I. noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
a lack of commitment
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His lack of commitment to the project was easy to see.
a lack of common sense
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Leaving the child alone in the car showed a lack of common sense.
a lack of communication
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Disagreements are often due to a lack of communication.
a lack of concentration
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A lack of concentration when you are driving can be fatal.
a lack of confidence
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She had always suffered from insecurity and a lack of confidence.
a lack of confidence
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the public’s lack of confidence in the National Health Service
a lack of consensus
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Nothing was done because of a lack of consensus on the matter.
a lack of cooperation
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the lack of cooperation between the two countries
a lack of demand
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Many factories closed through lack of demand.
a lack of discipline
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The principal never tolerated a lack of discipline.
a lack of energy
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Common symptoms include a loss of appetite and a lack of energy.
a lack of enthusiasm
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My lack of enthusiasm for his suggestion made him angry.
a lack of expertise
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His lack of expertise in running such a large factory led to serious production problems.
a lack of expression
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I was surprised at the lack of expression on his face.
a lack of imagination
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Their policies show a lack of imagination.
a lack of interest
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The show was cancelled due to a lack of interest on the part of the public.
a lack of respect
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They blame youth crime on unemployment and lack of respect for the law.
a lack/loss of morale
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Rising sickness levels among your employees may show a loss of morale.
bemoan the lack/absence/loss of sth
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an article bemoaning the lack of sports facilities in the area
distinct lack of
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a distinct lack of enthusiasm
lack a skill (= not have a skill )
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He lacked both the skills and the confidence to take on the job.
lack ambition/have no ambition
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Many of the students lack ambition.
lack charm/be lacking in charm
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A lot of new buildings lack charm.
lack charm/be lacking in charm
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A lot of new buildings lack charm.
lack commitment
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I never get promoted because they think I lack commitment.
lack competence
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Some staff members lacked the competence to deal with technical problems.
lack energy (= have no energy )
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She lacked the energy to continue.
lack experience (= not have enough experience )
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Some students lack experience writing essays.
lack experience
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Many men in their twenties lack experience and social skills.
lack expertise
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The country lacks the expertise, equipment and finance to deal with the disaster.
lack imagination
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A lot of today's pop music seems to lack imagination.
lack inspiration (= not have any good or interesting ideas )
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His latest album appears to lack inspiration.
lack of compassion
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I was shocked by the doctor’s lack of compassion .
lack of emotion
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George’s apparent lack of emotion was too much to bear.
lack of exercise
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Children are becoming overweight through lack of exercise.
lack of experience
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My colleagues kept making comments about about my lack of experience.
lack of experience
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He was embarrassed about his lack of experience with women.
lack of foresight
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It was an example of the authorities’ lack of foresight .
lack of pretension
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the humbleness and lack of pretension of Jordan’s cafe
lack of trust
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At first there was a lack of trust between them.
lack originality
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The music lacks originality, but is fun and well-played.
lack qualifications
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40 percent of the prisoners lack any qualifications.
lack the ability to do sth
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As a young man, he lacked the ability to say no.
lack the courage to do sth
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He lacked the courage to look her full in the face.
lack the instinct to do sth
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He lacked the instinct to attack another human being.
lack the will to do sth
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He lacked the will to resist.
lack thereof
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Money, or the lack thereof , played a major role in their marital problems.
lack/be lacking in confidence
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She lacked the confidence to talk to people.
lack/be lacking in confidence
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She lacked the confidence to talk to people.
lack/be lacking in credibility
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The new regime lacked credibility from the start.
lack/be lacking in credibility
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The new regime lacked credibility from the start.
lament the lack/absence/decline etc of sth
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Steiner lamented the lack of public interest in the issue.
lamentable lack
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a lamentable lack of support for the idea
loss/lack of appetite
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Symptoms include fever and loss of appetite.
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I’m a bit worried about her lack of appetite.
sb’s lack of ambition
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I was frustrated by their apparent lack of ambition.
singular lack
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He showed a singular lack of tact in the way he handled the situation.
sorely lacking
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Courage is a quality that is sorely lacking in world leaders today.
total lack
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He looked at her with a total lack of comprehension.
