1
general::
significance
adjectives
great/considerable significance
• The judge said the new evidence was of great significance.
little significance
• This information on its own is of little significance.
wider significance
• The research dealt with one small group, but their conclusions are of much wider significance.
special significance
• This place has a special significance for Icelanders.
political/social/historical etc significance
• The political significance of this change should not be underestimated.
verbs
have significance
• A child's relationship to his parents has a lasting signficance for his future relationships.
attach significance to something
(= give something importance )
• They say they don't attach much significance to opinion polls.
take on a new/special etc significance
(= start to have it )
• Sporting competitions took on a new political significance during the Cold War.
acquire/assume significance
formal (= take on significance )
• As links with Europe continue to grow, language learning assumes even greater significance.
grasp/appreciate/understand the significance of something
• The press was slow to grasp the significance of what had happened.
assess the significance of something
(= decide how important something is )
• It is often difficult to assess the significance of an event until more time has passed.
transnet.ir
2
general::
noun ADJ. considerable, criminal, deep, enormous, great, immense, major, profound, real | full, general, wider The scientists are cautious about the wider significance of their findings. | limited, minor | particular, special | real, true They failed to appreciate the true significance of these discoveries. | functional, practical, statistical, strategic, symbolic, theoretical | constitutional, cultural, economic, moral, historical, political, religious, social VERB + SIGNIFICANCE have The ceremony has great symbolic significance. | acquire, assume, gain, take on Suddenly his son's relationship with the girl took on a new significance. | attach Let us not attach too much significance to these meetings. | assess | appreciate, be aware of, grasp, understand | exaggerate | minimize, play down, underestimate SIGNIFICANCE + VERB lie in sth The significance of this lies in the fact that he had previously denied all knowledge of the fund. | attach to sth Does any significance attach to the use of the technical terms? PREP. ~ for/to a meal that has particular significance for a Jewish family | of ~ a policy of special significance to women PHRASES be of little, no, etc. significance
Oxford Collocations Dictionary