(1) She hurriedly buttoned (up) her blouse.
(2) The dress buttons (up) at the back.
(3) (British English)to do up/undo your buttons

(1) fierce/heavy/violent storms
(2) A few minutes later the storm broke (= began) .
(3) I think we're in for a storm (= going to have one) .

(1) This book requires a great deal of concentration.
(2) Tiredness affects your powers of concentration.
(3) a need for greater concentration on environmental issues

(1) to launch an appeal/an inquiry/an investigation/a campaign
(2) to launch an attack/invasion
(3) a party to launch his latest novel

(1) The conversation turned to gardening.
(2) I tried to make conversation (= to speak in order to appear polite) .
(3) (North Amercian English)to get into a conversation with sb

(1) sea spray
(2) A cloud of fine spray came up from the waterfall.
(3) (figurative)a spray of machine-gun bullets

(1) A shower of sparks flew up the chimney.
(2) sparks from a faulty light switch
(3) A spark ignites the fuel in a car engine.

(1) Brahms' violin concerto
(2) Lizzie used to play the violin.
(3) ...the Brahms violin concerto in D.

(1) hollow out the cake and fill it with cream.
(2) The squirrel disappeared into a hollow at the base of the tree.
(3) She noticed the slight hollows under his cheekbones.

(1) Where do these plates belong (= where are they kept) ?
(2) Are you sure these documents belong together?
(3) I don't feel as if I belong here.

(1) Dirty streets and homelessness are no advertisement for a prosperous society.
(2) Put an advertisement in the local paper to sell your car.
(3) Miss Parrish recently placed an advertisement in the local newspaper.

(1) all living things
(2) living organisms
(3) the finest living pianist

(1) to maintain law and order/standards/a balance
(2) The two countries have always maintained close relations.
(3) (formal)She maintained a dignified silence.

(1) I like your dress.
(2) Excuse me, is this your seat?
(3) The bank is on your right.

(1) a polling/voting booth
(2) a phone booth
(3) I called her from a public phone booth near the entrance to the bar...

(1) to find personal fulfilment
(2) [不可数名词]the fulfilment of a dream
(3) to fulfil your dream/ambition/potential

(1) I was very favourably impressed with her work.
(2) These figures compare favourably with last year's.
(3) He speaks very favourably of your work.

(1) Police have appealed for witnesses to the accident.
(2) a witness to the killing
(3) a defence/prosecution witness

(1) I look ridiculous in this hat.
(2) Don't be ridiculous! You can't pay £50 for a T-shirt!
(3) The meal was ridiculously expensive.

(1) to be bursting with ideas/enthusiasm/pride
(2) The hall was filled to bursting point .
(3) The hall was full to bursting .

(1) Hyde park
(2) We went for a walk in the park.
(3) a park bench

(1) current prices
(2) a budget for the current year
(3) your current employer

(1) durable plastics
(2) negotiations for a durable peace
(3) [不可数名词]the durability of gold

(1) This poses a threat to agriculture and the food chain, and consequently to human health.
(2) Grandfather Dingsdale had sustained a broken back while working in the mines. consequently, he spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair...
(3) Relations between the two companies had, consequently, never been close.

(1) computer-assisted learning
(2) Last season was a learning experience for me.
(3) a woman of great learning

(1) Carol is a tall, dark, latin type of woman.
(2) latin and Greek will be squeezed out of school timetables.
(3) Above its doors was a latin inscription: Non omnia possumus omnes.

(1) They tried to get into the club but were refused admission.
(2) She failed to gain admission to the university of her choice.
(3) an admission of guilt/failure/defeat

(1) I want to see my brief.
(2) I hold no brief for either side in this war.
(3) The officer briefed her on what to expect.

(1) We're going to call her Sophie.
(2) Please give her my regards.
(3) The manager will be free soon─you can wait for her here.

(1) a paintbrush
(2) a hairbrush
(3) a toothbrush

(1) a war/security/demilitarized, etc. zone
(2) an earthquake/danger, etc. zone
(3) a pedestrian zone (= where vehicles may not go)

(1) a feeling of hunger/excitement/sadness, etc.
(2) guilty feelings
(3) I've got a tight feeling in my stomach.

(1) last/this/next week
(2) It rained all week.
(3) What day of the week is it?

(1) a severe famine
(2) disasters such as floods and famine
(3) the threat of widespread famine in the area

(1) crippling debts
(2) (figurative)He's an emotional cripple (= he cannot express his feelings) .
(3) a crippling disease

(1) a feasible plan/suggestion/idea
(2) It's just not feasible to manage the business on a part-time basis.
(3) [不可数名词]a feasibility study on the proposed new airport

(1) wild/savage/ferocious beasts
(2) mythical beasts such as unicorns and dragons
(3) The maths exam was a real beast.

(1) a gaseous mixture
(2) in gaseous form
(3) Freon exists both in liquid and gaseous states.

(1) a piece of card
(2) The model of the building was made of card.
(3) a membership card

(1) several letters arrived this morning.
(2) He's written several books about India.
(3) several more people than usual came to the meeting.