person

[[t]pɜ͟ː(r)s(ə)n[/t]]

♦

people, persons

(The usual word for `more than one person' is people. The form persons is used as the plural in formal or legal language.)

1) N-COUNT A person is a man, woman, or child.

At least one person died and several others were injured...

Everyone knows he's the only person who can do the job...

My great-grandfather was a person of some importance here...

The amount of sleep we need varies from person to person...

They were both lovely, friendly people...

At least fifty four people have been killed and a further fifty are missing.

2) N-PLURAL Persons is used as the plural of person in formal, legal, and technical writing.

...removal of the right of accused persons to remain silent...

Persons who wish to adopt a child may contact their local social services department.

...persons with neck problems.

3) N-COUNT If you talk about someone as a person, you are considering them from the point of view of their real nature.

I've a lot of time for him as a person now...

Robin didn't feel good about herself as a person.

4) N-COUNT: a supp N If someone says, for example,`I'm an outdoor person' or `I'm not a coffee person', they are saying whether or not they like that particular activity or thing. [mainly SPOKEN]

I am not a country person at all. I prefer the cities.

5) PHRASE: PHR after v If you do something in person, you do it yourself rather than letting someone else do it for you.

You must collect the mail in person and take along some form of identification...

She went to New York to receive the award in person.

6) PHRASE: PHR after v If you meet, hear, or see someone in person, you are in the same place as them, rather than, for example, speaking to them on the telephone, writing to them, or seeing them on television.

It was the first time she had seen him in person.

...a trip to Hollywood to meet his favorite actor in person...

She wanted to hear him sing in person.

7) N-COUNT: poss N Your person is your body. [FORMAL]

The suspect had refused to give any details of his identity and had carried no documents on his person.

8) PHRASE: PHR n You can use in the person of when mentioning the name of someone you have just referred to in a more general or indirect way. [WRITTEN]

We had a knowledgeable guide in the person of George Adams.

9) N-COUNT: usu supp N In grammar, we use the term first person when referring to `I' and `we', second person when referring to `you', and third person when referring to `he', `she', `it', `they', and all other noun groups. Person is also used like this when referring to the verb forms that go with these pronouns and noun groups.

→ See also , second person, third person