cliff Hear it!

cliff definition

cliff (klif)

noun

a high, steep face of rock, esp. one on a coast; precipice

Etymology: ME & OE clif < IE *gleibh-, to adhere, be attached < base *glei- (see clay): basic sense prob. “slippery, smooth rock”

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

cliff Synonyms

cliff

n.

bluff, crag, precipice; see hill, mountain 1, rock 2, wall 1.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

cliff Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • erode: There are rapidly eroding low sandy cliffs in the middle of the bay near Bourne Gap.

Adjective modifier

  • towering: He's out there on a bay surrounded by towering cliffs, striking two pebbles together.

Modifies a noun

  • hanger: The series ends on a cliff hanger - what does Donna have to tell Gaz?

Noun used with modifier

  • chalk: The coastline varies from white chalk cliffs to quiet estuaries.
cliff usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

cliff quotes

   Being chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee is like jumping off a cliff. The thrill is very short.

-Bryan, Richard H(udson)

My definition of utter waste is a coachload of lawyers going over a cliff, with three empty seats.

-Hunt, Lamar

In our system, at about11.30pm on election night, they just push you off the edge of the clifföand that's it.You might scream on the way down, but you're going to hit the bottom, and you're not going to be in office.

-Mondale,Walter F(rederick)

cliff quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"cliff." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/cliff>

APA Style

cliff. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/cliff

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