From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishplantplant1 /plɑːnt $ plænt/ ●●● S2 W1 noun 1 living thing [countable]HBP a living thing that has leaves and roots and grows in earth, especially one that is smaller than a tree Don’t forget to water the plants. → houseplant2 factory [countable]TIF a factory or building where an industrial process happens a huge chemical plant → power plant3 machinery [uncountable] British EnglishTI heavy machinery that is used in industrial processes a plant hire business4 something hidden [countable usually singular]GUILTY something illegal or stolen that is hidden in someone’s clothes or possessions to make them seem guilty of a crime5 person [countable]SPY someone who is put somewhere or sent somewhere secretly to find out informationCOLLOCATIONSADJECTIVES/NOUN + plantrareMany rare plants were collected from India and China.commonThese plants are common in British gardens.wild plantsMany wild plants are in danger of dying out.garden plants (=plants that are grown in gardens)These butterflies feed on the flowers of several garden plants.exotic/tropical plantsExotic plants can be grown in a greenhouse.medicinal plants (=plants that can be used in medicine)A lot of research into medicinal plants and traditional remedies has now been carried out.a potted/pot plant British English (=a plant that is grown in a container)He leaves his house key under the potted plant on the porch.a house plant (=a plant grown in a pot in the house)These make excellent house plants.a climbing plant (=one that grows up things)The wall was covered with climbing plants.a trailing plant (=one that grows along the ground or hangs down)a tomato/potato/bean etc plantBean plants are easy to grow.poisonousWhat should you do if your child has eaten a poisonous plant?verbsa plant growsThe plant grows to a height of about 20 inches.a plant thrives/flourishes (=grows well)A lot of plants thrive in partial shade.a plant flowersThe plants are flowering earlier this year.grow a plantIt is not an easy plant to grow.water a plantHe could see her watering the plants in her small garden.a plant withers (=becomes drier and starts to die)plant + NOUNplant life (=plants)All but the dirtiest of rivers support some plant life.plant materialThey feed on decaying plant material.THESAURUSplant a living thing that has leaves and roots and grows in earth, especially one that is smaller than a treeDon’t forget to water the plants.Plants grow towards the sun.Botanists examined plant species from around the world.herb a small plant that is used to improve the taste of food, or to make medicineSprinkle the dish with chopped fresh herbs.medicinal herbs (=used as medicine)The shop sells an interesting range of herbs and spices.weed a wild plant growing where it is not wanted that prevents crops or garden flowers from growing properlyShe was pulling up weeds in her garden.Herbicides can be used to prevent and control weeds.bulb a root shaped like a ball that grows into a flower or plantShe planted hundreds of daffodil bulbs.shrub a small bush with several woody stemsflowering shrubsRosemary is an evergreen shrub.
plants/seedsHBPGROW PLANTS, VEGETABLES ETC to put plants or seeds in the ground to grow Residents have helped us plant trees. We’ve planted tomatoes and carrots in the garden.plant a field/garden/area etc (with something) a hillside planted with fir trees2 put something somewhere [always + adverb/preposition] informalPUT to put something firmly in or on something elseplant something in/on etc something He came up to her and planted a kiss on her cheek. She planted her feet firmly to the spot and refused to move.3 hide illegal goods informalSCC to hide stolen or illegal goods in someone’s clothes, bags, room etc in order to make them seem guilty of a crimeplant something on somebody She claims that the police planted the drugs on her.4 → plant a bomb5 personSPY to put or send someone somewhere, especially secretly, so that they can find out information The police had planted undercover detectives at every entrance.6 → plant an idea/doubt/suspicion (in somebody’s mind) → plant something ↔ out→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
plant• Carlson swore to the police that the drugs were a plant.• an aluminum plant• The usual amount of organic detritus produced by the fish and plants will be sufficient for its growth.• He concluded by asking Miller for one little root of Ixia, or other bulbous plant from the Cape.• Perhaps difficulty in obtaining natron through the traditionally established routes triggered the use of halophytic plants instead.• a KGB plant in the Washington establishment• Unlike most land plants, aquatic plants are not dependent solely on nutrition obtained through the root system.• In Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, gunmen reportedly seized 30 workers at an electrical power plant.• When I do fertilize the plants you mention, I use a high-phosphorus fertilizer.• They also tend to survive burial in conditions that destroy the rest of the plant.• a tomato plant• The triumphant plant, a combination of lichen and cactus, certainly would look weird to the eyes of man.plantplant2 ●●○ verb [transitive] 1 plants/seedsHBPGROW PLANTS, VEGETABLES ETC to put plants or seeds in the ground to grow Residents have helped us plant trees. We’ve planted tomatoes and carrots in the garden.plant a field/garden/area etc (with something) a hillside planted with fir trees2 put something somewhere [always + adverb/preposition] informalPUT to put something firmly in or on something elseplant something in/on etc something He came up to her and planted a kiss on her cheek. She planted her feet firmly to the spot and refused to move.3 hide illegal goods informalSCC to hide stolen or illegal goods in someone’s clothes, bags, room etc in order to make them seem guilty of a crimeplant something on somebody She claims that the police planted the drugs on her.4 → plant a bomb5 personSPY to put or send someone somewhere, especially secretly, so that they can find out information The police had planted undercover detectives at every entrance.6 → plant an idea/doubt/suspicion (in somebody’s mind) → plant something ↔ out→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
plant• How many large areas of coniferous forest have been planted?• The police found the stolen cameras in his flat, but he insisted they had been planted.• They planted an oak tree in the middle of the field.• He accused the police of planting evidence.• It seemed that he had a foot planted firmly on both sides of the generation gap.• Delphiniums and hollyhocks are planted in the sun to give colour and height.• Towards the end of March, the potatoes can be planted outside in the ground.• With planting season approaching, all sides agree that farmers need to know what government programs will be.• Perhaps the native rainbows outlasted their planted sisters and brothers, he argued.• It turned out the security services had planted the documents in his luggage.• Someone planted the drugs on her before she left the country.• Before you plant the seeds, prepare the soil carefully.• About a dozen school children helped plant trees in the park.• He said the ground is planted with sensors that detect footsteps.plant a field/garden/area etc (with something)• I went there every day, planted a garden, cleaned up the fields and prepared for next yearns crop.• The view swept down to a small valley with church spires, orderly farms, and freshly planted fields.• They marched directly to the native plants garden and knew exactly what to begin looking for.plant something on somebody• Someone must have planted the drugs on her.From Longman Business Dictionaryplantplant /plɑːntplænt/ nounMANUFACTURING1[uncountable] the machinery and equipment used in an industrial process or activityThere is a desperate need to rebuild the stock of productive plant and equipment in this country.2[countable] a factory or building where an industrial process takes place or a product is madea chemical plantThe Japanese car company plans to spend $600 million on a new engine plant.a nuclear power plant → assembly plant → fabrication plant → manufacturing plant → packing plantOrigin plant1 Old English plante, from Latin planta “new growth on a plant, part cut off a plant to be grown again” plant2 Old English plantian, from Latin plantare, from planta; → PLANT1 