valleyval‧ley /ˈvæli/ ●●● S3 W3 noun [countable] 
Word Origin
the San Fernando ValleyCOLLOCATIONSADJECTIVES/NOUN + valleynarrow· The valley becomes narrower at this point.wide/broad· We looked down on the wide valley below.deep/steep· a bridge across a deep valleya river valley· The route passes through beautiful wooded river valleys.a green/wooded/lush valley (=one with a lot of plants or trees growing in it)· We were on a ridge above a green valley, with the mountains beyond it.the Thames/San Fernando etc Valley· There are extensive views across the Forth Valley.valley + NOUNthe valley floor· Most of the town is built on the valley floor.phrasesthe side of a valley· He looked across to the far side of the valley.the slopes of a valley· They live in houses of stone on the slopes of a wooded valley.the head of a valley (=the higher end of a valley)· There is a great waterfall at the head of a valley.the bottom of a valley· The stream in the bottom of the valley was spanned by a narrow bridge.THESAURUSvalley an area of lower land between two lines of hills or mountains, usually with a river flowing through it: · The route passes through a remote mountain valley.· a trek up the Gokyo Valley to see Mount Everestgorge a deep narrow valley with steep sides – often used in names, especially in Europe: · The river flows through a deep gorge.· Cheddar Gorgecanyon a deep valley with very steep sides – often used in names, especially in North and South America: · She looked down the side of the canyon.· We visited the Grand Canyon in Arizona.ravine a small valley with very steep sides: · He fell down a ravine.glen a deep narrow valley in Scotland or Ireland: · They followed the river along the glen.· the Glens of Antrimgully a small narrow valley, usually formed by a lot of rain flowing down the side of a hill: · They reached the top by scrambling up a gully.
Word OriginWORD ORIGINvalley
ExamplesOrigin:
1200-1300 Old French valee, from val; ➔ VALEEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Thesaurus- the Mississippi River valley
- By some weird arithmetic, the more life stuffs itself into the valley, the more spaces it creates for further life.
- Each year several thousand people leave the valleys and few arrive.
- From here they could control both river valleys, and deny Douglas his passage home by either.
- Mam Tor is the first objective on the walk along the ridge which separates the Hope and Edale valleys.
- New designs with foot pivots allow snow hikers to tackle almost any hill or valley.
- The marines would land on the beach north of the valley.
- The wind, blasting up the valley, decided the direction the trees would fall.
THESAURUS► valley
Collocations an area of lower land between two lines of hills or mountains, usually with a river flowing through it: · The route passes through a remote mountain valley.· a trek up the Gokyo Valley to see Mount Everest
► gorge a deep narrow valley with steep sides – often used in names, especially in Europe: · The river flows through a deep gorge.· Cheddar Gorge
► canyon a deep valley with very steep sides – often used in names, especially in North and South America: · She looked down the side of the canyon.· We visited the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
► ravine a small valley with very steep sides: · He fell down a ravine.
► glen a deep narrow valley in Scotland or Ireland: · They followed the river along the glen.· the Glens of Antrim
► gully a small narrow valley, usually formed by a lot of rain flowing down the side of a hill: · They reached the top by scrambling up a gully.
