sections
sections — verb
- sectionspresent simple I / you / we / they
- sectionses3rd person singular
- sectionsing-ing form
- sectionsedpast simple
1. to legally keep someone in a hospital against their will for mental health treat
to legally keep someone in a hospital against their will for mental health treatment, usually because doctors believe they could harm themselves or the people around them
Sivan was sectioned under the Mental Health Act after trying to harm herself in the park.
passive: be sectioned under the Mental Health Act
A judge ordered that Rafael be sectioned after doctors said he was a danger to those around him.
subjunctive: ordered that ... be sectioned
Camila was sectioned twice in two years, but after proper treatment she now lives at home with her family.
Family members asked the health authority to section Zayd after he stopped eating and taking his medicine.
Under the Mental Health Act, two doctors and a social worker must agree before someone can be sectioned.
conditions for sectioning: two doctors + social worker
- be sectioned under the Mental Health Act
- section a patient
- section someone for their own safety
- release
to let someone leave hospital
Grammar Patterns
be sectioned under [Act]
section someone
Usage Note
Primarily a British English term derived from the UK Mental Health Act 1983, which is divided into numbered 'sections'. The verb is most often used in the passive ('be sectioned'). It is formal and mainly appears in legal, medical, and social-work contexts. American English uses 'committed' instead.
Common Mistakes
2. to divide something into separate pieces or parts by cutting or splitting it
to divide something into separate pieces or parts by cutting or splitting it
The chef used a long knife to section the fish into six equal pieces for the dinner plates.
section something into [number] parts / pieces
Diego sectioned the orange carefully and gave each piece to the children at the table.
The research team sectioned the plant stem and examined the thin slices under a microscope.
section a specimen [biology]
After the tree fell across the road, a work crew sectioned it and carried the pieces to a truck.
In biology class, the students learned how to section a tissue sample and stain it for analysis.
- section a fish
- section a sample
- section into pieces
- section carefully
Grammar Patterns
section something into [number] parts
section something
Usage Note
The object is usually a physical object that can be cut — such as food, plant material, or tissue samples. This sense is common in cooking, biology, and construction. The intransitive use ('the fruit sections easily') is rare; the transitive form is far more frequent.
Common Mistakes
sections — noun
- sectionssingular
- sectionsesplural
1. one of the pieces, areas, or parts that something can be divided into — for exam
one of the pieces, areas, or parts that something can be divided into — for example, a chapter of a book, a part of a city, a department of an organization, or a group within a class
Lotte read the sports section of the newspaper every morning before school.
collocation: sports section / business section / comment section
The old town section of Lisbon has narrow streets and colourful houses.
section + of + [place name]
Haruto works in the finance section of a large electronics company.
The biology textbook is divided into twelve main sections, each covering one topic.
Hui chose the afternoon section of the chemistry course because it fits her work schedule.
collocation: section of a course / class section
- section of
- sports section
- business section
- reading section
- comment section
- classified section
- whole
the entire thing rather than just one part
Grammar Patterns
section + of + noun
Usage Note
Frequently followed by 'of' to specify what whole the part belongs to. When referring to a newspaper, common compound nouns include 'sports section', 'business section', 'comment section'.
Common Mistakes
2. a set of performers within an orchestra or band who all play instruments from th
a set of performers within an orchestra or band who all play instruments from the same family — for example, everyone who plays a string instrument or a brass instrument
The brass section played a loud fanfare while the audience clapped.
collocation: brass section / string section / percussion section
Amani joined the string section of the youth orchestra after years of violin lessons.
Caio left the percussion section for the wind section when he took up the saxophone.
The conductor asked the string section to play more softly during the slow movement.
- string section
- brass section
- wind section
- percussion section
- rhythm section
- instrument group
a less common but clearer term
- orchestral division
more formal and technical
Grammar Patterns
the + [instrument type] + section
Usage Note
Always preceded by the instrument family name (e.g., 'brass section', 'string section', 'woodwind section'). Do not use 'section' alone for this meaning — the instrument type is always specified.
