land
land
noun
/lænd/
surface of earth
1 uncountable the surface of the earth that is not sea
The new project will reclaim the land from the sea.
on land It was good to be back on land.
Some animals can live both on land and in water.
by land We travelled by land, though flying would have been cheaper.
It's impossible to reach this beach by land because of the high cliffs.
We can organize air transport, land transport and all accommodation for your trip.
Synonyms floor
Synonyms soil
SEE ALSO dry land
Collocations
adjective
dry
verb + land
reach
sight
reclaim
land + noun
mass
surface
animal
preposition
by land
on land
area of ground
2 uncountable (also lands plural) an area of ground, especially of a particular type or used for a particular purpose
SYNONYM terrain
agricultural/arable/fertile land
Changes in land use can have significant effects on the local wildlife.
a piece/plot of land
They are not permitted to build on the surrounding green belt land (= open land around a city).
The land rose to the east.
Some of the country's richest grazing lands are in these valleys.
Synonyms land
SEE ALSO common land
Collocations
adjective
good
prime
fertile
… of land
area
parcel
patch
verb + land
have
hold
own
land + verb
adjoin something
land + noun
agent
office
registry
3 uncountable (also formal lands plural) the area of ground that somebody owns, especially when you think of it as property that can be bought or sold
public/private land
to own/buy/purchase/sell land
He acquired a parcel of several acres of land.
The college owns vast tracts of land.
land ownership/acquisition
Land values in the area are falling.
During the war their lands were occupied by the enemy.
Ancient tribes were forced off their ancestral lands.
The adjoining plot of land belongs to the local council.
SEE ALSO no man’s land
countryside
4 ​the land uncountable used to refer to the countryside and the way people live in the country as opposed to in cities
At the beginning of the 20th century almost a third of the population lived off the land (= grew or produced their own food).
Many people leave the land to find work in towns and cities.
Her family had farmed the land for generations.
Synonyms country
Collocations
verb + the land
live off
farm
work
country/region
5 ​countable (literary) used to refer to a country or region in a way that involves the emotions or the imagination
She longed to return to her native land.
They dreamed of travelling to foreign lands.
faraway lands beyond the sea
America is the land of freedom and opportunity.
the land of the fairies/elves/giants
SEE ALSO cloud cuckoo land, clubland, dockland, dreamland, fairyland, la-la land, never-never land, Promised Land, wonderland
Collocations
adjective
ancestral
native
distant
verb + land
conquer
occupy
rule
Idioms
in the land of the living
in the land of Nod
the land of milk and honey
the lie of the land
live off the fat of the land
see, etc. how the land lies
spy out the land
land
verb (lands, landed, landed, landing)
/lænd/
of bird/plane/insect
1 intransitive to come down through the air onto the ground or another surface
The plane landed safely.
Both aircraft landed on the runway.
A fly landed on his nose.
OPPOSITE take off
SEE ALSO crash-land
TOPICS Transport by air A2
TOPICS Space A2
Collocations
adverb
safely
verb + land
be about to
be due to
be scheduled to
preposition
at
of pilot
2 transitive land something to control a plane and bring it down to the ground
The pilot landed the plane safely.
to land a helicopter/an aircraft
He landed the damaged aircraft in a field.
Collocations
adverb
safely
verb + land
be about tobe due tobe scheduled to…
preposition
at
arrive in plane/boat
3 intransitive to arrive somewhere in a plane or a boat
The flight is due to land at 3 o'clock.
We shall be landing shortly. Please fasten your seat belts.
The troops landed at dawn.
They were the first men to land on the moon.
TOPICS Transport by water A2
4 ​transitive land somebody/something to put somebody/something on land from an aircraft, a boat, etc.
The troops were landed by helicopter.
TOPICS Transport by water B2
fall to ground
5 intransitive to come down somewhere after jumping, falling or being thrown
She fell and landed heavily on her back.
I landed awkwardly and twisted my ankle.
Several men were killed when rocket shells landed in the troop camp.
The heavy ball landed with a thud.
He came flying through the air and landed in a crumpled heap at my feet.
Collocations
adverb
awkwardly
badly
painfully
preposition
on
difficulties
6 ​intransitive + adv./prep. to arrive somewhere and cause difficulties that have to be dealt with
Why do complaints always land on my desk (= why do I always have to deal with them)?
job
7 ​transitive (informal) to succeed in getting a job, etc., especially one that a lot of other people want
land something He's just landed a starring role in a Hollywood movie.
land somebody/yourself something She's just landed herself a company directorship.
TOPICS Success C2
fish
8 ​transitive land something to catch a fish and bring it out of the water on to the land
It took me three attempts to land the fish.
rugby
9 ​transitive land something to score a penalty (4) or conversion (3)
Ceri Sweeney landed a penalty with the last kick of the half.
Idioms
fall/land on your feet
land a blow, punch, etc.
Phrasal Verbs
land in
land up at
land up in
land up on
land up with
land with
Word Origin
Old English, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch land and German Land.