lack
(redirected from lacked)Also found in: Thesaurus, Idioms.
lack
(lăk)n.
1. Deficiency or absence: Lack of funding brought the project to a halt.
2. A particular deficiency or absence: Owing to a lack of supporters, the reforms did not succeed.
v. lacked, lack·ing, lacks
v.tr.
To be without or in need of: lacked the strength to lift the box.
v.intr.
1. To be missing or deficient: We suspected that he was lying, but proof was lacking.
2. To be in need of something: She does not lack for friends.
[Middle English, perhaps from Middle Dutch lac, deficiency, fault.]
Usage Note: When lack is used in the sense "to be wanting or deficient," it is typically followed by in: You will not be lacking in support from me. When lack is used in the sense of "to be in need of something," it is often followed by for: "In the terrible, beautiful age of my prime, / I lacked for sweet linen but never for time" (E.B. White).
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
lack
(læk)n
1. an insufficiency, shortage, or absence of something required or desired
2. something that is required but is absent or in short supply
vb
(when: intr, often foll by in or for) to be deficient (in) or have need (of): to lack purpose.
[C12: related to Middle Dutch laken to be wanting]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
lack
(læk)n.
1. deficiency or absence of something needed or desirable: lack of money; lack of skill.
2. something missing or wanted: After he left, they really felt the lack.
v.t. 3. to be without; have need of: You lack common sense.
4. to fall short in respect of: He lacks three votes to win.
v.i. 5. to be absent or missing: Nothing lacks but their full agreement.
6. to have a scarcity of something: She will never lack for friends.
[1125–75; Middle English lak; c. Middle Low German lak, Middle Dutch lac deficiency; akin to Old Norse lakr deficient]
syn: lack, want, need, require indicate the absence of something desirable, important, or necessary. lack means to be without or to have less than a desirable quantity of something: to lack courage; to lack sufficient money. want stresses the urgency of fulfilling a desire or providing what is lacking: The room wants some final touch to make it homey. need suggests even more urgency, stressing the necessity of supplying something essential: to need an operation. require has a similar sense, although it is used in formal or serious contexts: The report requires some editing.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
lack
Lack can be a noun or a verb.
1. used as a noun
If there is a lack of something, there is not enough of it, or it does not exist at all.
I hated the lack of privacy in the hostel.
2. used as a verb
If someone or something lacks a quality, they do not have it.
Often new mothers lack confidence in their ability to look after their newborn baby properly.
Our little car lacked the power to pass other cars.
Be Careful!
Don't say that someone or something 'lacks of a quality'.
Be Careful!
You can't use a passive form of 'lack'. Don't say, for example, 'Resources are lacked in this school'. Say 'This school lacks resources.'
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
lack
Past participle: lacked
Gerund: lacking
| Imperative |
|---|
| lack |
| lack |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  lack - the state of needing something that is absent or unavailable; "there is a serious lack of insight into the problem"; "water is the critical deficiency in desert regions"; "for want of a nail the shoe was lost"absence - the state of being absent; "he was surprised by the absence of any explanation" need, demand - a condition requiring relief; "she satisfied his need for affection"; "God has no need of men to accomplish His work"; "there is a demand for jobs" deficit - a deficiency or failure in neurological or mental functioning; "the people concerned have a deficit in verbal memory"; "they have serious linguistic deficits" mineral deficiency - lack of a mineral micronutrient that is essential for normal nutrition or metabolism shortness - the condition of being short of something; "there was no shortness of money"; "can cause shortness of breath" stringency, tightness - a state occasioned by scarcity of money and a shortage of credit |
| Verb | 1. |  lack - be without; "This soup lacks salt"; "There is something missing in my jewelry box!"want - be without, lack; be deficient in; "want courtesy"; "want the strength to go on living"; "flood victims wanting food and shelter" exclude - lack or fail to include; "The cost for the trip excludes food and beverages" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
lack
noun
1. shortage, want, absence, deficiency, need, shortcoming, deprivation, inadequacy, scarcity, dearth, privation, shortness, destitution, insufficiency, scantiness Despite his lack of experience, he got the job.
