INDEX:
1. to emphasize something
2. to emphasize something too strongly
3. when something is particularly emphasized
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ IMPORTANT
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1. to emphasize something
▷ emphasize/stress /ˈemfəsaɪz, stres/ [transitive verb]
to say or show that you think something is especially important :
▪ Mann stressed the need to educate people about the risks of AIDS.
▪ She said smoking was not permitted anywhere in the school - emphasizing the word ‘anywhere’.
emphasize/stress (that)
▪ The County Sheriff emphasized that there was no evidence to show that the driver had been drinking.
I can’t emphasize enough
spoken this needs to be emphasized a lot
▪ I can’t emphasize enough how grateful we are for your donations.
▷ highlight /ˈhaɪlaɪt/ [transitive verb]
to emphasize something such as a problem or a fact, especially by providing new information about it :
▪ This report highlights some of the problems faced by old people in winter.
▪ The slump in the car industry was highlighted by Ford’s offer of a $600 rebate on new cars.
▷ underline/underscore /ˌʌndəʳˈlaɪn,ˌ ʌndəʳˈskɔːʳ/ [transitive verb]
if something that happens underlines or underscores a fact, especially one that is already known, it helps to emphasize that it is true :
▪ Yesterday’s shelling of a Red Cross hospital underlines the difficulties faced by rescue teams.
▪ The recent rioting in South Africa has underlined the government’s lack of control.
▪ The dire state of child health in the country was underscored in a report by UNICEF.
▷ drive the point home/drive home the point /ˌdraɪv ðə ˌpɔɪnt ˈhəʊm, ˌdraɪv həʊm ðə ˈpɔɪnt/ [verb phrase]
to emphasize a fact or idea by giving additional, often surprising or shocking, information about it :
▪ After the talk, the students were shown a video about heroin addiction to drive the point home.
drive the point home/drive home the point that
▪ The reconstruction of the accident certainly drove home the point that drink-driving can kill.
▷ play up also make great play of British /ˌpleɪ ˈʌp, meɪk ˌgreɪt ˈpleɪ ɒv/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to emphasize a fact or idea, by giving it more attention than anything else, especially if you are trying to make it seem more important than it really is :
▪ At the interview, remember to play up your experience of teaching in Japan.
▪ On TV last night the Democratic candidate was clearly playing up his caring image.
make great play of (doing) something
▪ The Prime Minister made great play of environmental issues, considering how little the government has done.
▷ accentuate /əkˈsentʃueɪt/ [transitive verb]
to emphasize something, especially the differences between two things or situations :
▪ In Britain, the choice between state and private schools accentuates the differences between rich and poor.
▪ The director uses music to accentuate the rising dramatic tension.
▷ point up /ˌpɔɪnt ˈʌp/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to make something, especially the true facts of a situation, clearer and more noticeable :
▪ Recent protests in the north of the country point up the dilemma the opposition forces are in.
▪ Low literacy rates among the women in this area point up the need for much greater investment in girls’ education.
2. to emphasize something too strongly
▷ overemphasize /ˌəʊvərˈemfəsaɪz/ [transitive verb]
to emphasize something too much :
▪ I think the book overemphasizes the importance of religion in the history of the US.
▷ labour the point British /belabor the point American /ˌleɪbəʳ ðə ˈpɔɪnt, bɪˌleɪbəʳ-/ [verb phrase]
to emphasize an idea or a fact too strongly, especially by repeating it often so that people get bored :
▪ I understand what you’re saying -- there’s no need to labour the point.
▪ I don’t want to keep belaboring the point, but the Barnes Foundation is an educational institution, not a museum.
3. when something is particularly emphasized
▷ emphasis/stress /ˈemfəsɪs, ˈemfəsəs, stres/ [singular/uncountable noun]
special attention that is given to a particular activity, subject etc, because it is believed to be more important than other things :
emphasis/stress on
▪ There is a greater emphasis on environmental issues nowadays.
put emphasis on something
▪ The school puts a lot of emphasis on discipline and respect for authority.
with the emphasis on something
▪ an exciting new French course for beginners, with the emphasis on fun
▷ with the accent on /wɪð ði ˈæks ə nt ɒnǁ-ˈæksent-/ [preposition]
if something is done with the accent on a particular quality or feature, that quality or feature is emphasized - used especially in written descriptions of products and services :
▪ Toptours Travel is now offering numerous special vacation packages with the accent on choice.
▪ a new range of children’s toys with the accent on creativity