WORD SETS► Geographyabyss, nounalluvial, adjectivealluvium, nounalpine, adjectiveAmerican, adjectiveAntarctica, anticyclone, nounarchipelago, nounArctic, adjectivearid, adjectiveAsia, atlas, nounatoll, nounAustralasia, Australasian, adjectiveAustralia, avalanche, nounaxis, nounbank, nounbarometer, nounbarrier reef, nounbasin, nounbay, nounbayou, nounbeach, nounbearing, nounbed, nounbight, nounbluff, nounborder, nounborder, verbborderland, nounborderline, nounborough, nounbox canyon, nounBritish, adjectivebutte, nouncanyon, nouncape, nouncapital, nouncardinal point, nounCaribbean, adjectivecartography, nouncay, nounchain, nounchaparral, nounchart, nounchasm, nounchimney, nounChinese, adjectivecirrus, nounCIS, nouncliff, nounclimate, nounclimatic, adjectivecoastal, adjectivecoastline, nouncockney, nouncol, nouncold front, nouncommuter belt, nouncompass, nounconfluence, nouncontinent, nouncontinental, adjectivecontinental shelf, nouncontour, nounconurbation, nouncoordinate, nouncorridor, nouncorrie, nouncoterminous, adjectivecouncil estate, nouncountry, nouncounty, nouncounty town, nouncourse, nouncove, nouncrag, nouncraggy, adjectivecreek, nouncrevasse, nouncrevice, nouncumulus, nouncyclone, noundateline, noundelta, noundesert, noundesert island, noundevelopment, noundistrict, noundivide, noundown, adverbdune, noundust bowl, nouneast, nouneast, adjectiveeast, adverbeastbound, adjectiveeasterly, adjectiveeasterly, nouneastern, adjectiveEasterner, nouneasternmost, adjectiveeastwards, adverbelevation, nouneminence, nounenvirons, nounequatorial, adjectiveerode, verberosion, nounescarpment, nounestuary, nounEurope, nounextraterritorial, adjectiveeyot, nounface, nounfarmland, nounfeeder, nounfiord, nounfirth, nounfjord, nounflood plain, nounfluvial, adjectivefrontier, nounfrontiersman, noungale force, adjectivegap, noungeo-, prefixgeography, noungeophysics, noungeopolitics, noungeyser, nounglacial, adjectiveglaciation, nounglacier, nounglobe, noungoldfield, noungorge, noungrassland, nounGrecian, adjectivegreen belt, noungrid, noungrotto, noungroundwater, noungulch, noungulf, noungully, nounhead, nounheadland, nounheadwaters, nounheartland, nounhemisphere, nounhighland, adjectivehighlands, nounhigh water mark, nounhinterland, nounHome Counties, the, homeland, nounhurricane, noun-i, suffixIberian, adjectiveiceberg, nounice cap, nounice floe, nounice pack, nounice sheet, nouninhabitant, nouninland, adjectiveinland, adverbinlet, nouninner city, nouninshore, adverbinsular, adjectiveintercontinental, adjectiveInternational Date Line, nounisland, nounisle, nounislet, nounisobar, nounIsraeli, adjectiveIsraeli, nounisthmus, nounItalian, adjectiveItalianate, adjectiveItalo-, prefixJapanese, adjectivekey, nounknoll, nounlagoon, nounlake, nounlandlocked, adjectivelandmass, nounlandslide, nounlandslip, nounlat., Latin, adjectiveLatin America, nounLatin American, adjectivelatitude, nounlevee, nounlittoral, nounlong., longitude, nounlongitudinal, adjectivelough, nounlowlands, nounlow-lying, adjectivelow water mark, nounmagnetic north, nounmagnetic pole, nounmarsh, nounmarshland, nounmeander, verbMediterranean, adjectiveMercator projection, nounmeridian, nounmesa, nounMiddle America, nounmidtown, adjectivemonsoon, nounmoorland, nounmorass, nounmountain, nounmountainside, nounmountaintop, nounmouth, nounmudslide, nounmull, nounnarrows, nounnavigation, nounNE, neck, nounnor'-, prefixnorth, nounnorth, adjectivenorth, adverbNorth America, nounnortheast, nounnortheast, adjectivenortheasterly, adjectivenortheastern, adjectivenortheastwards, adverbnortherly, adjectivenorthern, adjectivenortherner, nounnorthernmost, adjectivenorthwards, adverbnorthwest, nounnorthwest, adjectivenorthwesterly, adjectivenorthwestern, adjectivenorthwestwards, adverbnotch, nounNW, NZ, oasis, nounoccidental, nounocean, nounonshore, adjectiveopenness, nounOrdnance Survey map, nounoriental, adjectiveoutcrop, nounoverspill, nounpack ice, nounpaddy, nounpalisade, nounpan-, prefixpanhandle, nounparallel, nounpeak, nounpeninsula, nounPersian, adjectivephysical geography, nounplain, nounplateau, nounpoint, nounpolar, adjectivepole, nounpolitical geography, nounpollutant, nounpop., populate, verbpopulation, nounprairie, nounprecipice, nounprecipitation, nounPrime Meridian, principality, nounprojection, nounpromontory, nounprovince, nounprovincial, adjectivepueblo, nounR, rainfall, nounrain forest, nounrain gauge, nounrainstorm, nounrange, nounravine, nounreef, nounreference, nounregion, nounregional, adjectiverelief map, nounreservoir, nounresettle, verbresidential, adjectiveresource, nounridge, nounrift valley, nounrise, verbriver, nounriver basin, nounriver bed, nounRoman, adjectiverotation, nounrugged, adjectiverun-off, nounrural, adjectivesand, nounsand