screen
C1 (Very High Frequency)Neutral to Formal (verb senses can be formal; noun senses are neutral)
Definition
Meaning
A flat surface that displays images or information, protects from view or danger, or is used for separation.
Can refer to the physical display of an electronic device (TV, phone, monitor), a partition used for privacy or protection, a device for sifting materials, a medium for cinema, or the process of evaluating/testing people or things.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The primary physical meanings (display, partition) are most common. The metaphorical verb senses (to test, to protect, to conceal) are semantically linked to the function of a physical screen.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor. 'Silverscreen' is slightly more archaic in both; 'screen' for cinema/film is understood. 'Screen' as a window/door mesh is slightly more common in American English (e.g., 'screened-in porch').
Connotations
Largely identical. The verb 'to screen a call' is universal. In academic/medical contexts, 'to screen for' (test) is identical.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in all varieties. The rise of digital technology has increased the noun's frequency globally.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
screen (sb/sth) (for sth)screen (sb/sth) (from sb/sth)screen sth (off) (from sb/sth)screen (sth) (on sth)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “screen test”
- “behind the screen”
- “on-screen/off-screen”
- “smoke screen (figurative deception)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Often refers to a computer/TV monitor for presentations. Verb: to screen candidates (interview), to screen investments (evaluate risk).
Academic
Noun: 'On-screen text'. Verb: 'to screen data for outliers', 'to screen participants' (in a study).
Everyday
Most common: phone/TV/computer screen. Verb: 'Can you screen my calls?'
Technical
In IT/Computing: the display surface. In Medicine/Public Health: 'to screen for a disease'. In Materials: a mesh for sorting particles.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- All new employees are screened by HR.
- We planted trees to screen the ugly view from the motorway.
- The documentary will be screened on the BBC next week.
American English
- All applicants must pass a background check—we screen them carefully.
- They screened in the porch to keep bugs out.
- The network will screen the premiere on Thursday night.
adverb
British English
- The instructions appeared on-screen.
- Their relationship is purely off-screen.
American English
- Please type your response on-screen.
- He's much friendlier off-screen.
adjective
British English
- He works as a screen actor.
- We need a screen resolution of at least 1080p.
- The play had a screen adaptation last year.
American English
- She's a screenwriter for television.
- Adjust your screen brightness.
- It was a major screen event.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I look at my computer screen every day.
- The TV screen is very big.
- Please clean your phone screen.
- The app froze, so I had to restart my screen.
- There is a decorative screen in the corner of the room.
- The hospital will screen you for the virus.
- A privacy screen on his laptop prevented others from seeing his work.
- The firm uses sophisticated software to screen potential investments for ethical compliance.
- Her performance in the stage play led to a successful screen career.
- The new policy effectively screens out unqualified candidates at an early stage.
- Critics argued that the report was a deliberate screen to obscure the government's failures.
- The artist explored the dichotomy between our on-screen personas and our private selves.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
A SCREEN is like a SCENE you SEE, but it's a flat surface that can either show you things (like a TV) or hide things from you (like a partition).
Conceptual Metaphor
SCREEN AS A BARRIER (physical or informational): protects, conceals, filters. SCREEN AS A WINDOW/GATEWAY: provides access to information or entertainment.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'экран' (which is correct for display/partition) and 'ширма' (only for a room divider). The verb 'to screen' is often incorrectly translated as 'показывать на экране' when it means 'to test/evaluate'. 'Smoke screen' is a set phrase not directly related to literal smoke.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'screen' as a countable noun for uncountable concepts ('informations on the screen' → 'information on the screen'). Incorrect verb pattern: 'They screened him the disease' → 'They screened him for the disease'.
Practice
Quiz
In the context of computing, what does 'screen resolution' refer to?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While most common for TVs and computers, it also means a physical partition, a mesh for doors/windows, a surface for films, and the act of testing/protecting.
A 'monitor' usually refers to the whole display unit (including casing, electronics), while 'screen' is specifically the flat surface you look at. They are often used interchangeably in casual speech.
Yes, with several meanings: 1) to show a film, 2) to test/evaluate (e.g., screen for a disease), 3) to hide/protect from view (e.g., trees screen the house).
It can mean something that appears on a TV/computer screen, or it can refer to the professional life/performance of an actor in films/TV (as opposed to their private 'off-screen' life).
Collections
Part of a collection
Technology Basics
A2 · 48 words · Everyday technology and digital devices.