COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (Collins Cobuild)

pre|fect /priː fekt/ (prefects )

1 N‑COUNT In some schools, especially in Britain, a prefect is an older pupil who does special duties and helps the teachers to control the younger pupils.

2 N‑COUNT In some countries, a prefect is the head of the local government administration or of a local government department. □ …the police prefect for the district of Mehedinti.

pre|fec|ture /priː fektʃə ^r / (prefectures ) N‑COUNT [oft in names] In some countries, administrative areas are called prefectures . □ He was born in Yamagata prefecture, north of Tokyo.

pre|fer ◆◆◇ /pr I fɜː ^r / (prefers , preferring , preferred ) VERB [no cont] If you prefer someone or something, you like that person or thing better than another, and so you are more likely to choose them if there is a choice. □ [V n] Does he prefer a particular sort of music? □ [V n + to ] I became a teacher because I preferred books and people to politics. □ [V to-inf] I prefer to go on self-catering holidays. □ [V n to-inf] I would prefer him to be with us next season. □ [V v-ing] Bob prefers making original pieces rather than reproductions. □ [V n adj] The woodwork's green now. I preferred it blue. □ [V -ed] Her own preferred methods of exercise are hiking and long cycle rides. [Also V that]

pref|er|able /pre frəb ^ə l/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you say that one thing is preferable to another, you mean that it is more desirable or suitable. □ [+ to ] A big earthquake a long way off is preferable to a smaller one nearby. □ [+ to ] The hazards of the theatre seemed preferable to joining the family paint business. ● pref|er|ably /pre frəbli/ ADV □ Do something creative or take exercise, preferably in the fresh air.

pref|er|ence /pre fərəns/ (preferences )

1 N‑VAR If you have a preference for something, you would like to have or do that thing rather than something else. □ [+ for ] Parents can express a preference for the school their child attends. □ [+ to ] Many of these products were bought in preference to their own.

2 N‑UNCOUNT If you give preference to someone with a particular qualification or feature, you choose them rather than someone else. □ [+ to ] Firms often give preference to present employees in promotions, transfers, and other career-enhancing opportunities.

pre f|er|ence shares N‑PLURAL Preference shares are shares in a company that are owned by people who have the right to receive part of the company's profits before the holders of ordinary shares are paid. They also have the right to have their capital repaid if the company fails and has to close. Compare ordinary shares . [BRIT , BUSINESS ] in AM use preferred stock

pref|er|en|tial /pre fəre nʃ ^ə l/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you get preferential treatment, you are treated better than other people and therefore have an advantage over them. □ Despite her status, the Duchess will not be given preferential treatment.

pre|fer|ment /pr I fɜː ^r mənt/ (preferments ) N‑VAR Preferment is the act of being given a better and more important job in an organization. [FORMAL ] □ He was told by the governors that he could expect no further preferment.

pref|e rred sto ck

1 N‑UNCOUNT Preferred stock is the same as preference shares . [AM , BUSINESS ]

2 → see also common stock

pre|fig|ure /priː f I gə ^r , [AM ] -gjər/ (prefigures , prefiguring , prefigured ) VERB If one thing prefigures another, it is a first indication which suggests or determines that the second thing will happen. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] …the 19th-century photographer, inventor and showman who pioneered photographic techniques that prefigured modern cinema.

pre|fix /priː f I ks/ (prefixes )

1 N‑COUNT A prefix is a letter or group of letters, for example 'un-' or 'multi-', which is added to the beginning of a word in order to form a different word. For example, the prefix 'un-' is added to 'happy' to form 'unhappy'. Compare affix and suffix .

2 N‑COUNT A prefix is one or more numbers or letters added to the beginning of a code number to indicate, for example, what area something belongs to. □ To telephone from the U.S. use the prefix 011 33 before the numbers given here.

pre|fixed /priː f I kst/ V-PASSIVE A word or code number that is prefixed by one or more letters or numbers has them as its prefix. □ [be V -ed + by ] Sulphur-containing compounds are often prefixed by the term 'thio'. □ [be V -ed + with ] Calls to Dublin should be prefixed with 003531.

preg|nan|cy ◆◇◇ /pre gnənsi/ (pregnancies ) N‑VAR Pregnancy is the condition of being pregnant or the period of time during which a female is pregnant. □ The cream is safe to use during pregnancy. □ She was exhausted by eight pregnancies in 13 years. COLLOCATIONS pregnancy NOUN 1

adjective + pregnancy : healthy, normal, successful; difficult, ectopic, high-risk; teenage, unplanned, unwanted

verb + pregnancy : confirm, continue; avoid, prevent; end, terminate

pre g|nan|cy test (pregnancy tests ) N‑COUNT A pregnancy test is a medical test which women have to find out if they have become pregnant.

preg|nant ◆◇◇ /pre gnənt/

1 ADJ If a woman or female animal is pregnant , she has a baby or babies developing in her body. □ She got pregnant soon after they married. □ Tina was pregnant with her first child. □ …a pregnant woman.

2 ADJ [ADJ n, v-link ADJ with n] A pregnant silence or moment has a special meaning which is not obvious but which people are aware of. □ There was a long, pregnant silence.

pre|heat /priː hiː t/ (preheats , preheating , preheated ) VERB If you preheat an oven, you switch it on and allow it to reach a certain temperature before you put food inside it. □ [V n] Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. □ [V -ed] Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

pre|his|tor|ic /priː h I stɒ r I k, [AM ] -tɔː r-/ ADJ Prehistoric people and things existed at a time before information was written down. □ …the famous prehistoric cave paintings of Lascaux.

pre|his|to|ry /priː h I stəri/ also pre-history N‑UNCOUNT Prehistory is the time in history before any information was written down.

pre -indu strial in AM, usually use preindustrial ADJ [ADJ n] Pre-industrial refers to the time before machines were introduced to produce goods on a large scale. □ …the transition from pre-industrial to industrial society.

pre|judge /priː dʒʌ dʒ/ (prejudges , prejudging , prejudged ) VERB If you prejudge a situation, you form an opinion about it before you know all the facts. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] They tried to prejudge the commission's findings. [Also V ]

preju|dice /pre dʒʊd I s/ (prejudices , prejudicing , prejudiced )

1 N‑VAR Prejudice is an unreasonable dislike of a particular group of people or things, or a preference for one group of people or things over another. □ There is widespread prejudice against workers over 45. □ He said he hoped the Swiss authorities would investigate the case thoroughly and without prejudice.

2 VERB If you prejudice someone or something, you influence them so that they are unfair in some way. □ [V n] I think your South American youth has prejudiced you. □ [V be V -ed] He claimed his case would be prejudiced if it became known he was refusing to answer questions.

3 VERB If someone prejudices another person's situation, they do something which makes it worse than it should be. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] Her study was not in any way intended to prejudice the future development of the college.

4 PHRASE If you take an action without prejudice to an existing situation, your action does not change or harm that situation. [FORMAL ] □ We accept the outcome of the inquiry, without prejudice to the unsettled question of territorial waters.

preju|diced /pre dʒʊd I st/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] A person who is prejudiced against someone has an unreasonable dislike of them. A person who is prejudiced in favour of someone has an unreasonable preference for them. □ Some landlords and landladies are racially prejudiced.

preju|di|cial /pre dʒʊd I ʃ ^ə l/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If an action or situation is prejudicial to someone or something, it is harmful to them. [FORMAL ] □ [+ to ] Any new arrangements must not be prejudicial to families from low down the income scale.

prel|ate /pre l I t/ (prelates ) N‑COUNT A prelate is a member of the clergy holding a high rank, for example a bishop.

pre|limi|nary /pr I l I m I nri, [AM ] -neri/ (preliminaries )

1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Preliminary activities or discussions take place at the beginning of an event, often as a form of preparation. □ Preliminary results show the Republican party with 11 percent of the vote. □ …preliminary talks on the future of the bases.

2 N‑COUNT A preliminary is something that you do at the beginning of an activity, often as a form of preparation. □ A background check is normally a preliminary to a presidential appointment.

3 N‑COUNT A preliminary is the first part of a competition to see who will go on to the main competition. □ The winner of each preliminary goes through to the final.

pre|load /priːloʊ d/ (preloads , preloading , preloaded ) VERB If someone preloads , they drink a lot of alcohol before they go out for a social occasion. [INFORMAL ] □ [V ] They meet at one of their houses to preload before going on to a night club.

pre-loved /priːlʌ vd/ ADJ A pre-loved item is not new and has been owned and used before. Sellers use this word to make the item seem more attractive. □ The shop sells pre-loved furniture.

prel|ude /pre ljuːd, [AM ] pre I luːd/ (preludes )

1 N‑COUNT [usu sing] You can describe an event as a prelude to a more important event when it happens before it and acts as an introduction to it. □ [+ to ] Most unions see privatisation as an inevitable prelude to job losses.

2 N‑COUNT A prelude is a short piece of music for the piano or organ. □ …the famous E minor prelude of Chopin.

pre|mari|tal /priː mæ r I t ^ə l/ also pre-marital ADJ [ADJ n] Premarital means happening at some time before someone gets married. □ I rejected the teaching that premarital sex was immoral.

prema|ture /pre mətʃʊə ^r , [AM ] priː -/

1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Something that is premature happens earlier than usual or earlier than people expect. □ Accidents are still the number one cause of premature death for Americans. □ …a twenty-four-year-old man who suffered from premature baldness. ● prema|ture|ly ADV [ADV with v, ADV adj] □ The war had prematurely aged him.

2 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] You can say that something is premature when it happens too early and is therefore inappropriate. □ It now seems their optimism was premature. ● prema|ture|ly ADV [usu ADV with v, oft ADV adj] □ Holmgren is careful not to celebrate prematurely.

3 ADJ A premature baby is one that was born before the date when it was expected to be born. □ My daughter Emma was born two and a half months premature. ● prema|ture|ly ADV [ADV after v] □ Danny was born prematurely, weighing only 3lb 3oz.

pre|medi|tat|ed /priːme d I te I t I d/ ADJ A premeditated crime is planned or thought about before it is done. □ In a case of premeditated murder a life sentence is mandatory.

pre|medi|ta|tion /priːme d I te I ʃ ^ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT Premeditation is thinking about something or planning it before you actually do it. [FORMAL ] □ The judge finally concluded there was insufficient evidence of premeditation.

pre|men|stru|al /priː me nstruəl/ ADJ [ADJ n] Premenstrual is used to refer to the time immediately before menstruation and a woman's behaviour and feelings at this time. □ …premenstrual symptoms.

pre |me n|stru|al syn|drome N‑UNCOUNT Premenstrual syndrome is used to refer to the problems, including strain and tiredness, that many women experience before menstruation. The abbreviation PMS is often used. □ About 70% of women suffer from premenstrual syndrome.

pre |men|stru|al te n|sion N‑UNCOUNT Premenstrual tension is the same as premenstrual syndrome . The abbreviation PMT is often used. [mainly BRIT ]

prem|ier ◆◇◇ /pre miə ^r , [AM ] pr I m I r/ (premiers )

1 N‑COUNT The leader of the government of a country is sometimes referred to as the country's premier . □ …Australian premier Malcolm Turnbull.

2 ADJ [ADJ n] Premier is used to describe something that is considered to be the best or most important thing of a particular type. □ …the country's premier opera company.

premi|ere /pre mieə ^r , [AM ] pr I mje r/ (premieres , premiering , premiered )

1 N‑COUNT The premiere of a new play or film is the first public performance of it. □ A new Czech film has had its premiere at the Karlovy Vary film festival.

2 VERB When a film or show premieres or is premiered , it is shown to an audience for the first time. □ [V ] The documentary premiered at the Jerusalem Film Festival. □ [be V -ed] The opera is due to be premiered by ENO next year.

prem|ier|ship /pre miə ^r ʃ I p, [AM ] pr I m I r-/

1 N‑SING The premiership of a leader of a government is the period of time during which they are the leader. □ …the final years of her premiership.

2 N‑SING In England, the Premiership is the league in which the best football teams play. [BRIT ] □ …their position at the bottom of the Premiership.

prem|ise /pre m I s/ (premises ) The spelling premiss is also used in British English for meaning 2 . 1 N‑PLURAL [oft on the N ] The premises of a business or an institution are all the buildings and land that it occupies in one place. □ There is a kitchen on the premises. □ The business moved to premises in Brompton Road.

2 N‑COUNT [oft N that] A premise is something that you suppose is true and that you use as a basis for developing an idea. [FORMAL ] □ The premise is that schools will work harder to improve if they must compete.

prem|ised /pre m I st/ V-PASSIVE If a theory or attitude is premised on an idea or belief, that idea or belief has been used as the basis for it. [FORMAL ] □ [be V -ed + on ] All our activities are premised on the basis of 'Quality with Equality'.

prem|iss /pre m I s/ → see premise

pre|mium ◆◇◇ /priː miəm/ (premiums )

1 N‑COUNT A premium is a sum of money that you pay regularly to an insurance company for an insurance policy. □ It is too early to say whether insurance premiums will be affected.

2 N‑COUNT [usu sing, oft N n] A premium is a sum of money that you have to pay for something in addition to the normal cost. □ Even if customers want 'solutions', most are not willing to pay a premium for them. □ Callers are charged a premium rate of 48p a minute.

3 ADJ [ADJ n] Premium goods are of a higher than usual quality and are often expensive. □ …the most popular premium ice cream in this country.

4 PHRASE If something is at a premium , it is wanted or needed, but is difficult to get or achieve. □ If space is at a premium, choose adaptable furniture that won't fill the room.

5 PHRASE If you buy or sell something at a premium , you buy or sell it at a higher price than usual, for example because it is in short supply. □ He eventually sold the shares back to the bank at a premium.

6 PHRASE If you place a high premium on a quality or characteristic or put a high premium on it, you regard it as very important. □ I place a high premium on what someone is like as a person.

pre |mium bond (premium bonds ) N‑COUNT In Britain, premium bonds are numbered tickets that are sold by the government. Each month, a computer selects several numbers, and the people whose tickets have those numbers win money.

premo|ni|tion /pre mən I ʃ ^ə n, [AM ] priː -/ (premonitions ) N‑COUNT If you have a premonition , you have a feeling that something is going to happen, often something unpleasant. □ He had an unshakable premonition that he would die.

pre|na|tal /priː ne I t ^ə l/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Prenatal is used to describe things relating to the medical care of women during pregnancy. □ I'd met her briefly in a prenatal class.

pre|oc|cu|pa|tion /priɒ kjʊpe I ʃ ^ə n/ (preoccupations )

1 N‑COUNT If you have a preoccupation with something or someone, you keep thinking about them because they are important to you. □ [+ with ] In his preoccupation with Robyn, Crook had neglected everything.

2 N‑UNCOUNT Preoccupation is a state of mind in which you think about something so much that you do not consider other things to be important. □ It was hard for him to be aware of her; he kept sinking back into black preoccupation.

pre|oc|cu|pied /priɒ kjʊpa I d/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you are preoccupied , you are thinking a lot about something or someone, and so you hardly notice other things. □ [+ with/by ] Tom Banbury was preoccupied with the missing Shepherd child and did not want to devote time to the new murder.

pre|oc|cu|py /priɒ kjʊpa I / (preoccupies , preoccupying , preoccupied ) VERB If something is preoccupying you, you are thinking about it a lot. □ [V n] Crime and the fear of crime preoccupy the community.

pre|or|dained /priː ɔː ^r de I nd/ ADJ If you say that something is preordained , you mean you believe it to be happening in the way that has been decided by a power such as God or fate. [FORMAL ] □ …the belief that our actions are the unfolding of a preordained destiny.

prep /pre p/ (preps , prepping , prepped ) VERB If you prep something, you prepare it. [mainly AM , INFORMAL ] □ [V n] After prepping the boat, they sailed it down to Carloforte.

pre -pa ckaged also prepackaged ADJ Pre-packaged foods have been prepared in advance and put in plastic or cardboard containers to be sold.

pre -pa cked also prepacked ADJ Pre-packed goods are packed or wrapped before they are sent to the shop where they are sold.

pre|paid /priː pe I d/ also pre-paid ADJ [usu ADJ n] Prepaid items are paid for in advance, before the time when you would normally pay for them. □ Return the enclosed Donation Form today in the prepaid envelope provided.

prepa|ra|tion ◆◇◇ /pre pəre I ʃ ^ə n/ (preparations )

1 N‑UNCOUNT Preparation is the process of getting something ready for use or for a particular purpose or making arrangements for something. □ [+ for/of ] Rub the surface of the wood in preparation for the varnish. □ Behind any successful event lay months of preparation.

2 N‑PLURAL Preparations are all the arrangements that are made for a future event. □ [+ for ] They made preparations for a quiet wedding.

3 N‑COUNT A preparation is a mixture that has been prepared for use as food, medicine, or a cosmetic. □ …anti-ageing creams and sensitive-skin preparations. SYNONYMS preparation NOUN 1

groundwork: Yesterday's meeting was to lay the groundwork for the task ahead.

development: What are your plans for the development of your company?

readiness: Security tightened in the capital in readiness for the president's arrival.

pre|para|tory /pr I pæ rətri, [AM ] -tɔːri/

1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Preparatory actions are done before doing something else as a form of preparation or as an introduction. □ At least a year's preparatory work will be necessary before building can start.

