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 1–96 of 1187 phrases
Verb + reflexive pronoun(1)
Adjective + noun(48)
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filial piety
respect, care, and a sense of duty toward parents and ancestors, especially in Confucian traditions
flaccid paralysis
a syndrome involving sudden weakness or paralysis with reduced muscle tone
flaccid penis
a penis that is soft and not erect
flaccid muscles
muscles with little tone that feel limp rather than firm
flaccid skin
skin that is soft, loose, or lacking firmness
abdominal aorta
the section of the body's main artery that passes through the abdomen
able seaman
a trained sailor qualified to carry out skilled work on a merchant ship
absolute magnitude
a measure of how bright a star would appear from a standard distance of ten parsecs
acidic hydrogen
a hydrogen atom in a substance that can be released as a positive ion
acrobatic feat
a difficult physical achievement involving balance, agility, or gymnastic skill
actual eviction
the physical removal of a tenant from rented property
adrenal medulla
the inner part of an adrenal gland, which releases adrenaline
adverse selection
a market problem in which unequal information affects who buys or sells a product
aeolian harp
a stringed instrument played by air moving across its strings
afferent nerves
nerves that carry signals toward the central nervous system
affine transformation
a mathematical mapping built from linear changes and translation
alliterative verse
poetry that uses repeated initial sounds as a central organizing feature
alluvial sediment
material carried by flowing water and left behind when the water slows
amorphous shape
a form without clear or regular boundaries
aneroid barometer
an instrument that measures air pressure without using a liquid column
angular momentum
a physical quantity describing the rotational motion of an object about an axis
annelid worm
a worm whose body is divided into repeated segments
anthropoid ape
a tailless ape with physical features resembling those of humans
aqueous humor
the clear fluid in the front of the eye between the cornea and the lens
argillaceous rock
sedimentary rock formed from deposits rich in clay
armorial bearing
a heraldic design or emblem displayed on a shield
aromatic compound
a chemical compound with a ring structure characteristic of benzene
asexual reproduction
the production of offspring without the joining of reproductive cells
associative learning
learning that connects one event, stimulus, or action with another
atomistic theory
an explanation of matter in terms of separate, indivisible elementary particles
attributive genitive
a genitive word or form used before a noun to modify it
auricular appendage
a small pouch projecting from the front of an atrium of the heart
autosomal gene
a gene located on a chromosome other than a sex chromosome
axillary artery
the section of the arm's main artery that passes through the armpit
axiomatic system
a logical framework in which conclusions are derived from stated basic assumptions
basal reader
an introductory textbook used to teach basic reading skills
basic slag
steelmaking slag rich in calcium phosphate and low in silica
behavioristic psychology
an approach to studying the mind that concentrates on actions that can be observed and measured
bilateral descent
a way of tracing family relationships through both the mother's and the father's relatives
biometric identification
recognizing a person automatically from distinctive physical or behavioral features
bituminous coal
a type of coal rich in tar-like substances that burns with a smoky flame
black currant
a small dark berry with a strong sharp flavor, used in jam and drinks
blank endorsement
a signature transferring a financial document without naming the next recipient
blissful ignorance
a comfortable state of not knowing about a problem or unpleasant fact
blue tit
a small European songbird with blue feathers on its head, wings, and tail
bluish green
a green color with a noticeable blue tint
bounden duty
a responsibility regarded as unavoidable because of a strong moral obligation
branchial arch
a curved support of bone or cartilage associated with the gills of an aquatic animal
Noun + noun(44)
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abductor muscle
a muscle that moves a body part away from the body's central line
acre inch
a volume equal to water covering one acre to a depth of one inch
adhesion contract
a contract whose standard terms strongly favor the party that supplies it
admiralty law
the area of law concerned with ships, navigation, and maritime affairs
alms dish
a dish or tray used to collect charitable offerings during worship
aluminum chloride
a compound of aluminum and chlorine used in some industrial chemical processes
ammonia alum
a crystalline double sulfate containing ammonium and aluminum
ammonium ion
the positively charged NH4 particle formed from ammonia
amplitude distortion
a change in a signal caused when output strength does not vary proportionally with input strength
amyl nitrite
a chemical compound that widens blood vessels and has had medical uses
anarchist communism
a political theory combining the rejection of state authority with common ownership of productive resources
apple dumpling
an apple enclosed in pastry and baked
apricot brandy
A sweet alcoholic drink flavored with apricots, sold as a type of apricot liqueur.
arc cosine
the inverse cosine function, which gives an angle from its cosine value
arsenic acid
an acid containing arsenic, formed from arsenic pentoxide
asbestos abatement
work done to remove asbestos from a building
atomist theory
a theory that describes matter as composed of small, indivisible particles
attestation report
a professional assessment of the reliability of a written claim made by another party
barbershop quartet
a group of four singers performing close harmony without instrumental accompaniment
barium sulfate
a white, insoluble barium compound that blocks the passage of X-rays
baryta water
a solution of barium hydroxide in water used as a chemical reagent
basket hilt
a sword handle protected by a guard shaped like a basket around the hand
basketball backboard
the upright board behind the hoop on a basketball court
basset hound
a breed of dog with a long body, short legs, and long ears
beef jerky
beef preserved as chewy dried strips, often eaten as a snack
beef tallow
firm fat from cattle that has been melted and purified for use
beryllium bronze
an alloy made chiefly of copper with a small amount of beryllium added
bevel gear
a gear with an angled toothed surface that transfers rotation between intersecting shafts
bilge keel
a long fin fitted along a ship's lower hull to reduce rolling
bladder sphincter
a ring of muscle that controls the release of urine from the bladder
blister copper
impure copper with dark raised bubbles on its surface, produced before further refining
blood clot
a thickened mass that forms when liquid blood solidifies
blood feud
a long conflict between groups in which killings lead to further killings in revenge
bomb calorimeter
a sealed laboratory instrument that measures the heat released when a sample burns
bramble bush
a prickly shrub that bears clustered edible berries such as blackberries
breech presentation
a position in which a baby approaches birth with its feet or buttocks first
briar pipe
a tobacco pipe made from the woody root of tree heath
bridle path
a path intended for people riding or leading horses
brine shrimp
a small crustacean that lives in very salty water
brood bitch
a female dog kept for breeding puppies
bugle call
a short musical signal played on a bugle
bushel basket
a basket made to hold one bushel of produce or other dry goods
butt weld
a welded connection between pieces placed with their ends or edges against each other
canister shot
ammunition consisting of a metal container packed with small projectiles