acid rainˌacid ˈrain noun [uncountable] 
Examples
ExamplesEXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
Thesaurus- Better that Aretha Franklin had not been born than that we should endure a drop more of this acid rain of spittle!
- Ever tighter regulations are being introduced to protect the environment from emissions contributing to the greenhouse effect or acid rain.
- Hydrocarbons also contribute both to acid rain and to ozone formation.
- It dismisses suggestions that acid rain is a key factor in declining tree health.
- There will be displays on acid rain, the ozone layer and global warming.
Longman Language Activatordamage to the environment► pollution
rain that contains harmful acid which can damage the environment and is caused by chemicals in the air, for example from cars or factories harmful chemicals, gases, or waste materials from factories, houses etc that enter the air, water, or land and kill or damage the things that live or grow there: · Pollution levels in the area shot up as soon as the factory started operating.· What pollution controls will the state authorities put in place?air/marine/land etc pollution: · She says that transporting goods by rail instead of road would cut air pollution dramatically.
► global warming a general increase in the temperature of the world caused by harmful chemicals and gases from cars, factories etc entering the air: · Scientists estimate that global warming could cause a six degree rise in temperatures by 2100.· One of the most devastating consequences of global warming could be the melting of the polar ice caps.
► greenhouse gases gases from cars, factories, machines etc that form a layer around the earth and keep the heat in. These are a cause of global warming: · International controls are needed to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.· Western countries are overwhelmingly responsible for current levels of greenhouse gases.
► acid rain rain that is harmful to trees and buildings because it contains pollution from factories, power stations etc: · Typical symptoms of acid rain include deformed and dying trees, and trees with vastly reduced numbers of leaves.
► climate change changes in the weather across large areas of the world caused by damage to the natural environment, for example increases in temperature, more storms, or more or less rain: · People will have to get used to more flooding and droughts as climate change becomes a reality.· an international conference on Climate Change
► hole in the ozone layer a hole in the layer of natural gases around the earth that protects people, animals etc from damage from the sun. This is thought to be caused by harmful gases from cars, household products, factories etc entering the earth's atmosphere: · The increase in the incidence of skin cancer is directly due to the hole in the ozone layer.
► deforestation when too many trees are cut down in an area, so that the environment is badly damaged: · Some parts of tropical America have seen over 70% deforestation.· The land is severely eroded as a result of widespread deforestation and intensive farming.
► endangered species a type of animal, plant etc that might soon stop existing because of damage to the environment it lives in or because too many of them have been killed by humans: · Environmentalists say that the area includes the habitats of at least 20 endangered species.· Although the tiger is an endangered species, it is still hunted in some areas.
WORD SETS► Environment & wasteacid rain, nounbiohazard, nounbottle bank, nouncatalytic converter, nounclean-up, nounconservancy, nounconservation, nounconservation area, nounconservationist, nounconserve, verbcontaminant, nouncontaminate, verbeco-, prefixeco-friendly, adjectiveecological, adjectiveecologist, nounecology, nounecosystem, nouneffluent, nounenvironmental, adjectiveenvironmentalist, nounenvironmentally friendly, adjectiveglobal warming, noungreen, verbgreenhouse effect, noungreenhouse gas, noungreen revolution, nounhabitat, nounnational park, nounnoise pollution, nounozone, nounozone-friendly, adjectiveparticulates, nounpoison, verbpollute, verbradioactive waste, nounradioactivity, nounrecyclable, adjectiverecycle, verbrecycling, nounreforestation, nounsewage, nounsewage works, nounsmog, nounsulphur dioxide, nountip, nountoxic waste, nounwaste disposal, nounwaste product, noun