B2 (Upper-intermediate)

desktop

desk‧top /ˈdesktɒp $ -tɑːp/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
1. the main area on a computer where you can find the ↑icons that represent programs, and where you can do things to manage the information on the computer
2. the top surface of a desk

diamond

di‧a‧mond S3 /ˈdaɪəmənd/ BrE AmE noun
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: diamant 'hard metal, diamond', from Greek adamas; ⇨ ↑adamant]
1. [uncountable and countable] a clear, very hard valuable stone, used in jewellery and in industry:
a diamond engagement ring
2. [countable] a shape with four straight but sloping sides of equal length, with one point facing directly up and the other directly down:
Cut the cookie dough into diamonds.
3.
a) diamonds one of the four ↑suits (=types of cards) in a set of playing cards, which has the design of a red diamond shape on it
two/queen etc of diamonds
the ace of diamonds
b) [countable] a card from this suit:
You have to play a diamond.
4. [countable]
a) the area in a baseball field that is within the diamond shape formed by the four ↑bases
b) the whole playing field used in baseball
• • •
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?

reality

re‧al‧i‧ty S2 W2 /riˈæləti, riˈælɪti/ BrE AmE noun (plural realities)
[Word Family: noun: ↑realism, ↑realist, ↑reality, ↑unreality, ↑realization; adverb: ↑real, ↑really, ↑realistically ≠ ↑unrealistically; adjective: ↑real, ↑unreal, ↑realistic ≠ ↑unrealistic; verb: ↑realize]
1. [uncountable and countable] what actually happens or is true, not what is imagined or thought:
the distinction between fantasy and reality
TV is used as an escape from reality.
I think the government has lost touch with reality (=no longer understands what is real or true).
political realities
harsh/grim/stark reality
Millions of people live with the harsh realities of unemployment.
the reality is that
The reality is that young people will not go into teaching until salaries are higher.
The paperless office may one day become a reality.
2. in reality used to say that something is different from what people think:
In reality, violent crimes are still extremely rare.
3. [uncountable] the fact that something exists or is happening:
She had never accepted the reality of her pregnancy.
⇨ ↑virtual reality
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ the harsh/grim/stark reality (=conditions that are really very bad) We want to protect our children from the harsh reality of our violent world.
▪ political/social/economic realities He's ignoring political realities.
■ verbs
▪ face reality (=accept it) It's painful, but you have to face reality.
▪ confront a reality (=consider or deal with it) They had to confront some unpleasant realities about themselves.
▪ ignore a reality They are ignoring the reality of Arab politics.
▪ wake up to reality (=realize what is happening or real) Well, they need to wake up to reality.
▪ lose touch with reality (=no longer know about ordinary things or what is possible) If all you have is the show-business world, you kind of lose touch with reality.
▪ escape from reality The programmes help viewers escape from reality.
▪ bring somebody back to reality (=make them realize what is happening around them or true) She was brought back to reality by the pain in her ankle.
▪ become a reality (=really happen, after being hoped for, feared, etc by someone) Last June, her longed-for baby finally became a reality.
▪ reflect reality (=match or show what is really happening or true) Do these novels accurately reflect contemporary reality?
▪ bear no relation to reality (=not match what is really happening or true) His vision of European politics bears no relation to reality.
▪ be divorced from reality (=not connected in any way to what is really happening) His ideas are completely divorced from reality.
■ phrases
▪ a dose of reality (=an experience of what things are really like) I got my first dose of reality when I reported to work at my new job.
▪ somebody's grasp of reality (=their understanding of reality) They portrayed her as a sick woman with only a tenuous grasp of reality.

media

me‧di‧a S2 W2 AC /ˈmiːdiə/ BrE AmE noun
[Date: 1900-2000; Origin: Plural of ↑medium²]
1. the media all the organizations, such as television, radio, and newspapers, that provide news and information for the public, or the people who do this work:
The scandal was widely reported in the national media.
The role of the news media in forming public opinion is very important.
The 11-day trial generated intense media interest.
A great deal of media hype surrounded the release of the group’s latest CD.
There will be another war somewhere else and the whole international media circus will move on.
GRAMMAR
People sometimes use a singular verb after media but it is better to use a plural verb:
▪ The media were widely distrusted.
2. the plural of ↑medium ⇨ ↑mass media, ↑multimedia
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + media
▪ the national/local media The case received enormous publicity in the national media.
▪ the news media Does the news media have a role in forming public opinion?
▪ the mass media (=television, newspapers etc, which are seen by many people) The mass media has helped to call attention to environmental issues.
▪ the mainstream/popular media (=television, newspapers etc, that most people are able to see or read) Few of these events were reported in the mainstream media.
■ media + NOUN
▪ media attention/coverage/interest etc The tragedy received worldwide media attention.
▪ a media campaign (=when something is deliberately reported or advertised in the media a lot) a media campaign aimed at reducing drunk driving
▪ a media blitz (=when something is deliberately reported or advertised in the media a lot, in a small amount of time) The candidate’s media blitz has certainly raised his profile in the election.
▪ media hype (=when the media give something too much attention and try to make it seem more important or better than it really is) the media hype surrounding the match against France
▪ a media circus (=a disapproving phrase for all the people from the media who report events, and all the attention they give to these events) There is likely to be a media circus outside the courtroom.

