4 PHRASE If someone is caught napping , something happens when they are not prepared for it, although they should have been. [INFORMAL ] □ The security services were clearly caught napping.
na|palm /ne I pɑːm/ (napalms , napalming , napalmed )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Napalm is a substance containing petrol which is used to make bombs that burn people, buildings, and plants. □ The government has consistently denied using napalm.
2 VERB If people napalm other people or places, they attack and burn them using napalm. □ [V n] Why napalm a village now?
nape /ne I p/ (napes ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] The nape of your neck is the back of it. □ [+ of ] …the way that his hair grew at the nape of his neck.
nap|kin /næ pk I n/ (napkins ) N‑COUNT A napkin is a square of cloth or paper that you use when you are eating to protect your clothes, or to wipe your mouth or hands. □ She was taking tiny bites of a hot dog and daintily wiping her lips with a napkin.
na p|kin ring (napkin rings ) N‑COUNT A napkin ring is a ring-shaped object which is used to hold a rolled-up napkin.
nap|py /næ pi/ (nappies ) N‑COUNT A nappy is a piece of soft thick cloth or paper which is fastened round a baby's bottom in order to soak up its urine and faeces. [BRIT ] in AM, use diaper
na p|py rash N‑UNCOUNT If a baby has nappy rash , the skin under its nappy is red and sore. [BRIT ] in AM, use diaper rash
nar|cis|si /nɑː r s I sa I / narcissi is a plural form of narcissus .
nar|cis|sism /nɑː r s I s I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Narcissism is the habit of always thinking about yourself and admiring yourself. [FORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ Those who suffer from narcissism become self-absorbed or chronic show-offs.
nar|cis|sis|tic /nɑː r s I s I st I k/ ADJ If you describe someone as narcissistic , you disapprove of them because they think about themselves a lot and admire themselves too much. [FORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ He was insufferable at times–self-centred and narcissistic.
nar|cis|sus /nɑː r s I səs/ (narcissi or narcissus ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Narcissi are plants which have yellow or white flowers with cone-shaped centres that appear in the spring.
PREFIX narco-
is added to words to form new words that relate to illegal narcotics. For example, narco-trafficking is the buying and selling of illegal drugs.
nar|co|lep|sy /nɑː r kəlepsi/ N‑UNCOUNT Narcolepsy is a rare medical condition. It causes people who suffer from it to fall into a deep sleep at any time without any warning.
nar|cot|ic /nɑː r kɒ t I k/ (narcotics )
1 N‑COUNT Narcotics are drugs such as opium or heroin which make you sleepy and stop you feeling pain. You can also use narcotics , especially in American English, to mean any kind of illegal drug. □ He was indicted for dealing in narcotics.
2 ADJ If something, especially a drug, has a narcotic effect, it makes the person who uses it feel sleepy. □ …hormones that have a narcotic effect on the immune system.
narked /nɑː r kt/ ADJ [v-link ADJ ] Someone who is narked is annoyed about something. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ He's probably narked because he didn't see the ad himself.
nar|rate /nəre I t, [AM ] næ re I t/ (narrates , narrating , narrated )
1 VERB If you narrate a story, you tell it from your own point of view. [FORMAL ] □ [be V -ed] The book is narrated by Richard Papen, a Californian boy. ● nar|ra|tion /nəre I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ Its story-within-a-story method of narration is confusing. ● nar|ra|tor /nəre I tə r , [AM ] næ re I t-/ (narrators ) N‑COUNT □ Jules, the story's narrator, is an actress in her late thirties.
2 VERB The person who narrates a film or programme speaks the words which accompany the pictures, but does not appear in it. □ [V n] She also narrated a documentary about the Kirov Ballet School. [Also V ] ● nar|ra|tion N‑UNCOUNT □ As the crew gets back from lunch, we can put your narration on it right away. ● nar|ra|tor (narrators ) N‑COUNT □ [+ of ] …the narrator of the documentary.
nar|ra|tive /næ rət I v/ (narratives )
1 N‑COUNT A narrative is a story or an account of a series of events. □ …a fast-moving narrative. □ Sloan began his narrative with the day of the murder.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Narrative is the description of a series of events, usually in a novel. □ Neither author was very strong on narrative. □ …Nye's simple narrative style.
nar|row ◆◆◇ /næ roʊ/ (narrower , narrowest , narrows , narrowing , narrowed )
1 ADJ Something that is narrow measures a very small distance from one side to the other, especially compared to its length or height. □ …through the town's narrow streets. □ She had long, narrow feet. □ …the narrow strip of land joining the peninsula to the rest of the island. ● nar|row|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the narrowness of the river mouth.
2 VERB If something narrows , it becomes less wide. □ [V ] The wide track narrows before crossing another stream.
3 VERB If your eyes narrow or if you narrow your eyes, you almost close them, for example because you are angry or because you are trying to concentrate on something. [WRITTEN ] □ [V ] Coggins' eyes narrowed angrily. 'You think I'd tell you?' □ [V n] He paused and narrowed his eyes in concentration.