# dict

Words: luster
Meaning:
n [singular, U]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: lustre, from  Old Italian lustro, from  Latin lustrare  ’to brighten’]//  the American spelling of lustre//


Words: lustful
Meaning:
adj   feeling or showing strong sexual desire//  --She ignored his lustful glances.//  -- lustfully adv //


Words: lustre
Meaning:
BrE  luster AmE   n [singular, U] \n  1 an attractive shiny appearance:  --Her thick, black hair shone with lustre.//\n  2 the quality that makes something interesting or exciting:  --There’ll be a celebrity guest to add lustre to the occasion.//


Words: lusty
Meaning:
adj   strong and healthy//   powerful//  --the lusty cry of a new-born baby//  --her strong, lusty young husband//  -- lustily adv //  --Her mother was singing lustily.//


Words: lute
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: lut, from  Old Proven[hA168]al laut, from  Arabic al-’ud  ’the wood’]//  [C] a musical instrument like a guitar with a round body, played with the fingers or a plectrum (=small piece of plastic, metal etc) , especially in the past//  -- lutenist/lu[hA359]t[hA353]n[hA369]st/ n  [C] //


Words: Luther
Meaning:
Martin   (1483-1546) a German religious leader whose ideas have had great influence on religion in Europe. In 1517, he started the  Reformation (=the time when many Christians in Europe left the Catholic religion and started the Protestant religion) by writing his  95 Theses, in which he criticized the Catholic religion. He also translated the Bible from Latin into German.//


Words: Lutheranism
Meaning:
n [U]   the beliefs or practice of that branch of the Protestant church which is based on the teachings of Martin Luther, especially the belief that  salvation can be gained by faith alone//


Words: luvvie
Meaning:
n  BrE \n  1 another spelling of lovey:\n  2 [C]  informal an actor who behaves to other people in a very friendly way that is not sincere:


Words: Luxembourg
Meaning:
Luxemburg  a small country in western Europe, surrounded by Belgium, Germany, and France. Capital: Luxembourg-Ville. Population: 442,972 (2001). Luxembourg is a member of the EU, and its official name is the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The EU’s main law court, the European Court of Justice, is in Luxembourg.//  -- Luxembourger n //


Words: Luxemburg
Meaning:
Rosa   (1871-1919) a German  socialist leader, born in Poland. In 1892 she helped to start the Polish Socialist Party, and later the Spartacus League, a political group which became the German Communist Party. She was killed by soldiers during a protest organized by the Spartacus League.//


Words: Luxor
Meaning:
a city in Egypt on the east bank of the River Nile, famous for its ancient  temples (=holy buildings) //


Words: luxuriant
Meaning:
adj \n  1 growing strongly and thickly:  --luxuriant black hair//  --luxuriant vegetation//\n  2 beautiful and pleasant to watch or listen to:  --the film’s luxuriant visuals//  -- luxuriantly adv //  --She yawned luxuriantly.//  -- luxuriance n  [U] //


Words: luxuriate
Meaning:
preposition]   to relax and enjoy something//  luxuriate in//  --He ran a hot bath and luxuriated in it for half an hour.//


Words: luxurious
Meaning:
adj   very expensive, beautiful, and comfortable//  --a luxurious 30-room villa//  -- luxuriously adv //  --The cabin was luxuriously furnished.//


Words: luxury
Meaning:
n   plural  luxuries //  [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: luxurie, from  Latin luxuria  ’too great quantity’]//\n  1 [U] very great comfort and pleasure, such as you get from expensive food, beautiful houses, cars etc:  in luxury//  --She stole to keep her boyfriend in luxury.//  --He was leading a life of luxury in Australia.//  luxury hotel/car/home etc (=expensive and large) //  --We stayed in a five-star luxury hotel.//  --The dress is lambswool - pure luxury.//\n  2 [C] something expensive that you do not need, but you buy for pleasure and enjoyment:  → necessity//  --luxuries like chocolate and perfume//\n  3  afford/have/enjoy the luxury of sth:  to have something that is very pleasant or convenient, that you are not always able to have//  --For the first time in three years, they actually had the luxury of a whole day together.//    in the lap of luxury at lap1 (5)//


Words: lyceum
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: Lyceum school near Athens where the ancient Greek thinker Aristotle taught, from  Greek, from  lykeios name given to Apollo, Greek god of poetry]//   AmE  old-fashioned a building used for public meetings, concerts, speeches etc//


Words: lychee
Meaning:
litchi/la[hA366]t[hA35D]i/ n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Chinese; Origin: lizhi]//  a small round fruit with a rough pink-brown shell outside and sweet white flesh inside//


Words: lychgate
Meaning:
lichgate/l[hA366]t[hA35D]ge[hA366]t/ n [C]   a gate with a roof leading into the area surrounding a church//


Words: Lycra
Meaning:
n [U]    trademark a material that stretches, used especially for making sports clothes that fit tightly//


Words: Lyme disease
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin:  Old  Lyme, town in Connecticut, USA, where the disease was first recognized]//  a serious illness that is caused by a bite from a tick1(2)//


Words: Lyme Regis
Meaning:
a town in Dorset on the south coast of England, where there are many  fossils (=ancient plants and animals preserved in rock) . It was a fashionable place for people to visit in the 19th century. //


Words: lymph
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Latin; Origin: lympha  ’water goddess, water’, from  Greek nymphe;   NYMPH]//  a clear liquid that is formed in your body and passes into your blood system to fight against infection//  -- lymphatic/l[hA366]mf[zB024]t[hA366]k/ adj //


Words: lymph node
Meaning:
n [C]  also lymph gland   a small rounded swelling in your body through which lymph passes before entering your blood system//


Words: Lynch
Meaning:
David   (1946-), a US film director famous for making unusual and violent films such as  Blue Velvet (1986). His other films include The Elephant Man (1980) and Wild at Heart (1990). He also made the cult television programme Twin Peaks. //


Words: lynch
Meaning:
v [T]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin:  William  Lynch (1724-1820), U.S. citizen who organized illegal trials in Virginia]//  if a crowd of people lynches someone, they kill them, especially by hanging them, without using the usual legal process//  -- lynching n  [C] //


Words: lynx
Meaning:
n   plural  lynx  or  lynxes  [C] //  [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin; Origin: Greek]//  a large wild cat that has no tail and lives in forests//  American Equivalent:  bobcat//\nLyons 1   the capital city of the  department of the Rh[hA175]ne in east central France. Its correct French name is Lyon.//


Words: lyre
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French; Origin: lire, from  Latin lyra, from  Greek]//  a musical instrument with strings across a U-shaped frame, played with the fingers, especially in ancient Greece//


Words: lyric
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: lyrique  ’of a lyre’, from  Latin, from  Greek, from  lyra;   LYRE]//  expressing strong personal emotions such as love, in a way that is similar to music in its sounds and rhythm//  --Wordsworth was one of the greatest lyric poets of his time.//\nlyric 2 n \n  1  lyrics [plural] the words of a song:  --He wrote some great music, but the lyrics weren’t that good.//\n  2  also lyric poem :   [C]  technical a poem, usually a short one, written in a lyric style//


Words: lyrical
Meaning:
adj \n  1 beautifully expressed in words, poetry, or music:  --lyrical love poetry//\n  2  wax lyrical:  to talk about and praise something in a very eager way//  --One fisherman waxed lyrical about the variety of fish in the river.//  -- lyrically/-kli/ adv //


Words: lyricism
Meaning:
n [U]   gentle or romantic emotion, expressed in writing or music//  --The lyricism of Tennyson’s poetry is magnificent.//


Words: Lysistrata
Meaning:
the main character in the humorous ancient Greek play  Lysistrata by  Aristophanes. Lysistrata and the other women in Athens are angry because their husbands are fighting in a long war. Lysistrata organizes a protest, and the women refuse to have sex with their husbands until there is peace. //


Words: M
Meaning:
m/em/ n   plural  M’s  m’s //\n  1 [U and C] the 13th letter of the English alphabet:\n  2 [C] the number 1000 in the system of roman numerals:\n  3  M6, M25 etc:  the name of a motorway in Britain//


Words: m
Meaning:
also  m.\n  1 the written abbreviation of metre or metres:\n  2 the written abbreviation of mile or miles:\n  3 the written abbreviation of million :\n  4 the written abbreviation of male :\n  5 the written abbreviation of married :\n  6 the written abbreviation of medium , used on clothes to mean an average size:


Words: m’lady
Meaning:
milady/m[hA366]le[hA366]di/ n  old use   used by a servant to address a woman who belongs to a noble family//  --Will that be all, m’lady?//


Words: M’lord
Meaning:
n \n  1 used to address a judge:\n  2  old use used by a servant to address a man who belongs to a noble family:


Words: m-commerce
Meaning:
n [U]   mobile commerce the buying or selling of goods and services using a radio connection to the Internet, for example using a laptop or mobile phone//    e-commerce//


Words: M.O.
Meaning:
also  MO BrE   n \n  1 [singular]  modus operandi a way of doing something that is typical of a particular person or group:\n  2 [C]  especially BrE  medical officer an army doctor:


Words: M.S.
Meaning:
n [C]  AmE   Master of Science a university degree in a science subject that you can get after your first degree//


Words: M.Sc.
Meaning:
also  MSc BrE   n [C]   Master of Science a university degree in a science subject that you can get after your first degree//


Words: M25
Meaning:
a British  motorway (=large, fast road)  that goes all around London, which is also called the London Orbital on signs//


Words: MA
Meaning:
BrE  M.A. AmE   n [C]   Master of Arts a university degree in a subject such as history, languages, or English literature that you can get after your first degree//  MA in//  --He did an MA in graphic design at Manchester.//  --Vanessa Clark, MA//


Words: Ma
Meaning:
n ma  [C]  informal   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: mama]//\n  1 mother:  --What’s for dinner, Ma?//\n  2  old-fashioned used to mean ’Mrs’ in some country areas of the US:  --old Ma Harris//\nMA 2   the written abbreviation of Massachusetts//


Words: ma’am
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin: madam]//\n  1  AmE  spoken used to address a woman in a polite and respectful way:  --May I help you, ma’am?//\n  2  BrE  spoken used to address the Queen or another woman in authority:


Words: ma[hA172]ana
Meaning:
adj, adv   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Spanish; Origin: ’tomorrow’]//  a word meaning ’tomorrow’, used to talk about someone who seems too relaxed and always delays doing things//  --a ma[hA172]ana attitude//  -- ma[hA172]ana n  [U] //


Words: Maastricht
Meaning:
a city in the Netherlands. In 1991, the leaders of the countries in the  EU (=European Union)  met there and made an agreement to become more politically and economically united. This agreement, called the Maastricht Treaty, was signed in 1992. The main aim of the Treaty is to establish the principle of closer economic union in the EU and a single currency (=system of money) , and it also includes the  Social Chapter, which deals mainly with the rights of workers.//


Words: Mabinogion
Meaning:
The   a collection of old Welsh stories about imaginary and magical people and places. It was written from the 11th to the 13th centuries, and some of the stories deal with  Arthurian Legend.//


Words: Mac
Meaning:
n \n  1 [C]  trademark  informal  (Apple) Macintosh a type of personal computer:    PC//  --Can you run this software on a Mac?//\n  2  AmE  spoken  old-fashioned used to address a man whose name you do not know:


Words: mac
Meaning:
mack/m[zB024]k/ n [C]  BrE   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: mackintosh]//  a coat which you wear to keep out the rain//   mackintosh//


Words: Mac the Knife
Meaning:
a character in  The Threepenny Opera (1928), written by Bertolt  Brecht with music by Kurt  Weill, based on the character of Captain  Macheath.//


Words: macabre
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: (danse) macabre  ’dance of death’, from earlier  (danse de) Macabre, perhaps from  Medieval Latin chorea Maccabaeorum  ’dance of the Maccabees’, a representation of the killing of the Maccabees, a Jewish family of Bible times]//  very strange and unpleasant and connected with death or with people being seriously hurt//  --a macabre tale//  --a macabre sense of humour//


Words: macadam
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin:  John Loudon  Macadam (1756-1836), Scottish engineer who invented it]//  a road surface made of a mixture of broken stones and tar or asphalt//  British Equivalent:  tarmac//


Words: macadamia
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin:  John  Macadam (1827-65), Australian scientist]//  a sweet white nut that grows on a tropical tree, or the tree that produces this nut//


Words: Macao
Meaning:
Macau   a small area in southeast China, which was a Portuguese colony from 1557-1999, when it became the Macau Special Administrative Region in China. It is a popular place for tourists. Population: 437,000 (2001).//


Words: macaroni
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Italian; Origin: maccheroni, from  Italian dialect maccarone, probably from  Greek makaria  ’food made from barley’]//  a type of pasta in the shape of small tubes//  macaroni cheese  BrE //  /macaroni and cheese  AmE  (=macaroni cooked with a cheese sauce) //


Words: macaroon
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: macaron, from  Italian dialect maccarone;   MACARONI]//  a small round cake made of sugar, eggs, and crushed almonds or coconut//


Words: MacArthur
Meaning:
General Douglas   (1880-1964) a US military leader. During World War II he was in charge of all the armies of the  Allies fighting in the areas around the Pacific Ocean. He commanded the US armies in Japan after the war ended, and he was also the leader of the United Nations forces in Korea in 1950-51 during the  Korean War.//


Words: macaw
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Portuguese; Origin: macau]//  a large brightly coloured bird like a parrot, with a long tail//


Words: Macbeth
Meaning:
1 (c.1005-1057) the king of Scotland from 1040 to 1057, who killed the previous king, Duncan, in battle and was himself later killed by Duncan’s son, Malcolm:\n  2 a character in the play  Macbeth by William  Shakespeare. Macbeth is told by three  witches that he will become king. To do so, he murders the present king Duncan, who is visiting him in his castle. Although he feels very guilty about this, he kills several other people to keep his power until he is finally killed by Macduff.:\n Lady   a character in the play  Macbeth by William  Shakespeare. She encourages her husband, Macbeth, to kill Duncan, the king of Scotland, so that he can become king instead, and she is a stronger, more evil person than Macbeth himself. After the murder, however, she feels very guilty, and starts to walk in her sleep, trying to clean the imaginary blood of the dead king off her hands.//


Words: Macdonald
Meaning:
Flora   (1722-90) a Scottish woman who helped  Bonnie Prince Charlie to escape from Scotland after the Battle of  Culloden by making him dress in women’s clothes and pretend to be her //\n Ramsey   (1866-1937) a British politician in the Labour Party, who became the first Labour Prime Minister in 1924. He was later Prime Minister of a ’National Government’ (=a government formed from members of all the political parties)  during the period of economic difficulty and high unemployment of the 1930s.//


Words: Macduff
Meaning:
1 a character in the play  Macbeth by William  Shakespeare, who kills Macbeth at the end of the play:\n  2  lead on, Macduff:  a slightly incorrect  quotation from the play  Macbeth, where the actual words are "lay on, Macduff". These words are now often used humorously when asking someone to lead you to a place.//


Words: Mace
Meaning:
n [U]  trademark   a chemical which makes your eyes and skin sting painfully. Police officers sometimes carry Mace in cans to defend themselves.//


Words: mace
Meaning:
n   [Sense: 1; Date: 1200-1300; Language: French; Origin: macis, from  Latin macir, from  Greek]//  [Sense: 2-3; Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: Vulgar Latin mattia]//\n  1 [U] a spice made from the dried shell of a nutmeg:\n  2 [C] a heavy ball with sharp points on a short metal stick, used in the past as a weapon:\n  3 [C] a decorated stick that is carried by an official in some ceremonies as a sign of power:    sceptre//


Words: Macedonia
Meaning:
1 a country in southeast Europe, north of Greece and south of Serbia. Population: 2,046,000 (2001). Capital: Skopje. It was formerly part of Yugoslavia, but became an independent country in 1991. The country’s official name is the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). :\n  2 a  province of northern Greece which is part of the ancient country of Macedonia. Its capital city is Thessaloniki, and the highest mountain in Greece, Mount  Olympus, is on its southern border.:\n  3  also Ma[hA17B]ce[hA17B]don :  an ancient country in the northern part of ancient Greece, whose most famous king was  Alexander the Great//  -- Macedonian n  adj //


Words: macerate
Meaning:
v [I and T]  technical   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: , past participle of  macerare  ’to soften, macerate’]//  to make something soft by leaving it in water, or to become soft in this way//


Words: Mach
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin:  Ernst  Mach (1838-1916), Austrian scientist]//  a unit for measuring speed, especially of an aircraft, in relation to the speed of sound. Mach 1 is the speed of sound, Mach 2 is twice the speed of sound etc//  --a plane with a maximum speed of Mach 3//


Words: Macheath
Meaning:
Captain   a character in  The Beggar’s Opera (1728) by John Gay who is a  highwayman (=a man who robbed travellers) //


Words: machete
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Spanish; Origin: macho  ’hammer’]//  a large knife with a broad heavy blade, used as a weapon or a tool//  --a machete attack//


Words: Machiavelli
Meaning:
Niccol[hA173]   (1469-1527) an Italian political  philosopher who is famous for his book  The Prince, in which he explains how political leaders can cleverly use other people in order to gain power and keep it//


Words: machinations
Meaning:
n [plural]  formal   secret, clever, and often unfair methods used to achieve something - used in order to show disapproval//  machinations of//  --the political machinations of far right groups//


Words: machine
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin machina, from  Greek mechane, from  mechos  ’way of doing things’]//\n  1 a piece of equipment with moving parts that uses power such as electricity to do a particular job:  washing/sewing etc machine //  --Is the washing machine working now?//  --Could you get me a coffee from the  drinks machine ?//  --The  fax machine  is broken.//  switch/turn a machine on/off //  --Turn the machine off before removing the cover.//  by machine//  --The letters are sorted by machine.//  --Did you put my dirty shirts in the machine (=washing machine) ?//  --I left a message for you on your machine (=telephone answering machine) .//  --The machine wouldn’t let me have any money (=cash machine) .//    answering machine,  cash machine,  vending machine//\n  2 a computer:  --My machine’s just crashed.//\n  3 a group of people who control and organize something - often used to show disapproval:  --the ruthless bureaucrats of the party machine //  --the government’s propaganda machine //  --the powerful American war machine //\n  4  informal a vehicle, especially a motorbike:  --Riders have to learn to handle their machines in all conditions.//  --That’s a mean machine  (=very fast and attractive vehicle) you have there.//\n  5 a person or animal that does something very well or without having to think about it:  --In the tiger, nature has produced the perfect hunting machine.//  --I’m not a golfing machine. I make mistakes just like anyone else.//\n  6 someone who seems to behave like a machine and to have no feelings or thoughts:   automaton//\n  7  a well-oiled machine:  something that works very smoothly and effectively//  --The office runs like a well-oiled machine.//  ----------//  WORD CHOICE: machine, device, gadget, appliance //  A  machine  is a piece of equipment that uses power to do a particular job. It is usually large and stays in the same place : a machine that sorts mail |  a washing machine //  You use the words  device  and  gadget  especially when you think the equipment is very cleverly designed. A  device  is a piece of equipment that does a particular job, for example takes measurements or controls the operation of a machine. It may use electrical power or be used by hand : a device for detecting blood alcohol levels from breath samples |  a temperature control device //  A  gadget  is a small piece of equipment that does something useful or impressive : one of those gadgets that sorts coins |  kitchen gadgets //  An  appliance  is a piece of electrical equipment used in your home such as a washing machine or fridge. This word is used especially by the companies that produce and sell them : the world’s largest producer of household appliances |  domestic appliances //  ----------//\nmachine 2 v [T] \n  1 to fasten pieces of cloth together using a sewing machine:\n  2 to make or shape something using a machine:


Words: machine gun
Meaning:
n [C]   a gun that fires a lot of bullets very quickly//  --There came the sound of men shouting and a burst of machine-gun fire.//


Words: machine-gun past tense and past participle
Meaning:
machine-gunned present participle  machine-gunning  v [T]   to shoot at someone or something with a machine gun//  --His corporal had been machine-gunned in an ambush.//


Words: machine-head
Meaning:
n [C]   a small button attached to the strings on an instrument such as a guitar that you turn in order to make the instrument play in tune//


Words: machine-readable
Meaning:
adj   in a form that can be understood and used by a computer//  --information stored in machine-readable form//


Words: machinery
Meaning:
S3   n [U] \n  1 machines, especially large ones:  agricultural/industrial/factory etc machinery //  --The use of heavy machinery has damaged the site.//  --an expensive piece of machinery //\n  2 a system or set of processes for doing something:  machinery of//  --the machinery of government//  machinery for (doing) sth//  --The company has no effective machinery for resolving disputes.//\n  3 the parts inside a machine that make it work:  --Be careful not to get anything caught in the machinery.//


Words: machinist
Meaning:
n [C]   someone who operates a machine, especially in a factory//  --All the women are highly-skilled machinists.//


Words: machismo
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1900-2000; Language: Mexican Spanish; Origin: Spanish macho;   MACHO]//  traditional male behaviour that emphasizes how brave, strong, and sexually attractive a man is//


Words: macho
Meaning:
adj  informal   [Date: 1900-2000; Language: Spanish; Origin: ’male’, from  Latin masculus;   MALE1]//  behaving in a way that is traditionally typical of men, for example being strong or brave, or not showing your feelings - used humorously or in order to show disapproval//  --He’s sick of being cast as the hard macho man in films.//  --a car with a macho image//


Words: Machu Picchu
Meaning:
an ancient ruined South American city high up in the Andes mountains in Peru. It was built by the Incas, a Native American people of South America, in about 1500 AD, and has a  temple (=religious building)  of the Sun and many other buildings. It is a popular place for tourists to visit.//


Words: mackerel
Meaning:
n   plural  mackerel  [U and C] //  [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: makerel]//  a sea fish that has oily flesh and a strong taste//  --smoked mackerel//


Words: Mackintosh
Meaning:
Charles Rennie   (1868-1928) a Scottish  architect, artist, and designer of furniture and glass. His work is considered to be among the best examples of the  art nouveau style, and he designed many buildings in and around Glasgow in Scotland.//


Words: mackintosh
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE  old-fashioned   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin:  Charles  Macintosh (1766-1843), Scottish scientist who invented a way of preventing liquid from getting through cloth]//  a coat which you wear to keep out the rain//   mac, raincoat//


Words: MacLean
Meaning:
Donald   (1913-83) a British man who had an important job in the Foreign Office, but was at the same time secretly working as a  spy for the former Soviet Union. In 1951 he escaped to the Soviet Union with another British spy, Guy  Burgess, and the names ’Burgess and Maclean’ are often remembered together.//


Words: Macmillan
Meaning:
Harold   (1894-1986) a British politician in the Conservative Party, who was Prime Minister from 1957 to 1963, during a period of great economic improvement. He made two expressions popular in the UK, when he told the British people "You’ve never had it so good" (meaning that most people had more money and a better life than they ever had before), and when he talked about "the winds of change" blowing through Africa (meaning that many African countries were becoming independent at that time). He later became Lord Stockton.//


Words: macrame
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: Italian, from  Turkish makrama  ’towel’, from  Arabic migramah  ’decorated veil’]//  the art of tying string in patterns to make things//


Words: macro
Meaning:
n   plural  macros  [C] //  [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: macroinstruction  ’macro’ (20-21 centuries)]//  a set of instructions for a computer, stored and used as a unit//  --You can run a macro to change to US spelling.//


Words: macro-
Meaning:
prefix  technical   [Language: Latin; Origin: Greek makro-, from  makros  ’long’]//  large and concerning a whole system rather than particular parts of it//  → micro//  --macroeconomics//  --macromolecular structures//


Words: macrobiotic
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Greek; Origin: makrobiotos  ’long life’]//  macrobiotic food consists mainly of grains and vegetables, with no added chemicals//  --a healthy macrobiotic diet//


Words: macrocosm
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Medieval Latin; Origin: macrocosmos, from  Latin macro- (  MACRO-) +  Greek kosmos (  COSMOS)]//  a large, complicated system such as the whole universe or a society, considered as a single unit//  → microcosm//


Words: macroeconomics
Meaning:
n [U]   the study of large economic systems such as those of a whole country or area of the world//    microeconomics//  -- macroeconomic adj //


Words: mad
Meaning:
W3S2   adj   comparative  madder superlative  maddest //  ----------//\n   1 angry:\n   2 crazy:\n   3 uncontrolled:\n   4 be mad about/for/on somebody/something:\n   5 mentally ill:\n   6 like mad:\n   7 don’t go mad:\n   8 power-mad/money-mad/sex-mad etc:  ----------//  [Language: Old English; Origin: gem[zB024]d]//\n  1 ANGRY:   [not before noun]  informal  especially AmE angry//  mad at//  --Are you still mad at me?//  --We get mad at each other sometimes, like any family.//  mad about//  --There’s no need to get mad about it!//  --You make make me so mad !//  mad with//   BrE //  --His wife will be really mad with him.//  go mad  BrE  (=become very angry) //  --Look at this mess! Mum will go mad!//  hopping mad (=very angry) //  (as) mad as hell (=a rude way of saying very angry) //\n  2 CRAZY:   especially BrE crazy or very silly//  --He can’t possibly get that finished in time. He must be mad !//  --I’d go mad  (=start to feel crazy) if I was stuck at home all day.//  --He’s been driving me mad recently!//  --You’ve agreed to marry him! Are you mad?//  --Surely no one would be mad enough to fly in this weather?//  --My friends all think I’m stark raving mad  (=completely crazy) .//  --It’s enough to send you barking mad  (=completely crazy) .//  as mad as a hatter/March hare (=completely crazy) //\n  3 UNCONTROLLED:   especially BrE behaving in a wild uncontrolled way, without thinking about what you are doing//  mad dash/rush/panic etc //  --We all made a mad dash for the door.//  mad with grief/fear/jealousy etc //  --When she heard of her son’s death, she was mad with grief.//  --When Italy scored, the crowd went mad  (=became very excited) .//  --We went a bit mad  (=spent a lot of money) and ordered champagne.//\n  4  be mad about/for/on sb/sth:   informal  especially BrE to like someone or something very much//   crazy//  --My nine-year-old is mad about Robbie Williams.//  --He’s mad about computer games.//  --All the girls at school are mad for him.//  be mad keen (on sth) //  --’Did you enjoy the film?’ ’I wasn’t mad keen.’//  be mad for it (=want to do something very much) //\n  5 MENTALLY ILL:   especially British English  old-fashioned  informal mentally ill//   insane//  --Mr Rochester’s mad wife//  --He turned towards me with a mad look in his eyes.//  --the cartoon figure of the mad scientist //\n  6  like mad:   informal very much, very quickly, or with a lot of energy//  --I caught my thumb in the door and it hurt like mad.//  --She ran like mad to catch the bus.//\n  7  don’t go mad:   BrE  spoken used to tell someone not to work too hard, get too excited, or spend too much money//  --I know you’ve got a lot to do but don’t go mad.//\n  8  power-mad/money-mad/sex-mad etc:  only interested in having power, money etc and doing everything possible to get it//  --a power-mad dictator//


Words: Mad Hatter
Meaning:
the   a character in the book  Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) by Lewis  Carroll. Alice goes to the Mad Hatter’s  tea party where no one eats or drinks anything, the Mad Hatter and the  March Hare talk nonsense, and the  Dormouse keeps falling asleep.//    Alice in Wonderland//


Words: Mad Magazine
Meaning:
trademark   a humorous US monthly magazine read especially by  teenagers, which is famous for its parodies of recent events, films, famous people etc//


Words: mad money
Meaning:
n [U]    AmE  informal money that you have saved so that you can spend it when you see something you want//


Words: Madagascar
Meaning:
a country that is an island in the Indian Ocean off the southeast coast of Africa. Population: 15,983,000 (2001). Capital: Antananarivo. Some types of animal live there that do not exist anywhere else in the world, such as the  lemur. //  -- Madagascan n  adj //


Words: madam
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: ma dame  ’my lady’]//\n  1  formal used to address a woman in a polite way, especially a customer in a shop:  American Equivalent:  ma’am//  --Are you being served, Madam?//\n  2  Dear Madam:   formal used at the beginning of a business letter to a woman, when you do not know her name//\n  3  Madam President/Ambassador etc:  used to address a woman who has an important official position//\n  4 [C] a woman who is in charge of a brothel:\n  5  a (proper) little madam:   BrE  informal a young girl who is very confident and who expects other people to do everything she wants//


Words: Madame
Meaning:
n   plural  Mesdames /me[hA366]d[zB024]m $ -d[hA35A][hA359]m///  [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: Old French ma dame;   MADAM]//  used to address or refer to a French-speaking woman, especially one who is married//    Mademoiselle, Monsieur//  --Madame Lefevre//


Words: Madame Bovary
Meaning:
a novel by Gustave Flaubert, published in 1856, which tells the story of a doctor’s wife, Emma Bovary, who, unhappy in her marriage, commits adultery, falls into debt, and finally kills herself.//


Words: Madame Butterfly
Meaning:
1 (1904) an  opera by  Puccini in which a Japanese woman marries an officer in the US navy called Lieutenant Pinkerton, who later leaves her in Japan and marries another woman in the US. When he returns to Japan with his American wife, his Japanese wife kills herself because she is so unhappy.:\n  2 the main female character of  Madame Butterfly:


Words: madcap
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]  old-fashioned \n  1 a madcap idea seems crazy and unlikely to succeed:  --a madcap scheme//\n  2 a madcap person behaves in a crazy and often funny way:  --He plays a madcap game show host.//


Words: MADD
Meaning:
Mothers Against Drunk Driving a US organization, started by a woman whose daughter was killed by a driver who was drunk. It has been successful in bringing the problem of drunk driving to people’s attention in the US, and in encouraging the government to make stronger laws against it.//


Words: madden
Meaning:
v [T usually passive]  literary   to make someone very angry or annoyed//  --The unfortunate animal was maddened with pain.//


Words: maddening
Meaning:
adj   very annoying//   infuriating//  --maddening delays//  -- maddeningly adv //  --He moved carefully and maddeningly slowly.//


Words: made
Meaning:
v \n  1 the past tense and past participle of make:\n  2  factory-made/German-made/homemade etc:  made in a factory, in Germany, at home etc//  --sales of Japanese-made cars//\n  3  have (got) it made:   informal to have everything that you need for success or for a happy life//  --Nice house, good job, lovely family - you’ve got it made!//\n  4  see/find out what sb is (really) made of:   informal to find out how strong, brave etc someone is or how skilful they are at doing something//  --Come on then! Let’s see what you’re made of.//\n  5  I’m not made of money:   spoken used when someone has asked you to pay for something in order to say that you cannot afford it and that you think they are being unreasonable//  --I can’t buy you shoes as well - I’m not made of money!//\n  6  be made for each other:   informal to be completely suitable for each other, especially as husband and wife//  --Jacinta and Dermot were made for each other.//\n  7  be made (for life):   informal to be so rich that you will never have to work again//  --If the deal is successful, I’ll be made for life.//


Words: made-to-order
Meaning:
adj   made-to-order clothing, furniture etc is made for one particular customer//  --made-to-order curtains//


Words: made-up
Meaning:
adj \n  1 a story, name, word etc that is made-up is not true or real:  --She used a made-up name.//\n  2 wearing make-up on your face:  --She was heavily made-up  (=wearing a lot of make-up) .//


Words: Madeira
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin: Madeira, Portuguese island in the Atlantic, where the wine is made]//  a strong sweet wine//


Words: Mademoiselle
Meaning:
n   plural  Mesdemoiselles /me[hA366]d[hA353]mw[hA353]zel///  [Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: Old French ma damoisele  ’my (young) lady’]//  used to address or refer to a young French-speaking woman who is not married//    Madame, Monsieur//  --Mademoiselle Dubois//


Words: madhouse
Meaning:
n [C usually singular] \n  1 a place with a lot of people, noise, and activity:  --It’s like a madhouse in here.//\n  2  old use a psychiatric hospital:


Words: Madison Avenue
Meaning:
a street in New York City that is famous as the centre of the advertising business. Its name is sometimes used to mean the US advertising business in general.//


Words: Madison Square Garden
Meaning:
a place in New York City where concerts or sports events, especially  boxing matches, are held, which very large crowds of people attend//


Words: madly
Meaning:
adv \n  1 extremely and in a very strong way:  --She fell madly in love with him.//  --Suddenly, I felt madly jealous.//\n  2 in a wild, uncontrolled way:  --The sign swung madly in the wind.//


Words: madman
Meaning:
n   plural  madmen /-m[hA353]n/ [C] //\n  1 someone who behaves in a wild, uncontrolled way:  --He drives like a madman .//\n  2  old-fashioned a man who is mentally ill:


Words: madness
Meaning:
n [U] \n  1  especially BrE very stupid behaviour that could be dangerous or have a very bad effect:  it is madness (for sb) to do sth//  --It would be madness to drive all that way on your own.//  --Cutting down the forest is sheer madness  (=completely crazy) .//\n  2 serious mental illness:   insanity//  --His family has a history of madness.//\n  3  moment/fit of madness:  when someone does something without thinking clearly//  --In a moment of madness, I agreed to have the party at my house.//    there’s method in/to sb’s madness at method(3)//\nMadonna 2 \n  1  the Madonna:  Mary, the mother of Jesus, in the Christian religion//\n  2 a picture or figure of Mary:\n  3 (1958-) a US singer and film actress, one of the most successful pop musicians of the 1980s and 1990s. She is famous for dressing and performing in her concerts in a way that is sometimes shocking. Her songs include Like a Virgin and  Material Girl, and her films include  Desperately Seeking Susan,  Body of Evidence, and Evita.:


Words: Madras
Meaning:
a city and port in southeast India, the capital of Tamil Nadu state. Its official name is now Chennai.//


Words: madrigal
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Italian; Origin: madrigale, from  Late Latin matricalis  ’of the womb, simple’, from  Latin matrix;   MATRIX]//  a song for several singers without musical instruments, popular in the 16th century//


Words: Mae West
Meaning:
(1892-1980) a US film actress, famous for being sexually attractive, whose films include  She Done Him Wrong (1933) and  I’m No Angel (1933)//


Words: maelstrom
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin:  Early  Dutch, from  malen  ’to break into powder’ +  strom  ’stream’]//\n  1 a confusing situation full of events or strong emotions that is difficult to understand or deal with:   whirlpool//  maelstrom of//  --a maelstrom of conflicting emotions//\n  2 dust or water that moves very quickly in circles:  --A spinning maelstrom of rain swept around the mountain.//\n  3 a violent storm:


Words: maestro
Meaning:
n   plural  maestros  [C] //  [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Italian; Origin: ’master’]//  someone who can do something very well, especially a musician//


Words: Mafeking
Meaning:
the old name of a town in the northern part of South Africa, now called Mafikeng. It is famous in British history because of the Siege of Mafeking in 1899-1900, when British soldiers defended the town against the Boers during the  Boer War. The Relief of Mafeking took place after 217 days when more British forces arrived, and the news of this event caused great celebrations in the UK.//


Words: mafia
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Italian; Origin: Italian dialect,  ’great confidence, proud talk’]//\n  1  the Mafia:  a large organized group of criminals who control many illegal activities, especially in Italy and the US//\n  2 [singular] a powerful group of people within an organization or profession who support and protect each other:  --the medical mafia//


Words: mafioso
Meaning:
n   plural  mafiosi /-si/ [C] //  [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Italian; Origin: mafia;   MAFIA]//  a member of the Mafia//


Words: magazine
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  Early  French,  ’building where things are stored’, from  Old Proven[hA168]al, from  Arabic makhazin, plural of  makhzan  ’storehouse’]//\n  1 a large thin book with a paper cover that contains news stories, articles, photographs etc, and is sold weekly or monthly:  fashion/computer/women’s etc magazine //  --a glossy fashion magazine//  --She’s the editor of a popular women’s magazine.//  --a magazine article//  --She glanced over the magazine racks.//\n  2 a television or radio programme which is made up of a number of reports:  --a local news magazine programme//\n  3 the part of a gun that holds the bullets:\n  4 the part that holds the film in a camera or projector:\n  5 a room or building for storing weapons, explosives etc:


Words: Magdalen Bridge
Meaning:
a bridge over the River Cherwell at Oxford, England. Every May Day a choir sings from a tower near the bridge, and university students traditionally jump from the bridge into the river.//


Words: Magellan
Meaning:
Ferdinand   (?1480-1521) a Portuguese sailor who most people consider to be the first person to sail all around the world. The  Strait of Magellan at the bottom of South America was named after him.//


Words: magenta
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: Magenta, town in Italy where the substance the color is made from was discovered]//  a dark reddish purple colour//  -- magenta adj //


Words: maggot
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin:  From a  Scandinavian language]//  a small creature like a worm that is the young form of a fly and lives in decaying food, flesh etc//


Words: Maghreb
Meaning:
the Maghreb//  the area of northwest Africa which includes the countries of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya. The people who live there are mainly Arab and Berber.//


Words: Magi
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin; Origin: , plural of  Magus, from  Greek magos;   MAGIC1]//  the Magi [plural] the three wise men who brought gifts to the baby Jesus, according to the Christian religion//


Words: magic
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: French; Origin: magique, from  Latin magice, from  Greek magike, from  magos  ’person with magic powers’]//\n  1 the ability of particular people in children’s stories to make impossible things happen by saying special words:  --Do you believe in magic?//    black magic,  white magic//\n  2 a special, attractive, or exciting quality:  --Paris has lost some of its magic for me over the years.//  magic of//  --the magic of Christmas//\n  3 the skill of doing tricks that look like magic in order to entertain people, or the tricks that are done:   conjuring//\n  4  like magic/as if by magic:  in a surprising way that seems impossible to explain//  --As if by magic the waiter suddenly appeared with a tray of drinks.//\n  5  work/weave your magic:  if something or someone works or weaves their magic, they produce a good change or effect in a way that they are often able to do//  --The warm weather and the beautiful scenery began to work their magic and she started to relax.//\n  6  work like magic:  to be very effective//\nmagic 2 adj \n  1 [only before noun] in stories, a magic word or object has special powers that make the person using it able to do impossible things:  --a book of magic spells //  --a magic sword//\n  2 relating to the skill of doing tricks to entertain people:  --His best magic trick is sawing a lady in half.//\n  3  magic number/word:  a number or word that is particularly important or desired in a particular situation//  --The magic words ’a million pounds’ will get everyone’s attention.//\n  4  the magic word:  the word ’please’ - used when speaking to children//  --What’s the magic word then, Katie?//\n  5  magic touch:  a special ability to make things work well or to make people happy//  --She’s got a magic touch with babies.//\n  6  magic moment:  a short time which seems beautiful and special//  --She didn’t want to spoil this magic moment.//\n  7  magic circle:  a group of powerful people who are friendly with each other and help each other//  --His outspokenness denied him access to the magic circle and he was never given high office.//\n  8  BrE  spoken very good or very enjoyable:   great//  --’Did you have a good time?’ ’Yeah, it was magic!’//\nmagic 3 v   past tense and past participle  magicked present participle  magicking  BrE //  magic away [magic sb/sth away] phr v//  to make someone or something disappear or go somewhere by using magic//  --I wish I could magic us away to a warm beach.//  magic up [magic sth → up] phr v//  to make something appear suddenly and unexpectedly//


Words: magic bullet
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 a drug or treatment that can cure a disease or illness quickly and easily:\n  2  informal something that solves a difficult problem in an easy way:  --There’s no magic bullet for school reform.//


Words: magic carpet
Meaning:
n [C]   in stories, a carpet that can fly through the air and carry people from one place to another//


Words: magic mushroom
Meaning:
n [C]   a type of mushroom that has an effect like some drugs, and makes you see things that are not really there//


Words: Magic Realism
Meaning:
n [U]   a style of imaginative novel writing connected especially with 20th century writers from Latin America, such as Jorge Luis  Borges, Gabriel Garc[hA16E]a  Marquez, and Isabel Allende, in which impossible events are described as if they are real //


Words: magic wand
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 a stick used by a magician:\n  2 a way to solve problems or difficulties immediately - used humorously:  --I wish I could just wave a magic wand and make everything all right.//


Words: magical
Meaning:
adj \n  1 very enjoyable, exciting or romantic, in a strange or special way:  --that magical evening we spent together//\n  2 relating to magic or able to do magic:  --magical powers//  -- magically/-kli/ adv //


Words: magician
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 a man in stories who can use magic:   sorcerer, wizard//  wand, cape, top hat//\n  2 an entertainer who performs magic tricks:   conjurer//


Words: Maginot Line
Meaning:
the   a line of  forts (=very strong buildings for use by an army)  built before World War II to defend the eastern border of France against the Germans. It was not effective, because the German army avoided it by going through Belgium.//


Words: magisterial
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Late Latin; Origin: magisterialis, from  Latin magister;   MAGISTRATE]//\n  1 a magisterial way of behaving or speaking shows that you think you have authority:  --his magisterial voice//\n  2 a magisterial book is written by someone who has very great knowledge about a subject:  --his magisterial study of the First World War//\n  3 [only before noun] connected with or done by a magistrate:  -- magisterially adv //


Words: magistracy
Meaning:
n [U] \n  1 the official position of a magistrate, or the time during which someone has this position:\n  2  the magistracy:  magistrates considered together as a group//


Words: magistrate
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin; Origin: magistratus, from  magister  ’master’]//  someone, not usually a lawyer, who works as a judge in a local court of law, dealing with less serious crimes//   Justice of the Peace//


Words: Magistrates’ Court
Meaning:
n [C]   one of the courts of law in each area of England and Wales which deal with less serious crimes//


Words: magma
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Latin; Origin: Greek, from  massein  ’to press and mix together’]//   technical hot melted rock below the surface of the Earth//


Words: Magna Carta
Meaning:
an important document in British history which King John of England signed in 1215 at  Runnymede in the south of England. By doing this he agreed that limits could be set on royal powers. Later, especially in the 17th century, the document was seen as a statement of basic  civil rights.//


Words: magna cum laude
Meaning:
adj, adv   [Date: 1900-2000; Language: Latin; Origin: ’with great praise’]//  with high honour - used to show that someone has finished American high school or college at the second of the three highest levels of achievement that students can reach//    cum laude, summa cum laude//


Words: magnanimous
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: magnanimus, from  magnus  ’great’ +  animus  ’spirit’]//  kind and generous, especially to someone that you have defeated//  --a magnanimous gesture//  -- magnanimously adv //  -- magnanimity/m[zB024]gn[hA353]n[hA366]m[hA369]ti/ n  [U] //


Words: magnate
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Late Latin; Origin: magnates (plural), from  Latin magnus  ’great’]//  a rich and powerful person in industry or business//   tycoon//  steel/oil/shipping etc magnate //  --a powerful media magnate//


Words: magnesia
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Modern Latin; Origin: magnes carneus  ’flesh magnet’, used of a white powder that stuck to the lips;   MAGNET]//    milk of magnesia//


Words: magnesium
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Modern Latin; Origin: magnesia]//  a common silver-white metal that burns with a bright white flame. It is a chemical element: symbol Mg//


