a long thin piece of food made from a mixture of flour, water, and eggs, usually cooked in soup or boiling water
Would you prefer rice or noodles?
noodles
noun (plural)
long thin lines of food made from flour, eggs and water (called pasta), which are used especially in Chinese and Italian cooking:
Would you prefer rice or noodles?
noodle
noo‧dle /ˈnuːdl/ BrE AmE noun
[Date: 1700-1800; Language: German; Origin: nudel]
[usually plural] a long thin piece of food made from a mixture of flour, water, and eggs, usually cooked in soup or boiling water:
Serve the meat with rice or noodles.
noodle
noo·dle [noodle noodles] [ˈnuːdl] [ˈnuːdl] noun
1. usually plural a long thin strip of pasta, used especially in Chinese and Italian cooking
• chicken noodle soup
• Would you prefer rice or noodles?
2. countable (old-fashioned, NAmE, slang) = noddle
Word Origin:
sense 1 late 18th cent.: from German Nudel, of unknown origin.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
noodle / nu.dl̩ / noun [ C usually plural ] (FOOD)
a food in the form of long, thin strips made from flour or rice, water, and often egg, cooked in boiling liquid:
egg/rice noodles
instant/crispy noodles
chicken noodle soup
noodle / nu.dl̩ / noun [ C ] US (HEAD)
informal for noddle
© Cambridge University Press 2013
noodle
[nu͟ːd(ə)l]
noodles
N-COUNT: usu pl
Noodles are long, thin, curly strips of pasta. They are used in Chinese and Italian cooking.
1noo·dle /ˈnuːdl̩/ noun, pl noo·dles [count] : a thin strip of dough that is made from flour, water, and eggs and that is cooked in boiling liquid
• Chinese/egg noodles
• chicken noodle soup [=soup made with chicken and noodles]
Don't drink the milk— it's off.
a white liquid produced by cows or goats that is drunk by people
Don't drink the milk— it's off.
noun (no plural)
the white liquid that a mother makes in her body to give to her baby. People drink the milk of cows and some other animals:
Do you want milk in your coffee?
milk
I. milk1 S2 W3 /mɪlk/ BrE AmE noun
[Language: Old English; Origin: meolc, milc]
1. [uncountable] a white liquid produced by cows or goats that is drunk by people:
a bottle of milk
Would you like some milk in your tea?
a pint of semi-skimmed milk
2. [uncountable] a white liquid produced by female animals and women for feeding their babies:
mothers who believe that breast milk is best for their babies
The tiny fox cubs drink nothing but their mother’s milk.
3. [uncountable] a liquid or juice produced by particular plants, especially the coconut
4. [uncountable and countable] a thin white liquid used to clean or protect skin SYN lotion:
a mild facial cleansing milk
5. the milk of human kindness literary the kind and sympathetic behaviour of most ordinary people
⇨ evaporated milk, ⇨ cry over spilt milk at cry1(3), ⇨ land of milk and honey at land1(8)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ drink milk Drinking milk keeps your bones strong.
▪ have/take milk (=drink milk in your tea or coffee) Do you take milk in your coffee?
▪ pour milk She poured some milk into a saucepan.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + milk
▪ sour (=not fresh) Milk turns sour very quickly in hot weather.
▪ fresh She made me drink a glass of fresh milk.
▪ cold I can only drink milk if it’s really cold.
▪ hot/warm Can I have a cup of warm milk please?
▪ pasteurized (=milk that has been heated to kill harmful bacteria) a type of cheese made from pasteurized milk
▪ homogenized (=milk that has had the cream mixed into the milk) Most milk sold in stores is homogenized milk.
▪ whole milk (also full-fat milk British English) (=milk that has not had any fat taken out) The ice cream is made from whole milk.
▪ semi-skimmed milk British English (also low-fat milk) (=milk that has had some of the fat taken out) Adults should drink semi-skimmed milk rather than whole milk.
▪ skimmed milk British English, skim milk/nonfat milk American English (=milk that has had all the fat taken out) a bowl of cereal with skim milk
▪ long-life milk British English (=specially treated milk that you can keep for a long time) I’ve got a carton of long-life milk in the cupboard.
▪ powdered milk (also dry milk American English) Powdered milk is useful for camping trips.
▪ baby/formula milk (=milk in powder form for babies) Many babies are fed formula milk.
■ milk + NOUN
▪ milk bottle Put the empty milk bottles into the crates.
▪ milk carton (=a plastic or cardboard container in which milk is sold) containers such as milk cartons and soap powder boxes
▪ milk jug She put the butter, jam and milk jug on the table.
▪ milk powder hot water mixed with milk powder
■ phrases
▪ a glass of milk Would you like a glass of milk?
▪ a bottle of milk I accidentally knocked over a bottle of milk.
▪ a pint of milk I need to buy a pint of milk.
milk
milk [milk milks milked milking] noun, verb [mɪlk] [mɪlk]
noun uncountable
1. the white liquid produced by cows, goats and some other animals as food for their young and used as a drink by humans
• a pint/litre of milk
• a bottle/carton of milk
• fresh/dried/powdered milk
• Do you take milk in your tea?
• milk products (= butter, cheese, etc.)
2. the white liquid that is produced by women and female mammals for feeding their babies
• breast milk
3. the white juice of some plants and trees, especially the coconut
see also soya milk
more at cry over spilt milk at cry v., the land of milk and honey at land n.
Word Origin:
Old English milc, milcian, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch melk and German Milch, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin mulgere and Greek amelgein ‘to milk’.
Example Bank:
• Don't drink the milk— it's off.
• Dried milk keeps better than fluid milk.
• She expressed some milk so her husband could do the night feeding.
• The milk has gone off/turned sour.
• They've stopped delivering milk in our area.
• a calcium-fortified milk which provides more calcium than regular milk
• a can of condensed milk
Idiom: milk of human kindness
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
milk / mɪlk / noun [ U ]
A1 the white liquid produced by cows, goats, and sheep and used by humans as a drink or for making butter, cheese, etc.:
a glass/carton of milk
cow's/goat's milk
skimmed/pasteurized milk
a milk bottle
the white liquid produced by women and other female mammals as food for their young:
Breast/Mother's milk is the best nourishment for a baby.
the white liquid produced by some plants and trees:
coconut milk
© Cambridge University Press 2013
milk
[mɪ̱lk]
♦♦♦
milks, milking, milked
1) N-UNCOUNT Milk is the white liquid produced by cows, goats, and some other animals, which people drink and use to make butter, cheese, and yoghurt.
He popped out to buy a pint of milk.
...basic foods such as meat, bread and milk.
...empty milk bottles.
2) VERB If someone milks a cow or goat, they get milk from it, using either their hands or a machine.
[V n] Farm-workers milked cows by hand.
Derived words:
milking N-UNCOUNT oft N n ...an automatic milking machine... The evening milking is usually done at about 7.30pm.
3) N-UNCOUNT Milk is the white liquid produced by women to feed their babies.
Milk from the mother's breast is a perfect food for the human baby.
Syn:
breast milk
4) N-MASS Liquid products for cleaning your skin or making it softer are sometimes referred to as milks.
Sales of cleansing milks, creams and gels have doubled over the past decade.
Syn:
lotion
7) PHRASE (disapproval) If you think that someone's suggestions or ideas are weak or sentimental, you can say that they are milk and water. [mainly BRIT]
Fryer dismisses the report as `milk and water'.
1milk /ˈmɪlk/ noun [noncount]
1 : a white liquid produced by a woman to feed her baby or by female animals to feed their young
• mother's/breast milk
• cheese made from sheep's milk especially; : milk from cows or goats that is used as food by people
• a glass of low-fat/whole milk
• serving milk and cookies
• pasteurized/homogenized milk
• whole milk [=milk from which no fat has been removed]
- see also condensed milk, evaporated milk, malted milk, skim milk
2 : a white liquid produced by a plant
• coconut milk
cry over spilled/spilt milk
land of milk and honey
the milk of human kindness literary : kind feelings or behavior toward other people
• He was filled with the milk of human kindness. [=he was filled with kindness; he was very kind]
I explained the situation to everyone.
A combination of all the things that are happening and all the conditions that exist at a particular time in a particular place
I explained the situation to everyone.
situation
noun
the things that are happening in a certain place or at a certain time:
We are in a difficult situation at the moment.
situation
sit‧u‧a‧tion S1 W1 /ˌsɪtʃuˈeɪʃən/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
1. a combination of all the things that are happening and all the conditions that exist at a particular time in a particular place:
I explained the situation to everyone.
in a ... situation
She coped well in a very difficult situation.
2. the type of area where a building is situated – used especially by people who sell or advertise buildings SYN location:
The house is in a charming situation, on a wooded hillside.
3. old-fashioned a job:
She managed to get a situation as a parlour maid.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ create a situation (=cause it to happen) Tom’s arrival created an awkward situation.
▪ assess/review a situation Ballater was trying to assess the situation objectively.
▪ monitor a situation (=watch to see how it develops) The bank is monitoring the situation closely.
▪ deal with a situation He had no idea how to deal with the situation.
▪ improve/remedy a situation They are doing what they can to improve the situation.
▪ defuse the situation (=make people less angry) She’d just been trying to calm Gerry down and defuse the situation.
