British English

heart

heart S1 W1 /hɑːt $ hɑːrt/ BrE AmE noun
[Word Family: adjective: heartened ≠ disheartened, heartening ≠ disheartening, heartless, hearty; noun: heart, heartlessness, heartiness; adverb: heartily, heartlessly, hearteningly ≠ dishearteningly; verb: hearten ≠ dishearten]
[Language: Old English; Origin: heorte]

1. BODY ORGAN [countable] the organ in your chest which pumps blood through your body:
Regular exercise is good for the heart.
Can you hear my heart beating?
Her cheeks were hot and her heart was pounding.
My heart raced. Were we going to land safely?
Daniel had no history of heart problems.
She suffers from a rare heart condition.
His breathing and heart rate were now normal.
2. EMOTIONS/LOVE [countable] the part of you that feels strong emotions and feelings:
His heart was full of anger and grief.
The plight of the refugees had tugged at the nation’s heart.
The doctor had an extremely kind heart.
She could hardly speak for the ache in her heart.
It would break Kate’s heart (=make her extremely sad) to leave the lovely old house.
He left the country with a heavy heart (=great sadness).
Edith loved her boy with all her heart and soul.
I was still pretty innocent then when it came to affairs of the heart (=matters relating to love and sex).
a woman with a heart of gold (=very kind character)
Sometimes I think he’s got a heart of stone (=very cruel character).
I’m glad I followed my heart rather than my head for once.
My father told me never to let my heart rule my head.
kind-hearted/cold-hearted/hard-hearted etc (=having a kind, unkind, cruel etc character)
He thinks of himself as a warm-hearted and caring human being.
3. YOUR CHEST [countable usually singular] the part of your chest near your heart:
He put his hand on his heart.
4. SHAPE [countable] a shape used to represent a heart
5. from the (bottom of your) heart with great sincerity and strength of feeling:
Leonard spoke from the heart.
I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.
She sang the songs straight from the heart.
6. in your heart (of hearts) if you know, feel, or believe something in your heart, you are secretly sure about it although you may not admit it:
In her heart she knew she would never go.
Deep in his heart, he wanted Laura back.
7. IMPORTANT PART OF SOMETHING [singular] the most important or central part of a problem, question etc
the heart of something
difficult issues at the heart of science policy
We must get to the heart of the problem.
8. ENCOURAGEMENT [uncountable] confidence and courage:
This inspiring service gave us new heart.
We mustn’t lose heart when people complain.
We’ve got to take a bit of heart from the fact that we won.
9. at heart if you are a particular kind of person at heart, that is the kind of person that you really are even though you may appear or behave differently:
He may be a working class boy at heart, but his lifestyle has been transformed.
Let’s face it, we’re all romantics at heart. ⇨ have sb’s (best) interests at heart at interest¹(5), ⇨ young at heart at young¹(5)
10. THE CENTRE OF AN AREA [countable] the middle part of an area furthest from the edge
in the heart of something
a house in the heart of London
at the heart of something
an old house at the heart of an ancient forest
11. close/dear to sb’s heart very important to someone:
The President liked to go to Williamsburg, a place close to his heart.
Money is dear to Kathleen’s heart.
12. the hearts and minds of somebody the thoughts, emotions, and attitudes a group of people have about a particular subject, which is a combination of their strong emotional feelings and their calm and sensible thoughts:
The president must try to win the hearts and minds of the voters.
13. by heart when you know something by heart, you remember all of it exactly:
After a few days of phoning Stephanie, he knew her number by heart.
Actors have to learn their lines by heart.
14. sb’s heart sinks used to say that someone suddenly lost hope and began to feel unhappy:
Her heart sank when she saw the number of books she had to read.
15. with all your heart with all your strength, energy, or emotion:
He hates Los Angeles with all his heart.
We sang the hymn with all our hearts.
16. take something to heart to consider what someone says to you very seriously, often because it upsets you:
Anne took his criticisms very much to heart.
We took Stephen’s warnings to heart.
17. sb’s heart goes out to somebody used to say that someone feels a lot of sympathy towards another person:
My heart goes out to the families of the victims.
18. CARD GAMES
a) [countable] a heart shape printed in red on a playing card
b) hearts [plural] the suit (=set) of playing cards that have these shapes on them:
the ace of hearts
c) [countable] one of the cards in this set:
Have you got any hearts?
19. do something to your heart’s content to do something as much as you want:
She had lazed around the pool to her heart’s content.
The dog can run to its heart’s content out there.
20. sb’s heart misses/skips a beat used to say that someone suddenly feels a moment of fear or excitement:
His heart missed a beat as he saw the body of a small child at the water’s edge.
21. set your heart on something to want something very much:
His father bought him the bike he had set his heart on.
