USING DICTIONARIES

by Prof. Candelaria Luque

What can the dictionary tell you?

What the word means Pronunciation Examples

half-baked

Definition If you describe an idea or plan as halfbaked, you mean that it has not been properly thought out, and so is stupid or impractical. Example This is another half-baked scheme that isn't going to work...

Style and Register

Business

An/nu/ity
annuity annuities An annuity is an investment or insurance policy that pays someone a fixed sum of money each year. (BUSINESS) N-COUNT

Computing

chat room

chat room chat rooms A chat room is a site on the Internet where people can exchange messages about a particular subject. (COMPUTING) N-COUNT

Dialect

ain't
ain't People sometimes use ain't instead of `am not', `aren't', `isn't', `haven't', and `hasn't'. Some people consider this use to be incorrect. (DIALECT, SPOKEN) Well, it's obvious, ain't it?...

Formal

Gra/tu/ity
gratuity gratuities 1 A gratuity is a gift of money to someone who has done something for you. (FORMAL) The porter expects a gratuity. N-COUNT = tip 2 A gratuity is a large gift of money that is given to someone when they leave their job, especially when they leave the armed forces. (BRIT FORMAL) He is taking a gratuity from the Navy. N-COUNT

Informal

pep talk
pep talk pep talks also peptalk A pep talk is a speech which is intended to encourage someone to make more effort or feel more confident. (INFORMAL) Powell spent the day giving pep talks to the troops. N-COUNT

Humorous

gent
gent gents
People sometimes refer to a public toilet for men as the gents. (BRIT INFORMAL) N-SING-COLL: usu the N Gents is used when addressing men in an informal, humorous way, especially in the expression `ladies and gents'. (HUMOROUS, INFORMAL) Don't be left standing, ladies and gents, while a bargain slips past your eyes. N-VOC

Journalism

glass ceil/ing
glass ceiling glass ceilings When people refer to a glass ceiling, they are talking about the attitudes and traditions in a society that prevent women from rising to the top jobs. (JOURNALISM) In her current role she broke through the glass ceiling as the first woman to reach senior management level in the company... N-COUNT: usu sing

Legal

Man/slaughter
manslaughter Manslaughter is the illegal killing of a person by someone who did not intend to kill them. (LEGAL) A judge accepted her plea that she was guilty of manslaughter, not murder. N-UNCOUNT

Literary

Plain/tive
plaintive A plaintive sound or voice sounds sad. (LITERARY) They lay on the firm sands, listening to the plaintive cry of the seagulls... ADJ = mournful * plain/tive/ly `Why don't we do something?' Davis asked plaintively. ADV: usu ADV with v, also ADV adj

Medical

Psy/cho/sis
psychosis psychoses Psychosis is mental illness of a severe kind which can make people lose contact with reality. (MEDICAL) He may have some kind of neurosis or psychosis later in life. N-VAR

Military

Ar/mour
armour in AM, use armor Armour consists of tanks and other military vehicles used in battle. (MILITARY) ...the biggest movement of heavy British armour since the Second World War. N-UNCOUNT

Offensive

Crip/ple
cripple cripples crippling crippled 1 A person with a physical disability or a serious permanent injury is sometimes referred to as a cripple. (OFFENSIVE) She has gone from being a healthy, fit, and sporty young woman to being a cripple. N-COUNT

Old-fashioned

Dash/ing
dashing A dashing person or thing is very stylish and attractive. (OLD-FASHIONED) He was the very model of the dashing RAF pilot... ADJ: usu ADJ n

Rude

bloody
bloody bloodier bloodiest bloodies bloodying bloodied 1 Bloody is used by some people to emphasize what they are saying, especially when they are angry. (BRIT RUDE) ADJ: usu ADJ n emphasis

Spoken

Par/don
pardon pardons pardoning pardoned You say `Pardon?' or `I beg your pardon?' or, in American English, `Pardon me?' when you want someone to repeat what they have just said because you have not heard or understood it. (SPOKEN) `Will you let me open it?'*`Pardon?'*`Can I open it?'... CONVENTION formulae

Technical

Bio/tech/nol/ogy
biotechnology Biotechnology is the use of living parts such as cells or bacteria in industry and technology. (TECHNICAL) N-UNCOUNT
* bio/tech/nolo/gist biotechnologists ...biotechnologists turning proteins into pharmaceuticals. N-COUNT

Trademark

Hoo/ver
hoover hoovers hoovering hoovered 1 A Hoover is a vacuum cleaner. (TRADEMARK) (BRIT) N-COUNT
2 If you hoover a room or a carpet, you clean it using a vacuum cleaner. (BRIT) She hoovered the study and the sitting-room. VERB: V n

