practical1 adjectivepractical2 noun
practicalprac‧ti‧cal1 /ˈpræktɪkəl/ ●●● S3 W2 adjective 
WORD ORIGINpractical
Origin:
1500-1600 Late Latin practicus, from Greek praktikos, from prassein ‘to do’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- a type of floor covering that is simple, practical, and cheap
- Automakers are trying to develop a practical electric car design.
- Babysitting coupons are a practical gift any parent will love.
- Campbell considers himself a practical man.
- He's really smart and really practical - he can fix anything.
- Liederman offers practical advice about coping with losing your job.
- Small economy cars are more practical if you live in the city.
- The company specializes in making practical footwear for the leisure sports market.
- Voters make their choices based on practical considerations.
- We have to be practical and not spend so much money.
- At the same time, pupils are also exposed to one practical application of the microcomputer which will be relevant outside school.
- Modifications and additions will be needed to suit practical cases.
- Religion, combined with practical help, can be a powerful force in stabilizing a neighborhood and turning lives around.
- Sometimes this shared understanding may lead to more practical solutions.
- The consumption of ducks has increased in recent years, so it may be practical to define the various classes of ducks.
- There are practical assessments, orals and so on.
- This mapping is spiritual, but also practical, for people need to know the patterns of nature.
- You are often the first to join societies, to give practical help, to volunteer your practical skills all round.
Longman Language Activatordecisions/plans/ideas/actions
a sensible decision, idea, plan etc is likely to have good results because it is based on good, practical reasons: · He gave me some very sensible advice.· If anyone has any sensible suggestions as to how to deal with this, please let me know.it is sensible to do something: · It would have been more sensible to save the money than to spend it all on clothes.the sensible thing to do (=used to give advice): · The sensible thing to do would be to rest until you feel better.
especially spoken if something makes sense , it seems a very sensible thing to do: · There are parts of the plan that simply don't make sense.it makes sense (for somebody) to do something: · It made sense for Sam to live nearer the college.· It may not make sense to rebuild the houses damaged by the floods.
especially spoken to seem to be the right and sensible thing to do: · Yes, I think a short meeting this afternoon would be a good idea.· "Should I phone him?" "I don't think that's a good idea."it's a good idea to do something: · It's a good idea to tell a friend if you are going on a date with someone you don't know well.
a reasonable idea, request, action etc seems sensible and fair, and you can understand the reasons for it: · I thought her request for more information was reasonable, but it was refused.· I'll go along with any reasonable plan.it is reasonable to assume/believe/suppose: · It's reasonable to assume that most prices will go up again.
based on facts and intelligent thinking, and not influenced by feelings or the imagination: · Education helps us to make rational decisions.· People's behaviour isn't always purely rational.
based on a good understanding of what is or is not possible: · The city authorities are trying to work out a practical solution to the problem of homelessness.· Starting my own business isn't a very realistic idea at the moment.· If you want to sell your home, be realistic about the price.
based on facts and what is likely to really succeed, but not always considering other things such as people's feelings, or attempting anything more exciting or risky: · Pragmatic considerations led the government to abandon pure Marxist policies.· We need a pragmatic approach to sex education in schools.
a logical action or decision seems to be clearly the right thing to do, because it is based on thinking intelligently about all the facts of a situation, and not based on feelings or emotions: · As I wanted to travel to other countries, studying languages was the logical choice.· This is the logical place to build a new airport.· It seemed logical to start by visiting the scene of the crime.
a wise decision or action is based on good judgement and on your experience of life: · "I've decided to apply for that job." "I think that's a very wise decision."· a wise investmentit is wise (for somebody) to do something: · He thought it might be wise not to tell her what had happened.· Do you think it's wise for him to travel alone?
according to what is generally accepted as being sensible and reasonable and no more: · Children should, within reason, be able to experiment with many different activities.· Within reason, the city does what it can to prevent traffic accidents.
people someone who is sensible is unlikely to do anything stupid, because they judge situations well and make good decisions: · Laura's a pretty sensible girl. I don't think she'd talk to strangers.· He's one of the few sensible people on the council.be sensible spoken: · Be sensible - you can't go out without a coat in this weather.sensible about: · People are far more sensible about what and how much they drink these days.
someone who is reasonable makes sensible decisions that are fair to everyone: · She's usually very reasonable as a boss, but now and again her temper flares up.· Let's try and discuss this in a calm and reasonable way.be reasonable spoken: · Be reasonable, Paul - I'm only trying to help.
someone who is responsible can be trusted to do what they should do and to think about the results of their actions: · We aim to educate our children to become socially responsible citizens.· I'm a responsible adult. I can make my own choices.
a child or young person who is mature behaves in a sensible way, as you would expect an older person to behave: · She's very mature for her age.· After two years of college, the students have a much more mature attitude.
if someone is rational , their actions are based on a clear understanding of the facts of a situation, and are not influenced by their feelings or imagination: · Taking action to defend yourself is a completely rational reaction if you're being attacked.· Many of the patients have long histories of drug abuse, and they're not always rational.
having the ability to understand situations and to know what is or is not possible: · She's a practical manager who realizes that a happy workforce is also a productive one.· The people of this country need to be more realistic - you can't have lower taxes as well as higher spending on health and pensions.· She is a tough, pragmatic, intuitive leader.
direct and dealing with things in a practical way, without wasting time on things that do not matter: · Mathews is a no-nonsense veteran of the police department.· Jason, with his no-nonsense approach, has been an asset to the project.
someone who is down-to-earth is practical and honest, and does not think they are more important, more intelligent etc than other people: · She's sophisticated, but also practical and down-to-earth.· People are surprised by what an unpretentious, down-to-earth guy he really is.
especially spoken if someone talks sense , they express sensible ideas or opinions that you agree with: · Someone who could talk sense would get my vote, but most politicians don't.