Common Mistakes
3. an opening that a surgeon cuts into a person's body during a medical operation i
an opening that a surgeon cuts into a person's body during a medical operation in order to reach the organ or area that needs treatment
The surgeon made a small section in the patient's abdomen to remove the appendix.
pattern: make + a + section + in + body part
After the operation the doctor closed the section with eight neat stitches.
The nurse checked the surgical section each hour to look for infection.
A clean, straight section heals faster than one with rough edges.
- make a section
- close a section
- abdominal section
- small section
Grammar Patterns
make + a + section + in + body part
Usage Note
In everyday medical language, 'incision' is more common than 'section' for this meaning. 'Section' is more technical and appears in surgical textbooks and reports. The verb 'section' (to cut surgically) is also used in medical contexts.
4. a surgical procedure that delivers a baby through cuts made in the mother's abdo
a surgical procedure that delivers a baby through cuts made in the mother's abdomen and womb, performed when a regular vaginal birth is too risky; commonly called a C-section
Linh gave birth to her son by caesarean section after eighteen hours of labour.
pattern: by + caesarean section
The doctor recommended a caesarean section because the baby was in a difficult position.
Jessica recovered well from her caesarean section and went home after only three days.
In many hospitals about one in four babies are delivered by caesarean section.
- caesarean section
- C-section
- have a caesarean
- emergency caesarean
- by caesarean section
- natural birth
vaginal delivery without surgical intervention
Grammar Patterns
have + a + caesarean section
by + caesarean section
Usage Note
Commonly shortened to 'C-section' in informal spoken English. The full term 'caesarean section' is used in formal medical writing. Do NOT use 'section' alone for this meaning — always include 'caesarean' or 'C-' to avoid confusion with the surgical-incision sense.
Common Mistakes
5. an extremely thin piece cut from animal or plant tissue so that its cells and st
an extremely thin piece cut from animal or plant tissue so that its cells and structure can be seen clearly under a microscope
The biologist prepared a thin section of the leaf to study its cell structure.
pattern: section + of + [plant/organ]
Lukas dipped the tissue section in blue dye before placing it under the microscope.
Each section of the muscle showed tiny fibres arranged in long parallel rows.
The pathologist examined a section of the tumour to see whether the cells were cancerous.
- tissue section
- thin section
- prepare a section
- stain a section
- section of tissue
Grammar Patterns
section + of + [tissue/organ]
Usage Note
Used almost exclusively in scientific and medical laboratory contexts. The related verb 'to section' means 'to cut tissue into thin slices for microscopy'. The word 'slice' is more general and not specific to microscopy.
6. a technical drawing or diagram that shows the inside of an object, building, or
a technical drawing or diagram that shows the inside of an object, building, or machine by displaying it as if a part of the outer layer has been removed
The instruction manual included a section of the engine to show where each part goes.
Arjun studied the building's section to understand how the floors connected to the stairwell.
possessive: building's section
A cross section of the volcano revealed the magma chamber deep underground.
compound: cross section
The architect drew a detailed section showing the ceiling height on each floor.
- cross section
- section view
- architectural section
- draw a section
- section drawing
- cross section
the most common term for this type of technical drawing
- cutaway
a drawing or model with the outer layer removed to reveal the interior
- diagram
a broader term for any explanatory drawing
Grammar Patterns
section + of + [object/building]
cross section + of + [object]
Usage Note
Also commonly called a 'cross section' in engineering and architecture. This sense differs from sense 8 (CROSS-SECTION VIEW) in that sense 6 refers specifically to a physical drawing or diagram as a document or illustration, while sense 8 describes the visual representation or way of depicting something.
Common Mistakes
7. the flat shape you see when you cut straight through a solid object, like the ci
the flat shape you see when you cut straight through a solid object, like the circular face you get by cutting through a pipe or the rings visible on a sliced tree trunk.
The geometry teacher drew the cross-section of a pyramid on the whiteboard.
collocation: cross-section of [object]
A cross-section of a tree trunk shows rings that record each year of growth.
The engineer checked the cross-section of the pipe for any cracks in the metal.