She had set her heart on becoming a hairdresser.
22. a man/woman etc after my own heart someone who likes the same things or behaves in the same way that you do:
Geoff really is a man after my own heart.
23. cry/sing etc your heart out if you cry, sing etc your heart out, you do it with all your energy or emotion:
He found me crying my heart out and was so kind. ⇨ eat your heart out at eat(4), ⇨ pour your heart out at ↑pour
24. your heart’s desire/everything your heart could desire the one thing you want most, or everything that you could possibly want:
To have a baby was her heart’s desire.
25. not have the heart to do something to be unable to do something because it will make someone unhappy:
I didn’t have the heart to tell her that her beautiful vase was broken.
26. sb’s heart isn’t in it used to say that someone does not really want to do something:
She’s getting bored with the job and her heart’s not in it.
27. do something out of the goodness of your heart to do something out of kindness, not because you have been asked or expect a reward:
All these people were helping us out of the goodness of their hearts.
28. take somebody to your heart if people take someone to their hearts, they like them very much:
The fans have taken Hudson to their hearts.
29. VEGETABLE [countable] the firm middle part of some vegetables:
artichoke hearts
30. give/lose your heart to somebody to start to love someone very much
31. my heart was in my mouth used to say that you suddenly felt very afraid
32. sb’s heart is in the right place informal used to say that someone is really a kind person and has the right feelings about something important:
I don’t think his idea will work, though his heart’s in the right place.
33. it does your heart good to see/hear something used to say that something makes you feel happy
34. sb’s heart leaps literary used to say that someone suddenly feels happy and full of hope:
‘I couldn’t live without you,’ he said and Jane’s heart leapt.
35. be in good heart formal to feel happy and confident:
The team are in good heart and ready for the season’s matches.
36. have a heart! used to tell someone not to be too strict or unkind – used humorously
37. know the way to sb’s heart to know the way to please someone – used humorously
38. my heart bleeds (for somebody) used to say that you do not really feel any sympathy towards someone
⇨ a broken heart at broken²(9), ⇨ cross my heart at cross¹(11), ⇨ have a change of heart at change²(1), ⇨ sick at heart at sick¹(9), ⇨ strike at the heart of something at strike¹(7), ⇨ wear your heart on your sleeve at wear¹(8), ⇨ win sb’s heart at win¹(3)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 1)
■ verbs
▪ sb’s heart beats Her heart was beating fast.
▪ sb’s heart pounds/thuds/thumps (=it beats very strongly) He reached the top, his heart pounding.
▪ sb’s heart races (=it beats very fast) Was there someone in the alley? Joe’s heart began to race.
■ heart + NOUN
▪ heart trouble/problems You should not take this medication if you have heart problems.
▪ heart disease Smoking increases the risk of heart disease.
▪ a heart condition (=something wrong with your heart) The baby was born with a heart condition.
▪ sb’s heart rate (=the number of times someone’s heart beats per minute) Your heart rate increases as you exercise.
■ adjectives
▪ healthy Eating oily fish can help maintain a healthy heart.
▪ a bad/weak heart (=an unhealthy heart) The effort proved too much for her weak heart.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ adjectives
▪ a good/kind heart (=a kind character) My father had a good heart.
▪ a big heart (=a kind and generous character) She may be only small, but she has a big heart.
▪ a soft heart (=a kind and sympathetic character) Julia’s soft heart had been touched by Minnie’s grief.
▪ a cold/hard heart (=used about someone who does not feel sympathy for other people) It takes a hard heart not to be moved by these images of suffering.
▪ a heavy heart (=feeling very sad) She made her way to the hospital with a heavy heart.
▪ a light heart (=feeling happy) Paul left for home with a light heart.
▪ a broken heart (=feeling very sad because of a problem in love) I wonder how many broken hearts Carlo was responsible for.
■ verbs
▪ break sb’s heart (=make someone feel very sad) It broke my heart to see him so sick.
▪ follow your heart (= do what your emotions want you to do) Go for it. Follow your heart. Who cares what everyone else thinks?
▪ sb’s heart aches (=to feel very sad) It made his heart ache to look at her
■ phrases
▪ heart and soul (=all your feelings) She loved Peter with all her heart and soul.
▪ affairs of the heart (=matters relating to love) I had little experience of affairs of the heart.
▪ sb’s heart rules their head (=someone makes decisions based on emotions rather than careful thought) He has never been one to let his heart rule his head.
▪ a heart of gold (=a very kind character) She was rather brisk in manner but with a heart of gold.
▪ a heart of stone (=a very cruel character) You’d have to have a heart of stone not to feel sorry for them.
▪ be in good heart (=to be happy and confident) The team was in good heart, despite their loss this weekend.
▪ be sick at heart (=to feel very unhappy) He was too sick at heart to know what to say.

