English Reference
noun · verb

garage

n. · v.
US /ɡɝˈɑʒ/ UK /ɡˈæɹɪdʒ/ garage UK spelling garages

  1. 01 A1 Beginner

    n.a building or part of a house where you park a car.

    n.a structure or indoor space designed for the storage of one or more motor vehicles.

    Simple

    He parked the car in the garage and closed the heavy door.

    In context

    The homeowner converted the detached garage into a functional workshop, though it meant parking the family sedan on the driveway instead.

    carport
  2. 02 A2 Elementary

    n.a place where mechanics fix cars.

    n.a commercial establishment where motor vehicles are serviced and repaired.

    Simple

    I need to take my car to the garage because the brakes are making a noise.

    In context

    The local garage has a reputation for honest pricing and efficient service, making it the preferred choice for residents in the valley.

    repair shopservice station
  3. 03 B1 Intermediate British English

    n.a place where you buy fuel for your car.

    n.a retail facility for the sale of fuel and often basic convenience goods.

    Simple

    We stopped at a small garage on the motorway to fill up the tank.

    In context

    In rural areas, the local garage often serves as the only point of contact for fuel, groceries, and post office services.

    petrol stationgas station
  4. 04 B2 Upper Intermediate British English Music

    n.a style of fast electronic dance music that started in the UK.

    n.a genre of electronic dance music characterised by syncopated rhythms and time-stretched vocal samples.

    Simple

    The club played a mix of house and garage all night long.

    In context

    The producer rose to fame during the late nineties by blending traditional garage beats with soulful R&B melodies.

    UK garage
  5. 05 B2 Upper Intermediate Music

    n.a raw style of rock music played by amateur bands.

    n.a raw and energetic style of rock and roll, typically associated with amateur bands rehearsing in domestic garages.

    Simple

    They started a garage band in high school and played at local parties.

    In context

    The documentary explores the influence of sixties garage rock on the subsequent development of the punk movement.

    garage rock
  6. 06 C1 Advanced Formal

    v.to put or keep a car in a garage.

    v.to place or maintain a vehicle within a garage for storage or protection.

    Simple

    The vintage car is garaged during the winter to protect it from the snow.

    In context

    The collector meticulously garaged his fleet of classic sports cars in a climate-controlled facility to prevent any risk of oxidation.

    Usage

    The verb is transitive and often used in the passive voice when discussing long-term storage is implied.


Borrowed from French garage (“keeping under cover, protection, shelter”), derivative of French garer (“to keep under cover, dock, shunt, guard, keep”), from Middle French garer, garrer, guerrer; partly from Old French garir, warir (from Old Frankish warjan); and partly from Old French varer (“to fight, defend oneself, protect”), from Old Norse varask (“to defend oneself”), reflexive of vara (“to ware, watch out, defend”); both ultimately from Proto-Germanic warjaną (“to defend, ward off”), warōną (“to watch, protect”), from Proto-Indo-European wer- (“to close, cover, protect, save, defend”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin ine-pro *wer-
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Common
Updated