sand
gb/sˈænd/ us/sˈænd/
A1
English
~ 2500
homok, csiszol, kitartás, elszántság, kurázsi
NOUN
A1
1
homok
A2
Usage pattern:
[sand] covers [a place]
The children built a castle out of sand.
A gyerekek homokvárat építettek.
The beach was covered with soft white sand.
A partot puha, fehér homok borította.
Wind blew the sand into my eyes.
Sand can get very hot under the sun.
Learner examples
I see sand on the beach.
Homokot látok a strandon.
The sand is warm.
Meleg a homok.
We play in the sand.
Sand is on my shoes.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'sand' with 'soil' or 'dirt', but sand refers specifically to tiny grains of rock, not general ground material.
Meaning
loose grains from rocks
Collocations
grain of sand
|desert sand
|wet sand
|sand dunes
|white sand
Synonyms
grit (Refers to small loose particles, but often smaller or rougher than sand.)
Antonyms
rock (Rock is solid and large, the opposite of sand’s loose, tiny grains.)
Themes
nature
|geography
|construction
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Very small loose pieces of rock, often found on a beach or in the desert.
Loose, granular material made up of tiny pieces of rock and mineral, typically found on beaches, deserts, and riverbeds.
VERB
B1
2
csiszol
B2
Usage pattern:
to sand [something]
You need to sand the table before painting it.
Festés előtt le kell csiszolnod az asztalt.
He spent the afternoon sanding the floorboards.
A délutánt a padlódeszkák csiszolásával töltötte.
Sand the edges until they are smooth.
Learner examples
I will sand the chair.
Le fogom csiszolni a széket.
He sands the wood.
Csiszolja a fát.
We sand the door before we paint it.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'sand' as a verb with spreading actual sand; here it means smoothing with abrasive material.
Meaning
smooth with abrasive
Collocations
sand the wood
|sand down
|sand smooth
Synonyms
polish (Polish can also mean to make smooth and shiny, but often involves finer finishing than sanding.)
Antonyms
scratch (Scratching makes a surface rougher instead of smoother.)
Themes
crafts
|construction
|work
|daily_life
Definition
To make something smooth by rubbing it with special paper or another rough thing.
To make a surface smooth by rubbing it with sandpaper or another abrasive material.
NOUN
C1
3
She showed real sand during the crisis.
A válság idején nagy bátorságot és kitartást tanúsított.
It takes sand to stand up to them.
Kurázsi kell ahhoz, hogy szembeszállj velük.
He doesn't have the sand to finish the job.
Learner examples
She has much sand.
Van benne bőven kitartás.
It takes sand to win.
A győzelemhez kitartás kell.
He shows sand in hard times.
Common mistake:
Learners may not know this figurative meaning and think it refers only to beach sand.
Meaning
courage or grit
Collocations
show sand
|have the sand to
Synonyms
grit (Very close in meaning but slightly more common in modern use for determination.)
Antonyms
cowardice (Lack of courage or determination.)
Themes
emotions
|personality
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The ability to keep going when things are hard.
Informal: Courage, stamina, or determination to keep going in a difficult situation.
Grammar
Dictionary form
sand
IPA
GB/sˈænd/
US/sˈænd/
Syllables & stress
sand (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (sand)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: sand
- Plural: sand
Verb
- Base: sand
- 3rd Person Singular: sands
- Present Participle: sanding
- Past: sanded
Word family
Expressions
draw a line in the sand
1/dɹˈɔ ə lˈaɪn ˈɪn ðə sˈænd/
idiom
set a firm boundary
To say clearly that you will not allow something to happen beyond a certain point.
Examples
- The company drew a line in the sand over safety standards.
- Parents need to draw a line in the sand when it comes to bedtime.
shift sands
1/ʃˈɪft sˈændz/
idiom
literary
changing and unstable situation
When things change often and you cannot be sure what will happen.
Examples
- Politics is like shifting sands—nothing stays the same for long.
- We had to adapt our plans to the shifting sands of the market.
bury your head in the sand
1/bˈɛɹi jˈʊɹ hˈɛd ˈɪn ðə sˈænd/
idiom
Avoid facing a problem
To ignore a problem and hope it will go away instead of dealing with it.
Examples
- He just buries his head in the sand instead of dealing with his debts.
- You can't just bury your head in the sand when it comes to your debts.
- Stop burying your head in the sand and talk to her about it.
- She tends to bury her head in the sand whenever there is conflict at work.