mount
mount — verb
- mountpresent simple I / you / we / they
- mountshe / she / it
- mountedpast simple
- mounting-ing form
1. to become greater in amount, strength, or intensity over time.
to become greater in amount, strength, or intensity over time.
Food prices mounted after the storm closed the highway for a week.
pattern: prices mounted after an event
Pressure mounted on the mayor after two bridges failed inspection.
pattern: pressure mounted on [person]
Excitement mounted in the stadium as the runners neared the finish.
Her fear mounted when the cabin lights suddenly went out.
- pressure mounts
- costs mount
- evidence mounts
- fear mounts
Grammar Patterns
pressure mounts
costs mount
fear mounts
Usage Note
Usually used for things that build step by step, such as pressure, fear, debt, evidence, or excitement.
2. to get yourself onto an animal, bicycle, or similar thing so you can ride it.
to get yourself onto an animal, bicycle, or similar thing so you can ride it.
Maeve mounted the pony and waved to her father by the gate.
pattern: mount a pony before riding
The officer mounted his motorcycle before the parade moved down Main Street.
After lunch, Zayd mounted the bike and rode toward the river path.
The guide helped Olivia mount the camel before the tour crossed the dunes.
pattern: help [person] mount [animal]
- mount a horse
- mount a bike
- mount a camel
- help someone mount
- get on
most common everyday choice
- climb onto
stresses the physical movement more than the start of riding
- board
used for buses, trains, or planes, not horses or bicycles
- dismount
used when you get off after riding
Grammar Patterns
mount a horse
mount a bicycle
mount a camel
Usage Note
Often used for animals, bicycles, motorcycles, and similar things that a rider gets onto from the outside.
3. to climb up onto something raised above the ground or above where you are standi
to climb up onto something raised above the ground or above where you are standing.
Trang mounted the stage and thanked the crowd for waiting.
pattern: mount the stage
Asher mounted the wall ladder to check the loose roof tiles.
The cat mounted the windowsill and stared at the birds outside.
Elise mounted the front steps and knocked on the tall oak door.
pattern: mount the steps
- mount the stage
- mount the steps
- mount a ladder
- mount a platform
- descend
used when coming down from a higher place
Grammar Patterns
mount the stage
mount the steps
mount a ladder
Usage Note
This sense is about moving onto a higher surface. Distinguish it from sense 2, which focuses on getting onto something in order to ride.
4. to plan and start a campaign, protest, exhibition, or other organized action.
to plan and start a campaign, protest, exhibition, or other organized action.
The charity mounted a winter coat drive for families in the hills.
pattern: mount a drive or campaign
Kabir mounted a legal challenge after the council changed the zoning plan.
The museum mounted a photo exhibition about fishing villages on the coast.
pattern: mount an exhibition
Ryo's team mounted a rescue effort when the hikers missed the last call.
- mount a campaign
- mount a challenge
- mount an exhibition
- mount a rescue effort
- cancel
used when a planned action does not go ahead
Grammar Patterns
mount a campaign
mount a challenge
mount an exhibition
Usage Note
Common with nouns for organized efforts, especially campaigns, exhibitions, challenges, protests, and operations.
5. to fasten something onto a wall, board, frame, or support so it stays ready to b
to fasten something onto a wall, board, frame, or support so it stays ready to be seen or used.
Madison mounted the smoke alarm above the kitchen door.
pattern: mount [device] above a door
The art teacher mounted each poster on thick black card.
pattern: mount on card
Adisa mounted the camera on a tripod before the interview began.
pattern: mount [equipment] on a support
Workers mounted solar panels across the roof of the new library.
- mount a camera
- mount on a tripod
- mount on card
- wall-mounted
- remove
used when something is taken down or off
Grammar Patterns
mount on a wall
mount on a tripod
mount on card
Usage Note
Use this sense when the focus is on fixing something securely onto another surface or support for use or display.
6. to place a specimen on a microscope slide so it can be examined.
to place a specimen on a microscope slide so it can be examined.
Olivia mounted the leaf sample on a glass slide for class.
pattern: mount a sample on a slide
Christopher carefully mounted the insect wing before showing it under the microscope.
Rin mounted the tissue slice in gel so the cells stayed flat.
pattern: mount in gel
Nikos mounted a drop of pond water for the students to examine.
- mount a specimen
- mount on a slide
- mount in gel
- mount a sample
Grammar Patterns
mount a specimen
mount on a slide
mount in gel
Usage Note
Used in laboratory or classroom work when a sample is prepared for microscope viewing.
7. to connect a disk or storage device so the computer can use its files.
to connect a disk or storage device so the computer can use its files.
Yan mounted the backup disk before copying the design files.
pattern: mount a disk before copying files
Gabriel forgot to mount the shared drive, so the folder looked empty.
pattern: mount the shared drive
Tendai mounted the USB stick and opened the report from it.
After restart, the server mounted the remote volume automatically.
pattern: the system mounts automatically
- mount a disk
- mount a shared drive
- mount a USB stick
- mount a remote volume
- unmount
used when a drive is safely disconnected
Grammar Patterns
mount a disk
mount a shared drive
the system mounts automatically
Usage Note
Common in computer instructions and technical writing. The result is that the files become available to the system.
