depths
depths — noun
1. the deepest part of an ocean, sea, or lake, far below the surface where light ba
the deepest part of an ocean, sea, or lake, far below the surface where light barely reaches.
A Japanese research team discovered a new fish species living in the depths of the Pacific Ocean.
collocation: the depths of [ocean/sea]
The submarine descended slowly into the dark depths, where the pressure would crush an ordinary ship.
always plural: the dark depths
Divers explored the sunken temple in the depths of Lake Titicaca.
The research vessel lowered its cameras into the depths of the Atlantic to film the midnight zone.
- abyss
more dramatic and literary; suggests an immeasurably deep hole
- ocean floor
specific to the bottom surface, not the water column
- deep
informal; 'the deep' as a noun is poetic or old-fashioned
- surface
the top layer of water exposed to air
文法句型
the depths of [place]
用法筆記
Nearly always used with the definite article 'the'. The singular 'depth' refers to a measurement rather than a location.
常見錯誤
2. the part of a place that is extremely far from the edge, entrance, or surface, o
the part of a place that is extremely far from the edge, entrance, or surface, often implying inaccessibility.
The explorers pushed deeper into the jungle until they reached the depths of the rainforest.
collocation: the depths of [forest/jungle/cave]
An old telescope was found gathering dust in the depths of the museum's storage basement.
The children imagined monsters living in the depths of the dark cave behind their house.
Signals from the spacecraft grew weaker as it travelled into the depths of space.
文法句型
the depths of [place]
用法筆記
Typically used with the definite article 'the' and followed by 'of' + a location noun. The singular 'depth' is not used this way.
3. a very deep, wide hole or chasm in the ground that seems to have no bottom, espe
a very deep, wide hole or chasm in the ground that seems to have no bottom, especially in literary or dramatic contexts.
The hero stared into the smoking depths of the volcano, knowing he had to jump.
literary register: the smoking depths
A single misstep would have sent the climber tumbling into the rocky depths below.
In the myth, the wicked king was thrown into the depths of a bottomless pit as punishment.
文法句型
the depths
用法筆記
This sense is largely literary or mythological. In everyday speech, 'deep hole' or 'chasm' is preferred.
4. the most extreme and intense state of a feeling or emotion, such as love, grief,
the most extreme and intense state of a feeling or emotion, such as love, grief, or despair — this sense refers to the inner emotional world, not to a physical location.
In the depths of her grief after the funeral, Sofia found comfort in old photographs.
collocation: the depths of grief/despair/sorrow
After her father passed away, Elena discovered the depths of love she had never expressed to him.
Kazuki spoke from the depths of his heart when he thanked the nurses who saved his life.
In his memoir, Kimi spoke openly about the depths of shame he felt after the bankruptcy.
- surface
superficial level of emotion; 'on the surface he seemed calm'
文法句型
the depths of [emotion]
用法筆記
Frequently used with 'of' followed by an emotion noun: grief, despair, sorrow, love, hatred. The singular 'depth' can also be used in phrases like 'depth of feeling,' but 'depths' implies an extreme degree.
常見錯誤
5. the middle and most intense part of a period of time, especially a season like w
the middle and most intense part of a period of time, especially a season like winter, when conditions are at their most extreme.
The heating system broke down in the depths of winter when temperatures dropped to minus fifteen.
common collocation: the depths of winter
The team continued training through the depths of summer, practising under the blazing noon sun.
collocation: the depths of summer
The forest looks completely different in the depths of autumn when the leaves turn orange and gold.
Farmers prepare their fields during the depths of the dry season before the rains arrive.
文法句型
the depths of [season/time]
用法筆記
Most common with 'winter' (the depths of winter). Also used with 'summer' and occasionally 'autumn' or 'the dry season.' Not used with spring or short timespans.
6. the lowest or worst possible level of a negative condition, such as moral declin
the lowest or worst possible level of a negative condition, such as moral decline, humiliation, or suffering — being at the absolute bottom rather than measuring how serious something is.
After losing his job and his home, Andre hit the depths of despair and did not know where to turn.
collocation: hit the depths of / sink to the depths of
The scandal showed that the company had sunk to the depths of dishonesty and greed.
collocation: sink to the depths of
The people of the town experienced the depths of poverty during the long famine.
After the charity's director was caught stealing from the donation fund, the organisation sank to the depths of public disgrace.
