If you refer to a group of people as a ~, you mean that they seem to have special power or influence, and do not allow anyone else to join their group. (LITERARY)
...the immense role played by this very small ~ of critics.
N-SING
If you refer to a group of people as a ~, you mean that they seem to have special power or influence, and do not allow anyone else to join their group. (LITERARY)
...the immense role played by this very small ~ of critics.
N-SING
Collins COBUILD. Толковый словарь английского языка для изучающих язык Коллинз COBUILD (международная база данных языков Бирмингемского университета) . 2012