(1) It was an inevitable consequence of the decision.
(2) It was inevitable that there would be job losses.
(3) A rise in the interest rates seems inevitable.

(1) I try to do my job to the best of my ability (= as well as I can) .
(2) A woman of her ability will easily find a job.
(3) He was a man of extraordinary abilities.

(1) Newton's laws of motion
(2) The swaying motion of the ship was making me feel seasick.
(3) (formal)Do not alight while the train is still in motion (= moving) .

(1) He pulled out to overtake a truck.
(2) It's dangerous to overtake on a bend.
(3) Nuclear energy may overtake oil as the main fuel.

(1) The final team selection will be made tomorrow.
(2) the random selection of numbers
(3) selection criteria

(1) The dreaded sea monster has been eating fisherman.
(2) In the opera he plays the part of an old fisherman.
(3) Then a cod with a grin pulled the fisherman in.

(1) He equipped himself with a street plan.
(2) The centre is well equipped for canoeing and mountaineering.
(3) The course is designed to equip students for a career in nursing.

(1) a plentiful supply of food
(2) In those days jobs were plentiful.
(3) Evidence is plentifully available.

(1) the bus queue
(2) I had to join a queue for the toilets.
(3) How long were you in the queue ?

(1) complex machinery
(2) the complex structure of the human brain
(3) a complex argument/problem/subject

(1) We've got a spare bedroom, if you'd like to stay.
(2) I'm afraid I haven't got any spare cash .
(3) Are there any tickets going spare (= are there any available, not being used by sb else) ?

(1) Buses run frequently between the city and the airport.
(2) some of the most frequently asked questions about the Internet
(3) Bordeaux is on the main Paris-Madrid line so there are frequent trains...

(1) to negotiate a peace settlement
(2) The management and unions have reached a settlement over new working conditions.
(3) an out-of-court settlement (= money that is paid to sb or an agreement that is made to stop sb going to court)

(1) You'll have the opportunity to ask any questions at the end.
(2) There was no opportunity for further discussion.
(3) At least give him the opportunity of explaining what happened.

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

(1) The probability is that prices will rise rapidly.
(2) There seemed to be a high probability of success.
(3) A fall in interest rates is a strong probability in the present economic climate.

(1) a cup of hot sweet tea
(2) sweet food
(3) I had a craving for something sweet.

(1) He expressed his sorrow at the news of her death.
(2) They said that the decision was made more in sorrow than in anger .
(3) the joys and sorrows of childhood

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

(1) This does not attach any blame to you.
(2) attach the coupon to the front of your letter.
(3) I attach a copy of my notes for your information.

(1) a coat pocket
(2) I put the note in my pocket.
(3) Turn out your pockets (= empty your pockets) .

(1) a voluntary agreement
(2) Attendance on the course is purely voluntary.
(3) to pay voluntary contributions into a pension fund

(1) The Liberals were traditionally seen as the more pacific party.
(2) All I ever wanted to do was make movies.
(3) The night is pacific.

(1) A recent survey showed 75% of those questioned were in favour of the plan.
(2) The survey revealed that…
(3) to conduct/carry out a survey

(1) business goals and targets
(2) attainment targets
(3) Set yourself targets that you can reasonably hope to achieve.

(1) Her questions about my private life embarrassed me.
(2) I didn't want to embarrass him by kissing him in front of his friends.
(3) It embarrassed her to meet strange men in the corridor at night.

(1) a charming country cottage with roses around the door
(2) (British English)a holiday cottage
(3) They used to have a cottage in N.W. Scotland...

(1) a weekly/monthly magazine
(2) a magazine article/interview
(3) Her designer clothes were from the pages of a glossy fashion magazine.

(1) a hearth rug (= in front of a fireplace )
(2) A Persian rug covered the hardwood floors.
(3) The old lady was seated in her chair at the window, a rug over her knees.

(1) a pint/litre of milk
(2) a bottle/carton of milk
(3) fresh/dried/powdered milk

(1) Be not he a farmer?
(2) The lion was roaring triumphantly.
(3) A lion at home, a mouse abroad.

(1) The relationship between the police and the local community has improved.
(2) She has a very close relationship with her sister.
(3) I have established a good working relationship with my boss.

(1) collective leadership/decision-making/responsibility
(2) collective memory (= things that a group of people or a community know or remember, that are often passed from parents to children)
(3) The collective name for mast, boom and sails on a boat is the ‘rig ’.

(1) I can see I will have to revise my opinions of his abilities now.
(2) The government may need to revise its policy in the light of this report.
(3) a revised edition of a textbook

(1) to earn/establish/build a reputation
(2) to have a good/bad reputation
(3) She soon acquired a reputation as a first-class cook.

(1) a slight increase/change/delay/difference
(2) I woke up with a slight headache.
(3) The damage was slight.

(1) insert coins into the slot and press for a ticket.
(2) They inserted a tube in his mouth to help him breathe.
(3) Position the cursor where you want to insert a word.

(1) Is there any way of stretching shoes?
(2) The procession stretched for several miles...
(3) He had burns that stretched from his neck to his hips.

(1) You should dress for cold weather today.
(2) She always dressed entirely in black.
(3) He was dressed as a woman (= he was wearing women's clothes) .

(1) I hate to see animals suffering.
(2) He suffers from asthma.
(3) road accident victims suffering from shock