elementel‧e‧ment /ˈeləmənt/ ●●● S2 W1 AWL noun [countable] 
Honesty is a vital element of her success.element in the primary element in the country’s economyimportant/key/essential/vital etc element Besides ability, the other essential element in political success is luck. Business and management elements are built into the course.2element of surprise/truth/risk/doubt etc an amount, usually small, of a quality or feeling: There is an element of truth in your argument.3chemistry a simple chemical substance such as carbon or oxygen that consists of atoms of only one kind → compound1(1)4people a group of people who form part of a larger group, especially when the rest of the group does not approve of them: the hard-line communist elements in the party5the elements [plural] the weather, especially bad weather: sailors battling against the elements6heating the part of a piece of electrical equipment that produces heat7the elements of something the most simple things that you have to learn first about a subject: She doesn’t even know the basic elements of politeness.8earth/air/fire/water one of the four substances (earth, air, fire, and water) from which people used to believe that everything was made9be in your element to be in a situation that you enjoy, because you are good at it: Graham was in his element, building a fire and cooking the steaks.10be out of your element to be in a situation that makes you uncomfortable or unhappy: She was out of her element in this dull little town.COLLOCATIONSadjectivesan important element· This one fact is the most important element of the theory.a major element (=very important)· Private study is a major element of the students’ timetable.a key element (=very important and necessary)· Trust is a key element in any relationship.a crucial/critical element (=extremely important and necessary)· The most crucial element of our economic system is the law of supply and demand.a vital/essential element (=necessary so that something can happen or exist)· Her determination is a vital element of her success.the main element (=most important)· The reform programme has three main elements.
WORD ORIGINelement
Origin:
1300-1400 Old French, Latin elementumEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- I see helping the community as one of the key elements of my work.
- Instead of a single plot, there are several elements in the story.
- The chief had been warned that there were criminal elements within the Security Police.
- The committee agreed on the need to get rid of the hooligan element amongst football supporters.
- The planning proposals have three main elements.
- There's always been an element of competition between me and my brother.
- They seem to be trying to get rid of all left-wing elements in the party.
- Vegetables are a vital element of the human diet.
- We've reached the stage where public image is the most important element in the Presidency.
- And like enthalpies of formation, the standard free energies of formation of elements in their standard states are zero.
- By contrast, it is impossible to align the elements of organization design at the beginning of a period of behavior-driven change.
- However, a further ten shared elements show whales to be closely related to hippopotami.
- The position that you select is an element of your normative political knowledge-your value judgments.
- The Treaty defined the demarcation of powers between the federation and the constituent republics as a component element of the new Constitution.
- There is more than just an element of truth in this conception.
Longman Language Activatora group of people who are similar or have similar ideas
a number of people who are similar in some way, or who have the same ideas and aims: · Their policy was to keep demonstrators from different political groups apart.group of: · The factory was burned down by a group of animal-rights activists.
British informal a group of people - use this especially about people that you do not like or do not approve of: · I don't like her new friends - they're a snobbish lot.lot of: · We've got another lot of visitors coming this weekend.that lot (=use this to show disapproval) spoken: · Don't take any notice of that lot, they're just ignorant.
a group of people, especially people who you think are strange or unusual: collection/assortment of: · There was an interesting collection of people at the wedding.· Jack brought an odd collection of characters home from the racetrack.· We shared the train compartment with an odd assortment of fellow travellers.
: the criminal/student/fascist etc element a group of people who have the same ideas, aims, beliefs etc that are different from those of a larger group - use this especially about people you do not like or agree with: · The chief had been warned that there were criminal elements within the Security Police.· They seem to be trying to get rid of all left-wing elements in the party.· The committee agreed on the need to get rid of the hooligan element amongst football supporters.
a large group of people who share the same ideas and beliefs, and who work together to achieve something important: · She was active in a number of political movements, including the campaign to end slavery.the peace/environmental/women's etc movement: · One of the leaders of the pro-democracy movement has been arrested.· The aim of the civil rights movement was to eliminate racial discrimination in all its forms.
a group of artists, writers etc who share the same ideas, style of work etc: · There is no denying the influence of the Impressionist school in his painting.· He seems to be very much part of the Marxist school in his approach to politics.school of thought (=a group of people who believe in the same theory, idea etc): · One school of thought argues that introducing stiffer penalties would bring the crime rate down.
