noun

last name

ˈlast name       noun

your family name

compare  surname 

Culture:

surnames [last name surnames]

In Britain and the US surnames, also called last names or family names, pass from fathers or, in some cases, mothers to their children. Traditionally, women change their surname when they marry, replacing their maiden name, the surname they had from birth, with the surname of their husband. In the US especially, some women keep their maiden name as a middle name. Others choose to keep their maiden name as their surname after they are married. A few create a double-barrelled name (AmE hyphenated name) from the two surnames, such as Johnson-Brown. In a few cases the husband and children may also take this name. In Britain a double-barrelled surname used to suggest an upper-class background, but this is no longer always so.

In the US, laws about changing a last name, whether after marriage or for some other reason, vary from state to state, but it is usually a simple process and in some states people can just begin to use a new name if they want to. In Britain a woman can change her surname automatically after marriage. If people wish to change their name for any other reason they can do so by deed poll, a simple legal procedure.

In fact people rarely change their surname except after marriage, and many people are able to research their family history over many centuries. Most families were known by surnames by 1300 and many of the old names are still common. Sometimes the names reflected the place where the family lived, such as the name of their village or a reference to a feature of the local countryside, e.g. Ford, Hill or Wood. Other surnames refer to the original occupation or trade of the family, e.g. Baker, Miller, Shepherd and Smith. Sometimes the surname began as a nickname. For instance, someone with dark hair or dark skin might be called Black, Blake or Brown. Some surnames were taken from personal names, as in Andrews, Martin and Roberts. Others were based on French names that came to Britain during the Norman Conquest, e.g. Sinclair from the French ‘Saint-Clair’.

Many surnames occur throughout Britain, but others suggest a particular regional origin. Many Scottish names begin with Mc- or Mac-, meaning ‚son of’, e.g. McDonald and MacGregor. Members of a clan added this prefix to their father’s name. Irish surnames often begin with O’, meaning ‚descended from’, e.g. O’Brien. Many Irish surnames are derived from ancient Celtic names. Common Welsh surnames include Evans, Morgan, Price, Rees and Williams. The most common surname in England and Scotland is Smith, closely followed by Jones, a name also widely found in Wales. Other surnames were brought to Britain by families from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and China. These include Ahmed, Hussain, Khan, Patel, Singh and Tsang.

All the surnames found in Britain are also found in the US, together with many others from all over the world. Some people wanted to sound more American when they arrived in the US and so took English last names. Sometimes government officials could not understand the names of new arrivals and wrote similar English names on their documents. Many Americans of German origin changed their names during the two world wars. African Americans whose ancestors were slaves do not know what last names their families originally had. Many have English or Irish names, because slaves had to take the names of their owners.

When British and American people introduce themselves they give their first name and then their surname, e.g. Michael Johnson, Linda Johnson. The opposite order ‚Johnson, Michael’ is used only in alphabetical lists. In informal situations people often give only their first name. When people are addressed formally a title is put before their last name, usually Mr for men and Mrs, Miss or Ms for women. Married women used always to be called Mrs Johnson, etc. Unmarried women were known as Miss Johnson, etc. Many women now prefer the title Ms because, like Mr, it does not give any information about whether the person is married. Other titles include Dr for medical doctors and people with a doctorateand General, Colonel, etc. for people holding military ranks. People can be addressed as Dr Jones, Professor Roberts etc. or simply as Doctor (for a medical doctor) and Professor. Men especially may be referred to simply by their last name, e.g. the previous president was Clinton, but addressing somebody in this way can seem old-fashioned or may cause offence.

Example Bank:

• How do you spell your last name?

