elect-oral /i'lektaral/ adj. [only before noun] connected with elections : electoral systems/reforms

elect-or-al-ly /-rali/ adv.: an electorally effective campaign

e lectoral college noun *1 the Electoral College (in

the US) a group of people who come together to elect the President and Vice-President, based on the votes of people in each state

m&mJ£,         Att*l ffl Att ) 2(Br£)

a group of people who are chosen to represent the members of a political party, etc. in the election of a leader

^A )

e lectoral register (also electoral roll) noun (in Britain) the official list of people who have the right to vote in a particular area ( Hg ) elect or ate /I'lektarat/ noun [C+sing./pl. v.] 1 the people in a country or an area who have the right to vote, thought of as a group ( — SI — Jft K ) £&&&: Only 70% of the electorate voted in the last election. h 70%          2 {AustralE,

NZE) = constituency(I)

Elec-tra com plex /i'lektra knmpleks; NAmE ka:m-/ noun [sing.] {psychology A') a young girl’s unconscious sexual attraction to her father & 5H 'If — compare Oedipus complex elec-tric 0-pi /Tlektrik/ adj., noun madj. 1 [usually before noun] connected with electricity; using, produced by or producing electricity ffe (Hj; X (ft; 4 zft (ft;          4 (ft: tin electric motor &     #1 o an

electric light/guitar, etc.         o an electric

current/charge ffeM, /       0 an electric generator A XlJl

o an electric plug/socket/switch (= that carries electri­city) / Ji® / ff A — see also electric shock,

electrical storm 2 full of excitement; making people excited  ^ ASfc^lJ W  electrifying :

The atmosphere was electric.

noun [U] (informal) used to refer to the supply of electri­city to a building {* % : The electric will be off tomorrow. Bf]          o I’ve paid the electric (= the bill

for the supply of electricity).

SYNONYMS

electric♦electrical

These adjectives are frequently used with the following nouns.

electric ~   electrical ~

light   equipment

guitar          wiring

drill    signal

chair engineer

shock         shock

Electric is usually used to describe something that uses or produces electricity. You use electrical with more general nouns such as equipment and wiring and things that are concerned with electricity.

* electric Mt^fS^XfeAlfto electrical Mitt equipment (   ) fP wiring

(«%«),         an

electrical fault         However, the distinction is

not always so clear now. XMl!llXM#(ftE$,JXX&

J§ #0 Jit ^ &: an electric/electrical company 4ij£W o an electric/electrical current o an electric/ electrical shock

electrical Or* /ilektrikl/ adj. connected with electricity; using or producing electri­city E& (ft; H ffe (ft; ffe (ft: an electrical fault in the engine ^3&#l(ftffej&#t|ii 0 electrical equipment/ appliances ffe H %; ffetl o electrical power/energy % A/fls elec-tric-al-ly /-kli/ adv.: a car with electrically operated windows ^4 AX® (ft'AX o electrically charged particles

electrical engi neering noun [u] the design and building of machines and systems that use or produce electricity; the study of this subject X#lX|i; 4fillX® ^ ► e.lectrical engi neer noun e.lectrical storm (BrE also e lectric storm) noun a violent storm in which electricity is produced in the atmosphere XU; HH

e.lectric 'blanket noun a blanket for a bed that is heated by electricity passing through the wires inside it (usually used under the bottom sheet of the bed) X/&H e.lectric 'blue noun [U] a bright or metallic blue colour

e.lectric chair (usually the electric chair) (also informal the chair) noun [sing.] (especially in the US) a chair in which criminals are killed by passing a powerful electric current through their bodies; the method of execution which uses this chair (AlaHS &h)MBA(ft )    , Xjf>J: He was sent to the electric

chair.      o They face death by the elec­

tric chair. M Wife

e.lectric 'eel noun a large fish that lives in rivers in S America, which produces electricity to kill its food and to help it find its way XM ( XfSXWIiMfllfcX, felt )

e.lectric 'fence noun a wire fence through which an electric current can be passed XMM; Xj&Mp«] elec tri cian /i.lek'trijn/ noun a person whose job is to connect, repair, etc. electrical equipment X X; X ff

elec-tri-city 0-w /i.lek'trisatiI noun 1 [U] a form of energy from charged elementary particles, usually supplied as electric current through cables, wires, etc. for lighting, heating, driving machines, etc. X; Xtb: a waste of electricity A^X 0 The electricity is off (= there is no electric power supply). ^ % T o 2 [U, sing.] a feeling of great emotion, excite­ment, etc.   Wt$J; A®

e.lectric ‘razor noun = shaver elec-trics /ilektriks/ noun [pi.] {BrE, informal) the system of electrical wires in a house, car or machine ( feM,

) XAiyjfc, Xfth There’s a problem with the electrics. XINfftSSo

e.lectric 'shock (also shock) noun a sudden painful feeling that you get when electricity passes through your body xlt^; Mfe; XX elec-tri-fi-ca-tion /i.lektrifi'keijn/ noun [U] the process of changing sth so that it works by electricity X electrify /ilektrifai/ verb (elec-tri-fies, elec-tri-fy-ing, elec-tri-fied, elec-tri-fied) [VN] 1 [usually passive] to make sth work by using electricity; to pass an electrical current through sth X H it;         11X; X X: The

railway line was electrified in the 1950s.     20

50      XAft o o He had all the fences

around his home electrified.

T % o 2 to make sb feel very excited and enthusiastic about sth {jgXiaf: Her performance electrified

the audience.

elec-tri-fy-ing /Tlektrifaur)/ adj. very exciting X (ft ; f At(S W : The dancers gave an electrifying performance. AA*,

elec-tro- /i'lektrau; NAmE -trou/ combining form (in nouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs J$; £ is], f § i^], if) is] gij 15]) connected with electricity X (tfj : electromagnetism

electrocardiogram /i.lektrau'kaidiaugraem; NAmE i.lektrou'kairdiou-/ noun = ECG electroconvulsive therapy /i.lektraukan'VAlsiv Gerapi; NAmE -trou-/ (also e'lec-tro-shock ther-apy) noun [U] a medical treatment of mental illness that passes electricity through the patient’s brain X    fp

elec-tro-cute /Tlektrakjuit/ verb [VN] [usually passive] to injure or kill sb by passing electricity through their bodyf£M%^f£ ( ittt: ) ;      The boy was

electrocuted when he wandered onto a railway track.