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name

Flag: gbEnglishOxford Dictionary of English
name /neɪm /
▸ noun
1 a word or set of words by which a person or thing is known, addressed, or referred to:
my name is John Parsons
Köln is the German name for Cologne.
2 a famous person:
the big race will lure the top names.
▪ [in singular] a reputation, especially a good one:
the school has gained a name for excellence.
3 (in the UK) an insurance underwriter belonging to a Lloyd's syndicate.
▸ verb [with object]
1 give a name to:
hundreds of diseases had not yet been isolated or named
[with object and complement] she decided to name the child Edward.
▪ identify correctly by name:
the dead man has been named as John Mackintosh.
▪ give a particular title or epithet to:
she was named as Student of the Year.
▪ mention by name:
the sea is as crystal clear as any spot in the Caribbean you might care to name.
▪ appoint (someone) to a particular position or task:
he was named to head a joint UN–OAS diplomatic effort.
▪ British English (of the Speaker) mention (a Member of Parliament) by name as disobedient to the chair and thereby subject to a ban from the House.
2 specify (a sum, time, or place) as something desired, suggested, or decided on:
the club have asked United to name their price for the striker.
▸ adjective [attributive] (of a person or product) having a well-known name:
specialized name brands geared to niche markets.
– PHRASES
by name /ˌbʌɪ ˈneɪm /
using the name of someone or something:
ask for the street by name.
by the name of (also of the name of)
called:
a woman by the name of Smith.
call someone names
insult someone verbally:
a lot of people called him names and I was one of them.
give someone or something a bad name
damage the reputation of someone or something:
the gas guzzling machinery that gives the country such a bad name.
give one's name to
invent, discover, or be the source of something which then becomes known by one's name:
the company's founder, Henry Ford, gave his name to Fordism.
have someone's name on it
be destined or particularly suited for a particular person:
the bomb probably had my name on it.
have to one's name [often with negative]
have in one's possession:
Jimmy hadn't a bean to his name.
in all but name
existing in a particular state but not formally recognized as such:
these polytechnics had been universities in all but name for many years.
in someone's name
1 formally registered as belonging to or reserved for someone:
the house was in her name.
2 on behalf of someone:
he began to question what had been done in his name.
in the name of
bearing or using the name of a specified person or organization:
a driving licence in the name of William Sanders.
▪
for the sake of:
he withdrew his candidacy for the post in the name of party unity.
▪
by the authority of:
crimes committed in the name of religion.
▪ (in the name of Christ/God/heaven)
used for emphasis:
what in the name of God do you think you're doing?.
in name only
by description but not in reality:
a college in name only.
make a name for oneself
become famous:
by the time he was thirty-five, he had made a name for himself as a successful railway contractor.
name the day
arrange a date for a specific occasion, especially a wedding:
we knew in our hearts they were ready to name the day.
name names
mention specific names, especially of people accused of wrongdoing:
if you're convinced my staff are part of this operation, then name names.
the name of the game informal
the main purpose or most important aspect of a situation:
the name of the game is short-term gain.
put down one's name (also enter one's name)
apply to enter an educational institution, course, competition, etc.:
I put my name down for the course.
put a name to
remember or report what someone or something is called:
viewers were asked if they could put a name to the voice of the kidnapper.
to name a few (also to name but a few)
giving only these as examples, even though more could be cited:
the ingredients used are drawn from nature—avocado, lemongrass, and camomile to name a few.
under the name of (also under the name)
using the assumed name or designation:
he wrote under the name of Bowman
he initially played under the name of Larry Walker.
what's in a name?
used to say that names are arbitrary labels:
‘But was it still an opera?’ ‘What's in a name?’ he replied.
you name it /ˌjuː ˈneɪm ɪt / informal
whatever you can think of (used to express the extent or variety of something):
easy-to-assemble kits of cars, lorries, ships … you name it.
– PHRASAL VERBS
name after /ˈneɪm ɑːftə / (North American English name for) (name someone or something after someone or something) call someone or something by the same name as another person or thing:
Nathaniel was named after his maternal grandfather.
– DERIVATIVES
nameable /ˈneɪməbl / adjective
namer /ˈneɪmə / noun
– ORIGIN Old English nama, noma (noun), (ge)namian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch naam and German Name, from a root shared by Latin nomen and Greek onoma.