2 PHRASE If one action is done preparatory to another, it is done before the other action, usually as preparation for it. [FORMAL ] □ [+ to ] Sloan cleared his throat preparatory to speaking.

pre|pa ra|tory school (preparatory schools ) N‑VAR A preparatory school is the same as a prep school . [BRIT ]

pre|pare ◆◆◇ /pr I peə ^r / (prepares , preparing , prepared )

1 VERB If you prepare something, you make it ready for something that is going to happen. □ [V n] The most important task was to prepare a list of missing items. □ [V n + for ] The crew of the Iowa has been preparing the ship for storage.

2 VERB If you prepare for an event or action that will happen soon, you get yourself ready for it or make the necessary arrangements. □ [V + for ] The Party leadership is using management consultants to help prepare for the next election. □ [V to-inf] He had to go back to his hotel and prepare to catch a train for New York. □ [V pron-refl + for ] His doctor had told him to prepare himself for surgery. [Also V ]

3 VERB When you prepare food, you get it ready to be eaten, for example by cooking it. □ [V n] She made her way to the kitchen, hoping to find someone preparing dinner. SYNONYMS prepare VERB

1

get ready: Tomorrow he would tell his pilot to get the aircraft ready.

equip: Owners of restaurants would have to equip them to admit people with disabilities.

draw up: They agreed to draw up a formal agreement.

put together: We got to work on putting the book together.

2

train: The U.S. was ready to train its troops to participate.

groom: George was already being groomed for the top job.

prime: Arnold primed her for her duties.

pre|pared ◆◆◇ /pr I peə ^r d/

1 ADJ If you are prepared to do something, you are willing to do it if necessary. □ Are you prepared to take industrial action?

2 ADJ If you are prepared for something that you think is going to happen, you are ready for it. □ [+ for ] Police are prepared for large numbers of demonstrators.

3 ADJ [ADJ n] You can describe something as prepared when it has been done or made beforehand, so that it is ready when it is needed. □ He ended his prepared statement by thanking the police.

pre|par|ed|ness /pr I peə r I dnəs/ N‑UNCOUNT Preparedness is the state of being ready for something to happen, especially for war or a disaster. [FORMAL ] □ The situation in the capital forced them to maintain military preparedness.

pre|pon|der|ance /pr I pɒ ndərəns/ N‑SING If there is a preponderance of one type of person or thing in a group, there is more of that type than of any other. □ [+ of ] …a preponderance of bright, middle-class children in one group. □ [+ of ] …Bath, with its preponderance of small businesses.

prepo|si|tion /pre pəz I ʃ ^ə n/ (prepositions ) N‑COUNT A preposition is a word such as 'by', 'for', 'into', or 'with' which usually has a noun group as its object. □ Tick all the sentences that contain a preposition.

prepo|si|tion|al phrase /pre pəz I ʃən ^ə l fre I z/ (prepositional phrases ) N‑COUNT A prepositional phrase is a structure consisting of a preposition and its object. Examples are 'on the table' and 'by the sea'.

pre|pos|ter|ous /pr I pɒ st ^ə rəs/ ADJ If you describe something as preposterous , you mean that it is extremely unreasonable and foolish. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ The whole idea was preposterous. ● pre|pos|ter|ous|ly ADV [usu ADV adj/adv] □ Some prices are preposterously high.

prep|py /pre pi/ (preppies )

1 N‑COUNT Preppies are young people, especially in America, who have often been to an expensive private school and who are conventional and conservative in their attitudes, behaviour, and style of dress. [mainly AM ]

2 ADJ If you describe someone or their clothes, attitudes, or behaviour as preppy , you mean that they are like a preppy. [mainly AM ] □ I couldn't believe how straight-looking he was, how preppy. □ …a preppy collar and tie.

pre-prandial /priː præ ndiəl/ also preprandial ADJ [ADJ n] You use pre-prandial to refer to things you do or have before a meal. [FORMAL ] □ …pre-prandial drinks.

pre p school (prep schools )

1 N‑VAR [oft prep N ] In Britain, a prep school is a private school where children are educated until the age of 11 or 13.

2 N‑VAR In the United States, a prep school is a private school for students who intend to go to college after they leave.

pre|pu|bes|cent /priː pjuːbe s ^ə nt/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Prepubescent means relating to the time just before someone's body becomes physically mature. [FORMAL ] □ …prepubescent boys and girls.

pre|quel /priː kwəl/ (prequels ) N‑COUNT A prequel is a film that is made about an earlier stage of a story or a character's life when the later part of it has already been made into a successful film. □ [+ to ] Now Saul Goodman has his own television series, inevitably entitled Better Call Saul - a prequel to Breaking Bad.

Pre-Raphaelite /priː ræ fəla I t/ (Pre-Raphaelites )

1 N‑COUNT The Pre-Raphaelites were a group of British painters in the nineteenth century who painted mainly scenes from medieval history and old stories.

2 ADJ [ADJ n] Pre-Raphaelite art was created by the Pre-Raphaelites.

3 ADJ If you say that a woman looks Pre-Raphaelite , you mean that she looks like a character in a Pre-Raphaelite painting, for example because she has long wavy hair.

pre -reco rded also prerecorded ADJ Something that is pre-recorded has been recorded in advance so that it can be broadcast or played later. □ …a pre-recorded interview.

pre|requi|site /priː re kw I z I t/ (prerequisites ) N‑COUNT If one thing is a prerequisite for another, it must happen or exist before the other thing is possible. □ [+ for/of ] Good self-esteem is a prerequisite for a happy life.

pre|roga|tive /pr I rɒ gət I v/ (prerogatives ) N‑COUNT [oft with poss] If something is the prerogative of a particular person or group, it is a privilege or a power that only they have. [FORMAL ] □ Constitutional changes are exclusively the prerogative of the parliament.

pres|age /pre s I dʒ/ (presages , presaging , presaged ) VERB If something presages a situation or event, it is considered to be a warning or sign of what is about to happen. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] …the dawn's loud chorus that seemed to presage a bright hot summer's day.

Pres|by|ter|ian /pre zb I t I ə riən/ (Presbyterians )

1 ADJ Presbyterian means belonging or relating to a Protestant church, found especially in Scotland or the United States, which is governed by a body of official people all of equal rank. □ …a Presbyterian minister.

2 N‑COUNT A Presbyterian is a member of the Presbyterian church.

pres|by|tery /pre zb I tri, [AM ] -teri/ (presbyteries ) N‑COUNT A presbytery is the house in which a Roman Catholic priest lives.

pre-school (pre-schools ) also preschool Pronounced /priː skuː l/ for meaning 1 , and /priː skuːl/ for meaning 2 . 1 ADJ [ADJ n] Pre-school is used to describe things relating to the care and education of children before they reach the age when they have to go to school. [WRITTEN ] □ Looking after pre-school children is very tiring. □ The Halsey Report emphasized the value of a pre-school education.

2 N‑VAR In the United States, a pre-school is a school for children between the ages of 2 and 5 or 6. □ Children graduate to the kindergarten, then pre-school, and then school.

pre|schooler /priːskuː lə ^r / (preschoolers ) also pre-schooler N‑COUNT [usu pl] Children who are no longer babies but are not yet old enough to go to school are sometimes referred to as preschoolers . [WRITTEN ]

pres|ci|ent /pre siənt, [AM ] pre ʃ-/ ADJ If you say that someone or something was prescient , you mean that they were able to know or predict what was going to happen in the future. [FORMAL ] □ …'Bob Roberts', an eerily prescient comedy about a populist multimillionaire political candidate. ● pres|ci|ence N‑UNCOUNT □ Over the years he's demonstrated a certain prescience in foreign affairs.

pre|scribe /pr I skra I b/ (prescribes , prescribing , prescribed )

1 VERB If a doctor prescribes medicine or treatment for you, he or she tells you what medicine or treatment to have. □ [V n] Our doctor diagnosed a throat infection and prescribed antibiotics and junior aspirin. □ [V -ed] She took twice the prescribed dose of sleeping tablets. □ [V n + to ] The law allows doctors to prescribe contraception to the under 16s.

2 VERB If a person or set of laws or rules prescribes an action or duty, they state that it must be carried out. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] …article II of the constitution, which prescribes the method of electing a president. □ [V -ed] Alliott told Singleton he was passing the sentence prescribed by law.

pre|scrip|tion /pr I skr I pʃ ^ə n/ (prescriptions )

1 N‑COUNT A prescription is the piece of paper on which your doctor writes an order for medicine and which you give to a chemist or pharmacist to get the medicine. □ You will have to take your prescription to a chemist.

2 N‑COUNT A prescription is a medicine which a doctor has told you to take. □ The prescription Ackerman gave me isn't doing any good. ● PHRASE If a medicine is available on prescription , you can only get it from a chemist or pharmacist if a doctor gives you a prescription for it. □ The drug is available on prescription only.

3 N‑COUNT A prescription is a proposal or a plan which gives ideas about how to solve a problem or improve a situation. □ …the economic prescriptions of Ireland's main political parties.

pre|scrip|tive /pr I skr I pt I v/ ADJ A prescriptive approach to something involves telling people what they should do, rather than simply giving suggestions or describing what is done. [FORMAL ] □ …prescriptive attitudes to language on the part of teachers. □ The psychologists insist, however, that they are not being prescriptive.

pres|ence ◆◆◇ /pre z ^ə ns/ (presences )

1 N‑SING [with poss] Someone's presence in a place is the fact that they are there. □ [+ in ] They argued that his presence in the village could only stir up trouble. □ [+ at ] She received hundreds of emails and phone calls requesting her presence at company meetings.

2 N‑UNCOUNT If you say that someone has presence , you mean that they impress people by their appearance and manner. [APPROVAL ] □ Hendrix's stage presence appealed to thousands of teenage rebels.

3 N‑COUNT A presence is a person or creature that you cannot see, but that you are aware of. [LITERARY ] □ She started to be affected by the ghostly presence she could feel in the house.

4 N‑SING If a country has a military presence in another country, it has some of its armed forces there. □ London had intended to grant Aden independence in 1968 but retain a military presence.

5 N‑UNCOUNT [with poss] If you refer to the presence of a substance in another thing, you mean that it is in that thing. □ [+ of ] The somewhat acid flavour is caused by the presence of lactic acid.

6 PHRASE If you are in someone's presence , you are in the same place as that person, and are close enough to them to be seen or heard. □ The talks took place in the presence of a diplomatic observer.

present

➊ EXISTING OR HAPPENING NOW

➋ BEING SOMEWHERE

➌ GIFT

➍ VERB USES

➊ pres|ent ◆◆◇ /pre z ^ə nt/

1 ADJ [ADJ n] You use present to describe things and people that exist now, rather than those that existed in the past or those that may exist in the future. □ He has brought much of the present crisis on himself. □ It has been skilfully renovated by the present owners. □ No statement can be made at the present time.

2 N‑SING The present is the period of time that we are in now and the things that are happening now. □ …his struggle to reconcile the past with the present. □ …continuing right up to the present. □ Then her thoughts would switch to the present.

3 ADJ [ADJ n] In grammar, the present tenses of a verb are the ones that are used to talk about things that happen regularly or situations that exist at this time. The simple present tense uses the base form or the 's' form of a verb, as in 'I play tennis twice a week' and 'He works in a bank'.

4 PHRASE A situation that exists at present exists now, although it may change. □ There is no way at present of predicting which individuals will develop the disease. □ At present children under 14 are not permitted in bars.

5 PHRASE The present day is the period of history that we are in now. □ …Western European art from the period of Giotto to the present day.

6 PHRASE Something that exists or will be done for the present exists now or will continue for a while, although the situation may change later. □ For the present at least, they appeared to be safe.

➋ pres|ent ◆◆◇ /pre z ^ə nt/

1 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If someone is present at an event, they are there. □ [+ at ] The president was not present at the meeting. □ [+ at ] Nearly 85 per cent of men are present at the birth of their children. □ The whole family was present.

2 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If something, especially a substance or disease, is present in something else, it exists within that thing. □ [+ in ] This special form of vitamin D is naturally present in breast milk.

➌ pres|ent /pre z ^ə nt/ (presents ) N‑COUNT A present is something that you give to someone, for example at Christmas or when you visit them. □ [+ from ] The carpet was a wedding present from the Prime Minister. □ [+ for ] I bought a birthday present for my mother. □ This book would make a great Christmas present.

➍ pre|sent ◆◆◇ /pr I ze nt/ (presents , presenting , presented )

1 VERB If you present someone with something such as a prize or document, or if you present it to them, you formally give it to them. □ [V n + with ] The mayor presented him with a gold medal at an official city reception. □ [V n] The Prime Minister presented the prizes. □ [V n + to ] The group intended to present this petition to the parliament. ● pres|en|ta|tion N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] Then came the presentation of the awards by the Duke.

2 VERB If something presents a difficulty, challenge, or opportunity, it causes it or provides it. □ [V n] This presents a problem for many financial consumers. □ [V n + with ] Public policy on the family presents liberals with a dilemma. [Also V n to n]

3 VERB If an opportunity or problem presents itself , it occurs, often when you do not expect it. □ [V pron-refl] Their colleagues insulted them whenever the opportunity presented itself.

4 VERB When you present information, you give it to people in a formal way. □ [V n] We spend the time collating and presenting the information in a variety of chart forms. □ [V n + to ] We presented three options to the unions for discussion. □ [V n + with ] In effect, Parsons presents us with a beguilingly simple outline of social evolution. ● pres|en|ta|tion (presentations ) N‑VAR □ [+ of ] …a fair presentation of the facts to a jury.

5 VERB If you present someone or something in a particular way, you describe them in that way. □ [V n + as ] The government has presented these changes as major reforms. □ [V n + in ] In Europe, Aga Khan III presented himself in a completely different light.

6 VERB The way you present yourself is the way you speak and act when meeting new people. □ [V pron-refl prep/adv] …all those tricks which would help him to present himself in a more confident way in public.

7 VERB If someone or something presents a particular appearance or image, that is how they appear or try to appear. □ [V n] The small group of onlookers presented a pathetic sight. □ [V n] In presenting a more professional image the party risks losing its individuality. □ [V n + to ] …presenting a calm and dignified face to the world at large.

8 VERB If you present yourself somewhere, you officially arrive there, for example for an appointment. □ [V pron-refl prep/adv] She was told to present herself at the Town Hall at 11.30 for the induction ceremony.

9 VERB If someone presents a programme on television or radio, they introduce each item in it. [mainly BRIT ] □ [V n] She presents a monthly magazine programme on the BBC. in AM, usually use host , introduce 10 VERB When someone presents something such as a production of a play or an exhibition, they organize it. □ [V n] The Lyric Theatre is presenting a new production of 'Over the Bridge'.

11 VERB If you present someone to someone else, often an important person, you formally introduce them. □ [V n + to ] Fox stepped forward, welcomed him, and presented him to Jack. □ [V n] Allow me to present my cousin, Mr Zachary Colenso.

12 → see also presentation

pre|sent|able /pr I ze ntəb ^ə l/

1 ADJ If you say that someone looks presentable , you mean that they look fairly tidy or attractive. □ She managed to make herself presentable in time for work. □ …wearing his most presentable suit.

2 ADJ If you describe something as presentable , you mean that it is acceptable or quite good. [mainly BRIT ] □ His score of 29 had helped Leicestershire reach a presentable total.

pres|en|ta|tion /pre z ^ə nte I ʃ ^ə n, [AM ] priː zen-/ (presentations )

1 N‑UNCOUNT Presentation is the appearance of something, which someone has worked to create. □ Her recipes were clear and her presentation simple. □ Check the presentation. Get it properly laid out with a title page.

2 N‑COUNT A presentation is a formal event at which someone is given a prize or award. □ He received his award at a presentation in London yesterday.

3 N‑COUNT When someone gives a presentation , they give a formal talk, often in order to sell something or get support for a proposal. □ She gave bosses a Powerpoint presentation of what she planned to do.

4 → see also present ➍

pre sent-da y also present day ADJ [ADJ n] Present-day things, situations, and people exist at the time in history we are now in. □ Even by present-day standards these were large aircraft. □ …a huge area of northern India, stretching from present-day Afghanistan to Bengal.

pre|sent|er /pr I ze ntə ^r / (presenters ) N‑COUNT A radio or television presenter is a person who introduces the items in a particular programme. [mainly BRIT ] □ Most people think being a television presenter is exciting. in AM, usually use host , anchor

pre|sen|ti|ment /pr I ze nt I mənt/ (presentiments ) N‑COUNT [usu N that] A presentiment is a feeling that a particular event, for example someone's death, will soon take place. [FORMAL ] □ I had a presentiment that he represented a danger to me. □ [+ of ] He had a presentiment of disaster.

pres|ent|ly /pre z ^ə ntli/

1 ADV [ADV before v] If you say that something is presently happening, you mean that it is happening now. □ She is presently developing a number of projects. □ The island is presently uninhabited.

