crystallized
crystallized — adjective
- crystallizedpositive
- more crystallizedcomparative
- most crystallizedsuperlative
1. describes food whose surface is covered with a hard layer of sugar that was made
describes food whose surface is covered with a hard layer of sugar that was made by melting and then cooling sugar syrup.
Nkechi bought a box of crystallized ginger to use in her baking.
common in: crystallized ginger / crystallized fruit
The bakery decorated the cake with crystallized violets and mint leaves.
These crystallized orange slices make a lovely homemade gift.
Lisa tried crystallized mango for the first time at the night market.
- candied
very similar; 'candied' often implies boiling in sugar syrup until glossy, while 'crystallized' emphasizes the hard sugar coating.
- glazed
refers to a thin, shiny sugar coating rather than a thick, crystal-like layer.
- sugared
suggests a light dusting or coating of sugar, not the hard crystal shell that 'crystallized' describes.
用法筆記
Almost always appears before a noun describing the food item (e.g., crystallized ginger, crystallized fruit).
常見錯誤
crystallized — verb
- crystallizedpresent simple I / you / we / they
- crystallizeds3rd person singular
- crystallizeding-ing form
- crystallizededpast simple
1. if a substance crystallizes, its molecules arrange themselves into a regularly r
if a substance crystallizes, its molecules arrange themselves into a regularly repeating solid shape; if you crystallize a substance, you cause this to happen by cooling, evaporating, or otherwise changing conditions.
When the seawater in the shallow pan evaporated, the salt began to crystallize.
intransitive: substance + crystallize (by natural process)
Ryo crystallized the copper sulfate by slowly cooling the solution in his lab.
transitive: crystallize + substance + by [method]
Honey sometimes crystallizes naturally if it is stored in a cool cupboard.
As the lava cooled over many years, minerals crystallized deep inside the rock.
- solidify
broader meaning — any change from liquid to solid, not necessarily into crystal form.
- precipitate
a more technical term that specifically means a solid forms from a solution; precipitate is often a powder, not necessarily crystals.
- dissolve
a solid breaks apart and mixes into a liquid, the reverse of crystallizing.
文法句型
substance + crystallize
crystallize + substance
用法筆記
The intransitive use (substance crystallizes) describes a natural process. The transitive use (someone crystallizes a substance) describes a deliberate action in a lab or industrial setting.
常見錯誤
2. if an idea, plan, or feeling crystallizes, it becomes clear and takes a fixed fo
if an idea, plan, or feeling crystallizes, it becomes clear and takes a fixed form; if you crystallize it, you make it clear and definite through thought or discussion.
After weeks of debate, the team's strategy finally crystallized into a detailed roadmap.
figurative: idea/plan + crystallize + into [result]
The professor's lecture crystallized the students' understanding of quantum mechanics.
Pedro's thoughts on the matter crystallized during his long train journey home.
The documentary crystallized Gita's determination to study marine biology.
- solidify
very similar in figurative use; 'solidify' suggests strengthening an existing idea, while 'crystallize' suggests it first becomes clearly defined.
- clarify
focuses on removing confusion rather than giving a fixed shape.
- coalesce
suggests separate elements coming together, while 'crystallize' suggests a single idea taking clear form.
文法句型
idea/plan + crystallize
crystallize + idea/plan/thought + into [outcome]
用法筆記
Typically used with abstract subjects such as thoughts, plans, ideas, strategies, or feelings. The object of the transitive use is usually a mental state or concept, not a person.
常見錯誤
3. to cover fruit, flowers, or other edible items with a hard layer of sugar crysta
to cover fruit, flowers, or other edible items with a hard layer of sugar crystals by dipping or coating them in sugar syrup and letting it dry.
Dewi crystallized the grapes by dipping them in hot sugar syrup and letting them dry overnight.
pattern: crystallize + food + by [method]
The shop sells crystallized fruit that people use in traditional Christmas cakes.
Asher crystallized rose petals for use as decorations on wedding cupcakes.
You can crystallize almost any edible flower if the sugar syrup is the right temperature.
文法句型
crystallize + food + by [method]
crystallized + food (as adjective)
用法筆記
Distinguish from the FORM CRYSTALS sense: here the goal is to coat food with sugar for eating, not to study a chemical process. The result (crystallized fruit, crystallized flowers) is edible and sold as candy or decoration.