adjective

shy

I. shy¹ /ʃaɪ/ BrE AmE adjective (comparative shyer, superlative shyest)
[Word Family: verb: ↑shy; noun: ↑shyness; adverb: ↑shyly; adjective: ↑shy]
[Language: Old English; Origin: sceoh]
1. nervous and embarrassed about meeting and speaking to other people, especially people you do not know:
He was a quiet shy man.
shy with
She was very shy with strangers.
a shy smile
As a teenager, I was painfully shy (=extremely shy).
shy to do something
He was too shy to come and sit by me in class.
go all shy British English (=to suddenly become very shy)
Oh, have you gone all shy, Jenny?
2. somebody is not shy about (doing) something used to emphasize that someone is very willing to do something or get involved with something:
John has strong opinions and he’s not shy about sharing them.
3. unwilling to do something or get involved in something
be shy about/of (doing) something
Employees are urged not to be shy about reporting incidents of sexual harassment.
4. be shy (of something) especially American English to have less than a particular amount of something:
The Democrats are three votes shy of a majority.
Jessica died Monday. She was one week shy of her 13th birthday.
5. used to say that someone does not like something and therefore tries to avoid it:
Although publicity-shy, he recently agreed to be interviewed. ⇨ ↑camera-shy, ↑work-shy
6. shy animals get frightened easily and are unwilling to come near people SYN timid:
Deer are shy creatures.
—shyly adverb:
He grinned shyly.
—shyness noun [uncountable]:
I overcame my shyness.
⇨ fight shy of (doing) something at ↑fight¹(22), ⇨ once bitten, twice shy at ↑bite¹(14)
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ bashful shy and not willing to say very much
▪ self-conscious worried and embarrassed about what you look like or what other people think of you
▪ timid not brave or confident
▪ reserved not liking to express your emotions or talk about your problems
▪ introverted thinking a lot about your own interests, problems etc, and not liking to be with other people
▪ withdrawn quiet and not wanting to talk to other people, especially because you are unhappy
▪ antisocial not liking to meet people and talk to them
▪ retiring formal not wanting to be with other people

talkative

talk‧a‧tive /ˈtɔːkətɪv $ ˈtɒːk-/ BrE AmE adjective
[Word Family: noun: ↑talk, talks, ↑talker; verb: ↑talk; adjective: ↑talkative]
someone who is talkative talks a lot OPP quiet
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ talkative a talkative person likes to talk a lot – also used about people’s moods: He’s very talkative with his friends and family. | Benjamin was in a talkative mood.
▪ chatty liking to talk a lot in a friendly way – a rather informal use: I like her – she’s always cheerful and chatty. | The chatty girl on the phone answered most of my questions.
▪ articulate able to talk easily and effectively about things, especially difficult subjects: All the applicants we interviewed were intelligent and articulate. | These were articulate people, well able to deal with the press and media.
▪ eloquent able to express your ideas and opinions well – used especially about people who speak in public and are able to influence people: an eloquent public speaker
▪ garrulous formal talking a lot, especially about unimportant things: A garrulous old man was sitting near me in the bar. | He became more garrulous as the evening went on.
▪ you can’t shut him/her up informal used to say humorously that someone talks all the time: You can’t shut him up so I never get any work done when he’s here.
▪ chatterbox informal someone, especially a child, who talks a lot : Cathy’s a real chatterbox.

windy

wind‧y S3 /ˈwɪndi/ BrE AmE (comparative windier, superlative windiest) adjective
1. if it is windy, there is a lot of wind:
It’s too windy for a picnic.
a cold, windy day
a windy hillside
2. windy talk is full of words that sound impressive but do not mean much:
politicians’ windy generalizations
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ windy if it is windy, there is a lot of wind: It's too windy for a picnic. | a windy day in October
▪ blustery blustery weather is very windy, with sudden strong winds: a cold and blustery day
▪ breezy if the weather is breezy, the wind blows fairly strongly: a sunny but breezy day in springtime
▪ blowy informal windy: It's a bit blowy out there. | The day was grey and cold and blowy.
▪ stormy if the weather is stormy, there are strong winds, heavy rain, and dark clouds: The sky was starting to look stormy. | a period of stormy weather
▪ windswept a windswept place is often windy because there are not many trees or buildings to protect it: The beach was cold and windswept. | Thousands of the birds live on the windswept islands off the north coast of Scotland.

