loom
gb/lˈum/ us/lˈum/
B2
English
~ 7300
közeleg, fenyeget, küszöbön áll, feltűnik, magasodik, tornyosul, szövőszék, szövőgép, homályos körvonal, sziluett
VERB
B2
1
Usage pattern:
[event] looms (over [someone] / ahead / on the horizon)
With exams looming, she spent every evening in the library.
Mivel közelegtek a vizsgák, minden estét a könyvtárban töltött.
A global recession is looming, according to several economists.
Több közgazdász szerint globális recesszió fenyeget.
The deadline for the report looms at the end of the week.
As the election looms, both parties have increased their campaigns.
Fears of another outbreak loomed over the city all winter.
Learner examples
My final test is looming, so I am nervous.
Közeleg a zárótesztem, ezért ideges vagyok.
A big storm is looming, so we must leave now.
Nagy vihar közeleg, ezért most el kell mennünk.
The payment date is looming, and I do not have the money yet.
As the interview loomed, he could not sleep.
The risk of job cuts looms over the staff.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'loom' for small or not serious things (e.g., *'Lunch is looming'*). It is normally used for serious, worrying, or important events. Another mistake is using it transitively (e.g., *'They loomed the meeting'*); 'loom' in this sense is intransitive and does not take a direct object: you say 'The meeting is looming', not 'They loom the meeting'.
Meaning
Seem likely and threatening
Collocations
looming deadline
|looming crisis
|looming threat
|looming election
|loom large
|loom on the horizon
Synonyms
threaten (Suggests possible danger or harm, often more direct; 'loom' is more about something approaching and filling the mind with worry.)
|
be imminent (Focuses on being very close in time; 'loom' adds a feeling of size or worry.)
Antonyms
recede (Describes a threat or problem moving away or becoming less serious, the opposite of looming closer.)
|
fade (Shows a danger or worry slowly disappearing instead of coming closer.)
Themes
emotions
|work
|news
|time
Definition
To seem like it will happen soon in a way that makes people worried or afraid.
To appear as a serious or worrying possibility that seems likely to happen soon.
VERB
C1
2
Usage pattern:
[something] looms (ahead / in the distance / over [a place])
A huge truck suddenly loomed in his rear-view mirror.
Egy hatalmas teherautó hirtelen feltűnt a visszapillantó tükrében.
The castle loomed over the village, casting a long shadow.
A kastély a falu fölé magasodott, és hosszú árnyékot vetett rá.
As the fog lifted, the mountain range loomed ahead of them.
Through the mist, the outline of a ship loomed into view.
The skyscrapers loomed in the distance as they drove toward the city.
Learner examples
Dark clouds loomed over the city.
Sötét felhők tornyosultak a város fölött.
A tall building loomed ahead of us.
Előttünk egy magas épület magasodott.
A large ship loomed out of the fog.
The mountains loomed on the horizon.
A shadow loomed behind him in the dark room.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this physical sense with the abstract 'worrying event' sense. For physical appearance, the subject is usually a visible object (mountain, building, ship), not an event like an exam or deadline. Also, learners sometimes try to use it transitively (*'The mountain loomed the town'*); instead, use a preposition: 'The mountain loomed over the town.'
Meaning
Appear as large unclear shape
Collocations
loom ahead
|loom in the distance
|loom out of the fog
|loom over the town
|towering mountains loomed
|a dark shape loomed
Synonyms
tower (Also suggests great height; 'loom' adds a sense of unclear shape or possible threat.)
|
emerge (Focuses on coming into view; 'loom' emphasizes size, nearness, or scariness.)
Antonyms
disappear (Opposite in that something that loomed into view can then disappear from sight.)
|
recede (Describes something moving away and becoming smaller or less noticeable instead of coming closer and larger.)
Themes
nature
|travel
|visual
|literature
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To slowly appear as a big, not clear shape, often in the distance and sometimes in a scary way.
To come into view as a large, often dark or unclear shape, especially in a way that feels impressive or frightening.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
3
Usage pattern:
a loom for weaving [material]
She learned to use a traditional hand loom to make rugs.
Megtanulta, hogyan kell hagyományos kézi szövőszéken szőnyegeket készíteni.
The factory installed new power looms to increase production.
A gyár új szövőgépeket állított üzembe, hogy növelje a termelést.
Threads are stretched tightly across the loom before weaving begins.
He spent all day at the loom producing fine silk cloth.
The museum displays an old wooden loom from the 19th century.
Learner examples
The woman makes cloth on a loom.
Az asszony szövőszéken készít szövetet.
In this village, many people work at looms.
