nut
gb/nˈʌt/ us/nˈʌt/
A2
English
~ 8500
dióféle, csavaranya, anya, dilis, őrült, mániás, megszállott, rajongó, tök, golyó, kobak, fej, lefejel, elélvez, elmegy, nullszaldóhoz szükséges összeg, fix költség, felső nyereg
NOUN
A2
1
dióféle
B1
Usage pattern:
eat [nuts]; a handful of [nuts]
She sprinkled chopped nuts over the ice cream.
Aprított diófélékkel szórta meg a fagylaltot.
Many schools ban nuts because of allergy risks.
Sok iskolában allergiaveszély miatt tilos dióféléket bevinni.
I always keep a bag of mixed nuts in my desk.
Pistachios are my favorite kind of nut.
The recipe calls for one cup of ground nuts.
Learner examples
I ate some nuts as a snack.
Rágcsálnivalóként ettem egy marék diófélét.
He is allergic to nuts.
Allergiás a diófélékre.
She put nuts in the cake.
These nuts taste very fresh.
We bought almonds and other nuts at the market.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "nut" only means peanuts. In everyday English, "nut" is a general word that includes many kinds like almonds, walnuts, cashews, and peanuts (even if peanuts are not true nuts in biology).
Meaning
edible seed in a hard shell
Collocations
salted nuts
|mixed nuts
|tree nuts
|nut allergy
|crack a nut
|ground nuts
Synonyms
seed (A broader term; not all seeds are nuts, but many nuts are seeds used for food.)
Antonyms
shell (Refers to the hard outer covering, not the edible inside part of the nut.)
Themes
food
|health
|daily life
|food_drink
|nature
Definition
A small hard seed that you can eat, often with a shell around it, like an almond or a walnut.
An edible seed or kernel with a hard shell, often eaten as a snack or used in cooking.
NOUN
B1
2
csavaranya
B2
anya
B2
Usage pattern:
tighten the [nut] on [something]
He used a wrench to tighten the nuts on the wheel.
Csavarkulccsal meghúzta a kerékanyákat.
Make sure all the nuts and bolts are secure before using the ladder.
A létra használata előtt győződj meg róla, hogy minden csavar és anya biztonságosan rögzítve van.
This joint needs a lock nut so it doesn’t come loose.
The mechanic replaced three broken nuts on the engine mount.
You’ll need a 10‑millimeter socket for that nut.
Learner examples
He turned the nut with a tool.
Szerszámmal elfordította az anyát.
The nuts and bolts hold the parts together.
A csavarok és az anyák tartják össze az alkatrészeket.
Check that every nut is tight.
She lost the nut from the screw.
We need a new nut for this bolt.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "nut" and "bolt" and call the whole set a "bolt". The nut is the small piece you turn; the bolt is the long piece with a head.
Meaning
metal fastener used with bolt
Collocations
nuts and bolts
|tighten the nut
|loosen the nut
|lock nut
|hex nut
|screw and nut
Synonyms
fastener (More general word for something used to join parts; a nut is one specific type of fastener.)
Antonyms
bolt (Often used together with a nut as a pair; the bolt is the part with the external thread, the nut is the matching internal part.)
Themes
construction
|engineering
|technology
|work
Definition
A small piece of metal with a hole and threads inside that you screw onto a bolt to hold things together.
A small metal block with a threaded hole, screwed onto a bolt to fasten things together.
NOUN
B1
INFORMAL
3
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a [real] nut
He’s a complete nut if he thinks that plan will work.
Teljesen őrült, ha azt hiszi, hogy az a terv működni fog.
Only a nut would jump into water that cold.
Csak egy őrült ugrana ilyen hideg vízbe.
Some people think she’s a bit of a nut, but she’s actually very smart.
The internet is full of conspiracy nuts these days.
Don’t listen to him—he’s a total nut when it comes to money.
Learner examples
My friends say I am a nut because I tell crazy jokes.
A barátaim szerint dilis vagyok, mert őrült poénokat mondok.
He drove so fast; I thought he was a nut.
Olyan gyorsan vezetett, hogy azt hittem, őrült.
People called her a nut, but she did not care.
They think he is a nut for leaving his job.
Only a nut would swim in that cold river.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes translate this directly and use it in formal situations. "Nut" for a crazy person is informal and can sound rude; avoid it in polite or professional speech.
