From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcliffcliff /klɪf/ ●●○ noun [countable] DNa large area of rock or a mountain with a very steep side, often at the edge of the sea or a riverCOLLOCATIONSadjectiveshigh/lowThe cliffs here are the highest in Britain.steep (=sloping at a high angle)The cliffs were steep and dangerous.a sheer/vertical cliff (=straight up and down rather than sloping)Sheer cliffs defend the island.a sea cliffThe birds breed mainly on sea cliffs and in sea caves.a coastal cliffHere the coastal cliffs are low, jutting out into the sea.a rocky cliffThe forest stops where a rocky cliff falls to a saltwater lagoon.a craggy/jagged cliff (=with a lot of sharp rocks)This is an area of spectacular gorges and jagged cliffs.a rugged cliff (=rough and uneven)Huge Atlantic waves were breaking against the rugged cliffs.a towering cliff (=very high)the towering cliffs of Gibraltarchalk/limestone/granite cliffsWhite chalk cliffs rose up from the sea.cliff + NOUNa cliff face (=a steep surface or side of a cliff)Some climbers were scrambling up the steep cliff face.a cliff edgeKeep away from the cliff edge.a cliff topThere was a lovely view from the cliff top.a cliff ledge (=a flat narrow piece that sticks out from a cliff)Some of the goats were even grazing on the cliff ledges.a cliff pathI followed the cliff path down to the bay.a cliff walk (=a walk along cliffs)Shall we do the cliff walk this morning?phrasesbe perched (high) on a cliff (=be situated on a cliff)An 11th century castle is perched high on the cliff.
Examples from the Corpus
cliff• It has bushy cliffs on both sides that lean like hairy ghosts over the unknown waters.• Just before he and the camera take a dig over like a thirty foot cliff.• Maritime cliff Armeria maritima - Ligusticum scoticum maritime rock crevice community.• He could see cliffs and a distant wash of white.• If her eyes had been open, she would have seen Zeno heading for the cliff path.• We fell asleep listening to the surf chisel away at the foot of the cliff below.• He ran off the cliff and leapt into the air.• So I went across and shot one of the guys and the other chopper landed on the cliff.CliffCliff an informal name for Cliff RichardOrigin cliff Old English clif 