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spend
This plane can reach speeds in excess of 2000 kilometres an hour. | We can't go any faster – we're already at top/full speed. | running/driving at breakneck speed (=extremely fast) | to travel at the speed of light/sound 2 [U] quickness of movement or action: When we're travelling at speed (=fast) the passing countryside just seems a blur. | Work is progressing at full/top speed. (=as fast as possible) | The train pulled out of the station and began to pick up/gather speed. | Everyone was surprised by the speed with which the dispute was settled. | The police are advising motorists to reduce speed because of the fog. | a course in speed-reading (=fast reading) 3 [C] the degree to which photographic film is sensitive to light: The speed of this film is too low for such dim light. 4 [C] a GEAR on a car, bicycle, etc (especially in such phrases as three/four/five-speed): a five-speed gear-box 5 [U] drug-users' slang for AMPHETAMINE -> see also HIGH-SPEED
speed² v speeded or sped /sped/ 1 [+adv/prep; T+obj+adv/prep] to go, pass, or take quickly: The holidays simply sped by. | We saw the thieves speeding off in their getaway car. | Security guards sped her to a waiting helicopter. 2 [I usually in progressive forms] to go or drive too fast; break the speed limit: Was I really speeding, officer? 3 speed someone on their way to be present at the start of someone's journey to say goodbye
speed up phr v [I;T(= speed sthg. <-> up] to (cause to) move, go, or happen faster: We'd better speed up if we want to get there in time. | Production of the new model must be speeded up. | The new system will speed up the process of applying for a passport.
speed-boat /'spi:dbəʊt/ n a small power-driven boat built for high speed
speed bump n AmE for SLEEPING POLICEMAN
speed, camera n a special camera that takes photographs of cars if they are travelling faster than the legal speed limit. The police use the photographs as proof that drivers have broken the law, and make the drivers pay a FINE. Speed cameras are often placed in boxes on poles at the side of the road, but the police also have speed cameras which can be held by hand. Their purpose is to encourage drivers not to drive too fast, especially in places where there have been many accidents.
CULTURAL NOTE Speed cameras have become very common on roads in the UK, and many drivers have criticized their use. Some people believe that the police use speed cameras as a way of making money from the fines rather than to improve road safety.
speed, dating n [U] an event at which you meet and talk to a lot of different people for only a few minutes each. Usually, the women at the event stay in one place, and the men move from person to person. After you have talked to everyone, each person there gives the organizer of the event the names of the people they would like to meet again. If the people you would like to meet again say they would like to meet you, the organizer gives out telephone numbers so that you can arrange your own meeting.
speed, dial also 'speed, dialing AmE n [U] a special feature on a telephone that lets you DIAL someone's telephone number very quickly by pressing one button -> speed-dial v [I,T]
speed-ing /'spi:dɪŋ/ n [U] the offence of driving faster than the legal limit: She was found guilty of speeding and fined £50.
speed, limit n the fastest speed allowed by law on a particular stretch of road
speed of 'light [the] the speed at which light travels through space, which is 186,000 miles or 300,000 km per second
speed of 'sound n [the] the speed at which sound travels, which varies according to what it is travelling through. It travels through the air at sea level, when the temperature is 0°C, at a rate of 1,088 feet or 331.6 metres per second.
speed-om-e-ter /spi'dɒmɪtər, spi:-||-'da:-/ also spee-do /'spi:dəʊ/ BrE infml — n an instrument in a vehicle for showing how fast it is going -> see picture at CAR
Speed-os /'spi:dəʊz/ trademark a popular make of men's and women's SWIMMING COSTUMES made by the Speedo company
'speed trap n a stretch of road watched by hidden policemen to catch drivers going too fast
speed-up, speed-up /'spi:dʌp/ n an increase in the speed of something or in the rate at which a process happens: [+in] a speedup in population growth
speed-way /'spi:dweɪ/ n [C;U] (the sport of racing motorcycles or cars on) a closed racing track
speed-y /'spi:di/ adj going, working, or happening quickly or without delay: a speedy little car. | The accusations brought a speedy denial. | We sent him a card that said 'Best wishes for a speedy recovery'. —ily adv —iness n [U]
spe-le-ol-o-gy /spi:li'ɒlədʒi|-'ɑ:l-/ n [U] 1 the scientific study of CAVES 2 infml the sport of walking and climbing in CAVES —gist n —gical /spi:liə'lɒdʒɪkəl||-'lɑ:-/ adj
spell¹ /spel/ v spelt /spelt/ especially BrE || spelled especially AmE 1 [I;T] to form (a word or words) by writing or naming letters in the correct order: children learning to spell | The Americans spell some words differently from the British. | 'How do you spell your name? Do you spell it with an i or a y?' 'I spell it S-M-Y-T-H.' 2 [T no pass.] (of letters in order) to form (a word): B-O-O-K spells 'book'. 3 [T] infml to add up to (a usually unpleasant result); mean: This development could spell disaster for the steel industry. —er n: I've always been a bad speller.
spell sthg. <-> out phr v [T] 1 to write or say (a word) letter by letter: He spelt his name out for me. 2 to explain in the clearest or most detailed way: a report that spells out the government's plans for housing | I should have thought it was obvious, but if you want me to spell it out for you – I'm leaving you. 3 AmE to write a whole word and not shorten it: There are few occasions when Mr. or Jr. should be spelled out instead of abbreviated.
spell² n 1 an unbroken period of time, especially taken up with the stated activity, events etc: There will be spells of sunshine/sunny spells this afternoon. | I had/did a spell in the army before I became a policeman. | After a short spell in hospital she was soon back at work. 2 a usually quickly-passing period of illness of the stated kind: a coughing spell | a dizzy spell 3 (in cricket) a period of bowling (BOWL) by a particular bowler: Botham had a good spell after lunch.
spell³ n 1 [S] a condition caused by magical power; ENCHANTMENT: The witch put the princess under a spell, and she fell asleep for ten years. | (fig.) The audience was hostile at first, but soon fell under the spell of her charming personality. 2 [C] the magic words producing this condition: to cast a spell over someone
spell⁴ v spelled [T] especially AustrE & AmE to take the turn of; allow (someone else) to rest by taking over their work: Let me spell you on duty so that you can have your coffee break.
spell-bind /'spelbaɪnd/ v -bound /baʊnd/ [T] to hold the complete attention of; FASCINATE: The children watched spellbound as the magician produced rabbits and pigeons from his hat. | a spellbinding performance —er n
spel-ler /'spelər/ also 'spelling book n AmE a book which helps teach children to spell words correctly
spell-ing /'spelɪŋ/ n 1 [U] the action of forming words correctly from letters, or the ability to do this: Her spelling has improved. 2 [C] an ordered set of letters forming a word: The British and American spellings of 'colour' are different.
Spelling, Aaron (1923–) an US film and television PRODUCER who has worked on many well-known films and television series including Charlie's Angels, Dynasty, and Twin Peaks
'spelling, bee n AmE a competition in which the winner is the person or group which correctly spells aloud the most words
spelt /spelt/ past tense & participle of SPELL
spe-lunk /spə'lʌŋk/ v [I] AmE to go into rooms and passages under the ground (CAVES) as a sport —ing n [U] He goes spelunking on weekends. —er n
Spence, Sir Basil /spens/ (1907–76) a British ARCHITECT, best known for designing Coventry Cathedral
spend /spend/ v spent /spent/ 1 [I;T(ɒn)] to give out (money or something used instead of money) in payment for goods or services: I'm good at spending but not at saving. | There will have to be big cuts in government spending. | They spend a lot of