INDEX:
computers
1. hardware
2. software
3. people
4. things you do with a computer
5. starting and finishing
6. to put information or a program into a computer
7. computer problems
Internet
8. the Internet and places on the Internet
9. things you do on the Internet
10. email
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ MACHINE
↑ FAULT (1)
↑ WORKING
↑ SWITCH ON OR OFF
◆◆◆
1. hardware
▷ hardware /ˈhɑːʳdweəʳ/ [uncountable noun]
computer equipment, rather than the programs that make it work :
▪ The company has spent millions of dollars replacing outdated computer hardware.
▷ computer /kəmˈpjuːtəʳ/ [countable noun]
an electronic machine that uses programs to store and deal with large amounts of information quickly, and which is used for a wide range of different jobs :
by computer
▪ The information from the survey is being processed by computer.
on a computer
▪ I can’t get the program to work on my computer.
▪ How long are you going to be on the computer? I need to type something.
computer literate
able to use a computer fairly well
▪ It is important that all children become computer literate while they are in school.
▷ PC /ˌpiː ˈsiː/ [countable noun]
personal computer; a computer that is usually used by one person in an office, at home, or in a school :
▪ Sales of PCs were down for the second year running.
▷ machine /məˈʃiːn/ [countable noun] especially spoken
a computer :
▪ I think there’s something wrong with my machine - would you take a look at it?
▷ workstation /ˈwɜːʳkˌsteɪʃ ə n/ [countable noun]
a computer - used especially by computer manufacturers for the names of particular models of computer :
▪ I have to share my workstation with two other people in the office.
▷ laptop /ˈlæptɒpǁ-tɑːp/ [countable noun]
a small computer that you can carry with you and use when you are travelling :
▪ Her boss’s laptop got stolen from her car.
▷ network /ˈnetwɜːʳk/ [countable noun]
a group of computers that are connected to each other, and are able to exchange information and messages :
▪ Most workplaces have a local network as well as access to the Internet.
2. software
▷ software /ˈsɒftweəʳǁˈsɔːft-/ [uncountable noun]
the sets of programs that tell a computer what to do :
▪ You need special software to view the information in the file.
▪ The company develops interactive software for schoolchildren.
▪ India’s software industry barely existed 15 years ago but is growing rapidly today.
▷ program/computer program /ˈprəʊgræm, kəmˌpjuːtəʳ ˈprəʊgræm/ [countable noun]
a set of instructions used to tell a computer what to do :
▪ I didn’t have enough memory on my computer to run the program.
▪ She was writing simple computer programs when she was eight years old.
▷ file /faɪl/ [countable noun]
a collection of information on a computer that is stored under a particular name :
▪ I seem to have lost the file with all my personal records on it.
▪ Just click on the icon to open the file.
▪ It’s a good idea to save your files to a floppy disk as a backup.
▷ application /ˌæplɪˈkeɪʃ ə n, ˌæpləˈkeɪʃ ə n/ [countable noun]
a piece of software for a particular use or job :
▪ a graphics application
▷ interactive /ˌɪntərˈæktɪv◂/ [adjective]
interactive software allows the person using it to affect what happens on the computer screen :
▪ an interactive education package for 7-10-year-olds
▪ When designing your site, think about whether it needs to be interactive or informational.
▷ multimedia /ˌmʌltɪˈmiːdiə/ [adjective]
using a mixture of sound, pictures, video, and writing to give information :
▪ The virtual tour includes multimedia displays demonstrating how the market works.
3. people
▷ user/computer user /ˈjuːzəʳ, kəmˈpjuːtəʳ ˌjuːzəʳ/ [countable noun]
someone who uses a computer :
▪ Most computer users do not realize how much their computers can do.
▪ Users often complain that the Internet is slow and unreliable.
user-friendly
easy to use
▪ The program is remarkably user-friendly and can be learned by anyone.
