moor
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to tie a boat or ship to a fixed object or the shore so it does not float away.
v.to secure a vessel in a particular place by means of cables, anchors, or lines. Often used transitively with the vessel as the object.
Simple“We decided to moor the boat near the small wooden pier for the night.”
In context“The captain instructed the crew to moor the ship securely before the storm reached the harbour, fearing the rising tide would snap the older ropes.”
UsageCommonly used with the preposition 'to'.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a large area of open land that is not used for farming and is often covered with grass and purple flowers.
n.an area of open, uncultivated upland, typically characterized by acidic soil, heath, and peat bogs.
Simple“They spent the afternoon walking across the windy moor, looking for wild birds.”
In context“The vast, desolate moor stretched toward the horizon, its rugged beauty punctuated only by occasional outcrops of granite and patches of purple heather.”
Synonymsmoorlandheath - 03 C2 Proficiency
n.a member of the Muslim people from North Africa who ruled parts of Spain in the past.
n.a member of the northwestern African Muslim people of mixed Berber and Arab descent who conquered the Iberian Peninsula in the 8th century.
Simple“The guide explained how the Moors influenced the architecture of southern Spain.”
In context“Historical accounts detail the sophisticated irrigation systems and architectural innovations introduced to the region by the Moors during their centuries of rule.”
Teacher's tipIn modern contexts, this term is primarily used in historical discussions or literature; it is not a standard way to refer to modern North Africans.
From Middle English More, Moore, from Old French More (modern French Maure), from Latin Maurus (“a Moor, meaning a Mauretanian, an inhabitant of Mauretania”), from Ancient Greek Μαυρούσιος (Mauroúsios, “Mauretanian”). Doublet of Moro.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.