3 N‑COUNT A particular area is a piece of land or part of a building that is used for a particular activity. □ …a picnic area. □ …the main check-in area located in Terminal 1.
4 N‑COUNT An area is a particular place on a surface or object, for example on your body. □ You will notice that your baby has two soft areas on the top of his head.
5 N‑VAR The area of a surface such as a piece of land is the amount of flat space or ground that it covers, measured in square units. □ The islands cover a total area of 625.6 square kilometers.
6 N‑COUNT You can use area to refer to a particular subject or topic, or to a particular part of a larger, more general situation or activity. □ …the politically sensitive area of old age pensions.
7 N‑COUNT [usu sing] On a football pitch, the area is the same as the penalty area . [INFORMAL ]
8 → see also catchment area , disaster area , grey area , penalty area COLLOCATIONS area NOUN 1
adjective + area : residential, rural, urban; isolated, remote; deprived, disadvantaged; huge, large, vast, wide
a rea code (area codes ) N‑COUNT The area code for a particular city or region is the series of numbers that you have to dial before someone's personal number if you are making a telephone call to that place from a different area. [mainly AM ] in BRIT, use dialling code
arena /əriː nə/ (arenas )
1 N‑COUNT An arena is a place where sports, entertainments, and other public events take place. It has seats around it where people sit and watch. □ …the largest indoor sports arena in the world.
2 N‑COUNT You can refer to a field of activity, especially one where there is a lot of conflict or action, as an arena of a particular kind. □ He made it clear he had no intention of withdrawing from the political arena.
aren't ◆◆◇ /ɑː r nt, [AM ALSO ] ɑː rənt/
1 Aren't is the usual spoken form of 'are not'.
2 Aren't is the form of 'am not' that is used in questions or tags in spoken English.
Ar|gen|tine /ɑː r dʒənta I n/ (Argentines ) ADJ Argentine means the same as Argentinian . □ …Argentine agricultural products. ● N‑COUNT An Argentine is the same as an Argentinian .
Ar|gen|tin|ian /ɑː r dʒənt I niən/ (Argentinians ) ADJ Argentinian means belonging or relating to Argentina or its people. □ …the Argentinian capital, Buenos Aires. ● N‑COUNT An Argentinian is someone who comes from Argentina.
ar|gon /ɑː r gɒn/ N‑UNCOUNT Argon is an inert gas which exists in very small amounts in the atmosphere. It is used in electric lights.
ar|got /ɑː r goʊ/ (argots ) N‑VAR An argot is a special language used by a particular group of people, which other people find difficult to understand. [FORMAL ] □ …the argot of teenagers. □ …footballing argot.
ar|gu|able /ɑː r gjuəb ə l/
1 ADJ If you say that it is arguable that something is true, you believe that it can be supported by evidence and that many people would agree with it. [FORMAL ] □ It is arguable that this was not as grave a handicap as it might appear.
2 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] An idea, point, or comment that is arguable is not obviously true or correct and should be questioned. [FORMAL ] □ It is arguable whether he ever had much control over the real economic power.
ar|gu|ably /ɑː r gjuəbli/ ADV [ADV before v] You can use arguably when you are stating your opinion or belief, as a way of giving more authority to it. □ Sausages are arguably the most popular food in the country.
ar|gue ◆◆◇ /ɑː r gjuː/ (argues , arguing , argued )
1 VERB If one person argues with another, they speak angrily to each other about something that they disagree about. You can also say that two people argue . □ [V + with ] The committee is concerned about players' behaviour, especially arguing with referees. □ [V ] They were still arguing; I could hear them down the road. [Also V + about/over ]
2 VERB If you tell someone not to argue with you, you want them to do or believe what you say without protest or disagreement. □ [V + with ] Don't argue with me. □ [V ] The children go to bed at 10.30. No one dares argue.
3 VERB If you argue with someone about something, you discuss it with them, with each of you giving your different opinions. □ [V + with/about/over ] He was arguing with the King about the need to maintain the cavalry at full strength. □ [V + about/over ] They are arguing over foreign policy. □ [V n] The two of them sitting in their office were arguing this point.
4 VERB If you argue that something is true, you state it and give the reasons why you think it is true. □ [V that] His lawyers are arguing that he is unfit to stand trial. □ [be V -ed that] It could be argued that the British are not aggressive enough. [Also V with quote, V n]
5 VERB If you argue for something, you say why you agree with it, in order to persuade people that it is right. If you argue against something, you say why you disagree with it, in order to persuade people that it is wrong. □ [V + for/against ] The report argues against tax increases. □ [V n] I argued the case for an independent central bank.
6 VERB If you argue , you support your opinions with evidence in an ordered or logical way. □ [V adv/prep] He argued persuasively, and was full of confidence. [Also V ]