meta-fiction /'metafikjn/ noun [u] a type of play, novel, etc. in which the author deliberately reminds the audience, reader, etc. that it is fiction and not real life

)

meta-file /'metafail/ noun (computing it) a file containing images which can be used with different programs or systems Jt.f.r* # M%

)

metal 0-m /'metl/ noun [C, U] a type of solid mineral substance that is usually hard and shiny and that heat and electricity can travel through, for example tin, iron, and gold : a piece of metal o a metal pipe/bar/box / tl /

o The frame is made of metal — see also heavy metal(2), precious metal meta-lan-guage /'metalaer)gwid3/ noun [c, U] (linguistics ill W) the words and phrases that people use to talk about or describe language or a particular language %

'metal detector noun 1 an electronic device that you use to look for metal objects that are buried under the ground 2 an electronic machine that is

used, for example at an airport, to see if people are hiding metal objects such as weapons ( )

'metal fatigue noun [u] weakness in metal that is frequently put under pressure that makes it likely to break £jjklk%

meta lin guis tic /'metalirjgwistik/ adj. (linguistics g")

related to metalanguage ► meta-lin-guis-tics

/'metalir) gwistiks/ noun [U]

met alled /'metld/ adj. (of a road or track Hj&) made or repaired with small pieces of broken stone 5^/fMffi(ft me-tal-lic /ma'taelik/ adj. [usually before noun] 1 that looks, tastes or sounds like metal jg (ft;

( v&rH ) (ft: metallic paint/colours/blue

o a metallic taste ilft o a

metallic sound/click

metallic voice (= that sounds unpleasant)

W 2 made of or containing metal ^Mrl'Jlft; h&M(ft: a metallic object 0 metallic compounds

metalliferous /.meta'lifaras/ adj. {geology j&) (of rocks containing or producing metal # ( sk?¹ ) itJUlft met al loid /'metloid/ [BrE also semi-metal) noun {chemistry it) a chemical element which has properties both of metals and of other solid substances ihikM me tal lur gist /ma’taeladsist; NAmE 'metl3:rd3ist/ noun a scientist who studies metallurgy metal lurgy /ma’taelad3i; NAmE 'metl3:rd3i/ noun [U] the scientific study of metals and their uses fa ^ ^ ► me tal lur gical /,meta‘l3:d3ikl; NAmE ,metl'3:rd3-/ adj. met-al-work /‘metlw3:k; NAmE -W3:rk/ noun [U] 1 the activity of making objects out of metal; objects that are made out of metal &jgi$dift WifelJt ( $Lh\\X ) ; &Jg$!l Ip 2 the metal parts of sth cracks in the

metalwork ^J§#i:(ftiS£i ► met-al-work-er noun meta-morph-ic /.meta'maifik; NAmE -'mo:rf-/ adj. (geology ftfe) (of rocks formed by the action of heat or pressure

meta morphose /.meta'moifauz; NAmE -'moirfouz/ verb ~ (sth/sb) (from sth) (into sth) (formal) to change or make sth/sb change into sth completely different, especially over a period of time (3S4fc,

H771 transform : [V] The caterpillar will eventually

metamorphose into a butterfly. H

[alsoVN]

meta morphosis /.meta'moffasis; NAmE -'moirf-/ noun {pi. meta-mor-phoses /-asiiz/) [C, U] (formal) a process in which sb/sth changes completely into sth different $ 0QC3 transformation : the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly III (ft ife $ 0

She had undergone an amazing metamorphosis from awkward schoolgirl to beautiful woman. MMW T t

1265

meta-phor /'metafa(r)/ noun [C, U] a word or phrase used to describe sb/sth else, in a way that is different from its normal use, in order to show that the two things have the same qualities and to make the description more powerful, for example She has a heart of stone; the use of such words and phrases Bf Pi ; Hi ni : a game of football used as a metaphor for the competitive struggle of life

— i/j O the writer’s striking use of metaphor jz

— compare simile

meta-phor-ical /.meta'fnrikl; NAmE -'fo:r-; -'fair-/ adj. connected with or containing metaphors Pi (ft; ^ tt

Pi (ft ; tt »i (ft : metaphorical language tt ni ift W

— compare figurative, literal ► meta-phor-ic-al-ly /-kli/ adv. : I’ll leave you in Robin’s capable hands— metaphorically speaking, of course!

mxwx* — %m, tt^-o

meta,physical 'poets noun [pi.] a group of 17th century English poets who explored the nature of the world and human life, and who used images that were surprising at that time ( 17 ) "£^SH#A

meta-phys ics /.mete'fiziks/ noun [U] the branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of existence, truth and knowledge A# ► meta-phys-ic-al

/.meta'fizikl/ adj.: metaphysical problems/speculation

metasta sis /ma'tsestasis/ noun [u] (medical M) the development of tumours in different parts of the body resulting from cancer that has started in another part of the body ( fg ) ► me-tas-ta-tic /.meta'staetik/ adj.

meta-tar-sal /,meta'ta:sl; NAmE -'tairsl/ noun (anatomy any of the bones in the part of the foot between the ankle and the toes Jffi# ( )

me-tath-esis/m0'tae00sis/ (pi. me-tath-eses/-si:z/) noun [U] (linguistics i# ]=r) a change in the order of sounds or letters in a word ( ) &&

mete /mi:t/ verb i^ii:4Ti ,mete sth— out (to sb) (formal) to give sb a punishment; to make sb suffer bad treatment Severe penalties were

meted out by the court, Jg #] f fcU M ₀ 0 the

violence meted out to the prisoners me-teor /'mi:tia(r); -io:(r)/ noun a piece of rock from outer space that makes a bright line across the night sky as it bums up while falling through the earth’s atmosphere MM: a. meteor shower MSM — see also SHOOTING STAR

me-teor-ic /.miiti'nrik; NAmE -'o:r-; -'air-/ adj. 1 achieving success very quickly : a meteoric

rise to fame 0 a meteoric career jfiiiJE&5!j(ftM^:il'

2 connected with meteors M M (ft: meteoric craters M

me-teor-ite /'miitiarait/ noun a piece of rock from outer space that hits the earth’s surface Pji/q me teor olo gist /.mirtia'rnladsist; NAmE -'rail-/ noun a scientist who studies meteorology me-teor-ology /.miitia'roladsi; NAmE -'rail-/ noun [u] the scientific study of the earth’s atmosphere and its changes, used especially in forecasting the weather (= saying what it will be like) ► me-teoro-logic

al /,mi:tiara'lDd3ikl; NAmE -'la:d3-/ adj. meter /’mi:t0(r)/ noun, verb mnoun 1 (especially in compounds device that measures and records the amount of electricity, gas, water, etc. that you have used or the time and distance you have travelled, etc. ( $!] Mfe,

7jt#, UmfttlHmfe&lft ) A man

came to read the gas meter. O

The cab driver left the meter running while he waited for

— see also light meter 2 = parking meter 3 -meter

(in compounds i3l) a device for measuring the

thing mentioned if ; ^ ; A : speedometer ]]| %£. if 0 altimeter ]£ A 0 calorimeter M. it 4 (NAmE) = metre : Who holds the record in the 100 meters?

M00*£Md»m#flft?