A1 (Basic)

behind

I. be‧hind¹ S1 W1 /bɪˈhaɪnd/ BrE AmE preposition, adverb
[Language: Old English; Origin: behindan, from hindan 'from behind']
1. at or towards the back of a thing or person:
I turned to speak to the person standing behind me.
Someone could easily creep up behind us.
The car behind was hooting impatiently.
Jane shut the door behind her.
The manager was sitting behind a large desk.
close behind/not far behind
He set off down the road with the rest of us following close behind.
► Do not say ‘behind of’: He hid behind a chair (NOT behind of a chair).
2. not as successful or not having made as much progress as someone or something else:
Mark’s always behind the rest of his class in mathematics.
This victory lifts Ferguson’s team into fifth place, nine points behind leaders Norwich.
Europe was falling behind in the important field of computer technology.
3. used to say that someone is late in doing what they have to do:
This work should have been finished yesterday. I’m getting terribly behind.
Victor had fallen behind with his mortgage payments after losing his job.
an important research project that is already two years behind schedule (=not ready at the time planned)
4. used for talking about the hidden reason for something:
I wonder what’s behind this change of plan.
Perhaps a bitter experience lay behind her anger.
5. supporting a person, idea etc:
The workers are very much behind these proposals.
I suppose I’m lucky because my parents were behind me all the way.
6. responsible for a plan, idea etc or for organizing something:
It was alleged that foreign agents were behind the recent violence.
The Rotary Club is behind the fund-raising for the new hospital.
7. if an unpleasant experience or situation is behind you, it no longer upsets you or affects your life:
Now you can put all these worries behind you.
a chance to start a new life and leave all your troubles behind
8. if you have experience behind you, you have gained valuable skills or important qualities that can be used:
Marjorie is one of the top designers in the business, with years of experience behind her.
9. used when the real facts about a situation or someone’s character are hidden by the way things seem or by the way a person behaves:
We were determined to find the truth behind this mystery.
You could see the burning hatred behind Graham’s calm manner.
10. if a student stays behind after school or after a lesson, they stay after it has finished
⇨ behind sb’s back at ↑back²(9), ⇨ behind bars at ↑bar¹(7), ⇨ behind the times at ↑time¹(38)
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ behind at or towards the back of something, and often hidden by it: The sun went behind a cloud. | I got stuck behind a truck on the way to the airport.
▪ at the back British English, in (the) back American English behind something, especially a building: There’s a small garden at the back of the cottage. | Their house has a pool in the back.
▪ at/to the rear written behind something, especially a building. At/to the rear sounds rather formal and is used especially in written descriptions: They parked in a small carpark at the rear of the hotel. | There is a small seating area to the rear.
▪ in the background if someone or something is in the background, it is behind the place where the main activity is happening: If you look carefully at the painting, you will see several men sitting at a table in the background.

