plant

noun

/plɑːnt/

/plænt/

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living thing

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[countable] a living thing that grows in the earth and usually has a stem, leaves and roots, especially one that is smaller than a tree or bush

All plants need light and water.
flowering plants
native/medicinal/wild plants
a tomato/potato plant
It's becoming more popular to grow plants organically.
The area is home to many rare plant species.
the animal and plant life of the area

see also air plant, bedding plant, houseplant, rubber plant, specimen plant

Collocations The living worldThe living worldAnimals

animals mate/breed/reproduce/feed (on something)
fish/amphibians swim/spawn (= lay eggs)
birds fly/migrate/nest/sing
insects crawl/fly/bite/sting
insects/bees/locusts swarm
bees collect/gather nectar/pollen
spiders spin/weave a web
snakes/lizards shed their skins
bears/hedgehogs/frogs hibernate
insect larvae grow/develop/pupate
an egg/a chick/a larva hatches
attract/find/choose a mate
produce/release eggs/sperm
lay/fertilize/incubate/hatch eggs
inhabit a forest/a reef/the coast
mark/enter/defend (a) territory
stalk/hunt/capture/catch/kill prey

Plants and fungi

trees/plants grow/bloom/blossom/flower
a seed germinates/sprouts
leaves/buds/roots/shoots appear/develop/form
flower buds swell/open
a fungus grows/spreads/colonizes something
pollinate/fertilize a flower/plant
produce/release/spread/disperse pollen/seeds/spores
produce/bear fruit
develop/grow/form roots/shoots/leaves
provide/supply/absorb/extract/release nutrients
perform/increase/reduce photosynthesis

Bacteria and viruses

bacteria/microbes/viruses grow/spread/multiply
bacteria/microbes live/thrive in/on something
bacteria/microbes/viruses evolve/colonize something/cause disease
bacteria break something down/convert something (into something)
a virus enters/invades something/the body
a virus mutates/evolves/replicates (itself)
be infected with/contaminated with/exposed to a new strain of a virus/drug-resistant bacteria
contain/carry/harbour bacteria/a virus
kill/destroy/eliminate harmful/deadly bacteria

Extra Examples

Plants absorb carbon in the form of carbon dioxide.
The butterfly's sole food plant is wild lupine.
food plants of rare butterflies

Topics Plants and treesa1

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective

delicate
wild
native
…

verb + plant

cultivate
grow
water
…

plant + verb

develop
grow
flourish
…

plant + noun

roots
growth
life
…

See full entry

factory

[countable] a factory or place where power is produced or an industrial process takes place

a nuclear power plant
a processing/manufacturing plant
Japanese car plants
a water treatment plant
a chemical/steel/coal plant

machines

[uncountable] the large machines that are used in industrial processes

The company has been investing in new plant and equipment.

something illegal

[countable, usually singular] (informal) something that somebody has deliberately placed among another person’s clothes or possessions in order to make them appear guilty of a crime

He claimed that the drugs found in his house were a plant.

person

[countable] a person who joins a group of criminals or enemies in order to get and secretly report information about their activities

Word OriginOld English plante ‘seedling’, plantian (verb), from Latin planta ‘sprout, cutting’ (later influenced by French plante) and plantare ‘plant, fix in a place’.

plant

verb

/plɑːnt/

/plænt/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they plant	/plɑːnt/ /plænt/
he / she / it plants	/plɑːnts/ /plænts/
past simple planted	/ˈplɑːntɪd/ /ˈplæntɪd/
past participle planted	/ˈplɑːntɪd/ /ˈplæntɪd/
-ing form planting	/ˈplɑːntɪŋ/ /ˈplæntɪŋ/

Phrasal Verbs

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seeds/plants

plant something to put plants, seeds, etc. in the ground to grow

to plant a tree/seed/crop
to plant and harvest rice
Plant the bulbs in pots for a spring display.

Extra Examples

Carefully plant your cutting in the soil.
Zinfandel is California's most widely planted red grape.
recently planted maples
weeds that had not been deliberately planted
Plant these shrubs in full sun.

Topics Farminga2, Gardensa2

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb

carefully
deliberately

preposition

in
with

phrases

densely planted
newly planted
recently planted
…

See full entry

[often passive] to cover or supply a garden, area of land, etc. with plants

plant something The children are planting a garden next to the school.
They have planted five acres of vines.
a densely planted orange grove
be planted with something The field had been ploughed and planted with corn.

Extra Examples

The garden was planted with roses and other shrubs.
The Bordeaux area is densely planted with vine.

Topics Farminga2, Gardensa2

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb

carefully
deliberately

preposition

in
with

phrases

densely planted
newly planted
recently planted
…

See full entry

put in position

plant something/yourself + adv./prep. to place something or yourself in a particular place or position

They planted a flag on the summit.
He planted himself squarely in front of us.
She was determined to keep both feet firmly planted on dry land.

Extra Examples

She planted a kiss squarely on his cheek.
Demonstrators planted themselves right in front of the convoy of trucks.

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb

firmly
squarely

preposition

See full entry

bomb

plant something (+ adv./prep.) to hide something such as a bomb in a place where it will not be found

something illegal

plant something (on somebody) to hide something, especially something illegal, in somebody’s clothing, possessions, etc. so that when it is found it will look as though they committed a crime

He claims that the drugs were planted on him.

person

plant somebody (in something) to send somebody to join a group, etc., especially in order to make secret reports on its members

The police had planted an informer in the gang.

thought/idea

plant something (in something) to make somebody think or believe something, especially without them realizing that you gave them the idea

He planted the first seeds of doubt in my mind.

Word OriginOld English plante ‘seedling’, plantian (verb), from Latin planta ‘sprout, cutting’ (later influenced by French plante) and plantare ‘plant, fix in a place’.