2 ADV You use presently to indicate that something happened quite a short time after the time or event that you have just mentioned. [WRITTEN ] □ Presently, a young woman in a white coat came in.

3 ADV [ADV after v] If you say that something will happen presently , you mean that it will happen quite soon. [FORMAL ] □ 'Just take it easy,' David said. 'You'll feel better presently.'

pre s|ent pa r|ti|ci|ple (present participles ) N‑COUNT In grammar, the present participle of a verb is the form which ends in '-ing'. Present participles are used to form continuous tenses, as in 'She was wearing a neat blue suit'. They are often nouns, as in 'I hate cooking' and 'Cooking can be fun'. Many of them can be used like an adjective in front of a noun, as in 'their smiling faces'.

pre s|ent pe r|fect ADJ [ADJ n] In grammar, the present perfect tenses of a verb are the ones used to talk about things which happened before the time you are speaking or writing but are relevant to the present situation, or things that began in the past and are still happening. The simple present perfect tense uses 'have' or 'has' and the past participle of the verb, as in 'They have decided what to do'.

pres|er|va|tion|ist /pre zə ^r ve I ʃən I st/ (preservationists ) N‑COUNT A preservationist is someone who takes action to preserve something such as old buildings or an area of countryside.

pre s|er|va |tion or|der (preservation orders ) N‑COUNT In Britain, a preservation order is an official order that makes it illegal for anyone to alter or destroy something such as an old building or an area of countryside. □ The entire city is under a preservation order.

pre|serva|tive /pr I zɜː ^r vət I v/ (preservatives ) N‑VAR A preservative is a chemical that prevents things from decaying. Some preservatives are added to food, and others are used to treat wood or metal. □ Nitrates are used as preservatives in food manufacture.

pre|serve ◆◇◇ /pr I zɜː ^r v/ (preserves , preserving , preserved )

1 VERB If you preserve a situation or condition, you make sure that it remains as it is, and does not change or end. □ [V n] We will do everything to preserve peace. □ [V n] …an effort to fit in more students while preserving standards. ● pres|er|va|tion /pre zə ^r ve I ʃ ^ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the preservation of the status quo.

2 VERB If you preserve something, you take action to save it or protect it from damage or decay. □ [V n] We need to preserve the forest. □ [V -ed] …perfectly preserved medieval houses. ● pres|er|va|tion N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the preservation of buildings of architectural or historic interest.

3 VERB If you preserve food, you treat it in order to prevent it from decaying so that you can store it for a long time. □ [V n] I like to make puree, using only enough sugar to preserve the plums. □ [V -ed] …preserved ginger in syrup.

4 N‑PLURAL Preserves are foods such as jam that are made by cooking fruit with a large amount of sugar so that they can be stored for a long time.

5 N‑COUNT If you say that a job or activity is the preserve of a particular person or group of people, you mean that they are the only ones who take part in it. □ [+ of ] The conduct of foreign policy is largely the preserve of the president.

6 N‑COUNT A nature preserve is an area of land or water where animals are protected from hunters. [AM ] □ …Pantanal, one of the world's great wildlife preserves. SYNONYMS preserve VERB

1

maintain: …the emergency powers to try to maintain law and order.

retain: The interior of the shop still retains a nineteenth-century atmosphere.

sustain: He has sustained his fierce social conscience from young adulthood through old age.

keep up: There will be a major incentive among TV channels to keep standards up.

2

maintain: The house costs a fortune to maintain.

protect: So, what can women do to protect themselves from heart disease?

safeguard: They will press for international action to safeguard the ozone layer.

conserve: …a big increase in U.S. aid to help developing countries conserve their forests.

pre|set /priː se t/ (presets , presetting ) also pre-set The form preset is used in the present tense and is the past tense and past participle. VERB [usu passive] If a piece of equipment is preset , its controls have been set in advance of the time you want it to work. □ [be V -ed] …a computerised timer that can be preset to a variety of programs. □ [V -ed] Bake the cake in a preset oven.

pre|side /pr I za I d/ (presides , presiding , presided ) VERB If you preside over a meeting or an event, you are in charge. □ [V + over/at ] The PM presided over a meeting of his inner Cabinet. □ [V -ing] The presiding officer ruled that the motion was out of order.

presi|den|cy ◆◇◇ /pre z I dənsi/ (presidencies ) N‑COUNT The presidency of a country or organization is the position of being the president or the period of time during which someone is president. □ Poverty had declined during his presidency.

presi|dent ◆◆◆ /pre z I dənt/ (presidents )

1 N‑TITLE ; N‑COUNT The president of a country that has no king or queen is the person who is the head of state of that country. □ The White House says the president would veto the bill.

2 N‑COUNT The president of an organization is the person who has the highest position in it. □ [+ of ] …Alexandre de Merode, the president of the medical commission. SYNONYMS president NOUN 2

chairman: I had done business with the company's chairman.

managing director: She is managing director of a construction company.

MD: He's going to be the MD of the Park Lane company.

CEO: They have replaced their CEO.

pre sident-ele ct N‑SING The president-elect is the person who has been elected as the president of an organization or country, but who has not yet taken office. □ …one of the president-elect's best proposals during the campaign.

presi|den|tial ◆◆◇ /pre z I de nʃ ^ə l/ ADJ [ADJ n] Presidential activities or things relate or belong to a president. □ …Peru's presidential election. □ There are several presidential candidates.

press ◆◆◆ /pre s/ (presses , pressing , pressed )

1 VERB If you press something somewhere, you push it firmly against something else. □ [V n + against ] He pressed his back against the door. □ [V n prep] They pressed the silver knife into the cake.

2 VERB If you press a button or switch, you push it with your finger in order to make a machine or device work. □ [V n] Drago pressed a button and the door closed. ● N‑COUNT [usu sing] Press is also a noun. □ …a TV which rises from a table at the press of a button.

3 VERB If you press something or press down on it, you push hard against it with your foot or hand. □ [V n] The engine stalled. He pressed the accelerator hard. □ [V adv] She stood up and leaned forward with her hands pressing down on the desk. [Also V on n]

4 VERB If you press for something, you try hard to persuade someone to give it to you or to agree to it. □ [V + for ] Police might now press for changes in the law. □ [V + for ] They had pressed for their children to be taught French.

5 VERB If you press someone, you try hard to persuade them to do something. □ [V n to-inf] Trade unions are pressing him to stand firm. □ [be V -ed + for/about ] Mr King seems certain to be pressed for further details. □ [be V -ed + for/about ] She smiles coyly when pressed about her private life. [Also V n into n/-ing]

6 VERB If someone presses their claim, demand, or point, they state it in a very forceful way. □ [V n] The protest campaign has used mass strikes and demonstrations to press its demands.

7 VERB If an unpleasant feeling or worry presses on you, it affects you very much or you are always thinking about it. □ [V + on ] The weight of irrational guilt pressed on her.

8 VERB If you press something on someone, you give it to them and insist that they take it. □ [V n + on ] All I had was money, which I pressed on her reluctant mother.

9 VERB If you press clothes, you iron them in order to get rid of the creases. □ [V n] Vera pressed his shirt. □ [V -ed] …clean, neatly pressed, conservative clothes.

10 VERB If you press fruits or vegetables, you squeeze them or crush them, usually in order to extract the juice. □ [be V -ed] The grapes are hand-picked and pressed. □ [V n] I pressed the juice of half a lemon into a glass of water. □ [V -ed] …1 clove fresh garlic, pressed or diced.

11 N‑SING [with sing or pl verb] Newspapers are referred to as the press . □ Today the press is full of articles on the new prime minister. □ Press reports revealed that ozone levels in the upper atmosphere fell during the past month.

12 N‑SING [with sing or pl verb] Journalists are referred to as the press . □ Christie looked relaxed and calm as he faced the press afterwards.

13 N‑COUNT A press or a printing press is a machine used for printing things such as books and newspapers.

14 → see also pressed , pressing

15 PHRASE If someone or something gets a bad press , they are criticized, especially in the newspapers, on television, or on radio. If they get a good press , they are praised. □ …the bad press that career women consistently get in this country.

16 PHRASE If you press charges against someone, you make an official accusation against them which has to be decided in a court of law. □ I could have pressed charges against him.

17 PHRASE When a newspaper or magazine goes to press , it starts being printed. □ We check prices at the time of going to press.

▸ press ahead → see press on 1

▸ press on or press ahead

1 PHRASAL VERB If you press on or press ahead , you continue with a task or activity in a determined way, and do not allow any problems or difficulties to delay you. □ [V P ] Organizers of the strike are determined to press on. □ [V P + with ] Poland pressed on with economic reform.

2 PHRASAL VERB If you press on , you continue with a journey, even though it is becoming more difficult or more dangerous. □ [V P ] I considered turning back, but it was getting late, so I pressed on. SYNONYMS press VERB 1

push: He put both hands flat on the door and pushed as hard as he could.

squeeze: He squeezed her arm reassuringly.

pre ss agen|cy (press agencies ) N‑COUNT A country's press agency is an organization that gathers news from that country and supplies it to journalists from all over the world.

pre ss agent (press agents ) N‑COUNT [oft with poss] A press agent is a person who is employed by a famous person to give information about that person to the press.

pre ss box (press boxes ) N‑COUNT The press box at a sports ground is a room or area which is reserved for journalists to watch sporting events.

pre ss con|fer|ence (press conferences ) N‑COUNT A press conference is a meeting held by a famous or important person in which they answer journalists' questions. □ She gave her reaction to his release at a press conference.

pre ss corps (press corps ) N‑COUNT [with sing or pl verb] The press corps is a group of journalists who are all working in a particular place, for different newspapers. □ David McNeil is travelling with the White House press corps.

pressed /pre st/

1 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you say that you are pressed for time or pressed for money, you mean that you do not have enough time or money at the moment. □ [+ for ] Are you pressed for time, Mr Bayliss? If not, I suggest we have lunch.

2 → see also hard-pressed

pre ss gal|lery (press galleries ) N‑COUNT The press gallery is the area in a parliament, legislature, or council which is reserved for journalists who report on its activities.

pre ss-gang (press-gangs , press-ganging , press-ganged )

1 VERB [usu passive] If you are press-ganged into doing something, you are made or persuaded to do it, even though you do not really want to. [mainly BRIT ] □ [be V -ed + into ] I was press-ganged into working in that business. □ [be V -ed] She was a volunteer, she hadn't had to be press-ganged.

2 VERB [usu passive] If people are press-ganged , they are captured and forced to join the army or navy. [mainly BRIT ] □ [be V -ed + into ] They left their villages to evade being press-ganged into the army. □ [be V -ed] The government denies that the women were press-ganged. ● press-ganging N‑SING □ …the press-ganging of young people into the country's armed forces.

3 N‑COUNT In former times, a press-gang was a group of men who used to capture boys and men and force them to join the navy.

pres|sie /pre zi/ → see pressy

press|ing /pre s I ŋ/

1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A pressing problem, need, or issue has to be dealt with immediately. □ It is one of the most pressing problems facing this country.

2 → see also press

press|man /pre smæn/ (pressmen ) N‑COUNT A pressman is a journalist, especially a man, who works for a newspaper or magazine. [BRIT , JOURNALISM ] □ There were television crews and pressmen from all around the world. in AM, use newspaperman

pre ss of|fic|er (press officers ) N‑COUNT A press officer is a person who is employed by an organization to give information about that organization to the press. □ …the Press Officer of the Bavarian Government.

pre ss re|lease (press releases ) N‑COUNT A press release is a written statement about a matter of public interest which is given to the press by an organization concerned with the matter.

pre ss room (press rooms ) also pressroom N‑COUNT A press room is a room for journalists to use at a special event.

pre ss se c|re|tary (press secretaries ) N‑COUNT A government's or political leader's press secretary is someone who is employed by them to give information to the press. □ …the Prime Minister's official press secretary.

pre ss stud (press studs ) N‑COUNT A press stud is a small metal object used to fasten clothes and is made up of two parts which can be pressed together. [BRIT ] in AM, use snap fastener , snap

pre ss-up (press-ups ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Press-ups are exercises to strengthen your arms and chest muscles. They are done by lying with your face towards the floor and pushing with your hands to raise your body until your arms are straight. [BRIT ] □ He made me do 30 press-ups. in AM, use push-ups

pres|sure ◆◆◆ /pre ʃə ^r / (pressures , pressuring , pressured )

1 N‑UNCOUNT Pressure is force that you produce when you press hard on something. □ She kicked at the door with her foot, and the pressure was enough to open it. □ The best way to treat such bleeding is to apply firm pressure.

2 N‑UNCOUNT The pressure in a place or container is the force produced by the quantity of gas or liquid in that place or container. □ The window in the cockpit had blown in and the pressure dropped dramatically.

3 N‑UNCOUNT If there is pressure on a person, someone is trying to persuade or force them to do something. □ [+ on ] He may have put pressure on her to agree. □ Its government is under pressure from the European Commission.

4 N‑UNCOUNT If you are experiencing pressure , you feel that you must do a lot of tasks or make a lot of decisions in very little time, or that people expect a lot from you. □ Can you work under pressure? □ [+ of ] The pressures of modern life are great.

5 VERB If you pressure someone to do something, you try forcefully to persuade them to do it. □ [V n to-inf] He will never pressure you to get married. □ [be V -ed + into ] The Government should not be pressured into making hasty decisions. □ [V n] Don't pressure me. □ [V n + for ] His boss did not pressure him for results. ● pres|sured ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] □ You're likely to feel anxious and pressured.

6 → see also blood pressure

pre s|sure cook|er (pressure cookers ) N‑COUNT A pressure cooker is a large metal container with a lid that fits tightly, in which you can cook food quickly using steam at high pressure.

pre s|sure group (pressure groups ) N‑COUNT A pressure group is an organized group of people who are trying to persuade a government or other authority to do something, for example to change a law. □ …the environmental pressure group Greenpeace.

pres|sur|ize /pre ʃəra I z/ (pressurizes , pressurizing , pressurized ) in BRIT, also use pressurise 1 VERB If you are pressurized into doing something, you are forcefully persuaded to do it. □ [be V -ed + into ] Do not be pressurized into making your decision immediately. □ [V n] He thought she was trying to pressurize him. [Also V n to-inf]

2 → see also pressurized

pres|sur|ized /pre ʃəra I zd/ in BRIT, also use pressurised ADJ [usu ADJ n] In a pressurized container or area, the pressure inside is different from the pressure outside. □ Certain types of foods are also dispensed in pressurized canisters.

pres|sy /pre zi/ (pressies ) also pressie N‑COUNT A pressy is something that you give to someone, for example at Christmas, or when you visit them. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ …Christmas pressies.

pres|tige /prestiː ʒ/

1 N‑UNCOUNT If a person, a country, or an organization has prestige , they are admired and respected because of the position they hold or the things they have achieved. □ It was his responsibility for foreign affairs that gained him international prestige.

2 ADJ [ADJ n] Prestige is used to describe products, places, or activities which people admire because they are associated with being rich or having a high social position. □ …such prestige cars as Cadillac, Mercedes, Porsche and Jaguar.

pres|tig|ious /prest I dʒəs/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A prestigious institution, job, or activity is respected and admired by people. □ It's one of the best equipped and most prestigious schools in the country.

pre|sum|ably ◆◇◇ /pr I zjuː məbli, [AM ] -zuː m-/ ADV [ADV before v] If you say that something is presumably the case, you mean that you think it is very likely to be the case, although you are not certain. [VAGUENESS ] □ He had gone to the reception desk, presumably to check out.

pre|sume /pr I zjuː m, [AM ] -zuː m/ (presumes , presuming , presumed )

1 VERB If you presume that something is the case, you think that it is the case, although you are not certain. □ [V that] I presume you're here on business. □ [V that] Dido's told you the whole sad story, I presume? □ [V so ] 'Had he been home all week?'—'I presume so.' □ [be V -ed to-inf] …areas that have been presumed to be safe. □ [be V -ed adj] The missing person is presumed dead. [Also it be V -ed that]

2 VERB If you say that someone presumes to do something, you mean that they do it even though they have no right to do it. [FORMAL ] □ [V to-inf] They're resentful that outsiders presume to meddle in their affairs.

3 VERB If an idea, theory, or plan presumes certain facts, it regards them as true so that they can be used as a basis for further ideas and theories. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] The legal definition of 'know' often presumes mental control. □ [V that] The arrangement presumes that both lenders and borrowers are rational.

pre|sump|tion /pr I zʌ mpʃ ^ə n/ (presumptions )

1 N‑COUNT A presumption is something that is accepted as true but is not certain to be true. □ …the presumption that a defendant is innocent until proved guilty.

