British English

II. care² S1 W2 BrE AmE verb [intransitive and transitive]
[Word Family: noun: ↑care, ↑carer; adjective: ↑careful ≠ ↑careless, ↑caring ≠ UNCARING; verb: ↑care; adverb: ↑carefully ≠ ↑carelessly]
1. to think that something is important, so that you are interested in it, worried about it etc
care about
The only thing he seems to care about is money.
care what/how/whether etc
She didn’t care what her father thought.
‘He looked angry.’ ‘I don’t care!’
2. to be concerned about what happens to someone, because you like or love them ⇨ caring
care about
I care about him and hate to see him hurt like this.
She felt that nobody cared.
3. who cares? spoken used to say that something does not worry or upset you because it is not important:
It’s rather old and scruffy, but who cares?
4. see if I care! spoken used when you are angry or upset, to say that you do not care about what someone will do:
Go with William, then – see if I care!
5. somebody couldn’t care less spoken used to say that someone does not care at all about something:
I really couldn’t care less what you think!
6. what does somebody care? spoken used to say that someone does not care at all about something:
What do I care? It’s your responsibility now!
7. as if I cared! spoken used to say that something is not important to you at all:
As if I cared whether he comes with us or not!
8. for all somebody cares spoken used when you are angry that someone does not seem concerned about someone or something:
We could be starving for all they care!
9. not care to do something old-fashioned to not like doing something:
She doesn’t care to spend much time with her relatives.
I wouldn’t care to meet him in a dark alley!
I’ve experienced more reorganizations than I care to remember (=a lot of them).
10. any ... you care to name/mention any thing of a particular kind:
Virtually any piece of equipment you care to name can be hired these days.
11. would you care to do something? spoken formal used to ask someone politely whether they want to do something:
Would you care to join us for dinner?
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ take care of somebody (also look after somebody especially British English) to make sure a child or an old or sick person is safe and has the things they need: I have to look after my little brother. | Taking care of a baby is hard work. | She is taking care of her grandmother while her grandfather is in hospital.
▪ care for somebody to take care of someone. Care for somebody is less common and more formal than take care of/look after somebody: He was cared for by a team of nurses. | Caring for an elderly relative can be very rewarding.
▪ nurse to look after someone who is ill: He nursed his wife through a long illness. | The monks nursed him back to health (=looked after him until he was well again).
▪ babysit to look after children in the evening while their parents go out somewhere: I’ll ask Jane to babysit on Wednesday night. | He used to babysit for Mary when she worked nights.
▪ mind British English to look after a child while their parents are not there, especially for a short time: Will you mind the baby while I go to the shop?
care for somebody/something phrasal verb
1. to look after someone who is not able to look after themselves SYN take care of:
He thanked the nurses who had cared for him.
The children are well cared for.
2. to do things that keep something in good condition:
Instructions on caring for your new sofa are included.
3. would you care for something? spoken formal used to ask someone politely if they would like something:
Would you care for another drink?
4. not care for somebody/something formal to not like someone or something:
I don’t much care for his parents.

diamond

di‧a‧mond S3 /ˈdaɪəmənd/ BrE AmE noun
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: diamant 'hard metal, diamond', from Greek adamas; ⇨ ↑adamant]
1. [uncountable and countable] a clear, very hard valuable stone, used in jewellery and in industry:
a diamond engagement ring
2. [countable] a shape with four straight but sloping sides of equal length, with one point facing directly up and the other directly down:
Cut the cookie dough into diamonds.
3.
a) diamonds one of the four ↑suits (=types of cards) in a set of playing cards, which has the design of a red diamond shape on it
two/queen etc of diamonds
the ace of diamonds
b) [countable] a card from this suit:
You have to play a diamond.
4. [countable]
a) the area in a baseball field that is within the diamond shape formed by the four ↑bases
b) the whole playing field used in baseball
• • •
THESAURUS
■ places where people do sport
▪ field (also pitch British English) a large area of ground, usually covered with grass, where team sports are played: A few kids were playing on the football field. | a hockey field
▪ stadium a large sports field with seats all around it for people to watch team sports or track and field competitions: The atmosphere in the Olympic Stadium was amazing. | a football stadium
▪ ground British English a sports field and the seats and buildings around it, belonging to a particular football, rugby, or cricket team: I met my friends inside the ground.
▪ ballpark/park American English a stadium where baseball is played: Busch Stadium is one of the newest ballparks in Major League.
▪ court an area with lines painted on the ground, for tennis, badminton, basketball, or volleyball: The hotel has four tennis courts and a volleyball court.
▪ diamond the area in a baseball field that is within the shape formed by the four bases. The diamond can also be the whole field: The pitcher stands in the middle of the diamond. | There’s a playground, a picnic area, and a baseball diamond.
▪ track a circular path with lines on it, for running on: In the relay, each runner runs once around the track.
▪ gym a room with machines which you can use to do exercises: He spends an hour in the gym every day.
▪ pool/swimming pool a place where you can swim: He jumped into the deep end of the pool. | I’ll meet you outside the swimming pool.
▪ sports centre British English, sports center American English a building where you can play many types of indoor sports: Why not do exercise classes at your local sports centre?
▪ health club a small sports centre, where you pay to be a member: How much does it cost to join a health club?

