INDEX:
1. when there is enough of something you need
2. big enough, strong enough, old enough etc
3. to have enough of something
4. enough and more
5. not enough
6. not good enough, important enough etc
7. to not have enough of something
8. an amount, quantity etc that is less than is needed
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ FULL
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1. when there is enough of something you need
▷ enough /ɪˈnʌf/ [quantifier]
▪ Here’s $20. Is that enough?
▪ Have you got enough drivers? I can help if you need me.
enough something to do something
▪ I make enough money to pay the bills and keep food on the table.
enough (something) for something
▪ Will there be enough room for Joey in the car?
▪ This recipe makes enough for eight people.
more than enough
more than you need
▪ I’ve given you more than enough time to make up your mind.
I’ve had enough
say this when you have eaten enough food
▪ ‘Would you like some more pizza?’ ‘No thanks, I’ve had enough.’
▷ sufficient /səˈfɪʃ ə nt/ [adjective] formal
enough :
▪ It was decided that there was sufficient evidence to convict Marconi.
sufficient for
▪ The money should be sufficient for one month’s travel.
▷ adequate /ˈædɪkwɪt, ˈædɪkwət/ [adjective] formal
enough in amount, and good enough in quality :
▪ None of his workers received adequate safety training.
adequate for
▪ The heating system would only be adequate for a much smaller house.
▷ will/should do /wɪl, ʃʊd ˈduː/ [verb phrase not in progressive] spoken
use this to say that a particular number or amount will be enough for what you need :
▪ ‘I can’t find any more envelopes.’ ‘That’s OK - these should do.’
will do
▪ I can lend you some money -- will £10 do?
something should do for something/something ought to do for something
▪ Ten bottles of wine should do for the party.
That should do it/That ought to do it/That’ll do it
▪ Take a few more for the kids. There, that should do it.
something should do/ought to do/will do somebody
▪ Here’s £20 for the shopping -- that should do you.
▷ suffice /səˈfaɪs/ [intransitive verb not in progressive] formal
to be enough :
will/would suffice
▪ A doctor’s certificate will suffice as a form of permission.
should suffice to do something
will probably be enough to do it
▪ These few examples should suffice to illustrate how social attitudes are changing.
▷ cover /ˈkʌvəʳ/ [transitive verb not in progressive]
if an amount of money covers the cost of something, it is enough to pay for it :
▪ $29.90 a month covers the cost of all your insurance.
▪ Western aid to Third World countries barely covers the interest on their loans.
▷ last /lɑːstǁlæst/ [verb]
if an amount of food or money lasts for a period of time, there is enough of it for that period :
last until
▪ I still have $100, but that won’t last until the end of the vacation.
last (somebody) 2 years/3 days etc
▪ A can of baby formula costing $6.00 will last you three to four days.
▷ meet somebody’s needs /ˌmiːt somebodyˈs ˈniːdz/ [verb phrase]
if an amount of something meets someone’s needs, there is as much of it as that person needs - use this especially in formal or official contexts :
▪ In many parts of the world, there is not enough food to meet everyone’s needs.
2. big enough, strong enough, old enough etc
▷ enough /ɪˈnʌf/ [adverb]
big/old/strong enough etc
▪ Will that box be strong enough?
enough for
▪ The sled is big enough for three children to ride on it safely.
enough to do something
▪ The pole was just long enough to reach the top window.
▪ Raphael is probably the only one crazy enough to try it.
▷ sufficiently /səˈfɪʃ ə ntli/ [adverb] formal
enough :
▪ I had recovered sufficiently by the end of the week to give two more speeches.
sufficiently large/easy etc to do something
▪ I don’t think the candidate is sufficiently skillful to do the job.
sufficiently large/easy etc for something
▪ The measurements are sufficiently accurate for our purposes.
▷ adequately /ˈædɪkwɪtli, ˈædɪkwətli/ [adverb] formal
enough or well enough :
▪ There are no plans to change the current system, which is performing adequately.
