ump|teenth /ʌ mptiː nθ/ ORD You use umpteenth to indicate that an occasion, thing, or person happens or comes after many others. [INFORMAL , EMPHASIS ] □ He checked his watch for the umpteenth time. □ She was now on her umpteenth gin.
UN ◆◆◇ /juː e n/ N‑PROPER The UN is the same as the United Nations . □ …a U.N. peacekeeping mission.
PREFIX un-
can be added to some words to form words that have the opposite meaning. For example, if something is unacceptable , it is not acceptable.
un|abashed /ʌ nəbæ ʃt/ ADJ If you describe someone as unabashed , you mean that they are not ashamed, embarrassed, or shy about something, especially when you think most people would be. □ [+ by ] He seems unabashed by his recent defeat. □ He's an unabashed, old-fashioned romantic.
un|abat|ed /ʌ nəbe I t I d/ ADJ [usu ADJ after v, oft ADJ n, v-link ADJ ] If something continues unabated , it continues without any reduction in intensity or amount. □ [+ for ] The fighting has continued unabated for over 24 hours. □ …his unabated enthusiasm for cinema.
un|able ◆◇◇ /ʌne I b ə l/ ADJ If you are unable to do something, it is impossible for you to do it, for example because you do not have the necessary skill or knowledge, or because you do not have enough time or money. □ She felt unable to concentrate on anything but the pain.
un|abridged /ʌ nəbr I dʒd/ ADJ An unabridged piece of writing, for example a book or article, is complete and not shortened in any way.
un|ac|cep|table /ʌ nəkse ptəb ə l/ ADJ If you describe something as unacceptable , you strongly disapprove of it or object to it and feel that it should not be allowed to continue. □ [+ for ] It is totally unacceptable for children to swear. □ Joanna left her job because of her colleague's unacceptable behaviour. ● un|ac|cept|ably /ʌ nəkse ptəbli/ ADV [usu ADV adj, oft ADV after v] □ The reform program has brought unacceptably high unemployment and falling wages.
un|ac|com|pa|nied /ʌ nəkʌ mpənid/
1 ADJ [ADJ n, ADJ after v, v-link ADJ ] If someone is unaccompanied , they are alone. □ The council must care for unaccompanied minors. □ Kelly's too young to go unaccompanied.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Unaccompanied luggage or goods are being sent or transported separately from their owner. □ Unaccompanied bags are either searched or removed.
3 ADJ [ADJ n, ADJ after v] An unaccompanied voice or instrument sings or plays alone, with no other instruments playing at the same time. □ …an unaccompanied flute. □ The piece is most often sung unaccompanied.
un|ac|count|able /ʌ nəkaʊ ntəb ə l/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Something that is unaccountable does not seem to have any sensible explanation. □ For some unaccountable reason, it struck me as extremely funny. ● un|ac|count|ably /ʌ nəkaʊ ntəbli/ ADV □ And then, unaccountably, she giggled.
2 ADJ If you describe a person or organization as unaccountable , you are critical of them because they are not responsible to anyone for their actions, or do not feel they have to explain their actions to anyone. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Economic policy in Europe should not be run by an unaccountable committee of governors of central banks.
un|ac|count|ed for /ʌ nəkaʊ nt I d fɔː r / ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If people or things are unaccounted for , you do not know where they are or what has happened to them. □ 5,000 servicemen are still unaccounted for. □ About £50 million from the robbery five years ago is unaccounted for.
un|ac|cus|tomed /ʌ nəkʌ stəmd/
1 ADJ If you are unaccustomed to something, you do not know it very well or have not experienced it very often. [WRITTEN ] □ [+ to ] They were unaccustomed to such military setbacks. □ [+ to ] It is a part of Britain as yet largely unaccustomed to tourists.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] If you describe someone's behaviour or experiences as unaccustomed , you mean that they do not usually behave like this or have experiences of this kind. [WRITTEN ] □ He began to comfort me with unaccustomed gentleness.
un|ac|knowl|edged /ʌ næknɒ l I dʒd/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe something or someone as unacknowledged , you mean that people ignore their existence or presence, or are not aware of it. □ Unresolved or unacknowledged fears can trigger sleepwalking.
2 ADJ If you describe something or someone as unacknowledged , you mean that their existence or importance is not recognized officially or publicly. □ This tradition goes totally unacknowledged in official guidebooks.
un|ac|quaint|ed /ʌ nəkwe I nt I d/ ADJ [v-link ADJ with n] If you are unacquainted with something, you do not know about it or do not have not any experience of it. □ [+ with ] I was then totally unacquainted with his poems.
un|adorned /ʌ nədɔː r nd/ ADJ Something that is unadorned is plain, rather than having decoration on it. □ The room is typically simple and unadorned, with white walls and a tiled floor.
un|adul|ter|at|ed /ʌ nədʌ ltəre I t I d/
1 ADJ Something that is unadulterated is completely pure and has had nothing added to it. □ Organic food is unadulterated food produced without artificial chemicals or pesticides.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] You can also use unadulterated to emphasize a particular quality, often a bad quality. [EMPHASIS ] □ Sheer unadulterated greed should never be part of any system.
un|af|fect|ed /ʌ nəfe kt I d/
1 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If someone or something is unaffected by an event or occurrence, they are not changed by it in any way. □ [+ by ] She seemed totally unaffected by what she'd drunk. □ The strike shut down 50 airports, but most international flights were unaffected.