British /have your head screwed on right American use this about someone who will always behave sensibly in a difficult or confusing situation: · Don't worry about Sheila. She's got her head screwed on.· Anyone who can raise three such normal kids in Hollywood must have their head screwed on right.
able to think clearly and likely to behave in a sensible way, especially when other people are not being sensible: · I don't think any sane person would take his threats seriously.· It was a relief to hear one sane voice among all the shouting and hysteria.keep somebody sane: · Exercise keeps me sane. If I didn't exercise, the stress would get to me.
useful something that is useful makes it easier for you to do something: · See page 35 for a list of useful addresses.· The bank gave us a lot of useful advice about starting our own business.useful for (doing) something: · Scotch tape is very useful for making quick repairs.useful to: · information that may be useful to the enemyuseful in (doing) something: · This equipment will prove useful in testing premature babies who we suspect might have hearing problems.
formal to be useful: · If there are items in the newspaper files which could be of use, please take a copy of them.be of use to: · This book will be of use to all teachers.be some/any use: · Would these computer cleaners be any use to you?be of some use (=be fairly useful): · The information is slightly out-of-date, but it could still be of some use.
informal useful and easy to use: · This handy booklet tells you everything you need to know about getting connected to the Internet.· a handy chart for converting pounds into kiloshandy for (doing) something: · There's a special brush you can attach to the vacuum cleaner, which is handy for cleaning the stairs.
designed to be useful rather than attractive - use this especially about clothes and things you use in your house: · The company specializes in making practical footwear for the leisure sports market.· a type of floor covering that is simple, practical, and cheap
especially spoken to be suitable and useful for a particular job or purpose: · The table does take up a lot of space, but it's good for parties.· The big jars are good for storing pasta.
something that is helpful is useful because it helps you to do something: · I found these cassettes very helpful when I was learning Spanish.· The Student Cook Book provides basic helpful advice without sounding patronising.helpful in doing something: · The drug Prozac can be helpful in treating anxiety.it is helpful to do something: · I think it would be helpful to summarize what we agreed at the last meeting.
help, advice, knowledge etc that is valuable is very useful in helping you do something: · Joyce gave us a lot of valuable advice when we first started the company.valuable to: · Your knowledge and experience would be very valuable to us.it is valuable for somebody to do something: · While it is valuable for children to have individual responsibilities, it is also good to share jobs with them.valuable contribution: · Nuclear power makes a valuable contribution to the environment by curbing carbon dioxide emissions.
use this to say that something you do has a useful result: · I didn't bother looking at the instructions -- I didn't think it was worth it.be worth doing/trying etc (=used especially to suggest doing something): · It may be worth putting an advertisement in the local paper.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYnouns
I’m afraid it’s become a matter of economic necessity. a few useful pointers about using the technique youngsters with an independent turn of mindCOLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
· You have to gain practical experience before you qualify as a solicitor.
· Archaeology students are required to do a certain amount of practical work.
· The local Social Services Department may be able to help with practical problems.
(also practical assistance formal)· There will be trained people available to listen and to provide practical help.
· The booklets offer clear, practical advice on running your business.
· Knowledge without understanding is of little practical use.
· There are a number of practical considerations that must be taken into account when choosing a car.
· He was well aware of the practical implications of his theory.
phrases· In practical terms, the experiment is going to be difficult.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES· The programme aims to offer practical advice on healthy eating.
· This treatment represents a practical alternative to surgery.
· Women often take a more practical approach.
· The technical aspects of the movie were incredible.
(=problems with doing something)· It’s a great idea, but there will be a number of practical difficulties.
(=in which you have to make or do things)· There’s a practical exam as well as a written one.
(=experience gained from doing something, not from books or study)· The classes provide students with some practical experience of computers.
(=one that relates to real situations or events, not scientific theories)· The research team compiled a set of practical experiments in Modern Astronomy.
· The organization offers practical help with finding accommodation.
· Academic research often has practical implications.
(=related to things that happen, rather than just ideas)· Science has long been of practical importance to civilization as a whole.
(=that involves tricking someone)· What the workers think is a practical joke, management might regard as sabotage.
· Practical limitations, such as a shortage of equipment, may prevent them from achieving their goal.
· He wrote to him several times about practical matters to do with the house.
I’m afraid it’s become a matter of economic necessity. (=something you can choose that will be successful)· Surgery may be a viable option when all else fails.
· Saving energy in your home is fairly easy from a practical point of view.
a few useful pointers about using the technique· Burying a pet can present practical problems.
(=likely to be possible or successful)· A complete ban on strikes is not a practical proposition.
· These materials are too fine to have a practical purpose in daily life.
· Students will have the opportunity to learn a lot of practical skills.
(=one that is really possible)· They've had to find practical solutions to practical problems.
(=based on real situations, not just ideas)· What practical suggestions can you offer to teachers of children with learning difficulties?
youngsters with an independent turn of mind· There were forty-seven children working on a very practical activity for a whole morning in one room.· My father was never very practical, he said.· His steps for transformation are very practical.· The use of the null hypothesis does have one very practical use.· Some of these lessons were very practical.· WalkerThomas had two very practical suggestions.· A slightly callous, but very practical attitude.· It may not, however, be very practical for several reasons.
