- the part of the face below the mouth and above the neck
- A strap fastens under the chin to keep the helmet in place.
Collocations Physical appearancePhysical appearancesee also double chin- A person may be described as having:
- (bright) blue/green/(dark/light) brown/hazel eyes
- deep-set/sunken/bulging/protruding eyes
- small/beady/sparkling/twinkling/(informal) shifty eyes
- piercing/penetrating/steely eyes
- bloodshot/watery/puffy eyes
- bushy/thick/dark/arched eyebrows
- long/dark/thick/curly/false eyelashes/lashes
- a flat/bulbous/pointed/sharp/snub nose
- a straight/crooked/a Roman/(formal) an aquiline nose
- full/thick/thin/pouty lips
- dry/chapped/cracked lips
- flushed/rosy/red/ruddy/pale cheeks
- soft/chubby/sunken cheeks
- white/perfect/crooked/protruding teeth
- a large/high/broad/wide/sloping forehead
- a strong/weak/pointed/double chin
- a long/full/bushy/wispy/goatee beard
- a long/thin/bushy/droopy/handlebar/pencil moustache
- pale/fair/olive/dark/tanned skin
- dry/oily/smooth/rough/leathery/wrinkled skin
- a dark/pale/light/sallow/ruddy/olive/swarthy/clear complexion
- deep/fine/little/facial wrinkles
- blonde/blond/fair/(light/dark) brown/(jet-)black/auburn/red/(British English) ginger/grey hair
- straight/curly/wavy/frizzy/spiky hair
- thick/thin/fine/bushy/thinning hair
- dyed/bleached/soft/silky/dry/greasy/shiny hair
- long/short/shoulder-length/cropped hair
- a bald/balding/shaved head
- a receding hairline
- a bald patch/spot
- a side/centre(British English) parting
- a long/short/thick/slender/(disapproving) scrawny neck
- broad/narrow/sloping/rounded/hunched shoulders
- a bare/broad/muscular/small/large chest
- a flat/swollen/bulging stomach
- a small/tiny/narrow/slim/slender/28-inch waist
- big/wide/narrow/slim hips
- a straight/bent/arched/broad/hairy back
- thin/slender/muscular arms
- big/large/small/manicured/calloused/gloved hands
- long/short/fat/slender/delicate/bony fingers
- long/muscular/hairy/shapely/(both informal, often disapproving) skinny/spindly legs
- muscular/chubby/(informal, disapproving) flabby thighs
- big/little/small/dainty/wide/narrow/bare feet
- a good/slim/slender figure
- be of slim/medium/average/large/athletic/stocky build
Extra ExamplesTopics Bodyb2- He cupped her chin with his hand.
- She had bits of food on her chin.
- She put her hand under his chin and lifted his face to hers.
- He stroked his chin thoughtfully.
- Her chin was resting on his shoulder.
- His chin quivered and a tear ran down his cheek.
- His chin rose in a proud gesture.
- Maria jutted her chin defiantly.
- She caught him with a hard blow on the chin.
- He sat resting his chin on his hands.
- She sat with her elbows on the table, resting her chin on her cupped hands.
- She tilted her chin at him defiantly.
- Slowly lower the bar to around chin level.
- The juice dribbled down his chin.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- square
- chiselled/chiseled
- pointed
- …
- jut
- jut out
- lift
- …
- rise
- rest
- quiver
- …
- strap
- level
- beneath somebody’s chin
- under somebody’s chin
- down somebody’s chin
- …
Word OriginOld English cin, cinn, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch kin, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin gena ‘cheek’ and Greek genus ‘jaw’.
Idioms
See chin in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary(keep your) chin up
- (informal) used to tell somebody to try to stay cheerful even though they are in a difficult or unpleasant situation
- Chin up! Only two exams left.
chuck somebody under the chin
- (old-fashioned) to touch somebody gently under the chin (= part of the face below the mouth) in a friendly way
take something on the chin (informal)
- to accept a difficult or unpleasant situation without complaining, trying to make excuses, etc.
- In this business, you have to learn to take criticism on the chin.
- (North American English) to be damaged or badly affected by something
- Stockholders took it on the chin yesterday as markets fell sharply.
Check pronunciation:
chin