theme: The need to strengthen the family has been a recurrent theme for the Prime Minister.
import: I have already spoken about the import of his speech.
^mes|sage ^board (message boards ) N‑COUNT In computing, a message board is a system that allows users to send and receive messages of general interest. [COMPUTING ] □ Have your say on our message board by clicking here.
mes|sag|ing /me s I dʒ I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Messaging is the sending of written or spoken messages using a computer or another electronic device such as a mobile phone. □ Messaging allows real-time communication by keyboard with up to five people at any one time.
mes|sen|ger /me s I ndʒə r / (messengers ) N‑COUNT [oft by N ] A messenger takes a message to someone, or takes messages regularly as their job. □ There will be a messenger at the airport to collect the photographs from our courier.
me s|sen|ger boy (messenger boys ) N‑COUNT A messenger boy is a boy who is employed to take messages to people.
me ss hall (mess halls ) N‑COUNT A mess hall is a large room where a particular group of people, especially members of the armed forces, eat meals together.
mes|si|ah /m I sa I ə/ (messiahs ) also Messiah
1 N‑PROPER For Jews, the Messiah is the King of the Jews, who will be sent to them by God.
2 N‑PROPER For Christians, the Messiah is Jesus Christ.
3 N‑COUNT If you refer to someone as a messiah , you mean that they are expected to do wonderful things, especially to rescue people from a very difficult or dangerous situation, or that they are thought to have done these things. □ People saw Mandela as their messiah.
mes|si|an|ic /me siæ n I k/ also Messianic
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Messianic means relating to the belief that a divine being has been born, or will be born, who will change the world. □ The cult leader saw himself as a Messianic figure.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Messianic means relating to the belief that there will be a complete change in the social order in a country or in the world. □ The defeated radicals of the French Revolution were the first to have this messianic vision in 1794.
Messrs /me sə r z/ in AM, use Messrs. N‑TITLE Messrs is used before the names of two or more men as part of the name of a business. [BRIT ] □ The repairs were to be done by Messrs Clegg & Sons of Balham.
messy /me si/ (messier , messiest )
1 ADJ A messy person or activity makes things dirty or untidy. □ She was a good, if messy, cook. □ As the work tends to be a bit messy, you'll need to wear old clothes. ● messi|ly ADV [usu ADV with v, oft ADV adj] □ She wrote it hastily and messily on a scrap of paper.
2 ADJ Something that is messy is dirty or untidy. □ Don't worry if this first coat of paint looks messy.
3 ADJ If you describe a situation as messy , you are emphasizing that it is confused or complicated, and therefore unsatisfactory. □ John had been through a messy divorce himself.
met /me t/ Met is the past tense and past participle of meet .
meta|bol|ic /me təbɒ l I k/ ADJ [ADJ n] Metabolic means relating to a person's or animal's metabolism. □ …people who have inherited a low metabolic rate.
me|tabo|lism /m I tæ bəl I zəm/ (metabolisms ) N‑VAR [oft with poss] Your metabolism is the way that chemical processes in your body cause food to be used in an efficient way, for example to make new cells and to give you energy.
me|tabo|lize /m I tæ bəla I z/ (metabolizes , metabolizing , metabolized ) in BRIT, also use metabolise VERB When you metabolize a substance, it is affected by chemical processes in your body so that, for example, it is broken down, absorbed, and used. [TECHNICAL ] □ [V n] Diabetics cannot metabolise glucose properly.
met|al ◆◇◇ /me t ə l/ (metals )
1 N‑VAR Metal is a hard substance such as iron, steel, gold, or lead. □ …pieces of furniture in wood, metal and glass. □ He hit his head against a metal bar.
2 → see also base metal
meta|lan|guage /me təlæŋgw I dʒ/ (metalanguages ) also meta-language N‑VAR In linguistics, the words and expressions that people use to describe or refer to language can be called metalanguage . [TECHNICAL ]
met|alled /me t ə ld/ ADJ [ADJ n] A metalled road has a level surface made of small pieces of stone; used especially of country roads and tracks. [mainly BRIT ]
me|tal|lic /mətæ l I k/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A metallic sound is like the sound of one piece of metal hitting another. □ There was a metallic click and the gates swung open.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Metallic paint or colours shine like metal. □ He had painted all the wood with metallic silver paint.
3 ADJ Something that tastes metallic has a bitter unpleasant taste. □ There was a metallic taste at the back of his throat.
4 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Metallic means consisting entirely or partly of metal. □ Even the smallest metallic object is immediately confiscated.
met|al|lur|gist /metæ lə r dʒ I st, [AM ] me təlɜːrdʒ I st/ (metallurgists ) N‑COUNT A metallurgist is an expert in metallurgy.
met|al|lur|gy /metæ lə r dʒi, [AM ] me təlɜː r dʒi/ N‑UNCOUNT Metallurgy is the scientific study of the properties and uses of metals.
metal|work /me t ə lwɜː r k/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Metalwork is the activity of making objects out of metal in a skilful way. □ He was a craftsman in metalwork from Dresden.
2 N‑UNCOUNT The metalwork is the metal part of something. □ Rust and flaking paint mean the metalwork is in poor condition.
met|a|morph|ic /me təmɔː r f I k/ ADJ Metamorphic rocks are rocks that have had their original structure changed by pressure and heat. [TECHNICAL ]
meta|mor|phose /me təmɔː r foʊz/ (metamorphoses , metamorphosing , metamorphosed )
1 VERB To metamorphose or be metamorphosed means to develop and change into something completely different. [FORMAL ] □ [V + into/from ] …hysterical laughter which gradually metamorphoses into convulsive sobs. □ [V ] The tadpoles metamorphose and emerge onto land. □ [be V -ed] She had been metamorphosed by the war. [Also V n]
2 → see also metamorphosis
meta|mor|pho|sis /me təmɔː r fəs I s/ (metamorphoses ) N‑VAR When a metamorphosis occurs, a person or thing develops and changes into something completely different. [FORMAL ] □ …his metamorphosis from a republican to a democrat.
meta|phor /me təfɔːr/ (metaphors )
1 N‑VAR A metaphor is an imaginative way of describing something by referring to something else which is the same in a particular way. For example, if you want to say that someone is very shy and frightened of things, you might say that they are a mouse. □ …the avoidance of 'violent expressions and metaphors' like 'kill two birds with one stone'. □ …the writer's use of metaphor.
2 N‑VAR If one thing is a metaphor for another, it is intended or regarded as a symbol of it. □ [+ for ] The divided family remains a powerful metaphor for a society tearing itself apart.
3 PHRASE If you mix your metaphors , you use two different metaphors. People do this accidentally, or sometimes deliberately as a joke. □ To mix metaphors, she's stabbed him in the back and he's shot himself in the foot.
meta|phori|cal /me təfɒ r I k ə l, [AM ] -fɔː r-/ ADJ You use the word metaphorical to indicate that you are not using words with their ordinary meaning, but are describing something by means of an image or symbol. □ It turns out Levy is talking in metaphorical terms. ● meta|phori|cal|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ You're speaking metaphorically, I hope.
meta|physi|cal /me təf I z I k ə l/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Metaphysical means relating to metaphysics. □ …metaphysical questions like personal responsibility for violence.
meta|phys|ics /me təf I z I ks/ N‑UNCOUNT Metaphysics is a part of philosophy which is concerned with understanding reality and developing theories about what exists and how we know that it exists.
mete /miː t/ (metes , meting , meted )
▸ mete out PHRASAL VERB To mete out a punishment means to order that someone should be punished in a certain way. [FORMAL ] □ [V P n] His father meted out punishment with a slipper. [Also V n P ]
me|teor /miː tiə r / (meteors ) N‑COUNT A meteor is a piece of rock or metal that burns very brightly when it enters the earth's atmosphere from space.
me|teor|ic /miː tiɒ r I k, [AM ] -ɔː r-/ ADJ If you use meteoric when you are describing someone's career, you mean that they achieved success very quickly. □ …his meteoric rise to fame.
me|teor|ite /miː tiəra I t/ (meteorites ) N‑COUNT A meteorite is a large piece of rock or metal from space that has landed on Earth.
me|teoro|logi|cal /miː tiərəlɒ dʒ I k ə l/ ADJ [ADJ n] Meteorological means relating to meteorology. □ …adverse meteorological conditions.
me|teor|ol|ogy /miː tiərɒ lədʒi/ N‑UNCOUNT Meteorology is the study of the processes in the Earth's atmosphere that cause particular weather conditions, especially in order to predict the weather. ● me|teor|olo|gist /miː tiərɒ lədʒ I st/ (meteorologists ) N‑COUNT □ Meteorologists have predicted mild weather for the next few days.
me|ter /miː tə r / (meters , metering , metered )
1 N‑COUNT A meter is a device that measures and records something such as the amount of gas or electricity that you have used. □ He was there to read the electricity meter.
2 VERB To meter something such as gas or electricity means to use a meter to measure how much of it people use, usually in order to calculate how much they have to pay. □ [V n] Only a third of these households thought it reasonable to meter water. □ [V -ed] Metered taxis are relatively inexpensive.
3 N‑COUNT A meter is the same as a parking meter .
4 → see also metre
me|thane /miː θe I n, [AM ] me θ-/ N‑UNCOUNT Methane is a colourless gas that has no smell. Natural gas consists mostly of methane.
meth|od ◆◆◇ /me θəd/ (methods ) N‑COUNT A method is a particular way of doing something. □ [+ of ] The pill is the most efficient method of birth control. □ …new teaching methods. SYNONYMS method NOUN
means: The move is a means to fight crime.
mechanism: There's no mechanism for punishing arms exporters who break the rules.
way: Freezing isn't a bad way of preserving food.
process: The best way to proceed is by a process of elimination.
me|thodi|cal /məθɒ d I k ə l/ ADJ If you describe someone as methodical , you mean that they do things carefully, thoroughly, and in order. □ Da Vinci was methodical in his research, carefully recording his observations and theories. ● me|thodi|cal|ly /məθɒ d I kli/ ADV [ADV with v] □ She methodically put the things into her suitcase.
Meth|od|ism /me θəd I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Methodism is the beliefs and practices of Methodists.
Meth|od|ist /me θəd I st/ (Methodists ) N‑COUNT Methodists are Christians who follow the teachings of John Wesley and who have their own branch of the Christian church and their own form of worship.
meth|od|ol|ogy /me θədɒ lədʒi/ (methodologies ) N‑VAR A methodology is a system of methods and principles for doing something, for example for teaching or for carrying out research. [FORMAL ] □ Teaching methodologies vary according to the topic. ● meth|odo|logi|cal /me θədəlɒ dʒ I k ə l/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] □ …theoretical and methodological issues raised by the study of literary texts.
meths /me θs/ N‑UNCOUNT Meths is the same as methylated spirits . [BRIT ]
meth|yl|at|ed spir|its /me θəle I t I d sp I r I ts/ N‑UNCOUNT Methylated spirits is a liquid made from alcohol and other chemicals. It is used for removing stains and as a fuel in small lamps and heaters. [BRIT ]
me|ticu|lous /mət I kjʊləs/ ADJ If you describe someone as meticulous , you mean that they do things very carefully and with great attention to detail. □ He was so meticulous about everything. □ The painting had been executed with meticulous attention to detail. ● me|ticu|lous|ly ADV [usu ADV with v, oft ADV adj] □ The flat had been meticulously cleaned.
me|ti|er /me tie I , [AM ] metje I / (metiers ) also métier N‑COUNT [usu with poss] Your metier is the type of work that you have a natural talent for and do well. [FORMAL ] □ It was as the magazine's business manager that he found his true metier.
me|tre ◆◇◇ /miː tə r / (metres ) in AM, use meter 1 N‑COUNT [num N ] A metre is a metric unit of length equal to 100 centimetres. □ She set a world record in the 100 metre sprint at her national championships. □ The tunnel is 10 metres wide and 600 metres long. [Also + of ]
2 N‑VAR In the study of poetry, metre is the regular and rhythmic arrangement of syllables according to particular patterns. [TECHNICAL ] □ They must each compose a poem in strict alliterative metre. □ All of the poems are written in traditional metres and rhyme schemes.
met|ric /me tr I k/ ADJ Metric means relating to the metric system. □ Converting metric measurements to U.S. equivalents is easy.
me t|ric sys|tem N‑SING The metric system is the system of measurement that uses metres, grams, and litres.
me t|ric to n (metric tons ) N‑COUNT [num N ] A metric ton is 1,000 kilograms. □ [+ of ] The Wall Street Journal uses 220,000 metric tons of newsprint each year.
met|ro /me troʊ/ (metros ) also Metro N‑COUNT The metro is the underground railway system in some cities, for example in Paris.
met|ro|nome /me trənoʊm/ (metronomes ) N‑COUNT A metronome is a device which is used to indicate how quickly a piece of music should be played. It can be adjusted to make regular sounds at different speeds.
me|tropo|lis /mətrɒ pəl I s/ (metropolises ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] A metropolis is the largest, busiest, and most important city in a country or region. □ …the bustling metropolis of Chengdu.
met|ro|poli|tan /me trəpɒ l I t ə n/ ADJ [ADJ n] Metropolitan means belonging to or typical of a large busy city. □ …the metropolitan district of Miami. □ …a dozen major metropolitan hospitals. □ …metropolitan sophistication and rustic naivety.
met|ro|sex|ual /me trəʊse kʃʊəl/ (metrosexuals ) N‑COUNT A metrosexual is a man who spends a lot of time and money on his appearance, and often his home. □ A true metrosexual, Brad buys fresh flowers every week to brighten up the apartment. ● ADJ Metrosexual is also an adjective. □ My metrosexual husband has so many shirts that he needs more wardrobe space.
met|tle /me t ə l/ N‑UNCOUNT [usu poss N ] Someone's mettle is their ability to do something well in difficult circumstances. □ His first important chance to show his mettle came when he opened the new session of the Legislature.
mew /mjuː / (mews , mewing , mewed ) VERB When a cat mews , it makes a soft high-pitched noise. □ [V ] From somewhere, the kitten mewed.
mews /mjuː z/ (mews ) N‑COUNT [oft in names] A mews is a street or small area surrounded by houses that were originally built as stables. [BRIT ] □ The house is in a secluded mews.
Mexi|can /me ks I kən/ (Mexicans )
1 ADJ Mexican means belonging or relating to Mexico, or to its people or culture.
2 N‑COUNT A Mexican is a Mexican citizen, or a person of Mexican origin.
Me xi|can sta nd-off (Mexican stand-offs ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] A Mexican stand-off is a situation in which neither of the people or groups in a conflict or dispute can win and neither wants to give in first. [AM ]
Me xi|can wa ve (Mexican waves ) N‑COUNT If a crowd of people do a Mexican wave , each person in the crowd stands up and puts their arms in the air after the person to one side of them, creating a continuous wave-like motion through the crowd. [BRIT ] in AM, use wave
mez|za|nine /me zəniːn/ (mezzanines )
1 N‑COUNT A mezzanine is a small floor which is built between two main floors of a building. □ …the dining room on the mezzanine.
2 N‑COUNT The mezzanine is the lowest balcony in a theatre, or the front rows in the lowest balcony. [AM ] in BRIT, usually use dress circle
mez|zo /me tsoʊ/ (mezzos ) N‑COUNT A mezzo is the same as a mezzo-soprano .
me zzo-sopra no (mezzo-sopranos ) N‑COUNT A mezzo-soprano is a female singer who sings with a higher range than a contralto but a lower range than a soprano. □ She became a professional mezzo-soprano. □ …her remarkable mezzo-soprano voice.
mg mg is a written abbreviation for milligram or milligrams . □ …300 mg of calcium.
Mgr Mgr is a written abbreviation for Monsignor .
MHz MHz is a written abbreviation for megahertz .
MIA /e m a I e I / ADJ MIA is used to describe members of the armed forces who do not return from a military operation but who are not known to have been killed or captured. MIA is an abbreviation for 'missing in action'. [mainly AM ] □ He was listed as MIA.
miaow /miaʊ / (miaows , miaowing , miaowed ) also meow N‑COUNT Miaow is used to represent the noise that a cat makes. □ He made a frightened noise a little like the miaow of a cat. ● VERB Miaow is also a verb. □ [V ] Cats miaow when they are unhappy, purr when they are happy.
mi|as|ma /miæ zmə/ (miasmas ) N‑VAR You can describe something bad or confused that seems to be in the air all around you as a miasma . [LITERARY ] □ [+ of ] His ambition to be part of the U.S. Supreme Court faded in a miasma of despair.
mic. /ma I k/ (mics ) N‑COUNT A mic. is the same as a microphone . [INFORMAL ]
mica /ma I kə/ (micas ) N‑VAR Mica is a hard mineral which is found as small flat crystals in rocks. It has a great resistance to heat and electricity.
mice /ma I s/ Mice is the plural of mouse .
mick|ey /m I ki/ PHRASE If you take the mickey out of someone or something, you make fun of them, usually in an unkind way. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [+ out of ] He started taking the mickey out of this poor man just because he is bald.
Mi ckey Mou se ADJ You use Mickey Mouse to show that you think something is silly, childish, easy, or worthless. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ This is not a Mickey Mouse course where every player has a chance.
mi|cro /ma I kroʊ/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] You use micro to indicate that something relates to a specific area, rather than a general one [mainly TECHNICAL ] □ The vital task was to allow the economy to operate freely at a micro level.