Meaning
person who seems crazy
Collocations
be a real nut
|act like a nut
|political nut
|total nut
|he’s nuts
Synonyms
lunatic (Stronger and more negative; sounds harsher and is often used jokingly or critically.)
Antonyms
sane person (Describes someone whose thoughts and behavior are normal and reasonable, the opposite of a "nut" in this sense.)
Themes
people
|emotions
|communication
Definition
An informal word for a person who acts very strange or crazy.
An informal and often insulting word for someone who behaves in a very strange, foolish, or crazy way.
NOUN
B1
INFORMAL
4
Usage pattern:
[a/an] [topic] nut
He’s a real car nut and spends every weekend working on his old Mustang.
Igazi autómániás, és minden hétvégét azzal tölt, hogy a régi Mustangján dolgozik.
I’m a bit of a health nut, so I try to avoid sugar.
Kicsit egészségmániás vagyok, ezért igyekszem kerülni a cukrot.
She’s a movie nut and has seen that film three times.
As a tech nut, he always buys the newest gadgets.
If you’re a sports nut, you’ll love this channel.
Learner examples
My brother is a sports nut and watches every game.
A bátyám sportmániás, és minden meccset megnéz.
She is a music nut and listens to songs all day.
Zenerajongó, és egész nap zenét hallgat.
I am a computer nut and like to build PCs.
He is a health nut and eats only fresh food.
They call her a book nut because she reads so much.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this meaning is always negative. In fact, it is often used in a friendly or joking way among friends, though it can be negative in some contexts.
Meaning
person very keen on something
Collocations
car nut
|sports nut
|health nut
|computer nut
|fitness nut
|movie nut
Synonyms
fanatic (Similar in meaning, but can sound stronger or more negative; "nut" is often playful.)
Antonyms
casual fan (Someone who only likes something a little, not strongly like a "nut" in this sense.)
Themes
hobbies
|people
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A person who really loves and is very interested in one thing, like cars, music, or sports.
Someone who is extremely interested in or very enthusiastic about a particular activity, subject, or thing.
NOUN
C1
VULGAR
5
Usage pattern:
kick [someone] in the nuts
He doubled over after getting hit in the nuts during the game.
Összegörnyedt, miután a meccsen tökön találták.
Wear a cup to protect your nuts when you play baseball.
Viselj szuszpenzort, hogy megvédd a tökeidet baseballozás közben.
He joked that one more child and he’d get his nuts cut off.
Learner examples
He got hit in the nuts and fell down.
Tökön találták, és elesett.
Players wear special guards to protect their nuts.
A játékosok speciális védőt viselnek, hogy megvédjék a tökeiket.
The ball hit him in the nuts during the match.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use this word without realizing it is vulgar. It should not be used in polite or formal situations; it is common in rude jokes, some music, and informal talk among close friends.
Meaning
testicle (vulgar slang)
Collocations
kick in the nuts
|protect your nuts
|get hit in the nuts
Synonyms
ball (Also vulgar slang for a testicle; similar level of rudeness.)
Antonyms
ovary (Female reproductive organ; opposite in terms of male vs female reproductive body parts.)
Themes
body
|sex
|health
Definition
A very rude slang word for a man’s testicle, usually said as "nuts".
A vulgar slang term for a testicle, usually used in the plural as "nuts".
NOUN
B2
INFORMAL
6
Usage pattern:
use your nut; bang your nut
Use your nut and think about it for a minute.
Használd az eszed, és gondold át egy percig.
He slipped on the ice and banged his nut on the pavement.
Megcsúszott a jégen, és beverte a fejét a járdába.
If you’re not careful, you’ll get your nut knocked off in this sport.
He took the corner too fast and nearly lost his nut on the door frame.
Learner examples
He hit his nut on the table.
Beütötte a fejét az asztalba.
Use your nut and find the answer.
Használd az eszed, és találd meg a választ.
She hurt her nut when she fell.
He told his friend to use his nut in class.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize this meaning is regional and informal. It is more common in British and some other Commonwealth varieties, and rarely used in formal speech or writing.
Meaning
head (informal, esp. BrE)
Collocations
use your nut
|bang your nut
|get hit on the nut
Synonyms
head (Neutral and standard word; "nut" is more informal and playful or rough.)
Antonyms
body (The rest of the body, as opposed to the head.)
Themes
body
|daily life
Definition
An informal word for your head, especially in British English.
Informal, especially in British English, for a person’s head, particularly when it is hit or when talking about using your brain.
