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10 PHRASE If you are up to speed , you have all the most recent information that you need about something. □  A day has been set aside to bring all councillors up to speed on the proposal. □  Those in charge deluded themselves they were up to speed.

▸  speed up

1 PHRASAL VERB When something speeds up or when you speed it up , it moves or travels faster. □ [V P ] You notice that your breathing has speeded up a bit. □ [V P n] He pushed a lever that speeded up the car. [Also V n P ]

2 PHRASAL VERB When a process or activity speeds up or when something speeds it up , it happens at a faster rate. □ [V P ] Job losses are speeding up. □ [V P n] I had already taken steps to speed up a solution to the problem. □ [V n P ] I kept praying that the DJ would speed the music up.

-speed /-spiːd/ COMB -speed is used after numbers to form adjectives that indicate that a bicycle or car has a particular number of gears. □  …a 10-speed bicycle.

speed|boat /spiː dboʊt/ (speedboats ) N‑COUNT A speedboat is a boat that can go very fast because it has a powerful engine.

spee d cam|era (speed cameras ) N‑COUNT A speed camera is a camera positioned at the side of a road which automatically photographs vehicles that are going faster than is allowed. The photographs can be used as evidence in a court of law.

spee d da |ting N‑UNCOUNT Speed dating is a method of introducing unattached people to potential partners by arranging for them to meet a series of people on a single occasion. □  If you're a busy person, speed dating could be for you.

spee d dial (speed dials ) N‑VAR Speed dial is a facility on a phone that allows you to call a number by pressing a single button rather than by dialling the full number.

spee d lim|it (speed limits ) N‑COUNT The speed limit on a road is the maximum speed at which you are legally allowed to drive.

speed|om|eter /spiːdɒ m I tə ^r / (speedometers ) N‑COUNT A speedometer is the instrument in a vehicle which shows how fast the vehicle is moving.

speed|way /spiː dwe I / (speedways )

1 N‑UNCOUNT Speedway is the sport of racing motorcycles on special tracks.

2 N‑COUNT A speedway is a special track for car or motorcycle racing. [AM ]

speedy /spiː di/ (speedier , speediest ) ADJ [usu ADJ n] A speedy process, event, or action happens or is done very quickly. □  We wish Bill a speedy recovery.

spell ◆◇◇ /spe l/ (spells , spelling , spelled , spelt ) American English uses the form spelled as the past tense and past participle. British English uses either spelled or spelt . 1 VERB When you spell a word, you write or speak each letter in the word in the correct order. □ [V n] He gave his name and then helpfully spelt it. □ [V n] How do you spell 'potato'? □ [V -ed] 'Tang' is 'Gnat' spelt backwards. ● PHRASAL VERB Spell out means the same as spell . □ [V n P ] If I don't know a word, I ask them to spell it out for me. □ [V P n] I never have to spell out my first name.

2 VERB [no cont] Someone who can spell knows the correct order of letters in words. □ [V ] It's shocking how students can't spell these days. □ [V n] You accused me of inaccuracy yet you can't spell 'Middlesex'.

3 VERB [no cont] If something spells a particular result, often an unpleasant one, it suggests that this will be the result. □ [V n] If the irrigation plan goes ahead, it could spell disaster for the birds.

4 N‑COUNT A spell of a particular type of weather or a particular activity is a short period of time during which this type of weather or activity occurs. □ [+ of ] There has been a long spell of dry weather. □ [+ of ] You join a barrister for two six-month spells of practical experience.