Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - still

I. [c red]ADVERB USES Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. If a situation that used to exist still exists, it has continued and exists now. I still dream of home... Brian’s toe is still badly swollen and he cannot put on his shoe... If you don’t like the job, why are you still there?... ADV: ADV before v, ADV group 2. If something that has not yet happened could still happen, it is possible that it will happen. If something that has not yet happened is still to happen, it will happen at a later time. Big money could still be made if the crisis keeps oil prices high... The details have still to be worked out... ADV: ADV before v 3. If you say that there is still an amount of something left, you are emphasizing that there is that amount left. There are still some outstanding problems... There’s still time to catch up with them. ADV: be ADV n 4. You use still to emphasize that something remains the case or is true in spite of what you have just said. I’m average for my height. But I still feel I’m fatter than I should be... Despite the ruling, Boreham was still found guilty. = nonetheless ADV: ADV before v 5. You use still to indicate that a problem or difficulty is not really worth worrying about. ‘Any idea who is going to be here this weekend?’—‘No. Still, who cares?’ ADV: ADV with cl 6. You use still in expressions such as still further, still another, and still more to show that you find the number or quantity of things you are referring to surprising or excessive. We look forward to strengthening still further our already close co-operation with the police service... = even ADV: ADV n/adv c darkgreen]emphasis 7. You use still with comparatives to indicate that something has even more of a quality than something else. Formula One motor car racing is supposed to be dangerous. ‘Indycar’ racing is supposed to be more dangerous still. ADV: ADV with compar c darkgreen]emphasis II. [c red]NOT MOVING OR MAKING A NOISE (stiller, stillest, stills) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. If you stay still, you stay in the same position and do not move. David had been dancing about like a child, but suddenly he stood still and looked at Brad... He played the tape through once, then sat very still for several minutes... Gladys was still, then she shook her head slowly. ADJ: ADJ after v, v-link ADJ 2. If air or water is still, it is not moving. The night air was very still... He watched the still water over the side of the boat. ADJ 3. Drinks that are still do not contain any bubbles of carbon dioxide. ...a glass of still orange. ? sparkling ADJ 4. If a place is still, it is quiet and shows no sign of activity. In the room it was very still. = quiet ADJ • stillness Four deafening explosions shattered the stillness of the night air. N-UNCOUNT 5. A still is a photograph taken from a cinema film which is used for publicity purposes. N-COUNT: oft N n III. [c red]EQUIPMENT (stills) A still is a piece of equipment used to make strong alcoholic drinks by a process called distilling. N-COUNT