purepure /pjʊə $ pjʊr/ ●●● S3 W3 adjective 
pure wool blankets rings made of pure gold Our beef patties are 100% pure.2complete [only before noun] complete and total SYN sheer: a work of pure genius a smile of pure joy My mother’s life was pure hell.pure chance/luck/coincidence etc By pure chance, I met Sir Malcolm that morning. The chairman dismissed the report as pure speculation.3clean clean and not containing anything harmful OPP impure: We had trouble finding a pure water supply. Up here the air was purer.► see thesaurus at clean4pure and simple used to emphasize that there is only one thing involved or worth considering: He wanted revenge, pure and simple.5morally good literary without any sexual experience or evil thoughts OPP impure: a pure young girl They’re too pure and innocent to know what’s really going on.6colour or sound very clear and beautiful: a cloudless sky of the purest blue Her voice, clear and pure, soared up to the roof.7typical [only before noun] typical of a particular style: His music is pure New York.8breed/race bred from only one group or race: My husband is pure Japanese and traces his family back 800 years. The Highland is the oldest and purest breed of cattle in Britain.9art or study [usually before noun] done according to an accepted standard or pattern: Gothic architecture in its purest form10pure science/maths etc work in science etc that increases our knowledge of the subject rather than using it for practical purposes11be as pure as the driven snow to be morally perfect – used humorously to say someone is not like this at all → purelyCOLLOCATIONS– Meaning 2nounspure chance/luck· He had discovered the truth by pure chance.pure coincidence· It was pure coincidence that I arrived on the same plane.pure joy/pleasure/delight· Lucinda flashed him a smile of pure joy.pure hatred· She remembered the look of pure hatred in his eyes.pure speculation (=a guess that is not based on any facts)· Most of what you hear is pure speculation.pure fantasy/fiction (=something that is not true at all)· He dismissed the allegations as ‘pure fantasy’.pure genius· That excuse you came up with was a flash of pure genius.pure hell· He has described this period as ‘pure hell’.
WORD ORIGINpure
Origin:
1200-1300 Old French pur, from Latin purusEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- pure drinking water
- Pure olive oil is usually light gold in color.
- pure orange juice
- a pure tenor voice
- Clothes made of pure cotton are much cooler than those made of mixed fibers.
- Crude cocaine is only about 25 percent pure.
- I'm sure he had the purest of motives.
- In terms of pure natural ability, Rick's the best athlete on the team.
- It felt good to get away from the city and breathe in some pure mountain air.
- It was by pure luck that we found the place.
- Our burgers are made of 100% pure beef.
- The bottle contained 4 litres of pure alcohol.
- The cocaine was 95% pure.
- The water in the lake is so pure you can drink it.
- These flowers also come in pure white.
- When it first comes out of the ground, the oil is not very pure.
- And research on pure electrics powered by exotic new battery systems is promising.
- And the closing bloodbath is pure Grand Guignol.
- At one extreme are pure, natural ecosystems like an alpine meadow or a mangrove swamp.
- The pure, hot contempt I now felt for him warmed me.
- The ideal time to pursue the sport which many considered to be the purest form of hunting.
- Under the 1990 reforms, districts will be financed on a pure formula basis too.
THESAURUS
existing in nature and not caused, made, or controlled by people: · a natural lake· natural light· the Earth's natural resources· We only use natural ingredients in our products.· his natural hair colour
used about flowers, plants, and animals that are not controlled by people. Also used about areas of land where there are no humans: · We found some wild strawberries.· wild horses· wild open spaces
used about food, drink, or materials that have not had anything added to them: · pure orange juice· pure new wool
used about fruit, vegetables, meat etc produced without using chemicals: · organic carrots· organic milk· organic beauty products
(also unspoilt British English) a place that is unspoiled is still beautiful because no one has built roads or buildings on it: · It was a pleasant unspoilt village.· The countryside is remarkably unspoiled.
[not before noun] a place that is untouched has not been affected by human activity: · There are few forested areas of the world that remain untouched by humans.
[only before noun] virgin forest or land is still in its natural state and has not been spoiled or changed in any way by humans: · Large areas of virgin rainforest will be protected from destruction.· He bought 14,000 acres of virgin land in Ontario.
without any dirt or marks: · They need clean water to drink.· I don’t have any clean clothes.
water or air that is pure does not contain any dirt, pollution, or bacteria: · I breathed in the pure mountain air.
completely clean, with no bacteria, and therefore safe for medical or scientific use: · Place a sterile bandage on the wound.· sterile needles
completely clean – used mainly about rooms and clothes: · Her kitchen is always spotless.
completely clean and new-looking: · He wore a pristine white shirt.
as clean and tidy as it is possible to be: · The soldiers’ uniforms have to be immaculate.
