express

ex|press¹ W1S2 [ıkˈspres] v [T]

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1¦(feeling)¦

2¦(particular emotion)¦

3 something expresses itself

4¦(mathematics)¦

5¦(feeding babies)¦

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[Date: 1300-1400; Origin: Early French expresser, from Latin expressus; EXPRESS²]

1.) ¦(FEELING)¦

to tell or show what you are feeling or thinking by using words, looks, or actions

express your views/opinions

▪ Bill's not afraid to express his opinions.

▪ Parents have expressed their concerns about their children's safety.

▪ She expressed an interest in seeing York.

express sth in/by/through sth

▪ Express your reasons for applying in simple terms.

express sympathy/fear/anger etc

▪ She doesn't express her emotions as much as he does.

express thanks/gratitude (for sth) (to sb)

(=thank someone in a speech or by writing a letter)

▪ Finally, I'd like to express my sincere thanks to all those who have helped today.

express doubts/reservations

▪ The USA expressed reservations before agreeing to sign the agreement.

▪ Many people have expressed their opposition to the proposals for a new ring road.

express yourself

(=say what you think or feel)

▪ Young children often have difficulty expressing themselves.

▪ He first learnt to express himself through movement at his dance classes.

▪ Words can't express (=it is impossible to describe) how angry we felt.

2.) ¦(PARTICULAR EMOTION)¦

to show or describe a particular feeling

▪ Many of Munch's paintings express a deep feeling of despair.

3.) sth expresses itself

if something expresses itself, it becomes noticeable

= ↑something reveals itself

▪ Religious faith expresses itself in a variety of ways.

4.) ¦(MATHEMATICS)¦

technical to change an amount or quantity into a different form, especially in mathematics

express sth as/in sth

▪ Express three-quarters as a decimal.

▪ The value of the coffee becomes significantly higher when expressed in foreign currency.

5.) ¦(FEEDING BABIES)¦

if a woman expresses milk, she presses milk out of her breast in order to feed it to her baby later

express ²

express² adj [only before noun]

[Date: 1300-1400; : French; Origin: exprès, from Latin expressus, past participle of exprimere 'to press out', from premere 'to press'; the idea of 'speed' comes from trains stopping only at specific places, so the complete journey takes less time]

1.) deliberate and for a specific situation

▪ The school was founded with the express purpose of teaching deaf children.

2.) clear and definite

express agreement/consent/authority etc

▪ He is not to leave without my express permission.

▪ Matthew left express instructions to keep all doors locked.

3.) express train/coach/bus

a train or bus that does not stop at many places and can therefore travel more quickly

4.) express post/mail

a system that delivers letters and packages very quickly

5.) AmE designed to help you move through a place more quickly

▪ express lanes on the freeway

▪ an express line at a supermarket (=where people with only a few things to buy go to pay)

express ³

express³ n

1.) [C usually singular]

a train or bus that does not stop in many places and therefore travels quickly

London - Gatwick Express/Orient Express

(=a fast train or bus which does a particular journey regularly)

2.) [U]

a post service that delivers letters and packages very quickly

▪ Send these books by express.

express ⁴

express⁴ adv

send/deliver sth express

to send or deliver a letter, package etc quickly using a special post service