B2 (Upper-intermediate)

wise

wise [adjective]

approving having or showing the ability to make good judgments, based on a deep understanding and experience of life

/waɪz/

Example:

I think you made a wise choice.

Oxford Essential Dictionary

wise

adjective (wiser, wisest)
knowing and understanding a lot about many things:
a wise old man
Do you think this is wise?

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

wise

I. wise¹ S3 /waɪz/ BrE AmE adjective
[Language: Old English; Origin: wis]
1. DECISION/IDEA ETC wise decisions and actions are sensible and based on good judgment SYN sensible
it is wise to do something
It’s wise to check whether the flight times have changed before you leave for the airport.
be wise to do something
I think you were wise to leave when you did.
a wise precaution
I don’t think that would be a very wise move (=not be a sensible thing to do).
2. PERSON someone who is wise makes good decisions, gives good advice etc, especially because they have a lot of experience of life:
a wise old man
At the time I thought he was wonderful, but I’m older and wiser now.
As a manager, Sanford was wise in the ways of (=knew a lot about) company politics.
3. be none the wiser/not be any the wiser
a) to not understand something even after it has been explained to you:
Charlie explained how the system works, but I’m still none the wiser.
b) used for saying that no one will find out about something bad that someone has done:
He could easily have taken the money and no one would have been any the wiser.
4. get/be wise to somebody/something informal to realize that someone is being dishonest:
Teachers quickly get wise to students who are cheating. ⇨ wise up at ↑wise²
5. wise guy especially informal American English an annoying person who thinks they know more than they really do:
OK, wise guy, shut up and listen!
6. be wise after the event to realize what you should have done in a situation after it has happened:
It’s easy to be wise after the event.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

wise

wise [wise wises wised wising wiser wisest] adjective, verb [waɪz] [waɪz]

adjective (wiser, wis·est)
1. (of people) able to make sensible decisions and give good advice because of the experience and knowledge that you have
• a wise old man

• I'm older and wiser after ten years in the business.

2. (of actions and behaviour) sensible; based on good judgement
Syn: prudent
• a wise decision
• It was very wise to leave when you did.
• The wisest course of action is just to say nothing.
• I was grateful for her wise counsel.
Word Origin:
Old English wīs, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch wijs and German weise.
Example Bank:
• It was not considered wise to move her to another hospital.
• He was known to be a wise and gentle ruler.
• He was too wise and experienced to try to escape.
• I'm older and wiser after ten years in the business.
• It was very wise of you to leave when you did.
• Locking your car doors is always a wise precaution.
Idioms: none the wiser ▪ not be any the wiser ▪ put somebody wise ▪ wise after the event ▪ wise to somebody
Derived Word: wisely

Derived: wise up

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

wise / waɪz / adjective

B2 approving having or showing the ability to make good judgments, based on a deep understanding and experience of life:

I think you made a wise choice.

"I never drink more than three glasses of wine." "How wise."

Looking at the weather, I think we made a wise decision not to go to the coast this weekend.

I think it would be wiser to wait and see how much money you've got left before you make any decisions.

I never used to save money but now I'm a little older and wiser I can see the sense in it.

Was it Thomas More who said that the wise man learns from the experience of others?

wise to sth informal understanding a dishonest situation or way of doing something:

I used to be scrupulously honest then I got wise to the system.

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

wise

[wa͟ɪz]
♦♦♦
wises, wising, wised, wiser, wisest
1) ADJ-GRADED A wise person is able to use their experience and knowledge in order to make sensible decisions and judgements.
  She has the air of a wise woman...
  You're a wise old man: tell me what to do.
  Ant:
  foolish
  Derived words:
  wisely ADV-GRADED ADV with v The three of us stood around the machine nodding wisely.
2) ADJ-GRADED: oft it v-link ADJ to-inf A wise action or decision is sensible.
  It's never wise to withhold evidence...
  She had made a very wise decision...
  It is wise to seek help and counsel as soon as possible.
  Syn:
  sensible
  Derived words:
  wisely ADV-GRADED usu ADV with v They've invested their money wisely... Our man had wisely decided to be picked up at the farm.
3) PHRASE: PHR to-inf If someone says to you that it would be wise to do something, they are advising you to do it, because it is the most sensible and reasonable action or decision in a particular situation.
  It would be wise to get his eyes checked to ensure there is no problem.
4) PHRASE: V inflects, PHR n If you get wise to something, you find out about it, especially when someone has been trying to keep it secret. [INFORMAL]
  Dealers have already got wise to the trend and increased their prices accordingly.
  Syn:
  wise up to
5) PHRASE: v-link PHR If you say that someone is none the wiser after an event or an explanation, or that nobody is any the wiser after it, you mean that they have failed to understand it, or are not fully aware of what happened.
  The brewers are still none the wiser about the shape the Government envisages for the industry...
  We could have stolen the original from the warehouse without you being any the wiser.
  Phrasal Verbs:
  - wise up

[-waɪz]
1) COMB in ADV: ADV with cl -wise is added to nouns to form adverbs indicating that something is the case when considering the particular thing mentioned.
  Career-wise, this illness couldn't have come at a worse time...
  It was a much better day weather-wise...
  Because the work was voluntary it was flexible, time-wise.
2) COMB in ADV: ADV after v -wise is added to nouns to form adverbs indicating that someone behaves in the same way as the person or thing that is mentioned.
  We were housed student-wise in dormitory rooms...
  Kenny, struggling with too many chairs, moved crabwise towards the door.
  Syn:
  -like

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary:

¹wise /ˈwaɪz/ adj wis·er; -est
1 : having or showing wisdom or knowledge usually from learning or experiencing many things
• a wise old woman
• a wise saying
• I'm a little wiser now than I was back then.
- see also penny-wise, streetwise
2 : based on good reasoning or information : showing good sense or judgment
• The wisest course of action would be to leave.
• It was wise of you to ask permission first. = You were wise to ask permission first.
• That was a wise choice.
• Many have benefited from her wise counsel/advice.
3 US informal : saying things that are rude or insulting
• Don't you get wise [=smart, fresh] with me, young man!
a word to the wise
- see ¹word
crack wise
- see ¹crack
none the wiser or not any the wiser
1 : not knowing or understanding anything more about something
• The investigation has been going on for months, and we're still none the wiser about the true cause of the accident. [=we still don't know anything more about the true cause]
2 also never the wiser
- used to describe someone who is not at all aware of something that has happened
• I borrowed his car and returned it, and he was none the wiser. [=he did not know that I had borrowed his car]
• We left early, and no one was any the wiser. [=no one noticed that we had left]
wise in the ways of : having knowledge about or experience with (someone or something)
• Don't worry. They're wise in the ways of finances.
• She is wise in the ways of the world.
wise to informal : not fooled by (someone or something)
• I'm wise to you. = I'm wise to what you're doing. [=I know what you're doing; I know that you are trying to do something dishonest] : aware of (something, especially something dishonest)
• When she got wise to [=became aware of] his scheme, she left.
• He told me I'd better get wise to what was happening.
• (chiefly US) Let me put/make you wise to [=tell you about] their plans.
- wise·ly adv [more ~; most ~]
• The witness wisely refused to answer the question.
• If you invest wisely, you can make a lot of money.
• Try to choose your words more wisely.

