offenders: The prison became approved school. This is now a dirty word—two dirty words—so it’s community home these days. compete against someone • compete with someone compete against someone—enter into a contest with smb.: The male riders are determined not to let the so-called jock- ettes compete against them. compete with someone—1. = compete against someone: We are going to play and compete with them and, hopefully, we’ll come out a winner. 2. endeavor to hold an equal place with a person: These stores compete with shopkeepers, and induce them to lower their prices. comport oneself with something • comport with something comport oneself with something—behave in the way men- tioned: With the help of a few drinks, the Consul comports himself with astounding aplomb. comport with something—go well with smth.; be in harmony with smth.: Working for people in need comports with his beliefs and desire to help people. comprehensible policy • comprehensive policy comprehensible policy—an intelligible policy, capable of being understood: The lack of an explicit and comprehensible policy leaves us with many unanswered questions. comprehensive policy—1. a policy covering numerous polit- ical issues: A comprehensive policy must cover a broad range of policy areas, include trade policy, agricultural policy, and so on. 2. an insurance policy that provides coverage in several areas: The comprehensive policy covers accidental loss or dam- age to the insured vehicle as well as third party liability. concentrate at something • concentrate on something concentrate at something—(of troops) gather in force at a cer- tain place: Most of our forces have concentrated at the bridge. concentrate on something—1. (of troops) gather in force on a certain place: The Sardinian troops concentrated on the heights. 2. give one’s full attention and thought to smth.: We must concentrate on finding ways to reduce costs. concern oneself about something • concern oneself with something concern oneself about something—care about what happens to smth.; worry about smth.: The public did not concern itself about the poem, or the poem-maker. concern oneself with something—be actively involved with smth.; engage in smth.: I’d dearly love to see more women concerning themselves with such vital issues. concerned about something • concerned with something concerned about something—(also: concerned at something ) caring about what happens to smth.; worrying about smth.: The United Kingdom is deeply concerned about its “brain drain.” concerned with something—1. actively involved with smth.; engaged in smth.: The organization was chiefly concerned with educating Jewish immigrants. 2. having to do with smth.; related to smth.: His work is concerned with the preparation of documents for export. consequent result • consequential result consequent result—a result brought about by some action or condition: Large numbers of wagons had to be employed in transporting war materials with the consequent result that very few wagons were left for private use. consequential result—a result which is of considerable im- portance: Patt examines the assessment of an unlikely yet highly consequential result of climate change — the rapid col- lapse of the Antarctic Ice Sheet. consideration for something • consideration of something consideration for something—compassion or regard for smth.: Judge Block will have to decide whether Casso deserves special consideration for his years of cooperation [with the police]. consideration of something—giving thought to smth.; dis- cussion or examination of smth.: Now I would like to add something to our previous consideration of the problem. consist in something • consist of something consist in something—have smth. as its main part: The beauty of this picture consists in its balance of colors. consist of something—be made up of smth.; comprise smth.: The remainder of the island consists largely of swamps. consult someone • consult with someone consult someone—go to a person for information, advice, or opinion: I should certainly have liked to consult our great modern art-critic before making so daring a statement. consult with someone—hold a consultation with a person; take counsel together: For the next few weeks, I consulted with a number of specialists and did extensive research on my own. contact someone direct • contact someone directly contact someone direct—get in touch with a person without an intermediary: My guess is that they would have contacted him direct but his email address is not on his profile. contact someone directly—make contact with a person at once: If any problems were to arise before the date of this ap- pointment you should contact the doctor directly . contemptuous of something • in contempt of something contemptuous of something—showing contempt or scorn for smth.: There is plenty of evidence that the current government is completely contemptuous of public opinion. in contempt of something—showing disregard or disrespect for smth.: The way in which Mr. Abrahams made his donations were in contempt of the rules covering political donations. content of a book • contents of a book content of a book —subject matter and the ideas of a book as opposed to its style: Do you approve of the content of this book ? contents of a book —that which is contained in a book; every- thing that it says: He knew by heart the contents of the book . convert something into something • convert something to something convert something into something—transform smth. from one form or state into another, so as to perform a different func- tion: The trunk is often converted into canoes. convert something to something—apply smth. to another use without changing the thing: During the Civil War, the ship was seized by Union forces, who converted it to a gunboat. cook one’s goose • kill the goose that lays the golden eggs cook one’s goose—ruin one’s future chances or reputation: Sarah cooked her goose when she caused the defeat of a safe Republican seat in New York, one we held for more than 150 years. compete against someone – 86 –