concrete Hear it!

concrete Definition

con·crete (kän′krēt′; also, and for vt.1 & vi.usually, kän krēt′)

adjective

  1. formed into a solid mass; coalesced
  2. having a material, perceptible existence; of, belonging to, or characterized by things or events that can be perceived by the senses; real; actual
  3. referring to a particular; specific, not general or abstract
  4. made of concrete
  5. Gram. designating a thing or class of things that can be perceived by the senses a concrete noun

Etymology: ME concret < L concretus, pp. of concrescere: see concrescence

noun

  1. a concrete thing, condition, idea, etc.
  2. a hard, compact building material formed when a mixture of cement, sand, gravel, and water dries: used in making bridges, road surfaces, etc.

transitive verb -·cret′ed, -·cret′·ing

  1. to form into a mass; solidify
  2. to make of, or cover with, concrete

intransitive verb

to solidify

concrete Related Forms
con·crete′ly adverb con·crete′·ness noun
concrete Synonyms

concrete

modif.

  1. Specific

    particular, solid, precise, actual; see accurate 2, definite 1, detailed, real 2, tangible.

  2. Made of concrete

    cement, monolithic, poured, solid, strong, precast, concrete and steel, compact, unyielding; see also firm 2.

concrete Synonyms

concrete

n.

ferroconcrete, reinforced concrete, prestressed concrete; see cement, pavement 1.

concrete Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • reinforce: A basic search for ' reinforced concrete ' brings up a big list of results, which he has a quick browse through.
  • prefabricate: In the foreground is the original prefabricated concrete of 1935, whilst beyond the footbridge is the platform extension of 1955.

Adjective modifier

  • ready-mixed: Did you purchase any ready-mixed concrete in South West England during 2003?
  • crushed: Wherever possible re-cycled and innovative materials such as crushed concrete and reclaimed plastic will be used.
  • pre-stressed: But now we've got things like pre-stressed concrete and plastics.
  • hardened: This course introduces delegates to the new terminology that applies to familiar properties of fresh and hardened concrete.
  • lightweight: Aggregates used in concrete, incl. artificial components, lightweight concrete etc. Concrete additives.
  • wet: Lots of mud and the smell of wet concrete.

Modifies a noun

  • slab: A few weeks later, the concrete slabs have been laid across the tunnel to form the roof.
  • jungle: Coventry's post-war rebuilding had led to a ' concrete jungle ' of geometric shapes, which found their way into his work.
  • block: There are these huge concrete blocks, built where the ghetto used to be.
  • floor: The pier can be bolted directly to a suitable concrete floor.
  • bunker: There was a concrete bunker on Burnley Road near where the river Blakewater flows under the road not far from the Red Lion pub.
  • plinth: Old concrete plinths are still there at the roadside to prove it.

Used with adjective complement

  • reinforce: Lintels can be made from in-situ reinforced concrete, timber and reinforced masonry.

Noun used with modifier

  • pre-cast: The bridge is a box-culvert tunnel, formed by erecting pre-cast concrete sections on the base.
  • musique: This section covers musique concrete, minimalism, electroacoustic works, third stream compositions and more.
  • in-situ: Vertical services can be installed between infill blocks and the void made good with in-situ concrete.
  • ready-mix: Another application for redevelopment of the site for production and distribution of ready-mix concrete - concern at this too.
  • situ: In situ concrete, once installed, is permanent and cannot then be removed.
concrete Quotes

Clearly, then, the city is not a concrete jungle, it is a human zoo.

—Morris, Desmond John

Our national flower is the concrete cloverleaf.

—Mumford, Lewis

Ohprams on concretebalconies, what will yourchildren see?

—Betjeman, SirJohn