oasis in the city
1
3.8
- noun
- Many coffee shops try to be an oasis in the city for urban dwellers seeking relaxation.
Examples
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This park is an oasis in the city.
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Her rooftop garden was an oasis in the city, filled with flowers and quiet corners.
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The central park became an oasis in the city for people needing a break from traffic and noise.
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Finding an oasis in the city can be challenging.
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The park is a lovely oasis in the city, where people can relax away from the hustle and bustle.
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Many residents see the community garden as an oasis in the city, providing a quiet retreat amidst urban life.
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The art gallery serves as an oasis in the city, offering a serene environment for visitors to enjoy and reflect.
Synonyms
301
4.0
A place or state of perfect happiness and peace
142
4.1
A safe place where people go to escape danger
95
4.2
A quiet place where you can relax alone
49
4.1
A calm safe place that gives relief in hard times
20
6.8
A place or state that has great happiness and peace
16
9.8
An imaginary perfect, peaceful place where people feel very happy and safe
8
8.6
An imagined peaceful place in nature where people live simply and happily
1
3.9
A calm, peaceful place surrounded by noise or busy activity
How Peaceful
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is directly compositional: combining 'oasis' (a restorative/safe place) with the locative 'in the city' yields the straightforward meaning of a peaceful or restful spot located within an urban area. The metaphorical use of 'oasis' for a calm refuge is common across languages and involves no opaque idiomatic shift, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words should be able to infer the meaning.
Etymology
The phrase oasis in the city comes from the image of an oasis in a desert: a small green place with water and shade surrounded by dry land. When people call a park or coffee shop an oasis in the city, they mean it is a calm, restful spot that gives relief from noise and busy streets, so it now means 'a peaceful place' in a busy urban area.