{
    "term": "actual",
    "partOfSpeech": "adjective",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b2",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "used to emphasize something that is real or exists in fact",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "James looks younger than his wife but **in actual fact** *(= really)* he is five years older."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The actual cost was higher than we expected."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The actual number of unemployed is more than 15 million."
                },
                {
                    "text": "What were his actual words?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "A variety of factors could cause our actual results to differ from the expected results."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The story of the film is based on actual events and people."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "used to emphasize the most important part of something",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The rehearsal was fabulous, the actual performance even better."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The wedding preparations take weeks but the actual ceremony takes less than an hour."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈæktʃuəl/",
                "audio": "ac/actual/actual__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈæktʃuəl/",
                "audio": "ac/actual/actual__us_1_rr.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Middle English: from Old French actuel ‘active, practical’, from late Latin actualis, from actus ‘event, thing done’, act- ‘done’, from the verb agere, reinforced by the French noun acte."
}