British English

sleep

I. sleep¹ S1 W2 /sliːp/ BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle slept /slept/) [intransitive]
[Word Family: noun: ↑sleep, ↑sleeper, ↑sleepiness, ↑sleeplessness; adjective: ↑asleep, ↑sleepless, ↑sleepy; adverb: ↑sleepily, ↑sleeplessly; verb: ↑sleep]
1. to rest your mind and body, usually at night when you are lying in bed with your eyes closed ⇨ asleep:
I usually sleep on my back.
Did you sleep well?
He’s lucky because at least he has somewhere to sleep.
2. sleep rough British English to sleep outdoors in uncomfortable conditions, especially because you have no money
3. sleep on it spoken to not make a decision about something important until the next day
4. sleep tight spoken said especially to children before they go to bed to say that you hope they sleep well:
Good night, Jenny. Sleep tight!
5. somebody can sleep easy used to say that someone no longer has to worry about something:
Unlike some other Internet sites, when you buy from us, you can sleep easy.
6. sleep two/four/six etc to have enough beds for a particular number of people:
The villa sleeps four.
7. let sleeping dogs lie to deliberately avoid mentioning a subject, so that you do not cause any trouble or argument
8. literary if a village, house etc sleeps, it is very quiet during the night
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adverbs
▪ sleep well I haven’t been sleeping well lately.
▪ sleep badly Eleanor slept badly that night.
▪ sleep soundly/deeply (=in a way that means you are not likely to wake) Within seconds, Maggie was sleeping soundly.
▪ sleep peacefully Celia slept peacefully beside him.
▪ sleep uneasily (=not sleep well, because you are worried) That night I slept uneasily, anxious about the meeting the next day.
▪ sleep fitfully literary (=sleep badly, waking up after short periods, especially because you are worried) She slept fitfully, her mind filled with images of Jack’s face.
▪ barely/hardly sleep (=to not sleep well) I’d hardly slept the night before the wedding.
▪ sleep late (=not wake up until late in the morning) She had slept late; it was already eleven.
■ phrases
▪ can’t/couldn’t sleep I went to bed, but I couldn’t sleep.
▪ be unable to sleep He lay down but was unable to sleep.
▪ have trouble sleeping (=to not sleep well) Why do so many elderly people have trouble sleeping?
▪ sleep like a log (also sleep like a baby) informal (=sleep very well) I was exhausted and slept like a log.
▪ not sleep a wink informal (=not sleep at all) I didn’t sleep a wink last night.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ sleep to rest your mind and body with your eyes closed. Sleep is usually used when talking about how long, how deeply, or where someone sleeps. When saying that someone is not awake, you use be asleep: Most people sleep for about eight hours. | He slept downstairs. | Did you sleep well?
▪ be asleep to be sleeping: The baby’s asleep – don’t wake her. | He was fast asleep (=completely asleep)by the time I got home.
▪ oversleep to sleep for longer than you intended so that you wake up late in the morning: I overslept and was late for work.
▪ take a nap (also have a nap especially British English) (also have forty winks informal) to sleep for a short time during the day: I think I’ll have a nap. | She had been awake all night and was looking forward to taking a nap.
▪ have/take a snooze informal to sleep for a short time, especially in a chair, not in a bed: I think I’ll have a quick snooze.
▪ doze to sleep lightly, for example in a chair, and be easily woken: I wasn’t really asleep – I was just dozing. | I must have dozed off (=started sleeping) halfway through the film.
▪ kip British English informal to sleep somewhere, especially somewhere that is not your home – a very informal use: I kipped at my mate’s for a couple of days. | Is it alright if I kip on the floor?
sleep around phrasal verb informal
to have sex with a lot of different people without having a serious relationship with any of them – used to show disapproval
sleep in phrasal verb informal
to let yourself sleep later than usual in the morning:
We usually sleep in on Sunday mornings.
sleep something ↔ off phrasal verb informal
to sleep until you do not feel ill any more, especially after drinking too much alcohol:
He went to his room to sleep it off.
sleep over phrasal verb
to sleep at someone’s house for a night – used especially by children
sleep through phrasal verb
1. sleep through something to sleep while something is happening and not be woken by it:
How did you manage to sleep through that thunderstorm?
2. sleep through (something) to sleep continuously for a long time:
I slept right through till lunchtime.
The baby slept peacefully through the night.
sleep together phrasal verb
if people sleep together, they have sex with each other
sleep with somebody phrasal verb
to have sex with someone, especially someone you are not married to:
Everybody in the office knows he’s been sleeping with Kathy.

