moun ‧ tain S3 W3 /ˈmaʊntən, ˈmaʊntɪn $ ˈmaʊnt ə n/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: montaigne , from Latin montanus , from mons ; ⇨ ↑ mount 2 ]
1 . a very high hill:
the highest mountain in Austria
the Rocky Mountains
a steep mountain road
magnificent mountain ranges (=lines of mountains)
snow-capped mountain peaks (=tops of mountains)
a mountain rescue team (=a group of experienced climbers who help people to safety from a mountain)
She was the first British woman to climb the mountain.
2 . a mountain of something/mountains of something a very large pile or amount of something:
I’ve got mountains of paperwork to deal with.
Her husband went off with another woman and left her facing a mountain of debt.
3 . food/butter etc mountain a very large amount of food, butter etc that has been produced but is not needed or used ⇨ lake
4 . make a mountain out of a molehill to treat a problem as if it was very serious when in fact it is not
5 . (have) a mountain to climb British English used to say that someone has a lot of work to do to achieve their aim, especially when you believe it will be difficult
6 . move mountains to do things that seem impossible:
I have great faith in the power of love to move mountains.
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COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ high
These mountains are much higher than any in Europe.
▪ rugged mountains (=rough and uneven)
the spectacular scenery of rugged mountains
▪ a snow-capped mountain (=with snow on the top)
beautiful views of snow-capped mountains
▪ a distant mountain (=far away)
The sun was setting over the distant mountains.
▪ a great mountain (=a high, impressive mountain)
Here, great mountains are all around.
▪ a sacred mountain (=considered holy)
Mount Fuji is a sacred mountain.
■ verbs
▪ go/walk up a mountain ( also ascend a mountain formal )
Carrie and Albert went up the mountain, neither of them speaking as they climbed.
▪ climb a mountain (=walk and/or climb to the top of a mountain)
Hillary had climbed all the big mountains in New Zealand.
▪ go/walk down a mountain
She lost her way as she went down the mountain.
▪ cross the mountains
We crossed the mountains between Spain and France.
▪ mountains rise (=go high into the sky)
The mountains rise above the plains.
▪ moutains soar/tower literary (=go very high into the sky)
The distant mountains soar abruptly towards the sky.
■ mountain + NOUN
▪ a mountain range/chain (=a number of mountains in a line)
The Alps are the largest mountain range in Europe.
▪ a mountain top
Until the end of June you may find snow on the mountain tops.
▪ a mountain peak (=the top of a mountain)
Clouds hid the mountain peaks.
▪ a mountain slope (=the sides of a mountain)
Snow lay on the steep mountain slopes.
▪ a mountain pass (=a path or road between mountains)
Their journey took them through river valleys and over mountain passes.
▪ a mountain stream
The water was as clear and cold as a mountain stream.
▪ mountain air
a walk in the clear mountain air
▪ mountain rescue (=people who help people who are in difficulty on a mountain)
Mountain rescue teams were called out to search for the missing climbers.
■ phrases
▪ the top of a mountain ( also the summit of a mountain formal )
We climbed to the top of the mountain.
▪ the foot of a mountain (=the bottom of a mountain)
We’ll take the car to the foot of the mountain and walk from there.
▪ the side of a mountain
The path wound up the side of the mountain.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ mountain a very high hill:
the highest mountain in Austria
▪ hill an area of land that is higher than the land around it, which is like a mountain but smaller and usually has a rounded top:
We went for a walk in the hills.
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The house is surrounded by woods, farmland and gentle hills.
▪ Mount ( also Mt written abbreviation ) used in the names of mountains. Don’t say ‘Fuji Mountain’ – say ‘Mount Fuji’ :
Mount Everest
▪ cliff the steep side of an area of land, often next to the sea:
the white cliffs of Dover
▪ precipice especially literary a very steep and dangerous cliff:
They were standing on the edge of a precipice.
▪ crag a high steep rock or mountain:
An eagle sailed over the high crags.
▪ ridge a long narrow area of high ground, especially at the top of a mountain:
I could see a group of climbers high up on a ridge.
▪ knoll a small round hill:
a grassy knoll
▪ volcano a mountain with a large hole at the top, through which ↑ lava (=hot liquid rock) is sometimes forced out:
the eruption of a volcano
▪ summit the very highest point of a mountain:
the summit of Mt Everest
▪ peak especially literary the top of a mountain:
the snow-covered peaks of the Himalayas
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a distant peak
▪ range/chain a group of mountains or hills arranged in a line:
the mountain range that is part of the border between Norway and Sweden
▪ foothills a group of smaller hills below a range of high mountains:
the Sierra foothills