(~s)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
An ~ of something is a particular situation, object, or person which shows that what is being claimed is true.
The doctors gave numerous ~s of patients being expelled from hospital...
Listed below are just a few ~s of some of the family benefits available.
N-COUNT: oft N of n
2.
An ~ of a particular class of objects or styles is something that has many of the typical features of such a class or style, and that you consider clearly represents it.
Symphonies 103 and 104 stand as perfect ~s of early symphonic construction...
= illustration
N-COUNT: oft N of n
3.
You use for ~ to introduce and emphasize something which shows that something is true.
Take, for ~, the simple sentence: ‘The man climbed up the hill’...
A few simple precautions can be taken, for ~ ensuring that desks are the right height.
PHRASE: PHR with cl/group
4.
If you refer to a person or their behaviour as an ~ to other people, you mean that he or she behaves in a good or correct way that other people should copy.
He is a model professional and an ~ to the younger lads...
N-COUNT: oft N to n approval
5.
In a dictionary entry, an ~ is a phrase or sentence which shows how a particular word is used.
The ~s are unique to this dictionary.
N-COUNT
6.
If you follow someone’s ~, you behave in the same way as they did in the past, or in a similar way, especially because you admire them.
Following the ~ set by her father, she has fulfilled her role and done her duty...
PHRASE: V inflects
7.
To make an ~ of someone who has done something wrong means to punish them severely as a warning to other people not to do the same thing.
Let us at least see our courts make an ~ of these despicable criminals.
PHRASE: V inflects, PHR n
8.
If you set an ~, you encourage or inspire people by your behaviour to behave or act in a similar way.
An officer’s job was to set an ~...
PHRASE: V inflects