B1 (متوسط)

deserve

de‧serve S3 W3 /dɪˈzɜːv $ -ɜːrv/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin deservire 'to serve very keenly', from servire 'to serve']
1. to have earned something by good or bad actions or behaviour:
What have I done to deserve this?
deserve to do something
We didn’t deserve to win.
richly/fully/thoroughly etc deserve something
the success he so richly deserves
I’m sorry for the kids. They deserve better (=deserve to be treated in a better way).
deserve a rest/break/holiday etc
I think we deserve a rest after all that hard work.
Ledley deserves a place in the team.
Paula deserves a special mention for all the help she has given us.
I would never hit anyone, even if they deserved it.
What has he done to deserve this punishment?
deserve all/everything you get (=deserve any bad things that happen to you)
He deserves all he gets for being so dishonest.
People who are sent to prison for drunk-driving get what they deserve.
2. deserve consideration/attention etc if a suggestion, idea, or plan deserves consideration, attention etc, it is good enough to be considered, paid attention to etc SYN merit:
This proposal deserves serious consideration.
3. somebody deserves a medal spoken used to say that you admire the way someone dealt with a situation or problem
somebody deserves a medal for
You deserve a medal for putting up with Ian’s constant demands.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ nouns
▪ deserve a rest/break/holiday etc Once the students have done their exams they deserve a break.
▪ deserve a chance Everybody deserves a second chance.
▪ deserve respect Our police officers deserve our respect.
▪ deserve credit/praise The team played really well and they deserve credit for it.
▪ deserve support This is a splendid proposal which deserves our support.
▪ deserve recognition (=public respect and thanks) The teaching profession deserves more recognition.
▪ deserve better (also deserve a better deal) (=deserve to be treated better or to be in a better situation) They treated him badly at work and I thought he deserved better.
▪ deserve a (special) mention (=used especially in speeches to mention someone's good work or actions) Richard deserves a special mention for all his hard work on this project.
▪ deserve a place You need top grades to deserve a place at the best universities.
▪ deserve punishment If you commit a crime, you have deserved punishment.
■ adverbs
▪ thoroughly/fully deserve something He didn't work so he thoroughly deserved his poor marks.
▪ richly deserve something (=greatly deserve something good that happens) Her success was richly deserved.
▪ well deserved The restaurant has a well deserved reputation for excellent fish.
■ phrases
▪ get what you deserve (=experience something bad after you have behaved badly) I like films where the bad guys get what they deserve.
▪ deserve all/everything you get (=deserve any bad things that happen to you) She's behaved really stupidly and she deserves all she gets.

I. fool¹ /fuːl/ BrE AmE noun
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: fol, from Latin follis 'bag for blowing air']
1. STUPID PERSON [countable] a stupid person or someone who has done something stupid SYN idiot:
What a fool she had been to think that he would stay.
Like a fool, I accepted straight away.
You silly old fool!
2. make a fool of yourself to do something stupid that you feel embarrassed about afterwards and that makes you seem silly:
Sorry I made such a fool of myself last night. I must have been drunk.
3. make a fool of somebody to deliberately do something to make someone else seem stupid:
I suddenly realised that I was being made a fool of.
4. any fool can do something spoken used to say that it is very easy to do something or to see that something is true:
Any fool could have seen what would happen.
5. be no/nobody’s fool to be difficult to trick or deceive, because you have a lot of experience and knowledge about something:
Katherine was nobody’s fool when it came to money.
6. gooseberry/strawberry etc fool British English a sweet food made of soft cooked fruit mixed with cream
7. more fool you/him etc British English spoken used to say that you think someone was stupid to do something, and it is their own fault if this causes trouble:
‘Jim smashed up my car.’ ‘More fool you for letting him borrow it!’
8. not suffer fools gladly if you say that someone doesn’t suffer fools gladly, they do not have any patience with people who they think are stupid
9. be living in a fool’s paradise to feel happy and satisfied, and believe there are no problems, when in fact this is not true
10. play/act the fool to behave in a silly way, especially in order to make people laugh:
Stop playing the fool! You’ll fall.
11. (send somebody on) a fool’s errand to make someone go somewhere or do something for no good reason
12. fools rush in (where angels fear to tread) used to say that people are stupid if they do something immediately without thinking about it first
13. a fool and his money are soon parted used to say that stupid people spend money quickly without thinking about it
14. ENTERTAINER [countable] a man whose job was to entertain a king or other powerful people in the past, by doing tricks, singing funny songs etc SYN jester
⇨ ↑April fool

