(1) The world's resources are rapidly diminishing.
(2) His influence has diminished with time.
(3) Our efforts were producing diminishing returns (= we achieved less although we spent more time or money) .

(1) Political and personal ambitions are starting to prevail over economic interests.
(2) Justice will prevail over injustice.
(3) It was an argument in which neither side could prevail over the other.

(1) Residents were warned not to be extravagant with water, in view of the low rainfall this year.
(2) an extravagant present
(3) the extravagant claims/promises of politicians

(1) (North Amercian English)a bounce (= increase) in popularity
(2) one bounce of the ball
(3) There's not much bounce left in these balls.

(1) (especially North American English)Kerry's concession speech (= when he admitted that he had lost the election)
(2) the concession of university status to some colleges
(3) tax concessions

(1) He would never do anything to jeopardize his career.
(2) He has jeopardised the future of his government...
(3) The talks may still be jeopardized by disputes.

(1) Pollution can aggravate asthma.
(2) Military intervention will only aggravate the conflict even further.
(3) [不可数名词, 可数名词]The drug may cause an aggravation of the condition.

(1) the brutalities of war
(2) He was brutally assaulted.
(3) Let me be brutally frank about this.

(1) to initiate legal proceedings against sb
(2) The government has initiated a programme of economic reform.
(3) Many of them had been initiated into drug use at an early age.

(1) imaginary fears
(2) The equator is an imaginary line around the middle of the earth.
(3) ...creating an imaginary world.

(1) His paintings capture the essence of France.
(2) In essence (= when you consider the most important points) , your situation isn't so different from mine.
(3) (British English) coffee/vanilla/almond essence

(1) a strange/an extraordinary/a remarkable coincidence
(2) What a coincidence! I wasn't expecting to see you here.
(3) It's not a coincidence that none of the directors are women (= it did not happen by chance) .

(1) a marginal improvement in weather conditions
(2) The story will only be of marginal interest to our readers.
(3) marginal groups in society

(1) The two teams have always been rivals.
(2) The Japanese are our biggest economic rivals.
(3) This latest design has no rivals (= it is easily the best design available) .

(1) In the sentences ‘I'm angry ’ and ‘He became a politician ’, ‘angry ’ and ‘politician ’ are complements.
(2) We've taken our full complement of trainees this year.
(3) The team needs players who complement each other .

(1) The economy remains extremely fragile.
(2) fragile beauty
(3) The woman's fragile face broke into a smile.

(1) He has been Milan's most consistent player this season.
(2) We must be consistent in applying the rules.
(3) a consistent approach to the problem

(1) Our dog has a bald patch on its leg.
(2) a bald tyre (= a tyre whose surface has become smooth)
(3) The bald fact is that we don't need you any longer.

(1) The underlying assumption is that the amount of money available is limited.
(2) Unemployment may be an underlying cause of the rising crime rate.
(3) the underlying rock formation

(1) a notable success/achievement/example
(2) His eyes are his most notable feature .
(3) The town is notable for its ancient harbour.

(1) She refuses to acknowledge the need for reform.
(2) a generally acknowledged fact
(3) I did not acknowledge that he had done anything wrong.

(1) Our students are oriented towards science subjects.
(2) We run a commercially oriented operation.
(3) profit-orientated organizations

(1) Swallows migrate south in winter.
(2) Thousands were forced to migrate from rural to urban areas in search of work.
(3) The infected cells then migrate to other areas of the body.

(1) Gas ignites very easily.
(2) (figurative)Tempers ignited when the whole family spent Christmas together.
(3) Flames melted a lead pipe and ignited leaking gas.

(1) accusations of political bias in news programmes (= that reports are unfair and show favour to one political party)
(2) Employers must consider all candidates impartially and without bias.
(3) Some institutions still have a strong bias against women.

(1) They were accused of intimidating people into voting for them.
(2) She refused to be intimidated by their threats.
(3) [不可数名词]the intimidation of witnesses

(1) to plan/lead/go on an expedition to the North Pole
(2) Three members of the Everest expedition were killed.
(3) a shopping expedition

(1) Inflation continues to accelerate.
(2) Exposure to the sun can accelerate the ageing process.
(3) The runners accelerated smoothly around the bend.

(1) a trivial detail
(2) I know it sounds trivial , but I'm worried about it.
(3) I'll try to fix it ─ but it's not trivial (= it may be difficult to fix) .

(1) The washing instructions are on the label.
(2) price/address labels
(3) We tested various supermarkets' own label pasta sauces (= those marked with the name of the shop/store where they are sold) .

(1) The rebellion was brutally suppressed.
(2) The police were accused of suppressing vital evidence.
(3) to suppress a smile

(1) scatter the grass seed over the lawn.
(2) scatter the lawn with grass seed.
(3) They scattered his ashes at sea.

(1) She pondered over his words.
(2) They were left to ponder on the implications of the announcement.
(3) The senator pondered the question for a moment.

(1) We encourage all members to strive for the highest standards.
(2) striving against corruption
(3) Newspaper editors all strive to be first with a story.

(1) Offenders will be liable to a seven-year prison term.
(2) Such a figure is liable to be attacked as a blasphemer.
(3) You know you are liable to be cross-examined mercilessly about the assault.

(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) The ruling set a precedent for future libel cases.
(2) historical precedents
(3) There is no precedent for a disaster of this scale.

(1) The company is forging ahead with its plans for expansion.
(2) She forged into the lead (= in a competition, race, etc.) .
(3) He forged through the crowds to the front of the stage.

(1) The Foreign Minister held talks with his Chinese counterpart.
(2) The women's shoe, like its male counterpart, is specifically designed for the serious tennis player.
(3) The Foreign Secretary telephoned his Italian counterpart to protest.

(1) The Secretary-General was asked to mediate in the dispute.
(2) An independent body was brought in to mediate between staff and management.
(3) to mediate differences/disputes/problems