identity

identity
i‧den‧ti‧ty W2 AC /aɪˈdentəti, aɪˈdentɪti/ noun (plural identities)1. [uncountable and countable] someone’s identity is their name or who they are:
    The identity of the killer is still unknown.
2. [uncountable] the qualities and attitudes that a person or group of people have, that make them different from other people:
    Children need continuity, security, and a sense of identity.
    Travelling alone can lead to a loss of identity.
    national/cultural/social etc identity (=a strong feeling of belonging to a particular group, race etc)
    Our strong sense of national identity has been shaped by our history.
    identity crisis/crisis of identity (=a feeling of uncertainty about who you really are and what your purpose is)
    My father experienced an identity crisis in middle age.
3. [uncountable] formal exact similarity between two things
     

COLLOCATIONS

■ adjectives
   ▪ sb’s real/true identity The true identity of the author was not revealed until 100 years later.
   ▪ a new/different identity He avoided arrest by adopting a new identity.
   ▪ a false identity (=when someone pretends to be another person) He used a fake passport to assume a false identity.
■ verbs
   ▪ find out/discover sb’s identity The police have yet to discover the victim’s identity.
   ▪ know sb’s identity He wanted to know the identity of his real father.
   ▪ hide/conceal sb’s identity She used a false name to conceal her identity.
   ▪ reveal/disclose sb’s identity (=show or say who a person is) The company did not reveal the identity of the prospective buyer.
   ▪ give away sb’s identity (=accidentally reveal it) The thief gave away his identity by mistake.
   ▪ protect sb’s identity (=make sure no one finds out who someone is) Journalists frequently protect the identity of confidential sources.
   ▪ adopt/assume an identity (=give yourself a new identity ) She assumed a false identity and went to live in South America.
■ identity + NOUN
   ▪ identity card/papers/documents (=documents that show who you are) Each member of staff is issued with an identity card.
   ▪ an identity parade British English (=when someone looks at a line of people to see if they recognize a criminal) The victim identified her attacker from an identity parade.
   ▪ identity theft/fraud (=the crime of stealing another person's personal details in order to pretend to be that person) Identity theft is becoming more and more common because of the Internet.
■ phrases
   ▪ proof of identity (=something that proves you are who you say you are) You’ll need proof of identity, such as a driving licence.
   ▪ a case of mistaken identity (=when people think that someone is a different person, especially with the result that they are accused of something that they did not do) The defendant claimed he’d been arrested in a case of mistaken identity.