: literary/political/academic etc circles people who work in or are interested in literature, politics etc: · By 1920 she had written two novels, and had succeeded in winning recognition in literary circles. · It was the 1960s, and the military had become unpopular among academic and intellectual circles.
a group of people who are all dealt with together at the same time, for example because they are all starting something together: batch of: · The latest batch of new recruits had just arrived at the camp.
a small amount of something such as a feeling etc · "Do you speak French?" "Just a little."a little trouble/patience/help etc · We had a little difficulty finding the place but we got there in the end.· You might need a little help getting started, but after that you should be fine.a little of · I can understand a little of the frustration he must be feeling.a little more/less · With a little more creativity they could have made the house look really nice.
also a bit especially British informal a little: · By now she was resisting him only a little bit.a little bit of: · We had a little bit of trouble reading his handwriting.· He brings a bit of experience and a lot of enthusiasm to the job.a (little) bit more/less: · I think a bit more discipline is needed with these children.
only a little: · Not much is known about her childhood.not much trouble/patience/help etc: · He doesn't have much experience of running a business.· It was clear that not much thought had been put into the plan.not very much: · We didn't have very much understanding of the problem then.
a little of something: · There is a small amount of truth to what he says.· Big improvements can be made with only a small amount of training and effort.
if there is an element of some quality such as truth, danger, or violence in something, there is a small amount of it, but enough to be noticed: · There is always an element of risk in mountain climbing.· She tried to maintain an element of mystery in her relationships.· Despite the agreement between the two countries, an element of uncertainty about the future remains.
: a taste of power/happiness/fame etc a short experience that shows you what it is like to have power, fame, happiness etc: · Alvin had had a brief taste of freedom and didn't want to live with his parents again.· She decided to become an actress after getting her first taste of fame in a local theatre production.
part of a situation/subject/someone's character one of the many parts of a situation or subject, which can each be considered separately: · The inspectors will examine health and safety aspects at the plant.aspect of: · Chris is dealing with the commercial aspects of this ambitious project.· The country was on the brink of war, and fear and uncertainty permeated every aspect of daily life.
one part of a situation or someone's character - use this especially when you are comparing one part with another: · Weiskopf was a talented and successful man, but he did have a cruel side.side of: · I'd like to move away from the theory now, to concentrate on the practical side of engineering.the negative/positive/lighter/funny side: · You are enthusiastic, but on the negative side, you can be impatient and critical.· Try to see the funny side of the situation.· the lighter side of the conference, as seen by our political cartoonist
a part of a situation that makes you look at the situation in a particular way: · The arrival of the South African team has brought a new dimension to the competition.dimension of: · The political dimensions of the incident are clear.· a revival of interest in the spiritual and moral dimensions of lifethe human dimension (=making you think of people's feelings, rather than things): · The new art gallery is impressive, but I felt the human dimension had been lost.
one of the parts or features of a situation, each of which has a different effect or importance: · There are one or two factors we haven't considered yet.· The issue of abortion rights is obviously not the only factor affecting the female vote.· Traders said several factors contributed to Nasdaq's weakness.factor in: · The most important factor in professional sport is psychology.· His formal education was a less significant factor in his upbringing than practical experience.
one of the separate parts of something such as a person's character, a system or process, or a piece of writing: · The planning proposals have three main elements.element of: · There's always been an element of competition between me and my brother.element in: · Instead of a single plot, there are several elements in the story.· We've reached the stage where public image is the most important element in the Presidency.key element (=most important element): · I see helping the community as one of the key elements of my work.
a part of something that is different in some way from the rest of it: · Are there any special features about the way Ireland trains its teachers?feature of: · Federalism remains a very important feature of American politics.· One of the features of auto-immune diseases is that they are often genetically similar.
only partly true, not completely true · This statement is partly true, but it leaves out some important facts.· The stories were easy to believe because they were partially true.
spoken use this to say that something is partly true: · Do you think there's any truth to these rumours?· There's some truth in the old belief that carrots are good for the eyesight.
British /there's something to something American spoken use this to say that there is some value or truth in an idea or statement, even if most of it seems unlikely or untrue: · The more I study astrology, the more I'm convinced that there could be something in it.· There might just be something to what she's been teaching.
if you say there is an element or grain of truth in a story or an explanation, you mean that there is a little truth in it: · Most myths have a grain of truth in them.· There's an element of truth in what he says, but the conclusions he comes to are rubbish.