bar, nounsandstorm, nounsandy, adjectivesavanna, nounScandinavian, nounscar, nounscarp, nounscree, nounscrubland, nounSE, seaboard, nounsea breeze, nounseafront, nounsea level, nounseaport, nounseaward, adjectivesection, nounsemitropical, adjectiveshelf, nounslough, nounsmog, nounsnowfield, nounsource, nounsouth, nounsouth, adjectivesouth, adverbSouth America, adjectivesoutheast, nounsoutheast, adjectivesoutheasterly, adjectivesoutheastern, adjectivesoutheastwards, adverbsoutherly, adjectivesouthern, adjectivesouthernmost, adjectivesouthwards, adverbsouthwest, nounsouthwest, adjectivesouthwesterly, adjectivesouthwestern, adjectivesouthwestwards, adverbspeleology, nounspit, nounspur, nounstrait, nounsubcontinent, nounsubtropical, adjectivesuburb, nounsuburban, adjectivesummit, nounsurvey, nounsurvey, verbSW, swamp, nountableland, nounterrain, nounterritory, nountidal, adjectivetidal wave, nountidewater, nountime zone, nountop, nountopography, nountor, nountornado, nountown, nountown centre, nountowpath, nountrack, nountract, nountrade route, nountrail, nountransatlantic, adjectivetranscontinental, adjectivetributary, nountropic, nountropical, adjectivetundra, nountyphoon, nounUK, the, uncharted, adjectiveup, adverbup-country, adjectiveuplands, nounupper, adjectiveupriver, adverbupstate, adjectiveupstream, adverbuptown, adverburban, adjectiveurbanized, adjectiveurban renewal, nounurban sprawl, nounUS, the, adjectivevalley, nounW, warm front, nounwaste, adjectivewasteland, nounwater, verbwatercourse, nounwaterfall, nounwaterfront, nounwaterhole, nounwatering place, nounwater meadow, nounwatershed, nounwater table, nounwaterway, nounweather vane, nounwest, nounwest, adjectiveWest, nounwestern, adjectiveWesterner, nounwesternmost, adjectivewestward, adverbwilderness, nounwolds, nounzoning, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYADJECTIVES/NOUN + valley► narrow
an area of lower land between two lines of hills or mountains, usually with a river flowing through it: · The valley becomes narrower at this point.
► wide/broad· We looked down on the wide valley below.
► deep/steep· a bridge across a deep valley
► a river valley· The route passes through beautiful wooded river valleys.
► a green/wooded/lush valley (=one with a lot of plants or trees growing in it)· We were on a ridge above a green valley, with the mountains beyond it.
► the Thames/San Fernando etc Valley· There are extensive views across the Forth Valley.
valley + NOUN► the valley floor· Most of the town is built on the valley floor.
phrases► the side of a valley· He looked across to the far side of the valley.
► the slopes of a valley· They live in houses of stone on the slopes of a wooded valley.
► the head of a valley (=the higher end of a valley)· There is a great waterfall at the head of a valley.
► the bottom of a valley· The stream in the bottom of the valley was spanned by a narrow bridge.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES► a river valley· They came to a wide river valley.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE► beautiful· Rippling from a hidden mountain lake it runs eastward through the Tujetschtal, a beautiful and little-known valley.· Meadowgate Farm was situated in one of the most beautiful valleys around Mitford.· Or, you can carry on up the narrow and beautiful Nive valley to the village of Esterençuby.· Linthal takes its name from the river Linth which drains the beautiful transverse valley that largely makes up the canton of Glarus.
► deep· A deep valley of stone fell away beneath us; the glittering air danced above it.· As the streets and lanes gave way to countryside and sloped toward the deeper valley, the rolling farmland began.· I imagine most of us have entered that deep valley, and maybe some of us are in it now.· I can see it snuggled into one of the deep valleys in the encircling high hills.· But now they were standing at the head of a deep valley in the moor with their ears and tails down.· Instead, it was one of the deepest valleys he had ever been through.· Coberley Mill, formerly known as Cubberly, nestles deep in the valley, close to the village church.· The north of the area is distinguished by enormous forested mountain plateaux with deep river-carved valleys.
► fertile· A land of rich fertile valleys that reach up to touch the edge of wild moorland.· A shallow river had scooped a fertile valley out of the limestone mountains.· The almond trees grow in the fertile valleys of California, neatly planted in straight lines.· After passing the shapely peak of Ben Resipol, the road reaches a fertile side valley occupied by the village of Strontian.· Nestled within these bleak volcanic highlands are fertile valleys filled with game plentiful enough to satisfy even the appetites of dragons.