limit

I. lim‧it¹ S2 W2 /ˈlɪmət, ˈlɪmɪt/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Word Family: noun: ↑limit, ↑limitation, ↑delimitation; adjective: ↑limited ≠ ↑unlimited, ↑limiting, ↑limitless; verb: ↑limit, ↑delimit]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: French; Origin: limite, from Latin limes 'edge, boundary']
1. GREATEST/LEAST ALLOWED the greatest or least amount, number, speed etc that is allowed:
a 55 mph speed limit
limit for
There’s no age limit for applicants.
limit to/on
My wife and I set a limit on how much we spend on clothes.
above/over/below a limit
Pesticide levels in drinking water are already above legal limits in many areas.
2. GREATEST AMOUNT POSSIBLE (also limits) the greatest possible amount of something that can exist or be obtained
limit of
the limits of human knowledge
He’d reached the limit of his patience.
Our finances are already stretched to the limit (=we do not have any extra money).
There’s no limit to what you can do if you try.
3. PLACE (also limits) the furthest point or edge of a place, often one that must not be passed:
He had not been outside the limits of the prison walls for 20 years.
The public is not allowed within a 2-mile limit of the missile site.
Los Angeles city limits
4. off limits
a) beyond the area where someone is allowed to go:
That area of beach was off limits to us ‘city kids’.
b) beyond what you are allowed to do or have:
His private life is off limits to the press.
5. within limits within the time, level, amount etc considered acceptable:
You can come and go when you want – within limits.
6. be over the limit to have drunk more alcohol than is legal or safe for driving
7. know your limits informal to know what you are good at doing and what you are not good at:
I know my limits. I’m not an administrator.
8. have your limits spoken to have a set of rules about what is reasonable behaviour, and to not accept behaviour that does not follow these rules:
I have my limits. You will not use that kind of nasty language in class.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ set a limit (also impose a limit formal) Set a time limit for the completion of the task.
▪ put a limit on something We have to put a limit on the number of participants.
▪ exceed a limit (=go beyond a limit) He reported a driver for exceeding the speed limit.
▪ go over a limit (=go beyond a limit) Borrowers who go over the spending limit set by the credit card company are penalised.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + limit
▪ an upper/lower limit (=the highest/lowest amount allowed) There is no upper limit on the amount you can borrow. | Ensure the temperature in the aquarium does not fall below the lower limit.
▪ a strict limit There are strict limits on spending.
▪ a legal limit (=a limit set by law) The alcohol in his blood was four times more than the legal limit.
▪ the speed limit Too many people go over the speed limit in residential areas.
▪ a time limit The time limit for making a claim is three months.
▪ an age limit The lower age limit for entering the Royal Marines is sixteen.
▪ a weight/height limit The weight limit per bag is 20 kilos.
▪ spending limits There are strict spending limits imposed by law on all candidates.
▪ term limits American English (=limits on how much time a politician can spend in office) Should Senators be subject to term limits?
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ limit the highest number, speed, temperature etc that is allowed by a law or rule: He borrowed money up to the limit that the bank allowed. | The speed limit is 65 m.p.h. | There’s no limit on the amount of money that may be brought into the US. | Pollution levels are over the official limit. | Some families set limits on how much they spend on each other’s Christmas present.
▪ restrictions rules or laws that strictly control what you are allowed to do: Travel restrictions might reduce the spread of the disease. | Unions are pressing for restrictions on steel imports from Japan. | Because of restrictions on reporting, newspapers were not allowed to cover the story. | New restrictions have been imposed on immigration.
▪ limitations limits on what a person or thing is able to do – used especially when you would like to be able to do more: The president was unwilling to accept limitations on his power. | the limitations of the computer system | Hikers should know their physical limitations and not take unnecessary risks.
▪ constraints facts or conditions that limit what you can do, for example not having enough time, money etc: Financial constraints are forcing many people in their twenties to live with their parents. | The last part of the show had to be cut because of time constraints. | The constraints of prison life are sometimes too much for people to bear.
▪ maximum the largest number or amount that is possible, normal, or allowed: Classes have a maximum of twenty students. | What’s the maximum you can earn before you have to pay tax?
▪ minimum the smallest number or amount that is possible or allowed: He was sentenced to a minimum of 25 years in prison. | Our aim is to reduce the number of accidents to an absolute minimum.
▪ ceiling the largest number or amount of something that is officially allowed: There is a ceiling on the amount of foreign investment. | Import quotas may rise from the present ceiling of 18.5 million to 20 million. | Congress was once again considering raising the federal debt ceiling.

