appoint
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**ap·point** /ə'pɔɪnt/ *v* [T] **1** [(as, to)] to choose for a position or job:
We have decided to *appoint a new teacher*. | She's been appointed as sales director/ *to the post of sales director*. | [+obj+n] *They appointed him chairman*. | *He was appointed chairman*. | [+obj+to-v] *I've been appointed to run the overseas section*. | *A committee was appointed to investigate these complaints*. ➔ see **HIRE** (USAGE) **2** *fml* to arrange or decide (especially a time or place when something will happen):
The committee has appointed a day in July for your case to be heard. | She wasn't there at the appointed time. ➔ see also **SELF-APPOINTED**, **WELL-APPOINTED** —**·pointee** *n*: a *presidential appointee* (=appointed by the president)
**ap·point·ment** /ə'pɔɪntmənt/ *n* **1** [C(with)] an arrangement for a meeting at an agreed time and place, especially a formal meeting with an important or official person:
The director won't see you unless you have an appointment. | *I have an appointment at 10.30 with the doctor*. | [+to-v] *Can I make an appointment to see the manager?* | a *hairdressing appointment* | a *12 o'clock appointment* **2** [U] the agreement of a time and place for meeting: *He will only see you by appointment*. **3** [C,U [as, of, to]] (the choosing of someone for) a position or job: *We were all pleased about the appointment of John as chairman/to be chairman*. | *I hope to get a teaching appointment at the new school*. | *fml* Smiths Ltd., wine merchants by appointment to the Queen
**USAGE**
When you arrange to see someone at a particular time you **make an appointment**. If you then actually see the person as arranged, you **keep the appointment**. If you cannot come, you write or telephone to **cancel the appointment**. Because appointment is somewhat formal, people usually don't use it to talk about an arranged meeting with friends. ➔ compare **MEETING**, **DATE**
**Ap·po·mat·tox** /ˌæpə'mætɒks/ a town in Virginia, US, known as the place where General Robert E. LEE, the leader of the CONFEDERATE army, SURRENDERED to General Ulysses S. GRANT, the leader of the UNION army, and therefore ended the American CIVIL WAR. The place where he surrendered is now a NATIONAL PARK.
**ap·por·tion** /ə'pɔː(ə)n/ *v* [T[between, among]] to divide and share out: *We must apportion the money fairly*. | *It was difficult to apportion the blame for the accident between the two drivers*. —**·ment** *n* [C;U]
**ap·po·site** /'æpəzɪt/ *adj* [(to, for)] *fml* exactly suitable to or directly connected with the present moment or situation: *an apposite remark*
**ap·po·si·tion** /ˌæpə'zɪʃ(ə)n/ *n* [(in)[U(to)] tech (in grammar) an arrangement in which one simple sentence contains two or more noun phrases that describe the same person or thing and are used in the same way. In the sentence '*The defendant, a woman of 35, denies kicking the policeman*' the two phrases '*the defendant*' and '*a woman of 35*' are in apposition (to each other).
**ap·prais·al** /ə'preɪzəl/ *n* [(of)] (a statement or opinion based on) an act of appraising: *What's your appraisal of the situation?* | a *system for the annual appraisal of employees' work*
**ap·praise** /ə'preɪz/ *v* [T] *fml* to judge the worth, quality, or condition of; find out the value of; **EVALUATE**:
*They employed a consultant to appraise the relative merits of the two computer systems*. | *It's difficult to appraise the damage this might do to his political reputation*.
**ap·pre·cia·ble** /ə'priːʃəbəl/ *adj* enough to be felt, noticed, or considered important: *an appreciable difference* —**·bly** *adv*: *The temperature dropped appreciably last night*.
