debris

/ˈdebriː/ (bre, ipa) · /dəˈbriː/ (ame, ipa) · /də-ˈbrē dā-ˈbrē, ˈdā-ˌbrē British usually ˈde-(ˌ)brē/ (ame, mw)

debris — noun

1. the scattered fragments of wood, metal, glass, or other material that are left b

1.名詞B2
釋義

the scattered fragments of wood, metal, glass, or other material that are left behind when a building, vehicle, or natural object is destroyed, damaged, or falls apart

例句

After the earthquake, rescue workers searched through the debris for survivors.

search through debris for [people]

The storm blew the roof off the shed, leaving debris scattered across the garden.

debris scattered across [location]

同義詞
  • rubble

    limited to broken stone, brick, or concrete from a ruined building; narrower than debris

  • wreckage

    specifically the twisted metal and broken parts of a crashed vehicle or aircraft; more specific than debris

  • fragments

    emphasises the broken-apart nature of the pieces; can be more general and includes small items not from destruction

  • ruins

    focuses on what remains of a structure standing partially upright, rather than scattered pieces

用法筆記

Uncountable — always treated as a singular mass noun. To refer to a single item, use 'a piece of debris' or 'a fragment of debris'.

常見錯誤

❌After the explosion, there were many debris on the street.
✅After the explosion, there was a lot of debris on the street.
💡debris is an uncountable noun and cannot be used with 'many' or in the plural.
❌The debris were scattered everywhere.
✅The debris was scattered everywhere.
💡debris takes a singular verb even though it refers to many pieces.

2. objects or materials that people have thrown away or no longer want, especially

2.名詞B2
釋義

objects or materials that people have thrown away or no longer want, especially when these are scattered around a place instead of being properly disposed of

例句

The riverbank was covered with plastic bottles and other debris left by visitors.

debris left by [people]

City workers collect household debris from the streets every Monday morning.

household debris

同義詞
  • rubbish

    more common in British English; a general term for anything thrown away

  • trash

    more common in American English; everyday term for unwanted household items

  • litter

    specifically small pieces of rubbish dropped on the ground in public places

  • waste

    the broadest term; includes anything discarded, whether scattered or in a bin

用法筆記

Like sense 1, this is uncountable. Distinguish from sense 1 (DESTROYED MATERIAL) by context: sense 1 involves accidental destruction, while this sense involves deliberate discarding or general untidiness.

常見錯誤

❌Please throw these debris in the bin.
✅Please throw this debris in the bin.
💡debris is uncountable, so use 'this' not 'these'.