club
noun /klʌb/
/klʌb/
Idioms - [countable + singular or plural verb] (especially in compounds) an organization for people who share an interest or do a sport or activity together
- a golf/tennis/chess/film club
- I joined a local canoeing club.
- They belong to the same golf club.
- Grandad is a member of the bowling club.
- For details on club membership email the address below.
- The club hopes to raise at least $10 000 for six local charities.
Culture clubs and societiesclubs and societiesMany people in Britain and the US belong to at least one club or society. Club is often used to refer to a group of people who regularly meet together or take part in sports. Most young people's groups are called clubs. A society is usually concerned with a special interest, for example birdwatching or local history, and sends newsletters or magazines to its members. National societies sometimes have local branches.Social clubs have a bar where members can sit and talk to each other. Members of the upper class or business people may belong to a gentlemen's club. Most of these are in London and even today only some of them allow women to be members. They are places to relax in, but also places to make business contacts in and to take clients to. Freemasonry attracts business and professional men who may join a lodge (= branch) in their home town. Some clubs combine social events with community service. Members of the Rotary Club, the Round Table, the Kiwanis and the Lions Club are usually older professional or business people. In the US these organizations are called service clubs. They hold events to raise money for good causes, for example to provide scholarships for university students or to raise money for a hospital. These clubs have become less popular and few young people are members. In Britain, working men's clubs were set up for men doing manual jobs. The clubs offer a range of entertainment, such as comedians or darts matches, as well as a bar. Nowadays, these clubs admit women, too. In the US there are clubs based on ethnic origin, religion or military background. For example, the Knights of Columbus is a club for Roman Catholic men. People who have served in the armed forces may join the Veterans of Foreign Wars or the American Legion. The British Legion is a similar organization in Britain.In Britain, the Women's Institute and the Townswomen's Guild began with the aim of improving women's education. Both now organize social and cultural activities.Nightclubs, often called simply clubs, are places where mainly younger people meet to drink and dance. Many sports clubs hold parties and arrange social events, as well as providing facilities for various sports. Golf clubs are usually expensive to join, and for some clubs there may be a long waiting list. Other sports clubs include those for squash, tennis, cricket, bowls, snooker and cycling. Many clubs own their own sports ground and clubhouse with a bar. Most towns also have gyms or fitness clubs. In Britain, sports and social clubs are run by some big companies for their employees and in the US most sports clubs are associated with companies. Softball and basketball teams play against teams from other companies in the same city.Country clubs are found in green areas near cities all over the US. They offer sports like swimming, golf and tennis, and hold dances and other social events in the restaurants and bars. The oldest and most famous country club was established in Brookline, Massachusetts in 1882.Many Americans belong to the alumni club of the college or university they attended. Members take part in social activities and raise money for the university.Some students join Greek societies, societies named with Greek letters, for example Alpha Epsilon Pi. Fraternities are for men, and sororities are for women. Most Greek societies are social organizations and their members, who often come from rich families, live in a fraternity or sorority house. After they leave university, many members continue to be active in the organization. There are also honor societies for the most successful students, which also have Greek letters in their names. Phi Beta Kappa is the most famous of these. Some are for students in a particular subject, for example Psi Chi is for students in psychology. In Britain, schools, colleges and universities have societies for former students, sometimes called old boys' or old girls' associations.In most towns there are local societies for many interests, including singing, drama, film, folk music, natural and local history and photography. Local branches of national societies, such as the Sealed Knot Society in Britain and the Audubon Society in the US, organize events in their area. Only a small percentage of members attend local events, and most people join these societies because they support their aims.Clubs are an important feature of school life. They include clubs for science, drama and music, as well as language clubs. Outside school, children can join a local youth club, Scouts or Girl Guides, or another youth organization.Wordfinder- AGM
- the chair
- club
- hobby
- member
- newsletter
- secretary
- society
- subscription
- treasurer
Extra ExamplesTopics Sports: ball and racket sportsa1- She plays at the local tennis club.
- Who runs the tennis club?
- Anderson took over as club captain.
- Anyone interested in umpiring matches should contact the club chairman.
- I wrote a letter of complaint to the club secretary.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- country
- exclusive
- private
- …
- belong to
- become a member of
- join
- …
- chairman
- manager
- member
- …
- in a/the club
- [countable] the building or rooms that a particular club uses
- We had lunch at the golf club.
