eau
eau — noun
1. a light, alcohol-based liquid with a pleasant smell, often made with flower or c
a light, alcohol-based liquid with a pleasant smell, often made with flower or citrus oils, which people put on their skin or clothes to feel and smell fresh
Bilal keeps a bottle of citrus eau on his nightstand and uses it every morning.
countable: 'a bottle of citrus eau'; often modified by a scent descriptor
Quinn bought a floral eau from a small shop on Market Street in London.
Minho treasures the bottle of French eau that his sister gave him for his birthday.
Indra spilt some eau on the carpet and the room smelled of lavender for days.
- cologne
more common in American English; typically refers to a lighter, citrus-based scent for men
- toilet water
dated English synonym for eau de toilette, now rarely used
- fragrance
broader term covering all types of scented products, including solid and oil-based ones
用法筆記
Often used as a shortened form of 'eau de toilette', 'eau de cologne', or 'eau de parfum'. These are not interchangeable — eau de parfum has a higher concentration of oils and lasts longer than eau de toilette. As a standalone noun, 'eau' is less common in American English, where 'cologne' or 'perfume' are more typical.
常見錯誤
2. a pale yellow-green colour, of the kind seen in very light green tea or young sp
a pale yellow-green colour, of the kind seen in very light green tea or young spring leaves
Ishaan paired his navy suit with an eau tie, and the pale yellow-green shade stood out against the darker fabric.
uncountable noun used as a colour name, often attributively
Yael's dining room walls are painted a soft eau that feels calm and airy.
Camila picked out an eau handbag that matched the yellow flowers on the table.
The bathroom tiles were a pale eau, chosen for a calm, spa-like atmosphere.
- eau de Nil
the original French name for this specific shade, still preferred in traditional British colour charts
- pistachio
a similar but slightly warmer light green with yellow undertones
用法筆記
This colour sense is shortened from 'eau de Nil', a French term meaning 'water of the Nile'. It is more common in British English than American English, especially in fashion and interior design contexts.
eau — adjective
- eaupositive
- eauercomparative
- eauestsuperlative
1. pale yellow-green in colour, used to describe a specific soft shade between gree
pale yellow-green in colour, used to describe a specific soft shade between green and yellow
Amelia wore a pale eau dress, its yellow-green tone catching the sunlight at the garden party.
attributive adjective before a noun
Chidi chose eau throw pillows for his grey sofa to add some colour.
The couple decided on eau bridesmaid dresses that matched the spring theme of the wedding.
Eau bedding gave the guest room a fresh, restful look without feeling cold.
- pale green
more general term for any light green; 'eau' specifically has a yellowish undertone
- yellow-green
more direct but less elegant; 'eau' implies a particular fashionable shade
用法筆記
Almost exclusively used as an attributive adjective (before a noun). Predicative use ('The dress is eau') is very rare even in British English, where speakers prefer 'eau-coloured' or simply describe the shade as 'pale green'.