2 N‑COUNT Your career is the part of your life that you spend working. □ During his career, he wrote more than fifty plays. □ [+ as ] She began her career as a teacher.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] Careers advice or guidance in British English, or career advice or guidance in American English, consists of information about different jobs and help with deciding what kind of job you want to do. □ Get hold of the company list from your careers advisory service.
4 VERB [oft cont] If a person or vehicle careers somewhere, they move fast and in an uncontrolled way. □ [V prep/adv] His car careered into a river. □ [V prep/adv] He went careering off down the track. COLLOCATIONS career NOUN 1
noun + career : acting, coaching, modelling
adjective + career : distinguished, glittering, illustrious, successful; academic, managerial, musical, political, professional; international
verb + career : forge, pursue; begin, embark on, launch, start; abandon, give up SYNONYMS career NOUN 1
occupation: I was looking for an occupation which would be an adventure.
employment: She was unable to find employment.
vocation: It could well be that he has a real vocation.
livelihood: …fishermen who depend on the seas for their livelihood.
profession: Harper was a teacher by profession.
ca|ree r break (career breaks ) N‑COUNT If someone takes a career break , they stop working in their particular profession for a period of time, with the intention of returning to it later. [BUSINESS ] □ Many women still take career breaks to bring up children.
ca|reer|ist /kər I ə r I st/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Careerist people are ambitious and think that their career is more important than anything else. □ …careerist politicians.
ca|ree r wom|an (career women ) N‑COUNT A career woman is a woman with a career who is interested in working and progressing in her job, rather than staying at home looking after the house and children.
care|free /keə r friː/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A carefree person or period of time doesn't have or involve any problems, worries, or responsibilities. □ Chantal remembered carefree past summers at the beach.
care|ful ◆◆◇ /keə r fʊl/
1 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ , ADJ to-inf] If you are careful , you give serious attention to what you are doing, in order to avoid harm, damage, or mistakes. If you are careful to do something, you make sure that you do it. □ [+ on ] Careful on those stairs! □ We had to be very careful not to be seen. □ Pupils will need careful guidance on their choice of options. ● care|ful|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ Have a nice time, dear, and drive carefully. □ He had chosen his words carefully in declaring that the murderers were madmen.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Careful work, thought, or examination is thorough and shows a concern for details. □ He has decided to prosecute her after careful consideration of all the relevant facts. □ What we now know about the disease was learned by careful study of diseased organs. ● care|ful|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ He explained very carefully what he was doing.
3 ADJ If you tell someone to be careful about doing something, you think that what they intend to do is probably wrong, and that they should think seriously before they do it. □ [+ about/of ] I think you should be careful about talking of the rebels as heroes. ● care|ful|ly ADV [ADV after v] □ He should think carefully about actions like this which play into the hands of his opponents.
4 ADJ If you are careful with something such as money or resources, you use or spend only what is necessary. □ [+ with ] It would force industries to be more careful with natural resources.
care|giv|er /keə r g I və r / (caregivers ) also care giver N‑COUNT A caregiver is someone who is responsible for looking after another person, for example, a person who has a disability, or is ill or very young. [mainly AM ] □ It is nearly always women who are the primary care givers.
ca re home (care homes ) N‑COUNT A care home is a large house or institution where people with particular problems or special needs are looked after. □ [+ for ] …a residential care home for the elderly.
care|less /keə r ləs/
1 ADJ If you are careless , you do not pay enough attention to what you are doing, and so you make mistakes, or cause harm or damage. □ [+ of ] I'm sorry. How careless of me. □ [+ with ] Some mothers were a bit careless with money. □ Mr Clarke had pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving. ● care|less|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ She was fined £100 for driving carelessly. ● care|less|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ The defence conceded stupid goals through sheer carelessness.
2 ADJ If you say that someone is careless of something such as their health or appearance, you mean that they do not seem to be concerned about it, or do nothing to keep it in a good condition. □ [+ of ] He had shown himself careless of personal safety. □ That shows a fairly careless attitude to clothes, doesn't it? [Also + about ]
care|less|ly /keə r ləsli/
1 ADV [ADV with v] If someone does something carelessly , they do it without much thought or effort. [WRITTEN ] □ He carelessly left the garage door unlocked. □ 'Oh,' he said carelessly. 'I'm in no hurry to get back.'