(1) to make a terrible blunder
(2) a series of political blunders
(3) The government had blundered in its handling of the affair.

(1) a hail of arrows/bullets
(2) a hail of abuse
(3) We drove through hail and snow.

(1) to give a grunt of effort/pain
(2) He grunted something about being late and rushed out.
(3) When I told her what had happened she just grunted and turned back to her book.

(1) [单数]the clatter of horses' hoofs
(2) She heard him clattering around downstairs.
(3) He dropped the knife and it clattered on the stone floor.

(1) Why do you persist in blaming yourself for what happened?
(2) She persisted in her search for the truth.
(3) He persisted with his questioning.

(1) He spoke fluently and without unnecessary hesitations.
(2) I have no hesitation in recommending her for the job.
(3) [不可数名词, 可数名词]She agreed without the slightest hesitation .

(1) We did not realize the magnitude of the problem.
(2) a discovery of the first magnitude
(3) The star varies in brightness by about three magnitudes.

(1) an infinite variety of plants
(2) a teacher with infinite patience
(3) (ironic)The company in its infinite wisdom decided to close the staff restaurant (= they thought it was a good thing to do, but nobody else agreed) .

(1) a gap in a hedge
(2) Leave a gap between your car and the next.
(3) a gap in the conversation

(1) food/housing/water shortages
(2) a shortage of funds
(3) There is no shortage of (= there are plenty of) things to do in the town.

(1) senator McCarthy
(2) He has served as a Democratic senator for Texas since 2000.
(3) [只用于名词前]a senatorial candidate

(1) They left under the cloak of darkness.
(2) The hills were cloaked in thick mist.
(3) The meeting was cloaked in mystery .

(1) ...a bright red dress.
(2) ...the bright uniforms of the guards parading at Buckingham Palace.
(3) ...a bright October day...

(1) If you have not kept a pet parrot before, it would be wise to purchase a handbook on the subject.
(2) ...the AA Members' handbook.
(3) He also gives Jessica the StarComp employee handbook.

(1) to have a wide/limited vocabulary
(2) your active vocabulary (= the words that you use)
(3) your passive vocabulary (= the words that you understand but don't use)

(1) British exports have been handicapped by the strong pound.
(2) Not speaking the language proved to be a bigger handicap than I'd imagined.
(3) mental/physical/visual handicap

(1) Flying terrifies her.
(2) It was a terrifying experience.
(3) Flying terrifies him...

(1) periodic checks are carried out on the equipment.
(2) Mailing lists are updated periodically.
(3) periodic checks are taken to ensure that high standards are maintained.

(1) a highly respectable neighbourhood
(2) a respectable married man
(3) Go and make yourself look respectable.

(1) They appointed a new manager to coordinate the work of the team.
(2) We need to develop a coordinated approach to the problem.
(3) This shade coordinates with a wide range of other colours.

(1) The commission is calling for a global ban on whaling.
(2) the company's domestic and global markets
(3) We need to take a more global approach to the problem.

(1) Oh damn! I forgot he was coming.
(2) Where's that damn book!
(3) The damned thing won't start!

(1) The prime minister was assassinated by extremists.
(2) a plot to assassinate the president
(3) [不可数名词, 可数名词]The president survived a number of assassination attempts.

(1) The prisoner had to be restrained by the police.
(2) They have obtained an injunction restraining the company from selling the product.
(3) He placed a restraining hand on her arm.

(1) According to superstition, breaking a mirror brings bad luck.
(2) Fortune-telling is a very much debased art surrounded by superstition...
(3) The phantom of the merry-go-round is just a local superstition.

(1) to apply for a visa
(2) an entry/tourist/transit/exit visa
(3) His visitor's visa expired.

(1) senseless violence
(2) His death was a senseless waste of life.
(3) It's senseless to continue any further.

(1) a fruit/flower/antiques market
(2) an indoor/a street market
(3) market stalls/traders

(1) What joy, what rapture, what glory to see him again!
(2) I stare in rapture at the ball.
(3) Charles listened with rapture to her singing.

(1) to rectify a fault
(2) We must take steps to rectify the situation.
(3) The damage will be easily rectifiable.

(1) hurricane Betty is now approaching the coast of Florida.
(2) hurricane-force winds
(3) The music was a hurricane of sound which srirs one's very soul.

(1) They were imprisoned and deprived of their basic rights.
(2) Why should you deprive yourself of such simple pleasures?
(3) The disintegration of the Soviet Union deprived western intelligence agencies of their main enemies...

(1) The board completely disregarded my recommendations.
(2) Safety rules were disregarded.
(3) She shows a total disregard for other people's feelings.

(1) workmen with picks and shovels
(2) (North Amercian English)The children took their pails and shovels to the beach.
(3) A gang of workmen were shovelling rubble onto a truck.

(1) a popular continental holiday resort
(2) Britain's continental neighbours
(3) a continental lifestyle

(1) The area was covered in dense jungle.
(2) the jungles of South-East Asia
(3) jungle warfare

(1) He offered $4 000 for the car.
(2) Josie had offered her services as a guide.
(3) He offered some useful advice.

(1) He winked at her and she knew he was thinking the same thing that she was.
(2) We could see the lights of the ship winking in the distance.
(3) He gave her a knowing wink.

(1) ...dark, viscous blood.
(2) This mass of black, viscous liquid flows along the ground in utter silence.
(3) Chemical Industry: acid, alkali, salt solution, a variety of viscous, pasty emulsion chemical grout.

(1) a resident of the United States
(2) There were confrontations between local residents and the police.
(3) The hotel restaurant is open to non-residents.