spoken all the time while something is happening - use this about something annoying or surprising: He talked about himself the whole time I was with him. I We realized that Duncan had been standing there the whole time.
constant /'kDnst3nt||'ka:n-/ [adj usually before noun] continuing all the time without ever changing or stopping: His constant complaining is really beginning to annoy me. I a constant supply of fresh water
constantly [adu] We knew we were constantly in danger.
permanent /'рз:гтэпэт/ [adj] remaining the same for a very long time or for ever: a country in a permanent state of crisis I He seems to have a permanent smile on his face.
total
LOT
some
permanently [adu] This door is kept permanently locked.
AMOUNT/NUMBER
* f
see also
/ v
COUNT/ CALCULATE
an amount of something such as money, food, time,
or crime
amount /3'maunt/ [n C) the amount of sth The amount of tax you pay depends on how much you earn. I Try to reduce the amount of fat in your diet.
a small/tiny amount The water here contains small amounts of calcium and other minerals.
a targe/enormous/considerable amount
A
He knows an enormous amount about Italian paintings.
Don't say 'a big amount'.
How much /hau nut// use this to ask or
talk about the size of an amount of money, time, food etc: /7/ get you some
AMOUNT/NUMBER
paint if you'll tell me how much you need, i How much did your jeans cost7 how much. time/money/Jood etc How
A
much money do I owe you? I Do you realize how much trouble you caused? I How much nitrogen is there in the air?
^^ Only use how much with uncountable nouns like 'money' and 'time'.
Only say 'how much is ...' when you are asking about the cost of something: How much is this dress7 Don't say 'how much is the temperature?' Say what is the temperature?
quantity . kwnnUti|| kwu:n- [n CI use
this, especially in written descriptions or instructions, to talk about amounts of food, liquid, or other substances that can be measured
+ of Make sure that you add the correct quantity of water. I Use equa1 quantities of fiour and butter.
a large/small/enormous etc quantity An
A
enormous quantity of chemical waste had been dumped in the river.
Don't use quantity to talk about amounts of money or time.
level lev,?! [n C] use this to talk about the exact amount of something at one time, even though this amount may go up or go down at other times
the level о/ sth a device that measures the level of carbon monoxide in the air I the rising level of crime in the inner-cities a high/low level At that time Spain had a very high level of unemployment.
100 pounds1 worth/ten dollars'
worth etc ШОО etc) лз:'() an amount
of something that is worth £100, $10 etc: + of Over £10 million worth of heroin was seized in the raid. I The company owns millions of dollars' worth of real estate in downtown Tokyo.
extent /ik'stent ' [n Cj use this to talk about how large and how serious a problem is
the extent of sth Government inspectors will assess the extent of the damage. I Considering the extent of his injuries, he's lucky to be alive.
28
SUIIl SAm, [n C] an amount of money a large/enormous sum It cost over
$25.000. which was an enormous sum
in those days.
a sum of money She left a small sum of money to her two granddaughters.
/К Sum is more formal than amount and
is usually used in written English.
Volume volju:m|| vuiljom (n singular] use
this to talk about amounts of business activity or amounts of traffic that are continually increasing or decreasing the volume of trade/sales/traJFJic/busi- ness The volume of traffic on our roads has increased by 50% in the last three years. I After 1929. there was a rapid
fall in the volume of trade.
a number of people or things
number n\mb<v [n C]
the number of We need to know the number of students in each class, t The number of cars on our roads has doubled since 1970
Don't say 'a big number'. Say a large number.
A
Number is used with a plural verb: Only a small number of people were injured.
A
a large/small number A large number of reporters had gathered outside the house. I Thousands of men apply to join the Marines but only a small number are accepted.
A
Number can be used in the plural with the same meaning: 'large numbers of people' means the same as 'a large number of people'.
how many hao meni use this to talk about or ask about the number of people or things that there are how many people/things/years etc How
many cups of coffee do you have a day? I He wouldn't tell us how many girlfriends he'd had.
+ of How many of you can swim?
A Only use how many with countable nouns.
quantity /,kwDntiti|,kwam-/ [n С] a number of things - use this especially to talk about things that are being sold, stored, or carried
a quantity of A man was loading a quantity of TV sets onto the back of a truck. a large quantity Customs officers discovered a large quantity of cigarettes in his baggage.
Д Quantity can be used in the plural with the same meaning; 'large quantities of weapons' means the same as 'a large quantity of weapons'.
100 pounds' worth/ten dollars'
worth etc /(£100 etc) w3:r0/ a number of things that together are worth £100, $10 etc. Police seized over a million pounds' worth of stolen diamonds at London Heathrow Airport yesterday. + of $100,000 worth of rugs were destroyed in the fire.
EJ a number that is compared with another number
percentage /p3r'sentid3/ [n С usually singular) a number or amount that is calculated as part of a total of 100, and is shown using a % sign
+ of The percentage of women students at the university has increased steadily. I a slight fall in the percentage of nitrogen in the air