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wildlife
US
/ˈwaɪld.laɪf/
UK
/ˈwaɪld.laɪf/
animals, birds, and plants that live in natural conditions
Persian equivalent:
Example:
laws to protect wildlife and their habitats
animals, birds, and plants that live in natural conditions
laws to protect wildlife and their habitats
wildlife
wild‧life /ˈwaɪldlaɪf/ noun [uncountable]
animals and plants growing in natural conditions:
• measures to protect the area’s wildlife
• the destruction of wildlife habitats
wildlife
wild·life[wildlife] [ˈwaɪldlaɪf] [ˈwaɪldlaɪf]noununcountable
animals, birds, insects, etc. that are wild and live in a natural environment
• Development of the area would endanger wildlife.
• a wildlife habitat/sanctuary
Example Bank:
• The bacteria pose a real threat to wildlife.
• The forest is home to a wealth of wildlife.
• The increasing use of pesticides threatens the wildlife of the area.
• The large variety of native plants attracts wildlife to the area.
• The local fish and wildlife population may be lost forever.
• The school has its own small wildlife garden.
• They called on the government to help protect native wildlife.
• data compiled by US and Canadian wildlife agencies
• federal and state wildlife officials
• the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Reserve in Texas
• the illegal wildlife trade
• wildlife corridors that tigers use to travel between reserves
• The area is an important wildlife habitat.
wildlife
wildlife /ˈwaɪld.laɪf/
noun [U]
animals and plants that grow independently of people, usually in natural conditions:
a documentary on Peruvian wildlife
wildlife groups/conservation
wildlife
[wa͟ɪldlaɪf]
N-UNCOUNT
You can use wildlife to refer to the animals and other living things that live in the wild.
People were concerned that pets or wildlife could be affected by the pesticides.
an activity in which people make beautiful objects using their hands
Her hobbies are music, reading and handicraft.
handicraft
hand‧i‧craft /ˈhændikrɑːft $ -kræft/ (also craft) noun [countable usually plural]
[Date: 1200-1300; Origin: handcraft 'handicraft' (10-21 centuries), on the model of handiwork]
1. an activity such as sewing or making baskets, in which you use your hands in a skilful way to make things
2. something that someone has made in a skilful way using their hands:
a shop selling handicrafts
handicraft
han·di·craft[handicrafthandicrafts] [ˈhændikrɑːft] [ˈhændikræft](NAmE alsohand·craft) nouncountable, usually plural, uncountable
1. activities such as sewing and making cloth that use skill with your hands and artistic ability to make things
• to teach handicrafts
• Her hobbies are music, reading and handicraft.
2. things made in this way
• traditional handicrafts bought by tourists
See also: handcraft
Word Origin:
Middle English: alteration of handcraft, on the pattern of handiwork.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
handicraft / ˈhæn.dɪ.krɑːft / / -kræft / noun [ C usually plural ]
a skilled activity in which something is made in a traditional way with the hands rather than being produced by machines in a factory, or an object made by such an activity
© Cambridge University Press 2013
handicraft
[hæ̱ndikrɑːft, -kræft]
handicrafts
1) N-COUNT: usu pl Handicrafts are activities such as embroidery and pottery which involve making things with your hands in a skilful way.
2) N-COUNT: usu pl Handicrafts are the objects that are produced by people doing handicrafts.
She sells handicrafts to the tourists.
a CD, record, or cassette with several songs or pieces of music on it
release a new album
album
al‧bum S3 W3 /ˈælbəm/ noun [countable]
[Date: 1600-1700; Language: Latin; Origin: 'unused surface for writing on', from albus 'white']
1. a group of songs or pieces of music on a CD, tape etc:
• The band plan to release their new album next week.
2. a book that you put photographs, stamps etc in:
• a photograph album
album
album[albumalbums] [ˈælbəm] [ˈælbəm]noun
1. a book in which you keep photographs, stamps, etc
• a photo album
• an online album (= a website where you can store and view photographs)
2. a collection of pieces of music released as a single item, usually on a CD, cassette, or on the Internet
• the band's latest album
• an online album (= an album that you can listen to on the Internet)
compare single
Word Origin:
early 17th cent.: from Latin, neuter of albus ‘white’ used as a noun meaning a blank tablet. Taken into English from the German use of the Latin phrase album amicorum ‘album of friends’ (a blank book in which autographs, drawings, poems, etc. were collected), it was originally used consciously as a Latin word.
Collocations:
Music
Listening
listen to/enjoy/love/be into music/classical music/jazz/pop/hip-hop, etc.
listen to the radio/an MP3 player/a CD
put on/play a CD/a song/some music
turn down/up the music/radio/volume/bass
go to a concert/festival/gig/performance/recital
copy/burn/rip music/a CD/a DVD
download music/an album/a song/a demo/a video
Playing
play a musical instrument/the piano/percussion/a note/a riff/the melody/a concerto/a duet/by ear
sing an anthem/a ballad/a solo/an aria/the blues/in a choir/soprano/alto/tenor/bass/out of tune
hum a tune/a theme tune/a lullaby
accompany a singer/choir
strum a chord/guitar
Performing
form/start/get together/join/quit/leave a band
give a performance/concert/recital
do a concert/recital/gig
play a concert/gig/festival/venue
perform (BrE) at/in a concert/(especially NAmE) a concert
appear at a festival/live
go on/embark on a (world) tour
Recording
write/compose music/a ballad/a melody/a tune/a song/a theme song/an opera/a symphony
land/get/sign a record deal
be signed to/be dropped by a record company
record/release/put out an album/a single/a CD
be top of/top the charts
get to/go straight to/go straight in at/enter the charts at number one
Example Bank:
• His latest album comes out in the spring.
• I keep the photographs in an album.
• It's the singer's first solo album.
• She has not put out a new album this year.
• The band is working on a concept album about Nostradamus.
• The singer recorded her second album in Los Angeles.
• Their best-selling album has won three awards.
• Their new album has been getting good reviews.
• You can download an entire album with a click of a mouse.
album
album (BOOK) /ˈæl.bəm/
noun [C]
a book with plain pages, typically used for collecting together and protecting stamps or photographs:
a stamp/photograph album
We've put the best wedding photos into an album.
album (MUSIC) /ˈæl.bəm/
noun [C]
a CD or record, etc. that has several pieces of music on it:
Have you heard their new album?
album
[æ̱lbəm]
albums
1) N-COUNT An album is a record with about 25 minutes of music on each side. You can also refer to a collection of songs that is available on a record, cassette, or CD as an album.
Chris likes music and has a large collection of albums and cassettes.
Syn:
LP
2) N-COUNT: oft n N An album is a book in which you keep things such as photographs or stamps that you have collected.
Theresa showed me her photo album.
a piece of music with words that you sing
folk songs
song
song S1 W2 /sɒŋ $ sɒːŋ/ noun
[Language: Old English; Origin: sang]
1. MUSIC WITH WORDS
a) [countable] a short piece of music with words that you sing:
• We used to listen to pop songs on the radio.
• They sat round with guitars, singing songs.
b) [uncountable] songs in general:
• The bravery of past warriors was celebrated in song.
2. BIRDS [uncountable and countable] the musical sounds made by birds and some other animals such as whales:
• the song of the lark
3. for a song very cheaply:
• He bought the house for a song five years ago.
