EnglishMain Dictionary
cement
Universal Words
noun, verb
noun
[U]
1 a grey powder made by burning clay and LIME that sets hard when it is mixed with water. Cement is used in building to stick bricks together and to make very hard surfaces:
Use a mixture of one part cement to four parts sand.
2 the hard substance that is formed when cement becomes dry and hard:
a floor of cement * a cement floor
seealsoCONCRETE, MORTAR
3 a soft substance that becomes hard when dry and is used for sticking things together or filling in holes:
dental cement (= for filling holes in teeth)
4 something that unites people in a common interest:
values which are the cement of society
verb [VN]
1 [oftenpassive] ~ A and B (together) to join two things together using cement, glue, etc.
2 to make a relationship, an agreement, etc. stronger:
The President's visit was intended to cement the alliance between the two countries.
