jelly
gb/d͡ʒˈɛli/ us/d͡ʒˈɛli/
A2
English
~ 9400
gyümölcszselé, zselé, gél, kocsonya, megdermed, zselésedik, zselésít, elgyengül a lába/térde, kocsonyává válik a lába/térde, remeg a lába/térde, irigy
NOUN
A2
1
Usage pattern:
[someone] puts jelly on [something]
She spread grape jelly on her toast for breakfast.
Reggelire szőlőzselét kent a pirítósára.
I made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch.
Ebédre mogyoróvajas-gyümölcszselés szendvicset készítettem.
This jelly is too sweet; I prefer something more tart.
They sell homemade apple jelly at the farmers' market.
He twisted open the jar of jelly and scooped some out with a knife.
Learner examples
I like to eat bread with jelly in the morning.
Szeretek reggel kenyeret enni gyümölcszselével.
She put peanut butter and jelly on the same slice of bread.
Ugyanarra a szelet kenyérre mogyoróvajat és gyümölcszselét tett.
Can you buy a small jar of strawberry jelly?
He does not want butter; he only wants jelly on his toast.
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse 'jelly' and 'jam'. In American English, 'jelly' is usually made from fruit juice and is smooth and clear, while 'jam' includes pieces of fruit. In British English, the spread is usually called 'jam', and 'jelly' more often means the wobbly dessert.
Meaning
sweet fruit-flavored spread
Collocations
grape jelly
|peanut butter and jelly
|jelly sandwich
|jar of jelly
|spread jelly
|homemade jelly
Synonyms
jam (In some varieties of English, especially British, 'jam' is the more common general word; technically jam may contain fruit pieces while jelly is clear.)
|
preserves (Usually chunkier and less smooth than jelly, often with whole pieces of fruit.)
Antonyms
peanut butter (Not a true opposite in meaning, but often contrasted with jelly as the other main ingredient in a sandwich.)
Themes
food
|daily life
|food_drink
|daily_life
Definition
A sweet, soft food made from fruit juice and sugar that you put on bread or in sandwiches.
A sweet, clear fruit spread made from fruit juice, sugar, and a gelling agent, usually eaten on bread or in sandwiches.
NOUN
A2
2
zselé
B1
Usage pattern:
[someone] eats jelly for dessert
The children ate strawberry jelly and ice cream at the party.
A gyerekek epres zselét és fagylaltot ettek a partin.
She tipped the jelly out of the mold, and it wobbled on the plate.
Kiborította a zselét a formából, és az remegett a tányéron.
I bought a packet of orange jelly to make for dessert tonight.
He doesn't like jelly because of its strange texture.
The jelly didn't set properly and stayed runny.
Learner examples
The red jelly on the plate moves when I touch it.
A tányéron lévő piros zselé remeg, amikor megérintem.
My son loves jelly with ice cream.
A fiam imádja a zselét fagylalttal.
We made green jelly for the school party.
The jelly is too soft; I think I used too much water.
Common mistake:
In American English, this dessert is often called 'Jell-O' (a brand). In British English, 'jelly' almost always means this dessert, not the fruit spread. Learners sometimes mix up these two meanings when talking to speakers of different varieties of English.
Meaning
sweet wobbly gelatin dessert
Collocations
bowl of jelly
|fruit jelly
|jelly and ice cream
|wobbly jelly
|make jelly
|packet of jelly
Synonyms
gelatin dessert (More technical and descriptive; less used in everyday speech.)
|
Jell-O (A common American brand name often used informally as a generic term for this dessert.)
Antonyms
ice cream (A different type of cold dessert often offered as an alternative to jelly.)
Themes
food
|daily life
|food_drink
|daily_life
Definition
A sweet, colorful dessert made from gelatin and water that becomes a soft, shaking solid when it is cold.
A sweet dessert made from flavored gelatin and water that sets into a soft, clear, wobbly solid.
NOUN
B1
3
Usage pattern:
[something] is a jelly-like [substance]
A clear jelly covered the fish on the plate.
Átlátszó kocsonya borította a halat a tányéron.
The scientist placed the bacteria in a nutrient jelly.
A tudós tápanyagban gazdag gélbe helyezte a baktériumokat.
The cream turns into a cooling jelly when you rub it on your skin.
The mixture should thicken to a soft jelly before you pour it into the mold.
They used a blue jelly to style his hair into spikes.
Learner examples
There was a soft jelly on top of the meat.
Puha kocsonya volt a hús tetején.
The cream feels like a cold jelly on my face.
A krém olyan érzés az arcomon, mint egy hideg gél.
The substance is not hard; it is a kind of jelly.
She put a clear jelly in her hair to keep it in place.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think 'jelly' only refers to food. In fact, it can describe any soft, shaking material, including creams, gels, and scientific substances.
