(1) the destructive effects of anxiety
(2) the destructive power of modern weapons
(3) Guilt can be very destructive.

(1) plant/animal/human ecology
(2) the ecology movement
(3) Oil pollution could damage the fragile ecology of the coral reefs.

(1) [不可数名词]He didn't like the degree of sexual explicitness in the film.
(2) The report states explicitly that the system was to blame.
(3) a sexually explicit film

(1) Who is your favourite author?
(2) He is the author of three books on art.
(3) best-selling author Joan Collins

(1) Does such an activity constitute a criminal offence?
(2) The increase in racial tension constitutes a threat to our society.
(3) Female workers constitute the majority of the labour force.

(1) a coral reef
(2) An unspoilt coral reef encloses the bay.
(3) The KAZ 11 was spotted adrift on the outer Great Barrier reef on Wednesday.

(1) Her expression was watchful and alert.
(2) His mother kept a watchful eye on him.
(3) The children played under the watchful eye of their teacher.

(1) a ginger cat
(2) (British English)ginger biscuits
(3) ginger hair

(1) Mother was becoming too frail to live alone.
(2) the frail stems of the flowers
(3) Human nature is frail.

(1) There will be fines for people who drop litter .
(2) The floor was covered with a litter of newspapers, clothes and empty cups.
(3) cat litter

(1) The economics of the project are very encouraging.
(2) Keynsian/Marxist economics
(3) He studied politics and economics at Yale.

(1) Each bamboo house was surrounded by a thriving orchard.
(2) My orchard is bearing well this year.
(3) Until his death in 1986 Greenwood owned and operated an enormous pear orchard.

(1) The room filled with the hum of conversation.
(2) the hum of bees/traffic/voices
(3) The streets were beginning to hum with life.

(1) a hair clip
(2) toe clips on a bicycle
(3) a diamond clip

(1) application/system software
(2) design/educational/music-sharing, etc. software
(3) to install/run a piece of software

(1) For ten years she dwelled among the nomads of North America.
(2) So you made a mistake, but there's no need to dwell on it.
(3) I'd rather not dwell on the past.

(1) an unpublished/original manuscript
(2) I read her poems in manuscript .
(3) medieval illuminated manuscripts

(1) This luxurious talcum lotion restores softness and suppleness to dehydrated skin.
(2) The sea air robbed her hair of its softness.
(3) The fineness and softness of the dress caught her attention.

(1) She was commended on her handling of the situation.
(2) His designs were highly commended by the judges (= they did not get a prize but they were especially praised) .
(3) She is an excellent worker and I commend her to you without reservation.

(1) The rebellion was brutally suppressed.
(2) The police were accused of suppressing vital evidence.
(3) to suppress a smile

(1) First loosen the nuts, then take off the wheel.
(2) The rope holding the boat loosened.
(3) He loosened his grip and let her go.

(1) the election of a new pope
(2) pope John Paul
(3) a visit from the pope

(1) The pub is a favourite haunt of artists.
(2) That decision came back to haunt him .
(3) For years she was haunted by guilt.

(1) to violate international law
(2) She accused the press photographers of violating her privacy.
(3) to violate a grave

(1) an area of permanent/rough/rich pasture
(2) high mountain pastures
(3) The cattle were put out to pasture .

(1) a romantic comedy
(2) slapstick comedy
(3) He didn't appreciate the comedy of the situation.

(1) a political virgin
(2) an Internet virgin
(3) virgin forest/land/territory

(1) a stuffy room
(2) It gets very hot and stuffy in here in summer.
(3) a stuffy, formal family

(1) a witty speaker
(2) a witty remark
(3) His plays were very good, very witty...

(1) to be elected to fellowship of the British Academy
(2) ...a sense of community and fellowship.
(3) He was offered a research fellowship at Clare College.

(1) Only a small fraction of a bank's total deposits will be withdrawn at any one time.
(2) She hesitated for the merest fraction of a second.
(3) She hesitated for a fraction of a second before responding...

(1) Mineral oils are used to lubricate machinery.
(2) ...lubricating oil.
(3) Franklin's task was to lubricate the discussions with the French.

(1) a smile of great sweetness
(2) The air was filled with the sweetness of mimosa.
(3) It has not all been sweetness and light between him and the Prime Minister.

(1) the outermost planet
(2) He fired and hit the outermost ring of the target.
(3) ...the outermost corners of each room.

(1) The arrow pierced his shoulder.
(2) He pierced another hole in his belt with his knife.
(3) to have your ears/nose, etc. pierced (= to have a small hole made in your ears/nose so that you can wear jewellery there)

(1) a systematic approach to solving the problem
(2) a systematic attempt to destroy the organization
(3) The prisoner was subjected to systematic torture.

(1) She finished the race panting heavily.
(2) She could hear him panting up the stairs (= running up and breathing quickly) .
(3) He found her panting for breath at the top of the hill.

(1) Students over 25 fall into a different category .
(2) The results can be divided into three main categories .
(3) This book clearly falls into the category of fictionalised autobiography...

(1) I woke up covered in a rash.
(2) I come out in a rash (= a rash appears on my skin) if I eat chocolate.
(3) The sun brought her out in (= caused) an itchy rash.

(1) She took me into her confidence and told me about the problems she was facing.
(2) He is said to be very much in the President's confidence.
(3) I could never forgive Mike for betraying a confidence.