mace n. ['staff used as a symbol of authority'] a ceremonial ~ machete n. to brandish, wield a ~ machine n. 1. to operate, run, work a ~ 2. to shut down a ~ 3. an adding; answering; calculating; composing, linotype, typesetting; copy, copying, duplicating; earth-moving; heart- lung; milking; milling; money access (AE); sanding; sewing; threshing; video-game; voting; washing; x-ray ~ 4. a mincing ~ (BE; AE has meat grinder) 5. a fruit (BE), pinball, slot (AE) ~ (to play a pinball ~) (BE also has pintable) 6. a slot (BE), vending ~ 7. a party; political ~ 8. a ~ functions, runs; breaks down machine gun n. 1. to fire, operate a ~ 2. a heavy; light; medium ~ 3. an air-cooled; water-cooled ~ 4. a ~ jams machine-gun nest n. to clean out, wipe out a ~ machinery n. ['machines'] 1. to operate, run ~ 2. to maintain ~ ['apparatus'] 3. administrative; law-enforcement; propaganda ~ 4. ~ for (~ for negotiations) mad adj. ['infatuated'] (colloq.) 1. (cannot stand alone) ~ about (they are ~ about each other) ['angry'] (colloq.) (esp. AE) 2. hopping ~ 3. to get ~ 4. ~ at (she's ~ at him; to get ~ at smb.) ['insane'] 5. stark raving ~ 6. to go ~ 7. to drive smb. ~ 8. ~ with (~ with pain) 9. ~ to + int. (he was ~ to try it) maddening adj. 1. ~ to + inf. (it's ~ to have to wait here) 2. ~ that + clause (it's ~ that they never answer the telephone) made adj. (cannot stand alone) ~ from, of, out of; with USAGE NOTE: Compare these examples, which illustrate general tendencies-- 1. a stew can be made with vegetables (vegetables are not the only ingredient). 2. a stew can be made of I out of vegetables; a chair can be made of/out of wood; shoes are usually made of lout of leather (only one maj or substance or ingredient is used). 3. synthetic rubber can be made from petroleum; paper can be made from wood (the basic substance has been greatly changed), (see make II) made-to-order adj. ~ for madness n. 1. sheer, utter ~ 2. ~ to + inf. (it was sheer ~ to do it) magazine n. ['supply depot'] 1. a powder ~ ['journal'] 2. an alumni (AE); fashion; glossy; illustrated; popular ~ maggots n. crawling with ~ magic n. 1. to perform ~ 2. black ~ 3. by ~ (the medicine worked as if by ~) magistrate n. a police ~ (esp. AE) magnanimity n. 1. to display, show ~ towards 2. great ~ magnanimous adj. 1. ~ towards 2. ~ to + inf. (it was ~ of you to make the offer) magnate n. a coal; steel; tobacco ~ magnetism n. animal; personal; physical ~ magnitude n. 1. considerable, great ~ 2. of a certain ~ (of considerable ~) magpie n. ~s chatter maid n. ['female servant'] a chambermaid; kitchen; lady's ~; parlormaid mail I n. (esp. AE; BE usu. has post for 1-5,8) ['letters'] ['postal system'] 1. to address; send out (the) ~ 2. to deliver the ~ 3. to forward; sort (the) ~ 4. incoming; outgoing; return ~ 5. airmail; certified; domestic; electronic; express; first- class; foreign; franked; registered; second-class; special- delivery; surface; third-class ~ 6. fan; hate; junk ~ 7. (esp. AE) a piece of ~ 8. by return ~ (BE has by return of post) II v. (esp. AE; BE has post) (A) she ~ed the package to me; or: she ~ed me the package 2. (D; tr.) to ~ from; to (the letter was ~ed from Oregon to Pennsylvania) (for BE see post II) III n. ['armor'] chain ~ main n. ['main pipe, duct'] 1. an electric; gas; sewer; water ~ 2. the water ~ burst mainland n. 1. from; to the ~ 2. on the ~ mainstream n. in the ~ of politics maintain v. (L) she ~s that the accusation is groundless maintenance n. 1. preventive; routine ~ 2. building; health ~ majesty n. ['sovereign'] 1. Her; His; Your ~ ['grandeur'] 2. in all its ~ major I n. ['academic specialization'] (AE) 1. to give, offer a ~ (our department gives a literature ~) 2. a ~ in (our department offers a ~ in literature) ['student who is specializing'] (AE) 3. a ~ in (she is a ~ in English; or: she is an English ~) ['officer'] 4. a ~ commands a battalion II v. (AE) (d;intr.) ('to specialize') to ~ in (to ~ in Russian) majority n. ['number greater than half] (AE); ['greater number'] (BE) 1. to get, receive a ~ 2. to have, hold a ~ (the Democrats have a slim ~ in the House) 3. a bare, narrow, slim, small; clear; large; overwhelming, vast ~ 4. an absolute ~ (BE; AE has majority) 5. a relative ~ (BE; AE has plurality) 6. a simple; two-thirds; working ~ 7. the silent ~ (i.e., those who have moderate or conservative views but do not voice them) 8. by a ~ (to win by an overwhelming ~) 9. in a ~ (in the ~ of cases) ['full legal age'] 10. to attain, reach one's ~ USAGE NOTE: Compare the verbs in the following constructions--the majority of the (two hundred) votes were for peace; a majority of two hundred votes was enough to win. make I n. (colloq.) ['search for gain or sexual favors'] on the ~ (he's always on the ~) II v. 1. (A) ('to propose') she made an offer to us; or: she made us an offer 2. (C) ('to prepare') ~ an omelet for me; or: ~ me an omelet 3. (d; intr.) to ~ for ('to head for') (she made for the exit; the ship made for the open sea) 4. (d; intr.) to ~ for ('to lead to') (willingness to compromise ~s for success in negotiations) 5. (D; tr.) ('to provide') to ~ for (to ~ room for smb.) 6. (D; tr.) ('to create') to ~ from, of, out of (to ~ butter from cream; she made a table out of wood; tires can be made from/of/out of synthetic rubber) 7. (d; tr.) ('to transform') to ~ into (to ~ a novel into a film; the experience made her into a skeptic) 8. (slang) (AE) (d; intr.) to ~ like ('to imitate') (to ~ like a clown) 9. (d; tr.) to ~ of ('to interpret') (what do you ~ of their offer?) 10. (d; tr.) ('to create') to ~ of, out of (to ~ a fool of smb.; the army made a man out of him) 11. (D; tr.) ('to create') to ~ with (you ~ a stew with meat and vegetables) 12. (I) ('to cause'); ('to force') she made the children clean their room; we made them wait; the police could not ~ him talk 13. (N; used with an adjective, noun, past participle) ('to cause to become') the news made us happy; the rough sea made them seasick; we made our position clear; he made me his deputy; she could not ~ herself understood 14. (S; used with nouns) ('to prove to be') she made a good deputy 15. (misc.) (AE; colloq.) he finally made colonel ('he was finally promoted to the rank of colonel') USAGE NOTE: When pattern I is put into the passive, to is inserted--they were made to wait. (see the Usage Note for made) make away see make off make do v. (D; intr.) to ~ with ('to manage with') (we'll have to ~ with this stove) make off v. (d; intr.) to ~ with ('to steal and take away') (the thieves made off with the silverware) make out v. (colloq.) ('to have success') (D; intr.) to ~ with (how did you ~ with the new boss?) make over v. (esp. BE) (B) ('to transfer legally') she made the bonds over to me maker n. 1. an auto ~; policymaker 2. (misc.) to meet one's ~ ('to die and go to heaven') makeup n. ['cosmetics'] 1. to apply, put on ~ 2. to remove ~ v. 1. (d; intr.) to ~ for ('to recoup') (to ~ for lost time) 2. (colloq.) (d; intr.) to ~ to ('to gain favor with') (you should try to ~ to your boss) 3. (D; intr.) ('to become reconciled') to ~ with (she made up with her sister) making n. ['evolution'] 1. in the ~ (a revolution in the ~) ['creation'] 2. not of one's own ~ maladjustment n. an emotional ~ malady n. (lit.) a fatal; serious; strange ~ malaria n. 1. to come down with, develop ~ 2. to eradicate, stamp out ~ malarkey n. (slang) ['nonsense'] (just) plain; pure, sheer ~ malevolence n. pure ~ malformation n. a congenital ~ malice n. 1. to bear ~ towards 2. (legal) with ~ aforethought malicious adj. ~ towards mall n. 1. a pedestrian; shopping ~ 2. at a ~ (she works at a shopping ~) malpractice n. legal; medical; professional ~ mammals n. the higher; lower ~ man n. 1. an average; fat; grown; handsome; middle-aged; old; short: tall; thin; ugly; wise; young ~ 2. Cro-Magnon; Heidelberg; Java; Neanderthal; Paleolithic; Peking; Piltdown ~ 3. a divorced; family; married; single ~ 4. a con, confidence; fancy (esp. BE); hatchet; hit (esp. AE); idea; ladies'; marked; organization; party (pol.); professional; Renaissance; right-hand; self-made; straight; straw ~; yes-man 5. an anchorman; businessman; leading ~; liftman (BE); maintenance ~; newspaperman; rewrite; stunt ~; weatherman 6. a moving (AE), removal (BE) ~ 7. a second-story ~ (AE; CE has cat burglar) 8. (pol.) (AE) an advance ~ 9. enlisted men (AE; BE has other ranks) 10. a university ~ (BE; AE has college graduate) 11. a lollipop ~ (BE; AE has crossing guard) 12. a best ~ (at a wedding) 13. the common ~, the ~ in the street 14. a ~ on horseback ('a potential dictator') 15. to a ~ ('everyone') 16. (misc.) he's a ~ of his word; ~ is mortal; (esp. BE) every ~ jack ('every man'); a dirty old ~ (pejor.) ('an immoral man'); a medicine ~; the ~ of the year; a ~ of letters; a ~ of action; a ~ of the world manage v. 1. (colloq.) (D; intr.) ('to cope') to ~ with (we cannot ~ with the children) 2. (D; intr.) ('to cope') to ~ without (we cannot ~ without a car) 3. (E) ('to succeed') she somehow ~d to see him management n. 1. efficient ~ 2. middle ~ 3. under ~ (under new ~) manager n. 1. an assistant; branch; business; campaign; city; credit; general; hotel; office; sales; service; stage ~ 2. a baseball ~ USAGE NOTE: For other sports coach is used. mandate I n. ['order'] 1. to carry out a ~ 2. a clear ~ 3. a ~ to + inf. (we had a ~ to eliminate illiteracy) 4. under a ~ (to do smt.) ['assignment to administer an area'] 5. a ~ over 6. under (a) ~ II v. (formal) (L;subj.) the constitution ~s that the president carry out the laws mane n. a horse's; lion's ~ maneuver I manoeuvre n. 1. to carry out, conduct, execute a ~ 2. (mil.) to conduct, hold ~s 3. a clever; military; political; tactical ~ II v. 1. (d; intr.) to ~ for (to ~ for position) 2. (d; tr.) to ~ into (we ~ed them into a compromise) 3. (d; tr.) to ~ out of (the player was ~ed out of position) mangle v. to ~ beyond recognition manhole n. an open ~ manhood n. to grow to, reach ~ manhunt n. 1. to carry out, conduct; launch, organize a ~ 2. a ~ for mania n. a ~ for maniac n. a homicidal; sex ~ manicure n. 1. to give smb. a ~ 2. to get a ~ manifest n. 1. a plane's; ship's ~ 2. on a ~ manifesto n. 1. to issue a ~ 2. a political ~ manner n. 1. an arrogant, cavalier, imperious, overbearing; awkward; boorish; businesslike; casual, hit-or-miss, offhand, relaxed; charming; cloying; coarse, crude, rude, uncouth; courteous, polite; cursory; debonair; flippant; forthcoming; friendly; gentle, mild; gracious; grand; ingratiating; intriguing; lively; matter-of-fact; obnoxious; polished; pretentious; prim; professional; servile; sheepish; slipshod, sloppy; statesmanlike; stern; suave; sullen, surly; unctuous ~ 2. bad; good ~s 3. (a doctor's) bedside ~ 4. in a certain ~ (they behaved in a statesmanlike ~; she was businesslike in her ~; in the grand ~; in an awkward ~; everything was done in a well organized ~) 5. (misc.) to the ~ born ('born to an elevated social position'); in a ~ of speaking ('as it were'); to mind one's ~s ('to behave properly') manoeuvre (BE) see maneuver mansion n. (US) a governor's ~ manslaughter n. 1. to commit ~ 2. involuntary; voluntary ~ mantle n. ['symbol of authority'] to assume; inherit; wear the ~ (of power) manual n. an instruction; laboratory; owner's; teacher's ~ manufacturer n. an aircraft; automobile (AE), motorcar (BE); clothing; computer; drug; furniture; radio; shoe; television ~ manure n. to spread ~ manuscript n. 1. to edit; proofread; revise a ~ 2. to submit a ~ (for publication) 3. to accept; reject a ~ 4. an authentic; unpublished ~ many determiner, pronoun ~ of (~ of them) USAGE NOTE: The use of the preposition of is necessary when a pronoun follows. When a noun follows, the use of of the limits the meaning--we saw many students; we saw many of the students whom we had met earlier. map n. 1. to draw; trace a ~ 2. to consult; read a ~ 3. a large-scale; small-scale ~ 4. a contour; dialect; military; Ordnance-Survey (GB); relief; road; strip; weather ~ 5. on a ~ (to find a village on a ~) 6. (misc.) to put a place on the ~ ('to make a place well- known'); to wipe smt. off the ~ ('to destroy smt.') marathon n. 1. to organize, stage a ~ 2. to run a ~ 3. a dance ~ marauder n. a band of ~s marble n. a slab of ~ marbles n. 1. to play ~ 2. a game of ~ 3. (misc.) (colloq.) to lose one's ~ ('to lose one's mind') march I n. ['procession'] 1. a death; forced; hunger; peace ~ 2. a ~ from; into, to 3. on the ~ (science is on the ~) ['music that accompanies marching'] 4. to compose; play; strike up a ~ 5. a funeral; military; wedding ~ ['misc.'] 6. to steal a ~ on smb. ('to outwit smb.') II v. 1. (d; intr.) to ~ against (to ~ against the enemy) 2. (D; intr., tr.) to ~ from; to (the battalion ~ed from the barracks to the parade ground) 3. (d; intr., tr.) to ~ into (the troops ~ed into town) 4. (d; intr.) to ~ on, to, towards (to ~ on the next town) marching orders n. ['notice of dismissal'] (colloq.) (BE) to give smb. her/his ~ (AE has walking papers) march off v. (D; intr., tr.) to ~ to (they were ~ed off to prison) mare n. a brood, stock ~ margin n. 1. to adjust; set a ~ (when typing) 2. to justify a ~ (in setting type, in word processing) 3. a comfortable, handsome, large, wide; narrow, slender, slim, small; safe ~ 4. by a ~ (they won by a slim ~) 5. in, on a ~ (to make notes in the ~s) 6. (misc.) a ~ of error; a ~ of safety marina n. a municipal, public ~ marine n. a mercantile (BE), merchant (AE) ~ marionette n. to manipulate a ~ mark I n. ['sign, symbol'] 1. to make one's ~ ('to make a cross in place of a signature') 2. an accent, stress; diacritical; exclamation (BE; AE has exclamation point); punctuation; question; quotation ~ 3. (mil.) a hash ~ 4. a laundry ~ ['impression. imprint'] 5. to leave, make one's ~ (they will leave their ~ on history) 6. a distinguishing; indelible ~ ['target'] 7. to find, hit the ~ (the bullet found its ~) 8. to miss; overshoot the ~ 9. to fall short of the ~ 10. off the ~; wide of the ~ ['skin blemish'] 11. a strawberry ~ (esp. BE; CE has birthmark) ['victim'] 12. an easy ~ ['starting line of a race'] 13. on your ~s! ['misc.'] 14. to toe the ~ ('to adhere to the rules'); to bear the ~ of Cain (see also grade 1-4) II v. 1. (D; tr.) to ~ as (these items were ~ed as acceptable) 2. (d; tr.) to ~ for (~ed for death) 3. (K) this birthday ~s his coming of age 4. (N; used with an adjective) she ~ed the documents secret market n. ['store, shop'] 1. a fish; food ~; hypermarket (BE); meat; open-air ~; supermarket 2. at a ~ (to shop at the ~) ['place where trade is conducted'] 3. a stock ~ 4. a flea; open; overseas; spot ~ 5. on a ~ (to buy oil on the spot ~; to put a new product on the ~; a new computer has just come out on the ~) ['stock market'] 6. to play the ~('to speculate') 7. to depress the ~ 8. a bear ('falling'); bull ('rising') ~ 9. the ~ is active; depressed; falling; firm, steady; rising; sluggish 10. the ~ closes strong; weak 11. the ~ opens strong; weak ['supply of goods, services'] 12. to capture, corner, monopolize a ~ 13. to flood, glut a ~f4. the housing; labor ~ 15. a buyer's; seller's ~ ['demand'] 16. to create a ~ 17. to study the ~ 18. to depress a ~ 19. a ~ for (there is no ~ for large cars) 20. in the ~ for (we're in the ~ for a new house) 21. a drug on the ~ ('smt. for which there is little demand') ['trade'] 22. the bond; commodities; securities; stock; used-car; wheat ~ marketplace n. in the ~ marksman, markswoman n. a crack, skilled ~ marmalade n. orange ~ marriage n. 1. to enter into a ~ 2. to announce a ~ 3. to consummate a ~ 4. to arrange a ~ 5. to propose ~ 6. to annul a ~ 7. to break up, dissolve a ~ 8. a bad, unhappy; broken; good; happy ~ 9. an arranged; civil; common-law; communal; group; morganatic; open; proxy; secret; trial ~ 10. an interfaith; interracial; mixed ~ 11. a ~ of convenience 12. a ~ into (a family) 13. a ~ to (smb.) 14. (misc.) to give (one's child) in ~ marriage ceremony n. to perform a ~ married adj. ~ to marrow n. 1. bone ~ 2. vegetable ~ (BE; AE has squash) marry v. 1. (d; intr.) to ~ into (to ~ into a good family) 2. see marry off marry off v. (D; tr.) to ~ to marshal n. a field ~ marshmallow n. to roast, toast ~s martial law n. 1. to impose, invoke ~ 2. to rescind; suspend ~ martini n. 1. to fix, make, mix a ~ 2. a dry ~ martyr n. 1. to make a ~ (of smb.) 2. a ~ to (a ~ to tyranny) 3. (misc.) to burn a ~ at the stake; to play the ~ martyrdom n. to suffer ~ marvel I n. 1. to do ~s 2. a ~ to 3. a ~ that + clause (it's a ~ to me that he received the award) II v. (d; intr.) to ~ at (to ~ at smb.'s skill) marvelous, marvellous adj. 1. ~ to + int. (it's ~ to have a day off = it's ~ having a day off) 2. ~ that + clause (it's ~ that we could see each other again) mascara n. 1. to apply, put on ~ 2. to remove, wipe off ~ mask n. a death; gas; oxygen; ski; stocking; surgical ~ masquerade v. (D; intr.) to ~ as (to ~ as a policeman) mass I n. ['body of matter'] 1. a plastic; shapeless; sticky ~ 2. a land ~ 3. critical ~ 4. atomic ~ 5. a dense ~ (of smoke) 6. (med.) a fixed; hard; irregular; movable; nodular; palpable ~ II n. ['celebration of the Eucharist'] 1. to celebrate, offer, say (a, the) ~ 2. to attend, hear ~ 3. high; low; pontifical; requiem; solemn; votive ~ 4. a ~ for massacre n. to carry out, perpetrate a ~ massage n. 1. to give (smb.) a ~ 2. to get a ~ 3. a back; body; facial; therapeutic ~ mast n. 1. at half ~ 2. (misc.) (lit.) before the ~ ('at sea as a sailor') master I n. 1. to find one's ~ ('to find one who is superior') 2. a question ~ (BE; AE has quizmaster) 3. (chess) a grand ~ 4. a past ~ 5. a ~ at, of (a ~ of deceit) II v. to ~ completely, thoroughly masterpiece n. 1. to create a ~ 2. an enduring ~ mastery n. 1. to demonstrate, display ~ 2. to acquire ~ 3. (a) complete; thorough ~ 4. ~ of; over (~ of one's subject; ~ over other people) mat n. 1. to weave a ~ 2. an exercise; place; welcome ~ match I n. ['slender piece of wood that catches fire when struck'] 1. to light, strike a ~ 2. to light, put, set a ~ to 3. a safety ~ 4. a book; box of ~es II n. ['marriage'] ['marriage partner'] 1. to make a ~ 2. a good ~ 3. a ~ for ['contest'] 4. to promote, stage a ~ 5. a championship; crucial; play-off; return; test (BE) ('international') ~ 6. a football ~ (esp. BE; AE has football game) 7. a boxing; cricket; fencing; golf; hockey; polo; tennis; wrestling ~ 8. a ~ between; with (a wrestling ~ between two strong competitors) ['equal competitor'] 9. to meet one's ~ 10. no ~ for (she proved to be no ~ for me; I was no ~ for him) 11. a ~fn (she was more than my ~ in ability) ['pair'] 12. a good; perfect ~ 13. a ~ for USAGE NOTE: When two teams compete before spectators, BE usu. has match (a football match); AE usu. has game (a football game). However, when the team game is of American origin, BE often uses game too (a basketball game). A chess match is CE. III v. 1. (D; tr.) to ~ against, with ('to pit against') (he was ~ed against a formidable opponent) 2. (D; tr.) ('to equal') to ~ in (no one can ~ him in speed and agility) 3. (D; tr.) to ~ with ('to find the equivalent of) (she wants to ~ this candlestick with a similar one) matchmaker n. a professional ~ match up v. (D; intr.) to ~ to, with (he doesn't ~ to his opponent) mate I n. ['petty officer'] (naval) 1. a boatswain's; machinist's ~ ['junior partner'] 2. (BE) a plumber's ~ 3. (US; pol.) smb.'s running ~ II v. (D; intr., tr.) to ~ with (zebras don't ~ with donkeys; to ~ a donkey with a mare) material I adj. ~ to (this evidence is ~ to our case) II n. ['data'] 1. to collect, gather ~ 2. source ~ 3. about, on (to gather ~ about the case) 4. ~ for (to gather ~ for a dictionary) ['matter'] 5. radioactive; raw ~ 6. promotional; reading ~; writing ~s 7. packing ~ ['cloth'] 8. a swatch of ~ materialism n. dialectal; historical ~ mathematics n. elementary; higher ~ matrimony n. the state of ~ matron n. 1. a dignified ~ 2. a ~ of honor (at a wedding) matter I n. ['affair'] 1. to pursue, take up a ~ 2. to arrange; clear up, settle, straighten out; complicate; simplify ~s 3. to give a ~ (attention, thought) (we have given this ~ considerable thought) 4. to not mince ~s (she never minces ~s) ('she always speaks candidly') 5. an important, pressing, serious; petty, trifling ~ 6. no easy; laughing ~ (it's no easy ~ to find a house in this city = it's no easy ~ finding a house in this city; being accused of assault is no laughing ~) 7. ~s came to a head 8. a ~ of (a ~ of grave importance) 9. in ~s of (in ~s of finance) 10. (misc.) as a ~ of fact ('really'); to take ~s into one's own hands; the fact of the ~ is that...; no ~ ('it's not important'); a ~ of record (legal); for that ~ ('concerning that'); a ~ of a few minutes; a ~ of personal opinion; a ~ of some urgency; a ~ of life and death; the crux/heart of the ~ ['material'] ['substance'] 11. printed; reading; subject ~ 12. gaseous; liquid; organic; solid; vegetable ~ 13. gray ~ ('brains') 14. the front ~ (of a book) ['misc.'] 15. what's the ~ with you? II v. 1. (D; intr.) to ~ to (her financial status doesn't ~ to us) 2. (L; to) it doesn't ~ (to us) that we are not rich mattress n. 1. a firm; soft ~ 2. a double, full; king-size; queen-size; single, twin ~ maturity n. to reach ~ maxim n. a ~ that + clause (it is a valid ~ that competition increases productivity) maximum n. 1. to seta ~ 2. at a ~ (excitement was at its ~) may v. (F) she ~ still show up mayhem n. to commit ~ meadow n. in a ~ meal I n. ['repast'] 1. to cook, fix (esp. AE; colloq.), prepare a ~ 2. to eat, have; enjoy a ~ 3. to make a ~ of (to make a ~ of soup) 4. to order; serve a ~ 5. a big, heavy; decent, hearty, solid, square; sumptuous ~ (to have a square ~) 6. a light, small; simple; skimpy ~ 7. a main ~ (the main ~ of the day) ['misc.'] 8. (BE; colloq.) to make a ~ of smt. ('to behave as if smt. easy were difficult') II n. ['ground seeds'] Indian ~ (BE; AE has cornmeal) mean I adj. 1. ~ about (he was very ~ about the loan) 2. ~ to (he's ~ to everyone) 3. ~ to + inf. (it was ~ of her to say that) II n. ['mathematical value'] 1. to find a ~ 2. an arithmetic; harmonic ~ ['middle point'] 3. a golden ~ III v. 1. (A; usu. used without to) she meant them no harm 2. (d; tr.) to ~ as (it was meant as a favor) 3. (d; tr.) to ~ for (his remark was meant for you) 4. (D; tr.) to ~ to (her words meant nothing to me) 5. (E) I meant to write 6. (L) she really meant that she wanted us to leave 7. (misc.) they never knew what it meant to be hungry meander v. (P; intr.) the brook ~s through the valley meaning n. 1. to misconstrue a ~ 2. an accepted; basic; clear; connotative; double, equivocal; figurative; literal; obscure ~ 3. grammatical; lexical; referential ~ 4. in a ~ (in the accepted ~ of the word) meanness n. 1. ~ to 2. out of ~ (he did it out of ~) means n. ['method'] 1. fair; foul ~ 2. an effective ~ 3. by any ~ 4. (misc.) the end does not justify the ~; a ~ to an end ['resources'] ['wealth'] 5. independent; moderate ~ 6. the ~ to + inf. (do they have the ~ to buy such a large house?) 7. according to, within one's ~ (to live within one's ~) 8. beyond one's ~ (to live beyond one's ~) 9. of ~ (a person of moderate ~) ['misc.'] 10. by all ~ ('without fail'); by no ~ ('in no way') meant adj. (cannot stand alone) ['destined'] 1. ~ for (they were ~ for each other) ['intended'] 2. ~ to + inf. (her remark was ~ to be a compliment) ['supposed'] (colloq.) (BE) 3. ~ to + inf. (Brighton is ~ to be lovely in summer) meantime, meanwhile n. in the ~ measles n. 1. to catch, come down with (the) ~ 2. an epidemic; outbreak of ~ measure I n. 1. a cubic; dry; liquid; metric ~ 2. a tape ~ 3. in a certain ~ (in large ~) 4. (misc.) for good ~ ('as smt. extra'); made to ~ ('custom- made'); to take smb.'s ~ ('to evaluate smb.') (see also measures) II v. 1. (d; tr.) to ~ against (to ~ one's accomplishments against smb. else's) 2. (P; intr.) the room ~s twenty feet by ten measurement n. 1. to take a ~; to take smb.'s ~s 2. exact ~s 3. a metric ~ 4. a scientific ~ 5. chest; waist ~s measures n. 1. to carry out, take ~ 2. coercive; compulsory; draconian; drastic, harsh, stern, stringent; emergency; extreme, radical; preventive, prophylactic; safety, security; stopgap, temporary ~ 3. ~ to + inf. (we took ~ to insure their safety) 4. ~ against (to take ~ against smuggling) measure up v. (D; intr.) to ~ to (he didn't ~ to his opponent) meat n. 1. to broil (AE), grill; cook; cure; fry; roast ~ 2. to carve, cut; slice ~ 3. dark; fatty; fresh; halal; kosher; lean; raw; tender; tough; white ~ 4. chopped (AE), ground (AE), minced (BE); soup ~ 5. ~ goes bad, spoils mechanic n. an automobile (AE), motorcar (BE); master ~ mechanics n. celestial; fluid; quantum ~ mechanism n. 1. to trigger a ~ 2. a defense; escape medal n. 1. to award, give a ~ 2. to earn a ~ 3. to strike ('make') a ~ 4. a bronze; gold; silver ~ (as a prize) 5. a ~ for (to earn a ~ for bravery) meddle v. (D; intr.) to ~ in; with (don't ~ in their affairs) media n. the mass; news ~ mediate v. (D; intr.) to ~ between (to ~ between the warring parties) mediation n. 1. to offer ~ 2. to go to ~ 3. ~ between mediator n. 1. to appoint a ~ 2. a government ~ 3. a ~ between medication n. 1. to take (a) ~ 2. to administer, dispense, give (a) ~ 3. to order; prescribe (a) ~ 4. to put smb. on ~ 5. to discontinue (a) ~ 6. to take smb. off ~ 7. (an) effective; mild; potent, strong ~ 8. (an) intramuscular; intravenous; oral; parenteral; topical ~ medicine n. ['method, science of treating disease'] 1. to practice ~ 2. to study ~ 3. aerospace, space; allopathic; alternative (BE), complementary (BE), fringe (BE); aviation; ayurvedic; clinical; community, social; defensive; family; folk; forensic, legal; group; homeopathic; industrial, occupational; internal; military; molecular; nuclear; osteopathic; physical; preventive; socialized; sports; traditional; tropical; veterinary ~ ['remedy'] 4. to take (a) ~ (to take ~ for a cold) 5. to prescribe (a) ~ 6. a cough; nonprescription. over-the-counter; patent; proprietary ~ 7. strong ~ (also fig.) 8. ~ for ['punishment'] (colloq.) 