Nn

N , n /e n/ (N's, n's )


1 N‑VAR N is the fourteenth letter of the English alphabet.


2 N or n is used as an abbreviation for words beginning with N or n, such as 'north', 'northern', or 'noun'.

'n' / ə n/ CONJ The word 'and' is sometimes written as 'n' between certain pairs of words, as in 'rock 'n' roll'. [INFORMAL ] □ …a country 'n' western song. □ …a fish 'n' chips restaurant.

N.A. also n/a CONVENTION N.A. is a written abbreviation for not applicable or not available .

naan /nɑː n/ (naans ) also nan N‑VAR Naan or naan bread is a type of bread that comes in a large, round, flat piece and is usually eaten with Indian food.

nab /næ b/ (nabs , nabbing , nabbed ) VERB If people in authority such as the police nab someone who they think has done something wrong, they catch them or arrest them. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n] He killed 12 people before the authorities finally nabbed him. □ [get V -ed] Soon he was back in the armed robbery business. Again, he got nabbed.

na|dir /ne I d I ə r , [AM ] -dər/


1 N‑SING [usu with poss] The nadir of something such as someone's career or the history of an organization is its worst time. [LITERARY ] □ [+ of ] 1945 to 1946 was the nadir of Truman's presidency.


2 N‑SING In astronomy, the nadir is the point at which the sun or moon is directly below you, on the other side of the earth. Compare zenith . [TECHNICAL ]

naff /næ f/ (naffer , naffest ) ADJ If you say that something is naff , you mean it is very unfashionable or unsophisticated. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ The music's really naff. □ …naff 'his and hers' matching outfits.

nag /næ g/ (nags , nagging , nagged )


1 VERB If someone nags you, they keep asking you to do something you have not done yet or do not want to do. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [V n] The more Sarah nagged her, the more stubborn Cissie became. □ [V n to-inf] My girlfriend nagged me to cut my hair. □ [V n + about ] She had stopped nagging him about never being home. □ [V n + into ] …children nagging their parents into buying things. [Also V ] ● N‑COUNT A nag is someone who nags. □ [+ about ] Aunt Molly is a nag about regular meals. ● nag|ging N‑UNCOUNT □ Her endless nagging drove him away from home.


2 VERB If something such as a doubt or worry nags at you, or nags you, it keeps worrying you. □ [V + at ] He could be wrong about her. The feeling nagged at him. □ [V n] …the anxiety that had nagged Amy all through lunch. □ [V ] Something was nagging in the back of his mind.

nag|ging /næ g I ŋ/


1 ADJ [ADJ n] A nagging pain is not very severe but is difficult to cure. □ He complained of a nagging pain between his shoulder blades.


2 → see also nag

nail /ne I l/ (nails , nailing , nailed )


1 N‑COUNT A nail is a thin piece of metal with one pointed end and one flat end. You hit the flat end with a hammer in order to push the nail into something such as a wall. □ A mirror hung on a nail above the washstand.


2 VERB If you nail something somewhere, you fix it there using one or more nails. □ [V n prep/adv] Frank put the first plank down and nailed it in place. □ [V n with adj] They nail shut the front door.


3 N‑COUNT Your nails are the thin hard parts that grow at the ends of your fingers and toes. □ Keep your nails short and your hands clean.


4 VERB To nail someone means to catch them and prove that they have been breaking the law. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n + for ] The prosecution still managed to nail him for robberies at the homes of leading industrialists.


5 VERB If you nail something, you do it extremely well or successfully. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n] She had nailed the art of making us laugh. □ [V it ] He tried, but I'm not sure he totally nailed it.


6 PHRASE If you say that someone is as hard as nails , you mean that they are extremely tough and aggressive, either physically or in their attitude towards other people or other situations. □ He's a shrewd businessman and hard as nails.


7 PHRASE If you say that someone has hit the nail on the head , you think they are exactly right about something. □ 'I think it would civilize people if they had decent conditions.'—'I think you've hit the nail on the head.'


8 a nail in the coffin → see coffin


9 to fight tooth and nail → see tooth


▸ nail down


1 PHRASAL VERB If you nail down something unknown or uncertain, you find out exactly what it is. □ [V P n] It would be useful if you could nail down the source of this tension. [Also V n P ]


2 PHRASAL VERB If you nail down an agreement, you manage to reach a firm agreement with a definite result. □ [V P n] The two leaders met to try to nail down the elusive accord. [Also V n P ]

nai l-biting ADJ If you describe something such as a story or a sports match as nail-biting , you mean that it makes you feel very excited or nervous because you do not know how it is going to end. □ He had a perfect, nail-biting climax to his story.

nai l bomb (nail bombs ) N‑COUNT A nail bomb is a bomb which contains nails that are intended to cause a lot of damage and injury when the bomb goes off.

nai l brush (nail brushes ) also nailbrush N‑COUNT A nail brush is a small brush that you use to clean your nails when washing your hands.

nai l file (nail files ) also nailfile N‑COUNT A nail file is a small strip of rough metal or card that you rub across the ends of your nails to shorten them or shape them.

nai l pol|ish /ne I l pɒl I ʃ/ (nail polishes ) N‑VAR Nail polish is a thick liquid that women paint on their nails.

nai l scis|sors also nail-scissors N‑PLURAL [oft a pair of N ] Nail scissors are small scissors that you use for cutting your nails. □ Mishka got some nail scissors and started carefully trimming his fingernails.

nai l var|nish (nail varnishes ) N‑VAR Nail varnish is the same as nail polish . [BRIT ] in AM, use nail polish

na|ive /na I iː v, [AM ] nɑː-/ also naïve ADJ [ADJ to-inf] If you describe someone as naive , you think they lack experience and so expect things to be easy or people to be honest or kind. □ It's naive to think that teachers are always tolerant. □ …naive idealists. □ Their view was that he had been politically naive. ● na|ive|ly ADV [usu ADV with v] □ …naively assuming that they would be protected by local development plans. □ I thought, naively, that this would be a nine-to-five job. ● na|ive|ty /na I iː v I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT □ I was alarmed by his naivety and ignorance of international affairs.

na|ked /ne I k I d/


1 ADJ [ADJ n, ADJ after v, v-link ADJ ] Someone who is naked is not wearing any clothes. □ Her naked body was found wrapped in a sheet in a field. □ The hot paving stones scorched my naked feet. □ They stripped me naked. □ He stood naked in front of me. ● na|ked|ness N‑UNCOUNT [oft poss N ] □ He had pulled the blanket over his body to hide his nakedness.


2 → see also stark naked


3 ADJ If an animal or part of an animal is naked , it has no fur or feathers on it. □ The nest contained eight little mice that were naked and blind.


4 ADJ [usu ADJ n] You can describe an object as naked when it does not have its normal covering. □ …a naked bulb dangling in a bare room.


5 ADJ [ADJ n] You can use naked to describe unpleasant or violent actions and behaviour which are not disguised or hidden in any way. [JOURNALISM ] □ Naked aggression and an attempt to change frontiers by force could not go unchallenged.


6 PHRASE If you say that something cannot be seen by the naked eye , you mean that it cannot be seen without the help of equipment such as a telescope or microscope. □ There's so much going on that you can't see with the naked eye.

name ◆◆◆ /ne I m/ (names , naming , named )


1 N‑COUNT [usu with poss] The name of a person, place, or thing is the word or group of words that is used to identify them. □ 'What's his name?'—'Peter.' □ I don't even know if Sullivan's his real name. □ They changed the name of the street.


2 VERB When you name someone or something, you give them a name, usually at the beginning of their life. □ [V n n] My mother insisted on naming me Horace. □ [V -ed] …a man named John T. Benson.


3 VERB If you name someone or something after another person or thing, you give them the same name as that person or thing. □ [V n + after ] Why have you not named any of your sons after yourself? [Also V n + for ]


4 VERB If you name someone, you identify them by stating their name. □ [V n] It's nearly thirty years since a journalist was jailed for refusing to name a source. □ [be V -ed + as ] One of the victims of the weekend's snowstorm has been named as twenty-year-old John Barr.


5 VERB If you name something such as a price, time, or place, you say what you want it to be. □ [V n] Call Marty, tell him to name his price.


6 VERB If you name the person for a particular job, you say who you want to have the job. □ [V n] The England manager will be naming a new captain. □ [be V -ed + as ] When the chairman retired, McGovern was named as his successor. □ [be V -ed n] Early in 1941 he was named commander of the Afrika Korps. [Also V n + as , V n n]


7 N‑COUNT [usu sing] You can refer to the reputation of a person or thing as their name . □ [+ for ] He had a name for good judgement. □ She's never had any drug problems or done anything to give jazz a bad name.


8 N‑COUNT [oft adj N ] You can refer to someone as, for example, a famous name or a great name when they are well-known. [JOURNALISM ] □ [+ in ] …some of the most famous names in modelling and show business.


9 → see also assumed name , big name , brand name , Christian name , code name , first name , given name , maiden name , middle name , pet name


10 PHRASE If something is in someone's name , it officially belongs to them or is reserved for them. □ The house is in my husband's name. □ A double room had been reserved for him in the name of Muller.


11 PHRASE If someone does something in the name of a group of people, they do it as the representative of that group. □ In the United States the majority governs in the name of the people.


12 PHRASE If you do something in the name of an ideal or an abstract thing, you do it in order to preserve or promote that thing. □ A political leader risked his own power in the name of the greater public good.


13 PHRASE People sometimes use expressions such as ' in the name of heaven' or ' in the name of humanity' to add emphasis to a question or request. [EMPHASIS ] □ What in the name of heaven's going on? □ In the name of humanity, I ask the government to reappraise this important issue.


14 PHRASE When you mention someone or something by name , or address someone by name , you use their name. □ He greets customers by name and enquires about their health.


15 PHRASE You can use by name or by the name of when you are saying what someone is called. [FORMAL ] □ Canute did have a son, Harthacanute by name. □ This guy, Jack Smith, does he go by the name of Jackal?


16 PHRASE If someone calls you names , they insult you by saying unpleasant things to you or about you. □ At my last school they called me names because I was so slow. □ They had called her rude names.


17 PHRASE If you say that something is the name of the game , you mean that it is the most important aspect of a situation. [INFORMAL ] □ The name of the game is survival.


18 PHRASE If you make a name for yourself or make your name as something, you become well-known for that thing. □ [+ as ] She was beginning to make a name for herself as a portrait photographer. □ He made his name with several collections of short stories.


19 PHRASE If you name names , you identify the people who have done something, often something wrong. □ Nobody was prepared to risk prosecution by actually naming names.


20 PHRASE If something such as a newspaper or an official body names and shames people who have performed badly or who have done something wrong, it identifies those people by name. □ The government will also name and shame the worst performing airlines.


21 PHRASE You say you name it , usually after or before a list, to indicate that you are talking about a very wide range of things. □ I also enjoy windsurfing, tennis, racquetball, swimming, you name it.

name|check /ne I mtʃek/ (namechecks , namechecking , namechecked ) also name-check N‑COUNT If someone gets a namecheck in something such as an article or interview, their name is mentioned in it. □ [+ in ] She has had many credits and name-checks in American Vogue. ● VERB Namecheck is also a verb. □ [V n] Several bands have namechecked him in interviews.

na me-drop (name-drops , name-dropping , name-dropped ) VERB If you say that someone name-drops , you disapprove of them referring to famous people they have met in order to impress people. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [V n] The assistant carried on talking to his mate, name-dropping all the famous riders he knew. □ [V ] I must stop saying everyone famous is a good friend. It sounds as if I'm name-dropping. ● name-dropping N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ with ] One can do a lot of name-dropping with names of the school's parents. President Nixon sent his daughters there.

name|less /ne I mləs/


1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] You describe people or things as nameless when you do not know their name or when they do not have a name. □ They can have their cases rejected, without reasons being given, by nameless officials.


2 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you say that someone or something will remain nameless , you mean that you will not mention their name, often because you do not want to embarrass them. □ A local friend who shall be nameless warned me that I was in for trouble soon.

name|ly /ne I mli/ ADV [ADV n] You use namely to introduce detailed information about the subject you are discussing, or a particular aspect of it. □ One group of people seems to be forgotten, namely pensioners. □ They were hardly aware of the challenge facing them, namely, to re-establish prosperity.

name|plate /ne I mple I t/ (nameplates ) also name-plate N‑COUNT A nameplate is a sign on a door, wall, or desk which shows the name of the person or organization that occupies a particular place.

name|sake /ne I mse I k/ (namesakes ) N‑COUNT [usu poss N ] Someone's or something's namesake has the same name as they do. [WRITTEN ] □ He is putting together a four-man team, including his son and namesake Tony 0'Reilly Jnr. □ Notre-Dame Cathedral in Senlis is less famous than its namesake in Paris.

nan /næ n/ (nans )


1 N‑COUNT Some people refer to their grandmother as their nan . [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ I was brought up by my nan.


2 → see also naan

nan|dro|lone /næ ndrəloʊn/ N‑UNCOUNT Nandrolone is type of drug that can improve performance in sports and is used illegally by some sportspeople.

nan|ny /næ ni/ (nannies ) N‑COUNT A nanny is a woman who is paid by parents to look after their child or children.

nan|ny|ing /næ ni I ŋ/


1 N‑UNCOUNT Nannying is the job of being a nanny. [mainly BRIT ] □ …low-paid jobs such as nannying.


2 N‑UNCOUNT If you refer to activities such as helping and advising people as nannying , you disapprove of these activities because you think that they are protecting people too much. [mainly BRIT , DISAPPROVAL ] □ …governmental nannying and interference in markets.

na n|ny sta te N‑SING If you refer to the government as the nanny state , you disapprove of it because you think it tries to protect its citizens too much and makes them rely on the state too much. [mainly BRIT , DISAPPROVAL ] □ The tussle to free the individual from the nanny state is still far from won.

nano|tech|nol|ogy /næ noʊteknɒ lədʒi/ N‑UNCOUNT Nanotechnology is the science of making or working with things that are so small that they can only be seen using a powerful microscope.

nap /næ p/ (naps , napping , napped )


1 N‑COUNT If you have a nap , you have a short sleep, usually during the day. □ Use your lunch hour to have a nap in your chair. □ I might take a little nap.


2 VERB If you nap , you sleep for a short period of time, usually during the day. □ [V ] An elderly person may nap during the day and then sleep only five hours a night.


3 N‑SING The nap of a carpet or of a cloth such as velvet is the top layer of short threads, which usually lie smoothly in one direction.


4 PHRASE If someone is caught napping , something happens when they are not prepared for it, although they should have been. [INFORMAL ] □ The security services were clearly caught napping.

na|palm /ne I pɑːm/ (napalms , napalming , napalmed )


1 N‑UNCOUNT Napalm is a substance containing petrol which is used to make bombs that burn people, buildings, and plants. □ The government has consistently denied using napalm.


2 VERB If people napalm other people or places, they attack and burn them using napalm. □ [V n] Why napalm a village now?

nape /ne I p/ (napes ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] The nape of your neck is the back of it. □ [+ of ] …the way that his hair grew at the nape of his neck.

nap|kin /næ pk I n/ (napkins ) N‑COUNT A napkin is a square of cloth or paper that you use when you are eating to protect your clothes, or to wipe your mouth or hands. □ She was taking tiny bites of a hot dog and daintily wiping her lips with a napkin.

na p|kin ring (napkin rings ) N‑COUNT A napkin ring is a ring-shaped object which is used to hold a rolled-up napkin.

nap|py /næ pi/ (nappies ) N‑COUNT A nappy is a piece of soft thick cloth or paper which is fastened round a baby's bottom in order to soak up its urine and faeces. [BRIT ] in AM, use diaper

na p|py rash N‑UNCOUNT If a baby has nappy rash , the skin under its nappy is red and sore. [BRIT ] in AM, use diaper rash

nar|cis|si /nɑː r s I sa I / narcissi is a plural form of narcissus .

nar|cis|sism /nɑː r s I s I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Narcissism is the habit of always thinking about yourself and admiring yourself. [FORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ Those who suffer from narcissism become self-absorbed or chronic show-offs.

nar|cis|sis|tic /nɑː r s I s I st I k/ ADJ If you describe someone as narcissistic , you disapprove of them because they think about themselves a lot and admire themselves too much. [FORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ He was insufferable at times–self-centred and narcissistic.

nar|cis|sus /nɑː r s I səs/ (narcissi or narcissus ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Narcissi are plants which have yellow or white flowers with cone-shaped centres that appear in the spring.

PREFIX narco-


is added to words to form new words that relate to illegal narcotics. For example, narco-trafficking is the buying and selling of illegal drugs.

nar|co|lep|sy /nɑː r kəlepsi/ N‑UNCOUNT Narcolepsy is a rare medical condition. It causes people who suffer from it to fall into a deep sleep at any time without any warning.

nar|cot|ic /nɑː r kɒ t I k/ (narcotics )


1 N‑COUNT Narcotics are drugs such as opium or heroin which make you sleepy and stop you feeling pain. You can also use narcotics , especially in American English, to mean any kind of illegal drug. □ He was indicted for dealing in narcotics.