niece

niece /niːs/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: Late Latin neptia 'granddaughter, niece']
the daughter of your brother or sister, or the daughter of your wife’s or husband’s brother or sister ⇨ nephew, aunt, uncle

happiness

hap‧pi‧ness /ˈhæpinəs, ˈhæpinɪs/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[Word Family: noun: ↑happiness ≠ ↑unhappiness; adverb: ↑happily ≠ ↑unhappily; adjective: ↑happy ≠ ↑unhappy]
the state of being happy:
Juliet’s eyes shone with happiness.
We want our children to have the best possible chance of happiness.

appearance

ap‧pear‧ance W2 /əˈpɪərəns $ əˈpɪr-/ BrE AmE noun
[Word Family: verb: ↑appear ≠ ↑disappear, ↑reappear; noun: ↑appearance ≠ ↑disappearance, ↑reappearance]
1. WAY SOMEBODY/SOMETHING LOOKS [uncountable and countable] the way someone or something looks to other people:
He was always criticising his wife’s appearance.
appearance of
They’ve changed the appearance of the whole building.
We are often attracted to somebody first by their physical appearance.
Women, in general, tend to be more concerned than men about their personal appearance.
She had an outward appearance of calm, but deep down she was really worried.
The metal posts spoiled the appearance of the garden.
A garnish helps to enhance the appearance of any dish.
She’s the kind of woman who takes pride in her appearance.
You shouldn’t judge by appearances.
They work hard at school without giving the appearance of being particularly hard-working.
The case had all the appearances of a straightforward murder.
The pupils looked angelic – but appearances can be deceptive.
He was, to all appearances, a respectable, successful businessman.
2. SOMEBODY TAKES PART IN A PUBLIC EVENT [countable] when a famous person takes part in a film, concert, or other public event:
It was his first public appearance since the election.
He made his last appearance for the club in the Cup Final.
appearance money/fee (=money paid to a famous person to attend an event)
3. SOMETHING NEW STARTS TO EXIST [singular] when something new begins to exist or starts being used
appearance of
The industry has changed greatly with the appearance of new technologies.
the appearance of buds on the trees
4. ARRIVAL [countable usually singular] the unexpected or sudden arrival of someone or something
appearance of
Eileen was deep in concentration, and the sudden appearance of her daughter startled her.
5. keep up appearances to dress and behave in the way in which people expect you to, especially to hide your true situation:
She just wanted to keep up appearances for the kids.
6. for appearances’ sake/for the sake of appearances if you do something for appearances’ sake, you are trying to behave how people expect you to, especially to hide your true situation or feelings
7. put in an appearance/make an appearance to go to an event for a short time, because you think you should rather than because you want to:
At least Marc managed to put in an appearance at the party.
8. AT A LAW COURT/MEETING [countable] an occasion when someone goes to a court of law or official meeting to give information, answer questions etc:
He is due to make another court appearance on Monday.

grateful

grate‧ful S3 W3 /ˈɡreɪtfəl/ BrE AmE adjective
[Word Family: noun: ↑gratitude ≠ ↑ingratitude, ↑ingrate; adverb: ↑gratefully; adjective: ↑grateful ≠ ↑ungrateful]
[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: grate 'pleasing, thankful' (16-17 centuries), from Latin gratus]
1. feeling that you want to thank someone because of something kind that they have done, or showing this feeling OPP ungrateful
grateful for
I’m so grateful for all your help.
grateful to
I am very grateful to all those who took the trouble to write to me.
grateful (that)
She should be grateful that he was making things easier for her.
extremely/deeply/eternally etc grateful
I am extremely grateful for the assistance your staff have provided.
Our grateful thanks go to all who participated.
She gave me a grateful look.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say I appreciate it rather than I’m grateful:
▪ Thanks, I’m really grateful. ➔ Thanks, I really appreciate it.
▪ | I’m grateful for everything you've done. ➔ I appreciate everything you've done.
2. I would be grateful if you could/would ... formal used to make a request:
I would be most grateful if you could send me an invoice in due course.