9. to take one's ~ ('to accept one's punishment') meditate v. 1. to ~ deeply 2. (D; intr.) to ~ on, upon meditation n. 1. to go in for, practice ~ 2. transcendental ~ 3. deep, profound ~ 4. (deep) in ~ medium n. ['middle degree'] 1. a happy ~ ['system'] 2. a ~ of instruction meet I n. (esp. AE) (sports) 1. to hold, organize a ~ 2. a dual; swim, swimming; track, track-and-field ~ II v. 1. (d; intr.) to ~ with ('to encounter') (to ~ with approval; they met with an accident) 2. (esp. AE) (d; intr.) to ~ with ('to have a meeting with') (our negotiators will ~ with them tomorrow) 3. (misc.) to ~ smb. halfway ('to compromise with smb.') to ~ face to face; to ~ head-on meeting n. 1. to call, convene a ~ 2. to arrange, hold, organize a ~ 3. to chair, conduct, preside over a ~ 4. to adjourn; break up a ~ 5. to call off, cancel a ~ 6. a chance; clandestine, secret; closed; mass; open; private; protest; public ~ 7. a board; business; cabinet; committee; departmental; faculty; prayer; staff; town ~ 8. an athletics ~ (BE;AEhas trackmeet) 9. a race ~ (BE; AE has racing card) 10. a ~ between, of 11. at a ~ (I saw her at the ~) 12. (misc.) to call a ~ to order meet up v. (AE) (D; intr.) to ~ with megaphone n. (to speak) through a ~ melody n. 1. to hum; play; sing a ~ 2. a haunting ~ melon n. a juicy; ripe; tasty ~ melt v. (d; intr.) to ~ into (to ~ into the crowd) member n. 1. an active; associate; card-carrying; charter (AE), founder (BE); honorary; life; ranking; sustaining ~ 2. a corresponding ~ (of the Academy of Sciences) 3. (misc.) to admit new ~s into an organization membership n. 1. to apply for ~ 2. to grant ~ 3. to drop, resign one's ~ 4. closed; open ~ 5. (an) agency, institutional; associate; full; honorary; individual; life ~ 6. ~ in (AE), of (BE) (~ in/of an organization) membrane n. 1. mucous ~ 2. ~s rupture memo n. 1. an interoffice; office ~ 2. a ~ from; to (see also memorandum) memoirs n. to publish; write one's ~ memorandum n. 1. to draw up, prepare a ~ 2. to send around a ~ (in an office) 3. to initial a ~ 4. a confidential, secret; diplomatic; interoffice; official; private ~ 5. a ~ about, on 6. a ~ from; to memorial n. 1. to build, erect, put up a ~ 2. to unveil a ~ 3. a war ~ 4. a ~ to memory n. ['power of recalling'] 1. to jog smb.'s ~ 2. to commit smt. to ~ 3. to slip smb.'s ~ (the date has slipped my ~) 4. to lose one's ~ 5. an infallible; photographic; powerful; retentive; short ~ 6. (med.) long-term; short-term; visual ~ 7. a ~ for (a good ~ for names) 8. (to speak) from ~ 9. (misc.) a lapse of ~ ['something recalled, recollection'] 10. to evoke, stir up a ~ 11. to blot out a ~ 12. bitter; dim, vague; enduring; fond; haunting, poignant; pleasant; unpleasant ~ries ['collective remembrance'] 13. to honor, venerate smb.'s ~ 14. a blessed, sacred ~ 15. in ~ of (to erect a memorial in smb.'s ~) 16. in living ~ 17. of blessed, sacred ~ 18. (misc.) dedicated to smb.'s ~ ['capacity for storing information in a computer'] 19. (a) random-access; read-only ~ menace n. 1. to constitute a ~ 2. a ~ to mend n. on the ~ ('improving') mending n. invisible ~ menopause n. to go through ~ mention I n. 1. to make ~ of 2. to deserve ~ 3. honorable ~ (conferred in a contest for an accomplishment of merit that does not win a prize) 4. at the ~ (at the very ~ of his name I shuddered) II v. 1. (B) she ~ed the book to me 2. (K) he failed to ~ my being late twice last week 3. (L; to) they ~ed (to her) that they would bring a guest 4. (Q) she forgot to ~ where we should meet 5. (misc.) to ~ smb. by name menu n. ['bill of fare'] 1. to bring a ~ (the waiter brought the ~) 2. on a ~ (what's on the ~?) ['list of commands for a computer program'] 3. an edit; main; print ~ mercenary n. a foreign ~ merchandise n. 1. to buy, purchase; order ~ 2. to hawk, sell ~ 3. to ship ~ 4. to carry (a line of) ~ 5. assorted; first-class, high-quality; general ~ merciful adj. 1. ~ to 2. ~ to + inf. (it was ~ of her to offer help) merciless adj. ~ to; towards mercy n. 1. to have ~ on 2. to show ~ to, towards 3. to beg for ~ 4. to throw oneself at smb.'s ~ 5. divine; infinite ~; smb.'s tender ~cies (ironic) 6. at smb.'s ~ 7. (misc.) we turned him over to the tender ~cies of the student court merge v. 1. to ~ gradually; imperceptibly 2. (D; intr., tr.) to ~ into (to ~ several small companies into one large one) 3. (D; intr.) to ~ with (our bank ~d with theirs) merger n. 1. to carry out, effect a ~ 2. a ~ between, of; with merit n. 1. intrinsic ~ 2. relative ~s 3. according to, on (the basis of) ~ (to decide a case on its ~s) merry-go-round n. to ride (on) a ~ mesh v. (D; intr.) to ~ with (the gears ~ with each other) mess I n. ['untidy condition'] 1. to make a ~ 2. to leave a ~ 3. to clean away, clean up, clear up, sweep up a ~ 4. in a ~ (to leave things in a real ~) ['dining hall'] (mil.) 5. an enlisted (AE); officers' ~ 6. at, in a ~ (they ate at the company ~) II v. (colloq.) to ~ with (don't ~ with him) mess about (BE) see mess around message n. 1. to convey; relay; send, transmit a ~ 2. to deliver a ~ 3. to get, receive a ~ 4. to garble; scramble; unscramble a ~ 5. a clear; coded; garbled ~ 6. a ~ from; to 7. a ~ that + clause (we received a ~ that we were to return at once) 8. in a ~ 9. (misc.) to get the ~ ('to grasp the situation'); a divine ~ (from God) messaround v. (colloq.) (AE)(D; intr.) to ~ with messenger n. to dispatch a ~ Messiah n. to await the ~ metabolism n. 1. to disturb, upset smb.'s ~ 2. basal ~ metal n. 1. scrap ~ (to recycle scrap ~) 2. abase; ferrous; nonferrous; precious ~; sheet ~ 3. ~ corrodes, rusts metamorphose v. (D; tr.) to ~ into metamorphosis n. 1. to undergo ~ 2. a ~ into metaphor n. a mixed ~ mete out v. (B) to ~ justice to everyone meter I metre n. ['verse rhythm'] ['arrangement of syllables'] 1. anapaestic, anapestic; dactylic; heroic; iambic; trochaic ~ ['unit of length'] 2. a cubic; square ~ II n. ['instrument for measuring'] 1. to read a ~ (she came to read the gas ~) 2. an electric; exposure; gas; parking; postage; water ~ method n. 1. to apply, employ, use a ~ 2. to adopt a ~ 3. to give up, scrap a ~ 4. an antiquated, obsolete; crude; infallible, sure; modern, up- to-date; refined, sophisticated; sound; unorthodox ~ 5. the case; deductive; inductive; scientific; Socratic ~ 6. Madison Avenue ('high-pressure') ~s 7. the audiovisual; direct, oral; grammar-translation ~ (of foreign language instruction); the tutorial ~ (of instruction) 8. teaching ~s 9. the rhythm ~ (of contraception) 10. a ~ for; in, to (a ~ for learning languages; there is a definite ~ in her manner of interrogation) methodical adj. ~ in (~ in one's work) meticulous adj. ~ about, in (she is ~ in her dress) mettle n. 1. to prove, show one's ~ 2. to put smb. on one's ~ mezzanine n. (AE) ['first rows of a balcony in a theater'] in the ~ mickey, Mickey Finn n. (slang) ['a drink to which a strong drug or narcotic has been added'] to slip smb. a ~ microcosm n. in ~ (the whole nation in ~) microphone n. 1. to hook up, set up a ~ 2. to speak into, through a ~ 3. a concealed; throat ~ microscope n. 1. a compound; electron; optical ~ 2. under a ~ middle n. at, in the ~ (at the ~ of the last century; in the ~ of the room) middle ground n. the ~ between midmorning n. at ~ midnight n. at ~ midnight oil n. (colloq.) to burn the ~ ('to work or study late at night') midpoint n. 1. to reach a ~ 2. at (the) ~ midriff n. 1. to expose one's ~ 2. a bare ~ midsemester n. (AE) at ~ midst n. in the ~ of midstream n. 1. to reach ~ 2. in ~ (also fig.) midway adj., adv. ~ between midyear n. at ~ mien n. (lit.) an impassive; proud ~ might I n. 1. armed ~ 2. with all one's ~ II v. (F) I ~ do that migraine n. 1. a severe ~ 2. an attack of ~ migrate v. 1. (d; intr.) to ~ between 2. (D; intr.) to ~ from; to migration n. 1. internal; mass ~ 2. annual ~ (the annual ~ of birds) 3. ~ from; to mildew n. ~ forms mile n. 1. a land, statute; nautical, sea ~ 2. (misc.) to miss by a ~ ('to miss by a great deal') mileage n. to get ~ (I get good ~ with this small car; to get good ~ out of tires) milestone n. to reach a ~ (usu. fig.) military n. to call in the ~ military service n. universal ~ militate v. (d; intr.) to ~ against (see the Usage Note for mitigate) militia n. to call out, mobilize the ~ milk I n. 1. to boil; express ~ 2. curdled, sour; fresh ~ 3. attested (BE), certified; chocolate; condensed; evaporated; fermented; fortified; fresh; homogenized; long-life (BE); low- fat; non-fat; pasteurized; powdered; raw; reconstituted; skim (AE), skimmed; whole ~ 4. cow's; goat's ~ II v. (N; used with an adjective) to ~ smt. dry mill I n. ['machine for grinding'] 1. a coffee; pepper ~ ['factory'] 2. a flour; lumber; paper; rolling; steel; textile ~ ['place wiiere results are achieved in a quick, routine way'] 3. a diploma; divorce; marriage; propaganda ~ ['misc.'] 4. to go through the ~ ('to acquire experience under difficult conditions') II v. (d; intr.) to ~ about, around (to ~ around the entrance) millstone n. ['heavy burden'] to have a ~ around one's neck mincemeat n. to make ~ of ('to defeat decisively') mind I n. 1. to make up one's ~ 2. to make up one's ~ to do smt. 3. to cultivate, develop one's ~ 4. to speak one's ~ 5. to change one's ~ 6. to bear, keep smt. in ~ 7. to bring, call smt. to ~ 8. to keep one's ~ on smt. 9. to put, set one's ~ to smt. 10. to set one's ~ at ease 11. to take one's ~ off smt. 12. to cross one's ~ (it crossed my ~ that the store would be closed at five o'clock) 13. to know one's own ~ 14. to lose one's ~ 15. a clear; closed; disciplined; inquiring, inquisitive; keen, sharp; narrow; nimble, quick; one-track; open; scientific; uncluttered ~ 16. a deranged, twisted, unbalanced, unsound; sound ~ 17. in one's ~ (in one's right ~; in one's subconscious ~) 18. on one's ~ (what's on your ~?) 19. out of one's ~ (to go out of one's ~) 20. (misc.) I have half a ~ to vote for smb. else ('I may well vote for smb. else'); to give smb. a piece of one's ~ ('to state one's views to smb. very bluntly'); a meeting of the ~s; we were all of the same ~ ('we all had the same opinion'); a state of ~ II v. 1. (G) I don't ~ waiting; would you ~ opening the window? 2. (K) he didn't ~ her smoking; would you ~ my opening the window? 3. (Q) (esp. BE) ~ how you go! 4. (misc.) never ~ about that mindful adj. (cannot stand alone) ~ of (~ of one's responsibilities) mind's eye n. in one's ~ mine n. ['excavation from which minerals are taken'] 1. to open (up); operate, run, work a ~ 2. to close down a ~ 3. a coal; copper; diamond; gold; iron; lead; salt; silver; tin; zinc ~ 4. an abandoned; strip ~ ['explosive charge'] 5. to arm; lay a ~ 6. to hit, strike a ~ 7. to detonate, set off a ~ 8. to clear, remove, sweep ~s 9. to detect; disarm a ~ 10. a ~ blows up, explodes 11. an antipersonnel; antitank; contact; drifting, floating; land; magnetic; pressure; submarine ~ minerals n. metallic; nonmetallic; rock ~ mingle v. (D; intr.) to ~ with miniature n. in ~ minimal pair n. (ling.) to produce; represent a ~ mining n. open-cast (BE), open-pit (AE), strip (AE); shaft ~ minister I n. 1. to accredit a ~ 2. a ~ plenipotentiary; a ~ without portfolio 3. a cabinet; foreign; prime ~ 4. a ~ from; to II v. (d; intr.) to ~ to (to ~ to smb.'s needs) ministry n. (rel.) a lay ~ minor I n. to serve ~s (this bar does not serve ~s) II v. (AE) (d; intr.) to ~ in (to ~ in French) ('to have French as a secondary subject') minority n. in a ~ (we were in the ~; in a ~ of cases) minstrel n. a wandering ~ minuet n. to dance; play a ~ minus see plus minute n. ['sixtieth part of an hour'] 1. in a ~ (she'll be here in a ~) ['instant'] 2. the last ~ (at the last ~) ['present time'] 3. this ~ 4. up to the ~ minutes n. ['official record'] 1. to keep, take ~ 2. to accept; read the ~ 3. to reject the ~ miracle n. 1. to accomplish, perform, work a ~ 2. a ~ that + clause (it's a ~ that she was not killed) 3. by a ~ (we survived by a ~) 4. (misc.) a ~ worker miraculous adj. ~ that + clause (it's ~ that they were rescued) mirage n. 1. to see a ~ 2. a ~ disappears mire n. (to be stuck) in the ~ mired adj. to get ~ (in the mud) mired down (esp. AE) see mired mirror n. 1. to hang a ~ 2. a full-length; hand; pocket; rear-view ~ mirth n. 1. to provoke ~ 2. general ~ misapprehension n. 1. (to labor) under a ~ 2. a ~ that + clause (we labored under the ~ that we would receive help) miscalculate v. to ~ badly miscalculation n. 1. to make a ~ 2. to correct a ~ 3. a bad, glaring, serious ~ 4. a ~ about miscarriage n. ['abortion'] 1. to have a ~ ['failure'] 2. a gross ~ (of justice) mischief n. 1. to cause, do, make ~ 2. to be up to, get into ~ 3. malicious ~ 4. out of ~ (to stay out of ~; to keep children out of ~) 5. full of ~ 6. up to ~ misconception n. a popular ~ misconduct n. gross; professional ~ miscount n. to make a ~ misdeed n. 1. to commit a ~ 2. to rectify a ~ 3. a glaring ~ misdemeanor, misdemeanour n. to commit a ~ miserable adj. ~ to + inf. (it is ~ to work there = it is ~ working there) misery n. 1. to cause ~ 2. to alleviate, relieve ~ 3. abject, deep; sheer, untold ~ 4. ~ to + inf. (it was sheer ~ to live there = it was sheer ~ living there) 5. in ~ (to live in ~) misfortune n. 1. to have, suffer (a) ~ 2. the ~ to + inf. (she had the ~ to get there at the wrong moment) misgivings n. 1. to have ~ about 2. to express one's ~ 3. ~ that + clause (we had ~ that he would back out of the agreement) mishap n. (formal) 1. to have a ~ 2. a ~ befell us misinformation n. 1. to give, peddle, plant, spread ~ 2. to correct ~ 3. ~ about misinformed adj. 1. grossly ~ 2. ~ about misjudge v. to ~ badly, completely mislead v. (D; tr.) to ~ about (we were misled about this matter) misleading adj. 1. grossly ~ 2. ~ to + inf. (it is ~ to cite only certain sources) mismanagement n. gross ~ misnomer n. a ~ to + inf. (it's a ~ to call this village a city) mispronounced adj. commonly, frequently ~ misrepresentation n. gross ~ miss I n. a clean; near ~ II v. 1. to ~ terribly, very much 2. (G) I ~ walking in the park missed adj. sorely ~ missile n. 1. to fire, launch; guide a ~ 2. to intercept a ~ 3. an air-to-air; air-to-ground, air-to-surface; antiaircraft, ground-to-air, surface-to-air; antimissile; ballistic; cruise; ground-to-ground, surface-to-surface; guided; intercontinental ballistic; intermediate-range, medium-range; long-range, strategic; nuclear; short-range, tactical; submarine-launched ~ missing adj. 1. ~ from (~ from a group) 2. (misc.) ~ in action (mil.); to turn up ~ missing link n. a ~ between mission n. ['task'] 1. to accomplish, carry out, perform; undertake a ~ 2. (mil.) to fly a ~ 3. (usu. mil.) to cancel, scratch, scrub a ~ 4. a dangerous; pioneering; suicide ~ 5. a combat; diplomatic; goodwill; rescue; search-and-destroy; training ~ 6. on a ~ (they went on a goodwill ~ to Asia) 7. a ~ to + inf. (our ~ was to work out a trade agreement) 8. (misc.) ~ impossible (often humorous) ['group sent to perform a task'] 9. a diplomatic; military; trade ~ 10. a ~ from; to (a trade ~ to Africa) missionary n. 1. a foreign; medical ~ 2. a ~ from; to miss out v. (D; intr.) to ~ on (to ~ on a profitable deal) misstatement n. to make a ~ mistake I n. 1. to make a ~ 2. to correct, rectify a ~ 3. to excuse, forgive a ~ 4. a bad, costly, glaring, serious; fatal; foolish; minor, slight ~ 5. ~s abound (on every page) 6. a ~ about; in (we made a ~ about that; she made a ~ in counting on their help) 7. a ~ to + inf. (it was a ~ to appoint her = it was a ~ appointing her) 8. by ~ (to do smt. by II v. (d; tr.) to ~ for (he mistook me for my brother) mistaken adj. 1. ~ about; in 2. ~ for (she was ~ for her sister) mistletoe n. ['Christmas decoration'] to stand under the ~ ('to indicate one's willingness to be kissed, during the Christmas season') mistrial n. (legal) to declare a ~ mistrust n. 1. to arouse ~ 2. deep, profound ~ 3. ~ towards mistrustful adj. ~ of misunderstanding n. 1. to cause, lead to a ~ 2. to clear up a ~ 3. a ~ about, over; between mitigate v. (pompous) (d; intr.) to ~ against ('to make difficult') USAGE NOTE: Many consider the use of mitigate in place of militate to be substandard. mitt n. ['glove'] 1. an oven ~ 2. (baseball) a catcher's; first baseman's ~ mix I n. ['mixture'] a cake; cement; pancake; soup ~ II v. 1. (B) ~ a nice drink for me; or: ~ me a nice drink 2. (D; intr., tr.) to ~ with (he doesn't ~ with people like that; she ~ed the brandy with wine) mixed up adj. 1. ~ in (~ in a scandal) 2. ~ with (she got herself ~ with criminals) mixer n. ['informal dance, party'] 1. to give, hold a ~ ['device for mixing'] 2. a cement, concrete; electric ~ mix-up n. 1. to cause a ~ 2. a ~ about, in, over mix up v. (D;tr.) to ~ with (he always ~es me up with my brother) moan I n. 1. to emit a ~ 2. a barely audible, feeble, weak; loud ~ II v. 1. to ~ feebly; loudly 2. (D: intr.) to ~ about, over (to ~ over new taxes) 3. (D; intr.) to ~ with (to moan ~ pain) mob n. 1. to inflame, stir up a ~ 2. to control, subdue a ~ 3. to disperse a ~ 4. an angry; undisciplined, unruly, wild ~ 5. a ~ disperses; gathers; runs amok, runs wild mobile adj. upwardly ~ mobility n. upward ~ mobilization n. 1. to order (a) ~ 2. to carry out ~ 3. full, general; partial ~ mockery n. 1. to make a ~ of 2. a mere ~ mock-up n. ['model'] to do, prepare a ~ mode n. an access; insert ~ (on a computer) model I n. 1. to take as a ~ 2. to pose; serve as a ~ 3. a role ~ 4. an artist's; photographer's ~ 5. a ~ for II v. 1. (d; refl., tr.) to ~ after, on (the academy was ~ed after a British public school) 2. (d; intr., tr.) to ~ in (to ~ in clay) moderate adj. ~ in (they were ~ in their demands) moderation n. 1. to display, show ~ 2. ~ in (~ in the consumption of alcohol) 3. in ~ (to drink in ~) modest ady. 1. ~ about (she was ~ about her achievements) 2. ~ in modesty n. 1. to affect; display ~ 2. false ~ (without false ~) 3. ~ about modification n. 1. to make a ~ in 2. behavior ~ modifier n. a dangling (esp. AE); noun ~ modulation n. frequency ~ module n. a command; lunar; service ~ modus operandi n. to establish, work out a ~ modus vivendi n. to establish, work out a ~ mogul n. a movie (AE) ~ molar n. 1. to cut a ~ 2. an impacted ~ 3. a first; second; third ~ mold I mould n. ['furry growth'] to gather ~ II n. 1. a jello (AE), jelly (BE); plaster ~ 2. in a ~ (to be cast in a ~) III v. (D; tr.) to ~ from, in, out of (to ~ a figure in/out of clay) mole n. ['burrowing insectivore'] 1. ~s burrow ['spy'] 2. to plant a ~ molestation n. child; sexual ~ moment n. 1. to savor the ~ 2. a crucial; opportune, propitious; unpropitious ~ 3. a rash ~ (in a rash ~) 4. the psychological ~ ('the most favorable time') 5. at a ~ (at that ~) ('then'); (at the/this ~) ('now') 6. for the ~ (for the ~ let us drop this subject) 7. in a ~ (she'll be here in a ~; in a crucial ~ of one's life) momentum n. to gain, gather ~ monarch n. an absolute; constitutional ~ monarchy n. 1. to establish, set up a ~ 2. to overthrow a ~ 3. an absolute; constitutional; hereditary; limited ~ money n. 1. to coin, make, produce; counterfeit ~ 2. to circulate ~ 3. to earn, make ~ 4. to bank; change; deposit; put up; raise; refund, return; save; spend; squander, throw away; tie up; withdraw ~ 5. to borrow; lend ~ 6. to invest ~ in; to put ~ into (they invested their ~ in stocks and bonds; she put her ~ into municipal bonds) 7. (colloq.) to sink (a lot of) ~ into (a venture) 8. to launder (illegally acquired) ~ 9. counterfeit; earnest; easy; hush; marked; paper; pin, pocket, spending; prize; seed; tight; well-spent ~ 10. blood; conscience ~ 11. tax ~ (politicians should not waste tax ~) 12. mad ~ ('small amount of money carried for emergency use') 13. for ~ (to do smt. for ~) 14. out of ~ (we are out of ~) 15. (misc.) to have ~ to burn ('to have a great deal of money') money order n. 1. to make out a ~ 2. to send a ~ 3. to cash a ~ monitor I n. 1. an electronic; heart ~ 2. a video ~ (for a computer) II v. to ~ closely monkey n. 1. a howler; rhesus; ring-tailed; spider ~ 2. a horde, troop of ~s 3. (misc.) (colloq.) to make a ~ (out) of smb. ('to make a fool of smb.') monkey around v. (colloq.) (AE) (D; intr.) to ~ with monkey wrench n. (colloq.) (esp. AE) ['disruption'] to throw a ~ into smt. ('to disrupt smt.') monogamy n. to practice ~ monologue, monolog n. to recite a ~ mononucleosis n. (AE) infectious ~ (CE has glandular/ever) monopoly n. 1. to establish, gain a ~ 2. to have, hold a ~ 3. to break (up) a ~ 4. a government, state ~ 5. a ~ of, on, over 6. (misc.) to play Monopoly (T) monotone n. in a ~ monotonous adj. ~ to + int. (it is ~ to watch television every day = it is ~ watching television every day) monotony n. to break, relieve the ~ monoxide n. carbon ~ monstrous adj. 1. ~ to + int. (it is ~ to preach hatred) 2. ~ that + clause (it's ~ that innocent children throughout the world go hungry) month n. 1. last; next; this ~ 2. by the ~ (she is paid by the ~) 3. for a ~ (he'll be here for a ~) 4. in a ~ (they will arrive in a ~) 5. in, to (colloq.) a ~ (there are four weeks in a ~) monument n. 1. to build, erect a ~ 2. an ancient; literary; national ~ 3. a ~ to mooch v. (slang) (AE) 1. (D; tr.) ('to beg for') to ~ from (he ~ed a cigarette from me) 2. (d; intr.) ('to sponge') to ~ off of, on (to ~ on one's friends) mood I n. ['state of mind'] 1. an angry; bad, foul; bellicose; bilious; festive, holiday; genial, good, happy, jovial, joyful; melancholy; mellow; mercurial; nostalgic; pensive; resentful; sullen; tranquil ~ 2. in a ~ (in a good ~) II n. ['verb form'] the conditional; imperative; indicative; subjunctive ~ moon I n. 1. a full; half; harvest; new; quarter ~ 2. the ~ wanes; waxes 3. the ~ comes out 4. on the ~ (astronauts have walked on the ~) II v. (D; intr.) to ~ over moonlight n. 1. by ~ 2. in the ~ moonlight flit n. (colloq.) (BE) ['moving without paying one's rent, debts'] to do a ~ moor v. (D; tr.) to ~ to (to ~ a boat to a pier) moose n. 1. a band, herd of ~ 2. a young ~ is a calf 3. a female ~ is a cow 4. a male ~ is a bull (see the Usage Note for elk) mop I n. a dry, dust, wet ~ II v. (N; used with an adjective) we ~ped the floor clean moped n. to ride a ~ moral n. a ~ to (there's a ~ to the story) morale n. 1. to boost, lift, raise ~ 2. to destroy, undermine ~ 3. high; low ~ moral fiber, moral fibre n. the ~ to + inf. (does she have the ~ to adhere to principle?) moralize v. (D; intr.) to ~ about, on, over, upon morals n. 1. to protect, safeguard (public) ~ 2. to corrupt smb.'s ~ 3. lax, loose; strict ~ 4. public ~ morass n. to get bogged down in a ~ moratorium n. 1. to declare a ~ 2. to lift a ~ 3. a ~ on morbid adj. ~ about (don't be ~ about the future) more determiner, pronoun ~ of (~ of them) USAGE NOTE: The use of the preposition of is necessary when a pronoun follows. When a noun follows, the use of o/the limits the meaning--we drank more wine; we drank more of the wine that you brought yesterday. morgue n. 1. a city (esp. AE); newspaper ~ 2. in a ~ (to work in a ~) morning n. 1. early; late ~ 2. in the ~; (AE) ~s (she works in the ~; or AE: she works ~s) 3. from ~ (from ~ to night) 4. on a ~ (on a cold ~ last month; on the ~ of July 20) moron n. (colloq.) a ~ to + inf. (I was a ~ to accept his offer) Morse code n. 1. to tap out, use the ~ 2. to send (a message) in ~ mortality n. infant; maternal ~ mortar n. ['type of cannon'] 1. a trench ~ ['bowl'] 2. a ~ and pestle mortgage n. 1. to give a ~ 2. to hold; receive; take out a ~ on 3. to pay off a ~ 4. to finance; foreclose; refinance a ~ 5. a chattel; conventional; first; second ~ mortification n. 1. deep ~ 2. to one's ~ (to my everlasting ~) mortified adj. ['embarrassed'] 1. deeply ~ 2. ~ to + inf. (I was ~ to learn that my account was overdrawn) 3. ~ that + clause (we were ~ that our manuscript was rejected) mortuary n. at, in a ~ Moses n. holy ~! (esp. AE; colloq.; interjection) Moslem see Muslim mosquito n. 1. ~s bite; fly; hum 2. ~s carry, spread disease most determiner, n., pronoun 1. to get the ~ (out of life) 2. to make the ~ (of one's opportunities) 3. ~ of (~ of them) 4. at (the) ~ USAGE NOTE: The use of the preposition of is necessary when a pronoun follows. When a noun follows, the following constructions are used--most American wine comes from California; most of the wines that we import come from Europe; we like most students; we like most of the students who study in this department. motel n. to check into; out of a ~ mothballs n. ['protective storage'] 1. to put into ~ (to put ships into ~) 2. to take out of ~ mother n. 1. an expectant; nursing; surrogate; unwed; welfare; working ~ 2. a foster ~; stepmother 3. a ~ to (she was like a ~ to them) 4. (misc.) a den ~; a ~ superior motif n. a guiding, leading ~ motion I n. ['proposal'] 1. to make a ~ 2. to second a ~ 3. to accept; defeat, vote down a ~ 4. to vote on a ~ 5. (AE) to table a ~ ('to postpone voting on a proposal') 6. (BE) to table a ~ ('to call for a vote on a proposal') 7. to withdraw a ~ 8. the ~ carried, passed 9. a ~ to + inf. (she made a ~ to adjourn) 10. a ~ that + clause; subj. (she made a ~ that debate be/should be stopped) 11. on a ~ (on my ~ they brought up the question of admitting new members) ['movement'] 12. to set smt. in ~ 13. harmonic; perpetual ~ II v. 1. (D; intr.) to ~ to (she ~ed to us) 2. (H) he ~ed (to) us to come closer motivate v. (H) what ~d her to leave home? motivation n. the ~ to + inf. (she has the ~ to master English) motive n. 1. to establish, find a ~ 2. to question smb.'s ~s 3. altruistic; base; honorable; humane; noble; selfish; ulterior ~s; the highest ~s (to have nothing but the highest ~s) 4. the profit ~ 5. an underlying ~ 6. a ~ behind, for (the police could not find a ~ for the murder) 7. a ~ to + inf. (she had no ~ to commit the crime) motor I n. 1. to start a ~ 2. to turn off a ~ 3. an outboard ~ 4. a ~ runs, works; stalls (see also engine 1-7) II v. (d; intr.) to ~ to (they ~ed to town) motorbike n. to drive, ride a ~ motorcar n. (BE) to drive; park a ~ (see car 1-9) motorcycle n. 1. to drive, ride a ~ 2. to ride on a ~ (as a passenger) motor scooter n. to drive, ride a ~ motorway (BE) see highway motto n. to coin a ~ mound n. 1. a burial ~ 2. (baseball) (AE) to take the ~ mount n. an engine ~ mountain n. 1. to climb, scale a ~ 2. high; rugged; snow-covered ~s 3. block; folded; volcanic ~s 4. a chain, range of ~s 5. (misc.) the elevation, height of a ~; to make a ~ out of a molehill ('to exaggerate') mourn v. (D; intr.) to ~ for, over mourning n. 1. to declare, proclaim (a period of) ~ 2. to go into ~ 3. deep ~ 4. national ~ 5. in ~ for mouse n. 1. to catch mice 2. a field; house; meadow; white ~ 3. mice gnaw 4. (misc.) as quiet as a ~ moustache n. 1. to grow a ~ 2. to trim a ~ 3. to finger, twist one's ~ 4. a handlebar ~ mouth n. 1. to close, shut; open one's ~ 2. to cram, stuff one's ~ (with food) 3. to rinse one's ~ 4. (misc.)(colloq.) a big ~ ('a gossip'); to shoot off one's ~ ('to talk too much'); to make smb.'s ~ water ('to tempt smb.') mouthful n. (colloq.) ['something true'] to say a ~ mouthpiece n. ['spokesperson'] to act, serve as a ~ for move I n. ['act'] 1. to make a ~ (who will make the first ~?) 2. a false ~ (one false ~ would be costly) 3. a brilliant; clever, smart; decisive ~ ['moving of a piece in chess, checkers'] 4. to make a ~ 5. a brilliant; stupid, wrong ~ 6. an opening ~ (also fig.) ['act of moving'] 7. a ~ to (our firm's ~ to the Coast) 8. (misc.) (colloq.) to get a ~ on ('to go faster'); on the ~ II v. 1. ('to stir') to ~ deeply, profoundly 2. ('to change the position of) to ~ bodily 3. (d; intr.) ('to request') to ~ for (to ~ for a new trial) 4. (D; intr., tr.) ('to change or cause to change one's position, place of residence, place of work') to ~ from; into, to; out of (let's ~ from this table to that one; they ~d from the city to the suburbs; the firm is ~ing to California; let's ~ the chair from/out of this room to that one; he ~d his family from/out of an old house into a new apartment; we are ~ing our main office from/out of the city to a small town) 5. (D; tr.) ('to stir') to ~ to (she was ~d to tears) 6. (d; intr.) ('to change one's position') to ~ towards (to ~ towards the exit) 7. (H) ('to induce') what ~d her to make such a gesture? 