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Definition of adjust verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

adjust

verb
 
/əˈdʒʌst/
 
/əˈdʒʌst/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they adjust
 
/əˈdʒʌst/
 
/əˈdʒʌst/
he / she / it adjusts
 
/əˈdʒʌsts/
 
/əˈdʒʌsts/
past simple adjusted
 
/əˈdʒʌstɪd/
 
/əˈdʒʌstɪd/
past participle adjusted
 
/əˈdʒʌstɪd/
 
/əˈdʒʌstɪd/
-ing form adjusting
 
/əˈdʒʌstɪŋ/
 
/əˈdʒʌstɪŋ/
Idioms
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  1. [transitive] to change something slightly to make it more suitable for a new set of conditions or to make it work better
    • adjust something Watch out for sharp bends and adjust your speed accordingly.
    • This button is for adjusting the volume.
    • The brakes need to be adjusted.
    • adjust something to something Adjust your language to the age of your audience.
    Extra Examples
    • It is important to have equipment that can be finely adjusted.
    • This estimate may have to be adjusted downwards.
    • Salaries are adjusted for inflation.
    • Children are sensitive to family attitudes and adjust their attitudes accordingly.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • slightly
    • finely
    • automatically
    preposition
    • for
    See full entry
  2. [intransitive, transitive] to get used to a new situation by changing the way you behave and/or think synonym adapt
    • They'll be fine—they just need time to adjust.
    • adjust to something After a while his eyes adjusted to the dark.
    • adjust to doing something It took her a while to adjust to living alone.
    • It can be difficult to adjust to being a parent.
    • adjust yourself to something You'll quickly adjust yourself to student life.
    • My eyes were still trying to adjust themselves to the strong sunlight.
    Extra Examples
    • She will gradually adjust to her new role.
    • It may take a little time to adjust to the climate here.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • quickly
    • rapidly
    • gradually
    verb + adjust
    • be difficult to
    • be hard to
    • need time to
    preposition
    • to
    See full entry
  3. [transitive] adjust something to move something slightly so that it looks neater or feels more comfortable
    • He smoothed his hair and adjusted his tie.
    see also well adjusted
  4. Word Originearly 17th cent. (in the senses ‘harmonize discrepancies’ and ‘assess loss or damages’): from obsolete French adjuster, from Old French ajoster ‘to approximate’, based on Latin ad- ‘to’ + juxta ‘near’.
Idioms
kindly adjust
  1. (Indian English) (mainly in writing) used to acknowledge and apologize for something that causes problems or difficulties and ask people to accept and adapt to the situation
    • The store will be closed this afternoon due to staffing shortages. Kindly adjust.
See adjust in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee adjust in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
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