{
    "term": "religion",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b1",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "the belief in the existence of a god or gods, and the activities that are connected with the worship of them, or in the teachings of a spiritual leader",
            "sensetop": "by religion",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Is there always a conflict between science and religion?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "They are Jewish by religion.",
                    "contextForm": "by religion"
                },
                {
                    "text": "As a result of her brother's death, Maria found religion."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Darwinism contradicted orthodox religion."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He reportedly embraced religion and became a vegetarian."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I don't think the government should try to impose religion on our society."
                },
                {
                    "text": "These people are predominantly Russian Orthodox by religion."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They never discussed religion or politics."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Religion and festivals"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["great", "major", "universal"],
                "verb + religion": ["belong to", "have", "follow"],
                "religion + verb": [
                    "be based on something",
                    "originate from something",
                    "develop"
                ],
                "preposition": ["by religion", "in a/​the religion"],
                "phrases": [
                    "an adherent of a religion",
                    "an follower of a religion",
                    "a form of religion"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "one of the systems of faith that are based on the belief in the existence of a particular god or gods, or in the teachings of a spiritual leader",
            "labels": "(North American English)",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "the Jewish religion"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Christianity, Islam and other **world religions**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The law states that everyone has the right to **practise their** own **religion**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Almost all religions offer the idea of sacred space."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Do you still practise your religion?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Eastern religions such as Shintoism"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He believes that all religions originated from a single source."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He founded a new religion."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I believe in God, but I don't belong to any organized religion."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I believe we should respect all religions of the world equally."
                },
                {
                    "text": "In their religion, mountains are sacred."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Islam is one of the great world religions."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She believed that her religion needed to be defended by philosophy and logic."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She has no religion."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The law prohibits the government form endorsing a particular religion."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The majority of children adopt the religion of their parents."
                },
                {
                    "text": "These faiths draw on the traditional religions of indigenous peoples."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a religion based on reason"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Religion and festivals"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["great", "major", "universal"],
                "verb + religion": ["belong to", "have", "follow"],
                "religion + verb": [
                    "be based on something",
                    "originate from something",
                    "develop"
                ],
                "preposition": ["by religion", "in a/​the religion"],
                "phrases": [
                    "an adherent of a religion",
                    "an follower of a religion",
                    "a form of religion"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "a particular interest or influence that is very important in your life",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "For him, football is an absolute religion."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Football has become an alternative religion for many people."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to suddenly start believing in a religion",
            "labels": "(informal, disapproving)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "We're waiting for the company to get religion on recycling."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/rɪˈlɪdʒən/",
                "audio": "re/religion/religion__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/rɪˈlɪdʒən/",
                "audio": "re/religion/religion__us_4.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Middle English (originally in the sense ‘life under monastic vows’): from Old French, or from Latin religio(n-) ‘obligation, bond, reverence’, perhaps based on Latin religare ‘to bind’."
}