8. (L; subj.) ('to propose') she ~d that the resolution be/should be approved move in v. 1. (d; intr.) ('to close in') to ~ for (to ~ for the kill) 2. (D; intr.) to ~ on ('to close in on') (the police ~d in on the fugitives) 3. (D; intr.) to ~ on ('to establish control of) (organized crime was ~ing in on the industry) 4. (D; intr.) to ~ on, with ('to take up residence with') (her relatives wanted to ~ with her) movement n. ['organized effort to attain a goal'] 1. to launch a ~ 2. to support a ~ 3. to oppose; suppress a ~ 4. a civil-rights; consumer; feminist, women's; labor; peace; political; radical; revolutionary; social ~ 5. a ~ against; for (the ~ for equal pay) ['division of a musical composition'] 6. to perform a ~ ['military maneuver'] 7. a pincers ~ ['move'] 8. a downward; upward ~ 9. jerky; rhythmic; uncoordinated ~s 10. a ~ towards ['evacuation'] 11. a bowel ~ (to have a bowel ~) move up v. 1. (D; intr.) to ~ into, to (she has ~d up to the position of general manager) 2. (D; intr.) to ~ through (to ~ through the ranks) movie n. (esp. AE) ['film'] 1. to make, produce a ~ 2. (CE) a home ~ ['cinema'] 3. a drive-in ~ movies n. (AE) ['cinema'] to go to the ~ mower n. 1. to operate, work a ~ 2. a hand; lawn; power ~ much determiner, n., pronoun 1. to make ~ of smt. 2. ~ of (we did not believe ~ of what we heard; he isn't ~ of an artist) 3. ~ to + int. (she has ~ to say; we have ~ to learn) 4. (misc.) ~ as we want to help USAGE NOTE: The use of the preposition of is necessary when a pronoun follows--we did not believe much of what we heard. When a noun follows, the use of of the limits the meaning--much sorrow is caused by drug abuse; much of the sorrow that is caused by drug abuse could be avoided. muck about v. (colloq.) (BE) to ~ with ('to mess around with') mucus n. 1. to secrete ~ 2. nasal ~ mud n. ['wet earth'] 1. to spatter ~ 2. ~ oozes, squishes 3. ~ cakes 4. a layer of ~ 5. (misc.) to spatter smb. with ~ ['malicious charges'] 6. to sling, throw ~ at smb. muddle n. ['confusion'] in a ~ mufti n. ['civilian clothes'] in ~ mug n. a shaving ~ mulct v. (rare) (D; tr.) ('to defraud') to ~ of (to ~ smb. of her/his money) mule n. 1. to drive; ride a ~ 2. ~s bray 3. a team of ~s 4. (misc.) as stubborn as a ~ mull v. (d; intr.) to ~ over (to ~ over a new proposal) multiplication n. to do ~ mum adj. to remain ~ mumble v. (L; to) he ~d (to us) that he would get up later mumps n. to catch, come down with the ~ murder n. ['homicide'] 1. to commit ~ 2. a brutal, cold-blooded, grisly, heinous, vicious, wanton; premeditated; ritual ~ 3. (AE) (a) first-degree; second-degree ~ 4. mass ~ 5. multiple, serial ~s ['ruinous influence'] (colloq.) 6. ~ on (the rainy weather has been ~ on business) murderer n. a mass; serial ~ murmur n. ['complaint'] 1. to let out a ~ (she didn't let out a ~) ['abnormal sound'] (med.) 2. a heart ~ muscle n. 1. to contract; flex, tense; move; pull, strain; relax; wrench a ~ 2. to develop one's ~s 3. involuntary; smooth; striated; voluntary ~s 4. ~s ache muscle in v. (colloq.) (D; intr.) to ~ on (to ~ on smb.'s territory) muse v. (D; intr.) to ~ about, over, upon museum n. 1. an art (esp. AE; BE prefers art gallery); ethnographic; public; science; wax ~ 2. at, in a ~ (to work at a ~) mushroom I n. 1. to pick ~s 2. an edible ~ II v. (D; intr.) to ~ from; into, to music n. 1. to compose, write ~ 2. to perform, play ~ 3. to set smt. to ~ 4. to read ~ 5. background; band; chamber; choral; classical; country, hillbilly; dance; folk; funky; incidental; instrumental; light; martial; modern; organ; popular; rock; sacred; serious; soul ~ 6. sheet ~ 7. a piece of ~ 8. (fig.) ~ to (what she said was ~ to my ears) 9. to ~ (to dance to the ~ of a big band) 10. (misc.) to face the ~ ('to accept one's punishment') musical n. to produce, stage a ~ musical chairs n. to play ~ musician n. an accomplished; natural; strolling ~ Muslim n. a Black; Shiite; Sunni ~ muslin n. bleached; unbleached ~ must v. 1.(F) we ~ go 2. (misc.) I really ~ go; you surely ~ know mustache see moustache muster I n. to pass ~ II v. 1. (d; tr.) to ~ into (to ~ smb. into the army) 2. (d; tr.) to ~ out of ('to discharge from') (to be ~ed out of the army) mutation n. 1. to induce a ~ 2. a gene ~ mute adj. to stand ~ ('to remain silent during an arraignment') mutiny I n. 1. to foment, incite, stir up; organize a ~ 2. to crush, put down, quell a ~ 3. a ~ breaks out II v. (D; intr.) to ~ against mutter v. 1. (B) she ~ed a few words to us 2. (D; intr.) to ~ about 3. (L; to) she ~ed (to him) that she would catch up later mysterious adj. ~ about (~ about one's past) mystery n. 1. to pose a ~ (her disappearance poses a real ~) 2. to clear up; fathom, solve, unravel a ~ 3. an unsolved ~ 4. a murder ~ 5. a ~ deepens 6. a ~ to (it was a ~ to me) 7. (misc.) shrouded, wrapped in ~ mystified adj. ~ to + int. (she was ~ to find her watch gone) mystifying adj. ~ that + clause (it's ~ that the matter was never investigated) myth n. 1. to create a ~ 2. to debunk, dispel; explode a ~ 3. a ~ that + clause (we dispelled the ~ that their army was invincible) nadir n. 1. to reach a ~ 2. at a ~ nag v. 1. (D; intr.) to ~ at (he kept ~ging at her) 2. (H) he kept ~ging her to buy a new sofa nail I n. ['tapered piece of metal'] 1. to drive, hammer a ~ (he drove a ~ into the board) 2. to remove a ~ 3. a loose ~ ['horny substance growing at the ends of fingers and toes'] 4. to cut, pare, trim; do; file; manicure; polish one's ~s 5. to break a ~ 6. to bite one's ~s 7. a fingernail; toenail ['misc.'] 8. as hard/tough as ~s II v. (D; tr.) to ~ to (she ~ed the plaque to the wall) naive adj. 1. ~ of (that was ~ of you) 2. ~ to + int. (it's ~ to trust everyone; you are ~ to believe them) naked adj. 1. stark ~ 2. (misc.) to walk around ~ naked eye n. to the ~ (visible to the ~) name I n. ['appellation'] 1. to adopt,, assume; bear; use a ~ 2. to give smb. a ~ 3. to call smb. a (bad) ~ 4. to immortalize smb.'s ~ 5. to invoke God's ~ 6. an assumed; Christian (esp. BE), first, given; code; dirty; family ~, surname; fancy; geographic; legal; maiden; married; middle; personal; pet; professional; proper; stage ~ (she uses her middle ~) 7. a brand, proprietary, trade ~ 8. a common, vernacular ('not technical') ~ 9. a ~ for (there is no ~ for such conduct) 10. by ~ (to know smb. by ~ only) 11. in ~ (she is the chairperson in ~ only) 12. in smb.'s ~ (the book was charged out in your ~) 13. under a ~ (under an assumed ~) ['reputation'] 14. to make a ~ (for oneself) 15. to clear one's ~ 16. to besmirch, smear smb.'s (good) ~ 17. to give smb. a bad ~ 18. a bad; good ~ ['misc.'] 19. to drop ~s ('to boast of one's connections'); in the ~ of the law II v. 1. (d; tr.) to ~ after, for (AE) (Hannah was ~d after her great-grandmother) 2. (d; tr.) to ~ as (she was ~d as the winner) 3. (H) they ~d me to head the commission 4. (N; used with a noun) she was ~d winner of the contest name-calling n. to engage in, go in for, resort to ~ nameless adj. to remain ~ nap n. to have, take a ~ napkin n. 1. to fold a ~ 2. to tuck a ~ (under one's chin) 3. a cocktail; dinner; linen; paper ~ nappy (BE) see diaper narcosis n. 1. to produce (a state of) ~ 2. (a) ~ wears off 3. under ~ narcotics n. to smuggle ~ (into a country) narrate v. (B) she ~d her story to us narration n. a graphic; gripping ~ narrow down v. (D; tr.) to ~ to (the choice was ~ed down to a few candidates) narrow-minded adj. ~ + int. (it was ~ of her to say that) nasal passages n. blocked, congested ~ nasty adj. 1. ~ about (they were very ~ about the whole incident) 2. ~ to (he is ~ to everyone) 3. ~ to + inf. (it was ~ of them to do that) nation n. 1. to build; establish a ~ 2. a civilized; friendly; independent; peace-loving; sovereign ~ 3. belligerent, warring ~s 4. across the ~ (there were strikes across the ~) 5. (misc.) a member ~ (of the UN) national anthem n. to play; sing; strike up the ~ National Guard n. (US) to call out; federalize the nationalism n. 1. to foster ~ 2. extreme; rampant nationhood n. to achieve ~ native I adj. 1. ~ to (this flower is ~ to our state) 2. (misc.) to go ~ ('to behave like the local population when in a foreign country') II n. friendly; hostile ~s natter v. (colloq.) (BE) (D; intr.) ('to chatter') to ~ about; to (to ~ on to smb. about smt.) natural I adj. 1. (AE) ~ to (that comes ~ to me) 2. ~ to + inf. (it's ~ to want a nice car) 3. ~ that + clause (it's perfectly ~ that children love ice cream) II n. (colloq.) ['person who seems to be destined for success'] a ~ to + inf. (she's a ~ to win the election) nature n. ['character, quality'] 1. an impetuous; placid ~ 2. human ~ (it's only human ~ to want to live well) 3. second ~ 4. one's true ~ 5. by ~ (she is friendly by ~) 6. in one's ~ (it was not in his ~ to complain) 7. of a certain ~ (wounds of a serious ~) ['physical universe'] 8. to harness (the forces of) ~ 9. (misc.) mother ~; a freak of ~; back to ~ naught n. (lit.) 1. to come to ~ 2. all for ~ naughty adj. 1. ~ of 2. ~ to + inf. (it was ~ to do that) nausea n. 1. to cause ~ 2. a wave of ~ (came over her) nauseated adj. to feel ~ nauseating adj. 1. ~ to 2. ~ to + inf. (it was ~ to watch them) nauseous adj. to feel ~ USAGE NOTE: Some purists still claim that nauseous means only 'nauseating'. In fact, most speakers now use it as a synonym of nauseated. navigation n. celestial; electronic ~ navy n. 1. a merchant ~ (BE; AE has merchant marine) 2. the Royal Navy near adv. (rare) ~ to (she came ~ to winning the title) nearer, nearest adj., adv. ~ to (the park is nearer to our hotel than it is to yours; which stop is nearest to Albert Hall?) USAGE NOTE: When near is an adjective, it is not used in the collocation 'near to'. (Compare close to.) neat adj. ~ in (~ in one's habits) necessary adj. 1. absolutely ~ 2. ~ for; to 3. ~ to + inf. (it is ~ to sleep) 4. ~ that + clause; subj. (it is ~ that we all be/should be there) necessitate v. 1. (G) working for that firm would ~ living abroad 2. (K) going to school would ~ his moving to the city necessity n. 1. to obviate a ~ 2. an absolute, dire; military ~ 3. the bare; daily ~ties 4. a ~ for 5. of ~ (you will of ~ remain silent) 6. (misc.) the ~ties of life neck I n. 1. to crane one's ~ 2. to twist, wring smb.'s ~ 3. (misc.) to risk one's ~ ('to risk one's life'); to break one's ~ trying to do smt. ('to make a maximum effort to get smt. done'); to stick one's ~ out ('to expose oneself to danger'); by a ~ ('by a close margin'); up to one's ~ in work ('swamped with work'); ~ and ~ ('even') II v. (colloq.)(D; intr.) ('to hug and kiss') to ~ with neckline n. a high; low, plunging; sweetheart ~ necktie n. (AE) 1. to tie a ~ 2. a loud ~ (CE has tie) need I n. 1. to create a ~ 2. to feel a ~ 3. to fill, meet, obviate a ~ 4. to satisfy a ~ 5. to minister to smb.'s ~s 6. an acute, crying, desperate, dire, pressing, urgent ~ 7. a basic, fundamental; biological; emotional, psychological; personal; physical; physiological; spiritual; unfulfilled, unmet; universal ~ 8. bodily; emergency; material ~s 9. a ~ for (there is no ~ for violence) 10. a ~ to + inf. (there was a pressing ~ to act immediately; there was no ~ for you to go) 11. in ~ (to live in dire ~; badly in ~) 12. in ~ of (in crying ~ of food) USAGE NOTE: The sentence she needn't have gone implies that she did go (though there was no need for her to go). The sentence she didn't need to go does not indicate if she went or not. II v. 1. to ~ badly, desperately, sorely 2. (E) we all ~ to work 3. (F; in neg. and occ. in interrogative sentences) she ~ not work; or: she doesn't ~ to work; ~ she go? or: does she ~ to go? 4. (G) the house needs painting needle n. 1. to thread a ~ 2. a crochet; darning; hypodermic; knitting; phonograph; sewing ~ 3. (misc.) a ~ in a haystack ('smt. that is impossible to find') needlepoint n. to do ~ needlework n. to do ~ negative n. ['exposed film'] 1. to develop a ~ ['phrase that rejects'] 2. in the ~ (to reply in the ~) ['expression that contains negation'] 3. a double ~ neglect I n. 1. benign; complete, total; parental ~ 2. child ~ 3. a state of ~ II v. 1. to ~ willfully 2. (E) she ~ed to pay the fine neglectful adj. ~ of negligence n. 1. contributory; criminal; rank; willful ~ 2. (legal) gross; ordinary; slight ~ negligent adj. 1. grossly ~ 2. ~ about; in negotiate v. 1. (D; intr.) to ~ about, over 2. (D; intr.) to ~ for 3. (D; intr.) to ~ with (we ~d with them for release of the prisoners; to ~ with smb. about a common border) negotiations n. 1. to conduct; enter into ~ 2. to break off ~ 3. delicate; direct; fruitless, unsuccessful; high-level; marathon, round-the-clock; successful; top-level ~ 4. diplomatic; peace ~ 5. ~ between 6. ~ for negotiator n. a management; union ~ neighbor I neighbour n. 1. a next-door ~ 2. a ~ to (she was a good ~ to us) II v. (esp. BE) (D; intr.) to ~ on neighborhood, neighbourhood n. 1. a bad ('unsafe'); changing; friendly; good, nice, pleasant ~ 2. an ethnic; residential ~ 3. in a ~ (we live in a nice ~) neighborly, neighbourly adj. ~ to + inf. (it was ~ of you to do that) neither determiner, pronoun ~ of (~ of the two; ~ of them) USAGE NOTE: The use of the preposition of is necessary when two or a pronoun follows. When a noun follows, two constructions are possible-- neither student knew the answer; neither of the students knew the answer. nelson n. ['type of wrestling hold'] a full; half ~ nemesis n. to meet one's ~ neologism n. to coin a ~ nerve n. ['assurance'] ['gall'] (colloq.) 1. to display, have ~ 2. the ~ to + inf. (she had the ~ to ask for another day off) ['self-confidence'] 3. to lose one's ~ ['sensitivity'] 4. a raw ~ (his remark hit a raw ~) ['band of nervous tissue'] 5. the cranial ~s nerves n. ['nervousness'] 1. an attack; bundle of ~ ['mental state'] 2. to fray, frazzle smb.'s ~; to get on smb.'s ~ 3. to calm, settle one's ~ 4. frayed, frazzled; steady; strong; taut; weak ~ ['misc.'] 5. to have ~ of steel ('to be very strong emotionally') nervous adj. ~ about, of (BE) (we were ~ about the recent reports of local violence) nest n. 1. to build, make a ~ 2. a machine-gun ~ 3. (misc.) a hornets' ~ ('an angry reaction') nest egg n. ['money set aside as a reserve'] to accumulate; set aside a ~ nestle v. 1. (d; intr., tr.) to ~ against (the children ~d against their mother) 2. (P; intr.) the small village ~d in the green hills nestle up v. (d; intr.) to ~ to (the children ~d up to their mother) net n. 1. to weave a ~ 2. to cast, spread a ~ 3. a butterfly; fishing; mosquito ~ 4. a life (esp. AE), safety (also fig.) ~ 5. in a ~ (to catch fish in a ~) netting n. mosquito ~ nettles n. ~ sting network n. 1. an old-boy; old-girl ~ 2. a communications; road ~ 3. a national ~ (of radio, TV stations) 4. over a ~ (over a national ~) neurosis n. mild; severe ~ neutral I adj. ~ in (~ in a dispute) II n. ['position of disengaged gears'] in ~ (to run an engine while in ~) neutrality n. 1. to maintain, observe ~ 2. to declare one's ~ 3. armed; strict ~ new adj. 1. ~ at, in (I'm ~ at this) 2. ~ to (this procedure is ~ to us) new leaf n. to turn over a ~ ('to begin a new way of life') news n. ['new information'] 1. to announce, give; break, flash; cover the ~ 2. to spread (the) ~ 3. to censor; control; cover up, suppress (the) ~ 4. to color, distort, twist (the) ~ 5. bad; good; interesting; sensational; shocking; startling; unexpected; welcome ~ 6. local; international; national; political ~ 7. the latest ~ (have you heard the latest ~?) 8. ~ spreads, travels 9. a bit, item, piece of ~; a ~ item 10. ~ about, of(~ about the earthquake; is there any news of them?) 11. the ~ that + clause (have you heard the ~ that the border has been closed?) ['newscast'] 12. to listen to; turn on; watch the ~ 13. the late; morning; nightly ~ (on TV) 14. on the ~ (we heard that item on the late ~) 15. (misc.) to make (the) ~ ('to be newsworthy') news conference n. to hold a ~ newspaper n. 1. to edit; print; publish a ~ 2. a daily; evening; morning; weekly ~ 3. a ~ comes out, is published 4. (misc.) to make the ~s ('to be printed in the newspapers') New Year n. to greet, ring in the ~ next adj., adv. 1. (cannot stand alone) ~ to (there's a newsstand ~ to the hotel) 2. (misc.) ~ of kin; ~ in line nibble v. (D; intr.) to ~ at nibble away v. (D; intr.) to ~ at nice adj. 1. ~ to, with (he's ~ to the children) 2. ~ to + int. (it's ~ just to sit and relax = it's ~ just sitting and relaxing; she is ~ to work with = it is ~ to work with her = it is nice working with her) 3. ~ that + clause (it's ~ that we could all get together) niche n. ['position'] 1. to carve out a ~ (she has carved out a ~ for herself in her field) 2. to occupy a ~ (she occupies a special ~ in her field) nick n. (misc.) in the ~ of time ('precisely when needed') nickname v. (N; used with a noun) he was ~d Butch niggardly adj. (lit.) ~ in niggle v. (D; intr.) to ~ about, over (to ~ over every sentence) nigh adv. (old-fashioned) ['near'] ~ on, onto, unto (~ onto ten years) night n. 1. to spend a ~ (we spent a restless ~ waiting for news) 2. a clear; dark, murky; overcast; starlit; stormy ~ 3. a restless, sleepless ~ 4. a first, opening ~ (of a play) 5. a wedding ~ 6. last; tomorrow ~; tonight 7. at ~ (to work at ~; late at ~) 8. by ~ (London by ~) 9. for a ~ (to put smb. up for the ~) 10. on a certain ~ (on the ~ of December first; on that ~) 11. throughout the ~ 12. (misc.) to bid, wish smb. good ~; (AE) to work ~s; in the dead of the ~ USAGE NOTE: The collocation at night is usu. used with verbs (she works at night) and contrasts with during the day. The collocation by night is usu. used with nouns (London by night) and contrasts with by day. (see the Usage Note for day) nightcap n. ['last drink of the night'] 1. to have a ~ 2. (misc.) to invite smb. in for a ~; to join smb. in a ~ nightclub n. at, in a ~ (to work at/in a ~) nightfall n. at ~ nightingale n. ~s sing, warble nightmare n. 1. to have a ~ 2. a horrible, terrible ~ 3. a ~ about nightshift n. 1. to work the ~ 2. (to work) on the ~ nip I n. ['stinging cold'] (there is) a ~ in the air II v. (colloq.) (BE) (P; intr.) ('to move quickly') she ~ped out and bought some bread nipples n. cracked; sore, tender ~ nitpick v. (colloq.) (D; intr.) to ~ at noble adj. ~ to + inf. (it was ~ of him to make the sacrifice) nobody pronoun we had ~ to talk to = we had ~ that we could talk to nod I n. ['movement of the head'] 1. an approving ~ 2. a ~ to 3. (misc.) (BE) the proposal was approved on the ~ (without the need for a vote) ['awarding of a decision'] (usu. sports) 4. to get the II v. (D; intr., tr.) to ~ at, to (when she entered the room, she ~ded to us) node n. a lymph ~ noise n. 1. to make, produce (a) ~ 2. to cut (AE; colloq.), cut down on, reduce the ~ 3. constant, persistent; deafening; loud; shrill ~ 4. a ~ abates, dies down nominate v. 1. (D; tr.) to ~ as (she was ~d as our candidate) 2. (D; tr.) to ~ for (to ~ smb. for the presidency) 3. (H) they ~d her to serve as chairperson nomination n. 1. to place, put smb. (smb.'s name) in ~ 2. to accept; reject a ~ 3. a ~ to (a ~ to a committee) nominative n. (grammar) the ~ absolute nonconformity n. ~ in, to none determiner, n., pronoun ~ of (~ of them) USAGE NOTE: The use of the preposition of is necessary when a pronoun follows. When a noun follows, the use of of the limits the meaning; no replaces none when the meaning is not limited" we saw none of the students whom we had discussed earlier; we drank none of the wine that you brought; we saw no students; we drank no wine. nonsense n. 1. to speak, talk ~ 2. to put up with, tolerate ~ 3. (colloq.) (AE) to cut the ~ 4. arrant (lit.), complete, outright, perfect, pure, sheer, total, utter ~ 5. ~ to + inf. (it was sheer ~ to trust them) 6. (misc.) (BE) to make ~ of ('to spoil') (the recession made ~ of our plans for expansion) nonsensical adj. ~ to + inf. (it's ~ to trust her) nook n. 1. a cozy ~ 2. a breakfast ~ 3. (misc.) every ~ and cranny noon n. 1. high ~ 2. at ~ 3. from ~ (to evening) no one see nobody noose n. 1. to tighten a ~ around (they tightened the ~ around his neck) 2. a hangman's ~ norm n. ['standard'] 1. to establish, set a ~ ['average'] 2. above; below the ~ normal adj. 1. ~ to + inf. (it's ~ to want a steady job) 2. ~ that + clause (it's only ~ that we should expect equal pay) north I adj., adv. 1. ~of2. up ~ II n. 1. magnetic; true ~ 2. in, to the ~ northeast n. in; to, towards the ~ North Pole n. at the ~ northwest n. in; to, towards the ~ nose I n. 1. to blow; wipe one's ~ 2. to pick one's ~ 3. an aquiline, Roman; bulbous; pug, snub, turned-up ~ 4. a bloody; running, runny ~ (the child has a runny ~) 5. through the ~ (to breathe through the ~) 6. a ~ bleeds; runs 7. (misc.) to bury one's ~ in a book ('to become absorbed in a book'); to count ~s ('to count those present'); to cut off one's ~ to spite one's face ('to harm one's own interests'); to lead smb. by the ~ ('to order smb. around'); to pay through the ~ ('to pay an exorbitant price'); to keep one's ~ out of smb. else's business; to poke, stick one's ~ into smb. else's business; to thumb one's ~ at smb. ('to defy smb.'); to keep one's ~ to the grindstone ('to work long and hard'); under smb.'s (very) ~ ('in smb.'s plain sight'); to turn up one's ~ at ('to sneer at'); on the ~ (AE; colloq.) ('exactly'); a ~ for scandal ('an ability to ferret out scandal'); by a ~ ('by a small margin'); to follow one's ~ ('to go straight forward'); to tweak ('pinch') smb.'s ~ II v. 1. (colloq.) (D: intr.) to ~ into (to ~ into smb.'s affairs) 2. (P; tr.) she ~d the car into the street nosebleed n. 1. to have a ~ 2. to stop a ~ 3. alight; severe ~ nose dive n. 1. (also fig.) to go into, take a ~ (stocks took a ~) 2. to come out of a ~ nostalgia n. 1. to feel ~ 2. ~ for nostrils n. flaring, wide ~ nosy adj. (colloq.) ~ about notable adj. ~ for notch n. ['cut'] 1. to make a ~ 2. a ~ in notch up v. (esp. BE) (d; tr.) ('to score') to ~ against (our team has ~ed up seven victories against them) note I n. ['memorandum'] ['record'] 1. to make a ~ of (she made a ~ of the exact time) 2. to take ~ of ['short letter'] ['official letter'] 3. to compose, write a ~ 4. to address; deliver a ~ 5. to drop, send smb. a ~ 6. a diplomatic; protest ~ 7. a ~ from; to ['musical tone'] 8. to hit, strike a ~ (she hit the high ~ beautifully) 9. a false ~ (also fig.) 10. a high; low ~ 11. (AE) an eighth; half; quarter; whole ~ ['characteristic feature'] 12. to strike a ~ (to strike a sour ~) 13. a discordant; false; festive; fresh; jarring; optimistic; personal; pessimistic; sour; triumphant ~ 14. on a ~ (the meeting ended on an optimistic ~) ['document relating to a debt'] 15. to discount a ~ 16. a demand; promissory; treasury ~ 17. a ~ matures ['paper money'] 18. a banknote; pound ~ II v. 1. (L) we ~d that she was late again 2. (0) ~ how it is done notebook n. a loose-leaf ~ (AE) noted adj. (cannot stand alone) ~ for (our city is ~ for its fine restaurants) notes n. ['condensed record'] 1. to make, take ~ (our students always take copious ~) 2. (usu. fig.) to compare ~ nothing n. 1. to ask (for) ~ (to ask ~ in return) 2. to gain ~ by (we will gain ~ by ignoring the regulations) 3. ~ about (we know ~ about it) 4. ~ to (they are ~ to us) 5. ~ to + inf. (we have ~ to lose) 6. (misc.) to leave ~ to chance; to make ~ of being awarded an honor; we expect ~ of him; you can expect nothing from them; good for ~; ~ doing ('definitely not'); we have ~ that we can discuss notice I n. ['heed'] 1. to take ~ of 2. to attract ~ 3. to escape ~ 4. scant ~ (to attract scant ~) ['sign'] 5. to place, pose, put up a ~ ['announcement'] ['notification'] 6. to serve ~ on 7. advance ~ 8. a ~ that + clause (we read the ~ that the water would be turned off for two hours) 9. at, on short ~ 10. until further ~ ['warning of one's intention to end an agreement'] 11. to give ~ 12. to put smb. on ~ 13. a month's; week's ~ 14. (colloq.) ~ to + inf. (the landlady gave him ~ to move) 15. subject to ~ ['review "] 16. to get rave ~s (the play got rave ~s) ['mention'] 17. a brief ~ 18. a book ~ II v. 1. (I) we ~d him leave the house 2. (J) we ~d him leaving the house 3. (L) we ~d that she had left notification n. 1. to send ~ 2. to get, receive ~ 3. ~ that + clause (we read the ~ that our building had been sold) 4. pending (further) ~ notify v. 1. (BE) (B) to ~ a crime to the police 2. (D; tr.) to ~ about, of (we ~fied the police of the incident) 3. (BE) (H) we'll ~ her to draw up a contract 4. (L; must have an object) she ~fied us that she would accept the position 5. (formal) (0) he will ~ us where we are to meet notion n. 1. to have a ~ 2. to dispel a ~ 3. a foggy, hazy, vague; ludicrous; odd, strange; preconceived; widespread ~ 4. a ~ about, of (he didn't have the slightest ~ of what I meant) 5. a ~ that + clause (we tried to dispel the ~ that benefits would be curtailed) notoriety n. 1. to enjoy ~ 2. ~ for (~ for being corrupt) 3. ~ surrounding (the ~ surrounding the published accounts of bribery in high places) notorious adj. 1. ~ as (he was ~ as an outlaw) 2. ~ for (our town is ~ for its gambling casinos) noun n. 1. to decline, inflect a ~ 2. an abstract; attributive; collective; common; count; mass, uncountable; predicate; proper; verbal ~ 3. a feminine; masculine; neuter ~ nourishment n. 1. to take ~ 2. to give ~ 3. ~ for novel n. 1. to publish; write a ~ 2. a detective, mystery; dime; historical ~ 3. (misc.) to make a ~ into a film novelty n. 1. to outgrow smt.'s ~ (it outgrew its ~) 2. a ~ wears off 3. a ~ for, to novice n. 1. a rank ~ 2. a ~ at, in now adv. 1. just; right ~ 2. until, up to ~ nowhere adv. 1. to get, go ~ ('to fail to arrive at a result') 2. ~ to + inf. (we had ~ to go) 3. (misc.) from, out of ~ nuance n. a fine, subtle ~ nucleus n. ['core'] to form a ~ nude n. in the ~ (to pose in the ~) nugget n. a gold ~ nuisance n. 1. to cause, create a ~ 2. to make a ~ of oneself 3. a confounded, damned, perpetual ~ 4. a public ~ 5. a ~ to 6. a ~ to + inf. (it was a ~ to move during the semester) 7. a ~ that (it's a ~ that there's no hot water) nuisance value n. 1. to have a ~ 2. a high ~ null adj. (misc.) ~ and void numb adj. ~ with (~ with cold) number I n. ['symbol indicating quantity'] 1. an even; odd ~ 2. a high; low ~ 3. an algebraic; cardinal; complex; compound; decimal; imaginary; infinite; irrational; mass; mixed; natural; negative; ordinal; positive; prime; quantum; whole ~ 4. (misc.) the call ~ (of a book); the daily; lucky; winning ~ (of a lottery); a serial ~ (of a product, part); a serial ~ (of a soldier) ['quantity'] 5. to decrease, reduce; increase a ~ (to reduce the ~ of traffic accidents) 6. an approximate, round; certain; enormous, untold; growing; large; small ~ 7. (misc.) our school has doubled its ~s ['telephone number'] 8. to call; dial a ~ 9. a telephone ~; an unlisted ~ (AE; BE has ex-directory listing! number) ['issue'] 10. a back ~ ['single selection in a program of entertainment'] 11. to do a ~ ['misc.'] 12. to carry a ~ (when adding) II v. (d;intr.)to ~ in (our books ~ in the thousands) numbers n. ['form of gambling'] 1. to play the ~ ['large group'] 2. in ~ (there is safety in ~) ['misc.'] 3. by the ~ ('done to a specific count') numeral n. an Arabic; Roman ~ nuptials n. to officiate at, perform (the) ~ nurse I n. 1. a community-health (AE), public-health (AE) ~ (BE is approximately health visitor) 2. a community (BE), district (BE), visiting (AE) ~ 3. a general-duty; head; industrial, occupational-health; operating-room (AE); practical; school; supervising ~ 4. a graduate (AE); Licensed Practical (AE), State Enrolled (BE); professional; Registered (AE), State Registered (BE) ~ 5. (misc.) a ~ practitioner II v. (d;tr.) to ~ back to (to ~ smb. back to health) nursery n. 1. a day ~ 2. at, in a ~ nursing n. 1. to study ~ 2. community-health, public-health ~ (AE; BE has health-visitor service) 3. geriatric, gerontological; maternal-child health; medical- surgical; obstetric; operating room; pediatric; practical; primary; professional; psychiatric ~ nut n. 1. to crack a ~ 2. to shell ~s 3. (misc.) a hard/tough ~ to crack ('a difficult problem to deal with') nutrients n. basic, essential ~ nuts adj. (colloq.) ['infatuated'] 1. ~ about (he's ~ about her) ['crazy'] 2. to go ~ nutshell n. (colloq.) ['brief form'] in a ~ (to put smt. in a ~) ('to state smt. very succinctly') nutty adj. (slang) 1. ~ to + int. (it's ~ to behave like that) 2. (misc.) as ~ as a fruitcake nuzzle up v. (D; intr.) to ~ against; to (the dog ~d up against her) nylon n. 1. sheer ~ 2. a pair of ~s ('a pair of nylon stockings') oaf n. a stupid ~ (you stupid ~!) oar n. to feather; peak ~s oath n. ['solemn promise; solemn promise to tell the truth'] 1. to administer an ~ to smb. 2. to put smb. under ~ 3. to swear, take an ~ 4. to violate an ~ 5. a solemn ~ 6. a loyalty ~ 7. an ~ to + inf. (she took an ~ to do her duty) 8. an ~ that + clause (I took an ~ that I would obey all regulations) 9. on (BE), under ~ (to testify under ~ to tell the truth) ['swearword'] 10. to mutter, utter an ~ 11. a mild; strong ~ 12. a string of ~s oatmeal n. to cook ~ obedience n. 1. to demand, exact ~ from 2. to instill ~ in 3. to pledge, swear ~ to 4. blind, strict ~ 5. ~ to obedient adj. ~ to obeisance n. (formal) ['curtsy'] to make one's ~s obituary n. 1. to send in; write an ~ 2. to print, publish an ~ 3. (misc.) to read the ~ries object I n. 1. a material, physical ~ 2. a sex ~ 3. (grammar) a direct; indirect ~ 4. (misc.) an ~ of derision; an unidentified flying ~ (= UFO) II v. 1. to ~ strenuously, strongly, violently 2. (D; intr.) to ~ to (to ~ to new taxes) 3. (L) she ~ed that the accusation was based on hearsay objection n. 1. to lodge, make, raise an ~ 2. to deal with, meet an ~ 3. to overrule; sustain an ~ 4. to withdraw an ~ 5. a serious, strenuous, strong, violent, vociferous; valid ~ 6. (legal) ~ overruled; ~ sustained 7. an ~ to (to raise an ~ to a proposal; we have no objections to your going) 8. an ~ that + clause (the judge overruled their ~ that illegal evidence had been introduced) 9. over smb.'s ~s (the resolution was adopted over the vociferous ~s of the opposition) objectionable adj. ~ to objective n. 1. to attain, gain, win an ~ 2. an economic; long-range; military ~ objectivity n. in all ~ objector n. a conscientious ~ obligate v. (H) what does the agreement ~ us to do? obligated adj. 1. ~ to (I'm ~ to you) 2. ~ to + inf. (he is ~ to pay off all debts by the end of the year) obligation n. 1. to assume, take on an ~ 2. to feel an ~ 3. to discharge, fulfill, meet an ~ 4. a legal; moral; social ~; family ~s 5. a military ~ ('required military service') 6. an ~ to (an ~ to one's parents) 7. an ~ to + inf. (we have an ~ to help them) 8. under (an) ~ obligatory adj. 1. ~ for 2. (formal) ~ on, upon (doing one's duty is ~ on a soldier) oblige v. 1.