▪ a situation arises formal (=it happens) This situation has arisen as a result of a serious staff shortage.
▪ a situation comes about (=it happens) I don’t know how this situation has come about.
▪ a situation changes The situation could change very rapidly.
▪ a situation improves The situation has improved over the last decade.
▪ a situation worsens/deteriorates/gets worse Reports from the area suggest the situation has worsened.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + situation
▪ difficult/tricky This book will show you how to deal with difficult situations.
▪ impossible (=very difficult) I was in an impossible situation.
▪ dangerous The situation was becoming increasingly dangerous.
▪ the present/current situation The present situation in Afghanistan is very worrying.
▪ the economic/political situation The country’s economic situation continued to deteriorate.
▪ the security situation (=how safe a place is) Until the security situation improves, it is far too dangerous for staff to work there.
▪ sb’s financial situation (=how much money someone has) What is your current financial situation?
▪ a social situation (=a situation in which someone is with other people) He felt uncomfortable in social situations.
▪ a work situation (=a situation at work) These problems often arise in work situations.
▪ a no-win situation (=one in which there will be a bad result whatever happens) It’s a no-win situation.
▪ a win-win situation (=one in which everyone gets what they want) Shorter work weeks are a win-win situation for both the employee and employer.
situation
situ·ation [situation situations] [ˌsɪtʃuˈeɪʃn] [ˌsɪtʃuˈeɪʃn] noun
1. all the circumstances and things that are happening at a particular time and in a particular place
• to be in a difficult situation
• You could get into a situation where you have to decide immediately.
• We have all been in similar embarrassing situations.
• the present economic/financial/political, etc. situation
• He could see no way out of the situation.
• In your situation, I would look for another job.
• What we have here is a crisis situation.
• I'm in a no-win situation (= whatever I do will be bad for me).
2. (formal) the kind of area or surroundings that a building or town has
• The town is in a delightful situation in a wide green valley.
3. (old-fashioned or formal) a job
• Situations Vacant (= the title of the section in a newspaper where jobs are advertised)
see save the day/situation at save v.
Derived Word: situational
Word Origin:
late Middle English (in sense 2): from French, or from medieval Latin situatio(n-), from situare ‘to place’ (see situate). Sense 1 dates from the early 18th cent.
Thesaurus:
situation noun C
• Consider the current economic situation.
state of affairs • • position • • conditions • • circumstance • • the case • |informal, especially spoken things •
in (a) particular situation/state of affairs/position/conditions/circumstances
the general/current/present/real situation/state of affairs/position/conditions/circumstances
describe/explain (the) situation/state of affairs/position/circumstances/things
Situation or state of affairs? State of affairs is mostly used with this and with adjectives such as happy, sorry, shocking, present and current
• How did this unhappy state of affairs come about?
Situation is much more frequent and used in a wider variety of contexts.
Synonyms:
situation
circumstances • position • conditions • things • the case • state of affairs
These are all words for the conditions and facts that are connected with and affect the way things are.
situation • all the things that are happening at a particular time and in a particular place: ▪ the present economic situation
circumstances • the facts that are connected with and affect a situation, an event or an action; the conditions of a person's life, especially the money they have: ▪ The ship sank in mysterious circumstances.
position • the situation that sb is in, especially when it affects what they can and cannot do: ▪ She felt she was in a position of power.
conditions • the circumstances in which people live, work or do things; the physical situation that affects how sth happens: ▪ We were forced to work outside in freezing conditions.
circumstances or conditions?
Circumstances refers to sb's financial situation; conditions are things such as the quality and amount of food or shelter they have. The circumstances that affect an event are the facts surrounding it; the conditions that affect it are usually physical ones, such as the weather.
things • (rather informal) the general situation, as it affects sb: ▪ Hi, Jane! ▪ How are things? ◊ ▪ Think things over before you decide.
the case • the true situation: ▪ If that is the case ▪ (= if the situation described is true) ▪, we need more staff.
state of affairs • a situation: ▪ How did this unhappy state of affairs come about?
situation or state of affairs?
State of affairs is mostly used with this. It is also used with adjectives describing how good or bad a situation is, such as happy, sorry, shocking, sad and unhappy, as well as those relating to time, such as present and current. Situation is much more frequent and is used in a wider variety of contexts.
in (a) particular situation/circumstances/position/state of affairs
the/sb's economic/financial/social situation/circumstances/position/conditions
(a/an) happy/unhappy situation/circumstances/position/state of affairs
to look at/review the situation/circumstances/conditions/things
Example Bank:
• Given the gravity of the situation, I'm not surprised she's panicking.
• He saw she was confused and he took full advantage of the situation.
• I always seem to get into sticky situations on holiday.
• I found myself in rather an awkward situation.
• I was in trouble and I could see no way out of the situation.
• Interfering now would only exacerbate the situation.
• She found it difficult to take in the situation.
• She tried her best to salvage the situation.
• She was forced to confront the reality of the situation.
• The peacekeepers are trained to defuse potentially explosive situations.
• The situation is deteriorating rapidly.
• The situation requires immediate action.
• We were placed in a hopeless situation.
• We will deal with that if the situation arises.
• What would the Republicans be doing if the situation were reversed?
• What would you do in this situation?
• You can adapt your knowledge to fit your particular situation.
• learning strategies to cope with difficult situations
• located in a beautiful situation
• the international political situation
• I'm in a no-win situation.
• The town is in a beautiful situation in a wide green valley.
• We couldn't have asked for a more perfect situation.
• You need to consider the present economic situation.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
situation / sɪt.jueɪ.ʃ ə n / noun [ C ]
B1 the set of things that are happening and the conditions that exist at a particular time and place:
the economic/political situation
Her news put me in a difficult situation.
"Would you get involved in a fight?" "It would depend on the situation."
I'll worry about it if/when/as the situation arises (= if/when/as it happens) .
old use a job:
My sister has a good situation as a teacher in the local school.
formal the position of something, especially a town, building, etc.:
The house's situation in the river valley is perfect.
Word partners for situation
a situation arises • cope with / deal with / handle a situation • defuse / improve / remedy a situation • complicate / exacerbate a situation • create / lead to a situation • change a situation • a situation deteriorates / improves / worsens • the current / present situation • a difficult / dangerous / intolerable / stressful situation • in a situation
© Cambridge University Press 2013
situation
/sɪtʃueɪʃ(ə)n/
(situations)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
You use situation to refer generally to what is happening in a particular place at a particular time, or to refer to what is happening to you.
Army officers said the situation was under control...
She’s in a hopeless situation...
N-COUNT: usu with supp, oft poss N
2.
The situation of a building or town is the kind of surroundings that it has. (FORMAL)
The garden is in a beautiful situation on top of a fold in the rolling Hampshire landscape.
= location
N-COUNT: usu supp N
3.
Situations Vacant is the title of a column or page in a newspaper where jobs are advertised. (mainly BRIT; in AM, use Employment)
PHRASE: oft PHR n
situation
sit·u·a·tion /ˌsɪʧəˈweɪʃən/ noun, pl -tions [count]
1 : all of the facts, conditions, and events that affect someone or something at a particular time and in a particular place
• He's in a bad/difficult/dangerous situation.
• You may find yourself in a situation where you lose control of the vehicle.
• How is your financial situation?
• I'm worried about the current political/economic situation.
• I've been in your situation [=position] before, so I think I can help you.
• My parents are retired and in a good situation.
2 : an important or sudden problem
• I have a situation that I have to deal with at the moment.
3 somewhat formal + old-fashioned : a place or location
• The house is in a wonderful situation overlooking the valley.
4 old-fashioned : job 1
• She found a situation as a governess.
Someone who buys goods or services from a shop, company etc
One of the customers of this shop is very rich.
customer
noun
a person who buys things from a shop
customer
cus‧tom‧er S1 W1 /ˈkʌstəmə $ -ər/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Word Family: adjective: ↑customary, ↑custom, ↑customizable, ↑accustomed; noun: ↑custom, ↑customer, customs; verb: ↑accustom, ↑customize; adverb: ↑customarily]
[Date: 1400-1500; Origin: custom; from the custom of doing business in a particular place]
1. someone who buys goods or services from a shop, company etc:
We aim to offer good value and service to all our customers.
We’ve had several letters from satisfied customers.
customer service/care
Many of the banks offer a poor level of customer service.
He’s one of our regular customers.
best/biggest/largest customer (=the person or company who uses a shop or company the most)
2. awkward/tricky/tough etc customer someone who is difficult to deal with because they behave in a deliberately unhelpful way ⇨ cool customer at ↑cool1(3)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + customer
▪ a regular customer My business quickly built up a base of regular customers.
▪ a good customer (=who buys a lot from you, or uses your service a lot) Good products attract good customers.
▪ a major/big/large customer (=who is important and buys a lot) America is a big customer for Japanese goods.
▪ a loyal customer (=who has been a customer for a long time) Some of our loyal customers have been coming here since the store opened.
▪ a satisfied customer (=who is pleased with your goods or service) Satisfied customers will retun again and again.
▪ a potential/prospective customer (=who might become a customer in the future) It’s very important to establish contact with potential customers.
▪ a business customer (=customers that are businesses) the bank’s major business customers
▪ existing customers (=that you already have) We want to improve our service for both new and existing customers.