WORD SETSavalanche, nounaxis, nouncatchment area, nouncrater, noundinosaur, noundivide, nounelement, nounextinct, adjectivegallery, noungeo-, prefixgeophysics, nounglacial, adjectiveglaciation, noungoldfield, nounlandslide, nounlandslip, nounleach, verbmagnetic pole, nounmagnitude, nounmantle, nounmeteorite, nounmolten, adjectivemother lode, nounnatural history, nounonyx, nounopal, nounozone layer, nounpaleontology, nounpitchblende, nounPleistocene, adjectivePliocene, adjectiveprimeval, adjectivequake, verbquake, nounrarefied, adjectiverock, verbscour, verbshock wave, nounslide, nounsoapstone, nounstony, adjectivestream, nounstrip mine, nounsubcontinent, nounsubterranean, adjectivesuperficial, adjectiveterrain, nounterrestrial, adjectivetremor, nounundercurrent, nounvolcanic, adjectivevolcano, nounvortex, nounwater table, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYadjectives We’ve been breaking down the budget into its component parts. Many of the tombs had been robbed and left open to the sky.
· This one fact is the most important element of the theory.
(=very important)· Private study is a major element of the students’ timetable.
(=very important and necessary)· Trust is a key element in any relationship.
(=extremely important and necessary)· The most crucial element of our economic system is the law of supply and demand.
(=necessary so that something can happen or exist)· Her determination is a vital element of her success.
(=most important)· The reform programme has three main elements.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES (=go out in bad weather) More than 100 people braved the elements and attended the rally.
More than 100 people braved the elements and attended the rally. We’ve been breaking down the budget into its component parts.· The cost of the project is the crucial factor.
(=a slight doubt)· There’s an element of doubt about his true age as he doesn’t have a birth certificate.
· Hard work is the essential element of his success.
(=a very important part)· Advertising is a key element in the success of a product.
(=an amount of luck that is involved in something)· There is always an element of luck when hiring someone for a job.
(=part of something that seems mysterious)· There is an element of mystery and miracle in the process.
Many of the tombs had been robbed and left open to the sky. (=some risk, but not much)· There is always an element of risk in flying.
· Learning to play with other children is a vital part of growing up.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· Once the tune comes fairly accurately, the teacher can concentrate on meaning, bringing out the basic elements of the situation.· Melville has combined these basic elements together very conveniently with the literary device of Ishmael, the narrator.· The basic elements of the station were already clear and have never changed.· The origin of Aphrodite goes back to the most basic elements of nature, the Earth and the Sky.· Aggregate demand comprised two basic elements, investment and consumption.· Reduce dishes to their most basic elements and flavors.· Was he a cosmologist in the Milesian mould, for whom fire was the basic element?
· If there was a certain element of the Prince and the Pauper in all this, it worked both ways.· We think there are certain elements in sport that make it a vehicle for spiritual awakening.· Waywardness of certain elements of the youth in the parish.· Frequently, both sides in the Rites Controversy looked unfavorably on certain elements of modern Confucianism.· Full stops are inserted in unexpected places to force the reader to treat certain elements as complete units of information.· There are also certain underlying elements of cultural unity.· Are there certain elements you find intolerably dull and boring?· That really appeals to a certain element.
· Nussbaum's drumming is a crucial element, providing colour and definition in this compelling session.· But what really makes the experience universal is a crucial yet unseen element: music programming.· Nursing practice forms an integral part of learning to nurse and is a crucial element in nursing studies.· The wise use of time can be a crucial element in other ways.· In this chapter we examine how the female nude became a crucial element in the formation of art designated modern.· The crucial element missing from the economic engine is demand, some savvy analysts in Tokyo say.· Like her, he has done so by detaching crucial elements from his predecessor's constituency and annexing them to his own.· Except the crucial element is missing in the plans -- manufacturing.
· In addition, different elements can be distinguished because the scattered energies are determined by the masses of the target atoms.· They both really have different elements and different criteria.· The bridge between the different elements that, between them, could add up to a story, is space, he wrote.· They came up with a layered structure that had several different elements.· Sometimes other hints of friendship between men from different elements of the connection survive.· Hierarchical structures can be produced by subdividing into a variety of different elements.· Keep the content of each effect simple - do not allow it to contain too many different elements at once.· Second, within the revised section he should know the degree of use received by different subject elements.
