# Land

/ˈɫænd/ (US) · /lˈænd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/land
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. solid ground

noun · CEFR A1

the part of the Earth's surface that is not covered by water.

For teachers: the solid part of the Earth's surface, distinguished from oceans and other bodies of water.

- After two weeks at sea, the sailors were happy to see land again.
- The expedition finally reached land after navigating through dense fog for three days, anchoring in a sheltered bay.

Usage: Uncountable when referring to the physical substance of the earth.

### 2. property or soil

noun · CEFR A2

an area of ground that someone owns, or soil used for farming.

For teachers: a specific area of ground considered as property or in terms of its agricultural quality.

- The farmer bought more land to grow wheat and corn.
- The developer purchased a vast tract of land on the outskirts of the city to build a new residential complex.

Usage: Can be countable when referring to specific plots or tracts.

### 3. a country

noun · CEFR B1 · Literary

a country, region, or a person's home country.

For teachers: a nation, territory, or region, often used to evoke a sense of history or belonging.

- He traveled to a distant land to start a new life.
- The folklore of this land has been passed down through songs for many generations.

Teaching tip: In modern conversation, 'country' is more common; 'land' often sounds poetic or formal in this context.

### 4. to arrive from the air

verb · CEFR A2

to come down from the air and touch the ground.

For teachers: to descend from the air and settle on a surface; typically used for aircraft, birds, or jumping objects.

- The plane will land at the airport in ten minutes.
- The pilot managed to land the damaged aircraft safely despite the heavy crosswinds and poor visibility.

Usage: Intransitive when the subject is the vehicle; transitive when a pilot 'lands' a plane.

### 5. to arrive from water

verb · CEFR B1

to come onto the shore from a boat or the sea.

For teachers: to reach the shore or a dock from a body of water.

- The passengers landed at the pier and began their tour.
- The troops landed on the beach under the cover of darkness to avoid detection.

### 6. to obtain or win

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to successfully get something good, like a job or a contract.

For teachers: to successfully acquire or secure something, often through effort or competition.

- She was thrilled to land a job at the top law firm.
- The agency managed to land a multi-million dollar advertising contract after months of negotiations.

Usage: Transitive; always takes a direct object representing the prize or achievement.

### 8. to be received well

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to have a specific effect on an audience, like a joke being funny.

For teachers: to be received or understood by an audience in a particular way.

- His joke didn't really land, and nobody laughed.
- The CEO's attempt at humor didn't land well with the employees, who were worried about the upcoming layoffs.

Usage: Usually used with adverbs like 'well' or 'badly'.

## Examples

- The sailors were happy to see land after weeks at sea.
- The farmer decided to buy more land to increase the size of his wheat fields.
- The dispute over the ancestral land lasted for decades, as both families claimed historical rights to the fertile valley floor.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.