Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

adroit /ədrɔ I t/ ADJ Someone who is adroit is quick and skilful in their thoughts, behaviour, or actions. □  She is a remarkably adroit and determined politician.

ADSL /e I diː es e l/ ADSL is a method of transmitting digital information at high speed over telephone lines. ADSL is an abbreviation for 'asynchronous digital subscriber line'. [COMPUTING ] □  ADSL is always on, which makes your PC much more vulnerable to hacking.

adu|la|tion /æ dʒʊle I ʃ ^ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT Adulation is uncritical admiration and praise of someone or something. □  The book was received with adulation by critics.

adu|la|tory /æ dʒʊle I təri, [AM ] -tɔːri/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If someone makes an adulatory comment about someone, they praise them and show their admiration of them. □  …adulatory reviews.

adult ◆◆◇ /æ dʌlt, [AM ] ədʌ lt/ (adults )

1 N‑COUNT An adult is a mature, fully developed person. An adult has reached the age when they are legally responsible for their actions. □  Becoming a father signified that he was now an adult. □  Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.

2 N‑COUNT [oft N n] An adult is a fully developed animal. □  …a pair of adult birds.

3 ADJ [ADJ n] Adult means relating to the time when you are an adult, or typical of adult people. □  I've lived most of my adult life in London.

4 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you say that someone is adult about something, you think that they act in a mature, intelligent way, especially when faced with a difficult situation. [APPROVAL ] □  We were very adult about it. We discussed it rationally over a drink.

5 ADJ You can describe things such as films or books as adult when they deal with sex in a very clear and open way. □  …an adult movie. SYNONYMS adult ADJ 3

grown-up:I have grown-up children who're doing well.

mature:He was a man of mature years.

a dult edu|ca |tion N‑UNCOUNT Adult education is education for adults in a variety of subjects, most of which are practical, not academic. Classes are often held in the evenings. □  Most adult education centres offer computing courses.

adul|ter|ate /ədʌ ltəre I t/ (adulterates , adulterating , adulterated ) VERB [usu passive] If something such as food or drink is adulterated , someone has made its quality worse by adding water or cheaper products to it. □ [be V -ed] The food had been adulterated to increase its weight. ●  adul|tera|tion /ədʌ ltəre I ʃ ^ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the adulteration of tobacco.

adul|ter|er /ədʌ ltərə ^r / (adulterers ) N‑COUNT An adulterer is someone who commits adultery.

adul|ter|ess /ədʌ ltr I s/ (adulteresses ) N‑COUNT An adulteress is a woman who commits adultery. [OLD-FASHIONED ]

adul|ter|ous /ədʌ ltərəs/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] An adulterous relationship is a sexual relationship between a married person and someone they are not married to. An adulterous person is someone who commits adultery.

adul|tery /ədʌ ltəri/ N‑UNCOUNT If a married person commits adultery , they have sex with someone that they are not married to. □  She is going to divorce him on the grounds of adultery.

adult|hood /æ dʌlthʊd, [AM ] ədʌ lt-/ N‑UNCOUNT Adulthood is the state of being an adult. □  Few people nowadays are able to maintain friendships into adulthood.

adv.Adv. is a written abbreviation for adverb .

ad|vance ◆◆◇ /ædvɑː ns, -væ ns/ (advances , advancing , advanced )

1 VERB To advance means to move forward, often in order to attack someone. □ [V prep/adv] The Allies began advancing on the city in 1943. □ [V ] The water is advancing at a rate of 5cm a day. □ [V -ing] …a picture of a man throwing himself before an advancing tank.