From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpetrolpet‧rol /ˈpetrəl/ ●●● S3 noun [uncountable] British EnglishTP a liquid obtained from petroleum that is used to supply power to the engine of cars and other vehicles SYN gasoline American English unleaded petrol petrol prices The petrol tank is leaking.COLLOCATIONSphrasesa litre of petrola tankful/tank of petrol (=the amount of petrol that you need to fill up a car)He bought a tankful of petrol.petrol + NOUNa petrol station (=a place where you take your car to fill it with petrol)We'd better stop at the next petrol station.a petrol pump (=a machine for putting petrol into cars at a petrol station)the petrol tank (=the part of a car where you put the petrol)The petrol tank was nearly empty.a petrol tanker (=a vehicle used for carrying petrol)verbsfill (a vehicle) up with petrolShe stopped to fill up with petrol.run out of petrolThey ran out of petrol some miles from their destination.run on petrolMany older vehicles have been converted to run on unleaded petrol.use petrolTry to cut your motoring costs and use less petrol.adjectivesunleaded petrol (=petrol that does not contain lead)leaded petrol (=petrol that contains lead)
Examples from the Corpus
petrol• Police said they were investigating the incident as a petrol bombing.• It was seven miles away and petrol was still rationed.• The reaction was serious rioting and attacks on the police involving petrol bombs, bricks, and stones.• He was conscious of feeling cold in the van and of the unpleasant smell of petrol.• The stench of petrol urged them on.• At Carcassonne she found she was running out of her precious petrol coupons.• The defendants were held to have been negligent in selling the child the petrol but the child was not contributorily negligent.Origin petrol (1500-1600) French pétrole, from Medieval Latin petroleum; → PETROLEUM 