in|dul|gent / I ndʌ ldʒ ə nt/ ADJ If you are indulgent , you treat a person with special kindness, often in a way that is not good for them. □ His indulgent mother was willing to let him do anything he wanted. ● in|dul|gent|ly ADV [usu ADV with v, oft ADV adj] □ Ned smiled at him indulgently.
in|dus|trial ◆◆◇ / I ndʌ striəl/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] You use industrial to describe things which relate to or are used in industry. □ …industrial machinery and equipment. □ …a link between industrial chemicals and cancer.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] An industrial city or country is one in which industry is important or highly developed. □ …ministers from leading western industrial countries.
in|du s|trial a c|tion N‑UNCOUNT If workers take industrial action , they join together and do something to show that they are unhappy with their pay or working conditions, for example refusing to work. [mainly BRIT ] □ Prison officers have decided to take industrial action.
in|du s|trial es|tate (industrial estates ) N‑COUNT An industrial estate is an area which has been specially planned for a lot of factories. [BRIT ] in AM, use industrial park
in|dus|tri|al|ise / I ndʌ striəla I z/ → see industrialize
in|dus|tri|al|ism / I ndʌ striəl I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Industrialism is the state of having an economy based on industry.
in|dus|tri|al|ist / I ndʌ striəl I st/ (industrialists ) N‑COUNT An industrialist is a powerful businessman who owns or controls large industrial companies or factories. □ …prominent Japanese industrialists.
in|dus|tri|al|ize / I ndʌ striəla I z/ (industrializes , industrializing , industrialized ) in BRIT, also use industrialise VERB When a country industrializes or is industrialized , it develops a lot of industries. □ [V ] Energy consumption rises as countries industrialise. □ [V n] Stalin's methods had industrialized the Russian economy. ● in|dus|tri|ali|za|tion / I ndʌ striəla I ze I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ Industrialization began early in Spain.
in|dus|tri|al|ized ◆◇◇ / I ndʌ striəla I zd/ in BRIT, also use industrialised ADJ [ADJ n] An industrialized area or place is one which has a lot of industries. □ Industrialized countries must reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
in|du s|trial park (industrial parks ) N‑COUNT An industrial park is the same as an industrial estate . [AM ]
in|du s|trial re|la |tions N‑PLURAL Industrial relations refers to the relationship between employers and employees in industry, and the political decisions and laws that affect it. [BUSINESS ] □ The offer is seen as an attempt to improve industrial relations.
in|dus|tri|ous / I ndʌ striəs/ ADJ If you describe someone as industrious , you mean they work very hard. □ She was an industrious and willing worker. ● in|dus|tri|ous|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ Maggie paints industriously all through the summer.
in|dus|try ◆◆◆ / I ndəstri/ (industries )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Industry is the work and processes involved in collecting raw materials, and making them into products in factories. □ British industry suffers through insufficient investment in research.
2 N‑COUNT [oft n N ] A particular industry consists of all the people and activities involved in making a particular product or providing a particular service. □ …the motor vehicle and textile industries.
3 N‑COUNT [usu sing] If you refer to a social or political activity as an industry , you are criticizing it because you think it involves a lot of people in unnecessary or useless work. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Some Afro-Caribbeans are rejecting the whole race relations industry.
4 N‑UNCOUNT Industry is the fact of working very hard. [FORMAL ] □ No one doubted his ability, his industry or his integrity.
5 → see also captain of industry , cottage industry , service industry SYNONYMS industry NOUN 1
business: …young people seeking a career in business.
manufacturing: …management headquarters for manufacturing.
trade: …negotiations on a new international trade agreement.
commerce: They have made their fortunes from industry and commerce.
production: That model won't go into production before late 2019.
ine|bri|at|ed / I niː brie I t I d/ ADJ Someone who is inebriated has drunk too much alcohol. [FORMAL ] □ Scott was obviously inebriated by the time the dessert was served.
in|ed|ible / I ne d I b ə l/ ADJ If you say that something is inedible , you mean you cannot eat it, for example because it tastes bad or is poisonous. □ Detainees complained of being given food which is inedible.
in|ef|fable / I ne fəb ə l/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] You use ineffable to say that something is so great or extreme that it cannot be described in words. [FORMAL ] □ …the ineffable sadness of many of the portraits. ● in|ef|fably / I ne fəbli/ ADV [usu ADV adj] □ …his ineffably powerful brain.
in|ef|fec|tive / I n I fe kt I v/ ADJ If you say that something is ineffective , you mean that it has no effect on a process or situation. □ Economic reform will continue to be painful and ineffective. ● in|ef|fec|tive|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the ineffectiveness of some of the police's anti-crime strategies.
in|ef|fec|tual / I n I fe ktʃuəl/ ADJ If someone or something is ineffectual , they fail to do what they are expected to do or are trying to do. □ The mayor had become ineffectual in the struggle to clamp down on drugs. ● in|ef|fec|tu|al|ly ADV □ Her voice trailed off ineffectually.