(d; tr.)to ~ by (you would ~ me by not smoking) 2. (H) the contract ~s us to pay a penalty if we finish late obliged adj. 1. ~ to (I'm ~ to you) 2. ~ to + inf. (we are ~ to attend all classes) obliterate v. 1. to ~ completely, entirely, totally, utterly 2. (D; tr.) to ~ from oblivion n. to sink into ~ oblivious adj. (cannot stand alone) ~ of, to (~ of one's surroundings; she was ~ to what was going on) obnoxious adj. 1. ~ to 2. ~ to + inf. (it was ~ of them to do that) oboe n. to play the ~ obscene adj. ~ to + inf. (it's ~ to make such a comparison) obscure adj. ~ to (the meaning was ~ to me) obscurity n. 1. to emerge from ~ 2. to sink into ~ observance n. a religious ~ observant adj. ~ of observation n. ['comment'] 1. to make an ~ 2. an astute, keen, penetrating, shrewd ~ 3. a personal ~ 4. an ~ about 5. an ~ that + clause (she made the astute ~ that the whole matter had been exaggerated) ['condition of being observed'] 6. to keep; place smb. under ~ 7. to be under ~ ['act of observing'] 8. (an) empirical; scientific ~ observe v. L to ~ attentively, carefully, closely 2. (I) we ~d them enter the building 3. (J) we ~d them entering the building 4. (L) ('to comment') several commentators have ~d that the rate of inflation has eased 5. (0) I ~d how it was done observer n. 1. a casual; impartial; keen, perceptive; outside; shrewd; skilled ~ 2. a military ~ obsessed adj. ~ by, with (~ by greed; ~ with fear) obsession n. an ~ for; with obsolescence n. built-in; planned ~ obstacle n. 1. to pose an ~ 2. to come across, encounter an ~ 3. to clear, overcome, surmount an ~ 4. (of a horse) to take an ~ 5. to remove an ~ 6. a formidable; insurmountable ~ 7. an artificial; natural ~ 8. an ~ to (an ~ to progress) obstinate adj. ~ about; in obstruction n. 1. to remove an ~ 2. an intestinal; respiratory ~ 3. an ~ to obtrude v. (formal) (d; intr.) ('to intrude') to ~ on, upon obvious I adj. 1. ~ to (her disappointment was ~ to everyone) 2. ~ that + clause (it's ~ that he is drunk) II n. to state the ~ occasion n. ['opportunity'] 1. to have; take an ~ (to do smt.) 2. a propitious ~ 3. an ~ for 4. an ~ to + inf. (I had no ~ to speak with them; there was no ~ for me to tell her) 5. an ~ arises ['happening'] ['event'] 6. to celebrate; mark, observe an ~ 7. a festive, gala; fitting, propitious; happy, joyful, joyous; memorable; official; special; unforgettable ~ 8. on an ' ~ (on this ~; on numerous ~s) ['challenge'] 9. to rise to the ~ ['reason'] 10. an ~ for (there is no ~ for alarm) ['misc.'] 11. on ~ ('sometimes') Occident n. in the ~ occlusion n. a coronary ~ occupation n. ['profession'] 1. a profitable, rewarding ~ 2. by ~ (she is a waitress by ~) ['act of occupying'] 3. a military ~ 4. under ~ occupied adj. 1. deeply; solely ~ 2. ~ in; with (they are ~ with their own concerns) occupy v. (d; refl., tr.) to ~ with (she ~pied them with minor chores) occur v. (d; intr.) ('to come to mind') to ~ to (an idea ~red to her) occurrence n. a common, daily, regular; unusual ocean n. 1. across the ~ (to fly across the ~) 2. in the ~ o'clock adv. at (ten) ~ odd adj. 1. ~ to + int. (it was ~ of her to do that) 2. ~ that + clause (it's ~ that she is not at home) odds n. ['allowance designed to equalize a bettor's chances'] 1. to give, lay ~ 2. to accept, take ~ 3. to buck ('oppose') the ~ ['disadvantages'] 4. to beat the ~ 5. considerable, formidable, great, heavy, hopeless, long, overwhelming ~ 6. ~ against (all the ~ were against us) 7. against ~ (to struggle against formidable ~) ['advantages'] 8. ~ in favor of ['disagreement'] 9. at ~ over; with ['possibility'] 10. the ~ that + clause (what are the ~ that they will show up?) ['misc.'] 11. by all ~ ('without question'); ~ and ends ode n. 1. to compose an ~ 2. an ~ to (an ~ to joy) odious adj. ~ to odor, odour n. ['smell'] 1. to emit, exude, give off, produce an ~ 2. to perceive; recognize an ~ 3. a faint, slight; fetid, foul, rank, unpleasant; heavy; musty; pleasant; pungent, strong ~ 4. an ~ emanates from ['repute'] (BE) 5. in bad; good ~ off adv. ['situated'] 1. comfortably; well ~ ['not exact'] 2. far, way (esp. AE) ~ 3. ~ in (he's way ~ in his calculations) off-balance adj., adv. caught ~ offend v. to ~ deeply, gravely offender n. a chronic; first ~ oflfense, offence n. ['infraction'] 1. to commit an ~ 2. a minor, petty, trivial; serious ~ 3. a capital; impeachable; indictable ~ 4. an ~ against ['feeling of outrage'] 5. to take ~ at (she takes ~ at every remark) ['insult'] (formal) 6. to give ~ offensive I adj. 1. ~ to (his actions were ~ to everyone) 2. ~ to + inf. (it's ~ to read such things in the newspaper) II n. 1. to assume, go over to, take the ~ 2. to launch, mount an ~ 3. (usu. mil.) to carry out, undertake an ~ 4. to break off an ~ 5. an economic; military; peace ~ 6. on the ~ offer I n. 1. to make an ~ 2. to accept, agree to; consider an ~ 3. to decline, refuse, reject, spurn an ~ 4. to withdraw an ~ 5. a firm; reasonable; tempting; tentative ~ 6. an introductory; job; trial ~ 7. an ~ to + inf. (her ~ to help was accepted gratefully) 8. (BE) on ~ ('available') II v. 1. (A) she ~ed the job to me; or; she ~ed me the job 2. (D; refl., tr.) to ~ as (the money was ~ed as an inducement) 3. (E) they ~ed to compromise offering n. 1. to make an ~ 2. a burnt; peace; sacrificial ~ 3. an ~ to offer up v. (d; tr.) to ~ as (to ~ as a sacrifice) office n. ['function'] ['place where a function is performed'] 1. to assume (an) ~ 2. to hold; take ~ 3. to seek (public) ~ 4. (pol.) to run for (AE), stand for (BE) ~ 5. to resign from (an) ~ 6. (pol.) (an) appointive; elective; high; public ~ 7. a branch; head, home, main ~ 8. a booking; box, ticket; business; dead-letter; dentist's (AE); doctor's (AE); lawyer's; left-luggage (BE); lost-and-found (AE), lost property (BE); met (BE), meteorological (BE); patent; post; printing ~ 9. at, in an ~ (she works at our ~) 10. (pol.) in; out of ~ (our party is out of ~) ['ministry'] (BE) 11. the Foreign; Home ~ ['misc.'] 12. smb.'s good ~s ('smb.'s services as a mediator') USAGE NOTE; In North America, doctors and dentists have offices; in Great Britain, they have surgeries. officer n. ['person holding a certain rank in the armed forces'] 1. to commission an ~ 2. to promote an ~ 3. to break, demote; dismiss an ~ 4. a commissioned; non-commissioned; petty; warrant ~ 5. a commanding; company-grade (AE); field-grade (AE); flag; general; high-ranking; line; senior; staff; top-ranking ~ 6. an air-force; army; military; naval ~ 7. a duty; executive; intelligence; liaison; line; public- relations; staff ~; ~ of the day; ~ of the deck ['person holding a position of authority'] 8. a correctional (AE); executive; juvenile; medical; peace, police; personnel; probation; public-relations; revenue (BE); senior nursing (BE); truant (AE) ~ official n. 1. a high, high-ranking, top-ranking; responsible ~ 2. an appointed; elected ~ 3. a church; city; county; customs; federal (US); government; health; law-enforcement, police; local; postal; public; state ~ officiate v. (D; intr.) to ~ at (to ~ at a ceremony) offing n. in the ~ ('forthcoming') offspring n. to produce ~ ogle v. (d; intr.) to ~ at oil n. 1. to drill for; hit, strike ~ 2. to pump ~ 3. to produce; refine ~ 4. crude; refined ~ 5. household; lubricating; machine; motor ~ 6. castor; coconut; cod-liver; cooking; corn; cottonseed; linseed; mineral; olive; palm; peanut; poppyseed; safflower; salad; sardine; sunflower; vegetable ~ 7. coal ~ ('kerosene-AE, paraffin-BE'); shale ~ 8. a film of ~ 9. (misc.) to bum the midnight ~ ('to work very late at night'); ~ and water do not mix oils n. to paint in ~ ointment n. 1. to apply, rub in, rub on an ~ 2. a skin ~ OK I adj. (colloq.) ~ to + inf. (it is ~ to bring your lunch with you) II n. (colloq.) ['approval'] 1. to give one's ~ 2. to get the ~ 3. the ~ to + inf. (we got the ~ to continue) old age n. to live to a ripe ~ olive branch n. ['symbol of peace'] to extend, hold out, offer the ~ Olympic Games n. to hold the ~ omelet n. 1. to make an ~ 2. a cheese; mushroom; plain; Spanish; Western ~ omen n. 1. a bad; good ~ 2. an ~ for omission n. 1. to correct, rectify an ~ 2. a glaring ~ 3. (misc.) sins of ~ omit v. (E) (BE) he ~ted to explain why he had been late once adv. at ~ one determiner, pronoun 1. ~ by ~ 2. ~ of (~ of them; ~ of the students) ooze v. 1. (d; intr.) to ~ from, out of; into (blood was ~ing from the wound) 2. (d; intr.) to ~ with (to ~ with charm) open I adj. 1. ~ for (~ for business) 2. (cannot stand alone) ~ to (~ to the public; I'm ~ to suggestions) 3. (misc.) to lay oneself ~ to criticism; to bring smt. out into the ~ II v. 1. to ~ wide 2. (D; intr., tr.) to ~ by, with (we ~ed our meeting by singing a song; we ~ed our meeting with a song) 3. (D; tr.) to ~ for (to ~ new land for development) 4. (D; tr.) to ~ to (they ~ed their meetings to the public) 5. (N; used with an adjective) ~ your mouth wide opener n. ['device that opens'] 1. a bottle; can (AE), tin (BE) ~ 2. a letter ~ (AE; BE has paper knife) open house n. to have, hold an ~ opening n. ['vacancy'] 1. an ~ for (we have an ~ for an engineer) ['putting into operation'] 2. a grand ~ (the grand ~ of a new supermarket) open season n. an ~ on (an ~ on deer) open up v. (D; intr., tr.) to ~ to (the government has ~ed up the files to the public; he finally ~ed up to the press) opera n. 1. to perform, stage an ~ 2. (a) comic; grand; light ~ 3. a soap ~ 4. a horse ~ ('western film') 5. at the ~ operate v. 1. (d; intr.) to ~ against (their troops were ~ing against the guerrillas) 2. (med.) (D; intr.) to ~ for; on (the surgeon ~d on her for appendicitis; she was ~d on for appendicitis) operating system n. to boot up; reboot the ~ (of a computer) operation n. ['surgical procedure'] 1. to perform an ~ 2. to have, undergo an ~ 3. an exploratory; major; minor ~ 4. an ~ for (an ~ for the removal of gallstones) ['military activity, movement'] 5. to conduct; launch an ~ 6. guerrilla; joint; large-scale; mine-sweeping; mopping-up ~s ['state of being functional'] 7. to put into ~ (the plant has been put into ~) 8. in ~ (the factory is in ~) ['project'] 9. a cloak-and-dagger, covert, secret; rescue; sting (AE) ~ operations n. 1. to conduct ~ 2. drilling; joint; military; mining; offensive; salvage ~ 3. (mil.) a theater of ~ operator n. 1. a computer; crane; elevator (AE); ham, radio; machine (AE); radar; switchboard (AE), telephone (AE); tour ~ 2. (colloq.) a slick, smooth ~ opinion n. 1. to air, express, give, offer, pass, state, venture, voice an ~ 2. to form an ~ about (I still have not formed an ~ about the candidates) 3. to mold (public) ~ 4. to entertain, have, hold an ~ 5. (legal) (AE) to hand down an ~ (the court handed down an ~) 6. a conflicting; considered; dissenting; frank, honest; informed; negative; opposing; personal; positive; prevailing, prevalent; strong ~ (she has strong ~s about everything) 7. a high; low ~ of (he has a high ~ of himself) 8. (an) expert; lay ~ 9. public ~ 10. a second ~ (as given by a doctor) 11. shades of ~ 12. an ~ about, on 13. the ~ that + clause (she expressed her ~ that a compromise would be reached) 14. in smb.'s ~ (in my humble ~) 15. of an ~ (she is of the ~ that nothing will help) opponent n. 1. a formidable, strong; weak ~ 2. (ironical) my worthy ~ opportunity n. 1. to grab, seize, take an ~ 2. to afford, give, offer an ~ 3. to find; have an ~ 4. to lose an ~ 5. a fleeting; lost. missed ~ 6. (AE) equal ~ ('government policy of giving all citizens an equal chance') 7. an ~ for 8. an ~ to + inf. (we had an ~ to visit our parents) 9. (misc.) ~ knocks ('appears') oppose v. 1. to ~ resolutely, strongly, vehemently 2. (K) I ~d his dropping out of college opposed adj. 1. diametrically; strongly, vehemently ~ 2. ~ to opposite I adj. (BE) ~ to USAGE NOTE: When opposite means 'facing', it can be an adjective in BE ~ her house is opposite to ours. More usu., opposite is used as a preposition in both BE and AE ~ her house is opposite ours. When opposite means 'diametrically opposed', it is used only in BE as an adjective--her opinions are opposite to ours. II n. 1. a direct ~ 2. an ~ of, to 3. (misc.) ~s attract opposition n. 1. to arouse, stir up ~ 2. to offer, put up ~ 3. to crush, overcome ~ 4. to come across, meet, run up against ~ 5. (ling.) to neutralize an ~ 6. determined, fierce, stiff, strong, unbending, unyielding, vehement ~ 7. ~ to (~ to new taxes) 8. against, despite, in spite of, over (the) ~ (we adopted the resolution over the ~ of the other party) 9. in ~ to oppression n. under ~ (to live under ~) opt v. 1. (d; intr.) to ~ for 2. (rare) (E) they ~ed to decline the invitation optimism n. 1. to display, show; express ~ 2. incurable, unflagging ~ 3. ~ about, over optimist n. an incurable ~ optimistic adj. 1. cautiously; incurably ~ 2. ~ about, over 3. ~ that + clause (we are ~ that the results will be favorable) option n. 1. to exercise an ~ 2. an exclusive; first ~ 3. a local ~ (of a political subdivision) 4. a stock ~ 5. an ~ on 6. an ~ to + inf. (they had an ~ to buy the team) 7. (misc.) to have no ~ but to... oracle n. ['authority'] to consult an ~ orange n. 1. a mandarin; navel ~ 2. (misc.) to squeeze an ~ oration n. 1. to deliver an ~ 2. a funeral ~ oratory n. 1. eloquent; inflammatory, mob, rabble-rousing ~ 2. campaign ~ orbit n. 1. to make an ~ around, of, round (the spaceship made five ~s of the moon) 2. in; into ~ (to put a satellite into ~) orchard n. an apple; cherry; peach ~ orchestra n. 1. to conduct, direct, lead (esp. AE) an ~ 2. a chamber; dance; philharmonic, symphony; pops; string ~ ordain v. (formal) 1. (L; subj.) the emperor ~ed that all foreigners be expelled 2. (N; used with a noun) he was ~ed priest ordeal n. 1. to undergo an ~ 2. a terrible, trying ~ 3. (an) ~ by fire; water order I n. ['request for merchandise or services'] 1. to give, place, put in; make out, write out an ~ 2. to fill; take an ~ (has the waiter taken your ~?) 3. to cancel an ~ 4. a prepublication; rush; shipping; side (esp. AE); standing ~ 5. (new) ~s are falling off 6. on ~ (the merchandise is on ~) 7. to ~ (made to ~) 8. (misc.) a tall ~ to fill ('a difficult task to carry out') ['command'] 9. to give, hand down (AE), issue an ~ 10. to carry out, execute an ~; to obey, take ~s 11. to cancel, countermand, rescind, revoke; violate an ~ 12. a direct; executive ~ 13. doctor's; marching; sealed; verbal; written ~s 14. an ~ to + inf. (we received an ~ to attack) 15. an ~ that + clause; subj. (headquarters issued an ~ that the attack be/should be resumed) 16. by smb.'s ~ (by whose ~ was this done?) 17. under ~s (we were under ~s to remain indoors) ['court decree'] 18. to issue an ~ 19. an affiliation (BE); cease-and-desist; court; gag; maintenance (BE), support (AE); restraining ~ ['association, group'] 20. a cloistered; Masonic; mendicant; monastic; secret ~ ['system'] 21. an economic; pecking; social ~ (he's at the bottom of the pecking ~) ['proper procedure'] 22. a point of ~ 23. in ~; out of ~ (the senator was out of ~) 24. to call a meeting to ~ ['state of peace'] 25. to establish; maintain; restore ~ ['state in which everything is in its proper place or condition'] 26. good, shipshape ~ 27. in; out of ~ (everything is in good ~; this machine is out of ~ again) ['condition'] 28. working ~ (in working ~) ['sequence'] 29. alphabetical; chronological; numerical ~ 30. in; out of ~ (in ~ of importance; in alphabetical ~; these entries are out of ~) ['military formation'] 31. close; extended; open ~ ['instructions to pay'] 32. a money, postal (BE) ~ ['misc.'] 33. law and ~; a new ~; an old ~ II v. 1. (C)~ a copy for me; or: ~ me a copy 2. (D; tr.) to ~ from (to ~ merchandise from a mail-order house) 3. (d; tr.) to ~ from, out of (she ~ed him out of the house) 4. (d; tr.) to ~ off (the referee ~ed the player off the field) 5. (H) the sergeant ~ed his platoon to fall in 6. (L; subj.) the mayor ~ed that free food be/should be distributed 7. (esp. AE) (N; used with a past participle) the judge ~ed the prisoner transferred to the county jail 8. (misc.) the doctor ~ed her to bed orders n. ['ordination'] to receive (holy) ~ ordinance n. ['local law'] 1. to adopt, enact, pass; issue an ~ 2. to apply, enforce an ~ 3. to obey, observe an ~ 4; to repeal, rescind, revoke an ~ 5. a city, municipal; township ~ 6. an ~ that + clause; subj. (the town issued an ~ that all dogs be/should be muzzled) ordnance n. naval ~ ore n. copper; iron ~ organ n. ['part of the body'] 1. body; major; reproductive; sense, sensory; sexual; speech; vital ~s ['large wind instrument'] 2. to play the ~ 3. a barrel; electronic; hand; pipe; reed ~ ['periodical'] 4. a government; official; party ~ organism n. 1. a dead; healthy; living ~ 2. a deadly; harmful; infectious ~ 3. microorganisms; minute ~s organization n. 1. to establish, form an ~ 2. to disband, dissolve an ~ 3. a charitable, philanthropic; civic, community; government; health-maintenance (AE); international; local; national; nonprofit, not-for-profit (AE); official; professional; profit- making, proprietary; religious; state; student; UN; voluntary; women's; youth ~ 4. a front ~ for orgasm n. to achieve ~; to have, reach an ~ orgy n. 1. to engage in, stage an ~ 2. a drunken ~ Orient n. in the ~ orient, orientate v. (D; refl., tr.) to ~ to (to ~ oneself to one's surroundings) orientation n. ['introduction'] 1. to give, offer smb. (an) ~ to 2. to get, go through, receive (an) origin n. 1. in ~ (the documents were Norse in ~) 2. of ~ (she is of humble ~; the fire was of undetermined ~) original n. in the ~ (to read a text in the ~) originality n. 1. to display, show ~ 2. ~ in originate v. (d; intr.) to ~ from; in; with (the idea ~d with her) orphan n. 1. to be left an ~ 2. a war ~ orthodoxy n. strict ~ oscillate v. (D; intr.) to ~ between osmosis n. by ~ (to absorb by ~) other adj. ['second'] every ~ (I jog every ~ day) ought v. (E) you ~ to help oust v. (D; tr.) to ~ from out adj.., adv. ['unconscious'] 1. ~ cold ('completely unconscious') ['intent on'] 2. ~ to + inf. (she is ~ to get revenge) ['gone'] 3. ~ to (~ to lunch) ['misc.'] 4. over and ~ (used at the end of a radio message); to turn smt. inside ~; down and ~ ('destitute') outage n. (AE) ['failure'] a power ~ outburst n. an angry; furious; spontaneous; sudden; violent ~ outcome n. 1. to decide the (final) ~ of 2. (AE) to measure ~s ('to evaluate results') outcry n. 1. to make, raise an ~ 2. a public ~ 3. an ~ against; for outgrowth n. a direct ~ outing n. to go on an ~ outlay n. ['spending of money'] 1. to make ~s for 2. a capital; huge; large; modest; small ~ outlet n. ['passage'] 1. an ~ to (an ~ to the sea) ['means of expression'] 2. to find an ~ for (to find an ~ for one's emotions) 3. to provide an ~ for ['retail store'] 4. a factory ~ outline I n. 1. to draw up, make an ~ 2. a bare; broad, general; rough ~ 3. in ~ (to draw in ~; to present a project in broad ~) II v. 1. (B) they ~d the project to us 2. (d; tr.) to ~ against (the ship was ~d against the horizon) outlook n. ['viewpoint'] 1. to have an ~ on (she has a healthy ~ on life) 2. a healthy; negative, pessimistic; optimistic, positive ~ ['prospects'] 3. a bright; dismal, gloomy ~ 4. the long-range, long-term; short-range, short-term ~ 5. an ~ for (the ~ for the future is bright) outpost n. a military ~ output n. 1. to increase, step up ~ 2. to curtail, cut back, reduce ~ 3. annual; daily; monthly ~ outrage n. 1. to express; feel ~ 2. to spark (AE), spark off (BE), stir up ~ 3. an ~ against (an ~ against public morality) 4. an ~ to + inf. (it was an ~ to take innocent civilians hostage) 5. an ~ that + clause (it was an ~ that her name was omitted) outrageous adj. 1. ~ to + inf. (it's ~ to permit such behavior) 2. ~ that + clause (it's ~ that such practices are allowed) outs n. (colloq.) to be on the ~ with smb. ('to be on bad terms with smb.') outset n. at; from the ~ outsider n. a rank ~ outskirts n. on the ~ (of a city) outspoken adj. ~ in (~ in their opposition to new taxes) outstanding adj. ~ in (~ in scientific achievement) outward adv. ~ bound ovation n. 1. to get, receive an ~ 2. a standing; thunderous, tremendous ~ 3. to an ~ (they walked out on the stage to a thunderous ~) oven n. 1. to light, turn on an ~ 2. to turn off an ~ 3. an electric; gas; microwave; self-cleaning ~ over adj. ['finished'] ~ between; with (it's all ~ between them) overboard adv. 1. to fall-2. (misc.) man-! to go ~ over smt. ('to carry smt. to excess') overdose I n. a fatal, lethal ~ II v. (D; intr.) to ~ on (to ~ on a medication) overflow v. (D; intr.) to -into (the mob ~ed into the street) overgrown adj. ~ with overhaul I n. ['repairs'] a complete; major; thorough ~ (our car needs a major ~) II v. to ~ completely; thoroughly overindulgence n. ~ in overjoyed adj. ~ to + inf. (we were ~ to learn of the good news) overpass n. (esp. AE) an ~ over (an ~ over a road) (BE has flyover) overrated adj. vastly ~ overrun adj. ~ with (~ with weeds) overseas adv. to go ~ oversight n. 1. an ~ that + clause (it was through an ~ that you were not invited) 2. by, through an ~ (her name was omitted through an ~) overtime n. 1. to earn; work ~ 2. (sports) a sudden-death ~ overtones n. political; racial ~ overture n. ['musical introduction'] 1. to compose; perform, play an ~ 2. an ~ to ['introductory proposal'] 3. to make an ~; to make ~s to 4. to spurn smb.'s ~s owe v. 1. (A) she ~s ten dollars to her sister; or; she ~s her sister ten dollars (the to is usu. not used when the indirect object is a pronoun: she owes her ten dollars) 2. (D; tr.) to ~ for (we still ~ one hundred dollars for the car) owing adj. ~ to owl n. ~shoot own n. and pronoun 1. to hold one's ~ ('to continue to survive') 2. to come into one's ~ ('to receive recognition') 3. on one's ~ ('independently') 4. of one's ~ (for reasons of one's ~) ('for one's own reasons') owner n. 1. a part ~ 2. the lawful, rightful ~ ownership n. communal; joint; private; public; state ~ own up v. (colloq. )(D; intr.) ('to confess') to ~ to (he ~ed up to stealing the watch) ox n. 1. oxen bellow 2. a pair; team; yoke of oxen 3. (misc.) as strong as an ~ oxygen n. 1. to administer ~; to give smb. ~ 2. to get, receive ~ 3. liquid ~ pace I n. ['rate of movement'] 1. to set the ~ 2. to keep ~ with 3. to change ~; to slacken the ~ 4. a brisk, fast, rapid; even, steady; frantic, hectic; grueling, killing ~ 5. a slack, slow, sluggish; snail's ('extremely slow') ~ 6. at a certain ~ (at a fast ~) 7. off the ~ 8. (misc.) a change of ~ (also fig.) ('step'] (esp. mil.) 9. to take a ~ (to take three ~s forward) ['misc.'] 10. to put smb. through the ~s ('to subject smb. to a test of skill') II v. (P; intr.) she was ~ing back and forth pacemaker n. (med.) to insert a ~ pacifier n. (AE) to suck on a ~ (BE has dummy) pack I n. ['deck of playing cards'] 1. to cut; shuffle a ~ ['load, bundle'] 2. a back; full field (mil.); parachute ~ ['mass'] 3. an ice ~ II v. 1. (C) ~ a sandwich for me; or; ~ me a sandwich 2. (d; intr.) to ~ into (they all ~ed into the auditorium) 3. (D; tr.) to ~ into (I ~ed everything into one suitcase) 4. (N; used with an adjective) ~ everything tight package n. 1. to deliver a ~ 2. to mail (esp. AE), post (BE); send; unwrap; wrap a ~ 3. a bulky; neat ~ 4. (misc.) a ~ deal packaging n. tamper-proof; tamper-resistant ~ packed adj. 1. loosely; tightly ~ 2. vacuum ~ packer n. a meat ~ packet n. a pay ~ (BE; AE has pay envelope) packing n. ['act of packing'] to do the ~ pack off v. (D; tr.) to ~ to (to ~ the children off to camp) pact n. 1. to agree to. make; sign a ~ 2. to denounce a ~ 3. a formal; informal ~ 4. a defense; mutual-assistance; nonagression; trade ~ 5. a ~ to + inf. (we had a ~ not to reveal the facts of the case) 6. a ~ that + clause (the two governments signed a ~ that they would jointly defend their borders) pad n. ['cushion'] 1. a heating; heel; knee; shoulder ~ ['piece of material'] 2. a gauze; quilted; scouring ~ ['connected sheets of paper'] 3. a scratch; writing ~ ['airstrip'] 4. a helicopter; launch, launching ~ ['one's residence'] (slang) 5. at one's ~ paean n. (lit.) ['hymn of praise'] 1. to sing a ~ 2. a ~ to (to sing a ~ to smb.'s glory) page I n. ['leaf of a book, journal, newspaper'] 1. to turn a ~ 2. to turn down a ~ 3. to cite a (volume and) ~ 4. to set a ~ (in type) 5. a title ~ (in a book) 6. an amusement; editorial; society; sports ~ (in a newspaper) 7. (misc.) you will not find a dull ~ in the whole book; a glorious ~ in our history; it reads like a ~ from real life ['one side of a sheet of paper'] 8. a blank ~ II n. ['youth who serves'] 1. (BE) a hotel ~ 2. (US) a congressional ~ III v. to ~ smb. over a loudspeaker pageant n. a beauty; colorful ~ paid adj. highly, well ~ pail n. a garbage (AE); ice; lunch; milk ~ pain I n. ['sensation of suffering'] 1. to cause ~ 2. to inflict ~ on 3. to bear, endure, stand, take ~ (she cannot stand any ~) 4. to feel. experience. suffer ~ (she experienced constant ~) 5. to allay, alleviate, dull, ease, kill, relieve, soothe ~ 6. (an) acute, excruciating, great, intense, maddening, piercing, severe, sharp ~ 7. (a) chronic, constant, gnawing, persistent, steady; dull; intractable, stubborn; nagging; referred; shooting; slight; stabbing; sudden; throbbing ~ 8. (a) back; chest; physical (he felt sharp chest ~s and went to see the doctor) 9. ~ appears; disappears, wears off 10. a spasm; stab; twinge of ~ 11. in ~ (to be in chronic ~) ['penalty'] 12. on, under, upon ~ of (mass meetings were forbidden on ~ of death) ['bother'] 13. (colloq.) a ~ to + inf. (it's a ~ to get up so early in the morning = it's a ~ getting up so early in the morning) II v. 1. to ~ badly, deeply 2. (R) it ~ed me to watch them quarrel; it ~ed me that he did not keep his promise pained adj. (cannot stand alone) ~ to + inf. (I was ~ to learn of his refusal to help) painful adj. 1. ~ to 2. ~ to + inf. (it's ~ to read of such things) pains n. ['trouble'] 1. to go to, spare no, take ~ to + inf. (she took great ~ to get her message across) ['physical suffering'] 2. (med.) labor ~ 3. growing paint I n. 1. to apply, spread ~ (to apply ~ to a surface; to spread ~ evenly) 2. to spray ~ (to spray ~ on a wall) 3. to daub ~ (to daub ~ on a wall) 4. to dilute ~ 5. to mix ~s 6. to scrape ~ 7. exterior; flat; floor; house; latex; lead-based; metallic; oil-based; wall ~ 8. grease; war ~ 9. wet ~! 