1
general::
existence
verbs
come into existence
(= start to exist )
• Pakistan came into existence as an independent country in 1947.
spring into existence
(= suddenly start to exist )
• After the invasion, a French resistance movement sprang into existence.
bring something into existence
formal (= make something start to exist )
• The state must follow the terms of the treaty that brought it into existence.
go out of existence
(= stop existing )
• If a buyer isn't found, this famous old club could go out of existence.
acknowledge/recognize/accept the existence of something
(= agree that something exists )
• They organization finally acknowledged the existence of a problem.
prove/confirm/establish the existence of something
(= prove that something exists )
• The images confirm the existence of water on the planet's surface.
deny the existence of something
(= say that something does not exists )
• He strongly denied the existence of God.
doubt the existence of something
(= not believe that something exists )
• Some people doubt the existence of life at the very bottom of the ocean.
jeopardize/threaten the existence of something
(= make it likely that something will stop existing )
• The strike could jeopardize the existence of his company.
owe your existence to something
(= be able to exist because of something )
• The birds owe their existence to the fact that there are no natural predators on the island.
adjectives
brief/short
• The band had rather a brief existence. • The show's existence was extremely short.
human existence
• Darwin's theory of natural selection changed our view of human existence forever.
something's actual existence
• Poaching now threatens the animal's actual existence.
something's continued existence
• The city's continued existence is threatened by rising water levels.
something's mere existence
(= just the fact that something exists )
• The mere existence of a contract does not guarantee that you will be paid.
existence 2
adjectives
everyday/daily/day-to-day existence
(= someone's normal life that is the same most days )
• He saw drugs as a way of escaping the tedium of his everyday existence.
a lonely/solitary existence
(= without anyone else with you )
• Male bears live a mostly solitary existence, away from the female and cubs.
a miserable existence
(= very unpleasant )
• The refugees had to endure a miserable existence in the desert.
a dull/routine existence
• I was overjoyed at the prospect of leaving my routine existence behind.
a frugal existence
(= without much money )
• He led a hard and frugal existence.
a hand-to-mouth existence
(= with just enough food or money to live )
• The survivors lived a hand-to-mouth existence until they were rescued.
a precarious existence
(= only just managing to live )
• The islanders, who rely solely on the sea to provide food, have a precarious existence.
a comfortable existence
(= with plenty of food and money )
• He left behind his comfortable existence to become a monk.
a peaceful existence
• The various tribes on the island enjoyed a relatively peaceful existence.
a quiet existence
• He led a quiet existence, broken only by occasional visits from his family.
a rural/urban/suburban existence
(= life in the country/city/suburbs )
• The girls hated their drab suburban existence.
verbs
lead/live a solitary/frugal etc existence
• The women lead a miserable existence.
enjoy a peaceful/quiet etc existence
• They enjoy a comfortable existence.
transnet.ir
2
general::
noun state of existing ADJ. actual, real El Cid's actual existence is not in doubt. Since her illness, other people had become shadowy and had no real existence for her. | brief | continued, future | very The peasants depend on a good harvest for their very existence (= in order to continue to live). | mere The mere existence of these strange creatures fascinated him. | autonomous, independent, separate any organism capable of independent existence | human the mystery of human existence | material, physical | social VERB + EXISTENCE be in The idea of God in nature has been in existence for as long as human beings have worshipped. | come into, spring into The organization came into existence ten years ago. What are the chances of these molecules springing spontaneously into existence? | be crushed out of, go out of If you jump into a black hole you will get torn apart and crushed out of existence. There was a fear that the club might go out of existence for lack of support. | bring sth into, call sth into striving to bring into existence a new kind of society | be aware of, know of | be unaware of | assert | assume, postulate, presuppose The theory assumes the existence of a ‘meritocracy’?that there is equal opportunity for all. | accept, acknowledge, believe in, recognize He didn't believe in the existence of God. | deny | doubt | imply, indicate, suggest | discover, reveal | confirm, demonstrate, establish, prove | disprove | explain How do you explain the existence of closely related species in widely separated locations? | justify | forget, ignore The girl's parents continued to ignore her very existence. | resent Deep down I resented his existence. | jeopardize, threaten Climate changes threaten the continued existence of the species. | owe The school owed its existence to the generosity of one man. | be vital to A super-efficient sense of smell is no longer vital to our existence. EXISTENCE + VERB depend on/upon sth The company's existence depends on continued growth. PREP. in ~ the only instrument of its kind in existence PHRASES a mode of existence the nature and significance of the temporal mode of existence | the struggle for existence Darwin viewed the struggle for existence as being the major promoter of evolution. way of living ADJ. bare, frugal, hand-to-mouth, miserable, precarious He lived a hand-to-mouth existence in the less attractive areas of London. | comfortable, ordered, peaceful, quiet | dull, humdrum, routine | isolated, lonely, solitary | nomadic | rural, suburban, urban | daily, day-to-day, everyday | previous, prior He claimed to be able to remember a previous existence. VERB + EXISTENCE enjoy, have, lead, live | eke out, endure They eke out a precarious existence foraging in rubbish dumps.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary