Definitions
01the food
A1 · Beginner Countable noun
n. a small, oval seed that grows in a shell underground and is eaten as a snack.
n. the edible seed of a South American legume, typically roasted or salted for consumption.
“She bought a bag of salted peanuts to eat during the movie.”
“The chef added crushed peanuts to the satay sauce to provide a crunchy texture and a rich, earthy flavour profile.”
Synonyms
02small amount of money
B2 · Upper Intermediate Plural noun Informal
n. a very small or tiny amount of money, especially when paid for work.
n. a trivial or insignificant sum of money, often used in the plural to describe inadequate wages.
“He quit his job because they were paying him peanuts for ten hours of work.”
“Despite the high level of technical skill required for the role, the startup was offering peanuts compared to the industry standard salary.”
Usage
Almost always used in the plural form 'peanuts'.
03tie prank
C2 · Proficiency Slang · British English
v. to pull someone's necktie so that the knot becomes very tight and difficult to undo.
v. to pull the narrow end of a person's necktie as a prank, causing the knot to tighten excessively.
“The school bully tried to peanut my tie during the lunch break.”
“The headmaster banned the practice after several students had to have their expensive silk ties cut off because they had been peanutted so tightly.”
Usage
This is a transitive verb requiring a direct object.
Etymology
From pea + nut, perhaps a folk etymology of pinda, pinder (still found in Southern US dialects).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
01. peanut butter
02. peanut gallery
- 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.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL 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: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- A1 · Beginner
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/peanut
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0