Meaning
soft, wobbly semi-solid substance
Collocations
thick jelly
|clear jelly
|a jelly-like substance
|transparent jelly
|petroleum jelly
|hair jelly
Synonyms
gel (A more technical or specific term used especially in science and cosmetics.)
|
paste (Similar semi-solid texture but often less wobbly and more spreadable.)
Antonyms
liquid (Flows freely and does not hold its shape, unlike jelly.)
|
solid (Hard and keeps its shape completely, unlike a soft jelly.)
Themes
materials
|science
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A soft, thick material that is not liquid but not hard, and that moves or shakes when you touch it.
Any soft, thick, and slightly elastic substance that keeps its shape but wobbles or jiggles when moved.
VERB
B2
4
Usage pattern:
[a liquid] jellies / [someone] jellies [something]
Let the mixture cool so it can jelly properly.
The sauce jellied as it sat in the refrigerator overnight.
If the stock doesn't jelly, you may need to boil it longer.
The liquid quickly jellied into a thick mass.
As it cools, the broth will jelly and become easier to slice.
Learner examples
Put the dessert in the fridge so it can jelly.
The soup will jelly when it is cold.
The sauce did not jelly, so it stayed thin.
After two hours, the liquid jellied and became thick.
Common mistake:
This verb is less common than the noun. Learners often use 'set' instead (for example, 'Let it set in the fridge') and may not realize 'jelly' can be a verb in cooking or scientific contexts.
Meaning
to set or turn into jelly
Collocations
allow to jelly
|begin to jelly
|jelly in the fridge
|mixture jellies
|sauce jellied overnight
Synonyms
set (Common cooking verb; broader, can refer to many liquids becoming firm, not only jelly-like.)
|
gel (More technical; often used for chemical or cosmetic products.)
Antonyms
melt (Describes a solid becoming liquid, the opposite direction of jellying.)
|
liquefy (To make something more liquid, opposite of making it jelly-like.)
Themes
cooking
|science
|food_drink
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To change, or make something change, so that it is no longer liquid but is soft and moves like jelly.
To become, or to make something become, a soft, thick, and slightly elastic semi-solid like jelly.
NOUN
B2
5
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s [body part] is jelly
His legs were jelly after he saw how high up they were.
Elgyengült a lába, amikor meglátta, milyen magasan vannak.
By the time she finished the race, her knees were jelly.
Mire befejezte a versenyt, remegett a térde.
My arms turned to jelly when I put the heavy box down.
The sight of the accident turned my stomach to jelly.
After the roller coaster, I felt like jelly and had to sit down.
Learner examples
After the long run, my legs were like jelly.
A hosszú futás után olyan volt a lábam, mint a kocsonya.
When I speak on stage, my knees are jelly.
Amikor színpadon beszélek, remeg a térdem.
He was so afraid that his legs turned to jelly.
After the ride, I felt like jelly and could not walk well.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes take this expression literally and imagine actual food jelly. It is used metaphorically to describe a weak, shaking feeling in the body, especially in fixed phrases like 'my legs are like jelly' or 'my legs turned to jelly'.
Meaning
very weak, shaky state
Collocations
legs like jelly
|knees like jelly
|turn to jelly
|feel like jelly
|jelly legs
Synonyms
weakness (General term; does not include the specific wobbly feeling implied by 'jelly'.)
|
shakiness (Focuses on the physical shaking more than the overall sense of collapse.)
Antonyms
strength (Opposite physical condition, with firm, steady muscles.)
|
steadiness (Opposite of feeling wobbly or likely to collapse.)
Themes
emotions
|health
|body
Definition
A feeling that your legs or body are very weak and shaking, usually because you are afraid or very surprised.
A state in which part of the body, especially the legs, feels extremely weak and shaky, often because of fear, shock, or tiredness.
B2
SLANG
6
irigy
B1
Usage pattern:
[someone] is jelly of [someone/something]
I'm so jelly of your vacation photos.
Tök irigy vagyok a nyaralós fotóidra.
She posted a picture of her new car, and now everyone's jelly.
Posztolt egy képet az új autójáról, és most mindenki irigy rá.
Not gonna lie, I'm kinda jelly of his promotion.
You got concert tickets? I'm seriously jelly right now.
They were low-key jelly of their friends’ big house.
Learner examples
I am so jelly of your new phone.
Tök irigy vagyok az új telefonodra.
He said he was jelly because she got the job.
Azt mondta, irigy, mert a lány kapta meg az állást.
My friends are jelly of my trip to Japan.
She is jelly of his good test score.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize 'jelly' here is slang from 'jealous' and is mainly used in casual speech or online. It should not be used in formal writing or exams. Also, do not confuse it with the food meaning.
Meaning
slang for feeling jealous
Collocations
so jelly
|totally jelly
|low-key jelly
|jelly of you
|kinda jelly
Synonyms
jealous (Standard, neutral English; not slang.)
|
envious (Slightly more formal and precise; not slang and more common in writing.)
