collective responsibility (=when everyone in a group shares responsibility for its decisions)
El when two things are used together, or added together
together ta'gedy/ \adv] Mix the butter and the sugar together. I That skirt and jacket look really good together. I Together, these two paintings are worth more than £10.000.
combined /kam'baind/ [adj only before nounl a combined amount includes rwo or more amounts added together; the combined effect of two or more things is the effect that they have together. The combined value of the investments is $5 billion. I Her two latest records have sold a combined total of 14 million copies. I He was suffering from the combined effects of heat and exhaustion.
TOOL
a piece of equipment you use for repairing, cutting, or making
things
REPAIR— —CUT
\ я
see also
* \
equipment machine
tool tu:l [n C| a thing that you hold in
your hand and use to repair, cut. or make something: He couldn't finish repairing the engine because he didn't have the right tools. I I keep all my tools in the garage. I gardening tools + for a tool for cutting metal tool kit (=a set of tools that are kept together)
tool bo* (=a strong box that tools are kept
in)
instrument / mstr^mant; (n CI a small
Spanner BRITISH
Wrench AMERICAN
hammer
tool
tool used especially by doctors and scientists, for doing careful or delicate work: I
sat in the dentist 's chair and looked at the row of instruments beside me.
gadget gced^t/ In C] a small tool that has been cleverly designed to help you do something more easily: a clever little gadget that lets you chop vegetables into attractive shapes I electronic gadgets, such as a watch that you can use as a phone
A
di'vais [n C] a piece of equipment that has been cleverly designed to do a particular job. for example one that makes measurements, records sounds or movements, or controls the operation of a machine: An EEG is a device that records electrical activity in the brain. + for a thermostatic device for controlling temperature 1 The farmers there still use the 'Archimedes Screw\ an ancient device for raising water from a lake or well.
TOO/TOO MUCH
Don't confuse too (=more than enough, more than is right, or more than is necessary) and very. Don't say 'it's too interesting'. Say it's very interesting or its really interesting.
too
tOO tu:/ [adv] more than is right or necessary, or more than you want: They didn't give him the job. They said he was too old. I You mustn't work too hard. I It's too hot in here.
too big/small/tired etc to do sth The car
was too wide to get through the gate. 1
She's still too upset to talk about it.
far too small/much too big etc $200! That's far too expensive. I He was driving much too fast.
Don't say 'it's a too big house'. Say the house is too big. Don't use too big, too fast, too difficult etc before a noun.
A
Don't say 'he was too much old'. Say he was too old or he was much too old. Don't use too much before an adjective that is not followed by a noun, just use too.
too old/quick/big etc for My room's too narrow for a king-size bed.
A
В too much or too many
Use too much before uncountable nouns, and too many before countable nouns. Don't say 'there are too much cars'
Say there are too many cars.
too much tu: '!TiAtJ< [guonti/ier] use this about amounts or costs: Jim drinks too much, i That kid talks too much. I You spend too much time worrying about things.
far too much $200 for a room? That's far too much. I I'm afraid I put far too much salt in the soup. + for There was too much baggage for one person to carry.
tOO many ,',tu: тешч' [quantifier] use this
about numbers of people or things: Tve brought some more chairs - I hope I didn't bring too many. 1 She can't come - she says she has too many things to do. far too many Far too many people are unemployed.
+ for There were too many bags for one person to carry.
Too many is used with countable nouns. Too much is used with uncountable nouns.
excessive /ik'sesiv, {adj] use this about an amount, cost, or level which is much too high, especially when you think it is wrong or unfair that it is so high: the excessive use of chemicals in farming I $15 for two cups of coffee seems excessive.
to do something too much
" -- - ■ . 1Л. - I - I . - ,
Don't say 'she works too much'. Say she works too hard.
try/think/push etc too hard (try etc) tu: 'ha:rd/ to do something with too much effort, so that you do not get the result you want: Don't try too hard to impress people. Just be yourself. I Vbu're hitting the ball too hard. I I think you've been working too hard - you need a rest.
Qoverdo it /,3uvar'du: it/ especially spoken to do something too much, especially to do too much work or exercise: You need to take more exercise, but don't
overdo it. I I've been overdoing it lately - it's time I had a vacation. overdoing - overdid - have overdone
Overreact /.aovari'sekt/ [u 1] to get too angry or too worried when something happens which is not in fact very serious: Don't you think you're overreacting a little? I'm only ten minutes late. + to People have overreacted to the advertisement - we didn'i intend to offend anyone.
to say something is much bigger, worse etc than it really is
exaggerate !g'za:d;preit [u I/T] to say
that something is much bigger, better, worse, more important etc than it really is: "He said you walked 30 miles." "Oh, no! He's exaggerating." I Newspapers tend to exaggerate their influence on the way people vote.
exaggeration /ig/^d^'reipm [n C/U]