New Words 212

cockroach /'kɑk'rotʃ/

legitimate, adjective, /lɪ'dʒɪtɪmət/

1 fair or reasonable.

That’s a perfectly legitimate question.

Most scientists believe it is legitimate to use animals in medical research.

2 acceptable or allowed by law.

Their business operations are perfectly legitimate.

3 a legitimate child is born to parents who are legally married to each other OPP  illegitimate.

— legitimately, adverb, /li'dʒitimitli/

a legitimately elected government.

He complained quite legitimately about his treatment.

— legitimacy, noun, /ləˈdʒɪtəməsi/

Opponents have questioned the legitimacy of the ruling.

legitimate, verb, /lɪ'dʒɪtɪmet/ 

the usual American form of legitimize.

legitimize, (also legitimise British English), verb, /lɪ'dʒɪtəmaɪz/

1 to make something that is unfair or morally wrong seem acceptable and right.

There is a danger that these films legitimize violence.

2 to make something official or legal.

Acceptance by the UN would effectively legitimize the regime.

3 when parents legitimize a child, they get married so that the child becomes legitimate 1(3)

grievance, noun, /'grivəns/

a belief that you have been treated unfairly, or an unfair situation or event that affects and upsets you. a feeling of having been treated unfairly. a reason for complaining or being unhappy with a situation. a statement in which you say you are unhappy or not satisfied with something.

anyone who has alegitimategrievance against the company.

a means of overcoming genuine grievances.

There must be an opportunity for both sides to air their grievances.

The teachers’ contract established a grievance procedure.

the sense of grievance which characterized him as a young man.

He has a deep sense of grievance against his former employer.

She has been nursing a grievance all week.

In the petition, the students listed their many grievances against the university administration.

The union has filed a formal grievance [=complaint], accusing the company of unfair labor practices.

Several customers came to the front desk to air their grievances.

air, noun, /ɛr/

1 GAS the mixture of gases around the Earth, that we breathe.

Let’s go outside and get some fresh air.

You need to put some air in the tyres.

in the air

There was a strong smell of burning in the air.

→ a breath of fresh air at breath(2)

2 the air SPACE ABOVE THE GROUND the space above the ground or around things.

into the air

Flames leapt into the air.

through the air

He fell 2,000 metres through the air without a parachute.

3 PLANES

a) by airtravelling by, or using, a plane.

I’d prefer to travel by air.

b) relating to or involving planes.

the victims of Britain’s worst air disaster.

Air travel was growing rapidly.

air traffic congestion.

His brother died in an air crash.

4 be in the air

a) if a feeling is in the air, a lot of people feel it at the same time.

There was a sense of excitement in the air.

b) to be going to happen very soon.

Change is in the air.