irrecoverable 734
ir·re·cov·er·able /ˌɪrɪˈkvərəbl/ adj which cannot be got back or recovered (RECOVER): irrecoverable debts —bly adv
ir·re·deem·able /ˌɪrɪˈdiːməbl/ adj 1 fml which nothing can take the place of: an irredeemable loss 2 fml derog too bad to be put right; hopeless: the irredeemable awfulness of the performance 3 (of STOCK) which cannot be exchanged for the original sum paid, but only for the regular interest payments —bly adv
ir·re·du·ci·ble /ˌɪrɪˈdjuːsəbl/ ||-ˈduː-/ adj fml which cannot be made smaller or simpler: the irreducible minimum —bly adv
ir·re·fu·ta·ble /ˌɪrɪˈfjuːtəbl/ , ˌrefjˈjuːtəbl/ adj fml too strong to be disproved: an irrefutable argument —bly adv
ir·reg·u·lar¹ /ɪˈreɡjʊlər/ adj 1 (of shape) having different-sized parts; uneven; not level: an irregular polygon | an irregular coastline | She has irregular features. (=her face is not the same on both sides) 2 (of time) at unevenly separated points; not equal: He visits us at irregular intervals. | She dislikes working such irregular hours. 3 fml not according to the usual or accepted rules, habits etc: But there's no official stamp on your permit; this is most irregular | His behaviour is rather irregular. (=immoral or unacceptable) 4 not continuous: Her work as an actress is so irregular that she supplements her income by working in a bar. 5 (in grammar) not following the usual pattern: an irregular verb 6 AmE euph suffering from CONSTIPATION —ly adv
irregular² n a soldier in an army which is not the official army of a country but has been brought together for a special purpose
ir·reg·u·lar·i·ty /ˌɪreɡjʊˈlærti/ n 1 [U] the state of being irregular: the irregularity of the coastline 2 [C] something irregular: You'll need to flatten out the irregularities in the lawn with a roller. 3 [C;U] fml something that goes against the rules, especially (an act of) wrongdoing: He couldn't explain the irregularities in the balance sheet, and I suspect him of taking the money. 4 [U] AmE euph CONSTIPATION
ir·rel·e·vance /ɪˈreləvəns/ also ir·rel·e·van·cy /-vənsi/ n 1 [U] the state of being irrelevant 2 [C] an irrelevant remark or fact
ir·rel·e·vant /ɪˈreləvənt/ adj [(to)] not having any real connection with or relation to something else: If he can do the job well, his age is irrelevant. (=does not matter) —ly adv
ir·re·li·gious /ˌɪrɪˈlɪdʒəs/ adj fml derog against religion or showing a lack of religious feeling
ir·re·me·di·able /ˌɪrɪˈmiːdiəbl/ adj fml which cannot be put right: irremediable damage —bly adv
ir·rep·a·ra·ble /ɪˈrepərəbl/ adj which cannot be repaired or put right: The storm caused irreparable damage to the house. | Her death is an irreparable loss to the firm. —bly adv
ir·re·place·a·ble /ˌɪrɪˈpleɪsəbl/ adj too special, unusual, or valuable for anything else to take its place: Don't break my Ming vase – it's irreplaceable | We'll miss him when he leaves the company, but no one's irreplaceable. (=someone else will be able to do his job)
ir·re·pres·si·ble /ˌɪrɪˈpresəbl/ adj too full of force, excitement etc to be stopped or held back: irrepressible cheerfulness/good humour/high spirits | an irrepressible talker —bly adv
ir·re·proach·a·ble /ˌɪrɪˈprətʃəbl/ adj fml so good that no blame at all could be given; faultless: His conduct was irreproachable. —bly adv
ir·re·sis·ti·ble /ˌɪrɪˈzɪstəbl/ adj 1 too nice, charming, attractive etc to refuse; impossible to dislike or RESIST: irresistible chocolates | an irresistible little baby 2 so strong or powerful that one cannot help being influenced by it: the irresistible force of his logic —bly adv
ir·res·o·lute /ɪˈrezəluːt/ adj fml derog (typical of a person who is) unable to make decisions and take action; weak in character —ly adv: He hesitated, then moved irresolutely towards the door. —lution /ˌrezəˈluːʃən/ n [U]
ir·re·spec·tive /ˌɪrɪˈspektɪv/ adv irrespective of without regard to: a film that can be enjoyed by anyone, irrespective of age (=however old they are) ➔ compare REGARDLESS
