gland

Everyday

1. A gland is a small part of the body that makes a special substance the body needs, such as sweat, saliva, tears or hormones. tree →
2. Swollen glands usually means the small lumps in the neck (lymph nodes) that get bigger when you are fighting an illness. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons glands come up with the human body: sweat glands cool the skin, salivary glands make spit to help digest food, tear glands keep the eyes wet, and glands like the thyroid make hormones that control growth. In everyday life a doctor may feel your neck to check for swollen glands when you have a sore throat. Phrases: sweat glands, salivary glands, swollen glands.

Examples

• Sweat glands in your skin help you cool down on a hot day. tree →
• Your salivary glands make more spit when you smell tasty food. tree →
• The doctor felt my neck to see if my glands were swollen. tree →
• Tear glands keep your eyes clean and moist. tree →
• Some glands make hormones that help children grow. tree →
• A bee's sting comes with venom from a tiny gland. tree →
• When I had a cold, the glands in my neck felt sore. tree →

Note

Countable noun: one gland, two glands. «Swollen glands» in the neck are really lymph nodes, but people call them glands. Do not confuse with «glad» (happy) or «gland» with «grand».