► green· Red-brown cattle munched orchard grass down in their pale green valley oases.· The train pulled out, heading for Loughton along the green valley of the Roding.· What thoughts they brought to his mind of spring in the green valleys of his far-off canton of Luzern.· Lush, green valleys and wooded dells.· There was a spectacular view, a green secluded valley with the mountains towering all around.
► high· Here indeed, is the entrance to the two most celebrated high valleys of the Pyrenees.· Cold nights in the high valleys, but relatively warm, sunny days.· Some may even reach the higher valleys of the Alps.· Mountain crests rose impressively high and the valleys were deep.
► little· Down behind him in the straggly little valley, I notice that a few allotments do remain, after all.· There are just three houses there; three seventeenth-century stone-built farmhouses nestling comfortably in the shelter of a little valley.· The line here ran through a deep little valley and the hillside on both sides of the line was very rocky.· He had walked across the rugged little valley, leaving his horse tied to a tree near the Round Tops.· It sat there in its little valley, smiling at all our modern ideas.· It is full of little valleys and defiles.· Far below, unheeded and unheeding, something else was entering this little handful of valleys.
► low· A band of cloud stretched low across the valley and it was raining slightly.· Also, you could then irrigate the lower valley lands, which usually have better soil and a longer growing season.· During the monsoon, the dirt track which connects McLeod Ganj with Dharamsala lower down the valley turns into sludge.· Surface cultivation is rare, except in some lower lying valleys so the changes have subtle origins.· Between the towering rows of spires lies a low valley up to a few miles wide.· It is currently a popular picnic area and vantage point for the lower valley providing magnificent views over lush countryside.· It drowned the lower deeper valleys, so forming rias which provide excellent sheltered harbours.
► narrow· In narrow valleys surface boulders dominate the landscape.· The walk began by following a track which climbed steeply up a narrow, twisting valley.· He was in a narrow valley, woodland rising up on the opposite side.· Ahead lay a steep, narrow valley and a village, diminutive at this distance, its buildings clustered round a harbour.· Katmandu airport is notoriously tricky, located in a narrow saucer-shaped valley surrounded by snowy mountains and pine hills.· Plenty of cover in its narrow, winding valley.· Our first day's walk took us along stony tracks, through forests of birch and pine and into a narrow valley.· Fording the Kale Water, they turned up its far bank into the quickly narrow shallow valley.
► small· Keep to the bottom of the small valley rather than following the track which goes off to the left.· In the end, this small valley along the northern coast of California will become a solid block of life.· Everywhere you can see a rich greenery of grass and trees, covering smaller hills and valleys.· The view swept down to a small valley with church spires, orderly farms, and freshly planted fields.· We wound our way past open fields into shady woods until we entered the neck of a small valley.· The Mormon Lake area is surrounded by ponderosa pines, and the lodge sits in a small valley surrounded by mountains.· Eventually, we arrived at a small, damp valley, peat and heather-filled, where insects hummed in the still air.· He was at the head of a small valley.
► upper· Travel has been easier than in the upper course valleys and so a few villages have grown to become market towns.· They started in small workshops in the upper course valleys of the River Don and its tributaries, such as the River Sheaf.
► wide· The floor of the wide valley was carpeted with hummocky grass.· Later it crosses the Shyok river, a major feeder of the Indus, and enters the wide valley below the Siachen.· The sun shone over a wide grassy valley.· It ran straight up a wide shallow valley, with tilled fields on both sides, to a huddle of buildings.· Six hours from the start, in a wide lush valley, Fusil had placed his first checkpoint.· At last the track levelled into a wide grassy valley.
► wooded· This beautiful monastic ruin is set in a deeply wooded valley by the River Rye.· It quickly develops into a major river flowing within a deep, wooded valley.· Turn left and head to Rhigian Cottage, then go right on the path through the wooded valley.· And the route passes through wooded river valleys and along green lanes.
NOUN► bottom· If we stay put they can stay up there and fry the valley bottom, and us with it.· The alternative was to ride along the main highways, which tend to hug the flat land along valley bottoms.· It's large a low level route, sticking to valley bottoms and passes rather to going up on the fells.· Quite apart from the major wetlands, every valley bottom below a certain contour line must have been soggy and at times impassable.· Rock and ice falls scarred the slopes and the valley bottom was a sea of fine sand.· In the Itchen and Avon valleys in Hampshire the farms are apparently regularly spaced along the valley bottoms.
