From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishartart1 /ɑːt $ ɑːrt/ ●●● S1 W1 noun 1 [uncountable]ART/CULTURE the use of painting, drawing, sculpture etc to represent things or express ideas the Museum of Modern Art in New York an example of early Indian art2 [plural, uncountable]ART/CULTURE objects that are produced by art, such as paintings, drawings etc an art exhibition an art critic an arts and crafts fair The exhibition features works of art by Picasso and Matisse.3 [uncountable]ART/CULTURE the skill of drawing or painting He’s very good at art. an art teacher art college4 → the arts5 → arts6 [countable, uncountable]GOOD AT the ability or skill involved in doing or making something Television is ruining the art of conversation. Writing advertisements is quite an art (=it is difficult to do).have/get something down to a fine art (=do something very well) I’ve got the early morning routine down to a fine art.THESAURUStypes of artmodern art art from the late 19th century until nowI’m not very keen on modern art.contemporary art art that is being created nowan exhibition of contemporary artWestern art art in Europe and North AmericaVelasquez was one of the greatest figures in the history of Western art.fine art art, especially painting, which is made to be beautiful or affect your emotions, rather than to be usefulShe wants to study fine art at college.the Royal Academy of Fine Artsabstract art paintings or images that consist of shapes or lines which do not look like people, places, or objectsit’s almost impossible for any artist not to be influenced by Picasso’s abstract art.figurative art art that shows pictures of people, places, or objectsIn this country, we always feel more comfortable with figurative art. conceptual art a type of modern art, which shows ideas about the worldIn conceptual art, the idea behind the work of art holds as much importance as the artwork itself.applied art the use of artistic principles in the design of objects and images for people to use. This includes subjects such as fashion, jewellery design, architecture, and photography Van de Velde taught at the new school of applied art.primitive art art by people who live in societies where there is a very simple way of life and no modern technology or industryThe interest in primitive art came about largely through the work of Gauguin.pop art art that shows ordinary objects that you find in people’s homes, which was made popular in the 1960s by artists such as Andy WarholThe relationship of advertising to art was part of the pop art phenomenon in the 1960s.the visual arts painting, sculpture, and other art forms that you look at, not literature or musicThe approach to the visual arts has changed in the last two decades.the decorative arts the design and production of beautiful things for the home, such as furniture, pottery, and clothThe exhibition will also cover the decorative arts.the performing arts dance, music, or drama, done to entertain peopleSan Diego’s School for the Creative and Performing Arts the plastic arts art that involves producing objects such as sculptures or potsthe decline of the plastic arts in the fifth centuryperformance art a type of art that can combine acting, dance, and other actions to express an ideaIt will be a mixture of live performance art, music and poetry in an informal club setting. Grammar• You use art when talking in general about paintings, drawings etc: She believes that art should be beautiful. ✗Don’t say: She believes that the art should be beautiful.• You use art when talking about a particular type of art: He is fond of modern art. ✗Don’t say: He is fond of the modern art.• You use the art of when talking about the paintings, drawings etc that were produced in a particular place, or at a particular time: There is an exhibition of the art of nineteenth-century Italy. • You also often use the art of when talking about the skill of doing something: He is an expert in the art of lying.
Examples from the Corpus
art• art class• Art critics were not impressed by the collection.• Many people find it difficult to understand abstract art.• Phil has turned sandwich-making into an art.• an art exhibit• Ben was always good at art.• The statue is a fine example of early Christian art.• Hamilton, who was a great student of folk art, was driving us in the school van.• Too late for art and too late for the denial of art.• He gave art an openly political meaning and did not appreciate the artist as an individual dissenting voice.• Nelson was hired this school year to help infuse art into the school's curriculum.• There was an exhibition of Adams' paintings at the Museum of Modern Art.• Starling was not only posted on art, he had read books.• Creative collaboration occurs in other arts as well.• Is a pile of bricks in a museum really art?• I studied art at school.• The self-defence side of the art is perhaps self-explanatory.• I could tour it just like a normal album but I could use the art circuit as kind of a base audience.works of art• Irrespective of the validity of the architectural content, the model and drawings are works of art in themselves.• In general, then, decoration became outlawed as buildings without ornament were seen as works of art in their own right.• When I was at college in the late I95Os, works of art were considered things of beauty.• I made some modest remarks about the social and political meanings encoded in works of art.• The main function of scholarship surely lies in keeping alive the wonderful minds, works of art and thought of earlier generations.• Evaluating the evidence, it demonstrated substantial storage by Capricorn of works of art on the premises in London.• This amount has to pay the salaries of 160 employees, leaving little for the purchase of works of art.• From whatever standpoint or philosophy, works of art can never be judged as essential to basic living.is quite an art• There is quite an art in scattering the pennies so that they do not hurt the children.artart2 verb old-fashioned or biblical → thou artOrigin art1 (1200-1300) Old French Latin ars art2 Old English eart 