[not before noun] informal clean and tidy, especially after having just been cleaned: · By the end of the day, the whole place was spick and span.
Longman Language Activatornot mixed with anything else not mixed with anything else: · The bottle contained 4 litres of pure alcohol.· When it first comes out of the ground, the oil is not very pure.pure silk/wool/cotton: · Clothes made of pure cotton are much cooler than those made of mixed fibers.20%/50% etc pure: · Crude cocaine is only about 25 percent pure.
: solid gold/silver/pine etc made of gold, silver, wood etc that has not been mixed with any other metal or wood: · a solid gold necklace· The antiques dealer guessed that the furniture was Victorian and solid mahogany.
if something is 100% beef, 100% cotton etc, it is made only from beef or cotton, and has no other food or material added to it: · The label said '100% wool'.· The hamburgers at this restaurant are 100% beef.· a 100% graphite tennis racket
if you have a strong alcoholic drink neat or straight, you do not mix it with another drink or with water: · He always drinks his whisky neat.· I'll have a straight vodka please.
not mixed with other less pure substances: · Nowadays more and more people are choosing to buy unadulterated organic food, which has been grown without pesticides and chemicals.
to make a substance pure · You can purify water by boiling and filtering it.· It has been found that houseplants help purify the air.· The solution is purified by passing it through a carbon filter.· a bottle of purified linseed oil
to make a substance such as oil or metal pure using an industrial process: · The oil is piped to the coast, where it is refined.· The dealers buy raw cocaine in the south, refine it here, and smuggle it into the north.· After the first refining process the metal is washed.· refined petroleum
British /distill American to make a liquid, for example alcohol or water, purer by heating it so that it becomes a gas and then allowing it to go cold again: · My grandfather used to distil whisky on the farm.· The solution is distilled until it is 95% pure.· Only distilled water should be used for cleaning contact lenses.
not pure a substance that is impure is not pure and contains other substances: · New laws restrict the sale of impure chemicals.· The last sample was impure and quite useless for manufacturing purposes.
something in a substance which should not be in it and which makes it not pure: · Lime is added to the liquid metal to remove all the impurities .· There were impurities in the aluminum.
completely clean so that diseases cannot spread · Three out of five people in developing countries have no easy access to clean water.· The department is responsible for maintaining the bedrooms and public rooms in a clean and sanitary condition.
water or air that is pure is completely clean and does not contain anything harmful such as dirt or bacteria: · It felt good to get away from the city and breathe in some pure mountain air.· The water in the lake is so pure you can drink it.
extremely clean so that diseases are unlikely to spread: · Cleansall kills germs as well, leaving your kitchen clean and hygienic.hygienic conditions: · Meat products must always be kept in hygienic conditions.
completely clean, free from bacteria, and safe for medical or scientific purposes: · Red Cross officials say they are running short of disinfectant and sterile bandages.· Giving blood is perfectly safe. All equipment is sterile, used once and thrown away.
food/drink produced without using chemicals: · The manufacturers claim that only natural ingredients are used in their products.· Today's consumers prefer drinks that contain natural flavourings.
organic fruit, vegetables etc have been grown without using chemicals to help them grow: · Most supermarkets now sell organic produce.· Organic fruit is generally more expensive.· Nowadays I only buy meat that is organic.
pure food or drink has not had anything added to it: · pure orange juice· Our burgers are made of 100% pure beef.
