gnome

Everyday

1. A gnome is a tiny old man in fairy tales who lives under the ground and guards treasure. tree →
2. A garden gnome is a small painted statue of a bearded little man with a pointed hat, put in gardens for fun. tree →
3. (informal) A small, odd-looking person (can be unkind). tree →

In the lessons

In stories and fantasy games gnomes live in burrows, mines or forests and are often clever and secretive. In everyday life many British and European gardens have gnome statues. Phrases: «garden gnome», «the gnomes of Zurich» (an old joke name for Swiss bankers).

Examples

• Grandma has three garden gnomes by her pond. tree →
• In the story, a gnome guarded a cave of gold. tree →
• The gnome had a long white beard and a red pointed hat. tree →
• Someone stole our gnome and sent us photos of it on holiday! tree →
• Gnomes, elves and fairies live in the magic forest of the book. tree →
• I painted a little clay gnome in art class. tree →
• The gnome whispered a secret to the girl. tree →
• Their supernatural foe is a small gnome with a very long beard. tree →

Note

The «g» is silent: say «nome». Countable: gnomes. Gnomes are not real; they come from folk tales. Calling a real person a gnome is rude.