4. a song and dance (about something) informal
a) British English if you make a song and dance about something, you behave as if it was worse, more important, more difficult etc than it really is:
• Suzy was there, making a song and dance about her aching feet.
b) American English an explanation or excuse that is too long and complicated:
• She gave us a long song and dance about why she was late. ⇨ swansong
• • •
COLLOCATIONS■ verbs
▪ sing a song • He started singing a little song.
▪ play a song (=with singing and musical instruments) • The band played a lot of their old songs.
▪ perform a song (=in public) • He doesn’t like performing his songs live.
▪ write/compose a song • Do they write their own songs?
▪ record a song (=onto a CD so that it can be sold) • The song was first recorded in 1982.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + song
▪ good/great • That’s a great song!
▪ new • Are any of the songs on the album new?
▪ old • People always want to hear their old songs.
▪ a pop/folk song • I love all those '60s pop songs.
▪ a popular song (=used mainly of songs written before the 1960s) • a popular song from the 1930s
▪ a love song • He is releasing an album of love songs for Valentine’s Day.
▪ a protest song • They were singing old protest songs from the 1960s.
▪ a Beatles/REM etc song • Can you play any Beatles songs?
■ phrases
▪ burst/break into song (=start singing) • The crowd spontaneously burst into song.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ song a short piece of music with words that you sing: • We sang songs around the campfire. | • The song was written by John Lennon.
▪ track one of the songs on a CD or record: • Track three is my favourite one.
▪ number a song that forms part of a performance of several songs: • The show was brilliant, from the opening number to the end.
▪ tune the notes in a song, without the words: • I recognize the tune, but I can’t remember what it’s called.
▪ melody the main series of notes in a piece of music that has several parts which are played together: • The song has a simple melody and beautiful lyrics.
▪ verse a set of sentences that make up one part of a song: • She sang the first verse of ‘Amazing Grace’.
▪ chorus a set of sentences in a song that is repeated after each verse: • Most of the kids were able to join in the chorus.
■ types of song
▪ national anthem the official song of a country, which is sung or played on public occasions: • Before the match, everyone stood up to sing the national anthem.
▪ hymn /hɪm/ a religious song that is sung in a church: • What hymns did you choose for your wedding? | • At funerals people often sing the hymn ‘Abide with Me’.
▪ carol a traditional Christmas song: • We went around the houses, singing carols.
▪ folk song a traditional song from a particular area: • an old Mexican folk song
▪ ballad a long folk song which tells a story: • a traditional ballad about a man who is dreaming of his home in Ireland
▪ lullaby a slow quiet song sung to children to make them go to sleep: • She sat by the child’s bed, softly singing a lullaby.
song
song[songsongs] [sɒŋ] [sɔːŋ]noun
1. countable a short piece of music with words that you sing
• a folk/love/pop, etc. song
• We sang a song together.
• She taught us the words of a French song.
see also swansong
2. uncountable songs in general; music for singing
• The story is told through song and dance.
• Suddenly he burst into song (= started to sing).
• Their voices were raised in song.
see also plainsong
3. uncountable, countable the musical sounds that birds make
• the song of the blackbird
more at sing from the same hymn/song sheet at sing v.
Idioms: for a song ▪ on song ▪ song and dance
Word Origin:
Old English sang, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch zang and German Sang, also to sing.
Thesaurus:
song noun C
• She sang her favourite song.
track • • tune • • melody • • theme • • number •
a song/track/tune/melody/theme/number by sb
sing a song/tune/number
play a song/track/tune/melody/theme/number
record a song/track/theme
Collocations:
Music
Listening
listen to/enjoy/love/be into music/classical music/jazz/pop/hip-hop, etc.
listen to the radio/an MP3 player/a CD
put on/play a CD/a song/some music
turn down/up the music/radio/volume/bass
go to a concert/festival/gig/performance/recital
copy/burn/rip music/a CD/a DVD
download music/an album/a song/a demo/a video
Playing
play a musical instrument/the piano/percussion/a note/a riff/the melody/a concerto/a duet/by ear
sing an anthem/a ballad/a solo/an aria/the blues/in a choir/soprano/alto/tenor/bass/out of tune
hum a tune/a theme tune/a lullaby
accompany a singer/choir
strum a chord/guitar
Performing
form/start/get together/join/quit/leave a band
give a performance/concert/recital
do a concert/recital/gig
play a concert/gig/festival/venue
perform (BrE) at/in a concert/(especially NAmE) a concert
appear at a festival/live
go on/embark on a (world) tour
Recording
write/compose music/a ballad/a melody/a tune/a song/a theme song/an opera/a symphony
land/get/sign a record deal
be signed to/be dropped by a record company
record/release/put out an album/a single/a CD
be top of/top the charts
get to/go straight to/go straight in at/enter the charts at number one
Example Bank:
• A rap song came on the radio.
• After a few drinks, they were all singing bawdy songs at the top of their voices.
• He had a string of hit songs in the 1970s.
• He heard voices raised in song.
• He released an album of cover songs.
• He strummed a couple of chords on the guitar and they all burst into song.
• How does the song go?
• I downloaded a song from the Internet.
• Important historical events were commemorated in song.
• People can become vulnerable to the siren song of extremism.
• She closed the concert by singing her signature song.
• Sing us a song, Susanna!
• The band were still playing slow songs.
• The old songs sound like Gregorian chants.
• They continue to sing the same old song they have been singing for years.
• They performed another two songs as encores.
• a Hungarian folk song
• a protest song written in the sixties
• a song about love
• a song called ‘Mona Lisa’
• an Irish folk song
• emotional ballads and heartfelt torch songs
• the theme song from ‘The Godfather’
• the title song from the Beatles' album ‘Help!’
• Suddenly he burst into song.
• a love/pop/popular song
song
song /sɒŋ/ US /sɑːŋ/
noun
1 [C] a usually short piece of music with words which are sung:
to sing a song
a love/folk/pop song
See also swansong.
2 [U] the act of singing, or singing when considered generally:
He was so happy he wanted to burst/break into song (= start singing).
3 [C or U] the musical sound that a bird makes:
bird song
A thrush's song was the only sound to break the silence.
song
[sɒ̱ŋ, AM sɔ͟ːŋ]
songs
1) N-COUNT A song is words and music sung together.
...a voice singing a Spanish song.
...a love song.
2) N-UNCOUNT Song is the art of singing.
...dance, music, mime and song.
...the history of American popular song.
3) N-COUNT A bird's song is the pleasant, musical sounds that it makes.
It's been a long time since I heard a blackbird's song in the evening.
4) → See also birdsong, song and dance, songbird, swan song
5) PHRASE: V inflects If someone bursts into song or breaks into song, they start singing.
I feel as if I should break into song.
6) PHRASE: after v If you buy something for a song, you buy it for much less than its real value. [INFORMAL]
We found two second-hand chairs that were going for a song.
7) PHRASE: usu v-link PHR Journalists sometimes describe sports players as being on song when they are playing really well. [BRIT]
Ward is not the most consistent of players, but when he is on song he looks a world-beater.