* hoo/ver/ing I finished off the hoovering upstairs. N-UNCOUNT: also the N

Very offensive / very rude / taboo

wog wog wogs Wog is an extremely offensive word for anyone whose skin is not white. (BRIT VERY OFFENSIVE) N-COUNT

Written

avail
avail avails availing availed 1 If you do something to no avail or to little avail, what you do fails to achieve what you want. (WRITTEN) His efforts were to no avail... PHRASE: PHR after v, v-link PHR
2 If you avail yourself of an offer or an opportunity, you accept the offer or make use of the opportunity. (FORMAL) Guests should feel at liberty to avail themselves of your facilities. VERB: V pron-refl of n

Geographical labels

British American Australian Irish Northern English Scottish

WORD CHOICE

beautiful, pretty, handsome, good-looking, attractive, gorgeous, stunning beautiful is used to describe someone, usually a woman or child, who is attractive in a very special and noticeable way. pretty is usually used to describe a girl or woman who is goodlooking, with regular features. It can also be used to describe a boy or young man who has an attractive but feminine face. handsome is usually used to describe a man or boy who is goodlooking, with strong regular features. It can also be used to describe a woman, usually an older woman, who has attractive but masculine features. good-looking can be used to describe anyone who you think is nice to look at. attractive is used to describe someone who looks good in a way that attracts sexual interest I can see he's handsome, but I don't find him very attractive. gorgeous and stunning are emphatic ways of saying that someone is very attractive. gorgeous is used mostly in spoken English.

Collocations
SOUND NOUNS: advice, basis, business, investment, judgement, policy, principle, reason ADVERBS: ecologically, environmentally, financially, ideologically, perfectly, structurally, theoretically, very

Pragmatics

Approval

Angelican/gel/ic angelic 1 You can describe someone as angelic if they are, or seem to be, very good, kind, and gentle. ...an angelic face... He looked angelic. ADJ: usu ADJ n approval 2 Angelic means like angels or relating to angels. ...angelic choirs. ADJ: ADJ n

Disapproval
brat

brat brats If you call someone, especially a child, a brat, you mean that he or she behaves badly or annoys you. (INFORMAL) He's a spoilt brat. N-COUNT disapproval

Emphasis
never-ending never-ending If you describe something bad or unpleasant as never-ending, you are emphasizing that it seems to last a very long time. ...a never-ending series of scandals... ADJ emphasis = interminable

Feelings
Un/for/tu/nate/ly unfortunately You can use unfortunately to introduce or refer to a statement when you consider that it is sad or disappointing, or when you want to express regret. Unfortunately, my time is limited... Unfortunately for the Prince, his title brought obligations as well as privileges... ADV: ADV with cl, oft ADV for n feelings = regrettably

Formulae
Con/gratu/la/tions congratulations You say `Congratulations' to someone in order to congratulate them on something nice that has happened to them or something good that they have done. Congratulations, you have a healthy baby boy... Congratulations to everybody who sent in their ideas. CONVENTION formulae If you offer someone your congratulations, you congratulate them on something nice that has happened to them or on something good that they have done. The club also offers its congratulations to D. Brown on his appointment as president. N-PLURAL

Politeness
El/der/ly elderly You use elderly as a polite way of saying that someone is old. ...an elderly couple... Many of those most affected are elderly. ADJ politeness The elderly are people who are old. The elderly are a formidable force in any election. N-PLURAL: the N

Vagueness
Pre/sum/ably presumably If you say that something is presumably the case, you mean that you think it is very likely to be the case, although you are not certain. He had gone to the reception desk, presumably to check out. ADV: ADV with cl/group, ADV before v vagueness

Frequency

S1, S2, S3

W1, W2, W3

Alternative spelling

After/taste aftertaste also after-taste An aftertaste is a taste that remains in your mouth after you have finished eating or drinking something. N-SING: usu with supp

Alternative Forms
After/wards afterwards If you do something or if something happens afterwards, you do it or it happens after a particular event or time that has already been mentioned. Shortly afterwards, police arrested four suspects... James was taken to hospital but died soon afterwards... ADV: ADV with cl The form afterward is also used, mainly in American English.

Synonyms and Antonyms

still Drinks that are still do not contain any bubbles of carbon dioxide. ...a glass of still orange. ADJ # sparkling If a place is still, it is quiet and shows no sign of activity. In the room it was very still. ADJ = quiet

Dictionaries provide specific grammatical information about each use of the word

Different parts of speech

IN
If something happens in a place, it happens there. We spent a few days in a hotel... He had intended to take a holiday in America... PREP If you are in, you are present at your home or place of work. My flatmate was in at the time... ADV: be ADV * out If you say that something is in, or is the in thing, you mean it is fashionable or popular. (INFORMAL) A few years ago jogging was the in thing... ADJ The ins and outs of a situation are all the detailed points and facts about it. ...the ins and outs of high finance... NOUN PHRASE: usu the PHR of n/-ing

