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1[countable] a small oval object with a thin hard shell produced by a female bird and containing a young bird; a similar object produced by a female fish, insect, etc. The female sits on the eggs until they hatch. The fish lay thousands of eggs at one time. crocodile eggs Topic CollocationsThe Living Worldanimals
- animals mate/breed/reproduce/feed (on something)
- fish/amphibians swim/spawn (= lay eggs)
- birds fly/migrate/nest/sing
- insects crawl/fly/bite/sting
- insects/bees/locusts swarm
- bees collect/gather nectar/pollen
- spiders spin/weave a web
- snakes/lizards shed their skins
- bears/hedgehogs/frogs hibernate
- insect larvae grow/develop/pupate
- an egg/a chick/a larva hatches
- attract/find/choose a mate
- produce/release eggs/sperm
- lay/fertilize/incubate/hatch eggs
- inhabit a forest/a reef/the coast
- mark/enter/defend (a) territory
- stalk/hunt/capture/catch/kill prey
- trees/plants grow/bloom/blossom/flower
- a seed germinates/sprouts
- leaves/buds/roots/shoots appear/develop/form
- flower buds swell/open
- a fungus grows/spreads/colonizes something
- pollinate/fertilize a flower/plant
- produce/release/spread/disperse pollen/seeds/spores
- produce/bear fruit
- develop/grow/form roots/shoots/leaves
- provide/supply/absorb/extract/release nutrients
- perform/increase/reduce photosynthesis
- bacteria/microbes/viruses grow/spread/multiply
- bacteria/microbes live/thrive in/on something
- bacteria/microbes/viruses evolve/colonize something/cause disease
- bacteria break something down/convert something (into something)
- a virus enters/invades something/the body
- a virus mutates/evolves/replicates (itself)
- be infected with/contaminated with/exposed to a new strain of a virus/drug-resistant bacteria
- contain/carry/harbor bacteria/a virus
- kill/destroy/eliminate harmful/deadly bacteria
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- 2[countable, uncountable] a bird's egg, especially one from a chicken, that is eaten as food a hard-boiled egg bacon and eggs fried/poached/scrambled eggs Bind the mixture together with a little beaten egg. You have egg on your shirt. egg yolks/whites egg noodles duck/quail eggs a chocolate egg (= made from chocolate in the shape of an egg) see Easter egg
- 3[countable] (in women and female animals) a cell that combines with a sperm to create a baby or young animal synonym ovum The male sperm fertilizes the female egg. an egg donor see nest egg Idioms
a situation in which it is difficult to tell which one of two things was the cause of the other
a person who you can rely on to behave well
to be made to look stupid They were left with egg on their faces when only ten people showed up.
to destroy something that would make you rich, successful, etc.
to rely on one particular course of action for success rather than giving yourself several different possibilities I applied for seven jobs. I don't want to put all my eggs in one basket.
you cannot achieve something important without causing a few small problems
Check pronunciation: egg