B1 (Intermediate)

ability

a‧bil‧i‧ty S2 W1 /əˈbɪləti, əˈbɪlɪti/ BrE AmE noun (plural abilities)
[Word Family: noun: ability ≠ inability, disability; adjective: able ≠ unable, disabled; verb: enable ≠ disable; adverb: ably]
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: habilité, from Latin habilitas, from habilis; ⇨ able]
1. [countable] the state of being able to do something
ability to do something
the ability to walk
The health center serves all patients, regardless of their ability to pay.
2. [uncountable and countable] someone’s level of skill at doing something:
The test measures your mathematical ability.
mixed ability classes
of high/low etc ability
students of average ability
There are musicians of all abilities.
somebody's abilities as something
He showed his abilities as a leader.
3. to the best of your ability as well as you can:
He completed the job to the best of his ability.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meanings 1 & 2)
■ adjectives
▪ high/low/average ability a group of low ability pupils | Many of these students are of above average ability. | Children of high ability demand more absorbing tasks.
▪ great/considerable ability He was a young man of great ability. | These drawings required considerable ability on the part of the artist.
▪ remarkable/outstanding/exceptional ability a writer of remarkable ability | The company aims to select people of outstanding ability. | his exceptional ability as a swimmer
▪ mixed ability (=at different levels) a mixed ability class
▪ uncanny ability (=an unusual ability that is difficult to explain) He has an uncanny ability for spotting investment opportunities.
▪ natural ability (also innate ability formal) (=an ability that you are born with) He didn't have the natural ability of his brother. | Babies have an innate ability to do simple maths.
▪ physical/athletic ability He has considerable athletic ability.
▪ artistic/creative ability You do not need to have any artistic ability.
▪ musical ability Tim showed musical ability at an early age.
▪ acting ability Her acting abilities were obvious straightaway.
▪ mental ability The exercises are supposed to help you improve your mental ability.
▪ intellectual/academic ability No one doubts his intellectual abilities. | A degree is evidence of your academic ability in a particular subject area.
▪ verbal/linguistic ability (=language skills) The test is intended to measure the children's linguistic ability.
▪ mathematical ability These students have a higher level of mathematical ability.
▪ proven ability (=that you have proved through your achievements) Companies often value the proven ability and reliability of older employees.
■ verbs
▪ have the ability to do something (also possess the ability to do something formal) She has the ability to make people feel relaxed.
▪ show/demonstrate the ability to do something a chance for candidates to demonstrate their abilities
▪ lack the ability to do something As a young man, he lacked the ability to say no.
■ phrases
▪ a level of ability/ability level The children were of the same age and ability level.
▪ a range of ability/ability range There is a wide range of ability within the class. | Disruptive behaviour is more prominent in the lower ability range.
▪ a test of ability/an ability test Examinations are not always a good test of ability. | The class was given a verbal ability test.
▪ an ability group (=a group that students are taught in, based on their level of ability) Children are divided into different ability groups.

