read $ ^{1} $ /riːd/ v read /red/ 1 [iːt] to look at and understand (something printed or written): The little boy can read quite well now. | He reads well for a six-year-old. | to read a book/music/a map | Read the instructions before you start the machine. | I can read French but I can't speak it. 2 [iːt] to learn (the stated information) from print or writing: I read about the murder/read an account of the murder in the paper. | [+that] I read that the new director is Spanish. 3 [l+adv/prep;l+n; not in progressive forms] (of written words) to have a particular form or produce a particular effect when read: The name should read 'Benson', not 'Fenton'. | Her letter reads as follows ... | I rewrote the last paragraph because it didn't read very well. 4 [l;T(to)] to say (printed or written words) to others: The teacher read the poem aloud to the class. | She read (a story) to the children. | [+obj(l)+obj(d)] She read the children a story. → compare READ OUT 5 [T] (of a measuring instrument) to show: The thermometer reads 33 degrees. 6 [T] BrE to study (a subject) at university: Helen's reading history/law at Oxford. → compare READ FOR 7 [T(as)] a) to understand the meaning or nature of (a statement, event, experience, person etc) in a particular way; INTERPRET: His speech about unity showed that he had accurately read the mood of the conference. | I read her reply as a refusal. | How do you read the latest trade figures? | I can read your thoughts from the look on your face. | It's hard to read him when he's in one of his moods. b) to tell what will happen in the future from (various visible objects): Have you ever had your palm read? | I know a woman who reads tea leaves. | His wife reads tarot cards. 8 [T(as, for) usually imperative] fml to understand (the stated printed or written words) to be a mistake for: For £50 please read £15. | Please read £50 as £15. 9 [T] to obtain and use (information) from a computer STORAGE system: The disk drive reads data from the disk into the computer's memory. 10 read all about it! (a phrase typically said by people selling newspapers on the street): Big fire in city warehouse — read all about it! 11 read between the lines to find hidden meanings: If you read between the lines, this letter is really a request for money. 12 read the tea leaves to look at the pattern of tea leaves left in the bottom of the cup in order to know the future 13 take something as read especially BrE to accept something as true or right without the need to hear it, talk about it etc: We didn't have time to hear the secretary's report, so we took it as read. | We can take it as read that the newspapers will support our opponents. 14 -read /red/ a) (of a person) having a stated amount of knowledge gained from books: a well-read woman | He's widely-read. b) (of a book, newspaper etc) read by a stated number of people: a little-read novel → see also read the riot act (RIOT ACT)
read for sthg. phr v [T] especially BrE to study in order to gain (especially a university degree): She's reading for a degree in physics. → compare READ
read sthg. into sthg. phr v [T] to believe (something) to be meant though not expressed by (something else): Don't read more into her letter than she intended. | It was only a casual remark – don't read too much into it.
read sthg. ⇔ out phr v [T] to read aloud for others to hear: The announcer read out the football results. → compare READ¹
read sthg. ⇔ over/through phr v [T] to read completely, from beginning to end —read-through /'·/ n [S]
read up phr v [I(on);T(= read sthg up)] infml to study (a subject) thoroughly; find out about by reading: I need to read up (on) the tax laws.
read² n [S] 1 an act or period of reading: Can I have a read of your paper? 2 something of the stated kind to be read: It's not great literature but it's a good read.
rea·da·ble /'riːdəbəl/ adj 1 apprec interesting or enjoyable to read 2 LEGIBLE ➔ opposite UNREADABLE; see also MACHINE-READABLE —-bility /,riːdəˈbɪlɪʒi/ n [U]
re-ad-dress /,ri:ə'dres/ BrE || forward v [T(to)] to write a different address on (a letter that has been delivered wrongly to one's own address); REDIRECT: I asked them to readress my letters (to my new house).
read·er /ˈriːdər/ n 1 a person who reads a stated thing or in a stated way: Are you a fast reader? | My brother's a great reader/an avid reader. (=he reads a lot) | (in a newspaper) We have received many letters on this subject from our readers. 2 a person who reads books to put mistakes right before printing, or to decide whether to print (PUBLISH) them 3 [(in)] (often cap.) a British university teacher just below the rank of PROFESSOR: She's a reader in French. 4 a schoolbook for beginners, usually containing short passages or stories for reading 5 a book containing a collection of writings by one writer, or about a particular subject
Reader, The n [U] a weekly US newspaper printed in Chicago. It is known especially for news about entertainment.
