argument fori against doing sth The
main argument against smoking is that it's bad for your health.
justification ,с15лчгЩ'ке|Хг?п [n C/U] а
reason that someone gives for doing something that seems wrong to most people: She had her residence permit taken away, without any justification. + for There's no justification for cruelty. justification for doing sth LVhat justification can there be for paying women lower wages?
H a reason explaining why you did something wrong
excuse /ikskjuis' [n C] something that you say to try to explain why you did something bad, so that people will forgive you: Oh shut up Bill, I'm tired of listening to your excuses.
excuse for doing sth "What's your excuse for being late?" "My alarm clock didn 't go off, so I overslept.'
explanation ,ekspb'neij>n/ |n C] something that you say which gives good reasons
for something wrong which you have done: This work should have been finished a week ago. What's your explanation? + for He offered no explanation for his absence at the previous day's meeting.
U to tell someone the
reason for something
say why/tell sb why sei wai, ,tel (sb) wai to tell someone why something happened: I knew she was annoyed, but she wouldn't say why. I Can anyone tell us why there are no buses today?
explain [k'splein/ |u I/Г] to tell someone the reason for something, so that they understand the situation better: She just doesn't like me. How else can you explain her behaviour? I I don't have time to explain now - just come with me quickly!
explain why/how/what etc Doctors are unable to explain why the disease spread so quickly.
+ that Sarah explained that she hadn 't been feeling well recently. + to It was difficult explaining to the children why their father was leaving
home.
Don't say 'he explained me it', 'he explained me why he left' etc. Say he j explained it to me/ he explained why he < left etc ' j
J i
give a reason giv э n:z<m/ to tell someone why you are doing something, especially something surprising: "He says he's not coming." "Oh, did he give a reason?" give sb a reason The landlord told us we had to go, but we were never given any reason.
Ы to be the reason why something happened
be the reason /bi: do ri:/,?r\ to be the
reason why something happened or why someone did something + for Nick's teachers think that problems at home are the reason for his poor schoolwork.
609
REASON
be the reason why/Cthat) He borrowed too much money, and that's the main reason why his business failed.
RECENTLY 610
explain ik'splein, [u T] if a fact or situation explains something, it helps you to understand why it happened: IVe were all puzzled: what could explain his sudden change of mind?
explain why/what/how Mark couldn't sleep last night, which explains why he was in such a bad mood this morning.
account for sth okaont hix (sth)
not long ago /not Щ 9g3o|-'bii]-/ use
this especially about something that seems quite recent, although it actually happened quite a iong time ago: Now the French are saying they oppose nuclear testing, but not long ago they were carrying out tests themselves.
not so long ago/not very long ago Not
so long ago, India and Pakistan were one country.
a minute ago/a moment ago о
min^t э 'тэотэт 3gso/ a few minutes ago: Michael was looking for you a moment ago. I What did I do with my glasses?I had them in my hand a minute ago.
[phrasal verb T] formal to be the reason that explains why something strange or surprising happened: If it's true that he was taking drugs, that would account for his strange mood swings.
RECENTLY
see also grammar 6
a short time ago
recently /'ri:s,?mli [adv] if something
happened recently, it happened a short time before now, especially a few days or weeks ago: The President has recently returned from a five day tour of South America.
only recently I only recently started eating meat again.
until recently He lived in Boston until quite recently.
very recently "When did she go back to
Italy?" "Oh, very recently - just a couple of days ago."
recently discovered/completed/built etc
a recently published textbook
just /d^Ast/ [adu] very recently, for example only a few minutes, hours, or days ago: I've just heard that Julie's getting mar ried.
only just Vou haven't missed much of the show - it's only just started. just this minute (=a moment ago) 'Where's Karen?" "I saw her leaving the building just this minute."
A
In British English, use the present perfect tense with just: They have just arrived. Notice that just comes between 'have' and the main verb. In American English, use the simple past tense with just: They just arrived.
when something has been happening during the recent period
recently /'riis^ntli/' [adi;} use this to say that something has been happening for a few weeks or months, and it is still happening now: Her schoolwork has been much better recently. just recently Just recently I've been thinking about changing my job.
lately /'leitli/ [adv] recently - used especially in questions and negative sentences: Have you done any painting lately? just lately British Gerry hasn 't been feeling very well just lately.
in the last few days/weeks/months/
years in бэ 'last tjui (days etc)|j-l<cst- during the days, weeks, months, or years closest to now: We've had very little rain in the last few months. ( Cnmes against elderly people have risen sharply in the last few years.
something that happened recently
recent /riis^nt [adj] use this about something that happened recently, especially a few days or weeks ago: He hadn 't com pletely recovered from his recent illness. I A recent report said that smoll amounts of alcohol were good for the health.
in recent weeks/months/years S/ie's had a lot of problems at school, but in recent weeks things have improved.
(atest 'leftist [adj only before noun) someone's latest book, record, film etc is the one produced most recently; the latest news reports etc include all the newest information: In her latest movie she plays an LA cop.