class

noun

OPAL S

/klɑːs/

/klæs/

Idioms

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in education

[countable + singular or plural verb] a group of students who are taught together

in the/your class We were in the same class at school.
She is the youngest in her class.
He came top of the class.
The whole class was/were told to stay behind after school.

Extra Examples

He sat at the back of the class.
She came top of the class in English.
Which history class are you in?
He finished top of the class.
Her sister is in my class.
Class size is limited to 30 participants.
a class discussion on solar energy
She teaches classes at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Topics Educationa1

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective

big
large
small
…

verb + class

attend
go to
take
…

class + verb

be easy
be hard
be available
…

class + noun

member
teacher
size
…

preposition

in (a/the) class
class in

phrases

the back of the class
the front of the class
be top of the class
…

See full entry

[countable, uncountable] an occasion when a group of students meets to be taught synonym lesson

I have a history class at 9 o'clock.
I was late for (a) class.
See me after class.
in class She works hard in class (= during the class).

Collocations EducationEducationLearning

acquire/get/lack (an) education/training/(British English) (some) qualifications
receive/provide somebody with training/tuition
develop/design/plan a curriculum/(especially British English) course/(North American English) program/syllabus
give/go to/attend a class/lesson/lecture/seminar
hold/run/conduct a class/seminar/workshop
sign up for/take a course/classes/lessons

School

go to/start preschool/kindergarten/nursery school
be in the first, second, etc. (North American English) grade/(especially British English) year (at school)
study/take/drop history/chemistry/German, etc.
(British English) leave/finish/drop out of/ (North American English) quit school
(North American English) graduate high school/college

Problems at school

be the victim/target of bullying
(British English) play truant from/ (both British English, informal) bunk off/skive off school (= not go to school when you should)
(both especially North American English) skip/cut class/school
(British English) cheat in/(North American English) cheat on an exam/a test
get/be given a detention (for doing something)
be expelled from/be suspended from school

Work and exams

do your homework/(British English) revision/a project on something
work on/write/do/submit an essay/a dissertation/a thesis/an assignment/(North American English) a paper
finish/complete your dissertation/thesis/studies/coursework
hand in/ (North American English) turn in your homework/essay/assignment/paper
study/prepare/ (British English) revise/ (North American English) review/ (North American English, informal) cram for a test/an exam
take/ (both British English) do/sit a test/an exam
(especially British English) mark/ (especially North American English) grade homework/a test
(British English) do well in/ (North American English) do well on/ (informal, especially North American English) ace a test/an exam
pass/fail/ (informal, especially North American English) flunk a test/an exam/a class/a course/a subject

University

apply to/get into/go to/start college/(British English) university
leave/graduate from law school/college/(British English) university (with a degree in computer science)
study for/take/ (British English) do/complete a law degree/a degree in physics
(both North American English) major/minor in biology/philosophy
earn/receive/be awarded/get/have/hold a master’s degree/a bachelor’s degree/a PhD in economics

Extra Examples

I have an English class at 11.
Who's taking the class today?
He was late for class again.
We'll start the exercise in class and you can finish it for homework.
We have five science classes going on at one time but only two labs.
I skip class every now and then to spend time with my friends.
She cancels class on a regular basis.
The syllabus is discussed with students on the first day of class.
I remember learning about the 1st World War in history class in school.

Topics Educationa1

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective

big
large
small
…

verb + class

attend
go to
take
…

class + verb

be easy
be hard
be available
…

class + noun

member
teacher
size
…

preposition

in (a/the) class
class in

phrases

the back of the class
the front of the class
be top of the class
…

See full entry

[countable]

(also classes [plural])

a series of classes on a particular subject synonym course

Are you still doing your French evening class?
class in something I've been taking classes in pottery.

Extra Examples

She's going to evening classes in Italian.
The college offers classes in many subjects.
The institute holds evening classes throughout the year.
I'm taking a management class this semester.
I'm taking night classes in art appreciation.
The college runs specialist language classes.
art/dance/yoga classes
He attended evening classes in sculpture.
I decided to take a first-aid class.
The university offers classes through a distance-learning program.
Classes will be held each Tuesday for five weeks.
Classes start at the end of January.
I enrolled in a drawing class at the Boston Museum School.

