build: Pressure built yesterday for postponement of the ceremony.
grow: Opposition grew and the government agreed to negotiate.
intensify: Groups of refugees are on the move following intensified fighting in the region.
escalate: The protests escalated into five days of rioting. COLLOCATIONS mount VERB
1
mount + noun : attack, bid, campaign, challenge; defence; investigation, operation, search
2
noun + mount : concern, fear, pressure, tension; anger, criticism; speculation
mount + adverb : steadily
3
noun + mount : debts, evidence
moun|tain ◆◆◇ /maʊ nt I n, [AM ] -t ə n/ (mountains )
1 N‑COUNT A mountain is a very high area of land with steep sides. □ Ben Nevis, in Scotland, is Britain's highest mountain.
2 QUANT If you talk about a mountain of something, or mountains of something, you are emphasizing that there is a large amount of it. [INFORMAL , EMPHASIS ] □ They are faced with a mountain of bureaucracy.
3 PHRASE If you say that someone has a mountain to climb , you mean that it will be difficult for them to achieve what they want to achieve. [JOURNALISM ] □ 'We had a mountain to climb after the second goal went in,' said Crosby.
4 to make a mountain out of a molehill → see molehill
mou n|tain bike (mountain bikes ) N‑COUNT A mountain bike is a type of bicycle that is suitable for riding over rough ground. It has a strong frame and thick tyres.
moun|tain|eer /maʊ nt I n I ə r / (mountaineers ) N‑COUNT A mountaineer is a person who is skilful at climbing the steep sides of mountains.
moun|tain|eer|ing /maʊ nt I n I ə r I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Mountaineering is the activity of climbing the steep sides of mountains as a hobby or sport.
mo un|tain lion (mountain lions ) N‑COUNT A mountain lion is a wild animal that is a member of the cat family. Mountain lions have brownish-grey fur and live in mountain regions of North and South America. [mainly AM ] in BRIT, use puma
moun|tain|ous /maʊ nt I nəs/
1 ADJ A mountainous place has a lot of mountains. □ …the mountainous region of Campania.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] You use mountainous to emphasize that something is great in size, quantity, or degree. [EMPHASIS ] □ The plan is designed to reduce some of the company's mountainous debt.
moun|tain|side /maʊ nt I nsa I d/ (mountainsides ) N‑COUNT A mountainside is one of the steep sides of a mountain. □ The couple trudged up the dark mountainside.
mount|ed /maʊ nt I d/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Mounted police or soldiers ride horses when they are on duty. □ A dozen mounted police rode into the square.
2 → see also mount
mourn /mɔː r n/ (mourns , mourning , mourned )
1 VERB If you mourn someone who has died or mourn for them, you are very sad that they have died and show your sorrow in the way that you behave. □ [V n] Joan still mourns her father. □ [V + for ] He mourned for his valiant men. □ [V ] As the nation continued to mourn, the new President of South Africa paid his own tribute.
2 VERB If you mourn something or mourn for it, you regret that you no longer have it and show your regret in the way that you behave. □ [V n] We mourned the loss of our cities. □ [V + for ] She mourned for the beloved past.
3 → see also mourning
mourn|er /mɔː r nə r / (mourners ) N‑COUNT A mourner is a person who attends a funeral, especially as a relative or friend of the dead person.
mourn|ful /mɔː r nfʊl/
1 ADJ If you are mournful , you are very sad. □ He looked mournful, even near to tears. ● mourn|ful|ly ADV [usu ADV with v] □ He stood mournfully at the gate waving bye bye.
2 ADJ A mournful sound seems very sad. □ …the mournful wail of bagpipes.
mourn|ing /mɔː r n I ŋ/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Mourning is behaviour in which you show sadness about a person's death. □ Expect to feel angry, depressed and confused. It's all part of the mourning process.
2 PHRASE If you are in mourning , you are dressed or behaving in a particular way because someone you love or respect has died. □ Yesterday, the whole country was in mourning.
mouse /maʊ s/ (mice ) The plural mouses can be used for meaning 2 . 1 N‑COUNT A mouse is a small furry animal with a long tail. □ …a mouse running in a wheel in its cage.
2 N‑COUNT A mouse is a device that is connected to a computer. By moving it over a flat surface and pressing its buttons, you can move the cursor around the screen and do things without using the keyboard.
3 game of cat and mouse → see cat
mou se mat (mouse mats ) also mousemat N‑COUNT A mouse mat is a flat piece of plastic or some other material that you rest the mouse on while using a computer. [BRIT ]
mou se pad (mouse pads ) also mousepad N‑COUNT A mouse pad is the same as a mouse mat . [mainly AM ]
mouse|trap /maʊ stræp/ (mousetraps ) N‑COUNT A mousetrap is a small device that catches or kills mice.