Longman Dictionary English

Explore School Topic Show all entries from Topic: School
Word family noun school pre-school schooling adjective pre-school verb school
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Related topics: School, College, Education, Fish, Animals
schoolschool1 /skuːl/ ●●● S1 W1 noun 1 where children learn [countable, uncountable]SES a place where children are taught His mother always used to pick him up from school.2 time at school [uncountable] a) SESa day’s work at school School begins at 8.30.before/after school I’ll see you after school. b) SESthe time during your life when you go to school He’s one of my old friends from school. Children start school between the ages of four and five.3 university [countable, uncountable] a) American EnglishSEC a college or university, or the time when you study there Their kids are away at school now. She was going to school in Boston. b) SECa department or group of departments that teaches a particular subject at a universityschool of the Harvard School of Public Healthlaw/medical/business/graduate school After two years of medical school, I thought I knew everything.4 one subject [countable]SE a place where a particular subject or skill is taught a language school in Brightonschool of Amwell School of Motoring5 → at school6 → in school7 art [countable]GROUP OF PEOPLE a number of people who are considered as a group because of their similar style of work the Impressionist school 8 → school of thought9 → of/from the old school10 fish [countable]HBFHBA a large group of fish, whales, dolphins etc that are swimming togetherschool of a school of whales► see thesaurus at groupCOLLOCATIONS – Meanings 1 & 2verbsgo to schoolDid you go to school in Paris?attend (a) school formal (=go to a school)Some of the children had not attended school very regularly before.start schoolChildren in Britain start school when they are five.leave schoolHe left school when he was 16.send somebody to schoolHis parents sent him to a private school.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + schoola state school British English, a public school American English (=a school that gets its money from the government)Universities want to encourage more applicants from state schools.a private school (also a public school British English) (=a school where students pay to study)He was educated at a private school.somebody’s old school (=the school someone went to when they were young)He went back to his old school to give a talk to the children.a local school (=a school near where someone lives)They sent their kids to the local school.a boarding school (=a school where children also live and sleep)a day school (=a school where children go during the day but go home in the evenings)The school is both a boarding school and a day school.a nursery school (=for children under 5)an infant school British English (=for children aged 5 to 7)a primary school British English, an elementary school American English (=for children up to 11)Their children are still at primary school.a secondary school (also a high school British English) (=for children from 11 to 16 or 18)a high school American English (=a school for students aged 14 to 18)a comprehensive school British English (=a secondary school for all children)a grammar school British English (=a secondary school for children who have passed an exam when they are 11)school + NOUNschool students (also school pupils British English)Most school students have musical interests of some kind.a school friendShe met some old school friends.a school uniformHe was still wearing his school uniform.the school holidays British EnglishThe trip will take place during the school holidays.the school run British English (=the journey taking children to and from school each day)She had to be back in time for the school run.the school playgroundthe school librarythe school hallthe school busthe school curriculumHead teachers were asked to incorporate road safety education in the school curriculum.school meals/lunches (also school dinners British English)We provide good-quality school meals.a school governor British English (=an elected person who works with teachers to make decisions about how a school is organized)The school governors have appointed a new head teacher.the school board American English (=the group of people who are elected to govern a school or group of schools)The courts have upheld the school board's right to dismiss striking teachers.the school dayMost children are tired at the end of the school day.
Examples from the Corpus
school• Both their kids are away at school now.• Did you have a good day at school?• She must be about 16 - she's still at school.• They're even thinking of closing schools down.• The goals include upgrading teachers' performance and boosting to 90 percent the number of students who graduate from high school.• In high school, he also learned to play the drums, piano and cornet.• The high school signing period begins Feb. 7.• There is no denying the influence of the Impressionist school in his painting.• Kyle is one of the most popular boys in school.• Mary was forty-six and had left school without any educational qualifications.• I always liked school, but my sister hated it.• My mother is a teacher at the local school.• He seems to be very much part of the Marxist school in his approach to politics.• The nearest school was 10 miles away.• I've only been out of school a couple of years, but I've forgotten all the math I learned.• Jake dropped out of school and started working at the bowling alley.• One school of thought argues that introducing stiffer penalties would bring the crime rate down.• Primary schools, it argued, are failing to stretch older children.• Many parents want to send their children to private school because class sizes are smaller.• He argued for the abolition of the public schools, which he says are elitist.• Teachers are complaining that the public schools do not receive adequate funding.• The public schools get the least and the last-the least money, the least equipment, the least of everything.• Oh, they said how heroic he was and the headmaster said all the right things at the school memorial service.• Phil gave up his job, and he's going back to school next year.• All the kids around here take the bus to school.• Jessica's still too young to go to school.• The children were all wearing school uniforms.• The whole school was sorry when she left.before/after school• Joanne's one of my old friends from school.• As a member of the school team Sally was expected to stay behind after school to practise.• Sometimes, it's simply a question of somewhere safe to go after school while parents are working.• He followed the gardeners in the hours before school.• So when they played after school, they improvised by kicking a tennis ball.• I have football practice after school.• Emotional nurturing may occur at family mealtime, snacks after school, or with notes tucked into lunchboxes.• Recently Jason has come into my study after school.• But it wasn't till after school the following afternoon that I found time to go.• She could wait to look for another job until after school started in the fall.school of• a school of whales• the Eastman School of Music• the Harvard School of Businessschoolschool2 verb [transitive] 1 old-fashionedTEACH to train or teach someone to have a certain skill, type of behaviour, or way of thinkingbe schooled in (doing) something She was schooled in hiding her emotions.2 to educate a child→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
school• Though described as a gentleman, and obviously well educated, his birth, parentage, and schooling all remain obscure.• She was starting at zero as she had very poor schooling due to ill health.• Stepping from behind the screen, Isabel schooled her features into an expression of remote serenity.• She eased to a more comfortable position against the angle of the ground and schooled herself to wait.be schooled in (doing) something• She was feeling her loss much more than she revealed; she was schooled in hiding her emotions.• Born in 1930 in Southport, he was schooled in his home town before studying chemistry at Liverpool University.• They are schooled in the politics of division rather than unity.Origin school1 Old English scol, from Latin schola, from Greek schole “discussion, school”
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