(~s, ~ing, ~ed)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
A ~ is a small area of something such as dirt that has accidentally got onto a surface or piece of clothing.
The dogs are always rubbing against the wall and making dirty ~s...
A properly fitting bra should never leave red ~s.
N-COUNT
2.
If something ~s a surface, or if the surface ~s, the surface is damaged by ~s or a ~.
Leather overshoes were put on the horses’ hooves to stop them ~ing the turf...
I have to be more careful with the work tops, as wood ~s easily.
VERB: V n, V
3.
A ~ is a written or printed symbol, for example a letter of the alphabet.
He made ~s with a pencil.
N-COUNT
4.
If you ~ something with a particular word or symbol, you write that word or symbol on it.
The bank ~s the check ‘certified’...
Mark the frame with your postcode...
For more details about these products, send a postcard ~ed HB/FF.
VERB: V n quote, V n with n, V-ed
5.
A ~ is a point that is given for a correct answer or for doing something well in an exam or competition. A ~ can also be a written symbol such as a letter that indicates how good a student’s or competitor’s work or performance is.
...a simple scoring device of ~s out of 10, where ‘1’ equates to ‘Very poor performance’...
He did well to get such a good ~.
N-COUNT: oft supp N
6.
If someone gets good or high ~s for doing something, they have done it well. If they get poor or low ~s, they have done it badly.
You have to give her top ~s for moral guts...
His administration has earned low ~s for its economic policies.
N-PLURAL: supp N
7.
When a teacher ~s a student’s work, the teacher decides how good it is and writes a number or letter on it to indicate this opinion.
He was ~ing essays in his small study.
VERB: V n
~ing
For the rest of the lunchbreak I do my ~ing.
N-UNCOUNT
8.
A particular ~ is a particular number, point, or stage which has been reached or might be reached, especially a significant one.
Unemployment is rapidly approaching the one million ~.
N-COUNT: usu the supp N
9.
The ~ of something is the characteristic feature that enables you to recognize it.
The ~ of a civilized society is that it looks after its weakest members.
= sign
N-COUNT: N of n/-ing
10.
If you say that a type of behaviour or an event is a ~ of a particular quality, feeling, or situation, you mean it shows that that quality, feeling, or situation exists.
It was a ~ of his unfamiliarity with Hollywood that he didn’t understand that an agent was paid out of his client’s share...
= indication, sign
N-SING: a N of n
11.
If something ~s a place or position, it shows where something else is or where it used to be.
A huge crater ~s the spot where the explosion happened.
VERB: V n
12.
An event that ~s a particular stage or point is a sign that something different is about to happen.
The announcement ~s the end of an extraordinary period in European history...
VERB: V n
13.
If you do something to ~ an event or occasion, you do it to show that you are aware of the importance of the event or occasion.
Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets to ~ the occasion.
VERB: V n
14.
Something that ~s someone as a particular type of person indicates that they are that type of person.
Her opposition to abortion and feminism ~ her as a convinced traditionalist.
VERB: V n as n
15.
In a team game, when a defender is ~ing an attacker, they are trying to stay close to the attacker and prevent them from getting the ball. (mainly BRIT; in AM, use guard , cover )
...Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, who so effectively ~ed Michael Owen.
VERB: V n
~ing
They had stopped Ecuador from building up attacks with good ~ing.
N-UNCOUNT
16.
The ~ was the unit of money that was used in Germany. In 2002 it was replaced by the euro.
The government gave 30 million ~s for new school books.
N-COUNT: usu num N
•
The ~ was also used to refer to the German currency system.
The ~ appreciated 12 per cent against the dollar.
N-SING: the N
17.
Mark is used before a number to indicate a particular temperature level in a gas oven. (BRIT)
Set the oven at gas ~ 4.
N-UNCOUNT: N num
18.
Mark is used before a number to indicate a particular version or model of a vehicle, machine, or device.
...his Mark II Ford Cortina.
N-UNCOUNT: N num
19.
see also ~ed , ~ing , black ~ , check ~ , exclamation ~ , full ~s , high-water ~ , punctuation ~ , question ~ , scuff ~ , stretch ~s
20.
If someone or something leaves their ~ or leaves a ~, they have a lasting effect on another person or thing.
Years of conditioning had left their ~ on her, and she never felt inclined to talk to strange men.
PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR on n
21.
If you make your ~ or make a ~, you become noticed or famous by doing something impressive or unusual.
She made her ~ in the film industry in the 1960s.
PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR on/in n
22.
If you are quick off the ~, you are quick to understand or respond to something. If you are slow off the ~, you are slow to understand or respond to something.
PHRASE: usu v-link PHR
23.
On your ~s in British English, or on your ~ in American English, is a command given to runners at the beginning of a race in order to get them into the correct position to start.
On your ~s–get set–go!
CONVENTION
24.
If something is off the ~, it is inaccurate or incorrect. If it is on the ~, it is accurate or correct.
Robinson didn’t think the story was so far off the ~...
PHRASE: usu v-link PHR
25.
If something such as a claim or estimate is wide of the ~, it is incorrect or inaccurate.
That comparison isn’t as wide of the ~ as it seems.
PHRASE: usu v-link PHR
26.
to overstep the ~: see overstep