paper
♦♦♦ pa|per /p'eɪpər/ (papers papering papered)
1 [N-UNCOUNT]
Paper is a material that you write on or wrap things with. The pages of this book are made of paper.
He wrote his name down on a piece of paper for me...
She sat at the table with pen and paper.
...a sheet of pretty wrapping paper.
...a paper bag.
2 [N-COUNT]
A paper is a newspaper.
I'll cook and you read the paper.
3 [N-COUNT] the N
You can refer to newspapers in general as the paper or the papers.
You can't believe everything you read in the paper...
4 [N-PLURAL] usu with poss
Your papers are sheets of paper with writing or information on them, which you might keep in a safe place at home.
Her papers included unpublished articles and correspondence.
5 [N-PLURAL] usu poss N
Your papers are official documents, for example your passport or identity card, which prove who you are or which give you official permission to do something.
They have arrested four people who were trying to leave the country with forged papers.
= identification
6 [N-COUNT]
A paper is a long, formal piece of writing about an academic subject.
He just published a paper in the journal Nature analyzing the fires.
7 [N-COUNT]
A paper is an essay written by a student. (mainly AM)
...the ten common errors that appear most frequently in student papers.
see also term paper
8 [N-COUNT]
A paper is a part of a written examination in which you answer a number of questions in a particular period of time.
We sat each paper in the Hall...
9 [N-COUNT]
A paper prepared by a government or a committee is a report on a question they have been considering or a set of proposals for changes in the law.
...a new government paper on European policy.
see also Green Paper, White Paper
10 [ADJ] ADJ n
Paper agreements, qualifications, or profits are ones that are stated by official documents to exist, although they may not really be effective or useful.
We're looking for people who have experience rather than paper qualifications.
11 [VERB] V n, V-ed
If you paper a wall, you put wallpaper on it.
We papered all four bedrooms...
The room was strange, the walls half papered, half painted.
12 [PHRASE] PHR after v
If you put your thoughts down on paper, you write them down.
It is important to get something down on paper...
13 [PHRASE]
If something seems to be the case on paper, it seems to be the case from what you read or hear about it, but it may not really be the case.
On paper, their country is a multi-party democracy...
14 [PHRASE] Vs inflect
If you say that a promise, an agreement, or a guarantee is not worth the paper it's written on, you mean that although it has been written down and seems to be official, it is in fact worthless because what has been promised will not be done.bal|lot pa|per (ballot papers)
[N-COUNT] usu pl
A ballot paper is a piece of paper on which you indicate your choice or opinion in an election or ballot.blot|ting pa|per
[N-UNCOUNT]
Blotting paper is thick soft paper that you use for soaking up and drying ink on a piece of paper.car|bon pa|per
[N-UNCOUNT]
Carbon paper is thin paper with a dark substance on one side. You use it to make copies of letters, bills, and other papers.
The drawing is transferred onto the wood by means of carbon paper.crepe pa|per
[N-UNCOUNT]
Crepe paper is stretchy paper with an uneven surface. Coloured crepe paper is often used for making decorations.graph pa|per
[N-UNCOUNT]
Graph paper is paper that has small squares printed on it so that you can use it for drawing graphs.grease|proof pa|per /gr'iːspruːf p'eɪpər/
[N-UNCOUNT]
Greaseproof paper is a special kind of paper which does not allow fat or oil to pass through it. It is mainly used in cooking or to wrap food. (BRIT; in AM, use wax paper)lava|tory pa|per
[N-UNCOUNT]
Lavatory paper is paper that you use to clean yourself after you have got rid of urine or faeces from your body. (BRIT FORMAL; in AM, use toilet paper)
= toilet paperpa|per clip (paper clips)
also paper-clip, paperclip
[N-COUNT]
A paper clip is a small piece of bent wire that is used to fasten papers together.pa|per knife (paper knives)
also paper-knife
[N-COUNT]
A paper knife is a tool shaped like a knife, which is used for opening envelopes.pa|per mon|ey
[N-UNCOUNT]
Paper money is money which is made of paper. Paper money is usually worth more than coins.paper over
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If people paper over a disagreement between them, they find a temporary solution to it in order to give the impression that things are going well.
