import

import

I

im‧port¹ W3 /ˈɪmpɔːt $ -ɔːrt/ noun1. [uncountable and countable] a product that is brought from one country into another so that it can be sold there, or the business of doing this
   OPP  export:
    a ban on beef imports
    the abolition of import duties (=taxes)
    import from
    cheap imports from Asia
    American demand for Japanese imports (=goods from Japan)
    the import of electrical goods
2. [countable] something new or different that is brought to a place where it did not previously exist:
    The beetle is thought to be a European import.
3. [uncountable] formal importance or meaning ⇨ significance:
    a matter of no great import
     

COLLOCATIONS

■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + imports
   ▪ foreign imports Foreign imports into Britain continued to grow in the 1970s.
   ▪ cheap imports Farmers are complaining about cheap imports flooding the market.
   ▪ Japanese/French etc imports (=goods from Japan, France etc) Japanese imports rose by 5% last year.
   ▪ oil/coal/food imports The country is dependent on oil imports for almost all its basic energy needs.
   ▪ rice/sugar etc imports There is pressure on the country to reduce its rice imports.
   ▪ agricultural imports Restrictions on agricultural imports remain in place.
   ▪ essential imports The country had problems paying for its essential imports.
   ▪ luxury imports Higher duties were placed on luxury imports.
■ verbs
   ▪ increase imports The company increased imports in order to cut domestic production costs.
   ▪ reduce/cut imports New investment will reduce imports and save jobs.
   ▪ control/restrict imports (=reduce or put a limit on them) The scheme aims to control imports of cheap goods.
   ▪ ban imports (=make them illegal) The organization wants the government to ban imports of exotic birds.
   ▪ imports increase/rise/grow Imports increased by 13 percent last year.
   ▪ imports fall/drop Imports of consumer goods fell sharply in December.
■ import + NOUN
   ▪ an import ban The US imposed an import ban on several types of fish.
   ▪ import restrictions/controls (=laws which reduce or limit the amount of imports) Severe import controls were introduced.
   ▪ import quotas (=limits on the number of imports allowed) Each country introduced its own import quotas.
   ▪ import taxes/duties/tariffs The US imposed huge import duties on products from Europe.
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ product noun [countable] something that is made or produced in large quantities, usually in order to be sold: consumer products such as mobile phones | dairy products
   ▪ goods noun [plural] things that are produced in order to be sold, especially for use in the home: They sell furniture and other household goods. | electrical goods | white goods (=large electrical goods used in the home such as washing machines and refrigerators)
   ▪ commodity noun [countable] formal a type of product or raw material that can be bought and sold – used especially about basic food products, metals, and fuels: The decline in prices for agricultural commodities made the economic situation worse. | All metal was a valuable commodity and was rarely wasted.
   ▪ merchandise noun [uncountable] formal things that are being sold, especially in shops: Customers are not allowed to handle the merchandise. | Sales of books, videos, and other merchandise have increased.
   ▪ wares noun [plural] written things that are offered for sale, especially in a market or on the street: In the market, the traders began selling their wares. | Merchants brought their wares from all over the world.
   ▪ export noun [countable often plural] a product that is sent to a foreign country in order to be sold: US exports rose to $11.935 billion. | At the moment, oil is their biggest export.
   ▪ import noun [countable often plural] goods that are brought from one country into another to be sold there: The UK clothing industry cannot compete with foreign imports on price.

II

im·port² /ɪmˈpɔːt $ -ɔːrt/ verb [transitive]1. to bring a product from one country into another so that it can be sold there
   OPP  export:
    In 2001, Britain exported more cars than it imported.
    import something from something
    All the meat is imported from France.
2. to introduce something new or different in a place where it did not previously exist:
    The unusual designs were probably imported from Iran.
    import something to/into something
    The US comedy format was gradually imported to UK screens.
3. to move information from one computer to another
   OPP  export
    import something from/into something
    You can now import graphics from other applications.
—imported adjective:
    imported autos
    imported data