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                           general:: 
                              noun ADJ.  fine, thin Everything was covered with a fine layer of dust. | deep, generous, heavy, thick Mulch with a generous layer of peat or compost. | bottom, inner, lower, middle, outer, surface, top, upper the upper layers of the earth's atmosphere | double | protective a protective layer of black plastic | ozone holes in the ozone layer VERB + LAYER  form Use enough gravel to form a layer about 50mm thick. | be covered by/with The body had been covered with a thin layer of soil. LAYER + NOUN  cake PREP.  beneath/under a/the ~ Beneath the surface layer of the skin are several further layers. | in ~s The building is constructed in layers. | ~ of an extra layer of clothing a layer of bureaucracy multiple layers of meaning PHRASES  layer after/on/upon layer The remains lay buried under layer upon layer of black earth.
                        
                        
 
                        
                            Oxford Collocations Dictionary