oyster
/'ɔistə/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- A type of marine bivalve mollusk: An oyster is a saltwater shellfish with a rough, irregularly shaped shell. Many species are harvested for food.
- The edible part of this mollusk: The soft, often grayish body inside the shell, which is consumed as seafood.
- A small piece of meat: Specifically, a small, oval-shaped piece of dark meat found on either side of the backbone in poultry.
Verb:
- To gather oysters: To search for and collect oysters, typically from their beds in coastal waters.
Examples of Usage
- Noun (Marine Mollusk):
- The diver found an oyster on the rocky seabed.
- Oyster shells often accumulate to form reefs.
- Noun (Edible Body):
- She ordered a dozen raw oysters at the seafood restaurant.
- The oyster was served with lemon and a mignonette sauce.
- Noun (Poultry Meat):
- The recipe calls for the chicken oysters to be sautéed in butter.
- Verb:
- They went to the estuary to oyster during low tide.
Advanced Usage
- "The world is your oyster": An idiom meaning you have the freedom and opportunity to do anything or go anywhere you want in life.
- With your new degree, the world is your oyster.
Variants and Related Words
- Oyster bed (n): An area of the sea bottom where oysters breed or are cultivated.
- The pollution damaged the local oyster bed.
- Oyster cracker (n): A small, bland, dry cracker often served with soup.
- Oyster mushroom (n): A type of edible fungus with a shell-like shape.
Synonyms
- Bivalve: A marine or freshwater mollusk with a hinged shell (this is a broader category).
- Shellfish: An aquatic shelled mollusk or crustacean (a broader term).
Related Phrases
- As close as an oyster: Extremely secretive or unwilling to reveal information.
- He was as close as an oyster about his plans.
- Oyster knife: A short, stout knife with a pointed blade, specifically designed for prying open oyster shells.
Noun
- a small muscle on each side of the back of a fowl
- edible body of any of numerous oysters
- marine mollusks having a rough irregular shell; found on the sea bed mostly in coastal waters
Verb
- gather oysters, dig oysters