gyre
gyre — noun
- gyresingular
- gyresplural
1. a large, slowly rotating system of ocean currents, often spanning hundreds of ki
a large, slowly rotating system of ocean currents, often spanning hundreds of kilometres, created by wind patterns and the rotation of the Earth
The North Pacific Gyre carries warm water from the equator toward Alaska.
collocation: North Pacific Gyre / Atlantic Gyre
Plastic waste collects in the middle of the great Pacific gyre, forming a garbage patch.
Jiwoo and her team measured the Atlantic Gyre's temperature and salt levels during their expedition.
A single gyre can stretch across thousands of kilometres of open ocean.
Strong winds and the rotation of the Earth combine to create each major ocean gyre.
文法句型
the North/South Pacific Gyre
the Atlantic Gyre
用法筆記
Most commonly used in oceanography to refer to the five major gyres: North and South Pacific, North and South Atlantic, and Indian Ocean. Usually paired with a proper name in technical writing.
常見錯誤
2. a shape or movement that follows a widening or rising spiral, with each loop pos
a shape or movement that follows a widening or rising spiral, with each loop positioned around, above, or below the previous one
Jude watched a hawk ride a thermal updraft in a widening gyre above the valley.
literary register: widening gyre (from Yeats)
Leaves from the maple tree fell in a gyre, spinning down to the garden path.
In her dream, Andrés saw a golden gyre of light around the dark tower.
The dancers moved in a gyre, each circle growing wider as the music sped up.
文法句型
a gyre of [something]
用法筆記
Highly literary — almost never appears in everyday conversation. Often chosen for its poetic rhythm when describing expanding circular motion. Made famous by W.B. Yeats's poem 'The Second Coming'.
常見錯誤
gyre — verb
- gyrepresent simple I / you / we / they
- gyres3rd person singular
- gyring-ing form
- gyredpast simple
1. to turn or spin in a circular path, often growing wider or rising as the movemen
to turn or spin in a circular path, often growing wider or rising as the movement continues
Vultures gyred slowly above the dry riverbed, searching for carrion.
collocation: gyre above [location]
Dust particles gyred in the shaft of afternoon light that cut through the barn door.
The helicopter gyred above the landing pad before settling onto the marked circle.
Smoke from the campfire gyred upward, twisting into thin ribbons against the night sky.
文法句型
gyre above/over/around [location]
gyre upward
用法筆記
Rare in modern English outside of poetry and literary prose. The present participle 'gyring' is sometimes found in literary descriptions of birds, smoke, or dancers.