• When you fill in this form, don't forget to put your last name first.

middle name

ˌmiddle ˈname       noun
a name that comes between your first name and your family name
Idiom: somebody's middle name  
Culture:
names [middle name names]
Apart from their surname or last name, most British and American children are given two personal names by their parents, a first name and a middle name. These names are sometimes called Christian names or given names. Some people have only one given name, a few have three or more. Friends and members of a family who are of similar age usually call one another by their first names. In some families young people now also call their aunts and uncles and even their parents by their first names. Outside the family, the expression be on first name terms suggests that the people concerned have a friendly, informal relationship
When writing their name Americans commonly give their first name and their middle initial, e.g. George M Cohan. Both given names are used in full only on formal occasions, e.g. when people get married. In Britain many people sign their name on forms etc. using the initials of both their given names and their surname, e.g. J E Brooks, but may write Joanna Brooks at the end of a letter. The full name (= all given names and surname) is usually only required on official forms.
Parents usually decide on given names for their children before they are born. In some families the oldest boy is given the same name as his father. In the US the word junior or senior, or a number, is added after the name and surname to make it clear which person is being referred to. For example, the son of William Jones Sr (Senior) would be called William Jones Jr (Junior), and his son would be called William Jones III (‚William Jones the third’).
Many popular names come from the Bible, e.g. Jacob, Joshua, Matthew, Mary, Rebecca and Sarah, though this does not imply that the people who choose them are religious. Other people give their children the name of somebody they admire, such as a famous sports personality, or a film or pop star. In Britain the names William and Harry became common again after the sons of Prince Charles were given these names. In the US Chelsea was not a common name for a girl until President Bill Clinton’s daughter Chelsea came to public attention.
Names such as David, Michael, Paul and Robert for boys and Catherine, Elizabeth and Jane for girls remain popular for many years. Others, e.g. Darrell, Darren, Wayne, Chloe, Jade and Zara, are fashionable for only a short period. Names such as Albert, Herbert, Wilfrid, Doris, Gladys and Joyce are now out of fashion and are found mainly among older people. Some older names come back into fashion and there are now many young women called Amy, Emma, Harriet, Laura and Sophie. The birth announcements columns in newspapers give an indication of the names which are currently popular. In Britain these have included Jack, Joshua and Thomas for boys and Emily, Ellie and Chloe for girls and in the US Jacob, Michael and Joshua for boys and Emily, Emma and Madison for girls
People from Wales, Scotland or Ireland, or those who have a cultural background from outside Britain, may choose from an additional set of names. In the US Jews, African Americans or people of Latin American origin may also choose different names. 
Example Bank:
• All the men in the family have the same middle name.

• Have you got a middle name?

first name

ˈfirst name [first name first names]       (also ˈgiven name especially in NAmE) noun
a name that was given to you when you were born, that comes before your family name
• His first name is Tom and his surname is Green.
• Please give all your first names.
• (BrE) to be on first-name terms with sb (= to call them by their first name as a sign of a friendly informal relationship)
• (NAmE) to be on a first-name basis
See also: given name  
Culture:
names
Apart from their surname or last name, most British and American children are given two personal names by their parents, a first name and a middle name. These names are sometimes called Christian names or given names. Some people have only one given name, a few have three or more. Friends and members of a family who are of similar age usually call one another by their first names. In some families young people now also call their aunts and uncles and even their parents by their first names. Outside the family, the expression be on first name terms suggests that the people concerned have a friendly, informal relationship
When writing their name Americans commonly give their first name and their middle initial, e.g. George M Cohan. Both given names are used in full only on formal occasions, e.g. when people get married. In Britain many people sign their name on forms etc. using the initials of both their given names and their surname, e.g. J E Brooks, but may write Joanna Brooks at the end of a letter. The full name (= all given names and surname) is usually only required on official forms.
Parents usually decide on given names for their children before they are born. In some families the oldest boy is given the same name as his father. In the US the word junior or senior, or a number, is added after the name and surname to make it clear which person is being referred to. For example, the son of William Jones Sr (Senior) would be called William Jones Jr (Junior), and his son would be called William Jones III (‚William Jones the third’).
Many popular names come from the Bible, e.g. Jacob, Joshua, Matthew, Mary, Rebecca and Sarah, though this does not imply that the people who choose them are religious. Other people give their children the name of somebody they admire, such as a famous sports personality, or a film or pop star. In Britain the names William and Harry became common again after the sons of Prince Charles were given these names. In the US Chelsea was not a common name for a girl until President Bill Clinton’s daughter Chelsea came to public attention.
Names such as David, Michael, Paul and Robert for boys and Catherine, Elizabeth and Jane for girls remain popular for many years. Others, e.g. Darrell, Darren, Wayne, Chloe, Jade and Zara, are fashionable for only a short period. Names such as Albert, Herbert, Wilfrid, Doris, Gladys and Joyce are now out of fashion and are found mainly among older people. Some older names come back into fashion and there are now many young women called Amy, Emma, Harriet, Laura and Sophie. The birth announcements columns in newspapers give an indication of the names which are currently popular. In Britain these have included Jack, Joshua and Thomas for boys and Emily, Ellie and Chloe for girls and in the US Jacob, Michael and Joshua for boys and Emily, Emma and Madison for girls
People from Wales, Scotland or Ireland, or those who have a cultural background from outside Britain, may choose from an additional set of names. In the US Jews, African Americans or people of Latin American origin may also choose different names. 
Example Bank:

