hunch
/hʌntʃ/ (bre, ipa) · /hʌntʃ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈhənch/ (ame, mw)
hunch — noun
- hunchsingular
- hunchesplural
1. a strong feeling about a situation or outcome that comes from your gut, not from
a strong feeling about a situation or outcome that comes from your gut, not from facts or clear evidence
Mei-Lin had a hunch that the interview went well, even before the call came.
have a hunch + that-clause
The detective followed his hunch and checked the old warehouse on Elm Street.
follow somebody's hunch
Elena's hunch about the stock market turned out to be completely wrong.
Sometimes a scientist works on a hunch that later becomes a real discovery.
I have a hunch that Kwame already knows about the surprise party.
- intuition
more formal; suggests a deeper, almost instinctual knowing
- gut feeling
informal; emphasises the emotional, non-rational basis
- suspicion
often implies something negative or distrustful
- fact
a hunch is the opposite of something proven by evidence
文法句型
have a hunch + that-clause
somebody's hunch + about
用法筆記
Often used with the verb 'have' or 'follow'. The that-clause expresses what the feeling predicts. Compare with 'guess' — a hunch feels stronger and more personal.
常見錯誤
hunch — verb
- hunchpresent simple I / you / we / they
- huncheshe / she / it
- hunchedpast simple
- hunching-ing form
1. to curve your back and pull your shoulders forward and upward, especially when s
to curve your back and pull your shoulders forward and upward, especially when sitting, reading, or feeling cold
Diego hunched over his laptop screen, typing furiously until midnight.
hunch over [object]
The old man sat hunched in the corner of the train, clutching a plastic bag.
passive: be hunched
Amara hunched her shoulders against the cold wind and walked faster.
Kenji hunched forward to hear what his grandmother was whispering.
Stop hunching your back — it will hurt your spine over time.
- straighten up
to return the back to an upright, aligned position
文法句型
hunch + over/across/on
hunch + body part + adverb
hunch (oneself) + adverb/preposition
用法筆記
Frequently used intransitively with a preposition (hunch over, hunch forward) or transitively with a body part (hunch your shoulders, hunch your back). The past participle 'hunched' is common as a descriptive adjective.