place

Universal Words noun, verb noun position / point / area 1 [C] a particular position, point or area: Is this the place where it happened? * This would be a good place for a picnic. * I can't be in two places at once. city / town / building 2 [C] a particular city, town, building, etc: I can't remember all the places we visited in Thailand. * I used to live in York and I'm still fond of the place. * The police searched the place. * We were looking for a place to eat. * Let's get out of this place! 3 [C] (especially in compounds or phrases) a building or an area of land used for a particular purpose: a meeting place * The town has many excellent eating places. * churches and other places of worship * He can usually be contacted at his place of work. seealsoRESTINGPLACE area on surface 4 [C] a particular area on a surface, especially on a person's body: He broke his arm in three places. * The paint was peeling off the wall in places. in book / speech, etc. 5 [C] a point in a book, speech, piece of music, etc., especially one that sb has reached at a particular time: She had marked her place with a bookmark. * Excuse me, I seem to have lost my place. * The audience laughed in all the right places. * This is one of the few places in his work where he mentions his childhood. seat 6 [C] a position, seat, etc., especially one that is available for or being used by a person or vehicle: Come and sit here-I've saved you a place. * I don't want to lose my place in the line. * Would you like to change places with me so you can see better? * I've set a place for you at the table. role / importance 7 [sing.] ~ (in sth) the role or importance of sb/sth in a particular situation, usually in relation to others: He is assured of his place in history. * Accurate reporting takes second place to lurid detail. * My father believed that people should know their place (= behave according to their social position). * It's not your place (= your role) to give advice. * Anecdotes have no place in (= are not acceptable in) an academic essay. at university / school 8 [C] an opportunity to take part in sth, especially to study at a school or university or on a course: She's been offered a place at Bath to study Business. * There are very few places left on the course. in sports team 9 [C] the position of being a member of a sports team: She has won a place in the Olympic team. * He lost his place in the first team. correct position 10 [C] the natural or correct position for sth: Is there a place on the form to put your address? * Put it back in its place when you've finished with it. safe area 11 [C] (usually with a negative) a suitable or safe area for sb to be: These streets are no place for a child to be out alone at night. home 12 [sing.] a house or flat/apartment; a person's home: What about dinner at my place? * I'm fed up with living with my parents, so I'm looking for a place of my own. * I thought I'd better clean the place up. in race / competition 13 [C,usually sing.] a position among the winning competitors in a race or competition: He finished in third place. mathematics 14 [C] the position of a figure after a DECIMALPOINT: The number is correct to three decimal places. street / square 15 (Place) [sing.] (abbreviation Pl.) used as part of a name for a short street or square: 66 Portland Place IDIOMS all over the place (BrE also all over the shop) (AmE also all over the lot) (informal) 1 everywhere: New restaurants are appearing all over the place. 2 not neat or tidy; not well organized: Your calculations are all over the place (= completely wrong). change / swap places (with sb) (usually used in negative sentences) to be in sb else's situation: I'm perfectly happy-I wouldn't change places with anyone. fall / slot into place if sth complicated or difficult to understand falls or slots into place, it becomes organized or clear in your mind: Then I found his diary and it all began to fall into place. give place to sb/sth (formal) to be replaced by sb/sth: Houses and factories gave place to open fields as the train gathered speed. be going places to be getting more and more successful in your life or career: a young architect who's really going places if I was / were in your place used to introduce a piece of advice you are giving to sb: If I were in your place, I'd resign immediately. in the first place used at the end of a sentence to talk about why sth was done or whether it should have been done or not: I still don't understand why you chose that name in the first place. * I should never have taken that job in the first place. in the first, second, etc. place used at the beginning of a sentence to introduce the different points you are making in an argument: Well, in the first place he has all the right qualifications. in my, your, etc. place in my, your, etc. situation: I wouldn't like to be in your place. in place