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADJECTIVE
apparent
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But what worried him most was the apparent lack of breathing or pulse.
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Does their apparent lack of progress speak to their shortcomings as candidates?
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The apparent lack of multiple entry and exit gates on the crowd side of the airfield was bound to cause problems.
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No harm was done by the apparent lack of male influence.
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Substitute anxiety in the spectator, he wrote, brought about by nothing other than the apparent lack of anxiety in the image.
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Further inflexibility is apparent in the lack of spare accommodation.
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One of the recurring discussion points was the apparent lack of communication skills teaching for nursing staff.
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Adam's apparent lack of concern enraged Mike, as hurt by his brother's treachery as he was by the theft.
complete
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I longed to ask questions but was wary of revealing my complete lack of local knowledge.
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Communications difficulties contributed greatly to a complete lack of coordination of efforts.
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It is one of the most popular rasboras despite complete lack of any bright colours.
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Due to a complete lack of interest in reading, our staff has decided to forego reviewing books this week.
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It was not wickedness that led him into crime but a cheerfully impulsive nature and an almost complete lack of reasoning power.
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The older boy went blind in a complete lack of interest.
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People still pay up despite the complete lack of ghosts.
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Loss of concentration, a complete lack of ability to focus, was the chief occupational hazard of the trading floor.
distinct
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Without much outright horsepower-a distinct lack of brawn-the Porsche should be driven with brains.
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There seems to be a distinct lack of aggression or passion.
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There were far fewer flags, a distinct lack of appetite for celebration.
general
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It is not the case that there is a general lack of skills.
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The world of sport shares this general lack of understanding.
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Once in the classroom the teacher is restricted by the core curriculum and general workload and lack of equipment.
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A general lack of understanding of factor analysis, however, weakened the impact of the study and its effect was minimal.
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Traders get away with such cruel treatment because of the general lack of control and concern on the part of airlines and airports.
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One might be rather less charitable and argue that the lack of interest reflects a general lack of computer awareness.
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A general lack of confidence is noticeable as a result.
relative
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This may be related to a relative lack of social stability: being more frequently single and in less permanent accommodation.
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The relative lack of input from Texas means a relative lack of interest from the candidates.
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Proof of this may be demonstrated by the relative lack of pleasure when smoking a cigarette with one's eyes shut.
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The relative lack of input from Texas means a relative lack of interest from the candidates.
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These factors may have contributed markedly to the relative lack of success of the minor marriages.
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From this position there is a relative lack of regard for the Symbolic order.
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The lesson, the drama, the learning all appear to be at risk because of the relative lack of structure.
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They say they consider him uncorrupted, and are impressed by his relative lack of political ambition.
total
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Midge's total lack of emotion prevented him from sharing his own grief with her and he found that unbearable.
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When a compliment like that is based upon a total lack of information it seems like a kind of mockery.
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Everywhere there is a total lack of understanding about hygiene, antisepsis, and the importance of sanitation.
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The rustic music they created has a timeless appeal, both in its deceptive simplicity and total lack of pretension.
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He saw that honesty and within it somehow, a total lack of the cynicism that had marred his own life.
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There are problems that call for imagination and ingenuity, and there are others that call for a total lack of it.
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They have shown a total lack of interest in joint action in the face of rising fuel prices.
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Tioman's greatest attraction is the almost total lack of anything to do.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
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She showed a complete lack of interest in her own baby.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
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Daniel prefaces his interpretation with a review of Nebuchadnezzar's prideful fall from grace and Beishazzar's own lack of humility.
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I think a lot of people are surprised by my lack of being overwhelmed.
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I wonder if the company have any idea how much wildlife has been killed by the lack of water.
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Largely this arises from the lack of adequate time-series data on resource levels.
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The lack of comprehension can be attributed in part to the paucity of electronic commerce applications that the consumer has personally experienced.
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The lack of oxygen at this height saps power.
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The options never reached a vote, however, as the meeting was cancelled for lack of support!
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Tobaccocontrol advocates agree, saying their lack of vigilance in decades past had allowed the Tobacco Institute to gain power and influence.
II. verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADVERB
sorely
▪
An admirable state of mind that is sorely lacking these days.
