BASIC


Meaning of BASIC in English

ba ‧ sic S2 W1 /ˈbeɪsɪk/ BrE AmE adjective

[ Word Family: noun : ↑ base , the basics, ↑ basis ; adjective : ↑ baseless , ↑ basic , ↑ based ; verb : ↑ base ; adverb : ↑ basically ]

[ Date: 1800-1900 ; Origin: base ]

1 . forming the most important or most necessary part of something ⇨ basics :

the basic principles of chemistry

The basic idea is simple.

basic research

basic information

basic to

medical techniques basic to the control of infection

2 . at the simplest or least developed level ⇨ basics :

the basic skills of programming

Their knowledge is very basic.

The farm lacks even basic equipment.

3 . basic salary/pay/pension etc the amount of money that you are paid before any special payments are added:

On top of the basic salary, there are numerous other benefits.

4 . [only before noun] basic rights, needs etc are ones that everyone needs or should have:

basic human rights

poor families unable to meet their basic needs

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COLLOCATIONS

■ nouns

▪ the basic idea

The basic idea is that science discovers the truth of how the world works.

▪ a basic principle

The basic principles underlying all the systems are the same.

▪ basic information

This leaflet has been designed to provide some basic information.

▪ basic facts

You should start by giving the basic facts.

▪ basic rules

Most people nowadays are aware of some of the basic rules of healthy living.

▪ a basic question

The interviewer will ask you some basic questions about your education and work experience.

▪ a basic concept

He was unfamiliar with the most basic concepts of chemistry.

▪ basic services

They lack basic services such as water and electricity.

▪ basic research

We need basic research into the causes of mental illness.

▪ a basic ingredient of something

The ability to adapt is a basic ingredient of survival.

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THESAURUS

▪ basic the basic things or information are the ones that are the most necessary, or the ones that you need to know first:

Visit our website for some basic facts about healthy eating, exercise and weight control.

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Water – indeed everything basic to life here must be brought in by truck.

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people's basic needs

▪ fundamental more important than anything else - used especially when you want to emphasize what you are saying:

The fundamental problem is a lack of resources.

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one of the fundamental beliefs of Christianity

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These values are fundamental to our society.

▪ essential used when talking about a particular thing or feature, which something must have in order to continue. Also used when talking about the main point, difference etc:

Freedom of the press is essential to our democracy.

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Change and diversity are essential characteristics of the natural world.

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The essential point is this: either we act now, or the whole future of our planet is uncertain.

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One of the essential differences between humans and computers is that humans are more likely to make mistakes.

▪ central very important and having a lot of influence or receiving a lot of attention:

Indonesia occupies a central role in this market.

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Education is central to government policy.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.      Longman - Словарь современного английского языка.