American English

British English

wise and sensible

B2 (Upper-intermediate)

adjective

father-in-law

father-in-law [noun]

the father of your husband or wife

/ˈfɑː.ðɚ.ɪn.lɑː/

/ˈfɑː.ðər.ɪn.lɔː/

Oxford Essential Dictionary

father-in-law

noun (plural fathers-in-law)
the father of your husband or wife

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

father-in-law

ˈfather-in-ˌlaw BrE AmE noun (plural fathers-in-law) [countable]
the father of your husband or wife

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

father-in-law

ˈfather-in-law [father-in-law fathers-in-law] noun (pl. fathers-in-law)

the father of your husband or wife

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition

ˈ father-in-law / ˈfɑː.ðə r .ɪn.lɔː / / -ðɚ.ɪn.lɑː / noun [ C ] ( plural ^fathers-in-law )

B2 the father of your husband or wife

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

father-in-law

fathers-in-law
N-COUNT: usu poss N
Someone's father-in-law is the father of their husband or wife.

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary:

father-in-law

fa·ther–in–law /ˈfɑːðɚənˌlɑː/ noun, pl fa·thers–in–law /ˈfɑːðɚzənˌlɑː/ [count] : the father of your husband or wife

American English

British English

non-blood relations

B2 (Upper-intermediate)

noun

mother-in-law

mother-in-law [noun]

the mother of your husband or wife

/ˈmʌð.ɚ.ɪn.lɑː/

/ˈmʌð.ə.rɪn.lɔː/

Example:

The comedian told an endless stream of mother-in-law jokes.

Oxford Essential Dictionary

mother-in-law

noun (plural mothers-in-law)
the mother of your husband or wife

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

mother-in-law

ˈmother-in-ˌlaw BrE AmE noun (plural mothers-in-law) [countable]
the mother of your wife or husband

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

mother-in-law

ˈmother-in-law [mother-in-law mothers-in-law] noun (pl. mothers-in-law)
the mother of your husband or wife
compare father-in-law
Example Bank:

• The comedian told an endless stream of mother-in-law jokes.

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition

ˈ mother-in-law / ˈmʌð.ə.rɪn.lɔː / / -ɚ.ɪn.lɑː / noun [ C ] ( plural mothers-in-law )

B2 the mother of your husband or wife

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

mother-in-law

mothers-in-law
N-COUNT: oft poss N
Someone's mother-in-law is the mother of their husband or wife.

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary:

mother-in-law

moth·er–in–law /ˈmʌðɚrənˌlɑː/ noun, pl moth·ers–in–law /ˈmʌðɚzənˌlɑː/ [count] : the mother of your husband or wife

American English

British English

non-blood relations

B2 (Upper-intermediate)

noun

treat

treat [verb] (DEAL WITH)

to behave towards someone or deal with something in a particular way

/triːt/

Example:

He treated his wife very badly.

Oxford Essential Dictionary

verb (treats, treating, treated)

1 to behave in a certain way towards somebody or something:
How does your boss treat you?
Treat these glasses with care.

2 to think about something in a certain way:
They treated my idea as a joke.

3 to try to make a sick person well again:
Several people are being treated for burns.

4 to give yourself or another person something special or enjoyable:
I treated the children to an ice cream.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

treat

I. treat¹ S2 W1 /triːt/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[Word Family: noun: ↑treat, ↑treatment, ↑mistreatment; verb: ↑treat, ↑mistreat; adjective: ↑untreated, ↑treatable]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: traitier, from Latin tractare; ⇨ ↑tractable]
1. BEHAVE TOWARDS SOMEBODY/SOMETHING [always + adverb/preposition] to behave towards someone or something in a particular way ⇨ treatment
treat somebody like/as something
She treats me like one of the family.
Penny doesn’t think her co-workers treat her as an equal.
He treated his automobiles almost as tenderly as he did his wife.
badly treated/well treated
The prisoners were well treated by their guards.
treat somebody with respect/contempt/courtesy etc
Despite her seniority, Margot was never treated with much respect.
treat somebody like dirt/a dog (=treat someone unkindly and without respect)
I don’t know why he stays with her – she treats him like dirt.
2. DEAL WITH SOMETHING [always + adverb/preposition] to deal with, regard, or consider something in a particular way ⇨ treatment
treat something as something
Please treat this information as completely confidential.
She treats everything I say as a joke.
treat something favourably/seriously/carefully etc
Any complaint about safety standards must be treated very seriously.
3. ILLNESS/INJURY to try to cure an illness or injury by using drugs, hospital care, operations etc ⇨ treatment:
It was difficult to treat patients because of a shortage of medicine.
treat somebody/something with something
Nowadays, malaria can be treated with drugs.
4. BUY SOMETHING FOR SOMEBODY to buy or do something special for someone that you know they will enjoy
treat somebody to something
We treated Mom to lunch at the Savoy.
I treated myself to a new dress.
5. PROTECT/CLEAN to put a special substance on something or use a chemical process in order to protect, clean, or preserve it ⇨ treatment:
sewage treated so that it can be used as fertilizer
⇨ ↑trick or treat
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adverbs
▪ well The majority of workers are well treated.
▪ badly Why did he treat me so badly?
▪ fairly/unfairly I just want to be treated fairly.
▪ equally All people should be treated equally, whatever their age.
▪ differently Should girls be treated differently from boys in school?
▪ harshly The guards treated the prisoners harshly.
▪ kindly The world had not treated him kindly.
■ phrases
▪ treat somebody with respect/contempt/suspicion etc When you treat the kids with respect, they act responsibly.
▪ treat somebody like dirt informal (=very badly and with no respect) He treated this wife like dirt.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ behave to do and say things that are good, bad, normal, strange etc: His teacher said he’d been behaving badly at school. | I’m not going to talk to her until she starts behaving reasonably. | Oh, be quiet! You’re behaving like a two-year-old.
▪ act to behave in a particular way, especially in a way that seems unusual, surprising, or annoying to other people: Tina’s been acting very strangely lately. | What makes grown people act like that?
▪ treat to behave towards someone or deal with someone in a particular way: She said that he’d treated her really badly throughout their two-year marriage. | I’m sick of my parents treating me like a child.
▪ conform to behave in the way that most other people in your group or society behave: Young people sometimes want to rebel and therefore they refuse to conform. | Society typically brings pressure on individuals and groups to conform to civilised norms.
▪ conduct yourself formal to behave in a particular way, especially in a situation where people will notice and judge the way you behave: Public figures have a duty to conduct themselves responsibly, even in their private lives. | By the end of the course, you should be able to conduct yourself with confidence in any meeting.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

treat

▪ I. treat [treat treats treated treating] verb, noun [triːt] [triːt]

verb

BEHAVE TOWARDS SB/STH
1. to behave in a particular way towards sb/sth
• ~ sb/sth (with sth) to treat people with respect/consideration/suspicion, etc.
• Treat your keyboard with care and it should last for years.
• ~ sb/sth like sth My parents still treat me like a child.

• ~ sb/sth as sth) He was treated as a hero on his release from prison.

CONSIDER

2. ~ sth as sth to consider sth in a particular way
• I decided to treat his remark as a joke.

• All cases involving children are treated as urgent.