■ verbs
▪ deal with a customer (=do business with or talk to a customer) He has a lot of experience in dealing with customers.
▪ serve a customer Every day the shop serves around 800 customers.
▪ attract customers (=get more customers) The Internet is a great way to attract new customers.
▪ keep/retain customers Keeping prices low helps to retain customers.
▪ lose a customer The company has lost some big customers in the last two years.
■ customer + NOUN
▪ customer service/care (=serving and looking after customers) Our aim is always to raise the level of customer service.
▪ customer relations Staff are given training in customer relations.
▪ customer satisfaction (=how pleased customers are) The firm carried out a survey of customer satisfaction.
▪ customer demand (=the amount of something customers want to buy or use) It’s important to respond quickly to changing customer demand.
▪ customer complaints My job is to handle customer complaints and enquiries.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ customer someone who buys goods or services from a shop or company: Customers were waiting for the shop to open. | The bank is one of our biggest customers.
▪ client someone who pays for a service from a professional person or company: He has a meeting with one of his clients. | The company buys and sells shares on behalf of their clients
▪ shopper someone who goes to the shops looking for things to buy: The streets were full of Christmas shoppers.
▪ guest someone who pays to stay in a hotel: Guests must leave their rooms by 10 am.
▪ patron /ˈpeɪtrən/ formal a customer of a particular shop, restaurant or hotel – usually written on signs: The notice said ‘Parking for Patrons Only’.
▪ patient someone who is getting medical treatment from a doctor, or in a hospital: He is a patient of Dr Williams.
▪ consumer anyone who buys goods or uses services – used when considering these people as a group who have particular rights, needs, or behaviour: Consumers are demanding more environmentally-friendly products. | the rights of the consumer | The law is designed to protect consumers who buy goods on the Internet.
▪ market the number of people who want to buy a product, or the type of people who want to buy it: The market for organic food is growing all the time. | a magazine aimed at the youth market
▪ clientele /ˌkliːənˈtel $ ˌklaɪənˈtel, ˌkliː-/ formal the type of customers that a particular shop, restaurant etc gets: The hotel has a very upmarket clientele. | They have a wealthy international clientele.
customer
cus·tom·er [customer customers] [ˈkʌstəmə(r)] [ˈkʌstəmər] noun
1. a person or an organization that buys sth from a shop/store or business
• one of the shop's best/biggest customers
• They know me— I'm a regular customer.
• the customer service department
• The firm has excellent customer relations.
2. (old-fashioned, informal) used after an adjective to describe a particular type of person
• an awkward customer
• a cool customer (= sb who is always calm, even when in trouble)
• an ugly customer (= sb who may become violent)
Thesaurus:
customer noun C
• He's one of our best customers.
client • • shopper • • consumer • • buyer • • end-user • • regular • |formal patron • • purchaser • |BrE, informal punter • • •
have/deal with/get/lose a customer/client/buyer
attract customers/clients/shoppers/consumers/buyers/punters
customers/clients/shoppers/consumers/buyers/purchasers buy/spend sth
Collocations:
Shopping
Shopping
go/go out/be out shopping
go to (especially BrE) the shops/(especially NAmE) a store/(especially NAmE) the mall
do (BrE) the shopping/(especially NAmE) the grocery shopping/a bit of window-shopping
(NAmE, informal) hit/hang out at the mall
try on clothes/shoes
indulge in some retail therapy
go on a spending spree
cut/cut back on/reduce your spending
be/get caught shoplifting
donate sth to/take sth to/find sth in (BrE) a charity shop/(NAmE) a thrift store
buy/sell/find sth at (BrE) a car boot sale/(BrE) a jumble sale/a garage sale/(NAmE) a yard sale
find/get/pick up a bargain
At the shop/store
load/push/wheel (BrE) a trolley/(NAmE) a cart
stand in/wait in (BrE) the checkout queue/(NAmE) the checkout line
(NAmE) stand in line/ (BrE) queue at the checkout
bag (especially NAmE) (your) groceries
pack (away) (especially BrE) your shopping
stack/stock/restock the shelves at a store (with sth)
be (found) on/appear on supermarket/shop/store shelves
be in/have in/be out of/run out of stock
deal with/help/serve customers
run a special promotion
be on special offer
Buying goods
make/complete a purchase
buy/purchase sth online/by mail order
make/place/take an order for sth
buy/order sth in bulk/in advance
accept/take credit cards
pay (in) cash/by (credit/debit) card/(BrE) with a gift voucher/(NAmE) with a gift certificate
enter your PIN number
ask for/get/obtain a receipt
return/exchange an item/a product
be entitled to/ask for/demand a refund
compare prices
offer (sb)/give (sb)/get/receive a 30% discount
Example Bank:
• If you have a complaint, contact the customer care unit.
• It's a special offer to attract new customers.
• Part of good customer relations is knowing how to deal with complaints.
• The questionnaire is to test customer reaction to the new store design.
• The terms of the guarantee will be set out in the customer agreement.
• There are a large number of potential customers for the new product.
• They are hoping that TV advertising will increase their customer base.
• They are one of our biggest customers.
• They carried out a customer satisfaction survey.
• They organized an evening's entertainment for favoured customers.
• This cheaper model was produced in response to customer demand.
• We can't afford to lose any more customers.
• We like to think that we have satisfied customers.
• Draw up a customer profile and write a description of your typical customer.
• He comes in twice a week and is one of our best customers.
• I'd like to speak to someone in the customer service department, please.
• Is there a set procedure for dealing with customer complaints?
• Schools are among the biggest customers for this service.
• They know me— I'm a regular customer.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
customer / kʌs.tə.mə r / / -mɚ / noun [ C ]
A2 a person who buys goods or a service:
a satisfied customer
Mrs Wilson is one of our regular customers.
© Cambridge University Press 2013
customer
/kʌstəmə(r)/
(customers)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
A customer is someone who buys goods or services, especially from a shop.
Our customers have very tight budgets.
...the quality of customer service...
N-COUNT
2.
You can use customer in expressions such as a cool customer or a tough customer to indicate what someone’s behaviour or character is like. (INFORMAL)
...two pretty awkward customers.
N-COUNT: adj N
customer
cus·tom·er /ˈkʌstəmɚ/ noun, pl -ers [count]
1 : someone who buys goods or services from a business
• She is one of our best/regular customers.
• Remember, the customer is always right. [=never argue with a customer]
- often used before another noun
• The company has good/poor customer service.
• customer satisfaction
2 informal : a person who has a particular quality
• He is one tough/tricky customer. [=he is a tough/tricky person]
• She's a pretty cool customer.
to be on vacation
A holiday, or time spent not working
we are allowed to take two weeks of vacation with pay annually.
vacation
noun (American) (British holiday)
a period of time when you are not working or studying:
They're on vacation in Hawaii.
vacation
I. va‧ca‧tion1 S2 W3 /vəˈkeɪʃən $ veɪ-/ BrE AmE noun
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin vacatio 'freedom', from vacare; ⇨ ↑vacant]
1. [uncountable and countable] especially American English a holiday, or time spent not working:
We're planning a vacation in Europe.
on vacation
He's on vacation this week.
We're planning to go on vacation soon.
2. [uncountable] especially American English the number of days, weeks etc that you are allowed as paid holiday by your employer:
How much vacation do you get at your new job?
I think I have four vacation days left.
Employees are entitled to four weeks’ paid vacation annually.
3.
a) [countable] British English one of the periods of time when a university is closed
the Christmas/Easter/summer/long vacation
b) [uncountable and countable] American English one of the periods of time when a school or university is closed
Christmas/spring/summer vacation
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ take/have a vacation We usually take a vacation once a year.
▪ go on vacation I'm going on vacation next month.
▪ need a vacation You're working too hard. You need a vacation.
▪ spend a vacation Where did you spend your vacation?
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + vacation
▪ a summer vacation What did you do on your summer vacation?
▪ a family vacation We had to cancel the family vacation.
▪ a long vacation She decided to take a long vacation.
▪ a short vacation a short vacation at the beach
▪ a two-week/three-day etc vacation
■ vacation + NOUN
▪ a vacation spot (=a place for a vacation) The island is my favorite vacation spot.
▪ a vacation day (=a day away from work on vacation) You could take a sick day or a vacation day.
▪ vacation plans (=an idea about what you want to do on your vacation) Do you have any vacation plans this summer?
■ COMMON ERRORS
► Do not say 'have vacation'. Say be on vacation.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ vacation especially American English, holiday especially British English time you spend away from school or work: Are you taking a vacation this summer? | We met on holiday in Cyprus. | What are you doing in the school holidays?
▪ holiday a day that is set by law, when no one has to go to work or school: the Thanksgiving holiday | New Year's Day is a national holiday. | In 2002, there was an extra public holiday to mark the Queen's golden jubilee. | the August bank holiday (=day when all the banks and shops are closed – used in British English)
▪ break a time when you stop working or studying in order to rest, or a short vacation from school: a ten-minute coffee break | Lots of college kids come to the beaches during the spring break.
▪ leave a time when you are allowed not to work: We get four weeks' annual leave (=paid time off work each year). | He has been taking a lot of sick leave (=time off work because you are ill) recently. | Angela is on maternity leave (= time off work when having a baby). | He was given compassionate leave (=time off work because someone close to you has died, is very ill etc) to go to his father's funeral.
