excel verb excelling, excelled

1 [intransitive] to be very good at doing something

excel (in/at something)
She has always excelled in foreign languages.
As a child he excelled at music and art.
excel (at doing something)
The team excels at turning defence into attack.
2 [transitive] excel yourself (British English)
to do extremely well and even better than you usually do
Rick's cooking was always good but this time he really excelled himself.
surpass verb
[transitive, intransitive] surpass (somebodysomethingyourself)
(formal to do or be better than somebody!something
"e ho#es one day to sur#ass the world record.
$ts success has surpassed all expectations.
"er cooking was always good, but this time she had surpassed herself.
(%done better than her own high standards.
scenery of sur#assing beauty
achieve verb
1 [transitive] achieve something
to succeed in reaching a #articular goal, status or standard, es#ecially by making an effort for a long time
Synonym attain
"e had finally achieved success.
They could not achieve their target of less than &' inflation.
2 [transitive] achieve something
to succeed in doing something or causing something to ha##en
Synonym accomplish
$ haven't achieved very much today.
All you've achieved is to u#set my #arents.
! [intransitive] to be successful
Their background gives them little chance of achieving at school.
achievable ad(ective
)rofits of *+,m look achievable.
achievable goals
Opposite unachievable
fulfil fl f l verb (-r. (/Am. fulfill
fulfilling, fulfilled, fulfilled

1 fulfil something
to do or achieve what was ho#ed for or ex#ectedto
fulfil your dream/ambition/potential
2 fulfil something (formal)
to do or have what is re0uired or necessary
to fulfil a duty/an obligation/a promise
to fulfil the terms/conditions of an agreement
/o candidate fulfils all the criteria for this #osition.
! fulfil something
to have a #articular role or #ur#ose
/ursery schools should fulfil the function of #re#aring children for school.
" fulfil somebodyyourself
to make somebody feel ha##y and satisfied with what they are doing or have done
$ need a (ob that really fulfils me."e was able to fulfil himself through his #ainting.
fulfilment fl f lmnt (-r. (/Am. fulfillment noun 1uncountable2
the fulfilment of a dream
to find #ersonal fulfillment
Usage note: satisfaction happiness pride contentment fulfilment
These are all words for the good feeling that you have when you are ha##y or when you have achieved something.
satisfaction the good feeling that you have when you have achieved something or when something that you wanted to ha##en does
ha##en3 #e derived great satisfaction from $no%ing that his son %as happy&
happiness the good feeling that you have when you are ha##y3 'oney can(t buy you happiness&
pride a feeling of #leasure or satisfaction that you get when you or #eo#le who are connected with you have done something well or own
something that other #eo#le admire3 )he sight of her son graduating filled her %ith pride&
contentment (rather formal a feeling of ha##iness or satisfaction with what you have3 )hey found contentment in living a simple life&
fulfilment a feeling of ha##iness or satisfaction with what you do or have done3 her search for personal fulfilment
4ou can feel satisfaction at achieving almost anything, small or large5 you feel fulfilment when you do something useful and en(oyable
with your life. Happiness is the feeling you have when things give you #leasure and can be 0uite a lively feeling5 contentment is a
0uieter feeling that you get when you have learned to find #leasure in things.
satisfaction!ha##iness!#ride!contentment!fulfilment in something
real satisfaction!ha##iness!#ride!contentment!fulfilment
true satisfaction!ha##iness!contentment!fulfilment
great satisfaction!ha##iness!#ride
quiet satisfaction!#ride!contentment
to feel satisfaction!ha##iness!#ride!contentment
to bring somebody satisfaction!ha##iness!#ride!contentment!fulfilment
to find satisfaction!ha##iness!contentment!fulfilment
record [Idioms
!"ust# for the record
1 used to sho% that you %ant %hat you are saying to be officially %ritten do%n and remembered
6ust for the record $ would like to clarify something my colleague said earlier.
2 used to emphasi*e a point that you are ma$ing, so that the person you are spea$ing to ta$es notice
And, for the record, he would be the last #erson $'d ask.
off the record
if you tell somebody something off the record, it is not yet official and you do not %ant them to repeat it publicly
Strictly off the record, some members of staff will have to be made redundant.
put/place something on !the# record$ be/go on !the# record !as saying%#
to say something publicly or officially so that it may be %ritten do%n and repeated
"e didn't want to go on the record as either #raising or critici7ing the #ro#osal.
$ should like to #lace on record my sincere thanks to all those who have given su##ort.
put/set the record straight
to give people the correct information about something in order to ma$e it clear that %hat they previously believed %as in fact %rong
To #ut the record straight, $ do not su##ort that idea and never have done.