3. ~ sth + adv./prep. to deal with or discuss sth in a particular way

• The question is treated in more detail in the next chapter.

ILLNESS/INJURY

4. ~ sb (for sth) (with sth) to give medical care or attention to a person, an illness, an injury, etc
• She was treated for sunstroke.
• The condition is usually treated with drugs and a strict diet.

• The hospital treated forty cases of malaria last year.

USE CHEMICAL

5. ~ sth (with sth) to use a chemical substance or process to clean, protect, preserve, etc. sth
• to treat crops with insecticide

• wood treated with preservative

PAY FOR STH ENJOYABLE

6. ~ sb/yourself (to sth) to pay for sth that sb/you will enjoy and that you do not usually have or do
• She treated him to lunch.
• Don't worry about the cost— I'll treat you.
• I'm going to treat myself to a new pair of shoes.
Verb forms:

Word Origin:
Middle English (in the senses ‘negotiate’ and ‘discuss a subject’): from Old French traitier, from Latin tractare ‘handle’, frequentative of trahere ‘draw, pull’. The current noun sense dates from the mid 17th cent.
Collocations:
Injuries
Being injured
have a fall/an injury
receive/suffer/sustain a serious injury/a hairline fracture/(especially BrE) whiplash/a gunshot wound
hurt/injure your ankle/back/leg
damage the brain/an ankle ligament/your liver/the optic nerve/the skin
pull/strain/tear a hamstring/ligament/muscle/tendon
sprain/twist your ankle/wrist
break a bone/your collarbone/your leg/three ribs
fracture/crack your skull
break/chip/knock out/lose a tooth
burst/perforate your eardrum
dislocate your finger/hip/jaw/shoulder
bruise/cut/graze your arm/knee/shoulder
burn/scald yourself/your tongue
bang/bump/hit/ (informal) bash your elbow/head/knee (on/against sth)
Treating injuries
treat sb for burns/a head injury/a stab wound
examine/clean/dress/bandage/treat a bullet wound
repair a damaged/torn ligament/tendon/cartilage
amputate/cut off an arm/a finger/a foot/a leg/a limb
put on/ (formal) apply/take off (especially NAmE) a Band-Aid™/(BrE) a plaster/a bandage
need/require/put in/ (especially BrE) have (out)/ (NAmE) get (out) stitches
put on/rub on/ (formal) apply cream/ointment/lotion
have/receive/undergo (BrE) physiotherapy/(NAmE) physical therapy
Example Bank:
• Chemically treated hair can become dry and brittle.
• Don't treat me like a child!
• He is guilty and should be treated accordingly.
• He treated the idea with suspicion.
• Parents still tend to treat boys differently from girls.
• She was treated for cuts and bruises.
• The drug is effective at treating depression.
• The timber has been treated with chemicals to preserve it.
• These allegations are being treated very seriously indeed.
• They deserve to be treated with patience and respect.
• They treat their animals quite badly.
• We can treat this condition quite successfully with antibiotics.
• You need to treat this wood for woodworm.
• the tendency to treat older people as helpless and dependent
• Remember that chemically treated hair is delicate.
• The crops are treated with insecticide.
• The wood panels will become brittle if not treated with preservative.
• Water is discharged from the sewage works after being treated.
• You should treat people with more respect.
Idiom: treat somebody like dirt
Derived Word: treatable

Derived: treat somebody to something

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

treat / triːt / verb [ T usually + adv/prep ] (DEAL WITH)

B2 to behave towards someone or deal with something in a particular way:

My parents treated us all the same when we were kids.

He treated his wife very badly.

It's wrong to treat animals as if they had no feelings.

I treat remarks like that with the contempt that they deserve.

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

treat

[tri͟ːt]
♦♦
treats, treating, treated
1) VERB If you treat someone or something in a particular way, you behave towards them or deal with them in that way.
  [V n with n] Artie treated most women with indifference...
  [V n as/like n] Police say they're treating it as a case of attempted murder...
  [V n adv] She adored Paddy but he didn't treat her well...
  [V n adv] The issues should be treated separately.
2) VERB When a doctor or nurse treats a patient or an illness, he or she tries to make the patient well again.
  [V n with n] Doctors treated her with aspirin...
  [V n for n] The boy was treated for a minor head wound...
  [V n] An experienced nurse treats all minor injuries.
3) VERB If something is treated with a particular substance, the substance is put onto or into it in order to clean it, to protect it, or to give it special properties.
  [be V-ed with n] About 70% of the cocoa acreage is treated with insecticide...
  [V n] It was many years before the city began to treat its sewage.
4) VERB If you treat someone to something special which they will enjoy, you buy it or arrange it for them.
  [V n to n] She was always treating him to ice cream...
  [V pron-refl to n] Tomorrow I'll treat myself to a day's gardening...
  [V pron-refl] If you want to treat yourself, the Malta Hilton offers high international standards. [Also V n]
5) N-COUNT If you give someone a treat, you buy or arrange something special for them which they will enjoy.
  Lettie had never yet failed to return from town without some special treat for him.
6) N-SING: poss N If you say that something is your treat, you mean that you are paying for it as a treat for someone else. [SPOKEN]
7) PHRASE: PHR after v If you say, for example, that something looks or works a treat, you mean that it looks very good or works very well. [BRIT, INFORMAL]
to treat someone like dirt → see dirt
  The first part of the plan works a treat...
  The apricots would go down a treat.

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary:

¹treat /ˈtriːt/ verb treats; treat·ed; treat·ing
1 always followed by an adverb or preposition [+ obj] : to deal with or think about (something) especially in a particular way
• The author treats this issue in the next chapter.
• You should treat [=consider, regard] this information as top secret.
• He treats [=regards] everything I say as a joke.
• This situation must be treated with great care.
2 always followed by an adverb or preposition [+ obj] : to think of and act toward (someone or something) in a specified way
• I try to treat everyone equally.
• She treats the horse cruelly.
• They treated me like a member of their family.
• I was treated like a queen/criminal.
• My parents still treat me like a child.
• Try to treat everyone as an equal.
• Young people should always treat their elders with respect.
• He treated me like dirt. [=he was very rude, disrespectful, or unkind to me]
3 a : to pay for someone's food, drink, or entertainment

[no obj]

• Let's go out to dinner. I'll treat.

[+ obj]

- usually + to
• They treated us to lunch.
b [+ obj] : to provide (someone) with something pleasant or amusing - + to
• At the end of the concert, the band treated their fans to a new song.
- often used as (be) treated
• The people on the tour were treated to a rare glimpse of the bird. [=the people on the tour had the rare and enjoyable experience of seeing the bird]
c [+ obj] : to buy or get something special and enjoyable for (yourself) - + to
• He treated himself to some ice cream.
• She treated herself to a massage.
4 [+ obj]
a : to give medical care to (a person or animal)
• Doctors immediately treated the patient.
• She was treated for dehydration.
b : to deal with (a disease, infection, etc.) in order to make someone feel better or become healthy again
• She is taking medication to treat the condition.
• The infection can be treated with antibiotics.
5 [+ obj] : to put a chemical or other substance on or in (something) in order to protect it, preserve it, clean it, etc. - often + with
• He treated the wood with a waterproof sealant.
- often used as (be) treated
• The crops were treated with a pesticide.
• Has the water been treated?

