adoption agency
**a'doption ,agency** *n* an organization whose purpose is to connect people wishing to adopt suitable children, not always officially and sometimes for financial profit
**a-dop-tive** /ə'dɒptɪv||ə'dɑːp-/ *adj* [A] *fml* having adopted a child: *her adoptive parents*
**a-dor-a-ble** /ə'dɔːrəbəl/ *adj* **1** worthy of being loved deeply **2** *infml* charming or attractive: *What adorable curtains!*
**ad-o-ra-tion** /,ædə'reɪʃən/ *n* [U] **1** religious worship **2** deep love and respect
**a-dore** /ə'dɔːr/ *v* [T not in progressive forms] **1** to love deeply and respect highly: *He gave her an adoring look. | He adores his elder brother.* **2** [+obj/v-ing] *infml* to like very much: *She adores the cinema/going to the cinema.* **3** to worship in a religious way
**a-dorn** /ə'dɔːn||-ɔːrn/ *v* [T(with)] *fml* to make more beautiful, attractive, or interesting: *He adorned his story with all sorts of adventures that never happened.* $\rightarrow$ see DECORATE (USAGE)
**a-dorn-ment** /ə'dɔːnmənt||-ɔːrn-/ *n* **1** [U] the act of adorning **2** [C] something that adorns
**a-dren-a-lin** /ə'drenəl-ən/ *n* [U] a chemical substance (HORMONE) made by the body during a period of fear, anger, excitement etc, causing quick or violent action: *It was one of those scary situations that really gets the adrenalin going.*
**A-dri-at-ic Sea, the** /,eɪdri'ætɪk 'siː/ also the **Adri'atic** the long, narrow sea between Italy and countries such as Slovenia, Croatia, and Albania
**a-drift** /ə'drɪft/ *adj, adv* [F] **1** (especially of boats) not fastened, and driven about by the sea or wind; loose **2** without purpose or direction: *Our plans seem to have gone adrift somewhere.*
**a-droit** /ə'drɔɪt/ *adj* [(at, in)] quick and skilful in using mind or hand **---ly** *adv*: *The politician sidestepped the question very adroitly.* **---ness** *n* [U]
**ADSL** /,eɪ diː es 'el/ *n* [U] *abbrev.* for asymmetric digital subscriber line; a system that makes it possible for information, such as video images, to be sent to computers through telephone wires at a very high speed
**a-du-ki bean** /ə'duːki biːn/ also **ad-zu-ki bean** /æd'zuː-/ *n* a brown and red bean much used in Chinese and Japanese cooking, either dried or ground into flour
**ad-u-la-tion** /,ædʒʊ'leɪʃən/ *n* [U] praise or admiration that is more than is necessary or deserved: *basking in the adulation of the crowd* **---latory** /'ædʒʊlətəri, 'ædʒʊleɪtəri||'ædʒʊlətɔːri/ *adj*
**ad-ult$^1$** /'ædʌlt, ə'dʌlt/ *n* a fully grown person or animal, especially a person over an age stated by law, usually 18 or 21: *This film is for adults only* $\rightarrow$ see also CONSENTING ADULT **---hood** /'ædʌlthʊd||ə'dʌlthʊd/ *n* [U] $\rightarrow$ see also AGE OF CONSENT, ID CARD
**adult$^2$** *adj* **1** fully grown: *an adult lion* **2** suitable for or typical of a fully grown person; MATURE: *They've dealt with the situation in a very adult way. | adult entertainment*
**'adult 'bookstore** *n AmE euph* a shop which sells books, magazines, and pictures of people, especially women, wearing little or no clothing and sometimes performing sex acts
**'adult edu'cation** || also **continuing education** *AmE* --- *n* [U] education provided for adults outside the formal educational system, usually by means of classes that are held in the evening $\rightarrow$ compare FURTHER EDUCATION, HIGHER EDUCATION
**a-dul-ter-ate** /ə'dʌltəreɪt/ *v* [T(with)] to make (a substance) impure or of poorer quality by the addition of something of lower quality: *This milk has been adulterated with water.* $\rightarrow$ see also UNADULTERATED **---ation** /ə,dʌltə'reɪʃən/ *n* [U]
**a-dul-ter-er** /ə'dʌltərər/, **a-dul-ter-ess** /-tərəs/ *fem.* --- *n* old use a married person who has had sexual relations with someone who is not their husband/wife
**a-dul-ter-y** /ə'dʌltəri/ *n* [U] sexual relations between a married person and someone who is not their husband/wife: *to commit adultery* **---terous** *adj*
> **CULTURAL NOTE** Although it is not a crime to COMMIT adultery in either the US or the UK, many people believe it is morally wrong. Married couples sometimes get a DIVORCE (=end the marriage officially) because the husband or wife has been UNFAITHFUL (=had sex with someone else). When a married person has a sexual relationship with someone else, people say that he or she is 'having an affair'.
