country
a state or nation: What European countries have you visited?
the territory of a nation: The country is about 150 miles long.
the people of a district, state, or nation: The whole country backed the president in his decision.
the land of one's birth or citizenship: Do I need to return to my country to apply for a student visa?
the country, rural districts, including farmland, parkland, and other sparsely populated areas, as opposed to cities or towns: Many city dwellers like to spend their vacations in the country.
any considerable territory demarcated by topographical conditions, by a distinctive population, etc.: The mountainous country around here is beautiful.The book takes place in the Amish country of Pennsylvania.
land considered apart from any geographical or political limits: This urban population is packed into a relatively small patch of country.
Law. the public at large, as represented by a jury.
of, from, or characteristic of the country; rural: They lived on a winding country road.
of, relating to, or associated with country music: That Nashville station plays country records all day long.
rude; unpolished; rustic: He was scorned for his country manners.
of, from, or relating to a particular nation or area; national:Each team will display their country flag during the opening ceremony.
Obsolete. of one's own country.
Idioms about country
go to the country, British. to dissolve a Parliament and call for an election after members have cast a majority vote expressing a lack of confidence in the prime minister and cabinet. : Also appeal to the country. See also vote of no confidence.
put oneself upon the / one's country, Law. to present one's cause formally before a jury.
Origin of country
1Other words from country
- in·ter·coun·try, adjective
Words Nearby country
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use country in a sentence
The Cuban government on May 8, 2019, detained this reporter for several hours at Havana’s José Martí International Airport after he tried to enter the country.
Cuban authorities threaten to arrest LGBTQ activist, journalist | Michael K. Lavers | September 17, 2020 | Washington BladeWe have -- many of those countries are doing a phenomenal job.
Timeline: The 124 times Trump has downplayed the coronavirus threat | Aaron Blake, JM Rieger | September 17, 2020 | Washington PostThe report says the HRC Foundation “proactively researched” the LGBTQ-related policies of more than 1,000 hospitals and health facilities across the country that did not participate in the 2020 survey.
HRC examines hospital policies, impact of COVID on LGBTQ people | Lou Chibbaro Jr. | September 16, 2020 | Washington BladeIn a new poll of 13 nations released Tuesday, a median of 15 percent of respondents said the United States had handled the pandemic well, while 85 percent said the country had responded poorly.
Trump, in town hall, says he wouldn’t have done anything differently on pandemic | Colby Itkowitz, Josh Dawsey, Felicia Sonmez, John Wagner | September 16, 2020 | Washington PostIn light of the pandemic, several states across the country now temporarily allow patrons to carry out cocktails to enjoy at home.
In that country at that moment, the Catholics have practically disappeared.
Houellebecq’s Incendiary Novel Imagines France With a Muslim President | Pierre Assouline | January 9, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTElsewhere, courts throughout the country have placed limits on speech this year.
Politicians Only Love Journalists When They're Dead | Luke O’Neil | January 8, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST“This is a federal mandate that is causing some real problems for schools across the country,” Kline told a CBS affiliate in July.
Charles “Father” Coughlin, a raving anti-Semite, was one of the most popular radio hosts in the country.
Why Was Bess Myerson the First and Last Jewish Miss America? | Emily Shire | January 7, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTIt marked a groundbreaking moment in how the country viewed Jews, especially Jewish women.
Why Was Bess Myerson the First and Last Jewish Miss America? | Emily Shire | January 7, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTThe country is well inhabited, for it contains fifty-one cities, near a hundred walled towns, and a great number of villages.
Gulliver's Travels | Jonathan SwiftIn the drawing-room things went on much as they always do in country drawing-rooms in the hot weather.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3) | Charles James WillsNothing remarkable occurred in our march through this country.
There are some folk in this country, you know, who manifest a very retiring disposition at times.
Raw Gold | Bertrand W. SinclairThere'll be heaps uh fun in the Cypress Hills country when they get t' runnin' the whisky-jacks out.
Raw Gold | Bertrand W. Sinclair
British Dictionary definitions for country
/ (ˈkʌntrɪ) /
a territory distinguished by its people, culture, language, geography, etc
an area of land distinguished by its political autonomy; state
the people of a territory or state: the whole country rebelled
an area associated with a particular person: Burns country
: Related adjective: pastoral, rural
the part of the land that is away from cities or industrial areas; rural districts
(as modifier): country cottage
(in combination): a countryman
short for country music
archaic a particular locality or district
up country away from the coast or the capital
one's native land or nation of citizenship
the country British informal the outlying area or area furthest from the finish of a sports ground or racecourse
(modifier) rough; uncouth; rustic: country manners
across country not keeping to roads, etc
go to the country or appeal to the country mainly British to dissolve Parliament and hold an election
unknown country an unfamiliar topic, place, matter, etc
Origin of country
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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