noun

• 1A swollen edible bulb used as a vegetable, having a pungent taste and smell and composed of several concentric layers.

  ‘cook the onion in the oil until lightly coloured’

  More example sentences

  • ‘onion rings’
  • ‘In another saucepan cook the garlic and spring onions in the vegetable oil until the onion is soft but not brown.’
  • ‘Sweat the onion and diced vegetables in a little olive oil, they should soften and turn golden without browning.’
  • ‘To relieve the tension we joked about going home to the smell of grilled onions and peppers.’
  • ‘Heat the olive oil and cook the onion gently for 5 minutes, or until lightly golden.’
  • ‘The dish is filled with layers of browned lamb or mutton chops and layers of onions and thickly sliced potatoes.’
  • ‘Warm the oil in a shallow pan then cook the onions, chillies and garlic till soft but not coloured.’
  • ‘Top and tail the green beans, peel the baby onions or cut the spring onion into 2.5cm pieces.’
  • ‘Get a nice big frying pan and fry both onion and bacon in the olive oil until the onions are soft, about five or six minutes or so.’
  • ‘Cook the onions and red pepper in the oil for 10 minutes or until softened.’
  • ‘Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion, ginger and cumin seeds for 5 min.’
  • ‘The onions taste like they have been put in raw so there is a definite bitter taste.’
  • ‘Fork through the remaining butter with the peas, then spoon on to a warmed platter in a mound and scatter over the onion rings.’
  • ‘Melt half the butter in a shallow pan and cook the onion till soft and tender, stirring from time to time.’
  • ‘The onion rings had a charming light batter on them, but the frozen French fries were poor.’
  • ‘Fry the onion in the olive oil in a large frying pan, stirring occasionally, until it begins to colour.’
  • ‘Heat up some olive oil in a large saucepan and cook the onions on medium heat for a few minutes.’
  • ‘Heat the olive oil and gently cook the onions in a good solid saucepan for five minutes.’
  • ‘Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot, and cook the onion for five minutes.’
  • ‘Warm the olive oil in a shallow pan, peel and finely slice the onion and let it cook slowly in the oil with the bay leaf.’
  • ‘Add the leeks and onions and cook half an hour or until lightly browned and soft.’

  Synonyms

  facts, information, data, subject, discipline
• 2The plant that produces the onion, with long rolled or straplike leaves and spherical heads of greenish-white flowers.

  Allium cepa, family Liliaceae (or Alliaceae)

  ‘Well I didn't get around to planting the onions last night, but I did dig up the second potato barrel.’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Bend over the leaves of spring-sown onions just above the neck of each bulb, to help the ripening process.’
  • ‘Plant it among the cabbages and with onions and carrots to repel carrot fly.’
  • ‘I was picking carrots and onions from the ground and had to strip off the leaves because it was basil.’
  • ‘I've also bought some more tubs, so should finally be able to plant the rest of the onions tomorrow.’
  • ‘One of the oldest known herbs, garlic, is grown like an onion until the tops yellow and fall over.’
  • ‘I used to grow large acreages of potatoes, onions, and soy beans, along with maize.’