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 193–288 of 1339 phrases
Adjective + noun (51)
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dramatic irony
a situation where the audience understands something that a character does not
drunken revelry
noisy and uncontrolled celebration involving heavy drinking
dry kiln
a heated chamber used to remove moisture from timber
duplex apartment
an apartment with rooms on two floors connected by an internal staircase
durable goods
products intended to remain usable over a long period
dutch auction
an auction in which the price falls until someone agrees to buy
dynamic system
a system whose condition changes over time
eccentric person
someone whose behavior or personality is noticeably unusual
ecclesiastical province
a territorial division administered by a church authority
eclectic method
an approach that combines useful ideas from different traditions or systems
ecological niche
the role and position of an organism within its environment
ecological succession
the gradual replacement of one biological community by another over time
economic geology
the study of geological materials that have economic value
ecstatic state
a condition of intense religious excitement or trance
elder statesman
an experienced senior political figure whose advice is respected
electoral college
the group of electors that formally chooses the United States president and vice president
electrical relay
a device that uses current in one circuit to switch another circuit
embryonic development
the growth and formation of an organism during its embryo stage
empirical formula
a chemical formula giving the simplest ratio of elements in a compound
epic poetry
long narrative poetry about heroic deeds and major events
equestrian sport
a sport involving riding and controlling horses
essential tremor
a shaking disorder, often affecting the hands, without an identified underlying cause
ethical theory
a system of ideas about what makes actions right or wrong
etymological dictionary
a dictionary explaining where words came from and how they developed
evasive action
a movement or response intended to avoid an opponent or danger
evolutionary trend
a broad direction of change in the development of living organisms
explicit definition
a definition that states directly what a term means
exterior angle
an angle outside a polygon formed by a side and the extension of an adjacent side
extracurricular activity
an organized school activity outside the regular course of lessons
facial gesture
a movement of the face that communicates a feeling or message
fallen arch
a foot arch that has flattened so more of the sole touches the ground
female offspring
a female child or descendant
feminist movement
organized efforts to achieve equal rights and opportunities for women
fetal distress
signs that a fetus may not be coping well, such as an abnormal heart rhythm
financial backing
money or financial support provided to make a project possible
fissionable material
material containing nuclei capable of undergoing nuclear fission
forensic pathology
medical investigation of disease, injury, or death for legal purposes
fourth dimension
the additional coordinate, commonly time, needed with three spatial coordinates to describe an event
free association
a process in which one thought or image leads spontaneously to another
free radical
an atom or group of atoms containing at least one unpaired electron
gala affair
a festive and often formal social occasion
gastric digestion
the breakdown of food, especially proteins, by digestive fluids in the stomach
gastric ulcer
an open sore in the lining of the stomach
general ledger
the main accounting record containing a business's financial accounts
general verdict
a jury's overall decision about which side wins, without separate findings on individual facts
genetic constitution
the particular combination of inherited genetic variants present in an organism
genetic defect
an abnormality in genetic material associated with a disease or disorder
geological formation
a recognizable body or arrangement of rock produced by natural processes
grammatical meaning
meaning conveyed by a word's form or its role in a sentence
greenish yellow
a yellow color with a slight green tint
gross margin
gross profit expressed as a proportion of net sales
Noun + noun (42)
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dray horse
a strong horse used to pull heavy loads
dunce cap
a pointed paper hat formerly used to shame pupils considered slow learners
ebb tide
the outgoing tide as the sea level falls
ebony tree
a tropical tree valued for its hard, dark heartwood
edge enhancement
image processing that makes boundaries between areas appear more distinct
ejection seat
an aircraft seat that can propel its occupant out during an emergency
electron volt
a unit of energy gained by an electron moving through a potential difference of one volt
encounter group
a gathering where people share feelings to improve mutual understanding
epoxy resin
a resin that hardens to form strong adhesives, coatings, or composite materials
escalator clause
a contract provision that adjusts payments when specified conditions change
excise tax
a tax charged on specified goods or transactions rather than on general income or property
execution speed
the rate at which a computer carries out instructions
experimenter bias
an influence on research results caused by a researcher's expectations
extension service
a program through which a college or university provides education beyond its enrolled students
fat metabolism
the processes by which the body breaks down and uses fats
feedback loop
a connection that sends part of a system's output back into its input
fiber optics
technology that carries information as light through thin glass fibers
flank attack
an attack directed at the side of an opposing force
flick knife
a folding knife whose blade opens by a spring when a button is pressed
flint glass
a type of optical glass that strongly bends and separates light
florist shop
a shop selling flowers and decorative plants
foam rubber
rubber containing many small air spaces, making it soft and springy
fossil fuel
a fuel such as coal or oil formed from ancient organic material
fragmentation bomb
a bomb designed to scatter fragments when it explodes
freezing mixture
a mixture used to produce a temperature below water's normal freezing point
frequency modulation
encoding a signal by varying the frequency of a carrier wave
fruit compote
a dessert of fruit cooked gently until softened
fudge sauce
a thick, rich chocolate sauce, usually served warm
funnel shape
a form that widens at one end and narrows toward the other
fusion cooking
cooking that combines ingredients or techniques from different culinary traditions
gable roof
a roof with two slopes meeting along a ridge and triangular end walls
gambling casino
a venue where people play games for money
garden trowel
a small hand tool with a pointed blade for digging and planting
gem cutter
a craftsperson who cuts and shapes precious stones
glide slope
the downward path an aircraft follows when approaching a landing
glove compartment
a small storage space built into a car's dashboard
gondola car
an open-topped railway freight wagon with fixed sides
goose bump
a small raised area of skin produced when cold or emotion makes a hair stand up
graduation exercise
an academic ceremony at which students receive their diplomas
granny knot
an insecure knot resembling a reef knot but crossed incorrectly
grape arbor
a framework that supports grapevines and forms a shaded passage or shelter
graph theory
the mathematical study of networks made of vertices connected by edges