▷ programmer/computer programmer /ˈprəʊgræməʳ, kəmˌpjuːtəʳ ˈprəʊgræməʳ/ [countable noun]
someone whose job is to write programs :
▪ Computer programmers are in great demand, and a good one can earn a very high salary.
▷ techie /ˈteki/ [countable noun] informal
someone who works in computing or who knows a lot about computers :
▪ I don’t even bother trying to fix things that go wrong on my computer - I leave that to the techies.
▷ hacker /ˈhækəʳ/ [countable noun]
someone who secretly and often illegally gets into another person’s or company’s computer system :
▪ Hackers broke into the Pentagon’s security system last night.
▷ software developer/engineer/designer /ˈsɒftweəʳ dɪˌveləpəʳ, endʒə̇ˌnɪəʳ, dɪˌzaɪnəʳ/ [countable noun]
someone whose job is to make software :
▪ Software developers need to be aware that not all users are technical experts.
▷ systems analyst /ˈsɪstəmz ˌænələ̇st/ [countable noun]
someone whose job involves studying business or industrial systems, and who uses computers to plan improvements or changes :
▪ His first job as a systems analyst was to reorganize they way the store’s stock was recorded.
▷ IT support British /tech support American /aɪ ˈtiː səˌpɔːʳt, ˈtek səˌpɔːʳt/ [uncountable noun]
people whose job involves making sure that the computers in an organization are working properly :
▪ If you’re not prepared to pay for adequate IT support, it’s no wonder you lose so much time through computer problems.
4. things you do with a computer
▷ enter /ˈentəʳ/ [transitive verb]
to put information into a computer by pressing the keys :
▪ When you have entered your credit card information, go to the next screen.
▷ copy /ˈkɒpiǁˈkɑː-/ [transitive verb]
to make a file, program etc that is exactly the same as another one :
▪ Copy the files into a new folder.
▷ save /seɪv/ [transitive verb]
to make a computer keep the work that you have done in its memory or on a disk :
▪ Save your work and close down any applications that are open.
▷ delete /dɪˈliːt/ [transitive verb]
to remove a piece of information from a computer’s memory :
▪ Delete any files that end in ‘.tmp’.
▷ select /sɪˈlekt/ [transitive verb]
to use the mouse to choose words or pictures on a computer screen, usually making them change colour :
▪ To create parallel columns, press Alt-F7 and select option 4.
▷ scroll /skrəʊl/ [intransitive verb]
to move up or down through a document on a computer :
scroll up/down
▪ Scroll down to see when the website was last updated.
▷ search also do a search /sɜːʳtʃ, ˌduː ɑ ˈsɜːʳtʃ/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to look for information on a computer or on the Internet :
search for
▪ I did a search for any articles by Varenqe on the web, and I found quite a few.
search by
▪ To find a book on our site, you can search by author, title, or subject.
search something for something
▪ You can search the document for particular words or phrases, in order to get directly to the information you need.
▷ open /ˈəʊpən/ [transitive verb]
to make a document or computer program ready to use :
▪ Open the file called Templates.
▷ close /kləʊz/ [transitive verb]
to do the things you have to do when you want to stop using a document or a computer program :
▪ Close all applications before shutting down your computer.
▷ click on /ˈklɪk ɒn/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to press a button on a mouse in order to choose something on the screen and make the computer perform a particular action :
▪ Click on ‘next’ when you have finished filling out the form.
▷ cut and paste /ˌkʌt ən ˈpeɪst/ [verb phrase]
to remove a piece of information from one place in a computer program or document and put it in a different place instead :
▪ It’s easier if you just cut and paste the information from one page to another.
▷ highlight /ˈhaɪlaɪt/ [transitive verb]
to mark words in a computer document in a different colour so that you can see them easily or to separate it from the rest of the document :
▪ To delete a block of text, highlight it and then press Del.