lecture

I. lec‧ture¹ S2 W3 /ˈlektʃə $ -ər/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Word Family: noun: ↑lecture, ↑lecturer, ↑lectureship; verb: ↑lecture]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Late Latin; Origin: lectura 'act of reading', from Latin legere 'to read']
1. a long talk on a particular subject that someone gives to a group of people, especially to students in a university ⇨ speech
lecture on
He regularly gives lectures on modern French literature.
2. an act of criticizing someone or warning them about something in a long serious talk, in a way that they think is unfair or unnecessary
lecture on/about
My father caught me and gave me a long lecture about the dangers of drink.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ give a lecture (also deliver a lecture formal) She gave a fascinating lecture on crime in the 1800s. | He delivered the lecture at the London School of Economics.
▪ do a lecture informal: He’s doing a lecture on modern poetry.
▪ go to a lecture (also attend a lecture formal) Have you been to any of Professor MacPherson’s lectures? | I recently attended a lecture by a noted historian.
▪ listen to a lecture Most students spend about a quarter of their time listening to lectures.
■ lecture + NOUN
▪ a lecture hall/room (also a lecture theatre British English) The lecture hall was packed.
▪ lecture notes Can I borrow your lecture notes?
▪ a lecture tour (=a trip that someone takes to many different places to give a lecture) He’s on a lecture tour of the US.
■ phrases
▪ a series of lectures (also a course of lectures British English) a series of lectures on the history of art
■ adjectives
▪ a public lecture (=a lecture which the general public are allowed to go to) He’s going to deliver a public lecture on politics in the Middle East.
▪ an illustrated lecture (=a lecture with pictures such as slides) Mrs Robinson gave a fascinating illustrated lecture on Spanish history.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ speech a talk, especially a formal one about a particular subject, given to a group of people: The bridegroom usually makes a speech after the wedding. | In her speech, she proposed major changes to the welfare system. | the opening speech of the conference
▪ address formal a speech that a very important person gives to a large group of people: the President's address to the nation | He was surrounded by security officers as he made his address.
▪ talk an occasion when someone speaks to a group of people giving them information about a particular subject or about their experiences: I went to an interesting talk on the wildlife of Antarctica. | He's been asked to give a talk about his trip to India.
▪ lecture a talk, especially on an ↑academic subject and given to students in a university: a lecture on 17th century French literature | Professor Black is giving the lecture.
▪ presentation a talk in which you describe or explain a new product or idea, especially one you give for your company: I had to give a presentation to the board of directors. | He's making a presentation to the management of a well-known manufacturing company.
▪ sermon a talk given by a priest or a religious leader: The vicar preached a sermon about the need for forgiveness.
▪ statement a spoken or written announcement that someone makes in public, often to ↑journalists: The minister issued a short statement in which he said he had no plans to resign.