positive

I. pos‧i‧tive¹ S2 W2 AC /ˈpɒzətɪv, ˈpɒzɪtɪv $ ˈpɑː-/ BrE AmE adjective
[Word Family: noun: positive; adverb: positively; adjective: ↑positive]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: positif, from Latin positivus, from positus; ⇨ position¹]
1. ATTITUDE if you are positive about things, you are hopeful and confident, and think about what is good in a situation rather than what is bad OPP negative
positive about
You’ve got to be more positive about your work.
positive attitude/approach/outlook etc
She’s got a really positive attitude to life.
the power of positive thinking
‘Think positive!’ she advised herself.
2. GOOD THING good or useful OPP negative:
At least something positive has come out of the situation.
Write down all the positive things about your life.
The rural environment was having a positive effect on the children’s health.
It’s been a very positive experience for her.
TV can be a positive influence.
the positive contribution to the community made by many older people
It’s been a difficult time but, on the positive side, I feel physically fine.
Women should be portrayed in a more positive light.
3. ACTION if you take positive action, you do something definite in order to try to achieve something:
We need to take positive steps to improve the situation of families in poverty.
Positive action was required.
It’s a relief to know that something positive is being done.
4. SUPPORT expressing support, agreement, or approval OPP negative
positive response/reaction
The response we’ve had from the public has been very positive.
We’ve had a lot of positive feedback from the people of this city.
positive about
Most people have been very positive about the show.
5. SURE [not before noun] very sure, with no doubt at all that something is right or true SYN certain
positive (that)
Are you absolutely positive you locked the door?
‘Are you sure about that?’ ‘Positive.’
6. SIGN showing that something is likely to succeed or improve:
The fact that he’s breathing on his own again is a positive sign.
7. PROOF positive proof/evidence/identification etc proof etc that shows that there is no doubt that something is true:
The witness made a positive identification.
8. SCIENTIFIC TEST showing signs of the medical condition or chemical that is being looked for OPP negative:
The test results came back positive.
athletes who had tested positive for banned substances
children who are HIV positive
9. EMPHASIS [only before noun] spoken used to emphasize how good or bad something is SYN total:
The journey was a positive nightmare.
10. NUMBER technical a positive number is more than zero OPP negative
11. ELECTRICITY technical having the type of electrical charge that is carried by ↑protons OPP negative:
a positive charge
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 1)
■ nouns
▪ a positive attitude/outlook Having a positive attitude makes life so much better.
▪ a positive approach This is just the positive approach that the school needs.
▪ a positive view He takes a fairly positive view of the future.
▪ a positive thought Think positive thoughts.
▪ positive thinking Many people believe that positive thinking can help your recovery from serious illnesses.
■ verbs
▪ think positive (=think positive thoughts) Cheer up and think positive.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ nouns
▪ a positive thing That's not a very positive thing to say.
▪ a positive aspect There are a lot of positive aspects to retirement.
▪ a positive effect/impact Exercise has a positive effect on health.
▪ a positive influence His mother was a strong positive influence.
▪ a positive contribution Most refugees are determined to make a positive contribution to their new country.
▪ a positive result/outcome We hope there will be a positive outcome to the talks.
▪ a positive experience Working here has been a very positive experience for me.
▪ a positive role model We should provide girls with more positive role models.
▪ a positive image It's important to promote a positive image of our industry to young people.
■ phrases
▪ see/present something in a positive light (=see or present something as good) If you spend a year travelling after school, employers often see this in a positive light. | The merger was presented to the world in a positive light.
▪ on the positive side (=used when saying what is good about something) On the positive side, the company’s financial condition remains strong.
II. positive² BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Word Family: noun: ↑positive; adverb: ↑positively; adjective: ↑positive]
a quality or feature that is good or useful OPP negative:
You can find positives in any situation.
Always emphasise the positive.
⇨ false positive

relax

re‧lax S3 W3 AC /rɪˈlæks/ BrE AmE verb
[Word Family: adjective: relaxed, relaxing; verb: relax; noun: relaxation]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin; Origin: relaxare 'to loosen', from laxus 'loose']
1. REST [intransitive and transitive] to rest or do something that is enjoyable, especially after you have been working:
I just want to sit down and relax.
What Robyn needed was a drink to relax her.
A hot bath should help to relax you.
2. BECOME CALM [intransitive and transitive] to become quiet and calm after you have been upset or nervous, or to make someone do this:
Once out of danger, he started to relax.
Relax! Everything’s fine.
3. MUSCLE [intransitive and transitive] if you relax a part of your body or it relaxes, it becomes less stiff or less tight:
Gentle exercise can relax stiff shoulder muscles.
4. RULES/LAWS [transitive] to make a rule or law less strict
relax rules/regulations/controls
Hughes believes that immigration controls should not be relaxed.
5. relax your hold/grip
a) to hold something less tightly than before
relax your hold/grip on
He relaxed his grip on my arm.
b) to become less strict in the way you control something
relax your hold/grip on
The party has no intention of relaxing its hold on the country.
6. relax your concentration/vigilance etc to reduce the amount of attention you give to something
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ relax to rest or do something that is enjoyable after you have been working: In the evenings, I like to relax with some music and a nice meal. | In two weeks’ time I’ll be relaxing on a beach in Greece.
▪ rest to stop working or stop being active, and sit down or lie down so that you become less tired: If you’re tired, we’ll stop and rest for a while. | The doctor told me to take some time off work and try to rest.
▪ unwind to gradually relax after you have been working hard or feeling anxious: It had been a bad day and he just wanted to get home and unwind. | Set in spectacular countryside, the Shiga Hotel is the perfect place to unwind.
▪ take it/things easy to relax and not do very much, especially after working very hard or being ill: Now that you’ve finished your exams, you can take it easy. | The doctor said he’ll have to take things easy for while.
▪ put your feet up informal to rest for a short time after a tiring activity, especially by sitting with your feet resting on something: Kate poured herself a drink and put her feet up. | When you’re pregnant and doing a full-time job, you must find time to put your feet up.
▪ chill out/chill informal to relax completely, or stop worrying and getting annoyed about things - used mainly by young people: We spent the day chilling out by the pool. | Hey dude, chill out! It’s only a car! | It’s a great place to chill out. | Let’s go back to my place and chill.
▪ loosen up informal to become more relaxed and stop worrying about things: I keep telling Mum that she needs to loosen up a bit. | Tom had had a few drinks and was beginning to loosen up.
▪ put somebody at ease/make somebody feel at ease to make someone feel relaxed, especially in a situation in which they might feel a little nervous: A good interviewer will try to make you feel at ease. | His friendly manner always puts people at their ease.

