONYMS trickle.

verb

1 caravans were deluged by the heavy rains: flood, inundate, engulf,

submerge, swamp, drown.

2 we have been deluged with calls for information: inundate, overwhelm,

overload, overrun, flood, swamp, snow under, engulf; shower,

bombard.

deluge |ˈdɛljuːdʒ|

noun

a severe flood. this may be the worst deluge in living memory.

• (the Deluge) the biblical Flood (recorded in Genesis 6–8). the

world appeared to be emerging still from the waters of the Deluge.

• a heavy fall of rain: a deluge of rain hit the plains.

• a great quantity of something arriving at the same time: a

deluge of complaints.

verb [ with obj. ]

overwhelm with a flood. caravans were deluged by the heavy rains.• inundate with a great quantity of something: he has been deluged

with offers of work.

ORIGIN late Middle English: from Old French, variant of

diluve, from Latin diluvium, from diluere ‘wash away’.

allege |əәˈlɛdʒ|

verb [ reporting verb ]

claim or assert that someone has done something illegal or wrong,

typically without proof: [ with clause ] : he alleged that he had been

assaulted | [ with obj. and infinitive ] : he is alleged to have assaulted five

men.

ORIGIN Middle English (in the sense ‘declare on oath’): from Old

French esligier, based on Latin lis, lit- ‘lawsuit’; confused in

sense with Latin allegare ‘allege’.

malignant |məәˈlɪgnəәnt|

adjective

1 evil in nature or effect; malevolent: in the hands of malignant fate.

2 (of a disease) very virulent or infectious.

• (of a tumour) tending to invade normal tissue or to recur after

removal; cancerous. Contrasted with benign.

DERIVATIVES

malignantly adverbORIGIN mid 16th cent. (also in the sense ‘likely to rebel against

God or authority’): from late Latin malignant- ‘contriving

maliciously’, from the verb malignare. The term was used in its

early sense to describe Royalist sympathizers during the English

Civil War.

malignant

adjective

1 a malignant growth in her left kidney: cancerous, non-benign,

metastatic. ANTONYMS benign.

2 a malignant disease: virulent, infectious, invasive, uncontrollable,

dangerous, harmful, pernicious; deadly, fatal, life-threatening,

lethal, terminal, incurable.

3 one of the most malignant glares she had ever seen: spiteful, hostile,

malevolent, malicious, malign, evil-intentioned, baleful, full of

hate, vicious, nasty, poisonous, venomous, acrimonious, rancorous,

splenetic, cruel. ANTONYMS benevolent.

impertinent |ɪmˈpəәːtɪnəәnt|

adjective

1 not showing proper respect; rude: an impertinent question.

2 formal not pertinent to a particular matter; irrelevant: talk of

‘rhetoric’ and ‘strategy’ is impertinent to this process.DERIVATIVES

impertinently adverb

ORIGIN late Middle English (in sense 2): from Old French, or

from late Latin impertinent- ‘not having reference to’, from

Latin in- ‘not’ + pertinere ‘pertain’.

impertinent

adjective

1 she asked a lot of impertinent questions: rude, insolent, impolite,

unmannerly, ill-mannered, bad-mannered, uncivil, discourteous,

disrespectful; impudent, cheeky, audacious, bold, brazen, brash,

shameless, presumptuous, forward, pert; tactless, undiplomatic,

unsubtle, personal; informal brass-necked, fresh, flip; Brit. informal

saucy; N. Amer. informal sassy, nervy; archaic malapert,

contumelious; rare mannerless. ANTONYMS polite.

2 formal talk of ‘rhetoric’ is impertinent to this process: irrelevant,

inapplicable, inapposite, inappropriate, immaterial, unrelated,

unconnected, not germane; beside the point, out of place, nothing

to do with it, neither here nor there. ANTONYMS relevant,

pertinent.

independent |ɪndɪˈpɛnd(əә)nt|adjective

1 free from outside control; not subject to another's authority: an

independent nuclear deterrent | the study is totally independent of central

government.

• (of a country) self-governing: India became independent in 1947.

• not belonging to or supported by a political party: the independent

candidate.

• (of broadcasting, a school, etc.) not supported by public funds. an

independent girls' school. independent television.

• (Independent) historical Congregational.

2 not depending on another for livelihood or subsistence: I wanted

to remain independent in old age.

• (of income or resources) making it unnecessary to earn one's

living: a woman of independent means.

3 capable of thinking or acting for oneself: advice for independent

travellers.

• not influenced by others; impartial: a thorough and independent

investigation of the case.

4 not connected with another or with each other; separate: treating

each factory as an independent unit of production | the legislature and the

judicature are independent of one another.

• not depending on something else for strength or effectiveness;

free-standing: an independent electric shower.• Mathematics (of one of a set of axioms, equations, or

quantities) incapable of being expressed in terms of, or derived or

deduced from, the others.

noun

an independent person or body. one of the few independents left in the

music business.

• an independent political candidate. he stood unsuccessfully as an

independent in 1992.

• (Independent) historical a Congregationalist.

ORIGIN early 17th cent. (as an adjective): partly on the pattern of

French indépendant .

independent

adjective

1 an independent country: self-governing, self-legislating, self-

determining, sovereign, autonomous, autonomic, autarkic, free,

non-aligned. ANTONYMS dependent; subservient.

2 the auditing of a company's accounts is done by independent accountants:

unconnected, unrelated, unassociated, dissociated, unattached,

separate. ANTONYMS connected.

3 the Institute will quickly become a fully independent unit: separate,

discrete, different, distinct, free-standing, self-contained, complete.

ANTONYMS subordinate.4 an independent school: private, public, non-state-controlled, non-

state-run, non-public, private-sector, private-enterprise, fee-paying,

commercial; privatized, denationalized. ANTONYMS private;

state-run.

5 one has to be very careful about offering money to proud and independent old

folk: self-sufficient, self-supporting, self-sustaining, self-reliant, self-

standing, able to stand on one's own two feet; self-contained, self-

made; informal living on one's hump. ANTONYMS dependent.

6 an independent financial adviser: impartial, unbiased, unprejudiced,

neutral, disinterested, uninvolved, uncommitted, detached,

dispassionate, objective, open-minded, equitable, non-partisan,

even-handed, fair, fair-minded, just; without favouritism, free from

discrimination, non-discriminatory, with no axe to grind, without

fear or favour; informal on the fence. ANTONYMS biased; tied.

7 entrepreneurs are independent spirits: freethinking, individualistic,

unconventional, maverick; free, liberated, bold, unconstrained,

unrestrained, unfettered, untrammelled, unhampered;

undisciplined, wild, wilful, headstrong, contrary. ANTONYMS

constrained; orthodox.

negligent |ˈnɛɡlɪʤəәnt|

adjectivefailing to take proper care over something: the council had been

negligent in its supervision of the children in care.

DERIVATIVES

negligently adverb

negligent

adjective

she claimed that her solicitor had been negligent: careless, failing to take

proper care, remiss, neglectful, lax, irresponsible, inattentive,

heedless, thoughtless, unmindful, forgetful; slack, sloppy, slapdash,

slipshod; N. Amer. derelict; Maritime Law barratrous; formal

delinquent; rare disregardful, inadvertent, oscitant. ANTONYMS

careful, attentive, conscientious.almost |ˈɔːlməәʊst|

adverb

not quite; very nearly: he almost knocked Georgina over | the place was

almost empty | blues, jazz—he can play almost anything.

ORIGIN Old English æl mǣst‘for the most part’ (see all,most) .

almost

adverb

lunch is almost ready: nearly, just about, about, more or less,

practically, virtually, all but, as good as, next to, close to, near, nigh

on, not far from, not far off, to all intents and purposes,

approaching, bordering on, verging on, nearing; roughly,

approximately; not quite; informal pretty nearly, pretty much,

pretty well; literary well-nigh.cautious |ˈkɔːʃəәs|

adjective

(of a person) careful to avoid potential problems or dangers: a

cautious driver | firms have been unusually cautious about hiring new workers.

• (of an action) characterized by the desire to avoid potential

problems or dangers: the plan received a cautious welcome.

DERIVATIVES

cautiously adverb,

cautiousness noun

ORIGIN mid 17th cent.: from caution, on the pattern of pairs

such as ambition, ambitious.

cautious

adjective

he's a very cautious driver: careful, wary, aware, heedful, attentive,

alert, watchful, vigilant, circumspect, prudent, guarded, on one's

guard, chary, mindful; informal cagey. ANTONYMS incautious;

reckless.

ritual |ˈrɪtʃʊəәl|

nouna religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions

performed according to a prescribed order: ancient fertility rituals |

[ mass noun ] : the role of ritual in religion.

• a prescribed order for performing a ritual ceremony, especially

one characteristic of a particular religion or Church. she likes the

High Church ritual.

• a series of actions or type of behaviour regularly and invariably

followed by someone: her visits to Joy became a ritual.

adjective [ attrib. ]

relating to or done as a religious or solemn rite: ritual burial | a

ritual murder.

• (of an action) arising from convention or habit: the players gathered

for the ritual pre-match huddle.

DERIVATIVES

ritually adverb

ORIGIN late 16th cent. (as an adjective): from Latin ritualis,

from ritus (see rite) .

ritual

noun

the official thanksgiving was an elaborate civic ritual: ceremony, rite,

ceremonial, observance; service, sacrament, liturgy, worship; office,celebration, performance, act, practice, order, custom, tradition,

convention, institution, formality, procedure, protocol.

adjective

the ritual burial was to ward off evil spirits: ceremonial, ritualistic,

prescribed, set, formal, stately, solemn, dignified, celebratory,

sacramental, liturgical; customary, traditional, conventional,

routine, usual, habitual.

tribesman |ˈtrʌɪbzməәn| (or tribeswoman)

noun (pl.tribesmen or tribeswomen)

a person belonging to a tribe in a traditional society or group.

watch |wɒtʃ|

verb

1 [ with obj. ] look at or observe attentively over a period of time:

Lucy watched him go | [ no obj. ] : as she watched, two women came into

the garden | [ with clause ] : everyone stopped to watch what was going on.

• keep under careful, protective, or secret observation: there aren't

enough staff to watch him properly | he told me my telephones were tapped

and that I was being watched.

• [ no obj. ] (watch over) observe and guard in a protective way: I

guess I can rest a while, with you here to watch over me .• follow closely or maintain an interest in: the girls watched the

development of this relationship with incredulity.

2 [ with obj. ] exercise care, caution, or restraint about: most women

watch their diet during pregnancy | [ with clause ] : you should watch what

you say!

• [ no obj. ] (watch for) look out or be on the alert for: in spring and

summer, watch for kingfishers | watch out for broken glass.

• [ no obj. ] [ usu. in imperative ] (usu. watch out) be careful:

credit-card fraud is on the increase, so watch out.

• (watch it/yourself) [ usu. in imperative ] informal be careful

(used as a warning or threat): if anyone finds out, you're dead meat, so

watch it.

3 [ no obj. ] archaic remain awake for the purpose of religious

observance: she watched whole nights in the church.

noun

1 a small timepiece worn typically on a strap on one's wrist. my

watch had stopped.

2 [ usu. in sing. ] an act or instance of carefully observing someone

or something over a period of time: the security forces have been

keeping a close watch on our activities.

• a period during which a person is stationed to look out for

danger or trouble, typically at night: Murray took the last watch before

dawn.• a fixed period of duty on a ship, usually lasting four hours. sea air,

lots of exercise, and four-hour watches give everyone a healthy appetite.

• (also starboard or port watch)the officers and crew on duty

during a watch.

• a shift worked by firefighters or police officers. the men of Red

Watch at Kingsland Fire Station.

• (the watch) historical a watchman or group of watchmen who

patrolled and guarded the streets of a town before the introduction

of the police force. the woman, with a piercing shriek, called the watch.

3 [ in sing. with adj. ] informal a film or programme considered in

terms of its appeal to the public: this movie's an engrossing watch.

PHRASES

be on the watch be on the alert for something, especially a

possible danger. he was already on the watch for any more suspicious moves.

keep watch stay on the lookout for danger or trouble. at the mouth

of the stream, two young sentries kept watch.

watch one's (or someone's) back protect oneself (or someone

else) against danger from an unexpected quarter. life's too short to

have to watch your back all the time. I'll watch your back at this end—you can

count on me.

watch one's mouth see mouth.

the watches of the night literary the hours of night, portrayed

as a time when one cannot sleep. the long, silent watches of the night.watch the pennies see penny.

watch one's step see step.

watch this space see space.

watch the time ensure that one is aware of the time in order to

avoid being late.

watch the world go by spend time observing other people going

about their business. I love sitting here and watching the world go by.

ORIGIN Old English wæcce‘watchfulness’, wæccende‘remaining

awake’; related to wake 1 . The sense ‘small timepiece’ probably

developed by way of a sense ‘alarm device attached to a clock’.

watch

verb

1 Philippa continued to watch him as he spoke: observe, view, look at, eye,

gaze at, stare at, gape at, peer at; contemplate, survey, feast one's

eyes on, watch like a hawk, keep a weather eye on; inspect,

scrutinize, scan, examine, study, take in, take stock of, glance at;

see, notice, spot, glimpse, spy, catch sight of, lay one's eyes on,

perceive, witness; ogle, leer at, make eyes at; pay attention to,

regard, attend, take note of, mark; informal check out, get a load

of, recce, eyeball, not take one's eyes off; Brit. informal take a

dekko at, take a butcher's at; literary behold. ANTONYMS ignore,

disregard.2 he was being watched by plain-clothes police: spy on, keep watch on,

keep an eye on, keep in sight, keep track of, track, monitor, survey,

follow, keep under observation, keep under surveillance; informal

keep tabs on, keep a beady eye on, stake out; rare surveil.

3 we need to find a trustworthy person to watch the kids: look after, mind,

take care of, care for, supervise, superintend, tend, attend to,

minister to, foster, nurse, guard, safeguard, protect; informal keep

an eye on. ANTONYMS neglect.

4 they came to a large set of steel doors, watched over by a single guard |

two men stayed to watch the boat: guard, stand guard over, keep guard

on, protect, shield, preserve, defend, safeguard, screen, shelter;

cover, patrol, police, picket, keep a lookout at.

5 most women watch their diet during pregnancy | watch what you say to him:

be careful about/of, exercise care/caution/restraint about; be

aware of, pay attention to, consider, take into account/

consideration, bear in mind, keep in mind; mind, attend to, pay

heed to.

PHRASES

watch out/it/yourself ‘Watch out’ he yelled | watch it, Bob, or you'll go

over the edge: be careful, be watchful, beware, be on the watch, be

wary, be cautious, be on your guard, mind out, look out, pay

attention, take heed/care, have a care, be on the alert/lookout,keep a sharp lookout, be vigilant, be on the qui vive; informal keep

an eye open/out, keep one's eyes peeled/skinned.

watch (out) for he made idle banter as they watched for the van: look out

for, wait for, await, stand by for, hold back for; anticipate, expect;

informal keep an eye open for.

noun

1 Harvey looked at his watch and said ‘Time to get ready’: timepiece,

chronometer, small clock, timer; wristwatch, pocket watch, fob

watch, digital watch, stopwatch.

2 we kept watch on the yacht: guard, vigil, lookout, an eye; observance,

observation, surveillance, vigilance, view, notice.

3 Ratagan took the first watch while the rest slept: shift, stint, spell, stretch,

turn.

official |əәˈfɪʃ(əә)l|

adjective

relating to an authority or public body and its activities and

responsibilities: the prime minister's official engagements.

• having the approval or authorization of an authority or public

body: members would know when industrial action is official | official

statistics.

• employed by an authority or public body in a position of

authority: an official spokesman.noun

a person holding public office or having official duties, especially as

a representative of an organization or government department: a

union official.

• (also official principal)Brit.the presiding officer or judge of an

archbishop's, bishop's, or archdeacon's court.

DERIVATIVES

officialdom noun,

officialism noun,

officialize (also officialise)verb

ORIGIN Middle English (originally as a noun): via Old French

from Latin officialis, from officium (see office) .

official

adjective

1 an official inquiry into the state of the hospital | until probate is granted the

will is not official: authorized, accredited, approved, validated,

authenticated, authentic, certified, endorsed, documented,

sanctioned, licensed, formal, recognized, authoritative, accepted,

verified, legitimate, legal, lawful, valid, bona fide, proper, true, ex

cathedra, {signed, sealed, and delivered}, signed and sealed;

informal kosher. ANTONYMS unofficial, unauthorized.2 they were arrayed in all their finery for some official function: ceremonial,

formal, solemn, ritualistic, ceremonious; pompous, stiff,

bureaucratic, proper; informal stuffed-shirt. ANTONYMS

informal.

noun

a union official: officer, office-holder, office-bearer, administrator,

executive, appointee, functionary; bureaucrat, dignitary, mandarin;

representative, agent; derogatory apparatchik; Brit. jack-in-office.

EASILY CONFUSED WORDS

official or officious?

See officious.

These notes clear up confusion between similar-looking

pairs.

island |ˈʌɪləәnd|

noun

1 a piece of land surrounded by water: the island of Crete | [ as

modifier ] : this island nation.

2 a thing regarded as resembling an island, especially in being

isolated, detached, or surrounded in some way: the university is the

last island of democracy in this country.

• a traffic island.• a free-standing kitchen unit with a worktop, allowing access from

all sides.

3 Anatomy a detached portion of tissue or group of cells.

Compare with islet.

ORIGIN Old English īegland, from īeg‘island’ (from a base

meaning ‘watery, watered’) + land. The change in the spelling of

the first syllable in the 16th cent. was due to association with the

unrelated word isle.

Island |ˈiːsland|

Icelandic name for Iceland.

island

noun

isle, islet; atoll; in the Caribbeankey; in Spanish Americacay; Brit.

ait, holm; Scottish skerry; (islands) archipelago, chain, group.

ANTONYMS mainland, continent.

WORD LINKS

insular relating to an island

Word Links sections supply words that are related to the

headword but do not normally appear in a thesaurus

because they are not actual synonyms.hesitant |ˈhɛzɪt(əә)nt|

adjective

tentative, unsure, or slow in acting or speaking: clients are hesitant

about buying | her slow, hesitant way of speaking.

DERIVATIVES

hesitantly adverb

ORIGIN late Middle English: from Latin haesitant- ‘being

undecided’, from the verb haesitare (see hesitate) .

hesitant

adjective

1 clients are hesitant about buying: uncertain, undecided, unsure,

doubtful, in doubt, dubious, tentative, half-hearted, ambivalent,

sceptical, reluctant, nervous, having misgivings, having qualms,

hanging back, stalling, delaying; irresolute, hesitating, indecisive,

dithering, vacillating, wavering, oscillating, shilly-shallying, in two

minds, in a quandary, in a dilemma, on the horns of a dilemma;

Brit. havering, humming and hawing; informal iffy, dilly-dallying,

blowing hot and cold; rare cunctatory. ANTONYMS certain;

decisive.

2 she was timid and hesitant: lacking confidence, diffident, timid, shy,

bashful, insecure, self-effacing; stammering, stuttering, stumbling,

faltering. ANTONYMS confident.WORD TOOLKIT

hesitant

See unwilling.

Word Toolkits illustrate the difference between close

synonyms by means of words typically used with them.

only |ˈəәʊnli|

adverb

1 and no one or nothing more besides; solely: there are only a limited

number of tickets available | only their faith sustained them.

• no more than (implying that more was expected); merely: deaths

from heart disease have only declined by 10 per cent | she was still only in her

mid thirties.

2 no longer ago than: genes that were discovered only last year.

• not until: a final report reached him only on January 15.

3 [ with infinitive ] with the negative or unfortunate result that: she

turned into the car park, only to find her way blocked.

• [ with modal ] in an inevitable but undesirable way: rebellion will

only bring more unhappiness.

adjective [ attrib. ]

alone of its or their kind; single or solitary: the only medal we had ever

won | he was an only child.• alone deserving consideration: it's simply the only place to be seen these

days.

conjunction informal

except that; but: he is still a young man, only he seems older because of his

careworn expression | the place was like school, only better.

PHRASES

only just by a very small margin; almost not: the building survived the

earthquake, but only just. • very recently. I'd only just arrived back from

Paris.

only too —— used to emphasize that something is the case to an

extreme or regrettable extent: you should be only too glad to be rid of

him.

ORIGIN Old English ānlic (adjective) (see one,-ly 1 ) .

usage: The traditional view is that the adverb only should be

placed next to the word or words whose meaning it restricts: I have

seen him only once rather than I have only seen him once. The

argument for this, a topic which has occupied grammarians for

more than 200 years, is that if only is not placed correctly the

scope or emphasis is wrong, and could even result in ambiguity.

But in normal, everyday English, the impulse is to state only as

early as possible in the sentence, generally just before the verb.

The result is, in fact, hardly ever ambiguous: few native speakers

would be confused by the sentence I have only seen him once, andthe supposed ‘logical’ sense often emerges only with further

clarification, as in I've only seen him once, but I've heard him many

times.

only

adverb

1 there was only enough for two: at most, at best, (only) just, no/not

more than, as little as; no longer ago than, not until; barely,

scarcely, hardly, narrowly, by a hair's breadth, by the skin of one's

teeth.

2 he only works on one picture at a time: exclusively, solely, entirely,

uniquely, wholly, to the exclusion of everything else.

3 you're only saying that: merely, simply, just, purely.

adjective

he is their only son: sole, single, one (and only), solitary, lone, unique,

only possible, individual, exclusive.

dump |dʌmp|

noun

1 a site for depositing rubbish.

• a heap of rubbish left at a dump.

• [ usu. with modifier ] a place where a particular kind of waste,

especially dangerous waste, is left: a nuclear waste dump.• a place where weapons and other military equipment is stored:

an ammunitions dump.

2 informal an unpleasant or dreary place: why are you living in a dump

like this?

3 Computing an act of copying stored data to a different location,

performed typically as a protection against loss.

• a printout or list of the contents of a computer's memory,

occurring typically after a system failure.

4 informal an act of defecation.

verb [ with obj. ]

1 deposit or dispose of (rubbish, waste, or unwanted material),

typically in a careless or hurried way: trucks dumped 1,900 tons of

refuse here.

• abandon (something) hurriedly in order to make an escape: the

couple dumped the car and fled.

• put (something) down heavily or carelessly: she dumped her knapsack

on the floor.

• informal abandon or desert (someone): Zoë was heartbroken when her

boyfriend dumped her.

• send (goods unsaleable in the home market) to a foreign market

for sale at a low price: these countries have been dumping cheap

fertilizers on the UK market.• informal sell off (assets) rapidly: investors dumped shares in scores of

other consumer-goods firms.

2 Computing copy (stored data) to a different location, especially

so as to protect against loss.

• print out or list the contents of (a store), especially after a system

failure.

PHRASAL VERBS

dump on N. Amer. informal criticize or abuse (someone); treat

badly: you get dumped on just because of your name.

ORIGIN Middle English: perhaps from Old Norse; related to

Danish dumpe and Norwegian dumpa ‘fall suddenly’ (the

original sense in English); in later use partly imitative; compare

with thump.

dump

noun

1 it's time to take the rubbish to the dump: rubbish tip, rubbish dump,

refuse dump, rubbish heap, refuse heap, tip, dumping ground,

dustheap, slag heap, midden, dunghill, dung heap; Brit. scrapyard;

N. Amer. junkyard, nuisance grounds.

2 informal the house is a dump, but the rent is cheap: hovel, shack, slum,

shanty, mess; informal hole, pigsty.verb

1 he dumped a bag of groceries on the table: put down, lay down, set

down, deposit, place, put, unload; drop, let fall, throw down, fling

down; informal stick, park, plonk, shove, pop; Brit. informal bung;

N. Amer. informal plunk; archaic unlade; rare posit.

2 they gained permission to dump asbestos at the site: dispose of, get rid of,

throw away, throw out, discard, scrap, bin, jettison, cast aside, cast

out, fling out, toss out; informal ditch, junk, get shut of; Brit.

informal get shot of; N. Amer. informal trash.

3 pumps are used to dump effluent from the tanks: discharge, empty out,

pour out, tip out, unload, jettison, eject, spew out, throw out, force

out.

4 informal he dumped her and ran off with a richer woman: abandon,

desert, leave, leave in the lurch, leave high and dry, turn one's back

on, jilt, break up with, finish with, cast aside, throw over; informal

walk out on, run out on, rat on, drop, ditch, chuck, give someone

the elbow, give someone the old heave-ho, leave someone holding

the baby; Brit. informal give someone the push, give someone the

big E; archaic forsake.

onto |ˈänˌto͞ o, ˈôn-ˈɑnˌtʊˈɔnˌtʊ|

preposition1 moving to a location on (the surface of something): they went up

onto the ridge.

2 moving aboard (a public conveyance) with the intention of

traveling in it: we got onto the train.