• Please call me by my first name.

architect

archi·tect [architect architects architected architecting]   [ˈɑːkɪtekt]    [ˈɑːrkɪtekt]   noun

1. a person whose job is designing buildings, etc.

2. a person who is responsible for planning or creating an idea, an event or a situation

• He was one of the principal architects of the revolution.

• Jones was the architect of the team's first goal.

Word Origin:

mid 16th cent.: from French architecte, from Italian architetto, via Latin from Greek arkhitektōn, from arkhi- ‘chief’ + tektōn ‘builder’.

Example Bank:

• The house was designed by architect Louis Kahn.

• The tower was designed by architect Daniel Libeskind.

zorbing

zorb·ing   [ˈzɔːbɪŋ]    [ˈzɔːrbɪŋ]  noun uncountable
a sport in which sb is put inside a large transparent plastic ball which is then rolled along the ground or down hills 
Word Origin:

[zorbing] 1990s: invented word from zorb (the name of the ball used in this activity) + -ing1.

name [name names named naming] noun, verb   [neɪm]    [neɪm] 

noun

1. a word or words that a particular person, animal, place or thing is known by

• What's your name?

• What is/was the name, please? (= a polite way of asking sb's name)

• Please write your full name and address below.

• Do you know the name of this flower?

• Rubella is just another name for German measles.

• Are you changing your name when you get married?

see also  assumed name, brand name, code name, family name, filename, first name, forename, household name, maiden name, middle name, nickname, pen-name, pet name, place name, surname, trade name, username

2. usually singular a reputation that sb/sth has; the opinion that people have about sb/sth

• She first made her name as a writer of children's books.

• He's made quite a name for himself (= become famous).

• The college has a good name for languages.

• This kind of behaviour gives students a bad name.

3. (in compound adjectives) having a name or a reputation of the kind mentioned, especially one that is known by a lot of people

• a big-name company

• brand-name goods

see also  household name

4. a famous person

• Some of the biggest names in the art world were at the party.

• The event attracted many famous names from the past.

• The movie needs some names in it, if it's going to be successful.

more at answer to the name of sth at  answer  v., a big noise/shot/name at  big  adj., call sb names at  call  v., give a dog a bad name at  dog  n., drop names at  drop  v., lend your name to sth at  lend, be sb's middle name at  middle name, name names at  name  v., rejoice in the name of at  rejoice, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet at  rose  n.

Word Origin:

Old English nama, noma (noun), (ge)namian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch naam and German Name, from a root shared by Latin nomen and Greek onoma.

Culture:

names

Apart from their surname or last name, most British and American children are given two personal names by their parents, a first name and a middle name. These names are sometimes called Christian names or given names. Some people have only one given name, a few have three or more. Friends and members of a family who are of similar age usually call one another by their first names. In some families young people now also call their aunts and uncles and even their parents by their first names. Outside the family, the expression be on first name terms suggests that the people concerned have a friendly, informal relationship

When writing their name Americans commonly give their first name and their middle initial, e.g. George M Cohan. Both given names are used in full only on formal occasions, e.g. when people get married. In Britain many people sign their name on forms etc. using the initials of both their given names and their surname, e.g. J E Brooks, but may write Joanna Brooks at the end of a letter. The full name (= all given names and surname) is usually only required on official forms.

