silk
gb/sˈɪlk/ us/sˈɪlk/
B1
English
~ 5100
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
Fine, smooth natural fiber and cloth
A soft, smooth, shiny thread and cloth made from silkworms, used to make expensive clothes and other things.
Usage pattern:
[something] is made of silk
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"a silk"* when they mean the material. Use "silk" as an uncountable noun for the fabric (e.g., "The dress is made of silk"), and use a countable noun for the item (e.g., "a silk dress"). Also, do not confuse "silk" (the material) with "silicone" (a type of plastic) or "silky" (the adjective meaning smooth like silk).
Synonyms
satin (A smooth, shiny fabric similar in feel to silk but usually made from synthetic fibers or different weaving methods.)
|
silky fabric (A descriptive phrase that focuses on the smooth quality of the cloth rather than the natural origin from silkworms.)
Antonyms
cotton (A common natural fabric that is usually less shiny and less smooth than silk.)
Collocations
pure silk
|silk dress
|silk scarf
|silk tie
|silk shirt
|silk sheets
Themes
fashion
|materials
|daily_life
|clothing
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She wore a long blue dress made of pure silk.
- This scarf is silk, so please be careful when you wash it.
- Silk has been traded for thousands of years and was once more valuable than gold.
- The hotel offered luxury rooms with silk sheets and pillows.
- Scientists are studying spider silk because it is incredibly strong and light.
Learner examples
- My mother has a red silk dress.
- These silk shirts are very light and cool.
- He bought a silk tie for the wedding.
- This pillowcase is silk and feels very soft.
- Silk is more expensive than cotton.
Noun
B2
entity
2
Clothing made from silk
Dresses, shirts, scarves and other clothes that are made from silk.
Usage pattern:
be dressed in silk / silks
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes do not realize that "silks" can mean many silk clothes together. For example, "She wore silks" means she wore silk garments, not pieces of raw fabric.
Synonyms
finery (Refers to beautiful, expensive clothing in general, not only to clothes made of silk.)
Antonyms
rags (Describes very old, torn, or poor-quality clothes, which contrasts with the idea of fine silk garments.)
Collocations
dressed in silk
|silks and satins
|flowing silks
|rich silks
Themes
fashion
|daily_life
|clothing
Examples
- The guests arrived in their finest silks and jewelry.
- In the painting, the queen is wrapped in heavy silks and furs.
- She threw open the wardrobe to reveal a row of bright silks in every color.
- Traders in the market were selling silks, carpets, and spices.
- He packed away his winter silks and brought out lighter summer clothes.
Learner examples
- The rich woman wore silks and gold.
- In the movie, the king's family is always in silks.
- She likes to travel with light silks in her bag.
- The shop window showed beautiful silks in many colors.
- At the party, many people were in silks and suits.
Noun
C1
entity
3
Jockey’s colorful racing clothes
The special colorful clothes that a jockey wears when riding in a horse race.
Usage pattern:
wear [someone]'s silks
Common mistake:
Learners may think "silks" here means just the fabric, but in horse racing it almost always means the jockey's full outfit.
Synonyms
racing colors (A broader term that may include any symbols or colors representing the owner, not only the actual silk clothes.)
Antonyms
street clothes (Ordinary everyday clothing, as opposed to the special racing outfit worn during a race.)
Collocations
jockey's silks
|racing silks
|owner's silks
|colors and silks
Themes
sports
|clothing
Examples
- The jockey pulled on his red and white silks before heading to the track.
- Each owner registers unique silks so their horse can be recognized instantly.
- She designed the stable's new silks with bold stripes and stars.
- In the final race, he rode in the champion stable's famous green silks.
- The jockey's silks were splashed with mud by the end of the race.
Learner examples
- The jockey puts on his silks before the race.
- Her horse is easy to see because the silks are bright yellow.
- Every owner has different silks for their jockey.
- The silks show which horse belongs to which owner.
- He forgot his silks and had to borrow a set.
Noun
formal
C2
entity
4
Senior British barrister (KC/QC)
In British law, a top-level lawyer in court who has the title King’s Counsel or Queen’s Counsel.
Usage pattern:
a leading silk
Common mistake:
Learners may think this meaning is connected to the fabric, but here "silk" is legal jargon for a senior barrister (King’s or Queen’s Counsel).
