- 1 [uncountable] the knowledge and skill that you have gained through doing something for a period of time; the process of gaining this to have over ten years’ teaching experience Do you have any previous experience of this type of work? a doctor with experience in dealing with patients suffering from stress My lack of practical experience was a disadvantage. She didn't get paid much but it was all good experience. He gained valuable experience whilst working on the project. We all learn by experience. see also work experience Wordfinderapplyapply, appoint, candidate, CV, experience, interview, job description, qualification, reference, shortlist Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectiveconsiderable, extensive, great, … verb + experiencehave, lack, gain, … prepositionexperience of phrasesa lack of experience, a wealth of experience See full entry See related entries: Job interviews, Job skills and personal qualities
- 2 [uncountable] the things that have happened to you that influence the way you think and behave Experience has taught me that life can be very unfair. It is important to try and learn from experience. In my experience, very few people really understand the problem. She knew from past experience that Ann would not give up easily. The book is based on personal experience. direct/first-hand experience of poverty Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivepast, recent, historical, … verb + experiencehave, share, learn by, … experience + verbsuggest something, teach (somebody) something, show something, … prepositionby experience, from experience, in somebody’s experience, … See full entry
- 3 [countable] an event or activity that affects you in some way an enjoyable/exciting/unusual/unforgettable, etc. experience experience (of something) It was her first experience of living alone. Living in Africa was very different from home and quite an experience (= unusual for us). I had a bad experience with fireworks once. He seems to have had some sort of religious experience. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectiveenjoyable, exhilarating, good, … verb + experienceenjoy, go through, have, … phrasesquite an experience See full entry
- 4the… experience [singular] events or knowledge shared by all the members of a particular group in society, that influences the way they think and behave musical forms like jazz that emerged out of the Black American experience Word Originlate Middle English: via Old French from Latin experientia, from experiri ‘try’. Compare with experiment and expert.Extra examples Choose illustrative examples from the children’s everyday experience. Does anyone have any experiences—good or bad—that they would like to share with the group? Early experiences shape the way we deal with crises in later life. Early experiences shape the way we face up to and deal with crises in later life. Experience is subjective and very hard to measure. Experience shows that this strategy does not always work. He found the whole experience traumatic. He has direct experience of poverty. I love reading: I have an insatiable appetite for vicarious experience. I think you will enjoy the experience of taking part in the show. In her book, she draws on her first-hand experience of mental illness. In my experience, very few people really understand the problem. It could take him years to get over this experience. It is a common experience to feel that an author writes well, without being able to say why. It is a matter of common experience that disorder will increase if things are left to themselves. It was quite an experience being involved in making a television programme. Reliving past experiences can release powerful feelings that have been pent up too long. Rolls Royce’s unrivalled experience in high technology manufacturing She didn’t get paid much but it was all good experience. She has been through a very traumatic experience. She has brought personal experience to bear on her analyses of business history. She has considerable professional experience of translation. She wanted to broaden her experience in international affairs. Students require field experience rather than just observation. The book is based on personal experience. The goal is to enhance the user experience on computing devices. The new player will bring a wealth of experience to the team. The novel is based on his experiences in the war. The returning soldiers bring valuable experience to the Army. The sound system greatly enhances the experience of the movie. The use of drama can motivate students by allowing them to share a common experience. There are few areas of human experience that have not been written about. These views reflect my own personal experience. We aim to create an experience the consumer will remember. We all learn by experience. We know from experience that hot objects are painful to touch. We’re in for a difficult couple of weeks, if past experience is anything to go by. a hair-raising experience of white-water rafting companies with limited experience in the field his peers, with whom he shares the common experience of being black in a white society the importance of hands-on experience as well as academic training Although it was brief, it was a highly enjoyable experience. He has had direct/first-hand experience of poverty. I have over ten years’ teaching experience. It is important to try and learn from experience. Living in Africa was very different from home and quite an experience. Musical forms such as jazz emerged out of the Black American experience. The opportunities available will depend on your previous work experience and qualifications.Idioms
noun jump to other results
BrE BrE//ɪkˈspɪəriəns//; NAmE NAmE//ɪkˈspɪriəns//
Job interviews, Job skills and personal qualitiesused to say that somebody should think of a failure as being something that they can learn from We lost a lot of money, but we just put it down to experience.
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