practical

practical
1 adjective
1 CONCERNED WITH REAL SITUATIONS concerned with real situations and events rather than ideas: How much practical experience do you have of working with computers? | a practical knowledge of simple medicine | Most of the things you learn at school have no practical value in the real world.
—compare theoretical
2 SENSIBLE sensible and basing your decisions on what is possible and what will really work: Be practical! We can't afford the car and the vacation!
—opposite impractical (1)
3 LIKELY TO WORK practical plans, methods, advice etc are likely to succeed or be effective in a situation: The only practical solution is to sell the company. | The agency provides practical advice and support to pregnant teenagers. | practical alternative (=another way of doing something that is likely to work)
—opposite impractical (1)
4 USEFUL designed to be useful rather than attractive: Majorie always gets us practical Christmas presents - last year we got a kettle.
5 SUITABLE suitable for a particular purpose or for normal life: I always wanted a Ferrari, but it's not a very practical car. | Jeans would be the most practical thing to wear.
—opposite impractical (1)
6 GOOD AT REPAIRING/MAKING THINGS good at repairing or making things: I'm not very practical - I don't know the first thing about cars.
7 a practical certainty/disaster/sell-out etc something that is almost certain, almost a disaster etc: Sampras looks a practical certainty to win Wimbledon this year.
8 for/to all practical purposes used when saying what the real effect of a situation is: For all practical purposes the federation no longer exists.
2 noun (C) BrE a lesson or examination in science, cooking etc in which you have to do or make something yourself rather than write or read about it: We have chemistry practicals after Christmas.

Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.

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Synonyms:
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Practical — Prac ti*cal, a. [L. practicus active, Gr. ? fit for doing or performing, practical, active, fr. ? to do, work, effect: cf. F. pratique, formerly also practique. Cf. {Pragmatic}, {Practice}.] 1. Of or pertaining to practice or action. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • practical — [prak′ti kəl] adj. [ PRACTIC + AL] 1. of, exhibited in, or obtained through practice or action [practical knowledge] 2. a) usable; workable; useful and sensible [practical proposals] b) designed for use; utilitarian …   English World dictionary

  • practical — (adj.) c.1600, earlier practic (adj.) in same sense (late 14c.), from O.Fr. practique (adj.) fit for action, earlier pratique (13c.), from M.L. practicalis, L.L. practicus practical, from Gk. praktikos practical …   Etymology dictionary

  • practical — [adj1] realistic, useful applied, both feet on the ground*, businesslike, commonsensical, constructive, doable, down to earth, efficient, empirical, experimental, factual, feasible, functional, handy, hard boiled*, implicit, in action, in… …   New thesaurus

  • practical — ► ADJECTIVE 1) of or concerned with practice rather than theory. 2) likely to be effective in real circumstances; feasible. 3) suitable for a particular purpose. 4) realistic in approach. 5) skilled at manual tasks. 6) so nearly the case that it… …   English terms dictionary

  • practical — I noun adaptable, advantageous, aiding, all purpose, applicable, assisting, beneficial, commodious, conducive, convenient, effective, effectual, efficacious, efficient, employable, expedient, expediential, fitting, functional, handy, helpful,… …   Law dictionary

  • practical — *practicable …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • practical — prac|ti|cal1 W2S3 [ˈpræktıkəl] adj ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(real)¦ 2¦(effective)¦ 3¦(clear thinking)¦ 4¦(suitable)¦ 5¦(using your hands)¦ 6 for/to all practical purposes 7 practical certainty/disaster/sell out etc ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ [Date: 1500 1600; : Late Latin; Origin …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • practical — practicality, practicalness, n. /prak ti keuhl/, adj. 1. of or pertaining to practice or action: practical mathematics. 2. consisting of, involving, or resulting from practice or action: a practical application of a rule. 3. of, pertaining to, or …   Universalium

  • practical — [[t]præ̱ktɪk(ə)l[/t]] ♦♦♦ practicals 1) ADJ: usu ADJ n The practical aspects of something involve real situations and events, rather than just ideas and theories. We can offer you practical suggestions on how to increase the fibre in your daily… …   English dictionary

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