WORD SETSamber, nounamethyst, nounapricot, nounaquamarine, nounashen, adjectiveauburn, adjectiveazure, adjectivebar, nounbarred, adjectivebeige, nounblack, adjectiveblack, nounblack, verbblack and white, adjectiveblacken, verbbleed, verbblood-red, adjectiveblue, adjectiveblue, nounbluish, adjectivebold, adjectivebottle green, nounbrassy, adjectivebrindled, adjectivebronze, nounbronze, adjectivebrown, adjectivebrown, nounbuff, nounburgundy, nouncarmine, nouncarroty, adjectivecerise, nouncerulean, nounchartreuse, nouncherry, nounchestnut, nounchestnut, adjectivechromatic, adjectivechrome yellow, nounclaret, nounclear, adjectivecoffee, nouncool, adjectivecopper, nouncoral, adjectivecream, adjectivecreamy, adjectivecrimson, adjectivecyan, adjectivedappled, adjectivedapple-grey, nounDay-Glo, adjectivediscoloration, noundiscolour, verbdrab, adjectivedull, adjectivedun, noundusky, adjectivedye, verbebony, adjectivefawn, adjectiveflaxen, adjectiveflesh-coloured, adjectiveflorid, adjectivefluorescent, adjectiveflush, nounfuchsia, noungarish, adjectivegarnet, noungaudy, adjectivegay, adjectiveginger, adjectivegold, noungold, adjectivegolden, adjectivegray, green, adjectivegreen, noungreenish, adjectivegrey, adjectivegrey, noungreyish, adjectivehazel, adjectiveindigo, nouniridescent, adjectiveivory, nounjade, nounjet-black, adjectivekhaki, nounlavender, nounleaden, adjectivelemon, nounlilac, nounlily-white, adjectivelime green, nounlivid, adjectiveloud, adjectiveluminous, adjectivelurid, adjectivemagenta, nounmagnolia, nounmahogany, nounmaroon, nounmatch, nounmauve, nounmellow, adjectivemellow, verbmonochrome, adjectivemousy, adjectivemuddy, adjectivemulticoloured, adjectivemustard, nounmuted, adjectivenavy blue, adjectiveneutral, adjectiveochre, nounoff-white, nounolive, nounopalescent, adjectiveorange, nounpale, adjectivepastel, nounpastel, adjectivepeach, nounpea green, nounpearly, adjectivepepper-and-salt, adjectivepink, adjectivepink, nounpinkish, adjectiveplum, nounplum, adjectivepowder blue, nounprimary colour, nounprimrose, nounprismatic, adjectivepuce, adjectivepure, adjectivepurple, nounpurplish, adjectivered, adjectivered, nounredden, verbreddish, adjectiveredhead, nounrestrained, adjectiverich, adjectiverose, nounrose, adjectiveroseate, adjectiverose-coloured, adjectiverosy, adjectiveroyal blue, nounruby, nounruddy, adjectiverusset, nounsable, adjectivesaffron, nounscarlet, adjectivesepia, nounshade, nounshocking pink, nounsienna, nounsilver, nounsilver, adjectivesilvery, adjectivesky-blue, adjectivesnow-white, adjectivesnowy, adjectivesoft, adjectivesombre, adjectivesteely, adjectivetaupe, nountawny, adjectiveteal, nountint, nountint, verbtone, nounturquoise, nountwo-tone, adjectiveultramarine, nounumber, nounvermilion, nounvibrant, adjectiveviolet, nounwarm, adjectivewaxen, adjectiveweak, adjectivewhite, adjectivewhite, nounwhiten, verbwhitish, adjectiveyellow, adjectiveyellow, nounyellow, verbyellowy, adjective
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Meaning 2nouns What she said was pure conjecture. Of course, it might all be complete fabrication. a work of pure genius solid gold watches They described the war zone as sheer hell. ‘How was your exam?’ ‘Sheer hell!’ She did it out of sheer malice. pure silk stockings His version of events is pure supposition.
· He had discovered the truth by pure chance.
· It was pure coincidence that I arrived on the same plane.
· Lucinda flashed him a smile of pure joy.
· She remembered the look of pure hatred in his eyes.
(=a guess that is not based on any facts)· Most of what you hear is pure speculation.
(=something that is not true at all)· He dismissed the allegations as ‘pure fantasy’.
· That excuse you came up with was a flash of pure genius.
· He has described this period as ‘pure hell’.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES (=complete chance)· It was pure coincidence that we were on the same plane.
What she said was pure conjecture. (=not mixed with any other materials)· shirts made from pure cotton
(=very great)· She opened the present and laughed with sheer delight.
Of course, it might all be complete fabrication. a work of pure genius solid gold watches (=happiness that is as good as it can be)· The birth of my child was a moment of sheer happiness.
(=complete and total hate)· His speech was an expression of pure hate.
(=complete hatred)· The child opened her eyes and stared at Juliet with pure hatred.
They described the war zone as sheer hell. ‘How was your exam?’ ‘Sheer hell!’· Their remarks were motivated by pure jealousy.
(=a lot of joy, not mixed with other feelings)· It was a moment of pure joy.
(=chance, and not skill or effort)· She managed to catch hold of the rope by sheer luck.
(=used when you want to emphasize that something gives great comfort and pleasure)· The blouse was satin, and felt like pure luxury.
