remnant

Everyday

1. A small part of something that is left after the rest has gone or been used: the remnants of the meal. tree →
2. A piece of cloth left over from a roll, often sold cheaply. tree →
3. A small surviving part of something old: remnants of a Roman wall. tree →

In the lessons

In history and science lessons: remnants of old cities, remnants of a forest, remnants of a storm. In maths, a remnant is like a remainder: a 10 m roll of fabric cut into 3 m pieces leaves a 1 m remnant. In everyday life shops sell carpet and fabric remnants. Phrases: «the remnants of», «fabric remnant», «a remnant of the past».

Examples

• Only remnants of the castle wall are left. tree →
• We ate the remnants of the birthday cake. tree →
• Mum made a cushion from a fabric remnant. tree →
• Cutting 4 m pieces from a 14 m roll leaves a 2 m remnant. tree →
• The remnants of the storm brought rain to the coast. tree →
• Small remnants of the old forest still grow by the river. tree →
• But Vasilissa set the remnants of the hag's supper before her doll, burst into tears, and said:-- tree →

Note

Countable: remnants (often plural). Similar: remains, leftovers, remainder (maths). In division by length, the remnant is the remainder.

In Jewish tradition

Tradition reads Joseph's words as God keeping a few of Jacob's family alive to become the people Israel. Isaiah's "a remnant shall return" is read as God's promise that a faithful part of Israel will come back to Him. The leftover meal-offering belongs to the priests. In the primary lessons: In history and science lessons: remnants of old cities, remnants of a forest, remnants of a storm. In maths, a remnant is like a remainder: a 10 m roll of fabric cut into 3 m pieces leaves a 1 m remnant. In everyday life shops sell carpet and fabric remnants. Phrases: «the remnants of», «fabric remnant», «a remnant of the past».

Examples

• And out of Jacob shall one have dominion, and shall destroy the remnant from the city. (Torah NUM.24.19, JPS 1917) tree →
• And God sent me before you to give you a remnant on the earth, and to save you alive for a great deliverance. (Torah GEN.45.7, JPS 1917) tree →
• And the priest shall make atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in any of these things, and he shall be forgiven; and the remnant shall be the priest's, as the meal-offering. (Torah LEV.5.13, JPS 1917) tree →
• A remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto God the Mighty. (Prophets ISA.10.21, JPS 1917) tree →
• And they smote the remnant of the Amalekites that escaped, and dwelt there unto this day. (Writings 1CH.4.43, JPS 1917) tree →
• And the remnant of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a child may write them down. (Prophets ISA.10.19, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Countable: remnants (often plural). Similar: remains, leftovers, remainder (maths). In division by length, the remnant is the remainder.