completecom‧plete1 /kəmˈpliːt/ ●●● S2 W1 adjective 
The police were in complete control of the situation. Their engagement came as a complete surprise to me. This is a complete waste of time.a complete fool/idiot etc Meg realized she’d been a complete fool. a complete stranger The darkness was almost complete.2including all parts, details, facts etc and with nothing missing SYN whole OPP incomplete: a complete set of china The list below is not complete. the complete works of Shakespeare (=a book, CD etc containing everything Shakespeare wrote)3[not before noun] finished OPP incomplete: Work on the new building is nearly complete.4complete with something having particular equipment or features: The house comes complete with swimming pool and sauna.—completeness noun [uncountable]: For the sake of completeness I should mention one further argument.
WORD ORIGINcomplete1
Origin:
1300-1400 Old French complet, from Latin, past participle of complere ‘to fill up’, from com- ( ➔ COM-) + plere ‘to fill’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- A complete safety check was performed on the aircraft prior to takeoff.
- Construction of the library is expected to be complete in February.
- I met Brad Pitt one time and made a complete fool of myself.
- Older records of births, marriages, and deaths are not as complete as modern ones.
- Police made a complete search of the area.
- Scientists have unearthed a complete dinosaur skeleton in Montana.
- The meeting was a complete waste of time.
- This is a complete list of educational publishers in Britain.
- We gave Vicki the complete works of Shakespeare.
- When my grandmother died, I inherited a complete set of Dresden china.
- Bristly dub on flip, complete with monkey yapping, is a lot better.
- By what date does he believe that the reform of local government will be complete?
- Classic gothic tale complete with governess heroine, malevolent atmosphere, and forbidding mansion.
- I have assumed a complete absence of proofreading.
- Maybe Mikey Boyd is ready to act like a tree-hugger again after being a complete builder stooge so far this term.
- The Explorer comes with built-in, 16-bit stereo sound, complete with two speakers and a microphone mounted just above the keyboard.
- The specialist contractor offers a complete service of diagnosis and repair, with guarantees.
- There are Velcro curtains you can pull around for complete privacy.
THESAURUS
if something is finished, you have done all of it: · She showed him the finished drawing.· I was very pleased with the finished result.
[not before noun] finished – used especially in everyday English instead of finished: · I can’t come out till my essay’s done.· They promised the work would be done by April.
[not before noun] completely finished – used especially to emphasize that there is no more work to do: · Six months later the job was complete.· The first stage of the project is now complete.
finished – used about an event, activity, or period of time: · Football practice is over at 4:30. Can you pick me up then?· The summer was nearly over.
informal to have finished doing something or using something: · I probably won’t be through till about 6 o'clock.· Are you through with those scissors?
Longman Language Activatorwith all its parts included and nothing missing use this to say that something includes all the parts it should have, with nothing missing: · Scientists have unearthed a complete dinosaur skeleton in Montana.complete set: · When my grandmother died, I inherited a complete set of Dresden china.the complete works of somebody (=everything that an author has written): · We gave Vicki the complete works of Shakespeare.
complete: · Please write your full name and address at the top of the form.· Sidney got married in full army uniform.· Connors made a full confession to the police.the full story: · We're not being told the full story here.
complete, especially when this is very good, impressive, or unusual: · I drank a whole bottle of wine by myself.· After spending years piecing together fragments, we now have the whole original manuscript.
if something is written, described, explained etc in full , everything necessary is included and nothing is left out; if you pay an amount of money in full , you pay the full amount: · The text of the president's speech will be published in full in tomorrow's papers.· The bill had been stamped "Paid in Full'.· Taped testimony will be heard in full at the opening of the trial.
if something is read, performed, seen etc in its entirety , the whole of it is read etc, especially when it is something very big or complicated: · Bach's great masterpiece, the Mass in B minor, was never performed in its entirety during his lifetime.
to be complete with the parts that should be there: · It's an old set, but you'll find it's all there -- the dice, cards, everything.· You can count it if you want to, but it's all there.