lonely

lone‧ly S3 /ˈləʊnli $ ˈloʊn-/ adjective (comparative lonelier, superlative loneliest)
1. unhappy because you are alone or do not have anyone to talk to SYN lonesome American English:
a lonely old man
Don’t you get lonely being on your own all day?
► Do not use lonely to mean ‘without anyone else’. Use alone: She is afraid to travel alone (NOT travel lonely).
2. a lonely experience or situation makes you unhappy because you are alone or do not have anyone to talk to:
a lonely journey
lonely life/existence
He led a lonely life with few friends.
3. the lonely [plural] people who are lonely
4. a lonely place is a long way from where people live and very few people go there SYN lonesome American English, remote, desolate
lonely place/road/spot etc
—loneliness noun [uncountable]
• • •

▪ lonely (also lonesome American English) unhappy because you are alone or do not have any friends: Tammy felt very lonely when she first arrived in New York. | Our neighbor George is a very lonely man. | I get so lonesome here with no one to talk to.
▪ isolated lonely because your situation makes it difficult for you to meet people: People caring for sick relatives often feel very isolated. | Children of very rich parents can grow up isolated from the rest of society.
▪ alienated feeling that you do not belong in a particular place or group: She felt very alienated as the only woman in the company. | In high school she felt somehow different and alienated from other students.
▪ homesick unhappy because you are a long way from your home and the people who live there: When I first went to Germany, I was very homesick.
▪ miss somebody used when saying that you feel unhappy because someone is not there with you: I miss you. | She misses her friends.

