fond
/fɒnd/ (bre, ipa) · /fɑːnd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfänd/ (ame, mw)
fond — adjective
- fondpositive
- fondercomparative
- fondestsuperlative
1. to have a warm, caring feeling toward a person, animal, or thing that makes you
to have a warm, caring feeling toward a person, animal, or thing that makes you enjoy their company or presence.
Hana is very fond of her old cat and spends every evening brushing its fur.
be fond of + noun phrase — warm liking
Christopher had grown fond of the little bakery where he bought bread each morning.
grow fond of — developing affection over time
The puppy seemed fond of the older dog from the very first day they met.
Élise was fond of her students and always remembered each birthday with a small card.
Mert grew especially fond of the old books he found in his grandfather's study.
- like
stronger than 'like'; 'fond of' implies deeper emotional warmth
- love
stronger emotional intensity; 'love' can be used more broadly
- attached to
emphasises emotional connection and difficulty separating
- keen on
common in British English; slightly less intense than 'fond of'
- indifferent to
showing no interest or feeling
- averse to
having a strong dislike (formal)
文法句型
be fond of + noun phrase / pronoun
用法筆記
Predicative only — do not place before a noun. You can say 'I am fond of her' but NOT 'a fond person of her'.
常見錯誤
2. to get so much enjoyment from a particular activity that you do it often, someti
to get so much enjoyment from a particular activity that you do it often, sometimes to the annoyance of others.
Tunde was fond of whistling while he worked, even though his colleague found it irritating.
be fond of + gerund (whistling)
Ayesha is fond of telling long stories about her travels every time the family gathers.
be fond of + gerund for repeated habitual behaviour
Ezra grew fond of walking along the river after a long day at work.
The old gentleman was fond of complaining about the noisy children next door.
Abigail is fond of rearranging the furniture in her room every few months.
文法句型
be fond of + gerund (verb-ing)
用法筆記
Often implies the activity is done so frequently that it becomes a noticeable or mildly annoying habit. Distinguish from sense 1 (LIKE VERY MUCH), which refers to a person or thing rather than an activity.
常見錯誤
3. showing gentle love and warmth through words, looks, or actions, especially in a
showing gentle love and warmth through words, looks, or actions, especially in a way that feels sincere and tender.
Isabela gave her daughter a fond look before the train pulled out of the station.
fond + look — affectionate expression
The head teacher ended her speech with a fond farewell to the retiring coach.
fond farewell — affectionate goodbye
Indra keeps fond memories of the summer she spent on her uncle's olive farm.
The old photograph brought back a fond memory of their wedding day thirty years ago.
- tender
similar warmth but often implies more gentleness or vulnerability
- loving
broader; can describe any expression of love
- warm
less specific; focuses on friendliness and kindness
- affectionate
more direct synonym; slightly more formal
文法句型
fond + noun (smile/look/farewell/memory)
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1 (LIKE VERY MUCH), this sense can be used before a noun ('a fond smile') and does not require 'of'. When used predicatively, it describes a person's nature ('She is very fond' = affectionate by nature).
4. a hope, wish, or belief that is comforting to hold but has very little chance of
a hope, wish, or belief that is comforting to hold but has very little chance of actually coming true.
The young singer held the fond hope of winning a major award before turning twenty.
fond hope — unrealistic but cherished wish
Despite heavy rain, the campers clung to the fond belief that the weather would clear up.
fond belief — unlikely but comforting
The candidate's fond hope of becoming governor ended when she lost the election badly.
Grandpa held the fond wish that all his children would live in the same town again.
- naive
focuses on lack of realism rather than emotional attachment
- foolish
harsher; lacks the warmth of 'fond'
- unrealistic
purely factual; no emotional dimension
文法句型
fond + noun (hope/wish/dream/belief)
用法筆記
Used only before a noun (attributive position). It almost always appears with nouns like 'hope,' 'wish,' 'dream,' or 'belief.' The tone is gently pitying — the speaker implies the hope is sweet but naive.
常見錯誤
5. showing such strong love for a person, especially a child, that you give them ev
showing such strong love for a person, especially a child, that you give them everything they ask for and cannot say no.
The fond grandmother bought her grandson every toy he pointed at in the shop window.
fond + family role — doting, indulgent
Ari, a fond father, bought his daughter the dollhouse she wanted even though money was tight.
The dog's fond owner let it sleep on the bed and eat off his plate.
Yuki's fond parents paid for private school, music lessons, and a personal coach.
- doting
nearly identical; 'doting' more strongly suggests excessive adoration
- indulgent
focuses on giving in to wishes rather than affection
- permissive
focuses on allowing behaviour; lacks the emotional warmth
文法句型
fond + noun (parent/mother/father/grandparent)
用法筆記
Attributive only — placed before a noun describing a person in a caregiving role. Differs from sense 3 (AFFECTIONATE) in emphasising permissiveness and overindulgence rather than gentle warmth. Differs from sense 1 (LIKE VERY MUCH) in that it describes a characteristic of a person rather than a feeling toward someone else.
fond — noun
- fondsingular
- fondsplural
1. the browned residue left on the inside of a pan after searing or frying, prized
the browned residue left on the inside of a pan after searing or frying, prized by cooks for making richly flavoured sauces.
After searing the steak, the chef poured wine into the pan to lift the fond.
lift the fond — deglazing technique
The brown fond left in the roasting dish gave the gravy a deep, savoury flavour.
A good sauce begins with the fond, so do not wash the pan right after cooking.
The chef added white wine to dissolve the fond from the chicken pan.
Scraping up the fond with a wooden spoon adds colour and taste to any gravy.
- residue
general term; less specific to cooking
- pan drippings
more common term for juices left in a pan
用法筆記
A specialised term from French cuisine. 'Fond' (pronounced /fɒn/ or /fɔːn/) is uncountable — you cannot say 'a fond' or 'two fonds.' The related verb is 'to deglaze' (adding liquid to dissolve the fond).
常見錯誤
fond — verb
- fondpresent simple I / you / we / they
- fonds3rd person singular
- fonding-ing form
- fondedpast simple
1. to show someone an excessive amount of love and attention, often treating them a
to show someone an excessive amount of love and attention, often treating them as if they can do no wrong.
The widow continued to fond upon her grandchild whenever the family visited.
fond upon — rare verb pattern meaning dote on
Some grandparents fond over the youngest member of the family without ever setting limits.
Joaquín fonds on his niece as if she were the most wonderful child who ever lived.
Visitors often watched the old teacher fond over her students with endless patience and praise.
It is rare to see a parent fond so openly without worrying about spoiling the child.
- neglect
to fail to care for properly
文法句型
fond on/over + noun phrase
用法筆記
This verb is extremely rare in modern English and may sound old-fashioned or poetic. Most speakers use 'dote on' or 'be fond of' instead. It is not used in everyday conversation.