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Definition of column noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

column

noun
 OPAL WOPAL S
 
/ˈkɒləm/
 
/ˈkɑːləm/
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  1.  
    (abbreviation col.)
    one of the straight sections from top to bottom into which text on a page or screen is divided
    • a dictionary with two columns per page
    • column of something a column of text
    • at the bottom of the right-hand column of this page
    • The website has an attractive two-column format.
    • in a column Click on the name of your account in the left-hand column.
    • Put a mark in the appropriate column.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • regular
    • daily
    • weekly
    • …
    verb + column
    • have
    • write
    • read
    • …
    column + noun
    • inches
    preposition
    • in a/​the column
    • column about
    • column on
    • …
    See full entry
  2.  
     a series of numbers or words arranged one under the other down a page
    • column of something to add up a column of figures
    • the fifth column of Table 4
    • in a column The numbers in the left-hand column are not relevant here.
    • The last column contains the probability of each of those outcomes occurring.
    compare row1 (3)
  3.  
     a part of a newspaper, magazine or website that appears regularly and deals with a particular subject or is written by a particular writer
    • She writes a monthly column for a leading national newspaper.
    • a newspaper/weekly column
    • the financial column
    • in a column I disagree with a lot of what he writes in his column.
    • I always read her column in the local paper.
    • column on/about something The website features a regular column on parenting.
    • column by somebody She always read the column by the local vicar in the parish magazine.
    see also advice column, agony column, gossip column, personal column
    Extra Examples
    • He has a regular column in a weekly newspaper.
    • She saw his name in an obituary column.
    • a weekly column on films showing in London
    • a weekly column on movies showing in the capital
    • The website runs an online advice column for teenagers.
    Topics Literature and writinga2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • regular
    • daily
    • weekly
    • …
    verb + column
    • have
    • write
    • read
    • …
    column + noun
    • inches
    preposition
    • in a/​the column
    • column about
    • column on
    • …
    See full entry
  4. a tall, solid post, usually round and made of stone, that supports or decorates a building or stands alone as a monument
    • The temple is supported by marble columns.
    • Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square is one of London's best-known landmarks.
    Extra Examples
    • The roof is supported by four huge columns.
    • colonnades of fluted Doric columns
    • Corinthian columns are decorated with leaves at the top.
    • It was an Athenian temple with long colonnades of limestone columns.
    • The churches have classical columns and decoration.
    • The temple is supported by fluted marble columns.
    Topics Buildingsb2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • huge
    • tall
    • fluted
    • …
    column + verb
    • support something
    See full entry
  5. a thing that is like a column in shape
    • a column of smoke (= smoke rising straight up)
    see also spinal column, steering columnTopics Colours and Shapesc1
  6. a long, moving line of people or vehicles
    • a long column of troops and tanks
    • to march in columns
    see also fifth column
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • huge
    • long
    • armoured/​armored
    • …
    preposition
    • in columns
    • column of
    phrases
    • the head of the column
    See full entry
    More Like This Silent lettersSilent letters
    7. Word Originlate Middle English: partly from Old French columpne, reinforced by its source, Latin columna ‘pillar’.
See column in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee column in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: column

Nearby words

pepper
noun
 
 
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