background; reason; momentum; interest
Meanings
4 senses · 12 examplesnoun
background; origin; personal connections (of a person)
informalOften used in the negative or to imply someone has powerful or influential backing.
This person has powerful connections; I heard his father is the mayor.
Look into his background to see who's backing him.
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This company has a strong background; it's a subsidiary of a large state-owned enterprise.
noun
reason; cause; ulterior motive (behind words)
informalOften used to question or analyze the intent behind someone's speech.
His words have a reason behind them; they are directed at us.
Why are you suddenly praising me? What's the reason?
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I think there's an ulterior motive behind his criticism today; there must be a reason.
noun
momentum; force; aggressive stance
informalUsed to describe the force or aggression with which someone or something approaches, often in a confrontational context.
The other side is coming on strong and aggressive; we must be careful in dealing with them.
Judging by the force of this storm, we can't go out tonight.
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This cold air mass is coming in with a lot of force; the temperature will drop by ten degrees.
noun
interest; appeal; fun (in doing an activity)
informalUsed to express whether an activity is enjoyable or appealing, often in a negative sense.
Chess doesn't hold much interest; it's not as fun as playing ball.
This movie isn't interesting at all; I wanted to leave after watching for ten minutes.
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Do you find this game interesting? I think it's very boring.