▪ sabbatical [usually singular] a period when someone, especially a teacher, stops doing their usual work in order to study or travel: She was on sabbatical for six months. | I'm thinking of taking a sabbatical.
▪ furlough a period of time when a soldier or someone working in another country can return to their own country as a holiday: While on furlough, he and his girlfriend got married.
▪ R & R (rest and relaxation) a holiday, especially one given to people in the army, navy etc after a long period of hard work or during a war: Soldiers in Vietnam were taken to Hawaii for R & R.
II. vacation2 BrE AmE verb [intransitive] American English
to go somewhere for a holiday
vacation in/at
The Bernsteins are vacationing in Europe.
vacation
vac·ation [vacation vacations vacationed vacationing] noun, verb [vəˈkeɪʃn] [vəˈkeɪʃn] [veɪˈkeɪʃn] [veɪˈkeɪʃn]
noun
1. countable (in Britain) one of the periods of time when universities or courts of law are closed; (in the US) one of the periods of time when schools, colleges, universities or courts of law are closed
• the Christmas/Easter/summer vacation
• (BrE) the long vacation (= the summer vacation)
see also vac
2. (NAmE) (BrE holi·day) uncountable, countable a period of time spent travelling or resting away from home
• They're on vacation in Hawaii right now.
• You look tired— you should take a vacation.
• The job includes two weeks' paid vacation.
• a vacation home
Word Origin:
late Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin vacatio(n-), from vacare ‘be unoccupied’.
Culture:
holidays and vacations
Holiday in American English means a day that is special for some reason. Most people do not go to work on an important holiday, but may do so on a minor one. Few people have to work on federal (= national) holidays such as New Year's Day or Independence Day, though they may celebrate St Valentine's Day or Groundhog Day but still go to work or school. Apart from the main federal holidays each state decides its own holidays. The period from Thanksgiving to the end of the year when there are several important holidays is called the holiday season or simply the holidays (e.g. Stores are getting ready for the holiday season.). In British English, special days like New Year’s Day are called bank holidays or public holidays.
Holiday in British English also means a period of time spent away from work or school, usually of a week or longer. This is called a vacation in American English. So, the period of several weeks around Christmas when schools are closed is called the Christmas holiday in Britain and the Christmas vacation in the US.
Holiday and vacation are also used to refer to the period when people go away for a time to a beach resort or to the country, or go travelling. British people have about four weeks’ paid leave from their jobs. Most take their main holiday in the summer. People without children of school age often go on holiday in the off season when prices are lower and there are fewer other holidaymakers. Some people stay in Britain for their holiday, but many rent a cottage in the country or go to beach resorts in Europe for one or two weeks. Some travel to the US or visit India, the Far East and other parts of the world. Many British people going abroad buy package holidays sold on the Internet or through high-street travel agents, which include transport, accommodation and sometimes excursions in the price. Some people see their holidays as an opportunity to relax in the sun, but others prefer activity holidays during which they can visit famous buildings or go walking in the countryside. A few go to a holiday centre, often called a holiday village, which provides entertainment for all the family. People often arrange their holiday a long time in advance and look forward to it through the winter. Many people also have a short break, usually three or four days, e.g. at a country cottage in Britain or in a European city.
Americans have less paid vacation, typically two weeks. People with important jobs or who have worked in their company for many years may have longer vacations. People with low-paid jobs in shops, fast food restaurants, etc, often have no paid vacation at all.
The typical family vacation in the US involves driving to a destination within the country. Some people visit relatives or go sightseeing in cities like Washington, DC, or New York. The national parks, like Yellowstone National Park or the Grand Canyon, are also popular, and people sometimes rent a cabin (BrE cottage) in the country. Families often go to amusement parks like Disney World in Florida. People who do not drive usually fly to a place as air fares are relatively cheap. Package tours are not very common and most Americans arrange their transport and accommodation separately.
Many Americans have not been on vacation outside North America. However, Europe has always been a popular destination for people wanting to travel further, and trips to South America and the Far East are increasingly common, especially with younger travellers. Cruises (= journeys by ship, visiting different places) to the Caribbean or Alaska have also become very popular.
British/American:
holiday / vacation
You use holiday (or holidays) in BrE and vacation in NAmE to describe the regular periods of time when you are not at work or school, or time that you spend travelling or resting away from home: ▪ I get four weeks’ holiday/vacation a year. ◊ ▪ He’s on holiday/vacation this week. ◊ ▪ I like to take my holiday/vacation in the winter. ◊ ▪ the summer holidays/vacation.
In NAmE a holiday (or a public holiday) is a single day when government offices, schools, banks and businesses are closed: ▪ The school will be closed Monday because it’s a holiday. This is called a bank holiday in BrE.
The holidays is used in NAmE to refer to the time in late December and early January that includes Christmas, Hanukkah and the New Year.
Vacation in BrE is used mainly to mean one of the periods when universities are officially closed for the students.
Collocations:
Travel and tourism
Holidays/vacations
have/take (BrE) a holiday/(NAmE) a vacation/a break/a day off/(BrE) a gap year
go on/be on holiday/vacation/leave/honeymoon/safari/a trip/a tour/a cruise/a pilgrimage
go backpacking/camping/hitchhiking/sightseeing
plan a trip/a holiday/a vacation/your itinerary
book accommodation/a hotel room/a flight/tickets
have/make/cancel a reservation/(especially BrE) booking
rent a villa/(both BrE) a holiday home/a holiday cottage
(especially BrE) hire/ (especially NAmE) rent a car/bicycle/moped
stay in a hotel/a bed and breakfast/a youth hostel/a villa/(both BrE) a holiday home/a caravan
cost/charge $100 a/per night for a single/double/twin/standard/(BrE) en suite room
check into/out of a hotel/a motel/your room
pack/unpack your suitcase/bags
call/order room service
cancel/cut short a trip/holiday/vacation
Foreign travel
apply for/get/renew a/your passport
take out/buy/get travel insurance
catch/miss your plane/train/ferry/connecting flight
fly (in)/travel in business/economy class
make/have a brief/two-day/twelve-hour stopover/(NAmE also) layover in Hong Kong
experience/cause/lead to delays
check (in)/collect/get/lose (your) (especially BrE) luggage/(especially NAmE) baggage
be charged for/pay excess baggage
board/get on/leave/get off the aircraft/plane/ship/ferry
taxi down/leave/approach/hit/overshoot the runway
experience/hit/encounter severe turbulence
suffer from/recover from/get over your jet lag/travel sickness
The tourist industry
attract/draw/bring tourists/visitors
encourage/promote/hurt tourism
promote/develop ecotourism
build/develop/visit a tourist/holiday/(especially BrE) seaside/beach/ski resort
work for/be operated by a major hotel chain
be served by/compete with low-cost/(especially NAmE) low-fare/budget airlines
book sth through/make a booking through/use a travel agent
contact/check with your travel agent/tour operator
book/be on/go on a package deal/holiday/tour
buy/bring back (tacky/overpriced) souvenirs
Example Bank:
• Employees no longer have a fixed number of vacation days.
• He hadn't taken a real vacation in years.
• I have put in for vacation time.
• I hope the bad weather didn't ruin your vacation.
• I may go on an extended vacation to Bermuda.
• I wasn't able to use all of my vacation time last year.
• I wrote the essay during the Christmas vacation.
• I'm going travelling in the vacation.
• Military personnel receive a month of paid vacation.
• Most students get vacation jobs.
• Orlando is a popular vacation resort for British tourists.
• She needed a little vacation to clear her head.
• She took a well-deserved vacation to Mexico.
• She was going to spend her vacation in Hawaii all by herself.
• She went home to her parents for the Easter vacation.
• Students had a two-week vacation at the end of December.
• The President cut short his working vacation by two days.
• The long summer vacation breaks the rhythm of instruction.
• The sisters are on summer vacation with their family.
• He has a private jet and a vacation home in Switzerland.
• He went on vacation some time last week.
• How was your vacation?
• Let us help you with your vacation plans!
• She's gone on vacation to Massachusetts.
• The area is a popular vacation choice for families.
• The couple had left for a European vacation.
• The job includes two weeks' paid vacation.
• The schools were closed for summer vacation.
• The senator is on vacation in Maine.
• Their son is home on vacation.
• They usually go on a ski vacation this time of year.
• Vacation time and other benefits were cut.
• When I got back from my vacation, there was a letter waiting for me.
• the long vacation
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
vacation / veɪˈkeɪ.ʃ ə n / noun
A1 [ C or U ] US a holiday, especially when you are travelling away from home for pleasure:
We're taking a vacation in June.
They went to Europe on vacation.
I've still got some vacation left before the end of the year.
[ C ] mainly US ( UK informal vac ) a period of the year when schools or colleges are closed, or when law courts do not operate:
the Christmas/Easter/summer/long vacation
vacation verb [ I ] US
Remember that time we were vacationing in Vermont?
© Cambridge University Press 2013
vacation
/vəkeɪʃ(ə)n, AM veɪ-/
(vacations, vacationing, vacationed)
1.
A vacation is a period of the year when universities and colleges, and in the United States also schools, are officially closed.
During his summer vacation he visited Russia...
= holiday
N-COUNT
2.
