fibers

fibers — noun

1. the long, thin threads that make up plants or human-made materials, often spun t

1.名詞B1
釋義

the long, thin threads that make up plants or human-made materials, often spun together to make cloth, rope, or other woven goods.

例句

Trang spins cotton fibers into thread on her grandmother's old wooden wheel.

plural countable: spins [material] fibers into [product]

The factory in Da Nang weaves bamboo fibers into soft summer shirts.

collocation: weave [plant] fibers into [garment]

同義詞
  • filaments

    more technical; suggests very thin, often artificial threads

  • strands

    any single thread-like piece; less material-focused than fibers

  • threads

    everyday word; usually already spun or processed, while fibers are often raw

文法句型

fibers of [material]

made from [adjective] fibers

用法筆記

Frequently plural. Subject or object is typically a material noun (cotton, wool, glass, plastic); commonly appears with verbs like spin, weave, twist, blend.

常見錯誤

My shirt is made of one fiber.
My shirt is made of cotton fibers.
💡when describing what cloth is made from, use the plural; singular sounds unnatural here.
I bought some fiber for my dress.
I bought some fabric for my dress.
💡fibers are the raw threads; fabric is the finished cloth.

2. the thin, thread-like parts inside the body that form muscles, nerves, and other

2.名詞B2
釋義

the thin, thread-like parts inside the body that form muscles, nerves, and other tissues, allowing them to stretch, contract, or send signals.

例句

Heavy lifting can tear small muscle fibers, which heal back stronger after rest.

collocation: tear muscle fibers

The doctor showed Eli a photo of damaged nerve fibers in his lower back.

collocation: nerve fibers

同義詞
  • filaments

    common in scientific writing for the very thin structures inside cells

  • tissue

    broader term; tissue is made of many fibers plus other cells

文法句型

muscle / nerve fibers

fibers of the [body part]

用法筆記

Almost always plural and typically preceded by the body part it belongs to (muscle, nerve, heart, optic). Distinguish from sense 1 by the body context.

常見錯誤

I pulled a muscle fiber in the gym.
I pulled some muscle fibers in the gym.
💡injuries normally affect many fibers at once; plural sounds more natural.

3. the rough parts of plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains t

3.名詞B1
釋義

the rough parts of plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains that the body cannot break down, helping the stomach and bowels work smoothly.

例句

Oats, beans, and apples give João most of his daily fibers.

collocation: [foods] give [person] fibers

Doctors told Kian to eat more whole grains because his diet was low in fibers.

collocation: low in fibers

同義詞
  • roughage

    older everyday word for the same dietary substance

  • bulk

    informal; emphasizes the volume that fiber adds to food

文法句型

dietary fibers

[food] is high in fibers

用法筆記

In nutrition contexts the singular 'fiber' is more standard than 'fibers'; the plural appears mainly when listing types (soluble fibers, dietary fibers) or in informal speech.

常見錯誤

This bread has many fibers.
This bread is high in fiber.
💡for the dietary substance, the singular uncountable form is more natural in everyday English.

4. a person's basic strength of character — the inner quality that allows someone t

4.名詞C1
釋義

a person's basic strength of character — the inner quality that allows someone to act with courage, honesty, or principle, especially under pressure.

例句

Soraya showed real moral fiber when she reported the unsafe building to the inspector.

fixed phrase: moral fiber

The old captain said modern leaders lacked the moral fiber of his generation.

collocation: lack the moral fiber

同義詞
  • backbone

    everyday word; emphasizes courage to stand firm

  • character

    broader; covers all stable personal qualities, not only strength

  • mettle

    literary; the spirit to face difficulty bravely

反義詞
  • weakness

    general lack of resolve or strength

文法句型

moral fiber

[person] lacks the fiber to [verb]

用法筆記

Almost always singular ('fiber') even on the 'fibers' page; the plural is non-standard for this sense. Most commonly appears in the fixed phrase 'moral fiber' or after 'lack/have/test the X fiber to do something'.

常見錯誤

She has strong moral fibers.
She has strong moral fiber.
💡in this abstract sense, English uses the singular uncountable form.