A1 (Basic)

cal‧o‧rie /ˈkæləri/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: Latin calor 'heat']
1. a unit for measuring the amount of ↑energy that food will produce:
A potato has about 90 calories.
a calorie-controlled diet
low-calorie/high-calorie
a low-calorie snack
I need to burn off a few calories (=lose some weight by exercising).
My wife convinced me to finally start counting calories (=control my weight by being careful about what I eat).
2. technical the amount of heat that is needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius. It is used as a unit for measuring energy.
—caloric /kəˈlɒrɪk, ˈkælərɪk $ kəˈlɔːrɪk/ adjective
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ something has/contains calories These yoghurts have approximately 90 calories per pot.
▪ count calories (=control your weight by eating fewer calories) Women tend to count calories more than men.
▪ burn (up/off) calories (=use up the calories you have eaten) Even walking will help you to burn up calories.
■ adjectives
▪ low-calorie She's on a low-calorie diet at the moment.
▪ high-calorie High-calorie foods are usually fatty.
▪ be high/low in calories (=contain a lot of/few calories) Sweets and chocolates are very high in calories.
▪ somebody's daily calories (=that someone eats every day) Americans get 22% of their daily calories from snacks.
▪ empty calories (=that do not contain anything good for your body) Sugary drinks are full of empty calories.
■ calorie + NOUN
▪ calorie intake (=the amount of calories someone eats) There are several ways you can reduce your calorie intake.
▪ calorie content Pizzas have a very high calorie content.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

calorie

cal·orie [calorie calories] [ˈkæləri] [ˈkæləri] noun
1. a unit for measuring how much energy food will produce
• A fried egg contains about 100 calories— about the same as you would burn off if you ran a mile.
• No sugar for me, thanks— I'm counting my calories.

• a low-calorie drink/diet

2. (technical) a unit for measuring a quantity of heat; the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of a gram of water by one degree Celsius
Word Origin:
mid 19th cent.: from French, from Latin calor ‘heat’ + French suffix -ie (see -y).
Collocations:
Diet and exercise
Weight
put on/gain/lose weight/a few kilos/a few pounds
watch/control/struggle with your weight
be/become seriously overweight/underweight
be/become clinically/morbidly obese
achieve/facilitate/promote/stimulate weight loss
slim down to 70 kilos/(BrE) 11 stone/(especially NAmE) 160 pounds
combat/prevent/tackle/treat obesity
develop/have/suffer from/struggle with/recover from anorexia/bulimia/an eating disorder
be on/go on/follow a crash/strict diet
have/suffer from a negative/poor body image
have/develop a positive/healthy body image
Healthy eating
eat a balanced diet/healthily/sensibly
get/provide/receive adequate/proper nutrition
contain/get/provide essential nutrients/vitamins/minerals
be high/low in calories/fat/fibre/(especially US) fiber/protein/vitamin D/Omega-3 fatty acids
contain (no)/use/be full of/be free from additives/chemical preservatives/artificial sweeteners
avoid/cut down on/cut out alcohol/caffeine/fatty foods
stop/give up/ (especially NAmE) quit smoking
Exercise
(BrE) take regular exercise
do moderate/strenuous/vigorous exercise
play football/hockey/tennis
go cycling/jogging/running
go to/visit/ (especially NAmE) hit/work out at the gym
strengthen/tone/train your stomach muscles
contract/relax/stretch/use/work your lower-body muscles
build (up)/gain muscle
improve/increase your stamina/energy levels/physical fitness
burn/consume/expend calories
Staying healthy
be/get/keep/stay healthy/in shape/(especially BrE) fit
lower your cholesterol/blood pressure
boost/stimulate/strengthen your immune system
prevent/reduce the risk of heart disease/high blood pressure/diabetes/osteoporosis
reduce/relieve/manage/combat stress
enhance/promote relaxation/physical and mental well-being
Example Bank:
• Fruit is relatively low in calories.
• I don't count calories, but I am careful about what I eat.
• I'm trying to watch my calories at the moment.
• Mile per mile you get the same calorie burn from walking as from running.
• Some people count calories all their lives.
• Sweets and biscuits have a lot of empty calories in them.
• Try to reduce the percentage of fat calories in your diet.
• Vegetables are relatively low in calories.
• You need to exercise more to burn off the calories.
• a calorie-restricted diet
• a low calorie drink

• foods with a high calorie content

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition

calorie / ˈkæl. ə r.i / / -ɚ- / noun [ C ] (FOOD)

a unit of energy, often used as a measurement of the amount of energy that food provides:

There are about 50 calories in an apple.