2 ADJ If something, especially a drug, has a narcotic effect, it makes the person who uses it feel sleepy. □ …hormones that have a narcotic effect on the immune system.

narked /nɑː r kt/ ADJ [v-link ADJ ] Someone who is narked is annoyed about something. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ He's probably narked because he didn't see the ad himself.

nar|rate /nəre I t, [AM ] næ re I t/ (narrates , narrating , narrated )


1 VERB If you narrate a story, you tell it from your own point of view. [FORMAL ] □ [be V -ed] The book is narrated by Richard Papen, a Californian boy. ● nar|ra|tion /nəre I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ Its story-within-a-story method of narration is confusing. ● nar|ra|tor /nəre I tə r , [AM ] næ re I t-/ (narrators ) N‑COUNT □ Jules, the story's narrator, is an actress in her late thirties.


2 VERB The person who narrates a film or programme speaks the words which accompany the pictures, but does not appear in it. □ [V n] She also narrated a documentary about the Kirov Ballet School. [Also V ] ● nar|ra|tion N‑UNCOUNT □ As the crew gets back from lunch, we can put your narration on it right away. ● nar|ra|tor (narrators ) N‑COUNT □ [+ of ] …the narrator of the documentary.

nar|ra|tive /næ rət I v/ (narratives )


1 N‑COUNT A narrative is a story or an account of a series of events. □ …a fast-moving narrative. □ Sloan began his narrative with the day of the murder.


2 N‑UNCOUNT Narrative is the description of a series of events, usually in a novel. □ Neither author was very strong on narrative. □ …Nye's simple narrative style.

nar|row ◆◆◇ /næ roʊ/ (narrower , narrowest , narrows , narrowing , narrowed )


1 ADJ Something that is narrow measures a very small distance from one side to the other, especially compared to its length or height. □ …through the town's narrow streets. □ She had long, narrow feet. □ …the narrow strip of land joining the peninsula to the rest of the island. ● nar|row|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the narrowness of the river mouth.


2 VERB If something narrows , it becomes less wide. □ [V ] The wide track narrows before crossing another stream.


3 VERB If your eyes narrow or if you narrow your eyes, you almost close them, for example because you are angry or because you are trying to concentrate on something. [WRITTEN ] □ [V ] Coggins' eyes narrowed angrily. 'You think I'd tell you?' □ [V n] He paused and narrowed his eyes in concentration.


4 ADJ If you describe someone's ideas, attitudes, or beliefs as narrow , you disapprove of them because they are restricted in some way, and often ignore the more important aspects of an argument or situation. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …a narrow and outdated view of family life. ● nar|row|ly ADV [ADV after v, ADV -ed/adj] □ They're making judgments based on a narrowly focused vision of the world. ● nar|row|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the narrowness of their mental and spiritual outlook.


5 VERB If something narrows or if you narrow it, its extent or range becomes smaller. □ [V ] Most recent opinion polls suggest that the gap between the two main parties has narrowed. □ [V n] Negotiators narrowed their differences over federal spending for anti-drug programs. ● nar|row|ing N‑SING □ [+ of ] …a narrowing of the gap between rich members and poor.


6 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you have a narrow victory, you succeed in winning but only by a small amount. □ Delegates have voted by a narrow majority in favour of considering electoral reform. ● nar|row|ly ADV □ She narrowly failed to win enough votes. ● nar|row|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] The narrowness of the government's victory reflected deep division within the Party.


7 ADJ [ADJ n] If you have a narrow escape, something unpleasant nearly happens to you. □ Two police officers had a narrow escape when separatists attacked their vehicles. ● nar|row|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ Five firefighters narrowly escaped death when a staircase collapsed beneath their feet.


8 on the straight and narrow → see straight


▸ narrow down PHRASAL VERB If you narrow down a range of things, you reduce the number of things included in it. □ [V P n] What's happened is that the new results narrow down the possibilities. □ [V n P + to ] I've managed to narrow the list down to twenty-three. [Also V n P ] SYNONYMS narrow ADJ 1


thin: A thin cable carries the signal to a computer.


fine: The heat scorched the fine hairs on her arms.


slender: He gazed at her slender neck.

na r|row boat (narrow boats ) also narrowboat N‑COUNT A narrow boat is a long, low boat used on canals. [BRIT ]

nar|row|ly /næ roʊli/


1 ADV [ADV after v] If you look at someone narrowly , you look at them in a concentrated way, often because you think they are not giving you full information about something. □ He grimaced and looked narrowly at his colleague.


2 → see also narrow

na rrow-mi nded ADJ If you describe someone as narrow-minded , you are criticizing them because they are unwilling to consider new ideas or other people's opinions. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …a narrow-minded bigot. ● narrow-mindedness N‑UNCOUNT □ It is unbelievable that as a result of this narrow-mindedness a group of people should suffer.

NASA /næ sə/ N‑PROPER NASA is the American government organization concerned with spacecraft and space travel. NASA is an abbreviation for 'National Aeronautics and Space Administration'.

na|sal /ne I z ə l/


1 ADJ [ADJ n] Nasal is used to describe things relating to the nose and the functions it performs. □ …inflamed nasal passages. □ …nasal decongestant sprays.


2 ADJ If someone's voice is nasal , it sounds as if air is passing through their nose as well as their mouth while they are speaking. □ She talked in a deep nasal monotone.

nas|cent /ne I s ə nt/ ADJ [ADJ n] Nascent things or processes are just beginning, and are expected to become stronger or to grow bigger. [FORMAL ] □ …Kenya's nascent democracy. □ …the still nascent science of psychology.

na|stur|tium /næstɜː r ʃəm/ (nasturtiums ) N‑COUNT Nasturtiums are low plants with large round leaves and orange, red, and yellow flowers.

nas|ty /nɑː sti, næ sti/ (nastier , nastiest )


1 ADJ Something that is nasty is very unpleasant to see, experience, or feel. □ …an extremely nasty murder. □ Now the dispute seems to have turned nasty. ● nas|ti|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the nastiness of war.


2 ADJ If you describe a person or their behaviour as nasty , you mean that they behave in an unkind and unpleasant way. □ What nasty little snobs you all are. □ The guards looked really nasty. □ She is so nasty to me when my brother isn't here. ● nas|ti|ly ADV [ADV after v] □ She took the money and eyed me nastily. □ Nikki laughed nastily. ● nas|ti|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ As the years went by, his nastiness began to annoy his readers.


3 ADJ If you describe something as nasty , you mean it is unattractive, undesirable, or in bad taste. □ …Emily's nasty little house in Balham. □ That damned Farrel made some nasty jokes here about Mr. Lane.


4 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A nasty problem or situation is very worrying and difficult to deal with. □ A spokesman said this firm action had defused a very nasty situation.


5 ADJ If you describe an injury or a disease as nasty , you mean that it is serious or looks unpleasant. □ Lili had a nasty chest infection.

natch /næ tʃ/ ADV Natch is used to indicate that a particular fact or event is what you would expect and not at all surprising. [mainly JOURNALISM , INFORMAL ] □ Ina is a bad girl so, natch, ends up in prison.

na|tion ◆◆◆ /ne I ʃ ə n/ (nations )


1 N‑COUNT A nation is an individual country considered together with its social and political structures. □ Such policies would require unprecedented cooperation between nations. □ …Nigeria, by far the most populous of African nations.


2 N‑SING The nation is sometimes used to refer to all the people who live in a particular country. [JOURNALISM ] □ It was a story that touched the nation's heart. COLLOCATIONS nation NOUN


1


noun + nation : eurozone, member, sovereign; host; island


adjective + nation : developing, industrial, populous, rich; African, Arab, European, Western; footballing


verb + nation : lead, represent


2


adjective + nation : entire, whole


verb + nation : divide, unite; grip, shock SYNONYMS nation NOUN 1


country: Indonesia is the fifth most populous country in the world.


state: Mexico is a secular state.


kingdom: The kingdom's power declined.


land: …this land of free speech.

na|tion|al ◆◆◆ /næ ʃən ə l/ (nationals )


1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] National means relating to the whole of a country or nation rather than to part of it or to other nations. □ Ruling parties have lost ground in national and local elections. □ …major national and international issues. ● na|tion|al|ly ADV [ADV with v, ADV adj] □ …a nationally televised speech. □ Duncan Campbell is nationally known for his investigative work.


2 ADJ [ADJ n] National means typical of the people or customs of a particular country or nation. □ …the national characteristics and history of the country. □ Baseball is the national pastime.


3 N‑COUNT [usu adj N ] You can refer to someone who is legally a citizen of a country as a national of that country. □ …a Sri-Lankan-born British national.

na |tion|al a n|them (national anthems ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] A national anthem is a nation's official song which is played or sung on public occasions.

Na |tion|al Cur|ri cu|lum N‑PROPER The National Curriculum is the course of study that most school pupils in England and Wales are meant to follow between the ages of 5 and 16.

na |tion|al go v|ern|ment (national governments ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] A national government is a government with members from more than one political party, especially one that is formed during a crisis. [mainly BRIT ]

Na |tion|al Gua rd (National Guards ) N‑COUNT In the United States, the National Guard is a military force within an individual state, which can become part of the national army if there is a war or emergency. □ …the leader of the Arkansas National Guard.

Na |tion|al Gua rds|man (National Guardsmen ) N‑COUNT A National Guardsman is a member of the National Guard in the United States.

Na |tion|al Hea lth Ser|vice N‑PROPER In Britain, the National Health Service is the state system for providing medical care. It is paid for by taxes. □ An increasing number of these treatments are now available on the National Health Service.

na |tion|al in|su r|ance N‑UNCOUNT In Britain, national insurance is the state system of paying money to people who are ill, unemployed, or retired. It is financed by money that the government collects from people who work, or from their employers. [BUSINESS ]

na|tion|al|ise /næ ʃənəla I z/ → see nationalize

na|tion|al|ism /næ ʃənəl I zəm/


1 N‑UNCOUNT Nationalism is the desire for political independence of people who feel they are historically or culturally a separate group within a country. □ …the rising tide of nationalism.


2 N‑UNCOUNT You can refer to a person's great love for their nation as nationalism . It is often associated with the belief that a particular nation is better than any other nation, and in this case is often used showing disapproval. □ This kind of fierce nationalism is a powerful and potentially volatile force.

na|tion|al|ist ◆◇◇ /næ ʃənəl I st/ (nationalists )


1 ADJ [ADJ n] Nationalist means connected with the desire of a group of people within a country for political independence. □ The crisis has set off a wave of nationalist feelings in Quebec. ● N‑COUNT A nationalist is someone with nationalist views. □ …demands by nationalists for an independent state.


2 ADJ [ADJ n] Nationalist means connected with a person's great love for their nation. It is often associated with the belief that their nation is better than any other nation, and in this case is often used showing disapproval. □ Political life has been infected by growing nationalist sentiment. ● N‑COUNT A nationalist is someone with nationalist views. □ …the small band of nationalists who reject imported American culture and Western-style politics.

na|tion|al|is|tic /næ ʃənəl I st I k/ ADJ If you describe someone as nationalistic , you mean they are very proud of their nation. They also often believe that their nation is better than any other nation, and in this case it is often used showing disapproval. □ …the nationalistic pride of the Catalan people.

na|tion|al|ity /næ ʃənæ l I ti/ (nationalities )


1 N‑VAR If you have the nationality of a particular country, you were born there or have the legal right to be a citizen. □ The crew are of different nationalities and have no common language.


2 N‑COUNT You can refer to people who have the same racial origins as a nationality , especially when they do not have their own independent country. □ The poor of many nationalities struggle for survival.

na|tion|al|ize /næ ʃənəla I z/ (nationalizes , nationalizing , nationalized ) in BRIT, also use nationalise VERB If a government nationalizes a private company or industry, that company or industry becomes owned by the state and controlled by the government. [BUSINESS ] □ [V n] He introduced legislation to nationalize the country's banking and financial systems. ● na|tion|ali|za|tion /næ ʃənəla I ze I ʃ ə n/ (nationalizations ) N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the campaign for the nationalization of the coal mines. □ The steel workers were relatively indifferent to the issue of nationalization.

na |tion|al pa rk (national parks ) N‑COUNT [oft in names] A national park is a large area of land which is protected by the government because of its natural beauty, plants, or animals, and which the public can usually visit. □ …the Masai Mara game reserve and Amboseli national park.

na |tion|al se r|vice N‑UNCOUNT National service is service in the armed forces, which young people in certain countries have to do by law. [mainly BRIT ] □ [+ in ] Banks spent his national service in the Royal Navy. in AM, use selective service

na tion-building N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Journalists sometimes use nation-building to refer to government policies that are designed to create a strong sense of national identity. [JOURNALISM ] □ …calling for reconciliation and nation-building after the bitter election campaign. □ This revolutionary expansion required energetic nation-building policies.

na|tion|hood /ne I ʃ ə nhʊd/ N‑UNCOUNT A country's nationhood is its status as a nation. □ To them, the monarchy is the special symbol of nationhood.

na tion-sta te (nation-states ) also nation state N‑COUNT A nation-state is an independent state which consists of people from one particular national group. □ [+ of ] Albania is a small nation state of around 3 million people.

nation|wide /ne I ʃ ə nwa I d/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Nationwide activities or situations happen or exist in all parts of a country. □ The rising number of car crimes is a nationwide problem. □ …the strike by teachers which is nationwide. ● ADV Nationwide is also an adverb. □ The figures show unemployment falling nationwide last month.

na|tive ◆◇◇ /ne I t I v/ (natives )


1 ADJ [ADJ n] Your native country or area is the country or area where you were born and brought up. □ It was his first visit to his native country since 1948. □ Mother Teresa visited her native Albania.


2 N‑COUNT A native of a particular country or region is someone who was born in that country or region. □ [+ of ] Dr Aubin is a native of St Blaise. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Native is also an adjective. □ Joshua Halpern is a native Northern Californian. □ [+ to ] …men and women native to countries such as Japan.


3 N‑COUNT Some European people use native to refer to a person living in a non-Western country who belongs to the race or tribe that the majority of people there belong to. This use could cause offence. □ They used force to banish the natives from the more fertile land. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Native is also an adjective. □ Native people were allowed to retain some sense of their traditional culture and religion.


4 ADJ [ADJ n] Your native language or tongue is the first language that you learned to speak when you were a child. □ She spoke not only her native language, Swedish, but also English and French. □ French is not my native tongue.


5 ADJ [ADJ n] Plants or animals that are native to a particular region live or grow there naturally and were not brought there. □ …a project to create a 50 acre forest of native Caledonian pines. □ [+ to ] Many of the plants are native to Brazil. ● N‑COUNT Native is also a noun. □ [+ of ] The coconut palm is a native of Malaysia.


6 ADJ [ADJ n] A native ability or quality is one that you possess naturally without having to learn it. □ We have our native inborn talent, yet we hardly use it. SYNONYMS native ADJ 1


indigenous: …the country's indigenous population.


vernacular: The play was written in vernacular language.


original: The inhabitants have voted to restore the city's original name.

Na |tive Ame ri|can (Native Americans ) N‑COUNT Native Americans are people from any of the many groups who were already living in North America before Europeans arrived. □ The eagle is the animal most sacred to the Native Americans. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Native American is also an adjective. □ …a gathering of Native American elders.

na |tive spea k|er (native speakers ) N‑COUNT A native speaker of a language is someone who speaks that language as their first language rather than having learned it as a foreign language. □ Our programme ensures daily opportunities to practice your study language with native speakers.

Na|tiv|ity /nət I v I ti/ N‑SING The Nativity is the birth of Jesus, which is celebrated by Christians at Christmas. □ They admired the tableau of the Nativity. □ …the Nativity story.

na|ti v|ity play (nativity plays ) N‑COUNT A nativity play is a play about the birth of Jesus, usually one performed by children at Christmas time.

NATO ◆◇◇ /ne I toʊ/ N‑PROPER NATO is an international organization which consists of the USA, Canada, Britain, and other European countries, all of whom have agreed to support one another if they are attacked. NATO is an abbreviation for 'North Atlantic Treaty Organization'. □ NATO said enemy losses were 'significantly higher' than first thought.

nat|ter /næ tə r / (natters , nattering , nattered ) VERB When people natter , they talk casually for a long time about unimportant things. [mainly BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [V ] If something dramatic has happened during the day, we'll sit and natter about it. □ [V away/on ] Susan and the girl were still nattering away in German. □ [V + with ] Ahead of you is a day of nattering with fellow farmers at the local market. □ [V ] You natter all day long at the hospital. □ [V + to ] His mother would natter to anyone. ● N‑SING Natter is also a noun. □ What's the topic of conversation when a group of new mums get together for a natter?

nat|ty /næ ti/ (nattier , nattiest )


1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe clothes, especially men's clothes, as natty , you mean that they are smart and neat. [INFORMAL , APPROVAL ] □ …a natty pin stripe suit. □ Cliff was a natty dresser.


2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe something as natty , you think it is smart and cleverly designed. [INFORMAL , APPROVAL ] □ …natty little houses.

natu|ral ◆◆◇ /næ tʃərəl/ (naturals )


1 ADJ If you say that it is natural for someone to act in a particular way or for something to happen in that way, you mean that it is reasonable in the circumstances. □ [+ for ] It is only natural for youngsters to crave the excitement of driving a fast car. □ A period of depression can be a perfectly natural response to certain aspects of life.


2 ADJ Natural behaviour is shared by all people or all animals of a particular type and has not been learned. □ …the insect's natural instinct to feed. □ Anger is the natural reaction we experience when we feel threatened or frustrated.


