INVENT


Meaning of INVENT in English

verb

1

BAD : It will not be long before scientists invent a cure for this terrible disease.

GOOD : It will not be long before scientists discover a cure for this terrible disease.

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invent = create a machine, instrument, system or process which has never existed before: 'Who invented the telephone?' 'The cotton gin was invented by Eli Whitney in 1793.'

discover = find or find out something for the first time: 'Penicillin was discovered almost by accident.' 'I've just discovered a new way of cooking spaghetti.'

2

BAD : I'm sure that your host families will invent lots of interesting things for you to do.

GOOD : I'm sure that your host families will think of/up lots of interesting things for you to do.

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think of = produce a plan, idea or suggestion by thinking: 'Can you think of a good birthday present for David?' 'I can't think of any way of avoiding the problem.'

think up (also dream up ) = produce a completely new plan, idea or suggestion by thinking hard about something: 'They've thought up a new advertising campaign.' 'Financial advisers will soon think up new ways for us to evade tax.'

3

BAD : The word 'workaholic' was invented in America.

GOOD : The word 'workaholic' was coined in America.

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coin a new word or expression: 'The term 'black hole' was coined in 1969 by the American scientist John Wheeler.'

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