delectate

delectate — verb

  • delectatepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • delectates3rd person singular
  • delectating-ing form
  • delectatedpast simple

1. to make someone feel very happy or give them great enjoyment, especially by offe

1.動詞及物C2
釋義

to make someone feel very happy or give them great enjoyment, especially by offering something beautiful, skillful, or entertaining.

例句

Pim's piano playing at the school concert delectated the entire audience.

delectate + audience / crowd as object

The chef's beautifully arranged dishes delectated every guest at the wedding.

同義詞
  • delight

    the common modern equivalent; far more frequent across all registers

  • please

    less intense than delectate; focuses on meeting someone's wishes

  • entertain

    emphasises providing amusement or enjoyment through performance

  • gratify

    also formal, but stresses satisfying a specific desire or wish

反義詞
  • displease

    direct opposite; to fail to give satisfaction or enjoyment

文法句型

delectate + object

用法筆記

Extremely formal and rare in modern English. In everyday conversation, use delight, please, or entertain instead.

常見錯誤

❌The magician delectated the children with his tricks.
✅The magician delighted the children with his tricks.
💡delectate is too formal and old-fashioned for casual contexts.

2. to enjoy doing or experiencing something in a slow, careful way that gives you d

2.動詞不及物C2
釋義

to enjoy doing or experiencing something in a slow, careful way that gives you deep satisfaction.

例句

Kenji delectated in the quiet beauty of the early morning forest walk.

delectate in + noun phrase

Marta delectated on every page of the handwritten letter from her grandson.

delectate on + noun phrase

同義詞
  • relish

    more common; stresses enthusiastic enjoyment

  • savour

    focuses on tasting or experiencing something slowly

  • luxuriate in

    emphasises self-indulgent, passive enjoyment

  • take pleasure in

    the natural modern equivalent; neutral in register

反義詞
  • dislike

    general opposite; to find something unpleasant

文法句型

delectate in/on + noun/gerund

用法筆記

Always followed by in or on. This sense is extremely rare in modern English; use take pleasure in or savour instead for natural-sounding speech.

常見錯誤

❌She delectates classical music.
✅She delectates in classical music.
💡when this sense means 'take pleasure in', the preposition in is required.