2 N‑UNCOUNT If you describe someone's behaviour as presumption , you disapprove of it because they are doing something that they have no right to do. [FORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ They were angered by his presumption.

pre|sump|tu|ous /pr I zʌ mptʃuəs/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you describe someone or their behaviour as presumptuous , you disapprove of them because they are doing something that they have no right or authority to do. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ It would be presumptuous to judge what the outcome will be.

pre|sup|pose /priː səpoʊ z/ (presupposes , presupposing , presupposed ) VERB If one thing presupposes another, the first thing cannot be true or exist unless the second thing is true or exists. □ [V that] All your arguments presuppose that he's a rational, intelligent man. □ [V n] The end of an era presupposes the start of another.

pre|sup|po|si|tion /priː sʌpəz I ʃ ^ə n/ (presuppositions ) N‑COUNT A presupposition is something that you assume to be true, especially something which you must assume is true in order to continue with what you are saying or thinking. [FORMAL ] □ …the presupposition that human life must be sustained for as long as possible.

pre -ta x also pretax ADJ [ADJ n] Pre-tax profits or losses are the total profits or losses made by a company before tax has been taken away. [BUSINESS ] □ Storehouse made pre-tax profits of £3.1m. ● ADV [ADV after v] Pre-tax is also an adverb. □ Last year it made £2.5m pre-tax.

pre -tee n (pre-teens ) also preteen N‑COUNT [oft N n] A pre-teen is a child aged between nine and thirteen. □ Some preteens are able to handle a good deal of responsibility. □ …pre-teen children.

pre|tence /pr I te ns, [AM ] priː tens/ (pretences ) in AM, use pretense 1 N‑VAR A pretence is an action or way of behaving that is intended to make people believe something that is not true. □ [+ of ] Welland made a pretence of writing a note in his pad. □ We have to go along with the pretence that things are getting better.

2 PHRASE If you do something under false pretences , you do it when people do not know the truth about you and your intentions. □ I could not go on living with a man who had married me under false pretences.

pre|tend /pr I te nd/ (pretends , pretending , pretended )

1 VERB If you pretend that something is the case, you act in a way that is intended to make people believe that it is the case, although in fact it is not. □ [V that] I pretend that things are really okay when they're not. □ [V to-inf] Sometimes the boy pretended to be asleep. □ [V n] I had no option but to pretend ignorance.

2 VERB If children or adults pretend that they are doing something, they imagine that they are doing it, for example as part of a game. □ [V that] She can sunbathe and pretend she's in Spain. □ [V to-inf] The children pretend to be different animals dancing to the music.

3 VERB [with neg] If you do not pretend that something is the case, you do not claim that it is the case. □ [V that] We do not pretend that the past six years have been without problems for us. □ [V to-inf] Within this lecture I cannot pretend to deal adequately with dreams.

pre|tend|er /pr I te ndə ^r / (pretenders ) N‑COUNT [adj N ] A pretender to a position is someone who claims the right to that position, and whose claim is disputed by others. □ [+ to ] …the Comte de Paris, pretender to the French throne.

pre|tense /pr I te ns, [AM ] priː tens/ → see pretence

pre|ten|sion /pr I te nʃ ^ə n/ (pretensions )

1 N‑VAR If you say that someone has pretensions , you disapprove of them because they claim or pretend that they are more important than they really are. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [+ of ] Her wide-eyed innocence soon exposes the pretensions of the art world. □ We like him for his honesty, his lack of pretension.

2 N‑UNCOUNT [N to-inf] If someone has pretensions to something, they claim to be or do that thing. □ [+ to ] The city has unrealistic pretensions to world-class status.

pre|ten|tious /pr I te nʃəs/ ADJ If you say that someone or something is pretentious , you mean that they try to seem important or significant, but you do not think that they are. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ His response was full of pretentious nonsense. ● pre|ten|tious|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ He has a tendency towards pretentiousness.

pre|ter|natu|ral /priː tə ^r næ tʃrəl/ ADJ [ADJ n] Preternatural abilities, qualities, or events are very unusual in a way that might make you think that unknown forces are involved. [FORMAL ] □ Parents had an almost preternatural ability to understand what was going on in their children's minds. ● pre|ter|natu|ral|ly ADV [ADV adj] □ It was suddenly preternaturally quiet.

pre|text /priː tekst/ (pretexts ) N‑COUNT A pretext is a reason which you pretend has caused you to do something. □ [+ for ] They wanted a pretext for subduing the region by force.

pret|ti|fy /pr I t I fa I / (prettifies , prettifying , prettified ) VERB To prettify something, especially something that is not beautiful, means to make it appear pretty. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [V n] …just a clever effort to prettify animal slaughter. □ [V -ed] It presented an intolerably prettified view of the countryside.

pret|ty ◆◆◇ /pr I ti/ (prettier , prettiest )

1 ADJ If you describe someone, especially a girl, as pretty , you mean that they look nice and are attractive in a delicate way. □ She's a very charming and very pretty girl. ● pret|ti|ly /pr I t I li/ ADV □ She smiled again, prettily. ● pret|ti|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ Her prettiness had been much admired.

2 ADJ A place or a thing that is pretty is attractive and pleasant, in a charming but not particularly unusual way. □ Whitstable is still a very pretty little town. ● pret|ti|ly ADV □ The living-room was prettily decorated. ● pret|ti|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ …shells of quite unbelievable prettiness.

3 ADV [ADV adj/adv] You can use pretty before an adjective or adverb to mean 'quite' or 'rather'. [INFORMAL ] □ I had a pretty good idea what she was going to do. □ Pretty soon after my arrival I found lodgings.

4 PHRASE Pretty much or pretty well means 'almost'. [INFORMAL ] □ His new government looks pretty much like the old one. SYNONYMS pretty ADJ 1

attractive: He's a very attractive man.

beautiful: She was a very beautiful woman.

lovely: You all look really lovely.

pret|zel /pre ts ^ə l/ (pretzels ) N‑COUNT A pretzel is a small, crisp, shiny biscuit, which has salt on the outside. Pretzels are usually shaped like knots or sticks.

pre|vail /pr I ve I l/ (prevails , prevailing , prevailed )

1 VERB If a proposal, principle, or opinion prevails , it gains influence or is accepted, often after a struggle or argument. □ [V ] We hope that common sense would prevail. □ [V + over ] Political and personal ambitions are starting to prevail over economic interests.

2 VERB If a situation, attitude, or custom prevails in a particular place at a particular time, it is normal or most common in that place at that time. □ [V ] A similar situation prevails in America. □ [V -ing] How people bury their dead says much about the prevailing attitudes toward death.

3 VERB If one side in a battle, contest, or dispute prevails , it wins. □ [V ] He appears to have the votes he needs to prevail. □ [V + over/against ] I do hope he will prevail over the rebels.

4 VERB If you prevail upon someone to do something, you succeed in persuading them to do it. [FORMAL ] □ [V + upon/on ] We must, each of us, prevail upon our congressman to act.

pre|vail|ing /pr I ve I l I ŋ/ ADJ [ADJ n] The prevailing wind in an area is the type of wind that blows over that area most of the time. □ The direction of the prevailing winds should be taken into account.

preva|lent /pre vələnt/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] A condition, practice, or belief that is prevalent is common. □ This condition is more prevalent in women than in men. □ The prevalent view is that interest rates will fall. ● preva|lence N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the prevalence of asthma in Britain and western Europe.

pre|vari|cate /pr I væ r I ke I t/ (prevaricates , prevaricating , prevaricated ) VERB If you prevaricate , you avoid giving a direct answer or making a firm decision. □ [V ] British ministers continued to prevaricate. ● pre|vari|ca|tion /pr I væ r I ke I ʃ ^ə n/ (prevarications ) N‑VAR □ After months of prevarication, the political decision had at last been made.

pre|vent ◆◆◇ /pr I ve nt/ (prevents , preventing , prevented )

1 VERB To prevent something means to ensure that it does not happen. □ [V n] These methods prevent pregnancy. □ [V n + from ] Further treatment will prevent cancer from developing. □ [V n v-ing] We recognized the possibility and took steps to prevent it happening. ● pre|ven|tion N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the prevention of heart disease. □ …crime prevention.

2 VERB To prevent someone from doing something means to make it impossible for them to do it. □ [V n + from ] He said this would prevent companies from creating new jobs. □ [V n v-ing] The police have been trying to prevent them carrying weapons. [Also V n]

pre|vent|able /pr I ve ntəb ^ə l/ ADJ Preventable diseases, illnesses, or deaths could be stopped from occurring. □ Forty-thousand children a day die from preventable diseases.

pre|ven|ta|tive /pr I ve ntət I v/ ADJ [ADJ n] Preventative means the same as preventive .

pre|ven|tive /pr I ve nt I v/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Preventive actions are intended to help prevent things such as disease or crime. □ Too much is spent on expensive curative medicine and too little on preventive medicine.

pre|view /priː vjuː/ (previews , previewing , previewed )

1 N‑COUNT A preview is an opportunity to see something such as a film, exhibition, or invention before it is open or available to the public. □ [+ of ] He had gone to see the preview of a play. □ [+ of ] …a sneak preview of the type of car that could be commonplace within ten years.

2 VERB If a journalist previews something such as a film, exhibition, or invention, they see it and describe it to the public before the public see it for themselves. □ [V n] He knew about the interview prior to its publication and had actually previewed the piece.

pre|vi|ous ◆◆◇ /priː viəs/

1 ADJ [ADJ n] A previous event or thing is one that happened or existed before the one that you are talking about. □ I'm a lot happier than I was in my previous job. □ He has no previous convictions.

2 ADJ You refer to the period of time or the thing immediately before the one that you are talking about as the previous one. □ It was a surprisingly dry day after the rain of the previous week.

pre|vi|ous|ly ◆◇◇ /priː viəsli/

1 ADV [usu ADV with v, oft ADV adj] Previously means at some time before the period that you are talking about. □ Guyana's railways were previously owned by private companies. □ Previously she had very little time to work in her own garden.

2 ADV [n ADV ] You can use previously to say how much earlier one event was than another event. □ He had first entered the House 12 years previously. SYNONYMS previously ADV 1

before: The war had ended only a month or so before.

once: The culture minister once ran a theatre.

formerly: He had formerly been in the Navy.

pre -wa r also prewar ADJ [usu ADJ n] Pre-war is used to describe things that happened, existed, or were made in the period immediately before a war, especially the Second World War, 1939-45. □ …Poland's pre-war leader.

prey /pre I / (preys , preying , preyed )

1 N‑UNCOUNT [with sing or pl verb, usu with poss] A creature's prey are the creatures that it hunts and eats in order to live. □ Electric rays stun their prey with huge electrical discharges. □ [+ of ] These animals were the prey of hyenas.

2 → see also bird of prey

3 VERB A creature that preys on other creatures lives by catching and eating them. □ [V + on/upon ] The larvae prey upon small aphids.

4 N‑UNCOUNT [usu with poss] You can refer to the people who someone tries to harm or trick as their prey . □ Police officers lie in wait for the gangs who stalk their prey at night.

5 VERB If someone preys on other people, especially people who are unable to protect themselves, they take advantage of them or harm them in some way. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [V + on ] The survey claims loan companies prey on weak families already in debt.

6 VERB If something preys on your mind, you cannot stop thinking and worrying about it. □ [V + on ] He had been unwise and it preyed on his conscience.

price ◆◆◆ /pra I s/ (prices , pricing , priced )

1 N‑COUNT [oft in N ] The price of something is the amount of money that you have to pay in order to buy it. □ …a sharp increase in the price of petrol. □ They expected house prices to rise. □ Computers haven't come down in price.

2 N‑SING The price that you pay for something that you want is an unpleasant thing that you have to do or suffer in order to get it. □ [+ for ] We will have to pay a high price for independence.

3 VERB If something is priced at a particular amount, the price is set at that amount. □ [be V -ed + at ] The shares are expected to be priced at about 330p. □ [V n + at ] Digital priced the new line at less than half the cost of comparable mainframes. □ [V -ed] There is a very reasonably priced menu. ● pric|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ It's hard to maintain competitive pricing.

4 → see also retail price index , selling price

5 PHRASE If you want something at any price , you are determined to get it, even if unpleasant things happen as a result. □ If they wanted a deal at any price, they would have to face the consequences.

6 PHRASE If you can buy something that you want at a price , it is for sale, but it is extremely expensive. □ Most goods are available, but at a price.

7 PHRASE If you get something that you want at a price , you get it but something unpleasant happens as a result. □ Fame comes at a price.

8 to price yourself out of the market → see market

price|less /pra I sləs/

1 ADJ If you say that something is priceless , you are emphasizing that it is worth a very large amount of money. [EMPHASIS ] □ …the priceless treasures of the Royal Collection.

2 ADJ If you say that something is priceless , you approve of it because it is extremely useful. [APPROVAL ] □ They are a priceless record of a brief period in British history.

pri ce point (price points ) N‑COUNT The price point of a product is the price that it sells for. [BUSINESS ] □ No price point exists for the machine yet. □ The big companies dominate the lower price points.

pri ce tag (price tags ) also price-tag

1 N‑COUNT If something has a price tag of a particular amount, that is the amount that you must pay in order to buy it. [WRITTEN ] □ The price tag on the 34-room white Regency mansion is £17.5 million.

2 N‑COUNT In a shop, the price tag on an article for sale is a small piece of card or paper which is attached to the article and which has the price written on it.

pri ce war (price wars ) N‑COUNT If competing companies are involved in a price war , they each try to gain an advantage by lowering their prices as much as possible in order to sell more of their products and damage their competitors financially. [BUSINESS ] □ [+ between ] A vicious price war between manufacturers has cut margins to the bone.

pricey /pra I si/ (pricier , priciest ) also pricy ADJ If you say that something is pricey , you mean that it is expensive. [INFORMAL ] □ Medical insurance is very pricey.

prick /pr I k/ (pricks , pricking , pricked )

1 VERB If you prick something or prick holes in it, you make small holes in it with a sharp object such as a pin. □ [V n] Prick the potatoes and rub the skins with salt. □ [V n prep] He pricks holes in the foil with a pin.

2 VERB If something sharp pricks you or if you prick yourself with something sharp, it sticks into you or presses your skin and causes you pain. □ [V n] She had just pricked her finger with the needle. [Also V pron-refl]

3 VERB If something pricks your conscience , you suddenly feel guilty about it. If you are pricked by an emotion, you suddenly experience that emotion. □ [V n] Most were sympathetic once we pricked their consciences.

4 N‑COUNT A prick is a small, sharp pain that you get when something pricks you. □ At the same time she felt a prick on her neck.

5 N‑COUNT A man's prick is his penis. [INFORMAL , VERY RUDE ]

▸ prick up PHRASAL VERB If someone pricks up their ears or if their ears prick up , they listen eagerly when they suddenly hear an interesting sound or an important piece of information. □ [V P n] She stopped talking to prick up her ears. □ [V P ] …ears which prick up at the mention of royalty.

prick|le /pr I k ^ə l/ (prickles , prickling , prickled )

1 VERB If your skin prickles , it feels as if a lot of small sharp points are being stuck into it, either because of something touching it or because you feel a strong emotion. □ [V ] He paused, feeling his scalp prickling under his hat. ● N‑COUNT Prickle is also a noun. □ [+ of ] I felt a prickle of disquiet.

2 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Prickles are small sharp points that stick out from leaves or from the stalks of plants. □ …an erect stem covered at the base with a few prickles.

prick|ly /pr I kəli/

1 ADJ Something that is prickly feels rough and uncomfortable, as if it has a lot of prickles. □ The bunk mattress was hard, the blankets prickly and slightly damp.

2 ADJ Someone who is prickly loses their temper or gets upset very easily. □ You know how prickly she is.

3 ADJ A prickly issue or subject is one that is rather complicated and difficult to discuss or resolve. □ The issue is likely to prove a prickly one.

pri ck|ly hea t N‑UNCOUNT Prickly heat is a condition caused by very hot weather, in which your skin becomes hot, uncomfortable, and covered with tiny bumps.

pri ck|ly pea r (prickly pears ) N‑COUNT A prickly pear is a kind of cactus that has round fruit with prickles on. The fruit, which you can eat, is also called a prickly pear .

pricy /pra I si/ → see pricey

pride ◆◇◇ /pra I d/ (prides , priding , prided )

1 N‑UNCOUNT Pride is a feeling of satisfaction which you have because you or people close to you have done something good or possess something good. □ [+ in ] …the sense of pride in a job well done. □ [+ in ] We take pride in offering you the highest standards. □ They can look back on their endeavours with pride.

2 N‑UNCOUNT Pride is a sense of the respect that other people have for you, and that you have for yourself. □ It was a severe blow to Kendall's pride.

3 N‑UNCOUNT Someone's pride is the feeling that they have that they are better or more important than other people. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ His pride may still be his downfall.

4 VERB If you pride yourself on a quality or skill that you have, you are very proud of it. □ [V pron-refl + on ] Smith prides himself on being able to organise his own life.

5 PHRASE Someone or something that is your pride and joy is very important to you and makes you feel very happy. □ The bike soon became his pride and joy.