realize

rea‧lize S1 W1 BrE AmE (also realise British English) /ˈrɪəlaɪz/ verb [transitive not usually in progressive]
[Word Family: noun: ↑realism, ↑realist, ↑reality, ↑unreality, ↑realization; adverb: ↑real, ↑really, ↑realistically ≠ ↑unrealistically; adjective: ↑real, ↑unreal, ↑realistic ≠ ↑unrealistic; verb: ↑realize]
[Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: réaliser, from Old French real; ⇨ ↑real¹]
1. UNDERSTAND to know and understand something, or suddenly begin to understand it
realize (that)
I suddenly realized that the boy was crying.
Do you realize you’re an hour late?
realize who/what/how etc
I’m sorry, I didn’t realize who you were.
It took us a while to realize the extent of the tragedy.
It was only later that I realized my mistake.
► Do not say that you ‘realize about/of something’. Say that you realize something.
2. ACHIEVE formal to achieve something that you were hoping to achieve:
She never realized her ambition of winning an Olympic gold medal.
a young singer who has not yet realized her full potential (=achieved as much as she can achieve)
3. sb’s worst fears were realized used to say that the thing that you were most afraid of has actually happened:
His worst fears were realized when he heard that Chris had been arrested.
4. MONEY
a) formal to obtain or earn an amount of money:
The campaign realized $5000.
We realized a small profit on the sale of the house.
b) realize an asset technical to change something that you own into money by selling it
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ realize to begin to understand, notice, or know something that you did not understand etc before: I hadn’t realized that Ben was his brother. | She suddenly realized who the man in the photograph was.
▪ become aware to gradually realize that something is happening or is true, over a period of time: He slowly became aware that he was not alone | People are becoming more aware of the harmful effects of cars on the environment.
▪ dawn on somebody if something dawns on you, you realize it for the first time – often used in the phrase it dawned on somebody: It dawned on me that he could be lying. | It only dawned on her that she was in danger when she saw rescue workers running away from the building. | He thought about the dream for a long time before its meaning began to dawn on him.
▪ sink in if something sinks in, you begin to realize its full meaning or importance, especially gradually: It took a few minutes for the doctor’s words to sink in. | The reality of what I had done slowly began to sink in.
▪ hit if a fact hits you, you suddenly understand it and how important it is: It hit me one day that he didn’t care. He’d talk when I phoned him, but he’d never call me.
▪ strike if an idea or thought strikes you, you suddenly think of it: It suddenly struck her what a risk she was taking. | A thought has just struck me - there must be other people with the same problem.

special

I. spe‧cial¹ S1 W1 /ˈspeʃəl/ BrE AmE adjective
[Word Family: noun: ↑special, ↑specialist, SPECIALITY/SPECIALTY, ↑specialization, ↑specialism; adjective: ↑special, ↑specialized; verb: ↑specialize; adverb: ↑specially]
[Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French; Origin: especial, from Latin specialis 'particular', from species; ⇨ ↑species]
1. not ordinary or usual, but different in some way and often better or more important:
a special place in the classroom for reading
No one receives special treatment.
Maria’s special recipe for apple pie
The good china was used only on special occasions.
Each village has its own special charm.
anything/something/nothing special
Are you doing anything special for Christmas?
2. particularly important to someone and deserving attention, love etc:
a party with a few special friends
a teacher who made every child feel special
Her second son had a special place in her heart.
3. [only before noun] a special position or job has a particular purpose or aim, and continues only until that purpose or aim is achieved:
Mitchell acted as a special envoy in the Northern Ireland peace talks.
4. [only before noun] more than usual SYN particular:
Pay special attention to how you clean the wound.