3 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Someone with a natural ability or skill was born with that ability and did not have to learn it. □ She has a natural ability to understand the motives of others. □ He had a natural flair for business.


4 N‑COUNT If you say that someone is a natural , you mean that they do something very well and very easily. □ [+ with ] He's a natural with any kind of engine. □ She proved to be a natural on camera.


5 ADJ If someone's behaviour is natural , they appear to be relaxed and are not trying to hide anything. □ Bethan's sister was as friendly and natural as the rest of the family. ● natu|ral|ly ADV [ADV after v] □ …people behaving naturally, not posing for the camera. □ You feel you can talk quite naturally to her. ● natu|ral|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] The critics praised the reality of the scenery and the naturalness of the acting.


6 ADJ [ADJ n] Natural things exist or occur in nature and are not made or caused by people. □ It has called the typhoon the worst natural disaster in South Korea in many years. □ The gigantic natural harbour of Poole is a haven for boats. ● natu|ral|ly ADV [ADV with v, ADV adj] □ Nitrates are chemicals that occur naturally in water and the soil.


7 PHRASE If someone dies of or from natural causes , they die because they are ill or old rather than because of an accident or violence. □ According to the Home Office, your brother died of natural causes.

na tu|ral chi ld|birth N‑UNCOUNT If a woman gives birth by natural childbirth , she is not given any drugs to relieve her pain or to send her to sleep.

na tu|ral ga s N‑UNCOUNT Natural gas is gas which is found underground or under the sea. It is collected and stored, and piped into people's homes to be used for cooking and heating.

na tu|ral hi s|to|ry N‑UNCOUNT [usu N n] Natural history is the study of animals and plants and other living things. □ Schools regularly bring children to the beach for natural history lessons.

natu|ral|ise /næ tʃərəla I z/ → see naturalize

natu|ral|ism /næ tʃərəl I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Naturalism is a theory in art and literature which states that people and things should be shown in a realistic way.

natu|ral|ist /næ tʃərəl I st/ (naturalists ) N‑COUNT A naturalist is a person who studies plants, animals, insects, and other living things.

natu|ral|is|tic /næ tʃərəl I st I k/


1 ADJ Naturalistic art or writing tries to show people and things in a realistic way. □ These drawings are among his most naturalistic.


2 ADJ Naturalistic means resembling something that exists or occurs in nature. □ Further research is needed under rather more naturalistic conditions.

natu|ral|ize /næ tʃərəla I z/ (naturalizes , naturalizing , naturalized ) in BRIT, also use naturalise 1 VERB To naturalize a species of plant means to start it growing in an area where it is not usually found. If a plant naturalizes in an area where it was not found before, it starts to grow there naturally. □ [V n] A friend sent me a root from Mexico, and I hope to naturalize it. □ [V ] The plant naturalises well in grass.


2 VERB If the government of a country naturalizes someone, they allow a person who was not born in that country to become a citizen of it. □ [V n] No one expects the Baltic states to naturalise young Russian soldiers, but army pensioners can be given citizenship. ● natu|rali|za|tion /næ tʃərəla I ze I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ They swore their allegiance to the U.S.A. and received their naturalization papers.


3 → see also naturalized

natu|ral|ized /næ tʃərəla I zd/ in BRIT, also use naturalised ADJ [ADJ n] A naturalized citizen of a particular country is someone who has legally become a citizen of that country, although they were not born there.

natu|ral|ly ◆◇◇ /næ tʃərəli/


1 ADV [ADV before v, ADV adj] You use naturally to indicate that you think something is very obvious and not at all surprising in the circumstances. □ When things go wrong, all of us naturally feel disappointed and frustrated. □ Naturally these comings and goings excited some curiosity. □ He had been stunned and, naturally, deeply upset.


2 ADV [ADV after v] If one thing develops naturally from another, it develops as a normal consequence or result of it. □ A study of yoga leads naturally to meditation.


3 ADV [ADV adj] You can use naturally to talk about a characteristic of someone's personality when it is the way that they normally act. □ He has a lively sense of humour and appears naturally confident.


4 ADV [ADV adj] If someone is naturally good at something, they learn it easily and quickly and do it very well. □ Some individuals are naturally good communicators.


5 PHRASE If something comes naturally to you, you find it easy to do and quickly become good at it. □ With football, it was just something that came naturally to me. SYNONYMS naturally ADV


1


obviously: Obviously, they've had sponsorship from some big companies.


of course: Of course, there were lots of other interesting things at the exhibition.


certainly: Certainly, pets can help children develop friendship skills.


4


inherently: Aeroplanes are not inherently dangerous.


instinctively: Jane instinctively knew all was not well with her 10-month-old son.


innately: I believe everyone is innately psychic.

na tu|ral re|sou rces N‑PLURAL Natural resources are all the land, forests, energy sources and minerals existing naturally in a place that can be used by people. □ Angola was a country rich in natural resources.

na tu|ral se|le c|tion N‑UNCOUNT Natural selection is a process by which species of animals and plants that are best adapted to their environment survive and reproduce, while those that are less well adapted die out. □ Natural selection ensures only the fittest survive to pass their genes on to the next generation.

na tu|ral wa st|age N‑UNCOUNT Natural wastage is the process of employees leaving their jobs because they want to retire or move to other jobs, rather than because their employer makes them leave. [mainly BRIT , BUSINESS ] □ The company hopes the job cuts will be made through natural wastage and voluntary redundancy. in AM, usually use attrition

na|ture ◆◆◇ /ne I tʃə r / (natures )


1 N‑UNCOUNT Nature is all the animals, plants, and other things in the world that are not made by people, and all the events and processes that are not caused by people. □ …grasses that grow wild in nature. □ …the ecological balance of nature.


2 → see also Mother Nature


3 N‑SING [oft n N , oft by/in N ] The nature of something is its basic quality or character. □ [+ of ] Mr Sharp would not comment on the nature of the issues being investigated. □ [+ of ] …the ambitious nature of the programme. □ The rise of a major power is both economic and military in nature.


4 N‑SING [with poss, oft by N ] Someone's nature is their character, which they show by the way they behave. □ Jeya feels that her ambitious nature made her unsuitable for an arranged marriage. □ She trusted people. That was her nature. □ He was by nature affectionate.


5 → see also human nature


6 PHRASE If you want to get back to nature , you want to return to a simpler way of living. □ She was very anxious to get away from cities and back to nature.


7 PHRASE If you say that something has a particular characteristic by its nature or by its very nature , you mean that things of that type always have that characteristic. □ Peacekeeping, by its nature, makes pre-planning difficult. □ One could argue that smoking, by its very nature, is addictive.


8 PHRASE Some people talk about a call of nature when referring politely to the need to go to the toilet. [POLITENESS ] □ I'm afraid I have to answer a call of nature.


9 PHRASE If you say that something is in the nature of things , you mean that you would expect it to happen in the circumstances mentioned. □ Many have already died, and in the nature of things many more will die.


10 PHRASE If you say that one thing is in the nature of another, you mean that it is like the other thing. □ It was in the nature of a debate rather than an argument.


11 PHRASE If a way of behaving is second nature to you, you do it almost without thinking because it is easy for you or obvious to you. □ Planning ahead had always come as second nature to her. □ It's not easy at first, but it soon becomes second nature. SYNONYMS nature NOUN


3


quality: …the pretentious quality of the poetry.


characteristics: Genes determine the characteristics of every living thing.


attribute: Cruelty is a normal attribute of human behaviour.


4


character: Perhaps there is a negative side to his character that you haven't seen yet.


personality: He has such a kind, friendly personality.


temperament: His impulsive temperament regularly got him into difficulties.

na |ture study N‑UNCOUNT Nature study is the study of animals and plants by looking at them directly, for example when it is taught to young children.

na |ture trail (nature trails ) N‑COUNT A nature trail is a route through an area of countryside which has signs drawing attention to interesting animals, plants, or rocks.

na|tur|ism /ne I tʃər I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Naturism is the same as nudism . [mainly BRIT ] ● na|tur|ist (naturists ) N‑COUNT [oft N n] □ …a naturist beach.

naught /nɔː t/ → see nought

naugh|ty /nɔː ti/ (naughtier , naughtiest )


1 ADJ If you say that a child is naughty , you mean that they behave badly or do not do what they are told. □ Girls, you're being very naughty. □ You naughty boy, you gave me such a fright.


2 ADJ You can describe books, pictures, or words as naughty when they are slightly rude or related to sex. □ You know what little boys are like with naughty words. □ …saucy TV shows, crammed full of naughty innuendo.

nau|sea /nɔː ziə/ N‑UNCOUNT Nausea is the condition of feeling sick and the feeling that you are going to vomit. □ I was overcome with a feeling of nausea.

nau|seam /nɔː ziæm/ → see ad nauseam

nau|seate /nɔː zie I t/ (nauseates , nauseating , nauseated ) VERB If something nauseates you, it makes you feel as if you are going to vomit. □ [V n] The smell of frying nauseated her. □ [V -ed] She could not eat anything without feeling nauseated.

nau|seat|ing /nɔː zie I t I ŋ/ ADJ If you describe someone's attitude or their behaviour as nauseating , you mean that you find it extremely unpleasant and feel disgusted by it. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ The judge described the offences as nauseating and unspeakable. □ For them to attack the Liberals for racism is nauseating hypocrisy.

nau|seous /nɔː ziəs, [AM ] -ʃəs/ ADJ If you feel nauseous , you feel as if you want to vomit. □ If the patient is poorly nourished, the drugs make them feel nauseous. □ A nauseous wave of pain broke over her.

nau|ti|cal /nɔː t I k ə l/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Nautical means relating to ships and sailing. □ …a nautical chart of the region you sail.

nau |ti|cal mi le (nautical miles ) N‑COUNT A nautical mile is a unit of measurement used at sea. It is equal to 1852 metres.

na|val ◆◇◇ /ne I v ə l/ ADJ [ADJ n] Naval means belonging to, relating to, or involving a country's navy. □ He was the senior serving naval officer. □ …a U.S. naval base.

nave /ne I v/ (naves ) N‑COUNT The nave of a church is the long central part where people gather to worship.

na|vel /ne I v ə l/ (navels ) N‑COUNT Your navel is the small hollow just below your waist at the front of your body.

na vel-gazing N‑UNCOUNT If you refer to an activity as navel-gazing , you are critical of it because people are thinking about something for a long time but take no action on it. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ She dismisses the reform process as an exercise in collective navel gazing.

navi|gable /næ v I gəb ə l/ ADJ A navigable river is wide and deep enough for a boat to travel along safely. [FORMAL ] □ …the navigable portion of the Nile.

navi|gate /næ v I ge I t/ (navigates , navigating , navigated )


1 VERB When someone navigates a ship or an aircraft somewhere, they decide which course to follow and steer it there. You can also say that a ship or an aircraft navigates somewhere. □ [V n] Captain Cook safely navigated his ship without accident for 100 voyages. □ [V prep/adv] The purpose of the visit was to navigate into an ice-filled fiord. □ [V ] The system will enable aircraft to navigate with pinpoint accuracy. ● navi|ga|tion /næ v I ge I ʃ ə n/ (navigations ) N‑VAR □ The expedition was wrecked by bad planning and poor navigation. □ …the boat's navigation system.


2 VERB When a ship or boat navigates an area of water, it sails on or across it. □ [V n] …a lock system to allow sea-going craft to navigate the upper reaches of the river. □ [V prep] Such boats can navigate on the Nile.


3 VERB When someone in a car navigates , they decide what roads the car should be driven along in order to get somewhere. □ [V ] When travelling on fast roads at night, it is impossible to drive and navigate at the same time. □ [V prep/adv] …the relief at successfully navigating across the Golden Gate Bridge to arrive here. □ [V n prep] They had just navigated their way through Maidstone on their way to the coast. [Also V n]


4 VERB When fish, animals, or insects navigate somewhere, they find the right direction to go and travel there. □ [V adv/prep] In tests, the bees navigate back home after being placed in a field a mile away. [Also V ]


5 VERB If you navigate an obstacle, you move carefully in order to avoid hitting the obstacle or hurting yourself. □ [V n] He was not able to walk without a cane and could only navigate steps backwards. □ [V n prep/adv] In the corridors he let her navigate her own way round the trolleys and other obstacles. □ [V prep/adv] Guests had to navigate around chairs in the middle of the room.

navi|ga|tion /næ v I ge I ʃ ə n/


1 N‑UNCOUNT You can refer to the movement of ships as navigation . □ Pack ice around Iceland was becoming a threat to navigation.


2 → see also navigate

navi|ga|tion|al /næ v I ge I ʃən ə l/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Navigational means relating to the act of navigating a ship or an aircraft. □ The crash was a direct result of inadequate navigational aids.

navi|ga|tor /næ v I ge I tə r / (navigators ) N‑COUNT The navigator on an aircraft or ship is the person whose job is to work out the direction in which the aircraft or ship should be travelling. □ He became an RAF navigator during the war.

nav|vy /næ vi/ (navvies ) N‑COUNT A navvy is a person who is employed to do hard physical work, for example building roads or canals. [BRIT , OLD-FASHIONED ]

navy ◆◆◇ /ne I vi/ (navies )


1 N‑COUNT A country's navy consists of the people it employs to fight at sea, and the ships they use. □ Her own son was also in the Navy. □ …a United States navy ship.


2 COLOUR Something that is navy or navy-blue is very dark blue. □ I mostly wore black or navy trousers. □ …a navy-blue blazer.

nay /ne I /


1 ADV You use nay in front of a stronger word or phrase which you feel is more correct than the one you have just used and helps to emphasize the point you are making. [FORMAL , EMPHASIS ] □ Long essays, nay, whole books have been written on this.


2 CONVENTION Nay is sometimes used to mean 'no' when talking about people voting against something or refusing to give consent for something. □ Will rural communities be able to say yea or nay to such proposals?


3 CONVENTION Nay is an old-fashioned, literary, or dialect word for 'no'. [FORMULAE ]

Nazi ◆◇◇ /nɑː tsi/ (Nazis )


1 N‑COUNT The Nazis were members of the right-wing political party, led by Adolf Hitler, which held power in Germany from 1933 to 1945.


2 ADJ You use Nazi to say that something relates to the Nazis. □ …the rise of the Nazi Party. □ …the Nazi occupation of the Channel Islands.

Na|zism /nɑː ts I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Nazism was the political ideas and activities of the German Nazi Party.

NB /e n biː / You write NB to draw someone's attention to what you are about to say or write. □ NB The opinions stated in this essay do not necessarily represent those of the Church of God Missionary Society.

NCO /e n siː oʊ / (NCOs ) N‑COUNT An NCO is a soldier who has a fairly low rank such as sergeant or corporal. NCO is an abbreviation for 'non-commissioned officer'. □ Food for the ordinary Soviet troops and NCOs was very poor.

SUFFIX -nd


is added to written numbers ending in 2, except for numbers ending in 12, in order to form ordinal numbers. For example, 22nd February is day number 22 in the month of February.

NE NE is a written abbreviation for north-east . □ …on the NE outskirts of Bath.

ne|an|der|thal /niæ ndə r tɑːl, -θɔːl/ (neanderthals )


1 ADJ [ADJ n] Neanderthal people lived in Europe between 35,000 and 70,000 years ago. □ Neanderthal man was able to kill woolly mammoths and bears. ● N‑COUNT [usu pl] You can refer to people from the Neanderthal period as Neanderthals .


2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe people's, especially men's, ideas or ways of behaving as Neanderthal , you disapprove of them because they are very old-fashioned and uncivilized. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ It is a peculiarity of modern sport that so many coaches persist in a Neanderthal approach.


3 N‑COUNT If you call a man a neanderthal , you disapprove of him because you think he behaves in a very uncivilized way. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …drunken neanderthals.

near ◆◆◆ /n I ə r / (nearer , nearest , nears , nearing , neared )


1 PREP If something is near a place, thing, or person, it is a short distance from them. □ Don't come near me. □ Her children went back every year to stay in a farmhouse near the cottage. □ He drew his chair nearer the fire. □ Some of the houses nearest the bridge were on fire. ● ADV [ADV after v, be ADV ] Near is also an adverb. □ [+ to ] He crouched as near to the door as he could. □ She took a step nearer to the barrier. □ As we drew near, I saw that the boot lid was up. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Near is also an adjective. □ He collapsed into the nearest chair. □ Where's the nearest phone? □ The nearer of the two barges was perhaps a mile away. ● near|ness N‑UNCOUNT [usu with poss] □ He was suddenly aware of his nearness.


2 PHRASE If someone or something is near to a particular state, they have almost reached it. □ After the war, the company came near to bankruptcy. □ The repairs to the machine were near to completion. □ Apart from anything else, he comes near to contradicting himself. ● PREP Near means the same as near to . □ He was near tears. □ We are no nearer agreement now than in the past.


3 PHRASE If something is similar to something else, you can say that it is near to it. □ …a sickening sensation that was near to nausea. ● PREP Near means the same as near to . □ Often her feelings were nearer hatred than love.


4 ADJ You describe the thing most similar to something as the nearest thing to it when there is no example of the thing itself. □ It would appear that the legal profession is the nearest thing to a recession-proof industry.


5 ADV [ADV after v, be ADV ] If a time or event draws near , it will happen soon. [WRITTEN ] □ The time for my departure from Japan was drawing nearer every day.


6 PREP If something happens near a particular time, it happens just before or just after that time. □ Performance is lowest between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m., and reaches a peak near midday. □ I'll tell you nearer the day.


