console
kuhn-SOHL
Console (noun) means a panel or unit holding the controls for a machine, vehicle or electronic system. Example: “The pilot pressed a button on the central console.”
noun
1
A panel or unit holding the controls for a machine, vehicle or electronic system.
"The pilot pressed a button on the central console."
"A sound engineer sat behind the mixing console during the concert."
"The engineer checked the readings on the console."
2
A games machine that connects to a television or screen.
"My brother plugged the console into the television and picked up a controller."
"Which games console are you saving up for this year?"
"They spent the weekend playing on the new console."
verb
1
To comfort someone who is upset, grieving, or disappointed.
"She put an arm around her friend to console her after the bad news."
"He tried to console his sister after the loss."
"There was little anyone could say to console the family."
How to use console
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo make someone feel a little better after something bad happens.
Common mistake
Don't confuse this verb (pronounced con-SOLE, "to comfort") with the noun console (CON-sole, a control panel or games device) — same spelling, different word and stress.
Easily confused with
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- consoles
- Past tense
- consoled
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The pilot pressed a button on the central _____.
Etymology
From French consoler, from Latin consolari, "to comfort" — ultimately from a root meaning "solace."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for console
See all rhymes for console →Frequently asked questions
What does “console” mean?
The word “console” means to comfort someone who is upset, grieving, or disappointed. In plain terms, to make someone feel a little better after something bad happens.
How do you pronounce “console”?
“Console” is pronounced kuhn-SOHL (/kənˈsoʊl/ in IPA).
How do you use “console” in a sentence?
Here is “console” used in a sentence: “He tried to console his sister after the loss.”
What part of speech is “console”?
“Console” is a verb.
Where does the word “console” come from?
The word “console” comes from Latin. From French consoler, from Latin consolari, "to comfort" — ultimately from a root meaning "solace.".
Is “console” a common word?
“Console” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
What is the difference between console and comfort?
Both verbs mean to ease someone's distress. Comfort is the broader everyday word and can include physical soothing, while console specifically means comforting someone who is upset, grieving, or disappointed, and it sounds slightly more formal — friends console the bereaved at a funeral.
What is the difference between console and condole?
You console a person directly, offering them comfort in their grief or disappointment. Condole is a rarer, more formal verb meaning to express sympathy, and it takes "with" — you condole with someone. Its related noun, condolences, is far more common than the verb.
Is the verb console the same word as a games console?
No — they are separate words that share a spelling. The verb console, stressed on the second syllable (con-SOLE), means to comfort someone who is upset, while the noun console, stressed on the first syllable (CON-sole), names a control panel, cabinet, or games machine.
What is the noun form of the verb console?
The noun is consolation: the act of consoling, or something that makes a loss easier to bear. This is the sense behind "consolation prize," an award given to soften the disappointment of not winning.
