(~s)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
A ~ is a vehicle that is used for carrying people, especially soldiers, or things.
There were armoured personnel ~s and tanks on the streets...
N-COUNT
see also aircraft ~
2.
A ~ is a passenger airline.
Switzerland’s national ~, Swissair, has been having a hard time recently.
N-COUNT
3.
A ~ is a person or an animal that is infected with a disease and so can make other people or animals ill.
...an AIDS ~.
...~s of disease such as mosquitoes and worms.
N-COUNT: usu n N, N of n