caged
/keɪdʒ/ (bre, ipa) · [kˈedʒd] /keɪdʒ/ (ame, ipa) · [kˈedʒd] /ˈkāj/ (ame, mw) · /keɪdʒd/ (bre, ipa) · [kˈedʒd] /keɪdʒd/ (ame, ipa)
caged — verb
- cagedpresent simple I / you / we / they
- cageds3rd person singular
- cageding-ing form
- cagededpast simple
1. to place or confine an animal inside a barred or wired enclosure so it cannot wa
to place or confine an animal inside a barred or wired enclosure so it cannot wander freely.
Gabriel caged the injured eagle in a large wire pen until it was strong enough to fly again.
cage + noun phrase + in + place
The stray cats were caged overnight and taken to the animal shelter the next morning.
passive: be caged
After the parrot bit the repairman, Leo caged it in a small carrier near the kitchen window.
Tanvi caged her pet rabbit each night to stop the dog from chasing it around the house.
The auctioneer caged the roosters separately so they would not fight before the county fair.
文法句型
cage + noun phrase (animal)
be caged in/inside + place
用法筆記
Frequently passive. The agent (who does the caging) is often omitted when the focus is on the animal's situation rather than the person responsible.
常見錯誤
caged — adjective
- cagedpositive
- cagedercomparative
- cagedestsuperlative
1. describing an animal or person who is confined inside a barred or wired enclosur
describing an animal or person who is confined inside a barred or wired enclosure and unable to move about freely.
The caged parrot repeated every word the visitors said in a loud, cheerful squawk.
caged + animal noun (attributive)
Ayesha could not bear to look at the caged monkeys at the old zoo near her school.
The songbird sang more sweetly when caged than any of the free birds in the garden outside.
Henry felt caged in his tiny office with no windows and a desk that barely fit two people.
The rescued dogs had been caged for months before the shelter found each one a good home.
- confined
broader; can apply to any enclosed space, not just cages
- trapped
stronger emotional tone; suggests the creature cannot escape at all
- imprisoned
formal; compares the cage to a prison
文法句型
caged + noun (animal)
feel caged
用法筆記
When used figuratively (feel caged), the subject is a person and the 'cage' is a place or situation — a small room, a strict job, a controlling relationship. Distinguish from adj/2 sense of 'cage' (Restriction) which is a noun describing the restrictive thing itself.
常見錯誤
caged — noun
1. a box-like structure with metal bars or wire mesh that forms a closed area for h
a box-like structure with metal bars or wire mesh that forms a closed area for holding birds and other animals safely.
The tiger paced back and forth inside its cage while the children watched from a safe distance.
inside its cage (prepositional phrase)
Romi cleaned the rabbit's cage every Saturday morning before the family went to the market.
The zoo built a much larger cage for the chimpanzees with climbing frames and hiding spots.
James opened the hamster's cage carefully and let the tiny animal run across the palm of his hand.
The old iron cage in the barn had not been used since the family stopped raising chickens years ago.
文法句型
in/inside a cage
put/keep + noun + in a cage
a + adj + cage
常見錯誤
2. a situation, system, or set of conditions that traps a person and prevents them
a situation, system, or set of conditions that traps a person and prevents them from living freely or following their own wishes.
Inês felt trapped in the cage of her own fears, unable to apply for the job she truly wanted.
figurative: cage of + abstract noun (fears)
The small fishing village became a golden cage for the young artist who dreamed of seeing the world.
golden cage (common collocation)
Kian broke free from the cage of corporate rules and started his own food truck in the city center.
For many office workers the daily commute feels like part of an invisible cage that shrinks year after year.
Ziad described his high-paying banking job as a beautiful cage that left no room for joy or rest.
- freedom
the state of being able to act and live as one wishes
文法句型
a cage of + abstract noun (fear/rules/expectations)
trapped/living in a cage
用法筆記
Almost always figurative. The 'cage' in this sense is not a real metal structure but a metaphor — a job, a relationship, a town, or a set of rules. Common in the phrase 'golden cage' (a comfortable but restrictive situation).
常見錯誤
3. the netted frame positioned at each end of an ice hockey rink that players aim t
the netted frame positioned at each end of an ice hockey rink that players aim to shoot the puck into to score.
Ramón shot the puck past the goalie and into the cage with only three seconds left on the clock.
shoot (puck) into the cage
The defender slid across the ice to block the shot before it reached the cage.
Hana watched the puck hit the back of the cage and raised both arms in victory.
The goalie guarded the cage fiercely and stopped all fifteen shots in the final period of the game.
Fans threw their hats onto the ice when the captain scored into the empty cage and won the match.
文法句型
shoot + (puck) + into the cage
defend/guard the cage
hit the cage
用法筆記
Used primarily in North American ice hockey commentary. 'Empty cage' (or 'empty net') refers to the goal when the opposing team has pulled their goalie for an extra skater.
常見錯誤
4. a netted area where baseball players practice swinging at pitched balls, with th
a netted area where baseball players practice swinging at pitched balls, with the surrounding netting keeping the balls from flying away.
James spent two hours every afternoon in the batting cage, improving his swing before the big game.
in the batting cage (prepositional phrase)
The coach pitched fifty fastballs to Daichi inside the batting cage while he worked on his timing.
Amira rented the batting cage for an hour to practice hitting curveballs before the tournament started.
The team set up a portable batting cage in the school gym for winter training sessions in January.
Hassan hit fifty balls in the batting cage without missing a single pitch from the automatic machine.
- batting tunnel
used when the netting forms a longer tunnel shape rather than a simple enclosure
- practice cage
alternative term, especially in college baseball
文法句型
in the batting cage
use the batting cage
set up a batting cage
用法筆記
Almost always appears as 'batting cage' in full, not just 'cage' alone. 'Cage' by itself is ambiguous unless the baseball context is clear from surrounding discussion.