headpiece

/ˈhed-ˌpēs/ (ame, mw)

headpiece — noun

1. a piece of clothing or equipment worn on the head to protect it from injury

1.名詞B2
釋義

a piece of clothing or equipment worn on the head to protect it from injury

例句

Firefighter Mei-Lin fastened her headpiece before entering the burning house.

protective headpiece for firefighting; fastened as verb

The fencer adjusted her headpiece before stepping onto the piste for the match.

collocation: fencing headpiece

同義詞
  • helmet

    the most common word for hard protective headgear

  • hard hat

    specifically a rigid hat for construction and industrial work

  • headgear

    a broader term covering both protective and decorative items worn on the head

常見錯誤

❌I bought a new headpiece for cycling.
✅I bought a new helmet for cycling.
💡'Helmet' is the usual word for sports and cycling protection; 'headpiece' sounds old-fashioned or technical.

2. a decorative covering worn on the head for ceremonies, celebrations, or traditio

2.名詞B2
釋義

a decorative covering worn on the head for ceremonies, celebrations, or traditional occasions

例句

The bride's silver headpiece sparkled under the bright lights of the wedding hall.

collocation: silver / wedding headpiece

Dancers at the harvest festival wore colorful headpieces made from feathers and beads.

headpiece made from [materials]

同義詞
  • headdress

    a traditional or ceremonial head covering, often more elaborate

  • tiara

    a jeweled ornamental band worn on the head, typically by women on formal occasions

  • crown

    a circular ornamental headpiece worn by a monarch as a symbol of authority

3. a person's ability to think and understand things; intelligence — used informall

3.名詞C1
釋義

a person's ability to think and understand things; intelligence — used informally to refer to good judgment or mental ability

例句

The old innkeeper said his youngest son had a good headpiece and would make a fine scholar.

old-fashioned figurative use: good headpiece = intelligence

The farmer's grandson has a good headpiece and will do well at the university in Dublin.

同義詞
  • brains

    informal, the most common equivalent for intelligence

  • mind

    neutral and much more common, used in everyday speech

  • intellect

    more formal, referring to the thinking capacity

用法筆記

This sense is old-fashioned and chiefly appears in dialectal or period fiction, often put in the voice of an older speaker. 'Head', 'brains', or 'mind' are the modern equivalents ('use your head', 'she's got brains', 'a good head on one's shoulders'). The collocation is almost always 'good headpiece' or 'sensible headpiece' — never 'sharp headpiece', 'quick headpiece', or similar modern intensifiers.

常見錯誤

❌She has a good headpiece on her shoulders.
✅She has a good head on her shoulders.
💡The standard fixed expression uses 'head', not 'headpiece'.