leagueleague /liːɡ/ ●●● W2 noun [countable] 
He makes his football league debut tomorrow. the Rugby League Championshipbe (at the) top/bottom of the league (=be the best or the worst team in a group)2a group of people or countries who have joined together because they have similar aims, political beliefs etc: the National Socialist League3not be in the same league (as somebody/something) to be not nearly as good or important as someone or something else: They’re not in the same league as the French at making wine.4be in a different league to be much better than someone or something else: For most of the match, Brazil were in a different league, and won 4–0.5be out of your league to not be skilled or experienced enough to do or deal with something6be in league (with somebody) to be working with someone secretly, especially for a bad purpose: Vernon was accused by his enemies of being in league with the devil.7an ancient unit for measuring distance, equal to three miles or about 4,828 metres on land, and three nautical miles or 5,556 metres at sea
WORD ORIGINleague
Origin:
1-5 1400-1500 French ligue ‘agreement to act together’, from Old Italian liga, from ligare ‘to tie’6 1300-1400 Late Latin leugaEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Leaders of the Football League met to discuss the problems of violence at football games.
- Morocco is a member of the Arab League.
- The League of Nations was formed to promote international peace and security.
- the League of Women Voters
- the National Football League
Longman Language Activatorvery much better than someone or something
informal to be clearly doing very much better at something than someone else: · Winger's stands head and shoulders above every other restaurant in town.· Kander and Ebb are head and shoulders above the others writing for the musical theater these days.
spoken use this to emphasize that one person or thing is clearly much better than someone or something else: · "Which apartment do you prefer?'' "Well, there's no comparison. The first one we saw is bigger, quieter, and has much nicer furniture.''
British to be so much better than others that their achievements are made to seem ordinary: · Coca Cola's prize-winning advertising campaign has put all others in the shade.· The generous response of the public to the disaster puts the government's contribution somewhat in the shade.
written to be so much better than someone or something else that they are made to seem unimportant and not worth paying any attention to: · Channel 5's tremendous line-up of TV programmes has eclipsed its competitors' best efforts.· Eclipsed by the US champion at last year's Olympic Games, Schofield has decided to retire.
if someone is in a different league , they are so much better and more skilful than someone who does similar work that it would be stupid even to compare them: · You can't possibly compare Thomas Hardy and Wilkie Collins - Hardy is in a different league.
to be so much better than someone else that they feel slightly embarrassed by their own lack of skill or quality: · The elegant way she was dressed put the rest of us to shame.· Acapulco is a cosmopolitan city with a nightlife that puts Rio to shame.
informal to perform with much greater skill than someone else in a competitive activity such as a sport or an argument: run rings around somebody: · It's no use arguing with Sophie -- she can run rings around anyone who disagrees with her.· Tottenham Hotspur are running rings around Arsenal in the most exciting cup final in years.
British informal to be very much better than something of the same type or than someone you are competing with: be streets ahead of: · The script is original and funny, streets ahead of any other situation comedy.· We don't need to worry about this year's sales figures -- they're streets ahead of the competition.
British to be so much better at something than other people that they cannot possibly compete successfully with you: · It seems that in this campaign the Labour candidate has left the opposition standing.· Julie's an excellent typist -- her speed and accuracy leave the rest of us standing.
an organization for people who have the same interests or aims a group of people who meet regularly to do something that they are all interested in, for example a particular activity or sport: · They've set up a chess club at school.· the North Manchester Judo Clubjoin a club: · Why don't you join your local swimming club if you're keen on swimming?belong to a club (=be a member of a club): · They both belong to the local tennis club.
an organization for people who have the same interest or aim, especially a large official organization: · He joined the university film society as a way of making friends.· the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds· the president of the American Historical Society
an important organization for people in a particular profession, activity, sport etc, which officially represents its members and has the power to make rules: · The new health care proposals have been criticized by the British Medical Association.· The National Basketball Association negotiates TV rights for important games.association of: · the National Association of Head Teachers
an organization formed by workers to protect their rights and improve their pay and working conditions: · The largest teachers' union supports the education reforms.union of: · the National Union of Mineworkers.trade union British: labor union American: · The President could not rely on the support of the labor unions.join a union: · Some workers refused to join the union.
an organization consisting of people, countries, or groups that have joined together because they have the same aim: · The League of Nations was formed to promote international peace and security.· Morocco is a member of the Arab League.· Leaders of the Football League met to discuss the problems of violence at football games.
