treasure
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.a collection of gold, silver, jewels, or other expensive things.
n.a collection of precious metals, gems, or other highly valuable objects, often found or stored together.
Simple“The divers found a chest of sunken treasure at the bottom of the ocean.”
In context“Archaeologists discovered a hoard of Anglo-Saxon treasure, including intricate gold jewellery and silver coins, buried beneath the field.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.someone or something that you value very much because they are helpful or special.
n.a person or object regarded as particularly precious, helpful, or rare.
Simple“Our new assistant is a real treasure; she organized the whole office in one week.”
In context“To the local community, the small independent library is a cultural treasure that must be protected from budget cuts.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
v.to keep something in a safe place so it is not lost or damaged.
v.to store or hoard something for future use or preservation.
Simple“The memories of that summer were treasured deep in his heart.”
In context“The ancient scrolls were treasured away in a climate-controlled vault to prevent the delicate parchment from crumbling.”
“If no one comes forward, civil law states that hidden treasure on someone else's property be divided between the finder and the property's owner.”
“Others treasure them as spaces that offer a sense of freedom and community they feel is missing on the mainland.”
Inherited from Middle English tresour, from Old French tresor (“treasury”), from Latin thēsaurus (“treasure”), from Ancient Greek θησαυρός (thēsaurós, “treasure house”). Mostly displaced native Old English goldhord (See goldhoard) and Old English ġestrēon. Doublet of thesaurus.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.