po w|er stee r|ing N‑UNCOUNT In a vehicle, power steering is a system for steering which uses power from the engine so that it is easier for the driver to steer the vehicle.
pow-wow /paʊ waʊ/ (pow-wows ) also powwow N‑COUNT People sometimes refer to a meeting or discussion as a pow-wow . [INFORMAL ] □ Every year my father would call a family powwow to discuss where we were going on vacation.
pox /pɒ ks/
1 N‑SING People sometimes refer to the disease syphilis as the pox . [INFORMAL ]
2 → see also chickenpox , smallpox
poxy /pɒ ksi/ ADJ [ADJ n] If you describe something or someone as poxy , you think that they are insignificant, too small, or bad in some other way. [BRIT , INFORMAL , RUDE , DISAPPROVAL ] □ …some poxy band from Denver. □ …a poxy one per cent of the transport budget.
pp
1 pp is written before a person's name at the bottom of a formal or business letter in order to indicate that they have signed the letter on behalf of the person whose name appears before theirs. [BUSINESS ] □ …J.R. Adams, pp D. Philips.
2 pp. is the plural of 'p.' and means 'pages'. [WRITTEN ] □ See chapter 6, pp. 137-41.
PPS /piː piː e s/ (PPSs ) N‑COUNT In Britain, a PPS is a Member of Parliament who is appointed by a more senior Member to help them with their duties. PPS is an abbreviation for 'parliamentary private secretary'.
PPV /piː piː viː / N‑UNCOUNT PPV is an abbreviation for pay-per-view .
PR ◆◇◇ /piː ɑː r /
1 N‑UNCOUNT PR is an abbreviation for public relations . [BUSINESS ] □ It will be good PR. □ …a PR firm.
2 N‑UNCOUNT PR is an abbreviation for proportional representation .
prac|ti|cable /præ kt I kəb ə l/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If a task, plan, or idea is practicable , people are able to carry it out. [FORMAL ] □ It is not reasonably practicable to offer her the original job back. ● prac|ti|cabil|ity /præ kt I kəb I l I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] Knotman and I discussed the practicability of the idea.
prac|ti|cal ◆◇◇ /præ kt I k ə l/ (practicals )
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] The practical aspects of something involve real situations and events, rather than just ideas and theories. □ We can offer you practical suggestions on how to increase the fibre in your daily diet. □ This practical guidebook teaches you about relaxation, coping skills, and time management.
2 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] You describe people as practical when they make sensible decisions and deal effectively with problems. [APPROVAL ] □ You were always so practical, Maria. □ He lacked any of the practical common sense essential in management.
3 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Practical ideas and methods are likely to be effective or successful in a real situation. □ Although the causes of cancer are being uncovered, we do not yet have any practical way to prevent it.
4 ADJ You can describe clothes and things in your house as practical when they are suitable for a particular purpose rather than just being fashionable or attractive. □ Our clothes are lightweight, fashionable, practical for holidays.
5 N‑COUNT A practical is an examination or a lesson in which you make things or do experiments rather than simply writing answers to questions. [mainly BRIT ]
prac|ti|cal|ity /præ kt I kæ l I ti/ (practicalities ) N‑VAR The practicalities of a situation are the practical aspects of it, as opposed to its theoretical aspects. □ [+ of ] Decisions about your children should be based on the practicalities of everyday life.
pra c|ti|cal jo ke (practical jokes ) N‑COUNT A practical joke is a trick that is intended to embarrass someone or make them look ridiculous.
prac|ti|cal|ly /præ kt I kəli/
1 ADV Practically means almost, but not completely or exactly. □ He'd known the old man practically all his life. □ I know people who find it practically impossible to give up smoking.
2 ADV [ADV adj/-ed] You use practically to describe something which involves real actions or events rather than ideas or theories. □ The course is more practically based than the Masters degree.
prac|tice ◆◆◇ /præ kt I s/ (practices )
1 N‑COUNT You can refer to something that people do regularly as a practice . □ Some firms have cut workers' pay below the level set in their contract, a practice that is illegal in Germany. □ The Prime Minister demanded a public inquiry into bank practices.
2 N‑VAR Practice means doing something regularly in order to be able to do it better. A practice is one of these periods of doing something. □ She was taking all three of her daughters to basketball practice every day. □ The defending world racing champion recorded the fastest time in a final practice today.
3 N‑UNCOUNT The work done by doctors and lawyers is referred to as the practice of medicine and law. People's religious activities are referred to as the practice of a religion. □ [+ of ] …the practice of internal medicine. □ I eventually realized I had to change my attitude toward medical practice.
4 N‑COUNT A doctor's or lawyer's practice is his or her business, often shared with other doctors or lawyers. □ The new doctor's practice was miles away from where I lived.
5 → see also practise
6 PHRASE What happens in practice is what actually happens, in contrast to what is supposed to happen. □ In actual practice, of course, it's more complicated. □ In practice, workers do not work to satisfy their needs.