absolute

Universal Words adjective, noun adjective 1 total and complete: a class for absolute beginners * absolute confidence / trust / silence / truth * 'You're wrong,' she said with absolute certainty. * Around them the darkness was absolute, the silence oppressive. 2 [onlybeforenoun] used, especially in spoken English, to give emphasis to what you are saying: There's absolute rubbish on television tonight. * He must earn an absolute fortune. * 4 Mb is the absolute minimum you need to run the program. * What an absolute idiot I've been! 3 definite and without any doubt or uncertainty: There was no absolute proof. * He taught us that the laws of physics were absolute. * The divorce became absolute last week. seealsoDECREEABSOLUTE 4 not limited or restricted: absolute power / authority * an absolute ruler / monarchy (= one with no limit to their power) 5 existing or measured independently and not in relation to sth else: Although prices are falling in absolute terms, energy is still expensive. * Beauty cannot be measured by any absolute standard. compareRELATIVE noun an idea or a principle that is believed to be true or valid in any circumstances: Right and wrong are, for her, moral absolutes.