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to bury the time capsule

to bury the time capsule

1 6.6
To put a box with items in the ground to be opened later
  • phrasal verb
  • /ˈbɛri ðə taɪm ˈkæpsəl/
: enterrar la cápsula del tiempo
  • Last summer, the community came together to bury the time capsule containing letters and photos from 2022.

Examples

  • Do you remember the day your students buried the time capsule?

  • The students gathered to bury the time capsule at the park for future generations to discover.

  • Every year, the school organizes an event to bury the time capsule filled with mementos from the current class.

Synonyms

to bury
vsto bury the time capsule
∞ 1.7

To put something in the ground and cover it with soil, for example a body or treasure

intends a sealed container to be put in ground for later discovery
to archive
vsto bury the time capsule
30 3.9

To store documents or emails in a safe place for long-term keeping and later use

puts a sealed container into the ground intended for later discovery
to stash away
vsto bury the time capsule
  • Informal
13 4.9

Put something in a hidden place to use later

positions a sealed container in the ground so others can find it later
to store away
vsto bury the time capsule
3 2.6

To put something in a safe place to use later

places a sealed container into the ground for planned later discovery

How Long

to archive
30 3.9
to preserve
496 3.4
to bury the time capsule
1 6.6
to store
463 1.0
to discard
130 2.7

Surface Forms

buried the time capsule past participle
burying the time capsule present participle
buries the time capsule third person singular

Morphology

bury + the + time + capsule

The verb 'bury' (to put into the earth) combined with the compound 'time capsule' (a capsule related to time — a container for items intended for future opening) yields a directly compositional meaning: to place such a container in the ground for later discovery. A B1 learner who knows 'bury', 'time', and 'capsule' can readily infer this sense because it follows normal English verb + noun compositional patterns and is conceptually transparent.

Etymology

The phrase bury the time capsule comes from the real act of putting keepsakes or notes into a box and then placing that box in the ground; people bury a time capsule so future people can find it. That's why it means 'to place a container of objects or messages in the ground to be opened later'.