in

I. in¹ S1 W1 /ɪn/ BrE AmE preposition
[Language: Old English]
1. used with the name of a container, place, or area to say where someone or something is:
There’s some sugar in the cupboard.
My mother was in the kitchen.
He took us for a drive in his new car.
I found her sitting up in bed.
Manson spent fifteen years in prison.
a hole in the ground
Mr Fisher is in Boston this week.
My parents live in New Zealand now.
2. into a container, place etc:
I never went in pubs.
He almost drowned when he fell in the river.
You can put your pyjamas in the bottom drawer.
Get in the car.
She looked in her handbag, but her keys were not there.
3. used to say how something is done or happens:
a room furnished in the modern style
Her parents always talk to her in German.
She shouted my name in a harsh voice.
a short note scribbled in pencil
The title was printed in capital letters.
We waited in silence.
4. used with the names of months, years, seasons etc to say when something happens:
Shaw first visited Russia in 1927.
Bright yellow flowers appear in late summer.
He retired in October.
5. during a period of time:
It was amazing how much we managed to do in a day.
the hardest decision I ever made in my life
GRAMMAR
Do not use in before 'this’, 'last', and 'next' when saying when something happens:
▪ I got a letter from my sister this morning (NOT in this morning).
▪ I hope to go to Europe next summer (NOT in next summer).
You do not normally use in when saying how often something happens during a particular period of time:
▪ The group meets four times a week (NOT four times in a week). But when you are emphasizing how often something happens, you can use in in front of one:
▪ She was late for school four times in one week.
6. at the end of a period of time:
I’ll be with you in a minute.
The results will be announced in two weeks’ time.
7. used with negatives or with ‘first’ to say how much time has passed since the last time something happened:
I haven’t enjoyed myself so much in years.
It was the team’s first win in eighteen months.
8. used to name the book, document, film etc where something or someone appears:
You shouldn’t believe everything you read in the newspapers.
Which actress starred in the film ‘Cleopatra’?
There are a few mistakes in your essay.
In his speech, Professor Leary praised the work of the volunteers.
9. making up the whole of something or included as part of something:
There are twelve programmes in the series.
How many minutes are there in an hour?
Think of a word with eight letters in it meaning ‘cold’.
Owen will be playing in the England team tomorrow.
10. doing or affecting a particular kind of job:
a career in industry
He’s been in politics for fifteen years.
reforms in education
11. wearing something:
He looked very handsome in his uniform.
She was dressed in a blue linen suit.
12. used to talk about the state or situation of something or someone:
I hear that their marriage is in trouble.
The engine appears to be in good condition.
His life was in danger.
The castle now lies in ruins.
13. used to say what activity a group of people do:
About 4,000 students took part in the protest.
his role in the negotiations
14. used to talk about the shape, arrangement, or course of something or someone:
I want you all to stand in a circle.
She slept curled up in a ball.
Can you walk in a straight line?
15. used between a smaller number and a larger number to say how common or how likely something is:
One in ten homes now has cable TV.
Smokers have a one in three chance of dying from their habit.
16. used before a plural number or amount to say how many people or things are involved, or how many there are in each group:
Eggs are still sold in half dozens.
The children work in pairs.
in their hundreds/thousands etc (=in very large numbers)
People flocked in their thousands to greet their new princess.
17. used between a smaller number or amount and a larger one to say what a rate is:
Income tax stands at 23 pence in the pound.
a hill with a gradient of one in six
18. used to say what colour something is or what it is made of:
Do you have the same pattern in blue?
a sculpture in white marble
19. used to say what specific thing your statement is related to:
Milk is very rich in calcium.
Clark had become more extreme in his opinions.
an increase in fuel prices
The street is about a mile in length.
20. used to refer to the weather or the physical conditions somewhere:
I’ve been standing in the rain for over an hour.
Would you prefer to sit in the shade?
21. used to say what feeling you have when you do something:
She looked at me in horror.
It was all done purely in fun.
22. used before the name of someone or something when you are saying how they are regarded:
You have a very good friend in Pat.
In Dwight D. Eisenhower the Republicans had found the ideal candidate.
23. used to say what person or thing has the quality you are mentioning:
There was a hint of spring in the air.
I don’t think Freddy had it in him to be a killer.
She’s everything I’d want in a wife (=she has every quality I would want a wife to have).
24. used to name the substance, food, drink etc that contains something:
Vitamin D is found in butter.
25. used to say how many parts something is divided into:
a radio serial in four parts
in two/halves/pieces etc
I tore the letter in two and threw the pieces in the fire.
26. while doing something or while something is happening, and as a result of this:
In all the confusion, it is quite possible that some people got tickets without paying.
In my excitement, I forgot all about the message.
in doing something
In trying to protect the queen, Howard had put his own life in danger.
27. in that used after a statement to begin to explain in what way it is true:
I’ve been lucky in that I have never had to worry about money.
28. be in your 20s/30s/40s etc to be between the ages of 20 and 29, 30 and 39 etc:
Matthews was already in his mid-40s.
⇨ in all at ↑all¹(11)
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ after preposition after something happens, or after a period of time has passed. After is used especially when taking about the past: We went for a walk after lunch. | After an hour, we got tired of waiting and went home. | They got married just after Christmas.
▪ in preposition after a particular period of time. In is used especially when talking about the future, especially the next few minutes, hours, days etc: The concert’s due to start in a few minutes. | I’ll come back in an hour. | In a few years’ time, this place will look completely different.
▪ within preposition after less than a month, two weeks etc has passed – used especially when the time seems surprisingly short: within a month/two weeks etc: He developed a headache at lunchtime, and within two hours he was dead. | Within two days of arriving she had managed to upset everyone.
▪ 24 hours/a year etc from now at a time 24 hours, a year etc after now: A week from now we’ll be in Paris.
▪ afterwards (also afterward especially American English) adverb after an event or time you have mentioned: Jones admitted afterwards that she had been very nervous during the game. | Speaking to reporters afterward, he said the operation had been a success. | He moved to Belgium, and soon afterwards he met Angela.
▪ later adverb some time after now or after the time you are talking about: I’ll tell you about it later when I’m less busy. | two months/three years etc later: James went off, and came back ten minutes later with some food.
▪ subsequently adverb formal after something had happened in the past: The book was published in 1954 and was subsequently translated into fifteen languages.

