I. struc ‧ ture 1 S3 W2 AC /ˈstrʌktʃə $ -ər/ BrE AmE noun
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ structure , ↑ restructuring , ↑ structuralism , structuralist; adjective : ↑ structural , ↑ structuralist , ↑ structured ; verb : ↑ structure , ↑ restructure ; adverb : ↑ structurally ]
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: structura 'act of building' , from struere 'to make into a pile, build' ]
1 . [uncountable and countable] the way in which the parts of something are connected with each other and form a whole, or the thing that these parts make up ⇨ structural
social/political/economic etc structure
the social structure of organizations
challenges to the existing power structure
A new management structure has been introduced.
structure of
the structure of the brain
molecular structures
2 . [countable] something that has been built, especially something large such as a building or a bridge:
a high wooden structure with a curved roof
3 . [uncountable and countable] a situation where activities are carefully organized and planned:
These kids require a lot of structure and stability.
⇨ career structure at ↑ career 1 (1)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + structure
▪ social/political/economic structure
Many changes had taken place in the social and political structure of the island.
▪ class structure (=the way society is organized according to people’s education, jobs, income etc)
Britain had a very rigid class structure.
▪ power structure (=the way in which the group of people who control a country or organization are organized)
He was a critic of the country’s power structure.
▪ management structure (=the way managers of a business are organized)
Reform of the management structure was needed.
▪ career structure (=the way a profession is organized which allows you to move up and get better jobs)
Teachers now have a proper career structure.
▪ basic structure
These genes are involved in determining the basic structure of cells.
▪ internal structure
Scientists have been investigating the internal structure of the planet Mars.
▪ molecular structure
The book tells of the race to find the molecular structure of DNA.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ building a structure such as a house, church, or factory, that has a roof and walls:
The college needs money to pay for new buildings.
▪ property formal a building or piece of land, or both together - used especially when talking about buying and selling buildings or land:
The next property they looked at was too small.
|
The company received permission to build six residential properties on the land.
▪ premises formal the buildings and land that a shop, restaurant, company etc uses:
You are not allowed to drink alcohol on the premises.
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The bread is baked on the premises.
▪ complex a group of buildings, or a large building with many parts, used for a particular purpose:
The town has one of the best leisure complexes in the country.
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a luxury apartment complex
▪ development a group of new buildings that have all been planned and built together on the same piece of land:
a new housing development
|
a huge industrial development
▪ block especially British English a large tall building that contains apartments or offices, or is part of a school, university, or hospital:
an office block
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a block of flats
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a tower block (=a very tall building - often used disapprovingly)
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My next lecture is in the science block.
▪ facility especially American English a place or building used for a particular activity or industry:
a research facility on campus
▪ edifice formal a large building, especially one that is tall and impressive - a very formal use:
Their head office was an imposing edifice.
▪ structure formal something that has been made to stand upright - used especially when talking about buildings:
The stone arch is one of the town’s oldest existing structures.
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an immense barn-like structure
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Mogul calls this building, designed by Donald and John Parkinson in 1928, ‘the most important structure in Los Angeles of the 20th century.’
II. structure 2 AC BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ structure , ↑ restructuring , ↑ structuralism , structuralist; adjective : ↑ structural , ↑ structuralist , ↑ structured ; verb : ↑ structure , ↑ restructure ; adverb : ↑ structurally ]
to arrange the different parts of something into a pattern or system in which each part is connected to the others SYN organize :
The exhibition is structured around three topics.
software that helps users structure their work and their data