I. no ‧ tice 1 S1 W2 /ˈnəʊtəs, ˈnəʊtɪs $ ˈnoʊ-/ BrE AmE verb [intransitive, transitive not in progressive]
[ Word Family: adjective : ↑ noticeable , ↑ unnoticed ; verb : ↑ notice ; noun : ↑ notice ; adverb : ↑ noticeably ]
1 . if you notice something or someone, you realize that they exist, especially because you can see, hear, or feel them:
He noticed a woman in a black dress sitting across from him.
I didn’t notice any smoke.
Have you noticed any change in him?
notice (that)
I noticed that her hands were shaking.
He never seems to notice when people take advantage of him.
notice who/what/how etc
She hadn’t noticed before quite how grey his hair was.
notice somebody/something doing something
Did you notice him leaving the party early?
2 . be noticed/get (somebody) noticed to get attention, or to make someone get attention:
These clothes will get you noticed and enhance your image.
3 . somebody can’t help noticing something ( also somebody can’t help but notice something ) if someone can’t help noticing something, they realize that it exists or is happening even though they are not deliberately trying to pay attention to it:
I couldn’t help noticing the bruises on her arm.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ notice to realize that something is there or that something is happening, because you can see, hear, or feel it:
I noticed that he was rather quiet during dinner.
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Children don’t seem to notice the cold.
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‘Julie’s home.’ ‘Yes, I noticed her bicycle outside.’
▪ detect to notice something that is difficult to see, hear etc because it is very small, faint, or unclear. Detect is used about people and machines, and is more formal than notice :
X-ray telescopes can now detect virtually every type of astronomical object.
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He thought he detected a flicker of interest in her eyes.
▪ spot to notice something, especially something that is difficult to see or that you see for a short time only. Spot is more informal than notice :
Can you spot the difference between these two pictures?
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I’m glad you spotted the mistake before it was too late.
▪ become aware/conscious to gradually begin to notice that something is happening or is true:
I became aware that Mum was getting a lot older.
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Tessa became conscious of a feeling of guilt.
▪ can tell to be able to notice something because you can see, smell, hear it etc:
I could tell that she had been drinking.
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Can you tell I've lost weight?
▪ something/somebody catches your eye used to say that you suddenly notice something or someone because they are interesting, attractive, or good at something:
I saw this shirt in the shop window and it just caught my eye.
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Clarke caught the eye of boss Bryan Robson when he scored for Newry last week.
▪ observe formal to notice something as a result of watching or studying it closely:
Psychologists observed that the mice became more aggressive in smaller cages.
▪ perceive formal to notice something, especially that something is happening, or is true, or needs to be done:
The company quickly perceived the need for change.
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Doctors perceive that they do not have adequate time to spend with their patients.
▪ witness to see something happen because you are there at the time:
People have witnessed some great economic changes during the last ten years.
▪ miss to not notice something because it is difficult to see:
It’s easy to miss the entrance – the sign is hidden behind a tree.
II. notice 2 S2 W2 BrE AmE noun
[ Word Family: adjective : ↑ noticeable , ↑ unnoticed ; verb : ↑ notice ; noun : ↑ notice ; adverb : ↑ noticeably ]
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: Latin notitia 'knowledge, familiarity' , from notus 'known' ]
1 . ATTENTION [uncountable] when you notice or pay attention to someone or something:
I waved but they took no notice.
not take any/much notice (of something)
I did not take much notice of her suggestions.
I hope you’ll take notice of what I’m going to tell you.
This problem may have escaped your notice so far (=you may not have noticed it) .
This never came to my notice (=I never knew about this) .
There are several important matters that I’d like to bring to your notice (=that I would like you to know about) .
2 . ON PAPER [countable] a written or printed statement that gives information or a warning to people ⇨ sign :
The notice on the wall said ‘No smoking’.
I’ll put up a notice about the meeting.
obituary notices (=about people who have just died) in the newspaper
3 . TIME TO PREPARE [uncountable] information or a warning about something that is going to happen ⇨ warning
without notice
These rules are subject to change without notice.
sufficient/reasonable notice
They didn’t give me sufficient notice.
advance/prior notice
When you’re on the mailing list, you’ll receive advance notice of upcoming events.
ten days’/three months’ etc notice (=a warning ten days etc before)
They closed the factory, giving the workers only a week’s notice.
Firefighters were prepared to rush out at a moment’s notice.
notice of
his failure to give notice of his intention to alter the property
notice to do something
I’ve been given notice to quit my flat (=I have been told that I must leave by a certain date) .
Union members served strike notice (=warned that they would go on strike) late last night.
4 . until further notice from now until another change is announced:
The office is closed until further notice.
5 . hand in your notice/give (your) notice to tell your employer that you will be leaving your job soon SYN resign :
Jim gave notice on Thursday.
6 . at short notice British English , on short notice American English if you do something at short notice, you do not have very much time to prepare for it:
The trip was planned on short notice.
Thanks for agreeing to see me at such short notice.
a cancellation at very short notice
7 . BOOK/PLAY ETC [countable usually plural] a statement of opinion, especially one written for a newspaper or magazine, about a new play, book, film etc SYN review :
The new play got mixed notices (=some good, some bad) in the newspapers.
⇨ sit up (and take notice) at ↑ sit up (5)
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COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 1)
■ verbs
▪ take notice (=pay attention to something)
I began to take notice when the subject of money came up.
▪ take no notice/not take any notice (=ignore something or someone)
The other passengers took no notice of what was happening.
▪ come to sb’s notice (=be noticed by someone)
This problem first came to our notice last summer.
▪ escape sb’s notice (=not be noticed by someone)
It had not escaped his notice that Phil seemed interested in Jean.
▪ bring something to sb’s notice (=tell someone about something)
It has been brought to my notice that employees are smoking in the restrooms.
▪ attract notice (=be noticed by other people)
She didn’t want to attract notice, so she dressed very plainly.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 3)
■ verbs
▪ give notice
To withdraw money from this type of savings account, you must give the bank 30 days’ notice.
▪ serve notice formal (=warn someone about something)
They have served notice that they intend to take legal action against the company.
▪ have/receive notice
If I’d had more notice, I could have done a better job.
▪ need notice ( also require notice formal )
The company requires a month’s notice of any holiday time you would like to take.
■ adjectives
▪ advance notice ( also prior notice formal ) (=given before an event)
We had no advance notice of the attack.
▪ reasonable notice (=an amount that is considered to be fair to everyone)
Did you receive reasonable notice of the court case?
▪ ten days’/three months’/five minutes’ etc notice
His contract said he must give three months’ notice if he decides to leave the job.
▪ no notice
We received no notice of the changes.
■ phrases
▪ at short notice (=without much time to prepare)
Thank you for coming to help at such short notice.
▪ at a moment’s notice (=very quickly)
He’d be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.
▪ without notice
Trains may be cancelled without notice.
▪ until further notice (=from now until you are told something else)
On the door was a sign: ‘Library closed until further notice’.
▪ notice to quit British English (=a warning that you must leave the house or flat where you live by a particular date)
The new owner gave all the tenants notice to quit.