next

I. next¹ S1 W1 /nekst/ BrE AmE determiner, adjective
1. the next event, day, time etc is the one that happens after the present one, or the previous one:
I just missed my flight to Chicago. When’s the next one?
We’ll look at the proposals at the next meeting.
Over the next couple of months, try to relax more and get more exercise.
next week/year/Monday etc
We’re hoping to open the factory some time next year.
the next day/week etc (=on or during the following day, week etc)
She called me and we arranged to meet the next day.
(the) next time
Next time I go skiing, I’ll wear warmer clothes.
2. the next house, room, place etc is the one that is nearest to where you are now:
Turn left at the next corner.
We could hear them arguing in the next room. ⇨ ↑next to
3. the next person or thing in a list, series etc comes after the one that you are dealing with now:
Read the next two chapters before Friday.
Do they have the next size up (=a slightly bigger size)?
4. next biggest/most common etc almost as big, more common etc than the one you are talking about:
Cancer-related diseases are the next biggest killers.
5. the next best thing the thing or situation that is almost as good as the one you really want:
If I can’t be home for Christmas, phoning you on the day is the next best thing.
6. the next thing I/she etc knew informal used when something surprising happens very suddenly:
The next thing I knew, I was lying face down on the pavement.
7. as the next man/person as any other man or person:
I am as keen to do well as the next man.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ next happening or coming immediately after another one: When does the next train to London leave? | I’ll see you next Saturday.
▪ following happening or coming immediately after something – used about periods of time, or parts of a piece of writing: We met the following day. | The following weeks passed quickly. | the following pages of the book
▪ subsequent formal happening or coming at some time after something else: the subsequent success of the film | This will be explained in more detail in subsequent chapters. | This figure is expected to rise steeply in subsequent years.
▪ succeeding coming after someone or something else – used about a series of groups of people, periods of time, or parts of a book: succeeding generations | Succeeding governments have made the same mistake. | During the succeeding weeks he wrote several more letters.
▪ coming happening soon: The information will be mailed to members during the coming weeks. | The villagers are storing up wood for the coming winter.
II. next² S1 W1 BrE AmE adverb
1. immediately afterwards:
With John here, you never know what will happen next.
Next, put it in the oven for 20 minutes.
2. the next time:
When I next saw her she completely ignored me.

