blubber
[blˈʌbɚ] /ˈblə-bər/ (ame, mw) · /ˈblʌb.ər/ (bre, ipa) · [blˈʌbɚ] /ˈblʌb.ɚ/ (ame, ipa)
blubber — noun
1. a soft, fatty padding that lies just beneath the skin of large sea animals, keep
a soft, fatty padding that lies just beneath the skin of large sea animals, keeping their bodies warm and acting as an energy reserve for times when food is scarce
The whale's thick blubber keeps it warm in the freezing Arctic waters.
collocation: thick blubber
Hundreds of years ago, sailors burned blubber in lamps to light their ships.
blubber as fuel source
Seals rely on their blubber to survive the long winter without eating.
The research team measured the blubber thickness of the beached whale.
- fat
more general term for animal fat deposits
- fatty tissue
medical/technical term for the layer of fat cells
用法筆記
Uncountable; frequently modified by the animal name (whale blubber, seal blubber). The fat layer is called blubber regardless of whether the animal is alive or dead.
常見錯誤
2. a large amount of unwanted fat on a person's body, often used humorously or as a
a large amount of unwanted fat on a person's body, often used humorously or as a mild criticism
The doctor warned Stefan that his blubber was putting pressure on his heart.
informal use for human body fat
After years of eating badly, Emre finally decided to get rid of his blubber.
Dahlia patted her belly and joked about the blubber from too many holidays.
The fitness trainer helped them turn their blubber into muscle over six months.
- flab
softer and more critical, often about loose skin and fat
- spare tyre
British informal, refers specifically to belly fat
- bulge
less harsh, refers to noticeable fat in one area
- muscle
lean body tissue — blubber implies unhealthy weight
用法筆記
Informal and often self-deprecating or teasing. Avoid in formal health or medical discussions — use 'body fat' or 'excess weight' instead. Distinguish from sense 1 (WHALE FAT), which is non-judgmental and technical.
常見錯誤
3. the act of crying in a loud and uncontrolled way that sounds like a young child'
the act of crying in a loud and uncontrolled way that sounds like a young child's crying
After hearing the sad news, Sade had a fit of blubbering in the kitchen.
collocation: fit of blubbering
The toddler's blubbering could be heard from three rooms away in the house.
Nikhil tried to control his blubbering so he could explain what had happened.
All the blubbering stopped when the lost puppy was found under the porch.
- crying fit
more neutral, less vivid than blubbering
- sobbing
quieter and with shorter breaths
- weeping
more formal and less noisy than blubbering
- composure
state of emotional control, opposite of losing control in blubbering
用法筆記
Uncountable noun describing the act of blubbering. Cannot be used with 'a' (though 'a fit of blubbering' is correct). Distinguish from sense 1 (WHALE FAT) and sense 2 (EXCESS BODY FAT), which are entirely unrelated in meaning.
常見錯誤
blubber — verb
- blubberpresent simple I / you / we / they
- blubbers3rd person singular
- blubbering-ing form
- blubberedpast simple
1. to weep in an extremely noisy and uncontrolled manner, making sniffling or gurgl
to weep in an extremely noisy and uncontrolled manner, making sniffling or gurgling sounds similar to those of a crying child; also describes speaking while crying in this manner
The little boy blubbered loudly after dropping his ice cream on the pavement.
intransitive: blubbering without direct object
Haruto blubbered something about losing his wallet, but nobody understood him.
Stefan blubbered that the cat had run away during the storm and would not return.
Ayana told her little brother to stop blubbering and explain what was wrong.
Selim blubbered all through the sad movie, soaking his sleeve with tears.
- laugh
opposite emotional expression
- compose oneself
to regain emotional control after crying
文法句型
blubber + about + noun phrase
blubber + that-clause
blubber + speech
用法筆記
Intransitive use (blubber without an object) is the most common pattern. When transitive, the object is either quoted speech or a that-clause. Never takes a person as direct object ('blubbered him' is incorrect). Distinguish from cry (more neutral) and sob (quieter, shakier breathing).