place noun
1 particular position/area
ADJ. good, great, ideal | terrible It was a terrible place to live. | safe Keep your purse in a safe place. | right, suitable I happened to be in the right place at the right time. | wrong | beautiful, nice It's a nice place you've got here. | interesting | busy, crowded | quiet | strange | faraway, out-of-the way, remote holidays in faraway places | public | hiding, market, meeting, resting
VERB + PLACE mark I forgot to mark my place (= in a book). | lose I've lost my place in the script.
PLACE + NOUN name
PREP. at/in a/the ~ We had dinner at a crowded place in Soho. | in ~ It was held in place with tape. There will be rain in places. | into ~ She tapped the lid into place. | out of ~ Some of these files seem to be out of place.
PHRASES all over the place (= everywhere), no place/not the place This is not the place for an argument. | a place of birth/business/interest/learning/work/worship Please state your date and place of birth.
2 seat/position for sb/sth
VERB + PLACE sit (down) in, take We took our places round the table. | go back to, return to The boy returned to his place | keep (sb), save (sb) | lose I've lost my place in the queue. | give up | change, swap He swapped places with me. | show sb to She showed them to their places. | lay, set I've laid four places for dinner.
PLACE + NOUN mat | card
PHRASES the place of honour He took the place of honour on his hostess's right.
3 role/position/function
ADJ. central, important, prominent | special He holds a special place in her affections | proper, rightful
VERB + PLACE have, hold, occupy Housing occupied a prominent place in the discussions. | know She knows her place. | forget I'm sorry?I was forgetting my place. | restore sth to He has been restored to his rightful place in the community. | put sb in At first he tried to take charge of the meeting but I soon put her in her place.
PREP. ~ in Dance has a central place in their culture.
PHRASES it's not sb's place to It's not your place to correct her. | a place in history a statesman who is assured a place in history
4 opportunity to study at a college, play for a team, etc.
ADJ. free | college, nursery, school, university
VERB + PLACE get, win | award sb, offer sb | lose He was injured and lost his place in the side.
PREP. ~ at/in He was awarded a place at Leeds University. | ~ on She got a place on the French course.
5 sb's position at the end of a race, competition, etc.
VERB + PLACE finish in, take She took third place.
PLACE + VERB go to sb Second place went to the Moroccan athlete.
place verb
1 (often be placed) put sth in a position
ADV. carefully, neatly | haphazardly The books were placed haphazardly on the shelf. | firmly She produced a long silver whistle and placed it firmly between her lips. | gently, lightly | centrally The table was placed centrally. | ideally, conveniently, uniquely, well The hotel is well placed for restaurants, bars and clubs. | judiciously, strategically There are candles strategically placed?just in case we have another power cut. | side by side The boots, neatly placed side by side, were near the bed.
PREP. between, in, inside, on, over, under, etc. He placed the letter in a drawer.
2 (often be placed) put sb in a situation
ADV. firmly | ideally, conveniently, uniquely, well The company is ideally placed to win the contract.
VERB + PLACE atttempt to, try to | be difficult to, be hard to children who are difficult to place in foster homes
PREP. in, on an attempt to place the question firmly back on the political agenda
PHRASES an attempt to place sth
3 emphasis, value, blame, etc.
ADV. squarely
PREP. on The blame was placed squarely on the doctor.
You can also check other dicts: place (English, 中文解释 ), wordnet sense, Collins Definition