focus
- 01 A2 Elementary
n.the main thing that people are paying attention to.
n.the central point of attention, activity, or interest. Often used with 'of' to indicate the subject.
Simple“The main focus of the meeting was how to save money this year.”
In context“The primary focus of the research shifted from urban development to the environmental impact of suburban sprawl over the last decade.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
n.the state of an image being sharp and clear, especially in a photo.
n.the state of maximum clarity of an image, achieved when light rays converge correctly on a surface.
Simple“The background of the photo is blurry, but the flower is in focus.”
In context“The photographer struggled to maintain focus on the moving subject while using a wide aperture in low-light conditions.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
n.the part of a computer screen that is currently active or selected.
n.the status of being the currently active element in a user interface, typically receiving keyboard or mouse input.
Simple“Click on the text box to give it focus so you can start typing.”
In context“The application failed to return focus to the main window after the dialogue box was dismissed, frustrating the user.”
Synonymsselectionactive state - 04 A2 Elementary
v.to give all your attention to one particular thing.
v.to direct one's attention, effort, or energy toward a specific task or subject. Intransitive uses typically require the preposition 'on'.
Simple“It is hard to focus on my work when the room is so noisy.”
In context“The marketing team decided to focus on digital platforms rather than traditional print media to reach a younger demographic.”
UsageUsually takes the preposition 'on'.
PitfallI need to focus in my homework. I need to focus on my homework.The verb focus always takes the preposition 'on' when followed by an object.
Synonyms - 05 B1 Intermediate
v.to move a lens so that you can see an image clearly.
v.to adjust the focal length of an optical device to produce a sharp image.
Simple“He turned the ring on the camera to focus on the bird in the tree.”
In context“Modern autofocus systems can focus on a subject's eyes almost instantly, even when the person is moving through the frame.”
Usage focus groups · focus on bringing · focus on developing
Borrowed from Latin focus (“hearth, fireplace”); see there for more. Related to fuel. Kepler introduced the term into mathematics and the sciences in describing elliptical orbits of planets (quote from Nicholas Mee) : "One of the interesting properties of an ellipse is that if there were a light bulb at one focus, then all the light that it emits would reflect off the ellipse and converge at the other focus. This is why Kepler originally used the name focus for these points."
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.