accent
accent — noun
1. the recognisable way someone speaks that reveals where they grew up or which soc
the recognisable way someone speaks that reveals where they grew up or which social group they belong to, including their pronunciation and sometimes word choice.
Amara has a soft Irish accent that makes everyone smile when she answers the phone.
have + [adjective] + [region] accent
After ten years in Tokyo, Tomás still speaks Japanese with a heavy Spanish accent.
speak [language] with a [region] accent
The new teacher had a Glasgow accent, so the children leaned forward to catch every word.
I could tell from her accent that she was from a small town in Texas.
The actor practised a posh British accent for three months before filming began.
- pronunciation
broader; refers to how any word is said, not the regional pattern
- dialect
wider in scope — covers vocabulary and grammar, not just sound
- twang
informal; usually a nasal Southern American or country accent
- brogue
specifically an Irish or Scottish rural accent
文法句型
have a [region] accent
speak with a [region] accent
用法筆記
Often paired with adjectives describing region (Irish, French), strength (heavy, slight, thick), or social class (posh, working-class). Distinguish from sense 3 (STRESS): an accent is the overall sound of someone's speech, while stress falls on a single syllable.
常見錯誤
2. a tiny symbol like ´ or ` written just above a letter, signalling that the lette
a tiny symbol like ´ or ` written just above a letter, signalling that the letter should sound different or carry the stress when read aloud.
The word 'café' takes an accent on the final 'e' to show the vowel is pronounced.
take an accent on + [letter]
Beatriz forgot the accent on 'résumé', and her professor circled it in red ink.
French uses three main accents: the acute, the grave, and the circumflex.
On a Spanish keyboard, you press a special key before the vowel to add an accent.
- diacritic
more technical; covers any mark added to a letter, including dots and tildes
- accent mark
everyday equivalent; often used interchangeably
文法句型
acute/grave/circumflex accent
用法筆記
Often appears with the named type as a modifier: 'acute accent' (´), 'grave accent' (`), 'circumflex accent' (ˆ). Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is a written mark you can see on the page, not a spoken sound.
常見錯誤
3. the extra force or loudness given to one syllable inside a word, to a key word w
the extra force or loudness given to one syllable inside a word, to a key word within a spoken sentence, or to a particular beat in poetry or music.
In the word 'photograph', the accent falls on the first syllable, not the second.
accent falls on [syllable]
Move the accent from 'PHOtograph' to 'phoTOgrapher' and the sound of the word changes completely.
Greek poets placed the accent on every second syllable to create a marching rhythm.
Beginners often put the accent on the wrong syllable when they read new words aloud.
文法句型
accent falls on [syllable]
用法筆記
Verbs like 'fall on', 'put on', 'shift', and 'move' commonly govern this sense. Distinguish from sense 4 (MUSIC MARK): sense 3 is the stress itself; sense 4 is the symbol written above a note.
常見錯誤
4. a small symbol written above a note in sheet music, telling the player to hit th
a small symbol written above a note in sheet music, telling the player to hit that note harder than the notes around it.
The composer placed an accent above every downbeat to give the piece a strong march feel.
place an accent above [note]
Watch for the accents on the third beat of each bar, and play those notes with extra force.
The piano teacher circled every accent in the score so Beatriz would not miss them.
An accent in jazz often falls on the off-beat, which gives the music its swinging feel.
- accent mark
fully interchangeable in music contexts
- stress mark
less common; sometimes used in beginner music books
用法筆記
Found mainly in printed music. Distinguish from sense 3: this sense is the written symbol on the page, while sense 3 is the audible stress that a performer produces.
5. a special focus or weight given to one quality, idea, or part of something, trea
a special focus or weight given to one quality, idea, or part of something, treating it as the most important or noticeable feature.
At our school, the accent is on creativity rather than memorising facts for exams.
the accent is on [quality]
The new menu places the accent on fresh local vegetables instead of imported meat.
place the accent on [thing]
Coach Zane put the accent on teamwork during every Monday morning practice.
Their wedding plans had the accent on simplicity, with only twenty close friends invited.
文法句型
the accent is on [noun]
place/put the accent on
用法筆記
Almost always used with prepositional 'on' + noun. The verb is 'put', 'place', or 'be': 'the accent is on quality'. Slightly formal; in everyday speech, 'emphasis' or 'focus' is more common.
常見錯誤
6. a small detail in a design — such as a bright colour, a piece of trim, or a sing
a small detail in a design — such as a bright colour, a piece of trim, or a single object — added to draw the eye and stand out against everything around it.
Amara painted the front door bright red as a cheerful accent against the grey stone wall.
as an accent against [background]
A few yellow cushions add a warm accent to the otherwise plain white sofa.
add a [colour] accent
The designer used silver buttons as the only metallic accent on the dark blue jacket.
Small green plants serve as a fresh accent in the otherwise minimalist office.
文法句型
[colour/feature] accent
用法筆記
Common in interior design and fashion writing. Often modified by a colour or material word: 'red accent', 'gold accent', 'wooden accent'. Compound 'accent wall' (= a single wall painted a different colour) is very common in home design.
accent — verb
1. to make one part of something stand out so that people pay extra attention to it
to make one part of something stand out so that people pay extra attention to it, often by adding a contrasting detail or shape.
The black belt accents Amara's red dress and gives it a more elegant shape.
accent + noun (clothing/design context)
Soft lighting accents the carved wood on the old church doors at sunset.
The chef accented the simple soup with a swirl of bright green herb oil.
Tall mirrors accent the ceiling height and make the small room feel airy.
- downplay
to make something look less important or noticeable
文法句型
accent + noun
accent + noun + with + noun
用法筆記
Slightly formal; common in design, fashion, and food writing. The pattern 'accent X with Y' is frequent. In everyday speech, 'highlight' or 'emphasise' is more natural.
常見錯誤
2. to say a syllable, word, or musical note with more force than the ones near it,
to say a syllable, word, or musical note with more force than the ones near it, so that listeners notice it.
Tomás accented the wrong syllable in 'photographer', and the whole class started giggling.
accent + [syllable]
Native speakers usually accent the second syllable in the verb 'record'.
The pianist accented every third note to bring out the waltz rhythm.
When you read a question aloud, accent the key word so the listener knows what you are asking about.
文法句型
accent + syllable/word
用法筆記
Mostly used in language teaching, phonetics, and music. Distinguish from verb sense 1: sense 2 is purely about sound (syllable, note), while sense 1 is about visual or general prominence.