hang out

hang out phrasal verb (see also ↑hang)
1. informal to spend a lot of time in a particular place or with particular people
hang out with
I don’t really know who she hangs out with.
Where do the youngsters hang out? ⇨ ↑hangout
2. hang something ↔ out to hang clothes outside in order to dry them:
My job was to hang out the washing.
Hang the wet things out to dry.
3. let it all hang out informal to relax and do what you like

revenge

I. re‧venge¹ /rɪˈvendʒ/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
1. something you do in order to punish someone who has harmed or offended you
revenge for
She wanted revenge for the insult.
revenge against/on
At his wife’s funeral, he vowed revenge against her killer.
in revenge for something
a bomb attack in revenge for the imprisonment of the terrorists
2. the defeat of someone who has previously defeated you in a sport
revenge for
The Australians took revenge for their defeat here last time.
a revenge match
—revengeful adjective
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ take revenge He dreamed of taking revenge on his father’s killers.
▪ get (your) revenge Louise eventually got her revenge by reporting him to the immigration service.
▪ have your revenge One day I’ll have my revenge.
▪ seek revenge They play two women who seek revenge on their former partners.
▪ want revenge You broke her heart and now she wants revenge.
▪ exact/wreak revenge formal (=take revenge) He was exacting revenge on society.
▪ vow revenge (=promise to take revenge) His supporters vowed revenge for his death.
■ adjectives
▪ a terrible/awful revenge Caesar returned to Rome to exact a terrible revenge.
■ revenge + NOUN
▪ a revenge attack The camp was burned down, apparently in a revenge attack.
▪ a revenge killing Her death was followed by a series of revenge killings.
■ phrases
▪ an act of revenge The men were shot dead in an act of revenge for Khan’s assassination.
▪ revenge is sweet (=said when someone feels good because they have got revenge) It took me a long time, but revenge is sweet.

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.

II. ex‧cuse² S3 /ɪkˈskjuːs/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Word Family: verb: excuse; noun: excuse; adverb: inexcusably; adjective: excusable ≠ inexcusable]
1. a reason that you give to explain careless or offensive behaviour
excuse for (doing) something
What’s your excuse for being late this time?
I’m tired of listening to his excuses.
2. a reason that you invent to explain an action and to hide your real intentions
excuse to do something
I need an excuse to call her.
excuse for
The conference is just an excuse for a holiday in New York.
3. there is no excuse for something used to say that someone’s behaviour is too bad to be explained or accepted:
There is no excuse for such rudeness.
4. make your excuses to explain why you are not able to do something:
Please make my excuses at the meeting tomorrow.
5. a poor/rotten etc excuse for something used when you think someone or something is very bad:
He’s a rotten excuse for a lawyer. Why on earth did you hire him?
6. American English a note written by your doctor or one of your parents saying that you were ill on a particular day SYN sick note British English
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meanings 1 & 2)
■ verbs
▪ make up/think up/invent an excuse I made up some excuse about my car breaking down. | We’d better think up an excuse, fast.
▪ make excuses for somebody/something (=give reasons which try to explain why someone has made a mistake or behaved badly) His mother was always making excuses for her son's behaviour.
▪ use something as an excuse She never complained or used her illness as an excuse.
▪ look for an excuse I began to look for excuses to avoid seeing him.
▪ give an excuse I'll have to give my boss some kind of excuse.
▪ believe/accept an excuse She didn’t believe his excuse for one minute.
▪ have an excuse Companies have no excuse for breaking the law.
■ adjectives
▪ a good excuse A sunny day is a good excuse to go to the beach.
▪ a wonderful excuse (=a very good excuse) A wedding is a wonderful excuse to buy a new outfit.
▪ a reasonable/plausible excuse (=one that other people will believe) If your train was cancelled, that is a perfectly reasonable excuse.
▪ a legitimate/valid excuse (=one that is true and that other people cannot criticize) He didn’t have a legitimate excuse for being late.
▪ the perfect excuse The phone call gave me the perfect excuse to leave.
▪ a feeble/flimsy/weak excuse (=one that is difficult to believe) Joe muttered some feeble excuse about having a headache.
▪ a pathetic/lame excuse (=very weak) That’s the most pathetic excuse I’ve ever heard.
▪ the usual excuse/the same old excuse He made the usual excuses for not coming. | Whenever the trains are late, it's always the same old excuse.
▪ a convenient excuse The rioting provided the government with a convenient excuse not to hold an election.
■ phrases
▪ use every excuse in the book (=use every possible excuse) He used every excuse in the book to avoid seeing the doctor.
▪ at the slightest excuse (=for any reason, however unimportant) She comes to our house at the slightest excuse.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ a reason that does not seem believable
▪ excuse a reason that you give to explain why you have done something bad, or not done something that you should have done – especially one that is not completely true: She said she couldn’t come because she had to work late, but it was just an excuse. | a feeble excuse (=one that is hard to believe)
▪ pretext especially written an untrue reason that you give for doing or not doing something, in order to hide the real reason: He would often find some pretext to go out in the evening alone. | They used this as a pretext for taking military action.