- nadir
formal; the lowest point of something
- rock bottom
informal; 'he hit rock bottom'
- lowest point
neutral and clear
文法句型
the depths of [negative condition]
用法筆記
Often used with verbs like 'sink to', 'reach', 'hit', 'plumb' followed by 'the depths of' + an abstract noun for a negative condition. This sense places something at the absolute bottom (unlike sense 10, which measures severity on a scale without implying a lowest point).
常見錯誤
7. a measurement of how far down something goes, taken vertically from the top or s
a measurement of how far down something goes, taken vertically from the top or surface to the bottom.
The pool has a depth of two metres at the deep end, so children must be supervised.
pattern: [has/be] a depth of [number]
Engineers measured the depth of the river before deciding where to build the bridge.
The hole the workers dug reached a depth of nearly ten metres before they struck water.
The depth of the snow in the mountains reached over three metres that year.
- height
measurement upward rather than downward
- drop
the vertical distance something falls
- vertical extent
formal technical term
- shallowness
the state of having little depth
文法句型
depth of [object]
用法筆記
Although the headword is 'depths,' this sense is typically used in the singular 'depth' for precise measurements. The plural 'depths' can appear in less formal references to great vertical distance.
常見錯誤
8. a measurement of how far something extends from front to back, rather than from
a measurement of how far something extends from front to back, rather than from side to side or top to bottom.
The wardrobe is two metres high but only sixty centimetres in depth, so it cannot hold long coats.
pattern: [number] in depth
Before buying the bookshelf, measure the depth of the alcove to make sure it fits.
The stage has a depth of twelve metres, which allows for large theatrical sets.
Cabinets for this kitchen come in standard depths of thirty-five and forty centimetres.
文法句型
depth of [object]
用法筆記
This sense is most common when describing furniture, rooms, stages, shelves, and vehicles. The singular 'depth' is standard; 'depths' is rarely used for front-to-back measurement.
9. the abstract quality or property of being deep rather than shallow, referring to
the abstract quality or property of being deep rather than shallow, referring to how much space exists below or inside something without giving a specific measurement number.
The depth of the canyon amazed the tourists, who stood at the edge and tried to see the river below.
Gardeners recommend checking the depth of the soil before planting trees with large root systems.
collocation: the depth of [substance/ground]
The depth of the lake makes it dangerous for inexperienced swimmers.
Photographs cannot fully capture the depth of the Grand Canyon's valleys.
- deepness
less common, more informal synonym
- profundity
formal; usually refers to intellectual or emotional depth
- shallowness
the state of having little depth
文法句型
the depth of [object]
用法筆記
Unlike other senses listed under 'depths,' this quality sense is almost exclusively used in the singular 'depth.' The plural form only appears in set phrases like 'the depths.' Contrast with sense 7 (DOWNWARD MEASUREMENT), which gives a specific number; this sense describes the overall property of being deep without a figure.
10. the degree or extent to which a problem or difficult situation is serious, measu
the degree or extent to which a problem or difficult situation is serious, measured as a matter of scale rather than as a fixed lowest point.
The report revealed the full depth of the housing crisis in the city.
collocation: the full depth of [problem]
No one understood the depth of the company's financial trouble until the accounts were audited.
The documentary aims to show the depth of the environmental damage caused by oil spills.
Only after the earthquake did people realise the depth of the corruption in the building industry.
- triviality
the state of being unimportant or minor
文法句型
the depth of [problem/issue]
用法筆記
Unlike sense 6 ('WORST STATE'), which places something at an absolute bottom, this sense treats seriousness as a measurement of scale — how severe the problem is in terms of its reach or impact. Singular 'depth' is standard; the plural 'depths' can appear in set phrases like 'the depths of a crisis' to emphasise extremity, but even there the focus is on scale rather than being at a lowest point.
11. the quality of a sound or musical note that is low in pitch, such as the sound p
the quality of a sound or musical note that is low in pitch, such as the sound produced by a cello or a male voice with a deep tone.
The depth of the double bass gives the orchestra a rich, warm foundation.
collocation: the depth of [instrument]
His voice had a surprising depth for someone so young, making him sound much older.
collocation: depth of voice
When the cellist played the lowest strings, the depth of the tone filled the entire concert hall.
The sound engineer adjusted the equaliser to give the kick drum more depth and resonance.
