Word family noun expression expressiveness adjective expressive ≠ inexpressive expressionless inexpressible verb express adverb expressively expressionlessly inexpressibly
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishexpressex‧press1 /ɪkˈspres/ ●●● S2 W1 verb [transitive] 1 feelingSAY/STATE to tell or show what you are feeling or thinking by using words, looks, or actionsexpress 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 something in/by/through something 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 something) (to somebody) (=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.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.► see thesaurus at say2 particular emotionEXPRESS to show or describe a particular feeling Many of Munch’s paintings express a deep feeling of despair.3 → something expresses itself4 mathematics technicalHM to change an amount or quantity into a different form, especially in mathematicsexpress something as/in something 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 laterCOLLOCATIONS – Meanings 1 & 2nounsexpress your views/opinions/ideasEveryone who attends the meeting will be given the opportunity to express their opinions.express your feelingsHe felt unable to express his feelings in a letter.express an interest in somethingMany property developers have expressed an interest in buying the land.express concern (=say or show that you are worried)Financial analysts have expressed concern about the possibility of a recession.express your thanks/gratitude/appreciation (=say thank you to someone, in a speech)On behalf of the team, I’d like to express our appreciation for all your efforts.express doubts/reservations (=say or show that you are not sure whether something is true or right)Environmentalists began to express doubts about the benefits of biofuels.express surprise/shock‘I don’t believe he could hurt anyone, ’ she said, expressing her surprise.express angerTeachers have expressed anger at the government’s education reforms.express your grief (=say or show that you are very sad, especially because someone you love has died)She searched for further words to express her grief, but could find none.express your sympathy (=say that you feel sorry for someone who is in a bad situation)I wrote to his widow expressing our sympathy and sending her our condolences.express confidenceThroughout the trial, his legal team expressed confidence in the outcome.express your hopes/desires (=say what you hope or want to happen)Nadia expressed her hopes about remaining in San Diego County with her two children.express your support (=say that you support someone or something)The Israeli leader expressed his support for the U.S. plan.express opposition to something (=say that you oppose someone or something)Local people have expressed their opposition to plans for a new airport.express a willingness to do something (=say or show that you are willing to do something)The unions expressed a willingness to have talks with the employers.adverbsexpress something openly (=express a feeling in a way that is obvious to other people)They expressed their anger openly in the meeting.express something clearly (=express an idea or opinion in a way that other people can understand)He expresses his views very clearly.phrasesexpress yourself (=say what you think or feel)He is very confident and finds it easy to express himself.a chance/opportunity to express somethingThe debate will give MPs an opportunity to express their views in detail.words cannot express something (=it is impossible to describe something)Words can’t express how much I miss her. → See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
express• It allayed doubts about the technique and its freedom from cultural determinants that were already being expressed.• Through participative democracy the hopes, wishes and aspirations of Ulster's people will be expressed and acted on.• A prominent anti-nuclear campaigner in Caithness expressed caution about the report.• Parents have expressed concern about the amount of violence in some children's shows.• She doesn't express her emotions as much as he does.• It is the story of a middle-aged businessman, who starts going to tango lessons, and learns to express himself through dance.• My grandfather found it hard to express his feelings about the war.• By contrast all the enzyme forms studied were expressed in virtually all adenomas and in over half the carcinomas.• Nowhere is that symbiosis better expressed than in the medieval towns and villages.• Many of his films express the fears and anxieties of the post-war years.• So do Humpbacks have ways of expressing the same request for the repetition of a pleasurable sonic experience?• Workers traditionally express their discontent by going on strike.• Young children often find it difficult to express themselves in words.• Grandmothers, with all good intentions, often express these concerns.• To prevent them being expressed, you stage a pre-emptive strike.express your views/opinions• Even people who knew little about the subject were ready to express their opinions.• He noted the center is organizing a public forum to allow citizens to express their views.• Until now the judiciary have expressed their views about the tariff period, tacitly if not expressly, in confidence.• Pro-Republican Catholics did express their opinions in newspapers such as the Leeds Citizen.