examining, considering, or including every detail or part · Police made a complete search of the area.· A complete safety check was performed on the aircraft prior to takeoff.· This is a complete list of educational publishers in Britain.
a thorough search, examination, check etc includes everything that can be included: · Congress is demanding a thorough investigation.· Have you had a thorough medical check-up within the last year?· His assessment of the situation was quite thorough.thorough understanding: · The position requires a thorough understanding of web page design software.
including all the necessary facts, or a lot of details: · The atlas contains full statistical descriptions of each country.· Full details of the travel arrangements will be published as soon as possible.· David wants a full report of the accident first thing in the morning.
very thorough, especially because it is important that nothing is left out and that every possible problem is dealt with: · The factory was given a comprehensive safety inspection three months ago.· This is the largest and most comprehensive study ever made of the city's public transportation system.
so complete that not even the smallest detail or possibility is missed: · As a result of exhaustive inquiries the police are at last able to issue a description of the murderer.· The list shown here is by no means exhaustive.
an in-depth study, discussion, report etc is thorough and complete and considers all details: · See chapter 6 for an in-depth discussion of this topic.· The study is based on in-depth interviews with a nationally representative sample of 1,500 US households.
to make something complete · Brown lace leggings and black leather shoes completed the outfit. · I only need one more volume to complete the collection.· Complete the sentences using either the simple past or present perfect tense of the verbs.
to complete a group, set, or amount by adding something or someone to it: · We need two more players to make up the team.· If you haven't got enough to pay for that, I can make up the difference.
not complete · Historical records for this time are incomplete.· an incomplete job application· For many, a good meal is incomplete without a fine wine.
only containing or including part of what is necessary to be complete: · From where I was standing, I had a partial view of the house.· This is only a partial solution to the problem.· At best, the mission was a partial success.· Wade received only partial compensation for her injuries.
if something is patchy , it does not include enough information, or important details are missing: · The records are patchy and incomplete.· A patchy picture began to emerge of what happened that night.· My knowledge of the subject is pretty patchy.
affecting or including all of something affecting everything or every part of a situation: · They want a total ban on cigarette advertising.· My parents had complete control over my life.· The satellite TV station is providing total coverage of the Olympic Games.
: blanket decision/statement/term etc one that affects every part of a situation: · A blanket requirement was announced by education officials -- all schools had to cut their budgets by 25%.· Dementia is a blanket term for various types of psychiatric disorder.
including or involving all or almost all the parts of a situation: · Even though some of the details are badly done, the overall effect of the painting is very dramatic.· His attitude towards his job seemed consistent with his overall approach to life.· Conference members agreed on an overall approach to drug abuse that focuses on prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation.
involving all possible parts of an idea or system: · We've done a global study on the company's weaknesses.· Simon & Schuster said it no longer wanted the smaller company because it did not fit into its global strategy.
: all-embracing concept/statement/term etc (=one in which all features of a situation have been thought of and included) · The prison governor now has all-embracing powers to deal with any situation in the way he thinks fit.· Physicists are searching for one all-embracing theory that covers matter, energy, radiation, and gravity.
a complaint · The carpet is completely ruined.· She felt completely relaxed.· Keith's dad was completely different from what I'd expected.· I intended to give you the card on Saturday but I completely forgot.· Sometimes the UK seems completely isolated from the main stream of European culture.
especially spoken say this when you strongly agree with something or approve of something, or to emphasize strong adjectives: absolutely right/correct: · You're absolutely right - we can't all fit in one car.absolutely marvellous/amazing/brilliant: · That's an absolutely brilliant idea.absolutely certain/sure: · Are you absolutely sure you don't mind?absolutely exhausted/soaked/ruined etc: · By the end of the day, I was absolutely exhausted.
