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 97–192 of 1187 phrases
Adjective + noun(54)
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capillary tube
a very narrow tube in which liquid can move through capillary action
carbolic acid
phenol, a poisonous chemical used in manufacturing and some disinfectants
cardiac pacemaker
specialized tissue in the heart that sets the rhythm of the heartbeat
cardiac resuscitation
emergency efforts to restore effective circulation when the heart has stopped working
cardinal rule
a rule considered fundamental and especially important to follow
carnivorous plant
a plant that traps and digests small animals, usually insects
cavernous sinus
one of two large spaces inside the skull through which venous blood flows
celestial equator
an imaginary circle in the sky corresponding to Earth's equator
celestial sphere
an imaginary sphere surrounding Earth on which stars and other celestial objects appear to lie
central sulcus
a major groove on each side of the brain separating the frontal and parietal lobes
centralized control
direction of activities from one main authority or decision-making point
centrifugal pump
a pump that moves fluid outward using a rotating mechanism
cerebral aqueduct
a narrow channel connecting the third and fourth fluid-filled cavities of the brain
cerebral hemorrhage
bleeding within the brain caused by a broken blood vessel
ceremonial occasion
a formal event marked by traditional or official actions
cerulean blue
a blue pigment with a slight green tint used in painting
chaotic attractor
a pattern of states toward which a system with chaotic behavior develops
choice morsel
a small piece of food considered especially tasty
choral ode
an ode sung by the chorus in classical Greek drama
chromatic scale
a musical scale that moves through every semitone in an octave
chromosomal aberration
a change in the usual number or structure of chromosomes
circadian rhythm
a repeating biological pattern that follows roughly a twenty-four-hour cycle
circumpolar star
a star that stays above the horizon throughout its daily apparent movement at a given location
civil disobedience
deliberate refusal to follow a law as a form of protest
clarion call
a forceful and clear appeal for people to take action
classical philology
the study of ancient languages and texts such as Greek, Latin, and Sanskrit
closed universe
a cosmological model in which the universe has closed spatial geometry
cogent evidence
evidence that strongly and convincingly supports a conclusion
cognate word
a word sharing an ancestral origin with a word in another language
cognitive content
the knowledge, perceptions, or ideas held in the mind
colloquial language
informal language typical of ordinary conversation
combustible material
a substance capable of burning to release heat
common fate
a perceptual principle by which elements moving together are seen as one group
communicable disease
an illness that can spread from one person to another
commutative group
a mathematical group whose operation gives the same result regardless of operand order
comparative anatomist
an anatomist who compares the body structures of different animals
comparative anatomy
the study of similarities and differences in body structures across animal species
concave lens
a lens that spreads a parallel beam of light outward
conic projection
a method of making a flat map by projecting the globe onto a cone
conscientious objector
a person who refuses military service because it conflicts with their moral beliefs
conspicuous consumption
buying or using expensive things to display wealth and status
contagious abortion
an infectious disease in livestock that can cause pregnancy loss
continental drift
the slow movement of continents across the Earth's surface over geological time
continental glacier
a large mass of glacial ice that spreads outward across land from a central area
contributory negligence
carelessness by an injured person that helped cause the harm for which they seek compensation
convergent thinking
thinking that combines information to arrive at one correct solution
convex hull
the smallest convex region containing a given set of points
corpuscular theory
the explanation of light as a stream of tiny particles
cosmic ray
a high-energy particle or radiation arriving from outside the Earth
costal cartilage
flexible cartilage extending from the front ends of ribs and helping the chest move during breathing
cranial nerve
one of the paired nerves that arise directly from the brain
cubic millimeter
a unit of volume equal to a cube measuring one millimeter along each edge
cutaneous sensation
a feeling perceived at the skin, such as touch or temperature
cutaway drawing
a drawing that removes part of an object's exterior to show what is inside
Noun + noun(36)
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capital levy
a tax charged on a person's or organization's accumulated wealth or property
caraway seed
a strongly flavored seed used as a spice, especially in bread and savory dishes
carborundum stone
an abrasive stone made with silicon carbide for sharpening tools
cargo cult
a religious movement, especially in Melanesia, expecting a new age of prosperity through the arrival of material goods
castor bean
the poisonous seed of the plant from which castor oil is obtained
castration anxiety
in psychoanalysis, fear that one's sexual organs or sexual capacity will be damaged or lost
cave dweller
a person who makes a home inside a cave
cavity resonator
a hollow chamber shaped to sustain particular sound or electromagnetic vibrations
chamois cloth
a soft piece of chamois leather used to clean or polish surfaces
cheek pouch
a pocket inside an animal's cheek used to hold food
chestnut blight
a disease that damages or kills chestnut trees
cheval glass
a full-length mirror supported in a frame that allows it to tilt
chicken coop
a small building or enclosure where chickens are kept
chicory root
the root of chicory, dried or roasted for use as a coffee substitute
chiffon cake
a cake with a very light and airy texture
choir loft
a raised gallery in a church where the choir sings
cigar smoker
a person who smokes cigars
cinder track
a running track surfaced with small pieces of burnt coal or similar material
circus acrobat
a performer who does balancing, jumping, or other physical feats in a circus
clarinet section
the group of musicians playing clarinets in an orchestra or band
clinker brick
a very hard fired brick used for paving
clothes hamper
a basket or container used to hold clothes waiting to be washed
coal seam
a layer of coal lying between other layers of rock
coal tar
a dark thick substance obtained when coal is heated during processing
commodity exchange
a market where raw materials and other commodities are traded under organized rules
condensation trail
a visible cloudlike trail formed by moisture associated with an aircraft
coordination compound
a chemical compound organized around a central atom bound to surrounding atoms or groups
copra oil
oil extracted from dried coconut flesh
corn cob
the firm central core on which corn kernels grow
corona discharge
an electrical discharge that ionizes the air around a charged object
cradle cap
a skin condition that causes flaky or crusted patches on an infant's scalp
crib death
the sudden unexpected death of an apparently healthy infant during sleep
crime syndicate
an organized network of criminals cooperating in illegal activities
crucible steel
steel produced by melting and combining iron with carbon and other materials in a crucible
crystal lattice
the regular three-dimensional arrangement of particles within a crystal
cumulus cloud
a cloud with a rounded, piled-up appearance