Words: magnet
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: magnete, from  Latin magnes, from  Greek magnes (lithos)  ’(stone) of Magnesia’, ancient city in Turkey]//\n  1 a piece of iron or steel that can stick to metal or make other metal objects move towards itself:\n  2 something or someone that attracts many people or things:  magnet for//  --The region has become a magnet for small businesses.//  attract/draw sb/sth like a magnet //  --She drew men to her like a magnet.//


Words: magnet school
Meaning:
n [C]    AmE a school that has more classes in a particular subject than usual, and so attracts students from a wide area//


Words: magnetic
Meaning:
adj \n  1 concerning or produced by magnetism:  --magnetic forces//\n  2 having the power of a magnet or behaving like a magnet::\n  3  magnetic personality/charm etc:  qualities that make other people feel strongly attracted to you//  -- magnetically/-kli/ adv //


Words: magnetic media n [plural
Meaning:
U]   magnetic methods of storing information for computers, for example floppy disks or magnetic tape//


Words: magnetic pole
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 one of the two points that are not firmly fixed but are near the North and South Poles of the Earth, towards which the needle on a compass points:\n  2 one of two points at the ends of a magnet where its power is strongest:


Words: magnetic resonance imaging
Meaning:
n [U]  medical   MRI the process of using strong magnetic fields to make an image of the inside of someone’s body for medical reasons//


Words: magnetism
Meaning:
n [U] \n  1 the physical force that makes two metal objects pull towards each other or push each other apart:\n  2 if someone has magnetism, they have powerful exciting qualities that attract people to them:  --his personal magnetism//


Words: magnetize
Meaning:
also  magnetise BrE   v [T] \n  1 to make iron or steel able to pull other pieces of metal towards itself:\n  2 to have a powerful effect on people so that they feel strongly attracted to you:  --His dark flashing eyes seemed to magnetize her.//  -- magnetization/m[zB024]gn[hA369]ta[hA366]ze[hA366][hA35D][hA368]n $ -t[hA353]-/ n  [U] //


Words: magneto
Meaning:
n   plural  magnetos  [C] //  [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: magneto-electric machine]//  a piece of equipment containing one or more magnets that is used for producing electricity, especially in the engine of a car//


Words: Magnificat
Meaning:
a song in praise of God which is used in some Christian church services. Its words are the words said by  Mary in the New Testament of the Bible, after she discovers that she is going to be the mother of Jesus.//


Words: magnification
Meaning:
n \n  1 [U] the process of making something look bigger than it is:  at high/low etc magnification //  --When viewed at high magnification it is clear that the crystals are quite different.//  --greater levels of magnification//  under magnification//  --The colour is evident even under low magnification.//\n  2 [C] the degree to which something is able to make things look bigger:  --binoculars with a magnification of x12 (=which make things look 12 times as big) //


Words: magnificent
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Latin; Origin: magnificus  ’very impressive, excellent’, from  magnus  ’great’]//  very good or beautiful, and very impressive//  --a magnificent performance//  --The twelve-mile coastline has magnificent scenery.//  --She looked magnificent in a long red dress.//  -- magnificently adv //  -- magnificence n  [U] //


Words: magnify
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  magnified present participle  magnifying third person singular  magnifies  [T] //  [Date: 1300-1400; Language: French; Origin: magnifier, from  Latin magnificus;   MAGNIFICENT]//\n  1 to make something seem bigger or louder, especially using special equipment:  --At the Sheffield arena, the speakers were magnified ten times on a giant screen.//  --A public address system magnifies all the little noises and coughs.//\n  2 to make something seem more important than it really is:   exaggerate//  --The report tends to magnify the risks involved.//\n  3  formal to make something much worse or more serious:  --The results of economic mismanagement were magnified by a series of natural disasters.//


Words: magnitude
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin; Origin: magnitudo, from  magnus  ’great’]//\n  1 [U] the great size or importance of something:  magnitude of//  --They didn’t seem to appreciate the magnitude of the problem.//  of such/this/similar etc magnitude //  --We did not think the cuts would be of this magnitude.//  --an increase of this order of magnitude  (=size) //\n  2 [C]  technical the degree of brightness of a star:\n  3 [C]  technical the force of an earthquake:


Words: magnolia
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1700-1800; Origin:  Pierre  Magnol (1638-1715), French plant-scientist]//\n  1 [C] a tree with large white, pink, yellow, or purple flowers:\n  2 [U] a very pale cream colour:  -- magnolia adj //


Words: magnum
Meaning:
n [C]   [Sense: 1; Date: 1700-1800; Language: Latin; Origin: magnus  ’great’]//  [Sense: 2; Date: 1900-2000; Origin: Magnum, a trademark]//\n  1 a large bottle containing about 1.5 litres of wine, champagne etc:\n  2 a powerful type of gun that you can use with one hand:  --a .44 magnum//


Words: magnum opus
Meaning:
n [singular]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Latin; Origin: ’great work’]//  the most important piece of work by a writer or artist//


Words: magpie
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin: Mag female name (from  Margaret) +  pie  ’magpie’ (13-20 centuries) (from  Old French, from  Latin pica)]//\n  1 a bird with black and white feathers and a long tail:\n  2  informal someone who likes collecting things:


Words: Magritte
Meaning:
Rene   (1898-1967) a Belgian  surrealist painter who combined in his pictures familiar objects that do not usually belong together//


Words: maharajah
Meaning:
maharaja/m[hA35A][hA359]h[hA353]r[hA35A][hA359]d[hA360][hA353]/ n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Sanskrit; Origin: maharaja  ’great king’;   RAJAH]//  an Indian prince or king//


Words: maharani
Meaning:
maharanee/m[hA35A][hA359]h[hA353]r[hA35A][hA359]ni[hA359]/ n [C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Hindi; Origin: maha  ’great’ +  rani  ’queen’]//  an Indian princess or queen//


Words: maharishi
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Sanskrit; Origin: maharsi, from  mahat  ’great’ +  rsi  ’wise man and poet’]//  a Hindu holy teacher//


Words: Mahayana
Meaning:
of the form of Buddhism practised in Tibet and China, based on developments of the original teachings of the Buddha starting in the first century//


Words: Mahdi
Meaning:
the   in Islam, the name given to a holy leader who, according to Muslims, will be sent by God and will make all people in the world follow Islam. Many Muslim leaders have claimed to be the Mahdi.//


Words: mahjong
Meaning:
mahjongg/m[hA35A][hA359] d[hA360]o[hA26E] $ -[hA360][hA35A][hA359][hA26E]/ n [U]   [Date: 1900-2000; Language: Chinese; Origin: maque  ’sparrows’]//  a Chinese game played with small pieces of wood or bone//


Words: Mahler
Meaning:
Gustav   (1860-1911) an Austrian  composer whose work is typical of the  romantic style. His most famous works are his  symphonies and his sets of songs,  Das Lied von der Erde and  Kindertotenlieder.//


Words: mahogany
Meaning:
n   plural  mahoganies //  [Date: 1600-1700; Origin:  Early  Spanish mahogani, perhaps from a  Mayan language]//\n  1 [U and C] a type of hard reddish brown wood used for making furniture, or the tree that produces this wood:\n  2 [U] a dark, reddish brown colour:  -- mahogany adj //


Words: maid
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1100-1200; Origin: maiden]//\n  1 a female servant, especially in a large house or hotel:  --a kitchen maid//\n  2  old use a woman or girl who is not married:    old maid//


Words: maid of honour
Meaning:
BrE  maid of honor AmE   plural  maids of honour  n [C] //\n  1 the most important bridesmaid at a wedding:\n  2 an unmarried woman who works for a queen or a princess:


Words: maiden
Meaning:
n [C]   [Language: Old English; Origin: m[zB024]gden]//\n  1  literary a young girl, or a woman who is not married:   damsel//\n  2  also maiden over :  in  cricket, an over in which no runs are scored//\nmaiden 2 adj \n  1  maiden flight/voyage:  the first journey that a plane or ship makes//\n  2  maiden speech:   BrE the first speech that someone makes in parliament//


Words: maiden name
Meaning:
n [C]   a woman’s family name before she got married and started using her husband’s family name//    married name//


Words: maidenly
Meaning:
adj  literary  old-fashioned   used to describe the behaviour of a girl or young woman who is shy about showing her body, talking about sex etc, especially in the past//  --maidenly modesty//


Words: Maigret
Meaning:
a character who appears in many novels by Georges Simenon. Maigret is a detective (=a police officer whose job is to solve crimes)  in Paris.//


Words: mail
Meaning:
W3S3   n [U]   [Sense: 1-3; Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: male  ’bag’]//  [Sense: 4; Date: 1200-1300; Language: French; Origin: maille, from  Latin macula  ’spot, woven threads’]//\n  1 the letters and packages that are delivered to you:  --She’s been reading my private mail.//  --When he got to the office he found a mountain of mail waiting for him.//  --He promised to  forward my mail  to my new address. (=send it from my old home or office) //  --He gets sacks of  fan mail . (=letters from people who admire him and are his fans) //  hate mail (=letters from people saying that they hate you) //\n  2  especially AmE the system of collecting and delivering letters and packages:  British Equivalent:  post//  --The mail here’s really slow and unreliable.//  --The product will be sold mainly through the mail.//  in the mail//  --I’ll put the check in the mail tomorrow.//  by mail//  --Did you send the document by mail?//  registered/express/first-class etc mail //  --I sent my application by registered mail.//  --Most reports are sent via internal mail  (=a system of sending documents to people inside the same organization) .//\n  3 messages that are sent and received on a computer:   email//  --You should always check your incoming mail (=messages that you receive) every day.//  --Please read the mail message for information on the error.//\n  4  armour made of small pieces of metal, worn by soldiers in the Middle Ages:    voice mail//  ----------//  WORD FOCUS: mail //  things that people send: letter,  postcard,  package also parcel (BrE),  junk mail //  ways of sending mail: first class/second class (BrE),  airmail,  surface mail,  special delivery //  the person who delivers your mail: postman/postwoman (BrE),  mailman (AmE),  letter carrier (AmE) //  the place where you buy stamps, send letters and packages etc: post office //  the place where you put letters and packages: postbox (BrE) mailbox (AmE) //  the place where you receive letters and packages: letterbox (BrE) mailbox (AmE) //  ----------//\nmail 2 S3 v [T]  especially AmE \n  1 to send a letter or package to someone:  British Equivalent:  post//  mail sth to sb//  --The weekly newsletter is mailed to women all over the country.//\n  2 to send a document to someone using a computer:   email//  mail sth to sb//  --Can you mail it to me as an attachment?//  mail out [mail sth → out] phr v//  to send letters, packages etc to a lot of people at the same time//   send out//  --The department has just mailed out 300,000 notices.//


Words: mail drop
Meaning:
n [C]  AmE \n  1 an address where someone’s mail is delivered, which is not where they live:\n  2 a box in a post office where your mail can be left:


Words: Mail on Sunday
Meaning:
The   a British  tabloid newspaper produced every Sunday by the same company that produces  The  Daily Mail//


Words: mail order
Meaning:
n [U]   a method of buying and selling in which the buyer chooses goods at home and orders them from a company which sends them by post//  by mail order//  --It is available by mail order from Green Life Products.//  --a mail order catalogue//


Words: mailbag
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 a large, strong bag used for carrying mail on trains etc:\n  2  AmE a bag used to deliver letters to people’s houses:  British Equivalent:  postbag//


Words: mailbomb
Meaning:
n [C]   a large number of email messages sent to the same computer, with the result that the computer has too much email and cannot work properly any more//


Words: mailbox
Meaning:
n [C]  AmE \n  1 a box, usually outside a house, where someone’s letters are delivered or collected:\n  2 a container where you post letters:  British Equivalent:  postbox//\n  3 the part of a computer’s memory where email messages are stored:


Words: Mailer
Meaning:
Norman   (1923- ) a US writer and  journalist, who writes about social and political subjects and criticizes US society. His novels often contain a lot of sex and violence, and many of them are based on real events. They include  The Naked and the Dead,  The American Dream,  The Armies of the Night, and  The Executioner’s Song.//


Words: mailing
Meaning:
n \n  1 [C] something that is sent to people by post, especially to advertise something:  --A catalogue and order form are included with this mailing.//  --A mailing had gone out to every school in the country.//\n  2 [U and C] the process of sending something to people by post:  --A very effective mailing of product samples was carried out last year.//  --mailing costs//


Words: mailing list
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 a list of names and addresses kept by an organization, so that it can send information or advertising material by post:  on a mailing list//  --I have included you on my mailing list for new EFL software.//\n  2 a list of names and email addresses kept on a computer so that you can send the same message to a group of people at the same time:


Words: mailman
Meaning:
n   plural  mailmen /-men/ [C]  AmE //  someone who delivers letters and packages to people’s houses//  British Equivalent:  postman//


Words: mailshot
Meaning:
n [C]   advertisements or information that a company sends to many people at one time by post//  --We’re sending out a mailshot telling our customers about our new products.//


Words: maim
Meaning:
v [T]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: maynier]//  to wound or injure someone very seriously and often permanently//  --Landmines still kill or maim about 300 people every month.//


Words: main
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]   [Language: Old English; Origin: m[zB024]gen-, from  m[zB024]gen  ’strength’]//\n  1 bigger or more important than all other things, ideas etc of the same kind:  --The main reason for living in Spain is the weather.//  --What do you consider to be the main problem?//  --Our main concern is that the children are safe.//  --a summary of the main points of the agreement//  --the main aim of the meeting//  --I’ll meet you outside the main entrance.//  --the main bedroom//\n  2  the main thing:   spoken used to say what is the most important thing in a situation//  --As long as you’re not hurt, that’s the main thing.//  --The main thing is not to panic.//    an eye for/on/to the main chance at eye1 (22)//\nmain 2 n \n  1 [C] a large pipe or wire carrying the public supply of water, electricity, or gas:  --The report found that many of Yorkshire’s water mains needed replacing.//  --a burst gas main//\n  2  BrE :  a)  the mains//  the place on a wall where you can connect something to a supply of electricity//  --You can run the torch off batteries or plug it into the mains.//  at the mains//  --Make sure that the television is turned off at the mains.//  b)  mains gas/water/electricity//  gas, water, or electricity supplied to a building through a pipe or wire//  --The heater will run off mains gas or bottled gas.//\n  3  in the main:  mostly//  --Their job in the main consisted of cleaning and maintaining the building.//


Words: main course
Meaning:
n [C]   the main part of a meal//  --What are you going to have for your main course?//  --starter, main course and dessert//


Words: main drag
Meaning:
n   the main drag//   AmE  informal the main street in a town or city where big shops and businesses are//  --the restaurants that line the main drag//


Words: main line
Meaning:
n [C]   an important railway that connects two cities//  --the main line to Moscow//  -- mainline adj  [only before noun] //  --a mainline station//


Words: main road
Meaning:
n [C]   a large and important road//  --We live just off the main road.//  main road to/from/between//  --the main road from Bern to Lausanne//


Words: Main Street
Meaning:
n \n  1 the most important street, with many shops and businesses on it, in many small towns in the US:  British Equivalent:  high street//\n  2 [U]  AmE ordinary people who believe in traditional American values:  --The President’s new proposals won’t go down too well on Main Street.//


Words: Maine
Meaning:
ME a state in the northeast of the US, next to the Atlantic coast and the border with Canada. Maine is the largest state in  New England, and is famous for its beautiful forests, mountains, and coast.//


Words: mainframe
Meaning:
n [C]   a large powerful computer that can work very fast and that a lot of people can use at the same time//  --If a problem does occur, a signal is automatically sent to the mainframe.//


Words: mainland
Meaning:
n   the mainland//  the main area of land that forms a country, as compared to islands near it that are also part of that country//  --flights between a Greek island and the mainland//  on the mainland//  --terrorist attacks both in Northern Ireland and on the mainland//  -- mainland adj  [only before noun] //  --mainland Britain//


Words: mainline
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]   accepted by or involving most people in a society//   mainstream//  --They explicitly denied that they are involved in mainline politics.//\nmainline 2 v [I and T]  informal   to inject an illegal drug directly into your blood//  --By that time he was mainlining heroin.//


Words: mainly
Meaning:
adv   used to mention the main part or cause of something, the main reason for something etc//  --Her illness was caused mainly by stress.//  --The workforce is mainly made up of women.//  --I don’t go out much, mainly because I have to look after the kids.//  --Increased sales during the summer were mainly due to tourism.//  --We talked about various things - work, mainly.//


Words: mainspring
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1  the mainspring of sth:  the most important reason or influence that makes something happen//  --Christian faith was the mainspring of Peter’s life.//  --Small companies are the mainspring of the British economy.//\n  2 the most important spring in a watch or clock:


Words: mainstay
Meaning:
n   the mainstay of sth//  a) an important part of something that makes it possible for it to work properly or continue to exist//  --Agriculture is still the mainstay of the country’s economy.//  b) someone who does most of the important work for a group or organization//  --She was the mainstay of the team.//


Words: mainstream
Meaning:
n   the mainstream//  the most usual ideas or methods, or the people who have these ideas or methods//  the mainstream of//  --Environmental ideas have been absorbed into the mainstream of European politics.//  --Genet started as a rebel, but soon became part of the literary mainstream.//\nmainstream 2 adj [only before noun]   accepted by or involving most people in a society//  --Deaf children can often be included in mainstream education.//  --a centre-right candidate supported by all the mainstream political parties//\nmainstream 3 v [T]    AmE to include a child with physical or mental problems in an ordinary class//  -- mainstreaming n  [U] //


Words: maintain
Meaning:
W2S3   v [T]   ----------//\n   1 make something continue:\n   2 level/rate:\n   3 say:\n   4 look after something:\n   5 provide money/food:  ----------//  [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: maintenir, from  Latin manu tenere  ’to hold in the hand’]//\n  1 MAKE SOMETHING CONTINUE:  to make something continue in the same way or at the same standard as before//  --Careers Officers maintain contact with young people when they have left school.//  --Britain wants to maintain its position as a world power.//  --A lot depends on building and maintaining a good relationship with your customers.//  --The hotel prides itself on maintaining high standards.//  --How can we maintain control of spending?//\n  2 LEVEL/RATE:  to make a level or rate of activity, movement etc stay the same//  --It is important to maintain a constant temperature inside the greenhouse.//  --This is the most efficient way to build up and maintain a reasonable level of physical fitness.//\n  3 SAY:  to strongly express your belief that something is true//   claim//  maintain (that)//  --Critics maintain that these reforms will lead to a decline in educational standards.//  maintain your innocence (=say that you did not commit a crime) //  --He maintained his innocence and said the allegations were ’ridiculous’.//\n  4 LOOK AFTER SOMETHING:  to keep a machine, building etc in good condition by checking and repairing it regularly//  --The report found that safety equipment had been very poorly maintained.//  --The company is responsible for maintaining public telephone boxes.//\n  5 PROVIDE MONEY/FOOD:  to provide someone with the things they need, such as money or food//   provide for//  --How can you maintain a family on $900 a month?//


Words: maintenance
Meaning:
W3S2   n [U] \n  1 the repairs, painting etc that are necessary to keep something in good condition:  --the cost of repairs and maintenance//  maintenance of//  --The caretaker is responsible for the maintenance of the school buildings.//  --The theatres were closed on Saturday and Sunday for  routine maintenance .//  --Engineers are  carrying out essential maintenance work  on the main line to Cambridge.//  --an evening class in  car maintenance //  maintenance crew/man/staff (=someone who looks after buildings and equipment for a school or company) //\n  2 the act of making a state or situation continue:  maintenance of//  --The purpose of the UN is the maintenance of international peace and security.//  --The maintenance of a firm currency plays an important part in the battle against inflation.//\n  3  BrE money paid by someone who is divorced to their former wife or husband:   alimony//  --They have to find the fathers who abandon their children and make them pay maintenance.//


Words: maitre d’
Meaning:
[singular]   someone who is in charge of a restaurant, and who welcomes guests, gives orders to the waiters etc//


Words: maize
Meaning:
n [U]  BrE   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Spanish; Origin: ma[hA16E]z, from  Taino mahiz]//  a tall plant with large yellow seeds that grow together on a cob (=long hard part) , and which are cooked and eaten as a vegetable//  American Equivalent:  corn//


Words: majestic
Meaning:
adj   very big, impressive, or beautiful//  --This lovely village is surrounded by majestic mountain scenery.//  -- majestically/-kli/ adv //


Words: majesty
Meaning:
n   plural  majesties //  [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: majeste, from  Latin majestas]//\n  1  Your/Her/His Majesty:  used when talking to or about a king or queen//    Your/Her/His Highness//  --The Prime Minister is here to see you, Your Majesty.//  --His Majesty the King//\n  2 [U] the quality that something big has of being impressive, powerful, or beautiful:  majesty of//  --the pure majesty of the Alps//


Words: Major
Meaning:
John   (1943-) a British politician in the Conservative Party, who became Prime Minister when Margaret Thatcher was forced to leave this position in 1990, and was then elected in 1992. He was defeated in the election of 1997//


Words: major
Meaning:
W2S3   adj   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Latin; Origin: ’larger, greater’, from  magnus  ’large, great’]//\n  1 [usually before noun] having very serious or worrying results:  → minor//  --There is a major problem with parking in London.//  --The loss of their goalkeeper through injury was a major setback for the team.//  --He underwent major heart surgery recently.//  --It could have sparked a major confrontation.//\n  2 [usually before noun] very large or important, when compared to other things or people of a similar kind:  → minor//  major role/part/factor etc //  --Britain played a major role in the negotiations.//  --There are two major political parties in the US.//  --The government’s major concern is with preventing accidents on the roads.//  --Smoking is one of the major causes of cancer.//  --the major developments in computer technology//  --a major road//\n  3 [not before noun]  AmE  spoken very important:  --This is major? You got me out of bed for this?//\n  4 a major key is based on a musical scale in which there are semitones between the third and fourth and the seventh and eighth notes:    minor//  --a symphony in D major//\nmajor 2 n [C] \n  1 an officer of middle rank in the British or US army or marines, or in the US airforce:    drum major//\n  2  especially AmE the main subject that a student studies at college or university:  --Her major is history.//\n  3  AmE someone studying a particular subject as their main subject at college or university:  --She’s a history major.//\n  4  the majors [plural] the Major Leagues:\nmajor 3 v   major in [major in sth] phr v//   especially AmE to study something as your main subject at college or university//  --He’s majoring in Political Science.//  major on [major on sth] phr v//   especially BrE to pay particular attention to one subject or thing//  --The company is planning to major on offering the machines we need.//


Words: Major Leagues
Meaning:
n   the Major Leagues//  the group of teams that make up the highest level of American professional baseball//    Minor Leagues//


Words: major-league
Meaning:
adj [only before noun] \n  1 connected with the Major Leagues:  --a major league pitcher//\n  2 important, large, or having a lot of influence:  --a major-league player in California politics//


Words: Majorca
Meaning:
Mallorca  a Spanish island in the west Mediterranean Sea, the largest of the  Balearic Islands, which is very popular with tourists//


Words: majordomo
Meaning:
n   plural  majordomos  [C]  old-fashioned //  [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Spanish; Origin: mayordomo or early  Italian maiordomo, from  Medieval Latin major domus  ’chief of the house’]//  someone in charge of the servants in a large house//


Words: majorette
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: drum majorette  (20-21 centuries), from  drum major  (16-21 centuries)]//  a girl who spins a baton while marching with a band//


Words: majority
Meaning:
n   plural  majorities //  ----------//\n   1 most people or things:\n   2 most votes:\n   3 majority vote/decision/verdict etc:\n   4 majority stake/shareholding etc:\n   5 becoming an adult:  ----------//  [Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: majorite, from  Latin major;   MAJOR1]//\n  1 MOST PEOPLE OR THINGS:   [singular also + plural verb British English] most of the people or things in a group//  → minority//  majority of//  --The majority of students find it quite hard to live on the amount of money they get.//  great/vast/overwhelming majority of sth (=almost all of a group) //  --In the vast majority of cases the disease is fatal.//  be in the majority//   (=form the largest group) //  --In this city, Muslims are in the majority.//    silent majority//\n  2 MOST VOTES:   [C] if one person or group wins a majority in an election, they win more votes than other people or groups//  majority of 50/100 etc //  --He won by a majority of 500.//  --The Labour Party won a huge majority at the last general election.//  clear/overall/absolute majority (=a situation in which one party wins more votes in an election than all the other parties) //  --The party won an absolute majority in Portugal in 1987.//  small/narrow majority //  --The government gained only a narrow majority, with 151 votes against 144.//  Labour/Conservative etc majority //  --The Labour majority was reduced to just 15 seats at the last election.//\n  3  majority vote/decision/verdict etc:  a vote or decision in which more people vote for something than vote against it//  --The committee usually takes decisions by majority vote.//  --The jury found him guilty by a majority verdict.//\n  4  majority stake/shareholding etc:  when one person or group owns a bigger share of a company than other people or groups and so is able to control what happens to the company//  --Alex Golding held a majority shareholding in Golding plc.//\n  5 BECOMING AN ADULT:   [U]  BrE  law the age when someone legally becomes an adult//  → minority//  reach majority/the age of majority //  --He became a partner in the family firm on reaching his majority.//


Words: majority leader
Meaning:
n [C]   the person who organizes the members of the political party that has the most people elected, in the US House of Representatives or Senate//    minority leader//


Words: majority rule
Meaning:
n [U]   a system of government in which every person in a country has the right to vote and the group which wins the most votes has power//  --It took many years of struggle to establish majority rule in South Africa.//


Words: make
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  made /me[hA366]d///  ----------//\n   1 produce:\n   2 do:\n   3 cook:\n   4 cause:\n   5 force:\n   6 mark/hole etc:\n   7 make it:\n   8 make the meeting/the party/Tuesday etc:\n   9 achieve something:\n  10 get money:\n  11 have a quality:\n  12 make it/that something:\n  13 make do:\n  14 make yourself heard/understood/known etc:\n  15 be a total:\n  16 calculate:\n  17 sports score:\n  18 make somebody captain/leader etc:\n  19 make believe:\n  20 make like:\n  21 make as if to do something:\n  22 arrive:\n  23 make the papers/headlines/front page etc:\n  24 make or break:\n  25 that makes two of us:\n  26 make something perfect:\n  27 make it with somebody:  Phrasal verbs//   make away with somebody/something//   make for something//   make somebody/something into something//   make something of somebody/something//   make off//   make off with something//   make out//   make something out of somebody/something//   make something/somebody → over//   make towards something//   make up//   make up for something//   make up to somebody//  ----------//  [Language: Old English; Origin: macian]//\n  1 PRODUCE:   [T] to produce something, for example by putting the different parts of it together//  --I’m going to show you how to make a box for your tools.//  --A family of mice had made their nest in the roof.//  --She made her own wedding dress.//  --The company has been making quality furniture for over 200 years.//  --They met while they were making a film for Australian TV.//  --Make a list of all the things you need.//  make sb sth//  --He made her a toy horse, using just some straw and bamboo twigs.//  be made from sth//  --Paper is made from wood.//  be made (out) of sth//  --a shirt made of silk//  make sth from/out of sth//  --She’s very good at making things from old scraps of material.//  Japanese-made/English-made etc//   (=produced in Japan etc) //\n  2 DO:   [T] used with some nouns to say that someone does something//  --Anyone can make a mistake.//  --I can’t make a decision just yet.//  --I need to make a quick phone call.//  --You could have made more effort to talk to him.//  --He made no attempt to apologize.//  --Could I make a suggestion?//  --There are a few points I’d like to make.//  --The police were called but no arrests were made.//  --I suppose we should make a start on cleaning this room.//  --Stop making such a fuss!//\n  3 COOK:   [T] to cook or prepare food or drink//  --When was the last time you made a cake?//  --John was making breakfast in the kitchen.//  --Who’s going to make the tea?//  make sb sth//  --I’ll make you some sandwiches.//\n  4 CAUSE:   [T] to cause something to happen, or cause a particular state or condition//  --Its beautiful beaches make this a highly popular area with tourists.//  --It was this movie which made him a star.//  --His attitude made him very unpopular with colleagues.//  --The photo makes her look much older than she really is.//  make sb/sth do sth//  --I like him because he makes me laugh.//  make sth difficult/easy/possible etc //  --The use of computers has made it possible for more people to work from home.//  make sth the best/worst/most expensive etc //  --Over 80,000 people attended, making it the biggest sporting event in the area.//  --The President has made it clear that he is not going to change his mind.//\n  5 FORCE:   [T] to force someone to do something//  make sb do sth//  --My parents always make me do my homework before I go out.//  be made to do sth//  --I was made to wait four hours before I was examined by a doctor.//\n  6 MARK/HOLE ETC:   [T] to cause a mark, hole etc to appear//  make a hole/dent/mark etc //  --Make a hole in the paper.//  --The cup has made a mark on the table.//\n  7  make it:  a) to succeed in getting somewhere in time for something or when this is difficult//  --If we run, we should make it.//  make it to//  --With blood pouring from his leg, he made it to a nearby house.//  b) to be successful at something, for example in your job//  --He came to the US and not only made it but made it big  (=was extremely successful) .//  --So far, relatively few women have made it to the top in the business world.//  make it as//  --He was told he had no talent and would never make it as a professional singer.//  make it to//  --England look less likely to make it to the finals.//  make it to manager/director etc //  --How did anyone so stupid make it to manager?//  c)  spoken to be able to go to an event, meeting etc that has been arranged//  --I’m really sorry, but I won’t be able to make it on Sunday after all.//  --Nice to see you. I’m glad you could make it.//  d)  informal to continue to live after you have been seriously ill or badly injured//  --Frank was very ill, and the doctors didn’t think he’d make it.//  e) to manage to deal with a difficult experience//  make it through//  --I couldn’t have made it through those times without the support of my boyfriend.//  f) used to say or ask what time it is according to your own or someone else’s watch//  --What time do you make it?//  --I make it ten past three.//\n  8  make the meeting/the party/Tuesday etc:   spoken to be able to go to something that has been arranged for a particular date or time//  --I’m sorry, I can’t make Friday after all.//  --Will you be able to make the next meeting?//\n  9 ACHIEVE SOMETHING:   [T] to succeed in achieving a particular position, rate etc//  --He was never good enough to make the team.//  --I don’t think we’ll make the deadline.//\n  10 GET MONEY:   [T] to earn or get money//  --The plan could cost you more than you would make.//  --The business made a profit of [hA124]140 million last year.//  --His one aim in life was to make money .//  --She hopes to make a living  (=earn the money she needs to live) from writing children’s books.//  --He’s made a fortune  (=earned a lot of money) selling computers on the Internet.//  make sth out of sth//  --How easy is it to make money out of gardening?//\n  11 HAVE A QUALITY:   [linking verb] to have the qualities that are necessary for a particular job, use, or purpose//  + noun//  --I’m sure you will make a very good teacher.//  --The hall would make an ideal venue for a wedding reception.//  --An old cardboard box makes a comfortable bed for a kitten.//\n  12  make it/that sth:   spoken used to correct what you have just said//  --Can we have two cups of coffee, please? No, make that three.//\n  13  make do:  to manage with the things that you have, even though this is not really enough//  --I hardly had any food in the house so I just had to make do.//  make do with/without//  --I usually make do with a cup of coffee for breakfast.//  --For many people, make do and mend  (=when someone manages with the things they have and does not buy anything new) was a harsh reality.//\n  14  make yourself heard/understood/known etc:  to succeed in getting someone to hear you, understand you, or know that you are there//  --I had to shout to make myself heard above the music.//\n  15 BE A TOTAL:   [linking verb] to be a particular amount when added together//  --Two and two make four.//  --There are nine people coming, plus me, which makes ten.//\n  16 CALCULATE:   [T] used to say what you have calculated a number to be//  --I make that $150 altogether.//\n  17 SPORTS SCORE:   [T] to achieve a particular score in a sports game//  --Surrey had made 92 by lunchtime.//\n  18  make sb captain/leader etc:  to give someone a new job or position in a group, organization etc//  --She’s now been made a full partner.//  --He was made mayor in 1998.//\n  19  make believe:  to pretend or imagine that something is true when it is not//  --I tried to make believe she was happy, but knew deep down it wasn’t true. //    make-believe//\n  20  make like:   informal to behave as if something is true when it is not//  --He makes like he never met me before.//\n  21  make as if to do sth:   literary to seem as if you are going to do something but then not do it//  --She made as if to speak but then stopped.//\n  22 ARRIVE:   [T]  old-fashioned to arrive at or get to a particular place, especially when it is difficult//  --I don’t think we’re going to make the town before nightfall.//\n  23  make the papers/headlines/front page etc:  to be interesting or important enough to be printed in a newspaper, reported on television etc//  --News of their divorce made the headlines.//\n  24  make or break:  to cause something or someone either to be very successful or to fail completely //  --Critics can make or break a young performer.//    make-or-break//\n  25  that makes two of us:   spoken used to say that you agree with someone or that something that is true of them is true of you too//  --’I haven’t a clue what’s going on.’ ’That makes two of us.’//\n  26 MAKE SOMETHING PERFECT:   [T]  informal to make something complete or successful//  --The hat makes the outfit.//\n  27  make it with sb:   old-fashioned  informal to have sex with someone//    made//    make sb’s day at day(19)//    make friends at friend(3)//    make good at good1 (35)//    make sense at sense1 (5)//  make away with / [make away with sb/sth] phr v//\n  1  informal to steal something and take it away with you:  --Thieves made away with the contents of the safe.//\n  2  old-fashioned to kill someone:  make for [make for sth] phr v//\n  1 to go in the direction of a particular place:   head for//  --I think it’s time we made for home.//\n  2 [not in progressive] to cause a particular result or situation:  --Both teams are on good form, which should make for a great game.//    made for each other at made(6)//  make into [make sb/sth into sth] phr v//\n  1 to change something so that it has a different form or purpose:  --We can make your room into a study.//\n  2 to change someone’s character, job, position in society etc:  --The movie made her into a star overnight.//  make of / [make sth of sb/sth] phr v//\n  1 to have a particular opinion about or understanding of something or someone:  --I didn’t know what to make of her.//  --What do you make of the idea? //\n  2 to use the opportunities that you have in order to become successful:  --I want to make something of my life.//  make sth of yourself//  --She has the ambition and talent to make something of herself.//\n  3  make the most of sth:  to get as much advantage as you can from a situation while you are able to//  --We’ve only got one day in Paris, so we’d better make the most of it.//\n  4  make too much of sth:  to treat something as if it is more important than it really is//  --It would be a mistake to make too much of these findings.//    make much of sb/sth at much2 (17)//\n  5  make a day/night/evening of it:   informal to spend a whole day, night etc doing something, because you have chosen to//  --We decided to take a picnic and make a day of it.//    make a go of sth at go2 (3)//    make the best of sth at best3 (9)//    see what sb is made of at made(4)//  make off phr v//  to leave quickly, especially in order to escape//  --The men made off as the police arrived.//  make off along/across/through etc//  --The getaway car made off towards Horrocks Avenue.//  make off with [make off with sth] phr v//  to steal something and take it away with you//  --Thieves broke into the school and made off with computer equipment worth [hA124]40,000.//  make out phr v//\n  1 SEE/HEAR:   make sth → out//  to be just able to see or hear something//  --He could just make out a dark shape moving towards him.//  make out who/what etc//  --I couldn’t make out what he was saying.//\n  2 UNDERSTAND SOMETHING:   make sth → out//  to understand something, especially the reason why something has happened//  make out what/how/why etc//  --I couldn’t make out what I had done to annoy her.//  -- As far as I can make out , he has never been married.//\n  3 UNDERSTAND SOMEBODY:   make sb → out [usually in questions and negatives] to understand someone’s character and the way they behave//  --Stuart’s a strange guy - I can’t make him out at all.//\n  4 WRITE CHEQUE ETC:   make sth → out//  to write something such as a bill or cheque//  --She was making out a list of people to invite.//  --The book gives advice on making out a will.//  make something → out to//  --Make the cheque out to ’Spencer Cross Ltd’.//\n  5 SAY/PRETEND:   make sb/sth → out//  to say that something is true when it is not//  --The situation was never as bad as the media made out.//  make out (that)//  --She always tried to make out that I was wrong and she was right.//  make sb/sth out to be sth//  --He makes me out to be some sort of idiot.//\n  6  make out a case (for sth):  to find good reasons that prove something or show why you need something//  --I’m sure we can make out a case for hiring another assistant.//\n  7 SUCCEED:   especially  AmE to succeed or progress in a particular way//  --How did you make out this morning?//\n  8 SEX:   informal  especially AmE to kiss and touch someone in a sexual way//\n  9  make out like a bandit:   AmE  informal to get or win a lot of money//  --The lawyers made out like bandits.//  make out of / [make sth out of sb/sth] phr v//  to change a person or thing into something else//  --The Olympics can make sporting heroes out of previously little-known athletes.//  make over [make sth/sb → over] phr v//\n  1  especially BrE to officially and legally give money or property to someone else:  make something/somebody → over to//  --He made over the whole estate to his son.//\n  2 to change someone or something so that they look different or have a different use:  --Redgrave has made herself over completely for her movie role.//    makeover//  make towards [make towards sth] phr v//  to start moving towards something//  --She made towards the door.//  make up phr v//\n  1 FORM/BE:   make up sth [not in progressive] to combine together to form something//   constitute//  --Women make up only a small proportion of the prison population.//  be made up of sth//  --The committee is made up of representatives from every state.//\n  2 PRETEND SOMETHING IS TRUE:   make sth → up//  to pretend that something is true in order to deceive someone//  --I think they’re making the whole thing up.//    made-up(1)//\n  3 INVENT:   make sth → up//  to produce a new story, song, game etc by thinking//  --Nick made up a song about them.//  --When you’re the boss you can make up your own rules.//  --I’ve given talks so many times that now I just make them up as  I go along  (=think of things to say as I am speaking) .//\n  4 PREPARE:   make sth → up//  to prepare something by mixing things or putting things together//  --I could make up a bed for you on the sofa.//  --Can you make up a bottle of milk for the baby?//\n  5 SOMEBODY’S FACE:   make sb → up//  to put make-up (=special coloured substances)  on someone’s face in order to make them look better or different//  --They made him up as an old man for the last act of the play.//  --One lucky winner will have the chance to be made up and photographed.//    made-up(2)//\n  6 NUMBER/AMOUNT:   make sth → up//   especially  BrE to add to an amount in order to bring it up to the level that is needed//  --I saved as much as I could, and my parents made up the rest.//  --The company will be forced to pay $6 million to make up the difference .//\n  7 TIME/WORK:   make sth → up//  to work at times when you do not usually work, because you have not done as much work as you should//  --I’m trying to make up the time I lost while I was sick.//  --Is it OK if I make the work up next week?//\n  8 FRIENDS:   also make it up //   informal to become friendly with someone again after you have had an argument//  make up with//  --Have you made up with Patty yet?//  --Oh come on! Why don’t you just kiss and make up ?//\n  9 FROM CLOTH:   make sth → up//  to produce something from cloth by cutting and sewing//  --The dress had been made up to her exact requirements.//  make something → up into//  --I plan on making that material up into a dress.//    make up your mind at mind1 (3)//  make up for [make up for sth] phr v//\n  1 to make a bad situation better, or replace something that has been lost:  --The team will be anxious to make up for a disappointing start to the season.//  --I don’t eat breakfast but I make up for it at lunch.//  --The good days more than make up for the bad ones. see usage note  include//\n  2 to have so much of one quality that it is not important that you do not have much of another one:  make up for something in/with//  --What Jay lacked in experience, he made up for in enthusiasm.//  --She doesn’t have a natural talent but she makes up for it with hard work.//\n  3 to do something to show that you are sorry for doing something that upset or annoyed someone:  --I’m sorry I was late. To make up for it, let me treat you to a meal.//\n  4  make up for lost time:  a) to work more quickly, or at times when you do not usually work, because something has prevented you from doing the work before//  --We rehearsed all day Saturday, to make up for lost time.//  b) to do a lot of something in an eager way because you have not had a chance to do it before//  --Palin didn’t travel much as a young man but he’s certainly made up for lost time now.//  make up to [make up to sb] phr v//\n  1  make (it) up to sb:  to do something to show that you are sorry about the problems you have caused someone//  --I’ll make it up to you somehow.//  --He was looking for a way to make up to her for what he had done.//\n  2  BrE  informal to say nice things to someone or be very friendly to them in order to get an advantage for yourself - used in order to show disapproval:\n  3  be made up to captain/manager etc:  to be given a higher position in an organization//  --He was a security guard before he was made up to reception manager.//  ----------//  HINT sense 6 //  Do not use the verb make up when you are talking about putting coloured substances on your own face. Say that you  wear make-up or put on make-up. //  WORD CHOICE:made from, made of, made by //  When you are talking about the materials that are used to make something, you say that it is  made of  or  made from  those materials. //  Use  made from  when the original materials have been completely changed and cannot be recognized : Paper is made from wood. //  Use  made of  when the original materials have not been completely changed and you can still see them : a table made of wood //  !!  Do not use  made by  when you are talking about the materials something is made from : a small purse made of leather (NOT a small purse made by leather).  Made by  is used to talk about the person or company that made something : All the furniture in this room was made by my grandfather. //  ----------//\nmake 2 n \n  1 [C] the name of a particular product or of the company that makes it:  --What make is your car?//  make of//  --It’s one of the most popular makes of satellite phone on the market.//\n  2  be on the make:   informal to be trying to get money or power - used in order to show disapproval//  --He was just a salesman on the make.//


Words: Make-A-Wish Foundation
Meaning:
the   a US  charity organization that helps children who are extremely ill get something that they want very much//


Words: make-believe
Meaning:
n [U]   when you imagine or pretend that something is real or true//  --He seems to be living in a world of make-believe .//  --children in the middle of a make-believe adventure//


Words: make-or-break
Meaning:
adj   something that is make-or-break will lead to either success or failure//  --This could be a make-or-break speech for the prime minister.//


Words: make-up
Meaning:
makeup/me[hA366]k[hA356]p/ n   ----------//\n   1 for your face:\n   2 people in a group:\n   3 character:\n   4 test:  ----------//\n  1 FOR YOUR FACE:   [U] coloured substances that are put on your face to improve or change your appearance//  --I don’t usually wear much make-up .//  --Her hair looked untidy, and she had no make-up on .//  --I’m just putting my make-up on , then I’ll be ready.//  --girls in heavy make-up //  --Don’t you ever wear eye make-up ?//    make up at make1 //\n  2 PEOPLE IN A GROUP:   [singular] the make-up of a group or team is the combination of people that are in it//  make-up of//  --I don’t think we should change the make-up of the team.//\n  3 CHARACTER:   sb’s make-up//  the qualities that a person has, which form their character//  --Pride has always been an important part of his make-up.//  sb’s genetic/psychological make-up //  --a possible link between genetic make-up and criminal behaviour//\n  4 TEST:   [C]  also make-up test //   AmE a test that you take in school when you were not able to take a previous test//  ----------//  COLLOCATES for sense 1 //  wear make-up //  have make-up on (=be wearing make-up) //  put on/apply make-up //  do your make-up (=put on your make-up) //  heavy make-up  (=a lot of make-up) //  eye make-up //  stage make-up  (=make-up that actors wear in plays) //  make-up artist/man/woman  (=someone who helps actors put on make-up) //  ----------//


