5 ADV [ADV after v] If something such as an organization or relationship falls apart , or if something tears it apart , it can no longer continue because it has serious difficulties. □ Any manager knows that his company will start falling apart if his attention wanders.
6 ADV [ADV after v, n ADV ] If something sets someone or something apart , it makes them different from other people or things. □ What really sets Mr Thaksin apart is that he comes from northern Thailand.
7 ADJ If people or groups are a long way apart on a particular topic or issue, they have completely different views and disagree about it. □ Their concept of a performance and our concept were miles apart.
8 PHRASE If you can't tell two people or things apart , they look exactly the same to you. □ I can still only tell Mark and Dave apart by the colour of their shoes!
➋ apart ◆◇◇ /əpɑː r t/
1 PHRASE You use apart from when you are making an exception to a general statement. □ There were nine others apart from me and the trainer.
2 ADV [n ADV ] You use apart when you are making an exception to a general statement. □ This was, New York apart, the first American city I had ever been in where people actually lived downtown.
3 PHRASE You use apart from to indicate that you are aware of one aspect of a situation, but that you are going to focus on another aspect. □ Illiteracy threatens Britain's industrial performance. But, quite apart from that, the individual who cannot read or write is unlikely to get a job.
apart|heid /əpɑː r tha I t/ N‑UNCOUNT Apartheid was a political system in South Africa in which people were divided into racial groups and kept apart by law. □ He praised her role in the struggle against apartheid. □ …the anti-apartheid movement.
apart|ment ◆◇◇ /əpɑː r tmənt/ (apartments ) N‑COUNT An apartment is a set of rooms for living in, usually on one floor of a large building. [mainly AM ] □ …bleak cities of concrete apartment blocks. in BRIT, use flat
apa rt|ment build|ing (apartment buildings ) or apartment house N‑COUNT An apartment building or apartment house is a tall building which contains different apartments on different floors. [AM ] in BRIT, use block of flats
apa|thet|ic /æ pəθe t I k/ ADJ If you describe someone as apathetic , you are criticizing them because they do not seem to be interested in or enthusiastic about doing anything. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Even the most apathetic students are beginning to sit up and listen.
apa|thy /æ pəθi/ N‑UNCOUNT You can use apathy to talk about someone's state of mind if you are criticizing them because they do not seem to be interested in or enthusiastic about anything. [DISAPPROVAL ]
ape /e I p/ (apes , aping , aped )
1 N‑COUNT Apes are chimpanzees, gorillas, and other animals in the same family.
2 VERB If you ape someone's speech or behaviour, you imitate it. □ [V n] Modelling yourself on someone you admire is not the same as aping all they say or do.
ape|ri|tif /æpe r I tiː f/ (aperitifs ) N‑COUNT An aperitif is an alcoholic drink that you have before a meal.
ap|er|ture /æ pə r tʃə r / (apertures )
1 N‑COUNT An aperture is a narrow hole or gap. [FORMAL ] □ Through the aperture he could see daylight.
2 N‑COUNT In photography, the aperture of a camera is the size of the hole through which light passes to reach the film.
apex /e I peks/ (apexes )
1 N‑SING The apex of an organization or system is the highest and most important position in it. □ At the apex of the party was its central committee.
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] The apex of something is its pointed top or end. □ …the apex of the pyramid.
Apex /e I peks/ also APEX N‑SING [usu N n] An Apex or an Apex ticket is a ticket for a journey by air or rail which costs less than the standard ticket, but which you have to book a specified period in advance. □ The Apex fare is £195 return.
apha|sia /əfe I ziə, -ʒə/ N‑UNCOUNT Aphasia is a mental condition in which people are often unable to remember simple words or communicate. [MEDICAL ]
aphid /e I f I d/ (aphids ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Aphids are very small insects which live on plants and suck their juices.
apho|rism /æ fər I zəm/ (aphorisms ) N‑COUNT An aphorism is a short witty sentence which expresses a general truth or comment. [FORMAL ] □ 'What if they gave a war and nobody came?' was one of his generation's favored aphorisms.
aph|ro|disi|ac /æ frəd I ziæk/ (aphrodisiacs ) N‑COUNT An aphrodisiac is a food, drink, or drug which is said to make people want to have sex. □ Asparagus is reputed to be an aphrodisiac.
apiece /əpiː s/
1 ADV If people have a particular number of things apiece , they have that number each. □ He and I had two fish apiece. □ The winners got $23,250 apiece.
2 ADV If a number of similar things are for sale at a certain price apiece , that is the price for each one of them. □ Entire roast chickens were sixty cents apiece.
aplen|ty /əple nti/ ADV [n ADV ] If you have something aplenty , you have a lot of it. [LITERARY ] □ There were problems aplenty at work.
aplomb /əplɒ m/ N‑UNCOUNT [usu with N ] If you do something with aplomb , you do it with confidence in a relaxed way. [FORMAL ]