6 PHRASE If something takes pride of place , it is treated as the most important thing in a group of things. □ A three-foot-high silver World Championship cup takes pride of place near a carved wooden chair.

priest ◆◇◇ /priː st/ (priests )

1 N‑COUNT A priest is a member of the Christian clergy in the Catholic, Anglican, or Orthodox church. □ He had trained to be a Catholic priest.

2 N‑COUNT In many non-Christian religions a priest is a man who has particular duties and responsibilities in a place where people worship.

3 → see also high priest

priest|ess /priː stes/ (priestesses )

1 N‑COUNT A priestess is a woman in a non-Christian religion who has particular duties and responsibilities in a place where people worship.

2 → see also high priestess

priest|hood /priː sthʊd/

1 N‑UNCOUNT Priesthood is the position of being a priest or the period of time during which someone is a priest. □ He spent the first twenty-five years of his priesthood as an academic.

2 N‑SING The priesthood is all the members of the Christian clergy, especially in a particular Church. □ Should the General Synod vote women into the priesthood?

priest|ly /priː stli/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Priestly is used to describe things that belong or relate to a priest. □ Priestly robes hang on the walls. □ …his priestly duties.

prig /pr I g/ (prigs ) N‑COUNT If you call someone a prig , you disapprove of them because they behave in a very moral way and disapprove of other people's behaviour as though they are superior. [DISAPPROVAL ]

prig|gish /pr I g I ʃ/ ADJ If you describe someone as priggish , you think that they are a prig. [DISAPPROVAL ]

prim /pr I m/ ADJ If you describe someone as prim , you disapprove of them because they behave too correctly and are too easily shocked by anything rude. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ We tend to imagine that the Victorians were very prim and proper. ● prim|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ We sat primly at either end of a long settee.

pri|ma|cy /pra I məsi/ N‑UNCOUNT The primacy of something is the fact that it is the most important or most powerful thing in a particular situation. [FORMAL ] □ The political idea at the heart of this is the primacy of the individual.

pri|ma don|na /priː mə dɒ nə/ (prima donnas )

1 N‑COUNT A prima donna is the main female singer in an opera. □ Her career began as prima donna with the Royal Carl Rosa Opera Company.

2 N‑COUNT If you describe someone as a prima donna , you disapprove of them because they think they can behave badly or get what they want because they have a particular talent. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Nobody who comes to this club is allowed to behave like a prima donna.

pri|mae|val /pra I miː v ^ə l/ → see primeval

pri|ma fa|cie /pra I mə fe I ʃi/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Prima facie is used to describe something which appears to be true when you first consider it. [FORMAL ] □ There was a prima facie case that a contempt of court had been committed.

pri|mal /pra I m ^ə l/ ADJ Primal is used to describe something that relates to the origins of things or that is very basic. [FORMAL ] □ Jealousy is a primal emotion.

pri|mari|ly /pra I mər I li, [AM ] pra I meə r I li/ ADV [ADV with v] You use primarily to say what is mainly true in a particular situation. □ …a book aimed primarily at high-energy physicists. □ Public order is primarily an urban problem.

pri|ma|ry ◆◇◇ /pra I məri, [AM ] -meri/ (primaries )

1 ADJ [ADJ n] You use primary to describe something that is very important. [FORMAL ] □ That's the primary reason the company's share price has held up so well. □ His misunderstanding of language was the primary cause of his other problems.

2 ADJ [ADJ n] Primary education is given to pupils between the ages of 5 and 11. [BRIT ] □ Britain did not introduce compulsory primary education until 1880. □ …primary teachers. in AM, use elementary 3 ADJ [ADJ n] Primary is used to describe something that occurs first. □ It is not the primary tumour that kills, but secondary growths elsewhere in the body.

4 N‑COUNT A primary or a primary election is an election in an American state in which people vote for someone to become a candidate for a political office. Compare general election . □ …the 1968 New Hampshire primary. SYNONYMS primary ADJ 1

chief: Financial stress is well established as a chief reason for divorce.

main: My main concern now is to protect the children.

principal: The principal reason for my change of mind is my health.

leading: Britain's future as a leading industrial nation depends on investment.

pri |ma|ry ca re N‑UNCOUNT Primary care refers to those parts of the health service, such as general practitioners and hospital casualty departments, that deal with people who are in immediate need of medical care. □ …the crucial roles of primary care and of preventive work.

pri |ma|ry co l|our (primary colours ) in AM, use primary color N‑COUNT [usu pl] Primary colours are basic colours that can be mixed together to produce other colours. They are usually considered to be red, yellow, blue, and sometimes green. □ It comes in bright primary colours that kids will love.

pri |ma|ry school (primary schools ) N‑VAR [oft in names] A primary school is a school for children between the ages of 5 and 11. [mainly BRIT ] □ …eight- to nine-year-olds in their third year at primary school. □ Greenside Primary School. in AM, usually use elementary school

pri|mate /pra I me I t/ (primates ) The pronunciation /pra I mət/ is also used for meaning 2 . 1 N‑COUNT A primate is a member of the group of mammals which includes humans, monkeys, and apes. □ The woolly spider monkey is the largest primate in the Americas.

2 N‑COUNT The Primate of a particular country or region is the most important priest in that country or region. □ …the Roman Catholic Primate of All Ireland.

prime ◆◇◇ /pra I m/ (primes , priming , primed )

1 ADJ [ADJ n] You use prime to describe something that is most important in a situation. □ Political stability, meanwhile, will be a prime concern. □ It could be a prime target for guerrilla attack. □ The police will see me as the prime suspect!

2 ADJ [ADJ n] You use prime to describe something that is of the best possible quality. □ It was one of the City's prime sites, near the Stock Exchange.

3 ADJ [ADJ n] You use prime to describe an example of a particular kind of thing that is absolutely typical. □ Marianne North was a prime example of Victorian womanhood of the more adventurous kind.

4 N‑UNCOUNT [usu poss N ] If someone or something is in their prime , they are at the stage in their existence when they are at their strongest, most active, or most successful. □ She was in her intellectual prime. □ We've had a series of athletes trying to come back well past their prime. □ [+ of ] …young persons in the prime of life.

5 VERB If you prime someone to do something, you prepare them to do it, for example by giving them information about it beforehand. □ [V n] Claire wished she'd primed Sarah beforehand. □ [V n + for ] Arnold primed her for her duties. □ [be V -ed to-inf] The press corps was primed to leap to the defense of the fired officials.

6 to prime the pump → see pump

Prime Mi n|is|ter ◆◆◆ (Prime Ministers ) N‑COUNT The leader of the government in some countries is called the Prime Minister . □ [+ of ] …the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Miss Benazir Bhutto.

pri me mo v|er (prime movers ) N‑COUNT The prime mover behind a plan, idea, or situation is someone who has an important influence in starting it. □ [+ behind/in ] He was the prime mover behind the coup.

pri me nu m|ber (prime numbers ) N‑COUNT In mathematics, a prime number is a whole number greater than 1 that cannot be divided exactly by any whole number except itself and the number 1, for example 17.

pri|mer /pra I mə ^r / (primers ) N‑VAR Primer is a type of paint that is put onto wood in order to prepare it for the main layer of paint. □ Once applied the primer will be touch dry in one hour.

pri me rate (prime rates ) N‑COUNT A bank's prime rate is the lowest rate of interest which it charges at a particular time and which is offered only to certain customers. [BUSINESS ] □ At least one bank cut its prime rate today.

pri me time also primetime N‑UNCOUNT [usu N n] Prime time television or radio programmes are broadcast when the greatest number of people are watching television or listening to the radio, usually in the evenings. □ …a primetime television show. □ …prime time viewing in mid-evening.

pri|meval /pra I miː v ^ə l/ in BRIT, also use primaeval 1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] You use primeval to describe things that belong to a very early period in the history of the world. [FORMAL ] □ …the dense primeval forests that once covered inland Brittany.

2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] You use primeval to describe feelings and emotions that are basic and not the result of thought. □ …a primeval urge to hit out at that which causes him pain.

primi|tive /pr I m I t I v/

1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Primitive means belonging to a society in which people live in a very simple way, usually without industries or a writing system. □ …studies of primitive societies.

2 ADJ Primitive means belonging to a very early period in the development of an animal or plant. □ …primitive whales. □ It is a primitive instinct to flee a place of danger.

3 ADJ If you describe something as primitive , you mean that it is very simple in style or very old-fashioned. □ It's using some rather primitive technology.

pri|mor|dial /pra I mɔː ^r diəl/ ADJ You use primordial to describe things that belong to a very early time in the history of the world. [FORMAL ] □ Twenty million years ago, Idaho was populated by dense primordial forest.

prim|rose /pr I mroʊz/ (primroses ) N‑VAR A primrose is a wild plant which has pale yellow flowers in the spring.

primu|la /pr I mjʊlə/ (primulas ) N‑VAR A primula is a plant that has brightly coloured flowers in the spring.

Pri|mus /pra I məs/ N‑SING A Primus or a Primus stove is a small cooker or stove that burns paraffin and is often used in camping. [BRIT , TRADEMARK ]

prince ◆◆◇ /pr I ns/ (princes )

1 N‑TITLE ; N‑COUNT A prince is a male member of a royal family, especially the son of the king or queen of a country. □ …Prince Edward and other royal guests. □ The Prince won warm applause for his ideas.

2 N‑TITLE ; N‑COUNT A prince is the male royal ruler of a small country or state. □ He was speaking without the prince's authority.

Pri nce Cha rm|ing N‑SING A woman's Prince Charming is a man who seems to her to be a perfect lover or boyfriend, because he is attractive, kind, and considerate. [APPROVAL ] □ To begin with he was Prince Charming.

prince|ly /pr I nsli/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A princely sum of money is a large sum of money. □ It'll cost them the princely sum of seventy-five pounds.

prin|cess ◆◆◇ /pr I nse s, [AM ] -səs/ (princesses ) N‑TITLE ; N‑COUNT A princess is a female member of a royal family, usually the daughter of a king or queen or the wife of a prince. □ Princess Anne topped the guest list. □ …Caroline Lindon, Princess of Monaco.

prin|ci|pal ◆◇◇ /pr I ns I p ^ə l/ (principals )

1 ADJ [ADJ n] Principal means first in order of importance. □ The principal reason for my change of mind is this. □ …the country's principal source of foreign exchange earnings. □ Their principal concern is bound to be that of winning the next general election.

2 N‑COUNT The principal of a school, or in Britain the principal of a college, is the person in charge of the school or college. □ [+ of ] Donald King is the principal of Dartmouth High School. SYNONYMS principal ADJ 1

main: My main concern now is to protect the children.

leading: Britain's future as a leading industrial nation depends on investment.

chief: Financial stress is well established as a chief reason for divorce.

primary: That's the primary reason the company's share price has held up so well.

prin|ci|pal|ity /pr I ns I pæ l I ti/ (principalities ) N‑COUNT A principality is a country that is ruled by a prince. □ [+ of ] …the tiny principality of Liechtenstein.

prin|ci|pal|ly /pr I ns I pəli/ ADV Principally means more than anything else. □ This is principally because the major export markets are slowing.

prin|ci|ple ◆◆◇ /pr I ns I p ^ə l/ (principles )

1 N‑VAR [usu poss N , adj N ] A principle is a general belief that you have about the way you should behave, which influences your behaviour. □ Buck never allowed himself to be bullied into doing anything that went against his principles. □ It's not just a matter of principle. □ …a man of principle.

2 N‑COUNT [adj N ] The principles of a particular theory or philosophy are its basic rules or laws. □ [+ of ] …a violation of the basic principles of Marxism.

3 N‑COUNT [usu adj N ] Scientific principles are general scientific laws which explain how something happens or works. □ [+ of ] These people lack all understanding of scientific principles.

4 PHRASE If you agree with something in principle , you agree in general terms to the idea of it, although you do not yet know the details or know if it will be possible. □ I agree with it in principle but I doubt if it will happen in practice.

5 PHRASE If something is possible in principle , there is no known reason why it should not happen, even though it has not happened before. □ Even assuming this to be in principle possible, it will not be achieved soon.

6 PHRASE If you refuse to do something on principle , you refuse to do it because of a particular belief that you have. □ He would vote against it on principle. COLLOCATIONS principle NOUN

1

adjective + principle : basic, moral, sound

verb + principle : follow; abandon

2

adjective + principle : biblical, founding, fundamental, guiding; democratic, liberal, socialist

verb + principle : apply, follow, uphold; abandon, violate

prin|ci|pled /pr I ns I p ^ə ld/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe someone as principled , you approve of them because they have strong moral principles. [APPROVAL ] □ She was a strong, principled woman.

print ◆◆◇ /pr I nt/ (prints , printing , printed )

1 VERB If someone prints something such as a book or newspaper, they produce it in large quantities using a machine. □ [V n] He started to print his own posters to distribute abroad. □ [be V -ed prep/adv] Our brochure is printed on environmentally-friendly paper. □ [V -ed] Television and radio gave rise to far fewer complaints than did the printed media. ● PHRASAL VERB In American English, print up means the same as print . □ [V P n] Community workers here are printing up pamphlets for peace demonstrations. □ [have/get n V -ed] Hey, I know what, I'll get a bumper sticker printed up. ● print|ing N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] □ His brother ran a printing and publishing company. □ …stocks of paper and printing ink.

2 VERB If a newspaper or magazine prints a piece of writing, it includes it or publishes it. □ [V n] We can only print letters which are accompanied by the writer's name and address. □ [V -ed] …a questionnaire printed in the magazine recently. [Also be V -ed in n]

3 VERB If numbers, letters, or designs are printed on a surface, they are put on it in ink or dye using a machine. You can also say that a surface is printed with numbers, letters, or designs. □ [V -ed] …the number printed on the receipt. □ [V n + on ] The company has for some time printed its phone number on its products. □ [be V -ed + with ] The shirts were printed with a paisley pattern. □ [be V -ed prep/adv] 'Ecu' was printed in lower case rather than capital letters. [Also V n, V prep/adv]

4 N‑COUNT A print is a piece of clothing or material with a pattern printed on it. You can also refer to the pattern itself as a print . □ In this living room we've mixed glorious floral prints. □ …multi-coloured print jackets.

5 VERB When you print a photograph, you produce it from a negative. □ [V n + onto/from ] Printing a black-and-white negative on to colour paper produces a similar monochrome effect. [Also V n]

6 N‑COUNT A print is a photograph from a film that has been developed. □ [+ of ] …black and white prints of Margaret and Jean as children. □ …35mm colour print films.

7 N‑COUNT A print of a cinema film is a particular copy or set of copies of it.

8 N‑COUNT A print is one of a number of copies of a particular picture. It can be either a photograph, something such as a painting, or a picture made by an artist who puts ink on a prepared surface and presses it against paper. □ …William Hogarth's famous series of prints.

9 N‑UNCOUNT Print is used to refer to letters and numbers as they appear on the pages of a book, newspaper, or printed document. □ …columns of tiny print. □ Laser printers give high quality print.

10 ADJ [ADJ n] The print media consists of newspapers and magazines, but not television or radio. □ I have been convinced that the print media are more accurate and more reliable than television.

11 VERB If you print words, you write in letters that are not joined together and that look like the letters in a book or newspaper. □ [V n] Print your name and address on a postcard and send it to us.

12 N‑COUNT You can refer to a mark left by someone's foot as a print . □ He crawled from print to print, sniffing at the earth, following the scent left in the tracks. □ …boot prints.

13 N‑COUNT [usu pl] You can refer to invisible marks left by someone's fingers as their prints . □ Fresh prints of both girls were found in the flat.

14 → see also printing

15 PHRASE If you appear in print , or get into print , what you say or write is published in a book, newspaper, or magazine. □ Many of these poets appeared in print only long after their deaths.

16 PHRASE The small print or the fine print of something such as an advertisement or a contract consists of the technical details and legal conditions, which are often printed in much smaller letters than the rest of the text. □ I'm looking at the small print; I don't want to sign anything that I shouldn't sign.

▸ print out

1 PHRASAL VERB If a computer or a machine attached to a computer prints something out , it produces a copy of it on paper. □ [V P n] You measure yourself, enter measurements and the computer will print out the pattern. □ [V n P ] I shall just print this out and put it in the post. [Also V P ]

2 → see also printout

▸ print up → see print 1 COLLOCATIONS print NOUN

4

noun + print : animal, leopard, paisley, zebra

adjective + print : floral, geometric

12

noun + print : hand, palm, shoe; hoof, paw

print|able /pr I ntəb ^ə l/ ADJ If you say that someone's words or remarks are not printable , you mean that they are likely to offend people, and are therefore not suitable to be repeated in writing or speech. [JOURNALISM ] □ His team-mates opened hotel windows, shouting 'Jump!' and somewhat less printable banter.

pri nt|ed ci r|cuit board (printed circuit boards ) N‑COUNT A printed circuit board is an electronic circuit in which some of the parts and connections consist of thin metal lines and shapes on a thin board. [TECHNICAL ]

pri nt|ed wo rd N‑SING The printed word is the same as written word .

print|er /pr I ntə ^r / (printers )

1 N‑COUNT A printer is a machine that can be connected to a computer in order to make copies on paper of documents or other information held by the computer.→ see also laser printer

2 N‑COUNT A printer is a person or company whose job is printing things such as books. □ The manuscript had already been sent off to the printers.

print|ing /pr I nt I ŋ/ (printings )

1 N‑COUNT If copies of a book are printed and published on a number of different occasions, you can refer to each of these occasions as a printing . □ The American edition of this book is already in its third printing.

