British English

galore

ga‧lore /ɡəˈlɔː $ -ˈlɔːr/ BrE AmE adjective [only after noun]
[Date: 1600-1700; Language: Irish Gaelic; Origin: go leor 'enough']
in large amounts or numbers:
bargains galore in the sales

nostalgia

nos‧tal‧gia /nɒˈstældʒə $ nɑː-/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[Date: 1700-1800; Language: Modern Latin; Origin: Greek nostos 'returning home' + algos 'pain']
a feeling that a time in the past was good, or the activity of remembering a good time in the past and wishing that things had not changed
nostalgia for
nostalgia for the good old days
He looked back on his university days with a certain amount of nostalgia.
a wave of nostalgia for how great life was in the 1960s
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ feel nostalgia He didn't feel any nostalgia for his school days.
▪ have nostalgia The immigrants I spoke to often had an intense nostalgia for their homeland.
■ adjectives
▪ great nostalgia (=a strong feeling of nostalgia) I read the college newsletter with great nostalgia.
▪ pure nostalgia (=used when talking about good things from the past that are not mixed with things from the present) It was an evening of pure nostalgia, as the band played hits from the 1940s.
■ phrases
▪ a feeling/sense of nostalgia Did it give you a sense of nostalgia to see the play on Broadway again?
▪ a pang of nostalgia (=a short feeling of nostalgia) She felt a pang of nostalgia for the time when they were all children.
▪ a wave of nostalgia (=a strong feeling of nostalgia) As I drove into the city I felt a wave of nostalgia sweep over me.
■ nostalgia + NOUN
▪ a nostalgia trip informal (=a situation or experience that reminds you of events in the past) Walking around campus was a great nostalgia trip for both of us.
▪ a nostalgia buff informal (=someone who likes old things) The restaurant, which still has its 1930s décor, is a favorite with nostalgia buffs.

II. urge² BrE AmE noun [countable]
a strong wish or need SYN desire
urge to do something
He could no longer resist the urge to go and see Amanda.
Suddenly she had an overwhelming urge to be with her son.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ strong/powerful The urge was too strong to resist.
▪ an irresistible/uncontrollable/overwhelming urge (=very strong) I was overcome by an irresistible urge to laugh.
▪ a sudden urge She fought back the sudden urge to beg his forgiveness.
▪ a sexual/biological urge Most of us feel the biological urge to reproduce.
▪ a primal/instinctive/basic/natural urge (=a natural urge that all people have) Every animal has an instinctive urge to survive.
■ verbs
▪ feel/have an urge I still sometimes feel an urge to have a cigarette.
▪ resist/fight/suppress an urge She had to resist a constant urge to look back over her shoulder.
▪ satisfy an urge (=do want you feel you want to do) He satisfied his urge to travel by going to India.
▪ give in to an urge (=do what you feel you want to do, when this is wrong) I try not to give in to the urge to gossip.

homesick

home‧sick /ˈhəʊmˌsɪk $ ˈhoʊm-/ BrE AmE adjective
feeling unhappy because you are a long way from your home

Camel

Camel BrE AmE trademark
a type of cigarette made in the US, with a picture of a ↑camel on the packet

camel

cam‧el /ˈkæməl/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 900-1000; Language: Latin; Origin: camelus, from Greek kamelos, from a Semitic language]

a large desert animal with a long neck and either one or two ↑humps (=large raised parts) on its back