full

I. full¹ S1 W1 /fʊl/ BrE AmE adjective
[Language: Old English]
1. NO SPACE containing as much or as many things or people as possible, so there is no space left ⇨ empty:
The train was completely full.
Don’t talk with your mouth full.
The class is full, but you can register for next term.
full of
The kitchen was full of smoke.
be crammed/stuffed/packed etc full of something
Ted’s workshop was crammed full of old engines.
half-full/three-quarters full etc
McQuaid filled his glass until it was three-quarters full.
The bath was full to the brim (=completely full) with hot water.
full (up) to bursting British English informal (=completely full)
The filing cabinet was full to bursting.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people often say that a place is packed when it is full of people:
▪ The trains are always packed in the rush hour.
2. INCLUDING EVERYTHING [only before noun] complete and including all parts or details:
Please write your full name and address on the form.
The Health Centre offers a full range of services.
Lotus will not reveal full details until the Motor Show.
The BBC promised a full investigation.
I don’t think he’s telling us the full story (=everything he knows about the matter).
3. HIGHEST AMOUNT/LEVEL [only before noun] the greatest amount or highest level of something that is possible SYN maximum:
rising prosperity and full employment
The charity helps disabled children reach their full potential.
Few customers take full advantage of off-peak fares.
Parker was driving at full speed when he hit the wall.
in full leaf/bloom
The roses were now in full bloom.
4. HAVING A LOT OF SOMETHING be full of something
a) to contain many things of the same kind:
a garden full of flowers
His essay was full of mistakes.
The music papers were full of gossip about the band.
Life’s full of surprises, isn’t it?
b) to feel, express, or show a lot of a particular emotion or quality
full of excitement/energy/hope etc
Lucy was a happy child, always full of life.
He was full of praise for the work of the unit.
c) to talk or think a lot about a particular thing:
She was full of plans for the wedding.
5. FOOD (also full up British English) [not before noun] having eaten so much food that you cannot eat any more:
No more, thanks. I’m full.
6. EMPHASIS [only before noun] used to emphasize an amount, quantity, or rate
three/six etc full days/years/pages etc
We devote five full days a month to training.
His pants rose a full three inches off his shoes.
7. BUSY busy and involving lots of different activities:
Before her illness, Rose enjoyed a full life.
Go to bed. You’ve a full day tomorrow.
8. RANK having or giving all the rights, duties etc that belong to a particular rank or position
full professor/member/colonel etc
Only full members have the right to vote.
a full driving licence
9. be full of yourself to have a high opinion of yourself – used to show disapproval:
My first impression was that he was a bit full of himself.
10. be full of crap/shit/it not polite a rude expression used to say that someone often says things that are wrong or stupid:
Don’t listen to Jerry. He’s full of it.
11. CLOTHES made using a lot of material and fitting loosely:
a dress with a full skirt
12. BODY large and rounded in an attractive way
full figure/face/breasts etc
clothes for the fuller figure
13. TASTE having a strong satisfying taste:
Now you can enjoy Nescafé's fuller flavour in a decaffeinated form. ⇨ ↑full-bodied
14. SOUND pleasantly loud and deep:
the rich full sound of the cello
15. full price not a reduced price:
If you’re over 14, you have to pay full price.
16. in full view of somebody so that all the people in a place can see, especially when this is embarrassing or shocking:
The argument happened on stage in full view of the audience.
17. be in full swing if an event or process is in full swing, it has reached its highest level of activity:
By 8.30, the party was in full swing.
18. full speed/steam ahead doing something with as much energy and effort as possible:
With last season’s misery behind them, it’s full steam ahead for the Bears.
19. be full of beans to be excited and have lots of energy
20. (at) full blast informal as strongly, loudly, or quickly as possible:
The heater was on full blast but I was still cold.
a car stereo playing Wagner at full blast
21. (at) full tilt/pelt moving as fast as possible:
She ran full tilt into his arms.
22. be in full cry if a group of people are in full cry, they are criticizing someone very strongly:
Anyone who’s seen the world’s press in full cry can understand how Diana felt.
23. to the full (also to the fullest American English) in the best or most complete way:
Ed believes in living life to the full.
24. come/go/turn full circle to be in the same situation in which you began, even though there have been changes during the time in between:
Fashion has come full circle and denim is back.
⇨ ↑fully, ⇨ have your hands full at ↑hand¹(29), ⇨ draw yourself up to your full height at ↑draw up(4)
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ full containing as much or as many things or people as possible, so there is no space left: The train was nearly full. | The cupboard was full of clothes. | He spilled a full cup of coffee on the carpet.
▪ filled with something full of something – use this about a container when a lot of things have been put into it: The envelopes were filled with cash.
▪ stuffed full of something completely full of something – use this about a container when lots of things have been put into it, often in an untidy way: The case was stuffed full of clothes.
▪ packed completely full of people – use this about a room, train etc: a packed restaurant | The courtroom will be packed with journalists.
▪ bursting (with something) extremely full of something: Her wardrobe was bursting with coats and shoes. | a small garden bursting with fruit and flowers
▪ crammed so full that you cannot fit anyone or anything else in – often used when you think there are too many people or things: In summer, the hotels are crammed with tourists. | The resort’s crammed beaches are uncomfortable in summer.
▪ teeming (with something) /ˈtiːmɪŋ/ full of people, animals etc that are all moving around: The rivers are teeming with fish.
▪ overflowing used about a container that is so full that the liquid or things inside it come out over the top: an overflowing bathtub | The drawers were overflowing with magazines.
▪ overloaded used about a vehicle or a ship which has too many people or things in it: an overloaded fishing boat | The trucks are often grossly overloaded (=far too overloaded).