rule

I. rule¹ S1 W1 /ruːl/ BrE AmE noun
[Word Family: noun: ↑rule, ↑ruler, ↑ruling, ↑unruliness; adjective: ↑ruling, ↑unruly, ↑ruled; verb: ↑rule, ↑overrule]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: reule, from Latin regula; ⇨ ↑regular¹]
1. ABOUT WHAT IS ALLOWED [countable] an official instruction that says how things must be done or what is allowed, especially in a game, organization, or job
rule of
the rules of the game
under the rules/according to the rules
Under the rules, the company must publish its annual accounts.
2. ABOUT WHAT YOU SHOULD DO [countable] what you should do in a particular situation, or a statement about this:
There are no hard and fast rules (=clear and definite rules) about what to wear to classes.
rule of
There are two basic rules of survival.
The rule is: if you feel any pain you should stop exercising immediately.
3. NORMAL/USUAL [singular] something that is normal or usually true
as a (general) rule
As a general rule most students finish their coursework by the end of May.
Early marriage used to be the rule in that part of the world.
A series of payments used to be the exception rather than the rule.
Unfortunately there is an exception to every rule.
4. GOVERNMENT [uncountable] the government of a country or area by a particular group of people or using a particular system
under ... rule
people living under communist rule
the end of colonial rule
a period of military rule
direct rule from Westminster
the restoration of majority rule (=government by the party that most people have voted for) to Northern Ireland
5. IN GRAMMAR/SCIENCE ETC [countable] a statement about what is usually allowed in a particular system, such as the grammar of a language, or a science
rule of
the rules of English punctuation
6. the rule of law a situation in which the laws of a country are obeyed:
We are here to uphold the rule of law.
7. the rules of natural justice what people believe to be right and fair:
The governor failed to observe the rules of natural justice.
8. rule of thumb a rough figure or method of calculation, based on practical experience:
As a general rule of thumb, children this age should not spend more than one hour on homework.
9. make it a rule (to do something) to try to make sure that you always do something:
I make it a rule never to mix business with pleasure.
10. FOR MEASURING [countable] old-fashioned a ↑ruler
⇨ ↑golden rule, ↑ground rules, ↑home rule, ↑slide rule, ⇨ work to rule at ↑work¹(32)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ break a rule (also violate a rule formal) (=not obey it) He had clearly broken the official rules. | Any one who violates this rule will be severely punished.
▪ obey/follow a rule She wasn’t going to obey their silly rules.
▪ comply with/abide by/observe a rule formal (=obey it) All members must comply with the rules of the organization. | There is little that one country can do if another fails to abide by the rules. | We expect you to observe the general rules of conduct as set out below.
▪ stick to/go by the rules informal (=obey them) We all have to stick to the rules.
▪ make the rules I’m only an assistant manager – I don’t make the rules.
▪ the rule says ... The rule says that you must be standing inside the line.
▪ the rule stipulates that ... formal (=it says that something must be done) The rules stipulate that clubs must field the strongest team available.
▪ the rule prohibits/forbids something The rule forbids women from becoming members of the club.
▪ the rule requires (that) ... formal (=it says that people must do something) School rules required all girls to tie back their hair.
▪ the rule applies to somebody/something (=it concerns them) Everyone thinks that the rule doesn’t apply to them.
▪ play by the rules (=do what is expected and agreed) The system works well enough — as long as everyone plays by the rules.
▪ bend/stretch the rules (=allow someone to do something that is not normally allowed) They bend the rules to suit themselves.
▪ relax the rules (=make them less strict) Britain relaxed its immigration rules.
▪ tighten (up) the rules (=make them stricter) The EU has tightened the rules on the quality of drinking water.
▪ enforce a rule (=make sure that it is obeyed) The planning office does not always enforce its own rules.
▪ flout a rule (=break it, without trying to hide what you are doing) The party continues to flout its own rules.
▪ be bound by rules (=have to obey them) Solicitors are bound by strict rules that regulate their professional conduct.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + rule
▪ strict They have very strict rules about gambling.
▪ simple The rules of the game are quite simple.
▪ petty (=unreasonable rules about unimportant things) There are hundreds of petty rules.
▪ a school/prison/club etc rule He had broken one of the school rules.
▪ an unwritten rule (=a rule of behaviour that everyone in a group understands) There’s an unwritten rule that you never call an actor before 10 a.m.
▪ health and safety rules You should follow any health and safety rules which apply to your workplace.
■ phrases
▪ be against the rules (=not be allowed) It was against the rules to talk in class.
▪ the rules concerning/governing/relating to something formal (=the rules about something) the rules governing food labeling
▪ a change in the rules I didn’t realise that there had been a change in the rules.
▪ a breach of the rules formal (=something that is against the rules) a serious breach of the rules
▪ rules and regulations The government keeps introducing more and more rules and regulations.
▪ rules are rules spoken (=a rule must be obeyed) Rules are rules and you have to abide by them.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ rule an instruction that says what people are allowed to do or not allowed to do, for example in a game, school, or company: the rules of baseball | He disobeyed the school rules.
▪ law an official rule that everyone in a country, city, or state must obey: It is against the law to carry a concealed weapon. | The law requires motorcyclists to wear helmets.
▪ regulation an official rule or order, which is part of a set of rules made by a government or organization: the regulations for applying for a passport | building regulations | environmental regulations on air pollution
▪ restriction an official rule that limits what people can do: new restrictions on immigration | The government is planning to impose regulations on the amount of alcohol you can bring into the country.
▪ guidelines rules or instructions about the best way to do something: the Department of Health’s guidelines for a healthy diet | guidelines for classroom teachers
▪ code a set of rules that people or organizations agree to obey but are not forced to obey: The school has a dress code for its students. | the company’s code of conduct
▪ statute formal a law that has been officially approved by a parliament, council etc, and written down: The statute banned corporal punishment.
▪ ordinance American English a law, made by a city or town, that forbids or restricts an activity: A local ordinance limited speed in the parks to ten miles an hour.