shortage excess, surplus, abundance, sufficiency, adequacy, plentifulness
shortage excess, surplus, abundance, sufficiency, adequacy, plentifulness
verb
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
lack
noun1. The condition or fact of being deficient:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
فُقْدان ، نَقْصنَقْصٌيَنْقُص
nedostateknemítpostrádat
mangelmangle
puutevajaus
nedostatak
skortaskortur
欠乏
부족
nebūtineturėtistigtistokoti
nepietiekamībanepietikttrūkttrūkums
imeti premalopomanjkanje
brist
การขาด
sự thiếu
lack
[læk]A. N → falta f (frm) → carencia f
lack of funds → falta f de fondos
there was no lack of applicants for the job → no faltaban candidatos al puesto
there is no lack of money → no falta dinero
despite his lack of experience, he got the job → a pesar de su falta de experiencia, consiguió el trabajo
there was a complete lack of interest in my proposals → hubo una absoluta falta de interés por mis propuestas
for lack of the charges were dropped for lack of evidence → retiraron la acusación por falta de pruebas
malevolence, for lack of a better word → malevolencia, a falta de una palabra mejor
if I didn't get them to agree it wasn't for lack of trying → si no conseguí que accedieran no fue por falta de intentarlo
lack of funds → falta f de fondos
there was no lack of applicants for the job → no faltaban candidatos al puesto
there is no lack of money → no falta dinero
despite his lack of experience, he got the job → a pesar de su falta de experiencia, consiguió el trabajo
there was a complete lack of interest in my proposals → hubo una absoluta falta de interés por mis propuestas
for lack of the charges were dropped for lack of evidence → retiraron la acusación por falta de pruebas
malevolence, for lack of a better word → malevolencia, a falta de una palabra mejor
if I didn't get them to agree it wasn't for lack of trying → si no conseguí que accedieran no fue por falta de intentarlo
B. VT he lacks confidence → le falta confianza en sí mismo, carece de confianza en sí mismo (frm)
they lack the necessary skills → les faltan los requisitos necesarios, carecen de los requisitos necesarios (frm)
what he lacks in ability he makes up for in enthusiasm → lo que le falta en habilidad, lo suple con entusiasmo
he does not lack talent → talento no le falta, no carece de talento (frm)
they lack the necessary skills → les faltan los requisitos necesarios, carecen de los requisitos necesarios (frm)
what he lacks in ability he makes up for in enthusiasm → lo que le falta en habilidad, lo suple con entusiasmo
he does not lack talent → talento no le falta, no carece de talento (frm)
C. VI
1. (= be missing, deficient)
to be lacking → faltar
even if evidence is lacking → incluso si faltan las pruebas, incluso si se carece de pruebas (frm)
this information was lacking from the report → esta información no figuraba or no constaba en el informe
to be lacking in sth he is lacking in confidence → le falta confianza en sí mismo → carece de confianza en sí mismo (frm)
he is completely lacking in imagination → no tiene nada de imaginación, carece completamente de imaginación (frm)
I find her singularly lacking in charm → la encuentro especialmente falta or (frm) carente de encanto
it is a quality that we find lacking in so many politicians today → es una cualidad de la que nos parece que carecen tantos políticos hoy en día
innovation has been sadly or sorely lacking → ha habido una falta absoluta de innovación
her education is sadly lacking → su educación es muy deficiente
to be lacking → faltar
even if evidence is lacking → incluso si faltan las pruebas, incluso si se carece de pruebas (frm)
this information was lacking from the report → esta información no figuraba or no constaba en el informe
to be lacking in sth he is lacking in confidence → le falta confianza en sí mismo → carece de confianza en sí mismo (frm)
he is completely lacking in imagination → no tiene nada de imaginación, carece completamente de imaginación (frm)
I find her singularly lacking in charm → la encuentro especialmente falta or (frm) carente de encanto
it is a quality that we find lacking in so many politicians today → es una cualidad de la que nos parece que carecen tantos políticos hoy en día
innovation has been sadly or sorely lacking → ha habido una falta absoluta de innovación
her education is sadly lacking → su educación es muy deficiente
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
lack
[ˈlæk] n [experience, evidence, time, resources] → manque m
He got the job despite his lack of experience → Il a obtenu le poste en dépit de son manque d'expérience.
no lack of ... (= plenty of)
There was no lack of volunteers → Les volontaires ne manquaient pas.
through lack of sth → par manque de qch
for lack of sth → pour manque de qch
He got the job despite his lack of experience → Il a obtenu le poste en dépit de son manque d'expérience.
no lack of ... (= plenty of)
There was no lack of volunteers → Les volontaires ne manquaient pas.
through lack of sth → par manque de qch
for lack of sth → pour manque de qch
vt
(= have little) [+ confidence, experience, ability, resources, power] → manquer de
Her only problem is that she lacks confidence → Son seul problème est qu'elle manque de confiance.
