I. (ˈ)kän|krēt sometimes (ˈ)käŋ|k- or ( except sense 4 ) kənˈk-; in sense 4 ˈ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ also (ˈ) ̷ ̷ˈ ̷ ̷; usu -ēd.+V adjective
Etymology: Middle English concret, from Latin concretus, past participle of concrescere to grow together, from com- + crescere to grow — more at crescent
1. : united in growth:
a. archaic : compounded of different ingredients : composite
b. : formed by coalition of separate particles into one mass : united in a solid form
2.
a. : naming a thing or class of things — opposed to abstract
the word poem is concrete , poetry is abstract
b. of a unit or number : associated with or applied to particular objects or magnitudes
three men, to give a concrete figure
— opposed to abstract
3.
a. : characterized by immediate experience of realities whether physical things, sensations, or emotions : belonging to or standing for things, sensations, or emotions : belonging to or standing for actual things or events : not abstract or ideal : specific , particular
a rainbow is concrete color
they presented concrete proposals for improvement
b. : real , actual , tangible
his suspicions had nothing very concrete to go on
concrete proof of the man's guilt
4. : relating to or made of concrete
II. in sense 1 (ˈ)kän|k- sometimes (ˈ)käŋ|k- or kənˈk-; in other senses ˈkän]ˌk- also (ˈ)kän]ˈk- sometimes -äŋ] noun
( -s )
1. : a concrete form or object ; also : something that is concrete — used with the
2. : a compound or mass formed by concretion, spontaneous union, or coalescence of separate particles of matter in one body
a concrete of combustible materials
3.
a. : a hard strong building material made by mixing a cementing material (commonly portland cement) and a mineral aggregate (as washed sand and gravel or broken rock) with sufficient water to cause the cement to set and bind used in the construction of bridges, buildings, dams, pavements, tunnels, and smaller products — compare cinder concrete , cyclopean concrete
b. : a surface (as a path or roadway) paved with such artificial stone
since the road was a throughway motorists were asked not to park on the concrete
4. : crude sugar obtained in compact masses by boiling down cane juice or maple sap
5. : a waxy essence especially of flowers prepared by extraction (as with petroleum ether) and removal of the solvent by vacuum distillation and used in perfumery
concrete of rose
— compare absolute 3
•
- in the concrete
III. in vt sense 3 and vi sense 2 ˈkän]ˌk- also (ˈ)kän]ˈk- sometimes -äŋ]; in other senses (ˈ)kän|k- sometimes (ˈ)käŋ|k- or kənˈk- verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
1.
a. : to form into a solid mass (as by cooling, evaporation, coagulation, or cementation) : solidify , congeal
b. : combine , blend , fuse , unite
art concreted with nature to produce a gracious whole
2. : to make actual or real : cause to take on the qualities of reality : make concrete
the basic concreting relation is a symmetrical relation of togetherness — Nelson Goodman
3. : to cover with, form of, line with, or set or embed in concrete
intransitive verb
1. of separate particles : to unite or coalesce into a mass : solidify , harden , congeal , coagulate
2. : to pour or apply concrete
IV. adjective
: of or relating to concrete poetry
concrete poet
V. noun
1. : concrete poetry herein
2. : a concrete poet