Ebben a faluban sokan dolgoznak szövőszékeken.
The old loom stands in the corner of the room.
He uses a small loom to make scarves.
They bought a new loom for the textile workshop.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this noun with the verb 'to loom'. Remember that as a noun, it is a physical machine used for weaving. Another mistake is calling any sewing machine a 'loom'; a loom is specifically for weaving cloth from threads, not for sewing pieces together.
Meaning
Machine for weaving cloth
Collocations
weaving loom
|hand loom
|power loom
|operate a loom
|sit at the loom
|loom operator
Synonyms
weaving machine (A descriptive phrase; 'loom' is the standard technical term.)
|
handloom (A specific type of loom worked by hand, not by power.)
Themes
technology
|crafts
|history
|work
Definition
A machine that holds threads and is used to make cloth by weaving.
A machine or frame used for weaving threads into cloth or other woven material.
NOUN
C2
LITERARY
4
sziluett
B2
Usage pattern:
the loom of [something]
They could just make out the loom of the mountains through the storm clouds.
A viharfelhőkön át éppen csak ki tudták venni a hegyek homályos körvonalát.
Ahead of them lay the dark loom of the city skyline.
Előttük a város látképének sötét, homályos körvonala sejlett fel.
The sailors were relieved to see the loom of the coast after days at sea.
In the distance, the loom of a ship appeared through the morning mist.
Learner examples
We saw the loom of the hills in the fog.
A ködben láttuk a dombok homályos körvonalát.
The loom of the town appeared at sunset.
Naplementekor feltűnt a város homályos körvonala.
After many hours on the sea, the loom of land was visible.
Through the rain, the loom of the bridge slowly came into view.
Common mistake:
This sense is quite rare and mainly literary. Learners often do not recognize it and may think 'loom' is only a verb or a weaving machine. It is usually used in fixed phrases like 'the loom of the mountains' or 'the loom of the coast'.
Meaning
Large unclear shape in distance
Collocations
the loom of the mountains
|the loom of the coast
|the loom of a ship
|the dark loom of the city
Synonyms
outline (General shape; 'loom' suggests something large and often slightly threatening or mysterious.)
|
silhouette (Focuses on a dark shape against a light background; 'loom' emphasizes size and indistinctness.)
Themes
nature
|visual
|literature
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The big, not clear shape of something you see far away or in the dark.
The large, indistinct shape of something seen from a distance or through darkness, mist, or fog.
Grammar
Dictionary form
loom
IPA
GB/lˈum/
US/lˈum/
Syllables & stress
loom (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (loom)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: loom
- Plural: looms
Verb
- Base: loom
- 3rd Person Singular: looms
- Present Participle: looming
- Past: loomed
Word family
Forms
looms
noun
looming
verb
loomed
verb
Expressions
loom large
1/lˈum lˈɑɹd͡ʒ/
idiom
Be very important or worrying
To be very big or very important in a situation, especially in a way that makes people think or worry about it a lot.
Examples
- The fear of failure loomed large in his mind.
- Environmental issues loom large in the upcoming election.
- Money worries loom large for many young families.
loom on the horizon
1/lˈum ˈɔn ðə hɚˈaɪzən/
idiom
Future event seems near
To seem like it will happen in the near future, often used for problems or difficult events.
Examples
- With another recession looming on the horizon, many people are cutting back on spending.
- A new wave of regulation is looming on the horizon for tech companies.
- For students, final exams are already looming on the horizon.
loom over
1/lˈum ˈoʊvɚ/
fixed phrase
Hang above or dominate
To be very high above something, or to strongly affect someone in a worrying way.
Examples
- Tall apartment blocks loom over the small old houses.
- The possibility of layoffs loomed over the whole department.
- The factory chimney loomed over the river.
loom up
1/lˈum ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
literary
Suddenly appear large and near
To suddenly come into sight as a big, not clear shape, often making you feel surprised or afraid.
Examples
- A huge truck loomed up out of the darkness.
- The cliffs loomed up ahead as the boat approached the shore.
- Suddenly a figure loomed up in front of us in the fog.
looming deadline
1/lˈumɪŋ dˈɛdlˌaɪn/
fixed phrase
Approaching and worrying deadline
A deadline that is coming soon and makes you feel stressed or worried.
Examples
- He couldn't relax because of the looming deadline.
- I’ve got a looming deadline, so I’ll be working late all week.
- With deadlines looming, the office stayed open late.
- The team is under pressure because of a looming deadline for the project.
- Students feel a lot of pressure from looming deadlines at exam time.
- She couldn’t relax with the looming deadline hanging over her.