NOUN· The Beggar reproves him, then turns to practical advice.· Ma, I just need some practical advice.· But it won't be all competitive spirit; the evening will also include practical advice and last-minute tips for Christmas entertaining.· I learned to depend on him for practical advice under fire.· And giving young parents a source of friendly, practical advice.· I hope that this book will be a major source of practical advice and assistance and will encourage the return of practitioners.· Full interior design service available as well as friendly practical advice on curtains, upholstery and colour schemes.· Sets out an action plan, with practical advice on managing changing demand at the neighbourhood level.
· Hislop believes that, as crop subsidies fall, farmers will see woodland creation as a practical alternative.· They say there is no practical alternative.
· In the practical application of his theory Acton became much more pragmatic.· That fact was given practical application almost at once.· Furthermore, the theory of rhetoric can have practical application.· Others see even more practical applications for these virtual places.· Project work and its practical application forms a key part of the programme.· Models based on soap films have many practical applications in the investigation of minimum surface areas.· Reports to date are interesting, if somewhat inconclusive, and without immediate practical application.· Objectives for Care outlines practical applications for nurses to use in their everyday working lives.
· Sixthly, on environmental controls, I congratulate the Government on their more sensible and practical approach.· One of the best and most practical approaches to handling this problem is the pretest.· Jane took a more practical approach.· So, let us take a more practical approach to your problem.· Through the provision of information and practical training opportunities it encourages a positive and practical approach to environmental issues.· I have a much more practical approach than a visionary.· We take a practical approach by working together with our customers to achieve the right solution.· Teachers who have already taught pronunciation will appreciate its imaginative and practical approach.
· In most practical aspects heritable copyhold differed little from socage.· Thereafter everyone will focus on practical aspects of dealing with an existing problem.· Robert Scopes presents both the principles and practical aspects in an easily comprehended, readable manner.· This uses a system for monitoring hospital patients to highlight the practical aspects of the language.· The aims of the programme were to obtain data and evidence for the technical and practical aspects of feasibility.· In the past two decades, work on theoretical and practical aspects of artificial intelligence has stimulated our concepts of mind.· There were practical aspects, too, including plant tours, showing where the exits were, what the alarms sounded like.· The latter point is debatable and it may only be that the practical aspects of creep measurements are simpler.
· Unless the slope of the baseline drift is very steep the decline has few practical consequences except to sharpen competitive pressures.· When families fall short, society has to cope with the practical consequences.· The practical consequences of time limits which are not of the essence of the contract are such that they are virtually meaningless.· By this time, Leibniz was moving outward toward an application of his system with practical consequences.· The regime is abstract in concept, political in intent and largely insensitive to practical consequences in a highly practical industry.· The practical consequence has previously been that prolonged autoradiographic techniques were required.· For some Ajdabiyans the cases of Carnation Milk provided an amusing commentary on official inconsistency without having any practical consequences.· This is a nicety, perhaps with no practical consequences.
· The choice between these two approaches will be governed by practical considerations such as the layout of the building.· The victims of Jinnah were as oblivious as he to the mathematics of minorities and to practical considerations.· That such a prolific goalscorer should choose a club renowned for their attacking play demonstrates the practical considerations which influenced his decision.· There is also a practical consideration.· There are some practical considerations that must be faced in terms of support for visually handicapped pupils who are being educated in resource situations.· Before you embark on the decoration, however, you need to have the practical considerations firmly in mind.· This is probably because of the ethical and practical considerations.· In the present case Mr. Glick was fully entitled to, and did, point to practical considerations to reinforce his argument.
· But such practical difficulties can easily be overstated.· It is a murky field at best, and the practical difficulties in the Viet-namese environment were daunting.· It also raised serious practical difficulties.· The practical difficulty, of course, is to ensure that a partner agrees to a dormant status.· In addition to these practical difficulties, there are more principled objections.· There are practical difficulties with parallel computers.· Selecting from publishers' catalogues throws up at least two knotty practical difficulties.· For the first couple of days this was stirring stuff - until practical difficulties began to take their toll.
· The guidelines, due for final approval next year, will have little practical effect.· But the practical effect was to establish the precedent that the future of Northern Ireland was negotiable.· The practical effect is that that gives them precedence of speaking in Parliament.· Too negligible to have practical effect in classical physics, it adds up over trillions of years.· Or it may have little or no practical effect.· In practical effect, it meant that Chun could dictate the selection of his successor.· Nor were these arguments without practical effect.· But panslavism had little practical effect on policy: it was a matter of popular mood rather than of official ideology.
· The half-day courses include two hours practical experience of firing and driving with full instruction on safety and how the engine works.· They provide practical experience in all facets of the funeral service from embalming to transporting remains.· Indeed many are still advice workers and are thus constantly furnished with very real on-going practical experience to support their tutoring role.· The programme included practical experience in Breathing, movement with apparatus, and movement accompaniment.· Constructive criticism of McClellan's system is difficult since so few librarians have any practical experience of its application.· Only an expert after much study and practical experience will achieve consistently good responses.· As a consequence there is no practical experience and no feedback to modify the approach in the design of subsequent estates.· As with the development of all skills, the theoretical approach described in this chapter needs to be supplemented by practical experience.