Usage note: clear obvious apparent evident plain
These words all describe something that is easy to see or understand and leaves no doubts or confusion.
clear easy to see or understand and leaving no doubts3 $t was 0uite clear to me that she was lying.
obvious easy to see or understand3 $t's obvious from what he said that something is wrong.
apparent 1not usually before noun2 (rather formal easy to see or understand3 $t was a##arent from her face that she was really u#set.
evident (rather formal easy to see or understand3 The orchestra #layed with evident en(oyment.
plain easy to see or understand3 "e made it very #lain that he wanted us to leave.
These words all have almost exactly the same meaning. There are slight differences in register and #atterns of use. $f you make
something clear/plain, you do so deliberately because you want #eo#le to understand something5 if you make something obvious, you
usually do it without meaning to3 $ ho#e $ make myself obvious. Try not to make it so clear!#lain.
$n the ex#ressions clear ma+ority, for obvious reasons, for no apparent reason and plain to see, none of the other words can be used
instead. 4ou can have a clearan obviousa plain case of something but not3 an evident case of something.
clear!obvious!a##arent!evident!#lain to somebody!something
clear!obvious!a##arent!evident!#lain that/&hat/&ho/ho&/&here/&hy%
to seem/become/ma'e something clear!obvious!a##arent!evident!#lain
perfectly/quite/very clear!obvious!a##arent!evident!#lain
idle ad(ective a dl
1 (of people) not %or$ing hard
Synonym la(y
an idle student
2 (of machines, factories, etc&) not in use
to lie/stand/remain idle
! (of people) %ithout %or$
Synonym unemployed
8ver ten #er cent of the workforce is now idle.
" [usually before noun] %ith no particular purpose or effect, useless
idle chatter/curiosity
$t was (ust an idle threat (% not serious.
It is idle to #retend that their marriage is a success.
- [usually before noun] (of time) not spent doing %or$ or something particular
$n idle moments, he carved wooden figures.
idleness a dlns noun 1uncountable2
After a #eriod of enforced idleness, she found a new (ob.
Idioms
the devil makes work for idle hands (saying)
people &ho do not have enough to do often start to do &rong
She blamed the crimes on the local jobless teenagers. !he devil makes work for idle hands"# she would say.
spend a penny !old)fashioned* +ritish ,nglish#
people say spend a penny# to avoid saying use the toilet#
fibre noun (es#ecially 9S fiber fa b(r)
1 [uncountable] the part of food that helps to $eep a person healthy by $eeping the bo%els %or$ing and moving other food .uic$ly
through the body
Synonym roughage
"e has been advised to increase his fibre intake.bran fibre
2 [countable, uncountable] a material such as cloth or rope that is made from a mass of natural or artificial threads
nylon and other man)made fibres
differentiate verb d f ren iet
1 [intransitive, transitive] to recogni*e or sho% that t%o things are not the same
Synonym distinguish
differentiate (between A and -
$t's difficult to differentiate between the two varieties.
differentiate A (from -
$ can't differentiate one variety from another.
2 [transitive] differentiate something (from something)
to be the #articular thing that shows that things or #eo#le are not the same
Synonym distinguish
The male's yellow beak differentiates it from the female.
! [intransitive] differentiate bet%een / and B to treat people or things in a different %ay, especially in an unfair %ay
Synonym discriminate
differentiation d f ren i e n 1uncountable2
differ verb d f(r)
1 [intransitive] to be different from somebodysomething
They hold differing views.
/ differs from B
:rench differs from .nglish in this res#ect.
/ and B differ (from each other)
:rench and .nglish differ in this res#ect.
differ bet%een / and B
$deas on childcare may differ considerably between the #arents.
2 [intransitive] to disagree %ith somebody
differ (%ith somebody) (aboutonover something)
$ have to differ with you on that.
differ (as to something)
;edical o#inion differs as to how to treat the disease.
Idioms
agree to differ
if t%o people agree to differ, they accept that they have different opinions about something, but they decide not to discuss it any longer
<e must (ust agree to differ on this.
I beg to differ
used to say politely that you do not agree %ith something that has +ust been said
=At least she is good at her (ob.> =8h, $ beg to differ.>
vary verb veri (-r. 5 veri 5 vri (/Am.
varying, varied, varied
1 [intransitive] vary (in something)
(of a group of similar things) to be different from each other in si*e, shape, etc&
Synonym differ
The students' work varies considerably in 0uality.
The 0uality of the students' work varies considerably.
/ew techni0ues were introduced with varying degrees of success.
2 [intransitive] to change or be different according to the situation
vary %ith something
The menu varies with the season.
vary according to something
)rices vary according to the ty#e of room you re0uire.
vary from something to something
)ulse rates vary slightly from #erson to #erson.
vary (bet%een / and B)
?lass numbers vary between +@ and &,.
=<hat time do you start workA> = It varies.>
! [transitive] vary something
to ma$e changes to something to ma$e it slightly different
The (ob enables me to vary the hours $ work.