She did it out of sheer malice. (=used when talking about good things from the past that are not mixed with things from the present)· It was an evening of pure nostalgia, as the band played hits from the 1940s.
· He studied ancient languages for the sheer pleasure of learning.
pure silk stockings (=not based on any knowledge)· A government official yesterday dismissed the reports as ‘pure speculation’.
(=spite and nothing else)
His version of events is pure supposition. (=complete and total terror)· The horse galloped off in sheer terror down the path.
(=completely white) snow white hair
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB snow white hair· Some of it was mixed with other ingredients as a compost, some of it was used as pure money.· What began as pure fun, naturally, got competitive.· Cleansers, moisturisers and a soothing toner all specially formulated to be as pure as possible.· The process was as pure as meditation.· Sufficient to say that I regard the play as pure make-believe.· It was all-male and as pure white as a Wyoming snowstorm.· Perhaps Gwen Evans was as pure as the driven snow.· By and large, they viewed themselves as pure researchers.
· We made our usual rest stop and got water from the mountainside that had been piped in, so pure and tasty.· It seemed so pure, last night, if sentimental.· So sweet, so good, so pure!· There is nothing on this earth that can oppose a love so pure and strong.· Parts of the open ocean are so pure as to support little life.· Would you modify a car so pure?· You know, 99. 44 percent pure. So pure it floats.
NOUN· Reynard wears an oxygen mask and breathes pure air.· Someplace remote, someplace quiet, with no people, pretty lakes, forests, pure air, clear skies and views?· He landed at Durlston and expressed his delight at the beautiful scenery and pure air.· He was like a plant with its roots in pure air.
· Among the various solutions, epinephrine and pure alcohol are proved to be effective in the arrest of peptic ulcer haemorrhage.· The rebleeding rate was high, however, and this could be decreased with pure alcohol injection after the epinephrine injection.· For patients with spurting peptic ulcers, we suggest pure alcohol injection after an epinephrine injection instead of epinephrine injection alone.· For the epinephrine plus pure alcohol group, all achieved initial haemostasis.· However, in case of need, cars can run on pure alcohol after adjustments.
· It was pure chance that Philip Yale Drew came into the frame.· It was pure chance that made me notice the writing on the top file, as I pushed open the window.· It was pure chance that had brought Jean-Claude to the attic window that same afternoon.· The connection was made, forged beyond the power of pure chance to explain.· Unless she was much mistaken in that young man, pure chance played very little part in his proceedings.· Perhaps it was by pure chance that the other woman had been there, and Matthew was entirely innocent.· McQuaid had either struck true by pure chance or had picked up reliable gossip at the Mohill Fair.· None of us had ever been able to discover whether it was a deliberate effect, or the result of pure chance.
· It is pure coincidence that the date of his birthday was 1st April.· Whether it was pure coincidence or something deeper in his make-up, Fran had no idea.· Of course, I realised that it was an example of pure coincidence and that there could be nothing more to it.
· Your sample is quite safe to use, being of pure cotton.· Now, the shirt comes in a choice of 30 colours, and is made from 12 miles of pure cotton.· The owners showed me the hotel rooms, which looked extremely pleasant and had pure cotton sheets.· Shapes are kept simple - shirts and T-shirts - and fabrics are pure cotton or silk.
· Without that income, promises of better public services - that is, publicly financed services - are pure fantasy.· Rather than offer pure fantasy, the fashion gurus rose to the challenge of suggesting truly flattering, appropriate and stylish options.· Or possibly she had seen nothing at all, and it was pure fantasy.· If not, the rest is pure fantasy.· The subjects of these plays were pure fantasy, mingled with themes from wide reading.· These charming ideas were almost certainly propaganda or pure fantasy, but it was not safe to discount any of them.· It was pure fantasy and she knew it.· For those who have not left for the roof, be advised that the above depiction is pure fantasy.
· With Wagner the theatrical part of the programme reappears in a pure form.· This is alienation in its purest form, so why does this book still make me laugh?· The ideal time to pursue the sport which many considered to be the purest form of hunting.· In its pure form, a no-fault system, as its name suggests, does not concern itself with blame.· The liberal theology of a figure like Adolf von Harnack represents the genre in its virtually pure form.· We are back to the Platonic world of pure forms, pure possibilities.· Teletext and Videotext are two examples of this technology in its purest form, ie no paper.· The purer forms of objectivity do not always aid an investigation to the degree that is often assumed.
