landus
A1Neutral - used across all registers from informal to formal.
Definition
Meaning
solid part of the earth's surface; to come down to or arrive on solid ground from air or water.
A country, nation, or region; a specific area of ground with defined ownership or use (e.g., farmland, building land). In business, to succeed in getting or achieving something desirable (e.g., a job, contract).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As a noun, polysemous between physical terrain and metaphorical/national territory. As a verb, core sense is physical arrival; extended senses involve successful acquisition. Can be countable (a land) and uncountable.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor spelling differences in derivatives (e.g., BrE 'landward', AmE also 'landwards'). 'Land' as a noun for a country is slightly more poetic/literary in modern AmE. In property context, BrE often uses 'plot' where AmE might say 'lot of land'.
Connotations
In both varieties, 'the land' can connote rural, agricultural life. In political/indigenous contexts, 'Land Back' is a strong movement in North America (AmE/CanE).
Frequency
Core meanings are equally frequent. The verb sense 'to land a job/punch' is slightly more colloquial and frequent in AmE.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[V] (intransitive: The bird landed.)[V + on/at/in] (transitive with preposition: We landed at Heathrow.)[VN] (transitive: The pilot landed the aircraft.)[VN + N] (ditransitive/extended: She landed him a punch.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “In the land of the living (awake/active)”
- “The land of Nod (asleep)”
- “See how the land lies (assess a situation)”
- “Live off the fat of the land (live in luxury)”
- “A land of milk and honey (a place of abundance)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
To successfully secure a deal or contract. 'The team worked hard to land the major client.'
Academic
In geography, economics (land use), and law (land rights). 'The study analysed changes in agricultural land.'
Everyday
Referring to property, gardening, or travel. 'We bought a piece of land to build on.' 'What time does your flight land?'
Technical
In aviation (landing procedures), computing (landing page), and ecology (land management). 'The spacecraft performed a soft land on Mars.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The helicopter will land on the rooftop pad.
- He finally landed a position with the BBC.
- The boxer landed a clean left hook.
American English
- The plane is scheduled to land at O'Hare.
- She landed a great internship in Silicon Valley.
- The politician's comment landed poorly with voters.
adjective
British English
- The land registry details were unclear.
- They took a land route through Europe.
- Land-based activities were part of the tour.
American English
- We're dealing with a land dispute with our neighbor.
- Land reform is a key issue.
- The land line is still ringing.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- We live in a beautiful land.
- The bird landed on the tree.
- They have a small piece of land.
- After a long flight, we landed safely in London.
- The government promised to protect forest land.
- It's difficult to buy land in the city centre.
- The new policy aims to promote sustainable use of agricultural land.
- Despite the recession, the company managed to land several lucrative contracts.
- The explorer wrote about the uncharted lands he had discovered.
- The treaty ceded vast swathes of ancestral land to the colonial power.
- Her controversial statement landed her in hot water with the media.
- The developer's proposal hinges on obtaining planning permission for the green belt land.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'sand' on the 'land'. Both end with '-and' and are found on the ground.
Conceptual Metaphor
ACHIEVEMENT IS LANDING (e.g., 'land a job'). KNOWLEDGE/UNDERSTANDING IS LAND (e.g., 'on solid ground', 'terra incognita').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'land' as 'ланд' (non-existent). Use 'земля' for terrain/soil, 'страна' for country. The verb 'to land' is not 'ландировать' but 'приземляться' (plane) or 'высаживаться' (from a ship). 'To land a job' is idiomatic (получить работу).
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 'land' (country) with 'Earth' (planet). Using 'land' as a verb for ships ('The ship landed in port' is less common; prefer 'docked' or 'arrived'). Overusing 'land' for any arrival (e.g., 'land at a bus stop' is unnatural).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'land' used in a primarily metaphorical sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be both. As a general substance/terrain (earth), it's uncountable ('too much land'). When referring to a specific area or country, it can be countable ('the lands of the north', 'a land of opportunity').
'Land' contrasts with sea and refers to territory. 'Ground' is the surface you walk on. 'Earth' is the planet, soil, or the material substance of the land.
Typically, ships 'dock', 'moor', or 'arrive in port'. Small boats can 'land' on a beach. 'Land' for ships is less common and implies coming ashore.
It's an idiom meaning to find out the details or true nature of a situation before acting. It comes from sailors checking the coastline.