paper
noun /ˈpeɪpə(r)/
/ˈpeɪpər/
Idioms - [uncountable] (often in compounds) the thin material that you write and draw on and that is also used for wrapping and packing things
- a piece/sheet of paper
- She wrote her name and address on a slip (= a small piece) of paper.
- He scribbled the number on a scrap of paper.
- a package wrapped in brown paper
- recycled paper
- Make sure you have pen and paper handy.
- on/onto paper The image is copied onto paper.
- He brought his lunch in a brown paper bag.
- a paper cup/plate/napkin
- This journal is available in paper and electronic form.
- Experience is more important for this job than paper qualifications (= that exist as official documents but may not have any real value).
- paper losses/profits (= that are shown in accounts but which may not exist in reality)
Extra Examples- Fold the paper in half.
- He crumpled the paper into a ball.
- I screwed up the paper and threw it away.
- I scribbled down his number on a scrap of paper.
- He jotted ideas on bits of paper.
- She did a series of sketches using soft pencil on paper.
- The report is available both online and on paper.
- She uses recycled materials such as old paper and cardboard.
- Insulation can be made from recycled paper.
- I stared at the blank paper, not knowing how to start the letter.
- I've thought about what I'm going to write, but I haven't yet put pen to paper.
- The essay filled seven sides of A4 paper.
- There was paper strewn all over the floor.
- This report is a waste of paper.
- He kept a paper copy of his account information.
- the advantages of paper maps over online maps
- He gave me some water in a paper cup.
- the introduction of paper currency in the 1690s
- The bed was covered in mountains of paper money.
- There were paper lanterns and party streamers hanging from the trees.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- draft
- consultation
- discussion
- …
- deliver
- give
- present
- …
- consider something
- deal with something
- examine something
- …
- in a/the paper
- paper on
- [countable] a newspaper
- the daily/morning paper
- the local paper
- Have you seen today's paper?
- He sat down to read the paper.
- in the paper I read about it in the paper.
- She put an ad in the paper pleading for the dog's return.
- The papers (= newspapers in general) soon got hold of the story.
Extra ExamplesTopics Literature and writinga2- Do you have a copy of yesterday's paper?
- I just went out to buy a paper.
- It was on the front page of the daily paper.
- I expected to read all about it in the next day's papers.
- I saw his picture in the paper.
- There was an article about it in the Sunday paper.
- Just because you read it in the paper doesn't mean it's true.
- Inside the paper was a double-page spread on the story.
- Do you take a daily paper?
- She got a job on the local paper.
- She was the first woman editor of a national paper.
- The paper comes out every Saturday.
- The paper reported that several people had seen UFOs.
- The story got into the papers.
- What paper do you usually read?
- “This is nothing to do with us,” the paper quoted him as saying.
- A New York paper published his obituary.
- The paper printed the story the next day.
- Her resignation made the headlines of all the morning papers.
- He was desperate to keep the scandal out of the papers.
- She wrote a letter to the papers.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- daily
- evening
- morning
- …
- copy
- edition
- buy
- get
- take
- …
- come out
- report something
- shop
- boy
- girl
- …
- in a/the paper
- on a/the paper
- papers[plural] pieces of paper with writing on them, such as letters, pieces of work or private documents
- His desk was covered with books and papers.
- a stack/pile of papers
- I found these documents among my father's papers after his death.
- He increasingly confined himself to his study, surrounded by books and papers.
- It's hard to work if there's a stack of papers on your desk.
- She was sorting through a big pile of papers.
- She was clutching her file full of papers.
- He didn't leave behind much in the way of memoirs, letters, or other personal papers.
- He destroyed all his personal papers relating to the period.
- She had access to all of Karen Blixen's private papers.
- In his private papers he recorded the news of Napoleon's death.
- Papers found in the palace only confirmed suspicions about his treachery.
- The poems were printed from papers found in his rooms by his housekeeper.
- The archive includes papers and correspondence belonging to the late musician.
- I found some papers relating to the case in his desk.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- necessary
- official
- ID
- …
- pile
- sheaf
- sign
- show
- shuffle
- …
- papers[plural] official documents that prove your identity, give you permission to do something, etc.
- identity papers
- The couple filed divorce papers at Los Angeles court on Monday.
- Teresa signed the adoption papers.
- Immigration officials will ask to see your papers.
Extra Examples- Her husband has refused to sign divorce papers.
- He signed papers to have his wife committed to a mental hospital.
- She changed her will but died before all the papers were signed.
- Be prepared to show your identity papers at the border.
- Customs agents are searching all vehicles and checking identification papers.
- They are illegal immigrants and terrifed of being caught without papers.