Synonyms
King’s Counsel (The official title; "silk" is the common informal name used in the legal world.)
Antonyms
junior counsel (A barrister who has not been appointed KC/QC, the opposite position in terms of seniority.)
Collocations
a leading silk
|hiring a silk
|junior and senior silks
|to take silk
Themes
law
Examples
- The company hired a top commercial silk to argue the case.
- She became the first woman silk in her practice area.
- Many barristers dream of taking silk but only a few are chosen each year.
- As a silk, he now appears mainly in the higher courts.
- The judge praised the silk for his clear and careful submissions.
Learner examples
- He is a very famous silk in London.
- Her father is a silk and works on big court cases.
- Only the best barristers can become a silk.
- The company paid a lot of money to hire a silk.
- She hopes to take silk one day.
Noun
B2
entity
5
Fine threads on an ear of corn
The long soft threads on the top of an ear of corn.
Usage pattern:
corn silk
Common mistake:
Some learners do not know that "silk" in "corn silk" refers to the hair-like part on the corn, not to the fabric.
Synonyms
corn hair (An informal descriptive phrase sometimes used for corn silk; less standard and less common.)
Antonyms
kernel (Refers to the seed part of the corn, contrasting with the outer thread-like silk.)
Collocations
corn silk
|fresh corn silk
|brown silk
|silk at the top of the ear
Themes
food
|plants
|agriculture
|nature
|food_drink
Examples
- Pull back the husk and remove the corn silk before boiling the cob.
- The corn silk had turned brown, so the ears were ready to harvest.
- She brushed the corn silk off the table after preparing dinner.
- Tiny drops of water clung to the corn silk in the early morning.
- Corn silk is sometimes dried and used as a traditional herbal tea.
Learner examples
- You should take off the corn silk before you cook the corn.
- There is a lot of corn silk on this ear.
- The corn silk is dry and brown now.
- He cleaned the corn silk from the kitchen floor.
- She showed her child the long corn silk on the fresh corn.
Grammar
Dictionary form
silk
IPA
GB/sˈɪlk/
US/sˈɪlk/
Syllables & stress
silk (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (silk)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: silk
- Plural: silk, silks
Word family
Forms
silks
noun
Core family
silky
adjective
Related words
silkiness
noun
silkworm
noun
Advanced or less common
silken
adjective B2
silkily
adverb
Expressions
as soft as silk
1/ˈæz sˈɔft ˈæz sˈɪlk/
idiom
Extremely soft to touch
Very, very soft when you touch it.
Examples
- The baby’s skin felt as soft as silk.
- This blanket is as soft as silk and very comfortable.
- After the treatment, my hair was as soft as silk.
take silk
1/tˈeɪk sˈɪlk/
idiom
formal
Become King’s/Queen’s Counsel
To become a very senior barrister in the UK with the title King’s Counsel or Queen’s Counsel.
Examples
- She took silk in 2015 and now appears mainly in the Court of Appeal.
- Only a small number of barristers take silk each year.
- After twenty years at the bar, he finally took silk.
the Silk Road
1/ðə sˈɪlk ɹˈoʊd/
fixed phrase
Ancient Asia–Europe trade route
A very old group of trade routes from China and other parts of Asia to Europe and the Middle East, used to carry silk and many other goods.
Examples
- Many cities along the Silk Road became rich trading centers.
- The museum is showing an exhibition about cultures of the Silk Road.
- Silk, spices, and ideas all travelled along the Silk Road.
you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear
1/jˈu kˈænt mˈeɪk ə sˈɪlk pˈɚs ˈaʊt əv ə sˈoʊz ˈɪɹ/
idiom
Can’t get quality from poor material
You cannot make something truly good or beautiful if you only have bad or weak material (or people) to work with.
Examples
- The design is clever, but you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.
- He tried to fix that old car, but you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.
- Their training helps, but you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear when the basic product is poor.
as smooth as silk
1/ˈæz smˈuð ˈæz sˈɪlk/
idiom
Extremely smooth or easy
Very smooth or happening in a very easy, controlled way.
Examples
- Her skin was as smooth as silk.
- The car’s new engine runs as smooth as silk.
- The car's acceleration was as smooth as silk.
- Her presentation was as smooth as silk from beginning to end.
- The dancer’s movements were as smooth as silk on the stage.