- source
- noun1 where you get sth fromADJECTIVE▪ excellent, fertile, good, great, lucrative, reliable, rich, valuable▪
a fertile source of ideas
▪a lucrative source of income
▪a rich source of vitamins
▪ important, large, main, major, principal▪ cheap▪a cheap source of protein
▪ external, foreign, outside▪Do you have any foreign sources of income?
▪ independent▪an independent source of funding
▪ only, single▪The only source of light was the fire.
▪ additional, alternative, different, new, other▪We need to look for alternative sources of energy.
▪to develop new sources of revenue
▪ same▪ likely, potential▪a potential source of conflict
▪ unexpected▪ constant▪a constant source of irritation
▪ natural▪ renewable, sustainable▪The town obtains all its energy from renewable sources.
▪ energy, food, fuel, heat, light, power, protein, water▪ funding, revenueVERB + SOURCE▪ be, constitute, prove, provide▪The census constitutes the principal source of official statistics.
▪These crustaceans provide a valuable food source for some fish.
▪ exploit, tap, tap into, use (as)▪The government hopes to tap new sources of employment in the area of health.
▪ find, identify, locate▪We tried to locate the source of the sound.
PREPOSITION▪ at source (BrE)▪Is your salary taxed at source (= by your employer)?
▪ source of▪a source of income/revenue
▪a source of inspiration/strength
▪a source of energy/food/light
PHRASES▪ a variety of sources▪The research was funded from a wide variety of sources.
2 person, book, etc. that gives informationADJECTIVE▪ invaluable, useful, valuable▪ authoritative, informed, reliable, reputable▪ unreliable▪ original▪ independent▪ anonymous, confidential, unnamed▪his refusal to reveal the identity of a confidential source
▪ primary, secondary▪ multiple, several, various▪The evidence is corroborated by multiple sources.
▪ published▪ biographical, documentary, historical, literary, written▪ media, news▪ diplomatic, government, intelligence, military, official, police▪Intelligence sources report a build-up of troops just inside the border.
▪ data, informationVERB + SOURCE▪ use (as)▪ cite, quote▪Researchers try to quote primary sources wherever possible.
▪ disclose, identify, name, reveal▪The police refused to reveal the source of their information.
▪ protectSOURCE + VERB▪ claim sth, describe sth, disclose sth, indicate sth, report sth, reveal sth, say sth, suggest sth, tell sb sth▪Government sources indicated that a compromise might be reached.
▪One source said: ‘We are angry at the way we have been treated.’
▪ deny sthSOURCE + NOUN▪ materialPREPOSITION▪ according to sources▪According to informed sources, a takeover bid is planned for next month.
▪ source of▪The press room was a valuable source of information for journalists.
▪Do you know the source of this rumour/rumor?
PHRASES▪ sources close to sb▪Sources close to the player claim he won't be entering this year's championship.
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
