cement
cement Lexical Profile
cement Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A powdery building material manufactured from calcined limestone and clay, which sets and hardens when mixed with water to form mortar or act as a binder in concrete.
"The construction crew ordered twenty bags of Portland cement to lay the foundation for the new house."
Any synthetic or natural substance used to stick items together tightly; a general adhesive.
"She applied a layer of rubber cement to bond the two pieces of leather."
A unifying principle, element, or force that binds a group of people together.
"Shared cultural traditions often serve as the cement that holds a diverse community together."
• verb
To settle or establish firmly (especially regarding relationships, agreements, or positions).
"The successful trade negotiation helped to cement the alliance between the two neighboring countries."
To affix or bind things together firmly using an adhesive substance or mortar.
"The dentist carefully cemented the new crown onto the patient's tooth."
Word Nuance & Usage
In everyday speech, 'cement' is frequently confused with 'concrete'; however, technically, cement is merely the dry powdery ingredient that acts as a binder when mixed with water, sand, and gravel to form concrete.
• Rhymes for cement
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'ciment', from Old French, derived from Latin 'caementum' meaning 'quarry stone' or 'stone chippings', ultimately from the verb 'caedere' (to cut or hew).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.