Phrases
10,000+ English phrases, collocations, and idioms, tagged by the CEFR level of the vocabulary they contain. Start with A1 — phrases built from the most common words.
New
Mastered
Showing 1249–1344 of 1744 phrases
Adjective + noun (49)
-
lower jaw
the movable jaw below the upper teeth
lyric poem
a short poem expressing personal feeling with a songlike quality
male sibling
a brother
mass extinction
the disappearance of a very large number of species over a relatively short geological period
mathematical textbook
a textbook that teaches mathematics
medical community
people connected through the practice or study of medicine
memorial park
a landscaped cemetery designed as a peaceful place of remembrance
military academy
an institution that trains people to become armed-forces officers
miniature camera
a camera built much smaller than an ordinary one
naked ambition
a strong desire for success or power that is openly displayed
new breed
a newly emerging kind of person or organization with distinctive characteristics
noticeable lack
an absence or shortage that is easy to observe
numerous times
on many separate occasions
organic debris
loose waste or remains derived from living things
overwhelming joy
happiness so intense that it is difficult to contain
particular individual
one specific person considered separately from others
personal hygiene
practices that keep a person's body and clothing clean
playful squeeze
a gentle press or clasp intended as friendly fun
polar continent
a continent situated around one of the Earth's poles
popular appreciation
recognition or enjoyment of something by the wider public
prominent citizen
a well-known and influential member of a community
purple sage
a Californian sage plant with silvery leaves and purple flowers
raging toothache
very intense pain in or around a tooth
red deer
a large deer common in temperate parts of Europe and Asia
representative government
a system in which elected people make decisions on behalf of the population
respectable sum
an amount of money large enough to be considered satisfactory or substantial
rough similarity
a broad resemblance that does not extend to every detail
rusty iron
iron whose surface has developed a reddish-brown corrosion layer
sacred mosque
a mosque regarded with special religious reverence
scotch whiskey
whiskey produced in Scotland
shameful conduct
behavior that deserves strong disapproval or disgrace
sharp crease
a clearly defined, narrow fold or line in fabric
significant episode
an event or section of a story that has an important effect
sincere friendship
a relationship based on genuine affection and honest goodwill
sophisticated lifestyle
a way of living associated with refined tastes and cultural experience
sorry excuse
a very poor or unconvincing reason offered to justify something
sour cherry
a cherry with a sharp acidic taste, often used in cooking
speedy decline
a rapid fall in strength, condition, value, or success
strategic importance
value because of a strong effect on a long-term plan or overall objective
stray bullet
a bullet that travels away from its intended target or path
stressed syllable
a syllable pronounced with greater emphasis than the others nearby
suspicious stranger
an unfamiliar person whose behavior causes concern or mistrust
swift current
a flow of water moving at high speed
sympathetic companion
a person whose company feels agreeable because of shared tastes and temperament
systematic study
a careful examination carried out according to an organized method
technological society
a community whose work and everyday life depend heavily on technology
tender age
a very young age, especially when someone is inexperienced or vulnerable
thoughtful essay
an essay that shows careful and serious consideration of its subject
tidal wave
an overwhelming surge of an emotion, response, or activity
Noun + noun (27)
-
monarch butterfly
a large American butterfly with orange wings marked in black and white
mule driver
a person who guides or controls working mules
nerve ending
a terminal part of a nerve fiber, often specialized to detect a stimulus
oil burner
a heating device that burns oil as fuel
pay envelope
an envelope containing a worker's wages
peacock blue
a rich blue shade with a green tint
pearl millet
a tall cereal grass cultivated for its small edible grains and animal feed
piano stool
a backless seat used by someone playing a piano
pigeon pea
an edible seed from a tropical legume widely grown as a food crop
pot roast
a cut of beef intended for slow cooking with liquid in a covered pot
potato pancake
a pancake made mainly from grated potato, typically bound with egg and flour
revival meeting
a religious gathering intended to renew faith and enthusiasm
river dolphin
a long-snouted dolphin that usually lives in freshwater rivers
rock dove
the gray pigeon with dark wing bars from which domestic pigeons descend
salt cod
cod preserved by salting
screw thread
the spiral raised ridge around a screw
shin bone
the large bone at the front of the lower leg, called the tibia
shooting gallery
an enclosed place where people shoot at targets for practice or entertainment
slave trader
a person who buys and sells enslaved people
sled dog
a dog trained to pull a sled over snow or ice
sleeping tablet
a small solid medicine intended to help a person fall asleep
smash hit
a work or product that becomes extremely popular and successful
specialty store
a shop that concentrates on one particular kind of product
sperm whale
a large toothed whale whose head contains the waxy substance spermaceti
storm drain
a drain that carries rainwater away from streets or other surfaces
tartar sauce
a mayonnaise-based sauce with chopped pickles and sometimes capers or herbs, often served with fish
thumb index
a set of cut-out marks along a book's page edges that helps locate sections quickly
Verb + adverb (6)
-
look critically
to examine something carefully and assess its strengths and weaknesses
reproduce sexually
to produce offspring through the joining of reproductive cells
set forth
to state or explain information in an orderly way
soaking up
taking liquid into a material so that it becomes absorbed
stake out
to mark the boundaries or route of something with posts
swallow up
to surround or cover something completely so that it disappears from view
Adverb + adjective (13)
-
mildly interested
showing a small degree of curiosity or attention
officially responsible
formally assigned the duty to manage or answer for something
otherwise hopeless
having no prospect of success without the exception or help being mentioned
particularly bothersome
more annoying or troublesome than usual or than other things
permanently disabled
having a disability expected to continue indefinitely
potentially offensive
capable of causing insult or upset even if no complaint has yet occurred
previously unquestioned
accepted without challenge before the present change or discovery
properly balanced
arranged so that different parts are in suitable proportion
readily accessible
easy to understand or use without substantial difficulty
regularly shaped
having an even or consistent form rather than an irregular outline
socially unpopular
not well liked by the people in one's social circle
still blooming
continuing to produce flowers at the time being described
strikingly absent
missing in a way that is especially noticeable