**ap·pre·ci·ate** /ə'priːʃieɪt/ *v* **1** [T] to recognize and enjoy the good qualities or worth of: *She doesn't appreciate good wine*. | *His abilities were not appreciated in his job*. **2** [T, not in progressive forms] to understand fully; recognize: *I don't think you appreciate the difficulties this will cause*. | [+that] *I appreciate that this is not an easy decision for you to make*. **3** [T] to be thankful or grateful for: *I appreciate your help*. | *I'd appreciate it if you would turn the radio down*. (=please turn it down) **4** [(in)] (of property, possessions etc) to increase in value over a period of time: *Houses in this area have all appreciated (in value) since the new road was built*. ➔ **opposite DEPRECIATE**
**ap·pre·ci·a·tion** /əˌpriːʃi'eɪʃ(ə)n/ *n* **1** [U] understanding of the good qualities or worth of something: *The audience showed their appreciation with loud cheers*. **2** [C;U (of)] a judgment of the worth or facts of something: *The pupils wrote an appreciation of the play they had just seen*. | a *realistic appreciation of the situation* **3** [S;U (in)] (a) rise in value, especially of land or possessions: *an appreciation of 30% in property values*
**ap·pre·cia·tive** /ə'priːʃətɪv/ *adj* [(of)] feeling or showing admiration or thanks; showing appreciation: *an appreciative audience* | *He was very appreciative of his colleagues' support during his illness*. ➔ opposite **UNAPPRECIATIVE** —**·ly** *adv*
**ap·pre·hend** /ˌæpr'hend/ *v* [T] **1** *fml* to take (a person who breaks the law) into police control; **ARREST** **2** *old use* to understand
**ap·pre·hen·sion** /ˌæprɪ'henʃ(ə)n/ *n* **1** [C;U] anxiety about the future; expectation of something unpleasant:
*We waited for their decision with a great deal of apprehension*. **2** [U] *fml* the act of apprehending someone; **ARREST** **3** [U] *old use* ability to understand; understanding
**ap·pre·hen·sive** /ˌæprɪ'hensɪv/ *adj* [(about, for)] full of fear or anxiety about the future; worried: *He looked apprehensive as he waited for the result to be broadcast*. | *She was apprehensive about her son's safety*. —**·ly** *adv*
**ap·pren·tice** /ə'prentɪs/ *n* [(to)] a person who is under an agreement to work, for a number of years and usually for low wages, for a person who is skilled in a trade, in order to learn that person's skill: *an apprentice electrician* | *The company is taking on four new apprentices*.
**apprentice** *v* [T(to) usually pass.] to make someone an apprentice: *She's apprenticed to a plumber*.
**Apprentice, the** a US television programme in which a group of people compete to win the prize of a high-paying job, working for the rich American businessman Donald Trump. The people on the show all stay in one APARTMENT in New York city and work in teams doing jobs that test their ability to be an ENTREPRENEUR (=someone who starts a new business or arranges business deals in order to make money). People are judged on how well they do each job. Those who do badly are told to leave until there is a final winner.
**ap·pren·tice·ship** /ə'prentɪsʃɪp/ *n* [C;U] (the condition or period of having) a job as an apprentice: *The number of apprenticeships has declined sharply in recent years*. | *At the end of your apprenticeship your pay will be doubled*.
**USAGE**
In Britain and the US, the state does not have an official system of apprenticeships. Apprenticeships are usually offered by companies or by skilled workers who need someone to help them and are willing to teach their skill in return for this help.
**ap·prise** /ə'praɪz/ *v* [T(of)] *fml*, becoming rare to inform; tell: *We apprised him of our arrival*.
**ap·proach** /ə'prəʊtʃ/ *v* **1** [I,T] to come near or nearer (to) in space, time, quality, or quantity: *Silently we approached the enemy's camp*. | *The time is approaching when we will have to leave*. | *He's approaching 80*. (=is nearly 80 years old) | *They had to work in temperatures approaching 35°*. | *He's a good player, but doesn't approach international standard*. **2** [T(about)] to speak to (someone), especially in order to make a request or suggestion for the first time: *Did he approach you about lending him some money?* ➔ see also **APPROACHABLE** **3** [T] to begin to consider or deal with:
There are several ways of approaching this problem.
**approach** *n* **1** [U(of)] the act of approaching: *Our approach drove away the wild animals*. | *The approach of winter brings cold weather*. **2** [C(to)] a way of getting in: *All approaches to the town were blocked*. **3** [C(to)] a method of doing something or dealing with a problem: *a new approach to cancer treatment* | a *diplomatic approach* **4** [C(to)] an act of speaking to someone (about something) for the first time: *We have made approaches to them with a view to forming a business partnership*.
**ap·proach·a·ble** /ə'prəʊtʃəb(ə)l/ *adj* **1** easy to speak to or deal with; friendly: *You'll find the director a very approachable person*. ➔ opposite **UNAPPROACHABLE** **2** able to be reached
**ap·pro·ba·tion** /ˌæprə'beɪʃ(ə)n/ *n* [U] *fml* praise or approval especially when official