fulfil

ful|fil

W3S3 BrE fulfill AmE [fulˈfıl] v past tense and past participle fulfilled present participle fulfilling [T]

[: Old English; Origin: fullfyllan]

1.) if you fulfil a hope, wish, or aim, you achieve the thing that you hoped for, wished for etc

▪ Visiting Disneyland has fulfilled a boyhood dream .

▪ Being deaf hasn't stopped Karen fulfilling her ambition to be a hairdresser.

▪ It was then that the organization finally began to fulfill the hopes of its founders.

fulfil an aim/a goal/an objective

▪ an analysis of how different countries are attempting to fulfill their political goals

2.) to do or provide what is necessary or needed

fulfil a role/duty/function etc

▪ A good police officer is not fulfilling his role if he neglects this vital aspect.

fulfil a requirement/condition/obligation etc

▪ Britain was accused of failing to fulfil its obligations under the EU Treaty.

▪ Much of the electrical equipment failed to fulfill safety requirements.

▪ There is little doubt that the scheme fulfils a need for our community.

3.) fulfil a promise/pledge etc

formal to do what you said you would do

= ↑keep

≠ ↑break

▪ I'd like to see him fulfil his promise to reorganize the army.

4.) fulfil your potential/promise

to be as successful as you possibly can be

▪ We want to make sure that all children are able to fulfil their potential.

5.) if your work fulfils you, it makes you feel satisfied because you are using all your skills, qualities etc

6.) fulfil yourself

to feel satisfied because you are using all your skills, qualities etc

▪ She succeeded in fulfilling herself both as an actress and as a mother.

7.) fulfil a prophesy

if a ↑prophesy is fulfilled, something happens that someone said would happen