English Reference
noun · verb

land

n. · v.
US /ˈɫænd/ UK /lˈænd/ land UK spelling lands

  1. 01 A1 Beginner

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

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

    Simple

    After two weeks at sea, the sailors were happy to see land again.

    In context

    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. 02 A2 Elementary Agriculture

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

    n.a specific area of ground considered as property or in terms of its agricultural quality.

    Simple

    The farmer bought more land to grow wheat and corn.

    In context

    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. 03 B1 Intermediate Literary

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

    n.a nation, territory, or region, often used to evoke a sense of history or belonging.

    Simple

    He traveled to a distant land to start a new life.

    In context

    The folklore of this land has been passed down through songs for many generations.

    Teacher's tip

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

  4. 04 A2 Elementary Travel

    v.to come down from the air and touch the ground.

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

    Simple

    The plane will land at the airport in ten minutes.

    In context

    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.

    touch downalight
  5. 05 B1 Intermediate Nautical

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

    v.to reach the shore or a dock from a body of water.

    Simple

    The passengers landed at the pier and began their tour.

    In context

    The troops landed on the beach under the cover of darkness to avoid detection.

    disembarkdock
    embarkset sail
  6. 06 B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

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

    v.to successfully acquire or secure something, often through effort or competition.

    Simple

    She was thrilled to land a job at the top law firm.

    In context

    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.

  7. 07 C1 Advanced Informal

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

    v.to be received or understood by an audience in a particular way.

    Simple

    His joke didn't really land, and nobody laughed.

    In context

    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'.

Usage land use · land in different · land itself

This entry
Level A1 · Beginner
Frequency Very common
Updated