under

un‧der S1 W1 /ˈʌndə $ -ər/ BrE AmE preposition, adverb
[Language: Old English]
1. BELOW below or at a lower level than something, or covered by something OPP over:
Wendy had hidden the box under her bed.
We sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge.
Write your name under your picture.
I could see something glittering under the water.
He was wearing a jacket under his coat.
Under her arm, she carried a large portfolio.
In summer, we often slept under the stars.
I’d scare my mom by diving in and staying under (=staying under the water) for as long as I could.
The bench collapsed under the weight of (=unable to support the weight of) so many people.
2. LESS THAN less than a particular number, amount, age, or price OPP over:
These toys are not suitable for children under five.
Most of the events listed cost under £60.
I spend just under four hours a day seeing customers.
and/or under
Children aged 12 or under must be accompanied by an adult.
be under age (=be too young to legally drink, have sex etc)
3. HAVING SOMETHING DONE TO IT used to say what is being done to something or how it is being dealt with
under discussion/consideration/review etc
The possibility of employing more staff is still under discussion (=being discussed, considered etc).
All categories of expenditure are under review.
Four new power stations are currently under construction.
The port was coming under attack from enemy warships.
4. AFFECTED BY SOMETHING affected by a particular condition, influence, or situation:
She’s been under a lot of pressure at work.
under the influence of alcohol/drink/drugs etc
He was accused of driving while under the influence of alcohol.
The operation was carried out while she was under general anaesthetic.
I’m glad to see that you have everything under control.
Two of our national parks are currently under threat from road schemes.
The doctor injected something into my arm and I immediately felt myself going under (=becoming unconscious).
5. under ... conditions/circumstances if something happens under particular conditions, it happens when those conditions exist:
I wish I’d met him under different circumstances.
The system operates well under normal conditions.
6. LAW/AGREEMENT according to a particular agreement, law etc:
the question of whether the trade is illegal under international law
Under the terms of the agreement, the debt will be repaid over a 20-year period.
7. IN POWER if something happens under a particular leader, government etc, it happens when they are in power:
a program initiated under President Clinton and continued under President Bush
Under her leadership, the magazine’s circulation doubled in less than a year.
Would it have been different under a Labour government?
8. POSITION AT WORK if you work under someone, they have a higher position in the company, organization etc than you, and they help to direct your work:
She had a total staff of ten working under her.
From 1847 to 1851 he served under Captain John Randolph Stokes.
At Cambridge he studied under (=was a student of) F. R. Leavis.
9. WHERE INFORMATION IS used to say in which part of a book, list, or system particular information can be found
be/be filed/be listed etc under
The baby’s records are filed under the mother’s last name.
10. DIFFERENT NAME if you write or do something under a particular name, you do it using that name instead of your real name:
He made a few records under the name of Joe Ritchie.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ under something that is under something else has that thing directly above it or covering it: The pen was under the desk. | She had a T-shirt on under her sweater.
▪ below in a lower position than something else, though not always directly under it: From the cliffs we could barely see the people on the beach below us. | His apartment is below ours on the left.
▪ underneath under – used especially to emphasize that something covers, touches, or hides something: The girls wear shorts underneath their cheerleading skirts. | I found the book underneath the sofa.
▪ beneath formal under or at a lower level: They strolled hand in hand beneath the summer moon. | The water lies just beneath the surface of the earth.

between

be‧tween S1 W1 /bɪˈtwiːn/ BrE AmE adverb, preposition
[Language: Old English; Origin: betweonum]
1. (also in between) in or through the space that separates two things, people, or places:
I sat down between Sue and Jane.
a house and stables, with a yard in between
The ball rolled between his feet.
2. (also in between) in the time that separates two times or events:
Are there any public holidays between Christmas and Easter?
You shouldn’t eat between meals.
The team have a lot of work to do between now and Sunday.
A lot of students spend a year abroad in between school and university.
I’ve had a few jobs, with long periods of unemployment in between.
3. within a range of amounts, numbers, distances etc:
The project will cost between eight and ten million dollars.
Most of the victims were young men between the ages of 16 and 21.
4. used to say which two places are joined or connected by something:
They’re building a new road between Manchester and Sheffield.
5. used to say which people or things are involved in something together or are connected:
the long-standing friendship between Bob and Bryan
co-operation between the two countries
She had overheard a private conversation between two MPs.
the link between serious sunburn and deadly skin cancer
6. used to say which people or things get, have, or are involved in something that is shared:
Tom divided his money between his children.
Between the four of them they managed to lift her into the ambulance.
We collected £17 between us.
7. used to say which two things or people you are comparing:
the contrast between town and country life
In her book she makes a comparison between Russian and British ballet.
the difference between good music and really great music
8. between you and me (also between ourselves) spoken used before telling someone something that you do not want them to tell anyone else:
Between you and me, I think Schmidt’s about to resign.
9. come between somebody if something comes between two people, it causes an argument or problems between them:
I let my stupid pride come between us.
10. used when it is difficult to give an exact description of something and you therefore have to compare it to two things that are similar to it:
He uttered a sound that was something between a sigh and a groan.

