- 1 [uncountable] the process or method of building or making something, especially roads, buildings, bridges, etc. the construction industry road construction Work has begun on the construction of the new airport. Our new offices are still under construction (= being built). the construction of a new database Wordfinderconstructioncement, construction, foundation, girder, joist, masonry, plaster, rubble, scaffolding, site Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivelarge, massive, basic, … verb + constructionbegin, start, complete, … construction + verbbe underway construction + nounindustry, market, sector, … prepositionduring (the) construction, under construction See full entry See related entries: Construction, Structures, People in construction
- 2 [uncountable] the way that something has been built or made strong in construction ships of steel construction Synonymsstructureframework form composition construction fabricThese are all words for the way the different parts of something combine together or the way that something has been made.structure the way in which the parts of something are connected together or arranged; a particular arrangement of parts:the structure of the building/human body the social structure of society the grammatical structures of a language a salary structureframework a set of beliefs, ideas or rules that forms the basis of a system or society:The report provides a framework for further research.form [U] the arrangement of parts in a whole, especially in a work of art of piece of writing:As a photographer, shape and form were more important to him than colour.composition [U] (rather formal) the different parts or people that combine to form something; the way in which they combine:recent changes in the composition of the workforceconstruction [U] the way that something has been built or made:ships of steel constructionfabric (rather formal) the basic structure of a society or an organization that enables it to function successfully:This is a trend which threatens the very fabric of society.Patterns the basic structure/framework/form/composition/construction/fabric of something a simple/complex structure/framework/form the economic/political/social structure/framework/composition/fabric of something the chemical/genetic structure/composition of something See related entries: Construction building/structure
- 3[countable] (formal) a thing that has been built or made The summer house was a simple wooden construction. See related entries: Construction grammar
- 4 [countable] the way in which words are used together and arranged to form a sentence, phrase, etc. grammatical constructions of theory, etc.
- 5[uncountable, countable] the creating of something from ideas, opinions and knowledge the construction of a new theory meaning
- 6[countable] (formal) the way in which words, actions, statements, etc. are understood by somebody synonym interpretation What construction do you put on this letter (= what do you think it means)? Word Originlate Middle English: via Old French from Latin constructio(n-), from construere ‘heap together’, from con- ‘together’ + struere ‘pile, build’.Extra examples Construction of the new road has now been completed. It has a basic construction of brick under a tiled roof. Major engineering challenges will be faced during construction. Road and bridge construction is underway. The drainage system needs careful construction. What construction do you put on this letter? a massive steel construction a schoolhouse of brick construction a strict construction of the clause a two-storey brick construction changes in the social construction of marriage massive constructions of bamboo and paper ruling on the proper construction to be given to section 78 of the Act the heavy construction industry walls of solid construction Our new offices are still under construction. The earliest Greek temples were small buildings, simple in construction.
noun jump to other results
BrE BrE//kənˈstrʌkʃn//; NAmE NAmE//kənˈstrʌkʃn//
Construction, Structures, People in constructionCheck pronunciation: construction
