B1 (Intermediate)

Camel

Camel BrE AmE trademark
a type of cigarette made in the US, with a picture of a ↑camel on the packet

camel

cam‧el /ˈkæməl/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 900-1000; Language: Latin; Origin: camelus, from Greek kamelos, from a Semitic language]

a large desert animal with a long neck and either one or two ↑humps (=large raised parts) on its back

fair

I. fair¹ S1 W2 /feə $ fer/ adjective
[Word Family: adverb: fairly ≠ unfairly, fair; noun: fairness ≠ unfairness; adjective: fair ≠ unfair]
[Language: Old English; Origin: fæger 'beautiful']
1. REASONABLE AND ACCEPTABLE a fair situation, system, way of treating people, or judgment seems reasonable, acceptable, and right OPP unfair:
All we are asking for is a fair wage.
£150 is a fair price.
fair trial/hearing
the right to a fair trial
What do you think is the fairest solution?
The report is a fair summary of the issues facing us.
it is fair to do something
It seems fair to give them a second chance.
it’s only fair (that) (=used to say that it is right to do something)
It’s only fair that we tell him what’s happening.
it’s fair to say (that) (=used when you think what you are saying is correct or reasonable)
It’s fair to say that by then he had lost the support of his staff.
it’s not fair on somebody
I can’t carry on working such long hours. It’s not fair on my family.
2. TREATING EVERYONE EQUALLY treating everyone in a way that is right or equal OPP unfair:
Why does Eric get to go and I don’t? It’s not fair!
Life isn’t always fair.
fair to
The old law wasn’t fair to women.
it’s only fair (that)
You pay him $10 an hour – it’s only fair that I should get the same.
My boss expects a lot – but he’s very fair.
3. QUITE LARGE a fair size/amount/number/bit/distance etc especially British English quite a large size, number etc:
I’ve still got a fair amount of work left to do.
We had travelled a fair way (=quite a long distance) by lunch time.
there’s a fair chance (that)/of something (=it is quite likely that something will happen)
There’s a fair chance we’ll be coming over to England this summer.
4. HAIR/SKIN someone who is fair, or who has fair hair or skin, has hair or skin that is very light in colour OPP dark
5. ACCORDING TO THE RULES a fair fight, game, or election is one that is played or done according to the rules OPP unfair
6. LEVEL OF ABILITY neither particularly good nor particularly bad SYN average:
Her written work is excellent but her practical work is only fair.
7. WEATHER weather that is fair is pleasant and not windy, rainy etc SYN fine:
It should be generally fair and warm for the next few days.
8. have had more than your fair share of something to have had more of something, especially something unpleasant, than seems reasonable:
Poor old Alan! He’s had more than his fair share of bad luck recently.
9. give somebody a fair crack of the whip British English informal to give someone the opportunity to do something, especially so that they can show that they are able to do it
10. give somebody/get a fair shake American English informal to treat someone, or to be treated, in a way that gives everyone the same chances as everyone else:
Women don’t always get a fair shake in business.
11. by fair means or foul using any method to get what you want, including dishonest or illegal methods
12. all’s fair in love and war used to say that in some situations any method of getting what you want is acceptable
13. PLEASANT/ATTRACTIVE old use or literary pleasant and attractive:
a fair maiden
• • •
SPOKEN PHRASES
14. fair enough especially British English used to say that you agree with someone’s suggestion or that something seems reasonable SYN OK:
‘I think we should split the bill.’ ‘Fair enough.’
15. to be fair used when adding something after someone has been criticized, which helps to explain or excuse what they did SYN in fairness:
She should have phoned to tell us what her plans were although, to be fair, she’s been very busy.
16. be fair! especially British English used to tell someone not to be unreasonable or criticize someone too much:
Now Pat, be fair, the poor girl’s trying her hardest!
17. fair’s fair used when you think it is fair that someone should do something, especially because of something that has happened earlier:
Come on, fair’s fair – I paid last time so it’s your turn.
18. fair comment British English used to say that a remark or criticism seems reasonable
19. you can’t say fairer than that British English used to say that an offer you are making to someone is the best and fairest offer they can possibly get:
I’ll give you £25 for it – you can’t say fairer than that, can you?
20. it’s a fair cop British English used humorously to admit that you should not be doing something that someone has caught you doing
21. with your own fair hands British English if you do something with your own fair hands, you do it yourself without any help – used humorously ⇒ have a fair idea of something at idea
• • •

