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 193–288 of 1187 phrases
Adjective + noun(51)
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deadbeat dad
an insulting term for a father who deliberately fails to provide financial support for his children
decimal system
a way of writing numbers that uses ten digits and place values based on ten
deliberative assembly
a group meeting to consider and discuss matters carefully
depressed fracture
a skull fracture in which a piece of bone is pushed inward
destructive distillation
heating a solid in a closed vessel and collecting the substances released
determinate growth
growth that stops after reaching a particular size or developmental stage
diagonal matrix
a square array of numbers whose entries outside the main diagonal are zero
dialectical materialism
a Marxist philosophy that explains change through opposing forces within material conditions
distributive shock
a dangerous circulatory condition caused by blood flow being poorly distributed
diuretic drug
a medicine that increases urine production and the loss of water from the body
divine retribution
punishment believed to come from a god in response to wrongdoing
double dagger
the printing symbol ‡, sometimes used to mark a note or reference
double decomposition
a chemical reaction in which two compounds exchange parts to form new compounds
double helix
a structure made of two intertwined spirals around the same axis
dry vermouth
a relatively unsweet variety of vermouth
dual carriageway
a road with separate carriageways for traffic traveling in opposite directions
dynamical system
a mathematical description of how a system's state evolves over time
ecclesiastical benefice
a church office supported by an income or endowment
electric shaver
a device with a motor that cuts hair close to the skin
electrochemical series
an ordering of elements or ions according to their electrode potentials
electrostatic generator
a device that builds up static electrical charge to produce a high voltage
elliptic geometry
a non-Euclidean geometry in which lines behave like great circles on a sphere
eminent domain
a state's authority to acquire private property for public use
empiricist philosophy
a view of knowledge that treats experience as its main source
encyclical letter
a letter from the pope circulated to Catholic bishops
entire leaf
a leaf with a smooth edge, without teeth or deep cuts
epidemic cholera
cholera occurring as a widespread outbreak in a population
epileptic seizure
a seizure associated with epilepsy and abnormal electrical activity in the brain
equal temperament
a tuning system that divides an octave into twelve equal semitone intervals
equatorial current
an ocean current flowing westward near the equator
equivalent weight
a comparative weight showing how much of an element combines with a fixed reference amount
erotic love
love involving strong sexual desire and attraction
exploratory survey
an initial investigation intended to gather information about an unfamiliar subject or area
exponential decay
a decrease by a consistent proportion over equal intervals
extrinsic fraud
deception that prevents someone from presenting their rights or case fairly in court
facultative parasite
an organism able to live either as a parasite or independently
feudal lordship
the authority and position held by a lord within a feudal system
fighting cock
a rooster bred or trained to fight other roosters
filthy lucre
money viewed as dishonestly obtained or morally shameful
fluent aphasia
a language disorder in which speech flows readily but meaning and comprehension are impaired
fluorescent screen
a screen coated with material that glows when struck by certain radiation
folk etymology
a popular explanation of a word's origin that is historically incorrect
forcible entry
entry into a place achieved through physical force
forlorn hope
an attempt or expectation with almost no chance of success
fractional currency
paper money worth less than the main unit of a currency
fraternal twin
one of two siblings born from the same pregnancy but developing from separate fertilized eggs
frontal eminence
one of the rounded projections of the forehead bone above the eye sockets
fusible metal
an alloy that melts at a relatively low temperature
genealogical tree
a branching diagram showing family descent and relationships
genital herpes
a herpes-virus infection affecting the genital area and sometimes causing recurring sores
geodesic dome
a light dome-shaped structure built from a network of connected polygonal sections
Noun + noun(38)
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cypress tree
an evergreen conifer with small scale-like leaves and rounded cones
data multiplexer
a device that lets several data sources use a shared transmission channel
deuterium oxide
water containing a high proportion of the heavier hydrogen isotope deuterium
doggerel verse
rough or irregular poetry, often written for comic effect
donkey cart
a small wheeled vehicle pulled by a donkey
dovetail saw
a small backsaw used for cutting dovetail joints in wood
drop forge
a machine that shapes metal by dropping a heavy striking tool onto it
drug trafficker
a person who illegally transports or sells controlled drugs
dung beetle
a beetle that feeds on animal dung and may form it into balls
earl marshal
an English noble officer responsible for royal processions and ceremonies
embroidery hoop
a frame of two fitted rings that holds fabric taut for embroidery
emissary vein
a vein linking venous channels inside the skull with veins outside it
estimation theory
the statistical study of inferring unknown properties from observed data
exclusion principle
the rule that identical electrons, protons, or neutrons cannot share the same quantum state
exposure dose
a measure of radiation exposure based on its ionizing effect
extensor muscle
a muscle that straightens a joint or extends part of the body
facsimile machine
a machine that sends and receives copies of documents through a communication connection
fallout shelter
a protected space intended to reduce exposure to radioactive fallout
fennel seed
an aromatic seed with an anise-like flavor used in cooking
fertilization membrane
a protective layer that forms around an egg after fertilization and blocks further sperm entry
fetlock joint
the joint in a horse's lower leg between the cannon bone and pastern
firing squad
a group assigned to shoot together during an execution or military ceremony
flexor muscle
a muscle that bends a joint when it contracts
floor joist
a horizontal structural beam that supports a floor
flotation device
equipment that provides buoyancy to help someone stay above water
fluorescence microscopy
microscope examination using light emitted by fluorescent substances in a sample
forceps delivery
a birth assisted by an instrument that grips the baby's head
foundling hospital
an institution that receives and cares for abandoned babies whose parents are unknown
friar preacher
a member of the Dominican religious order, whose work traditionally includes preaching
frock coat
a man's formal coat with long lower sections reaching toward the knees
frontage road
a local road beside a major highway that provides access to nearby properties
frost heave
the lifting of soil or pavement as water in the ground freezes
fund raiser
a person who organizes efforts to obtain money for a cause or institution
funeral pyre
a pile of wood on which a body is burned during a funeral ritual
galley proof
a preliminary print of text used to check errors before final page production
gallop rhythm
a heart rhythm containing an additional sound that resembles a galloping beat
gas gangrene
a severe bacterial infection in which tissue dies and gas forms within it
gauze bandage
a strip or pad of loosely woven cotton cloth used to cover or protect an injury