· It's increasingly popular and this book's a practical guide to using the remedies.· This is the how-to, practical guide that will help you avoid opportunistic detours and stay on track.· My colleagues on Fishkeeping Answers have produced a practical guide to tank safety in their November issue which is on sale now.· Birmingham Midshires has launched a debt counselling service in the form of a practical guide for home owners.· And a more detailed practical guide to involving users would have been good.· Feel free to use the cakes here as a source of inspiration as well as a practical guide.· This is a practical guide to real-time programming, the programs provided having been tested and proved.
· The social worker can give practical help and advice on all these tasks.· They may also be able to tell you about local organisations which give practical help with gardening or decorating.· Religion, combined with practical help, can be a powerful force in stabilizing a neighborhood and turning lives around.· They cater for people who need both nursing supervision and a lot of practical help.· Mr Ling also offered me practical help.· Use the expertise and facilities of your local authorities and voluntary services for practical help, advice and social activities.· There seems to be a coldness at the heart of much hard-left philosophy, where theory takes precedent over practical help.
· These purely doctrinal responses were, however, of lesser importance than one practical implication of Luxemburgism.· It also has practical implications for social policy.· Often this arises from the absence of any realistic concept of the practical implications of retirement.· The test not only has directly practical implications in the diagnosis of disease.· Understanding women's concerns about health has practical implications for the development of health and social policy.· The practical implications of these matters are very real and may escape some of us microwave aces, for example.· We considered the practical implications of our findings, and the potential contradictions faced by both parents and health professionals.· The practical implications of the two are quite different, however.
· A better understanding of the implications and consequences of economic and political development policies is of immediate practical importance.· Science has long been of prime practical importance to civilization as a whole.· It is a matter of practical importance that teachers can argue this case.· Of more practical importance than estimates of global annual average temperature increase is that of resulting regional and seasonal changes.· The debate had no practical importance, nor did it influence the direction and methods of further research.· Inputs are thus of great practical importance, but they are only the means, not the ends, of competitive endeavour.· The practical importance of this latter requirement among people who know they disagree about justice is evident.
· Increasing relevance to practical information retrieval.· A lot of practical information is exchanged, as well as emotional support.· Holmes provides practical information about the hidden dangers of food and how to overcome them.· Now here's some practical information about the day-to-day tasks involved in working in a shop.· For those wanting to satisfy that itch there is an extensive factual section with each trek giving lots of useful practical information.
· However, this now raises an important practical issue.· This generation had come of age working on practical issues of feminism, pacifism, civil rights, and environmentalism.· Theoretical reasoning is a dead letter to the child unless it is closely anchored to practical issues.· While practical issues of meshing motherhood with modern life loom large, the greatest challenges are still psychological.· Even observation is constrained by practical issues of access.· From it follows a series of hardline implications for the other practical issues.· For many people, this practical issue will overshadow the refinements of scientific investigation, but this would be a pity.· That is not a theoretical matter, but a practical issue.
· They went in for practical jokes, which at times could be trying.· The sheer viciousness of Peggy Soong's practical joke choked her.· At first I thought it was an enormous practical joke.· Perhaps the loss of sunlight was behind a small eruption of quarrels and pointless practical jokes.· All his life, he enjoyed heedless and extreme practical jokes.· He is, however, not a trustworthy sprite, and delights in practical jokes of a bizarre and sometimes gruesome nature.· Had he been brought here as some kind of practical joke?
· It's the practical knowledge that is far more important than the academic.· The class would later serve Amelia in good stead, giving her her first practical knowledge of how engines worked.· It will have to be backed up by a degree of practical knowledge and competence.· In order to clarify this Oakeshott distinguishes between two sorts of knowledge, which he calls technical and practical knowledge.· If they already have some practical knowledge they will be itching to get on to the floor!· The lay members are intended to bring industrial experience and practical knowledge to bear on the issues coming before the tribunal.· Genuine understanding implies at least some practical knowledge of what level of interest rates are likely to be charged for loans.· Whenever a nurse gives an injection or changes a dressing she demonstrates the application of practical knowledge.
· However, Figure 2.1 does seem to clarify several aspects of the undergraduate curriculum at a more practical level.· We may indeed find the concept horrifying, but we do not relate to it on a practical level.· At a practical level, we see fair play, and deliver the groceries.· On a practical level, he needed more graduates.· It is an opportunity to experience at a practical level the pleasures of creating a piece of work or joining and dance.· We must continue to study the new centralised global environment at both the theoretical and the practical levels.· On a more practical level, two points should be made.
· The members of the second were practical men who were leaders and men of action in the material world.· She had heard that he was a handsome horseman and a practical man.· But even the newly practical men and women of complexity need to be allowed a bit of fun.· You are a practical man, Doctor.· The problem of the historic development of nineteenth-century society led both theorists and even practical men deep into the remoter past.· So Ahab does what all practical men would do.· John Coffin was no exception; a clever and practical man, he was unable to manage his own electric oven.· As a practical man, the dairyman might laugh at love, but love has a habit of changing people's lives.
· The Secretary of State smiles, but those are practical matters involving extremely important people within the local authorities.· As a practical matter, the wisdom of tax-cutting is open to debate.· Desperately, she turned back towards the room and tried to apply her mind to more practical matters.· As a practical matter, the minimum wage is irrelevant to people at the bottom of the wage scale.· Indeed, leave all practical matters to me for all time.· Which as a practical matter is usually about twelve years and can be as little as eight.· Nolan J. accepted that, as a practical matter, Woolwich had little choice but to make the three payments.· The challenge of making do without the domesticating power of women was, for many men, a practical matter.