2 → see also print

pri nt|ing press (printing presses ) N‑COUNT A printing press is a machine used for printing, especially one that can print books, newspapers, or documents in large numbers.

print|mak|ing /pr I ntme I k I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Printmaking is an artistic technique which consists of making a series of pictures from an original, or from a specially prepared surface.

print|out /pr I ntaʊt/ (printouts ) also print-out N‑COUNT A printout is a piece of paper on which information from a computer or similar device has been printed. □ [+ of ] …a computer printout of various financial projections.

pri nt run (print runs ) N‑COUNT In publishing, a print run of something such as a book or a newspaper is the number of copies of it that are printed and published at one time. □ [+ of ] It was launched last year in paperback with an initial print run of 7,000 copies.

pri nt shop (print shops ) N‑COUNT A print shop is a small business which prints and copies things such as documents and cards for customers.

pri|or ◆◇◇ /pra I ə ^r /

1 ADJ [ADJ n] You use prior to indicate that something has already happened, or must happen, before another event takes place. □ He claimed he had no prior knowledge of the protest. □ The Constitution requires the president to seek the prior approval of Congress for military action.

2 ADJ [ADJ n] A prior claim or duty is more important than other claims or duties and needs to be dealt with first. □ The firm I wanted to use had prior commitments.

3 N‑COUNT ; N‑TITLE A prior is a monk who is in charge of a priory or a monk who is the second most important person in a monastery.

4 PHRASE If something happens prior to a particular time or event, it happens before that time or event. [FORMAL ] □ Prior to his Japan trip, he went to New York. SYNONYMS prior ADJ 1

previous: He has no previous convictions.

former: The unemployed executives include former sales managers, directors and accountants.

preceding: Industrial orders had already fallen in the preceding months.

pri|or|ess /pra I əres/ (prioresses ) N‑COUNT ; N‑TITLE A prioress is a nun who is in charge of a convent.

pri|ori|tize /pra I ɒ r I ta I z, [AM ] -ɔː r-/ (prioritizes , prioritizing , prioritized ) in BRIT, also use prioritise 1 VERB If you prioritize something, you treat it as more important than other things. □ [V n] The government is prioritising the service sector, rather than investing in industry and production.

2 VERB If you prioritize the tasks that you have to do, you decide which are the most important and do them first. □ [V n] Make lists of what to do and prioritize your tasks. [Also V ]

pri|or|ity ◆◇◇ /pra I ɒ r I ti, [AM ] -ɔː r-/ (priorities )

1 N‑COUNT If something is a priority , it is the most important thing you have to do or deal with, or must be done or dealt with before everything else you have to do. □ Being a parent is her first priority. □ The government's priority is to build more power plants.

2 PHRASE If you give priority to something or someone, you treat them as more important than anything or anyone else. □ The school will give priority to science, maths and modern languages.

3 PHRASE If something takes priority or has priority over other things, it is regarded as being more important than them and is dealt with first. □ The fight against inflation took priority over measures to combat the deepening recession.

pri|ory /pra I əri/ (priories ) N‑COUNT [oft in names] A priory is a place where a small group of monks live and work together.

prise /pra I z/ → see prize

prism /pr I zəm/ (prisms ) N‑COUNT A prism is a block of clear glass or plastic which separates the light passing through it into different colours.

pris|on ◆◆◇ /pr I z ^ə n/ (prisons ) N‑VAR [oft in names] A prison is a building where criminals are kept as punishment or where people accused of a crime are kept before their trial. □ The prison's inmates are being kept in their cells. □ He was sentenced to life in prison. SYNONYMS prison NOUN 1

jail: Three prisoners escaped from a jail.

penitentiary: She works at the local penitentiary.

confinement: He had been held in solitary confinement for four months.

dungeon: They were thrown in a dungeon.

pri s|on camp (prison camps )

1 N‑COUNT A prison camp is a guarded camp where prisoners of war or political prisoners are kept. □ He was shot down over Denmark and spent three years in a prison camp.

2 N‑COUNT A prison camp is a prison where the prisoners are not considered dangerous and are allowed to work outside the prison. [AM ]

pris|on|er ◆◆◇ /pr I zənə ^r / (prisoners )

1 N‑COUNT A prisoner is a person who is kept in a prison as a punishment for a crime that they have committed. □ The committee is concerned about the large number of prisoners sharing cells.

2 N‑COUNT [oft hold/take n N ] A prisoner is a person who has been captured by an enemy, for example in war. □ …wartime hostages and concentration-camp prisoners. □ He was taken prisoner in North Africa in 1942.

3 N‑COUNT If you say that you are a prisoner of a situation, you mean that your are trapped by it. □ [+ of ] We are all prisoners of our childhood and feel an obligation to it. SYNONYMS prisoner NOUN 2

captive: He described the difficulties of surviving for four months as a captive.

hostage: It is hopeful that two hostages will be freed in the next few days.

detainee: They agreed to release all the detainees.

pri s|on|er of co n|science (prisoners of conscience ) N‑COUNT Prisoners of conscience are people who have been put into prison for their political or social beliefs or for breaking the law while protesting against a political or social system.

pri s|on|er of wa r (prisoners of war ) N‑COUNT Prisoners of war are soldiers who have been captured by their enemy during a war and kept as prisoners until the end of the war.

pris|sy /pr I si/ (prissier , prissiest ) ADJ If you say that someone is prissy , you are critical of them because they are very easily shocked by anything rude or bad. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ I grew to dislike the people from my background–they were rather uptight and prissy.

pris|tine /pr I stiːn/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Pristine things are extremely clean or new. [FORMAL ] □ Now the house is in pristine condition.

pri|va|cy /pr I vəsi, [AM ] pra I -/

1 N‑UNCOUNT [oft poss N ] If you have privacy , you are in a place or situation which allows you to do things without other people seeing you or disturbing you. □ He saw the publication of this book as an embarrassing invasion of his privacy. □ …a collection of over 60 designs to try on in the privacy of your own home.

2 PHRASE If someone or something invades your privacy , they interfere in your life without your permission. □ The press invade people's privacy unjustifiably every day.

pri|vate ◆◆◇ /pra I v I t/ (privates )

1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Private industries and services are owned or controlled by an individual person or a commercial company, rather than by the state or an official organization. [BUSINESS ] □ Bupa runs private hospitals in Britain. □ Brazil says its constitution forbids the private ownership of energy assets. ● pri|vate|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ No other European country had so few privately owned businesses. □ She was privately educated at schools in Ireland and Paris.

2 ADJ [ADJ n] Private individuals are acting only for themselves, and are not representing any group, company, or organization. □ …the law's insistence that private citizens are not permitted to have weapons. □ The King was on a private visit to enable him to pray at the tombs of his ancestors.

3 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Your private things belong only to you, or may only be used by you. □ There are 76 individually furnished bedrooms, all with private bathrooms.

4 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Private places or gatherings may be attended only by a particular group of people, rather than by the general public. □ 673 private golf clubs took part in a recent study. □ The door is marked 'Private'.

5 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Private meetings, discussions, and other activities involve only a small number of people, and very little information about them is given to other people. □ Don't bug private conversations, and don't buy papers that reprint them. ● pri|vate|ly ADV [oft ADV after v] □ Few senior figures have issued any public statements but privately the resignation's been welcomed.

6 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Your private life is that part of your life that is concerned with your personal relationships and activities, rather than with your work or business. □ I've always kept my private and professional life separate.

7 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Your private thoughts or feelings are ones that you do not talk about to other people. □ We all felt as if we were intruding on his private grief. ● pri|vate|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ Privately, she worries about whether she's really good enough.

8 ADJ [ADJ n] You can use private to describe situations or activities that are understood only by the people involved in them, and not by anyone else. □ Chinese waiters stood in a cluster, sharing a private joke.

9 ADJ If you describe a place as private , or as somewhere where you can be private , you mean that it is a quiet place and you can be alone there without being disturbed. □ It was the only reasonably private place they could find.

10 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe someone as a private person, you mean that they are very quiet by nature and do not reveal their thoughts and feelings to other people. □ Gould was an intensely private individual.

11 ADJ [usu ADJ n] You can use private to describe lessons that are not part of ordinary school activity, and which are given by a teacher to an individual pupil or a small group, usually in return for payment. □ Martial arts: Private lessons: £8 per hour. □ …Donald Tovey, who took her as his private pupil for the piano.

12 N‑COUNT ; N‑TITLE A private is a soldier of the lowest rank in an army or the marines. □ …Private Martin Ferguson.

13 → see also privately

14 PHRASE If you do something in private , you do it without other people being present, often because it is something that you want to keep secret. □ Some of what we're talking about might better be discussed in private.

pri |vate de|te c|tive (private detectives ) N‑COUNT A private detective is someone who you can pay to find missing people or do other kinds of investigation for you.

pri |vate e n|ter|prise N‑UNCOUNT Private enterprise is industry and business which is owned by individual people or commercial companies, and not by the government or an official organization. [BUSINESS ] □ …the government's plans to sell state companies to private enterprise.

pri |vate ey e (private eyes ) N‑COUNT You can refer to a private detective as a private eye , especially when he or she is a character in a film or story. [INFORMAL ]

pri |vate in|ve s|ti|ga|tor (private investigators ) N‑COUNT A private investigator is the same as a private detective .

pri|vate|ly /pra I v I tli/

1 ADV [ADV after v] If you buy or sell something privately , you buy it from or sell it to another person directly, rather than in a shop or through a business. □ The whole process makes buying a car privately as painless as buying from a garage. □ A great deal of food is distributed and sold privately without ever reaching the shops.

2 → see also private

Pri |vate Me m|ber's Bill (Private Members' Bills ) N‑COUNT In Britain, a Private Member's Bill is a law that is proposed by a Member of Parliament acting as an individual rather than as a member of his or her political party.

pri |vate pa rts N‑PLURAL [usu poss N ] Your private parts are your genitals. [INFORMAL ]

pri |vate schoo l (private schools ) N‑VAR A private school is a school which is not supported financially by the government and which parents have to pay for their children to go to. □ He attended Eton, the most exclusive private school in Britain.

pri |vate se c|tor N‑SING [N n] The private sector is the part of a country's economy which consists of industries and commercial companies that are not owned or controlled by the government. [BUSINESS ] □ …small firms in the private sector.

pri |vate so l|dier (private soldiers ) N‑COUNT A private soldier is a soldier of the lowest rank in an army or the marines. [FORMAL ]

pri|va|tion /pra I ve I ʃ ^ə n/ (privations ) N‑VAR If you suffer privation or privations , you have to live without many of the things that are thought to be necessary in life, such as food, clothing, or comfort. [FORMAL ] □ They endured five years of privation during the Second World War. □ [+ of ] The privations of monastery life were evident in his appearance.

pri|vat|ize ◆◇◇ /pra I vəta I z/ (privatizes , privatizing , privatized ) in BRIT, also use privatise VERB If a company, industry, or service that is owned by the state is privatized , the government sells it and makes it a private company. [BUSINESS ] □ [be V -ed] The water boards are about to be privatized. □ [V n] …a pledge to privatise the rail and coal industries. □ [V -ed] …the newly privatized FM radio stations. ● pri|vati|za|tion /pra I vəta I ze I ʃ ^ə n/ (privatizations ) N‑VAR □ [+ of ] …the privatisation of British Rail. □ …fresh rules governing the conduct of future privatizations.

priv|et /pr I v I t/ N‑UNCOUNT Privet is a type of bush with small leaves that stay green all year round. It is often grown in gardens to form hedges. □ The garden was enclosed by a privet hedge.

privi|lege /pr I v I l I dʒ/ (privileges , privileging , privileged )

1 N‑COUNT A privilege is a special right or advantage that only one person or group has. □ The Russian Federation has issued a decree abolishing special privileges for government officials.

2 N‑UNCOUNT If you talk about privilege , you are talking about the power and advantage that only a small group of people have, usually because of their wealth or their high social class. □ Pironi was the son of privilege and wealth, and it showed.

3 N‑SING You can use privilege in expressions such as be a privilege or have the privilege when you want to show your appreciation of someone or something or to show your respect. □ It must be a privilege to know such a man.

4 VERB To privilege someone or something means to treat them better or differently than other people or things rather than treat them all equally. □ [V n] They are privileging a tiny number to the disadvantage of the rest.

privi|leged /pr I v I l I dʒd/

1 ADJ Someone who is privileged has an advantage or opportunity that most other people do not have, often because of their wealth or high social class. □ They were, by and large, a very wealthy, privileged elite. □ I felt very privileged to work at the university. ● N‑PLURAL The privileged are people who are privileged. □ They are only interested in preserving the power of the privileged.

2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Privileged information is known by only a small group of people, who are not legally required to give it to anyone else. □ The data is privileged information, not to be shared with the general public.

privy /pr I vi/ ADJ If you are privy to something secret, you have been allowed to know about it. [FORMAL ] □ [+ to ] Only three people, including a police officer, will be privy to the facts.

Pri vy Cou n|cil N‑PROPER In Britain, the Privy Council is a group of people who are appointed to advise the king or queen on political affairs.

prize ◆◆◇ /pra I z/ (prizes , prizing , prized ) The spelling prise is also used in British English for meanings 5 and 6 . 1 N‑COUNT A prize is money or something valuable that is given to someone who has the best results in a competition or game, or as a reward for doing good work. □ You must claim your prize by phoning our claims line. □ He won first prize at the Leeds Piano Competition. □ They were going all out for the prize-money, £6,500 for the winning team.

2 ADJ [ADJ n] You use prize to describe things that are of such good quality that they win prizes or deserve to win prizes. □ …a prize bull. □ …prize blooms.

3 N‑COUNT You can refer to someone or something as a prize when people consider them to be of great value or importance. □ With no lands of his own, he was no great matrimonial prize.

4 VERB [usu passive] Something that is prized is wanted and admired because it is considered to be very valuable or very good quality. □ [be V -ed] Military figures, made out of lead are prized by collectors. □ [V -ed] His Fender Stratocaster remains one of his most prized possessions.

5 VERB If you prize something open or prize it away from a surface, you force it to open or force it to come away from the surface. [mainly BRIT ] □ [V n with adj] He tried to prize the dog's mouth open. □ [V n with adv] I prised off the metal rim surrounding one of the dials. □ [V n + out of/from ] He held on tight but she prised it from his fingers. in AM, usually use pry 6 VERB If you prize something such as information out of someone, you persuade them to tell you although they may be very unwilling to. [mainly BRIT ] □ [V n + out of ] Alison and I had to prize conversation out of him. [Also V n with out ] in AM, usually use pry

pri ze fight (prize fights ) also prizefight N‑COUNT A prize fight is a boxing match where the boxers are paid to fight, especially one that is not official.

pri ze fight|er (prize fighters ) also prizefighter N‑COUNT A prize fighter is a boxer who fights to win money.

pri ze-giving (prize-givings ) also prizegiving N‑COUNT A prize-giving is a ceremony where prizes are awarded to people who have produced a very high standard of work. [BRIT ] □ Neil had been at a prizegiving ceremony at a school in Birmingham. □ …a prize-giving for cattle-breeding.

pro /proʊ / (pros )

1 N‑COUNT A pro is a professional. [INFORMAL ] □ I have enjoyed playing with some of the top pros from Europe and America.

2 ADJ [ADJ n] A pro player is a professional sportsman or woman. You can also use pro to refer to sports that are played by professional sportsmen or women. [AM ] □ …a former college and pro basketball player.

3 PREP If you are pro a particular course of action or belief, you agree with it or support it. [mainly BRIT ] □ I'm one of the few that's very pro performance-related pay.

4 PHRASE The pros and cons of something are its advantages and disadvantages, which you consider carefully so that you can make a sensible decision. □ Motherhood has both its pros and cons.

PREFIX pro-

forms adjectives that refer to people who strongly support a particular person or thing. For example, if you are pro-democracy , you support democracy.

pro|ac|tive /proʊæ kt I v/ ADJ Proactive actions are intended to cause changes, rather than just reacting to change. □ In order to survive the competition a company should be proactive not reactive.

pro -a m (pro-ams ) also pro am N‑COUNT [oft N n] A pro-am is a sports competition in which professional and amateur players compete together. □ …a sponsored pro-am golf tournament.

prob|abil|is|tic /prɒ bəb I l I st I k/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Probabilistic actions, methods, or arguments are based on the idea that you cannot be certain about results or future events but you can judge whether or not they are likely, and act on the basis of this judgment. [FORMAL ] □ …probabilistic exposure to risk.

prob|abil|ity /prɒ bəb I l I ti/ (probabilities )

1 N‑VAR The probability of something happening is how likely it is to happen, sometimes expressed as a fraction or a percentage. □ [+ of ] Without a transfusion, the victim's probability of dying was 100%. □ [+ of ] The probabilities of crime or victimization are higher with some situations than with others.

