(~er, ~est)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
Goods or services that are ~ cost less money than usual or than you expected.
Smoke detectors are ~ and easy to put up...
Running costs are coming down because of ~er fuel...
They served breakfast all day and sold it ~.
? expensive, dear
ADJ: v-link ADJ, ADJ n, v n ADJ
~ly
It will produce electricity more ~ly than a nuclear plant.
ADV: ADV after v
~ness
The ~ness and simplicity of the design makes it ideal for our task.
N-UNCOUNT
2.
If you describe goods as ~, you mean they cost less money than similar products but their quality is poor.
Don’t resort to ~ copies; save up for the real thing.
...a tight suit made of some ~ material.
= shoddy
ADJ: ADJ n
3.
If you describe someone’s remarks or actions as ~, you mean that they are unkindly or insincerely using a situation to benefit themselves or to harm someone else.
These tests will inevitably be used by politicians to make ~ political points.
ADJ: ADJ n disapproval
4.
If you describe someone as ~, you are criticizing them for being unwilling to spend money. (AM)
Oh, please, Dad, just this once don’t be ~.
= mean
ADJ: usu v-link ADJ disapproval
5.
If someone does or buys something on the ~, they spend less money than they should because they are more concerned with what it costs than with its quality. (INFORMAL)
Most modern housing estates are terrible and inevitably done on the ~.
PHRASE: PHR after v disapproval