PREFIX micro-
forms nouns that have small as part of their meaning. For example, a micro-organism is a very small living thing that you cannot see with your eyes alone.
mi|crobe /ma I kroʊb/ (microbes ) N‑COUNT A microbe is a very small living thing, which you can only see if you use a microscope.
micro|bio|logi|cal /ma I kroʊba I əlɒ dʒ I k ə l/ ADJ [ADJ n] Microbiological refers to studies or tests relating to very small living things such as bacteria and their effects on people. □ …microbiological testing.
micro|bi|ol|ogy /ma I kroʊbaiɒ lədʒi/ N‑UNCOUNT Microbiology is the branch of biology which is concerned with very small living things such as bacteria and their effects on people. □ …a professor of microbiology and immunology. ● micro|bi|olo|gist (microbiologists ) N‑COUNT □ …a microbiologist at Liverpool University.
mi|cro|blog /ma I krəʊblɒg/ (microblogs ) N‑COUNT A microblog is a blog which is often intended for a particular group of people and consists of very short messages. [COMPUTING ] □ Traditional media organizations have begun to send headlines and links in microblog posts.
mi cro-bre wery (micro-breweries ) N‑COUNT A micro-brewery is a type of small brewery where beer is produced using traditional methods.
micro|chip /ma I kroʊtʃ I p/ (microchips ) N‑COUNT A microchip is a very small piece of silicon inside a computer. It has electronic circuits on it and can hold large quantities of information or perform mathematical and logical operations.
micro|com|put|er /ma I kroʊkəmpjuː tə r / (microcomputers ) also micro-computer N‑COUNT A microcomputer is a small computer, especially one used for writing documents.
micro|cosm /ma I kroʊkɒzəm/ (microcosms ) N‑COUNT [oft in N ] A microcosm is a small society, place, or activity which has all the typical features of a much larger one and so seems like a smaller version of it. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] Kitchell says the city was a microcosm of all American culture during the '60s.
micro|cred|it /ma I kroʊkred I t/ N‑UNCOUNT Microcredit is credit in the form of small loans offered to local businesses, especially in developing countries. [BUSINESS ] □ …a microcredit scheme which provides credit to small businesses.
micro|ec|o|nom|ics /ma I kroʊiː kənɒ m I ks, -e k-/ also micro-economics N‑UNCOUNT [BUSINESS ] Microeconomics is the branch of economics that is concerned with individual areas of economic activity, such as those within a particular company or relating to a particular market. □ He has 250 students in his microeconomics module. ● micro|ec|o|nom|ic /ma I kroʊiː kənɒ m I k, -e k-/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] □ …a textbook on microeconomic theory.
micro|elec|tron|ics /ma I kroʊelektrɒ n I ks/ The form microelectronic is used as a modifier. N‑UNCOUNT Microelectronics is the branch of electronics that deals with miniature electronic circuits.
micro|fibre /ma I kroʊfa I bə r / (microfibres ) in AM, use microfiber N‑VAR [oft N n] Microbfibres are extremely light artificial fibres that are used to make cloth.
micro|fiche /ma I kroʊfiːʃ/ (microfiches ) N‑VAR A microfiche is a small sheet of film on which writing or other information is stored, greatly reduced in size.
micro|film /ma I kroʊf I lm/ (microfilms ) N‑VAR Microfilm is film that is used for photographing information and storing it in a reduced form.
mi cro-o rganism (micro-organisms ) also microorganism N‑COUNT A micro-organism is a very small living thing which you can only see if you use a microscope.
micro|phone /ma I krəfoʊn/ (microphones ) N‑COUNT A microphone is a device that is used to make sounds louder or to record them.
micro|pro|ces|sor /ma I kroʊproʊ sesə r / (microprocessors ) N‑COUNT In a computer, the microprocessor is the main microchip, which controls its most important functions. [COMPUTING ]
micro|scope /ma I krəskoʊp/ (microscopes )
1 N‑COUNT A microscope is a scientific instrument which makes very small objects look bigger so that more detail can be seen.
2 PHRASE If you say that something is under the microscope , you mean that it is being studied very closely, usually because it is believed that something is wrong with it. □ The media put their every decision under the microscope.
micro|scop|ic /ma I krəskɒ p I k/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Microscopic objects are extremely small, and usually can be seen only through a microscope. □ …microscopic fibres of protein.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] A microscopic examination is done using a microscope. □ Microscopic examination of a cell's chromosomes can reveal the sex of the fetus. ● micro|scopi|cal|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ The tissue is examined microscopically to rule out or confirm cancer.
3 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you say that something is done in microscopic detail, you are emphasizing that it is done in a very thorough, detailed way. [EMPHASIS ] □ He carefully recounts the tale, the microscopic details of those crucial minutes.
micro|sec|ond /ma I kroʊsekənd/ (microseconds ) N‑COUNT A microsecond is one millionth of a second.
micro|sur|gery /ma I kroʊsɜː r dʒəri/ N‑UNCOUNT Microsurgery is a form of surgery where doctors repair or remove parts of the body that are so small that they can only be seen clearly using a microscope.
micro|wave /ma I kroʊwe I v/ (microwaves , microwaving , microwaved )
1 N‑COUNT A microwave or a microwave oven is an oven which cooks food very quickly by electromagnetic radiation rather than by heat.
2 VERB To microwave food or drink means to cook or heat it in a microwave oven. □ [V n] Steam or microwave the vegetables until tender.
micro|wave|able /ma I kroʊwe I vəb ə l/ also microwavable ADJ Microwaveable food can be cooked in a microwave.
PREFIX mid-
forms nouns and adjectives that refer to the middle part of a particular period of time, or the middle part of a particular place. For example, mid-June is the middle of June.
mi d-ai r N‑UNCOUNT If something happens in mid-air , it happens in the air, rather than on the ground. □ The bird stopped and hovered in mid-air. □ …a mid-air collision.
mid|day /m I dde I /
1 N‑UNCOUNT [oft prep N ] Midday is twelve o'clock in the middle of the day. □ At midday everyone would go down to Reg's Cafe. □ It's eight minutes after midday.
2 N‑UNCOUNT [usu N n] Midday is the middle part of the day, from late morning to early afternoon. □ People were beginning to tire in the midday heat.
mid|dle ◆◆◆ /m I d ə l/ (middles )
1 N‑COUNT The middle of something is the part of it that is furthest from its edges, ends, or outside surface. □ [+ of ] Howard stood in the middle of the room, sipping a cup of coffee. □ [+ of ] Hyde accelerated away from the kerb, swerving out into the middle of the street. □ Make sure the roast potatoes aren't raw in the middle.
2 the middle of nowhere → see nowhere
3 ADJ [ADJ n] The middle object in a row of objects is the one that has an equal number of objects on each side. □ The middle button of his uniform jacket was strained over his belly. □ …the middle finger of her left hand.
4 N‑SING The middle of an event or period of time is the part that comes after the first part and before the last part. □ I woke up in the middle of the night and could hear a tapping on the window. □ It was now the middle of November, cold and often foggy. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Middle is also an adjective. □ The month began and ended dry, but the middle fortnight saw nearly 100mm of rain.
5 ADJ [ADJ n] The middle course or way is a moderate course of action that lies between two opposite and extreme courses. □ He favoured a middle course between free enterprise and state intervention.
6 PHRASE If you divide or split something down the middle , you divide or split it into two equal halves or groups. □ They agreed to split the bill down the middle.
7 PHRASE If you are in the middle of doing something, you are busy doing it. □ It's a bit hectic. I'm in the middle of cooking for nine people.
mi d|dle a ge N‑UNCOUNT Middle age is the period in your life when you are no longer young but have not yet become old. Middle age is usually considered to take place between the ages of 40 and 60. □ Men tend to put on weight in middle age.
mi ddle-a ged
1 ADJ If you describe someone as middle-aged , you mean that they are neither young nor old. People between the ages of 40 and 60 are usually considered to be middle-aged. □ …middle-aged, married businessmen.
2 ADJ If you describe someone's activities or interests as middle-aged , you are critical of them because you think they are typical of a middle-aged person, for example by being conventional or old-fashioned. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Her novels are middle-aged and boring.
Mi d|dle A ges N‑PLURAL In European history, the Middle Ages was the period between the end of the Roman Empire in 476 AD and about 1500 AD, especially the later part of this period.
Mi d|dle Ame ri|ca
1 N‑UNCOUNT Journalists use Middle America to refer to middle class people in America who are believed not to like change. □ People in the United States want the President to pay attention to Middle America.
2 N‑PROPER Middle America is the same as the Midwest .
3 N‑PROPER Middle America is used to refer to the area consisting of Mexico and Central America, sometimes including the West Indies.
middle|brow /m I d ə lbraʊ/ also middle-brow ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe a piece of entertainment such as a book or film as middlebrow , you mean that although it may be interesting and enjoyable, it does not require much thought. □ …such middlebrow fare as Poirot, Sherlock Holmes and Jeeves and Wooster.
mi d|dle cla ss ◆◇◇ (middle classes ) N‑COUNT [with sing or pl verb] The middle class or middle classes are the people in a society who are not working class or upper class. Business people, managers, doctors, lawyers, and teachers are usually regarded as middle class. □ …the expansion of the middle class in the late 19th century. □ The President may have secured some support from the middle classes. ● ADJ Middle class is also an adjective. □ He is rapidly losing the support of blue-collar voters and of middle-class conservatives.
mi d|dle di s|tance
1 N‑SING [usu into/in the N ] If you are looking into the middle distance , you are looking at a place that is neither near nor far away. □ He stares detachedly into the middle distance, towards nothing in particular.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] A middle-distance runner is someone who takes part in races of medium length, for example 800 metres.
Mi d|dle E a st ◆◆◇ N‑PROPER The Middle East is the area around the eastern Mediterranean that includes Iran and all the countries in Asia to the west and south-west of Iran. □ The two great rivers of the Middle East rise in the mountains of Turkey.
Mi d|dle E a st|ern ADJ [ADJ n] Middle Eastern means relating to the Middle East. □ Most Middle Eastern countries have extremely high rates of population growth.
Mi d|dle E ng|land N‑UNCOUNT Journalists use Middle England to refer to middle class people in England who are believed not to like change. □ This shows that the people of Middle England no longer trust the Tories.
middle|man /m I d ə lmæn/ (middlemen )
1 N‑COUNT A middleman is a person or company which buys things from the people who produce them and sells them to the people who want to buy them. [BUSINESS ] □ Why don't they cut out the middleman and let us do it ourselves?
2 N‑COUNT A middleman is a person who helps in negotiations between people who are unwilling to meet each other directly. □ The two sides would only meet indirectly, through middlemen.
mi d|dle ma n|age|ment N‑UNCOUNT Middle management refers to managers who are below the top level of management, and who are responsible for controlling and running an organization rather than making decisions about how it operates. [BUSINESS ] □ The proportion of women in middle management has risen to 40%. □ …middle-management jobs.
mi d|dle name (middle names )
1 N‑COUNT [usu poss N ] Your middle name is the name that comes between your first name and your surname. □ His middle name is Justin.
2 N‑COUNT [usu poss N ] You can use middle name in expressions such as ' discretion was her middle name ' and ' his middle name is loyalty ' to indicate that someone always behaves with a great deal of a particular quality. [HUMOROUS ] □ Geniality is my middle name. I rarely write a fierce word about any restaurant.
mi ddle-of-the-roa d
1 ADJ If you describe someone's opinions or policies as middle-of-the-road , you mean that they are neither left-wing nor right-wing, and not at all extreme. □ Consensus need not be weak, nor need it result in middle-of-the-road policies.
2 ADJ If you describe something or someone as middle-of-the-road , you mean that they are ordinary or unexciting. □ I actually don't want to be a middle-of-the-road person, married with a mortgage.
3 ADJ Middle-of-the-road music is pop music which a large number of people like because it is pleasant and does not sound extreme or unusual. The abbreviation MOR is also used. □ I like cheerful, uplifting middle-of-the-road pop.
mi ddle-ra nking ADJ [ADJ n] A middle-ranking person has a fairly important or responsible position in a particular organization, but is not one of the most important people in it. □ …middle-ranking army officers.
mi d|dle school (middle schools )
1 N‑VAR [oft in names] In the United States, a middle school is a school for children in the fifth to eighth grades, between the ages of 10 and 13 or 14. □ …Harlem Park Middle School.
2 N‑VAR [oft in names] In Britain, a middle school is a state school that children go to between the ages of 8 or 9 and 12 or 13.
Mi d|dle We st N‑PROPER The Middle West is the central part of the United States.
mid|dling /m I d ə l I ŋ/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe a quality such as the size of something as middling , you mean that it is average. □ The Beatles enjoyed only middling success until 1963. □ …a man of middling height.
mid|field|er /m I dfiːldə r / (midfielders ) N‑COUNT In football, a midfielder is a player whose usual position is in the central area of the playing field between the two goals.
midge /m I dʒ/ (midges ) N‑COUNT Midges are very small insects which bite.
midg|et /m I dʒ I t/ (midgets ) N‑COUNT People who are very short are sometimes referred to as midgets . [OFFENSIVE ]
Mid|lands /m I dlənds/ N‑PROPER [with sing or pl verb] The Midlands is the region or area in the central part of a country, in particular the central part of England. □ …an engineering company in the Midlands.
mid|life cri|sis /m I dla I f kra I s I s/ (midlife crises ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] A midlife crisis is a period of doubt and anxiety that some people experience in middle age, when they think about whether their life is the kind of life that they want. □ I went through my midlife crisis about four or five years ago, when I was forty.
mid|night ◆◇◇ /m I dna I t/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Midnight is twelve o'clock in the middle of the night. □ It was well after midnight by the time Anne returned to her apartment.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Midnight is used to describe something which happens or appears at midnight or in the middle of the night. □ It is totally out of the question to postpone the midnight deadline.
3 PHRASE If someone is burning the midnight oil , they are staying up very late in order to study or do some other work. □ Chris is asleep after burning the midnight oil trying to finish his article.
mi d|night blue COLOUR Something that is midnight blue is a very dark blue colour, almost black.
mid|point /m I dpɔ I nt/ also mid-point
1 N‑SING The midpoint between two things is the point that is the same distance from both things. □ [+ between/of ] …the midpoint between Paris and Warsaw.
2 N‑SING The midpoint of an event is the time halfway between the beginning and the end of it. □ [+ of ] She has not yet reached the midpoint of her life.
mi d-ra nge ADJ [ADJ n] You can use mid-range to describe products or services which are neither the most expensive nor the cheapest of their type. □ …the price of a mid-range family car.
mid|riff /m I dr I f/ (midriffs ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] Someone's midriff is the middle part of their body, between their waist and their chest. □ …the girl with the bare midriff.
mid|sized /m I dsa I zd/ also mid-sized , midsize ADJ [ADJ n] You use midsized or midsize to describe products, cities, companies, and other things that are neither large nor small. □ …a low-cost midsized car. □ …a midsize city.
midst /m I dst/
1 PHRASE If you are in the midst of doing something, you are doing it at the moment. □ We are in the midst of one of the worst recessions for many, many years.
2 PHRASE If something happens in the midst of an event, it happens during it. □ Eleanor arrived in the midst of a blizzard.
3 PHRASE If someone or something is in the midst of a group of people or things, they are among them or surrounded by them. □ Many were surprised to see him exposed like this in the midst of a large crowd.
4 PHRASE You say that someone is in your midst when you are drawing attention to the fact that they are in your group. [FORMAL ] □ We're lucky to have such a man in our midst.
mid|stream /m I dstriː m/ also mid-stream
1 N‑UNCOUNT [oft in N ] Someone or something that is in midstream is in the middle of a river, where the current is strongest. □ Their boat had capsized in midstream. ● ADV [usu ADV after v, oft n ADV ] Midstream is also an adverb. □ Some of them got caught midstream by the tide.
2 N‑UNCOUNT [oft in N ] If someone who has been doing something such as talking stops or pauses in midstream , they stop doing it, often before continuing. □ I was cut off in midstream. ● ADV [ADV after v] Midstream is also an adverb. □ The most difficult thing in a fast game of rugby is to change course midstream.
mid|sum|mer /m I dsʌ mə r / N‑UNCOUNT Midsummer is the period in the middle of the summer. □ In midsummer every town is impossibly crowded. □ It was a lovely midsummer morning.
Mi d|sum|mer's Da y N‑PROPER Midsummer's Day or Midsummer Day is the 24th of June.
mid|way /m I dwe I / also mid-way
1 ADV If something is midway between two places, it is between them and the same distance from each of them. □ The studio is midway between his aunt's old home and his cottage. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Midway is also an adjective. □ …the midway point between Gloucester, Hereford and Worcester.
2 ADV [ADV after v] If something happens midway through a period of time, it happens during the middle part of it. □ [+ through ] He crashed midway through the race. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Midway is also an adjective. □ They were denied an obvious penalty before the midway point of the first half.
mid|week /m I dwiː k/ ADJ [ADJ n] Midweek describes something that happens in the middle of the week. □ The package includes midweek flights from Gatwick. ● ADV [ADV after v] Midweek is also an adverb. □ They'll be able to go up to London midweek.
Mid|west /m I dwe st/ N‑PROPER The Midwest is the region in the north of the central part of the United States. □ …farmers in the Midwest. □ …the Midwest states.
