focus

focusverb

To focus is to bring your attention, your eyes, or a camera to one particular point.

1. attentiongive most of your attention or effort to one particular thing

   transitive or intransitive [T/I] verb + preposition + object [V + prep + obj] verb + object + preposition + object [V + obj + prep + obj]

   • I can't focus with all this noise.
   • She wants to focus on her studies this year. V + prep + obj
   • We need to focus our efforts on the most urgent problems. V + obj + prep + obj
   • Try to focus your attention on the road. V + obj + prep + obj

   Collocations

   verb + preposition focus on something, focus on doing something

   adverb + verb focus mainly on something, focus closely on something

   phrase focus your attention on something, focus your efforts on something

   Synonyms concentrate

2. main subjecthave one particular thing as the main subject

   The subject is usually a report, a book, a talk, a meeting, or a piece of research, not a person.

   intransitive [I] verb + preposition + object [V + prep + obj]

   • The meeting focused on next year's plans. V + prep + obj
   • Most of the book focuses on her childhood. V + prep + obj
   • The discussion focused mainly on costs. V + prep + obj

   Collocations

   noun + verb a report focuses on something, a study focuses on something, a discussion focuses on something

3. eyes or cameramake your eyes see something clearly, or change a camera so that it shows something clearly

   transitive or intransitive [T/I] verb + object [V + obj] verb + preposition + object [V + prep + obj]

   • Her eyes slowly focused on my face. V + prep + obj
   • Turn this ring to focus the camera. V + obj
   • It took him a moment to focus after he woke up.

   Collocations

   verb + noun focus a camera, focus your eyes, focus a lens

See also concentrate