a group of separate organizations or clubs which have joined together to help and support each other: · He is now chairman of the British Olympic Federation.· Her case was supported by the Chicago Teachers Federation.federation of: · the National Federation of Master Builders
when people do something together in a dishonest way if someone is in league with a group of people, they are secretly planning and working with them in order to do something dishonest or illegal: · Anyone suspected of being in league with the rebels was arrested.· There was a suggestion that the authorities were in league with the drug dealers.
if one group of people is in collusion with another group, they are all working secretly together to do something dishonest: · Some of the police force were working in collusion with the Mafia.· Journalists suspected that the army was acting in collusion with the terrorists.
working secretly and closely with another person or group in order to do something dishonest or cheat someone: · Assassins, in cahoots with the army, were sent to kill two top members of the parliament.· By the middle of the book we've learned that the church and the local politicians are in cahoots to try to slow Sonja's research.
British if one organization is hand in glove with another organization, they work together very closely in order to do something dishonest, or dishonestly get power: · The politicians are hand in glove with the military, everyone knows that.
worse more unpleasant, annoying, bad etc, or of a lower standard or quality than someone or something else that is also bad: · I really don't think the situation could be any worse.worse than: · Conditions in the prison were worse than anything I had seen before.· Stop it Gary, you're worse than the kids!even/far worse (=worse than something that is very bad): · Duncan's handwriting is even worse than his sister's.· a terrible script and even worse actinga lot worse/much worse: · The traffic is a lot worse after five o'clock.· The next morning, the weather was much worse, and the team stayed at base camp.make something worse: · I tried to fix the computer myself, but that just made it worse.
of a lower standard, quality, or level than something else that is good: · I like this town better than Harrisburg, but the schools aren't as good.not as good as: · This book is not as good as her last one.· The fishing out there isn't as good as it used to be.not nearly as good as/nowhere near as good as (=use to emphasize that the difference in quality is quite big): · Their latest album isn't nearly as good as their last one.· Cheap, plastic-wrapped cheese is nowhere near as good as the real thing.
formal of a lower quality than something else, or less good at doing something than someone else: · Consumers are tired of paying a high price for what is an increasingly inferior service.· California oil is a heavier and inferior grade of oil, compared with other crude oils. inferior to: · Old Mr Carter was convinced that women doctors were inferior to men.inferior in quality/status/worth etc: · White bread is generally inferior in nutritional value.of inferior quality/materials/status etc: · Their furniture is certainly cheaper, but it's of inferior quality.
especially spoken use this to emphasize that someone or something is not nearly as good as someone or something else: · How can you compare him to Ivan Lendl? He's not in the same league at all.· Vinyl is strong and looks good but it doesn't compare with real leather.not be in the same league as: · It's quite a good movie but not in the same league as 'High Noon' or 'The Magnificent Seven'
British informal use this to emphasize that something is not nearly as good as something else, especially something that came before it: · Shop-bought pasta sauces aren't a patch on home-made.· This year's charity marathon wasn't a patch on last year's.
WORD SETSacre, nounacreage, nounavoirdupois, nounbaker's dozen, nounbalance, nounbarometer, nounbaseline, nounbasin, nounbaud rate, nounbearing, nounbecquerel, nounblack box, nounboiling point, nounbottle, nounbox, nouncalculator, nouncalibrate, verbcalibration, nouncc, centi-, prefixcentimetre, nouncircumference, nouncl, clock, verbcm, cu, cubic, adjectivecubit, nouncup, nouncupful, nouncwt, daylight saving time, noundeci-, prefixdecibel, noundecimalization, noundeflection, noundegree, noundensity, noundepth, noundimension, noundipstick, noundisplacement, noundoz., noundozen, numberelevation, nounfactor, nounfathom, nounfl oz, fluid ounce, nounfoot, nounft, g, gage, noungal, gallon, noungauge, noungauge, verbGB, Geiger counter, noungigabyte, noungill, noungirth, noungm, graduated, adjectivegraduation, noungrain, noungram, noungramme, noungrid, noungross, adjectivehandful, nounhectare, nounhertz, nounhigh, adjectivehundredweight, nounimpedance, nounimperial, adjectiveinch, nounindicator, nouninstrument, nounjoule, nounkarat, nounkg, kilo, nounkilo-, prefixkilogram, nounkilometre, nounkm, knot, nounl, latitude, nounlb, league, nounlength, nounlight year, nounliter, nounlitre, nounlow water mark, nounmax, nounmaximum, adjectivemean, adjectivemeasure, verbmeasure, nounmedian, nounmedium, adjectivemegaton, nounmelting