telescope

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A device that uses lenses or mirrors to make distant objects, especially in space, appear closer and larger.

   Grammar: Countable: a telescope, two telescopes. Use 'through a telescope' to describe looking with it.

   Patterns

   • look through a telescope
   • a telescope for observing something
   • set up a telescope

   We looked at the rings of Saturn through a telescope.

   He bought a small telescope to observe the night sky.

   The observatory has a powerful telescope that can detect distant galaxies.

2. 2verbtransitive or intransitive

   To shorten or compress something by sliding parts together, or to become shorter in this way.

   Grammar: Can take an object (telescope the pole) or not (the pole telescopes). Often used for objects with sliding sections.

   Patterns

   • telescope something
   • something telescopes

   The antenna telescopes down for easy storage.

   You can telescope the tripod legs to make it more compact.

3. 3verbtransitivefigurative

   To make events or sections overlap or happen in a shorter time than expected.

   Grammar: Takes an object: telescope the schedule. Often used in passive: the events were telescoped into one week.

   Patterns

   • telescope something into something
   • be telescoped into something

   The two meetings were telescoped into a single afternoon session.

   The novel telescopes several years into a few chapters.

Word forms

Common combinations

through a telescope

You can see the moons of Jupiter through a telescope.

powerful telescope

The Hubble Space Telescope is a very powerful telescope.

telescope something into something

The editor telescoped the three reports into one article.

telescope down

The handle telescopes down so the suitcase fits in the overhead bin.

Synonyms and how they differ

binoculars

Binoculars are held in both hands and give a wider view, while a telescope is usually larger and gives higher magnification for one eye.

spyglass

A spyglass is an old-fashioned small telescope, often used at sea; telescope is the general modern term.

Word family

telescopic adjective

Relating to a telescope, or able to extend and retract in sliding sections.

telescopically adverb

In a way that relates to a telescope or uses sliding sections.

Commonly confused: telescope or microscope?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “telescope”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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