Mid|west|ern /m I dwe stə r n/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Midwestern means belonging or relating to the Midwest. □ …the Midwestern plains. □ …traditional Midwestern values. □ …the midwestern plains.
mid|wife /m I dwa I f/ (midwives ) N‑COUNT A midwife is a nurse who is trained to deliver babies and to advise pregnant women.
mid|wife|ry /m I dw I fəri/ N‑UNCOUNT Midwifery is the work of delivering babies and advising pregnant women.
mid|win|ter /m I dw I ntə r / also mid-winter N‑UNCOUNT Midwinter is the period in the middle of winter. □ …the bleak midwinter. □ …the cold midwinter weather.
mien /miː n/ N‑SING [usu poss N ] Someone's mien is their general appearance and manner, especially the expression on their face, which shows what they are feeling or thinking. [LITERARY ] □ It was impossible to tell from his mien whether he was offended. □ …his mild manner and aristocratic mien.
miffed /m I ft/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you are miffed , you are slightly annoyed and hurt because of something which someone has said or done to you. [INFORMAL ] □ [+ about ] I was a bit miffed about that.
might
➊ MODAL USES
➋ NOUN USES
➊ might ◆◆◆ /ma I t/ Might is a modal verb. It is used with the base form of a verb. → Please look at category 13 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1 MODAL You use might to indicate that something will possibly happen or be true in the future, but you cannot be certain. [VAGUENESS ] □ Smoking might be banned totally in most buildings. □ I might well regret it later. □ He said he might not be back until tonight.
2 MODAL You use might to indicate that there is a possibility that something is true, but you cannot be certain. [VAGUENESS ] □ She and Simon's father had not given up hope that he might be alive. □ You might be right.
3 MODAL You use might to indicate that something could happen or be true in particular circumstances. [VAGUENESS ] □ Your child might do better with a different teacher. □ …the type of person who might appear in a fashion magazine.
4 MODAL You use might have with a past participle to indicate that it is possible that something happened or was true, or when giving a possible explanation for something. □ I heard what might have been an explosion. □ She thought the shooting might have been an accident.
5 MODAL You use might have with a past participle to indicate that something was a possibility in the past, although it did not actually happen. □ Had the bomb dropped on a city, there might have been a great deal of damage.
6 MODAL You use might in statements where you are accepting the truth of a situation, but contrasting it with something that is more important. □ She might not have much energy but she still has a stinging wit.
7 MODAL You use might when you are saying emphatically that someone ought to do the thing mentioned, especially when you are annoyed because they have not done it. [EMPHASIS ] □ You might have told me that before!
8 MODAL You use might to make a suggestion or to give advice in a very polite way. [POLITENESS ] □ They might be wise to stop advertising on television. □ You might try the gas station down the street.
9 MODAL You use might as a polite way of interrupting someone, asking a question, making a request, or introducing what you are going to say next. [FORMAL , SPOKEN , POLITENESS ] □ Might I make a suggestion? □ Might I draw your readers' attention to the dangers in the Government's proposal.
10 MODAL You use might in expressions such as as you might expect and as you might imagine in order to indicate that the statement you are making is not surprising. □ 'How's Jan?' she asked.—'Bad. As you might expect.'. □ The drivers, as you might imagine, didn't care much for that.
11 MODAL You use might in expressions such as I might add and I might say in order to emphasize a statement that you are making. [EMPHASIS ] □ It didn't come as a great surprise to me, I might say.
12 MODAL You use might in expressions such as I might have known and I might have guessed to indicate that you are not surprised at a disappointing event or fact. □ 'I detest clutter, you know.'—'I didn't know, but I might have guessed.'
13 might as well → see well ➌
➋ might /ma I t/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Might is power or strength. [FORMAL ] □ The might of the army could prove a decisive factor.
2 PHRASE If you do something with all your might , you do it using all your strength and energy. □ She swung the hammer at his head with all her might.
mighti|ly /ma I t I li/ ADV [ADV adj/adv, ADV after v] Mightily means to a great extent or degree. [OLD-FASHIONED , EMPHASIS ] □ He had given a mightily impressive performance. □ She strove mightily to put Mike from her thoughts.
mightn't /ma I t ə nt/ Mightn't is a spoken form of 'might not'.
might've /ma I təv/ Might've is the usual spoken form of 'might have', especially when 'have' is an auxiliary verb.
mighty /ma I ti/ (mightier , mightiest )
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Mighty is used to describe something that is very large or powerful. [LITERARY ] □ There was a flash and a mighty bang.
2 ADV [ADV adj/adv] Mighty is used in front of adjectives and adverbs to emphasize the quality that they are describing. [mainly AM , INFORMAL , EMPHASIS ] □ It's something you'll be mighty proud of.
3 → see also high and mighty
mi|graine /miː gre I n, [AM ] ma I -/ (migraines ) N‑VAR A migraine is an extremely painful headache that makes you feel very ill. □ Her mother suffered from migraines. WORD HISTORY migraine
Migraine comes via French from Latin hēmicrānia , meaning 'pain in half the head', from Greek hemi- , meaning 'half', and kranion , meaning 'cranium' or 'skull'.
mi|grant /ma I grənt/ (migrants )
1 N‑COUNT A migrant is a person who moves from one place to another, especially in order to find work. □ The government divides asylum-seekers into economic migrants and genuine refugees. □ …migrant workers following harvests northward.
2 N‑COUNT [oft N n] Migrants are birds, fish, or animals that migrate from one part of the world to another. □ Migrant birds shelter in the reeds.
mi|grate /ma I gre I t, [AM ] ma I gre I t/ (migrates , migrating , migrated )
1 VERB If people migrate , they move from one place to another, especially in order to find work or to live somewhere for a short time. □ [V prep/adv] People migrate to cities like Jakarta in search of work. □ [V ] Farmers have learned that they have to migrate if they want to survive. ● mi|gra|tion /ma I gre I ʃ ə n/ (migrations ) N‑VAR □ [+ of ] …the migration of Soviet Jews to Israel.
2 VERB When birds, fish, or animals migrate , they move at a particular season from one part of the world or from one part of a country to another, usually in order to breed or to find new feeding grounds. □ [V ] Most birds have to fly long distances to migrate. □ [V prep/adv] …a dam system that kills the fish as they migrate from streams to the ocean. ● mi|gra|tion N‑VAR □ [+ of ] …the migration of animals in the Serengeti.
mi|gra|tory /ma I grətəri, [AM ] -tɔːri/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A migratory bird, fish, or animal is one that migrates every year.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Migratory means relating to the migration of people, birds, fish, or animals. □ …migratory farm labour.
mike /ma I k/ (mikes ) N‑COUNT A mike is the same as a microphone . [INFORMAL ]
mil /m I l/ NUM Mil means the same as million . [INFORMAL ] □ Zhamnov, 22, signed for $1.25 mil over three years.
mild ◆◇◇ /ma I ld/ (milder , mildest )
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Mild is used to describe something such as a feeling, attitude, or illness that is not very strong or severe. □ Teddy turned to Mona with a look of mild confusion. □ Anna put up a mild protest. ● mild|ly ADV [usu ADV adj/adv, oft ADV after v] □ Josephine must have had the disease very mildly as she showed no symptoms.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A mild person is gentle and does not get angry easily. □ He is a mild man, who is reasonable almost to the point of blandness. ● mild|ly ADV [ADV after v] □ 'I'm not meddling,' Kenworthy said mildly, 'I'm just curious.'
3 ADJ Mild weather is pleasant because it is neither extremely hot nor extremely cold. □ The area is famous for its very mild winter climate.
4 ADJ You describe food as mild when it does not taste or smell strong, sharp, or bitter, especially when you like it because of this. □ This cheese has a soft, mild flavour. □ …a mild curry powder.
5 → see also mildly
mil|dew /m I ldjuː, [AM ] -duː/ N‑UNCOUNT Mildew is a soft white fungus that grows in damp places. □ The room smelled of mildew.
mil|dewed /m I ldjuːd, [AM ] -duːd/ ADJ Something that is mildewed has mildew growing on it.
mild|ly /ma I ldli/
1 → see mild
2 PHRASE You use to put it mildly to indicate that you are describing something in language that is much less strong, direct, or critical than what you really think. □ But not all the money, to put it mildly, has been used wisely.
mi ld-ma nnered ADJ If you describe someone as mild-mannered , you approve of them because they are gentle, kind, and polite. [APPROVAL ]
mile ◆◆◇ /ma I l/ (miles )
1 N‑COUNT [num N ] A mile is a unit of distance equal to 1760 yards or approximately 1.6 kilometres. □ They drove 600 miles across the desert. □ The hurricane is moving to the west at about 18 miles per hour. □ She lives just half a mile away. □ …a 50-mile bike ride.
2 N‑PLURAL Miles is used, especially in the expression miles away , to refer to a long distance. □ If you enrol at a gym that's miles away, you won't be visiting it as often as you should. □ I was miles and miles from anywhere.
3 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Miles or a mile is used with the meaning 'very much' in order to emphasize the difference between two things or qualities, or the difference between what you aimed to do and what you actually achieved. [INFORMAL , EMPHASIS ] □ You're miles better than most of the performers we see nowadays. □ With a Labour candidate in place they won by a mile. □ The rehearsals were miles too slow and no work was getting done.
4 PHRASE If you say that someone is miles away , you mean that they are unaware of what is happening around them because they are thinking about something else. [INFORMAL ] □ What were you thinking about? You were miles away.
5 PHRASE If you say that someone is willing to go the extra mile , you mean that they are willing to make a special effort to do or achieve something. □ The President is determined 'to go the extra mile for peace'.
6 PHRASE If you say that you can see or recognize something a mile off , you are emphasizing that it is very obvious and easy to recognize. [INFORMAL , EMPHASIS ] □ You can spot undercover cops a mile off.
7 PHRASE If you say that someone would run a mile when faced with a particular situation, you mean that they would be very frightened or unwilling to deal with it. [INFORMAL ] □ If anybody had told me that I was going to have seven children, I would have run a mile.
8 PHRASE If you say that something or someone sticks out a mile or stands out a mile , you are emphasizing that they are very obvious and easy to recognize. [INFORMAL , EMPHASIS ] □ 'How do you know he's Irish?'—'Sticks out a mile.' WORD HISTORY mile
In Roman times, a mile was equal to a thousand paces. In Latin, 'one thousand paces' is mīlia passuum , from mille , meaning 'a thousand' (the same Latin word as is found in English words such as 'millennium' and 'millimetre').
mile|age /ma I l I dʒ/ (mileages )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Mileage refers to the distance that you have travelled, measured in miles. □ Most of their mileage is in and around town.
2 N‑UNCOUNT The mileage of a vehicle is the number of miles that it can travel using one gallon or litre of fuel. □ They are willing to pay up to $500 more for cars that get better mileage.
3 N‑UNCOUNT The mileage in a particular course of action is its usefulness in getting you what you want. □ [+ out of/in ] It's obviously important to get as much mileage out of the convention as possible.
mile|stone /ma I lstoʊn/ (milestones ) N‑COUNT A milestone is an important event in the history or development of something or someone. □ [+ in ] He said the launch of the party represented a milestone in Zambian history.
mi|lieu /miː ljɜː, [AM ] m I ljuː / (milieux or milieus ) N‑COUNT Your milieu is the group of people or activities that you live among or are familiar with. [FORMAL ] □ They stayed, safe and happy, within their own social milieu.
mili|tant ◆◇◇ /m I l I tənt/ (militants ) ADJ You use militant to describe people who believe in something very strongly and are active in trying to bring about political or social change, often in extreme ways that other people find unacceptable. □ Militant mineworkers in the Ukraine have voted for a one-day stoppage next month. ● N‑COUNT [usu pl] Militant is also a noun. □ The militants might still find some new excuse to call a strike. ● mili|tan|cy N‑UNCOUNT □ …the rise of trade union militancy. ● mili|tant|ly ADV [usu ADV adj] □ Their army is militantly nationalist. SYNONYMS militant ADJ
aggressive: Some children are much more aggressive than others.
belligerent: …the belligerent statements from both sides which have led to fears of war.
warring: The warring factions have not yet turned in all their heavy weapons.
combative: He conducted the meeting in his usual combative style, refusing to admit any mistakes.
mili|ta|rism /m I l I tər I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Militarism is a country's desire to strengthen their armed forces in order to make itself more powerful. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ The country slipped into a dangerous mixture of nationalism and militarism.
mili|ta|rist /m I l I tər I st/ (militarists )
1 N‑COUNT [oft N n] If you describe someone as a militarist , you mean that they want their country's armed forces to be strengthened in order to make it more powerful. [DISAPPROVAL ]
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Militarist means the same as militaristic . [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …militarist policies.
mili|ta|ris|tic /m I l I tər I st I k/ ADJ Militaristic is used to describe groups, ideas, or policies which support the strengthening of the armed forces of their country in order to make it more powerful. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …aggressive militaristic governments.
mili|ta|rized /m I l I təra I zd/ in BRIT, also use militarised 1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A militarized area or region has members of the armed forces and military equipment in it. □ …the militarized zone that separates the faction leaders' areas of control.
2 ADJ You can use militarized to show disapproval of something that has many military characteristics, for example the quality of being aggressive or strict. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …a militarized and confrontationist style of politics.
mili|tary ◆◆◆ /m I l I tri, [AM ] -teri/ (militaries )
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Military means relating to the armed forces of a country. □ Military action may become necessary. □ The president is sending in almost 20,000 military personnel to help with the relief efforts. □ …last year's military coup. ● mili|tari|ly /m I lteə r I li/ ADV [ADV with v, ADV adj] □ They remain unwilling to intervene militarily in what could be an unending war.
2 N‑COUNT [with sing or pl verb, usu sing] The military are the armed forces of a country, especially officers of high rank. □ The bombing has been far more widespread than the military will admit.
3 ADJ Military means well-organized, controlled, or neat, in a way that is typical of a soldier. □ Your working day will need to be organized with military precision.
mi li|tary po|li ce
1 N‑SING [with sing or pl verb] The military police are the part of an army, navy, or air force that act as its police force. □ The government has said it will reform the military police.
2 N‑PLURAL Military police are men and women who are members of the part of an army, navy, or air force that act as its police force. □ The camp is surrounded by razor-wire fences and guarded by military police.
mi li|tary poli ce|man (military policemen ) N‑COUNT A military policeman is a member of the military police.
mi li|tary se r|vice N‑UNCOUNT [oft with poss] Military service is a period of service in the armed forces that everyone in certain countries has to do. □ Many conscripts resent having to do their military service.
mili|tate /m I l I te I t/ (militates , militating , militated ) VERB To militate against something means to make it less possible or likely. To militate against someone means to prevent them from achieving something. [FORMAL ] □ [V + against ] Her background militates against her. □ [V + against ] All these rules and guidelines militate against intelligent thinking.
mi|li|tia /m I l I ʃə/ (militias ) N‑COUNT A militia is an organization that operates like an army but whose members are not professional soldiers. □ The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias.
mi|li|tia|man /m I l I ʃəmən/ (militiamen ) N‑COUNT A militiaman is a member of a militia.
milk ◆◇◇ /m I lk/ (milks , milking , milked )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Milk is the white liquid produced by cows, goats, and some other animals, which people drink and use to make butter, cheese, and yoghurt. □ He popped out to buy a pint of milk. □ …basic foods such as meat, bread and milk.
2 VERB If someone milks a cow or goat, they get milk from it, using either their hands or a machine. □ [V n] Farm-workers milked cows by hand.
3 N‑UNCOUNT Milk is the white liquid produced by women to feed their babies. □ Milk from the mother's breast is a perfect food for the human baby.
4 N‑VAR Liquid products for cleaning your skin or making it softer are sometimes referred to as milks . □ …sales of cleansing milks, creams and gels.
5 VERB If you say that someone milks something, you mean that they get as much benefit or profit as they can from it, without caring about the effects this has on other people. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [V n] A few people tried to milk the insurance companies. □ [V n + from ] The callous couple milked money from a hospital charity to fund a lavish lifestyle.
6 → see also coconut milk , condensed milk , evaporated milk , skimmed milk
mi lk cho co|late N‑UNCOUNT Milk chocolate is chocolate that has been made with milk. It is lighter in colour and has a creamier taste than plain chocolate.
mi lk float (milk floats ) N‑COUNT A milk float is a small electric van with a roof and no sides which is used to deliver milk to people's houses. [BRIT ]
milk|maid /m I lkme I d/ (milkmaids ) N‑COUNT In former times, a milkmaid was a woman who milked cows and made butter and cheese on a farm.
milk|man /m I lkmən, [AM ] -mæn/ (milkmen ) N‑COUNT A milkman is a person who delivers milk to people's homes.
mi lk prod|uct (milk products ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Milk products are foods made from milk, for example butter, cheese, and yoghurt.
mi lk round (milk rounds )
1 N‑COUNT If someone has a milk round , they work as a milkman, going from house to house delivering milk. [BRIT ] □ Milk rounds are threatened as customers switch to buying from supermarkets.