point, nounmental age, nounmeter, nounmeter, verb-meter, suffixmetre, noun-metre, suffixmetric, adjectivemetrication, nounmetric ton, nounmg, MHz, microsecond, nounmile, nounmillennium, nounmilli-, prefixmillibar, nounmilligram, nounmillilitre, nounmillimetre, nounminus, adjectiveminute, nounml, mpg, mph, nano-, prefixnanosecond, nounnautical mile, nounounce, nounoverweight, adjectiveoz, pace, verbpart, nounpedometer, nounpint, nounplus, adjectivepoint, nounpound, nounpunnet, nounqt, quantify, verbquart, nounradioactive dating, nounradius, nounrain gauge, nounread, verbreading, nounrecord, verbreset, verbrev, nounrotation, nounrpm, rule, nounruler, nounscale, nounsea level, nounsea mile, nounseismograph, nounsensor, nounset square, nounsextant, nounsnowfall, nounsoundings, nounsq., subsonic, adjectivesundial, nountherm, nountimberline, nountog, nounton, nountonnage, nountonne, nountroy weight, noununit, nounvoltmeter, nounvolume, nounwatch, nounwatt, nounwattage, nounweighbridge, nounweight, nounwidth, nounwt., yard, nounyardage, nounyardstick, nounyd, zero, number
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY the Rugby League Championship
the Rugby League Championship (=be the best or the worst team in a group)
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES (=a group of football teams who play against each other)· The Premier League is one of the most popular football leagues in the world.
(=in a football league)· He was still playing league football at the age of 41.
(=played as part of a league competition)· There's a big league game against Chelsea on Saturday.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· I get carried away, but I must learn now it's the big league.· Strahler lasts one more year in the big leagues.· Skerne Iron Works somehow failed to expand properly to make the big league.· Besides, none of us is really in the big leagues of typing, anyway.· But it was the launch of the Plus 8 in September 1968 that shoved Morgan into the big boots league.· The major adjustment to life in the big leagues has been mental, Owens said.· With plans to add another 100 staff by April, it is on the cusp of breaking into the big league.· He has big-league power stuff but has a history of injury problems.
· Britain lags behind its competitors in every measure and is bottom of the league table.· They are bottom of the league for 16 to 19-year-old education and training.· We're bottom of the league right now.
· But this is in a different league from a full-size Pressurized Water Reactor.· At the same time, its nuclear arsenal puts it in a qualitatively different league from its capitalist competitors.· Believe me, the new car is in a different league and much bigger.· In many ways, caffeine is in a different league from other recreational drugs.· However, even PageMaker is in a different league compared to Ventura.· As with the designated hitter, there would be different rules in different leagues.· And that puts it in a different league from other singles.· But his night of sleaze in Bangkok plunges him into a different league.
· The year before that, 1946, baseball allowed a black man into its major league for the first time.· This is a much more predictable menace, however, at least to those in major league baseball.· The alternative: lose two major league franchises.· He has worked in middle relief throughout his four major league seasons, all with Milwaukee, and has no saves.· The Mets led the major leagues in come-from-behind victories this season.· There will never be a wild card in major league baseball, skeptics scoffed.· When major league baseball began divisional play in 1969, there was, after some initial grumbling, little complaint.· The concept of interleague play in major league baseball is certainly intriguing, worthy of serious consideration.
· Another minor hockey league out in the middle of nowhere.· The use of smokeless tobacco is now banned in the minor leagues.· He is currently a pitching instructor for the Tampa Yankees, a minor league team.· Claire is likely to return them to the minor leagues.· Nothing he does is minor league.· Just a couple of years later, he was about the best player in the lower minor leagues.· It was truly the minor leagues.
· Oxford want to prove why they're ready to join the national league next season.· It's totally impractical for them to enter their own national leagues, we all know that.· They should shift to their own national leagues.
· What is the fastest goal in the premier league so far this season?· You're right about it being good just to be in the premier league and be one of the better teams.· Glenn Hoddle got them to the Premier league ... maybe Keith Scott can keep them there!· In short, it is good second division stuff, probably worth a Nobel prize, but not in the premier league.· The prize at the end of the campaign trail is premier league football next season.· Although journalists have placed Bristol in the premier league, there is no room for complacency.· In their third premier league match, Swindon Town faced Liverpool, who brought three thousand supporters with them.· It was charged with the objective of bringing Britain into the premier league for skills.