light

I. light¹ S1 W1 /laɪt/ BrE AmE noun
[Word Family: noun: ↑light, ↑lighter, ↑lighting, ↑lightness; adjective: ↑light, ↑lighted, ↑unlit; verb: ↑light, ↑lighten; adverb: ↑lightly, ↑light]
[Language: Old English; Origin: leoht]
1. NATURAL/ARTIFICIAL LIGHT
a) [uncountable] the energy from the Sun, a flame, a lamp etc that allows you to see things:
We saw a flash of light.
in/by the light of something
Everything looked grey in the dim light of the oil lamp.
I read by the light of the fire.
in/into the light
The man moved forward into the light.
b) [countable] a particular type of light, with its own particular colour, level of brightness etc:
The colours look different in different lights.
2. LAMP/ELECTRIC LIGHT ETC [countable]
a) something that produces light, especially electric light, to help you to see:
Ahead of us we could see the lights of the city.
We’re having a mixture of wall lights and ceiling lights in different parts of the house.
turn/switch/put on a light
I switched on the light in the bedroom.
turn/switch/put off a light
Don’t forget to switch the lights off when you go out.
turn/switch/put out a light
Can you turn the light out downstairs?
a light is/comes/goes on
The lights in the office were still on.
The street lights were just beginning to come on.
He left a light on in the kitchen.
a light is off/out
Make sure all the lights are off when you leave.
Suddenly all the lights in the house went out.
Can you turn the light down (=make it less bright) a bit? ⇨ the bright lights at ↑bright(13)
b) something such as a lamp that you can carry to give you light:
Shine a light over here, will you?
3. TRAFFIC CONTROL [countable usually plural] one of a set of red, green, and yellow lights used for controlling traffic SYN traffic lights:
We waited for the lights to change.
Eventually the lights turned green.
The driver had failed to stop at a red light. ⇨ ↑green light, ↑red-light district
4. ON A VEHICLE [countable usually plural] one of the lights on a car, bicycle etc that help you to see at night:
He was dazzled by the lights of oncoming traffic.
You’ve left your lights on. ⇨ ↑brake light, ↑headlight, ↑parking light
5. first light literary the time when light first appears in the morning sky:
We set out at first light the next day.
6. be/stand in sb’s light to prevent someone from getting all the light they need to see or do something:
Could you move to the left a little – you’re standing in my light.
7. FOR A CIGARETTE a light a match or something else to light a cigarette:
Have you got a light, please?
8. IN SB’S EYES [singular] literary an expression in someone’s eyes that shows an emotion or intention SYN gleam:
There was a murderous light in his eyes.
9. set light to something to make something start burning:
The candle fell over and set light to the barn.
10. come to light/be brought to light if new information comes to light, it becomes known:
This evidence did not come to light until after the trial.
The mistake was only brought to light some years later.
11. throw/shed/cast light on something to provide new information that makes a difficult subject or problem easier to understand:
Melanie was able to shed some light on the situation.
These discoveries may throw new light on the origins of the universe.
12. in the light of something British English, in light of something American English if you do or decide something in the light of something else, you do it after considering that thing:
In light of this tragic event, we have canceled the 4th of July celebrations.
13. in a new/different/bad etc light if someone or something is seen or shown in a particular light, people can see that particular part of their character:
I suddenly saw my father in a new light.
This incident will put the company in a very bad light.
14. see the light
a) to suddenly understand something:
At last doctors have seen the light!
b) to begin to believe in a religion very strongly
15. see the light (of day)
a) if an object sees the light of day, it is taken from the place where it has been hidden, and becomes publicly known:
Some of these documents will probably never see the light of day.
b) if a law, decision etc sees the light of day, it comes into existence for the first time
16. light at the end of the tunnel something that gives you hope for the future after a long and difficult period:
