state
♦♦♦ state /st'eɪt/ (states stating stated)
1 [N-COUNT]
You can refer to countries as states, particularly when you are discussing politics.
Some weeks ago I recommended to EU member states that we should have discussions with the Americans.
2 [N-COUNT]
Some large countries such as the USA are divided into smaller areas called states.
Leaders of the Southern states are meeting in Louisville.
3 [N-PROPER] the N
The USA is sometimes referred to as the States. (INFORMAL)
4 [N-SING] the N
You can refer to the government of a country as the state.
The state does not collect enough revenue to cover its expenditure...
5 [ADJ] ADJ n
State industries or organizations are financed and organized by the government rather than private companies.
...reform of the state social-security system.
see state school
6 [ADJ] ADJ n
A state occasion is a formal one involving the head of a country.
The president of Czechoslovakia is in Washington on a state visit.
7 [N-COUNT] usu sing, with supp
When you talk about the state of someone or something, you are referring to the condition they are in or what they are like at a particular time.
For the first few months after Daniel died, I was in a state of clinical depression...
Look at the state of my car!
8 [VERB] V n, V that, V with quote, V-ed
If you state something, you say or write it in a formal or definite way.
Clearly state your address and telephone number...
The police report stated that he was arrested for allegedly assaulting his wife...
`Our relationship is totally platonic,' she stated...
Buyers who do not apply within the stated period can lose their deposits.
9
see also head of state, nation state, welfare state, welfare state
10 [PHRASE] V inflects, PHR to-inf
If you say that someone is not in a fit state to do something, you mean that they are too upset or ill to do it.
When you left our place, you weren't in a fit state to drive.
11 [PHRASE] v-link PHR
If you are in a state or if you get into a state, you are very upset or nervous about something.
I was in a terrible state because nobody could understand why I had this illness...
12 [PHRASE] V inflects
If the dead body of an important person lies in state, it is publicly displayed for a few days before it is buried.buff|er state (buffer states)
[N-COUNT]
A buffer state is a peaceful country situated between two or more larger hostile countries.
Turkey and Greece were buffer states against the former Soviet Union.cli|ent state (client states)
[N-COUNT]
A client state is a country which is controlled or influenced by another larger and more powerful state, or which depends on this state for support and protection.
...France and its African client states.head of state (heads of state)
[N-COUNT]
A head of state is the leader of a country, for example a president, king, or queen.nan|ny state
[N-SING] usu the N
If you refer to the government as the nanny state, you disapprove of it because you think it tries to protect its citizens too much and makes them rely on the state too much. (mainly BRIT)
The tussle to free the individual from the nanny state is still far from won.per|sis|tent veg|eta|tive state (persistent vegetative states)
[N-COUNT]
If someone is in a persistent vegetative state, they are unable to think, speak, or move because they have severe brain damage, and their condition is not likely to improve. (MEDICAL)po|lice state (police states)
[N-COUNT]
A police state is a country in which the government controls people's freedom by means of the police, especially secret police.rogue state (rogue states)
[N-COUNT]
When politicians or journalists talk about a rogue state, they mean a country that they regard as a threat to their own country's security, for example because it supports terrorism. (JOURNALISM)
...possible missile attacks from rogue states and terrorists.state of af|fairs
[N-SING] usu with supp
If you refer to a particular state of affairs, you mean the general situation and circumstances connected with someone or something.
This state of affairs cannot continue for too long, if parliament is to recover...state of mind (states of mind)
[N-COUNT] usu sing, usu with supp
Your state of mind is your mood or mental state at a particular time.
I want you to get into a whole new state of mind...state of siege
[N-SING]
A state of siege is a situation in which a government or other authority puts restrictions on the movement of people into or out of a country, town, or building.
Under the state of siege, the police could arrest suspects without charges or warrants.state school (state schools)
[N-COUNT]
A state school is a school that is controlled and funded by the government or a local authority, and which children can attend without having to pay. (BRIT; in AM, use public school)wel|fare state
[N-SING]
In Britain and some other countries, the welfare state is a system in which the government provides free social services such as health and education and gives money to people when they are unable to work, for example because they are old, unemployed, or sick.
