Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense concretes, present participle concreting, past tense, past participle concreted
1. uncountable noun [oft NOUN noun]
Concrete is a substance used for building which is made by mixing together cement, sand, small stones, and water.
The posts have to be set in concrete.
They had lain on sleeping bags on the concrete floor.
...concrete barriers.
Synonyms: cement [non-technical], concretion More Synonyms of concrete
2. verb
When you concrete something such as a path, you cover it with concrete.
He merely cleared and concreted the floors. [VERB noun]
3. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
You use concrete to indicate that something is definite and specific.
He had no concrete evidence.
There were no concrete proposals on the table.
I must have something to tell him. Something concrete.
Synonyms: specific, precise, explicit, definite More Synonyms of concrete
concretelyadverb
...by way of making their point more concretely.
4. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
A concrete object is a real, physical object.
...using concrete objects to teach addition and subtraction.
Synonyms: real, material, actual, substantial [formal] More Synonyms of concrete
5. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
A concrete noun is a noun that refers to a physical object rather than to a quality or idea.
6.
See set in concrete/embedded in concrete
English Easy Learning GrammarTypes of nounNouns can be classified according to what they refer to. Nouns that are really names are called proper nouns. Proper nouns usually refer toa particular ... Read more
concrete in British English
(ˈkɒnkriːt)
noun
1.
a.
a construction material made of a mixture of cement, sand, stone, and water that hardens to a stonelike mass
b.
(as modifier)
a concrete slab
2. physics
a rigid mass formed by the coalescence of separate particles
adjective
3.
relating to a particular instance or object; specific as opposed to general
a concrete example
4.
a.
relating to or characteristic of things capable of being perceived by the senses, as opposed to abstractions
b.
(as noun)
the concrete
5.
formed by the coalescence of particles; condensed; solid
verb
6. (transitive)
to construct in or cover with concrete
7. (kənˈkriːt)
to become or cause to become solid; coalesce
Derived forms
concretely (ˈconcretely)
adverb
concreteness (ˈconcreteness)
noun
concretive (conˈcretive)
adjective
concretively (conˈcretively)
adverb
Word origin
C14: from Latin concrētus grown together, hardened, from concrēscere; see concrescence
concrete in American English
(ˈkɑnˌkrit; also, and for 8 & 10 usually, kɑnˈkrit)
adjective
1.
formed into a solid mass; coalesced
2.
having a material, perceptible existence; of, belonging to, or characterized by things or events that can be perceived by the senses; real; actual
3.
referring to a particular; specific, not general or abstract
4.
made of concrete
5. Grammar
designating a thing or class of things that can be perceived by the senses
a concrete noun
see also abstract
noun
6.
a concrete thing, condition, idea, etc.
7.
a hard, compact building material formed when a mixture of cement, sand, gravel, and water dries: used in making bridges, road surfaces, etc.
verb transitiveWord forms: conˈcreted or conˈcreting
8.
to form into a mass; solidify
9.
to make of, or cover with, concrete
verb intransitive
10.
to solidify
Derived forms
concretely (conˈcretely)
adverb
concreteness (conˈcreteness)
noun
Word origin
ME concret < L concretus, pp. of concrescere: see concrescence
concrete in Mechanical Engineering
(kɒŋkrit)
noun
(Mechanical engineering: Materials)
Concrete is a hard substance made by mixing cement, sand, and small stones.
The floor was made of solid concrete.
Concrete is a composite construction material composed of cement, gravel, and water.
Concrete is a hard substance made by mixing cement, sand, and small stones.
More idioms containing
concrete
set in concrete
Examples of 'concrete' in a sentence
concrete
Inside polished concrete and wooden floors are complemented by groovy lights and modern sculptures.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We can point to the polls as a very concrete example any time we are trying to sell ourselves.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Explain what you have done, using concrete examples.
The Sun (2017)
Humans wishing to ascend or descend used concrete ramps, installed to save on precious wartime steel.
Smithsonian Mag (2017)
It is hot and the fish are lying out on concrete tables in covered open-air areas.
Smithsonian Insider (2017)
I found no concrete evidence of any real friends.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They box on concrete floors.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He added:'I have told my agents not to come to me unless they have something concrete for me.
The Sun (2016)
Work will also take place to soften the appearance of the concrete building.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The intro uses concrete language and is thought provoking.
Christianity Today (2000)
He wanted them to guarantee all bank deposits and set out a concrete timetable for action.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
There is an old concrete floor inside.
The Sun (2015)
The crude hatch had been covered over by concrete.
The Sun (2008)
The trick is to avoid merely replacing a green area with a concrete or stone one.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
They just could not find concrete evidence.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The stout concrete walls surrounding the dockyard effectively shielded the proceedings from view.
Eaton, John P & Haas, Charles A Titanic - Destination disaster (1987)
The pitch is a strip of concrete in the sand.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Yesterday the company explained that there was no concrete plan.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Running the length of that passage is a narrow concrete path.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
This tenet of rational expectations theory can be most easily understood through a concrete example.
Mishkin, Frederic S. Financial Markets, Institutions and Money (1995)
He and his father reach a concrete commercial building.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
But they made the steering wheel feel as though it had been set in concrete.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The concrete floors are polished so that one can see the paintings reflected in them.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The container was then covered over with concrete.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
He'll then see that your relationship with your boyfriend is as solid as concrete.