· We are swimmers in slow motion, we glide together through clear and wordless waves, strokes of pure genius.· None of us has the gift of a pure genius like Mozart.· Warm yourself by the fireside of pure genius and it won't cost you a penny.· The Swindon sweeper doesn't need a broomstick to weave his magic and cast his soccer spells, just pure genius.
· Links of pure gold may be forged in the flame of adversity.· And much of that material was pure gold.· That was all part of the job - dig the dirt and then turn it into pure gold.· More and more he pauses to observe a doubloon made of pure gold, fastened into the main mast.· There were bracelets and anklets of great weight and solidity made of the purest gold.· The weather was pure gold and wonderful.· Gardeners reckon her manure is pure gold.
· He was never able to reveal that his life was pure hell.· Perhaps not very surprisingly, it turns out to have been pure hell-brutality intensified by stupidity.· The pure hell of making a speech is only equalled by the agony of the audience.· Sitting in a small room with a strange man asking me questions is pure hell.
· It was a moment of such pure joy that I probably went pink with pleasure.· For some, there is the pure joy of watching talent they nurtured through countless Saturday afternoons in the driveway playing Horse.· He didn't speak, but there was no mistaking his smile of pure joy.· My heart races with excitement, pure joy washes over me.· His kiss was pure joy, winging happiness, as if her spirit was soaring into a clear sky.· Fiction is pure joy how sad that I could not reinvent the trip as fiction.· Many of them, of course, watch a Webcast for the pure joy of doing it.
· It was pure luck, my seeing that notice of your concert.· Of the pure luck, or destiny, involved.
· He has spent four one-hour sessions in the hyperbaric therapy unit - a pressurised cabin into which pure oxygen is fed.· The blessed torrent of cool, pure oxygen poured into his lungs.· In a cabin soaked in pure oxygen at greater than atmospheric pressure for five hours, almost anything bums.· The oxygen ion passes through the membrane and emerges on the other side as pure oxygen gas.· There they breathe in pure oxygen at high pressure.· A pure oxygen atmosphere was used with a pressure of 35 in flight5.· After 20 sessions, 70 percent of those breathing pure oxygen tired less easily and became more mobile and co-ordinated.· The only by-product is pure oxygen.
· To listen to music and read for the pure pleasure of reading.· Why should the worm of anxiety intrude so early on such pure pleasure?· And it was all pure pleasure to Walter.· And to marketing director Elizabeth Carduff, whose support and deep-felt response to this book has turned business into pure pleasure.· She stifled a gasp of pure pleasure.· This was the time when a cigarette was the purest pleasure known.· But what may have been problematic to the feet was pure pleasure to the ear, more languid song than lilting dance.· As relief spread to pure pleasure she waved and came towards him across the yard like a young girl.
· The work was completed, the Tyndalls eventually passed away and now the University has a music Department housed in pure poetry.· He wished to put in a plea for the teaching of pure poetry in the primary school.
· The question is, will Congress pay that much for pure science, with no clear technological benefit attached?· Critics have argued that an excessive commercial focus will lead researchers to ignore pure science.· She was also a physicist, one of the rare female students to study pure science.· This was to be a contribution to pure science, altogether elegant.· The ruthless convenience of the pure science of lust?· I breezed right through the first two years of pure science courses.
· Her black hair was immaculate, and the pure silk violet dress fitted to perfection.· Prices start at $ 20 for acetate shades and go up to several hundred dollars for pure silk.· Her napkin was of pure silk with a neatly monogrammed corner.· My first impression of the machine was that it was pure silk.· Hair is a marvellous natural fibre - you could almost compare it to pure silk thread.· A Casual, short sleeved shirt in pure silk with the fashionable sand-washed finish that feels so luxurious to the touch.· I made my daughter's dress from pure silk and lace for £80!· He dressed expensively, wore hand-made shoes and pure silk shirts.
· But a regional health authority spokesman dismissed the document as pure speculation.· There are clinical-minded people who claim that the youngsters are just hysterical from overwork, but that of course is pure speculation.· How often he acquires them for himself, how often through another, is pure speculation.· Jury will disregard that last as pure speculation on the witness's part.· Critics are free to express opinions on such matters, but most of what you hear is pure speculation.· I said this was pure speculation.· But very little - if any - was written as pure speculation.· Brady uses this horrid incident as a Rosebud inspiration for a life of flurry and accomplishment, but this is pure speculation.
