superpower
1398
su·per·pow·er /'su:pəˌpaʊə ‖-pər-/ n a nation that has very great military and political power: Britain is no longer a superpower.
su·per·sede /ˌsu:pə'si:d ‖-pər-/ v [T often pass.] to take the place of (usually something older), especially as an improvement: The cinema has been superseded by television as the most popular form of entertainment.
su·per·son·ic /ˌsu:pə'sɒnɪk ‖-pər'sɑː-/ adj (flying) faster than the speed of sound: a supersonic aircraft | supersonic flight ➔ compare SUBSONIC
su·per·star /'su:pəstɑː ‖-pər-/ n an extremely famous performer, especially a popular musician or film actor
su·per·sti·tion /ˌsu:pə'stɪʃən ‖-pər-/ n [C;U] (a) belief which is not based on reason or fact but on old ideas about luck, magic etc: There is an old superstition that it is unlucky to walk under a ladder.
CULTURAL NOTE Although most American and British people do not consider themselves to be superstitious, people do still mention a lot of superstitions. If someone spills salt, they sometimes pick up a small amount of it and throw it over their left shoulder to avoid bad luck. When people talk about something good that they hope will happen, they often say 'knock on wood' or 'touch wood' while touching a piece of wood to make sure that it does happen: 'The car will be fixed on Monday, touch wood.' To be funny, people sometimes touch their own head when their say 'touch wood.' People also say 'fingers crossed' and put their middle finger over their INDEX FINGER when they hope that something will happen. 'Fingers crossed, we should arrive in Paris before 10pm.' ➔ see also Cultural Note at LUCKY, UNLUCKY
su·per·sti·tious /ˌsu:pə'stɪʃəs ‖-pər-/ adj strongly influenced by superstition —ly adv
su·per·store /'su:pəstɔː ‖-pər-/ n BrE a very large shop, often on the edge of a town, with its own car park, selling food, clothing, electrical goods, or furniture, usually fairly cheaply and with a good choice ➔ compare DISCOUNT STORE
su·per·struc·ture /'su:pəˌstrʌktʃə ‖-pər-/ n 1 a structure that is built up on top of a base, such as the upper parts of a ship or the part of a building above the ground 2 an arrangement, system etc, which has grown from a simpler base: a superstructure of religion based on nature worship
su·per·tank·er /'su:pəˌtæŋkə ‖-pər-/ n an extremely large ship (TANKER) which can carry large quantities of gas or liquid, especially oil
su·per·tax /'su:pətæks ‖-pər-/ n [U] (formerly in Britain), additional income tax paid only by people with very high incomes
,Super 'Tuesday in the US, the second Tuesday in March during a year when there is an election for the position of President. Before the main election in November, there is a series of 'primaries' (PRIMARY), in which the people in each state choose the person that they want as their party's CANDIDATE for President. These primaries take place in the first six months of the year, but on Super Tuesday there are several important primaries all on the same day.
su·per·vene /ˌsu:pə'vi:n ‖-pər-/ v [I] fml to happen unexpectedly, especially in a way that stops or interrupts an event or situation
su·per·vise /'su:pəvaɪz ‖-pər-/ v [I;T] to keep watch over (a job or activity, or the people doing it) as the person in charge —visor n —visory adj: She works there in a supervisory capacity.