Words: make-weight
Meaning:
n [C]   a person or thing that is not very important but is included so there is the right number of people or the right amount of something//


Words: makeover
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 if you give someone a makeover, you make them look more attractive by giving them new clothes, a new hair style etc:\n  2 if you give a place a makeover, you make it look more attractive by painting the walls, putting in new furniture etc:  --It’s time we gave the kitchen a makeover .//


Words: maker
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 a person or company that makes a particular type of goods:  car/film/shoe etc maker //  --a quality furniture maker//  --a leading Japanese computer maker//  maker of//  --The makers of the car claim that it uses up to 50% less fuel than other similar cars.//\n  2 a machine or piece of equipment that makes something:  coffee/pasta etc maker //  --Grind the beans to suit your coffee maker.//\n  3  decision maker/policy maker/peacemaker etc:  someone who does something or makes something happen//  --Who’s the decision maker in this department?//  --healthcare administrators and policy makers//    troublemaker,  holidaymaker//\n  4  meet your maker:   informal to die - used humorously//


Words: makeshift
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin: make shift  ’to make efforts, try all methods, manage to do something’ (15-19 centuries)]//  made to be used for a short time only when nothing better is available//  --The refugees slept in makeshift tents at the side of the road.//


Words: making
Meaning:
n [U] \n  1 the process of making something:  making of//  --companies involved in the making of nuclear weapons//  cheese making/cider making etc //  --a region famous for its cheese making//\n  2  decision making/policy making:  the process of deciding something//  --people involved in decision making at the highest level//\n  3  be the making of sb:  to make someone a much better or more successful person//  --You’ll see - a couple of years abroad will be the making of him.//\n  4  have the makings of sth:  to have the qualities or skills necessary to do a particular job//  --He has the makings of a world-class footballer.//\n  5  be a long time/10 years etc in the making:  to take a long time, 10 years etc to make//  --a book that was ten years in the making//\n  6  be of your own making:  problems that are of your own making have been caused by you and no one else//  --He admits that a lot of his troubles are entirely of his own making.//


Words: mal-
Meaning:
prefix   [Language: Old French; Origin: mal  ’bad’, from  Latin malus]//  bad or badly//  --a malformed limb (=wrongly shaped) //  --The children had been maltreated. (=treated cruelly) //


Words: maladjusted
Meaning:
adj   a maladjusted child behaves badly and is unable to form good relationships with people because they have emotional problems//


Words: maladministration
Meaning:
n [U]  formal   careless or dishonest management//  --He accused the local authority of maladministration.//


Words: maladroit
Meaning:
adj  formal   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: mal- (  MAL-) +  adroit (  ADROIT)]//  not clever or sensitive in the way you deal with people//


Words: malady
Meaning:
n   plural  maladies  [C] //  [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: maladie, from  malade  ’sick’, from  Latin male habitus  ’in bad condition’]//\n  1  formal a serious problem in society:\n  2  old use an illness:


Words: Malaga
Meaning:
a city and port in the south of Spain on the Mediterranean coast. It is a popular place for tourists, and the area around Malaga, the Costa de Sol, is also a popular place for older British people to go and live after they have finished working.//


Words: malaise
Meaning:
n [singular, U]  formal   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: French; Origin: mal- (  MAL-) +  aise  ’comfort’]//\n  1 a general problem that is difficult to describe in an exact way:  --a general malaise within society//\n  2 a general feeling that you are slightly ill or not happy in your life:


Words: Malaprop
Meaning:
Mrs   a character in the 18th century play  The Rivals by Richard  Sheridan. She wrongly uses words in a funny way, saying a word that sounds similar to the one she intended to use, but means something completely different. This type of mistake is known as a  malapropism because of her.//


Words: malapropism
Meaning:
n [C]  literary   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin:  Mrs  Malaprop character who uses words wrongly in the play The Rivals (1775) by Richard Sheridan, from  French mal a propos  ’not appropriate’]//  an amusing mistake that you make when you use a word that sounds similar to the word you intended to say but means something completely different//


Words: malaria
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Italian; Origin: mala aria  ’bad air’; because it was believed that the disease came from gases rising from wet land]//  a disease that is common in hot countries and that you get when a type of mosquito bites you//  -- malarial adj //  --malarial fever//


Words: malarkey
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin:  Perhaps from the family name  Malarkey]//   informal things which you think are silly or untrue//   nonsense//  --I’m not interested in all this scientific malarkey.//  --You don’t believe in ghosts and all that malarkey , do you?//


Words: Malawi
Meaning:
a country in East Africa, surrounded by Zambia, Tanzania, and Mozambique. Population: 10,548,000 (2001). Capital: Lilongwe.//  -- Malawian n  adj //


Words: Malaysia
Meaning:
a country in southeast Asia made up of 13 states. Eleven of these are on the Malay  peninsula and the other two, Sabah and Sarawak, are on the island of Borneo. Population: 22,229,000 (2001). Capital: Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia is an important producer of rubber, and it has also developed many other industries, including clothes, cars, and electrical goods. It is a member of the British Commonwealth.//  -- Malaysian n  adj //


Words: Malcolm X
Meaning:
(1925-65) a black leader in the US who worked to improve the social and economic position of black people. He became a member of the  Black Muslims in 1952, and spoke publicly about the need for black people in the US to live separately from white people, and he encouraged them to use violence to protect themselves. In 1964, he left the Black Muslims and established the Organization of Afro-American Unity. He was murdered in 1965 while making a speech in Harlem, New York City. //


Words: malcontent
Meaning:
n [C]    formal someone who is likely to cause trouble because they are not happy with the way things are organized - used in order to show disapproval//


Words: Maldives
Meaning:
the   a country made up of a group of small islands in the Indian Ocean southwest of Sri Lanka, which are famous for their beautiful beaches. Population: 310,764 (2001). Capital: Male. The Maldives are threatened by global warming, because if the sea level rises much, the islands could disappear.//  -- Maldivian n  adj //  also Daviyani //  the capital city and main port of Maldives, on Male Island in the Indian Ocean//


Words: male
Meaning:
W2S3   adj   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: masle,  male, from  Latin masculus;   MASCULINE]//\n  1 typical of or relating to men or boys:  → female//    masculine//  --a deep male voice//  --traditional male values//  --Until now, motor-racing has largely been  a male preserve . (=something that only men have been involved with) //\n  2 a male person or animal cannot have babies or lay eggs:  → female//  --adult male bears//  --Many women earn less than their male colleagues.//\n  3 a male plant or flower cannot produce fruit:  → female//\n  4  technical a male plug has parts that stick out and that fit into a hole or socket:  → female//\nmale 2 W3 n [C] \n  1 a male animal:  → female//  --The male is usually bigger and more brightly coloured than the female.//\n  2 a man:  → female//  --Police described her attacker as a white male aged about 25.//


Words: male chauvinist
Meaning:
n [C]   a man who believes that men are better than women and has fixed, traditional ideas about the way men and women should behave - used to show disapproval//  --I’m afraid Bill’s a bit of a male chauvinist.//  male chauvinist pig (=an insulting name for a male chauvinist) //  -- male chauvinism n  [U] //


Words: male menopause
Meaning:
n [singular]   a period in the middle of a man’s life when he sometimes feels anxious and unhappy because he is getting older - often used humorously//


Words: malediction
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Late Latin; Origin: maledictio, from  Latin maledicere  ’to speak evil’]//   old-fashioned  formal a wish that something bad will happen to someone//   curse//


Words: malefactor
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Latin; Origin: malefacere  ’to do evil’]//   old-fashioned  formal someone who does bad or illegal things//


Words: malevolent
Meaning:
adj  formal   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: malevolens  ’wishing evil’]//  a malevolent person wants to harm other people//   evil//  → benevolent//  malevolent look/stare/smile etc //  --He gave her a dark, malevolent look.//  -- malevolence n  [U] //  -- malevolently adv //


Words: malfeasance
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin: mal- +  feasance  ’doing’ (16-18 centuries) (from  Anglo-French fesance, from  Old French faire  ’to do’)]//   law illegal or dishonest activity//


Words: malformation
Meaning:
n   [U and C]  technical when a part of someone’s body is badly formed//   deformity//  --children suffering from malformations of the legs and arms//


Words: malformed
Meaning:
adj  technical   if a part of someone’s body is malformed, it is badly formed//   deformed//  --malformed limbs//


Words: malfunction
Meaning:
n [C]   a fault in the way a machine or part of someone’s body works//  --a malfunction in one of the engines//  malfunction of//  --a malfunction of the immune system//  --an equipment malfunction//  -- malfunction v  [I] //  --A warning light seems to have malfunctioned.//


Words: Mali
Meaning:
one of the largest countries in West Africa. It contains a large area of the southern Sahara Desert. Population 11,009,000 (2001). Capital: Bamako.//  -- Malian n  adj //\nMalibu 1   a  beach in California, in the US, famous for  surfing. Many rich and famous people, especially film stars, live there.//


Words: malice
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin malitia, from  malus  ’bad’]//\n  1 the desire to harm someone because you hate them:  with malice//  --His eyes gleamed with malice.//  sheer/pure malice //  --She did it out of sheer malice.//  --James bore her no malice  (=did not feel any malice towards her) .//\n  2  with malice aforethought:   law with the deliberate intention of doing something that is against the law//


Words: malicious
Meaning:
adj   very unkind and cruel, and deliberately behaving in a way that is likely to upset or hurt someone//  --a spiteful and malicious girl//  malicious gossip/rumour //  --I think I know who is responsible for these malicious rumours.//  -- maliciously adv //  -- maliciousness n  [U] //


Words: malign
Meaning:
v [T usually passive]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: malignier  ’to do evil, deceive’, from  Late Latin malignari, from  Latin malignus;   MALIGN2]//  to say unpleasant things about someone that are untrue//   slander//  --She had seen herself repeatedly maligned in the newspapers.//  --a much maligned politician//\nmalign 2 adj  formal   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: maligne, from  Latin malignus, from  male  ’badly’ +  gigni  ’to be born’]//  harmful//  → benign//  --a malign influence//


Words: malignant
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Late Latin; Origin: , present participle of  malignari;   MALIGN1]//\n  1  medical a malignant disease is one such as cancer, which can develop in an uncontrolled way and is likely to cause someone’s death:  → benign//  --She developed a malignant tumour in her breast.//\n  2  formal showing that you hate someone:  --a malignant look//


Words: malinger
Meaning:
v [I usually in progressive]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: French; Origin: malingre  ’sick’, from  Old French mal  ’badly’ +  haingre  ’thin, weak’]//  to avoid work by pretending to be ill//  --He accused Frank of malingering.//  -- malingerer n  [C] //


Words: Malinowski
Meaning:
Bronislaw   (1884-1942) a British  anthropologist (=a scientist who studies people and their societies, and the way that their customs develop) , born in Poland, who established the first university department of  anthropology in Britain and wrote several important books on the subject//


Words: Mall
Meaning:
the Mall//  a) a straight road in central London that connects  Buckingham Palace and  Trafalgar Square. Whenever there is a royal wedding, funeral, or similar occasion, the royal family travels slowly along it, and many people come to watch//  b) a park in Washington, D.C., which is surrounded by the  Washington Monument and several famous  museums, including the  Smithsonian Institution. It is used for  picnics, games, and concerts.//    Pall Mall//


Words: mall
Meaning:
n [C]  especially AmE   [Date: 1700-1800; Origin: mall  ’long path used for playing a game called "pall-mall"’ (17-19 centuries)]//  a large area where there are a lot of shops, usually a covered area where cars are not allowed//   shopping centre//  --Let’s meet at the mall and go see a movie.//  --a huge new shopping mall //    strip mall//


Words: mallard
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: mallart, probably from  masle,  male  ’male’]//  a type of wild duck//


Words: malleable
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: Medieval Latin malleabilis, from  malleare  ’to hit with a hammer’]//\n  1  technical something that is malleable is easy to press or pull into a new shape:  --malleable steel//\n  2  formal someone who is malleable can be easily influenced or changed by other people:  --a malleable child//  -- malleability/m[zB024]li[hA353]b[hA366]l[hA369]ti/ n  [U] //


Words: mallet
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: maillet, from  mail  ’hammer’]//\n  1 a wooden hammer with a large end:\n  2 a wooden hammer with a long handle that you use for playing croquet or polo:


Words: Mallory
Meaning:
George   (1887-1924) a British mountain climber, who died while attempting to climb Mount Everest. In 1999 his body was found 2,000 feet from the top of the mountain. Some people believe that he and another climber, Andrew Irvine, were the first people to reach the top of Everest, but died on the way down.//


Words: mallow
Meaning:
n [U and C]   [Date: 1000-1100; Language: Latin; Origin: malva]//  a plant with pink or purple flowers//    marshmallow//


Words: mallrat
Meaning:
n [C usually plural]  AmE  informal   a young person who goes to shopping malls a lot in order to be with their friends, not to buy things//


Words: malnourished
Meaning:
adj   someone who is malnourished is ill or weak because they have not had enough good food to eat//  --malnourished children//


Words: malnutrition
Meaning:
n [U]   when someone becomes ill or weak because they have not eaten enough good food//  --refugees suffering from malnutrition//


Words: Malory
Meaning:
Sir Thomas   (c.1410-71) an English writer who wrote  Le Morte d’Arthur which tells the story of King  Arthur//


Words: malpractice
Meaning:
n [U and C]  law   when a professional person makes a mistake or does not do their job properly and can be punished by a court//  --Her doctor was found guilty of malpractice.//


Words: malt
Meaning:
n   [Language: Old English; Origin: mealt]//\n  1 [U] grain, usually barley, that has been kept in water for a time and then dried. It is used for making beer, whisky etc:\n  2 [C]  AmE a drink made from milk, malt, and ice cream that usually has something else such as chocolate added:  --a cheeseburger and a chocolate malt//\n  3 [U and C]  also malt whisky :  a type of high quality whisky from Scotland//


Words: Malta
Meaning:
a group of small islands in the Mediterranean Sea, and an independent  republic and member of the British  Commonwealth since 1964. It consists of three main islands, Malta, Gozo, and Comino. Population: 394,583 (2001). Capital: Valletta.//  -- Maltese n  adj //


Words: Malthus
Meaning:
Thomas   (1766-1834) a British  economist who studied population growth. He is famous for his opinion that, if the world’s population was not controlled by disease, wars, or by sexual  restraint, it would grow faster than the world’s food supply.//  -- Malthusian adj //


Words: maltreat
Meaning:
v [T]   to treat a person or animal cruelly//   mistreat//  --The hostages said they were hungry but had not been maltreated.//  -- maltreatment n  [U] //  --evidence of animal maltreatment//


Words: Malvern
Meaning:
a town in western central England, in the Malvern Hills. A theatre and music  festival is held there every year.//


Words: Malvern Hills
Meaning:
also the Malverns   the Malvern Hills//  a group of hills in central England, where  mineral water called Malvern Water is produced//


Words: Malvolio
Meaning:
a character in the play Twelfth Night by William  Shakepeare. Malvolio is one of Olivia’s servants, and the people in Olivia’s house play a trick on him by telling him that Olivia loves him. He then tries to begin a romantic relationship with her, but behaves so strangely that people think he is crazy and put him in prison.//


Words: mam
Meaning:
n [C]   mother - used in Scotland and northern England//   mum//\nmama 1  mamma/m[hA35A][hA359]m[hA353]/ n  also  momma [C]  AmE   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  From the sounds made by a baby]//  a mother - used by or to children//   mummy//  --I want my mama!//\nmama 2   n [C]  BrE  old-fashioned   mother//


Words: mama’s boy
Meaning:
n [C]  AmE   a boy or man who lets his mother look after him and protect him too much, so that people think he is weak//  British Equivalent:  mummy’s boy//  --You’ve got to stand up for yourself, stop being such a mama’s boy.//


Words: mamba
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Zulu; Origin: im-amba]//  a poisonous African snake that is black or green//


Words: mammal
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Late Latin; Origin: mammalis  ’of the breast’, from  Latin mamma  ’breast’]//  a type of animal that drinks milk from its mother’s body when it is young. Humans, dogs, and whales are mammals.//  -- mammalian/m[zB024]me[hA366]lien/ adj //


Words: mammary
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]  technical   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Latin; Origin: mamma;   MAMMAL]//  connected with or relating to the breasts//  --normal mammary tissue//  --mammary cancer//


Words: mammary gland
Meaning:
n [C]    technical the part of a woman’s breast that produces milk, or a similar part of a female animal//


Words: mammon
Meaning:
n [U]  formal   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Late Latin; Origin: mammona, from  Aramaic mamona  ’wealth’]//  money, wealth, and profit, regarded as something bad because people want or think about them too much//


Words: mammoth
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]   extremely large//   enormous, gigantic//  --Reforming the prison system would be a mammoth task.//  --a mammoth corporation//\nmammoth 2 n [C]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Russian; Origin: mamont,  mamot]//  an animal like a large hairy elephant that lived on Earth thousands of years ago//


Words: mammy
Meaning:
n   plural  mammies  [C] //  [Date: 1500-1600; Origin: mama]//  mother - used especially in Ireland//


Words: man
Meaning:
n   plural  men /men///  ----------//\n   1 male person:\n   2 strong/brave:\n   3 person:\n   4 people:\n   5 worker:\n   6 particular kind of man:\n   7 man!:\n   8 soldier:\n   9 husband:\n  10 the man:\n  11 somebody’s your man:\n  12 you da man!:\n  13 our man:\n  14 our man in/at something:\n  15 men in (grey) suits:\n  16 a man of his word:\n  17 a man of few words:\n  18 be your own man:\n  19 the man of the moment/hour/year:\n  20 it’s every man for himself:\n  21 the man in the street:\n  22 a man of the people:\n  23 a man’s man:\n  24 a ladies’ man:\n  25 man and boy:\n  26 man and wife:\n  27 live as man and wife:\n  28 as one man:\n  29 to a man/to the last man:\n  30 man-about-town:\n  31 man of God/man of the cloth:\n  32 my (good) man:\n  33 my man:\n  34 your/yer man:\n  35 servant:\n  36 game:\n  37 every man jack:\n  38 kick/hit a man when he’s down:\n  39 man’s best friend:\n  40 the man of the house:  ----------//  [Language: Old English; Origin:]//\n  1 MALE PERSON:   [C] an adult male human//    woman//  --There were two men and a woman in the car.//  --He’s a very kind man.//  --a man’s watch//  --Don’t keep Hansen waiting - he’s a busy man.//\n  2 STRONG/BRAVE:   [C usually singular] a man who has the qualities that people think a man should have, such as being brave, strong etc//  --Come on, be a man now. No more crying.//  --He wasn’t man enough  (=strong or brave enough) to face up to his responsibilities.//  make a man (out) of sb (=make a boy or young man start behaving in a confident way) //  --Running his own business has really made a man out of Terry.//\n  3 PERSON:   [C] a person, either male or female - used especially in formal situations or in the past//  --All men are equal in the eyes of the law.//  --a man’s right to work//\n  4 PEOPLE:   [U] people as a group//  --This is one of the worst diseases known to man. //  --the evolution of man//  prehistoric/stone-age/modern man (=people who lived at a particular stage of human development) //\n  5 WORKER:  a)  [C usually plural] a man who works for an employer//  --Why were there no protests from the men at the factory?//  b)  [C] a man who does a job for you, especially repairing something//  --Has the man been to fix the TV?//  gas man/rent man etc //  --I waited all day for the gas man.//  c)  the man from sth//  a man who works for a particular company or organization//  --Was that the man from the PR agency?//\n  6 PARTICULAR KIND OF MAN:   [C] //  a) a man who comes from a particular place, does a particular kind of work, or is connected with a particular organization, especially a university or company//  --I think she married a Belfast man.//  --I’ve been a military man all my life.//  --Even a Harvard man has a lot to learn about politics.//  b) a man who likes, or likes doing, a particular thing//  --I’m more of a jazz man myself.//  --Are you a betting man?//\n  7  man!:   spoken //  a) used when speaking to an adult male, especially when you are excited, angry etc//  --Stop talking nonsense, man!//  b) used when speaking to someone, especially an adult male//  --You look great, man!//\n  8 SOLDIER:   [C usually plural] a soldier or sailor who is under the authority of an officer//  --The Captain ordered his men to fire.//\n  9 HUSBAND:   [C]  informal a woman’s husband or boyfriend//  sb’s man//  --She spent five years waiting for her man to come out of prison.//\n  10  the man:   spoken //  a) used to talk about a man you dislike, a man who has done something stupid etc//  --Don’t listen to him - the man’s a complete idiot.//  b)  The Man//   AmE  old-fashioned someone who has authority over you, especially a police officer//\n  11  sb’s your man:   spoken used to say that a particular man is the best person for a job, situation etc//  --If you need repairs done in the house, Brian’s your man.//\n  12  you da man!:  you’re the man! //   AmE  spoken used to praise someone for having done something well//\n  13  our man:   spoken used by the police to refer to a man that they are watching or trying to find, especially because they think he is responsible for a crime//  --Gareth couldn’t possibly be our man. He couldn’t possibly be a murderer.//  --Perhaps our man parked his car at the station and took the train.//\n  14  our man in/at sth:  a man who is the representative of a country or organization in a particular place//  --our man in Rome//  --a report on the accident from our man at the scene//\n  15  men in (grey) suits:   informal the men who control businesses, organizations etc, considered as a group, especially when you think they are boring//\n  16  a man of his word:  a man you can trust, who will do what he has promised to do//  --He had promised to help, and Sally knew that Dr Neil was a man of his word.//\n  17  a man of few words:  a man who does not talk very much//  --Being a man of few words, his message was short and to the point.//\n  18  be your own man:  to behave and think independently without worrying about what other people think//  --I’m my own man. I say what I believe.//\n  19  the man of the moment/hour/year:  a man who has recently done something important//  --Olson was man of the hour when the team beat the Tigers.//\n  20  it’s every man for himself:   spoken used to say that people will not help each other//  --In journalism it’s every man for himself.//\n  21  the man in the street:  the man on the Clapham omnibus  BrE  old-fashioned the average man or the average person//   Joe Bloggs/Schmo//  --This kind of music doesn’t appeal to the man in the street.//\n  22  a man of the people:  a man who understands and expresses the views and opinions of ordinary people//  --They want to demonstrate that the prime minister is a man of the people.//\n  23  a man’s man:  a man who enjoys being with other men and doing sports and activities with them, and is popular with men rather than women//  --He enjoyed his reputation as a man’s man, but was careful never to neglect his family.//\n  24  a ladies’ man:  a man who is popular with women and who likes to go out with a lot of different women//  --Paul likes to think he’s a bit of a ladies’ man.//\n  25  man and boy:   BrE if a man has done something man and boy, he has done it all his life//  --I’ve worked on that farm man and boy.//\n  26  man and wife:  if a man and a woman are man and wife, they are married//  --I now pronounce you man and wife (=you are now officially married) .//\n  27  live as man and wife:  if a man and woman live as man and wife, they live together as if they are married, although they are not//\n  28  as one man:   written if a group of people do something as one man, they do it together//  --The audience rose as one man to applaud the singers.//\n  29  to a man/to the last man:   written used to say that all the men in a group do something or have a particular quality//  --They were socialists to a man.//\n  30  man-about-town:  a rich man who goes out a lot to parties, clubs, theatres etc//  --In his designer suit and shiny shoes he looked quite the man about town.//\n  31  man of God/man of the cloth:  a priest//  --You’d believe a man of the cloth, wouldn’t you?//\n  32  my (good) man:   BrE  old-fashioned  spoken used when talking to someone of a lower social class - do not use this phrase//  --My good man, I really don’t think you should be here.//\n  33  my man:   spoken used by some men to greet a friend//  --Jason, my man! How’s it going?//\n  34  your/yer man:   spoken used to talk about a particular man - used mainly in Ireland//  --I’ve got to go and see yer man up this afternoon.//\n  35 SERVANT:   [C]  old-fashioned a male servant//  --My man will drive you to the station.//\n  36 GAME:   [C] one of the pieces you use in a game such as chess//\n  37  every man jack:   old-fashioned each person in a group//  --Spies, every man jack of them, I’d bet.//\n  38  kick/hit a man when he’s down:  to treat someone badly when you know that they already have problems//  --Most of his rivals couldn’t resist kicking a man when he was down.//\n  39  man’s best friend:  a dog//\n  40  the man of the house:  the most important male member of a family, who is responsible for doing things such as paying bills, making important decisions etc//  --Since my father’s death, my uncle was the man of the house.//    best man,  man-to-man,  New Man,  old man,  be a man/woman of the world at world1 (21)//\nman 2   past tense and past participle  manned present participle  manning  v [T] //  to work at, use, or operate a system, piece of equipment etc//  --A team of volunteers are manning the phones.//  --the first manned spacecraft//\nman 3 interjection  especially AmE   used to emphasize what you are saying, especially when you are angry, surprised, disappointed etc//  --Man, that was a lucky escape!//  -- Oh, man ! I can hear the bullets.//


Words: Man for All Seasons
Meaning:
A   (1960) a play by Robert Bolt about the life of Sir Thomas  More, which was later made into a film//


Words: Man Friday
Meaning:
1 a character in the book  Robinson Crusoe by Daniel  Defoe. He is a black man who becomes Crusoe’s servant and friend after Crusoe saves him from being killed by  cannibals (=people who eat other people) . Crusoe calls him Man Friday because he meets him on a Friday.:\n  2 a loyal and trusted male servant or helper:


Words: Man in the Iron Mask
Meaning:
the   a man who was kept as a prisoner in the Bastille, a prison in Paris, who died there in 1703. His face was always kept hidden by a  mask, and some people believe that he was the brother of the French king Louis XIV, but this is probably not true.//


Words: man of letters plural
Meaning:
men of letters  n [C]   a male writer, especially one who writes novels or writes about literature//


Words: Man With No Name
Meaning:
The   the main character in three westerns, A Fistful of Dollars (1964), For a Few Dollars More (1965) and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966). The Man With No Name is a bounty hunter who kills many bad men. The actor Clint Eastwood played the part in all three films.//


Words: man-eater
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 a wild animal that kills and eats people:\n  2 a woman who people think is frightening because she has many sexual partners - used humorously:  -- man-eating adj //  --a man-eating shark//


Words: man-hour
Meaning:
n [C]   the amount of work done by one person in one hour//  --The main structure takes only about 40 man-hours to erect.//


Words: man-made
Meaning:
adj \n  1 man-made materials and substances are not natural:   artificial//  → natural//  --fabrics made using a combination of natural and man-made fibres//\n  2 made by people, rather than by natural processes:  --Europe’s largest man-made lake//


Words: man-of-war
Meaning:
also man-o’-war   n   plural  men-of-war  [C] //  a ship with guns that was used in the past in sea battles//


Words: man-sized
Meaning:
also man-size  adj [only before noun] \n  1 large and considered suitable for a man:  --a man-sized breakfast//  --man-size tissues//\n  2 about the same size as a man:  --man-sized plants//


Words: man-to-man
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]  informal \n  1 if two men have a man-to-man talk, they discuss something in an honest, direct way:\n  2 playing a sport in such a way that one person on your team tries to stay close to one person on the other team:  -- man-to-man adv //  --You two need to discuss this man-to-man.//


Words: man-year
Meaning:
n [C]  technical   the amount of work done by one person in a year, used as a measurement//  --The project will take five man-years to complete.//


Words: manacle
Meaning:
n [C usually plural]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: manicle, from  Latin manicula, from  manus  ’hand’]//  an iron ring on a chain that is put around the wrist or ankle of a prisoner//  -- manacle v  [T] //  -- manacled adj //


Words: manage
Meaning:
v   ----------//\n   1 business:\n   2 do something difficult:\n   3 deal with problems:\n   4 time/money etc:\n   5 live without much money:\n   6 not need help:\n   7 keep tidy:\n   8 control:\n   9 be strong enough:\n  10 eat/drink:\n  11 cause problems:\n  12 manage a smile/a few words etc:\n  13 have time for:  ----------//  [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Italian; Origin: maneggiare, from  mano  ’hand’, from  Latin manus]//\n  1 BUSINESS:   [T] to direct or control a business or department and the people, equipment, and money involved in it//  --Kerry has been asked to manage a new department.//  --Managing a football team is harder than you think.//  --The company had been very badly managed.//  --a small brewery which has been owned and managed by the same family for over 100 years see usage note  control2 //\n  2 DO SOMETHING DIFFICULT:   [I and T] to succeed in doing something difficult, especially after trying very hard//  manage to do sth//  --I finally managed to push the huge animal away.//  --How do you manage to stay so slim?//  --We somehow managed to persuade him.//  --Juventus managed two goals in the last ten minutes.//  --I don’t know how I’ll manage it , but I’ll be there.//\n  3 DEAL WITH PROBLEMS:   [I] to succeed in dealing with problems, living in a difficult situation etc//  --I don’t know how she manages with seven children.//  --We didn’t have the proper equipment, but we managed somehow.//  manage without//  --How do you manage without a washing machine?//  manage with//  --I can’t afford to get you a new coat - you’ll have to manage with the one you’ve got.//\n  4 TIME/MONEY ETC:   [T] to use your time, money etc sensibly, without wasting it//  --Paying a little each month can help you manage your money.//  --You need to learn to manage your time more effectively.//  --Consultants can help academic institutions to manage their resources more efficiently.//\n  5 LIVE WITHOUT MUCH MONEY:   [I] to succeed in buying the things that you need in order to live even though you do not have very much money//   get by//  --I honestly don’t know how we’ll manage now Keith’s lost his job.//  --It’ll be tight, but I guess I’ll just about manage.//  manage on//  --People like Jim have to manage on as little as $75 a week.//\n  6 NOT NEED HELP:   [I and T]  spoken to be able to do something or carry something without help//  --Can you manage all right, Mum?//  --You’ll never manage that suitcase; let me take it.//  --Thank you, but I think I can manage perfectly well on my own.//\n  7 KEEP TIDY:   [T]  especially BrE to succeed in keeping something neat and tidy//  --He’ll never manage such a big garden on his own.//\n  8 CONTROL:   [T] to control the behaviour of a person or animal, so that they do what you want//  --It’s hard to manage your children and do the shopping.//  --The horse was huge and vicious. Giles was the only one who could manage her. see usage note  control2 //\n  9 BE STRONG ENOUGH:   [T] to be able to do something because you are strong enough or healthy enough//  --He tried to walk, but managed only a few shaky steps.//\n  10 EAT/DRINK:   [T] to be able to eat or drink something//  --Could you manage another drink?//\n  11 CAUSE PROBLEMS:   [T] to do something that causes problems - used humorously//  manage to do sth//  --Andrews has managed to get himself sacked.//  --I don’t know how I managed to arrive so late.//\n  12  manage a smile/a few words etc:  to make yourself say or do something when you do not really want to//  --Tom looked tired but still managed a smile.//  manage to smile/speak/laugh etc //  --’Why do you hate me so much?’ he managed to say.//\n  13 HAVE TIME FOR:   [T] to be able to meet someone or do something, even though you are busy//  -- Can you  manage  dinner tonight?//  --’Is there any chance you could work late?’ ’I think I  could manage  an hour.’//


Words: manageable
Meaning:
adj   easy to control or deal with//  → unmanageable//  --Divide the task into manageable sections.//  -- manageability/m[zB024]n[hA366]d[hA360][hA353]b[hA366]l[hA369]ti/ n  [U] //


Words: management
Meaning:
n \n  1 [U] the activity of controlling and organizing the work that a company or organization does:  good/bad management //  --good management and co-operation with staff//  --a lack of management skills//  --a management consultant//  --management training courses//\n  2 [singular, U also + plural verb British English] the people who are in charge of a company or organization:  --The management has agreed to the policy.//  --The shareholders demanded a change in management.//  --management decisions//  --The factory is under new management .//  senior/top management //  --It is difficult to retain top management.//  --a member of the senior management team//  middle management (=the people in charge of small groups within an organization) //\n  3 [U] the way that people control and organize different situations that happen in their lives or their work:  management of//  --careful management of the economy//  --traffic management//  --The successful applicant will have experience in project management.//  --courses in time management//  crisis management (=when you deal with an unusually difficult or dangerous situation) //


Words: management consultant
Meaning:
n [C]   someone who is paid to advise the management of a company how to improve their organization and working methods//


Words: manager
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 someone whose job is to manage part or all of a company or other organization:  bank/sales/project etc manager //  --She’s now assistant marketing manager for the south east area.//  --one of our regional managers//  manager of//  --the general manager of Chevrolet//  --a middle manager in a computer company (=someone who manages a small part of a company) //    line manager//\n  2 someone who is in charge of training and organizing a sports team:  --the new England manager//  manager of//  --the manager of Lazio//\n  3 someone who is in charge of the business affairs of a singer, an actor etc:


Words: managing director
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE   someone who is in charge of a large company or organization//   chief executive officer//


Words: manatee
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Spanish; Origin: manat[hA16E], from a  Cariban language]//  a large sea animal with flippers and a large flat tail which eats plants//


Words: Manchester
Meaning:
a large city in the northwest of England, which was formerly important for its wool and cotton industries, but is now the financial and business centre for the area. Many  pop and  rock bands come from Manchester, which is famous for its music industry, its many  nightclubs and its two football teams, Manchester United and Manchester City. People who come from Manchester are called Mancunians.//


Words: Manchester Ship Canal
Meaning:
the Manchester Ship Canal//  a long, narrow area of water in northwest England which goes from Manchester to the sea. It was built to help the cotton factories to move their goods in the 19th century.//


Words: Manchester United
Meaning:
also Man United  informal   a very successful and popular English football team from Manchester. In 1999 they became the first team to win the  European Cup, the  FA Cup, and the  Premiership competition in one season.//


Words: mandala
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Sanskrit; Origin: ’circle’]//  a picture of a circle around a square, that represents the universe in the Hindu and Buddhist religions//


Words: Mandarin
Meaning:
also Putonghua  n [U]   [Date: 1700-1800; Origin: mandarin]//  the official language of China, spoken by most Chinese people//


Words: mandarin
Meaning:
n [C]   [Sense: 1; Date: 1700-1800; Language: French; Origin: mandarine, from  Spanish mandarina, probably from  mandar[hA16E]n ’  MANDARIN3’; perhaps because mandarins wore orange-colored clothes.]//  [Sense: 2-3; Date: 1500-1600; Language: Portuguese; Origin: mandarim, from  Malay menteri, from  Sanskrit mantrin  ’adviser’, from  mantra;   MANTRA]//\n  1  also  mandarin orange:  a kind of small orange with skin that is easy to remove//\n  2  BrE an important government official who people think has too much power:  --Civil Service mandarins//\n  3 an important government official in the former Chinese empire:


Words: mandate
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: mandatum, from  mandare  ’to give into someone’s hand, command’, from  manus  ’hand’ +  dare  ’to give’]//\n  1 [C] if a government or official has a mandate to make important decisions, they have the authority to make the decisions because they have been elected by the people to do so:  mandate to do sth//  --The President was elected with a clear mandate to tackle violent crime.//  mandate for//  --a popular mandate for election reform//  mandate from//  --I sought a mandate from my constituents to oppose this tax.//  have/be given a mandate //  --Sometimes a President thinks he has more of a mandate than he really does.//\n  2 [C] an official instruction given to a person or organization, allowing them to do something:  --Matters debated in meetings do not become a mandate automatically.//\n  3 [U and C] the power given to one country to govern another country:\nmandate 2   v [T] \n  1  formal to tell someone that they must do a particular thing:  --These measures were mandated by the IMF.//  mandate that//  --Justice mandates that we should treat all candidates equally.//\n  2 [usually passive] to give someone the right or power to do something:  --The committee was mandated to co-ordinate measures to help Poland.//


Words: mandated
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]   a mandated country has been placed under the control of another country//  --mandated territories//


Words: mandatory
Meaning:
adj   if something is mandatory, the law says it must be done//   compulsory, obligatory//    discretionary//  mandatory for//  --Crash helmets are mandatory for motorcyclists.//  --Murder carries a mandatory life sentence .//  --The Council has made it mandatory for all nurses to attend a refresher course every three years.//


Words: Mandela
Meaning:
Nelson   (1918- ) the leader of South Africa’s ANC party since 1994, and the first black President of South Africa. Mandela was in prison from 1964 to 1990 for his opposition to the country’s white government. In 1993 he shared the  Nobel Prize for Peace with President F. W. de Klerk after they had worked together to end the system of apartheid.//


Words: mandible
Meaning:
n [C]  technical   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Late Latin; Origin: mandibula, from  Latin mandere  ’to chew’]//\n  1 the jaw bone of an animal or fish, especially the lower jaw:\n  2 the outside part of a bird’s beak:\n  3 the part of an insect’s mouth that it uses for eating:


Words: mandolin
Meaning:
mandoline/m[zB024]nd[hA353]l[hA366]n/ n [C]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Italian; Origin: mandolina, from  mandola  ’large type of mandolin’, from  French mandore]//  a musical instrument with eight metal strings and a round back, played with a plectrum (=small piece of plastic, metal etc) //


Words: mane
Meaning:
n [C]   mane//  [Language: Old English; Origin: manu]//\n  1 the long hair on the back of a horse’s neck, or around the face and neck of a lion:\n  2  literary a person’s long thick hair:  --her mane of hair//


Words: manfully
Meaning:
adv  old-fashioned   in a brave, determined way//  --Joe struggled manfully with his case and rucksack.//


Words: manganese
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: mangan[hA169]se, from  Italian manganese  ’magnesia, manganese’, from  Medieval Latin magnesia;   MAGNESIA]//  a grey-white metal that breaks easily and is used to make steel and glass. It is a chemical element: symbol Mn//


Words: mange
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: mangene  ’itching’, from  mangier  ’to eat’]//  a skin disease of animals that makes them lose their fur//


Words: manger
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: maingeure, from  mangier  ’to eat’]//  a long open container that horses, cattle etc eat from//


Words: mangetout
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: ’eat-all’]//  a long flat green vegetable whose outer part is eaten as well as the seeds//  American Equivalent:  snowpea//


Words: mangle
Meaning:
v [T]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Anglo-French; Origin: mangler, from  Old French maynier;   MAIM]//\n  1 to damage or injure something badly by crushing or twisting it:  --The trap closed round her leg, badly mangling her ankle.//\n  2 to spoil something such as a speech or piece of music, by saying or playing it badly:  --The orchestra had mangled Bach’s music.//  -- mangled adj  [only before noun] //  --the mangled remains of the aircraft//\nmangle 2 n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Middle Dutch; Origin: mangel, from  Middle High German mange  ’mangle, military weapon for throwing rocks’]//  a machine used in former times to remove water from washed clothes by pressing them between two rollers//


Words: mango
Meaning:
n   plural  mangoes  [C] //  [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Portuguese; Origin: manga, from  Tamil man-kay]//  a tropical fruit with a thin skin and sweet yellow flesh//


Words: mangrove
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin:  Probably from  Portuguese mangue  ’mangrove’ (from  Taino) +  English grove]//  a tropical tree that grows in or near water and grows new roots from its branches//  --a mangrove swamp//


Words: mangy
Meaning:
adj \n  1 suffering from mange:  --thin mangy dogs//\n  2  informal dirty and in bad condition:  --a mangy-looking rug//


Words: manhandle
Meaning:
v [T] \n  1 to push or handle someone roughly:  manhandle sb into/through etc sth//  --It had ended with Tony physically manhandling her out of the house.//\n  2 to move a heavy object using force:  manhandle sth into/on to/across etc sth//  --We lifted it off the truck and manhandled it into the workshop.//


Words: Manhattan
Meaning:
an island and  borough of New York City in New York Bay, between the Hudson River and the East River. It is the business and  cultural centre of New York City. When people say that they have visited New York, they often mean that they have been to Manhattan.//


Words: Manhattan Project
Meaning:
the   the secret US scientific plan, which was started in 1942, to develop an  atom bomb//    Los Alamos//


Words: manhole
Meaning:
n [C]   a hole in the surface of a road covered by a lid. It is used to examine underground pipes, wires etc//


Words: manhood
Meaning:
n \n  1 [U] qualities such as strength, courage, and sexual power, that people think a man should have:  --Why did he feel he had to prove his manhood in the company of women?//\n  2 [U] the state of being a man and no longer a boy:    womanhood//  reach/attain manhood //  --He had barely reached manhood when he married.//\n  3 [U]  literary all the men of a particular nation:  --America’s manhood//\n  4 [singular]  especially literary a penis:


Words: manhunt
Meaning:
n [C]   an organized search for someone who might have committed a crime, or a prisoner who has escaped//  --Police have launched a nationwide manhunt .//


Words: mania
Meaning:
n [U and C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Late Latin; Origin: Greek, from  mainesthai  ’to be mentally ill’]//\n  1 a strong desire for something or interest in something, especially one that affects a lot of people at the same time:   craze//  mania for//  --the Victorian mania for butterfly collecting//  religious/football/disco etc mania //  --Keep-fit mania has hit some of the girls in the office.//\n  2  medical a serious mental illness:


Words: maniac
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Late Latin; Origin: maniacus, from  Greek maniakos, from  mania;   MANIA]//\n  1  informal someone who behaves in a stupid or dangerous way:   lunatic//  --He leapt into the car and drove like a maniac to the hospital.//  --Suddenly this maniac ran out into the middle of the road.//\n  2  religious/sex maniac:   informal someone who you think is too involved or interested in religion or sex//   freak//  --The woman’s a sex maniac if you ask me.//\n  3 someone who is mentally ill:  homicidal maniac (=one who kills people) //


Words: manic
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: mania]//\n  1  informal behaving in a very anxious or excited way:  --She seemed slightly manic.//  --Mortimer continued to shoot, a manic grin on his face.//\n  2  medical relating to a feeling of great happiness or excitement that is part of a mental illness:


Words: manic depression
Meaning:
n [U]   a mental illness that causes someone to feel very strong emotions of happiness and sadness in a short period of time//


Words: manicure
Meaning:
n [U and C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: Latin manus  ’hand’ +  cura  ’care’]//  a treatment for the hands that includes cutting and polishing the nails//    pedicure//  -- manicure v  [T] //


Words: manicured
Meaning:
adj \n  1 manicured hands or fingers have nails that are neatly cut and polished:  --slim, perfectly manicured fingers//\n  2 manicured gardens or lawns are very neat and tidy:  --The ball rolled across the immaculately manicured lawn.//


Words: manifest
Meaning:
v [T]  formal \n  1 to show a feeling, attitude etc:  --The shareholders have manifested their intention to sell the shares.//  manifest sth in/as/through sth//  --A dog’s protective instincts are manifested in increased alertness.//\n  2  manifest itself:  to appear or to become easy to see//  --His illness began to manifest itself at around this time.//\nmanifest 2 adj  formal   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin; Origin: manifestus  ’seized by the hand’]//  plain and easy to see//   obvious, patent//  --a manifest error of judgment//  be made/become manifest (=be clearly shown) //  --Their devotion to God is made manifest in ritual prayer.//  -- manifestly adv //  --a manifestly unfair system//\nmanifest 3 n [C]   a list of passengers or goods carried on a ship, plane or train//  --the ship’s cargo manifest//