7 PREP You use near to say that something is a little more or less than an amount or number stated. □ …to increase manufacturing from about 2.5 million cars a year to nearer 4.75 million.


8 PREP You can say that someone will not go near a person or thing when you are emphasizing that they refuse to see them or go there. [EMPHASIS ] □ He will absolutely not go near a hospital. □ I'm so annoyed with her that I haven't been near her for a week.


9 ADJ The near one of two things is the one that is closer. □ …a mighty beech tree on the near side of the little clearing. □ Jane put one foot in the near stirrup and turned to look at the stranger.


10 ADJ [ADJ n] You use near to indicate that something is almost the thing mentioned. □ She was believed to have died in near poverty on the French Riviera. □ …the 48-year-old who was brought in to rescue the bank from near collapse. ● ADV [ADV adj] Near is also an adverb. □ …his near fatal accident two years ago.


11 ADJ [ADJ n] In a contest, your nearest rival or challenger is the person or team that is most likely to defeat you. □ That victory put the Ukrainians beyond the reach of their nearest challengers, Dynamo Moscow.


12 VERB [no passive] When you near a place, you get quite near to it. [LITERARY ] □ [V n] As he neared the stable, he slowed the horse and patted it on the neck.


13 VERB [no passive] When someone or something nears a particular stage or point, they will soon reach that stage or point. □ [V n] His age was hard to guess–he must have been nearing fifty. □ [V n] The project is taking a long time but is now nearing completion.


14 VERB You say that an important time or event nears when it is going to occur quite soon. [LITERARY ] □ [V ] As half time neared, Hardyman almost scored twice.


15 PHRASE People sometimes refer to their close relatives and friends as their nearest and dearest . □ …that English convention of not showing your feelings, even to your nearest and dearest.


16 PHRASE You use near and far to indicate that you are referring to a very large area or distance. □ People would gather from near and far.


17 PHRASE If you say that something will happen in the near future , you mean that it will happen quite soon. □ The controversy regarding vitamin C is unlikely to be resolved in the near future.


18 PHRASE You use nowhere near and not anywhere near to emphasize that something is not the case. [EMPHASIS ] □ They are nowhere near good enough. □ It was nowhere near as painful as David had expected.

near|by ◆◇◇ /n I ə r ba I / also near by , near-by ADV [ADV after v, n ADV , from ADV ] If something is nearby, it is only a short distance away. □ He might easily have been seen by someone who lived nearby. □ There is less expensive accommodation nearby. □ There were one or two suspicious looks from nearby. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Nearby is also an adjective. □ At a nearby table a man was complaining in a loud voice. □ …the nearby village of Crowthorne.

nea r-death ex|pe ri|ence (near-death experiences ) N‑COUNT A near-death experience is a strange experience that some people who have nearly died say they had when they were unconscious.

Nea r E a st N‑PROPER The Near East is the same as the Middle East .

near|ly ◆◆◇ /n I ə r li/


1 ADV [ADV before v] Nearly is used to indicate that something is not quite the case, or not completely the case. □ Goldsworth stared at me in silence for nearly twenty seconds. □ Hunter knew nearly all of this already. □ Several times Thorne nearly fell. □ I nearly had a heart attack when she told me. □ The beach was nearly empty. □ They nearly always ate outside.


2 ADV [ADV before v] Nearly is used to indicate that something will soon be the case. □ It was already nearly eight o'clock. □ I was nearly asleep. □ The voyage is nearly over. □ You're nearly there. □ I've nearly finished the words for your song.


3 PHRASE You use not nearly to emphasize that something is not the case. [EMPHASIS ] □ Father's flat in Paris wasn't nearly as grand as this. □ Minerals in general are not nearly so well absorbed as other nutrients. □ British car workers did not earn nearly enough money to buy the products they were turning out. SYNONYMS nearly ADV 1


practically: He'd known the old man practically all his life.


almost: The couple had been dating for almost three years.


virtually: Virtually all cooking was done over coal-fired ranges.

nea r|ly ne w ADJ [usu ADJ n] Nearly new items are items for sale that have belonged to another person but have not been used much and are still in very good condition. A nearly new shop sells nearly new items.

nea r mi ss (near misses ) also near-miss


1 N‑COUNT You can say that there is a near miss when something is nearly hit by another thing, for example by a vehicle or a bomb. □ [+ between ] Details have been given of a near miss between two airliners over southern England earlier this week. □ We've had a few near misses in the raids, as I expect you've noticed.


2 N‑COUNT A near miss is an attempt to do something which fails by a very small amount. □ [+ in ] …Milan's successful defence of the European Cup and near-miss in the Italian championship last season.

near|side /n I ə r sa I d/


1 ADJ [ADJ n] The nearside wheels, lights, or doors of a vehicle are those nearest the edge of the road when the vehicle is being driven on the correct side of the road. In Britain, the nearside is on the left. [BRIT ] □ The nearside front tyre had been slashed.


2 N‑SING The nearside of a vehicle is the side that is nearest the edge of the road when the vehicle is being driven on the correct side of the road. [BRIT ] □ It hit the kerb on the nearside and seemed to ricochet across the road on two wheels.

nea r-si ghted also nearsighted ADJ Someone who is near-sighted cannot see distant things clearly. [AM , also BRIT , OLD-FASHIONED ] □ The girl squinted at the photograph. She seemed to be nearsighted.

neat ◆◇◇ /niː t/ (neater , neatest )


1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A neat place, thing, or person is tidy and smart, and has everything in the correct place. □ She undressed and put her wet clothes in a neat pile in the corner. □ …a girl in a neat grey flannel suit. □ Everything was neat and tidy and gleamingly clean. ● neat|ly ADV [ADV with v, ADV adj/-ed] □ He folded his paper neatly and sipped his coffee. □ At the door was a neatly dressed, dignified man. ● neat|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ The grounds were a perfect balance between neatness and natural wildness.


2 ADJ Someone who is neat keeps their home or possessions tidy, with everything in the correct place. □ 'That's not like Alf,' he said, 'leaving papers muddled like that. He's always so neat.' ● neat|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ Josephine's few possessions are neatly arranged. ● neat|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ …a paragon of neatness, efficiency and reliability.


3 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A neat object, part of the body, or shape is quite small and has a smooth outline. □ …a faded woman with neat features. □ …neat handwriting. ● neat|ly ADV [ADV -ed] □ She was a small woman, slender and neatly made.


4 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A neat movement or action is done accurately and skilfully, with no unnecessary movements. □ A neat move between Black and Keane left Nigel Clough in the clear, but his shot skimmed wide of the far post. ● neat|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ He watched her peel and dissect a pear neatly; no mess, no sticky fingers.


5 ADJ A neat way of organizing, achieving, explaining, or expressing something is clever and convenient. □ It had been such a neat, clever plan. □ Neat solutions are not easily found to these issues. ● neat|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ Real people do not fit neatly into these categories. ● neat|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] He knew full well he had been outflanked, and he appreciated the neatness of it.


6 ADJ If you say that something is neat , you mean that it is very good. [AM , INFORMAL , APPROVAL ] □ 'Oh, those new apartments are really neat,' the girl babbled on. □ It'll be neat to have a father and son playing on the same team.


7 ADJ [ADJ n] When someone drinks strong alcohol neat , they do not add a weaker liquid such as water to it. [mainly BRIT ] □ He poured himself a brandy and swallowed it neat. □ He took a mouthful of neat whisky, and coughed. in AM, use straight SYNONYMS neat ADJ 1


tidy: Having a tidy desk can seem impossible if you have a busy, demanding job.


orderly: Their vehicles were parked in orderly rows.


immaculate: Her front room was kept immaculate.

nebu|la /ne bjələ/ (nebulae ) N‑COUNT [oft in names] A nebula is a cloud of dust and gas in space. New stars are produced from nebulae.

nebu|lous /ne bjələs/ ADJ If you describe something as nebulous , you mean that it is vague and not clearly defined or not easy to describe. □ The notions we children were able to form of the great world beyond were exceedingly nebulous. □ Music is such a nebulous thing.

nec|es|sari|ly ◆◇◇ /ne s I se r I li, -sr I li/


1 ADV [with neg, ADV before v] If you say that something is not necessarily the case, you mean that it may not be the case or is not always the case. [VAGUENESS ] □ Anger is not necessarily the most useful or acceptable reaction to such events. □ A higher fee does not necessarily mean a better course. ● CONVENTION If you reply ' Not necessarily ', you mean that what has just been said or suggested may not be true. □ 'He was lying, of course.'—'Not necessarily.'


2 ADV [ADV before v] If you say that something necessarily happens or is the case, you mean that it has to happen or be the case and cannot be any different. □ The most desirable properties necessarily command astonishingly high prices. □ Tourism is an industry that has a necessarily close connection with governments.

nec|es|sary ◆◆◇ /ne s I səri/


1 ADJ Something that is necessary is needed in order for something else to happen. □ [+ to-inf] I kept the engine running because it might be necessary to leave fast. □ We will do whatever is necessary to stop them. □ Is that really necessary? □ Make the necessary arrangements.


2 ADJ [ADJ n] A necessary consequence or connection must happen or exist, because of the nature of the things or events involved. □ Wastage was no doubt a necessary consequence of war. □ Scientific work has a necessary connection with the idea of progress.


3 PHRASE If you say that something will happen if necessary , when necessary , or where necessary , you mean that it will happen if it is necessary, when it is necessary, or where it is necessary. □ If necessary, the airship can stay up there for days to keep out of danger. □ The army needs men who are willing to fight, when necessary. □ All the rigging had been examined, and renewed where necessary.

ne|ces|si|tate /n I se s I te I t/ (necessitates , necessitating , necessitated ) VERB If something necessitates an event, action, or situation, it makes it necessary. [FORMAL ] □ [V n/v-ing] A prolonged drought had necessitated the introduction of water rationing.

ne|ces|sity /n I se s I ti/ (necessities )


1 N‑UNCOUNT The necessity of something is the fact that it must happen or exist. □ [+ of ] There is agreement on the necessity of reforms. □ Most women, like men, work from economic necessity. □ Some people have to lead stressful lifestyles out of necessity. ● PHRASE If you say that something is of necessity the case, you mean that it is the case because nothing else is possible or practical in the circumstances. [FORMAL ] □ Negotiations between the enemies are of necessity indirect.


2 N‑COUNT A necessity is something that you must have in order to live properly or do something. □ [+ of ] Water is a basic necessity of life. □ …food, fuel and other daily necessities.


3 N‑COUNT [usu sing] A situation or action that is a necessity is necessary and cannot be avoided. □ The President pleaded that strong rule from the centre was a regrettable, but temporary necessity.

neck ◆◇◇ /ne k/ (necks , necking , necked )


1 N‑COUNT [usu poss N ] Your neck is the part of your body which joins your head to the rest of your body. □ She threw her arms round his neck and hugged him warmly. □ He was short and stocky, and had a thick neck.


2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] The neck of an article of clothing such as a shirt, dress, or sweater is the part which surrounds your neck. □ [+ of ] …the low, ruffled neck of her blouse. □ He wore a blue shirt open at the neck.


3 N‑COUNT The neck of something such as a bottle or a guitar is the long narrow part at one end of it. □ [+ of ] Catherine gripped the broken neck of the bottle.


4 VERB [usu cont] If two people are necking , they are kissing each other in a sexual way. [INFORMAL ] □ [V ] They sat talking and necking in the car for another ten minutes. □ [V + with ] I found myself behind a curtain, necking with my best friend. [Also V n]


5 PHRASE If you say that someone is breathing down your neck , you mean that they are watching you very closely and checking everything you do. □ Most farmers have bank managers breathing down their necks.


6 PHRASE In a competition, especially an election, if two or more competitors are neck and neck , they are level with each other and have an equal chance of winning. □ The latest polls indicate that the two main parties are neck and neck. □ [+ with ] The party is running neck-and-neck with Labour.


7 PHRASE If you say that someone is risking their neck , you mean they are doing something very dangerous, often in order to achieve something. □ I won't have him risking his neck on that motorcycle.


8 PHRASE If you stick your neck out , you bravely say or do something that might be criticized or might turn out to be wrong. [INFORMAL ] □ I've earned a reputation as someone who'll stick his neck out, a bit of a rebel.


9 PHRASE If you say that someone is in some sort of trouble or criminal activity up to their neck , you mean that they are deeply involved in it. [INFORMAL ] □ He is probably up to his neck in debt.


10 PHRASE Someone or something that is from your neck of the woods is from the same part of the country as you are. [INFORMAL ] □ It's so good to see you. What brings you to this neck of the woods?


11 to have a millstone round your neck → see millstone


12 the scruff of your neck → see scruff

neck|er|chief /ne kə r tʃiːf, -tʃif/ (neckerchiefs ) N‑COUNT A neckerchief is a piece of cloth which is folded to form a triangle and worn round your neck.

neck|lace /ne kl I s/ (necklaces ) N‑COUNT A necklace is a piece of jewellery such as a chain or a string of beads which someone, usually a woman, wears round their neck. □ …a diamond necklace and matching earrings.

neck|line /ne kla I n/ (necklines ) N‑COUNT The neckline of a dress, blouse, or other piece of clothing is the edge that goes around your neck, especially the front part of it. □ …a dress with pale pink roses around the neckline.

neck|tie /ne kta I / (neckties ) N‑COUNT A necktie is a narrow piece of cloth that someone, usually a man, puts under his shirt collar and ties so that the ends hang down in front.

nec|ro|man|cy /ne krəmænsi/ N‑UNCOUNT Necromancy is magic that some people believe brings a dead person back to this world so that you can talk to them. [FORMAL ]

nec|ro|philia /ne krəf I liə/ N‑UNCOUNT Necrophilia is the act of having sexual intercourse with a dead body, or the desire to do this.

ne|cropo|lis /nekrɒ pəl I s/ (necropolises ) N‑COUNT A necropolis is a place where dead people are buried. [FORMAL ]

ne|cro|sis /nekroʊ s I s/ N‑UNCOUNT Necrosis is the death of part of someone's body, for example because it is not getting enough blood. [MEDICAL ] □ …liver necrosis.

nec|tar /ne ktə r / (nectars ) N‑UNCOUNT Nectar is a sweet liquid produced by flowers, which bees and other insects collect.

nec|tar|ine /ne ktəriːn, -r I n/ (nectarines ) N‑COUNT A nectarine is a round, juicy fruit which is similar to a peach but has a smooth skin.

née /ne I / also nee You use née after a married woman's name and before you mention the surname she had before she got married. [FORMAL ] □ …Lady Helen Taylor (née Windsor).

need ◆◆◆ /niː d/ (needs , needing , needed ) Need sometimes behaves like an ordinary verb, for example 'She needs to know' and 'She doesn't need to know' and sometimes like a modal, for example 'She need know', 'She needn't know', or, in more formal English, 'She need not know.' 1 VERB [no cont] If you need something, or need to do something, you cannot successfully achieve what you want or live properly without it. □ [V n] He desperately needed money. □ [V to-inf] I need to make a phone call. □ [V n to-inf] I need you to do something for me. □ [V n adv/prep] I need you here, Wally. □ [V n adj] I need you sane and sober. ● N‑COUNT [oft N to-inf] Need is also a noun. □ Charles has never felt the need to compete with anyone. □ [+ for ] …the child who never had his need for attention and importance satisfied. □ [+ of ] …the special nutritional needs of the elderly.


2 VERB [no cont] If an object or place needs something doing to it, that action should be done to improve the object or place. If a task needs doing, it should be done to improve a particular situation. □ [V n] The building needs quite a few repairs. □ [V v-ing] …a garden that needs tidying. □ [V to-inf] The taste of vitamins is not too nice so the flavour sometimes needs to be disguised.


3 N‑SING [N to-inf] If there is a need for something, that thing would improve a situation or something cannot happen without it. □ [+ for ] Mr Forrest believes there is a need for other similar schools throughout Britain. □ [+ for ] 'I think we should see a specialist.'—'I don't think there's any need for that.' □ [+ for ] There's no need for you to stay.


4 MODAL [with neg] If you say that someone needn't do something, you are telling them not to do it, or advising or suggesting that they should not do it. □ Look, you needn't shout. □ She need not know I'm here. ● VERB [no cont, with neg] Need is also a verb. □ [V to-inf] Come along, Mother, we don't need to take up any more of Mr Kemp's time.


5 MODAL If you tell someone that they needn't do something, or that something needn't happen, you are telling them that that thing is not necessary, in order to make them feel better. □ You needn't worry. □ Buying budget-priced furniture needn't mean compromising on quality or style. □ Loneliness can be horrible, but it need not remain that way. ● VERB [no cont, with neg] Need is also a verb. □ [V to-inf] He replied, with a reassuring smile, 'Oh, you don't need to worry about them.' □ [V to-inf] You don't need to be a millionaire to consider having a bank account in Switzerland.


6 MODAL [with neg] You use needn't when you are giving someone permission not to do something. □ You needn't come again, if you don't want to. ● VERB [no cont] Need is also a verb. □ [V to-inf] You don't need to wait for me.


7 MODAL [with neg] If something need not be true, it is not necessarily true or not always true. [FORMAL ] □ What is right for us need not be right for others. □ Freedom need not mean independence.


