fibres
fibres — noun
- fibressingular
- fibresesplural
1. one of the very thin, thread-like pieces that make up natural materials such as
one of the very thin, thread-like pieces that make up natural materials such as cotton or wood, or artificial materials such as nylon or polyester; these pieces can be spun into thread or made into cloth
The cotton fibres in this shirt were grown without chemical pesticides.
countable, usually plural — individual strands that form a material
Diego studied the bamboo fibres under a magnifying glass to check their strength.
Nylon fibres are mixed with wool to make the socks last longer without tearing.
Old fishing nets can be recycled to extract the nylon fibres for new products.
Saira separated the individual fibres of the cotton ball for her school experiment.
- thread
a thinner, twisted length of fibres used for sewing or weaving; 'thread' is narrower — it implies the material has already been twisted, whereas 'fibres' are the raw components
- strand
a single thin piece of something; 'strand' is more general and can refer to hair, wire, or rope as well as fibres
- filament
a very fine thread-like object, often in technical or scientific contexts; more formal than 'fibre'
文法句型
fibres of [material]
natural / synthetic fibres
用法筆記
Commonly used with the names of specific materials: cotton fibres, wool fibres, polyester fibres, carbon fibres.
常見錯誤
2. material made up of many thin, thread-like pieces, used as a raw substance for p
material made up of many thin, thread-like pieces, used as a raw substance for producing cloth, rope, paper, and other goods
The textile mill in Hanoi processes raw fibre into fine thread for weaving.
uncountable — raw material for manufacturing
Benjamin ordered a large shipment of hemp fibre to make ropes and bags.
The quality of the fibre determines how soft or durable the finished cloth will be.
Mert's company collects old newspapers and turns them into recycled fibre for packaging.
文法句型
[type] fibre
3. any of the thin, thread-like cells or filaments that make up body tissues, espec
any of the thin, thread-like cells or filaments that make up body tissues, especially muscle and nerve tissues, and that control movement and sensation
The doctor explained that damaged muscle fibres need several days to repair themselves.
common collocation: muscle fibres
Nerve fibres carry electrical signals from your brain to every part of your body.
As people grow older, their muscle fibres become smaller and lose some flexibility.
The athlete tore several fibres in his shoulder while lifting weights at the gym.
Jiwoo learned about the structure of nerve fibres in her anatomy class at medical school.
文法句型
muscle fibres
nerve fibres
用法筆記
In medical writing, types of fibres are often specified: skeletal muscle fibres, cardiac muscle fibres, sensory nerve fibres, motor nerve fibres.
常見錯誤
4. a very thin thread of glass or plastic that carries light signals across long di
a very thin thread of glass or plastic that carries light signals across long distances, used to send information at high speed through internet, television, and telephone networks
The new internet system uses glass fibres to deliver data at extremely high speed.
grammar pattern: optical fibre / fibre-optic
Telephone signals now travel through optical fibres buried under the city streets.
Beatrix works for a company that installs fibre-optic cables in hospital buildings.
A single optical fibre can carry more phone calls than a thick copper cable can.
Yasmin's home internet runs on fibre, so her video calls never freeze or lag.
文法句型
optical fibre
fibre-optic [noun]
用法筆記
Often used in the compound form 'fibre-optic' as an adjective before a noun: fibre-optic cable, fibre-optic network.
常見錯誤
5. parts of plants and grains that your body cannot digest but that help food move
parts of plants and grains that your body cannot digest but that help food move through your digestive system and keep your bowels working well
Eating foods that are rich in fibre helps keep your digestive system working smoothly.
common collocation: rich in fibre / dietary fibre
Beans, oats, and apples are all excellent sources of natural dietary fibre.
The doctor told Theo to add more fibre to his diet to prevent stomach problems.
Most processed foods contain very little fibre compared to fresh vegetables and fruit.
Adding a fibre supplement to her morning drink helped Lien feel less bloated after breakfast.
- roughage
an older, informal term for dietary fibre; still used in everyday speech but less common in scientific writing
文法句型
dietary fibre
[food] is rich in fibre
source of fibre
用法筆記
Commonly described with 'soluble fibre' (dissolves in water, found in oats and apples) and 'insoluble fibre' (does not dissolve, found in whole grains and nuts).
常見錯誤
6. inner strength and firmness of character that makes a person brave, honest, and
inner strength and firmness of character that makes a person brave, honest, and able to keep going when facing difficulties
It takes real moral fibre to admit you were wrong and apologise without excuses.
fixed phrase: moral fibre
The team showed true fibre by finishing the project despite losing two members.
Parents hope their children develop the fibre to resist peer pressure at school.
Ilán questioned whether the politician had the moral fibre to keep his promises.
- fortitude
formal word for courage and strength when facing pain or difficulty; narrower than 'moral fibre', which also includes honesty
- backbone
informal word for strength of character; similar meaning but more common in spoken English
- integrity
the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; overlaps with 'moral fibre' but focuses more on honesty than on endurance
- weakness
lack of strength of character, the opposite of moral fibre
文法句型
moral fibre
fibre of character
用法筆記
Almost always used in the set phrase 'moral fibre'. Unlike other senses, 'fibre' here is always uncountable and does not describe a physical substance.