► floor· In the hummocky terrain of the valley floor the hollows, channels and gentle slopes are occupied by peat.· Most stayed, and more than 100 campers were moved inside from several flooded campgrounds on the valley floor.· Near Wolfstein the roads run along a valley floor, the hills on either side rising to above 1,000 feet.· The cooking fires were smoldering when we reached the valley floor, but the hamlet was empty of people.· Follows valley floors all the way, with close-up views of some daunting-looking peaks.· As a metaphor, consider the way rocks make their way to the valley floor.· Not all paths are defined, but valley floors are obvious; easy route-finding.· Most of the town is built on the valley floor, but the east and west sides rise into gentle hills.
► rift· Luisenlund Bronze Age monoliths and the rift valley of Ekkodal.· Seafloor spreading becomes tangible in the rift valleys of the mid-ocean ridges.· Upland masses exist on either side of a central rift valley.· Further evidence contradicting the traditional symmetric rift valley model comes from observations of their morphology and surface structure.· Some rift valleys are analogous to mid-oceanic ridges in experiencing shallow earthquakes and volcanicity.
► river· All records are for the river valleys, levels, or the coast.· Anticipating the attacks, de Lattre had strengthened the Red River valley with hundreds of cement blockhouses and new airfields.· As the climate gradually became cooler and more moist, humans again moved in, usually following river valleys.· We did a day walk up the Catlin's river valley.· The truck roared and ripped down the last descent to the river valley.· Other examples exist in Essex, Sussex, and in some of the big river valleys.· I watched as a rainstorm moved down the Platte River valley from the northwest.
► side· The field stretched in a long oblong down the valley side, filling their eyes.· Instead, she moved from the chair on the valley side of the porch to the bench on the trail side.· Most of this local iron ore was mined from shallow pits and from adits dug into the valley sides.· The slopes of the valley sides are often too steep to cultivate.· The valley sides steepened into a fjord-like inlet.· The many steep slopes of the valley sides make ploughing difficult and even dangerous.· At the water's edge snipe rise and trill, while on the valley side there are wheatears and redwings.· The middle course valleys are broader and the valley sides are less steep than in the upper course.
VERB► fill· Shadows began to fill the valleys below us.· Life is trying to fill the whole valley in.· If you fill in the valleys with the absent ocean, what d'ye get?· Twenty-foot drifts filled the valleys and swales, covering whatever frozen grass was left to eat.· And every spring the Great Spirits remember her sacrifice and fill the hills and valleys with those flowers.· His shouts would fill the whole valley, echoing from the dark green hills of bush.
the San Fernando ValleyCOLLOCATIONSADJECTIVES/NOUN + valleynarrow· The valley becomes narrower at this point.wide/broad· We looked down on the wide valley below.deep/steep· a bridge across a deep valleya river valley· The route passes through beautiful wooded river valleys.a green/wooded/lush valley (=one with a lot of plants or trees growing in it)· We were on a ridge above a green valley, with the mountains beyond it.the Thames/San Fernando etc Valley· There are extensive views across the Forth Valley.valley + NOUNthe valley floor· Most of the town is built on the valley floor.phrasesthe side of a valley· He looked across to the far side of the valley.the slopes of a valley· They live in houses of stone on the slopes of a wooded valley.the head of a valley (=the higher end of a valley)· There is a great waterfall at the head of a valley.the bottom of a valley· The stream in the bottom of the valley was spanned by a narrow bridge.THESAURUSvalley an area of lower land between two lines of hills or mountains, usually with a river flowing through it: · The route passes through a remote mountain valley.· a trek up the Gokyo Valley to see Mount Everestgorge a deep narrow valley with steep sides – often used in names, especially in Europe: · The river flows through a deep gorge.· Cheddar Gorgecanyon a deep valley with very steep sides – often used in names, especially in North and South America: · She looked down the side of the canyon.· We visited the Grand Canyon in Arizona.ravine a small valley with very steep sides: · He fell down a ravine.glen a deep narrow valley in Scotland or Ireland: · They followed the river along the glen.· the Glens of Antrimgully a small narrow valley, usually formed by a lot of rain flowing down the side of a hill: · They reached the top by scrambling up a gully.