(~s)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
A ~ is a solid substance.
...electrons in a conducting ~ such as a metal.
...the design of new absorbent ~s.
N-VAR
2.
Material is cloth.
...the thick ~ of her skirt...
The ~s are soft and comfortable to wear.
N-MASS
3.
Materials are the things that you need for a particular activity.
The builders ran out of ~s.
...sewing ~s.
N-PLURAL: usu supp N
4.
Ideas or information that are used as a basis for a book, play, or film can be referred to as ~.
In my version of the story, I added some new ~.
N-UNCOUNT
5.
Material things are related to possessions or money, rather than to more abstract things such as ideas or values.
Every room must have been stuffed with ~ things.
...the ~ world.
? spiritual
ADJ: usu ADJ n
~ly
He has tried to help this child ~ly and spiritually...
ADV: ADV with v, ADV adj/-ed, ADV with cl
6.
If you say that someone is a particular kind of ~, you mean that they have the qualities or abilities to do a particular job or task.
She was not university ~...
His message has changed little since he became presidential ~.
N-UNCOUNT: supp N
7.
Material evidence or information is directly relevant and important in a legal or academic argument. (FORMAL)
The nature and availability of ~ evidence was not to be discussed...
ADJ: ADJ n