A vacation is a period of time during which you relax and enjoy yourself away from home. (AM; in BRIT, use holiday)
They planned a late summer vacation in Europe...
We went on vacation to Puerto Rico.
N-COUNT: also on/from N
3.
If you have a particular number of days’ or weeks’ vacation, you do not have to go to work for that number of days or weeks. (AM; in BRIT, use holiday)
N-UNCOUNT
1va·ca·tion /veɪˈkeɪʃən/ noun, pl -tions
1 US : a period of time that a person spends away from home, school, or business usually in order to relax or travel
[count]
• We had a restful vacation [=(Brit) holiday] at the beach.
• Family vacations were a high point in my childhood.
[noncount]
- often used in the phrase on vacation
• I'll be on vacation [=(Brit) on holiday] next week.
• They're on vacation in Rome.
- often used before another noun
• We had to cancel our vacation plans.
• a popular vacation spot [=a place where many people like to travel]
• His parents have a beautiful vacation home [=a house that someone lives in during vacations] by the lake.
2 [noncount] chiefly US : the number of days or hours per year for which an employer agrees to pay workers while they are not working
• When are you taking vacation this year?
• All employees are given three weeks vacation. [=they will be paid for 15 days that they do not work per year]
• Employees are entitled to 120 hours of paid vacation.
• I don't have any vacation days left.
3 [count]
a US : a time when schools, colleges, and universities are closed
• winter/spring/summer vacation
• We have a one-week vacation in February.
• The university will be closed for Christmas/Easter vacation.
b Brit : a time when universities and courts of law are closed
• She spent most of her long vacations [=summer vacations] at her parents' house.
An event at which people meet to discuss and decide things
This was their first meeting.
meeting
noun
1 a time when people come together for a special reason, usually to talk about something:
We had a meeting to talk about the plans for the new swimming pool.
2 a time when two or more people come together:
Do you remember your first meeting with your husband?
meeting
meet‧ing S1 W1 /ˈmiːtɪŋ/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
1. an event at which people meet to discuss and decide things:
We’re having a meeting next week to discuss the matter.
at a meeting
I’ll raise the matter at the next meeting.
in a meeting
She said that Mr Coleby was in a meeting.
meeting about/on
There was a public meeting about the future of the gallery.
meeting with
I’ve got a meeting with Mr Edwards this afternoon.
meeting of
a meeting of senior politicians
meeting between
a meeting between unions and management
2. the meeting formal all the people who are at a meeting:
I’d like to put a few ideas before the meeting.
3. [usually singular] when people meet each other by chance or because they have arranged to do this:
I had felt drawn to Alice ever since our first meeting.
4. a sports competition or a set of races for horses
5. meeting of minds a situation in which two people have very similar ideas and understand each other very well:
There was a real meeting of minds between the two leaders.
6. an event at which a group of Quakers (=a Christian religious group) pray together
meeting
meet·ing [meeting meetings] [ˈmiːtɪŋ] [ˈmiːtɪŋ] noun
1. countable an occasion when people come together to discuss or decide sth
• to have/hold/call/attend a meeting
• The meeting will be held in the school hall.
• a committee/staff meeting
• What time is the meeting?
• Helen will chair the meeting (= be in charge of it).
• I'll be in a meeting all morning— can you take my calls?
• a meeting of the United Nations Security Council
• The meeting was postponed.
2. the meeting singular the people at a meeting
• The meeting voted to accept the pay offer.
3. countable a situation in which two or more people meet together, because they have arranged it or by chance
Syn: encounter
• At our first meeting I was nervous.
• It was a chance meeting that would change my life.
• He remembered their childhood meetings with nostalgia.
• The meeting of father and son after so long was a joyous occasion.
4. countable (BrE) a sports event or set of races, especially for horses
• an athletics meeting
• a race meeting
• The horse has won at all of his previous meetings this season.
Idiom: meeting of minds
Thesaurus:
meeting noun
1. C
• Dr Grey will chair the meeting.
session • • gathering • • assembly • • conference • • convention • • summit •
an annual meeting/session/gathering/assembly/conference/convention/summit
hold/attend a/an meeting/session/gathering/assembly/conference/convention/summit
address a/an meeting/session/gathering/assembly/conference/convention
2. C
• I was nervous at our first meeting.
encounter • • appointment • • date • • engagement • • introduction •
a/an meeting/encounter/appointment/date/engagement with sb
have a/an meeting/encounter/appointment/date/engagement
arrange a/an meeting/appointment/date/introduction
Example Bank:
• He always spoke as if he were addressing a public meeting.
• He was summoned to a meeting with the head of the department.
• I had a chance meeting with an old friend last week.
• I have to chair a meeting tomorrow.
• I'm afraid Mrs Haley is in a meeting at the moment.
• It is unclear whether the meeting will go ahead as planned.
• It was decided at a planning meeting.
• Jay drove to the meeting spot.
• Management have called a joint meeting with staff and unions.
• One phone call was enough to get an initial meeting.
• Opposition has been expressed at community meetings.
• Our group meetings take place on Saturdays.
• She headed off to her budget meeting.
• She was a frequent invited speaker at professional meetings.
• The arts space serves as a meeting ground for professional artists.
• The chairman called the meeting to order.
• The chairman declared the meeting open.
• The chairperson opened the meeting.
• The committee has called a meeting to discuss the president's death.
• The employees who run the meetings stick to a strict agenda.
• The meeting adjourned for coffee at eleven.
• The meeting broke up after a row over whether to allow cameras in.
• The meeting closed on a sour note.
• The meeting dragged into the early hours of the next day.
• The meeting expressed concern that the problem had still not been addressed.
• The meeting heard that two workers had been fired with no official reason given.
• The meeting heard that two workers had been sacked on the spot with no official reason given.
• The meeting never happened.
• The meeting seemed interminable.
• The meeting voted 423–133 for a strike.
• The meeting voted 423–133 in favour of a strike.
• The meetings focused on ways of cutting costs.
• The organization holds various regional meetings.
• The secretary circulated the minutes of the previous week's meeting to all committee members.
• The society is holding its Annual General Meeting in the conference room next Monday.
• The students had a class meeting about cheating.
• These meetings produced a settlement agreement.
• They now have virtual meetings over the Internet.
• This meeting urges the company to reconsider its decision to close the factory.
• We called a mandatory meeting of our department heads this morning.
• We had an editorial meeting about it.
• We had endless meetings about the problem.
• We hold public meetings on this topic.
• a meeting about the plans for a new road
• a meeting aimed at restoring peace in the region
• a meeting between tutors and students
• a meeting for parents
• a meeting sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations
• a meeting with French officials
• an informal meeting among the members of the Press Agents Association
• both national and local chapter meetings
• his job as corporate meeting planner
• A meeting of the United Nations Security Council was called.
• Helen will chair the meeting.
• I'll be in a meeting all morning— can you take my calls?
• The company's annual general meeting will take place on the 5 June.
• a committee/staff meeting
meeting /ˈmiː.tɪŋ/ US /-ţɪŋ/
noun [C]
1 an occasion when people come together intentionally or unintentionally:
We're having a meeting on Thursday to discuss the problem.
I'm afraid she's in a meeting - I'll ask her to call you back later.
A chance (= unintentional) meeting with a publisher on an airplane had launched his career.
I liked him from our first meeting.
2 UK a sports competition
3 a group of people who have met for a particular purpose:
The meeting wants to look at the proposal again.
meeting
/mi:tɪŋ/
(meetings)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
A meeting is an event in which a group of people come together to discuss things or make decisions.
Can we have a meeting to discuss that?
...business meetings.
N-COUNT
•
You can also refer to the people at a meeting as the meeting.
The meeting decided that further efforts were needed.
N-SING: the N
2.
When you meet someone, either by chance or by arrangement, you can refer to this event as a meeting.
In January, 37 years after our first meeting, I was back in the studio with Denis...
= encounter
N-COUNT: oft with poss
meeting
meet·ing /ˈmiːtɪŋ/ noun, pl -ings
1 a [count] : a gathering of people for a particular purpose (such as to talk about business)
• The club's monthly meeting will be held next Monday evening.
• She was too busy to attend the meeting.
• Let's have/hold/call/convene a meeting to discuss these problems.
• postpone/adjourn/close a business meeting
• a committee/staff meeting
• I wasn't able to talk to him because he was in a meeting.
b : a gathering of people for religious worship
[count]
• a Quaker meeting
• a revival meeting
• a prayer meeting
[noncount]
• (US) He attends Quaker meeting.
2 [count]
a : a situation or occasion when two people see and talk to each other
• They started dating each other soon after their first meeting.
• Their friendship began with a chance meeting at a business convention.
b : a situation or occasion when athletes or teams compete against each other
• Tonight's game will be their first meeting of the season.
c Brit : 2meet 1
• an athletics meeting
3 [singular] : the place where two things come together
• a town at the meeting of two rivers
a meeting of minds or US a meeting of the minds : an understanding or agreement between two people or groups
• The company and the union tried to come to a meeting of the minds. [=they tried to reach an agreement]
There are about 30000 species of fish in the world.
an animal that lives in water, and uses its fins and tail to swim
There are about 30000 species of fish in the world.
noun (plural fish or fishes)
an animal that lives and breathes in water, and has thin flat parts (called fins) that help it to swim:
I caught a big fish.