email

I. e‧mail¹ S2 W2 BrE AmE, e-mail /ˈiː meɪl/ noun
1. [uncountable] a system that allows you to send and receive messages by computer SYN electronic mail:
It’s usually best to contact him by email.
2. [uncountable and countable] a message that is sent from one person to another using the email system:
Send me an e-mail when you have any news.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meanings 1 & 2)
■ verbs
▪ send (somebody) an email Can you send me an email with all the details?
▪ get/receive an email Within seconds, I got an email confirming the booking.
▪ read an email It took most of the morning to read my emails.
▪ write an email Jack spent the evening writing emails and surfing the Internet.
▪ answer/reply to an email She did not bother replying to his email.
▪ check your email(s) The first thing I do every morning is check my email.
▪ delete an email I accidentally deleted your email.
▪ forward an email (=send an email you have received to someone else) Can you please forward this email on to Chris?
▪ fire off an email informal (=send it quickly, especially because you are angry about something) I fired off an email to the hotel, saying how disgusted I was with their level of service.
■ adjectives
▪ a group email (=one sent to several people at the same time) Those group emails telling you who is leaving and joining the company are so boring.
■ email + NOUN
▪ an email address What’s your email address?
▪ an email message I can send email messages on my phone.
▪ an email attachment (=a computer file sent in an email) Don’t open an email attachment unless you know who sent it.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ email a message sent using the email system: Did you get my email? | There were about 20 emails in my inbox that morning.
▪ message an email – used when it is obvious that you are talking about a message sent by email, rather than a message sent by some other method: I deleted your message by mistake.
▪ attachment a document or file that is sent with an email: You can email the photo to me as an attachment.
▪ spam unwanted email messages from advertisers: I was getting so much spam that I changed my email address.
▪ phishing the activity of sending emails in order to trick someone into giving away information such as their bank account number or their computer password. This information is then used to get money or goods: Yahoo announced new measures to protect users from phishing.