medium

I. me‧di‧um¹ S3 AC /ˈmiːdiəm/ BrE AmE adjective
1. of middle size, level, or amount:
What size shirt does he wear – small, medium or large?
(of) medium height/length/build
She’s of medium height.
hair of medium length
Fry the onions over a medium heat until they are golden.
medium to large companies
► Use average, not ‘medium’, when you want to say that someone’s level of skill or ability is neither high nor low: students of average ability (NOT students of medium ability)
2. (also medium rare) meat that is medium or medium rare is partly cooked but still slightly pink inside ⇨ rare, well-done
3. medium dry medium dry wine is slightly sweeter than dry wine
4. medium brown/blue etc a colour which is neither light nor dark:
His jacket’s a medium brown colour.

handsome

hand‧some /ˈhænsəm/ BrE AmE adjective
[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: handsome 'easy to handle' (15-17 centuries), from hand]
1.
a) a man who is handsome looks attractive SYN good-looking:
an extremely handsome young man
Sam was tall, dark, and handsome.
his handsome face
b) a woman who is handsome looks attractive in a strong healthy way
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say good-looking rather than handsome:
▪ Her new boyfriend is really good-looking.
2. an animal, object, or building that is handsome looks attractive in an impressive way:
a row of handsome Georgian houses
3. [only before noun] a handsome amount of money is large:
He managed to make a handsome profit out of the deal.
a handsome fee
4. [only before noun] a handsome gift or prize is worth a lot of money:
There are some handsome prizes to be won.
5. [only before noun] a handsome victory is important and impressive:
They won a handsome victory in the elections.
—handsomely adverb:
He was handsomely rewarded by the king.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ person
▪ beautiful a beautiful woman or child has perfect good looks: Grace Kelly was a very beautiful woman. | a beautiful baby
▪ good-looking a good-looking person looks nice. Good-looking is very common in spoken English: He’s a good-looking guy, but he’s a bit boring. | Do you think she’s good-looking?
▪ attractive an attractive person looks nice, especially in a way that makes you feel sexually interested in them: She’s a very attractive woman. | A lot of women find him attractive.
▪ pretty a pretty girl or woman looks nice – used especially about a woman who has a nice face: You look pretty with your hair down. | She has a very pretty face.
▪ handsome a handsome man or boy looks nice – used especially about a man who has a nice face. Handsome is also sometimes used, especially in literature, to describe a woman who is good-looking and has a strong face: He was tall, dark, and handsome. | She was a big, handsome woman.
▪ gorgeous/stunning spoken extremely attractive. Gorgeous is used especially by women: She thinks Brad Pitt is gorgeous. | You look absolutely stunning in that dress!
▪ cute spoken nice to look at – used about animals, babies, children, and young adults: a cute little puppy | She thinks you’re cute!
▪ lovely especially British English spoken used when saying that someone looks very nice: You look lovely tonight.