Words: Manifest Destiny
Meaning:
the belief that the US people had the right and the duty to take land in North America from other people, because this was God’s plan. This phrase was used by journalists and politicians in the 19th century when US citizens moved west across North America and the US gained Texas, California, Oregon, and Alaska.//


Words: manifestation
Meaning:
n  formal \n  1 [C] a very clear sign that a particular situation or feeling exists:  manifestation of//  --These latest riots are a clear manifestation of growing discontent.//\n  2 [U and C] the act of appearing or becoming clear:  manifestation of//  --Manifestation of the disease often doesn’t occur until middle age.//


Words: manifesto
Meaning:
n   plural  manifestos  [C] //  [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Italian; Origin: manifestare  ’to show’, from  Latin manifestus;   MANIFEST2]//  a written statement by a political party, saying what they believe in and what they intend to do//  --the Labour Party’s election manifesto//  --The Tories are due to publish their manifesto tomorrow.//


Words: manifold
Meaning:
adj  formal   [Language: Old English; Origin: manigfeald]//  many and of different kinds//  --The reasons for this situation are manifold.//\nmanifold 2 n [C]  technical   an arrangement of pipes through which gases enter or leave a car engine//


Words: manikin
Meaning:
mannikin/m[zB024]n[hA366]k[hA369]n/ n [C] \n  1 a model of the human body, used for teaching art or medicine:\n  2  literary a very small man:


Words: manila
Meaning:
manilla/m[hA353]n[hA366]l[hA353]/ n [U]   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin: Manila]//  strong brown paper used for making envelopes//  --a large manila envelope//


Words: manipulate
Meaning:
v [T]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: manipulation  (18-21 centuries), from  French, from  manipule  ’handful’, from  Latin manipulus]//\n  1 to make someone think and behave exactly as you want them to, by skilfully deceiving or influencing them:  --He was one of those men who manipulated people.//  --You have the constant feeling you are being manipulated.//  manipulate sb into (doing) sth//  --The thought that any parent would manipulate their child into seeking fame just appalled me.//\n  2 to work skilfully with information, systems etc to achieve the result that you want:  --software designed to store and manipulate data//  --You can integrate text with graphics and manipulate graphic images.//\n  3  medical to move and press bones or muscles to remove pain in them:\n  4 to use skill in moving or handling something:  --The workmen manipulated some knobs and levers.//  -- manipulation/m[hA353]n[hA366]pj[hA36A]le[hA366][hA35D][hA368]n/ n  [U] //  --There were allegations of political manipulation.//  --manipulation of photographic images//


Words: manipulative
Meaning:
adj \n  1 clever at controlling or deceiving people to get what you want - used in order to show disapproval:  --She was sly, selfish, and manipulative.//\n  2  technical relating to the ability to handle objects in a skilful way:  --Before a child can learn a musical instrument he or she first needs to acquire the necessary manipulative skills.//\n  3 [only before noun]  technical relating to the skill of moving bones and joints into the correct position:


Words: manipulator
Meaning:
n [C]   someone who is skilful at getting what they want by cleverly controlling or deceiving other people//


Words: Manitoulin
Meaning:
a large island in Lake Huron, Canada, which is the largest island in the world that is surrounded by  fresh (=not containing salt)  water//


Words: mankind
Meaning:
n [U]   all humans considered as a group//   humankind, man//    womankind//  --Since earliest times, mankind has been fascinated by fire.//  --one of the most important events in the history of mankind //


Words: manky
Meaning:
adj  BrE  informal   [Date: 1900-2000; Language: Scottish English; Origin: mank  ’damaged’, from  Old French manc  ’wounded’]//  looking dirty and unattractive//   mangy//  --a manky old sweater//


Words: manly
Meaning:
adj   having qualities that people expect and admire in a man, such as being brave and strong//   masculine//  --a deep manly voice//  -- manliness n  [U] //


Words: Mann
Meaning:
Thomas   (1875-1955) a German writer whose books include  Death in Venice,  The Magic Mountain, and  Doctor Faustus. He won the  Nobel prize for Literature in 1929.//


Words: manna
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 800-900; Language: Late Latin; Origin: Greek, from  Hebrew man]//\n  1  manna from heaven:  something very good that you get when you did not expect to, just when you really need it//\n  2 the food which, according to the Bible, was provided by God for the Israelites in the desert after their escape from Egypt:


Words: mannequin
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: French; Origin: Dutch mannekijn  ’little man’]//\n  1 a model of the human body, used for showing clothes in shop windows:\n  2  old-fashioned a woman whose job is to wear fashionable clothes and show them to people:   model//


Words: manner
Meaning:
W2S3   n   [Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French; Origin: maniere  ’way of acting, way of handling’, from  Latin manuarius  ’of the hand’, from  manus  ’hand’]//\n  1 [singular]  formal the way in which something is done or happens:  manner of (doing) sth//  --It seemed rather an odd manner of deciding things.//  --He felt some guilt over the manner of her death.//  in a ... manner//  --I had hoped you would behave in a more responsible manner.//  --The issue will be resolved in a manner that is fair to both sides.//  --criticism of the manner in which the bishop was appointed//  in the usual/normal etc manner //  --The matter should be submitted to the accounts committee in the usual manner.//\n  2 [singular] the way in which someone behaves towards or talks to other people:  --She has a calm relaxed manner.//  manner towards//  --Something in Beth’s manner towards him had changed.//  --Sophie resented his high-handed manner.//\n  3  manners [plural] polite ways of behaving in social situations:  --Her children all had such  good manners .//  -- It’s bad manners to talk with your mouth full (=talk and eat at the same time) .//  --His  manners were impeccable .//  --Dad gave us a lecture about our table manners .//  --You  mind your manners , young man!//  --’Lesley just got up and left.’ ’Some people have no manners .’//  --Good heavens, child, where are your manners ?//\n  4  manners [plural]  formal the customs of a particular group of people:  --a book about the life and manners of Victorian London//\n  5  in a manner of speaking:  in some ways, though not exactly//  --’Are you his girlfriend?’ Nicola asked. ’In a manner of speaking.’//\n  6  all manner of sth:   formal many different kinds of things or people//  --We would discuss all manner of subjects.//  --The British Isles have been conquered by all manner of people.//\n  7  in the manner of sb/sth:   formal in the style that is typical of a particular person or thing//  --a painting in the manner of the early Impressionists//\n  8  what manner of...?:   literary what kind of//  --What manner of son would treat his mother in such a way?//\n  9  not by any manner of means:   BrE  spoken  formal not at all//  --I haven’t lost my interest in politics by any manner of means.//\n  10  (as) to the manner born:  if you do something new as to the manner born, you do it in a natural confident way, as if you have done it many times before//    bedside manner, comedy of manners//  ----------//  COLLOCATES for sense 3 //  have good/bad manners //  it’s good/bad manners to do something //  perfect/impeccable manners //  table manners  (=the polite way of eating at a table) //  mind your manners  (=used to tell someone to behave politely) //  somebody has no manners  (=someone often behaves in a way that is not polite) //  remember your manners  (=behave politely) //  forget your manners  (=behave in an impolite way) //  where are your manners? British English (=used to tell a child that he or she is behaving impolitely) //  ----------//


Words: mannered
Meaning:
adj \n  1  well-mannered/bad-mannered etc:  polite, impolite etc in the way you behave in social situations//  --He is the most well-mannered, well-behaved boy I know.//\n  2 behaviour, speech, or writing that is mannered is not natural and is intended to make people admire you - used in order to show disapproval:  --Hickstone gave a very mannered performance in the lead role.//


Words: mannerism
Meaning:
n [C]   a way of speaking or moving that is typical of a particular person//  --He has the same mannerisms as his father.//


Words: mannish
Meaning:
adj   a woman who is mannish, or who wears mannish clothes, looks or behaves like a man - used especially when this is considered unattractive//  --She had strong, almost mannish features.//  --a mannish jacket//  -- mannishly adv //


Words: mano a mano
Meaning:
adv   with only two people involved//   one-to-one//  --He finally faced up to his father, mano a mano, telling him he was going to leave college.//


Words: manoeuvrable
Meaning:
BrE  maneuverable AmE   adj   if something, especially a vehicle, is manoeuvrable, it can be moved or turned easily//  --a ship which was surprisingly fast and manoeuvrable//  -- manoeuvrability/m[hA353]nu[hA359]v[hA368]r[hA353]b[hA366]l[hA369]ti/ n  [U] //


Words: manoeuvre
Meaning:
BrE  maneuver AmE   n \n  1 [C] a skilful or careful movement that you make, for example in order to avoid something or go through a narrow space:  --A careful driver will often stop talking before carrying out a complex manoeuvre.//\n  2 [U and C] a skilful or carefully planned action intended to gain an advantage for yourself:  --They tried by diplomatic maneuvers to obtain an agreement.//\n  3  manoeuvres [plural] military activities, such as pretending to fight a battle, which are done as practice or training:   exercises//  --Large-scale military manoeuvres are being carried out near the border.//  on manoeuvres//  --troops on night manoeuvres//\n  4  room for manoeuvre/freedom of manoeuvre:  the possibility of changing your plans or decisions in order to achieve what you want//  --As I see it, Lisa, you don’t really have a great deal of room for manoeuvre.//\nmanoeuvre 2 v  BrE  maneuver AmE \n  1 [I,T always + adverb/preposition] to move or turn skilfully or to move or turn something skilfully, especially something large and heavy:  --She managed to manoeuvre expertly into the parking space.//  manoeuvre yourself into/out of sth//  --Josh manoeuvred himself out of bed and hobbled to the door.//  --We manoeuvred the TV in front of the sofa.//\n  2 [I and T] to use cleverly planned and often dishonest methods to get the result that you want:  manoeuvre sb into/out of sth//  --It was a well-organized plan to maneuver company president John Woolford out of office.//  --Businesses manoeuvred to have their industry organized to their own advantage.//


Words: manoeuvring
Meaning:
BrE  maneuvering AmE   n [U and C]   the use of clever and sometimes dishonest methods to get what you want//  --diplomatic manoeuvrings//  --months of political manoeuvring//


Words: manor
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: manoir, from  manoir  ’to stay, live’, from  Latin manere]//\n  1  also manor house :  a big old house with a large area of land around it//\n  2 the land that belonged to an important man, under the feudal system:\n  3  BrE  informal the area that a group of police officers are responsible for:   patch, turf//


Words: manpower
Meaning:
n [U]   all the workers available for a particular kind of work//  --a lack of trained manpower//  --a scheme to increase police manpower//


Words: manque
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: French; Origin: , past participle of  manquer  ’to lack, fail’]//  artist/actor/teacher etc manque//  someone who could have been successful as an artist etc, but never became one//


Words: mansard
Meaning:
n  also mansard roof  [C]  technical   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: French; Origin: mansarde, from Fran[hA168]ois  Mansard (1598-1666), French architect]//  a roof whose lower part slopes more steeply than its upper part//


Words: manse
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Medieval Latin; Origin: mansus, from  Latin, past participle of  manere;   MANOR]//  the house of a Christian minister, especially in Scotland//


Words: Mansfield
Meaning:
Katherine   (1888-1923) a writer who was born in New Zealand but who lived in England. Her best-known collection of stories is The Garden Party.//


Words: mansion
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin mansio, from  manere;   MANOR]//\n  1 a very large house:  --a beautiful country mansion//\n  2  Mansions:  used in Britain in the names of some apartment buildings//  --19 Carlyle Mansions//


Words: Mansion House
Meaning:
a large house in London, the official home of the  Lord Mayor of London, where official dinners are held//


Words: manslaughter
Meaning:
n [U]    law the crime of killing someone illegally but not deliberately//    homicide, murder//  --She was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter.//


Words: Manson
Meaning:
Charles   (1934- ) an American who had a group of followers that he called his ’family’, who took drugs with him and regarded him as their religious leader. Under Manson’s influence, his ’family’ violently killed seven people in Los Angeles in 1969, including the actress Sharon Tate.//


Words: mantelpiece
Meaning:
BrE  [C]   fireplace, mantelpiece//  a wooden or stone shelf which is the top part of a frame surrounding a fireplace//  --The clock on the mantelpiece struck 10.//


Words: mantis
Meaning:
n   plural  mantises  or  mantids /-t[hA366]dz/ [C] //  [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Greek; Origin: ’person who sees the future’]//  a praying mantis//


Words: mantle
Meaning:
n   [Date: 800-900; Language: Old French; Origin: mantel, from  Latin mantellum  ’cloak’]//\n  1  take on/assume/wear the mantle of sth:   formal to accept or have an important duty or job//  --It is up to Europe to take on the mantle of leadership in environmental issues.//\n  2  a mantle of snow/darkness etc:   literary something such as snow or darkness that covers a surface or area//  --A mantle of snow lay on the trees.//\n  3 [C] a loose piece of outer clothing without sleeves, worn especially in former times:\n  4 [C] a cover that is put over the flame of a gas or oil lamp to make it shine more brightly:\n  5 [singular]  technical the part of the Earth around the central core:\nmantle 2 v [T]    literary to cover the surface of something//


Words: mantra
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Sanskrit; Origin: ’thought, advice’, from  man  ’to think’]//\n  1 a word or sound that is repeated as a prayer or to help people meditate:  recite/repeat a mantra //  --He closed his eyes and began to recite a Buddhist mantra.//\n  2 a word or phrase representing a rule or principle which someone often uses, but which other people often find annoying or boring:  --The Treasury Secretary has stuck to his mantra that ’a strong dollar is in America’s interest’.//\n  3 a piece of holy writing in the Hindu religion:


Words: manual
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: manuel, from  Latin manualis, from  manus  ’hand’]//\n  1 manual work involves using your hands or your physical strength rather than your mind:   blue-collar//  manual job/labour/worker etc //  --low-paid manual jobs//  --People in manual occupations have a lower life expectancy.//\n  2 operated or done by hand or without the help of electricity, computers etc:  → automatic//  --a manual typewriter//  --a five-speed manual gearbox//  --It would take too long to do a manual search of all the data.//\n  3 relating to how well you use your hands to make or do things:  --No great manual dexterity  (=skill in using your hands) is required to perform the technique.//  -- manually adv //\nmanual 2 n [C] \n  1 a book that gives instructions about how to do something, especially how to use a machine:  instruction/training/reference etc manual //  --Consult the computer manual if you have a problem.//  --a user manual //\n  2  on manual:  if a machine is on manual, it can only be operated by hand and not automatically//


Words: manufacture
Meaning:
v [T] \n  1 to use machines to make goods or materials, usually in large numbers or amounts:  --the company that manufactured the drug//  --manufactured goods//\n  2 to invent an untrue story, excuse etc:   fabricate//  --If the media can manufacture stories like this, who are we supposed to believe?//\n  3  technical if your body manufactures a particular useful substance, it produces it:\nmanufacture 2 n   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: Latin manu factus  ’made by hand’]//\n  1 [U] the process of making goods or materials using machines, usually in large numbers or amounts:  --Cost will determine the methods of manufacture.//\n  2  manufactures [plural]  technical goods that are produced in large quantities using machinery:


Words: manufacturer
Meaning:
W2S3   n [C]    also manufacturers //   [plural] a company that makes large quantities of goods//  --Read the manufacturer’s instructions before using your new dishwasher.//  --The fridge was sent back to the manufacturers.//


Words: manufacturing
Meaning:
W3   n [U]   the process or business of producing goods in factories//  --Thousands of jobs had been lost in manufacturing.//  --the manufacturing industry//


Words: manure
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: manouvrer  ’to work with the hands’, from  Latin manu operare;   MANEUVER1]//  waste matter from animals that is mixed with soil to improve the soil and help plants grow//  -- manure v  [T] //


Words: manuscript
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: manu scriptus  ’written by hand’]//\n  1 a book or piece of writing before it is printed:  in manuscript//  --I read his novel in manuscript.//  --Unfortunately, parts of the original manuscript have been lost.//\n  2 a book or document written by hand before printing was invented:  --a fine collection of medieval manuscripts//


Words: Manx
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  From an unrecorded  Old Norse manskr, from  Mana  ’Isle of Man’]//  from or relating to the Isle of Man or its people//  --the Manx government//


Words: many
Meaning:
determiner, pron, adj   [Language: Old English; Origin: manig]//\n  1 a large number of people or things:  → few//    more, most, much//  --Many people have to use a car to travel to work.//  --I don’t have many friends.//  --My mother has lived in Spain for many years.//  --Do you get many visitors?//  --Some of the houses have bathrooms but many do not.//  --His third novel is regarded by many (=a lot of people) as his best.//  many of//  --Many of our staff work part-time.//  --There are plenty of cafes and bars, many of them serving excellent food.//  --There are so many things we disagree about.//  -- Not many  (=only a few) people can afford my services.//  --You’ve been reading too many romantic novels (=more than you should) .//  --One job loss is one too many  (=one more than is acceptable, needed etc) .//  the many people/things etc //  --We should like to thank the many people who have written to us offering their support.//  many hundreds/thousands/millions //  --military equipment worth many millions of dollars//  a great many/a good many/very many (=a very large number) //  --Most of the young men went off to the war, and a great many never came back.//  --It all happened a good many years ago.//\n  2  how many:  used to ask or talk about how large a number or quantity is//  --How many sisters do you have?//  --I didn’t know how many tickets to buy.//\n  3  as many:  a number that is equal to another number//  --They say the people of Los Angeles speak 12 languages and teach just as many in the schools.//  as many (...) as//  --Grandfather claimed to have as many medals as the general.//  --There weren’t as many people at the meeting as we had hoped.//  in as many days/weeks/games etc //  --A great trip! We visited five countries in as many days (=in five days) .//  twice/three times etc as many //  --The company now employs four times as many women as men.//\n  4  as many as 50/1000 etc:  used to emphasize how surprisingly large a number is//  --As many as 10,000 civilians are thought to have fled the area.//\n  5  many a sth:   formal  or//   old-fashioned a large number of people or things//  --Many a parent has had to go through this same painful process.//  --I’ve sat here many a time  (=often) and wondered what happened to her.//\n  6  many’s the time/day etc (that/when):   old-fashioned used to say that a particular thing has happened often//  --Many’s the time we’ve had to borrow money in order to get through the month.//\n  7  have had one too many:   informal to be drunk//  --Don’t pay any attention to him - he’s had one too many.//\n  8  many thanks:   written used especially in formal letters to thank someone for something//  many thanks for//  --Many thanks for your letter of 17 March.//\n  9  the many:   formal a very large group of people, especially the public in general//  --This war is another example of the few sacrificing their lives for the many.//    in as many words at word1 //  ----------//  GRAMMAR //  Many  is used mainly in questions and negative sentences : Were there many people at the party? |  There weren’t many people at the party.  //  In other sentences, phrases like  a lot of  and  plenty of  are used instead : Slovakia has a lot of small towns (NOT Slovakia has many small towns).  //  However,  many  can be used in formal English : Many politicians expressed concern about the high level of defence spending. //  Many  can also be used after  too ,  so , and  as : There are too many mistakes in this work. |  I didn’t realize I had so many friends. |  Bring as many people as you want. //  !!  Do not use ’and’ after  many  and before an adjective : There are not many interesting Sunday newspapers (NOT There are not many and interesting Sunday newspapers). //  ----------//


Words: Manzanar
Meaning:
a large place in central California where people whose families originally came from Japan were forced to live during World War II. Many of these people lost their homes and businesses because of being forced to move.//


Words: Mao Zedong
Meaning:
also Chairman Mao   (1893-1976) a Chinese politician who helped to start the Chinese  Communist Party in 1921 and became its leader in 1935, during the  Long March. In 1949 he gained control of the government and established the People’s Republic of China. He started the  Cultural Revolution in 1966. He was one of the most powerful and successful leaders of China, and most Chinese people greatly respected him, had pictures of him in their homes, and had copies of the Little Red Book called The Thoughts of Chairman Mao.//


Words: Maori
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Maori]//\n  1 [C] someone who belongs to the race of people that first lived in New Zealand and now forms only a small part of the population:\n  2 [U] the language used by the Maori people:  -- Maori adj //  --Maori children//


Words: map
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Medieval Latin; Origin: mappa, from  Latin,  ’cloth, towel’]//\n  1 a drawing of a particular area for example a city or country, which shows its main features, such as its roads, rivers, mountains etc:  --According to the map we should turn left.//  --I’ll draw a map of where we live.//  on a map//  --I’m just trying to find Vancouver Island on the map.//  map of//  --a large-scale map of Mexico City//  street/road/route map //  --a full colour street map of Amsterdam//  --Do you know how to read a map  (=understand the information it gives) ?//\n  2 a drawing of an area showing some kind of special feature, for example the type of rocks, weather, population etc:   chart//  --an archaeological map of the area//  --the colour weather map in the newspaper//  political map (=one showing where political parties have power, or where countries are) //\n  3  put sth on the map:  to make a place famous//  --It was the Olympic Games that really put Seoul on the map.//\n  4  off the map:   informal a long way from any large town//  --It’s a small place in Nebraska. Right off the map.//    wipe sth off the map at wipe1 (8)//\nmap 2   past tense and past participle  mapped present participle  mapping  v [T] //\n  1 to make a map of a particular area:  --He spent the next fifteen years mapping the Isle of Anglesey.//\n  2 to discover or show information about something, especially about its shape or arrangement, or how it moves or works:  --The points at which stress and anxiety emerge can be mapped.//  map onto [map onto sth] phr v//  to match something or have a direct relationship with something//  map out [map sth → out] phr v//  to plan carefully how something will happen//  --Her own future had been mapped out for her by wealthy and adoring parents.//


Words: maple
Meaning:
n   [Language: Old English; Origin: mapul]//\n  1  also maple tree :   [C] a tree which grows mainly in northern countries such as Canada. Its leaves have five points and turn red or gold in autumn.//\n  2 [U] the wood from a maple:


Words: maple syrup
Meaning:
n [U]   a sweet sticky liquid obtained from some kinds of maple tree which is eaten especially on pancakes//


Words: mar
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  marred present participle  marring  [T] //  [Language: Old English; Origin: mierran]//  to make something less attractive or enjoyable//   spoil//  --Their wedding was marred by the death of Jenny’s mother a week earlier.//  --A frown marred his handsome features.//


Words: marabou
Meaning:
marabout/m[zB024]r[hA353]bu[hA359]/ n [C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: marabout  ’African holy man’, from  Portuguese marabuto, from  Arabic murabit  ’hermit, monk’; because Muslims consider it a holy bird]//  a large African stork (=a long-legged bird) //


Words: maracas
Meaning:
n [plural]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Portuguese; Origin: maraca (singular), from  Tupi maraka]//  a pair of hollow balls with handles, filled with small objects, that you shake and use as a musical instrument//


Words: maraschino
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Italian; Origin: marasca  ’bitter wild cherry’]//  [U] a sweet alcoholic drink made from a type of black cherry//


Words: maraschino cherry
Meaning:
n [C]   a cherry that has been kept in maraschino. Maraschino cherries are used to decorate alcoholic drinks or cakes.//


Words: marathon
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: Marathon, place in Greece; from the story that in 490BC a Greek soldier ran about 25 miles from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens, to bring news of the Athenian victory over the Persians]//\n  1 a long race of about 26 miles or 42 kilometres:  --the Boston Marathon//  --Garcia ran the marathon in just under three hours.//\n  2 an activity that continues for a long time and needs a lot of energy, patience, or determination:  --We finished the job but it was quite a marathon.//\nmarathon 2 adj [only before noun]   a marathon event continues for a long time and needs a lot of energy, patience, or determination//  --a marathon round of negotiations//


Words: marauding
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]  written   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: marauder, from  maraud  ’homeless person who travels around’]//  a marauding person or animal moves around looking for something to destroy or kill//  --marauding street gangs//  -- marauder n  [C] //


Words: marble
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French; Origin: marbre, from  Latin marmor, from  Greek marmaros]//\n  1 [U] a type of hard rock that becomes smooth when it is polished, and is used for making buildings, statues etc:  --The columns were of white marble.//  --a marble statue//\n  2 [C] a small coloured glass ball that children roll along the ground as part of a game:\n  3  marbles [U] a game played by children using marbles:\n  4  lose your marbles:   informal to start behaving in a crazy way//   go mad//\n  5 [C] a statue or sculpture made of marble:


Words: Marble Arch
Meaning:
a large white stone  arch in central London, where several big roads meet, including Oxford Street and Park Lane. It was built to celebrate the military victories of  Nelson//  --Turn left at Marble Arch and go up Edgware Road.//


Words: marbled
Meaning:
adj \n  1 having an irregular pattern of lines and colours:  --a marbled book cover//  --marbled meat (=with lines of fat in it) //\n  2 made of marble:  --Footsteps rang out along the marbled hallway.//


Words: March
Meaning:
n [U and C]  written abbreviation Mar.   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin martius, from  martius  ’of Mars, god of war’]//  the third month of the year, between February and April//  next/last March //  --She started work here last March.//  in March//  --The theatre opened in March 2001.//  on March 6th//  --There’s a meeting on March 6th.//  on 6th March//   BrE //  --I wrote to my bank on 6th March.//  March 6//   AmE //  --The hospital is scheduled to open March 6.//


Words: march
Meaning:
v   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: marchier  ’to step heavily’]//\n  1 [I] if soldiers or other people march somewhere, they walk there quickly with firm regular steps:  march across/along/past etc//  --On 29 August the royal army marched into Inverness.//  march on//  --He gathered his troops and prepared to march on the capital (=march to the capital in order to attack it) .//  Quick march! (=an order to tell people to start marching) //  --We marched 50 km across the foothills.//\n  2 [I always + adverb/preposition] if a large group of people march somewhere, they walk there together to express their ideas or protest about something:  --An estimated 5,000 people marched through the city to demonstrate against the factory closures.//  march on//  --Outraged citizens marched on City Hall (=marched to City Hall) , demanding the police chief’s resignation.//\n  3 [I always + adverb/preposition] to walk somewhere quickly and with determination, often because you are angry:  march off/out etc//  --Brett marched out of the office, slamming the door behind him.//\n  4 [T always + adverb/preposition] to force someone to walk somewhere with you, often pushing or pulling them roughly:  march sb to/into etc sth//  --Mr Carter marched us to the principal’s office.//\n  5  be given/get your marching orders:   BrE  informal to be ordered to leave, especially because someone no longer wants you to work for them or no longer wants a relationship with you//\n  6  time marches on:  used to say that as time goes by, situations change and things do not remain the same//\nmarch 2 n [C] \n  1 an organized event in which many people walk together to express their ideas or protest about something:  --In the end the police decided not to ban the march.//  protest/civil rights/peace etc march //  --I went on a lot of peace marches when I was a student.//\n  2 when soldiers walk with firm regular steps from one place to another:  --From Calais the general led his forces on a long march southwards.//\n  3  on the march:  a) an army that is on the march is marching somewhere//  b) a belief, idea etc that is on the march is becoming stronger and more popular//  --Fascism is on the march again in some parts of Europe.//\n  4  a day’s march/two weeks’ march etc:  the distance a group of soldiers can march in a particular period of time//  --Lake Van was still three days’ march away.//\n  5  the march of time/history/progress etc:   formal the way that things happen or change over time and cannot be stopped//  --You can’t control the march of science.//  --She was desperate to halt the march of time upon her face and figure.//\n  6 a piece of music for people to march to:  --military marches//  --a funeral march//\n  7  marches [plural] the area around the border between England and Wales or between England and Scotland:    steal a march on at steal1 (8)//


Words: March Hare
Meaning:
the   a character in the book  Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) by Lewis  Carroll. He is a crazy hare who talks nonsense.//    alice In wonderland//


Words: March of Dimes
Meaning:
the   a US  charity organization that collects money for children, especially those with serious mental or physical disabilities//


Words: march-past
Meaning:
n [singular]   when soldiers march past an important person during a ceremony//  --300 war veterans took part in the parade and march-past.//


Words: marcher
Meaning:
n [C]   a member of a group of people that are walking somewhere in order to express their ideas or protest about something//    demonstrator, protester//  --civil rights marchers//


Words: Marciano
Meaning:
Rocky   (1923-69) a US  boxer who was world  heavyweight champion from 1952 to 1956. He gave up boxing in 1956, and is the only world heavyweight champion who was never defeated.//


Words: Marconi
Meaning:
Guglielmo   (1874-1937) an Italian electrical engineer who most people think of as the inventor of radio. He invented the method of sending radio signals called ’wireless telegraphy’. Before this, it had only been possible to send messages along wires. He won the  Nobel prize for physics in 1909.//


Words: Marcuse
Meaning:
Herbert   (1898-1979) a US  philosopher and writer on politics, born in Germany, who was especially popular in the 1960s. He wrote about the bad effects on people of modern economic ideas, industry, and science.//


Words: Mardi Gras
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: ’fat Tuesday’]//  the day before Lent begins, or the music, dancing etc that happen on this day in some countries//


Words: mare
Meaning:
n [C]   [Language: Old English; Origin: mere]//\n  1 a female horse or donkey:    stallion, filly//\n  2  mare’s nest:  a) a discovery that seems important but is actually of no value//  b) a confused situation or a very untidy place//


Words: margarine
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: Greek margaron  ’pearl’]//  a yellow substance similar to butter but made from vegetable or animal fats, which you eat with bread or use for cooking//


Words: margarita
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1900-2000; Language: Mexican Spanish; Origin: , probably from the female name  Margarita]//  an alcoholic drink made with tequila and lemon or lime juice//


Words: Margate
Meaning:
a town with a large beach on the northern coast of Kent in southeast England. People used to think of it as a typical place where  working class people went for their holidays.//


Words: margin
Meaning:
W3S3   n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin; Origin: margo  ’border’]//\n  1 the empty space at the side of a page:  --Someone had scribbled a note in the margin .//  --Use double spacing and wide margins to leave room for comments.//\n  2 the difference in the number of votes, points etc that exists between the winners and the losers of a competition or election:  by a wide/narrow/significant etc margin //  --They’re a world-class team and it was no surprise that they won by such a wide margin.//  by a margin of 10 points/100 votes etc //  --The bill was approved by a margin of 55 votes.//\n  3 the difference between what it costs a business to buy or produce something and what they sell it for:  --Margins are low and many companies are struggling.//  --Within 10 years they had a gross profit margin of 50%.//\n  4 [usually singular] an additional amount of something such as time, money, or space that you include in order to make sure that you are successful in achieving something:  --It’ll take about 30 minutes to dry but I’d allow a safety margin of, say, another 10 minutes.//\n  5  margin of error:  the degree to which a calculation might or can be wrong//  --The survey has a margin of error of 2.1%.//\n  6  margin for error:  how many mistakes you can make and still be able to achieve something//  --At this late stage in the competition there is absolutely no margin for error.//\n  7  technical  or  literary the edge of something, especially an area of land or water:  --the western margin of southern Africa//\n  8  on the margin(s):  a person on the margins of a situation or group has very little power, importance or influence//   on the fringes//  --unemployed youths living on the margins of society //


Words: marginal
Meaning:
adj \n  1 a marginal change or difference is too small to be important:  --a marginal increase in the unemployment figures//  --a marginal improvement in profits//\n  2  technical relating to a change in cost, value etc when one more thing is produced, one more dollar is earned etc:  --marginal revenue//\n  3  marginal seat/constituency:   BrE a seat in a parliament or similar institution, which can be won or lost by a small number of votes//\n  4 marginal people or groups not are considered powerful or important:  → mainstream//  --The album contains too many songs by marginal bands.//\n  5 [only before noun] written in a margin:  --marginal notes//


Words: marginalize
Meaning:
also  marginalise BrE   v [T]   to make a person or a group of people unimportant and powerless in an unfair way//  --Female employees complained of being marginalized by management.//  -- marginalized adj //  -- marginalization/m[hA35A][hA359]d[hA360][hA369]n[hA353]la[hA366]ze[hA366][hA35D][hA368]n $ m[hA35A][hA359]rd[hA360][hA369]n[hA353]l[hA353]-/ n  [U] //


Words: marginally
Meaning:
adv   not enough to make an important difference//   slightly//  --Gina’s grades have improved marginally since last term.//  --The new system is only marginally more efficient than the old one.//


Words: mariachi
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1900-2000; Language: Mexican Spanish; Origin: mariachi,  mariache  ’street singer’]//  a kind of Mexican dance music//


Words: Mariana Trench
Meaning:
the Mariana Trench//  the deepest part of the Earth’s surface, which is near the Mariana Islands in the northwest Pacific Ocean//


Words: Marie Antoinette
Meaning:
(1755-93) the Queen of France from 1774 to 1792 and the wife of  Louis XVI. She became unpopular because she did not seem to care about the poor citizens of France, and when she was told that they did not have enough bread to eat, she is supposed to have said, "Let them eat cake". She and Louis XVI were put in prison during the  French Revolution, and were killed by having their heads cut off by the  guillotine.//


Words: Marie Celeste
Meaning:
the   a sailing ship that was found in the Atlantic Ocean in 1872, with no one on it. The ship was undamaged, and a table was prepared for a meal. No one knows why the sailors left the ship, or what happened to them.//


Words: Marie Claire
Meaning:
trademark   a British monthly magazine for young women which contains articles on fashion, health etc//


Words: marigold
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin: Mary, mother of Jesus +  gold]//  a plant with yellow or orange flowers//


Words: marijuana
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Mexican Spanish; Origin: mariguana,  marihuana]//  an illegal drug smoked like a cigarette, made from the dried leaves of the hemp plant//   cannabis//


Words: marina
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Italian; Origin:  and  Spanish,  ’seashore’, from  Latin marinus;   MARINE]//  a small port or area of water where people keep boats that are used for pleasure//


Words: marinade
Meaning:
n [U and C]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: French; Origin: Spanish marinada, from  marinar  ’to preserve in salt’, from  Latin marinus;   MARINE]//  a mixture of oil and spices in which meat or fish is put for a time before cooking//


Words: marinate
Meaning:
[I and T]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Italian; Origin: , past participle of  marinare  ’to preserve in salt’, from  Latin marinus;   MARINE]//  to put meat or fish in a marinade, or to be left in a marinade for some time//  marinate (sth) in sth//  --fish marinated in olive oil, garlic and vinegar//


Words: Marine
Meaning:
n [C]   a soldier who serves on a ship, especially a member of the Royal Marines or the US Marine Corps//


Words: marine
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin; Origin: marinus, from  mare  ’sea’]//\n  1 relating to the sea and the creatures that live there:  --the enormous variety of marine life //  --the effects of oil pollution on marine mammals //  --marine biology//\n  2 relating to ships or the navy:   maritime//


Words: Marine Corps
Meaning:
n   the Marine Corps//  one of the main parts of the US armed forces, consisting of soldiers who serve on ships//


Words: marionette
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: marionnette, from the female name  Marion, from  Marie  ’Mary’]//  a puppet whose arms and legs are moved by pulling strings//


Words: Maris
Meaning:
Roger   (1934-85) a US  baseball player who played for the New York Yankees team and is famous for hitting 61  home runs in 1961, which broke the record of Babe  Ruth. //


Words: marital
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Latin; Origin: maritalis, from  maritus  ’husband’]//  relating to marriage//  --marital problems//  --the increase in marital breakdown//  marital bliss (=the state of being very happily married - used humorously) //


Words: marital status
Meaning:
n [U]   whether someone is married - used especially on official forms//  --Marital status: married/single/divorced//  --questions about age, sex and marital status//


Words: maritime
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: maritimus, from  mare  ’sea’]//\n  1 relating to the sea or ships:   marine//  --San Francisco has lost nearly all of its maritime industry.//\n  2 near the sea:  --the Canadian maritime provinces//


Words: marjoram
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin: majorane  ’marjoram’ (14-17 centuries), from  Old French, from  Latin majorana]//  a herb that smells sweet and is used in cooking//


Words: Mark
Meaning:
Saint   one of Jesus Christ’s  disciples (=his close friends and followers) . According to Bible stories, he wrote  The Gospel according to St Mark, which describes the life and teaching of Jesus.//


Words: mark
Meaning:
W2S3   n [C]   ----------//\n   1 dirt:\n   2 damaged area:\n   3 coloured area:\n   4 writing:\n   5 level/number:\n   6 student’s work:\n   7 full/top marks for effort/trying/persistence etc:\n   8 high/low mark:\n   9 make/leave your mark:\n  10 leave/make its mark on somebody/something:\n  11 off the mark/wide of the mark:\n  12 be a mark of something:\n  13 a mark of respect/honour/affection etc:\n  14 Mark 2/6 etc:\n  14 mark 2/6 etc:\n  15 hit/miss the mark:\n  16 be quick/slow/first etc off the mark:\n  17 not up to the mark:\n  18 the halfway mark:\n  19 bear the mark of something:\n  20 on your mark(s), get set, go!:\n  21 money:\n  22 signature:  ----------//  [Sense: 1-20, 22; Origin: Old English mearc  ’border, edge, sign’]//  [Sense: 21; Date: 1800-1900; Language: German]//\n  1 DIRT:  a spot or dirty area on something that spoils its appearance//  --I can’t get these marks out of my T-shirt.//  --His feet left dirty marks all over the floor.//  --Police said the skid marks  (=marks left by a car’s tyres) were over 30 feet long.//\n  2 DAMAGED AREA:  a cut, hole, or other small sign of damage//  burn/scratch/bite etc mark //  --a burn mark on the kitchen table//  --There were scratch marks all over the victim’s body.//\n  3 COLOURED AREA:  a small area of darker or lighter colour on a plain surface such as a person’s skin or an animal’s fur//  --The kitten is mainly white with black marks on her back.//    birthmark//\n  4 WRITING:  a shape or sign that is written or printed//  --What do those strange marks at the top mean?//  -- Make a mark at the bottom of the page.//\n  5 LEVEL/NUMBER:  a particular level, number, amount etc//  pass/reach/approach etc the ... mark //  --The temperature is not expected to reach the 20 degree mark in the next few days.//  --In 1976 unemployment in Britain passed the one million mark.//\n  6 STUDENT’S WORK:   especially BrE a letter or number given by a teacher to show how good a student’s work is//  American Equivalent:  grade//  good/high mark //  --The highest mark was a B+.//  --Her marks have been a lot lower this term.//  --She always gets good marks .//  pass mark (=the mark you need in order to pass an exam) //  --The pass mark was 75%.//  full/top marks (=the highest possible mark) //\n  7  full/top marks for effort/trying/persistence etc:   BrE  spoken used to praise someone for trying hard to do something, even though they did not succeed//  --I have to give you top marks for determination.//\n  8  high/low mark:  approval or disapproval of something or of the way someone has done something//  --Parents gave the kit high marks .//  --his low marks as transportation chief//\n  9  make/leave your mark:  to become successful or famous//  --It took Hughes only two games to make his mark.//  make/leave your mark as//  --Dorsey made his mark as a pianist in the 1920s.//  make/leave your mark on/in//  --Cobb has left his mark on baseball history.//\n  10  leave/make its mark on sb/sth:  to affect someone or something so that they change in a permanent or very noticeable way//  --Singers like Franklin and Redding helped gospel music make its mark on popular culture.//  --Growing up during the war had left its mark on her.//\n  11  off the mark/wide of the mark:  not correct//   inaccurate//  --Our cost estimate was way off the mark .//\n  12  be a mark of sth:  to show that someone or something is a particular thing, has a particular quality etc//   be a sign of something//  --The ability to perform well under pressure is the mark of a true champion.//\n  13  a mark of respect/honour/affection etc:  something that happens or is done to show respect, honour etc//  a mark of respect/honour/affection etc for//  --The plaque awarded to Grant is a mark of recognition for his years of service.//  --There was a two-minute silence as a mark of respect for the dead.//\n  14  Mark 2/6 etc:   also  mark 2/6 etc//  a)  especially BrE a particular type or model of a car, machine etc//  --an old Mark 2 Ford Cortina//  b) a measurement used in Britain for the temperature of a gas oven//  --Cook for 40 minutes at gas mark 6.//\n  15  hit/miss the mark:  a) to hit or miss the thing that you were shooting at//  b) to succeed or fail to have the effect you wanted//  --Although it contains a certain amount of truth, this theory ultimately misses the mark.//\n  16  be quick/slow/first etc off the mark:   informal to be quick, slow, first etc to understand things or react to situations//  --You’ll have to be quick off the mark if you want to find a job around here.//\n  17  not up to the mark:   BrE //  a) not good enough//  --Her work just isn’t up to the mark.//  b)  old-fashioned not well and healthy//  --I’m not feeling quite up to the mark today.//\n  18  the halfway mark:  the point in a race, journey, or event that is half way between the start and the finish//\n  19  bear the mark of sth:  a) to show the physical signs of something which happened in the past//  --His face bore the marks of many missions.//  b) if something bears the mark of something or someone, it has signs that show who or what made it or influenced it//  --His speech bore all the marks of his military background.//\n  20  on your mark(s), get set, go!:   spoken said in order to start a race//\n  21 MONEY:  the standard unit of money used in Germany before the euro//\n  22 SIGNATURE:   old use a sign in the form of a cross, used by someone who is not able to write their name//    exclamation mark//    overstep the mark at overstep(2),  punctuation mark,  question mark,  speech marks//  ----------//  HINT //  Do not use mark when you mean a particular type of product. Use make or brand: an expensive make of camera| a well-known brand of toothpaste //  ----------//\nmark 2 W2S3 v   ----------//\n   1 write on something:\n   2 damage:\n   3 celebrate:\n   4 show position:\n   5 year/month/week:\n   6 show a change:\n   7 quality/feature:\n   8 student’s work:\n   9 sport:\n  10 be marking time:\n  11 mark time:\n  12 (you) mark my words!:\n  13 mark you:  Phrasal verbs//   mark somebody/something → down//   mark somebody/something down as something//   mark somebody/something → off//   mark somebody/something → out//   mark something → up//  ----------//  [Language: Old English; Origin: mearcian]//\n  1 WRITE ON SOMETHING:   [T] to write or draw on something, so that someone will notice what you have written//  --I’ve marked the pages you need to look at.//  mark sth with sth//  --When you’re done, put your sheet in the envelope marked with your name.//  mark sth on sth//  --Peter marked his name on the first page.//  mark sth personal/fragile/urgent etc //  --a document marked ’confidential’//  mark sb present/absent (=write on an official list that someone is there or not there, especially in school) //  --Any student who is more than 20 minutes late for class will be marked absent.//  --All school uniform should be clearly marked with the child’s name.//\n  2 DAMAGE:   [I and T] to make a mark on something in a way that spoils its appearance or damages it, or to become spoiled in this way//  --Take off your shoes so you don’t mark the floor.//  --The disease had marked her face for life.//  --The table marks easily, so please be careful.//\n  3 CELEBRATE:   [T] to celebrate an important event//  --celebrations to mark Australia Day//  mark sth with sth//  --Carter’s 90th birthday will be marked with a large party at the Savoy Hotel.//  --Mrs Lawson was presented with a gold watch to mark the occasion .//\n  4 SHOW POSITION:   [T] to show where something is//  --A simple wooden cross marked her grave.//  --He had marked the route on the map in red.//  mark sth with sth//  --Troop positions were marked with colored pins.//  --She placed a bookmark between the pages to mark her place .//\n  5 YEAR/MONTH/WEEK:   [T] if a particular year, month, or week marks an important event, the event happened on that date during a previous year//  --This week marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Joseph Priestley.//\n  6 SHOW A CHANGE:   [T] to be a sign of an important change or an important stage in the development of something//  --Her latest novel marks a turning point in her development as a writer.//  --The move seemed to mark a major change in government policy.//  --These elections mark the end of an era.//\n  7 QUALITY/FEATURE:   [T usually passive] if something is marked by a particular quality or feature, it is a typical or important part of that thing//   characterize//  --The villages of East Anglia are marked by beautiful churches with fine towers.//\n  8 STUDENT’S WORK:   [T]  especially BrE to read a piece of written work and put a number or letter on it to show how good it is//  American Equivalent:  grade//  --I’ve got a pile of exam papers to mark.//\n  9 SPORT:   [T]  especially BrE to stay close to a player of the opposite team during a game//  American Equivalent:  guard//\n  10  be marking time:  to spend time not doing very much except waiting for something else to happen//  --I was just marking time until a better job came up.//\n  11  mark time:  if soldiers mark time, they move their legs as if they were marching, but remain in the same place//\n  12  (you) mark my words!:   spoken used to tell someone that they should pay attention to what you are saying//  --They’re going to regret firing me, you mark my words.//\n  13  mark you:   BrE  old-fashioned used to emphasize something you say//   mind you//  --Her uncle’s just given her a car - given, mark you, not lent.//    marked//  mark down [mark sb/sth → down] phr v//\n  1 to write something down, especially in order to keep a record:  --Mark down everything you eat on your daily chart.//  mark sb/sth down as sth//  --The teacher marked him down as absent.//\n  2 to reduce the price of something:  → mark up//    markdown//  --Winter coats have been marked down from $80 to $50.//\n  3  especially BrE to give a student a lower result in a test, paper etc because they have made mistakes:  --Students will be marked down for failing to follow directions.//  mark down as [mark sb/sth down as sth] phr v//   BrE to consider someone or something to be a particular type of person or thing//  --When I first saw Gilbert play I marked him down as a future England player.//  mark off [mark sb/sth → off] phr v//\n  1 to make an area separate by drawing a line around it, putting a rope around it etc:  --The competitors’ arena had been marked off with cones.//\n  2 to make a mark on a list to show that something has been done or completed:   tick off, check off//  --Mark off each of the names on the list as I call them out.//\n  3  BrE to make something or someone different from other things or people of a similar type:   distinguish//  mark somebody/something → off from//  --Sara’s natural flair for languages marked her off from the other students.//  mark out [mark sb/sth → out] phr v//\n  1 to show the shape or position of something by drawing lines around it:  --A volleyball court had been marked out on the grass.//\n  2  BrE to make someone or something seem very different from or better than other similar people or things:  mark sb/sth out as sth//  --His stunning victory marked him out as the very best horse of his era.//  mark sb out for sth//  --She seemed marked out for success.//  mark up [mark sth → up] phr v//\n  1 to increase the price of something, so that you sell it for more than you paid for it:  → mark down//  --Compact discs may be marked up as much as 80%.//    mark-up//\n  2 to write notes or instructions for changes on a piece of writing, music etc:  --I have to mark up the pages and send them back to the printer.//


Words: mark-up
Meaning:
BrE  markup AmE   n [C]   an increase in the price of something, especially from the price a shop pays for something to the price it sells it for//    mark up//  --The retailer’s mark-up is 50%.//


Words: marked
Meaning:
W3   adj \n  1 [only before noun] very easy to notice:   noticeable//  --a marked lack of enthusiasm//  --The patient showed a marked improvement in her condition after changing medication.//  --Miller’s organized desk stood in marked contrast to the rest of the office.//\n  2  marked man/woman:  a person who is in danger because someone wants to harm them//  -- markedly/m[hA35A][hA359]k[hA369]dli $ m[hA35A][hA359]r-/ adv //  --Johnson and Rivera have markedly different leadership styles.//


Words: marker
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 an object, sign etc that shows the position of something:  --He buried the bodies in a single grave with a wooden cross as a marker.//\n  2 something which shows that a quality or feature exists or is present:   mark//  marker of/for//  --antibodies which are a marker of hepatitis//  --the use of slang as a marker of social identity//\n  3  also marker pen  BrE :  a large pen with a thick point made of felt, used for marking or drawing things//    Magic Marker//\n  4  put/lay/set down a marker:   BrE to say or do something that clearly shows what you will do in the future//


Words: market
Meaning:
n   ----------//\n   1 place to buy things:\n   2 the market:\n   3 on the market:\n   4 country/area:\n   5 people who buy:\n   6 be in the market for something:\n   7 the job/labour market:\n   8 a buyer’s/seller’s market:  ----------//  [Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old North French; Origin: Latin mercatus  ’buying and selling, marketplace’, from  mercari  ’to buy and sell’, from  merx  ’things to sell’]//\n  1 PLACE TO BUY THINGS:   [C] //  a) a time when people buy and sell goods, food etc, or the place, usually outside or in a large building, where this happens//  --I usually buy all my vegetables at the market.//  fish/fruit and vegetable/flower etc market //  --There’s a good antiques market here on Sundays.//  street market (=with a lot of different people selling things from tables,  stall s  etc in the street ) //  b)  AmE a shop that sells food and things for the home//   grocery store//\n  2  the market:  a) the stock market//  --Most analysts are forecasting a further downturn in the market.//  --As soon as she graduated from college, she started to play the market  (=risk money on the stock market) .//  -- The markets  (=all the stock markets in the world) are better prepared for a weakening economy than they were ten years ago.//  b) the total amount of trade in a particular kind of goods//  --Honda is trying to increase its market share .//  --the state of the art market//  the housing/property etc market //  --Investors in the property market are worried about rising inflation.//  the market in//  --the world market in aluminum//    bear market,  bull market//  c) the system in which all prices and wages depend on what goods people want to buy, how many they buy etc//  --The president believes prices should be determined by the market, not the government.//    free market//\n  3  on the market:  available for people to buy//  --The manufacturers say the device will be on the market by May.//  --Handguns are freely available on the open market  (=for anyone to buy) .//  --They knew it wasn’t a good time to sell their house, but they still put it on the market  (=offered it for sale) .//  --a revolutionary new drug that has just come onto the market //\n  4 COUNTRY/AREA:   [C] a particular country or area where a company sells its goods or where a particular type of goods is sold//  --Our main overseas market is Japan.//  international/home/UK etc market //  --The domestic market makes up about 75% of their sales.//  market for//  --The world’s largest market for illegal drugs is the United States.//\n  5 PEOPLE WHO BUY:   [singular] the number of people who want to buy something, or the type of people who want to buy it//  market for//  --The market for specialist academic books is pretty small.//  --He’s been trying to determine if there is a market for his invention.//  niche/specialist market //\n  6  be in the market for sth:  to be interested in buying something//  --This is a bad time to be in the market for a new car.//\n  7  the job/labour market:  the people looking for work, and the number of jobs that are available//  --The job market has been badly hit by the recession.//\n  8  a buyer’s/seller’s market:  a time that is better for buyers because prices are low, or better for sellers because prices are high//  --I’ll look for a house next year when it’s more of a buyer’s market.//    corner the market at corner2 (3)//    price yourself out of the market at price2 (4)//  ----------//  HINT sense 3 //  Do not say ’in the market’. Say on the market. //  ----------//\nmarket 2 v [T] \n  1 to try to persuade people to buy a product by advertising it in a particular way, using attractive packages etc:  --If you could ever figure out how to market this you’d make a fortune.//  market sth for sb//  --They plan to market the toy for children aged 2 to 6.//  market sth as sth//  --Electric cars are being marketed as safe for the environment.//\n  2 to make a product available in shops:  --The turkeys are marketed ready-to-cook.//


Words: market economy
Meaning:
n [C]   an economic system in which companies are not controlled by the government but decide what they want to produce or sell, based on what they believe they can make a profit from//


Words: market forces
Meaning:
n [plural]   the way that the behaviour of buyers and sellers affects the levels of prices and wages, without any influence from the government//


Words: market garden
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE   an area of land where vegetables and fruit are grown so that they can be sold//  American Equivalent:  truck farm//  -- market gardener n  [C] //


Words: market leader
Meaning:
n [C]   the company that sells the most of a particular type of product, or the product that is the most successful one of its type//  --the UK market leader in sports shoes//


Words: market research
Meaning:
n [U]   a business activity which involves collecting information about what goods people buy and why they buy them//  --They had to conduct market research, then advertise the product.//


Words: market value
Meaning:
n [U and C] \n  1 the value of a product, building etc based on the price that people are willing to pay for it, rather than the cost of producing it or building it:\n  2 the total value of all the shares on a stock market, or the value of a particular company’s shares:


Words: market-driven
Meaning:
adj   market-driven activities, products, developments etc are a result of public demand for a particular product, service, or skill//  --a market-driven economy//


Words: marketable
Meaning:
adj   marketable goods, skills etc can be sold easily because people want them//  --The program is designed to provide students with real, marketable skills.//  -- marketability/m[hA35A][hA359]k[hA369]t[hA353]b[hA366]l[hA369]ti $ m[hA35A][hA359]r-/ n  [U] //


Words: marketing
Meaning:
W3S3   n [U]   the activity of deciding how to advertise a product, what price to charge for it etc, or the type of job in which you do this//  --a clever marketing ploy//  --Company sales improved dramatically following a $2 million marketing campaign.//  --a career in sales and marketing //  --Cushman is director of marketing for a chain of Italian restaurants.//  --You should contact the company’s UK marketing manager.//


Words: marketmaker
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE  technical   an organization such as a bank or a broker who keeps a supply of stocks and shares available for people who want to buy them//


Words: marketplace
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1  the marketplace:  the part of business activity that is concerned with buying and selling goods in competition with other companies//  --Some retailers worry that new regulations will hurt their ability to compete in the marketplace.//\n  2 an open area in a town where a market is held:


Words: marking
Meaning:
n \n  1 [C usually plural, U] things painted or written on something, especially something such as an aircraft, road, vehicle etc:  --The marking on the road is unclear.//  --There were strange markings on the walls of the cave.//\n  2 [C usually plural, U] the coloured patterns and shapes on an animal’s fur, on leaves etc:  --This particular dolphin is noted for its distinctive black and white markings.//  --the vivid markings of the angelfish//\n  3 [U]  especially BrE the activity of checking students’ written work:  American Equivalent:  grading//  --I have to do a lot of marking tonight.//  --the setting and marking of exams//


Words: markka
Meaning:
n   plural  markkaa /-k[hA35A][hA359]/ [C] //  [Date: 1900-2000; Language: Finnish; Origin: Swedish mark]//  the standard unit of money used in Finland before the Euro//


Words: marl
Meaning:
n [U] \n  1 soil consisting of lime and clay:\n  2 cloth which has pale threads running through another colour:  --a jacket available in black or grey marl//


Words: Marlborough
Meaning:
a town in Wiltshire, southwest England, where there is a famous  public school (=a school that is paid for by the parents and not by the government) , Marlborough College.//


Words: Marley
Meaning:
Bob   (1945-81) a Jamaican singer and songwriter who, with his group The Wailers, helped to make  reggae music popular. He was a  rastafarian, and wore his hair in  dreadlocks. His songs, which include  No Woman, No Cry and  Redemption Song, often have a political message.//


Words: Marley’s Ghost
Meaning:
the spirit of Jacob Marley, who is the dead business partner of  Scrooge in the book  A Christmas Carol (1843) by Charles  Dickens. He appears to Scrooge on Christmas Eve, and tells him that he will be visited by three spirits.//


Words: marlin
Meaning:
n   plural  marlin  [C] //  [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: marlinspike  ’pointed metal tool for separating the threads of rope’ (17-21 centuries); because of its long sharp nose]//  a large sea fish with a long sharp nose, which people hunt for sport//


Words: Marlowe
Meaning:
Christopher   (1564-93) an English poet and writer of plays, whose most famous plays are  Dr Faustus,  Edward II, and  Tamburlaine the Great. Many people think he influenced the work of Shakespeare. He was killed in a fight in a  tavern.//\n Philip   a private detective (=someone who is employed to look for information or missing people)  in stories written by the US writer Raymond  Chandler. Marlowe is a tough and determined character who does not often show his feelings, but he is honest and believes in justice.//


Words: marmalade
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Portuguese; Origin: marmelada  ’jam made from quinces’, from  marmelo  ’quince’]//  a jam made from fruit such as oranges, lemons or grapefruit, usually eaten at breakfast//


Words: Marmite
Meaning:
trademark   a type of soft, dark brown substance with a strong salty taste, which is a  yeast extract. It is usually spread on bread in small quantities, but it can also be used to give taste to soups. It is a typically British food, sold in a round brown glass container. There is a similar product sold in Australia called  Vegemite.//


Words: marmoset
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: marmouset  ’strangely ugly figure’]//  a type of small monkey with long hair and large eyes that lives in Central and South America//


Words: marmot
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: marmotte]//  a small European or American animal with fur and short front legs which lives under the ground//


Words: Maronite
Meaning:
n [C]   a member of a Christian religious group, connected with the Roman Catholic Church, who live mainly in Lebanon//


Words: maroon
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: French; Origin: marron  ’chestnut’]//  a dark brownish red colour//  -- maroon adj //\nmaroon 2 v [T usually passive]   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin: maroon  ’runaway black slave’ (17-19 centuries), from  American Spanish cimarron, from  cimarron  ’wild’]//  to be left in a place where there are no other people and where you cannot escape//  --The car broke down and left us marooned in the middle of nowhere.//


Words: Marple
Meaning:
Miss Jane   a character in crime novels by Agatha  Christie. Miss Marple is a very nice polite old English lady who is also clever at discovering criminals, especially murderers.//


Words: marque
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE   [Date: 1900-2000; Language: French]//  the well-known name of a type of car or other product, especially an expensive one//  --the prestigious Ferrari marque//


Words: marquee
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: marquise  ’wife of a marquis’]//\n  1  BrE a large tent at an outdoor event or large party, used especially for eating or drinking in:\n  2  AmE a large sign above the door of a theatre or cinema which covers the entrance and gives the name of the play or film:\n  3  AmE  marquee player, actor etc:  someone who people want to see because they are good or famous//


Words: marquetry
Meaning:
n [U]   a pattern made of coloured pieces of wood laid together, or the art of making these patterns//


Words: Marquette
Meaning:
Jacques   (1637-75) a French  missionary (=someone who goes to a foreign country to teach people about Christianity)  and  explorer in North America. He and Louis  Joliet were the first Europeans to discover the  Mississippi River.//


Words: marquis
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: French; Origin: marche  ’border area’]//  a man who, in the British system of noble titles, has a rank between duke and earl//  --the Marquis of Bath//


Words: Marrakesh
Meaning:
Marrakech  a city in western Morocco that is popular with tourists and famous for producing  carpets and leather goods.//


Words: marriage
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: French; Origin: mariage, from  marier;   MARRY]//\n  1 [U and C] the relationship between two people who are married, or the state of being married:  --She has three daughters from a previous marriage.//  --One in three marriages ends in divorce.//  marriage to//  --his marriage to Marilyn Monroe//  marriage between//  --In Denmark they have legalized marriage between gay couples.//  --They have a very  happy marriage .//  --children of  mixed marriages //  --Women were often forced into  arranged marriages .//  --She felt trapped in a  loveless marriage .//  --She moved to London after  the break-up of her marriage .//  --My parents disapprove of  sex before marriage .//  --More than half of all births in the region are outside marriage .//\n  2 [C] the ceremony in which two people get married:   wedding//  --The marriage took place at St Bartholomew’s church.//\n  3  by marriage:  if you are related to someone by marriage, they are married to someone in your family, or you are married to someone in theirs//  --her cousin by marriage//  ----------//  COLLOCATES for sense 1 //  happy/unhappy marriage //  mixed marriage  (=between people of different races or religions) //  arranged marriage  (=your parents choose the person who you marry) //  loveless marriage //  a marriage breaks down (=it ends because of disagreements) //  the breakdown/break-up of your marriage (=the end of your marriage) //  sex before marriage/outside marriage //  be born outside marriage (=be born when your parents are not married) //  propose marriage  formal  (=ask someone to marry you) //  consummate a marriage  (=make your marriage complete by having sex) //  annul a marriage formal (=a court or church leader officially ends a marriage) //  ----------//


Words: marriage guidance
Meaning:
n [U]  BrE marriage counseling  AmE   advice given to people who are having difficulties in their marriage//


Words: marriage licence
Meaning:
BrE  marriage license AmE  n [C]   an official written document saying that two people are allowed to get married//


Words: marriage of convenience
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 an agreement between two or more countries, businesses, or people that is only made for political or economic reasons:\n  2 a marriage for political or economic reasons, not for love:


Words: Marriage of Figaro
Meaning:
The   (1786) a humorous opera by  Mozart with words by Lorenzo  Da Ponte, which is based on the play  The Marriage of Figaro by the French writer Beaumarchais//


Words: married
Meaning:
adj \n  1 having a husband or a wife:  --Are you married or single?//  --They’ve been married for eight years.//  --Married men earn 70 percent more than single men.//  married to//  --Nicole is married to my brother.//  --We’re getting married  (=marrying) next month.//  married couple/man/woman //  --a happily married man//  --When she first came to London, she was newly married and out of work.//  --So, how do you like married life ?//\n  2  be married to sth:  to give most of your time and attention to a job or activity//  --I was married to my job.//  ----------//  HINT sense 1 //  Do not say ’be married with’ someone or ’get married with’ someone. Say be married to someone or get married to someone. //  WORD FOCUS: married //  single not married //  divorced if you are divorced, you have officially ended your marriage to someone //  engaged if you are engaged to be married, you have formally agreed to marry someone in the future //  widowed if you are widowed, your husband or wife has died  //  be living together to be living as a couple in the same house without being married //  spouse (formal) the person you are married to //  partner your husband, wife, boyfriend, or girlfriend //  marital status whether you are single or married - used on official forms //  ----------//


Words: marrow
Meaning:
n   [Language: Old English; Origin: mearg]//\n  1 [U] the soft fatty substance in the hollow centre of bones:   bone marrow//  --a bone marrow transplant//\n  2 [U and C]  BrE a large long dark green vegetable that grows on the ground:\n  3  chilled/frozen/shocked etc to the marrow:   BrE  literary very cold, shocked etc//


Words: marry
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  married present participle  marrying third person singular  marries //  [Date: 1200-1300; Language: French; Origin: marier, from  Latin maritare, from  maritus  ’husband’]//\n  1 [I and T] if you marry someone, you become their husband or wife:    married//  --He married Bea in 1925.//  --I’m going to ask her to marry me on St Valentine’s Day.//  --She married young  (=at a young age) , and was divorced when her children were tiny.//  --People in higher social classes are more likely to marry late  (=when they are older than is usual) .//  --Sophia had, in a sense, married beneath her  (=married someone of a lower social class than her) .//\n  2 [T] to perform the ceremony at which two people get married:  --The priest who married us was really nice.//\n  3 [T] to find a husband or wife for one of your children:  marry sb to sb//  --She was determined to marry all of her daughters to rich men.//\n  4  also marry up :   [T]  formal to combine two different ideas, designs, tastes etc together//  marry sth with/to sth//  --The building’s design marries a traditional style with modern materials.//  marry sth and sth//  --He writes fiction that marries up realism and the supernatural.//\n  5  not the marrying kind:  not the type of person who wants to get married//  --I’m just not the marrying kind.//  marry into [marry into sth] phr v//  to join a family or social group by marrying someone who belongs to it//  --She married into a very wealthy family.//  marry off [marry sb → off] phr v//  to find a husband or wife for someone - used in order to show disapproval//  marry somebody → off to//  --They married her off to the first young man who came along.//  ----------//  HINT sense 1 //  In spoken English, get married is more common than marry . //  WORD FOCUS: marry //  wedding the ceremony at which people get married //  bride the woman who is getting married //  bridegroom/groom the man who is getting married //  the best man a friend of the groom, who helps him and gives a speech //  bridesmaid a woman or girl who helps the bride //  matron of honour (BrE) honor (AmE) a married woman who helps the bride on her wedding day //  reception the meal after the wedding //  honeymoon the holiday that people go on after they get married //  hen night (BrE) bridal shower (AmE) a party before the wedding for the bride //  stag night (BrE) bachelor party (AmE) a party before the wedding for the groom //  propose to ask someone to marry you //  get engaged to formally agree to marry each other //  See also:  engagement, divorce//  ----------//


Words: Mars
Meaning:
n   the small red planet that is fourth in order from the sun and is nearest the Earth//    Martian//  --the enormous volcanoes known to exist on Mars//


Words: Marseillaise
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: ’of Marseilles, city on the south coast of France’; because the song was popular among soldiers based in Marseilles]//  the Marseillaise//  the national song of France//


Words: Marseilles
Meaning:
the second largest city in France, in the south of the country on the Mediterranean coast. It is an important port and industrial centre. Its correct French name is Marseille.//


Words: marsh
Meaning:
n [U and C]   [Language: Old English; Origin: merisc,  mersc]//  an area of low flat ground that is always wet and soft//    bog, swamp//  -- marshy adj //  --The crane lives in marshy habitats.//


Words: marshal
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: mareschal]//\n  1 an officer of the highest rank in the army or air force of some countries:  --Marshal Zhukov//  --the Marshal of the Royal Airforce//\n  2 an official in charge of an important public event or ceremony:  --Heston has been named grand marshal of the parade.//\n  3 a person who controls crowds, traffic etc at a sports event or other public event:  --I could see a marshal on the finish line waving a yellow flag.//\n  4  federal/US marshal:   AmE a police officer employed by the national government to make sure people do what a court order says they must do//\n  5  AmE the officer in charge of a fire department:\nmarshal 2   past tense and past participle  marshalled present participle  marshalling  BrE //  past tense and past participle  marshaled present participle  marshaling  AmE  v [T] //\n  1 to organize your thoughts, ideas etc so that they are clear, effective, or easy to understand:  marshal your thoughts/arguments etc //  --Briggs paused for a moment as if to marshal his thoughts.//\n  2 to organize all the people or things that you need in order to be ready for a battle, election etc:  --The general marshalled his forces for a major offensive.//  --Senator Bryant attempted to marshal support for the measure.//\n  3 to control or organize a large group:  --Gently, Ginny marshalled her guests in a better position.//


Words: Marshall
Meaning:
Thurgood   (1908-93) a US lawyer who became the first black member of the Supreme Court in 1967. When he was a lawyer he won many important legal cases to help black US citizens get equal rights, such as the case of  Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka.//


Words: Marshall aid
Meaning:
the economic help that was given to Europe by the US government under the Marshall Plan after World War II//


Words: Marshall Islands
Meaning:
a country consisting of two 800-mile-long chains of  coral Atolls in the central Pacific Ocean. Population: 70,822 (2001). Capital: Majuro.//


Words: Marshall Plan
Meaning:
the   a programme established by the US government in 1947 to give economic help to Europe after World War II. It was named after George C. Marshall, who was the US Secretary of State. Thousands of millions of dollars were provided for rebuilding cities, roads, industries etc//


Words: Marshalsea
Meaning:
the   a prison in London in the past, where people were sent when they could not pay their debts. Part of the novel  Little Dorrit by Charles  Dickens is set in this prison.//


Words: marshmallow
Meaning:
n [U and C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: marshmallow type of plant whose root contains a sweet substance once used in candy  (11-21 centuries), from  Old English merscmealwe]//  a very soft light white or pink sweet, made of sugar and egg white//


Words: Marston Moor
Meaning:
Battle of   an important battle near York in 1644 during the English Civil War, which gave Cromwell control of the north of England//


Words: marsupial
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Latin; Origin: marsupium  ’small bag’]//  an animal such as a kangaroo which carries its babies in a pocket of skin on its body//  -- marsupial adj //


Words: mart
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Middle Dutch; Origin: marct,  mart, probably from  Old North French market;   MARKET1]//\n  1  AmE a place where goods are sold - used especially in the names of shops:  --the largest furniture mart in the region//  --K-Mart//\n  2  BrE a market, especially one where animals are sold:


Words: marten
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: martrine  ’marten fur’, from  martre  ’marten’]//  a small animal with a long body and a tail that lives mainly in trees and that eats smaller animals//  --a pine marten//


Words: Martha
Meaning:
in the New Testament of the Bible, a woman who lived with her sister,  Mary. When Jesus visited them, Martha went and prepared food for Jesus and his  disciples, and did not remain with Mary to listen to what he was saying. As a result Martha often represents the type of Christian who works hard to help other people.//


Words: Martha’s Vineyard
Meaning:
an island off the coast of the state of Massachusetts in the northeast of the US, south of Cape Cod. It is popular with writers and artists, and with tourists in the summer.//


Words: martial
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin; Origin: martialis  ’of Mars’, from  Mars Mars, god of war]//  connected with war and fighting//  --martial music//    court martial//


Words: martial art
Meaning:
n [C usually plural]   a sport such as judo or karate, in which you fight with your hands and feet. Martial arts were developed in Eastern Asia//  --a martial arts expert//


Words: martial law
Meaning:
n [U]   a situation in which the army controls an area instead of the police, especially because of fighting against the government//  impose/declare martial law //  --The government may declare martial law in response to the latest violence in the region.//  --In May, martial law was lifted  (=ended) in most areas.//  under martial law//  --According to press reports, the country is now under martial law.//


Words: Martian
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Latin; Origin: martianus  ’of Mars’, from  Mars]//  an imaginary creature from the planet Mars//  -- Martian adj //


Words: martin
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: , from Saint  Martin; probably because the birds fly to a new home around Martinmas (November 11)]//  a small bird like a swallow//


Words: Martin Luther King
Meaning:
(1929-68) a black US religious leader who became the most important leader of the  civil rights movement and worked hard to achieve social changes for black people. He was a great public speaker, and many people remember his famous speech that starts with the words "I have a dream". He encouraged people to try to achieve changes without using violence, and in 1964 he won the  Nobel Peace Prize. In 1968 he was shot and killed in Memphis, Tennessee. In the US there is a national holiday in January to celebrate his birthday.//


Words: Martin Luther King Day
Meaning:
an American holiday on the third Monday in January to remember the day that Martin Luther King Jr. was born//


Words: martinet
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin:  Jean  Martinet (died 1672), French army officer]//   formal someone who is very strict and makes people obey rules exactly//   disciplinarian//  --The woman in charge was a martinet who treated us like children.//


Words: Martini
Meaning:
n [U and C]  trademark   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin:  Probably from  Martini and Rossi, Italian firm that makes vermouth]//  an alcoholic drink made by mixing gin or vodka with vermouth//  --a dry  (=not sweet)  Martini //


Words: Martinique
Meaning:
a mountainous island in the Caribbean Sea, which is a  dependency of France. Population: 400,000 (1995). Capital: Fort-de-France.//


Words: martyr
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 800-900; Language: Late Latin; Origin: Greek martys  ’witness’]//\n  1 someone who dies for their religious or political beliefs and is admired by people for this:  --St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr//  martyr to//  --He was a martyr to the cause of racial harmony.//  --The army has been held back because the government is reluctant to make martyrs of the protesters.//\n  2 someone who tries hard to get other people’s sympathy by complaining about how hard their life is - used to show disapproval:  --I think she rather relishes the role of martyr.//\n  3  be a martyr to sth:   BrE  spoken to suffer a lot because of an illness, problem, or bad situation//  --She’s a martyr to her arthritis.//\nmartyr 2 v [T usually passive]   if someone is martyred, they are killed because of their religious beliefs//  --Becket was martyred in 1170.//  be martyred for sth//  --Catherine was martyred for her faith.//


Words: martyrdom
Meaning:
n [U]   death as a martyr//  --In that year, thousands of Christians suffered martyrdom for their faith.//


Words: martyred
Meaning:
adj   a martyred look/expression/air etc//   especially BrE an unhappy look or expression that is intended to make other people feel sorry for you//  --He did not reply, but got into the car glumly, with a martyred expression.//


Words: marvel
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  marvelled present participle  marvelling  BrE //  past tense and past participle  marveled present participle  marveling  AmE  [I and T] //  to feel or express great surprise or admiration at something, especially someone’s behaviour//  --’The man is a genius,’ marvelled Claire.//  marvel at/over//  --I marvelled at my mother’s ability to remain calm in a crisis.//  --Visitors to Rome marvel over the beauty of the city.//  marvel that//  --I marvelled that anyone could be so stupid.//\nmarvel 2 n [C]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: merveille, from  Late Latin mirabilia  ’things that cause surprise and admiration’, from  Latin mirari  ’to wonder’]//  something or someone that is extremely useful or skilful//   miracle, wonder//  --an engineering marvel//  --I don’t know how he did it - he’s an absolute marvel!//  marvel of//  --the marvels of modern science//


Words: marvellous
Meaning:
S2  BrE  marvelous AmE   adj   extremely good, enjoyable, impressive etc//   wonderful//  --’How was your holiday?’ ’Marvellous!’//  --We had a marvellous time.//  --I can’t stand him, but my wife thinks he’s marvellous.//  -- It’s marvellous what they can do these days.//  -- marvellously adv //


Words: Marx
Meaning:
Karl   (1818-83) a German writer and political  philosopher whose ideas have had an important influence on politics in the 20th century. He established the principles of  communism in  The Communist Manifesto, which he wrote with Friedrich  Engels in 1848.  He wrote his most important book  Das Kapital in London.//


Words: Marx Brothers
Meaning:
the   a US family of actors known for their crazy humour and jokes. Together, they made many humorous films, which are still very popular. The most important members of the family were Groucho (1890-1977), Harpo (1888-1964), who never spoke and played the harp, and Chico (1886-1961), who played the piano. Groucho, who was the most famous, had glasses, a large moustache, and a strange way of walking, and he always carried a thick cigar. The Marx Brothers’ films include Horse Feathers (1932), Duck Soup (1933), and A Night at the Opera (1935).//


Words: Marxism
Meaning:
n [U]   the system of political thinking invented by Karl Marx, which explains changes in history as the result of a struggle between social classes//


Words: Marxism-Leninism
Meaning:
n [U]   the ideas of Marxism as explained and added to by the Russian leader  Lenin, who believed in the "dictatorship of the proletariat" (=when government is controlled by a combination of industrial workers and poor farm workers)  as part of the process of achieving revolution//  -- Marxist-Leninist n  adj //


Words: Marxist
Meaning:
adj   relating to or based on Marxism//  --a Marxist perspective//\nMarxist 2 n [C]   someone who agrees with Marxism//\nMary 1    also the Virgin Mary //  Our Lady //  in the Christian religion, the mother of Jesus Christ, and the most important of all the saintS. She was the wife of Joseph, but Christians believe she was a virgin (=someone who has never had sex) , at the time of Jesus’s birth, because the father of Jesus is not a human being, but God. Christians, especially Roman CatholicS often pray to her to ask for help.//\nMary 2   in the New Testament of the Bible, a woman who lived with her sister,  Martha. When Jesus visited them, Mary remained to listen to what he was saying while Martha went and prepared food for him and his  discipleS. As a result Mary often represents the type of Christian who spends their life thinking deeply about religious matters.//


Words: Mary
Meaning:
Mary, Quite Contrary   a  nursery rhyme (=an old song or poem for young children) . The rhyme goes: Mary, Mary, quite contrary,/How does your garden grow?/With silver bells and cockle shells,/And pretty maids all in a row.//


Words: Mary had a Little Lamb
Meaning:
a  nursery rhyme (=an old song or poem for young children) . The rhyme begins: Mary had a little lamb,/Its fleece was white as snow;/And everywhere that Mary went/The lamb was sure to go.//


Words: Mary I
Meaning:
Queen  also Mary Tudor   (1516-1558) the queen of England from 1553 until her death. She was the daughter of  Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, and she married the king of Spain, Philip II. Mary tried to make England return to the Catholic religion, and many Protestants who refused to become Catholics were killed by being burned. For this reason, she was sometimes called Bloody Mary.//


Words: Mary Magdalene
Meaning:
Saint   in the New Testament of the Bible, a woman who Jesus cured. She attended Jesus’s  crucifixion and was the first person to see him when he returned to life after his death. She is usually thought to be the same woman as the  prostitute who washed Jesus’ feet, but who is not named in the Bible.//


Words: Mary Poppins
Meaning:
(1964) a US film in which Julie  Andrews appears as a  nanny (=a woman who is employed to take care of the children in a family)  called Mary Poppins, who has magical powers and can fly//


Words: Mary Queen of Scots
Meaning:
also Mary Stuart   (1542-87) the daughter of the Scottish King James V. She became Queen of Scotland when she was one week old, but in 1568 she was forced to give up her position, and she escaped to England. Instead of helping her, the English queen, Elizabeth I (who was her  cousin) put her in prison. Many Catholics believed Mary should have been Queen of England instead of Elizabeth, who was a Protestant. Elizabeth later ordered Mary to be killed, because she believed Mary was involved in a secret plan to kill her. After Elizabeth’s death, Mary’s son James, who was the King of Scotland, also became the King of England (as  James I). Mary had three husbands, and many stories and books have been written about her.//


Words: Mary Rose
Meaning:
The   a British warship which sank in the sea off the south coast of England on its first journey in 1545. It was brought to the surface in 1982, and can now be seen in Portsmouth.//


Words: Maryland
Meaning:
MD a state on the east coast of the US, and one of the 13 original states of the US. Its largest city is Baltimore, which is a busy port.//


Words: marzipan
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: German; Origin: Italian marzapane  ’medieval coin, marzipan’, from  Arabic mawthaban  ’medieval coin’]//  a sweet food made from almonds, sugar, and eggs, used to make sweets and for covering cakes//


Words: mascara
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Italian; Origin: maschera  ’mask’]//  a dark substance used to colour your eyelashes and make them look thicker//


Words: mascot
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: mascotte, from  Proven[hA168]al mascoto, from  masco  ’woman with magic powers’]//  an animal or toy, or a person dressed as an animal, that represents a team or organization, and is thought to bring them good luck//  --the official mascot of the 2002 World Cup//  --Rocky the Raccoon, the team mascot //


Words: masculine
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: French; Origin: Latin masculinus, from  masculus  ’male’, from  mas  ’male’]//\n  1 having qualities considered to be typical of men or of what men do:  → feminine//  --They’re nice curtains, but I’d prefer something a little more masculine.//  --She has a very masculine voice.//  --Hunting was a typically masculine occupation.//\n  2 in some languages, a masculine noun, pronoun etc belongs to a class of words that have different inflections from feminine or neuter words:  --The word for ’book’ is masculine in French.//


Words: masculinity
Meaning:
n [U]   the features and qualities considered to be typical of men//  → femininity//  --Children’s ideas of masculinity tend to come from their fathers.//  --boys trying to prove their masculinity //


Words: Masefield
Meaning:
John   (1878-1967) a British writer and sailor who wrote poems about the sea, such as  Sea Fever and  Cargoes. He became  poet laureate (=the Queen’s official poet)  in 1930.//


Words: maser
Meaning:
n [C]  technical   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: microwave amplification by stimulated emission of radiation]//  a piece of equipment that produces a very powerful electric force//    laser//


Words: MASH
Meaning:
a very popular US television programme (1972-82), based on Robert Altman’s film of the same name (1970) about a US army medical camp during the  Korean War. Although it treated the subject in a humorous way, it also showed the serious effects that war had on people. The letters stand for ’Mobile Army Surgical Hospital’.//


Words: mash
Meaning:
v  also mash up  [T]   to crush something, especially a food that has been cooked, until it is soft and smooth//  --Mash the bananas.//  -- mashed adj //  -- mashed potatoes //  -- masher n  [C] //  --a potato masher//\nmash 2 n [U]   [Language: Old English; Origin: max]//\n  1  BrE  informal potatoes that have been boiled and then crushed and mixed with milk until they are smooth:  --bangers (=sausages) and mash//\n  2 a mixture of malt or crushed grain and hot water, used to make beer or whisky:\n  3 a mixture of grain cooked with water to make a food for animals:


Words: mashed
Meaning:
adj [not before noun]  BrE  informal   very drunk or strongly affected by drugs//  --We got completely mashed last night.//


Words: mask
Meaning:
n [C]   gauge, mask, snorkel//  [Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: masque, from  Old Italian maschera]//\n  1 something that covers all or part of your face, to protect or to hide it:  --a surgical face mask//  --He was attacked and robbed by two people wearing masks .//  2 something that covers your face, and has another face painted on it, which is used for ceremonies or special occasions//  --a Halloween mask//\n  3 [usually singular] an expression or way of behaving that hides your real emotions or character:   front//  --Her sarcasm is a mask for her insecurity.//\n  4 a substance that you put on your face and leave there for a short time to clean the skin or make it softer:   face pack//  --a facial mask//    death mask,  gas mask//\nmask 2 v [T] \n  1 if a smell, taste, sound etc is masked by a stronger one, it cannot be noticed because of the stronger one:  --Liz turned on a radio to mask the noise.//  --Air-fresheners mask bad smells instead of removing them.//\n  2 to hide your feelings or the truth about a situation:  --Men often mask their true feelings with humour.//\n  3 to cover or hide something so that it cannot be clearly seen:  --The new accommodation block has all but masked the original building.//


Words: masking tape
Meaning:
n [U]   long narrow paper that is sticky on one side, used especially to protect the edge of an area which you are painting//


Words: masochism
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin:  Leopold von Sacher- Masoch (1836-95), Austrian writer who described such sexual behavior]//\n  1 sexual behaviour in which someone gains pleasure from being hurt or punished:    sadism, sado-masochism//\n  2 behaviour that makes it seem that someone wants to suffer or have problems:  --Unconscious masochism seemed to drive her from one disaster to the next.//  -- masochist n  [C] //  -- masochistic/m[zB024]s[hA353]k[hA366]st[hA366]k[hA36B]/ adj //  --masochistic behavior//  -- masochistically/-kli/ adv //


Words: Mason jar
Meaning:
n [C]  trademark   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin:  John L.  Mason (died 1902), U.S. inventor]//   AmE a glass pot with a tight lid, used for preserving fruit and vegetables//  British Equivalent:  Kilner jar//


Words: Mason-Dixon Line
Meaning:
the Mason-Dixon Line//  the border between the states of Maryland and Pennsylvania in the US. It divided the states of the  South, where it was legal to own  slaveS, from the states of the  North, where it was illegal, until the end of the American  Civil War. Some people still consider it to be a dividing line between the North and South of the US.//


Words: masonry
Meaning:
n [U] \n  1 the bricks or stone from which a building, wall etc has been made:  --Several people were buried under falling masonry.//\n  2 the skill of building with stone:


Words: Masora
Meaning:
the  ,  Masorah  a set of notes about the Hebrew  Bible, written by Jewish  scholarS between the sixth and the tenth centuries AD//


Words: masque
Meaning:
n [C]   a type of play popular in England in the 16th and 17th centuries that included music, dancing, and songs//  --a Court masque//


Words: masquerade
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: Old Italian mascarada, from  maschera;   MASK1]//\n  1 [C] a formal dance or party where people wear masks and unusual clothes:\n  2 [U and C] a way of behaving or speaking that hides your true thoughts or feelings:   pretence//  --She didn’t really love him, but she kept up the masquerade for the children’s sake.//\nmasquerade 2 v [I]   to pretend to be something or someone different//  masquerade as//  --A number of police officers masqueraded as demonstrators.//  --Some of these breakfast foods are just candy masquerading as cereals.//  masquerade under//  --He was masquerading under a false name.//


Words: mass
Meaning:
W2   n   ----------//\n   1 large amount:\n   2 crowd:\n   3 the masses:\n   4 the mass of people/the population/workers etc:\n   5 church ceremony:\n   6 science:  ----------//  [Sense: 1-2,5-6; Date: 1300-1400; Language: French; Origin: masse, from  Latin massa, from  Greek maza]//  [Sense: 3-4; Date: 800-900; Language: Vulgar Latin; Origin: missa  ’sending away at the end of a religious service’, from  Latin mittere  ’to send’]//\n  1 LARGE AMOUNT:  a)  [C] a large amount of a substance which does not have a definite or regular shape//  --The food had congealed into a sticky mass.//  mass of//  --a high mass of rock//  b)  [C usually singular] a large amount or quantity of something//  mass of//  --a huge mass of data//  c)  masses of sth//   BrE  informal a large amount of something, or a lot of people or things//  --Masses of books covered every surface in the room.//\n  2 CROWD:   [singular] a large crowd//  mass of//  --There was a mass of people around the club entrance.//  --The road was blocked by a solid mass of protesters.//\n  3  the masses:  all the ordinary people in society who do not have power or influence//  --The trains provided cheap travel for the masses.//\n  4  the mass of people/the population/workers etc:  most of the people in a group or society//   the majority//  --The war is strongly supported by the mass of the population.//\n  5 CHURCH CEREMONY:   also  Mass//  a)  [U and C] the main ceremony in some Christian churches, especially the Roman Catholic Church, which celebrates the last meal that Jesus Christ ate//  --What time do you go to mass ?//  morning/evening/midnight etc Mass //  --Will I see you at morning Mass?//  say/celebrate Mass (=perform this ceremony as a priest) //    High Mass//  b)  [C] a piece of music written to be performed at the ceremony of mass//  --Mozart’s Mass in C minor//\n  6 SCIENCE:   [U]  technical the amount of material in something//  --The sun makes up 99.9% of the mass of our solar system.//    critical mass//\nmass 2 W3 adj [only before noun]   involving or intended for a very large number of people//  --a mass protest//  --weapons of mass destruction//  --the problem of mass unemployment//  mass marketing/entertainment etc //  --a mass marketing campaign//  --Email has made mass mailings possible at the touch of a button.//\nmass 3 v [I and T]   to come together, or to make people or things come together, in a large group//   gather//  mass (sth) behind/along/in etc sth//  --Western reports say that troops have been massing in the region since December.//  --grey clouds massing behind the mountains//  --Both countries have massed troops along the border.//


Words: mass media
Meaning:
n   the mass media//  all the people and organizations that provide information and news for the public, including television, radio, and newspapers//  --The crime received heavy coverage in the mass media.//


Words: mass production
Meaning:
n [U]   when products are made in large numbers by machines so that they can be sold cheaply//    mass-produced//


Words: mass transit
Meaning:
n [U]  technical   methods of transport by which large numbers of people can travel around a city//  --The city has virtually no mass transit.//


Words: mass-market
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]   designed for sale to as wide a range of people as possible//  mass-market paperback/novel/film etc //  --a mass-market paperback priced at $8.99//  -- mass market n  [C] //


Words: mass-produced
Meaning:
adj   produced in large numbers using machinery, so that each object is the same and can be sold cheaply//    mass production//  --mass-produced furniture//  -- mass-produce v  [T] //