busy

I. bus‧y¹ S1 W2 /ˈbɪzi/ BrE AmE adjective (comparative busier, superlative busiest)
[Language: Old English; Origin: bisig]
1. PERSON if you are busy, you are working hard and have a lot of things to do:
She’s busy now – can you phone later?
a busy mother of four
busy with
Mr Haynes is busy with a customer at the moment.
busy doing something
Rachel’s busy studying for her exams.
There were lots of activities to keep the kids busy.
2. TIME a busy period of time is full of work or other activities:
December is the busiest time of year for shops.
a busy day
He took time out of his busy schedule to visit us.
3. PLACE a busy place is very full of people or vehicles and movement:
We live on a very busy road.
4.TELEPHONE especially American English if a telephone you are calling is busy, it makes a repeated sound to tell you that the person you are calling is talking on their telephone SYN engaged British English:
I called Sonya, but her line was busy.
I keep getting a busy signal.
5. PATTERN a pattern or design that is busy is too full of small details – used to show disapproval
• • •
THESAURUS
■ person
▪ busy if you are busy, you have a lot of things you need to do: Sorry I haven’t called you, but I’ve been really busy. | a busy housewife | Angela was becoming more and more unhappy, but her husband was too busy to notice. | Not now Stephen, I’m busy. | Alex is busy studying for his exams.
▪ rushed/run off your feet [not before noun] especially British English spoken very busy and in a hurry, because you have too many things to do: We’ve been absolutely rushed off our feet getting ready for our son’s birthday party.
▪ snowed under [not before noun] especially British English so busy that you can hardly deal with all the work you have to do: I can’t stop for lunch today – I’m completely snowed under. | We’ve been snowed under with applications for the job.
▪ up to your ears/neck in something [not before noun] informal extremely busy because you have a lot of work to deal with: Teachers say they are up to their ears in paperwork and don’t have enough time for teaching.
▪ tied up [not before noun] busy in your job, so that you cannot do anything else: I’m sorry, but he’s tied up at the moment. Could you call back later? | I can’t see you tomorrow: I’m tied up all day.
▪ have a lot to do especially spoken to have to do a lot of things, so that you need to hurry or work hard: Let’s get started – we have a lot to do.
▪ have a lot on British English, have a lot going on American English especially spoken to be busy, especially because you have arranged to do a lot of things during a particular period: I’ve got a lot on this weekend. | He says he’ll try and see you as soon as possible, but he has a lot going on this afternoon.
■ time
▪ busy use this about times when you have a lot of things you need to do: We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow. | July and August are our busiest times.
▪ hectic a hectic time or situation is extremely busy, so that you are always in a hurry and often feel excited or worried: It was really hectic at work today. | The band had a hectic recording schedule.
▪ the rush hour the time in the morning and evening when a lot of people are travelling to or from work: The buses are so crowded during the rush hour you never get a seat. | In most British cities the rush hour does not start until about 8 o'clock.

simple

sim‧ple S1 W1 /ˈsɪmpəl/ BrE AmE adjective (comparative simpler, superlative simplest)
[Word Family: noun: ↑simplicity, ↑simplification, ↑simpleton; adverb: ↑simply, ↑simplistically; adjective: ↑simple, ↑simplistic; verb: ↑simplify]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: 'plain, uncomplicated', from Latin simplus, from sim- 'one' + -plus 'multiplied by']
1. EASY not difficult or complicated to do or understand:
a simple but effective solution to the problem
There is no simple answer to this question.
I’m sure there’s a perfectly simple explanation.
simple to use/make/operate etc
Modern cameras are very simple to use.
relatively/fairly/quite etc simple
There are relatively simple exercises to build strength.
We want to keep the costumes as simple as possible.
We can’t pay people any more money until the company is more profitable. I’m afraid it’s as simple as that.
2. PLAIN made in a plain style, without a lot of decoration or unnecessary things added:
She dressed with simple elegance.
simple but delicious food
a building constructed in a simple classic style
3. ONLY [usually before noun] used to emphasize that only one thing is involved:
Completing the race is not just a simple matter of physical fitness.
The simple fact is, he’s not very good at his job.
Their motive was greed, pure and simple.
4. NOT HAVING MANY PARTS made or built of only a few parts, and not having a complicated structure:
It’s a very simple machine.
They evolved from simple life forms that existed millions of years ago.
5. ORDINARY honest and ordinary and not special in any way:
Joe was just a simple farmer.
6. GRAMMAR technical simple tenses are not formed with an ↑auxiliary such as ‘have’ or ‘be’
7. the simple life life without too many possessions or modern machines, usually in the countryside
8. STUPID [not before noun] someone who is simple is not very intelligent:
I’m afraid Luke’s a bit simple.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adverbs
▪ very/extremely/incredibly simple I came up with a very simple answer to this problem.
▪ relatively/fairly/quite simple The rules are quite simple.
▪ deceptively simple (=seeming simple, but in fact complicated or difficult) It’s a deceptively simple idea, but it’s very difficult to put into practice.
▪ perfectly simple Well? It’s a perfectly simple question.
■ phrases
▪ simple to use/make/operate etc The machine is very simple to use.
▪ simple but effective Any child’s behaviour can be improved by this simple but effective technique.
▪ keep something simple Keep your explanation as simple as possible.