American English

British English

behaving - interacting and behaviour

B2 (Upper-intermediate)

verb

reveal

reveal [noun]

to make known or show something that is surprising or that was previously secret

/rɪˈviːl/

Example:

He was jailed for revealing secrets to the Russians.

Oxford Essential Dictionary

reveal

verb (reveals, revealing, revealed )
to tell something that was a secret or show something that was hidden:
She refused to reveal any names to the police.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

reveal

re‧veal W1 AC /rɪˈviːl/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[Word Family: adjective: ↑revealing, ↑revelatory; verb: ↑reveal; noun: ↑revelation; adverb: ↑revealingly]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: reveler, from Latin revelare 'to uncover', from velum; ⇨ ↑veil¹]
1. to make known something that was previously secret or unknown OPP conceal:
He may be prosecuted for revealing secrets about the security agency.
a test that can reveal a teacher’s hidden skills
reveal (that)
He revealed that he had been in prison twice before.
reveal yourself (as/to be something)
The violinist revealed himself as a talented interpreter of classical music.
2. to show something that was previously hidden OPP conceal:
The curtain opened to reveal the grand prize.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ reveal to let someone know about something that is secret or has not been known until now: Doctors are not allowed to reveal confidential information. | It was revealed that he had smoked marijuana at college.
▪ tell to talk about something to someone, so that they know about it: Don’t tell anyone about this just yet. | Shall I tell you a secret?
▪ disclose formal to publicly reveal something such as a fact or a name that has been kept secret: The terms of the agreement have not yet been disclosed. | The agent did not disclose that there had been a violent crime in the house.
▪ divulge \daɪˈvʌldʒ, də-\ formal to reveal important or personal information which was previously secret or unknown: The bank has refused to divulge its plans. | I’m afraid I cannot divulge what was said to me.
▪ make something public to tell people about important information, especially after it has been kept secret: Apparently they were engaged for some time before making it public. | The government has agreed that sources of financing should in future be made public.
▪ leak to deliberately give secret information to a newspaper, television company etc, when a government or other organization wants to keep it secret: The contents of the email were leaked to the press. | A man was charged today with leaking official secrets.
▪ give something away (also spill the beans informal) to tell someone something that you want to keep secret: He was careful not to give away any trade secrets. | I’m not going to give away how much I paid for it!
▪ let slip informal to accidentally tell someone about something: He let slip that he was envious of his older brother.

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

reveal / rɪˈviːl / verb [ T ]

B2 to make known or show something that is surprising or that was previously secret:

He was jailed for revealing secrets to the Russians.

[ + that ] Her biography revealed that she was not as rich as everyone thought.

[ + question word ] He would not reveal wh ere he had hidden her chocolate eggs.

C2 to allow something to be seen that, until then, had been hidden:

A gap in the clouds revealed the Atlantic far below.

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

reveal

[rɪvi͟ːl]
♦♦
reveals, revealing, revealed
1) VERB To reveal something means to make people aware of it.
  [V n] She has refused to reveal the whereabouts of her daughter...
  [V that] A survey of the British diet has revealed that a growing number of people are overweight...
  [it be V-ed that] After the fire, it was revealed that North Carolina officials had never inspected the factory...
  [V wh] No test will reveal how much of the drug was taken. [Also be V-ed as n]
2) VERB If you reveal something that has been out of sight, you uncover it so that people can see it.
  [V n] In the principal room, a grey carpet was removed to reveal the original pine floor.
  Syn:
  show

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary:

reveal

re·veal /rɪˈviːl/ verb -veals; -vealed; -veal·ing [+ obj]
1 a : to make (something) known
• She would not reveal the secret.
• The test revealed the true cause of death.
• It was revealed that they stole over $1 million.
• They revealed the plans for the new building.
- opposite conceal
b : to show or prove that (someone) is a particular type of person - often + to be
• The book reveals him to be an expert at chess.
• She revealed herself to be a talented pianist.
- often + as
• She revealed the reporter as a liar.
2 : to show (something) plainly or clearly : to make (something that was hidden) able to be seen
• The expression on his face revealed how he felt.
• The curtain was lifted to reveal the grand prize.
• Pulling up the carpeting revealed the home's beautiful hardwood floors.
- opposite conceal

American English

British English

revealing secrets and becoming known

B2 (Upper-intermediate)

verb

soundtrack

soundtrack [noun]

the sounds, especially the music, of a film, or a separate recording of this

/ˈsaʊnd.træk/

Example:

The best thing about the film is its soundtrack.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

soundtrack

sound‧track /ˈsaʊndtræk/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
the recorded music from a film
soundtrack to
the soundtrack to ‘Top Gun’

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

soundtrack

sound·track [soundtrack soundtracks] [ˈsaʊndtræk] [ˈsaʊndtræk] noun
1. all the music, speech and sounds that are recorded for a film/movie

• The soundtrack of ‘Casablanca’ took weeks to edit.

2. some of the music, and sometimes some speech, from a film/movie or musical that is released on CD, the Internet, etc. for people to buy
• I've just bought the soundtrack of the latest Miyazaki movie.
Collocations:
Cinema/the movies
Watching
go to/take sb to (see) a film/movie
go to/sit in (BrE) the cinema/(NAmE) the (movie) theater
rent a film/movie/DVD
download a film/movie/video
burn/copy/rip a DVD
see/watch a film/movie/DVD/video/preview/trailer
Showing
show/screen a film/movie
promote/distribute/review a film/movie
(BrE) be on at the cinema
be released on/come out on/be out on DVD
captivate/delight/grip/thrill the audience
do well/badly at the box office
get a lot of/live up to the hype
Film-making
write/co-write a film/movie/script/screenplay
direct/produce/make/shoot/edit a film/movie/sequel/video
make a romantic comedy/a thriller/an action movie
do/work on a sequel/remake
film/shoot the opening scene/an action sequence/footage (of sth)
compose/create/do/write the soundtrack
cut/edit (out) a scene/sequence
Acting
have/get/do an audition
get/have/play a leading/starring/supporting role
play a character/James Bond/the bad guy
act in/appear in/star in a film/movie/remake
do/perform/attempt a stunt
work in/make it big in Hollywood
forge/carve/make/pursue a career in Hollywood
Describing films
the camera pulls back/pans over sth/zooms in (on sth)
the camera focuses on sth/lingers on sth
shoot sb/show sb in extreme close-up
use odd/unusual camera angles
be filmed/shot on location/in a studio
be set/take place in London/in the '60s
have a happy ending/plot twist
Example Bank:
• She composed the soundtracks to several hit movies.
• The movie has a soundtrack featuring music by Strauss.
• The original Japanese soundtrack is included with English subtitles.

• a musical soundtrack conceived by Quincy Jones

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

soundtrack / ˈsaʊnd.træk / noun [ C ]

B2 the sounds, especially the music, of a film, or a separate recording of this:

The best thing about the film is its soundtrack.

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

soundtrack

[sa͟ʊndtræk]
soundtracks
also sound track
N-COUNT
The soundtrack of a film is its sound, speech, and music. It is used especially to refer to the music.

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary:

soundtrack

sound·track /ˈsaʊndˌtræk/ noun, pl -tracks [count] : the sounds and especially the music recorded for a movie
• The movie's soundtrack is now available on CD.