8 MODAL [with neg] If someone needn't have done something, it was not necessary or useful for them to do it, although they did it. □ I was a little nervous when I announced my engagement to Grace, but I needn't have worried. □ We spent a hell of a lot of money that we needn't have spent. ● VERB [no cont, with neg] If someone didn't need to do something, they needn't have done it. □ [V to-inf] You didn't need to give me any more money you know, but thank you.


9 MODAL You use need in expressions such as I need hardly say and I needn't add to emphasize that the person you are talking to already knows what you are going to say. [EMPHASIS ] □ I needn't add that if you fail to do as I ask, you will suffer the consequences. ● VERB [no cont] Need is also a verb. □ [V to-inf] I hardly need to say that I have never lost contact with him.


10 MODAL You can use need in expressions such as ' Need I say more ' and ' Need I go on ' when you want to avoid stating an obvious consequence of something you have just said. □ Mid-fifties, short black hair, grey moustache, distinctive Russian accent. Need I go on?


11 PHRASE People in need do not have enough of essential things such as money, food, or good health. □ The education authorities have to provide for children in need. □ Remember that when both of you were in need, I was the one who loaned you money.


12 PHRASE If you are in need of something, you need it or ought to have it. □ I was all right but in need of rest. □ He was badly in need of a shave. □ The house was in need of modernisation when they bought it.


13 PHRASE If you say that you will do something, especially an extreme action, if need be , you mean that you will do if it is necessary. In British English, you can also say if needs be . □ They will now seek permission to take their case to the House of Lords, and, if need be, to the European Court of Human Rights.


14 PHRASE If you say that someone needs to get out more , you mean that they are boring or that they are spending too much time concentrating on one particular thing. [INFORMAL ] □ I found myself reading The Inner Game Of Tennis the other day (I really do need to get out more).


15 PHRASE You can tell someone that there's no need for them to do something as a way of telling them not to do it or of telling them to stop doing it, for example because it is unnecessary. [SPOKEN ] □ There's no need to call a doctor. □ 'I'm going to come with you.'—'Now look, Sue, there's no need.' [Also + for ]


16 PHRASE You can say ' Who needs something?' as a way of emphasizing that you think that this thing is unnecessary or not useful. [INFORMAL ] □ With apologies to my old history teacher, who needs history lessons? □ Cigarettes, who needs them? USAGE need


Don’t use need in the progressive form. Don’t say, for example, ‘ I am needing money for food .’ You say you need something. □ I need money for food.

need|ful /niː dfʊl/ ADJ Needful means necessary. [OLD-FASHIONED ] □ [+ of ] The section of society most needful of such guidance is the young male. □ …stoppages for needful rest and recreation.

nee|dle /niː d ə l/ (needles , needling , needled )


1 N‑COUNT A needle is a small, very thin piece of polished metal which is used for sewing. It has a sharp point at one end and a hole in the other for a thread to go through.


2 N‑COUNT Knitting needles are thin sticks that are used for knitting. They are usually made of plastic or metal and have a point at one end.


3 N‑COUNT A needle is a thin hollow metal rod with a sharp point, which is part of a medical instrument called a syringe. It is used to put a drug into someone's body, or to take blood out.


4 N‑COUNT A needle is a thin metal rod with a point which is put into a patient's body during acupuncture.


5 N‑COUNT On an instrument which measures something such as speed or weight, the needle is the long strip of metal or plastic on the dial that moves backwards and forwards, showing the measurement. □ She kept looking at the dial on the boiler. The needle had reached 250 degrees.


6 N‑COUNT [usu pl] The needles of a fir or pine tree are its thin, hard, pointed leaves. □ The carpet of pine needles was soft underfoot.


7 VERB If someone needles you, they annoy you continually, especially by criticizing you. □ [V n] Blake could see he had needled Jerrold, which might be unwise.


8 → see also pins and needles


9 like looking for a needle in a haystack → see haystack

nee |dle ex|change (needle exchanges ) also needle-exchange N‑COUNT A needle exchange is a place where drug addicts are able to obtain new syringes in exchange for used ones. □ …needle exchange schemes.

need|less /niː dləs/


1 ADJ Something that is needless is completely unnecessary. □ But his death was so needless. □ 'I have never knowingly exposed any patient to needless risks,' he said. ● need|less|ly ADV [ADV with v, oft ADV adj] □ Half a million women die needlessly each year during childbirth.


2 PHRASE You use needless to say when you want to emphasize that what you are about to say is obvious and to be expected in the circumstances. [EMPHASIS ] □ Our budgie got out of its cage. Needless to say, the cat caught it.

needle|work /niː d ə lwɜː r k/


1 N‑UNCOUNT Needlework is sewing or stitching that is done by hand. □ She did beautiful needlework and she embroidered table napkins.


2 N‑UNCOUNT Needlework is the activity of sewing or stitching. □ …watching my mother and grandmothers doing needlework.

needn't /niː d ə nt/ Needn't is the usual spoken form of 'need not'.

needy /niː di/ (needier , neediest ) ADJ [usu ADJ n] Needy people do not have enough food, medicine, or clothing, or adequate houses. □ …a multinational force aimed at ensuring that food and medicine get to needy refugees. ● N‑PLURAL The needy are people who are needy. □ There will be efforts to get larger amounts of food to the needy.

ne|fari|ous /n I feə riəs/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe an activity as nefarious , you mean that it is wicked and immoral. [LITERARY ] □ Why make a whole village prisoner if it was not to some nefarious purpose?

neg. Neg. is a written abbreviation for negative .

ne|gate /n I ge I t/ (negates , negating , negated )


1 VERB If one thing negates another, it causes that other thing to lose the effect or value that it had. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] These weaknesses negated his otherwise progressive attitude towards the staff.


2 VERB If someone negates something, they say that it does not exist. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] He warned that to negate the results of elections would only make things worse.

ne|ga|tion /n I ge I ʃ ə n/


1 N‑SING The negation of something is its complete opposite or something which destroys it or makes it lose its effect. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] Unintelligible legislation is the negation of the rule of law and of parliamentary democracy.


2 N‑UNCOUNT Negation is disagreement, refusal, or denial. [FORMAL ] □ Isabella shook her head, but in bewilderment, not negation.

nega|tive ◆◇◇ /ne gət I v/ (negatives )


1 ADJ A fact, situation, or experience that is negative is unpleasant, depressing, or harmful. □ The news from overseas is overwhelmingly negative. □ All this had an extremely negative effect on the criminal justice system. ● nega|tive|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ This will negatively affect the result over the first half of the year.


2 ADJ If someone is negative or has a negative attitude, they consider only the bad aspects of a situation, rather than the good ones. □ When asked for your views about your current job, on no account must you be negative about it. □ Why does the media present such a negative view of this splendid city? ● nega|tive|ly ADV [usu ADV after v] □ A few weeks later he said that maybe he viewed all his relationships rather negatively. ● nega|tiv|ity /ne gət I v I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT □ I loathe negativity. I can't stand people who moan.


3 ADJ A negative reply or decision indicates the answer 'no'. □ Dr Velayati gave a vague but negative response. □ Upon a negative decision, the applicant loses the protection offered by Belgian law. ● nega|tive|ly ADV [ADV after v] □ 60 percent of the sample answered negatively.


4 N‑COUNT A negative is a word, expression, or gesture that means 'no' or 'not'. □ In the past we have heard only negatives when it came to following a healthy diet.


5 ADJ In grammar, a negative clause contains a word such as 'not', 'never', or 'no-one'.


6 ADJ If a medical test or scientific test is negative , it shows no evidence of the medical condition or substance that you are looking for. □ So far 57 have taken the test and all have been negative. □ …negative test results.


7 HIV negative → see HIV


8 N‑COUNT In photography, a negative is an image that shows dark areas as light and light areas as dark. Negatives are made from a camera film, and are used to print photographs.


9 ADJ A negative charge or current has the same electrical charge as an electron. □ Stimulate the site of greatest pain with a small negative current. ● nega|tive|ly ADV [ADV -ed] □ As these electrons are negatively charged, they will attempt to repel each other.


10 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A negative number, quantity, or measurement is less than zero. □ The weakest students can end up with a negative score.


11 PHRASE If an answer is in the negative , it is 'no' or means 'no'. □ Seventy-nine voted in the affirmative, and none in the negative. SYNONYMS negative ADJ


1


unpleasant: The symptoms can be uncomfortable, unpleasant and serious.


damaging: Is the recycling process in itself damaging to the environment?


harmful: …the harmful effects of smoking.


2


pessimistic: Not everyone is so pessimistic about the future.


cynical: It's hard not to be cynical about reform.


gloomy: Miller is gloomy about the fate of the serious playwright in America.

ne ga|tive e qui|ty N‑UNCOUNT If someone who has borrowed money to buy a house or flat has negative equity , the amount of money they owe is greater than the present value of their home. [BRIT , BUSINESS ]

ne|glect /n I gle kt/ (neglects , neglecting , neglected )


1 VERB If you neglect someone or something, you fail to look after them properly. □ [V n] The woman denied that she had neglected her child. □ [V n] Feed plants and they grow, neglect them and they suffer. □ [V -ed] …an ancient and neglected church. ● N‑UNCOUNT Neglect is also a noun. □ The town's old quayside is collapsing after years of neglect.


2 VERB If you neglect someone or something, you fail to give them the amount of attention that they deserve. □ [V n] He'd given too much to his career, worked long hours, neglected her. □ [V n] If you are not careful, children tend to neglect their homework. ● ne|glect|ed ADJ [v-link ADJ , ADJ n, ADJ after v] □ The fact that she is not coming today makes her grandmother feel lonely and neglected. □ … a neglected aspect of London's forgotten history. □ The journal she had begun lay neglected on her bedside table.


3 VERB If you neglect to do something that you ought to do or neglect your duty, you fail to do it. □ [V to-inf] We often neglect to make proper use of our bodies. □ [V n] They never neglect their duties.

ne|glect|ful /n I gle ktfʊl/


1 ADJ If you describe someone as neglectful , you think they fail to do everything they should do to look after someone or something properly. □ …neglectful parents.


2 ADJ If someone is neglectful of something, they do not give it the attention or consideration that it should be given. □ [+ of ] Have I been neglectful of my friend, taking him for granted?

neg|li|gee /ne gl I ʒe I , [AM ] -ʒe I / (negligees ) also négligée N‑COUNT A negligee is a very thin garment which a woman wears over her nightclothes. □ …a pink satin negligee.

neg|li|gence /ne gl I dʒ ə ns/ N‑UNCOUNT If someone is guilty of negligence , they have failed to do something which they ought to do. [FORMAL ] □ The soldiers were ordered to appear before a disciplinary council on charges of negligence.

neg|li|gent /ne gl I dʒ ə nt/ ADJ If someone in a position of responsibility is negligent , they do not do something which they ought to do. □ The jury determined that the airline was negligent in training and supervising the crew. □ The Council had acted in a negligent manner. ● neg|li|gent|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ A manufacturer negligently made and marketed a car with defective brakes.

neg|li|gible /ne gl I dʒ I b ə l/ ADJ An amount or effect that is negligible is so small that it is not worth considering or worrying about. □ The pay that the soldiers received was negligible. □ Senior managers are convinced that the strike will have a negligible impact.

ne|go|tiable /n I goʊ ʃəb ə l/


1 ADJ Something that is negotiable can be changed or agreed when people discuss it. □ He warned that his economic programme for the country was not negotiable. □ The Manor is for sale at a negotiable price.


2 ADJ Contracts or assets that are negotiable can be transferred to another person in exchange for money. □ The bonds may no longer be negotiable. □ …negotiable bearer bonds.

ne|go|ti|ate ◆◆◇ /n I goʊ ʃie I t/ (negotiates , negotiating , negotiated )


1 VERB If people negotiate with each other or negotiate an agreement, they talk about a problem or a situation such as a business arrangement in order to solve the problem or complete the arrangement. □ [V + with ] It is not clear whether the president is willing to negotiate with the democrats. □ [V ] When you have two adversaries negotiating, you need to be on neutral territory. □ [V n] The local government and the army negotiated a truce. □ [V ] Western governments have this week urged him to negotiate and avoid force. □ [V n] He has bravely negotiated an end to the country's civil war. □ [V + for ] His publishing house had just begun negotiating for her next books. □ [V to-inf] There were reports that three companies were negotiating to market the drug. [Also V n + with ]


2 VERB If you negotiate an area of land, a place, or an obstacle, you successfully travel across it or around it. □ [V n] Frank Mariano negotiates the desert terrain in his battered pickup. □ [V n prep/adv] I negotiated my way out of the airport and joined the flow of cars. SYNONYMS negotiate VERB 1


bargain: They prefer to bargain with individual clients, for cash.


debate: At the moment we are debating what furniture to buy for the house.


discuss: The Cabinet met today to discuss how to respond to the ultimatum.

ne|go |ti|at|ing ta|ble N‑SING If you say that people are at the negotiating table , you mean that they are having discussions in order to settle a dispute or reach an agreement. □ 'We want to settle all matters at the negotiating table,' he said.

ne|go|tia|tion ◆◆◇ /n I goʊ ʃie I ʃ ə n/ (negotiations ) N‑VAR Negotiations are formal discussions between people who have different aims or intentions, especially in business or politics, during which they try to reach an agreement. □ We have had meaningful negotiations and I believe we are very close to a deal. □ After 10 years of negotiation, the Senate ratified the strategic arms reduction treaty. SYNONYMS negotiation NOUN


discussion: There was a lot of discussion about the wording of the report.


debate: An intense debate is going on within the government.


bargaining: The government has called for sensible pay bargaining.

ne|go|tia|tor /n I goʊ ʃie I tə r / (negotiators ) N‑COUNT Negotiators are people who take part in political or financial negotiations. □ …the rebels' chief negotiator at the peace talks. □ The two American negotiators are calling for substantial cuts in external subsidies.

Ne|gro /niː groʊ/ (Negroes ) N‑COUNT A Negro is someone with dark skin who comes from Africa or whose ancestors came from Africa. [OFFENSIVE , OLD-FASHIONED ]

neigh /ne I / (neighs , neighing , neighed ) VERB When a horse neighs , it makes a loud sound with its mouth. □ [V ] The mare neighed once more, turned and disappeared amongst the trees. ● N‑COUNT Neigh is also a noun. □ The horse gave a loud neigh.

neigh|bour ◆◇◇ /ne I bə r / (neighbours ) in AM, use neighbor 1 N‑COUNT [oft poss N ] Your neighbour is someone who lives near you. □ I got chatting with my neighbour in the garden.


2 N‑COUNT [oft poss N ] You can refer to the person who is standing or sitting next to you as your neighbour . □ The woman prodded her neighbour and whispered urgently in his ear.


3 N‑COUNT [usu poss N ] You can refer to something which stands next to something else of the same kind as its neighbour . □ Each house was packed close behind its neighbour.

neigh|bour|hood /ne I bə r hʊd/ (neighbourhoods ) in AM, use neighborhood 1 N‑COUNT A neighbourhood is one of the parts of a town where people live. □ It seemed like a good neighbourhood to raise my children.


2 N‑COUNT The neighbourhood of a place or person is the area or the people around them. □ He was born and grew up in the Flatbush neighbourhood of Brooklyn.


3 PHRASE In the neighbourhood of a number means approximately that number. □ He's won in the neighbourhood of four million dollars.


4 PHRASE A place in the neighbourhood of another place is near it. □ …the loss of woodlands in the neighbourhood of large towns.

neigh|bour|ing /ne I bər I ŋ/ in AM, use neighboring ADJ [ADJ n] Neighbouring places or things are near other things of the same kind. □ Rwanda is to hold talks with leaders of neighbouring countries next week. □ …the hotel's boutique and neighboring shops.

neigh|bour|ly /ne I bə r li/ in AM, use neighborly ADJ If the people who live near you are neighbourly , they are friendly and helpful. If you live in a neighbourly place, it has a friendly atmosphere. □ The noise would have provoked alarm and neighbourly concern. □ The older people had stopped being neighbourly to each other.

nei|ther ◆◆◇ /na I ðə r , niː ðə r /


1 CONJ You use neither in front of the first of two or more words or expressions when you are linking two or more things which are not true or do not happen. The other thing is introduced by 'nor'. □ Professor Hisamatsu spoke neither English nor German. □ The play is neither as funny nor as disturbing as Tabori thinks it is.


2 DET You use neither to refer to each of two things or people, when you are making a negative statement that includes both of them. □ At first, neither man could speak. ● QUANT Neither is also a quantifier. □ Neither of us felt like going out. ● PRON Neither is also a pronoun. □ They both smiled; neither seemed likely to be aware of my absence for long.


3 CONJ If you say that one person or thing does not do something and neither does another, what you say is true of all the people or things that you are mentioning. □ I never learned to swim and neither did they. □ I don't have all the answers and neither do you.


4 CONJ You use neither after a negative statement to emphasize that you are introducing another negative statement. [FORMAL ] □ I can't ever recall Dad hugging me. Neither did I sit on his knee.


5 PHRASE If you say that something is neither here nor there , you mean that it does not matter because it is not a relevant point. □ 'I'd never heard of her before I came here.'—'That is neither here nor there.'

nem|esis /ne m I s I s/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft with poss] The nemesis of a person or thing is a situation, event, or person which causes them to be seriously harmed, especially as a punishment. □ Yet the imminent crisis in its balance of payments may be the President's nemesis.