We had fish and chips for dinner.
word building
There are many different types of fish. Here are some of them: cod, eel, goldfish, salmon, sardine, shark. Do you know any others?
fish
I. fish1 S1 W1 /fɪʃ/ BrE AmE noun (plural fish or fishes)
[Word Family: noun: fish, fishing, fishery; verb: fish; adverb: fishily; adjective: fishy]
[Language: Old English; Origin: fisc; related to Pisces]
1. [countable] an animal that lives in water, and uses its fins and tail to swim:
Over 1,500 different species of fish inhabit the waters around the reef.
The stonefish is the most deadly of all fishes.
The lake is well stocked with fish (=it contains a lot of fish).
2. [uncountable] the flesh of a fish used as food ⇨ seafood:
You usually drink white wine with fish.
In Japan, people eat raw fish.
Oily fish (=fish that contains a lot of oil) is supposed to be good for you.
► You say fish and chips, not 'chips and fish'.
3. (be/feel) like a fish out of water to feel uncomfortable because you feel you do not belong in a place or situation:
I felt like a fish out of water in my new school.
4. there are plenty more fish in the sea used to tell someone whose relationship has ended that there are other people they can have a relationship with
5. neither fish nor fowl neither one thing nor another
6. have other/bigger fish to fry informal to have other things to do, especially more important things
7. odd fish/queer fish British English old-fashioned someone who is slightly strange or crazy
8. cold fish an unfriendly person who seems to have no strong feelings
9. a big fish in a little/small pond someone who is important in or who has influence over a very small area
⇨ drink like a fish at drink1(2), ⇨ another/a different kettle of fish at kettle(3)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 1)
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + fish
▪ freshwater fish (=that live in rivers or lakes) The pools are home to frogs, newts, and freshwater fish.
▪ saltwater fish (=that live in the ocean) saltwater fish such as cod and tuna
▪ river/sea fish Pike are river fish.
▪ tropical fish a tank full of tropical fish
▪ farmed fish (=fish that are from a fish farm) We also know that farmed fish don’t have as much omega 3 as wild salmon.
■ verbs
▪ catch/land a fish Pete caught a really big fish.
▪ breed fish He has been breeding tropical fish for many years.
▪ keep fish (=have them as pets or for breeding) We used to keep tropical fish when I was young.
▪ fillet a fish (=cut the meat away from the bones) You need a sharp knife to fillet fish.
▪ a fish swims Red fish swam on either side of the boat.
▪ a fish bites (=it takes food from a hook and gets caught) The fish aren’t biting today.
■ fish + NOUN
▪ fish stocks (=the quantity of fish in the sea) Fish stocks have declined dramatically.
▪ fish species (also species of fish) (=the group of fish that are similar and can breed together) 74 of California's 113 native fish species are in need of protection.
▪ a fish tank (=for keeping fish indoors, usually as pets) The filter in his fish tank made a quiet humming noise.
▪ a fish pond (=for keeping fish outdoors, in a garden) We’re thinking of building a fish pond in the back garden.
▪ fish food (=for feeding fish) I sprinkled some fish food into the tank.
■ phrases
▪ a shoal/school of fish (=a large group swimming together) Shoals of little fish were swimming around her.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ adjectives
▪ fresh fish The market sells an amazing variety of fresh fish.
▪ frozen fish (=stored at a very low temperature to preserve it) I stopped at the supermarket to buy some frozen fish.
▪ white fish (=whose meat is white when cooked) grilled white fish
▪ oily fish (=containing a lot of natural oil) A diet of oily fish can help prevent heart disease.
▪ fried fish (=cooked in hot oil) We’re going to have fried fish tonight.
▪ steamed/poached fish (=cooked over boiling water) The kitchen smelt of steamed fish.
▪ baked fish (=cooked in an oven) Serve the baked fish with slices of lemon.
▪ battered fish (=covered in a mixture of flour and water, and then fried) The restaurant is well-known for its battered fish dishes.
▪ raw fish (=not cooked) In Japan we like to eat raw fish.
▪ smoked fish (=left in smoke to give it a special taste) It was the finest smoked fish they had ever tasted.
▪ dried fish (=preserved by having the water removed) Occasionally, the guards gave us some vegetables and dried fish.
▪ salted fish (=preserved by adding salt) The dish is made with rice and salted fish.
■ verbs
▪ eat fish You should eat more fish.
▪ cook fish I think I’ll cook fish tonight.
■ fish + NOUN
▪ a fish shop She works in the fish shop on the High Street.
▪ a fish market I brought some salmon at the local fish market.
▪ fish soup Use the bones to make fish soup.
▪ fish paste (=a smooth food, made by crushing fish ) She spread some fish paste on fresh bread.
■ phrases
▪ fish and chips Why don't we stop off for some fish and chips on the way home?
fish
fish [fish fishes fished fishing] noun, verb [fɪʃ] [fɪʃ]
noun (pl. fish or fishes) Fish is the usual plural form. The older form, fishes, can be used to refer to different kinds of fish.
1. countable a creature that lives in water, breathes through gills, and uses fins and a tail for swimming
• They caught several fish.
• tropical/marine/freshwater fish
• shoals (= groups) of fish
• a fish tank/pond
• There are about 30 000 species of fish in the world.
• The list of endangered species includes nearly 600 fishes.
• Fish stocks in the Baltic are in decline.
• In the pool she could see little silvery fish darting around. http://a.com
2. uncountable the flesh of fish eaten as food
• frozen/smoked/fresh fish
• fish pie
• The chef's fish dishes are his speciality.
• Fish forms the main part of their diet.
more at a big fish (in a small pond) at big adj., a cold fish at cold adj., a different kettle of fish at different, drink like a fish at drink v., be like shooting fish in a barrel at shoot v.
Word Origin:
Old English fisc (as a noun denoting any animal living exclusively in water), fiscian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vis, vissen and German Fisch, fischen.
Collocations:
The living world
Animals
animals mate/breed/reproduce/feed (on sth)
fish/amphibians swim/spawn (= lay eggs)
birds fly/migrate/nest/sing
insects crawl/fly/bite/sting
insects/bees/locusts swarm
bees collect/gather nectar/pollen
spiders spin/weave a web
snakes/lizards shed their skins
bears/hedgehogs/frogs hibernate
insect larvae grow/develop/pupate
an egg/a chick/a larva hatches
attract/find/choose a mate
produce/release eggs/sperm
lay/fertilize/incubate/hatch eggs
inhabit a forest/a reef/the coast
mark/enter/defend (a) territory
stalk/hunt/capture/catch/kill prey
Plants and fungi
trees/plants grow/bloom/blossom/flower
a seed germinates/sprouts
leaves/buds/roots/shoots appear/develop/form
flower buds swell/open
a fungus grows/spreads/colonizes sth
pollinate/fertilize a flower/plant
produce/release/spread/disperse pollen/seeds/spores
produce/bear fruit
develop/grow/form roots/shoots/leaves
provide/supply/absorb/extract/release nutrients
perform/increase/reduce photosynthesis
Bacteria and viruses
bacteria/microbes/viruses grow/spread/multiply
bacteria/microbes live/thrive in/on sth
bacteria/microbes/viruses evolve/colonize sth/cause disease
bacteria break sth down/convert sth (into sth)
a virus enters/invades sth/the body
a virus mutates/evolves/replicates (itself)
be infected with/contaminated with/exposed to a new strain of a virus/drug-resistant bacteria
contain/carry/harbour (especially US) harbor bacteria/a virus
kill/destroy/eliminate harmful/deadly bacteria
Example Bank:
• He landed a big fish.
• He landed one very big fish.
• I cleaned and filleted the fish.
• Remove the skin and flake the cooked fish.
• The fish aren't biting today.
• The fish aren't biting= taking the bait today.
• This fish tastes funny.
• fish farmed in Canada
• the depletion of fish stocks
Idioms: a queer fish ▪ fish out of water ▪ have other fish to fry ▪ neither fish nor fowl ▪ there are plenty more fish in the sea
Derived: fish for something ▪ fish somebody out
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
fish / fɪʃ / noun ( plural fish or fishes )
fish A1 [ C or U ] an animal that lives in water, is covered with scales, and breathes by taking water in through its mouth, or the flesh of these animals eaten as food:
Several large fish live in the pond.
Sanjay caught the biggest fish I've ever seen.
I don't like fish (= don't like to eat fish) .
an odd/queer fish mainly UK old-fashioned
a strange person
fish
[fɪ̱ʃ]
♦♦
fishes, fishing, fished
(The form fish is usually used for the plural, but fishes can also be used.)
1) N-COUNT A fish is a creature that lives in water and has a tail and fins. There are many different kinds of fish.
An expert angler was casting his line and catching a fish every time...
The fish were counted and an average weight recorded.
2) N-UNCOUNT Fish is the flesh of a fish eaten as food.
Does dry white wine go best with fish?
3) VERB If you fish, you try to catch fish, either for food or as a form of sport or recreation.
Brian remembers learning to fish in the River Cam.
4) VERB If you fish a particular area of water, you try to catch fish in it.
[V n] On Saturday we fished the River Arno.
7) PHRASE: v-link PHR If you feel like a fish out of water, you do not feel comfortable or relaxed because you are in an unusual or unfamiliar situation. [INFORMAL]
I think he thought of himself as a country gentleman and was like a fish out of water in Birmingham.