seek

seek S2 W1 AC /siːk/ BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle sought /sɔːt $ sɒːt/) [transitive]
[Word Family: verb: ↑seek; noun: ↑seeker]
[Language: Old English; Origin: secan]
1. formal to try to achieve or get something:
Do you think the President will seek re-election?
seek refuge/asylum/shelter etc
Thousands of people crossed the border, seeking refuge from the war.
seek revenge/damages/compensation etc
He sought revenge against Surkov for separating him from his wife and son.
seek to do something
Local schools are seeking to reduce the dropout rate.
attention-seeking/publicity-seeking
2. seek (sb’s) advice/help/assistance etc formal to ask someone for advice or help:
If the symptoms persist, seek medical advice.
3. written to look for someone or something SYN look for:
new graduates seeking employment
Attractive woman, 27, seeks male, 25-35, for fun and friendship.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say that they are looking for someone or something rather than seeking someone or something:
▪ What kind of job are you looking for?
4. seek your fortune literary to go to another place hoping to gain success and wealth:
Coles came to the Yukon in the 1970s to seek his fortune.
5. to move naturally towards something or into a particular position:
Water seeks its own level.
⇨ ↑heat-seeking, ↑hide-and-seek, ↑self-seeking, ↑sought-after
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meanings 1 & 2)
■ nouns
▪ seek help He sought help from the police.
▪ seek advice/information If in any doubt, seek the advice of a senior officer.
▪ seek support/approval He said he would seek shareholder support for the proposal.
▪ seek permission They are seeking permission to build 200 new houses.
▪ seek refuge/asylum/shelter (=try to find somewhere safe) They sought refuge inside the castle.
▪ seek election/re-election (=try to be elected or re-elected) He hasn’t decided whether to seek re-election.
▪ seek compensation/damages (=ask for money because of something bad you have suffered) The other two may seek compensation for wrongful imprisonment.
▪ seek revenge Dafoe plays a computer mastermind who seeks revenge on his former employer.
■ adverbs
▪ actively The university is actively seeking new funds.
▪ desperately They ran in all directions, desperately seeking escape.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ search to look carefully for someone or something: Detectives continue to search for clues. | She searched through all his clothes.
▪ look for somebody/something to try to get someone or something you want or need: I’m looking for something to wear for my sister’s wedding. | The band is looking for a singer. | He’s decided to look for a new career.
▪ try to find somebody/something used especially when someone or something is difficult to find: I spent half an hour trying to find a parking space. | She was in the kitchen, trying to find something to eat that wasn’t raw carrot.
▪ seek formal to try to find something or someone. Used especially about jobs, help, or information. Also used in newspaper advertisements when trying to find a suitable person: They went there seeking work. | She decided to seek help. | Tall blond 18-year-old male seeks female 17+ for friendship.
▪ hunt to look for someone or something. Used when you look very carefully and thoroughly, or in the phrase house/job/bargain hunting: I’ve hunted everywhere, but I can’t find a recipe for French onion soup. | She’s gone out bargain-hunting in the sales.
▪ be on the lookout for somebody/something to be continuously looking for someone or something: I’m always on the lookout for a good bargain.
▪ leave no stone unturned to look for someone or something in every possible place: The police say they will leave no stone unturned in their search for the killer.
seek somebody/something ↔ out phrasal verb
to try to find someone or something, especially when this is difficult:
Our mission is to seek out the enemy and destroy them.

wood S2 W2 /wʊd/ BrE AmE noun
[Word Family: adjective: ↑wooded, ↑wooden, ↑woody; noun: ↑wood, ↑woodenness; adverb: ↑woodenly]
[Language: Old English; Origin: wudu]

1. [uncountable and countable] the material that trees are made of ⇨ wooden, woody:
Put some more wood on the fire.
a polished wood floor
Her house was made of wood. ⇨ ↑hardwood, ↑softwood
2. [countable] (also the woods) a small forest:
a walk in the woods
3. touch wood British English, knock on wood American English said just after you have said that things are going well for you, when you want your good luck to continue
4. [countable] one of a set of four ↑golf clubs with wooden heads
5. not be out of the wood(s) yet informal used to say that there are likely to be more difficulties before things improve
6. not see the wood for the trees to not notice what is important about something because you give too much of your attention to small details
⇨ ↑dead wood
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ solid wood You can install a solid wood door.
▪ bare wood (=not painted or covered) The floors were of bare wood.
▪ a hard/soft wood Oak is a hard wood.
■ verbs
▪ chop wood He was chopping wood for the fire.
▪ cut/saw wood A local carpenter cut the wood to size.
▪ carve wood (=used a knife to shape it) The room was decorated with carved wood.
■ phrases
▪ a piece of wood He made a bench out of pieces of wood.
▪ a plank of wood (=a long thin flat piece) The shed was constructed from some old planks of wood.
▪ a block of wood I used a block of wood to knock the pole into the ground.
▪ the grain of the wood (=the natural lines in it) The oil enhances the natural grain of the wood.
■ wood + NOUN
▪ wood chips (=small rough pieces) Fish are smoked slowly over wood chips.
▪ wood shavings (=thin curly pieces) He cleared up the wood shavings.
▪ wood smoke There was a smell of wood smoke.