An athlete in training needs a lot of calories.

This drink can only help you to lose weight as a part of a calorie -controlled diet .

He found calorie -counting the best way of losing weight.

calorie / ˈkæl. ə r.i / / -ɚ- / noun [ C ] specialized (HEAT)

a unit of heat energy

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

calorie

[kæ̱ləri]
calories
N-COUNT
Calories are units used to measure the energy value of food. People who are on diets try to eat food that does not contain many calories.
→ See also -calorie
A glass of wine does have quite a lot of calories.
...calorie controlled diets.

[-kæ̱ləri]
COMB in ADJ-GRADED: usu ADJ n
-calorie is used after adjectives such as low or high to indicate that food contains a small or a large number of calories.
...low-calorie margarine.
...reduced-calorie mayonnaise.

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary:

calorie

cal·o·rie /ˈkæləri/ noun, pl -ries [count] : a unit of heat used to indicate the amount of energy that foods will produce in the human body
• foods with high/low calories
• You should try to eat fewer calories [=eat less food with high calories] and exercise more.
• a low-calorie diet
• No dessert for me—I'm watching/counting my calories. [=being careful not to eat too much]
- ca·lo·ric /kəˈlorɪk/ adj [more ~; most ~]
• caloric intake/restriction/values
• caloric foods [=foods that contain many calories]
- cal·o·rif·ic /ˌkæləˈrɪfɪk/ adj technical
• the calorific content of fat

0

low-calorie

low-calorie [adjective]

containing fewer calories (= units for measuring the amount of energy a food provides) than normal

US

/ˌloʊˈkæl.ɚ.i/

UK

/ˌləʊˈkæl.ər.i/

Example:

low-calorie drinks/snacks

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition

ˌ low- ˈ calorie / ˌləʊˈkæl. ə r.i / / ˌloʊˈkæl.ɚ.i / adjective ( also low-cal , lo-cal , / ˌləʊˈkæl / / ˌloʊ- / )

containing fewer calories (= units for measuring the amount of energy a food provides) than normal:

low-calorie drinks/snacks

0

chip

chip [noun] (FRIED FOOD)

a long, thin piece of potato that is fried and usually eaten hot

US

/tʃɪp/

UK

/tʃɪp/

Example:

fish and chips

Oxford Essential Dictionary

noun

1 (British) (British and American also French fry, fry) a thin piece of potato cooked in hot oil:
We had fish and chips for lunch.

2 American English for crisp
3 the place where a small piece of wood, stone or other material has broken off a larger piece:
This dish has a chip in it.

4 a very small thing inside a computer that makes it work same meaning microchip

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

chip

I. chip¹ S2 W3 /tʃɪp/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Language: Old English; Origin: cipp, cyp 'small piece of wood', from Latin cippus 'sharp post']

1. FOOD
a) British English [usually plural] a long thin piece of potato cooked in oil SYN French fry American English:
fish and chips
a bag of chips
b) American English [usually plural] a thin flat round piece of food such as potato cooked in very hot oil and eaten cold SYN crisp British English:
a bag of potato chips
2. COMPUTER a small piece of ↑silicon that has a set of complicated electrical connections on it and is used to store and ↑process information in computers:
the age of the silicon chip
chip technology
3. PIECE a small piece of wood, stone, metal etc that has been broken off something:
Wood chips covered the floor of the workshop.
a chocolate chip cookie (=one that contains small pieces of chocolate)
4. MARK a small hole or mark on a plate, cup etc where a piece has broken off
chip in
There’s a chip in this bowl.
5. have a chip on your shoulder to easily become offended or angry because you think you have been treated unfairly in the past
6. when the chips are down spoken in a serious or difficult situation, especially one in which you realize what is really true or important:
When the chips are down, you’ve only got yourself to depend on.
7. be a chip off the old block informal to be very similar to your mother or father in appearance or character
8. GAME [usually plural] a small flat coloured piece of plastic used in games such as ↑poker or ↑blackjack to represent a particular amount of money
9. SPORT (also chip shot, chip kick) a hit in golf, or a kick in football or ↑rugby, that makes the ball go high into the air for a short distance
10. have had your chips British English informal to be in a situation in which you no longer have any hope of improvement
⇨ ↑blue chip, ⇨ cash in your chips at ↑cash in(3)

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

chip / tʃɪp / noun (FRIED FOOD)

A1 [ C usually plural ] UK ( US French fry ) a long, thin piece of potato that is fried and usually eaten hot:

fish and chips

beans/egg/sausage and chips

oven chips (= chips that are baked in a cooker)