tomato

to‧ma‧to S2 /təˈmɑːtəʊ $ -ˈmeɪtoʊ/ BrE AmE noun (plural tomatoes) [countable]
[Date: 1600-1700; Language: Spanish; Origin: tomate, from Nahuatl tomatl]

a round soft red fruit eaten raw or cooked as a vegetable

rice

rice S3 /raɪs/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: ris, from Greek oryza, oryzon]
1. a food that consists of small white or brown grains that you boil in water until they become soft enough to eat ⇨ risotto, pilau:
a tasty sauce served with rice or pasta
a plate of brown rice
Serve with plain boiled rice.
a few grains of rice
2. the plant that produces rice:
Rice is the main crop grown in the area.
rice fields

bank

I. bank¹ S1 W1 /bæŋk/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Sense 1,3,7: Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: banque, from Old Italian banca 'long seat, bank']
[Sense 2,4,6,8: Date: 1100-1200; Origin: Probably from a Scandinavian language. ]
[Sense 5: Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: banc 'long seat']
1. PLACE FOR MONEY
a) a business that keeps and lends money and provides other financial services
in the bank
We have very little money in the bank.
Barclays Bank
a bank loan
b) a local office of a bank:
I have to go to the bank at lunch time. ⇨ ↑clearing bank, ↑merchant bank
2. RIVER/LAKE land along the side of a river or lake
bank of
the banks of the River Dee
the river bank
3. blood/sperm/organ bank a place where human blood etc is stored until someone needs it
4. CLOUDS/MIST a large mass of clouds, mist etc:
a fog bank
bank of
banks of mist
5. RAISED AREA a large sloping mass of earth, sand, snow etc:
She was sitting on a grassy bank.
bank of
steep banks of snow
banks of flowers
6. MACHINES a large number of machines, television screens etc arranged close together in a row
bank of
banks of TV monitors
7. GAME a supply of money used to ↑gamble, that people can win ⇨ break the bank at ↑break¹(24)
8. be makin' bank American English spoken informal to earn a lot of money for the work that you do:
Check out Omar’s new car. The brother must be makin' bank.
9. ROAD a slope made at a bend in a road or ↑racetrack to make it safer for cars to go around
⇨ ↑bottle bank, ↑food bank, ↑memory bank
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ go to the bank I went to the bank and took out $80.
▪ borrow from a bank You may be able to borrow some money from the bank.
▪ a bank lends something The bank lent me £10,000 to help me start the business.
■ bank + NOUN
▪ a bank account How much do you have in your bank account at the moment?
▪ your bank balance (=the actual amount that you have in your bank account) I'm just going to check my bank balance online.
▪ a bank card You can withdraw money using your bank card.
▪ bank charges Will I have to pay bank charges on this account?
▪ a bank clerk (=a junior worker in a bank) He began his career as a bank clerk.
▪ a bank loan What's the interest rate on your bank loan?
▪ a bank note (=a piece of paper money) a $10 bank note
▪ a bank statement (=a written statement of how much you have in a bank account) I get a written bank statement once a month.
▪ a bank manager Could I make an appointment with the bank manager, please?
▪ a bank robber/robbery The bank robbers were never caught.
■ types of bank
▪ a high street bank (=one of the ordinary banks that most people use) There's a lot of competition between the major high street banks.
▪ a commercial bank (=an ordinary bank, or one that deals with large businesses) the role of UK commercial banks in the debt crisis
▪ an investment/merchant bank (=one that buys and sells stocks and shares etc) Goldman Sachs, the US investment bank
▪ a savings bank (=a bank that accepts your savings and provides mortgages)
▪ a clearing bank (=one of the banks in Britain that uses a clearing house when dealing with other banks) large commercial customers of the clearing banks
▪ a central bank (=the main financial authority in a country) The Bundesbank is the central bank of Germany.
▪ the World Bank (=an international organization providing financial help to developing countries) The road building was funded by the World Bank.