workout

work‧out /ˈwɜːkaʊt $ ˈwɜːrk-/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
a period of physical exercise, especially as training for a sport:
a daily workout in the gym
⇨ work out at work¹

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.
 

success

suc‧cess S1 W1 /səkˈses/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable and countable]
[Word Family: noun: success, succession, successor; adjective: successful ≠ unsuccessful, successive; verb: succeed; adverb: successfully ≠ unsuccessfully]
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: past participle of succedere; ⇨ succeed]
1. when you achieve what you want or intend OPP failure:
The experiment was a big success.
without success
I tried to contact him, but without success.
success in doing something
Did you have any success in persuading Alan to come?
2. when a lot of people like something, buy something, go to see something etc OPP failure
be a big/huge/great etc success
The film was a great success.
Her book has enjoyed a lot of success (=it has been very successful).
The play was a box-office success (=many people went to see it).
The show was an overnight success (=it was immediately successful).
3. when someone achieves a high position in their job, on a course, in a sport, in society etc OPP failure:
Success isn’t everything, you know.
success in
He has already had a lot of success in his career.
be a success as a ... (=be successful in a particular job)
She wasn’t much of a success as a lawyer.
She’s determined to make a success of (=be successful in) her career.
4. when a business makes a lot of money OPP failure:
the success of his latest business venture
be a big/huge/great etc success
The firm wasn’t a great success.
5. success story someone or something that is successful:
The company has been a major success story.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ a great success Everyone agreed the picnic was a great success.
▪ a big/huge/major success The government claimed the policy was a major success.
▪ a resounding/outstanding/spectacular success (=very great success) Financially, the event was a resounding success.
▪ great/considerable success This plant can be grown by the absolute beginner with great success.
▪ some success The group is already achieving some success.
▪ little/no success Attempts to resolve the dispute met with little success.
▪ limited success (=not very much success) The attempt to replace coca with other crops has had only limited success.
▪ commercial/economic/financial success None of his ideas had any commercial success.
▪ academic success (=success in education) There is no evidence that early teaching of reading leads to academic success.
▪ electoral success (=success in elections) The electoral success of the far right understandably fills many people in Europe with alarm.
▪ military success This military success was achieved at a cost.
■ verbs
▪ have/achieve success China has had considerable success in conserving water since 1983.
▪ meet with success (=be successful) We are disappointed that this round of negotiations has not met with success.
▪ put your success down to something (=say that your success was the result of it) They put their success down to their excellent teamwork.
■ phrases
▪ somebody's chance of success They have a good chance of success.
▪ the secret of somebody's success (=what makes them successful) A visitor asked Connie the secret of her success with growing roses.
▪ the success rate (=what percentage of actions are successful) The success rate in cloning is still extremely low.
■ COMMON ERRORS
► Do not say 'make success' or 'make a success'. Say have success or achieve success.

