1095
prickly pear
preview² v [T] to give a preview of (a play, cinema film etc)
Prev-in, An-dré /'prevʃn, 'ɒndreɪl'ɑ:n-/ (1929-) a US PIAN-
IST, CONDUCTOR (=someone who directs a group of musi-
cians) and COMPOSER, who often appeared on television in
the 1970s and helped to make CLASSICAL music more popu-
lar
pre-vi-ous /'pri:viəs/ adj 1 [A] happening or existing before
the one mentioned: On Sunday he denied all knowledge of it,
but on the previous day (=Saturday) he'd admitted to me that
he knew all about it. | Have you had any previous experience of
this kind of work? | on a previous occasion → see AGO
(USAGE), LAST (USAGE) 2 [F] now rare acting too soon; PREMA-
TURE: He was a little previous in thanking her for something
she had not yet given him. 3 previous to fml before; PRIOR to:
Women are now in a majority on the committee, although
previous to 1976 there were no women members at all. —ly
adv: This record was previously held by Sebastian Coe.
pre-vi-sion /ˌpri:'vɪʒən/ n [C;U(of)] fml (a case of) knowledge
of something before it happens
pre-war /ˌpri:'wɔ:r•/ adj, adv (happening or existing) before
a war, especially the First or Second World War: conditions in
pre-war Europe → compare POSTWAR
prey¹ /preɪ/ n [U] 1 an animal that is hunted and eaten by
another animal: lions pursuing their prey | (fig.) Gullible
people like him are easy prey for/to clever salesmen. (=can
easily be deceived by them) | (fig., rather fml) Left on her own, she
was/fell prey to (=was troubled by) all sorts of strange
fears. 2 habit or way of life based on killing and eating
other animals: The tiger is a beast of prey. | The eagle is a
bird of prey.
prey² v
prey on/upon sthg./sbdy. phr v [T] 1 (of an animal) to
hunt and eat as prey: Cats prey on birds and mice. 2 (of
unhappiness, troubles etc) to trouble greatly: This problem
has been preying on my mind all day. 3 derog (of a person) to
live by getting money from (someone who is weak, trusting,
helpless etc) by influence, deceit etc: He's very charming and
preys on rich widows.
prez-zie /'prezi/ n infml a present
Pri-am /'praɪəm/ in ancient Greek stories, the king of TROY
and the father of HECTOR and PARIS. → see also ILIAD,
TROJAN WAR
price¹ /praɪs/ n 1 an amount of money for which a thing is
offered, sold, or bought: What price did you pay for the
house? | What is the price of this suit? | Eggs are selling at a
high price. | House prices are rising/going up. | big price
reductions | (fig.) Isn't bad health a high price to pay for the
pleasure you get from smoking? | (fig.) Good friendship is
above/beyond/without price. (=cannot be bought) You can't
put a price on it. (=because it is too valuable) | (fig.) Everyone
has their price. (=will accept a BRIBE if it is large
enough) 2 (in risking money, e.g. on a horse in a race) the
difference in amount between the money risked and the sum
of the money one will get if one wins; ODDS: 'What price are
you offering on 'Lucky Shot?' 'Seven to four.' → see also
STARTING PRICE 3 a price on someone's head a reward for
catching or killing someone: The escaped prisoner fled across
the border because he knew there was a price on his head. 4 at
a price for a lot of money: You can buy excellent wine here —
at a price! 5 not at any price not on any condition, even if
favourable: I wouldn't travel by air at any price. → see also
ASKING PRICE, CLOSING PRICE, COST PRICE, LIST PRICE, MARKET
PRICE; see COST (USAGE)
price² v [T] 1 [+obj+adv/prep; often pass.] to fix the price of
(something for sale): The new car is priced very competitively.
(=at a price that makes people willing to buy it) | high-priced
goods | This hat is priced at £27, madam. 2 infml to find out
the price of: I have been pricing radios in the London
shops. 3 price out of the market to make the price of
(oneself or one's goods) so high that people are unwilling to
pay: You'll price yourself out of the market if you ask that
much.