· They take no account of the unpaid labour service of volunteers, which is the essential resource element of the voluntary sector.· Instructions to the group should emphasize that the criteria should define the essential elements or the key indicators of exemplary nutrition care.· The resin removes the calcium bicarbonate, leaving behind all the essential trace elements.· It is an essential element of the primal piety, the archaic spirituality, that pentecostal worship brings to the surface.· Kungfu has three essential elements: speed, coordination and inner strength.· Kissing has always been an essential element of the movies.· An enactment which threatened the essential elements of any plausible conception of democratic government would lie beyond those boundaries.· Thus, Thoreau endeavors to dismiss all but essential elements.
· The retail element is highly fragmented and therefore, historically, mail-order has been an important purchasing element.· I see three important constituent elements of the digital realm becoming more evident every day: malleability, anonymity and connectivity.· In the context of the debate about the curriculum, economic decline and supposedly falling educational standards were important elements.· Religion: Officially atheist; most important elements of religion are Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism.· It is an important element in preventing conflicts reaching the stage of war.· Besides audio and pictures, written words are still an important element on television news.· The technology initiative is an important element in that.· Like Marcel Proust, he is making art out of his life, and tennis is an important element.
· Trade unionism became a key element in national solidarity and social education.· The key element, however, is not the ardor of the reformers.· So this week we highlight the key elements of a typical mortgage endowment policy statement.· Francis noted that strong profit margins and a committed, rock-solid management team were the key elements for a successful start-up.· The two key elements are space and timing.· The Information Superhighway and yet-to-be developed technologies will be key elements in this business transformation.· A key element of this must be good health.· Among these four versions of the Kweilin story, the key element is the Structure of the second.
· The main elements of this conception can be set out very briefly in the following way.· The main element of success is commitment from the top.· It was suggested that courses should consist of three main elements.· By mid-1986 the main elements of the skyscraper were decided.· The main clause elements are subject, predicator, object, complement, and adjunct.· At this stage the main compositional elements are established.· Networks are composed of three main elements: Events, Activities, and Dummy activities.· Table 11.7 lays out the main elements and their likely proportional magnitude.
· The major elements in each are outlined below.· Oh, we forgot one other major element.· Figure 7.1 incorporates the four major elements of the curriculum, focusing on the circumstances in which learning will be applied.· The major element of the code was a single digit which indicated the overall condition of the item.· It contains a major element of truth, even if it is not precisely the truth which its originators intended.· Fieldwork is a major element of this degree since the material for study is gained by survey and excavation.· In either of these approaches, problem-solving should be a major element.
· Yoshitaka introduced new elements to the art, until gradually the art lost some of its distinctive Okinawan features.· Web browsers, once limited to displaying text and graphics and downloading files, have created an entirely new element of risk.· But there are new elements in the treatment of the heads that can not be so easily explained.· Its traditional civilization, which already embodied many different beliefs and attitudes, acquired new religious elements from outside.· It was like entering a new element.· The missions as islands of civilization therefore introduced new elements of conflict to a scene of conflict.· Yet tonight there was something different, a new element in the formula.· As shown in the figure on the opposite page, these new elements represent the results that each technique tends to yield.
· However, this fails to account for various other elements in the process of assessment.· It is equally true, however, that other of its elements are important means to the attainment of these riches.· The other element which affected royal control was the practice of appointing deputies.· Some elements lay the foundation on which other elements may convey a message.· But there are trace amounts of other elements entrapped within the flint.· And then all the other elements in the complex which bound religion and politics together would pour down.· Educational qualifications for entry into the officer corps had been lower than for other comparable elements of the administration.· There are other elements in the price rise as well.
· Premier's policy of constructive engagement incorporates a strong community development element.· In fact, intuition and imagination are far stronger elements in their philosophising than reason.· Like Gregory, Smith has strong military element to his background.· I also tried to incorporate a strong element of freedom so that a long term eating habit could be created.· Of course there is an unusually strong element of corrigibility in this particular story.· As with all forecasts, it contains a strong element of faith and hope.· As we have noted, there are good and bad, strong and weak elements in each culture.
· This was proposed by the engineer to give better three-dimensional bonding of the various elements of the cellar into a coherent whole.· These various elements appear in adjustable windows; highlight a word or phrase, and the stuff in each module changes.· You failed to connect the various elements together or to move through the detail to the larger issues of the painting.· The review has sent rumors swirling through the Defense Department of proposals to eliminate various combat elements.· It uses Tungsten Plug technology, which helps integrate the various elements in the chip in as small a package as possible.· Researchers believe that the core is not pure iron, but is mixed with various elements.· However, this fails to account for various other elements in the process of assessment.· If the mattes are fixed, the relation between the various elements is consistent.