Nouns
Countable Nouns Collective Countable Nouns Family Nouns Vocative nouns Uncountable Nouns Collective Uncountable Nouns Mass Nouns

Variable Nouns Only Plural Nouns Only Singular Nouns Collective Singular Nouns Proper Nouns Collective Proper Nouns Plural Proper Nouns Title nouns

Nouns that can be used both as countable or uncountable with a change in meaning

Cloth is fabric which is made by weaving or knitting a substance such as cotton, wool, silk, or nylon. Cloth is used especially for making clothes. She began cleaning the wound with a piece of cloth. N-MASS = fabric, material

A cloth is a piece of cloth which you use for a particular purpose, such as cleaning something or covering something. Clean the surface with a damp cloth. ...a tray covered with a cloth. N-COUNT The cloth is sometimes used to refer to Christian priests and ministers. ...a man of the cloth. N-SING: the N

Nouns that have irregular plurals

goose

goose

geese

A goose is a large bird that has a long neck and webbed feet. Geese are often farmed for their meat. N-COUNT Goose is the meat from a goose that has been cooked. ...roast goose. N-UNCOUNT

Nouns that have the same form for the singular and the plural
sheep

sheep sheep A sheep is a farm animal which is covered with thick curly hair called wool. Sheep are kept for their wool or for their meat. ...grassland on which a flock of sheep were grazing. N-COUNT

Nouns that are always plural

twee/zers tweezers Tweezers are a small tool that you use for tasks such as picking up small objects or pulling out hairs. Tweezers consist of two strips of metal or plastic joined together at one end. N-PLURAL: oft a pair of N

Nouns that are always singular

ground

The ground is the surface of the earth. Forty or fifty women were sitting cross-legged on the ground... We slid down the roof and dropped to the ground. N-SING: the N

Verbs
Linking Verbs Intransitive verbs Transitive verbs Always + adv / prep

Not in progressive Usually passive V n that V to-inf

Patterns Stative and Dynamic Verbs

FEEL feel good/strange/exciting etc [linking verb] if a situation, event etc feels good, strange etc, that is the emotion or feeling that it gives you: After twenty years, seeing him again felt very strange. have an opinion [transitive not usually in progressive] to have a particular opinion, especially one that is based on your feelings, not on facts

feel (that)

Some of the parents felt the school wasn't doing enough about bullying.

feel about

How would you feel about working with Nicole for a while?
touch [transitive] to touch something with your fingers to find out about it: She felt his forehead. Perhaps he had a temperature.

Mum, feel this stone. Isn't it smooth?

Verbs that usually take an adverbial

FLOW [intransitive] liquid/gas/electricity when a liquid, gas, or electricity flows, it moves in a steady continuous stream flow over/down/through etc These gates regulate the amount of water flowing into the canal. If the windows are shut, air cannot flow freely through the building.

goods/people/information [always + adverb/preposition] if goods, people, or information flow from one place to another, they move there in large numbers or amounts [= pour, flood]: Money has been flowing into the country from Western aid agencies. The number of refugees flowing into the area is still increasing.

Adjectives
Adj n / only before noun V-link adj Adj after v N adj / only after noun No comparative Det adj

Only Attributive Adjectives

MEDICAL (only before noun) relating to medicine and the treatment of disease or injury: medical research medical staff a medical student a patient's medical history (=the illnesses they have had) medical records (=which show what illnesses and treatment someone has had) medical attention/treatment/care The injury required urgent medical attention. the medical profession (=doctors, nurses, and other people who treat people who are ill) medically adverb: medically qualified personnel medically fit

Only Predicative Adjectives

ALIVE [not before noun] not dead still living and not dead: It was a bad accident - they're lucky to be alive. My grandparents are still alive. We stayed alive by eating berries. He was kept alive on a life-support machine. Apparently he's alive and well and living in Brazil. still existing continuing to exist: Ancient traditions are very much alive in rural areas. Christianity is alive and well in Asia. The sport is still very much alive and kicking in this country.

cheerful full of energy, happiness, activity etc: It was the kind of morning when you wake up and feel alive. alive with Her face was alive with excitement. The whole house was alive with activity.

really

Attributive / Predicative Adjectives

PROPER [only before noun] right, suitable, or correct: Everything was in its proper place (=where it should be). the proper way to clean your teeth The proper name for Matthew's condition is hyperkinetic syndrome. [only after noun] the real or main part of something, not other parts before, after or near to it: The friendly chat which comes before the interview proper is intended to relax the candidate. the city centre proper

Adverbs
in a way that shows that you are sad [= unhappily]: Peter shook his head sadly.

