neighbour
gb/nˈeɪbɚ/ us/nˈeɪbɚ/
A1
English
~ 1900
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
person living nearby
Someone who lives close to you or next to your home.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s neighbour
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'neighbour' with 'friend'; a neighbour may be a friend, but the word means someone who lives nearby, not necessarily someone you know well.
Synonyms
resident (General term for someone living in a place; not necessarily nearby.)
|
local (Refers to someone from the same area; less specific than 'neighbour'.)
Antonyms
stranger (Someone you do not know and who does not live near you.)
Collocations
friendly neighbour
|next-door neighbour
|neighbour's house
|good neighbour
|meet the neighbours
Themes
daily life
|community
|housing
|relationships
Examples
- Our new neighbour brought us a cake.
- The neighbours complained about the noise.
- She asked her neighbour for some sugar.
- He had lived next to the same neighbour for twenty years.
Learner examples
- My neighbour has a big dog.
- We like our new neighbours.
- Her neighbour is very kind.
- I see my neighbour every day.
Noun
A2
entity
2
country or region nearby
A country or place that is next to another country or place.
Usage pattern:
[a country]'s neighbour
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'neighbour' without specifying that it refers to a place rather than a person; context is important.
Synonyms
adjacent state (More formal term for a state that shares a border.)
Antonyms
distant land (A faraway country or region.)
Collocations
neighbouring country
|close neighbour
|regional neighbour
Themes
geography
|politics
|travel
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- France is Spain's western neighbour.
- The two neighbours signed a trade agreement.
- Canada is the northern neighbour of the United States.
Learner examples
- Mexico is the neighbour of the USA.
- China is a big neighbour of many countries.
- France is the neighbour of Germany.
Verb
B2
state
3
be next to something
To be next to another place or thing.
Usage pattern:
[something] neighbours [something]
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse the verb 'neighbour' with the noun form; as a verb it is less common and mainly formal or descriptive.
Synonyms
border (Specifically refers to sharing a boundary line; 'neighbour' as a verb can be broader.)
Antonyms
be distant from (To be far away from something.)
Collocations
neighbouring park
|neighbours the border
Themes
geography
|space
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The property neighbours a public park.
- Her land neighbours the river.
- The farm neighbours the national forest.
Learner examples
- My house neighbours a school.
- The shop neighbours a bank.
- The park neighbours the river.
Grammar
Dictionary form
neighbour
IPA
GB/nˈeɪbɚ/
US/nˈeɪbɚ/
Syllables & stress
neigh - bour (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (neigh)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: neighbour
- Variant Spelling: neighbor
- Plural: neighbours
Verb
- Base: neighbour
- Variant Spelling: neighbor
- 3rd Person Singular: neighbours
- Present Participle: neighbouring
- Past: neighboured
Word family
Forms
Core family
neighbourhood
noun A2
Related words
neighbourly
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
un-neighbourly
adjective
Advanced or less common
neighbourliness
noun
Highlights
- Spelling Variant: neighbor Verb
- Spelling Variant: neighbor Noun
Expressions
good neighbour policy
1/ɡˈʊd nˈeɪbɚ pˈɑlɪsi/
fixed phrase
policy of friendly diplomacy
A way of working with other countries near you by being friendly and helpful, not aggressive.
Examples
- The president promised to follow a good neighbour policy with all bordering states.
- Good neighbour policy aims to strengthen regional peace.
love thy neighbour
1/lˈʌv ðˈaɪ nˈeɪbɚ/
idiom
literary
be kind to others nearby
An old saying meaning you should be kind and caring to people who live near you or are around you.
Examples
- He believes strongly in the idea of 'love thy neighbour'.
- In tough times, we should remember to love thy neighbour.
neighbour from hell
1/nˈeɪbɚ fɹˈʌm hˈɛl/
idiom
informal
very bad neighbour
A person who lives near you and causes many problems or is very unpleasant.
Examples
- They moved away to escape their neighbour from hell.
- The constant noise made him feel like he had a neighbour from hell.