isolate
/ˈaɪsəleɪt/ (bre, ipa) · [ˈaɪsəlˌet] /ˈaɪsəleɪt/ (ame, ipa) · [ˈaɪsəlˌet] /ˈī-sə-ˌlāt also ˈi-/ (ame, mw) · /ˈaɪ.sə.lət/ (bre, ipa) · [ˈaɪsəlˌet] /ˈaɪ.sə.lət/ (ame, ipa)
isolate — verb
- isolatepresent simple I / you / we / they
- isolateshe / she / it
- isolatedpast simple
- isolating-ing form
1. to pull one thing or one part away from the rest so you can handle it on its own
to pull one thing or one part away from the rest so you can handle it on its own
The mechanic isolated the loose wire before repairing the kitchen light.
isolate + object before repair
Elena isolated the bad apples from the box before the market opened.
We isolated the loudest part of the recording and played it again.
The teacher isolated the main problem in our plan during the meeting.
文法句型
isolate + noun + from + noun
isolate + one part of + noun
用法筆記
Often follows the pattern 'isolate X from Y'. It can refer to a physical object, one part of a recording, or one part of a larger problem that needs separate attention.
常見錯誤
2. to place someone or an animal elsewhere so contact with the rest is stopped
to place someone or an animal elsewhere so contact with the rest is stopped
The nurse isolated the patient in a side room after the fever returned.
isolate + patient in a room
Farmers isolated the new calf for a week before it joined the herd.
Airport staff isolated the passengers who sat near the coughing man.
Vets isolated the injured dog so the other animals would leave it alone.
- quarantine
more specific; usually for disease risk
- separate
more general and less medical
- seclude
more formal; often stresses privacy or being shut away
- release
allow someone or something to return to normal contact
文法句型
isolate + person/animal + in + place
isolate + person/animal + from + others
用法筆記
Often used for illness, safety, or animal care. The point is preventing contact, not simply making the person or animal feel lonely.
常見錯誤
3. to make someone, a group, or even a country lose normal contact or support from
to make someone, a group, or even a country lose normal contact or support from others
The new rules isolated small schools from the rest of the funding system.
isolate a group from wider support
Repeated jokes about his accent isolated Amir from the class.
Trade bans isolated the country from many of its neighbors.
The company isolated itself by ignoring months of customer complaints.
- ostracize
stronger; suggests pushing a person out of a group on purpose
- marginalize
focuses on pushing someone to the edge of influence
- alienate
stresses making people feel unfriendly or distant
文法句型
isolate + person/group/country + from + noun
isolate + reflexive pronoun
用法筆記
Usually describes social, political, or emotional separation rather than moving someone to a room. It is common with groups, countries, and organizations.
常見錯誤
4. to make one muscle, one joint, or one small muscle group work by itself instead
to make one muscle, one joint, or one small muscle group work by itself instead of several together
This machine isolates your back muscles without tiring your legs.
isolate + muscle group
The coach taught Mei a move that isolates the shoulder joint.
Slow curls isolate the biceps better than swinging the whole arm.
Physical therapists use this exercise to isolate one weak knee muscle.
文法句型
isolate + muscle/joint
exercise to isolate + body part
用法筆記
Common in gym and physical-therapy contexts. It contrasts with compound exercises that make several muscles work together at the same time.
5. to take one substance, cell, or chemical out of a sample for clean testing or us
to take one substance, cell, or chemical out of a sample for clean testing or use
The lab isolated the virus from a blood sample within two days.
isolate + virus from sample
Researchers isolated a protein from seaweed for further testing.
The team isolated the damaged cells and studied them under a microscope.
Chemists isolated the compound before measuring its melting point.
- contaminate
make a sample impure by adding unwanted material
文法句型
isolate + substance/cell + from + sample
isolate + compound
用法筆記
Common in laboratory and science writing. It usually suggests taking something out of a sample so it can be examined in a cleaner or purer state.
isolate — noun
- isolatesingular
- isolatesplural
1. an organism, culture, or other living sample that has been taken out from surrou
an organism, culture, or other living sample that has been taken out from surrounding material so scientists can study it by itself
The lab stored each bacterial isolate in a labeled freezer box.
technical noun: bacterial isolate
Doctors tested the viral isolate before choosing the best drug.
A soil isolate from Tainan grew faster in warm water.
The researchers compared twelve isolates from different farms.
文法句型
a bacterial isolate
viral isolate
用法筆記
A technical biology word. It is often used with labels such as bacterial, viral, or clinical to show what kind of sample was separated.