...his determination to paper over the cracks in his party and avoid confrontation...pa|per round (paper rounds)
[N-COUNT]
A paper round is a job of delivering newspapers to houses along a particular route. Paper rounds are usually done by children before or after school. (BRIT; in AM, use paper route)pa|per route (paper routes)
[N-COUNT]
A paper route is the same as a paper round. (AM)pa|per shop (paper shops)
[N-COUNT]
A paper shop is a shop that sells newspapers and magazines, and also things such as tobacco, sweets, and cards. (BRIT)
= newsagentpa|per ti|ger (paper tigers)
[N-COUNT]
If you say that an institution, a country, or a person is a paper tiger, you mean that although they seem powerful they do not really have any power.pa|per trail
[N-SING]
Documents which provide evidence of someone's activities can be referred to as a paper trail. (mainly AM)
Criminals are very reluctant to leave a paper trail.po|si|tion pa|per (position papers)
[N-COUNT]
A position paper is a detailed report which usually explains or recommends a particular course of action.rice pa|per
[N-UNCOUNT]
Rice paper is very thin paper made from rice plants. It is used in cooking.term pa|per (term papers)
[N-COUNT]
A term paper is an essay or report which a student writes on a subject that he or she has studied during a term at a school, college, or university. (AM)toi|let pa|per
[N-UNCOUNT]
Toilet paper is thin soft paper that people use to clean themselves after they have got rid of urine or faeces from their body.touch pa|per
also touchpaper
[PHRASE] V inflects
If someone lights the touch paper or lights the blue touch paper, they do something which causes anger or excitement. (BRIT JOURNALISM)
This kind of remark is guaranteed to light the blue touch paper with some Labour politicians.trac|ing pa|per
[N-UNCOUNT]
Tracing paper is transparent paper which you put over a picture so that you can draw over its lines in order to produce a copy of it.wax pa|per
[N-UNCOUNT]
Wax paper is paper that has been covered with a thin layer of wax. It is used mainly in cooking or to wrap food. (AM; in BRIT, use greaseproof paper)
= waxed paperwaxed pa|per
[N-UNCOUNT]
Waxed paper is the same as wax paper.wrap|ping pa|per (wrapping papers)
[N-MASS]
Wrapping paper is special paper which is used for wrapping presents.writ|ing pa|per (writing papers)
[N-MASS]
Writing paper is paper for writing letters on. It is usually of good, smooth quality.
1 [N-UNCOUNT]
Paper is a material that you write on or wrap things with. The pages of this book are made of paper.
He wrote his name down on a piece of paper for me...
She sat at the table with pen and paper.
...a sheet of pretty wrapping paper.
...a paper bag.
2 [N-COUNT]
A paper is a newspaper.
I'll cook and you read the paper.
3 [N-COUNT] the N
You can refer to newspapers in general as the paper or the papers.
You can't believe everything you read in the paper...
4 [N-PLURAL] usu with poss
Your papers are sheets of paper with writing or information on them, which you might keep in a safe place at home.
Her papers included unpublished articles and correspondence.
5 [N-PLURAL] usu poss N
Your papers are official documents, for example your passport or identity card, which prove who you are or which give you official permission to do something.
They have arrested four people who were trying to leave the country with forged papers.
= identification
6 [N-COUNT]
A paper is a long, formal piece of writing about an academic subject.
He just published a paper in the journal Nature analyzing the fires.
7 [N-COUNT]
A paper is an essay written by a student. (mainly AM)
...the ten common errors that appear most frequently in student papers.
see also term paper
8 [N-COUNT]
A paper is a part of a written examination in which you answer a number of questions in a particular period of time.
We sat each paper in the Hall...
9 [N-COUNT]
A paper prepared by a government or a committee is a report on a question they have been considering or a set of proposals for changes in the law.
...a new government paper on European policy.
see also Green Paper, White Paper
10 [ADJ] ADJ n
Paper agreements, qualifications, or profits are ones that are stated by official documents to exist, although they may not really be effective or useful.
We're looking for people who have experience rather than paper qualifications.
11 [VERB] V n, V-ed
If you paper a wall, you put wallpaper on it.
We papered all four bedrooms...
The room was strange, the walls half papered, half painted.
12 [PHRASE] PHR after v
If you put your thoughts down on paper, you write them down.
It is important to get something down on paper...
13 [PHRASE]
If something seems to be the case on paper, it seems to be the case from what you read or hear about it, but it may not really be the case.
On paper, their country is a multi-party democracy...