PREFIX neo-


forms nouns and adjectives that refer to modern versions of styles and particular groups of the past. For example, neo-classical architecture is based on ancient Greek or Roman architecture.

neo|clas|si|cal /niː oʊklæ s I k ə l/ also neo-classical ADJ Neoclassical architecture or art is from the late 18th century and uses designs from Roman and Greek architecture and art. □ The building was erected between 1798 and 1802 in the neoclassical style of the time.

neo|lib|er|al|ism /niː oʊl I bərəl I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Neoliberalism is a form of liberalism that supports economic freedom and the free market. □ The key tenets of neoliberalism include privatisation and deregulation.

Neo|lith|ic /niː əl I θ I k/ also neolithic ADJ Neolithic is used to describe things relating to the period when people had started farming but still used stone for making weapons and tools. □ …neolithic culture. □ …the monument was Stone Age or Neolithic.

ne|olo|gism /niː ələdʒ I zəm, niɒ l-/ (neologisms ) N‑COUNT A neologism is a new word or expression in a language, or a new meaning for an existing word or expression. [TECHNICAL ] □ Some neologisms become widely used and enter the language.

neon /niː ɒn/


1 ADJ [ADJ n] Neon lights or signs are made from glass tubes filled with neon gas which produce a bright electric light. □ In the city squares the neon lights flashed in turn.


2 N‑UNCOUNT Neon is a gas which occurs in very small amounts in the atmosphere. □ …inert gases like neon and argon.

neo|na|tal /niː oʊne I t ə l/ ADJ [ADJ n] Neonatal means relating to the first few days of life of a new born baby. □ …the neonatal intensive care unit.

ne o-Na zi (neo-Nazis ) N‑COUNT [oft N n] Neo-Nazis are people who admire Adolf Hitler and the beliefs of the right-wing party which he led in Germany from 1933 to 1945.

neo|phyte /niː əfa I t/ (neophytes ) N‑COUNT A neophyte is someone who is new to a particular activity. [FORMAL ] □ …a self-proclaimed political neophyte.

neph|ew /ne fjuː, ne v-/ (nephews ) N‑COUNT [oft poss N ] Someone's nephew is the son of their sister or brother. □ I am planning a 25th birthday party for my nephew.

nepo|tism /ne pət I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Nepotism is the unfair use of power in order to get jobs or other benefits for your family or friends. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Many will regard his appointment as the kind of nepotism British banking ought to avoid.

nerd /nɜː r d/ (nerds ) N‑COUNT If you say that someone is a nerd , you mean that they are stupid or ridiculous, especially because they wear unfashionable clothes or show too much interest in computers or science. [INFORMAL , OFFENSIVE , DISAPPROVAL ] □ Mark claimed he was made to look a nerd. □ …the notion that users of the Internet are all sad computer nerds.

nerdy /nɜː r di/ (nerdier , nerdiest ) ADJ If you describe someone as nerdy , you think that they are a nerd or look like a nerd. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ …nerdy types who never exercise. □ …the Prince's nerdy hairstyle.

nerve ◆◇◇ /nɜː r v/ (nerves )


1 N‑COUNT Nerves are long thin fibres that transmit messages between your brain and other parts of your body. □ …spinal nerves. □ …in cases where the nerve fibres are severed.


2 N‑PLURAL [usu poss N ] If you refer to someone's nerves , you mean their ability to cope with problems such as stress, worry, and danger. □ Jill's nerves are stretched to breaking point. □ I can be very patient, and then I can burst if my nerves are worn out.


3 N‑PLURAL You can refer to someone's feelings of anxiety or tension as nerves . □ I just played badly. It wasn't nerves.


4 N‑UNCOUNT Nerve is the courage that you need in order to do something difficult or dangerous. □ The brandy made him choke, but it restored his nerve. □ He never got up enough nerve to meet me.


5 PHRASE If someone or something gets on your nerves , they annoy or irritate you. [INFORMAL ] □ Lately he's not done a bloody thing and it's getting on my nerves.


6 PHRASE If you say that someone has a nerve or has the nerve to do something, you are criticizing them for doing something which you feel they had no right to do. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ They've got a nerve, complaining about our behaviour. □ He had the nerve to ask me to prove who I was.


7 PHRASE If you hold your nerve or keep your nerve , you remain calm and determined in a difficult situation. □ He held his nerve to beat his opponent in five sets. □ We need to keep our nerve now.


8 PHRASE If you lose your nerve , you suddenly panic and become too afraid to do something that you were about to do. □ The bomber had lost his nerve and fled.


9 PHRASE If you say that you have touched a nerve or touched a raw nerve , you mean that you have accidentally upset someone by talking about something that they feel strongly about or are very sensitive about. □ Alistair saw Henry shrink, as if the words had touched a nerve. □ The mere mention of John had touched a very raw nerve indeed. SYNONYMS nerve NOUN 4


bravery: He deserves the highest praise for his bravery.


courage: They do not have the courage to apologise for their actions.


daring: His daring may have cost him his life.


pluck: Little companies are known for their pluck and perseverance, even in the face of a recession.

ne rve agent (nerve agents ) N‑VAR A nerve agent is a chemical weapon that affects people's nervous systems.

ne rve cen|tre (nerve centres ) in AM, use nerve center N‑COUNT [usu with poss] The nerve centre of an organization is the place from where its activities are controlled and where its leaders meet. □ [+ of ] My office is the nerve centre of the operation.

ne rve end|ing (nerve endings ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Your nerve endings are the millions of points on the surface of your body and inside it which send messages to your brain when you feel sensations such as heat, cold, and pain.

ne rve gas (nerve gases ) N‑VAR Nerve gas is a poisonous gas used in war as a weapon.

ne rve-racking also nerve-wracking ADJ A nerve-racking situation or experience makes you feel very tense and worried. □ They spent a nerve-racking day waiting. □ It was more nerve-wracking than taking a World Cup penalty.

ner|vo|sa /nɜː r voʊ sə/ → see anorexia , bulimia

nerv|ous ◆◇◇ /nɜː r vəs/


1 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If someone is nervous , they are frightened or worried about something that is happening or might happen, and show this in their behaviour. □ [+ about ] The party has become deeply nervous about its prospects of winning the next election. □ She described Mr Hutchinson as nervous and jumpy after his wife's disappearance. [Also + of ] ● nerv|ous|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ Brunhilde stood up nervously as the men came into the room. ● nerv|ous|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ I smiled warmly so he wouldn't see my nervousness.


2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A nervous person is very tense and easily upset. □ She was apparently a very nervous woman, and that affected her career.


3 ADJ [ADJ n] A nervous illness or condition is one that affects your emotions and your mental state. □ The number of nervous disorders was rising in the region. □ He developed nervous problems after people began repeatedly correcting him.

ne rv|ous brea k|down (nervous breakdowns ) N‑COUNT If someone has a nervous breakdown , they become extremely depressed and cannot cope with their normal life. □ The stress of the situation led her to have a nervous breakdown.

ne rv|ous sys|tem (nervous systems ) N‑COUNT Your nervous system consists of all the nerves in your body together with your brain and spinal cord.

ne rv|ous wreck (nervous wrecks ) N‑COUNT If you say that someone is a nervous wreck , you mean that they are extremely nervous or worried about something. □ She was a nervous wreck, crying when anyone asked her about her experience.

nervy /nɜː r vi/


1 ADJ If someone is nervy , their behaviour shows that they are very tense or anxious, or they are the type of person who is easily upset. [mainly BRIT ] □ Alan was irritable, and very evidently in a nervy state.


2 ADJ If you say that someone is nervy , you mean that their behaviour is bold or daring. [AM ] □ John liked him because he was a nervy guy and would go out and shoot anybody who John wanted him to shoot.

SUFFIX -ness


forms nouns that refer to a particular state or quality. For example, gentleness is the state or quality of being gentle.

nest /ne st/ (nests , nesting , nested )


1 N‑COUNT [oft poss N ] A bird's nest is the home that it makes to lay its eggs in. □ [+ on ] I can see an eagle's nest on the rocks.


2 VERB When a bird nests somewhere, it builds a nest and settles there to lay its eggs. □ [V ] Some species may nest in close proximity to each other. □ [V -ing] …nesting sites.


3 N‑COUNT [usu poss N ] A nest is a home that a group of insects or other creatures make in order to live in and give birth to their young in. □ [+ in ] Some solitary bees make their nests in burrows in the soil. □ …a rat's nest.


4 → see also crow's nest , love nest


5 PHRASE When children fly the nest , they leave their parents' home to live on their own. □ When their children had flown the nest, they moved to a cottage in Dorset.


6 a hornet's nest → see hornet

ne st egg (nest eggs ) also nest-egg N‑COUNT [usu sing] A nest egg is a sum of money that you are saving for a particular purpose. [INFORMAL ] □ They have a little nest egg tucked away somewhere for a rainy day.

nes|tle /ne s ə l/ (nestles , nestling , nestled )


1 VERB If you nestle or are nestled somewhere, you move into a comfortable position, usually by pressing against someone or against something soft. □ [V prep] John took one child into the crook of each arm and let them nestle against him. □ [V n prep] Jade nestled her first child in her arms.


2 VERB If something such as a building nestles somewhere or if it is nestled somewhere, it is in that place and seems safe or sheltered. □ [V prep] Nearby, nestling in the hills, was the children's home. □ [V n prep] She nestled the eggs safely in the straw in Jim's basket.

nest|ling /ne stl I ŋ/ (nestlings ) N‑COUNT A nestling is a young bird that has not yet learned to fly.


net


➊ NOUN AND VERB USES


➋ ADJECTIVE AND ADVERB USES


➊ net ◆◇◇ /ne t/ (nets , netting , netted )


1 N‑UNCOUNT Net is a kind of cloth that you can see through. It is made of very fine threads woven together so that there are small equal spaces between them.


2 N‑COUNT A net is a piece of netting which is used as a protective covering for something, for example to protect vegetables from birds. □ I threw aside my mosquito net and jumped out of bed.


3 N‑COUNT A net is a piece of netting which is used for catching fish, insects, or animals. □ Several fishermen sat on wooden barrels, tending their nets.


4 N‑SING The Net is the same as the internet .


5 VERB If you net a fish or other animal, you catch it in a net. □ [V n] I'm quite happy to net a fish and then let it go.


6 N‑COUNT In games such as tennis, the net is the piece of netting across the centre of the court which the ball has to go over.


7 N‑COUNT The net on a football or hockey field is the framework with netting over it which is attached to the back of the goal. □ He let the ball slip through his grasp and into the net.


8 N‑COUNT In basketball, the net is the netting which hangs from the metal hoop. You score goals by throwing the ball through the hoop and netting.


9 VERB If you net something, you manage to get it, especially by using skill. □ [V n] They were intent on netting the £250,000 reward.


10 VERB If you net a particular amount of money, you gain it as profit after all expenses have been paid. □ [V n] Last year he netted a cool 3 million pounds by selling his holdings.


11 → see also netting , safety net


12 PHRASE If you cast your net wider , you look for or consider a greater variety of things. □ The security forces are casting their net wider.


13 PHRASE If criminals slip through the net , they avoid being caught by the system or trap that was meant to catch them. □ Officials fear some of the thugs identified by British police may have slipped through the net.


14 PHRASE You use slip through the net or fall through the net to describe a situation where people are not properly cared for by the system that is intended to help them. □ The single homeless largely fall through the net of state welfare.

➋ net ◆◇◇ /ne t/ in BRIT, also use nett 1 ADJ [ADJ n] A net amount is one which remains when everything that should be subtracted from it has been subtracted. □ …a rise in sales and net profit. □ At the year end, net assets were £18 million. □ [+ of ] What you actually receive is net of deductions for the airfare and administration. ● ADV [ADV after v] Net is also an adverb. □ Balances of £5,000 and above will earn 11 per cent gross, 8.25 per cent net. □ All bank and building society interest is paid net.


2 ADJ [ADJ n] The net weight of something is its weight without its container or the material that has been used to wrap it. □ …350 mg net weight.


3 ADJ [ADJ n] A net result is a final result after all the details have been considered or included. □ We have a net gain of nearly 50 seats, the biggest for any party in Scotland. □ We will be a net exporter of motor cars in just a few years' time. SYNONYMS net NOUN ➊1


mesh: The ground-floor windows are obscured by wire mesh.


netting: …mosquito netting.


lattice: We were crawling along the narrow steel lattice of the bridge.

net|ball /ne tbɔːl/ N‑UNCOUNT In Britain and some other countries, netball is a game played by two teams of seven players, usually women. Each team tries to score goals by throwing a ball through a net on the top of a pole at each end of the court.

net|book /ne tbʊk/ (netbooks ) N‑COUNT A netbook is a type of small computer that you can easily carry around with you. [COMPUTING ]

ne t cu r|tain (net curtains ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Net curtains are curtains made of thin cloth that people hang across their windows to stop people outside seeing into their houses in the daytime. [BRIT ] in AM, use sheers

net|head /ne thed/ (netheads ) N‑COUNT If you call someone a nethead , you mean that they spend a lot of time using the internet. [INFORMAL ]

neth|er /ne ðə r / ADJ [ADJ n] Nether means the lower part of a thing or place. [OLD-FASHIONED ] □ He was escorted back to the nether regions of Main Street.

nether|world /ne ðə r wɜː r ld/ also nether world N‑SING If you refer to a place as a netherworld , you mean that it is dangerous and full of poor people and criminals. □ [+ of ] Waits sang about the boozy netherworld of urban America.

neti|quette /ne t I ket/ N‑UNCOUNT Netiquette is the set of rules and customs that it is considered polite to follow when you are communicating by means of email or the internet.

nett /ne t/ → see net ➋

net|ting /ne t I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Netting is a kind of material made of pieces of thread or metal wires. These are woven together so that there are equal spaces between them. □ …mosquito netting. □ …wire netting.

net|tle /ne t ə l/ (nettles , nettling , nettled )


1 N‑COUNT Nettles are wild plants which have leaves covered with fine hairs that sting you when you touch them. □ The nettles stung their legs.


2 VERB If you are nettled by something, you are annoyed or offended by it. □ [be V -ed] He was nettled by her manner. □ [V n] It was the suggestion that he might alter course to win an election that really nettled him.

net|work ◆◆◇ /ne twɜː r k/ (networks , networking , networked )


1 N‑COUNT A network of lines, roads, veins, or other long thin things is a large number of them which cross each other or meet at many points. □ [+ of ] …Strasbourg, with its rambling network of medieval streets. □ [+ of ] The uterus is supplied with a rich network of blood vessels and nerves.


2 N‑COUNT A network of people or institutions is a large number of them that have a connection with each other and work together as a system. □ [+ of ] Distribution of the food is going ahead using a network of local volunteers. □ He is keen to point out the benefits which the family network can provide.


3 → see also old-boy network


4 N‑COUNT [oft n N ] A particular network is a system of things which are connected and which operate together. For example, a computer network consists of a number of computers that are part of the same system. □ [+ with ] …a computer network with 154 terminals. □ Huge sections of the rail network are out of action.


5 → see also neural network


6 N‑COUNT A radio or television network is a company or group of companies that broadcasts radio or television programmes throughout an area. □ An American network says it has obtained the recordings.


7 VERB [usu passive] When a television or radio programme is networked , it is broadcast at the same time by several different television companies. □ [be V -ed] Lumsdon would like to see his programme sold and networked. □ [V -ed] He had once had his own networked chat show.


8 VERB If you network , you try to meet new people who might be useful to you in your job. [BUSINESS ] □ [V + with ] In business, it is important to network with as many people as possible. [Also V ] SYNONYMS network NOUN 1


maze: The children lead me through the maze of alleys to the edge of the city.


warren: …a warren of narrow streets.


labyrinth: …the labyrinth of corridors.


system: …Australia's road and rail system.


structure: The feet are highly specialised structures made up of 26 small delicate bones.


grid: …a grid of narrow streets.

ne t|work ca rd (network cards ) or network interface card N‑COUNT A network card or a network interface card is a card that connects a computer to a network. [COMPUTING ]

net|work|ing /ne twɜː r k I ŋ/


1 N‑UNCOUNT Networking is the process of trying to meet new people who might be useful to you in your job, often through social activities. [BUSINESS ] □ If executives fail to exploit the opportunities of networking they risk being left behind.


2 N‑UNCOUNT You can refer to the things associated with a computer system or the process of establishing such a system as networking . □ It offers training including web development and IT networking. □ …computer and networking equipment.

neu|ral /njʊə rəl, [AM ] nʊ r-/ ADJ Neural means relating to a nerve or to the nervous system. [MEDICAL ] □ …neural pathways in the brain.

neu|ral|gia /njʊəræ ldʒə, [AM ] nʊr-/ N‑UNCOUNT Neuralgia is very severe pain along the whole length of a nerve caused when the nerve is damaged or not working properly. [MEDICAL ]

neu |ral ne t|work (neural networks ) N‑COUNT In computing, a neural network is a program or system which is modelled on the human brain and is designed to imitate the brain's method of functioning, particularly the process of learning.

