greatgreat1 /ɡreɪt/ ●●● S1 W1 adjective (comparative greater, superlative greatest) 
The movie was a great success. The news came as possibly the greatest shock of my life. The paintings cost a great deal (=a lot) of money. John always takes great care over his work. It gives me great pleasure (=I am very pleased) to introduce tonight’s speaker. It’s a great pity that none of his poems survive. The temptation was too great to resist.► see thesaurus at big2excellent especially spoken very good SYN wonderful, fantastic: The weather here is great. It’s great to be home. a great day out for all the familysound/taste/smell/feel etc great I worked out this morning and I feel great. You look great in that dress.great for doing something Email’s great for keeping in touch.the great thing about somebody/something (=the very good thing about someone or something) The great thing about Alex is that he’s always willing to explain things to you.► see thesaurus at good, niceGRAMMARGreat is not used with ‘very’ in this meaning. You say: · You did a really great job. ✗Don’t say: You did a very great job.Grammar guide ‒ ADJECTIVES3important a)[usually before noun] important or having a lot of influence: one of the greatest scientific achievements of our time What makes a novel truly great? great historical events b)used in the title of a person or event that was very important in the pastPeter/Catherine etc the Great I’m reading a biography of Alexander the Great. the Great Depressionthe Great War old-fashioned (=World War I)4generous very good or generous in a way that people admire: a great humanitarian gesture5extremely skilful famous for being able to do something extremely well: Ali was undoubtedly one of the greatest boxers of all time. a book about the lives of the great composers6big written very big SYN huge: A great crowd had gathered. A great iron stove filled half the room.7great big spoken very big: Get your great big feet off my table!8doing something a lot used to emphasize that someone does something a lota great talker/reader/admirer etc Anthony’s a great talker – sometimes you just can’t get a word in. Len was a great believer in the power of positive thinking.be a great one for doing something She’s a great one for telling stories about her schooldays.9to a greater or lesser extent used to emphasize that something is always true, even though it is more true or noticeable in some situations than others: Most companies operate in conditions that are to a greater or lesser extent competitive.10be no great shakes informal to not be very good, interesting, or skilful: The work’s no great shakes, but at least I’m earning.11be going great guns informal to be doing something extremely well: After a slow start, the Tigers are going great guns.12bad spoken informal used when you are disappointed or annoyed about something: ‘Daniel’s cancelled the party.’ ‘Oh great!’13animal/bird/plant etc used in the names of some animals or plants, especially when they are bigger than other animals or plants of the same type: the Great Crested Grebe14the great outdoors informal the countryside, considered as enjoyable and healthy: He had a taste for adventure and the great outdoors.15great minds (think alike) spoken used humorously when you and another person have had the same idea16the greater good a general advantage that you can only gain by losing or harming something that is considered less important: Some wars are fought for the greater good.17the great apes the different types of animals that are similar to large monkeys, considered as a group: Alone of the great apes, the gorilla is not very efficient at using tools.18the great divide a situation in which there is a big difference between groups in society, areas of a country etc, for example a big difference between their wealth or attitudes: The great divide between north and south seems to be as unbridgeable as ever.19Greater London/Los Angeles/Manchester etc London, Los Angeles etc and its outer areas20huge/enormous great British English spoken used to emphasize how big something is21great Scott!/great Heavens! spoken old-fashioned used to express shock or surprise22great with child literary very soon to have a baby—greatness noun [uncountable]: She was destined for greatness.
WORD ORIGINgreat1
Origin:
Old EnglishEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- ""Did you have a good holiday?'' ""It was great!''
- "Let's have a barbecue," "That's a great idea."
- "You want to go to a movie instead?" "Yeah, great, why not!"
- "Your car won't be ready until next week." "Oh, great! I need it tomorrow."
- a great lady
- an excellent film
- As far as the eye could see, there stretched a great herd of buffalo.
- Ella Fitzgerald was the greatest jazz singer ever.
- I feel great this morning!
- I have great difficulty in reading without my glasses.
- I was never really a great one for sport as a child.
- It'd be great if you could come.
- It would be of great assistance if customers could have the exact money ready.
- Like great sailing ships, the clouds sped across the sky.
- Many of our great works of art are being sold and exported.
- McEnroe was possibly the greatest tennis player of all time.
- Olivier was a great actor.
- He had squandered his great gifts of talent, intellect, and personal magnetism.
- Here he had much greater scope than in London's country.
- It is actively looking for more pilot schemes to identify the greater efficiencies needed and the best options available for waste collection.
- Maria del Carmen Asencio, a great activist and a good friend of mine, was among them.
- Other sights: If you grow bored with the great outdoors or just want to warm up, you have many options.
- That is a matter of great importance.
- The greatest pleasure comes when caddie and player are in perfect synchronization.
- The point is, we get great information all the time about what is good and bad for us.
THESAURUSvery big
extremely big: · The table was enormous.· a huge explosion· Their house is huge.· There is a huge amount of work to be done.· There has been a massive increase in oil prices.· The company is massive, operating in 150 countries.· A massive fire destroyed more than thirty homes.· He’s been under an enormous amount of stress recently.· The changes will have an enormous impact.
[only before noun] very big – used especially to describe the level or number of something: · He achieved great success in America.· The college offers a great number of courses.· a great advantage
extremely big – used about areas, distances, numbers, or amounts: · vast areas of rainforest· A vast number of tourists visit the island every year.
extremely big and much bigger than other things of the same type: · Gigantic waves crashed onto the beach.
extremely big – used about amounts or objects: · James ran up a colossal phone bill.· a colossal statue of Napoleon
having an extremely big effect: · There have been some tremendous changes.· My new job will be a tremendous challenge.· The children were making a tremendous amount of noise.
extremely good or of very high quality: · His English was excellent.· an excellent piece of work
spoken extremely good. Great is less formal than excellent, and is the usual word to use in everyday spoken English: · ‘Did you have a good holiday?’ ‘It was great!’· He did a great job as captain.
spoken extremely good. These words sound even more excited than great or excellent: · ‘I passed my exam.’ ‘That’s fantastic!’· Last year Jess had a terrific season, averaging eleven points a game.· The trip will be a wonderful opportunity for the children.
extremely good in a surprising and exciting way: · an amazing view of Tokyo· The trip was an incredible experience.
extremely good – used especially when you are very impressed by something: · The acting was superb.· There is a superb range of cheeses.
of a high quality and much better than most others: · The service is first-class.· a first-class restaurant
extremely good – used when saying how well someone does something: · He’s an outstanding player.· It was an outstanding performance by a talented young actor.
unusually good – used when saying that someone or something is much better than any others: · She has an exceptional talent.· He writes good essays, but I wouldn’t say that his work is particularly exceptional.· Merits are given as an honour for exceptional achievement.
[not before noun] spoken informal used when saying that something is so good that it is better than anything you could have imagined: · The food is out of this world.
especially American English very good: · It was an awesome concert.
spoken extremely good, in a way that makes you feel excited and happy – used mainly in spoken English: · The view from the top was fantastic.· He did a fantastic job.· That’s a terrific idea!· ‘I passed!’ ‘That’s terrific!’
spoken extremely good – used mainly in spoken English: · Thanks for a great afternoon.· ‘Did you have a good holiday?' ’It was great!'
extremely good – used especially about the quality of something. Excellent is more formal than fantastic/terrific or great, and is used in both spoken and written English: · Our local theatre has put on some excellent productions.· It is an excellent film.
extremely good in a way that impresses you or makes you very pleased: · She is really a wonderful person.· That’s wonderful news!
British English, marvelous American English extremely good in a way that impresses you or makes you very pleased. Marvellous sounds a little old-fashioned, but is still fairly common: · We had a marvellous dinner at a little restaurant near the hotel.· Martino’s performance was marvelous.
extremely good in a surprising and exciting way: · Standing there on top of Mount Fuji was an amazing experience.
extremely good in a surprising and exciting way. Incredible is often used when something is so good that it almost seems unlikely: · What a goal! That was incredible!· It was an incredible moment - one that I will never forget.
British English informal extremely good: · ‘How was your trip?’ ‘Absolutely brilliant!’· What a brilliant idea!
used when saying that something is so good that you cannot imagine anything better: · Their desserts are out of this world.
extremely good extremely good: · Your English is excellent.· She’s a superb teacher.
especially spoken extremely good: · It’s a great film.· Her cooking is wonderful.· That’s a terrific idea!
British English especially spoken extremely good: · The play was absolutely brilliant.
extremely good, in a surprising and exciting way: · New York is an amazing place.· The skating has been incredible in this competition.
used about weather that is very pleasant and sunny: · It’s a beautiful day.· The weather was just glorious.
much better than other places, people etc: · an outstanding performance· The service is always first-class.
unusually good: · Occasionally, we get a student with exceptional talent.· a woman of exceptional beauty
especially American English informal very good: · The movie was awesome.
spoken to be extremely good: · Their chocolate cake is just out of this world!
person especially spoken friendly, kind, or polite. In written and formal English, it is better to use a more specific and interesting adjective than nice: · I like Clare – she’s really nice.· It was nice of them to offer to help.
friendly, polite, and easy to talk to – used especially about someone that you do not know very well: · I only met her once or twice but she seemed pleasant.
very kind and gentle: · Kylie’s a very caring, sweet person.· It was sweet of you to send me a card.
behaving in a polite and friendly way, which makes people like you and want to do things for you: · The salesman was very charming.· a charming hostess
interesting or amusing in a way that makes people like you – a rather formal word: · She can be very engaging.· an engaging smile
easy to like and seeming nice and friendly: · Bobby was a likeable kid with an angelic face.
having a nice kind character and not getting angry easily: · Everyone likes Mike because he’s always so good-natured.
informal used about someone who you like and admire a lot: · He’s a great guy!· Sue’s boyfriend is really great.
especially British English informal very nice, kind, and friendly: · All the people I met on the course were lovely.· a lovely man
describing something you like or enjoy especially spoken pleasant or enjoyable: · Did you have a nice day?· It was nice to be back home again.
especially British English informal very nice: · We had a lovely time at the beach.· The hotel was lovely.
informal if something is fun, you enjoy it: · The holiday was great fun.
giving you pleasure: · We had a very enjoyable evening.
very enjoyable: · It was a wonderful concert.· The food was wonderful.
