school

school

I

school¹ S1 W1 /skuːl/ noun1.  WHERE CHILDREN LEARN  [uncountable and countable] a place where children are taught:
    His mother always used to pick him up from school.
2.  TIME AT SCHOOL  [uncountable]
  a. a day’s work at school:
    School begins at 8.30.
    before/after school
    I’ll see you after school.
  b. the time during your life when you go to school:
    He’s one of my old friends from school.
    Children start school between the ages of four and five.
3.  UNIVERSITY  [uncountable and countable]
  a. American English a college or university, or the time when you study there:
    Their kids are away at school now.
    She was going to school in Boston.
  b. a department or group of departments that teaches a particular subject at a university
    school of
    the Harvard School of Public Health
    law/medical/business/graduate school
    After two years of medical school, I thought I knew everything.
4.  ONE SUBJECT  [countable] a place where a particular subject or skill is taught:
    a language school in Brighton
    school of
    Amwell School of Motoring
5. at school
  a. in the school building:
    I can get some work done while the kids are at school.
  b. British English attending a school, rather than being at college or university or having a job:
    We’ve got two children at school, and one at university.
6. in school
  a. in the school building:
    Sandra’s not in school today.
  b. American English attending a school or university rather than having a job:
    Are your boys still in school?
7.  ART  [countable] a number of people who are considered as a group because of their similar style of work:
    the Impressionist school
8. school of thought an opinion or way of thinking about something that is shared by a group of people:
    There are two main schools of thought on the subject.
9. of/from the old school with old-fashioned values or qualities:
    a family doctor of the old school
10.  FISH  [countable] a large group of fish, whales, dolphins etc that are swimming together
    school of
    a school of whales
     

COLLOCATIONS

(for Meanings 1 & 2)

■ verbs
   ▪ go to school Did you go to school in Paris?
   ▪ attend (a) school formal (=go to a school) Some of the children had not attended school very regularly before.
   ▪ start school Children in Britain start school when they are five.
   ▪ leave school He left school when he was 16.
   ▪ send somebody to school His parents sent him to a private school.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + school
   ▪ a state school British English, a public school American English (=a school that gets its money from the government) Universities want to encourage more applicants from state schools.
   ▪ a private school (also a public school British English) (=a school where students pay to study) He was educated at a private school.
   ▪ sb’s old school (=the school someone went to when they were young) He went back to his old school to give a talk to the children.
   ▪ a local school (=a school near where someone lives) They sent their kids to the local school.
   ▪ a boarding school (=a school where children also live and sleep)
   ▪ a day school (=a school where children go during the day but go home in the evenings) The school is both a boarding school and a day school.
   ▪ a nursery school (=for children under 5)
   ▪ an infant school British English (=for children aged 5 to 7)
   ▪ a primary school British English, an elementary school American English (=for children up to 11) Their children are still at primary school.
   ▪ a secondary school (also a high school British English) (=for children from 11 to 16 or 18)
   ▪ a high school American English (=a school for students aged 14 to 18)
   ▪ a comprehensive school British English (=a secondary school for all children)
   ▪ a grammar school British English (=a secondary school for children who have passed an exam when they are 11)
■ school + NOUN
   ▪ school students (also school pupils British English) Most school students have musical interests of some kind.
   ▪ a school friend She met some old school friends.
   ▪ a school uniform He was still wearing his school uniform.
   ▪ the school holidays British English The trip will take place during the school holidays.
   ▪ the school run British English (=the journey taking children to and from school each day) She had to be back in time for the school run.
   ▪ the school playground
   ▪ the school library
   ▪ the school hall
   ▪ the school bus
   ▪ the school curriculum Head teachers were asked to incorporate road safety education in the school curriculum.
   ▪ school meals/lunches (also school dinners British English) We provide good-quality school meals.
   ▪ a school governor British English (=an elected person who works with teachers to make decisions about how a school is organized) The school governors have appointed a new head teacher.
   ▪ the school board American English (=the group of people who are elected to govern a school or group of schools) The courts have upheld the school board's right to dismiss striking teachers.
   ▪ the school day Most children are tired at the end of the school day.
     

THESAURUS

■ of animals
   ▪ herd a group of cows, deer, or elephants: A herd of cows was blocking the road.
   ▪ team a group of people who work together: She is being cared for by a team of doctors.
   ▪ flock a group of sheep or birds: a flock of seagulls | The farmer has over 100 sheep in his flock.
   ▪ pack a group of dogs or wolves: Some dogs are bred to work in packs.
   ▪ litter a group of kittens or puppies born at one time to a particular mother: He was one of a litter of seven puppies.
   ▪ school/shoal a group of fish or dolphins: Piranha fish live in shoals in the wild.

II

school² verb [transitive]1. old-fashioned to train or teach someone to have a certain skill, type of behaviour, or way of thinking
    be schooled in (doing) something
    She was schooled in hiding her emotions.
2. to educate a child