I. rou ‧ tine 1 W3 /ruːˈtiːn/ BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Language: French ; Origin: Old French route ; ⇨ ↑ route 1 ]
1 . [uncountable and countable] the usual order in which you do things, or the things you regularly do:
John’s departure had upset their daily routine.
Try to get into a routine (=develop a fixed order of doing things) .
my daily exercise routine
Dressing is a task which we do every day as a matter of routine (=done regularly and not unusual) .
2 . [countable] a set of movements, jokes etc that form part of a performance:
a dance routine
3 . [countable] technical a set of instructions given to a computer so that it will do a particular operation
—routinize /ruːˈtiːnaɪz, ˈruːtiːnaɪz/ verb [transitive] American English
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COLLOCATIONS
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + routine
▪ sb’s daily routine
Make exercise part of your daily routine.
▪ sb’s normal/usual/regular routine
Although he'd gone, I continued with my normal routine.
▪ sb’s morning routine
His morning routine started with a cup of tea followed by a shower.
▪ the old routine
I get sick of the same old routine day after day.
▪ a familiar routine
Cats and dogs like a familiar routine.
■ verbs
▪ get (somebody) into a routine (=develop a fixed order of doing things, or make someone do this)
Try to get your baby into a routine.
▪ slip/fall/settle into a routine (=get into a routine without making any difficulty)
The team slipped quickly into a routine.
▪ break a routine (=do something different)
Bella didn’t break her routine for anyone.
▪ disrupt/upset sb’s routine
She disliked things that disrupted her routine.
■ phrases
▪ a matter of routine
This briefing is a matter of routine whenever a new minister takes office.
▪ a break from routine (=a change)
I needed a break from routine.
II. rou ‧ tine 2 /ˌruːˈtiːn◂/ BrE AmE adjective
1 . happening as a normal part of a job or process:
You mustn’t worry. These are just routine enquiries.
routine maintenance work
a routine operation
2 . ordinary and boring
routine jobs/tasks
routine tasks such as washing up
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COLLOCATIONS
■ nouns
▪ routine maintenance
The system will be shut down overnight for routine maintenance.
▪ routine work
We need more junior staff to help out with the routine work.
▪ a routine operation/procedure (=medical operation)
Many routine operations had to be cancelled.
▪ a routine check
Police stopped the vehicle for a routine check.
▪ routine monitoring/screening/inspection
the routine screening of milk for contamination
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THESAURUS
▪ normal usual, typical, and as you would expect it to be:
Is this cold weather normal for the time of year?
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It had been another normal working day in the office.
▪ ordinary ( also regular especially American English ) not special, unusual, or different from normal:
They lived in an ordinary three-bedroomed house.
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It looks like an ordinary car, but it uses solar power.
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Would you like a regular salad or a Caesar salad?
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I just want an ordinary bicycle, not a mountain bike.
▪ average [only before noun] around the usual level or amount:
She is of average height.
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He is of above average intelligence.
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The average price of a pint of milk has gone up.
▪ standard normal – used about methods of doing something, or about the size, shape, features etc of products:
It’s standard practice to X-ray hand-baggage at most airports.
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We stock shoes in all the standard sizes.
▪ routine used about things that are done regularly as part of a series of things:
The fault was discovered during a routine check of the plane.
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routine tasks such as shopping and cooking
▪ everyday [only before noun] used about things that happen or that you use as part of normal life:
He painted scenes of everyday life in France.
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Sally was still dressed in her everyday clothes.
▪ common used about birds and plants that are of the most usual type, and in the phrase the common people (=people who are not rich and powerful) :
the common goldfish
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an alliance between the aristocracy and the common people
▪ conventional [only before noun] of the kind that is usually used – used when comparing this with a different or special type:
The engine is more efficient than a conventional diesel engine.
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the drugs used in conventional medicine
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conventional weapons (=not nuclear, chemical, or biological)
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conventional ovens and microwaves