▪ We’re trying to encourage parents to make sure their children are adequately protected against childhood diseases.
3. to have enough of something
▷ have enough /ˌhæv ɪˈnʌf/ [verb phrase not in progressive]
to have enough of something to do what you want :
▪ I’ll come and see you if I have enough time.
have enough time/money etc to do something
▪ We didn’t have enough room to lie down, so we couldn’t really sleep.
▷ have the time/money/help etc /hæv ðə ˈteɪm/ [verb phrase not in progressive]
to have enough of something to do what you want :
▪ I know I should exercise, but I just never seem to have the time.
▪ I’m sure Jonathan would be willing to help, if he had the money.
have the time/money/help etc to do something
▪ A small company like ours just doesn’t have the resources to compete with the big corporations.
▷ can afford /kən əˈfɔːʳd/ [verb phrase]
to have enough money to do something or to buy something :
▪ I love the apartment, but I don’t think we can afford the rent.
can afford to do something
▪ These days more and more people can afford to fly, which means the airways become increasingly crowded.
▷ can spare /kən ˈspeəʳ/ [verb phrase] informal
to have enough time, money etc for a particular purpose, because you do not need it all for other purposes :
▪ Can you spare a couple of minutes to talk about next week’s programme?
▪ The firm has agreed to improve the toilet facilities as soon as they can spare the money.
▪ The records show that the city has a few acres of land to spare.
▷ run to /ˈrʌn tuː/ [transitive verb not in progressive or passive] British informal
if someone’s money runs to something, they have enough money to pay for it, especially when it is something expensive :
▪ I don’t think my salary quite runs to holidays in the Caribbean!
▪ The company budget wouldn’t run to a Mercedes, so I had to make do with a Ford instead.
▷ be OK for/be all right for /biː əʊ ˈkeɪ fɔːʳ, biː ɔːl ˈraɪt fɔːʳ/ [verb phrase] informal
to have enough of something that you need, such as time, money, or food :
▪ ‘Do you have to rush off?’ ‘No, I’m OK for time.’
▪ We’re all right for vegetables, but we need to buy some more fruit.
▪ ‘Are we ok for little plates?’ ‘Yeah, Matthew washed them all.’
▷ be well off for /biː ˌwel ˈɒf fɔːʳ/ [verb phrase] British informal
to have plenty of something that is needed or that makes life easier or more pleasant :
▪ We’re quite well off for public transport in this part of the country.
▪ The school’s reasonably well off for books and equipment but there is a shortage of staff.
4. enough and more
▷ more than enough /ˈmɔːʳ ð ə n ɪˌnʌf/ [quantifier]
▪ I’ve given you more than enough money to pay for everything.
▪ There were more than enough people to set up the stage.
▪ The software provides more than enough tools to make just about any object you might imagine.
▷ plenty /ˈplenti/ [quantifier]
more than enough - use this when you do not need any more of something :
▪ ‘Do you need any more paper?’ ‘ No, thanks, I have plenty here.’
plenty of
▪ There’s plenty of time. We don’t have to hurry.
▪ At that time of year there will still be plenty of daylight at 8:00 in the evening.
▷ ample /ˈæmp ə l/ [adjective]
if an amount of something is ample, there is more than enough of it - use this in writing or formal speech :
▪ The hotel’s main dining room has ample room for both dining and dancing .
▪ He was given ample opportunity to express his opinion.
5. not enough
▷ not enough also insufficient /nɒt ɪˈnʌf, ˌɪnsəˈfɪʃ ə nt◂/ [quantifier/adjective]
not enough for what you need. insufficient is much more formal than not enough :
▪ You’re not getting enough sleep.
not enough (something) to do something
▪ We didn’t win enough games to get to the championship.
▪ No matter how much money they offer me, it wouldn’t be enough to make me like the job.
