Finding the meaning of a word

Finding a word

Some words have more than one entry —

because they belong to a different word

class although they are spelt the same.

The small number at the end of the headword tells you that there is more than one entry for this word.

Compound words are separate entries m the alphabetical list.

Some words are shown at the end of the entry for the word from which they are derived. These words can be understood by reading the definition for the main entry. -

• acid¹ / 'sesid/ noun

1 Ic/U] a chemical substance with a ph value (=a measure used in chemistry) of less than 7: hydrochloric acid —compare alkali

2 [u] informal the illegal drug lsd

■ acid² / iEsid/ adj 1 very sour: acidic: Add more sugar if it tastes too acid. 2 containing acid or consisting of an acid: acidic: These plants prefer an acid soil. 3 an acid remark or acid humour shows criticism in a way that is clever but cruel: acerbic 'acid house noun [u] a style of house music that devel­oped in the US in the mid-1980s and became very popular in the UK in the late 1980s where it was played at rave parties acidic /a'sidik/ adj 1 containing acid: acidic soil

2 very sour: a rather unpleasant acidic taste acidify /a'sidi.fai/ verb (l/T) to become an acid, or cause a substance to become an acid —acidification /a.sidifi'keifn/ noun [U] J

There is a list of word classes on the inside front cover.

Some words are often used in idioms or other fixed expressions. These expressions are shown at the end of the main entry. Look for fixed expressions at the entry for the first main word in the expression.

Phrasal verbs are shown after the entry for the main verb.

bat² /bat/ verb 1 [l/T] to hit the ball with a bat in a game such as baseball or cricket 1a. [i] in baseball or cricket, the team that is batting is trying to score points by hitting the ball 2 [Tl to hit something small that is flying through the air in order to stop it landing on you -.He was trying to bat the flies away with his newspaper. bat your eyes/eyelashes to open and close your eyes very quickly several times, intending to be attractive to someone

go to bat for sb mainly Am E informal to give someone your support and help

not bat an eyelid to not be shocked, worried, or upset by something

bat a round phrasal vb [T) to discuss ideas or plans in an informal way

Finding the meaning of a word

Many words have more than one meaning.

When meanings are very different, they are shown as separate senses with numbers.

When meanings are closely related, they are shown as subsenses with letters.

1--------------- }

dolly /'dDli/ noun |C] 1 informal a doll 2 a flat struc­ture with wheels for moving heavy loads or for sup­porting a film camera -» corn dolly

addicted /s'diktid/ adj unable to stop taking an illegal or harmful drug: She says she's unable to give up smoking; she's completely addicted.♦ +to He admitted he was addicted to cocaine, a. enjoying a particular activity very much and spending as much time as you can doing it:+to I don't want the kids getting addicted to stupid TV programmes.

bleed /blfcd/ (past tense and past participlebled/bled/) verb

Some words have many different meanings, and so the entries can be long. Intries with five or more meanings have a -menu' at the top to make it easier to find the specific meaning you are looking for.

1 when blood flows out

2 make sb pay money

3 when colour spreads

4 take liquid/gas from sth

5 take blood from sb

[1] [I] to have blood flowing from your body, for example from a cut: I scraped my knee and it's bleeding.♦ +fromHe was bleeding from a wound in his shoulder.♦ bleed heavily/profusely The victim was dumped by a roadside, bleeding profusely.♦ bleed to death (=die from losing blood) She would have bled to death if we hadn't found her.

[1] [T] to make someone pay a lot of money, especi; regularly over a long period of time: He'll try tc

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 1142