Syn:
on form
a group of people who have come to a place to see or hear a film, performance, speech etc. The people who watch a sports match or other large event are usually called spectators or crowd Audience can be followed by a singular or plural verb
The audience liked his speech.
audience
au‧di‧ence S2 W2 /ˈɔːdiəns $ ˈɒː-, ˈɑː-/ noun
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: French; Origin: Latin audientia 'hearing', from audire; ⇨ audio]
1. [countable also + plural verb] British English a group of people who come to watch and listen to someone speaking or performing in public:
• The audience began clapping and cheering.
audience of
• an audience of 250 business people
• One member of the audience described the opera as ‘boring’.
2. [countable also + plural verb] British English the people who watch or listen to a particular programme, or who see or hear a particular artist’s, writer’s etc work:
• The show attracts a regular audience of about 20 million.
target audience (=the type of people that a programme, advertisement etc is supposed to attract)
• Goya was one of the first painters to look for a wider audience for his work.
• The book is not intended for a purely academic audience.
3. [countable] a formal meeting with a very important person
audience with
• He was granted an audience with the Pope.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS(for Meaning 1)■ verbs
▪ perform/play to an audience • The band played to huge audiences in Mexico City and Buenos Aires.
▪ an audience laughs • He has the ability to make an audience laugh.
▪ an audience claps • Most of the audience clapped but a few people jeered.
▪ an audience cheers • The audience cheered loudly when he came on stage.
▪ the audience boos • She swore at the audience and they began to boo her.
■ adjectives
▪ a capacity/packed audience (=the largest number of people who can fit into a hall, theatre etc) • The lecture attracted a capacity audience.
▪ an enthusiastic audience • They drew enthusiastic audiences at Europe's biggest rock festival.
■ NOUN + audience
▪ stadium audiences • Celine Dion's tour continues to play to sold-out stadium audiences across Europe.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS(for Meaning 2)■ verbs
▪ have an audience • The programme has a massive audience, ranging from children to grandparents.
▪ attract an audience (=make people want to watch) • The first show attracted a television audience of more than 2 million.
▪ reach an audience • For an advertiser who wants to reach a large audience, television news easily surpasses other news media.
▪ appeal to an audience (=be interesting to them) • They brought new fashions into their designs to appeal to a wider audience.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + audience
▪ a large/huge etc audience • Messages posted on the Internet can attract a huge audience.
▪ a wide audience • an author who commands a wide audience
▪ a worldwide audience • The game has an ever-increasing worldwide audience.
▪ a young/teenage audience • a magazine with a young audience
▪ an older audience • The programme mainly appeals to an older audience.
▪ a mass audience (=a very large number of people) • Radio brought entertainment to a mass audience.
▪ a television audience (=all the people who watch or listen to a particular programme) • Nearly half the UK television audience watched the programme last Tuesday.
▪ the target audience (=the type of people a programme etc aims to attract) • The target audience is mostly men aged 28 to 35.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ interview a meeting in which someone is asked questions, to find out if they are suitable for a job, or to help the police find out about a crime. Also used about someone being asked questions on TV, in a newspaper, in a magazine etc: • I’ve got another job interview tomorrow. | • Since the police interview, she had changed her statement. | • an interview with Keith Richards
▪ interrogation an occasion when someone is asked a lot of questions for a long time in order to get information, sometimes using threats, usually by the police or the army: • He claims he was tortured during his interrogation. | • Police interrogation methods have been questioned.
▪ cross-examination an occasion when someone is asked questions about what they have just said, in order to see if they are telling the truth, especially in a court of law: • Under cross-examination, the only witness said she could not be sure about what she saw.
▪ consultation a meeting with a doctor or an expert to discuss treatment or to get advice: • The therapist charges $100 for a half hour consultation. | • Would you like to come back for another consultation?
▪ audience a formal meeting with a very important person: • He was granted an audience with the Pope.
audience
audi·ence[audienceaudiences] [ˈɔːdiəns] [ˈɔːdiəns]noun
1. countable + singular or plural verb the group of people who have gathered to watch or listen to sth (a play, concert, sb speaking, etc.)
• The audience was/were clapping for 10 minutes.
• an audience of 10 000
• The debate was televised in front of a live audience.
2. countable a number of people or a particular group of people who watch, read or listen to the same thing
• An audience of millions watched the wedding on TV.
• TV/cinema/movie audiences
• His book reached an even wider audience when it was made into a movie.
• The target audience for this advertisement was mainly teenagers.
3. countable a formal meeting with an important person
• an audience with the Pope
Word Origin:
late Middle English: from Old French, from Latin audientia, from audire ‘hear’.
Thesaurus:
audience noun
1. C+sing./pl. v.
• An audience of millions watched the match.
viewers • • spectators • • listeners •
in front of/before an audience/spectators
attract the audience/viewers/spectators/listeners
a/an audience/viewer/spectator sees/watches sb/sth
2. C
• The target audience was mainly teenagers.
market • • public • • clientele •
a/an audience/market for sth
reach a/an audience/market/wide public
attract/build up a/an audience/market/clientele
Synonyms:
interview
interrogation • audience • consultation
These are all words for a meeting or occasion when sb is asked for information, opinions or advice.
interview • a formal meeting at which sb is asked questions, for example, to see if they are suitable for a particular job or course of study, or in order to find out their opinions about sth: ▪ a job interview
interrogation • the process of asking sb a lot of questions, especially in an aggressive way, in order to get information; an occasion on which this is done: ▪ He confessed after four days ▪ under interrogation ▪.
audience • a formal meeting with an important person: ▪ The Pope granted her a private audience.
consultation • a meeting with an expert, especially a doctor, to get advice or treatment.
an in-depth interview/consultation
a police interview/interrogation
to have/request a(n) interview/audience/consultation with sb
to give/grant sb a(n) interview/audience/consultation
to carry out/conduct an interview/interrogation
Example Bank:
• He prefers playing to live audiences.
• He sought a private audience with the Queen.
• He was trying to convince his audience of his seriousness.
• His core audience is over the age of 35.
• Most movies are designed to appeal to a mainstream audience.
• She regales her audience with funny stories.
• She sought a private audience with the Japanese emperor.
• Some scenes in the movie risk alienating a female audience.
• Such a well-known politician should draw a big audience.
• The Pope granted him an audience.
• The audience cheered loudly.
• The audience roared with laughter.
• The audience was visibly moved.
• The film has thrilled audiences throughout the country.
• The museum is trying to attract a wider audience.
• These artists remain relatively unknown to Western audiences.
• We want to reach a target audience that's younger in age.
• We want to reach a younger target audience.
• Cinema audiences would be more accepting of this sort of advertising.
• The Pope granted her a private audience.
• The audience was clapping for 10 minutes.
• The debate was televised in front of a live audience.
• We played in front of a capacity audience of 15 000.
audience
audience (FORMAL MEETING) /ˈɔː.di.ənts/ US /ˈɑː-/
noun [C]
a formal meeting that you have with an important person:
She had a private audience with the king.
audience (GROUP OF PEOPLE) /ˈɔː.di.ənts/ US /ˈɑː-/
group noun [C]
the group of people gathered in one place to watch or listen to a play, film, someone speaking, etc., or the (number of) people watching or listening to a particular television or radio programme, or reading a particular book:
She lectures to audiences all over the world.
