(1) ...the local sheriff.
(2) ...sheriff Bob Cahill.
(3) ...the presiding judge, sheriff John Mowatt.

(1) to study composition
(2) the chemical composition of the soil
(3) the composition of the board of directors

(1) a fortress town enclosed by four miles of ramparts
(2) Fear of terrorist attack has turned the conference centre into a fortress.
(3) ...a 13th-century fortress.

(1) At the age of five he showed exceptional talent as a musician.
(2) The quality of the recording is quite exceptional .
(3) This deadline will be extended only in exceptional circumstances .

(1) Careless drivers hazard other people's lives as well as their own.
(2) ‘Is it Tom you're going with? ’ she hazarded.
(3) Would you like to hazard a guess ?

(1) Late again! What's your excuse this time?
(2) There's no excuse for such behaviour.
(3) His excuse for forgetting her birthday was that he had lost his diary.

(1) Separate the whites from the yolks.
(2) Only the yolk contains cholesterol.
(3) ...buttered toast dipped in egg yolk.

(1) The nurse applied pressure to his arm to stop the bleeding.
(2) The barriers gave way under the pressure of the crowd.
(3) air/water pressure

(1) to apply for/obtain a patent on an invention
(2) The device was protected by patent .
(3) patent applications/laws

(1) the hospitality industry (= hotels, restaurants, etc.)
(2) We were entertained in the company's hospitality suite .
(3) Thank you for your kind hospitality.

(1) a diesel engine (= one that burns diesel )
(2) diesel cars/locomotives/trains
(3) Our new car is a diesel.

(1) She rocked the baby to sleep in its cradle.
(2) Greece, the cradle of Western civilization
(3) The old man cradled the tiny baby in his arms.

(1) They're both uncertain about what to do.
(2) I'm still uncertain of my feelings for him.
(3) Our future looks uncertain.

(1) Its buildings are half-hidden behind grassy banks.
(2) And the half dozen canoes beached like bright fish along the grassy shore of the lake.
(3) This hill is grassy.

(1) She will be away for the indefinite future.
(2) an indefinite science
(3) The trial was adjourned for an indefinite period.

(1) The fire was banked up as high as if it were midwinter.
(2) It's on the north bank of the Thames.
(3) a house on the banks of the River Severn (= on land near the river)

(1) Her youngest child is at nursery now.
(2) nursery education
(3) a nursery teacher

(1) The unions mobilized thousands of workers in a protest against the cuts.
(2) They were unable to mobilize the resources they needed.
(3) The troops were ordered to mobilize.

(1) economic/moral/urban decay
(2) the decay of the old industries
(3) decaying leaves/teeth/food

(1) ...the molecular structure of fuel.
(2) The study of searching candidate gene on asthmatic molecular genetics has become a hot region worldwide.
(3) Quantum chemistry methods and molecular modeling technology are the main branches of the computational chemistry.

(1) Have you observed any changes lately?
(2) All the characters in the novel are closely observed (= seem like people in real life) .
(3) The police observed a man enter the bank.

(1) It is important that we put jesus into the context of history.
(2) Pilate ordered jesus to be brought forth.
(3) "But jesus is here!" the priest intoned.

(1) Baptist missionaries
(2) missionary work
(3) (figurative)She spoke about her new project with missionary zeal (= with great enthusiasm) .

(1) A dove cooed softly.
(2) He wore a dove-grey suit.
(3) He wore a dove-grey suit.

(1) The country's economy is now in grave peril.
(2) a warning about the perils of drug abuse
(3) ...the perils of the sea...

(1) to mount a protest/campaign/an exhibition
(2) Pressure is mounting on the government to change the law.
(3) The death toll continues to mount.

(1) a screen goddess (= a female film/movie star)
(2) Diana, the goddess of hunting
(3) ...Athena, the goddess of war.

(1) The photochemical reactions transform the light into electrical impulses.
(2) A new colour scheme will transform your bedroom.
(3) It was an event that would transform my life.

(1) an advocate for hospital workers
(2) a staunch advocate of free speech
(3) The group does not advocate the use of violence.

(1) Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.
(2) The investigation will try to find out where the guilt for the disaster really lies.
(3) an admission of guilt

(1) the metric system of measurement
(2) Accurate measurement is very important in science.
(3) to take sb's chest/waist measurement

(1) He's a versatile actor who has played a wide variety of parts.
(2) Eggs are easy to cook and are an extremely versatile food.
(3) [不可数名词]She is a designer of extraordinary versatility.

(1) to initiate legal proceedings against sb
(2) The government has initiated a programme of economic reform.
(3) Many of them had been initiated into drug use at an early age.

(1) I'm acting as deputy till the manager returns.
(2) the deputy head of a school
(3) The president appealed to deputies to approve the plan quickly.

(1) a bid for power
(2) a desperate bid to escape from his attackers
(3) I bade farewell to all the friends I had made in Paris.

(1) Their friendship soon deepened into love.
(2) Warships were sent in as the crisis deepened.
(3) a deepening economic recession

(1) our perception of reality
(2) visual perception
(3) She showed great perception in her assessment of the family situation.

(1) She needed to find an outlet for her many talents and interests.
(2) Sport became the perfect outlet for his aggression.
(3) The business has 34 retail outlets in this state alone.

(1) a hotel room with bath and shower
(2) He's in the shower .
(3) a shower cubicle

(1) The evening was deemed a great success.
(2) She deemed it prudent not to say anything.
(3) They would take any action deemed necessary .