appliance
noun
What appliance means
A machine for use in the home, such as a washing machine, fridge or kettle.
We bought a new kitchen appliance.
Unplug all appliances before you leave.
Test yourself
Five questions about appliance
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Question 1 of 5Meaning
What does appliance mean?
An appliance is an electric machine that does a job in the house, like washing clothes, keeping food cold or boiling water.
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Question 2 of 5Situation
A fridge, a dishwasher, a microwave and a toaster are all household…
Fridges, dishwashers, microwaves and toasters are electric machines for the home, and those are called appliances. Utilities are services like gas and water, not machines.
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Question 3 of 5Gap
Old ___ like this fridge use far more electricity than new ones.
A fridge is a machine that runs on electricity in the home, so it is an appliance. Utilities are the services, such as electricity itself, not the machines that use it.
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Question 4 of 5Similar word
Which word is closest in meaning to appliance?
An appliance is a machine, usually electric, that does a job at home. A utensil is a simple tool like a spoon, and furniture means tables, beds and chairs.
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Question 5 of 5Correct use
Which sentence uses appliance correctly?
Appliance is a countable noun for a machine in the home, so all the needs appliances. A sofa is furniture, not a machine, and the form you send for a job is an application.
Keys 1 to 4 pick an answer, Enter goes on.
Appliance in a sentence
5 more examples of appliance in everyday situations.
- At home
Our kitchen is small, so we only keep the appliances we use every day.
- Shopping
The store has a sale on large appliances like fridges and dishwashers.
- Renting
Does the apartment come with appliances, or do we need to buy them?
- A warning
Never use electrical appliances near the bathtub.
- The news
High energy prices are pushing people to buy more efficient appliances.
How to use appliance
Appliances usually run on electricity: washing machines, dishwashers, microwaves, toasters. A small appliance is a kettle or a toaster.
The word is formal. In everyday talk people name the machine.
Forms
- appliancesplural
Patterns
- a household appliance
- a kitchen appliance
- energy-efficient appliances
- plug in / unplug an appliance
Common mistakes with appliance
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NotI bought a new electric domestic.
SayI bought a new appliance.
Domestic is an adjective, as in domestic work, so it cannot name the machine; the noun you need is appliance.
Appliance or device or gadget?
- appliance or device
- A device is any small tool or machine, often electronic, like a phone or a tablet. An appliance is a machine that does a job in the home, like a washing machine or a toaster.
- appliance or gadget
- A gadget is a small, clever and often fun tool. Appliance sounds more serious and is used for large or useful machines in the home.
Appliance is a C1 word. Is that your level? Take the level test or count the words you know.
Appliance word family and collocations
The words that go with appliance, so you can use it in a whole phrase.
Common collocations
- a kitchen appliance
- household appliance
- a small appliance
- an electrical appliance
- repair an appliance
Word family
- appliance (noun)
Similar words
- machine
Questions about appliance
Is appliance countable?
Yes. You can say an appliance, two appliances or many appliances. It is often used in the plural: “kitchen appliances”, “household appliances”.
Is a phone an appliance?
Usually not. People call a phone or a laptop a device. Appliance is used for machines that do jobs in the home, such as cooking, cleaning or keeping food cold.
What are white goods?
White goods is a British term for large kitchen appliances such as fridges, freezers, washing machines and dishwashers, because they were traditionally white.
The word before
Do you still remember shiver?
One question about the word from 17 October. Remembering a word a day later helps it stay.
One question
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What does shiver mean?
When you shiver, your body shakes a little in small, quick movements, for example when you stand outside in winter without a coat or when you feel scared.
Keys 1 to 4 pick an answer.
More home words
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B1
flavour
How a food or drink tastes, for example sweet, salty or smoky. -
B1
afford
To have enough money or time to buy or do something. -
C1
potluck
A meal where each guest brings a dish to share. -
B2
routine
The things you do regularly in the same order every day or week. -
C1
snooze
To sleep lightly for a short time, or to press the snooze button on an alarm to get a few more minutes of sleep. -
B2
bargain
Something you buy for less than its normal price.