The secret to public speaking is to get the audience on your side.
The audience was/were clearly delighted with the performance.
The magic show had a lot of audience participation, with people shouting things to the performers and going up on stage.
The television company has lost a large part of its audience (= the group of people who watch its programmes) since it changed its programming.
Her latest book should appeal to a large audience (= many people will want to read it).
audience
[ɔ͟ːdiəns]
audiences
1) N-COUNT-COLL The audience at a play, concert, film, or public meeting is the group of people watching or listening to it.
The entire audience broke into loud applause...
He was speaking to an audience of students at the Institute for International Affairs.
2) N-COUNT-COLL: usu with supp The audience for a television or radio programme consists of all the people who watch or listen to it.
→ See also studio audience
The concert will be relayed to a worldwide television audience estimated at one thousand million.
3) N-COUNT-COLL: usu sing The audience of a writer or artist is the people who read their books or look at their work.
Say's writings reached a wide audience during his lifetime...
She began to find a receptive audience for her work.
4) N-COUNT: usu sing, oft N with n If you have an audience with someone important, you have a formal meeting with them.
The Prime Minister will seek an audience with the Queen later this morning.
One certainly hopes to gain a little wisdom as one grows older.
the ability to make good decisions based on knowledge and experience
Ensuing events proved the wisdom of his action.
wisdom
noun (no plural)
knowing and understanding a lot about many things:
Some people think that old age brings wisdom.
The adjective is wise.
wisdom
wis‧dom /ˈwɪzdəm/ noun [uncountable]
[Language: Old English; Origin: wis; ⇨ wise1]
1. good sense and judgment, based especially on your experience of life:
• a man of great wisdom
question/doubt the wisdom of (doing) something
• Local people are questioning the wisdom of spending so much money on a new road.
• You can always expect a few words of wisdom from Dave. ⇨ pearls of wisdom at pearl(3)
2. knowledge gained over a long period of time through learning or experience:
• the collected wisdom of many centuries
3. (the) conventional/received/traditional etc wisdom a belief or opinion that most people have:
• The conventional wisdom is that boys mature more slowly than girls.
4. in sb’s (infinite) wisdom humorous used to say that you do not understand why someone has decided to do something:
• The boss, in her infinite wisdom, has decided to reorganize the whole office yet again.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ knowledge the facts and information that you have learned, and the understanding you have gained: • Our knowledge of other cultures and societies has improved. | • scientific knowledge
▪ expertise special knowledge about how to do something, that you get through experience, training, or study: • The technical expertise was provided by a Japanese company. | • They need people with medical expertise.
▪ know-how practical knowledge about how to do something: • Business leaders often lack the local know-how to tackle problems in specific countries. | • financial know-how
▪ wisdom good sense and judgment, based on knowledge and experience: • the wisdom of the older family members | • It’s a matter of common wisdom that newspapers cannot be trusted.
▪ grasp how much you know about a situation or subject, and how well you understand it: • He’s been praised for his grasp of the country’s economic problems. | • She has a good grasp of the language.
wisdom
wis·dom[wisdomwisdoms] [ˈwɪzdəm] [ˈwɪzdəm]noununcountable
1. the ability to make sensible decisions and give good advice because of the experience and knowledge that you have
• a woman of great wisdom
• words of wisdom
2. ~ of sth/of doing sth how sensible sth is
• I question the wisdom of giving a child so much money.
3. the knowledge that a society or culture has gained over a long period of time
• the collective wisdom of the Native American people
more at pearl of wisdom at pearl
Idioms: in his wisdom ▪ received wisdom
Word Origin:
Old English wīsdōm (see wise, -dom).
Example Bank:
• Consultants are too often seen as the source of all wisdom.
• Contrary to conventional wisdom, stress is not a bad thing.
• Conventional wisdom has it that higher oil prices are bad for economic growth.
• Do you have any wisdom to impart on this subject?
• He entertained the audience for two hours with his wit and wisdom.
• He is too lacking in worldly wisdom to be a politician.
• His journals are full of dubious pearls of homespun wisdom.
• In their infinite wisdom, the council closed the swimming pool for the school holidays.
• In their infinite wisdom, they closed the swimming pool at the busiest time of year.
• It's easy enough to see what we should have done, with the wisdom of hindsight.
• Many commentators doubted the political wisdom of introducing a new tax.
• Popular wisdom dictates that a father is essential in raising a son.
• She devoted her life to the pursuit of wisdom.
• The former world champion imparted a few words of wisdom to the young runners.
• The latest unemployment figures prove the wisdom of the government's policy.
• The received wisdom is that the book is always better than the film.
• Those who seek wisdom at the shrine will find it.
• students eager to catch pearls of wisdom from the professor's lips
• the accumulated wisdom of generations
• All the religions of the past contain vast amounts of wisdom that can be of service to mankind.
• Children need to feel that their parents are in control; they don't have the experience or wisdom to know best.
• Conventional wisdom has it that all sense of community has gone, but that is not the case where I live.
• Do you have any more words of wisdom for us?
• He was known to be a man of great wisdom.
• I was not quite so lacking in worldly wisdom as to accept this invitation from a complete stranger.
• I would hardly regard him as a fount/source of all wisdom.
• In their infinite wisdom they have decided to close the main road during the holiday season.
• Native American wisdom was passed on from generation to generation.
• Several people questioned the wisdom of building in that particular spot.
• The monks dedicate their lives to prayer and the pursuit of wisdom.
• They would go to the holy shrines to seek wisdom.
• They would treat these pearls of wisdom with some scepticism.
• We need to combine ancient wisdom and modern knowledge.
• You cannot just ignore the accumulated wisdom of a whole culture.
wisdom / ˈwɪz.dəm / noun [ U ]
B2 the ability to use your knowledge and experience to make good decisions and judgments:
One certainly hopes to gain a little wisdom as one grows older.
He's got a weekly radio programme in which he dispenses wisdom (= gives his opinions) on a variety of subjects.
I tend to doubt the wisdom of separating a child from its family whatever the circumstances.
Did we ever stop to question the wisdom of going to war?
Before I went off to university my father gave me a few words of wisdom.
Conventional/Received/Popular wisdom has it (= most people think) that women are more emotional than men, but in my experience it often isn't the case.
wisdom
[wɪ̱zdəm]
wisdoms
1) N-UNCOUNT Wisdom is the ability to use your experience and knowledge in order to make sensible decisions or judgements.
...the patience and wisdom that comes from old age.
...a great man, who spoke words of great wisdom.
2) N-VAR Wisdom is the store of knowledge that a society or culture has collected over a long period of time.
...a folksy piece of wisdom.
...this church's original Semitic wisdom, religion and faith.
...a simpler and more humane approach, based on ancient wisdoms and `natural' mechanisms.
3) N-SING: the N of n/-ing If you talk about the wisdom of a particular decision or action, you are talking about how sensible it is.
Many Lithuanians have expressed doubts about the wisdom of the decision.
4) N-VAR: supp N You can use wisdom to refer to ideas that are accepted by a large number of people.
Health education wisdom in the UK differs from that of the United States...
Unchallenged wisdoms flow swiftly among the middle classes.
●
PHRASE: N inflects The conventional wisdom about something is the generally accepted view of it.
