(1) lofty ceilings/rooms/towers
(2) lofty ambitions/ideals/principles
(3) her lofty disdain for other people

(1) He claimed political asylum.
(2) He's not entitled to claim unemployment benefit.
(3) She claimed damages from the company for the injury she had suffered.

(1) the completion of the new hospital building
(2) Satisfactory completion of the course does not ensure you a job.
(3) The project is due for completion in the spring.

(1) academic/educational/professional/vocational qualifications
(2) a nursing/teaching, etc. qualification
(3) He left school with no formal qualifications .

(1) A strange thing happened this morning.
(2) She was looking at me in a very strange way.
(3) It's strange (that) we haven't heard from him.

(1) They went bankrupt in 1993.
(2) The company was declared bankrupt in the High Court.
(3) a government bankrupt of new ideas

(1) He knew that he could not transform society by one bugle blast.
(2) A loud bugle aroused everyone from sleep.
(3) Huang Xingguo said that the happy blueprint already drew , the bugle which advances boldly already sounded.

(1) Heat until all the water has evaporated.
(2) The sun is constantly evaporating the earth's moisture.
(3) Her confidence had now completely evaporated.

(1) The ship sank to the bottom of the sea.
(2) The sink was full of dirty dishes.
(3) ...the kitchen sink.

(1) administration costs are passed on to the customer.
(2) the day-to-day administration of a company
(3) I work in the Sales administration department.

(1) She was endowed with intelligence and wit.
(2) She had endowed Marcus with the qualities she wanted him to possess.
(3) to endow sb with a responsibility

(1) plans to outlaw the carrying of knives
(2) the outlawed nationalist party
(3) Robin Hood, the world's most famous outlaw

(1) He has led a charmed life (= he has been lucky even in dangerous or difficult situations) .
(2) her physical charms (= her beauty)
(3) a lucky charm

(1) She bridled at the suggestion that she was lying.
(2) She bridled, then simply shook her head...
(3) Alex bridled at the shortness of Pamela's tone.

(1) a moment of panic
(2) They were in a state of panic.
(3) Office workers fled in panic as the fire took hold.

(1) People were strolling along the beach.
(2) We went for a stroll in the park.
(3) He collected some orange juice from the refrigerator and, glass in hand, strolled to the kitchen window...

(1) The people yearned for peace.
(2) There was a yearning look in his eyes.
(3) She yearned to escape from her office job.

(1) The government is negotiating the release of the hostages.
(2) He was held hostage for almost a year.
(3) Three children were taken hostage during the bank robbery.

(1) The evidence against him was overwhelming.
(2) The overwhelming majority of those present were in favour of the plan.
(3) an overwhelming sense of loss

(1) What's the abbreviation for ‘Saint ’?
(2) The postal abbreviation for Kansas is KS.
(3) EVA is the abbreviation for Economic Value Added.

(1) The team will come through this barren patch and start to win again.
(2) a barren desert
(3) a barren landscape (= one that is empty, with few plants)

(1) sexual reproduction
(2) Use a black pen on white paper to ensure good reproduction.
(3) Digital recording gives excellent sound reproduction.

(1) a chill of fear/apprehension
(2) His words sent a chill down her spine .
(3) They were chilled by the icy wind.

(1) They were insistent on having a contract for the work.
(2) Why are you so insistent that we leave tonight?
(3) She didn't want to go but her brother was insistent.

(1) cooperative activity is essential to effective community work.
(2) Employees will generally be more cooperative if their views are taken seriously.
(3) a cooperative farm

(1) I can't go into details now; it would take too long.
(2) The brochure details all the hotels in the area and their facilities.
(3) Several of the men were detailed to form a search party.

(1) a striking feature
(2) She bears a striking resemblance to her older sister.
(3) In striking contrast to their brothers, the girls were both intelligent and charming.

(1) what do you want?...
(2) what did she tell you, anyway?...
(3) You can imagine what it would be like driving a car into a brick wall at 30 miles an hour...

(1) (North Amercian English)an herb garden
(2) a herb garden
(3) She set about brewing some herb tea.

(1) thermal energy
(2) thermal underwear
(3) thermal springs

(1) a hill with a gradient of 1 in 4 (or 25%)
(2) a steep gradient
(3) The courses are long and punishing, with steep gradients.

(1) the relative simplicity of the new PC
(2) For the sake of simplicity , let's divide the discussion into two parts.
(3) the simplicity of the architecture

(1) a kidney infection
(2) steak and kidney pie
(3) ...lambs' kidneys.

(1) members of the Royal ballet
(2) She wants to be a ballet dancer .
(3) ballet shoes

(1) Is there anybody who can help me?
(2) anybody can use the pool─you don't need to be a member.
(3) She wasn't anybody before she got that job.

(1) ...an annotated version of Mozart's opera that allows the listener to follow the score.
(2) Can you follow the plot so far?...
(3) I'm afraid I don't follow.

(1) a system of ropes and pulleys
(2) The weights are moved via a cable and pulley system.
(3) Fasten the pulley and the support block to your worktable.

(1) a ruthless dictator
(2) The way she behaved towards him was utterly ruthless.
(3) He has a ruthless determination to succeed.

(1) a clear and detailed exposition of their legal position
(2) The fullest exposition of Coleridge's thought can be found in the States-man's Manual.
(3) ...an art exposition.