II. fast² S2 W2 adjective
[Language: Old English; Origin: fæst 'firm']
1. MOVING QUICKLY moving or able to move quickly:
a fast car
He’s one of the fastest runners in the world.
2. IN A SHORT TIME doing something or happening in a short time:
The subway is the fastest way to get downtown.
The company must give a faster response to clients’ requests.
The rain forests are being chopped down at an alarmingly fast rate.
I’m a fast learner.
3. CLOCK [not before noun] a clock that is fast shows a later time than the real time:
That can’t be the time – my watch must be fast.
five minutes/an hour etc fast
I always keep my watch 15 minutes fast.
4. fast track a way of achieving something more quickly than is normally done
on the fast track
a young actress on the fast track to fame and success
5. fast road a road on which vehicles can travel very quickly
6. fast film/lens a film or lens(2) that can be used when there is little light, or when photographing something that is moving very quickly
7. COLOUR a colour that is fast will not change when clothes are washed ⇒ colourfast
8. SPORTS a fast surface is one on which a ball moves very quickly
9. fast and furious done very quickly with a lot of effort and energy, or happening very quickly with a lot of sudden changes:
Arsenal’s opening attack was fast and furious.
10. somebody is a fast worker informal used to say that someone can get what they want very quickly, especially in starting a sexual relationship with another person
11. fast talker someone who talks quickly and easily but is often not honest or sincere
12. WOMAN old-fashioned becoming involved quickly in sexual relationships with men:
fast cars and fast women
13. fast friends literary two people who are very friendly for a long time
⇒ fast food, fast-forward, fast lane, ⇒ make a fast buck at buck¹(1), ⇒ pull a fast one at pull¹(10)
 

▪ fast moving or able to move quickly: The cheetah is the fastest animal in the world. | a fast car
▪ quick moving fast or doing something in a short time: He was much quicker than I was over the first 100 metres. | Do I have time for a quick shower?
▪ high-speed [only before noun] designed to travel or operate very quickly: a high-speed train | high-speed Internet access
▪ rapid especially written happening in a short period of time – used about changes, increases, improvements etc: a rapid increase in the population | the rapid expansion of the firm’s business in the Middle East | a rapid decline in profits
▪ swift written moving quickly or happening after only a short time: The horses ran along the track at a swift trot. | He received a swift response to his letter.
▪ brisk quick and energetic: a brisk walk in the countryside | His manner was very brisk.
▪ speedy [only before noun] happening after only a short time: Everyone wishes you a speedy recovery. | a speedy resolution to the problem
▪ hurried done more quickly that usual, because you do not have much time: She ate a hurried breakfast in the cafe before catching her train. | We made a hurried departure.
▪ hasty deciding or doing something very quickly, especially when this has bad results: It was a hasty decision, which he later regretted. | Let’s not be too hasty.

