(1) a population of half a million
(2) tens of millions of dollars
(3) It must be worth a million (= pounds, dollars, etc.)

(1) Don't throw that away─it might come in handy.
(2) The extra money came in very handy.
(3) to be handy around the house

(1) english has hurt me a thousand times, but I still regard it as my first love.
(2) The papers in maths and english are very testing.
(3) Why are Geography, Drama, Art and english in the ascendant?

(1) We have no way of verifying his story.
(2) Please verify that there is sufficient memory available before loading the program.
(3) I'll leave you to verify whether these claims are true.

(1) secret information/meetings/talks
(2) He tried to keep it secret from his family.
(3) Details of the proposals remain secret.

(1) a valid passport
(2) a bus pass valid for 1 month
(3) They have a valid claim to compensation.

(1) It's a matter of personal preference .
(2) Many people expressed a strong preference for the original plan.
(3) I can't say that I have any particular preference.

(1) I like films with plenty of action.
(2) New York is where the action is .
(3) the action of sunlight on the skin

(1) cheap perfume/jewellery/shoes
(2) I was tired of his cheap jokes at my expense.
(3) He's just a cheap crook.

(1) a long skirt with a slit up the side
(2) His eyes narrowed into slits.
(3) slit the roll with a sharp knife.

(1) an old house with crumbling plaster and a leaking roof
(2) (British English)She broke her leg a month ago and it's still in plaster .
(3) a plaster bust of Julius Caesar

(1) (figurative,humorous)There's not much meat on her (= she is very thin).
(2) a piece/slice of meat
(3) horse meat (= from a horse)

(1) She was knocked unconscious .
(2) They found him lying unconscious on the floor.
(3) unconscious desires

(1) religious/cultural, etc. traditions
(2) This region is steeped in tradition .
(3) The company has a long tradition of fine design.

(1) a financial reward
(2) a reward for good behaviour
(3) The company is now reaping the rewards of their investments.

(1) We swam in the lake.
(2) lake Ontario
(3) (figurative)a wine lake (= a large supply of wine that is not being used)

(1) A C Milan lost the Italian Cup Final...
(2) The government lost the argument over the pace of reform...
(3) I lost my keys...

(1) Does the hotel have a pool?
(2) relaxing by the pool
(3) freshwater pools

(1) photographic equipment/film/images
(2) They produced a photographic record of the event.
(3) His paintings are almost photographic in detail.

(1) We're going away in the summer .
(2) It's very hot here in summer .
(3) in the summer of 2005

(1) She won a scholarship to study at Stanford.
(2) He went to drama school on a scholarship .
(3) a magnificent work of scholarship

(1) She's very conscious of the problems involved.
(2) He became acutely conscious of having failed his parents.
(3) I was vaguely conscious that I was being watched.

(1) fighter/transport/military aircraft
(2) The return flight of the aircraft was delayed...
(3) At least three military aircraft were destroyed.

(1) Patience is one of the most important attributes in a teacher.
(2) [不可数名词]The attribution of this painting to Rembrandt has never been questioned.
(3) This play is usually attributed to Shakespeare.

(1) I'm not boring you, am I?
(2) Has he been boring you with his stories about his trip?
(3) The drill is strong enough to bore through solid rock.

(1) our Delhi correspondent
(2) She's a poor correspondent (= she does not write regularly) .
(3) a foreign/war/sports, etc. correspondent

(1) to express/feel sympathy for sb
(2) I have no sympathy for Jan, it's all her own fault.
(3) I wish he'd show me a little more sympathy.

(1) holy cow! What was that?
(2) Islam's holiest shrine
(3) a holy life/man

(1) Madonna was her teenage heroine.
(2) The heroine is played by Demi Moore.
(3) the heroines of the revolution

(1) All flights have been cancelled because of bad weather.
(2) Don't forget to cancel the newspaper (= arrange for it not to be delivered) before going away.
(3) to cancel a policy/subscription

(1) to sprain/break your ankle
(2) My ankles have swollen.
(3) We found ourselves ankle-deep in water.

(1) She urged him to stay.
(2) The report urged that all children be taught to swim.
(3) The situation is dangerous, and the UN is urging caution.

(1) rough ground
(2) The skin on her hands was hard and rough.
(3) Trim rough edges with a sharp knife.

(1) The call-up of National Guard and reserve units begun in late august.
(2) The letter was franked in London on august 6.
(3) They were married on august 9 in a civil ceremony in Venice.

(1) Pick up a quart of milk or a loaf of bread.
(2) One fifth of a gallon or four fifths of a quart of liquor.
(3) The quarrelsome general quarreled about a quarter quart of oil in the headquarters.

(1) the technology of modern civilization
(2) The Victorians regarded the railways as bringing progress and civilization.
(3) the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome

(1) It really goes against the grain to have to work on a Sunday.
(2) wood of coarse/fine grain
(3) to cut a piece of wood along/across the grain

(1) selfish behaviour
(2) Do you think I'm being selfish by not letting her go?
(3) What a selfish thing to do!

(1) Have you discussed the problem with anyone?
(2) I'm not prepared to discuss this on the phone.
(3) We need to discuss when we should go.

(1) to issue/extend an invitation
(2) to accept/turn down/decline an invitation
(3) an invitation to the party