8) PHRASE If you tell someone that there are plenty more fish in the sea, you are comforting them by saying that although their relationship with someone has failed, there are many other people they can have relationships with. [INFORMAL]
Phrasal Verbs:
- fish out
1fish /ˈfɪʃ/ noun, pl fish or fish·es
1 [count] : a cold-blooded animal that lives in water, breathes with gills, and usually has fins and scales
• a small fish
• an ocean/river fish [=a kind of fish that lives in an ocean/river]
usage When you are talking about more than one fish, the plural fish is more commonly used than fishes.
• We caught several fish. When you are talking about more than one kind or species of fish, both fishes and fish are used.
• varieties of tropical fish
• all the fishes of the sea
2 [noncount] : the meat of a fish eaten as food
• We're having fish for dinner.
a big fish in a small pond chiefly US or Brit a big fish in a little pond : a person who is very well known or important in a small group of people but who is not known or important outside that group
• In school he was a big fish in a small pond, but once he moved to the city he was just another struggling actor.
a fish out of water : a person who is in a place or situation that seems unnatural or uncomfortable
• He's a small-town boy who feels like a fish out of water here in the big city.
drink like a fish
- see 1drink
fish in the sea informal
- used to say that there are many more people available for a romantic relationship
• “I know you're sad because you and your boyfriend broke up, but he's not the only fish in the sea.” “You're right. There are many/plenty more fish in the sea.”
fish to fry informal : things to do or deal with
• We'll have to address that problem tomorrow. Right now we've got other/bigger fish to fry. [=we've got other/bigger problems that we need to give our attention to]
neither fish nor fowl : a person or thing that does not belong to a particular class or category
• The movie is neither fish nor fowl—it's not really a comedy, but it's too lighthearted to be called a drama.
odd/queer fish Brit informal : a strange or unusual person
• She's really quite an odd fish.
- fish·less /ˈfɪʃləs/ adj
• a fishless lake
- fish·like /ˈfɪsˌlaɪk/ adj
• a fishlike tail
Someone who drives a car, bus etc
The taxi driver didn’t know about our directions.
driver
noun
a person who controls a car, bus, train, etc.:
John is a good driver.
a taxi driver
driver
driv‧er S1 W2 /ˈdraɪvə $ -ər/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Word Family: noun: ↑drive, ↑driver, ↑driving; verb: ↑drive; adjective: ↑driving]
1. someone who drives a car, bus etc ⇨ chauffeur:
a taxi driver
Do you think you’re a good driver?
2. technical a piece of software that makes a computer work with another piece of equipment such as a printer or a mouse
3. a ↑golf club with a wooden head
⇨ back seat driver at ↑back seat(2), ⇨ Sunday driver at ↑Sunday(3)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + driver
▪ a taxi/bus/truck etc driver Car drivers face a new daily charge to enter the capital.
▪ a racing driver (=driving racing cars in competitions) world famous racing drivers like Lewis Hamilton
▪ a good driver He thinks he’s a very good driver.
▪ a careful/safe driver Since I had the accident, I’m a much more careful driver.
▪ a bad driver There are a lot of bad drivers on the roads.
▪ a dangerous driver Some young men tend to be dangerous drivers.
▪ a reckless driver (=taking risks and not worrying about the results) Reckless drivers should be given more severe punishments.
▪ a drunken/drunk driver (=who has drunk too much alcohol) Her husband was killed by a drunken driver.
▪ a hit-and-run driver (=in which a car driver hits someone and does not stop) The boy was in hospital after being knocked down by a hit-and-run driver.
▪ a learner driver (=who is learning to drive) Learner drivers spend a lot of money on driving lessons.
▪ an experienced driver (=who has a lot of experience of driving) Young drivers are ten times more likely to be killed on the road than experienced drivers.
▪ an inexperienced driver (=who does not have much experience of driving) Many accidents are caused by young or inexperienced drivers.
▪ a delivery driver (=delivering goods to a place) He’s a delivery driver for a pizza takeaway restaurant.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ driver someone who regularly drives, or someone who is driving a car, train, etc at a particular time: Car drivers now pay more than ever for fuel. | The coach was badly damaged, but the driver was unhurt.
▪ motorist [usually plural] especially written someone who drives a car – used especially when talking about car drivers in general: increased taxes on the motorist | Motorists who are caught speeding have to pay a heavy fine.
▪ chauffeur someone whose job is to drive a car for someone else: He was picked up by a chauffeur in a limousine.
▪ trucker American English informal someone who drives a truck: Mexico has no limit on how many hours truckers can drive daily.
▪ road hog informal someone who drives dangerously, without considering the safety of other people on the road, for example by not letting other drivers pass: Some road hogs drive at well below the speed limit, because they want to use their mobile phones.
slave driver
ˈslave ˌdriver BrE AmE noun [countable]
someone who makes people work very hard – used in a disapproving or humorous way
driver
driver [driver drivers] [ˈdraɪvə(r)] [ˈdraɪvər] noun
1. a person who drives a vehicle
• a bus/train/ambulance/taxi driver
• She climbed into the driver's seat.
• The accident was the other driver's fault.
• (BrE) a learner driver (= one who has not yet passed a driving test)
• (NAmE) a student driver
• The car comes equipped with a driver's airbag.
2. (in golf) a club with a wooden head
3. (computing) software that controls the sending of data between a computer and a piece of equipment that is attached to it, such as a printer
4. one of the main things that influence sth or cause it to make progress
• Housing is a key driver of the economy.
• Young people are widely perceived as the big pop industry drivers.
see be in the driver's seat at seat n.
Thesaurus:
driver noun C
• She's a good driver.
chauffeur • |especially journalism motorist •
speeding drivers/motorists
be sb's driver/chauffeur
Driver or motorist? Motorist is usually used in journalism to talk about car drivers as a group in society, often to contrast them with pedestrians and cyclists.
Example Bank:
• I can't stand back-seat drivers.
• I didn't drink because I was the designated driver.
• Learner drivers are not allowed on the motorways.
• a campaign aimed at car drivers to promote walking and cycling
• A student driver was injured in the accident.
• Can I see your driver's license please?
• Dangerous drivers face imprisonment.
• He told the driver to turn back.
• Many accidents involve drunk drivers.
• She was run over by a hit-and-run driver.
• She's a good driver.
• She's an experienced and careful driver.
• The ambassador and his driver were both killed in the explosion.
• The window on the driver's side was open.
• There are parking places for disabled drivers.
• What he wanted most was to be a racing driver.
• a bus/train/taxi/truck/lorry driver
• a learner driver
driver /ˈdraɪ.vəʳ/ US /-vɚ/
noun [C]
someone who drives a vehicle:
a bus/lorry/truck/taxi driver
The driver of the van was killed in the accident.
driver /ˈdraɪ.vəʳ/ US /-vɚ/
noun [C]
a type of club (= long thin stick) with a wooden head, used in golf
driver
driver /ˈdraɪ.vəʳ/ US /ˈdraɪ.vɚ/
noun [C] SPECIALIZED
a computer program that enables a computer to use other pieces of equipment such as a printer
driver
/draɪvə(r)/
(drivers)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
The driver of a vehicle is the person who is driving it.
The driver got out of his van.
...a taxi driver.
N-COUNT
see also back-seat driver
2.
A driver is a computer program that controls a device such as a printer. (COMPUTING)
...printer driver software.
N-COUNT
driver
driv·er /ˈdraɪvɚ/ noun, pl -ers [count]
1 a : a person who drives a car, truck, etc.
• Who was the driver at the time of the accident?
• He's a good/careful/fast/bad driver.
• The front door on the driver's side [=the side of the car where the driver sits] is scratched.
- see also backseat driver
b : a person whose job is to drive a vehicle (such as a taxi, truck, or bus)
• We told the taxi driver to take us to the library.
• He likes to sit at the front of the bus, near the driver.
• an ambulance/truck driver
2 technical : a piece of computer software that controls a device (such as a mouse or printer) that is attached to the computer
• There's a problem with the printer's driver.
3 golf : a club that is used for hitting long shots off a tee
in the driver's seat : in a position in which you are able to control what happens
• When his boss went on vacation, he suddenly found himself in the driver's seat.
- see also pile driver
Eggs are part of a healthy diet.
a round object with a hard surface, that contains a baby bird, snake, insect etc and which is produced by a female bird, snake, insect etc
Eggs are part of a healthy diet.
egg
noun
1 a round or oval (= almost round) object that has a baby bird, fish, insect or snake inside it:
The hen has laid an egg.
2 an egg that we eat, especially from a chicken:
a boiled egg
egg
I. egg1 S1 W2 /eɡ/ BrE AmE noun
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old Norse]
1. BIRD [countable] a round object with a hard surface, that contains a baby bird, snake, insect etc and which is produced by a female bird, snake, insect etc:
Blackbirds lay their eggs in March.
an ostrich egg
The eggs hatch (=break open to allow the baby out) in 26 days.
2.
FOOD [uncountable and countable] an egg, especially one from a chicken, that is used for food
fried/poached/boiled etc eggs
Joe always has bacon and egg for breakfast.
Whisk the egg white (=the white part) until stiff.