▪ fair treating people equally or in the way that is right: It’s not fair that she gets paid more than me. | Everyone has the right to a fair trial.
▪ just formal morally right and fair: a just punishment | a just cause | a just society | Do you think it was a just war?
▪ reasonable fair and sensible according to most people’s standards: a reasonable request | Lateness, without a reasonable excuse, will not be tolerated.
▪ balanced giving fair and equal treatment to all sides of an argument or subject: Balanced reporting of the news is essential.
▪ even-handed giving fair and equal treatment to everyone, especially when it would be easy to favour one particular group: The drama takes an even-handed look at the consequences of violent crime, both on attackers and their victims. | The film is even-handed and does not try to make you support either side.
▪ equitable /ˈekwətəbəl, ˈekwɪtəbəl/ formal giving equal treatment to everyone involved: We need an equitable solution to this problem. | a more equitable distribution of wealth

stuff

I. stuff¹ S1 W3 /stʌf/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: estoffe, from estoffer 'to provide with things needed']
1. THINGS informal used when you are talking about things such as substances, materials, or groups of objects when you do not know what they are called, or it is not important to say exactly what they are:
I’ve got some sticky stuff on my shoe.
How do you think you’re going to fit all that stuff into the car?
I felt sorry for the ones who had to eat the awful stuff.
Where’s all the camping stuff?
2. sb’s stuff informal the things that belong to someone:
Did you get the rest of your stuff?
3. ACTIVITIES/IDEAS informal used when talking about different activities, subjects, or ideas, when you do not say exactly what these are:
What kind of stuff do you like to read?
I’ve got so much stuff to do this weekend.
There’s a lot of interesting stuff in this book.
He’s talked to me about all that stuff too.
He does mountain biking and skiing, and stuff like that.
4. WORK/ART informal used when you are talking about what someone has done or made, for example writing, music, or art:
I don’t like his stuff.
John Lee was getting ready to play his stuff.
He did some great stuff in his early films.
good stuff British English (=used to tell someone that their work is good)
This is good stuff.
5. ... and stuff spoken informal used to say that there are other things similar to what you have just mentioned, but you are not going to say what they are:
There’s some very good music there, CD systems and stuff, and laser disks.
6. the (very) stuff of dreams/life/politics exactly the kind of thing that dreams etc consist of:
an enchanting place – the very stuff of dreams
7. CHARACTER the qualities of someone’s character:
Does he have the right stuff (=qualities that make you able to deal with difficulties)?
Surely you’re not going to give up? I thought you were made of sterner stuff (=were more determined).
8. do/show your stuff informal to do what you are good at when everyone wants you to do it:
Come on Gina, get on the dance floor and do your stuff!
⇨ bit of stuff at ↑bit¹(14), ⇨ kid’s stuff at ↑kid¹(4), ⇨ know your stuff at ↑know¹(5), ⇨ strut your stuff at ↑strut¹(2)
• • •
GRAMMAR
Stuff is an uncountable noun and has no plural form. Use a singular verb after it:
▪ Most of my stuff is still in packing cases.