2 N‑SING The milk round is an event that happens once a year when people from large companies visit colleges and universities and interview students who are interested in working for them. [BRIT ] □ He obtained his first job through the milk round.
milk|shake /m I lkʃe I k/ (milkshakes ) also milk shake N‑VAR A milkshake is a cold drink made by mixing milk with a flavouring or fruit, and sometimes ice cream. □ …a strawberry milkshake.
mi lk tooth (milk teeth ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Your milk teeth are the first teeth that grow in your mouth, which later fall out and are replaced by a second set.
mi lk whi te COLOUR You can use milk white to describe things that are a milky white colour. [LITERARY ] □ Mist was rising, and trees and shrubs began to disappear in a milk-white haze.
milky /m I lki/ (milkier , milkiest )
1 ADJ If you describe something as milky , you mean that it is pale white in colour. You can describe other colours as milky when they are very pale. □ A milky mist filled the valley.
2 ADJ Drinks or food that are milky contain a lot of milk. □ …a large bowl of milky coffee.
Mi lky Wa y N‑PROPER The Milky Way is the pale strip of light consisting of many stars that you can see stretched across the sky at night.
mill ◆◇◇ /m I l/ (mills , milling , milled )
1 N‑COUNT A mill is a building in which grain is crushed to make flour.
2 N‑COUNT A mill is a small device used for grinding something such as coffee beans or pepper into powder. □ …a pepper mill.
3 N‑COUNT A mill is a factory used for making and processing materials such as steel, wool, or cotton. □ …a steel mill. □ …a textile mill.
4 VERB To mill something such as wheat or pepper means to grind it in a mill. □ [V n] They mill 1000 tonnes of flour a day in every Australian state. □ [V -ed] …freshly milled black pepper.
5 → see also milling , rolling mill , run-of-the-mill , watermill
6 grist to the mill → see grist
▸ mill around in BRIT, also use mill about PHRASAL VERB When a crowd of people mill around or mill about , they move around within a particular place or area, so that the movement of the whole crowd looks very confused. □ [V P ] Quite a few people were milling about, but nothing was happening. □ [V P n] Dozens of people milled around Charing Cross Road and Denmark Street.
mil|len|nium /m I le niəm/ (millenniums or millennia )
1 N‑COUNT A millennium is a period of one thousand years, especially one which begins and ends with a year ending in '000', for example the period from the year 1000 to the year 2000. [FORMAL ]
2 N‑SING Many people refer to the year 2000 as the Millennium . □ …the eve of the Millennium.
mil|ler /m I lə r / (millers ) N‑COUNT A miller is a person who owns or operates a mill in which grain is crushed to make flour.
mil|let /m I l I t/ (millets ) N‑VAR Millet is a cereal crop that is grown for its seeds or for hay.
PREFIX milli-
forms nouns that refer to units that are a thousand times smaller. For example, a millimetre is a thousandth of a meter.
mil|li|gram /m I l I græm/ (milligrams ) in BRIT, also use milligramme N‑COUNT [num N ] A milligram is a unit of weight that is equal to a thousandth of a gramme. □ [+ of ] …0.5 milligrams of mercury.
mil|li|li|tre /m I l I liːtə r / (millilitres ) in AM, use milliliter N‑COUNT [num N ] A millilitre is a unit of volume for liquids and gases that is equal to a thousandth of a litre. □ [+ of ] …100 millilitres of blood.
mil|li|metre /m I l I miːtə r / (millimetres ) in AM, use millimeter N‑COUNT [num N ] A millimetre is a metric unit of length that is equal to a tenth of a centimetre or a thousandth of a metre. □ …a tiny little transparent pill, about 20 millimetres long.
mil|li|ner /m I l I nə r / (milliners ) N‑COUNT A milliner is a person whose job is making or selling women's hats.
mil|li|nery /m I l I nəri, [AM ] -neri/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Millinery is used to refer to women's hats. [FORMAL ] □ …her aunt's modest millinery shop.
mill|ing /m I l I ŋ/ ADJ [ADJ n] The people in a milling crowd move around within a particular place or area, so that the movement of the whole crowd looks very confused. □ They moved purposefully through the milling crowd.
mil|lion ◆◆◆ /m I liən/ (millions ) The plural form is million after a number, or after a word or expression referring to a number, such as 'several' or 'a few'. 1 NUM A million or one million is the number 1,000,000. □ Up to five million people a year visit the county. □ Profits for 1999 topped £100 million.
2 QUANT If you talk about millions of people or things, you mean that there is a very large number of them but you do not know or do not want to say exactly how many. □ [+ of ] The programme was viewed on television in millions of homes. USAGE million
Don’t add ‘-s’ to the word million
when you put another number in front of it. Don’t say, for example, ‘
five millions dollars
’. Say ‘five million
dollars’. □
Over six million
people visit the country every year.
mil|lion|aire /m I liəneə r / (millionaires ) N‑COUNT A millionaire is a very rich person who has money or property worth at least a million pounds or dollars. □ By the time he died, he was a millionaire.
mil|lion|air|ess /m I liəneə res/ (millionairesses ) N‑COUNT A millionairess is a woman who has money or property worth at least a million pounds or dollars.
mil|lionth ◆◆◇ /m I liənθ/ (millionths )
1 ORD The millionth item in a series is the one you count as number one million. □ Last year the millionth truck rolled off the assembly line.
2 FRACTION A millionth of something is one of a million equal parts of it. □ [+ of ] The bomb must explode within less than a millionth of a second.
mil|li|pede /m I l I piːd/ (millipedes ) N‑COUNT A millipede is a small creature with a long narrow body and a lot of legs.
mil|li|sec|ond /m I lisekənd/ (milliseconds ) N‑COUNT A millisecond is a unit of time equal to one thousandth of a second.
mill|stone /m I lstoʊn/ (millstones )
1 N‑COUNT A millstone is a large, flat, round stone which is one of a pair of stones used to grind grain into flour.
2 PHRASE If you describe something as a millstone or a millstone around your neck , you mean that it is a very unpleasant problem or responsibility that you cannot escape from. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ For today's politicians, the treaty is becoming a millstone. □ That contract proved to be a millstone around his neck.
mime /ma I m/ (mimes , miming , mimed )
1 N‑VAR Mime is the use of movements and gestures in order to express something or tell a story without using speech. □ Music, mime and strong visual imagery play a strong part in the productions. □ …a mime artist.
2 VERB If you mime something, you describe or express it using mime rather than speech. □ [V n/v-ing] It featured a solo dance in which a woman in a short overall mimed a lot of dainty housework. □ [V n/v-ing] I remember asking her to mime getting up in the morning. [Also V ]
3 VERB If you mime , you pretend to be singing or playing an instrument, although the music is in fact coming from something like a CD. □ [V ] Richey's not miming, he's playing very quiet guitar. □ [V n] In concerts, the group mime their songs. □ [V + to ] The waiters mime to records playing on the jukebox.
mi|met|ic /m I me t I k/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Mimetic movements or activities are ones in which you imitate something. [FORMAL ] □ Both realism and naturalism are mimetic systems or practices of representation.
mim|ic /m I m I k/ (mimics , mimicking , mimicked )
1 VERB If you mimic the actions or voice of a person or animal, you imitate them, usually in a way that is meant to be amusing or entertaining. □ [V n] He could mimic anybody.
2 VERB If someone or something mimics another person or thing, they try to be like them. □ [V n] The computer doesn't mimic human thought; it reaches the same ends by different means.
3 N‑COUNT A mimic is a person who is able to mimic people or animals.
mim|ic|ry /m I m I kri/ N‑UNCOUNT Mimicry is the action of mimicking someone or something. □ One of his few strengths was his skill at mimicry.
min. Min. is a written abbreviation for minimum , or for minutes or minute .
mina|ret /m I nəre t/ (minarets ) N‑COUNT A minaret is a tall thin tower which is part of a mosque.
mince /m I ns/ (minces , mincing , minced )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Mince is meat which has been cut into very small pieces using a machine. [mainly BRIT ] □ Brown the mince in a frying pan. in AM, use ground beef , hamburger meat 2 VERB If you mince food such as meat, you put it into a machine which cuts it into very small pieces. [mainly BRIT ] □ [V n] Perhaps I'll buy lean meat and mince it myself. □ [V -ed] …minced beef. in AM, usually use grind 3 VERB If you say that someone, especially a homosexual man, minces somewhere, you mean that they walk there with quick small steps. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [V prep/adv] They minced in, in beach costumes and make-up.
4 PHRASE If you say that someone does not mince their words , you mean that they speak in a forceful and direct way, especially when saying something unpleasant to someone. □ The doctors didn't mince their words, and predicted the worst.
mince|meat /m I nsmiːt/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Mincemeat is a sticky mixture of small pieces of dried fruit. It is usually cooked in pastry to make mince pies.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Mincemeat is the same as mince . [mainly BRIT ] in AM, use ground beef , hamburger meat
3 PHRASE If you make mincemeat of someone or make mincemeat out of them, you defeat them completely in an argument, fight, or competition. □ I can imagine a defence lawyer making mincemeat of him if we ever put him up in court.
mi nce pie (mince pies ) N‑COUNT Mince pies are small pies containing a sticky mixture of small pieces of dried fruit. Mince pies are usually eaten at Christmas.
minc|er /m I nsə r / (mincers ) N‑COUNT A mincer is a machine which cuts meat into very small pieces by forcing it through very small holes. [BRIT ] in AM, use meat grinder
mind
➊ NOUN USES
➋ VERB USES
➊ mind ◆◆◆ /ma I nd/ (minds )
→ Please look at categories 45 to 47 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1 N‑COUNT [with poss] You refer to someone's mind when talking about their thoughts. For example, if you say that something is in your mind , you mean that you are thinking about it, and if you say that something is at the back of your mind , you mean that you are aware of it, although you are not thinking about it very much. □ I'm trying to clear my mind of all this. □ There was no doubt in his mind that the man was serious. □ I put what happened during that game to the back of my mind. □ He spent the next hour going over the trial in his mind.
2 N‑COUNT Your mind is your ability to think and reason. □ You have a good mind. □ Studying stretched my mind and got me thinking about things.
3 N‑COUNT [usu sing] If you have a particular type of mind , you have a particular way of thinking which is part of your character, or a result of your education or professional training. □ Andrew, you have a very suspicious mind. □ The key to his success is his logical mind. □ …an American writer who has researched the criminal mind.
4 N‑COUNT You can refer to someone as a particular kind of mind as a way of saying that they are clever, intelligent, or imaginative. □ She moved to London, meeting some of the best minds of her time.
5 → see also minded , -minded , frame of mind , state of mind
6 PHRASE If you tell someone to bear something in mind or to keep something in mind , you are reminding or warning them about something important which they should remember. □ Bear in mind that petrol stations are scarce in the more remote areas. □ I should not be surprised about some of her comments, bearing in mind the party she belongs to.
7 PHRASE If something brings another thing to mind or calls another thing to mind , it makes you think of that other thing, usually because it is similar in some way. □ That brings to mind a wonderful poem by Riokin.
8 PHRASE If you cast your mind back to a time in the past, you think about what happened then. □ Cast your mind back to the year the team won the title.
9 PHRASE If you close your mind to something, you deliberately do not think about it or pay attention to it. □ She has closed her mind to last year's traumas.
10 PHRASE If you change your mind , or if someone or something changes your mind , you change a decision you have made or an opinion that you had. □ I was going to vote for him, but I changed my mind. □ It would be impossible to change his mind.
11 PHRASE If something comes to mind or springs to mind , you think of it without making any effort. □ Integrity and honesty are words that spring to mind when talking of the man.
12 PHRASE If you say that an idea or possibility never crossed your mind , you mean that you did not think of it. □ It had never crossed his mind that there might be a problem.
13 PHRASE If you see something in your mind's eye , you imagine it and have a clear picture of it in your mind. □ In his mind's eye, he can imagine the effect he's having.
14 PHRASE If you have a mind to do something, you want, intend, or choose to do it. □ The captain of the guard looked as if he had a mind to challenge them.
15 PHRASE If you say that you have a good mind to do something or have half a mind to do it, you are threatening or announcing that you have a strong desire to do it, although you probably will not do it. □ He raged on about how he had a good mind to resign.
16 PHRASE If you ask someone what they have in mind , you want to know in more detail about an idea or wish they have. □ 'Maybe we could celebrate tonight.'—'What did you have in mind?'
17 PHRASE If you have it in mind to do something, you intend or want to do it. □ Collins Harvill had it in mind to publish a short volume about Pasternak.
18 PHRASE If you do something with a particular thing in mind , you do it with that thing as your aim or as the reason or basis for your action. □ These families need support. With this in mind, a group of 35 specialists met last weekend.
19 PHRASE If you say that something such as an illness is all in the mind , you mean that it relates to someone's feelings or attitude, rather than having any physical cause. □ It could be a virus, or it could be all in the mind.
20 PHRASE If you know your own mind , you are sure about your opinions, and are not easily influenced by other people.
21 PHRASE If you say that someone is losing their mind , you mean that they are becoming mad. □ Sometimes I feel I'm losing my mind.
22 PHRASE If you make up your mind or make your mind up , you decide which of a number of possible things you will have or do. □ Once he made up his mind to do something, there was no stopping him. □ She said her mind was made up.
23 PHRASE You can use the expression mind over matter to describe situations in which a person seems to be able to control events, physical objects, or the condition of their own body using their mind. □ Good health is simply a case of mind over matter.
24 PHRASE If a number of people are of one mind , of like mind , or of the same mind , they all agree about something. □ Contact with other disabled yachtsmen of like mind would be helpful. □ The food companies are not of one mind about these new regulations.
25 PHRASE If you say that something that happens is a load off your mind or a weight off your mind , you mean that it causes you to stop worrying, for example because it solves a problem that you had.
26 PHRASE If something is on your mind , you are worried or concerned about it and think about it a lot. □ This game has been on my mind all week. □ I just forgot. I've had a lot on my mind.
27 PHRASE If your mind is on something or you have your mind on something, you are thinking about that thing. □ At school I was always in trouble–my mind was never on my work.
28 PHRASE If you have an open mind , you avoid forming an opinion or making a decision until you know all the facts. □ It's hard to see it any other way, though I'm trying to keep an open mind.
29 PHRASE If something opens your mind to new ideas or experiences, it makes you more willing to accept them or try them. □ She also stimulated his curiosity and opened his mind to other cultures.
30 PHRASE If you say that someone is out of their mind , you mean that they are mad or very foolish. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ What are you doing? Are you out of your mind?
31 PHRASE If you say that someone is out of their mind with a feeling such as worry or fear, you are emphasizing that they are extremely worried or afraid. [INFORMAL , EMPHASIS ]
32 PHRASE If you say that someone is, for example, bored out of their mind , scared out of their mind , or stoned out of their mind , you are emphasizing that they are extremely bored, scared, or affected by drugs. [INFORMAL , EMPHASIS ]
33 PHRASE If you put your mind to something, you start making an effort to do it. □ You could do fine in the world if you put your mind to it.
34 PHRASE If something puts you in mind of something else, it reminds you of it because it is similar to it or is associated with it. □ This put me in mind of something Patrick said many years ago.
35 PHRASE If you can read someone's mind , you know what they are thinking without them saying anything. □ Don't expect others to read your mind.
36 PHRASE To put someone's mind at rest or set their mind at rest means to stop them worrying about something. □ It may be advisable to have a blood test to put your mind at rest.
37 PHRASE If you say that nobody in their right mind would do a particular thing, you are emphasizing that it is an irrational thing to do and you would be surprised if anyone did it. [EMPHASIS ] □ No one in their right mind would make such a major purchase without asking questions.
38 PHRASE If you set your mind on something or have your mind set on it, you are determined to do it or obtain it. □ When Alice sets her mind on something, she invariably finds a way to achieve it.
39 PHRASE If something slips your mind , you forget it. □ I was going to mention it, but it slipped my mind.
40 PHRASE If you speak your mind , you say firmly and honestly what you think about a situation, even if this may offend or upset people. □ Martina Navratilova has never been afraid to speak her mind.
41 PHRASE If something sticks in your mind , it remains firmly in your memory. □ I've always been fond of poetry and one piece has always stuck in my mind.
42 PHRASE If something takes your mind off a problem or unpleasant situation, it helps you to forget about it for a while. □ 'How about a game of tennis?' suggested Alan. 'That'll take your mind off things.'
43 PHRASE You say or write to my mind to indicate that the statement you are making is your own opinion. □ There are scenes in this play which to my mind are incredibly violent.
44 PHRASE If you are in two minds , you are uncertain about what to do, especially when you have to choose between two courses of action. The expression of two minds is also used, especially in American English. □ [+ about ] Like many parents, I am in two minds about school uniforms.
45 to give someone a piece of your mind → see piece
➋ mind ◆◇◇ /ma I nd/ (minds , minding , minded )
→ Please look at category 21 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1 VERB If you do not mind something, you are not annoyed or bothered by it. □ [V n/v-ing] I don't mind the noise during the day. □ [V n/v-ing] Do you mind being alone? □ [V n v-ing] I hope you don't mind me calling in like this, without an appointment. □ [V ] It involved a little extra work, but nobody seemed to mind.
2 VERB You use mind in the expressions ' do you mind? ' and ' would you mind? ' as a polite way of asking permission or asking someone to do something. [POLITENESS ] □ [V if] Do you mind if I ask you one more thing? □ [V v-ing] Would you mind waiting outside for a moment? □ [V ] 'Would you like me to read that for you?'—'If you wouldn't mind, please.'
3 VERB If someone does not mind what happens or what something is like, they do not have a strong preference for any particular thing. □ [V wh] I don't mind what we play, really.
