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.
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Showing 1–96 of 1339 phrases
Verb + noun (5)
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brandish a weapon
to wave or display a weapon in a threatening or aggressive manner
herald the beginning
To announce or proclaim the arrival of a new phase, often with grandeur
retain a client
to keep a client continuing to use a service over time
stifle a cry
muffle or choke back a cry
venture a guess
to offer a tentative or cautious answer
Adjective + noun (35)
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agonizing wait
a wait that causes great psychological distress because the outcome matters so much
compelling evidence
evidence that is highly persuasive and very difficult to ignore
consensual sex
sex that both parties have freely and clearly agreed to
conventional arms
non-nuclear weapons such as guns, artillery, and tanks
doting husband
a husband who is excessively attentive and affectionate
premarital sex
sex between people who are not married to each other
underlying cause
the less obvious, deeper reason behind a problem or behaviour
abnormal psychology
the study of unusual patterns of thought and behavior, including mental disorders
absolute monarch
a ruler whose governing power is not limited by a constitution or parliament
actual possession
direct physical control of property rather than a right to control it
acute appendicitis
inflammation of the appendix that develops suddenly
acute leukemia
a form of leukemia that develops and progresses quickly
adjustable wrench
a tool with a movable jaw that can grip nuts of different sizes
amphibious aircraft
an aircraft designed to operate from both water and land
anatomical structure
the physical form and arrangement of a part of a living organism
animate being
a living creature capable of moving by its own activity
apparent motion
the illusion of movement created by showing still images in quick succession
appellate court
a court that reviews decisions made by a lower court
architectural ornament
a decorative feature added to a building
athletic supporter
a garment that supports the male genitals during vigorous physical activity
atmospheric electricity
electrical activity and discharges in the air surrounding the Earth
atypical pneumonia
a type of pneumonia that can be caused by mycoplasma
authoritarian regime
a government that concentrates power and does not answer freely to the public
barometric pressure
air pressure measured with a barometer
benign tumor
an abnormal growth of tissue that is not cancer
biochemical profile
a set of measurements describing chemical substances in a biological sample
bisexual person
a person who experiences sexual attraction to more than one gender
black rhinoceros
a large African rhinoceros with two horns, belonging to a species threatened with extinction
botanical garden
a public or research garden where many kinds of plants are grown and displayed
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
capitalist economy
an economic system in which capital and businesses are mainly privately owned
cardiac output
the volume of blood the heart pumps in a given amount of time
cellular respiration
chemical processes within cells that release usable energy from nutrients
Noun + noun (49)
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access time
the delay between requesting stored computer data and receiving it
accommodation ladder
a portable ladder hung beside a ship to let people board from smaller boats
acquisition agreement
a contract setting the terms for one company to acquire another
activation energy
the energy needed to start a physical or chemical process
agony column
a newspaper or magazine feature offering advice about readers' personal problems
air piracy
the unlawful seizure or hijacking of an aircraft
air raid
an attack on a target from military aircraft
allocation unit
a block of storage space assigned to hold part of a computer file
ammunition chest
a sturdy container used to hold ammunition
anchorage ground
an area of water where vessels can anchor
angler fish
a fish that uses a lure near its mouth to attract prey
appropriation bill
a proposed law authorizing public money to be spent for specified purposes
arena theater
a theater with audience seating around several sides of the stage
attrition rate
the speed at which a group becomes smaller through gradual losses
audit program
a plan listing the checks and procedures needed for an audit
aviation medicine
the medical study of how flying affects the body and how related disorders are managed
axle grease
a thick lubricant used on vehicle axles
baritone horn
a brass wind instrument with a low musical range
base pair
two chemical bases joined together between complementary strands of DNA or RNA
batch processing
running a collection of computer jobs together as a scheduled group
bean sprout
a young shoot from a germinating bean, used as food
bedroom suite
a matching set of furniture intended for a bedroom
behavior modification
a therapeutic approach that changes learned actions by changing their consequences
bench vise
a tool fixed to a workbench that grips material between two jaws
bird nest
a structure a bird builds or uses to hold eggs and shelter its young
blood circulation
the movement of blood through the heart and blood vessels
blood donor
a person who gives blood for use in someone else's medical treatment
body louse
a small parasitic insect that lives on people and feeds on their blood
boulder clay
a mixture of clay, stones, and other material left behind by a glacier
bracket creep
movement into a higher income-tax band as nominal earnings increase
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
bride price
money or property given by a groom or his family to the bride's family in certain marriage traditions
bulk mail
large quantities of similar mail sent together, often at a reduced postal rate
bunch grass
grass that grows in separate clumps instead of covering the ground in a continuous layer
burial garment
a cloth covering placed around a person's body before burial
butter churn
a container or machine that turns cream into butter by repeatedly agitating it
cadmium yellow
a yellow pigment containing cadmium compounds, available in several shades
canon law
the written rules governing the organization and conduct of a Christian church
canvas tent
a tent made from strong canvas fabric
capital expenditure
money spent to acquire or improve assets intended for long-term use
carbon dating
estimating the age of once-living material by measuring its radioactive carbon
cargo helicopter
a helicopter designed or used to transport goods
carpenter ant
an ant that makes tunnels in wood for its nest
casement window
a window with a hinged frame that swings open
cash basis
an accounting method that records transactions when money is actually received or paid
cathode ray
a stream of electrons coming from the negative electrode in a discharge tube
cattle grid
metal bars across a road opening that vehicles can cross but cattle generally avoid
cauliflower ear
an outer ear that has become thickened and misshapen after injury