fleck

/flek/ (bre, ipa) · /flek/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈflek/ (ame, mw)

fleck — noun

  • flecksingular
  • flecksplural

1. a tiny dot or patch of a different colour on a larger surface, usually round and

1.名詞C1
釋義

a tiny dot or patch of a different colour on a larger surface, usually round and clearly noticeable against the background.

例句

Eri's blue eyes had a small fleck of gold near the pupil.

fleck of + colour noun

There were tiny flecks of paint on the carpet under the window.

plural: flecks of paint

同義詞
  • speck

    very close in meaning; speck often refers to dust or dirt, fleck more often colour

  • spot

    more general; a spot can be any size, a fleck is always small

  • dot

    implies a regular round shape; fleck can be irregular

文法句型

fleck of + uncountable noun

用法筆記

Often used with 'of' plus a colour or substance (a fleck of gold, flecks of mud). The mark is small enough that you must look closely to see it.

常見錯誤

❌a fleck of dust covered the entire desk.
✅a layer of dust covered the entire desk.
💡a fleck is tiny and isolated, so it cannot cover a whole surface.

2. a very small loose piece of a solid substance, such as ash, foam, snow, or food,

2.名詞C1
釋義

a very small loose piece of a solid substance, such as ash, foam, snow, or food, that has broken off from a bigger amount.

例句

Roya brushed a fleck of ash from the sleeve of her jacket.

fleck of + loose substance

Small flecks of snow drifted past the kitchen window all afternoon.

plural flecks falling in the air

同義詞
  • flake

    flake suggests a thin flat piece (snowflake); fleck is any tiny piece

  • particle

    more technical and scientific; fleck is everyday word

  • crumb

    crumb is specifically for bread or food; fleck is broader

文法句型

fleck of + solid substance

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: here the fleck is a separate physical piece (you could pick it up), whereas sense 1 describes a colour mark fixed on a surface.

fleck — verb