• I demonstrate this by asking her to express her views more fully so I can get a better understanding of her perspective.• That job was completed, but not without Hart expressing his views on the Santa Rita controversy to a few company bosses.• Dare we risk our existence by forcibly expressing our views on this?• Nevertheless, there are differences in the ways that the speakers express their views, particularly with respect to the justifications they offer.• I expressed my opinions whether they were wanted or not.expressexpress2 ●●○ adjective [only before noun] 1 EMPHASIZEdeliberate and for a specific situation The school was founded with the express purpose of teaching deaf children.2 clear and definiteexpress 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/bus4 → express post/mail5 American English 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)Examples from the Corpus
express• Consent may be express but is usually implied.• A prudent employer will always have an express contractual term protecting business secrets.• If the employer requires protection he should have the foresight to include an express covenant in the employment contract.• an express package• The answer is not to be found in the express provisions of article 7.• But the £1.7 million winger has made an express recovery from a hernia operation and could return at the City Ground.• Therefore, if an employer feels that such protection is necessary he must include express restrictions in the contract of employment.• It was her express wish that you inherit her house.express purpose• He had continually kept the people stirred up over the prospect of reconquest and had demanded loans for that express purpose.• Company with the express purpose of creating a new retail chain.• Palatial observatories were founded at Paris, London, and Berlin for the express purpose of determining longitude by the heavens.• These bunkers were constructed in 1966 for the express purpose of preventing Nicklaus from taking this route.• The Hawaiian tongue was given a written form for the express purpose of translating the Bible.express agreement/consent/authority etc• Suppose for instance we hypothesise that cooperative conversationalists would ask others for their opinion very frequently and regularly express agreement.• This resembles an agency agreement with restraints imposed upon the agent's express authority.• Dobson therefore postulates a distinction between express authority and mere consent.• At one time it was thought that the section only applied to express agreements and not to an implied agreement.• There was express authority, indeed instruction, to collect the goods.• However, if an express agreement is required, how it is to be given must be determined.• Section 20 will come into operation in the absence of express agreement or other clear evidence of the intention of the partners.• This is an express authority to guide our judgment in this case. expressexpress3 ●●○ noun 1 [countable usually singular]TTTTTC a train or bus that does not stop in many places and therefore travels quicklyLondon–Gatwick Express/Orient Express (=a fast train or bus which does a particular journey regularly)2 [uncountable]TCM a post service that delivers letters and packages very quickly Send these books by express.Examples from the Corpus
express• His poems were a desperate expression of his loneliness and isolation.• I took the mid-afternoon express to Valladolid that goes on to Salamanca.• The first uptown train to come along was an express, and I rode it one stop to Ninety-sixth Street.• We'll send it by express.• The winner is the one who gets closest to a passing express.• Then all at once came a blast of noise, and the express shot through.• Several minutes before the express was due to pull out, the platform was empty.expressexpress4 adverb → send/deliver something expressExpress, TheThe ExpressExpress, The a British daily tabloid newspaper which usually supports the ideas of the Conservative Party → newspaperFrom Longman Business Dictionaryexpressex‧press1 /ɪkˈspres/ verb [transitive]1to say what you think or feel about somethingThe sales manager expressed caution about the deal.The USA expressed reservations before eventually signing the agreement.Worries have been expressed within the industry about a rise in interest rates.2LAW to state clearly and openly something that has been agreedSuch warranties are implied, unless a contract expresses a contrary intention.3STATISTICSto write a quantity or amount in numbers, letters, or other figuresexpress something as/inThe country’s level of expenditure is expressed as a percentage of the measure of economic activity.The value of the coffee becomes significantly higher when expressed in foreign currency.→ See Verb tableexpressexpress2 adjective [only before a noun]1stated or written clearly and openly, and showing a clear purpose or intentionthe distinction between express authority and mere consentCopyright prevents use of this material without theexpress permission of the author.There is an express agreement by the plaintiff to pay £10 towards the ground-rent.2an express service is one that is quicker than the normal serviceovernight express trainsIt takes anything from 2 to 5 days, depending on whether or not you use an express transfer.Origin express1 (1300-1400) Early French expresser, from Latin expressus; → EXPRESS2 express2 (1300-1400) French 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 