corrugate

/ˈkȯr-ə-ˌgāt ˈkär-/ (ame, mw)

corrugate — verb

  • corrugatepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • corrugates3rd person singular
  • corrugating-ing form
  • corrugatedpast simple

1. To press a flat material such as metal, cardboard, or plastic so that it develop

1.動詞及物C1
釋義

To press a flat material such as metal, cardboard, or plastic so that it develops a wavy surface with a regular pattern of parallel ridges and grooves, often to make it stronger or more rigid.

例句

A large machine at the factory corrugates steel sheets before they are cut for roof panels.

corrugate + steel sheets for construction

The packaging plant uses heavy rollers to corrugate cardboard for shipping boxes.

corrugate + cardboard for packaging

同義詞
  • crimp

    focuses on pressing into small, regular folds, often for metal or fabric; narrower than corrugate

  • ridge

    emphasises the raised lines rather than the full process

  • groove

    describes cutting channels rather than pressing the whole surface

反義詞
  • flatten

    to make a surface level again after it has been ridged

  • smooth

    to remove ridges and make the surface even

文法句型

corrugate + object (material)

用法筆記

The object is almost always a building or packaging material such as metal, cardboard, paper, or plastic. The past participle 'corrugated' (e.g., 'corrugated iron', 'corrugated cardboard') is far more common in everyday language than the verb form.

常見錯誤

❌The machine will wrinkle the cardboard for boxes.
✅The machine will corrugate the cardboard for boxes.
💡'wrinkle' implies irregular creases, while 'corrugate' means forming regular parallel ridges.

2. When a surface or material develops parallel ridges and grooves by itself, usual

2.動詞不及物C2
釋義

When a surface or material develops parallel ridges and grooves by itself, usually because of moisture, pressure, heat, or age.

例句

The old metal roof began to corrugate after years of heavy rain and strong winds.

corrugate from weather damage

When the cardboard box got wet in the rain, it started to corrugate and lose its shape.

同義詞
  • buckle

    implies bending or warping from pressure, more sudden and less regular than corrugate

  • wrinkle

    used for smaller, irregular folds on skin or fabric; less technical

文法句型

material + corrugates (from / due to + cause)

用法筆記

This intransitive sense describes a process that happens naturally without a person causing it. It is often used with 'begin to', 'start to', or 'will' to show the change happening over time.