Parents usually decide on given names for their children before they are born. In some families the oldest boy is given the same name as his father. In the US the word junior or senior, or a number, is added after the name and surname to make it clear which person is being referred to. For example, the son of William Jones Sr (Senior) would be called William Jones Jr (Junior), and his son would be called William Jones III (‚William Jones the third’).

Many popular names come from the Bible, e.g. Jacob, Joshua, Matthew, Mary, Rebecca and Sarah, though this does not imply that the people who choose them are religious. Other people give their children the name of somebody they admire, such as a famous sports personality, or a film or pop star. In Britain the names William and Harry became common again after the sons of Prince Charles were given these names. In the US Chelsea was not a common name for a girl until President Bill Clinton’s daughter Chelsea came to public attention.

Names such as David, Michael, Paul and Robert for boys and Catherine, Elizabeth and Jane for girls remain popular for many years. Others, e.g. Darrell, Darren, Wayne, Chloe, Jade and Zara, are fashionable for only a short period. Names such as Albert, Herbert, Wilfrid, Doris, Gladys and Joyce are now out of fashion and are found mainly among older people. Some older names come back into fashion and there are now many young women called Amy, Emma, Harriet, Laura and Sophie. The birth announcements columns in newspapers give an indication of the names which are currently popular. In Britain these have included Jack, Joshua and Thomas for boys and Emily, Ellie and Chloe for girls and in the US Jacob, Michael and Joshua for boys and Emily, Emma and Madison for girls

People from Wales, Scotland or Ireland, or those who have a cultural background from outside Britain, may choose from an additional set of names. In the US Jews, African Americans or people of Latin American origin may also choose different names.

Thesaurus:

name noun C

• What's your name?

• Do you know the name of this flower?

title • • surname • • family name • • last name • • first name • • middle name • • full name • • maiden name • • label • • nickname • • pseudonym • • alias •

a/an name/title/first name/label/nickname/pseudonym/alias for sb/sth

use a name/sb's title/sb's surname/your family name/sb's first name/your middle name/your maiden name/a nickname/a pseudonym/an alias

choose/decide on a name/title/first name/middle name

change sb/sth's name/title/surname

More About:

names and titles

Names

Your name is either your whole name or one part of your name: ▪ My name is Maria. ◊ ▪ His name is Tom Smith.

Your last name or family name (also called surname in BrE) is the name that all members of your family share.

Your first name/names (formal forename) is/are the name(s) your parents gave you when you were born. In BrE some people use the expression Christian name(s) to refer to a person’s first name(s).

Your middle name(s) is/are any name your parents gave you other than the one that is placed first. The initial of this name is often used as part of your name, especially in America: ▪ John T. Harvey

Your full name is all your names, usually in the order: first + middle + last name

A woman’s maiden name is the family name she had before she got married. Some women keep this name after they are married and do not use their husband’s name. In North America, married women often use their maiden name followed by their husband’s family name: ▪ Hillary Rodham Clinton. Titles

Mr (for both married and unmarried men)

Mrs (for married women)

Miss (for unmarried women)

Ms (a title that some women prefer to use as it does not distinguish between married and unmarried women)

Doctor, Professor, President, Vice-President, Reverend (or Rev), etc.

The correct way to talk to someone is:

first name, if you know them well: ▪ Hello, Maria.

or title + surname: ▪ Hello, Mr Brown.

or Doctor (medical), Professor, etc. on its own: ▪ Thank you, Doctor. This is only used for a very limited number of titles.

Example Bank:

• ‘Does that name mean anything to you?’ ‘Yes, it does ring a bell= it is familiar.’

• ‘Smith’ is a very common family name.

• All he did was drop names= mention the names of famous people to impress people.

• As the name implies, Oxford was the place at which oxen could ford the river.

• Coca Cola's global brand name recognition

• Detectives believe that a hit man was sent to silence the witness before he could name names= give evidence to the court/police.

• Detectives believe that a hitman was sent to silence the witness before he could name names.

• Do you have a middle name?