memory

mem‧o‧ry S2 W1 /ˈmeməri/ BrE AmE noun (plural memories)
[Word Family: noun: ↑memorial, ↑memory, ↑memo, ↑memoir, ↑memorabilia, ↑memorandum; adjective: ↑memorable, ↑memorial, ↑immemorial; verb: ↑memorize, ↑memorialize; adverb: ↑memorably]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: memorie, from Latin memoria, from memor 'remembering']
1. ABILITY TO REMEMBER [uncountable and countable] someone’s ability to remember things, places, experiences etc
memory for
She has a terrible memory for names.
from memory
The pianist played the whole piece from memory.
in your memory
The image has remained in my memory ever since.
2. SOMETHING YOU REMEMBER [countable usually plural] something that you remember from the past about a person, place, or experience
memory of
She talked about her memories of the war.
He has lots of happy memories of his stay in Japan.
When I saw the pictures, the memories came flooding back (=I suddenly had many memories about something).
3. COMPUTER
a) [countable] the part of a computer where information can be stored:
The data is stored in the computer’s memory.
b) [uncountable] the amount of space that can be used for storing information on a computer:
128 Mb of memory
Personal computers now have much increased memory capacity.
4. in/within memory during the time that people can remember:
the worst floods in living memory (=since the earliest time that people now alive can remember)
It’s certainly the best England team in recent memory.
The disaster was within the memory of many men still working at the station.
5. in memory of somebody if something is done or made in memory of someone, it is done to remember them and remind other people of them after they have died:
a statue in memory of those who died in the war
She set up a charitable fund in her father’s memory.
6. sb’s memory the way you remember someone who has died:
She died over 40 years ago but her memory lives on (=people still remember her).
to sb’s memory
There’s a bench to his memory in the local park.
7. a walk/trip down memory lane when you spend some time remembering the past:
She returned to her old school yesterday for a trip down memory lane.
8. sb’s memory is playing tricks on them spoken used to say that someone is remembering things wrongly:
My memory must be playing tricks on me; I’m sure I put that book on the desk.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 1)
■ adjectives
▪ good/excellent I wish my memory was as good as yours.
▪ bad/poor/terrible A student with a poor memory may struggle in school.
▪ short-term memory (=your ability to remember things that you have just seen, heard, or done) The drug can damage your short-term memory.
▪ long-term memory (=your ability to remember things that happened a long time ago) Most people's long-term memory is limited.
▪ visual memory (=your ability to remember things you have seen) Poor spellers often have a weak visual memory.
▪ a photographic memory (=the ability to remember every detail of things that you have seen) Unless you have a photographic memory, you forget half of what you read as soon as you close the book.
■ verbs
▪ remain/stay/stick in your memory (=be remembered for a long time) That day will remain in my memory forever.
▪ refresh/jog your memory (=help someone to remember something) Perhaps this photograph will refresh your memory?
▪ lose your memory (=become unable to remember things that happened in the past) The blow on the head caused him to lose his memory.
▪ commit something to memory formal (=make yourself remember something) I've already committed his name to memory.
■ phrases
▪ have a short memory (=if you have a short memory, you soon forget things) Voters have short memories.
▪ have a long memory (=if you have a long memory, you remember things for a long time) He has a long memory for people who have let him down.
▪ have a memory like a sieve (=forget things very easily) I'm sorry, I have a memory like a sieve. I forgot you were coming today!
▪ loss of memory/memory loss (=when you cannot remember things) The condition can cause dizziness and memory loss.
▪ a lapse of memory/a memory lapse (=when you cannot remember something for a short time) The alcohol seemed to make him suffer lapses of memory.
▪ if my memory serves (me correctly/right) (=used to say that you are almost certain you have remembered something correctly) If my memory serves me correctly, Johnson was also there.
▪ something is etched in your memory (=it is impossible to forget) The date was etched in my memory.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + memory
▪ good/bad etc memories He left school with good memories of his time there.
▪ happy/unhappy memories Many people have unhappy memories of being forced to play team sports.
▪ fond memories (=about someone or something you like) She had fond memories of her aunt and uncle.
▪ a painful memory (=very upsetting) He sobbed as he relived the painful memory.
▪ a vivid memory (=very clear and detailed) I have vivid memories of that summer.
▪ a clear memory I have a clear memory of the first time I met David.
▪ a dim/distant memory (=not clear, from a long time ago) He had only dim memories of his father, who had died when he was four.
▪ a vague memory (=not clear) I have a vague memory of visiting them when I was small.
▪ a childhood memory Going to the farm brought back happy childhood memories.
▪ somebody's earliest memory My earliest memory is of being bitten by a dog.
▪ an abiding/enduring/lasting memory (=that you will always have) The children's abiding memory of their father is of his patience and gentleness.
■ verbs
▪ have a/have no memory of something (=remember/not remember something) She had no memory of the accident.
▪ relive a memory (=talk about past events so you remember them again) Seeing her again was an excuse to relive old memories.
▪ bring back memories (also rekindle/revive memories formal) (=make you remember something) For many older people, the film brought back memories of the war.
▪ memories come flooding back (=you suddenly remember things clearly) Evelyn hugged her daughter, as memories came flooding back to her.
▪ a memory fades (=becomes less clear and accurate) Write down how you felt before the memory fades.
■ phrases
▪ a place is full of memories (=makes you remember things that happened there) My old home is full of unhappy memories.
▪ be haunted by the memory of something (=be unable to forget something unhappy) He is haunted by memories of his unhappy childhood.
▪ shudder/wince at the memory of something (=be upset by remembering something) She shuddered at the memory of her parents fighting.