▪ There was insufficient evidence to prove their allegations.
not enough (something) for something
▪ There weren’t enough apples for a pie, but they’re good for eating.
▪ Officials were worried that supplies would be insufficient for the long winter that was being predicted.
not nearly enough/nowhere near enough
much less than enough
▪ £1 million is not nearly enough to clean up the water in the bay.
▪ The time they’ve given us is nowhere near enough.
▷ too little/few /ˌtuː ˈlɪtl, ˈfjuː/ [quantifier]
less than you need or fewer than you need - use this especially when you are criticizing or complaining about something :
▪ Some churches are in danger of closing because there are too few priests.
▪ There is too little cooperation between the opposing parties to get anything done in government.
too little/few to do something
▪ There’s too little time to do everything.
▪ There were some police officers there, but too few to control the crowd.
far too little/few
much too little or few
▪ Most of the students explained far too little about their research methods.
▷ scarce /skeəʳs/ [adjective not before noun]
if something is scarce, there is not enough of it, so it is very difficult to get or buy :
▪ During the war, things like clothes and shoes were scarce.
▪ Cheap, clean hotel rooms are scarce in this city, especially in the summer.
▷ inadequate /ɪnˈædɪkwət, ɪnˈædəkwət/ [adjective]
an amount of something that is inadequate is not enough for a particular purpose :
▪ The state pension is wholly inadequate -- no one can live on £50 a week.
▪ Inadequate lighting made it difficult to continue the work after dinner.
inadequate to do something
▪ The amount of fertilizer used was inadequate to ensure a good harvest.
▷ insufficient /ˌɪnsəˈfɪʃ ə nt◂/ [adjective] formal
not enough :
▪ The bank charged me for having insufficient funds in my account.
▪ There has been insufficient rainfall over the past two years, and farmers are having trouble.
insufficient to do something
▪ The data we have is insufficient to draw any conclusions.
▷ be in short supply /biː ɪn ˌʃɔːʳt səˈplaɪ/ [verb phrase]
if a product is in short supply people cannot buy or get enough of it :
▪ Health workers reported that medicines and basic equipment were in short supply.
▪ The unemployment rate was at 2.5%, and talented job seekers were in short supply.
▷ lack of something /ˈlæk əv something/ [singular noun]
if there is a lack of something there is not enough of it, or none at all :
▪ Fernando’s eyes were red through lack of sleep.
▪ It’s lack of confidence, not lack of ability, that makes most people fail.
▪ They threw the case out of court because of a lack of evidence.
▷ be short /biː ˈʃɔːʳt/ [verb phrase]
if time or money is short, there is not as much of it as you would like :
▪ Money’s a little short this month -- we’d better be careful about spending.
▪ The military authorities considered that the need for action was great, and time was short.
6. not good enough, important enough etc
▷ not ... enough /nɒt ... ɪnʌf/:
▪ ‘Can you read the sign?’ ‘No, we’re not close enough.’
not ... enough for
▪ This room isn’t large enough for public meetings.
not ... enough to do something
▪ Dana isn’t strong enough to survive the operation at this time.
▷ not sufficiently /nɒt səˈfɪʃ ə ntli/ [adverb] formal
not good enough, not important enough, etc :
not sufficiently ... to do something
▪ Frasier’s right foot has not healed sufficiently to allow him to play tonight.
▪ The report is not sufficiently detailed to give us all the information we require.
7. to not have enough of something
▷ not have enough /nɒt hæv ɪˈnʌf/ [verb phrase not in progressive]
▪ The computer doesn’t have enough memory - it just crashes all the time.
not have enough time/money etc to do something
▪ We don’t have enough time to go shopping now.
not have enough to do/eat/ drink etc
▪ The number of children in the cities that do not have enough to eat is rising daily.
▷ can’t afford /ˌkɑːnt əˈfɔːʳdǁˌkænt-/ [verb phrase]
to not have enough money to do something :
▪ We can’t afford a really good printer right now.
