gar|den ◆◆◇ /gɑː r d ə n/ (gardens , gardening , gardened )
1 N‑COUNT In British English, a garden is a piece of land next to a house, with flowers, vegetables, other plants, and often grass. In American English, the usual word is yard , and a garden refers only to land which is used for growing flowers and vegetables. □ …the most beautiful garden on Earth.
2 VERB If you garden , you do work in your garden such as weeding or planting. □ [V ] Jim gardened at the homes of friends on weekends. ● gar|den|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ I have taken up gardening again.
3 N‑PLURAL Gardens are places like a park that have areas of plants, trees, and grass, and that people can visit and walk around. □ The Gardens are open from 10.30am until 5pm. □ …Kensington Gardens.
4 N‑COUNT Gardens is sometimes used as part of the name of a street. □ He lives at 9, Acacia Gardens.
ga r|den cen|tre (garden centres ) N‑COUNT A garden centre is a large shop, usually with an outdoor area, where you can buy things for your garden such as plants and gardening tools. [BRIT ]
gar|den|er /gɑː r dənə r / (gardeners )
1 N‑COUNT A gardener is a person who is paid to work in someone else's garden.
2 N‑COUNT A gardener is someone who enjoys working in their own garden growing flowers or vegetables. □ …enthusiastic amateur gardeners.
gar|denia /gɑː r diː niə/ (gardenias ) N‑COUNT A gardenia is a type of large, white, or yellow flower with a very pleasant smell. A gardenia is also the bush on which these flowers grow.
ga r|den|ing leave N‑UNCOUNT If someone who leaves their job is given gardening leave , they continue to receive their salary and in return they agree not to work for anyone else for a period of time. [BRIT , BUSINESS ] □ He is on gardening leave from Goldman Sachs before taking up his new part-time post.
ga r|den par|ty (garden parties ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] A garden party is a formal party that is held out of doors, especially in a large private garden, during the afternoon.
ga rden-vari ety ADJ [usu ADJ n] You can use garden-variety to describe something you think is ordinary and not special in any way. [mainly AM ] □ The experiment itself is garden-variety science. in BRIT, usually use common-or-garden
gar|gan|tuan /gɑː r gæ ntʃuən/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you say that something is gargantuan , you are emphasizing that it is very large. [WRITTEN , EMPHASIS ] □ …a marketing event of gargantuan proportions. □ …a gargantuan corruption scandal.
gar|gle /gɑː r g ə l/ (gargles , gargling , gargled ) VERB If you gargle , you wash your mouth and throat by filling your mouth with a liquid, tipping your head back and using your throat to blow bubbles through the liquid, and finally spitting it out. □ [V ] Try gargling with salt water as soon as a cough begins. □ [V n] At the sink, Neil noisily gargled something medicinal.
gar|goyle /gɑː r gɔ I l/ (gargoyles ) N‑COUNT A gargoyle is a decorative stone carving on old buildings. It is usually shaped like the head of a strange and ugly creature, and water drains through it from the roof of the building.
gar|ish /geə r I ʃ/ ADJ You describe something as garish when you dislike it because it is very bright in an unattractive, showy way. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ They climbed the garish purple-carpeted stairs. □ …the restaurant's garish, illuminated signs. ● gar|ish|ly ADV [ADV adj/-ed] □ …a garishly patterned three-piece suite.
gar|land /gɑː r lənd/ (garlands ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] A garland is a circular decoration made from flowers and leaves. People sometimes wear garlands of flowers on their heads or around their necks. □ [+ of ] They wore garlands of summer flowers in their hair.
gar|lic /gɑː r l I k/ N‑UNCOUNT Garlic is the small, white, round bulb of a plant that is related to the onion plant. Garlic has a very strong smell and taste and is used in cooking. □ …a clove of garlic.
gar|licky /gɑː r l I ki/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Something that is garlicky tastes or smells of garlic. □ …a garlicky salad. □ …garlicky breath.
gar|ment /gɑː r mənt/ (garments ) N‑COUNT A garment is a piece of clothing; used especially in contexts where you are talking about the manufacture or sale of clothes. □ Many of the garments have the customers' name tags sewn into the linings.
gar|ner /gɑː r nə r / (garners , garnering , garnered ) VERB If someone has garnered something useful or valuable, they have gained it or collected it. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] Mr Abbott could not garner enough votes to snatch power. □ [V n] He has garnered extensive support for his proposals.
gar|net /gɑː r n I t/ (garnets ) N‑COUNT A garnet is a hard, shiny stone that is used in making jewellery. Garnets can be red, yellow, or green in colour.
gar|nish /gɑː r n I ʃ/ (garnishes , garnishing , garnished )
1 N‑VAR A garnish is a small amount of salad, herbs, or other food that is used to decorate cooked or prepared food. □ …a garnish of chopped raw onion, tomato and fresh coriander. □ Reserve some watercress for garnish.
2 VERB If you garnish cooked or prepared food, you decorate it with a garnish. □ [V n] She had finished the vegetables and was garnishing the roast.
gar|ret /gæ r I t/ (garrets ) N‑COUNT A garret is a small room at the top of a house.