pier
gb/pˈɪɹ/ us/pˈɪɹ/
B1
Anglais
~ 9300
Sens
0 sens
Nom
B1
entity
1
platform or walkway over water
A long platform that goes out over the water from the land, where people can walk, fish, or where boats can stop.
Schéma d’usage :
to walk along [a pier]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners often confuse "pier" with the verb "peer" because they sound the same. "Pier" is a noun for a structure over water, while "peer" is a verb meaning to look closely. Learners may also mix up "pier" with "port" or "harbor"; a port or harbor is a whole area for ships, while a pier is one long structure that sticks out into the water.
Synonymes
dock (Often used in American English for a place where boats are tied; may not always extend far out like a pier used for walking.)
|
jetty (Typically smaller and more functional, often built of stone or concrete mainly for boats or to protect the shore, not usually for strolling.)
|
wharf (Usually a larger area along the shore for loading and unloading ships, more commercial and less for leisure walking.)
|
quay (Common in British English; a solid landing place along the edge of the water rather than a long structure going out over it.)
Antonymes
shore (Refers to the land at the edge of the water, the opposite of a structure that projects out over the water.)
Collocations
walk along the pier
|fishing pier
|busy pier
|wooden pier
|pier at the harbor
|boats tied to the pier
Thèmes
travel
|transport
|nature
|daily life
|transportation
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- We walked to the end of the pier to watch the sunset over the ocean.
- Several small boats were tied to the pier, gently rising and falling with the waves.
- The old wooden pier was damaged in the storm and had to be closed to visitors.
- Tourists lined the pier, taking photos of the lighthouse across the bay.
- A fisherman sat quietly on the pier, waiting for a bite.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Many people stand on the pier and look at the sea.
- The boat waits by the pier for passengers.
- Children are running along the pier in the sun.
- We eat ice cream as we walk down the pier.
- The pier is long and goes far into the water.
Nom
technical
B2
entity
2
vertical support for bridge or wall
A strong vertical part of a bridge, wall, or building that holds up the weight above it.
Schéma d’usage :
[a pier] supports [a bridge or structure]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may think this "pier" always has water around it because they know the water-related sense. In engineering and architecture, a pier can be on land and is simply a heavy vertical support. It is also sometimes confused with "column" or "pillar"; those can be more decorative or slender, while a pier is usually thicker and mainly structural.
Synonymes
pillar (A more general word for a tall vertical support; a pier is often wider and specifically architectural or structural.)
|
column (Often suggests a more slender, sometimes decorative support; "pier" is usually more massive and purely structural.)
|
abutment (A support at the end of a bridge or arch; a pier is typically an intermediate support, not at the very end.)
Antonymes
span (The part of a bridge that stretches between piers or supports, contrasting with the supporting pier itself.)
Collocations
bridge pier
|concrete pier
|supporting pier
|central pier
|load-bearing pier
|pier foundation
Thèmes
construction
|engineering
|architecture
|science
|housing
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The engineers inspected each bridge pier for cracks after the earthquake.
- Massive concrete piers support the highway as it crosses the river.
- The arch rests on two stone piers built into the outer walls.
- Damage to a single pier can weaken the entire structure of the bridge.
- The new design reduces the number of piers needed while keeping the bridge stable.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The bridge stands on strong concrete piers.
- Each pier holds up part of the road.
- They built new piers to make the bridge safe.
- The heavy arch rests on two stone piers.
- Workers checked the pier for damage in the river.
Grammaire
Expressions
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