learn
v. · n.-
1 to acquire knowledge or skill (v.) A1 Beginnerto get new knowledge or a new skill by studying or practicing.
to acquire knowledge of or skill in something through study, experience, or being taught.
ExampleShe is learning to speak French because she wants to move to Paris.
ExampleAdult students often find it more challenging to learn a second language than children do, though they often possess superior analytical strategies.
UsageOften followed by an infinitive with 'to' or a prepositional phrase with 'about'.
PitfallI am learning my brother how to swim.I am teaching my brother how to swim.In modern English, 'learn' is for the student and 'teach' is for the instructor. Do not use 'learn' to mean 'give knowledge to someone else'.
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2 to find out information (v.) A2 Elementaryto hear or discover new information about something.
to become informed of or to find out a particular fact or piece of news.
ExampleWe were surprised to learn that the shop was closing down.
ExampleThe investigators were shocked to learn that the primary witness had fled the country only hours before the trial was set to commence.
UsageCommonly followed by a 'that' clause or the preposition 'of'.
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3 to improve from experience (v.) B1 Intermediateto change your behavior because of a mistake or a bad experience.
to gain knowledge or wisdom from a specific experience, typically a negative one, so as to avoid future errors.
ExampleHe made a big mistake, but he learned his lesson and won't do it again.
ExampleThe company failed to learn from its previous marketing blunders, repeating the same strategic errors in the new campaign.
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4 to memorize (v.) B1 Intermediateto fix something in your memory so you can repeat it perfectly.
to commit something to memory; to be able to recite or perform something from heart.
ExampleThe actors had only two days to learn their lines before the first rehearsal.
ExampleBefore the recital, the young pianist had to learn the entire concerto by heart, as the conductor forbade the use of sheet music on stage.
UsageOften used in the phrase 'learn by heart'.
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5 a piece of information or insight (n.) C1 Advanced Academic Informala specific thing that you have found out or understood, especially at work.
a specific insight or piece of knowledge gained from a project or experience. Often used in professional or corporate environments.
ExampleOne of our key learns from the project was that we need better communication.
ExampleThe post-mortem meeting focused on the key learns from the product launch, specifically regarding the unexpected shift in consumer demographics.
Teacher's tipThis noun use is common in business 'corporate speak' but is often criticized by traditionalists who prefer 'lessons' or 'findings'.
From Middle English lernen (“to learn", also, "to teach"”), from Old English leornian (“to learn", rarely also, "to teach”), from Proto-West Germanic liʀnōn, from Proto-Germanic lizaną, from Proto-Indo-European (le-)lóys-e, stative from the root leys- (“track, furrow, trace, trail”). Cognate with Old Frisian lernia, lerna (“to learn”), Middle Low German lernen (“to learn", also, "to teach”), Middle Dutch leernen (“to learn", also, "to teach”) (whence Dutch lernen (“to study scripture”)), German lernen (“to learn”). See also lore and lear.