crops
crops — noun
1. plants grown in fields or gardens for food, feed, or sale, or the amount gathere
plants grown in fields or gardens for food, feed, or sale, or the amount gathered from those plants.
The heavy rain ruined the rice crops near Hoa's village.
common combinations: rice crops, wheat crops, coffee crops
Farmers checked whether the tomato crops needed more water.
Better roads helped Greta sell her coffee crops in town.
Warm spring sun brought the wheat crops up early this year.
- weeds
plants growing where farmers do not want them
文法句型
grow crops
harvest crops
food crops
cash crops
用法筆記
Usually plural when talking about plants in fields or about a season's farm produce.
常見錯誤
2. several people or things of the same kind that appear or become important around
several people or things of the same kind that appear or become important around the same time.
Successive crops of student leaders faced the same housing problem.
crop(s) of + people or things appearing together
New crops of online sellers appeared after the market moved downtown.
The school has produced several crops of strong chess players.
Different crops of start-up companies filled the old factory building.
- generation
best when talking about people linked by time or age
- wave
suggests a sudden arrival or increase
- group
more neutral and less tied to timing
文法句型
crops of + people
crops of + businesses
successive crops of + noun
用法筆記
Often followed by 'of' and used for a set that seems new or typical of a particular period.
3. very short hair cut close to the head in a neat, simple style.
very short hair cut close to the head in a neat, simple style.
Several recruits arrived with tidy dark crops on the first day.
fashion and hairstyle use: tidy crops / sharp crops
The twins chose matching blond crops for the summer dance show.
Magazine photos showed sharp crops with shaved sides this season.
After cancer treatment, Mina preferred easy crops instead of long hair.
- buzz cuts
usually even shorter and more closely shaved
- short cuts
broader term for short hairstyles
- pixie cuts
used for a specific short style, often on women
- long hair
hair worn below the neck or shoulders
文法句型
short crops
dark crops
sharp crops
用法筆記
In fashion writing, crops can mean several short haircuts or styles rather than hair in general.
4. small pouches in birds' throats where food is held for a time before it is diges
small pouches in birds' throats where food is held for a time before it is digested.
Baby pigeons filled their crops before settling under the bridge.
biology use with birds such as pigeons, chickens, and doves
The vet checked whether the sick chickens' crops were empty by morning.
Farmers watched the turkeys scratch until their crops looked full.
The rescued doves had soft crops after their first careful feeding.
- food pouches
plain-English description rather than the technical term
文法句型
full crops
empty crops
birds' crops
用法筆記
Used mainly in biology, farming, and bird care.
5. short whips used by riders to guide horses with quick, light taps.
short whips used by riders to guide horses with quick, light taps.
The riding school kept spare crops beside the helmets and boots.
equestrian equipment: riding crops, helmets, saddles
Young riders learned when crops should guide, not punish, a horse.
Leather crops hung neatly on hooks outside the training ring.
The shop sold padded gloves, crops, and saddle soap together.
- riding whips
broader term that can include longer whips too
- batons
only similar in shape; not a normal horse-riding term
文法句型
riding crops
carry a crop
use a crop
用法筆記
Usually refers to riding crops, a short light whip for horse training or control.
6. short tops that end above the waist and are worn as a fashion item.
short tops that end above the waist and are worn as a fashion item.
The window display mixed linen crops with high-waisted white trousers.
informal fashion shorthand for crop tops
Teen shoppers tried on bright crops before the beach music festival.
The brand released soft cotton crops in six summer colors.
Black crops and loose jackets became popular on campus that spring.
- crop tops
the full and more widely understood name
- short tops
plain description without the fashion shorthand
- long tops
tops that cover the waist and hips more fully
文法句型
black crops
cotton crops
wear crops with + clothing
用法筆記
Informal fashion shorthand for crop tops; more common in shop talk and social media than in formal writing.
crops — verb
1. to reduce the length or size of something by cutting some of it off.
to reduce the length or size of something by cutting some of it off.
The barber crops Leo's hair every three weeks before school starts.
common objects: hair, hedge, stems, edges
Rosa crops the hedge each Friday so the path stays clear.
The tailor crops the loose edge before sewing the new hem.
The gardener crops the rose stems to keep the bush neat.
- lengthen
to make something longer rather than shorter
文法句型
crop + hair
crop + hedge
crop + edge/stems
用法筆記
Usually takes a physical object and suggests removing only part of it rather than cutting it away completely.
常見錯誤
2. if an animal crops grass or leaves, it bites off and eats the upper part.
if an animal crops grass or leaves, it bites off and eats the upper part.
The pony crops the wet grass quietly behind Greta's fence.
usually said of horses, goats, deer, or sheep
Each goat crops the low leaves before the gardener can prune them.
At dawn, the deer crops clover beside the empty tennis court.
The horse crops the hedge shoots that hang into the field.
文法句型
crop + grass
crop + leaves
crop + clover/shoots
用法筆記
The subject is usually a grazing animal such as a horse, deer, goat, or sheep.
3. to cut off the outer edges of a photo or video so only the main part stays.
to cut off the outer edges of a photo or video so only the main part stays.
The app crops the picture automatically before you post it online.
digital editing use: crop a photo, screenshot, or poster image
Nora crops the family photo so the baby's face fills the frame.
A quick drag crops the screenshot to the section you need.
The designer crops the poster image to fit the narrow banner.
- expand
to show more of the edges or background
文法句型
crop + photo/image
crop + screenshot
crop + [image] + to + size
用法筆記
Common in digital editing and printing; the object is usually a photo, screenshot, image, or video frame.
4. of a tree, vine, or other plant, to start giving fruit, blossoms, or similar gro
of a tree, vine, or other plant, to start giving fruit, blossoms, or similar growth.
This apple tree crops heavily after a warm, rainy spring.
often with adverbs such as well, early, or heavily
This greenhouse vine crops early under the plastic cover each March.
Our balcony tomato plant crops well when the afternoon sun is mild.
The old plum tree still crops every summer beside the stone wall.
文法句型
crop + well
crop + early
crop + heavily
用法筆記
Rare and mostly used in farming or gardening contexts; the subject is usually a plant, tree, or vine.
5. to use land for raising farm plants on it.
to use land for raising farm plants on it.
The family crops the lower field with beans every wet season.
often with land or field as object, plus with + crop
Omar crops the hillside carefully to stop the soil washing away.
Layla crops the small plot with herbs for the restaurant kitchen.
The company crops only half the land and leaves the rest wild.
- leave fallow
to keep land unused for a period instead of growing on it
文法句型
crop + land/field
crop + land + with + plant
用法筆記
Often takes land or a field as the object, sometimes with 'with' plus the plant being grown.