information centre 714
(=officially secret information) 2 AmE (often cap.) the telephone service which provides telephone numbers to people who ask for them: Her number's not in the book yet but you can get it from information. | How do you get information for Los Angeles? → see also DIRECTORY ENQUIRIES —al adj
infor'mation centre n a place, often in somewhere such as a big EXHIBITION, a hospital, a place which tourists visit, or a NATURE RESERVE, where people can get information: I wonder if there's an information centre anywhere? | For further information, write to the National Building Information Centre, 138 Birchanger Street ...
infor'mation 'overload n [U] too much information that you receive all at the same time, for example on the Internet, causing you to be tired and unable to think very carefully about any of it: The greater the amount of data, the greater the risk of information overload.
infor'mation retrieval n [U] tech the finding of stored information when it is needed, especially from a computer
infor'mation 'science n [U] the science of collecting, arranging, storing, retrieving (RETRIEVE), and sending out information
infor'mation tech,nology abbrev. IT n [U] the science or practice of collecting, storing, using, and sending out information by means of computer systems and TELECOMMUNICATIONS
infor'mation ,theory n [U] the mathematical principles that deal with information and the sending of information between humans and machines
in·for·ma·tive /ɪnˈfɔːmətv||-ɔr-/ adj providing useful facts or ideas: an informative television documentary → opposite UNINFORMATIVE —ly adv
in·formed /ɪnˈfɔːmd||-ɔːr-/ adj 1 [(about, on)] having or showing knowledge; having information: well-informed | badly informed | Please keep me informed of any developments in the situation. | Informed sources/observers predict serious repercussions on the government. 2 using one's knowledge of a situation: I don't know exactly how many votes he will get, but I can make an informed guess.
in,formed o'pinion n [U] especially BrE those people who are in a position to know: Informed opinion has it that/says she's coming today.
in·form·er /ɪnˈfɔːməʳ||-ːr-/ n sometimes derog a person who informs against someone else, especially to the police in return for money → compare INFORMANT
in·frac·tion /ɪnˈfrækʃən/ n [C;U(of)] fml (an example of) the breaking of a rule or law: Any infraction of the regulations will be punished.
in·fra dig /ˌɪnfrə ˈdɪg/ adj [F] infml, especially BrE below one's standard of social or moral behaviour: It's a bit infra dig for him to wear brown shoes on such a formal occasion.
in·fra·red /ˌɪnfrəˈred◊/ adj of or being RAYS of light of long WAVELENGTH that cannot be seen but give heat: an infrared grill/lamp | infrared radiation → compare ULTRAVIOLET
in·fra·struc·ture /ˈɪnfrəˌstrʌktʃəʳ/ n the system or structures which are necessary for the operation of a country or an organization: Vast sums are needed to maintain the infrastructure. (=water/power/road systems) | a country's economic infrastructure (=its banks and other organizations which handle and control its money)
in·fre·quent /ɪnˈfriːkwənt/ adj fml not (happening) often; rare: infrequent visits | an infrequent visitor —ly adv —quency n [U]
in·fringe /ɪnˈfrɪndʒ/ v [I(upon, on);T] fml to go against (a law etc) or take over (the right of another person): to infringe a copyright/a patent | He considers that the school is infringing (upon) his rights as a parent by punishing his son in that way. | to infringe upon a nation's fishing rights —ment n [C;U] an infringement of the law
in·fu·ri·ate /ɪnˈfjʊəriˌeɪt/ v [T] to make (someone) extremely angry: His casual attitude infuriates me. | infuriating delays → see ANNOY (USAGE) —atingly adv
in·fuse /ɪnˈfjuːz/ v 1 [T] to fill (someone) with (a quality): [+obj+with] His speech infused the men with a desire to win. | [+obj+into] His speech infused a desire to win into the men. 2 [I;T] to stay or cause (a substance such as tea) to stay in hot water so as to give the liquid the taste of the substance: Let the tea infuse for a few minutes.