■ NOUN
capacity
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Capacity Certain persons lack the legal capacity to make a contract.
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Man, however, lacks the emotional capacity of woman, and can stand free of sentimental attachments or hurts.
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Using wholly incompatible weapons systems and riven by language difficulties, the troops lack the capacity to fight as coordinated units.
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They lack the capacity to depict depth and perspective and provide no sense of history.
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On the other hand, let it be supposed that she lacked ordinary competence and capacity .
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And what if you lacked the capacity to delude yourself?
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Both often lack the capacity or willingness to fulfil their legal responsibilities.
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In this view, decision makers lack the cognitive capacity and the comprehensive information that would enable them to calculate utilities rationally.
confidence
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They may lack the confidence , the self-esteem, to venture into libraries.
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But he does not lack confidence or sense of manifest Elvis destiny.
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Maybe I lacked confidence - I didn't consider I possessed the degree of presence you need as the vital link-man.
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But because men lack the experience and confidence , infant care training can help.
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They lacked confidence in their own values.
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But Pataki does not appear to lack confidence that he can create yet another success that other states would wish to emulate.
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We all worry about what other people think of us and being shy doesn't automatically mean we lack confidence .
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Yet the parents knew their children lacked confidence .
conviction
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But away from the controlling mythology of the Western, his blood-dimmed vision lacked the same conviction .
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The best lack all conviction , while the worst Are full of passionate intensity.
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But the letter, a social obligation too promptly performed, had lacked conviction .
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One major factor, of course, was that the possible alternatives seemed enfeebled and lacking in conviction .
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The trouble with this remarkable change of character is that Swayze simply lacks conviction .
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There is no iron in the new faith because it lacks personal conviction .
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Now, fortunately, the worst lack all conviction too.
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But it must be admitted that the interpretation of the earlier building as a temple lacks conviction .
direction
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But when the Futurist painting manifestos appeared early in 1910 the work of the painters themselves still lacked a sense of direction .
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In the absence of planning there would be considerable frustration and pupils' activities would lack direction .
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Douglas Hurd has proved a reassuring figure in a campaign that has at times seemed to lack confidence and direction .
experience
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He entirely lacks financial and business experience .
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But because men lack the experience and confidence, infant care training can help.
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They lack experience , principle and vision.
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Once in office, however, the Clinton adminstration was quickly accused of being too young and lacking in experience .
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The view that they lack work experience is contradicted by a substantial body of evidence.
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In addition, he lacked experience in the vital sphere of foreign affairs.
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Roache and Kolender dismiss Ruff as a well-spoken and nice man who lacks the management experience to be sheriff.
expertise
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Many old brokers were unable to become independent advisers because they lacked the expertise and resources to win authorisation.
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You may see areas where you have responsibilities but in fact lack adequate expertise .
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But certain teachers may lack the competence and expertise to avoid controversy completely.
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M.P.s may lack the necessary expertise to scrutinise it effectively and may lack the necessary independent information. 4.
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Doctors may not, for example, be happy with, interference in their work by somebody who lacks their medical expertise .
imagination
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City were content to sit back on their lead, and Newcastle lacked the pace or imagination to break them down.
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But thus far it lacks the imagination and leadership.
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Her play seems to lack imagination and she is manifestly terrified of Keith.
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Both Wellington and Harriett lacked imagination but relied instead on keen observation.
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Ards lacked imagination and drive against an inexperienced Town side, and had a lucky escape in the first minute.
knowledge
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New theories about education challenged women's intellectual credentials since most of them lacked a knowledge of the classics.
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Still, the egocentric child typically lacks any appreciation or knowledge of the game from a social point of view.
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My dealer lacks sufficient knowledge to be of any help.
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The clearest example of an incompetent teacher is one who lacks knowledge about the subject he or she is supposed to teach.
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She may lack motivation to increase knowledge and improve skills, and appear uninterested.
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The autonomous learner lacking particular knowledge knows how to acquire that knowledge.
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The inexperienced therapist often feels that he lacks knowledge of sophisticated treatment techniques.
