mountain
gb/mˈaʊntən/ us/mˈaʊntən/
A2
English
~ 1600
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
A large, steep hill
A very tall area of land with steep sides, higher than a hill.
Usage pattern:
[a/an/the] mountain
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'mountain' with 'hill'. A hill is smaller and less steep than a mountain.
Synonyms
peak (Often used for the pointed top of a mountain or a high mountain itself.)
|
summit (Refers specifically to the highest point of a mountain.)
Antonyms
valley (A low area between hills or mountains, opposite in elevation.)
Collocations
mountain range
|mountain peak
|climb a mountain
|mountain trail
|mountain village
Themes
geography
|nature
|travel
|space
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The mountain was covered in snow all year round.
- They decided to hike up the mountain during their vacation.
- From the top of the mountain, you can see for miles.
- The village lies in the shadow of a great mountain.
Learner examples
- The mountain is very high.
- We can see a mountain from our house.
- They climbed the mountain last summer.
- Snow is on the mountain.
Noun
B1
quantity
2
A huge quantity of something
A very big amount of something.
Usage pattern:
a mountain of [things]
Common mistake:
Some learners may try to use 'mountain' literally here; in this sense it is figurative for 'a lot'.
Synonyms
pile (A general term for a heap of things; not as dramatic as 'mountain'.)
|
heap (Similar to 'pile'; often smaller or less figurative than 'mountain'.)
Antonyms
small amount (Indicates a quantity much less than a 'mountain'.)
Collocations
mountain of work
|mountain of paperwork
|mountain of laundry
Themes
metaphor
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I have a mountain of homework to finish before Monday.
- The company is facing a mountain of debt.
- After the party, there was a mountain of dirty dishes in the kitchen.
Learner examples
- I have a mountain of clothes to wash.
- She has a mountain of books on her desk.
- We saw a mountain of boxes in the store.
Grammar
Dictionary form
mountain
IPA
GB/mˈaʊntən/
US/mˈaʊntən/
Syllables & stress
moun - tain (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (moun)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: mountain
- Plural: mountains
Word family
Expressions
mountain peak
1/mˈaʊntən pˈik/
fixed phrase
Top point of a mountain
The highest point of a mountain.
Examples
- Snow covered the mountain peak all year long.
- From the mountain peak, you could see both coasts.
mountain range
1/mˈaʊntən ɹˈeɪnd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
Series of connected mountains
A group of mountains that are connected in a line or area.
Examples
- The Andes is the longest mountain range in the world.
- They traveled across the mountain range during summer.
move mountains
1/mˈuv mˈaʊntənz/
idiom
Achieve something very hard
To work very hard to make something difficult happen.
Examples
- Our team will move mountains to finish this project on time.
- She moved mountains to secure funding for the school.
make a mountain out of a molehill
1/mˈeɪk ə mˈaʊntən ˈaʊt əv ə mˈoʊlhˌɪl/
idiom
informal
Exaggerate small problem
To make a small problem seem much bigger than it really is.
Examples
- Don't make a mountain out of a molehill; it's just a minor mistake.
- He tends to make a mountain out of a molehill when things go wrong.
make a mountain out of a molehill
2/mˈeɪk ə mˈaʊntən ˈaʊt əv ə mˈoʊlhˌɪl/
idiom
Exaggerate a small problem
To think or talk about a small problem as if it were very big or serious.
Examples
- Stop making a mountain out of a molehill—it's just a minor mistake.
- She tends to make a mountain out of a molehill whenever plans change slightly.