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 577–672 of 1187 phrases
Adjective + noun(40)
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pyramidal tract
a pathway carrying motor signals from the cerebral cortex toward the brainstem and spinal cord
pyrrhic victory
a success gained at such a high cost that it brings little real benefit
quadratic equation
an equation whose highest power of the unknown is two
qualitative data
information describing qualities or experiences rather than numerical measurements
radiant heating
heating that transfers warmth by radiation from heated panels or surfaces
radioactive isotope
an isotope with an unstable nucleus that releases radiation as it decays
refractive index
the ratio of light's speed in a vacuum to its speed in a material
regular polygon
a polygon whose sides and angles are all equal
regulatory agency
a government body that oversees compliance with rules in a particular area
relational database
a database that organizes information into tables with defined relationships
relativistic mass
a measure of mass that depends on an object's motion relative to an observer
religious mysticism
religious belief or practice centered on direct communion with an ultimate reality
residual oil
heavy oil remaining after lighter petroleum fractions have been removed
rhetorical question
a question asked to make a point rather than obtain an answer
rogue elephant
an aggressive wild elephant living apart from its herd
rolling hitch
a knot used to attach a rope to a pole or another rope
rugged individualism
a strong belief in personal independence, self-reliance, and free competition
sabbatical leave
an extended authorized break from regular work, often used for study or research
sacral plexus
a network of nerves supplying the pelvis and lower limbs
sagittal suture
the joint between the two parietal bones at the top of the skull
saline solution
a solution of salt in water, used in medical and laboratory settings
salivary duct
a tube carrying saliva from a gland into the mouth
sclerotic coat
the tough whitish outer layer that protects most of the eyeball
secular clergy
ordained religious ministers who are not bound by a monastic order's vows
sedimentary rock
rock formed as layers of deposited material become consolidated
seismic disturbance
a shaking or movement of the Earth's crust
semantic memory
memory for meanings, concepts, and general facts
seminal vesicle
one of a pair of glands producing fluid that contributes to semen
sensible horizon
the apparent line where the land or sea meets the sky
sensorimotor area
a brain-cortex region combining sensory processing and movement functions
serial monogamy
having a sequence of exclusive relationships, one after another
sessile polyp
a relatively flat polyp attached directly to a surface without a stalk
seventh chord
a musical chord formed by adding a seventh to a three-note chord
siamese connection
a multiple-hose inlet allowing water to be pumped into a building's sprinkler system
sidereal time
time measured by the apparent daily movement of stars
silver jubilee
a celebration marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of an event
simple pistil
a flower's female reproductive structure formed from one carpel
singular proposition
a proposition referring to a particular individual through a singular term
smoky quartz
quartz with a smoky brown or yellowish color
social stratification
the division of society into ranked groups or classes
Noun + noun(47)
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purse seine
a fishing net that surrounds fish and closes underneath them with a drawline
rabbit hutch
a small enclosure or shelter for keeping rabbits
radar echo
a radar signal reflected from an object back to the receiver
radio interferometer
an instrument that combines signals from radio antennas using their interference patterns
rebound tenderness
abdominal pain that appears when pressure is released
redundancy check
an error-checking method that uses additional information to detect mistakes
refectory table
a long, narrow dining table traditionally supported by trestles
requisition form
an official document used to request supplies or services
research colloquium
an academic meeting where research results are presented and discussed
rhubarb pie
a pie filled with chopped rhubarb sweetened with sugar
rift valley
a steep-sided valley formed by movement along faults in Earth's crust
risk taker
a person willing to face possible loss or danger for a hoped-for benefit
roach clip
a small gripping tool used to hold the end of a cannabis cigarette
rodeo rider
a performer who demonstrates riding and related skills at a rodeo
roentgen ray
an X-ray, especially in older scientific terminology
romper suit
a one-piece play garment for a young child with short lower legs
rope yarn
the individual strands used to make a rope
rubber cement
a flexible adhesive containing rubber dissolved in a liquid solvent
rummage sale
a sale of donated used goods, often to raise money
rump roast
a cut of beef or veal from the animal's hindquarters prepared for roasting
sable coat
a fur coat made from sable pelts
saddle hackle
a long, narrow feather growing from the back of a domestic fowl
sardine oil
oil obtained from sardines, used in products such as soap or lubricants
satyr play
an ancient Greek comic drama featuring a chorus of satyrs
scintillation counter
an instrument that detects radiation by counting flashes of light it produces
scroll saw
a powered saw with a fine, narrow blade for cutting curves
sea anemone
a soft-bodied marine animal with tentacles arranged around its mouth like flower petals
sea bream
a marine bream commonly eaten as fish
sea rover
a person who raids ships or coastal settlements as a pirate
sea wrack
seaweed and other marine vegetation, especially larger forms
sentry duty
the task of keeping guard over a place
shag rug
a rug with a deep layer of long loose fibers
sheepskin coat
a coat made from sheep hide with its wool attached
shepherd dog
a dog bred or trained to herd and guard sheep
shire town
the town serving as the administrative center of a county
shoestring catch
a baseball catch made while running, just above the ground
shotgun shell
a cartridge containing shot for use in a shotgun
shunt circuit
an electrical circuit with multiple current paths that divide and then rejoin
sickle cell
an abnormal red blood cell with a crescent shape and altered hemoglobin
sieve tube
a chain of joined plant cells through which dissolved nutrients travel
silkworm moth
a moth whose caterpillars produce silk
sleigh bed
a bed whose solid headboard and footboard curve outward at the top
slip noose
a loop in a rope that tightens when the rope is pulled
slouch hat
a soft felt hat with a broad flexible brim
sluice valve
a valve or gate controlling water flowing through a channel
snap brim
a hat brim that can be turned up on one side and down on the other
sodium fluoride
a sodium salt containing fluoride, used in water fluoridation and dental products
Verb + adverb(7)
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scrape up
to gather money or resources with difficulty from small available amounts
set adrift
to release something so it floats without being secured or guided
shove off
to leave, especially in an informal or rude expression
sidle up
to seek someone's favor through sly or insincere friendliness
siphon off
to draw liquid or resources away from a larger supply
slosh around
to move about with repeated or clumsy splashing
snuff out
to extinguish a flame or light