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 2497–2592 of 7341 phrases
Adjective + noun(19)
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black swan
a large Australian swan with dark feathers and a red bill
blank cheque
a signed cheque on which the amount to be paid has not been filled in
blank endorsement
a signature transferring a financial document without naming the next recipient
blind alley
a narrow street that has no exit at its far end
blissful ignorance
a comfortable state of not knowing about a problem or unpleasant fact
bloody nose
a nose that is bleeding, often after an injury
blue jeans
casual trousers made from blue denim fabric
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
boiled egg
an egg cooked in its shell in hot water
boiling water
water hot enough to bubble rapidly and turn into steam
bony fish
a fish belonging to the group with skeletons made mainly of bone
botanical garden
a public or research garden where many kinds of plants are grown and displayed
bottomless pit
a hole so deep that its bottom cannot be seen or seems not to exist
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
bridal gown
a formal dress worn by a bride for her wedding
bureaucratic procedure
an official process involving administrative rules or paperwork, often unnecessarily slow
burnt offering
a gift to a deity that is consumed by fire as part of a religious ritual
Noun + noun(66)
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blackberry bush
a thorny shrub that produces dark, juicy edible berries
bladder sphincter
a ring of muscle that controls the release of urine from the bladder
blast furnace
a large furnace that uses a strong flow of air to extract iron from ore
blister copper
impure copper with dark raised bubbles on its surface, produced before further refining
block diagram
a drawing that represents system parts as blocks joined by lines
blood circulation
the movement of blood through the heart and blood vessels
blood clot
a thickened mass that forms when liquid blood solidifies
blood donation
the act of giving blood so it can be used in medical treatment
blood donor
a person who gives blood for use in someone else's medical treatment
blood feud
a long conflict between groups in which killings lead to further killings in revenge
blood serum
the pale fluid left after blood has clotted
blood transfusion
the transfer of donated blood or blood components into a person's circulation
blueberry pie
a baked pastry with a sweet blueberry filling
body armor
protective equipment worn on the body to reduce injury from weapons or impacts
body louse
a small parasitic insect that lives on people and feeds on their blood
bomb calorimeter
a sealed laboratory instrument that measures the heat released when a sample burns
bomb scare
a situation in which people fear that a bomb may be present
booking clerk
an employee who sells tickets or arranges reservations
boot camp
a training camp where new military recruits learn basic skills and discipline
border guard
an officer who checks or protects a country's boundary
boulder clay
a mixture of clay, stones, and other material left behind by a glacier
bowler hat
a hard felt hat with a rounded crown and a narrow brim
box kite
a kite with an open box-shaped frame covered partly in fabric or paper
boxing match
a sporting contest in which two boxers fight under agreed rules
bracket creep
movement into a higher income-tax band as nominal earnings increase
brake cylinder
a cylinder in a braking system where a piston pressurizes brake fluid
bramble bush
a prickly shrub that bears clustered edible berries such as blackberries
bran muffin
a small baked cake made with the outer layers of cereal grain
bread dough
an uncooked mixture that is shaped and baked to make bread
breech presentation
a position in which a baby approaches birth with its feet or buttocks first
breeder reactor
a nuclear reactor designed to make more usable nuclear fuel than it consumes
breeding grounds
places where animals reproduce and raise their young
briar pipe
a tobacco pipe made from the woody root of tree heath
bride price
money or property given by a groom or his family to the bride's family in certain marriage traditions
bridle path
a path intended for people riding or leading horses
brine shrimp
a small crustacean that lives in very salty water
broadcast journalist
a reporter who presents news through radio or television
brood bitch
a female dog kept for breeding puppies
brownie mix
a prepared mixture of dry ingredients used to bake brownies
bubble gum
a type of chewing gum that can be stretched into bubbles with the mouth
bucket seat
a shaped seat designed to hold one person separately in a vehicle
buddy system
an arrangement in which people are paired to help or watch out for each other
bugle call
a short musical signal played on a bugle
building permit
an official document allowing a specified building project to go ahead
bulk mail
large quantities of similar mail sent together, often at a reduced postal rate
bulletin board
a board where notices and information are displayed for people to read
bumper car
a small electric amusement-park car driven around a shared track where collisions are expected
bunch grass
grass that grows in separate clumps instead of covering the ground in a continuous layer
burglar alarm
a device that gives a warning when someone breaks into a building
burial garment
a cloth covering placed around a person's body before burial
bus depot
a station where buses arrive and depart and passengers can board
bushel basket
a basket made to hold one bushel of produce or other dry goods
butcher shop
a shop that sells meat and poultry
butt weld
a welded connection between pieces placed with their ends or edges against each other
butter churn
a container or machine that turns cream into butter by repeatedly agitating it
buttonhole stitch
a looped sewing stitch used to strengthen a fabric edge or buttonhole
buzz saw
a powered saw with a round toothed blade that spins to cut material
cabin cruiser
a motorboat with enclosed accommodation suitable for staying aboard
cadmium yellow
a yellow pigment containing cadmium compounds, available in several shades
cafe curtain
a short curtain hung across the lower part of a window
cafeteria tray
a tray used to carry food in a cafeteria
camel driver
a person who leads or directs camels used for transport
camera tripod
a three-legged stand used to keep a camera steady
camping ground
a place where people can put up tents and stay outdoors
can opener
a tool that cuts or removes the lid of a sealed food can
cancer patient
a person receiving medical care for cancer
Verb + adverb(9)
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blaze up
to begin burning with a bright, strong flame
blend in
to mix an ingredient thoroughly into another substance
blink away
to clear tears from the eyes by blinking
blossom forth
to develop in a successful or promising way
blurt out
to say something suddenly without first thinking about whether to say it
bounce back
to regain health or strength after illness or difficulty
breathe in
to draw air into the lungs
bunk down
to settle into a place to sleep, often temporarily or informally
bustle about
to move around energetically while doing several tasks