heart

heart S1 W1 /hɑːt $ hɑːrt/ BrE AmE noun
[Word Family: adjective: heartened ≠ disheartened, heartening ≠ disheartening, heartless, hearty; noun: heart, heartlessness, heartiness; adverb: heartily, heartlessly, hearteningly ≠ dishearteningly; verb: hearten ≠ dishearten]
[Language: Old English; Origin: heorte]

1. BODY ORGAN [countable] the organ in your chest which pumps blood through your body:
Regular exercise is good for the heart.
Can you hear my heart beating?
Her cheeks were hot and her heart was pounding.
My heart raced. Were we going to land safely?
Daniel had no history of heart problems.
She suffers from a rare heart condition.
His breathing and heart rate were now normal.
2. EMOTIONS/LOVE [countable] the part of you that feels strong emotions and feelings:
His heart was full of anger and grief.
The plight of the refugees had tugged at the nation’s heart.
The doctor had an extremely kind heart.
She could hardly speak for the ache in her heart.
It would break Kate’s heart (=make her extremely sad) to leave the lovely old house.
He left the country with a heavy heart (=great sadness).
Edith loved her boy with all her heart and soul.
I was still pretty innocent then when it came to affairs of the heart (=matters relating to love and sex).
a woman with a heart of gold (=very kind character)
Sometimes I think he’s got a heart of stone (=very cruel character).
I’m glad I followed my heart rather than my head for once.
My father told me never to let my heart rule my head.
kind-hearted/cold-hearted/hard-hearted etc (=having a kind, unkind, cruel etc character)
He thinks of himself as a warm-hearted and caring human being.
3. YOUR CHEST [countable usually singular] the part of your chest near your heart:
He put his hand on his heart.
4. SHAPE [countable] a shape used to represent a heart
5. from the (bottom of your) heart with great sincerity and strength of feeling:
Leonard spoke from the heart.
I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.
She sang the songs straight from the heart.
6. in your heart (of hearts) if you know, feel, or believe something in your heart, you are secretly sure about it although you may not admit it:
In her heart she knew she would never go.
Deep in his heart, he wanted Laura back.
7. IMPORTANT PART OF SOMETHING [singular] the most important or central part of a problem, question etc
the heart of something
difficult issues at the heart of science policy
We must get to the heart of the problem.
8. ENCOURAGEMENT [uncountable] confidence and courage:
This inspiring service gave us new heart.
We mustn’t lose heart when people complain.
We’ve got to take a bit of heart from the fact that we won.
9. at heart if you are a particular kind of person at heart, that is the kind of person that you really are even though you may appear or behave differently:
He may be a working class boy at heart, but his lifestyle has been transformed.
Let’s face it, we’re all romantics at heart. ⇨ have sb’s (best) interests at heart at interest¹(5), ⇨ young at heart at young¹(5)
10. THE CENTRE OF AN AREA [countable] the middle part of an area furthest from the edge
in the heart of something
a house in the heart of London
at the heart of something
an old house at the heart of an ancient forest
11. close/dear to sb’s heart very important to someone:
The President liked to go to Williamsburg, a place close to his heart.
Money is dear to Kathleen’s heart.
12. the hearts and minds of somebody the thoughts, emotions, and attitudes a group of people have about a particular subject, which is a combination of their strong emotional feelings and their calm and sensible thoughts:
The president must try to win the hearts and minds of the voters.
13. by heart when you know something by heart, you remember all of it exactly:
After a few days of phoning Stephanie, he knew her number by heart.
Actors have to learn their lines by heart.
14. sb’s heart sinks used to say that someone suddenly lost hope and began to feel unhappy:
Her heart sank when she saw the number of books she had to read.
15. with all your heart with all your strength, energy, or emotion:
He hates Los Angeles with all his heart.
We sang the hymn with all our hearts.
16. take something to heart to consider what someone says to you very seriously, often because it upsets you:
Anne took his criticisms very much to heart.
We took Stephen’s warnings to heart.
17. sb’s heart goes out to somebody used to say that someone feels a lot of sympathy towards another person:
My heart goes out to the families of the victims.
18. CARD GAMES
a) [countable] a heart shape printed in red on a playing card
b) hearts [plural] the suit (=set) of playing cards that have these shapes on them:
the ace of hearts
c) [countable] one of the cards in this set:
Have you got any hearts?
19. do something to your heart’s content to do something as much as you want:
She had lazed around the pool to her heart’s content.
The dog can run to its heart’s content out there.
20. sb’s heart misses/skips a beat used to say that someone suddenly feels a moment of fear or excitement:
His heart missed a beat as he saw the body of a small child at the water’s edge.
21. set your heart on something to want something very much:
His father bought him the bike he had set his heart on.
