monk
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.a man who lives in a religious community and promises to live a simple life, often away from other people.
n.a male member of a monastic order who has devoted his life to religious service, typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
Simple“The monk spent most of his day in the garden or in quiet prayer.”
In context“The monastery is home to twenty monks who follow a strict daily routine of communal worship and manual labour.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
n.someone who lives a very quiet life alone and does not go out much.
n.a person who leads an isolated or solitary life, often by choice or for personal discipline.
Simple“Since he started working from home, he has become a bit of a monk.”
In context“After the breakup, he went full monk, deleting his social media and rarely leaving his apartment for anything other than groceries.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
n.a dark blot of ink on a printed page where there should not be one.
n.a blotch or dark patch on a printed sheet caused by an excess of ink.
Simple“The old book had a monk on the third page that made the text hard to read.”
In context“The apprentice was scolded for the numerous monks appearing in the final proof, indicating a failure to properly regulate the ink rollers.”
Teacher's tipIn traditional printing, a 'monk' is a dark ink blot, while a 'friar' is a pale area where ink is missing.
- 04 C2 Proficiency
v.to live in a very quiet, simple way, usually to think or study.
v.to live or act in the manner of a monk, particularly regarding contemplation or isolation.
Simple“He decided to monk for a few months in the mountains to finish his book.”
In context“She spent the winter monking in a remote cabin, seeking the clarity that only total silence could provide.”
Synonyms
“This made it difficult for monks to obtain food and maintain connections with their local Buddhist community.”
“In July last year, police opened a hotline for people to report "misbehaving monks" after at least nine monks were found to have had sex with a woman .”