2 N‑VAR You say that there is a probability that something will happen when it is likely to happen. [VAGUENESS ] □ If you've owned property for several years, the probability is that values have increased. □ His story-telling can push the bounds of probability a bit far at times.

3 PHRASE If you say that something will happen in all probability , you mean that you think it is very likely to happen. [VAGUENESS ] □ The Republicans had better get used to the fact that in all probability, they are going to lose.

prob|able /prɒ bəb ^ə l/

1 ADJ If you say that something is probable , you mean that it is likely to be true or likely to happen. [VAGUENESS ] □ It is probable that the medication will suppress the symptom without treating the condition. □ An airline official said a bomb was the incident's most probable cause.

2 ADJ [ADJ n] You can use probable to describe a role or function that someone or something is likely to have. □ The Socialists united behind their probable presidential candidate.

prob|ably ◆◆◆ /prɒ bəbli/

1 ADV If you say that something is probably the case, you think that it is likely to be the case, although you are not sure. [VAGUENESS ] □ The White House probably won't make this plan public until July. □ Van Gogh is probably the best-known painter in the world.

2 ADV You can use probably when you want to make your opinion sound less forceful or definite, so that you do not offend people. [VAGUENESS ] □ He probably thinks you're both crazy! SYNONYMS probably ADV 1

likely: Profit will most likely have risen by about £25 million.

doubtless: She took off her shoes, doubtless because her feet hurt.

presumably: The spear is presumably the murder weapon.

pro|bate /proʊ be I t/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Probate is the act or process of officially proving a will to be valid. □ Probate cases can go on for two years or more.

pro|ba|tion /prəbe I ʃ ^ə n, [AM ] proʊ -/

1 N‑UNCOUNT Probation is a period of time during which a person who has committed a crime has to obey the law and be supervised by a probation officer, rather than being sent to prison. □ The thief was put on probation for two years.

2 N‑UNCOUNT Probation is a period of time during which someone is judging your character and ability while you work, in order to see if you are suitable for that type of work. □ [+ of ] Employee appointment will be subject to a term of probation of 6 months.

pro|ba|tion|ary /prəbe I ʃənəri, [AM ] proʊbe I ʃəneri/ ADJ [ADJ n] A probationary period is a period after someone starts a job, during which their employer can decide whether the person is suitable and should be allowed to continue. [BUSINESS ] □ Teachers should have a probationary period of two years.

pro|ba|tion|er /prəbe I ʃənə ^r , proʊ-/ (probationers )

1 N‑COUNT A probationer is someone who has been found guilty of committing a crime but is on probation rather than in prison.

2 N‑COUNT A probationer is someone who is still being trained to do a job and is on trial. □ …a probationer teacher.

pro|ba |tion of|fic|er (probation officers ) N‑COUNT A probation officer is a person whose job is to supervise and help people who have committed crimes and been put on probation.

probe /proʊ b/ (probes , probing , probed )

1 VERB If you probe into something, you ask questions or try to discover facts about it. □ [V + into ] The more they probed into his background, the more inflamed their suspicions would become. □ [V + for ] For three years, I have probed for understanding. □ [V n] The Office of Fair Trading has been probing banking practices. □ [V -ing] The form asks probing questions. ● N‑COUNT Probe is also a noun. □ …a federal grand-jury probe into corruption within the FDA. ● prob|ing (probings ) N‑COUNT □ If he remains here, he'll be away from the press and their probings.

2 VERB If a doctor or dentist probes , he or she uses a long instrument to examine part of a patient's body. □ [V ] The surgeon would pick up his instruments, probe, repair and stitch up again. □ [V prep/adv] Dr Amid probed around the sensitive area.

3 N‑COUNT A probe is a long thin instrument that doctors and dentists use to examine parts of the body. □ …a fibre-optic probe.

4 VERB If you probe a place, you search it in order to find someone or something that you are looking for. □ [V n] A flashlight beam probed the underbrush only yards away from their hiding place. □ [V adv/prep] I probed around for some time in the bushes.

5 VERB In a conflict such as a war, if one side probes another side's defences, they try to find their weaknesses, for example by attacking them in specific areas using a small number of troops. [JOURNALISM ] □ [V n] He probes the enemy's weak positions, ignoring his strongholds. ● N‑COUNT Probe is also a noun. □ Small probes would give the allied armies some combat experience.

6 N‑COUNT [usu n N ] A space probe is a spacecraft which travels into space with no people in it, usually in order to study the planets and send information about them back to earth.

pro|bity /proʊ b I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT Probity is a high standard of correct moral behaviour. [FORMAL ] □ He asserted his innocence and his financial probity.

prob|lem ◆◆◆ /prɒ bləm/ (problems )

1 N‑COUNT A problem is a situation that is unsatisfactory and causes difficulties for people. □ [+ of ] …the economic problems of the inner city. □ The main problem is unemployment. □ He told Americans that solving the energy problem was very important. [Also + with ]

2 N‑COUNT A problem is a puzzle that requires logical thought or mathematics to solve it. □ With mathematical problems, you can save time by approximating.

3 ADJ [ADJ n] Problem children or problem families have serious problems or cause serious problems for other people. □ In some cases a problem child is placed in a special school. USAGE problem

Don’t use ‘problem’ with why when you are explaining the reason something happened. Don’t say, for example, ‘ The problem why he couldn’t come is that he is ill ’. Say ‘The reason why he couldn’t come is that he is ill’. □ That is the reason why I find her books boring.

prob|lem|at|ic /prɒ bləmæ t I k/ ADJ Something that is problematic involves problems and difficulties. □ Some places are more problematic than others for women travelling alone.

prob|lem|ati|cal /prɒ bləmæ t I k ^ə l/ ADJ Problematical means the same as problematic . [FORMAL ]

pro|cedur|al /prəsiː dʒərəl/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Procedural means involving a formal procedure. [FORMAL ] □ A Spanish judge rejected the suit on procedural grounds.

pro|cedure ◆◇◇ /prəsiː dʒə ^r / (procedures ) N‑VAR A procedure is a way of doing something, especially the usual or correct way. □ A biopsy is usually a minor surgical procedure. □ Police insist that he did not follow the correct procedure in applying for a visa. SYNONYMS procedure NOUN 1

method: …new teaching methods.

process: They decided to spread the building process over three years.

system: The present system of funding for higher education is unsatisfactory.

routine: He checked up on you as a matter of routine.

pro|ceed ◆◇◇ (proceeds , proceeding , proceeded ) The verb is pronounced /prəsiː d/. The plural noun in meaning 5 is pronounced /proʊ siːdz/. 1 VERB If you proceed to do something, you do it, often after doing something else first. □ [V to-inf] He proceeded to tell me of my birth.

2 VERB If you proceed with a course of action, you continue with it. [FORMAL ] □ [V + with ] The group proceeded with a march they knew would lead to bloodshed. □ [V ] The trial has been delayed until November because the defence is not ready to proceed.

3 VERB If an activity, process, or event proceeds , it goes on and does not stop. □ [V ] The ideas were not new. Their development had proceeded steadily since the war.

4 VERB If you proceed in a particular direction, you go in that direction. [FORMAL ] □ [V prep/adv] She climbed the steps and proceeded along the upstairs hallway. □ [V ] The freighter was allowed to proceed after satisfying them that it was not breaking sanctions.

5 N‑PLURAL The proceeds of an event or activity are the money that has been obtained from it. SYNONYMS proceed VERB 2

continue: There is no reason why you should not continue with any sport or activity you already enjoy.

go on: I'm all right here. Go on with your work.

carry on: Do you mind if I ask a few questions please?'—'Carry on.'

pro|ceed|ing /prəsiː d I ŋ/ (proceedings )

1 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Legal proceedings are legal action taken against someone. [FORMAL ] □ [+ against ] …criminal proceedings against the former prime minister. □ The Council had brought proceedings to stop the store from trading on Sundays.

2 N‑COUNT [usu pl] The proceedings are an organized series of events that take place in a particular place. [FORMAL ] □ The proceedings of the enquiry will take place in private.

3 N‑PLURAL You can refer to a written record of the discussions at a meeting or conference as the proceedings . □ The Department of Transport is to publish the conference proceedings.

pro|cess ◆◆◆ /proʊ ses, [AM ] prɑː ses/ (processes , processing , processed )

1 N‑COUNT A process is a series of actions which are carried out in order to achieve a particular result. □ There was total agreement to start the peace process as soon as possible. □ [+ of ] The best way to proceed is by a process of elimination.

2 N‑COUNT A process is a series of things which happen naturally and result in a biological or chemical change. □ It occurs in elderly men, apparently as part of the ageing process.

3 VERB When raw materials or foods are processed , they are prepared in factories before they are used or sold. □ [be V -ed] …fish which are processed by freezing, canning or smoking. □ [be V -ed + into ] The material will be processed into plastic pellets. □ [V -ed] …diets high in refined and processed foods. [Also V n] ● N‑COUNT Process is also a noun. □ …the cost of re-engineering the production process. ● pro|cess|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ America sent cotton to England for processing.

4 VERB When people process information, they put it through a system or into a computer in order to deal with it. □ [V n] …facilities to process the data, and the right to publish the results. ● pro|cess|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ …data processing.

5 → see also word processing

6 VERB [usu passive] When people are processed by officials, their case is dealt with in stages and they pass from one stage of the process to the next. □ [be V -ed] Patients took more than two hours to be processed through the department.

7 PHRASE If you are in the process of doing something, you have started to do it and are still doing it. □ The administration is in the process of drawing up a peace plan.

8 PHRASE If you are doing something and you do something else in the process , you do the second thing as part of doing the first thing. □ You have to let us struggle for ourselves, even if we must die in the process. SYNONYMS process NOUN 1

procedure: A biopsy is usually a minor surgical procedure.

system: The present system of funding for higher education is unsatisfactory.

routine: He checked up on you as a matter of routine.

pro |cessed chee se (processed cheeses ) N‑VAR Processed cheese is cheese that has been specially made so that it can be sold and stored in large quantities. It is sometimes sold in the form of single wrapped slices.

pro|ces|sion /prəse ʃ ^ə n/ (processions ) N‑COUNT A procession is a group of people who are walking, riding, or driving in a line as part of a public event. □ …a funeral procession. □ …religious processions.

pro|ces|sion|al /prəse ʃən ^ə l/ ADJ [ADJ n] Processional means used for or taking part in a ceremonial procession. □ …the processional route.

pro|ces|sor /proʊ sesə ^r , [AM ] prɑː s-/ (processors )

1 N‑COUNT A processor is the part of a computer that interprets commands and performs the processes the user has requested. [COMPUTING ]

2 → see also word processor

3 N‑COUNT A processor is someone or something which carries out a process. □ …food growers and processors.

pro -choi ce also prochoice ADJ Someone who is pro-choice thinks that women have a right to choose whether or not to give birth to a child they have conceived, and to have an abortion if they do not want the child. □ …the pro-choice movement. □ Most of the electorate is pro-choice.

pro|claim /proʊkle I m/ (proclaims , proclaiming , proclaimed )

1 VERB If people proclaim something, they formally make it known to the public. □ [V n] He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives. □ [V that] Britain proudly proclaims that it is a nation of animal lovers. □ [V pron-refl n] He still proclaims himself a believer in the Revolution. [Also V n n, V n as n]

2 VERB If you proclaim something, you state it in an emphatic way. □ [V with quote] 'I think we have been heard today,' he proclaimed. □ [V that] He confidently proclaims that he is offering the best value in the market.

proc|la|ma|tion /prɒ kləme I ʃ ^ə n/ (proclamations ) N‑COUNT A proclamation is a public announcement about something important, often about something of national importance. □ [+ of ] …a proclamation of independence.

pro|cliv|ity /prəkl I v I ti, [AM ] proʊ-/ (proclivities ) N‑COUNT A proclivity is a tendency to behave in a particular way or to like a particular thing, often a bad way or thing. [FORMAL ] □ He was indulging his own sexual proclivities. □ …a proclivity to daydream.

pro|cras|ti|nate /proʊkræ st I ne I t/ (procrastinates , procrastinating , procrastinated ) VERB If you procrastinate , you keep leaving things you should do until later, often because you do not want to do them. [FORMAL ] □ [V ] Most often we procrastinate when faced with something we do not want to do. ● pro|cras|ti|na|tion /proʊkræ st I ne I ʃ ^ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ He hates delay and procrastination in all its forms.

pro|cre|ate /proʊ krie I t/ (procreates , procreating , procreated ) VERB When animals or people procreate , they produce young or babies. [FORMAL ] □ [V ] Many people feel a biological need to procreate. ● pro|crea|tion /proʊ krie I ʃ ^ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ They saw sex as for procreation only.

procu|ra|tor /prɒ kjʊre I tə ^r / (procurators ) N‑COUNT A procurator is an administrative official with legal powers, especially in the former Soviet Union, the Roman Catholic Church, or the ancient Roman Empire.

pro cu|ra|tor fi s|cal (procurators fiscal ) N‑COUNT In the Scottish legal system, the procurator fiscal is a public official who puts people on trial.

pro|cure /prəkjʊə ^r / (procures , procuring , procured )

1 VERB If you procure something, especially something that is difficult to get, you obtain it. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] It remained very difficult to procure food, fuel and other daily necessities.

2 VERB If someone procures a prostitute, they introduce the prostitute to a client. □ [V n] He procured girls of 16 and 17 to be mistresses for his influential friends.

pro|cure|ment /prəkjʊə ^r mənt/ N‑UNCOUNT Procurement is the act of obtaining something such as supplies for an army or other organization. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] Russia was cutting procurement of new weapons 'by about 80 per cent', he said.

prod /prɒ d/ (prods , prodding , prodded )

1 VERB If you prod someone or something, you give them a quick push with your finger or with a pointed object. □ [V n + with ] He prodded Murray with the shotgun. □ [V n] Prod the windowsills to check for signs of rot. □ [V + at ] Cathy was prodding at a boiled egg. ● N‑COUNT Prod is also a noun. □ He gave the donkey a mighty prod in the backside.

2 VERB If you prod someone into doing something, you remind or persuade them to do it. □ [V n + into ] The report should prod the Government into spending more on the Health Service. □ [V n to-inf] His remark prodded her to ask where Mora had gone.

3 → see also cattle prod

prodi|gal /prɒ d I g ^ə l/ (prodigals )

1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] You can describe someone as a prodigal son or daughter if they leave their family or friends, often after a period of behaving badly, and then return at a later time as a better person. [LITERARY ] ● N‑COUNT Prodigal is also a noun. □ The prodigal had returned.

2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Someone who behaves in a prodigal way spends a lot of money carelessly without thinking about what will happen when they have none left. □ Prodigal habits die hard.

pro|di|gious /prəd I dʒəs/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Something that is prodigious is very large or impressive. [LITERARY ] □ This business generates cash in prodigious amounts. ● pro|di|gious|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ She ate prodigiously.

prodi|gy /prɒ d I dʒi/ (prodigies ) N‑COUNT A prodigy is someone young who has a great natural ability for something such as music, mathematics, or sport. □ …a Russian tennis prodigy.

pro|duce ◆◆◆ (produces , producing , produced ) The verb is pronounced /prədjuː s, [AM ] -duː s/. The noun is pronounced /prɒ djuːs, [AM ] -duːs/ and is hyphenated prod|uce. 1 VERB To produce something means to cause it to happen. □ [V n] The drug is known to produce side-effects in women. □ [V n] Talks aimed at producing a new world trade treaty have been under way for six years.

2 VERB If you produce something, you make or create it. □ [V n] The company produced circuitry for communications systems.

3 VERB When things or people produce something, it comes from them or slowly forms from them, especially as the result of a biological or chemical process. □ [V n] These plants are then pollinated and allowed to mature and produce seed. □ [V -ed] …gases produced by burning coal and oil.

4 VERB If you produce evidence or an argument, you show it or explain it to people in order to make them agree with you. □ [V n] They challenged him to produce evidence to support his allegations.

5 VERB If you produce an object from somewhere, you show it or bring it out so that it can be seen. □ [V n] To hire a car you must produce a passport and a current driving licence.

6 VERB If someone produces something such as a film, a magazine, or a CD, they organize it and decide how it should be done. □ [V n] He has produced his own sports magazine.

7 N‑UNCOUNT Produce is food or other things that are grown in large quantities to be sold. □ We manage to get most of our produce in Britain. COLLOCATIONS produce NOUN 7

noun + produce : farm, garden

adjective + produce : agricultural, dairy; fresh, local, organic, seasonal

verb + produce : buy, grow, import, sell SYNONYMS produce VERB

1

cause: Attempts to limit family size among some minorities are likely to cause problems.

lead to: He warned yesterday that a pay rise for teachers would lead to job cuts.

result in: Fifty per cent of road accidents result in head injuries.

bring about: The only way they can bring about political change is by putting pressure on the country.