She had set her heart on becoming a hairdresser.
22. a man/woman etc after my own heart someone who likes the same things or behaves in the same way that you do:
Geoff really is a man after my own heart.
23. cry/sing etc your heart out if you cry, sing etc your heart out, you do it with all your energy or emotion:
He found me crying my heart out and was so kind. ⇨ eat your heart out at eat(4), ⇨ pour your heart out at ↑pour
24. your heart’s desire/everything your heart could desire the one thing you want most, or everything that you could possibly want:
To have a baby was her heart’s desire.
25. not have the heart to do something to be unable to do something because it will make someone unhappy:
I didn’t have the heart to tell her that her beautiful vase was broken.
26. sb’s heart isn’t in it used to say that someone does not really want to do something:
She’s getting bored with the job and her heart’s not in it.
27. do something out of the goodness of your heart to do something out of kindness, not because you have been asked or expect a reward:
All these people were helping us out of the goodness of their hearts.
28. take somebody to your heart if people take someone to their hearts, they like them very much:
The fans have taken Hudson to their hearts.
29. VEGETABLE [countable] the firm middle part of some vegetables:
artichoke hearts
30. give/lose your heart to somebody to start to love someone very much
31. my heart was in my mouth used to say that you suddenly felt very afraid
32. sb’s heart is in the right place informal used to say that someone is really a kind person and has the right feelings about something important:
I don’t think his idea will work, though his heart’s in the right place.
33. it does your heart good to see/hear something used to say that something makes you feel happy
34. sb’s heart leaps literary used to say that someone suddenly feels happy and full of hope:
‘I couldn’t live without you,’ he said and Jane’s heart leapt.
35. be in good heart formal to feel happy and confident:
The team are in good heart and ready for the season’s matches.
36. have a heart! used to tell someone not to be too strict or unkind – used humorously
37. know the way to sb’s heart to know the way to please someone – used humorously
38. my heart bleeds (for somebody) used to say that you do not really feel any sympathy towards someone
⇨ a broken heart at broken²(9), ⇨ cross my heart at cross¹(11), ⇨ have a change of heart at change²(1), ⇨ sick at heart at sick¹(9), ⇨ strike at the heart of something at strike¹(7), ⇨ wear your heart on your sleeve at wear¹(8), ⇨ win sb’s heart at win¹(3)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 1)
■ verbs
▪ sb’s heart beats Her heart was beating fast.
▪ sb’s heart pounds/thuds/thumps (=it beats very strongly) He reached the top, his heart pounding.
▪ sb’s heart races (=it beats very fast) Was there someone in the alley? Joe’s heart began to race.
■ heart + NOUN
▪ heart trouble/problems You should not take this medication if you have heart problems.
▪ heart disease Smoking increases the risk of heart disease.
▪ a heart condition (=something wrong with your heart) The baby was born with a heart condition.
▪ sb’s heart rate (=the number of times someone’s heart beats per minute) Your heart rate increases as you exercise.
■ adjectives
▪ healthy Eating oily fish can help maintain a healthy heart.
▪ a bad/weak heart (=an unhealthy heart) The effort proved too much for her weak heart.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ adjectives
▪ a good/kind heart (=a kind character) My father had a good heart.
▪ a big heart (=a kind and generous character) She may be only small, but she has a big heart.
▪ a soft heart (=a kind and sympathetic character) Julia’s soft heart had been touched by Minnie’s grief.
▪ a cold/hard heart (=used about someone who does not feel sympathy for other people) It takes a hard heart not to be moved by these images of suffering.
▪ a heavy heart (=feeling very sad) She made her way to the hospital with a heavy heart.
▪ a light heart (=feeling happy) Paul left for home with a light heart.
▪ a broken heart (=feeling very sad because of a problem in love) I wonder how many broken hearts Carlo was responsible for.
■ verbs
▪ break sb’s heart (=make someone feel very sad) It broke my heart to see him so sick.
▪ follow your heart (= do what your emotions want you to do) Go for it. Follow your heart. Who cares what everyone else thinks?
▪ sb’s heart aches (=to feel very sad) It made his heart ache to look at her
■ phrases
▪ heart and soul (=all your feelings) She loved Peter with all her heart and soul.
▪ affairs of the heart (=matters relating to love) I had little experience of affairs of the heart.
▪ sb’s heart rules their head (=someone makes decisions based on emotions rather than careful thought) He has never been one to let his heart rule his head.
▪ a heart of gold (=a very kind character) She was rather brisk in manner but with a heart of gold.
▪ a heart of stone (=a very cruel character) You’d have to have a heart of stone not to feel sorry for them.
▪ be in good heart (=to be happy and confident) The team was in good heart, despite their loss this weekend.
▪ be sick at heart (=to feel very unhappy) He was too sick at heart to know what to say.