Under the microscope, a cross-section of a leaf reveals tiny air pockets inside.
preposition: under the microscope
Minh cut a tomato in half and studied the cross-section under the classroom lamp.
- cross-section of [something]
- in cross-section
- cross-section through
- cross-section shows/reveals
- profile
focuses on the outline or contour, rather than the internal detail visible in a cross-section
- transverse section
formal technical term used in anatomy and biology for a crosswise cut
Grammar Patterns
the cross-section of [object]
in cross-section
Usage Note
Common in geometry, biology, and engineering contexts where the internal structure of an object matters. Often introduced by the preposition 'of' to name the object being cut (e.g. cross-section of a bone).
Common Mistakes
8. a picture or diagram that shows the inside of an object by removing part of its
a picture or diagram that shows the inside of an object by removing part of its outer surface, so you can see how the internal parts are arranged.
The manual includes a cutaway view of the engine to show where each part fits.
collocation: cutaway view of [machine]
An architecture magazine published a cutaway view of the new museum's glass roof.
The doctor used a cutaway view of the ear to explain how hearing works.
In the biology textbook, a cutaway view of a human cell shows the nucleus inside.
in a cutaway view
Samir studied the cutaway view of the dam to understand the water flow system.
- cutaway view of [object]
- in a cutaway view
- cutaway drawing/diagram
- cutaway diagram
emphasises that it is a labelled technical drawing rather than a general illustration
- sectional view
more formal term used in engineering blueprints
Grammar Patterns
a cutaway view of [object]
Usage Note
Common in technical manuals, textbooks, and architectural diagrams. Distinguish from sense 6 (cross-section drawing) — a cutaway view keeps some outer surface visible so the object is still recognisable from the outside.
9. one of the individual wedge-shaped pieces inside a citrus fruit such as an orang
one of the individual wedge-shaped pieces inside a citrus fruit such as an orange, grapefruit, or lemon, each wrapped in a thin membrane.
Yan peeled the orange and separated each section before eating them.
Each section of a grapefruit is wrapped in a thin white skin.
collocation: sections of [citrus fruit]
The recipe calls for six sections of orange with no seeds or white pith.
Brooke added a few sections of pink grapefruit to the morning fruit salad.
The children pulled apart their tangerines and counted how many sections each one had.
verb collocation: pull apart [fruit] sections
- sections of [orange/grapefruit/lemon]
- [fruit] sections
- separate the sections
- remove the sections
Grammar Patterns
[number] sections of [fruit]
[fruit] sections
Usage Note
Specifically refers to citrus fruit segments, not segments of other fruits like apples or bananas. The thin membrane around each section is called the pith.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- sectionnounA2
- sectionverbB1
- sectionedadjectiveB2
- sectionaladjectiveB2
- sectioningnounC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
Section 與這組近義詞的關鍵差異在於「區分方式」：part 是最通用的詞，泛指整體中的任何一個部分；section 強調原本就是整體中一個可識別的劃分區塊（如書的章節、城市的行政區、新聞版塊）；segment 通常指自然形成的節段（如蟲體環節、時間段落），比 section 更偏向生物或幾何領域；division 較正式，暗示人為且系統性的劃分（如公司部門、組織分支）；portion 強調份量或配額（如食物的份量、遺產的分配份額）。例如：a section of the newspaper（報紙的一個版塊）vs. a portion of the newspaper（報紙的一部分，但未註明劃分方式）。
Common collocations
Nouns
- cross section
- golden section
- rhythm section
- classified section
- comment section
- string section
- brass section
- caesarean section
Adverbs
- roughly sectioned
- carefully sectioned
- evenly sectioned
Phrases
- section off
- section by section
- section through
- the relevant section
Prepositions
- section of
- section into
- section under
- in section
- by section
Etymology
The word 'section' comes from Latin 'sectio' (a cutting), from the verb 'secare' (to cut). It passed into English through Old French during the Middle Ages and originally referred to a physical cutting apart. Over time it developed the broader meaning of any part or division of a larger whole, as well as specialised senses in medicine, music, and mathematics.
First known use
1534
1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Verb