swim

I. swim¹ S3 /swɪm/ BrE AmE verb (past tense swam /swæm/, past participle swum /swʌm/, present participle swimming)
[Word Family: noun: ↑swim, ↑swimmer, ↑swimming; verb: ↑swim; adverb: ↑swimmingly]
[Language: Old English; Origin: swimman]
1. MOVE THROUGH WATER [intransitive and transitive] to move yourself through water using your arms and legs
swim in
We swam in the chilly water.
swim around/across etc
She could swim across the lake.
Let’s go swimming this afternoon.
kids learning to swim the backstroke
She was the first woman to swim the Channel.
2. WATER ANIMALS [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] when fish, ducks etc swim, they move around the water using their tails and ↑fins, their feet etc:
Tropical fish swam slowly around in the tank.
3. NOT THINKING/SEEING PROPERLY [intransitive]
a) if your head swims, you start to feel confused or that everything is spinning around:
My head was swimming after looking at that screen all day.
b) if something you are looking at swims, it seems to be moving around, usually because you are ill, tired, or drunk:
The numbers swam before my eyes.
4. be swimming in something to be covered by a lot of liquid:
potatoes swimming in thick gravy
5. swim against the tide/current etc to do or say things which are different from what most people do or say, because you do not mind being different OPP swim with the tide
⇨ sink or swim at ↑sink¹(15)

sing

sing S1 W2 /sɪŋ/ BrE AmE verb (past tense sang /sæŋ/, past participle sung /sʌŋ/)
[Word Family: noun: ↑singer, ↑singing; verb: ↑sing; adjective: ↑unsung]
[Language: Old English; Origin: singan]
1. WITH YOUR VOICE [intransitive and transitive] to produce a musical sound with your voice:
She can sing beautifully.
Most children enjoy singing.
We had a great time singing some of the old songs.
sing to
My mother used to sing to me when I was young.
He was singing to himself quietly.
sing somebody something
Come on, sing us a song!
I’ve never been able to sing in tune (=sing the correct notes).
She patiently sang the baby to sleep. ⇨ ↑singing
2. BIRDS [intransitive] if birds sing, they produce high musical sounds:
I could hear the birds singing outside my window.
3. HIGH NOISE [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to make a high whistling sound:
A kettle was singing on the stove.
sing past
A bullet sang past my ear.
4. sing sb’s praises to praise someone very much:
Mrs Edwards was singing your praises today.
5. sing a different tune to say something different from what you said before:
You’re singing a different tune now!
6. be singing from the same hymn sheet/book used to say that a group of people all have the same aims or all express the same opinion on a particular subject:
Union representatives are all singing from the same hymn sheet on the issue of pay.
7. GIVE INFORMATION [intransitive] informal to tell people everything you know about a crime when they ask you questions about it – used especially by criminals and the police:
I think he’ll sing.
sing along phrasal verb
to sing with someone else who is already singing:
Sing along if you know the words.
sing along to
Jess was singing along to the radio.
sing out phrasal verb
1. sing out (something) to shout or sing some words clearly and loudly:
‘Freeze!’ a shrill voice sang out.
2. American English to sing loudly so that people can hear you easily
sing up phrasal verb British English
to sing more loudly:
Sing up, boys, I can’t hear you!