...the conventional wisdom that soccer is a minor sport in America.
wisdom
wis·dom /ˈwɪzdəm/ noun [noncount]
1 a : knowledge that is gained by having many experiences in life
• She has gained a lot of wisdom over the years.
b : the natural ability to understand things that most other people cannot understand
• a young person of great wisdom
c : knowledge of what is proper or reasonable
• He had the wisdom to stop before he said too much. : good sense or judgment
• I fail to see the wisdom in doing that.
2 : advice or information given to a person
• folk/divine wisdom
• He shared a valuable bit of wisdom with his daughter.
• These stories offer plenty of wisdom to readers.
- see also conventional wisdom
in someone's (infinite) wisdom
- used in an ironic way to say that someone has made a foolish choice or decision
• He decided, in his infinite wisdom, that it would be better to sell the house than to keep it.
pearls of wisdom
- see pearl
Brahms' violin concert
a musical instrument that you hold under your chin and play by pulling a long object called a bow across its strings. Someone who plays a violin is called a violinist
Brahms' violin concerto
violin
noun
a musical instrument that you hold under your chin and play by moving a stick (called a bow) across the strings
violin
vi‧o‧lin /ˌvaɪəˈlɪn/ noun [countable]
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Italian; Origin: violino, from viola; ⇨ viola]
a small wooden musical instrument that you hold under your chin and play by pulling a bow (=special stick) across the strings
violin
vio·lin[violinviolins] [ˌvaɪəˈlɪn] [ˌvaɪəˈlɪn]noun
a musical instrument with strings, that you hold under your chin and play with a bow
• Brahms' violin concerto
compare viola
see also fiddle
Word Origin:
late 16th cent.: from Italian violino, diminutive of viola (see viola).
Example Bank:
• Bach's sonatas and partitas for solo violin
• The cello is a member of the violin family.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
violin / ˌvaɪəˈlɪn / noun [ C ]
violin
A2 a wooden musical instrument with four strings that is held against the neck and played by moving a bow across the strings
© Cambridge University Press 2013
violin
[va͟ɪ͟əlɪ̱n]
violins
N-VAR: oft the N
A violin is a musical instrument. Violins are made of wood and have four strings. You play the violin by holding it under your chin and moving a bow across the strings.
Lizzie used to play the violin.
...the Brahms violin concerto in D.
violin
vi·o·lin /ˌvajəˈlɪn/ noun, pl -lins [count] : a musical instrument that has four strings and that you usually hold against your shoulder under your chin and play with a bow - called also (informal) fiddle;
the Garden of Eden
( US usually yard) a piece of land next to and belonging to a house, where flowers and other plants are grown, and often containing an area of grass
the Garden of Eden
garden
noun
1 (British) (American yard) a piece of land by your house where you can grow flowers, fruit, and vegetables:
Let's have lunch in the garden.
2 gardens (plural) a public park:
Kensington Gardens
>> garden verb (gardens, gardening, gardened ) to work in a garden:
My mother was gardening all weekend.
>> gardening noun (no plural) the work that you do in a garden to keep it looking attractive
garden
I. noun
I. gar‧den1 S1 W1 /ˈɡɑːdn $ ˈɡɑːr-/ noun
[Word Family: noun: garden, gardener, gardening; verb: garden]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old North French; Origin: probably from Vulgar Latin (hortus) gardinus 'enclosed (garden)']
1. [countable] British English the area of land next to a house, where there are flowers, grass, and other plants, and often a place for people to sit SYN yard American English:
• He’s outside in the garden.
• Grace brought us some flowers from her garden.
back/front garden (=at the back or front of the house)
2. [countable] a part of the area next to a house, which has plants and flowers in it:
• The house has a beautiful herb garden.
3. gardens [plural] a large area of land where plants and flowers are grown so that the public can go and see them:
• the Botanical Gardens at Kew
4. Gardens British English used in the name of streets:
• 211 Roland Gardens
⇨ kitchen garden, market garden, ⇨ lead somebody up the garden path at lead1(12)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS(for Meanings 1 & 2)■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + garden
▪ overgrown (=covered with plants that have grown in an uncontrolled way) • The garden is getting rather overgrown.
▪ well-kept/tidy British English (also neat American English) • The hotel is set in a well-kept garden.
▪ untidy • There was a small untidy garden behind the house.
▪ the front garden British English (=at the front of a house) • Their house had a small front garden.
▪ the back garden British English (=behind a house) • The children are playing in the back garden.
▪ a flower/rose garden (=a garden planted with flowers/roses) • The cottage was surrounded by a flower garden.
▪ a kitchen garden British English (=where you grow fruit and vegetables) • The kitchen garden supplies vegetables to the manor house.
▪ a vegetable/herb garden (=where vegetables/herbs are grown) • Rows of lettuces had been sown in the vegetable garden.
▪ a rock garden (=a garden with rocks that have plants growing between them) • She helped me choose plants for the rock garden.
■ verbs
▪ water the garden • It hasn’t rained for a week – I should water the garden.
▪ weed the garden (=remove unwanted wild plants) • She was outside weeding the garden.
▪ plant a garden • They planted a beautiful rose garden in her memory.
■ garden + NOUN
▪ a garden shed (=a small building in the garden for storing tools and equipment) • We keep the lawnmower in the garden shed.
▪ garden tools (=tools that you use for digging, planting etc in the garden) • Choose the right garden tool and you’ll do the job properly.
▪ a garden centre British English, a garden center American English (=a shop selling plants and things for the garden) • I bought the plants at the garden centre.
▪ garden furniture (=chairs and tables used in a garden) • Garden furniture sells well when the weather is warm.
▪ a garden hose (=a long rubber tube used for watering a garden) • He accidentally left the garden hose running.
▪ a garden pond (=a small area of water in a garden) • The garden pond was full of fish.
▪ a garden gnome (=a stone or plastic figure in a garden, which looks like a little old man with a pointed hat) • Somebody had stolen one of their garden gnomes.
▪ the garden gate (= the gate between a garden and the street) • Martin was waiting by the garden gate.
▪ a garden path • Elaine walked up the garden path and into the house.
▪ garden waste (=grass, leaves etc that you have cut and do not want) • The brown bin is for garden waste.
■ phrases
▪ the bottom of the garden British English (=the end of the garden, away from the house) • There was a trampoline at the bottom of the garden.
THESAURUS■ areas and structures in a garden
▪ lawn [countable] an area of short grass in a garden: • They were sitting on the front lawn of the house.
▪ flowerbed [countable] an area of ground where you grow flowers: • The flowerbeds were well maintained.
▪ rockery [countable] British English an area of a garden where there are rocks with small flowers growing between them
▪ hedge [countable] a row of small bushes or trees growing close together, used for dividing one garden from another: • a beech hedge
▪ vegetable patch/plot [countable] (also kitchen garden British English) a part of a garden where you grow vegetables
▪ patio [countable] a flat stone area next to a house, where people sit outside
▪ decking [uncountable] a flat wooden area in a garden, where people can sit
▪ pond [countable] a small area of water in a garden
▪ water feature [countable] a small pool or structure with water running through it, used to make a garden look more attractive
▪ greenhouse [countable] a glass building where you can grow plants that need protection from the weather
▪ shed [countable] a small wooden building in a garden, where you can store things
■ work you do in a garden
▪ cut the grass/mow the lawn to cut grass using a machine: • I need to mow the lawn.
