(~s)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
An ~ is a principle, idea, or standard that seems very good and worth trying to achieve.
The party has drifted too far from its socialist ~s...
N-COUNT: oft N of n
2.
Your ~ of something is the person or thing that seems to you to be the best possible example of it.
...the Japanese ~ of beauty...
N-SING: oft poss N
3.
The ~ person or thing for a particular task or purpose is the best possible person or thing for it.
She decided that I was the ~ person to take over the job...
= perfect
ADJ
4.
An ~ society or world is the best possible one that you can imagine.
We do not live in an ~ world...
ADJ: ADJ n