use this especially to say that you have completely understood something or have everything that you need: fully understand/realize/appreciate: · I can fully understand your concern.fully aware/informed: · Please keep me fully informed of any developments.fully furnished/equipped: · The house is fully furnished, including washer and dryer.
use this especially to show that you completely disagree with something or that you are very annoyed about it: totally refuse/ignore/reject etc: · He totally ignored my advice.totally impossible/unacceptable/ridiculous etc: · What you're saying is totally ridiculous.· Myers said that a two-year prison sentence for rape was totally unacceptable and inadequate.
completely and in every possible way - use this especially in negative sentences, or with 'almost': · At the very beginning of the project, Paul made it clear that he would be entirely in control.not entirely: · I'm not entirely sure what she meant.· The reasons for his departure weren't entirely clear.consist entirely of: · The audience consisted almost entirely of journalists.depend entirely on: · The foundation depends entirely on voluntary contributions.
in every possible way - use this especially in negative sentences: not wholly responsible/reliable/committed etc: · The evidence we have is not wholly reliable.· The commission found that the officer on duty at the time was not wholly responsible.wholly unacceptable/unexpected/unfounded etc: · The city council's proposals are wholly unacceptable.· Help came from a wholly unexpected source.
use this especially to describe things that are completely wrong, untrue, impossible etc: utterly impossible/useless/worthless etc: · Without their help it would have been utterly impossible to arrange the conference.· Whether you like her or not is utterly irrelevant.utterly reject/spoil/destroy etc: · We utterly reject the philosophy of compulsory wage control.
use this to talk about an extreme situation or something extreme that someone has done: positively disgusting/harmful/dangerous etc: · The food in this place isn't just bad, it's positively disgusting.· Her performance was positively marvellous.
use this to emphasize how strong a feeling or quality is or how bad a situation is: · It was a complete surprise - I didn't have any idea they were planning a party.· Don't pay any attention to him - the guy's a total idiot!· Nobody can say with absolute certainty how much oil there is in Alaska.· By any measurement, our corrections program is an utter failure.
use this to say that something is true in every detail or part: · The two drawings are identical in every way.· The plans are unworkable in every respect.
use this when a word or phrase that you say is true in every possible way that it could be understood: · There are still men who want to be in every sense, the "head of the household'.in every sense of the word: · She was a true sportswoman -- a professional in every sense of the word.
if someone is good, bad etc through and through , every part of their character and behaviour shows that they are like that: · Don't trust him. He's rotten through and through.· Einstein was a realist through and through.· After 30 years in Queensland, he felt he was an Australian through and through.
: whole-heartedly agree/approve/support etc completely and willingly: · Her father whole-heartedly approved of their decision to get married.· Rowan whole-heartedly agreed that the company needed to do more to improve its ties to the community.
something that is finished · All the packing was finished and we were ready to leave.· A young couple moved into the house three weeks after it was finished.· The finished book was more of a personal diary than an autobiography.finished version/product/article etc · Looking at the finished product, you wouldn't know it was made from paper.
to be successfully finished: · Mom won't let me watch television till all my homework's done.· We'll send you a bill when the repairs are done.
finished, especially after a long period of time or a lot of work: · We'll only get paid if the job is satisfactorily completed.· At last all the arrangements were completed and we waited impatiently for the big day to arrive.
