in|ha|la|tion / I nhəle I ʃ ə n/ (inhalations )
1 N‑VAR Inhalation is the process or act of breathing in, taking air and sometimes other substances into your lungs. [FORMAL ] □ …a complete cycle of inhalation and exhalation. □ They were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation. □ Take several deep inhalations.
2 N‑COUNT An inhalation is a treatment for colds and other illnesses in which you dissolve substances in hot water and breathe in the vapour. □ Inhalations can soothe and control the cough.
in|hale / I nhe I l/ (inhales , inhaling , inhaled ) VERB When you inhale , you breathe in. When you inhale something such as smoke, you take it into your lungs when you breathe in. □ [V ] He took a long slow breath, inhaling deeply. □ [V n] He was treated for the effects of inhaling smoke.
in|hal|er / I nhe I lə r / (inhalers ) N‑COUNT An inhaler is a small device that helps you to breathe more easily if you have asthma or a bad cold. You put it in your mouth and breathe in deeply, and it sends a small amount of a drug into your lungs.
in|her|ent / I nhe rənt, -h I ə r-/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] The inherent qualities of something are the necessary and natural parts of it. □ Stress is an inherent part of dieting. □ [+ in ] …the dangers inherent in an outbreak of war. ● in|her|ent|ly ADV [usu ADV adj] □ Aeroplanes are not inherently dangerous.
in|her|it / I nhe r I t/ (inherits , inheriting , inherited )
1 VERB If you inherit money or property, you receive it from someone who has died. □ [V n] He has no son to inherit his land. □ [V n + from ] …paintings that he inherited from his father. □ [V -ed] …people with inherited wealth.
2 VERB If you inherit something such as a task, problem, or attitude, you get it from the people who used to have it, for example because you have taken over their job or been influenced by them. □ [V n + from ] The government inherited an impossible situation from its predecessors.
3 VERB If you inherit a characteristic or quality, you are born with it, because your parents or ancestors also had it. □ [V n + from ] We inherit many of our physical characteristics from our parents. □ [V n] Her children have inherited her love of sport. □ [V -ed] Stammering is probably an inherited defect.
in|her|it|ance / I nhe r I t ə ns/ (inheritances )
1 N‑VAR An inheritance is money or property which you receive from someone who has died. □ She feared losing her inheritance to her stepmother.
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing, oft with poss] If you get something such as job, problem, or attitude from someone who used to have it, you can refer to this as an inheritance . □ …the situation that was Truman's inheritance as President.
3 N‑SING Your inheritance is the particular characteristics or qualities which your family or ancestors had and which you are born with. □ Eye colour shows your genetic inheritance.
in|he r|it|ance tax (inheritance taxes ) N‑COUNT An inheritance tax is a tax which has to be paid on the money and property of someone who has died.
in|heri|tor / I nhe r I tə r / (inheritors ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] The inheritors of something such as a tradition are the people who live or arrive after it has been established and are able to benefit from it. □ [+ of ] …the proud inheritors of the Prussian military tradition.
in|hib|it / I nh I b I t/ (inhibits , inhibiting , inhibited )
1 VERB If something inhibits an event or process, it prevents it or slows it down. □ [V n] The high cost of borrowing is inhibiting investment by industry in new equipment.
2 VERB To inhibit someone from doing something means to prevent them from doing it, although they want to do it or should be able to do it. □ [V n + from ] It could inhibit the poor from getting the medical care they need.
in|hib|it|ed / I nh I b I t I d/ ADJ If you say that someone is inhibited , you mean they find it difficult to behave naturally and show their feelings, and that you think this is a bad thing. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [+ about ] We are rather inhibited about touching each other.
in|hi|bi|tion / I n I b I ʃ ə n/ (inhibitions ) N‑VAR Inhibitions are feelings of fear or embarrassment that make it difficult for you to behave naturally. □ The whole point about dancing is to stop thinking and lose all your inhibitions.
in|hos|pi|table / I nhɒsp I təb ə l/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] An inhospitable place is unpleasant to live in. □ …the Earth's most inhospitable regions.
2 ADJ If someone is inhospitable , they do not make people welcome when they visit.
i n-hou se ADJ In-house work or activities are done by employees of an organization or company, rather than by workers outside the organization or company. □ A lot of companies do in-house training. ● ADV In-house is also an adverb. □ The magazine is still produced in-house.
in|hu|man / I nhjuː mən/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe treatment or an action as inhuman , you mean that it is extremely cruel. □ The detainees are often held in cruel and inhuman conditions.
2 ADJ If you describe someone or something as inhuman , you mean that they are strange or bad because they do not seem human in some way. □ …inhuman shrieks that chilled my heart.
in|hu|mane / I nhjʊme I n/ ADJ If you describe something as inhumane , you mean that it is extremely cruel. □ He was kept under inhumane conditions.