· When it comes to being selfish then you're top of the league.· The 1991 World Cup generated unprecedented interest in rugby union and planted the sport firmly in the top league of spectator sports.· Andy Mutch says every young lad wants to play in the top league and he is looking forward to it.
NOUN· The new economics of major league baseball also work against inner-city talent, Towers says.· Louis Cardinals major league baseball team.· This is a much more predictable menace, however, at least to those in major league baseball.· The 2001 season was canceled when a potential owner of the independent-league baseball team pulled out of a deal.· Tuesday marks year number 50 since Jackie Robinson broke the color line in major league baseball.· There will never be a wild card in major league baseball, skeptics scoffed.· When major league baseball began divisional play in 1969, there was, after some initial grumbling, little complaint.· The concept of interleague play in major league baseball is certainly intriguing, worthy of serious consideration.
· He won four league championships as a manager.· Mr ferguson has won an astonishing one league championship in only his seven years at Old Trafford.· That means the Bangor club have lifted a double-double in league championship and cup competition this season.· Amongst adult clubs, there was some success as well when Manchester Deaf F.C. won their local hearing league championship.· They have never won the league championship.· But Huddersfield lost and Leeds won, to take the subsidiary league championship outright, with 15 points from 10 games.
· In the nick of time: according to one recent report 80 out of 92 league clubs are technically insolvent.· I never discovered whether Mr Cory supported Plymouth Argyle, our nearest league club.· Johnrose, 22, has scored ten goals in 35 league appearance at Blackburn, his only league club.· It is the first time since 1958-59 that league clubs have failed to survive until after Christmas.· Ofahengaue gives All Black Bernie McCahill a taste of the explosive power that has captivated league clubs.· In that case, the plaintiff was a professional footballer registered with a league club, Newcastle United.
· A round-robin is like a football league.· Tears at Halifax, where Hereford's win meant the Yorkshire side go out of the football league.· If they beat Halifax, then the Yorkshire side are kicked out of the football league.· It is probably one of the newest purpose built grounds in the Football league and can hold about 12,000 spectators.· Meanwhile the Deesiders have fixed up four attractive preseason friendlies against football league opposition at Holywell Road.
· Flanker Fox tested positive for the banned stimulant ephedrine following Neath's opening league game against Pontypridd on September 5.· He managed his last major league game for the San Francisco Giants 20 years ago.· Alton have three league games left and will looking to improve their points tally.· Their first league game was played at the beginning of September, at the Glenpatrick Road pitch.· Worked-out by the all-conquering micro-chip this gives Durham four home fixtures, including two Sunday league games, by April 26.· It's five league games without a win now.· We haven't lost in 13 league games 8 of which are wins.· But this is no league game.
· Alton have three league games left and will looking to improve their points tally.· Rochford ran in a couple more tries, condemning Chelmsford to a fifth defeat in nine league games.· Worked-out by the all-conquering micro-chip this gives Durham four home fixtures, including two Sunday league games, by April 26.· Crosby has 18 players in his squad all fighting to make a Wembley impression in the remaining four league games.· It's five league games without a win now.· We haven't lost in 13 league games 8 of which are wins.· Ball retention was poor and they will have to improve on this for the league games.· The previous record had been set by Fiorentina, who went 40 league games without defeat in 1955-56.
· He's not let a league goal in yet.· The fact that he scored 20 of his team's 48 league goals last season underlines that fact.· At a guess he must have scored about 65 league goals in about 115 games + around 10 more in other matches.
· Last weekend they huffed and puffed at the unbeaten league leaders Wasps and were within one try of blowing them down.· The gap between Nottingham and the league leaders was indistinguishable, apart from scrummaging.· The draw left both clubs on fifteen points, three behind league leaders Aberdeen.· His immediate task is to get his team in shape for the visit of league leaders Newcastle United on Saturday.
· The team lost nine of their last 11 league matches and have now won only seven out of 49.· Richardson Report: Gloucester's league match at Saracens was a cliff hanger right until the very last kick of the game.· In the fourth division, Hereford United play their first home league match of the New Year.· In the event he need not have worried as Liverpool won six of their remaining seven league matches and drew the other.· So Last night's league match at the Link Centre in Swindon was curtain up on a dress rehearsal.· There's one league match in January, but the crunch comes in April.· Thus went Celtic's chance of beating Jock Stein's record of an opening unbeaten run of 16 league matches.· Saints have arranged their league match at Leigh for Wednesday, November 11.