if something that involves a number of stages is complete , it is finished: · You'll be paid more when your training is complete.· Building work should be complete within 20 weeks.· When the mixing process is complete, the mixture is ready to be heated.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY The police were in complete control of the situation. Their engagement came as a complete surprise to me. This is a complete waste of time. Meg realized she’d been a complete fool. a complete stranger the complete works of Shakespeare (=a book, CD etc containing everything Shakespeare wrote) The house comes complete with swimming pool and sauna.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES It is important to the success of any firm that its partners should be in complete accord. The computer comes complete with software and games. Local councillors accused the terrorists of showing a complete disregard for human life. Although he smiled, Ashley knew he was in deadly earnest. Of course, it might all be complete fabrication. The first lecture I ever gave was a complete fiasco. Just complete the entry form (=write the answers to the questions on a form) and return it. The political prisoner had been held in complete isolation. There was complete mayhem after the explosion. When I got home, the house was a complete mess. I’m still a complete novice at the sport. The car needs a complete overhaul. It’s time for a complete rethink of the way we farm our countryside. a dramatic reversal in population decline I watched in complete and utter horror as he pulled out a gun.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
The police were in complete control of the situation. Their engagement came as a complete surprise to me. This is a complete waste of time. Meg realized she’d been a complete fool. a complete stranger the complete works of Shakespeare (=a book, CD etc containing everything Shakespeare wrote) The house comes complete with swimming pool and sauna. It is important to the success of any firm that its partners should be in complete accord.· A loan, however, is not the complete answer to the company’s problems.
· He gave the task his undivided attention.
· The manager has full authority to make decisions.
· They are seeking a complete ban on nuclear testing.
· The disagreement finally led to a complete breakdown of their relationship.
· When we arrived, there was total chaos.
The computer comes complete with software and games.· Their fighters had full command of the air over Pearl Harbor.
· A manager must be able to have complete confidence in his staff.
· Candy's eyes showed her total confusion.
· We expect to complete construction in January.
· A complete contrast in building style can be seen in Commercial Road.
· The birds were able to complete their breeding cycle as farmers delayed cutting the hedges.
· It was late and all the houses in the village were in total darkness.
· In a populated area, a wave that high would cause total destruction.
· Last Saturday’s game was a complete disaster for our team.
Local councillors accused the terrorists of showing a complete disregard for human life. Although he smiled, Ashley knew he was in deadly earnest.· There is a complete embargo on arms sales to governments that violate human rights.
· Women have not yet achieved full equality with men.
· Hippos may face total extinction if their habitat continues to dwindle.
Of course, it might all be complete fabrication.· The project ended in total failure.
· The owners have complete faith in Sam as manager.
The first lecture I ever gave was a complete fiasco. Just complete the entry form (=write the answers to the questions on a form) and return it.· Riding a motorbike gives me a feeling of total freedom.
· Wendy had slowed down, almost to a complete halt.
· The country gained complete independence from Britain in the 1960s.
· The inspection was completed and the relevant forms filled in.
The political prisoner had been held in complete isolation. (=a lot of joy, not mixed with other feelings)· It was a moment of pure joy.
· I was amazed by his almost total lack of interest in music.
(=something that is completely untrue)· Of course the whole thing was a complete lie.· She didn't want to tell her mother an outright lie.
· The full list of winners is on page seven.
· He knew that he had Boyle's complete loyalty.
· His latest collection shows his complete mastery of painting with oils.
There was complete mayhem after the explosion. When I got home, the house was a complete mess.· There seems to be a complete misunderstanding of how the changes will affect us.
· She said that her husband’s disappearance was a complete mystery.
· It’s a complete myth that eating carrots helps you to see in the dark.
· He had a complete nervous after leaving university.
· The whole day was an absolute nightmare.
· Most of what has been written on this subject is complete nonsense.
I’m still a complete novice at the sport.· The King required absolute obedience.
· She is the complete opposite of her sister.
The car needs a complete overhaul. (=including all the details and important points)· a comprehensive overview of the nuclear energy programme
· By asking these questions, I was able to get a more complete picture.
· The lawn was surrounded by tall bushes, giving complete privacy.
· The project was completed on time.
· No security system can ever give complete protection against a determined thief.
(=answer all the questions in it) All staff were asked to fill in a questionnaire about their jobs.
All staff were asked to fill in a questionnaire about their jobs.· The store stocks a full range of groceries.
· She was severely injured but made a full recovery.
· The doctor had advised a complete rest for a fortnight.
It’s time for a complete rethink of the way we farm our countryside. a dramatic reversal in population decline· They expressed complete satisfaction with the agreement.
· No one expected the factory to close – it was a complete shock.