The aerobics instructor varies the routine each week.
urgent ad(ective dnt
1 that needs to be dealt %ith or happen immediately
Synonym pressing
an urgent a##eal for information
(formal $t is urgent that the law be changed.
urgency dnsi 1uncountable2
This is a matter of some urgency.
insist verb
+ 1intransitive, transitive2
to say firmly that something is true, es#ecially when other #eo#le do not believe you
Usage note: demand re$uire expect insist ask
These words all mean to say that somebody should do or have something.
demand to ask for something very firmly5 to say very firmly that somebody should have or do something3 0he demanded an immediate
explanation&
require 1often #assive2 (rather formal to make somebody do or have something, es#ecially because it is necessary according to a law or
set of rules or standards3 /ll candidates %ill be re.uired to ta$e a short test&
expect to demand that somebody should do, have or be something, es#ecially because it is their duty or res#onsibility3 1 expect to be paid
promptly for the %or$&
insist to demand that something ha##ens or that somebody agrees to do something3 1 didn(t %ant to go but he insisted& 2e insist on the
highest standards at all times&
as' to ex#ect or demand something3 3ou(re as$ing too much of him&
demand" expect or ask%
-s' is not as strong as demand or expect, both of which can be more like a command.
to demand!re0uire!ex#ect!ask something of/from somebody
to demand!re0uire!ex#ect!insist!ask thatB
to re0uire!ex#ect!ask somebody to do something
to demand!re0uire!ex#ect!ask a lot/too much/a great deal
to be too much to ex#ect!ask
Idioms
be better off (doing something)
used to say that somebody is%ould be happier or more satisfied if they %ere in a particular position or did a particular thing
She's better off without him.
The weather was so bad we'd have been better off staying at home.
force verb fs
make somebody do something
1 [often passive] to ma$e somebody do something that they do not %ant to do
Synonym com#el
force somebody into doing something
The )resident was forced into resigning.
force somebodyyourself to do something
The )resident was forced to resign.
$ &as forced to take a taxi because the last bus had left.
She forced herself to be #olite to them.
force somebody into something
$ll health forced him into early retirement.
force somebody
"e didn't force meC$ wanted to go.
force yourself (informal, humorous)
=$ shouldn't really have any more.> =Do onCforce yourselfE>
force something
)ublic #ressure managed to force a change in the government's #osition.
Idioms
force somebody.s hand
to ma$e somebody do something that they do not %ant to do or ma$e them do it sooner than they had intended
They decided to strike to force the management's hand.
force the issue
to do something to ma$e people ta$e a decision .uic$ly
force the pace !especially +ritish ,nglish#
1 to run very fast in a race in order to ma$e the other people ta$ing part run faster
2 to ma$e somebody do something faster than they %ant to
The demonstrations have succeeded in forcing the #ace of change.
force/thrust/ram something do&n somebody.s throat
(informal) to try to force somebody to listen to and accept your opinions in a %ay that they find annoying
/hrasal verbs
force something bac'
to ma$e yourself hide an emotion
She swallowed hard and forced back her tears.
force something do&n
1 to ma$e yourself eat or drin$ something that you do not really %ant
She felt sick but managed to force down a #iece of toast.
2 to ma$e a plane, etc& land, especially by threatening to attac$ it
force somebody/something on/upon somebody
to ma$e somebody accept something that they do not %ant
to force your attentions!o#inions!com#any on somebody
force something out of somebody
to ma$e somebody tell you something, especially by threatening them
$ managed to force the truth out of him.
ice rin' noun (also s'ating rin', rin'
a s#ecially #re#ared flat surface of ice, where you can iceFskate5 a building where there is an ice rink
equivalent ad(ective kw vlnt
e0ual in value, amount, meaning, im#ortance, etc
+@, grams or an e0uivalent amount in ounces
e0uivalent to something
.ight kilometres is roughly e0uivalent to five miles.
The new regulation was seen as e0uivalent to censorshi#.
equivalence kw vlns 1uncountable2
(formal There is no straightforward e0uivalence between economic #rogress and social wellFbeing.
equivalent noun a thing, amount, word, etc. that is e0uivalent to something
correspond verb k r sp nd
1 [intransitive] to be the same as or match something
Synonym agree, tally
4our account and hers do not corres#ond.
correspond %ith something
4our account of events does not corres#ond with hers.
correspond to something
The written record of the conversation doesn't corres#ond to (% is different from what was actually said.
2 [intransitive] correspond (to something)
to be similar to or the same as something else
The -ritish (ob of Gecturer corres#onds roughly to the 9S Associate )rofessor.
! [intransitive] correspond (%ith somebody)
(formal to write letters to somebody and receive letters from them
debris noun debri (-r.5 de bri 5 d bri (/Am.