• George Eliot was a pen-name; her real name was Mary Ann Evans.

• Have you been taking my name in vain= showing lack of respect when using my name?

• Have you put your name down for the school quiz?

• Have you put your name down for= applied to take part in the school play?

• He goes by the name of Jonno.

• He invoked the name of Freud in support of his argument.

• He is a big name in the world of rock music.

• He made his name writing travel books.

• He put his name to the business= gave it his name.

• He wanted an heir to carry on the family name.

• He was elected Pope in 1978 and took the name of John Paul II.

• He's been in four movies with Spielberg's name attached.

• His full name was William Augustus Grove.

• His name is synonymous with the worst excesses of sixties architecture.

• His name sounds familiar.

• His name was immortalized in 1992 when he scored three goals in the space of five minutes.

• His pet name for her was ‘Fluff’.

• His wife and sister share the same name, Sarah.

• How do you know my name?

• I arrest you in the name= on the authority of the law.

• I asked him his name.

• I couldn't put a name to the face.

• I do not want my name associated with these products.

• I have a bad memory for names and faces.

• I'm afraid I've forgotten your name.

• I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name.

• I've heard that name mentioned before.

• If you tell our secret your name will be mud round here.

• If you tell our secret your name will be mud= you will not be popular around here.

• Muhammad Ali's birth name was Cassius Clay.

• Nobody puts their name to a business they are not proud of.

• Please call me by my first name.

• Please enter your user name.

• She decided to keep her maiden name for professional purposes.

• She found him rather irritating to talk to; all he did was drop names.

• She has become a big name in documentary photography.

• She insisted on being called by her full name ‘Clementia’ rather than the pet name ‘Clemmey’.

• She uses a different name in her professional life.

• She was given the name Maria, after her grandmother.

• She's made quite a name for herself.

• Somebody called out her name from below.

• St Petersburg has gone back to its original name.

• Stop calling me names!

• The Brady bill acquired its name from its best-known sponsor, James Brady.

• The Huron people gave their name to one of the Great Lakes.

• The Julian calendar was introduced by Julius Caesar and hence carries his name.

• The account is in joint names.

• The area got a bad name after a series of nasty murders.

• The common name for the flower is ‘pineapple lily’.

• The company has a name for reliability.

• The head teacher knows every child in the school by name.

• The invading Franks gave their name to the country in which they settled.

• The island is more commonly known by the name ‘Krakatoa’.

• The name of the artist appears on the vase.

• The riots after the match only served to blacken the name of football.

• The room was booked under a false name.

• The room was booked under= using a false name.

• The scientific name for plants in this genus is Asclepias.

• The teacher knows every student by name.

• The tickets were booked in the name of McLean.

• The village of Low Catton takes its name from the Old English personal name ‘Catta’.

• Their original band name was ‘Cherry Five’

• These articles have damaged the good name of the newspaper.

• They put his name forward as one of the five candidates for the post.

• They put his name forward= chose him as one of the five candidates for the post.

• They tried to protect the good name of the college.

• This kind of behaviour gives students a bad name.

• Throughout his years in prison, he fought to clear his name.

• We cannot mention the suspect's name for legal reasons.

• Where does the band name come from?

• You will need to register a domain name.

• an actor by the name of Tom Rees

• to take the Lord's name in vain

• He accomplished a remarkable feat in restoring the name of the bank to something like its former eminence.

• His name is Tom Smith.

• My name is Maria.

• She became a household name in the 1960s.

• She made her name as a writer of children's books.

• The movie needs some names in it, if it's going to be successful.

• The name's Bond.

• There was a campaign to blacken his name.

• These practices give the industry a bad name.

• We must avoid anything that might damage the good name of the firm.

• What is/was the name, please?

• What's your name?

• code name

• place name

• street name

Idioms: by name ▪ by the name of … ▪ enter your name ▪ give your name to something ▪ go by the name of … ▪ have your name on it ▪ in God's name ▪ in all but name ▪ in name only ▪ in somebody's name ▪ in the name of God ▪ in the name of somebody ▪ name and shame ▪ name names ▪ name of the game ▪ name to conjure with ▪ put a name to somebody ▪ put your name down ▪ somebody's name is mud ▪ take somebody's name in vain ▪ under the name … ▪ with your name on it ▪ your name

verb

1. to give a name to sb/sth

Syn:  call

• ~ sb/sth (after sb) | (NAmE also) ~ sb/sth (for sb) He was named after his father (= given his father's first name).