su·per·vi·sion /ˌsu:pə'vɪʒən ‖-pər-/ n [U] the act or fact of supervising: The work was done under my supervision. (=I supervised it)
su·per·wom·an /'su:pəˌwʊmən -pər-/ n pl. -women /ˌwɪmɪn/ (sometimes cap.) 1 a female SUPERMAN 2 a woman who has a CAREER at the same time as running a home and bringing up children, and makes it seem easy
su·pine /su:'paɪn, 'sju:- || su:'paɪn/ adj fml 1 lying on one's back, looking upwards ➔ compare PRONE 2 inactive and ineffective, and perhaps too ready to allow others to take control: a supine acceptance of their decision —ly adv
sup·per /'sʌpə/ n [C;U] a meal taken in the evening: What time do you have supper? | It happened at/during supper. | We had fish for supper. | It's supper time! ➔ see DINNER (USAGE)
sup·plant /sə'plɑːnt || sə'plænt/ v [T] to take the place of (sometimes unfairly or improperly): She's been supplanted in her aunt's affections by her brother. (=her aunt now likes him more) | a new system to supplant outdated working methods
sup·ple /'sʌpəl/ adj bending or moving easily and gracefully, especially in the joints of the body: She exercises every day to keep herself supple. —ness n [U]
sup·ple·ment¹ /'sʌplɪmənt/ n 1 an additional amount that makes something complete or supplies something else that is needed: a dietary supplement 2 an additional part at the end of a book or as a separate part of a newspaper, magazine etc: Do you read the Sunday colour supplements?
sup·ple·ment² /'sʌplɪmənt/ v [T][by, with]) to add to; provide a supplement to: She supplements her regular income by doing a bit of teaching in the evenings.
sup·ple·men·ta·ry /ˌsʌplɪ'mentəri/ adj [(to)] 1 additional: There is a supplementary water supply in case the main supply fails. 2 tech (of angles or an angle) making up 180° together, or with the other angle: An angle of 120° is supplementary to an angle of 60°; they are supplementary angles. ➔ compare COMPLEMENTARY
,supplementary 'benefit n [U] in Britain in the past, money that was given by the government to people whose income was below the level regarded as sufficient to live on. It is now called INCOME SUPPORT ➔ compare WELFARE
sup·pli·ant /'sʌpliənt/ n, adj fml or lit (a person) begging, praying, or requesting
sup·pli·cant /'sʌplɪkənt/ n fml or lit a person begging for something, especially from someone in power or from God
sup·pli·cate /'sʌplɪkeɪt/ v [I;T] fml or lit to beg (God or someone in a position of power), especially for help —cation /ˌsʌplɪ'keɪʃən/ n [C;U]
sup·pli·er /sə'plaɪə/ also suppliers pl. — n a firm that supplies something, especially goods: If the typewriters are faulty, return them to the suppliers. | a leading supplier of aircraft parts
sup·plies /sə'plaɪz/ n [P] food or other necessary materials for daily life, especially for a group of people over a period of time: The army was trapped in the pass for several days, and began to run short of supplies. | I need to get some school supplies. (=paper, pens, pencils etc)
sup·ply¹ /sə'plaɪ/ v [T] 1 [(to)] to provide (something that is needed): The factory supplied a uniform to each of its workers. 2 [(with)] to provide things to (a person) for use: The firm that used to supply us has gone out of business. | An informer supplied the police with the names of those involved in the crime. | The new recruits were supplied with uniforms. | Our allies kept us supplied with weapons. 3 fml to satisfy (a need): The new bridge supplies a long-felt need.
supply² n 1 [C(of)] usually sing.] an amount for use: Bring a large supply of food with you. ➔ see also SUPPLIES, SUPPLY AND DEMAND 2 [U(of)] (a system for) the supplying of something needed: The supply of electricity/The electricity supply has been threatened by recent strikes. 3 in short supply difficult to obtain because of shortage; SCARCE: Potatoes are in short supply because of the bad harvest. ➔ see also MONEY SUPPLY
supply³ adj [A] used for bringing or storing supplies: a supply train | a supply dump
sup,ply and de'mand n [U] the balance between the amount of goods for sale and the amount that people actually want to buy, especially as this influences prices: The reason they're so expensive is that they're very scarce and everyone wants them; it's all a matter of supply and demand.
'supply line n [usually pl.] the different ways, places etc that an army uses to send food and equipment to its soldiers during a war: the threat to supply lines
sup'ply-side adj [A] tech (of economic ideas and models) favouring the producers of goods, e.g. by low taxes, so that they will find it easy to increase supplies: supply-side economics/arguments ➔ compare DEMAND-SIDE —supply-sider n