(~s)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
A ~ is a sum of money that you pay regularly to an insurance company for an insurance policy.
It is too early to say whether insurance ~s will be affected.
N-COUNT
2.
A ~ is a sum of money that you have to pay for something in addition to the normal cost.
Even if customers want ‘solutions’, most are not willing to pay a ~ for them...
Callers are charged a ~ rate of 48p a minute.
N-COUNT: usu sing, oft N n
3.
Premium goods are of a higher than usual quality and are often expensive.
...the most popular ~ ice cream in this country.
= luxury
ADJ: ADJ n
4.
If something is at a ~, it is wanted or needed, but is difficult to get or achieve.
If space is at a ~, choose adaptable furniture that won’t fill the room.
= scarce
PHRASE: usu v-link PHR
5.
If you buy or sell something at a ~, you buy or sell it at a higher price than usual, for example because it is in short supply.
He eventually sold the shares back to the bank at a ~.
PHRASE: PHR after v
6.
If you place a high ~ on a quality or characteristic or put a high ~ on it, you regard it as very important.
I place a high ~ on what someone is like as a person...
PHRASE: V inflects, PHR n