» Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 1 ’bout adv, prep spoken informal about// --What are you talking ’bout?//2 ’em pron spoken sometimes used as a short form of ’them’// --Go on, Bill, you tell ’em!//3 ’n’ written informal a short form of ’and’// --rock ’n’ roll// --fish ’n’ chips//4 ’re the short form of ’are’//5 ’tis literary it is - used especially in poetry//6 ’tude n [U and C] [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: attitude]// spoken a style, type of behaviour etc that shows that you have the confidence to do unusual and exciting things without caring what other people think - used humorously// attitude// --the trend of restaurants serving nasty ’tude with their food//7 ’ve the short form of ’have’// --We’ve finished.//8 -’d 1 the short form of ’would’: --I asked if she’d be willing to help.//2 the short form of ’had’: --Nobody knew where he’d gone.// 3 the short form of ’did’: --Where’d you get that?// 9 -’s 1 the short form of ’is’: --John’s here.// --What’s that?// --She’s writing a letter.//2 the short form of ’has’: --Polly’s gone out.// --A spider’s got eight legs.// 3 a short form of ’us’ used only in ’let’s’: 4 spoken a short form of ’does’, used in questions after ’who’,`what’ etc that many people think is incorrect: --How’s he plan to do that?// -’s 2 suffix 1 forms the possessive case of singular nouns, and of plural nouns that do not end in -s: --my sister’s husband// --Mary’s generosity// --yesterday’s lesson// --the children’s bedroom// 2 BrE the shop or home of someone: --I bought it at the baker’s (=at the baker’s shop) .// --I met him at Mary’s (=at Mary’s house) .// 10 -ability suffix also -ibility [Language: Old French; Origin: -abilite, from Latin -abilitas, from -abilis; -ABLE]// makes nouns from adjectives ending in -able and -ible// --manageability// --suitability//11 -able suffix also -ible [in adjectives] [Language: Old French; Origin: Latin -abilis, from -bilis ’capable or worthy of’]//1 that you can do something to: --washable (=it can be washed) // --unbreakable (=it cannot be broken) // --loveable (=easy to love) // 2 having a particular quality or condition: --knowledgeable (=knowing a lot) // --comfortable// -- -ably/[hA353]bli/ -ibly// suffix [in adverbs] // --unbelievably// 12 -aholic suffix [in nouns and adjectives] [Origin: alcoholic]// someone who cannot stop doing something or using something// a workaholic (=someone who never stops working) // a chocaholic (=someone who loves chocolate) //13 -an suffix also -ean -ian [Language: Old French; Origin: -en, from Latin -anus]//1 [in adjectives and nouns] someone or something of, from, or connected with a particular thing, place, or person: --suburban// --Jamesian// 2 [in nouns] someone skilled in or studying a particular subject: --a historian (=someone who studies history) // 14 -ana suffix [in nouns] another form of the suffix -iana// --Americana//15 -ance suffix -ence [in nouns] [Language: Old French; Origin: Latin -antia, from -ant; -ANT]// the action, state, or quality of doing something or of being something// --his sudden appearance (=he appeared suddenly) // --her brilliance (=she isbrilliant) //16 -ancy suffix -ency [in nouns] [Language: Latin; Origin: -antia]// the state or quality of doing something or of being something// --expectancy (=state of expecting) // --hesitancy// --complacency (=being complacent) //17 -ant suffix , -ent [in nouns and adjectives] [Language: Old French; Origin: Latin, a present participle ending]// someone or something that does something// --a servant (=someone who serves others) // --disinfectant (=substance for killing germs) // --expectant (=expecting) // --pleasant (=pleasing) //18 -ar suffix [Sense: 1; Origin: Latin -aris]// [Sense: 2; Origin: -er]//1 [in adjectives] relating to something: --stellar (=relating to stars) // --polar (=relating to the North or South Pole) // 2 [in nouns] someone who does something: --a liar (=someone who lies) // 19 -archy suffix [in nouns] [Language: Old French; Origin: -archie, from Latin -archia, from Greek, from archein; ARCH-]// used to talk about a particular type of government// --anarchy (=no government) // --monarchy (=having a king or queen) //20 -ard suffix [in nouns] [Language: Old French; Origin:]// someone who is usually or always in a particular state// --a drunkard//21 -arian suffix [Language: Latin; Origin: -arius; -ARY]//1 [in nouns] someone who believes in or does a particular thing: --a vegetarian (=someone who does not eat meat) // --a librarian (=someone who works in a library) // 2 [in adjectives] for people of this type, or relating to them: --a vegetarian restaurant// 22 -ate suffix [Language: Latin; Origin: -atus]//1 [in adjectives] full of or showing a particular quality: --affectionate (=showing love) // 2 [in verbs] to make something have a particular quality: --activate (=make something start working) // --regulate (=control something or make it regular) // 3 [in nouns] a group of people with particular duties: --the electorate (=voters) // 4 [in nouns] the job, rank, or degree of a particular type of person: --She was awarded her doctorate (=PhD) .// 5 [in nouns] a chemical salt formed from a particular acid: --phosphate// -- -ately/[hA369]tli/ [in adverbs] // --fortunately// 23 -athon suffix [in nouns] [Origin: marathon]// an event in which a particular thing is done for a very long time, especially to collect money// --a swimathon//24 -ation suffix [in nouns] [Language: Old French; Origin: Latin -atio]// the act, state, or result of doing something// --an examination of the contents (=examining them) // --the combination of several factors//25 -ative suffix [in adjectives] [Language: Old French; Origin: -atif, from Latin -ativus]// liking something or tending to do something or show a particular quality// --talkative (=liking to talk a lot) // --argumentative (=enjoying arguments) // --imaginative (=showing imagination) //1 ▫ 25 » |