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 5281–5376 of 7378 phrases
Verb + noun(1)
Adjective + noun(39)
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anonymous gift
something given by a person whose identity is not disclosed
appreciative laugh
laughter that shows enjoyment or approval of something
artistic invention
the imaginative creation of new forms or ideas in art
attainable goal
an aim that can realistically be reached
auricular confession
a private spoken admission of sins to a priest
authoritative manner
a confident way of behaving that suggests the right to be obeyed
autonomic ganglion
a cluster of nerve cells that relays signals controlling involuntary bodily functions
awesome complexity
an intricacy so great that it inspires wonder or awe
back row
the line of seats or people furthest from the front
barefoot boy
a male child wearing no shoes or socks
bearded iris
an iris with a line of hairlike growths on its drooping outer flower segments
beautiful scenery
natural surroundings that are especially pleasant to look at
benevolent society
an organized group that provides charitable help to people in need
biblical inerrancy
the religious belief that the Bible is free from error
billiard ball
a hard round ball used in cue sports played on a billiard table
bitter sorrow
deep sadness that feels especially painful or hard to accept
black sheep
a sheep whose wool is dark rather than white
boring speech
a formal talk that fails to hold the audience's interest
brash newcomer
a recent arrival who behaves with rude or excessive confidence
breathless interest
attention so eager and excited that someone seems to hold their breath
broad arrow
an arrowhead-shaped mark traditionally used to identify British government property
burdensome task
a piece of work that imposes considerable difficulty or effort
bustling city
a large town full of movement, noise, and energetic activity
capable administrator
a person with the skills needed to manage an organization effectively
careless grace
elegance of movement that seems effortless and unplanned
carnal abuse
a legal term for sexual abuse of a child
caustic remark
a sharply sarcastic comment intended to hurt or criticize
centigrade scale
a temperature scale with water freezing at zero and boiling at one hundred under standard conditions
cerebrospinal fluid
the clear liquid that surrounds and cushions the brain and spinal cord
challenging task
a piece of work difficult enough to test someone's skills
cheerful greeting
a friendly welcome that expresses happiness and good spirits
cheery hello
a bright and friendly spoken greeting
cherished friend
a person whose friendship is deeply valued
childish voice
a way of speaking that sounds like a child's
childlike charm
an appealing quality of innocence, simplicity, or trust associated with children
chronic shortage
a persistent or repeatedly recurring lack of something needed
citywide strike
a work stoppage affecting workers or services throughout a city
clear explanation
an account that makes something easy to understand
coherent argument
a reasoned case whose ideas connect clearly and consistently
Noun + noun(38)
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apple orchard
land planted with apple trees for producing fruit
appointment book
a diary with dated spaces for recording planned meetings
arum lily
a cultivated plant with a large white flower-like sheath surrounding a yellow spike
asparagus bed
a prepared area of garden soil where asparagus plants grow
autumn leaves
the leaves that change color or fall during autumn
banana peel
the outer skin removed from a banana
bass fiddle
the large, low-pitched bowed string instrument also called the double bass
batter bread
a soft cornmeal bread made from batter and eaten with a spoon
beacon light
a coastal guiding light, especially one in a tower warning ships of hazards
bear paw
an almond-flavored pastry shaped to resemble a bear's broad clawed foot
beaver fur
the dense, soft hair covering a beaver, also used as a material
bent grass
a fine grass commonly grown on lawns and putting greens
bile duct
a passage that carries digestive bile from the liver and gallbladder toward the intestine
blood sample
a small amount of blood collected for examination or testing
blush wine
a pale pink wine made by briefly leaving red grape skins in the juice
body image
the way a person thinks and feels about their own physical appearance
booby trap
a concealed explosive device set to detonate when an unsuspecting person disturbs it
book jacket
a removable paper cover that protects a book and carries information about it
bottom fermentation
cool fermentation using yeast that settles low in the liquid, as in lager brewing
breathing apparatus
equipment that helps a person breathe when normal breathing is difficult or impossible
briar patch
an area densely covered with thorny shrubs or vines
brood hen
a female chicken ready to sit on eggs until they hatch
buckwheat cake
a pancake prepared using flour made from buckwheat seeds
bull terrier
a strong, short-haired terrier breed developed from bulldogs and other terriers
bully beef
beef preserved with salt or brine, often supplied in tins
cable car
a passenger vehicle pulled or supported along its route by a cable
calcium carbonate
a calcium salt that occurs naturally in limestone, chalk, and several minerals
calf bone
the fibula, the thinner bone on the outer side of the lower leg
camphor oil
an aromatic oil obtained by distilling material containing camphor
candle flame
the small region of burning gas above a lighted candle's wick
candy cane
a hard sweet shaped like a curved stick, often with colored stripes
carbon atom
a single unit of the chemical element carbon
career ladder
a sequence of increasingly senior positions within a working life
cassava starch
a carbohydrate powder extracted from cassava roots and used to make tapioca
chicken broth
a savory liquid made by simmering chicken in water
chimney corner
a sheltered corner immediately beside a fireplace
cliff diving
the sport of jumping from a cliff into water below
coast redwood
a very tall evergreen redwood native to the foggy Pacific coast of North America
Verb + adverb(8)
-
appear shortly
to become available or visible within a brief time
bent double
bent forward so far that the upper body folds toward the legs
buck up
to become more cheerful, courageous, or determined
buoy up
to support someone's spirits and make them feel more hopeful
came across
communicated a message or impression that other people could understand
cascade down
to fall or flow downward rapidly in large amounts
chip in
to contribute money or effort toward a shared purpose
circle around
to move along a curved route or repeatedly around an area
Adverb + adjective(8)
-
apparently arbitrary
seeming to have been chosen without a clear reason or rule
appropriately dressed
wearing clothes that suit a particular occasion or setting
basically dishonest
fundamentally untruthful or likely to deceive
beautifully dressed
wearing attractive clothes arranged with care
bitterly disappointed
deeply upset because an important hope has not been fulfilled
broadly similar
alike in the main features despite some differences in detail
carefully balanced
positioned or weighted with attention so that neither side tips
clearly evident
easy to notice or recognize without uncertainty