future

[[t]fju͟ːtʃə(r)[/t]]

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futures

1) N-SING: the N The future is the period of time that will come after the present, or the things that will happen then.

The spokesman said no decision on the proposal was likely in the immediate future...

He was making plans for the future...

I had little time to think about what the future held for me.

Ant:

past

2) ADJ: ADJ n Future things will happen or exist after the present time.

for future reference → see reference

She said if the world did not act conclusively now, it would only bequeath the problem to future generations...

Meanwhile, the domestic debate on Denmark's future role in Europe rages on.

...the future King and Queen.

3) N-COUNT: usu sing, usu with supp Someone's future, or the future of something, is what will happen to them or what they will do after the present time.

His future as prime minister depends on the outcome of the elections...

Graeme remains a supremely talented cricketer and must still have a splendid future in the game.

...a proposed national conference on the country's political future...

Young people are an investment for our future.

4) N-COUNT: usu a N in sing If you say that someone or something has a future, you mean that they are likely to be successful or to survive.

These abandoned children have now got a future...

There's no future in this relationship.

5) N-PLURAL: usu with supp When people trade in futures, they buy stocks and shares, commodities such as coffee or oil, or foreign currency at a price that is agreed at the time of purchase for items which are delivered some time in the future.

This report could spur some buying in corn futures when the market opens today...

Futures prices recovered from sharp early declines to end with moderate losses.

6) ADJ: ADJ n In grammar, the future tense of a verb is the one used to talk about things that are going to happen. In English, this applies to verb groups consisting of `will' or `shall' and the base form of a verb. The future perfect tense of a verb is used to talk about things that will have happened at some time in the future.

7) PHRASE You use in future when saying what will happen from now on, which will be different from what has previously happened. The form in the future is sometimes used instead, especially in American English.

In future the President will be chosen by the people instead of by the National Assembly...

I asked her to be more careful in future...

In the future, Mr. Fernandes says, he won't rely on others to handle this.

8) PHRASE: V inflects If you wonder what the future holds, you wonder what will happen in the future.

We wondered what the future would hold for our baby son.

9) PHRASE: V inflects If you say that someone's future lies in a particular place or activity, you think they will be most successful or happy in that place or doing that activity.

Armstrong is uncertain where his long-term future lies...

He came back because he believed his future lay with her.