PHRASES

be onto someone informal be close to discovering the truth

about an illegal or undesirable activity that someone is engaging

in.

be onto something informal have an idea or information that is

likely to lead to an important discovery.

usage: The preposition onto written as one word (instead of on

to) is recorded from the early 18th century and has been widely

used ever since. In US English, it is the regular form, although it is

not wholly accepted in British English. Nevertheless, it is

important to maintain a distinction between the preposition onto

or on to and the use of the adverb on followed by the preposition

to: she climbed onto (sometimes on to) the roof, but let's go on to

(never onto) the next chapter.

onto |ˈɒntuː|

preposition

1 variant form of on to (see on).2 Mathematics expressing the relationship of a set to its image

under a mapping when every element of the image set has an

inverse image in the first set: [ as modifier ] : an onto mapping.

usage: The preposition onto written as one word (instead of on

to) is recorded from the early 18th century and has been widely

used ever since, but is still not wholly accepted as part of standard

British English (unlike into, for example). Many style guides still

advise writing it as two words, and that is the practice followed in

this dictionary. However, onto is more or less the standard form in

US English and in the specialized mathematics sense.

Nevertheless, it is important to maintain a distinction between the

preposition onto or on to and the use of the adverb on followed

by the preposition to: she climbed on to (or onto) the roof but let's go

on to (not onto) the next point.

beach |biːtʃ|

noun

a pebbly or sandy shore, especially by the sea between high- and

low-water marks: fabulous sandy beaches.

verb [ with obj. ]

run or haul up (a boat or ship) on to a beach: at the water's edge a

rowing boat was beached.• (of an angler) land (a fish) on a beach. he managed to beach a fine

trout.

• (also be beached) [ no obj. ] (of a whale or similar animal)

become stranded out of the water: we don't know what causes whales to

beach.

• leave (someone) at a loss: competitive procurement seems to have beached

several firms.

ORIGIN mid 16th cent. (denoting shingle on the seashore):

perhaps related to Old English bæce, bece‘brook’ (an element that

survives in place names such as Wis bech and Sand bach), assuming

an intermediate sense ‘pebbly river valley’.

begin |bɪˈgɪn|

verb (begins, beginning; pastbegan |bɪˈgan| ; past

participlebegun |bɪˈgʌn| )

1 [ with obj. ] perform or undergo the first part of (an action or

activity): Peter had just begun a life sentence for murder | [ with infinitive

or present participle ] : it was beginning to snow | [ no obj. ] : she

began by rewriting the syllabus.

• [ no obj. ] come into being or have its starting point at a certain

time or place: a new era had begun | the cycleway begins at Livingston

village.• [ no obj. ] (of a person) hold a specified role before holding any

other: he began as a drummer.

• [ no obj. ] (begin with) have as a first element: words beginning

with a vowel.

• [ no obj. ] (begin on/upon) set to work at: Picasso began on a great

canvas.

• [ with direct speech ] start speaking by saying: ‘Mr Smith,’ he began.

• [ no obj. ] (begin at) (of an article) cost at least (a specified

amount): rooms begin at £139.

2 [ no obj., with infinitive ] [ with negative ] informal not have any

chance or likelihood of doing a specified thing: I can't begin to tell

you how much I hate that commercial.

PHRASES

to begin with at first. • used to introduce the first of several

points. such a fate is unlikely to befall him: to begin with, his is a genuine

talent.

ORIGIN Old English beginnan, of Germanic origin; related to

Dutch and German beginnen .

Begin, Menachem |ˈbeɪgɪn, ˈbɛgɪn|

(1913–92), Israeli statesman, Prime Minister 1977–83. His hard

line on Arab–Israeli relations softened in a series of meetings with

President Sadat of Egypt, which led to a peace treaty between the

countries. Nobel Peace Prize (1978, shared with Sadat).begin

verb

1 he must begin work first thing in the morning: start, set about, go about,

embark on, launch into, get down to, take up, turn one's hand to,

undertake, tackle; initiate, set in motion, institute, inaugurate, get

ahead with; informal get cracking on, get going on; formal

commence. ANTONYMS cease.

2 the interviewer began by asking me what my bad points were: open, lead

off, get under way, get going, get off the ground, start, start off, go

ahead; informal start the ball rolling, kick off, get the show on the

road, get to it, fire away, take the plunge; formal commence.

ANTONYMS conclude, finish.

3 when did the illness actually begin? appear, arise, become apparent,

make an appearance, spring up, crop up, turn up, surface, emerge,

come into existence, come into being, originate, start, develop,

unfold; set in, become established; happen, occur; formal

commence; literary come to pass. ANTONYMS disappear.

WORD LINKS

inceptive, initial relating to a beginning

incipient, inchoate, embryonic beginningWord Links sections supply words that are related to the

headword but do not normally appear in a thesaurus

because they are not actual synonyms.

away |əәˈweɪ|

adverb

1 to or at a distance from a particular place or person: she landed

badly, and crawled away | they walked away from the vicarage in silence

| we'll only be away for four nights.

• at a specified distance: when he was ten or twelve feet away he stopped |

we have had patients from as far away as Wales.

• at a specified future distance in time: the wedding is only weeks away.

• towards a lower level; downwards: in front of them the land fell away

to the river.

• conceptually to one side, so as no longer to be the focus of

attention: the Museum has shifted its emphasis away from research

towards exhibitions.

• (with reference to sports fixtures) at the opponents' ground. Oh

what fun it is to see the Mariners win away.

2 into an appropriate place for storage or safekeeping: he put away

the pistol.

3 into non-existence: Marie felt her distress ebbing away.4 constantly, persistently, or continuously: there was Morrissey crooning

away.

adjective

(of a sporting contest) played at the opponents' ground: tomorrow

night's away game at Leicester.

noun

an away match or win.

PHRASES

away with see with.

ORIGIN Old English onweg, aweg‘on one's way’ (see a- 2 ,way) .

away

adverb

1 she began to walk away: off, from here, from there.

2 stay indoors, away from the trouble: at a distance, apart, isolated.

3 Bernice pushed him away: aside, off, to one side.

4 we'll be away for two weeks: elsewhere, abroad, not at home, not

here, gone, absent; on holiday, on vacation.

WORD LINKS

ab- related prefix, as in abduct

abs- related prefix, as in abscondWord Links sections supply words that are related to the

headword but do not normally appear in a thesaurus

because they are not actual synonyms.

small |smɔːl|

adjective

1 of a size that is less than normal or usual: the room was small and

quiet | the small hill that sheltered the house.

• not great in amount, number, strength, or power: a rather small

amount of money.

• not fully grown or developed; young: as a small boy, he spent his days

either reading or watching cricket.

• used of the first letter of a word that has both a general and a

specific use to show that in this case the general use is intended:

they are diehard conservatives, with a small c.

2 insignificant; unimportant: these are small points.

• (of a business or its owner) operating on a modest scale: a small

farmer.

• archaic low or inferior in rank or position; socially

undistinguished. at dinner, some of the smaller neighbours were invited.

pluralnoun (smalls)

1 Brit. informal small items of clothing, especially underwear.

2 [ treated as sing. ] W. Indiana gratuity or small gift of money.adverb

into small pieces: cut the okra up small.

• in a small size: you shouldn't write so small.

PHRASES

feel (or look) small feel (or look) contemptibly weak or

insignificant. they had succeeded in making him feel small.

in a small way on a small scale: in a small way his life has been

improved.

it is (or what) a small world used to express surprise at meeting

an acquaintance or discovering a personal connection in a distant

place or an unexpected context. ‘Fancy him being your solicitor. It's a

small world.’.

no small —— a good deal of ——: a matter of no small consequence.

small is beautiful used, especially in environmentalism, to

express the belief that something small-scale is better than a large-

scale equivalent.[the title of a book by E. F. Schumacher (1973).]

the small of the back the part of a person's back where the

spine curves in at the level of the waist.

small potatoes informal something insignificant or unimportant:

her business was small potatoes beside his empire.

small profits and quick returns the policy of a cheap shop

which relies on low prices and a large turnover.the small screen television as a medium. his own career as an actor

began on the small screen.

small wonder not very surprising: it's small wonder that her emotions

had see-sawed.

DERIVATIVES

smallish adjective,

smallness noun

ORIGIN Old English smæl, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch

smal and German schmal .

small

adjective

1 a small flat in Fulham | he put his hand in his jacket and pulled out a

small package: little, small-scale, compact, bijou; portable; tiny,

miniature, mini, minute, microscopic, nanoscopic, minuscule; toy,

baby; poky, cramped, boxy; Scottish wee; informal tiddly, teeny,

weeny, teeny-weeny, teensy, teensy-weensy, itsy-bitsy, itty-bitty,

eensy, eensy-weensy, pocket-sized, half-pint, dinky, ickle, with no

room to swing a cat; Brit. informal titchy; N. Amer. informal little-

bitty, vest-pocket. ANTONYMS big, large.

2 he was a very small man: short, little, slight, slightly built, small-

boned, petite, diminutive, elfin, tiny; puny, undersized, stunted;squat, stubby; dwarf, bantam; a slip of a ...; Scottish wee;

informal teeny, teeny-weeny, pint-sized; rare homuncular,

Lilliputian. ANTONYMS heavily built, tall, large.

3 we may have to make a few small changes: slight, minor, unimportant,

trifling, trivial, insignificant, inconsequential, inappreciable,

inconsiderable, negligible, nugatory, paltry, infinitesimal; informal

minuscule, piffling, piddling. ANTONYMS major, substantial.

4 small helpings of vegetables: inadequate, meagre, insufficient,

ungenerous, not enough; informal measly, stingy, mingy, pathetic.

ANTONYMS generous, ample.

5 they had succeeded in making him feel small: foolish, stupid,

insignificant, unimportant; embar rassed, humiliated,

uncomfortable, mortified, chagrined, ashamed; deflated, crushed.

ANTONYMS proud.

6 the captain had been paying small attention: hardly any, not much,

scant, little or no, little, minimal.

7 a small farmer: small-scale, small-time; modest, unpretentious,

humble, lowly, simple. ANTONYMS large-scale, substantial.

WORD LINKS

micro- related prefix, as in microscope, microbrewery

mini- related prefix, as in minidisc, minibeast

nano- related prefix, as in nanotechnology, nanosecondWord Links sections supply words that are related to the

headword but do not normally appear in a thesaurus

because they are not actual synonyms.

up |ʌp|

adverb

1 towards a higher place or position: he jumped up | two of the men

hoisted her up | the curtain went up.

• upstairs: she made her way up to bed.

• (of the sun) visible after daybreak: the sun was already up when they

set off.

• expressing movement towards or position in the north: he's driving

up to Inverness to see the old man.

• to or at a place perceived as higher: I'm going for a walk up to the

shops.

• [ as exclamation ] used as a command to a soldier or an animal

to stand up and be ready to move or attack: up, boys, and at 'em.

• (of food that has been eaten) regurgitated from the stomach: I

was ill and vomited up everything.

2 at or to a higher level of intensity, volume, or activity: she turned

the volume up | liven up the graphics | US environmental groups had been

stepping up their attack on GATT.• at or to a higher price, value, or rank: sales are up 22.8 per cent at

$50.2 m | unemployment is up.

• winning or at an advantage by a specified margin: United were 3–1

up at half time | we came away £300 up on the evening.

3 to the place where someone is: Dot didn't hear Mrs Parvis come

creeping up behind her.

4 towards or in the capital or a major city: give me a ring when you're

up in London.

• Brit.at or to a university, especially Oxford or Cambridge: they

were up at Cambridge about the same time.

5 into the desired or a proper condition: the government agreed to set up

a committee of inquiry.

• so as to be finished or closed: I've got a bit of paperwork to finish up |

he zipped up the holdall.

6 into a happy mood: I don't think anything's going to cheer me up.

7 out of bed: Miranda hardly ever got up for breakfast.

8 displayed on a noticeboard or other publicly visible site: sticking

up posters to advertise concerts.

9 (of sailing) against the current or the wind. the bow of the boat was

brought slowly up into the wind and held there.

• (of a ship's helm) moved round to windward so that the rudder is

to leeward.

10 Baseball at bat: every time up, he had a different stance.preposition

1 from a lower to a higher point of (something): she climbed up a

flight of steps.

• to a higher part of (a river or stream), away from the sea: a cruise

up the Rhine.

2 along or further along (a street or road): he lived up the road |

walking up the street.

3 informal at or to (a place): we're going up the Palais.

adjective

1 [ attrib. ] directed or moving towards a higher place or position:

the up escalator.

• relating to or denoting trains travelling towards the major point

on a route: the first up train.

2 [ predic. ] at an end: his contract was up in three weeks | time's up.

3 [ predic. ] (of a road) being repaired.

4 [ predic. ] (of a computer system) functioning properly: the system

is now up.

5 [ predic. ] in a cheerful mood; ebullient: the mood here is resolutely

up.

6 (of a jockey) in the saddle.

7 Physics denoting a flavour of quark having a charge of + 2 / 3 .

Protons and neutrons are thought to be composed of

combinations of up and down quarks.noun informal

a period of good fortune: you can't have ups all the time in football.

verb (ups, upping, upped)

1 [ no obj. ] (up and do something) informal do something

unexpectedly: she upped and left him.

2 [ with obj. ] increase (a level or amount): capacity will be upped by

70 per cent next year.

3 [ with obj. ] lift (something) up: everybody was cheering and upping

their glasses.

• [ no obj. ] (up with) W. Indian & US informal raise or pick up

(something): this woman ups with a stone.

PHRASES

be (well) up on (or in)be well informed about: they are well up on

current environmental trends.

it is all up with informal it is the end or there is no hope for.

on the up and up informal 1 Brit.becoming more successful. his

career is certainly on the up and up. 2 chiefly N. Amer.honest or sincere.

he argued that pro wrestling was on the up and up.

something is up informal something unusual or undesirable is

happening.

up against close to or in contact with: crowds pressed up against the

barricades. • informal confronted with: I began to think of what teachersare up against today. • (up against it) informal in a difficult

situation: they play better when they're up against it.

up and about no longer in bed (after sleep or an illness).

up and doing active; busy: a normal young chap wants to be up and

doing.

up and down 1 to and fro: pacing up and down in front of her desk. •

[ as prep. ] to and fro along: strolling up and down the corridor. 2 in

various places throughout: in clubs up and down the country. 3 informal

in varying states or moods; changeable: my relationship with her was

up and down.

up and running (especially of a computer system) in operation;

functioning: the new computer is up and running.

up the ante see ante.

up before appearing for a hearing in the presence of: we'll have to

come up before a magistrate.

up for 1 available for: the house next door is up for sale. 2 being

considered for: he had been up for promotion. 3 due for: his contract is up

for renewal in June. 4 informal ready to take part in (a particular

activity): Nigel was really up for it, as always.

up hill and down dale all over the place: he led me up hill and down

dale till my feet were dropping off.

up one's street (or N. Amer.alley) informal well suited to one's

tastes, interests, or abilities: this job would be right up your street.ups and downs a mixture of both good and bad experiences. the

normal ups and downs of a relationship.

up sticks see stick 1 .

up to 1 as far as: I could reach just up to his waist. • (also up until)

until: up to now I hadn't had a relationship. 2 indicating a maximum

amount: the process is expected to take up to two years. 3 [ with negative

or in questions ] good enough for: I was not up to her standards. •

capable of or fit for: he is simply not up to the job. 4 the responsibility

or choice of (someone): it was up to them to gauge the problem. 5

informal occupied or busy with: what's he been up to?

up top Brit. informal by way of intelligence: a man with nothing

much up top.

up with —— an exclamation expressing support for a stated

person or thing.

up yours vulgar slang an exclamation expressing contemptuous

defiance or rejection of someone.

what's up? informal 1 what is going on? 2 what is the matter?:

what's up with you?

ORIGIN Old English up(p), uppe, of Germanic origin; related to

Dutch op and German auf .

few |fjuː|

determiner, pronoun, & adjective1 (a few) a small number of: [ as determiner ] : may I ask a few

questions? | [ as pronoun ] : I will recount a few of the stories told me |

there are hundreds of applicants but only a few are selected.

2 used to emphasize how small a number of people or things is:

[ as determiner ] : he had few friends | [ as pronoun ] : few thought to

challenge these assumptions | very few of the titles have any literary merit |

a club with as few as 20 members | [ comparative ] : a population of

fewer than two million | [ as adj. ] : sewing was one of her few pleasures |

[ superlative ] : ask which products have the fewest complaints.

noun (as plural nounthe few)

the minority of people; the elect: art is not just for the few.

• (the Few)Brit.the RAF pilots who took part in the Battle of

Britain.[alluding to a speech of Sir Winston Churchill (20 August,

1940).]

PHRASES

every few once in every small group of (typically units of time):

she visits every few weeks.

few and far between scarce; infrequent: my inspired moments are

few and far between.

a good few Brit.a fairly large number of: we sat there for a good few

minutes.

have a few informal drink enough alcohol to be slightly drunk.no fewer than used to emphasize a surprisingly large number:

there are no fewer than seventy different brand names.

not a few a considerable number: virtually every soul star, and not a

few blues singers, learned to sing in church.

quite a few a fairly large number: quite a few people got the wrong

impression.

some few some but not many.

ORIGIN Old English fēawe, fēawa, of Germanic origin; related to

Old High German fao, from an Indo-European root shared by

Latin paucus and Greek pauros ‘small’.

usage: Fewer versus less: strictly speaking, the rule is that fewer,

the comparative form of few, is used with words denoting people

or countable things ( fewer members; fewer books). Less, on the

other hand, is used with mass nouns, denoting things which cannot

be counted ( less money; less bother). It is regarded as incorrect in

standard English to use less with count nouns, as in less people or

less words, although this is one of the most widespread errors

made by native speakers. It is not so obvious which word should be

used with than. Less is normally used with numerals ( a score of

less than 100) and with expressions of measurement or time ( less

than two weeks; less than four miles away), but fewer is used if the

things denoted by the number are seen as individual items or units

( there were fewer than ten contestants).few

determiner

police are revealing few details about the victim: not many, hardly any,

scarcely any; a small number of, a small amount of, a small

quantity of, one or two, a handful of, a sprinkling of; little; informal

a couple of. ANTONYMS many.

adjective

though the car parks are few, they are strategically placed: scarce, scant,

scanty, meagre, insufficient, negligible, in short supply; thin on the

ground, scattered, seldom met with, few and far between,

infrequent, uncommon, rare, sporadic. ANTONYMS many,

plentiful.

pronoun

PHRASES

a few to a few, overcoming their fear of flying becomes a challenge: a small

number, a handful, a sprinkling, one or two, a couple, two or three;

not many, hardly any. ANTONYMS a lot.

WORD LINKS

oligo- related prefix, as in oligarch, oligosaccharide

Word Links sections supply words that are related to the

headword but do not normally appear in a thesaurus

because they are not actual synonyms.from |frɒm, frəәm|

preposition

1 indicating the point in space at which a journey, motion, or

action starts: she began to walk away from him | I leapt from my bed |

figurative : he was turning the Chamberlain government away from

appeasement.

• indicating the distance between a particular place and another

place used as a point of reference: the ambush occurred 50 metres from a

checkpoint.

2 indicating the point in time at which a particular process, event,

or activity starts: the show will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

3 indicating the source or provenance of someone or something:

I'm from Hackney | she rang him from the hotel | she demanded the keys from

her husband.

• indicating the date at which something was created: a document

dating from the thirteenth century.

4 indicating the starting point of a specified range on a scale: men

who ranged in age from seventeen to eighty-four.

• indicating one extreme in a range of conceptual variations:

anything from geography to literature.

5 indicating the point at which an observer is placed: you can see the

island from here | figurative : the ability to see things from another's point of

view.6 indicating the raw material out of which something is

manufactured: a paint made from a natural resin.

7 indicating separation or removal: the party was ousted from power

after sixteen years.

8 indicating prevention: the story of how he was saved from death.

9 indicating a cause: a child suffering from asthma.

10 indicating a source of knowledge or the basis for one's

judgement: information obtained from papers, books, and presentations.

11 indicating a distinction: these fees are quite distinct from expenses.

PHRASES

as from see as 1 .

from day to day (or hour to hour etc.)daily (or hourly etc.); as

the days (or hours etc.) pass.

from now (or then etc.) on now (or then etc.) and in the future:

they were friends from that day on.

from time to time occasionally.

ORIGIN Old English fram, from, of Germanic origin; related to

Old Norse frá (see fro)

maintain |meɪnˈteɪn, məәnˈteɪn|

verb [ with obj. ]

1 cause or enable (a condition or situation) to continue: the need to

maintain close links between industry and schools.• keep (something) at the same level or rate: agricultural prices will

have to be maintained.

• keep (a building, machine, or road) in good condition by

checking or repairing it regularly. the Department for Transport is

responsible for maintaining the main roads in England.

2 provide with necessities for life or existence: the allowance covers the

basic costs of maintaining a child.

• keep (a military unit) supplied with equipment and other

requirements. an English garrison was maintained there in the seventeenth

century.

• archaic give one's support to; uphold: the king swears he will

maintain the laws of God.

3 [ reporting verb ] state something strongly to be the case; assert:

[ with obj. ] : he has always maintained his innocence | [ with clause ] :

he had persistently maintained that he would not stand against his old friend.

DERIVATIVES

maintainability |-ˈbɪlɪti| noun,

maintainable adjective

ORIGIN Middle English (also in the sense ‘practise an action

habitually’): from Old French maintenir, from Latin manu

tenere ‘hold in the hand’.

maintainverb

1 the need to maintain close links between industry and schools: continue,

keep, keep going, keep up, keep alive, keep in existence, carry on,

preserve, conserve, prolong, perpetuate, sustain, bolster (up), prop

up, retain, support, bear. ANTONYMS break off.

2 the roads are maintained at public expense: keep in good condition,

keep in repair, keep up, service, rebuild, conserve, preserve, keep

intact, care for, take good care of, look after. ANTONYMS

neglect.

3 the costs of maintaining a family: support, provide for, keep, finance;

nurture, feed, nourish, sustain. ANTONYMS neglect.

4 he always maintained his innocence | he maintains that he is innocent:

insist (on), declare, assert, protest, state, aver, say, announce, affirm,

avow, profess, claim, allege, contend, argue, swear (to), hold to;

rare asseverate. ANTONYMS deny.

5 the King swears he will maintain the laws of God: uphold, defend, fight

for, champion, support, back, advocate. ANTONYMS abandon.

relieve |rɪˈliːv|

verb [ with obj. ]

1 cause (pain, distress, or difficulty) to become less severe or

serious: the drug was used to promote sleep and to relieve pain.• cause (someone) to stop feeling distressed or anxious: he was

relieved by her change of tone.

2 release (someone) from duty by taking their place: another

signalman relieved him at 5.30.

• bring military support for (a besieged place): he dispatched an

expedition to relieve the city.

3 (relieve someone of) take (a burden) from someone: he relieved

her of her baggage.

• free someone from (a tiresome responsibility): she relieved me of the

household chores.

• used ironically to indicate that someone has been deprived of

something: he was relieved of his world title.

4 make less tedious or monotonous by the introduction of variety:

the bird's body is black, relieved only by white under the tail.

5 (relieve oneself) used as a formal or euphemistic expression for

urination or defecation. train your dog to relieve itself where you want it

to.

6 archaic make (something) stand out: the twilight relieving in purple

masses the foliage of the island.

DERIVATIVES

relievable adjective,

reliever nounORIGIN Middle English: from Old French relever, from Latin

relevare, from re- (expressing intensive force) + levare

‘raise’ (from levis ‘light’).

relieve

verb

1 a battery-powered device which helps relieve pain: alleviate, mitigate,

assuage, allay, soothe, soften, palliate, appease, ease, dull, reduce,

lessen, diminish. ANTONYMS aggravate.

2 his studies helped to relieve the boredom: counteract, reduce, alleviate,

mitigate, brighten, lighten, sweeten, bring respite to, make

something bearable; interrupt, punctuate, vary, break up, stop,

bring an end to, cure, dispel; prevent. ANTONYMS exacerbate,

emphasize.

3 there was no shortage of helpers to relieve us for breaks: replace, take over

from, take the place of, stand in for, act as stand-in for, fill in for,

substitute for, act as a substitute for, deputize for, be a proxy for,

cover for, provide cover for, act as locum for, hold the fort for, do

something in someone's place/stead.

4 this relieves the teacher of a heavy load of formal teaching: free of/

from, set free from, release from, liberate from, exempt from,

excuse from, absolve from, let off, extricate from, discharge from,unburden of, disburden of, disencumber of; deliver from, rescue

from, save from; rare disembarrass of. ANTONYMS put an extra

burden on.

PHRASES

relieve oneself See urinate, defecate.

backward |ˈbakwəәd|

adjective

1 directed behind or to the rear: she left the room without a backward

glance.