· So international agreement and co-operation is in this field not merely an ideal but a practical necessity for effective justice.· The need for reliability is not only ethically desirable, it is generally a practical necessity.· Certainly marriage was very much a practical necessity for working class girls, and the chief hope was for a good bargain.· Indeed, for many municipalities a concern with cost containment and with stimulating private investment became a practical necessity.
· On a practical point I noticed that the colours weren't as bright on the low radiation monitors that I used.· On a practical point, finally, the crisis raised a serious problem.· An important practical point to consider when sending out mailings of this kind is to decide exactly where to send the package.· In the last three chapters, we have talked about dejobbed work from a practical point of view.· Here, although the description is detailed, some practical points are missing - it is not a complete workman's blue-print.· From a purely practical point of view, there were few alternatives.· Clearly, it is important from the practical point of view.· The technique of solving academic problems is almost the same as the technique of writing a legal opinion upon a practical point.
· At the same time there are a series of practical problems affecting all consultation with users.· The practical problem, Marvin told me, was that he is no longer able to improve his maple tree stands.· Many theoretical and practical problems remain to be studied and this research project will tackle some of them.· Is there a serious practical problem that Congress needs to address?· It also provides a counselling service and a range of literature with advice on emotional as well as practical problems.· Both theoretical and practical problems exist in fashioning out conceptual frameworks for the development of the continent.· It's never a good idea to get too involved with a colleague, but there would have been practical problems anyway.· To stay in the world, parents have to solve the practical problems.
· For purely practical purposes, I deal with the artists' money for recording and touring expenses.· Most of the 54 stories reproduced here, even the previously published ones, were, for all practical purposes, lost.· At the same time it also illustrates the practical purpose narrative theory may have for the reading of individual works of literature.· For all practical purposes, it has a nationwide corporate network, just like the big firms.· For all practical purposes, the Holy Spirit could be discounted.· Yet for all practical purposes, Windows was Macintosh.· Chance variations have a natural spread across the normal curve as explained above, for practical purposes.· For all practical purposes, the Army of the Potomac was on its own.
· Unfortunately practical reality fell somewhat short of the theoretical ideal.· Clearly the proliferation of little municipal governments runs counter to this philosophical wisdom and practical reality.· Having to tackle procedures restricted by legislation also forced us to apply political theories to practical realities without too much compromise.· At this time of year, when the garden still is a malleable dream, we must nevertheless consider practical realities.· Put simply, they believe aid fails due to the dichotomy between theory at a distance and practical reality at the local level.· Altogether, this was the conclusion which best corresponded to the practical realities of the day.· People wanted to believe it, and no practical reality came into conflict with it.· While the latter is the practical reality in many cases it is certainly not the legal position.
· This is both for practical reasons and as a matter of public policy.· We have no practical reason for being.· For practical reasons, she enlisted the help of the air force.· Men who defect for practical reasons are easier to manage and maintain.· Aside from purely humanitarian reasons, there are other more practical reasons for aiming to control pain.· Again, there was a practical reason for using silver rather than other metals such as brass.· There was, however, a very practical reason for the facing of the galleries in these directions.· Many practical reasons for this are, I suppose, quite justly given.
· The processes are described as: problem solving skills; practical skills; language skills; and technical skills.· Both of them possessed the practical skills of ropework and carpentry to look after the raft properly and to teach the others.· Saturday I made a patchwork cot cover by hand, I have good practical skills.· State board licensing examinations vary, but they usually consist of written and oral parts and include a demonstration of practical skills.· Our research was on teaching pupils practical skills in Biology and Physics.· She taught People how to use public transportation, how to open a bank account and other practical skills.
· Provided the room is big enough, room divider doors are a practical solution and can be an attractive feature.· Sometimes this shared understanding may lead to more practical solutions.· Odeneal was swayed by the eloquence and truth of Joseph's argument, and submitted a practical solution.· They do not offer practical solutions.· Mr Holt is keen to find a practical solution to better protect the environment.· These two sides would slug it out, and a practical solution would emerge somewhere between the two positions.· In itself this elusiveness is testimony to just how enormously difficult it is to find practical solutions to Britain's economic problems.· The search continues for a practical solution.
· In general, practical support between relatives seems highly gendered, with women much more involved than men.· Emotional and practical support for both needs to continue after the birth.· Salvation Army Have projects in Wandsworth and Lothian offering emotional and practical support and recreational facilities.· But most research studies suggest that sharing practical support is more characteristic of women.· It was important for the lenders to give normal and practical support.· I made a similar argument in chapter 1 about practical support in contemporary society.· They didn't all desert their girlfriends when they became pregnant, some have remained to provide crucial emotional and practical support.· The appeal was launched in October to encourage the local community to demonstrate practical support for the project.
· As an agriculturist he has to take him in the garden for practical training.· Through the provision of information and practical training opportunities it encourages a positive and practical approach to environmental issues.· Despite his success, the senate objected both to practical training and to Stuart's radical politics.· The question of the assessment of practical training was a difficult one.· Those in more technical areas had a greater sense of optimism because they would leave university with practical training.· His practical training started at his father's mill, where he was given a lathe and built small working steam engines.· It was an impressive practical training, for a handful of apprentice midwives delivered about 1,300 women every year.· The Agricultural Training Board supports a wide range of practical training projects for which farmers and farm workers can form local groups.
· Complexity was neither necessary nor desirable; it was of no practical use and it solved nothing in the end.· The use of the null hypothesis does have one very practical use.· This is the sharp end of modern cartography, a revolution in processing geographic data for practical uses.· This is almost certainly the first practical use of lunar materials to be attempted.· For computational linguists the over-riding concern is their practical use.· He made practical use of the widest possible range of phenomena.· Can your precious ethnography tell us anything which would be of practical use about managing these queues?· Perhaps before the decorative uses of stone evolved the practical use dominated.