sit

sit S1 W1 /sɪt/ BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle sat /sæt/, present participle sitting)
[Language: Old English; Origin: sittan]
1. IN A CHAIR ETC
a) (also be sitting down) [intransitive] to be on a chair or seat, or on the ground, with the top half of your body upright and your weight resting on your ↑buttocks
sit on/in/by etc
I sat on the shore and looked at the sea.
She was sitting in a chair by the fire.
She’s the girl who sits next to me at school.
In the driving seat sat a man of average height.
sit at a desk/table etc (=sit facing it)
Jean sat at the table writing a letter.
sit doing something
They sat sipping their drinks.
We used to sit and listen to her for hours.
b) (also sit down) [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to get into a sitting position somewhere after you have been standing up:
He came over and sat beside her.
Sam sat opposite her and accepted a cigarette.
c) (also sit somebody down) [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to make someone sit, or help them to sit
sit somebody on/in etc something
I gently led her to the chair and sat her on it.
2. OBJECTS/BUILDINGS ETC [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to be in a particular position or condition
sit on/in etc
a little church sitting on a hillside
The parliament building sits in a large square.
He’s got a computer sitting on his desk, but he doesn’t use it.
My climbing boots were sitting unused in a cupboard.
The house has sat empty for two years.
3. DO NOTHING [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to stay in one place for a long time, especially sitting down, doing nothing useful or helpful:
I spent half the morning sitting in a traffic jam.
Well, I can’t sit here chatting all day.
Are you just going to sit there complaining?
4. COMMITTEE/PARLIAMENT ETC [intransitive] to be a member of a committee, parliament, or other official group
sit in/on
They both sat on the management committee.
He was the first journalist to sit in parliament.
5. MEETING [intransitive] to have a meeting in order to carry out official business:
The council only sits once a month.
The court will sit until all the evidence has been heard.
6. ANIMAL/BIRD [intransitive always + adverb/preposition]
a) to be in, or get into, a resting position, with the tail end of the body resting on a surface:
The cat likes to sit on the wall outside the kitchen.
b) Sit! used to tell a dog to sit with the tail end of its body resting on the ground or floor
c) if a bird sits on its eggs, it covers them with its body to make the eggs ↑hatch
7. LOOK AFTER [intransitive + for] to look after a baby or child while its parents are out SYN babysit
8. sit tight spoken
a) to stay where you are and not move:
Just sit tight – I’ll be there in five minutes.
b) to stay in the same situation, and not change your mind and do anything new:
We’re advising all our investors to sit tight till the market improves.
9. be sitting pretty to be in a very good or favourable position:
We’ve paid off the mortgage, so we’re sitting pretty now.
10. sit in judgment (on/over somebody) to give your opinion about whether someone has done something wrong, especially when you have no right to do this:
How can you sit in judgment on somebody you hardly know?
11. not sit well/easily/comfortably (with somebody) if a situation, plan etc does not sit well with someone, they do not like it:
He had never before been accused of stealing, and it did not sit well with him.
12. sit on the fence to avoid saying which side of an argument you support or what your opinion is about a particular subject:
The weakness of the book is that it sits on the fence on important issues.
13. sit on your hands to delay taking action when you should do something:
Workers are losing their jobs while the government sits on its hands and does nothing.
14. EXAMS [intransitive and transitive] British English to take an examination:
Tracy’s sitting her GCSEs this year.
sit for
They were preparing children to sit for the entry examination.
15. PICTURE/PHOTO [intransitive] to sit somewhere so that you can be painted or photographed
sit for
She sat for (=was painted by) Holman Hunt and Millais.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adverbs
▪ sit still (=without moving) Young children find it almost impossible to sit still.
▪ sit quietly (=without talking) Mac sat quietly in the back of the car.
▪ be sitting comfortably She was sitting comfortably on the sofa.
▪ sit up straight/sit upright (=with your back straight) Sit up straight at the table, Maddie.
▪ sit bolt upright (=suddenly sit up very straight, for example because you hear something) Suddenly she sat bolt upright and said, ‘What was that?’
