I. guest 1 S3 W2 /ɡest/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old Norse ; Origin: gestr ]
1 . AT AN EVENT someone who is invited to an event or special occasion:
a banquet for 250 distinguished guests
as sb’s guest
You are here as my guests.
dinner/wedding etc guests
Most of the wedding guests had left.
Among the invited guests were Jerry Brown and Elihu Harris.
The actress was guest of honour (=the most important guest) at the launch.
I’ve nearly finished the guest list for the wedding.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually talk about having friends/people over (for a meal, short visit etc) or having friends/people to stay rather than saying that they have guests :
▪
We’re having some people over for dinner this evening.
2 . IN A HOUSE someone you have invited to stay in your home for a short time:
We have guests staying right now.
⇨ ↑ house guest
3 . IN A HOTEL someone who is paying to stay in a hotel:
Use of the sauna is free to guests.
4 . ON A SHOW someone famous who is invited to take part in a show, concert etc, in addition to those who usually take part:
We have some great guests for you tonight.
Fontaine appeared as a guest on the show.
5 . be my guest spoken used to give someone permission to do what they have asked to do:
‘Do you mind if I look at your notes?’ ‘Be my guest.’
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meanings 1 & 2)
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + guest
▪ the main/chief/principal guest
The Prime Minister was one of the main guests at the event.
▪ an honoured guest (=one who is given special respect and treatment)
They were the honoured guests of the Queen at the Royal Garden Party.
▪ a distinguished guest (=one who has done something that people respect or admire)
Many distinguished guests were invited to the opening ceremony.
▪ dinner guests
How much meat do I need to buy for 15 dinner guests?
▪ wedding guests
We need to send out invitations to all the wedding guests.
▪ a house guest (=someone who is staying in your house)
There was a constant stream of house guests at their country estate.
▪ invited guests
Celebrations continued with a dinner for 100 invited guests.
▪ an unwelcome guest (=someone who is not really a guest, and whom you do not want at an event)
Security guards were employed to keep out unwelcome guests.
▪ an uninvited guest
She was surprised when an uninvited guest turned up at the door.
▪ a regular/frequent guest
The Johnsons were regular guests at Eric’s house in Notting Hill.
■ guest + NOUN
▪ the guest list (=a list of the people invited to an event)
The guest list included many friends from his university days.
▪ a guest speaker/lecturer (=one who is invited to an event from another organization, university etc)
The guest speaker at the conference was Dr. Kim.
■ phrases
▪ the guest of honour (=the most important guest)
The senator was guest of honour at a reception held at the American Embassy.
■ verbs
▪ invite a guest
The guests were invited to a dinner at his country house.
▪ greet the guests
Roger was busy greeting the guests as they arrived.
▪ entertain guests (=have guests at your house or another place for a meal or party)
Their garden is a wonderful place to entertain guests.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ customer someone who buys goods or services from a shop or company:
Customers were waiting for the shop to open.
|
The bank is one of our biggest customers.
▪ client someone who pays for a service from a professional person or company:
He has a meeting with one of his clients.
|
The company buys and sells shares on behalf of their clients
▪ shopper someone who goes to the shops looking for things to buy:
The streets were full of Christmas shoppers.
▪ guest someone who pays to stay in a hotel:
Guests must leave their rooms by 10 am.
▪ patron /ˈpeɪtrən/ formal a customer of a particular shop, restaurant or hotel – usually written on signs:
The notice said ‘Parking for Patrons Only’.
▪ patient someone who is getting medical treatment from a doctor, or in a hospital:
He is a patient of Dr Williams.
▪ consumer anyone who buys goods or uses services – used when considering these people as a group who have particular rights, needs, or behaviour:
Consumers are demanding more environmentally-friendly products.
|
the rights of the consumer
|
The law is designed to protect consumers who buy goods on the Internet.
▪ market the number of people who want to buy a product, or the type of people who want to buy it:
The market for organic food is growing all the time.
|
a magazine aimed at the youth market
▪ clientele /ˌkliːənˈtel $ ˌklaɪənˈtel, ˌkliː-/ formal the type of customers that a particular shop, restaurant etc gets:
The hotel has a very upmarket clientele.
|
They have a wealthy international clientele.
II. guest 2 BrE AmE adjective [only before noun]
1 . for guests to use:
He was still asleep in the guest bedroom.
2 . a guest star, speaker etc is someone famous or important who is invited to take part in an event, in addition to the people who usually take part:
Camfield was lucky in getting Cage and Rampling as guest stars.
He will make a special guest appearance on next week’s show.
III. guest 3 BrE AmE verb [intransitive]
to take part in a show, concert etc as a guest
guest on
She guested on a comedy show last year.