VERB
B2
INFORMAL
7
lefejel
B2
Usage pattern:
nut [someone/something]
The player was sent off for nutting his opponent.
A játékost kiállították, mert lefejelte az ellenfelét.
He accidentally nutted the door as he stood up.
Amikor felállt, véletlenül lefejelte az ajtót.
She tried to nut the ball into the goal.
If he tries that again, I’ll nut him right back.
Learner examples
The football player nutted his opponent and got a red card.
A futballista lefejelte az ellenfelét, és piros lapot kapott.
He stood up quickly and nutted the shelf.
Gyorsan felállt, és lefejelte a polcot.
She nutted the ball into the net.
Do not nut people; it is dangerous.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this verb is common in all English varieties. It is mainly informal British and some Commonwealth English; in other places, people usually say "headbutt".
Meaning
hit with the head (headbutt)
Collocations
nut someone
|nut the ball
|nut him in the face
Synonyms
headbutt (Very close in meaning; often slightly more formal or descriptive, while "nut" is more slangy.)
Antonyms
avoid contact (Describes not hitting or touching, the opposite of striking with the head.)
Themes
violence
|sports
|body
Definition
To hit a person or thing with your head on purpose.
To hit someone or something hard with your head, especially in a deliberate attack.
VERB
C2
VULGAR
8
Usage pattern:
nut during sex; nut in [someone]
He was afraid he would nut too early.
Attól félt, hogy túl korán elmegy.
The lyrics are full of crude lines about nutting on people.
A dalszöveg tele van durva sorokkal arról, hogy más emberekre élveznek.
They were joking about how often he nuts in a week.
Learner examples
He said he might nut too fast.
Azt mondta, lehet, hogy túl gyorsan elmegy.
The song uses the word "nut" in a sexual way.
A dal szexuális értelemben használja a „nut” szót.
This word is very rude and talks about when a man nuts during sex.
Common mistake:
Learners may see this word online and not realize how vulgar it is. It is inappropriate in polite conversation, formal writing, or most public situations.
Meaning
ejaculate semen (vulgar slang)
Collocations
nut early
|nut inside
|nut during sex
Synonyms
cum (Equally vulgar slang with the same basic meaning; spelling is variable in informal writing.)
Antonyms
refrain from ejaculating (Describes not ejaculating, the opposite of "nut" in this sense.)
Themes
sex
|body
|health
Definition
A very rude slang word meaning for a man to release semen during sex.
Vulgar slang for a man to ejaculate semen during sexual activity.
NOUN
C1
INFORMAL
9
Usage pattern:
cover your nut; make your nut
The bar needs to make at least $3,000 a night just to hit its nut.
A bárnak esténként legalább 3000 dollár bevételt kell elérnie, csak hogy fedezze a költségeit.
Once we cover our monthly nut, everything else is profit.
Amint fedeztük a havi fix költségeinket, minden más már nyereség.
His personal nut is pretty high because of his mortgage and car payments.
Learner examples
The small shop must make enough money to cover its nut.
A kis boltnak elég pénzt kell keresnie ahhoz, hogy fedezze a költségeit.
After he paid his nut, he had very little left.
Miután kifizette a kötelező költségeit, nagyon kevés pénze maradt.
Their nut is lower now because they moved to a cheaper office.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this is a common general word for "cost". In fact, it is informal business slang, mostly in speech, and not used in formal writing like contracts or reports.
Meaning
required or target money amount
Collocations
monthly nut
|cover the nut
|make your nut
|meet the nut
Synonyms
overhead (Refers specifically to ongoing business costs; "nut" can mean total amount needed, not only expenses.)
Antonyms
surplus (Money above what is needed to cover the basic required amount (the "nut").)
Themes
business
|money
|finance
Definition
An informal word for the money you must get to pay your costs or reach your goal, often every month.
Informal, especially in business, for the amount of money that must be earned or paid, for example to cover basic costs or reach a profit target.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
10
felső nyereg
C1
Usage pattern:
adjust the [instrument] nut
The guitar’s nut is worn and needs replacing.
A gitár felső nyerge elkopott, és cserére szorul.
A high nut can make the strings hard to press down.
Ha túl magas a felső nyereg, nehéz lefogni a húrokat.
He upgraded his bass with a new bone nut for better tone.
The luthier carefully filed the nut slots to the correct depth.
Learner examples
The guitar nut holds the strings at the top of the neck.