salty

salt‧y /ˈsɔːlti $ ˈsɒːlti/ BrE AmE adjective
1. tasting of or containing salt:
a slightly salty taste
salty foods
2. American English old-fashioned language, a story, or a joke that is salty is amusing and often about sex
• • •
THESAURUS
■ describing the taste of something
▪ delicious having a very good taste: This cake is delicious! | a delicious meal
▪ disgusting/revolting having a very bad taste: The medicine tasted disgusting. | They had to eat revolting things, like fish eyes.
▪ sweet tasting full of sugar: The oranges were very sweet.
▪ tasty especially spoken tasting good and with plenty of flavour: She cooked us a simple but tasty meal. | That was really tasty!
▪ sour/tart having a taste that stings your tongue slightly, like lemon does – used especially when this is rather unpleasant: The apples were a little sour. | The wine has rather a tart taste, which not everyone will like.
▪ tangy having a taste that stings your tongue slightly, like lemon does, in a way that seems good: The dressing was nice and tangy.
▪ bitter having a strong taste which is not sweet and is sometimes rather unpleasant – used for example about black coffee, or chocolate without sugar: bitter chocolate | The medicine had rather a bitter taste. | Hops give beer its distinctive bitter taste.
▪ salty containing a lot of salt: Danish salami has a salty flavour.
▪ hot/spicy having a burning taste because it contains strong spices: I love hot curries. | a spicy tomato sauce
▪ piquant /ˈpiːkənt/ formal a little spicy – used especially by people who write about food. This word can sound rather ↑pretentious in everyday conversation: cooked vegetables in a piquant sauce
▪ mild not having a strong or hot taste – usually used about foods that can sometimes be spicy: a mild curry
▪ bland not having an interesting taste: I found the sauce rather bland.

starve

starve S3 /stɑːv $ stɑːrv/ BrE AmE verb
[Language: Old English; Origin: steorfan 'to die']
1. [intransitive] to suffer or die because you do not have enough to eat:
Thousands of people will starve if food doesn’t reach the city.
pictures of starving children
They’ll either die from the cold or starve to death (=die from lack of food).
2. [transitive] to prevent someone from having enough food to live:
The poor dog looked like it had been starved.
3. be starving (also be starved American English) to be very hungry:
You must be starving!
starve somebody/something of something (also starve somebody/something for something American English) phrasal verb [usually passive]
to not give something that is needed:
The schools are starved of funding.
The poor kid’s just starved for attention.
starve somebody ↔ out phrasal verb
to force someone to leave a place by preventing them from getting food:
If we can’t blast them out, we’ll starve them out!

