■ adj. [usually before noun] ~ (upon sth) (formal) closely connected with sth that has just been mentioned # fit W ; :       attendant problems/risks/

circumstances A A ^ l'^ IS / M P& / If O We had all the usual problems attendant upon starting a new business.

attend ee /.aeten'di:/ noun a person who attends a meeting, etc. #0#; &

attend-er /a'tenda(r)/ (especially BrE) (NAmE usually at-tend-ee) noun a person who goes to a place or an event, often on a regular basis ( # tall# (ft )

She’s a regular attender at evening classes.

attention 0-w /a'tenfn/ noun, exclamation

m noun

►                LISTENING/LOOKING CAREFULLY       / # 1 [U] the act of

listening to, looking at or thinking about sth/sb carefully t£j§c; the report’s atten­tion to detail      0 He turned his attention

back to the road again,   jfi & ^ A    0 8J it Vk is** I 0

Small children have a very short attention span. If] JIM & M A t# H H |h] M M o <0 Please pay attention (= listen carefully) to what I am saying, it & M fc i# W if o 0 Don’t pay any attention to what they say (= don’t think that it is important). £ij A M: IM l Br M it 0 0 She tried to attract the waiter’s attention.

Mo 0 I tried not to draw attention to (= make people notice) the weak points in my argument.

% 3\ Sc ifc vE A I? & o 0 An article in the newspaper caught my attention. jft±—HA^I^TSc^iilio 0 I couldn’t give the programme my undivided attention.

0 (formal) It has come to my attention (= I have been informed) that ... ScB f£ ^ • • • o (formal) He called (their) attention to the fact that many files were missing.       ( fife ill )

0 (formal) Can I have your atten­tion please?        n%?

►                INTEREST Affi 2 [U] interest that people show in sb/sth

A®; A EE: Films with big stars always attract great attention.        0

As the youngest child, she was always the centre of attention. M Bl %tj it, M — i M ±fk ^    »

3 [C, usually pi.] things that sb does to try to please you or to show their interest in you %£M‘, : She tried

to escape the unwanted attentions of her former boyfriend. |§ili

►                TREATMENT fhlt 4 [U] special care, action or treatment

&EJJI ) : She was in need of medical attention. M fflr ic in ft «,    0 The roof needs attention

(= needs to be repaired).    T P ofor the

attention of ... (= written on the envelope of an official letter to say who should deal with it) A ■PeM

►                SOLDIERS ±;    5 [U] the position soldiers take when they

stand very straight with their feet together and their arms at their sides : to stand at/to attention

alIEMII ; A IE — compare (stand) at ease at ease n.

s exclamation 1 used for asking people to listen to sth that is being announced EE M :    Attention, please!

Passengers for flight KL412 are requested to go to gate 21 immediately. \mM\ i# KL412  21 *§■

HMlo 2 used for ordering soldiers to stand to atten­tion alIH

at tention deficit disorder (also attention .deficit hyperac tivity disorder) noun [U] (abbr. ADD, ADHD) a medical condition, especially in children, that makes it difficult for them to pay attention to what they are doing, to stay still for long and to learn things ( A fall

mm )

attentive /a'tentiv/ adj. 1 listening or watching carefully and with interest EE M M; A A M;    ;

an attentive audience H jf £ If R/f A 2 ~ (to sb/sth) helpful; making sure that people have what they need A A ; # W 'It : The hotel staff are friendly and attentive. M tt A M M 0 p[ iL JhI f*] e O Ministers should be more attentive to the needs of families. fflSACJ ► at-ten-tive-ly adv. attentive- ness noun [U] r5T3na inattentive