2 N‑COUNT A majority is the difference between the number of votes or seats in parliament or legislature that the winner gets in an election, and the number of votes or seats that the next person or party gets. □ Members of Parliament approved the move by a majority of ninety-nine. □ According to most opinion polls, he is set to win a clear majority.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] Majority is used to describe opinions, decisions, and systems of government that are supported by more than half the people involved. □ …her continuing disagreement with the majority view. □ A majority vote of 75% is required from shareholders for the plan to go ahead.
4 N‑UNCOUNT [oft with poss] Majority is the state of legally being an adult. In Britain and most states in the United States, people reach their majority at the age of eighteen. □ The age of majority in Romania is eighteen.
5 → see also absolute majority , moral majority
ma |jor lea gue (major leagues )
1 N‑PLURAL The major leagues are groups of professional sports teams that compete against each other, especially in American baseball. □ Chandler was instrumental in making Jackie Robinson the first black player in the major leagues.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Major league means connected with the major leagues in baseball. □ …a town with no major league baseball.
3 ADJ Major league people or institutions are important or successful. □ James Hawes's first film boasts major-league stars.
4 PHRASE If someone moves into the major league or makes it into the major league , they become very successful in their career. [JOURNALISM ] □ Once a girl has made it into the major league every detail is mapped out by her agency.
make
➊ CARRYING OUT AN ACTION
➋ CAUSING OR CHANGING
➌ CREATING OR PRODUCING
➍ LINK VERB USES
➎ ACHIEVING OR REACHING
➏ STATING AN AMOUNT OR TIME
➐ PHRASAL VERBS
➊ make ◆◆◆ /me I k/ (makes , making , made ) Make is used in a large number of expressions which are explained under other words in this dictionary. For example, the expression 'to make sense' is explained at 'sense'. 1 VERB You can use make with a wide range of nouns to indicate that someone performs an action or says something. For example, if you make a suggestion, you suggest something. □ [V n] I'd just like to make a comment. □ [V n] I made a few phone calls. □ [V n] I think you're making a serious mistake.
2 VERB You can use make with certain nouns to indicate that someone does something well or badly. For example, if you make a success of something, you do it successfully, and if you make a mess of something, you do it very badly. □ [V n + of ] Apparently he made a mess of his audition. □ [V n + of ] Are you really going to make a better job of it this time?
3 VERB If you make as if to do something or make to do something, you behave in a way that makes it seem that you are just about to do it. [WRITTEN ] □ [V as if to-inf] Mary made as if to protest, then hesitated. □ [V to-inf] He made to chase Davey, who ran back laughing.
4 VERB In cricket, if a player makes a particular number of runs, they score that number of runs. In baseball or American football, if a player makes a particular score, they achieve that score. □ [V amount] He made 1,972 runs for the county.
5 PHRASE If you make do with something, you use or have it instead of something else that you do not have, although it is not as good. □ Why make do with a copy if you can afford the genuine article?
6 PHRASE If you make like you are doing something, you act as if you are doing it, and if you make like someone, you act as if you are that person. [INFORMAL ] □ Bob makes like he's a fish blowing bubbles.
➋ make ◆◆◆ /me I k/ (makes , making , made )
→ Please look at category 11 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1 VERB If something makes you do something, it causes you to do it. □ [V n inf] Grit from the highway made him cough. □ [be V -ed to-inf] I was made to feel guilty and irresponsible.
2 VERB If you make someone do something, you force them to do it. □ [V n inf] You can't make me do anything. □ [be V -ed to-inf] They were made to pay $8.8 million in taxes.
3 VERB You use make to talk about causing someone or something to be a particular thing or to have a particular quality. For example, to make someone a star means to cause them to become a star, and to make someone angry means to cause them to become angry. □ [V n n] …James Bond, the role that made him a star. □ [V n adj] She made life very difficult for me. □ [V n adj that] She's made it obvious that she's appalled by me. □ [V n adj to-inf] Rationing has made it easier to find some products like eggs, butter and meat. □ [V n + of ] Does your film make a hero of Jim Garrison?
4 VERB If you say that one thing or person makes another seem, for example, small, stupid, or good, you mean that they cause them to seem small, stupid, or good in comparison, even though they are not. □ [V n inf adj/prep/n] They live in fantasy worlds which make Euro Disney seem uninventive.
5 VERB If you make yourself understood, heard, or known, you succeed in getting people to understand you, hear you, or know that you are there. □ [V pron-refl -ed] Aron couldn't speak Polish. I made myself understood with difficulty.