glass

A drinking container

Glass can mean the container itself or the amount of drink it holds.

• a glass of water (quantity phrase): The amount of water held in one drinking glass. Could I have a glass of water, please?
• drinking glass (compound noun): A glass container used for drinks. Put a clean drinking glass beside each plate.
• raise a glass (verb phrase): To lift a drink as part of a toast. We raised a glass to the new graduates.
• refill a glass (verb phrase): To put more drink into a glass. The server refilled our glasses without being asked.

The material

As a material, glass is usually uncountable. Broken glass refers to sharp pieces as a mass, not individual glasses.

• broken glass (noun phrase): Glass that has shattered into pieces. Keep children away from the broken glass.
• window glass (compound noun): The sheets of glass fitted into windows. The old window glass makes the view look uneven.
• glass bottle (noun phrase): A bottle made of glass. Please place the glass bottle in the recycling bin.
• made of glass (material phrase): Having glass as the main material. The display case is made of glass.

Figurative phrases

These expressions use glass to talk about attitude, limits, or protection.

• the glass is half full (idiom): A positive way of viewing an incomplete or difficult situation. She tends to see the glass as half full.
• the glass is half empty (idiom): A negative or pessimistic view of the same situation. He always thinks the glass is half empty.
• glass ceiling (idiom): An invisible barrier that limits advancement, especially at work. The report examines the glass ceiling in senior management.
• under glass (prepositional phrase): Protected or displayed behind glass. The original manuscript is kept under glass.

Sentence frames

• a glass of + drink: Name the drink or liquid after of. He ordered a glass of orange juice.
• made of + glass: Describe glass as the material rather than a container. The roof is made of reinforced glass.