guitar

gui‧tar S3 W3 /ɡɪˈtɑː $ -ˈtɑːr/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: guitare, from Spanish guitarra, from Arabic qitar, from Greek kithara type of stringed instrument]
a musical instrument usually with six strings that you play by pulling the strings with your fingers or with a ↑plectrum (=small piece of plastic, metal etc)
an acoustic/an electric/a classical guitar ⇨ ↑bass guitar, ↑steel guitar

play

I. play¹ S1 W1 /pleɪ/ BrE AmE verb
[Word Family: noun: ↑play, ↑interplay, ↑replay, ↑player, ↑playfulness; verb: ↑play, ↑outplay, ↑replay; adjective: ↑playful, ↑playable; adverb: ↑playfully]
[Language: Old English; Origin: plegan]
1. CHILDREN [intransitive and transitive] when children play, they do things that they enjoy, often with other people or with toys:
Kids were playing and chasing each other.
play catch/house/tag/school etc
Outside, the children were playing cowboys and Indians.
play with
Did you like to play with dolls when you were little?
Parents need to spend time just playing with their children.
2. SPORTS/GAMES
a) [intransitive and transitive] to take part or compete in a game or sport:
Karen began playing basketball when she was six.
If you feel any pain, you shouldn’t play.
Men were sitting in the park, playing cards.
play against
Bristol will play against Coventry next week.
She’s playing Helen Evans in the semi-final (=playing against her).
play for
Moxon played for England in ten test matches.
b) [transitive] to use a particular piece, card, person etc in a game or sport:
Harrison played a ten of spades.
The Regents played Eddie at center (=used him as a player in that position) in the game against Arizona.
c) [intransitive and transitive] to take a particular position on a team:
Garvey played first base for the Dodgers.
d) [transitive] to hit a ball in a particular way or to a particular place in a game or sport:
She played the ball low, just over the net.

