ENGLISH
REFERENCE

binoculars

n. plural-only
B1 Intermediate US //bəˈnɑkjəɫɝz// UK //bɪnˈɒkjʊləz// binoc·u·lars

n. a tool with two lenses that you hold to your eyes to see things far away. It makes distant objects look much larger and clearer.

n. an optical instrument consisting of two small telescopes joined together, used for viewing distant objects with both eyes simultaneously.


SIMPLE

I used my binoculars to watch the birds in the trees.

CONTEXTUAL

From the top of the cliff, she used her binoculars to spot the small boat on the horizon.

COMPLEX

Amateur astronomers often prefer high-quality binoculars for wide-field observations of the night sky, as they provide a more natural depth of field than a single-lens telescope.

Origin

Abbreviation of "binocular glass".

Usage

Pluralia tantum — takes a plural verb and is often used with the phrase 'a pair of'.

Pitfall

I bought a binocular.I bought a pair of binoculars.Binoculars is a plural-only noun; you must use 'a pair of' to refer to a single unit.

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