▪ trim a hedge to make a hedge look neater by cutting small pieces off it: • Hedges need to be trimmed regularly in summer.
▪ cut back/prune shrubs to cut pieces off a bush in order to make it grow better: • March is the ideal time for pruning roses.
▪ weed the flowerbeds/do some weeding to remove unwanted plants: • Dad was doing some weeding.
▪ sow seeds to put seeds in the ground: • The children had been sowing sunflower seeds.
▪ plant a plant/tree to put a plant or tree in the ground so that it will grow: • They’d planted a row of cherry trees.
▪ deadhead plants to remove the dead or dying flowers from a plant: • When deadheading roses, make sure you use sharp pruning scissors.
garden
gar·den[gardengardensgardenedgardening]noun,verb [ˈɡɑːdn] [ˈɡɑːrdn]
noun
1. countable (BrE) (NAmE yard) a piece of land next to or around your house where you can grow flowers, fruit, vegetables, etc, usually with a lawn (= an area of grass)
• a front/back garden
• children playing in the garden
• garden flowers/plants
• out in the garden
• a rose garden (= where only roses are grown)
see also kitchen garden, market garden, rock garden, roof garden
2. countable (NAmE) an area in a yard where you grow flowers or plants
3. countable (usually gardens) a public park
• the botanical gardens in Edinburgh
see also zoological garden
4. gardens singular (abbr. Gdns) (BrE) used in the name of streets
• 39 Belvoir Gardens
more at common or garden at common adj., lead sb up/down the garden path at lead1 v.
Word Origin:
Middle English: from Old Northern French gardin, variant of Old French jardin, of Germanic origin; related to yard ‘area outside a building’.
Thesaurus:
garden noun
1. C (BrE)
• They sat in the garden, enjoying the sunshine.
grounds • |AmE yard • • backyard • |BrE park • • parkland •
the front/back garden/yard
(a) beautiful/landscaped garden/grounds/yard/backyard/park/parkland
2. C (especially AmE)
• They planted a garden of woodland plants.
bed • • border • • patch • • kitchen garden • |especially BrE allotment •
a flower/rose garden/bed
a vegetable garden/patch
3. gardens pl.
• The botanical gardens close at 6 p.m.
park • • playground • |especially AmE garden •
visit the gardens/park/garden
Example Bank:
• Maggie unwound the hose and watered the garden.
• Mary's out in the garden.
• Most of the hotel's salads are grown in its own kitchen garden.
• Old Mr Kenyon still keeps a garden.
• She has created a garden out of a wilderness.
• The garden is laid out in 18th-century style.
• The house overlooks the garden.
• These flowers brighten up backyard gardens all over the country.
• They hang out washing in their back gardens.
• We got someone to design the garden for us.
• We got the gravel at our local garden centre.
• We planted the garden with herbs and wild flowers.
• Weekends were spent doing the garden.
• a large country house with beautiful landscaped gardens
• a lovely Victorian walled garden
• a rock garden with an astonishing variety of alpine plants
• aphids, one of the commonest garden pests
• plants suitable for a small town garden
• Ease of cultivation makes it one of the best garden plants.
• They planted a garden of woodland plants that were native to the area.
• They sat in the garden and enjoyed the sunshine.
• a flower/rose/vegetable garden
Idiom: everything in the garden is rosy
Derived Words: gardener ▪ gardening
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
garden / ɡɑ.d ə n / / ɡɑr- / noun
A1 [ C ] ( US usually yard ) a piece of land next to and belonging to a house, where flowers and other plants are grown, and often containing an area of grass:
garden tools/furniture
a garden shed
mainly UK The house has a large back garden, and a small front garden.
C1 [ C usually plural ] a public park with flowers, plants, and places to sit:
the Botanical Gardens
© Cambridge University Press 2013
garden
[gɑ͟ː(r)d(ə)n]
gardens, gardening, gardened
1) N-COUNT In British English, a garden is a piece of land next to a house, with flowers, vegetables, other plants, and often grass. In American English, the usual word is yard, and a garden refers only to land which is used for growing flowers and vegetables.
...the most beautiful garden on Earth.
2) VERB If you garden, you do work in your garden such as weeding or planting.
Jim gardened at the homes of friends on weekends.
Derived words:
gardening N-UNCOUNT I have taken up gardening again.
3) N-PLURAL Gardens are places like a park that have areas of plants, trees, and grass, and that people can visit and walk around.
The Gardens are open from 10.30am until 5pm.
...Kensington Gardens.
4) N-IN-NAMES Gardens is sometimes used as part of the name of a street.
He lives at 9, Acacia Gardens.
1gar·den /ˈgɑɚdn̩/ noun, pl -dens
1 [count] US : an area of ground where plants (such as flowers or vegetables) are grown
• We planted a small garden in our backyard.
• a vegetable/rose garden
• a garden hose/cart/rake/path
• a garden party [=a party that takes place in a garden or in a large yard with gardens]
- see color picture
2 [count] Brit : 1yard 1
• sitting out in the back garden
3 [count] : a public area with many plants and trees
• a botanical/public garden
- often plural
• Kew Gardens
4 [count] US : a large stadium or building for sports or entertainment - used in names
• They went to the hockey game at Madison Square Garden.
5 Gardens [plural] chiefly Brit
- used in street names
• Belsize Gardens
common-or-garden
- see 1common
lead someone down/up the garden path
- see 1lead
air mail
letters, parcels etc that are delivered by the post office every day. The usual British word is post
air mail
(British also post) noun (no plural)
1 the way of sending and receiving letters and packages:
to send a letter by airmail
2 letters and packages that you send or receive:
Is there any mail for me?
Look also at email.
I. mail1 S3 W3 /meɪl/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[Sense 1-3: Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: male 'bag']
[Sense 4: Date: 1200-1300; Language: French; Origin: maille, from Latin macula 'spot, woven threads']
1. the letters and packages that are delivered to you:
You shouldn't read other people's mail.
He found a mountain of mail waiting for him.
She promised to forward my mail to my new address (=send it from your old home or office to your new one).
He gets sacks of fan mail (=letters from people who admire him).
hate mail (=letters from people who hate you)
2. especially American English the system of collecting and delivering letters and packages SYN post British English:
The mail here’s really slow and unreliable.
The product will be sold mainly through the mail.
in the mail
I’ll put the check in the mail tomorrow.
by mail
Did you send the document by mail?
registered/express/first-class etc mail
I sent my application by registered mail.
Most reports are sent via internal mail (=a system of sending documents to people inside the same organization).
3. messages that are sent and received on a computer SYN email:
I check my mail a couple of times a day.
She's just received another mail message from them.
4. ↑armour made of small pieces of metal, worn by soldiers in the Middle Ages
⇨ ↑voice mail
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ send mail Please do not send personal mail to my work address.
▪ get/receive mail Did we get any mail this morning?
▪ the mail comes/arrives The mail had come late that day.
▪ the mail goes (out) (=it leaves an organization to be sent) What time does the mail go out?
▪ read your mail The first thing he did was read his mail.
▪ open your mail She opened her mail as she ate her breakfast.
