gel
/dʒel/ (bre, ipa) · /dʒel/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈjel/ (ame, mw)
gel — noun
- gelsingular
- gelsplural
1. a soft, jelly-like product that you rub onto your skin or hair to style it, clea
a soft, jelly-like product that you rub onto your skin or hair to style it, clean it, or protect it
Caleb squeezed a small dab of gel onto his palm before styling his hair.
noun usage: a [size] of gel + onto + body part
Asher keeps a tube of shower gel and a sponge by the bathtub.
collocation: shower gel / shaving gel / hair gel
After her sunburn, Saira spread cooling aloe gel across her shoulders.
The dentist applied a small amount of numbing gel to Brian's gums.
Travel rules say each bottle of gel must hold less than 100 millilitres.
文法句型
hair/shower/shaving gel
a tube/bottle of gel
用法筆記
Often uncountable when referring to the substance in general ('use less gel'), countable when referring to specific products ('a new gel from the pharmacy').
常見錯誤
2. in chemistry, a semi-solid material in which tiny particles are held inside a li
in chemistry, a semi-solid material in which tiny particles are held inside a liquid network, so the whole thing keeps its shape but still feels soft
Hoa cooled the agar mixture in the lab until it set into a firm gel.
scientific context: liquid setting into a gel
Quan studied how silica gel traps water inside its tiny pores.
compound: silica gel / agar gel / protein gel
When the protein cools slowly, the mixture turns into a clear, wobbly gel.
The packet of silica gel keeps moisture out of the new camera box.
- sol
the same colloid in liquid form before it sets into a gel
文法句型
the gel forms when…
silica/agar/protein gel
用法筆記
Technical use in chemistry and food science. Distinguish from sense 1 (a cosmetic product): this sense names the physical state, not a product on a shelf.
3. a small, sweet, jelly-like pack that runners and cyclists swallow during long wo
a small, sweet, jelly-like pack that runners and cyclists swallow during long workouts to get sugar quickly
Andrés tore open an energy gel at the twentieth mile of the marathon.
sport context: tear open an energy gel
Salma packed three gels and a water bottle for the long cycle ride.
countable plural: three gels
Takeshi prefers banana-flavoured gels because they sit gently on his stomach.
Coaches tell new runners to test a gel during training, not on race day.
- energy gel
the full compound form; the bare word 'gel' relies on sports context
文法句型
an energy/sports gel
swallow/squeeze a gel
用法筆記
Almost always countable here, unlike sense 1: one gel = one single-serve pack. Often appears with 'energy', 'sports', or a flavour modifier.
4. a thin, see-through, coloured sheet that lighting crews clip in front of a stage
a thin, see-through, coloured sheet that lighting crews clip in front of a stage lamp so the beam takes on that colour
Élise clipped a deep red gel over the spotlight before the ballroom scene.
theatre verb pattern: clip/fit a gel over a light
Femi keeps a stack of blue and amber gels in the lighting booth.
collocation: blue/amber/green gels
The lighting crew swapped the gels between acts to shift the room's mood.
A faded gel made the moonlight scene look more grey than blue.
- colour filter
more general term covering plastic, glass, or digital filters
- gobo
different theatre tool — a metal cutout shaping the beam, not colouring it
文法句型
a coloured/red/blue gel
clip/fit a gel over
用法筆記
Technical theatre and film term, almost always with a colour modifier. Distinguish from sense 1 by domain: a stage gel is a flat plastic sheet, not a substance you rub on skin.
gel — verb
- gelpresent simple I / you / we / they
- gels3rd person singular
- gelling-ing form
- gelledpast simple
1. if a liquid gels, it cools or rests until it becomes a soft, jelly-like solid th
if a liquid gels, it cools or rests until it becomes a soft, jelly-like solid that still wobbles
Christopher waited an hour for the dessert mixture to gel in the fridge.
intransitive: [liquid] gels (in fridge / overnight)
The jelly will not gel properly unless the kitchen stays cool.
modal + negative: will not gel
Cooks add gelatin so the sauce gels into a smooth, wobbly layer.
Once the broth gels overnight, Nikhil scoops out the firm jelly with a spoon.
文法句型
[liquid] gels
gel into something
用法筆記
Subject is the liquid itself, not the cook — the action describes what happens to the mixture. Often appears with a cooling or resting phrase.
2. if a plan, idea, or argument gels, the loose parts start fitting together and th
if a plan, idea, or argument gels, the loose parts start fitting together and the whole thing becomes clear and decided
After two long walks, Xiu's novel outline finally began to gel.
subject: a plan/outline + begin to gel
The business strategy gelled in a single afternoon of whiteboard sketches.
context: idea gels in a [setting / short time]
Caleb's argument never quite gelled, so the judges kept asking for clarification.
Once the budget numbers arrived, the whole event plan gelled within minutes.
- come together
the closest plain-English match; informal
- crystallize
more formal; emphasises a sudden moment of clarity
- take shape
slightly slower process than 'gel'
- fall apart
the plan unraveling instead of cohering
文法句型
[plan/idea] gels
gel in someone's mind
用法筆記
Subject is an abstract noun (plan, idea, vision, argument). Distinguish from sense 1 by what the subject is: there, a liquid; here, a thought or scheme.
常見錯誤
3. when a group of people gel, the members start getting along well from the first
when a group of people gel, the members start getting along well from the first meetings and quickly feel like a close team or pair of friends
Asher and Élise gelled the moment they discovered a shared love of jazz.
subject: two named people + gelled
The new players gelled as a team after just three practice matches.
pattern: gel as a team / unit / pair
Saira never really gelled with her new neighbours in the apartment block.
Despite different backgrounds, the volunteer group gelled within a week.
- click
near-perfect informal match for two people getting along instantly
- bond
slightly more emotional and slower than 'gel'
- hit it off
very informal phrase used for an instant friendly first meeting
- clash
the opposite — people who don't get along at all
文法句型
[two people] gel
gel with someone
gel as a team
用法筆記
Informal in tone. Subject is usually plural ('the team / Asher and Élise gelled') or paired with 'with' ('she gelled with the new staff'). Cannot take a direct object.
常見錯誤
4. to rub hair gel into your hair so the strands stay fixed in a chosen shape for t
to rub hair gel into your hair so the strands stay fixed in a chosen shape for the rest of the day
Brian gels his hair into a sharp side-parting every morning before work.
pattern: gel one's hair into a [style]
Nikhil gelled his fringe back so it would stay off his face during the race.
purpose pattern: gel hair + so-clause
Andrés tried to gel his curls flat, but they sprang back within an hour.
For the school photo, Caleb gelled his hair more carefully than usual.
文法句型
gel one's hair
gel + body-part noun
用法筆記
Transitive in this sense; the object is the hair or a head/body part. Often paired with a result adverb like 'back', 'up', 'flat', or 'into a [style]'.