make

make1 [ meık ] (past tense and past participle made [ meıd ] ) verb ***

▸ 1 create/produce something

▸ 2 do/say something

▸ 3 cause something to happen

▸ 4 force someone to do something

▸ 5 arrange something

▸ 6 earn/get money

▸ 7 give a total

▸ 8 cause something to succeed

▸ 9 have right qualities for

▸ 10 reach place

▸ 11 achieve something

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) transitive to create or produce something by working:

Jane made coffee while the guests were finishing their dessert.

She makes all her own clothes.

made in: This furniture is made in South America.

make something from something: They make paper from old rags.

make something out of something: We made curtains out of some old material we found.

made (out) of something: a bowl made of metal/plastic/wood

make someone something: Joan made me a beautiful dress for my wedding.

make something about someone/something: They're making a TV program about the case.

a ) to cause something to be formed by breaking, cutting, or tearing an object or by pushing one object into or through another:

make a hole/scratch/dent etc. in something: Something's made a scratch in the counter.

2. ) transitive used with some nouns for showing that someone performs the action referred to by the noun:

Over 340 arrests were made.

make an attempt/effort: Helen made no attempt to stop him.

make a decision: No one wanted to make a clear decision on the project.

make a mistake/error: Nobody's perfect we all make mistakes.

make progress: We've made some progress, but there's still a long way to go.

make a change/alteration/adjustment etc.: People can eat more healthily without making major changes to their diet.

make a contribution: This study makes an outstanding contribution to our understanding of the disease.

make a noise/sound: Stop making so much noise!

make a note of something (=keep a written record of something): Matthew made a note of the car's number and informed the police.

a ) used with some nouns to show that someone says something:

make a statement/suggestion/complaint etc.: The President will make a statement on that issue later today.

3. ) transitive to cause someone or something to be in a particular state or change to another state:

make someone do something: That movie always makes me cry.

make yourself heard/understood etc.: I know enough Japanese to make myself understood.

make something difficult/easy etc.: The noise in the school makes learning difficult.

make someone feel sick/sad/strange etc.: That smell makes me feel sick.

make someone look fat/thin/younger etc.: That haircut makes you look ten years younger.

make someone happy/sad/angry etc.: Listening to the news just makes me angry these days.

make something nice/pretty/attractive etc.: I want to make the place nice for when they arrive.

make someone famous/popular etc.: It was television that made her so popular.

make it clear/obvious/plain etc. (that): I'd like to make it clear that I had nothing to do with this.

make it known/understood (that): She made it known that she was the mayor's wife.

make someone something: They made him the principal after Joanne left.

4. ) transitive to force someone to do something:

make someone do something: They made us work for 12 hours a day.

They made him tell the truth by depriving him of food.

be made to do something: We were made to learn fifty new words every week.

5. ) transitive to arrange or organize something:

make an appointment/date: I've made an appointment for you with the doctor for tomorrow morning.

6. ) transitive to earn or get money:

She makes about $4,000 a month.

make money: You can make a lot of money playing the stock market.

make a living (=make enough money to buy the things you need): Can you make a living from painting?

make a profit: The company made a small profit in its first year.

7. ) linking verb to give a particular total when added together:

Four plus two makes eight.

a ) transitive to decide that something gives a particular total when calculating an amount:

I make that $1200 after tax.

8. ) transitive to cause something to be successful:

It was the children's choir that really made the performance.

9. ) linking verb to have the right qualities for a particular job, purpose etc.:

Diane would make a good teacher she's so patient.

Don't you think the novel would make a great movie?

10. ) transitive to reach a particular place, especially so that there is time to do something:

At this rate we won't make New York before midnight.

Dan just managed to make his 7 o'clock flight to Toronto.

1

a ) to be able to be present at a particular event:

We can't make the conference after all.

11. ) transitive to succeed in achieving something by reaching the necessary level or standard:

We've made our target of 10,000 sales this month.

make a deadline: They'll never make the deadline now that the computers have crashed.

make the headlines/papers/news etc. (=be important enough to be reported): Their search for a heart donor made the headlines in April.

make a team/squad (=be chosen for it): Dawson has failed to make the team for Saturday's big game.

make as if to do something

to make a movement so that you seem to be going to do something:

Dad made as if to chase me out of the room.

make a bed

to arrange the covers on a bed so that they are neat:

Remember to make your bed before you leave for school.

make believe

to pretend that something is real, especially in a game:

The children like to make believe that they live in a castle.

make a difference

to do something that causes an improvement:

A little bit of extra money would really make a difference.

make do (with/without something)

to succeed in dealing with a situation by using what is available/despite not having something:

There wasn't much food, but we made do.

make it

1. ) to succeed in a particular activity:

She made it in the movies when she was still a teenager.

2. ) to manage to arrive on time:

We just made it in time for the wedding.

3. ) to be able to be present at a particular event:

I can't make it on Friday.

We made it to the meeting.

4. ) to not die as a result of an illness or accident

make it big INFORMAL

to be very successful:

Everyone wants to make it big in Hollywood these days.

make it 5 o'clock/7:30 etc. BRITISH SPOKEN

to decide that it is a particular time by looking at your watch:

What time is it? I make it 5 o'clock.

make it through something

to not die as a result of an illness or an accident:

She's made it through the worst of the illness now.

make it with someone AMERICAN INFORMAL

to have sex with someone

make like AMERICAN SPOKEN

to pretend to be something you are not:

She makes like she's the boss around here.

make or break

to help someone or something to be very successful or to cause them to fail completely:

They have the ability to make or break a new star.

make a (phone) call

to telephone someone:

Do you mind if I just make a quick phone call?

make time (for)

to find time to do something or be with someone despite being busy:

He's finding it difficult to make time for his children.

make way (for)

1. ) to move away so that someone or something can get past you:

We were asked to make way for the bride and groom.

