(1) This pen is useless.
(2) He knew it was useless to protest.
(3) It's useless worrying about it.

(1) He fastened the papers together with a paper clip.
(2) The dog fastened its teeth in his leg.
(3) His hand fastened on her arm.

(1) deep spreading roots
(2) I pulled the plant up by (= including) the roots .
(3) Tree roots can cause damage to buildings.

(1) I leaned back in my chair.
(2) The tower is leaning dangerously.
(3) A man was leaning out of the window.

(1) variable temperatures
(2) The acting is of variable quality (= some of it is good and some of it is bad) .
(3) The drill has variable speed control.

(1) to resist change
(2) They are determined to resist pressure to change the law.
(3) The bank strongly resisted cutting interest rates.

(1) wholly inappropriate behaviour
(2) The government is not wholly to blame for the recession.
(3) While the two are only days apart in age they seem to belong to wholly different generations...

(1) His face burned with shame.
(2) She hung her head in shame.
(3) He could not live with the shame of other people knowing the truth.

(1) The success or failure of the plan depends on you.
(2) The attempt was doomed to failure .
(3) All my efforts ended in failure .

(1) a room set aside for private study
(2) academic/literary/scientific, etc. study
(3) It is important to develop good study skills .

(1) the power of the state apparatus
(2) the sensory apparatus
(3) Firefighters needed breathing apparatus to enter the burning house.

(1) to be virtually impossible
(2) virtually all students will be exempt from the tax.
(3) He virtually admitted he was guilty.

(1) some of the rare species that inhabit the area
(2) The valley is inhabited by the Dani tribe.
(3) ...the people who inhabit these islands.

(1) Take the cake out of the oven.
(2) a gas/an electric oven
(3) a cool/hot/moderate oven

(1) The outside of the house needs painting.
(2) You can't open the door from the outside.
(3) I walked around the outside of the building.

(1) The moon exerts a force on the earth that causes the tides.
(2) In order to be successful he would have to exert himself.
(3) He exerted all his authority to make them accept the plan.

(1) a salty/bitter/sweet, etc. taste
(2) I don't like the taste of olives.
(3) This dish has an unusual combination of tastes and textures.

(1) Mary was always the perfect hostess.
(2) She was a superb hostess to us all.
(3) The hostess introduced them...

(1) The Earl didn't have the money or good judgement to employ a steward to manage the place for him.
(2) The steward at the march stood his ground while the rest of the marchers decided to run.
(3) The prototype of the steward platform with six axis force sensor and load platform is developed.

(1) She devoted herself to her career.
(2) I could only devote two hours a day to the work.
(3) He decided to devote the rest of his life to scientific investigation...

(1) He turned a deaf ear to the rumours.
(2) He was deaf to my requests for help.
(3) Her advice fell on deaf ears.

(1) to make threats against sb
(2) She is prepared to carry out her threat to resign.
(3) He received death threats from right-wing groups.

(1) I shall be 26 years old on friday next.
(2) He fled on friday, saying he feared for his life.
(3) The South African mailboat arrived on friday mornings unless bad weather intervened.

(1) cups and saucers
(2) There was a rumor of a flying saucer having been seen.
(3) Don't tip your tea into the saucer.

(1) He removed his hand from her shoulder.
(2) Illegally parked vehicles will be removed.
(3) Three children were removed from the school for persistent bad behaviour.

(1) Ten men compose the committee.
(2) Mozart composed his last opera shortly before he died.
(3) She composed a letter of protest.

(1) The resort is a playground of the rich and famous.
(2) ...St Tropez, playground of the rich and famous.
(3) I saw him playing football on the playground.

(1) After the winter rains, the stream becomes a raging torrent .
(2) The rain was coming down in torrents .
(3) a torrent of abuse/criticism

(1) to make a horror movie
(2) Have you seen the latest Tarantino movie?
(3) a famous movie director/star

(1) the deep purple flowers so beloved by artists
(2) in memory of our dearly beloved son, John
(3) It was a gift from her beloved.

(1) I'm trying to clear my mind of all this...
(2) There was no doubt in his mind that the man was serious...
(3) You have a good mind...

(1) Astronauts have brought back specimens of rock from the moon.
(2) The aquarium has some interesting specimens of unusual tropical fish.
(3) (humorous)They were fine specimens of British youth!

(1) none of these pens works/work.
(2) We have three sons but none of them lives/live nearby.
(3) We saw several houses but none we really liked.

(1) Their footsteps echoed in the silence.
(2) A scream broke the silence of the night.
(3) I need absolute silence when I'm working.

(1) She's in the beginners' class.
(2) The course is suitable for beginners and advanced students...
(3) I am a complete beginner to bird-keeping.

(1) The ship sank to the bottom of the sea.
(2) The sink was full of dirty dishes.
(3) ...the kitchen sink.

(1) (British English)a popular holiday resort
(2) the resort town of Byron Bay
(3) seaside/ski/mountain, etc. resorts

(1) Don't scald your hands when you open the steamer.
(2) When does your steamer sail?
(3) The steamer was delayed by bad weather.

(1) (formal)It will not have escaped your notice that there have been some major changes in the company.
(2) Don't take any notice of what you read in the papers.
(3) Take no notice of what he says.

(1) Water had spilled out of the bucket onto the floor.
(2) He startled her and made her spill her drink.
(3) Thousands of gallons of crude oil were spilled into the ocean.