section 3 words and expressions.docVIP

Section 3: Words and Expressions from Module 4 Music relative adj. (formal) 1 considered and judged by being compared with sth. else: the relative merits of the two plans 2 ~ (to sth.) considered according to its position or connection with sth. else: the position of the sun relative to the earth 3 [only before n.] that exists or that has a particular quality only when compared with sth. else comparative: They now live in relative comfort (= compared with how they lived before). Given the failure of the previous plan, this turned out to be a relative success. It’s all relative though, isn’t it? We never had any money when I was a kid and $500 was a fortune to us. n. 1 a person who is in the same family as sb. else: a close / distant relative her friends and relatives 2 a thing that belongs to the same group as sth. else: The ibex is a distant relative of the mountain goat interpret v. 1 [vn] to explain the meaning of sth.: The students were asked to interpret the poem. 2 [vn] ~ sth. (as sth.) to decide that sth. has a particular meaning and to understand it in this way: I didn’t know whether to interpret her silence as acceptance or refusal. The data can be interpreted in many different ways 3 [v] ~ (for sb.) to translate one language into another as you hear it: She couldn’t speak much English so her children had to interpret for her. characteristic adj.~ (of sth./sb.) very typical of sth. or of sb.’s character: She spoke with characteristic enthusiasm. characteristically adv.: Characteristically, Helen paid for everyone. n. ~ (of sth./sb.) a typical feature or quality that sth./sb. has: The need to communicate is a key characteristic of human society. The two groups of children have quite different characteristics. Personal characteristics, such as age and sex are taken into account. combine v. 1 ~ (sth.) (with sth.)| ~ A and B (together) to come together to form a single thing or group; to join two or more things or groups toget