Collocations
Collocations
Explore English words that belong together, with meanings, examples, and sentence practice. Browse by CEFR level or pattern, and add collocations to your deck for regular review.
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Showing 385–480 of 1751 phrases
Adjective + noun(27)
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canned laughter
recorded laughter added to a program to suggest an audience's reaction
catastrophic illness
a severe illness involving prolonged care or recovery and major expense
chemical stability
the ability of a substance to resist changes in its chemical composition
chronological age
a person's age calculated from the time since their birth
circular motion
movement around a center along a curved, closed path
classical scholar
a person who studies the languages and literature of ancient Greece and Rome
classified information
information officially restricted because it must be kept secret
clerical collar
a stiff white collar worn as a sign that someone is a member of the clergy
coarse grain
a texture consisting of relatively large visible particles
cold sweat
perspiration accompanied by a chilled feeling, often during fear
common ancestor
an earlier person, organism, or language from which two or more later ones developed
common denominator
a number divisible by the denominators of each fraction being compared or combined
compassionate leave
officially permitted time away from duties because of a serious family emergency
compatible software
software that can operate with a particular system or other software
comprehensive school
a secondary school that admits pupils across the range of academic abilities
consensual contract
a contract formed through the agreement of the parties
continental breakfast
a light breakfast usually including bread or rolls and coffee or tea
corporal punishment
punishment that deliberately causes physical pain or injury
corporate finance
the management of a company's funding, spending, and other financial activities
criminal justice
the processes and institutions used to investigate crime and deal with offenders
criminal offense
an act that can be punished under criminal law
crude oil
petroleum in its natural unrefined state
curved shape
a form whose outline bends instead of following a straight line
dairy farming
the business of keeping animals to produce milk
dental floss
a thin thread used to remove material from between teeth
descriptive adjective
an adjective that describes a quality or characteristic of a noun
developing world
a collective term for countries with relatively lower incomes and industrial development
Noun + noun(56)
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bumper car
a small electric amusement-park car driven around a shared track where collisions are expected
buttonhole stitch
a looped sewing stitch used to strengthen a fabric edge or buttonhole
buzz saw
a powered saw with a round toothed blade that spins to cut material
cabin cruiser
a motorboat with enclosed accommodation suitable for staying aboard
cafeteria tray
a tray used to carry food in a cafeteria
camera tripod
a three-legged stand used to keep a camera steady
candle holder
an object that supports a candle and keeps it upright
carpet beater
a handheld tool used to strike carpets and remove dust
caste system
a social structure in which inherited group membership determines people's position
cathedral church
a church containing the official seat of a bishop
celery seed
the small aromatic seeds of celery used to flavor food
chain gang
a group of prisoners fastened together with chains while working
cheese slicer
a utensil designed to cut thin even slices of cheese
chicken paprika
chicken cooked with onions and paprika and finished with sour cream
cider vinegar
vinegar produced from fermented apple cider
class struggle
conflict between groups with different social or economic positions
classification system
an organized method of placing things into groups based on shared features
clog dancing
a style of dancing that uses heavy steps in wooden-soled shoes
coal miner
a worker who extracts coal from the ground
coalition government
a government formed by two or more political parties working together
cocoa butter
a pale vegetable fat extracted from cocoa beans
coconut oil
oil obtained from coconuts
cola nut
a bitter seed containing caffeine that is used to produce cola flavoring
command prompt
a symbol on a computer screen showing that a command can be entered
commonwealth country
a country belonging to the Commonwealth association of nations
competitor analysis
an assessment of competing businesses' strengths and weaknesses
component part
one of the pieces or elements that together make up a whole
compost heap
a pile of organic waste left to decay into compost
computer programmer
a person who writes and tests instructions that make computers perform tasks
confidence trick
a dishonest scheme that exploits someone's trust to take their money or property
console table
a narrow table designed to stand against or attach to a wall
conversion factor
a number used to multiply a measurement when changing it into different units
copyright infringement
the violation of someone's legal rights over a creative work
coral reef
an underwater ridge built from the accumulated hard material produced by corals
correspondence course
a course in which lessons and completed assignments are exchanged by post
cost overrun
the amount by which actual spending exceeds the planned budget
cotton fabric
cloth made from cotton fibers
cranberry juice
a drink made from the juice of cranberries, commonly diluted and sweetened
crane fly
a slender long-legged fly that resembles a large mosquito but does not bite
credit rating
an assessment of how likely a person or organization is to meet financial obligations
cricket bat
the broad flat wooden implement used to hit the ball in cricket
croquet mallet
a long-handled hammer used to strike balls in croquet
cruise missile
an unmanned flying weapon that carries its explosive charge to a target
curry leaves
leaves from the curry tree, which may be used in cooking or religious rituals
custard pie
an open pie filled with real or imitation custard and used as a comedy prop
customs union
a group of countries that allow free trade among themselves and share tariffs on outside goods
daylight saving
the seasonal practice of moving clocks forward to extend evening daylight hours
death penalty
execution imposed as punishment for a criminal offense
debit balance
an account balance in which debits exceed credits and money is owed to the bank
debt ceiling
the maximum amount a government is permitted to borrow
default option
the choice used automatically when a user does not select another one
deputy sheriff
an officer authorized to carry out duties on behalf of a sheriff
detention center
a facility where people are held in official custody
dew point
the temperature at which moisture in the air begins to condense
diaper rash
irritated skin in the area covered by a baby's diaper
diary keeper
a person who regularly records events or thoughts in a diary
Verb + adverb(9)
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bunk down
to settle into a place to sleep, often temporarily or informally
bustle about
to move around energetically while doing several tasks
cast aside
to throw something out of the way or discard it
choke off
to stop or severely restrict an activity or flow
clown around
to behave in a silly or playful way to amuse people
clue in
to give someone information that helps them understand a situation
crowd out
to force something or someone out by occupying the available space
curl up
to bend one's body into a compact rounded position
dash off
to write something quickly, with little time spent revising it