new ( newer comparative) ( newest superlative )
1 adj Something that is new has been recently created, built, or invented or is in the process of being created, built, or invented.
They've just opened a new hotel in the Stoke area..., The new invention ensures the beer keeps a full, frothy head., ...the introduction of new drugs to suppress the immune system..., Their epic fight is the subject of a new film..., These ideas are nothing new in America.
The board acknowledges problems which arise from the newness of the approach.
2 adj Something that is new has not been used or owned by anyone.
That afternoon she went out and bought a new dress..., There are many boats, new and used, for sale..., They cost nine pounds new, three pounds secondhand.
3 adj You use new to describe something which has replaced another thing, for example because you no longer have the old one, or it no longer exists, or it is no longer useful.
Under the new rules, some factories will cut emissions by as much as 90 percent..., I had been in my new job only a few days..., I had to find somewhere new to live..., Rachel has a new boyfriend..., They told me I needed a new battery.
4 adj New is used to describe something that has only recently been discovered or noticed.
usu ADJ n
The new planet is about ten times the size of the earth.
5 adj A new day or year is the beginning of the next day or year.
The start of a new year is a good time to reflect on the many achievements of the past...
6 adj New is used to describe someone or something that has recently acquired a particular status or position.
...the usual exhaustion of a new mother..., The Association gives a free handbook to all new members.
7 adj If you are newto a situation or place, or if the situation or place is newto you, you have not previously seen it or had any experience of it.
v-link ADJ, oft ADJ to n
She wasn't new to the company..., His name was new to me then and it stayed in my mind..., I'm new here and all I did was follow orders.
8 adj New potatoes, carrots, or peas are produced early in the season for such vegetables and are usually small with a sweet flavour.
as good as new →
to turn over a new leaf →
a new lease of life →
pastures new →
A brand-new object is completely new. adj
Yesterday he went off to buy himself a brand-new car.
brave new world
If someone refers to a brave new world, they are talking about a situation or system that has recently been created and that people think will be successful and fair. n-sing usu N of n
...the brave new world of internet banking.
Nearly new items are items for sale that have belonged to another person but have not been used much and are still in very good condition. A nearly new shop sells nearly new items. adj usu ADJ n
New- combines with the past participle of some verbs to form adjectives which indicate that an action has been done or completed very recently. comb in adj usu ADJ n
He loved the smell of new-mown grass..., Gerald treasures his new-won independence.
New Age is used to describe spiritual or non-scientific activities such as meditation, astrology, and alternative medicine, or people who are connected with such activities. adj usu ADJ n
She was involved in many New Age activities such as yoga and healing.
New Age traveller ( New Age travellers plural ) New Age travellers are people who live in tents and vehicles and travel from place to place, and who reject many of the values of modern society.
(BRIT) n-count usu pl
If people talk about bringing new blood into an organization or sports team, they are referring to new people who are likely to improve the organization or team. n-uncount
That's what we need, some new blood in the team.
new broom ( new brooms plural ) Someone who has just started a new job and who is expected to make a lot of changes can be referred to as a new broom. (JOURNALISM) n-count usu sing
The company seemed set to make a fresh start under a new broom.
new face ( new faces plural ) Someone who is new in a particular public role can be referred to as a new face. (JOURNALISM) n-count
All together there are six new faces in the cabinet.
new-fangled , newfangled If someone describes a new idea or a new piece of equipment as new-fangled, they mean that it is too complicated or is unnecessary.
OLD-FASHIONED adj ADJ n (disapproval)
Mr Goss does not believe in any of this `new-fangled nonsense' about lean meat., ...a newfangled tax structure.
new-found , newfound
A new-found quality or ability is one that you have got recently. adj ADJ n
Juliana was brimming over with new-found confidence..., The fall of the Ceausescu government brought newfound freedom to millions in Romania.
new man ( new men plural ) A new man is a man who has modern ideas about the relations between men and women, and believes that men should share the work of looking after the home and caring for the children.
(mainly BRIT) n-count
Sarah says I only change nappies when we have visitors. It is easy to be a new man in public; in private it's hard work.
new moon ( new moons plural ) A new moon is the moon when it first appears as a thin curved shape at the start of its four-week cycle. Thenew moon is also the time of the month when the moon appears in this way. n-count usu sing
...the pale crescent of a new moon..., The new moon was the occasion of festivals of rejoicing in Egypt.
The New Testament is the part of the Bible that deals with the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and with Christianity in the early Church. n-proper the N
new town ( new towns plural ) A new town is a town that has been planned and built as a single project, including houses, shops, and factories, rather than one that has developed gradually.
(mainly BRIT) n-count oft in names
...Basildon New Town.
new wave ( new waves plural ) In the arts or in politics, a new wave is a group or movement that deliberately introduces new or unconventional ideas instead of using traditional ones. n-count
...the new wave of satirical comedy..., ...New Wave music.
The New World is used to refer to the continents of North and South America. n-proper the N
...the massive growth in imports of good wines from the New World and Australasia.
1 n-uncount New Year or the New Year is the time when people celebrate the start of a year.
also the N
Happy New Year, everyone..., The restaurant was closed over the New Year..., He returned home each year to celebrate Christmas and New Year with his family.
2 n-sing The New Year is the first few weeks of a year.
Isabel was expecting their baby in the New Year..., The oil shortages could lead the government to raise prices before the New Year.
New Year's is another name for New Year's Day or New Year's Eve.
New Year's Day
New Year's Day is the first day of the year. In Western countries this is the 1st of January. n-uncount
On New Year's Day in 1974, I started keeping a journal.
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is the last day of the year, the day before New Year's Day. n-uncount
On New Year's Eve I usually give a party, which is always chaotic.
New Year's resolution ( New Year's resolutions plural ) , New Year resolution If you make a New Year's resolution, you make a decision at the beginning of a year to start doing something or to stop doing something. n-count
She made a New Year's resolution to get fit.
New Zealander ( New Zealanders plural ) A New Zealander is a citizen of New Zealand, or a person of New Zealand origin. n-count