• reverting to an inferior state; retrograde: the decision was a backward

step.

2 having made less progress than is normal or expected: a backward

agricultural country.

• (of a person) having learning difficulties. a lively child but a bit

backward.

3 [ with negative ] (backward in) lacking the confidence to do

(something): he was not backward in displaying his talents.

4 Cricket (of a fielding position) behind an imaginary line passing

through the stumps at the batsman's end at right angles to the

wicket. backward square leg.

adverbanother word for backwards.

DERIVATIVES

backwardly adverb,

backwardness noun

ORIGIN Middle English: from earlier abackward, from aback.

usage: In most adverbial uses backward and backwards are

interchangeable: the car rolled slowly backward and the car rolled

slowly backwards are both equally acceptable. In North

American English backward tends to be preferred to

backwards, while in British English it is the other way round. As

an adjective, on the other hand, the standard form is backward

rather than backwards: uses such as a backwards glance (as

opposed to a backward glance) are unusual.

backwards |ˈbakwəәdz| (also backward)

adverb

1 (of a movement) in the direction of one's back: Penny glanced

backwards | he took a step backwards.

2 (of an object's motion) back towards the starting point: the tape

rolled backwards.

3 in reverse of the usual direction or order: count backwards from

twenty to ten.

• towards the past: the songs look backwards to long-ago battles.

• towards or into a worse state: a step backwards for the economy.PHRASES

backwards and forwards in both directions alternately; to and

fro. he paced backwards and forwards nervously.

bend (or fall or lean) over backwards informal make every

effort to achieve something, especially to be fair or helpful: we have

bent over backwards to ensure a fair trial for the defendants.

know something backwards be entirely familiar with

something. Luke knew the play backwards.

backward

adjective

1 a backward look | a backward movement: reverse; to/towards the rear,

rearward, to/towards the back; behind one. ANTONYMS

forward.

2 the decision was a backward step: retrograde, retrogressive, regressive,

unprogressive, for the worse, in the wrong direction, downhill,

negative. ANTONYMS progressive, forward-looking.

3 an economically backward country: underdeveloped, undeveloped,

unsophisticated; primitive, benighted. ANTONYMS advanced,

sophisticated.

4 he was not backward in displaying his talents: reticent about,

hesitant about, reluctant to, unwilling to, afraid to, loath to, averse

to; shy about, diffident about, unconfident about, bashful about,timid about, coy about; informal backward in coming forward.

ANTONYMS confident, bold.

adverb

the car rolled slowly backward. See backwards.

WORD LINKS

retro- related prefix, as in retrograde, retrocede

Word Links sections supply words that are related to the

headword but do not normally appear in a thesaurus

because they are not actual synonyms.

backwards

adverb

1 Penny glanced backwards | he took a step backwards: towards the rear,

rearwards, backward, behind one. ANTONYMS forwards.

2 count backwards from twenty to ten: in reverse, from the highest to

lowest, in reverse order.

3 his campaign is going backwards : deteriorate, decline,

degenerate, worsen, get worse; informal go downhill, take a

nosedive, go to pot, go to the dogs, hit the skids, go down the toilet,

go down the tubes. ANTONYMS improve.

sailing |ˈseɪlɪŋ|noun [ mass noun ]

the action of sailing in a ship or boat: [ as modifier ] : a sailing club.

• [ count noun ] a voyage made by a ferry or cruise ship, especially

according to a planned schedule: the company operates five sailings a day

from Ramsgate to Dunkirk.

• [ in sing. ] an act of beginning a voyage or of leaving a harbour.

on the eve of her sailing, she learned that news had come in from Cyprus.

sail |seɪl|

noun

1 a piece of material extended on a mast to catch the wind and

propel a boat or ship or other vessel: all the sails were unfurled.

• [ mass noun ] the use of sailing ships as a means of transport: this

led to bigger ships as steam replaced sail.

• archaic a sailing ship: sail ahoy!

2 something resembling a sail in shape or function, in particular:

• a wind-catching apparatus attached to the arm of a windmill.

• the broad fin on the back of a sailfish or of some prehistoric

reptiles.

• a structure by which an animal is propelled across the surface of

water by the wind, e.g. the float of a Portuguese man-of-war.

3 a voyage or excursion in a ship, especially a sailing ship or boat:

they went for a sail.

4 the conning tower of a submarine.5 S. Africana canvas sheet or tarpaulin. the sail covering the load of

crates broke loose from the truck.[loan translation, based on Dutch seil

‘tarpaulin’.]

verb [ no obj. ]

1 travel in a boat with sails, especially as a sport or recreation: Ian

took us out sailing on the lake.

• [ with adverbial ] travel in a ship or boat using sails or engine

power: the ferry caught fire sailing between Caen and Portsmouth.

• [ with adverbial ] begin a voyage; leave a harbour: the catamaran

sails at 3:30.

• [ with obj. ] travel by ship on or across (a sea) or on (a route):

plastic ships could be sailing the oceans soon.

• [ with obj. and adverbial of direction ] navigate or control (a

boat or ship): I stole a small fishing boat and sailed it to the Delta.

2 [ with adverbial of direction ] move smoothly and rapidly or in a

stately or confident manner: the ball sailed inside the right-hand post.

• (sail through) informal succeed easily at (something, especially a

test or examination): Ali sailed through his exams.

• (sail into) informal attack physically or verbally with force.

PHRASES

in (or under) full sail with all the sails in position or fully spread:

a galleon in full sail.

take in sail furl the sail or sails of a vessel.under sail with the sails hoisted: at a speed of eight knots under sail.

DERIVATIVES

sailable adjective,

sailed adjective [ in combination ] : a black-sailed ship

ORIGIN Old English segel (noun), seglian (verb), of Germanic

origin; related to Dutch zeil and German Segel (nouns).

sail

noun

the upright rig means more sail is presented to the wind: canvas.

verb

1 we sailed across the Atlantic: go by water, go by sea, go on a sea

voyage, voyage, steam, navigate, cruise, ride the waves.

2 you can learn to sail here: yacht, boat, go sailing; crew, helm, skipper

a boat.

3 we sail tonight: set sail, put to sea, put out (to sea), leave port, leave

dock, leave harbour, hoist sail, raise sail, weigh anchor, put off,

shove off.

4 he is sailing the ship: steer, captain, pilot, skipper, navigate, con,

helm.

5 untidy grey clouds were sailing past a pale moon: glide, drift, float, flow,

slide, slip, sweep, skim, coast, skate, breeze, flit.6 a pencil sailed past his ear: whizz, speed, streak, shoot, whip,

whoosh, buzz, zoom, flash, blast, career, fly, wing, kite, skite, scud;

informal scorch, tear, zap, zip.

7 the ball sailed high into the air: soar, wing, wing its way, take to the

air, fly, ascend, mount, climb, arc, curve.

PHRASES

sail into he really sailed into the driver of the other car: attack, set upon,

set about, fall on, assault, assail, tear into, weigh into, lay into, light

into, pitch into, turn on, lash out at, hit out at, strike out at, (let) fly

at, lash, round on, drub, thump, batter, hammer, pummel, beat,

paste, thrash, belabour, lambaste, berate, abuse; informal let

someone have it; Brit. informal have a go at.

sail through she sailed through GCSE | he sailed through the Royal

Grammar School: succeed easily at, gain success in easily, pass easily,

romp through, walk through. ANTONYMS fail, scrape through.

distantly

adverb

far away: distantly he heard shouts.

• not closely: they are distantly related to the elephants.

• coolly or remotely: she smiled distantly.

rely |rɪˈlʌɪ|verb (relies, relying, relied) [ no obj. ] (rely on/upon)

depend on with full trust or confidence: I know I can rely on your

discretion.

• be dependent on: the charity has to rely entirely on public donations.

ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French relier ‘bind

together’, from Latin religare, from re- (expressing intensive

force) + ligare ‘bind’. The original sense was ‘gather together’,

later ‘turn to, associate with’, whence ‘depend upon with

confidence’.

rely

verb

1 I think we can rely on his discretion: depend, count, bank, place

reliance, bargain, plan, reckon; anticipate, expect, pin one's hopes

on, hope for, take for granted, take on trust, trust; be confident of,

have (every) confidence in, be sure of, believe in, have faith in, pin

one's faith on, trust in, cling to, swear by; N. Amer. informal figure

on. ANTONYMS distrust.

2 law centres have had to rely on government funding to keep going: be

dependent, depend, lean, hinge, turn, hang, rest, pivot, be

contingent; be unable to manage without, have recourse to, resort

to, fall back on.spy |spʌɪ|

noun (pl.spies)

a person employed by a government or other organization to

secretly obtain information on an enemy or competitor.

• a person who keeps watch on others secretly: [ as modifier ] : a

spy camera.

verb (spies, spying, spied)

1 [ no obj. ] work for a government or other organization by

secretly obtaining information about enemies or competitors: he

agreed to spy for the West.

• (spy on) observe (someone) furtively: the couple were spied on by

reporters.

• [ with obj. ] (spy something out) collect information about

something to use in deciding how to act: he would go and spy out the

land.

2 [ with obj. ] discern or make out, especially by careful

observation: he could spy a figure in the distance.

ORIGIN Middle English: shortening of Old French espie

‘espying’, espier ‘espy’, of Germanic origin, from an Indo-

European root shared by Latin specere ‘behold, look’.

spy

nounthe government had planted two spies in the organization: secret agent,

undercover agent, enemy agent, foreign agent, secret service agent,

intelligence agent, double agent, counterspy, industrial spy, fifth

columnist, mole, plant, scout; control, handler; N. Amer. spook;

informal snooper; archaic intelligencer; archaic, informal beagle.

verb

1 she spied some asparagus on a stall: notice, observe, see, spot, sight,

catch sight of, glimpse, catch/get a glimpse of, make out, discern,

pick out, detect, have sight of; informal clap/lay/set eyes on;

literary espy, behold, descry.

2 the couple were spied on by reporters: observe furtively, keep under

surveillance, watch, keep a watch on, keep an eye on, keep under

observation, follow, shadow, trail; informal tail; rare surveil.

3 he agreed to spy for the West: be a spy, be engaged in spying, gather

intelligence, work for the secret service; informal snoop.

occupy |ˈɒkjʊpʌɪ|

verb (occupies, occupying, occupied) [ with obj. ]

1 reside or have one's place of business in (a building): the rented flat

she occupies in Hampstead.

2 fill or take up (a space or time): two long windows occupied almost the

whole of the end wall.• be situated in or at (a position in a system or hierarchy): the Bank

of England occupies a central position in the UK financial system.

• hold (a position or job). a very different job from any that he had occupied

before.

3 fill or preoccupy (the mind): her mind was occupied with alarming

questions.

• keep (someone) busy and active: Sarah occupied herself taking the

coffee cups over to the sink.

4 take control of (a place, especially a country) by military

conquest or settlement: Syria was occupied by France under a League of

Nations mandate.

• enter and stay in (a building) without authority and often forcibly,

especially as a form of protest: the workers occupied the factory.

ORIGIN Middle English: formed irregularly from Old French

occuper, from Latin occupare ‘seize’. A now obsolete vulgar

sense ‘have sexual relations with’ seems to have led to the general

avoidance of the word in the 17th and most of the 18th cent.

occupy

verb

1 Carol occupied the basement flat: live in, inhabit, be the tenant of,

tenant, lodge in, be established/ensconced in, establish/ensconce

oneself in, take up residence in, make one's home in, settle in,move into; people, populate, settle; Scottish & S. African stay in;

formal reside in, dwell in.

2 two long windows occupied almost the whole of the end wall: take up, fill,

fill up, cover, extend over, use up, utilize.

3 he occupies a senior post at the Treasury: hold, be in, fill, have; informal

hold down.

4 I need something to occupy my mind: engage, busy, employ, distract,

absorb, engross, preoccupy, hold, hold the attention of, immerse,

interest, involve, entertain, divert, amuse, beguile.

5 Hamburg was occupied by the French in 1812: capture, seize, take

possession of, conquer, invade, overrun, take over, colonize,

garrison, annex, dominate, subjugate, hold, commandeer,

requisition. ANTONYMS leave, abandon, quit.

reply |rɪˈplʌɪ|

verb (replies, replying, replied) [ reporting verb ]

say something in response to something someone has said: [ no

obj. ] : he was gone before we could reply to his last remark | [ with

clause ] : she replied that she had been sound asleep | [ with direct

speech ] : ‘I'm OK—just leave me alone,’ he replied.

• [ no obj. ] write back in answer to someone: she replied with a long

letter the next day.• [ no obj. ] respond by a similar action or gesture: they replied to

the shelling with a heavy mortar attack .

noun (pl.replies)

a verbal or written answer: I received a reply from the managing director |

‘No,’ was the curt reply.

• [ mass noun ] the action of answering someone or something: I

am writing in reply to your letter.

• a response in the form of a gesture, action, or expression: Clough

scored the first goal and Speed hit a late reply.

• Law a plaintiff's response to the defendant's plea.

DERIVATIVES

replier noun

ORIGIN late Middle English (as a verb): from Old French

replier, from Latin replicare ‘repeat’, later ‘make a reply’ (see

replicate) .

reply

verb

1 Rachel didn't bother to reply: answer, respond; acknowledge, write

back; take the bait, rise to the bait, come back.

2 ‘No, I didn't,’ he replied, defensively: respond, answer, say in response,

rejoin, return; retort, counter, fling back, hurl back, retaliate, come

back; rare riposte.noun

he did not wait for a reply: answer, response, acknowledgement,

rejoinder, return, reaction; retort, riposte; informal comeback.

occupy |ˈɒkjʊpʌɪ|

verb (occupies, occupying, occupied) [ with obj. ]

1 reside or have one's place of business in (a building): the rented flat

she occupies in Hampstead.

2 fill or take up (a space or time): two long windows occupied almost the

whole of the end wall.

• be situated in or at (a position in a system or hierarchy): the Bank

of England occupies a central position in the UK financial system.

• hold (a position or job). a very different job from any that he had occupied

before.

3 fill or preoccupy (the mind): her mind was occupied with alarming

questions.

• keep (someone) busy and active: Sarah occupied herself taking the

coffee cups over to the sink.

4 take control of (a place, especially a country) by military

conquest or settlement: Syria was occupied by France under a League of

Nations mandate.

• enter and stay in (a building) without authority and often forcibly,

especially as a form of protest: the workers occupied the factory.ORIGIN Middle English: formed irregularly from Old French

occuper, from Latin occupare ‘seize’. A now obsolete vulgar

sense ‘have sexual relations with’ seems to have led to the general

avoidance of the word in the 17th and most of the 18th cent.

occupy

verb

1 Carol occupied the basement flat: live in, inhabit, be the tenant of,

tenant, lodge in, be established/ensconced in, establish/ensconce

oneself in, take up residence in, make one's home in, settle in,

move into; people, populate, settle; Scottish & S. African stay in;

formal reside in, dwell in.

2 two long windows occupied almost the whole of the end wall: take up, fill,

fill up, cover, extend over, use up, utilize.

3 he occupies a senior post at the Treasury: hold, be in, fill, have; informal

hold down.

4 I need something to occupy my mind: engage, busy, employ, distract,

absorb, engross, preoccupy, hold, hold the attention of, immerse,

interest, involve, entertain, divert, amuse, beguile.

5 Hamburg was occupied by the French in 1812: capture, seize, take

possession of, conquer, invade, overrun, take over, colonize,

garrison, annex, dominate, subjugate, hold, commandeer,

requisition. ANTONYMS leave, abandon, quit.declare |dɪˈklɛː|

verb

1 [ reporting verb ] say something in a solemn and emphatic

manner: [ with clause ] : the prime minister declared that the programme of

austerity had paid off | [ with direct speech ] : ‘I was under too much

pressure,’ he declared.

• [ with obj. ] formally announce the beginning of (a state or

condition): Spain declared war on Britain in 1796.

• [ with obj. and complement ] pronounce or assert (a person or

thing) to be something specified: the mansion was declared a fire hazard.

• [ no obj. ] (declare for/against) Brit.openly align oneself for or

against (a party or position) in a dispute: the president had declared for

denuclearization of Europe.

• (declare oneself) reveal one's intentions or identity. a number of

interested parties who can't declare themselves openly.

• [ no obj. ] announce oneself as a candidate for an election: he

declared last April.

• (declare oneself) archaic express feelings of love to someone:

she waited in vain for him to declare himself.

2 [ with obj. ] acknowledge possession of (taxable income or

dutiable goods). if you have something to declare customs officers will tell

you the duty payable.3 [ no obj. ] Cricket close an innings voluntarily before all the

wickets have fallen: Pakistan declared at 446 for four.

4 [ with obj. ] announce that one holds (certain combinations of

cards) in a card game.

• name (the trump suit) in a card game.

PHRASES

well, I declare (or I do declare)an exclamation of incredulity,

surprise, or vexation. ‘Well, I do declare! It's Annabelle!’.

DERIVATIVES

declarable adjective,

declaratory |-ˈklarəәt(əә)ri| adjective,

declared adjective,

declaredly adverb

ORIGIN Middle English: from Latin declarare, from de-

‘thoroughly’ + clarare ‘make clear’ (from clarus ‘clear’).

declare

verb

1 she loses no opportunity to declare her political principles: proclaim,

announce, make known, state, communicate, reveal, divulge,

mention, talk about, raise, moot, air, bring into the open, voice,

articulate, pronounce, express, vent, set forth, make public,

publicize, disseminate, circulate, publish, broadcast, promulgate,trumpet, blazon; informal come out with, shout from the rooftops;

literary noise abroad, blazon abroad; rare preconize.

2 he declared that the defendants were guilty: assert, maintain, state, aver,

affirm, contend, argue, insist, hold, profess, move, claim, allege,

avow, vow, swear, attest, testify, certify; informal make out;

technical depose, represent; formal opine; archaic avouch; rare

asseverate.

3 his speech and bearing declared him a gentleman: show to be, reveal as,

confirm as, prove to be, validate as, certify to someone's being,

attest to someone's being.

success |səәkˈsɛs|

noun [ mass noun ]

1 the accomplishment of an aim or purpose: the president had some

success in restoring confidence.

• the attainment of fame, wealth, or social status: the success of his

play.

• [ count noun ] a person or thing that achieves desired aims or

attains fame, wealth, etc.: to judge from league tables, the school is a

success | I must make a success of my business.

2 archaic the good or bad outcome of an undertaking: the good or

ill success of their maritime enterprises.ORIGIN mid 16th cent.: from Latin successus, from the verb

succedere ‘come close after’ (see succeed) .

success

noun

1 we are very encouraged by the success of the scheme: favourable outcome,

successfulness, favourable result, successful outcome, positive

result, victory, triumph. ANTONYMS failure.

2 the modern-day trappings of success: prosperity, prosperousness,

successfulness, affluence, wealth, riches, fortune, opulence, luxury,

comfort, life of ease, the good life, milk and honey. ANTONYMS

failure, poverty.

3 a West End musical success | the book was a far greater success than I'd

expected: triumph, bestseller, box-office success, sell-out, coup,

master stroke; informal hit, box-office hit, smash hit, smash,

crowd-puller, winner, knockout, sensation, wow, biggie.

ANTONYMS failure, flop, disaster.

4 her performance might well have made her a success: star, superstar,

celebrity, big name, household name, somebody, important person,

VIP, personality, public figure, dignitary, luminary, leading light;

informal celeb, bigwig, big shot, big noise, big cheese, big fish,

megastar; Brit. informal nob; N. Amer. informal kahuna, macher,

high muckamuck. ANTONYMS failure, nobody.launch 1 |lɔːn(t)ʃ|

verb [ with obj. ]

1 set (a boat) in motion by pushing it or allowing it to roll into the

water: the town's lifeboat was launched to rescue the fishermen.

• set (a newly built ship or boat) afloat for the first time with an

official ceremony: the ship was launched in 1843 by Prince Albert.

• send (a missile, satellite, or spacecraft) on its course: they launched

two Scud missiles.

• [ with obj. and adverbial of direction ] hurl (something)

forcefully: a chair was launched at him.

• [ with adverbial of direction ] (launch oneself) make a sudden

energetic movement: I launched myself out of bed.

• utter (criticism or a threat) vehemently: he launched a biting attack on

BBC chiefs.

2 start or set in motion (an activity or enterprise): the government is to

launch a £1.25 million publicity campaign.

• introduce (a new product or publication) to the public for the first

time: two new Ford models are to be launched in the US next year.

noun

an act or instance of launching something: the launch of a new

campaign against drinking and driving.• an occasion at which a new product or publication is introduced

to the public: a book launch.

PHRASAL VERBS

launch into begin (something) energetically and enthusiastically:

he launched into a two-hour sales pitch.

launch out make a start on a new and challenging enterprise: she

wasn't brave enough to launch out by herself.

ORIGIN Middle English (in the sense ‘hurl a missile, discharge

with force’): from Anglo-Norman French launcher, variant of

Old French lancier (see lance) .

launch 2 |lɔːn(t)ʃ|

noun

a large motor boat used for short trips. she cruised the waterways on a

luxury motor launch. a police launch halted a small boat.

• historical the largest boat carried on an armed sailing ship.

ORIGIN late 17th cent.: from Spanish lancha ‘pinnace’,

perhaps from Malay lancharan, from lanchar ‘swift, nimble’.

launch

verb

1 he ordered his crewmen to launch a boat: set afloat, float; put to sea, put

into the water, send down the slipway.2 they've launched the shuttle: send into orbit, put into orbit; blast off,

take off, lift off.

3 a chair was launched at him: throw, hurl, fling, pitch, lob, toss, cast,

let fly, propel, project; fire, shoot; informal chuck, heave, sling.

4 Amnesty International has launched an emergency appeal: set in motion,

get going, get under way, start, begin, embark on, usher in, initiate,

put in place, instigate, institute, inaugurate, set up, bring out,

organize, introduce, open; establish, found, originate, create,

pioneer, lay the foundations of, lay the first stone of, bring into

being, activate, mastermind, float, debut, roll out; start the ball

rolling; informal kick off; formal commence.

5 he launched into a tirade against the government: start, burst into,

break into, begin, embark on, get going on; formal commence.

within |wɪðˈɪn|

preposition

1 inside (something): the spread of fire within the building.

• inside the range of (an area or boundary): property located within the

green belt.

• inside the range of (a specified action or perception): we were

within sight of the finish.

• inside the bounds set by (a concept, argument, etc.): full cooperation

within the terms of the treaty.2 not further off than (used with distances): he lives within a few

miles of Oxford.

3 occurring inside (a particular period of time): tickets were sold out

within two hours | 33 per cent offended again within two years of being

released.

adverb

inside; indoors: enquire within.

• internally or inwardly: beauty coming from within.

ORIGIN late Old English withinnan‘on the inside’.

within

preposition

1 within the walls of the prison: inside, in, within the bounds/confines

of, enclosed by, surrounded by. ANTONYMS outside.

2 within the speed limit: inside, inside the range/limits of, within the

bounds of. ANTONYMS outside.

3 within a few hours: in less than, in under, in no more than, after

only.

worth |wəәːθ|

adjective [ predic. ]1 equivalent in value to the sum or item specified: jewellery worth

£450 was taken.

• having income or property amounting to a specified sum: she is

worth £10 million.

2 sufficiently good, important, or interesting to be treated or

regarded in the way specified: the museums in the district are well worth

a visit | it's hard work juggling a job with a baby, but it's worth it.

• used to suggest that the specified course of action may be

advisable: the company's service schemes are worth checking out.

noun [ mass noun ]

1 the level at which someone or something deserves to be valued

or rated: they had to listen to every piece of gossip and judge its worth.

• an amount of a commodity equivalent to a specified sum of

money: he admitted stealing 10,000 pounds' worth of computer systems.

• high value or merit: he is noble, and gains his position by showing his

inner worth.

2 the amount that could be achieved or produced in a specified

time: the companies have debts greater than two years' worth of their sales.

PHRASES

for all someone is worth informal as energetically or

enthusiastically as someone can: he thumps the drums for all he's worth.for what it is worth used to emphasize that one is offering a

suggestion or opinion without making a claim to its validity: for

what it's worth, she's very highly thought of abroad.

worth one's salt see salt.

worth one's while (or worth while) see while.

ORIGIN Old English w(e)orth (adjective and noun), of Germanic

origin; related to Dutch waard and German wert .

worth

noun

1 a buyer may require independent evidence of the rug's worth: value,

financial value, monetary value, price, asking price, selling price,

cost; valuation, quotation, estimate, assessment.

2 the intrinsic worth of education: benefit, advantage, use, value, virtue,

usefulness, utility, service, gain, profit, avail, validity, help,

assistance, aid; desirability, attractiveness, allure, appeal;

significance, point, sense; informal mileage, percentage; archaic

behoof.