· Then Karam went to rugby league and the All Black position was again open.· All that is motivated by their desire to compete against rugby league.· The other code, rugby league, flourishes here in a somewhat different aspect.· The school can boast of the first secondary school girls' rugby league team.· Davies can at least reflect that after tomorrow, his rugby league education will be complete.
· The league table below takes this into account.· Britain lags behind its competitors in every measure and is bottom of the league table.· Scores are not ranked into a league table.· This will probably have a worse risk-benefit trade off than the formalised use of league tables.· Testing and league tables were established for the consumer and were supposed to make schools more accountable to parents.· Dame Jill Knight I thank my right hon. Friend on behalf of the west midlands, which is also high in the league table.· That's why we're so very alarmed at the Government's new league tables.· The exam league tables have also been given a black mark by teaching unions.
· The same situation exists in soccer where some 90-odd league teams are far too many.· Once you signed with a major league team, you were theirs in perpetuity to do with as they saw fit.· The school can boast of the first secondary school girls' rugby league team.· But on his city league team he had no drive, no hustle.· Springand summer-league teams have road schedules that make some Division I schools look like stay-at-homes.· They just finished playing on the same winter league team, which Ortiz said improved his fielding.· He is currently a pitching instructor for the Tampa Yankees, a minor league team.· The select team could be the Suns' summer league team, but Nelson said the league may not approve that idea.
· I believe that one day Manchester United will again win the league title.· The Bulls are a tribe on a sacred journey, which is their fourth league title in six years.· Shades of Manchester United and that elusive league title?· Ironically when Randalstown first won the league title two seasons Victorians again held the key to their title victory.
· It was United's first league win and their points of the new season.· Their last league win, 3-2 against Southend 8 weeks ago.· But what better place for Swindon to score their first league win of the season.· In the fourth division Hereford scored their first league win of the year.· Quins led 20-7 at the break, but Rugby scored 22 points in the second half to record their second league win.
VERB· Micah Blunt and Martin Clark led the league leaders' scorers with 20 points each.· As a rookie, he made seven interceptions and led the league in punt returns and kickoff returns.· In last weekend's round of matches Bayern defeated Porz, who led the league by one point.· The Raiders lead the league with 11 plays of 40 yards or more.· Arizona was leading the league in foreclosures and bankruptcies.· The Mets led the major leagues in come-from-behind victories this season.· Then, last year, she led the league in hitting again, but was left off the All-Stars.
· They play Cardiff in the league.· Soccer always has been a game played enthusiastically in youth leagues around the country.· In the fourth division, Hereford United play their first home league match of the New Year.· In San Diego County, some 30, 000 kids play in organized soccer leagues, they said.· He played league football at 50.· Rivera had a chance to play major league ball last year, and in a pennant race yet.· Very few people want to play rugby league.· Why, if a league player wants a game, does he not play amateur league?
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► not be in the same league (as somebody/something)► be in a different league
1a group of sports teams or players who play games against each other to see who is best: - Union leaders were accused of being in league with the Mafia.
- All I know is that you told Garvey we were in league with the Devil.
- And they reckon it's because the train drivers are in league with the robbers.
- He would know from Fouché's response whether he agreed, or whether he was in league with them.
- Only - was it really reasonable to think that the rest of the world was in league against him?
- Some people took the religious view, boldly asserting that we were in league with the devil.
- Some U.S. officials, however, suspected the chief was in league with the Arellanos.
- The managers carefully channelled resentment towards the county council, who, they suggested, were in league with their headmistress.
- I was out of my league.
He makes his football league debut tomorrow. the Rugby League Championshipbe (at the) top/bottom of the league (=be the best or the worst team in a group)2a group of people or countries who have joined together because they have similar aims, political beliefs etc: the National Socialist League3not be in the same league (as somebody/something) to be not nearly as good or important as someone or something else: They’re not in the same league as the French at making wine.4be in a different league to be much better than someone or something else: For most of the match, Brazil were in a different league, and won 4–0.5be out of your league to not be skilled or experienced enough to do or deal with something6be in league (with somebody) to be working with someone secretly, especially for a bad purpose: Vernon was accused by his enemies of being in league with the devil.7an ancient unit for measuring distance, equal to three miles or about 4,828 metres on land, and three nautical miles or 5,556 metres at sea