Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary полностью

2 ADJ [ADJ n] Thalidomide is used to describe someone whose arms and legs are wrongly shaped because their mother took thalidomide when she was pregnant. □  …the special needs of thalidomide children.

than ◆◆◆ /ðən, STRONG ðæn/

1 PREP You use than after a comparative adjective or adverb in order to link two parts of a comparison. □  The radio only weighs a few ounces and is smaller than a mobile phone. □  She walks far more slowly than we do. ● CONJ Than is also a conjunction. □  He wished he could have helped her more than he did. □  Sometimes patients are more depressed six months later than when they first hear the bad news.

2 PREP You use than when you are stating a number, quantity, or value approximately by saying that it is above or below another number, quantity, or value. □  They talked on the phone for more than an hour. □  The tournament starts in less than two months' time.

3 CONJ You use than in order to link two parts of a contrast, for example in order to state a preference. □  The arrangement was more a formality than a genuine partnership of two nations.

4less than → see less

5more than → see more

6more often than not → see often

7other than → see other

8rather than → see rather

thank ◆◆◆ /θæ ŋk/ (thanks , thanking , thanked )

1 CONVENTION You use thank you or, in more informal English, thanks to express your gratitude when someone does something for you or gives you what you want. [FORMULAE ] □  Thank you very much for your call. □ [+ for ] Thanks for the information. □  Thanks a lot, Suzie. You've been great.

2 CONVENTION You use thank you or, in more informal English, thanks to politely accept or refuse something that has just been offered to you. [FORMULAE ] □  'You'd like a cup as well, would you, Mr Secombe?'—'Thank you, Jane, I'd love one.' □  'Would you like a biscuit?'—'No thank you.'

3 CONVENTION You use thank you or, in more informal English, thanks to politely acknowledge what someone has said to you, especially when they have answered your question or said something nice to you. [FORMULAE ] □  The policeman smiled at her. 'Pretty dog.'—'Oh well, thank you.' □  'It's great to see you.'—'Thanks. Same to you.'

4 CONVENTION You use thank you or thank you very much in order to say firmly that you do not want someone's help or to tell them that you do not like the way that they are behaving towards you. [EMPHASIS ] □  I can stir my own tea, thank you. □  We know where we can get it, thank you very much.

5 VERB When you thank someone for something, you express your gratitude to them for it. □ [V n + for ] I thanked them for their long and loyal service. □ [V n] When the decision was read out Mrs Gardner thanked the judges.

6 N‑PLURAL When you express your thanks to someone, you express your gratitude to them for something. □  They accepted their certificates with words of thanks.

7 → see also thankyou

8 PHRASE You say ' Thank God ', ' Thank Goodness ', or ' Thank heavens ' when you are very relieved about something. [FEELINGS ] □  I was wrong, thank God. □  Thank heavens we have you here.

9 PHRASE If you say that you have someone to thank for something, you mean that you are grateful to them because they caused it to happen. □ [+ for ] I have her to thank for my life.

10 PHRASE If you say that something happens thanks to a particular person or thing, you mean that they are responsible for it happening or caused it to happen. □ [+ to ] It is thanks to this committee that many new sponsors have come forward.