fix

I. fix¹ S2 W2 /fɪks/ BrE AmE verb
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Latin; Origin: fixus, past participle of figere 'to fasten']
1. REPAIR [transitive] to repair something that is broken or not working properly:
He’s outside fixing the brakes on the car.
Ellis was able to quickly find and fix the problem.
2. LIMIT [transitive]
a) to decide on a limit for something, especially prices, costs etc, so that they do not change SYN set
fix something at something
The interest rate has been fixed at 6.5%.
Rent was fixed at $1,750 per month.
b) if two or more companies fix the price for a particular product or service, they secretly agree on the price they will charge for it, in order to keep the price high and make more profit. This practice is illegal:
The government accused the two companies of fixing petrol prices.
3. fix a time/date/place etc to decide on a particular time etc when something will happen:
Have you fixed a date for the wedding yet?
4. ARRANGE (also fix up) [intransitive and transitive] spoken to make arrangements for something:
‘So when do I get to meet them?’ ‘Tomorrow, if I can fix it.’
fix (it) for somebody to do something
I’ve fixed for you to see him this afternoon at four.
5. ATTACH [transitive] to attach something firmly to something else, so that it stays there permanently
fix something to/on something
The shelves should be fixed to the wall with screws.
6. PREPARE FOOD [transitive] informal especially American English to prepare a meal or drinks SYN get:
I’ll watch the kids and you fix dinner.
fix somebody something
Can I fix you a snack?
Terry fixed herself a cold drink and sat out on the balcony.
7. SOLVE [transitive] to find a solution to a problem or bad situation:
The government seems confident that environmental problems can be fixed.
8. fix your attention/eyes/mind etc on somebody/something to think about or look at someone or something carefully:
Aziz tried to fix his mind on the job at hand.
Every eye was fixed on the new girl.
9. fix somebody with a stare/glare/look etc literary to look directly at someone for a long time:
Rachel fixed him with an icy stare.
10. HAIR/FACE [transitive] especially American English to make your hair or ↑make-up look neat and attractive:
Who fixed your hair for the wedding?
Hold on. Let me just fix my face (=put on make-up) before we go out.
11. CAT/DOG [transitive] American English informal to do a medical operation on a cat or dog so that it cannot have babies SYN neuter
12. RESULT [transitive] to arrange an election, game etc dishonestly, so that you get the result you want:
Many suspected that the deal had been fixed in advance.
13. PAINTINGS/PHOTOGRAPHS [transitive] technical to use a chemical process on paintings, photographs etc that makes the colours or images permanent
14. PUNISH [transitive] informal used to say that you will punish someone you are angry with:
If anybody did that to me, I’d fix him good.
15. be fixing to do something American English spoken to be preparing to do something – used in some parts of the US:
I’m fixing to go to the store. Do you need anything?
fix on somebody/something phrasal verb
to choose a suitable thing or person, especially after thinking about it carefully:
We’ve finally fixed on a place to have the concert.
fix somebody/something ↔ up phrasal verb
1. to arrange a meeting, event etc:
I fixed up an interview with him.
We’ll have to fix up a time to meet.
2. to decorate or repair a room or building SYN do up:
We fixed up the guest bedroom before he came to stay.
3. to provide someone with something they want
fix somebody/something ↔ up with
Can you fix me up with a bed for the night?
4. to find a suitable romantic partner for someone
fix somebody/something ↔ up with
I asked my best friend to fix me up with someone.