MUSIC [intransitive and transitive]
to perform a piece of music on a musical instrument:
He’s learning to play the piano.
She played a Bach prelude.
Haden has played with many jazz greats.
A small orchestra was playing.
4. RADIO/CD ETC [intransitive and transitive] if a radio, CD etc plays, or if you play it, it produces sound, especially music:
The bedside radio played softly.
play a record/CD/tape etc
DJs playing the latest house and techno tracks
5. THEATRE/FILM
a) [transitive] to perform the actions and say the words of a particular character in a theatre performance, film etc:
Streep plays a shy, nervous woman.
play a role/part/character etc
Playing a character so different from herself was a challenge.
b) [intransitive] if a play or film is playing at a particular theatre, it is being performed or shown there:
‘Macbeth’ is playing at the Theatre Royal in York.
c) [transitive] if actors play a theatre, they perform there in a play
6. play a part/role to have an effect or influence on something
play a part/role in
A good diet and fitness play a large part in helping people live longer.
7. play ball
a) to throw, kick, hit, or catch a ball as a game or activity:
Jim and Karl were playing ball in the backyard.
b) to do what someone wants you to do:
So far, the company has refused to play ball, preferring to remain independent.
8. PRETEND [linking verb] to behave as if you are a particular kind of person or have a particular feeling or quality, even though it is not true:
the accusation that scientists are playing God
Some snakes fool predators by playing dead.
‘What do you mean?’ ‘Don’t play dumb (=pretend you do not know something).'
Don’t play the innocent (=pretend you do not know about something) with me – we both know what happened.
play the idiot/the teacher etc
Susan felt she had to play the good wife.
He played the fool (=behaved in a silly way) at school instead of working.
9. BEHAVE [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to behave in a particular way in a situation, in order to achieve the result or effect that you want:
How do you want to play this meeting?
Play it safe (=avoid risks) and make sure the eggs are thoroughly cooked.
play it carefully/cool etc
If you like him, play it cool, or you might scare him off.
10. play games to hide your real feelings or wishes in order to achieve something in a clever or secret way – used to show disapproval:
Stop playing games, Luke, and tell me what you want.
11. play something by ear
a) to decide what to do according to the way a situation develops, without making plans before that time:
We’ll see what the weather’s like and play it by ear.
b) if someone can play a musical instrument by ear, they can play a tune without looking at written music
12. play a joke/trick/prank on somebody to do something to someone as a joke or trick
13. play the game
a) to do things in the way you are expected to do them or in a way that is usual in a particular situation:
If you want a promotion, you’ve got to play the game.
b) British English to behave in a fair and honest way
14. play the race/nationalist/environmentalist etc card to use a particular subject in politics in order to gain an advantage:
a leader who is skilfully playing the nationalist card to keep power
15. play your cards right to say or do things in a situation in such a way that you gain as much as possible from it:
Who knows? If you play your cards right, maybe he’ll marry you.
16. play your cards close to your chest to keep secret what you are doing in a situation
17. play into sb’s hands to do what someone you are competing with wants you to do, without realizing it:
If we respond with violence, we’ll be playing into their hands, giving them an excuse for a fight.
18. play for time to try to delay something so that you have more time to prepare for it or prevent it from happening:
The rebels may be playing for time while they try to get more weapons.
19. play tricks (on you) if your mind, memory, sight etc plays tricks on you, you feel confused and not sure about what is happening:
It happened a long time ago, and my memory might be playing tricks on me.
20. play the market to risk money on the ↑stock market as a way of trying to earn more money
21. play the system to use the rules of a system in a clever way, to gain advantage for yourself:
Accountants know how to play the tax system.
22. play second fiddle (to somebody) to be in a lower position or rank than someone else
23. play hard to get to pretend that you are not sexually interested in someone so that they will become more interested in you
24. SMILE [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] written if a smile plays about someone’s lips, they smile slightly
25. play hooky American English, play truant British English to stay away from school without permission
26. play with fire to do something that could have a very dangerous or harmful result:
Dating the boss’s daughter is playing with fire.
27. play to your strengths to do what you are able to do well, rather than trying to do other things:
It is up to us to play to our strengths and try to control the game.
28. LIGHT [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] written if light plays on something, it shines on it and moves on it:
the sunlight playing on the water
29. WATER [intransitive] written if a ↑fountain plays, water comes from it
30. play a hose/light on something to point a ↑hose or light towards something so that water or light goes onto it
31. play the field to have sexual relationships with a lot of different people
32. play fast and loose with something to not be careful about what you do, especially by not obeying the law or a rule:
They played fast and loose with investors’ money.
33. play happy families British English to spend time with your family, doing normal things, especially so that your family appears to be happy when it is not
play around (also play about British English) phrasal verb
1. to have a sexual relationship with someone who is not your usual partner
play around with
Wasn’t she playing around with another man?
It was years before I realized he’d been playing around.
2. to try doing something in different ways, to see what would be best, especially when this is fun
play around with
Play around with the ingredients if you like.
3. to behave in a silly way or waste time, when you should be doing something more serious SYN fool around:
When the teacher wasn’t looking, we used to play about a lot.
play around with something (also play about with something British English) phrasal verb
to keep moving or making changes to something in your hands SYN fiddle with:
Will you stop playing around with the remote control!
play along phrasal verb
1. to pretend to agree to do what someone wants, in order to avoid annoying them or to get an advantage:
She felt she had to play along or risk losing her job.
2. play somebody along British English to tell someone something that is not true because you need their help in some way
play at something phrasal verb
1. What is somebody playing at? British English spoken used when you do not understand what someone is doing or why they are doing it, and you are surprised or annoyed:
What do you think you’re playing at?
2. if you play at doing something, you do not do it properly or seriously
play at doing something
He’s still playing at being an artist.
3. British English if children play at doctors, soldiers etc, they pretend to be doctors, soldiers etc
play at being something
a 14-year-old playing at being a grown woman
play something ↔ back phrasal verb
to play something that has been recorded on a machine so that you can listen to it or watch it:
He played back his answering machine messages.
play something ↔ down phrasal verb
to try to make something seem less important or less likely than it really is:
Management has been playing down the possibility of job losses.
play down the importance/seriousness/significance of something
The White House spokeswoman sought to play down the significance of the event.
play off phrasal verb
1. British English if people or teams play off, they play the last game in a sports competition, in order to decide who is the winner:
The top two teams will play off at Twickenham for the county title.
2. play off somebody/something American English to deliberately use a fact, action, idea etc in order to make what you are doing better or to get an advantage:
The two musicians played off each other in a piece of inspired improvisation.
play somebody off against somebody phrasal verb
to encourage one person or group to compete or argue with another, in order to get some advantage for yourself:
The house seller may try to play one buyer off against another, to raise the price.
play on/upon something phrasal verb
to use a feeling, fact, or idea in order to get what you want, often in an unfair way:
The ad plays on our emotions, showing a doctor holding a newborn baby.
play something ↔ out phrasal verb
1. if an event or situation is played out or plays itself out, it happens:
It will be interesting to see how the election plays itself out.
2. if people play out their dreams, feelings etc, they express them by pretending that a particular situation is really happening:
The weekend gives you a chance to play out your fantasies.
play up phrasal verb
1. play something ↔ up to emphasize something, sometimes making it seem more important than it really is:
Play up your strongest arguments in the opening paragraph.
2. play (somebody) up British English informal if children play up, they behave badly:
Jordan’s been playing up in school.
I hope the kids don’t play you up.
3. play (somebody) up British English informal to hurt you or cause problems for you:
My knee’s been playing me up this week.
The car’s playing up again.
play up to somebody phrasal verb
to behave in a very polite or kind way to someone because you want something from them:
Connie always plays up to her parents when she wants money.
play with somebody/something phrasal verb
1. to keep touching something or moving it:
Stop playing with the light switch!
2. to try doing something in different ways to decide what works best:
Play with the design onscreen, moving text and pictures until you get a pleasing arrangement.
3. to consider an idea or possibility, but not always very seriously SYN toy with:
After university, I played with the idea of teaching English in China.
4. money/time/space etc to play with money, time etc that is available to be used:
The budget is very tight, so there isn’t much money to play with.
5. play with yourself to touch your own sex organs for pleasure SYN masturbate
6. play with words/language to use words in a clever or amusing way