experience

I. ex‧pe‧ri‧ence¹ S1 W1 /ɪkˈspɪəriəns $ -ˈspɪr-/ BrE AmE noun
[Word Family: verb: ↑experience; noun: ↑experience ≠ ↑inexperience; adjective: ↑experienced ≠ ↑inexperienced]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: French; Origin: Latin experientia 'act of trying', from experiri 'to try out']
1. KNOWLEDGE/SKILL [uncountable] knowledge or skill that you gain from doing a job or activity, or the process of doing this
experience of/in/with
You’ve got a lot of experience of lecturing.
my experience in many areas of the music business
He had no previous experience of managing a farm.
The advice in the booklet reflects the practical experience we have gained (=experience gained by actually doing something, rather than knowledge from books etc).
I had some experience in fashion design.
She was turned down on the grounds of lack of experience.
I have first-hand experience (=experience gained by doing something myself) of running a school.
gain/get experience
The programme enables pupils to gain some experience of the world of work.
2. KNOWLEDGE OF LIFE [uncountable] knowledge that you gain about life and the world by being in different situations and meeting different people, or the process of gaining this
in sb’s experience
In his experience, women did not like getting their feet wet and muddy.
know/learn/speak from experience
Being a parent isn’t easy, as I know from experience.
All animals appear to have some capacity to learn from experience.
I speak from bitter experience (=having learnt something because something unpleasant happened).
personal/previous/past experience
From personal experience, she knew and understood the problems of alcohol addiction.
experience shows/suggests that
Beth’s experience suggests that people don’t really change deep down.
3. SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS [countable] something that happens to you or something you do, especially when this has an effect on what you feel or think:
childhood experiences
experience of/with
This was my first experience of living with other people.
experience for
Failing an exam was a new experience for me.
I had a similar experience last year.
The two children in this story have been through a lot of bad experiences.
Parachuting is quite an experience.
memorable/unforgettable experience
This romantic evening cruise is a memorable experience.
religious experience (=a situation in which you feel, hear, or see something that affects you strongly and makes you believe in God)
This kind of religious experience was a sign of God’s special favour.
4. the black/female/Russian etc experience events or knowledge shared by the members of a particular society or group of people:
No writer expresses the black experience with such passion as Toni Morisson.
5. work experience British English a system in which a student can work for a company in order to learn about a job, or the period during which a student does this:
Ella is about to do work experience with a clothing manufacturer.
on work experience
students on work experience
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 1)
■ verbs
▪ have experience Applicants must have experience of working with children.
▪ get/gain experience He suggested that I should gain some experience in a related industry like travel.
▪ lack experience (=not have enough experience) Some students lack experience writing essays.
▪ broaden/widen your experience (=increase the amount of different experience you have) After six years with the bank, he went to work in New York to broaden his experience.
■ adjectives
▪ considerable experience (=a lot of experience) Margaret has considerable experience of hospital work.
▪ long experience (=experience gained over a long period of time) New prison officers are partnered by officers with long experience of dealing with violent prisoners.
▪ useful/valuable experience (=useful experience) That summer he got some valuable experience working in a tax office.
▪ invaluable experience (=extremely useful experience) Playing in the under-21 squad gives these young players invaluable experience.
▪ relevant experience (=experience that directly relates to a job, subject, or problem) Applicants need a degree and two years of relevant experience.
▪ past/previous experience His only previous experience of broadcasting consisted of a job hosting a local radio station.
▪ practical experience (=experience gained from doing something, not from books or study) The classes provide students with some practical experience of computers.
▪ first-hand experience (=experience gained by doing something yourself) She has no first-hand experience of running a school.
■ phrases
▪ a wealth of experience (=a lot of useful experience) Between them, the management team have a wealth of experience.
▪ lack of experience My colleagues kept making comments about about my lack of experience.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ adjectives
▪ personal experience He spoke from personal experience about the harmful effects of taking drugs.
▪ life experience (=experience that comes from life) As an older parent, your life experience is one of your greatest assets.
▪ first-hand experience (=experience gained from doing something yourself) As a journalist living in Iraq, he had first-hand experience of coping with terror on his doorstep.
▪ bitter experience (=experience that makes you feel disappointed or upset) I knew from bitter experience how unreliable she could be.
▪ everyday experience (=experience of normal life) Hunger is part of everyday experience for these children.
■ verbs
▪ know/learn from experience Janet knew from experience that love doesn't always last.
▪ speak from experience The miners spoke from experience about the dangers of their work.
▪ lack experience Many men in their twenties lack experience and social skills.
▪ experience suggests/shows something Experience suggests that children who commit crimes will continue to offend as adults.
■ phrases
▪ lack of experience He was embarrassed about his lack of experience with women.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 3)
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + experience
▪ a good/bad experience On the whole, going to boarding school was a good experience for him. | I've had some bad experiences when I've been travelling on my own.
▪ positive/negative The entire experience has been very positive. | Many people reported having negative experiences when dealing with their local council.
▪ enjoyable/pleasant We want to make the experience as enjoyable as possible. | She recalled pleasant experiences from her past.
▪ memorable/unforgettable (=a good experience that you will remember for a long time) Meeting the queen was a memorable experience.
▪ painful (=one that is very upsetting) Her family supported her through the painful experience.
▪ traumatic/harrowing (=one that is shocking and upsetting, and affects you for a long time) Having an operation can be a traumatic experience for a child.
▪ new The club scene was a whole new experience for me.
▪ a formative experience (=one that has an important influence on the way someone develops) The trip was probably the most formative experience of my life.
▪ childhood experiences Our childhood experiences make us what we are as adults.
▪ a religious experience (=one that makes someone believe strongly in God) As a young man he had a profound religious experience.
▪ an everyday/commonplace experience (=one that is typical of normal life) The sound of gunfire is an everyday experience in the city.

