island /ˈaɪlənd/noun 10verb 3forms 3phrases 1 noun10 •a piece of land with water all around itNo man is an Iland, intire of it selfe; euery man is a peece of the Continent, a part of the maine; […] — 1624 •A contiguous area of land, smaller than a continent, partially surrounded by water; a peninsula; a half-island.Despite its name, Barry Island is actually a peninsula •An entity surrounded by other entities that are very different from itself.The quiet library was an island of tranquility in the noisy, bustling city.an island of colors on a butterfly's wing •An unincorporated area wholly surrounded by one or more incorporated areas. •A bench, counter, etc., that is not connected to a wall or other furniture and which can be used from any side.A short, rather studious young woman on noticing him moved from behind an island counter. — 1936 •Ellipsis of kitchen island. •A traffic island. •A roundabout; a traffic circle.Dunton island, near Birmingham, is one of the most confusingly labelled islands in the U.K.In Coventry, you will often hear people say: “Turn right at the island”. •A superstructure on an aircraft carrier's deck. •A phrase from which a wh-word cannot be extracted without yielding invalid grammar.Adverbial subordinate clauses are islands for extraction: "They have a billion dollars of inventory that they don't know where *(it) is". verb3 •To surround with water; make into an island.We paused at little river cities along the way and walked upon their bushy dikes, and heard tales of overflows in flood seasons, when four feet or more of water islanded the houses. — 1933 •To isolate.The turkey's nest was islanded with a fragrant swath,—the "heft" of the crop noted and rejoiced over,—the tons of good timothy and clover calculated,— […] — 1865 •To set, dot (as if) with islands.This Apulia is a land of vast pastures and cornfields and olive gardens, islanded with many rich cities, notable if only for the splendour of their churches,[…] — 1915 formsislanded · islanding · islands Phrases with island vote off the islandTo reject or eliminate.