· Because of its great practical value, the book is very unique and very useful.· Telecommuting is now reaching the mass market, where it is not as picturesque but has more practical value.· If it is to have any practical value a recording system must be concerned with measuring observable behaviour.· As such, it has important symbolic as well as great practical value.· The search facility has the practical value of making it quicker and simpler to find your place in the recording.· In addition to their great theoretical significance, the Euler-Lagrange equations provide calculational procedures of remarkable power and practical value. 9.· Special importance is attached to producing results accessible and of practical value to those whose lives are being studied.· Alas, it was said to have been of not much practical value.
· Our goal will always be to serve the people of Britain in a positive and practical way.· Lured by the excitement of plate tectonics, some felt that earth science would be a practical way to apply their knowledge.· In the following chapter you will find some practical ways of helping this process still further.· Some suggestions for achieving both and putting them together in a practical way is the subject of the rest of this section.· A practical way forward for some centres may be the use of Work Experience modules.· This is a clearly-stated objective that is a feasible and practical way of dealing with finances.· He had used this in a practical way in solving problems with which the helicopter abounds.· The practical ways are divided into Karma Yoga, the way of work, and Jnana the way of intellect.
· Discussion should take place regarding the learning methods, i.e. practical work, discussions, role play, tutorials and individual study.· If the building is rented, there is little opportunity for practical work except for some fevered activity on Sunday.· Like Alan, Mark saw the practical work as a game, but unlike Alan he refused to play it.· For example, few schemes incorporated practical work using equipment.· There are variations in the way mental, oral and practical work are incorporated into a scheme.· The course also includes assessment of practical work and investigation.· The programme for each of the training days contains formal talks, group practical work, and plenty of time for discussion.· It was intended that assessment was made through observation, practical work and discussion during normal lessons.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRYPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
- But, for all practical purposes you can say that a wind angle of 60° produces maximum drift.
- Computerized free language indexing is, for all practical purposes, the same as natural language indexing.
- Indeed for all practical purposes he owned us.
- Most of the 54 stories reproduced here, even the previously published ones, were, for all practical purposes, lost.
- The edit display screen can only be used, for all practical purposes, for cutting and pasting.
- Yet for all practical purposes, Windows was Macintosh.
- It was a practical certainty that he would be trying to raise more loans long before these were ever repaid.
- For all practical purposes, the cleanup of the oil spill is complete.
- For all practical purposes, the country is bankrupt.
- But, for all practical purposes you can say that a wind angle of 60° produces maximum drift.
- Computerized free language indexing is, for all practical purposes, the same as natural language indexing.
- Indeed for all practical purposes he owned us.
- Most of the 54 stories reproduced here, even the previously published ones, were, for all practical purposes, lost.
- The edit display screen can only be used, for all practical purposes, for cutting and pasting.
- Yet for all practical purposes, Windows was Macintosh.
- A joint communiqué issued after the meetings was couched in general terms and did not refer to the cessation of hostilities.
- I can understand why the whole phlogiston business would have been thought less than important in practical terms.
- Rather than talking in general terms about the desirability of renewal, he began to talk in concrete terms of a timetable.
- These will be stated in general terms for the whole allocation.
- They are, in practical terms, the experts.
- They do not have the ego-satisfaction of having thought up a brand new idea but in practical terms they do well.
- Those aspects of the business not capable of being expressed in financial terms may have an important effect on its success.
- Yet in intellectual and to some extent in practical terms her attitudes were overwhelmingly conservative.
WORD FAMILYnounpracticalpracticalitiespracticality ≠ impracticalitypracticability ≠ impracticabilityadjectivepracticable ≠ impracticablepractical ≠ impracticaladverbpractically ≠ impracticallypracticably ≠ impracticably
1real relating to real situations and events rather than ideas, emotions etc: Candidates should have training and practical experience in basic electronics. the practical problems of old age They provide financial and practical help for disabled students. a combination of theoretical and practical training They haven’t thought about the practical consequences of the new regulations. In practical terms, this means spending more time with each student.2effective practical plans, methods etc are likely to succeed or be effective in a situation OPP impractical: It doesn’t sound like a very practical solution. a practical way of achieving greater efficiency Unfortunately, there’s no practical alternative to driving. a practical guide to buying and selling a house3clear thinking a practical person is good at dealing with problems and making decisions based on what is possible and what will really work OPP impractical: She’s a very practical person. I was very shocked, but tried to be practical and think what to do.4suitable useful or suitable for a particular purpose or situation OPP impractical: Skirts aren’t very practical in my kind of work.5using your hands good at repairing or making things: I’m not very practical – I can’t even change a light bulb.6for/to all practical purposes used to say what the real effect of a situation is: The time you spend on it doesn’t, for all practical purposes, affect the final result.7practical certainty/disaster/sell-out etc something that is almost certain, almost a disaster etc: Sampras looks a practical certainty to win Wimbledon this year.COLLOCATIONSnounspractical experience· You have to gain practical experience before you qualify as a solicitor.practical work· Archaeology students are required to do a certain amount of practical work.practical problems/difficulties· The local Social Services Department may be able to help with practical problems.practical help/support (also practical assistance formal)· There will be trained people available to listen and to provide practical help.practical advice· The booklets offer clear, practical advice on running your business.practical use· Knowledge without understanding is of little practical use.practical considerations· There are a number of practical considerations that must be taken into account when choosing a car.practical implications· He was well aware of the practical implications of his theory.phrasesin practical terms· In practical terms, the experiment is going to be difficult.practical1 adjectivepractical2 noun
practicalpractical2 noun [countable] EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- We've got our chemistry practical tomorrow morning.
