expelling

Everyday

1. Expelling someone is officially making them leave a school, club or country because of bad behaviour. tree →
2. Expelling something is forcing it out, such as air from the lungs or gas from an engine. tree →

In the lessons

In school life, expelling a pupil is the most serious punishment, worse than being suspended or excluded for a few days. In science, the lungs are expelling air when you breathe out; a volcano is expelling lava and ash. In history, rulers expelled groups of people from countries. Phrases: «expelling air», «expelling a pupil», «expelling from the country».

Examples

• The school is expelling him for bullying. tree →
• When you breathe out, you are expelling air from your lungs. tree →
• The volcano was expelling ash for days. tree →
• A rocket moves by expelling hot gas backwards. tree →
• The club is expelling members who cheat. tree →
• Whales blow by expelling air through their blowholes. tree →

Note

Spelling: double l in expelled and expelling (expel → expelling). Noun: expulsion. In the UK, «excluded» is the official school word; «expelled» is common in speech.