· Indeed, she would argue that her forthright and uncompromising approach is a vital element of her success.· But history is a vital element in national self-awareness.· In other words, interactivity brings a vital element of added value to all electronic information, whether multimedia or not.· Some of the five VITAL elements actually happen at work.· It was this vital element which was lacking.· A successful budgeting process must include two vital elements.· That's the vital element, and whilst it remains the human body can survive the most amazing injuries.· Historic pub interiors, as well as pub exteriors, are vital and irreplaceable elements of our cultural and social heritage.
NOUN· Other minerals required by the body are selenium, manganese, sodium, and other trace elements.· The determination of trace elements can sometimes help with mint problems.· The resin removes the calcium bicarbonate, leaving behind all the essential trace elements.· The fading colours and yellowish transparent appearance are clear indications of iron chlorosis caused by deficiencies in iron and trace elements.· Rich in easily assimilable vitamins, minerals and trace elements which are essential for the thyroid gland.· Or pellets impregnated with trace elements could improve the diets of cattle in impoverished pastures similar pellets would protect cattle from parasites.· The only disadvantage of protein skimming is the loss of trace elements, but these are easy to replace as an additive.· While decreasing your energy intake, you must continue to eat enough essential nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals and trace elements.
VERB· Both initiatives seek to add a more practical element to teacher training.· The tartness of many vinegar-laced bottled mustards adds a restorative acid element to many dishes as well.· Rather, it adds a new element, which is that the testator's son alone is to undertake liability.· Pittsburgh was really offensive and I added an element to them.· To keep the numbers down and add that missing element of sharpness.· I built up my soil, added trace elements, made compost, never used herbicides or chemical insecticides.· Collisions add new elements to the linked list associated with that particular hash value.· I hope to add that element, too.
· Ideally your final revelation should combine both the elements of this double-harnessed form, detection and novel writing.· Melville has combined these basic elements together very conveniently with the literary device of Ishmael, the narrator.· Contingency theory thus combines elements of technological and social determinism.· He combined a number of elements that made him effective.· These operate by combining existing elements into new patterns or by attaching new connotations to them.· I have combined both elements, much as I do in my DaddyStress / Daddy Success seminars.· Such a test combines elements of Groups 1-3.· The exact ways in which companies combine global and local elements will vary.
· They must be ascribed the status due to calculations which contain a large element of estimation.· Nature is kind to us, in that it does contain elements related to one another in constant and mathematically quantifiable relations.· A binary compound contains two elements.· Concerning the theme of recognition, this play contains two elements referred to earlier in this study.· In the uranium mines, workers breathe in radioactive dust as they dig out the metal ore which contains the valuable element.· But in one rather roundabout way, the joke contains an element of truth.· It seems clear that this approach contains elements familiar to both the social workers and the nurses on the team.· Isis the alchemist, in whose myth are contained all the elements of the art, is still with us.
· She suggests you cheat your hormones by including the element of surprise - black stockings or a weekend away, for example.· Such a scene must be individualized within the second session to include elements your client provides.· This definition of the role of evaluation does not include the element of judgement, which is part of educational decision making.· Notice that the key now includes a new element, line, in addition to type, field, and word.· The taxpayer contended that the definition applied only to transactions which included an element of bounty.· Her stories exhibit integrity and honesty and occasionally include inspirational or religious elements.· Privatisations, because of the large size of funds involved, have tended to include elements of both offer for sale and placings.· It covered the disposal of up to 550,000 tonnes a year of waste, and specified that this could include toxic elements.
· Therefore, in some way, often very subtle, these designs all introduce some element other than plan black-on-white writing.· Then, just prior to that critical point, introduce the aversion relief element.· Quantum mechanics therefore introduces an unavoidable element of unpredictability or randomness into science.· In the air, they introduced an element of beauty and grace.· Such racing is not good because it introduces an unpredictable element and is avoided in real system.· Consideration of these sites, whether they were burgi or not, introduces another element into the discussion of fortified small towns.· It is this act which introduces the probabilistic element, the jarring discontinuity in the system's experience.· Now we can introduce one more element.
