jellies

Meanings

1. 1nounplural

   Sweet soft foods that wobble because they are made with fruit juice and a setting substance.

   Grammar: Countable noun; the singular is jelly, and plural verbs follow: the jellies taste sweet.

   Patterns

   • a plate of jellies
   • make jellies for a party
   • fruit jellies

   She made little orange jellies for the children's party.

   The jellies in the fridge are still soft, so leave them another hour.

   We bought a box of fruit jellies at the market.

2. 2nounpluralinformaltrademark

   Simple plastic shoes with a pattern of holes and a strap, worn in summer.

   Grammar: Usually plural; a single shoe is a jelly shoe, not a jelly in this sense.

   Patterns

   • a pair of jellies
   • wear jellies to the beach
   • children's jellies

   My daughter wears her pink jellies everywhere in summer.

   These cheap jellies are fine for the beach but not for school.

   He left his jellies by the door and they melted in the sun.

3. 3nounpluralBritish

   Small clear sweets made of sugar and gelatin that you chew.

   Grammar: Countable, usually plural when talking about several sweets; one piece is a jelly.

   Patterns

   • a bag of jellies
   • sour jellies
   • eat too many jellies

   The children ate a whole bag of jellies on the way home.

   She likes sour jellies more than chocolate.

   There were bowls of jellies on every table at the fair.

Common combinations

a plate of jellies

The waiter brought a plate of jellies for dessert.

fruit jellies

These fruit jellies are made with real raspberry juice.

make jellies

We always make jellies when the grandchildren visit.

a pair of jellies

She packed a pair of jellies for the beach.

sour jellies

He can't stop eating those sour jellies.

Synonyms and how they differ

gelatin

A powder or clear dessert made with gelatin; it is not usually shaped into small sweets the way jellies are.

gummies

Chewy sweets similar to jellies, but gummies are firmer and often shaped like animals or fruit.

sandals

Open summer shoes in general; jellies are one cheap plastic kind of sandal.

Word family

jelly noun

The singular form: a soft wobbling food or, in Britain, a fruit dessert.

jellied adjective

Containing or set like jelly, as in jellied fruit.

jelly-like adjective

Having the soft, shaking texture of jelly.

Commonly confused: jellies or jams? jellies or gellies?

Practice

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