hype
690
attention for, especially more than is deserved: hyping their latest record with a lot of interviews
hype² n [U] infml, often derog attempts to get a lot of public attention for things or people by saying loudly and often that they are very good, or better than they really are: media hype
,hyped 'up adj [F] infml very excited and anxious: getting all hyped up about the exams
hy·per /'haɪpə/ adj infml, especially AmE very excitable; MANIC
hyper- → see WORD FORMATION TABLE
hy·per·ac·tive /,haɪpər'æktɪv/ adj too active; unable to rest or be quiet: hyperactive children
hy·per·bo·la /haɪ'pːbələll-ɜːr-/ n a curve whose two ends are always going away from each other and are never parallel
hy·per·bo·le /haɪ'pɜːbəliːl-ɜːr-/ n [C;U] (an example of) a way of describing something in order to make it sound bigger, smaller, better, worse etc than it really is: To say 'This chair weighs a ton' is an example of hyperbole.
hy·per·bol·ic /,haɪpə'bɒlɪk||-pər'bɑː-/ adj 1 of or tending to use hyperbole 2 of or like a hyperbola —ally /kli/ adj
hy·per·crit·i·cal /,haɪpə'krɪtɪkəl ||-pər-/ adj [(of)] too eager to see faults or things which are wrong, rather than noticing the good qualities; too CRITICAL —ly /kli/ adv
hy·per·in·fla·tion /,haɪpərn'fleɪʃən/ n [U] economic INFLATION (=continuous rise in prices) at such a fast rate that people lose confidence in their economic system and find ways to avoid using it. Hyperinflation is usually seen in poor countries, and often after wars.
hy·per·mar·ket /'haɪpə,mɑːkɪt||-pər,mɑːr-/ n BrE a very large SUPERMARKET which is often built outside a town
hy·per·sen·si·tive /,haɪpə'sensɪtɪvl||-pər-/ adj [(to, about)] unusually sensitive; having feelings which are too easily hurt: hypersensitive to cold | hypersensitive about her appearance —tivity /,haɪpəsensɪ'tɪvɪtɪ||-pər-/ [U(to, about)]
hy·per·ten·sion /,haɪpə'tenʃənl||-pər-/ n med an illness caused by having high blood pressure
hy·per·text /'haɪpə,tekst||-pər-/ n [U] tech a way of writing computer documents that makes it possible to move from one document to another by CLICKING on words or pictures, especially on the Internet
hy·per·ven·ti·late /,haɪpə'ventɪleɪt||-pər'ventl-eɪt/ v [I] to breathe too quickly or too deeply, so that you get too much OXYGEN and feel DIZZY —lation /,haɪpəventɪ'leɪʃən||-pərvənt'ei-/ n [U]
hy·phen /'haɪfən/ n a short written or printed line (-) which can join words or SYLLABLES: 'Co-operate' can be written with a hyphen. → compare DASH²
hy·phen·ate /'haɪfəneɪt/ v [T] to join with a hyphen —ation /,haɪfə'neɪʃən/ n [U]
hyp·no·sis /hɪp'nəʊsɪs/ n [U] (the production of) a sleep-like state in which a person's mind and actions can be influenced by the person who produced the state: Under hypnosis (=while in a state of hypnosis) the patient described her early childhood in great detail. —tic /hɪp'nɒtɪk||-'nɑː-/ adj —tically /kli/ adv
hyp·no·ther·a·pist /,hɪpnəʊ'θerəpɪst/ n a person who practises hypnotherapy. It is not necessary to be a doctor to be a hypnotherapist.
hyp·no·ther·a·py /,hɪpnəʊ'θerəpi/ n [U] the use of hypnosis to treat people who are mentally or physically ill or who have problems of behaviour. Hypnotherapy is a form of ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE and is not used on its own to treat serious diseases.
