March 13, 2010

appeal noun REQUEST

1. [ C ] when a lot of people are asked to give money, information or help
They're launching (= starting) an appeal to raise money for famine victims.
[ + to infinitive ] The police have issued an appeal to the public to stay away from
the centre of town at the weekend.
appeal noun QUALITY
3. [ U ] the quality in someone or something that makes them attractive or
interesting
sex appeal
Spielberg films have a wide appeal.
Parties on river-boats have lost their appeal since one sank last year killing thirty-
three people.
break the mould UK ( US break the mold )
to be new and different
Their approach to sports teaching broke the mould.
convenience noun EASY
1. [ U ] when something is convenient
I like the convenience of living so near work.
Just for convenience, I'm going to live at my mother's place until my new house is
ready.
2. at your convenience
when you want
The goods will be delivered at your convenience.
3. at your earliest convenience
as soon as you like or can
Please return the completed form at your earliest convenience.
convenience noun TOILET
5. [ C usually plural ] ( ALSO public convenience ) FORMAL a public toilet
con ˈ venience ˌ store noun [ C ]
MAINLY US a shop that sells food, drinks, etc. and is usually open until late
doubtful adjective
1. If you are doubtful about something, you are uncertain about it
The teacher is doubtful about hav ing parents working as classroom assistants.
2. If a situation is doubtful, it is unlikely to happen or to be successful
It is doubtful whether/if they ever reached the summit before they died.
It was doubtful that the money would ever be found again.
facility noun BUILDING
1. [ C ] a place, especially including buildings, where a particular activity happens
a nuclear research facility
a military facility
a new sports facility
2. facilities
the buildings, equipment and services provided for a particular purpose
shopping facilities
medical facilities
sports facilities
facility noun ABILITY
3. [ C or U ] an ability, feature or quality
His facility for languages is astonishing.
a phone with a memory facility
hire verb [ T ] UK
1. ( US rent ) to pay to use something for a short period
How much would it cost to hire a car for a fortnight?
You could always hire a dress for the ball if you can't afford to buy one.
 2. to employ someone or pay them to do a particular job
I was hired by the first company I applied to.
[ + to infinitive ] We ought to hire a public relations consultant to help improve our
image.
hired adjective UK
a hired car
The police believe he was killed by a hired assassin.
indictment noun
1. [ C usually singular ] a reason for giving blame
This seems to me to be a damning indictment of education policy.
2. [ C ] LEGAL a formal statement of accusing someone
The charges on the indictment include murder and attempted murder.
insane adjective
1. mentally ill
For the last ten years of his life he was clinically insane.
INFORMAL I sometimes think I'm going insane (= I feel very confused) .
2. INFORMAL extremely unreasonable
In a fit of insane jealousy he tried to stab her.
insane plural noun
the insane
mentally ill people
a hospital for the criminally insane
insanity noun [ U ]
1. when someone is seriously mentally ill
He was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity.
He suffered from periodic bouts of insanity.
2. when something is not sensible and is likely to have extremely bad results
It would be insanity to expand the business now.
laden adjective
carrying or holding a lot of something
He always comes back from France laden with presents for everyone.
The table, as always, was laden with food.
magnitude noun [ U ]
the large size or importance of something
They don't seem to grasp the magnitude of the problem .
meanwhile adverb
until something expected happens, or while something else is happening
Carl's starting college in September. Meanwhile, he's travelling around Europe.
mould UK , US mold noun GREEN/GREY GROWTH
1. [ U ] a soft green or grey growth which develops on old food or on objects that
have been left for too long in warm wet air
There was mould on the cheese.
munitions plural noun
military weapons such as guns and bombs
The army used precision-guided munitions to blow up enemy targets.
a munitions depot
a munitions factory
ˌ order of ˈ magnitude noun [ C usually singular ]
the approximate size of something, especially a number
The country's debt this year will be of the same order of magnitude as it was last
year.
prosecutor noun [ C ]
a legal representative who officially accuses someone of committing a crime,
especially in a court of law
reel noun [ C ] HOLDER
 1. a round wheel-shaped object on which sewing thread, fishing wire, film, etc. can
be rolled, or the amount of thread, etc. stored on one of these
rest verb STOP
1. [ I or T ] to (cause someone or something to) stop doing a particular activity or
stop being active for a period of time in order to relax and get back your strength
The doctor told him that he should rest for a few days.
He looked away from the computer screen to rest his eyes.
She promised that she would not rest (= would not stop looking) until the murderer
of her son was caught and imprisoned.
2. be resting
INFORMAL to be an actor who does not have any work
Over 90% of professional actors are resting at any given time.
3. I rest my case. ( ALSO My case rests. ) LEGAL
said by lawyers in a law court when they have finished the explanation of their case
rest noun OTHER PART
1. the rest
the other things, people or parts that remain or that have not been mentioned
I've got two bright students, but the rest are average.
I'll keep a third of the money and the rest is for you.
Have you got anything planned for the rest of the day?
revelation noun [ C or U ]
1. when something is made known that was secret, or a fact that is made known
a moment of revelation
[ + that ] His wife divorced him after the revelation that he was having an affair.
Shocking revelations about their private life appeared in the papers.
2. come as/be a revelation
to be an extremely pleasant surprise
This book came as a complete revelation to me.