3 club members have a sense of belonging and personal worth: worthiness,

merit, meritoriousness, credit, value, excellence, calibre, quality,

stature, eminence, greatness, consequence, importance,

significance, distinction, superiority; gifts, talents, strengths,

endowments.matter |ˈmatəә|

noun

1 [ mass noun ] physical substance in general, as distinct from

mind and spirit; (in physics) that which occupies space and

possesses rest mass, especially as distinct from energy: the structure

and properties of matter.

• [ usu. with adj. ] a particular substance: organic matter | faecal

matter.

• written or printed material: reading matter.

• Printing the body of a printed work, as distinct from titles,

headings, etc.

2 a subject or situation under consideration: a great deal of work was

done on this matter | financial matters.

• Law something which is to be tried or proved in court; a case.

• (matters) the present state of affairs: we can do nothing to change

matters.

• the substance or content of a text as distinct from its style or

form.

• Logic the particular content of a proposition, as distinct from its

form.

3 [ with negative or in questions ] (the matter) the reason for

distress or a problem: what's the matter?verb [ no obj. ]

1 [ usu. with negative or in questions ] be important or significant:

it doesn't matter what the guests wear | what did it matter to them?

• (of a person) be important or influential: she was trying to get known

by the people who matter.

2 US(of a wound) secrete or discharge pus.

PHRASES

for that matter used to indicate that a subject, though

mentioned second, is as relevant as the first. I am not sure what value

it adds to determining public, or for that matter private, policy.

in the matter of as regards: the British are given pre-eminence in the

matter of tea.

it is only a matter of time there will not be long to wait. it's only

a matter of time before the general is removed.

a matter of 1 no more than (a specified period of time): they were

shown the door in a matter of minutes. 2 a thing that involves or

depends on: it's a matter of working out how to get something done. 3 (a

matter of/for) something that evokes (a specified feeling): it's a

matter of complete indifference to me.

a matter of course the usual or expected thing: the reports are

published as a matter of course.

a matter of form a point of correct procedure. they must as a

matter of proper form check to see that there is no tax liability.a matter of record see record.

no matter 1 [ with clause ] regardless of: no matter what the

government calls them, they are cuts. 2 it is of no importance: no matter,

I'll go myself.

to make matters worse with the result that a bad situation is

made worse: to make matters worse, free school meals have been withdrawn.

what matter? Brit. dated why should that worry us?: They were in

collusion. But what matter, since apparently he didn't care?

ORIGIN Middle English: via Old French from Latin materia

‘timber, substance’, also ‘subject of discourse’, from mater

‘mother’.

matter

noun

1 decaying vegetable matter: material, substance, stuff, medium.

2 let's get to the heart of the matter: affair, business, proceeding,

situation, circumstance, event, happening, occurrence, incident,

episode, occasion, experience, thing; subject, topic, issue, question,

point, point at issue, item, case, concern, theme.

3 it is of little matter now: importance, consequence, significance,

note, import, moment, weight, interest.

4 (the matter) is anything the matter? | what's the matter? problem,

trouble, difficulty, upset, distress, worry, bother, complication.5 the matter of the sermon: content, subject matter, text, argument,

substance, thesis, sense, purport, gist, pith, essentials, burden.

6 an infected wound full of matter: pus, suppuration, purulence,

discharge, secretion; rare sanies.

PHRASES

as a matter of fact actually, in actual fact, in fact, in point of

fact, as it happens, really, believe it or not, in reality, in truth, to tell

the truth, truly.

no matter it doesn't matter, it makes no difference/odds, it's

unimportant, never mind, don't apologize, don't worry about it,

don't mention it.

verb

1 it doesn't matter what you wear: make any difference, make a

difference, be important, be of importance, be of consequence,

signify, be of significance, be relevant, be of account, carry weight,

count; informal cut any ice.

2 she was trying to make an impression on the people who mattered: be

influential, have influence, be important.

WORD LINKS

physics science of matter

Word Links sections supply words that are related to the

headword but do not normally appear in a thesaurus

because they are not actual synonyms.discover |dɪˈskʌvəә|

verb [ with obj. ]

1 find unexpectedly or during a search: firemen discovered a body in the

debris | she discovered her lover in the arms of another woman.

• become aware of (a fact or situation): the courage to discover the truth

and possibly be disappointed | [ with clause ] : it was a relief to discover

that he wasn't in.

• be the first to find or observe (a place, substance, or scientific

phenomenon): Fleming discovered penicillin early in the twentieth century.

• show interest in (an activity or subject) for the first time: a teenager

who has recently discovered fashion.

• be the first to recognize the potential of (an actor or performer): I

discovered the band back in the mid 70s.

2 archaic divulge (a secret). they contain some secrets which Time will

discover.

• disclose the identity of (someone): she at last discovered herself to me.

• display (a quality or feeling): with what agility did these military men

discover their skill in feats of war.

DERIVATIVES

discoverability noun,

discoverable adjectiveORIGIN Middle English (in the sense ‘make known’): from Old

French descovrir, from late Latin discooperire, from Latin dis-

(expressing reversal) + cooperire ‘cover completely’ (see

cover) .

discover

verb

1 two guards discovered her hiding in the back of the minivan: find, locate,

come across, come upon, stumble on, chance on, light on, bring to

light, uncover, unearth, turn up, track down; run down, run to

earth, run to ground, smoke out. ANTONYMS hide.

2 I discovered that she had been lying | he was anxious to discover the truth:

find out, come to know, learn, realize, recognize, see, ascertain,

work out, fathom out, detect, determine, spot, notice, perceive; dig

up/out, ferret out, root out, nose out, dredge up; reveal, disclose;

informal get wise to the fact, get wind of the fact, have an aha

moment, figure out, sniff out, rumble, tumble to; Brit. informal

twig, suss out; N. Amer. informal dope out. ANTONYMS

conceal, hide.

3 scientists have discovered a new way of dating fossil crustaceans: hit on,

come up with, invent, originate, devise, design, contrive, conceive

of; pioneer, develop.infest |ɪnˈfɛst|

verb [ with obj. ]

(of insects or animals) be present (in a place or site) in large

numbers, typically so as to cause damage or disease: the house is

infested with cockroaches | (as adj., in combination-infested) :

shark-infested waters.

DERIVATIVES

infestation |-ˈsteɪʃ(əә)n| noun

ORIGIN late Middle English (in the sense ‘torment, harass’): from

French infester or Latin infestare ‘assail’, from infestus

‘hostile’. The current sense dates from the mid 16th cent.

infested

adjective

her house is infested with cockroaches: overrun, swarming, teeming,

crawling, bristling, alive, ridden, infiltrated, permeated; plagued,

beset; rare vermined.

infest

verb

a plague of field mice infested the housing estate: overrun, spread through,

take over, overspread, swarm over, crawl over, run riot over;

invade, penetrate, infiltrate, pervade, permeate, inundate,

overwhelm; beset, pester, plague.termite |ˈtəәːmʌɪt|

noun

a small, pale soft-bodied insect that lives in large colonies with

several different castes, typically within a mound of cemented

earth. Many kinds feed on wood and can be highly destructive to

trees and timber.

termite

Also called white ant.

●Order Isoptera: several families.

ORIGIN late 18th cent.: from late Latin termes, termit-

‘woodworm’, alteration of Latin tarmes, perhaps by association

with terere ‘to rub’.

assume |əәˈsjuːm|verb [ with obj. ]

1 suppose to be the case, without proof: topics which assume detailed

knowledge of local events | [ with clause ] : it is reasonable to assume that

such changes have significant social effects | [ with obj. and infinitive ] :

they were assumed to be foreign.

2 take or begin to have (power or responsibility): he assumed full

responsibility for all organizational work.

• seize (power or control). the rebels assumed control of the capital.

3 begin to have (a specified quality, appearance, or extent): militant

activity had assumed epidemic proportions.

• take on or adopt (a manner or identity), sometimes falsely: Oliver

assumed an expression of penitence | she puts on a disguise, assumes a

different persona, and cruises the squalid bars on the bad side of town | (as

adj.assumed) : a man living under an assumed name.

DERIVATIVES

assumable adjective,

assumedly |-mɪdli| adverb

ORIGIN late Middle English: from Latin assumere, from ad-

‘towards’ + sumere ‘take’.

assume

verb1 I assumed he wanted me to keep the book: presume, suppose, take it,

take for granted, take as read, take it as given, presuppose,

conjecture, surmise, conclude, come to the conclusion, deduce,

infer, draw the inference, reckon, reason, guess, imagine, think,

fancy, suspect, expect, accept, believe, be of the opinion,

understand, be given to understand, gather, glean; N. Amer.

figure; formal opine; archaic ween.

2 he had assumed a stage Southern accent: feign, fake, put on, simulate,

counterfeit, sham, affect, adopt, impersonate.

3 the disease may assume epidemic proportions: acquire, take on, adopt,

come to have.

4 the children are to assume as much responsibility as possible: accept,

shoulder, bear, undertake, take on, take up, take on oneself,

manage, handle, deal with, get to grips with, turn one's hand to.

5 Edward I used the conflict to assume control of Scotland: seize, take, take

possession of, take over, take away, appropriate, commandeer,

expropriate, confiscate, requisition, hijack, wrest, usurp, pre-empt,

arrogate to oneself, help oneself to, claim, lay claim to.

agree |əәˈgriː|

verb (agrees, agreeing, agreed) [ no obj. ]

1 have the same opinion about something; concur: I completely

agree with your recent editorial | we both agreed on issues such astougher penalties for criminals | [ with direct speech ] : ‘Yes, dreadful, isn't

it,’ she agreed.

• (agree with) approve of (something) with regard to its moral

correctness: I don't agree with random drugs testing in schools.

2 (agree to or to do something) say that one will do something

which has been suggested by another person: she had agreed to go and

see a movie with him.

• [ with obj. ] reach agreement about (something) after

negotiation: if they had agreed a price the deal would have gone through |

[ no obj. ] : the commission agreed on a proposal to limit imports.

3 (agree with) be consistent with: your body language does not agree

with what you are saying.

• Grammar have the same number, gender, case, or person as: the

verb agrees with the final noun.

• [ usu. with negative ] be healthy or appropriate for (someone):

she's eaten something which did not agree with her.

PHRASES

agree to differ see differ.

ORIGIN late Middle English: from Old French agreer, based on

Latin ad- ‘to’ + gratus ‘pleasing’.

agree

verb1 I agree with you | officials agreed that it has good potential: concur, be of

the same mind/opinion, see eye to eye, be in sympathy,

sympathize, be united, be as one man, accord; acknowledge,

admit, concede, grant, own, confess. ANTONYMS disagree,

differ.

2 they had agreed to a ceasefire: consent, assent, accede; acquiesce

in, accept, approve (of), allow, admit, grant, comply with,

undertake, go along with, say yes to, give one's approval to, give

something the nod, recognize, acknowledge. ANTONYMS reject.

3 the plan and the drawing of the church do not agree with each other: match,

match up, accord, correspond, conform, coincide, fit, tally,

harmonize, be in harmony, be in agreement, be consistent, be

compatible, be consonant, be congruous, be in tune, equate, be

equivalent, dovetail, chime, correlate, be parallel; informal square.

ANTONYMS differ, contradict.

4 they agreed on a price: settle, decide, shake hands; arrange, arrive

at, negotiate, work out, thrash out, hammer out, reach an

agreement on, come to terms about, reach terms on; strike a

bargain, make a deal.

5 she's probably eaten something that didn't agree with her: be agreeable to,

be good for, be healthy for, be acceptable to, suit.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT WORD

agree, consent, assent, acquiesceMore than one party is needed for an agreement, but the

contributions made by each may be different.

■ Agree is the only word of the four that describes being of

one mind with others over something (we'll have to decide

what compromise we can agree on | they agree a currency

price and payment terms), but all of them can be used for

giving one's permission. When someone agrees to

something, the parties to the agreement may be on an

equal footing (the company and the shareholders agreed to

a lock-out clause), but it may depend on the willingness of

one party who is in a position of superior power (the owner

has refused to say whether he'll agree to the rescue plan).

■ Someone who consents to something proposed to them

also has the power to decide on it and typically has some

reservations or initial opposition. Many uses are concerned

with legal considerations (the attorney general has to

consent to any prosecution under the Act). People also

consent, for example, to medical treatment of various

kinds, to testing for genetic susceptibility to various

disorders, and to sex: the phrase consenting adult is used

exclusively with reference to sexual activity. One can alsoconsent to do something (Loretta was hoping that Koogan

would consent to lend them a key).

■ Someone who assents to a proposal is generally a

person whose approval is required, although they may feel

quite indifferent to it. They are free to accept or reject the

proposal, but have played no part in working it out: they

merely accept what is presented to them (the inspector

assented to the remark with a nod).

■ To acquiesce is to accept something by default through

failing to resist. Often what is accepted is not something

that the person really wants, and their acquiescence is due

to exhaustion, attrition, or lack of real bargaining power (the

authorities believed that most refugees would acquiesce

and not resist attempts to send them back). Acquiescence

can easily slip into passive connivance in something bad

(the oil company was accused of acquiescing in the

pollution of the people's lands).

These notes show fine distinctions in meaning between

closely related synonyms to help you find the best word.

reserve |rɪˈzəәːv|verb [ with obj. ]

1 retain for future use: roll out half the dough and reserve the other half.

• (reserve something for) use or engage in something only in or

at (a particular circumstance or time): Japanese food has been presented

as expensive and reserved for special occasions.

• (in church use) retain (a portion of the consecrated elements)

after Mass for communion of the sick or as a focus for devotion.

• retain or hold (a right or entitlement), especially by formal or

legal stipulation: [ with obj. and infinitive ] : the editor reserves the right

to edit letters.

2 arrange for (a room, seat, ticket, etc.) to be kept for the use of a

particular person: a place was reserved for her in the front row.

3 refrain from delivering (a judgement or decision) without due

consideration or evidence: I'll reserve my views on his ability until he's

played again.

noun

1 (often reserves) a supply of a commodity not needed for

immediate use but available if required: Australia has major coal, gas,

and uranium reserves.

• funds kept available by a bank, company, or government: foreign

exchange reserves.• a part of a company's profits added to capital rather than paid as

a dividend. the bank built up a cash reserve of £2bn to meet any run on the

bank once the loss was revealed.

2 a body of troops withheld from action to reinforce or protect

others, or additional to the regular forces and available in an

emergency. the men were stationed as a central reserve ready to be transported

wherever necessary.

• a member of the military reserve. the army began calling up reserves

for combat training.

3 an extra player in a team, serving as a possible substitute. [ as

modifier ] : he was reserve hooker for the World Cup team.

• (the reserves) the second-choice team. playing in the first team has

been a big step up after the reserves.

4 a place set aside for special use, in particular:

• a reservation for an indigenous people. a reserve was allocated to the

tribe on Bear Island.

• a protected area for wildlife. part of the marshes has been managed to

create a splendid reserve full of birds.

5 [ mass noun ] a lack of warmth or openness in manner or

expression: she smiled and some of her natural reserve melted.

• a feeling of doubt qualifying acceptance of a person, statement,

or plan: she trusted him without reserve.

6 short for reserve price.7 (in the decoration of ceramics or textiles) an area in which the

original material or background colour remains visible.

PHRASES

in reserve unused and available if required: the platoon had been

kept in reserve.

DERIVATIVES

reservable adjective,

reserver noun

ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French reserver, from Latin

reservare ‘keep back’, from re- ‘back’ + servare ‘to keep’.

reserve

verb

1 ask your newsagent to reserve you a copy: put to one side, put aside, set

aside, lay aside, keep back; keep, save, hold, keep in reserve, hold

back, retain, conserve, preserve, put away, withhold, earmark;

informal hang on to. ANTONYMS use up.

2 that evening, he reserved a table at Chez Jacques: book, make a

reservation for, order, arrange in advance, arrange for, prearrange

for, secure; charter, hire; informal bag; dated engage; rare

bespeak.

3 the management reserves the right to alter the advertised programme if

necessary: retain, keep, hold, secure.4 I'd advise you to reserve your judgement on him until you get to know him a

little better: defer, postpone, put off, delay, withhold; N. Amer. take

something under advisement.

noun

1 Harriet had used up some of her precious reserves of petrol for this journey:

stock, store, supply, stockpile, reservoir, pool, fund, bank,

accumulation; hoard, cache.

2 the men were stationed as a central reserve ready to be transported wherever

necessary: backup; (reserves) reinforcements, extras, auxiliaries.

3 a 2,500 acre nature reserve: national park, animal sanctuary,

preserve, reservation, conservation area; safari park.

4 Carrie found it very difficult to penetrate his reserve: reticence, self-

restraint, restraint, self-containment; uncommunicativeness,

unwillingness to open up, unapproachability, detachment,

distance, remoteness, coolness, lack of warmth, aloofness, stand-

offishness, constraint, formality, guardedness, unresponsiveness,

secretiveness, taciturnity, silence; shyness, diffidence, timidity, self-

effacement, inhibitedness, inhibition; coldness, frigidity;

Frenchfroideur. ANTONYMS friendliness, openness,

approachability.

5 she trusted him without reserve: reservation, qualification, condition,

limitation, proviso; hesitation, doubt, qualm, scruple.

PHRASESin reserve the army had only one fresh regiment in reserve: available, at

hand, to hand, on hand, on call, ready, in readiness, for use when

needed, set aside; obtainable, accessible, at one's disposal, on tap;

spare.

adjective

United's reserve goalkeeper: substitute, stand-in, second-string, relief,

replacement, fallback, emergency; in reserve, spare, extra,

auxiliary, secondary.

destroy |dɪˈstrɔɪ|

verb [ with obj. ]

end the existence of (something) by damaging or attacking it: the

room had been destroyed by fire.

• ruin (someone) emotionally or spiritually: he has been determined to

destroy her.

• defeat (someone) utterly: Northants have the batting to destroy anyone.

• kill (a sick, savage, or unwanted animal) by humane means: their

terrier was destroyed after the attack.

ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French destruire, based on

Latin destruere, from de- (expressing reversal) + struere ‘build’.

destroy

verb1 their offices were completely destroyed by bombing: demolish, knock

down, pull down, tear down, level, raze (to the ground), fell,

dismantle, break up, wreck, ruin, smash, shatter, crash, blast, blow

up, blow to bits/pieces, dynamite, explode, bomb, torpedo.

ANTONYMS build; reconstruct.

2 the increased traffic would destroy the adjoining conservation area: spoil,

ruin, wreck, disfigure, blight, mar, blemish, impair, flaw, deface,

scar, injure, harm, devastate, damage, lay waste, ravage, wreak

havoc on; literary waste; rare disfeature. ANTONYMS preserve;

restore.

3 his illness destroyed his hopes of going to university: wreck, ruin, spoil,

disrupt, undo, upset, play havoc with, make a mess of, put an end

to, end, bring to an end, put a stop to, terminate, prevent,

frustrate, blight, crush, quell, quash, dash, scotch, shatter, vitiate,

blast, devastate, demolish, sabotage, torpedo; upset someone's

apple cart, cook someone's goose; informal mess up, muck up,

screw up, louse up, foul up, make a hash of, do in, put paid to, put

the lid on, put the kibosh on, do for, scupper, dish, stymie, queer,

nix, banjax, blow a hole in; Brit. informal throw a spanner in the

works of, muller; N. Amer. informal throw a monkey wrench in

the works of; Austral. informal euchre, cruel; vulgar slang bugger

up, fuck up, balls up; archaic bring to naught. ANTONYMS

raise.4 the horse broke its leg and had to be destroyed: kill, kill off, put down, put

to sleep, slaughter, terminate, exterminate.

5 the brigade's mission was to destroy the enemy: annihilate, wipe out,

obliterate, wipe off the face of the earth, wipe off the map,

eliminate, eradicate, liquidate, extinguish, finish off, erase, root out,

extirpate; kill, slaughter, massacre, butcher, exterminate, decimate;

informal take out, rub out, snuff out, zap; N. Amer. informal

waste. ANTONYMS spare.

6 Rangers last night destroyed Leeds 4–0: defeat utterly, beat hollow, win

a resounding victory over, annihilate, vanquish, drub, trounce,

rout, crush, give someone a drubbing, overwhelm; informal lick,

thrash, hammer, clobber, paste, give someone a pasting, whip,

pound, pulverize, demolish, wipe the floor with, take to the

cleaners, make mincemeat of, slaughter, murder, massacre, crucify,

flatten, turn inside out, run rings around; Brit. informal stuff,

marmalize; N. Amer. informal shellac, blow out, cream, skunk; US

informal own. ANTONYMS lose to.

preserve |prɪˈzəәːv|

verb [ with obj. ]

1 maintain (something) in its original or existing state: all records of

the past were zealously preserved | (as adj.preserved) : a magnificently

preserved monastery.• retain (a condition or state of affairs): a fight to preserve local

democracy.

• maintain or keep alive (a memory or quality): the film has preserved

all the qualities of the novel.

• keep safe from harm or injury: a place for preserving endangered

species.

• keep (game or an area where game is found) undisturbed to allow

private hunting or shooting.

2 treat (food) to prevent its decomposition. freezing and canning can be

reliable methods of preserving foods.

• prepare (fruit) for long-term storage by boiling it with sugar. (as

adj. preserved) : preserved oranges.

noun

1 [ mass noun ] a foodstuff made with fruit preserved in sugar,

such as jam or marmalade: a jar of cherry preserve | [ count noun ] :

home-made preserves.

2 a sphere of activity regarded as being reserved for a particular

person or group: the civil service became the preserve of the educated

middle class.

3 chiefly N. Amer.a place where game is protected and kept for

private hunting or shooting.

DERIVATIVES

preservable adjective,preserver noun

ORIGIN late Middle English (in the sense ‘keep safe from harm’):

from Old French preserver, from late Latin praeservare, from

prae- ‘before, in advance’ + servare ‘to keep’.

preserve

verb

1 the oil helps to preserve the wood: conserve, protect, maintain, care for,

take care of, look after, save, safeguard, keep. ANTONYMS

damage; neglect.

2 the employers wished to preserve the status quo: continue, conserve, keep

up, keep alive, keep going, maintain, continue with, uphold,

sustain, prolong, perpetuate. ANTONYMS discontinue, abandon.

3 she wanted to preserve him from harassment: guard, protect, keep,

defend, safeguard, secure, shelter, shield, screen, watch over.

4 spices enabled us to preserve food | I preserved the worm in alcohol:

conserve, bottle, tin, can, pot, chill, freeze, freeze-dry, quick-freeze,

dry, desiccate, dehydrate; cure, smoke, kipper, salt, pickle,

marinate, souse, corn, jelly, candy; embalm, mummify.

ANTONYMS consume, use.

noun

1 strawberry preserve: jam, jelly, marmalade, conserve, confection; N.

Amer. dulce; Frenchconfiture.2 high culture remains the preserve of an educated middle-class minority:

domain, area, field, sphere, orbit, arena, realm, province,

speciality, specialism, territory, department; informal thing, turf,

bailiwick.

3 an animal preserve: sanctuary, reserve, reservation, game reserve.

drown |draʊn|

verb [ no obj. ]

die through submersion in and inhalation of water: a motorist

drowned when her car plunged off the edge of a quay | (be drowned) :

two fishermen were drowned when their motor boat capsized.

• [ with obj. ] deliberately kill (a person or animal) by drowning: he

immediately drowned four of the dogs.

• [ with obj. ] submerge or flood (an area): when the ice melted the

valleys were drowned.

• [ with obj. ] (of a sound) make (another sound) inaudible by

being much louder: his voice was drowned out by the approaching

engine noise.

• [ no obj. ] (be drowning in) be overwhelmed by a large amount

of something: both business and household sectors are drowning in debt |

art dealers are still drowning in a sea of paperwork.

• [ with obj. ] (drown something in) cover or immerse food in:

good pizza is not eight inches thick and drowned in tomato sauce.PHRASES

drown one's sorrows forget one's problems by getting drunk. he

bought a bottle of whisky to drown his sorrows.

like a drowned rat extremely wet and bedraggled. she arrived at

the church looking like a drowned rat.

ORIGIN Middle English (originally northern): related to Old

Norse drukkna ‘to be drowned’, also to drink.

drown

verb

1 he was shipwrecked, and very nearly drowned: suffocate in water, inhale

water; go under; go to a watery grave; informal go to Davy Jones's

locker.

2 when the ice melted, the valleys were drowned: flood, submerge,

immerse, inundate, deluge, swamp, engulf, drench, soak, cover,

saturate. ANTONYMS drain.

3 his voice was drowned by the clatter of footsteps: make inaudible, drown

out, be louder than, overpower, overwhelm, overcome, override,

engulf, swallow up, devour, bury; muffle, deaden, stifle, wipe out,

extinguish, silence. ANTONYMS augment.

