Word
pictures
Phoneticspic·tures, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈpɪktʃɝz/
UK/pˈɪktʃəz/
Definitions
01more than one image
A1 · Beginner Countable noun
n. more than one drawing, painting, or photograph.
n. the plural form of picture, referring to multiple visual representations on a surface.
“She hung several pictures of her family on the living room wall.”
“The gallery displayed a series of pictures depicting the industrial landscape of northern England during the mid-twentieth century.”
Synonyms
02the cinema
B1 · Intermediate Plural noun British English · Informal
n. the cinema or a place where you go to watch a film.
n. a plural-only noun referring to the cinema or the film industry; common in British and Irish English.
“Do you want to go to the pictures to see the new action movie tonight?”
“In the era before television became universal, a weekly trip to the pictures was the primary form of entertainment for most families.”
Usage
Usually used with 'the', as in 'going to the pictures'.
Teaching tip
This is a slightly old-fashioned but still common way to say 'the cinema' in the UK and Ireland.
Idioms
01. pretty pictures
- 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
- Very common
- Level
- A1 · Beginner
- Updated
- アルファベット
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/pictures