(also brilliant British English) informal very enjoyable: · ‘How was the party?’ ‘It was great!’· We all had a brilliant time.
used about something that seems pleasant and has a lot of qualities that make you like it: · a charming little village in the Italian countryside· I thought the restaurant was rather charming.
formal very pleasant or enjoyable: · There are many delightful walks in the area.· a delightful evening
formal a pleasurable experience or feeling is one that you enjoy: · Shopping in the old city can be a pleasurable experience.· a pleasurable feeling of relief
Longman Language Activatorbetter than all others better than anything or anyone else: · The best ice cream in the world is made in Italy.· What's the best way to cook sweet potatoes?by far the best/easily the best (=much better than any others): · It was by far the best vacation I've ever had.somebody's best: · I've read most of his books, but 'Mosquito Coast' is easily his best.
the best and most important that there has ever been: · New Yorkers think they live in the greatest city on earth.· Picasso is generally regarded as the greatest artist of the 20th century.· Gorbachev's greatest achievement was ending the Cold War.
the best and highest quality, or the best and most skilful: · Hemingway was the finest American writer of his generation.· The Silver Pavilion is one of the finest examples of Japanese architecture.· Many people regard Beethoven's Fifth Symphony as his finest work.· The gallery's collection of early Impressionist paintings is one of the world's finest.
the best and most suitable: · The ideal candidate will have a degree and at least two years' experience.· I'm afraid the accommodation here is far from ideal.ideal for: · The conditions are ideal for a day's skiing.ideal for doing something: · The town makes an ideal base for exploring the surrounding countryside.
the most skilful, most successful, and most famous: · He is definitely one of the world's top golfers.· The prize is to have your hair done at a top New York salon.
the person who is most successful in their company or in the type of work that they do: · For three years, he was the company's number one salesman.· Sweden's number one model has married American actor Tommy Haines.
: the place/shop/person/authority etc use this to say that something is the best one of its kind. Pronounce it as 'thee' instead of 'thuh': · Manhattan's East Village is the place for exciting nightlife.· Our guest speaker today is the authority on Chinese politics.
the ultimate person or thing is the very best of their type that there has ever been, and it is hard to believe that anything could ever be better: · Monroe was the ultimate Hollywood movie star.· For many people, the Rolling Stones will always be the world's ultimate rock and roll band.the ultimate in: · Our first-class passengers enjoy the ultimate in luxury and service.
the best that can be achieved or the best for a particular purpose - used especially in scientific contexts: · The optimum temperature for producing steel is around 1200C.
the definitive description, study etc is considered to be the best and cannot be improved - use this about a book or piece of work that is the best of its kind: · Griffin is the author of the definitive travel guide 'France at Your Fingertips'.· This may be the definitive book on the Scarlatti trial.· Many people regard it as the definitive interpretation of 'War and Peace'.
formal if something is unsurpassed , nothing else has ever been better - use this about qualities or achievements: · His genius as a dramatist is unsurpassed.· Venice is a city of unsurpassed beauty.
: a record-breaking result, temperature, time etc is the highest, largest, fastest etc that has ever been achieved: · A record-breaking five hundred thousand people attended the festival. · Record-breaking temperatures are being forecast for the weekend.
having a big effect · The city has a big problem with drugs.· If you think I'm coming with you, you're making a big mistake.
having a serious and important effect, especially on a lot of people, places, situations etc: · Heavy traffic is a major problem in most cities.· Think carefully before you decide on such a major undertaking.· Nuclear weapons are a major obstacle on the road to peace.
formal having a fairly large or important effect: · The recent slowdown in the US economy is likely to have a considerable impact on the rest of the world.· There was a considerable delay in the processing of our application.
use this to emphasize how much of an effect something has, especially a good effect: · Thanks. You've been a great help.· It would be of great assistance if customers could have the exact money ready.· I have great difficulty in reading without my glasses.
use this to emphasize that something is extremely big, important, or serious: · The city of Detroit has a huge crime problem.· Enormous changes are taking place in the way we communicate with each other.· The difference between living in the country and living in the city is immense.· His contribution to the team's success has been immense.
use this to emphasize how big, important, and often exciting an effect will be: · My new job will be a tremendous challenge.· Your advice has been a tremendous help to us.· It was a tremendous thrill, meeting her in person.
involving a lot of money or effort, or a lot of people or places: · Large-scale development has given new life to the inner city.· We need large-scale investment in the industry's future.on a large scale: · Developing countries will need help on a large scale for many years to come.
very big very big and impressive: · She wears an engagement ring set with a huge diamond.· My grandmother was wearing an enormous hat.· She looked at the huge motorcycle. "I'll never be able to ride that!''· There was an enormous spider in the bottom of the bath.· By the time of his death the company had grown into an enormous multi-national operation.
very big and impressive - used especially in literature: · Like great sailing ships, the clouds sped across the sky.· As far as the eye could see, there stretched a great herd of buffalo.
spoken extremely big: · They've built a great big shopping mall in the centre of town.· There are fish in the pool, great big ones.· She was given a great big bunch of flowers.
use this about things that are extremely big and impressive, especially when they are solid and heavy: · Her house is massive.· The ancient temple's massive stone pillars had begun to crumble.· The bell is massive, weighing over forty tons.
much bigger than other things of the same type, often in a slightly strange or frightening way: · Gigantic waves more than 40 feet high crashed against the boat.· These gigantic creatures became extinct in the Jurassic period.
extremely and surprisingly big - used especially about structures, buildings, and other things that have been built: · There was a colossal statue of the King in the middle of the square.· A crane arrived, its colossal arm reaching out of the sky toward the building.
use this about a plant or animal that has grown to an unusually large size, or is of a type that is always much larger than ordinary plants or animals: · Giant cabbages grew in the garden.· Be careful. The forest is full of giant snakes and spiders.· ...and then this giant green monster appeared from the cave.
use this about packets, bottles, or other products that are much bigger than the size that is usually sold: · an extra large packet of cornflakes· Extra large eggs are generally a better buy than medium or large.
spoken informal to be extremely big compared to the usual size: · Look at the size of that pumpkin -- it's a whopper.
someone who enjoys something very much: avid reader/collector/listener someone who enjoys reading, collecting something etc, and does it with great interest: · Tim's father is an avid collector of old blues and jazz records.· As a keen writer and avid newspaper reader, Jenny had always wanted to be a journalist.
British: keen gardener/sportsman/golfer/painter etc someone who enjoys gardening, sport etc so much that they spend a lot of their free time doing it: · Goethe was a keen amateur geologist.· Paul, a keen sportsman, prided himself on his level of fitness.
: great traveller/reader/talker etc someone who has an eager, lively interest in travelling, reading etc, so that they do it as often as they can: · Thesiger was a great traveller, especially in Arabia and Africa.be a great one for something British: · I was never really a great one for sport as a child.
good ideas/plans/suggestions · "Why don't you write to your bank and ask for a loan?'' "That's a good idea.''· I thought it would be a good idea to arrive early.· That's the best suggestion you've made all day.· The best way of getting your children to learn foreign languages is to send them to stay abroad.
extremely good: · We were given some excellent financial advice by Mr Samuel.· That sounds like an excellent idea to me.
spoken informal a great idea is one that you like very much: great idea: · "Let's have a barbecue." "That's a great idea."great!: · "You want to go to a movie instead?" "Yeah, great, why not!"
American spoken say this when you think an idea is good because it is original and clever: · Jim and I need more time together away from the kids, so we came up with this neat idea of meeting after work.· "Why don't we go to the beach!'' "Yeah that sounds really neat.''
extremely good, in a way that makes you feel happy or excited: · I've just though of a fantastic idea.· "What do you think of Kate's suggestion?'' "I think it's terrific.''
British informal extremely good and clever: · "Maybe we should invite them over here instead of going to their place." "Brilliant!"· Joanna came up with a brilliant idea for a new book.
: attractive offer/proposition/package etc one that is very good and makes you want to accept it: · The job pays well and you get a company car and 30 days holiday a year -- it's certainly an attractive offer.· We've put together what we think is a very attractive package, including discounts, special offers, and free credit.
good literature/music/art · Good music seems to be a thing of the past.· Students need to read a lot of good fiction in order to form their own opinions about quality.· Her early work is much better than her more recent stuff.· Which do you think is their best album?
extremely good and skilful, and therefore admired and remembered by many people for a long time: · Many of our great works of art are being sold and exported.· There's some debate as to what constitutes great poetry.· The Renaissance period produced some of the greatest architecture of all time.
