- myth
- noun1 story from ancient timesADJECTIVE▪ ancient, classical▪ religious▪ Biblical▪ Christian, Greek, Norse, Roman, etc.▪ creation (= that explains how the world began)▪
the creation myths of the Inuit
PREPOSITION▪ myth about▪the myth about the golden apple
2 idea/belief which is untrue/impossibleADJECTIVE▪ great▪There is a great myth that people who wear glasses are more intelligent.
▪ common▪ powerful▪ enduring, persistent, prevailing▪ complete (esp. BrE), total▪It's a total myth that this causes blindness.
▪ modern▪ folk, popular, urban, widespread▪ national▪The battle has become part of national myth.
▪ historical, political▪The propaganda of both sides relies heavily on historical myth.
▪ heroic, romantic▪an outlaw who has now assumed the staus of heroic myth
▪ dangerous, pernicious▪ convenientVERB + MYTH▪ create, cultivate, establish, invent▪How did the myth get so firmly established in the popular consciousness?
▪ challenge, question▪ counter▪ bust (AmE, informal), debunk, deconstruct, demolish, destroy, dispel, disprove, explode, expose, puncture, scotch (BrE), shatter▪ bury, lay to rest, put to rest▪ feed, foster, keep alive, maintain, perpetuate, promote, propagate, reinforce▪ spread▪ peddle (BrE)▪Women have peddled the myth that all decent men are either married or gay.
▪ be based on▪People's faith in the Emperor was based on the myth that he was infallible.
▪ explore▪ believeMYTH + VERB▪ surround sth▪We are trying to lay to rest the myths surrounding mental illness.
▪ grow up▪A myth has grown up that Fleming didn't realize the potential of penicillin.
▪ persist, remain▪The myth persists that men are more intelligent than women.
PREPOSITION▪ myth about▪a popular myth about twins
▪ myth of▪an attempt to perpetuate the myth of racial superiority
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
