crazing
crazing — noun
1. a pattern of very narrow breaks that appear on a smooth surface such as pottery,
a pattern of very narrow breaks that appear on a smooth surface such as pottery, glass, or paint, or the process that produces these breaks
After years of use, the old vase showed fine crazing across its blue glaze.
crazing + shows / appears + on [material]
The kiln's temperature was too high, causing crazing on every plate in that batch.
causing crazing on [object]
Maeve studied the crazing under a microscope to measure how deep each crack ran.
The conservator said the crazing was harmless but recommended keeping the bowl away from moisture.
- crackle
Specifically the decorative crack pattern on Chinese-style pottery; often intentional, unlike crazing
- crazing lines
The visible lines themselves, a more descriptive term for the visual pattern
文法句型
crazing + develops / appears
用法筆記
Most common in ceramics, glass, and paint contexts. Unlike a single crack, crazing describes a network of interconnected fine lines. Frequently uncountable.
常見錯誤
2. a strong but short-lived interest in something that many people share for a time
a strong but short-lived interest in something that many people share for a time
In the 1990s there was a crazing for collectible stamps featuring cartoon characters.
a crazing for [topic]
The sudden crazing for puzzle games made the small studio's sales go up very fast.
By the time spring arrived, the winter crazing for online fitness classes had already faded.
Aaron dismissed the whole thing as a passing crazing that would not last another month.
文法句型
a crazing for [something]
用法筆記
Archaic or literary in modern English; 'craze' (noun) or 'fad' are far more common today. Found in historical texts describing short-lived social trends.
crazing — verb
- crazingpresent simple I / you / we / they
- crazings3rd person singular
- crazinging-ing form
- crazingedpast simple
1. to drive a person or animal so mad that they cannot think or behave in a normal
to drive a person or animal so mad that they cannot think or behave in a normal way
The constant noise from the construction site nearly crazed the old librarian.
craze + person (direct object)
Years of isolation in the small mountain cabin had crazed the hermit beyond help.
Tanvi was crazed with jealousy when she saw the award go to her rival.
Historians wrote that grief over the loss of his family had crazed the old king entirely.
A thirst that could not be satisfied crazed the stranded travellers in the desert.
文法句型
craze + object
be crazed by / with [something]
用法筆記
More common in the past participle form 'crazed' as an adjective ('a crazed look'). The active verb form is now rare in everyday speech; speakers prefer 'drive crazy' or 'make insane'.
常見錯誤
2. to cause very fine lines to appear across a hard surface such as pottery, glass,
to cause very fine lines to appear across a hard surface such as pottery, glass, or a painted layer
The potter accidentally crazed the glaze by opening the kiln door too early.
craze + glaze / surface (technical object)
Extreme changes in humidity can craze the varnish on old oil paintings.
Henrik crazed the enamel coating when he poured boiling water into the cold cup.
Direct sunlight over many years crazed the protective layer on the museum's glass display cases.
文法句型
craze + object (glaze / surface)
用法筆記
Almost exclusively used in ceramics, paint conservation, and materials science. Unlike 'crack', which describes a single break, 'craze' describes a distributed pattern of fine surface breaks.
常見錯誤
3. to break something into many small pieces by applying sudden force or pressure
to break something into many small pieces by applying sudden force or pressure
The impact of the fall crazed the marble tile into a dozen fragments.
craze [object] into [pieces]
Felipe crazed the ice sheet with a single blow of the heavy iron bar.
The earthquake crazed nearly every window in the old temple building.
A stray stone from the lawnmower crazed the bottom corner of the glass door.
文法句型
craze + object into pieces
用法筆記
Literary and somewhat archaic. Modern English prefers 'shatter', 'smash', or 'break into pieces'. The verb 'craze' here carries a sharper, more violent sense than the ceramic-cracking sense.
4. to become mentally unstable to the point of losing the ability to think or behav
to become mentally unstable to the point of losing the ability to think or behave normally
After months alone on the island, the sailor slowly crazed from sheer loneliness.
craze from [cause]
Prisoners in the ancient dungeon were known to craze within weeks of their arrival.
The old doctor watched his patient craze as the fever burned through her body.
Lakan feared he would craze if he spent another day trapped in the dark cellar.
- go mad
More common in British English
- lose one's mind
An everyday phrase that is widely understood
- become unhinged
Suggests a gradual slipping rather than a sudden break
- recover one's senses
To return to a normal mental state
文法句型
craze (no object)
用法筆記
The intransitive counterpart of sense 1. In modern English 'go insane', 'lose one's mind', or 'go mad' are far more frequent. The verb 'craze' in this sense is almost entirely confined to literary or historical writing.
5. to gradually develop a pattern of very fine interconnected lines across a surfac
to gradually develop a pattern of very fine interconnected lines across a surface
The porcelain teacup crazed after decades of being washed in hot water.
[surface/object] + crazes + after [condition]
Old oil paintings sometimes craze when their canvas shrinks and the paint layer cannot follow.
If the kiln cools too quickly, the pottery will craze all along its glazed surface.
The floor tiles in the sunroom had crazed so badly that the owner decided to replace them.
文法句型
surface + crazes
glaze + crazes over time
用法筆記
Intransitive counterpart of sense 2. The subject is always the surface or object that develops cracks. Unlike 'crack' (which can describe a single line), 'craze' always implies a distributed mesh of fine breaks.