II. grad‧u‧ate² /ˈɡrædʒueɪt/ BrE AmE verb
1. [intransitive] to obtain a degree, especially a first degree, from a college or university
graduate from
Kate graduated from medical school last year.
graduate in
He graduated in physics from Cambridge University.
2. [intransitive] American English to complete your education at ↑high school
graduate from
Jerry graduated from high school last year.
3. graduate (from something) to something to start doing something that is bigger, better, or more important SYN progress:
As an actress she has graduated from small roles to more substantial parts.
4. [transitive] especially American English to give a degree or ↑diploma to someone who has completed a course
• • •
THESAURUS
■ to leave school/college etc
▪ leave especially British English to finish studying at school or college, usually at the age or time when people normally finish: When James left school, he worked for a while with his father. | She found it hard to get a job after leaving university.
▪ graduate to successfully finish your studies at a college or university, or at an American high school: Kelly graduated from Harvard with a degree in East Asian Studies. | Approximately 80% of Americans graduate from high school.
▪ drop out to leave school, college, or university before your course of study has finished, because you do not want to continue with it: I failed my first year exams and decided to drop out and get a job.
▪ quit American English to leave school without finishing your course of study: He quit school at fourteen to work and help support his family.

move

I. move¹ S1 W1 /muːv/ BrE AmE verb
[Word Family: noun: ↑move, ↑movement, ↑removal, ↑remover, ↑mover; adjective: ↑movable, ↑unmoved, ↑moving; verb: ↑move, ↑remove; adverb: ↑movingly]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: mouvoir, from Latin movere]
1. CHANGE PLACE [intransitive and transitive] to change from one place or position to another, or to make something do this:
Please keep the doors closed while the train is moving.
‘Come on,’ Sue said. No one moved.
Could you move your car, please? It’s blocking the road.
move quickly/slowly/steadily etc
The plane moved slowly along the runway, then stopped.
move away/out/to/towards etc
He moved closer to her.
Becca moved down the steps and into the yard.
move about/around
I could hear someone moving around upstairs.
The bar was so crowded you could hardly move.
At Christmas, you couldn’t move for toys in this house (=there were a lot of toys).
Paul couldn’t move a muscle (=could not move at all) he was so scared.
2. NEW HOUSE/OFFICE [intransitive and transitive] if a person or company moves, or if you move them, they go to live or work in a different place:
We’ve moved seven or eight times in the last five years.
move to/into/from
When are you moving to Memphis?
They’ve moved into bigger offices in London.
move somebody to/into/from etc something
He had to move his mother into a nursing home.
The company is moving its sales center downtown.
move house/home British English (=go to live in a different house)
My parents kept moving house because of my dad’s job.
3. CHANGE OPINION ETC
a) [intransitive] to change from one opinion or way of thinking to another SYN shift:
Neither side is willing to move on the issue of territory.
move towards/away from
The two political parties have moved closer towards each other in recent months.
At this stage, children move further away from the influence of their parents, and depend more on their friends.
b) [transitive] to persuade someone to change their opinion:
She won’t be moved – it doesn’t matter what you say to her.
4. PROGRESS [intransitive] to make progress in a particular way or at a particular rate:
Things moved quickly once the contract was signed.
The negotiations seem to be moving in the right direction.
get/keep things moving
The plan should boost employment and get things moving in the economy.
5. TAKE ACTION [intransitive] to start taking action, especially in order to achieve something or deal with a problem
move on/against
The governor has yet to move on any of the recommendations in the report.
move fast/quickly/swiftly
You’ll have to move fast if you want to get a place on the course.
6. CHANGE JOB/CLASS ETC [intransitive and transitive] to change to a different job, class etc, or to make someone change to a different job, class etc SYN transfer
move somebody to/into/from something
Several students were moved from the beginners’ class into the intermediate one.
He spent five years at KLP, before moving to IMed as a manager.
7. EMOTION [transitive] to make someone feel strong emotions, especially of sadness or sympathy
be deeply/genuinely/profoundly moved
Russell was deeply moved by what he heard.
His speech moved the audience to tears. ⇨ ↑moving(1)
8. CAUSE SOMEBODY TO DO SOMETHING [transitive] to cause someone to do something
move somebody to do something