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective

big
large
small
…

verb + class

attend
go to
take
…

class + verb

be easy
be hard
be available
…

class + noun

member
teacher
size
…

preposition

in (a/the) class
class in

phrases

the back of the class
the front of the class
be top of the class
…

See full entry

[countable + singular or plural verb] (especially North American English) a group of students who finish their studies at school, college or university in a particular year

the class of 2020
the freshman/sophomore/junior/senior class

Topics Educationb1

in society

[countable + singular or plural verb] one of the groups of people in a society that are thought of as being at the same social or economic level

the working/middle/upper class
The party tries to appeal to all classes of society.
His ideas had an appeal among the wealthy, professional classes.

see also middle class, upper class, working class

Extra Examples

Membership of gardening clubs is drawn from all social classes.
It was an age in which all classes of society were expanding.
The ruling class won't give up their position without a fight.
The government defends the interests of the capitalist class.
They believe that membership in the political class comes with the privilege of shaping the world to their liking.
Composers tried to take advantage of the increased demand for public entertainment among the middle classes.
Nowadays, there are not so many clear distinctions between classes.
middle class families
He is a member of the privileged class.
She belongs to a lower social class than him.

Topics People in societyb1

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective

leisure
lower
lower-middle
…

class + noun

structure
system
consciousness
…

See full entry

[uncountable] the way that people are divided into different social and economic groups

differences of class, race or gender
The old class system is not appropriate in a modern age.
a society in which class is more important than ability

Extra Examples

A lot of British comedy is based on class differences.
She recognises class as an important concept.

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective

leisure
lower
lower-middle
…

class + noun

structure
system
consciousness
…

See full entry

in train/plane

[countable] (especially in compounds) each of several different levels of comfort that are available to travellers in a plane, etc.

He always travels business class.
The first-class compartment is situated at the front of the train.

see also business class, cattle class, economy class syndrome, first class, second class, third class, tourist classTopics Transport by bus and trainb1, Transport by airb1

group of people/animals

[countable] a group of people, animals or things that have similar characteristics or qualities

It was good accommodation for a hotel of this class.
different classes of drugs
Dickens was in a different class from (= was much better than) most of his contemporaries.
As a jazz singer she's in a class of her own (= better than most others).

see also first-class, high-class, low-class, second-class, top-class, word class, world-class

Extra Examples

It was pretty cheap for this class of hotel.
It is the most reliable model in its class.
These writers form a distinct class in Russian literature.
There are several distinct classes of drugs.
a rare class of neurological diseases
a rare class of butterflies
to be in possession of class A/B/C drugs
class B shares
Within each class of grapes there is much variation.

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective

large
small
distinct
…

verb + class

constitute
form

preposition

class of

phrases

be in a class of your own
be in a different class

See full entry

[countable] one of the different groups in a competition

He came first in his class at every event.

skill/style

[uncountable] an attractive quality or a high level of skill that is impressive

She has class all right—she looks like a model.
There's a real touch of class about this team.

Extra Examples

He has real class.
He's got real class.
The musical entertainment added a touch of class to the occasion.
a player of great class
A real parquet floor will add a touch of class to the room.

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective

great
real

verb + class

have

phrases

a touch of class

See full entry

of university degree

[countable] (especially in compounds) one of the levels of achievement in a British university degree exam

a first-/second-/third-class degree

Topics Educationc2

biology

[countable] a group into which animals, plants, etc. that have similar characteristics are divided, below a phylum compare family, genus, species

Wordfinder

breed
class
classification
genus
hybrid
kingdom
order
phylum
species
taxonomy

Topics Animalsc1

Word Originmid 16th cent. (in sense (1)): from Latin classis ‘a division of the Roman people, a grade, or a class of pupils’.

Idioms

the chattering classes

(British English, usually disapproving) the people in society who like to give their opinions on political or social issues
- Constitutional reform is popular among the chattering classes.
- topics being discussed at the breakfast tables of the chattering classes
Topics People in societyc2

Wordfinder

civil rights
class
conform
convention
culture
custom
elite
equality
outsider
society