calm

I. calm¹ S3 W3 /kɑːm $ kɑːm, kɑːlm/ BrE AmE adjective (comparative calmer, superlative calmest)
[Word Family: noun: ↑calm, ↑calmness; verb: ↑calm; adverb: ↑calmly; adjective: ↑calm]
1. relaxed and quiet, not angry, nervous, or upset:
Glen was calm and composed at the funeral.
remain/stay/keep calm
I tried to stay calm and just ignore him.
2. if a place, period of time, or situation is calm, there is less activity, trouble etc than there sometimes is, or than there has been recently:
The financial markets are calm at the moment.
The streets are calm again after last night’s disturbances.
3. a sea, lake etc that is calm is smooth or has only gentle waves:
The seas were dead calm.
—calmly adverb
—calmness noun [uncountable]
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ calm not getting angry, nervous, or upset, even in a difficult situation: We’ll talk about this later when you’re feeling calmer. | Everyone praised Douglas for the calm way in which he handled the situation.
▪ relaxed not worried about anything, especially so that people feel comfortable: Looking relaxed and confident, the president answered questions from the press. | There was a relaxed atmosphere.
▪ chilled-out (also chilled) informal very relaxed and not worried – used especially by young people: I’m much more chilled-out about the whole thing this year.
▪ laid-back informal someone who is laid-back is always relaxed and never seems to get worried or annoyed about anything: I like his laid-back attitude to life. | My parents are pretty laid-back and don’t mind me staying out late.
▪ mellow informal relaxed, friendly, and happy, especially after drinking alcohol: After a few drinks, everyone was pretty mellow.
▪ cool informal staying calm and not showing your emotions, especially when other people are getting excited or angry: He is the kind of player who always manages to stay cool, even under pressure. | She was as cool as a cucumber (=very cool).
▪ keep your head to manage to stay calm and behave in a sensible way in a difficult or frightening situation: In this job you need to be good at keeping your head in a crisis.