· Every course will involve an element of theoretical knowledge to ensure that your next trip away from the controlled environment is safe.· An international journey is simply one involving a foreign element.· This is known as trading in maturities, but, however, it does involve an element of risk for a bank.· Many construction projects will involve some element of loan finance.· We should note that this analysis involves an element of special pleading.· For presentation purposes, this usually involves converting key elements of the analysis back to the original scale.· Thematic choice involves selecting a clause element as theme.· Many science courses involve elements of library research as well as its laboratory equivalent.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY
1part one part or feature of a whole system, plan, piece of work etc, especially one that is basic or importantelement of- His imaginative stories use the elements of poetry -- rhythm, rhyme, alliteration.
- All the elements of theft must be proved before a conviction may be secured for this offence.
- And in fact there are also topics to be drawn from the elements of the story - such as youth unemployment or divorce.
- By studying the structure of the elements of language Saussure dispenses with the tie between meaning and the exercise of formal rules.
- Managers can act as if the elements of a decision process or an organization are tightly coupled.
- Moreover, once the elements of theft are satisfied, it does not matter that the victim has no civil law remedy.
- Then we should have some algorithm for generating the elements of this complementary set.
- These then are some of the elements of Green's amalgam.
- Words are the elements of the code that stand most directly for segments of reality in all its range and variety.
- On the soccer field is where Christina really feels like she is in her element.
- All in all, he was in his element.
- He smiled at the ease of it; one minute the fish was dying, the next it was in its element.
- Now he is in his element.
- She would be in her element.
- The ravens are in their element.
- They are in their element, and they want to stay.
- Wetland plants will be in their element, so long as they are given generous mulches to keep the moisture in.
- While the fighting took place in open country, the Legionnaires and Regulares were in their element.
- Miller is completely out of her element in this sci-fi role.
- Anyone watching would have known immediately that he was out of his element.
- I like the element of risk.
- If Weaver had been watching as Liz Spalding had been smuggled into the house, then the element of surprise was lost.
- It contains a major element of truth, even if it is not precisely the truth which its originators intended.
- The element of risk gave it an added excitement.
- There is an element of truth in all of these.
- There were elements of truth in this critique, Jim supposed.
- Web browsers, once limited to displaying text and graphics and downloading files, have created an entirely new element of risk.
- What I do is count on the element of surprise.
- The tent was their only protection from the elements.
- Among the elements necessary to virtually all contemporary epidemics, in addition to the sufferers themselves, are sympathetic physicians.
- And to add to the horrors of the scene, the elements of heaven marshalled their forces...
- Even the express was beginning to show signs of vulnerability to the elements.
- If you venture out in all weathers, you need a compact camera that can brave the elements, too.
- The market is evidence of a struggle against the elements.
- Then we should have some algorithm for generating the elements of this complementary set.
- There is a real change in the elements.
- This is claimed to ensure that all the elements dissolve fully and equally.
Honesty is a vital element of her success.element in the primary element in the country’s economyimportant/key/essential/vital etc element Besides ability, the other essential element in political success is luck. Business and management elements are built into the course.2element of surprise/truth/risk/doubt etc an amount, usually small, of a quality or feeling: There is an element of truth in your argument.3chemistry a simple chemical substance such as carbon or oxygen that consists of atoms of only one kind → compound1(1)4people a group of people who form part of a larger group, especially when the rest of the group does not approve of them: the hard-line communist elements in the party5the elements [plural] the weather, especially bad weather: sailors battling against the elements6heating the part of a piece of electrical equipment that produces heat7the elements of something the most simple things that you have to learn first about a subject: She doesn’t even know the basic elements of politeness.8earth/air/fire/water one of the four substances (earth, air, fire, and water) from which people used to believe that everything was made9be in your element to be in a situation that you enjoy, because you are good at it: Graham was in his element, building a fire and cooking the steaks.10be out of your element to be in a situation that makes you uncomfortable or unhappy: She was out of her element in this dull little town.COLLOCATIONSadjectivesan important element· This one fact is the most important element of the theory.a major element (=very important)· Private study is a major element of the students’ timetable.a key element (=very important and necessary)· Trust is a key element in any relationship.a crucial/critical element (=extremely important and necessary)· The most crucial element of our economic system is the law of supply and demand.a vital/essential element (=necessary so that something can happen or exist)· Her determination is a vital element of her success.the main element (=most important)· The reform programme has three main elements.