crystal

Pluralcrystals

1. 1
   nouncountable

   A shiny piece of mineral that looks like ice or glass.

   Like a small piece of ice that shines but never melts.

   She found a small crystal sparkling in the streambed.

   The cave walls were covered with tiny crystals.

   Note
2. 2
   nouncountable

   A solid where the atoms line up in a regular, repeating pattern.

   Like bricks stacked in the very same pattern again and again.

   Salt forms a crystal with a neat, boxy shape.

   Under the microscope, the sugar crystals had flat, even sides.

   Similargrain

   Oppositeglass

   Note
3. 3
   noununcountable

   A fine, high-quality kind of glass used for special cups, bowls, and ornaments.

   Like glass, but clearer and shinier: the kind used for special cups and bowls.

   They drank champagne from glasses made of fine crystal.

   Grandma kept her best crystal locked away in a cabinet.

4. 4
   adjectivefiguratively

   Very clear and easy to understand.

   Like looking through clean glass with nothing blocking your view.

   Her explanation was crystal clear, with nothing left to guess.

   By the end of the talk, the instructions felt crystal and simple.

   Similarclear, lucid

   Oppositeunclear, murky, opaque

   Note
5. 5
   adjective

   Made from fine, clear glass called crystal.

   She gave us a crystal vase as a wedding present.

   The crystal goblets shimmered under the lights.

   Note
6. 6
   nouncountable or uncountable

   The clear cover over the face of a watch.

   Like the clear window that covers a clock's face.

   He scratched the crystal on his watch by accident.

   A new crystal made the old watch look fresh again.

   Similarglass

7. 7
   nounslanguncountable

   An illegal drug: the solid, crystal-like form of methamphetamine.

   The police found a bag of crystal hidden in the car.

   He got hooked on crystal a few years ago.

   Similarmeth, ice, crank

   Note

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