10. ~ chips; peels 11. a blob, speck; splash of ~ 12. a coat of ~ (to apply a second coat of ~) 13. a set of (oil) ~s II v. 1. (usu. D; C occurs occ.) to ~ for (she ~ed a beautiful portrait for us) 2. (d; intr.) to ~ in (to ~ in oils) 3. (J) the artist ~ed her strolling through her garden 4. (N: used with an adjective) to ~ a house white 5. (misc.) to ~ the town red ('to go on a binge') painter n. 1. a house; sign ~ 2. a landscape; portrait ~ painting n. 1. to do; restore a ~ 2. to authenticate a ~ 3. a finger; oil; water-color ~ 4. a ~ depicts, portrays, shows (smt.) pair n. (ling.) a minimal ~ pair off v. (D; intr., tr.) to ~ with pair up v. (D; intr., tr.) to ~ with pajamas, pyjamas n. a pair of ~ pal n. a pen ~ (BE also has pen friend) palace n. an imperial; presidential (not US); royal palatable adj. ~ to palate n. 1. a cleft; perforated ~ 2. the hard; soft ~ 3. (misc.) to tickle the ~ ('to be very tasty') pale I adj. ['devoid of color'] 1. deathly ~ 2. to go, turn ~ 3. ~ with (rage) II v. 1. (d; intr.) ('to become devoid of color') to ~ at ('to ~ at the sight of blood') 2. (d; intr.) ('to become less important') to ~ before, beside (everything ~d before the possibility of war) 3. (d; intr.) ('to fade') to ~ into (to ~ into insignificance) III n. ['prescribed area'] beyond, outside the pall I n. ['blanket of gloom'] to cast a ~ over II v. (D; intr.) ('to become less attractive') to ~ on, upon (her constant preaching began to ~ on everyone) palm I n. ['part of the hand'] 1. to read smb.'s ~ ('to tell smb.'s fortune') 2. (misc.) to have an itching ~ ('to have a great desire for money, bribes'); to grease smb.'s ~ ('to bribe smb.') II n. a potted; royal ~ palm off v. 1. (D; tr.) to ~ as (he ~ed off the copy as an original) 2. (D; tr.) to ~ on (to ~ inferior merchandise on smb.) palpable adj. ~ to palsy n. cerebral ~ pan I n. 1. to grease a ~ 2. a baking; cake; frying ~ 3. (misc.) to scour pots and ~s II v. (d; intr.) to ~ for (to ~ for gold) panacea n. 1. to find a ~ 2. a universal ~ 3. a ~ for panache n. (with) great ~ pancake n. 1. to make a ~ 2. (misc.) as flat as a ~ pandemonium n. to cause, create, stir up ~ pander v. (d; intr.) to ~ to (to ~ to the worst elements in society) panegyric n. to deliver a ~ panel n. ['board'] 1. a control, instrument ~ ['group that discusses or investigates a topic'] 2. to select a ~ 3. to serve on a ~ 4. an impartial ~ 5. an advisory; consumer; fact-finding; government ~ 6. a ~ on (a ~ on drug addiction) panel discussion n. to hold; lead, moderate a ~ paneling, panelling n. wood ~ pangs n. 1. birth ~ 2. ~ of conscience; hunger (she felt ~ of conscience) panic I n. 1. to cause, create; spread ~ 2. to feel ~ at (they felt ~ at the thought of leaving their family) 3. to avert, prevent ~ 4. ~ spreads; subsides 5. in a ~ over II v. (D; intr.) to ~ at (to ~ at the outbreak of fire) panic button n. to press, push the ~ panicky adj. to get ~ over pant v. (D; intr.) to ~ for (to ~ for breath) pants n. l. (esp. AE) see trousers 2. ski; sweat ~ paper n. ['lecture, treatise'] ['essay'] 1. to deliver, give, offer, present, read a ~ 2. to publish; write a ~ 3. (in a school, at a university) to do, write; hand in a ~ (the pupils did a ~ on the problem of air pollution; the students were required to hand in their ~s by the end of the semester) 4. an invited; position; term; test ~ 5. a ~ about, on 6. a ~ for (I had to do a ~ for my history course) ['document'] 7. a green (BE); white ~ ['negotiable instruments'] 8. commercial; negotiable ~ ['material made from wood pulp'] 9. to recycle (scrap) ~ 10. blank; blotting; bond; carbon; cigarette; filter; glossy; graph; lined; litmus; manila; scrap; scratch (esp. AE); tar; tissue; toilet; tracing; typing; wax, waxed; wrapping; writing ~ 11. (misc.) a ream of ~ ['sheet of writing material'] 12. to line ~ 13. a piece, sheet; scrap of ~ 14. on ~ ('in written form') ['newspaper'] 15. to get a ~ out, publish a ~ 16. a school; trade ~ (see also newspaper) papers n. ['documents'] 1. to show one's ~ 2. (US) to take out first ~ ('to begin the process of becoming a naturalized citizen') 3. first (US); naturalization; second (US); ship's; working ~ ['school-work'] 4. to correct, grade (esp. AE), mark ~ ['articles sent by mail'] 5. printed ~ (BE; CE has printed matter) par n. ['nominal value'] 1. at ~ ['common level'] 2. on a ~ with ['average'] 3. above, over; below ~ 4. up to ~ (to feel up to ~) parachute jump n. to make a ~ parade I n. 1. to have, hold, stage a ~ 2. a church (BE); identification (BE; AE has police lineup); inaugural; military; sick (BE; AE has sick call); ticker-tape ~ II v. (P; intr.) to ~ in front of an audience parade rest n. at ~ (the platoon was at ~) paradise n. an earthly ~ paradox n. a ~ that + clause (it's a ~ that such good friends cannot work together) paradoxical adj. ~ that + clause (it's ~ that we feel cold in warm weather) parallel I adj. ~ to, with II n. 1. to draw a ~ between; with 2. to find ~s among, between 3. a striking ~ 4. (misc.) without ~ (in history) paralysis n. 1. complete; creeping; partial ~ 2. infantile ~ paramount adj. ~ over paranoid adj. ~ about paratroops n. to commit, deploy; drop ~ parcel n. 1. to deliver a ~ 2. to address; mail (esp. AE), post (BE); send a ~ 3. to get, receive a ~ 4. to open, unwrap; wrap a ~ parcel out v. (B) she ~ed out the work to us pardon I n. 1. to grant a ~ 2. to beg smb.'s ~ 3. a full ~ II v. (D; tr.) to ~ smb. for pare down v. (D; tr.) to ~ to (to ~ expenses to the minimum) parent n. 1. to obey one's ~s 2. a loving; permissive; unfit ~ 3. an adoptive; foster; natural; single ~; stepparent parentheses n. (esp. AE; BE prefers brackets) 1. to put smt. in, into ~ 2. between, in ~ parenthood n. planned ~ parity n. ['equality'] 1. to achieve, attain, establish ~ 2. ~ among, between ['equivalence in value'] 3. at ~ park n. 1. to lay out a ~ 2. an amusement; city; national; public; state ~ 3. a caravan (BE), trailer (AE); theme ~ 4. a car ~ (BE; AE has parking lot) 5. (BE) a coach ~ 6. an industrial ~ (AE; BE has industrial estate) parlay v. (d; tr.) ('to convert') to ~ into (to ~ a small investment into a fortune) parley I n. to hold a ~ with II v. (D; intr.) to ~ with parliament n. 1. to convene, convoke (a) ~ 2. to adjourn; disband, dissolve (a) ~ 3. a bicameral; national; provincial; unicameral ~ 4. a rump ~ 5. a ~ adjourns; convenes, meets; disbands 6. a house of ~ 7. in ~ (to sit in ~) 8. (misc.) to stand for (BE) ~; a member of ~ (in GB abbreviated as MP) USAGE NOTE: In Great Britain, the Queen or King opens (a session of) Parliament. After the State Opening, Parliament is in session. Parliament sits until the session is over and then it rises. parlor, parlour n. 1. a beauty; funeral; massage ~ 2. a sun ~ (AE; BE has sun lounge) USAGE NOTE: The services offered by a massage parlor are often sexual rather than therapeutic. parody n. 1. to compose a ~ 2. a ~ of.on parole I n. ['conditional release from prison'] 1. to grant a ~ 2. to violate (one's) ~ 3. early ~ 4. on ~ (to release smb. on ~) II v. (D; tr.) to ~ from (to ~ smb. from prison) part I n. ['share'] 1. to do one's ~ ['viewpoint, position'] 2. for, on one's ~ (for my ~, I will say no more) ['participation'] 3. to take ~ in 4. an active ~ ['role'] 5. to play a ~ (to play the ~ of Hamlet) 6. to act; look the ~ 7. to learn, memorize, study one's ~; to understudy a ~ 8. a bit; leading, major; speaking; walk-on ~ (she had a bit ~ in the play) ['element, portion'] 9. to spend a ~ of (they spent the major ~ of their life in England) 10. an essential; important, significant; insignificant, minor, small; large, major ~ 11. the (a) better ('greater'); good ('large') ~ (the better ~ of an hour) 12. a component, constituent, integral ~ 13. for the most ~ ('mostly') 14. in ~ ('partly'); (in great ~) ['component of a machine'] 15. a defective ~ 16. automobile (AE), motorcar (BE); spare ~s ['division'] 17. in ~s (a story in five ~s) ['side'] 18. to take smb.'s ~ (in a dispute) 19. (legal) of a ~ (the party of the first ~) ['dividing line in hair'] (AE; BE has parting) 20. to make a ~ (in one's hair) ['physical organ'] 21. the private ~s ['area'] 22. a remote ~ (in a remote ~ of the country) II v. 1. (D; intr.) to ~ as (to ~ as friends) 2. (d; intr., tr.) to ~ from (the children were ~ed from their parents) 3. (d; intr.) to ~ with (she hates to ~ with her money) partake v. (d; intr.) to ~ of (to ~ of food and drink) partial adj. (colloq.) ['fond of] (cannot stand alone) ~ to participant n. 1. an active; reluctant; willing ~ 2. a ~ in participate v. 1. to ~ actively 2. (D; intr.) to ~ in participation n. 1. active ~ 2. ~ in participle n. (grammar) an active; dangling (esp. AE), misrelated (BE); passive; past; perfect; present ~ particle n. 1. a dust; minute ~ 2. (physics) an alpha; elementary; subatomic ~ particular I adj. ~ about (~ about one's appearance) II n. ['detail'] 1. in every ~; in all ~s ['misc.'] 2. in ~ ('especially') partition v. (D; tr.) to ~ into (the area was ~ed into two countries) partner n. 1. an active; full; junior; senior ~ 2. a silent (AE), sleeping (BE) ~ 3. (boxing) a sparring ~ 4. (misc.) a ~ in (~s in crime) partnership n. 1. to form a ~ 2. to dissolve a ~ 3. a ~ between 4. a ~ in 5. in ~ with partridge n. a covey of ~s parts n. (grammar) the principal ~ (of a verb) party I adj. ['participating'] ~ to (~ to an arrangement) II n. ['social gathering'] 1. to arrange, give, have, throw; host a ~ for 2. to attend; crash a ~ 3. a birthday; Christmas; cocktail; coming-out; dinner; farewell; garden; going-away; lavish; New Year's Eve; pajama, slumber; singles; stag; surprise; tea ~ 4. a ~ breaks up (the ~ broke up at midnight) 5. at a ~ (we had a good time at the ~) ['political organization'] 6. to establish, form a ~ 7. to break up, disband, dissolve a ~ 8. a centrist; communist; conservative; labor; left-wing; liberal; majority; minority; political; populist; progressive; radical; reactionary; right-wing; ruling; socialist; splinter ~; the ~ in power ['participant'] ['litigant'] (legal) 9. an aggrieved; disinterested; innocent; third ~ 10. the interested ~ties 11. a ~ to (a lawsuit) 12. (misc.) the ~ of the first, second part ['group sent on a mission'] 13. a boarding; landing; raiding; rescue; search; stretcher; surveying ~ party line n. 1. to follow, hew to the ~ 2. to deviate from, veer from the ~ pass I n. ['permission'] ['leave of absence'] 1. to issue a ~ 2. to cancel, revoke a ~ 3. a ~ to (we got a ~ to town) 4. on ~ (they are in the city on ~) ['flight'] 5. to make a ~ (over a target) ['aggressive attempt to become friendly'] 6. to make a ~ (at smb.) ['transfer of a ball, puck'] 7. to complete; throw a ~ 8. to block; intercept a ~ 9. (Am. football) a forward; incomplete; lateral; touchdown ~ ['ticket'] 10. a free ~ 11. a ~ to (we got free ~es to the concert) ['misc.'] 12. things came to a pretty ~ ('the situation became very complicated') II v. 1. (A) ('to hand') ('to throw') ~ the sugar to me; or: ~ me the sugar; my teammate ~ed the ball to me; or my teammate ~ed me the ball 2. (D; intr.) to ~ as, for ('to be accepted as') (he can ~ as/for a Frenchman) 3. (d; intr.) to ~ between ('to be exchanged') (a significant look ~ed between them) 4. (d; intr.) ('to shift') to ~ from; to (to ~ from one subject to another) 5. (d; intr.) to ~ on, upon ('to judge') (to ~ on the merits of a case) 6. (D; tr.) ('to deliver') to ~ on, upon (the judge ~ed sentence on the accused; to ~ judgment on smb.) 7. (d; intr.) ('to go'); ('to fly') to ~ over (several planes ~ed over our house; to ~ over a bridge) 8. (d; intr.) to ~ over ('to disregard') (they ~ed over her when promotions were handed out) 9. (d; intr.) ('to go') to ~ through (she was just ~ing through town) 10. (d; tr.) ('to insert') to ~ through (he ~ed the cable through the loop) 11. (s) to ~ unnoticed 12. (misc.) (BE) to be ~ed fit for service III n. ['passage'] 1. to clear a ~ 2. to block a ~ 3. a mountain ~ 4. a ~ between; over; through (a ~ through the mountains) passage n. ['accommodations'] 1. to book ~ (on a ship) ['section'] 2. an obscure ~ (in a text) ['way, channel'] 3. to clear; force a ~ 4. a secret ~ ['channel in the body'] 5. nasal ~s 6. (BE) the back ~ ('the rectum') ['transition'] 7. a ~ from; to 8. (misc.) a rite of ~ ['trip'] 9. an outward ~ passageway n. a ~ between pass along v. (B) ~ the message along to the others pass around v. (B) ~ the chocolate around to the children pass down v. (B) to ~ a tradition down to the next generation passenger n. 1. to carry ~s (trains carry many ~s every day) 2. to pick up, take on ~s 3. to drop (off), leave off ~s 4. a first-class; second-class; steerage; tourist-class; transit ~ 5. a ~ for (~s for the next flight should go to the last gate) passing n. ['death'] 1. to mourn smb.'s ~ ['misc.'] 2. in ~ ('incidentally') passion n. 1. to arouse, excite, inflame, stir up ~ 2. to gratify, satisfy one's ~ 3. to curb, restrain one's ~ 4. animal, deep, frenzied, wild ~ 5. ~s run high 6. a ~ for (a ~ for gambling) 7. (misc.) to fly into a ~; his eyes blazed with ~ pass off v. (d; refl., tr.) to ~ as (he ~ed himself off as a doctor) pass on v. 1. (B) they ~ed the information on to us 2. (d; intr.) to ~ to (let's ~ to another topic) pass out v. (AE) (B) they ~ed the food out to all who came passport n. 1. to issue; renew a ~ 2. to apply for a ~ 3. to falsify, forge a ~ 4. to revoke a ~ 5. a diplomatic; Nansen ~ 6. a ~ expires 7. (fig.) a ~ to (a ~ to happiness) pass round see pass around password n. to give the ~ past n. ['time preceding the present'] 1. a checkered (AE), chequered (BE); dark, murky ~ 2. in the ~ 3. (misc.) to recapture the ~ paste n. to make, mix a ~ pastime n. the national ~ (in America the national ~ is baseball) pastry n. 1. to bake, make ~ 2. light; puff (BE) ~ 3. (a) Danish ~ pat I adj., adv. (colloq.) to stand ~ ('to refuse to change') II n. to give smb. a ~ (on the back) patch n. ['piece of material used to cover a hole'] 1. to sew on a ~ ['insignia'] 2. a shoulder ~ ['plot of ground'] (esp. AE) 3. a cabbage; potato ~ patent n. 1. to grant, issue a ~ 2. to apply for; obtain, take out a ~ 3. to hold a ~ 4. to infringe a ~ 5. ~ pending ('a patent has been applied for') 6. a ~ on (she took out a ~ on her invention) paternity n. to establish ~ path n. 1. to beat, blaze, clear, make a ~ (to clear a ~ through a jungle) 2. to cross smb.'s ~ 3. a beaten ~ 4. a bridle ~ 5. a ~ goes, leads somewhere 6. a ~ to (the ~ to success) 7. (misc.) to lead smb. up the garden ~ ('to deceive smb.'); to lead smb. down the primrose ~ ('to lead smb. in an ill-advised search for pleasure') pathetic adj. 1. ~ to + inf. (it was ~ to watch her condition deteriorate day by day) 2. ~ that + clause (it's ~ that he has sunk so low) pathway n. a ~ to patience n. ['quality of being patient'] 1. to display, show ~ 2. to tax, try smb.'s ~ 3. to lose one's ~; to run out of ~ 4. endless, inexhaustible, infinite ~ 5. one's ~ wears thin 6. ~ for; with (she has endless ~ with the children) 7. the ~ to + inf. (do you have the ~ to do this job?) 8. out of ~ with ['card game'] (BE) 9. to play ~ (AE has solitaire) patient I adj. ~ in; with II n. 1. to cure; handle; treat a ~ 2. to discharge a ~ (from a hospital) 3. an ambulatory; cardiac; comatose; hospital; mental; private ~ patriot n. an ardent, fervent; sincere ~ patriotism n. 1. to display, show ~ 2. (an) ardent, fervent, strong; sincere ~ patrol n. 1. a highway (AE), motorway (BE); military; police; reconnaissance ~ 2. (naval) a shore ~ 3. on ~ (they are out on ~) patron n. 1. a regular, steady ~ 2. (misc.) a ~ of the arts patronage n. political ~ patter v. (d; intr.) to ~ against, on (the rain was ~ing on the windows) pattern I n. 1. to establish, set a ~ 2. an intricate; overall; underlying ~ 3. a holding; traffic ~ (our plane was in a holding ~) 4. (ling.) an intonation; speech ~ 5. a behavior; personality ~ II v. (d; tr.) to ~ after, on, upon (we ~ed our road system on theirs) pause n. ['temporary stop'] 1. an awkward; long, prolonged; pregnant; short ~ 2. a ~ in ['reason or cause for hesitating'] 3. to give smb. ~ pavement n. ['paved surface'] 1. to tear up the ~ (in order to lay pipes) 2. the ~ buckles 3. (misc.) to pound the ~ ('to walk about aimlessly or with determination') USAGE NOTE: In BE, pavement also means 'sidewalk'. pawn n. a helpless ~ pay I n. 1. to draw, receive ~ 2. back; equal; incentive; mustering-out (mil.); overtime; severance (AE; BE has redundancy payment); retroactive; sick; strike; take-home ~ 3. ~ for (equal ~ for equal work) 4. in smb.'s ~ (he was in the ~ of the enemy) II v. 1. to ~ handsomely, highly, well 2. (A) she paid the money to me; or: she paid me the money 3. (D; intr.) to ~ by (to ~ by check) 4. (D; intr., tr.) to ~ for (have you paid for the book? I paid ten dollars for this record) 5. (D; intr., tr.) to ~ into (we have been ~ing into a pension fund; the money was paid into her account) 6. (d; intr., tr.) to ~ out of (she paid out of her own pocket) 7. (E) it doesn't ~ to economize on essentials 8. (H) he paid us to watch his house payable adj. 1. ~ to 2. (misc.) ~ at sight; ~ on demand pay back v. 1. (B) we must pay the money back to her 2. (D; tr.) to ~ for (she paid me back for the tickets) paycheck n. a monthly; weekly ~ pay dirt n. (colloq.) (AE) ['success'] to hit, strike payment n. 1. to make (a) ~ 2. to stop ~ (of, on a check) 3. to suspend ~s 4. a cash; down ('initial'); redundancy (BE; AE has severance pay); token ~ 5. (a) ~ for, on 6. in full ~ (of a bill) payoff n. to make a ~ pay out v. (B) the benefits have been paid out to the workers payroll n. 1. to meet (esp. AE) a ~ 2. a monthly; weekly ~ peace n. 1. to achieve, bring about ~ 2. to make ~ with 3. to negotiate (a) ~ with 4. to impose a ~ on 5. to keep the ~ 6. to break, disturb, shatter the ~ 7. a durable, lasting, permanent; fragile ~ 8. ~ reigns 9. at ~ with (we were at ~ with our neighbors) 10. in ~ (to live in ~) 11. (misc.) a breach of the ~; ~ and quiet; a ~ march peacetime n. in ~ peacock n. (misc.) as proud as a ~ peak n. 1. to reach a ~ 2. to scale the ~ (of a mountain) 3. at the ~ (at the ~ of her success) pearls n. 1. to string ~ 2. cultured; imitation; natural ~ 3. a string of ~ peas n. 1. split ~ 2. (misc.) as like as two ~ in a pod peck v. (d;intr.)to ~ at(to~ at one's food) pecker n. (colloq.) (BE) ['spirits'] ['courage'] to keep one's ~ up peculiar adj. 1. ~ to 2. ~ that + inf. (it's ~ that he never answers his phone) pedal n. 1. to depress, step on a ~ 2. a brake; clutch; gas (AE) ~ peddler, pedlar n. an influence; itinerant; smut ~ pedestal n. on a ~ ('held in high esteem') peek I n. to take a ~ II v. 1. (D; intr.) to ~ at; through (to ~ at smt. through a window) 2. (d; intr.) to ~ into (to ~ into the files) 3. (d; intr.) to ~ under (to ~ under the bed) peek in v. 1. (D; intr.) to ~ at 2. (misc.) she ~ed in from behind the bushes peek out v. 1. (D; intr.) to ~ at 2. (D; intr.) to ~ from behind (to ~ from behind the shades) 3. (D; intr.) to ~ from under (to ~ from under the bed) peel I n. a banana; lemon; potato ~ (see the Usage Note for rind) II v. (C) ~ a banana for me; or: ~ me a banana peep I n. ['sound'] 1. to let out a ~ 2. a ~ out of (we didn't hear a ~ out of him) II v. ('to look') 1.(D; intr.) to ~ at; through (to ~ at smb. through a keyhole) 2. (d; intr.) to ~ into (to ~ into smb.'s dossier) 3. (d; intr.) to ~ under (to ~ under the bed) peep out v. 1. (D; intr.) to ~ at 2. (D; intr.) to ~ from behind (to ~ from behind the blinds) 3. (D; intr.) to ~ from under (to ~ from under the bed) peer v. 1. (d; intr.) to ~ at; through (to ~ at smb. through a window) 2. (d; intr.) to ~ into (to ~ into smb.'s eyes) peerage n. (GB) to raise smb. to the ~ peer out v. 1. (D; intr.) to ~ at 2. (D; intr.) to ~ from behind (to ~ from behind the curtains) 3. (D; intr.) to ~ from under (to ~ from under a car) peeve n. one's pet ~ peevish adj. ['irritable'] ~ about peg n. ['degree, step'] (fig.) to come down a ~; to bring smb. down a ~ pelt v. (d; tr.) to ~ with (to ~ smb. with rocks) pelt down v. (D; intr.) to ~ on (the rain ~ed down on the roof) pen I n. ['enclosure'] 1. a pig ~ ['dock'] 2. a submarine ~ II n. ['device for writing'] 1. a ballpoint; felt-tip (AE), fibre-tip (BE); flair; fountain ~ 2. (misc.) with a stroke of the ~, the new law was enacted penalize v. (D;tr.) to ~ for penalty n. 1. to impose, mete out a ~ 2. to pay a ~ (to pay the full ~ for one's mistakes) 3. to rescind a ~ 4. a light, mild; maximum; minimum; severe, stiff, strict ~ 5. the death ~ 6. a ~ for 7. on, under ~ (of death) penance n. to do, perform ~ for penchant n. a ~ for pencil n. 1. an indelible; lead ~ 2. a cosmetic, eyebrow ~ 3. a styptic ~ pendulum n. 1. to swing a ~ 2. a ~ swings penetrate v. 1. to ~ deeply 2. (D; intr.) to ~ into (our troops ~d deeply into enemy lines) penetration n. 1. a deep ~ 2. (mil.) a ~ in depth penicillin n. 1. oral ~ 2. an injection, jab (BE; colloq.), shot of ~ penitence n. true ~ for penitent adj. ~ for pen name n. under a ~ (to write under a ~) pennant n. ['baseball championship'] (AE) to lose; win the ~ penny n. 1. to pinch ~nies ('to be frugal') 2. (misc.) a pretty ~ ('a large sum of money'); (BE; colloq.) the ~ drops ('somebody finally under-stands'); (BE; colloq.) to spend a ~ ('to use a toilet') pension n. 1. to award, grant a ~ 2. to draw, receive a ~ 3. to revoke a ~ 4. a disability; old-age; survivor's ~ 5. on a ~ (to live on a ~; to retire on a ~) 6. (misc.) a ~ plan people n. 1. average, common, plain; working ~ 2. old; young ~ 3. the chosen ~ 4. boat ~ ('destitute refugees traveling in boats') 5. city; country; little, ordinary; primitive ~ pepper I n. ['spice'] 1. black; hot; red; white ~ 2. a dash of ~ ['vegetable'] 3. (a) green; red; sweet ~ 4. stuffed ~s II v. (d; tr.) ('to shower') to ~ with (she was ~ed with questions) pepper away v. (D; intr.) to ~ at pep talk n. to give a ~ (the coach gave the team a ~) perceive v. (formal) 1. (d; tr.) to ~ as (I ~d her statement as a threat) 2. (L) we ~d that the situation was critical percentage n. ['profit'] (colloq.) ~ in (there is no ~ in investing more money) perceptible adj. 1. barely ~ 2. ~ to perception n. 1. to have a ~ 2. clear; keen ~ 3. color; depth; extrasensory ~ 4. the ~ that + clause (events confirmed our ~ that she had been treated unfairly) perceptive adj. 1. ~ of (that observation was very ~ of her) 2. ~ to + inf. (it was ~ of them to grasp our meaning) perceptiveness n. the ~ to + inf. (she had the ~ to know what would happen) perch I n. a high ~ II v. (P; intr.) the birds ~ed on the wire per diem n. ['daily allowance for expenses'] 1. to pay (a) ~ 2. to receive (a) ~ perfect I adj. ~ for (she would be ~ for the job) II n. (grammar) the future; past; present perfection n. 1. to achieve, attain ~ 2. the acme of ~ 3. to ~ (cooked to ~) perfidy n. (formal) an act of ~ perform v. to ~ live performance n. ['act of performing'] 1. to deliver, give, put on a ~ 2. a breathtaking, inspired, superb; listless; uneven ~ 3. a benefit; command; gala; live; repeat; request ~ ['functioning of a machine'] 4. engine ~ performer n. a star ~ perfume n. 1. to dab on, put on, spray on; use ~ 2. to reek of (derog.); smell of ~ 3. (a) strong ~ peril n. 1. to face a ~ 2. to avert a ~ 3. at one's ~ 4. in ~ (our lives were in ~) perimeter n. ['boundary'] 1. (mil.) to guard a ~ 2. on a ~ period n. ['portion of time'] 1. a cooling-off; incubation; prehistoric; question-and-answer; rest; transitional; trial; waiting ~ 2. (sports) an extra ~ 3. for a ~ 4. in a certain ~ (in that ~ of history) ['menstruation'] 5. to have a ~ 6. a monthly ~ ['punctuation mark'] (esp. AE; BE prefers full stop) 7. to place, put a ~ (at the end of a sentence) periodical n. 1. a current ~ (where does the library keep current ~s?) 2. bound ~s peripheral adj. ~ to periphery n. on the ~ periscope n. 1. to lower; raise a ~ 2. (as commands) ~ down; ~ up perish v. (formal) 1. (D; intr.) to ~ by (to ~ by the sword) 2. (D; intr.) to ~ from, of (to ~ from disease) perjury n. to commit ~ perm n. ['permanent wave'] 1. to give smb. a ~ 2. to get a ~ permeated adj. (cannot stand alone) ~ with (~ with idealism) permissible adj. ~ to + inf. (it is not ~ to smoke in the library) permission n. 1. to give, grant ~ 2. planning ~ (BE; AE has building permit) 3. ~ to + inf. (we had ~ to leave early) permit I n. 1. to grant, give a ~ 2. to cancel, rescind, revoke a ~ 3. a building (AE; BE has planning permission); work ~ II v. 1. (H) they ~ted her to leave 2. (K) who ~ted their leaving early? pernickety (esp. BE) see persnickety perpendicular adj. ~ to perpetuity n. in ~ ('forever') perplex v. (R) it ~ed me to learn of his decision; it ~ed me that they refused the offer perplexed adj. 1. ~ about, at, by, over 2. ~ to + inf. (we were ~ to learn of your decision) perplexing adj. ~ to + inf. (it was ~ to read so many contradictory accounts of the incident) persecute v. (D; tr.) to ~ for (they were ~d for their religious beliefs) persecution n. 1. to suffer ~ 2. bloody; relentless ~ 3. political; racial; religious ~ perseverance n. 1. to display ~ 2. ~ at, in 3. the ~ to + inf. (she had enough ~ to finish) persevere v. (D; intr.) to ~ at, in persist v. (D; intr.) to ~ in (to ~ in doing smt.) persistence n. 1. to display, show ~ 2. dogged ~ 3. ~ in 4. the ~ to + inf. (will you have the ~ to stick it out?) persistent adj. 1. doggedly ~ 2. ~ in persnickety adj. (colloq.) (esp. AE) ['fussy'] ~ about person n. 1. a juridical; real ~ 2. a displaced; missing ~ 3. (legal) a ~ aggrieved 4. (grammar) the first; second; third ~ 5. in ~ (to appear in ~) personal history n. to record, take down smb.'s ~ personality n. ['noted person'] 1. a celebrated ~ ['behavioral characteristics'] 2. a charismatic, charming; dynamic, forceful, magnetic, striking, strong ~ 3. a dual, split; multiple ~ ['misc.'] 4. to indulge in ~ties ('to make impolite remarks about people') personnel n. enlisted (AE; BE has other ranks); government; indigenous; military; qualified ~ perspective n. 1. to put smt. into ~ 2. the proper, right, true; wrong ~ 3. from a ~ (to view a situation from a new ~) 4. in ~ (to look at, see smt. in ~) perspicacity n. the ~ to + inf. (she had enough ~ to see through their schemes) perspiration n. 1. profuse ~ 2. beads of ~ (ran down my face) perspire v. to ~ profusely persuade v. 1. (D; tr.) to ~ of (we had to ~ them of the need to evacuate their house) 2. (H) we ~d them to leave 3. (L; must have an object) we ~d her that it would be best to wait persuasion n. 1. friendly ~ 2. (humorous) religious ~ (what is their religious ~?) persuasiveness n. the ~ to + inf. (she has enough ~ to convince anyone) pertain v. (d; intr.) to ~ to (these facts ~ to the case) pertaining adj. (cannot stand alone) ~ to pertinent adj. 1. ~ to 2. ~ to + inf. (is it ~ to cite those facts?) perturb v. (R) it ~ed me (to learn) that she was late again perturbed adj. 1. ~ about, at, by, over 2. ~ to + inf. (we were ~ to learn of the bad news from the front) perturbing adj. ~ to + inf. (it's ~ to read such distortions of fact in the press) pervaded adj. (cannot stand alone) ~ with (~ with cynicism) perverse adj. ~ to + inf. (it was ~ to behave like that) perversion n. sexual ~ pervert n. asexual ~ pessimism n. 1. to display ~ 2. to overcome ~ 3. ~ about, at, over pessimistic adj. ~ about, at, over pester v. 1. (D; tr.) to ~ about, for (he kept ~ing me for his money) 2. (D; tr.) to ~ into (they ~ed me into going) 3. (H) they kept ~ing me to buy a new car pet n. 1. a household ~ 2. a teacher's ~ 3. (misc.) a ~ animal petition I n. 1. to circulate; file, present a ~ 2. to grant a ~ 3. to withdraw a ~ 4. to deny, reject a ~ 5. a ~ about; against; for II v. 1. (D; intr., tr.) to ~ for (to ~ for a new trial; they ~ed the government for tax relief) 2. (H) we have ~ed city council to provide more teachers 3. (formal) (L; subj.) they ~ed that the case be/should be retried petrol (BE) see gasoline petting n. heavy ~ (old-fashioned) petty adj. ~ to + inf. (it was ~ of him to do that) phalanx n. ['formation'] to form a (solid) ~ pharmacy n. 1. a hospital ~ 2. at, in a ~ (she works down at the ~) phase n. 1. to begin, enter a ~ 2. to go through a ~ 3. a closing, final; critical, crucial; initial, new, opening ~ (the war was entering its final ~) phenomenon n. 1. an isolated ~ 2. a natural ~ philander v. (D; intr.) to ~ with philosophy n. ['belief] ~ that + clause (it was her ~ that people should help each other) phone see telephone phoneme n. (ling.) an independent, separate ~ phooey interjection (expresses disgust) ~ on! photo see photograph photocopy n. to make a ~ photofinish n. (to end) in a ~ photograph I n. 1. to take a ~ 2. to develop; touch up a ~ 3. to blow up, enlarge a ~ 4. to mount a ~ 5. an aerial; family; group; still ~ 6. (misc.) to pose for a ~ II v. (P; intr.) she ~s well photography n. color; still; trick ~ phrase n. 1. to coin; turn a ~ 2. a colloquial; empty; glib; hackneyed, trite; well-turned ~ 3. (grammar) a noun; participial; prepositional; verb physical, physical examinaton n. 1. to do a ~ 2. to get, have a ~ physician n. 1. an attending; family; house; practicing ~ 2. an allopathic; homeopathic; osteopathic ~ physics n. classical, Newtonian; high-energy, particle; nuclear; solid- state; theoretical ~ physique n. a burly, muscular, powerful ~ pianist n. a concert ~ piano n. 1. to play the ~ 2. to tune a ~ 3. a baby grand; grand; upright ~ 4. (misc.) a ~ is in tune or out of tune piazza n. ['open square'] on a ~ pick I n. ['tool for breaking'] an ice ~ II n. (colloq.) ['selection'] to take one's ~ III v. 1. (C) ('to select') ~ a nice melon for me; or: ~ me a nice melon 2. (d; intr.) to ~ at ('to eat sparingly') (to ~ at one's food) 3. (D; tr.) ('to select') to ~ from, out of (she ~ed this album from our record library) 4. (colloq.) (d; intr.) to ~ on ('to find fault with') (she's always ~ing on me) 5. (H) ('to select') they ~ed me to serve as secretary 6. (N; used with an adjective) the animals ~ed the carcass clean picketing n. informational ~ (esp. AE); mass ~ pickings n. (colloq.) ['choice'] lean, slim ~ pickle n. 1. a dill; sour; sweet ~ 2. (BE) mustard ~; ~s and chutney 3. (misc.) in a ~ ('in trouble') USAGE NOTE: In the United States, a pickle is a pickled cucumber. In Great Britain, the typical pickle is a thick sauce of pickled vegetables. pick out v. 1. (C) ~ a nice melon for me; or: ~ me out a nice melon 2. (D; tr.) ('to select') to ~ for (we must ~ the best candidate for the job) 3. (H) I ~ed out a nice tie to go with this shirt pick up v. 1. (d; intr.) to ~ after ('to clean up for') (I was always ~ing up after them) 2. (slang) (d; intr.) to ~ on ('to continue'); ('to become aware of) picnic n. ['outing with a meal'] 1. to go on, have a ~ ['picnic meal'] (BE) 2. to make; pack a ~ ['pleasure'] (colloq.) 3. a ~ to + inf. (it's no ~ to work there = it's no ~ working there) picture I n. ['photograph'] 1. to snap, take a ~ ['drawing, image, painting'] 2. to draw; paint; retouch a ~ 3. to frame; hang a ~ 4. (BE) an Identikit (T) ~ 5. in a ~ (did you see the animals in the ~?) 6. (misc.) as pretty as a ~ ['film'] 7. a motion (AE), moving (esp. AE) ~ 8. in a ~ (who played in that ~?) 9. (esp. BE) to go to the ~s ['description'] 10. to draw, paint a ~ 11. a clear; detailed; gloomy; realistic ~ 12. (misc.) (colloq.) to get the ~ ('to comprehend the situation') II v. 1. (d; tr.) to ~ as (I cannot ~ her as an actress) 2. (J) can you ~ them leading a demonstration? pie n. 1. to bake a ~ 2. an apple; blueberry; cherry; lemon-meringue; meat; mince; pecan; pumpkin; shepherd's ~ 3. a piece, slice, wedge of ~ 4. (misc.) as easy as ~ piece n. ['figure used in a game'] 1. chess ~s ['coin'] 2. a fifty-cent; gold; ten-cent ~ ['an artistic work'] 3. a collector's ~ (BE; CE has collector's item) 4. a conversation ~ 5. a ~ of music ['unit'] 6. by the ~ ['fragment'] 7. to break into ~s (the vase fell and broke into small ~s; she broke the dish into ~s) ['misc.'] 8. to go to ~s ('to fall apart'); a solid ~ of work ('high- quality work'); to give smb. a ~ of one's mind ('to tell smb. brusquely what one thinks'); to speak one's ~ ('to state one's opinion frankly'); a ~ of news; (BE; colloq.) a nasty ~ of work ('a nasty person'); to pick a theory to ~s ('to disprove a theory') piecemeal adv. to do smt. ~ piecework n. to do ~ pier n. at, on a ~ (to meet smb. at the ~) pig n. ['swine'] 1. a sucking (BE), suckling (AE) ~ 2. ~s grunt, oink, squeal 3. a young ~ is a piglet 4. a female ~ is a sow 5. a male ~ is a boar ['glutton'] (colloq.) 6. to make a ~ of oneself ['misc.'] 7. as fat as a ~; a male chauvinist ~; to buy a ~ in a poke ('to buy, accept smt. with no previous inspection') pigeon n. 1. a carrier, homing ~ 2. a clay ~ 3. ~s coo piggyback adv. to carry smb. ~ ('to carry smb. on one's shoulders') pigheaded adj. ~ of (that was ~ of him) pig out v. (slang) (AE) (D; intr.) to ~ on (to ~ on ice cream) pigtails n. in ~ (little girls in ~) pile I n. ['concrete post'] to sink a ~ II n. ['soft raised surface on a rug'] shaggy; smooth; soft; thick ~ III n. ['fortune'] 1. to make a ~ ['reactor'] 2. an atomic ~ IV v. (P; intr.) ('to crowd') the children ~d into the car pilfer v. (D; tr.) to ~ from pilgrimage n. 1. to go on, make a ~ 2. a ~ to (they went on a ~ to Jerusalem) 3. on a ~ pill n. ['tablet of medicine'] 1. to swallow, take a ~ 2. (colloq.) to pop ~s 3. a headache; sleeping ~ ['oral contraceptive'] 4. to take the ~ 5. to be on the ~ ['misc.'] 6. it was a bitter ~ to swallow ('it was very difficult to experience failure') pillbox n. to storm; take a ~ pillow n. to fluff up a ~ pilot n. ['person who flies aircraft'] 1. an air ~ force; airline, commercial; fighter; glider; helicopter; kamikaze; licensed; test ~ ['person who guides ships into and out of a port'] 2. to drop; take on the ~ 3. a harbor ~ ['device for steering'] 4. an automatic ~ pin I n. ['metal fastener']!, a safety; straight ~ 2. abobby ~ (AE;BE has hairgrip) 3. a drawing ~ (BE; AE has thumbtack) 4. a ~ pricks 5. (misc.) the head of a ~ ['tube-shaped piece of wood'] 6. a rolling ~ ['target in bowling'] 7. to spot ('place') ~s II v. 1. (D;tr.) ('to trap') to ~ against (~ned against the wall) 2. (D; tr.) ('to trap') to ~ beneath, underneath (he was ~ned beneath the car) 3. (d; tr.) ('to place') to ~ on (we ~ned our hopes on her) 4. (d; tr.) to ~ to (her arms were ~ned to her sides) pinball machine n. (BE also has pintable) to play; tilt a ~ pincers n. a pair of ~ pinch I n. ['painful squeeze'] 1. to give smb. a ~ ['emergency'] (colloq.) 2. at (BE), in (esp. AE) a ~ ['arrest'] (colloq.) 3. to make a ~ II v. (colloq.) (D;tr.) ('to arrest') to ~ for (~ed for speeding) pinch-hit v. (AE) (from baseball) (D; intr.) to ~ for ('to replace') pine v. 1. (d; intr.) to ~ after, for (to ~ for home) 2. (E) they were ~ing to return home pink n. (colloq.) ['good health'] in the ~ (of condition) pinnacle n. 1. to reach a ~ (to reach the ~ of one's power) 2. at a ~ (at the ~ of one's success) pintable (BE) see machines pipe I n. ['device for smoking'] 1. to light a ~ 2. to puff on, smoke a ~ 3. to fill one's ~ 4. a peace ~ ['long tube'] 5. a drain; exhaust; overflow; water II v. (D; tr.) to ~ from; into, to (to ~ water from a stream to a house) pipeline n. in a ~ (also fig.) pique n. a fit of ~ piracy n. 1. to commit ~ 2. air; literary ~; ~ on the high seas 3. an act of ~ pistol n. 1. to cock; fire a ~ 2. to aim, point; level a ~ at 3. to load a ~ 4. to draw, whip out a ~ 5. an automatic; dueling; starting; toy; water ~ 6. the ~ fired, went off; jammed; misfired pit I n. an orchestra ~ II v. (d; tr.) to ~ against (we were ~ted against a formidable opponent) pitch I n. ['high-pressure sales talk'] (colloq.) 1. to deliver a ~ 2. a sales ~ ['blade angle'] 3. a propeller ~ 4. reverse ~ ['intensity'] 5. a fever; high; low ~ (to reach a fever ~) ['throw of a baseball'] (esp. AE) 6. to throw a ~ 7. an underhand; wild ~ (to uncork a wild ~) II v. 1. (A) ('to throw') ~ the ball to me; or: ~ me the ball 2. (d; intr.) to ~ into ('to begin to work together enthusiastically') (let's all ~ into this job) pitfall n. 1. to avoid a ~ 2. a hidden ~ pitiful adj. ~ to + inf. (it's ~ to see such suffering) pittance n. (formal) a mere, small ~ pity n. 1. to arouse ~ 2. to feel; show ~ 3. to have, take ~ on smb. 4. ~ for 5. a ~ to + inf. (it's a ~ to see what has happened) 6. a ~ that + clause (it's a ~ that the meeting was canceled) 7. out of ~ (he agreed out of ~ for her children) 8. (misc.) for ~'s sake; a sense of ~ pivot v. (D; intr.) to ~ on (the dancer ~ed on the ball of her foot; the future ~s on what we decide now) placard n. to carry a ~ place I n. ['space occupied at a table'] 1. to lay (BE), set (esp. AE) a ~ for smb. ['position'] 2. to take smb.'s ~ 3. to trade ~s 4. (misc.) to know one's ~ (in life); to give up one's ~ in line/in a queue; to occupy a prominent ~ in world literature ['point in space'] 5. a meeting ~ 6. at, in a ~ (at the same old ~) ['dwelling'] 7. at smb.'s ~ (let's meet at your ~) ['appropriate position'] 8. in; out of ~ (everything was in ~) ['seat'] 9. to take one's ~ (they took their ~s) ['standing in a competition'] 10. to take a ~ (she took second ~ in the competition) 11. a ~ goes to (first ~ went to Smith) ['duty, function'] 12. one's ~ to + inf. (it's not my ~ to criticize them) ['stage'] ['step'] 13. in a ~ (in the first ~) ['misc.'] 14. to take ~ ('to happen'); to go ~s ('to be successful'); all over the ~ ('everywhere'); in ~ of ('instead of) II v. 1. (d; tr.) ('to put') to ~ above (to ~ one's family above all other concerns) 2. (d; tr.) ('to put') to ~ at (she ~d her car at our disposal) 3. (d; tr.) ('to present') to ~ before (to ~ evidence before a grand jury) 4. (d; tr.) ('to put') to ~ in (to ~ one's confidence in smb.) 5. (D; tr.) to ~ with ('to find a home for') (to ~ a child with a family) 6. (P; tr.) ('to put') to ~ books on a table) placebo n. 1. to administer, give a ~ 2. (misc.) a ~ effect plagiarism n. to be guilty of ~ plague n. 1. bubonic ~ 2. a ~ spreads 3. (misc.) to avoid smb. like the ~ plain I adj. 1. ~ to (the truth is ~ to everybody) 2. ~ to + inf. (the facts are ~ to see) 3. ~ that + clause (it's ~ to everyone that she will never return) 4. (misc.) as ~ as day; or: as ~ as the nose on your face II n. 1. a broad; coastal ~ 2. on a ~ plain clothes n. in ~ (the police officer was in ~) plan I n. 1. to concoct, devise a ~ 2. to draw up, formulate, map out a ~ 3. to make ~s 4. to outline; unveil a ~ 5. to accept; carry out, execute, implement a ~; to put a ~ into operation 6. to present, propose a ~ 7. to foil, frustrate, thwart; reject; shelve a ~ 8. a brilliant, ingenious; complicated, elaborate; feasible; grandiose, sweeping; impracticable; impractical; realistic; secret; well-laid, well-thought-out ~ 9. a contingency; five-year; long-term; master; security; short- term ~ 10. (on) the installment ~ (AE; BE has hire-purchase) 11. a flight; floor ~ 12. a health ~ ('health insurance'); a pension, retirement ~ 13. an easy-payment ~ 14. a ~ calls for (smt.) 15. ~s materialize 16. a ~ for 17. a ~ to + inf. (the mayor had a ~ to reduce traffic congestion) II v. 1. (d; intr.) to ~ for (to ~ for one's old age) 2. (d; intr.) to ~ on (to ~ on early retirement) 3. (E) we ~ to visit them soon 4. (Q) they ~ned very carefully how they would accomplish their mission plane I n. see airplane II n. 1. an inclined ~ 2. on a lofty ~ III v. (N; used with an adjective) to ~ a board smooth plank n. ['board extending from a ship'] to walk the ~ ('to go to one's death') (see the Usage Note for platform) planning n. 1. grandiose; long-range, long-term; short-range, short-term ~ 2. city; discharge; family ~ plan on v. (G) we ~ned on spending a month in Europe plant I n. ['shrub, bush'] 1. to grow ~s 2. to water a ~ 3. an annual; biennial; climbing; decorative; exotic; perennial; tropical ~ 4. a ~ grows ['factory'] ['utility'] 5. to manage, operate, run a ~ 6. a power ~ ['buildings'] ['equipment'] 7. (the) physical ~ (of an institution) II v. 1. (D; tr.) to ~ with (to ~ a field with rye) 2. (misc.) to ~ an idea in smb.'s head plantation n. a coffee; cotton; rubber; sugar; tea plaque n. ['filmy deposit on teeth'] 1. to remove ~ (from teeth) 2. dental ~ 3. ~ accumulates, builds up ['tablet'] 4. to put up a ~ (in smb.'s honor) 5. a memorial ~ plaster n. ['pasty composition'] 1. to apply ~ (to apply ~ to a wall) 2. to daub ~ (to daub ~ on a wall) 3. crumbling, falling ~ 4. ~ comes off, falls off (a wall) ['pastelike mixture used for healing purposes'] 5. a mustard ~ ['tape'] 6. (BE) (a) sticking ~ plastic n. laminated ~ plate n. ['dish'] 1. a cake; dinner; salad; soup ~ ['denture'] 2. a dental; lower; upper ~ ['tag'] 3. a license (AE), number (BE) ~ ['thin layer'] 4. armor; silver ~ ['container passed around for donations of money'] 5. to pass the ~ 6. a collection ~ plateau n. 1. a high ~ 2. (misc.) to reach a ~ ('to cease making progress') platform n. ['raised stage'] 1. to mount ('ascend') a ~ 2. from a ~ (to speak from a ~) 3. a launching ~ ['statement of policies'] (esp. AE; BE prefers manifesto) 4. to draft, draw up a ~ 5. to adopt a ~ 6. a party; political ~ USAGE NOTE: A political platform consists of various statements that are called planks. platitude n. 1. to mouth, utter a ~ (he's always mouthing ~s) 2. in ~s (to speak in ~s) platoon n. 1. to form a ~ 2. to deploy a ~ plaudits n. to earn, receive, win ~ plausible adj. 1. ~ to + inf. (it is ~ to assume that they will not accept our invitation) 2. ~ that + clause (it's ~ that most of the voters will not support this referendum) play I n. ['stage presentation'] 1. to present, produce, put on, stage; revive; write a ~ 2. to perform; rehearse a ~ 3. to review a ~ 4. to criticize, pan (colloq.-) a ~ 5. a miracle; morality; mystery; nativity; one-act; passion ~ 6. a ~ closes; opens; runs (the ~ ran for two years on Broadway) 7. (misc.) the ~ got rave reviews ['action, activity'] 8. to bring into ~ (to bring various factors into ~) 9. to come into ~ ['competition, playing'] 10. fair; foul; rough; team ~ 11. in; into; out of ~ (to put the ball into ~) ['attempt to attract'] (colloq.) (esp. AE) 12. to make a ~ for (he made a ~ for her) ['misc.'] 13. a ~ on words ('a pun') II v. 1. ('to compete') to ~ fair; foul; rough 2. (C) ('to perform') ~ a nice song for me; or: ~ me a nice song 3. (d; intr.) ('to compete') to ~ against (to ~ against a strong opponent) 4. (d; intr.) ('to gamble') to ~ for (to ~ for money) 5. (d; intr.) ('to perform') to ~ for (she ~s for our team) 6. (d; intr.) to ~ for ('to attempt to obtain') (to ~ for time) 7. (d; intr.) to ~ on, upon ('to exploit') (to ~ on smb.'s fears) 8. (d; intr.) to ~ on ('to pun') (to ~ on words) 9. (D; tr.) ('to do, make') to ~ on (they ~ed a joke on us; she ~ed a trick on me) 10. (d; intr.) ('to perform') to ~ to (to ~ to a full house) 11. (esp. tennis) (d; intr.) ('to direct one's strokes') to ~ to (to ~ to an opponent's forehand) 12. (D; intr.) ('to amuse oneself) to ~ with (to ~ with matches) 13. (L) (esp. in children's language) ('to pretend') let's ~ that I'm the teacher and you're the pupil 14. (0; can be used with one object) ('to oppose in') I'll ~ you a game of cards 15. (s) ('to feign') they ~ed dead 16. (misc.) to ~ smb. for a fool ('to ridicule smb.') play about (BE) see play around play around v. (D; intr.) to ~ with play back v. (B) she ~ed the tape back to us player n. ['athlete'] 1. a clean; dirty ~ 2. a key ~ ['electronic instrument'] 3. a record ~ playgoer n. a habitual ~ playground n. 1. (BE) an adventure ~ ('children's playground designed for spontaneous play') 2. a city, public ~ playing n. clean; dirty ~ play off v. (d;tr.) to ~ against ('to set against') (to ~ one side off against the other) play up v. (d; intr.) to ~ to ('to flatter') (to ~ to the boss) plea n. 1. to enter, make, put forward a ~ 2. to answer, respond to a ~ 3. to deny, reject a ~ 4. (slang) to cop a ~ ('to plead guilty to a lesser charge') 5. an ardent, fervent, impassioned, moving, passionate; urgent ~ 6. (to enter) a guilty ~; (to enter) a ~ of not guilty; more usu. is: to plead guilty; to plead not guilty 7. a ~ for (a ~ for mercy) 8. (misc.) ~ bargaining plead v. 1. to ~ fervently 2. (D; intr.) to ~ for; with (to ~ with the judge for mercy) 3. (legal) to ~ guilty (to a charge) 4. (legal) to ~ not guilty (to a charge) pleasant adj. ~ to + inf. (it's ~ to lie in the sun = it's ~ lying in the sun; she is ~ to work with = it is ~ to work with her = it is ~ working with her = she is a ~ person to work with) please v. 1. to ~ greatly, highly 2. (R) it ~d us to learn of your success; it ~d us greatly that you could accept our invitation pleased adj. 1. greatly, highly ~ 2. ~ about, at, by, with 3. ~ to + inf. (we are ~ to be here; I am ~ to meet you) 4. ~ that + clause (she was ~ that the proposal had been accepted) pleasure n. 1. to afford, give ~ (it gives me great ~ to present the next speaker) 2. to feel; find, take ~ in 3. to derive ~ from 4. to forgo a ~ 5. a genuine, real; rare ~ 6. a ~ to + inf. (it's a ~ to work with them = it's a ~ working with them = they are a ~ to work with; it is a ~ to teach these children = it is a ~ teaching these children = these children are a ~ to teach) plebiscite n. 1. to conduct, hold a ~ 2. a ~ to + inf. (a ~ to determine the status of a territory) pledge In. 1. to make, take a ~ 2. to give smb. one's ~ 3. to honor, redeem one's ~ 4. a solemn ~ 5. a campaign ~ 6. a ~ to + inf. (she made a solemn ~ to contribute fifty pounds) 7. a ~ that + clause (he took a ~ that he would stop smoking) 8. (misc.) to take the ~ ('to vow to stop drinking') II v. 1. (A) she ~d her support to us; or: she ~d us her support 2. (D; tr.) to ~ to (she was ~d to secrecy) 3. (E) they ~d to return 4. (L) he ~d that he would repay the debt within a month plenty determiner, n., pronoun 1. ~ of (~ of money) 2. ~ to + inf. (she gave us ~ to do) 3. (formal) in ~ (to live in ~) 4. (formal) of ~ (a time of ~) pliers n. a pair of ~ plod v. 1. (d; intr.) to ~ through ('to go through laboriously') (to ~ through a long reading list) 2. (P; intr.) ('to move') they ~ded slowly along the road plot I n. ['conspiracy'] 1. to devise, hatch; weave a ~ 2. to foil, thwart a ~ 3. to expose a ~ 4. a cunning, diabolic; sinister ~ 5. a ~ against 6. a ~ to + inf. (to expose a ~ to overthrow the government) ['story'] 7. to build, construct the ~ (of a novel) 8. a contrived; intricate; simple ~ 9. a ~ thickens ['piece of ground'] 10. a cemetery; garden ~; a ~ of land II v. 1. (D; intr.) to ~ against (to ~ against the government) 2. (E) they ~ted to overthrow the government 3. (Q) they were ~ting how to obtain the necessary information plow I plough n. to pull a ~ plow II plough v. 1. (d; intr.) to ~ into ('to strike') (the racing car skidded and ~ed into the crowd) 2. (d; intr.) to ~ through ('to go through laboriously') (to ~ through a long reading list; to ~ through a crowd; to ~ through deep snow) ploy n. 1. to resort to, use a ~ 2. a clever, ingenious ~ 3. a ~ to + inf. (it was a ~ to get money) pluck I n. ['courage'] the ~ to + inf. (he had enough ~ to stand up to the boss) II v. l.(d;intr.)('totug')to~at2.(D;tr.) ('to pull') to ~ from (to ~ feathers from a chicken) plug I n. ['electrical fitting'] 1. to insert, put a ~ into a socket 2. a ~ fits into a socket ['device carrying an electric current'] 3. a spark (AE), sparking (BE) ~ ['word of praise'] (colloq.) 4. to put in a ~ for ['misc.'] (colloq.) (esp. AE) 5. to pull the ~ ('to cut off a life-support system'); to pull the ~ on smt. ('to put an end to smt.') II v. (d; intr., tr.) to ~ into (the lamp ~s into this receptacle) plug away v. (D; intr.) to ~ at ('to work at laboriously') (to ~ at a job) plumber n. 1. to call (in) a ~ 2. a master ~ plummet v. (d; intr.) to ~ to (to ~ to earth) plump I adj. pleasingly ~ II v. (colloq.) (D; intr.) to ~ for ('to support') plunge I n. ['risk'] (colloq.) to take the ~ II v. 1. (d; intr.) ('to throw oneself) to ~ from; to (to ~ to one's death from a cliff) 2. (d; intr.) ('to dive'); ('to rush') to ~ into (to ~ into the water; to ~ into war) 3. (d; tr.) ('to throw'); ('to thrust') to ~ into (the room was ~ed into darkness; to ~ a dagger into smb.'s heart) plural n. in the ~ plus n. to weigh the ~es and the minuses ply v. 1. (d; intr.) ('to travel') to ~ between (these ships ~ between the two cities) 2. (d; tr.) ('to provide') to ~ with (they plied him with liquor) pneumonia n. 1. to come down with, contract, develop ~ 2. bronchial; viral ~ poach v. (D; intr.) ('to trespass') to ~ on, upon pocket n. 1. to turn out one's ~s 2. to pick smb.'s ~ 3. a back; coat; hip; inside; shirt; side; watch ~ 4. an air ~ pocketbook n. (AE) ['handbag'] to carry a ~ podium n. from; on a ~ poem n. 1. to compose, write; memorize; recite a ~ 2. a dramatic; epic, heroic; lyric; narrative ~ poet n. ~ laureate poetry n. 1. to compose, write ~ 2. to memorize; read; recite; scan ~ 3. dramatic; epic, heroic; lyric; narrative ~ pogrom n. to carry out; instigate; organize a ~ point I n. ['location, position, place, spot'] 1. to arrive at, reach a ~ 2. an assembly; cutoff; focal; jumping-off; pressure; rallying; salient; starting; turning; vanishing; vantage ~ 3. the ~ of no return 4. at a ~ (at that ~ in history) 5. for a ~ (for all ~s east) 6. from; to a ~ (from this ~ to that ~) ['level'] ['degree'] 7. to arrive at, reach a ~ 8. a high; low ~ (she has reached the high ~ of her career) 9. the boiling; breaking; freezing; melting; saturation ~ 10. (up) to a ~ (to a certain ~ they are right) ['step, stage'] 11. at, on the ~ (they were on the ~ of leaving) ['argument'] ['topic'] 12. to bring up, make, raise a ~ 13. to argue; cover, discuss; emphasize, stress, underscore; explain; illustrate; review; win a ~ 14. to belabor, labor; strain, stretch a ~ 15. to drive, hammer, press a ~ home; to make one's ~ 16. to concede, yield a ~ 17. a controversial; crucial; fine; major; minor; moot; selling; sore; sticking; subtle; talking; telling ~ 18. the ~ that + clause (she made the ~ that further resistance was useless) 19. beside the ~ (her remarks were beside the ~) 20. on a ~ (on that ~ we disagree) 21. to the ~ (to speak to the ~) 22. (misc.) to come to the ~; ~ by ~; a good ('convincing') ~; to have a ~ ('to have a convincing argument') ['core, essence'] 23. to see the ~ (he never did see the ~ of the joke) 24. to get to the ~ ['emphasis'] 25. to make a ~ of (he made a ~ of repeating her name several times) ['distinguishing feature'] 26. smb.'s bad, weak; good, strong ~s ['punctuation mark'] 27. a decimal; exclamation (AE) ~ ['scoring unit'] 28. to score a ~ (also fig.) 29. to shave ~s ('to manipulate the results of a contest for illegal purposes') 30. (esp. tennis) a game; match; set ~ 31. by ~s (to lead by five ~s) 32. (boxing) on ~s (to win on ~s) ['regard'] 33. in ~ of (in ~ of law; in ~ of fact) ['aim, object, purpose, reason'] 34. to get, see the ~ 35. a ~ in (there is no ~ in complaining = there is no ~ complaining) 36. a ~ to (there is no ~ to your going) 37. (misc.) what's the ~? ['tapered end'] 38. a sharp ~ (this pencil has a sharp ~) ['misc.'] 39. a ~ of view; at the ~ of a gun; a Brownie ~ (colloq.) ('ingratiation in the eyes of a superior') (to make Brownie ~s); a case in ~ ('a pertinent case'); a ~ of order II v. 1. (D; intr.) to ~ at, to ('to draw attention to') (she ~ed at me) 2. (d; tr.) ('to aim') to ~ at (to ~ a gun at smb.) 3. (D; intr.) to ~ to ('to cite') (they ~ed to poverty as a major problem; the evidence ~s to him as the criminal) pointers n. ['advice'] 1. to give smb. ~ on 2. to ask for; get ~ on pointless adj. ~ to + int. (it's ~ to continue the discussion) point out v. 1. (B) she ~ed out the sights to us 2. (L; to) they ~ed out (to us) that such investments would be risky poise I n. 1. to keep, maintain one's ~ 2. to lose one's ~ 3. the ~ to + inf. (do you have enough ~ to speak without notes?) II v. (D; refl.) ('to brace oneself) to ~ for (she ~d herself for the ordeal) poison n. 1. to administer, give (a) ~ 2. to swallow, take ~ 3. (a) lethal; slow; strong ~ 4. rat ~ (to spread rat ~) poison gas n. to use ~ against poisoning n. blood; food; lead; ptomaine ~ poke I n. ['punch'] (colloq.) to give smb. a ~ (in the eye) II v. 1. (d; intr.) to ~ at ('to jab') (he kept ~ing at me) 2. (D; tr.) ('to jab') to ~ in (to ~ smb. in the ribs) 3. (d; tr.) ('to extend') to ~ out of (to ~ one's head out of the window) 4. (d; tr.) ('to produce by piercing') to ~ through (to ~ a hole through a wall) 5. (P; tr.) ('to thrust') to ~ one's head through a window 6. (misc.) to ~ fun at smb. poke about see poke around poke around v. (colloq.) (D; intr.) to ~ in ('to look through') (stop ~ing around in my desk) poker n. to play ~ polarization n. ~ between