B1noun 2K

Mud

UK /["/mʌd/"]/ US /["/mʌd/"]/ Pronunciation

Definition

wet earth that is soft and sticky

Listen to definition

In simple words: Wet dirt that forms when rain falls on soil.

Examples

• After the heavy rain, the dirt road turned into mud.
• The children loved playing in the mud during the spring.
• He slipped on the mud and fell down.
• The mud in the garden sticks to everything.

Usage notes

Use 'mud' when referring to wet earth. It's suitable for casual and formal contexts, but avoid using it in very formal writing. Can imply messiness.

Grammar pattern

standalone noun

Memory hint

Think of 'mud' as 'mmm-dirt' which can make a big mess!

Collocations

• deep
• thick
• soft
• be caked in
• be caked with
• be covered with
• ooze
• crack
• brick
• floor
• house
• in the mud
• through the mud
• a layer of mud
• a sea of mud

Synonyms

• soil
• sludge
• clay

Antonyms

• dry land
• clean surface

Common mistakes

• Confused with 'mudd' as a spelling variation.
• Overusing 'mud' in describing dry soil.
• Using 'mud' instead of 'dirt' in some contexts.