a story long enough to fill a complete book, in which the characters and events are usually imaginary to write/publish/read a novel detective/historical/romantic novels the novels of Jane Austen Wordfinderbookbiography, blockbuster, book, character, editor, narrator, novel, plot, publish, title CollocationsLiteratureBeing a writer write/publish literature/poetry/fiction/a book/a story/a poem/a novel/a review/an autobiography become a writer/novelist/playwright find/have a publisher/an agent have a new book out edit/revise/proofread a book/text/manuscript dedicate a book/poem to…Plot, character and atmosphere construct/create/weave/weave something into a complex narrative advance/drive the plot introduce/present the protagonist/a character describe/depict/portray a character (as…)/(somebody as) a hero/villain create an exciting/a tense atmosphere build/heighten the suspense/tension evoke/capture the pathos of the situation convey emotion/an idea/an impression/a sense of… engage the reader seize/capture/grip the (reader’s) imagination arouse/elicit emotion/sympathy (in the reader) lack imagination/emotion/structure/rhythmLanguage, style and imagery use/employ language/imagery/humour/(especially US English) humor/an image/a symbol/a metaphor/a device use/adopt/develop a style/technique be rich in/be full of symbolism evoke images of…/a sense of…/a feeling of… create/achieve an effect maintain/lighten the tone introduce/develop an idea/a theme inspire a novel/a poet/somebody’s work/somebody’s imaginationReading and criticism read an author/somebody’s work/fiction/poetry/a text/a poem/a novel/a chapter/a passage review a book/a novel/somebody’s work give something/get/have/receive a good/bad review be hailed (as)/be recognized as a masterpiece quote a(n) phrase/line/stanza/passage/author provoke/spark discussion/criticism study/interpret/understand a text/passage translate somebody’s work/a text/a passage/a novel/a poem Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivehardback, hardcover, paperback, … … of a novelcopy verb + novelproduce, write, publish, … novel + verbbe based on something, be set, take place, … prepositionnovel about See full entry See related entries: Types of text Word Originnoun mid 16th cent.: from Italian novella (storia) ‘new (story)’, feminine of novello ‘new’, from Latin novellus, from novus ‘new’. The word is also found from late Middle English until the 18th cent. in the sense ‘a novelty, a piece of news’, from Old French novelle, from Latin novellus, from novus ‘new’.Extra examples Her first novel was finally accepted for publication. I took a copy of a Graham Greene novel on the train with me. One day I’m going to write the great American novel. Samuel Richardson’s novels are all epistolary in form. She completed her first novel at the age of 53. The novel was based on a true life story. The novel was set in a small town in France. a novel about growing up a prize for the best first novel of the year adapting the novel for television his critically acclaimed novel the events that inspired the novel His first novel was published in 1934. detective/historical/romantic novels
Check pronunciation: novel