Beat in two of the egg yolks (=the yellow part). ⇨ scrambled egg
3. EGG SHAPE [countable] something the same shape as an egg:
a chocolate Easter egg ⇨ Easter egg
4. ANIMALS/PEOPLE [countable] a cell produced by a woman or female animal that combines with ↑sperm (=male cell) to make a baby SYN ovum
5. (have) egg on your face if someone, especially someone in authority, has egg on their face, they have been made to look stupid by something embarrassing:
The Pentagon’s been left with egg on its face.
6. put all your eggs in one basket to depend completely on one thing or one course of action in order to get success, so that you have no other plans if this fails:
When planning your investments, it’s unwise to put all your eggs in one basket.
7. lay an egg American English informal to fail or be unsuccessful at something that you are trying to do
8. good egg old-fashioned someone who you can depend on to be honest, kind etc
⇨ kill the goose that lays the golden egg at kill1(14), ⇨ nest egg
egg
egg [egg eggs egged egging] noun, verb [eɡ] [eɡ]
noun
1. countable a small oval object with a thin hard shell produced by a female bird and containing a young bird; a similar object produced by a female fish, insect, etc
• The female sits on the eggs until they hatch.
• The fish lay thousands of eggs at one time.
• crocodile eggs
2. countable, uncountable a bird's egg, especially one from a chicken, that is eaten as food
• a boiled egg
• bacon and eggs
• fried/poached/scrambled eggs
• Bind the mixture together with a little beaten egg.
• You've got some egg on your shirt.
• egg yolks/whites
• egg noodles
• ducks'/quails' eggs
• a chocolate egg (= made from chocolate in the shape of an egg)
see also Easter egg, Scotch egg
3. countable (in women and female animals) a cell that combines with a sperm to create a baby or young animal
Syn: ovum
• The male sperm fertilizes the female egg.
• an egg donor
see also nest egg
more at a chicken-and-egg situation, problem, etc. at chicken n., the curate's egg at curate, kill the goose that lays the golden eggs at kill v., you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs at omelette, sure as eggs is eggs at sure adv., teach your grandmother to suck eggs at teach
Word Origin:
n. Middle English ey Old English ǣg Old Norse
v. Middle English Old Norse eggja ‘incite’
Collocations:
The living world
Animals
animals mate/breed/reproduce/feed (on sth)
fish/amphibians swim/spawn (= lay eggs)
birds fly/migrate/nest/sing
insects crawl/fly/bite/sting
insects/bees/locusts swarm
bees collect/gather nectar/pollen
spiders spin/weave a web
snakes/lizards shed their skins
bears/hedgehogs/frogs hibernate
insect larvae grow/develop/pupate
an egg/a chick/a larva hatches
attract/find/choose a mate
produce/release eggs/sperm
lay/fertilize/incubate/hatch eggs
inhabit a forest/a reef/the coast
mark/enter/defend (a) territory
stalk/hunt/capture/catch/kill prey
Plants and fungi
trees/plants grow/bloom/blossom/flower
a seed germinates/sprouts
leaves/buds/roots/shoots appear/develop/form
flower buds swell/open
a fungus grows/spreads/colonizes sth
pollinate/fertilize a flower/plant
produce/release/spread/disperse pollen/seeds/spores
produce/bear fruit
develop/grow/form roots/shoots/leaves
provide/supply/absorb/extract/release nutrients
perform/increase/reduce photosynthesis
Bacteria and viruses
bacteria/microbes/viruses grow/spread/multiply
bacteria/microbes live/thrive in/on sth
bacteria/microbes/viruses evolve/colonize sth/cause disease
bacteria break sth down/convert sth (into sth)
a virus enters/invades sth/the body
a virus mutates/evolves/replicates (itself)
be infected with/contaminated with/exposed to a new strain of a virus/drug-resistant bacteria
contain/carry/harbour (especially US) harbor bacteria/a virus
kill/destroy/eliminate harmful/deadly bacteria
Example Bank:
• Brush the pastry with a little beaten egg.
• Crack two eggs into the mixture.
• Many reptiles bury their eggs.
• Many women conceive through the use of a donor egg.
• Only one sperm fertilizes an egg.
• Separate the eggs, putting the whites to one side.
• She lays a clutch of four eggs on average.
• The males stay and guard the eggs.
• We're just decorating eggs for the egg hunt.
• a breakfast of bacon and eggs
Idioms: good egg ▪ have egg on over your face ▪ put all your eggs in one basket
Derived: egg somebody on
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
egg / eɡ / noun (FOOD)
A1 [ C or U ] the oval object with a hard shell that is produced by female birds, especially chickens, eaten as food:
a hard-boiled/soft-boiled egg
How do you like your eggs - fried or boiled?
[ C ] an object that is made in the shape of a bird's egg:
a chocolate/marble egg
egg / eɡ / noun (REPRODUCTION)
B2 [ C ] an oval object, often with a hard shell, that is produced by female birds and particular reptiles and insects, and contains a baby animal that comes out when it is developed:
The cuckoo lays her egg in another bird's nest.
After fourteen days the eggs hatch .
[ C ] a cell produced by a woman or female animal from which a baby can develop if it combines with a male sex cell:
Identical twins develop from a single fertilized egg that then splits into two.
© Cambridge University Press 2013
egg
[e̱g]
♦♦
eggs, egging, egged
1) N-COUNT An egg is an oval object that is produced by a female bird and which contains a baby bird. Other animals such as reptiles and fish also lay eggs.
...a baby bird hatching from its egg.
...ant eggs.
2) N-VAR In Western countries, eggs often means hen's eggs, eaten as food.
Break the eggs into a shallow bowl and beat them lightly.
...bacon and eggs.
3) N-COUNT: usu supp N Egg is used to refer to an object in the shape of a hen's egg.
...a chocolate egg.
4) N-COUNT An egg is a cell that is produced in the bodies of female animals and humans. If it is fertilized by a sperm, a baby develops from it.
It only takes one sperm to fertilize an egg.
5) → See also Easter egg, nest egg, Scotch egg
6) PHRASE: usu v PHR If someone puts all their eggs in one basket, they put all their effort or resources into doing one thing so that, if it fails, they have no alternatives left.
The key word here is diversify; don't put all your eggs in one basket.
7) PHRASE: face inflects, have/with PHR If someone has egg on their face or has egg all over their face, they have been made to look foolish.
If they take this game lightly they could end up with egg on their faces.
8) a chicken and egg situation
the goose that lay the golden egg
Phrasal Verbs:
- egg on
1egg /ˈɛg/ noun, pl eggs
1 [count] : a hard-shelled oval thing from which a young bird is born
• The egg will hatch about 10 days after it is laid. also; : an oval or round thing from which a snake, frog, insect, etc., is born
2 : the egg of a bird (especially a chicken) eaten as food
[count]
• poached/fried/boiled eggs
• hard-boiled/soft-boiled eggs
• the smell of rotten eggs
• (US) scrambled eggs
• I bought a carton of eggs.
• (US) They served us bacon and eggs for breakfast. = (Brit) They served us eggs and bacon for breakfast.
• an Easter egg [=an egg that is specially decorated at Easter]
[noncount]
• (Brit) scrambled egg
• a batter made from flour and egg
• egg white(s)/yolk
3 [count] biology : a cell that is produced by the female sexual organs and that combines with the male's sperm in reproduction
• The egg is fertilized by the sperm.
- called also ovum,
4 [count] : something that is shaped like a bird's egg
• a chocolate egg
bad egg informal + somewhat old-fashioned : someone who does bad things
• He was dishonest, but he was the only bad egg in the group.
curate's egg
egg on your face
✦If you have egg on your face you appear foolish, usually because something that you said would happen has not happened.
• The unexpected election result left a lot of journalists with egg on their faces.
good egg informal + somewhat old-fashioned : a likeable person
• I've known Jim for years. He's a good egg.
lay an egg US informal : to fail completely : to fail in a very obvious or embarrassing way
• He used to be a very popular star, but his last two movies have laid an egg.
put all your eggs in one basket
✦If you put all your eggs in one basket, you risk all you have on the success or failure of one thing (such as an investment), so that if something goes wrong you could lose everything.
• Investors should diversify their investments instead of putting all their eggs in one basket. [=instead of investing all their money in one company or one kind of company]
the goose that lays the golden egg
walk on egg
A woman who serves food and drink at the tables in a restaurant
The waitress do her job well.
waitress
noun (plural waitresses)
a woman who brings food and drink to your table in a restaurant
waitress
wait‧ress /ˈweɪtrəs, ˈweɪtrɪs/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
a woman who serves food and drink at the tables in a restaurant
waiter
wait·er [waiter waiters] [ˈweɪtə(r)] [ˈweɪtər] (feminine wait·ress) noun
a person whose job is to serve customers at their tables in a restaurant, etc
• I'll ask the waitress for the bill.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
waitress / weɪ.trəs / noun [ C ]
A1 a woman whose job is to bring the food to customers at their tables in a restaurant
© Cambridge University Press 2013
waitress
/weɪtrəs/
(waitresses, waitressing, waitressed)
1.
A waitress is a woman who works in a restaurant, serving people with food and drink.
N-COUNT
waitress
wait·ress /ˈweɪtrəs/ noun, pl -ress·es [count] : a woman who serves food or drinks to people in a restaurant