The Sun (2006)
The place is solid concrete.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It was the brainchild of the borough surveyor, whose nickname derived from his use of concrete both here and in the adjoining resort to the east.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Then it argued that the poles were in fact replacements for much smaller, older concrete ones installed in the 1970s.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
An uncompromising 1970s makeover had gouged out the windows and buried all stone beneath breeze block, concrete tiles and cement render.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
In other languages
concrete
British English: concrete /ˈkɒnkriːt/ NOUN
Concrete is a substance used for building. It is made from cement, sand, small stones, and water.
The fence posts have to be set in concrete.
American English: concrete
Arabic: خَرَسَانَة
Brazilian Portuguese: concreto
Chinese: 混凝土
Croatian: beton
Czech: beton
Danish: beton
Dutch: beton
European Spanish: hormigón
Finnish: betoni
French: concret
German: Beton
Greek: σκυρόδεμα
Italian: cemento
Japanese: コンクリート
Korean: 콘크리트
Norwegian: konkret gjenstand
Polish: beton
European Portuguese: concreto
Romanian: beton
Russian: бетон
Latin American Spanish: hormigón
Swedish: betong
Thai: คอนกรีต
Turkish: beton
Ukrainian: бетон
Vietnamese: bê tông
British English: concrete ADJECTIVE
You use concrete to indicate that something is definite and specific.
He had no concrete evidence.
American English: concrete
Brazilian Portuguese: concreto
Chinese: 明确具体的
European Spanish: concreto
French: concret
German: konkret
Italian: concreto
Japanese: 具体的な
Korean: 실제의
European Portuguese: concreto
Latin American Spanish: concreto
British English: concrete VERB
When you concrete something such as a path, you cover it with concrete.
He merely cleared and concreted the floors.
American English: concrete
Brazilian Portuguese: concretar
Chinese: 浇混凝土给 道路等
European Spanish: hormigonar
French: bétonner
German: betonieren
Italian: ricoprire di cemento
Japanese: コンクリートで固める
Korean: 콘크리트를 깔다
European Portuguese: cimentar
Latin American Spanish: hormigonar
All related terms of 'concrete'
concrete noun
a noun that refers to a material object, as for example horse
concrete bunker
A bunker is a place, usually underground , that has been built with strong walls to protect it against heavy gunfire and bombing .
concrete jungle
If you refer to a city or area as a concrete jungle , you mean that it has a lot of modern buildings and you think it is ugly or unpleasant to live in.
concrete mixer
a device used for mixing cement , sand , gravel , or other substances to make concrete ; it has a rotating drum in which the concrete is mixed
concrete music
music consisting of an electronically modified montage of tape-recorded sounds
concrete number
a number referring to a particular object or objects, as in three dogs , ten men
concrete poetry
poetry in which the visual form of the poem is used to convey meaning
concrete barrier
A barrier is something such as a fence or wall that is put in place to prevent people from moving easily from one area to another.
concrete structure
A structure is something that has been built.
musique concrète
a musiclike art form composed directly on magnetic tape by the electronic manipulation, distortion , or transformation of natural sounds and noises , as of musical instruments or rain
precast concrete
concrete (when employed as a structural element in building) cast in a particular form before being used
prestressed concrete
concrete that contains steel wires, cables , etc, that are prestressed within their elastic limit to counteract the stresses that will occur under load
reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete that is made with pieces of metal inside it to make it stronger .
set in concrete
fixed and impossible to change
air-entrained concrete
a low-density type of concrete throughout which small air bubbles are dispersed in order to increase its frost resistance : used for making roads. With 1 per cent of air, the loss of strength is approximately 5 per cent
set in concrete/embedded in concrete
If a plan or idea is set in concrete or embedded in concrete , it is fixed and cannot be changed.
Chinese translation of 'concrete'
concrete
(ˈkɔŋkriːt)
n(u)
混凝土 (hùnníngtǔ)
adj
(lit)[block, floor]混凝土的 (hùnníngtǔ de)
(fig)[proposal, evidence]确(確)实(實)的 (quèshí de)
(noun)
Definition
a building material made of cement, sand, stone, and water that hardens to a stonelike mass
The posts have to be set in concrete.
Synonyms
cement (non-technical)
concretion
1 (adjective)
Definition
specific as opposed to general
He had no concrete evidence.
Synonyms
specific
I asked him to be more specific.
precise
We will never know the precise details of his death.
explicit
He left explicit instructions on how to set the alarm.
definite
It's too soon to give a definite answer.
clear-cut
She won a clear-cut victory in yesterday's election.
unequivocal
Richardson's unequivocal commitment to fair play
unambiguous
Opposites
vague
,
indefinite
,
unspecified
2 (adjective)
Definition
relating to things that can be perceived by the senses, as opposed to abstractions
using concrete objects to teach addition and subtraction
Synonyms
real
No, it wasn't a dream. It was real.
material
the material world
actual
She had written some notes, but she hadn't started the actual work.
substantial (formal)
talk of imminent and substantial progress
sensible
tangible
There is tangible evidence that the economy is starting to recover.
factual
Opposites
abstract,
theoretical
,
intangible
,
immaterial
,
notional
,
insubstantial
Additional synonyms
in the sense of actual
She had written some notes, but she hadn't started the actual work.
Synonyms
real,
substantial (formal),
concrete,
definite,
tangible
in the sense of clear-cut
Definition
easy to distinguish or understand
She won a clear-cut victory in yesterday's election.