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| lack [ lak ] |
noun |
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1. shortage: a complete absence of a particular thing
 Lack of sleep makes it difficult to concentrate.
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2. something absent: something that is needed but is in short supply or missing
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transitive verb (past and past participle lacked, present participle lack·ing, 3rd person present singular lacks) |
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1. not have something: not to have something that is needed
The project lacked funding.
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2. not have enough of something: to have too little of something
What he lacks in patience, he makes up for in drive.
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| [13th century. Probably < assumed Old English lac< Germanic] |
| Word Key: Synonyms |
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lack, shortage, deficiency, deficit, want, dearth
CORE MEANING: an insufficiency or absence of something
lack a complete absence of a particular thing;
public lack of confidence in the media's objectivity
The conditions are substandard and overcrowded, and there is a total lack of the most basic amenities.
shortage an absence of something that is needed or required;
a shortage of skilled labor
The drought is likely to cause severe food shortages.
deficiency an inadequate supply of something necessary, especially a nutrient, or a weakness in the provision or performance of something;
A diet of fast food and snacks can lead to nutritional deficiencies.
We accept responsibility for any deficiencies in our safety procedures.
deficit the amount by which a total is less than it should be;
How does the administration intend to cut the budget deficit without raising taxes?
rallied from a 2-goal deficit to win the game
want
dearth an absence or scarcity of something;
exhausted from overwork and want of sleep
There's a real dearth of data for the high-seas fisheries. |
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