potato

po‧ta‧to S2 /pəˈteɪtəʊ $ -toʊ/ BrE AmE noun (plural potatoes)
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Spanish; Origin: batata, from Taino]

1. [uncountable and countable] a round white vegetable with a brown, red, or pale yellow skin, that grows under the ground
roast/fried/boiled/mashed potato
jacket potato (=cooked in its skin)
Marie stood at the sink, peeling potatoes (=cutting off the skin).
2. [countable] a plant that produces potatoes
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ peel potatoes (=cut the skin off them) Peel and slice the potatoes.
▪ slice potatoes (=cut them into long thin pieces)
▪ dice potatoes (=cut them into small square pieces)
▪ mash potatoes (=crush them until they are smooth, after boiling them)
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + potato
▪ boiled potatoes Serve with plain boiled potatoes.
▪ mashed potato(es) (=boiled and crushed until smooth) I like sausages with mashed potatoes.
▪ roast potatoes (=cooked in an oven with fat) traditional roast beef with roast potatoes
▪ a baked/jacket potato (=cooked in its skin) We cooked baked potatoes in the embers of the fire.

II. paint² S2 W3 BrE AmE verb
[Word Family: noun: ↑paint, ↑painter, ↑painting, repaint; verb: ↑paint, repaint; adjective: ↑painterly]
[Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French; Origin: peint, past participle of peindre 'to paint', from Latin pingere]
1. [intransitive and transitive] to put paint on a surface:
The ceiling needs painting.
brightly painted houses
paint something (in) blue/red/green etc
We painted the door blue.
Paint the walls in a contrasting colour.
The living room was painted in pastel shades of pink and blue.
2. [intransitive and transitive] to make a picture, design etc using paint:
A white cross was painted on the door.
Turner is famous for painting landscapes.
paint in oils/watercolours etc (=paint using a particular type of paint)
He paints mainly in acrylics.
3. [transitive] to put a coloured substance on part of your face or body to make it different or more attractive:
The children’s faces were painted to look like animals.
She’d painted her toenails with red nail polish.
4. [transitive] to describe someone or something in a particular way
paint somebody/something as something
She’s often been painted as a tough businesswoman.
paint a grim/rosy/gloomy picture of somebody/something
Dickens painted a grim picture of Victorian life.
The article painted him in a bad light (=described him in a way that made him seem bad).
5. paint the town (red) informal to go out to bars, clubs etc to enjoy yourself
⇨ not be as black as you are painted at ↑black¹(10)
paint something ↔ out phrasal verb
to cover part of a picture or sign with paint so that it can no longer be seen:
The name of the firm had been partially painted out.
paint over something phrasal verb
to cover a picture or surface with new paint:
Much of the original decoration was painted over.