Predicament - English meaning

verb

Tie or fasten (something) tightly together.

Usage examples:

They bound her hands and feet

noun

A problematical situation.

Usage examples:

He is in a bind that gets worse with every passing minute

verb

To tie someone or something tightly, or to fasten things together

Usage examples:

The room was full of wooden boxes bound with twisted wire., fig. the club is home to a mix of peopl…

noun

A time of intense difficulty or danger.

Usage examples:

The current economic crisis

noun

An extremely dangerous or difficult situation

Usage examples:

[ c ] an economic crisis, [ u ] people react in times of crisis, but ignore us the rest of the time.

noun

A situation that is extremely difficult or dangerous, when there are many problems

Usage examples:

A major/serious/global crisis, an economic/financial/political crisis, a looming/impending/growing …

noun

The state or condition of being difficult.

Usage examples:

Guy had no difficulty in making friends

noun

The fact of not being easy, or of being hard to do or understand

Usage examples:

[ u ] he has some difficulty hearing people when they speak softly., [ c usually pl ] in 1986 he ex…

noun

The fact of not being easy to do or understand

Usage examples:

With difficulty we finished the job, but only with great difficulty., difficulty of the difficulty …

verb

Fasten (something) securely in a particular place or position.

Usage examples:

They had candles fixed to their helmets

noun

A difficult or awkward situation from which it is hard to extricate oneself; a predicament.

Usage examples:

How on earth did you get into such a fix?

verb

Restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken

noun

A hollow place in a solid body or surface.

Usage examples:

The dog had dug a hole in the ground

verb

Make a hole or holes in.

Usage examples:

A fuel tank was holed by the attack and a fire started

noun

An empty space in an object, usually with an opening to the object's surface, or an opening that goes completely through an object

Usage examples:

Dig a hole we dug a hole and planted the tree., hole in my jumper's got a hole in it., drill a hole…

noun

An important topic or problem for debate or discussion.

Usage examples:

The issue of racism

verb

Supply or distribute (something) for use or sale.

Usage examples:

Licences were issued indiscriminately to any company

noun

A subject or problem that people are thinking and talking about

Usage examples:

There continues to be a great deal of debate over the property tax issue., isn’t the need to hire m…

verb

Squeeze or pack tightly into a specified space.

Usage examples:

Four of us were jammed in one compartment

noun

An instance of a thing seizing or becoming stuck.

Usage examples:

Paper jams

verb

A sweet spread or conserve made from fruit and sugar boiled to a thick consistency.

Usage examples:

Strawberry jam

noun

A dirty or untidy state of things or of a place.

Usage examples:

She made a mess of the kitchen

verb

Make untidy or dirty.

Usage examples:

She scratched her head, messing her hair still further

verb

Bring into a disordered or confusing state.

Usage examples:

I fear he may have muddled the message

noun

An untidy and disorganized state or collection.

Usage examples:

The finances were in a muddle

noun

A messy and confused state

Usage examples:

Her life was in a muddle.

noun

A relish consisting of vegetables or fruit preserved in vinegar or brine.

Usage examples:

Cheese and pickle

verb

Preserve (food or other perishable items) in vinegar or brine.

Usage examples:

Fish pickled in brine

noun

A cucumber (= a green, tube-shaped vegetable) that has been preserved in a liquid containing salt and other spices or vinegar

Usage examples:

A sweet/dill pickle, pickled tomatoes/herring

noun

A dangerous, difficult, or otherwise unfortunate situation.

Usage examples:

We must direct our efforts towards relieving the plight of children living in poverty

verb

Pledge or solemnly promise (one's faith or loyalty).

Usage examples:

Men to plighted vows were faithful

noun

An unpleasant condition, esp. a serious, sad, or difficult one

Usage examples:

My problems aren’t much compared with the plight of the storm victims.

noun

A state of perplexity or uncertainty over what to do in a difficult situation.

Usage examples:

Kate was in a quandary

noun

A state of not being able to decide what to do about a situation in which you are involved

Usage examples:

I’ve had two job offers, and i’m in a real quandary about/over which one to accept.

verb

Drag or pull a hard or sharp implement across (a surface or object) so as to remove dirt or other matter.

Usage examples:

Remove the green tops from the carrots and scrape them

noun

An act or sound of scraping.

Usage examples:

He heard the scrape of his mother's key in the lock

verb

Cut the surface of; wear away the surface of

noun

Difficulty or problems.

Usage examples:

I had trouble finding somewhere to park

verb

Cause distress or anxiety to.

Usage examples:

He was not troubled by doubts

noun

A problem, or difficulties

Usage examples:

[ u ] trouble began when he came to live with us., [ c ] she thought her troubles would be over whe…