▷ drag /dræg/ [transitive verb]
to move something on a computer screen by pulling it along with the mouse :
▪ You can delete the files by dragging them into your ‘trash’ folder.
▷ hack into /ˈhæk ɪntuː/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to secretly and often illegally find a way to reach the information on someone else’s computer system so that you can use, change, or damage it :
▪ A criminal gang hacked into a credit card company’s most secure files.
5. starting and finishing
▷ log on/log in/sign in /ˌlɒg ˈɒnˌ, lɒg ˈɪn,ǁˌlɔːg-, ˌsaɪn ˈɪn/ [intransitive phrasal verb]
to do the actions that will allow you to begin using a computer system, for example by typing a special word or giving a particular command :
▪ Log on to our website and find out about the latest travel deals to the Far East.
▷ log out/log off/sign out /ˌlɒg ˈaʊtˌ, lɒg ˈɒf,ǁˌlɔːg-, ˌsaɪn ˈaʊt/ [intransitive phrasal verb]
to do the actions you have to do when you finish using a computer system :
▪ When I logged off, the whole system froze up.
▷ start up /ˌstɑːʳt ˈʌp/ [intransitive/transitive phrasal verb]
if you start up a computer, or it starts up, you turn it on :
▪ The anti-virus icon should appear whenever you start up your computer.
▷ boot up /ˌbuːt ˈʌp/ [intransitive/transitive phrasal verb]
if a computer boots up, it becomes ready to use by getting all the programs it needs into its memory. If you boot up a computer, you turn it on so that it is ready to use :
▪ Just wait a couple of minutes while the computer boots up.
▷ reboot /riːˈbuːt/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
if you reboot a computer, or if it reboots, you make it turn itself off and then back on again, especially because it has not been working correctly :
▪ If a program crashes you usually have to reboot the computer.
▷ shut down /ˌʃʌt ˈdaʊn/ [intransitive/transitive phrasal verb]
if you shut a computer down or it shuts down, you turn it off :
▪ I’m always forgetting to shut down my computer before I go home.
▷ username /ˈjuːzəʳneɪm/ [countable noun]
the name that you type into a computer, system, website etc. before typing your password :
▪ Please enter your username and password.
▷ password /ˈpɑːswɜːʳdǁˈpæs-/ [countable noun]
a series of secret letters or numbers that you must type into a computer before you can use a system or a program :
▪ Don’t let anyone know your password.
6. to put information or a program into a computer
▷ put something in/into /ˌpʊt (sth) ˈɪn, ˈɪntuː/ [transitive phrasal verb]
▪ We put all these details into our computer, and it chooses a suitable partner for you.
▪ The quality of output data will depend on the data you have put in.
▷ input /ˈɪnpʊt/ [transitive verb]
to put information into a computer :
▪ The user inputs the data, and the computer stores it in its memory.
▪ We’re currently inputting the names and addresses of all our customers into a database.
▷ enter /ˈentəʳ/ [transitive verb]
to put information into a computer by pressing the keys :
▪ Enter the amount of money you wish to take out of your account.
▪ If a word is entered incorrectly the machine refuses to obey the command.
▷ load /ləʊd/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to put a program into a computer so that it is ready to be used :
▪ LOAD is a command which loads a new program from the file.
load into
▪ The program can be encoded on the disk’s surface and then loaded into the microprocessor.
7. computer problems
▷ crash /kræʃ/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
if a computer or a piece of software crashes, or if you crash it, it suddenly and unexpectedly stops working :
▪ My computer crashed, and we couldn’t get it working again.
▷ freeze/freeze up /friːz, ˌfriːz ˈʌp/ [transitive verb]
if a computer screen freezes, the computer will not accept any instructions because of a fault and everything on the screen is fixed in position :
▪ The screen froze up, it crashed, and I lost all my work.
▷ down /daʊn/ [adjective not before noun]
if a computer system is down, it has stopped working because of a fault or a problem :
▪ Our computers are down right now, could you call back in an hour?
go down
▪ The whole network went down without any warning.