Words: Massachusetts
Meaning:
MA a state in the northeast of the US which has Boston as its capital city, and was the place where the  Pilgrim Fathers first landed in America. It was one of the 13 original states of the US, and is famous for its universities, especially  Harvard and MIT, and for its coast, which is popular with tourists in the summer.//


Words: massacre
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: French]//\n  1 [U and C] when a lot of people are killed violently, especially people who cannot defend themselves:  --the only survivor of the massacre//  massacre of//  --the massacre of several hundred pro-democracy demonstrators//  the Boston/Peterloo/Harperville etc massacre //  --the infamous Peterloo massacre of 1819//\n  2 [C]  informal a very bad defeat in a game or competition:  --United lost in a 9-0 massacre.//\nmassacre 2 v [T] \n  1 to kill a lot of people or animals in a violent way, especially when they cannot defend themselves:  --The army massacred more than 150 unarmed civilians.//  --Tens of thousands of dolphins and small whales are brutally massacred every year. see usage note  kill1 //\n  2  informal to defeat someone very badly in a game, competition etc:  --The Cougars massacred the Bucs last night, 38 - 7.//\n  3  informal to spoil part of a play, a song etc by performing it very badly:  --Unfortunately, Jones absolutely massacres the role of Ophelia.//


Words: Massacre of the Innoents
Meaning:
the   a story in the New Testament of the  Bible in which King  Herod hears about the birth of the  Messiah in Bethlehem. He orders all male babies in the town to be killed so that the Messiah will not live, but Jesus and his family escape before this happens. //


Words: massage
Meaning:
n [U and C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: masser  ’to massage’, from  Arabic massa  ’to stroke’]//  the action of pressing and rubbing someone’s body with your hands, to help them relax or to reduce pain in their muscles or joints//  --Massage helps ease the pain.//  --Why don’t you have a massage ?//  --Joan gave me a gentle neck massage .//  body/shoulder/foot etc massage //  --A full-body massage lasts around one hour.//\nmassage 2 v [T] \n  1 to press and rub someone’s body with your hands, to help them relax or to reduce pain in their muscles:  --Alex massaged Helena’s aching back.//  massage sth into sth//  --Gently massage the lotion into your skin.//\n  2 to change official numbers or information in order to make them seem better than they are - used in order to show disapproval:   cook the books//  --Myers accused the government of deliberately massaging the unemployment figures .//\n  3  massage sb’s ego:  to try to make someone feel that they are important, attractive, intelligent etc//  --The portrait painter had the power to massage the king’s ego or to expose his flaws.//


Words: massage parlour
Meaning:
BrE  massage parlor AmE   n [C] \n  1 a brothel (=place where people pay to have sex)  - used to pretend that it is not a brothel:\n  2 a place where you pay to have a massage:


Words: massed
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]   in a large group//  massed ranks/forces //  --I look around me at the massed ranks of reporters.//  massed choir/band  BrE  (=several choirs or bands singing or playing together as one large group) //


Words: masseur
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: masser;   MASSAGE1]//  someone who gives massages//


Words: masseuse
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: masser;   MASSAGE1]//\n  1 a woman who gives massages:\n  2 a prostitute:


Words: massif
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: massif  ’very large’;   MASSIVE]//  a group of mountains forming one large solid shape//


Words: massive
Meaning:
W3S2   adj   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: massif, from  masse;   MASS1]//\n  1 very large, solid, and heavy:  --The bell is massive, weighing over 40 tons.//  --the castle’s massive walls//\n  2 unusually large, powerful, or damaging:  --My phone bill is going to be massive this month.//  --massive increases in the number of homeless//  --Club members can get a massive discount of [hA124]50.//  massive stroke/heart attack etc //  --Simpkins suffered a massive stroke.//  massive argument/row etc  BrE //  --I had a massive argument with her.//\n  3  BrE  informal extremely good:  --Listen to this. It’s a massive song.//  -- massively adv //  --The president was massively popular.//


Words: mast
Meaning:
n [C]   [Language: Old English; Origin: m[zB024]st]//\n  1 a tall pole on which the sails or flags on a ship are hung:\n  2  BrE a tall metal tower that sends out radio and television signals:  --a radio mast//\n  3 a tall pole on which a flag is hung:    half-mast//


Words: mastectomy
Meaning:
n   plural  mastectomies  [C] //  [Date: 1900-2000; Language: Greek; Origin: mastos  ’breast’ +  English -ectomy]//   medical a medical operation to remove a breast//


Words: master
Meaning:
n [C]   ----------//\n   1 skilled person:\n   2 be a past master (at something):\n   3 man with authority:\n   4 be your own master:\n   5 be master of your own fate/destiny:\n   6 original:\n   7 Master of Arts/Science/Education etc:\n   8 teacher:\n   9 young boy:\n  10 university official:\n  11 captain:  ----------//  [Date: 1000-1100; Language: Old French; Origin: maistre and the word it came from,  Latin magister  ’chief’]//\n  1 SKILLED PERSON:  someone who is very skilled at something//  master of//  --Runyon was a master of the short story.//  --a master of disguise//  --Hitchcock was an acknowledged master of suspense.//  master at (doing) sth//  --She’s a master at manipulating people.//  --a work of art by a true master//\n  2  be a past master (at sth):   BrE to be very good at doing something because you have done it a lot//  --He’s a past master at getting free drinks out of people.//\n  3 MAN WITH AUTHORITY:   old-fashioned //  a) a man who has control or authority over servants or workers//    mistress//  --You’ll have to ask the master’s permission.//  b) the male owner of a dog//    mistress//\n  4  be your own master:  to be in control of your own life or work//  --Determined to be his own master, Simmons quit in 1998 and started working freelance.//\n  5  be master of your own fate/destiny:   literary to be in complete control of what happens to you//  --Our country must be master of its own economic destiny.//\n  6 ORIGINAL:  a document, record, etc from which copies are made//  --I gave him the master to copy.//\n  7  Master of Arts/Science/Education etc:  a university degree in an arts subject, a science subject etc that you can get after your first degree//    MA,  M.Sc.,  MEd,  MPhil//    Bachelor of Arts/Science/Education etc at bachelor(2)//\n  8 TEACHER:  a)  BrE  old-fashioned a male teacher//    headmaster, mistress//  b)  also  Master//  a wise person whose ideas and words other people accept and follow//  --a Zen master//\n  9 YOUNG BOY:   also  Master//   old-fashioned used when speaking or referring to a young boy//  --How’s young Master Toby today?//\n  10 UNIVERSITY OFFICIAL:   also  Master//  the person who is in charge of some university colleges in the UK//  --the Master of Trinity College, Cambridge//\n  11 CAPTAIN:   old-fashioned someone who is in charge of a ship//    grand master,  old master,  quizmaster//\nmaster 2 v [T] \n  1 to learn a skill or a language so well that you have no difficulty with it:  --the skills needed to master a new language//  --I never quite mastered the art of walking in high heels.//\n  2 to manage to control a strong emotion:   overcome//  --He had learned to master his fear of heights.//\nmaster 3 adj [only before noun] \n  1 a master copy of a document, recording etc is the one from which copies are made:  master list/copy/recording etc //  --We’ve lost the master disk.//\n  2 most important or main:  --the master control center at NASA//\n  3  master craftsman/chef/plumber etc:  someone who is very skilled at a particular job, especially a job that involves working with your hands//  --a society of master chefs//


Words: master of ceremonies
Meaning:
n [C]   someone who introduces guests or performers at a social or public occasion//   emcee//  --the master of ceremonies for the Miss World Pageant//


Words: Master of the Rolls
Meaning:
the most important judge in the  Court of Appeal in England and Wales. Part of his job is to choose the judges who judge cases in this court.//


Words: master plan
Meaning:
n [C usually singular]   a detailed plan for controlling everything that happens in a complicated situation//  --The job losses were part of a master plan aimed at transforming the structure of the company.//  --a master plan to modernize the health care system//


Words: master race
Meaning:
n [C]   a race of people who consider themselves better than other races, and who believe that they should rule over them//


Words: master’s degree
Meaning:
also  master’s informal  n [C]   a university degree such as an MA, M.Sc., or M.S., that you can get by studying for one or two years after your first degree//


Words: MasterCard
Meaning:
trademark \n  1 a large international  credit card system operated by a group of banks:\n  2 a credit card belonging to the MasterCard system, used for obtaining goods and services which the user pays for later:  --Do you take MasterCard?//


Words: masterclass
Meaning:
master class/m[hA35A][hA359]st[hA353]kl[hA35A][hA359]s $ m[zB024]st[hA353]rkl[zB024]s/ n [C]   a lesson, especially in music, given to very skilful students by someone famous//


Words: masterful
Meaning:
adj \n  1 controlling people or situations in a skilful and confident way:  --Klein handled the situation in a masterful way.//\n  2 done with great skill and understanding:   masterly//  --a masterful analysis of the text//  -- masterfully adv //  --Jack strode masterfully into the room.//


Words: masterly
Meaning:
adj   done or made very skilfully//   masterful//  --He gave a masterly display in round one of the World Chess Championship.//


Words: mastermind
Meaning:
n [singular]   someone who plans and organizes a complicated operation, especially a criminal operation//  --a criminal mastermind//  mastermind of/behind//  --He is suspected of being the mastermind behind the bombings.//\nmastermind 2 v [T]   to think of, plan, and organize a large, important, and difficult operation//  --The project was masterminded by Morris, then aged 29.//  --Ridley, as commerce secretary, masterminded the privatisation.//


Words: masterpiece
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 a work of art, a piece of writing or music etc that is of very high quality or that is the best that a particular artist, writer etc has produced:   masterwork//  --Mary Shelley was just 18 when she wrote the horror masterpiece ’Frankenstein’.//\n  2 a very good example of something:  masterpiece of//  --The shark is a masterpiece of evolution.//


Words: Masters and Johnson
Meaning:
two American scientists, William Howell Masters (1915- ) and Virginia Eshelman Johnson (1925- ), who have studied human sexual behaviour, and written several books on the subject, including  Human Sexual Response.//


Words: masterstroke
Meaning:
n [C]   a very clever, skilful, and often unexpected action that is completely successful//  --That ad campaign was an absolute masterstroke.//  masterstroke of//  --a masterstroke of diplomacy//


Words: masterwork
Meaning:
n [C]   a painting, sculpture, piece of music etc that is the best that someone has done//   masterpiece//  --’Otello’ is Verdi’s riveting masterwork.//


Words: mastery
Meaning:
n [U] \n  1 thorough understanding or great skill:  mastery of//  --She possesses complete technical mastery of her instrument.//\n  2 complete control or power over someone or something:  mastery of/over//  --humankind’s mastery over the environment//


Words: masthead
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 the name of a newspaper, magazine etc printed in a special design at the top of the first page:\n  2 the top of a mast on a ship:


Words: mastic
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin; Origin: mastiche, from  Greek]//  a type of glue that does not crack or break when it is bent//


Words: masticate
Meaning:
v [I and T]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Late Latin; Origin: , past participle of  masticare, from  Greek mastichan  ’to press the teeth together’]//   formal to chew food//  -- mastication/m[zB024]st[hA369]ke[hA366][hA35D][hA368]n/ n  [U] //


Words: mastiff
Meaning:
n  also bull mastiff  [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: mastin, from  Latin mansuetus  ’easy to handle, not wild’]//  a large, strong dog, often used to guard houses//


Words: Mastroianni
Meaning:
Marcello   (1924-97) one of the greatest Italian film actors, famous especially for the film  La Dolce Vita (1960) //


Words: masturbate
Meaning:
v [I and T]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Latin; Origin: , past participle of  masturbari]//  to give yourself or another person sexual pleasure by touching or rubbing the sexual organs//  -- masturbation/m[zB024]st[hA353]be[hA366][hA35D][hA368]n $ -t[hA353]r-/ n  [U] //


Words: mat
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 700-800; Language: Late Latin; Origin: matta]//\n  1 a small piece of thick rough material which covers part of a floor:  --Wipe your feet on the mat.//\n  2 a small flat piece of wood, cloth etc which protects a surface, especially on a table:  --She wrote her number on a beer mat  (=a mat for putting a glass of beer on) .//  --a mouse mat (=for a computer mouse) //    place mat//\n  3 a piece of thick soft material used in some activities for people to sit on, fall onto etc:  --a yoga mat//  --a prayer mat//\n  4  go to the mat (for sb/sth):  to do everything you can to solve a difficult problem, win an argument, support someone etc//  --The mayor is willing to go to the mat on this issue.//\n  5 a thick mass of something such as hairs or leaves:    matted//  mat of//  --a floating mat of vegetation//    matting//\nmat 2 adj   another spelling of matt//


Words: Mata Hari
Meaning:
(1876-1917) a Dutch dancer and member of the German secret service in Paris during World War I, who obtained military secrets from Allied army officers of high rank. She was tried in court and shot by the French. Her name is sometimes used to represent an attractive woman that men want to please.//


Words: matador
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Spanish; Origin: matar  ’to kill’]//  a man who fights and kills bulls during a bullfight//   bullfighter//


Words: match
Meaning:
W3S3   n   ----------//\n   1 game:\n   2 fire:\n   3 colours/patterns:\n   4 good opponent:\n   5 shouting match:\n   6 marriage:\n   7 suitability:  ----------//  [Sense: 1, 3-7; Origin: Old English m[zB024]cca]//  [Sense: 2; Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: meiche  ’wick’]//\n  1 GAME:   [C]  especially BrE an organized sports event between two teams or people//  --It’s our last match of the season.//  cricket/football/tennis etc match //  --They’re preparing for a big  (=important)  match tomorrow.//  match against/between/with//  --the match between Nigeria and Ireland//  home/away match (=a match played at a team’s own sports ground, or at a different ground) //  --Good teams win their home matches.//  --McClaire’s goal earned him the title of man of the match  (=the person in a team who plays best) .//\n  2 FIRE:   [C] a small wooden or paper stick with a special substance at the top, that you use to light a fire, cigarette etc//  --a box of matches//  --Don’t let your children play with matches.//  strike/light a match (=rub a match against a surface to produce a flame) //  --Peg struck a match and lit the candle.//  --I tore up the letter and put a match to it (=made it burn, using a match) .//\n  3 COLOURS/PATTERNS:   [singular] something that is the same colour or pattern as something else, or looks attractive with it//  match for//  --That shirt’s a perfect match for your blue skirt.//\n  4 GOOD OPPONENT:   [singular] someone who is much stronger, cleverer etc than their opponents//  --Carlos was no match for the champion.//  --This time you’ve met your match , Adam Burns! I’m not giving up without a fight!//  --Guerrilla tactics proved more than a match for the Soviet military machine.//\n  5  shouting match:   also slanging match  BrE //  a loud angry argument in which two people insult each other//  --The meeting degenerated into a shouting match.//\n  6 MARRIAGE:   [singular] a marriage or two people who are married//  --They’re a perfect match .//  a match made in heaven (=a marriage of two people who are exactly right for each other) //  --Claire made a good match  (=married someone suitable) .//\n  7 SUITABILITY:   [singular] a situation in which something is suitable for something else, so that the two things work together successfully//  match between//  --We need to establish a match between students’ needs and teaching methods.//    mix and match at mix1 (6)//\nmatch 2 v   ----------//\n   1 look good together:\n   2 look the same:\n   3 seem the same:\n   4 suitable:\n   5 connect:\n   6 be equal:\n   7 make equal:\n   8 give money:\n   9 competition:  Phrasal verbs//   match up//  ----------//\n  1 LOOK GOOD TOGETHER:   [I and T] if one thing matches another, or if two things match, they look attractive together because they are a similar colour, pattern etc//    matching//  --We painted the cabinets green to match the rug.//  --Do you think this outfit matches?//  --a beech dining table with four chairs to match (=chairs that match it) //\n  2 LOOK THE SAME:   [I and T] two things that match look the same because they are a pair//  --Your socks don’t match.//\n  3 SEEM THE SAME:   [I and T] if two things match, or if one matches the other, there is no important difference between them//  --The suspect matched the descriptions provided by witnesses.//  --Their actions do not match their words.//  match exactly/closely/perfectly //  --The copy closely matches the original.//\n  4 SUITABLE:   [T] to be suitable for a particular person, thing, or situation//   suit//  --Teaching materials should match individual students’ needs.//  --We’ll help you find a home that will match your requirements.//  well-matched/ill-matched //  --a well-matched pair//\n  5 CONNECT:   [T] to put two people or things together that are similar to or somehow connected with each other//  match sth to/with sth//  --Can you name the animals and match them to the correct countries?//  --All checked-in baggage must be matched with a passenger travelling on the aircraft.//\n  6 BE EQUAL:   [T] to be equal to something in value, size, or quality//  --His strength is matched by his intelligence.//  --Few cities in Europe can match the cultural richness of Berlin.//  --Fancy designer labels tend to come with fancy price tags to match.//  evenly/equally matched //  --The two candidates are fairly evenly matched.//\n  7 MAKE EQUAL:   [T] to make something equal to something else//  match sth to sth//  --Lindsey matched her steps to those of the other girl as they walked.//  --an attempt to match financial resources to need//\n  8 GIVE MONEY:   [T] to give a sum of money that is equal to a sum given by someone else//  --The government has promised to match any private donations to the earthquake fund.//\n  9 COMPETITION:   [T usually passive] if you are matched against someone else in a game or competition, you are competing against them//  be matched against/with sb//  --Agassi will be matched against Sampras in the men’s final.//  match up phr v//\n  1  match sb/sth → up:  to put two people or things together that are related to or suitable for each other//  --The employment agency exists to match up graduates and IT companies.//  match somebody/something → up with//  --My mother spent her life trying to match me up with various women.//\n  2 if two things match up, they seem the same or are connected in some way:  --Their accounts just don’t match up.//  match up with//  --The DNA samples found on her body did not match up with a sample taken from the accused.//\n  3  match up to sb’s hopes/expectations/ideals etc:  to be as good as you hoped, expected etc//   measure up to//  --Unfortunately, the product’s performance did not match up to the manufacturer’s promise.//  ----------//  HINT sense 1 //  Do not say that one thing ’matches to’ or ’matches with’ another. Say that one thing matches another or that two things match. //  ----------//


Words: match point
Meaning:
n \n  1 [U] a situation in tennis when the person who wins the next point will win the match:\n  2 [C] the point that a player must win in order to win a tennis match:    game point//


Words: match-fit
Meaning:
adj [not before noun]  BrE   a sports player who is match-fit is well and fit enough to play//  -- match-fitness n  [U] //  --A question mark still hangs over Beckham’s match-fitness.//


Words: match-play
Meaning:
n [singular]   a method of scoring in golf based on the number of holes that are won, rather than the number of strokes needed to reach each hole//


Words: matching
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]   having the same colour, style, or pattern as something else//  --a necklace with matching earrings//


Words: matchless
Meaning:
adj  literary   more intelligent, beautiful etc than anyone or anything else//   unparalleled//  --the matchless beauty of the Parthenon//


Words: matchmaker
Meaning:
n [C]   someone who tries to find a suitable partner for someone else to marry//  -- matchmaking n  [U] //  --Perhaps we should do a little bit of matchmaking and introduce them.//


Words: matchstick
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 a wooden match:\n  2  matchstick men/figures:   BrE people in pictures who have been drawn with thin lines to represent their arms, legs, and bodies, as if by a child//  American Equivalent:  stick person//


Words: matchwood
Meaning:
n [U]   very small pieces of wood//  --Their boat was shattered into matchwood against the rocks and sank instantly.//


Words: mate
Meaning:
S3   n   ----------//\n   1 somebody you do something with:\n   2 friend:\n   3 animal:\n   4 husband/wife:\n   5 sailor:\n   6 navy officer:\n   7 builder’s/plumber’s/electrician’s etc mate:\n   8 game:  ----------//  [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Middle Low German; Origin: mat]//\n  1 SOMEBODY YOU DO SOMETHING WITH:   [C] someone you work with, do an activity with, or share something with//  class/team/work etc mate //  --Dad’s office mates are throwing a party for him.//  house/flat/room mate (=someone you share a house, room etc with) //\n  2 FRIEND:   [C]  BrE  informal //  a) a friend//  --I’m going out with my mates tonight.//  good/best mate //  --He’s good mates with John.//  --Most of my school mates are black.//  b) used as a friendly way to address a man//  --What’s the time, mate?//\n  3 ANIMAL:   [C] the sexual partner of an animal//\n  4 HUSBAND/WIFE:   [C]  AmE a husband or wife - used especially in magazines//   partner//  --How do women choose their mates?//\n  5 SAILOR:   [C] a ship’s officer who is one rank below the captain//\n  6 NAVY OFFICER:   [C] a US Navy petty officer//\n  7  builder’s/plumber’s/electrician’s etc mate:   BrE someone who works with and helps a skilled worker//\n  8 GAME:   [U and C]  checkmate in the game of chess//\nmate 2 v   [Sense: 1-2; Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  MATE1]//  [Sense: 3; Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: mater, from  mat  ’checkmate’, from  Arabic]//\n  1 [I] if animals mate, they have sex to produce babies:  mate with//  --It’s quite common for male birds to mate with several females.//\n  2 [T] to put animals together so that they will have sex and produce babies:  --Rabbits can be mated as early as six months old.//\n  3 [T] to achieve the checkmate of your opponent in chess:


Words: material
Meaning:
n \n  1 [U and C] cloth used for making clothes, curtains etc:   fabric//  --curtain material//  --scraps of material//  --a cape made of a soft material//\n  2 [U and C] a solid substance such as wood, plastic, or metal:  --materials like wood or stone//  organic/plant material //  --Animals depend on plant material for food.//  --harmful radioactive material //  --a paper company which imports raw materials  (=substances which have not been treated) from North America.//  --recycled material//\n  3 [U]  also materials :   [plural] the things that are used for making or doing something//  reading/writing etc material(s) //  --Videos often make good teaching material.//  --a supply of building materials //  --artists’ materials//\n  4 [U] information or ideas used in books, films etc:  --His act contains a lot of new material.//  material for//  --Anita is collecting material for a novel.//  --the raw material  (=information that has not been carefully examined) for an article//\n  5  officer/executive etc material:  someone who is good enough for a particular job or position//  --He’s a good soldier, but not really officer material.//\nmaterial 2 W3 adj [usually before noun]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Late Latin; Origin: materialis, from  Latin materia;   MATTER1]//\n  1 relating to your money, possessions, living conditions etc, rather than the needs of your mind or soul:  → spiritual//  material goods/possessions/wealth etc //  --The spiritual life is more important than material possessions.//  --a society that places high importance on material rewards //\n  2 relating to the real world and physical objects, rather than religious or spiritual things:  --According to some, the material world is all that exists.//\n  3  law important and needing to be considered when making a decision:  --material evidence//  material to//  --facts material to the investigation//\n  4  formal important and having a noticeable effect:  --material changes to the schedule//    materially//


Words: materialism
Meaning:
n [U] \n  1 the belief that money and possessions are more important than art, religion, moral beliefs etc - used in order to show disapproval:  --a reaction to a world full of shallow materialism//\n  2 the belief that only physical things really exist:  -- materialist adj //  --materialist philosophy//  -- materialist n  [C] //  --We confess to being hopeless materialists, surrounded by our own neat stuff.//


Words: materialistic
Meaning:
adj   concerned only with money and possessions rather than things of the mind such as art, religion, or moral beliefs - used in order to show disapproval//  --He’s so materialistic.//  --the materialistic values of American society//  -- materialistically/-kli/ adv //


Words: materialize
Meaning:
also materialise  BrE   v [I] \n  1 to happen or appear in the way that you expected:  --Problems were expected, but they never materialized.//  --The money we had been promised failed to materialize .//\n  2 to appear in an unexpected and strange way:  --The figure of a man suddenly materialized in the shadows.//  -- materialization/m[hA353]t[hA366][hA353]ri[hA353]la[hA366]ze[hA366][hA35D][hA368]n $ -l[hA353]-/ n  [U] //


Words: materially
Meaning:
adv \n  1  formal in a big enough or strong enough way to change a situation:  --This would materially affect US security.//\n  2 [sentence adverb] in relation to possessions and money, rather than the needs of a person’s mind or soul:  → spiritually//  --Materially, we are better off than ever before.//


Words: materiel
Meaning:
n [U]  formal   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: Late Latin materialis;   MATERIAL2]//  supplies of weapons used by an army//


Words: maternal
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: maternel, from  Latin maternus, from  mater  ’mother’]//\n  1 typical of the way a good mother behaves or feels:    paternal//  --Annie was wonderfully warm and maternal.//  --She seems to have a strong maternal instinct  (=desire to have babies and take care of them) .//\n  2 [only before noun] relating to a mother or to being a mother:    paternal//  --the relationship between maternal age and infant mortality//\n  3  maternal grandfather/aunt etc:  your mother’s father, sister etc//  -- maternally adv //


Words: maternity
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]   relating to a woman who is pregnant or who has just had a baby//    paternity//  --a blue maternity dress//  maternity benefits/pay etc (=money that the government or employers give to a woman after she has had a baby) //\nmaternity 2 n [U]   the state of being a mother//


Words: maternity leave
Meaning:
n [U]   time that a mother is allowed to spend away from work when she has a baby//    paternity leave//  on maternity leave//  --Karen will be on maternity leave next month.//


Words: matey
Meaning:
adj  BrE  informal   behaving as if you were someone’s friend//  matey with//  --She’s been very matey with the boss lately.//\nmatey 2 n  BrE  informal   used by men as a very informal or disrespectful way of speaking to another man//


Words: math
Meaning:
S2   n [U]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: mathematics]//   AmE mathematics//  British Equivalent:  maths//  --Tim’s good at math and science.//  --a set of simple math problems  (=questions that are related to math) //  --She’s learning calculus in math class.//  --a math test//


Words: mathematical
Meaning:
adj \n  1 relating to or using mathematics:  mathematical equation/calculation/formula etc //  --mathematical analysis//  --the development of mathematical skills//  --a mathematical genius//\n  2 [only before noun] calculating things in a careful, exact way:  --The whole trip was planned with mathematical precision.//\n  3  mathematical certainty:  something that is completely certain to happen//\n  4  a mathematical chance (of sth):  a very small chance that something will happen//  -- mathematically/-kli/ adv //


Words: mathematics
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: mathematicus, from  Greek, from  mathema  ’learning, mathematics’, from  manthanein  ’to learn’]//  the science of numbers and of shapes, including algebra, geometry, and arithmetic//


Words: Mather
Meaning:
Cotton   (1663-1728) a US Christian leader who was a  Puritan. He supported the  Salem Witch Trials in 1692, when a court in Salem, Massachusetts, decided that 20 people were guilty of  witchcraft (=using magic for evil purposes)  and killed them as punishment.//


Words: maths
Meaning:
S2   n [U]    BrE  informal mathematics//  American Equivalent:  math//  --the new maths teacher//  --maths lessons//  --She got top marks in maths and chemistry.//


Words: matinee
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 a performance of a play or film in the afternoon:\n  2  AusE  informal sexual intercourse in the daytime:


Words: matins
Meaning:
mattins/m[zB024]t[hA369]nz $ m[zB024]tnz/ n [U]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: matines, from  Latin matutinus  ’of the morning’]//  the first prayers of the day in the Christian religion//   morning prayer//


Words: Matisse
Meaning:
Henri   (1869-1954) a French painter and  sculptor who helped to develop  fauvism as a style of painting. His paintings are mostly of ordinary places and objects, but they use pure bright colours and black lines.//


Words: matriarch
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin: matri- +  -arch (as in patriarch)]//  a woman, especially an older woman, who controls a family or a social group//    patriarch//


Words: matriarchal
Meaning:
adj \n  1 ruled or controlled by women:  --a matriarchal society//\n  2 relating to or typical of a matriarch:    patriarchal//


Words: matriarchy
Meaning:
n   plural  matriarchies  [U and C] //\n  1 a social system in which the oldest woman controls a family and its possessions:    patriarchy//\n  2 a society in which women hold all the power:    patriarchy//


Words: matriculate
Meaning:
v [I]  formal   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Medieval Latin; Origin: , past participle of  matriculare, from  Late Latin matricula  ’official list of members’, from  matrix  ’list’]//  to officially begin studying at a university or, in the US, at a school or college//  matriculate at//  --Aged only 15, he matriculated at the University of Leipzig.//  -- matriculated students //  -- matriculation/m[hA353]tr[hA366]kj[hA36A]le[hA366][hA35D][hA368]n/ n  [U] //


Words: matrimony
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: matremoine, from  Latin matrimonium  ’being a mother, marriage’, from  mater  ’mother’]//   formal the state of being married//   marriage//  --They were joined together in holy matrimony .//  -- matrimonial/m[zB024]tr[hA369]m[hA353][hA35E]ni[hA368]l $ -mo[hA35E]-/ adj //


Words: matrix
Meaning:
n   plural  matrices /-tr[hA369]si[hA359]z/ or  matrixes  [C]  technical //  [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin; Origin: ’womb’, from  mater  ’mother’]//\n  1 an arrangement of numbers, letters, or signs in rows and columns that you consider to be one amount, and that you use in solving mathematical problems:  --a matrix table//\n  2 a situation from which a person or society can grow and develop:  --the cultural matrix//\n  3 a living part in which something is formed or develops, such as the substance from which your fingernails grow:\n  4 a mould (=hollow container)  into which melted metal, plastic, etc is poured to form a shape:\n  5 the rock in which hard stones or jewels have formed:    dot-matrix printer//


Words: matron
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: French; Origin: matrone, from  Latin matrona, from  mater  ’mother’]//\n  1  literary an older married woman:\n  2  BrE  old-fashioned a nurse who is in charge of the other nurses in a hospital:\n  3  BrE a woman who works as a nurse in a private school:\n  4  AmE a woman who is in charge of women and children in a school or prison:


Words: matron of honour
Meaning:
BrE matron of honor  AmE   plural  matrons of honour  n [C] //  a married woman who helps the bride on her wedding day//    bridesmaid//


Words: matronly
Meaning:
adj   used to describe a woman who is fairly fat and no longer young - to avoid saying this directly//  --a matronly woman of 50//


Words: matt
Meaning:
BrE  matte/m[zB024]t/ adj   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: mat, from  Old French,  ’defeated’, from  Latin mattus  ’drunk’]//  matt paint, colour, or photographs have a dull surface, not shiny//  → gloss//  --matt black//


Words: matted
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin:  MAT1]//  matted hair or fur is twisted or stuck together in a thick mass//  --a cat with a dirty matted coat//  matted with//  --Her hair was matted with blood.//


Words: matter
Meaning:
n   ----------//\n   1 SUBJECT/SITUATION:\n   2 matters:\n   3 MATERIAL:\n   4 as a matter of fact:\n   5 what’s the matter?/something’s the matter/nothing’s the matter etc:\n   6 the truth/fact of the matter is (that) :\n   7 for that matter:\n   8 be (quite) a different matter:\n   9 take matters into your own hands:\n  10 it’s only/just a matter of time:\n  11 a matter of life and/or death:\n  12 be a matter of opinion:\n  13 be a matter of (personal) taste/choice/preference:\n  14 be a matter of principle:\n  15 be a matter of doing something:\n  16 a matter of seconds/weeks/hours etc:\n  17 as a matter of something:\n  18 as a matter of interest:\n  19 as a matter of urgency:\n  20 as a matter of course/routine:\n  21 no matter how/whether/what etc:\n  22 no matter what:\n  23 no matter:\n  24 it’s a matter of fact (that):\n  25 the little/small matter of something:\n  26 no matter that:\n  27 reading/printed etc matter:  ----------//  [Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French; Origin: matere, from  Latin materia  ’matter, substance’, from  mater  ’mother’]//\n  1 SUBJECT/SITUATION:   [C] a subject or situation that you have to think about or deal with//  --There are more  important matters  we need to discuss.//  --It was  a personal matter , and she had no intention of talking to any journalist about it.//  --It will be  a simple matter  to find her.//  --She held strong views on  religious matters .//  --He consulted Landers on all  matters of importance .//  --Safety standards in the industry have been  a matter of concern  for many years.//  --The legal arrangements for the sale are  matters for negotiation .//  --This  is a matter for  the German people to decide.//  --The whole situation may seem funny now, but it  was no laughing matter  at the time.//  --Charles no longer loved her. That was  the crux of the matter .//  --I decided to  raise the matter with my boss.//  --He was too curious to  let the matter drop .//  --There are a number of matters arising out of this.//  --We need to concentrate on the matter in hand .//\n  2  matters [plural] a situation that you are in or have been describing:  --Maybe some of these suggestions will help to improve matters.//  --Matters can be more easily sorted out once you get to the resort.//  --His long absences didn’t help matters  (=made the situation worse) .//  to make matters worse (=used to say that something makes a bad situation worse) //  --The team has lost the last two games and, to make matters worse, two of its best players are injured.//  to complicate matters further (=used to say that something makes a complicated situation more complicated) //  --To complicate matters further, the law on this issue has been changed.//\n  3 MATERIAL:   [U] //  a) the material that everything in the universe is made of, including solids, liquids, and gases//  --particles of matter//  b)  waste/solid/organic/vegetable etc matter//  a substance that consists of waste material, solid material etc//  c) a yellow or white substance in wounds or next to your eye//\n  4  as a matter of fact:   spoken used when adding more details about what you have just said//  --’Have you had many visitors yet?’ ’No, as a matter of fact you’re the first.’//  --I knew him when we were in college - as a matter of fact we were on the same course.//    matter-of-fact//\n  5  what’s the matter?/sth’s the matter/nothing’s the matter etc:   spoken used to ask or talk about why someone seems worried, unhappy, or ill, why something about a situation seems wrong, or why a machine seems not to be working properly//  --What’s the matter? You look as though you’ve been crying.//  --’Is something the matter?’ ’Just a headache - I’ll be fine in a minute.’//  --You look worried. Is there anything the matter?//  --What’s the matter with Bill?//  --What’s the matter with your eye? It looks red.//  --I know something’s the matter. You’re frightened of something.//  --Nothing’s the matter, honestly, I’m fine.//  --There was nothing the matter with it (=it was all right) when I lent it to him.//  --She had something the matter with her back.//\n  6  the truth/fact of the matter is (that) :   spoken used when saying what you think is really true concerning a situation//  --The truth of the matter is that we don’t know exactly how the disease is spread. //\n  7  for that matter:  used to say that what you are saying about one thing is also true about something else//  --Ben never touched beer, or any kind of alcohol for that matter.//  --He’s an artist who has never been as well-known here, or for that matter as well-respected, as he has been in the USA.//\n  8  be (quite) a different matter:   also be (quite) another matter //   especially BrE used to say that a situation or action is very different from the one you have just mentioned, and may not be as easy, pleasant etc//  --She didn’t mind seeing him in a group but an intimate dinner in a restaurant was another matter altogether.//\n  9  take matters into your own hands:  to deal with a problem yourself because other people have failed to deal with it//  --Local people took matters into their own hands and hired their own security guards.//\n  10  it’s only/just a matter of time:  used to say that something will definitely happen in the future//  --It can only be a matter of time before someone is seriously injured.//\n  11  a matter of life and/or death:  a situation that is extremely serious or important, especially one in which someone could die//  --The quality of the ambulance service is a matter of life and death.//  --Can’t it wait? It’s hardly a matter of life or death, is it?//\n  12  be a matter of opinion:  used to say that people have different opinions about something, especially when you yourself have a negative opinion//  --Whether or not he is any good as a manager is a matter of opinion.//\n  13  be a matter of (personal) taste/choice/preference:  used to say that different people like different things//  --I can’t say which wine is best - it’s a matter of personal taste.//\n  14  be a matter of principle:  to be something that you feel you must or must not do, because of your moral principles//  --She couldn’t take the money. It was a matter of principle.//\n  15  be a matter of doing sth:  used to say that an action involves doing something//  be simply/largely/merely etc a matter of doing sth //  --Reducing the number of road deaths is not simply a matter of improving roads.//\n  16  a matter of seconds/weeks/hours etc:  only a few seconds, weeks etc//  --The ambulance arrived in a matter of minutes.//  --The bullet missed his head by a matter of inches.//\n  17  as a matter of sth:  because of a particular belief or quality//  --He invited her as a matter of courtesy.//  --As a matter of fairness, he should be allowed to give his version of events.//\n  18  as a matter of interest:   BrE  spoken used when you ask or tell someone something that interests you but is not important//  --Just as a matter of interest, which school did you go to?//\n  19  as a matter of urgency:  if something is done or should be done as a matter of urgency, it is done or should be done very soon//  --That procedure should be streamlined as a matter of urgency.//\n  20  as a matter of course/routine:  if something is done as a matter of course or routine, it is the correct and usual thing to do in a particular situation//  --We will contact your former employer as a matter of course.//\n  21  no matter how/whether/what etc:   also no matter the ... //  used to say that something is true or that something happens whatever the situation is//  --Feeding a baby is a messy job no matter how careful you are.//  --I’m determined to visit Japan no matter what it costs.//  --He visited her every day no matter the weather.//\n  22  no matter what:   spoken used to say that you will definitely do something//  --I’ll call you tonight, no matter what.//\n  23  no matter:   spoken  formal or old-fashioned used to say that something is not important and will not affect a situation//  --’I’m afraid I forgot to bring a towel.’ ’No matter, I’ve got one you can borrow.’//\n  24  it’s a matter of fact (that):  used to say that something is a fact//  --It’s a matter of fact that the team have not performed as well this season.//\n  25  the little/small matter of sth:   spoken something that is not important or not difficult - used when you really think something is important or difficult//  --He seemed unworried by the small matter of the war that was in progress.//  --There’s the small matter of tonight’s game if we are to reach the finals.//\n  26  no matter that:  used to say that something is not important and will not affect a situation//  --I would always be an outsider here - no matter that I spoke fluent Spanish.//\n  27  reading/printed etc matter:  things that are written for people to read//  --As well as textbooks and other printed matter, courses may include video and audio cassettes.//    grey matter,  subject matter//    not mince matters at mince1 (3)//    mind over matter at mind1 (43)//  ----------//  COLLOCATES for sense 1 //  a serious/important matter //  a personal/private matter //  a simple/easy matter (=something that is easy to do) //  financial/legal/political/religious matters //  a matter of importance //  a matter of/for concern //  a matter for discussion/negotiation/consideration etc //  be a matter for somebody (to decide)  (=be something that a particular person should deal with) //  be no laughing matter (=something very serious) //  the heart/crux of the matter  (=the most important part of something) //  raise a matter with somebody  (=discuss something with someone) //  let the matter rest/drop  (=decide to stop worrying about something) //  matters arising from/out of something (=things that come from or are connected with a particular event) //  the matter at hand/in hand  (=the thing you are dealing with now) //  ----------//\nmatter 2 v \n  1 [I not in progressive] to be important, especially to be important to you, or to have an effect on what happens:  it doesn’t etc matter if//  --Will it matter if I’m a little late?//  --If I have to stay late at work tonight, it won’t matter because we can go out another night.//  it doesn’t etc matter who/why/what etc//  --It doesn’t matter what you wear, as long as you look neat and tidy.//  --Does it matter what I think?//  it doesn’t etc matter that//  --It does not matter that the gun was in fact unloaded.//  --Do you think it matters that the cups and saucers don’t match?//  it doesn’t matter about sth//  --Just give me $5 - it doesn’t matter about the rest.//  matter to//  --He had lost many of the people who mattered to him.//  matter a lot/a great deal //  --It mattered a great deal to her what other people thought of her.//  not matter much/matter little //  --I don’t think it matters much what you study.//  --campaigning on issues that really matter //  all that matters/the only thing that matters //  --All that matters is that you’re safe.//  --Money was the only thing that mattered to him.//  --I don’t care what it looks like - what matters is that it works.//  --At last she was with the man she loved and nothing else mattered .//  --She said very little during the meal. Not that it mattered  (=it was not important) .//\n  2  it doesn’t matter:   spoken //  a) used to tell someone that you are not angry or upset about something, especially something that they have done//  --’I’ve spilled some coffee on the carpet.’ ’It doesn’t matter.’//  b) used to say that you do not mind which one of two things you have//  --’Red or white wine?’ ’Oh, either. It doesn’t matter.’//\n  3  what does it matter?:   spoken used to say that something is not important//  --It all happened so long ago now, what does it matter?//  --What does it matter how old I am?//


Words: matter-of-fact
Meaning:
adj   showing no emotion when you are talking about something exciting, frightening, upsetting etc//  matter-of-fact about//  --Jan was surprisingly matter-of-fact about her divorce.//  matter-of-fact voice/tone //  --Use a matter-of-fact tone when disciplining your children.//  -- matter-of-factly adv //


Words: Matterhorn
Meaning:
the Matterhorn//  a high mountain in the Alps near the border between Italy and Switzerland. It is popular with climbers, and is shaped like a  pyramid.//


Words: Matthew
Meaning:
Saint   one of Jesus Christ’s  discipleS (=his close friends and followers) . According to Bible stories, he was a tax collector and wrote  The Gospel according to St Matthew, which describes the life and teaching of Jesus.//


Words: Matthews
Meaning:
Sir Stanley   (1915-2000) a British football player, one of the greatest English players ever, who played 54 times for the English national team. He played professional football for 33 years, until he was over 50.//


Words: mattress
Meaning:
n [C]   ladder, mattress//  [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: materas, from  Arabic matrah  ’place where something is thrown’]//  the soft part of a bed that you lie on//  firm/soft/hard etc mattress //  --an old, lumpy mattress//


Words: mature
Meaning:
adj   ----------//\n   1 sensible:\n   2 fully grown:\n   3 wine/cheese etc:\n   4 older:\n   5 novel/painting etc:\n   6 on mature reflection/consideration:\n   7 financial:\n   8 mature market/industry:  ----------//  [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin; Origin: maturus]//\n  1 SENSIBLE:  someone, especially a child or young person, who is mature behaves in a sensible and reasonable way, as you would expect an adult to behave//  → immature//  --Laura is very mature for her age .//  --We’re mature enough to disagree on this issue but still respect each other.//\n  2 FULLY GROWN:  fully grown and developed//  --Mature apple trees are typically 20 feet tall.//  --The new leader wants his country to be seen as a mature democracy.//  --The human brain isn’t fully mature until about age 25.//  physically/emotionally/sexually mature //  --Most girls are sexually mature by about 14 years of age.//\n  3 WINE/CHEESE ETC:   BrE mature cheese, wine etc has a good strong taste which has developed during a long period of time//  --mature cheddar//\n  4 OLDER:  a polite or humorous way of describing someone who is no longer young//   middle-aged//  --wedding fashions for mature brides//  --a respectable gentleman of mature years .//\n  5 NOVEL/PAINTING ETC:  a mature piece of work by a writer or an artist is done late in their life and shows a high level of understanding or skill//  --His mature work reveals a deep sense of enjoyment of nature.//\n  6  on mature reflection/consideration:   formal after thinking carefully and sensibly about something for a long time//  --On mature reflection we have decided to decline their offer.//\n  7 FINANCIAL:  a mature bond or policy is ready to be paid//\n  8  mature market/industry:   technical a mature industry or market is one where growth is quite low and there are fewer competitors than before//  -- maturely adv //  --If you want us to treat you as an adult, you have to act maturely.//\nmature 2 v \n  1 [I] to become fully grown or developed:  --As the fish matures, its colours and patternings change.//  mature into//  --She has matured into a fine writer.//\n  2 [I] to become sensible and start to behave sensibly and reasonably, like an adult:  --He has matured a lot since he left home.//  --He wants to prove just how much he has matured both as a player and as a man.//\n  3 [I] if a financial arrangement such as a bond or an insurance policy matures, it becomes ready to be paid:\n  4 [I and T] if cheese, wine etc matures, or if it is matured, it develops a good strong taste over a period of time:  --Few beers brewed in Britain are matured in the bottle.//  --The olives are pulped, then left to mature for three years.//