burn

I. burn¹ S2 W3 /bɜːn $ bɜːrn/ BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle burnt /bɜːnt $ bɜːrnt/ or burned)
[Word Family: noun: ↑burn, ↑burner; adjective: ↑burning, ↑burnt; verb: ↑burn; adverb: ↑burning]
[Language: Old English; Origin: byrnan 'to burn' and bærnan 'to cause to burn']
1. PRODUCE FLAMES AND HEAT [intransitive]
a) if a fire burns, it produces heat and flames:
There was a fire burning in the fireplace.
An average household candle will burn for about six hours.
b) if something is burning, it is producing flames and being damaged or destroyed by fire:
Parts of the building are still burning.
2. DESTROY SOMETHING WITH FIRE [transitive] to destroy or damage something with fire:
I burnt all his old letters.
Cars were burned and shops were looted during the rioting.
The Grand Hotel had burnt to the ground.
Make sure the iron isn’t too hot or you’ll burn the cloth.
He dropped his cigarette and burnt a hole in the carpet.
3. INJURE/KILL SOMEBODY WITH FIRE [transitive] to hurt yourself or someone else with fire or something hot:
I burned my hand on the oven door.
She was badly burned in a road accident.
Sixteen passengers were burned to death (=died in a fire).
A family of five were burned alive in their home last night (=died in a fire).
Heretics were burnt at the stake (=burnt in a fire as a punishment).
4. SUN [intransitive and transitive] if the sun burns your skin, or if your skin burns, it becomes red and painful from the heat of the sun ⇨ sunburn:
I burn quite easily.
Don’t forget you can still get burnt when you’re swimming or when it’s cloudy.
Her face and neck were quite badly burned.
5. FOOD [intransitive and transitive] to spoil food by cooking it for too long, or to become spoiled in this way:
I’m afraid I’ve burnt the pizza.
burn something to a crisp/cinder
The meat was burned to a crisp.
6. CHEMICALS [transitive] to damage or destroy something by a chemical action:
Quite a lot of household chemicals can burn your skin.
7. FUEL [intransitive and transitive] if you burn a ↑fuel, or if it burns, it is used to produce power, heat, light etc:
The boiler burns oil to produce heat.
greenhouse gases caused by the burning of fossil fuels
8. FAT/ENERGY [transitive] if you burn fat or CALORIES, you use up energy stored in your body by being physically active:
Taking a brisk walk every morning is a great way to burn calories.
a fat-burning exercise
9. LIGHT [intransitive] if a light or lamp burns, it shines or produces light:
A lamp was burning in the kitchen window.
The hall light was still burning.
10. FEEL HOT AND PAINFUL [intransitive and transitive] if a part of your body burns, or if something burns it, it feels unpleasantly hot:
The whisky burned my throat as it went down.
My eyes were burning from the smoke.
11. FACE/CHEEKS [intransitive] if your face or cheeks are burning, they feel hot because you are embarrassed or upset:
I could feel my cheeks burning as I spoke.
12. CD [transitive] if you burn a ↑CD or ↑DVD, you record music, images, or other information onto it using special computer equipment
13. be burning with rage/desire etc to feel a particular emotion very strongly:
She was burning with curiosity.
14. be burning to do something to want to do or find out something very much:
I was burning to know how he had got on in New York.
15. be/get burned informal
a) to be emotionally hurt by someone or something:
Take things slowly – don’t get burned again.
b) to lose a lot of money:
The company got badly burned in the dot.com collapse.
16. burn your fingers/get your fingers burned informal to suffer the unpleasant results of something that you have done:
I tried a dating agency once, but got my fingers badly burnt – I’ll never do it again.
17. burn a hole in your pocket if money burns a hole in your pocket, you want to spend it as soon as you can
18. burn your bridges/boats informal to do something with the result that you will not be able to return to a previous situation again, even if you want to:
I’m really tempted to take up that job offer in Washington, but I don’t want to burn my boats with this company.
19. burn the candle at both ends informal to get very tired by doing things until very late at night and getting up early in the mornings
20. burn the midnight oil informal to work or study until late at night
21. it burns somebody that/how etc American English used to say that something makes someone feel angry or jealous:
It really burns me the way they treat us.
22. GO FAST [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] informal to travel very fast
burn along/up etc
a sports car burning up the motorway
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 3)
■ adverbs
▪ be badly/severely burned His face had been badly burned in the fire.
▪ be burned alive The animals were burned alive when a farm building caught fire.
■ phrases
▪ be burned to death Anyone inside the truck would have been burned to death.
▪ be burned at the stake (=burned in a fire as a punishment) In those days witches were burned at the stake.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ to be burning
▪ burn to produce heat and flames: The fire was still burning. | A pile of branches was burning in the yard.
▪ be on fire if a building, car, piece of clothing etc is on fire, it is burning and being damaged: Before long, the neighbouring houses were on fire too.
▪ be alight especially written if something is alight, it is burning: By the time the fire engines got there, the whole building was already alight. | The candle was still alight.
▪ be ablaze especially written if something is ablaze, it is burning with a lot of flames, so that it is seriously damaged: Twelve hours after the bombing raid, many parts of the city were still ablaze. | The two hundred tonnes of straw were now ablaze and firefighters struggled to get the fire under control.
