(~s, ~ing, ~ed)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
If there is a ~ of something, there is not enough of it or it does not exist at all.
Despite his ~ of experience, he got the job...
The charges were dropped for ~ of evidence...
There is a ~ of people wanting to start up new businesses.
N-UNCOUNT: also a N, usu N of n
2.
If you say that someone or something ~s a particular quality or that a particular quality is ~ing in them, you mean that they do not have any or enough of it.
He ~ed the judgment and political acumen for the post of chairman...
Certain vital information is ~ing in the report.
VERB: V n, V
3.
see also ~ing
4.
If you say there is no ~ of something, you are emphasizing that there is a great deal of it.
He said there was no ~ of things for them to talk about...
PHRASE: PHR n, usu v-link PHR, v PHR emphasis