learn*/*/*/

[lɜːn]

(past tense and past participle learnt [lɜːnt] learned; [lɜːnd] ) verb

1) [I/T] to gain knowledge or experience of something, for example by being taught

What did you learn at school today?[/ex]

The children are learning to swim this summer.[/ex]

I want to learn how to ride a motorbike.[/ex]

2) [T] to study something so that you remember it exactly

Syn:

memorize

I've got a list of German verbs to learn tonight.[/ex]

3) [I/T] to gain new information about a situation, event, or person

Syn:

find out

We didn't learn about the situation until it was too late.[/ex]

We were distressed to learn that American troops were the targets of the attack.[/ex]

4) [I] to improve your behaviour as a result of gaining greater experience or knowledge of something

His girlfriend's left him again. Some people never learn, do they?[/ex]

•

learn your lesson — to be unlikely to do something stupid or wrong again, because the last time you did it something unpleasant happened[/ex]

■ When you learn, you gain knowledge or skills through experience or as a result of practising, reading, or being taught: I am learning to play the guitar. ♦ He wanted to learn about life in ancient Rome. ■ When you study, you make an effort to learn a particular subject, usually by going to classes or reading and doing research: He studied geography at university. ♦ If you want to learn English you must study hard.