核心畫面

Picture a fine dry substance broken into countless tiny loose grains, like flour or dust — light enough to pour, scatter, or blow away, and to coat whatever it lands on.

可以想成一堆磨得極細的乾燥小顆粒,像麵粉或灰塵那樣鬆散——輕到可以倒、可以撒、可以被風吹走,落在東西上還會薄薄鋪成一更多收起可以想成一堆磨得極細的乾燥小顆粒,像麵粉或灰塵那樣鬆散——輕到可以倒、可以撒、可以被風吹走,落在東西上還會薄薄鋪成一層。powder 這個字的所有用法,多半都從這個「乾而細的鬆散顆粒」的畫面長出來。

Three branches

細粉本身(各種粉末)

這一組就是核心畫面的直接延伸:任何磨成細小鬆散顆粒的乾燥物質都叫 powder,差別只在是什麼材料、用來做什麼。

powder (substance) · noun · B1

A dry substance made of very tiny loose grains, like flour or dust.

粉;粉末

火藥這一支(gunpowder 與其比喻)

火藥本身也是一種黑色細粉,所以叫 powder;但它多了「一點火就猛烈燃燒、爆炸」的性格,於是這一支的畫面比較特別——同樣是粉,卻是隨時會炸的粉,幾個成語都從這個危險性長出來。

gunpowder · noun · B1

A special powder that can burn very fast and explode; a short word for gunpowder, used in fireworks and old cannons.

火藥

動詞:撲粉、上粉

把名詞的「粉」拿來當動作用:對某物撒上或抹上細粉。核心畫面沒變,只是從「那堆粉」變成「往上撲那堆粉」這個動作。

apply powder · verb · B1

To spread a fine dry substance over something, especially over your face or another part of your skin.

撲粉;抹粉

原始詞典資料14 筆記錄

以下是外部詞典記錄的用法,原文照列,我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的;有些用法可能上面已經講過了。

Powdername

  • 1

    A surname.

powdernoun/ˈpaʊ.də(ɹ)/

  • 1

    The fine particles which are the result of reducing a dry substance by pounding, grinding, or triturating, or the result of decay; dust.

    • Let me goe grin'd their Bones to powder ſmall, […]
    • Let them stop fretting about vegetables denied by the weather and eat chilli powder. Just explain to them that they really shouldn’t think about spiralising it, because that doesn’t work.
  • 2

    slangThe fine particles which are the result of reducing a dry substance by pounding, grinding, or triturating, or the result of decay; dust.

  • 3

    cosmeticslifestyleA mixture of fine dry, sweet-smelling particles applied to the face or other body parts, to reduce shine or to alleviate chaffing.

    • She was redolent of violet sachet powder, and had warm, soft, white hands, but she danced divinely, moving as smoothly as the tide coming in.
  • 4

    An explosive mixture used in gunnery, blasting, etc.; gunpowder.

    • Tut, tut, good enough to toſſe: foode for Powder, foode for Powder: they'll fill a Pit, as well as better: tuſh man, mortall men, mortall men.

powderverb/ˈpaʊ.də(ɹ)/

  • 1

    To reduce to fine particles; to pound, grind, or rub into a powder.

    • 25 October 2016, Bettina Elias Siegel writing in New York Times, Should the Food Industry Sneak Vegetables Into Food? In desperation, they dried fruits and vegetables in an old food dehydrator they had, then used their coffee grinder to powder the produce...
  • 2

    To sprinkle with powder, or as if with powder.

    • to powder one's hair
    • 23 March 2016, Seth Augenstein in Laboratory Equipment, FDA Proposes Ban on Powdered Surgical Gloves, Decades after Documenting Health Dangers Gloves were powdered for more than a century to allow doctors and surgeons to slip them on more easily.
  • 3

    To use powder on the hair or skin.

    • 1778-1787, Frances Burney, The Diary and Letters of Madame D'Arblay If she is grave, and reads steadily on, she dismisses me, whether I am dressed or not; but at all times she never forgets to send me away while she is powdering, with a consideration not to spoil my clothes
  • 4

    To turn into powder; to become powdery.

    • Ample evidence is brought forward to show that the higher incidence of chronic interstitial nephritis in Queensland is due to lead paint on the verandahs and railings of the houses, which powders easily during the long Australian summer.
  • 5

    obsoleteTo sprinkle with salt; to corn, as meat.

  • 6

    slangTo depart suddenly; to "take a powder".

    • Miss Gibson appeared in the empty hall, her eyes wide and shocked. The little man who had started all the trouble with his singing telegram had powdered.

這個拼法也被記錄為下列字的變化形:

資料來源:英文維基詞典 English WiktionaryCC BY-SA 4.0)。 原文照列,未經改寫。