4 she had spent every waking hour working, trying to drown her private pain:

suppress, deaden, stifle, restrain, smother, bottle up, hold back,keep back, check, keep in check, curb, contain, bridle, put a lid on;

extinguish, quash, quench, obliterate, wipe out, get rid of.

help |hɛlp|

verb [ with obj. ]

1 make it easier or possible for (someone) to do something by

offering them one's services or resources: they helped her with domestic

chores | [ with obj. and infinitive ] : she helped him find a buyer | [ no

obj. ] : the teenager helped out in the corner shop.

• improve (a situation or problem); be of benefit to: upbeat comments

about prospects helped confidence | [ no obj. ] : legislation to fit all new cars

with catalytic converters will help.

• [ with obj. and adverbial of direction ] assist (someone) to move:

I helped her up.

• (help someone on/off with) assist someone to put on or take

off (a garment). she would help him off with his coat.

2 (help someone to) serve someone with (food or drink): may I

help you to some more meat? | she helped herself to a biscuit.

• (help oneself) take something without permission: he helped

himself to the wages she had brought home.3 (can/could not help) cannot or could not avoid: he couldn't help

laughing | I'm sorry to put you to any inconvenience, but it can't be helped.

• (can/could not help oneself) cannot or could not stop oneself

from doing something: she couldn't help herself; she burst into tears.

noun [ mass noun ]

the action of helping someone to do something: I asked for help from

my neighbours.

• the fact of being useful: the skimpy manual isn't much help for beginners.

• a person or thing that helps: she's been given financial help with travel |

[ in sing. ] : he was a great help.

• [ count noun ] a domestic employee. she has taught herself to cook

since the defection of the last of the village helps.

• [ as modifier ] giving assistance to a computer user in the form of

displayed instructions: a help menu.

exclamation

used as an appeal for urgent assistance: Help! I'm drowning!

PHRASES

a helping hand assistance: she was always ready to lend a helping hand.

so help me (God)used to emphasize that one means what one is

saying. if you don't get out, so help me I'll let you have it.

there is no help for it there is no way of avoiding or remedying

a situation. we'll be up all night but there's no help for it.ORIGIN Old English helpan (verb), help (noun), of Germanic

origin; related to Dutch helpen and German helfen .

help

verb

1 they helped her with domestic chores | can you help me please? assist, aid,

help out, lend a hand to, lend a helping hand to, give assistance to,

come to the aid of, succour, aid and abet; be of service to, be of

use to, be useful to; do someone a favour, do someone a service, do

someone a good turn, bail/bale someone out, come to someone's

rescue, give someone a leg up; cooperate with, do one's bit for,

rally round, pitch in, chip in; informal get someone out of a tight

spot, save someone's bacon, save someone's skin; Brit. informal

muck in with, get stuck in with. ANTONYMS hinder.

2 using this affinity card helps cancer research: support, contribute to, give

money to, give a donation to; promote, boost, give a boost to,

back, give backing to, forward, encourage, further the interests of;

N. Amer. informal bankroll. ANTONYMS impede.

3 sore throats can be helped by gargles: relieve, soothe, ameliorate,

alleviate, make better, ease, improve, assuage, palliate, lessen,

mitigate; remedy, cure, heal, restore. ANTONYMS worsen,

aggravate.4 can I help you? serve, be of assistance to, be of help to, be of

service to, give help to.

PHRASES

cannot help he could not help laughing: be unable to stop, be unable

to prevent oneself from, be unable to refrain from, be unable to

keep from, be unable to forbear from, be unable to break the habit

of.

help oneself to he helped himself to the wages she had brought home:

steal, take, appropriate, take possession of, ‘borrow’, ‘liberate’,

pocket, purloin, commandeer, make free with, use without asking;

informal swipe, nab, filch, snaffle, blag, walk off with, run off with;

Brit. informal nick, pinch, whip, knock off; N. Amer. informal

heist, glom; W. Indian informal tief.

noun

1 I asked for help from my neighbours | this could be of help to you:

assistance, aid, a helping hand, support, succour, advice, guidance,

solution; benefit, use, advantage, service, comfort, avail;

cooperation, collaboration, backing, encouragement; informal a

shot in the arm. ANTONYMS hindrance.

2 he sought help for his eczema: relief, amelioration, alleviation, easing,

improvement, assuagement, mitigation, healing; a remedy, a cure,

a balm, a salve, a restorative, a corrective. ANTONYMS irritant.3 they treated the help like dirt: domestic worker, domestic help,

domestic servant, cleaner, cleaning woman, cleaning lady, home

help, maid, housemaid, housekeeper, servant, hired help, helper,

assistant, employee, worker; Brit. informal daily, daily woman,

skivvy, Mrs Mop; Brit. dated charwoman, charlady, char; archaic

scullion, abigail.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT WORD

help, aid, assist, support

■ Help is the most general term for acting in such a way as

to make it easier for someone else to do something or,

more generally, to make their life more comfortable (she

helped him to find a job | helping the poor). When followed

by an infinitive, as in the first example above, to can be

omitted (we can help give these youngsters a better start in

life).

■ Aid is used in more formal contexts, and typically in the

case of help in the achievement of something (these

posters aid employees in the identification of pests). It is

often used with impersonal or abstract subjects and

objects (some additions have been made to the text to aid

understanding), and as aided in constructions such as

computer-aided design.■ Assist is also a more formal term for help (a charge of

murder was brought against him for assisting a woman to

commit suicide | two approaches might assist in tackling the

problem), and it can be used specifically to indicate that

someone plays a subordinate part in a joint action (a

subcommittee should be appointed to assist the chairman).

■ To support someone or something is to show one's

approval or agreement and, where necessary, to give

practical, especially financial, assistance (we want to

support all efforts for peace | they supported many local

charities). Often the suggestion is that the help provided is

important or essential for something's survival or success

(he could not have earned enough to support his family).

Support is also used of giving emotional help and comfort

(his wife has supported him through many difficult periods).

These notes show fine distinctions in meaning between

closely related synonyms to help you find the best word.

bargain |ˈbɑːgɪn|

noun1 an agreement between two or more people or groups as to what

each will do for the other: bargains between political parties supporting the

government.

2 a thing bought or offered for sale much more cheaply than is

usual or expected: the table was a real bargain | [ as modifier ] : a

bargain price of 99p.

verb [ no obj. ]

1 negotiate the terms and conditions of a transaction: he

bargained with the local council to rent the stadium.

• [ with obj. ] (bargain something away) part with something

after negotiation but get little or nothing in return. his determination

not to bargain away any of the province's economic powers.

2 (bargain for/on) be prepared for; expect: I got more information

than I'd bargained for | he didn't bargain on this storm.

PHRASES

drive a hard bargain be uncompromising in making a deal. the

company's prowess in driving a hard bargain has placed severe pressure on

suppliers.

into (N. Amer.in) the bargain in addition to what has already

been mentioned or was expected: I am now tired and extremely hungry

—with a headache into the bargain.keep one's side of the bargain carry out the promises one has

made as part of an agreement. they handed over hostages as a guarantee

that they would keep their side of the bargain.

DERIVATIVES

bargainer noun

ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French bargaine (noun),

bargaignier (verb); probably of Germanic origin and related to

German borgen ‘borrow’.

bargain

noun

1 the Government made some kind of bargain with the Opposition:

agreement, arrangement, understanding, deal; contract, pact,

compact, covenant, concordat, treaty, entente, accord, concord,

protocol, convention; pledge, promise, engagement; transaction,

negotiation.

2 this binder is a bargain at £1.98: good buy, cheap buy; (good) value

for money, surprisingly cheap; informal snip, steal, giveaway.

ANTONYMS rip-off.

PHRASES

into the bargain I'll tell you another thing into the bargain: also, as

well, in addition, additionally, besides, furthermore, moreover, yet,on top (of that), over and above that, as a bonus, as an extra, to

boot, for good measure; N. Amer. in the bargain.

verb

he bargained with the Council to rent the stadium: haggle, barter,

negotiate, discuss terms, hold talks, deal, wheel and deal, trade,

traffic; N. Amer. dicker; formal treat; archaic chaffer, palter.

PHRASES

bargain for/on this was more than we had bargained for: expect,

anticipate, be prepared for, allow for, plan for, reckon with, take

into account/consideration, contemplate, imagine, envisage,

foresee, predict, look for, hope for, look to; count on, rely on,

depend on, bank on, plan on, reckon on, calculate on, be sure of,

trust in, take for granted, take as read; N. Amer. informal figure

on.

hand |hand|

noun

1 the end part of a person's arm beyond the wrist, including the

palm, fingers, and thumb: the palm of her hand | he was leading her by

the hand.• a prehensile organ resembling the hand and forming the end

part of a limb of various mammals, such as that on all four limbs

of a monkey.

• W. Indiana person's arm, including the hand. that dog bite me on mi

hand, right below the elbow.

• [ as modifier ] operated by or held in the hand: hand luggage.

• [ as modifier or in combination ] done or made manually rather

than by machine: hand signals | a hand-stitched quilt.

• [ in sing. ] informal a round of applause: his fans gave him a big

hand.

• a person's handwriting: he inscribed the statement in a bold hand.

• dated a pledge of marriage by a woman: he wrote to request the hand

of her daughter in marriage.

2 something resembling a hand in form, in particular:

• a bunch of bananas. mottled hands of bananas.

• Brit.a forehock of pork.

3 a pointer on a clock or watch indicating the passing of units of

time: the second hand.

4 (hands) used in reference to the power to direct something: the

day-to-day running of the house was in her hands | they are taking the law

into their own hands.

• (usu. a hand) an active role in achieving or influencing

something: he had a big hand in organizing the event.• (usu. a hand) help in doing something: do you need a hand?

5 a person's workmanship, especially in artistic work: his idiosyncratic

hand.

• [ with adj. ] a person who does something to a specified

standard: I'm a great hand at inventing.

6 a person who engages in manual labour, especially in a factory,

on a farm, or on board a ship: a factory hand | the ship was lost with all

hands.

7 the set of cards dealt to a player in a card game. he's got a good

hand. figurative : the situation does not give them a strong hand at the

negotiating table.

• a round or short spell of play in a card game: they played a hand

of whist.

• Bridge the cards held by a declarer as opposed to those in the

dummy. declarer won in hand and led ♣J.

8 a unit of measurement of a horse's height, equal to 4 inches

(10.16 cm).[denoting the breadth of a hand, formerly used as a

more general lineal measure and taken to equal three inches.]

verb

1 [ with two objs ] pick (something) up and give it to (someone): he

handed each man a glass | I handed the trowel back to him.2 [ with obj. and adverbial of direction ] hold the hand of

(someone) in order to guide them in a specified direction: he handed

them into the carriage.

3 [ with obj. ] Sailing take in or furl (a sail): hand in the main!

PHRASES

all hands on deck a cry or signal used on board ship, typically in

an emergency, to indicate that all crew members are to go on deck.

• used to indicate that the involvement of all members of a team is

required: it was all hands on deck getting breakfast ready.

at hand close by: a mortar burst close at hand. • readily accessible

when needed. doctors can have vaccines at hand to immunize any child who

comes for treatment. • close in time; about to happen: a breakthrough in

combating the disease may be at hand.

at (or by) the hands (or hand) of through the agency of: he will

undergo tests at the hands of a senior neurologist.

bind (or tie) someone hand and foot tie someone's hands and

feet together.

by hand by a person and not a machine: the crop has to be harvested

by hand. • (of mail) delivered in person rather than posted. he drafted

a statement and sent it by hand.

get (or keep) one's hand in become (or remain) practised in

something. I like to keep my hand in by catering for private functions.get (or lay)one's hands on find or get something: I haven't got my

hands on a copy yet.

give (or lend) a hand assist in an action or enterprise. the

policemen lent a hand in getting the stretcher up the steps.

hand in glove in close collusion or association: they were working

hand in glove with our enemies.

hand in hand (of two people) with hands joined, especially as a

mark of affection. walking hand in hand with my father down the street. •

closely associated or connected: she had the confidence that usually goes

hand in hand with experience.

hand someone something on a plate informal make

something very easily obtainable for someone: it was a win handed to

him on a plate.

(from) hand to mouth satisfying only one's immediate needs

because of lack of money fo future plans and investments: they were

flat broke and living hand to mouth | [ as modifier ] : a hand-to-mouth

existence.

hands down easily and decisively: Swindon won hands down.

hands off used as a warning not to touch or interfere with

something: hands off that cake tin! • (as adj.hands-off) not involving

or requiring direct control or intervention: a hands-off management

style.hands-on involving or offering active participation rather than

theory: hands-on in-service training. • Computing involving or

requiring personal operation at a keyboard.

hands up! used as an instruction to raise one's hands in surrender

or to signify assent or participation: hands up who saw the programme!

have a hand in something be involved in doing something: the

girls had a hand in writing the lyrics.

have one's hands full have as much work as one can do. I can't

do the job—I've got my hands full at my desk.

have one's hands tied informal be unable to act freely. he cannot

have his hands tied on how his department's money is spent.

have to hand it to someone informal used to acknowledge the

merit or achievement of someone: I've got to hand it to you—you've got

the magic touch.

in hand 1 receiving or requiring immediate attention: he threw

himself into the work in hand. • in progress: negotiations are now well in

hand. 2 ready for use if required; in reserve: he had £1,000 of

borrowed cash in hand. 3 under one's control: the police had the situation

well in hand. • (of land) farmed directly by its owner and not let to

tenants.

in safe hands protected by or in the care of someone

trustworthy: the future of the cathedral is in safe hands.make (or lose or spend) money hand over fist informal

make (or lose or spend) money very rapidly. they are losing money hand

over fist.

many hands make light work proverb a task is soon

accomplished if several people help.

not (or never) do a hand's turn informal do no work at all: they

sit there without doing a hand's turn.

off someone's hands not having to be dealt with or looked after

by the person specified: they just want the problem off their hands.

on every hand all around: new technologies were springing up on every

hand.

on hand 1 present, especially for a specified purpose: her trainer

was on hand to give advice. • readily available. she kept stocks of delicacies

on hand. 2 needing to be dealt with: they had many urgent and pressing

matters on hand.

on someone's hands 1 used to indicate that someone is

responsible for dealing with someone or something: he has a difficult

job on his hands. • used to indicate that someone is to blame for

something: he has my son's blood on his hands. 2 at someone's disposal:

since I retired I've had more time on my hands.

on the one (or the other) hand used to present factors which

are opposed or which support opposing opinions: a conflict betweentheir rationally held views on the one hand and their emotions and desires on

the other.

out of hand 1 not under control. things were getting a bit out of hand

at the picket line. 2 without taking time to think: they rejected negotiations

out of hand.

the right hand doesn't know what the left hand's doing

used to convey that there is a state of confusion within a group or

organization.

a safe pair of hands (in a sporting context) used to refer to

someone who is reliable when catching a ball. he has a safe pair of

hands and made the catch look easy. • used to denote someone who is

capable, reliable, or trustworthy in the management of a situation.

they were searching for a safe pair of hands to oversee the running of the

lottery.

set (or put) one's hand to start work on. having set his hand to any

task, he would see it through to the end.

stay someone's hand restrain someone from acting. his feelings

made him stay his hand before announcing his decision.

take a hand become influential in determining something;

intervene: fate was about to take a hand in the outcome of the championship.

take someone/something in hand deal with or take control of

someone or something: their parents are incapable of taking their children

in hand.talk to the hand (also tell it to the hand) [ in imperative ]

informal used as a contemptuous way of dismissing what someone

has said (often accompanied by a gesture in which the palm of the

hand is held in front of the original speaker's face): talk to the hand,

girl, 'cos the face ain't listening.

to hand within easy reach: have a pen and paper to hand.

turn one's hand to undertake (an activity different from one's

usual occupation). a music teacher who turned his hand to writing books.

wait on someone hand and foot attend to all someone's needs

or requests, especially when this is regarded as unreasonable. I was

wallowing in the luxury of the hotel, being waited on hand and foot.

with one hand (tied) behind one's back with serious

limitations or restrictions: at the moment, the police are tackling record

crime rates with one hand tied behind their back.

PHRASAL VERBS

hand something down 1 pass something on to a younger

person or a successor: songs are handed down from mother to daughter. 2

announce something, especially a judgement or sentence, formally

or publicly. it was the most liberal decision ever handed down by a football

authority.

hand something in give something to a person in authority for

their attention. we handed in a letter of protest.hand someone off Rugby push away a tackling opponent with

one's hand.

hand something on pass something to the next person in a

series or succession: he had handed on the family farm to his son. • pass

responsibility for something to someone else; delegate. for most

managers there is little choice but to hand on work.

hand something out 1 give a share of something or one of a set

of things to each of a number of people; distribute: Ralph handed

out cigars. 2 impose or inflict a penalty or misfortune on someone.

harsher punishments are being handed out to reckless drivers.

hand over pass responsibility to someone else: he will soon hand over

to a new director.

hand someone/thing over give someone or something, or the

responsibility for someone or something, to someone else. her

parents handed her over to be brought up by her grandparents.

hand something round (or around)offer something to each of

a number of people in turn: a big box of chocolates was handed round.

DERIVATIVES

handless adjective

ORIGIN Old English hand, hond, of Germanic origin; related to

Dutch hand and German Hand .wholesome |ˈhəәʊls(əә)m|

adjective

conducive to or suggestive of good health and physical well-being:

the food is plentiful and very wholesome.

• conducive to or characterized by moral well-being: good wholesome

fun.

DERIVATIVES

wholesomely adverb,

wholesomeness noun

ORIGIN Middle English: probably already in Old English (see

whole,-some 1 ) .

wholesome

adjective

1 wholesome food: healthy, health-giving, healthful, good, good for

one, beneficial, sustaining, strengthening, nutritious, nourishing,

full of nourishment, full of nutrients, nutritive, unrefined; natural,

uncontaminated, organic, additive-free; rare nutrimental, nutrient,

alimentary, alible.

2 good wholesome fun: moral, ethical, good, nice, clean, virtuous,

pure, innocent, chaste; uplifting, edifying, improving, non-erotic,

non-violent, righteous, upright, upstanding, high-minded, right-minded, proper, correct, honourable, honest, just, noble,

respectable, decent, simple; informal squeaky clean.

productive |prəәˈdʌktɪv|

adjective

1 producing or able to produce large amounts of goods, crops, or

other commodities: the most productive employees.

• relating to or engaged in the production of goods, crops, or other

commodities: the country's productive capacity.

• achieving a significant amount or result: a long and productive career

| the therapy sessions became more productive.

• [ predic. ] (productive of) producing or giving rise to: the hotel

was not productive of amusing company.

• Linguistics (of a prefix, suffix, or other linguistic unit) currently

used in forming new words or expressions. many suffixes are common

and productive.

2 Medicine (of a cough) that raises mucus from the respiratory

tract.

DERIVATIVES

productively adverb,

productiveness nounORIGIN early 17th cent.: from French productif, -ive or late

Latin productivus, from product- ‘brought forth’, from the

verb producere (see produce) .

productive

adjective

1 few small towns can have had so productive a group of artists: prolific,

inventive, creative; dynamic, energetic, vigorous, effective.

ANTONYMS unproductive.

2 the talks were said to have been long and productive: useful, constructive,

profitable, fruitful, gainful, valuable, effective, worthwhile,

beneficial, helpful, rewarding, gratifying. ANTONYMS

unproductive.

3 productive agricultural land: fertile, fruitful, rich, fecund, high-

yielding. ANTONYMS sterile, barren.

lavish |ˈlavɪʃ|

adjective

sumptuously rich, elaborate, or luxurious: a lavish banquet.

• (of a person) very generous or extravagant: he was lavish with his

hospitality.

• spent or given in profusion: lavish praise.verb [ with obj. ] (lavish something on)

bestow something in generous or extravagant quantities on: the

media couldn't lavish enough praise on the film.

• (lavish someone with) give someone generous amounts of: he

was lavished with gifts.

DERIVATIVES

lavishly adverb,

lavishness noun

ORIGIN late Middle English (as a noun denoting profusion): from

Old French lavasse ‘deluge of rain’, from laver ‘to wash’, from

Latin lavare .

lavish

adjective

1 he held lavish dinner parties at his home: sumptuous, luxurious,

luxuriant, lush, gorgeous, costly, opulent, grand, elaborate,

splendid, rich, regal, ornate, expensive; pretentious, showy, fancy;

informal posh. ANTONYMS meagre.

2 he was lavish with his hospitality: generous, liberal, bountiful, open-

handed, unstinting, unsparing, ungrudging, free, munificent,

handsome; extravagant, prodigal, fulsome; informal over the top.

ANTONYMS frugal, mean.3 lavish amounts of the best quality olive oil: abundant, copious, ample,

superabundant, plentiful, profuse, liberal, prolific, generous;

literary plenteous. ANTONYMS scant.

verb

she has always lavished money on her children: give freely, spend, expend,

heap, shower, pour, deluge, give generously, give unstintingly,

bestow freely; informal blow. ANTONYMS economize, begrudge.

exclusive |ɪkˈskluːsɪv, ɛk-|

adjective

1 excluding or not admitting other things: an exclusive focus on success

and making money | the list is not exclusive.

• unable to exist or be true if something else exists or is true:

mutually exclusive options.

• (of terms) excluding all but what is specified.

2 restricted to the person, group, or area concerned: the couple had

exclusive possession of the flat | the problem isn't exclusive to Dublin.

• (of an item or story) not published or broadcast elsewhere: an

exclusive interview.

3 catering for or available to only a few, select customers; high class

and expensive: one of Britain's most exclusive clubs.

4 (exclusive of) not including: prices are exclusive of VAT.

nounan item or story published or broadcast by only one source.

DERIVATIVES

exclusiveness noun,

exclusivity |ɛkskluːˈsɪvɪti| noun

ORIGIN late 15th cent. (as a noun denoting something that

excludes): from medieval Latin exclusivus, from Latin excludere

‘shut out’ (see exclude) .

carefree |ˈkɛːfriː|

adjective

free from anxiety or responsibility: we were young and carefree | the

carefree days of the holidays.

DERIVATIVES

carefreeness noun

carefree

adjective

a carefree young woman: unworried, untroubled, blithe, airy,

nonchalant, insouciant, happy-go-lucky, free and easy, easy-going,

blasé, devil-may-care, casual, relaxed, serene; cheerful, cheery,

happy, merry, jolly, joyful, gleeful, glad; bright, sunny, buoyant,

vivacious, bubbly, bouncy, breezy, jaunty, frisky; informal upbeat,

laid back. ANTONYMS anxious, careworn.perspicuous |pəәˈspɪkjʊəәs|

adjective formal

clearly expressed and easily understood; lucid: it provides simpler and

more perspicuous explanations than its rivals.

• able to give an account or express an idea clearly.

DERIVATIVES

perspicuity |-ˈkjuːɪti| noun,

perspicuously adverb

ORIGIN late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘transparent’): from Latin

perspicuus ‘transparent, clear’ (from the verb perspicere

‘look at closely’) + -ous.

limpid

adjective

1 a limpid pool | her limpid eyes: clear, transparent, glassy, glass-like,

crystal clear, crystalline, see-through, translucent, pellucid,

unclouded, uncloudy. ANTONYMS opaque; muddy.

2 the limpid clarity of his later novels: lucid, clear, plain,

understandable, intelligible, comprehensible, perceptible, coherent,

explicit, unambiguous, simple, vivid, sharp, direct, clear-cut,

crystal clear, luminous, straightforward, distinct, perspicuous; rare

luculent. ANTONYMS unintelligible.3 it was a limpid, beautiful day: calm, still, serene, tranquil, placid,

peaceful, untroubled, fair, fine. ANTONYMS stormy; murky.

relevant |ˈrɛlɪv(əә)nt|

adjective

closely connected or appropriate to the matter in hand: what small

companies need is relevant advice | the candidate's experience is relevant to

the job.

DERIVATIVES

relevance noun,

relevancy noun,

relevantly adverb

ORIGIN early 16th cent. (as a Scots legal term meaning ‘legally

pertinent’): from medieval Latin relevant- ‘raising up’, from

Latin relevare .

relevant

adjective

make a note of the relevant page numbers: pertinent, applicable, apposite,

material, apropos, to the point, to the purpose, germane,

admissible; appropriate, apt, fitting, suitable, proper; connected,

related, linked; Latinad rem; rare appurtenant. ANTONYMS

irrelevant.precise |prɪˈsʌɪs|

adjective

marked by exactness and accuracy of expression or detail: precise

directions | I want as precise a time of death as I can get.

• (of a person) exact, accurate, and careful about details: the director

was precise with his camera positions.

• [ attrib. ] used to emphasize that one is referring to an exact and

particular thing: at that precise moment the car stopped.

