- [countable, uncountable] any substance like air that is neither a solid nor a liquid, for example hydrogen or oxygen
- Air is a mixture of gases.
- Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas.
Extra ExamplesTopics Physics and chemistrya2- It gives off a poisonous gas as it decomposes.
- Noxious gases had built up in the sewer.
- Toxic gases can escape through one of the pipes.
- Producing methane gas from organic waste is another extremely practical use of resources.
- CFC gases
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- deadly
- noxious
- poisonous
- …
- emit
- give off
- produce
- …
- build up
- leak
- emissions
- chamber
- …
- [uncountable] a particular type of gas or mixture of gases used as fuel for heating and cooking
- fossil fuels like oil and gas
- Can you smell gas?
- a gas cooker/stove/fire
- gas central heating
- a gas leak/explosion
- plans to build a new gas pipeline
- Gas prices have risen sharply.
- The country has huge gas reserves.
- a gas canister/cylinder (= for storing gas)
- (British English) Preheat the oven to gas mark 5 (= a particular temperature of a gas oven).
Extra ExamplesTopics The environmenta2- Chinese gas reserves are now being tapped.
- I lit the gas and put the soup on to warm.
- I prefer to cook with gas.
- Local gas works were closed as natural gas became available.
- tapping the North Sea gas fields
- The explosion was caused by a gas leak.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- butane
- coal
- natural
- …
- cook with
- light
- turn on
- …
- appliance
- boiler
- central heating
- …
- gas mark 2, 3, etc.
- [uncountable] a particular type of gas used during a medical operation, to make the patient unconscious or to make the pain less
- an anaesthetic gas
- Did you have gas or an injection?
- During the birth she was given gas and air.
- [uncountable] a particular type of gas used in war to kill or injure people, or used by the police to control people
- a gas attack
- (also gasoline)(both North American English)(British English petrol)[uncountable] a liquid obtained from petroleum, used as fuel in car engines, etc.
- to run out of gas
- I still had plenty of gas in the tank.
- He supported himself with a night job pumping gas.
- a gas pump
Oxford Collocations Dictionarygas + noun- pedal
- station
- the gas[singular](also gas pedal [countable] (both especially North American English))(also accelerator [countable] British and North American English)the pedal in a car or other vehicle that you press with your foot to control the speed of the engine
- Step on the gas, we're late.
- [singular] (especially North American English) a person or an event that is fun
- The party was a real gas.
- (North American English) (British English wind)[uncountable] air that you swallow with food or drink; gas that is produced in your stomach or intestines that makes you feel uncomfortable
not solid/liquid
in vehicle
fun
in stomach
Word Originmid 17th cent.: invented by J. B. van Helmont (1577–1644), Belgian chemist, to denote an occult principle which he believed to exist in all matter; suggested by Greek khaos ‘chaos’, with Dutch g representing Greek kh.
Idioms
See gas in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee gas in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishbe cooking with gas
- (informal) to be doing something very well and successfullyTopics Successc2
Check pronunciation:
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