▷ bug /bʌg/ [countable noun]
a small fault in a computer program which prevents it from working properly :
▪ Some bug in the program meant when I typed in a letter I got a number instead.
▷ virus /ˈvaɪ ə rəs/ [countable noun]
a set of instructions that have been secretly put on a computer or a computer program, that can destroy or change information stored there. Viruses spread easily from one computer or computer program to another :
▪ A warning has gone out about a new virus that could wipe everything off your hard disk.
▪ You cannot get a virus from an email message alone.
▷ error /ˈerəʳ/ [countable noun]
a problem with a piece of hardware or software, especially when the user gives the computer an instruction which it will not accept :
▪ Whenever I try to enter the data the computer gives me an error window.
▷ corrupt /kəˈrʌpt/ also corrupted /kəˈrʌptɪd, kəˈrʌptəd/ [adjective]
information on a computer that is corrupt has been damaged and can no longer be read or used by the computer :
▪ a corrupted file
▪ Some segments of your hard drive are corrupt.
8. the Internet and places on the Internet
▷ (the) Internet/(the) Net /(ði) ˈɪntəʳnet, (ðə) ˈnet/ [singular noun]
a network of computer connections that allows computer users around the world to exchange information :
▪ The Internet makes it possible for people all over the world to keep in touch.
▪ In theory, the Net should make things quicker, but that isn’t always the case.
on the Internet/Net
▪ She spends nearly all her free time on the Internet.
▪ The couple met on the Internet.
Internet/Net access
▪ The city’s libraries provide free Internet access.
▷ e- also E- /iː/ [prefix]
used to form words that relate to activities involving use of the Internet, especially those connected with business. :
▪ E-commerce was then seen as a booming economic area.
▷ cyber- /ˈsaɪbəʳ/ [prefix]
used to form words that relate to activities involving the use of computers, especially the Internet :
▪ Cyber-crime, for example the fraudulent use of credit cards on the net, presents particular problems for the police.
▪ He seems to spend all his time in cyberspace!
▷ dotcom /ˈdɒtkɒmǁˈdɑːtkɑːm/ [adjective only before noun]
relating to a company whose business involves the Internet :
▪ The business world was shaken by the huge drop in dotcom shares.
▪ dotcom jobs
dotcom [countable noun]
▷ web site /ˈweb saɪt/ [countable noun]
a place on the Internet where you can find information about a particular company, organization, or person :
▪ Visit our website on www.stellamary.UK.
▷ web page /ˈweb peɪdʒ/ [countable noun]
one of the areas you can go to on a website :
▪ Do you want me to print off this web page?
▷ home page /ˈhəʊm peɪdʒ/ []
the first place you go to on a website :
▪ You can reach all the other pages on a website from its home page.
▷ chat room /ˈtʃæt ruːm/ [countable noun]
an area on the Internet where people can talk to each other by sending messages that can be read or heard immediately :
▪ Children should be taught to be careful about who they talk to in chat rooms.
▷ link/hyperlink /lɪŋk, ˈhaɪpəʳˌlɪŋk/ [countable noun]
writing or pictures on a web page which you can click on if you want to immediately go to another website or to another web page on the same website :
▪ For more info, click on this link.
▷ search engine /ˈsɜːʳtʃ ˌendʒə̇n/ [countable noun]
a computer program that helps you find information on the Internet :
▪ This search engine will only find sites that originate in Europe.
▷ browser /ˈbraʊzəʳ/ [countable noun]
a program, such as Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator, that allows you to find and read documents on the Internet :
▪ My browser really is incredibly slow.
▷ FAQ, faq /ˌef eɪ ˈkjuː, fæk/ [countable noun]
frequently asked question(s); on websites, a list of questions that users often ask about the website, and answers to them :
▪ Before e-mailing us, it might be advisable to click on FAQ first.
