dipper
dipper — noun
- dippersingular
- dippersplural
1. A kitchen utensil that has a cup-shaped bowl fixed to an extended handle, used f
A kitchen utensil that has a cup-shaped bowl fixed to an extended handle, used for lifting and transferring water, soup, punch, or similar liquids out of a deep container.
Grandma used a wooden <hw>dipper</hw> to scoop drinking water from the clay pot.
wooden dipper — material + noun collocation
Eli picked up the metal <hw>dipper</hw> hanging by the well and filled his cup.
Stephanie passed a plastic <hw>dipper</hw> so everyone could serve themselves punch.
A metal <hw>dipper</hw> hung beside the lemonade barrel at the country fair.
文法句型
a dipper for [purpose]
a [material] dipper
用法筆記
Often modified by a material word (wooden, metal, plastic). In modern everyday English, 'ladle' is more common than 'dipper' for kitchen use, but 'dipper' remains the usual term for well-water containers and traditional settings.
常見錯誤
2. Any finger-sized item of solid food, such as a vegetable stick, bread chunk, or
Any finger-sized item of solid food, such as a vegetable stick, bread chunk, or crispy strip, intended to be pinched between your fingers, dunked into a sauce, and eaten right away.
Kemi put carrot sticks and celery on a plate with hummus for <hw>dippers</hw>.
dippers + hummus — typical pairing
Rin served bread sticks and chicken strips as <hw>dippers</hw> with a sweet chili sauce.
The restaurant brought warm pita triangles as <hw>dippers</hw> with a creamy spinach dip.
Vegetable <hw>dippers</hw> are a popular healthy snack at school parties in Taiwan.
- finger food
a broader term for any food eaten with the hands, not limited to foods intended for dipping
- appetizer
a small dish served before the main course; may or may not involve dipping
- crudités
a French term for raw vegetable dippers, typically served with dip
文法句型
[food type] + dippers
dippers + with/in/for + [sauce]
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the plural (dippers) when referring to a selection of items. The type of food usually comes before the word, as in 'vegetable dippers' or 'chicken dippers'. Do not confuse with 'dip', which is the sauce itself — 'dippers' go into the 'dip'.
常見錯誤
3. A compact songbird from the family Cinclidae that inhabits swift-flowing mountai
A compact songbird from the family Cinclidae that inhabits swift-flowing mountain streams and rivers, known for its ability to dive, swim underwater, and walk along the riverbed to find aquatic insects.
Nikhil watched a white-throated <hw>dipper</hw> bob on a wet rock in the stream.
white-throated dipper — common species name
The <hw>dipper</hw> dived into the cold water and caught a small insect larva.
Birdwatchers came to the mountain trail hoping to spot a <hw>dipper</hw> in the rapids.
A <hw>dipper</hw> perched on a mossy stone and dipped its head underwater to search for food.
- water ouzel
an older, literary term for the same bird; less common today
- Cinclus
the scientific genus name; used in formal or birding contexts
文法句型
a + adj + dipper
the + dipper
用法筆記
Also called a 'water ouzel' in older literature. The white-throated dipper (Cinclus cinclus) is the most widespread species, found across Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Asia. The bird's name comes from its habit of dipping or bobbing its body up and down while standing on rocks.
常見錯誤
4. A recognisable pattern of seven luminous stars visible from the northern hemisph
A recognisable pattern of seven luminous stars visible from the northern hemisphere, set in the shape of a ladle; the name refers to the Big Dipper (part of Ursa Major) or the Little Dipper (part of Ursa Minor).
The Big <hw>Dipper</hw> is easy to spot on a clear night because its stars form a ladle shape.
the Big Dipper — fixed proper-noun phrase
Rohan used the outer stars of the Big <hw>Dipper</hw> to find the North Star.
stars of the Big Dipper — typical astronomy collocation
City lights make the Little <hw>Dipper</hw> hard to see without binoculars.
Ada showed her younger brother how the Big <hw>Dipper</hw> changes position across the seasons.
- Big Dipper
the seven-star ladle-shaped asterism in Ursa Major
- Little Dipper
the smaller ladle-shaped asterism in Ursa Minor whose handle ends at Polaris
- the Plough
the British English name for the Big Dipper
- Ursa Major
the constellation that contains the Big Dipper
文法句型
the + Big/Little + Dipper
用法筆記
Always capitalised when referring to the star pattern. The Big Dipper is part of Ursa Major (the Great Bear) and is visible year-round in northern latitudes. The Little Dipper is part of Ursa Minor and contains Polaris at the end of its handle. In British English, the Big Dipper is often called 'the Plough'. Technically, the Big Dipper is an asterism (a recognisable star pattern), not a full constellation.