(1) The announcement provoked a storm of protest.
(2) The article was intended to provoke discussion.
(3) Dairy products may provoke allergic reactions in some people.

(1) She tugged at his sleeve to get his attention.
(2) (figurative)a sad story that tugs at your heartstrings (= makes you feel sad)
(3) The baby was tugging her hair.

(1) Be careful crossing the main road .
(2) the main course (= of a meal)
(3) We have our main meal at lunchtime.

(1) The company is halving its prices.
(2) The shares have halved in value .
(3) halve the pineapple and scoop out the inside.

(1) I can't abide people with no sense of humour.
(2) He couldn't abide the thought of being cooped up in an office.
(3) May joy and peace abide in us all.

(1) It was her first official engagement .
(2) I had to refuse because of a prior engagement .
(3) The general tried to avoid an engagement with the enemy.

(1) She made an impassioned plea for help.
(2) a plea to industries to stop pollution
(3) He refused to listen to her tearful pleas.

(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) the arc of a rainbow
(2) The beach swept around in an arc.
(3) The Aleutian chain is a long arc of islands in the North Pacific.

(1) to fly at the speed of sound
(2) A stork flew slowly past.
(3) A wasp had flown in through the window.

(1) a porcelain figure
(2) There were lilies everywhere in tall white porcelain vases.
(3) ...decorative 17th and 18th century porcelains.

(1) The mixture will solidify into toffee.
(2) solidified lava
(3) Vague objections to the system solidified into firm opposition.

(1) flu symptoms
(2) Look out for symptoms of depression.
(3) symptoms include a headache and sore throat.

(1) Don't be such an ass!
(2) I made an ass of myself at the meeting─standing up and then forgetting the question.
(3) He damn well better not try it now or he will damn well get his ass kicked.

(1) ‘I won't go, ’ she said decidedly.
(2) Amy was looking decidedly worried.
(3) Sometimes he is decidedly uncomfortable at what he sees on the screen...

(1) small/independent/local traders
(2) bond/currency traders
(3) Market traders display an exotic selection of the island's produce.

(1) She plays the flute in the school orchestra.
(2) the Scottish Symphony orchestra
(3) ...the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic orchestra.

(1) It was absolutely frightful!
(2) This room's in a frightful mess.
(3) a frightful accident

(1) a clove of garlic (= one section of it)
(2) garlicky breath/food
(3) ...a clove of garlic.

(1) At High Mass the priest preached a sermon on the devil.
(2) Sometimes the rector came up and preached a sermon.
(3) The minister preaches a sermon now and then.

(1) security lights with an infrared sensor (= that come on when a person is near them)
(2) The latest Japanese vacuum cleaners contain sensors that detect the amount of dust and type of floor.
(3) ...a light sensor.

(1) The campaign is intended to heighten public awareness of the disease.
(2) Tension has heightened after the recent bomb attack.
(3) These latest murders have heightened fears of further attacks...

(1) Poor posture, sitting or walking slouched over, compresses the body's organs...
(2) Air will compress but the brake fluid won't.
(3) He never understood how to organize or compress large masses of material...

(1) John yawned and scratched his chin.
(2) The dog scratched itself behind the ear.
(3) Try not to scratch.

(1) the need to improve facilities for leisure and recreation
(2) the increasing use of land for recreation
(3) His recreations include golf, football and shooting.

(1) They were caught smuggling diamonds into the country.
(2) He managed to smuggle a gun into the prison.
(3) smuggled drugs

(1) I ripped my jeans on the fence.
(2) The flags had been ripped in two.
(3) She ripped the letter open .

(1) Eight kilometres is roughly equivalent to five miles.
(2) 250 grams or an equivalent amount in ounces
(3) [不可数名词](formal)There is no straightforward equivalence between economic progress and social well-being.

(1) In the shortcut menu that appears next to the glyph, select the Add Column item.
(2) There used to be a shortcut behind the hotel.
(3) A shortcut is the shortest distance between two points.

(1) a triangular contest in an election
(2) ...cottages around a triangular green.
(3) …triangular bandages to make slings.

(1) a whole salmon
(2) smoked salmon
(3) wild and farmed salmon

(1) They were hounded day and night by the press.
(2) Rainey's chief interest in life is hunting with hounds.
(3) Newcomers are constantly hounding them for advice...

(1) buddhism had to adapt to the new world or perish.
(2) Untypically for a man in that situation he became interested in buddhism.
(3) In 1741 Catherine the Great issued an edict of toleration for buddhism.

(1) It's a great place for swimming, but beware dangerous currents.
(2) Motorists have been warned to beware of icy roads.
(3) beware of saying anything that might reveal where you live.

(1) Police are warning the public to be on the alert for suspicious packages.
(2) More than 5 000 troops have been placed on (full) alert .
(3) a bomb/fire alert

(1) He claimed that the whole affair had been hushed up by the council.
(2) (British English,informal) Can we have a bit of hush? (= please be quiet)
(3) There was a deathly hush in the theatre.

(1) a hatch to the attic
(2) an escape hatch
(3) a serving hatch

(1) She has always been encouraged to swim to build up the strength of her muscles...
(2) He threw it forward with all his strength...
(3) Something gave me the strength to overcome the difficulty...

(1) a baseball bat/team/stadium
(2) She teaches English in a middle school.
(3) The thugs beat him senseless with a baseball bat.

(1) a homely child
(2) His landlady was a kind, homely woman.
(3) homely cooking