describes
describes — verb
- describespresent simple I / you / we / they
- describeses3rd person singular
- describesing-ing form
- describesedpast simple
1. to explain in words how something looks, sounds, feels, or behaves, so that the
to explain in words how something looks, sounds, feels, or behaves, so that the listener or reader can form a clear picture of it
Lara described her hometown to the class, mentioning the old stone bridge and the market.
describe + noun + to + person
The witness described the car as dark blue with a broken headlight and a dented door.
describe + noun + as + noun phrase
Jin found it hard to describe exactly how the accident had happened.
News reports described the earthquake as the most destructive event the island had ever experienced.
Amani described the pain in her ankle as a sharp burning sensation that came and went.
- portray
more literary or artistic, often suggests creating a vivid image
- depict
more formal than describe; often used in art or literature contexts
- characterize
focuses on the distinctive qualities of someone or something
- outline
gives a general description without many details
- conceal
to keep something hidden rather than describing it
- misrepresent
to describe something in a way that is not truthful
文法句型
describe + noun/pronoun
describe + noun/pronoun + as + noun/adjective
describe + wh-clause (how/what/where/when)
describe + noun + to + person
用法筆記
Commonly followed by as to introduce a quality or role: describe someone as helpful. Frequently used in passive constructions in news and academic writing.
常見錯誤
2. to draw the shape of something, or to move along a path that creates or follows
to draw the shape of something, or to move along a path that creates or follows a particular line or outline
The dancer's arm described a slow, graceful circle in the air.
describe + a [geometric shape] (arm/body part)
Hugo used a compass to describe a perfect circle on the paper before cutting it.
describe + a [shape] + on + surface
The plane described a wide curve over the ocean before turning back toward the airport.
Adina slowly described the outline of the map on the wall with her index finger.
The satellite described an elliptical orbit around the Earth every ninety minutes.
文法句型
describe + noun (shape/curve/path)
用法筆記
This sense is found mainly in formal, literary, or technical writing about movement, geometry, and the arts. It is rarely used in everyday conversation.
3. to formally identify a newly found living thing, assign it to a particular group
to formally identify a newly found living thing, assign it to a particular group, and register its scientific name according to the standard rules of biology
The team described three new species of frog found deep in the rainforest of Madagascar.
describe + species + of + [organism type]
Botanists at the university described the plant as a wild orchid never seen in Southeast Asia.
Dr. Amani described the beetle in a 2019 paper, naming it after the park where it was found.
Scientists have described over a million species, but millions more are believed to remain undiscovered.
文法句型
describe + noun (species/genus)
describe + noun + as + noun
用法筆記
Almost exclusively used in biology and taxonomy. A species is 'described' when a formal scientific publication announces its discovery, names it, and lists its distinguishing features.