2

make: She made her own bread.

create: We set business free to create more jobs in Britain.

manufacture: They manufacture the class of plastics known as thermoplastic materials.

build: Workers at the plant build the F-16 jet fighter.

construct: The boxes should be constructed from rough-sawn timber.

pro|duc|er ◆◆◇ /prədjuː sə ^r , [AM ] -duː s-/ (producers )

1 N‑COUNT A producer is a person whose job is to produce plays, films, programmes, or CDs. □ Vanya Kewley is a freelance film producer.

2 N‑COUNT A producer of a food or material is a company or country that grows or manufactures a large amount of it. □ …Saudi Arabia, the world's leading oil producer. SYNONYMS producer NOUN 2

manufacturer: …the world's largest doll manufacturer.

creator: I have always believed that a garden dies with its creator.

maker: …Japan's two largest car makers.

builder: The builders have finished the roof.

prod|uct ◆◆◆ /prɒ dʌkt/ (products )

1 N‑COUNT A product is something that is produced and sold in large quantities, often as a result of a manufacturing process. □ Try to get the best product at the lowest price. □ …the company's ability to produce cheap electronic consumer products.

2 N‑COUNT If you say that someone or something is a product of a situation or process, you mean that the situation or process has had a significant effect in making them what they are. □ [+ of ] We are all products of our time. □ [+ of ] The bank is the product of a 1971 merger of two Japanese banks. COLLOCATIONS product NOUN 1

noun + product : beauty, cleaning, consumer, dairy; savings

adjective + product : innovative, new; financial; finished

verb + product : develop, manufacture, sell; buy, use SYNONYMS product NOUN 1

goods: Money can be exchanged for goods or services.

produce: We manage to get most of our produce in Britain.

merchandise: There is a lot of merchandise associated with the movie.

commodity: The government increased prices on several basic commodities like bread and meat.

pro|duc|tion ◆◆◇ /prədʌ kʃ ^ə n/ (productions )

1 N‑UNCOUNT [oft into N ] Production is the process of manufacturing or growing something in large quantities. □ That model won't go into production until next year. □ [+ of ] …tax incentives to encourage domestic production of oil.

2 N‑UNCOUNT Production is the amount of goods manufactured or grown by a company or country. □ We needed to increase the volume of production.

3 N‑UNCOUNT The production of something is its creation as the result of a natural process. □ [+ of ] These proteins stimulate the production of blood cells.

4 N‑UNCOUNT Production is the process of organizing and preparing a play, film, programme, or CD, in order to present it to the public. □ She is head of the production company.

5 N‑COUNT A production is a play, opera, or other show that is performed in a theatre. □ [+ of ] …a critically acclaimed production of Othello.

6 PHRASE When you can do something on production of or on the production of documents, you need to show someone those documents in order to be able to do that thing. □ Entry to the show is free to members on production of their membership cards. COLLOCATIONS production NOUN

1

noun + production : food, gas, oil

adjective + production : agricultural, domestic, industrial; full, mass

verb + production : encourage; cease, halt

2

verb + production : boost, increase, maintain; cut

5

noun + production : film, stage, theatre

adjective + production : musical, theatrical; acclaimed, lavish

verb + production : direct SYNONYMS production NOUN

1

manufacture: …celebrating 90 years of car manufacture.

construction: …companies who have long experience in the construction of those types of equipment.

fabrication: More than 200 improvements were made in the design and fabrication of the shuttle.

assembly: For the rest of the day, he worked on the assembly of an explosive device.

2

output: Government statistics show the largest drop in industrial output for ten years.

yield: Polluted water lessens crop yields.

productivity: The third-quarter results reflect continued improvements in productivity.

pro|du c|tion line (production lines ) N‑COUNT A production line is an arrangement of machines in a factory where the products pass from machine to machine until they are finished.

pro|duc|tive /prədʌ kt I v/

1 ADJ Someone or something that is productive produces or does a lot for the amount of resources used. □ Training makes workers highly productive. □ …fertile and productive soils. ● pro|duc|tive|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ The company is certain to reinvest its profits productively.

2 ADJ If you say that a relationship between people is productive , you mean that a lot of good or useful things happen as a result of it. □ He was hopeful that the next round of talks would also be productive. ● pro|duc|tive|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ They feel they are interacting productively with elderly patients.

prod|uc|tiv|ity /prɒ dʊkt I v I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT Productivity is the rate at which goods are produced. □ The third-quarter results reflect continued improvements in productivity.

pro d|uct line (product lines ) N‑COUNT A product line is a group of related products produced by one manufacturer, for example products that are intended to be used for similar purposes or to be sold in similar types of shops. [BUSINESS ] □ A well-known U.K. supermarket launches more than 1,000 new product lines each year.

pro d|uct pla ce|ment (product placements ) N‑VAR Product placement is a form of advertising in which a company has its product placed where it can be clearly seen during a film or television programme. [BUSINESS ] □ It was the first movie to feature onscreen product placement for its own merchandise.

Prof. /prɒ f/ (Profs ) also prof.

1 N‑TITLE Prof. is a written abbreviation for professor . □ …Prof. Richard Joyner of Liverpool University.

2 N‑COUNT People sometimes refer to a professor as a prof . [INFORMAL ] □ Write a note to my prof. and tell him why I missed an exam this morning.

pro|fane /prəfe I n, [AM ] proʊ-/ (profanes , profaning , profaned )

1 ADJ Profane behaviour shows disrespect for a religion or religious things. [FORMAL ] □ …profane language.

2 ADJ Something that is profane is concerned with everyday life rather than religion and spiritual things. □ The cardinal said that churches should not be used for profane or secular purposes.

3 VERB If someone profanes a religious belief or institution, they treat it with disrespect. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] They have profaned the long upheld traditions of the Church.

pro|fan|ity /prəfæ n I ti, [AM ] proʊ-/ (profanities )

1 N‑UNCOUNT Profanity is an act that shows disrespect for a religion or religious beliefs. [FORMAL ] □ To desecrate a holy spring is considered profanity.

2 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Profanities are swear words. [FORMAL ]

pro|fess /prəfe s/ (professes , professing , professed )

1 VERB If you profess to do or have something, you claim that you do it or have it, often when you do not. [FORMAL ] □ [V to-inf] She professed to hate her nickname. □ [V that] Why do organisations profess that they care? □ [V n] 'I don't know,' Pollard replied, professing innocence. □ [V -ed] …the Republicans' professed support for traditional family values.

2 VERB If you profess a feeling, opinion, or belief, you express it. [FORMAL ] □ [V to-inf] He professed to be content with the arrangement. □ [V pron-refl adj] Bacher professed himself pleased with the Indian tour. □ [V n] …a right to profess their faith in Islam.

pro|fes|sion ◆◇◇ /prəfe ʃ ^ə n/ (professions )

1 N‑COUNT [oft by N ] A profession is a type of job that requires advanced education or training. □ Harper was a teacher by profession. □ Only 20 per cent of jobs in the professions are held by women.

2 N‑COUNT [with sing or pl verb] You can use profession to refer to all the people who have the same profession. □ The attitude of the medical profession is very much more liberal now.

pro|fes|sion|al ◆◆◇ /prəfe ʃən ^ə l/ (professionals )

1 ADJ [ADJ n] Professional means relating to a person's work, especially work that requires special training. □ His professional career started at Liverpool University. ● pro|fes|sion|al|ly ADV [ADV -ed/adj] □ …a professionally-qualified architect.

2 ADJ [ADJ n] Professional people have jobs that require advanced education or training. □ …highly qualified professional people like doctors and engineers. ● N‑COUNT Professional is also a noun. □ My father wanted me to become a professional and have more stability.

3 ADJ You use professional to describe people who do a particular thing to earn money rather than as a hobby. □ This has been my worst time for injuries since I started as a professional footballer. ● N‑COUNT Professional is also a noun. □ He had been a professional since March 1985. ● pro|fes|sion|al|ly ADV [ADV after v] □ By age 16 he was playing professionally with bands in Greenwich Village.

4 ADJ [ADJ n] Professional sports are played for money rather than as a hobby. □ …an art student who had played professional football for a short time.

5 ADJ If you say that something that someone does or produces is professional , you approve of it because you think that it is of a very high standard. [APPROVAL ] □ They run it with a truly professional but personal touch. ● N‑COUNT Professional is also a noun. □ …a dedicated professional who worked harmoniously with the cast and crew. ● pro|fes|sion|al|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ These tickets have been produced very professionally.

6 → see also semi-professional SYNONYMS professional ADJ 2

qualified: Demand has far outstripped supply of qualified teachers.

skilled: New industries demanded skilled labour not available locally.

white-collar: White-collar workers now work longer hours.

pro|fe s|sion|al fou l (professional fouls ) N‑COUNT In football, if a player commits a professional foul , they deliberately do something which is against the rules in order to prevent another player from scoring a goal.

pro|fes|sion|al|ism /prəfe ʃən ^ə l I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Professionalism in a job is a combination of skill and high standards. [APPROVAL ] □ American companies pride themselves on their professionalism.

pro|fes|sion|al|ize /prəfe ʃənəla I z/ (professionalizes , professionalizing , professionalized ) in BRIT, also use professionalise VERB To professionalize an organization, an institution, or an activity means to make it more professional, for example by paying the people who are involved in it. □ [V n] Foster parents will be paid salaries to professionalise their role. ● pro|fes|sion|ali|za|tion /prəfe ʃən ^ə la I ze I ʃ ^ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] The professionalization of politics is a major source of our ills.

pro|fes|sor ◆◆◇ /prəfe sə ^r / (professors )

1 N‑TITLE ; N‑COUNT A professor in a British university is the most senior teacher in a department. □ …Professor Cameron. □ In 1979, only 2% of British professors were female.

2 N‑COUNT ; N‑TITLE A professor in an American or Canadian university or college is a teacher of the highest rank. □ Robert Dunn is a professor of economics at George Washington University.

prof|es|so|rial /prɒ f I sɔː riəl/

1 ADJ If you describe someone as professorial , you mean that they look or behave like a professor. □ His manner is not so much regal as professorial. □ I raised my voice to a professorial tone.

2 ADJ [ADJ n] Professorial means relating to the work of a professor. □ …the cuts which have led to 36 per cent of professorial posts remaining unfilled.

pro|fes|sor|ship /prəfe sə ^r ʃ I p/ (professorships ) N‑COUNT A professorship is the post of professor in a university or college. □ He has accepted a research professorship at Cambridge University.

prof|fer /prɒ fə ^r / (proffers , proffering , proffered )

1 VERB If you proffer something to someone, you hold it towards them so that they can take it or touch it. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] She proffered a gloved hand. [Also V n + to ]

2 VERB If you proffer something such as advice to someone, you offer it to them. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] The army has not yet proffered an explanation of how and why the accident happened. [Also V n + to , V n n]

pro|fi|cien|cy /prəf I ʃ ^ə nsi/ N‑UNCOUNT If you show proficiency in something, you show ability or skill at it. □ [+ in ] Evidence of basic proficiency in English is part of the admission requirement.

pro|fi|cient /prəf I ʃənt/ ADJ If you are proficient in something, you can do it well. □ [+ in/at ] A great number of Egyptians are proficient in foreign languages.

pro|file ◆◇◇ /proʊ fa I l/ (profiles , profiling , profiled )

1 N‑COUNT Your profile is the outline of your face as it is seen when someone is looking at you from the side. □ His handsome profile was turned away from us.

2 N‑UNCOUNT [in N ] If you see someone in profile , you see them from the side. □ This picture shows the girl in profile.

3 N‑COUNT A profile of someone is a short article or programme in which their life and character are described. □ [+ of ] A newspaper published profiles of the candidates.

4 VERB To profile someone means to give an account of that person's life and character. [JOURNALISM ] □ [V n] Tamar Golan, a Paris-based journalist, profiles the rebel leader. ● pro|fil|ing /proʊ fa I lŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT [usu with supp] □ …a former FBI agent who pioneered psychological profiling in the 1970s. □ DNA profiling has aided the struggle against crime.

5 N‑COUNT Your profile on a social media website is the part where you post your name, picture, and personal information. □ He lied about himself on his profile.

6 PHRASE If someone has a high profile , people notice them and what they do. If you keep a low profile , you avoid doing things that will make people notice you. □ You can't get any higher profile than a James Bond movie.

7 → see also high-profile SYNONYMS profile NOUN 1

outline: He could see only the hazy outline of the goalposts.

form: …the form of the body.

silhouette: The dark silhouette of the castle ruins stood out boldly against the fading light.

prof|it ◆◆◇ /prɒ f I t/ (profits , profiting , profited )

1 N‑VAR A profit is an amount of money that you gain when you are paid more for something than it cost you to make, get, or do it. □ The bank made pre-tax profits of £3.5 million. □ You can improve your chances of profit by sensible planning.

2 VERB If you profit from something, you earn a profit from it. □ [V + from/by ] Footballers are accustomed to profiting handsomely from bonuses. □ [V ] The dealers profited shamefully at the expense of my family.

3 VERB If you profit from something, or it profits you, you gain some advantage or benefit from it. [FORMAL ] □ [V + from/by ] Jennifer wasn't yet totally convinced that she'd profit from a more relaxed lifestyle. □ [V n] So far the French alliance had profited the rebels little. □ [V n to-inf] Whom would it profit to terrify or to kill this man? ● N‑UNCOUNT Profit is also a noun. □ The artist found much to his profit in the Louvre.

prof|it|able /prɒ f I təb ^ə l/

1 ADJ A profitable organization or practice makes a profit. □ Improved transport turned agriculture into a highly profitable business. □ [+ for ] It was profitable for them to produce large amounts of food. ● prof|it|ably /prɒ f I təbli/ ADV [ADV with v] □ The 28 French stores are trading profitably. ● prof|it|abil|ity /prɒ f I təb I l I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT □ Changes were made in operating methods in an effort to increase profitability.

2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Something that is profitable results in some benefit for you. □ …collaboration which leads to a profitable exchange of personnel and ideas. ● prof|it|ably ADV [ADV with v] □ In fact he could scarcely have spent his time more profitably.

profi|teer /prɒ f I t I ə ^r / (profiteers ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] If you describe someone as a profiteer , you are critical of them because they make large profits by charging high prices for goods that are hard to get. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …a new social class composed largely of war profiteers and gangsters.

prof|it|eer|ing /prɒ f I t I ə r I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Profiteering involves making large profits by charging high prices for goods that are hard to get. [BUSINESS , DISAPPROVAL ] □ …a wave of profiteering and corruption.

pro fit-making

1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A profit-making business or organization makes a profit. [BUSINESS ] □ He wants to set up a profit-making company, owned mostly by the university.

2 → see also non-profit-making

pro f|it mar|gin (profit margins ) N‑COUNT A profit margin is the difference between the selling price of a product and the cost of producing and marketing it. [BUSINESS ] □ The group had a net profit margin of 30% last year.

pro fit-sharing N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Profit-sharing is a system by which all the people who work in a company have a share in its profits. [BUSINESS ]

pro fit-taking N‑UNCOUNT Profit-taking is the selling of stocks and shares at a profit after their value has risen or just before their value falls. [BUSINESS ]

prof|li|ga|cy /prɒ fl I gəsi/ N‑UNCOUNT Profligacy is the spending of too much money or the using of too much of something. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] …the continuing profligacy of certain states.

prof|li|gate /prɒ fl I g I t/ ADJ Someone who is profligate spends too much money or uses too much of something. [FORMAL ] □ …the most profligate consumer of energy in the world.

pro for|ma /proʊ fɔː ^r mə/ also pro-forma ADJ [usu ADJ n] In banking, a company's pro forma balance or earnings are their expected balance or earnings. [BUSINESS ]

pro|found /prəfaʊ nd/ (profounder , profoundest )

1 ADJ You use profound to emphasize that something is very great or intense. [EMPHASIS ] □ …discoveries which had a profound effect on many areas of medicine. □ …profound disagreement. □ Anna's patriotism was profound. ● pro|found|ly ADV [ADV with v, ADV adj/-ed] □ This has profoundly affected my life.

2 ADJ A profound idea, work, or person shows great intellectual depth and understanding. □ This is a book full of profound, original and challenging insights.

pro|fun|dity /prəfʌ nd I ti/ (profundities )

1 N‑UNCOUNT Profundity is great intellectual depth and understanding. □ [+ of ] The profundity of this book is achieved with breathtaking lightness.

2 N‑UNCOUNT If you refer to the profundity of a feeling, experience, or change, you mean that it is deep, powerful, or serious. □ [+ of ] …the profundity of the structural problems besetting the country.

3 N‑COUNT A profundity is a remark that shows great intellectual depth and understanding. □ His work is full of profundities and asides concerning the human condition.

pro|fuse /prəfjuː s/

1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Profuse sweating, bleeding, or vomiting is sweating, bleeding, or vomiting large amounts. □ …a remedy that produces profuse sweating. ● pro|fuse|ly ADV [ADV after v] □ He was bleeding profusely.