· Each point on the demand curve shows what the individual would pay for the last unit of purer water.· In wooded recesses were numberless springs of pure water and numerous small lakes.· George Burt provided Swanage with a pure water supply, gas, drainage and a railway.· Flush your plant and rock periodically with pure water.· D 2 D 2 shows the marginal benefit of purer water to the second individual.· They lived on certain kinds of food and drank pure water.· He gobbled its contents like a thirsty man would the purest water.· He walked into the brightly-lit kitchen, opened the fridge, took out a bottle of pure water and opened it.
· When investing in a new kitchen, most people still go for easy-on-the-eye neutral shades, pure whites and sophisticated greys.· The whites around the irises are just that, just pure white, even when Kip had been up for days.· The pure white of the swans against the blue of the water was very beautiful.· It was all-male and as pure white as a Wyoming snowstorm.· Her hair is pure white, her face covered with spidery lines, but her eyes are absolutely clear, sparkling.
· His grey cloak was of pure wool pushed back over his shoulders, yet it was his face which attracted me.· I wanted the garment to seem feminine even though it is made out of a yarn as heavy and warm as pure wool.· The pure wool comes in over 50 colours.· It is no good trying to convince some folks, if they want pure wool they are going to have it!· The lady prioress, a pure wool cloak wrapped around her, came down to bid us adieu.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► be as pure as the driven snow
- Critics have argued that an excessive commercial focus will lead researchers to ignore pure science.
- I breezed right through the first two years of pure science courses.
- She was also a physicist, one of the rare female students to study pure science.
- The question is, will Congress pay that much for pure science, with no clear technological benefit attached?
- The ruthless convenience of the pure science of lust?
- This was to be a contribution to pure science, altogether elegant.
- The motive for the robbery was greed, pure and simple.
- A gratuitous promise, pure and simple, remains unenforceable unless given under seal.
- But lineage pure and simple was not the only consideration.
- But more subtle problems remain-related to sexism, pure and simple.
- If they lived in the Middle East they were bad, pure and simple.
- The bottom line is in the ledger book, pure and simple.
- The first is pure and simple file transfer.
- The man wants revenge, pure and simple, and he's working logically through the family, saving Stone until last.
WORD FAMILYnounpurificationpuristpurity ≠ impuritypurifieradjectivepure ≠ impureverbpurifyadverbpurely
1not mixed [usually before noun] a pure substance or material is not mixed with anything OPP impurepure silk/cotton/wool etc pure wool blankets rings made of pure gold Our beef patties are 100% pure.2complete [only before noun] complete and total SYN sheer: a work of pure genius a smile of pure joy My mother’s life was pure hell.pure chance/luck/coincidence etc By pure chance, I met Sir Malcolm that morning. The chairman dismissed the report as pure speculation.3clean clean and not containing anything harmful OPP impure: We had trouble finding a pure water supply. Up here the air was purer.► see thesaurus at clean4pure and simple used to emphasize that there is only one thing involved or worth considering: He wanted revenge, pure and simple.5morally good literary without any sexual experience or evil thoughts OPP impure: a pure young girl They’re too pure and innocent to know what’s really going on.6colour or sound very clear and beautiful: a cloudless sky of the purest blue Her voice, clear and pure, soared up to the roof.7typical [only before noun] typical of a particular style: His music is pure New York.8breed/race bred from only one group or race: My husband is pure Japanese and traces his family back 800 years. The Highland is the oldest and purest breed of cattle in Britain.9art or study [usually before noun] done according to an accepted standard or pattern: Gothic architecture in its purest form10pure science/maths etc work in science etc that increases our knowledge of the subject rather than using it for practical purposes11be as pure as the driven snow to be morally perfect – used humorously to say someone is not like this at all → purelyCOLLOCATIONS– Meaning 2nounspure chance/luck· He had discovered the truth by pure chance.pure coincidence· It was pure coincidence that I arrived on the same plane.pure joy/pleasure/delight· Lucinda flashed him a smile of pure joy.pure hatred· She remembered the look of pure hatred in his eyes.pure speculation (=a guess that is not based on any facts)· Most of what you hear is pure speculation.pure fantasy/fiction (=something that is not true at all)· He dismissed the allegations as ‘pure fantasy’.pure genius· That excuse you came up with was a flash of pure genius.pure hell· He has described this period as ‘pure hell’.- cityscape
- city slicker
- city-state
- City Technology College
- citywide
- CIVETS countries
- civic
- civic centre
- civics
- civil
- Civil Aviation Authority
- Civil Contingencies Committee
- civil defence
- civil disobedience
- civil engineer
- civil engineering
- civilian
- civility
- civilization
- civilize
- civilized
- civil law
- civil liberty
- Civil List
- civil partner