4 VERB [usu imper] If you tell someone to mind something, you are warning them to be careful not to hurt themselves or other people, or damage something. [BRIT ] □ [V n] Mind that bike! in AM, usually use watch 5 VERB You use mind when you are reminding someone to do something or telling them to be careful not to do something. [BRIT ] □ [V that] Mind you don't burn those sausages. in AM, usually use make sure , take care 6 VERB If you mind a child or something such as a shop or luggage, you look after it, usually while the person who owns it or is usually responsible for it is somewhere else. [BRIT ] □ [V n] Jim Coulters will mind the store while I'm away. in AM, usually use take care of , watch
7 CONVENTION If you are offered something or offered a choice and you say ' I don't mind ', you are saying politely that you will be happy with any of the things offered. [BRIT , FORMULAE ] □ 'Which one of these do you want?'—'I don't mind.'
8 CONVENTION You say ' Don't mind me ' to apologize for your presence when you think that it might embarrass someone, and to tell them to carry on with what they were doing or about to do.
9 PHRASE You use don't mind in expressions such as don't mind him or don't mind them to apologize for someone else's behaviour when you think it might have offended the person you are speaking to. □ Don't mind the old lady. She's getting senile.
10 CONVENTION Some people say ' Mind how you go ' when they are saying goodbye to someone who is leaving. [BRIT , INFORMAL , FORMULAE ]
11 PHRASE People use the expression if you don't mind when they are rejecting an offer or saying that they do not want to do something, especially when they are annoyed. [FEELINGS ] □ 'Sit down.'—'I prefer standing for a while, if you don't mind.'.
12 PHRASE You use mind you to emphasize a piece of information that you are adding, especially when the new information explains what you have said or contrasts with it. Some people use mind in a similar way. [EMPHASIS ] □ They pay full rates. Mind you, they can afford it. □ You need a bit of cold water. Not too cold, mind.
13 CONVENTION You say never mind when you are emphasizing that something is not serious or important, especially when someone is upset about it or is saying sorry to you. [EMPHASIS ]
14 PHRASE You use never mind to tell someone that they need not do something or worry about something, because it is not important or because you will do it yourself. □ 'Was his name David?'—'No I don't think it was, but never mind, go on.' □ Dorothy, come on. Never mind your shoes. They'll soon dry off. □ 'Fewter didn't seem to think so.'—'Never mind what Fewter said.'
15 PHRASE You use never mind after a statement, often a negative one, to indicate that the statement is even more true of the person, thing, or situation that you are going to mention next. [EMPHASIS ] □ I'm not going to believe it myself, never mind convince anyone else.
16 CONVENTION You use never you mind to tell someone not to ask about something because it is not their concern or they should not know about it. [SPOKEN ] □ 'Where is it?'—'Never you mind.'
17 PHRASE If you say that you wouldn't mind something, you mean that you would quite like it. □ I wouldn't mind a coffee.
18 to mind your own business → see business COLLOCATIONS mind NOUN
➊1
verb + mind : clear; concentrate, focus; occupy
➊ 2
adjective + mind : good, healthy, sound; conscious, subconscious, unconscious; human, young
mind + be + adjective : blank
➊ 3
adjective + mind : inquiring, open, suspicious; brilliant, creative; criminal SYNONYMS mind NOUN
➊1
brain: Once you stop using your brain you soon go stale.
psyche: 'It probably shows up a deeply immature part of my psyche,' he confesses.
head: I can't get that song out of my head.
➊ 2
intelligence: Nerve cells, after all, do not have intelligence of their own.
reason: …a conflict between emotion and reason.
intellect: Do the emotions develop in parallel with the intellect? VERB ➋1
object: A lot of people will object to the book.
resent: I resent being dependent on her.
disapprove: Most people disapprove of such violent tactics.
mi nd-altering ADJ [usu ADJ n] A mind-altering drug is one that produces mood changes in the person who has taken it.
mi nd-bending
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe something as mind-bending , you mean that it is difficult to understand or think about. □ …mind-bending debates about the nature of life.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Mind-bending means the same as mind-altering . □ …mind-bending drugs.
mi nd-blowing also mind blowing ADJ If you describe something as mind-blowing , you mean that it is extremely impressive or surprising. [INFORMAL ] □ …a mind-blowing array of treatments.
mi nd-boggling also mind boggling ADJ If you say that something is mind-boggling , you mean that it is so large, complicated, or extreme that it is very hard to imagine. [INFORMAL ] □ The amount of paperwork involved is mind-boggling.
mind|ed /ma I nd I d/ ADJ [v-link ADJ , ADJ to-inf, so ADJ ] If someone is minded to do something, they want or intend to do it. [FORMAL ] □ The Home Office said at that time that it was minded to reject his application for political asylum.
-minded /-ma I nd I d/
1 COMB -minded combines with adjectives to form words that describe someone's character, attitude, opinions, or intelligence. □ These are evil-minded people. □ He is famous for his tough-minded professionalism.
2 COMB -minded combines with adverbs to form adjectives that indicate that someone is interested in a particular subject or is able to think in a particular way. □ I am not an academically-minded person.
3 COMB -minded combines with nouns to form adjectives that indicate that someone thinks a particular thing is important or cares a lot about it. □ He is seen as more business-minded than his predecessor. □ …career-minded women.
mind|er /ma I ndə r / (minders )
1 N‑COUNT A minder is a person whose job is to protect someone, especially someone famous. [mainly BRIT , INFORMAL ]
2 N‑COUNT A minder is the same as a childminder . [BRIT ]
mind|ful /ma I ndfʊl/ ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you are mindful of something, you think about it and consider it when taking action. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] We must be mindful of the consequences of selfishness.
mind|ful|ness /ma I ndfʊlnəs/ N‑UNCOUNT Mindfulness is a way of training your mind to concentrate on the present, in order to feel calm and improve your mental state. □ We have started teaching mindfulness techniques to our pupils.
mind|less /ma I ndləs/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe a violent action as mindless , you mean that it is done without thought and will achieve nothing. [mainly BRIT , DISAPPROVAL ] □ …a plot that mixes blackmail, extortion and mindless violence.
2 ADJ If you describe a person or group as mindless , you mean that they are stupid or do not think about what they are doing. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ The mindless idiots are just trying to get a reaction. ● mind|less|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ I was annoyed with myself for having so mindlessly lost thirty dollars.
3 ADJ If you describe an activity as mindless , you mean that it is extremely dull. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …the mindless repetitiveness of some tasks. ● mind|less|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ I spent many hours mindlessly banging a tennis ball against the wall.
mi nd-numbing ADJ If you describe an event or experience as mind-numbing , you mean that it is so bad, boring, or great in extent that you are unable to think about it clearly. □ It was another day of mind-numbing tedium. ● mind-numbingly ADV [ADV adj] □ …a mind-numbingly boring sport.
mi ndset /ma I ndset/ (mindsets ) also mind-set N‑COUNT [oft with poss, adj N ] If you refer to someone's mindset , you mean their general attitudes and the way they typically think about things. □ Flexible working was part of the mindset of the company from the start.
mine
➊ PRONOUN USE
➋ NOUN AND VERB USES
➊ mine ◆◆◆ /ma I n/ PRON Mine is the first person singular possessive pronoun. A speaker or writer uses mine to refer to something that belongs or relates to himself or herself. □ Her right hand is inches from mine. □ I'm looking for a friend of mine who lives here.
➋ mine /ma I n/ (mines , mining , mined )
1 N‑COUNT [oft n N ] A mine is a place where deep holes and tunnels are dug under the ground in order to obtain a mineral such as coal, diamonds, or gold. □ …coal mines.
2 VERB [usu passive] When a mineral such as coal, diamonds, or gold is mined , it is obtained from the ground by digging deep holes and tunnels. □ [be V -ed] The pit is being shut down because it no longer has enough coal that can be mined economically.
3 N‑COUNT A mine is a bomb which is hidden in the ground or in water and which explodes when people or things touch it.
4 VERB If an area of land or water is mined , mines are placed there which will explode when people or things touch them. □ [be V -ed] The approaches to the garrison have been heavily mined. [Also V n]
5 PHRASE If you say that someone is a mine of information , you mean that they know a great deal about something.
6 → see also mining
mine|field /ma I nfiːld/ (minefields )
1 N‑COUNT A minefield is an area of land or water where explosive mines have been hidden.
2 N‑COUNT [oft adj N ] If you describe a situation as a minefield , you are emphasizing that there are a lot of hidden dangers or problems, and where people need to behave with care because things could easily go wrong. [EMPHASIS ] □ The whole subject is a political minefield. [Also + of ]
min|er ◆◇◇ /ma I nə r / (miners ) N‑COUNT A miner is a person who works underground in mines in order to obtain minerals such as coal, diamonds, or gold.
min|er|al /m I nərəl/ (minerals ) N‑COUNT A mineral is a substance such as tin, salt, or sulphur that is formed naturally in rocks and in the earth. Minerals are also found in small quantities in food and drink.
mi n|er|al wa|ter (mineral waters ) N‑VAR Mineral water is water that comes out of the ground naturally and is considered healthy to drink. ● N‑COUNT A glass of mineral water can be referred to as a mineral water .
min|estro|ne /m I n I stroʊ ni/ N‑UNCOUNT Minestrone soup is a type of soup made from meat stock that contains small pieces of vegetable and pasta.
mine|sweeper /ma I nswiːpə r / (minesweepers ) also mine sweeper N‑COUNT A minesweeper is a ship that is used to clear away explosive mines in the sea.
min|gle /m I ŋg ə l/ (mingles , mingling , mingled )
1 VERB If things such as sounds, smells, or feelings mingle , they become mixed together but are usually still recognizable. □ [V ] Now the cheers and applause mingled in a single sustained roar. □ [V + with ] Foreboding mingled with his excitement.
2 VERB At a party, if you mingle with the other people there, you move around and talk to them. □ [V + with ] Go out of your way to mingle with others at the wedding. □ [V ] Guests ate and mingled. □ [V ] Alison mingled for a while and then went to where Douglas stood with John.
mini /m I ni/ (minis ) N‑COUNT A mini is the same as a mini-skirt .
PREFIX mini-
forms nouns that refer to things that are a smaller version of something else. For example, a minibus is a small bus.
minia|ture /m I n I tʃə r , [AM ] m I niətʃʊr/ (miniatures )
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Miniature is used to describe something which is very small, especially a smaller version of something which is normally much bigger. □ …miniature roses. □ He looked like a miniature version of his handsome and elegant big brother.
2 PHRASE If you describe one thing as another thing in miniature , you mean that it is much smaller in size or scale than the other thing, but is otherwise exactly the same. □ Ecuador provides a perfect introduction to South America; it's a continent in miniature.
3 N‑COUNT A miniature is a very small detailed painting, often of a person.
4 N‑COUNT A miniature is a very small bottle of strong alcohol such as whisky or brandy, and usually contains enough for one or two drinks.
minia|tur|ize /m I n I tʃəra I z/ (miniaturizes , miniaturizing , miniaturized ) in BRIT, also use miniaturise VERB If you miniaturize something such as a machine, you produce a very small version of it. □ [V n] …the problems of further miniaturizing the available technologies. □ [V -ed] …miniaturized amplifiers and receivers. ● minia|turi|za|tion /m I n I tʃəra I ze I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ …increasing miniaturization in the computer industry.
mini|bar /m I nibɑː r / (minibars ) N‑COUNT In a hotel room, a minibar is a small fridge containing alcoholic drinks.
mi ni-break (mini-breaks ) N‑COUNT A mini-break is a short holiday. [BRIT , JOURNALISM ]
mini|bus /m I nibʌs/ (minibuses ) also mini-bus N‑COUNT [oft by N ] A minibus is a large van which has seats in the back for passengers, and windows along its sides.
mini|cab /m I nikæb/ (minicabs ) also mini-cab N‑COUNT A minicab is a taxi which you have to arrange to pick you up by phone. [BRIT ] □ If you want a cheap ride, take a minicab.
mini|cam /m I nikæm/ (minicams ) N‑COUNT A minicam is a very small television camera.
mini|dish /m I nid I ʃ/ (minidishes ) N‑COUNT A minidish is a small satellite dish that can receive signals from communications satellites for media such as television programmes and the internet.
min|im /m I n I m/ (minims ) N‑COUNT A minim is a musical note that has a time value equal to two crotchets or two quarter notes. [BRIT ] in AM, use half note
mini|mal /m I n I m ə l/ ADJ Something that is minimal is very small in quantity, value, or degree. □ The co-operation between the two is minimal. □ One aim of these reforms is effective defence with minimal expenditure.
mini|mal|ism /m I n I məl I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Minimalism is a style in which a small number of very simple things are used to create a particular effect. □ In her own home, she replaced austere minimalism with cosy warmth and colour.
mini|mal|ist /m I n I məl I st/ (minimalists )
1 N‑COUNT A minimalist is an artist or designer who uses minimalism. □ He was influenced by the minimalists in the 1970s.
2 ADJ Minimalist is used to describe ideas, artists, or designers that are influenced by minimalism. □ The two designers settled upon a minimalist approach.
mini|mal|istic /m I n I məl I st I k/ ADJ A minimalistic style is simple and plain, without any decoration. □ The modern trend is minimalistic with simple, square components.
mini|mize /m I n I ma I z/ (minimizes , minimizing , minimized ) in BRIT, also use minimise 1 VERB If you minimize a risk, problem, or unpleasant situation, you reduce it to the lowest possible level, or prevent it increasing beyond that level. □ [be V -ed] Many of these problems can be minimised by sensible planning.
2 VERB If you minimize something, you make it seem smaller or less significant than it really is. □ [V n] Some have minimized the importance of ideological factors.
3 VERB If you minimize a window on a computer screen, you make it very small, because you do not want to use it. □ [V n] Click the square icon again to minimize the window.
mini|mum ◆◇◇ /m I n I məm/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] You use minimum to describe an amount which is the smallest that is possible, allowed, or required. □ He was only five feet nine, the minimum height for a policeman. □ …a rise in the minimum wage. ● N‑SING Minimum is also a noun. □ [+ of ] This will take a minimum of one hour. □ Four foot should be seen as an absolute minimum.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] You use minimum to state how small an amount is. □ The basic needs of life are available with minimum effort. □ Neil and Chris try to spend the minimum amount of time on the garden. ● N‑SING Minimum is also a noun. □ With a minimum of fuss, she produced the grandson he had so desperately wished for.
3 ADV If you say that something is a particular amount minimum , you mean that this is the smallest amount it should be or could possibly be, although a larger amount is acceptable or very possible. □ You're talking over a thousand pounds minimum for one course.
4 PHRASE You use at a minimum , or at the minimum , when you want to indicate that something is the very least which could or should happen. □ This would take three months at a minimum.
5 PHRASE If you say that someone keeps something to a minimum , or to the minimum , you mean that they keep the amount of it as small as possible. □ Office machinery is kept to a minimum.
mi ni|mum se|cu |rity pri s|on (minimum security prisons ) N‑COUNT A minimum security prison is a prison where there are fewer restrictions on prisoners than in a normal prison. [mainly AM ] in BRIT, use open prison
mi ni|mum wa ge N‑SING The minimum wage is the lowest wage that an employer is allowed to pay an employee, according to a law or agreement.
min|ing /ma I n I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Mining is the industry and activities connected with getting valuable or useful minerals from the ground, for example coal, diamonds, or gold. □ …traditional industries such as coal mining and steel making.
min|ion /m I njən/ (minions ) N‑COUNT [usu pl, usu poss N ] If you refer to someone's minions , you are referring to people who have to do what that person tells them to do, especially unimportant or boring tasks. [LITERARY , DISAPPROVAL ] □ She delegated the job to one of her minions.
mi ni-series (mini-series ) N‑COUNT A mini-series is a drama shown on television in two or three parts, usually in one week.
mi ni-skirt (mini-skirts ) also miniskirt N‑COUNT A mini-skirt is a very short skirt.
min|is|ter ◆◆◆ /m I n I stə r / (ministers , ministering , ministered )
1 N‑COUNT [n N ] In Britain and some other countries, a minister is a person who is in charge of a particular government department. □ [+ of ] When the government had come to power, he had been named Minister of Culture. □ … he newly appointed defence minister.
2 N‑COUNT A minister is a person who officially represents their government in a foreign country and has a lower rank than an ambassador. □ He concluded a deal with the Danish minister in Washington.
3 N‑COUNT A minister is a member of the clergy, especially in Protestant churches. □ His father was a Baptist minister.
4 VERB If you minister to people or to their needs, you serve them or help them, for example by making sure that they have everything they need or want. [FORMAL ] □ [V + to ] For 44 years he had ministered to the poor, the sick, the neglected and the deprived.
min|is|terial /m I n I st I ə riəl/ ADJ [ADJ n] You use ministerial to refer to people, events, or jobs that are connected with government ministers. □ The prime minister's initial ministerial appointments haven't pleased all his supporters.
mini|stra|tions /m I n I stre I ʃ ə nz/ N‑PLURAL [usu with poss] A person's ministrations are the things they do to help or care for someone in a particular situation, especially someone who is weak or ill. [HUMOROUS or LITERARY ] □ …the tender ministrations of the buxom woman who cut his hair.
min|is|try ◆◆◇ /m I n I stri/ (ministries )
1 N‑COUNT [n N ] In Britain and some other countries, a ministry is a government department which deals with a particular thing or area of activity, for example trade, defence, or transport. □ [+ of ] …the Ministry of Justice. □ …a spokesman for the Agriculture Ministry.