PREFIX neuro-


is used to form words that refer or relate to a nerve or the nervous system. For example, a neurotransmitter is a chemical by which nerve cells communicate.

neu|ro|logi|cal /njʊə rəlɒ dʒ I k ə l, [AM ] nʊ r-/ ADJ [ADJ n] Neurological means related to the nervous system. [MEDICAL ] □ …neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease.

neu|rol|ogy /njʊərɒ lədʒi, [AM ] nʊr-/ N‑UNCOUNT Neurology is the study of the structure, function, and diseases of the nervous system. [MEDICAL ] □ He trained in neurology at the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases. ● neu|rolo|gist (neurologists ) N‑COUNT □ She is a consultant neurologist at Imperial College London.

neu|ron /njʊə rɒn, [AM ] nʊ r-/ (neurons ) also neurone


1 N‑COUNT A neuron is a cell which is part of the nervous system. Neurons send messages to and from the brain. [TECHNICAL ] □ Information is transferred along each neuron by means of an electrical impulse.


2 → see also motor neurone disease

neu|ro|sis /njʊəroʊ s I s, [AM ] nʊr-/ (neuroses /njʊəroʊ s I ːz, [AM ] nʊr-/) N‑VAR Neurosis is a mental condition which causes people to have unreasonable fears and worries over a long period of time. □ He was anxious to the point of neurosis. □ [+ about ] She got a neurosis about chemicals and imagined them everywhere doing her harm.

neu|rot|ic /njʊərɒ t I k, [AM ] nʊr-/ (neurotics ) ADJ If you say that someone is neurotic , you mean that they are always frightened or worried about things that you consider unimportant. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [+ about ] He was almost neurotic about being followed. ● N‑COUNT A neurotic is someone who is neurotic. □ These patients are not neurotics.

neu|ter /njuː tə r , [AM ] nuː t-/ (neuters , neutering , neutered )


1 VERB [usu passive] When an animal is neutered , its reproductive organs are removed so that it cannot create babies. □ [have n V -ed] We ask the public to have their dogs neutered and keep them under close supervision.


2 VERB To neuter an organization, group, or person means to make them powerless and ineffective. [mainly BRIT , JOURNALISM ] □ [V n] …the Government's 'hidden agenda' to neuter local authorities. □ [be V -ed] Their air force had been neutered before the work began.


3 ADJ In some languages, a neuter noun, pronoun, or adjective has a different form from a masculine or feminine one, or behaves in a different way.

neu|tral /njuː trəl, [AM ] nuː t-/ (neutrals )


1 ADJ If a person or country adopts a neutral position or remains neutral , they do not support anyone in a disagreement, war, or contest. □ Let's meet on neutral territory. □ [+ in ] Those who had tried to remain neutral now found themselves required to take sides. ● N‑COUNT A neutral is someone who is neutral. □ It was a good game to watch for the neutrals. ● neu|tral|ity /njuːtræ l I ti, [AM ] nuː t-/ N‑UNCOUNT □ …a reputation for political neutrality and impartiality.


2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If someone speaks in a neutral voice or if the expression on their face is neutral , they do not show what they are thinking or feeling. □ Isabel put her magazine down and said in a neutral voice, 'You're very late, darling.' □ He told her about the death, describing the events in as neutral a manner as he could. ● neu|tral|ity N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] I noticed, behind the neutrality of his gaze, a deep weariness.


3 ADJ If you say that something is neutral , you mean that it does not have any effect on other things because it lacks any significant qualities of its own, or it is an equal balance of two or more different qualities, amounts, or ideas. □ Three in every five interviewed felt that the Budget was neutral and they would be no better off.


4 N‑UNCOUNT [oft into/in N ] Neutral is the position between the gears of a vehicle such as a car, in which the gears are not connected to the engine. □ Graham put the van in neutral and jumped out into the road.


5 ADJ In an electrical device or system, the neutral wire is one of the three wires needed to complete the circuit so that the current can flow. The other two wires are called the earth wire and the live or positive wire.


6 COLOUR Neutral is used to describe things that have a pale colour such as cream or grey, or that have no colour at all. □ At the horizon the land mass becomes a continuous pale neutral grey.


7 ADJ In chemistry, neutral is used to describe things that are neither acid nor alkaline. □ Pure water is neutral with a pH of 7.

neu|tral|ize /njuː trəla I z, [AM ] nuː t-/ (neutralizes , neutralizing , neutralized ) in BRIT, also use neutralise 1 VERB To neutralize something means to prevent it from having any effect or from working properly. □ [V n] The U.S. is trying to neutralize the resolution in the U.N. Security Council. □ [V n] The intruder smashed a window to get in and then neutralized the alarm system. ● neu|trali|za|tion /njuː trəla I ze I ʃ ə n, [AM ] nuː t-/ N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the sale or neutralization of the suspected nuclear site.


2 VERB When a chemical substance neutralizes an acid, it makes it less acid. □ [V n] Antacids relieve pain by neutralizing acid in the stomach.

neu|tron /njuː trɒn, [AM ] nuː t-/ (neutrons ) N‑COUNT A neutron is an atomic particle that has no electrical charge. □ Each atomic cluster is made up of neutrons and protons.

neu |tron bomb (neutron bombs ) N‑COUNT A neutron bomb is a nuclear weapon that is designed to kill people and animals without a large explosion and without destroying buildings or causing serious radioactive pollution.

neu |tron sta r (neutron stars ) N‑COUNT A neutron star is a star that has collapsed under the weight of its own gravity.

nev|er ◆◆◆ /ne və r /


1 ADV [ADV before v] Never means at no time in the past or at no time in the future. □ I have never lost the weight I put on in my teens. □ Never had he been so free of worry. □ That was a mistake. We'll never do it again. □ Never say that. Never, do you hear? □ He was never really healthy. □ This is never to happen again.


2 ADV [ADV before v] Never means 'not in any circumstances at all'. □ I would never do anything to hurt him. □ Even if you are desperate to get married, never let it show. □ Divorce is never easy for children. □ The golden rule is never to clean a valuable coin.


3 PHRASE Never ever is an emphatic way of saying 'never'. [EMPHASIS ] □ I never, ever sit around thinking, 'What shall I do next?' □ He's vowed never ever to talk about anything personal in public, ever again.


4 ADV Never is used to refer to the past and means 'not'. □ He never achieved anything. □ He waited until all the luggage was cleared, but Paula's never appeared. □ I never knew the lad. □ I'd never have dreamt of doing such a thing.


5 EXCLAM You say ' never! ' to indicate how surprised or shocked you are by something that someone has just said. [SPOKEN , FEELINGS ]


6 EXCLAM You say ' Well, I never ' to indicate that you are very surprised about something that you have just seen or found out. [OLD-FASHIONED , SPOKEN , FEELINGS ] □ 'What were you up to there?'—'I was head of the information department.'—'Well I never!'


7 PHRASE If you say that something will never do or would never do , you are saying, often humorously, that you think it is not appropriate or not suitable in some way. □ It would never do to have Henry there in her apartment. □ I don't think it is an example of bad writing myself, otherwise I'd be agreeing with Leavis, and that would never do.


8 never mind → see mind ➋ USAGE never


Don’t use ‘do’ in front of never . Don’t say, for example, ‘ He does never write to me ’. Say ‘He never writes to me’. □ He never complains .

ne ver-e nding ADJ If you describe something bad or unpleasant as never-ending , you are emphasizing that it seems to last a very long time. [EMPHASIS ] □ …a never-ending series of scandals.

ne ver-ne ver land N‑UNCOUNT [oft a N ] Never-never land is an imaginary place where everything is perfect and no-one has any problems. [INFORMAL ] □ [+ of ] We became suspended in some stately never-never land of pleasure, luxury and idleness.

never|the|less ◆◇◇ /ne və r ðəle s/ ADV You use nevertheless when saying something that contrasts with what has just been said. [FORMAL ] □ Many marriages fail. Nevertheless, people continue to get married. SYNONYMS nevertheless ADV


even so: The bus was only half full. Even so, a young man asked Nina if the seat next to her was taken.


still: Their luck had simply run out. Still, never fear.


nonetheless: There was still a long way to go. Nonetheless, some progress had been made.


yet: I don't eat much, yet I am a size 16.

new ◆◆◆ /njuː , [AM ] nuː / (newer , newest )


1 ADJ Something that is new has been recently created, built, or invented or is in the process of being created, built, or invented. □ They've just opened a new hotel in the Stoke area. □ There are some very useful new inventions in photography. □ …the introduction of new drugs to suppress the immune system. □ Their epic fight is the subject of a new film. □ These ideas are nothing new in America. ● new|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] The board acknowledges problems which arise from the newness of the approach.


2 ADJ Something that is new has not been used or owned by anyone. □ That afternoon she went out and bought a new dress. □ There are many boats, new and used, for sale. □ They cost nine pounds new, three pounds secondhand.


3 ADJ You use new to describe something which has replaced another thing, for example because you no longer have the old one, or it no longer exists, or it is no longer useful. □ Under the new rules, some factories will cut emissions by as much as 90 percent. □ I had been in my new job only a few days. □ I had to find somewhere new to live. □ Rachel has a new boyfriend. □ They told me I needed a new battery.


4 ADJ [usu ADJ n] New is used to describe something that has only recently been discovered or noticed. □ The new planet is about ten times the size of the earth.


5 ADJ [ADJ n] A new day or year is the beginning of the next day or year. □ The start of a new year is a good time to reflect on the many achievements of the past.


6 ADJ [ADJ n] New is used to describe someone or something that has recently acquired a particular status or position. □ …the usual exhaustion of a new mother. □ The Association gives a free handbook to all new members.


7 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you are new to a situation or place, or if the situation or place is new to you, you have not previously seen it or had any experience of it. □ [+ to ] She wasn't new to the company. □ [+ to ] His name was new to me then and it stayed in my mind. □ I'm new here and all I did was follow orders.


8 ADJ [ADJ n] New potatoes, carrots, or peas are produced early in the season for such vegetables and are usually small with a sweet flavour.


9 → see also brand-new


10 as good as new → see good


11 to turn over a new leaf → see leaf


12 a new lease of life → see lease


13 pastures new → see pasture

new- /njuː -, [AM ] nuː -/ COMB [usu ADJ n] New- combines with the past participle of some verbs to form adjectives which indicate that an action has been done or completed very recently. □ He loved the smell of new-mown grass. □ Gerald treasures his new-won independence.

Ne w A ge ADJ [usu ADJ n] New Age is used to describe spiritual or non-scientific activities such as meditation, astrology, and alternative medicine, or people who are connected with such activities. □ She was involved in many New Age activities such as yoga and healing.

Ne w Age tra v|el|ler (New Age travellers ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] New Age travellers are people who live in tents and vehicles and travel from place to place, and who reject many of the values of modern society. [BRIT ]

new|bie /njuː bi, [AM ] nuː bi/ (newbies ) N‑COUNT A newbie is someone who is new to an activity, especially in computing or on the internet. □ All newbies are offered an individually tailored training and development programme.

ne w bloo d N‑UNCOUNT If people talk about bringing new blood into an organization or sports team, they are referring to new people who are likely to improve the organization or team. □ That's what we need, some new blood in the team.

new|born /njuː bɔː r n, [AM ] nuː -/ (newborns ) also new-born , new born ADJ [usu ADJ n] A newborn baby or animal is one that has just been born. □ This equipment has saved the lives of a number of new born children. □ …new born lambs. ● N‑PLURAL The newborn are babies or animals who are newborn. □ Mild jaundice in the newborn is common and often clears without treatment.

ne w broo m (new brooms ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] Someone who has just started a new job and who is expected to make a lot of changes can be referred to as a new broom . [JOURNALISM ] □ The company seemed set to make a fresh start under a new broom.

new|comer /njuː kʌmə r , [AM ] nuː -/ (newcomers ) N‑COUNT A newcomer is a person who has recently arrived in a place, joined an organization, or started a new activity. □ [+ to ] He must be a newcomer to town and he obviously didn't understand our local customs. □ [+ to ] The candidates are both relative newcomers to politics.

ne w fa ce (new faces ) N‑COUNT Someone who is new in a particular public role can be referred to as a new face . [JOURNALISM ] □ [+ in ] All together there are six new faces in the Cabinet.

new-fangled /njuː fæ ŋg ə ld, [AM ] nuː -/ also newfangled ADJ [ADJ n] If someone describes a new idea or a new piece of equipment as new-fangled , they mean that it is too complicated or is unnecessary. [OLD-FASHIONED , DISAPPROVAL ] □ Mr Goss does not believe in any of this 'new-fangled nonsense' about lean meat. □ …a newfangled tax structure.

ne w-fou nd also newfound ADJ [ADJ n] A new-found quality or ability is one that you have got recently. □ Juliana was brimming over with new-found confidence. □ She was enjoying the newfound freedom of adulthood.

new|ly ◆◇◇ /njuː li, [AM ] nuː li/ ADV [ADV -ed/adj] Newly is used before a past participle or an adjective to indicate that a particular action is very recent, or that a particular state of affairs has very recently begun to exist. □ She was young at the time, and newly married. □ …a newly fashionable holiday destination. SYNONYMS newly ADV


recently: The bank recently opened a branch in Germany.


lately: Lord Tomas had lately been appointed Chairman of the Centre for Policy Studies.


freshly: …freshly cut grass.


latterly: Latterly, he has written extensively about alternative medicine.

newly|wed /njuː liwed, [AM ] nuː -/ (newlyweds ) also newly-wed N‑COUNT [usu pl] Newlyweds are a man and woman who have very recently got married to each other. □ Lavalais raised his glass to propose a toast to the newlyweds.

ne w me |dia N‑PLURAL New media are new technologies such as the internet, and digital television and radio. □ …a company which specialises in new media. □ The new-media industry attracts young and creative people.

ne w moo n (new moons ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] A new moon is the moon when it first appears as a thin curved shape at the start of its four-week cycle. The new moon is also the time of the month when the moon appears in this way. □ …the pale crescent of a new moon. □ The new moon was the occasion of festivals of rejoicing in Egypt.

news ◆◆◆ /njuː z, [AM ] nuː z/


1 N‑UNCOUNT News is information about a recently changed situation or a recent event. □ [+ of ] We waited and waited for news of him. □ [+ about ] They still haven't had any news about when they'll be able to go home. □ [+ for ] I wish I had better news for you. □ He's thrilled to bits at the news.


2 N‑UNCOUNT [oft the N ] News is information that is published in newspapers and broadcast on radio and television about recent events in the country or world or in a particular area of activity. □ Foreign News is on Page 16. □ We'll also have the latest sports news. □ The announcement was made at a news conference. □ Those are some of the top stories in the news.


3 N‑SING The news is a television or radio broadcast which consists of information about recent events in the country or the world. □ I heard all about the bombs on the news. □ …the six o'clock news.


4 N‑UNCOUNT If you say that someone or something is news , you mean that they are considered to be interesting and important at the moment, and that people want to hear about them on the radio and television and in newspapers. [INFORMAL ] □ A murder was big news. □ If you are a celebrity, you are headline news.


5 PHRASE If you say that something is bad news , you mean that it will cause you trouble or problems. If you say that something is good news , you mean that it will be useful or helpful to you. □ [+ for ] The drop in travel is bad news for the airline industry. □ [+ to ] This new attitude is good news to environmental activists.


6 PHRASE If you say that something is news to you, you mean that you did not previously know what you have just been told, especially when you are surprised or annoyed about it. □ I'd certainly tell you if I knew anything, but I don't. What you're saying is news to me. USAGE news


Don’t talk about ‘ a news ’. You refer to a piece of information as some news , a bit of news , or a piece of news . □ I’ve got some good news for you.

ne ws agen|cy ◆◇◇ (news agencies ) N‑COUNT A news agency is an organization that gathers news stories from a particular country or from all over the world and supplies them to journalists. □ A correspondent for Reuters news agency says he saw a number of demonstrators being beaten.

news|agent /njuː ze I dʒ ə nt, [AM ] nuː z-/ (newsagents )


1 N‑COUNT A newsagent or a newsagent's is a shop that sells newspapers and magazines, and things such as cigarettes and sweets. [BRIT ]


2 N‑COUNT A newsagent is a shopkeeper who sells newspapers and magazines, and things such as cigarettes and sweets. [BRIT ]

news|cast /njuː zkɑːst, [AM ] nuː zkæst/ (newscasts ) N‑COUNT A newscast is a news programme that is broadcast on the radio or on television. [mainly AM ]

news|caster /njuː zkɑːstə r , [AM ] nuː zkæstə r / (newscasters ) N‑COUNT A newscaster is a person who reads the news on the radio or on television.

ne ws con|fer|ence (news conferences ) N‑COUNT A news conference is a meeting held by a famous or important person in which they answer journalists' questions.

news|flash /njuː zflæʃ, [AM ] nuː z-/ (newsflashes ) also news flash N‑COUNT A newsflash is an important item of news that television or radio companies broadcast as soon as they receive it, often interrupting other programmes to do so. □ We interrupt our programmes for a newsflash.

news|group /njuː zgruːp, [AM ] nuː z-/ (newsgroups ) N‑COUNT A newsgroup is an internet site where people can put information and opinions about a particular subject so they can be read by everyone who looks at the site.

news|letter /njuː zletə r , [AM ] nuː z-/ (newsletters ) also news letter N‑COUNT A newsletter is one or more printed sheets of paper containing information about an organization that is sent regularly to its members. □ The organization now has around 18,000 members who receive a quarterly newsletter.

news|man /njuː zmən, [AM ] nuː z-/ (newsmen ) N‑COUNT A newsman is a journalist for a newspaper or for a television or radio news programme. [JOURNALISM ]

news|paper ◆◆◇ /njuː spe I pə r , [AM ] nuː z-/ (newspapers )


1 N‑COUNT A newspaper is a publication consisting of a number of large sheets of folded paper, on which news, advertisements, and other information is printed. □ He was carrying a newspaper. □ They read their daughter's allegations in the newspaper. □ She writes a regular Sunday newspaper feature.


