word-vault/dist/data/cards/co/contrast.json

A lightweight JavaScript package for English word definitions and collections.

{
    "term": "contrast",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "academic": true,
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b1",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "a difference between two or more people or things that you can see clearly when they are compared or put close together; the fact of comparing two or more things in order to show the differences between them",
            "sensetop": "contrast between A and Bin contrastin contrast to somebody/somethingcontrast with somebody/somethingcontrast in somethingby contrastcontrast of A and B",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The two cities make an interesting contrast."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There is an obvious contrast between the cultures of East and West.",
                    "contextForm": "contrast between A and B"
                },
                {
                    "text": "In contrast, the south suffered very little hurricane damage.",
                    "contextForm": "in contrast"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The situation when we arrived was in **marked contrast** to the news reports.",
                    "contextForm": "in contrast to somebody/something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The poverty of her childhood **stands in** total **contrast to** her life in Hollywood."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The company lost $7 million this quarter in contrast to a profit of $6.2 million a year earlier."
                },
                {
                    "text": "to show a **sharp/stark/striking contrast** with something",
                    "contextForm": "contrast with somebody/something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "A wool jacket complements the silk trousers and **provides** an interesting **contrast** in texture.",
                    "contextForm": "contrast in something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "When you look at their new system, ours seems very old-fashioned by contrast.",
                    "contextForm": "by contrast"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Careful contrast of the two plans shows some important differences.",
                    "contextForm": "contrast of A and B"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The company lost $13 million this year, in contrast to a profit of $15 million last year."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The contrast between the sisters was very strong."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The contrast in appearance between the sisters was striking."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The flowers provide a contrast with the dark background."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The fresh fruit provides a contrast with the rich chocolate pudding."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The writer emphasizes the contrast between conventional and alternative medicine."
                },
                {
                    "text": "When you look at their new system, ours seems very old-fashioned by contrast."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Their attitudes to marriage stand in stark contrast to those of their parents."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There is a stark contrast between the lives of the rich and those of the poor."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There is a striking contrast between the two painters' work."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["clear", "marked", "sharp"],
                "verb + contrast": ["make", "offer", "present"],
                "preposition": ["by contrast", "in contrast", "in contrast to"],
                "phrases": ["stand in… contrast to somebody/​something"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "a person or thing that is clearly different from somebody/something else",
            "sensetop": "contrast (to somebody/something)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The work you did today is quite a contrast to *(= very much better/worse than)* what you did last week."
                },
                {
                    "text": "This busy social life was a complete contrast to his old quiet life."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Her hair was black, a stunning contrast to her pale complexion."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["clear", "marked", "sharp"],
                "verb + contrast": ["make", "offer", "present"],
                "preposition": ["by contrast", "in contrast", "in contrast to"],
                "phrases": ["stand in… contrast to somebody/​something"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "differences in colour or in light and dark, used in photographs and paintings to create a special effect",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The artist's use of contrast is masterly."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Colours and Shapes", "Art"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "the amount of difference between light and dark in a photograph or the picture on a television screen",
            "cefr": "c2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Use this button to adjust the contrast."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["TV, radio and news"]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈkɒntrɑːst/",
                "audio": "xc/contrast/xcontrast__gb_3.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈkɑːntræst/",
                "audio": "xc/contrast/xcontrast__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "late 17th cent. (as a term in fine art, in the sense ‘juxtapose so as to bring out differences in form and colour’): from French contraste (noun), contraster (verb), via Italian from medieval Latin contrastare, from Latin contra- ‘against’ + stare ‘stand’."
}