assortmentas‧sort‧ment /əˈsɔːtmənt $ -ɔːr-/ noun [countable] 
a wide assortment of friends an odd assortment of knives and forks
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- On the floor was an assortment of boxes and packages.
- The soldier received a parcel containing an assortment of shirts, biscuits, and canned food.
- Although the wheel has gone, the millpond is well maintained and is home to a great assortment of wildlife.
- An assortment of furnishings and collectibles from all over the world will be available.
- I felt a mixture of emotions as I proceeded to unstrap my assortment of protective clothing and equipment.
- Neither the present occupants nor their noisy assortment of animals extended any kind of welcome to trespassers.
- The photographer also assembles an assortment of major public buildings whose poor designs have done their own damage to the city.
Longman Language Activatora number of things thought of as a group
a number of separate things that are thought of as a group because they are close together or are all similar in some way: group of: · The house was hidden behind a tall group of trees.· News International is a group of companies that produce newspapers and TV programmes.· A group of new houses is to be built on the old playing-field.· Today you will learn a new group of verbs.
a group of similar things that are used together, or a group of ideas, facts etc: · a chess set· a cutlery setset of: · Amy bought him a set of tools for metal and woodworking.· I gave a spare set of house keys to my neighbours.· The first set of questions wasn't too bad, but they got really difficult after that.· We started the meeting by agreeing on a set of objectives.
a group of similar things that have been put together because they are interesting or attractive: collection of: · a collection of ancient Greek coins· The museum has a superb collection of Mexican pottery.art/stamp/postcard etc collection: · Have you seen her CD collection - it's enormous!
British informal a group of things: this lot/that lot: · She handed me a bag of old clothes. "Could you take this lot to the charity shop for me?''· Right lads, let's pick up this lot and go home.· Bring that lot over here, will you?
a group of things of different types, or different things of one type, mixed together: assortment of: · On the floor was an assortment of boxes and packages.· The soldier received a parcel containing an assortment of shirts, biscuits, and canned food.
a small group of things of the same type that are close to each other: cluster of: · From the airplane we could already see little clusters of houses.· It's an attractive shrub with dark shiny leaves, that has clusters of white flowers in early June.· The adult female lays large clusters of eggs.in clusters: · Most galaxies are found in clusters rather than in isolation.
a group of things of the same type that are made or dealt with at the same time: · Sort the files into batches and give one batch to each secretary.batch of: · The baker took a batch of freshly baked rolls out of the oven.· Mr Green, I have a batch of letters here for you to sign.
a group of people who are similar or have similar ideas a number of people who are similar in some way, or who have the same ideas and aims: · Their policy was to keep demonstrators from different political groups apart.group of: · The factory was burned down by a group of animal-rights activists.
British informal a group of people - use this especially about people that you do not like or do not approve of: · I don't like her new friends - they're a snobbish lot.lot of: · We've got another lot of visitors coming this weekend.that lot (=use this to show disapproval) spoken: · Don't take any notice of that lot, they're just ignorant.
a group of people, especially people who you think are strange or unusual: collection/assortment of: · There was an interesting collection of people at the wedding.· Jack brought an odd collection of characters home from the racetrack.· We shared the train compartment with an odd assortment of fellow travellers.
: the criminal/student/fascist etc element a group of people who have the same ideas, aims, beliefs etc that are different from those of a larger group - use this especially about people you do not like or agree with: · The chief had been warned that there were criminal elements within the Security Police.· They seem to be trying to get rid of all left-wing elements in the party.· The committee agreed on the need to get rid of the hooligan element amongst football supporters.
a large group of people who share the same ideas and beliefs, and who work together to achieve something important: · She was active in a number of political movements, including the campaign to end slavery.the peace/environmental/women's etc movement: · One of the leaders of the pro-democracy movement has been arrested.· The aim of the civil rights movement was to eliminate racial discrimination in all its forms.
a group of artists, writers etc who share the same ideas, style of work etc: · There is no denying the influence of the Impressionist school in his painting.· He seems to be very much part of the Marxist school in his approach to politics.school of thought (=a group of people who believe in the same theory, idea etc): · One school of thought argues that introducing stiffer penalties would bring the crime rate down.