▪ blaze to burn very brightly with a lot of flames and heat: A big log fire was blazing in the fireplace.
▪ smoulder British English, smolder American English /ˈsməʊldə $ ˈsmoʊldər/ to burn slowly and continuously, producing smoke but no flames: A cigarette smouldered in the ashtray. | The fire in the chemical factory was so intense that it was still smouldering a week later.
▪ flicker if a fire or flame flickers, it burns with an unsteady light that appears and disappears quickly: A welcoming fire flickered in the grate. | Inside the shrine candles flicker next to statues of saints.
■ to start burning
▪ catch fire to start burning accidentally: We were worried the house would catch fire. | Two farm workers died when a barn caught fire yesterday.
▪ burst into flames to suddenly start burning and produce a lot of flames that cause serious damage: The plane crashed into the side of the mountain and burst into flames.
▪ ignite /ɪɡˈnaɪt/ technical if a chemical or gas ignites, it starts burning: The compound ignites at 450 degrees Celsius. | Scientists could not explain why the gas had suddenly ignited.
■ to burn something
▪ burn to damage or destroy something with fire or heat: She lit a fire and burned his letters one by one.
▪ set fire to something (also set something on fire) to make something start burning so that it gets damaged: Vandals set fire to an empty warehouse. | Teresa wondered if the burning log might set fire to the curtains. | The Vikings attacked villages along the coast and set them on fire. | Sparks from the fireplace could easily set the curtains on fire.
▪ scorch to damage the surface of something by burning it so that a dark mark is left on it: Having the iron on a very high heat can scorch the fabric. | The heater was left on all night and it scorched the wall.
▪ singe /sɪndʒ/ to damage hair, wool, paper etc by burning it slightly so that the ends or edges are burnt: The flames were hot enough to singe your eyebrows.
▪ scald to burn your skin with very hot liquid or steam: The coffee was so hot it nearly scalded his tongue. | It’s easy to knock a pan off the stove and scald yourself. | He was scalded by steam escaping from the broken pipe.
▪ ignite technical to make something start to burn, especially something that burns easily such as a gas or chemical: The gas is ignited by an electrical spark. | It appears he threw away a lit cigarette which ignited the petrol spilt on the ground.
■ to make something stop burning
▪ put out to make something such as a fire, cigarette, or candle stop burning: It took firefighters four hours to put out the blaze. | She threw sand on the fire to put it out. | I put out my cigarette and went back into the house.
▪ extinguish /ɪkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/ formal to make something such as a fire, cigarette, or candle stop burning: He managed to extinguish the flames with his coat. | Customers who smoke will be asked to extinguish their cigarettes or leave the premises.
▪ blow out to make a flame or fire stop burning by blowing on it: He blew out the candle and went to sleep. | The wind blew out the fire.
burn away phrasal verb
if something burns away or is burned away, it is destroyed by fire
burn something ↔ away
All her hair had been burnt away.
burn down phrasal verb
1. if a building burns down or is burned down, it is destroyed by fire:
She was worried that the house might burn down while they were away.
burn something ↔ down
The old town hall was burnt down in the 1970s.
2. if a fire burns down, the flames become weaker and it produces less heat
burn something ↔ off phrasal verb
1. to remove something by burning it:
You can use a blowlamp to burn off the old paint.
2. to use energy that is stored in your body by doing physical exercise:
I decided to go for a run to try and burn off a few calories.
burn out phrasal verb
1. if a fire burns out or burns itself out, it stops burning because there is no coal, wood etc left:
He left the fire to burn itself out.
2. be burnt out if a building or vehicle is burnt out, the inside of it is destroyed by fire:
The hotel was completely burnt out. Only the walls remained.
We passed several burnt out cars.
3. burn something ↔ out to remove something by burning it:
The cancer cells are burnt out using a laser beam.
4. to work so hard over a period of time that you become unable to continue working because you are tired, ill, or unable to think of any new ideas:
It’s a high-pressure job and you could burn out young.
be/get burnt out
He was almost burnt out by the time he was 21.
burn yourself out
She’s in danger of burning herself out. ⇨ ↑burnout(1)
5. if an engine or electric wire burns out or is burnt out, it stops working because it has been damaged by getting too hot:
The plugs are wired so that if one burns out, the others will still start the engine.
burn something ↔ out
I think you’ve burnt out one of the gaskets.
6. if a ↑rocket or ↑jet burns out, it stops working because all its ↑fuel has been used ⇨ ↑burnout(2)
burn up phrasal verb
1. if something burns up or is burnt up, it is completely destroyed by fire or heat:
The satellite will burn up as it re-enters the Earth’s atmosphere.
burn something ↔ up
Most of the woodland has now been burnt up.
2. burn something ↔ up informal to use a lot of something in a careless way:
Most household appliances burn up loads of electricity.
He just burns up money!
3. be burning up spoken if someone is burning up, they are very hot, usually because they are ill:
Feel his forehead – he’s burning up.
4. burn somebody up American English informal to make someone very angry:
The way he treats her really burns me up.
5. burn something ↔ up to use energy that is stored in your body, by being physically active:
As we get older, our body becomes less efficient at burning up calories.