Seeing her there had moved him to think about the time they had together.
be/feel moved to do something
I have never before felt moved to write, but I feel I must protest.
9. TIME/ORDER [transitive] to change the time or order of something
move something to/from something
Could we move the meeting to Thursday?
10. CHANGE SUBJECT [intransitive] to start talking or writing about a different subject
move away from/off/to etc
We seem to be moving away from the main point of the discussion. ⇨ ↑move on(4)
11. get moving (also move it) spoken used to tell someone to hurry:
Come on, get moving or you’ll be late for school.
12. it’s time I was moving/we ought to get moving etc spoken used to say that you need to leave or go somewhere:
I think it’s time we were moving.
I ought to get moving – I have to be up early tomorrow.
13. GAMES [intransitive and transitive] to change the position of one of the objects used to play a game such as ↑chess
14. AT A MEETING [intransitive and transitive] formal to officially make a proposal at a meeting
move that
The chairman moves that the meeting be adjourned.
move to do something
I move to approve the minutes as read.
move an amendment British English (=suggest a change)
They want to move an amendment to the bill.
15. GO FAST [intransitive] informal to travel very fast:
This car can really move!
16. BE BOUGHT [intransitive] if things of a particular kind are moving, they are being bought, especially at a particular rate:
The highest-priced homes are still moving slowly.
17. move with the times to change the way you think and behave, as society changes:
If the resorts want to keep attracting tourists, they need to move with the times.
18. move in ... circles/society/world to spend a lot of time with a particular type of people and know them well:
She spent time in England, where she moved in high society.
⇨ move the goalposts at ↑goalpost(2), ⇨ move in for the kill at ↑kill²(2), ⇨ move heaven and earth at ↑heaven(9), ⇨ when the spirit moves you at ↑spirit¹(15)
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ move to go to a different place, or change the position of your body: Sarah moved away from the window. | Every time I move I get a pain in my left shoulder.
▪ sway to move slowly from one side to the other: The branches swayed in the wind. | Donny swayed drunkenly as he walked back to his car.
▪ rock to move repeatedly from one side to another, with small gentle movements: He rocked backward and forward in his chair. | The boat rocked from side to side with the waves.
▪ wobble to move unsteadily from side to side: The bike wobbled a bit, but she soon got it under control.
▪ fidget to keep moving or playing with your fingers, hands, feet etc, because you are bored or nervous: Diana fidgeted nervously with her pencil.
▪ squirm to make very small movements from side to side with your body, especially because you feel uncomfortable: By the end of the hour, most of the children were squirming in their seats.
▪ wriggle to make small movements from side to side, especially in order to get into or out of something: The dog wriggled under the fence and escaped into the street. | She managed to wriggle into the dress, but it was much too tight.
▪ twitch if part of your body twitches, it makes small movements that you cannot control: A muscle on Yang’s face twitched.
▪ stir written to make a movement – used especially when describing a situation in which no one moves, or someone wakes up: In the village a dog barked but no one stirred | The sleeping child stirred and opened her eyes.
▪ budge to move – used when you are trying hard to make something move, often without success: The piano wouldn’t budge.
■ to move to a different house, office etc
▪ move to move to a different house, office etc: They’ve moved back to Santiago. | My brother’s helping us move house.
▪ relocate to move to a different place – used about companies, organizations, and people who work for them: NATO’s main headquarters relocated to Brussels. | Klein is relocating to London to head up the investment banking team.
■ not moving
▪ still not moving – use this especially about people who are not moving, or about places where there is no wind: There was no wind and the trees were completely still. | Keep still while I tie your shoes.
▪ stationary not moving – use this about cars, trains, or objects: The truck swerved and hit a stationary vehicle.
▪ immobile not moving or not able to move, especially because of fear or tiredness: As the disease progressed, she became increasingly immobile.
▪ motionless completely still – used especially in literature: Kemp sat motionless as the verdict was read.
▪ calm not moving because there is no wind – use this about air and water: The lake was calm.
▪ be at a standstill if traffic is at a standstill it is not moving: Traffic was at a standstill on the motorway.
move along phrasal verb
1. if a process or situation is moving along, or if you move it along, it continues and makes progress:
