chafe

/tʃeɪf/ (bre, ipa) · /tʃeɪf/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈchāf/ (ame, mw)

chafe — verb

  • chafepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • chafeshe / she / it
  • chafedpast simple
  • chafing-ing form

1. if clothes, shoes, or another rough surface keep rubbing the skin, they make it

1.動詞及物 / 不及物C1
釋義

if clothes, shoes, or another rough surface keep rubbing the skin, they make it painful, raw, or slightly worn; skin can also chafe from that repeated rubbing.

例句

The new hiking boots chafed Nora's heels before the first rest stop.

chafe + body part from repeated rubbing

Wet sand kept chafing Amihan's feet inside her shoes on the walk home.

同義詞
  • rub

    broader and often neutral; does not always imply pain or damage

  • abrade

    more technical and stronger, focusing on wearing the surface away

  • irritate

    describes the result on the skin without naming friction as the cause

  • scratch

    sharper and more one-time than steady rubbing

反義詞
  • soothe

    to make irritated skin feel calmer or less painful

  • protect

    to stop the rubbing from happening

文法句型

chafe + body part

be chafed by + clothing / strap / seam

chafe against + skin

用法筆記

Common with clothing, shoes, straps, or sand. Unlike scratch, which can happen in one quick contact, chafe usually suggests repeated rubbing over time.

常見錯誤

❌My shoes were chafing with my heels by noon.
✅My shoes were chafing my heels by noon.
💡Use a direct object for the body part, or say 'rubbing against my heels'.
❌The branch chafed my arm when it hit me once.
✅The branch scratched my arm when it hit me once.
💡'Chafe' usually implies repeated friction, not one quick contact.

2. to grow impatient and annoyed because a rule, delay, or controlling situation st

2.動詞不及物C1
釋義

to grow impatient and annoyed because a rule, delay, or controlling situation stops you from doing what you want.

例句

Vivek chafed at the school's rule that banned students from leaving campus at lunch.

chafe at + rule

After months of close supervision, Naoko began to chafe under her manager's constant checks.

chafe under + supervision

同義詞
  • resent

    stronger and more settled; suggests lasting bitterness

  • bristle

    quicker and sharper reaction to something offensive or controlling

  • fret

    focuses more on worry or restless irritation

  • rebel

    stronger, often including open resistance rather than only feeling annoyed

反義詞
  • accept

    to take the restriction without protest

  • submit

    to give in to authority or control

文法句型

chafe at + rule / delay / restriction

chafe under + control / supervision

chafe against + limits

用法筆記

Most often used with at, under, or against when the problem is control or restriction. Distinguish from sense 1, which is about physical rubbing on the skin.

常見錯誤

❌She chafed with the new rules after one day.
✅She chafed at the new rules after one day.
💡The usual preposition with rules or restrictions is 'at'.
❌The students were chafing from the strict timetable.
✅The students were chafing under the strict timetable.
💡Use 'under' for a system or control that presses on you.

3. to make your hands, feet, or another body part warmer by rubbing it quickly, esp

3.動詞及物C2
釋義

to make your hands, feet, or another body part warmer by rubbing it quickly, especially with your hands.

例句

Mert chafed his cold hands together outside the station at dawn.

chafe + hands together to warm them

Soraya chafed the toddler's feet gently after they came in from the snow.

同義詞
  • rub

    the normal everyday verb for this action

  • warm

    focuses on the result, not the rubbing action

  • massage

    slower and more deliberate, often for comfort rather than warmth

反義詞
  • cool

    to make a body part less warm

  • chill

    to become or make something cold

文法句型

chafe + hands / fingers / feet

chafe + body part + to warm it

用法筆記

This sense is old-fashioned and much rarer than simply saying 'rub your hands to warm them'. It is used for warming a body part, not for heating an object.

常見錯誤

❌She chafed the blanket to get warm.
✅She chafed her hands to get warm.
💡The thing being chafed is usually a body part, not an object.
❌He chafed the soup before serving it.
✅He heated the soup before serving it.
💡'Chafe' in this sense means warming by rubbing, not heating food.

chafe — noun