lobster
B1neutral, formal, informal
Definition
Meaning
A large marine crustacean with a hard, segmented shell, two large claws, and eight legs.
Used figuratively for a person who is red-faced from sunburn or embarrassment; the flesh of the lobster as food; also used in the phrase 'lobster shift' for a late-night/early-morning work shift.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily denotes the animal itself (countable) and its meat as food (uncountable). Figurative uses are informal.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor differences in typical cooking methods and dish names (e.g., 'lobster bisque' common in both, 'lobster roll' more specific to US/Canada). The figurative use for a sunburned person ('boiled lobster') is more common in UK English.
Connotations
Generally associated with luxury dining, special occasions, and coastal life in both varieties. In UK, also has strong historical/social connotations with specific tourist destinations (e.g., Padstow in Cornwall).
Frequency
Comparably frequent; a staple of seafood menus and coastal vocabulary in both regions.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] catches/caught a lobster.[Subject] ordered/ate lobster (meat).[Subject] was red as a lobster.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “red as a lobster (sunburned/embarrassed)”
- “the lobster shift (late-night work)”
- “to lobster (verb, rare: to fish for lobsters)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
In hospitality/tourism: 'The restaurant's lobster is its signature dish.'
Academic
In marine biology/zoology: 'The lobster's nervous system is a model for neurobiological research.'
Everyday
'We're having lobster for our anniversary dinner.' 'My shoulders are burnt; I'm a lobster!'
Technical
In fisheries: 'The lobster population is managed through a quota system and v-notching.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- They go lobstering off the Cornish coast every summer.
- He was lobstered from a day on the beach without sunscreen.
American English
- They lobster in the waters of Maine.
- After the festival, he spent the weekend lobstering.
adverb
British English
- This is rarely used. Potentially: 'He grinned lobster-redly.' (highly poetic/rare)
- N/A
American English
- This is rarely used. Potentially: 'She blushed lobster-redly.' (highly poetic/rare)
- N/A
adjective
British English
- She had a lobster-red complexion.
- The lobster pots were stacked on the harbour wall.
American English
- He was lobster-red after the baseball game.
- She ordered the lobster roll.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I saw a lobster in the aquarium.
- Do you like lobster?
- It is red.
- We ate delicious lobster at the seaside restaurant.
- His face was as red as a lobster after a day in the sun.
- Fishermen catch lobsters in special traps.
- The sustainability of the lobster fishery is a major concern for local communities.
- She felt like a boiled lobster, utterly embarrassed in front of her colleagues.
- Lobster bisque is a classic French soup.
- The economic viability of the coastal town is inextricably linked to the lobster harvest.
- He works the lobster shift at the printing press, from midnight till eight.
- Molecular gastronomy techniques have transformed the presentation of lobster on fine-dining menus.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
LOBster has big CLAWS that can LOB (throw) things.
Conceptual Metaphor
REDNESS/EMBARRASSMENT IS BEING A LOBSTER (due to its red color when cooked).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'омар' (true lobster/clawed lobster) and 'лангуст' (spiny/rock lobster, without large claws). In menus, 'лобстер' is a common transliteration.
- The Russian word 'рак' typically refers to crayfish, a smaller freshwater crustacean, not the large marine lobster.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'I ate a lobster' (if meaning the meat, not the whole animal). Correct: 'I ate lobster.' or 'I ate a whole lobster.'
- Incorrect plural: 'lobsterses' or 'lobster' for plural. Correct: 'lobsters'.
Practice
Quiz
In which context might you hear the term 'lobster shift'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is both. As the animal: 'I saw three lobsters.' As the food/meat: 'I love eating lobster.'
Lobsters are typically larger, marine (saltwater) crustaceans with prominent claws (clawed lobsters). Crayfish are smaller, freshwater crustaceans. Note: In some regions, like parts of the US and Australia, the terms are used interchangeably for certain species.
Lobsters have a pigment called astaxanthin in their shells, which is bound to proteins, making them appear blue-green. Heat breaks this bond, releasing the red astaxanthin.
Yes, but it's infrequent and means 'to catch or fish for lobsters' (e.g., 'They lobster for a living'). The informal verb use meaning 'to become sunburned' is very rare.