- For example, in electronics practicals there used to be a large number of boys who'd done electronics at school.
- The number of hours spent in lectures, tutorials or practicals varies for each individual.
- We got on with the practicals while the staff held a meeting to discuss how to control the epidemic.
THESAURUS
a set of questions or practical activities, which are intended to find out how much someone knows about a subject or skill: · I have a chemistry test tomorrow.· Did Lauren pass her driving test?
(also examination formal) an important test that you do at the end of a course of study or class or at the end of the school year: · He’s upstairs, revising for an exam.· When do you get your exam results?· There’s a written examination at the end of the course.
American English a quick test that a teacher gives to a class, usually to check that students are learning the things they should be learning: · We have a math quiz every Monday.· a pop quiz (=a quiz given by a teacher without any warning)
British English the last exams that you take at the end of a British university course: · During my finals I was revising till 3 o'clock in the morning most days.
American English an important test that you take at the end of a particular class in high school or college: · The English final was pretty hard.
American English an important test that you take in the middle of a term, covering what you have learned in a particular class in high school or college: · He did badly in the midterm.
(also oral British English) an exam in which you answer questions by speaking, instead of writing, for example to test how good you are at speaking a foreign language: · Nicky got an A in her Spanish oral.· You can either take an oral exam or do a 25 page essay.
British English an exam that tests your ability to do or make things, rather than your ability to write about them: · The chemistry practical is on Monday.
British English informal tests that you take as practice before the official examinations: · She did well in the mocks.
British English a set of printed questions used as an examination in a particular subject, or the answers people write: · The history paper was really difficult.· The papers are marked by the other teachers.
Longman Language Activatora test of your knowledge or skill a set of spoken or written questions or practical activities, which are intended to find out how much someone knows about a subject or skill: · Several students were caught cheating on the test.· The committee is calling for national tests for American schoolchildren.spelling/reading/biology etc test: · I have a chemistry test tomorrow.driving/driver's test: · Did Lauren pass her driving test?test on: · Listen carefully, because there will be a test on this next week.
also examination formal an important test that you do at the end of a course of study or at the end of the school year: · Students are not allowed to talk during the examination.· He's upstairs, revising for an exam. in an exam British /on an exam American: · How did you do in your exams?entrance exam (=an exam you must pass to enter a school or university): · In Japan, entrance exams are very important, and many children go to extra classes to prepare for them.history/French/biology etc exam: · We have a biology exam tomorrow, and I haven't done any work for it yet.final/mid-term exam American (=exams taken at the end or the middle of a particular class): · Final exams will be just before Christmas.
American a quick test that a teacher gives to a class, usually to check that students are learning the things they should be learning: · We have a history quiz every Monday.pop quiz (=a quiz that is not expected by the students): · He likes giving pop quizzes, to see if the kids are remembering anything.
also oral British an exam in which you answer questions by speaking, instead of writing, for example to test how good you are at speaking a foreign language: · You can either take an oral exam or do a 25 page essay.· Nicky got an A in her Spanish oral.
British an exam that tests your ability to do or make things, rather than your ability to write about them, for example in subjects such as chemistry or cooking: · We've got our chemistry practical tomorrow morning.
British the last exams that you take at the end of a British university course: · During my finals I was revising till 3 o'clock in the morning most days.
American the test you take at the end of a particular class, or the test you take in the middle of that class: · This class will require two papers, a midterm, and a final.
especially British a method used to find out how good a student is at a particular subject, for example by giving them written work, tests, or exams: · Assessment is by means of a written exam at the end of the course.continuous assessment (=assessment throughout a student's course of study, instead of only at the end): · Most schools nowadays prefer to use continuous assessment, because it gives a fairer picture of how the student has done during the whole year.
the system of using exams and tests to find out how good someone is at a particular subject: · The government plans to introduce compulsory testing in junior schools from the age of 7.· I believe that some sort of testing is always necessary in order to motivate students.