· They sat in complete silence.· The silence in the room was absolute.
(=used to emphasize that you do not know the person)· Really, I don't know why I'm revealing all this to a complete stranger.
· The news came as a complete surprise.
· The degree gives students a thorough understanding of issues relating to housing.
I watched in complete and utter horror as he pulled out a gun.· These difficulties were exacerbated by the almost complete absence of indigenous, vertically-integrated companies.· The unification of Arabia was almost complete when he died in 632.· The crowd was stunned, and Bachelor's Button returned to unsaddle in almost complete silence.· The rest of the drive home passed in almost complete silence.· The present state of the locomotive is that it is almost complete.· Building of the new unit, at a cost of £120,000, is almost complete.· Much of the difficulty of identification is caused by an almost complete ignorance of what we are looking for.· Luckily for Paul a donor was found and he's now made an almost complete recovery.
NOUN· I have complete absence of remorse in this saturation of pleasure.· One was the complete absence of physical evidence.· The complete absence from her novels of condescension is the secret of her popularity.· I have assumed a complete absence of proofreading.· These difficulties were exacerbated by the almost complete absence of indigenous, vertically-integrated companies.· Clostridium bacteria can grow only in the complete absence of oxygen, so they have been found in contaminated cans of food.· Often it means a complete absence of thought, theory or conscious plan.
· It will be a complete change to report these facts instead of keeping them secret.· In time these three will form a screen so that I can arrange for a complete change of scenery on either side.· I'd like a complete change of style, but don't take off more than an inch.· What we did: Hayley wanted a complete change and advice on a new shape and colour.· It was interesting to note a complete change in the timbre and resonance when the bird moved to another song-perch.· None the less, lack of money in a job does not have to mean a complete change.· I enjoyed the complete change of life at Hinaidi.· Rather than supporting the statusquo, the way things are, utopian ideologies advocate a complete change in the structure of society.
· There was an air of complete confidence about him.· We held him in high esteem and placed complete confidence in him.· She had complete confidence in the young nurse, although she found it very difficult to penetrate her reserve.· A man he had complete confidence in.· You can buy from him in complete confidence.· I predict with complete confidence that the House of Lords will never be abolished for two reasons.· And then, protected against the pitfalls of this curious patois, you can book your ticket to Tokyo in complete confidence.· Your shareholders have complete confidence in you.
· I used to do it all, I had complete control of the house, now the situation has changed completely.· The state earlier this month gave Brown virtually complete control over Treasure Island.· Neil Kinnock has more complete control over the party than any leader since Attlee.· Gandhi is under his own complete control.· She alleged that he struck her and sought complete control of her life.· A salesman had no purchase on a trader, while a trader had complete control over a salesman.· It's proof of Verve's complete control that they can get away with this sort of laval-like show.· If the first drug tried does not result in complete control at high therapeutic levels, a second drug should be substituted.
· Existential propositions, contextually indispensable though they might be, are not logically essential for a complete description of the world.· Table 11.3 is the complete description of Figure 11.2.· It is not a complete description of the law.· Why are monadic predicates not sufficient for a complete description of the world?· Existential propositions are not really necessary - logically necessary - for a complete description of the world.
· And then at the end, that they should be complete failures.· But engineers concluded that even a complete failure of the non-critical, rubber O-ring would not endanger the lives of shuttle astronauts.· But was the move really a complete failure?· And the attempt to start an avalanche of donations was a complete failure.· The first run-through was a complete failure.· In practice, of course, many cases fall between complete success and complete failure.· Yet we can scarcely doubt that, in its practical effect, the Council of 1102 was a complete failure.· This is a complete failure because Mitch does not turn up.
· Meg realized she'd been a complete fool.· She's throwing herself at that man, making a complete fool of herself.· Better that, she thought resignedly, than making a complete fool of herself.· Balbindor treated Father and me all along as complete fools.· She had made a complete fool of herself and had successfully lived down to every low opinion that Piers harboured about her.· You would be a complete fool if you did.· What if she made a complete fool of herself and let Ricky down?· So a complete fool will not acquire a following.
