(1) a lace handkerchief
(2) a tablecloth edged with lace
(3) lace curtains

(1) in the late afternoon
(2) in late summer
(3) She married in her late twenties (= when she was 28 or 29) .

(1) She managed to cling on to life for another couple of years.
(2) survivors clinging to a raft
(3) She clung on to her baby.

(1) He felt as if a serpent had spat venom into his eyes.
(2) The serpent fascinated its prey.
(3) There's a serpent beside him.

(1) a hearty dislike of sth
(2) hearty congratulations to everyone involved.
(3) He nodded his head in hearty agreement.

(1) These paintings will form the nucleus of a new collection.
(2) Neutrons and protons are bound together in the nucleus of an atom.
(3) The Civic Movement could be the nucleus of a centrist party of the future.

(1) an enterprise with a turnover of $26 billion
(2) state-owned/public enterprises
(3) small and medium-sized enterprises

(1) The workpiece is already on the lathe.
(2) We used grinding machines only to smooth and finish a workpiece.
(3) The carriage feeds the tool while the workpiece rotates.

(1) a marginal improvement in weather conditions
(2) The story will only be of marginal interest to our readers.
(3) marginal groups in society

(1) a corrupt regime
(2) corrupt officials accepting bribes
(3) corrupt practices

(1) It was near the junction of City Road and Old Street.
(2) Come off the motorway at junction 6.
(3) a telephone junction box

(1) (British English)a jam doughnut
(2) strawberry jam
(3) recipes for jams and preserves

(1) a work of outstanding artistic merit
(2) The plan is entirely without merit.
(3) I want to get the job on merit .

(1) They went over budget (= spent too much money) .
(2) budget cuts
(3) tax cuts in this year's budget

(1) She has been nominated for the presidency.
(2) He was nominated (as) best actor.
(3) I have been nominated to the committee.

(1) Stop crying and don't be such a baby.
(2) He changed to another job and we were left holding the baby.
(3) baby carrots

(1) an arch tone of voice
(2) ‘Guess what? ’ she said archly.
(3) The cat arched its back and hissed.

(1) They narrowly escaped shipwreck in a storm in the North Sea.
(2) The contents of shipwrecks belong to the state.
(3) a shipwrecked sailor

(1) a mischievous gleam in his eye
(2) The gleam in his eye made her uncomfortable (= as if he was planning sth secret or unpleasant) .
(3) a gleam of triumph in her eyes

(1) the environmental impact of pollution
(2) environmental issues/problems
(3) an environmental group/movement (= that aims to improve or protect the natural environment)

(1) The operation could prolong his life by two or three years.
(2) Don't prolong the agony (= of not knowing sth) ─just tell us who won!
(3) Mr Chesler said foreign military aid was prolonging the war...

(1) to repay a debt/loan/mortgage
(2) When are you going to repay them?
(3) I'll repay the money I owe them next week.

(1) petty squabbles
(2) petty crime/theft (= that is not very serious)
(3) a petty criminal/thief

(1) notwithstanding some major financial problems, the school has had a successful year.
(2) The bad weather notwithstanding, the event was a great success.
(3) notwithstanding, the problem is a significant one.

(1) tables that fold flat for storage
(2) There's a lot of storage space in the loft.
(3) food storage facilities

(1) an incomplete set of figures
(2) Spoken language contains many incomplete sentences.
(3) The causes of the phenomenon are still incompletely understood.

(1) As I see it, we have two options…
(2) There are various options open to you.
(3) Going to college was not an option for me.

(1) His hand went limp and the knife clattered to the ground.
(2) She felt limp and exhausted.
(3) The hat had become limp and shapeless.

(1) Aircraft passed overhead with monotonous regularity .
(2) the striking regularity of her features
(3) They had observed regularities in the behaviour of the animals.

(1) Their failure to act is indicative of their lack of interest.
(2) In ‘Ben likes school ’, the verb ‘like ’ is in the indicative.
(3) The result was indicative of a strong retail market...

(1) She's been gossiping about you.
(2) I can't stand here gossiping all day.
(3) a gossipy letter/neighbour

(1) the team's midfield dynamo
(2) She's a human dynamo .
(3) Myles is a human dynamo.

(1) to have/exert a strong influence on sb
(2) the influence of the climate on agricultural production
(3) What exactly is the influence of television on children?

(1) ‘Don't be ridiculous! ’ Pat retorted angrily.
(2) Sam retorted that it was my fault as much as his.
(3) She bit back (= stopped herself from making) a sharp retort.

(1) He can be very obstinate when he wants to be!
(2) her obstinate refusal to comply with their request
(3) the obstinate problem of unemployment

(1) a gravel pit (= a place where gravel is taken from the ground)
(2) a gravel path
(3) ...a gravel path leading to the front door.

(1) I hate to disillusion you, but not everyone is as honest as you.
(2) There is disillusion with established political parties.
(3) He said he had been bitterly disillusioned by his country's failure to change into a democracy.

(1) the followers of Mahatma Gandhi
(2) keen followers of football
(3) a follower of fashion

(1) a two-year diploma course
(2) She is taking a diploma in management studies.
(3) a High School diploma

(1) She was overwhelmed by feelings of guilt.
(2) The beauty of the landscape overwhelmed me.
(3) The army was overwhelmed by the rebels.