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They usually place job applicants who have the right qualifications but lack knowledge of the job market for their desired position.
means
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The poorer ones lack the means to get out, and keep getting caught.
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These early systems sometimes provide information only and lack the means to accept orders via the keyboard.
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World markets dominated their economies, and they lacked the means for independent national economic development.
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Because women often lack the means to pay fines, they are more likely to be imprisoned.
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Trapped in a vacuum of despair, that term, I thought dramatically of suicide, but lacked the means .
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It may feel it lacks the means to guarantee success and that a military enterprise would be too risky.
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It is immediately apparent from this matrix that most of our information resources lack efficient means for exploiting those resources.
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In the process the West may have sold itself a weapons portfolio which it lacks the means to produce in quantity.
power
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Cambridge, in comparison, looked metronomic and lacked the power through the water to counter Oxford's punch.
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Accordingly, Congress simply lacks power under the Commerce Clause to displace state regulation of this kind.
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And even while considering whether or not to remove it gently, she seemed to lack the power to do so.
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The concrete operational child lacks the range, power , and depth of reasoning of his or her more developed counterpart.
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Prose writers lack this power of admirable, dishonest transformation.
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But they lack the power to force improvement that competition delivers.
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Respondents identified a number of procedural deficiencies in the Act which was said to lack sufficient powers to enforce compliance.
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There he learned that as a jobholder he lacked the power to do what needed to be done to create high-quality publications.
skill
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One reason for this is that older workers tend to lack certification for skill even if they have been acquired.
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He and his handlers say he lacks the rhetorical skill of the president.
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Unfortunately from his viewpoint he lacked the skill to handle the matter and the result was a catastrophic decline in his reputation.
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The duties of employment interviewers in job service centers differ somewhat because applicants may lack marketable skills .
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He questions, for example, the idea that the only reason why people are out of work is that they lack skills .
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They lack the professional skills to do it themselves and can not afford to hire lawyers to do it for them.
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Social groups which lack the civic skills to represent their own interests are particularly vulnerable to neglect by decentralizing agencies.
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Strategically, a commitment to hiring minorities may require special efforts to train people who lack the necessary skills .
support
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However, other Jacobite demonstrations from this time appear to have lacked much genuine support .
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But it appears to lack sufficient support .
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Day-care provision also lacked the support of women trade unionists.
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And if she is poor, she is more likely to lack support when she needs it the most.
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It will lack support for Apple events.
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At least at the beginning it lacked social support , usually freely available in the schools from which secondees came.
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A demand for a reduction in public expenditure can mean that the weaker services suffer because they lack powerful support groups.
vision
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We lack a vision of what kind of company we want to be and a strategy.
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They bolted at the hard-line views of Pat Buchanan and said Bob Dole lacked vision .
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It lacks the vision , the panache, the self-confidence it once had under Mrs Thatcher, before she went sour.
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It lacked an accurate vision of where this explosion in the bond market would lead.
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They argued that, for all his drive and competence, he lacked both vision and character.
will
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However, our real weakness is not that we lack the potential, but that we lack the will to act.
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Too many people are mere products of their context, lacking the will to change, to develop their potential.
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And some forces appear to lack the will , as well.
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By definition, however reluctant people facing behavior-driven change lack both will and skill.
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She seemed to lack all will or decision.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
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Glenn has the discipline that Forman lacks.
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He lacked the energy to argue with him.
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Kevin lacks a willingness to try new things.
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Many people lack adequate pension arrangements.
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They lived in appalling conditions, lacking even the most primitive sanitation.
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Tom lacks confidence and needs a lot of encouragement.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
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And so she lacked the seniority to get into that high or into that new school.
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And the Ports have lacked real aggression in midfield since McCreadie's departure!
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And yet they have lacked enough concentration to lose five games.
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Fourth, the fund may lack the accounting systems and performance measurement techniques to incorporate futures, so discouraging their use.
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However, our real weakness is not that we lack the potential, but that we lack the will to act.
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I think I lacked inner peace.
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Napoleon lacked up-to-the-minute information at the crucial moment; he didn't know what Bluücher was doing.
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Obviously, even parents who have lacked early contact with their infants after hospital births generally become bonded to their babies.