[sentence adverb] unfortunately: Sadly, the business failed.

very much - used when talking about bad situations or states: The garden's been sadly neglected. Good restaurants were sadly lacking. He was a popular man who will be sadly missed. I'm afraid you're going to be sadly disappointed. If you think you'll get any money from him, you're sadly mistaken.

CORPUS

PROPER = `Nobody in their right mind sends antiques by proper transport. BR written If only the Yanks had worked out a proper five-character hallmarking system ... BR written Tinker spent the morning `seein' the bar's put proper", meaning sponging ale. BR written `The council should provide proper places for the Fringe Festival. BR written After the Twenty-second Party Congress, in September 1962, I offered my novella to the Sovietski Pisatel publishing house; everything went according to the rules, proper as could be: in December, after two favourable reviews, the novella was approved, accepted, and a contract agreed to; in January 1963 I was paid sixty per cent of my royalty fee; in March I was shown the illustrations already approved by the design department; the manuscript was on the verge of going to press and becoming a book. BR written He had always written like that although, when he was small, Sofia Petrovna had taught him to write `D" the proper way. BR written You know how important it is for the proper rites and ceremonies to take place.

BR written They were asked whether they wanted proper salaries, so that they could buy it and pay off the mortgage, or whether they would prefer to act as wardens and be run by a committee. BR written Her mother is proud, though concerned about her health; relatives wonder, she smiles, when she is going to get that `proper job". BR written Security and a proper salary were life's essentials in the poverty he had grown up in; now he lost his fear. BR written `I think I work harder and put more thought into what I do than some members of staff who earn considerably more than me," he says, `and that's past the limit of what I consider fair. " He is not seeking riches: he was happy when a provisional agreement was reached to `move towards" paying everyone * 12,000 a year, `a sensible wage for the area". His partner does a `proper job" in Newtown, so he can afford to go on holiday and run a car - `diesel, so it's not terrible!" BR written If, in fact, they ever intended to hand him over to the proper authorities on reaching San Salvador.

BR written If I decided to go, contracts and endorsements would again be put at risk, and one of my main priorities was sorting out some proper compensation for the deals I might have lost. BR written We have found that much of what was reported seems to have been founded in rumour and speculation which upon proper investigation has evaporated in the mishmash of contradictions and uncorroborated allegations. BR written For, in a couple of sentences, John managed to put my career and my life into its proper perspective. BR written Brears was, quite simply, the best captain I ever played for, so it is right and proper that he should lead this, a squad of the best 13 England Test players of my generation: THE Government admitted for the first time yesterday that `mad cow" disease could be transmitted to people. BR written In the present case the sentencing judge stated that the appropriate sentence would have been two and a half years but in order to protect the public the proper sentence was five years.

BR written The court there said: `The proper approach is to determine what this plaintiff should have observed or ascertained, while asking no more of him than is reasonable. BR written When Deane took over as artistic director in 1993 he said that one of his priorities was to find a proper showcase for ENB in London, and he was determined that would be the Coliseum. BR written This parody of Brillat-Savarin, seasoned with a dash of Henry James and peppered, as noted above, with hommage to Proust, seems mere self-indulgent pastiche, the borrowing of others' language as costumes substituting for the proper development of character. BR written `The implications of such transfers of responsibility need to be assessed to ensure that a proper and independent mechanism for looking into and providing redress for justified complaints remains in place." BR written Unless the parties agreed otherwise, all tenants and licensees would be under an obligation to take proper care of the premises. BR written `In the past the documents could be examined by appointment at Wardour Castle by historians, but the lack of any index and the sheer mass of documents made proper research impossible," Dr Padel said. BR written The second question cannot be so reassuringly answered; it took too long before new rules were introduced for abattoirs and proper inspection was enforced. BR written We had to dismiss some of the surveyors who were not doing a proper job. BR written He insisted it was wrong to rush the legislation through without proper consideration. BR written The Ministry of Defence drew up a scheme for Nato forces to sweep first into `Serbia proper", entering through the Presevo Valley to the east of Kosovo.

SADLY Sadly, Anne suffered from emotional problems most of her life.

Sadly, this fine old theatre was destroyed by fire in 1993. Alice was rushed to hospital, but sadly she died two hours later. Low wages are sadly typical in service industries.

Sam looked sadly out the window.

Sentences from books, newspapers, etc. Along with her husband, she escaped to Britain in 1938 but, sadly, her marriage failed. From Tuesday weekly newspapers may be left with a burden which, sadly, many will be unable to carry. Nick made a start at restoring the ravaged wreck, but sadly died before much was done. The man nodded sadly as though Hicks represented a mode of behavior with which he was wearily familiar.

There are also, sadly, some which are not so beneficial.

This was all legal and proper, but in the execution of this work things went sadly wrong.

ARE DICTIONARIES USEFUL?

Prof. Candelaria Luque