onion
a plant, Allium cepa, of the amaryllis family, having an edible, succulent, pungent bulb.
any of certain similar plants.
the bulb of the onion plant.
the flavor or odor of this bulb.
Slang. a person: He's a tough onion.
containing or cooked with onions: onion soup.
of, relating to, or resembling an onion.
Idioms about onion
know one's onions, Slang. to know one's subject or business thoroughly; be capable or proficient.
Origin of onion
1Other words from onion
- on·ion·like, adjective
- on·ion·y, adjective
Words Nearby onion
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use onion in a sentence
Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes.
Chili-tinged sweet potatoes are loaded in all the right ways - flavor, nutrition and satisfaction | Ellie Krieger | February 11, 2021 | Washington PostThe neurons’ other ends, called axons, stretch upward, passing through special passages inside the skull all the way to the brain, leading to the region called the olfactory bulb, named so for its onion-like shape.
Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 6 minutes.
This herb-packed Persian fish stew is good to the last tangy, spicy spoonful | Charlotte Druckman | January 27, 2021 | Washington PostThe onions should fall apart, creating a thick, rich sauce that coats the meat.
Find out why Anthony Bourdain’s boeuf bourguignon is one of our most popular recipes ever | Becky Krystal | January 20, 2021 | Washington PostIn a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, or other oven-safe pan, add the sliced onion, spreading it on the bottom.
Aromatic roasted chicken with homemade adobo is an updated take on a classic meal | Christian Vazquez | January 15, 2021 | Washington Post
Combine the beans and onion sauce in a 9x9-inch casserole dish and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Make Carla Hall’s Crispy Shallot Green Bean Casserole | Carla Hall | December 27, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTonion routers refers to the TOR network, a system that allows users to mask their location and communicate anonymously online.
ISIS Keeps Getting Better at Dodging U.S. Spies | Shane Harris, Noah Shachtman | November 14, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTInstead, it reminded me of a headline that once ran in The onion: “Drunken Man Makes Interesting Point About Society.”
Karen Armstrong’s New Rule: Religion Isn’t Responsible for Violence | Patricia Pearson | October 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTI confess a particular weakness for his chocolate biscuits and pork pate with onion marmalade.
Imagining Prince Charles as King Makes All of Britain Wish They Could Leave Like Scotland | Clive Irving | September 17, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTRub pork loin with paprika, Cajun seasoning, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, sugar, salt, and pepper.
Epic Meal Empire’s Meat Monstrosities: From the Bacon Spider to the Cinnabattleship | Harley Morenstein | July 26, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTNear the rue Monge there is a small café and restaurant, a place celebrated for its onion soup and its chicken.
The Real Latin Quarter | F. Berkeley SmithSmall Olive Blue,—wings Starling's feather stained with onion peelings,—yellow silk for body,—legs olive stained hackle.
The Teesdale Angler | R LakelandBut my opportunity finally came through the humble instrumentality of an onion.
Put it into a stewpan with an onion, a carrot, a piece of celery; cover with water and boil slowly for fifty minutes.
Dressed Game and Poultry la Mode | Harriet A. de SalisMince an onion; take about a dozen peppercorns, twenty juniper berries, three bayleaves, and put these into a gill of vinegar.
Dressed Game and Poultry la Mode | Harriet A. de Salis
British Dictionary definitions for onion
/ (ˈʌnjən) /
an alliaceous plant, Allium cepa, having greenish-white flowers: cultivated for its rounded edible bulb
the bulb of this plant, consisting of concentric layers of white succulent leaf bases with a pungent odour and taste
any of several related plants similar to A. cepa, such as A. fistulosum (Welsh onion)
know one's onions British slang to be fully acquainted with a subject
Origin of onion
1Derived forms of onion
- oniony, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with onion
see know one's stuff (onions).
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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