- the club bar
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- country
- exclusive
- private
- …
- belong to
- become a member of
- join
- …
- chairman
- manager
- member
- …
- in a/the club
- [countable + singular or plural verb] (British English) a professional sports organization that includes the players, managers, owners and members
- Manchester United Football Club
- a football/rugby/soccer club
- The club have signed a new coach for next season.
Extra Examples- He is expected to sign for a Premier League club next season.
- Atlético Madrid Football Club
- one of the top football clubs in the country
- Wilkins makes his long awaited debut for his new club.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- country
- exclusive
- private
- …
- belong to
- become a member of
- join
- …
- chairman
- manager
- member
- …
- in a/the club
- [countable] a place where people, especially young people, go and listen to music, dance, watch comedy, etc.
- a jazz club
- the club scene in Newcastle
- a night out at a comedy club
Extra Examples- a new style of music on the London club scene
- He toured predominantly on the small club circuit, usually with little or no accompaniment.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- comedy
- dance
- jazz
- …
- circuit
- DJ
- scene
- …
- [countable + singular or plural verb] (especially in the UK) an organization and a place where people can meet together socially or stay
- He's a member of several London clubs.
- members of an exclusive club
Culture gentlemen's clubsgentlemen's clubsThe gentlemen's club is a British institution. Gentlemen's clubs are comfortable, private places with bars, a restaurant, a library and sometimes bedrooms. They attract as members businessmen, politicians and others from the upper class and the Establishment. Members use their club as a place to meet friends or take business contacts. Most are located in London's West End and many have large impressive buildings.It is expensive to join a club and most can be joined only by men, though the Reform Club has had women members since the 1960s, the Athenaeum Club started allowing women members in 2001, and the Carlton Club voted to allow women members in 2008. In other clubs, women and other non-members are not allowed inside except as guests of a member, and women are allowed only in certain rooms. Members must obey rules about dress and behaviour. People wanting to be members may have to wait a long time before they are admitted to the most popular clubs, and will only be allowed to join if an existing member seconds (= supports) them. Any member may object to a particular person being invited to join by blackballing (= voting against) him.Gentlemen's clubs developed in the middle of the 18th century. Men had previously met to chat and to discuss business in coffee houses where coffee, tea and chocolate, all new drinks in Britain at the time, were available. White's, the oldest London club, developed from a chocolate house. Some coffee houses, like the later clubs, were linked with particular professions. For instance, Lloyd's coffee house was associated with shipping and later became Lloyd's of London. In the 18th century clubs were mainly used for drinking and gambling but later attracted members who shared more serious interests. People interested in science and literature joined the Athenaeum, politicians went to the Reform Club, the Carlton Club or Brooks's, and theatre people joined the Garrick.Today, the gentlemen's club suggests to many people an old-fashioned world based on class, where snobbery and prejudice still survive. There is now less interest among younger business people in joining this type of club and several have had to close.In the US there are not many institutions like the gentlemen's club. Private universities like Harvard have alumni associations for people who have studied there, and being a member of such clubs is associated with wealth and social status. The club building of the Harvard Club has in many ways the atmosphere of an English gentlemen's club. - [countable] a business that offers items or services cheaply to its members
- Car club members can hire cars at special discount rates.
- The book club requires members to buy at least six books in the first year.
- [countable] a heavy stick with one end thicker than the other, that is used as a weapon see also billy club
- [countable] (also golf club)a long metal stick with a piece of metal or wood at one end, used for hitting the ball in golf Topics Sports: ball and racket sportsc1
enlarge imageclubs[plural, uncountable] one of the four suits (= sets) in a pack of cards. The clubs have a black design with shapes like three black leaves on a short stem.- the five/queen/ace of clubs
- [countable] one card from the suit called clubs
- I played a club.
for activity/sport
music/dancing
social
selling goods/services
weapon
in golf
in card games
Word Originnoun senses 1 to 6 early 17th cent. (as a verb): formed obscurely from club in the sense to hit someone with a stick or heavy object. noun senses 7 to 10 Middle English: from Old Norse clubba, variant of klumba; related to clump.
Idioms
be in the club
- (British English, informal) to be pregnant
join the club
- (informal) used when something bad that has happened to somebody else has also happened to you
- So you didn't get a job either? Join the club!