re|con|sid|er /riː kəns I də r / (reconsiders , reconsidering , reconsidered ) VERB If you reconsider a decision or opinion, you think about it and try to decide whether it should be changed. □ [V n] We want you to reconsider your decision to resign from the board. □ [V ] If at the end of two years you still feel the same, we will reconsider. ● re|con|sid|era|tion /riː kəns I dəre I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] The report urges reconsideration of the decision.
re|con|sti|tute /riː kɒ nst I tjuːt, [AM ] -tuːt/ (reconstitutes , reconstituting , reconstituted )
1 VERB [usu passive] If an organization or state is reconstituted , it is formed again in a different way. □ [be V -ed] What had been King's College, Durham was reconstituted to become the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.
2 VERB To reconstitute dried food means to add water to it so that it can be eaten. □ [V n] To reconstitute dried tomatoes, simmer in plain water until they are tender. □ [V -ed] Try eating reconstituted dried prunes, figs or apricots.
re|con|struct /riː kənstrʌ kt/ (reconstructs , reconstructing , reconstructed )
1 VERB If you reconstruct something that has been destroyed or badly damaged, you build it and make it work again. □ [V n] The government must reconstruct the shattered economy. □ [be V -ed] Although this part of Normandy was badly bombed, it has been completely reconstructed.
2 VERB To reconstruct a system or policy means to change it so that it works in a different way. □ [V n] She actually wanted to reconstruct the state and transform society.
3 VERB If you reconstruct an event that happened in the past, you try to get a complete understanding of it by combining a lot of small pieces of information. □ [V n] He began to reconstruct the events of 21 December 1988, when flight 103 disappeared. □ [V wh] Elaborate efforts were made to reconstruct what had happened.
re|con|struc|tion /riː kənstrʌ kʃ ə n/ (reconstructions )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Reconstruction is the process of making a country normal again after a war, for example by making the economy stronger and by replacing buildings that have been damaged. □ [+ of ] …America's part in the post-war reconstruction of Germany.
2 N‑UNCOUNT The reconstruction of a building, structure, or road is the activity of building it again, because it has been damaged. □ [+ of ] Work began on the reconstruction of the road.
3 N‑COUNT The reconstruction of a crime or event is when people try to understand or show exactly what happened, often by acting it out. □ [+ of ] Mrs Kerr was too upset to take part in a reconstruction of her ordeal.
re|con|struc|tive /riː kənstrʌ kt I v/ ADJ [ADJ n] Reconstructive surgery or treatment involves rebuilding a part of someone's body because it has been badly damaged, or because the person wants to change its shape. □ I needed reconstructive surgery to give me a new nose.
re|con|vene /riː kənviː n/ (reconvenes , reconvening , reconvened ) VERB If a parliament, court, or conference reconvenes or if someone reconvenes it, it meets again after a break. □ [V ] The conference might reconvene after its opening session. □ [V n] It was certainly serious enough for him to reconvene Parliament.
rec|ord ◆◆◆ (records , recording , recorded ) The noun is pronounced /re kɔː r d, [AM ] -kərd/. The verb is pronounced /r I kɔː r d/. 1 N‑COUNT If you keep a record of something, you keep a written account or photographs of it so that it can be referred to later. □ [+ of ] Keep a record of all the payments. □ There's no record of them having any children. □ The result will go on your medical records.
2 VERB If you record a piece of information or an event, you write it down, photograph it, or put it into a computer so that in the future people can refer to it. □ [V n] …software packages which record the details of your photographs. □ [V -ed] …a place which has rarely suffered a famine in its recorded history.
3 VERB If you record something such as a speech or performance, you put it on tape or film so that it can be heard or seen again later. □ [V n] There is nothing to stop viewers recording the films at home. □ [V -ed] The call was answered by a recorded message saying the company had closed early.
4 VERB If a musician or performer records a piece of music or a television or radio show, they perform it so that it can be put online or onto CD or film. □ [V n] It took the musicians two and a half days to record their soundtrack for the film.
5 N‑COUNT A record is a round, flat piece of black plastic on which sound, especially music, is stored, and which can be played on a record player. You can also refer to the music stored on this piece of plastic as a record . □ This is one of my favourite records.
6 VERB If a dial or other measuring device records a certain measurement or value, it shows that measurement or value. □ [V n] The test records the electrical activity of the brain.
7 N‑COUNT A record is the best result that has ever been achieved in a particular sport or activity, for example the fastest time, the furthest distance, or the greatest number of victories. □ [+ of ] He set the world record of 12.92 seconds. □ …the 800 metres, where she is the world record holder.
8 ADJ [ADJ n] You use record to say that something is higher, lower, better, or worse than has ever been achieved before. □ Profits were at record levels. □ She won the race in record time.
9 N‑COUNT Someone's record is the facts that are known about their achievements or character. □ His record reveals a tough streak.