American English

British English

cinema - general words

B2 (Upper-intermediate)

noun

rhythm

rhythm [noun]

a strong pattern of sounds, words, or musical notes that is used in music, poetry, and dancing

/ˈrɪð.əm/

Example:

He beat out a jazz rhythm on the drums.

Oxford Essential Dictionary

rhythm

noun
a regular pattern of sounds that come again and again:
This music has a good rhythm.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

rhythm

rhyth‧m W3 /ˈrɪðəm/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable and countable]
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: rhythmus, from Greek, from rhein 'to flow']
1.a regular repeated pattern of sounds or movements ⇨ metre:
Drums are basic to African rhythm.
complicated dance rhythms
rhythm of
She started moving to the rhythm of the music.
the steady rhythm of her heartbeat
2. a regular pattern of changes:
the body’s natural rhythms
rhythm of
Jim liked the rhythm of agricultural life.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

rhythm

rhythm [rhythm rhythms] [ˈrɪðəm] [ˈrɪðəm] noun uncountable, countable
1. a strong regular repeated pattern of sounds or movements
• to dance to the rhythm of the music
• music with a fast/slow/steady rhythm
• jazz rhythms
• He can't seem to play in rhythm.
• The boat rocked up and down in rhythm with the sea.
• the rhythm of her breathing
• abnormal heart rhythms

• a dancer with a natural sense of rhythm (= the ability to move in time to a fixed beat)

2. a regular pattern of changes or events
• the rhythm of the seasons
• biological/body rhythms
• Lack of sleep can upset your daily rhythm.
see also biorhythm
Word Origin:
mid 16th cent. (also originally in the sense ‘rhyme’): from French rhythme, or via Latin from Greek rhuthmos (related to rhein ‘to flow’).
Thesaurus:
rhythm noun
1. U, C
• The dancers moved to the rhythm of the music.
beat • • time • |music tempo • |BrE, technical metre • |AmE meter •
to the rhythm/beat
in rhythm/time
a slow/fast rhythm/beat/tempo
2. C
• the rhythm of the tides
cycle • • pattern •
a/an regular/irregular rhythm/cycle/pattern
a natural rhythm/cycle
break a rhythm/cycle/pattern
the rhythm/cycle of the seasons
Rhythm, cycle or pattern? Pattern is used especially about people's work and behaviour; cycle is used especially about events in the natural world; rhythm is used especially about how people's bodies adapt to changing conditions.
Example Bank:
• Cleaning up the house in the morning fell into an easy rhythm.
• He was snapping his fingers in rhythm.
• Her feet made a steady rhythm as she walked.
• Her feet made a steady rhythm on the pavement.
• Her pencil tapped out a staccato rhythm on the desk top.
• I found myself swaying to the rhythm of the music.
• I like music with a good rhythm.
• My body rhythms had not yet adapted to the ten-hour time difference.
• She soon settled into a regular rhythm.
• The movie follows the rhythms of a year on the farm.
• There's rhythm in her movements.
• Try to disrupt your opponent's rhythm.
• Williams is having trouble finding her rhythm on the serve.
• changes to our daily rhythms
• part of the natural rhythm of life
• the band's rhythm section
• the steady rhythm of his heartbeat
• Doctors discovered that he had an abnormal heart rhythm.
• He can't seem to play in rhythm.
• I listened to the steady rhythm of her breathing.
• I love these jazz rhythms.
• She has a natural sense of rhythm.

• This piece of music has a very fast rhythm.

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

rhythm / ˈrɪð. ə m / noun

B2 [ C or U ] a strong pattern of sounds, words, or musical notes that is used in music, poetry, and dancing:

He beat out a jazz rhythm on the drums.

I've got no sense of rhythm, so I'm a terrible dancer.

B2 [ C or U ] a regular movement or pattern of movements:

She was lulled to sleep by the gentle rhythm of the boat in the water.

She hit the ball so hard that her opponent had no chance to establish any rhythm in her game.

[ C ] a regular pattern of change, especially one that happens in nature:

the rhythm of the seasons

Breathing and sleeping are examples of biological rhythms in humans.

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

rhythm

[rɪ̱ðəm]
♦♦♦
rhythms
1) N-VAR A rhythm is a regular series of sounds or movements.
  His music of that period fused the rhythms of Jazz with classical forms...
  He had no sense of rhythm whatsoever...
  She could hear the constant rhythm of his breathing.
2) N-COUNT A rhythm is a regular pattern of changes, for example changes in your body, in the seasons, or in the tides.
  Begin to listen to your own body rhythms.
  ...the seasonal rhythm of the agricultural year.

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary:

rhythm
rhythm /ˈrɪðəm/ noun, pl rhythms
1 : a regular, repeated pattern of sounds or movements

[count]

• The music has a fast/slow/steady rhythm. [=beat]
• African/Caribbean rhythms
- often + of
• the rhythm of the poetry
• the rhythm of his breathing
• the rhythm of the tides

[noncount]

• the composer's use of jazz rhythm
• He can't play/dance in rhythm. = He has no sense of rhythm. [=he cannot play/dance at the correct speed to stay with the rhythm of the music]
2 [count] : a regular, repeated pattern of events, changes, activities, etc.
• She enjoyed the rhythms of country life.
• Travel can disrupt your body's daily/biological/circadian rhythm.

American English

British English

technical music terms

B2 (Upper-intermediate)

noun

tolerate

tolerate [verb] (ACCEPT)

to accept behaviour and beliefs that are different from your own, although you might not agree with or approve of them

/ˈtɑː.lə.reɪt/

/ˈtɒl.ər.eɪt/

Example:

I will not tolerate that sort of behaviour in my class.

Oxford Essential Dictionary

tolerate

verb (tolerates, tolerating, tolerated)
to let people do something even though you do not like or understand it:
He won't tolerate rudeness.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

tolerate

tol‧e‧rate /ˈtɒləreɪt $ ˈtɑː-/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: past participle of tolerare]
1. to allow people to do, say, or believe something without criticizing or punishing them ⇨ tolerant, tolerance:
We simply will not tolerate vigilante groups on our streets.
2. to be able to accept something unpleasant or difficult, even though you do not like it ⇨ tolerant, tolerance SYN stand, bear:
I couldn’t tolerate the long hours.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say stand rather than tolerate:
▪ I don’t know how she can stand working there.
3. if a plant tolerates particular weather or soil conditions, it can exist in them:
plants that tolerate drought
4. if a person or their body can tolerate a food or other substance, it can use it without becoming ill:
Women’s bodies can tolerate less alcohol than men’s.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ tolerate verb [transitive] to accept unpleasant behaviour or an unpleasant situation, even though you do not like it: We will not tolerate any kind of racism. | People tolerated corruption for years.
▪ put up with something to accept unpleasant behaviour or an unpleasant situation even though you do not like it. Put up with is less formal than tolerate, and is the usual word to use in everyday English: I don’t see how you can put up with the constant noise. | Many people put up with poor pay and working conditions because they are afraid of losing their jobs.
▪ accept verb [transitive] to agree or deal with a situation you do not like but cannot change: She found it hard to accept his death.
▪ stand/bear verb [transitive, not in progressive] to accept or be forced to accept an unpleasant situation – used especially about things which cause you pain or make you feel upset. Bear is more formal than stand: I don’t know how you’ve stood it for so long. | Maisie couldn’t bear the pain any longer. | How do you stand living in such a mess?
▪ take verb [transitive] informal to accept an unpleasant situation or someone’s unpleasant behaviour without becoming upset: She was shouting at him and he just stood there and took it. | I can’t take much more of this.
▪ live with something to accept a bad situation as a permanent part of your life that you cannot change: I’ve had back pain for many years and I’ve just learned to live with it. | The guilt I felt was very hard to live with.
▪ endure verb [transitive] written to accept an unpleasant or difficult situation for a long time: The victims of this war have endured tremendous pain and suffering. | The refugees endured cramped and filthy conditions.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

