aerate

/ˈeəreɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈereɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈer-ˌāt/ (ame, mw)

aerate — verb

  • aeratepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • aerateshe / she / it
  • aeratedpast simple
  • aerating-ing form

1. To add air or gas to a liquid — for example, to make it fizzy, to soften its fla

1.動詞及物B1
釋義

To add air or gas to a liquid — for example, to make it fizzy, to soften its flavour by letting it breathe, or to create foam. Common examples include carbonating soft drinks, aerating wine by pouring it into a decanter, and steaming milk for coffee.

例句

When you aerate white wine, you let it mix with air so that its flavour becomes softer and rounder.

pattern: aerate + by letting [it] mix with air

At the bottling plant, workers aerate the lemonade by injecting carbon dioxide before sealing the cans.

collocation: aerate + by injecting [gas]

同義詞
  • carbonate

    more specific — only refers to dissolving carbon dioxide under pressure; 'carbonate' is the usual term for making fizzy soft drinks

  • fizz

    informal verb focusing on the result (bubbles forming) rather than the process

反義詞
  • still

    describes a drink that has not been aerated; used as an adjective ('still water') rather than a verb antonym

文法句型

aerate + object (liquid)

aerate + object + with/by + method

常見錯誤

❌I aerated the balloon by blowing it up.
✅I inflated the balloon by blowing it up.
💡'Aerate' means adding gas to a liquid or soil, not filling an empty space like a balloon.

2. When you aerate soil or grass, you make small holes in it so that air can move t

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

When you aerate soil or grass, you make small holes in it so that air can move through and reach the roots of the plants. This helps the roots breathe and allows water and nutrients to sink in more easily.

例句

Gardeners aerate the lawn every spring by walking over it with a roller that has metal spikes.

collocation: aerate the lawn

After the heavy rain, David aerated the compacted soil around his tomato plants to help the roots dry out.

collocation: aerate + compacted soil

同義詞
  • loosen

    more general — 'loosen the soil' does not specifically mean letting air in, just making it less compact

  • cultivate

    broader term that includes aerating as one step; also covers weeding, turning soil, and preparing beds

反義詞
  • compact

    to press soil down so that air cannot circulate; the opposite of aerating

文法句型

aerate + object (soil/lawn/grass)

aerate + object + by + [method]

用法筆記

The object of this sense is almost always soil, grass, or lawn — not the plants themselves. You aerate the ground, not the plant.

常見錯誤

❌I aerated my house by opening the windows.
✅I ventilated my house by opening the windows.
💡'Aerate' in this sense is specific to soil and grass, not indoor air; use 'ventilate' or 'air out' for rooms.