matchbox

Everyday

1. A small box that holds matches, with a rough side for striking them. tree →
2. Something very small, like a «matchbox car» (a tiny toy car) or a very small room or house. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life and safety lessons: matches and matchboxes are for adults, children should give any they find to an adult. Matchboxes are used in craft (matchbox drawers, tiny dioramas) and maths (measuring volume of a small box). In stories, a «matchbox flat» means a tiny home. Phrases: matchbox car, matchbox label.

Examples

• Grandad keeps a matchbox by the fireplace. tree →
• We made a tiny bed for the doll from a matchbox. tree →
• My brother collects matchbox cars. tree →
• The flat was the size of a matchbox. tree →
• If you find a matchbox, give it to a grown-up. tree →
• The matchbox is 5 cm long, 3 cm wide and 1 cm high, so its volume is 15 cubic centimetres. tree →
• Some people collect old matchbox labels. tree →
• As soon as he entered the cottage, which stood like a matchbox in the heart of the pine-woods, he went to greet his mother, saying: tree →

Note

Countable: plural matchboxes (add «-es» after «x»). One word. Safety: matches can cause fires and burns; children should not play with them.