jericho
C1formal, literary, historical, biblical
Definition
Meaning
An ancient biblical city, famously known for its walls falling down after the Israelites marched around it.
Any seemingly impregnable barrier or fortress; a symbol of a major, dramatic overthrow or destruction; sometimes used to refer to a distant or isolated place.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily used as a proper noun. Its common metaphorical use implies a sudden, complete, and miraculous collapse of a powerful institution, system, or barrier.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical difference; usage patterns are identical across both varieties.
Connotations
Shared biblical/historical and metaphorical connotations.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in American English due to greater prevalence of biblical references in public discourse, but the difference is marginal.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[go/be sent] to Jerichothe walls of Jericho [fell/collapsed/came down]like JerichoVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “go to Jericho (archaic euphemism for 'go away')”
- “the walls came tumbling down like Jericho”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Metaphorical: 'The new regulations caused the walls of their financial Jericho to collapse.'
Academic
Historical/Archaeological: 'The excavations at Tel es-Sultan are identified with ancient Jericho.'
Everyday
Hyperbolic: 'It's so quiet here, you could hear a pin drop from here to Jericho.'
Technical
Used in archaeology, theology, and historical studies to refer to the specific site.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Jericho is a very old city.
- In the story, the walls of Jericho fell down.
- The scandal brought down the political party's defences like the walls of Jericho.
- The whistleblower's testimony proved to be the trumpet blast that caused the corporation's Jericho to crumble.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'JERICHO': Just Expect Really Impressive Collapses Happening Often – a reminder of the famous falling walls.
Conceptual Metaphor
AN INSTITUTION/OBSTACLE IS THE WALLS OF JERICHO (implies it is formidable but destined for a sudden, dramatic fall).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'ерихон' (yerikhon), which is the direct biblical transliteration but is not used metaphorically in Russian. The English metaphorical use does not have a direct one-word equivalent.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a common noun (e.g., 'a jericho' is incorrect).
- Misspelling as 'Jerico'.
- Using it without the definite article in the idiom 'the walls of Jericho'.
Practice
Quiz
In modern metaphorical usage, 'a Jericho' most commonly represents:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, located in the West Bank.
No, 'Jericho' is exclusively a proper noun. The related action is described with phrases like 'topple like Jericho'.
It is an archaic, mild exclamation telling someone to go away, based on Jericho being a distant place.
Due to the biblical story in the Book of Joshua, where the city's walls miraculously collapsed after the Israelites marched around them for seven days.