- focus
- {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun1 special interest/attentionADJECTIVE▪ central, main, major, primary, prime, principal, real▪ important, special▪ particular, specific▪ greater, increased▪ new, renewed▪ clear, intense, sharp, strong▪
The restructuring is designed to give a sharper focus on key markets.
▪ narrow, tight▪I found the focus of the debate too narrow.
▪ broad▪ exclusive, single, sole▪ single-minded▪ media▪The media focus has now shifted onto something else.
▪ mentalVERB + FOCUS▪ act as, become, remain, serve as▪Cities have always acted as the principal focus of political life.
▪ give sb/sth, provide (sb/sth with)▪ have▪The problem with your plan is that it doesn't have a clear focus.
▪ keep, maintain▪ change, move, shift, switch▪The legal team tried to shift the focus onto the victim.
▪ narrow, sharpen▪ broaden, expand▪ lose▪ lack▪ bring sth into▪This case has brought the problem of drug abuse in schools into sharp focus.
▪ come into▪The question of compensation comes into focus.
▪ direct, place, put, turn▪I've directed my focus towards/toward developing my skills.
FOCUS + VERB▪ be on sb/sth, remain on sb/sth▪Our primary focus this term will be on group work.
▪ shift, turn to sth▪The focus has now shifted towards/toward the problem of long-term unemployment.
PREPOSITION▪ focus for▪She became a focus for all his anger.
▪ focus of▪the focus of my research
▪ focus on▪an increased focus on younger people
PHRASES▪ a change of focus, a shift of focus▪ the focus of attention▪He found he was now their main focus of attention.
2 point/distance at which sth is clearly seenADJECTIVE▪ sharp▪ soft▪soft-focus shots of baby animals
VERB + FOCUS▪ come into▪When I got glasses suddenly the whole world came into focus.
PREPOSITION▪ in focus▪The binoculars were not in focus.
▪ out of focus▪{{Roman}}II.{{/Roman}}The children's faces are out of focus in the photograph.
verb1 give attention to sthADVERB▪ especially, heavily, largely, mainly, mostly, particularly, primarily, principally▪ completely, entirely, exclusively, only, solely, totally▪The study focuses exclusively on schools.
▪ increasingly▪ fully▪ firmly▪The attention of the news media was firmly focused on the elections.
▪ specifically▪ clearly▪ directly▪ closely, intensely, sharply▪ narrowly▪ initiallyVERB + FOCUS▪ need to▪ try to▪ decide to▪ tend to▪ help (to)▪Think of some questions that will help focus the discussion.
PREPOSITION▪ on, upon▪We need to focus upon the main issues.
PHRASES▪ highly focused, tightly focused▪The department undertakes highly focused research.
▪ narrowly focused▪The study was criticized for being too narrowly focused.
2 adjust your eyesADVERB▪ hard, intently▪ automaticallyVERB + FOCUS▪ try to▪She blinked and tried to focus.
PREPOSITION▪ on, upon▪The eye will automatically focus on the small group in the foreground.
Focus is used with these nouns as the subject: ↑attention
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
