(1) She has a seat on the board of directors.
(2) He had ripped up the carpet, leaving only the bare boards.
(3) a blackboard

(1) The candidates' experience and qualifications will be taken into consideration when the decision is made.
(2) Taking everything into consideration, the event was a great success.
(3) a small sum in consideration of your services

(1) to sit in an armchair
(2) an armchair critic/traveller
(3) She was sitting in an armchair with blankets wrapped round her.

(1) reduce speed now (= on a sign) .
(2) Costs have been reduced by 20% over the past year.
(3) Giving up smoking reduces the risk of heart disease.

(1) He was sent to prison for five years.
(2) She is in prison , awaiting trial.
(3) to be released from prison

(1) join one section of pipe to the next.
(2) join the two sections of pipe together.
(3) The island is joined to the mainland by a bridge.

(1) Red blood cells are roughly the shape of a disk.
(2) The program takes up 2.5 megabytes of disk space.
(3) This driver monitors disk accesses capturing performance data.

(1) a map and compass
(2) the points of the compass (= N, S, E, W, etc.)
(3) a pair of compasses

(1) They export their products to markets throughout the world.
(2) The museum is open daily throughout the year.
(3) The house was painted white throughout.

(1) He was sent off for arguing with the referee.
(2) to act as a referee between the parties involved
(3) a refereeing decision

(1) He's one of my dearest friends.
(2) Her daughter is very dear to her.
(3) dear Sir or Madam

(1) to laugh loudly/aloud/out loud
(2) You never laugh at my jokes!
(3) The show was hilarious─I couldn't stop laughing.

(1) The government imposed a ban on tobacco advertising (= the advertising of cigarettes and all other forms of tobacco ) .
(2) Try to do without tobacco and alcohol...
(3) I believe it is time to ban tobacco advertising altogether.

(1) She tried to seize the gun from him.
(2) He seized her by the arm.
(3) She seized hold of my hand.

(1) a narrow/dark alley
(2) The line of reasoning will only lead you up another blind alley.
(3) Bob did not take the job because it was a blind alley.

(1) Have you seen that article about young fashion designers?
(2) article 10 of the European Convention guarantees free speech.
(3) articles of clothing

(1) The train arrives at midday.
(2) a midday meal
(3) the heat of the midday sun

(1) awesomely beautiful
(2) an awesome sight
(3) awesome beauty/power

(1) The royalties enabled the inventor to re-establish himself in business.
(2) He became famous as an inventor of astonishing visual and aural effects.
(3) Edison won his spurs as an inventor while rather young.

(1) Students over 25 fall into a different category .
(2) The results can be divided into three main categories .
(3) This book clearly falls into the category of fictionalised autobiography...

(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) There's someone at the door.
(2) someone's left their bag behind.
(3) It's time for someone new (= a new person) to take over.

(1) to go/work downtown
(2) a downtown store
(3) [不可数名词]a hotel in the heart of downtown

(1) What's the meaning of this word?
(2) Words often have several meanings.
(3) ‘Honesty ’? He doesn't know the meaning of the word !

(1) a 28p stamp
(2) Could I have three first-class stamps, please?
(3) He has been collecting stamps since he was eight.

(1) There is an equal number of boys and girls in the class.
(2) One unit of alcohol is equal to half a pint of beer.
(3) two pieces of wood equal in length/of equal length

(1) Doctors said she is now out of danger (= not likely to die) .
(2) There is no danger of a bush fire now.
(3) The building is in danger of collapsing.

(1) Her trust in him was unfounded.
(2) a partnership based on trust
(3) It has taken years to earn their trust .

(1) a fur/leather coat
(2) a long winter coat
(3) to put on/take off your coat

(1) Familiar with FA procedure and testing standards.
(2) The magician held his wand over the handkerchief and out hopped a rabbit.
(3) He wiped his fingers on his pristine handkerchief.

(1) I can't read his handwriting.
(2) I have to admit that I have bad handwriting.
(3) The address was in Anna's handwriting...

(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) staff training
(2) Few candidates had received any training in management.
(3) a training course

(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) They were sitting round the kitchen table...
(2) The nightdress has handmade lace round the armholes and neckline...
(3) Suddenly a car came round a corner on the opposite side...

(1) rubber gloves
(2) gardening gloves
(3) a pair of gloves

(1) the origins of life on earth
(2) Most coughs are viral in origin (= caused by a virus) .
(3) The origin of the word remains obscure.

(1) When I got canned, I took these keys as souvenirs.
(2) How can you complain about higher taxes?...
(3) How can millions of dollars go astray?...

(1) I've finished this magazine. Can I swap with you?
(2) I swapped my red scarf for her blue one.
(3) Can we swap places ? I can't see the screen.

(1) How you can be so insensitive absolutely beats me.
(2) beat it before it's too late.
(3) Can you beat it; there was Graham Greene in Freetown and there was I on the other side of Africa.