DERIVATIVES

preciseness noun

ORIGIN late Middle English: from Old French prescis, from

Latin praecis- ‘cut short’, from the verb praecidere, from prae

‘in advance’ + caedere ‘to cut’.

precise

adjective

1 precise measurements: exact, accurate, correct, error-free, pinpoint,

specific, detailed, explicit, clear-cut, unambiguous, meticulous,

close, strict, definite, particular, express; minute, faithful.

ANTONYMS imprecise, inaccurate.2 at that precise moment the car stopped: exact, particular, very, specific,

actual, distinct.

3 the attention to detail is very precise: meticulous, careful, exact,

scrupulous, punctilious, conscientious, particular, exacting,

methodical, strict, rigorous; mathematical, scientific.

ANTONYMS loose, careless.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT WORD

precise, accurate, exact

See accurate.

These notes show fine distinctions in meaning between

closely related synonyms to help you find the best word.

brief |briːf|

adjective

1 of short duration; not lasting for long: the president made a brief

working visit to Moscow.

• concise in expression; using few words: introductions were brief and

polite | be brief and don't talk for longer than is necessary.2 (of a piece of clothing) not covering much of the body; scanty:

Alison sported a pair of extremely brief black shorts.

noun

1 Brit.a set of instructions given to a person about a job or task: his

brief is to turn round the county's fortunes.

2 Law, Brit.a summary of the facts and legal points in a case given

to a barrister to argue in court.

• a piece of work for a barrister. he cannot be too highly recommended, if

he is free and will take the brief.

• Brit. informal a solicitor or barrister: it was only his brief's eloquence

that had saved him from prison.

• USa written statement of the facts and legal points supporting

one side of a case, for presentation to a court.

3 a letter from the Pope to a person or community on a matter of

discipline.

verb [ with obj. ]

1 instruct or inform (someone) thoroughly, especially in

preparation for a task: she briefed him on last week's decisions.

2 Brit.instruct (a barrister) by brief.

PHRASES

hold a brief for Brit.be retained as counsel for.hold no brief for Brit.not support or argue in favour of: I hold no

brief for dishonest policemen.

in brief in a few words; in short: he is, in brief, the embodiment of evil |

the news in brief.

DERIVATIVES

briefer noun,

briefness noun

ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French brief, from Latin

brevis ‘short’. The noun is via late Latin breve ‘note, dispatch’,

hence ‘an official letter’.

brief

adjective

1 a brief account of what had happened: concise, succinct, short,

thumbnail, to the point, pithy, incisive, short and sweet, crisp,

abridged, condensed, compressed, abbreviated, compact,

compendious, potted; epigrammatic, aphoristic; laconic, sparing,

terse, pointed, curt, clipped, monosyllabic. ANTONYMS lengthy,

long-winded.

2 a brief visit | a brief smile: short, flying, fleeting, hasty, hurried,

quick, cursory, perfunctory; temporary, short-lived, momentary,

passing, transient, transitory, impermanent, fading, ephemeral,evanescent, fugitive; informal quickie; rare fugacious.

ANTONYMS long.

3 a pair of extremely brief black shorts: skimpy, scanty, revealing, short;

low-cut.

4 the boss was rather brief with him: brusque, abrupt, curt, short,

blunt, sharp.

noun

1 Kirov had received only a vague brief about his current project:

instructions, directions, directives, briefing; information,

guidelines, guidance; remit, mandate; informal gen, rundown, low-

down.

2 a barrister's brief: summary of the facts, case, argument,

contention; dossier.

3 informal it was only his brief's eloquence that saved him from prison. See

lawyer.

4 supply them with a brief of our requirements: outline, summary,

synopsis, abstract, résumé, precis, sketch, abridgement, digest.

verb

council employees were briefed about the decision: inform of, tell about,

bring up to date on, update on, notify of, advise of, acquaint with,

apprise of, give information about; prepare, prime, instruct, direct,

guide; informal give the gen on, give the rundown on, fill in on,gen up on, put in the picture about, clue in on, clue up about,

keep up to speed with.

clear |klɪəә|

adjective

1 easy to perceive, understand, or interpret: clear and precise directions

| her handwriting was clear | am I making myself clear?

• leaving no doubt; obvious or unambiguous: it was clear that they

were in a trap | a clear case of poisoning.

• having or feeling no doubt or confusion: every pupil must be clear

about what is expected.

2 (of a substance) transparent; unclouded: the clear glass of the French

windows | a stream of clear water.

• free of cloud, mist, or rain: the day was fine and clear.

• (of a person's skin) free from blemishes. Norma's clear skin did not

need a heavy foundation.

• (of a colour) pure and intense: clear blue delphiniums.

• archaic (of a fire) burning with little smoke: a bright, clear flame.

3 free of any obstructions or unwanted objects: with a clear road

ahead he shifted into high gear | I had a clear view in both directions.

• (of a period of time) free of any appointments or commitments:

the following Saturday, Mattie had a clear day.• [ predic. ] (of a person) free of something undesirable or

unpleasant: after 18 months of treatment he was clear of TB.

• (of a person's mind) free of anything that impairs logical

thought: in the morning, with a clear head, she would tackle all her problems.

• (of a person's conscience) free of guilt. I left the house with a clear

conscience.

4 (clear of) not touching; away from: the lorry was wedged in the ditch,

one wheel clear of the ground.

5 [ attrib. ] complete; full: you must give seven clear days' notice of the

meeting.

• (of a sum of money) net: a clear profit of £1,100.

6 Phonetics denoting a palatalized form of the sound of the letter

l (as in leaf in south-eastern English speech). Often contrasted with

dark.

adverb

1 so as to be out of the way of or away from: he leapt clear of the

car | stand clear, I'll start the plane up.

• so as not to be obstructed or cluttered: the floor had been swept clear

of litter.

2 completely: he had time to get clear away.

• (clear to) chiefly N. Amer.all the way to: you could see clear to the

bottom of the lagoon.

verb1 make or become clear, in particular:

• [ with obj. ] remove an obstruction or unwanted item or items

from: the drive had been cleared of snow | Carolyn cleared the table and

washed up.

• [ with obj. ] free (land) for cultivation or building by removing

vegetation or existing structures: the embankment was cleared for a new

section of line.

• [ with obj. ] cause people to leave (a building or place): the wardens

shouted a warning and cleared the streets.

• [ no obj. ] gradually go away or disappear: the fever clears in two to

four weeks | the mist had cleared away.

• [ no obj. ] become free of cloud or rain: we'll go out if the weather

clears.

• [ no obj. ] (of a person's face or expression) assume a happier

aspect following confusion or distress: for a moment, Sam was confused;

then his expression cleared.

2 [ with obj. ] remove (an obstruction or unwanted item) from

somewhere: Karen cleared the dirty plates | park staff cleared away

dead trees.

• (in soccer and other sports) send (the ball) away from the area

near one's goal. McAllister's lob was cleared off the line by

Kernaghan. [ no obj. ] : Clarke headed towards the net but Nicol cleared.

• discharge (a debt). at the moment I'm clearing debts.3 [ with obj. ] get past or over (something) safely or without

touching it: the plane rose high enough to clear the trees | she cleared 1.50

metres in the high jump.

4 [ with obj. ] officially show or declare (someone) to be innocent:

his sport's ruling body had cleared him of cheating.

5 [ with obj. ] give official approval or authorization to: I cleared him

to return to his squadron.

• satisfy the necessary requirements to pass through (customs): I can

help her to clear customs quickly.

• (with reference to a cheque) pass through a clearing house so that

the money goes into the payee's account: [ no obj. ] : there were more

than sufficient funds in the account for both cheques to clear | [ with obj. ] :

the cheque could not be cleared until Monday.

6 [ with obj. ] earn or gain (an amount of money) as a net profit: I

would hope to clear £50,000 profit from each match.

PHRASES

clear the air make the air less humid. storms were supposed to clear

the air. • defuse an angry or tense situation by frank discussion: it's

time a few things were said to clear the air.

(as) clear as a bell see bell 1 .

(as) clear as day very easy to see or understand. I saw him clear as

day. the reason for Peter's evasiveness was suddenly as clear as day.(as) clear as mud informal not at all easy to understand. what the

statement really means is still as clear as mud.

clear the decks prepare for an event or course of action by

dealing with anything that might hinder progress. the company's sale

of Australian investments cleared the decks for expansion in the UK.

clear one's lines Rugby & Soccer make a kick sending the ball

well upfield from near one's own goal line. nowadays wings must be

able to clear their lines with all the authority of a fullback.

clear the name of show to be innocent: the spokesman released a

statement attempting to clear his client's name.

clear the table remove dishes and cutlery from a table after a

meal: afterwards, he cleared the table and washed up.

clear one's throat cough slightly so as to speak more clearly,

attract attention, or to express hesitancy before saying something

awkward. he cleared his throat and spoke loudly. Sarah had to clear her throat

before answering.

clear the way remove an obstacle or hindrance to allow progress:

the ruling could be enough to clear the way for impeachment proceedings | [ in

imperative ] : Stand back, there! Clear the way!

in clear not in code. the Russian staff practice of sending radio messages

and orders in clear.

in the clear 1 no longer in danger or under suspicion: the

information put her in the clear. 2 with nothing to hinder one inachieving something. a cross from O'Neill left Hughes in the clear with not

even the goalkeeper to beat.

out of a clear sky as a complete surprise: his moods blew up

suddenly out of a clear sky.

PHRASAL VERBS

clear off (or out) [ usu. in imperative ] informal go away: ‘Clear

off !’ he yelled.

clear something out remove the contents from something so as

to tidy it or free it for alternative use: they told her to clear out her desk

by the next day.

clear up 1 (of an illness or other medical condition) become

cured: all my health problems cleared up. 2 (of the weather) become

brighter. I said I would fix the roof when the weather clears up. • (of rain)

stop. the drizzle looked unlikely to clear up.

clear something up 1 (also clear up)tidy something up by

removing rubbish or other unwanted items: Thomas decided to clear

up his cottage | he asked the youths to clear up their litter | I keep meaning to

come down here and clear up. 2 solve or explain something: he wanted to

clear up some misconceptions. 3 cure an illness or other medical

condition: folk customs prescribed sage tea to clear up measles.

DERIVATIVES

clearable adjective,

clearness nounORIGIN Middle English: from Old French cler, from Latin

clarus .

clear

adjective

1 the book gives clear instructions for carrying out various DIY tasks:

understandable, comprehensible, intelligible, easy to understand,

plain, direct, uncomplicated, explicit, lucid, perspicuous, coherent,

logical, distinct, simple, straightforward, clearly expressed,

unambiguous, clear-cut, crystal clear, accessible, user-friendly; in

words of one syllable; informal Anglo-Saxon. ANTONYMS

vague, unclear.

2 he made it clear to the team that he was in charge | a clear case of

harassment: obvious, evident, plain, apparent, crystal clear, as clear

as crystal, transparent; sure, definite, unmistakable, manifest,

indisputable, patent, incontrovertible, irrefutable, beyond doubt,

beyond question, self-evident; palpable, visible, discernible,

noticeable, detectable, recognizable, pronounced, marked, striking,

conspicuous, overt, blatant, glaring; as plain as a pikestaff, staring

someone in the face, writ large, as plain as day; informal as plain

as the nose on one's face, standing/sticking out like a sore thumb,

standing/sticking out a mile, as clear as day. ANTONYMS vague,

possible.3 a beautiful lagoon of clear water: transparent, limpid, pellucid,

translucent, crystalline, crystal clear, glassy, glass-like; diaphanous,

see-through; unclouded, uncloudy; rare transpicuous.

ANTONYMS opaque, murky.

4 a clear blue sky: bright, cloudless, unclouded, without a cloud in

the sky, fair, fine, light, undimmed; sunny, sunshiny, sunlit, starlit,

moonlit. ANTONYMS cloudy.

5 her clear complexion: unblemished, spot-free; fresh. ANTONYMS

pimply, spotty.

6 Rosa's clear voice: distinct, bell-like, as clear as a bell, clarion, pure;

unwavering. ANTONYMS muffled.

7 the road was clear | Christina had a clear view of Stephen's face:

unobstructed, unblocked, passable, unimpeded, open, empty, free,

unlimited, unrestricted, unhindered. ANTONYMS obstructed;

limited.

8 the algae were clear of toxins: free, devoid, empty, vacant, void; rid,

relieved; without, unaffected by, no longer affected by.

9 I left the house with a clear conscience: untroubled, undisturbed,

unworried, unperturbed, unconcerned, unbothered, with no

qualms; peaceful, at peace, tranquil, serene, calm, easy; innocent,

guiltless, guilt-free, blameless, clean, sinless, stainless,

unimpeachable, irreproachable. ANTONYMS guilty.10 two clear days' notice is required: whole, full, entire, complete, total,

solid, round, unbroken. ANTONYMS partial.

adverb

1 an indicator told them to stand clear of the doors: away from, apart

from, beyond, at a distance from, at a safe distance from, out of

contact with. ANTONYMS close to.

2 Tommy's voice came loud and clear from the row behind: distinctly,

clearly, as clear as a bell, plainly, audibly, intelligibly, with clarity.

ANTONYMS indistinctly.

3 he will have time to get clear away: completely, entirely, thoroughly,

fully, wholly, totally, utterly, quite, altogether; informal clean.

verb

1 the sky cleared briefly | the weather was clearing: brighten (up), lighten,

become light, light up, break, clear up, become bright/brighter/

lighter, become fine, become sunny. ANTONYMS darken.

2 the drizzle had cleared, leaving the evening fine: disappear, go away, melt

away, vanish, end; dwindle, peter out, fade, wear off, decrease,

lessen, diminish, recede, withdraw, ebb, wane; disperse.

3 shops have cleared the shelves of anything that could offend the public |

together they cleared the table: empty, void; free, rid, strip, unload,

unburden. ANTONYMS fill.

4 plumbers' tools for clearing drains: unblock, unclog, unstop.

ANTONYMS block.5 he warned the staff to clear the building: evacuate, empty, make empty,

make vacant; leave.

6 Karen cleared the dirty plates: remove, take away, carry away, move,

shift, tidy away/up.

7 at the moment I'm clearing debts: pay off, pay, repay, settle, discharge,

square, make good, honour, defray, satisfy, account for, remit,

liquidate. ANTONYMS run up.

8 I cleared the bar at my first attempt: go over, get past, go above, pass

over, sail over; jump (over), vault (over), leap (over), hop (over),

hurdle, spring over, bound over, skip (over), leapfrog (over).

9 he was jailed for possessing drugs, but was later cleared by an appeal court:

acquit, declare innocent, find not guilty; absolve, exonerate,

exculpate, vindicate; informal let off (the hook). ANTONYMS

convict.

10 I was cleared to work on the atomic project: authorize, give

permission, permit, allow, pass, accept, endorse, license, sanction,

give approval to, give one's seal of approval to, give consent to;

informal OK, give the OK, give the thumbs up, give the green

light, give the go-ahead. ANTONYMS veto.

11 I hoped to clear £50,000 profit from each match: net, make a profit

of, realize a profit of, take home, pocket; gain, earn, make, get,

acquire, secure, reap, bring in, pull in, be paid; informal rake in.

ANTONYMS spend.PHRASES

clear off informal Clear off ! You're trespassing! go away, get out,

leave; be off with you!, shoo!, make yourself scarce!, on your way!;

informal beat it, push off, clear out, shove off, scram, scoot,

skedaddle, buzz off; Brit. informal hop it, sling your hook;

Austral./NZ informal rack off; N. Amer. informal bug off, take a

hike; S. African informal voetsak, hamba; vulgar slang piss off,

bugger off; archaic begone. ANTONYMS stay.

clear out informal get everyone to clear out of the building as quickly as

possible. See leave 1 (sense 1).

clear something out 1 we had to clear out the junk room to make a

nursery for James: empty, empty out, void, make vacant; tidy, tidy up,

clear up, clean; informal dejunk. 2 clear out the rubbish as you go: get

rid of, throw out/away, discard, dispose of, dump, bin, scrap, do

away with, jettison, eject, eliminate, throw on the scrapheap;

informal chuck (out/away), ditch, junk, get shut of; Brit. informal

get shot of; N. Amer. informal trash.

clear the air that conversation cleared the air somehow: restore

harmony, make peace, reconcile differences; pour oil on troubled

waters.

clear up the weather had cleared up. See clear (sense 1 of the

verb), clear (sense 2 of the verb).clear something up 1 clear up the garden before you go: tidy, tidy up,

put in order, straighten up, clean up, put to rights, make shipshape,

spruce up. 2 I'm glad we've cleared up that little problem: solve, resolve,

straighten out, find an/the answer to, answer, find the key to,

decipher, break, get to the bottom of, make head or tail of, piece

together, explain, expound; unravel, untangle, elucidate; informal

crack, figure out, suss out.

Synonyms

liberty |ˈlɪbəәti|

noun (pl.liberties) [ mass noun ]

1 the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions

imposed by authority on one's behaviour or political views:

compulsory retirement would interfere with individual liberty.

• the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved: people who attacked

phone boxes would lose their liberty.

• the power or scope to act as one pleases: individuals should enjoy the

liberty to pursue their own preferences.

• Philosophy a person's freedom from control by fate or necessity.

2 [ count noun ] (usu. liberties) a right or privilege, especially a

statutory one: the Bill of Rights was intended to secure basic civil liberties.3 [ count noun ] informal a presumptuous remark or action: how

did he know what she was thinking?—it was a liberty!

4 Nautical shore leave granted to a sailor.

PHRASES

at liberty 1 not imprisoned. he was at liberty for three months before he

was recaptured. 2 allowed or entitled to do something: he's not at

liberty to discuss his real work.

take liberties 1 behave in an unduly familiar or easy manner

towards someone or something: you've taken too many liberties

with me. 2 treat something freely, without strict faithfulness to the

facts or to an original: the scriptwriter has taken few liberties with

the original narrative.

take the liberty venture to do something without first asking

permission: I took the liberty of checking out a few convalescent homes

for him.

ORIGIN late Middle English: from Old French liberte, from

Latin libertas, from liber ‘free’.

Liberty, Statue of

a statue at the entrance to New York harbour, a symbol of

welcome to immigrants, representing a draped female figure

carrying a book of laws in her left hand and holding aloft a torch

in her right. Dedicated in 1886, it was designed by Frédéric-

Auguste Bartholdi and was the gift of the French, commemoratingthe alliance of France and the US during the War of American

Independence.

liberty

noun

1 individuals should enjoy the liberty to pursue their own interests and

preferences: freedom, independence, free rein, freeness, licence, self-

determination; free will, latitude, option, choice; volition, non-

compulsion, non-coercion, non-confinement; leeway, margin,

scope, elbow room. ANTONYMS constraint.

2 parliamentary government is the essence of British liberty: independence,

freedom, autonomy, sovereignty, self government, self rule, self

determination, home rule; civil liberties, civil rights, human rights;

rare autarky. ANTONYMS dependence, subjugation.

3 no man who was born free would be contented to be penned up and denied

the liberty to go where he pleases: right, birthright, opportunity, facility,

prerogative, entitlement, privilege, permission, sanction, leave,

consent, authorization, authority, licence, clearance, blessing,dispensation, exemption, faculty; Frenchcarte blanche.

ANTONYMS constraint.

PHRASES

at liberty 1 he was at liberty for three months before he was recaptured:

free, on the loose, loose, set loose, at large, unconfined, roaming;

unbound, untied, unchained, unshackled, unfettered,

unrestrained, unrestricted, wild, untrammelled; escaped, out;

informal sprung. ANTONYMS in captivity; imprisoned. 2 your

great aunt was at liberty to divide her estate how she chose: free, permitted,

allowed, authorized, able, entitled, eligible, fit; unconstrained,

unrestricted, unhindered, without constraint. ANTONYMS

forbidden.

take liberties you've already taken too many liberties with me: act with

overfamiliarity, act with familiarity, show disrespect, act with

impropriety, act indecorously, be impudent, commit a breach of

etiquette, act with boldness, act with impertinence, show insolence,

show impudence, show presumptuousness, show presumption,

show forwardness, show audacity, be unrestrained; take advantage

of, exploit. ANTONYMS be polite; show consideration.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT WORD

liberty, freedom, independence

All these words denote absence of constraint or coercion.■ Liberty denotes the desirable state of being free, within

society, from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority

on one's behaviour or political views (we believe in civil and

religious liberty for everyone). It may also mean the power

or scope to act as one pleases (individuals should enjoy the

liberty to pursue their own preferences). To be at liberty to

do something is to be allowed or entitled to do it (I'm not at

liberty to say).

■ Freedom is a more general word for the absence of

constraint (decentralization would give local managers more

freedom | freedom of expression | freedom to organize their

affairs). Freedom can also indicate the absence of a

particular evil or constraint (freedom from fear | freedom

from interference) or the state of being unrestricted in

movement (the shorts have a side split for freedom of

movement). Both freedom and liberty can also mean the

state of not being imprisoned or enslaved (the teenager

committed fifty-six crimes before he lost his freedom | the

mayor remained at liberty pending a decision as to his place

of confinement).■ The principal meaning of independence is the absence

of control of a nation or corporate body by an outside

power (recognition of Azerbaijan's independence | the

independence of the judiciary). When used in relation to

individuals, independence may denote a freedom from

commitments (could she pursue her independence if

Chester needed her? ) or the personal quality of not relying

on others (parents should foster their child's independence).

These notes show fine distinctions in meaning between

closely related synonyms to help you find the best word.

serenity |sɪˈrɛnɪti|

noun (pl.serenities) [ mass noun ]

the state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled: an oasis of serenity

amidst the bustling city.

ORIGIN late Middle English: from Old French serenite, from

Latin serenitas, from serenus ‘clear, fair’ (see serene) .

serenity

noun

1 she radiated an air of serenity: calmness, calm, composure,

tranquillity, peacefulness, peace of mind, peace, peaceableness,collectedness, poise, aplomb, self-possession, sangfroid,

imperturbability, equanimity, equableness, ease, placidity,

placidness; informal togetherness, unflappability; rare ataraxy,

ataraxia. ANTONYMS anxiety, agitation.

2 the garden is an oasis of serenity amidst the bustling city: peace, peace

and quiet, peacefulness, tranquillity, calm, quiet, quietness,

quietude, stillness, restfulness, repose. ANTONYMS disruption.

3 the serenity of the sky: cloudlessness, clearness, brightness,

sunniness. ANTONYMS cloudiness, storminess.

slavery

noun

1 historical thousands had been sold into slavery: bondage, enslavement,

servitude, subjugation, thraldom, thrall, serfdom, vassalage,

enthralment, yoke; captivity, bonds, chains, fetters, shackles; US

History peculiar institution. ANTONYMS freedom, liberty,

emancipation.

2 working here is sheer slavery: drudgery, toil, (hard) slog, hard labour,

grind, sweated labour; Austral./NZ informal (hard) yakka; archaic

travail, moil. ANTONYMS sinecure, soft option, money for old

rope.

serf |səәːf|noun

an agricultural labourer bound by the feudal system who was tied

to working on his lord's estate.

DERIVATIVES

serfage noun,

serfdom noun

ORIGIN late 15th cent. (in the sense ‘slave’): from Old French,

from Latin servus ‘slave’.

subordinate

adjective |səәˈbɔːdɪnəәt|

lower in rank or position: his subordinate officers.

• of less or secondary importance: in adventure stories, character must be

subordinate to action.

noun |səәˈbɔːdɪnəәt|

a person under the authority or control of another within an

organization. he was mild-mannered, especially with his subordinates.

verb |səәˈbɔːdɪneɪt| [ with obj. ]

treat or regard as of lesser importance than something else:

practical considerations were subordinated to political expediency.

• make subservient to or dependent on something else. to define life

would be to subordinate it to reason.DERIVATIVES

subordinately |səәˈbɔːdɪnəәtli| adverb,

subordinative |səәˈbɔːdɪnəәtɪv| adjective

ORIGIN late Middle English: from medieval Latin subordinatus

‘placed in an inferior rank’, from Latin sub- ‘below’ +

ordinare ‘ordain’.

subordinate

adjective

1 she kept her distance from subordinate staff: lower-ranking, junior,

lower, lesser, inferior, lowly, minor, supporting; second-fiddle.

ANTONYMS superior, senior.

2 a subordinate rule: secondary, lesser, minor, subsidiary, subservient,

ancillary, auxiliary, attendant, peripheral, marginal, of little

account/importance; second-class, second-rate, second-fiddle;

supplementary, accessory, additional, extra. ANTONYMS central,

major, chief.

noun

the manager and his or her subordinate jointly review performance: junior,

assistant, second, second in command, number two, right-hand

man/woman, deputy, aide, adjutant, subaltern, apprentice,

underling, flunkey, minion, lackey, mate, inferior; informalsidekick, henchman, second fiddle, man/girl Friday. ANTONYMS

superior, senior.

disorder |dɪsˈɔːdəә|

noun [ mass noun ]

a state of confusion: the world 's currency markets were in disorder.