▷ online /ˈɒnlaɪnǁˈɔːn-/ [adjective]
connected to other computers through the Internet, or available through the Internet :
go online
▪ I’ll just go online and look up her address.
▷ hit /hɪt/ [countable noun]
an occasion when someone uses a website, a web page, or part of a web page. Companies count the number of hits their websites, advertisements, etc receive to find out how well they are doing :
▪ The official World Cup web-site scored a record number of hits last week.
9. things you do on the Internet
▷ surf the Internet/Net/Web /ˌsɜːʳf ði ˈɪntəʳnet, ˈnet, ˈweb/ [verb phrase]
to look at information on the Internet, especially when you look quickly in order to find something that interests you :
▪ People caught surfing the Net at work are liable to be dismissed.
▷ download /ˈdaʊnləʊd/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to copy a file from the Internet onto your own computer :
▪ Download your favorite songs by clicking here.
download [countable noun]
▷ upload /ˈʌpləʊd/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to copy something from your computer onto the Internet :
▪ Take great care when uploading personal information such as your address or credit card number.
upload [countable noun]
▷ visit /ˈvɪzɪt, ˈvɪzət/ [transitive verb]
to use a website on the Internet :
▪ For more information on how you can help, visit our website.
▷ chat /tʃæt/ [intransitive verb]
to communicate with several people by computer, using a special Internet program that allows you to exchange written messages very quickly :
▪ You can chat to Brad Pitt live this evening.
chat [countable noun]
▷ instant-message/IM /ˌɪnstənt ˈmesɪdʒ, ˌaɪ ˈem/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to communicate with someone by computer, using a special Internet program that allows you to exchange written messages very quickly :
▪ Teenagers are the group most likely to IM each other.
instant message/IM [countable noun]
instant-messaging [uncountable noun]
10. email
▷ email also e-mail /ˈiːmeɪl/ [countable/uncountable noun]
electronic mail; the system that allows people to send messages and documents to each other by computer, or a message or file that has been sent using this system :
▪ Email has revolutionized the way we all think and work.
email address
▪ Give me your email address and I’ll send you directions to the party.
send an email
▪ I sent him an email two weeks ago, but I haven’t heard anything back.
▷ email also e-mail /ˈiːmeɪl/ [transitive verb]
to send someone a message or a computer file by email :
▪ We’d been emailing each other for six months before we actually met.
email somebody something
▪ I’ll email you my résumé when I get home.
▷ snailmail /ˈsneɪlmeɪl/ [uncountable noun]
the traditional system of collecting and delivering letters, packages etc - use this when you are comparing this system to email :
▪ Sorry about the snailmail - my email’s not working.
▷ mailing list /ˈmeɪlɪŋ ˌlɪst/ [countable noun]
a discussion group on the Internet, which consists of a list of people who can each send messages to the rest of the list by email
▷ attachment /əˈtætʃmənt/ [countable noun]
a document or file, for example a document from a word processor or spreadsheet, which is sent with an email so that it can be read and used by the person who receives the email :
▪ I’m sending the document as an attachment. Please let me know if you have trouble reading it.
▷ attach /əˈtætʃ/ [transitive verb]
to connect a document or a file to an email :
▪ I’ve attached the latest spreadsheet for you to look at.
▷ flame /fleɪm/ [transitive verb]
to send someone a message that criticizes them on the Internet, especially in a rude or angry way :
▪ Flaming your boss really isn’t a good idea, however angry you are.
▷ spam /spæm/ [uncountable noun]
email messages that a computer user has not asked for and does not want to read, for example, messages from advertisers :
▪ I was getting so much spam mail that I changed my email address.
spamming [uncountable noun]
▷ bounce /baʊns/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
if an email message that you send bounces or is bounced, it is automatically returned to you because of a technical problem :
▪ She tried to mail him several times but the message always bounced.