- country
- noun1 area of land with its own governmentADJECTIVE▪ beautiful, fascinating, great▪
this great country of ours
▪ hot, tropical▪ cold▪ landlocked▪ different, foreign, overseas, strange▪It's difficult to live in a foreign country when you don't speak the language.
▪students from overseas countries
▪What must it be like, to grow old in a strange country?
▪ home, native, own▪ adopted▪Many servicemen gave their lives for their adopted country.
▪ host▪The refugees do jobs that workers in the host country refuse to do.
▪ neighbouring/neighboring▪ distant, far, faraway▪ independent, sovereign (esp. AmE)▪ occupied▪ free▪‘It's a free country!’ he shouted. ‘I can do what I like!’
▪ enemy, friendly▪ neutral, non-aligned (esp. BrE)▪ war-ravaged, war-torn▪ African, Arab, etc.▪ Eastern, Western, etc.▪ English-speaking, francophone, etc.▪ EU, NATO, etc.▪ member, non-member▪OECD member countries
▪ developed, industrial, industrialized▪ developing, Third-World, underdeveloped▪ advanced▪economically advanced countries
▪ impoverished, low-income, poor▪ middle-income▪ affluent, high-income, rich, wealthy▪ densely populated, populous▪ capitalist, communist, democratic, socialist▪ Catholic, Islamic, etc.▪ oil-exporting, oil-producing, oil-richVERB + COUNTRY▪ govern, rule, run▪The country was ruled by a brutal dictatorship.
▪the politicians who run the country
▪ lead▪He accused the government of leading the country to disaster.
▪ attack, conquer, invade, occupy▪ defend, protect▪We must remember those who died defending their country.
▪ serve▪I'm proud to serve my country.
▪ liberate, save▪a commander who saved his country from invasion
▪ divide, polarize, split▪The issue of the single currency has divided the country.
▪ unite▪ destabilize, destroy, devastate, ravage▪Years of civil war had ravaged the country.
▪ rebuild▪ democratize, modernize, pacify, stabilize▪ flee, leave▪The former president has been forced to flee the country.
▪ enter▪new restrictions on goods entering the country
▪ love▪He loved his country deeply.
▪ betray▪ play for, represent▪She represented her country at the Beijing Olympics.
▪ tour, travel, visit▪He plans to travel the country by motorcycle.
COUNTRY + VERB▪ border sth▪countries bordering the Black Sea
▪ produce sth▪ export sth, import sth▪The country exports around 80% of its output.
▪ agree sth, ratify sth, sign sth▪The two countries signed a basic treaty of cooperation.
▪ compete, participate▪Over 30 countries participated in the Games.
▪ need sth▪Our country needs a leader like her.
▪ face sth, struggle (with sth), suffer (from sth)▪The country is suffering from rising unemployment.
PREPOSITION▪ across a/the country▪They drove across the country.
▪ all over a/the country▪They are holding special events all over the country.
▪ around a/the country, round a/the country (esp. BrE)▪This is just one of 33 sites around the country.
▪ in a/the country▪people who live in this country
▪ throughout a/the country▪New schools are being built throughout the country.
PHRASES▪ countries around the globe, countries around the world▪We operate in ten countries around the globe.
▪ country of (sb's) birth, country of origin▪the country of his birth
▪He cannot be deported to his country of origin.
▪ in this country and abroad▪The play has been enjoyed by audiences in this country and abroad for many years.
▪ a part of a country▪There will be rain in many parts of the country tomorrow.
▪ the country as a whole▪The rich benefited from the reforms, not the country as a whole.
2 area of land with particular featuresADJECTIVE▪ desert, hill, hilly, mountain, mountainous, open▪The town is surrounded by miles and miles of open country.
▪ rough, wild▪ farming, wine▪This part of Africa is rich farming country.
▪ hunting, walking (both esp. BrE)▪superb walking country
… OF COUNTRY▪ stretch, tract▪a beautiful stretch of country
▪Whole tracts of country, once fertile, have become arid.
3 land away from towns/citiesCOUNTRY + NOUN▪ life▪ air▪ lane, road▪ area, district (both esp. BrE)▪ town, village (esp. BrE)▪ cottage, estate, home, house (esp. BrE), manor, mansion, residence (esp. BrE), retreat, seat (BrE)▪ inn, pub (BrE)▪ park (BrE)▪ fair▪ walk (esp. BrE)▪ boy, girl▪ gentleman, squire (esp. BrE)▪ bumpkin, dweller, folk, peoplePREPOSITION▪ across country▪They rode across country.
▪ in the country▪She lives in the country.
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
