(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) an important piece of legislation
(2) New legislation on the sale of drugs will be introduced next year.
(3) legislation will be difficult and will take time.

(1) mercury, the solar system innermost planet, never strays far from the sun.
(2) At present, caustic soda childbirth has baffle law, mercury law and ionic membrane law.
(3) mercury in Gemini is helpful for getting your across at work.

(1) a particularly apt description/name/comment
(2) apt to be forgetful/careless
(3) Babies are apt to put objects into their mouths.

(1) offensive remarks
(2) His comments were deeply offensive to a large number of single mothers.
(3) The programme contains language which some viewers may find offensive.

(1) a driving instructor
(2) ...tuition from an approved driving instructor.
(3) Not only a top level racer, but Kareem has proven himself as a top level instructor.

(1) a fearless mountaineer
(2) ...his fearless campaigning for racial justice.
(3) He is a fearless champion on the battlefield.

(1) a flask of tea/coffee
(2) He took out a metal flask from a canvas bag.
(3) ...flasks for the transport of spent fuel.

(1) The course is essentially theoretical in orientation.
(2) Companies have been forced into a greater orientation to the market.
(3) religious/political orientation

(1) The show was good entertainment value .
(2) a budget for the entertainment of clients
(3) radio, television and other forms of entertainment

(1) a pledge of support
(2) Will the government honour its election pledge not to raise taxes?
(3) Management has given a pledge that there will be no job losses this year.

(1) The word ‘planet ’ literally means ‘wandering body ’.
(2) When I told you to ‘get lost ’ I didn't expect to be taken literally .
(3) There are literally hundreds of prizes to win.

(1) They've gone on an excursion to York.
(2) After a brief excursion into drama, he concentrated on his main interest, which was poetry.
(3) In Bermuda, Sam's father took him on an excursion to a coral barrier.

(1) She stood hesitating on the threshold.
(2) He stepped across the threshold.
(3) He has a low boredom threshold (= he gets bored easily) .

(1) Your dishcloth can harbour many germs.
(2) She began to harbour doubts about the decision.
(3) The arsonist may harbour a grudge against the company.

(1) strong/high winds
(2) gale-force winds
(3) a light wind

(1) a merchant banker
(2) ...a merchant banker.
(3) ...an investment banker.

(1) skilled personnel
(2) sales/technical/medical/security/military, etc. personnel
(3) the personnel department/manager

(1) The President intervened personally in the crisis.
(2) She might have been killed if the neighbours hadn't intervened.
(3) ‘But, ’ she intervened, ‘what about the others? ’

(1) a shuttle service between London and Edinburgh
(2) Her childhood was spent shuttling between her mother and father.
(3) A bus shuttles passengers back and forth from the station to the terminal.

(1) You are under no obligation to buy anything.
(2) She did not feel under any obligation to tell him the truth.
(3) I don't want people coming to see me out of a sense of obligation .

(1) The barometer is falling (= showing that it will probably rain) .
(2) Infant mortality is a reliable barometer of socio-economic conditions.
(3) barometric pressure

(1) The insurance policy covers the building and any fixtures contained therein.
(2) He works extremely hard and therein lies the key to his success.
(3) By burning tree branches, pine needles, and pine cones, many not only warm their houses but improve the smell therein.

(1) He broke his nose in the fight.
(2) She wrinkled her nose in disgust.
(3) He blew his nose (= cleared it by blowing strongly into a handkerchief ) .

(1) It's a local custom .
(2) It is the custom in that country for women to marry young.
(3) It was her custom to rise early.

(1) If the warranty is limited, the terms may entitle you to a replacement or refund.
(2) Golden parachutes entitle them to a full year's salary if they get booted out of the company.
(3) How does one entitle the queen when speaking directly to her?

(1) Each word was freighted with anger.
(2) passenger and freight transportation services
(3) to send goods by air freight

(1) tropical fish
(2) tropical Africa
(3) a tropical island

(1) typing and shorthand
(2) to take sth down in shorthand
(3) a shorthand typist

(1) the northern latitudes
(2) In the middle to high latitudes rainfall has risen steadily over the last 20-30 years.
(3) He would be given every latitude in forming a new government...

(1) I wouldn't advertise the fact that you don't have a work permit.
(2) to advertise a product/a business/your services
(3) The cruise was advertised as the ‘journey of a lifetime ’.

(1) traditional crafts like basket-weaving
(2) a craft fair/workshop
(3) craft, Design and Technology (= a subject in some British schools)

(1) (humorous)The sandwiches were microscopic!
(2) a microscopic creature/particle
(3) a microscopic analysis/examination

(1) Doctors think he will go blind .
(2) blind and partially sighted people
(3) One of her parents is blind.

(1) He does an imitation of Tony Blair.
(2) Many corporate methods have been adopted by American managers in imitation of Japanese practice.
(3) A child learns to talk by imitation.

(1) He showed remarkable endurance throughout his illness.
(2) They were humiliated beyond endurance .
(3) This event tests both physical and mental endurance.

(1) When burnt, plastic produces dangerous by-products.
(2) One of the by-products of unemployment is an increase in crime.
(3) A by-product of their meeting was the release of these fourteen men.

(1) Henry Purcell , English composer, died in London from tuberculosis.
(2) The music by that composer is always so melodious.
(3) The composer wove three separate melodies into his composition.

(1) All the children were well nourished and in good physical condition.
(2) By investing in education, we nourish the talents of our children.
(3) nourishing food

(1) Since 1978, the amount of money available to buy books has fallen by 17%...
(2) There are three small boats available for hire...
(3) Mr Leach is on holiday and was not available for comment.