1 [N-COUNT]
You can refer to countries as states, particularly when you are discussing politics.
Some weeks ago I recommended to EU member states that we should have discussions with the Americans.
2 [N-COUNT]
Some large countries such as the USA are divided into smaller areas called states.
Leaders of the Southern states are meeting in Louisville.
3 [N-PROPER] the N
The USA is sometimes referred to as the States. (INFORMAL)
4 [N-SING] the N
You can refer to the government of a country as the state.
The state does not collect enough revenue to cover its expenditure...
5 [ADJ] ADJ n
State industries or organizations are financed and organized by the government rather than private companies.
...reform of the state social-security system.
see state school
6 [ADJ] ADJ n
A state occasion is a formal one involving the head of a country.
The president of Czechoslovakia is in Washington on a state visit.
7 [N-COUNT] usu sing, with supp
When you talk about the state of someone or something, you are referring to the condition they are in or what they are like at a particular time.
For the first few months after Daniel died, I was in a state of clinical depression...
Look at the state of my car!
8 [VERB] V n, V that, V with quote, V-ed
If you state something, you say or write it in a formal or definite way.
Clearly state your address and telephone number...
The police report stated that he was arrested for allegedly assaulting his wife...
`Our relationship is totally platonic,' she stated...
Buyers who do not apply within the stated period can lose their deposits.
9
see also head of state, nation state, welfare state, welfare state
10 [PHRASE] V inflects, PHR to-inf
If you say that someone is not in a fit state to do something, you mean that they are too upset or ill to do it.
When you left our place, you weren't in a fit state to drive.
11 [PHRASE] v-link PHR
If you are in a state or if you get into a state, you are very upset or nervous about something.
I was in a terrible state because nobody could understand why I had this illness...
12 [PHRASE] V inflects
If the dead body of an important person lies in state, it is publicly displayed for a few days before it is buried.buff|er state (buffer states)
[N-COUNT]
A buffer state is a peaceful country situated between two or more larger hostile countries.
Turkey and Greece were buffer states against the former Soviet Union.cli|ent state (client states)
[N-COUNT]
A client state is a country which is controlled or influenced by another larger and more powerful state, or which depends on this state for support and protection.
...France and its African client states.head of state (heads of state)
[N-COUNT]
A head of state is the leader of a country, for example a president, king, or queen.nan|ny state
[N-SING] usu the N
If you refer to the government as the nanny state, you disapprove of it because you think it tries to protect its citizens too much and makes them rely on the state too much. (mainly BRIT)
The tussle to free the individual from the nanny state is still far from won.per|sis|tent veg|eta|tive state (persistent vegetative states)
[N-COUNT]
If someone is in a persistent vegetative state, they are unable to think, speak, or move because they have severe brain damage, and their condition is not likely to improve. (MEDICAL)po|lice state (police states)
[N-COUNT]
A police state is a country in which the government controls people's freedom by means of the police, especially secret police.rogue state (rogue states)
[N-COUNT]
When politicians or journalists talk about a rogue state, they mean a country that they regard as a threat to their own country's security, for example because it supports terrorism. (JOURNALISM)
...possible missile attacks from rogue states and terrorists.state of af|fairs
[N-SING] usu with supp
If you refer to a particular state of affairs, you mean the general situation and circumstances connected with someone or something.
This state of affairs cannot continue for too long, if parliament is to recover...state of mind (states of mind)
[N-COUNT] usu sing, usu with supp
Your state of mind is your mood or mental state at a particular time.
I want you to get into a whole new state of mind...state of siege
[N-SING]
A state of siege is a situation in which a government or other authority puts restrictions on the movement of people into or out of a country, town, or building.
Under the state of siege, the police could arrest suspects without charges or warrants.state school (state schools)
[N-COUNT]
A state school is a school that is controlled and funded by the government or a local authority, and which children can attend without having to pay. (BRIT; in AM, use public school)wel|fare state
[N-SING]
In Britain and some other countries, the welfare state is a system in which the government provides free social services such as health and education and gives money to people when they are unable to work, for example because they are old, unemployed, or sick.