cave
gb/kˈeɪv/ us/kˈeɪv/
B1
Inglês
~ 7600
Aceções
0 aceções
Nome
B1
entity
1
large natural underground space
A big natural hole or room in rock or under the ground, usually with an opening you can go into.
Padrão de uso:
a cave in [a cliff / a mountain / the hillside]
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes confuse "cave" with "cellar" or "basement". A cave is natural and usually in rock or underground in nature, while a cellar or basement is a man‑made space under a building.
Sinónimos
cavern (Usually suggests a very large or impressive cave; a bit more literary or technical.)
Antónimos
open air (Refers to being outside without a covering, the opposite of being inside an enclosed underground space.)
Colocações
dark cave
|deep cave
|limestone cave
|cave entrance
|explore a cave
|bats in the cave
Temas
nature
|travel
|geography
|space
|core_vocabulary
Exemplos
- They found shelter in a small cave during the storm.
- Tourists come from all over the world to see the famous limestone cave.
- We needed flashlights because the cave was completely dark after the first few meters.
- Bats flew out of the cave at sunset, filling the sky.
- Ancient paintings on the cave walls showed animals and hunting scenes.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- We walked into a dark cave.
- There is a big cave under the mountain.
- Bears sometimes sleep in a cave in winter.
- The children were excited to explore the cave.
- It was cold and wet inside the cave.
Verbo
B2
action
2
collapse inward suddenly
To suddenly fall down or fall in, usually when the top or sides of something can no longer hold up.
Padrão de uso:
[roof / ceiling / tunnel] caves in
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes use "cave" without "in" for this meaning, but in modern English the common form is "cave in" ("The roof caved in"), not just "The roof caved".
Sinónimos
collapse (A more general word for falling down; can refer to people, systems, or structures, not just inward falling.)
Antónimos
hold up (Means to stay strong or not fall down, the opposite of a structure collapsing.)
Colocações
the roof caved in
|the ceiling caved in
|the tunnel caved in
|the wall caved in
|the floor caved in
Temas
disasters
|buildings
|safety
|daily_life
|housing
|core_vocabulary
Exemplos
- The old warehouse roof finally caved in after the heavy snowfall.
- Rescuers rushed to the mine after part of a tunnel caved in.
- The weight of the wet soil caused the side of the trench to cave in.
- Everyone ran outside when the ceiling started to crack and then caved in.
- Be careful where you step; the ice could cave in under your weight.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- The roof caved in during the storm.
- The tunnel caved in and blocked the road.
- After the fire, part of the building caved in.
- The ice on the lake might cave in if it is too thin.
- The wall suddenly caved in and made a loud noise.
Verbo
informal
C1
action
3
yield or give in under pressure
To finally say yes or accept something after you tried to say no, usually because other people keep asking or the situation is too hard.
Padrão de uso:
to cave (in) to [someone / something]
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes confuse this meaning with the physical "cave in" of a roof or tunnel. Here it is about a person or group changing their mind under pressure. It is usually followed by "to" ("cave in to pressure" or "cave to pressure").
Sinónimos
give in (Very close in meaning and also informal; slightly more common in everyday speech.)
Antónimos
stand firm (Means to continue to refuse to change your mind, the opposite of caving under pressure.)
Colocações
cave in to pressure
|cave in to demands
|cave in to public opinion
|refuse to cave in
|finally cave in
Temas
emotions
|work
|politics
|relationships
|communication
Exemplos
- The company refused to cave to public pressure and kept its original plan.
- After hours of arguing, he finally caved and agreed to come with us.
- The government is under fire for caving in to the demands of lobbyists.
- She never caves in to peer pressure, even when all her friends are doing it.
- They threatened to strike, hoping management would cave in and raise wages.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- After many questions, he caved and told them the secret.
- The parents did not cave in to their child’s demands for more toys.
- The boss finally caved to pressure and changed the rule.
- She did not want to go, but she caved and went to the party.
- The team will not cave in, even if it is hard.
Gramática
Forma de dicionário
cave
IPA
GB/kˈeɪv/
US/kˈeɪv/
Sílabas e acento
cave (1 sílaba)
Stress on 1st syllable (cave)
Formas da palavra
Noun
- Base: cave
- Plural: caves
Verb
- Base: cave
- 3rd Person Singular: caves
- Present Participle: caving
- Past: caved
Família de palavras
Forms
caves
noun
caving
verb
caved
verb
Related words
Advanced or less common
cavernous
adjective
Expressões
cave in
1/kˈeɪv ˈɪn/
phrasal verb
for a structure to collapse inward
When the top or side of something, like a roof, wall, or tunnel, suddenly falls in.
Exemplos
- The mine shaft caved in, trapping several workers inside.
- Heavy snow caused the stadium roof to cave in overnight.
- Parts of the road caved in after the flood.
cave in to
1/kˈeɪv ˈɪn tə/
phrasal verb
informal
stop resisting and accept demands
To finally agree to what someone wants because of pressure, even if you did not want to agree before.
Exemplos
- The school refused to cave in to the parents’ demands.
- Under public pressure, the mayor eventually caved in to the protesters and changed the policy.
- He always caves in to his children when they cry.
go caving
1/ɡˈoʊ kˈeɪvɪŋ/
fixed phrase
explore caves for fun
To visit and explore caves as a sport or hobby.
Exemplos
- We’re planning to go caving in the national park this weekend.
- She went caving for the first time on her holiday in Slovenia.
- They joined a local club so they could go caving safely with experienced guides.
man cave
1/mˈæn kˈeɪv/
fixed phrase
informal
a man's private hobby room
A room in a house where a man keeps his things and relaxes, often with a TV, games, or tools, and where he can be alone or with his friends.
Exemplos
- He turned the basement into a man cave with a big screen and a pool table.
- The garage has become his man cave, filled with tools and old car parts.
- She joked that the spare room was his man cave and the kitchen was hers.