'Reader's 'Digest' a company that produces a magazine called Reader's Digest, which contains short articles and stories on many different subjects. The company also produces REFERENCE books and editions of well-known novels. The stories in the novels have been made shorter than the original story. Reader's Digest is also known for its 'Prize Draw', a competition held every year in which prize numbers are sent to a lot of people. The person with the winning numbers receives a large amount of money, but this happens only after a lot of stages, and at each stage people are encouraged to buy books from the company.
read·er·ship /'riːdəfɪpəl-ər-/ n 1 [S] the particular number or type of people who read a newspaper or magazine: The paper has a readership of 80,000/a very well-educated readership. 2 [Cɪn] the position of a READER
read·ies /'rediːz/ n [P] BrE READY $ ^{3} $
read·i·ly /'redʒli/ adv 1 quickly and willingly: He readily agreed to their suggestion. 2 with no difficulty: This type of plug is readily available.
read·i·ness /'redɪs/ n fml 1 [(in) U (for)] the state of being ready or prepared: The defences are kept in readiness for an enemy attack. 2 [S;U] (a) willingness: [+to-v] She shows (a) great readiness to learn. 3 [S;U+of] (a) quickness and ability to do something easily: readiness of understanding → see also READY
read·ing¹ /'ri:dɪŋ/ n 1 [U] the act or practice of reading: Children learn reading and writing at school. 2 [C(of)] an opinion about the meaning of (a statement, set of events etc); INTERPRETATION: My reading of the law is that we needn't pay. | What's your reading of the latest trade figures? 3 [C] a figure shown by a measuring instrument: What are the temperature readings for the week? 4 [U] something of the stated type to be read: Books like this are unsuitable/difficult reading for children. | The report makes interesting reading. (=is interesting to read) | reading matter (=books, newspapers etc) 5 [C] a gathering of people at which literature is read aloud: a poetry reading 6 [C] any of the official occasions in the British Parliament or US Congress on which a BILL (=a suggested new law) is read aloud and considered before it can actually become law: the third reading of the Industrial Relations Bill
reading $ ^{2} $ adj [A] for reading: the reading room at the library | a reading lamp
re-ad-just /,rixə'dʒʌst/ v [I;T(to)] to get or put back into the proper state or position: Readjust the driving mirror. It's hard to readjust (oneself) to school life after the holidays.
—-ment n [C;U] a period of readjustment | The mechanic made a few minor readjustments.
,read-only 'memory → see ROM
read-out /'ri:d-aut/ n a showing, e.g. in printed form or on a SCREEN, of information that has been processed by a computer: Using this program, you can get a readout of all the areas where sales have increased. → see also PRINTOUT
read·y¹ /'redi/ adj 1 [F(for)] prepared and fit (for use or action): Is breakfast ready? | Come on – aren't you ready yet? | Is everything ready for the party? | [+to-v] I'm not ready to go yet. | These apples are ready to eat (=ready to be eaten) | We'd better get ready to leave. | (fml) They made ready (=prepared) for the attack. 2 [F] (of a person) willing to do or give something: [+with] She's always ready with advice/with are excuse. | [+to-v] You're too ready to criticize. 3 [A] fml usually aprec (of the powers of the mind) quick: a man of ready wit a ready understanding of the problem 4 [F+to-v] likely to do something: I felt ready to cry with frustration. | We marched until we were ready to drop. → see also READILY, READINESS
ready² adv (used before a past participle) in advance; already: You can buy the bread ready cut. | a ready-cooked dinner
ready $ ^{3} $ n [the] 1 also readies pl. — BrE infml for READY MONEY: