{ "term": "real", "partOfSpeech": "adjective", "ox3000": true, "cefr": "a1", "definitions": [ { "senseNumber": 1, "definition": "actually existing or happening and not imagined or pretended", "cefr": "a1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "a **real danger/risk/threat/concern**" }, { "text": "All the characters are based on **real people**." }, { "text": "It wasn't a ghost; it was a real person." }, { "text": "pictures of animals, both real and mythological" }, { "text": "In the movies guns kill people instantly, but it's not like that **in real life**." }, { "text": "Politicians seem to be out of touch with **the real world**." }, { "text": "The growth of violent crime is a very **real problem**." }, { "text": "There's no **real possibility** of them changing their minds." }, { "text": "We have a **real chance** of success." }, { "text": "By the end of it I had a **real sense** of achievement." }, { "text": "That world no longer seemed real to her." }, { "text": "The possibility of being arrested was frighteningly real." }, { "text": "real or imagined threats to national security" }, { "text": "the very real danger of war" } ], "collocations": { "verbs": ["be", "look", "seem"], "adverb": ["all too", "very", "frighteningly"], "phrases": ["real and/​or imaginary", "real and/​or imagined"] } }, { "senseNumber": 2, "definition": "not false or artificial", "cefr": "a1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "Are those real flowers?" }, { "text": "real leather" }, { "text": "Pinocchio wanted to be a **real live** boy." }, { "text": "Real silk is very expensive." }, { "text": "The pearls looked real enough." } ], "collocations": { "verbs": ["be", "look", "seem"], "adverb": ["all too", "very", "frighteningly"], "phrases": ["real and/​or imaginary", "real and/​or imagined"] } }, { "senseNumber": 3, "definition": "actual or true, rather than what appears to be true", "cefr": "a1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "Tell me the **real reason**." }, { "text": "The **real story** is even more amazing." }, { "text": "Judy Garland's **real name** was Frances Ethel Gumm." }, { "text": "The **real problem** is a lack of investment in infrastructure." }, { "text": "The **real issue** was whether the accused knew the goods were stolen." }, { "text": "The **real question** here is how he is going to accomplish this." }, { "text": "See the real Africa on one of our walking safaris." }, { "text": "I couldn't resist the opportunity to meet a **real live** celebrity." }, { "text": "I do my best to hide my real feelings from others." }, { "text": "The **only real** complaint I have about the film is that it's a little too slow." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 4, "definition": "having all the important qualities that it should have to deserve to be called what it is called", "cefr": "a1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "She never had any real friends at school." }, { "text": "his first real kiss" }, { "text": "I had no real interest in politics." }, { "text": "He was making a real effort to be nice to her." }, { "text": "These measures have **made a real difference** to people's lives." }, { "text": "She has not shown any real regret for what she did." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 5, "definition": "used to emphasize a state or quality", "cefr": "b1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "He looks a real idiot." }, { "text": "This accident could have produced a real tragedy." }, { "text": "Her next play was a real contrast." }, { "text": "This is a real privilege." }, { "text": "It's been a **real challenge**, but we're determined to succeed." }, { "text": "He made a real cock-up of it." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 6, "definition": "when the effect of such things as price rises on the power of money to buy things is included in the sums", "examples": [ { "text": "Real wage costs have risen by 10 per cent in the past year." }, { "text": "The real value of the country's exports has grown little since the 1970s." }, { "text": "This represents a reduction of 5 per cent **in real terms**." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "what somebody claims it is or serious", "labels": "(North American English)", "examples": [ { "text": "This is not a fire drill—it's for real." }, { "text": "He managed to convince voters that he was for real." }, { "text": "I don’t think her tears were for real." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "used to tell somebody that they are behaving in a stupid or unreasonable way", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to act in an honest and natural way", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "the person who really controls an organization, a country, etc. in contrast to the person who is legally in charge", "examples": [ { "text": "His assistant was thought to be the real power behind the throne." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "something that is what somebody claims it is and that has value, not a copy", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "It's an American flying jacket, the real McCoy." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "actually what somebody claims that something is", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "Are you sure it's the real thing *(= love)*, not just infatuation?" } ] } ], "pronunciations": { "uk": [ { "pronunciation": "/ˈriːəl//rɪəl/", "audio": "re/real/real__gb_2.mp3" } ], "us": [ { "pronunciation": "/ˈriːəl/", "audio": "re/real/real__us_2_rr.mp3" } ] }, "wordOrigin": "late Middle English (as a legal term meaning ‘relating to things, especially real property’): from Anglo-Norman French, from late Latin realis, from Latin res ‘thing’." }