mountain

moun|tain

W3S3 [ˈmauntın US ˈmauntən] n

[Date: 1200-1300; : Old French; Origin: montaigne, from Latin montanus, from mons; MOUNT²]

1.) a very high hill

▪ the highest mountain in Austria

▪ the Rocky Mountains

▪ a steep mountain road

▪ magnificent mountain ranges (=lines of mountains)

▪ snow-capped mountain peaks (=tops of mountains)

▪ a mountain rescue team (=a group of experienced climbers who help people to safety from a mountain)

▪ She was the first British woman to climb the mountain .

2.) a mountain of sth/mountains of sth

a very large pile or amount of something

▪ I've got mountains of paperwork to deal with.

▪ Her husband went off with another woman and left her facing a mountain of debt .

3.) food/butter etc mountain

a very large amount of food, butter etc that has been produced but is not needed or used

→↑lake

4.) make a mountain out of a molehill

to treat a problem as if it was very serious when in fact it is not

5.) (have) a mountain to climb

BrE used to say that someone has a lot of work to do to achieve their aim, especially when you believe it will be difficult