gimcrack
gimcrack — adjective
- gimcrackpositive
- more gimcrackcomparative
- most gimcracksuperlative
1. describing something that looks expensive or attractive at first glance but is a
describing something that looks expensive or attractive at first glance but is actually poorly made and has no lasting quality or real value
Jiwoo bought a gimcrack watch from a street vendor, and it stopped within a day.
gimcrack + watch — typical attributive use
The hotel lobby had gimcrack furniture that looked expensive but fell apart in months.
gimcrack + furniture — pejorative description of decor
Anthony's gimcrack necklace broke after one wear, leaving beads scattered across the kitchen floor.
The gimcrack shop decorations looked flashy, but up close the gold paint was peeling.
Rohan regretted buying the gimcrack lamp when its plastic base melted from the bulb's heat.
- tawdry
emphasises cheap flashiness, especially in clothing or ornament; more common than gimcrack
- showy
neutral or mildly negative; simply means attracting attention, not necessarily poorly made
- meretricious
formal register; suggests false attractiveness used to deceive, stronger moral judgement
文法句型
gimcrack + noun
用法筆記
Informal and almost always pejorative. Typically used before a noun to criticise decorative items, furniture, jewellery, souvenirs, or building materials that look impressive but are poorly constructed. Not used to describe people or abstract concepts.
常見錯誤
gimcrack — noun
1. a cheap, showy object intended to look attractive but having little real value o
a cheap, showy object intended to look attractive but having little real value or practical use, often sold as a souvenir or decoration
The tourist shop sold gimcracks — gold statues and plastic flowers with zero real value.
countable plural: gimcracks
Sari's desk had gimcracks from the night market, including a fake lamp that never worked.
Eli bought a gimcrack at the fair — a painted box that broke when opened.
Anna called the porcelain cat a gimcrack and tossed it in the box.
The market vendor sold gimcracks to tourists who wanted shiny but cheap souvenirs.
- heirloom
a valuable item passed through generations
文法句型
a gimcrack
gimcracks
用法筆記
Countable noun. More common in the plural (gimcracks) since these objects typically occur in collections. Somewhat old-fashioned or literary; more frequent in British English than American English. Often interchangeable with bauble or trinket, though gimcrack carries a stronger judgement of poor quality.