gaol /dʒe I l/ (gaols , gaoling , gaoled ) → see jail
gaol|er /dʒe I lə r / (gaolers ) → see jailer
gap ◆◇◇ /gæ p/ (gaps )
1 N‑COUNT A gap is a space between two things or a hole in the middle of something solid. □ He pulled the thick curtains together, leaving just a narrow gap. □ …the wind tearing through gaps in the window frames.
2 N‑COUNT A gap is a period of time when you are not busy or when you stop doing something that you normally do. □ [+ of ] There followed a gap of four years, during which William joined the Army.
3 N‑COUNT If there is something missing from a situation that prevents it being complete or satisfactory, you can say that there is a gap . □ Hunt has filled the gap left by the departure of Nick Batram. □ Like a good businessman, Stewart identified a gap in the market.
4 N‑COUNT A gap between two groups of people, things, or sets of ideas is a big difference between them. □ [+ between ] …the gap between rich and poor. □ America's trade gap widened. □ [+ between ] Britain needs to bridge the technology gap between academia and industry. COLLOCATIONS gap NOUN
3
verb + gap : fill, plug; create, identify, leave
4
noun + gap : age, gender, pay, wealth
adjective + gap : widening, yawning
verb + gap : bridge, close, narrow, reduce; widen
gape /ge I p/ (gapes , gaping , gaped )
1 VERB If you gape , you look at someone or something in surprise, usually with an open mouth. □ [V + at ] His secretary stopped taking notes to gape at me. □ [V -ing] …a grotesque face with its gaping mouth. [Also V ]
2 VERB If you say that something such as a hole or a wound gapes , you are emphasizing that it is big or wide. [EMPHASIS ] □ [V ] The front door was missing. A hole gaped in the roof. ● gap|ing ADJ [usu ADJ n] □ The aircraft took off with a gaping hole in its fuselage. □ …a gaping wound in her back.
ga p-fill (gap-fills ) N‑COUNT [usu N n] In language teaching, a gap-fill test is an exercise in which words are removed from a text and replaced with spaces. The learner has to fill each space with the missing word or a suitable word.
ga p-too thed ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe a person or their smile as gap-toothed , you mean that some of that person's teeth are missing. □ …a broad, gap-toothed grin.
ga p year N‑SING A gap year is a period of time during which a student takes a break from studying after they have finished school and before they start college or university. [BRIT ] □ I went around the world in my gap year.
gar|age ◆◇◇ /gæ rɑːʒ, -r I dʒ, [AM ] gərɑː ʒ/ (garages )
1 N‑COUNT A garage is a building in which you keep a car. A garage is often built next to or as part of a house.
2 N‑COUNT A garage is a place where you can get your car repaired. In Britain, you can also buy fuel for your car, or buy cars. □ Nancy took her car to a local garage for a check-up.
ga r|age sale (garage sales ) N‑COUNT If you have a garage sale , you sell things such as clothes, toys, and household items that you do not want, usually in your garage. [mainly AM ]
garb /gɑː r b/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft in adj N , oft with poss] Someone's garb is the clothes they are wearing, especially when these are unusual. [WRITTEN ] □ …a familiar figure in civilian garb. □ He wore the garb of a scout, not a general.
gar|bage /gɑː r b I dʒ/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Garbage is rubbish, especially waste from a kitchen. [mainly AM ] □ …a garbage bag. □ …rotting piles of garbage.
2 N‑UNCOUNT If someone says that an idea or opinion is garbage , they are emphasizing that they believe it is untrue or unimportant. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ I personally think this is complete garbage. □ Furious government officials branded her story 'garbage'.
ga r|bage can (garbage cans ) N‑COUNT A garbage can is a container that you put rubbish into. [AM ] □ A bomb planted in a garbage can exploded early today. in BRIT, use dustbin
ga r|bage col|le c|tor (garbage collectors ) N‑COUNT A garbage collector is a person whose job is to take people's garbage away. [AM ] in BRIT, use dustman
ga r|bage dis|po s|al (garbage disposals ) N‑COUNT A garbage disposal or a garbage disposal unit is a small machine in the kitchen sink that breaks down waste matter so that it does not block the sink. [AM ] in BRIT, use waste disposal
ga r|bage man (garbage men ) N‑COUNT A garbage man is the same as a garbage collector . [AM ]
ga r|bage truck (garbage trucks ) N‑COUNT A garbage truck is a large truck which collects the garbage from outside people's houses. [AM ] in BRIT, use dustcart
garbed /gɑː r bd/ ADJ If someone is garbed in particular clothes, they are wearing those clothes. [LITERARY ] □ [+ in ] He was garbed in sweater, tweed jacket, and flying boots. ● COMB [usu ADJ n] Garbed is also a combining form. □ …the small blue-garbed woman with a brown wrinkled face.
gar|bled /gɑː r b ə ld/ ADJ A garbled message or report contains confused or wrong details, often because it is spoken by someone who is nervous or in a hurry. □ The Coastguard needs to decipher garbled messages in a few minutes. □ …his own garbled version of the El Greco story.