pond

pond — noun

1. a small body of standing water, often made by people in a garden, park, or field

1.nounB2
Definition

a small body of standing water, often made by people in a garden, park, or field.

Example

Two ducks slept beside the pond behind the village school.

typical setting: pond in a village or park

After lunch, Maya fed the fish in her grandfather's pond.

collocation: fish in a pond

Common collocations
  • garden pond
  • fish pond
  • pond water
  • pond edge
Synonyms
  • pool

    broader; can mean any small area of water, natural or not

  • lake

    usually much larger than a pond

  • fishpond

    a pond kept especially for fish

Grammar Patterns

a pond

in the pond

Usage Note

Usually refers to still water outdoors and is often used for a man-made feature in a garden or park. Distinguish from lake, which suggests a much larger natural area of water.

Common Mistakes

We swam across the pond for an hour.
We swam across the lake for an hour.
a pond is normally much smaller than a lake.
The boat moved down the pond to the sea.
The boat moved down the river to the sea.
a pond has still water, not a flowing channel.

2. the Atlantic Ocean, said humorously when people speak about travel between Brita

2.noun
Definition

the Atlantic Ocean, said humorously when people speak about travel between Britain or mainland Europe and America.

Example

The singer moved across the pond and now lives in Boston.

idiom: across the pond

Fans in London and Boston loved the show on both sides of the pond.

fixed phrase: both sides of the pond

Common collocations
  • across the pond
  • the other side of the pond
  • both sides of the pond
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

across the pond

on this side of the pond

Usage Note

Commonly appears in fixed expressions such as across the pond and both sides of the pond. It is light, humorous language and is not suitable for formal geographic writing.

Common Mistakes

They crossed the pond from Tokyo to Sydney.
They crossed the Pacific from Tokyo to Sydney.
this informal sense refers to the Atlantic, not any ocean.
The report compares trade across the pond.
The report compares trade across the Atlantic.
in formal writing, use the real geographic name.
Idioms

a big fish (in a small pond)

idiom

Someone who is very important or powerful in a small group or place.

Maya was a big fish in a small pond at her local club.

After moving to the city, Brian realized he was no longer a big fish in a small pond.

pond — verb

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Pond, pool, lake, and puddle all describe water staying in one place, but they are used in different situations. A pond is a small area of still water outdoors, often large enough for fish, plants, or ducks. A pool is broader: it can mean a natural patch of water, a swimming pool, or even liquid collecting somewhere. A lake is much larger and is usually treated as a major natural feature. A puddle is shallow rainwater on the ground and is often temporary. Fishpond is more specific than pond because it suggests a pond kept for raising or holding fish. Compare: 'The children fed ducks at the pond,' but 'A puddle formed by the bus stop after the storm.'

pool ↗lake ↗puddlefishpond

Etymology

Middle EnglishEnglish

Pond has been used in English since Middle English. It probably developed from an older form related to 'pound', which once meant an enclosed place. That history matches the idea of water being held inside a bounded area rather than flowing away.