serious

serious

se‧ri‧ous S1 W1 /ˈsɪəriəs $ ˈsɪr-/ BrE AmE adjective
[Word Family: noun: ↑seriousness; adverb: ↑seriously; adjective: ↑serious]
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: sérieux, from Late Latin seriosus, from Latin serius]
1. SITUATION/PROBLEM a serious situation, problem, accident etc is extremely bad or dangerous:
the serious problem of unemployment
Luckily, the damage was not serious.
Serious crimes have increased dramatically.
serious injury/illness/accident etc
a serious accident on the freeway
Oil spills pose a serious threat to marine life.
The president was in serious trouble. ⇨ see Thesaurus box on P. 1590
2. IMPORTANT important and needing a lot of thought or attention:
This is a very serious matter.
the serious business of earning a living
Be quiet, Jim. This is serious.
3. NOT JOKING OR PRETENDING if someone is serious about something they say or plan to do, they really mean it and are not joking or pretending:
His voice suddenly became more serious.
a serious article
serious about
Is she serious about giving up her job?
deadly/dead serious (=definitely not joking)
She sounded dead serious.
Marry Frank? You can’t be serious!
4. CAREFUL serious attention/consideration/thought careful and thorough attention etc:
I’ll give your suggestion serious consideration.
5. QUIET/SENSIBLE someone who is serious is very quiet and sensible, and does not laugh and joke much:
a serious student
6. WORRIED/UNHAPPY slightly worried or unhappy:
You look serious. What’s wrong?
7. ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP a serious romantic relationship is likely to continue for a long time:
It’s serious – they’ve been seeing each other for six months.
serious about
Are you really serious about her?
serious boyfriend/girlfriend
8. SPORT/ACTIVITY [only before noun] very interested in an activity or subject, and spending a lot of time doing it:
He’s become a serious golfer since he retired.
Chris is a serious photographer.
9. VERY GOOD [only before noun] informal very good and often expensive:
He’s got a serious car!
10. LARGE AMOUNT [only before noun] informal used to emphasize that you are talking about a large amount of something:
In industry, you can earn serious money.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ nouns
▪ a serious problem Vandalism is a serious problem in the area.
▪ a serious injury/illness The driver was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
▪ a serious accident He is recovering from a serious accident.
▪ serious damage The explosion sparked a fire which caused serious damage to their flat.
▪ a serious threat In the developed world, over-consumption is now a serious threat to health.
▪ a serious crime/offence Kidnapping is a serious crime.
▪ serious trouble The economy was in serious trouble.
▪ serious consequences Neglecting to make a proper will can have serious consequences.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ very bad
▪ serious very bad – used about problems, accidents, illnesses, or crimes: Violent crime is a serious problem in and around the capital. | The boy was taken to hospital with serious head injuries. | Fortunately, the damage to the car was not serious.
▪ severe very serious – used about problems, injuries, and illnesses: He suffered severe injuries in a car crash. | The problem became so severe that they had to bring water in from other countries. | severe epilepsy
▪ grave used about a situation that is very serious and worrying, especially because it is dangerous or seems likely to get worse: A thick fog descended and I knew that we were in grave danger. | The situation is grave – war now seems inevitable.
▪ acute used about an illness, problem, or situation that has become very serious or dangerous, and needs to be dealt with quickly: She was taken to the hospital suffering from acute appendicitis. | In San Diego, the shortage of skilled workers is acute.
▪ desperate used about a situation or problem that is very serious or dangerous, especially because a lot of people need urgent help: The situation is desperate – people here need aid before the harsh winter sets in. | The hospital is full of people in desperate need of medical attention.
▪ critical used about a situation that is very serious and dangerous and might get worse suddenly: In 1991, the food supply situation became critical. | Eight people were killed and four are still in a critical condition.
▪ life-threatening used about a situation, illness, or condition in which someone could die: Her child had a potentially life-threatening illness. | The situation was not life-threatening, but it was very worrying.
▪ be a matter of life and death spoken to be extremely serious – used when a situation is very urgent or important: For people living with HIV, getting the right treatment is literally a matter of life and death.
■ not joking
▪ serious not joking or laughing, or not pretending: His voice sounded serious. | They seem to be serious about their relationship.
▪ solemn very serious because of an important or sad occasion or ceremony: My father looked solemn, the way grown-ups look at funerals. | The judge read the verdict in a solemn voice.
▪ grave written quiet and very serious – used especially about the way people look when something important or worrying happens: She consulted Doctor Staples and returned looking grave. | He listened with a grave expression on his face.
▪ sombre British English (also somber American English) /ˈsɒmbə $ ˈsɑːmbər/ written sad, quiet, or serious because something unpleasant or worrying has happened or is going to happen: They sat in sombre silence. | The meeting began in a sombre mood.
▪ earnest very serious and sincere – often used about someone who is young and not very experienced: He was a rather earnest-looking young man. | ‘That’s wrong,’ she said, her voice sounding very earnest.