8. to put guards in position or keep watch over someone or something for protection
to put guards in position or keep watch over someone or something for protection.
The captain mounted two guards outside the laboratory overnight.
pattern: mount guards outside a place
Soldiers mounted guard over the fuel trucks through the night.
pattern: mount guard over [thing]
Police mounted extra guards around the courthouse before the trial.
Private officers mounted guard outside the witness's hospital room.
- mount guard
- mount guards
- mount extra guards
- mount guard over
- guard
broader everyday word for protecting a person or place
- watch over
less formal phrase for protecting by staying nearby
Grammar Patterns
mount guards
mount guard over
mount extra guards
Usage Note
This sense is mostly formal and often appears in military, ceremonial, or security language.
9. of a male animal, to get on top of a female animal as part of breeding.
of a male animal, to get on top of a female animal as part of breeding.
The stallion tried to mount the mare, so the groom led him away.
pattern: mount the mare
Farmers kept the ram separate until it was time to mount the ewe.
The keeper watched to see whether the buck would mount the doe.
pattern: mount the doe
The breeder noted when the male rabbit first mounted the female.
- mount the mare
- mount the ewe
- mount the doe
- mount the female
Grammar Patterns
mount the mare
mount the ewe
mount the doe
Usage Note
Used in animal breeding. It is not the normal everyday word for human sexual activity.
mount up
phrasal verbto get onto a horse and prepare to ride away.
The riders mounted up and followed the guide into the valley.
After the bell rang, the police unit mounted up outside the arena.
to stay in one place while watching or protecting a person, place, or thing.
Two soldiers stood guard outside the embassy after sunset.
A neighbor kept guard over the sleeping children until their parents came home.
mount — noun
- mountsingular
- mountsplural
1. a board, card, or similar piece placed behind a picture or document to support i
a board, card, or similar piece placed behind a picture or document to support it or make it look better.
Maeve chose a cream mount to make the watercolour look brighter.
pattern: choose a mount for a picture
The shop cut a thick black mount for the wedding photo.
pattern: cut a mount
Zayd slipped the certificate into a gold mount before framing it.
The gallery replaced the faded mount behind the old village map.
pattern: replace the mount behind [item]
- a black mount
- cut a mount
- picture mount
- replace the mount
Grammar Patterns
a black mount
cut a mount for a picture
replace the mount
Usage Note
Often used in art, photography, or framing. It refers to the supporting layer, not the outer frame itself.
2. a horse used for riding, especially one chosen for a particular rider.
a horse used for riding, especially one chosen for a particular rider.
The quiet gray mount carried the child safely around the ring.
pattern: a quiet mount for a rider
The guide chose a steady mount for the long ride through the canyon.
pattern: choose a mount for a ride
Each rider brushed their mount before the lesson began.
After the race, the exhausted mount was walked slowly back to the barn.
- a steady mount
- choose a mount
- mount a horse
- ride a mount
Grammar Patterns
a steady mount
choose a mount
brush your mount
Usage Note
A formal or literary word for a riding horse. Distinguish it from sense 1, which is an object used behind a picture.
3. a small glass slide that holds a sample for viewing under a microscope.
a small glass slide that holds a sample for viewing under a microscope.
Trang placed the onion skin on the mount before lowering the lens.
pattern: place a sample on the mount
The teacher labeled each mount with the date and sample number.
pattern: label each mount
Asher dropped the prepared mount when the tray tipped sideways.
The lab assistant brought a fresh mount of pond water to the table.
pattern: a mount of [sample]
- prepare a mount
- label a mount
- a fresh mount
- a mount of pond water
- slide
more common everyday lab word for the same object
Grammar Patterns
prepare a mount
label a mount
a mount of pond water
Usage Note
This technical sense belongs to laboratory and classroom science contexts.
4. the name element placed before certain peaks and high hills.
the name element placed before certain peaks and high hills.
They watched sunrise from the road below Mount Fuji.
pattern: Mount + proper name
The hikers could see snow on Mount Hood from the campsite.
Our guide pointed to the dark ridge of Mount Etna.
Clouds covered Mount Rainier for most of the afternoon.
pattern: Mount + famous mountain name
- Mount Fuji
- Mount Hood
- Mount Etna
- Mount Rainier
- mountain
general word, not the fixed name element used before a proper noun
Grammar Patterns
Mount Fuji
Mount Hood
Mount Etna
Usage Note
Written with a capital letter when it forms part of a geographical name.
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/3
These words all involve moving upward, but they are not used in exactly the same way. Climb is the broad everyday word for going up by using your hands or feet, whether the surface is a tree, wall, ladder, or hill. Mount is more formal and often suggests stepping or climbing onto something raised, such as a stage, platform, horse, or throne. Ascend is the most formal of the group and is common in writing about stairs, slopes, rank, or ceremonial movement. Get onto is the plain conversational choice when the action matters more than style. A child can climb a tree, a speaker can mount the stage, and a pilot may ascend into the clouds.
Etymology
Mount came into Middle English through French and older English forms that were both linked to Latin mons, meaning a mountain or hill. The early idea was height or rising ground. From that, English developed the sense of climbing up onto something, then the related ideas of getting onto a horse, putting an object up on a support, and later starting an organized action. The noun use in place names keeps the older link with mountains most directly.
First known use
12th century
12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Verb