[C] part of a plant that keeps it firmly in the soil and absorbs water and food from the soil （植物的）根（部）: a plant with very long roots 根部很长的植物 * pull a plant up by the roots 把一植物连根拔起. 
roots [pl] family ties, feelings, etc that attach a person emotionally and culturally to the society or community where he grew up and/or lives or where his ancestors lived （家族的）根: Many Americans have roots in Europe. 许多美国人祖籍在欧洲. * She has no real roots in this area. 她原籍不在这儿. 
[C] part of a hair, tooth, nail or tongue that attaches it to the rest of the body （毛发﹑ 牙齿﹑ 指甲或舌头的）根部: pull hair out by (ie complete with) the roots 把头发连根拔掉. 
[C esp sing 尤作单数] (fig 比喻) source or basis 根源; 根基; 根本; 基础: The root of the problem is lack of trust. 产生这问题的根源在於缺乏信任. * Money is often said to be the root of all evil. 金钱常常说成是万恶之源. 
[C] (also base form) (grammar) form of a word on which its other forms are said to be based 词根: `Walk' is the root of `walks', `walked', `walking' and `walker'. walk是 walks﹑ walked﹑ walking﹑ walker 的词根. 
[C] (mathematics 数) quantity which, when multiplied by itself a certain number of times, produces another quantity 方根; 根: 4 is the square root of 16 (4 x 4 = 16), the cube root of 64 (4 x 4 x 4 = 64) and the fourth root of 256 (4 x 4 x 4 x 4 = 256). 4是16的平方根﹑ 是64的立方根﹑ 是256的四次方根. =>App 4 见附录4. 
(idm习语) get at/get to/strike at the `root(s) of sth discover the source of sth (usu problematic or unpleasant) and tackle it there 找到某事物（通常指棘手的或讨厌的事物）的根源并加以解决. pull up one's roots => pull2. put down (new) `roots establish oneself in a place to which one has moved 在新的地方立足. ,root and `branch thorough(ly); complete(ly) 彻底（的）; 完全（的）: destroy an organization root and branch 彻底摧毁一个组织 * [attrib 作定语] root-and-branch reforms 全面的改革. the root cause (of sth) the fundamental cause 根本原因: He argues that one of the root causes of crime is poverty. 他认为犯罪的一个根本原因是贫穷. take/strike root (a) (of a plant) send down a root or roots （指植物）生根, 扎根. (b) (fig 比喻) become established 建立; 确立: a country where democracy has never really taken root 从未真正建立起民主制度的国家.> rootless adj having no root or roots 无根的; 无根基的: a rootless wandering life 飘泊无依的生活. rootlessness n [U].
# `root beer (esp US) non-alcoholic drink flavoured with the roots of various plants 根汁饮料（用植物根茎调味的不含酒精的饮料）.
`root-crop n crop grown for its edible roots, eg turnips, carrots, etc 根用作物, 块根植物（如萝卜等）.
`root vegetable edible root eaten as a vegetable, eg a turnip, carrot, etc 块根蔬菜（如萝卜等）.