• the breakdown of peaceful and law-abiding public behaviour:

recurrent food crises led to outbreaks of disorder.

• [ count noun ] Medicine an illness that disrupts normal physical

or mental functions: skin disorders | [ mass noun ] : an improved

understanding of mental disorder.

verb [ with obj. ] (usu. as adj.disordered)

disrupt the systematic functioning or neat arrangement of: she went

to comb her disordered hair | his sleep is disordered.

• Medicine disrupt the normal functioning of: a patient who is

mentally disordered.

ORIGIN late 15th cent. (as a verb): alteration, influenced by

order, of earlier disordain, from Old French desordener,

ultimately based on Latin ordinare ‘ordain’.

disorder

noun1 he hates disorder in his house: untidiness, disorderliness, mess,

disarray, disorganization, chaos, confusion; clutter, jumble; a

muddle, a mess, a shambles, a mare's nest; Brit. informal a dog's

dinner, a dog's breakfast. ANTONYMS order.

2 4,000 people were arrested in incidents of public disorder: unrest,

disturbance, disruption, upheaval, tumult, turmoil, mayhem,

pandemonium; violence, fighting; rioting, insurrection, rebellion,

mutiny, lawlessness, anarchy; breach of the peace, riot, fracas,

rumpus, brouhaha, melee, hubbub, furore, affray; informal hoo-

ha, aggro, argy-bargy, snafu; N. Amer. informal wilding.

ANTONYMS order, peace.

3 she nearly died of pneumonia and a blood disorder: disease, infection,

complaint, problem, condition, affliction, malady, sickness, illness,

ailment, infirmity; defect, irregularity; informal bug, virus; Brit.

informal lurgy.

chaotic |keɪˈɒtɪk|

adjective

in a state of complete confusion and disorder: the political situation

was chaotic.

• Physics relating to systems which exhibit chaos.

DERIVATIVES

chaotically adverbORIGIN early 18th cent.: from chaos, on the pattern of words

such as hypnotic.

chaotic

adjective

their tall Victorian house was like a chaotic museum: disorderly,

disordered, in disorder, in chaos, in disarray, disorganized, topsy-

turvy, haywire, confused, in pandemonium, in turmoil,

tumultuous, disrupted; frenzied, in uproar, in a muddle, jumbled,

in a mess, messy, in a shambles, anarchic, lawless; rare orderless.

ANTONYMS orderly.

WORD TOOLKIT

chaotic

See messy.

Word Toolkits illustrate the difference between close

synonyms by means of words typically used with them.

organize |ˈɔːg(əә)nʌɪz| (also organise)

verb [ with obj. ]

1 arrange systematically; order: organize lessons in a planned way.

• coordinate the activities of (a person or group) efficiently: she was

unsuited to anything where she had to organize herself.• form (a number of people) into a trade union or other political

group: we all believed in the need to organize women.

2 make arrangements or preparations for (an event or activity):

social programmes are organized by the school.

• take responsibility for providing or arranging: Julie organized food

and drink for the band.

3 archaic arrange or form into a living being or tissue. the soul doth

organize the body.

DERIVATIVES

organizable adjective

ORIGIN late Middle English: from medieval Latin organizare,

from Latin organum ‘instrument, tool’ (see organ) .

organized |ˈɔːɡəәnʌɪzd| (also organised)

adjective

arranged in a systematic way, especially on a large scale: organized

crime.

• able to plan one's activities efficiently: she used to be so organized.

• having formed a trade union or other political group: a repressive

regime which crushed organized labour.

organizeverb

1 try to organize your thoughts | our primary objective is to collect, organize,

and disseminate information: put in order, order, arrange, sort, sort out,

assemble, marshal, put straight, group, dispose, classify, collocate,

categorize, catalogue, codify, tabulate, compile, systematize,

systemize, regulate, regiment, standardize, structure, shape, mould,

lick/knock into shape, pigeonhole; Medicine triage; rare

methodize. ANTONYMS jumble, disorganize.

2 a local man organized a search party | I'll organize the transport: make

arrangements for, arrange, coordinate, sort out, put together, fix

up, get together, orchestrate, choreograph, be responsible for, be in

charge of, take care of, look after, see to, see about, deal with,

direct, run, manage, conduct, administrate, set up, mobilize,

mastermind, engineer; institute, develop, form, create, establish,

found, originate, begin, start; schedule, timetable, programme;

rare concert.

organized

adjective

a highly organized campaign | she used to be so organized: well ordered, in

order, ordered, well run, well regulated, orderly, efficient, neat, tidy,

methodical, businesslike, planned, systematic, structured,

arranged; informal together. ANTONYMS disorganized,

inefficient.arrange |əәˈreɪn(d)ʒ|

verb [ with obj. ]

1 put (things) in a neat, attractive, or required order: she had just

finished arranging the flowers | the columns are arranged in 12 rows.

2 organize or make plans for (a future event): they hoped to arrange a

meeting | [ no obj. ] : my aunt arranged for the furniture to be stored.

• [ no obj. ] reach agreement about an action or event in advance:

I arranged with my boss to have the time off | [ with infinitive ] : they

arranged to meet at eleven o'clock.

• ensure that (something) is done or provided by organizing it in

advance: accommodation can be arranged if required.

3 Music adapt (a composition) for performance with instruments

or voices other than those originally specified: songs arranged for

viola and piano.

4 archaic settle (a dispute or claim). the quarrel, partly by the

interference of the Crown Prince, was arranged.

DERIVATIVES

arrangeable adjective,

arranger noun

ORIGIN late Middle English: from Old French arangier, from a-

(from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + rangier ‘put in order’ (see range) .elevation |ˌɛlɪˈveɪʃ(əә)n|

noun

1 [ mass noun ] the action or fact of raising or being raised to a

higher or more important level, state, or position: her sudden elevation

to the cabinet.

• increase in the level of something. diabetics have been found to have

more pronounced elevation of systolic blood pressure.

• the raising of the consecrated elements for adoration at Mass. a

prayer recommended for lay people at the elevation of the Host.

• Ballet the ability of a dancer to attain height in jumps.

2 [ mass noun ] height above a given level, especially sea level: the

area has a topography that ranges from 1,500 to 3,000 metres in

elevation.

• [ count noun ] a high place or position: an elevation of 300 metres.

• the angle of something with the horizontal, especially of a gun

or of the direction of a celestial object. as every gunner knows,

increasing the elevation beyond five degrees can be a risky business.

3 a particular side of a building: a burglar alarm was displayed on the

front elevation.

• a scale drawing showing the vertical projection of one side of a

building. Compare with plan ( sense 3 of the noun).

DERIVATIVES

elevational adjectiveORIGIN late Middle English: from Latin elevatio(n-), from

elevare ‘raise’ (see elevate) .

elevation

noun

1 his elevation to the peerage: promotion, upgrading, advancement,

advance, preferment, aggrandizement, move up, step up;

ennoblement; informal step up the ladder, kick upstairs, leg-up.

ANTONYMS demotion.

2 as the road gains elevation, the maples begin to appear: altitude, height,

distance above the sea/ground; loftiness.

3 most early plantation development was at the higher elevations: height, hill,

mound, mountain, mount, eminence, rise; high ground, raised

ground, rising ground; formal acclivity. ANTONYMS depth.

4 houses with plastered elevations and tiled roofs: side, face, facade, aspect.

5 elevation of thought: grandeur, greatness, nobility, magnificence,

loftiness, majesty, grandioseness, sublimity.

reduction |rɪˈdʌkʃ(əә)n|

noun [ mass noun ]

1 the action or fact of making something smaller or less in

amount, degree, or size: talks on arms reduction | [ count noun ] :

there had been a reduction in the number of casualties.• [ count noun ] the amount by which something is made smaller,

less, or lower in price: special reductions on knitwear.

• the simplification of a subject or problem to a particular form in

presentation or analysis: the reduction of classical genetics to

molecular biology.

• Mathematics the process of converting an amount from one

denomination to a smaller one, or of bringing down a fraction to

its lowest terms.

• Biology the halving of the number of chromosomes per cell that

occurs at one of the two anaphases of meiosis.

2 [ count noun ] a thing that is made smaller or less in size or

amount, in particular:

• an arrangement of an orchestral score for piano or for a smaller

group of performers.

• a thick and concentrated liquid or sauce made by boiling.

• a copy of a picture or photograph made on a smaller scale than

the original.

3 the action of remedying a dislocation or fracture by returning

the affected part of the body to its normal position. we must see if

the fracture requires reduction.

4 Chemistry the process or result of reducing or being reduced. the

reaction is limited to reduction to the hydrocarbon.5 Phonetics substitution of a sound which requires less muscular

effort to articulate: the process of vowel reduction.

ORIGIN late Middle English (denoting the action of bringing

back): from Old French, or from Latin reductio(n-), from

reducere ‘bring back, restore’ (see reduce). The sense

development was broadly similar to that of reduce; sense 1 dates

from the late 17th cent.

reduction

noun

1 a reduction in pollution: lessening, lowering, decrease, diminution,

minimizing. ANTONYMS increase, enlargement.

2 the closure of those offices led to a reduction in staff: depletion, cut,

cutting, cutback, scaling down, trimming, slimming (down),

pruning, axing, chopping, curtailment, limiting.

3 there will be some reduction in the pressure to keep costs down: easing,

lightening, moderation, dilution, mitigation, commuting,

qualification, alleviation, relaxation, abatement.

4 a reduction in status: demotion, downgrading, lowering; abasement,

humbling, demeaning, belittling, humiliation, bringing low.

ANTONYMS promotion.5 substantial reductions on children's clothes: discount, markdown,

deduction, (price) cut, pullback, concession, allowance; informal

slash. ANTONYMS increase.

depression |dɪˈprɛʃ(əә)n|

noun

1 [ mass noun ] severe, typically prolonged, feelings of

despondency and dejection. self-doubt creeps in and that swiftly turns to

depression.

• Medicine a mental condition characterized by severe feelings of

hopelessness and inadequacy, typically accompanied by a lack of

energy and interest in life: she suffered from clinical depression.

2 a long and severe recession in an economy or market: the

depression in the housing market.

• (the Depression or the Great Depression)the financial and

industrial slump of 1929 and subsequent years.

3 [ mass noun ] the action of lowering something or pressing

something down: depression of the plunger delivers two units of insulin.

• [ count noun ] a sunken place or hollow on a surface: the original

shallow depressions were slowly converted to creeks.

4 Meteorology a region of lower atmospheric pressure, especially

a cyclonic weather system. hurricanes start off as loose regions of bad

weather known as tropical depressions.5 Astronomy & Geography the angular distance of an object

below the horizon or a horizontal plane.

ORIGIN late Middle English: from Latin depressio(n-), from

deprimere ‘press down’ (see depress) .

depression

noun

1 she ate to ease her depression: melancholy, misery, sadness,

unhappiness, sorrow, woe, gloom, gloominess, dejection,

downheartedness, despondency, dispiritedness, low spirits, heavy-

heartedness, moroseness, discouragement, despair, desolation,

dolefulness, moodiness, pessimism, hopelessness; the slough of

despond; upset, tearfulness; informal the dumps, the doldrums, the

blues, one's black dog, a low; N. Amer. informal the blahs, a funk,

a blue funk; informal, dated the mopes; technical clinical

depression, endogenous depression, reactive depression, postnatal

depression, dysthymia, melancholia; literary dolour; archaic the

megrims; rare mopery, disconsolateness, disconsolation.

ANTONYMS cheerfulness.

2 the country was in the grip of an economic depression: recession, slump,

decline, downturn, slowdown, standstill; paralysis, inactivity,

stagnation, credit crunch, credit squeeze; hard times, bad times;

technical stagflation. ANTONYMS boom.3 the car slid into a depression in the ground: hollow, indentation, dent,

dint, cavity, concavity, dip, pit, hole, pothole, sink, sinkhole,

excavation, trough, crater; valley, basin, bowl; Anatomy fossa,

lacuna. ANTONYMS protuberance.

glossy |ˈglɒsi|

adjective (glossier, glossiest)

1 shiny and smooth: thick, glossy, manageable hair.

• (of a magazine or photograph) printed on high-quality smooth

shiny paper. a 16-page glossy brochure.

2 superficially attractive, stylish, and suggesting wealth: a glossy TV

miniseries.

noun (pl.glossies) informal

a magazine printed on glossy paper with many colour

photographs. he's been touted in some upmarket glossies as the thinking

woman's crumpet.

• a photograph printed on glossy paper.

DERIVATIVES

glossily adverb,

glossiness noun

glossy

adjective1 the glossy wooden floor: shiny, shining, gleaming, lustrous, bright,

brilliant, sparkling, shimmering, glistening, sleek, silky, silken,

satiny, sheeny, smooth, glassy; polished, burnished, glazed, waxed,

japanned, shellacked, lacquered; rare nitid, patinated.

ANTONYMS dull, lustreless; matt.

2 a glossy fashion magazine: expensive, high-quality, well produced;

stylish, fashionable, glamorous, sophisticated; attractive, artistic;

Brit. upmarket; coffee-table; informal classy, ritzy, glitzy, arty.

ANTONYMS cheap, downmarket.

WORD TOOLKIT

glossy lustrous satiny

paper

brochure

photos

lips

leaves hair

gold

metal

fur

wool dress

fabric

finish

sheets

skin

Word Toolkits illustrate the difference between close

synonyms by means of words typically used with them.

weary |ˈwɪəәri|

adjective (wearier, weariest)

1 feeling or showing extreme tiredness, especially as a result of

excessive exertion: he gave a long, weary sigh.• calling for a great amount of energy or endurance; tiring and

tedious: the weary journey began again.

2 reluctant to see or experience any more of; tired of: she was

weary of their constant arguments | [ in combination ] : war-weary

Americans.

verb (wearies, wearying, wearied)

1 [ with obj. ] cause to become tired: she was wearied by her persistent

cough.

2 [ no obj. ] (weary of) grow tired of or bored with: she wearied of

the sameness of her life.

3 [ no obj. ] chiefly Scottishbe distressed; fret: don't think I'm

wearying about not being able to paint any more.

DERIVATIVES

weariless adjective,

wearily adverb

ORIGIN Old English wērig, wǣrig, of West Germanic origin.

weary

adjective

1 he arrived home weary after cycling several miles: tired, tired out, worn

out, exhausted, fatigued, overtired, sleepy, drowsy, wearied,

sapped, dog-tired, spent, drained, jet-lagged, played out,

debilitated, prostrate, enervated, jaded, low; informal all in, done(in/up), dead, dead beat, dead tired, dead on one's feet, asleep on

one's feet, ready to drop, fagged out, burnt out, bushed, worn to a

frazzle, shattered; Brit. informal knackered, whacked; N. Amer.

informal pooped, tuckered out. ANTONYMS energetic, fresh.

2 she was weary of their constant arguments: tired of, fed up with,

bored with/by, sick of, sick and tired of, jaded with/by, surfeited

with/by, satiated by, glutted with/by; (be weary of) have had

enough of; informal have had a basinful of, have had it up to here

with, have had something up to here. ANTONYMS enthusiastic.

3 the weary journey began: tiring, exhausting, wearying, fatiguing,

enervating, draining, sapping, stressful, wearing, trying, crushing;

demanding, exacting, taxing, challenging, burdensome, arduous,

gruelling, punishing, grinding, onerous, difficult, hard, tough,

heavy, laborious, back-breaking, crippling, strenuous, rigorous,

uphill. ANTONYMS refreshing, enjoyable.

verb

1 she was wearied by her persistent cough: tire, tire out, fatigue, wear out,

overtire, exhaust, drain, sap, wash out, tax, overtax, enervate,

debilitate, enfeeble, jade, incapacitate, devitalize, prostrate;

informal whack, bush, shatter, frazzle, wear to a frazzle, poop, take

it out of, fag out, do in, knock out; Brit. informal knacker.

ANTONYMS refresh.2 this must be stated again at the risk of wearying the reader: bore, tire,

make fed up; irk, irritate, exhaust someone's patience, annoy,

exasperate, get on someone's nerves; informal get to.

ANTONYMS interest.

3 her friend had also wearied of the struggle: tire of, become/get

weary of, become/get tired of, become/get fed up with, become/

get fed to death with, become/get bored with/by, become/get

satiated with, become/get jaded with, become/get sick of,

become/get sick to death of, sicken of; have had enough of, have

had a surfeit of, have had a glut of; informal become/get bored of,

have had something up to here.

appropriate

adjective

refer to the appropriate page of the atlas | this isn't the appropriate time or

place: suitable, proper, fitting, apt; relevant, connected, pertinent,

apposite, applicable, germane, material, significant, right,

congruous, to the point, to the purpose; convenient, expedient,

favourable, auspicious, propitious, opportune, felicitous, timely,

well judged, well timed; seemly, befitting, deserved; Latinad rem;

formal appurtenant; archaic meet, seasonable. ANTONYMS

inappropriate; irrelevant.

verb1 he acquired resources by appropriating local church lands: seize,

commandeer, expropriate, annex, arrogate, sequestrate, sequester,

take possession of, take over, assume, secure, acquire, wrest, usurp,

claim, lay claim to, hijack.

2 allegations that he had appropriated £40,000 had led to his dismissal:

steal, take, misappropriate; thieve, pilfer, pocket, purloin, make off

with; embezzle; informal swipe, nab, rip off, lift, filch, snaffle,

snitch, bag, walk off/away with, ‘abstract’, ‘borrow’, ‘liberate’;

Brit. informal pinch, nick, half-inch, whip, knock off; rare peculate,

defalcate.

3 there can be constitutional problems in appropriating funds for these expenses:

allocate, assign, allot, earmark, set apart/aside, devote, apportion,

budget.

4 his images have been appropriated by advertisers: plagiarize, copy,

reproduce; poach, steal, ‘borrow’, bootleg, infringe the copyright

of; informal pirate, rip off, crib, lift.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT WORD

appropriate, suitable, proper, fitting

■ Something that is appropriate suits a particular situation

(she searched for an appropriate word | we need care

packages appropriate to people's needs). The word may

convey pleasure or satisfaction at the particular relevanceof something (it is appropriate that healing should still be

important in the village where the Red Cross was born), or it

can be used if you want to persuade others, by slight

subterfuge, to agree with you that something is desirable

(we consider it is now appropriate to consult interested

individuals and agencies). Appropriate is often used for

something that is socially acceptable (society seems to

think it is appropriate for little girls to shed tears).

■ Suitable is a more general word for things that are right

for a particular purpose or occasion, and they need not be

the only correct or possible ones (he may be able to find

suitable alternative work | the site isn't suitable for

residential use).

■ A proper person or thing may well be the only correct

person or thing for a purpose or a job (inquiries should be

addressed to the proper officer | medium-sized and larger

building firms should carry out proper training). In this

sense, proper is always used before the noun it qualifies.

Proper is also used to mean ‘socially acceptable’ (her

parents' view of what was proper for a well-bred girl).■ Something that is fitting (the least common word of this

group) is particularly apposite, and usually desirable (his

election as president of the society was a fitting tribute | it

was very fitting that the late Sgt Day's brother and sister

were among the guests).

These notes show fine distinctions in meaning between

closely related synonyms to help you find the best word.

appropriate

adjective |əәˈprəәʊprɪəәt|

suitable or proper in the circumstances: this isn't the appropriate time or

place | a measure appropriate to a wartime economy.

verb |əәˈprəәʊprɪeɪt| [ with obj. ]

1 take (something) for one's own use, typically without the owner's

permission: the accused had appropriated the property.

2 devote (money or assets) to a special purpose: there can be problems

in appropriating funds for legal expenses.

DERIVATIVES

appropriately adverb [ sentence adverb ] : appropriately, the first

recital will be given at the festival,

appropriateness noun,

appropriator |-eɪtəә| nounORIGIN late Middle English: from late Latin appropriatus, past

participle of appropriare ‘make one's own’, from ad- ‘to’ +

proprius ‘own, proper’.

inappropriate

adjective

inappropriate behaviour | inappropriate clothes for the office: unsuitable,

unfitting, ill-suited, unseemly, unbecoming, unprofessional, unfit,

unbefitting, indecorous, improper, lacking in propriety,

ungentlemanly, unladylike; incongruous, out of place, out of

keeping, wrong, amiss, inapposite, inapt; inexpedient, inadvisable,

injudicious, ill-advised, ill-judged, ill-considered, infelicitous,

unfortunate, regrettable, misguided, misplaced, ill-timed, untimely,

inopportune, undue, untoward, tactless, tasteless, in poor/bad

taste, undesirable; informal out of order; rare malapropos.

ANTONYMS appropriate, suitable.

disparate |ˈdɪsp(əә)rəәt|

adjective

essentially different in kind; not able to be compared: they inhabit

disparate worlds of thought.

• containing elements very different from one another: a culturally

disparate country.noun (disparates) archaic

things so unlike that there is no basis for comparison.

DERIVATIVES

disparately adverb,

disparateness noun

ORIGIN late Middle English: from Latin disparatus

‘separated’, from the verb disparare, from dis- ‘apart’ +

parare ‘to prepare’; influenced in sense by Latin dispar

‘unequal’.

disparate

adjective

the document is made up from several disparate chunks: contrasting,

different, differing, dissimilar, unlike, unalike, poles apart; varying,

various, diverse, diversified, heterogeneous, unrelated,

unconnected, distinct, separate, divergent; literary divers, myriad;

rare contrastive. ANTONYMS homogeneous.

dissimilar |dɪˈsɪmɪləә|

adjectivenot the same; different: a collection of dissimilar nations lacking overall

homogeneity | the pleasures of the romance novel are not dissimilar

from those of the chocolate bar.

DERIVATIVES

dissimilarly adverb

ORIGIN late 16th cent.: from dis- (expressing reversal) +

similar, on the pattern of Latin dissimilis,French

dissimilaire .

dissimilar

adjective

contact between dissimilar cultures: different, differing, unlike, unalike,

varying, variant, various, diverse, heterogeneous, disparate,

unrelated, distinct, contrasting, contradictory, poles apart;

divergent, mismatched, inconsistent; informal like chalk and

cheese; literary divers, myriad; rare contrastive. ANTONYMS

similar.

WORD TOOLKIT

dissimilar

See divergent.

Word Toolkits illustrate the difference between close

synonyms by means of words typically used with them.flounder 1 |ˈflaʊndəә|

verb [ no obj. ]

struggle or stagger clumsily in mud or water: he was floundering

about in the shallow offshore waters.

• struggle mentally; show or feel great confusion: she floundered, not

knowing quite what to say.

• be in serious difficulty: many firms are floundering.

DERIVATIVES

flounderer noun

ORIGIN late 16th cent.: perhaps a blend of founder 3 and

blunder, or perhaps symbolic, fl- frequently beginning words

connected with swift or sudden movement.

flounder 2 |ˈflaʊndəә|

noun

a small flatfish that typically occurs in shallow coastal water.

●Families Pleuronectidae and Bothidae: several species, in

particular the edible Platichthys flesus of European waters.

• (flounders) a collective term for flatfishes other than soles. See

flatfish.

ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French flondre, probably of

Scandinavian origin and related to Danish flynder .

flounderverb

1 the dragoons were floundering in the boggy ground: struggle, thrash,

thresh, flail, toss and turn, twist and turn, pitch, splash, stagger,

stumble, falter, lurch, blunder, fumble, grope, squirm, writhe.

ANTONYMS make good progress.

2 you may find yourself floundering as you try to answer a question you have

not really understood: struggle mentally, be out of one's depth, be in

the dark, have difficulty, be confounded, be confused, be

dumbfounded; informal scratch one's head, be flummoxed, be

clueless, be foxed, be fazed, be floored, be beaten.

3 more firms are floundering: struggle financially, be in dire straits, face

financial ruin, be in difficulties, face bankruptcy/insolvency.

ANTONYMS prosper.

amnesia |amˈniːzɪəә|

noun [ mass noun ]

a partial or total loss of memory. they were suffering from amnesia.

DERIVATIVES

amnesiac |-zɪak| noun& adjective,

amnesic adjective& noun

ORIGIN late 18th cent.: from Greek amnēsia ‘forgetfulness’.ambrosia |amˈbrəәʊzɪəә|

noun [ mass noun ]

1 Greek & Roman Mythology the food of the gods.

• something very pleasing to taste or smell: the tea was ambrosia after

the slop I'd been suffering.

2 a fungal product used as food by ambrosia beetles.

3 another term for bee bread.

DERIVATIVES

ambrosial adjective

ORIGIN mid 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek, ‘elixir of life’,

from ambrotos ‘immortal’.

insomnia |ɪnˈsɒmnɪəә|

noun [ mass noun ]

habitual sleeplessness; inability to sleep.