2. ) to be replaced by someone or something:

Most of the old buildings have made way for hotels and offices.

make your way

1. ) to start moving toward a place:

We made our way to the front of the crowd.

2. ) to start to make progress in a career or activity:

Edward was just beginning to make his way in life.

,make a`way with phrasal verb transitive

make away with something to escape with something that you have stolen:

The burglars made away with all their silverware.

`make for phrasal verb transitive make for something

1. ) to move toward a place:

He picked up his umbrella and made for the door.

2. ) to help to make something possible:

The new computers make for much greater productivity.

`make ,into phrasal verb transitive

make someone/something into something to change someone or something so that they become something else:

His first record made him into a star.

The story was made into a movie two years ago.

`make ,of phrasal verb transitive

1. ) make something of someone/something to use chances and opportunities in order to be successful:

This job is whatever you make of it.

I want to make something of my new life here.

2. ) to understand someone or the meaning of something in a particular way:

I don't know what to make of our new teacher.

What do you make of this news?

do you want to make something of it? SPOKEN

used for telling someone that you are prepared to fight or argue about something

make the best of something

to try to get a good result despite a bad situation:

It rained all day, but we made the best of it.

make an evening/a day etc. of it INFORMAL

to continue doing something for a whole evening, day, etc.:

Let's make an evening of it and eat out.

make a go of something

to try your best to make something successful:

They're going to try to make a go of their marriage again.

make the most of something

to use a good situation to get the best possible result:

It's a beautiful day today. Let's make the most of it.

make much of something

to give a lot of importance to something

make a success of something

to make something be successful

,make `off phrasal verb intransitive

to leave quickly, especially after doing something wrong:

The kids made off when they heard us coming.

,make `off with phrasal verb transitive

make off with something to escape with something, especially something stolen:

They made off with our television and our stereo.

,make `out phrasal verb

1. ) transitive to see, hear, or understand someone or something with difficulty:

I can just make a few words out on this page.

I couldn't make out what he was saying.

Can you make out a face here on the photograph?

a ) INFORMAL to understand someone's character:

I can't make her out.

2. ) transitive to write all the necessary information on a document such as a check:

She made out a check and handed it to me.

3. ) intransitive INFORMAL to succeed or continue in a particular way:

How is Frank making out in his new job?

4. ) transitive INFORMAL to pretend that something is true:

make out (that): He made out that he'd won the lottery.

make someone out to be something: He made me out to be a liar.

5. ) intransitive AMERICAN INFORMAL to have sex, or to kiss and touch in a sexual way:

They were making out in the back of his car.

,make `over phrasal verb transitive

1. ) to change or improve the appearance of someone or something:

make over into: The old warehouse has been made over into apartments.

2. ) to officially make someone else the owner of something:

make something over: Before he died, he made his estate over to his wife.

`make to,ward phrasal verb transitive

make toward someone/something to go in the direction of someone or something:

I made toward the door, but he called me back.

,make `up phrasal verb

1. ) transitive to invent an explanation for something, especially in order to avoid being punished or embarrassed:

He made up some excuse about the dog eating his homework.

2. ) transitive to invent a story, poem, etc.:

The children made up a little poem and wrote it in the card.

3. ) intransitive or transitive to put MAKEUP on someone's face:

They made my face up to look like a clown.

She takes forever to make up in the morning.

4. ) transitive to prepare or arrange something:

I'll get the pharmacist to make this prescription up for you.

Could you make up a list of all the things we need?

make up a bed: You should stay the night I'll make up a bed for you.

5. ) transitive to produce something from cloth:

You could make up some curtains from that material.

6. ) transitive make up something to make an amount or a number complete:

I'm paying $500, and Dave is making up the difference.

7. ) transitive to work at different times from usual because you have not worked enough at the normal times:

Sorry I'm late; I'll make up the time tonight.

8. ) intransitive to become friendly with someone again after an argument:

Why don't you two forget your differences and make up?

kiss and make up: They argue a lot, but they always kiss and make up.

make up with: Tom still hasn't made up with Alice.

9. ) transitive make up something to combine together to form a whole:

Women make up 40 percent of the workforce.

This book is made up of twelve separate short stories.

,make `up for phrasal verb transitive make up for something

1. ) to take the place of something that has been lost or damaged:

Nothing can make up for the loss of a child.

make up for lost time (=enjoy experiences as much as possible because you did not experience them before): He's finally bought a computer, and is making up for lost time.

2. ) to provide something good, so that something bad seems less important:

The good weather made up for the bad organization.

He bought her some flowers to make up for being late.

,make `up to phrasal verb transitive INFORMAL OLD-FASHIONED

make up to someone to behave in a very friendly way toward someone, or to praise them, in order to get something for yourself:

She's always making up to the boss it's really embarrassing.

make it up to someone

to do something good that helps someone feel better after you did something bad to them:

I'm really sorry. I'll make it up to you.

make

make 2 noun count *

a product made by a particular company:

What make is your computer?

make of: a very popular make of car

on the make INFORMAL

1. ) trying to get an advantage or earn some money

2. ) trying to attract someone in order to have a sexual relationship