▪ forward/redirect somebody's mail (=send it to a new address) The post office will forward your mail for a limited time.
▪ deliver the mail The postman had just delivered the mail.
▪ sort mail (=put it into different piles, ready for delivery) Some mail still has to be sorted by hand.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + mail
▪ personal/private mail (=for one person to read and nobody else) He accused her of reading his private mail.
▪ fan mail (=letters from fans) He gets so much fan mail he had to employ a secretary to deal with it.
▪ hate mail (=letters expressing hate) She got threatening phone calls and hate mail.
▪ junk mail (=letters, usually advertisements, that you do not want) I only ever get junk mail and bills.
▪ registered mail (=letters insured against loss or damage) You have to sign for registered mail.
mail [mail mails mailed mailing] noun, verb [meɪl] [meɪl]
noun uncountable
1. (BrE also post) the official system used for sending and delivering letters, packages, etc
• a mail service/train/van
• the Royal Mail
• Your cheque is in the mail.
• We do our business by mail.
see also airmail, snail mail, voicemail
2. (BrE also post) letters, packages, etc. that are sent and delivered
• There isn't much mail today.
• I sat down to open the mail.
• Is there a letter from them in the mail?
• hate mail (= letters containing insults and threats)
see also junk mail, surface mail
3. messages that are sent or received on a computer
• Check regularly for new mail.
see also electronic mail, email
4. used in the title of some newspapers
• the Mail on Sunday
5. = chain mail
• a coat of mail
Word Origin:
Middle English (in the sense ‘travelling bag’): from Old French male ‘wallet’, of West Germanic origin. The sense “by post” dates from the mid 17th cent.
Culture:
postal services
Most letters and packages posted in Britain are dealt with by the Royal Mail, which is part of the Royal Mail Group Ltd, together with Parcelforce, which delivers larger packages, and the Post Office, which manages the country’s many post offices. As well as selling stamps, post offices take in letters and packages that are to be sent by special delivery. Post offices also sell vehicle licences and often greetings cards and stationery. In villages they are often combined with a newsagent’s and general store. In recent years, many smaller post offices have been closed because they do not make a profit, though this often led to protests from local people.
Mail (= letters, bills, etc.) is often called post in British English. When sending a letter, people can choose between two levels of service, first class or the cheaper second class. Normally, first-class mail is delivered the day after it is posted and second-class mail within two or three days. Every address in Britain includes a postcode of letters and numbers, for example OX1 2PX for an address in Oxford, that makes it possible to sort the post by machine. Letters are posted in red postboxes, also called letter boxes. Each has a sign giving times of collections. Postmen and women deliver mail each morning direct to homes and businesses. They put the mail through a flap in the door, which is also called a letter box. In the country they travel round in red vans, but in towns and villages they often ride bicycles.
The system that deals with mail in the US, the US Postal Service (USPS), is an independent part of the government. Its head is the Postmaster General. Mail carriers, sometimes called mailmen though many are women, deliver mail to homes and businesses once a day. Most homes have mailboxes fixed outside, near the door. It is very uncommon for a house to have a letter box in the door for letters. People whose houses are a long way from the road have a special rural mailbox by the road. This has a flag which the mail carrier raises so that the people in the house can see when they have mail. To mail (= send) a letter, people leave it on top of their own mailbox or put it in one of the many blue mailboxes in cities and towns. Every address in the US includes an abbreviation for the name of the state and a ZIP code, which is used to help sort the mail. Post offices sell stamps and deal with mail that has to be insured. Most cities have one post office which stays open late. Americans complain about the Postal Service, but it usually does an efficient job at a reasonable price.
In the US only Postal Service can deliver mail to letter boxes and the Service has a monopoly on first-class mail that is not urgent.In Britain the post office lost its monopoly on delivery of post in 2006. In both countries there are many companies who provide courier and messenger services for urgent mail. The largest of these include FedEx and DHL. In Britain private companies may also deliver mail to letter boxes.
Thesaurus:
mail noun U
• There isn't any mail for you today.
letter • • email • • message • • note • • memo • • fax • • text • |BrE post • |formal correspondence • • communication • • memorandum •
(a/an) mail/letter/email/message/note/memo/fax/text/post/correspondence/communication/memorandum from/to sb
(a) personal/private mail/letter/email/message/note/correspondence/communication
send/receive (a/an) mail/letter/email/message/note/memo/fax/text/post/correspondence/communication/memorandum
British/American:
post / mail
Nouns
In BrE the official system used for sending and delivering letters, parcels/packages, etc. is usually called the post. In NAmE it is usually called the mail: ▪ I’ll put an application form in the post/mail for you today. ◊ ▪ Send your fee by post/mail to this address. Mail is sometimes used in BrE in such expressions as ▪ the Royal Mail. Post occurs in NAmE in such expressions as ▪ the US Postal Service.
In BrE post is also used to mean the letters, parcels/packages, etc. that are delivered to you. Mail is the usual word in NAmE and is sometimes also used in BrE: ▪ Was there any post/mail this morning? ◊ ▪ I sat down to open my post/mail. Verbs
Compare: ▪ I’ll post the letter when I go out. (BrE) and ▪ I’ll mail the letter when I go out. (NAmE)Compounds
Note these words: postman (BrE), mailman/mail carrier (both NAmE); postbox (BrE), mailbox (NAmE) Some compounds are used in both BrE and NAmE: post office, postcard, mail order.
Example Bank:
• Has the mail come yet?
• He has received death threats and hate mail from angry fans.
• I throw away junk mail without reading it.
• I throw junk mail straight in the bin without reading it.
• If we want to send something to another department, we use the internal mail.
• Is there anything interesting in the mail?
• My reply is in the mail.
• Send it by first-class mail.
• She checked her mail before leaving the hotel.
• Some people let their assistants handle the mail.
• The mail carrier didn't deliver the mail on Friday.
• The mail is collected twice a day.
• The postcode allows the mail to be sorted automatically.
• We got the Post Office to redirect our mail when we moved.
• We had our mail redirected when we moved out.
• direct mail advertising
• the strange piece of fan mail she'd received two days earlier
• Half a million tonnes of junk mail is generated every year in the UK.
• I sat down to open the mail.
• Is there a letter from them in the mail?
• She's received a lot of hate mail for speaking out about it.
• There isn't much mail today.
• You've got mail.
Derived: mail something out
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
mail / meɪl / noun [ S or U ] ( mainly UK post ) (POST)
A2 the letters and parcels that are sent by post, or the system for sending letters and parcels from place to place:
She spent the morning reading and answering her mail.
All of our customers will be contacted by mail.
The book came in yesterday's mail.
Some strange things get sent through the mail.
mail / meɪl / noun [ C or U ] (EMAIL)
A2 email:
I had almost 50 unread mails in my inbox.
You have mail.
mail / meɪl / noun [ U ] (COVERING)
→ chain mail
© Cambridge University Press 2013
[me͟ɪl]
mails, mailing, mailed
1) N-SING: the N, also by N The mail is the public service or system by which letters and parcels are collected and delivered.
Your check is in the mail...
People had to renew their motor vehicle registrations through the mail...
The firm has offices in several large cities, but does most of its business by mail.
Syn:
post
2) N-UNCOUNT: also the N You can refer to letters and parcels that are delivered to you as mail.