: classic film/book/album etc a film, book etc that is one of the best of its kind: · 2001 is a classic science fiction movie.· The Rolling Stones produced a string of classic singles in the mid 60s including 'Satisfaction' and 'Brown Sugar'.
something produced by an artist, especially something that most people agree is of very high quality: · Several priceless works of art were badly damaged when the palace was bombed.
a picture, sculpture etc that is of extremely high quality, especially one that is believed to be the best work of a particular artist: · one of the great Italian masterpieces· Many people regard this painting as Raphael's masterpiece.
something you like or enjoy very much · Did you have a good weekend?· It's one of the best books I've ever read.· That smells good. What are you cooking?· There's nothing good on TV these days.· This year's show was much better than last year's.very/really good · We enjoyed our trip to Canada. It was really good.
pleasant or enjoyable: · I hope you have a nice vacation.· Come over on Saturday. It would be nice to see you.very/really nice: · She made us a really nice dinner.
spoken also excellent extremely good: · Thanks for a great afternoon.· "Did you have a good holiday?'' "It was great!''· Our local theatre has put on some excellent productions.· an excellent film
so good that it could not be made any better: · It was a perfect day out.· This church is a perfect example of Gothic architecture.· "How was your holiday?'' "Oh, just perfect!''
spoken very good in a way that makes you feel happy or excited: · The kids had a marvellous time at the carnival.· You get a wonderful view of the mountains from here.· The special effects in the movie were just fantastic.· Their latest album's terrific.
very good in a surprising and exciting way: · Standing there on top of Mount Fuji was an amazing experience.· What a goal! That was just incredible!
spoken extremely good: · You should come to the new sports centre - it's brilliant.· "How was your trip?" "Absolutely brilliant!"
American spoken very good or enjoyable: · That's such a neat car.really neat: · The fireworks over Golden Gate Park were really neat.
spoken use this to say that something is so good, enjoyable etc, that it is almost the best you have ever experienced: · Her new apartment's out of this world!· This is the best soufflé I've ever tasted -- it's out of this world.
very good at doing something: great actor/player/scientist etc one of the best actors, players etc in the world, and famous and respected because of this: · Olivier was a great actor.· Some of the world's greatest athletes will be competing in the Olympic Games.· McEnroe was possibly the greatest tennis player of all time.
extremely clever and skilful at something, so that people admire you a lot: · Have you seen her dance? She's absolutely brilliant.· Paganini was a brilliant violinist, famous for his technical skill in both playing and composing music.brilliant at especially British: · She's brilliant at handling difficult clients.
extremely good at something: · Andrew had always been an excellent student.· She's enthusiastic and hardworking and has the potential to be an excellent teacher.
so good at doing something that you are noticeably much better than other people who do the same thing: · Woods is an outstanding golfer.· The book is a series of interviews with outstanding artists and writers.· A lot of my teachers were good, but Farley was outstanding.
more than before · The new airport will just mean more noise, more traffic problems and higher land prices.more than · I'm sure I weigh more than last year.more something than · There are far more game shows on TV than there used to be.much more/a lot more/a little more etc · Derek earns a lot more now than he did in his previous job.more and more (=in a number or degree that steadily increases) · More and more people are retiring early.· It became more and more obvious that the boy was using drugs.
· People are using mobile phones more because they are cheaper.more than · Visitors to the centre complained about the service more than last year.more than ever before · Our future competitiveness and prosperity depend more than ever before on technology and industry.more and more (=continuously increasing) · More and more, we are finding that students lack basic skills when they enter college.
use this when the number of people that are doing something is not yet very large, but is increasing all the time: a growing number/an increasing number of: · Hong Kong was having to provide for a growing number of refugees.· Milo is one of a growing number of politicians who have become dissatisfied with the current government. an ever-increasing/ever-growing number of (=a number that is increasing all the time): · The islanders are trying to protect their environment from the ever-increasing number of Australian tourists.in growing/increasing numbers: · "Suite" hotels -- with full kitchens and sitting rooms -- are dotting the roadside in increasing numbers.
continuing to happen more often than before - use this when something is becoming more common but still does not happen all the time: · As the years passed, Celia became increasingly lonely and withdrawn.· Increasingly, people are relying on interactive media for a variety of services.
formal use this about a feeling or condition that is stronger or more noticeable than it was before: · After the war, the country began to enjoy greater prosperity.· The new legislation gave girls greater access to sports in schools.greater than: · The need for people with computing skills is greater than ever before.
use this about prices, speeds, or amounts that are bigger than they were before: · There is now a higher proportion of women in management jobs.· By focusing on quality rather than price, Bangalore's firms hope to secure higher profit margins.higher than: · The cost of student accommodation is higher than it was a year ago.
greater than in the past: · After childbirth there is always an increased risk of back trouble.· Increased interest in healthy foods and the environment has led to greater consumer influence.
if a belief, idea etc is gaining ground , more and more people believe it, do it etc: · an approach which is gaining ground in schools· Evangelical Christianity has been gaining ground since the Second World War.· Laurent died in 1853, but his ideas slowly gained ground over the next ten years.
more than someone or something else having a particular quality or characteristic to a greater degree than someone or something else: · You can see the buildings from the ground, of course, but they look more dramatic from the air.more than: · Anthony needs to practise more than the other students, but he gets it right in the end.more ... than: · She's more intelligent than her brothers.· Most women felt that female bosses were "more involved" than their male counterparts.much/far/a little/a lot more: · People here are far more friendly than they are in England.· The old version of Tomb Raider was a lot more limited in scope than this one.more like: · I think you look more like your aunt Margaret than your sister does.
more than another person, thing, or place: · The students with more experience help the newcomers get to grips with the course.more than: · So Claire earns more than you?· In the study, men showed more concern than the women who took part.
use this about a feeling, quality, or amount that is larger than someone or something else's: greater than: · His understanding of Chinese philosophy is greater than any Westerner's I've met.greater something than: · We enjoy greater freedom than women in many other countries.
use this about prices, speeds, or amounts that are bigger than someone else's: · We tried to calculate the effect of a higher minimum wage on employment and hours worked.· Janette's SAT scores were higher than anyone elses.higher something than: · In the 1960s, Japan achieved a higher rate of economic growth than most other countries.
happening more in one situation than in another - used in literary and scientific contexts: · This theme is developed in the novels of D.H. Lawrence, and to a greater extent E.M. Forster.to a greater extent/degree than: · Women, to a greater degree than men, tend to start abusing alcohol when they are under pressure at work.
more than a number, amount, age etc more than a number or amount: more than: · I've been working here for more than fifteen years.· More than 50,000 people attended the concert, which was held in Central Park.much more/far more/a lot more/even more: · Rented accommodation costs much more in New York.· Sales executives earn about $200,000 a year, and those higher up the ladder can earn a lot more.no more than/not more than: · The discussion lasted no more than 30 minutes.10/100/$50 etc more: · It's a better hotel, but it costs about £50 more than the other one.or more: · He could receive a prison sentence of five years or more.
more than that number or amount - use this especially when it is not important to say exactly how much more: · I had to wait over half an hour for the train this morning.· We receive over 2,000 applications a year.· It's hot out there - I'd say it's over 90.just over (=slightly over): · She weighs just over 180 pounds.well over/way over (=a lot more) informal: · Well over 30 schools took part in the fund-raising walk.· She was driving way over the speed limit.3/10/12 etc and over (=including and over a particular age): · NCI recommends that women aged 40 years and over are checked every two years.
more than a number or level on a scale that can be exactly measured: · The temperature is about 2 degrees above zero.just above (=slightly above): · High speed trains average just above 150 mph.well/way above (=a lot more) informal: · The government promised to increase teachers' pay well above the rate of inflation.above average (=more than usual): · All the students in the group were found to have above average IQ scores.3/10/12 etc and above (=including and above a particular figure): · A score of 70 and above indicates good spatial and map-reading skills.
formal more than a particular number or amount, especially a number: · Scientists have discovered eight craters on Venus with diameters greater than 100 km.· Imagine a device that could send a signal at a speed greater than the speed of light. be greater than: · Economic growth this year is predicted to be greater than 1.5%.be much/far/even greater than: · By the 1940s, the volume of domestic trade was much greater than trade with other countries.
more than another number, amount, age etc - use this especially when the other number etc is a particular level or limit: · Inflation has now risen beyond the acceptable level of 5%.· In a number of professions, it is possible to continue working beyond retirement age.
formal more than an amount or number - used especially in official documents, instructions, or reports: · The cyclone was travelling at speeds in excess of 21 mph.be in excess of: · The population is now estimated to be in excess of 40 million.well in excess of (=a lot more) informal: · The fire has caused well in excess of $500,000 worth of damage.
also upward of American use this when the number or amount you mention is the lower limit, and there is possibly even more than that: · The Reynolds collection is valued at upward of $20 million. 10/$300/5 years etc and upwards: · The performance is suitable for children of 7 years and upwards.
