(1) our main/major competitor
(2) Over 200 competitors entered the race.
(3) Herbert Blocker of Germany, one of the oldest competitors, won the individual silver medal.

(1) Which journals does the library subscribe to?
(2) We subscribe to several sports channels (= on TV) .
(3) He subscribed to a newsgroup (= on the Internet) .

(1) to do up/undo/open/close a zip
(2) My zip's stuck.
(3) We won four zip (4–0) .

(1) a gold ring
(2) A diamond glittered on her ring finger (= the finger next to the little finger, especially on the left hand) .
(3) a key ring

(1) It depends on the darkness of your skin.
(2) the forces of darkness
(3) There is an extra hour of darkness on winter mornings.

(1) In april 1944 he was killed on active service.
(2) The present assembly will be dissolved on april 30th.
(3) Millions of wild flowers colour the valleys, especially in april and May.

(1) They have two boys and a girl.
(2) Her eldest boy is at college.
(3) a delivery boy

(1) He was not stupid, just lazy.
(2) I was feeling too lazy to go out.
(3) We spent a lazy day on the beach.

(1) Cancer kills thousands of people every year.
(2) Three people were killed in the crash.
(3) He tried to kill himself with sleeping pills.

(1) We received a letter of apology.
(2) (formal)She made her apologies and left early.
(3) The meeting started with apologies (= the names of people who said they could not go to the meeting) .

(1) I broke my leg playing football.
(2) How many legs does a centipede have?
(3) front/back legs

(1) Trim off the excess pastry using a sharp knife...
(2) He had simply used a little imagination...
(3) You used all the ice cubes and didn't put the ice trays back...

(1) Broadway theatres
(2) an open-air theatre
(3) How often do you go to the theatre ?

(1) The guard is/are being inspected today.
(2) the changing of the guard (= when one group replaces another)
(3) the captain of the guard

(1) The United States of America is commonly abbreviated to u.s.a..
(2) He was a good cavalryman and swordsman in the u.s.a. Army.
(3) We can get preferential duty rates when we ship to the u.s.a.

(1) a merry grin
(2) ‘Can I bring a friend to your party? ’ ‘Sure─the more the merrier! ’
(3) He was much loved for his merry nature...

(1) With the year increased and the soil sandy increased, the glasshouse cucumber's wilt disease increased.
(2) I live in my own little 24 glasshouse.
(3) That method has the good function in modern glasshouse.

(1) It gave me a big thrill to meet my favourite author in person.
(2) the thrill of catching a really big fish
(3) She gets an obvious thrill out of performing.

(1) Virus is smaller than bacterium living things, explains once bacterium, its creation, growth growth and structure.
(2) A bacterium Neisseria meningitidis that causes cerebrospinal meningitis.
(3) Compound bacterium will not directly affect aquatic biology but improve the survival environment of aquatic biology.

(1) Please inform us of any changes of address.
(2) I have been reliably informed (= somebody I trust has told me) that the couple will marry next year.
(3) ‘He's already left, ’ she informed us.

(1) A stopwatch is used to obtain the optimum procedure.
(2) Harmonic Motion: experimental board, spring weight , loaded board, counterpoise, stopwatch.
(3) He started timing them a stopwatch, and they got faster.

(1) Bob spent fifteen months alone on his yacht. Ann, meanwhile, took care of the children on her own.
(2) The doctor will see you again next week. meanwhile, you must rest as much as possible.
(3) Stress can be extremely damaging to your health. Exercise, meanwhile, can reduce its effects.

(1) a cup/mug/pot of tea
(2) lemon/iced tea
(3) Would you like tea or coffee?

(1) to found a club/company
(2) Her family founded the college in 1895.
(3) The town was founded by English settlers in 1790.

(1) She was condemned to hang for killing her husband.
(2) They were condemned to a life of hardship.
(3) He was condemned to spend the rest of the football season on the bench.

(1) to obey a command/an order/rules/the law
(2) He had always obeyed his parents without question.
(3) ‘Sit down! ’ Meekly, she obeyed.

(1) racial hatred/prejudice/tension/violence
(2) racial equality
(3) They have pledged to end racial discrimination in areas such as employment.

(1) a large area/family/house/car/appetite
(2) a large number of people
(3) very large sums of money

(1) Poverty and ignorance are the enemies of progress.
(2) behind enemy lines (= the area controlled by the enemy)
(3) enemy forces/aircraft/territory

(1) These pets require a lot of care and attention.
(2) This condition requires urgent treatment.
(3) Do you require anything else? (= in a shop/store, for example)

(1) to lie on your back/side/front
(2) The cat was lying fast asleep by the fire.
(3) Clothes were lying all over the floor.

(1) Oil and water do not mix.
(2) Oil does not mix with water.
(3) mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.

(1) The dog stood listening, its ears cocked.
(2) to cock a snook at authority
(3) I really cocked that exam up!

(1) They left for Spain early this morning.
(2) See you tomorrow morning .
(3) I prefer coffee in the morning .

(1) Her arm was beginning to swell up where the bee had stung her.
(2) The sails swelled (out) in the wind.
(3) The wind swelled (out) the sails.

(1) a passenger train (= carrying passengers, not goods)
(2) The firm cannot afford to carry passengers.
(3) Mr Fullemann was a passenger in the car when it crashed.

(1) The rope broke and she fell 50 metres onto the rocks.
(2) We tied his hands together with rope.
(3) The anchor was attached to a length of rope.

(1) A parked car was obstructing the highway.
(2) highway patrol officers closed the road.
(3) an interstate highway

(1) unfair criticism
(2) It seems unfair on him to make him pay for everything.
(3) It would be unfair not to let you have a choice.