Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

un|avail|ing /ʌ nəve I l I ŋ/ ADJ An unavailing attempt to do something does not succeed. □  Efforts to reach the people named in the report proved unavailing. □  He died after a brave but unavailing fight against a terminal illness.

un|avoid|able /ʌ nəvɔ I dəb ^ə l/ ADJ If something is unavoidable , it cannot be avoided or prevented. □  Managers said the job losses were unavoidable. □  The recession has resulted in an unavoidable increase in spending on unemployment benefit. ●  un|avoid|ably /ʌ nəvɔ I dəbli/ ADV □  Prince Khalid was unavoidably detained in Saudi Arabia.

un|aware /ʌ nəweə ^r / ADJ [v-link ADJ , ADJ that] If you are unaware of something, you do not know about it. □ [+ of ] Many people are unaware of just how much food and drink they consume. □  She was unaware that she was being filmed.

un|awares /ʌ nəweə ^r z/ PHRASE If something catches you unawares or takes you unawares , it happens when you are not expecting it. □  Many were caught unawares by the health secretary's announcement. □  The suspect was taken unawares, without the chance to dispose of the evidence.

un|bal|ance /ʌ nbæ ləns/ (unbalances , unbalancing , unbalanced )

1 VERB If something unbalances a relationship, system, or group, it disturbs or upsets it so that it is no longer successful or functioning properly. □ [V n] The interplay between the new politics and the modern media will unbalance the political process.

2 VERB To unbalance something means to make it unsteady and likely to tip over. □ [V n] Her whole body began to buckle, unbalancing the ladder. □ [V n] Don't lean in–you're unbalancing the horse.

un|bal|anced /ʌ nbæ lənst/

1 ADJ If you describe someone as unbalanced , you mean that they appear disturbed and upset or they seem to be slightly mad. □  I knew how unbalanced Paula had been since my uncle Peter died.

2 ADJ If you describe something such as a report or argument as unbalanced , you think that it is unfair or inaccurate because it emphasizes some things and ignores others. □  U.N. officials argued that the report was unbalanced. □  …unbalanced and unfair reporting.

un|bear|able /ʌ nbeə rəb ^ə l/ ADJ If you describe something as unbearable , you mean that it is so unpleasant, painful, or upsetting that you feel unable to accept it or deal with it. □ [+ for ] War has made life almost unbearable for the civilians remaining in the capital. □  I was in terrible, unbearable pain. ●  un|bear|ably /ʌ nbeə rəbli/ ADV [usu ADV adj/-ed] □  By the evening it had become unbearably hot.

un|beat|able /ʌ nbiː təb ^ə l/

1 ADJ If you describe something as unbeatable , you mean that it is the best thing of its kind. [EMPHASIS ] □  These resorts remain unbeatable in terms of price. □  …unbeatable Italian cars.

2 ADJ In a game or competition, if you describe a person or team as unbeatable , you mean that they win so often, or perform so well that they are unlikely to be beaten by anyone. □  The opposition was unbeatable. □  With two more days of competition to go she is in an unbeatable position.

un|beat|en /ʌ nbiː t ^ə n/ ADJ In sport, if a person or their performance is unbeaten , nobody else has performed well enough to beat them. □  He's unbeaten in 20 fights. □  They lost their unbeaten record with a 2-1 home defeat.

un|be|com|ing /ʌ nb I kʌ m I ŋ/

1 ADJ If you describe things such as clothes as unbecoming , you mean that they look unattractive. [OLD-FASHIONED ]