hyp·no·tis·m /'hɪpnətzəm/ n [U] the practice of hypnosis
hyp·no·tist /'hɪpnətɪst/ n a person who practises hypnotism, especially in public for entertainment, and can produce HYPNOSIS
hyp·no·tize also -tise BrE /'hɪpnətaɪz/ v [T] to produce HYPNOSIS in: (fig.) hypnotized by her lovely singing
hy·po /'haɪpəʊ/ n pl. hypos infml a HYPODERMIC
hy·po·al·ler·gen·ic /,haɪpəælə'dʒenɪk||-lər-/ adj (of COSMETICS or jewellery) not causing infection or allergies (ALLERGY)
hy·po·chon·dri·a /,haɪpə'kɒndrɪəll-'kɑːn-/ n [U] a state of unnecessary anxiety and worry about one's health
hy·po·chon·dri·ac /,haɪpə'kɒndrɪæk||-'kɑːn-/ n a person suffering from hypochondria —hypochondriac adj
hy·poc·ri·sy /hɪ'pɒkrɪsɪl-'pɑːr-/ n [U] the act of pretending to believe, feel, or be something very different from, and usually better than, what one actually believes, feels, or is; extreme insincerity: The government's claim to be concerned about unemployment is sheer hypocrisy.
hyp·o·crite /'hɪpəkrɪt/ n a person who says one thing and does another, usually something worse; someone who practises hypocrisy: He's such a hypocrite: he claims to be a socialist but he sends his children to an expensive private school. —critical /,hɪpə'krɪtɪkəl/ adj —critically /kli/ adv
hy·po·der·mic¹ /,haɪpə'dɜːmɪk||-ɜːr-/ n an instrument with a hollow needle for putting drugs directly into the body through the skin; small SYRINGE for medical use
hypodermic² adj (of an instrument or substance put into the body) which is made to enter or INJECTED beneath the skin: a hypodermic needle/injection —ally /kli/ adv
hy·pot·e·nuse /haɪ'pɒtənjuːzll-'pɑːtənuːs, -nuːz/ n the longest side of a RIGHT-ANGLED TRIANGLE (=three-sided figure) which is opposite the RIGHT ANGLE (=angle of 90 degrees)
hy·po·ther·mi·a /,haɪpə'θɜːmɪəll-ɜːr-/ n [U] a serious medical condition in which the body temperature falls below the usual level, especially as happens to old people during cold weather: They died of hypothermia.
hy·poth·e·sis /haɪ'pθəsɪs||-'pɑː-/ n pl. -ses /siːz/ an idea which is suggested as a possible way of explaining facts, proving an argument etc: If we accept this hypothesis, it may provide an explanation for the recent changes in the weather. | [+that] He put forward the hypothesis that the bones belonged to an extinct type of reptile.
hy·poth·e·size also -ise BrE /haɪ'pɒθəsaɪzl-'pɑːr-/ v [I,T] to suggest a possible explanation that has not yet been proved to be true: Scientists hypothesize that the dinosaurs were killed by a giant meteor.
hy·po·thet·i·cal /,haɪpə'θetɪkəl/ adj based only on a suggestion that has not been proved or shown to be real; imaginary: She asked me how I would deal with the problem if I were the president, but that is a purely hypothetical situation. (=because I am not and never will be the president) —ly /kli/ adv
hys·te·rec·to·my /,hɪstə'rektəmi/ n [C;U] the medical operation for removing the WOMB (=the female organ in which a baby develops before birth)
hys·te·ri·a /hɪ'stɪərɪəl-'sterɪə/ n [U] 1 a condition of nervous excitement in which the sufferer laughs and cries uncontrollably and/or shows strange changes in behaviour or physical state 2 wild uncontrolled excitement, especially of a crowd of people: News of the victory produced mass hysteria in the streets of the capital. —ric /hɪ'sterɪk/ n
hys·ter·i·cal /hɪ'sterɪkəl/ adj 1 (of people) in a state of hysteria: They became hysterical after the accident. 2 (of feelings, words etc) expressed wildly, in an uncontrolled manner: hysterical crying/laughter | a hysterical statement (=made as a result of hysteria) 3 infml extremely funny: You should go and see the film - it's absolutely hysterical. —ly /kli/ adv
hys·ter·ics /hɪ'sterks/ n [P] an attack of hysteria: He always has hysterics at the sight of blood. | The clown had the children in hysterics. (=made them laugh uncontrollably)
Hyun·dai /'hjʊndaɪ/ trademark a group of companies based in South Korea which makes cars, ships and electronic products. Its activities also include CONSTRUCTION (=building things such as houses, bridges, roads etc), providing financial services, and RETAILING (=selling goods to customers in shops).
Hz written abbrev. for HERTZ