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.
New
Mastered
Showing 385–480 of 1187 phrases
Adjective + noun(55)
-
labyrinthine artery
an artery supplying blood to structures of the inner ear
lacrimal gland
a gland near the eye that produces tears
lateral ventricle
one of the two large fluid-filled cavities in the brain's hemispheres
lenticular nucleus
a lens-shaped group of structures forming part of the brain's basal ganglia
liquid bleach
a bleaching substance dissolved in liquid, often used for washing clothes
lithic sandstone
sandstone containing a substantial proportion of fragments from other rocks
littoral zone
the area along the shore of a lake or sea
logistic support
assistance with supplies, transport, and other practical needs of military operations
lumbar puncture
a procedure in which a needle is used to obtain fluid from the lower spinal region
lumbar vertebrae
the bones of the spine in the lower back
lunar module
a spacecraft designed to carry astronauts between a larger spacecraft and the Moon's surface
macro instruction
one computer instruction that expands into a sequence of lower-level instructions
magnetic declination
the angle between the directions of magnetic north and true north at a location
magnetic levitation
suspending an object above a surface by magnetic forces, as in some trains
maiden voyage
the first journey made by a ship
malar bone
the bone that forms the prominence of the cheek
malarial fever
fever associated with malaria
malicious mischief
deliberate and wrongful damage to another person's property
mammary gland
a gland in a mammal that produces milk
mandatory injunction
a court order requiring someone to carry out a specified action
maritime law
law dealing with shipping, navigation, and other activities at sea
mastoid process
a projection of the temporal bone located behind the ear
matrimonial law
the branch of law concerning marriage and related legal relationships
maxillary sinus
one of the air-filled spaces within the upper jaw bones
medial rectus
an eye muscle that turns the eyeball toward the nose
megalithic structure
a prehistoric construction made from very large stones
membranous labyrinth
the system of membrane-lined sensory structures inside the bony chambers of the inner ear
mercantile establishment
a business premises where goods are sold
mercurial ointment
a salve made with mercury for application to the skin
metamorphic rock
rock transformed by heat or pressure
metatarsal artery
an artery that supplies the metatarsal region of the foot
meteorological balloon
an unmanned balloon used to collect information about the atmosphere
methodological analysis
examination of the principles and procedures used to investigate a subject
metrical foot
a small recurring group of syllables forming a unit of poetic rhythm
milch cow
a cow kept for the milk it produces
military junta
a group of officers ruling a country after taking power
modal auxiliary
an auxiliary verb that expresses meanings such as possibility, necessity, or permission
monastic habit
a long, loose garment worn by members of a monastic order
monogamous marriage
a marriage involving only two spouses at a time
moral nihilism
the view that nothing is inherently morally right or wrong
morbid curiosity
an unhealthy or excessive interest in disturbing or unpleasant subjects
multiplicative inverse
a number that gives a result of one when multiplied by a particular nonzero number
muscular tonus
the normal resting tension maintained in muscles
musical octave
an interval spanning eight notes of a standard musical scale
musical soiree
an evening social gathering arranged for listening to music
mutant gene
a gene altered from its usual form in a way that affects a trait
mythical monster
a frightening imaginary creature found in myths or traditional stories
naive realism
the philosophical view that perception gives direct awareness of physical objects that exist independently of being perceived
nasal twang
a strongly nasal quality in someone's speech
national anthem
a song officially used to represent a country
natural childbirth
childbirth that proceeds without drugs or medical intervention
natural logarithm
a logarithm calculated using the mathematical constant e as its base
near gale
a wind of force seven on the Beaufort scale
negative muon
a muon carrying a negative electric charge
newtonian mechanics
the study of motion using Newton's laws of mechanics
Noun + noun(36)
-
lard oil
oil separated from lard and used in industrial products
leavening agent
a substance added to dough or batter to help it rise
lemon balm
an aromatic herb with leaves that smell and taste of lemon
leprosy bacillus
the rod-shaped bacterium responsible for leprosy
life raft
a buoyant emergency craft used when people must leave a vessel
liver fluke
a parasitic flatworm that lives in the liver or bile ducts
livery stable
a stable where horses and vehicles are kept for hire
lombard rate
an interest rate charged by a central bank on short-term loans secured by approved assets
lookout station
a place or structure from which people watch a wide surrounding area
lubber line
a fixed mark on a ship's compass that indicates the vessel's heading
mackerel sky
a sky covered with rows of small, closely grouped clouds
magnesium sulfate
a salt formed from magnesium and sulfate
mahogany tree
a tropical tree valued for its workable reddish-brown timber
malt liquor
a type of lager brewed with a relatively high alcohol content
mandrake root
the root of the mandrake plant, historically associated with medicine and narcotics
market strategist
a specialist who plans marketing campaigns and approaches
mass hysteria
intense agitation or panic spreading through a large group
mass spectrograph
an instrument that records a graphical representation of a mass spectrum
mass spectrometer
an instrument that analyzes ions to identify the masses present in a sample
massage parlor
a business where customers receive massages
mercury fulminate
a sensitive explosive compound of mercury formerly used in ignition devices
micrometer gauge
a precision measuring instrument for determining very small distances or dimensions
minstrel show
a historical entertainment form using blackface and racist caricatures of Black people
molybdenum steel
steel alloyed with molybdenum to alter its properties
monsoon forest
a tropical woodland growing in a region with seasonal monsoon rains
mortise joint
a connection made by fitting a projecting tenon into a matching hole
mud puddle
a small pool of muddy water
museum curator
a specialist responsible for a museum's collections and displays
musket ball
a round solid projectile fired from a musket
muskrat fur
the brown fur of a muskrat, used as a material
muzzle velocity
the speed and direction of a projectile as it leaves a gun's barrel
myrrh tree
a tree that produces the aromatic resin called myrrh
narcotic antagonist
a substance that counteracts the effects of narcotic drugs
neck ruff
a high close-fitting collar worn around the neck
neon lamp
a lamp that produces light through an electrical discharge in neon gas
night watchman
a male guard who works during the night
Verb + adverb(5)
-
latch on
to begin to understand or grasp an idea
loll around
to spend time lying or sitting lazily without doing much
mete out
to distribute or administer something, especially a punishment
mope around
to move or spend time aimlessly while feeling unhappy
muck up
to spoil something or make a mess of it