gem
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.a precious stone, such as a diamond or emerald, that is cut and polished for jewelry.
n.a precious or semi-precious stone, especially one that has been cut and polished for use in ornamentation.
Simple“The museum has a famous collection of rare gems from around the world.”
In context“The crown was encrusted with hundreds of small gems, each meticulously cut to catch the light from every angle.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
n.someone or something that is very helpful, valuable, or impressive.
n.a person or thing held in high esteem or regarded as exceptionally useful or beautiful.
Simple“Our new assistant is a real gem; she finished all the work in half the time.”
In context“The small bookstore is a hidden gem, tucked away in a quiet alley where few tourists ever venture.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
n.a package of code or a library used in the Ruby programming language.
n.a standard format for distributing Ruby programs and libraries, managed by the RubyGems system.
Simple“You need to install the latest gem to make the website work correctly.”
In context“The developer published a new gem to simplify the process of authenticating users across different platforms.”
UsageUsually refers specifically to the Ruby ecosystem.
- 04 C2 Proficiency
v.to decorate something with jewels or bright objects.
v.to adorn or embellish a surface with gems or jewel-like decorations.
Simple“The morning dew gemmed the spider's web like tiny diamonds.”
In context“The poet described how the stars gemmed the velvet sky, creating a brilliant canopy over the sleeping city.”