▪ I know I can’t really afford it, but I want to buy her something nice.
can’t afford to do something
not have enough money to do it
▪ I can’t afford to fly, so I’m renting a car.
▪ I can’t afford to have any more unpaid days off.
▷ be short of/be low on /biː ˈʃɔːʳt ɒv, bi ˈlæʊ ɒn/ [verb phrase]
to not have enough of something that is necessary, such as money or food :
▪ I was short of money, so George lent me $20.
▪ The county is short of affordable housing, and the situation is getting worse.
▪ The pilot knew the plane was low on fuel.
▷ be short on /biː ˈʃɔːʳt ɒn/ [verb phrase] informal
to have less than you should have of a useful or important quality :
▪ Warren is a good worker, but short on new ideas.
▪ I sometimes felt our evenings together were a little short on fun.
▷ be running out/short of /biː ˌrʌnɪŋ ˈaʊt, ˈʃɔːʳt ɒv/ [verb phrase]
to be using so much of something that you will soon not have enough of it left :
▪ We’re running out of time - can you finish up quickly?
▪ Is the world running out of natural resources?
▪ The refugees are running short of supplies and winter is approaching.
▷ be stretched /biː ˈstretʃt/ [verb phrase]
to have only just enough money or just enough of a supply of something, so that you have to be very careful about how you use it :
▪ With a hundred thousand new people in the area, city resources are stretched.
be stretched to the breaking point/the limit
to have so little of something that you are likely to fail
▪ If this cut in resources occurs, it could severely damage a social fabric that is already stretched to the breaking point.
be stretched thin
American
▪ The army’s supply lines in the area along the southern border were stretched dangerously thin.
▷ be strapped for cash /biː ˌstræpt fəʳ ˈkæʃ/ [verb phrase] informal
to not have enough money at the present time :
▪ We sold the restaurant when we were strapped for cash a few years ago.
▪ If you are seriously strapped for cash, I’m sure Robert could give you a job.
▷ deficient /dɪˈfɪʃ ə nt/ [adjective]
not containing as much of a particular substance or not having as much of a particular quality as is necessary - used especially in scientific contexts :
deficient in
▪ Your diet is deficient in vitamins.
protein/nutrient/iron etc deficient
▪ Only hormone-deficient children are allowed to use the drug.
▷ be starved of /biː ˈstɑːʳvd ɒv/ [verb phrase]
to be given much less of something than is needed :
▪ Most of the animals are just starved of attention.
▪ She admitted that living on the island she had been starved of conversation and ideas.
▪ Starved of foreign aid money, the country collapsed into war last year.
8. an amount, quantity etc that is less than is needed
▷ shortage /ˈʃɔːʳtɪdʒ/ [countable noun]
a situation in which there is not enough of something very basic and important that people need in order to live or work :
shortage of
▪ There is a shortage of nurses and doctors in this area.
water/food/housing etc shortage
▪ Parts of Britain are suffering water shortages after the unusually dry summer.
acute/severe shortage
a very bad shortage
▪ The drop in the birth rate 20 years ago has created a severe shortage of workers.
▷ shortfall /ˈʃɔːʳtfɔːl/ [countable noun]
the amount by which there is not enough of something :
▪ a 3% production shortfall
▪ The center had projected a $38,000 shortfall for its $6.47 million budget.
shortfall in
▪ We’ve had to trim our budget to compensate for a $1.5 million shortfall in revenue.
shortfall of
▪ The districts affected by the drought will face a predicted shortfall of 7.5 million gallons a day.
▷ deficiency /dɪˈfɪʃ ə nsi/ [countable/uncountable noun]
when there is not enough of an important or necessary substance or quality :
▪ Women suffering from iron deficiency can take supplements in the form of tablets.
▪ One of the symptoms of vitamin C deficiency is extreme tiredness.
deficiency of
▪ A deficiency of soil nutrients can cause the resulting crop to be disease-ridden and of very poor quality.