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column Definition

col·umn (käləm)

noun

  1. a slender upright structure, generally consisting of a cylindrical shaft, a base, and a capital; pillar: it is usually a supporting or ornamental member in a building
  2. anything like a column in shape or function a column of water, the spinal column
  3. a formation of troops, ships, etc. in a file or adjacent files
  4. any of the vertical sections of printed matter that are side by side on a page, separated by a rule or blank space
  5. (any of) a series of feature articles appearing regularly in a newspaper or magazine, by a particular writer or about a certain subject

Etymology: ME & OFr colomne < L columna, collateral form of columen, column, pillar < IE base *kel-, to project > hill, holm, Gr kolophōn

column Related Forms
co·lum·nar (kə lumnər) adjective col·umned (-əmd) adjective
column Synonyms

column

n.

  1. A post

    pillar, support, prop, shaft, monument, totem, pylon, obelisk, stele, standard, tower, minaret, cylinder, mast, caryatid, telamon, peristyle, monolith, upright, pedestal, pilaster, pier; see also post 1.

    Types of architectural columns include: fluted, plain, round, square, Egyptian, Doric, Greek, Corinthian, Ionic, Composite, Roman, Romanesque, Tuscan, Gothic.

  2. Journalistic commentary

    comment, feature article, editorial, syndicated column; see article 2, exposition 2.

  3. A military formation

    single file, string, platoon, company; see army 2, caravan, line 1.

column Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • write: I used to ghost write a column for Tommy in the Evening Post.
  • steer: We made various components such as parachute attachments, housing bearings, steering track columns among a few.

Adjective modifier

  • vertebral: The rear part of the vertebral column has not yet been found.
  • spinal: The fatal shot was fired, and Nelson ' s spinal column was broken.
  • left-hand: Links to the documents are provided in the left-hand column of this webpage.
  • right-hand: You can download the Inspector's Report in the right-hand column.
  • weekly: He also writes a weekly column for The Glasgow Herald.
  • Corinthian: Downstairs, to the left of the vestibule, graceful Corinthian columns create four wide bays.

Modifies a noun

  • inch: The media has dedicated more than its fair share of column inches to the burgeoning ringtone market over the past 12 months.
  • heading: Each of the column headings is a button allowing you to sort the table of search results to your preference.
  • width: A display ad 2 column widths by 5cm costs around 80p for a single insertion.
  • header: Yes, simply click on the column header of the field you'd like the summary to be sorted in terms of.
  • density: NH The column density of Galactic Hydrogen from Stark et al.
  • chromatography: Fractionation of the essential oil by column chromatography on silica gel was performed to improve identification of some constituents.

Noun used with modifier

  • steering: The steering column could be raised or lowered to suit the height of the driver.
  • gossip: The League table may take a few days to update after a fixture and the gossip column is purely for speculative purposes.
  • marble: The dome of this temple which has marble columns with Corinthian capitals was restored very recently.
  • newspaper: She also writes for a monthly a BBC Ariel newspaper column, Cutting Edge.
  • agony: I read nothing except the criminal news and the agony column.
  • lighting: Digging a trench for the electric supply to the lighting column on the car park steps at Abergynolwyn.
column Quotes

La quinta columna. The fifth column.

—Mola, Emilio

It quickly swelled into the shape of a gigantic question mark, the middle of which was a vivid crimson, and as this thunderhead-like column billowed upward through the sky, she could see a red ball of fire at its core.

—Agawa, Hiroyuki

Now stir the fire, and close the shutters fast, Let fall the curtains, wheel the sofa round, And, while the bubbling and loud-hissing urn Throws up a steamy column, and the cups, That cheer but not inebriate, wait on each, So let us welcome peaceful evening in.

—Cowper,William

Browse dictionary entries near column

  1. columella
  2. Columbus Day
  3. Columbus
  4. columbium
  5. columbite
  6. columbine
  7. Columbian
  8. Columbia
  9. columbarium
  10. Columba
  1. columniation
  2. columnist
  3. colure
  4. coly
  5. colza
  6. com
  7. com-
  8. coma
  9. Coma Berenices
  10. comake