Meaning & use
plasters
Last updated
“plasters” is a form of “plaster”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounpluralBritish
Small sticky strips used to cover minor cuts and grazes on the skin.
Grammar: Plural of plaster: we need more plasters.
Patterns
- a box of plasters
Can you pass me two plasters for my blisters?
The first aid kit contained plasters of various sizes.
He put plasters on both knees after falling off his bike.
nounpluraltechnical
Soft mixtures of lime or gypsum with water that are spread on walls and ceilings and set hard.
Grammar: Plural of plaster, used for different types of the material.
Patterns
- plasters for walls
Builders chose different plasters for the old and new walls.
Lime plasters allow damp to escape from historic houses.
Modern plasters dry within a few hours.
verbtransitive
Spreads a soft mixture or any substance thickly over something, or covers a surface with posters or notices.
Grammar: Third person singular of plaster: the team plasters posters on every wall.
Patterns
- plasters something with something
She plasters the walls with fresh lime in spring.
He plasters his bedroom with band posters.
The newspaper plasters the scandal across its front page.
Word forms
| singular | plaster |
|---|---|
| past tense | plastered |
| -ing form | plastering |
Common combinations
- a box of plasters
- We keep a box of plasters in the kitchen.
- waterproof plasters
- Swimmers prefer waterproof plasters.
- apply plasters
- The nurse applied plasters to the grazes.
- plasters and bandages
- The kit includes plasters and bandages.
- lime plasters
- Lime plasters suit old stone buildings.
Synonyms and how they differ
- bandages
- It is broader and often means longer strips or wraps, not small sticky pads.
- Band-Aids
- It is a brand name used generally in American English for sticking plasters.
- dressings
- It is a medical term for coverings of wounds, including those that are not sticky.
Word family
Commonly confused: plasters or plastics?
plasters vs plastics
Plastics are synthetic materials; plasters are sticky strips or wall coatings.
Practice
After she scraped her knee, her mother put two ___ on it.
Choose one answer.
Plasters are sticky strips for small wounds. Plaques, pillows and plates cannot cover a graze.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “plasters”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.