tolerate

tol·er·ate [tolerate tolerates tolerated tolerating] [ˈtɒləreɪt] [ˈtɑːləreɪt] verb
1. to allow sb to do sth that you do not agree with or like
Syn: put up with
• ~ sth Their relationship was tolerated but not encouraged.
• This sort of behaviour will not be tolerated.

• ~ (sb/sth) doing/being/having sth She refused to tolerate being called a liar.

2. ~ sb/sth to accept sb/sth that is annoying, unpleasant, etc. without complaining
Syn: put up with
• There is a limit to what one person can tolerate.

• I don't know how you tolerate that noise!

3. ~ sth to be able to be affected by a drug, difficult conditions, etc. without being harmed
• She tolerated the chemotherapy well.
• Few plants will tolerate sudden changes in temperature.
Verb forms:

Word Origin:
early 16th cent. (in the sense ‘endure pain’: from Latin tolerat- ‘endured’, from the verb tolerare.
Example Bank:
• I will not tolerate this conduct!
• It is technically illegal but widely tolerated.
• She actually seemed pleased to see him: most of her visitors she merely tolerated.
• The condition makes it difficult to tolerate bright light.
• The government is not prepared to tolerate this situation any longer.
• This plant prefers alkaline soil, though it will readily tolerate some acidity.
• This plant will readily tolerate some acidity.
• Union activity was officially tolerated but strongly discouraged.
• I don't know how you tolerate that noise!
• Most perennials will tolerate being transplanted.

• Young and elderly people cannot tolerate alcohol as well as other adults.

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

tolerate / ˈtɒl. ə r.eɪt / / ˈtɑː.lə.reɪt / verb [ T ] (ACCEPT)

B2 to accept behaviour and beliefs that are different from your own, although you might not agree with or approve of them:

I will not tolerate that sort of behaviour in my class.

[ + -ing verb ] I won't tolerate ly ing .

tolerate / ˈtɒl. ə r.eɪt / / ˈtɑː.lə.reɪt / verb [ T ] (DEAL WITH)

C2 to deal with something unpleasant or annoying, or to continue existing despite bad or difficult conditions:

These ants can tolerate temperatures that would kill other species.

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

tolerate

[tɒ̱ləreɪt]
tolerates, tolerating, tolerated
1) VERB If you tolerate a situation or person, you accept them although you do not particularly like them.
  [V n] She can no longer tolerate the position that she's in...
  [V n] The cousins tolerated each other, but did not really get on well together.
  Syn:
  put up with
  Derived words:
  toleration [tɒ̱ləre͟ɪʃ(ə)n] N-UNCOUNT ...his views on religious toleration, education, and politics.
2) VERB If you can tolerate something unpleasant or painful, you are able to bear it.
  [V n] The ability to tolerate pain varies from person to person.
  Syn:
  bear

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary:

tolerate

tol·er·ate /ˈtɑːləˌreɪt/ verb -ates; -at·ed; -ating [+ obj]
1 : to allow (something that is bad, unpleasant, etc.) to exist, happen, or be done
• Our teacher will not tolerate bad grammar.
• Racist or sexist behavior will not be tolerated.
• I can't tolerate that noise.
• The government cannot tolerate lawlessness.
• How can you tolerate such laziness?
2 : to experience (something harmful or unpleasant) without being harmed
• These plants tolerate drought well.
3 : to accept the feelings, behavior, or beliefs of (someone)
• I don't like my boss, but I tolerate him.
- tol·er·a·tion /ˌtɑːləˈreɪʃən/ noun [noncount]
• religious toleration

American English

British English

accepting and agreeing reluctantly

B2 (Upper-intermediate)

verb

overlook

overlook [verb] (FORGIVE)

to forgive or pretend not to notice something

/ˌoʊ.vɚˈlʊk/

/ˌəʊ.vəˈlʊk/

Example:

I'm prepared to overlook his behaviour this time.

Oxford Essential Dictionary

overlook

verb (overlooks, overlooking, overlooked )

1 to not see or notice something:
He overlooked one important fact.

2 to have a view over something:
My room overlooks the garden.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

overlook

o‧ver‧look /ˌəʊvəˈlʊk $ ˌoʊvər-/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
1. to not notice something, or not see how important it is SYN miss:
It is easy to overlook a small detail like that.
Nobody could overlook the fact that box office sales were down.
2. to forgive someone’s mistake, bad behaviour etc and take no action:
She found him entertaining enough to overlook his faults.
3. if a house, room etc overlooks something, it has a view of it, usually from above:
Our room overlooks the ocean.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

overlook

over·look [overlook overlooks overlooked overlooking] [ˌəʊvəˈlʊk] [ˌoʊvərˈlʊk] verb
1. ~ sth to fail to see or notice sth
Syn: miss
• He seems to have overlooked one important fact.

• In my hurry to finish the exam I had overlooked part of one of the questions.

2. ~ sth to see sth wrong or bad but decide to ignore it
Syn: turn a blind eye to
• We could not afford to overlook such a serious offence.

• He's so friendly people are prepared to overlook his faults.

3. ~ sth if a building, etc. overlooks a place, you can see that place from the building
• a restaurant overlooking the lake

• Our back yard is overlooked by several houses.

4. ~ sb (for sth) to not consider sb for a job or position, even though they might be suitable
Syn: pass over
• She's been overlooked for promotion several times.

Example Bank:
• Hospitals have tended to overlook this need.
• I was prepared to overlook her mistakes this time.
• It is easy to overlook the significance of this change.
• The importance of this should not be overlooked.
• We should not overlook this possibility.
• another fact which is all too easily overlooked
• He's so friendly people are prepared to overlook his faults.

• That's a point which should not be overlooked.

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

overlook / ˌəʊ.vəˈlʊk / / ˌoʊ.vɚ- / verb [ T ] (FORGIVE)

to forgive or pretend not to notice something:

I'm prepared to overlook his behaviour this time.

overlook / ˌəʊ.vəˈlʊk / / ˌoʊ.vɚ- / verb [ T ] (VIEW)

B2 to provide a view of, especially from above:

Our hotel room overlooked the harbour.

The house is surrounded by trees, so it's not overlooked at all (= it cannot be seen from any other buildings) .

overlook / ˌəʊ.vəˈlʊk / / ˌoʊ.vɚ- / verb [ T ] (NOT NOTICE)

C2 to fail to notice or consider something or someone:

I think there is one key fact that you have overlooked.

No one will be overlooked in the selection of the team.

