oral

Pluralorals

1. 1
   adjective

   Having to do with the mouth.

   Brushing twice a day keeps your oral health in good shape.

   The dentist checked for oral problems like swollen gums.

   Note
2. 2
   adjective

   Spoken out loud instead of written down.

   Like telling someone a story out loud instead of writing it in a letter.

   We had to give an oral report in front of the class.

   She prefers an oral explanation to a long email.

   Similarspoken, verbal

   Oppositewritten

3. 3
   adjective

   Taken in through the mouth, like a medicine you swallow.

   Like swallowing a pill instead of getting a shot.

   The doctor gave her an oral medicine to take twice a day.

   Oral vaccines are easier to give to young children.

   Note
4. 4
   adjective

   Passed on by people speaking, not by writing.

   Many old folk tales come from oral storytelling.

   Their family history was kept alive through oral retelling.

   Similarspoken, verbal

   Oppositewritten

   Note
5. 5
   nouncountable

   A test where you answer questions by speaking, not by writing.

   She was nervous before her French oral.

   The oral counts for half of the final grade.

   Note
6. 6
   nouncolloquialuncountableabbreviationellipsis

   Ellipsis of oral sex. A short, informal way to refer to oral sex.

   The pamphlet covered the risks of unprotected oral.

   The class debated whether oral counts as sex.

   Note
7. 7
   nouncountable

   A check of the mouth done by a dentist or doctor.

   The dentist did a quick oral to look for cavities.

   Each oral takes about ten minutes.

   Note
8. 8
   adjective

   Made with the sound coming out through the mouth, not the nose.

   Like blowing air out through your mouth instead of your nose.

   Most English vowels are oral sounds.

   An oral sound lets the air leave through your mouth.

   Oppositenasal

   Note
9. 9
   adjective

   Using speaking and lip movements, especially when teaching deaf people.

   The school used an oral method to teach the deaf children to speak.

   Some families chose an oral approach over sign language.

   Similarspoken, verbal

   Oppositewritten

   Note
10. 10
    adjective

    Belonging to a group that speaks but does not yet read or write.

    Many oral cultures kept their history through songs and stories.

    An oral society passes down knowledge by speaking.

    Similarspoken, verbal

    Oppositewritten

    Note

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