Reading Theme:
Concentration: Definition, Usage & Key Examples (3 meaning)
Meaning 1：focused attention (concentration)
concentration
/ˌkɒnsənˈtreɪʃn/
n.
Giving all your attention to one thing and not letting your mind wander.
focused attention
➕
/ˈfəʊkəst əˈtenʃn/
n.
The state of directing all your mental effort and interest towards a single activity or object, ignoring distractions.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
From Latin 'concentratio', meaning 'bringing to a center'. 'con-' (together) + 'centrum' (center).
💡 Mnemonic
Think of a camera lens focusing light to a single, sharp point. CONCENTRAtion is bringing all your mental energy to one CENTRAL point.
📖 Example
She was studying with such deep concentration that she didn't even notice her phone ringing.
She was studying with such deep focused attention that she didn't even notice her phone ringing.
🔗 Collocations
intense concentration – A very high level of mental focus.
lose concentration – To stop being able to focus one's attention.
powers of concentration – One's natural or developed ability to focus.
🔄 Synonyms
focus (n.) – The center of interest or activity; clear visual definition.
absorption (n.) – Complete mental involvement in something to the exclusion of other things.
attentiveness (n.) – The action of paying close attention to something.
🚫 Antonyms
distraction (n.) – A thing that prevents someone from giving full attention to something else.
inattention (n.) – Lack of attention; negligence.
🌱 Derivatives
concentrate (v.) – To focus all one's attention or mental effort on something.
concentrated (adj.) – Wholly directed to one thing; intense.
📖 Cultural Story
Entered English in the 16th century from Latin via French, initially used in alchemical contexts to describe the purification or strengthening of a substance. The psychological meaning of focused attention became prominent in the late 19th century, influenced by the study of mental processes.
Meaning 2：dense gathering (concentration)
concentration
/ˌkɒnsənˈtreɪʃn/
n.
A large number of people or things gathered closely together in one place.
dense gathering
➕
/dens ˈɡæðərɪŋ/
n.
A dense accumulation or cluster of people, things, or activities in a specific area.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
There is a high concentration of tech companies in this area of the city, making it a hub for innovation.
There is a high dense gathering of tech companies in this area of the city, making it a hub for innovation.
🔗 Collocations
concentration of wealth – A situation where a large amount of money or assets is held by a small number of people.
population concentration – A geographical area where a large number of people live closely together.
geographic concentration – The location of something primarily in one specific region.
🔄 Synonyms
cluster (n.) – A group of similar things or people positioned or occurring closely together.
congregation (n.) – A gathering or collection of people, animals, or things.
agglomeration (n.) – A mass or collection of things; an assemblage.
🚫 Antonyms
dispersion (n.) – The action or process of distributing things or people over a wide area.
scattering (n.) – A small, dispersed amount of something.
Meaning 3：strength in a mixture (concentration)
concentration
/ˌkɒnsənˈtreɪʃn/
n.
The amount of a particular substance that is present in a mixture, especially a liquid.
strength in a mixture
➕
/streŋθ ɪn ə ˈmɪkstʃə(r)/
n.
The measure of the amount of a specific substance (the solute) present in a given volume of another substance (the solvent), like in a solution or mixture.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
To make orange juice taste stronger, you can increase the concentration of fruit extract.
To make orange juice taste stronger, you can increase the strength of fruit extract in the mixture.
🔗 Collocations
high concentration – Containing a large amount of a substance relative to the volume.
concentration level – The measured amount of a substance within a mixture.
molar concentration – A specific chemical measurement of concentration (moles per liter).
🔄 Synonyms
🚫 Antonyms
dilution (n.) – The action of making a liquid weaker by adding water or another solvent.
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