record
A1Neutral, used across formal, informal, academic, and technical contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To set down or register information for future reference; also, a written or stored account of facts or events.
To capture sound or images for reproduction; a disc containing music; the best performance or achievement in a competitive area; a person's history of actions or behaviour.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word is a classic noun-verb heteronym (stress differs: RE-cord vs. re-CORD). The noun form covers a wide semantic field from documents to music to achievements.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The noun 'record' is used identically. The verb's past tense is 'recorded' in both. Minor spelling differences (e.g., honour/honor) may appear in legal 'record'. Pronunciation of the noun/verb distinction is consistent.
Connotations
Similar connotations in both varieties. 'Record' as an adjective (e.g., record profits) is equally common.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
record + noun (record data/a conversation/an interview)record + that clauserecord + on/in/onto (record on tape/in a file)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “off the record”
- “for the record”
- “a track record”
- “on record”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to financial statements, sales data, meeting minutes, and performance history.
Academic
Refers to historical documents, research data, academic transcripts, and cited sources.
Everyday
Refers to music discs (vinyl/CDs), personal achievements, and notes (e.g., 'Keep a record of your expenses').
Technical
In computing: a data structure; in law: an official transcript of proceedings; in sports: the best performance.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- I found my grandfather's war service record in the archives.
- She's trying to break the British record for the marathon.
- I still listen to my old vinyl records.
American English
- The police checked his criminal record.
- She set a new school record in the high jump.
- He has an impressive sales record this quarter.
verb
British English
- The secretary will record the minutes of the meeting.
- I recorded the album in a London studio.
- The thermometer recorded the highest temperature in decades.
American English
- Please record your answers on the sheet provided.
- We recorded the show to watch it later.
- The device records every keystroke.
adjective
British English
- The company announced record profits this year.
- We're experiencing record rainfall.
- He won with a record-breaking time.
American English
- The heatwave brought record temperatures.
- The movie had a record opening weekend.
- She faced record unemployment in the state.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I have a record of my favourite songs.
- The teacher will record our test scores.
- For the record, I disagree with that decision.
- He was convicted and now has a criminal record.
- The committee is careful to keep an accurate record of all proceedings.
- They managed to record the rare bird's call in the forest.
- The historical record is often subject to interpretation by subsequent generations.
- The witness's statement was recorded verbatim and entered into the official record.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'RE-cord the RE-cord.' The RE-cord (noun) is the thing you already have; you re-CORD (verb) to make a new one.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A RECORD-KEEPER (e.g., 'history's record'), ACHIEVEMENT IS A MARK ON A RECORD (e.g., 'his name is in the record books').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate 'record' (noun) as 'рекорд' only. 'Рекорд' is only for achievements. Use 'запись' for audio/video, 'протокол' for minutes, 'досье' or 'архив' for files.
- Avoid using 'рекордный' for 'record-breaking' in non-sport contexts (e.g., 'record profits' is 'рекордные прибыли', but 'record heat' is better 'историческая жара' or 'аномальная жара').
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect stress: saying 'RE-cord' for the verb or 're-CORD' for the noun.
- Using 'record' as a countable noun for music but treating it as uncountable (e.g., 'I bought a new record' is correct, not 'I bought new record').
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is the word 'record' stressed on the first syllable?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the pattern is identical: noun = RE-cord, verb = re-CORD. Only the vowel sounds in the stressed syllable differ slightly between the accents.
Yes, when used attributively (before a noun) to mean 'surpassing all others', e.g., 'record sales', 'record heat'. It is not used predicatively (you wouldn't say 'The sales were record').
The most frequent error is misplacing the stress, which can lead to confusion. Another common mistake is over-translating the noun 'record' as only 'рекорд' (Russian) for achievements, forgetting its meanings related to documents, data, and music.
It means information is given in confidence, not for publication or official attribution. For example, a manager might say, 'Off the record, the merger talks are not going well.'