condense
/kənˈdens/ (bre, ipa) · /kənˈdens/ (ame, ipa) · /kən-ˈden(t)s/ (ame, mw)
condense — verb
- condensepresent simple I / you / we / they
- condenseshe / she / it
- condensedpast simple
- condensing-ing form
1. to make a speech, article, book, or other written text shorter while keeping the
to make a speech, article, book, or other written text shorter while keeping the most important content, typically by cutting out unnecessary words or details
Felix condensed his PhD dissertation into a fifteen-page journal article for a wider audience.
condensed his PhD dissertation into
The professor asked each student to condense the two-hundred-page novel into a one-page summary.
condense the two-hundred-page novel into
During the editing stage, the journalist condensed the interview transcripts into a crisp newspaper column.
Had the speaker condensed her opening remarks, the audience would not have grown restless.
A good policy brief condenses months of research data into three clear pages for decision-makers.
- abridge
more formal; used mainly for written texts such as novels or dictionaries
- abbreviate
used when shortening a word or phrase to a few letters, not for full texts
- summarise
focuses on giving the main points rather than compressing the original text
文法句型
condense + noun (speech/article/book) + into + noun
用法筆記
Frequently used with the preposition *into* to introduce the shorter form that results. The subject is usually a person, but the verb can also take an abstract subject (e.g. *the report condenses …*).
常見錯誤
2. to make a liquid become denser and more concentrated by heating it so that water
to make a liquid become denser and more concentrated by heating it so that water is released as steam, or to become thicker in this way
Nadia let the chicken stock simmer for an hour until it condensed into a rich, flavourful base for the stew.
condensed into a rich, flavourful base
The factory condenses fresh milk by removing more than half of the water content to make evaporated milk.
condenses fresh milk by removing
If you boil the maple sap for a few hours, it will gradually condense into thick syrup.
Chef Haruki condenses the tomato sauce by simmering it uncovered until it reaches the right thickness.
Orange juice concentrate is made when the juice is condensed under vacuum to preserve its flavour.
- concentrate
more common in everyday cooking and chemistry; can also apply to non-liquids (e.g. concentrate flavours)
- reduce
a cooking term meaning to boil a liquid so that it thickens and becomes more intense in flavour
文法句型
condense + noun (soup/sauce/milk) + by + -ing
condense + into + noun
用法筆記
In cooking contexts this sense describes a deliberate process (e.g. boiling down a sauce). In chemistry it can also describe natural concentration. The intransitive use (*the liquid condenses*) is less common in everyday speech.
常見錯誤
3. when a gas or vapour cools down and turns into a liquid, or to cause a gas to ch
when a gas or vapour cools down and turns into a liquid, or to cause a gas to change into a liquid by cooling it
After a hot shower, water vapour condenses on the bathroom mirror, leaving it foggy.
condenses on the bathroom mirror
The cold glass of lemonade caused moisture from the warm air to condense into droplets on its surface.
condense into droplets on its surface
In a distillation apparatus, the hot vapour passes through a cooling tube where it condenses back into a pure liquid.
Omar noticed that his breath condensed into tiny white puffs on the freezing morning air.
The laboratory machine condenses steam by passing it through a coil surrounded by cold water.
- precipitate
formal, meteorological term; water vapour precipitates as rain or dew
- liquefy
to turn a gas into a liquid; broader than condense because it can also happen through pressure
文法句型
condense on + noun (surface)
condense into + noun (liquid/droplets)
condense from + noun (vapour)
用法筆記
This is the most common sense in science contexts. The intransitive form (*steam condenses on the window*) is frequent in everyday descriptions of weather and household phenomena. The transitive form (*the machine condenses the vapour*) is typical of technical or laboratory descriptions.