· The leader announced at the beginning that complete freedom of speech was allowed but speeches must be kept short.· A nanny provides the most intimate care for a baby and offers parents complete freedom to come and go as they wish.· However, it should not be allowed complete freedom to rule, since it can overwhelm and destroy.· In practice there will not be complete freedom of choice for the individual.· No-one has the complete freedom to do anything in our modern, regimented society.· The Werner Plan placed emphasis on the fixity of exchange rates and complete freedom of capital movements.· This accessory offers complete freedom of choice!· The complete freedom to work entirely in an individual way eludes most artists.
· I longed to ask questions but was wary of revealing my complete lack of local knowledge.· Communications difficulties contributed greatly to a complete lack of coordination of efforts.· It is one of the most popular rasboras despite complete lack of any bright colours.· Due to a complete lack of interest in reading, our staff has decided to forego reviewing books this week.· It was not wickedness that led him into crime but a cheerfully impulsive nature and an almost complete lack of reasoning power.· The older boy went blind in a complete lack of interest.· People still pay up despite the complete lack of ghosts.· Loss of concentration, a complete lack of ability to focus, was the chief occupational hazard of the trading floor.
· Readers consulting a specific category will find a complete list of periodicals dealing with that subject.· A complete list of golf courses near airports is available from the U. S. Golf Society.· It is not a complete list.· Instead, the companies surveyed could not put together a complete list of the rules they regularly complied with.· As said before, there is no complete list of these items, no visual catalogue.· A complete list is not possible because of the large number of possible combinations.· She said that apart from MacQuillan and Barron she did not know who else had been allowed a complete list.
· The flat was a complete mess.· Even if you make a complete mess of it, the model only has a few inches to fall.· The hotel below the line where the water had finally peaked was a complete mess.· I wore my jeans but I felt a complete mess.· Scanners capture images as a pattern of dots, changing the proportions can instantly turn an acceptable image into a complete mess!
· It is a complete mystery to everyone how the following gems came to light in 1989.· With the stakes so high, the lack of atmosphere on the terraces in the first half was a complete mystery.· It's been a complete mystery to me ever since I arrived here.· When all the evidence is added up, the Sirven case remains a complete mystery.· How the hell my pack of jokers has managed two wins out of two is a complete mystery.
· In fact, it's just about the complete opposite of the way that I do things.· The return of the deep meant the complete opposite of all that.· Interestingly, parents find this particularly hard as it is often the complete opposite of what they normally do.
· The yard has been earmarked for a complete overhaul by private developers.· Boetsch rejected a complete overhaul of the new charges brought in Jan. 1, though.· We are long overdue for a complete overhaul of the mathematics curriculum at all levels.· Mr. Pollard says a complete overhaul of the system is needed, to establish guilt and innocence and find the truth.· By then a complete overhaul is often too late to be of much use.· He campaigned on behalf of the wrongly-convicted Guildford Four and urged a complete overhaul of the appeal system.· It is a luxurious 87-room hotel overlooking the bay and is currently undergoing a complete overhaul at considerable cost.· But he said there would have to be a complete overhaul of the electoral system first.
· Often, the media convey a fairly complete picture of the events in question.· Those who want a more complete picture of Kelly must consult the hefty, liberally illustrated catalog.· It helps management build a complete picture of various types of absence, and to identify potential abuses.· Time spent building a complete picture of your ideal position will be well spent.· Inventories, therefore, do not give a complete picture of a person's wealth.· I gave him a more complete picture of my risk profile.· There is one, and only one, arrangement in which the pieces make a complete picture.· If they were ever to be revealed, then we would have a much more complete picture of Shostakovich the man.