polarize v. (D; intr., tr.) to ~ into (~d into opposing camps) pole I n. ['long, slender piece of wood, metal'] 1. to put up a ~ 2. a breakaway; fishing; ski; tent; totem; trolley ~ 3. a telegraph; telephone (AE); utility (AE) ~ II n. ['end of the earth's axis'] 1. the North; South Pole 2. a celestial; magnetic ~ ['terminal of a battery'] 3. a negative; positive ~ ['misc.'] 4. ~s apart; or: at opposite ~s ('diametrically opposed') police n. border; campus (US); city, municipal; local; military; mounted; secret; security; state ~ police car n. an unmarked ~ policeman n. 1. a military ~ (abbreviated as MP) 2. see police officer police officer n. an off-duty; plainclothes; uniformed ~ policewoman see police officer policy I n. ['plan'] ['principle'] 1. to adopt, establish, formulate, set a ~ 2. to adhere to, follow, pursue; carry out, implement a ~ 3. to form, shape a ~ 4. a cautious; clear, clear-cut; conciliatory; deliberate; established, set; firm; flexible; foolish; friendly; prudent; rigid; sound, wise ~ 5. (a) company; economic; foreign; government, public; long- range, long-term; military; monetary; national; official; open- door; personnel; population; scorched-earth; service; short- range, short-term; standard; wait-and-see; written ~ 6. a ~ to + inf. (it is our established ~ to treat everyone fairly) 7. a ~ that + clause; subj. (it is company ~ that all workers be/should be paid according to the same criteria) II n. ['contract for insurance'] 1. to take out a ~ 2. to issue, write up a ~ 3. to reinstate a ~ 4. to cancel a ~ 5. an endowment; homeowner's; insurance; lifetime; straight life; term ~ polio, poliomyelitis n. to contract, develop ~ polish n. ['gloss'] 1. to apply ~ 2. French (BE); furniture ~ 3. nail ~ (AE; BE has nai7 varnish) polite adj. 1. ~ to 2. ~ to + inf. (it was not ~ to say that) politeness n. 1. studied ~ 2. ~ to politic adj. (formal) ['expedient'] ~ to + inf. (it would not be ~ to get involved in their affairs) political fences n. ['political standing'] to mend one's ~ politician n. an astute, shrewd; crooked; glib; great; hack; honest ~ politics n. 1. to go in for ~ 2. to play ~ 3. to talk ~ 4. local, parish-pump (BE); national; partisan, party; power; practical ~ poll n. 1. to conduct, take a ~ 2. (AE) an exit ~ (taken of voters leaving the voting booths) 3. (esp. AE) a straw ('unofficial') ~ 4. a public-opinion ~ 5. a ~ among (to conduct a ~ among students) pollination n. cross ~ pollution n. 1. to control ~ 2. air; environmental; noise, sound; water ~ polo n. to play ~ polyandry n. to practice ~ polygamy n. to practice ~ polyp n. 1. to remove a ~ 2. a benign; malignant ~ pomp n. ceremonial ~ pond n. to drain a ~ ponder v. (d; intr.) to ~ on, over, upon (to ~ over a problem) pontificate v. (D; intr.) to ~ on pony n. a polo ~ pool I n. ['joint enterprise'] 1. to form a ~ 2. a car; stenographic, typing ~ ['group of vehicles'] 3. a motor ~ ['total of money bet by gamblers'] 4. a football ~ (BE has pools) ['billiards'] 5. to shoot ~ ['stock, supply'] 6. a gene ~ II n. ['basin'] 1. an indoor; outdoor; paddling (BE), wading (AE); swimming ~ ['small body of water'] 2. deep; shallow; stagnant ~ pools see pool 14 poor adj. ~ in (the country is ~ in natural resources) pop I adv. (colloq.) to go ~ ('to make a short explosive sound') II v. (P; intr., tr.) we have to ~ into the store for a minute; ~ your head out of the window and see if it's raining; to ~ round the corner popular adj. 1. ~ as (she was ~ as a nightclub singer) 2. ~ with (~ with teenagers) popularity n. 1. to acquire, gain, win ~ 2. to enjoy ~ 3. to lose ~ 4. ~ with populated adj. densely, heavily; sparsely ~ population n. 1. a decreasing, shrinking; dense; excess, overflow; expanding, growing, increasing, rising; sparse; stable; transient ~ 2. an aging; civilian; foreign-born; indigenous; local; native- born; rural; urban ~ 3. (misc.) a ~ explosion porch n. 1. (AE) a back; front ~ (BE uses veranda) 2. (AE) a sun ~ (BE has sun lounge) 3. (AE) a screened, screened-in ~ (BE uses veranda) 4. (BE) a church ~ pore v. (d; intr.) to ~ over ('to examine') (to ~ over a document) pores n. blocked, clogged, closed; open ~ pornography n. explicit, hard-core; soft, soft-core porpoise n. 1. a school of ~s 2. a young ~ is a calf 3. a female ~ is a cow 4. a male ~ is a bull porridge n. (esp. BE) 1. to cook, make ~ 2. (misc.) a bowl of ~; (BE; slang) to do ~ ('to spend time in prison') port n. 1. to clear ('leave') a ~ 2. to make ~ ('to arrive at a port') 3. to call at a ~ 4. a free; home ~ 5. in; into ~ (to put into ~) portion n. 1. an individual ~ 2. equal ~s portion out v. (B) they ~ed the food out to the needy portrait n. 1. to make, paint a ~ 2. to commission a ~ 3. a family; full-length; group ~ 4. (misc.) to pose for, sit for one's ~ portray v. (d; tr.) to ~ as (to ~ smb. as a hero) pose I n. to assume, strike a ~ II v. 1. (B) ('to put') she ~d a question to the speaker 2. (d; intr.) to ~ as ('to pretend to be') (to ~ as an expert) 3. (D; intr.) to ~ for ('to serve as a model for') (to ~ for an artist) position n. ['posture'] 1. to assume, take a ~ 2. an awkward, uncomfortable; comfortable ~ 3. a kneeling; lotus; lying; prone; sitting; squatting; straddle; supine ~ 4. the fetal, foetal ~ ['attitude'] 5. to assume, take a ~ 6. a firm; radical; strong; untenable; weak ~ 7. an official; unofficial ~ 8. a ~ on (to take a ~ on foreign aid) 9. a ~ that + clause (they took the ~ that further resistance would be useless) ['site'] ['military site'] 10. to attack, storm a ~ 11. to hold, maintain; occupy, take up; regain a ~ 12. to give up, lose, surrender a ~ 13. a defensive; dominant; enemy; fortified; impregnable; strong; unfortified; untenable, vulnerable, weak ~ 14. a ~ of strength 15. from a ~ (to negotiate from a ~ of strength) ['place'] ['situation'] 16. to occupy a ~ 17. an embarrassing; ludicrous ~ 18. a high, leading, prominent; unique ~ (to occupy a prominent ~) 19. in a ~ (she is in a ~ to know) ['proper place'] 20. in ~ (the players were in ~) 21. out of ~ ['job'] 22. to apply for, look for, seek; find a ~ 23. a permanent; temporary; tenured ~ 24. a government; managerial; official; teaching ~ positive adj. ~ about possess v. what ~ed you to do it? possession n. 1. to get, take ~ of 2. material ~s 3. in ~ of possibility n. 1. to raise a ~ 2. to exclude, rule out a ~ 3. a good, strong; remote, slim ~ 4. a ~ of (there is a strong ~ of snow) 5. a ~ that + clause (there's a strong ~ that the concert will be canceled) possible adj. 1. easily, perfectly; humanly ~ 2. ~ to + inf. (it is ~ to rent a boat) 3. ~ that + clause (it is ~ that we will be able to attend) possum n. (colloq.) to play ~ ('to pretend to be asleep') post I n. ['mall'] 1. (BE) see mail I 2. (BE) free ~ 3. (CE) parcel ~ 4. (BE) by return of ~ (AE has by return mail) II v. (BE) 1. (A) she ~ed the book to me; or: she ~ed me the book 2. (D; tr.) to ~ from; to (the letter was ~ed from London to Edinburgh) (AE has mail II) III n. ['station'] 1. a command; listening; observation; trading ~ ['place of duty'] 2. to leave; quit one's ~ 3. at one's ~ (to be asleep at one's ~) IV v. (esp. BE) (d; tr.) ('to station') to ~ to (she was ~ed to Bonn) V n. ['pole'] 1. a starting ~ (at a horse race) 2. (colloq.) (BE) a telegraph ~ 3. (misc.) from pillar to ~ ('from one situation to another without letup'); (BE) to pip at the ~ ('to overtake and defeat at the very end') postage n. 1. to pay the ~ 2. the return ~ postcard n. 1. to send a ~ 2. to drop smb. a ~ 3. a picture ~ poster n. 1. to put up a ~ 2. a campaign ~ postmaster n. the ~ general postpone v. 1. (D; tr.) to ~ to, until (the concert has been ~d to Wednesday) 2. (G) they ~d leaving because of the weather postscript n. 1. to add a ~ 2. a ~ to postulate I n. (formal) a ~ that + clause (his ~ that the area was uninhabited proved to be true) II v. (formal) (L) they ~d that the collision had been caused by fog posture I n. 1. to assume a ~ 2. an erect; good ~ 3. a defense; political ~ II v. (D; intr.) ('to pretend') to ~ as pot n. 1. (fig.) a melting ~ 2. a pepper ~ (BE; AE has pepper shaker) 3. a chamber ~ 4. (misc.) to scour ~s and pans potato n. 1. to bake; boil; fry; mash; peel ~es 2. a baked ~ 3. chipped (BE), French-fried (AE); mashed; scalloped ~es potential n. 1. to develop; realize one's ~ 2. a ~ for potion n. a love ~ potluck n. ['whatever is offered'] to take ~ potshot n. (colloq.) ['critical remark'] to take a ~ at potter v. (BE) (d; intr.) to ~ about (to ~ about the house) (AE has putter) pottery n. to glaze ~ potty adj. (colloq.) (esp. BE) ['infatuated'] ~ about pouch n. diplomatic ~ (the letter was sent by diplomatic ~) poultice n. to apply a ~ pounce v. (d; intr.) to ~ on, upon (the cat ~d on the mouse) pound I n. ['enclosure'] a dog ~ II v. 1. (d; intr.) to ~ at (to ~ at the door; our artillery was ~ing at the enemy positions) 2. (d; tr.) to ~ into (I've been trying to ~ some facts into their heads) 3. (d; intr.) to ~ on (to ~ on a table) pour v. 1. (C) ~ a cool drink for me; or: ~ me a cool drink 2. (d; intr.) to ~ down (tears ~ed down her cheeks) 3. (d; intr., tr.) to ~ from (blood ~ed from the gaping wound) 4. (d; intr., tr.) to ~ into (water ~ed into the pit) 5. (d; intr., tr.) to ~ out of (oil ~ed out of the tank) 6. (d; tr.) to ~ over (to ~ gravy over meat) pout v. (D; intr.) to ~ about poverty n. 1. to breed ~ (illiteracy breeds ~) 2. to eliminate, eradicate, wipe out ~ 3. abject, dire, extreme, grinding, severe ~ 4. in ~ (to live in grinding ~) powder n. 1. to put on ~ 2. baby; baking; bleaching; curry; dusting; face; garlic; scouring; talcum; tooth ~ 3. gunpowder; smokeless ~ 4. (misc.) (slang) to take a ~ ('to run off unexpectedly'); (colloq.) to keep one's ~ dry ('to remain calm') power n. ['authority'] 1. to assume, take; exercise, wield; seize; transfer ~ 2. emergency; executive; political ~ 3. discretionary ~s 4. ~ over (they seized ~ over several provinces) 5. the ~ to + inf. (the prime minister has the ~ to dissolve parliament) 6. in; into ~ (the government in ~; to come into ~) ['dominance'] 7. the balance of ~ ['nation'] 8. the great, world ~s; a superpower 9. (the) warring ~s 10. a foreign; occupying ~ ['capability'] 11. to develop one's ~s (of observation) 12. bargaining; earning; healing; purchasing ~; recuperative; staying; supernatural ~s ['military force, police force'] 13. air; military; naval, sea; police ~ 14. fire ~ ['source of energy'] 15. to turn on the ~ 16. to cut off, turn off the ~ 17. electric; hydroelectric; nuclear; water ~ ['motive force'] 18. under one's own ~ ['exponent'] (math.) 19. to raise to a ~ (to raise five to the third ~) powerless adj. ~ to + inf. (she was ~ to help) power line n. to down a ~ (several ~s were downed during the storm) power mower n. to operate, work a ~ power of attorney n. a ~ to + inf. (we had a ~ to conduct her business) powwow n. (colloq.) ['conference'] to hold a ~ pox n. ['plague'] a ~ on practicable adj. ['feasible'] ~ to + inf. (it was not ~ to put up a new building there) practical adj. ['sensible'] ~ to + inf. (it is not ~ to do that) practice I practise n. ['habit'] 1. to make a ~ of smt. 2. a common, usual; local; universal ~ 3. a ~ to + inf. (it was her ~ to drink a glass of wine every evening) ['exercise'] 4. to have ~ (we have ~ today at four o'clock) 5. target ~ 6. ~ at, in (~ at tying knots) 7. the ~ to + inf. (I've had enough ~ to pass the test) ['professional activity'] 8. (a) legal; medical; nursing; professional ~ 9. (of doctors) a general; group; private ~ 10. a lucrative ~ ['application'] 11. in; into ~ (to put a theory into ~; in theory and in ~) ['method of conducting business'] 12. sharp, unethical, unfair, unscrupulous ~s 13. (esp. AE) fair-trade ~s USAGE NOTE: In Great Britain, private practice refers to a practice that is not under the National Health Service. practice II practise v. 1. (D; intr.) to ~ on (you can ~ mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on me) 2. (G) the boy ~d throwing the lasso practitioner n. a family, general; nurse (esp. US) prairie n. 1. a rolling; windswept ~ 2. on the ~ praise I n. 1. to earn ~ 2. to bestow, heap, lavish ~ on smb. 3. to give ~ to smb. 4. to sing smb.'s ~s 5. faint; fulsome; glowing, high, strong, unrestrained, unstinting ~ 6. ~ for 7. in ~ of 8. (misc.) a chorus of ~ II v. 1. to ~ highly, strongly 2. (D; tr.) to ~ for praiseworthy adj. (formal) ~ to + inf. (it is ~ to do volunteer work) pram n. (BE) to push, wheel a ~ (AE has baby carriage, carriage) prance v. (P; intr.) to ~ around the room prank n. 1. to play a ~ on smb. 2. a childish; foolish; innocent; mischievous; wanton ~ prate see prattle prattle v. 1. to ~ endlessly 2. (D; intr.) to ~ (on) about (he ~d on endlessly about his operation) pray v. 1. to ~ devoutly, fervently; silently 2. (D; intr.) to ~ for; to (to ~ to God for good health) 3. (L; to) we ~ed (to God) that they would be safe prayer n. 1. to offer; say; utter a ~ 2. to answer a ~ 3. a fervent; silent ~ 4. (a) communal; daily; evening; morning ~ 5. a ~ for (to offer a ~ for peace) 6. a ~ that + clause; subj. (our ~ that peace be/should be restored was heard) 7. (misc.) the answer to all our ~s preach v. 1. (D; intr.) to ~ against (to ~ against sin) 2. (colloq.) (D; intr.) to ~ at (stop ~ing at me) 3. (D; intr.) to ~ to (to ~ to one's congregation) 4. (L) to ~ that the end of the world is near preacher n. an itinerant; lay ~ preamble n. a ~ to precaution n. 1. to take ~s 2. elaborate ~s 3. a ~ against precedence n. to have, take ~ over precedent n. 1. to create, establish, set a ~ 2. to cite a ~ 3. to break (a) ~ 4. a ~ for precept n. a ~ that + clause (we adhere to the ~ that all criminals can be rehabilitated) preceptor n. a ~ to precinct n. a pedestrian (BE); police; voting ~ precious adj. ~ to precipitate v. (d; tr.) to ~ into (to ~ a country into war) precipitation n. heavy; light ~ precise adj. ~ about precision n. great, utmost; military; surgical; unerring ~ preclude v. (formal) (d;tr.) to ~ from (to ~ smb. from doing smt.) precondition n. to set ~s precursor n. a ~ of, to predecessor n. smb.'s immediate ~ predestined adj. (cannot stand alone) 1. ~ to (~ to glory) 2. ~ to + inf. (she was ~ to go far in life) 3. ~ that + clause (it was ~ that they would never meet again) predicament n. 1. an awkward; dire ~ (to get into an awkward ~) 2. in a ~ predicate v. (d; tr.) ('to base') to ~ on, upon (to ~ a theory on certain facts) predict v. 1. (K) I ~ed their getting into trouble 2. (L) she ~ed that it would rain 3. (Q) who can ~ how the elections will turn out? prediction n. 1. to make a ~ 2. a ~ comes true predilection n. a ~ for predispose v. (formal) 1. (d; tr.) to ~ to 2. (H) what ~d you to go? predisposed adj. (cannot stand alone) 1. ~ to (~ to violence) 2. ~ to + inf. (~ to act rashly) predisposition n. 1. a ~ to 2. a ~ to + inf. (a ~ to act rashly) predominance n. ~ over predominate I adj. ~ over II v. (D; intr.) to ~ over preeminence n. ~ in preen v. (formal) (d; refl.) to ~ oneself on ('to pride oneself on') preface n. a ~ to (a ~ to a book) prefer v. 1. (D; tr.) ('to bring') to ~ against (to ~ charges against smb.) 2. (D; tr.) to ~ to (she ~s fish to meat) 3. (E) we ~ to remain at home 4. (G) I ~red going to a concert 5. (esp. BE) (H; no passive) I'd ~ you to stay out of the dispute 6. (K) I would ~ your staying out of the dispute 7. (L; subj.) she ~s that he not get/should not get involved 8. (misc.) I (very) much ~ living in the suburbs USAGE NOTE: This verb can be used in several ways to express preference — I prefer walking to riding; I prefer to walk rather than to ride; I prefer not to ride. preferable adj. 1. ~ to 2. ~ to + inf. (it is ~ to remain silent) 3. ~ that + clause; subj. (it is ~ that she go alone) USAGE NOTE: This adjective can be used in several ways—walking is preferable to riding; it's preferable to walk rather than to ride. preference n. 1. to give ~ to 2. to demonstrate, display, show; express a ~ 3. a decided; individual; marked ~ 4. (US) (a) veterans' ~ 5. a ~ for (she showed a decided ~ for classical music) 6. in ~ to prefix v. (d; tr.) to ~ to (to ~ a title to a name) pregnancy n. 1. to terminate a ~ 2. an ectopic; false; full-term; normal ~ prejudice I n. ['bias'] 1. to arouse, stir up ~ 2. to have, hold (a) ~ 3. to break down, eliminate ~ 4. (a) deep, deep-rooted, deep-seated, ingrained, strong ~ 5. race, racial; religious ~ 6. ~ against ['harm'] 7. without ~ to (without ~ to our claims) II v. (D; tr.) to ~ against prejudicial adj. ~ to preliminary I adj. ~ to II n. ~ to prelude n. a ~ to premature adj. ~ to + inf. (it is ~ to celebrate) premiere n. 1. to give, stage a ~ 2. to attend a ~ 3. a lavish; world ~ premise n. ['proposition'] (logic) 1. the major; minor ~ ['assumption'] 2. the ~ that + clause (her ~ that the results of the election were already decided proved to be true) premises n. ['property'] on the ~ (to be consumed on the ~) premium n. ['high value'] 1. to put a ~ on ['additional sum'] 2. to pay a ~ 3. at a ~ (to sell at a ~) ['fee paid to an insurance company'] 4. an insurance ~ premonition n. 1. to have a ~ 2. a ~ that + clause (she had a ~ that an accident would happen) preoccupation n. a ~ with preoccupied adj.. ~ with preordained adj. ~ that + clause; subj. (it was ~ that they meet/should meet) preparation n. in ~ for (we are resting in ~ for the strenuous journey) preparations n. 1. to make ~ 2. ~ for preparatory adj. ~ to prepare v. 1. to ~ carefully, thoroughly 2. (D; intr., refl., tr.) to ~ for (she was ~ing for the examination; they ~d themselves for unpleasant news; she is ~ing a paper for presentation at the national meeting) 3. (E) they were ~ing to leave 4. (H) parents should ~ children to cope with life prepared adj. ~ to + inf. (we are ~ to leave) preposition n. a compound; simple ~ preposterous adj. ~ to + inf. (it's ~ to speak of such things) prerequisite I adj. (usu. does not stand alone) ~ to II n. a ~ for, to prerogative n. 1. to exercise one's ~ 2. the royal ~ 3. smb.'s ~ to + inf. (it's our ~ to order an investigation) prescribe v. 1. (D; tr.) to ~ for (to ~ a remedy for the common cold) 2. (formal) (L; subj.) regulations ~ that a lawyer draw up/should draw up the papers prescription n. 1. to fill (AE), make up a ~ 2. a ~ for 3. by ~; on a ~ (to obtain a drug on a doctor's ~; by ~ only) presence n. 1. to make one's ~ felt, known ('to make others notice one's presence') 2. in smb.'s ~ presence of mind n. to display ~ present I n. ['present time'] 1. at ~ 2. for the ~ ['present tense of a verb'] 3. in the ~ II n. ['gift'] 1. an anniversary; birthday; Christmas; graduation; wedding ~ 2. a ~ for III v. 1. (B) ('to give') they ~ed an award to her 2. (D; tr.) ('to introduce') to ~ to (the new employees were ~ed to the rest of the staff) 3. (d; tr.) to ~ with ('to give a gift to') (he ~ed her with a beautiful bouquet of roses) 4. (med.) the patient ~ed with ('complained of) severe pains presentable adj.. to make oneself ~ presentation n. ['position of a fetus'] (med.) 1. a breech; face ~ ['act of presenting'] 2. to make a ~ 3. an oral ~ (of a report) presentiment n. (formal) ['foreboding'] a ~ that + clause (she had a ~ that an accident would take place) preservative n. a food ~ preserve I n. 1. a forest; game, wild-life ~ 2. (BE) see preserves II v. 1. (D;tr.) to ~ against, from (to ~ the environment from the ravages of pollution) 2. (D; tr.) to ~ for (to ~ a tradition for coming generations) preserver n. a life ~ USAGE NOTE: In AE, life preserver means 'life belt', 'life jacket'; in BE, it means 'club used for self-defence'. preserves n. ['fruit preserved by cooking with sugar'] apricot; blueberry; cherry; grape; peach; raspberry; strawberry ~ preside v. (D; intr.) to ~ over presidency n. 1. to gain the ~ 2. a rotating ~ president n. 1. a vice ~ 2. an incoming; outgoing ~ 3. a ~ elect press I n. ['instrument for crushing, shaping, squeezing'] 1. a cider; cookie (AE); hydraulic; wine ~ ['publishing house'] 2. a university; vanity ~ ['device for printing'] 3. a printing ~ 4. the ~es roll 5. (misc.) to go to ~ 6. in ~ (our book is now in ~) ['newspapers, magazines'] ['reporters'] 7. to censor; control; muzzle the ~ 8. a free ~ 9. the foreign; gutter, yellow; local ~ ['publicity'] 10. a bad; good ~ (we got a bad ~) ['smoothness of a fabric'] 11. (a) permanent ~ ['aggressive defense used in basketball'] 12. a full-court ~ ['type of lift used by weight lifters'] 13. to do a ~ 14. a bench; military ~ II v. 1. to ~ hard 2. (d; intr., tr.) ('to push') to ~ against (to ~ against a door) 3. (d; intr., tr.) to ~ for ('to urge') (to ~ for reform; to ~ the authorities for information) 4. (D; tr.) ('to shape') to ~ into (to ~ clay into various forms) 5. (d; tr.) ('to place') to ~ into (to ~ all equipment into service) 6. (D; intr.) ('to squeeze') to ~ on (to ~ on a button).?. (H) ('to urge') they were ~ing me to agree to the compromise press conference n. to hold a ~ pressed adj. ~ for time press on v. (D; intr.) to ~ with (the police ~ed on with the investigation) press-up n. (BE) to do a ~ (see also push-up) pressure I n. 1. to exert, place, put ~ on smb. 2. to bring ~ to bear on smb. 3. to build up, increase (the) ~ 4. to feel ~ 5. to ease, relieve (the) ~ 6. to face; resist ~ (to resist ~ from extremist groups) 7. inexorable, intense, maximum, relentless, strong, unrelieved ~ 8. financial; outside; parental; peer; population; public ~ (to resist public ~) 9. air; blood; oil; water ~ 10. (esp. meteorology) atmospheric; barometric; high; low ~ 11. ~ builds up, increases, rises; eases, falls 12. ~ for(~ for tax reform) 13. ~ from (to face inexorable ~ from the media) 14. under ~ (under relentless ~) II v. (AE) 1. (D; tr.) to ~ into (to ~ smb. into doing smt.) 2. (H) to ~ smb. to do smt. pressurize v. (BE) see pressure II prestige n. 1. to enjoy, have; gain ~ 2. to damage smb.'s ~ 3. great, high; little, low ~ 4. the ~ to + inf. (does she have enough ~ to get the party nomination?) 5. of ~ (of little ~) presume v. (formal) 1. (d; intr.) to ~ on, upon (to ~ upon smb.'s good nature) 2. (E) I will not ~ to give you advice 3. (L) we can ~ that she will return 4. (M) we must ~ her to be innocent 5. (N; used with an adjective) we must ~ her innocent; she must be ~d innocent until proven guilty presumption n. a ~ that + clause (our decision was based on the ~ that they would agree) presumptuous adj. ~ to + inf. (it's ~ of you to make such claims) pretence see pretense pretend v. 1. (E) ('to feign'); ('to make believe') she ~ed not to notice; I ~ed to be busy; the children ~ed to be cowboys 2. (L) ('to feign'); ('to make believe') she ~ed that she was asleep; they ~ed that they were tourists pretender n. a ~ to (a ~ to a throne) pretense, pretence n. ['simulation'] ['false show'] 1. to make a ~ (he made no ~ of being objective) 2. to see through smb.'s ~ 3. under a ~ (under the ~ of patriotism; under false ~s) 4. without ~ (a person without ~) ['unsupported claim'] 5. to see through smb.'s ~ 6. a ~ that + clause (he saw through the ~ that lower taxes would cause unemployment) ['appearance'] 7. to keep, maintain a ~ (to maintain some ~ of legality) ['attempt'] 8. a ~ at (without any ~ at objectivity) pretext n. 1. to find a ~ for 2. a flimsy; mere ~ 3. a ~ to + inf. (it was a ~ to occupy more territory) 4. a ~ that + clause (she refused to attend on the ~ that she would be out of town) 5. at, on, under a ~ (he would call for help at/on the slightest ~; under what ~ did she approach them?) pretty adj. to be sitting ~ ('to be well off) prevail v. 1. (D; intr.) to ~ against, over (to ~ against overwhelming odds) 2. (d; intr.) to ~ on, upon smb. to do smt. (they ~ed on me to buy a new television set) prevent v. 1. (D; tr.) to ~ from (nothing can ~ this disease from spreading) 2. (BE) (J) nothing can ~ this disease spreading 3. (K) you cannot ~ her getting married prevention n. 1. (health care) primary; secondary ~ 2. accident; fire ~ preview n. 1. to give a ~ 2. a sneak ~ (of a film) prey I n. 1. to fall ~ to 2. easy ~ II v. (d; intr.) to ~ on (to ~ on small game) price I n. l.tofix,seta~2.tohike(AE; colloq.), increase, mark up, raise ~s 3. to freeze; hold down, keep down; maintain ~s 4. to pay a ~ 5. to place, put a ~ on smt.; to quote a ~ 6. bring, command, fetch, get a ~ (icons bring a high ~) 7. to bring down ~s; to undercut (smb.'s) ~s (the latest news brought down oil ~s) 8. to cut, lower, mark down, reduce, roll back, slash ~s 9. an exorbitant, high, inflated, outrageous, prohibitive, steep, stiff ~ 10. an attractive, bargain, fair, low, moderate, popular, reasonable, reduced ~ 11. an asking; buying, purchase; discount; going; list; market; reduced; regular; resale; retail; sale; selling; unit; wholesale ~ 12. (at an auction) a reserve (esp. BE), upset (esp. AE) ~ 13. ~s drop, fall, go down, slump 14. ~s go up, rise, shoot up, skyrocket 15. a ~ for (to pay an exorbitant ~ for smt.) 16. at a certain ~ (to sell merchandise at reduced ~s) 17. (misc.) what ~ an economic recovery now? (BE) ('what are the chances of an economic recovery now?'); what ~ glory if you die in the trenches? (BE) ('what is the good of glory if you die in the trenches?'); to place a ~ on smb.'s head ('to post a reward for apprehending or killing smb.') II v. (D; refl., tr.) to ~ out of (they ~d themselves out of the market) price index n. a consumer; retail ~ prick n. a pin ~ pride I n. 1. to take ~ in 2. to hurt smb.'s ~ 3. civic; fierce, great, strong; injured, wounded ~ (to take great ~ in one's children) 4. the ~ to + inf. (do they have enough ~ to defend their principles?) 