Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - physical

(physicals) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. Physical qualities, actions, or things are connected with a person’s body, rather than with their mind. ...the physical and mental problems caused by the illness... The attraction between them is physical. ADJ: usu ADJ n • physically You may be physically and mentally exhausted after a long flight. ...disabled people who cannot physically use a telephone. ADV: ADV adj, ADV with v 2. Physical things are real things that can be touched and seen, rather than ideas or spoken words. Physical and ideological barriers had come down in Eastern Europe. ...physical evidence to support the story. ADJ: usu ADJ n • physically ...physically cut off from every other country. ADV 3. Physical means relating to the structure, size, or shape of something that can be touched and seen. ...the physical characteristics of the terrain. ADJ: ADJ n 4. Physical means connected with physics or the laws of physics. ...the physical laws of combustion and thermodynamics. ADJ: ADJ n 5. Someone who is physical touches people a lot, either in an affectionate way or in a rough way. We decided that in the game we would be physical and aggressive. ADJ 6. Physical is used in expressions such as physical love and physical relationships to refer to sexual relationships between people. It had been years since they had shared any meaningful form of physical relationship. ADJ: ADJ n 7. A physical is a medical examination, done in order to see if someone is fit and well enough to do a particular job or to join the army. Bob failed his physical... = medical N-COUNT