theme

noun

OPAL WOPAL S

/θiːm/

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the subject or main idea in a talk, piece of writing or work of art
- the central/main/key/major theme
- Births are a recurring theme in Leigh's work.
- Hot temperatures were a common theme over the past couple of weeks.
- theme of something The stories are all variations on the theme of unhappy marriage.
- North American literature is the main theme of this year's festival.
- The President stressed a favourite campaign theme—greater emphasis on education.
- The naked male figure was always the central theme of Greek art.
- Through sculptures Chen explored themes of illness, exile and cultural difference.
Collocations Literature
LiteratureBeing a writer
- write/publish literature/poetry/fiction/a book/a story/a poem/a novel/a review/an autobiography
- become a writer/novelist/playwright
- find/have a publisher/an agent
- have a new book out
- edit/revise/proofread a book/text/manuscript
- dedicate a book/poem to…
Plot, character and atmosphere
- construct/create/weave/weave something into a complex narrative
- advance/drive the plot
- introduce/present the protagonist/a character
- describe/depict/portray a character (as…)/(somebody as) a hero/villain
- create an exciting/a tense atmosphere
- build/heighten the suspense/tension
- evoke/capture the pathos of the situation
- convey emotion/an idea/an impression/a sense of…
- engage the reader
- seize/capture/grip the (reader’s) imagination
- arouse/elicit emotion/sympathy (in the reader)
- lack imagination/emotion/structure/rhythm
Language, style and imagery
- use/employ language/imagery/humour/(US English) humor/an image/a symbol/a metaphor/a device
- use/adopt/develop a style/technique
- be rich in/be full of symbolism
- evoke images of…/a sense of…/a feeling of…
- create/achieve an effect
- maintain/lighten the tone
- introduce/develop an idea/a theme
- inspire a novel/a poet/somebody’s work/somebody’s imagination
Reading and criticism
- read an author/somebody’s work/fiction/poetry/a text/a poem/a novel/a chapter/a passage
- review a book/a novel/somebody’s work
- give something/get/have/receive a good/bad review
- be hailed (as)/be recognized as a masterpiece
- quote a(n) phrase/line/stanza/passage/author
- provoke/spark discussion/criticism
- study/interpret/understand a text/passage
- translate somebody’s work/a text/a passage/a novel/a poem
Extra Examples
- He gave a talk on the theme of teenage unemployment.
- His later novels develop the theme of alienation.
- Several familiar themes emerged from the discussion.
- The same themes run through all her novels.
- universal themes of love and loneliness
- The play touches on universal themes of loss and grief.
Topics Literature and writingb1
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- basic
- central
- dominant
- …
verb + theme
- address
- continue
- develop
- …
theme + verb
- emerge
- run through something
theme + noun
- music
- song
- tune
- …
preposition
- on the theme of
phrases
- variations on a theme
See full entry
(music) a short tune that is repeated or developed in a piece of music
- The trumpets' theme is then taken up by the rest of orchestra.
(also theme song, theme tune)
[countable]
(also theme music [uncountable])
music that is played at the beginning and end and/or is often repeated in a film, television programme, etc.
- the theme from ‘The Godfather’
- The film's haunting musical theme stayed in my head for days.
- He wrote and sang the theme to the hit TV series, ‘Minder’.
- His theme is played each time he appears on screen.
(North American English, old-fashioned) a short piece of writing on a particular subject, done for school
(linguistics) the part of a sentence or clause that contains information that is not new to the reader or audience compare rheme

Word OriginMiddle English: via Old French from Latin thema, from Greek, literally ‘proposition’; related to tithenai ‘to set or place’.

单词	theme
释义	theme noun OPAL WOPAL S /θiːm/ /θiːm/ jump to other results the subject or main idea in a talk, piece of writing or work of art the central/main/key/major theme Births are a recurring theme in Leigh's work. Hot temperatures were a common theme over the past couple of weeks. theme of something The stories are all variations on the theme of unhappy marriage. North American literature is the main theme of this year's festival. The President stressed a favourite campaign theme—greater emphasis on education. The naked male figure was always the central theme of Greek art. Through sculptures Chen explored themes of illness, exile and cultural difference. Collocations LiteratureLiteratureBeing a writer write/publish literature/poetry/fiction/a book/a story/a poem/a novel/a review/an autobiography become a writer/novelist/playwright find/have a publisher/an agent have a new book out edit/revise/proofread a book/text/manuscript dedicate a book/poem to… Plot, character and atmosphere construct/create/weave/weave something into a complex narrative advance/drive the plot introduce/present the protagonist/a character describe/depict/portray a character (as…)/(somebody as) a hero/villain create an exciting/a tense atmosphere build/heighten the suspense/tension evoke/capture the pathos of the situation convey emotion/an idea/an impression/a sense of… engage the reader seize/capture/grip the (reader’s) imagination arouse/elicit emotion/sympathy (in the reader) lack imagination/emotion/structure/rhythm Language, style and imagery use/employ language/imagery/humour/(US English) humor/an image/a symbol/a metaphor/a device use/adopt/develop a style/technique be rich in/be full of symbolism evoke images of…/a sense of…/a feeling of… create/achieve an effect maintain/lighten the tone introduce/develop an idea/a theme inspire a novel/a poet/somebody’s work/somebody’s imagination Reading and criticism read an author/somebody’s work/fiction/poetry/a text/a poem/a novel/a chapter/a passage review a book/a novel/somebody’s work give something/get/have/receive a good/bad review be hailed (as)/be recognized as a masterpiece quote a(n) phrase/line/stanza/passage/author provoke/spark discussion/criticism study/interpret/understand a text/passage translate somebody’s work/a text/a passage/a novel/a poem Extra Examples He gave a talk on the theme of teenage unemployment. His later novels develop the theme of alienation. Several familiar themes emerged from the discussion. The same themes run through all her novels. universal themes of love and loneliness The play touches on universal themes of loss and grief. Topics Literature and writingb1 Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective basic central dominant … verb + theme address continue develop … theme + verb emerge run through something theme + noun music song tune … preposition on the theme of phrases variations on a theme See full entry (music) a short tune that is repeated or developed in a piece of music The trumpets' theme is then taken up by the rest of orchestra. (also theme song, theme tune) [countable] (also theme music [uncountable]) music that is played at the beginning and end and/or is often repeated in a film, television programme, etc. the theme from ‘The Godfather’ The film's haunting musical theme stayed in my head for days. He wrote and sang the theme to the hit TV series, ‘Minder’. His theme is played each time he appears on screen. (North American English, old-fashioned) a short piece of writing on a particular subject, done for school (linguistics) the part of a sentence or clause that contains information that is not new to the reader or audience compare rheme Word OriginMiddle English: via Old French from Latin thema, from Greek, literally ‘proposition’; related to tithenai ‘to set or place’. theme adjective /θiːm/ /θiːm/ (British English) jump to other results theme pub/bar/restaurant, etc. a pub, bar, etc. that is designed to reflect a particular subject or period of history an Irish theme pub Word OriginMiddle English: via Old French from Latin thema, from Greek, literally ‘proposition’; related to tithenai ‘to set or place’.
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