• the diesel engine, named after its inventor Rudolf Diesel

• ~ sb/sth + noun They named their son John.

2. to say the name of sb/sth

Syn:  identify

• ~ sb/sth The victim has not yet been named.

• Can you name all the American states?

• The manager has named his side for the semi-final.

• ~ sb/sth as sb/sth The missing man has been named as James Kelly.

3. ~ sth to state sth exactly

Syn:  specify

• Name your price.

• They're engaged, but they haven't yet named the day (= chosen the date for their wedding).

• Activities available include squash, archery and swimming, to name but a few.

• Chairs, tables, cabinets— you name it, she makes it (= she makes anything you can imagine).

4. to choose sb for a job or position

Syn:  nominate

• ~ sb (as) sth | ~ sb + noun I had no hesitation in naming him (as) captain.

• ~ sb (to sth) When she resigned, he was named to the committee in her place.

Word Origin:

Old English nama, noma (noun), (ge)namian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch naam and German Name, from a root shared by Latin nomen and Greek onoma.

Thesaurus:

name verb

1. T

• He named his son Jack.

call • • entitle • • nickname • • christen • • dub • |formal term • • designate •

name/call/nickname/christen/dub sb Mary, Ali, etc.

officially named/called/entitled/christened/dubbed/termed/designated

2. T

• The victim has not yet been named.

identify • • recognize •

name/identify/recognize sb/sth as sb/sth

Synonyms:

identify

know • recognize • name • make sb/sth out

These words all mean to be able to see or hear sb/sth and especially to be able to say who or what they are.

identify • to be able to say who or what sb/sth is: ▪ She was able to identify her attacker.

know • to be able to say who or what sth is when you see or hear it because you have seen or heard it before Know is used especially to talk about sounds that seem familiar and when sb recognizes the quality or opportunity that sb/sth represents: ▪ I couldn't see who was speaking, but I knew the voice. ◊ ▪ She knows a bargain when she sees one.

recognize • to know who sb is or what sth is when you see or hear them/it, because you have seen or heard them/it before: ▪ I recognized him as soon as he came in the room.

name • to say the name of sb/sth in order to show that you know who/what they are: ▪ The victim has not yet been named.

make sb/sth out • to manage to see or hear sb/sth that is not very clear: ▪ I could just make out a figure in the darkness.

to identify/know/recognize sb/sth by sth

to identify/recognize/name sb/sth as sb/sth

to identify/know/recognize/make out who/what/how…

to easily/barely/just identify/recognize/make out sb/sth

Example Bank:

• He correctly named the song from the clip played.

• I named my son after my father.

• She was recently named to the company's board of directors.

• The President officially named Kirk as his choice to replace Timms.

• The hospital was named in honour of its principal benefactor.

• The present Kew Bridge was opened by King Edward VII and is correctly named ‘King Edward Bridge’.

• The ship will be officially named by the Queen before setting sail from her home port.

• the curiously named Egg Castle

• the dead sister for whom she had been named

• the newly named head coach

• Activities available include squash, archery and swimming, to name but a few.

• Chairs, tables, cabinets— you name it, she makes it.

• He was named after his father.

• Mr Shah has been named to run the new research unit.

• Name your price.

• The planet Mars is named for the Roman god of war.

• They're engaged, but they haven't yet named the day.

prac·tice [practice practices practiced practicing] noun, verb   [ˈpræktɪs]    [ˈpræktɪs] 

noun  

ACTION NOT IDEAS
1. uncountable action rather than ideas
• the theory and practice of teaching

• She's determined to put her new ideas into practice.  