There was no mail except the usual junk addressed to the occupier...
Nora looked through the mail.
Syn:
post
3) VERB If you mail a letter or parcel to someone, you send it to them by putting it in a post box or taking it to a post office. [mainly AM]
[V n to n] Last year, he mailed the documents to French journalists...
[V n n] He mailed me the contract...
[V n with n] The Government has already mailed some 18 million households with details of the public offer. [Also V n](in BRIT, usually use post)
4) VERB To mail a message to someone means to send it to them by means of electronic mail or a computer network.
[be V-ed prep] ...if a report must be electronically mailed to an office by 9 am the next day. [Also V n]
N-UNCOUNT
Mail is also a noun. If you have any problems then send me some mail.
5) → See also mailing, chain mail, e-mail, electronic mail, hate mail, junk mail, surface mail
Phrasal Verbs:
- mail out
mail
3mail noun [noncount] : a kind of protective clothing (called armor) that is made of many small pieces or rings of metal which are linked together
• a coat of mail
- see also chain mail
- compare 1mail
mail
3mail noun [noncount] : a kind of protective clothing (called armor) that is made of many small pieces or rings of metal which are linked together
• a coat of mail
- see also chain mail
- compare 1mail
1mail /ˈmeɪl/ noun [noncount]
✦Mail is used in British English but it is much more common in U.S. English. The usual word in British English is post.
1 : the system used for sending letters and packages from one person to another
• They do business by mail.
• Don't bring the check to the office—send it through the mail.
• The check is in the mail. [=the check has been sent and will be delivered by mail]
• I hope the check hasn't gotten lost in the mail.
• interoffice mail
- called also (chiefly Brit) post,
- see also airmail, direct mail, registered mail, return mail, surface mail, voice mail
2 : letters or packages sent from one person to another
• Was the notice in today's mail?
• Did we get any mail today?
• Has the mail arrived yet?
• sorting through the mail
• There's a pile of mail on the table.
• collecting and delivering the mail
• reading the mail
• They got a lot of hate mail [=extremely angry letters, e-mail, etc.] from people who disagree with their policies.
• He has a job in the mail room. [=the room in an office where mail is handled]
- called also (chiefly Brit) post,
- see also fan mail, junk mail, snail mail
3 : 1e-mail
• I need to check my computer to see if I've gotten any mail today.
the mails chiefly US law formal : the system used for sending letters, packages, etc. : a nation's postal system
• packages sent through the mails
• He was charged with using the mails to commit fraud.
- compare 3mail
The camp was in the middle of a beautiful forest.
The activity of living in a tent on holiday
The camp was in the middle of a beautiful forest.
camping
noun (no plural)
sleeping or spending a holiday in a tent:
Camping is no fun when it rains.
camping
camp·ing /ˈkæmpɪŋ/ noun [uncountable]
the holiday activity of living in a tent:camping gear/equipment:
• The shop sells camping equipment such as sleeping bags and backpacks.
camping
camp·ing [camping] [ˈkæmpɪŋ] [ˈkæmpɪŋ] noun uncountable
living in a tent, etc. on holiday/vacation
• Do you go camping?
• a camping trip
• camping equipment
Example Bank:
• We go camping every weekend.
camp
camp [camp camps camped camping camper campest] noun, verb, adjective [kæmp] [kæmp]
noun
IN TENTS
1. countable, uncountable a place where people live temporarily in tents or temporary buildings
• Let's return to camp.
• to pitch/make camp (= put up tents)
• to break camp (= to take down tents)
see also holiday camp
HOLIDAY/VACATION
2. countable, uncountable a place where young people go on holiday/vacation and take part in various activities or a particular activity
• a tennis camp
• He spent two weeks at camp this summer.
• summer camp
see also fat camp
PRISON, ETC.
3. countable (used in compounds) a place where people are kept in temporary buildings or tents, especially by a government and often for long periods
• a refugee camp
• a camp guard
see also concentration camp, prison camp, transit camp
ARMY
4. countable, uncountable a place where soldiers live while they are training or fighting
• an army camp
GROUP OF PEOPLE
5. countable a group of people who have the same ideas about sth and oppose people with other ideas
• the socialist camp
• We were in opposing camps.
• People are split into two camps on this issue.
6. countable one of the sides in a competition and the people connected with it
• There was an air of confidence in the England camp.
see have/keep a foot in both camps at foot n.
Word Origin:
n. and v. early 16th cent. French camp champ Italian campo Latin campus ‘level ground’
adj. early 20th cent.
Example Bank:
• Militants raided an army camp.
• She spent five years in a labour camp.
• The children are spending a week at a summer camp.
• The kids were at basketball camp most of the summer.
• The mountaineers set up their base camp at the foot of the mountain.
• The region split into two armed camps.
• There are opportunities for children to attend summer camps.
• They established a base camp by the river.
• We broke camp early the next morning.
• We pitched camp just outside the woods.
• a politician who switches camp when it suits him
• concentration camp survivors
• people in both main political camps
• the appalling conditions in the refugee camps
• Concentration camps were first used during the Boer War.
• He spent the rest of the war in a prison camp.
• Nearly a year after the disaster, many people are still living in refugee camps.
• The scientists split into two camps over the validity of animal studies.
• They were repeatedly beaten by camp guards.
Derived: camp it up ▪ camp out
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
camping / ˈkæm.pɪŋ / noun [ U ]
A2 the activity of staying in a tent on holiday :
We used to go camping in Spain when I was a child.
camping equipment
© Cambridge University Press 2013
camp
/kæmp/
(camps, camping, camped)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
A camp is a collection of huts and other buildings that is provided for a particular group of people, such as refugees, prisoners, or soldiers, as a place to live or stay.
...a refugee camp...
2,500 foreign prisoners-of-war, including Americans, had been held in camps near Tambov.
N-COUNT: oft n N
2.
A camp is an outdoor area with buildings, tents, or caravans where people stay on holiday.
N-VAR
3.
A camp is a collection of tents or caravans where people are living or staying, usually temporarily while they are travelling.
...gypsy camps...
We’ll make camp on that hill ahead.
N-VAR
4.
If you camp somewhere, you stay or live there for a short time in a tent or caravan, or in the open air.
We camped near the beach.
VERB: V
•
Camp out means the same as camp.
For six months they camped out in a caravan in a meadow at the back of the house.
PHRASAL VERB: V P
• camp‧ing
They went camping in the wilds.
...a camping trip.
N-UNCOUNT
5.
You can refer to a group of people who all support a particular person, policy, or idea as a particular camp.
The press release provoked furious protests from the Gore camp and other top Democrats.
N-COUNT: usu supp N
6.
If you describe someone’s behaviour, performance, or style of dress as camp, you mean that it is exaggerated and amusing, often in a way that is thought to be typical of some male homosexuals. (INFORMAL)
James Barron turns in a delightfully camp performance.
ADJ
•
Camp is also a noun.
The video was seven minutes of high camp and melodrama.
N-UNCOUNT
camping
camping noun [noncount] : the activity of sleeping outdoors in a tent usually for enjoyment
• Camping is one of our favorite things to do.
• She likes to go camping on weekends.
- camping adj
• camping equipment/gear
• a camping trip