in·fu·sion /ɪnˈfjuːʒən/ n 1 [U] the act of infusing 2 [C] a liquid made by infusing, often for medical use: The old woman recommended an infusion of special herbs for my cold. 3 [C;U(into)] (an example of) the act of mixing or filling with something new: an infusion of new ideas into the department
in·ge·ni·ous /ɪnˈdʒiːniəs/ adj usually apprec showing cleverness at making or inventing things: What an ingenious gadget. | an ingenious person/idea/excuse → compare INGENUOUS; see also GENIUS —ly adv
in·ge·nue, -gé- /ˈændʒənjuː||ˈændʒənuː/ n Fr a young inexperienced girl, especially in plays and films: With her innocent looks, she always gets the ingenue roles.
in·ge·nu·i·ty /ˌɪndʒɪˈnjuːəti||-ˈnuː-/ n [U] skill and cleverness in making, inventing, or arranging things: It took some ingenuity to squeeze all the furniture into the little room.
in·gen·u·ous /ɪnˈdʒenjuəs/ adj often derog (of a person or their behaviour) simple, direct, and inexperienced; NAIVE: Only the most ingenuous person would believe such a feeble excuse. | an ingenuous smile → compare INGENIOUS; see also DISINGENUOUS —ly adv —ness n [U]
in·gest /ɪnˈdʒest/ v [T] tech to take (food) into the stomach → compare DIGEST —ion /ɪnˈdʒestʃən/ n [U]
in·gle·nook /ˈɪgəlnk/ n (a seat in) a partly enclosed space near a large open fireplace; CHIMNEY CORNER
in·glo·ri·ous /ɪnˈglɔːriəs/ adj lit 1 shameful; bringing dishonour: an inglorious defeat 2 old use not famous; unknown: 'Some mute inglorious Milton here may rest.' (Gray's Elegy) —ly adv
in·got /ˈɪgət/ n a lump of metal in a regular shape, often brick-shaped: gold ingots
in·grained /ˌɪnˈgreɪnd◊/ adj fixed firmly and deeply into the surface or inside, so that it is difficult to remove or destroy: ingrained dirt | (fig.) ingrained habits/prejudices | (fig.) a deeply ingrained dislike of small children
In·grams, Richard /ˈɪgræmz/ (1937-) a British JOURNALIST who in 1962 started the humorous magazine Private Eye, which is known for making fun of famous people, especially politicians. In 1992 he started another humorous magazine called The Oldie.
in·grate /ˈɪgreɪt, ɪngreɪt||ˈɪngret/ n fml or lit derog an ungrateful person
in·gra·ti·ate /ɪnˈgreɪʃieɪt/ v [T(with)] derog to gain approval or favour for (oneself) by making oneself pleasant, showing admiration etc: He is obviously trying to ingratiate himself with the boss.
in·gra·ti·at·ing /ɪnˈgreɪʃieɪtɪŋ/ adj derog (of a person or their behaviour) showing that one wishes to gain favour: an ingratiating smile/manner —ly adv
in·grat·i·tude /ɪnˈgrætɪtjuːd||-tuːd/ n [U] ungratefulness
in·gre·di·ent /ɪnˈgriːdiənt/ n [(of)] any of the things that are formed into a mixture when making something, especially in cooking: Flour and fat are the most important ingredients. | (fig.) Imagination and hard work are the ingredients of success.
In·gres, Jean Au·guste Dom·i·nique /ˈæŋgrə, ʒɒ̃ ˈɔːgjuːst ˈdɒmɪˌniːk||ʒɑ̃ œˈgjuːst dɔːməˈniːk/ (1780-1867) a French painter and leader of the NEOCLASSICAL school (=artists who copied the style of ancient Greece and Rome). He is known for his PORTRAITS (=paintings of real people) and for his NUDES (=paintings of people, mostly women, without clothes) such as Turkish Women at the Bath.
in·gress /ˈɪgres/ n [U] fml or lit the act of entering or the right to enter → opposite EGRESS
'in·group n [C+sing./pl. v] often derog a social group that shows favour to those who belong to it and tries to keep out non-members; CLIQUE: There's a little in-group in that department that seems to keep all the good jobs for itself.
in·grow·ing /ˌɪnˈgrəʊɪŋ/ especially BrE || in·grown /ˌɪnˈgroʊn/ AmE — adj [A no comp.] growing inwards, especially into the flesh: an ingrowing toenail
in·hab·it /ɪnˈhæbɪt/ v [T] fml or tech (especially of animals or large groups of people) to live in (a place or area): Woodpeckers inhabit hollow trees. | tribes who inhabit the tropical