14 [PHRASE] Vs inflect
If you say that a promise, an agreement, or a guarantee is not worth the paper it's written on, you mean that although it has been written down and seems to be official, it is in fact worthless because what has been promised will not be done.bal|lot pa|per (ballot papers)
[N-COUNT] usu pl
A ballot paper is a piece of paper on which you indicate your choice or opinion in an election or ballot.blot|ting pa|per
[N-UNCOUNT]
Blotting paper is thick soft paper that you use for soaking up and drying ink on a piece of paper.car|bon pa|per
[N-UNCOUNT]
Carbon paper is thin paper with a dark substance on one side. You use it to make copies of letters, bills, and other papers.
The drawing is transferred onto the wood by means of carbon paper.crepe pa|per
[N-UNCOUNT]
Crepe paper is stretchy paper with an uneven surface. Coloured crepe paper is often used for making decorations.graph pa|per
[N-UNCOUNT]
Graph paper is paper that has small squares printed on it so that you can use it for drawing graphs.grease|proof pa|per /gr'iːspruːf p'eɪpər/
[N-UNCOUNT]
Greaseproof paper is a special kind of paper which does not allow fat or oil to pass through it. It is mainly used in cooking or to wrap food. (BRIT; in AM, use wax paper)lava|tory pa|per
[N-UNCOUNT]
Lavatory paper is paper that you use to clean yourself after you have got rid of urine or faeces from your body. (BRIT FORMAL; in AM, use toilet paper)
= toilet paperpa|per clip (paper clips)
also paper-clip, paperclip
[N-COUNT]
A paper clip is a small piece of bent wire that is used to fasten papers together.pa|per knife (paper knives)
also paper-knife
[N-COUNT]
A paper knife is a tool shaped like a knife, which is used for opening envelopes.pa|per mon|ey
[N-UNCOUNT]
Paper money is money which is made of paper. Paper money is usually worth more than coins.paper over
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If people paper over a disagreement between them, they find a temporary solution to it in order to give the impression that things are going well.
...his determination to paper over the cracks in his party and avoid confrontation...pa|per round (paper rounds)
[N-COUNT]
A paper round is a job of delivering newspapers to houses along a particular route. Paper rounds are usually done by children before or after school. (BRIT; in AM, use paper route)pa|per route (paper routes)
[N-COUNT]
A paper route is the same as a paper round. (AM)pa|per shop (paper shops)
[N-COUNT]
A paper shop is a shop that sells newspapers and magazines, and also things such as tobacco, sweets, and cards. (BRIT)
= newsagentpa|per ti|ger (paper tigers)
[N-COUNT]
If you say that an institution, a country, or a person is a paper tiger, you mean that although they seem powerful they do not really have any power.pa|per trail
[N-SING]
Documents which provide evidence of someone's activities can be referred to as a paper trail. (mainly AM)
Criminals are very reluctant to leave a paper trail.po|si|tion pa|per (position papers)
[N-COUNT]
A position paper is a detailed report which usually explains or recommends a particular course of action.rice pa|per
[N-UNCOUNT]
Rice paper is very thin paper made from rice plants. It is used in cooking.term pa|per (term papers)
[N-COUNT]
A term paper is an essay or report which a student writes on a subject that he or she has studied during a term at a school, college, or university. (AM)toi|let pa|per
[N-UNCOUNT]
Toilet paper is thin soft paper that people use to clean themselves after they have got rid of urine or faeces from their body.touch pa|per
also touchpaper
[PHRASE] V inflects
If someone lights the touch paper or lights the blue touch paper, they do something which causes anger or excitement. (BRIT JOURNALISM)
This kind of remark is guaranteed to light the blue touch paper with some Labour politicians.trac|ing pa|per
[N-UNCOUNT]
Tracing paper is transparent paper which you put over a picture so that you can draw over its lines in order to produce a copy of it.wax pa|per
[N-UNCOUNT]
Wax paper is paper that has been covered with a thin layer of wax. It is used mainly in cooking or to wrap food. (AM; in BRIT, use greaseproof paper)
= waxed paperwaxed pa|per
[N-UNCOUNT]
Waxed paper is the same as wax paper.wrap|ping pa|per (wrapping papers)
[N-MASS]
Wrapping paper is special paper which is used for wrapping presents.writ|ing pa|per (writing papers)
[N-MASS]
Writing paper is paper for writing letters on. It is usually of good, smooth quality.