accentuations
accentuations — verb
- accentuationspresent simple I / you / we / they
- accentuationses3rd person singular
- accentuationsing-ing form
- accentuationsedpast simple
1. to make a particular feature or quality stand out so that people notice it more
to make a particular feature or quality stand out so that people notice it more clearly
Karim's bright yellow tie accentuated the formal cut of his dark suit.
transitive: accentuate + noun phrase (concrete object)
The sharp morning light accentuated every wrinkle on the old leather sofa.
Lien chose a simple frame to accentuate the photograph's warm colours.
Deep green shutters accentuated the warm ochre of the Tuscan farmhouse walls.
Greta's heavy eyeliner served to accentuate her already striking green eyes.
- emphasize
more general and widely used; fits both speech and writing naturally
- highlight
suggests picking out one element from many as especially important
- underscore
adds a sense of urgency, often with negative or cautionary implications
文法句型
accentuate + noun phrase
用法筆記
Typically used with nouns describing visual or sensory qualities (colour, shape, feature, light, shadow). Less natural than 'emphasize' or 'stress' with purely abstract ideas.
常見錯誤
accentuations — noun
1. the action of drawing attention to a feature or quality so it becomes more notic
the action of drawing attention to a feature or quality so it becomes more noticeable, or the visible result of doing this
Rachid's accentuation of the word 'never' made his refusal perfectly clear.
accentuation of + specific word
The accentuation of shadows in Caravaggio's paintings creates a strong sense of depth.
Elena objected to the news story's accentuation of the scandal over the policy debate.
A slight accentuation of the cheekbones can change how a portrait is read.
The teacher's accentuation of key vocabulary helped the students remember the terms.
2. the matching of the stressed notes in a tune with the stressed syllables of the
the matching of the stressed notes in a tune with the stressed syllables of the words being sung
Bach's careful accentuation makes the German text feel natural within the chorale melody.
music domain: accentuation of text in vocal music
Poor accentuation can make a hymn sound clumsy, with words fighting against the tune.
The composer studied the poem's stresses before planning the accentuation of the vocal line.
Sivan noticed how the accentuation matched the natural rhythm of the Gaelic words.
用法筆記
Technical music term. In everyday contexts, use 'stress pattern' or describe how the words fit the tune instead.
3. the position of a strong beat within a musical phrase, whether it aligns with th
the position of a strong beat within a musical phrase, whether it aligns with the main pulse or works against it
The unexpected accentuation in the third bar gives the waltz a playful lilt.
Shanti's percussion part uses irregular accentuation to create a sense of forward motion.
music domain: irregular accentuation in percussion
Modern jazz often shifts the accentuation to weak beats for a surprising effect.
The conductor asked the brass section to soften their accentuation in the opening phrase.
用法筆記
Technical music term. Distinct from sense 2 (noun/2): this sense is about where accents fall relative to the meter, not about how they match up with lyrics.