Meaning of focus In English

• 0 the main or central point of something, especially of attention or interest:

  • I think Dave likes to be the focus of attention.

  • The main focus of interest at the fashion show was Christian Lacroix's outrageous evening wear.

  • The media focus on politicians' private lives inevitably switches the attention away from the real issues.

  • There was a lot of focus on exam results at my school.

  • In my over-confidence I lost focus and conceded a point.

  • Performing such a long piece, it's a challenge just to keep your focus.

  • Yoga is less about fitness and more about mental focus.

• 1 (in physics) the point where waves of light or sound that are moving towards each other meet:

  • the focus of a lens

• 2 If you focus a device such as a camera or microscope, you move a device on the lens so that you can see a clear picture.

  • When they first took the bandages off, she/her eyes couldn't focus properly (= she couldn't see clearly).

• 3 to give your full attention to what you are doing or to what is happening:

  • I'm finding it hard to focus today.

  • I know it's noisy in here, but try to focus.

• 4 the main object or interest, or the attention given something:

  • The focus of attention has shifted from the economy to improving the public schools.

  • State officials urge continued focus on mosquito control.

• 5 the exact place or position where beams of light, heat, or sound meet after moving toward each other; focal point

• 6 to direct attention toward something or someone:

  • [ I ] Tonight’s program focuses on homelessness.

• 7 to adjust something in order to see more clearly:

  • [ T ] I focused the binoculars on the bird on a branch of the tree.

• 8 the central or most important thing for a company or organization:

  • the main/primary/principal focus of sb/sth The primary focus of a manager is on efficiency.

  • turn/switch/shift the focus from sth to sth A bonus-based incentive system shifts the focus from the behavior of sales people to the results they deliver.

  • focus on sth The company's Five-Year Plan continues the dual focus on use and production.

• 9 the act of giving attention to a particular group of customers or a particular activity:

  • The restructuring was aimed at establishing real customer focus throughout the organization.

• 10 the ability to give all your attention, time, and energy to a particular activity:

  • The enquiry concluded that the failure to address the issue beforehand was the result of a lack of focus and drive by the board.

• 11 to give a lot of attention, time, energy, etc. to one particular group of customers or a particular activity:

  • focus on sth The company's chief executive is moving to a new corporate headquarters in Dubai to focus on business in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia.

  • focus attention/efforts/resources on sth We shall continue to focus our efforts on cutting costs.

  • focus entirely/exclusively/mainly on sth By the age of 30, he had decided to focus almost exclusively on corporate work.