2 N‑COUNT A newspaper is an organization that produces a newspaper. □ It is Britain's fastest growing national daily newspaper. □ He is a food critic for the newspaper.


3 N‑UNCOUNT Newspaper consists of pieces of old newspapers, especially when they are being used for another purpose such as wrapping things up. □ He found two pots, each wrapped in newspaper.

news|paper|man /njuː spe I pə r mæn, [AM ] nuː z-/ (newspapermen ) N‑COUNT A newspaperman is a journalist, especially a man, who works for a newspaper. [JOURNALISM ]

news|print /njuː zpr I nt, [AM ] nuː z-/


1 N‑UNCOUNT Newsprint is the cheap, fairly rough paper on which newspapers are printed.


2 N‑UNCOUNT Newsprint is the text that is printed in newspapers. □ …the acres of newsprint devoted to celebrities' personal lives.


3 N‑UNCOUNT Newsprint is the ink which is used to print newspapers and magazines. □ They get their hands covered in newsprint.

news|read|er /njuː zriːdə r , [AM ] nuː z-/ (newsreaders ) N‑COUNT A newsreader is a person who reads the news on the radio or on television. [BRIT ] in AM, use newscaster

news|reel /njuː zriːl, [AM ] nuː z-/ (newsreels ) N‑COUNT [oft N n] A newsreel is a short film of national or international news events. In the past newsreels were made for showing in cinemas.

ne ws re|lease (news releases ) N‑COUNT A news release is a written statement about a matter of public interest which is given to the press by an organization concerned with the matter. [mainly AM ] □ In a news release, the company said it had experienced severe financial problems. in BRIT, use press release

news|room /njuː zruːm, [AM ] nuː z-/ (newsrooms ) N‑COUNT A newsroom is an office in a newspaper, radio, or television organization where news reports are prepared before they are printed or broadcast.

ne ws-sheet (news-sheets ) N‑COUNT A news-sheet is a small newspaper that is usually printed and distributed in small quantities by a local political or social organization.

news|stand /njuː zstænd, [AM ] nuː z-/ (newsstands ) also news-stand N‑COUNT A newsstand is a stall in the street or a public place, which sells newspapers and magazines. □ It is the best-selling holiday magazine on the newsstand

news|worthy /njuː zwɜː r ði, [AM ] nuː z-/ ADJ An event, fact, or person that is newsworthy is considered to be interesting enough to be reported in newspapers or on the radio or television. □ The number of deaths makes the story newsworthy.

newt /njuː t, [AM ] nuː t/ (newts ) N‑COUNT A newt is a small creature that has four legs and a long tail and can live on land and in water.

Ne w Te s|ta|ment N‑PROPER The New Testament is the part of the Bible that deals with the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and with Christianity in the early Church.

ne w town (new towns ) N‑COUNT [oft in names] A new town is a town that has been planned and built as a single project, including houses, shops, and factories, rather than one that has developed gradually. [mainly BRIT ] □ …Basildon New Town.

ne w wa ve (new waves ) N‑COUNT In the arts or in politics, a new wave is a group or movement that deliberately introduces new or unconventional ideas instead of using traditional ones. □ [+ of ] …the new wave of satirical comedy. □ …New Wave music.

Ne w Wo rld N‑PROPER The New World is used to refer to the continents of North and South America. □ …the massive growth in imports of good wines from the New World and Australasia.

Ne w Yea r


1 N‑UNCOUNT [oft the N ] New Year or the New Year is the time when people celebrate the start of a year. □ Happy New Year, everyone. □ The restaurant was closed over the New Year. □ He returned home each year to celebrate Christmas and New Year with his family.


2 N‑SING The New Year is the first few weeks of a year. □ Isabel was expecting their baby in the New Year. □ The shortages could lead the government to raise prices before the New Year.

Ne w Yea r's N‑UNCOUNT New Year's is another name for New Year's Day or New Year's Eve . [AM ]

Ne w Year's Da y N‑UNCOUNT New Year's Day is the first day of the year. In Western countries this is the 1st of January. □ On New Year's Day in 1974, I started keeping a journal.

Ne w Year's E ve N‑UNCOUNT New Year's Eve is the last day of the year, the day before New Year's Day. □ On New Year's Eve I usually give a party, which is always chaotic.

Ne w Year's reso|lu |tion (New Year's resolutions ) also New Year resolution N‑COUNT If you make a New Year's resolution , you make a decision at the beginning of a year to start doing something or to stop doing something. □ She made a New Year's resolution to get fit.

New Zea|land|er /njuː ziː ləndə r , [AM ] nuː -/ (New Zealanders ) N‑COUNT A New Zealander is a citizen of New Zealand, or a person of New Zealand origin.

next ◆◆◆ /ne kst/


1 ORD The next period of time, event, person, or thing is the one that comes immediately after the present one or after the previous one. □ I got up early the next morning. □ …the next available flight. □ Who will be the next prime minister? □ I want my next child born at home. □ Many senior citizens have very few visitors from one week to the next.


2 DET You use next in expressions such as next Friday , next day and next year to refer, for example, to the first Friday, day, or year that comes after the present or previous one. □ Let's plan a big night next week. □ He retires next January. □ Next day the E.U. summit strengthened their ultimatum. ● ADJ [n ADJ ] Next is also an adjective. □ I shall be 26 years old on Friday next. ● PRON Next is also a pronoun. □ He predicted the region's economy would grow both this year and next.


3 ADJ The next place or person is the one that is nearest to you or that is the first one that you come to. □ Grace sighed so heavily that Trish could hear it in the next room. □ The man in the next chair was asleep. □ Stop at the next corner. I'm getting out.


4 ADV [ADV after v, be ADV ] The thing that happens next is the thing that happens immediately after something else. □ Next, close your eyes then screw them up tight. □ I don't know what to do next. □ The news is next.


5 ADV [ADV before v] When you next do something, you do it for the first time since you last did it. □ I next saw him at his house in Berkshire. □ When we next met, he was much more jovial.


6 ADV You use next to say that something has more of a particular quality than all other things except one. For example, the thing that is next best is the one that is the best except for one other thing. □ He didn't have a son; I think he felt that a grandson is the next best thing. □ At least three times more daffodils are grown than in Holland, the next largest grower.


7 PHRASE You use after next in expressions such as the week after next to refer to a period of time after the next one. For example, when it is May, the month after next is July. □ …the party's annual conference, to be held in Bournemouth the week after next.


8 PHRASE If you say that you do something or experience something as much as the next person, you mean that you are no different from anyone else in the respect mentioned. [EMPHASIS ] □ I'm as ambitious as the next man. I'd like to manage at the very highest level.


9 PHRASE If one thing is next to another thing, it is at the other side of it. □ She sat down next to him on the sofa. □ …a fishing community in northern Canada, next to the Alaskan border. □ The car was parked in the small weedy lot next to the hotel.


10 PHRASE You use next to in order to give the most important aspect of something when comparing it with another aspect. □ Her children were the number two priority in her life next to her career.


11 PHRASE You use next to before a negative, or a word that suggests something negative, to mean almost, but not completely. □ Johnson still knew next to nothing about tobacco. □ Most pre-prepared weight loss products are next to useless. USAGE next


Don’t use ‘next’ simply to say that a particular thing is the closest one. Don’t say, for example, ‘ They took him to the next hospital ’. You say ‘They took him to the nearest hospital ’. □ The nearest town is Brompton.

ne xt doo r The adjective is also spelled next-door . 1 ADV [ADV after v, be ADV , oft n ADV ] If a room or building is next door , it is the next one to the right or left. □ I went next door to the bathroom. □ She was next door at the time. □ …the old lady who lived next door. □ The flat next door was empty. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Next door is also an adjective. □ She wandered back into the next door room. □ The wires trailed through other parts of the HQ into a next door building. ● PHRASE If a room or building is next door to another one, it is the next one to the left or right. □ The kitchen is right next door to the dining room.


2 ADV [n ADV ] The people next door are the people who live in the house or flat to the right or left of yours. □ The neighbours thought the family next door had moved. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Next door is also an adjective. □ Our next door neighbour knocked on the door to say that our car had been stolen.


3 PHRASE If you refer to someone as the boy next door or the girl next door , you mean that they are pleasant and respectable but rather dull. □ She was the girl-next-door type.

ne xt doo r's DET You can use next door's to indicate that something belongs to the person or people who live in the house to the right or left of your own. □ …next door's dog.

ne xt of ki n N‑UNCOUNT [with sing or pl verb] Next of kin is sometimes used to refer to the person who is your closest relative, especially in official or legal documents. [FORMAL ] □ We have notified the next of kin.

nex|us /ne ksəs/ (nexus ) N‑COUNT A nexus is a connection or series of connections within a particular situation or system. [FORMAL ] □ [+ between ] …the nexus between the dominant class and the State.

NGO /e n dʒiː oʊ / (NGOs ) N‑COUNT An NGO is an organization which is not run by the government. NGO is an abbreviation for 'non-governmental organization'.

NHS ◆◇◇ /e n e I t ʃe s/ N‑SING [N n] NHS is an abbreviation for National Health Service . □ This vaccine is not normally provided free under the NHS. □ …NHS patients.

nia|cin /na I əs I n/ N‑UNCOUNT Niacin is a vitamin that occurs in milk, liver, yeast, and some other foods.

nib /n I b/ (nibs ) N‑COUNT A nib is a pointed piece of metal at the end of some pens, which controls the flow of ink as you write.

nib|ble /n I b ə l/ (nibbles , nibbling , nibbled )


1 VERB If you nibble food, you eat it by biting very small pieces of it, for example because you are not very hungry. □ [V n] He started to nibble his biscuit. □ [V + at/on ] She nibbled at the corner of a piece of dry toast. [Also V ] ● N‑COUNT Nibble is also a noun. □ We each took a nibble.


2 VERB If you nibble something, you bite it very gently. □ [V n] John found he was kissing and nibbling her ear. □ [V + on/at ] Daniel Winter nibbled on his pen.


3 VERB When an animal nibbles something, it takes small bites of it quickly and repeatedly. □ [V n] A herd of goats was nibbling the turf around the base of the tower. □ [V + at/on ] The birds cling to the wall and nibble at the brickwork. [Also V ] ● PHRASAL VERB Nibble away means the same as nibble . □ [V P + on/at ] The rabbits nibbled away on the herbaceous plants.


4 VERB If one thing nibbles at another, it gradually affects, harms, or destroys it. □ [V + at ] …how best to compete with the overseas nations nibbling at our traditional markets. ● PHRASAL VERB Nibble away means the same as nibble . □ [V P + at ] Several manufacturers are also nibbling away at Ford's traditional customer base.


5 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Nibbles are small snacks such as biscuits, crisps, and nuts that are often offered to you at parties. [mainly BRIT ] □ …crisps, nuts, and other nibbles.

ni|cad /na I kæd/ also ni-cad ADJ A nicad battery is a battery made from a combination of nickel and cadmium.

nice ◆◆◇ /na I s/ (nicer , nicest )


1 ADJ If you say that something is nice , you mean that you find it attractive, pleasant, or enjoyable. □ I think silk ties can be quite nice. □ It's nice to be here together again. □ We had a nice meal with a bottle of champagne. ● nice|ly ADV [ADV -ed/adj, oft ADV after v] □ He's just written a book, nicely illustrated and not too technical.


2 ADJ If you say that it is nice of someone to say or do something, you are saying that they are being kind and thoughtful. This is often used as a way of thanking someone. □ [+ of ] It's awfully nice of you to come all this way to see me. □ [+ of ] 'How are your boys?'—'How nice of you to ask.'


3 ADJ If you say that someone is nice , you mean that you like them because they are friendly and pleasant. □ He was a nice fellow, very quiet and courteous. ● nice|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ Mr Pearce was rather bowled over by his niceness, his concern and his ordinariness.


4 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you are nice to people, you are friendly, pleasant, or polite towards them. □ [+ to ] She met Mr and Mrs Ricciardi, who were very nice to her. ● nice|ly ADV [ADV after v] □ He treated you very nicely and acted like a decent guy.


5 ADJ When the weather is nice , it is warm and pleasant. □ He nodded to us and said, 'Nice weather we're having.'


6 ADJ [ADJ and adv after v] You can use nice to emphasize a particular quality that you like. [EMPHASIS ] □ Once they are a nice dark golden brown, turn them over. □ Add the oats to thicken the mixture and stir until it is nice and creamy.


7 ADJ A nice point or distinction is very clear, precise, and based on good reasoning. [FORMAL ] □ Those are nice academic arguments, but what about the immediate future? ● nice|ly ADV [ADV after v] □ I think this puts the problem very nicely.


8 ADJ You can use nice when you are greeting people. For example, you can say ' Nice to meet you ', ' Nice to have met you ', or ' Nice to see you '. [FORMULAE ] □ [+ to-inf] Good morning. Nice to meet you and thanks for being with us this weekend. □ [+ to-inf] 'It's so nice to see you,' said Charles.


9 → see also nicely SYNONYMS nice ADJ


1


pleasant: I've got a pleasant little apartment.


delightful: It was the most delightful garden I had ever seen.


agreeable: …an agreeable surprise.


3


kind: I must thank you for being so kind to me.


helpful: James is a very helpful and cooperative lad.


obliging: He is an extremely pleasant and obliging man.


considerate: I think he's the most charming, most considerate man I've ever known.

ni ce-loo king ADJ Someone who is nice-looking is physically attractive. □ I saw this nice-looking man in a gray suit. □ We got on very well and she was very nice-looking.

nice|ly /na I sli/


1 ADV [ADV with v] If something is happening or working nicely , it is happening or working in a satisfactory way or in the way that you want it to. □ She has a bit of private money, so they manage quite nicely. □ The crowds had been soaked and were now nicely drying out.


2 → see also nice


3 PHRASE [usu cont] If someone or something is doing nicely , they are being successful. □ …another hotel owner who is doing very nicely.


4 PHRASE If you say that something will do nicely , you mean that it is good enough for the situation. □ A shirt and jersey and an ordinary pair of trousers will do nicely, thank you.

ni|cety /na I s I ti/ (niceties ) N‑COUNT [usu pl, adj N ] The niceties of a situation are its details, especially with regard to good manners or the appropriate behaviour for that situation. □ [+ of ] By the end of term, girls will have learnt the niceties of dinner party conversation. □ He wasted no time with social niceties.

niche /niː ʃ, [AM ] n I tʃ/ (niches )


1 N‑COUNT A niche in the market is a specific area of marketing which has its own particular requirements, customers, and products. [BUSINESS ] □ [+ in ] I think we have found a niche in the toy market.


2 ADJ [ADJ n] Niche marketing is the practice of dividing the market into specialized areas for which particular products are made. A niche market is one of these specialized areas. [BUSINESS ] □ Many media experts see news channels as part of a general move towards niche marketing. □ The Japanese are able to supply niche markets because of their flexible production methods.


3 N‑COUNT A niche is a hollow area in a wall which has been made to hold a statue, or a natural hollow part in a hill or cliff. □ [+ on ] Above him, in a niche on the wall, sat a tiny veiled Ganesh, the elephant god. □ [+ in ] There was a niche in the rock where the path ended.


4 N‑COUNT [usu poss N ] Your niche is the job or activity which is exactly suitable for you. □ [+ as ] Simon Lane quickly found his niche as a busy freelance model maker.

nick /n I k/ (nicks , nicking , nicked )


1 VERB If someone nicks something, they steal it. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [V n] He smashed a window to get in and nicked a load of silver cups.


2 VERB If the police nick someone, they arrest them. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [V n] The police nicked me for carrying an offensive weapon. □ [get/be V -ed] Keep quiet or we'll all get nicked.


3 VERB If you nick something or nick yourself, you accidentally make a small cut in the surface of the object or your skin. □ [V n] When I pulled out of the space, I nicked the rear bumper of the car in front of me. □ [V pron-refl] He dropped a bottle in the kitchen and nicked himself on broken glass.


4 N‑COUNT A nick is a small cut made in the surface of something, usually in someone's skin. □ The barbed wire had left only the tiniest nick just below my right eye.


5 VERB If you are nicked by someone, they cheat you, for example by charging you too much money. [AM , INFORMAL ] □ [be V -ed] College students already are being nicked, but probably don't realize it.


6 PHRASE Nick is used in expressions such as ' in good nick ' or ' in bad nick ' to describe the physical condition of someone or something. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ His ribs were damaged, but other than that he's in good nick. □ Tom's house is actually in better nick than mine.


7 PHRASE If you say that something happens in the nick of time , you are emphasizing that it happens at the last possible moment. [EMPHASIS ] □ Seems we got here just in the nick of time.

nick|el /n I k ə l/ (nickels )


1 N‑UNCOUNT Nickel is a silver-coloured metal that is used in making steel.


2 N‑COUNT In the United States and Canada, a nickel is a coin worth five cents.

nick|name /n I kne I m/ (nicknames , nicknaming , nicknamed )


1 N‑COUNT A nickname is an informal name for someone or something. □ Red got his nickname for his red hair.

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