· A complete range of enquiry services is available to personal callers - the variety is so large as to make description impossible.· Initial offerings, available today at www.gateway-hosting.com, include a complete range of web hosting and domain name registration services.· A complete range of equipment is also available.· They also offer a complete range of carpet colours, styles and textures to suit every decorating idea.· Both provide Hunting Oilfield Services with a more complete range of connectors and related services for tubes for off-shore operators.· This means that the biceps have been worked through their complete range of movement, aiding complete development.· Scholl alone has a complete range, to deal with all footcare problems.· The contract is for fuel tank access covers for the complete range of Airbus aircraft.
· The drive is transmitted into the adjacent mill building which houses two complete sets of grinding gear and allied crushers, etc.· The show consists of a complete set of 33 etchings and aquatints of traditional rhymes.· Almed with this information, one is prepared to undertake a serious examination of a complete set of financial statements.· The first issue was in 130 weekly parts at 2 % d. each, but apparently no complete set is recorded.· The complete set of drawings will show how much the larva grows.· Also used to refer to a complete set of characters forming a family in a particular design or style.· But in most cases we possess complete sets of furnishings and fittings.
· The other three pairs came from the trees and down the sloping fields in complete silence.· The crowd was stunned, and Bachelor's Button returned to unsaddle in almost complete silence.· Once again he had gained complete silence.· The rest of the drive home passed in almost complete silence.· They drove home in almost complete silence.· There was complete silence as we padded through two more streets with walls so bitten away that they looked like lace.· The boy moved quickly, just ahead of Allen, guiding him more than walking with him, in complete silence.
· Would you leave him/her with a complete stranger?· They argue with complete strangers a lot.· It was the perfect excuse for ringing up complete strangers and asking all sort of personal questions.· Malouf is fascinated by the sometimes violent impact that complete strangers can have upon our lives.· She was worse than Doreen, telling complete strangers the entire family history.· A nail-biting finish, but finally won by Moira Creek at her first attempt and a complete stranger to Pooh culture.· In Usenet, you're a complete stranger until you post.· She'd just walked in to the nearest doorway and spilled the whole thing to a complete stranger.
· His kiss was a complete surprise.· Be prepared financially, so that the need for extra capital outlays does not come as a complete surprise.· It took me by complete surprise.· His visit home had been a complete surprise.· This result came as a complete surprise to me and everyone else, and it was greeted with general disbelief.· Yet it should not have been a complete surprise.· The instruction to evacuate the buildings came as a complete surprise.· Once in the palace the brother and his friend could trust to their own swords and the complete surprise of their attack.
· Borrowing lecture notes is often a complete waste of time because you've missed the impact.· Look at Micky Deere, he's a complete waste of space.· She said it was a complete waste of paint.· It will either be a complete waste of time or you will find a real gem.· Why would Wilko be even remotely interested in a complete waste of space like St-wart.· Eventually, I realized the exercise was a complete waste of time.· Firstly, this little episode exposes pre-nuptial contracts in this country to be the complete waste of paper they are.· In my opinion, any attempt to reconcile the statements of principle in Lawrence and Morris is a complete waste of time.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY
- The house comes complete with swimming pool and sauna.
WORD FAMILYnouncompletionincompletenessadjectivecomplete ≠ incompleteverbcompleteadverbcompletely ≠ incompletely
1[usually before noun] used to emphasize that a quality or situation is as great as it could possibly be SYN total: The police were in complete control of the situation. Their engagement came as a complete surprise to me. This is a complete waste of time.a complete fool/idiot etc Meg realized she’d been a complete fool. a complete stranger The darkness was almost complete.2including all parts, details, facts etc and with nothing missing SYN whole OPP incomplete: a complete set of china The list below is not complete. the complete works of Shakespeare (=a book, CD etc containing everything Shakespeare wrote)3[not before noun] finished OPP incomplete: Work on the new building is nearly complete.4complete with something having particular equipment or features: The house comes complete with swimming pool and sauna.—completeness noun [uncountable]: For the sake of completeness I should mention one further argument.