canvases
canvases — noun
- canvasessingular
- canvasesesplural
1. a heavy, tough woven material, originally from hemp or cotton, ideal for items t
a heavy, tough woven material, originally from hemp or cotton, ideal for items that must endure hard wear — sails, tents, and outdoor bags
Zola bought a heavy canvas rucksack for her hiking trip across the Pyrenees.
collocation: canvas rucksack
Quan stretched a sheet of canvas over the firewood to keep it dry overnight.
collocation: sheet of canvas
Mizuki wore sturdy canvas shoes while helping her uncle in the vegetable garden.
The old army-issue canvas belt had faded to a soft grey after years of use.
Ayesha pulled a folded canvas groundsheet from her backpack and spread it on the damp grass.
2. a piece of strong cloth stretched tightly over a wooden frame that an artist pai
a piece of strong cloth stretched tightly over a wooden frame that an artist paints on; also the finished painting created on that surface
Tariq set a blank canvas on the easel and squeezed fresh oil paint onto his palette.
collocation: blank canvas; set a canvas on the easel
Vikram stared at the bare canvas for nearly an hour before picking up his brush.
The gallery displayed Stephanie's largest canvas right beside the entrance to the main hall.
Owen carefully wrapped the finished canvas in brown paper to send to the buyer in Tokyo.
Théo mixed blue and grey on the canvas itself, blending the colours with his thumb.
- painting
focuses on the finished artwork, not the physical support
- oil painting
specifically a painting done in oil paints on canvas
- artwork
broader term; can be any medium, not necessarily on canvas
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: here 'canvas' is countable (a canvas / canvases) and refers to a prepared art surface or a painting, not the raw material. Sense 1 is the uncountable fabric.
3. a fixed phrase meaning inside a tent, used when talking about camping or sleepin
a fixed phrase meaning inside a tent, used when talking about camping or sleeping outdoors overnight
Ilan and his brother spent a rainy night under canvas in the New Forest last August.
fixed phrase: under canvas
The scout troop lived under canvas for the whole weekend, cooking meals over an open fire.
live under canvas + duration (the whole weekend)
Talia pitched her own tent for the first time and felt proud to sleep under canvas.
The music festival gave us the choice between a hotel pass or three nights under canvas.
- camping
broader term; camping can also mean sleeping in a campervan, cabin, or bivouac
文法句型
under canvas
用法筆記
This sense only appears in the fixed phrase 'under canvas'. Unlike sense 1, 'canvas' here cannot be modified or pluralised — you cannot say 'under the canvas' or 'under canvases' to mean camping.
常見錯誤
4. the padded surface that boxers and wrestlers stand and fight on inside the ring
the padded surface that boxers and wrestlers stand and fight on inside the ring
The exhausted boxer hit the canvas after a powerful right hook to the jaw.
hit the canvas = knocked down in boxing
The referee waved his arms and pointed to the canvas, signalling a knockdown.
Both wrestlers circled each other on the canvas, searching for an opening to attack.
Blood from the cut above his eye dripped onto the white canvas during the break.
The champion pressed his opponent against the canvas for the final ten seconds of the round.
- ring floor
more descriptive but less idiomatic than 'canvas' in boxing speech
- mat
can refer to the wrestling surface, but 'canvas' is the standard boxing term
文法句型
hit the canvas
on the canvas
用法筆記
Used only in boxing and wrestling contexts. The phrase 'hit the canvas' specifically means being knocked down.
常見錯誤
5. in rowing, the covered bow section of a racing shell, treated as a measuring uni
in rowing, the covered bow section of a racing shell, treated as a measuring unit for the gap between boats in a race
The Cambridge crew held a lead of two canvases as they passed under the bridge.
a lead of + number + canvases: measuring unit in rowing
With only a canvas between the two boats, the crowd along the riverbank roared with excitement.
Oxford pushed hard in the final minute but could not close the gap of a single canvas.
The commentator shouted that the lead had stretched to three canvases with two hundred metres left.
文法句型
a lead of [number] canvases
by a canvas
用法筆記
A specialised rowing term. One canvas equals the length of the covered bow section. 'A lead of one canvas' means the bow of the leading boat is level with the canvas of the trailing boat.
6. the wider setting or background against which events happen or a story is told —
the wider setting or background against which events happen or a story is told — like the painted background in a picture that the main figures stand against
The novel unfolds on the wide canvas of colonial India, following characters from every walk of life.
on the wide canvas of + historical setting
The director used the grey city as a canvas for her story of hope and loneliness.
His latest film paints a love story against the canvas of civil war in the Balkans.
Talia used her grandmother's kitchen as the canvas for all twelve stories in the collection.
Set on the canvas of a crumbling empire, the play explores ambition and family loyalty.
- backdrop
similar but more visual and theatrical in connotation
- setting
more general; lacks the artistic, painted metaphor of 'canvas'
- background
very close in meaning; 'canvas' suggests a broader, more richly detailed scene
文法句型
on the canvas of
against the canvas of
用法筆記
This is a metaphorical extension of sense 2. It likens the background of events or stories to a painter's canvas — the 'setting' upon which the 'picture' (the story) is painted. Common in literary and journalistic writing.
常見錯誤
canvases — verb
- canvasespresent simple I / you / we / they
- canvaseses3rd person singular
- canvasessing-ing form
- canvasessedpast simple
1. to fit, cover, or line an object with the heavy woven cloth called canvas, usual
to fit, cover, or line an object with the heavy woven cloth called canvas, usually to protect what is underneath
The shipbuilders canvased the hull of the old fishing boat to protect the timber underneath.
canvased + object: covered with canvas for protection
The museum staff canvased the antique chairs before the restoration team arrived.
Workers canvased the market stalls every evening to shield the goods from morning dew.
Before winter set in, Mauricio canvased the wooden garden furniture on the terrace.
- cover
more general; does not specify the material used
文法句型
canvased + object