Definition

1. Noun:

   • A building material: A fine powder, typically gray, that is mixed with water and aggregates (like sand or gravel) to make concrete and mortar. It acts as the binding agent.
   • A substance that hardens to act as an adhesive: Any material used for sticking objects or surfaces together firmly.
   • A specialized bony substance: The hard, calcified tissue that covers the root of a tooth.
   • A dental filling material: Any of various substances used by dentists to fill cavities in teeth.
   • (Informal, by extension) Concrete pavement: In casual usage, a surface made of concrete may be referred to as "cement" (e.g., a sidewalk).

2. Verb:

   • To bind or join with cement: To stick things together using a hard-setting adhesive substance.
   • To cover or coat with cement: To apply a layer of cement to a surface.
   • To make firm or solid; to strengthen (figurative): To make a relationship, agreement, or situation stronger and more permanent.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • We need several bags of cement to build the foundation. (Referring to the powder)
  • Dental cement holds the crown in place. (Referring to the adhesive material)
  • The cement protects the tooth root. (Referring to the bony tooth tissue)
  • The children rode their bikes on the dry cement. (Informal, referring to a concrete surface)

• Verb:

  • The workers will cement the bricks together. (To bind with adhesive)
  • They plan to cement the courtyard next week. (To cover with a cement layer)
  • The successful partnership cemented their professional reputations. (Figurative: to make solid)

Advanced Usage

• "to cement one's position/status": to make one's position secure and unchallengeable.
  • The election victory cemented her position as party leader.
• "to cement a relationship/alliance": to make a relationship strong and lasting.
  • The treaty cemented the alliance between the two nations.

Variants and Related Words

• Cementation (n): The process of cementing or being cemented.
• Cement mixer (n): A machine with a rotating drum for mixing cement, aggregate, and water to make concrete.
• Cementitious (adj): Having the properties of cement.

Synonyms

• Noun (building material): Binder, adhesive.
• Noun (figurative bond): Bond, glue, link.
• Verb (to bind): Bond, glue, fuse, weld.
• Verb (figurative): Strengthen, solidify, consolidate, secure.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

(Note: "Cement" is not commonly used with particles to form standard phrasal verbs. Its figurative uses function as transitive verbs.) - Cement together: To join multiple parts into a solid unit. - The shared experience cemented the team together.

Related Idioms

• "The cement of society": Something that binds a society together (e.g., shared values, laws).
  • Mutual respect is the cement of society.
• "In cement": Fixed, unchangeable (often used in the negative: "not set in cement").
  • Our plans are not set in cement; we can be flexible.

Noun

1. a specialized bony substance covering the root of a tooth
2. any of various materials used by dentists to fill cavities in teeth
3. something that hardens to act as adhesive material
4. a building material that is a powder made of a mixture of calcined limestone and clay; used with water and sand or gravel to make concrete and mortar
5. concrete pavement is sometimes referred to as cement
   • they stood on the grey cement beside the pool

Verb

1. bind or join with or as if with cement
2. cover or coat with cement
3. make fast as if with cement
   • We cemented our friendship