{
    "term": "difficulty",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b1",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "a problem; a thing or situation that causes problems",
            "sensetop": "difficulties with somethingdifficulty with somethingin difficultiesin difficulty",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "the difficulties of English syntax"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a patient with breathing difficulties"
                },
                {
                    "text": "They **encountered** numerous **difficulties** while making the film."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She had been **experiencing** technical **difficulties**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I think we've managed to **overcome **most of the practical **difficulties**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I know the kinds of **difficulties faced by** parents and teachers."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We've **run into difficulties** with the new project.",
                    "contextForm": "difficulties with something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I'm having difficulty with the engine.",
                    "contextForm": "difficulty with something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He was often in financial difficulties.",
                    "contextForm": "in difficulties"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He got into difficulty while swimming and had to be rescued.",
                    "contextForm": "in difficulty"
                },
                {
                    "text": "It was a time fraught with difficulties and frustration."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Anyone experiencing difficulty with radio reception should call us on the new helpline."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Despite all the difficulties, he still remains optimistic."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Difficulties arise when people fail to consult their colleagues."
                },
                {
                    "text": "English spelling presents special difficulties for foreign learners."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Let me know if you have any difficulties."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Life in the city was not without its difficulties."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Please report any difficulties to the help desk."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She is always making difficulties for herself."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Some companies are already in difficulty."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Some companies are getting into difficulty."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The difficulty lies in identifying the precise nature of the problem."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The plan has run into serious difficulties."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The situation was fraught with difficulty."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We could see that the swimmer was in difficulties."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Will it cause any difficulties if I go early?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The drug is used to treat breathing difficulties caused by asthma."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There are technical difficulties involved in filming on location."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Commuters face the daily difficulty of getting to work on time."
                },
                {
                    "text": "the difficulties inherent in treating overdose patients"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The project has been fraught with difficulties from the start."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Difficulty and failure"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["considerable", "enormous", "extreme"],
                "… of difficulty": ["level"],
                "verb + difficulty": ["encounter", "experience", "face"],
                "difficulty + verb": ["arise", "lie (in something)"],
                "preposition": [
                    "despite a/​the difficulty",
                    "in difficulty",
                    "with difficulty"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "the state or quality of being hard to do or to understand; the effort that something involves",
            "sensetop": "difficulty (in) doing somethingwith difficultywithout difficultydifficulty of doing something",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I had considerable difficulty (in) persuading her to leave.",
                    "contextForm": "difficulty (in) doing something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I had no difficulty (in) making myself understood."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He spoke slowly and with great difficulty.",
                    "contextForm": "with difficulty"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The changes were made with surprisingly little difficulty."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We found the house without difficulty.",
                    "contextForm": "without difficulty"
                },
                {
                    "text": "They discussed the difficulty of studying abroad.",
                    "contextForm": "difficulty of doing something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I had little difficulty in persuading the others to come."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She had difficulty in starting her car."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He has a great deal of difficulty concentrating on schoolwork."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We crossed the border without any difficulty."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We had enormous difficulty in getting hold of the right equipment."
                },
                {
                    "text": "the difficulty of finding affordable accommodation"
                },
                {
                    "text": "We were delayed owing to the difficulty of the conditions."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["considerable", "enormous", "extreme"],
                "… of difficulty": ["level"],
                "verb + difficulty": ["encounter", "experience", "face"],
                "difficulty + verb": ["arise", "lie (in something)"],
                "preposition": [
                    "despite a/​the difficulty",
                    "in difficulty",
                    "with difficulty"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "how hard something is",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Both roles had a high degree of difficulty."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The games have varying levels of difficulty."
                },
                {
                    "text": "questions of increasing difficulty"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The walks in the book vary in difficulty."
                },
                {
                    "text": "You can choose the level of difficulty at the start of the game."
                },
                {
                    "text": "This increases the difficulty of the shot."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The number of points scored depends on the difficulty of the item."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They succeeded despite the difficulty of the task."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["considerable", "enormous", "extreme"],
                "… of difficulty": ["level"],
                "verb + difficulty": ["encounter", "experience", "face"],
                "difficulty + verb": ["arise", "lie (in something)"],
                "preposition": [
                    "despite a/​the difficulty",
                    "in difficulty",
                    "with difficulty"
                ]
            }
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈdɪfɪkəlti/",
                "audio": "di/difficulty/difficulty__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈdɪfɪkəlti/",
                "audio": "di/difficulty/difficulty__us_2_rr.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "late Middle English (in the senses ‘requiring effort or skill’ and ‘something difficult’): from Latin difficultas, from dis- (expressing reversal) + facultas ‘ability, opportunity’."
}