A2 [ C usually plural ] US for crisp noun (POTATO) :

a bag of chips

[ C usually plural ] a thin slice of fried maize, banana, or other food that is eaten cold:

banana chips

chip / tʃɪp / noun [ C ] ( also microchip ) specialized (COMPUTER PART)

B2 a very small piece of semiconductor, especially in a computer, that contains extremely small electronic circuits and devices, and can perform particular operations:

a silicon chip

chip / tʃɪp / noun [ C ] (PIECE)

a small piece that has been broken off a larger object, or the mark left on an object such as a cup, plate, etc. where a small piece has been broken off it:

wood chips

Polly fell and knocked a chip out of her front tooth.

This mug's got a chip in it/ out of it.

chip / tʃɪp / noun [ C ] (PIECE)

a small piece that has been broken off a larger object, or the mark left on an object such as a cup, plate, etc. where a small piece has been broken off it:

wood chips

Polly fell and knocked a chip out of her front tooth.

This mug's got a chip in it/ out of it.

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

chip

[tʃɪ̱p]

chips, chipping, chipped
1) N-COUNT: usu pl Chips are long, thin pieces of potato fried in oil or fat and eaten hot, usually with a meal. [BRIT]
  I had fish and chips in a cafe...
  Frank Browne shook more sauce over his chips.(in AM, use French fries)
2) N-COUNT: usu pl Chips or potato chips are very thin slices of fried potato that are eaten cold as a snack. [AM]
  ...a package of onion-flavored potato chips.(in BRIT, use crisps)
3) N-COUNT A silicon chip is a very small piece of silicon with electronic circuits on it which is part of a computer or other piece of machinery.
4) N-COUNT: oft supp N A chip is a small piece of something or a small piece which has been broken off something.
  It contains real chocolate chips...
  He was burning wood chips to make charcoal...
  Teichler's eyes gleamed like chips of blue glass.
5) N-COUNT A chip in something such as a piece of china or furniture is where a small piece has been broken off it.
  The washbasin had a small chip.
6) V-ERG If you chip something or if it chips, a small piece is broken off it.
  [V n] The blow chipped the woman's tooth...
  Steel baths are lighter but chip easily.
  Derived words:
  chipped ADJ-GRADED The wagon's paint was badly chipped on the outside... They drank out of chipped mugs.
7) N-COUNT: usu pl Chips are plastic counters used in gambling to represent money.
  He put the pile of chips in the center of the table and drew a card.
8) N-COUNT In discussions between people or governments, a chip or a bargaining chip is something of value which one side holds, which can be exchanged for something they want from the other side.
  The information could be used as a bargaining chip to extract some parallel information from Britain...
  He was not expected to be released because he was considered a valuable chip in this game.
9) → See also blue chip
10) PHRASE: usu v-link PHR If you describe someone as a chip off the old block, you mean that they are just like one of their parents in character or behaviour.
  Her fifth child was born, a son who Sally at first thought was another chip off the old block.
11) PHRASE If you say that something happens when the chips are down, you mean it happens when a situation gets very difficult. [INFORMAL]
  When the chips are down, she's very tough.
12) PHRASE: Ns inflect, usu have/with PHR If you say that someone has a chip on their shoulder, you think that they feel inferior or that they believe they have been treated unfairly. [INFORMAL]
  He had this chip on his shoulder about my mum and dad thinking that they're better than him.
  Phrasal Verbs:
  - chip away at
  - chip in

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary:

¹chip /ˈʧɪp/ noun, pl chips [count]
1 : a small piece that has been broken off from something larger
• wood chips
• chips of stone
2 : a place where a small piece of something has broken off
• The cup has a chip in/on it.
3 : a small piece of candy or chocolate used in baking
• chocolate chips
• chocolate chip cookies [=cookies with small bits of chocolate in them]
4 a : a thin, hard, and usually salty piece of food
• tortilla chips especially; US : potato chip
• a bag of chips
- see also corn chip
b Brit : french fry
- see also fish and chips
5 : a small, flat, round piece of plastic that is used to represent an amount of money in gambling games like poker - see also bargaining chip
6 : a very small piece of hard material (called silicon) in a computer or other device that contains many electronic circuits
• computer/silicon chips
- see also microchip
7 US informal : a piece of dried waste matter from an animal
• buffalo/cow chips
8 : chip shot 1 2
chip off the old block informal : someone who looks or behaves like his or her parent
• His son is a real chip off the old block.
have a chip on your shoulder informal : to have an angry or unpleasant attitude or way of behaving caused by a belief that you have been treated unfairly in the past
• He has had a chip on his shoulder ever since he didn't get the promotion he was expecting.
let the chips fall where they may US informal : to allow events to happen without trying to change them
✦This phrase usually suggests that you are willing to accept a result, whatever it may be.
• I will run the best campaign I can, then let the chips fall where they may.
when the chips are down informal : in a difficult situation : when things are not good
• True friends will stand by you when the chips are down.