: 10/100/1,500 etc plus at least 10, 100 etc and more than that: · The drugs have a street value of $30,000 plus.· It took me three hours to back up the computer's 400-plus megabyte memory.
something you like or enjoy especially spoken · That's a nice jacket. Is it new?· Have a nice day.nice to do something · It's so nice to see you again.look/taste/smell nice · You look really nice in that dress.nice big/quite/long etc something · I got a nice long letter from Andreas this morning.· Why don't you go and have a nice hot bath?nice and easy/quiet/smooth etc · Feel this material. It's so nice and soft.
especially British, informal very nice: · We had a lovely time at the beach.· Thank you for the lovely birthday present.it is lovely to do something: · It would be lovely to see you again.look/taste/smell lovely: · Anna's perfume smells lovely.lovely big/long etc something: · They've got a lovely big house in the country.
a pleasant place, occasion, or activity is one that you like, especially because it is peaceful, attractive, or relaxing: · We spent a pleasant evening chatting in the bar.· Relax in the peaceful and pleasant surroundings of our hotel.· My office was large and pleasant with a good view of the city.
extremely nice, enjoyable, and pleasant: · Their new house is delightful, very spacious and light.· A simple salad and fresh bread can make a delightful meal.· There's a delightful moment towards the end of the film, when they see each other briefly again.
something that is appealing has unusual and interesting qualities that make people like or enjoy it: · It's extremely difficult to create a really appealing advertisement.· The idea of a whole week at a health farm isn't very appealing.· Both cities have a wealth of attractions that make them appealing.appealing to: · According to Life magazine, cars with soft smooth shapes are supposed to be appealing to females.
also neat especially American spoken say this when you see something or something happens that you think is very good, enjoyable etc: · "Hey, this place is neat!" said Chris, looking out at the stunning view from the balcony.· You got the job? That's great!
stronger expressions meaning not use this to emphasize that something is definitely not true: · She's not at all happy about the situation.· The children didn't seem to be at all frightened.· No, no, no, that's wrong. That's not what I meant at all.
formal use this when you want to say strongly that something is not true: · It is by no means certain that you'll get your money back.· It's difficult, but by no means impossible.· It's not clear by any means where the money is going to come from to fund this project.
also not a bit especially British use this to say strongly that something is not true, especially when you would expect it to be true: · You're not in the least sorry, are you?· My essay wasn't a bit like yours.· "Was she annoyed?" "Not a bit! She was delighted."fnot the least (bit): · Henry wasn't the least bit worried.
if something is in no way affected by something else, it is definitely not affected by it in any way: · This will in no way influence our original decision.· The damage is very slight and in no way reduces the value of the painting.
use this when something is completely untrue, impossible, different etc: · His arguments are not remotely convincing.· It was a stupid remark, and not remotely funny.· She didn't seem remotely interested in anything I had to say.
use this to emphasize that something is definitely not true, and if someone thinks it is true they are being a little stupid: · They only won 1-0 - hardly a great victory!· It's hardly surprising he's upset, considering the way you've treated him!· He's hardly a world chess champion - you should be able to beat him.· All these similarities could hardly be due to chance.
use this to say that someone is not good at something: · I occasionally put up a few shelves, but I'm not exactly the world's greatest handyman.
an informal expression meaning to not have the skills, qualities etc of the person or type of person that you have mentioned: · Of course, I'm no expert but that wall really looks like it's leaning over.· Stephanie knows what she's doing. She's no fool.· He's quite a bright boy I suppose, but he's no Albert Einstein.
use this to emphasize strongly that something is not possible, likely, true etc: · I can't see any use in us talking about that idea at all - it's simply not practical.· For as long as she could remember she'd just never been interested in marriage and children.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY The paintings cost a great deal (=a lot) of money. John always takes great care over his work. It gives me great pleasure (=I am very pleased) to introduce tonight’s speaker. It’s a great pity that none of his poems survive. I worked out this morning and I feel great. You look great in that dress. What makes a novel truly great? I’m reading a biography of Alexander the Great. the Great Depression Anthony’s a great talker – sometimes you just can’t get a word in. Len was a great believer in the power of positive thinking. She’s a great one for telling stories about her schooldays.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES You have caused a great deal of trouble. Their recordings have won great acclaim. Cutting the budget was an impressive accomplishment. The church was held in great affection (=loved and cared about a lot) by the local residents. There was this great big (=extremely big) spider in the sink. The subject was discussed in great depth. a scientist of great eminence The critics held him in high esteem as an actor. He’s been in good form all this season. a large influx of tourists in the summer a quantum leap (=very great increase or change) in population levels There was very little likelihood of her getting the job. We see your going as a great loss to the company. It mattered a great deal to her what other people thought of her. Henry’s room is much bigger than mine. These shoes are much more comfortable. Oh, good, you’re still here. It was sad to see the once-great man looking so frail. the once-mighty steel industry ‘I owe my parents a lot,’ he admitted. The economy is now in grave peril. There was great rejoicing at the victory. I ate with great relish, enjoying every bite. She sensed Beth’s deep sadness. It was with great sadness that we learned of his death. a teacher with great sensitivity It was a crying shame that they lost the game. Delia’s work has been significantly better this year. a time of great sorrow The government has made great strides in reducing poverty. Nadal won the match in fine style, not losing a single game. a truly great work of medieval literature a walloping great house
The paintings cost a great deal (=a lot) of money. John always takes great care over his work. It gives me great pleasure (=I am very pleased) to introduce tonight’s speaker. It’s a great pity that none of his poems survive. I worked out this morning and I feel great. You look great in that dress. What makes a novel truly great? I’m reading a biography of Alexander the Great. the Great Depression old-fashioned (=World War I)
Anthony’s a great talker – sometimes you just can’t get a word in. Len was a great believer in the power of positive thinking. She’s a great one for telling stories about her schooldays. You have caused a great deal of trouble.· He was a young man of great ability.· These drawings required considerable ability on the part of the artist.
Their recordings have won great acclaim. Cutting the budget was an impressive accomplishment. (=one that deserves to be admired)· Winning the award was a great achievement.
· He had a reputation as a fine actor.
(=that you feel strongly)· He’s a man for whom I have the greatest admiration.· She had a deep admiration for the work of Russian writers.
· She always had great admiration for people who could speak so many languages.
· It’s a great advantage to be able to speak some Spanish.
The church was held in great affection (=loved and cared about a lot) by the local residents. (=a very old age)· My aunt died at a great age.· Kirby is not alone in wanting to run his own business at an advanced age.
· He didn’t achieve his greatest ambition – to be Wimbledon Champion.
· It caused great amusement when he told us what had happened.
· There is deep anger against the occupying forces.
· Then began a day of great anxiety.
· The new system will be a great benefit to the company.
There was this great big (=extremely big) spider in the sink.· Caring for elderly relatives can be a heavy burden.
· Exercise great caution when handling toxic waste.
· He was a man of great charm.
(=very important and interesting)· Cairo is one of the world's great cities.
(=very important and interesting)· the great civilizations of India and China
· Your letters have been a great comfort to me.
· He said he loved my paintings, which was a great compliment.
· My work demands great concentration.
· The spread of the disease is an issue of considerable concern.
· We looked at each other in great confusion.
· Tourism makes a major contribution to the local economy.
· That decision was the second major controversy of the prime minister's career.
(=important, with many past achievements)· the great countries of Europe
· The men had fought with great courage.
(=a lot of credibility)· He has great credibility in Washington.
literary (=a loud cry)· With a great cry they charged into battle.
· His disappearance had obviously aroused great curiosity.
· I knew I was in great danger.
· It gave her great delight to tease him about his various girlfriends.
(=very big)· There is a huge demand for business software and services.
The subject was discussed in great depth.· His one great desire in life was to own a Mercedes.· The desire was too strong to resist.
· Much of the city was rebuilt after the massive destruction of World War II.
· The subject has already been studied in great detail.
· She showed great determination to succeed.
· This method has one major disadvantage: its cost.
· There was great disappointment when we lost the game.
· The archaeologists had made an important discovery.
· The sound of guns seemed a long distance away.
· In some countries children must travel great distances to school each day.
(=a wish to achieve great things)· She was a little girl with big dreams.
(=extremely big)· 1906 is remembered for the great earthquake that destroyed San Francisco.
(=very easily)· The car handles these mountain roads with great ease.
· In a search for greater efficiency, the two departments have merged.
· The government has made a big effort to tackle the problem of poverty.
· To my great embarrassment, my dad started dancing.
a scientist of great eminence· She sings with great emotion.
· The company places great emphasis on customer care.
(=large and powerful)· The city was the centre of a great empire.
· We took considerable encouragement from our early success.
· Henry prepared to fight his great enemy, the king of France.
· Terrorism is our country’s main enemy.
· There was considerable enthusiasm for the idea of a party.
The critics held him in high esteem as an actor.· He saw fascism as the greatest evil of his times.
(=by a large amount)· To suggest that the company is facing bankruptcy is a great exaggeration.
· There is great excitement about the Pope's visit.· The news causes tremendous excitement.
(=very big)· There are plans for a massive expansion of the oil and gas industries.
(=very high)· Emigrants sailed to America with great expectations.
(=used when saying that something costs a lot of money)· The tiles were imported at great expense from Italy.· Recently, and at vast expense to the taxpayer, the bridge was rebuilt.
(=a large amount)· The materials we use will depend to a large extent on what is available.
(=more)· Children suffer the effects of poor diet to a greater extent than adults.
· He had great faith in his team.
· His acting ability brought him great fame.
· He acted as though he’d done us a great favour by coming.
· Her worst fear was never seeing her children again.
(=a large and impressive feast)· A great feast took place at the palace.
· It's a great feeling when you try something new and it works.
He’s been in good form all this season.· Teachers are given considerable freedom to choose their teaching methods.
· The show is great fun for all the family.
· The country has a great future.
(=more fame and admiration)· He aimed to bring greater glory to France.
· Phil is a great guy and a lot of fun.
(=a lot of happiness)· His grandchildren bring him great happiness.
(=a lot of hardship)· In the early years, the settlers faced great hardship.
· If you drink too much alcohol, you can do yourself serious harm.
· He finally got to meet his great hero, the Brazilian footballer, Pele.
· It was a great honour to meet my hero in person.
· What a great idea!
· His paintings show great imagination.
· Winning this competition could have a big impact on my life.· His impact was greater than that of the Beatles.
· Crime rates have great importance for the government.· Some people attach enormous importance to personal wealth.
(=very big)· The new computer system was a vast improvement.
· The scheme gives industry a greater incentive to tackle pollution.
(=big)· There has been a great increase in air traffic in the last twenty years.
· Great inequality exists between the rich and the poor.
· The goalkeeper’s injury had a big influence on the match.
a large influx of tourists in the summer· My mother was a great inspiration to me.
· The government has shown great interest in the idea.