- lowness
less common; describes the pitch directly
- bass
refers to the lowest range in music
- sonorousness
formal; describes a full, deep, resonant sound
文法句型
depth of [sound/voice]
用法筆記
Used in the singular 'depth' to describe the quality of low-pitched sound. The plural 'depths' does not normally appear in this sense.
12. the degree of strength or concentration of a feeling, experience, or colour, mea
the degree of strength or concentration of a feeling, experience, or colour, measured by how vivid, rich, or powerful it is rather than by pitch or vertical measurement.
The depth of the colour in this painting is achieved through many thin layers of paint.
collocation: depth of colour
Meditation helped Yasmin understand the depth of her own emotions rather than ignoring them.
Wei admired the depth of crimson in the Persian carpet that her grandmother had woven by hand.
The depth of emotion in the pianist's final performance moved several audience members to tears.
- paleness
weakness or lack of intensity in colour
- shallowness
lack of depth in feeling or thought
文法句型
depth of [feeling/experience/colour]
用法筆記
Commonly appears in the singular 'depth' when measuring intensity. When the plural 'depths' is used in this sense, it typically refers to different layers or levels of intensity within one thing.
13. the quality of being very thorough, detailed, and complete, especially in analys
the quality of being very thorough, detailed, and complete, especially in analysis, research, or understanding.
The depth of the professor's research impressed the entire academic committee.
collocation: depth of research/analysis
This textbook covers the topic with surprising depth for an introductory guide.
pattern: with depth / in depth
The journalist's report lacked depth and only scratched the surface of the issue.
Dr. Okafor's geology students explore each rock formation in depth rather than memorising names from a textbook.
- thoroughness
directly states the quality of being careful and complete
- comprehensiveness
formal; includes all aspects of something
- profundity
implies deep intellectual insight
- superficiality
lack of depth or thoroughness
文法句型
depth of [analysis/knowledge]
用法筆記
The phrase 'in depth' (as in 'study something in depth') is a common adverbial expression. The plural 'depths' is not used in this sense; the singular 'depth' is standard.
常見錯誤
14. the quality of having many skilled players on a sports team, so that performance
the quality of having many skilled players on a sports team, so that performance remains strong even when substitutes are needed.
The team's depth was tested when three starters were injured before the championship game.
collocation: team depth / roster depth
Manchester City's squad depth allowed them to win the league despite a busy schedule.
collocation: squad depth
The Lakers' general manager prioritised depth at the guard position before the trade deadline.
The national team lacks depth in defence, which worries fans ahead of the tournament.
- bench strength
informal; specifically refers to the quality of reserve players
- talent pool
the overall collection of available players
- reserves
the substitute players themselves
- weakness
lack of skilled players in a position
文法句型
depth of [team]
用法筆記
Always used in the singular 'depth' in sports contexts. The plural 'depths' does not apply here. This is a specialised meaning specific to team sports and talent pools.
15. the measurement of a body part from the front surface to the back surface, or fr
the measurement of a body part from the front surface to the back surface, or from the upper to the lower side, used in anatomy and biology.
The depth of the human chest cavity determines how much room the lungs have to expand.
technical register: depth of [body part]
The veterinarian measured the depth of the horse's chest to estimate its lung capacity.
The depth of the wound was less than a centimetre, so the doctor decided not to use stitches.
The paramedic assessed the depth of the wound on the patient's forearm before applying a bandage.
- thickness
the distance through a solid object
- dorsoventral measurement
highly technical; the measurement from back to front
文法句型
depth of [body part]
用法筆記
A technical term in anatomy and biology. The singular 'depth' is standard for precise measurements. The plural 'depths' is not used in this context.
16. the quality of a physical state, such as sleep, breathing, or consciousness, whe
the quality of a physical state, such as sleep, breathing, or consciousness, when it is very intense, complete, or fully developed.
The depth of her sleep was so great that she did not hear the thunderstorm outside.
collocation: depth of sleep
The anaesthesiologist carefully monitored the depth of the patient's sleep throughout the six-hour surgery.
collocation: depth of sleep / depth of unconsciousness
After sprinting to catch the bus, Mei-Lin noticed the depth of her breathing had doubled.
Yoga instructors often guide students to focus on the depth of each breath.
- lightness
specifically of sleep or anaesthesia; 'light sleep'
文法句型
depth of [state]
用法筆記
The singular 'depth' is standard in physiological contexts. The plural 'depths' is not used in these technical or medical descriptions.