1land 
/ˈlænd/ noun
plural lands /ˈlænd/ noun 1 [noncount] : the solid part of the surface of the Earth : an area of ground
▪ arid/fertile/flat land ▪ the land along the highway ▪ The land stretched as far as you could see. ▪ They cleared some land to grow crops. ▪ After two days of sailing, we were miles from land. ▪ They invaded the country by land and by sea. — often used before another noun ▪ land animals [=animals that live on land] ▪ a total land area of two miles ▪ a land battle/war [=a battle/war fought on the ground rather than at sea or in the air] — see also dry land, lay of the land, wetland 2 : an area of the earth's solid surface that is owned by someone [noncount] ▪ They own land in Alaska. ▪ They bought some land and built a house. ▪ a piece/plot of land [plural] ▪ His lands extend as far as the eye can see. — often used before another noun ▪ land development/ownership/prices 3 [count] : a country or nation
▪ He was the most powerful politician in the land. ▪ foreign lands ▪ the lands of/in the Far East ▪ He always remained loyal to his native land. [=the country in which he was born] ▪ America, the land of opportunity — sometimes used figuratively ▪ in the land [=realm] of dreams ▪ a land of illusion — see also dreamland, la-la land, never-never land, no-man's land, promised land 4 the land : land in the countryside that is thought of as providing a simple and good way of living
▪ He wanted to move/get back to the land. ▪ people who are living off the land [=getting food by farming, hunting, etc.] ▪ farmers working the land [=planting and growing crops]
▪ arid/fertile/flat land ▪ the land along the highway ▪ The land stretched as far as you could see. ▪ They cleared some land to grow crops. ▪ After two days of sailing, we were miles from land. ▪ They invaded the country by land and by sea. — often used before another noun ▪ land animals [=animals that live on land] ▪ a total land area of two miles ▪ a land battle/war [=a battle/war fought on the ground rather than at sea or in the air] — see also dry land, lay of the land, wetland
▪ He was the most powerful politician in the land. ▪ foreign lands ▪ the lands of/in the Far East ▪ He always remained loyal to his native land. [=the country in which he was born] ▪ America, the land of opportunity — sometimes used figuratively ▪ in the land [=realm] of dreams ▪ a land of illusion — see also dreamland, la-la land, never-never land, no-man's land, promised land
▪ He wanted to move/get back to the land. ▪ people who are living off the land [=getting food by farming, hunting, etc.] ▪ farmers working the land [=planting and growing crops]
how the land lies
chiefly Brit : the true facts about a situation
▪ Let's see how the land lies before we make any decisions. ▪ We don't know how the land lies.
▪ Let's see how the land lies before we make any decisions. ▪ We don't know how the land lies.
in the land of the living
informal : alive
▪ I hadn't heard from him for years and was glad to find him still in the land of the living.
▪ I hadn't heard from him for years and was glad to find him still in the land of the living.
land of milk and honey
: a place where there is plenty of food and money and life is very easy
▪ Many immigrants thought that America was a land of milk and honey.
▪ Many immigrants thought that America was a land of milk and honey.
live off/on the fat of the land — see 2fat
