Stopgaps - English meaning

abbreviation

(preceding a date or amount) circa.

Usage examples:

He was born ca 1400

abbreviation

California (in official postal use).

noun

The chemical element of atomic number 20, a soft grey metal.

noun

A serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action.

Usage examples:

Personal alarms for use in an emergency

noun

A dangerous or serious situation, such as an accident, that happens suddenly or unexpectedly and needs immediate action

Usage examples:

In an emergency, dial 911 for an ambulance.

noun

A dangerous or serious situation that happens unexpectedly and needs fast action in order to avoid harmful results

Usage examples:

Aim to build up risk-free savings in case of emergency., the governor declared a state of emergency…

adjective

(of an action) convenient and practical although possibly improper or immoral.

Usage examples:

Either side could break the agreement if it were expedient to do so

noun

A means of attaining an end, especially one that is convenient but possibly improper or immoral.

Usage examples:

The current policy is a political expedient

adjective

Helpful or useful in a particular situation, and without considering any moral question that might influence your decision

Usage examples:

We thought it expedient not to pay the builder until he finished the work., political expediency

adjective

Done without being planned, organized, or rehearsed.

Usage examples:

An impromptu press conference

adverb

Without being planned, organized, or rehearsed.

Usage examples:

He spoke impromptu

noun

A short piece of instrumental music, especially a solo, that is reminiscent of an improvisation.

noun

The action of improvising.

Usage examples:

She specializes in improvisation on the piano

adjective

Created and performed spontaneously or without preparation; impromptu.

Usage examples:

An improvised short speech

verb

Create and perform (music, drama, or verse) spontaneously or without preparation.

Usage examples:

He invited actors to improvise dialogue

verb

Past simple and past participle of improvise

Usage examples:

I hadn't prepared a speech so i suddenly had to improvise., we improvised a mattress from a pile of…

noun

The intervening time.

Usage examples:

In the interim i'll just keep my fingers crossed

adjective

In or for the intervening period; provisional.

Usage examples:

An interim arrangement

adverb

Meanwhile.

idiom

Something done or used only when nothing else works

noun

A final course of action, used only when all else has failed.

Usage examples:

Asking them to leave the school should be a last resort

noun

A central bank or international organization that lends money to banks or countries in difficult financial periods when they cannot borrow from anywhere else

Usage examples:

The imf is known as the lender of last resort to countries in financial trouble.

adjective

Acting as an interim and temporary measure.

Usage examples:

Arranging a row of chairs to form a makeshift bed

noun

A temporary substitute or device.

Usage examples:

We're looking at a matchup between makeshifts on saturday.

adjective

Arranged or existing for the present, possibly to be changed later.

Usage examples:

Provisional bookings

noun

A provisional stamp.

Usage examples:

The new orleans 5c provisionals are the most common of the csa provisional stamps and the ones most…

adjective

For the present time but likely to change; temporary

Usage examples:

A provisional government, i was provisionally accepted at stanford.

adjective

Happening, existing, or continuing for only a little time

Usage examples:

Short-term interest rates are going down.

noun

→  short run

Usage examples:

These risks are short-term and manageable., stability involves balancing short-term and long-term o…

noun

A person who takes the place or does the job of another person

Usage examples:

Critics serve as a kind of stand-in for the average person.

phrasal verb

To do something that someone else is supposed to do or usually does, because they are unable to do it

Usage examples:

Stand in for sb he stood in for his manager while she was away on maternity leave., we'll need some…

noun

A person or thing acting or serving in place of another.

Usage examples:

Soya milk is used as a substitute for dairy milk

verb

Use or add in place of.

Usage examples:

Dried rosemary can be substituted for the fresh herb

verb

To use someone or something instead of another person or thing

Usage examples:

[ t ] you can substitute oil for butter in this recipe., [ i ] he was called on to substitute for t…

adjective

Lasting for only a limited period of time; not permanent.

Usage examples:

A temporary job

noun

A person employed on a temporary basis, typically an office worker who finds employment through an agency.

Usage examples:

To gain flexibility, companies are bringing in temporaries or contracting out work

adjective

Having paid employment.

Usage examples:

The size of the working population

noun

The action of doing work.

Usage examples:

Working with animals teaches patience

verb

Be engaged in physical or mental activity in order to achieve a result; do work.

Usage examples:

She has been working so hard