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing, usu with poss] The ministry of a religious person is the work that they do that is based on or inspired by their religious beliefs. □ His ministry is among the poor.
mink /m I ŋk/ (minks or mink )
1 N‑COUNT A mink is a small animal with highly valued fur. □ …a proposal for a ban on the hunting of foxes, mink and hares. ● N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Mink is the fur of a mink. □ …a mink coat.
2 N‑COUNT A mink is a coat or other garment made from the fur of a mink. □ Some people like to dress up in minks and diamonds.
min|now /m I noʊ/ (minnows ) N‑COUNT A minnow is a very small fish that lives in lakes and rivers.
mi|nor ◆◇◇ /ma I nə r / (minors , minoring , minored )
1 ADJ You use minor when you want to describe something that is less important, serious, or significant than other things in a group or situation. □ She is known in Italy for a number of minor roles in films. □ Western officials say the problem is minor, and should be quickly overcome.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A minor illness or operation is not likely to be dangerous to someone's life or health. □ Sarah had been plagued continually by a series of minor illnesses. □ His mother had to go to the hospital for minor surgery.
3 ADJ [n ADJ , ADJ n] In European music, a minor scale is one in which the third note is three semitones higher than the first. □ …the unfinished sonata movement in F minor.
4 N‑COUNT A minor is a person who is still legally a child. In Britain and most states in the United States, people are minors until they reach the age of eighteen. □ The approach has virtually ended cigarette sales to minors.
5 N‑COUNT [oft poss N ] At a university or college in the United States, a student's minor is a subject that they are studying in addition to their main subject, or major.
6 N‑COUNT [n N ] At a university or college in the United States, if a student is, for example, a geology minor , they are studying geology as well as their main subject.
7 VERB If a student at a university or college in the United States minors in a particular subject, they study it in addition to their main subject. □ [V + in ] I'm minoring in computer science. SYNONYMS minor ADJ 1
unimportant: It was an unimportant job, and paid very little.
insignificant: In 1949 Bonn was a small, insignificant city.
trivial: The director tried to wave aside these issues as trivial details.
mi|nor|ity ◆◆◇ /m I nɒ r I ti, [AM ] -nɔː r-/ (minorities )
1 N‑SING If you talk about a minority of people or things in a larger group, you are referring to a number of them that forms less than half of the larger group, usually much less than half. □ [+ of ] Local authority nursery provision covers only a tiny minority of working mothers. □ …minority shareholders. ● PHRASE If people are in a minority or in the minority , they belong to a group of people or things that form less than half of a larger group. □ Even in the 1960s, politically active students and academics were in a minority. □ In the past conservatives have been in the minority.
2 N‑COUNT A minority is a group of people of the same race, culture, or religion who live in a place where most of the people around them are of a different race, culture, or religion. □ …the region's ethnic minorities.
min|strel /m I nstrəl/ (minstrels ) N‑COUNT In medieval times, a minstrel was a singer and musician who travelled around and entertained noble families.
mint /m I nt/ (mints , minting , minted )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Mint is a herb with fresh-tasting leaves. □ Garnish with mint sprigs.
2 N‑COUNT A mint is a sweet with a peppermint flavour. Some people suck mints in order to make their breath smell fresher.
3 N‑COUNT [usu sing] The mint is the place where the official coins of a country are made. □ In 1965 the mint stopped putting silver in dimes.
4 VERB To mint coins or medals means to make them in a mint. □ [V n] …the right to mint coins.
5 N‑SING If you say that someone makes a mint , you mean that they make a very large amount of money. [INFORMAL ] □ Everybody thinks I'm making a mint.
6 PHRASE If you say that something is in mint condition , you mean that it is in perfect condition.
mint|ed /m I nt I d/ ADJ [usu ADJ n, adv ADJ ] If you describe something as newly minted or freshly minted , you mean that it is very new, and that it has only just been produced or completed. □ He seemed to be pleased by this newly minted vehicle. □ …the movie's freshly minted script.
mi nt sau ce N‑UNCOUNT Mint sauce is a sauce made from mint leaves, vinegar, and sugar, which is often eaten with lamb.
minu|et /m I njue t/ (minuets )
1 N‑COUNT In the music of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, a minuet is a piece of music with three beats in a bar which is played at moderate speed.
2 N‑COUNT A minuet is a fairly slow and formal dance which was popular in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
mi|nus /ma I nəs/ (minuses )
1 CONJ You use minus to show that one number or quantity is being subtracted from another. □ One minus one is zero. □ They've been promised their full July salary minus the hardship payment.
2 ADJ Minus before a number or quantity means that the number or quantity is less than zero. □ The aircraft was subjected to temperatures of minus 65 degrees and plus 120 degrees.
3 Teachers use minus in grading work in schools and colleges. 'B minus' is not as good as 'B', but is a better grade than 'C'. □ I'm giving him a B minus.
4 PREP To be minus something means not to have that thing. □ The film company collapsed, leaving Chris jobless and minus his life savings.
5 N‑COUNT A minus is a disadvantage. [INFORMAL ] □ The minuses far outweigh that possible gain.
6 PHRASE You use plus or minus to give the amount by which a particular number may vary. □ The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 per cent.
mi|nus|cule /m I n I skjuːl/ ADJ If you describe something as minuscule , you mean that it is very small. □ The film was shot in 17 days, a minuscule amount of time.
mi |nus sign (minus signs ) N‑COUNT A minus sign is the sign - which is put between two numbers in order to show that the second number is being subtracted from the first one. It is also put before a number to show that the number is less than zero.
minute
➊ NOUN AND VERB USES
➋ ADJECTIVE USE
➊ min|ute ◆◆◆ /m I n I t/ (minutes , minuting , minuted )
1 N‑COUNT A minute is one of the sixty parts that an hour is divided into. People often say ' a minute ' or ' minutes ' when they mean a short length of time. □ The pizza will then take about twenty minutes to cook. □ Bye Mum, see you in a minute. □ Within minutes we realized our mistake.
2 N‑PLURAL The minutes of a meeting are the written records of the things that are discussed or decided at it. □ [+ of ] He'd been reading the minutes of the last meeting.
3 VERB When someone minutes something that is discussed or decided at a meeting, they make a written record of it. □ [V n] You don't need to minute that.
4 → see also up-to-the-minute
5 CONVENTION People often use expressions such as wait a minute or just a minute when they want to stop you doing or saying something. □ Wait a minute, folks, something is wrong here. □ Hey, just a minute!
6 PHRASE If you say that something will or may happen at any minute or any minute now , you are emphasizing that it is likely to happen very soon. [EMPHASIS ] □ It looked as though it might rain at any minute. □ Any minute now, that phone is going to ring.
7 PHRASE If you say that you do not believe for a minute or for one minute that something is true, you are emphasizing that you do not believe that it is true. [EMPHASIS ] □ I don't believe for one minute she would have been scared.
8 PHRASE A last-minute action is one that is done at the latest time possible. □ She was doing some last-minute revision for her exams. □ He will probably wait until the last minute.
9 PHRASE You use the expression the next minute or expressions such as ' one minute he was there , the next he was gone' to emphasize that something happens suddenly. [EMPHASIS ] □ The next minute my father came in. □ Jobs are there one minute, gone the next.
10 PHRASE If you say that something happens the minute something else happens, you are emphasizing that it happens immediately after the other thing. [EMPHASIS ] □ The minute you do this, you'll lose control.
11 PHRASE If you say that something must be done this minute , you are emphasizing that it must be done immediately. [EMPHASIS ] □ Anna, stop that. Sit down this minute.
➋ mi|nute /ma I njuː t, [AM ] -nuː t-/ (minutest ) Minute does not have a comparative form. The superlative form minutest is used to emphasize how small something is, rather than in comparisons. ADJ If you say that something is minute , you mean that it is very small. □ Only a minute amount is needed. □ The party was planned in the minutest detail.
mi|nute|ly /ma I njuː tli, [AM ] -nuː t-/
1 ADV [ADV with v] You use minutely to indicate that something is done in great detail. □ The metal is then minutely examined to ensure there are no cracks.
2 ADV [usu ADV adj/-ed] You use minutely to indicate that the size or extent of something is very small. □ The benefit of an x-ray far outweighs the minutely increased risk of cancer.
mi|nu|tiae /ma I njuː ʃiiː, [AM ] m I nuː ʃ-/ N‑PLURAL The minutiae of something such as someone's job or life are the very small details of it. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] Much of his early work is concerned with the minutiae of rural life.
mira|cle /m I rək ə l/ (miracles )
1 N‑COUNT If you say that a good event is a miracle , you mean that it is very surprising and unexpected. □ It is a miracle no one was killed.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] A miracle drug or product does something that was thought almost impossible. [JOURNALISM ] □ …a miracle drug that is said to be a cure for Aids and cancer.
3 N‑COUNT A miracle is a wonderful and surprising event that is believed to be caused by God. □ …Jesus's ability to perform miracles.
mi ra|cle wo rk|er (miracle workers ) N‑COUNT If you describe someone as a miracle worker , you mean that they have achieved or are able to achieve success in something that other people have found very difficult. [APPROVAL ] □ At work he was regarded as a miracle worker, the man who took risks and could not lose.
mi|racu|lous /m I ræ kjʊləs/
1 ADJ If you describe a good event as miraculous , you mean that it is very surprising and unexpected. □ The horse made a miraculous recovery to finish a close third. □ …a miraculous escape. ● mi|racu|lous|ly ADV [ADV with v, oft ADV adj] □ Miraculously, the guards escaped death or serious injury.
2 ADJ If someone describes a wonderful event as miraculous , they believe that the event was caused by God. □ …miraculous healing. □ …miraculous powers.
mi|rage /m I rɑːʒ/ (mirages )
1 N‑COUNT A mirage is something which you see when it is extremely hot, for example in the desert, and which appears to be quite near but is actually a long way away or does not really exist. □ [+ of ] It hovered before his eyes like the mirage of an oasis.
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] If you describe something as a mirage , you mean that it is not real or true, although it may seem to be. □ The girl was a mirage, cast up by his troubled mind.
mire /ma I ə r /
1 N‑SING You can refer to an unpleasant or difficult situation as a mire of some kind. [LITERARY ] □ [+ of ] …a mire of poverty and ignorance.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Mire is dirt or mud. [LITERARY ] □ …the muck and mire of sewers and farmyards.
mir|ror ◆◇◇ /m I rə r / (mirrors , mirroring , mirrored )
1 N‑COUNT A mirror is a flat piece of glass which reflects light, so that when you look at it you can see yourself reflected in it. □ He absent-mindedly looked at himself in the mirror. ● mir|rored ADJ □ …a mirrored ceiling.
2 VERB If something mirrors something else, it has similar features to it, and therefore seems like a copy or representation of it. □ [V n] The book inevitably mirrors my own interests and experiences.
3 VERB If you see something reflected in water, you can say that the water mirrors it. [LITERARY ] □ [V n] …the sudden glitter where a newly-flooded field mirrors the sky. COLLOCATIONS mirror NOUN 1
noun + mirror : bathroom, hand, shaving, vanity; driving, side
adjective + mirror : full-length, two-way SYNONYMS mirror VERB 2
copy: Children can be seen to copy the behaviour of others whom they admire or identify with.
reflect: Concern at the economic situation was reflected in the government's budget.
show: These figures show an increase of over one million in unemployment.
mi r|ror i m|age (mirror images ) also mirror-image N‑COUNT If something is a mirror image of something else, it is like a reflection of it, either because it is exactly the same or because it is the same but reversed. □ [+ of ] I saw in him a mirror image of my younger self.
mi r|ror si te (mirror sites ) N‑COUNT A mirror site is a website which is the same as another website operated by the same person or organization but has a slightly different address. Mirror sites are designed to make it easier for more people to visit a popular website.
mirth /mɜː r θ/ N‑UNCOUNT Mirth is amusement which you express by laughing. [LITERARY ] □ That caused considerable mirth amongst pupils and sports masters alike.
mirth|less /mɜː r θləs/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If someone gives a mirthless laugh or smile, it is obvious that they are not really amused. [WRITTEN ]
PREFIX mis-
forms verbs and nouns that refer to something being done badly or wrongly. For example, misbehaviour is bad behaviour.
mis|ad|ven|ture /m I sədve ntʃə r / (misadventures ) N‑VAR A misadventure is an unfortunate incident. [FORMAL ] □ …a series of misadventures. □ A verdict of death by misadventure was recorded.
mis|an|thrope /m I z ə nθroʊp/ (misanthropes ) N‑COUNT A misanthrope is a person who does not like other people. [FORMAL ]
mis|an|throp|ic /m I z ə nθrɒ pik/ ADJ If you describe a person or their feelings as misanthropic , you mean that they do not like other people. [FORMAL ]
mis|an|thro|py /m I zæ nθrəpi/ N‑UNCOUNT Misanthropy is a general dislike of people. [FORMAL ]
mis|ap|pli|ca|tion /m I sæpl I ke I ʃ ə n/ (misapplications ) N‑VAR If you talk about the misapplication of something, you mean it is used for a purpose it was not intended for. □ [+ of ] He's charged with conspiracy, misapplication of funds and other crimes. □ [+ of ] …a common misapplication of the law.
mis|ap|ply /m I səpla I / (misapplies , misapplying , misapplied ) VERB [usu passive] If something is misapplied , it is used for a purpose for which it is not intended or not suitable. □ [be V -ed] Many lines from Shakespeare's plays are misquoted and misapplied. □ [be V -ed] The law had been misapplied.
mis|ap|pre|hen|sion /m I sæpr I he nʃ ə n/ (misapprehensions ) N‑VAR [oft N that, under N ] A misapprehension is a wrong idea or impression that you have about something. □ Men still appear to be labouring under the misapprehension that women want hairy, muscular men.
mis|ap|pro|pri|ate /m I səproʊ prie I t/ (misappropriates , misappropriating , misappropriated ) VERB If someone misappropriates money which does not belong to them, they take it without permission and use it for their own purposes. □ [V n] I took no money for personal use and have not misappropriated any funds whatsoever. ● mis|ap|pro|pria|tion /m I səproʊprie I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] He pleaded guilty to charges of misappropriation of bank funds.
mis|be|have /m I sb I he I v/ (misbehaves , misbehaving , misbehaved ) VERB If someone, especially a child, misbehaves , they behave in a way that is not acceptable to other people. □ [V ] When the children misbehaved, she was unable to cope.
mis|be|hav|iour /m I sb I he I vjə r / in AM, use misbehavior N‑UNCOUNT Misbehaviour is behaviour that is not acceptable to other people. [FORMAL ] □ If the toddler had been dealt with properly, his misbehaviour would have been avoided.
mis|cal|cu|late /m I skæ lkjʊle I t/ (miscalculates , miscalculating , miscalculated ) VERB If you miscalculate , you make a mistake in judging a situation or in making a calculation. □ [V n] It's clear that he has badly miscalculated the mood of the people. □ [V ] The government appears to have miscalculated and bills are higher as a result. ● mis|cal|cu|la|tion /m I skælkjʊle I ʃ ə n/ (miscalculations ) N‑VAR □ The coup failed because of miscalculations by the plotters.
mis|car|riage /m I skæ r I dʒ, -kær-/ (miscarriages ) N‑VAR If a pregnant woman has a miscarriage , her baby dies and she gives birth to it before it is properly formed.
mis|ca r|riage of ju s|tice (miscarriages of justice ) N‑VAR A miscarriage of justice is a wrong decision made by a court, as a result of which an innocent person is punished. □ I can imagine no greater miscarriage of justice than the execution of an innocent man.
mis|car|ry /m I skæ ri, -kæri/ (miscarries , miscarrying , miscarried ) VERB If a woman miscarries , she has a miscarriage. □ [V ] Many women who miscarry eventually have healthy babies. [Also V n]
mis|cast /m I skɑː st, -kæ st/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If someone who is acting in a play or film is miscast , the role that they have is not suitable for them, so that they appear silly or unconvincing to the audience.
mis|cel|la|neous /m I səle I niəs/ ADJ [ADJ n] A miscellaneous group consists of many different kinds of things or people that are difficult to put into a particular category. □ …a hoard of miscellaneous junk.
mis|cel|la|ny /m I se ləni, [AM ] m I səle I ni/ (miscellanies ) N‑COUNT A miscellany of things is a collection or group of many different kinds of things. [WRITTEN ] □ [+ of ] …glass cases filled with a miscellany of objects.
mis|chief /m I stʃ I f/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Mischief is playing harmless tricks on people or doing things you are not supposed to do. It can also refer to the desire to do this. □ The little lad was a real handful. He was always up to mischief. □ His eyes were full of mischief.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Mischief is behaviour that is intended to cause trouble for people. It can also refer to the trouble that is caused. □ Angry MPs have continued to make mischief.
mi schief-maker (mischief-makers ) N‑COUNT If you say that someone is a mischief-maker , you are criticizing them for saying or doing things which are intended to cause trouble between people. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ The letter had come from an unknown mischief-maker.
mis|chie|vous /m I stʃ I vəs/
1 ADJ A mischievous person likes to have fun by playing harmless tricks on people or doing things they are not supposed to do. □ She rocks back and forth on her chair like a mischievous child. ● mis|chie|vous|ly ADV [usu ADV with v] □ Kathryn winked mischievously.
