WordGarden.iosheet
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /ʃˈiːt/
US
- /ˈʃit/
Meanings
Noun
a large rectangular piece of cloth used on a bed
a broad thin piece or layer of paper, fabric, metal, ice, or similar material
a single page, tab, or worksheet within a spreadsheet or workbook
More meaningsFewer meanings
a newspaper, especially in informal or journalistic shorthand
Beyond the definition
A "sheet" may first make you think of the flat cloth on a bed, but the word is used in many everyday ways. It can mean one piece of paper, like a "cheat sheet" for a test, or a broad, thin layer of something, such as an "ice sheet" over land. You might also hear that rain is falling in "sheets," which paints a picture of thick, steady rain that seems to cover everything.
The word comes from Old English and has long carried the idea of something spread out flat. Whether you are making a bed, writing on paper, or talking about heavy rain, the main idea stays much the same: a thin, flat thing that covers or stretches across a space.
The word "sheet" usually refers to a thin, flat piece of something that is much wider and longer than it is thick. Many people first meet it in the bedroom, where it means the large pieces of cloth used on a bed: "She changed the sheets on her bed every week."
Beyond the bedroom, "sheet" is an essential term in several contexts:
- Paper: A single piece of paper, often part of a larger set. Examples include a "worksheet" for students or a "data sheet" for engineers. "He scribbled his phone number on a torn sheet of paper."
- Ice and Geology: A massive, continuous expanse of ice or rock. "The ancient ice sheet began to retreat as the climate warmed."
- Water and Weather: When rain falls so heavily that it creates a blur of water, we say it falls in "sheets." "The rain fell in sheets, making it nearly impossible to drive."
- Metal and Construction: A thin, flat piece of metal or wood used in manufacturing. "The contractor ordered several sheets of plywood to board up the windows."
- General Layers: A broad, flat layer of something spread over a surface. "A sheet of flame moved across the dry grass."
- Sailing: In sailing, a "sheet" is not cloth at all, but a rope used to control a sail. "The sailor pulled the sheet to tighten the sail."
Figuratively, "sheet" also appears in common phrases and technical terms. In finance, a "balance sheet" is a record showing a company's financial position. In sports, a "clean sheet" means that a team allowed no goals or points, depending on the sport.
The word's history traces back to the Old English scēte, meaning a piece of cloth and also connected with sail use. That history matches the central idea well: something broad, flat, or extended. From bedding and paper to weather, building materials, and sailing, "sheet" covers a wide range of meanings in English.
Examples
- 1
Paper
Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.
- 2
Printing
The printer can hold 250 sheets at a time.
- 3
Bedding
I changed the sheets before my parents came to stay.
- 4
Surface layer
By morning, the car was covered in a thin sheet of ice.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Building materials
The walls were made from large sheets of glass.
- 6
Heavy rain
We watched the storm through sheets of rain.
- Phrasesheets of rain
a lot of rain falling heavily
- 7
Exam help
I made a cheat sheet for the exam.
- Phrasecheat sheet
a short set of notes to help you remember important information
- 8
Accounting
The accountant emailed me the balance sheet after lunch.
- Domainbalance sheet
a document showing a company's financial situation
- 9
Music
She opened the piano bench and took out the sheet music.
- Domainsheet music
printed music on paper
See also
Similar
- bedsheet
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- clean sheets
- change the sheets
- fitted sheet
- flat sheet
Explore
- bedding
- duvet cover
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- sheetnounverb
Forms
- sheetspluralnounverb
- sheeting-ing formverbnoun
- sheetedpast tenseverbnoun