I. VERB AND NOUN USES
(~es, ~ing, ~ed)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
Please look at category 16 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1.
If you ~ something such as a room, a road, or an area of land or water, you move or travel to the other side of it. If you ~ to a place, you move or travel over a room, road, or area of land or water in order to reach that place.
She was partly to blame for failing to look as she ~ed the road...
Nine Albanians have ~ed the border into Greece and asked for political asylum...
Egan ~ed to the drinks cabinet and poured a Scotch.
VERB: V n, V n, V to/into n, also V adv/prep
2.
A road, railway, or bridge that ~es an area of land or water passes over it.
The Defford to Eckington road ~es the river half a mile outside Eckington.
VERB: V n
3.
Lines or roads that ~ meet and go a~ each other.
...the intersection where Main and Center streets ~...
It is near where the pilgrimage route ~es the road to Quimper.
V-RECIP: pl-n V, V n
4.
If someone or something ~es a limit or boundary, for example the limit of acceptable behaviour, they go beyond it.
I normally never write into magazines but Mr Stubbs has finally ~ed the line...
VERB: V n
5.
If an expression ~es someone’s face, it appears briefly on their face. (WRITTEN)
Berg tilts his head and a mischievous look ~es his face...
VERB: V n
6.
A ~ is a shape that consists of a vertical line or piece with a shorter horizontal line or piece a~ it. It is the most important Christian symbol.
Round her neck was a ~ on a silver chain...
N-COUNT
7.
If Christians ~ themselves, they make the sign of a ~ by moving their hand a~ the top half of their body.
‘Holy Mother of God!’ Marco ~ed himself.
VERB: V pron-refl
8.
If you describe something as a ~ that someone has to bear, you mean it is a problem or disadvantage which they have to deal with or bear.
My wife is much cleverer than me; it is a ~ I have to bear.
= burden
N-COUNT
9.
A ~ is a written mark in the shape of an X. You can use it, for example, to indicate that an answer to a question is wrong, to mark the position of something on a map, or to indicate your vote on a ballot paper.
Put a tick next to those activities you like and a ~ next to those you dislike.
N-COUNT
10.
If a cheque is ~ed, two parallel lines are drawn a~ it or printed on it to indicate that it must be paid into a bank account and cannot be cashed. (BRIT)
Cheques/postal orders should be ~ed and made payable to Newmarket Promotions.
...a ~ed cheque.
VERB: usu passive, be V-ed, V-ed
11.
If you ~ your arms, legs, or fingers, you put one of them on top of the other.
Jill ~ed her legs and rested her chin on one fist, as if lost in deep thought...
He was sitting there in the living room with his legs ~ed.
VERB: V n, V-ed
12.
If you ~ someone who is likely to get angry, you oppose them or refuse to do what they want.
If you ever ~ him, forget it, you’re finished.
VERB: V n
13.
Something that is a ~ between two things is neither one thing nor the other, but a mixture of both.
It was a lovely dog. It was a ~ between a collie and a golden retriever.
N-SING: a N between pl-n
14.
In some team sports such as football and hockey, a ~ is the passing of the ball from the side of the field to a player in the centre, usually in front of the goal.
Le Tissier hit an accurate ~ to Groves.
N-COUNT
15.
A ~ street is a road that ~es another more important road. (AM)
The Army boys had personnel carriers blockading the ~ streets.
ADJ: ADJ n
16.
to ~ your fingers: see finger
~ my heart: see heart
to ~ your mind: see mind
people’s paths ~: see path
to ~ the Rubicon: see Rubicon
to ~ swords: see sword
see also ~ing
II. ADJECTIVE USE
(~er, ~est)
Someone who is ~ is rather angry or irritated.
I’m terribly ~ with him...
She was rather ~ about having to trail a~ London.
= annoyed
ADJ: usu v-link ADJ
~ly
‘No, no, no,’ Morris said ~ly.
ADV: ADV with v