American English

forms of potatoes as food

A1 (Basic)

noun

0

ice cream

ice cream [noun]

a very cold sweet food made from frozen milk or cream, sugar, and a flavour

US

/ˈaɪs ˌkriːm ˌkoʊn/

UK

/ˌaɪs ˈkriːm ˌkəʊn/

Example:

a tub of ice cream

Oxford Essential Dictionary

ice cream

noun
very cold sweet food made from milk:
Do you like ice cream?
Two chocolate ice creams, please.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

ice cream

ˌice ˈcream S2 / $ ˈ../ BrE AmE noun

1. [uncountable] a frozen sweet food made of milk, cream, and sugar, with fruit, nuts, chocolate etc sometimes added to it:
vanilla ice cream
2. [countable] a small amount of this food for one person:
Mummy, can I have an ice cream?

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

ice cream

ˌice ˈcream [ice cream ice creams] (also ˈice cream especially in NAmE) noun uncountable, countable
a type of sweet frozen food made from milk fat, flavoured with fruit, chocolate, etc. and often eaten as a dessert; a small amount of this food intended for one person, often served in a container made of biscuit that is shaped like a cone
• Desserts are served with cream or ice cream.
• Who wants an ice cream?
Word Origin:
mid 18th cent.: alteration of iced cream.
Example Bank:

• apple pie with ice cream

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

ˌ ice ˈ cream / ˌaɪsˈkriːm / / ˈaɪsˌkriːm / noun [ C or U ]

A1 a very cold sweet food made from frozen milk or cream, sugar, and a flavour:

a tub of ice cream

chocolate chip/vanilla ice cream

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

ice cream

ice creams
also ice-cream
1) N-MASS Ice cream is a very cold sweet food which is made from frozen cream or a substance like cream and has a flavour such as vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry.
  I'll get you some ice cream.
  ...vanilla ice cream.
2) N-COUNT An ice cream is an amount of ice cream sold in a small container or a cone made of thin biscuit.
  Do you want an ice cream?...
  They stuffed themselves with ice creams, chocolate and lollies.
  Syn:
  ice

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary:

ice cream

ice cream /ˌaɪsˈkriːm/ noun, pl ~ creams : a frozen food containing sweetened and flavored cream

[noncount]

• What flavor of ice cream do you like?
• chocolate/vanilla ice cream

[count]

• Would you like another ice cream? [=another serving of ice cream]
- often used before another noun
• an ice-cream parlor/stand/soda

American English

British English

puddings - desserts and ices

A1 (Basic)

noun

0

noodle

noodle [noun] (FOOD)

a food in the form of long, thin strips made from flour or rice, water, and often egg, cooked in boiling liquid

US

/ˈnuː.dəl/

UK

/ˈnuː.dəl/

Example:

egg/rice noodles

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

noodle

noo‧dle /ˈnuːdl/ BrE AmE noun
[Date: 1700-1800; Language: German; Origin: nudel]
[usually plural] a long thin piece of food made from a mixture of flour, water, and eggs, usually cooked in soup or boiling water:
Serve the meat with rice or noodles.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

noodle

noo·dle [noodle noodles] [ˈnuːdl] [ˈnuːdl] noun
1. usually plural a long thin strip of pasta, used especially in Chinese and Italian cooking
• chicken noodle soup

• Would you prefer rice or noodles?

2. countable (old-fashioned, NAmE, slang) = noddle
Word Origin:

sense 1 late 18th cent.: from German Nudel, of unknown origin.

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

noodle / ˈnuː.dl̩ / noun [ C usually plural ] (FOOD)

a food in the form of long, thin strips made from flour or rice, water, and often egg, cooked in boiling liquid:

egg/rice noodles

instant/crispy noodles

chicken noodle soup

noodle / ˈnuː.dl̩ / noun [ C ] US (HEAD)

informal for noddle

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

noodle

[nu͟ːd(ə)l]
noodles
N-COUNT: usu pl
Noodles are long, thin, curly strips of pasta. They are used in Chinese and Italian cooking.