(=a lot of interest)· The exhibition has generated a great deal of interest.
· To her great joy, she became the mother of two beautiful baby girls.
(=a lot of freedom to choose) Pupils enjoy considerable latitude in deciding what they want to study.
Pupils enjoy considerable latitude in deciding what they want to study. a quantum leap (=very great increase or change) in population levels There was very little likelihood of her getting the job. (=the best, greatest etc who has been alive at any time) He’s probably the best journalist who ever lived.
He’s probably the best journalist who ever lived. We see your going as a great loss to the company.· She was admired for her deep loyalty to her colleagues.
· She was used to a life of great luxury.
(=a very large number) Most of the young men went off to the war, and a great many never came back. It all happened a good many years ago.
Most of the young men went off to the war, and a great many never came back. It all happened a good many years ago. (=very good to watch)· We're sure it's going to be another great match.
It mattered a great deal to her what other people thought of her.· God in his great mercy has forgiven you.
· It seems to me that the idea has great merit.
· Everything they owned was lost in the fire, which was a great misfortune.
(=serious and important worries)· Most of us have grave misgivings about the idea of human cloning.
· Buying this car was a big mistake.
(=a high, impressive mountain)· Here, great mountains are all around.
Henry’s room is much bigger than mine. These shoes are much more comfortable. (=a big and important mystery)· It is one of the great mysteries of science.
· We wondered about the great mystery of death.
· The United States is the most powerful nation in the world.
· They’re getting married? That’s wonderful news!
(=a strong feeling of nostalgia)· I read the college newsletter with great nostalgia.
· A large number of children were running around in the playground.
· The biggest obstacle to women's equality was social expectations of male and female roles.
· The big occasion for country people was the Agricultural Fair.
(=a lot of difficulties)· We must hope that, despite great odds, we can achieve a peaceful settlement.
Oh, good, you’re still here. It was sad to see the once-great man looking so frail. the once-mighty steel industry· It's a great opportunity to try new things.
· The team was in a mood of great optimism.
· His work showed great originality.
‘I owe my parents a lot,’ he admitted.· The orchestra plays with great passion.
· Birds were my great passion.
· Painting by this method requires great patience.
· There are fine performances by Kathy Bates and Daryl Hannah.
The economy is now in grave peril.· Beyond lay the vast plains of the Central Valley.
· Steinbeck’s books have brought enormous pleasure to many people.
· His great popularity with British audiences dates from that period.
· This is a team with great potential.
· The central banks have huge power.
· Britain wanted to maintain her status as a great power.
· Caroline is pictured here holding the trophy with great pride.
· Scientists have made great progress in the last four years.
· He’d initially shown great promise as a goalkeeper.
· The law should give greater protection to victims.
(=more formal than ‘large’)· The Romans imported a great quantity of sculpture from Greece.
· A vast range of plants are used in medicines.
(=someone who reads a lot of books)· My father was a great reader.
· I accepted his resignation with great regret.
There was great rejoicing at the victory.· Over the years, we’ve developed a good relationship.
· It was a great relief to him when she returned safely.
I ate with great relish, enjoying every bite.· He said the firm had made the job cuts with great reluctance.
· There was great resentment among the workforce.
· Rex and Joe had great respect for his judgement.
· The rewards for those who invested at the right time are high.· Some athletes took drugs because the rewards were great and they thought they could get away with it.
· There is a great risk that the wound will become infected.
(=an important rival for a long time)· Oxford and Cambridge University have always been great rivals
She sensed Beth’s deep sadness. It was with great sadness that we learned of his death.· It was hard work, but it gave her great satisfaction.
· He had a strong sense of responsibility.
· He is a popular boy with a good sense of humour.
a teacher with great sensitivity It was a crying shame that they lost the game.· It was a great shock to find out he had been lying.
· She heaved a great sigh.
· The judge said the new evidence was of great significance.
Delia’s work has been significantly better this year.· There was a close similarity between his and Smith's views on education.
· Possibly the greatest sin you can be guilty of is not speaking out against cruelty or injustice when you see it.
(=a lot of skill)· He played with great skill.
· That’s a great song!
a time of great sorrow· In times of stress, food can be a great source of comfort.
· The train was travelling at high speed.
· A 3-0 win is a good start for the team.
literary:· the great storm of 1987
· The country’s health system is under great strain.
· Hercules was famous for his great strength.
· She showed great strength in dealing with her problems.
· Diversity is one of India's greatest strengths.
· Staff experienced considerable stress as a result of the changes.
The government has made great strides in reducing poverty. Nadal won the match in fine style, not losing a single game.· Everyone agreed the picnic was a great success.
· This plant can be grown by the absolute beginner with great success.
· The results were a big surprise.
· I have great sympathy for the people affected by the housing crisis.
· He had a great talent for making money.
· The apples weren’t very big but they tasted good.
· There is a strong temptation to ignore all the potential problems.· The temptation was too great for her to resist.
· The greatest threat to our planet is global warming.
· It was a great thrill for me to beat Federer.
· His death is a terrible tragedy for his family.
· High interest rates spell big trouble for homeowners.
a truly great work of medieval literature· All of this will lead to a better understanding of the overseas market.
· We want to encourage employees to make greater use of the sports facilities.
· These drugs are of great value in treating cancer.
· They hold debates on a wide variety of topics.
· He said the court’s decision was a great victory.
a walloping great house (=a very large wave)· The storm sent great waves crashing into the cliffs.
· A great wave of affection for him engulfed her.
(=a big or good welcome)· Visitors were given a great welcome.
(also somebody’s dearest wish British English) (=what they want most of all)· Her greatest wish was to see her parents again.
· Traffic congestion is not yet a major worry in the area.
· She was a very good writer.· Dr Johnson was already a great writer at the age of thirty-five.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· It will enable us to focus our activities and give us even greater clarity of purpose.· Though the streets had been cleared, the plow had knocked an even greater pile of snow on to the vehicle.· It had already produced great wars and upheavals; even greater ones were to come.· Further investigations will reveal a last-minute change of plan, bringing the ever popular Syd Little to an even greater public.· The morass in Washington has gained even greater attention as bond investors have little economic news on which to focus.· Arcane bookkeeping procedures, however, probably conceal an even greater amount.· These decrease absorption of calcium from the intestine and have an even greater impact on lowering calcium excretion by the kidneys.
· The unification of the mind is far greater than the resolving of the dichotomy alone.· The authority they exercise is far greater than anyone could have dreamed of in the pre-1985 organi-zation.· Indeed I think it is true to say the technical know-how required then was far greater than it is now.· She says the spiritual poverty of the West is far greater than the physical poverty of the so-called developing countries.· Is not the reality that there is a far greater interest at present in a mortgages-to-rents scheme?· Y., chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, suggests the sum involved was far greater than previously estimated.· If pushed too hard at this critical moment he could impose emergency rule and provoke far greater strife.· And in the face of a challenge far greater than athletic competition, she never lost her composure.
· The percentage of imputed households nationally is about 2%, but the problem is much greater in inner-city areas.· The annual tab for direct medical liability costs is about $ 7 billion, but indirect costs are much greater.· These pressures are much greater among the young who are attempting to find their own accommodation for the first time.· But the significance of the Nonjurors was much greater than their numbers might suggest.· But for a big landscape, a plane is a major advantage because you can cover much greater distances.· If a claim is lost in court, the pain, loss and damage suffered by the haulier is obviously much greater.· Both interviewer and respondent are allowed much greater leeway in asking and answering questions than is the case with the structured interview.· In the drawing this is indicated by the much greater width of the new pattern.
· Interest had been so great that they had not got around to marketing the idea elsewhere.· The plant-closing thing is so great.· For there was about her cage a silence and stillness so great that it seemed as if she had disappeared.· She had Oliver draw the curtains, but then the heat was so great that they suffered at a slow boil.· Why should this make so great a difference?· And the pain was so great that it lingers still.· The force of their own gravity is so great that their collapse can not be halted at all.· My hunger became so great my legs shook.
· To stare at an empty vastness would be dispiriting; perhaps also it would bring about too great a sense of isolation.· The damage was too great to save his hands.· The potential is too great to ignore-and the hazards too serious to be underestimated.· Some of them fight well, but their bad leadership puts you at too great a risk.· Yet there is more which the Government could do without too great an increase in public borrowing or putting up taxes.· To get our bearings, first he has me shoot from a distance too great to reach my target.· The risks of peacemaking seemed too great.· The cost for any man of transporting his own child to school every day was far too great.
· He has very great merit in many respects.· Of course it has, and a very great value, indeed.· Thanks again for your very great help over the questionnaires.· The weight of the evidence against the scanning hypothesis for REMs is very great.· He insists on very great freedom to choose, even when there is stark and utter contradiction between the rival approaches.· Moore claims that this is precisely the role played by pleasure in all very great goods with which we are familiar.· In a literary sense, those were very great years indeed.
NOUN· We can see by reference to the Salomon case the great advantage of limited liability.· Even an only child feels that other children have some great advantages over him, and this makes him intensely jealous.· A hairless chest would have been a great advantage for a bisexual like myself.· Take greater advantage of federal money that pays for many services.· I have always found it a great advantage to loathe my political opponents.· The great advantage, they think, is that everyone is in touch.· The great advantage of the Word-Maker is that the word can be corrected without confusing the speller by crossings out and insertions.· People who have played in the orchestra have a great advantage.
· I would fold it up with great care every morning.· Notice that you should treat the new motherboard with great care as it can easily be damaged.· Honda uses great care to make the goals reasonable and attainable, and the top leaders are especially sensitive in that regard.· An audit of unplanned pregnancies seen in one practice also emphasised the need for great care in counselling people using the pill.· Carotid sinus massage should be done with great care in patients for whom this diagnosis is suspected.· The advice is, therefore, pick your pear varieties with great care.· Be careful with toxic substances and always follow the directions on the bottles with great care.