WAY OF DOING STH

2. uncountable, countable a way of doing sth that is the usual or expected way in a particular organization or situation
• common/current/standard practice
• guidelines for good practice
• a review of pay and working practices
• religious practices
• child care policy and practice

see also  best practice, code of practice, restrictive practices, sharp practice  

HABIT/CUSTOM

3. countable a thing that is done regularly; a habit or a custom
• the German practice of giving workers a say in how their company is run

• It is his practice to read several books a week.  

FOR IMPROVING SKILL

4. uncountable, countable doing an activity or training regularly so that you can improve your skill; the time you spend doing this
• conversation practice
• It takes a lot of practice to play the violin well.
• There's a basketball practice every Friday evening.
• She does an hour's piano practice every day.

see also  teaching practice  

OF DOCTOR/LAWYER

5. uncountable, countable the work or the business of some professional people such as doctors, dentists and lawyers; the place where they work
• the practice of medicine
• Students should have prior experience of veterinary practice.
• My solicitor is no longer in practice.
• a successful medical/dental/law practice
see also  general practice, group practice, private practice   
Word Origin:
late Middle English: from practise, on the pattern of pairs such as advise, advice.  
Thesaurus:
practice noun
1. U
• the theory and practice of teaching
application • • exercise • • use •
effective/proper/continued/normal practice/application/exercise/use
common/current/correct/safe/commercial/industrial/clinical practice/application/use
limit/regulate/justify the practice/exercise/use of sth
2. U, C
• a guide to best practice for employers
convention • • custom • • tradition • • norms •
(an) established practice/convention/custom/tradition/norms
a local/British practice/custom/tradition
follow a practice/convention/custom/tradition/…norms
3. U, C
• We have choir practice every Friday.
training • • rehearsal • • drill •
regular practice/training/rehearsals/drills
football/hockey, etc. practice/training
do practice/training/rehearsals
a practice/training/rehearsal session/schedule  
Example Bank:
• American social practices
• Certain practices exist in both public and private schools.
• Don't worry if you can't do it at first— it takes practice!
• Established practices are difficult to modify.
• He has been suspended from practice, pending legal investigations.
• He runs a successful legal practice in Ohio.
• His accent should improve with practice.
• I can't wait to put what I've learned into practice.
• I don't make a practice of forgetting to pay my bills, I assure you!
• I'll be able to get in a bit of practice this weekend.
• I've had a lot of practice in saying ‘no’ recently!
• If you don't play regularly you soon get out of practice.
• It is standard practice not to pay bills until the end of the month.
• It will be good practice for later, when you have to make speeches in public.
• It's a group practice, so you can easily change doctors.
• Martin began his own practice in 1993.
• Religious practices differ from group to group.
• She has opened a new practice in the town.
• She maintains a private practice as a mental health consultant.
• She wants to go into general practice.
• Some prisoners defend this practice as the only way to survive.
• Such practices do not reflect our values.
• The bank has continued its practice of charging late fees.
• The children need more practice in tying their shoelaces.
• The idea sounds fine in theory, but would it work in practice?
• The practice of community policing was introduced in the 1970s.
• They carried out a study of Japanese working practices.
• This chapter gives students practice in using adjectives.
• This is now common practice among ethnographers.
• This practice was roundly condemned by the World Medical Association.
• We use this information to inform clinical practice.
• We watched the swimmers go through their practice drills.
• a doctor in general practice
• a physician in family practice
• a psychologist in private practice
• adopting current best practices in your business
• advice on adopting current best practice in your business
• changes in employment practices
• environmentally sound practices
• ethical practice within the profession
• good practice in undergraduate education
• hard work and daily practice
• practice at swimming underwater
• questionable accounting practices regarding the sale of hardware
• safe medical practices for children
• shady business practices
• studying Japanese working practices
• sustainable land-use practices
• the ancient custom of log rolling, a practice which continues to this day
• the company's general practice of selling through agents
• the complications that arise in actual practice
• the decisions that govern our practice and our conduct
• the medical practices of ancient Egypt
• the practice of acupuncture
• voluntary codes of practice between sellers and customers
• A large number of dentists have left the National Health Service to set up in private practice.
• I like the German practice of giving workers a say in how their company is run.
• It is common practice in universities to employ foreign teachers as language assistants.
• It was my practice never to make a written record of the conversations.
• Members have to abide by the federation's code of practice.
• My analyst is no longer in practice.
• Rumours of sharp practice or dishonest dealing will ruin his career.
• She does an hour's piano practice every day.
• She runs a successful law practice.
• She's determined to put her new ideas into practice.
• The book is about the theory and practice of teaching.
• The trainees need more practice in using the compass.
• There's a basketball practice every Friday evening.
• They have been studying Japanese business practices.
• They have produced a guide to best practice for employers.

