(~s)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
Official means approved by the government or by someone in authority.
According to the ~ figures, over one thousand people died during the revolution...
A report in the ~ police newspaper gave no reason for the move.
? un~
ADJ: usu ADJ n
~ly
The nine-year civil war is ~ly over.
ADV: usu ADV -ed, also ADV group, ADV after v
2.
Official activities are carried out by a person in authority as part of their job.
The President is in Brazil for an ~ two-day visit.
? private
ADJ: ADJ n
3.
Official things are used by a person in authority as part of their job.
...the ~ residence of the Head of State.
ADJ: ADJ n
4.
If you describe someone’s explanation or reason for something as the ~ explanation, you are suggesting that it is probably not true, but is used because the real explanation is embarrassing.
The ~ reason given for the President’s absence was sickness.
ADJ: ADJ n
~ly
Officially, the guard was to protect us. In fact, they were there to report on our movements.
ADV: ADV with cl/group
5.
An ~ is a person who holds a position of authority in an organization.
A senior UN ~ hopes to visit Baghdad this month.
N-COUNT: oft n N
6.
An ~ at a sports event is a referee, umpire, or other person who checks that the players follow the rules.
N-COUNT