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 2881–2976 of 7341 phrases
Adjective + noun(41)
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cutaway drawing
a drawing that removes part of an object's exterior to show what is inside
dairy farming
the business of keeping animals to produce milk
damaged goods
products that have been broken, marked, or otherwise harmed
dark glasses
glasses with tinted lenses that reduce bright light reaching the eyes
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
deductive reasoning
thinking that applies a general rule to reach a conclusion about a particular case
deep freezer
an appliance that freezes food and keeps it frozen for long-term storage
defensive attitude
a way of reacting that treats criticism or questions as personal attacks
definite quantity
a specific fixed amount of something
deliberative assembly
a group meeting to consider and discuss matters carefully
dental floss
a thin thread used to remove material from between teeth
dental plaque
a layer of bacteria and other material that builds up on teeth
dependent variable
a quantity whose value changes according to another quantity
depressed fracture
a skull fracture in which a piece of bone is pushed inward
depressive disorder
a mental health condition involving persistent depression and reduced ability to enjoy things
descriptive adjective
an adjective that describes a quality or characteristic of a noun
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
developing world
a collective term for countries with relatively lower incomes and industrial development
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
digestive system
the organs that break down food and make its nutrients available to the body
diplomatic corps
the diplomats serving collectively in a particular country or setting
direct proportion
a relationship in which two quantities change while maintaining a constant ratio
direct quotation
someone's words repeated exactly as they originally said or wrote them
disorderly conduct
behavior that disturbs public peace or order
distinctive feature
a characteristic that clearly sets something apart from others
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
diurnal variation
a pattern of change that occurs over the course of a day
divergent thinker
a person who explores unusual directions and alternative solutions to a problem
divided highway
a road with opposing streams of traffic separated by a central barrier or strip
divine guidance
direction or help believed to come from a god
divine providence
protective care believed to be exercised by a god over human affairs
divine retribution
punishment believed to come from a god in response to wrongdoing
divine revelation
knowledge believed to have been communicated by a god or supernatural power
divorced man
a man whose marriage has legally ended
domestic violence
violent or physically abusive behavior within a family or household
dominant gene
a gene variant whose effect can appear when only one copy is present
dorsal fin
a fin positioned along an aquatic animal's back
Noun + noun(46)
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cutting implement
a tool designed to cut or slice material
cypress tree
an evergreen conifer with small scale-like leaves and rounded cones
daisy chain
a string of daisies joined together by their stems
danger zone
an area where there is a risk of harm
dark adaptation
the process by which the eyes become able to see in dim light
data format
the structure or arrangement used to store or process information
data multiplexer
a device that lets several data sources use a shared transmission channel
daylight saving
the seasonal practice of moving clocks forward to extend evening daylight hours
death instinct
in psychoanalytic theory, an unconscious drive toward one's own death
death penalty
execution imposed as punishment for a criminal offense
debit balance
an account balance in which debits exceed credits and money is owed to the bank
debt ceiling
the maximum amount a government is permitted to borrow
default option
the choice used automatically when a user does not select another one
defense contractor
a company or person hired to develop or manufacture military equipment or systems
deficit spending
government spending financed through borrowing rather than current revenue
delay line
an electronic circuit designed to hold back a signal for a set amount of time
departure tax
a charge imposed on someone leaving a country
depreciation allowance
an amount recognized for the reduction in an asset's value over time
deputy sheriff
an officer authorized to carry out duties on behalf of a sheriff
design criteria
requirements that a proposed design must satisfy
dessert spoon
a spoon between a teaspoon and a tablespoon in size
detention center
a facility where people are held in official custody
deuterium oxide
water containing a high proportion of the heavier hydrogen isotope deuterium
dew point
the temperature at which moisture in the air begins to condense
dialog box
a small temporary computer window requesting information or a choice
diaper rash
irritated skin in the area covered by a baby's diaper
diary keeper
a person who regularly records events or thoughts in a diary
disability benefit
a payment provided to someone because of a disability
disaster area
a region badly affected by a major destructive event
disco music
dance music with a strong regular beat associated with disco clubs
discount rate
an interest rate charged by a central bank on loans to other banks
disk harrow
a soil-working implement fitted with angled metal disks
dive bomber
a military aircraft that drops bombs while descending steeply toward a target
dividend warrant
a payment order issued to a shareholder for a dividend
divorce court
a court that handles the legal ending of marriages
dog biscuit
a hard baked treat made for dogs
doggerel verse
rough or irregular poetry, often written for comic effect
dogwood tree
a tree of the dogwood group, often grown for its conspicuous flowerlike bracts
dollar volume
the total monetary value of sales or other activity expressed in dollars
domino theory
the political idea that communist control of one country would spread to neighboring countries
donkey cart
a small wheeled vehicle pulled by a donkey
door knocker
a fitting on a door that visitors strike to announce their arrival
dorm room
a bedroom in shared residential accommodation, especially for students
dormer window
an upright window projecting from a sloping roof
dormitory room
a sleeping room in a building providing shared accommodation
dot product
the sum of the products of corresponding components of two vectors
Verb + adverb(1)
Verb + preposition/particle(8)
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depend on
to rely on someone or something for support
descend into
to move downward into a lower place
detract from
to reduce the value, appeal, or importance of something
dipped into
to reach briefly into a container or enclosed space
disagree with
to hold a different opinion from someone or about something
disapprove of
to believe that someone or something is wrong or unacceptable
dispense with
to manage without something or decide it is unnecessary
dispose of
to get rid of something or arrange for it to leave your possession