ORIGIN early 17th cent.: from Latin, from insomnis

‘sleepless’, from in- (expressing negation) + somnus ‘sleep’.forget |fəәˈgɛt|

verb ( forgets , forgetting , forgot |- ˈ g ɒ t| ; past

participleforgotten |-ˈgɒt(əә)n| or chiefly USforgot) [ with obj. ]

fail to remember: he had forgotten his lines | [ with clause ] : she had

completely forgotten how hungry she was.

• inadvertently neglect to do or mention something: [ with

infinitive ] : she forgot to lock her door.

• deliberately cease to think of: forget all this romantic stuff | [ no

obj. ] : for years she had struggled to forget about him.

• (forget it) informal said when insisting to someone that there is

no need for apology or thanks. ‘I'm sorry ...’ she began. ‘Forget it’.

• (forget oneself) neglect to behave in an appropriate way. ‘I'm

sorry, Cassie. I forget myself ’.

PHRASES

not forgetting —— (at the end of a list) and also ——: there are

wild goats and deer, not forgetting the famous Lundy ponies.

DERIVATIVES

forgetter noun

ORIGIN Old English forgietan, of West Germanic origin; related

to Dutch vergeten and German vergessen, and ultimately to

for- and get.fumble |ˈfʌmb(əә)l|

verb [ no obj., with adverbial ]

do or handle something clumsily: she fumbled with the lock.

• (fumble about/around) move clumsily in various directions

using the hands to find one's way: he fumbled about in the dark but could

not find her.

• [ with obj. and adverbial ] use the hands clumsily to move

(something) as specified: she fumbled a cigarette from her bag.

• [ with obj. ] (in ball games) fail to catch or field (the ball) cleanly.

have you ever seen him fumble a ball? [ no obj. ] : the keeper fumbled.

• express oneself or deal with something clumsily or nervously:

Michael had fumbled for words.

noun [ usu. in sing. ]

an act of doing or handling something clumsily: just one fumble

during a tyre change could separate the winners from the losers.

• informal an act of fondling someone for sexual pleasure. a quick

fumble in a downtown tavern.

• (in ball games) an act of failing to catch or field the ball cleanly.

he recovered a fumble after a bad exchange.

• an act of managing or dealing with something clumsily: we are not

talking about subtle errors of judgement, but major fumbles.

DERIVATIVES

fumbler nounORIGIN late Middle English: from Low German fommeln or

Dutch fommelen .

fumble

verb

1 he fumbled for his keys: grope, feel about, search blindly, scrabble

around, muddle around; fish, delve, cast about/around/round for;

archaic grabble for.

2 he fumbled about in the dark but could not find her: stumble, blunder,

flounder, lumber, bumble, stagger, totter, lurch, move clumsily,

move awkwardly; feel one's way, grope one's way.

3 the keeper fumbled the ball: fail to catch, miss, drop, mishandle,

handle awkwardly; misfield.

4 he had fumbled the initiative: botch, bungle, mismanage, mishandle,

spoil; blunder, make a mistake; informal make a mess of, make a

hash of, fluff, muff, screw up, foul up, blow, louse up; Brit. informal

make a pig's ear of, make a muck of, cock up; N. Amer. informal

flub.

noun

1 a fumble from the goalkeeper: slip, miss, drop, mishandling;

misfielding; mistake, error, gaffe, fault, botch; informal slip-up,

clanger, boob, boo-boo, howler, foul-up, fail; Brit. informal cock-

up.2 informal a kiss and a fumble: fondle, grope, caress, hug, embrace,

cuddle; informal feel-up.

parole |pəәˈrəәʊl|

noun [ mass noun ]

1 the temporary or permanent release of a prisoner before the

expiry of a sentence, on the promise of good behaviour: he

committed a burglary while on parole.

• [ count noun ] historical a promise or undertaking given by a

prisoner of war to return to custody or act as a non-belligerent if

released. I took their paroles of honour. [ mass noun ] : a good many

French officers had been living on parole in Melrose.

2 Linguistics the actual linguistic behaviour or performance of

individuals, in contrast to the linguistic system of a community.

Contrasted with langue.

verb [ with obj. ]

release (a prisoner) on parole: he was paroled after serving nine months of

a two-year sentence.

DERIVATIVES

parolee |-ˈliː| noun

ORIGIN late 15th cent.: from Old French, literally ‘word’, also

‘formal promise’, from ecclesiastical Latin parabola ‘speech’;

compare with parol.parley |ˈpɑːli|

noun (pl.parleys)

a conference between opposing sides in a dispute, especially a

discussion of terms for an armistice. a parley is in progress and the

invaders may withdraw.

verb (parleys, parleying, parleyed) [ no obj. ]

hold a conference with the opposing side to discuss terms: they

disagreed over whether to parley with the enemy.

ORIGIN late Middle English (denoting speech or debate): perhaps

from Old French parlee ‘spoken’, feminine past participle of the

verb parler .

parley

noun

a peace parley: negotiation, talk(s), meeting, conference, summit,

discussion, dialogue, conclave, consultation, deliberation, colloquy;

informal confab, powwow; formal confabulation; dated palaver.

verb

the two parties were willing to parley: discuss terms, talk, hold talks,

speak to each other, confer, consult with each other, negotiate,

deliberate; informal powwow.pardon |ˈpɑːd(əә)n|

noun [ mass noun ]

the action of forgiving or being forgiven for an error or offence: he

obtained pardon for his sins.

• [ count noun ] a cancellation of the legal consequences of an

offence or conviction: he offered a full pardon to five convicted men.

• [ count noun ] Christian Church an indulgence, as widely sold in

medieval Europe.

verb [ with obj. ]

forgive or excuse (a person, error, or offence). I know Catherine will

pardon me.

• release (an offender) from the legal consequences of an offence

or conviction, and often implicitly from blame: he was pardoned for

his treason.

• (be pardoned) used to indicate that someone is justified in

doing or thinking a particular thing given the circumstances: one

can be pardoned the suspicion that some of his errors were deliberate.

exclamation

a request to a speaker to repeat something because one did not

hear or understand it: ‘Pardon?’ I said, cupping a hand to my ear.

PHRASESI beg your pardon (or N. Amer.pardon me)used to express

polite apology: I beg your pardon for intruding. • used to indicate that

one has not heard or understood something. I beg your pardon—I'm

afraid I didn't catch that. • used to express one's anger or indignation

at what someone has just said. ‘I beg your pardon!,’ Beecham snapped.

if you'll pardon the expression used to apologize for having

used or being about to use coarse or offensive expressions. four of

those years I spend in a bloody prison camp—if you'll pardon the expression.

pardon me for —— used to express in a sarcastic way one's

indignation at being criticized for doing something: ‘Well, pardon me

for breathing!’.

ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French pardun (noun),

pardoner (verb), from medieval Latin perdonare ‘concede,

remit’, from per- ‘completely’ + donare ‘give’.

pardon

noun

1 he obtained pardon for his sins: forgiveness, absolution, remission,

clemency, mercy, lenience, leniency, condonation; historical

indulgence.

2 he offered a full pardon to the five convicted men: reprieve, free pardon,

general pardon, amnesty, exoneration, exculpation, release,

acquittal, discharge; rare oblivion.verb

1 I know she will pardon me: forgive, absolve, have mercy on, be

merciful to, deal leniently with; excuse, condone, overlook; rare

remit. ANTONYMS blame.

2 the convicted men were subsequently pardoned: exonerate, acquit,

amnesty, exculpate; let off, grant a pardon to, reprieve, release,

free, spare. ANTONYMS punish.

exclamation

‘Pardon?’ I said, cupping a hand to my ear: what did you say, what, eh, I

beg your pardon, beg pardon, sorry, excuse me, say again; N.

Amer. pardon me; informal come again.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT WORD

pardon, forgive, excuse, condone

See forgive.

These notes show fine distinctions in meaning between

closely related synonyms to help you find the best word.espionage |ˈɛspɪəәnɑːʒ, -ɪdʒ|

noun [ mass noun ]

the practice of spying or of using spies, typically by governments

to obtain political and military information. the camouflage and secrecy

of espionage.

ORIGIN late 18th cent.: from French espionnage, from

espionner ‘to spy’, from espion ‘a spy’.

epilogue |ˈɛpɪlɒg| (US also epilog)

noun

a section or speech at the end of a book or play that serves as a

comment on or a conclusion to what has happened. figurative : a

disastrous epilogue to the rest of his career.

ORIGIN late Middle English: from French épilogue, via Latin

from Greek epilogos, from epi ‘in addition’ + logos ‘speech’.

epitaph |ˈɛpɪtɑːf, -taf|

noun

a phrase or form of words written in memory of a person who has

died, especially as an inscription on a tombstone. figurative : a

poignant epitaph to his creative career.

• something by which a person, time, or event will be remembered:

the story makes a sorry epitaph to a great career.ORIGIN late Middle English: from Old French epitaphe, via

Latin from Greek epitaphion ‘funeral oration’, neuter of

ephitaphios ‘over or at a tomb’, from epi ‘upon’ + taphos

‘tomb’.

elegy |ˈɛlɪdʒi|

noun (pl.elegies)

1 (in modern literature) a poem of serious reflection, typically a

lament for the dead.

2 (in Greek and Latin verse) a poem written in elegiac couplets, as

notably by Catullus and Propertius.

ORIGIN early 16th cent.: from French élégie, or via Latin, from

Greek elegeia, from elegos ‘mournful poem’.

clever |ˈklɛvəә|

adjective (cleverer, cleverest)

1 quick to understand, learn, and devise or apply ideas; intelligent:

she was an extremely clever and studious young woman | how clever of him

to think of this!

• skilled at doing or achieving something; talented: he was very

clever at getting what he wanted | both Grandma and Mother were clever

with their hands.• showing skill and originality; ingenious: a simple but clever idea for

helping people learn computing | he taught the dog to perform some very clever

tricks.

• [ usu. with negative ] informal sensible; well advised: Joe had a

feeling it wasn't too clever, leaving Dolly alone.

2 [ predic. ] [ with negative ] Brit. informal healthy or well: I was

up and about by this time though still not too clever.

PHRASES

too clever by half informal (of a person) annoyingly proud of

their intelligence or skill, and liable to overreach themselves. he

always was too clever by half.

DERIVATIVES

cleverly adverb

ORIGIN Middle English (in the sense ‘quick to catch hold’, only

recorded in this period): perhaps of Dutch or Low German origin,

and related to cleave 2 . In the late 16th cent. the term came to

mean (probably through dialect use) ‘manually skilful’; the sense

‘possessing mental agility’ dates from the early 18th cent.clever

adjective

1 an extremely clever and studious young woman: intelligent, bright,

smart, brilliant; talented, gifted, precocious; capable, able,

competent, apt, proficient; educated, learned, erudite, academic,

bookish, knowledgeable, wise, sagacious; informal brainy, genius.

ANTONYMS stupid.

2 a clever scheme | he had a cruel, clever face: shrewd, astute, sharp,

acute, quick, sharp-witted, quick-witted; ingenious, resourceful,

canny, cunning, crafty, artful, wily, slick, neat; informal foxy, savvy;

Brit. informal fly; Scottish & N. English informal pawky; N.

Amer. informal as sharp as a tack, cute. ANTONYMS ill-advised,

foolish.

3 Grandma was clever with her hands: skilful, dexterous, adroit, deft,

nimble, nimble-fingered, handy, adept; skilled, talented.

4 a clever remark: witty, quick-witted, amusing, droll, humorous,

funny, sparkling, entertaining, scintillating.

WORD TOOLKIT

clever

See witty.

Word Toolkits illustrate the difference between close

synonyms by means of words typically used with them.conscious |ˈkɒnʃəәs|

adjective

1 aware of and responding to one's surroundings: although I was in

pain, I was conscious.

2 having knowledge of something: we are conscious of the extent of

the problem.

• [ in combination ] concerned with or worried about a particular

matter: they were growing increasingly security-conscious.

3 (of an action or feeling) deliberate and intentional: a conscious

effort to walk properly.

• (of the mind or a thought) directly perceptible to and under the

control of the person concerned. when you go to sleep it is only the

conscious mind which shuts down.

DERIVATIVES

consciously adverb

ORIGIN late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘being aware of

wrongdoing’): from Latin conscius ‘knowing with others or in

oneself’ (from conscire ‘be privy to’) + -ous.conscious

adjective

1 the patient was barely conscious: aware, awake, wide awake, compos

mentis, alert, responsive, reactive, feeling, sentient. ANTONYMS

unconscious.

2 he became conscious of people talking in the hall: aware of, alive to,

awake to, alert to, sensitive to, cognizant of, mindful of, sensible of;

informal wise to, in the know about, hip to; archaic ware of; rare

seized of, recognizant of, regardful of. ANTONYMS unaware.

3 he made a conscious effort to stop staring: deliberate, intentional,

intended, done on purpose, purposeful, purposive, willed,

knowing, considered, studied, strategic; calculated, wilful,

premeditated, planned, pre-planned, preconceived, volitional;

aforethought; Law , dated prepense.

fear |fɪəә|

noun [ mass noun ]

an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or

harm: I cowered in fear as bullets whizzed past | fear of unemployment is

paralysing the economy | [ count noun ] : he is prey to irrational fears.

• [ count noun ] (fear for) a feeling of anxiety concerning the

outcome of something or the safety of someone: police launched a

hunt for the family amid fears for their safety.• the likelihood of something unwelcome happening: she observed the

other guests without fear of attracting attention.

• archaic a mixed feeling of dread and reverence: the love and fear of

God.

verb [ with obj. ]

be afraid of (someone or something) as likely to be dangerous,

painful, or harmful: I hated him but didn't fear him any more | [ with

clause ] : farmers fear that they will lose business.

• [ no obj. ] (fear for) feel anxiety on behalf of: I fear for the city with

this madman let loose in it.

• [ with infinitive ] avoid doing something because one is afraid: she

eventually feared to go out at all.

• used to express regret or apology: I shall buy her book, though not, I

fear, the hardback version.

• archaic regard (God) with reverence and awe. he urged his listeners

to fear God.

PHRASES

for fear of (or that)to avoid the risk of (or that): no one dared refuse

the order for fear of losing their job.

never fear used to reassure someone: we shall meet again, never fear.

no fear Brit. informal used as an emphatic expression of denial or

refusal: ‘Are you coming with me?’ ‘No fear—it's too exciting here.’.put the fear of God in (or into) someone make someone very

frightened. she hoped the threat would put the fear of God in him.

without fear or favour impartially. take all your decisions without

fear or favour.

ORIGIN Old English fǣr‘calamity, danger’, fǣran‘frighten’, also

‘revere’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch gevaar and

German Gefahr ‘danger’.

fear

noun

1 she felt fear at entering the house: terror, fright, fearfulness, horror,

alarm, panic, agitation, trepidation, dread, consternation, dismay,

distress; anxiety, worry, angst, unease, uneasiness, apprehension,

apprehensiveness, nervousness, nerves, timidity, disquiet,

disquietude, discomposure, unrest, perturbation, foreboding,

misgiving, doubt, suspicion; informal the creeps, the willies, the

heebie-jeebies, the shakes, the collywobbles, jitteriness, twitchiness,

butterflies (in the stomach); Brit. informal funk, blue funk, the

(screaming) abdabs; Austral. rhyming slang the Joe Blakes; N.

Amer. archaic worriment; rare inquietude. ANTONYMS

calmness; confidence.

2 she sought help to overcome her fears: phobia, aversion, antipathy,

dread, bugbear, bogey, nightmare, horror, terror; anxiety, neurosis,complex, mania; abnormal fear, irrational fear, obsessive fear;

Frenchbête noire; informal hang-up.

3 archaic the fear of God: awe, wonder, wonderment, amazement;

reverence, veneration, respect; dread. ANTONYMS indifference.

4 there's no fear of me leaving you alone: likelihood, likeliness, prospect,

possibility, chance, odds, probability, expectation, conceivability,

feasibility, plausibility; risk, danger.

verb

1 she feared her husband: be afraid of, be fearful of, be scared of, be

apprehensive of, dread, live in fear of, go in terror of, be terrified

of, be terrified by, cower before, tremble before, cringe from,

shrink from, flinch from; be anxious about, worry about, panic

about, feel consternation about, have forebodings about, feel

apprehensive about; Brit. informal be in a blue funk about.

2 he fears heights and open spaces: have a phobia about, have a horror

of, have a dread of, shudder at, take fright at.

3 he feared to let them know he was awake: be too afraid, be too

scared, be too apprehensive, hesitate; dare not; informal have cold

feet about.

4 they all feared for his health: worry about, feel anxious/concerned

about, have anxieties about, have qualms about, feel disquiet for,

be solicitous for.5 archaic all who fear the Lord: stand in awe of, regard with awe,

revere, reverence, venerate, respect; dread, be intimidated by.

6 I fear that you may be right: suspect, have a (sneaking) suspicion,

have a (sneaking) feeling, feel, be inclined to think, be afraid, have

a foreboding, have a hunch, think it likely, be of the opinion,

suppose, reckon.

WORD LINKS

-phobia suffix meaning ‘fear of something’, as in

claustrophobia

phobophobia fear of fear

Word Links sections supply words that are related to the

headword but do not normally appear in a thesaurus

because they are not actual synonyms.

courtier |ˈkɔːtɪəә|

noun

a person who attends a royal court as a companion or adviser to

the king or queen.

ORIGIN Middle English: via Anglo-Norman French from Old

French cortoyer ‘be present at court’, from cort (see court) .courtier

noun

the Princess set up her own select circle of trusted courtiers: attendant,

retainer, companion, adviser, aide, henchman, follower; lady-in-

waiting, lady of the bedchamber; cup-bearer, steward, train-

bearer; lord, lady, noble, equerry, page, squire; historical liegeman.

pleased |pliːzd|

adjective

feeling or showing pleasure and satisfaction, especially at an event

or a situation: both girls were pleased with their new hairstyles | he

seemed really pleased that she was there | a pleased smile.

• [ with infinitive ] willing or glad to do something: we will be pleased

to provide an independent appraisal.

• (pleased with oneself) proud of one's achievements, especially

excessively so; self-satisfied. as he led the way, he looked very pleased with

himself.

PHRASES

(as) pleased as Punch see punch 4 .

not best pleased Brit. informal annoyed or irritated: the

government-backed organizations were not best pleased by the criticism.

pleased to meet you said on being introduced to someone: ‘This

is my wife.’ ‘Pleased to meet you.’.DERIVATIVES

pleasedly adverb

please |pliːz|

verb [ with obj. ]

1 cause to feel happy and satisfied: he arranged a fishing trip to please

his son | [ with obj. and infinitive ] : it pleased him to be seen with

someone in the news.

• [ no obj. ] give satisfaction: she was quiet and eager to please.

• satisfy aesthetically. he was wearing a buttonhole that did not quite please

the eye.

2 (please oneself) take only one's own wishes into consideration

in deciding how to act or proceed: this is the first time in ages that I can

just please myself.

• [ no obj. ] wish or desire to do something: feel free to wander around

as you please.

• (it pleases, pleased, etc., someone to do something) dated

it is someone's choice to do something: instead of attending the meeting,

it pleased him to go off hunting.

adverb

used in polite requests or questions: please address letters to the Editor |

what type of fish is this, please?

• used to add urgency and emotion to a request: please, please come

home!• used to agree politely to a request: ‘May I ring you at home?’ ‘Please

do.’.

• used in polite or emphatic acceptance of an offer: ‘Would you like a

drink?’ ‘Yes, please.’.

• used to ask someone to stop doing something of which the

speaker disapproves: Rita, please—people are looking.

• used to express incredulity or irritation: Oh please, is that meant to be

a serious argument? .

PHRASES

as —— as you please informal used to emphasize the manner

in which someone does something, especially when this is seen as

surprising: she walked forward as calm as you please.

if you please 1 used in polite requests: follow me, if you please. 2

used to express indignation at something perceived as

unreasonable: she wants me to make fifty cakes in time for the festival, if

you please!

please yourself used to express indifference, especially when

someone does not cooperate or behave as expected: ‘I can manage on

my own.’ ‘Please yourself.’.

ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French plaisir ‘to please’,

from Latin placere .pleased

adjective

Edward seemed really pleased to see me: happy, glad, delighted, gratified,

grateful, thankful, content, contented, satisfied, well pleased,

thrilled, elated, as pleased as Punch, overjoyed, cock-a-hoop, like a

dog with two tails, like a child with a new toy; informal over the

moon, tickled pink, on cloud nine/seven; Brit. informal chuffed;

N. English informal made up; Austral. informal wrapped;

derogatory complacent, smug; humorous g runtled.

ANTONYMS unhappy, dissatisfied.

PHRASES

pleased with oneself I was rather pleased with myself, and was really

trying to keep that smug look off my face: self-satisfied, smug,

complacent, self-congratulatory, superior, puffed up, self-

approving, well pleased, proud of oneself; informal goody-goody;

Brit. informal like the cat that's got the cream, I'm-all-right-Jack;

N. Amer. informal wisenheimer; N. Amer. vulgar slang shit-

eating.

please

verb

1 he'd do anything to please her: make happy, give pleasure to, make

someone pleased/glad/content, make someone feel good, delight,charm, amuse, divert, entertain, be agreeable to, gladden, cheer

up; satisfy, gratify, humour, oblige, content, suit; informal tickle

pink. ANTONYMS displease, annoy.

2 guests are urged to do as they please: like, want, wish, desire, see/think

fit, choose, be inclined, will, prefer, opt.

adverb

let me know as soon as possible, please | please sit down: if you please, if

you wouldn't mind, if you would be so good; kindly, have the

goodness to, pray; archaic prithee.

grand |grand|

adjective

1 magnificent and imposing in appearance, size, or style: a grand

country house | the dinner party was very grand.

• large, ambitious, or impressive in scope or scale: his grand design for

the future of Europe | this was opera on a grand scale.

• (of a person) of high rank and behaving in an appropriately

proud or dignified way: she was such a grand lady.

• used in names of places or buildings to suggest size or splendour:

the Grand Canyon | the Grand Hotel.

2 [ attrib. ] denoting the largest or most important item of its kind:

the grand entrance.• of the highest rank (used especially in official titles): the Grand

Vizier.

• Law (of a crime) serious: grand theft. Compare with petty ( sense

2).

3 informal very good or enjoyable; excellent: we had a grand day.

4 [ in combination ] (in names of family relationships) denoting

one generation removed in ascent or descent: a grand-niece.

noun

1 (pl.same) informal a thousand dollars or pounds: he gets thirty-five

grand a year.

2 a grand piano.

PHRASES

a (or the) grand old man of a man long and highly respected in

(a particular field): the grand old man of the Labour Left.

DERIVATIVES

grandly adverb,

grandness noun

ORIGIN Middle English: from Old French grant, grand, from

Latin grandis ‘full-grown, big, great’. The original uses were to

denote family relationships ( sense 4 of the adjective, following

Old French usage) and as a title ( the Grand, translating Old French

le Grand); hence the senses ‘of the highest rank’, ‘of great

importance’.grand

adjective

1 a grand hotel: magnificent, imposing, impressive, awe-inspiring,

splendid, resplendent, superb, striking, monumental, majestic,

glorious; palatial, stately, large; luxurious, sumptuous, lavish,

opulent, princely, fit for a king; Brit. upmarket; N. Amer. upscale;

informal fancy, posh, plush, classy, swanky; Brit. informal swish.

ANTONYMS inferior, unimpressive.

2 rousing speeches and grand schemes: ostentatious, grandiose, showy,

extravagant, lordly, imperious; ambitious, bold, epic, big.

3 a grand old lady: august, distinguished, illustrious, eminent,

esteemed, great, elevated, exalted, honoured, venerable, dignified,

refined, respectable; pre-eminent, prominent, leading, notable,

renowned, highly regarded, celebrated, well thought of, of

distinction, famous; aristocratic, noble, regal, upper-class, blue-

blooded, high-born, well born, patrician, elite; informal posh,

upper-crust, upmarket, top-drawer. ANTONYMS humble,

ordinary.

4 we raised a grand total of £2,000: complete, comprehensive, total,

all-inclusive, inclusive, exhaustive, final. ANTONYMS partial.

5 the grand staircase: main, principal, foremost, major, central, prime;

biggest, largest. ANTONYMS minor, secondary.6 informal you're doing a grand job: excellent, very good, marvellous,

splendid, first-class, first-rate, wonderful, brilliant, outstanding,

sterling, of the first water, fine, admirable, commendable,

creditable; informal superb, terrific, great, super, top-notch, A1,

fab, ace, tip-top, out of this world, wicked; Brit. informal smashing,

brill, top-hole, champion, magic, bosting; N. Amer. informal bully;

Austral./NZ informal beaut; Brit. informal, dated top-hole,

wizard; rare applaudable. ANTONYMS poor.

noun

informal a cheque for ten grand: thousand pounds/dollars; informal

thou, K; N. Amer. informal G, gee.