▪ sit cross-legged (=with your legs bent and crossed over in front of you) She sat cross-legged on the grass.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ sit to be resting your weight on your bottom somewhere, or to move into this position: He was sitting in front of the fire. | She sat on the bed and kicked off her shoes. | Who is the man sitting next to Karen?
▪ sit down to sit on a chair, bed, floor etc after you have been standing: I sat down on the sofa. | Come in and sit down.
▪ be seated formal to be sitting in a particular chair or place: John was seated on my left. | There was a man seated behind the desk.
▪ take a seat to sit – used especially when asking someone to sit down: Please take a seat – she will be with you in a minute. | Would the audience please take their seats – the show will begin in five minutes.
▪ sink into something to sit in a comfortable chair and let yourself fall back into it: We switched on the TV and sank into our armchairs.
▪ lounge to sit in a very comfortable relaxed way: They lounged around all day by the pool.
▪ perch to sit on the edge of something: He perched on the arm of the sofa. | My sister was perched (=was sitting) on a high stool.
▪ be slumped to be sitting while leaning against something, especially because you are injured, drunk, or asleep: They found him slumped against the steering wheel.
▪ squat to sit with your knees bent under you, your bottom just off the ground, balancing on your feet: A little boy was squatting at the edge of the pool.
sit around (also sit about British English) phrasal verb
to spend a lot of time sitting and doing nothing very useful:
We sat around for a bit, chatting.
sit back phrasal verb
1. to get into a comfortable position, for example in a chair, and relax:
Sit back and relax – I’ll open a bottle of wine.
2. to relax and make no effort to get involved in something or influence what happens:
Don’t just sit back and wait for new business to come to you.
sit by phrasal verb
to allow something wrong or illegal to happen without doing anything about it:
I’m not going to sit by and watch a man go to prison for something I’ve done.
sit down phrasal verb
1. to be in a sitting position or get into a sitting position:
It was good to be sitting down eating dinner with my family.
Sit down, Amy – you look tired.
sit yourself down
Sit yourself down and have a drink.
2. sit somebody down to make someone sit down or help them to sit down
sit somebody down in/on
I helped her into the room and sat her down in an armchair.
3. sit down and do something to try to solve a problem or deal with something that needs to be done, by giving it all your attention:
The three of us need to sit down and have a talk.
Sit down and work out just what you spend.
sit in phrasal verb
to be present at a meeting but not take an active part in it
sit in on
Would you like to sit in on some of my interviews?
sit in for somebody phrasal verb
to do a job, go to a meeting etc instead of the person who usually does it:
This is Alan James sitting in for Suzy Williams on the mid-morning show.
sit on something phrasal verb informal
to delay dealing with something:
I sent my application about six weeks ago and they’ve just been sitting on it.
sit something ↔ out phrasal verb
1. to stay where you are and do nothing until something finishes, especially something boring or unpleasant:
She had two weeks to sit it out while she waited to hear if she had got the job.
She was prepared to sit out the years of Jack’s jail sentence.
2. to not take part in something, especially a game or dance, when you usually take part:
Johnson sat out the game with a shoulder injury.
sit through something phrasal verb
to attend a meeting, performance etc, and stay until the end, even if it is very long and boring:
I wasn’t the least bit interested in all the speeches I had to sit through.
sit up phrasal verb
1. to be in a sitting position or get into a sitting position after you have been lying down:
He was sitting up in bed, reading his book.
She sat up and reached for her glass.
2. sit somebody up to help someone to sit after they have been lying down
sit somebody up in/on etc
I’ll sit you up on the pillows and you’ll be nice and comfortable.
3. to sit in a chair with your back straight:
Just sit up straight and stop slouching.
4. to stay up very late:
Sometimes we just sit up and watch videos all night.
5. sit up (and take notice) to suddenly start paying attention to someone, because they have done something surprising or impressive:
If Maria succeeded, then everyone would sit up and take notice.
 

