1147
realize
I'm a bit short of the ready this week. 2 at/to the ready in/to the state of being ready: Have your guns at the ready men!
ready⁴ interj BrE ready, steady, go! also on your mark(s), get set, go! especially AmE (used when telling people to begin a race)
ready⁵ v [T] fml to make ready; prepare
ready-made adj 1 (especially of clothes) not made specially for the buyer; able to be worn at once: a ready-made suit | (fig.) His second wife had three children already, so when he married her he had a ready-made family. 2 useful and suitable for a purpose; convenient: The rain gave us a ready-made excuse for not going out. 3 derog not original: ready-made opinions
ready meal n a prepared meal bought in a shop and which only needs to be heated before eating
ready-mix adj (of food powder) ready to cook after adding water or milk: a ready-mix cake
Ready-Mix trademark a type of CONCRETE which has been mixed before or during delivery to a place where building is being done
ready money also ready cash n [U] money that can be paid at once in actual coins and notes, and not owed
ready-to-wear adj (of clothes) ready-made: a ready-to-wear suit
re·af·firm /ˌriːəˈfɜːm||-ɜːrm/ v [T] to declare again, or in answer to a question or doubt: The conference overwhelmingly reaffirmed its commitment to nuclear disarmament. | [+that] The statement reaffirmed that the government would never make concessions to terrorists. —~ation /ˌriːəfəˈmeɪʃn||-fər-/ n [C;U]
re·af·for·est /ˌriːəˈfɒrɪst||-ˈfɔː-, -fɑː-/ especially BrE || reforest especially AmE — v [T] to plant (land) again with forest trees for industrial use or to improve the environment —~ation /ˌriːəfɒrɪˈsteɪʃn||-ˈfɔː-, -ˈfɑː-/ n [U]
Rea·gan, Nan·cy /ˈreɪɡən, ˈnænsi/ (1923–) the wife of ex-president Ronald Reagan, who was a US film actress. She is known for her interest in ASTROLOGY and was said to have had a lot of influence over her husband when he was president.
Reagan, Ron·ald /ˈrɒnəld ˈraɪ-/ (1911–2004) a US politician in the REPUBLICAN PARTY who was President of the US from 1981 to 1989. He is remembered for reducing taxes, increasing military spending, and improving the US's political relationship with the USSR by meeting President Gorbachev. Some people thought he was not very intelligent and did not understand complicated political matters, but he was a very popular president. Before Reagan became president he was a film actor and the Governor of California from 1967 to 1975.
Rea·gan·om·ics /ˌreɪɡəˈnɒmɪks||-ˈnɑː-/ n [U] the economic policies of the US government during the time when Ronald Reagan was president (1981–89), especially the policy of reducing taxes and reducing government spending on WELFARE (=help for poor people, people without jobs etc)
re·a·gent /riˈeɪdʒənt/ n tech a substance that by causing a chemical REACTION in a compound shows the presence of another substance
real¹ /rɪəl/ adj 1 not pretended, artificial, or false; actual or true: Is your ring real gold? | What was the real reason for your absence? | He's got a real (=sincere) interest in jazz music. | The director got all the credit for the new product, but it was his assistant who was the real brain behind it. (=who did the important work) | The real (=most important) lesson of this tragedy is that safety regulations must be made more strict. | The money spent on education has gone up by 10% in real terms. (=after taking account of general rises in price) 2 actually existing; not imaginary: a story of real life 3 [A] (used to add force) complete; great: You're a real idiot. | That cake was a real treat! 4 [A] apprec (especially of a drink or food) made in the proper old way rather than by modern artificial methods: real mashed potatoes 5 for real infml, especially AmE serious or seriously: They were fighting for real. | We didn't believe their threats were for real. ➔ see also REALITY, REALLY —~ness n [U]
real² adv infml, especially AmE very: I'm real sorry!
real 'ale n a type of beer made by TRADITIONAL methods, which ferments (FERMENT) in the BARREL and which is not FIZZY
'real es,tate n [U] 1 also real property — fml or law property in the form of land and houses ➔ compare PERSONAL PROPERTY 2 especially AmE houses to be bought: He sells real estate.
'real estate ,agent also Realtor trademark — n AmE for ESTATE AGENT
re·a·lign /ˌriːəˈlaɪn/ v [I;T] to form into new groups, new types of organization or arrangement etc: The general realigned his forces to mount a fresh attack. —~ment n [C;U] a realignment of political parties
Real IR'A, the an illegal military group, whose members used to be in the IRA. They formed their own organization because they did not agree with the IRA's decision to stop fighting, and did not approve of Sinn Fein's support for the Belfast Agreement. In 1998, they were responsible for the bomb that killed 29 people in Omagh, Northern Ireland.
rea·lis·m /ˈrɪəlɪzəm/ n [U] 1 apprec accepting and dealing with life and its problems in a practical way, without being influenced by feelings or false ideas 2 (often cap.) (in art and literature, especially following ROMANTICISM in the 19th century) the showing of things as they really are ➔ compare CLASSICISM, ROMANTICISM —~ist n
rea·lis·tic /rɪəˈlɪstɪk/ adj apprec 1 showing REALISM; sensible and reasonable: It would be nice to have another holiday, but we've got to be realistic (about it) – we can't really afford one. | It's not really worth £1000; a more realistic estimate would be £600. | a realistic assessment of their prospects ➔ opposite UNREALISTIC 2 (of art or literature) showing or describing things as they appear to most people: a realistic drawing of a horse —~ally /kli/ adv. She drew the horse very realistically. | Realistically, it's only worth about £600.
re·al·i·ty /riˈæləti/ n 1 [U] the quality or state of being real: She believes in the reality of God. | We thought they had come to repair the phone, but in reality (=in actual fact) they were burglars. 2 [C;U] something or everything that is real: Her dream of being a film star became a reality. | Many people go to the cinema as an escape from reality. | We were promised a trouble-free holiday, but the reality (=what actually happened) was rather different.
re'ality ,check n [C usually sing.] infml an occasion when you consider the facts of a situation, as opposed to what you would like or what you have imagined: It's time for a reality check. The Bears aren't as good a team as you think.
re,ality T'V n [U] television programmes such as Big Brother that put ordinary people in different situations, film them continuously over a period of weeks or months, and let the VIEWERS watch what happens every day. In many reality TV programmes, viewers are allowed to vote to decide which people should stay in the programme and which should leave. Reality TV programmes such as I'm A Celebrity, Get me Out Of Here! have also been made using famous people instead of ordinary people.
CULTURAL NOTE Reality TV programmes are popular in both the UK and the US, but people often complain that there are too many of them and that they are too similar to each other. Some people think that reality TV shows are an example of television programmes being DUMBED DOWN (=being presented in a simple and attractive but not intelligent way) in order to make them popular among a large number of people.
rea·li·za·tion also -sation BrE /ˌrɪəlaˈzeɪʃn||-lə-/ n 1 [S;U] (an experience of) understanding and believing; being or becoming conscious (of): (a) full realization of his guilt | [+that] the sudden realization that we had been wrong all the time 2 [the+of] the becoming real of a hope, plan, fear etc: The next year saw the realization of my hopes. 3 [the+of] tech the act of selling ASSETS or of getting money for property: the realization of the house/of £1000/of their shares
rea·lize also -lise BrE /ˈrɪəlaz/ v [T not usually in progressive forms] 1 to understand and believe (a fact); be or become conscious of: He didn't realize his mistake/the risks he was taking. | [+{that}] She spoke English so well that I never realized she was German. | [+wh-] I didn't realize how late it was. | (in making requests) I realize you're very busy, but could I talk to