· The greater danger is that there may be an even wider cultural gap growing between the two philosophies of rugby.· What is the greatest danger that this may portend?· If the pain becomes acute, the cat knows that it is in great danger.· The greatest danger, therefore, was in eating too much.· That campaign is racist in intent and is against the interests of people who are seeking asylum from situations of great danger.· They concluded that she would be exposed to great danger from a splinter of flax.· Are New Agers just simply home-grown nature-lovers, or are they one of the greatest dangers to confront Christendom?· The very asteroids that present the greatest danger to us are also the most accessible bodies in the solar system.
· This technique has had a great deal of impact in computer programming where it in systems analysis and design.· He spends a great deal of the day in the cellars or on his bed; nothing pleases or entertains him.· The shop had been standing empty for some time, and needed a great deal of work.· There was a great deal of communal self-help in the Engineering School.· In 1975 he taught a great deal and wrote a conceptual study book for the drums.· There is not a great deal of readable prose in the field.· But this dichotomy is, itself, a great deal of the trouble in St Ann's.· Two issues produced a great deal of agitation in the country.
· The dance is a comic interlude, quite short and making no great demands on technique.· A company representative said they had not anticipated the great demand for Metrodin.· Iznik pottery of the sixteenth century was again in great demand.· Workplace 2000 will undoubtedly place greater demands on workers for performance.· Once production was under way there came a great demand for the engines from the ore mines of Cornwall.· In developed countries, an increase in income no longer leads to greater demand for food.· Cattle in great demand selling to 165.5.· The company also showed off a new 166-megahertz Pentium Presario computer by launching games that place great demands on the processor.
· They secrete lime, forming stony cushions near the shores of the Pool and teetering columns at greater depths.· It always amazes me that animals reach the surface alive from great depths.· When the heart has great depths, no surface storms can affect its clarity.· It is the second point which we should reexamine now in greater depth.· It can be sold mild when young, or matured to a greater depth of flavour.· Primitive, yes, but with great insight, great depth.· With a high performance car a greater depth is required.· In the third and fourth years, a wider range of authors is studied in greater depth.
· The umpire, who was having great difficulty controlling his dapple-grey pony, hurled the ball in.· Next, go around the group and have each client describe the setting in which they have the greatest difficulty refusing drinks.· And yet young deaf students have great difficulty in getting a place at university.· These two problems may merge to produce even greater difficulties for prospective councillors.· A greater difficulty of using whole hops is the effect on consistency.· Travis raced to the Gormans' cottage and with great difficulty told the distressed couple what had happened.· It was only with the greatest difficulty that the crew managed to carry out an emergency landing at Detroit.· First, even critics of privatisation have the greatest difficulty in defending the existing position.
· As a modern, you located the stars at a great distance.· Big drop-offs in the use of contraceptives occur when women have to invest more time and traverse greater distances to get them.· I could see my hand, lying palm upwards and seemingly a great distance from me.· Then, as if from a great distance, there came the sound of a voice unlike any he had ever heard.· But for a big landscape, a plane is a major advantage because you can cover much greater distances.· But impact events can eject rock chips to great distances from their point of origin.· The black and white stripes of the skunks act as a powerful deterrent, even from a great distance.· A fiber optic system can send its signals greater distances and with less signal degradation than can the traditional coaxial system.
· The task of management is to use these to greatest effect.· If we keep advocating our positions honestly, consistently, persuasively, we ultimately have a great effect.· By far the greatest effect on the crude mortality rates was when mortality rates due to immaturity were adjusted for low birth rate.· The possibility of a similar or greater effect in young children who listen to music has not been tested.· The threefold model of church growth of cell, congregation and celebration works at Ichthus to great effect.· Three different palladium rods were tried of various diameters: the thickest rod gave by far the greatest effect.· These then, have by far the greatest effect on living things.· A black diffused area underlines this golden strip to great effect.
· Channel structure To a great extent a manufacturer's choice of distributive intermediaries is governed by the members in that channel.· I think architects are to a great extent inspired by their clients.· The move provides several benefits: Work can, to a greater extent, be proactive rather than reactive.· To a great extent, Robert Ory shares the same view.· Moreover, within these areas workers were concentrated in large enterprises to a far greater extent than in the West.· During the cold war, and to a great extent because of it, the colonial world achieved political independence.· Differentiated labour meant that people now differed from each other to a much greater extent, including in their consciences.· Jefferson had obviously set out to design the ultimate high-tech putter and had, to a great extent, succeeded.
· That has all been great fun.· Of course, I am delighted to be in, and have great fun up there....· In beautifully landscaped settings, this unique zoo is great fun for all the family.· Following in the footsteps of the great ones is great fun.· This is just a whim but it is great fun.· It had been great fun, much more so than he had anticipated.· Those doing it wouldn't necessarily agree, although most find it varied, exciting and often great fun.
· The greatest help in setting a strategy is a hefty slice of cynicism and the openness of mind to re-examine cherished beliefs.· But Temin does not really claim that the Fed was of great help.· And you have the framework of your story ready made for you, a great help to the beginner.· FiltrationA filter is of great help in keeping water free of suspended material, but it does not alleviate a polluted condition.· On the first point, I think it is a wonderful move and a great help to the amateur game.· His superstar charisma will be of great help in making the Giants' new ballpark become a reality for that 2000 season.· They know Britain well, and will be of great help to you.· In this chapter it has been argued that the uncertainty map can be of great help in managing such a portfolio.
· And then we thought what a great idea for a book.· Like all great ideas, it generated internal controversies.· I sighed and tumbled on a great idea.· Ideas are everything in a fragmented global marketplace, and great ideas demand a diverse work force.· Where else did the great idea come from?· Sounds like a great idea to me.· So now, chéri, tell me this great idea of yours.· And in the process we stumbled across a great idea, an entirely new security.
· It is a matter of great importance, on which the Government are at it again.· We see this as a national event of great importance and we are lending it our full support.· That is a matter of great importance.· Claims are frequently of great importance both to the contractor and the client.· Lewes alone seems to have grown to any great importance in the pre-Conquest years.· Another initiative of great importance for the future is the Community Education project.· The status and availability of the original speaker is therefore of great importance in deciding whether to publish the remark.· They feel nurture is of infinitely greater importance than nature.
· He took a great interest in the dissemination of science to the public.· It is too Complicated a combustion system to be of great interest from a fundamental standpoint.· The latter have produced wild flowers and butterflies which are of great interest to visitors and school children.· The discovery that Roman law had anticipated the position in modern equity is of great interest.· My hon. Friend knows of my great interest in further improving the resources available for housing associations.· I listened to that with great interest.· Sometimes he stopped at the fireplace, and sometimes at the door, pretending to stare with great interest into shop windows.
· He's intelligent, good-looking, great job, etc.· It did a great job conveying the emotion of that scene.· They have been successful in bringing in inward investment and greater job opportunities in those countries.· Dwayne did a great job and I told him that.· Graduates enjoy greater job opportunities than those entering employment direct from school.· Valentin did a great job as the No. 2 hitter last year.· Round here, there's not that many great jobs on offer.· But he has done a great job filling in for Andre Reed.
· Cecil had expressed his own attitude at great length and less clarity a year or two before this.· Yet Phillips climbed the wall anyway, went to great lengths to hurt his ex-girlfriend.· It is likely that Celsus discussed the matter at greater length, and with greater clarity.· When uninterrupted by unforeseen or unrecognized obstacles, parents will go to great lengths to provide these advantages for their children.· The service developments which followed the Home Support Project will be discussed at greater length in the final chapter.· Presidential families have gone to great lengths before to preserve the privacy of their personal correspondence.· I could continue at great length.· Thacker had considered this problem at great length when testing his chronometer.
· The great majority of the children recovered very quickly after a quarrel and showed no evidence of resentment.· The great majority, once they breach the system and hear the telltale whine, are out of there like a shot.· The great majority of these are in lower socio-economic groups.· Anthropologists point out that within the great majority of agricultural communities grandmothers and older children take care of the young.· The great majority of the vessels made were simpler.· The great majority of companies in the construction industry are companies limited by shares, to which this chapter refers.· Such a question would inevitably be negatively answered by the great majority of people.· The general impression of investigators is that the great majority of the graduates, in spite of certain difficulties, enjoy their work.
· He was, genuinely, a great man, a leader, he had so much size.· I had never seen the great man himself.· The great man congratulated me on knowing where they were.· The great man himself is now 95 and too frail for any involvement.· He alone of all the Lionisers was unmoved by illusions of great men.· Male speaker A very great man, who contributed to every area of politics and never avoided making difficult decisions.· But,in accordancewith inflexible routine, the great man had already retired for the night.· I would wear rags and live upon rye bread and water rather than be a harlot to the greatest man in the world.
· Radio has therefore proved less restrictive, being able to reach many more individuals through a greater number of languages.· We are in favor of abortion rights and reproductive freedom in greater numbers than men.· The greatest number I have ever encountered in a single dead-end is nine.· It goes without saying that this intolerance does not arise where the aquarium is planted with a greater number of species.· It was a great number and they took notice of him even though he was just on his own.· In 1608 famed explorer Captain John Smith reported that great numbers of wild ducks abounded.· In this, great numbers of grain-like spores are produced.· But vastly greater numbers of smaller bodies accompany the larger and more easily discovered ones.
