hostile
part of speech
adjective (hostile, more hostile, most hostile)
meaning for a pupil
1) Unfriendly and angry, ready to argue or fight. tree →
2) Belonging to an enemy, as in «hostile army». tree →
3) (of a place or conditions) Very harsh and difficult to live in, as in «a hostile desert». tree →
sense in the lessons
In stories it warns the reader of danger: «The crowd turned hostile.» In history: hostile tribes, hostile forces. In science and geography: «Antarctica is a hostile place for most animals.» Phrases: hostile to, hostile environment, hostile takeover (business).
examples
- The guard dog gave us a hostile growl. tree →
- The new boy felt the class was hostile at first. tree →
- Deserts are hostile places with little water. tree →
- The ship sailed into hostile waters. tree →
- She gave a hostile look when I took her seat. tree →
- Space is a hostile environment for humans. tree →
- He saw hostile warriors, in colored dresses and glittering armor, with spear and halberd, pitching their tents, and anon striking them. tree →
note
Said «HOS-tile» (UK) or «HOS-tl» (USA). Noun: hostility. Opposite: friendly, welcoming. Not the same as «hostel» (a cheap place to stay).
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «hostile» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.