English Profile

find · verb T

/fɑɪnd/Full view

find (DISCOVER WHEN SEARCHING)

A1 to discover something or someone that you have been searching for

Dictionary examples:

I couldn't find Andrew's telephone number.

Police found the missing girl at a London railway station.

Has Mick found himself a place to live yet?

Learner example:

I can't find my cd, can you bring some music please? (Skills for Life (Entry 1); A1; Romanian)

find (DISCOVER UNEXPECTEDLY)

A2 to discover something unexpectedly

Dictionary examples:

I found some money in my coat pocket.

The body was found by a man walking his dog.

Learner example:

Miss Murphy said that she had found my diary in a street near the airport. (Preliminary English Test; B1; Italian)

find (BECOME AWARE)

B1 to become aware that something exists or has happened

Dictionary examples:

We came home to find (that) the cat had had kittens.

I found (that) I could easily swim 1000 meters.

Learner example:

I found that the food inside there is very nice. (Preliminary English Test; B1; Thai)

find sb/sth easy/boring/funny, etc.

B1 to think or feel a particular way about someone or something

Dictionary examples:

Do you find Clive difficult to talk to?

She doesn't find it easy to talk about her problems.

I find living in the city very stressful.

I found her very helpful.

Learner example:

I found it very amusing. (Preliminary English Test; B1; Italian)

find the money/time, etc.

B1 to have or get enough money/time, etc. to do something

Dictionary example:

Where do you find the money to do all these things?

Learner example:

You can even go somewhere with your friends and have fun with them: if you do both things everyone will be happy, you have three months: you can find the time to do everything. (Preliminary English Test; B1; Italian)

find yourself somewhere/doing sth

B2 to become aware that you have gone somewhere or done something without intending to

Dictionary example:

I suddenly found myself making lunch.

Learner example:

The most embar[r]assing moment of my life [was] when, during a school trip to Paris, a friend of mine and I went to the wrong room and found ourselves in front of our teacher who, having had a shower, was looking for his glasses. (First Certificate in English; B2; Italian)

be found

B2 to exist or be present somewhere

Dictionary examples:

Many plant and animal species are found only in the rainforests.

Vitamin C is found in citrus fruit.

Learner example:

An example might be the [k]oala bear, which could be found almost everywhere in Australia not so long ago. (First Certificate in English; B2; Polish)

find sb guilty/not guilty

B2 to judge that someone is guilty or not guilty in a law court

Dictionary example:

She was found guilty of murder.

Learner example:

To the surprise of everyone in the village, the judge found her guilty but didn't send her to jail because he thought she should take care of Linda, who had no other relatives. (First Certificate in English; B2; Spanish)

find fault with sb/sth

C2 to criticize someone or something, especially without good reasons

Dictionary example:

She was always finding fault with our work.

Learner example:

Sometimes I take offence at their trying to find fault with me and I am not allowed to answer back. (Certificate of Proficiency in English; C2; Greek)

find out (sth) or find (sth) out

A2 to get information about something, or to learn a fact for the first time

Dictionary examples:

How did you find out about the party?

I'll go find out what's going on outside.

We need to find out why he's late.

Too late, she found out that the train had been cancelled.

Learner example:

I was at home when I found out that I had lost my cell-phone. (Key English Test; A2; Czech)