tree
gb/tɹˈi/ us/tɹˈi/
A1
English
~ 700
fa, fára kerget, sarokba szorít
NOUN
A1
1
fa
A1
Usage pattern:
a [adjective] tree
The children played under the shade of the old tree.
A gyerekek az öreg fa árnyékában játszottak.
An apple tree grows in our backyard.
A hátsó kertünkben almafa nő.
The storm knocked down several trees along the road.
Birds were nesting high in the tree's branches.
We planted a new tree in the garden last spring.
Learner examples
I see a tall tree in the park.
Látok egy magas fát a parkban.
There is a tree in front of my house.
Van egy fa a házam előtt.
The tree has many green leaves.
A bird is in the tree.
We cut down the old tree.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'tree' with 'wood' — 'wood' is the material from trees, not the living plant.
Meaning
A large plant with a woody stem
Collocations
tall tree
|oak tree
|plant a tree
|cut down a tree
|tree trunk
Synonyms
plant (General term for vegetation; less specific than 'tree'.)
|
shrub (Smaller woody plant; not as tall as a tree.)
Antonyms
shrub (Smaller woody plant without a single main trunk.)
|
bush (Low-growing plant with multiple stems.)
Themes
nature
|environment
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A big plant that has a hard trunk, branches, and leaves.
A perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, supporting branches and leaves, typically growing to a considerable height.
NOUN
B1
TECHNICAL
2
fa
B2
The linguist drew a syntax tree to explain the sentence structure.
A nyelvész egy szintaktikai fát rajzolt, hogy elmagyarázza a mondatszerkezetet.
We used a decision tree to choose the best marketing strategy.
Döntési fát használtunk a legjobb marketingstratégia kiválasztásához.
A family tree shows how people are related over generations.
Learner examples
I made a family tree for school.
Családfát készítettem az iskolába.
The decision tree helps us choose what to do.
A döntési fa segít eldönteni, mit tegyünk.
This diagram is called a tree.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this sense with the living plant meaning when hearing 'tree' in technical contexts.
Meaning
Diagram showing relationships or hierarchy
Collocations
decision tree
|family tree
|syntax tree
Synonyms
diagram (General term; does not specify branching structure.)
|
chart (General visual representation; may not be branching.)
Antonyms
list (Linear arrangement of items without branching.)
Themes
technology
|science
|education
Definition
A picture that shows connections between things using lines that split like branches.
A diagram with branches representing different possible outcomes, relationships, or classifications, often used in computing, mathematics, or organizational charts.
VERB
B2
INFORMAL
3
fára kerget
B2
Usage pattern:
to tree [someone/something]
The dog treed the squirrel in less than a minute.
A kutya kevesebb mint egy perc alatt fára kergette a mókust.
They managed to tree the fugitive in an abandoned shed.
Sikerült sarokba szorítaniuk a szökevényt egy elhagyott fészerben.
The hunters treed the raccoon before nightfall.
Learner examples
The dog treed the cat.
A kutya fára kergette a macskát.
They treed the fox in the forest.
Sarokba szorították a rókát az erdőben.
He treed the rat in the shed.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this means 'to plant a tree' because of the noun meaning.
Meaning
To force into a corner or up a tree
Collocations
tree a raccoon
|tree the cat
Synonyms
corner (Similar idea but does not imply upward movement.)
Antonyms
free (To release from being trapped or cornered.)
Themes
animals
|hunting
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To make a person or animal go into a place where they cannot get away, often up a tree.
To force a person or animal into a place from which escape is difficult, often up a tree or into a figurative corner.
Grammar
Dictionary form
tree
IPA
GB/tɹˈi/
US/tɹˈi/
Syllables & stress
tree (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (tree)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: tree
- Plural: trees
Verb
- Base: tree
- 3rd Person Singular: trees
- Present Participle: treeing
- Past: treed
Word family
Expressions
tree hugger
1/tɹˈi hˈʌɡɚ/
idiom
informal
Person who loves nature and protects it
Someone who cares very much about protecting nature and the environment.
Examples
- Some people call her a tree hugger because she protests against deforestation.
- He’s proud to be known as a tree hugger.
up a tree
1/ˈʌp ə tɹˈi/
idiom
informal
In trouble or stuck without options
In a situation where it is hard to find a way out or solve a problem.
Examples
- When the car broke down in the desert, we were really up a tree.
- Without more money, the project will be up a tree.
can't see the forest for the trees
1/kˈænt sˈi ðə fˈɔɹɪst fɚ ðə tɹˈiz/
idiom
Focus on details and miss big picture
Not understanding the whole situation because you are paying too much attention to small parts of it.
Examples
- She’s so focused on each typo that she can’t see the forest for the trees in her essay.
- He’s so focused on fixing tiny problems that he can’t see the forest for the trees.
- Don’t get lost in details—remember the main goal!
- Don’t get lost in the details—remember the main goal or you’ll miss the forest for the trees.
family tree
1/fˈæmɪli tɹˈi/
fixed phrase
Diagram of relatives over generations
A drawing that shows how members of a family are related over time.
Examples
- She traced her ancestors using her family tree.
- She traced her ancestors back five generations on her family tree.
- The project involved creating a detailed family tree.
- They made a family tree for the school history project.