in ‧ dus ‧ try S2 W1 /ˈɪndəstri/ BrE AmE noun ( plural industries )
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ industrialist , ↑ industrialism , ↑ industrialization , ↑ industry ; adjective : ↑ industrial , ↑ industrialized , ↑ industrious ; adverb : ↑ industrially , ↑ industriously ; verb : ↑ industrialize ]
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: industrie 'skill, work involving skill' , from Latin industria 'willingness to work hard' ]
1 . [uncountable]
a) the large-scale production of goods or of substances such as coal and steel:
This type of software is widely used in industry.
workers in manufacturing industry
b) the people who work in industry:
an agreement that will be welcomed by both sides of industry (=employers and workers)
2 . [countable] businesses that produce a particular type of thing or provide a particular service:
I work in the oil industry.
Italy’s thriving tourist industry
3 . [uncountable] formal the fact of working hard:
Gould is a man of great industry.
4 . [singular] an area of work which has grown too large – used to show disapproval:
another book from the Shakespeare industry
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meanings 1 & 2 )
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + industry
▪ an important/major industry
Agriculture is still a major industry in Scotland.
▪ a thriving industry (=one that is doing very well)
Software development soon became a thriving industry in the area.
▪ a growing industry
Tourism is a growing industry in the many parts of the developing world.
▪ a declining industry (=one that is doing badly)
Coal and steel are declining industries in Britain.
▪ manufacturing industry (=industries in which goods are produced in factories)
The last twenty years has seen a decline in manufacturing industry.
▪ a service industry (=businesses that provide a service, such as banking and tourism)
Most of the new jobs are in service industries.
▪ heavy industry (=industries that involve the production of large goods)
Shipbuilding and other heavy industry developed in the North of Britain.
▪ light industry (=industries that involve the production of small goods)
Jobs in light industry are increasing.
▪ modern industry
Modern industry needs to be in places where there are good transport links.
▪ a traditional industry (=an industry that has been in a particular area for a long time )
The shipyards, the traditional industry in the north east, had closed.
▪ the coal/car/textile etc industry
The town was very dependant on the car industry.
▪ the agricultural/fishing industry
There has been a decline in Britain’s fishing industry.
▪ the tourist/travel industry
The tourist industry earns billions of dollars per year.
▪ the leisure/entertainment industry
Computer technology has revolutionized the entertainment industry.
▪ the film/music industry (=the work of producing films or music)
She would really like to work in the music industry.
■ verbs
▪ an industry grows/expands
The clothing industry grew rapidly during the 1960s.
▪ an industry declines (=becomes less successful)
The shipping industry declined after World War II.
▪ develop an industry
More investment is needed to develop new industries such as tourism.
▪ damage an industry
Financial scandals have damaged the industry in recent years.
▪ nationalize an industry (=make it owned by the state)
The rail industry was nationalized in the 1950s, with disastrous results.
▪ privatize an industry (=make it privately owned, rather than owned by the state)
The water industry was privatized in the 1980s.
▪ regulate an industry (=control an industry so that it does not make unfair profits)
A new agency was created to regulate the telecommunications industry.
■ industry + NOUN
▪ an industry leader (=one of the most successful companies in a particular industry)
We are now a mature company and an industry leader.
▪ industry experts (=people who know a lot about a particular industry)
Industry experts expect house prices to rise.
▪ industry analysts (=people who study a particular industry to see how it is developing)
Industry analysts are expecting profits to improve in the second half of the year.
■ phrases
▪ a captain of industry (=someone who runs a large company and has a lot of influence)
He rose to be a great captain of industry.
▪ trade and industry (=producing goods, and buying and selling them)
He works for the Department of Trade and Industry.