1 school
Pronounced:
/ˈsku:l/
Function:
nounInflected forms:
plural schoolsMeaning:
1 a : a place where children go to learn [count] ▪ He is going to a different school this year. ▪ The town is building a new school. [noncount] ▪ Where do you go to school? ▪ He learned to play the flute at/in school. ▪ Their daughter will start attending school next year. ▪ He left/quit school [=he stopped going to school] when he was 16. —often used before another noun ▪ the school building/newspaper ▪ school lunches/functions/plays/friends ▪ The town has an excellent school system. [=the schools in the town are excellent] b US : a college or university [count] ▪ He is transferring to a different school next semester. [noncount] ▪ He goes to school in New York. ▪ He is attending law/business/medical school. ▪ She is away at school. c [count] : a division within a university or college for study and research in a particular area of knowledge —usually singular ▪ She is a student at the law/business/medical school. —often + of ▪ the school of art/engineering d [count] : a place where people go to learn a particular skill ▪ acting/driving/language schools
2 [noncount] a : the activity or process of learning or teaching in a school ▪ School is hard for her. ▪ Their daughter will start school next year. ▪ (US) Where do you teach school? ▪ (US) My parents won't let me get a job while I'm in school. = (Brit) My parents won't let me get a job while I'm at school. [=while I am a student in a school] ▪ Stay in school and get your diploma. ▪ He never did well in school. b : the period of time during which students are in school ▪ I missed school yesterday. ▪ He was late for school. [=he was not at the school on time] ▪ Let's meet after school. ▪ School starts at 8:00 a.m. —often used before another noun ▪ the school day/year
3 [count] : the students or students and teachers of a school ▪ The whole school was at the assembly. ▪ Five schools donated money to the homeless shelter.
4 [count] : a group of people who share the same opinions, beliefs, or methods ▪ artists from the Impressionist/Romantic school —often + of ▪ the German school of philosophers/philosophy ▪ a new school of painters/painting ▪ The two authors come from different schools of writing. ▪ There are two main schools of thought [=ways of thinking] on that topic.
2 [noncount] a : the activity or process of learning or teaching in a school ▪ School is hard for her. ▪ Their daughter will start school next year. ▪ (US) Where do you teach school? ▪ (US) My parents won't let me get a job while I'm in school. = (Brit) My parents won't let me get a job while I'm at school. [=while I am a student in a school] ▪ Stay in school and get your diploma. ▪ He never did well in school. b : the period of time during which students are in school ▪ I missed school yesterday. ▪ He was late for school. [=he was not at the school on time] ▪ Let's meet after school. ▪ School starts at 8:00 a.m. —often used before another noun ▪ the school day/year
3 [count] : the students or students and teachers of a school ▪ The whole school was at the assembly. ▪ Five schools donated money to the homeless shelter.
4 [count] : a group of people who share the same opinions, beliefs, or methods ▪ artists from the Impressionist/Romantic school —often + of ▪ the German school of philosophers/philosophy ▪ a new school of painters/painting ▪ The two authors come from different schools of writing. ▪ There are two main schools of thought [=ways of thinking] on that topic.
—compare 3school