ENGLISH
REFERENCE

fortune

n. C / U
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //ˈfɔɹtʃən// UK //fˈɔːtʃuːn// for·tune Archaic General-service

n. a very large amount of money. It can also mean the luck that happens to you in your life.

n. a large sum of money or assets; alternatively, the chance or luck that affects human affairs. Often personified in literary contexts as a force that distributes success or failure.


SIMPLE

The old house is worth a small fortune now.

CONTEXTUAL

He spent a fortune on his daughter's wedding, sparing no expense for the flowers or the food.

COMPLEX

The family's fortune fluctuated wildly over the decades, reflecting the volatile nature of the industrial markets they had invested in so heavily.

Synonyms
Usage

Countable when referring to a large sum of money ('a fortune'); uncountable when referring to luck or fate in a general sense.

Pitfall

He has much fortuneHe has a lot of money / He has good fortuneWhen referring to wealth, 'fortune' is usually a countable noun preceded by 'a'; 'much fortune' sounds like a mistake between wealth and luck.

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