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

overlook

[o͟ʊvə(r)l'ʊk]
overlooks, overlooking, overlooked
1) VERB If a building or window overlooks a place, you can see the place clearly from the building or window.
  [V n] Pretty and comfortable rooms overlook a flower-filled garden...
  [V-ing] Jack Aldwych lived in a huge, old two-storeyed house overlooking Harbord.
  Syn:
  look over
2) VERB If you overlook a fact or problem, you do not notice it, or do not realize how important it is.
  [V n] We overlook all sorts of warning signals about our own health.
  [V n] ...a fact that we all tend to overlook.
3) VERB If you overlook someone's faults or bad behaviour, you forgive them and take no action.
  [V n] ...satisfying relationships that enable them to overlook each other's faults.
  Syn:
  excuse

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary:

overlook

over·look /ˌoʊvɚˈlʊk/ verb -looks; -looked; -look·ing [+ obj]
1 a : to fail to see or notice (something)
• The detective overlooked an important clue.
b : to pay no attention to (something)
• She learned to overlook [=ignore] her boyfriend's minor faults.
• Such a crime should not be overlooked.
2 : to not consider (someone) for a job, position, promotion, etc.
• The quarterback was overlooked by other teams.
- often + for
• I was overlooked for a promotion.
3 a : to rise above (something)
• the mountains that overlook the village
b : to have a view looking down at (something)
• We rented a suite that overlooks the lake.

American English

British English

making and accepting apologies

B2 (Upper-intermediate)

verb

failure

failure [noun] (NO SUCCESS)

the fact of someone or something not succeeding

/ˈfeɪ.ljɚ/

/ˈfeɪ.ljər/

Example:

The meeting was a complete/total failure.

Oxford Essential Dictionary

failure

noun

1 (no plural) lack of success:
The search for the missing children ended in failure.

2 (plural failures) a person or thing that does not do well:
I felt that I was a failure because I didn't have a job.
opposite success

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

failure

fail‧ure S3 W2 /ˈfeɪljə $ -ər/ BrE AmE noun
[Word Family: noun: ↑fail, ↑failure, ↑failing; adjective: ↑failed, ↑unfailing; verb: ↑fail; adverb: unfaillingly]
1. LACK OF SUCCESS [uncountable and countable] a lack of success in achieving or doing something OPP success:
Successful people often aren’t very good at dealing with failure.
failure to do something
the conference’s failure to reach an agreement
2. UNSUCCESSFUL PERSON/THING [countable] someone or something that is not successful OPP success:
I always felt a bit of a failure at school.
3. failure to do something an act of not doing something which should be done or which people expect you to do:
Failure to produce proof of identity could result in prosecution.
4. BUSINESS [uncountable and countable] a situation in which a business has to close because of a lack of money:
Business failures in Scotland rose 10% last year.
5. MACHINE/BODY PART [uncountable and countable] an occasion when a machine or part of your body stops working properly:
The cause of the crash was engine failure.
heart/kidney/liver etc failure
He died from kidney failure.
failure in
a failure in the computer system
6. CROPS [uncountable and countable] an occasion when crops do not grow or produce food, for example because of bad weather:
a series of crop failures
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meanings 1 & 2)
■ verbs
▪ end in/result in failure A series of rescue attempts ended in failure.
▪ be doomed to failure (=be certain to fail) The rebellion was doomed to failure from the start.
▪ admit failure He was too proud to admit failure.
▪ accept failure Being able to accept failure is part of life.
▪ avoid failure She was anxious to avoid failure.
■ adjectives
▪ complete/total/utter failure The project ended in total failure.
▪ abject/dismal failure (=used to emphasize how bad a failure is) The experiment was considered a dismal failure.
▪ a personal failure (=a failure that is someone's personal fault) He considered his inability to form long-term relationships to be a personal failure.
▪ economic failure Economic failure drove the government out of office.
■ phrases
▪ fear of failure Fear of failure should not deter you from trying.
▪ the risk/possibility of failure The risk of failure for a new product is very high. | The possibility of failure was sufficiently high for the auditors to warn investors.
▪ an admission of failure Dropping out of college would be an admission of failure.
▪ a history of failure (=a situation in which someone has failed many times in the past) Some children have a history of failure at school.
▪ a string of failures (=a series of failures) The team has had a string of failures in recent games.
▪ a sense of failure People may feel a sense of failure if they admit they have ended up in a job they hate.
▪ the consequences of failure The political consequences of failure would be defeat at the next election.
■ failure + NOUN
▪ a failure rate There is a high failure rate in the restaurant industry.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ failure noun [countable] someone or something that is not successful: The book was a complete failure. | I felt a complete failure.
▪ flop noun [countable] informal something that is not successful because people do not like it – used especially about a film, play, product, or performance: Despite the hype, the movie was a flop at the box office. | Their next computer was a flop.
▪ disaster noun [countable] used when saying that something is extremely unsuccessful: Our first date was a disaster. | Their marriage was a total disaster.
▪ fiasco noun [countable usually singular] something that is completely unsuccessful and goes very badly wrong – used especially about things that have been officially planned, which go very wrong: The baggage system broke down on the first day the airport was open. It was a complete fiasco. | The fiasco came close to ending de Gaulle's political career.
▪ debacle noun [countable usually singular] formal an event or situation that is a complete failure, because it does not happen in the way that it was officially planned: the banking debacle that has put our economy at risk
▪ shambles noun [singular] especially British English if a situation or event is a shambles, it is completely unsuccessful because it has been very badly planned or organized, and no one seems to know what to do: The first few shows were a shambles, but things soon got better.
▪ washout noun [singular] informal a failure – used when something is so bad that it would be better if it had not happened: The play wasn’t a complete washout; the acting was okay. | His most recent and ambitious project, a big-budget Hollywood film, was a washout with both critics and audiences alike.
▪ turkey noun [countable] informal something that is so bad and unsuccessful that you think the people involved should be embarrassed about it – a very informal use: At the time most people thought the car was a complete turkey. | Since then he has appeared in a string of turkeys.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

failure

fail·ure [failure failures] [ˈfeɪljə(r)] [ˈfeɪljər] noun

NOT SUCCESSFUL
1. uncountable lack of success in doing or achieving sth
• The success or failure of the plan depends on you.
• The attempt was doomed to failure.
• All my efforts ended in failure.
• the problems of economic failure and increasing unemployment
• She is still coming to terms with the failure of her marriage.

Opp: success

2. countable a person or thing that is not successful
• The whole thing was a complete failure.
• He was a failure as a teacher.
• A team learns from experience, both successes and failures.

Opp: success

NOT DOING STH

3. uncountable, countable ~ to do sth an act of not doing sth, especially sth that you are expected to do
• the failure of the United Nations to maintain food supplies
• Failure to comply with the regulations will result in prosecution.

• His confession followed repeated failures to appear in court.

OF MACHINE/PART OF BODY

4. uncountable, countable the state of not working correctly or as expected; an occasion when this happens
• patients suffering from heart/kidney, etc. failure
• Production has been hampered by mechanical failure.
• A power failure plunged everything into darkness.

• The cause of the crash was given as engine failure.