opportunity

op‧por‧tu‧ni‧ty S1 W1 /ˌɒpəˈtjuːnəti, ˌɒpəˈtjuːnɪti $ ˌɑːpərˈtuː-/ BrE AmE noun (plural opportunities)
1. [uncountable and countable] a chance to do something or an occasion when it is easy for you to do something
opportunity to do something
a rare opportunity to see inside this historic building
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you all.
opportunity for
Games and songs provide an opportunity for classroom interaction.
2. [countable] a chance to get a job or improve your situation at work:
There are fewer opportunities for new graduates this year. ⇨ equal opportunities at ↑equal¹(2)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ have opportunity I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to travel.
▪ take/use opportunity (=do something you have a chance to do) Several employees took the opportunity to retire early.
▪ seize/grasp an opportunity (=do something very eagerly when you have the chance) She saw an opportunity to speak to him, and seized it.
▪ miss/lose an opportunity (=not do something you have a chance to do) Dwyer never missed an opportunity to criticize her.
▪ give somebody opportunity The children should be given the opportunity to make their own choices.
▪ get an opportunity I decided to go, as I might never get this opportunity again.
▪ provide/present/open up an opportunity The course also provides an opportunity to study Japanese.
▪ an opportunity comes (along/up) We had outgrown our house when the opportunity came up to buy one with more land.
▪ an opportunity arises Perhaps she would explain later, if the opportunity arose.
■ adjectives
▪ a good/great/wonderful etc opportunity It's a great opportunity to try new things.
▪ the ideal/perfect opportunity I'd been wanting to try sailing, and this seemed like the ideal opportunity.
▪ a golden opportunity (=a very good opportunity) The council has missed a golden opportunity to improve the town centre.
▪ a rare/unique opportunity a unique opportunity to stay in a real castle
▪ a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity (=a very good opportunity that you will only get once) For many athletes, the Olympics are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
▪ a wasted/lost/missed opportunity (=one you do not use) Many people see the failed talks as a missed opportunity for peace.
▪ ample opportunity/plenty of opportunity (=a number of chances to do something) There will be ample opportunity for shopping.
▪ limited/little opportunity (=not many chances) They had little opportunity to discuss the issue beforehand.
■ nouns
▪ a photo opportunity (=a chance to take a good photograph, especially of a particular person) Parents will always look for good photo opportunities at their kid's graduation ceremony.
■ phrases
▪ at the first/earliest opportunity (=as soon as possible) He decided to leave school at the earliest opportunity.
▪ at every (possible) opportunity (=whenever possible) She went to the museum at every opportunity.
▪ a window of opportunity (=a time when you can do something) The other team started making mistakes, but we didn't take advantage of this window of opportunity.
▪ a land of opportunity (=a country where people have a lot of good opportunities) America was then seen as a land of opportunity.
▪ the opportunity of a lifetime (=a very good opportunity that you will only get once) The winner of the contest got the opportunity of a lifetime – the chance to work with a top fashion designer.

