/ ˈfəʊkəs; NAmE ˈfoʊ-/ verb , noun
■ verb ( -s- or -ss- )
1.
focus (sth) (on / upon sb/sth) to give attention, effort, etc. to one particular subject, situation or person rather than another :
[ v ]
The discussion focused on three main problems.
Each exercise focuses on a different grammar point.
[ vn ]
The visit helped to focus world attention on the plight of the refugees.
2.
focus (sth) (on sb/sth) ( of your eyes, a camera, etc. ) to adapt or be adjusted so that things can be seen clearly; to adjust sth so that you can see things clearly :
[ v ]
Let your eyes focus on objects that are further away from you.
It took a few moments for her eyes to focus in the dark.
In this scene, the camera focuses on the actor's face.
[ vn ]
He focused his blue eyes on her.
I quickly focused the camera on the children.
3.
[ vn ] focus sth (on sth) ( technical ) to aim light onto a particular point using a lens
■ noun ( pl. fo·cuses or foci / ˈfəʊsaɪ; NAmE ˈfoʊ-/)
1.
[ U , C , usually sing. ] focus (for / on sth) the thing or person that people are most interested in; the act of paying special attention to sth and making people interested in it :
It was the main focus of attention at the meeting.
His comments provided a focus for debate.
In today's lecture the focus will be on tax structures within the European Union.
The incident brought the problem of violence in schools into sharp focus .
We shall maintain our focus on the needs of the customer.
What we need now is a change of focus (= to look at things in a different way) .
2.
[ U ] a point or distance at which the outline of an object is clearly seen by the eye or through a lens :
The children's faces are badly out of focus (= not clearly shown) in the photograph.
The binoculars were not in focus (= were not showing things clearly) .
3.
(also ˈfocal point ) [ C ] ( physics ) a point at which waves of light, sound, etc. meet after reflection or refraction ; the point from which waves of light, sound, etc. seem to come
4.
[ C ] ( geology ) the point at which an earthquake starts to happen
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 17th cent. (as a term in geometry and physics): from Latin , literally domestic hearth .