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**ad-um-brate** /'ædʌmbreɪt/ *v* [T] *pomp* to give an incomplete or faint idea of (especially future events) **---bration** /'ædʌmbreɪʃən/ *n* [C;U(of)]
**adv** *written abbrev.* for ADVERB
**ad-vance$^1$** /əd'vɑːns||əd'væns/ *v* rather *fml* **1** [I(on, upon, against)] to move forward in position, development etc: *Napoleon's army advanced on Moscow.* $\rightarrow$ compare RETREAT$^2$ **2** [T] to help, improve, or bring advantage to (especially a process or development): *His provocative comments will do nothing to advance the cause of world peace. | She's not really concerned about this issue --- she's just trying to advance her own interests.* **3** [T] to bring forward to an earlier date or time: *to advance the date of the meeting from Wednesday to Monday* $\rightarrow$ opposite POSTPONE **4** [T+obj(i)+obj(d)] to provide (money) earlier than the proper or usual time: *The company will advance you £200 until your salary is paid.* **5** [T] to introduce; suggest: *The report advances the suggestion that safety standards should be improved.*
**advance$^2$** *n* **1** [C;U] forward movement: *The army's advance was halted by shortages of food. | her rapid advance in the company | the advance of old age | (fig.) There have been great advances (=developments) in medicine in the last 50 years.* $\rightarrow$ compare RETREAT **2** [C(of)] money provided before the proper time: *They gave me an advance of a month's pay.* **3 in advance** ahead in time; BEFOREHAND: *We had to pay the rent two weeks in advance.* **4 in advance (of)** ahead (of): *A small force was sent on in advance.* $\rightarrow$ see also ADVANCES
**advance$^3$** *adj* [A] happening, coming, or done before the proper or usual time: *We sent advance copies of the new book to all the papers. | It's a popular show, so advance booking is essential. | We can get you a plane ticket if you give us plenty of advance warning.*
**ad-vanced** /əd'vɑːnst||əd'vænst/ *adj* **1** far on in development: *advanced studies | the advanced industrial nations of the world | an advanced child* **2** modern: *advanced ideas* **3 advanced in years** *fml euph* old
**Ad'vanced ,level** *n* [C; U] *fml* A LEVEL
**ad-vance-ment** /əd'vɑːnsmənt||əd'væns-/ *n* [U] *fml* improvement, development, or movement to a higher rank
**ad-vanc-es** /əd'vɑːnsɪz||əd'væns-/ *n* [P] attempts to gain someone's friendship, love, or favourable attention: *She didn't respond to his advances.*
**ad-van-tage** /əd'vɑːntɪdʒ||əd'væn-/ *n* **1** [C(over)] something that may help one to be successful or to gain a favourable result: *Her teaching experience gave her a big advantage (over the other applicants for the job).* $\rightarrow$ opposite DISADVANTAGE **2** [C;U] a favourable condition resulting from a particular course of action; GAIN; BENEFIT: *Is there any advantage to be gained from getting there early? | One of the advantages of this method is that it saves a lot of fuel. | This method has the advantage of saving a lot of fuel. | The lawyer's letter said she would hear something to her advantage if she contacted him.* $\rightarrow$ opposite DISADVANTAGE **3 Advantage sb** (said in tennis when the person named has won the point after DEUCE. That person must then win the next point to win the game, or the number of points returns to deuce): *Advantage Miss Graf.* **4 take advantage of a)** to make use of; profit from: *You should take advantage of the fine weather to paint the fence.* **b)** to make unfair use of (someone or someone's qualities); EXPLOIT: *She took advantage of his good nature.* **5 you have the advantage of me** *BrE* you know something that I don't
**ad-van-taged** /əd'vɑːntɪdʒd||əd'væn-/ *adj fml* having more money, a higher social position etc than someone else: *Some of the boys come from less advantaged backgrounds.* --- **socially/geographically/economically etc advantaged** $\rightarrow$ opposite DISADVANTAGED
**ad-van-ta-geous** /,ædvən'teɪdʒəs, ,ædvæn-/ *adj* [(to)] helpful to a particular aim; bringing advantage: *The new process should be particularly advantageous to small companies.* $\rightarrow$ opposite DISADVANTAGEOUS **---ly** *adv*
**ad-vent** /'ædvənt/ *n* [the+S+of] the arrival or coming of (a)