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary:

noodle

²noodle verb noodles; noo·dled; noo·dling [no obj] US informal
1 : to play a musical instrument in an informal way without playing a particular piece of music
• He was just noodling around on the guitar.
2 : to think about something in a way that is not very serious
• It's a thought I've been noodling around with for some time.

0

olive oil

olive oil [noun]

a yellow or green oil, made by pressing olives

US

/ˌɑː.lɪv ˈɔɪl/

UK

/ˌɒl.ɪv ˈɔɪl/

Example:

Fry the onions in a little olive oil.

Oxford Essential Dictionary

olive oil

noun (no plural)
oil that is produced from olives:
Fry the onions in a little olive oil.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

olive oil

ˌolive ˈoil BrE AmE noun [uncountable and countable]
a pale yellow or green oil obtained from olives and used in cooking

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

olive oil

ˌolive ˈoil 7 [olive oil] noun uncountable
oil produced from olives, used in cooking and on salad

see also extra virgin

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

olive ˈ oil noun [ U ]

a yellow or green oil, made by pressing olives

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

olive oil

olive oils
N-MASS
Olive oil is oil that is obtained by pressing olives. It is used for putting on salads or in cooking.

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary:

olive oil

olive oil noun, pl ~ oils [count, noncount] : a yellow to yellowish-green oil that is made from olives and used in cooking
• a teaspoon of olive oil

American English

British English

fats and oils in food and cooking

A1 (Basic)

noun

0

clam

clam [noun]

a type of sea creature with a shell in two parts that can close together tightly, and a soft body that can be eaten

US

/klæm/

UK

/klæm/

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

clam

I. clam¹ /klæm/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: clam 'two-part fastener' (14-20 centuries), from Old English clamm 'chain, rope, etc. for tying something up'; from the tight shutting of a clam shell]

1. a ↑shellfish you can eat that has a shell in two parts that open up:
clam chowder (=a type of soup)
2. as happy as a clam American English informal very happy
3. American English informal someone who does not say what they are thinking or feeling
II. clam² BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle clammed, present participle clamming)
clam up phrasal verb
informal to suddenly stop talking, especially when you are nervous or shy:
A sensitive child is likely just to clam up.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

clam

clam [clam clams clammed clamming] [klæm] [klæm]

noun

a shellfish that can be eaten. It has a shell in two parts that can open and close
• clam chowder/soup
• The moment I mentioned the children he closed up like a clam (= became silent and refused to discuss the topic).
Word Origin:
early 16th cent.: apparently from earlier clam ‘a clamp’, from Old English clam, clamm ‘a bond or bondage’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch klemme, German Klemme, also to clamp.

Derived: clam up

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

clam / klæm / noun [ C ]

a type of sea creature with a shell in two parts that can close together tightly, and a soft body that can be eaten

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

clam

[klæ_m]
clams, clamming, clammed
N-COUNT
Clams are a kind of shellfish which can be eaten.
Phrasal Verbs:
- clam up

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary:

¹clam /ˈklæm/ noun, pl clams
1 [count] : a type of shellfish that lives in sand or mud, has a light-colored shell with two parts, and is eaten both cooked and raw
• steamed clams
• clam chowder
- see color picture
2 clams [plural] US slang somewhat old-fashioned : dollars
• He won 20 clams [=(more commonly) bucks] playing poker.
(as) happy as a clam US informal : very happy
• She spent the afternoon reading and was as happy as a clam.

0

squid

squid [noun]

a sea creature with a long body and ten arms situated around the mouth, or this animal eaten as food

US

/skwɪd/

UK

/skwɪd/

Oxford Essential Dictionary

squid

noun (plural squid or squids)
a sea animal that we eat, with a soft body and ten long parts (called tentacles)

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

squid

squid /skwɪd/ BrE AmE noun (plural squid or squids) [countable]

a sea creature with a long soft body and ten arms around its mouth

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

squid

squid [squid squids squidded squidding] [skwɪd] [skwɪd] noun countable, uncountable (pl. squid or squids)
a sea creature that has a long soft body, eight arms and two tentacles (= long thin parts like arms) around its mouth, and that is sometimes used for food
Word Origin:

late 16th cent.: of unknown origin.

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

squid / skwɪd / noun [ C or U ] ( plural squid )

squid

a sea creature with a long body and ten arms situated around the mouth, or this animal eaten as food

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

squid

[skwɪ̱d]
squids
N-COUNT
(squid can also be used as the plural form.)
A squid is a sea creature with a long soft body and many soft arms called tentacles.
N-UNCOUNT
Squid is pieces of this creature eaten as food. Add the prawns and squid and cook for 2 minutes.