Construction of the bridge is moving along.
move something along
I hope we can move things along and get the negotiations going again.
2. move somebody ↔along to officially order someone to leave a public place:
A queue formed by the gates, and a policeman tried to move people along.
move around phrasal verb
to change where you live very frequently, especially so that you live in many different parts of a country:
My dad was in the army, so we moved around a lot.
move away phrasal verb
to go to live in a different area:
My best friend moved away when I was ten.
move down (something) phrasal verb
to change to a lower group, rank, or level:
Interest rates have moved down.
A drop in wages has meant that these families have moved down the economic scale.
move in phrasal verb
1. (also move into something) to start living in a new home OPP move out:
When are you moving in?
Mom and Dad had always planned to move into a smaller house when we grew up.
2. to start living with someone in the same home
move in with
Steve’s going to move in with her.
3. to start being involved in and controlling a situation that someone else controlled previously:
The big multinationals moved in and started pushing up prices.
move in on
Investors moved in on a group of car enthusiasts and took over the market.
4. to go towards a place or group of people, in order to attack them or take control of them
move in on
Police moved in on the demonstrators in the square.
move off phrasal verb especially British English
if a vehicle or group of people moves off, it starts to leave:
Always check behind the car before you move off.
move on phrasal verb
1. CHANGE JOB/CLASS to leave your present job, class, or activity and start doing another one:
I enjoyed my job, but it was time to move on.
move on to
When you finish, move on to the next exercise.
move on to higher/better things (=get a better job or social position – used humorously)
Jeremy’s leaving the company to move on to higher things.
2. CHANGE/DEVELOP
a) to develop in your life, and change your relationships, interests, activities etc:
I’ve moved on since high school, and now I don’t have much in common with some of my old friends.
move on from
She has long since moved on from the roles of her youth.
b) to change, progress, improve, or become more modern as time passes:
By the time the software was ready, the market had moved on.
3. move somebody on British English to order someone to leave a particular place – used especially about police:
The police arrived on the scene and began moving the protesters on.
4. CHANGE SUBJECT to start talking about a new subject in a discussion, book etc:
Before we move on, does anyone have any questions?
5. CONTINUE JOURNEY to leave the place where you have been staying and continue to another place:
After three days we decided it was time to move on.
move on to
The exhibition has now moved on to Edinburgh.
6. TIME if time, the year etc moves on, the time passes:
As time moves on, I’d like the children to play more challenging music.
7. time is moving on British English spoken used to say that you must leave soon or do something soon, because it is getting late:
Time’s moving on – we’d better get back to the car.
move out phrasal verb
1. to leave the house where you are living now in order to go and live somewhere else OPP move in:
He moved out, and a year later they were divorced.
move out of
They moved out of London when he was little.
2. if a group of soldiers moves out, they leave a place
3. American English spoken to leave:
Are you ready to move out?
move over phrasal verb
1. to change position so that there is more space for someone else:
Move over a little, so I can get in.
2. to start using a different system, doing a different type of work etc
move over to
Most companies have moved over to computer-aided design systems.
3. to change jobs, especially within the same organization or industry
move over from
The company’s new publisher just moved over from Villard Books.
4. move over Madonna/Walt Disney/CD-ROMs etc used when saying that something new is becoming more popular than something older – used humorously:
Move over, Armani, there’s a new designer taking the fashion scene by storm.

move up phrasal verb
1. to get a better job in a company, or change to a more advanced group, higher rank, or higher level:
To move up, you’ll need the right training.
Share prices moved up this month.
move up to
The kids learn fast, and can’t wait to move up to the junior team.
He was moving up the ladder (=getting higher and higher positions), getting experience of command.
He’s moved up in the world (=got a better job or social position) in the last few years, and his new flat shows it.
2. especially British English to change position in order to make more space for other people or things or be near someone else:
There’s room for one more if everyone moves up a bit.