It’s been a hard few months, but we’re finally beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
17. have your name in lights informal to be successful and famous in theatre or films
18. go/be out like a light informal to go to sleep very quickly because you are very tired:
I went straight to bed and went out like a light.
19. a leading light in/of something informal someone who is important in a particular organization:
She’s one of the leading lights of the local dramatic society.
20. the light of sb’s life the person that someone loves more than anyone else:
Her son was the light of her life.
21. WINDOW [countable] a window in a roof or wall that allows light into a room
⇨ hide your light under a bushel at ↑bushel, ⇨ be all sweetness and light at ↑sweetness(3), ⇨ in the cold light of day at ↑cold¹(9)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + light
▪ bright/strong The light was so bright he had to shut his eyes.
▪ blinding/dazzling (=extremely bright) The white buildings reflected a blinding light.
▪ dim (=not bright) Gradually her eyes became accustomed to the dim light.
▪ good (=bright enough) Stand over here where the light is good.
▪ poor/bad (=not bright enough) The light was too poor for me to read.
▪ soft/warm (=light that seems slightly yellow or orange) the soft light of the candles
▪ cold/harsh (=light that seems slightly blue) the cold light of the moon
▪ the morning/dawn light The flowers glowed brightly in the morning light.
▪ natural light (=light produced by the sun) The only natural light came from two high windows.
▪ artificial light (=light produced by lamps) The office was windowless, lit only by artificial light.
■ verbs
▪ light shines The light from the streetlamp shone through the curtains.
▪ light comes from somewhere The only light came from the fire.
▪ light streams/floods in (=a large amount of light comes in) Light streamed in through the window.
▪ light falls on/across etc something The light fell on her book.
▪ light illuminates something formal (=makes it bright or able to be seen) The light from the screen illuminated the people gathered round it.
▪ the light is fading (=it is getting darker as the sun is going down)
▪ produce light (also emit light technical) the light produced by the sun
▪ cast light (=send light onto something) the gold circle of light cast by the lamp
▪ reflect light Snow reflects a lot of light.
▪ something is bathed in light literary (=something has a lot of light shining on it) The fields and woods were bathed in golden light.
■ phrases
▪ a beam/ray/shaft of light (=a thin line of light) There was a shaft of light from the doorway.
▪ a flash of light (=a bright light that appears suddenly for a very short time) A flash of light caught his attention.
▪ a pool/circle of light (=an area of light) They stood in the pool of light cast by the streetlamp.
• • •
THESAURUS (for Meaning 2)
▪ light something that produces light, especially electric light, to help you to see: She switched the kitchen light on. | The lights in the house were all off.
▪ lamp an object that produces light by using electricity, oil, or gas - often used in names of lights: a bedside lamp | a street lamp | a desk lamp | a table lamp | an old oil lamp | a paraffin lamp
▪ lantern a lamp that you can carry, consisting of a metal container with glass sides that surrounds a flame or light: The miners used lanterns which were lit by candles.
▪ torch British English, flashlight American English a small electric lamp that you carry in your hand: We shone our torches around the cavern.
▪ candle a stick of wax with a string through the middle, which you burn to give light: The restaurant was lit by candles.
▪ bulb the glass part of an electric light, that the light shines from: a 100 watt bulb | an energy-saving light bulb
■ on a car
▪ headlight (also headlamp) one of the two large lights at the front of a vehicle: It was getting dark so she switched the headlights on.
▪ sidelight British English, parking light American English one of the two small lights next to the main lights, at the front and back of a car
▪ tail light one of the two red lights at the back of a vehicle
▪ indicator British English, turn signal American English one of the lights on a car that flash to show which way the car is turning