not useful
useless /'juisbs/ [adj] not at all usefuclass="underline" useless information I Without the proper electric cable, its useless. completely/totally/absolutely useless
I'm going to throw this old vacuum cleaner away - it's absolutely useless. + for It's only a simple claculator, so it's useless for doing anything complicated.
pointless /'pointbs, [adj] if someone does something that is pointless, it does not seem to have any useful purpose and will not help anyone: The argument was completely pointless. ! pointless drug testing on animals
it is pointless doing stK It's pointless trying to speak to the manager - she's a/ways too busy.
Qthere's no point/what's the point? /безгг пэо 'point, ,wots to point/ especially spoken say this when you think that it is useless to do something because it will not achieve any useful purpose: "Why don't you try and sort out your argument with Mike?" 'There's no point
- he never listens."
there's no point (irO doing sth There's no point in waiting any longer - she obviously isn't coming. Qwhat's the point of doing sth? spoken What's the point of taking the exam if you know you're going to fail?
Qbe a waste of time /bi: э ,weist av taim/ especially spoken if you say that doing something is a waste of time, you mean that it is very unlikely to achieve any useful result and so no-one should spend their time doing it
be a complete waste of time These meetings are a complete waste of time. Nothing ever gets decided. it is a waste of time doing sth So many people wanted that job, that I thought it was a waste of time even applying for it.
USUALLY
ALWAYS
\ /
see also
/ \
SOMETIMES STRANGE
usually
us ually / normally/ generally
/'jusuali, пэ:ггш11, 'd3en«?r3li/ [adu] on most occasions or in most situations: / usua//y get up at about 7 o'clock. I The journey normally takes me about 45 minutes. I
Don't say 'as usually'. Say as usuaclass="underline" As
usual, the bus was full.
A
Usually, I do all the housework and Peter does the garden. I Women are generally paid less than men.
A Put usually, normally, and generally before the main verb in a sentence, except when the main verb is the verb 'to be': They usually make a lot of noise. I They are usually very noisy.
as usual /эz 'jugual/ in the same way as things usually happen: Tickets cost $20, and as usual there is a special price for students.
A
In spoken English, as usual is often used to say that something annoying has happened, when you mean that this happens very often: / tried to find Larry, but as usual he was outside having a cigarette.
Qnine times out of ten /nam taimz
aot 3v ten I spoken if something happens nine times out of ten, it nearly always happens or is nearly always true: Nine times out of ten, he works late and I have to look after the kids.
usual
NEVER
UNUSUAL
OFTEN
usual/normal /'jursual, пэ:ггш1/ [adj usually before noun] use this to describe the situation that usually happens, the thing that someone usually uses etc: She was sitting in her usual chair by the fire. I They're selling CDs at half the normal price.
colder/better/later etc than usual The
journey took much longer than usual, because there was so much traffic.
0 something that you usually do
habit /'h<ebi,t (n C/U J something that you do very often and without thinking about it, because you have done it so many times before: smoking and drinking and all his
other bad habits
have a habit of doing sth She has an
annoying habit of leaving her books all over the floor.
get into the habit of doing sth (=start doing something regularly) You ought to get into the habit of planning your work each morning.
routine ,ru:'ti:n4 [n C/U] all the things that you usually do in the same order every day. Try to make exercise о part of your daily routine. I Most babies soon develop a routine of sleeping and eating.
routine [ас//] a routine action or process is done as a normal part of a job or system: The drugs were found during a routine check by customs officers.
very
very 'veri [adv] VJe hod a very good time. 1 The test was very difficult. I She described the scene very well. I Try again, but move your arms very slowly.
Qreally noli [adv] especially spoken very - use this especially to talk about your feelings or what you think about something: It's really cold out there. I I feel really hungry. I Bob played really well.
highly /'haili/ [adv] formal very - you can use highly with these words: successful, intelligent, profitable, effective, efficient, educated, skilled: He runs a highly successful company. I a team of highly skilled engineers
Qreal /пэ1/ [adv] american spoken informal
very: I think he's a real smart guy. I Vou can take the car but be real careful driving real fast
even more than very
extremely /ik'stri:m!i/ [adu] espfcialily written use this when you want to use a stronger word than 'very': It is extremely difficult to work in these conditions. I The article contains some extremely important information. I The conference was extremely badly organized.
VERY
see also ют 4, completely,
little/not much
absolutely /'sEbsaluitli, .aebsa'luitli/ [adv] as much as it is possible to imagine - use this to emphasize adjectives that already have a strong meaning absolutely marvellous/wonderful/deli cious etc We had an absolutely marvellous day. I The cake tastes absolutely delicious - did you make it? absolutely jilth у/disgusting/awful etc When they came in from the yard, they were absolutely filthy. absolutely terri/ied/exhausted/deHghted/ Jurious etc She stood in the middle of the stage looking absolutely terrified.