OF BUSINESS

5. countable, uncountable business ~ a situation in which a business has to close because it is not successful

• an alarming increase in business failures

OF CROP/HARVEST

6. uncountable, countable crop/harvest ~ a situation in which crops do not grow correctly and do not produce food
• Bad weather has resulted in crop failure.
Word Origin:
mid 17th cent. (originally as failer, in the senses ‘non-occurrence’ and ‘stopping of supply’): from Anglo-Norman French failer for Old French faillir, based on Latin fallere ‘deceive’.
Thesaurus:
failure noun
1.
• The marriage ended in failure.
collapse • • breakdown •
Opp: success
a failure/collapse/breakdown in sth
contribute to/lead to/result in/cause/avoid the failure/collapse/breakdown (of sth)
end in failure/breakdown (of sth)
2. C
• The whole thing was a complete failure.
disaster • • catastrophe • • debacle • |informal fiasco • • washout • • flop •
Opp: success
a failure/disaster/catastrophe for sb
a total failure/disaster/catastrophe/debacle/fiasco/washout/flop
a financial failure/disaster/debacle/fiasco
3. C
• He was a failure as a teacher.
disappointment • |disapproving incompetent • |informal, disapproving loser • • disaster • • no-hoper •
Opp: success
be a failure/disappointment/disaster as sth
a complete failure/loser/disaster/no-hoper
Example Bank:
• All her efforts were doomed to failure.
• Business failures rose by 30% in 2001.
• Children who are doing badly tend to expect failure and criticism.
• Fear of failure should not deter you from trying.
• He attributes the failure of the project to lack of government support.
• He lamented his failure to formulate a satisfactory theory.
• He was too proud to admit failure.
• Her ideas were large: if she could not succeed, she would at least be a heroic failure.
• Her parents had long since branded her a failure.
• I blame the failure of our relationship on my husband.
• I felt (like) a complete failure.
• I will not tolerate failure.
• Initial failure was followed by unexpected, if modest, success.
• John had a long history of academic failure.
• Nothing can excuse your failure to ask my permission.
• The aircraft seems to have experienced an engine failure.
• The attempt ended in abject failure.
• The decision to withdraw funding represents a failure of imagination.
• The film was one of the rare failures in his career.
• The venture proved a costly failure.
• There is a high failure rate with this treatment.
• This breach constitutes a serious failure in performance.
• War is the ultimate failure of public communication.
• a failure in the computer system
• a rare viral infection that can lead to heart failure
• economic failure and increasing unemployment
• failures arising from circumstances beyond your control
• government failure to listen to the voice of the electorate
• patients with chronic renal failure
• seeking to excuse his failure to ask her permission
• the commonest cause of acute liver failure
• to learn from past failures
• All my efforts ended in failure.
• Failure to comply with the regulations will result in prosecution.
• His confession followed repeated failures to appear in court.
• The attempt was doomed to failure.
• The project was considered a failure in both technical and economic terms.
• The rebellion was a dismal failure.
• There has been an alarming increase in business failures.

• patients suffering from heart/kidney failure

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

failure / ˈfeɪ.ljə r / / -ljɚ / noun [ C or U ] (NO SUCCESS)

B2 the fact of someone or something not succeeding:

The meeting was a complete/total failure.

I'm a bit of a failure at making (= I cannot make) cakes.

I feel such a failure (= so unsuccessful) .

Their attempt to climb the Eiger ended in failure.

The whole project was doomed to failure right from the start (= it could never have succeeded) .

Word partners for failure

an abject / complete / humiliating / total failure • be / feel a failure • end in / result in failure • admit failure • be doomed to failure • a fear / sense of failure

failure / ˈfeɪ.ljə r / / -ljɚ / noun [ U + to infinitive ] (NOT DO)

B2 the fact of not doing something that you must do or are expected to do:

His failure to return her phone call told her that something was wrong.

Failure to keep the chemical at the right temperature could lead to an explosion.

Word partners for failure

an abject / complete / humiliating / total failure • be / feel a failure • end in / result in failure • admit failure • be doomed to failure • a fear / sense of failure

failure / ˈfeɪ.ljə r / / -ljɚ / noun [ C or U ] (STOP)

B2 the fact of something not working, or stopping working as well as it should:

He died of heart/liver failure.

The accident was caused by the failure of the reactor's cooling system.

The number of business failures rose steeply last year.

After three crop failures in a row, the people face starvation.

Word partners for failure

an abject / complete / humiliating / total failure • be / feel a failure • end in / result in failure • admit failure • be doomed to failure • a fear / sense of failure

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

failure

[fe͟ɪljə(r)]
♦♦
failures
1) N-UNCOUNT Failure is a lack of success in doing or achieving something, especially in relation to a particular activity.
  This policy is doomed to failure...
  Three attempts on the British 200-metre record also ended in failure.
  ...feelings of failure.
  Ant:
  success
2) N-COUNT If something is a failure, it is not a success.
  The marriage was a failure and they both wanted to be free of it...
  His six-year transition programme has by no means been a complete failure.
  Ant:
  success
3) N-COUNT If you say that someone is a failure, you mean that they have not succeeded in a particular activity, or that they are unsuccessful at everything they do.
  Elgar received many honors and much acclaim and yet he often considered himself a failure...
  I just felt I had been a failure in my personal life.
  Ant:
  success
4) N-UNCOUNT: N to-inf, oft poss N Your failure to do a particular thing is the fact that you do not do it, even though you were expected to do it.
  She accused the Foreign Office of disgraceful failure to support British citizens arrested overseas...
  They see their failure to produce an heir as a curse from God.
5) N-VAR: with supp, oft n N If there is a failure of something, for example a machine or part of the body, it goes wrong and stops working or developing properly.
  There were also several accidents mainly caused by engine failures on take-off...
  He was being treated for kidney failure...
  Researchers found an almost total crop failure and a severe shortage of drinking water.
6) N-VAR: with supp If there is a failure of a business or bank, it is no longer able to continue operating.
  Business failures rose 16% last month.
  Syn:
  collapse
7) N-VAR: N of n If you say that someone has a failure of a particular quality or ability, you mean that they do not have enough of it.
  There is, too, a simple failure of imagination...
  He remained on his knees for a long time afterwards, ashamed by his failure of nerve.

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary:

failure

fail·ure /ˈfeɪljɚ/ noun, pl -ures
1 : the act or result of failing: such as
a : a lack of success in some effort

[count]

• He became discouraged by his repeated failures in business.

[noncount]

• He was often crippled by his fear of failure.
• He was trying to rescue the business from failure. [=bankruptcy]
- opposite success
b : a situation or occurrence in which something does not work as it should

[count]

• The storm caused power failures [=outages] in many parts of the city.
• a failure [=lapse] of memory

[noncount]

• The accident was caused by engine failure.
• The patient was suffering from heart/kidney failure.
c : an occurrence in which someone does not do something that should be done - followed by to + verb;

[count]

• The accident was caused by a failure to use proper procedures.

[noncount]

• She was criticized for failure to follow directions.
d : an occurrence in which crops do not grow and produce food in the normal way

[noncount]

• The drought caused crop failure.

[count]

• a serious crop failure
2 [count] : a person or thing that has failed
• He felt like a failure when he wasn't accepted into law school.
• The scheme was a complete failure.
- opposite success

American English

British English

failures

B2 (Upper-intermediate)

noun

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