2 ADJ A mischievous act or suggestion is intended to cause trouble. □ …a mischievous campaign by the press to divide the ANC. ● mis|chie|vous|ly ADV [usu ADV with v] □ That does not require 'massive' military intervention, as some have mischievously claimed.
mis|com|mu|ni|ca|tion /m I skəmjuːn I ke I ʃən/ (miscommunications ) N‑VAR A miscommunication is a failure to communicate effectively. □ Don’t let your marriage fall apart because of a simple miscommunication.
mis|con|ceived /m I skənsiː vd/ ADJ If you describe a plan or method as misconceived , you mean it is not the right one for dealing with a particular problem or situation. □ The teachers say the tests for 14-year-olds are misconceived. □ …Lawrence's worthy but misconceived idea.
mis|con|cep|tion /m I skənse pʃ ə n/ (misconceptions ) N‑COUNT A misconception is an idea that is not correct. □ There are many fears and misconceptions about cancer.
mis|con|duct /m I skɒ ndʌkt/ N‑UNCOUNT Misconduct is bad or unacceptable behaviour, especially by a professional person. □ Dr Lee was cleared of serious professional misconduct.
mis|con|strue /m I skənstruː / (misconstrues , misconstruing , misconstrued ) VERB If you misconstrue something that has been said or something that happens, you interpret it wrongly. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] An outsider might misconstrue the nature of the relationship.
mis|cre|ant /m I skriənt/ (miscreants ) N‑COUNT A miscreant is someone who has done something illegal or behaved badly. [LITERARY ] □ Local people demanded that the District Magistrate apprehend the miscreants.
mis|deed /m I sdiː d/ (misdeeds ) N‑COUNT A misdeed is a bad or evil act. [FORMAL ] □ …the alleged financial misdeeds of his government.
mis|de|mean|our /m I sd I miː nə r / (misdemeanours ) in AM, use misdemeanor 1 N‑COUNT A misdemeanour is an act that some people consider to be wrong or unacceptable. [FORMAL ] □ Emily knew nothing about her husband's misdemeanours.
2 N‑COUNT In the United States and other countries where the legal system distinguishes between very serious crimes and less serious ones, a misdemeanour is a less serious crime. [LEGAL ] □ She was charged with a misdemeanour, that of carrying a concealed weapon.
mis|di|rect /m I sd I re kt, -da I r-/ (misdirects , misdirecting , misdirected )
1 VERB [usu passive] If resources or efforts are misdirected , they are used in the wrong way or for the wrong purposes. □ [be V -ed] Many of the aid projects in the developing world have been misdirected in the past. ● mis|di|rect|ed ADJ □ …a misdirected effort to mollify the bishop.
2 VERB If you misdirect someone, you send them in the wrong direction. □ [V n] He had deliberately misdirected the reporters.
mi|ser /ma I zə r / (misers ) N‑COUNT If you say that someone is a miser , you disapprove of them because they seem to hate spending money, and to spend as little as possible. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ I'm married to a miser.
mis|er|able /m I zərəb ə l/
1 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you are miserable , you are very unhappy. □ I took a series of badly paid secretarial jobs which made me really miserable. ● mis|er|ably /m I zərəbli/ ADV [usu ADV after v] □ He looked miserably down at his plate.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe a place or situation as miserable , you mean that it makes you feel unhappy or depressed. □ There was nothing at all in this miserable place to distract him.
3 ADJ If you describe the weather as miserable , you mean that it makes you feel depressed, because it is raining or dull. □ It was a grey, wet, miserable day.
4 ADJ [ADJ n] If you describe someone as miserable , you mean that you do not like them because they are bad-tempered or unfriendly. □ He always was a miserable man. He never spoke to me nor anybody else.
5 ADJ You can describe a quantity or quality as miserable when you think that it is much smaller or worse than it ought to be. [EMPHASIS ] □ Our speed over the ground was a miserable 2.2 knots. ● mis|er|ably ADV [ADV adj] □ …the miserably inadequate supply of books now provided for schools.
6 ADJ [ADJ n] A miserable failure is a very great one. [EMPHASIS ] □ The film was a miserable commercial failure both in Italy and in the United States. ● mis|er|ably ADV [ADV with v] □ Some manage it. Some fail miserably.
mi|ser|ly /ma I zə r li/
1 ADJ If you describe someone as miserly , you disapprove of them because they seem to hate spending money, and to spend as little as possible. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ He is miserly with both his time and his money.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe an amount of something as miserly , you are critical of it because it is very small. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Being a student today with miserly grants and limited career prospects is difficult.
mis|ery /m I zəri/ (miseries )
1 N‑VAR Misery is great unhappiness. □ All that money brought nothing but sadness and misery and tragedy. □ [+ of ] …the miseries of his youth.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Misery is the way of life and unpleasant living conditions of people who are very poor. □ [+ of ] A tiny, educated elite profited from the misery of their two million fellow countrymen.
3 PHRASE If someone makes your life a misery , they behave in an unpleasant way towards you over a period of time and make you very unhappy. □ …the gangs of kids who make our lives a misery.
4 PHRASE If you put someone out of their misery , you tell them something that they are very anxious to know. [INFORMAL ] □ Please put me out of my misery. How do you do it?
5 PHRASE If you put an animal out of its misery , you kill it because it is sick or injured and cannot be cured or healed.
mi s|ery me m|oir (misery memoirs ) N‑COUNT A misery memoir is a book that someone has written about their own life in which they describe many sad things that happened when they were a child. □ His latest book is a misery memoir about his life in rural Africa.
mis|fire /m I sfa I ə r / (misfires , misfiring , misfired )
1 VERB If a plan misfires , it goes wrong and does not have the results that you intend it to have. □ [V ] Some of their policies had misfired.
2 VERB If an engine misfires , the fuel fails to start burning when it should. □ [V ] The boat's engine misfired after he tried to start it up.
3 VERB If a gun misfires , the bullet is not sent out as it should be when the gun is fired. □ [V ] The gun misfired after one shot and jammed.
mis|fit /m I sf I t/ (misfits ) N‑COUNT A misfit is a person who is not easily accepted by other people, often because their behaviour is very different from that of everyone else. □ I have been made to feel a social and psychological misfit for not wanting children.
mis|for|tune /m I sfɔː r tʃuːn/ (misfortunes ) N‑VAR A misfortune is something unpleasant or unlucky that happens to someone. □ [+ of ] She seemed to enjoy the misfortunes of others. □ He had his full share of misfortune.
mis|giv|ing /m I sg I v I ŋ/ (misgivings ) N‑VAR If you have misgivings about something that is being suggested or done, you feel that it is not quite right, and are worried that it may have unwanted results. □ She had some misgivings about what she was about to do.
mis|guid|ed /m I sga I d I d/ ADJ If you describe an opinion or plan as misguided , you are critical of it because you think it is based on an incorrect idea. You can also describe people as misguided. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ In a misguided attempt to be funny, he manages only offensiveness.
mis|han|dle /m I shæ nd ə l/ (mishandles , mishandling , mishandled ) VERB If you say that someone has mishandled something, you are critical of them because you think they have dealt with it badly. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [V n] The judge said the police had mishandled the siege. ● mis|han|dling N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the Government's mishandling of the economy.
mis|hap /m I shæp/ (mishaps ) N‑VAR A mishap is an unfortunate but not very serious event that happens to someone. □ After a number of mishaps, she did manage to get back to Germany. □ The plot passed off without mishap.
mis|hear /m I sh I ə r / (mishears , mishearing , misheard ) VERB If you mishear what someone says, you hear it incorrectly, and think they said something different. □ [V n] You misheard me, Frank. □ [V ] She must have misheard.
mish|mash /m I ʃmæʃ/ also mish-mash N‑SING [usu a N of n] If something is a mishmash , it is a confused mixture of different types of things. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ The letter was a mish-mash of ill-fitting proposals taken from two different reform plans.
mis|in|form /m I s I nfɔː r m/ (misinforms , misinforming , misinformed ) VERB If you are misinformed , you are told something that is wrong or inaccurate. □ [be V -ed] He has been misinformed by members of his own party. □ [V n] The president accused the media of misinforming the people.
mis|in|for|ma|tion /m I s I nfə r me I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT Misinformation is wrong information which is given to someone, often in a deliberate attempt to make them believe something which is not true. □ This was a deliberate piece of misinformation.
mis|in|ter|pret /m I s I ntɜː r pr I t/ (misinterprets , misinterpreting , misinterpreted ) VERB If you misinterpret something, you understand it wrongly. □ [V n] He was amazed that he'd misinterpreted the situation so completely. ● mis|in|ter|pre|ta|tion /m I s I ntɜː r pr I te I ʃ ə n/ (misinterpretations ) N‑VAR □ …a misinterpretation of the aims and ends of socialism.
mis|judge /m I sdʒʌ dʒ/ (misjudges , misjudging , misjudged ) VERB If you say that someone has misjudged a person or situation, you mean that they have formed an incorrect idea or opinion about them, and often that they have made a wrong decision as a result of this. □ [V n] Perhaps I had misjudged him, and he was not so predictable after all.
mis|judg|ment /m I sdʒʌ dʒmənt/ (misjudgments ) in BRIT, also use misjudgement N‑VAR A misjudgment is an incorrect idea or opinion that is formed about someone or something, especially when a wrong decision is made as a result of this. □ …a misjudgment in British foreign policy which had far-reaching consequences. □ Many accidents were due to pilot misjudgement.
mis|kick (miskicks , miskicking , miskicked ) The verb is pronounced /m I sk I k/. The noun is pronounced /m I sk I k/. VERB To miskick the ball in a game such as football means to kick it badly so that it does not go in the direction you want it to. [JOURNALISM ] □ [V n] He miskicked the ball twice at the edge of the penalty box. □ [V ] He miskicked completely as he lost his footing. ● N‑COUNT Miskick is also a noun. □ A miskick gave her a clear shot at goal.
mis|lay /m I sle I / (mislays , mislaying , mislaid ) VERB If you mislay something, you put it somewhere and then forget where you have put it. □ [V n] I appear to have mislaid my jumper.
mis|lead /m I sliː d/ (misleads , misleading , misled ) VERB If you say that someone has misled you, you mean that they have made you believe something which is not true, either by telling you a lie or by giving you a wrong idea or impression. □ [V n] Jack was furious with his London doctors for having misled him.
mis|lead|ing /m I sliː d I ŋ/ ADJ If you describe something as misleading , you mean that it gives you a wrong idea or impression. □ It would be misleading to say that we were friends. □ The article contains several misleading statements. ● mis|lead|ing|ly ADV [usu ADV with v, oft ADV adj] □ The data had been presented misleadingly.
mis|led /m I sle d/ Misled is the past tense and past participle of mislead .
mis|man|age /m I smæ n I dʒ/ (mismanages , mismanaging , mismanaged ) VERB To mismanage something means to manage it badly. □ [V n] 75% of voters think the President has mismanaged the economy.
mis|man|age|ment /m I smæ n I dʒmənt/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft poss N ] Someone's mismanagement of a system or organization is the bad way they have dealt with it or organized it. □ His gross mismanagement left the company desperately in need of restructuring.
mis|match (mismatches , mismatching , mismatched ) The noun is pronounced /m I smætʃ/. The verb is pronounced /m I smæ tʃ/. 1 N‑COUNT If there is a mismatch between two or more things or people, they do not go together well or are not suitable for each other. □ [+ between ] There is a mismatch between the skills offered by people and the skills needed by industry. □ [+ of ] …an unfortunate mismatch of styles.
2 VERB To mismatch things or people means to put them together although they do not go together well or are not suitable for each other. □ [V n] She was deliberately mismatching articles of clothing. ● mis|matched ADJ □ The two opponents are mismatched.
mis|named /m I sne I md/ V-PASSIVE If you say that something or someone is misnamed , you mean that they have a name that describes them incorrectly. □ [be V -ed n] …a high school teacher who was misnamed Mr. Witty. □ [V -ed] …the misnamed Grand Hotel. □ [be V -ed] The truth is that junk bonds were misnamed, and therefore misunderstood.
mis|no|mer /m I snoʊ mə r / (misnomers ) N‑COUNT If you say that a word or name is a misnomer , you mean that it describes something incorrectly. □ Herbal 'tea' is something of a misnomer because these drinks contain no tea at all.
mi|sogy|nist /m I sɒ dʒ I n I st/ (misogynists )
1 N‑COUNT A misogynist is a man who dislikes women.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Misogynist attitudes or actions are ones that involve or show a strong dislike of women.
miso|gyn|is|tic /m I sɒdʒ I n I st I k/ ADJ Misogynistic means the same as misogynist .
mi|sogy|ny /m I sɒ dʒ I ni/ N‑UNCOUNT Misogyny is a strong dislike of women.
mis|place /m I sple I s/ (misplaces , misplacing , misplaced ) VERB If you misplace something, you lose it, usually only temporarily. □ [be V -ed] Somehow the suitcase with my clothes was misplaced.
mis|placed /m I sple I st/ ADJ If you describe a feeling or action as misplaced , you are critical of it because you think it is inappropriate, or directed towards the wrong thing or person. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Lenders rely on the misplaced loyalty of existing borrowers to make their profit.
mis|print /m I spr I nt/ (misprints ) N‑COUNT A misprint is a mistake in the way something is printed, for example a spelling mistake.
mis|pro|nounce /m I sprənaʊ ns/ (mispronounces , mispronouncing , mispronounced ) VERB If you mispronounce a word, you pronounce it wrongly. □ [V n] He repeatedly mispronounced words and slurred his speech.
mis|quote /m I skwoʊ t/ (misquotes , misquoting , misquoted ) VERB If someone is misquoted , something that they have said or written is repeated incorrectly. □ [be V -ed] He claimed that he had been misquoted and he threatened to sue the magazine for libel.
mis|read /m I sriː d/ (misreads , misreading ) The form misread is used in the present tense, and is the past tense and past participle, when it is pronounced /m I sre d/. 1 VERB If you misread a situation or someone's behaviour, you do not understand it properly. □ [V n] The government largely misread the mood of the electorate. □ [V n] Mothers may also misread signals and think the baby is crying because he is hungry. ● mis|read|ing (misreadings ) N‑COUNT □ [+ of ] …a misreading of opinion in France.
2 VERB If you misread something that has been written or printed, you look at it and think that it says something that it does not say. □ [V n] His chauffeur misread his route and took a wrong turning.
mis|re|mem|ber /m I sr I me mbə r / (misremembers , misremembering , misremembered ) VERB If you misremember something, you remember it incorrectly. [mainly AM , FORMAL ] □ [V n] He proved over-confident on the witness stand, misremembering a key piece of evidence.
mis|rep|re|sent /m I srepr I ze nt/ (misrepresents , misrepresenting , misrepresented ) VERB If someone misrepresents a person or situation, they give a wrong or inaccurate account of what the person or situation is like. □ [V n as adj] He said that the press had misrepresented him as arrogant and bullying. □ [V n + as ] Hollywood films misrepresented us as drunks, maniacs and murderers. □ [V n] Keynes deliberately misrepresented the views of his opponents. ● mis|rep|re|sen|ta|tion /m I sre pr I zente I ʃ ə n/ (misrepresentations ) N‑VAR □ [+ of ] I wish to point out your misrepresentation of the facts.
mis|rule /m I sruː l/ N‑UNCOUNT If you refer to someone's government of a country as misrule , you are critical of them for governing their country badly or unfairly. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ He was arrested last December, accused of corruption and misrule.
miss
➊ VERB AND NOUN USES
➋ USED AS A TITLE OR A FORM OF ADDRESS
➊ miss ◆◆◇ /m I s/ (misses , missing , missed )
→ Please look at categories 12 and 13 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1 VERB If you miss something, you fail to hit it, for example when you have thrown something at it or you have shot a bullet at it. □ [V n] She hurled the ashtray across the room, narrowly missing my head. □ [V ] When I'd missed a few times, he suggested I rest the rifle on a rock to steady it. ● N‑COUNT Miss is also a noun. □ After more misses, they finally put two arrows into the lion's chest.
2 VERB In sport, if you miss a shot, you fail to get the ball in the goal, net, or hole. □ [V n] He scored four of the goals but missed a penalty. [Also V ] ● N‑COUNT Miss is also a noun. □ The striker was guilty of two glaring misses.
3 VERB If you miss something, you fail to notice it. □ [V n] From this vantage point he watched, his searching eye never missing a detail. □ [V n] It's the first thing you see as you come round the corner. You can't miss it.
4 VERB If you miss the meaning or importance of something, you fail to understand or appreciate it. □ [V n] Tambov had slightly missed the point.
5 VERB If you miss a chance or opportunity, you fail to take advantage of it. □ [V n] Williams knew that she had missed her chance of victory. □ [V n] It was too good an opportunity to miss.
6 VERB If you miss someone who is no longer with you or who has died, you feel sad and wish that they were still with you. □ [V n] Your mama and I are gonna miss you at Christmas.
7 VERB If you miss something, you feel sad because you no longer have it or are no longer doing or experiencing it. □ [V n/v-ing] I could happily move back into a flat if it wasn't for the fact that I'd miss my garden. □ [V n/v-ing] He missed having good friends.
8 VERB If you miss something such as a plane or train, you arrive too late to catch it. □ [V n] He missed the last bus home.
9 VERB If you miss something such as a meeting or an activity, you do not go to it or take part in it. □ [V n] It's a pity Makku and I had to miss our lesson last week. □ [V n] 'Are you coming to the show?'—'I wouldn't miss it for the world.'
