suc ‧ cess S1 W1 /səkˈses/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable and countable]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ success , ↑ succession , ↑ successor ; adjective : ↑ successful ≠ ↑ unsuccessful , ↑ successive ; verb : ↑ succeed ; adverb : ↑ successfully ≠ ↑ unsuccessfully ]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: past participle of succedere ; ⇨ ↑ succeed ]
1 . when you achieve what you want or intend OPP failure :
The experiment was a big success.
without success
I tried to contact him, but without success.
success in doing something
Did you have any success in persuading Alan to come?
2 . when a lot of people like something, buy something, go to see something etc OPP failure
be a big/huge/great etc success
The film was a great success.
Her book has enjoyed a lot of success (=it has been very successful) .
The play was a box-office success (=many people went to see it) .
The show was an overnight success (=it was immediately successful) .
3 . when someone achieves a high position in their job, on a course, in a sport, in society etc OPP failure :
Success isn’t everything, you know.
success in
He has already had a lot of success in his career.
be a success as a ... (=be successful in a particular job)
She wasn’t much of a success as a lawyer.
She’s determined to make a success of (=be successful in) her career.
4 . when a business makes a lot of money OPP failure :
the success of his latest business venture
be a big/huge/great etc success
The firm wasn’t a great success.
5 . success story someone or something that is successful:
The company has been a major success story.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ a great success
Everyone agreed the picnic was a great success.
▪ a big/huge/major success
The government claimed the policy was a major success.
▪ a resounding/outstanding/spectacular success (=very great success)
Financially, the event was a resounding success.
▪ great/considerable success
This plant can be grown by the absolute beginner with great success.
▪ some success
The group is already achieving some success.
▪ little/no success
Attempts to resolve the dispute met with little success.
▪ limited success (=not very much success)
The attempt to replace coca with other crops has had only limited success.
▪ commercial/economic/financial success
None of his ideas had any commercial success.
▪ academic success (=success in education)
There is no evidence that early teaching of reading leads to academic success.
▪ electoral success (=success in elections)
The electoral success of the far right understandably fills many people in Europe with alarm.
▪ military success
This military success was achieved at a cost.
■ verbs
▪ have/achieve success
China has had considerable success in conserving water since 1983.
▪ meet with success (=be successful)
We are disappointed that this round of negotiations has not met with success.
▪ put your success down to something (=say that your success was the result of it)
They put their success down to their excellent teamwork.
■ phrases
▪ somebody's chance of success
They have a good chance of success.
▪ the secret of somebody's success (=what makes them successful)
A visitor asked Connie the secret of her success with growing roses.
▪ the success rate (=what percentage of actions are successful)
The success rate in cloning is still extremely low.
■ COMMON ERRORS
► Do not say ' make success ' or ' make a success '. Say have success or achieve success .