· But who cares when you're waiting to play your greatest part ... as a mum.· During the greater part of each contest, the two are settled in a squat position, measuring each other.· The greater part is given over to the well in which the ice was deposited.· No council can hope to sack a large portion of its staff, who take the greater part of its expenditure.· For by far the greater part, the aesthetic is bracketed in the name of a robust historical materialism.· It is these that make up the greater part of the transcribed conversations in Appendix 2 of this book.· The greater part of the underclass consists of members of minority groups, blacks or people of Hispanic origin.
· Had I an opportunity I should have great pleasure in giving you a few hints on this subject which might not be useless.· Successfully managing your business relationships, while making money doing what you enjoy, is one of the great pleasures of life.· Special festivals A friend of mine goes every year to the Mozart Festival in Vienna, it is her greatest pleasure.· I have also seen with great pleasure an inter-change of historical pageants between various groups.· It is with great pleasure that I now enclose a copy of the video film made of the first semi-final round.· Rockefeller is said to have monitored the struggle at Ludlow with great pleasure.· One of our greatest pleasures was collecting early morning provisions from the farm.· In the event, it was a great pleasure.
· Anna felt a great sense of relief.· Within a few months she was able to resume her normal life with new coping skills and a greater sense of self-affirmation.· People with Down's love to be involved with whatever's going on and have a great sense of fun and community.· Today we are rightly demanding a greater sense of satisfaction and achievement not just a weekly paycheck.· There wasn't actually a great sense of option or choice.· Which is weird because Carter seems like such a happy guy, a congenial man with a great sense of humor.· But also there's a great sense of doorstep rebellion, and stamping of feet.· His marriage turned upside down, William feels a great sense of liberation.
· Adam Smith's view of the great significance of transport developments in increasing the wealth of the nation has been much quoted.· And no October day carries greater significance than the last day of my favorite month, October 31, Halloween.· During his reign Edgar made one decision which was to have great significance later.· The fourfold division of consciousness has therefore great significance.· However, of great significance was the information displayed in the transformed images.· We also suggest that the kind of mix that results has great significance for the stability and performance of the political system.· Secondly, in family abuse, the history of the relationships may be of great significance in current abuse.· What is of greater significance for our analysis is the heavily personal nature of campaigning for today's congress.
· His greater strength over mine would have sent the boat turning round and round in circles.· To anyone other than a critic this would be its greatest strength.· It is in this that the great strength of ethnographic research lies.· All political candidates are men of the moment, and all capitalize on their greatest strength.· Such hags were ugly, with massive twisted features and great strength.· In some cases it also helped to underline the main moments in the action by emphasising gestures for greater strength and expression.· Whatever had done this to him had great strength.· Local inspectors, on the other hand, can rightly argue that this is their great strength.
· The son who has the greatest success will inherit the lot.· We have also had great success with grapevine cuttings and herb sprigs, such as basil and thyme.· They ran their own open day for local businesses, which was a great success.· In Camp Montgomery he had his first great success.· McGowan's great success this series was Madeley and his amazingly fluid phalanges.· He did have to pull the troops out, announcing as he did so that the operation had been a great success.· Many of the lords are jealous of your great success against Blefuscu, and Flimnap still hates you.· In all too many companies, reengineering has been not only a great success, but also a great failure.
· The great thing is to spend time experimenting and trying different things.· He hoped to escape El Paso, do great things, and return home a hero.· Even so, his grand accommodation suggests that great things are in store for him.· It is a great thing to be present at the making of history.· One of the great things about these utilities is the frequency with which they're updated.· Now, I didn't get it because I was the greatest thing since sliced bread.· When to love each other is greatest thing in life?
· Of course it has, and a very great value, indeed.· For great skin at great value, Clinique has the answer.· Hence the great value of this teaching in ordinary life.· Structural and geochemical studies are of the greatest value in the Northern Highlands.· However, newspaper advertising can be of great value to the shopper for food.· Child reductions Lakes and Mountain holidays are great holidays for families; and with fantastic child reductions, great value too!· These elements are of great value in making life-support materials, propellants, and industrial chemical reagents.
· There is also an increasing trend towards greater variety in family formations.· We believe the gas-coal displacement option also opens a great variety of possibilities.· There's a great variety of bracken, ferns and other plant life.· Capitals and Columns Byzantine capitals show great variety of form and detail.· They point out that in practice there is great variety in corporate activities, even within one sector.· It was the great achievement of natural selection to explain the even greater variety of living species, including man.· Notable gardens of great variety, including fine old cedars and specimen trees, herbaceous borders, water and wild gardens.· At the Wednesday market an open-air auction of poultry, farm produce and second-hand items of great variety is conducted.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► huge/enormous great► great Scott!/great Heavens!PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► not amount to much/anything/a great deal etc► great white chief► dirty great/dirty big► great-grandfather/great-grandmother/great-aunt/great-uncle► great-grandchild/great-granddaughter etc► have high/great hopes for somebody/something► at a great/fair lick► not/never be (a great) one for (doing) something► with (the greatest) respect/with (all) due respect► time is a great healer/heals all wounds► the great unwashed► whacking great
- All of us, to a greater or lesser extent, have been doing this all our lives.
- All polite exchanges are conventional to a greater or lesser extent.
- All societies differentiate and, to a greater or lesser extent, allocate unequal rewards on the basis of age.
- Both historians proceed to a greater or lesser extent by way of discussion of great photographers.
- Different professional institutions may define to a greater or lesser extent the modes and their mix.
- In these cases A is to a greater or lesser extent unclear, ambiguous.
- They also, to a greater or lesser extent, existed outside mainstream, predominantly male controlled, hierarchical structures.
- With every formal organisation there exists, to a greater or lesser extent, a complex informal organisation.
- The food we got there was no great shakes.
- At school I was no great shakes at it, or anything.
- Secondly, and crucially, Professor Griff is no great shakes as a rapper.
- It is going great guns with special lines, the Fortress Alarm and the upgraded, fancy number, the Citadel.
- But these two weren't dressing up for the great outdoors.
- In fact, anything can happen in the great outdoors.
- In the great outdoors, the merit of any feats become meaningless.
- Other sights: If you grow bored with the great outdoors or just want to warm up, you have many options.
- Save it for the garden or the great outdoors.
- Try to be as tolerant with the views of other human beings as you are with the great outdoors.
- While some people have a natural aptitude for living in the great outdoors, success usually has little to do with intelligence.
- Great visions are the signs of great minds and there were few greater visions than those of Newton and Einstein.
- Alas, there is no space to give a proper account of the thoughts of these great minds.
- Some of the confusion would certainly have been lessened if the two great minds had had opportunities to exchange ideas.
- That presents no danger if our great minds are in Paris or London or the United States.
- The excitement of the intellectual revolution produced some great minds and some important discoveries.
- For the greater good of the parish or because he knew something?
- This, I learned, was standard practice when a customer was about to be sacrificed for the greater good of Salomon.
- Scientists are divided about which of the great apes evolved first from the Proconsul line.
- The orang is by far the most arboreal of the great apes.
- A handful of people fell between the cracks of the Great Divide.
- She is still on the human side of the Great Divide.
- The Support Force crossed the great divide and for that the profession ought to be grateful.
- These guys are only Caspers; the real monsters are still breathing on this side of the great divide.
- Thus was born the Great Divide.
- Every year a couple hundred thousand migrants from Greater Los Angeles are absorbed by other California counties.
- In Greater Los Angeles area there are 7.5 million registered drivers and 8 million cars.
- But my wife is great with child!
- A great big eel, one day, swam past and touched her.
- And great big chunks of the current Libertarian Party movement contain a horde of former left-wing nuts who are now Libertarian nuts.
- I like the man who's playing this great big shiny thing like a fog horn.
- I mean, look at what Hendrix had for pedals - just a Fuzz Face and a great big stack of Marshalls.
- In the silence that followed, Baby Suggs, holy, offered up to them her great big heart.
- It was that little noise and a great big hug that let me know that you were very proud of me.
- My mouth watered as I looked at those great big berries.
- Well now, one surely would have thought that for such little things those great big waves might have seemed threatening.
- He has joined to a fine genius all that can set him off and show him to advantage.
- It may be that the product would be shown off to best advantage in use.
- Daley was a firm believer in the bootstrap theory.
- He was a firm believer in the power of prayer.
- He was a great believer in expressing aggression, not bottling it up.
- Lampard was a great believer in eating whenever you could.
- Letterman is a believer in the immigrant mentality.
- Molly was a believer in homeopathy and underwent her last operation and subsequent treatment in the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital.
- She is a believer in fundamentals, in technique.
- Tip is a firm believer in fate, and in 1961 the finger pointed in the right direction for him.
- But my wife is great with child!
- A single incident suggests a great deal about Hennepinhis prudery, his belligerence, his sensitivity.
- In the last ten years, we have learned a great deal more about this interplay.
- Neither girl took a great deal of interest in me.
- One particular candidate responding to the survey went to a great deal of trouble to commit his decidedly anti-headhunting views to paper.
- She spoke a great deal about poetry.
- Teachers also received a great deal of support and help from both popular organizations and from communities to ease their situation.
- The movement of earthworms throughout layers can also cause a great deal of disruption, blurring the divisions.
- Very frequently, speechwriters are recruited from the ranks of journalism, which accounts for a great deal.
- And the book eschews alphabetical order in favour of thematic logic - to good effect.
- Any ball direct to deane was usually flicked on to no effect.
- But nobody demonized the opposition to greater effect than did Clinton strategist James Carville during the 1992 presidential campaign.
- Jones has turned the Trust's restrictions on the use of agrochemicals to good effect.
- The bi-colour l.e.d. can utilise a transparent lens-clip to good effect.
- The task of management is to use these to greatest effect.
