(~er, ~est, ~s, ~ing, ~ed)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
Something that is ~ is easy to understand, see, or hear.
The book is ~, readable and adequately illustrated...
The space telescope has taken the ~est pictures ever of Pluto...
He repeated his answer, this time in a ~, firm tone of voice.
? un~
ADJ
~ly
Whales journey up the coast of Africa, ~ly visible from the beach...
It was important for children to learn to express themselves ~ly.
ADV: usu ADV -ed/adj, also ADV after v
2.
Something that is ~ is obvious and impossible to be mistaken about.
It was a ~ case of homicide...
The ~ message of the scientific reports is that there should be a drastic cut in car use...
A spokesman said the British government’s position is perfectly ~...
It’s not ~ whether the incident was an accident or deliberate.
? un~
ADJ: oft it v-link ADJ that/wh
~ly
Clearly, the police cannot break the law in order to enforce it...
= obviously
ADV: ADV with cl/group
3.
If you are ~ about something, you understand it completely.
It is important to be ~ about what Chomsky is doing here...
People use scientific terms with no ~ idea of their meaning.
ADJ: usu v-link ADJ about/on n/wh
4.
If your mind or your way of thinking is ~, you are able to think sensibly and reasonably, and you are not affected by confusion or by a drug such as alcohol.
She needed a ~ head to carry out her instructions.
ADJ
~ly
The only time I can think ~ly is when I’m alone.
ADV: ADV after v
5.
To ~ your mind or your head means to free it from confused thoughts or from the effects of a drug such as alcohol.
He walked up Fifth Avenue to ~ his head...
Our therapists will show you how to ~ your mind of worries.
VERB: V n, V n of n
6.
A ~ substance is one which you can see through and which has no colour, like clean water.
...a ~ glass panel...
The water is ~ and plenty of fish are visible.
= transparent
ADJ: usu ADJ n
7.
If a surface, place, or view is ~, it is free of unwanted objects or obstacles.
The runway is ~–go ahead and land...
Caroline prefers her worktops to be ~ of clutter...
The windows will allow a ~ view of the beach.
ADJ: usu v-link ADJ
8.
When you ~ an area or place or ~ something from it, you remove things from it that you do not want to be there.
To ~ the land and harvest the bananas they decided they needed a male workforce...
Workers could not ~ the tunnels of smoke...
Firemen were still ~ing rubble from apartments damaged at the scene of the attack.
VERB: V n, V n of n, V n from/off n
9.
If something or someone ~s the way or the path for something to happen, they make it possible.
The Prime Minister resigned today, ~ing the way for the formation of a new government...
VERB: V n for n
10.
If it is a ~ day or if the sky is ~, there is no mist, rain, or cloud.
On a ~ day you can see the French coast...
The winter sky was ~.
ADJ
11.
When fog or mist ~s, it gradually disappears.
The early morning mist had ~ed.
VERB: V
12.
Clear eyes look healthy, attractive, and shining.
...~ blue eyes...
Her eyes were ~ and steady.
ADJ
13.
If your skin is ~, it is healthy and free from spots.
ADJ
14.
If you say that your conscience is ~, you mean you do not think you have done anything wrong.
Mr Garcia said his conscience was ~ over the jail incidents...
ADJ
15.
If something or someone is ~ of something else, it is not touching it or is a safe distance away from it.
As soon as he was ~ of the terminal building he looked round...
ADJ: v-link ADJ of n, v n ADJ
16.
If an animal or person ~s an object or ~s a certain height, they jump over the object, or over something that height, without touching it.
Sotomayor, the Cuban holder of the world high jump record, ~ed 2.36 metres.
VERB: V n
17.
When a bank ~s a cheque or when a cheque ~s, the bank agrees to pay the sum of money mentioned on it.
Polish banks can still take two or three weeks to ~ a cheque...
Allow time for the cheque to ~.
VERB: V n, V
18.
If a course of action is ~ed, people in authority give permission for it to happen.
Linda Gradstein has this report from Jerusalem, which was ~ed by an Israeli censor...
Within an hour, the helicopter was ~ed for take-off...
VERB: usu passive, be V-ed, be V-ed for n
19.
If someone is ~ed, they are proved to be not guilty of a crime or mistake.
She was ~ed of murder and jailed for just five years for manslaughter...
In a final effort to ~ her name, Eunice has written a book.
VERB: be V-ed of n/-ing, V n
20.
see also ~ing , crystal ~
21.
You can say ‘Is that ~?’ or ‘Do I make myself ~?’ after you have told someone your wishes or instructions, to make sure that they have understood you, and to emphasize your authority.
We’re only going for half an hour, and you’re not going to buy anything. Is that ~?
CONVENTION
22.
If someone is in the ~, they are not in danger, or are not blamed or suspected of anything.
The Audit Commission said that the ministry was in the ~.
PHRASE: v-link PHR, PHR after v
23.
If you make something ~, you say something in a way that makes it impossible for there to be any doubt about your meaning, wishes, or intentions.
Mr O’Friel made it ~ that further insults of this kind would not be tolerated...
The far-right has now made its intentions ~.
PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR that
24.
If something or someone is a certain amount ~ of a competitor, they are that amount ahead of them in a competition or race. (BRIT)
Keegan’s team are now seven points ~ of West Ham...
He crossed the line three seconds ~ of Tom Snape.
PREP-PHRASE: amount PREP n
25.
If you steer ~ or stay ~ of someone or something, you avoid them.
The rabbis try to steer ~ of political questions.
PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR of n
26.
to ~ the air: see air
the coast is ~: see coast
to ~ the decks: see deck
loud and ~: see loud
to ~ your throat: see throat