fair

I. fair¹ S1 W2 /feə $ fer/ adjective
[Word Family: adverb: fairly ≠ unfairly, fair; noun: fairness ≠ unfairness; adjective: fair ≠ unfair]
[Language: Old English; Origin: fæger 'beautiful']
1. REASONABLE AND ACCEPTABLE a fair situation, system, way of treating people, or judgment seems reasonable, acceptable, and right OPP unfair:
All we are asking for is a fair wage.
£150 is a fair price.
fair trial/hearing
the right to a fair trial
What do you think is the fairest solution?
The report is a fair summary of the issues facing us.
it is fair to do something
It seems fair to give them a second chance.
it’s only fair (that) (=used to say that it is right to do something)
It’s only fair that we tell him what’s happening.
it’s fair to say (that) (=used when you think what you are saying is correct or reasonable)
It’s fair to say that by then he had lost the support of his staff.
it’s not fair on somebody
I can’t carry on working such long hours. It’s not fair on my family.
2. TREATING EVERYONE EQUALLY treating everyone in a way that is right or equal OPP unfair:
Why does Eric get to go and I don’t? It’s not fair!
Life isn’t always fair.
fair to
The old law wasn’t fair to women.
it’s only fair (that)
You pay him $10 an hour – it’s only fair that I should get the same.
My boss expects a lot – but he’s very fair.
3. QUITE LARGE a fair size/amount/number/bit/distance etc especially British English quite a large size, number etc:
I’ve still got a fair amount of work left to do.
We had travelled a fair way (=quite a long distance) by lunch time.
there’s a fair chance (that)/of something (=it is quite likely that something will happen)
There’s a fair chance we’ll be coming over to England this summer.
4. HAIR/SKIN someone who is fair, or who has fair hair or skin, has hair or skin that is very light in colour OPP dark
5. ACCORDING TO THE RULES a fair fight, game, or election is one that is played or done according to the rules OPP unfair
6. LEVEL OF ABILITY neither particularly good nor particularly bad SYN average:
Her written work is excellent but her practical work is only fair.
7. WEATHER weather that is fair is pleasant and not windy, rainy etc SYN fine:
It should be generally fair and warm for the next few days.
8. have had more than your fair share of something to have had more of something, especially something unpleasant, than seems reasonable:
Poor old Alan! He’s had more than his fair share of bad luck recently.
9. give somebody a fair crack of the whip British English informal to give someone the opportunity to do something, especially so that they can show that they are able to do it
10. give somebody/get a fair shake American English informal to treat someone, or to be treated, in a way that gives everyone the same chances as everyone else:
Women don’t always get a fair shake in business.
11. by fair means or foul using any method to get what you want, including dishonest or illegal methods
12. all’s fair in love and war used to say that in some situations any method of getting what you want is acceptable
13. PLEASANT/ATTRACTIVE old use or literary pleasant and attractive:
a fair maiden
• • •
SPOKEN PHRASES
14. fair enough especially British English used to say that you agree with someone’s suggestion or that something seems reasonable SYN OK:
‘I think we should split the bill.’ ‘Fair enough.’
15. to be fair used when adding something after someone has been criticized, which helps to explain or excuse what they did SYN in fairness:
She should have phoned to tell us what her plans were although, to be fair, she’s been very busy.
16. be fair! especially British English used to tell someone not to be unreasonable or criticize someone too much:
Now Pat, be fair, the poor girl’s trying her hardest!
17. fair’s fair used when you think it is fair that someone should do something, especially because of something that has happened earlier:
Come on, fair’s fair – I paid last time so it’s your turn.
18. fair comment British English used to say that a remark or criticism seems reasonable
19. you can’t say fairer than that British English used to say that an offer you are making to someone is the best and fairest offer they can possibly get:
I’ll give you £25 for it – you can’t say fairer than that, can you?
20. it’s a fair cop British English used humorously to admit that you should not be doing something that someone has caught you doing
21. with your own fair hands British English if you do something with your own fair hands, you do it yourself without any help – used humorously ⇒ have a fair idea of something at idea
• • •

▪ fair treating people equally or in the way that is right: It’s not fair that she gets paid more than me. | Everyone has the right to a fair trial.
▪ just formal morally right and fair: a just punishment | a just cause | a just society | Do you think it was a just war?
▪ reasonable fair and sensible according to most people’s standards: a reasonable request | Lateness, without a reasonable excuse, will not be tolerated.
▪ balanced giving fair and equal treatment to all sides of an argument or subject: Balanced reporting of the news is essential.
▪ even-handed giving fair and equal treatment to everyone, especially when it would be easy to favour one particular group: The drama takes an even-handed look at the consequences of violent crime, both on attackers and their victims. | The film is even-handed and does not try to make you support either side.
▪ equitable /ˈekwətəbəl, ˈekwɪtəbəl/ formal giving equal treatment to everyone involved: We need an equitable solution to this problem. | a more equitable distribution of wealth

II. living² S2 BrE AmE noun
[Word Family: verb: ↑live, ↑outlive, ↑relive, ↑liven, ↑up; adjective: ↑live, ↑lively, ↑living, ↑liveable; noun: ↑liveliness, ↑living, ↑livelihood; adverb: ↑live]
1. [countable usually singular] the way that you earn money or the money that you earn:
It’s not a great job, but it’s a living.
What do you do for a living? (=what do you do as a job?)
earn/make a living
It’s hard to make a decent living as a musician.
scrape/scratch a living (=get just enough to eat or live)
2. the living all the people who are alive as opposed to dead people OPP the dead
3. [uncountable] the way in which someone lives their life:
the stresses of city living
4. [countable] the position or income of a ↑parish priest
⇨ ↑cost of living, ↑standard of living, ⇨ in the land of the living at ↑land¹(7)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ earn/make a living She was able to make a living out of her talents as a cook.
▪ do something for a living (=to work at something as your job) 'What does he do for a living?' 'I think he's a taxi driver.'
▪ scrape out/scratch out/eke out a living (=to barely earn enough money to live) The farmers in these drought-stricken areas are barely able to scratch out a living.
■ adjectives
▪ a good/decent living (=enough money) Her husband makes a good living.
▪ a meagre living British English, a meager living American English (=not much money) She earned a meagre living as a shop assistant.