/ ˈnəʊtɪs; NAmE ˈnoʊ-/ noun , verb
■ noun
PAYING ATTENTION
1.
[ U ] the fact of sb paying attention to sb/sth or knowing about sth :
Don't take any notice of what you read in the papers.
Take no notice of what he says.
These protests have really made the government sit up and take notice (= realize the importance of the situation) .
It was Susan who brought the problem to my notice (= told me about it) .
Normally, the letter would not have come to my notice (= I would not have known about it) .
( formal )
It will not have escaped your notice that there have been some major changes in the company.
GIVING INFORMATION
2.
[ C ] a sheet of paper giving written or printed information, usually put in a public place :
There was a notice on the board saying the class had been cancelled.
3.
[ C ] a board or sign giving information, an instruction or a warning :
a notice saying 'Keep off the Grass'
ANNOUNCING STH
4.
[ C ] a small advertisement or announcement in a newspaper or magazine :
notices of births, marriages and deaths
5.
[ C ] a short announcement made at the beginning or end of a meeting, a church service, etc. :
There are just two notices this week.
WARNING
6.
[ U ] information or a warning given in advance of sth that is going to happen :
You must give one month's notice .
Prices may be altered without notice.
The bar is closed until further notice (= until you are told that it is open again) .
You are welcome to come and stay as long as you give us plenty of notice.
WHEN LEAVING JOB / HOUSE
7.
[ U ] a formal letter or statement saying that you will or must leave your job or house at the end of a particular period of time :
He has handed in his notice .
They gave her two weeks' notice .
REVIEW OF BOOK / PLAY
8.
[ C ] a short article in a newspaper or magazine, giving an opinion about a book, play, etc.
•
IDIOMS
- at short notice | at a moment's notice
- on short notice
■ verb
(not usually used in the progressive tenses)
SEE / HEAR
1.
to see or hear sb/sth; to become aware of sb/sth :
[ vn ]
The first thing I noticed about the room was the smell.
[ v ]
People were making fun of him but he didn't seem to notice.
[ v ( that )]
I couldn't help noticing (that) she was wearing a wig.
[ v wh- ]
Did you notice how Rachel kept looking at her watch?
[ vn inf ]
I noticed them come in.
[ vn -ing ]
I didn't notice him leaving.
PAY ATTENTION
2.
[ vn ] to pay attention to sb/sth :
She wears those strange clothes just to get herself noticed.
••
SYNONYMS
notice
note ♦ detect ♦ observe ♦ witness ♦ perceive
These words all mean to see sth, especially when you pay careful attention to it.
notice
to see, hear or become aware of sb/sth; to pay attention to sb / sth:
The first thing I noticed about the room was the smell.
note
( rather formal ) to notice or pay careful attention to sth:
Please note (that) the office will be closed on Monday.
NOTE
This word is very common in business English:
Note that the prices are inclusive of VAT.
detect
to discover or notice sth, especially sth that is not easy to see, hear, etc.:
The tests are designed to detect the disease early.
observe
( formal ) to see or notice sb / sth:
Have you observed any changes lately?
•
The police observed a man enter the bank.
witness
( rather formal ) to see sth happen :
Police have appealed for anyone who witnessed the incident to contact them.
perceive
( formal ) to notice or become aware of sth, especially sth that is not obvious:
I perceived a change in his behaviour over those months.
PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS :
to notice / note / detect / observe / perceive that / how / what / where / who...
to notice / observe / witness sth happen / sb do sth
to barely / hardly / scarcely notice / detect / observe
to be commonly / frequently noticed / noted / observed
to be worth noticing / noting / observing
sb can't / couldn't help noticing / noting / observing
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (in sense 6 of the noun): from Old French , from Latin notitia being known, from notus known, past participle of noscere .