cipher
/ˈsaɪfə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsaɪfər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsī-fər/ (ame, mw)
cipher — noun
- ciphersingular
- ciphersplural
1. a way of writing messages using special letters, numbers, or symbols so that onl
a way of writing messages using special letters, numbers, or symbols so that only people who know the rules can read what it says
During the war, Lotte's grandmother sent letters home in a cipher only her family could read.
in a cipher (in coded form)
The spy invented a simple cipher that replaced each letter with the next one in the alphabet.
a cipher that [does X] for describing how a code works
Mizuki broke the cipher by spotting that the same symbol always appeared at the start of each word.
Hugo wrote his diary entries in a cipher so his younger brother could not read them.
- code
more general; any system of signs that stands for something else, not always secret
- cryptogram
a single message written in cipher, often used as a puzzle
- plaintext
the original, readable message before it is turned into a cipher
文法句型
a cipher for [content]
in cipher
用法筆記
Frequently used with verbs of encoding and decoding: write in cipher, break a cipher, crack a cipher. Distinguish from sense 2 (a worthless person): only sense 1 is about secret codes.
常見錯誤
2. someone who seems to have an important position but actually has no real power,
someone who seems to have an important position but actually has no real power, and is only used by other people to do what they want
Critics called the new president a mere cipher, since the army generals made every real decision.
a mere cipher (typical adjective collocation)
Once the board changed hands, Salma realised her director title had turned her into a cipher.
turn someone into a cipher (causative pattern)
The young king ruled in name only and remained a cipher throughout his uncle's regency.
Anjali refused the post because she did not want to be a cipher for the party leader.
- figurehead
more neutral; a leader in name only, especially a royal one
- puppet
stronger and more critical; clearly controlled by someone else
- nonentity
wider in scope; any person regarded as having no importance, not only in power contexts
- powerbroker
the opposite role: a person who quietly controls who gets power
文法句型
be a (mere/political) cipher
用法筆記
Almost always preceded by 'a mere' or 'a political' and used with the verbs 'be', 'become', or 'remain'. Distinguish from sense 1 (a secret code): only sense 2 describes a person.
常見錯誤
3. the digit 0, used in writing numbers to show that there is nothing in that place
the digit 0, used in writing numbers to show that there is nothing in that place
Folake explained that adding a cipher to the end of a number makes it ten times larger.
a cipher at the end (positional reference)
The old textbook called the symbol '0' a cipher because it was once a strange new idea in Europe.
call 0 a cipher (metalinguistic use)
Christopher counted three ciphers in a row and realised the price tag said one million yen.
Without the cipher, the number 207 would simply be written as 27, which means something quite different.
文法句型
the cipher [in/at the end of a number]
用法筆記
Rare in modern English; mostly seen in older or formal writing about the history of mathematics. The everyday word for this digit is 'zero' or 'nought'.
常見錯誤
4. a small decorative design that joins together someone's name initials, often sta
a small decorative design that joins together someone's name initials, often stamped onto objects they own or have made
The silver spoons carried a small cipher of the queen's two initials on the handle.
a cipher of [the owner's initials]
Andrés found a leather wallet stamped with a tiny gold cipher in the corner.
stamped with a cipher (typical passive collocation)
Mayumi designed a cipher for her bakery by twisting her two initials into a single shape.
Every napkin in the old hotel was embroidered with the family's cipher in dark blue thread.
文法句型
a cipher of [initials]
the king's/queen's cipher
用法筆記
Almost always used in writing about royalty, antiques, or luxury goods. In everyday English, people say 'monogram' for the same thing.
常見錯誤
cipher — verb
- cipherpresent simple I / you / we / they
- ciphers3rd person singular
- ciphering-ing form
- cipheredpast simple
1. to change ordinary words into a secret form of writing that other people cannot
to change ordinary words into a secret form of writing that other people cannot read without a key
Gita ciphered every order before sending it across enemy lines during the long winter campaign.
cipher + [content noun] (typical object pattern)
The radio operator ciphered the short report and tapped it out in dots and dashes.
cipher then transmit (sequential verb pattern)
Old documents from the embassy show that diplomats once ciphered even routine notes about the weather.
Cole asked the team to cipher the file with a stronger key before uploading it anywhere.
文法句型
cipher [a message]
用法筆記
Almost completely replaced today by 'encrypt' or 'encode'; learners may meet 'cipher' in older novels, history books, or formal writing. Distinguish from sense 2 (do arithmetic): only sense 1 takes a written message as its object.
常見錯誤
2. to work out the answer to a problem by adding, taking away, multiplying, or divi
to work out the answer to a problem by adding, taking away, multiplying, or dividing numbers, usually on paper
Old Mr. Kian sat by the stove and ciphered the day's takings in a small leather notebook.
cipher + [object] (transitive arithmetic)
Sumin could cipher faster in her head than most adults could with a calculator.
cipher in one's head (idiomatic location)
On rainy afternoons, the children practised reading and ciphering at the kitchen table.
Dylan ciphered the bill twice and still came out with a different total each time.
文法句型
cipher [a sum]
cipher in [a notebook]
用法筆記
Mainly American and old-fashioned; appears in older novels and rural speech, especially in the pairing 'reading and ciphering' for basic schoolwork. Distinguish from sense 1 (encode): only sense 2 is about doing sums with numbers.