- The threefold model of church growth of cell, congregation and celebration works at Ichthus to great effect.
- Video is a relatively new medium for in-house communications and is used by some companies to great effect.
- Along this curve it is as if the plane were freely falling from a great height.
- As it was, the extremely small head of some dinosaurs no doubt reduced the dangers of falling from a great height.
- That particular experience left me with a recurrent dream about falling from great heights.
- When they fell from grace, George Best fell from a greater height.
- At least he is in good form again.
- Davies, now in his 80s, is in fine form.
- Fortunately, Alan Judge was in fine form, pulling off a great save to keep Hereford in the game.
- Health Management Associates Inc., known as the Wal-Mart of hospital operators, appears to be in fine form.
- I was in good form that night.
- Office manager is on holiday this week., and assistant manager are in good form.
- That is our strength and our forwards are in good form at the moment.
- But it is fun for me to look up from my Sunday paper and watch them try to cope.
- Chasing and racing is fun for a time but you end up yearning for something different.
- In beautifully landscaped settings, this unique zoo is great fun for all the family.
- It is fun to have competitions to see who can sleep their yo-yo longer.
- Much of the film is fun, but a lot is confusing.
- Some of this is great fun, but it pulls the production two ways, blunting its focus.
- This is fun, unfussy, honest fare that calls for a glass of cold beer.
- This is just a whim but it is great fun.
- Bach composed to the greater glory of God.
- But to be perfectly frank, Stevens, I wasn't paying much attention to the glories of nature.
- In its place, they were erecting a flamboyant, terracotta cathedral to the glory of the Prudential Insurance company.
- Six miles further is Lake Trasimeno, gateway to the glories of Umbria.
- The exterior of Byzantine churches is plain and simple; its appearance is ceded to the glory of the interior.
- And they all jump on me from great heights till corns on my hand seem like the fringe benefits of delirious joy.
- Fried quail reaches new heights in this recipe.
- I wave a fluttery wave of inconsequential cheerfulness and close the door, having reached new heights of cynical disinterest.
- In spite of a keen desire to reach greater heights, progress is hindered by poor practice methods which make improvement slow and frustrating.
- In the Upper Devonian, club mosses and horsetails grew to great heights.
- The stock market is soaring to new heights.
- Thereafter, the growth of the population reached dizzy heights.
- Under his leadership, the radios reached new heights of effectiveness.
- All the torments of the one class and the joys of the other are described at length.
- An example may, in consequence, be worth considering at some length.
- Moreover, they were journalists from a premier worldwide newsgathering organization, playing themselves and at great length in a feature-film fantasy.
- Standing in the farmyard, Giles Aplin also spoke to Seb at some length.
- The criteria employed for the weeding process are discussed at some length in Chapter 11.
- The distinctions between kinds of complex idea are considered at some length in the Essay.
- Their objections, based on religious grounds, are discussed at length in the opinion.
- This argument is both diversionary and, at length, immobilizing.
- Both want to steal the show and they are going to great lengths to do it.
- Dealers, sometimes surreptitiously encouraged by their firms, would go to great lengths to extract information from employees of rival firms.
- Furthermore, bats go to great lengths to avoid confrontations with people.
- George Bush went to great lengths to keep out of his way on the campaign trail.
- The Medieval church went to some lengths to specify the roles of particular stones in religious imagery.
- When uninterrupted by unforeseen or unrecognized obstacles, parents will go to great lengths to provide these advantages for their children.
- Who knows whether Oppenheimer went to any lengths to find anyone who had anything good to say about Stewart.
- Yet Phillips climbed the wall anyway, went to great lengths to hurt his ex-girlfriend.
- Barry is a good writer, even when he is not writing about things of great moment.
- a love of the great outdoors
- Dave Weatherley has been involved in the outdoors all his life.
- Following the annual migration of food preparation to the outdoors is the perennial question: How shall these delicacies be washed down?
- I spent the afternoon working hard, but feeling in communion with the outdoors.
- In the great outdoors, the merit of any feats become meaningless.
- Save it for the garden or the great outdoors.
- This is all the stuff of magic dreams for people who love the outdoors.
- Try to be as tolerant with the views of other human beings as you are with the great outdoors.
- However, composers often go to great pains to keep to true intervals.
- Mr Lendrem has gone to great pains to establish one thing: that all of his preconceptions concerning bird behaviour are true.
- But people tend to drink caffeine on a regular basis over long periods of time-often the greater part of a lifetime.
- For the Third World or rather the underdeveloped world these questions have existed for the greater part of this century.
- Her objective was to acquire Transylvania, and she now at once invaded that country and quickly occupied the greater part of it.
- I already had a stitch scar running the greater part of my left leg.
- Many of those who call themselves farmers because they still own land derive the major part of their incomes from non-agricultural occupations.
- No council can hope to sack a large portion of its staff, who take the greater part of its expenditure.
- The filtered beer is tank conditioned, but the greater part of output has a secondary fermentation in the bottle.
- Their discussion comprises the major part of the story, with the Professore arguing the old dialectical materialist line.
- He's no great shakes as a singer.
- At school I was no great shakes at it, or anything.
- It is very simply made and no great shakes as a piece of cinema.
- Secondly, and crucially, Professor Griff is no great shakes as a rapper.
- Drug overdoses have become the single biggest killer among the city's young people.
- For the single greatest cultural movement of the twentieth century is the rise and global hegemony of black music.
- It represented the single biggest step towards the creation of the international air agreements of today.
- It was the single greatest revelation of his religious life.
- The survey showed that consumer concern about the economy was the single biggest factor affecting the building business in 1993.
- This is the single biggest thing we could do to reduce costs.
- Now, I didn't get it because I was the greatest thing since sliced bread.
- Being thus disappointed, I now set great store by what the first night might bring.
- Bourbon producers set great store by the soft local water which passes through limestone on its way to the distilleries.
- Britain had previously set great store by the Lisbon economic summit two years ago, but progress has subsequently been slow.
- He had worked for the same engineering firm for thirty years and he had always set great store by the company pension.
- It apparently sets great store by creating business and completing assignments relatively quickly.
- Organizations which set great store by behavioural conformity often develop patterns of operation which can appear ridiculous in their manifestations.
- The ancient Israelites set great store by proper burial.
- Or is the organisation more than the sum of its parts?
WORD FAMILYnoungreatnessgreatadjectivegreatadverbgreatly
1large [usually before noun] very large in amount or degree: The movie was a great success. The news came as possibly the greatest shock of my life. The paintings cost a great deal (=a lot) of money. John always takes great care over his work. It gives me great pleasure (=I am very pleased) to introduce tonight’s speaker. It’s a great pity that none of his poems survive. The temptation was too great to resist.► see thesaurus at big2excellent especially spoken very good SYN wonderful, fantastic: The weather here is great. It’s great to be home. a great day out for all the familysound/taste/smell/feel etc great I worked out this morning and I feel great. You look great in that dress.great for doing something Email’s great for keeping in touch.the great thing about somebody/something (=the very good thing about someone or something) The great thing about Alex is that he’s always willing to explain things to you.► see thesaurus at good, niceGRAMMARGreat is not used with ‘very’ in this meaning. You say: · You did a really great job. ✗Don’t say: You did a very great job.Grammar guide ‒ ADJECTIVES3important a)[usually before noun] important or having a lot of influence: one of the greatest scientific achievements of our time What makes a novel truly great? great historical events b)used in the title of a person or event that was very important in the pastPeter/Catherine etc the Great I’m reading a biography of Alexander the Great. the Great Depressionthe Great War old-fashioned (=World War I)4generous very good or generous in a way that people admire: a great humanitarian gesture5extremely skilful famous for being able to do something extremely well: Ali was undoubtedly one of the greatest boxers of all time. a book about the lives of the great composers6big written very big SYN huge: A great crowd had gathered. A great iron stove filled half the room.7great big spoken very big: Get your great big feet off my table!8doing something a lot used to emphasize that someone does something a lota great talker/reader/admirer etc Anthony’s a great talker – sometimes you just can’t get a word in. Len was a great believer in the power of positive thinking.be a great one for doing something She’s a great one for telling stories about her schooldays.9to a greater or lesser extent used to emphasize that something is always true, even though it is more true or noticeable in some situations than others: Most companies operate in conditions that are to a greater or lesser extent competitive.10be no great shakes informal to not be very good, interesting, or skilful: The work’s no great shakes, but at least I’m earning.11be going great guns informal to be doing something extremely well: After a slow start, the Tigers are going great guns.12bad spoken informal used when you are disappointed or annoyed about something: ‘Daniel’s cancelled the party.’ ‘Oh great!’13animal/bird/plant etc used in the names of some animals or plants, especially when they are bigger than other animals or plants of the same type: the Great Crested Grebe14the great outdoors informal the countryside, considered as enjoyable and healthy: He had a taste for adventure and the great outdoors.15great minds (think alike) spoken used humorously when you and another person have had the same idea16the greater good a general advantage that you can only gain by losing or harming something that is considered less important: Some wars are fought for the greater good.17the great apes the different types of animals that are similar to large monkeys, considered as a group: Alone of the great apes, the gorilla is not very efficient at using tools.18the great divide a situation in which there is a big difference between groups in society, areas of a country etc, for example a big difference between their wealth or attitudes: The great divide between north and south seems to be as unbridgeable as ever.19Greater London/Los Angeles/Manchester etc London, Los Angeles etc and its outer areas20huge/enormous great British English spoken used to emphasize how big something is21great Scott!/great Heavens! spoken old-fashioned used to express shock or surprise22great with child literary very soon to have a baby—greatness noun [uncountable]: She was destined for greatness.