Words: maturity
Meaning:
n [U] \n  1 the quality of behaving in a sensible way like an adult:  → immaturity//  --Beth shows a maturity way beyond her 16 years.//  --One day you’ll have the maturity to understand.//\n  2 the time or state when someone or something is fully grown or developed:  at maturity//  --The tree will reach only 5 feet at maturity.//  reach/come to/grow to maturity //  --These insects reach full maturity after a few weeks.//  --the era when the Republic came to political maturity //  sexual/emotional/physical maturity //  --He lacks the emotional maturity to appreciate poetry.//\n  3 the time when a financial arrangement such as a bond or an insurance policy becomes ready to be paid:


Words: matzo
Meaning:
matzoh/m[hA361]ts[hA353] $ m[hA35A][hA359]-/ n   plural  matzos  [U and C] //  [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Yiddish; Origin: matse, from  Hebrew massah]//\n  1 a large thin piece of flat bread, eaten by Jewish people during Passover:\n  2 a type of flour used to make bread, cakes etc especially by Jewish people during passover:  --herrings dipped in matzo and fried//


Words: Mau Mau
Meaning:
the   a secret political organization which was started in Kenya in 1952 by the Kikuyu people, and which wanted Kenya to become independent from the UK. It used violence against Europeans whom it wanted to leave Kenya and against Africans who supported the British.//


Words: maudlin
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin: Maudlin  ’Mary Magdalen’ (14-16 centuries), from  Old French Madeleine, from  Latin Magdalena; because she was shown in pictures as crying]//\n  1 talking or behaving in a sad, silly, and emotional way, especially when drunk:  get/grow/become maudlin //  --Sir Ralph was becoming maudlin after his third glass of claret.//\n  2 a maudlin song, story, film etc tries too hard to make people feel emotions such as love or sadness and seems silly:  --a song that is tender without being maudlin//


Words: Maugham
Meaning:
Somerset   (1874-1965) a British writer of novels and short stories. Many people consider him to be one of the best short story writers in English. His novels include  Of Human Bondage and  The Moon and Sixpence.//


Words: maul
Meaning:
v [T]   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin: maul  ’hammer’ (13-20 centuries), from  Old French mail, from  Latin malleus]//\n  1 if an animal mauls someone, it injures them badly by tearing their flesh:  --A mentally ill man was mauled after climbing into the lions’ enclosure at London Zoo.//\n  2 to strongly criticize something, especially a new book, play etc:  --Her latest book was absolutely mauled by the critics.//\n  3 to touch someone in a rough sexual way which they think is unpleasant:  --What makes you think you’ve got the right to maul me like that?//\n  4  informal to defeat someone very easily - used especially in sports reports:  --Stanford have looked quite good lately. They absolutely mauled Notre Dame last weekend.//  -- mauling n  [singular] //  --Juppe got a mauling over the government’s failure to fulfil its promises.//


Words: Mauna Loa
Meaning:
a very large mountain that is an active  volcano in the south central part of the island of Hawaii.//


Words: maunder
Meaning:
v [I]  especially BrE   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin:  Probably from the sound]//  to talk or complain about something for a long time in a boring way//  maunder on/about//  --What are you maundering on about, George?//


Words: Maundy money
Meaning:
n [U]   specially made coins given each year to poor people by the British queen or king in a traditional ceremony on Maundy Thursday, which is the Thursday before  Easter//


Words: Maundy Thursday
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1200-1300; Origin: maundy  ’Christian ceremony of washing poor people’s feet’, from  Old French mande, from  Latin mandatum  ’command’]//  the Thursday before Easter//


Words: Maupassant
Meaning:
Guy de   (1850-93) a French writer who wrote hundreds of short stories. He is one of the best short story writers ever. //


Words: Mauriac
Meaning:
Fran[hA168]ois   (1885-1970) a French writer of novels who won the  Nobel prize for Literature in 1952.//


Words: Mauritania
Meaning:
a country in northwest Africa on the Atlantic coast. Population 2,747,000 (2001). Capital: Nouakchott.//  -- Mauritanian n  adj //


Words: Mauritius
Meaning:
an island and country in the Indian Ocean, which is a member of the British  Commonwealth. Population 1,190,000 (2001). Capital: Port Louis. It is a popular place for tourists.//  -- Mauritian n  adj //


Words: mausoleum
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Latin; Origin: Greek, from  Mausolos king of Caria in ancient Turkey, for whom such a building was made]//  a large stone building made specially to contain the body of a dead person, or the dead bodies of an important family//  --the Lenin Mausoleum//


Words: mauve
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: ’mallow’, from  Latin malva;   MALLOW]//  a pale purple colour//  -- mauve adj //  --mauve flowers//


Words: maven
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1900-2000; Language: Yiddish; Origin: meyvn, from  Hebrew l’havin  ’to understand’]//   AmE someone who knows a lot about a particular subject//  food/fashion/sports etc maven //  --A food maven could also be called a gourmet.//


Words: maverick
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin:  Samuel A.  Maverick (1803-70), U.S. cattle owner who did not mark some of his young cattle]//  an unusual person who has different ideas and ways of behaving from other people, and is often very successful//  --He’s always been a bit of a maverick.//  -- maverick adj  [only before noun] //  --a maverick detective//


Words: maw
Meaning:
n [C]   [Language: Old English; Origin: maga]//\n  1  formal something which seems to swallow or use up things completely:  maw of//  --Millions of dollars were poured into the maw of defense spending.//\n  2  literary an animal’s mouth or throat:


Words: mawkish
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin: mawk  ’maggot’ (15-19 centuries), from  Old Norse mathkr]//  showing too much emotion in a way that is embarrassing//   sentimental//  --a mawkish love story//  -- mawkishly adv //  -- mawkishness n  [U] //


Words: max
Meaning:
n [C]  informal   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: maximum]//\n  1 the abbreviation of maximum :  --Five people will fit, but that’s the max.//\n  2  to the max:  to the greatest degree possible//  --We had the air conditioner turned up to the max.//  -- max adj  adv //  --Let’s say two hours to get there, max.//\nmax 2 v   max out phr v//\n  1  max sth → out:  to use something such as money or supplies so that there is none left//  --I maxed out my Visa.//\n  2 to do too much, eat too much etc:  max out on//  --’Want a beer?’ ’Nah, I maxed out on booze this weekend.’//


Words: maxim
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: maxime, from  Latin maximus;   MAXIMUM2]//  a well-known phrase or saying, especially one that gives a rule for sensible behaviour//


Words: maximal
Meaning:
adj  technical   as much or as large as possible//  --the right conditions for a maximal increase in employment//  -- maximally adv //


Words: maximize
Meaning:
also maximise  BrE   v [T] \n  1 to increase something such as profit or income as much as possible:  → minimize//  maximize profit/revenue etc //  --The company’s main function is to maximize profit.//\n  2 to click on a special part on a window on a computer screen so that it becomes as big as the screen:  → minimize//\n  3 to use something in a way that gives you the greatest practical value or the best results:  --We need to maximize the space.//  maximize opportunities/chances etc //  --The career center will help you maximize your opportunities.//  -- maximization/m[zB024]ks[hA369]ma[hA366]ze[hA366][hA35D][hA368]n $ -s[hA369]m[hA353]-/ n  [U] //


Words: maximum
Meaning:
W3S2   adj [only before noun]   the maximum amount, quantity, speed etc is the largest that is possible or allowed//  → minimum//  --The car has a maximum speed of 120 mph.//  --They made maximum use of the resources available.//  --To get the maximum benefit, do the exercises slowly.//  --Display the hologram under a strong light for maximum effect.//  --The plant is operating at maximum capacity .//  maximum amount/number etc //  --Work out the maximum amount you can afford to spend.//  --The award will consist of a lump sum to a maximum value of $5000.//  maximum sentence/penalty/fine etc //  --She faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.//\nmaximum 2 n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: maximus  ’greatest’, from  magnus  ’great’]//  the largest number or amount that is possible or is allowed//  maximum of//  --He faces a maximum of seven years in prison.//  --The company will reimburse you up to a maximum of $1000.//  --We might have a third child, but that’s the absolute maximum .//


Words: Maxwell
Meaning:
James Clerk   (1831-79) a British scientist who made important discoveries in  electromagnetism, which made possible the development of radio and telephones//


Words: May
Meaning:
n [U and C]   [Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French; Origin: mai, from  Latin Maius, from  Maia Roman goddess]//  the fifth month of the year, between April and June//  next/last May //  --She started work here last May.//  in May//  --The theatre opened in May.//  on May 6th//  --We don’t have any meetings on May 6th, do we?//  on 6th May//   BrE //  --An agreement was signed on 6th May 1977.//  May 6//   AmE //  --Michael’s getting married May 6.//


Words: may
Meaning:
modal v   ----------//\n   1 possibility:\n   2 possible to do something:\n   3 allowed:\n   4 in polite expressions:\n   5 although :\n   6 may as well:\n   7 may somebody/something do something:\n   8 purpose:\n   9 be that as it may:\n  10 may well:  ----------//  [Language: Old English; Origin: m[zB024]g]//\n  1 POSSIBILITY:  if something may happen or may be true, there is a possibility that it will happen or be true but this is not certain//   might//  --I may be late, so don’t wait for me.//  --Some chemicals may cause environmental damage.//  --There may not be enough money to pay for the repairs.//  --Well, I may have been wrong.//  --They may have called while you were out.//  -- It may be that Minoan ships were built and repaired here.//  --Your job may well involve some travelling (=it is fairly likely) .//\n  2 POSSIBLE TO DO SOMETHING:  if something may be done, completed etc in a particular way, that is how it is possible to do it//   can//  --The problem may be solved in a number of different ways.//\n  3 ALLOWED:  a) used to say that someone is allowed to do something//   can//  --Thank you. You may go now.//  --There is a set of rules to show what members may and may not do.//  --You may sit down or stand, just as you wish.//  --No one may own more than 10% of the shares.//  b)  may I/we ...?//   spoken  formal used to ask politely for permission to do something//  --May I come in and wait?//  --May we use your office for a few minutes?//\n  4 IN POLITE EXPRESSIONS:   spoken  formal used to say, ask, or suggest something in a polite way//  --All these things, if I may say so, are entirely irrelevant.//  --Who, may I ask, is Wotherspoon?//  --May I suggest that you consider the matter further before taking any action.//\n  5 ALTHOUGH :  used to say that even though one thing is true, something else which seems very different is also true//  --I may be slow, but at least I don’t make stupid mistakes.//  --Although this may sound like a simple process, great care is needed.//  --Strange as it may seem, I always felt I belonged here.//\n  6  may as well:   spoken used to suggest that someone should do something, because there is no good reason to do anything else//   might as well//  --If there’s nothing more to do, we may as well go to bed.//  --You may as well tell us now - we’ll find out sooner or later.//\n  7  may sb/sth do sth:   formal used to express a wish or hope//  --We pray for those who died - may they rest in peace.//  --It is a fine tradition and long may it continue!//\n  8 PURPOSE:   formal used after ’so that’ or ’in order that’ to say that someone does something in order to make something else possible//  --The hero sacrifices his life so that his friend may live.//\n  9  be that as it may:   formal in spite of what you have just mentioned//  --Perhaps there isn’t one single system that will work for everyone. Be that as it may, we all need order in our lives.//\n  10  may well:  used to say that there is a good reason for a reaction, question, or feeling//  --’What’s all the noise?’ ’You may well ask .’//\nmay 2 n [U]  BrE   the white or pink flowers of the hawthorn//


Words: May Ball
Meaning:
n [C]   a formal dance held at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge every year in June. Students dress formally for a May Ball, and it is expensive to go to one.//


Words: May Day
Meaning:
n [U and C]   the first day of May, when left-wing political parties in some countries celebrate, and when people traditionally celebrate the arrival of spring//


Words: May Queen
Meaning:
n [C]   a young woman chosen as  queen as part of the  May Day celebrations. She wears a  crown of flowers on her head, and she is also called Queen of the May.//


Words: maybe
Meaning:
adv [sentence adverb] \n  1 used to say that something may happen or may be true but you are not certain:   perhaps//  --Maybe it’s all just a big misunderstanding.//  --’Do you think he’ll come back?’ ’Maybe.’//  --Maybe they’re right, but maybe not .//  --You have talent, maybe even genius.//  --He said he’d finish the work soon - maybe tomorrow.//\n  2  spoken used to reply to a suggestion or idea when either you are not sure if you agree with it, or you do not want to say ’yes’ or ’no’:  --’I think Sheila would be an excellent manager.’ ’Maybe.’//\n  3 used to show that you are not sure of an amount or number:  --The problems really started maybe two or three years ago.//  --He looked like he was thirty, maybe thirty-five years old.//\n  4  spoken used to make a suggestion you are not quite sure about:  --If the bill doesn’t seem right, maybe you should give them a call.//  --Maybe I can ride the bicycle and follow you.//


Words: mayday
Meaning:
n [singular]   [Date: 1900-2000; Language: French; Origin: m’aider  ’help me’]//  a radio signal used to ask for help when a ship or plane is in serious danger//    SOS//


Words: Mayfair
Meaning:
the most expensive part of London, in the area directly east of Hyde Park. Mayfair has many large and well-known hotels, and it was once a very fashionable place to live, but many of the houses have now been made into offices.//


Words: Mayflower
Meaning:
the   the ship that took the  Pilgrim Fathers to Plymouth, Massachusetts in the US in 1620. They were  PuritanS, who left England because they wanted to start a new society where they would be free to practise their religion. In the US people sometimes say, either seriously or jokingly, that someone’s family "came over on the Mayflower", when they mean that someone’s family originally arrived in the US a very long time ago.//


Words: mayfly
Meaning:
n   plural  mayflies  [C] //  [Date: 1600-1700; Origin: May +  fly; because it was believed it only lived in May]//  a small insect that lives near water, and only lives for a short time//


Words: mayhem
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Anglo-French; Origin: mahaime  ’crime of cutting off someone’s arm or leg’, from  Old French maynier;   MAIM]//  an extremely confused situation in which people are very frightened or excited//   chaos//  --There was complete mayhem after the explosion.//  cause/create/wreak mayhem //  --For some children, the first fall of snow is an opportunity to create mayhem.//


Words: Mayo Clinic
Meaning:
the   a medical institution and hospital in Rochester, Minnesota, famous in the US for its modern equipment and successful treatments//


Words: mayonnaise
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: , perhaps from  mahonnais  ’of Mahon’, from  Mahon port in Minorca]//  a thick white sauce, made of raw egg yolks and oil, often eaten on sandwiches or salad//


Words: mayor
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: maire, from  Latin major;   MAJOR1]//\n  1 the person who has been elected to lead the government of a town or city:  --the election of the London mayor//\n  2 someone who is chosen or elected each year in Britain to represent a town or city at official public ceremonies:  -- mayoral adj //  --mayoral duties//


Words: Mays
Meaning:
Willie   (1931- ) a US  baseball player who was one of the greatest ever. He joined the New York Giants in 1951 and played for them for many years. In 1964 he became the first black player to be made  captain of a team in the  Major Leagues. He was also the first  National League player to hit more than 600  home runs.//


Words: Mazarin Bible
Meaning:
the   another name for the  Gutenberg Bible. It was called this because the first copy of it was found in the library of Cardinal Mazarin in Paris in 1760.//


Words: maze
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1200-1300; Origin: maze  ’to confuse’ (13-19 centuries), probably from unrecorded  Old English masian]//\n  1 a complicated and confusing arrangement of streets, roads etc:  maze of streets/paths/tunnels etc //  --the maze of narrow streets//  --I was led through a maze of corridors.//\n  2 a large number of rules, instructions etc which are complicated and difficult to understand:  maze of rules/regulations etc //  --a maze of new laws//\n  3 a specially designed system of paths, often in a park or public garden, which is difficult to find your way through:  --We got completely lost in the maze.//  --the famous Hampton Court maze//\n  4 a children’s game on paper in which you try to draw a line through a complicated group of lines without crossing any of them:


Words: Maze Prison
Meaning:
the Maze Prison//   also the Maze //  a prison in Northern Ireland where many prisoners, both Protestant and Roman Catholic, are kept//


Words: mazurka
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: Polish, from  Mazur  ’someone from Mazovia (ancient part of Poland)’]//  a fast traditional Polish dance, or the music for this dance//


Words: MBA
Meaning:
also  M.B.A. AmE   n [C]   Master of Business Administration a university degree in the skills needed to be in charge of a business that you can get after your first degree. A person who has this degree is also called an MBA//  do/have an MBA //  --Rick is a 32-year-old MBA from Harvard.//


Words: MBE
Meaning:
n [C]   Member of the Order of the British Empire a special honour given to some British people for things they have done for their country//


Words: MC
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 Master of Ceremonies someone who introduces guests or performers at a social or public occasion:   emcee//\n  2 the person in a rap group who holds the microphone and says the words to the songs:\n  3 Military Cross a medal given to British army officers for being brave:


Words: MCAT
Meaning:
Medical College Admissions Test an examination which must be taken by anyone who wants to attend  medical school in the US//


Words: MCC
Meaning:
the   the Marylebone Cricket Club a famous  cricket club that was established in 1787 and is based at  Lord’s cricket ground in North London. Although it is a private club, the MCC was until the 1960s in charge of the organization of cricket all over the world, and it is still responsible for the rules of the game.//


Words: McCarthy
Meaning:
Joseph   (1909-57) a US politician in the  Republican Party. He became famous in the early 1950s by saying publically that many famous people, important politicians, and military officers were  communists, and therefore enemies of the US. He influenced the development of strongly anti-Communist ideas in the US, and anyone who was called a Communist was treated extremely unfairly. In 1954, however, the US  Senate formally criticized his actions, and he lost most of his political support and power//


Words: McCarthyism
Meaning:
n [U]   in the US in the 1950s, McCarthyism consisted of searching for and removing from public employment anybody who people thought might be a Communist. Senator Joseph McCarthy was responsible for this process. Many of the people accused were  blacklisted (=not allowed to work)  or imprisoned. People were encouraged to give the names of their friends and people they worked with to protect themselves. McCarthyism is sometimes used to mean any accusation of disloyalty to your country that is made without proof.//    HUAC, the//


Words: McCartney
Meaning:
Paul   (1942- ) a British singer and songwriter, now Sir Paul McCartney, who was a member of The  Beatles, and who wrote most of their songs with John  Lennon. He led a new band called Wings in the 1970s, and has continued writing and performing music. His wife, Linda McCartney (1941-98), was a photographer who formed a company that sold ready-made vegetarian food.//


Words: McClellan
Meaning:
George   (1826-85) a US  general (=military leader)  in the  Union army in the American  Civil War//


Words: McCoy
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin:  Scottish family name]//  the real McCoy//   informal something that is real and is not a copy, especially something valuable//  --In the movie, the two thieves try to discover whether the banknotes are fakes or the real McCoy, with hilarious results.//


Words: McCullers
Meaning:
Carson   (1917-67) a US writer whose novels include  The Heart is a Lonely Hunter and  Reflections in a Golden Eye. Her best-known short stories are included in the collection  The Ballad of the Sad Cafe. She often wrote about loneliness, and many of her characters are people who do not fit into ordinary society.//


Words: McGwire
Meaning:
Mark   (1963- ) US baseball player. In 1998, he was the first player in history to hit 62 home runs in one season (=set of games played during one year) .//


Words: McKinley
Meaning:
Mount     Denali//\n William   (1843-1901) a US politician in the  Republican Party who was President from 1897 to 1901. He greatly increased  tariffs (=taxes on goods coming into the country)  so that US companies would become stronger and more successful. He was shot and killed in Buffalo, New York.//


Words: McLuhan
Meaning:
Marshall   (1911-80) a Canadian writer who was interested in the  media (=newspapers, radio, and television) , and is known for inventing the phrase "the medium is the message", by which he meant that the way in which people receive information has more influence on what they think than the information itself. He also said that the world was becoming a "global village", meaning that  telecommunications were making the world seem smaller and that the countries of the world were becoming more dependent on one another.//


Words: McNaughten Rules
Meaning:
the M’Naghten Rules, the   the rules in English law which say that, if it can be proved that someone did not know what they were doing when they carried out a crime or did not know that it was wrong, then they can  plead insanity (=give madness as an excuse for their actions) . The rules were established as a result of the case of  Regina v. McNaughten in 1843.//


Words: McPherson
Meaning:
Aimee Semple   (1890-1944) a US  evangelist, who travelled all around the US in the 1920s teaching the Christian religion. She became extremely popular and had her own radio  station and a very large church in Los Angeles. She was officially charged with tricking people into giving her money, but a court of law decided she was not guilty.//


Words: McVeigh
Meaning:
Timothy   (1968-2001) a US man who was  accused of exploding a bomb in front of a government building in Oklahoma City in 1996. More than 160 people were killed by the explosion. A court found him guilty of this crime in 1997, and sentenced him to death. He was killed in 2001.//


Words: MD
Meaning:
BrE  M.D. AmE   n \n  1 [C]  Doctor of Medicine a university degree in medicine that you can get after your first degree:\n  2 [C]  BrE the abbreviation of managing director  CEO:\n  3 [U] the abbreviation of muscular dystrophy :\nMD 2   the written abbreviation of Maryland//


Words: ME
Meaning:
n \n  1 [U]  BrE  myalgic encephalomyelitis an illness that makes you feel very tired and weak and can last for a long time:  --ME sufferers//\n  2 [C]  AmE the abbreviation of medical examiner:


Words: me
Meaning:
pron [object form of ’I’]   [Language: Old English; Origin:]//\n  1 used by the person speaking or writing to refer to himself or herself:  --Stop, you’re hurting me.//  --He bought me a drink.//  --Give that book to me.//  --She’s two years older than me.//  --That’s me, standing on the left.//\n  2  me too:   spoken used to tell someone that you feel the same way as they do, that you are in a similar situation etc//  --’I’m hungry!’ ’Me too.’//\n  3  me neither:   also nor me //   spoken used to say that you agree with a negative statement that someone has just made//  --’I can’t believe he’s fifty.’ ’Me neither.’//\nME 2   the written abbreviation for Maine//


Words: me-too
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]  informal   a me-too product is one that a company begins to sell after it has seen that other companies are successful with the same type of product - used to show disapproval//


Words: mea culpa
Meaning:
interjection   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin; Origin: ’through my fault’]//  used humorously to admit that something is your fault//


Words: Mead
Meaning:
Lake   the largest  reservoir (=a lake where water is stored before it is supplied to people’s houses)  in the US, on the Colorado River behind the  Hoover Dam//\n Margaret   (1901-78) a US  anthropologist, who studied the ways in which parents on the islands of Samoa, Bali, and New Guinea taught their children. She also tried to discover whether males and females are born with the differences in behaviour that they show, or whether they learn to behave differently as they grow up in their particular societies. Her best-known book is  Coming of Age in Samoa.//


Words: mead
Meaning:
n   [Sense: 1; Origin: Old English medu]//  [Sense: 2; Origin: Old English m[zB024]d]//\n  1 [U] an alcoholic drink made from honey:  --a glass of mead//\n  2 [C]  literary a meadow:  --the flowery mead//


Words: meagre
Meaning:
BrE  meager AmE   adj   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: French; Origin: maigre, from  Latin macer  ’thin’]//  a meagre amount of food, money etc is too small and is much less than you need//  --a meagre diet of bread and beans//  meagre income/earnings/wages etc //  --He supplements his meager income by working on Saturdays.//  --a school with meagre resources //  -- meagrely adv //  -- meagreness n  [U] //


Words: meal
Meaning:
n   [Sense: 1,3; Origin: Old English m[zB024]l  ’time, meal’]//  [Sense: 2; Origin: Old English melu]//\n  1 [C] an occasion when you eat food, for example breakfast or dinner, or the food that you eat on that occasion:  --After the movie we  went for a meal  in a Chinese restaurant.//  --Why don’t you  ask him out for a meal ?//  --He was always  taking her out for meals in fancy restaurants.//  --We must  have a meal   together some time.//  --Mavis  ate  her meal in silence.//  --My mom was helping me  prepare the  meal .//  --The price includes accommodation, breakfast, and  evening meals .//  --Dinner is  the main meal of the day  for most people.//  --a five-course meal in an expensive French restaurant//  --All I need is a bath,  a decent meal , and a good long sleep.//  --The soldiers were looking forward to a hot meal .//  --The cinnamon roll has as many calories as a full meal .//  --You need to have three  square meals  a day.//\n  2 [U] grain that has been crushed into a powder, for making flour or animal food:    bonemeal//\n  3  make a meal (out) of sth:   BrE  informal to spend too much time or effort doing something//  --He made a real meal out of parking the car.//  ----------//  COLLOCATES for sense 1 //  go (out) for a meal //  ask somebody out for a meal //  take somebody (out) for a meal //  have/eat a meal //  cook/prepare/make a meal //  enjoy your meal! (=I hope you like your food) //  evening/midday meal //  the main meal of the day //  a three/five-course meal //  a decent/proper meal //  a hot meal //  a full meal (=a complete meal) //  a square meal (=a meal with enough good food to keep you healthy) //  HINT sense 1 //  Do not say ’take a meal’. Say have a meal. //  WORD FOCUS: meal //  meals at different times of day: breakfast,  brunch,  lunch,  tea (BrE),  dinner,  supper //  a meal outside: picnic,  barbecue also barbie (informal),  cookout (AmE) //  when you quickly eat a little food : snack,  a bite to eat //  a very big meal for a lot of people: banquet,  feast //  parts of a meal: starter (BrE),  appetizer (AmE) (=the first course) //  main course/entree (especially AmE),  side dish (=eaten with the main course) //  dessert also pudding sweet (BrE) (=sweet food eaten at the end of the meal) //  ----------//


Words: meal ticket
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1  informal something or someone that you depend on to give you money or food:  --There were times when he suspected he was just a meal ticket to her.//\n  2 a card that you buy and then use to get meals at school or work, or at a special event:  --The meal ticket is $15 and includes three meals with beverages.//


Words: meals-on-wheels
Meaning:
n   a service run by the government in Britain in which hot meals are taken to old or sick people in their homes//


Words: mealtime
Meaning:
n [U and C]   a time during the day when you have a meal//  at mealtimes//  --The only time I see the boys is at mealtimes.//


Words: mealy
Meaning:
adj \n  1 fruit or vegetables that are mealy are dry and do not taste good:  --These apples are kind of mealy.//\n  2 containing meal:


Words: mealy-mouthed
Meaning:
adj   not brave enough or honest enough to say clearly and directly what you really think - used in order to show disapproval//  --Most people felt Mr Major fought a pretty mealy-mouthed campaign in which radical ideas were either dropped or blunted.//


Words: mean
Meaning:
v [T]   past tense and past participle  meant /ment///  ----------//\n   1 have a particular meaning:\n   2 intend to say something:\n   3 intend to do something:\n   4 result in something:\n   5 be familiar:\n   6 say something seriously:\n   7 how important somebody/something is:\n   8 show something is true/will happen:\n   9 what do you mean ...?:\n  10 say which person/thing:\n  11 I mean:\n  12 see what I mean?:\n  13 that’s what I mean:\n  14 I mean to say:\n  15 mean business:\n  16 be meant to do something:\n  17 be meant to be good/excellent/bad etc:\n  18 be meant for somebody/something:\n  19 be meant for somebody:\n  20 somebody was never meant for something/to be something:\n  21 something was meant to be/happen:\n  22 know/understand what it means to be something:  ----------//  [Language: Old English; Origin: m[zB024]nan]//\n  1 HAVE A PARTICULAR MEANING:   [not in progressive] to have or represent a particular meaning//  -- What does ’patronizing’ mean ?//  --The red light means ’Stop’.//  --The report fails to define what is meant by the term ’key issues’.//  mean (that)//  --This light means you’re running low on fuel.//\n  2 INTEND TO SAY SOMETHING:   [not in progressive] to intend a particular meaning when you say something//  mean (that)//  --I meant we’d have to leave early - that’s all.//  --It’s pretty obvious what she means .//  (do) you mean  spoken  (=used to check you have understood what someone intended to say) //  --Do you mean you’ve changed or Chris has changed?//  do/if you know/see what I mean?  spoken  (=used to check that someone understands you) //  --I want to buy her something really special, if you know what I mean.//  --We’re still married but living apart in the same house, if you see what I mean.//  --Oh yeah! I see what you mean . (=I understand what you are trying to say) //  -- What I mean is , I don’t feel alone anymore’ (=used to explain more about what you have said) .//  --’I didn’t really like him.’ ’ I know what you mean , I didn’t get on with him either (=used to say you understand and have had the same experience) .//  --’In three hours’ time, I’ll be a free man.’ ’ How do you mean ?’ (=used to ask someone to explain what they have just said) //\n  3 INTEND TO DO SOMETHING:  to intend to do something or intend that someone else should do something//  mean to do sth//  --I’ve been meaning to ask you if you want to come for a meal next week.//  --I didn’t mean to upset you.//  mean sb/sth to do sth//  --I didn’t mean this to happen at all.//  --I never meant you to find out.//  mean for sb to do sth//   especially AmE //  --I didn’t mean for her to get hurt.//  --I’m sure she didn’t mean it  (=you did not intend to upset or hurt someone) .//  mean no harm/offence/disrespect (=not intend to harm, offend etc someone) //  --I’m sure he didn’t mean any harm.//  --He may sound a bit rude at times, but he means well  (=intends to be helpful or kind, even if it does not seem like that) .//  --I wasn’t criticizing you, I really meant it for the best  (=wanted to be helpful, although my actions had the wrong effect) .//\n  4 RESULT IN SOMETHING:   [not in progressive] to have a particular result or involve something//  --The merger will mean the eventual closure of the company’s Sydney office.//  --Don’t let him see you. It will only mean trouble.//  mean (that)//  --The high cost of housing means that many young people can’t afford to buy a house.//  mean doing sth//  --My new job will mean travelling all over the world.//  --Dieting also means being careful about which foods you buy.//\n  5 BE FAMILIAR:   [not in progressive] if a name, word etc means something to you, you are familiar with it or you understand it//  --He said his name was ’Randall’ but it meant nothing to me (=I was not familiar with it) .//  -- Does the name Bryce mean anything to you?//  --You need to use analogies which will mean something to the reader.//\n  6 SAY SOMETHING SERIOUSLY:   [not in progressive] to be serious about what you are saying or writing//  --With children, if you say ’no’, you have to mean it .//  --I meant what I said earlier.//  --You don’t really mean that, do you?//\n  7 HOW IMPORTANT SOMEBODY/SOMETHING IS:   [not in progressive] used for saying how important someone or something is to you//  mean sth to sb//  --I know how much your work means to you.//  --The medal meant a lot to him.//  mean the world to sb/mean everything to sb (=be very important to someone) //  --He meant the world to her.//  --Time meant nothing  (=it was not important) to me while I was travelling.//  --Of course the relationship meant something to me.//\n  8 SHOW SOMETHING IS TRUE/WILL HAPPEN:   [not in progressive] to be a sign that something is true or will happen//  mean (that)//  --Finding a lump does not necessarily mean you have cancer.//  --Clear skies mean that it will be a cold night.//  --Just because he’s been in prison, it doesn’t mean that he’s violent.//\n  9  spoken  what do you mean ...?:  a) used when you do not understand what someone is trying to say//  --’You’ll be careful won’t you?’ ’What do you mean?’//  b) used when you are very surprised or annoyed by what someone has just said//  --What do you mean, you’ve cancelled the trip?//  --What do you mean by that?//  c) used when you are very annoyed by what someone has just done//  --What do you mean by calling me at this time of night?//\n  10  spoken SAY WHICH PERSON/THING:  used to say that a particular person or thing is the one that you are talking about, pointing to etc//  --’Hey you!’ ’Do you mean me?’//  --I meant the pink dress, not the red one.//\n  11  spoken  I mean:  a) used when explaining or giving an example of something, or when pausing to think about what you are going to say next//  --You’re more of an expert than me. I mean, you’ve got all that experience.//  --It’s just not right. I mean, it’s unfair isn’t it?//  b) used to quickly correct something you have just said//  --She plays the violin, I mean the viola, really well.//\n  12  spoken  see what I mean?:  used when something that happens proves what you said before//  --See what I mean? Every time she calls me up she wants me to do something for her.//\n  13  spoken  that’s what I mean:  used when someone is saying the same thing that you were trying to say earlier//  --’We might not have enough money.’ ’That’s what I mean, so we’d better find out the price first.’//\n  14  spoken  I mean to say:  used when adding a reason or explanation for something you have just said, especially something you feel strongly about//  --Of course she wants to see the children, I mean to say, it’s only natural isn’t it?//\n  15  mean business:  to be determined to do something//  --This decision shows the public that we mean business.//\n  16  be meant to do sth:  a) if you are meant to do something, you should do it, especially because someone has told you to or because you are responsible for it//  --Come on, Ellen, you’re meant to be helping me.//  --I thought the police were meant to protect people.//  b) to be intended to do something//  --The diagram is meant to show the different stages of the process.//\n  17  be meant to be good/excellent/bad etc:  used to say that you have heard or read that something is good, bad etc//  --The play is meant to be really good.//\n  18  be meant for sb/sth:  to be intended for a particular person or purpose//  --a book meant for children//\n  19  be meant for sb:  if two people are meant for each other, they are very suitable as partners for each other//  --They were meant for each other.//  --She’s meant for him.//\n  20  sb was never meant for sth/to be sth:  used to say that someone is not at all suitable for a particular job or activity//  --I was never meant for the army.//\n  21  sth was meant to be/happen:  used to say that you think a situation was certain to happen and that no one could have prevented it//  --Dan left me after a month so I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.//\n  22  know/understand what it means to be sth:  to have experienced a particular situation, so that you know what it is like//  --I know what it means to be alone in a foreign country.//\nmean 2 adj   comparative  meaner superlative  meanest //  ----------//\n   1 cruel:\n   2 not generous:\n   3 no mean feat/achievement/task etc:\n   4 be no mean performer/player etc:\n   5 a mean something:\n   6 average:\n   7 poor:  ----------//  [Sense: 1-5, 7; Origin: Old English gem[zB024]ne]//  [Sense: 6; Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: meien, from  Latin medianus;   MEDIAN2]//\n  1 CRUEL:  cruel or not kind//  --That was a mean thing to do.//  --I felt a bit mean asking him to help.//  --It’s a mean trick to play on someone.//  -- It was mean of him not to invite her.//  mean to//  --Don’t be so mean to her!//\n  2 NOT GENEROUS:   BrE not wanting to spend money, or not wanting to use much of something//   stingy//  American Equivalent:  cheap//  --He’s too mean to buy a present for his wife.//  mean with//  --He’s always been mean with his money.//  --It was supposed to be garlic bread, but they’d been a bit mean with the garlic.//\n  3  no mean feat/achievement/task etc:  something that is very difficult to do, so that someone who does it deserves to be admired//  --They sold 1 million cards in the first year of business - no mean feat, given the problems many businesses are facing.//\n  4  be no mean performer/player etc:  to be very good at doing something//  --Kinnock is no mean performer on the rugby field.//\n  5  a mean sth:   informal used to say that something is very good or that someone is very good at doing something//  --He plays a mean game of poker.//  --They serve a mean Sunday brunch at the restaurant on Fourth Street.//\n  6 AVERAGE:   [only before noun]  technical average//  --The study involved 60 patients with a mean age of 58.2 years.//  --The mean annual rainfall was 852 mm.//\n  7 POOR:   [only before noun]  literary poor or looking poor//  --She walked briskly through the mean and dirty streets.//  -- meanly adv //  -- meanness n  [U] //\nmean 3 n   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: meien, from  meien  ’in the middle’;   MEAN2]//\n  1  the mean:   technical the average amount, figure, or value//  --The mean of 7, 9 and 14 is 10.//\n  2  the/a mean between sth and sth:  a method of doing something which is between two very different methods, and better than either of them//  --It’s a case of finding the mean between firmness and compassion.//    means//


Words: meander
Meaning:
v [I]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: maeander, from  Greek, from  Maiandros (now Menderes), river in Turkey]//\n  1 if a river, stream, road etc meanders, it has a lot of bends rather than going in a straight line:  meander along/across/down etc//  --The river meandered gently along the valley floor.//\n  2 [always + adverb/preposition] to walk somewhere in a slow relaxed way rather than take the most direct way possible:  meander along/through etc//  --Cows still meander through these villages.//\n  3  also meander on :  if a conversation or piece of writing meanders on, it is too long and has no purpose or structure//  -- meanderings n  [plural] //  --his aimless meanderings through Europe//  -- meander n  [C] //


Words: meanie
Meaning:
meany/mi[hA359]ni/ n [C]  spoken   an unkind person used especially by children//  --Don’t be such a meanie!//


Words: meaning
Meaning:
W1S2   n   ----------//\n   1 of a word/sign etc:\n   2 ideas in speech/book etc:\n   3 what’s the meaning of this?:\n   4 purpose/special quality:\n   5 true nature:\n   6 (not) know the meaning of something:  ----------//\n  1 OF A WORD/SIGN ETC:   [U and C] the thing or idea that a word, expression, or sign represents//  meaning of//  --I don’t know the precise meaning of the word ’gleaned’.//  --The expression has two very different meanings in English.//\n  2 IDEAS IN SPEECH/BOOK ETC:   [U and C] the thoughts or ideas that someone wants you to understand from what they say, do, write etc//  meaning of//  --The meaning of her words was clear. We’d lost our jobs.//  meaning behind//  --She hardly dared to understand the meaning behind his statement.//  get/understand sb’s meaning (=understand what they are trying to tell you) //  --He’s become a bit more than a friend, if you get my meaning.//\n  3  what’s the meaning of this?:   spoken used to demand an explanation//  --What’s the meaning of this? I asked you to be here an hour ago!//\n  4 PURPOSE/SPECIAL QUALITY:   [U] the quality that makes life, work etc seem to have a purpose or value//  --Life seemed to have lost its meaning since Janet’s death.//  --Her studies no longer seemed to have any meaning .//  --For many people it is religion that gives meaning to their existence.//\n  5 TRUE NATURE:   [U] the true nature and importance of something//  meaning of//  --We seem to have forgotten the true meaning of Christmas.//\n  6  (not) know the meaning of sth:  to have, or not have, experience and understanding of a particular situation or feeling//  --Living in a warzone, the children knew the meaning of fear.//  --Guilty! She doesn’t know the meaning of the word!//


Words: meaningful
Meaning:
adj \n  1 having a meaning that is easy to understand and makes sense:  --Without more data we cannot make a meaningful comparison of the two systems.//  --Teaching history to five-year-olds in a meaningful way can be very difficult.//  meaningful to//  --Rules must be put in a context that is meaningful to the children.//\n  2  meaningful look/glance/smile etc:  a look that clearly expresses the way someone feels, even though nothing is said//  --Sam and Barbara exchanged meaningful glances.//\n  3 serious, important, or useful:  --They want a chance to do meaningful work .//  --I want a mature and meaningful relationship.//  --a meaningful conversation//  -- meaningfully adv //


Words: meaningless
Meaning:
adj \n  1 having no purpose or importance and therefore not worth doing or having:  --He said a few meaningless words to his hostess and looked around the room.//  --a repetitive and meaningless task//  absolutely/utterly/completely meaningless //  --a statistic that is absolutely meaningless//  virtually/fairly/largely meaningless //\n  2 not having a meaning that you can understand or explain:  --Chinese characters are just meaningless symbols to me.//  -- meaninglessness n  [U] //


Words: means
Meaning:
n   plural  means //  ----------//\n   1 method:\n   2 money:\n   3 by all means!:\n   4 by no means/not by any means:\n   5 by means of something:\n   6 a means to an end:\n   7 the means of production:  ----------//\n  1 METHOD:   [C] a way of doing or achieving something//  means of//  --For most people, the car is still their main means of transport .//  --The only  means of communication  was sign language.//  --The window was our only  means of escape .//  --Do you have any  means of identification ?//  --art as a  means of expression //  --Homework should not be used as a means of controlling children.//  --I  had no means of  telling him I would be late.//  --Brian was prepared to  use any means  to get what he wanted.//  --They had entered the country by unlawful means .//  --the means by which performance is assessed//\n  2 MONEY:   [plural] the money or income that you have//  have the means to do sth//  --I don’t have the means to support a family.//  --Paying for your children to go to a private school is beyond the means of most people (=too expensive for most people) .//  --Try to live within your means  (=only spending what you can afford) .//  --His father was a man of means  (=a rich man) .//\n  3  by all means!:   spoken used to mean ’of course’ when politely allowing someone to do something or agreeing with a suggestion//  --’Can I bring Alan?’ ’By all means!’//\n  4  by no means/not by any means:  not at all//  --It is by no means certain that the game will take place.//  --She’s not a bad kid, by any means.//\n  5  by means of sth:   formal using a particular method or system//  --The blocks are raised by means of pulleys.//\n  6  a means to an end:  something that you do only to achieve a result, not because you want to do it or because it is important//  --For Geoff, the job was simply a means to an end.//\n  7  the means of production:  the material, tools, and equipment that are used in the production of goods//    ways and means at way1 (1)//  ----------//  COLLOCATES for sense 1 //  means of transport (=a way of travelling, for example using a car, bus, bicycle etc) //  means of communication //  means of escape //  means of identification (=an official document that shows who you are) //  means of expression (=a way of expressing your feelings, opinions etc) //  a means of doing something //  have no means of doing something //  use any means (=use any method, even if it is illegal or causes harm to other people) //  by unlawful/illegal/unfair means //  (whether) by fair means or foul (=using unfair methods if necessary) //  ----------//


Words: means test
Meaning:
n [C]   an official check in order to find out whether someone is poor enough to need money from the government//  -- means-tested adj //  --means-tested benefits//


Words: meantime
Meaning:
adv \n  1  also in the meantime :  in the period of time between now and a future event, or between two events in the past//   meanwhile//  --The doctor will be here soon. In the meantime, try and relax.//  --I didn’t see her for another five years, and in the meantime she had got married and had a couple of kids.//\n  2  for the meantime:  for the present time, until something happens//  --The power supply should be back soon - for the meantime we’ll have to use candles.//