A gitár felső nyerge tartja a húrokat a nyak tetején.
He changed the plastic nut to a bone nut.
A műanyag felső nyerget csontból készültre cserélte.
If the nut is too high, the strings are hard to play.
A broken nut can make the instrument buzz.
Common mistake:
Learners who play instruments sometimes confuse the "nut" with the "bridge". The nut is at the top of the neck near the tuning pegs; the bridge is on the body of the instrument.
Meaning
ridge on neck of instrument
Collocations
guitar nut
|replace the nut
|bone nut
|graphite nut
Synonyms
string guide (A descriptive phrase sometimes used informally; less standard than "nut" in instrument design.)
Antonyms
bridge (Another string support piece on the body end of the instrument, opposite to the nut.)
Themes
music
|technology
|arts_entertainment
Definition
On a guitar, violin, or similar instrument, the small part at the top of the neck that holds the strings in place and sets their spacing.
On a stringed musical instrument, the small piece at the end of the fingerboard that supports the strings and keeps them spaced correctly near the head.
Grammar
Dictionary form
nut
IPA
GB/nˈʌt/
US/nˈʌt/
Syllables & stress
nut (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (nut)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: nut
- Plural: nuts
Verb
- Base: nut
- 3rd Person Singular: nuts
- Present Participle: nutting
- Past: nutted
Word family
Forms
nuts
noun
nutting
verb
nutted
verb
Core family
nutty
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
nut-free
adjective
Advanced or less common
nuttiness
noun
Highlights
- Irregular present participle: nutting Verb
- Irregular past: nutted Verb
Expressions
be nuts about [something]
1/bˈi nˈʌts əbˈaʊt sˈʌmθɪŋ/
idiom
informal
like something very much
To like someone or something very, very much.
Examples
- He’s nuts about jazz music and goes to every concert.
- She’s completely nuts about her new puppy.
make your nut
1/mˈeɪk jˈʊɹ nˈʌt/
fixed phrase
informal
earn enough to cover costs
To earn enough money to pay your basic costs or reach your money goal.
Examples
- The club has to fill 200 seats a night just to make its nut.
- Once we make our nut, we can start offering discounts.
nut out [something]
1/nˈʌt ˈaʊt sˈʌmθɪŋ/
phrasal verb
informal
work out a solution by discussion
To talk and think carefully about something until you find an answer or plan, especially in Australian or British English.
Examples
- We need to nut out the details before we sign the contract.
- They spent hours nutting out a fair agreement.
off one’s nut
1/ˈɔf wˈʌnz nˈʌt/
idiom
informal
acting crazy or insane
To be crazy or to act in a very strange or foolish way.
Examples
- You must be off your nut if you think that’s a good idea.
- People said he was off his nut for quitting such a good job.
tough nut to crack
1/tˈʌf nˈʌt tə kɹˈæk/
idiom
informal
very difficult person or problem
A person or problem that is very hard to deal with or understand.
Examples
- This math problem is a tough nut to crack.
- She’s a tough nut to crack—you never know what she’s thinking.
use your nut
1/jˈuz jˈʊɹ nˈʌt/
fixed phrase
informal
think carefully, use your brain
To think carefully and use your brain, especially in informal British English.
Examples
- Come on, use your nut—you can solve this!
- If you used your nut more often, you’d make fewer mistakes.
from soup to nuts
1/fɹˈʌm sˈup tə nˈʌts/
idiom
informal
including everything, start to finish
Including everything, from the beginning to the end.
Examples
- The company handled the event from soup to nuts.
- We planned our holiday from soup to nuts in just one evening.
from soup to nuts
2/fɹˈʌm sˈup tə nˈʌts/
idiom
from beginning to end, everything
Including everything, from the first part to the last part.
Examples
- The tour covers the city from soup to nuts in just one day.
- Our service handles your move from soup to nuts, so you don't have to worry.
- She planned the wedding from soup to nuts without a professional planner.
nuts and bolts
1/nˈʌts ˈænd bˈoʊlts/
idiom
basic practical details
The "nuts and bolts" of something are its basic, practical details, especially how it really works or is done.
Examples
- Let’s get down to the nuts and bolts of the project.
- The first part of the course covers the nuts and bolts of project management.
- The course covers the nuts and bolts of web design.
- We need to talk about the nuts and bolts of the plan before we present it.
- She understands the theory, but he knows the nuts and bolts of running the business.