WORD SETSAA, nounacademia, nounacademic, adjectiveacademic, nounacademy, nounalum, nounalumna, nounalumni, nounalumnus, nounassistant professor, nounAssociate of Arts, nounassociate professor, nounaudit, verbBA, nounbachelor's degree, nounBig Man on Campus, nounblue book, nounbrother, nounBSc, nounbursar, nounbursary, nouncampus, nounCantab, chair, nounchancellery, nounchancellor, nounclass, nouncoed, nouncommencement, nouncommunity college, nounconservatoire, nounconservatory, nounconvocation, nouncourse, nouncredit, nouncum laude, adverbdean, noundean's list, noundiploma, noundissertation, noundoctor, noundoctoral, adjectivedoctorate, nounDoctor of Philosophy, noundon, noundorm, noundormitory, noundouble first, noundown, adverbelective, nounexaminer, nounextension, nounextramural, adjectivefaculty, nounfinancial aid, nounfirst class, noungrad, noungrad school, noungraduate, noungraduate, verbgraduate, adjectivegraduate school, noungraduation, nounGRE, nounGreek, nounhall, nounhall of residence, nounhaze, verbhigher education, nounhomecoming, nounhonor roll, nounhonours degree, nounintercollegiate, adjectiveintramural, adjectiveIvy League, the, adjectivejoint honours, nounjunior college, nounlectureship, nounLLB, nounLLD, nounLLM, nounMA, nounmagna cum laude, adjectivemajor, nounMaster of Arts, nounMaster of Science, nounmaster's, nounmaster's degree, nounmatriculate, verbmature student, nounMBA, nounMEd, nounmedic, nounmedical school, nounMFA, nounmidterm, nounMilitary Academy, nounminor, nounMLitt, nounmortarboard, nounMPhil, nounM.Sc., nounOpen University, the, option, nounoral, nounOxbridge, nounPhD, nounPhi Beta Kappa, nounpledge, nounpledge, verbpoly, nounpolytechnic, nounpost doctoral, adjectivepost-grad, nounpostgraduate, nounpostgraduate, adjectivepractical, nounprof, nounprofessor, nounprofessorial, adjectiveprofessorship, nounProvost, nounqualified, adjectivequarter, nounrag, nounread, verbreadership, nounredbrick, adjectiverush, verbrush, nounsandwich course, nounschool, nounsemester, nounseminar, nounseminary, nounsenate, nounsenior, nounsingle honours, nounsophomore, nounsorority, nounspring break, nounstate university, nounstudent union, nounsubject, nounsumma cum laude, adverbsummer school, nounsurvey course, nounsyllabus, nountech, nountechnical college, nountenure, nountermly, adjectivetertiary education, nountheological college, nounthesis, nounthird, nounthird class, nountutor, nountutorial, nountutorial, adjective2.1, nountwo-two, nounU., undergraduate, noununi, nounUniv., university, nounupperclassman, nounupperclasswoman, nounvac, nounvacation, nounvarsity, nounvice-chancellor, nounvisiting professor, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES I’m afraid it’s become a matter of economic necessity. a few useful pointers about using the technique youngsters with an independent turn of mind
· The programme aims to offer practical advice on healthy eating.
· This treatment represents a practical alternative to surgery.
· Women often take a more practical approach.
· The technical aspects of the movie were incredible.
(=problems with doing something)· It’s a great idea, but there will be a number of practical difficulties.
(=in which you have to make or do things)· There’s a practical exam as well as a written one.
(=experience gained from doing something, not from books or study)· The classes provide students with some practical experience of computers.
(=one that relates to real situations or events, not scientific theories)· The research team compiled a set of practical experiments in Modern Astronomy.
· The organization offers practical help with finding accommodation.
· Academic research often has practical implications.
(=related to things that happen, rather than just ideas)· Science has long been of practical importance to civilization as a whole.
(=that involves tricking someone)· What the workers think is a practical joke, management might regard as sabotage.
· Practical limitations, such as a shortage of equipment, may prevent them from achieving their goal.
· He wrote to him several times about practical matters to do with the house.
I’m afraid it’s become a matter of economic necessity. (=something you can choose that will be successful)· Surgery may be a viable option when all else fails.
· Saving energy in your home is fairly easy from a practical point of view.
a few useful pointers about using the technique· Burying a pet can present practical problems.
(=likely to be possible or successful)· A complete ban on strikes is not a practical proposition.
· These materials are too fine to have a practical purpose in daily life.
· Students will have the opportunity to learn a lot of practical skills.
(=one that is really possible)· They've had to find practical solutions to practical problems.
(=based on real situations, not just ideas)· What practical suggestions can you offer to teachers of children with learning difficulties?
youngsters with an independent turn of mindPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
- For all practical purposes, the cleanup of the oil spill is complete.
- For all practical purposes, the country is bankrupt.
- But, for all practical purposes you can say that a wind angle of 60° produces maximum drift.
- Computerized free language indexing is, for all practical purposes, the same as natural language indexing.
- Indeed for all practical purposes he owned us.
- Most of the 54 stories reproduced here, even the previously published ones, were, for all practical purposes, lost.
- The edit display screen can only be used, for all practical purposes, for cutting and pasting.
- Yet for all practical purposes, Windows was Macintosh.
- A joint communiqué issued after the meetings was couched in general terms and did not refer to the cessation of hostilities.
- I can understand why the whole phlogiston business would have been thought less than important in practical terms.
- Rather than talking in general terms about the desirability of renewal, he began to talk in concrete terms of a timetable.
- These will be stated in general terms for the whole allocation.
- They are, in practical terms, the experts.
- They do not have the ego-satisfaction of having thought up a brand new idea but in practical terms they do well.
- Those aspects of the business not capable of being expressed in financial terms may have an important effect on its success.
- Yet in intellectual and to some extent in practical terms her attitudes were overwhelmingly conservative.
WORD FAMILYnounpracticalpracticalitiespracticality ≠ impracticalitypracticability ≠ impracticabilityadjectivepracticable ≠ impracticablepractical ≠ impracticaladverbpractically ≠ impracticallypracticably ≠ impracticably
British English a lesson or examination in science, cooking etc in which you have to do or make something yourself rather than write or read about it: a chemistry practical► see thesaurus at test- Millais, Sir John Everett
- Millen, Karen
- millennial
- millennium
- Millennium Bridge
- Millennium Commission
- Millennium Dome
- miller
- Miller, Arthur
- Miller, Glenn
- Miller, Henry
- Miller, Jonathan
- millet
- Millett, Kate
- milli-
- Milliband, David
- Milliband, Ed
- millibar
- Milligan, Spike
- milligram
- millilitre
- millimetre
- milliner
- millinery
- million