habit

hab‧it S3 W3 /ˈhæbət, ˈhæbɪt/ BrE AmE noun
[Word Family: noun: ↑habit, ↑habitué; verb: ↑habituate; adverb: ↑habitually; adjective: ↑habitual]
[Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin habitus 'condition, character', from habere 'to have']
1. USUAL/REGULAR [uncountable and countable] something that you do regularly or usually, often without thinking about it because you have done it so many times before:
Regular exercise is a good habit.
Thinking negatively can become a habit.
She has a habit of playing with her hair when she’s nervous.
Some people drink alcohol as much from habit as from desire.
by/from/out of habit (=because this is what you usually do in this situation)
I did it out of habit.
2. DRUGS [countable] a strong physical need to keep taking a drug regularly:
A lot of drug addicts get into petty crime to support their habit.
heroin/cocaine etc habit
His cocaine habit ruined him physically and financially.
3. not make a habit of (doing) something spoken used to say that someone does not usually do something bad or wrong, or should not do it again:
You’re ten minutes late. I hope you’re not going to make a habit of this.
4. I’m not in the habit of doing something spoken used when you are annoyed, to say that you would not do something:
I’m not in the habit of lying to my friends.
5. have a habit of doing something if something has a habit of doing something, it usually or often does it – used humorously:
Life has a habit of springing surprises.
6. old habits die hard used to say that it is difficult to make people change their attitudes or behaviour:
She knew it probably wasn’t necessary any more, but old habits die hard.
7. habit of thought/mind the way someone usually thinks about something, or their usual attitudes
8. CLOTHING [countable] a long loose piece of clothing worn by people in some religious groups:
a nun’s habit
⇨ a creature of habit at ↑creature(3)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ have a habit (of doing something) He has a habit of being late.
▪ something becomes a habit Once you you have been driving for a few weeks, it becomes a habit.
▪ get into a habit (=start doing something regularly or often) Try to get into the habit of walking for 30 minutes each day.
▪ get out of a habit (=stop doing something regularly or often) She couldn’t get out of the habit of saying 'sorry'.
▪ break/kick a habit (=stop doing something that is bad for you) I’ve smoked for years, but I really want to kick the habit.
▪ develop/form a habit I developed a habit of eating porridge for breakfast.
▪ change your habits It's sometimes difficult for people to change their habits.
■ adjectives
▪ a good/bad habit Eating healthy food as snacks is a good habit to get into.
▪ eating/drinking habits (=the kinds of things you eat or drink regularly) You need to change your eating habits.
▪ buying/spending habits (=the kinds of things you buy regularly) The recession will mean that many people will be changing their spending habits.
▪ viewing habits (=the kinds of television shows you regularly watch) Parents try to control their children’s viewing habits.
▪ sexual habits (=what you normally do in sexual relationships) a survey of the sexual habits of gay men
▪ personal habits (=the things you normally do each day, for example keeping yourself clean or whether you smoke) Some of his personal habits were unpleasant.
▪ social habits (=the things people normally do when they are with other people) Television changed some of our social habits.
▪ an annoying/unpleasant/nasty habit He had the unpleasant habit of eating with his mouth open.
▪ a strange/peculiar/odd habit He had a lot of peculiar habits, one of them being to stare at you without blinking.
■ phrases
▪ be in the habit of doing something On Friday evenings Carrie was in the habit of visiting her parents.
▪ (by/from) force of habit (=used about a habit that is difficult to change) I still walk by his house each day - force of habit, I suppose.
▪ change/break the habits of a lifetime (=stop doing the things you have done for many years) It is hard to change the habits of a lifetime, but you must eat more healthily or you will have a heart attack.
▪ have the unfortunate habit of doing something (=do something that makes other people feel embarrassed or offended) Teenage girls have the unfortunate habit of laughing too loudly.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ habit something you do regularly, often without thinking about it: Biting your nails is a bad habit. | I always go to the same supermarket, out of habit.
▪ mannerism a way of speaking or a small movement of your face or body that is part of your usual behaviour: Even her mannerisms are the same as her sister’s.
▪ custom something that people in a particular society do because it is traditional or the accepted thing to do: In Japan it is the custom to take off your shoes when you enter a house.
▪ tradition a belief, custom, or way of doing something that has existed for a long time: The tradition of giving Easter eggs goes back hundreds of years. | In many countries, it’s a tradition for the bride to wear white. | It was a family tradition to go for a walk on Christmas Day.
▪ practice something that people often do, especially as part of their work or daily life: The hotel has ended the practice of leaving chocolates in guests’ rooms.