Antonyms
happy for (Expresses the opposite attitude: pleasure at someone else’s good situation instead of jealousy.)
Themes
emotions
|internet
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Very informal: jealous of what another person has or can do.
Slang: feeling jealous of someone else’s possessions, qualities, or situation.
Grammar
Dictionary form
jelly
IPA
GB/d͡ʒˈɛli/
US/d͡ʒˈɛli/
Syllables & stress
jelly (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (jelly)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: jelly
- Plural: jellies, jelly
Word family
Forms
jellies
noun
Core family
jell
verb
Related words
gel
noun A2
jellyfish
noun
Advanced or less common
gelatinous
adjective
Expressions
jelly baby
1/d͡ʒˈɛli bˈeɪbi/
fixed phrase
small soft person-shaped candy
A small, soft candy made from jelly and sugar, usually shaped like a tiny person, common in the UK.
Examples
- He bought a packet of jelly babies at the corner shop.
- The children fought over the last red jelly baby.
- She offered him a jelly baby from the bag.
jelly bean
1/d͡ʒˈɛli bˈin/
fixed phrase
small bean-shaped jelly candy
A small candy shaped like a bean, with a soft, sweet center and a hard outside.
Examples
- The children shared a bag of jelly beans on the bus.
- She picked out all the red jelly beans because they were her favorite.
- He spilled jelly beans all over the floor.
jelly roll
1/d͡ʒˈɛli ɹˈoʊl/
fixed phrase
rolled cake with jelly filling
A dessert made from a thin cake that is spread with jelly or cream and then rolled up into a log.
Examples
- For dessert, she served a homemade jelly roll.
- He learned how to bake a jelly roll in his cooking class.
- The bakery had a chocolate jelly roll in the window.
jelly shoes
1/d͡ʒˈɛli ʃˈuz/
fixed phrase
soft plastic sandals or shoes
Light shoes, often sandals, made from soft, usually clear or colored plastic that looks a bit like jelly.
Examples
- She wore pink jelly shoes to the beach.
- Jelly shoes became popular again in the summer.
- The child's jelly shoes were easy to wash after playing outside.
legs like jelly
1/lˈɛɡz lˈaɪk d͡ʒˈɛli/
idiom
legs feel extremely weak
Used to say that your legs feel very weak and shaking, so it is hard to stand or walk normally.
Examples
- After running up the stairs, my legs were like jelly.
- Her legs felt like jelly when she stepped onto the stage.
- He was so nervous that his legs were like jelly.
like jelly
1/lˈaɪk d͡ʒˈɛli/
fixed phrase
having a very wobbly texture
Used to describe something that shakes and moves easily when you touch it, like jelly.
Examples
- The pudding was so soft it was like jelly.
- His hands were shaking like jelly.
- The ground felt like jelly during the earthquake.
peanut butter and jelly sandwich
1/pˈinət bˈʌtɚ ˈænd d͡ʒˈɛli sˈændwɪt͡ʃ/
fixed phrase
sandwich with peanut butter and jelly
A sandwich made with bread, peanut butter, and jelly, very common in the United States.
Examples
- He eats a peanut butter and jelly sandwich almost every day.
- I made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the picnic.
- For a quick snack, she fixed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
turn to jelly
1/tˈɚn tə d͡ʒˈɛli/
idiom
to suddenly feel very weak
To suddenly feel very weak and shaky, especially in your legs, usually because you are afraid, shocked, or very tired.
Examples
- My legs turned to jelly when I looked down from the top of the building.
- His arms turned to jelly after the long workout.
- When she heard the bad news, her knees turned to jelly.
peanut butter and jelly
1/pˈinət bˈʌtɚ ˈænd d͡ʒˈɛli/
fixed phrase
sandwich with peanut butter and jelly
A sandwich or filling made with peanut butter and a sweet fruit spread, usually eaten on bread.
Examples
- She packed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch.
- She packed a peanut butter and jelly for lunch.
- As a kid, he ate peanut butter and jelly almost every day.
- Many American children grow up eating peanut butter and jelly.
- We made peanut butter and jelly for the picnic.
- We made peanut butter and jelly on whole-wheat bread.
petroleum jelly
1/pətɹˈoʊliəm d͡ʒˈɛli/
fixed phrase
skin ointment from petroleum
A soft, thick substance made from petroleum that people put on dry or hurt skin to protect or soften it.
Examples
- She put petroleum jelly on her lips to stop them from drying out.
- She put petroleum jelly on her dry lips.
- Petroleum jelly is often used to protect the skin from cold weather.
- Doctors sometimes use petroleum jelly to protect the skin under a bandage.
- The doctor recommended using a thin layer of petroleum jelly on the cut.
- He rubbed a little petroleum jelly on the cut to keep it from drying out.