enthusiastic

en‧thu‧si‧as‧tic S3 /ɪnˌθjuːziˈæstɪk◂ $ ɪnˌθuː-/ BrE AmE adjective
[Word Family: noun: ↑enthusiasm, ↑enthusiast; verb: ↑enthuse; adverb: ↑enthusiastically ≠ UNENTHUSIASTICALLY; adjective: ↑enthusiastic ≠ UNENTHUSIASTIC]
feeling or showing a lot of interest and excitement about something
enthusiastic about (doing) something
All the staff are enthusiastic about the project.
The singer got an enthusiastic reception.
an enthusiastic supporter of reform
—enthusiastically /-kli/ adverb
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ be/feel enthusiastic The Irish are very enthusiastic about horse racing.
▪ seem/appear enthusiastic I wanted to go, but Helen seemed less enthusiastic.
▪ sound enthusiastic ‘I’m sure we can do it,’ she said, trying to sound enthusiastic.
▪ look enthusiastic Your husband doesn’t look too enthusiastic about the idea.
■ enthusiastic + NOUN
▪ enthusiastic support His policies won him the enthusiastic support of middle-income voters.
▪ enthusiastic supporter He is an enthusiastic supporter of the war.
▪ enthusiastic response The proposal has received an enthusiastic response from the union.
▪ enthusiastic reception/welcome The audience gave him an enthusiastic reception.
▪ enthusiastic crowd/audience It’s nice to see such an enthusiastic crowd at the match.
▪ enthusiastic applause His speech was greeted by enthusiastic applause.
▪ an enthusiastic amateur (=someone with a fairly low level of skill who tries hard) There are a few professionals in the race, but most are enthusiastic amateurs.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ enthusiastic feeling or showing a lot of interest or excitement about something: He’s really enthusiastic about his new job. | An enthusiastic crowd cheered the team onto the pitch.
▪ eager wanting to do something or know about something very soon: He was eager to hear every detail of her day. | She was always eager for her turn on the catwalk. | The room was full of eager young faces. | We waited in eager anticipation.
▪ keen eager to work or learn: She hasn’t much experience but she’s very keen. | John was a keen student who worked very hard.
▪ zealous doing something in a very enthusiastic way, especially supporting something or making sure that people obey rules : She was a zealous supporter of the revolution. | The company has been extremely zealous in defending its interests. | Officials have been very zealous in the application of the new regulations.
▪ avid [only before noun] written used when you want to emphasize that someone does something a lot or is very interested in something: an avid golfer | She was an avid reader all her life. | I’ve become an avid collector of his work. | Henry is an avid fan of the sport. | As a schoolboy he had an avid interest in birds.
▪ fervent written believing or feeling something very strongly and sincerely: Galinsoga was one of Franco’s most fervent supporters. | One of Allen 's fervent admirers was Richard Nixon. | her fervent belief in promoting the work of good women artists
▪ be mad about something British English informal to like something very much and be very interested in it: My sister’s mad about horses. | Since you’re so mad about clothes, you can help me choose a wedding dress.
▪ can’t wait to do something to be very eager to do something: I can’t wait to get started.
▪ be looking forward to something to feel pleased and excited because you know that something is going to happen soon: I’m looking forward to the vacation.

massive

mas‧sive S2 W3 /ˈmæsɪv/ BrE AmE adjective
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: massif, from masse; ⇨ mass¹]
1. very large, solid, and heavy:
The bell is massive, weighing over 40 tons.
the castle’s massive walls
2. unusually large, powerful, or damaging:
My phone bill was massive last month.
massive increases in the number of homeless
Club members can get a massive discount of £50.
massive stroke/heart attack etc
He suffered a massive stroke.
massive argument/row etc British English:
I had a massive argument with her.
3. British English informal extremely good:
Listen to this. It’s a massive song.
—massively adverb:
The president was massively popular.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ very big
▪ huge/massive/enormous extremely big: The table was enormous. | a huge explosion | Their house is huge. | There is a huge amount of work to be done. | There has been a massive increase in oil prices. | The company is massive, operating in 150 countries. | A massive fire destroyed more than thirty homes. | He’s been under an enormous amount of stress recently. | The changes will have an enormous impact.
▪ great [only before noun] very big – used especially to describe the level or number of something: He achieved great success in America. | The college offers a great number of courses. | a great advantage
▪ vast extremely big – used about areas, distances, numbers, or amounts: vast areas of rainforest | A vast number of tourists visit the island every year.
▪ gigantic extremely big and much bigger than other things of the same type: Gigantic waves crashed onto the beach.
▪ colossal extremely big – used about amounts or objects: James ran up a colossal phone bill. | a colossal statue of Napoleon
▪ tremendous having an extremely big effect: There have been some tremendous changes. | My new job will be a tremendous challenge. | The children were making a tremendous amount of noise.