invention

Everyday

1. An invention is a new thing or idea that someone has made or thought of for the first time. tree →
2. Invention is the act of inventing something. tree →
3. An invention can also be a made-up story that is not true. tree →

In the lessons

In science and history lessons inventions like the wheel, printing press, telephone and internet changed how people live; pupils design their own inventions. Phrases: «a great invention», «the invention of», «necessity is the mother of invention».

Examples

• The light bulb was an important invention. tree →
• The invention of the wheel made travel easier. tree →
• My invention is a machine that walks the dog. tree →
• The telephone was Alexander Graham Bell's invention. tree →
• His excuse was pure invention. tree →
• We entered our inventions in the science fair. tree →
• The internet is one of the biggest inventions of all. tree →
• Ah, yes; sleep is a capital invention. tree →

Note

Countable for things, uncountable for the activity. Verb: invent; person: inventor. Trap: invention vs discovery — you invent something new (a machine) but discover something already there (a planet, a law of nature).

In Jewish tradition

Interpretation: One writer says the invention of letters was long spoken of as being like the creation of the universe. In the primary lessons: In science and history lessons inventions like the wheel, printing press, telephone and internet changed how people live; pupils design their own inventions. Phrases: «a great invention», «the invention of», «necessity is the mother of invention».

Examples

• invention of letters was anciently spoken of as the creation of the universe. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) tree →
• '"The invention of Signs to represent numbers is doubtless much older than any form ol writing" (Chambers Encyclopaedia, 1893, Vol. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) tree →
• The invention of such an alphabet as the Libyan must have con- sisted, chiefly of symbols for consonants, because vowel sym- (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) tree →
• Behold, this only have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. (Writings ECC.7.29, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Countable for things, uncountable for the activity. Verb: invent; person: inventor. Trap: invention vs discovery — you invent something new (a machine) but discover something already there (a planet, a law of nature).