From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishqualityqual‧i‧ty1 /ˈkwɒləti $ ˈkwɑː-/ ●●● S1 W1 noun (plural qualities) 1 [countable, uncountable]GOOD/EXCELLENTBAD how good or bad something is Much of the land was of poor quality. Use only high quality ingredients.quality of The quality of the water is reasonably good.2 [countable usually plural]CHARACTER/PERSONALITY something that people may have as part of their character, for example courage or intelligence → characteristic He shows strong leadership qualities. the personal qualities necessary to be a successful salesmanquality of the qualities of honesty and independence3 [countable]CHARACTER OF something something that is typical of one thing and makes it different from other things, for example size, colour etc the drug’s addictive qualityquality of the physical and chemical qualities of the rock4 [uncountable]CHARACTER OF something a high standard his pride in the quality of his craftsmanship wines of quality5 → quality of lifeCOLLOCATIONSADJECTIVES/NOUN + qualitygood/highI was impressed that the quality of their work was so high.poor/lowThe magazine is printed on low quality paper.excellent/outstandingThe T-shirts are only $10 and the quality is excellent.superior formal (=good or better quality)These speakers offer superior quality sound.top qualityOur chef uses only top quality ingredients.water/air qualityScientists took samples to test the water quality.sound qualityI apologise for the poor sound quality of this recording.picture quality (also image quality)Does this type of TV set have a better picture quality?verbsimprove/enhance the qualityThe measures will improve the quality of the water in the river.affect the qualityLack of sleep started to affect the quality of his work.test/check/monitor the qualityThe equipment is used to monitor the city’s air quality. maintain the qualityStaffing problems made it difficult to maintain the quality of the service.the quality goes up/downI think the quality has gone down over the years.the quality suffers (=it is badly affected by something)The picture quality suffers if the signal isn’t digital.quality + NOUNquality standardsGreater investment is needed to meet the European Union’s strict quality standards.COMMON ERRORS ► Don’t say ‘living quality’ or ‘life quality’. Say quality of life.
Examples from the Corpus
quality• The recent hot, humid weather is affecting air quality.• Supermarket wines tend to vary in price and quality.• Religion is a fundamental source of another quality compassion.• We always guarantee the best quality to our customers.• It will print to laser or dot matrix and with a better quality than our 350.00 pound package does.• There are certain qualities in Orwell's prose that I greatly admire.• Many reject coaching and the commitment to defense is not of championship quality.• Besides intelligence and charm, Bella had some less desirable qualities.• Among his other endearing qualities, Ralph was an exceedingly patient man.• The essential quality of a good parent is patience.• They know that if an item has the Royal Navy's endorsement it is bound to be of good quality.• She always insists that her writing paper is of good quality.• Obviously its qualities varied considerably and are in any case difficult to assess.• Lucas has outstanding leadership qualities.• Despite its many qualities, the school simply isn't getting results.• There was a muted quality in her usually lively voice.• Khat is a leaf with narcotic qualities.• The recording is of very poor quality.• The company guarantees the quality of its service.• Invoking state regulatory mechanisms to improve the quality of the service provided is likely to be complex.• In addition, it can be difficult to judge the quality of some merchandise from a photo on a Web page.• the qualities of honesty and independence• This wine possesses a unique quality.• There is a wild quality in his books that keeps you reading.• There is a wonderful quality of innocence in these paintings.• Her jealousy is one of her worst qualities.leadership qualities• Your young daughter's bossy attitude in later life may be channelled into quite acceptable leadership qualities.• Vlasov showed great energy and leadership qualities, transforming his division into a conspicuous example of efficiency.• And archivists seem to have come around to recognizing his leadership qualities.• Obviously, the type of leadership qualities required for a fast food establishment are not the same as for an insurance company.• Candidates must also show leadership qualities and a desire to compete and achieve.• Critics also say he lacks strong leadership qualities.• To motivate others to implement their decisions, they need strong leadership qualities.• It's up to Kendall to show he has still got the leadership qualities to climb the ladder back to the top.qualityquality2 adjective [only before noun] 1 GOOD/EXCELLENT[no comparative] very good – used especially by people who are trying to sell something quality childcare at prices people can afford quality double glazing2 → quality newspapers/press etcExamples from the Corpus
quality• As the staff looks toward the future, its game plan is to provide quality care.• The students will receive a quality education.• The equation is simple: the successful parts of modern economies are based on knowledge, and that means quality education.• In nutrition the goal is to provide quality nutrition services to the populations served.• Many fail to track the results of their work, for instance, or to define exactly what results constitute quality performance.• Now we have closely monitored play groups, play dates, and quality time.• We have a superb safety record, and offer quality track time.From Longman Business Dictionaryqualityqual‧i‧ty1 /ˈkwɒlətiˈkwɑː-/ noun (plural qualities)1[countable] something such as courage, intelligence, or loyalty that people may have as part of their characterYou need special personal qualities to work as a nurse.2[countable] something such as size, colour, feel, or weight that makes one thing look different from other thingsThe analysis looks at the physical and chemical qualities of the sample.3[uncountable] used to talk about how good or bad something isthe high quality of the serviceShe was shocked by thelow quality of the healthcare available.4[uncountable]FINANCE used to talk about how likely an investment is to be profitableThe bond issues carried triple-A ratings and appealed to individuals looking for high-quality securities.5[uncountable] a high standardRemember it’s quality we’re looking for, so don’t rush the job.The company has a worldwide reputation for the quality of its products.6flight to qualityMARKETING when people stop buying low-quality products, investments etc and start buying high-quality products etcThe company saw a flight to quality among whisky drinkers and worked to improve the image of its whisky brands.qualityquality2 adjective [only before a noun]1a word meaning very good, used especially in advertising productsWe provide quality rented accommodation for professional people.quality childcare at prices people can afford2quality newspapers/press/journalism British English newspapers etc aimed at educated readersOrigin quality1 (1200-1300) Old French qualité, from Latin qualitas, from qualis “of what kind” 