Price, Ka-tie /'keɪti/ the real name of the British model
JORDAN
Price, Le-on-tyne /li'ɒnti:n, 'li:ɒn-lli'a:n-/ (1927-) a US
OPERA singer, who is thought to be one of the greatest
SOPRANOS (=women with high singing voices) of the 20th
century
Price, Vin-cent /'vɪnsənt/ (1911-1993) a US actor in theatre
and films. He is best known for his work in HORROR films,
including The Fly. His last film was Edward Scissorhands.
'price-fixing n [U] 1 the setting of prices by the govern-
ment 2 an agreement between two or more producers,
sellers etc to fix the price of a product at a level favourable
to them. In many countries, including Britain and the US,
this is illegal.
'price index n a system of numbers by which prices can be
compared to a former level → see also RETAIL PRICE INDEX
price-less /'praɪsləs/ adj 1 of such a high value that it
cannot be calculated: a priceless collection of paintings |
Good health is priceless. → see VALUABLE (USAGE) 2 infml very
funny or laughably foolish
,prices and 'incomes policy n a course of action taken
by a government and intended to prevent prices and incomes
increasing, in order to stop or limit INFLATION
'price sup,port n the practice of keeping prices of a product
or food at a fixed level, even though the price should go
down or up, by giving the producer government money or
having the government buy the product
'price tag n 1 a small ticket put onto an article, showing its
price 2 infml (especially in newspapers) a fixed or stated
price: The government was asked to put a price tag on its
new building plans. (=say what they would cost)
'price war n a period during which companies reduce the
prices of their products or services to win a larger share of
the market or get rid of competition: Oil companies are
entering a price war over the cost of unleaded fuel.
Price-wa-ter-house-Coo-pers /ˌpraɪsˌwɔ:təhaus-
'ku:pəzllˌwɔ:tər- -pærz, -ˌwɑ:-/ trademark an international
firm of ACCOUNTANTS and MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS that
provides services to businesses. It was formed in 1998 when
Price Waterhouse joined with Coopers & Lybrand.
pric-ey, pricy /'praɪsi/ adj pricier, priciest infml derog, especially
BrE expensive: These new cars are a bit pricey. | That shop's
too pricey for me. —liness n [U]
prick¹ /prɪk/ n 1 a small sharp pain: She felt a prick when the
needle went into her finger. | (fig.) the pricks of conscience
(=uncomfortable thoughts because one knows one has done
something wrong) 2 a small mark or hole made by prick-
ing 3 a prickle 4 taboo the male sex organ; PENIS 5 taboo derog
slang a stupid or very unpleasant man: You stupid prick! →
see also PINPRICK, kick against the pricks (KICK)
prick² v 1 [T(with, on)] to make a very small hole in (one's)
skin or surface of (something) with a sharp-pointed object:
When I was pruning the roses I pricked myself/my finger on a
thorn. 2 [I;T] to (cause to) feel a sensation of light sharp
pain on the skin: The pepper in the food pricked the back of
his throat. | (fig.) Her conscience pricked her. 3 prick up its
ears (of an animal) to raise the ears so as to listen atten-
tively 4 prick up one's ears (of a person) to listen carefully;
be ready to hear information: He pricked up his ears when
they began to talk about him.
prick sthg. ⇔ out phr v [T] to place (a young plant) in a
hole specially made in the earth
prick-le¹ /'prɪkl/ n 1 [C] any of a number of small, espe-
cially long and thin, sharp-pointed growths on the skin of
some plants or animals: a hedgehog's prickles 2 [(the) S] a
pricking sensation on the skin
prickle² v [I;T] to give or feel a pricking sensation: This rough
shirt prickles my skin.
prick-ly /'prɪkli/ adj 1 covered with prickles: prickly
bushes 2 that has or gives a pricking sensation: prickly
woollen underclothes 3 infml difficult to deal with: Nuclear
defence policy is bound to be one of the prickliest issues at the
party conference. | He's a prickly character. (=easily made
angry) —liness n [U]
,prickly 'heat n [U] an uncomfortable hot PRICKLY condition
of the skin with painful red spots, common in tropical
countries
,prickly 'pear n (the roundish PRICKLY fruit of) a CACTUS
with yellow flowers