brave

I. brave¹ S3 /breɪv/ BrE AmE adjective (comparative braver, superlative bravest)
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: Old Italian and Old Spanish bravo 'brave, wild', from Latin barbarus; ⇨ ↑barbarous]
1.
a) dealing with danger, pain, or difficult situations with courage and confidence SYN courageous:
brave soldiers
her brave fight against cancer
it is brave of somebody (to do something)
It was brave of you to speak in front of all those people.
b) the brave [plural] brave people:
Today we remember the brave who died in the last war.
2. very good:
Despite their captain’s brave performance, Arsenal lost 2–1.
brave effort/attempt
the brave efforts of the medical staff to save his life
3. put on a brave face/front to pretend that you are happy when you are really very upset
4. brave new world a situation or a way of doing something that is new and exciting and meant to improve people’s lives:
the brave new world of digital television
—bravely adverb:
She smiled bravely.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ brave showing that you are not afraid to do things that other people find dangerous or difficult: I think he was incredibly brave to do a parachute jump. | a brave attempt to change the system
▪ courageous /kəˈreɪdʒəs/ especially written very brave – used especially about someone fighting for what they believe in, or fighting against a disease: a courageous speech | her courageous fight against cancer
▪ daring brave and willing to take a lot of risks: a daring escape from a prison camp | a daring fighter pilot | a daring thing to do
▪ bold willing to make difficult decisions or say what you think, even though it may involve risks: It was a bold move to set up his own company. | She was very bold in criticizing the leadership.
▪ intrepid written willing to do dangerous things or go to dangerous places: an intrepid traveller | We sent our intrepid reporter to find out what is happening.
▪ adventurous used about someone who enjoys going to new places and doing new, possibly dangerous, things: More adventurous visitors can go skiing or snowboarding.
▪ fearless not afraid of anything or anyone: a fearless campaigner for human rights
▪ heroic very brave and admired by many people: heroic rescuers | Despite heroic efforts to save him, he died.
▪ plucky brave and determined – often used in newspapers: Plucky Megan, aged 10, has beaten cancer twice.

deal with somebody/something phrasal verb
1. to take the necessary action, especially in order to solve a problem SYN handle:
a strategy for dealing with disruptive pupils
Don’t worry, I’ll deal with this.
deal with a problem/issue/matter etc
The council has failed to deal with the problem of homelessness in the city.
deal effectively/adequately etc with something
They should deal properly and fairly with any complaint.
2. if a book, speech etc deals with a particular subject, it is about that subject:
These ideas are dealt with more fully in Chapter Four.
3. to do business with someone or have a business connection with someone:
Most travel agents do not deal directly with these companies.
4. to succeed in controlling your feelings about an emotional problem so that it does not affect your life SYN cope with:
How’s he dealing with the whole thing?