pearl
- 01 A2 Elementary
n.a hard, shiny, white ball that grows inside the shell of an oyster and is used to make expensive jewellery.
n.a smooth, lustrous, typically rounded concretion formed within the shells of certain mollusks. It is composed of nacre and is highly valued as a gemstone.
Simple“She wore a beautiful string of pearls with her black dress for the wedding.”
In context“The diver discovered a rare natural pearl inside an oyster, which was later appraised at a significant value by the local jeweller.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a small but very useful piece of advice or information.
n.a succinct and valuable piece of information or advice; often used in the idiom 'pearls of wisdom'.
Simple“My grandfather shared a few pearls of wisdom about saving money for the future.”
In context“The keynote speaker offered several pearls of wisdom regarding leadership that resonated deeply with the young entrepreneurs in the audience.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a person or thing that is very special, beautiful, or highly valued.
n.a person or thing considered to be of great rarity, beauty, or value.
Simple“The small island is the pearl of the Mediterranean.”
In context“Historians often refer to the restored library as the pearl of the city's architectural heritage.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
n.a very small size of printed text.
n.a historical standard size of type, approximately 5 points in height.
Simple“The old book was printed in pearl type, making it very difficult to read.”
In context“The footnotes in the nineteenth-century manuscript were set in pearl, requiring a magnifying glass for clear legibility.”
Synonyms5 point type - 05 C1 Advanced
v.to form small, round drops like pearls.
v.to form into small, round, pearl-like drops or beads; often used of sweat or dew.
Simple“Small drops of morning dew pearled on the rose petals.”
In context“Sweat pearled on the athlete's forehead as he prepared for the final sprint of the marathon.”
- 06 C1 Advanced
v.to accidentally push the front of a surfboard under the water.
v.to unintentionally bury the nose of a surfboard in the water, typically during the takeoff on a wave.
Simple“I tried to catch the big wave but I pearled and fell off my board.”
In context“If you lean too far forward during the drop-in, you are likely to pearl and get tossed by the whitewater.”
Synonymsnose dive
From pearl. * (river in China): From Chinese 珠江 (Zhūjiāng, Zyu1 Gong1, “Pearl River”); calque of Chinese 珠 (zhū, zyu1, “pearl”). * (haven in Hawaii): From Hawaiian Wai Momi (“pearl water”); calque of Hawaiian momi (“pearl”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.