1uncountable2
pieces of %ood, metal, bric$, etc& that are left after something has been destroyed
.mergency teams are still clearing the debris from the #lane crash.
Several #eo#le were in(ured by flying debris in the ex#losion.
thrill verb 0r l
thrill somebody
to excite or please somebody very much
This band has thrilled audiences all over the world.$ was thrilled by your news.
/hrasal verbs
thrill to something
(formal) to feel very excited at something
thrill noun 0r l
1 a strong feeling of excitement or pleasure, an experience that gives you this feeling
thrill (to do something)
$t gave me a big thrill to meet my favourite author in #erson.
thrill (of doing something)
the thrill of catching a really big fish
She gets an obvious thrill out of #erforming.
They were (ust in search of cheap thrills (% excitement that has no real value.
2 a sudden strong feeling that produces a physical effect
A thrill of alarm ran through him.
Idioms
!the# thrills and spills
(informal) the excitement that is involved in dangerous activities, especially sports
.x#erience the thrills and s#ills of surfingE
thrilling ad(ective Hr l I
exciting and en+oyable
a thrilling ex#erience!finish
Usage note: exciting dramatic heady thrilling exhilarating
These words all describe an event, ex#erience or feeling that causes excitement.
exciting causing great interest or excitement3 )his is one of the most exciting developments in biology in recent years&
dramatic (of events or scenes exciting and im#ressive3 )hey %atched dramatic pictures of the police raid on )4&
heady having a strong effect on your senses5 making you feel excited and ho#eful3 the heady days of youth
thrilling exciting and en(oyable3 5on(t miss next %ee$(s thrilling episode6
exhilarating very exciting and en(oyable3 'y first parachute +ump %as an exhilarating experience&
exciting" thrilling or exhilarating%
,xhilarating is the strongest of these words and exciting the least strong. ,xciting is the most general and can be used to talk about any
activity, ex#erience, feeling or event that excites you. 1hrilling is used es#ecially for contests and stories where the ending is uncertain.
,xhilarating is used es#ecially for #hysical activities that involve s#eed and!or danger.
a(n exciting!dramatic!heady!thrilling!exhilarating ex#erience!moment
a(n exciting!dramatic!heady atmos#here
a(n exciting!dramatic!thrilling finish!finale!victory!win
thrilled ad(ective Hr ld
very excited and pleased
thrilled (aboutat%ith something)
"e was thrilled at the #ros#ect of seeing them again.
thrilled (to do something)
$ was thrilled to be invited.
thrilled (that7) (British English)
She was thrilled to bits (% extremely #leased that he'd been offered the (ob.
=Are you #leasedA> =$'m thrilled.>
Usage note: glad happy pleased delighted proud relieved thrilled
These words all describe #eo#le feeling ha##y about something that has ha##ened or is going to ha##en.
glad 1not usually before noun2 ha##y about something or grateful for it3 #e %as glad he(d come& 0he %as glad %hen the meeting %as
over&
happy #leased about something nice that you have to do or something that has ha##ened to somebody3 2e are happy to announce the
engagement of our daughter&
pleased 1not before noun2 ha##y about something that has ha##ened or something that you have to do3 0he %as very pleased %ith her
exam results& 3ou(re coming8 1(m so pleased&
glad" happy or pleased%
:eeling pleased can suggest that you have (udged somebody!something and a##rove of them. :eeling glad can be more about feeling
grateful for something. 4ou cannot be =glad with somebody>3 )he boss should be glad %ith you. Happy can mean glad, #leased or
satisfied.
delighted very #leased about something5 very ha##y to do something5 showing your delight3 1(m delighted at your ne%s&
&elighted is often used to acce#t an invitation3 =?an you stay for dinnerA> =$'d be delighted (to.>
proud #leased and satisfied about something that you own or have done, or are connected with3 proud parents #e %as proud of
himself for not giving up&
relieved feeling ha##y because something un#leasant has sto##ed or has not ha##ened5 showing this3 3ou(ll be relieved to $no% your +obs
are safe&
thrilled 1not before noun2 (rather informal extremely #leased and excited about something3 1 %as thrilled to be invited&
delighted or thrilled%
!hrilled may ex#ress a stronger feeling than delighted, but delighted can be made stronger with absolutely, more than or only too.
!hrilled can be made negative and ironic with not exactly or less than3 0he %as not exactly thrilled at the prospect of loo$ing after her
niece&
glad!ha##y!#leased!delighted!relieved!thrilled about something
#leased!delighted!relieved!thrilled at something
glad!ha##y!#leased!delighted!thrilled for somebody
glad!ha##y!#leased!delighted!#roud!relieved!thrilled that%/to see/hear/find/'no&%
very glad!ha##y!#leased!#roud!relieved
absolutely delighted!thrilled