- [countable] the details of a person’s family, education, experience, etc.
- somebody's ethnic/genetic/cultural background
- somebody's family/educational background
- The job would suit someone with a business background.
- We come from very different backgrounds but we get on well.
- background in something She has a background in journalism.
- In the future, we will require background checks on airport employees.
Extra ExamplesTopics Family and relationshipsa2, People in societya2- In spite of their very different backgrounds, they immediately became friends.
- Can you tell me something about your family background?
- Children from a military background often move around a lot.
- Even people with a technical background will struggle to understand some of the jargon.
- He came from a very privileged background.
- Her academic background includes a degree in education.
- Her background was in biology and medicine.
- I think we get on well because we're from similar backgrounds.
- It is important to have a broad educational background.
- She wanted to know about his criminal background.
- The students are drawn from very mixed social backgrounds.
- We work with clients from diverse backgrounds.
- She is an economist with a background in business.
- I work with children from deprived backgrounds.
- Discrimination on the basis of race, sex or social background will not be tolerated.
- The classes are designed for students with a background in history or theology.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- family
- broad
- different
- …
- come from
- have
- be drawn from
- …
- be in something
- check
- from a background
- with a background
- background in
- …
- a range of backgrounds
- a variety of backgrounds
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- [countable, usually singular, uncountable] the circumstances or past events that help explain why something is how it is; information about these
- I'm including a little background information on the situation.
- background to something The book explains the complex historical background to the war.
- against a background of something The elections are taking place against a background of violence.
- background on something Our reporter can now provide more background on this story.
- Can you give me more background on the company?
Extra Examples- Against that general background, let me give you a more detailed view of current practice.
- The book provides the background to the revolution.
- Those discussions formed the background to the decision.
- Encyclopedias are a good source of background information.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- general
- factual
- cultural
- …
- describe
- explain
- give (somebody)
- …
- briefing
- info
- information
- …
- against the background
- background to
- background of
- …
- [countable, usually singular] the part of a picture, photograph or view behind the main objects, people, etc.
- in the background a photograph with trees in the background
- A shadowy figure is visible in the background of the scene.
- against the… background The areas of water stood out against the dark background.
Synonyms environmentenvironmentsetting ▪ surroundings ▪ backgroundThese are all words for the type of place in which somebody/something exists or is located.environment the conditions in a place that affect the behaviour and development of somebody/something:- An unhappy home environment can affect children’s behaviour.
- a pleasant working environment
- The island provided an idyllic setting for the concert.
- The huts blend in perfectly with their surroundings.
- The mountains in the background were capped with snow.
- in (a/an) environment/setting/surroundings
- (a/an) new/unfamiliar environment/setting/surroundings
- somebody/something’s immediate environment/surroundings
- (a) dramatic setting/background
Express Yourself Describing a pictureDescribing a pictureIn some exams, you have to describe what you see in a picture or photograph. Here are some useful phrases:- The picture shows a family gathered around a kitchen table.
- This is a photo of a busy city street.
- In the foreground, we can see a group of protesters.
- In the background, there are some trees.
- In the top left-hand corner, there's a child sitting alone.
- On the right, someone is standing with a bunch of flowers in his hand.
- In the cartoon, we can see two people looking at a newspaper headline.
- The cartoonist has drawn the man to represent a typical businessman.
Extra ExamplesTopics Arta2- The mountains in the background were capped with snow.
- The wolves' coats turn white to match their snowy background.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- black
- blue
- grey/gray
- …
- blend in with
- match
- colour/color
- against a/the background
- in the background
- on a/the background
- …
- [singular] a position in which people are not paying attention to somebody/something or not as much attention as they are paying to somebody/something else
- The camerawork, the background music and the locations all contribute to the mood of the film.
- There was a lot of background noise (= that you could hear, but were not listening to).
- background radiation
- in the background He prefers to remain in the background and let his assistant talk to the press.
- A piano was playing gently in the background.
- Danger was always lurking in the background.
- The issue has recently faded into the background.
- After the first scene, his character is relegated to the background.
Extra Examples- There was a radio on in the background.
- I could see my secretary hovering in the background.
- He had learned how to melt invisibly into the background.
- The dispute over the new contract allowed her other problems to fade into the background.
- The signal was very clear, with no background hiss or distortion.
- Who did the background vocals on that track?
- We were provided with soft lights and a tranquil background.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + background- blend into
- fade into
- melt into
- …
- music
- noise
- radiation
- …
- in the background
- [countable, usually singular] a colour or design on which something is painted, drawn, etc.
- on a… background The name of the company is written in red on a white background.
- against a… background Most paintings look good against a neutral background colour.
- [singular] used to refer to tasks or processes that the user is not actively working on at the present time
- in the background Programs can be left running in the background.
- Find and kill unwanted background processes like viruses and trojans.
family/education, etc.
past
of picture/photo
less important position
colour under something
computing
Idioms
See background in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee background in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishmerge into the background
- (of a person) to behave quietly when you are with a group of people so that they do not notice you
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background