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REFERENCE

club

n. · v.
US //ˈkɫəb// UK //klˈʌb// club
  1. 1 an association (n.)
    A1 Beginner

    a group of people who meet for a shared purpose, like sports or a hobby.

    an association of members joined for a common interest, typically recreational, social, or athletic.

    Example

    She decided to join the local tennis club to meet new people.

    Example

    The university's debating club provides a rigorous environment for students to hone their rhetorical skills and engage with complex political issues.
  2. 2 nightclub (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    a place where people go to dance, listen to music, and drink at night.

    an establishment providing entertainment, typically featuring music and dancing, often operating late into the night.

    Example

    The music at the club was so loud that we had to shout to hear each other.

    Example

    The city's underground electronic music scene is centred around a few exclusive clubs located in the industrial district.
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  1. 3 heavy stick (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a thick, heavy stick used as a weapon or for hitting things.

    a heavy, blunt object, often a wooden stick, intended for use as a weapon or implement.

    Example

    In the movie, the caveman carried a large wooden club.

    Example

    Archaeologists discovered a primitive club carved from dense oak, suggesting it was used for both hunting and tribal defence.
  2. 4 playing cards (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    one of the four groups in a pack of cards, marked with a black clover shape.

    one of the four suits in a standard deck of playing cards, represented by a black trefoil or clover symbol.

    Example

    He played the seven of clubs to win the final round of the game.

    Example

    The dealer revealed the ace of clubs, completing the player's flush and securing the highest possible hand in that round.

  3. 5 shared characteristic (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Humorous

    a group of people who all have the same experience or problem.

    a metaphorical set of people who share a specific, often unenviable, characteristic or experience.

    Example

    If you also lost your keys today, welcome to the club.

    Example

    Having failed the bar exam twice, he felt he had finally joined the club of disillusioned law graduates.
  4. 6 to hit (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to hit someone or something with a heavy stick.

    to strike with a club or a similar heavy, blunt object. Transitive use requiring a direct object.

    Example

    The giant tried to club the hero, but he jumped out of the way.

    Example

    The historical accounts describe how the invaders would club their opponents into submission rather than using blades.
  5. 7 to go to nightclubs (v.)
    B1 Intermediate Informal

    to go out to dance and party at nightclubs.

    to visit nightclubs frequently as a social activity. Intransitive use.

    Example

    They spent the whole weekend clubbing in Berlin.

    Example

    After a week of intense exams, the students went clubbing to celebrate their newfound freedom.
  6. 8 to combine (v.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    to join together with other people to do something or pay for something.

    to combine resources or efforts for a common purpose, often used with 'together'.

    Example

    The neighbours clubbed together to buy a gift for the retiring teacher.

    Example

    The small independent retailers decided to club together to negotiate better rates with the shipping company.

    Usage

    Often used in the phrasal form 'club together'.
Origin

Inherited from Middle English clubbe, from Old Norse klubba, klumba (“cudgel”), from Proto-Germanic *klumpô (“clip, clasp; clump, lump; log, block”). Cognate with English clump, cloud, Latin globus, glomus; and perhaps related to Middle Low German kolve (“bulb”), German Kolben (“butt, bulb, club”).

Word family
Idioms1 entry

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