10 PHRASE If you give something a miss , you decide not to do it or not to go to it. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ Do you mind if I give it a miss?
11 → see also missing , hit and miss , near miss
12 to miss the boat → see boat
13 not to miss a trick → see trick
▸ miss out
1 PHRASAL VERB If you miss out on something that would be enjoyable or useful to you, you are not involved in it or do not take part in it. □ [V P + on ] We're missing out on a tremendous opportunity. □ [V P ] Well, I'm glad you could make it. I didn't want you to miss out.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you miss out something or someone, you fail to include them. [BRIT ] □ [V P n] There should be an apostrophe here, and look, you've missed out the word 'men' altogether! □ [V n P ] What about Sally? You've missed her out. in AM, use leave out
➋ Miss ◆◆◆ /m I s/ (Misses )
1 N‑TITLE You use Miss in front of the name of a girl or unmarried woman when you are speaking to her or referring to her. □ It was nice talking to you, Miss Giroux.
2 N‑COUNT In some schools, children address their women teachers as Miss . [mainly BRIT ] □ 'Chivers!'—'Yes, Miss?'
mi s-se ll (mis-sells , mis-selling , mis-sold ) VERB To mis-sell something such as a pension or an insurance policy means to sell it to someone even though you know that it is not suitable for them. [BUSINESS ] □ [V n] The company has been accused of mis-selling products to thousands of elderly investors.
mis|shap|en /m I sʃe I pən/ ADJ If you describe something as misshapen , you think that it does not have a normal or natural shape. □ …misshapen vegetables. □ Her hands were misshapen by arthritis.
mis|sile ◆◇◇ /m I sa I l, [AM ] -s ə l/ (missiles )
1 N‑COUNT A missile is a tube-shaped weapon that travels long distances through the air and explodes when it reaches its target. □ Helicopters fired missiles at the camp. □ …nuclear missiles.
2 N‑COUNT Anything that is thrown as a weapon can be called a missile . □ The football supporters began throwing missiles, one of which hit the referee.
3 → see also cruise missile , guided missile
miss|ing ◆◇◇ /m I s I ŋ/
1 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If something is missing , it is not in its usual place, and you cannot find it. □ It was only an hour or so later that I discovered that my gun was missing. □ The playing cards had gone missing.
2 ADJ If a part of something is missing , it has been removed or has come off, and has not been replaced. □ Three buttons were missing from his shirt.
3 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you say that something is missing , you mean that it has not been included, and you think that it should have been. □ She had given me an incomplete list. One name was missing from it.
4 ADJ Someone who is missing cannot be found, and it is not known whether they are alive or dead. □ Five people died in the explosion, and one person is still missing. ● PHRASE If a member of the armed forces is missing in action , they have not returned from a battle, their body has not been found, and they are not thought to have been captured.
mi ss|ing li nk (missing links ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] The missing link in a situation is the piece of information or evidence that you need in order to make your knowledge or understanding of something complete. □ We're dealing with probably the biggest missing link in what we know about human evolution.
mi ss|ing pe r|son (missing persons ) N‑COUNT A missing person has suddenly left their home without telling their family where they are going, and it is not known whether they are alive or dead.
mis|sion ◆◆◇ /m I ʃ ə n/ (missions )
1 N‑COUNT A mission is an important task that people are given to do, especially one that involves travelling to another country. □ Salisbury sent him on a diplomatic mission to North America. □ …the most crucial stage of his latest peace mission.
2 N‑COUNT A mission is a group of people who have been sent to a foreign country to carry out an official task. □ …a senior member of a diplomatic mission.
3 N‑COUNT A mission is a special journey made by a military aeroplane or space rocket. □ …a bomber that crashed during a training mission in the west Texas mountains. □ …the first shuttle mission.
4 N‑SING [usu poss N ] If you say that you have a mission , you mean that you have a strong commitment and sense of duty to do or achieve something. □ He viewed his mission in life as protecting the weak from the evil.
5 N‑COUNT A mission is the activities of a group of Christians who have been sent to a place to teach people about Christianity. □ They say God spoke to them and told them to go on a mission to the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.
mis|sion|ary /m I ʃənri, -neri/ (missionaries )
1 N‑COUNT A missionary is a Christian who has been sent to a foreign country to teach people about Christianity.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Missionary is used to describe the activities of missionaries. □ You should be in missionary work.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] If you refer to someone's enthusiasm for an activity or belief as missionary zeal, you are emphasizing that they are very enthusiastic about it. [EMPHASIS ] □ She had a kind of missionary zeal about bringing culture to the masses.
mi s|sion|ary po|si |tion N‑SING The missionary position is a position for sexual intercourse in which the man lies on top of the woman and they are facing each other.
mi s|sion con|tro l N‑UNCOUNT Mission control is the group of people on Earth who are in charge of a flight by a spacecraft, or the place where these people work.
mi s|sion sta te|ment (mission statements ) N‑COUNT A company's or organization's mission statement is a document which states what they aim to achieve and the kind of service they intend to provide. [BUSINESS ]
mis|sive /m I s I v/ (missives ) N‑COUNT A missive is a letter or other message that someone sends. [HUMOROUS or LITERARY ] □ …the customary missive from your dear mother.
mis|spell /m I sspe l/ (misspells , misspelling , misspelled or misspelt ) VERB If someone misspells a word, they spell it wrongly. □ [V n] Sorry I misspelled your last name. ● mis|spell|ing (misspellings ) N‑COUNT □ [+ of ] …a misspelling of the writer's name.
mis|spend /m I sspe nd/ (misspends , misspending , misspent ) VERB If you say that time or money has been misspent , you disapprove of the way in which it has been spent. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [be V -ed] Much of the money was grossly misspent.
mis|state /m I sste I t/ (misstates , misstating , misstated ) VERB If you misstate something, you state it incorrectly or give false information about it. [mainly AM ] □ [V n] Look at the false police reports that omitted or misstated crucial facts. □ [be V -ed] The amount was misstated in the table because of an error by regulators.
mis|state|ment /m I sste I tmənt/ (misstatements ) N‑COUNT A misstatement is an incorrect statement, or the giving of false information. [mainly AM ] □ He finally corrected his misstatement and offered to reduce the fee. □ [+ of ] This booklet is filled with misstatements of fact.
mis|sus /m I s I z/ also missis
1 N‑SING Some people refer to someone's wife as their missus . [INFORMAL ] □ That's what bugs my missus more than anything. □ I do a bit of shopping for the missus.
2 N‑COUNT In some parts of Britain, people use missus as a very informal way of addressing a woman who they do not know. □ Thanks, missus.
mist /m I st/ (mists , misting , misted )
1 N‑VAR Mist consists of a large number of tiny drops of water in the air, which make it difficult to see very far. □ Thick mist made flying impossible. □ Mists and fog swirled about the road.
2 VERB If a piece of glass mists or is misted , it becomes covered with tiny drops of moisture, so that you cannot see through it easily. □ [V ] The windows misted, blurring the stark streetlight. □ [V n] The temperature in the car was misting the window. ● PHRASAL VERB Mist over and mist up mean the same as mist . □ [V P ] The front windshield was misting over. □ [V -ed P ] She stood in front of the misted-up mirror.
▸ mist over → see mist 2
▸ mist up → see mist 2
mis|take ◆◆◇ /m I ste I k/ (mistakes , mistaking , mistook , mistaken )
1 N‑COUNT [oft by N ] If you make a mistake , you do something which you did not intend to do, or which produces a result that you do not want. □ [+ of ] She made the mistake of going against her doctor's advice. □ I think it's a serious mistake to confuse books with life. □ There must be some mistake. □ He has been arrested by mistake.
2 N‑COUNT A mistake is something or part of something which is incorrect or not right. □ Her mother sighed and rubbed out another mistake in the crossword puzzle. □ …spelling mistakes.
3 VERB If you mistake one person or thing for another, you wrongly think that they are the other person or thing. □ [V n + for ] I mistook you for Carlos.
4 VERB If you mistake something, you fail to recognize or understand it. □ [V n] The government completely mistook the feeling of the country. □ [V wh] No one should mistake how serious the issue is.
5 PHRASE You can say there is no mistaking something when you are emphasizing that you cannot fail to recognize or understand it. [EMPHASIS ] □ There's no mistaking the eastern flavour of the food. USAGE mistake
Don’t say that someone ‘does’ a mistake or an error. Don’t say, for example, ‘
He did a terrible mistake
’. You say that someone does something by mistake
or, in more formal English, in error
. Don’t say ‘
in mistake
' or ‘
by error
’. □
I went into the wrong room by mistake
.
mis|tak|en /m I ste I kən/
1 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you are mistaken about something, you are wrong about it. □ [+ about ] I see I was mistaken about you. □ You couldn't be more mistaken, Alex. You've utterly misread the situation. ● PHRASE [v-link ADJ ] You use expressions such as if I'm not mistaken and unless I'm very much mistaken as a polite way of emphasizing the statement you are making, especially when you are confident that it is correct. [EMPHASIS ] □ I think he wanted to marry her, if I am not mistaken. □ Unless I'm mistaken, he didn't specify what time.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] A mistaken belief or opinion is incorrect. □ …a limited understanding of addiction and mistaken beliefs about how it can be overcome. ● mis|tak|en|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ He says they mistakenly believed the standard licenses they held were sufficient.
mis|ta k|en ide n|tity N‑UNCOUNT When someone incorrectly thinks that they have found or recognized a particular person, you refer to this as a case of mistaken identity . □ The dead men could have been the victims of mistaken identity.
mis|ter /m I stə r / N‑COUNT Men are sometimes addressed as mister , especially by children and especially when the person talking to them does not know their name. [INFORMAL ] □ Look, Mister, we know our job, so don't try to tell us what to do.
mis|time /m I sta I m/ (mistimes , mistiming , mistimed ) VERB If you mistime something, you do it at the wrong time, so that it is not successful. □ [V n] You're bound to mistime a tackle every so often. □ [V -ed] …a certain mistimed comment.
mis|tle|toe /m I s ə ltoʊ/ N‑UNCOUNT Mistletoe is a plant with pale berries that grows on the branches of some trees. Mistletoe is used in Britain and the United States as a Christmas decoration, and people often kiss under it.
mis|took /m I stʊ k/ Mistook is the past tense of mistake .
mis|treat /m I striː t/ (mistreats , mistreating , mistreated ) VERB If someone mistreats a person or an animal, they treat them badly, especially by making them suffer physically. □ [be V -ed] She has been mistreated by men in the past.
mis|treat|ment /m I striː tmənt/ N‑UNCOUNT Mistreatment of a person or animal is cruel behaviour towards them, especially by making them suffer physically. □ [+ of ] …issues like police brutality and mistreatment of people in prisons.
mis|tress /m I strəs/ (mistresses )
1 N‑COUNT [usu with poss] A married man's mistress is a woman who is not his wife and with whom he is having a sexual relationship. [OLD-FASHIONED ] □ She was his mistress for three years.
2 N‑COUNT [usu poss N ] A dog's mistress is the woman or girl who owns it. □ The huge wolfhound danced in circles around his mistress.
mis|tri|al /m I stra I əl, [AM ] -tra I -/ (mistrials )
1 N‑COUNT A mistrial is a legal trial that is conducted unfairly, for example because not all the evidence is considered, so that there must be a new trial. □ The past has been scarred by countless mistrials and perversions of justice.
2 N‑COUNT A mistrial is a legal trial which ends without a verdict, for example because the jury cannot agree on one. [AM ] □ The judge said he would declare a mistrial if the jury did not reach its verdict today.
mis|trust /m I strʌ st/ (mistrusts , mistrusting , mistrusted )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Mistrust is the feeling that you have towards someone who you do not trust. □ There was mutual mistrust between the two men. □ [+ of ] …a deep mistrust of state banks.
2 VERB If you mistrust someone or something, you do not trust them. □ [V n] It frequently appears that Bell mistrusts all journalists.
mis|trust|ful /m I strʌ stfʊl/ ADJ If you are mistrustful of someone, you do not trust them. □ [+ of ] He had always been mistrustful of women.
misty /m I sti/ ADJ On a misty day, there is a lot of mist in the air. □ The air was cold and misty.
mi sty-eyed ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you say that something makes you misty-eyed , you mean that it makes you feel so happy or sentimental, especially about the past, that you feel as if you are going to cry. □ They got misty-eyed listening to records of Ruby Murray singing 'Danny Boy'.
mis|under|stand /m I sʌndə r stæ nd/ (misunderstands , misunderstanding , misunderstood )
1 VERB If you misunderstand someone or something, you do not understand them properly. □ [V wh] They have simply misunderstood what rock and roll is. □ [V n] Maybe I misunderstood you.
2 → see also misunderstood
3 CONVENTION You can say don't misunderstand me when you want to correct a wrong impression that you think someone may have got about what you are saying. □ I'm not saying what he did was good, don't misunderstand me.
mis|under|stand|ing /m I sʌndə r stæ nd I ŋ/ (misunderstandings )
1 N‑VAR A misunderstanding is a failure to understand something properly, for example a situation or a person's remarks. □ Tell your midwife what you want so she can make a note of it and avoid misunderstandings.
2 N‑COUNT You can refer to a disagreement or slight quarrel as a misunderstanding . [FORMAL ] □ [+ with ] …a little misunderstanding with the police.
mis|under|stood /m I sʌndə r stʊ d/
1 Misunderstood is the past tense and past participle of misunderstand .
2 ADJ If you describe someone or something as misunderstood , you mean that people do not understand them and have a wrong impression or idea of them. □ Eric is very badly misunderstood. □ The cost of capital is widely misunderstood.
mis|use (misuses , misusing , misused ) The noun is pronounced /m I sjuː s/. The verb is pronounced /m I sjuː z/. 1 N‑VAR The misuse of something is incorrect, careless, or dishonest use of it. □ [+ of ] …the misuse of power and privilege. □ The effectiveness of this class of drug has, however, led to their misuse.
2 VERB If someone misuses something, they use it incorrectly, carelessly, or dishonestly. □ [V n] You are protected instantly if a thief misuses your credit card.
mite /ma I t/ (mites )
1 PHRASE A mite means to a small extent or degree. It is sometimes used to make a statement less extreme. □ I can't help feeling just a mite uneasy about it.
2 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Mites are very tiny creatures that live on plants, for example, or in animals' fur. □ …an itching skin disorder caused by parasitic mites.
miti|gate /m I t I ge I t/ (mitigates , mitigating , mitigated ) VERB To mitigate something means to make it less unpleasant, serious, or painful. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] …ways of mitigating the effects of an explosion.
miti|gat|ing /m I t I ge I t I ŋ/ ADJ [ADJ n] Mitigating circumstances or factors make a bad action easier to understand and excuse, and may result in the person responsible being punished less severely. [LEGAL , FORMAL ] □ The judge found that in her case there were mitigating circumstances. □ There are various mitigating factors.
miti|ga|tion /m I t I ge I ʃ ə n/
1 PHRASE If someone, especially in a court, is told something in mitigation , they are told something that makes a crime or fault easier to understand and excuse. [FORMAL ] □ Kieran Coonan QC told the judge in mitigation that the offences had been at the lower end of the scale.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Mitigation is a reduction in the unpleasantness, seriousness, or painfulness of something. [FORMAL ] □ …the mitigation or cure of a physical or mental condition.
mitt /m I t/ (mitts )
1 N‑COUNT You can refer to a person's hands as their mitts . [INFORMAL ] □ I pressed a dime into his grubby mitt.
2 N‑COUNT A baseball mitt is a large glove worn by a player whose job involves catching the ball.
mit|ten /m I t ə n/ (mittens ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Mittens are gloves which have one section that covers your thumb and another section that covers your four fingers together.
mix ◆◆◇ /m I ks/ (mixes , mixing , mixed )
1 VERB If two substances mix or if you mix one substance with another, you stir or shake them together, or combine them in some other way, so that they become a single substance. □ [V ] Oil and water don't mix. □ [V + with ] It mixes easily with cold or hot water to make a tasty, filling drink. □ [V n] A quick stir will mix them thoroughly. □ [V n + with ] Mix the cinnamon with the rest of the sugar. □ [V n with adv] Mix the ingredients together slowly. ● mix|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ This final part of the mixing is done slowly and delicately.
2 VERB If you mix something, you prepare it by mixing other things together. □ [V n] He had spent several hours mixing cement. □ [V n n] Are you sure I can't mix you a drink?
3 N‑VAR A mix is a powder containing all the substances that you need in order to make something such as a cake or a sauce. When you want to use it, you add liquid. □ …packets of pizza dough mix.
4 N‑COUNT [usu sing] A mix of different things or people is two or more of them together. □ [+ of ] The story is a magical mix of fantasy and reality. □ We get a very representative mix of people.
5 VERB If two things or activities do not mix or if one thing does not mix with another, it is not a good idea to have them or do them together, because the result would be unpleasant or dangerous. □ [V ] Politics and sport don't mix. □ [V + with ] …some of these pills that don't mix with drink. □ [V n + with ] Ted managed to mix business with pleasure. □ [V n] The military has accused the clergy of mixing religion and politics.
6 VERB If you mix with other people, you meet them and talk to them. You can also say that people mix . □ [V + with ] I ventured the idea that the secret of staying young was to mix with older people. □ [V ] People are supposed to mix, do you understand? □ [V ] When you came away you made a definite effort to mix.
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