deaf /de f/ (deafer , deafest )
1 ADJ Someone who is deaf is unable to hear anything or is unable to hear very well. □ She is now profoundly deaf. ● N‑PLURAL The deaf are people who are deaf. This use could cause offence. □ Many regular TV programs are captioned for the deaf. ● deaf|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ Because of her deafness she was hard to make conversation with.
2 ADJ If you say that someone is deaf to people's requests, arguments, or criticisms, you are criticizing them because they refuse to pay attention to them. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [+ to ] The provincial assembly were deaf to all pleas for financial help.
3 to fall on deaf ears → see ear
4 to turn a deaf ear → see ear
deaf|en /de fən/ (deafens , deafening , deafened )
1 VERB If a noise deafens you, it is so loud that you cannot hear anything else at the same time. □ [V n] The noise of the typewriters deafened her.
2 VERB [usu passive] If you are deafened by something, you are made deaf by it, or are unable to hear for some time. □ [be V -ed] He was deafened by the noise from the gun.
3 → see also deafening
deaf|en|ing /de fən I ŋ/
1 ADJ A deafening noise is a very loud noise. □ …the deafening roar of fighter jets taking off.
2 ADJ If you say there was a deafening silence , you are emphasizing that there was no reaction or response to something that was said or done. [EMPHASIS ] □ When we ask people for suggestions we get a deafening silence.
dea f-mu te (deaf-mutes ) N‑COUNT A deaf-mute is someone who cannot hear or speak. This word could cause offence.
deal
➊ QUANTIFIER USES
➋ VERB AND NOUN USES
➊ deal ◆◇◇ /diː l/ QUANT If you say that you need or have a great deal of or a good deal of a particular thing, you are emphasizing that you need or have a lot of it. [EMPHASIS ] □ …a great deal of money. □ I am in a position to save you a good deal of time. ● ADV [ADV after v] Deal is also an adverb. □ Their lives became a good deal more comfortable. □ He depended a great deal on his partner for support. ● PRON Deal is also a pronoun. □ Although he had never met the man, he knew a good deal about him.
➋ deal ◆◆◆ /diː l/ (deals , dealing , dealt )
→ Please look at category 8 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1 N‑COUNT If you make a deal , do a deal , or cut a deal , you complete an agreement or an arrangement with someone, especially in business. [BUSINESS ] □ [+ with/on ] Japan will have to do a deal with America on rice imports. □ The two sides tried and failed to come to a deal. □ He was involved in shady business deals.
2 VERB If a person, company, or shop deals in a particular type of goods, their business involves buying or selling those goods. [BUSINESS ] □ [V + in ] They deal in antiques. □ [V + in ] …the rights of our citizens to hold and to deal in foreign currency.
3 VERB If someone deals illegal drugs, they sell them. □ [V n] I certainly don't deal drugs. ● deal|ing N‑UNCOUNT [oft n N ] □ …his involvement in drug dealing and illegal money laundering.
4 N‑COUNT [adj N ] If someone has had a bad deal , they have been unfortunate or have been treated unfairly. □ The people of Liverpool have had a bad deal for many, many years.
5 VERB If you deal playing cards, you give them out to the players in a game of cards. □ [V n n] The croupier dealt each player a card, face down. □ [V n] He once dealt cards in an illegal gambling joint. ● PHRASAL VERB Deal out means the same as deal . □ [V P n] Dalton dealt out five cards to each player.
6 PHRASE If an event deals a blow to something or someone, it causes them great difficulties or makes failure more likely. [JOURNALISM ] □ The summer drought has dealt a heavy blow to the government's economic record.
7 → see also dealings , wheel and deal
8 a raw deal → see raw
▸ deal out PHRASAL VERB If someone deals out a punishment or harmful action, they punish or harm someone. [WRITTEN ] □ [V P n + to ] …a failure to deal out effective punishment to aggressors. [Also V P n (not pron), V n P ]
▸ deal with
1 PHRASAL VERB When you deal with something or someone that needs attention, you give your attention to them, and often solve a problem or make a decision concerning them. □ [V P n] …the way that building societies deal with complaints. □ [V P n] The President said the agreement would allow other vital problems to be dealt with.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you deal with an unpleasant emotion or an emotionally difficult situation, you recognize it, and remain calm and in control of yourself in spite of it. □ [V P n] She saw a psychiatrist who used hypnotism to help her deal with her fear.
3 PHRASAL VERB If a book, speech, or film deals with a particular thing, it has that thing as its subject or is concerned with it. □ [V P n] …the parts of his book which deal with contemporary Paris.
4 PHRASAL VERB If you deal with a particular person or organization, you have business relations with them. □ [V P n] When I worked in Florida I dealt with British people all the time. SYNONYMS deal NOUN ➋1