focus
focused; focusing; focuses; foci; focussing
Focus is something that camera lenses and sleepy students are always being asked to do. For cameras, it means finding a point where the subject is clear or "in focus." For students, it means paying attention.
Focus is all about finding a center — of a parabolic curve, of a lens, of a meditative state. In Latin, focus meant 'domestic hearth,' which just goes to show that not much has changed — since kitchens remain the focus of the modern home. Focus can be used as a verb, as in "I need to focus on my work, so I can play video games later;" and as a noun, as in "What is the focus of this essay? I can't tell, since the writer seems to be all over the place."
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the concentration of attention or energy on something“the focus of activity shifted to molecular biology”
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synonyms:
centering, direction, focal point, focusing, focussing
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types:
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particularism
a focus on something particular
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type of:
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absorption, concentration, engrossment, immersion
complete attention; intense mental effort
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particularism
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special emphasis attached to something
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direct one's attention on something“Please focus on your studies and not on your hobbies”
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synonyms:
center, centre, concentrate, pore, rivet
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rivet
hold (someone's attention)
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types:
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absorb, engross, engulf, immerse, plunge, soak up, steep
devote (oneself) fully to
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recall
cause one's (or someone else's) thoughts or attention to return from a reverie or digression
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think
focus one's attention on a certain state
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zoom in
examine closely; focus one's attention on
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hear, listen, take heed
listen and pay attention
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drink, drink in
be fascinated or spell-bound by; pay close attention to
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incline
bend or turn (one's ear) towards a speaker in order to listen well
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rivet
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maximum clarity or distinctness of an image rendered by an optical system
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maximum clarity or distinctness of an idea
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put (an image) into focus
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bring into focus or alignment; converge or cause to converge (of ideas or emotions)
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a point of convergence of light (or other radiation) or a point from which it diverges
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synonyms:
focal point
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type of:
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point
the precise location of something; a spatially limited location
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point
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a central point or locus of an infection in an organism“the focus of infection”
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synonyms:
focal point, nidus
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type of:
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point
the precise location of something; a spatially limited location
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point
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cause to converge on or toward a central point
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become focussed or come into focus
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a fixed reference point on the concave side of a conic section
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type of:
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point
the precise location of something; a spatially limited location
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point
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