imitators
imitators — noun
- imitatorssingular
- imitatorsesplural
1. someone who tries to act, speak, or create things in the same way as another per
someone who tries to act, speak, or create things in the same way as another person, usually because they admire that person
Constanza built a career as an Elvis imitator at seaside hotels.
collocation: [famous person] imitator
At the Milan runway show, Hana pointed at a rival's dress and called the designer a shameless imitator.
collocation: shameless imitator
Minh called the rival startup's founders shameless imitators of his idea.
Adaeze began as a K-pop imitator before finding her own unique voice.
Cheap imitators of the popular toy appeared in shops within weeks.
imitators — verb
- imitatorspresent simple I / you / we / they
- imitatorses3rd person singular
- imitatorsing-ing form
- imitatorsedpast simple
1. to take someone's behaviour, style, or way of doing things as a guide for your o
to take someone's behaviour, style, or way of doing things as a guide for your own actions
Andrew tried to imitate his older sister's confident way of speaking.
pattern: imitate + possessive + noun phrase
Young architects often imitate the masters before developing their own style.
collocation: imitate the masters
Inês carefully imitated her piano teacher's hand position during the lesson.
Children naturally imitate their parents' eating habits from a very young age.
The startup's business model was widely imitated by competitors across Asia.
- innovate
to introduce new ideas rather than following existing models
文法句型
imitate + noun phrase (the person or thing taken as a model)
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense COPY CLOSELY: this sense is about using someone as a model for your own development, not about exact duplication of specific mannerisms or sounds.
2. to closely copy the way someone or something looks, sounds, or moves, often for
to closely copy the way someone or something looks, sounds, or moves, often for entertainment or to entertain others
Mert can imitate twenty different bird calls with remarkable accuracy.
collocation: imitate a bird call / imitate a sound
The comedian imitated the prime minister's voice and had the audience roaring.
Sivan made her little brother laugh by imitating a grumpy old man.
The spy imitated the guard's walk and accent to slip past security.
Yumi's parrot imitates the sound of the microwave perfectly.
- mimic
emphasises exact reproduction, especially of voice or movement, often for entertainment or mockery
- copy
more general and neutral; covers mechanical reproduction as well as behavioural copying
- ape
suggests crude or thoughtless copying without understanding, often insulting
- impersonate
implies deliberately pretending to be someone else, often to deceive or entertain
文法句型
imitate + noun (person's voice, accent, mannerism)
imitate + possessive + noun
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense FOLLOW AS EXAMPLE: this sense emphasises exact copying of specific sounds, movements, or appearances rather than taking someone as a general model.
常見錯誤
3. said of a plant or animal that has evolved to look, sound, or behave like anothe
said of a plant or animal that has evolved to look, sound, or behave like another living thing, gaining protection or some advantage from the resemblance
The harmless hoverfly imitates the black-and-yellow stripes of a wasp.
domain: biology — mimicry for protection from predators
Certain orchids imitate female insects to attract males for pollination.
The caterpillar imitates a snake's head to scare away hungry birds.
Some octopuses can imitate the shape and colour of more dangerous sea creatures.
- mimic
in biology, 'mimic' is more common than 'imitate' for this sense
文法句型
[species] + imitates + [another species]
用法筆記
Subject is always a plant or animal. Used primarily in biology and nature writing. The more common term in scientific contexts is 'mimic'.
4. to have a similar look, feel, or quality to something else, often without any de
to have a similar look, feel, or quality to something else, often without any deliberate attempt to copy it
The artificial leather closely imitates the texture of real cowhide.
pattern: [material] + imitates + [texture/quality]
The building's curved roof imitates the shape of a breaking wave.
This vegan cheese imitates the taste of mature cheddar surprisingly well.
The fabric imitates silk but costs a fraction of the price.
文法句型
[material/object] + imitates + [texture, appearance, or shape]
用法筆記
Subject is usually an inanimate object or material, not a person. The sense describes similarity in appearance or quality rather than intentional copying behaviour.
5. to make a copy of an object, sound, or image, especially by technical or artisti
to make a copy of an object, sound, or image, especially by technical or artistic means
The printer can imitate the fine detail of an oil painting.
pattern: [device] + imitates + [artwork/detail]
Nora used a synthesiser to imitate the sound of a full orchestra.
The software imitates handwriting so well that experts cannot tell the difference.
Forgers imitated the artist's signature with painstaking precision.
文法句型
imitate + [sound, image, or object]
[device or tool] + imitates + [something]
用法筆記
Often used in technical or artistic contexts where the focus is on producing an accurate copy. Sense MAKE A COPY is about the output; sense COPY CLOSELY is about the act of mimicking behaviour.