Idioms: in practice ▪ of practice ▪ practice makes perfect 

verb (especially US) =  practise
• to practice the piano every day
• The team is practicing for their big game on Friday.
• They practiced the dance until it was perfect.
• She's practicing medicine in Philadelphia.

 
Word Origin:

late Middle English: from practise, on the pattern of pairs such as advise, advice.

freestyle

free·style [freestyle] noun, verb   [ˈfriːstaɪl]    [ˈfriːstaɪl] 

noun uncountable

1. a swimming race in which people taking part can use any stroke they want (usually crawl )

• the men's 400 m freestyle

2. (often used as an adjective) a sports competition in which people taking part can use any style that they want

• freestyle skiing

verb intransitive

to rap, play music, dance, etc. by inventing it as you do it, rather than by planning it in advance or following fixed patterns

Syn:  improvise

hail

hail [hail hails hailed hailing] verb, noun   [heɪl]    [heɪl] 

verb

1. transitive, usually passive to describe sb/sth as being very good or special, especially in newspapers, etc

• ~ sb/sth as sth The conference was hailed as a great success.

• ~ sb/sth + noun Teenager Matt Brown is being hailed a hero for saving a young child from drowning.

2. transitive ~ sth to signal to a taxi or a bus, in order to get the driver to stop

• to hail a taxi/cab

3. transitive ~ sb (literary) to call to sb in order to say hello to them or attract their attention

• A voice hailed us from the other side of the street.

• We soon came within hailing distance of (= fairly close to) the others.

4. intransitive when it hails, small balls of ice fall like rain from the sky

• It's hailing!

Word Origin:

n. and v. sense 4 Old English hagol hægl hagalian Germanic Dutch hagel German Hagel
v. senses 1 to 3 Middle English hail ‘healthy’ wæs hæil wassail Old Norse heill hale whole

Example Bank:

• The expedition was widely hailed as a success.

• Union leaders hailed the socialists' victory as a huge step forward.

Derived: hail from … 

noun

1. uncountable small balls of ice that fall like rain

• We drove through hail and snow.

2. singular a ~ of sth a large number or amount of sth that is aimed at sb in order to harm them

• a hail of arrows/bullets

• a hail of abuse

Word Origin:

n. and v. sense 4 Old English hagol hægl hagalian Germanic Dutch hagel German Hagel
v. senses 1 to 3 Middle English hail ‘healthy’ wæs hæil wassail Old Norse heill hale whole

Example Bank:

• It was terrible driving through the hail.

• The hail melted once the sun came out.

• We got caught in the hail.

• A passer-by was caught in the hail of bullets.

• It's hailing!

• Rain and hail pounded on the tiled roof.

• The attempt to bring in new legislation was met by a hail of criticism.

avalanche

ava·lanche [avalanche avalanches avalanched avalanching]   [ˈævəlɑːnʃ]    [ˈævəlæntʃ]  (NAmE also snow·slide) noun

a mass of snow, ice and rock that falls down the side of a mountain

• alpine villages destroyed in an avalanche

• He was killed in an avalanche while skiing.

• (figurative) We received an avalanche of letters in reply to our advertisement.

See also: snowslide 

Word Origin:

late 18th cent.: from French, alteration of the Alpine dialect word lavanche (of unknown origin), influenced by avaler ‘descend’; compare with Italian valanga.

Example Bank:

• They died in an avalanche.

• They were killed by an avalanche in the Swiss Alps.

• We've been almost buried under the avalanche of letters.

• the avalanche of lawlessness threatening to engulf our civilization

• The issue has generated an avalanche of controversy.