lucky

luck‧y S2 W3 /ˈlʌki/ BrE AmE adjective (comparative luckier, superlative luckiest)
[Word Family: adjective: ↑lucky ≠ ↑unlucky, ↑luckless; noun: ↑luck; adverb: ↑luckily ≠ ↑unluckily]
1. having good luck SYN fortunate OPP unlucky
be lucky to do/be something
The children were lucky to survive the fire which destroyed their home.
lucky enough to do something
those of us lucky enough to own our own homes
lucky if
I’ll be lucky if I get any of my money back.
lucky (that)
I was tremendously lucky that I didn’t die in the accident.
lucky with
We’ve been very lucky with the weather.
count/consider/think yourself lucky
Count yourself lucky you’ve got a husband like Jack.
get lucky (=be lucky on a particular occasion)
You might get lucky and find a bargain.
2. resulting from good luck:
I didn’t really know your name – it was just a lucky guess.
A middle-aged woman had a lucky escape when a tree crashed down onto her car.
it is lucky (that)
It’s lucky that no-one was hurt.
3. bringing good luck:
a lucky charm
4. lucky you/me etc spoken used to say that someone is fortunate to be able to do something:
‘My husband’s a rich man, and devoted to me.’ ‘Lucky you.’
5. be sb’s lucky day spoken used to say that something good and often unexpected will happen to someone:
We’re going to win. I just know it’s our lucky day
6. you’ll/you’d be lucky! spoken used to tell someone that what they want probably will not happen:
‘£50 should be enough.’ ‘You’ll be lucky!’
7. I/you should be so lucky! spoken used to tell someone that what they want is not likely to happen, especially because it is unreasonable:
You want three weeks holiday? You should be so lucky!
⇨ strike it lucky at ↑strike¹(19), ⇨ thank your lucky stars at ↑thank(3), ⇨ third time lucky at ↑third¹(2)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ feel lucky I feel so incredibly lucky to have had that experience.
▪ get lucky informal (=be lucky) They’re not a great team - they just got lucky.
▪ count/consider/think yourself lucky (=believe that you are lucky in a particular situation) You should count yourself lucky you weren’t seriously hurt.
▪ strike (it) lucky informal (=be lucky) I applied for twenty jobs before I struck lucky.

reality

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

posse

pos‧se /ˈpɒsi $ ˈpɑːsi/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1600-1700; Language: Medieval Latin; Origin: posse comitatus 'power of the county']
1. informal a group of the same kind of people
posse of
I was surrounded by a posse of photographers.
2. a group of men gathered together by a ↑sheriff (=local law officer) in the US in past times to help catch a criminal
3. American English informal
a) someone’s group of friends – used especially by young people
b) a group of friends from a particular place who share an interest in ↑rap, HIP-HOP, or ↑house music SYN massive British English

media

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