illustration
/ˌɪləˈstreɪʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌɪləˈstreɪʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌi-lə-ˈstrā-shən also i-ˌlə-/ (ame, mw)
illustration — noun
- illustrationsingular
- illustrationsplural
1. An image such as a drawing or painting that is placed inside a book, article, or
An image such as a drawing or painting that is placed inside a book, article, or other written work, either to explain what the words describe or to make the page look more attractive. The word can also refer to the activity or process of creating such images.
The children's book had bright illustrations of farm animals on every page.
collocation: bright illustrations of
Devika spent the summer creating illustrations for a new science textbook.
The magazine paid the artist well for each full-page illustration she produced.
Modern illustration is often done on a computer instead of by hand.
Renata studied illustration at the art college before moving to Tokyo.
用法筆記
Countable when referring to a single picture ('an illustration of a horse'). Uncountable when referring to the art or profession ('she works in illustration').
常見錯誤
2. A particular event, fact, or story used to make an abstract idea easier to under
A particular event, fact, or story used to make an abstract idea easier to understand, to show how something works, or to support a claim or argument.
This case is a perfect illustration of why wearing helmets can save lives.
collocation: perfect illustration of
The teacher used a story about a baker as an illustration of supply and demand.
as an illustration of + abstract concept
The earthquake in Japan provides a clear illustration of how quickly disasters can change lives.
Élise offered her own experience as an illustration of the challenges young entrepreneurs face.
Anjali's low test scores were a clear illustration that she needed more practice.
- example
more general — any representative case; less emphasis on the explanatory purpose
- instance
more formal — a single occurrence of something within a larger category
- demonstration
emphasises showing how something works rather than just providing an example
文法句型
illustration of + noun
illustration + that-clause
用法筆記
Frequently followed by 'of' + noun or noun phrase ('an illustration of the problem'). Can also take a that-clause ('an illustration that teamwork matters'). This sense is always countable and often appears in the construction 'as an illustration'.