5. (misc.) to appeal to smb.'s ~; to burst with ~; to pocket, swallow one's ~ II v. (d; refl.) to ~ on (to ~ oneself on one's strength) priest n. 1. to ordain a ~ 2. to defrock, unfrock a ~ 3. an Anglican; Catholic; Episcopalian; Mormon; Orthodox ~ 4. a high; parish ~ priesthood n. to enter the ~ primary n. ['party election'] (AE) 1. to hold a ~ 2. a closed; direct; open; preferential; presidential; runoff ~ prime n. 1. to reach one's ~ 2. to pass one's ~ 3. in one's ~ primed adj. 1. ~ for (~ for the big game) 2. ~ to + inf. (we are ~ to begin) prince n. 1. a crown ~ 2. (misc.) a ~ consort princess n. a crown ~ principal n. a school ~ (esp. AE) principle n. 1. to establish, formulate, lay down a ~ 2. to adhere to, apply a ~ 3. to betray, compromise one's ~s 4. a basic; general; guiding; high; sound; strict ~ 5. the ~ that + clause (we adhere to the ~ that everyone should be treated fairly) 6. in ~ (to agree in ~) 7. (misc.) a matter, question; person of ~ print I n. ['photograph'] 1. to develop; make a ~ ['printed state'] 2. in ~; out of ~ (I have not seen the story in ~; the book is out of ~) ['text of a contract'] 3. the fine, small ~ (people should always read the fine ~) ['printed letters'] 4. clear; large; small ~ ['impression made by type'] 5. dark; light II v. to ~ smt. (in) boldface; in italics; in Roman printer n. ['device for printing computer data'] a daisy wheel; dot- matrix; laser; letter-quality; serial; thermal ~ printing n. offset ~ prior adj. (cannot stand alone) ~ to priority n. 1. to establish, set a ~ 2. to take ~ over 3. (misc.) to reexamine, rethink; reorder, sort out one's ~ties prise (BE) see pry 2,3 prison n. 1. to go, be sent, be sentenced to ~ 2. to spend time in ~ 3. to be released from ~ 4. to break out of, escape from ~ 5. a maximum-security, minimum-security ~ prisoner n. 1. to take smb. ~; to take a ~ (we took many ~s) 2. a political ~ prisoner of war n. to interrogate; repatriate prisoners of war privacy n. 1. to violate smb.'s ~ 2. an invasion of one's ~ private n. ['common soldier'] 1. a buck ~ 2. (US) a ~ first-class (the British Army has /ance corporal privilege n. 1. to award, give, grant a ~ 2. to enjoy, exercise; have a ~ (to enjoy guest ~s) 3. to abuse a ~ 4. to revoke; suspend a ~ 5. a class; exclusive; special ~ 6. franking; guest; kitchen ~s 7. executive ~ 8. a ~ to + inf. (it was a ~ to work with them = it was a ~ working with them) privileged adj. (usu. does not stand alone) ~ to + inf. (we are ~ to live in a democracy) prize I n. 1. to award, give a ~ 2. to distribute ~s 3. to receive, win a ~ 4. a booby; consolation; door ~ II (BE) see pry 2,3 pro see professional probability n. in all ~ probable adj. ~ that + clause (it's ~ that she will not arrive until tomorrow; more usu. is: she'll probably not arrive until tomorrow) probate n. 1. to grant ~ 2. to prove a will at ~ probation n. 1. to release smb. on ~ 2. to violate (the terms of one's) ~ 3. on ~ (he's out on ~) probe I n. 1. to conduct; launch a ~ 2. an exhaustive, thorough ~ 3. an interplanetary, space ~ 4. a police ~ 5. a ~ into, of (a police ~ into racketeering) II v. 1. to ~ deeply, thoroughly 2. (d; tr.) to ~ about, on (to ~ smb. on a matter) 3. (D; intr.) to ~ for (to ~ for weak spots) 4. (D; intr.) to ~ into (to ~ into the facts) problem n. ['unsettled question'] ['source of difficulty'] 1. to cause, create, pose, present a ~ 2. to address, tackle; bring up, raise; resolve, settle. solve a ~ 3. an acute, difficult, major, pressing, serious; insoluble, insurmountable ~ 4. a complicated, involved, knotty, thorny ~ 5. a delicate. ticklish ~ 6. a minor, petty ~ 7. an emotional; physical; psychological; social ~ 8. a perennial ~ 9. a ~ to + int. (it's a ~ to make ends meet = it's a ~ making ends meet) 10. (misc.) the crux of a ~; to get to the heart of a ~ ['mathematical statement requiring a solution'] 11. to do, solve a ~ 12. a complicated; difficult; easy; simple ~ procedure n. 1. to establish a ~ 2. to follow a ~ 3. (a) normal, proper, regular, standard ~ (to follow regular ~s) 4. a scientific; surgical ~ 5. (surgery) a major; minor ~ 6. parliamentary ~s proceed v. 1. (d; intr.) to ~ against (to ~ against smb. in court) 2. (d; intr.) to ~ from; to (to ~ from New York to Philadelphia) 3. (d; intr.) to ~ with (to ~ with one's research) 4. (E) she ~ed to tell us every detail proceedings n. (often legal) 1. to conduct; initiate, institute ~ against (to initiate legal ~ against a competitor) 2. judicial, legal ~ 3. divorce ~ (to institute divorce ~) proceeds n. ['profit'] 1. net ~ 2. ~ from (~ from the sale of surplus property) process n. 1. the judicial ~ 2. mental ~es processing n. data; food ~ procession n. 1. to lead a ~ 2. a ceremonial; funeral; torchlight ~ 3. in (a) ~ (to march in a ~) processor n. a food; word ~ proclaim v. (formal) 1. (L; to) the president ~ed (to the nation) that new currency would be issued 2. (N; used with a noun) the entire state was ~ed a disaster area proclamation n. 1. to issue, make a ~ 2. a ~ that + clause (the government issued a ~ that all prisoners would be pardoned) proclivity n. (formal) a ~ for; to, towards procure v. (D; tr.) to ~ for prod v. 1. (D; tr.) to ~ into (to ~ smb. into doing smt.) 2. (H) they kept ~ding me to buy a new car prodigy n. a child; infant ~ produce I n. ['fruits and vegetables'] farm ~ II v. 1. (d; tr.) to ~ as (she ~d several letters as evidence) 2. (D; tr.) to ~ for (to ~ food for export) producer n. an executive; film, movie; steel; television, TV ~ product n. 1. to promote a (new) ~ 2. a by-product; an end, finished ~ 3. a waste ~ 4. the gross national ~ (= GNP) production n. ['work presented on the stage, radio. TV, etc.'] 1. to put on a ~ 2. a Hollywood; stage, theatrical; TV ~ ['process of producing'] 3. to increase, speed up, step up ~ 4. to decrease, roll back ~ 5. mass ~ 6. coal; oil; steel ~ 7. (misc.) the means of ~ ['misc.'] 8. (slang) to make a big ~ out of smt. ('to make a big fuss over smt.') productive adj. ~ of products n. dairy ~ profess v. (formal) (E) he ~ed to know nothing about the matter profession n. 1. to practice a ~ 2. the legal; medical; nursing; teaching ~ 3. by ~ (she's a lawyer by ~) professional, pro adj. and n. 1. (usu. sports) to turn ~ (he turned ~ at the age of twenty) 2. a real, true ~ (she is a real ~) ('she does her work seriously and well') USAGE NOTE: A professional tennis player and a professional golfer compete for money. A tennis professional and a golf pro coach for money, usu. at clubs. professor n. 1. (AE) an adjunct; assistant; associate; full ~ 2. (GB) a Regius ~ (appointed by the Crown) 3. a research; visiting ~ 4. a ~ emeritus, an emeritus ~ 5. a college (esp. US), university ~ 6. (misc.) an absent-minded ~ USAGE NOTE: We speak of a professor of Latin, but of a lecturer or reader in Latin. professorship n. 1. to hold a ~ 2. an endowed ~ proficiency n. 1. to demonstrate, display ~ 2. language ~ 3. ~ at, in proficient adj. ~ at, in profile n. ['public exposure'] 1. to keep a high; low ~ ['side view'] 2. in ~ profit I n. 1. to clear, earn, make, realize, reap, turn a ~ 2. to bring (in), yield a ~ 3. a handsome, large; marginal, small; quick ~ 4. an excess, exorbitant ~ 5. a clear; net; gross ~ 6. a ~ on (to make a ~ on a deal) 7. at a ~ (to operate at a ~) II v. (D; intr.) to ~ by, from profitable adj. ~ to + inf. (is it ~ to work this mine?) profiteer n. a war ~ profuse adj. (cannot stand alone) ~ in (~ in one's apologies) profusion n. in ~ prognosis n. to make a ~ program I n. ['plan'] 1. to chart, draw up a ~ 2. to carry out, implement; evaluate; introduce; launch; phase out, terminate a ~ 3. a long-range; pilot; short-range ~ 4. a building; development; political ~ 5. a ~ to + inf. (to launch a ~ to reduce crime) ['schedule'] 6. on one's ~ (what's on your ~ today?) ['entertainment'] 7. to put on a ~ ['broadcast, telecast'] 8. a call-in (AE), phone-in (BE); radio; television ~ ['coded instructions for a computer'] 9. to boot up; debug; execute; load; reboot; run; write a ~ 10. a user-friendly ~ 11. a computer; software; word processing ~ ['academic course of study'] 12. a graduate, post- graduate (esp. BE); honors; training; undergraduate ~ 13. a ~ in (a ~ in linguistics) ['organized activities'] 14. an orientation; outreach (esp. AE); recreation; work-study (AE) ~ ['misc.'] 15. a reading ~ (for a dictionary) USAGE NOTE: The BE spelling is programme, except for the computer uses, 9-11. II v. (H) to ~ a computer to store certain information USAGE NOTE: Except when referring to the computer, the BE spelling is programme-- to programme an alarm system. programme see Usage Notes for program I, II progress I n. 1. to make ~ 2. to facilitate ~ 3. to hinder, impede, obstruct ~ 4. considerable, good, great, material; rapid; slow; smooth; spotty; steady ~ 5. economic; scientific; significant; technological ~ 6. ~ in (to make ~ in solving the problems of air pollution) 7. ~ towards (~ towards peace) 8. in ~ (negotiations are in ~) II v. (D; intr.) to ~ to progression n. an arithmetic; geometric; harmonic ~ prohibit v. 1. (D; tr.) to ~ from 2. (rare) (K) you cannot ~ their going out prohibition n. 1. to repeal (a) ~ 2. a ~ against project n. ['organized undertaking'] 1. to conceive; draw up a ~ 2. to carry out a ~ 3. to shelve a ~ 4. an irrigation; land-reclamation; pilot ('experimental'); public-works; water-conservation ~ ['publicly financed housing'] (AE) 5. a housing ~ (BE has council block, housing estate) projectile n. to fire; launch a ~ projection n. ['estimate'] 1. to make a ~ 2. a computer ~ ['system of presenting a map'] 3. a homolosine; isometric; Mercator; sinusoidal ~ projector n. 1. to operate, work a ~ 2. a cine-projector (BE), film, motion-picture (AE); opaque; overhead; slide ~ proliferation n. nuclear ~ prologue n. a ~ to prom n. (AE) ['formal school dance'] 1. the junior; senior ~ 2. at the ~ 3. (misc.) to go to the ~; to take smb. to the ~ USAGE NOTE: In BE, prow means 'a promenade concert'. prominence n. 1. to acquire, gain ~ 2. to give ~ to (to give ~ to a story) promiscuity n. sexual ~ promise I n. ['vow'] 1. to give, make a ~ 2. to fulfill, keep a ~ 3. to break, renege on, repudiate a ~ 4. a broken; empty, hollow; rash; sacred, solemn ~ 5. a campaign ~ (politicians sometimes break campaign ~s) 6. a ~ to + inf. (she made a ~ to write every week) 7. a ~ that + clause (they kept their ~ that the debt would be repaid promptly) 8. (misc.) to hold smb. to a ~ ['basis for hope'] 9. to show ~ (the young boxer showed real ~) 10. of ~ (a young boxer of ~) II v. 1. (A) he ~d the book to me; or: he ~d me the book 2.(E) she ~d to return early; it ~s to be an exciting year 3. (H; often used in neg. constructions) he ~d me never to show up late again 4. (L; may have an object) he ~d (me) that he would never show up late again 5. (misc.) (BE) I ~ you ('I assure you') promote v. 1. (D; tr.) to ~ from; to (she was ~d from captain to major) 2. (old-fashioned) (BE) (N; used with a noun) she was ~d major promotion n. ['advancement in rank'] 1. to put smb. in for ~; to recommend smb. for ~ 2. to make, win one's ~ (he made his ~ to major) ('he was promoted to major') 3. a ~ from; to (a ~ to captain; a ~ to the rank of professor) ['furtherance, fostering'] 4. health ~ ['advertising'] 5. pre-publication ~ 6. in ~ (she is in ~) prompt I adj. 1. ~ at, in (~ in fulfilling one's obligations) 2. ~ to + inf. (~ to respond) II v. (H) what ~ed you to say that? promptness n. ~ at, in prone adj. ['likely'] (cannot stand alone) 1. ~ to (~ to exaggeration) 2. ~ to + inf. (he is ~ to exaggerate) pronoun n. a demonstrative; indefinite; interrogative; personal; possessive; reflexive; relative ~ pronounce v. 1. (D; intr., tr.) to ~ after (~ after me) 2. (formal) (M) the physician ~d him to be healthy 3. (N; used with an adjective, noun) she was officially ~d dead; they were ~d husband and wife pronouncement n. 1. to issue, make a ~ 2. a ~ that + clause (the government issued a ~ that taxes would be lowered) pronunciamento n. (derog.) 1. to issue, make a ~ 2. a ~ that + clause (they issued a ~ that only their theories would be acceptable) pronunciation n. 1. to acquire a (good) ~ 2. a native ~ (of a language) 3. (a) spelling ~ 4. BBC, Received ~ proof n. ['conclusive evidence'] 1. to furnish, give, offer, present, produce, provide ~ 2. ample, clear, conclusive, convincing, definite, incontestable, indisputable, irrefutable, positive, undeniable, unquestionable ~ 3. documentary; mathematical ~ 4. ~ that + clause (the prosecutor furnished convincing ~ that the accused could have been at the scene of the crime) 5. (misc.) the burden of ~ ['composed type'] 6. to correct, read ~ 7. galley; page; reproduction ~s prop v. 1. (d; tr.) to ~ against (~ a chair against the door) 2. (N; used with an adjective) ~ the window open propaganda n. 1. to engage in, spread ~ 2. to counteract, neutralize ~ 3. enemy; ideological; vicious ~ 4. ~ against propensity n. (formal) 1. a ~ for (a ~ for exaggerating) 2. a ~ to + inf. (he has a ~ to exaggerate) proper adj. 1. ~ to + inf. (it is not ~ to enter that restaurant without a jacket) 2. ~ that + clause; subj. (it is ~ that she state/should state her own opinion) property n. 1. to confiscate, seize ~ 2. to buy; inherit; lease; rent; sell; transfer ~ 3. to reclaim; recover (stolen) ~ 4. (an) abandoned; commercial ~ 5. common; communal; government; individual; joint; movable; personal; private; public; real ~ 6. community ~ ('property held jointly by two spouses') 7. a piece of ~ prophecy n. 1. to make a ~ 2. a gloomy; self-ful-filling ~ 3. a ~ comes true; turns out to be true prophesy v 1. (K) no one could ~ your becoming governor 2. (L) I ~sied that she would succeed prophet n. 1. a false ~ 2. (rel.) a major; minor ~ propinquity n. (formal) ~ to propitious adj. ~ for, to proportion n. 1. (a) direct; in verse ~ 2. in ~ to 3. out of ~ to (the punishment was out of ~ to the crime) proportional adj. ~ to proportionate adj. ~ to proportions n. ['extent'] 1. to assume, take on ~ 2. epic; epidemic; menacing ~ (the outbreak assumed epidemic ~) proposal n 1. to make, present, put forth, put tor-ward a ~ 2. to accept, adopt a ~ 3. to consider, entertain; receive a ~ 4. to kill (colloq ), reject turn down a ~ 5. a concrete ~ 6. a ~ falls through 7 a ~ for 8 a ~ to + int. (the committee rejected the ~ to reduce taxes) 9. a ~ that + clause; subj. (they presented a ~ that all workers be/should be given free dental care) propose v. 1. (B) she ~d a new plan to us 2. (D; intr ) to ~ to ('to offer marriage to ) 3. (E) 1 ~ to leave very early 4. (G) she ~d leaving very early 5 (K) she ~d his going in my place 6. (L; subj.; to; we ~d (to them) that she be/should be appointed proposition n. ['unethical, immoral proposal] (colloq.) 1. to make (smb.) a ~ ['subject, question to be discussed'] 2. the ~ that + clause (we debated the ~ that war should be outlawed) proprieties n. ['accepted behavior'] to observe the propriety n. ['conformity with accepted standards of behavior'] to doubt the ~ of smt. propulsion n jet; nuclear; rocket ~ prop up v. (D; tr.) to-against (she ~ped up the chair against the door) pros and cons n. to weigh the ~ prose n. to write (in) ~ prosecute v. 1. to ~ vigorously 2. (D;tr.) to ~ for (to ~ smb. for murder) prosecution n. 1. to conduct a ~ 2. to face ~ 3. a vigorous ~ 4. criminal ~ 5. ~ for 6. (misc.) subject to (criminal) ~ prosecutor n. a public ~ (esp. BE; AE has district attorney) proseminar n. 1. to give, hold a ~ 2. a ~ on prospect I n. ['anticipated outcome ] a bleak, grim; inviting; rosy ~ II v. (D; intr.) to ~ for (to ~ for gold) prospects n. ['chances'] 1. to have ~ for (to have ~ for the future) 2. ~ that + clause (~ are that the situation will improve) ['financial expectations ] 3. with; without ~ prosperity n. 1. to create ~ 2. to enjoy ~ prostitution n. 1. to engage in ~ 2. to decriminalize, legalize ~ 3. to ban, outlaw ~ prostrate v. (D; refl.) to ~ oneself before prostration n. heat; nervous ~ protect v. (D; tr.) to ~ against, from protection n. 1. to afford, give, provide ~ 2. government; police ~ 3. ~ against, from 4. under smb.'s ~ (she was placed under our ~) protective adj. ~ of, towards protector n. a chest; surge ~ protein n. 1. to furnish, provide ~ (of food) 2. (a) complete; incomplete; simple; total ~ protest I n. ['complaint'] ['dissent'] 1. to enter, file, lodge, register a ~ 2. to express voice a ~ 3. to cause, draw, spark (AE), spark off (BE), trigger a ~ 4. to dismiss, reject a ~ 5. a strong, vigorous; weak ~ (we lodged a strong ~ with their government) 6. a ~ against 7. a ~ that + clause (the court rejected their ~ that due process had not been observed) 8. in ~ (to resign in ~) 9.under ~ (they complied with the order under ~) ['public demonstration of disapproval'] 10. to organize, stage a ~ 11. to put down, quell a ~ 12. a noisy; public ~ 13. a ~ against II v. 1. to ~ strongly, vigorously 2. (D, intr.) to ~ about, against (to ~ against a war; AE also has: to ~ a war) 3. (K) we ~ed his being released 4. (L; to) we ~ed (to the mayor) that taxes were too high protocol n. ['minutes'] ['statement'] 1. to draw up a ~ ['official code of conduct'] 2. diplomatic; military ~ protrude v. (D; intr.) to ~ from proud adj. 1. justly ~ 2. ~ of (~ of one s children) 3. ~ to + int. (she will be ~ to serve) 4. ~ that + clause (he is ~ that he served in the army) prove v 1. to ~ conclusively 2. (B) she was able to ~ her innocence to us 3. (E) she ~d to be a good worker 4 (L; to) he ~d (to everyone) that he could cope with the job 5. (M) history ~d her to be right 6. (N; used with an adjective, past participle) the evidence ~d him guilty proverb n. a ~ goes, runs provide v 1. (d; intr.) to ~ for (to ~ for one's family; to ~ for every contingency) 2. (D; tr.) to ~ for (to ~ blankets for the refugees) 3. (d; tr.) to ~ with (they were ~d with the proper equipment, we ~d the refugees with blankets) 4. (L; subj.) this bill ~s that money be/should be allocated for flood control providence n. divine ~. province n. (esp. in Canada) 1. an inland; maritime ~ 2. the Province of Alberta, Quebec, provision n. ['preparations'] 1. to make ~ for ['clause in a legal document'] 2. to violate a ~ (of a contract) proviso n. 1. to add a ~ 2. with a ~ that + clause; subj. (we will agree to the proposal with the ~ that overtime be/should be paid) provocation n. 1. extreme, gross ~ 2. ~ for (there was no ~ for such behavior) 3. at a ~ (he loses his temper at the slightest ~) 4. under ~ (he did use strong language, but only under extreme ~) provocative adj. highly ~. provoke v 1. (D; tr.) to ~ into (to ~ smb. into doing smt.) 2. (rare) (H) to ~ smb. to do smt. prowess n. 1. to demonstrate, display ~ 2. athletic; military ~ 3. ~ in prowl n. on the ~ proximate adj. (cannot stand alone) ~ to proximity n. 1. close ~ 2. ~ to 3. in ~ to (in close ~ to the scene of the crime) proxy n. 1. to hold smb.'s ~ 2. a ~ to + inf. (he had a ~ to vote for me) 3. by ~ (to vote by ~) prudent adj. ~ fo + inf. (it was ~ of you to sell that property) prudish adj. ~ about pry v. 1. (D; intr.) to ~ into (to ~ into smb.'s affairs) 2. (D; tr.) to ~ out of (to ~ information out of smb.) 3. (N; used with an adjective) they pried the door open USAGE NOTE: For senses two and three, BE uses prise or prize. p's and q's n. ['manners'] to mind one's ~ pseudonym n. 1. to adopt; use a ~ 2. under a ~ (to write under a ~) psychology n. ['science of the mind'] 1. abnormal; applied; behavioral; child; clinical; developmental; educational; experimental; general; Gestalt; social ~ ['attitudes'] 2. group; mob ~ ['knowledge of a person's habits, reactions'] (colloq.) 3. to use psychosis n. a manic-depressive ~ puberty n. 1. to reach (the state of) ~ 2. at ~ public n. 1. to educate, enlighten the ~ 2. to fool, mislead the ~ 3. the general; great British (BE; humorous); reading; theatergoing; traveling ~ 4. in ~ publication n. ['act of publishing'] 1. to begin, start ~ 2. to suspend ~ ['printed work'] 3. a government; official ~ publicity n. 1. to give, provide ~ 2. to gain, receive; seek ~ 3. to avoid, shun ~ 4. extensive, wide ~ 5. ~ for 6. (misc.) a blaze of ~ (they left for Europe in a blaze of ~) public opinion n. 1. to arouse, stir up ~ 2. to form, mold ~ 3. to affect, influence; manipulate ~ 4. to express ~ 5. to canvass, poll, probe, sound out ~ public welfare see welfare puff I n. a powder ~ II v. (d; intr.) to ~ on (to ~ on a pipe) pull I n. ['force'] 1. gravitational ~ ['influence'] (colloq.) 2. to use one's ~ 3. the ~ to + inf. (she had enough ~ to avoid paying the fine) II v. 1. to ~ hard 2. (AE; colloq.)(d; intr.) to ~ for ('to support') (we were ~ing for the home team; they were ~ing for our team to win) 3. (d; intr.) ('to move') to ~ into (the train ~ed into the station) 4. (d; intr.) to ~ off ('to turn off) (to ~ off the road) 5. (D; intr.) ('to tug') to ~ on (to ~ on a rope) 6. (d; intr.) ('to move') to ~ out of (the train ~ed out of the station; to ~ out of a dive) 7. (d; tr.) ('to lift') to ~ out of (they ~ed her out of the water) 8. (misc.) to ~ a gun on smb. pull ahead v. (D; intr.) to ~ of (to ~ of the other runners) pull alongside v. (AE)(D;intr.)to~of(to~of the other car) pull away v. (D; intr., tr.) to ~ from (to ~ from the curb; she ~ed the child away from the fire) pull back v. (D; intr.) to ~ from (to ~ from the others) pull down v. (D; tr.) to ~ over (she ~ed her hat down over her eyes) pulley n. a fixed; movable ~ pull over v. (D; intr.) to ~ to (to ~ to the curb) pull up v. (D; intr.) to ~ to (to ~ to the curb) pulp n. to beat smb. to a ~ pulpit n. 1. to ascend, mount the ~ 2. from; on the ~ (to denounce wrongdoing from the ~) pulse n. 1. to take ('measure') smb. 's ~ 2. to quicken smb.'s ~ (the excitement quickened his ~) 3. an erratic, irregular, unsteady; normal; rapid; regular, steady; strong; weak ~ pump I n. 1. to prime; work a ~ 2. a gasoline (AE), petrol (BE) ~ 3. a centrifugal; heat; stomach; suction; sump ~ II v. 1. (d; tr.) to ~ into (to ~ investments into a company; to ~ water into a tank) 2. (D; tr.) to ~ out of (to ~ water out of a flooded basement) 3. (N; used with an adjective) we ~ed the basement dry punch I n. ['blow'] 1. to deliver, give, land, throw a ~ 2. to pull ('soften') one's ~es (also fig.) 3. to roll with a ~ 4. a one-two; rabbit; solid; Sunday ~ 5. a ~ in, on, to (a ~ in the face; a ~ on the nose) ['misc.'] 6. to pack a ~ ('to be powerful'); to beat smb. to the ~ II v. (D; tr.) to ~ in, on (I ~ed him in/on the jaw) III n. ['mixed drink usu. consisting of fruit juice, liquor, etc.'] 1. to make ~ 2. to spike ('add alcohol to') the ~ 3. to water down the ~ Punch n. as pleased as ~ ('very pleased') punctilious adj. ~ about punctual adj. ~ in (~ in paying one's rent) punctuality n. ~ in punctuation mark n. to place, put a ~ somewhere puncture n. to patch, repair a ~ pundit n. a political ~ punish v. 1. to ~ cruelly; harshly, severely; lightly, mildly; summarily 2. (D; tr.) to ~ for (they were ~ed harshly for their crime) punishable adj. ~ by ( ~ by death) punishment n. 1. to administer, mete out ~ to 2. to impose, inflict ~ on 3. to escape; suffer, take ~ 4. cruel, cruel and unusual; harsh, severe; just; light, mild ~ 5. capital; corporal; summary ~ 6. (mil.) company ~ 7. ~ for 8. as, in ~ for pupil I n. ['opening in the iris of the eye'] constricted; dilated ~s II see the Usage Note for student puppet n. 1. to manipulate, move a ~ 2. a hand ~ purchase I n. ['act of buying'] to make a ~ II v. 1. (D; tr.) to ~ for 2. (D; tr.) to ~ from purge I n. 1. to carry out, conduct a ~ 2. a radical, sweeping ~ II v. 1. (D;tr.) ('to remove') to ~ from (all dissidents were ~d from the party) 2. (D; tr.) ('to cleanse') to ~ of (the party was ~d of all disloyal elements) purify v. (D; tr.) to ~ of purity n. moral ~ purple I adj. ['livid'] ~ with (~ with rage) II n. dark; light ~ purport v. (formal) (E) ('to claim') they ~ to be our friends purported adj. (cannot stand alone) ~ to + inf. (they are ~ to be wealthy) purpose n. 1. to accomplish, achieve, fulfill a ~ 2. to serve a ~ 3. to put smt. to a good ~ 4. for a ~ (it was done for a good ~; we arranged the meet-ing for the ~ of preventing a strike) 5. (misc.) for all practical ~s ('in reality'); on ~ ('purposely') purse strings n. ['finances'] to control, hold the ~ pursuance n. (formal) in ~ of (in ~ of one's duties) pursuant adj. (formal) (cannot stand alone) ~ to pursuit n. ['chase'] 1. dogged, relentless; hot ~ 2. in ~ of (in hot ~ of the terrorists) ['hobby'] 3. one's favorite ~ pus n. 1. to discharge ~ 2. ~ forms push I n. ['act of pushing'] 1. to give smb. a ~ (our car was stuck and they gave us a ~) ['attack'] 2. a big ~ 3. a ~ to (a ~ to the sea) II v. 1. (d; intr.) ('to shove') to ~ against (to ~ against the door) 2. (d; intr.) to ~ for ('to urge') (to ~ for reform) 3. (d; intr.) to ~ into ('to force one's way') (to ~ into a crowded bus) 4. (D; tr.) ('to force to move') to ~ into (we ~ed the stalled car into the garage) 5. (d; intr.) ('to press') to ~ on (to ~ on a handle) 6. (d; intr., tr.) to ~ through ('to force one's way through') (to ~ through a crowd; to ~ one's way through a crowd) 7. (d; intr.) ('to move') to ~ to, towards (our troops ~ed towards the next village) 8. (H) ('to urge') to ~ smb. to do smt. 9. (N; used with an adjective) ~ the chair closer 10. (misc.) the army was ~ed to the breaking point pushdown v. (D; intr.) to ~ on (to ~ on a lid) push on v. (D; intr.) ('to continue') to ~ to (we ~ed on to the next town) pushover n. ['easy target'] a ~ for push-up n. (esp. AE) to do a ~ (see also press-up) push up v. (D; intr.) to ~ on (to ~ on a handle) put I adv. (colloq.) ['remaining in one place'] to stay ~ II v. 1. (B) ('to pose') to ~ a question to smb. 2. (d; tr.) ('to place') to ~ before (to ~ a proposal before a committee) 3. (d; tr.) ('to place') to ~ in; into (to ~ milk in/into the refrigerator; to ~ new equipment into service; to ~ a criminal in prison; to ~ money in/into circulation; to ~ a plan into operation; to ~ one's affairs in order; to ~ a theory into practice; to ~ wood into a stove; to ~ sugar in/into tea; to ~ a car into a garage; to ~ words into smb.'s mouth; to ~ one's faith in smb.; ~ yourself in my place) 4. (d; intr.) ('to move') to ~ into (the ship put into port) 5. (d; tr.) ('to express') to ~ into (to ~ one's feelings into words) 6. (d; tr.) ('to place') to ~ on (to ~ books on a table; to ~ a stamp on a letter; to ~ smb.'s name on a list; the doctor put the patient on a diet) 7. (d; tr.) ('to bet') to ~ on (to ~ money on a horse) 8. (d; tr.) ('to place') to ~ out of (to ~ an enemy tank out of action) 9. (d; tr.) ('to assign') to ~ to (we put them all to work) 10. (d; tr.) ('to place') to ~ to (she put her fingers to her lips) 11. (d; tr.) ('to set') to ~ to (to ~ words to music) 12. (L; to) ('to suggest') I put it to them that the plan should be revised 13. (P; tr.) ('to place') ~ your shoes near the door; ~ the skis next to the fire; ~ the children to bed; ~ your things under the bed 14. (misc.) to ~ a question to a vote; to ~ smb. to shame; to ~ smb. under arrest; to ~ smb. to great expense; to ~ smb. through one's paces ('to subject smb. to a test of skill'); to ~ oneself in smb.'s place; the ship put out to sea put down v. 1. (d; tr.) ('to consider') to ~ as (we can ~ this trip down as a business expense) 2. (d; tr.) to ~ for ('to enter a pledge for') (I'll ~ you down for five tickets) 3. (BE) (d; tr.) ('to enter') to ~ for (to ~ one's son for Eton) 4.(d; tr.) ('to attribute') to ~ to (to ~ a blunder down to inexperience) put in v. (D; tr.) to ~ for ('to submit') (to ~ a claim for damages) put off v. ('to postpone') 1. (D; tr.) to ~ until (she put the trip off until next week) 2. (G) we put off leaving because of the snow put out v. 1. (D; refl.) ('to disturb') to ~ oneself out for (don't ~ yourself out for us) 2. (misc.) to ~ to sea put over v. (D; tr.) ('to fob off) to put smt. over on (he put his scheme over on the unsuspecting investors) putter v. (AE) (d; intr.) to ~ around (to ~ around the house) (BE has potter) put through v. (D; tr.) ('to connect') to ~ to (she was finally put through to her number) put up v. 1. (B) ('to propose') I'll put the idea up to the whole committee 2. (old-fashioned) (BE) (d; intr.) ('to stay') to ~ at; with (to ~ at a hotel; to ~ with friends in Exeter) 3. (d; tr.) ('to offer') to ~ for (to ~ smt. up for sale) 4. (d; tr.) ('to provide') to ~ for (she put up the money for the flowers) 5. (D; tr.) ('to give shelter to') to ~ for (to ~ smb. up for a night) 6. (d; intr.) to ~ with ('to tolerate') (we will not ~ with such behavior) 7. (H) ('to place') to ~ water up to boil; he put the meal up to cook puzzle I n. 1. to solve a ~ 2. a crossword ~; jigsaw ~ (AE; BE has jigsaw) 3. a ~ to (the whole matter was a ~ to the police) II v. 1. (d; intr.) to ~ over (to ~ over a problem) 2. (R) it ~d me that they never answered the telephone puzzled adj. ~ to + inf. (we were ~ to learn of her decision) puzzling adj. 1. ~ to (her behavior was ~ to everybody) 2. ~ that + inf. (it was ~ that he went straight home) pyjamas (BE) see pajamas pyre n. a funeral ~