/ ˌrekəˈmend; NAmE / verb
1.
[ vn ] recommend sb/sth (to sb) (for / as sth) to tell sb that sth is good or useful, or that sb would be suitable for a particular job, etc. :
Can you recommend a good hotel?
I recommend the book to all my students.
She was recommended for the post by a colleague.
The hotel's new restaurant comes highly recommended (= a lot of people have praised it) .
2.
to advise a particular course of action; to advise sb to do sth :
[ vn ]
The report recommended a 10% pay increase.
It is dangerous to exceed the recommended dose.
a recommended price of $50
[ v ( that )]
I recommend (that) he see a lawyer.
( BrE also)
I recommend (that) he should see a lawyer.
[ vn ( that )]
It is strongly recommended that the machines should be checked every year.
[ vn to inf ]
We'd recommend you to book your flight early.
[ v -ing ]
He recommended reading the book before seeing the movie.
[also vn -ing , v wh- ]
3.
[ vn ] recommend sb/sth (to sb) to make sb/sth seem attractive or good
SYN commend :
This system has much to recommend it .
••
SYNONYMS
recommend
advise ♦ advocate ♦ urge
These words all mean to tell sb what you think they should do in a particular situation.
recommend
to tell sb what you think they should do in a particular situation; to say what you think the price or level of sth should be:
We'd recommend you to book your flight early.
•
a recommended price of $50
advise
to tell sb what you think they should do in a particular situation:
I'd advise you not to tell him.
recommend or advise?
Advise is a stronger word than recommend and is often used when the person giving the advice is in a position of authority:
Police are advising fans without tickets to stay away.
• Police are recommending fans without tickets to stay away. I advise you... can suggest that you know better than the person you are advising: this may cause offence if they are your equal or senior to you. I recommend... mainly suggests that you are trying to be helpful and is less likely to cause offence. Recommend is often used with more positive advice to tell sb about possible benefits and advise with more negative advice to warn sb about possible dangers: He advised reading the book before seeing the movie. • I would recommend against going out on your own.
advocate
( formal ) to support or recommend sth publicly:
The group does not advocate the use of violence.
urge
( formal ) to recommend sth strongly:
The situation is dangerous and the UN is urging caution.
PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS :
to recommend / advise / advocate / urge that...
It is recommended / advised / advocated / urged that...
to recommend / advise / urge sb to do sth
to recommend / advise / advocate doing sth
to advise against sth
to strongly recommend / advise / advocate sb/sth
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (originally meaning to commend or entrust someone or something to someone): from medieval Latin recommendare , from Latin re- (expressing intensive force) + commendare commit to the care of.