- legal papers filed in London
- According to court papers, the Jones family owns the rights to the late Mr. Jones's recorded performances.
- She had travel papers for herself, Kurt, and Oskar.
- I just filed my nomination papers to seek a second term as mayor.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- necessary
- official
- ID
- …
- pile
- sheaf
- sign
- show
- shuffle
- …
- [countable] (British English) a set of exam questions on a particular subject; the answers that people write to the questions
- The geography paper was hard.
- She spent the evening marking exam papers.
Wordfinder- candidate
- exam
- grade
- invigilate
- mark
- oral
- paper
- practical
- resit
- revise
Extra Examples- I did well on the oral but not on the written paper.
- The exam papers are set by experienced teachers.
- You may now turn over your papers.
- You must not write on the question paper.
- He sat papers in computer science and economics.
- Some students took their GSCE Science paper early.
- You have to pass a compulsory Irish language paper.
- The multiple-choice papers are marked by computer.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- exam
- examination
- question
- …
- do
- sit
- take
- …
- in a/the paper
- on a/the paper
- [countable] an academic article about a particular subject that is written by and for specialists
- a recent paper in the Journal of Medicine
- paper on something He has published a research paper on the topic.
- a consultation/discussion paper
- She was invited to give a paper (= a talk) at an international scientific congress.
Collocations Scientific researchScientific researchTheorysee also Green Paper, Order Paper, position paper, White Paper, working paper- formulate/advance a theory/hypothesis
- build/construct/create/develop a simple/theoretical/mathematical model
- develop/establish/provide/use a theoretical/conceptual framework
- advance/argue/develop the thesis that…
- explore an idea/a concept/a hypothesis
- make a prediction/an inference
- base a prediction/your calculations on something
- investigate/evaluate/accept/challenge/reject a theory/hypothesis/model
- design an experiment/a questionnaire/a study/a test
- do research/an experiment/an analysis
- make observations/measurements/calculations
- carry out/conduct/perform an experiment/a test/a longitudinal study/observations/clinical trials
- run an experiment/a simulation/clinical trials
- repeat an experiment/a test/an analysis
- replicate a study/the results/the findings
- observe/study/examine/investigate/assess a pattern/a process/a behaviour
- fund/support the research/project/study
- seek/provide/get/secure funding for research
- collect/gather/extract data/information
- yield data/evidence/similar findings/the same results
- analyse/examine the data/soil samples/a specimen
- consider/compare/interpret the results/findings
- fit the data/model
- confirm/support/verify a prediction/a hypothesis/the results/the findings
- prove a conjecture/hypothesis/theorem
- draw/make/reach the same conclusions
- read/review the records/literature
- describe/report an experiment/a study
- present/publish/summarize the results/findings
- present/publish/read/review/cite a paper in a scientific journal
Extra Examples- Freud first mentioned this concept in his paper ‘On Narcissism’.
- The paper looks at the future of primary school education.
- This paper reports the results of a two-year field experiment.
- This paper examines how urban sprawl is linked to increased flooding risk.
- His paper explores the cultural divide that continues to exist between Quebec and the rest of Canada.
- The consultation paper focused on whether payments should be linked to production.
- The Council released a discussion paper entitled 'The Ethics of Patenting DNA'.
- He had prepared a briefing paper for the board meeting.
- According to a paper published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology, thinking and driving is a potentially lethal combination.
- She has presented papers at international conferences.
- She has to defend her work nearly every time she submits a paper for publication.
- Some of the materials cited in this paper are no longer available online.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- draft
- consultation
- discussion
- …
- deliver
- give
- present
- …
- consider something
- deal with something
- examine something
- …
- in a/the paper
- paper on
- [countable] (North American English) a piece of written work done by a student
- Your grade will be based on four papers and a final exam.
- paper on something I'm writing a paper on ‘Macbeth’.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- draft
- consultation
- discussion
- …
- deliver
- give
- present
- …
- consider something
- deal with something
- examine something
- …
- in a/the paper
- paper on
- [countable, uncountable] paper that you use to cover and decorate the walls of a room
- The room was damp and the paper was peeling off.
for writing/wrapping
newspaper
documents
exam
article
on walls
Word OriginMiddle English: from Anglo-Norman French papir, from Latin papyrus ‘paper-reed’, from Greek papuros The verb dates from the late 16th cent.
Idioms
not worth the paper it’s written/printed on
- (of an agreement or official document) having no value, especially legally, or because one of the people involved has no intention of doing what they said they would
on paper
- when you put something on paper, you write it down
- judged from written information only, but not proved in practice
- The idea looks good on paper.
put pen to paper
- to write or start to write something