tel ‧ e ‧ vi ‧ sion S1 W1 /ˈteləˌvɪʒ ə n, ˈtelɪˌvɪʒ ə n, ˌteləˈvɪʒ ə n/ BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1900-2000 ; Language: French ; Origin: télévision , from télé- 'tele-' + vision ]
1 . [countable] ( also television set formal ) a piece of electronic equipment shaped like a box with a screen, on which you can watch programmes SYN TV :
Lucy turned on the television to watch the evening news.
They have a television in every room.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say TV rather than television :
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What's on TV tonight?
2 . [uncountable] the programmes broadcast in this way SYN TV :
In the evenings I like to relax and watch television.
3 . on (the) television broadcast or being broadcast on television:
What’s on television tonight?
4 . [uncountable] the business of making and broadcasting programmes on television SYN TV
in television
Jean works in television.
a television film crew
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COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ watch television
Mum was in the lounge watching television.
▪ see/watch something on television
She saw the race on television.
▪ turn/switch the television on/off
I switched off the television and went to bed.
▪ turn the television up/down (=make it louder or quieter)
Rory had turned the television up so loud that the people next door complained.
■ television + NOUN
▪ a television show/programme
Her favourite television programme was just starting.
▪ a television series (=a set of programmes with the same characters or subject, broadcast every day or every week)
He starred in the popular television series, ‘Friends’.
▪ a television film/movie (=a film that has been made to be shown on television, not in a cinema)
Ford appeared in several television movies.
▪ a television documentary
a television documentary about an important public issue
▪ the television news
There was nothing about it on the television news.
▪ a television screen
Bella’s eyes were fixed on the television screen.
▪ a television presenter British English
a well-known television presenter
▪ a television reporter/journalist
Grant was interviewed by a BBC television journalist.
▪ a television producer
a BBC television producer
▪ a television director
He’s a very successful television director.
▪ a television (film) crew
A television crew were allowed to film the meeting.
▪ a television actor/actress
Peebles is best known as a television actor.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + television
▪ live television
The accident was shown on live television.
▪ national television
The President went on national television to appeal for calm.
▪ satellite/cable television
They have a dish for satellite television.
▪ digital television
the switchover to digital television
▪ terrestrial television British English (=television that is not broadcast using a satellite or cable)
Many of these matches are not available on terrestrial television.
▪ high definition/HD television
high definition television channels
▪ a widescreen television
Widescreen televisions are getting more popular, especially in home cinema systems.
▪ a plasma/LCD television
Each hotel room has a minibar and plasma television.
▪ a flat screen television
a buyer’s guide to the latest flat screen televisions
▪ a colour television
a 32 inch colour television
▪ a black-and-white television
They had an old black and white television in the garage.
■ COMMON ERRORS
► Do not say ' see/watch something in television '. Say see/watch something on television .
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THESAURUS
▪ television/TV noun [uncountable and countable] the piece of electronic equipment shaped like a box on which you can watch programmes, or the programmes that are broadcast using this. In everyday English, people usually say TV :
Sometimes I don’t feel like doing anything except watching television.
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A lot of people use the Internet for watching TV.
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Can you turn on the television?
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the TV Guide in the newspaper
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There's nothing good on the TV.
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Our TV set (=television) isn't working properly.
▪ the box/the telly British English ( also the tube American English ) noun [singular] informal a television, or the programmes that are broadcast on television:
Can you turn the telly down a bit?
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What’s on the box tonight?
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There's nothing good on the tube.
▪ satellite television ( also satellite TV ) noun [uncountable] television programmes that are broadcast using ↑ satellite s in space, and which you need a special piece of equipment to be able to watch:
Do you have satellite TV at home?
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You can watch the game on satellite television.
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a satellite dish (=the round thing that you put on your roof or the wall of your house in order to receive satellite television signals)
▪ terrestrial television television that is not broadcast by satellite or cable:
The company has secured the rights to broadcast the Championship on terrestrial television.
▪ cable television ( also cable TV , cable ) noun [uncountable] television programmes that are broadcast by ↑ cable (=tubes containing wires that carry television pictures) :
The program was first shown on cable.
▪ digital television ( also digital TV , digital ) noun [uncountable] programmes that are broadcast using ↑ digital signals, with more choice and better quality pictures than ordinary television:
The switchover to digital TV will take place between 2010 and 2012.
▪ widescreen television ( also widescreen TV ) noun [countable] a television that is much wider than it is high, and wider than an ordinary television. Widescreen televisions are used for programmes that are broadcast using ↑ digital signals:
There was a massive widescreen TV in the living room.
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Widescreen TV is good for watching films.