engrave

/ɪnˈɡreɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪnˈɡreɪv/ (ame, ipa) · /in-ˈgrāv en-/ (ame, mw)

engrave — verb

1. to cut letters, pictures, or designs into a hard surface such as metal, stone, w

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to cut letters, pictures, or designs into a hard surface such as metal, stone, wood, or glass, usually as a way of decorating it or marking it permanently.

例句

Selim had his initials engraved on the back of his new watch.

passive: have something engraved on [surface]

The artist spent months engraving a detailed landscape onto a copper plate.

engrave + object + onto [material]

同義詞
  • etch

    More specific — uses acid or a sharp needle to cut lines; often used for glass or metal.

  • carve

    Broader — can mean cutting any shape into any material, including wood or stone, often with a knife or chisel.

  • inscribe

    Emphasises the writing of words rather than pictures; often used for formal or ceremonial markings.

文法句型

engrave + object + on/onto/in + surface

be engraved with + design/text

用法筆記

Often used in the passive voice ('be engraved with' or 'be engraved on') when describing the finished object rather than the act of cutting. The object being decorated (glass, silver, stone) can be the direct object: 'She engraved the silver cup.' The preposition depends on location: 'on' for surfaces, 'in' or 'into' when the cut goes below the surface level.

常見錯誤

❌He engraved a picture on the wall with a pencil.
✅He engraved a picture on the wall with a chisel.
💡Engraving involves cutting into a hard surface with a sharp tool, not drawing with a pencil.
❌She engraved her name on the paper.
✅She engraved her name on the metal plate.
💡Engraving is for hard materials like metal, stone, wood, or glass, not soft materials like paper.

2. to be fixed so firmly in someone's memory, mind, or emotions that they will neve

2.動詞及物 / 不及物C1
釋義

to be fixed so firmly in someone's memory, mind, or emotions that they will never forget it — for example, a shocking image that is engraved in a person's memory, or a kind act that is engraved on someone's heart.

例句

The date of the earthquake is engraved on the hearts of everyone in the village.

be engraved on [body part] for emotional memory

That moment of kindness from a stranger stayed engraved in Dahlia's memory for years.

passive: stay engraved in [memory]

同義詞
  • imprint

    Very close in meaning; 'imprint' can be used both literally (physical printing) and figuratively, while 'engrave' in this sense is exclusively figurative.

  • embed

    Suggests something becoming a permanent part of something else; slightly less emotional than 'engrave'.

  • stamp

    More forceful — suggests a sudden, vivid impression rather than a gradual one.

反義詞
  • forget

    The opposite of having something fixed in memory.

  • erase

    Commonly used figuratively ('erase from memory') as the direct opposite of 'engrave in memory'.

文法句型

be engraved on/in + memory / heart / mind

be engraved into + consciousness / childhood

用法筆記

Exclusively figurative — do not use for actual physical cutting. Typically passive ('is engraved', 'was engraved', 'stayed engraved') rather than active 'X engraved Y in memory'. Common with abstract subjects such as an image, moment, date, smell, or sound. Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 requires a physical tool and a hard surface; sense 2 uses memory, heart, or mind as the 'surface'.

常見錯誤

❌I engraved his kindness in my heart.
✅His kindness is engraved on my heart.
💡The figurative sense is almost always passive; the active voice sounds odd for emotional memory.