art
art — noun
- artsingular
- artsplural
1. the activity of using imagination and skill to create things that people find be
the activity of using imagination and skill to create things that people find beautiful or emotionally powerful
Élise makes art in her attic studio when she needs quiet after work.
make art + in + place
The festival showed how street art can carry anger, humor, and hope.
street art as public expression
Lan turned her grief into art by sewing family photos into cloth banners.
For Ritu, art is a way to say difficult things without speaking aloud.
- creativity
focuses on the ability to imagine new ideas, not the finished cultural activity itself
- artistry
stresses refined skill and style within creative work
- utility
emphasizes practical function rather than expression or beauty
文法句型
make art
art as self-expression
用法筆記
Usually uncountable and broad, covering the act of creative expression rather than one school subject or one finished object. Distinguish from sense 2, which focuses on visual-art practice, and sense 3, which refers to the finished works.
2. the practice or school subject of drawing, painting, sculpture, and similar visu
the practice or school subject of drawing, painting, sculpture, and similar visual work
Christopher chose art because he loved mixing paint more than solving equations.
choose art as a subject
The children had art after lunch and filled the room with paper birds.
have art after lunch
Sari stayed late in the art room to finish her charcoal portrait.
Our school added more art so students could draw, print, and build things.
- science
contrasts with this subject in many school timetables
文法句型
study art
art class
be good at art
用法筆記
Common in school contexts with words like class, room, teacher, and project. Distinguish from sense 1, which is the broad idea of creative expression, and sense 3, which refers to works that already exist.
常見錯誤
3. paintings, sculptures, and similar creative objects considered as a group
paintings, sculptures, and similar creative objects considered as a group
The museum loaned its best art to Taipei for a summer show.
loan art to + place
Adisa saves money to buy art from young painters at the night market.
buy art from + artist
A burst pipe damaged several pieces of art in the hotel lobby.
The gallery stores delicate art in dark rooms with steady air.
- artwork
very close, often used for one piece or a set of works
- works of art
slightly more formal and explicitly countable
- junk
suggests objects are seen as worthless rather than valuable or expressive
文法句型
buy art
collect art
piece of art
用法筆記
This sense refers to finished works that can be collected, sold, displayed, or damaged. Unlike sense 1, the focus is on the objects themselves, not on the process of making them.
常見錯誤
4. a particular kind of creative activity that people use to express ideas, feeling
a particular kind of creative activity that people use to express ideas, feelings, or style
Otis treats cooking as an art, not just a way to fill plates.
treat something as an art
Many critics still argue that video games are an art.
argue that something is an art
The director believes documentary film is an art with its own rhythm.
Dance became a healing art in the clinic's weekly support program.
- routine
suggests mechanical repetition instead of expressive creation
文法句型
be an art
treat something as an art
用法筆記
Often appears after 'an' in patterns like 'film is an art' or 'cooking as an art'. It names one branch or medium, unlike sense 5, which groups many creative fields together.
5. music, theatre, dance, literature, and similar creative fields thought of togeth
music, theatre, dance, literature, and similar creative fields thought of together
Constanza has worked in the arts since college, first in theatre and later in publishing.
work in the arts
City leaders cut arts funding, and three youth orchestras closed within a year.
arts funding
The scholarship supports students who want careers in the arts.
Jason left banking to build a nonprofit that serves the arts.
- cultural sector
broader and more policy-focused than this everyday phrase
- creative fields
modern and broad, but less tied to traditional culture
- the sciences
contrasts with the creative fields in education and policy contexts
文法句型
work in the arts
funding for the arts
用法筆記
Usually appears as 'the arts' or before nouns like funding, center, and education. Unlike sense 4, it refers to the whole cultural sector rather than one art form.
常見錯誤
6. school or university studies about language, history, literature, and human cult
school or university studies about language, history, literature, and human culture instead of scientific study
Kian switched from chemistry to the arts after discovering medieval history.
switch to the arts
The college requires every business major to take one arts course.
arts course
Emily was strongest in the arts, especially languages and literature.
Our dean wants the arts and sciences to share more first-year classes.
- humanities
very close in academic settings, though sometimes slightly narrower
- liberal arts
often refers to a broader educational tradition rather than only the subjects
- science
the direct academic contrast in school subject groupings
文法句型
study the arts
arts course
arts and sciences
用法筆記
Common in schools and universities, especially in phrases like arts degree, arts course, and arts and sciences. It contrasts with science study, not with creativity in general.
常見錯誤
7. a practised ability to do something in an especially effective or graceful way
a practised ability to do something in an especially effective or graceful way
Tamar has turned small talk into an art, even with nervous guests.
turn something into an art
Packing for two toddlers is an art that Miguel learned slowly.
something is an art
The nurse made the art of listening look simple during the night shift.
Negotiating rent without anger is an art in this crowded city.
- clumsiness
shows a lack of control or graceful ability
文法句型
the art of + -ing
turn something into an art
用法筆記
Very common in 'the art of ...ing' and in sentences where a difficult social or practical skill is being described. It points to practised ability rather than paintings, school subjects, or cultural institutions.