Word
marbles
Phoneticsmar·bles, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈmɑɹbəɫz/
UK/mˈɑːbəlz/
Definitions
01small round toys for games
A2 · Elementary Plural noun Informal
n. Small, round balls made of glass, clay, or stone that children use to play games on the ground.
n. Spherical objects typically composed of glass, agate, or clay, utilized as game pieces in various traditional recreational activities.
“The children sat on the playground floor to play a game of marbles.”
“Archaeological excavations revealed ancient stone marbles, suggesting that similar games have been played for thousands of years.”
Usage
Often used with the verb 'play'.
02mental sanity or clear thinking
B2 · Upper Intermediate Plural noun Psychology Informal
n. A person's ability to think clearly or act in a sensible way.
n. An idiomatic reference to an individual's cognitive faculties, mental stability, or rational judgment.
“He was acting so strangely that I thought he had lost his marbles.”
“Maintaining one's marbles during a high-pressure corporate restructuring requires significant emotional resilience.”
Usage
Almost exclusively used in the idiom 'lose one's marbles'.
Pitfall
He lost his marble.
He lost his marbles.
In this idiomatic sense, the word must always be plural.
03rubber debris on a racing track
C1 · Advanced Plural noun FORMULA 1 Technical
n. Small pieces of rubber that come off tires during a race and collect on the sides of the track.
n. Accumulated fragments of tire tread rubber that have been shed due to heat and friction, typically found outside the primary racing line.
“The driver struggled to control the car after driving over the marbles on the corner.”
“Overtaking becomes hazardous late in the race because the off-line areas are covered in marbles which reduce tire grip.”
Usage
Commonly used with the preposition 'on' or 'in'.
Real-World Examples
“Two teams, each consisting of six players, take turns using their fingers to aim and propel a larger marble to knock the target marbles out of the ring.” “The game is played with 49 glass or ceramic marbles grouped together on a 2m-diameter concrete cylinder raised 7cm off the ground and covered in sand.” “But marble hunting doesn’t rely on GPS, and its loot is highly specific: Marbles must be handmade by glass artists.” “The liquid inside the marbles could be replaced with other materials to fabricate sensors and soft robotics, says a team at the Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati in Assam.” Idioms
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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