situation

sit‧u‧a‧tion S1 W1 /ˌsɪtʃuˈeɪʃən/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
1. a combination of all the things that are happening and all the conditions that exist at a particular time in a particular place:
I explained the situation to everyone.
in a ... situation
She coped well in a very difficult situation.
2. the type of area where a building is situated – used especially by people who sell or advertise buildings SYN location:
The house is in a charming situation, on a wooded hillside.
3. old-fashioned a job:
She managed to get a situation as a parlour maid.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ create a situation (=cause it to happen) Tom’s arrival created an awkward situation.
▪ assess/review a situation Ballater was trying to assess the situation objectively.
▪ monitor a situation (=watch to see how it develops) The bank is monitoring the situation closely.
▪ deal with a situation He had no idea how to deal with the situation.
▪ improve/remedy a situation They are doing what they can to improve the situation.
▪ defuse the situation (=make people less angry) She’d just been trying to calm Gerry down and defuse the situation.
▪ a situation arises formal (=it happens) This situation has arisen as a result of a serious staff shortage.
▪ a situation comes about (=it happens) I don’t know how this situation has come about.
▪ a situation changes The situation could change very rapidly.
▪ a situation improves The situation has improved over the last decade.
▪ a situation worsens/deteriorates/gets worse Reports from the area suggest the situation has worsened.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + situation
▪ difficult/tricky This book will show you how to deal with difficult situations.
▪ impossible (=very difficult) I was in an impossible situation.
▪ dangerous The situation was becoming increasingly dangerous.
▪ the present/current situation The present situation in Afghanistan is very worrying.
▪ the economic/political situation The country’s economic situation continued to deteriorate.
▪ the security situation (=how safe a place is) Until the security situation improves, it is far too dangerous for staff to work there.
▪ sb’s financial situation (=how much money someone has) What is your current financial situation?
▪ a social situation (=a situation in which someone is with other people) He felt uncomfortable in social situations.
▪ a work situation (=a situation at work) These problems often arise in work situations.
▪ a no-win situation (=one in which there will be a bad result whatever happens) It’s a no-win situation.
▪ a win-win situation (=one in which everyone gets what they want) Shorter work weeks are a win-win situation for both the employee and employer.

coin

I. coin¹ S3 /kɔɪn/ BrE AmE noun
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: 'three-sided piece, corner', from Latin cuneus; ⇨ cuneiform]

1. [countable] a piece of metal, usually flat and round, that is used as money ⇨ bill, note
2. toss/flip a coin to choose or decide something by throwing a coin into the air and guessing which side of it will show when it falls:
Toss a coin to see who goes first.
3. the other/opposite side of the coin a different or opposite way of thinking about something:
Making the rules is only part of it. How the rules are carried out is the other side of the coin.
4. two sides of the same coin two problems or situations that are so closely connected that they are really just two parts of the same thing:
Great opportunity and great danger are two sides of the same coin.
5. [uncountable] money in the form of metal coins
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ money what you use to buy things, in the form of notes or coins: He spent all his money on computer equipment.
▪ cash money in the form of coins and notes: I didn’t have any cash with me.
▪ currency the money used in a particular country: The dollar gained in value against other currencies. | a single European currency
▪ change money in the form of coins of low value: Do you have any small change? | a pocketful of loose change
▪ note British English, bill American English a piece of paper money: a £20 note | a $5 bill
▪ coin a flat round piece of metal used as money: She put some coins in the parking meter. | He took a coin out of his pocket.
▪ a ten-pence/50-cent etc piece a coin worth a particular amount
II. coin² BrE AmE verb [transitive]
1. to invent a new word or expression, especially one that many people start to use:
The word ‘aromatherapy’ was coined in the 1920s.
2. to coin a phrase spoken said in a joking way when you use a very common expression, to show that you know it is used a lot:
He’d thought the flight would never – to coin a phrase – get off the ground.
3. coin money/coin it (in) British English informal to earn a lot of money very quickly:
BT at its profitable peak was coining it at the rate of £90 a second.
4. to make pieces of money from metal