Her only problem is that she lacks confidence → Son seul problème est qu'elle manque de confiance.
(= be without) → ne pas avoir
It lacked the power of the Italian cars → Elle n'avait pas la puissance des voitures italiennes.
The settlers lacked the skills that pioneers need → Les nouveaux arrivants n'avaient pas les compétences qu'il faut aux pionniers., Il manquait aux nouveaux arrivants les compétences qu'il faut aux pionniers.
to lack the means to do sth → ne pas avoir les moyens de faire qch
The government lacked the means to pay for an adequate defence policy → Le gouvernement n'avait pas les moyens de payer pour une politique de défense adéquate.
He lacks the necessary experience
BUT Il lui manque l'expérience nécessaire.
What we lacked in experience we made up for in dedication
BUT Nous avons su compenser notre manque d'expérience par notre dévouement.
It lacked the power of the Italian cars → Elle n'avait pas la puissance des voitures italiennes.
The settlers lacked the skills that pioneers need → Les nouveaux arrivants n'avaient pas les compétences qu'il faut aux pionniers., Il manquait aux nouveaux arrivants les compétences qu'il faut aux pionniers.
to lack the means to do sth → ne pas avoir les moyens de faire qch
The government lacked the means to pay for an adequate defence policy → Le gouvernement n'avait pas les moyens de payer pour une politique de défense adéquate.
He lacks the necessary experience
BUT Il lui manque l'expérience nécessaire.
What we lacked in experience we made up for in dedication
BUT Nous avons su compenser notre manque d'expérience par notre dévouement.
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
lack
n → Mangel m; for or through lack of something → aus Mangel an etw (dat); they failed for or through lack of support → sie scheiterten, weil es ihnen an Unterstützung fehlte or mangelte; though it wasn’t for lack of trying → nicht, dass er sich/ich mich etc nicht bemüht hätte; there was a complete lack of interest → es bestand überhaupt kein Interesse; such was their lack of confidence that … → sie hatten so wenig Selbstbewusstsein, dass …; lack of water/time → Wasser-/Zeitmangel m; there is no lack of money in that family → in dieser Familie fehlt es nicht an Geld; there was no lack of applicants → es bestand kein Mangel an Bewerbern, es fehlte nicht an Bewerbern
vt they lack the necessary equipment/talent → es fehlt ihnen an der notwendigen Ausrüstung/am richtigen Talent; we lack time → uns fehlt die nötige Zeit
vi
to be lacking → fehlen; his sense of humour (Brit) or humor (US) is sadly lacking → mit seinem Sinn für Humor ist es nicht weit her; innovation has been sadly lacking throughout the project → es fehlte leider während des ganzen Projektes an Innovationen
he is lacking in confidence → ihm fehlt es an Selbstvertrauen; he is completely lacking in any sort of decency → er besitzt überhaupt keinen Anstand; I find her lacking in humour (Brit) or humor (US) → ich vermisse an ihr den Humor; I find him lacking in intelligence → ich finde, er ist nicht besonders intelligent
he lacked for nothing → es fehlte ihm an nichts
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
lack
[læk]1. n → mancanza, scarsità
for or through lack of → per mancanza or scarsità di
there is no lack of money → i soldi non mancano
for or through lack of → per mancanza or scarsità di
there is no lack of money → i soldi non mancano
2. vt we lack (the) time to do it → ci manca il tempo di or per farlo
he lacks confidence → non è sicuro di sé
he lacks confidence → non è sicuro di sé
3. vi to be lacking in → mancare di
he is lacking in confidence → non è sicuro di sé
he lacks for nothing → non gli manca niente
he is lacking in confidence → non è sicuro di sé
he lacks for nothing → non gli manca niente
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
lack
(lӕk) verb to have too little or none of. He lacked the courage to join the army.
noun the state of not having any or enough. our lack of money.
be lacking (with in) 1. to be without or not to have enough. He is lacking in intelligence.
2. to be absent; to be present in too little an amount. Money for the project is not lacking but enthusiasm is.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
lack
→ نَقْصٌ nedostatek mangel Mangel έλλειψη carencia puute manque nedostatak mancanza 欠乏 부족 gebrek mangel brak falta нехватка brist การขาด eksiklik sự thiếu 缺乏Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
lack
n. falta, carencia; necesidad; falta de;
___ of food → ___ de alimentos;
___ of medication → falta de o carencia de medicina;
___ of orientation → ___ de orientación;
v. carecer de; faltar;
they ___ everything → carecen de todo.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
lack
n falta, carenciaEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.