Words: meanwhile
Meaning:
W2   adv [sentence adverb] \n  1 while something else is happening:  --Cook the sauce over a medium heat until it thickens. Meanwhile start boiling the water for the pasta.//\n  2  also  in the meanwhile:  in the period of time between two events//  --The flight will be announced soon. Meanwhile, please remain seated.//  --I knew I wouldn’t get my exam results for several weeks, and I wasn’t sure what to do in the meanwhile.//\n  3 used to compare two things, especially if they are completely different and are happening at the same time:  --The incomes of male professionals went up by almost 80%. Meanwhile, part-time women workers saw their earnings fall.//


Words: measles
Meaning:
n [U]  also the measles   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin:  Perhaps from  Middle Dutch masel  ’measles spot’ (influenced by  mesel  ’leper’ (13-16 centuries))]//  an infectious illness in which you have a fever and small red spots on your face and body. People often have measles when they are children.//    German measles//


Words: measly
Meaning:
adj  informal   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: measly  ’suffering from measles, spotty’ (17-19 centuries), from  measles]//  very small and disappointing in size, quantity, or value - used to show disapproval//  --All I got was a measly [hA124]5.//


Words: measurable
Meaning:
adj \n  1 large or important enough to have an effect that can be seen or felt:   noticeable//  --The law has had little measurable effect since it was introduced two years ago.//\n  2 able to be measured:  --measurable results//  -- measurably adv //  --The company is working to make its environmental performance measurably better.//


Words: measure
Meaning:
v \n  1 [T] to find the size, length, or amount of something, using standard units such as inches, metres etc:  --The rainfall was measured over a three-month period.//  measure sb for sth//   (=measure someone in order to make clothes for them) //  --She was being measured for her wedding dress.//  measure sth in sth//  --We can measure the energy that food provides in calories.//  measuring jug/cup/tape (=one used for measuring) //\n  2 [T] to judge the importance, value, or true nature of something:   assess//  --Doctors say it is too early to measure the effectiveness of the drug.//  measure sth by sth//  --Education shouldn’t be measured purely by examination results.//\n  3 [linking verb] to be a particular size, length, or amount:  --The room measures 6x6 metres.//  --The earthquake measured 6.5 on the Richter scale.//\n  4 [T] if a piece of equipment measures something, it shows or records a particular kind of measurement:  --An odometer measures the number of miles your car travels.//  measure against / [measure sb/sth against sb/sth] phr v//  to judge someone or something by comparing them with another person or thing//  --Bridget did not think she had to measure herself against some ideal standard.//  --Measured against our budget last year, $2.7 million seems small.//  measure off [measure sth → off] phr v//  to measure a particular length or distance, and make a mark so that you can see the beginning and end//  --He measured off three yards of rope.//  measure out [measure sth → out] phr v//  to take a specific amount of liquid, powder etc from a larger amount//  --Measure out 100 grams of flour.//  measure up phr v//\n  1 to be good enough to do a particular job or to reach a particular standard:  --We’ll give you a week’s trial in the job to see how you measure up.//  measure up to//  --How will the Secretary General measure up to his new responsibilities?//\n  2 to measure something before you do something, for example before you put in new furniture, cupboards etc:  --I’d better measure up before I start laying the carpet.//  measure sth → up//  --Measure up any items that you want to keep in the kitchen.//\nmeasure 2 W3 n [C]   ----------//\n   1 action:\n   2 half measures:\n   3 sign/proof:\n   4 amount:\n   5 unit of measurement:\n   6 in large measure/in some measure:\n   7 in equal measure:\n   8 for good measure:\n   9 beyond measure:\n  10 the full measure of something:\n  11 in full measure:\n  12 have/get the measure of something:\n  13 have/get the measure of somebody:\n  14 thing used for measuring:\n  15 music:  ----------//  [Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French; Origin: mesure, from  Latin mensura, from  metiri  ’to measure’]//\n  1 ACTION:  an action, especially an official one, that is intended to deal with a particular problem//   step//  -- Measures are being taken to reduce crime in the city.//  drastic/tough/extreme etc measures //  --drastic measures to reduce traffic problems//  --New safety measures were being demanded after last night’s horrific train crash.//  --The new bridge was erected as a temporary measure to replace the one which was destroyed by floods.//  precautionary/preventative measure (=something done to stop something bad from happening) //  --He was kept in hospital overnight as a precautionary measure.//\n  2  half measures:  things done to deal with a difficult situation that are not effective or firm enough//  --This was no time for half measures and compromises.//\n  3 SIGN/PROOF:   be a measure of sth//   formal be a sign of the importance, strength etc of something, or a way of testing or judging something//  --The flowers and tears at the funeral were a measure of the people’s love for her.//  --Exam results are not necessarily a true measure of a student’s abilities.//\n  4 AMOUNT:   a measure of sth//  an amount of something good or something that you want, for example success or freedom//  --The new law gives local governments a significant measure of control over their own finances.//  --I met a number of sportsmen who had achieved a measure of success (=some success) .//\n  5 UNIT OF MEASUREMENT:  a) an amount or unit in a measuring system//  --a table of weights and measures //  b) a standard amount of an alcoholic drink//\n  6  in large measure/in some measure:  a lot or quite a lot - used when talking about the reason or cause of something//  --The improvements are due in large measure to his leadership.//\n  7  in equal measure:  used when the amount of one thing is the same as the amount of another thing//  --I was angry and embarrassed in equal measure.//\n  8  for good measure:  in addition to what you have already done, given, or included//  --Why don’t you try phoning them one more time, for good measure?//\n  9  beyond measure:  very much or very great - used when you want to emphasize what you are saying//  --Her work has improved beyond measure .//\n  10  the full measure of sth:   formal the whole of something//  --Ralph received the full measure of his mother’s devotion.//\n  11  in full measure:   formal if someone gives something back in full measure, they give back as much as they received//  --They returned our hospitality in full measure.//\n  12  have/get the measure of sth:  to become familiar with something, so that you can control or deal with it//\n  13  have/get the measure of sb:   BrE to know what someone’s strengths and weaknesses are, so that you are able to deal with them or defeat them//  --She soon got the measure of her opponent.//\n  14 THING USED FOR MEASURING:  something used for measuring, for example a piece of wood or a container//    tape measure//\n  15 MUSIC:  a group of notes and  rests, separated from other groups by vertical lines, into which a piece of music is divided//  British Equivalent:  bar//    made-to-measure//    give sb short measure at short1 (23)//


Words: measured
Meaning:
adj   if you do something in a measured way, you do it in a careful and controlled way, not in an excited or sudden way//  --a measured response to the problem//  --She spoke in measured tones .//


Words: measurement
Meaning:
W3   n \n  1 [C] the length, height etc of something:  waist/chest/leg etc measurement //  --What’s your waist measurement?//  take/make measurements (=measure something) //  --Take measurements of the room before you buy any new furniture.//  take sb’s measurements (=measure someone in order to make or get clothes for them) //  --The assistant took my measurements and showed me what was available in my size.//\n  2 [U] the act of measuring something:  measurement of//  --the measurement of performance//  -- accurate measurement of body temperature//


Words: meat
Meaning:
W3S2   n   [Language: Old English; Origin: mete  ’food’]//\n  1 [U and C] the flesh of animals and birds eaten as food:  --I gave up eating meat a few months ago.//  --raw meat//  --a meat pie//  --a selection of cold meats//  red meat (=a dark-coloured meat such as  beef) //  white meat (=meat that is pale in colour, for example  chicken) //\n  2 [U] something interesting or important in a talk, book, film etc:  --There’s no meat to their arguments.//  --We then got down to the real meat of the debate (=the main and most interesting part of it) .//\n  3  sb doesn’t have much meat on him/her:   BrE  need some (more) meat on your bones//   AmE  informal used to say that someone looks very thin//\n  4  one man’s meat is another man’s poison:  used to say that something that one person likes may not be liked by someone else//\n  5  be easy meat:   BrE  informal if someone is easy meat, they are easy to defeat, deceive, or hurt//  be easy meat for//  --San Marino should be easy meat for England in next week’s match.//\n  6  the meat and potatoes:   AmE  informal the most important or basic parts of a discussion, decision, piece of work etc//  --Let’s get down to the meat and potatoes. How much are you going to pay me for this?//\n  7  be meat and drink to sb:   BrE to be something that someone enjoys doing or finds very easy to do because they have done it many times before//  --The first five questions in the quiz were about football, which was meat and drink to Brian.//


Words: meat grinder
Meaning:
n [C]    AmE a machine that cuts meat into very small pieces by forcing it through small holes//  British Equivalent:  mincer//


Words: meat-packing
Meaning:
n [U]    AmE the preparation of animals that have been killed so that they can be sold as meat//  --the meat-packing industry//  -- meat-packer n  [C] //


Words: meatball
Meaning:
n [C]   a small round ball made from small pieces of meat, herbs, and egg or breadcrumbs pressed together. Meatballs are often served with a sauce.//


Words: meatloaf
Meaning:
n   plural  meatloaves /-l[hA353][hA35E]vz $ -lo[hA35E]vz/ [U and C] //  meat, herbs, and other foods mixed and baked together in the shape of a loaf//


Words: meaty
Meaning:
adj \n  1 containing a lot of meat, or tasting strongly of meat:  --a delicious meaty gravy//\n  2  informal big and fat, with a lot of flesh:  --meaty forearms//\n  3  informal containing a lot of interesting ideas or information:  --a meaty article//  --The lecture wasn’t very meaty.//\n  4  meaty role:  an interesting or important character that an actor is playing in a play or film//  --her first meaty role as an actress//


Words: Mecca
Meaning:
a city in Saudi Arabia where the prophet  Muhammad was born. It is the holiest city of Islam. People who are not Muslims are not allowed to go there, but every Muslim must try to make a  pilgrimage (=religious journey)  to Mecca once in their lifetime.//    haj//    Medina//


Words: mecca
Meaning:
n [singular] \n  1 a place that many people want to visit for a particular reason:   magnet//  mecca for//  --Florence is a mecca for students of Art History.//\n  2  Mecca:  a city in Saudi Arabia which is the holiest city of Islam//


Words: Meccano
Meaning:
trademark   a type of toy used for building machines, vehicles, bridges, and other things. It consists of metal or plastic pieces in different shapes and sizes, which you connect with  nuts and  bolts. Meccano has been popular with children in the UK for over 50 years. There is a similar type of toy in the US called an  Erector Set//


Words: mechanic
Meaning:
n   1 [C] someone who is skilled at repairing motor vehicles and machinery//  --a garage mechanic//\n  2  the mechanics of (doing) sth:  the way in which something works or is done//  --The mechanics of the process are quite complex.//\n  3  mechanics [U] the science that deals with the effects of forces on objects:  --fluid mechanics//    quantum mechanics//\n  4  mechanics [U] the study of machines:  --Steven is planning to go to college to study mechanics.//


Words: mechanical
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Late Latin; Origin: mechanicus, from  Greek, from  mechane  ’machine’]//\n  1 affecting or involving a machine:  --The flight has been cancelled due to mechanical failure .//  --The plane had to make an emergency landing because of mechanical problems.//\n  2 using power from an engine or machine to do a particular kind of work:  --a mechanical digger//  --a mechanical device//\n  3 a mechanical action, reply etc is done without thinking, and has been done many times before:  --He was asked the same question so many times that the answer became mechanical.//\n  4 someone who is mechanical understands how machines work:\n  5  technical relating to or produced by physical forces:  --the mechanical properties of solids//  -- mechanically/-kli/ adv //  --The actors spoke their lines mechanically, hardly caring about the meaning.//  --I’m not very mechanically minded (=good at understanding how machines work and repairing them) .//


Words: mechanical engineering
Meaning:
n [U]   the study of the design and production of machines and tools//  -- mechanical engineer n  [C] //


Words: mechanical pencil
Meaning:
n [C]    AmE a pencil made of metal or plastic, with a thin piece of lead (=the part that you write with) inside//  British Equivalent:  propelling pencil//


Words: mechanism
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 part of a machine or a set of parts that does a particular job:  --the brake mechanism//  --a clock mechanism//\n  2 a system that is intended to achieve something or deal with a problem:  mechanism for (doing) sth//  --existing mechanisms for decision making//  mechanism to do sth//  --The Army has set up mechanisms to help jobless ex-soldiers get work.//    exchange rate mechanism//\n  3 a system or a way of behaving that helps a living thing to avoid or protect itself from something difficult or dangerous:  defence/control/survival mechanism //  --When a person is ill, the body’s natural defence mechanisms come into operation.//\n  4 the way that something works:  mechanism of//  --the mechanism of the brain//


Words: mechanistic
Meaning:
adj   tending to explain the behaviour of things in the natural world as if they were machines//  --a mechanistic view of the universe//  -- mechanistically/-kli/ adv //


Words: mechanized
Meaning:
also  mechanised BrE   adj \n  1 a mechanized system or process now uses machines instead of people or animals:   automated//  --Car production is now highly mechanized .//\n  2 a mechanized army unit uses tanks and other armoured military vehicles:  -- mechanize v  [T] //  -- mechanization/mek[hA353]na[hA366]ze[hA366][hA35D][hA368]n $ -n[hA353]-/ n  [U] //  --increasing mechanization of agriculture//


Words: MEd
Meaning:
BrE M.Ed.  AmE   n [C]   Master of Education a university degree in teaching that you can get after your first degree//    BEd//


Words: medal
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: medaille, from  Old Italian medaglia  ’coin of half value, medal’, from  Late Latin medialis  ’middle’, from  Latin medius;   MEDIUM2]//  a flat piece of metal, usually shaped like a coin, that is given to someone who has won a competition or who has done something brave//  gold/silver/bronze medal //  --She won a gold medal at the last Olympics.//  --the bronze medal winner //  --The two boys were awarded medals for their bravery.//\nmedal 2   past tense and past participle  medalled present participle  medalling  BrE //  past tense and past participle  medaled present participle  medaling  AmE  v [I] //  to win a medal at a competition, especially at the Olympic Games//  medal + in//  --Germany has the potential to medal at least four times in gymnastics this year.//


Words: medallion
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: medaillon, from  Italian medaglione, from  medaglia;   MEDAL]//  a piece of metal shaped like a large coin, worn as jewellery on a chain around the neck//  --a silver medallion//


Words: medallist
Meaning:
BrE  medalist AmE   n [C]   someone who has won a medal in a competition//  --the Olympic gold medallist//


Words: Medawar
Meaning:
Sir Peter   (1915-87) a British  zoologist (=a scientist who studies animals and their behaviour) , who made important discoveries about the  immune system (=the system that your body uses to protect itself from disease) . He won a  Nobel Prize for medicine.//


Words: meddle
Meaning:
v [I]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: mesler,  medler, from  Latin miscere  ’to mix’]//\n  1 to deliberately try to influence or change a situation that does not concern you, or that you do not understand:   interfere//  meddle in//  --I don’t like other people meddling in the way I run this prison.//  --He accused the US of meddling in China’s internal affairs .//  meddle with//  --I’m not the sort of newspaper owner who meddles with editorial policy.//\n  2  BrE to touch something which you should not touch, especially in a careless way that might break it:  meddle with//  --You have no right to come in here meddling with my things.//  -- meddler n  [C] //  -- meddling n  [U] //  -- meddling adj  [only before noun] //  --meddling politicians//


Words: meddlesome
Meaning:
adj   a meddlesome person becomes involved in situations that do not concern them, in a way that annoys people//   interfering//  --a meddlesome old woman//


Words: Medea
Meaning:
in ancient Greek stories, a princess who could do magic, and who helped  Jason to get the  Golden Fleece. She later killed the children she and Jason had together when he decided to marry another woman.//


Words: Medecins sans Fronti[hA169]res
Meaning:
an international organization, similar to the  Red Cross, that provides medical help to people who are suffering as a result of war or natural  disasters. Its French name means ’Doctors without Borders’.//


Words: Medellin
Meaning:
a city in the northwest of Colombia, which is an important industrial centre. People think of Medellin as as a centre of the illegal trade in the drug  cocaine//


Words: media
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin:  Plural of   MEDIUM2]//\n  1  the media:  all the organizations, such as television, radio, and newspapers, that provide news and information for the public, or the people who do this work//  --The scandal was widely reported in the national media .//  --The role of the news media in forming public opinion is very important.//  --The 11-day trial generated intense  media interest .//  --A great deal of  media hype  surrounded the release of the group’s latest CD.//  --There will be another war somewhere else and the whole international  media circus  will move on.//\n  2 the plural of medium:    mass media,  multimedia//  ----------//  COLLOCATES for sense 1 //  the national/local media //  the news media //  media attention/coverage/interest/speculation //  media hype  (=when the media give something too much attention, and try to make it seem much more important or better than it really is) //  media event  (=an event that the media gives a lot of attention to) //  media circus  (=a disapproving word for all the people from the media who report events, and all the attention they give to these events) //  ----------//


Words: median
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1  AmE  also  median strip:  a narrow area of land that separates the two sides of a big road in order to keep traffic travelling in different directions apart//  British Equivalent:  central reservation//\n  2  technical the middle number or measurement in a set of numbers or measurements that have been arranged in order:\n  3  technical a line passing from one of the points of a triangle to the centre of the opposite side:\nmedian 2 adj   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin; Origin: medianus, from  medius;   MEDIUM2]//\n  1 being the middle number or measurement in a set of numbers or measurements that have been arranged in order:    average//  --The median age of the group is 42.//\n  2 in or passing through the middle of something:


Words: mediate
Meaning:
v   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Medieval Latin; Origin: , past participle of  mediare, from  Latin medius;   MEDIUM2]//\n  1 [I and T] to try to end a quarrel between two people, groups, countries etc:  mediate between//  --UN officials mediated between the rebel fighters and the government.//  --The former president has agreed to mediate the peace talks.//  mediate in//  --The court was set up to mediate in civil disputes. //\n  2 [T usually passive]  formal  or  technical to change the effect or influence of something, especially to make the effect less bad:  --Exercise may mediate the effects of a bad diet.//  -- mediation/mi[hA359]die[hA366][hA35D][hA368]n/ n  [U] //


Words: mediator
Meaning:
n [C]   a person or organization that tries to end a quarrel between two people, groups, countries etc by discussion//


Words: medic
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Latin; Origin: medicus;   MEDICAL]//\n  1  BrE  informal a medical doctor:\n  2  BrE  informal a medical student:\n  3  AmE someone in the army who is trained to give medical treatment:    paramedic//


Words: Medicaid
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: medical +  aid]//  a system in the US by which the government helps to pay the cost of medical treatment for poor people//    Medicare//


Words: medical
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: medical, from  Late Latin medicalis, from  Latin medicus  ’doctor’, from  mederi  ’to heal’]//  relating to medicine and the treatment of disease or injury//  --medical research//  --medical staff//  --a medical student//  --a patient’s  medical history  (=the illnesses they have had) //  medical records (=which show what illnesses and treatment someone has had) //  medical attention/treatment/care //  --The injury required urgent medical attention.//  the medical profession (=doctors, nurses, and other people who treat people who are ill) //  -- medically/-kli/ adv //  --medically qualified personnel//  --medically fit//\nmedical 2  also  medical examination n [C]  BrE   an examination of your body by a doctor to see if you are healthy//  American Equivalent:  physical//


Words: medical certificate
Meaning:
n [C]   an official piece of paper signed by a doctor saying that you are too ill to work or that you are completely healthy//    sick note//


Words: medical examiner
Meaning:
n [C]  AmE   a doctor who examines dead people’s bodies in order to find out how they died, especially if they died in a sudden or unusual way//


Words: Medical Research Council
Meaning:
the   a British organization that gives government money to hospitals, universities, and other institutions so that they can do medical  research//


Words: medicament
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Latin; Origin: medicamentum, from  mederi;   MEDICAL]//   formal a substance used to treat a disease//


Words: Medicare
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: medical +  care]//  a system by which the US government helps to pay for the medical treatment of old people//    Medicaid//


Words: medicated
Meaning:
adj   medicated soap or shampoo contains a substance to help small medical problems of your skin or hair//


Words: medication
Meaning:
n [U and C]   medicine or drugs given to people who are ill//  be on medication (for sth)//  --He’s on medication for high blood pressure.//


Words: Medici
Meaning:
the   a rich and powerful Italian family of bankers who ruled  Florence from the 15th to the 18th centuries, and spent much of their money on art and on providing financial support to artists//


Words: medicinal
Meaning:
adj \n  1 used for treating medical problems:    medical//  --Garlic is believed to have medicinal properties  (=contain things that can cure medical problems) .//\n  2  for medicinal purposes:  a) used in a humorous way to say that you drink alcohol because it is good for your health//  --I keep a bottle of brandy handy - purely for medicinal purposes.//  b) for use as a medicine//  --herbs used in medieval times for medicinal purposes//  -- medicinally adv //


Words: medicine
Meaning:
W3S2   n   [Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin medicina, from  medicus;   MEDICAL]//\n  1 [U and C] a substance used for treating illness, especially a liquid you drink:  --Medicines should be kept out of the reach of children.//  --Have you been taking your medicine ?//  --a medicine bottle//  medicine chest/cabinet (=for keeping medicine in) //\n  2 [U] the treatment and study of illnesses and injuries:  --She studied medicine at John Hopkins University.//  --the remarkable achievements of modern medicine //  complementary/alternative/folk etc medicine //  -- traditional Chinese medicine //\n  3  the best medicine:  the best way of making you feel better when you are sad//  --Laughter is the best medicine.//\n  4  give someone a dose/taste of their own medicine:  to treat someone as badly as they have treated you//\n  5  take your medicine (like a man):  to accept an unpleasant situation or a punishment that you deserve, without complaining//  ----------//  HINT sense 1 //  Do not say that you ’drink medicine’. Say that you take your medicine . //  ----------//


Words: medicine man
Meaning:
or medicine woman  n [C]   a person in a Native American tribe who is considered to have the ability to cure illness and disease//    shaman, witch-doctor//


Words: medieval
Meaning:
W3  mediaeval/medii[hA359]v[hA368]l[hA36B] $ mi[hA359]-/ adj   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Modern Latin; Origin: medium aevum  ’middle age’]//\n  1 connected with the Middle Ages (=the period between about AD 1100 and 1500) :  --These spices were first brought to Italy from the East in medieval times.//  --a medieval castle//\n  2 very old or old-fashioned - used in a humorous or disapproving way:  --The plumbing in this house is positively medieval!//


Words: Medigap
Meaning:
a system in the US by which people who have Medicaid pay money to a company so that they can receive additional medical care and services that they need//  --My mom has to pay high premiums every month for Medigap to cover prescription drugs.//


Words: Medina
Meaning:
a city in Saudi Arabia where  Muhammad is buried. It is the most holy place in Islam except for  Mecca, and people who are not Muslims are not allowed to go there.//


Words: mediocre
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: Latin mediocris  ’halfway up a mountain’, from  medius  ’middle’ +  ocris  ’stony mountain’]//  not very good//   second rate//  --I thought the book was pretty mediocre.//  --a mediocre student//  -- mediocrity/mi[hA359]di[hA361]kr[hA369]ti $ -[hA35A][hA359]k-/ n  [U] //


Words: meditate
Meaning:
v   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: , past participle of  meditari]//\n  1 [I] to think seriously and deeply about something:  meditate on/upon//  --She sat quietly, meditating on the day’s events.//\n  2 [I] to spend time sitting in a silent, calm state, in order to relax completely or for religious purposes:  --I try to meditate for half an hour every evening.//\n  3 [T]  formal to plan to do something, usually something unpleasant:  --Silently she meditated revenge.//


Words: meditation
Meaning:
n \n  1 [U] the practice of emptying your mind of thoughts and feelings, in order to relax completely or for religious reasons:  --Yoga involves breathing exercises, stretching, and meditation.//    transcendental meditation//\n  2 [C usually plural, U] the act of thinking deeply and seriously about something:  --She found him sitting alone, deep in meditation.//  --Rob interrupted his father’s meditations.//\n  3 [C usually plural] serious thoughts about a particular subject:  meditation on//  --meditations on death and loss//


Words: meditative
Meaning:
adj \n  1 thinking deeply and seriously about something:  --She was in a meditative mood.//\n  2 relating to the practice of emptying your mind of thoughts and feelings, in order to relax completely or for religious reasons:  --meditative techniques//  -- meditatively adv //


Words: Mediterranean
Meaning:
n   a)  the Mediterranean//  the sea that is surrounded by the countries of southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East//  b) the area of southern Europe that surrounds the Mediterranean Sea//\nMediterranean 2 adj   relating to the Mediterranean Sea, or typical of the area of southern Europe around it//  --a Mediterranean country//  --a plant normally only found in a Mediterranean climate //


Words: Mediterranean Sea
Meaning:
the Mediterranean Sea//   also the Mediterranean //  a sea surrounded by the countries of South Europe, North Africa, and southwest Asia//  -- Mediterranean adj //  --a Mediterranean climate//


Words: medium
Meaning:
S3   adj \n  1 of middle size, level, or amount:  --What size shirt does he wear - small, medium or large?//  (of) medium height/length/build //  --She’s of medium height.//  --hair of medium length//  --Fry the onions over a medium heat until they are golden.//  -- medium to large companies//\n  2  also medium rare :  meat that is medium or medium rare is partly cooked but still slightly pink inside//    rare, well-done//\n  3  medium dry:  medium dry wine is slightly sweeter than dry wine//\n  4  medium brown/blue etc:  a colour which is neither light nor dark//  --His jacket’s a medium brown colour.//  ----------//  HINT sense 1 //  Use average , not ’medium’, when you want to say that someone’s level of skill or activity is neither high nor low: Her standard is average (NOT Her standard is medium). //  ----------//\nmedium 2   plural  media /-di[hA353]/ or  mediums  n [C] //\n  1 a way of communicating information and news to people, such as newspapers, television etc:    media//  --Advertising is a powerful medium.//\n  2 a way of expressing your ideas, especially as a writer or an artist:  medium for//  --the novel as a medium for satire//  --the visual media (=painting and films) //\n  3  medium of instruction:  a language that is used for teaching//  --English is still the main medium of instruction in Nigeria.//\n  4  medium of exchange:  money or other ways of paying for things//\n  5  technical a substance or material in which things grow or exist:  --a good growing medium for tomatoes//\n  6  technical a substance through which a force travels:    magnetic media//    a happy medium at happy(8)//\nmedium 3   plural  mediums  n [C] //  someone who claims to have the power to receive messages from dead people//


Words: medium term
Meaning:
n [singular]   the period of time a few weeks or months ahead of the present//    short-term, long-term//  in the medium term//  --The company’s prospects look good in the medium term.//  --medium term investments//


Words: medium wave
Meaning:
written abbreviation MW  n [U]   a system of radio broadcasting using radio waves between 100 and 1000 metres in length//    long wave, FM//


Words: medley
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: medlee, from  medler;   MEDDLE]//\n  1 a group of songs or tunes sung or played one after the other as a single piece of music:  medley of//  --He played a medley of Beatles songs.//\n  2 [usually singular] a mixture of different types of the same thing which produces an interesting or unusual effect:  medley of//  --an exotic medley of smells//  --a medley of architectural styles//\n  3 a swimming race in which the competitors swim using four different strokes:  --the 400 metres individual medley//


Words: Medusa
Meaning:
in ancient Greek  mythology, a woman who had snakes instead of hair and turned everyone who looked at her into stone. She was killed by Perseus, who used his shiny  shield (=a metal object carried by soldiers to protect themselves)  as a mirror so that he did not have to look at her directly, and cut off her head.//


Words: Medway
Meaning:
the Medway//  a river in Kent in southeast England which flows through the Medway Towns (Rochester, Gillingham, and Chatham) and joins the River Thames near the sea//


Words: meek
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old Norse; Origin: mjukr  ’soft’]//  very quiet and gentle and unwilling to argue with people//  --He was always so meek and mild .//  -- meekly adv //  --’All right,’ said Neil meekly.//  -- meekness n  [U] //


Words: meet
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  met /met///  ----------//\n   1 see somebody at an arranged place:\n   2 see somebody by chance:\n   3 see somebody for the first time:\n   4 see somebody at an airport/station etc:\n   5 come together to discuss something:\n   6 compete against somebody:\n   7 join or touch:\n   8 experience a problem or situation:\n   9 meet a problem/challenge:\n  10 meet a need/demand/requirement/condition etc:\n  11 meet a deadline:\n  12 meet a goal/target etc:\n  13 meet a debt/cost/expense etc:\n  14 there’s more to somebody/something than meets the eye:\n  15 our/their eyes meet:\n  16 meet somebody’s eye(s)/gaze/glance etc:\n  17 meet your eye(s):\n  18 meet your match:\n  19 meet somebody halfway:\n  20 meet (something) head-on:\n  21 meet your death/end:\n  22 meet your maker:\n  23 meet your Waterloo:  Phrasal verbs//   meet up//   meet with somebody/something//  ----------//  [Language: Old English; Origin: metan]//\n  1 SEE SOMEBODY AT AN ARRANGED PLACE:   [I,T not in passive] to go to a place where someone will be at a particular time, according to an arrangement, so that you can talk or do something together//  --Meet me at 8.00.//  --I’ll meet you by the main reception desk.//  meet (sb) for sth//  --Why don’t we meet for lunch on Friday?//  --We arranged to meet outside the theatre.//\n  2 SEE SOMEBODY BY CHANCE:   [I,T not in passive] to see someone by chance and talk to them//   bump into//  --You’ll never guess who I met in town.//  --I was worried I might meet Henry on the bus.//\n  3 SEE SOMEBODY FOR THE FIRST TIME:   [I,T not in passive] to see and talk to someone for the first time, or be introduced to them//  --We first met in Florence.//  --I met my husband at university.//  --Jane, come and meet my brother.//  nice/pleased to meet you (=used to greet someone politely when you have just met them for the first time) //  --’This is my niece, Sarah.’ ’Pleased to meet you.’//  (it was) nice meeting you (=used to say goodbye politely to someone you have just met for the first time) //\n  4 SEE SOMEBODY AT AN AIRPORT/STATION ETC:   [T] to be waiting for someone at an airport, station etc when they arrive in a plane or train//  --My dad met us at the station.//  --I’ll come and meet you off the plane.//\n  5 COME TOGETHER TO DISCUSS SOMETHING:   [I] to come together in the same place in order to discuss something//  --The committee meets once a month.//  --The two groups will meet next week to discuss the project.//\n  6 COMPETE AGAINST SOMEBODY:   [I,T not in passive] to play against another person or team in a competition, or to fight another army in a war//  --Manchester United will meet Blackburn Rovers in the sixth round of the Cup.//  --The two armies finally met on the battlefield at Stamford Bridge.//\n  7 JOIN OR TOUCH:   [I,T not in passive] if two things meet, they touch or join at a particular place//  --The two roads meet just north of Flagstaff.//  --Their hands met under the table.//\n  8 EXPERIENCE A PROBLEM OR SITUATION:   [T] to experience a problem, attitude, or situation//   encounter, come across//  --Wherever she went she met hostility and prejudice.//\n  9  meet a problem/challenge:  to deal with a problem or something difficult that you have to do//  --The new building will mean that we can meet the challenge of increasing student numbers.//\n  10  meet a need/demand/requirement/condition etc:  to do something that someone wants, needs, or expects you to do or be as good as they need, expect etc//  --The company says it is unable to meet the workers’ demands for higher wages.//  --The service is tailored to meet your needs.//  --beaches which meet European standards of cleanliness//\n  11  meet a deadline:  to finish something at the time it is meant to be finished//  --We are still hoping to meet the November deadline.//\n  12  meet a goal/target etc:  to achieve something that you are trying to achieve//  --It’s virtually impossible to meet the weekly sales targets.//  --The scheme does not meet its objectives .//\n  13  meet a debt/cost/expense etc:  to make a payment that needs to be made//  --The government has promised to meet the cost of clearing up after the floods.//\n  14  there’s more to sb/sth than meets the eye:  used to say that someone or something is more interesting, intelligent etc than they seem to be//\n  15  our/their eyes meet:  if two people’s eyes meet, they look at each other//  --Our eyes met momentarily, then he looked away.//  --His eyes met Nina’s and she smiled.//\n  16  meet sb’s eye(s)/gaze/glance etc:  to look directly at someone who is looking at you//  --Ruth looked down, unable to meet his eye.//  --She turned to meet his gaze.//\n  17  meet your eye(s):  if something meets your eyes, you see it//  --An extraordinary scene met our eyes as we entered the room.//\n  18  meet your match:  to compete against an opponent who is stronger or more skilful than you are//  --I think he might have met his match in Simon.//\n  19  meet sb halfway:  to do some of the things that someone wants, in order to reach an agreement with them//\n  20  meet (sth) head-on:  a) if two moving vehicles meet head-on, they are facing each other and hit each other suddenly and violently//  b) if you meet a problem head-on, you deal with it directly without trying to avoid it//\n  21  meet your death/end:  to die in a particular way//  --He met his death at the hands of enemy soldiers.//\n  22  meet your maker:  to die - used humorously//\n  23  meet your Waterloo:  to finally be defeated after you have been successful for a long time//    make ends meet at end1 (18)//  meet up phr v//\n  1 to meet someone in order to do something together:  --We often meet up after work and go for a drink.//  meet up with//  --I’ve got to go now, but I’ll meet up with you later.//\n  2 if roads, paths etc meet up, they join together at a particular place:  meet up with//  --The path eventually meets up with the main road.//  meet with / [meet with sb/sth] phr v//\n  1 to have a meeting with someone:  --Representatives of EU countries will meet with senior American politicians to discuss the trade crisis.//\n  2  also be met with sth :  to get a particular reaction or result//  meet with opposition/disapproval etc //  --His comments have met with widespread opposition.//  meet with support/approval etc //  --Her ideas have met with support from doctors and health professionals.//  meet with success/failure (=succeed or fail) //  --Our attempts at negotiation finally met with some success.//\n  3  meet with an accident:   formal to be injured or killed in an accident//\nmeet 2 n [C] \n  1  track meet:   especially  AmE a sports competition between people running races, jumping over bars etc//\n  2  BrE an occasion when a group of people riding horses go out to hunt foxes:\nmeet 3 adj  old use   [Language: Old English; Origin: gem[zB024]te]//  right or suitable//


Words: meet-and-greet
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 an event that is organized for famous musicians, writers, artists etc to meet and talk to their fans:  --There will be a meet-and-greet after the show.//\n  2 a service that sends people to greet and help a person or group when they arrive at an airport:\n  3 an event in which parents go to their child’s school and meet the teachers and other people who work there:


Words: meeting
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 an event at which people meet to discuss and decide things:  --We’re  having  a meeting next week to discuss the matter.//  --Over a hundred and fifty people  attended  the  meeting .//  --Mrs Lavelle  is in a meeting  at the moment.//  --The minister has called an emergency meeting .//  meeting about/on//  --There was a  public meeting  about the future of the gallery.//  meeting with//  --I’ve got a meeting with Mr Edwards this afternoon.//  meeting of//  --a meeting of senior politicians//  meeting between//  --a meeting between unions and management//  --Are you coming to the  committee meeting  this evening?//\n  2  the meeting:   formal all the people who are at a meeting//  --I’d like to put a few ideas before the meeting.//\n  3 [usually singular] when people meet each other by chance or because they have arranged to do this:  --I had felt drawn to Alice ever since our first meeting.//\n  4 a sports competition or a set of races for horses:\n  5  meeting of minds:  a situation in which two people have very similar ideas and understand each other very well//  --There was a real meeting of minds between the two leaders.//\n  6 an event at which a group of Quakers (=a Christian religious group) pray together:  ----------//  COLLOCATES for sense 1 //  have/hold a meeting //  go to/attend a meeting //  be in/at a meeting //  call a meeting  (=decide there will be a meeting) //  public meeting //  emergency meeting //  general meeting especially BrE (=a meeting that anyone can come to) //  committee/staff/board meeting  (=a meeting of a particular group of people) //  summit meeting (=a meeting between leaders of governments) //  ----------//


Words: meeting place
Meaning:
n [C]   a building or place where people meet//  --The pub is a popular meeting place for local teenagers.//


Words: mega
Meaning:
adj  informal   very big and impressive or enjoyable//  --Their first record was a mega hit.//  -- mega adv //


Words: mega-
Meaning:
prefix   [Language: Greek; Origin: megas  ’large’]//\n  1 [in nouns] a million - used with units of measurement:  --1000 megawatts of electricity//\n  2  informal extremely:  --Her family is megarich!//\n  3 very big:  --a megastore//


Words: megabyte
Meaning:
n [C]  written abbreviation MB  or Mb   a unit for measuring computer information, equal to 1,024 kilobytes, and used less exactly to mean one million  bytes//


Words: megahertz
Meaning:
n   plural  megahertz  [C]  written abbreviation MHz //  a unit for measuring frequency, especially of radio signals, equal to one million hertz//


Words: megalith
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Greek; Origin: megas  ’large’ +  lithos  ’stone’]//  a large tall stone put in an open place by people in ancient times, possibly as a religious sign//  -- megalithic/meg[hA353]l[hA366][hA35F][hA366]k[hA36B]/ adj //


Words: megalomania
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: megalo-  ’large’ (from  Greek megas;   MEGA-) +  mania]//  when someone wants to have a lot of power for themselves and enjoys having control over other people’s lives, sometimes as part of a mental illness//


Words: megalomaniac
Meaning:
n [C]   someone who wants to have a lot of power for themselves and enjoys having control over other people’s lives//  -- megalomaniac adj //


Words: Megan’s law
Meaning:
a US law that says people must be told when a person who has commited a sexual crime moves into their area to live.//


Words: megaphone
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Greek; Origin: megas  ’large’ +  phone  ’voice, sound’]//  a piece of equipment like a large horn which you talk through to make your voice sound louder, when you are speaking to a crowd//


Words: megaton
Meaning:
n [C]   a unit for measuring the power of an explosive, equal to the power of one million tons of TNT (=a powerful explosive) //  --a five megaton atomic bomb //


Words: Mein Kampf
Meaning:
a book written by Adolf  Hitler while he was in prison in 1923. It describes his political ideas and his plan for gaining power over the whole world.//


Words: Meir
Meaning:
Golda   (1898-1978) an Israeli politician who was Israel’s first woman Prime Minister, from 1969 to 1974//


Words: meishi
Meaning:
n   plural  meishi  [C] //  a card that shows a business person’s company, position, name, address etc, used in Japan//   business card//


Words: Mekong
Meaning:
the Mekong//  a river in southeast Asia, which flows from Tibet through Cambodia and Laos to Vietnam. The Mekong Delis one of the most important areas in Asia for growing rice, and there was also a lot of fighting in this area during the Vietnam War.//


Words: melamine
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: German; Origin: melamin]//  a material like plastic that is used to make a hard smooth surface on tables and shelves//


Words: melancholy
Meaning:
adj   very sad//  --The music suited her melancholy mood.//\nmelancholy 2 n [U]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: melancolie, from  Late Latin melancholia, from  Greek, from  melas  ’black’ +  chole  ’bile’]//   formal a feeling of sadness for no particular reason//  --He sank into deep melancholy.//


Words: Melanesia
Meaning:
a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, northeast of Australia, including Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, and Fiji//


Words: melange
Meaning:
n [singular]  formal   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: melange, from  Old French mesler;   MEDDLE]//  a mixture of different things//  melange of//  --The population is a melange of different cultures.//


Words: melanin
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Greek; Origin: melas  ’black’ +  English -in chemical substance]//  a natural dark brown colour in human skin, hair, and eyes//


Words: melanoma
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Modern Latin; Origin: Greek, from  melas  ’black’]//   technical a tumour on a person’s skin which causes cancer//


Words: melatonin
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1900-2000; Language: Greek; Origin: melas  ’black’ +  English serotonin]//  a hormone that is sometimes used as a drug to help you sleep//


Words: Melba toast
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin:  Nellie  Melba (1861-1931), Australian singer; because she was given it when she was ill]//  a type of thin dry toast that breaks easily//


Words: Melbourne
Meaning:
the second largest city in Australia, which is the capital of the state of Victoria in the southeast of the country. It is an important business, industrial, and  cultural centre.//


Words: meld
Meaning:
v [I and T]   if two things meld, or if you meld them, they combine into one thing//  meld (sth) with sth//  --He melded country music with blues to create rock and roll.//  meld into//  --The raindrops melded into a sheet of water.//


Words: melee
Meaning:
n [C usually singular]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: melee, from  Old French mesler;   MEDDLE]//  a situation in which a lot of people rush around in a confused way//  --It’s amazing that no one was hurt in the melee.//


Words: mellifluous
Meaning:
adj  formal   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Late Latin; Origin: mellifluus, from  Latin mel  ’honey’ +  fluere  ’to flow’]//  a mellifluous voice or piece of music sounds pleasantly smooth//


Words: Mellors
Meaning:
a character in the book  Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D. H.  Lawrence. He is a  gamekeeper (=someone whose job is to take care of wild birds that are bred to be hunted) , who has a sexual relationship with his employer’s wife,  Lady Chatterley, a woman from a high social class.//


Words: mellow
Meaning:
adj   ----------//\n   1 not bright:\n   2 not loud or harsh:\n   3 not strong in flavour:\n   4 not strict:\n   5 relaxed:  ----------//  [Date: 1400-1500; Origin:  Perhaps from  Old English melu;   MEAL]//\n  1 NOT BRIGHT:  a mellow colour or light looks soft, warm, and not too bright//  --the mellow golden light of early evening//\n  2 NOT LOUD OR HARSH:  a mellow sound is pleasant and smooth//  --a warm, mellow voice//\n  3 NOT STRONG IN FLAVOUR:  mellow wine or fruit has a smooth, pleasant taste//  --its smooth, mellow flavour//\n  4 NOT STRICT:  someone who is mellow is gentle and calm and does not criticize other people, because they have a lot of experience of life//\n  5 RELAXED:  if you feel mellow, you feel calm and relaxed, especially after drinking alcohol//  -- mellowness n  [U] //\nmellow 2 v [I and T] \n  1 if someone mellows or is mellowed, they become gentler and more sympathetic:  --Paul’s certainly mellowed over the years.//  --Two pints of beer had mellowed my father.//\n  2 if colours mellow or are mellowed, they begin to look warm and soft:  --The bricks had mellowed to a soft red.//\n  3 if wine mellows or is mellowed, its taste becomes smoother:  mellow () out [mellow (sb) out] phr v//  to become relaxed and calm, or to make someone like this//


Words: melodic
Meaning:
adj \n  1  formal something that sounds melodic sounds like music or has a pleasant tune:  --Their music is loud and not very melodic.//  --a deep melodic voice//\n  2  technical concerned with the main tune in a piece of music:  --There is very little melodic variation in the piece.//


Words: melodious
Meaning:
adj  formal   something that sounds melodious sounds like music or has a pleasant tune//  --He spoke in a quiet melodious voice.//  -- melodiously adv //


Words: melodrama
Meaning:
n [U and C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: melodrame, from  Greek melos (  MELODY) +  French drame  ’drama’]//\n  1 a story or play in which very exciting or terrible things happen, and in which the characters and the emotions they show seem too strong to be real:  --He was behaving like a character in a Victorian melodrama.//\n  2 a situation in which people become more angry or upset than is really necessary:  --Come on, there’s no need for all this melodrama.//


