petrol
gb/pˈɛtɹoʊl/ us/pˈɛtɹoʊl/
A2
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
fuel for cars and engines
a liquid fuel that cars use
Usage pattern:
fill [vehicle] with petrol; run on petrol
Common mistake:
In American English, petrol is usually called gasoline or (informally) gas; petrol is not the same as petroleum (the crude oil it comes from).
Synonyms
gasoline (Standard term in American English.)
|
gas (Informal American English; also has other meanings.)
Collocations
petrol station
|petrol pump
|petrol tank
|petrol engine
|petrol prices
|petrol fumes
|unleaded petrol
|petrol shortage
|fill up with petrol
|a litre of petrol
Themes
transport
|vehicles
|daily_life
|energy
Examples
- We stopped to buy petrol before getting on the motorway.
- Petrol prices have gone up again this month.
- The car won’t start if there isn’t enough petrol in the tank.
Learner examples
- I need to buy petrol for my car.
- The petrol is very expensive today.
Grammar
Dictionary form
petrol
IPA
GB/pˈɛtɹoʊl/
US/pˈɛtɹoʊl/
Syllables & stress
pet - rol (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (pet)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: petrol
- Plural: petrol
Word family
Expressions
petrol engine
1/pˈɛtɹoʊl ˈɛnd͡ʒən/
fixed phrase
engine that uses petrol
an engine that uses petrol
Examples
- This model has a small petrol engine and low emissions.
- Petrol engines are generally quieter than diesel engines.
- The mechanic checked the petrol engine for faults.
petrol fumes
1/pˈɛtɹoʊl fjˈumz/
fixed phrase
strong-smelling petrol vapour
gas from petrol that you can smell
Examples
- The garage smelled of petrol fumes.
- Don’t breathe in petrol fumes for long periods.
- Petrol fumes can build up in a poorly ventilated space.
petrol prices
1/pˈɛtɹoʊl pɹˈaɪsɪz/
fixed phrase
cost of petrol
how much petrol costs
Examples
- Petrol prices have fallen slightly since last week.
- High petrol prices are making commuting more expensive.
- The government faced criticism over petrol prices.
petrol pump
1/pˈɛtɹoʊl pˈʌmp/
fixed phrase
machine that dispenses petrol
a machine that gives petrol
Examples
- I paid at the petrol pump with my card.
- Pull up next to a petrol pump and switch off your engine.
- One of the petrol pumps is out of order.
petrol station
1/pˈɛtɹoʊl stˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
place to buy petrol
a place where you buy petrol for your car
Examples
- There’s a petrol station just past the roundabout.
- We pulled into a petrol station to use the toilet.
- The nearest petrol station is closed at night.
petrol tank
1/pˈɛtɹoʊl tˈæŋk/
fixed phrase
fuel container in a vehicle
the part of a car that holds petrol
Examples
- The petrol tank is almost empty.
- I filled the petrol tank before we left.
- A leak in the petrol tank can be dangerous.
run out of petrol
1/ɹˈʌn ˈaʊt əv pˈɛtɹoʊl/
fixed phrase
have no petrol left
to have no petrol left
Examples
- We ran out of petrol on the way to the airport.
- If you run out of petrol, call breakdown services.
- He nearly ran out of petrol because he ignored the warning light.
unleaded petrol
1/ʌnlˈɛdɪd pˈɛtɹoʊl/
fixed phrase
petrol without added lead
petrol without lead
Examples
- My car takes unleaded petrol.
- The station sells premium and regular unleaded petrol.
- Unleaded petrol replaced leaded petrol in most countries.