# sands

/ˈsændz/ (US) · /sˈændz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sands
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a beach or desert

noun · CEFR B1 · Literary

a large area covered in sand, like a long beach or a wide desert.

For teachers: an expanse of sand, typically referring to a coastal area or a desert region.

- We walked across the golden sands as the sun began to set.
- The vast, shifting sands of the Sahara present a formidable challenge to even the most experienced desert travellers.

### 2. time passing

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

the idea of time running out, like sand falling through an hourglass.

For teachers: a figurative reference to the passage of time, derived from the movement of sand in an hourglass.

- The sands of time wait for no one.
- As the sands ran out on the negotiations, both parties felt the mounting pressure to reach a compromise before the midnight deadline.

## Examples

- We walked across the hot sands of the desert.
- The children spent the entire afternoon playing on the golden sands of the local beach.
- As the tide receded, it revealed vast stretches of shimmering sands that had been hidden beneath the waves for hours.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.