spirit

I. spir‧it¹ S2 W2 /ˈspɪrət, ˈspɪrɪt/ BrE AmE noun
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Anglo-French; Origin: Latin spiritus 'breath, spirit']
1. CHARACTER [singular, uncountable] the qualities that make someone live the way they do, and make them different from other people
in spirit
I’m 85, but I still feel young in spirit.
independent/proud/free etc spirit (=a person with a particular type of character)
She is a strong and independent spirit. ⇨ kindred spirit at ↑kindred²(1)
2. HAPPY/SAD spirits [plural] the way someone feels at a particular time, for example if they are happy or sad ⇨ mood
be in good/high spirits (=be excited and happy)
Cooper was still in high spirits after winning the race.
His spirits were so low (=he was so sad) that he refused to answer his phone.
raise/lift sb’s spirits (=make someone happier)
The warm morning sun lifted our spirits.
She wrote poetry while she was in the hospital to keep her spirits up (=keep happy).
sb’s spirits rise/lift/sink (=they become more or less happy)
My spirits sank when I saw the mess they’d left.
3. SOUL [countable] the part of someone that you cannot see, that consists of the qualities that make up their character, which many people believe continues to live after the person has died ⇨ soul:
Although Laurie is dead, I can feel his spirit with me.
4. NO BODY [countable] a creature without a physical body that some people believe exists, such as an ↑angel or a dead person, who has returned to this world and has strange or magical powers ⇨ ghost:
an evil spirit
5. DETERMINATION [uncountable] courage, energy, and determination – used to show approval:
Sandra is small, but she makes up for it with great spirit.
a young team with strong fighting spirit
When they took away his freedom, they broke his spirit (=made him lose his courage).
6. ATTITUDE [singular, uncountable] the attitude that you have towards something or while you are doing something:
You’ve got to approach this meeting in the right spirit.
spirit of
the spirit of cooperation between the two sides
7. team/community/public etc spirit a strong feeling of belonging to a particular group and wanting to help them
8. TYPICAL QUALITIES [countable usually singular] the set of ideas, beliefs, feelings etc that are typical of a particular period in history, a place, or a group of people
spirit of
Tourism has not destroyed the spirit of Bali.
the spirit of the age/times
His beliefs conflicted with the spirit of the age.
9. in spirit if you say you will be somewhere in spirit or with someone in spirit, you will not be with them but will be thinking about them:
I can’t come to your wedding, but I’ll be there in spirit.
10. get/enter into the spirit (of something) to start to feel as happy, excited etc as the people around you:
Judith couldn’t really enter into the spirit of the occasion.
11. INTENTION [uncountable] the meaning or qualities that someone intended something to have, especially the meaning that a law or rule was intended to have:
Thoreau believed that his actions were in the spirit of American institutions.
Miller’s actions may not be actually illegal, but they have violated the spirit of the law. ⇨ the letter of the law at ↑letter¹(4)
12. the Spirit the ↑Holy Spirit
13. DRINK [countable usually plural]
a) especially British English a strong alcoholic drink such as ↑whisky or ↑brandy
b) British English liquid such as alcohol, used for cleaning
14. that’s the spirit spoken used to express approval of someone’s behaviour or attitude
15. when/as the spirit moves you when you feel that you want to do something
16. the spirit is willing (but the flesh is weak) used when saying that you want to do something, but you are too tired or do not feel strong enough – often used humorously
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ adjectives
▪ high/good (=used when saying that someone is happy and excited) The players were all in high spirits.
▪ low/flagging (=used when saying that someone is sad) She was tired and her spirits were low.
■ verbs
▪ lift/raise/revive sb’s spirits (=make them feel happier) A brisk walk helped to lift my spirits.
▪ keep sb’s spirits up (=keep them feeling happy) He wrote home often, trying to keep his family’s spirits up.
▪ dampen sb’s spirits (=make them feel less happy) They refused to let the rain dampen their spirits.
▪ sb’s spirits rise/lift/soar (=they start feeling happier) Her spirits rose as they left the ugliness of London behind.
▪ sb’s spirits sink (=they start feeling less happy) His spirits sank at the prospect.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ ghost the spirit of a dead person that some people think they can feel or see in a place: His ghost is believed to haunt the house.
▪ spirit a creature without a physical body, such as an angel or ghost: evil spirits | the spirit world
▪ apparition an image of a dead person that someone sees suddenly for a short time: He claimed to have seen an apparition in the church.
▪ poltergeist a ghost that people cannot see, which throws things or moves things around: The house was haunted by a poltergeist that makes things move around all by themselves, sometimes quite big things like beds or wardrobes.
▪ spook informal a ghost: I’m not scared of spooks.
▪ phantom literary a frightening and unclear image of a dead person: They had seen phantoms gliding on the surface of the water.
▪ spectre British English, specter American English literary a ghost, especially a frightening one: She had looked like a spectre. | The following night, the spectre appeared again.
II. spirit² BrE AmE verb
spirit somebody/something away/off phrasal verb written
to take someone or something away quickly and secretly:
After his speech, Jackson was spirited away through a back door.

priority

I. pri‧or‧i‧ty¹ S2 W2 AC /praɪˈɒrəti, praɪˈɒrɪti $ -ˈɔːr-/ BrE AmE noun (plural priorities)
[Word Family: noun: ↑priority, ↑prioritization; verb: ↑prioritize]
1. [uncountable and countable] the thing that you think is most important and that needs attention before anything else:
The club’s priority is to win the League.
first/top/main priority
The children are our first priority.
After several burglaries in the area, security is now a high priority (=very important and needing attention soon).
With so little money available, repairs must remain a low priority (=not important and not needing attention soon).
The customer is high on our list of priorities.
List your tasks in order of priority (=most important first).
2. [uncountable] the right to be given attention first and before other people or things
priority over
Buses should have priority over other road users.
A young person who has finished the course will be given priority over one who has not.
I want to start work on the garden but the house must take priority.
3. get your priorities right (also get your priorities straight American English) to know what is most important and needs attention first:
We need to get our priorities right.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 1)
■ adjectives
▪ a high priority (=very important) Right now, the environment is a high priority.
▪ an urgent priority He sees these negotiations as an urgent priority.
▪ a low priority (=not very important) At that time, architecture was a low priority.
▪ the top/main/number one priority Controlling spending is his top priority.
▪ the first priority The first priority for most unemployed people is obtaining a job.
▪ the overriding priority (=the most important one) The reduction of inflation must be the Government’s overriding priority.
▪ sb’s immediate priority (=which must be dealt with immediately) Their immediate priority was to find somewhere to sleep that night.
■ phrases
▪ a list/set of priorities Marriage isn’t very high on my list of priorities.
▪ in order of priority (=with the most important first) They asked voters to list issues in order of priority.
■ verbs
▪ set priorities (=decide what the priorities are) With any new project, it's important to set priorities.
▪ sort out your priorities (=decide which things are the most important as a way of dealing with a situation) If you’ve got a lot of things to do, sort out your priorities.
▪ make something a priority Lisa had a job, but she'd always made her family the priority.
▪ sb’s priorities change As you get older, your priorities may change.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ verbs
▪ have priority Couples may have to decide whose career has priority.
▪ get priority The breakdown services say that women on their own get priority.
▪ take priority (=become the most important thing) Winning the war took priority over everything else.
▪ give priority to somebody/something The hospital always gives priority to emergency cases.