x

sit down

sit down phrasal verb (see also ↑sit)
1. to be in a sitting position or get into a sitting position:
It was good to be sitting down eating dinner with my family.
Sit down, Amy – you look tired.
sit yourself down
Sit yourself down and have a drink.
2. sit somebody down to make someone sit down or help them to sit down
sit somebody down in/on
I helped her into the room and sat her down in an armchair.
3. sit down and do something to try to solve a problem or deal with something that needs to be done, by giving it all your attention:
The three of us need to sit down and have a talk.
Sit down and work out just what you spend.

park

I. park¹ S1 W2 /pɑːk $ pɑːrk/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: parc, from Medieval Latin parricus]
1. a large open area with grass and trees, especially in a town, where people can walk, play games etc:
Let’s go for a walk in the park.
a park bench
a flat overlooking Hyde Park
2. a large area of land in the country which has been kept in its natural state to protect the plants and animals there
national/state/county park
the Lake District National Park
3. British English a large enclosed area of land, with grass and trees, around a big house in the countryside
4. the park British English informal the field where a game of football or ↑rugby is played SYN the pitch:
He was easily the best player on the park.
5. American English informal the field where a game of baseball is played
⇨ ↑amusement park, ↑ball park(1), ↑car park, ↑national park, ↑safari park, ↑science park, ↑theme park, ↑trailer park
• • •
THESAURUS
■ places where people do sport
▪ field (also pitch British English) a large area of ground, usually covered with grass, where team sports are played: A few kids were playing on the football field. | a hockey field
▪ stadium a large sports field with seats all around it for people to watch team sports or track and field competitions: The atmosphere in the Olympic Stadium was amazing. | a football stadium
▪ ground British English a sports field and the seats and buildings around it, belonging to a particular football, rugby, or cricket team: I met my friends inside the ground.
▪ ballpark/park American English a stadium where baseball is played: Busch Stadium is one of the newest ballparks in Major League.
▪ court an area with lines painted on the ground, for tennis, badminton, basketball, or volleyball: The hotel has four tennis courts and a volleyball court.
▪ diamond the area in a baseball field that is within the shape formed by the four bases. The diamond can also be the whole field: The pitcher stands in the middle of the diamond. | There’s a playground, a picnic area, and a baseball diamond.
▪ track a circular path with lines on it, for running on: In the relay, each runner runs once around the track.
▪ gym a room with machines which you can use to do exercises: He spends an hour in the gym every day.
▪ pool/swimming pool a place where you can swim: He jumped into the deep end of the pool. | I’ll meet you outside the swimming pool.
▪ sports centre British English, sports center American English a building where you can play many types of indoor sports: Why not do exercise classes at your local sports centre?
▪ health club a small sports centre, where you pay to be a member: How much does it cost to join a health club?

Internet

In‧ter‧net S2 W2 BrE AmE, internet /ˈɪntənet $ -tər-/ noun
the Internet a computer system that allows millions of computer users around the world to exchange information:
Do you have access to the Internet?
on the Internet
You can find all kinds of information on the internet.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ use the Internet More and more companies are using the Internet to conduct their business.
▪ go on the Internet I went on the Internet to find some information for my assignment.
▪ access the Internet/connect to the Internet You can access the Internet from your mobile phone.
▪ surf the Internet (=look at different websites) She spends hours surfing the Internet every evening.
▪ download something from the Internet I downloaded the file from the Internet.
▪ buy something on the Internet He bought the chairs on the Internet.
■ Internet + NOUN
▪ an Internet connection a high-speed Internet connection
▪ Internet access Not everyone has Internet access at home.
▪ an Internet address (=the address of a website) The company charges $100 to register a new internet address.
▪ an Internet service provider (=a company that allows you to connect to the Internet) Your Internet service provider should be able to solve the problem.
▪ Internet shopping/banking The new regulations will increase customer confidence in Internet shopping. | Internet banking saves customers a lot of time.
▪ an Internet user The number of Internet users is doubling every six months.
▪ Internet use The software allows parents to control children’s Internet use.
▪ Internet traffic (=the number of people using the Internet) An estimated 40% of the nation’s Internet traffic begins or ends in California.
▪ Internet dating (=using the Internet to meet people for a romantic relationship) Internet dating websites are becoming increasingly popular.
▪ an Internet café (=a café with computers, where people can pay to use the Internet) The message had been sent from an Internet café in Leeds.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ things you do when using the Internet
▪ surf the net verb to look quickly through information on the Internet, looking for anything that interests you: He spends his evenings surfing the net.
▪ search to look for a specific piece of information on the Internet, for example by entering text into a box: Try searching for his name on Google.
▪ shop/book online to buy things or reserve tickets using the Internet: More and more people are preferring to shop online. | It’s easier to book online.
▪ visit a website to look at a particular Internet site: You can check to see how many people visit your website.
▪ download to get files, programs, music, films etc from the Internet and put them on your own computer: I downloaded the software for free from the Internet.
▪ chat to communicate with several people in a ↑chat room on the Internet: Using the Internet, you can chat to people from around the world.

III. why³ BrE AmE noun
the whys and (the) wherefores the reasons or explanations for something:
The whys and the wherefores of these procedures need to be explained.