: literary/political/academic etc circles people who work in or are interested in literature, politics etc: · By 1920 she had written two novels, and had succeeded in winning recognition in literary circles. · It was the 1960s, and the military had become unpopular among academic and intellectual circles.
a group of people who are all dealt with together at the same time, for example because they are all starting something together: batch of: · The latest batch of new recruits had just arrived at the camp.
words for describing things or people that are of different kinds use this about several people or things of the same general type, when you are comparing them with each other and noticing the differences between them: · His hair was dyed in at least three different colors.· I always check the prices of different brands before I make a major purchase.· The drug affects different people in different ways.· The word can have completely different meanings depending on the context.
use this when you want to emphasize that there are several different people or things: · The study evaluates various methods of weight loss.· The committee has asked various people for their opinions.· I had to sign various documents before they would let me into the country.
especially written a lot of things that are different from each other, but of the same general type: · Children do badly at school for a variety of reasons.· The reef fishes display an almost endless variety of colors and patterns.a wide variety of something (=a large variety): · The college offers a wide variety of language courses.
different from each other, especially very different in degree, amount, character etc: · We aim to satisfy the differing needs of our customers.· Survivors sustained injuries with differing degrees of severity.widely differing: · There are widely differing views among community leaders on how best to deal with the homeless issue.
different from each other in degree, amount, condition etc: · The program teaches children of varying ages.· It is now possible to grow satisfactory crops under varying climatic conditions.varying degrees/levels/amounts etc of something: · She has tried numerous diets with varying degrees of success.· Test-takers must complete ten tasks with varying levels of complexity.
several things that are of the same general kind but are not all exactly alike: · Police confiscated an assortment of weapons from the gang.· Every good cook needs an assortment of knives for different jobs in the kitchen.· The basket contained an assortment of sandwiches, cheese, and fruit.
various things of the same general kind, all together in the same place - often used about products: · In the centre of the table was a plate of assorted biscuits.· a box of assorted bandages· The website contains links to assorted investment sites.
an interesting or useful variety of different people or things: · The ideal lesson contains a good mix of activities and subjects.· A mix of young people and old people attended the meeting.· The band's music is an exciting mix of jazz, swing, and rock 'n' roll.
a variety of people or things, especially when they have been deliberately chosen to be together: · The film is largely a mixture of music, dance, and comedy.· Indonesian civilization is an extreme mixture of races, religions, and cultures.· Yiddish is a dialect of German with a mixture of Polish and Hebrew added.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY a wide assortment of friends an odd assortment of knives and forksCOLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
a wide assortment of friends an odd assortment of knives and forks· He brought in as ministers an odd assortment of incompetent relations and hangers-on.
· Some 150 delegates from many countries received reports, views, and arguments from a wide assortment of representatives from concerned bodies.· According to others it was more properly a generic term used loosely to cover a wide assortment of observable cutaneous conditions.· Likewise, at Niya were recovered a wide assortment of silks from the tomb of a mummified man and woman.
VERB· Lindsey Inn, offers an assortment of hearty fare and seafood dishes in a comfortable atmosphere.· The kit offers an assortment of cardboard sheets printed with the materials of siding, roofing, doors, windows and skylights.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
a mixture of different things or of various kinds of the same thingassortment of- A group appear from the house, a motley collection like a troupe of clowns.
- A middle-aged couple got out and began to unload a motley collection of boxes and bags.
- All had several days' growth of beard and were dressed in a motley collection of civilian clothing.
- If so, is what you have put together really just a motley collection with a messy clash of styles and materials?
- Photographs of the period show groups of men in a motley collection of semi-uniform.
- The party is not a motley collection of ageing hippies, but an arm of a wealthy and complex organisation.
- When he stalked out he left her with a motley crew mostly of accountants and lawyers.
a wide assortment of friends an odd assortment of knives and forks