grapevine

/ˈɡreɪpvaɪn/ (bre, ipa) · [ɡrˈepvˌaɪn] /ˈɡreɪpvaɪn/ (ame, ipa) · [ɡrˈepvˌaɪn] /ˈgrāp-ˌvīn/ (ame, mw)

grapevine — noun

  • grapevinesingular
  • grapevinesplural

1. a woody vine with tendrils that bears clusters of small green, purple, or black

1.名詞B1
釋義

a woody vine with tendrils that bears clusters of small green, purple, or black fruit known as grapes, commonly trained on trellises in vineyards and gardens for eating, winemaking, or decorative cover

例句

The old grapevine in the village garden produced sweet purple grapes every September.

grapevine + location + seasonal yield

Andrei planted three new grapevines along the south wall of his cottage last spring.

countable: three new grapevines

同義詞
  • vine

    broader term that includes grapevines but also covers other climbing plants such as ivy or wisteria

  • climbing plant

    general category; less specific than grapevine

用法筆記

A countable noun. Commonly appears with adjectives describing age, health, or variety (*old grapevine*, *wild grapevine*, *Concord grapevine*). Frequently used in gardening, viticulture, and agricultural contexts.

常見錯誤

❌I bought a grape to plant in my garden.
✅I bought a grapevine to plant in my garden.
💡The fruit is a *grape*; the plant that grows it is a *grapevine*.
❌The grape wine needs pruning in winter.
✅The grapevine needs pruning in winter.
💡Do not confuse the plant (*grapevine*) with the drink (*grape wine*).

2. an informal person-to-person network through which news, gossip, or rumours spre

2.名詞B2
釋義

an informal person-to-person network through which news, gossip, or rumours spread, especially in a workplace, school, or community, without using official announcements or formal communication channels

例句

William heard through the grapevine that the company was planning to close the Boston office.

hear + through + the grapevine + that-clause

Rania found out about the staff changes through the hospital grapevine before the official email arrived.

location modifier: hospital grapevine

同義詞
  • rumour mill

    more negative connotation, suggesting the information is unreliable or exaggerated

  • word of mouth

    broader term for any spoken communication; less specific to gossip

  • gossip network

    emphasises the social aspect of sharing personal information

反義詞
  • official announcement

    formal communication through authorised channels, the opposite of informal grapevine information

  • press release

    planned, written public statement rather than person-to-person rumour

文法句型

hear/learn + through + the grapevine

用法筆記

Almost always appears in the singular with the definite article (*the grapevine*). The most common pattern is *hear/learn/know through the grapevine*, often followed by a that-clause. The word can be modified by a location or group name (*office grapevine*, *school grapevine*, *industry grapevine*).

常見錯誤

❌I heard it from the grapevine.
✅I heard it through the grapevine.
💡The correct preposition in the fixed expression is *through*, not *from*.
❌There were many grapevines about her leaving.
✅There were many rumours about her leaving.
💡Do not use *grapevines* as a synonym for *rumours*; the grapevine is the channel, not the individual pieces of gossip.