ir·re·spon·si·ble /ˌɪrɪˈspɒnsəbl/ ||-ˈspɑːn-/ adj derog having or showing lack of ability to behave carefully, think of the effect of one's actions on others etc: It was irresponsible of her to leave the children by themselves in the swimming pool. | irresponsible driving —bly adv —bility /ˌɪrɪspɒnsəbɪləti/ ||-ˈspɑːn-/ n [U]
ir·re·trieva·ble /ˌɪrɪˈtriːvəbl/ adj that cannot be got back or put back into the original better state: an irretrievable loss | We were four-nil down with five minutes to go, so the game looked completely irretrievable. (=we would certainly lose it) | They gave the irretrievable breakdown of their marriage as grounds for divorce. —bly adv
ir·rev·er·ent /ɪˈrevərənt/ adj showing lack of respect for important people or organizations: It would be considered very irreverent for a man not to take his hat off in church. | the irreverent humour of the students' magazine —ly adv —rence n [U]
ir·re·ver·si·ble /ˌɪrɪˈvɜːsəbl/ ||-ɜːr-/ adj which cannot be changed to bring things back to the way they were before: an irreversible judgment —bly adv
ir·rev·o·ca·ble /ɪˈrevəkəbl/ adj that cannot be changed once it has been started or made: an irrevocable decision —bly adv
ir·ri·gate /ˈɪrɪɡeɪt/ v [T] 1 to supply water to (dry land): They have built canals to irrigate the desert. 2 med to wash (a wound) with a flow of liquid —gable /ˈɪrɪɡəbl/ adj —gation /ˌɪrɪˈɡeʃən/ n [U]
ir·ri·ta·ble /ˈɪrɪtəbl/ adj tending to get angry at small things; easily annoyed: He gets irritable when he's got toothache. ➔ see ANGRY (USAGE) —bly adv —bility /ˌɪrɪtəˈbɪləti/ n [U]
irritable bowel syndrome abbrev. IBS n [U] a medical problem of the INTESTINE which causes pain and discomfort and sometimes DIARRHOEA
ir·ri·tant /ˈɪrɪtənt/ n, adj (something) which irritates
ir·ri·tate /ˈɪrɪteɪt/ v [T] 1 to make angry or impatient: Her habit of biting her nails irritates me. | irritating delays 2 to make painful and sore: Wool irritates my skin. ➔ see AGGRAVATE (USAGE), ANNOY (USAGE)
ir·ri·ta·tion /ˌɪrɪˈteɪʃən/ n 1 [C;U] (an example of) the act of irritating or the state of being irritated: the irritations of driving in busy towns | 'Don't be so silly!' he said with some irritation. 2 [C] a sore place or feeling: a skin irritation
ir·rup·tion /ɪˈrʌpʃən/ n [(into)] fml a sudden violent rush (of people or force) into a place
IRS, the /ˌaɪ ɑːr ˈes/ abbrev. for the INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE; the government organization in the US which is responsible for collecting national taxes, especially INCOME TAX (based on how much money you earn) and CORPORATION TAX (based on how much profit a company makes). People in the US have to send an INCOME TAX RETURN by April every year (=an official form showing how much tax they have paid and how much they owe). In the UK there is a similar government organization called the INLAND REVENUE.
Ir·ving, John /ˈɜːvɪŋ ||ˈɜːr-/ (1942– ) a US writer whose novels include The World According to Garp and The Cider House Rules. Both books have been made into successful films, and Irving won an Oscar for his SCREENPLAY of The Cider House Rules. His books typically involve many stories happening at the same time.
Irving, Washington (1783–1859) a popular US writer known especially for his stories set in New York at the time when it was ruled by the Dutch. His two most famous stories are RIP VAN WINKLE, about a man who falls asleep for 20 years, and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, about a teacher who meets a 'Headless horseman'.
is /s, z, əz; strong ɪz/ 3rd person sing. present tense of BE: She is living here now. | Here he is. | Is it 6:00 yet? ➔ see NOT (USAGE)
ISA /ˈaɪsə, ˌaɪ es ˈeɪ/ abbrev. for Individual Savings Account; a tax-free savings plan, introduced by Britain's Labour government in 1999 to replace PEPS
I·saac /ˈaɪzək/ in the Old Testament of the Bible, the son of ABRAHAM and the father of JACOB and ESAU
I·sai·ah /aɪˈzaɪə/ (8th century BC) in the Jewish and Christian religions, a Hebrew PROPHET who said that God would