jewel
/ˈdʒuːəl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdʒuːəl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈjü-əl ˈjül also ˈju̇l/ (ame, mw)
jewel — noun
- jewelsingular
- jewelsplural
1. a hard, shiny stone that is cut and polished to make it bright, valued for its r
a hard, shiny stone that is cut and polished to make it bright, valued for its rarity and beauty, for example a diamond or a ruby
Kwame gave his grandmother a small velvet box with a blue jewel inside.
countable: 'a blue jewel' with colour + container
The queen’s crown was covered with jewels from around the world.
Emily watched the jeweller carefully cut and polish a raw stone into a shining jewel.
The museum displayed a rare collection of ancient Roman jewels in glass cases.
- gem
the most common everyday word for a cut precious stone; also used metaphorically
- gemstone
more technical term used in mineralogy and the jewellery trade
- precious stone
broader category that explicitly signals the stone's high value
用法筆記
Commonly used with colour words (blue jewel, red jewel) and with names of specific stones (diamond, ruby, emerald) as the type of jewel.
常見錯誤
❖ 'She wore a jewel on her finger.' ✔ 'She wore a ring with a jewel on her finger.' — 'a jewel' alone describes a stone, not the whole piece of jewellery; specify what kind of jewellery holds it.
2. a very small, precisely shaped stone or synthetic part inside a watch that helps
a very small, precisely shaped stone or synthetic part inside a watch that helps the moving parts work smoothly by reducing rubbing
This Swiss watch has twenty-one jewels inside its mechanical movement.
countable: 'number + jewels' specifying quantity
Samir asked the watchmaker how many jewels his new watch contained.
The tiny jewels inside a watch help the gears spin without too much friction.
Charlotte checked the back of the watch to see how many jewels its movement contained.
- bearing jewel
the exact technical term for this part
- watch stone
informal alternative used by repairers
用法筆記
Usually used to describe the quality of a watch: 'a 21-jewel watch', 'a 17-jewel movement'. The more jewels, the more precise the watch is considered. Synthetic rubies are the most common material.
3. objects such as rings, necklaces, and earrings that people wear to adorn themsel
objects such as rings, necklaces, and earrings that people wear to adorn themselves, typically crafted from costly metals and holding cut stones
Salma wore her mother’s gold jewels at the wedding ceremony.
collocation: gold jewels / diamond jewels (metal/stone + jewels)
The thief stole jewels worth over two million dollars from the mansion.
Élise keeps her jewels in a locked metal box under the bed.
Christopher bought his wife a set of diamond jewels for their tenth anniversary.
The shop window was full of sparkling jewels and silver chains.
用法筆記
In British English, 'jewellery' is the preferred term for this sense. 'Jewels' as countable items often suggests individual valuable pieces (a necklace, a ring, a brooch) rather than decorative objects in general.
4. something that is extremely beautiful, valuable, or important to someone, often
something that is extremely beautiful, valuable, or important to someone, often the best part of a larger group or collection
This old painting is the jewel of the museum’s entire collection.
pattern: 'the jewel of [group]' — best item in a collection
The garden behind the house was a secret jewel in the middle of the city.
For Lucía, her grandmother’s handwritten letter was a precious jewel she kept forever.
The coral reef is considered a jewel of natural beauty by scientists and visitors alike.
文法句型
the jewel of [something]
jewel in the crown
用法筆記
Frequently used in the pattern 'the jewel of [something]' to name the best or most admired part within a larger set. The idiom 'jewel in the crown' uses this sense metaphorically.
5. someone who is extremely kind, helpful, or generous, so that being around them i
someone who is extremely kind, helpful, or generous, so that being around them is a genuine pleasure
Tamar is a real jewel — she always helps when someone is in trouble.
collocation: 'a real jewel' for a genuinely kind person
Mr. Chen is an absolute jewel; he drives us to the station every week.
The manager called the new assistant a jewel for organising the whole conference alone.
Caleb’s grandmother is an absolute jewel — she bakes cakes for everyone in the street.
文法句型
a jewel of a [person]
用法筆記
Always used with an indefinite article or 'a real / an absolute' before it. Mostly British English in informal contexts. The person being praised is usually not present when this is said about them.
常見錯誤
❖ 'She is jewel.' ✔ 'She is a jewel.' — 'jewel' is a countable noun and needs an article in this pattern.
jewel — verb
- jewelpresent simple I / you / we / they
- jewels3rd person singular
- jeweling-ing form
- jeweledpast simple
1. to cover or decorate something, especially clothing or valuable objects, with je
to cover or decorate something, especially clothing or valuable objects, with jewels; almost always used in the past participle form
The queen’s dress was bejewelled with diamonds and emeralds for the ceremony.
passive: 'was bejewelled with [gemstones]'
The handle of the ancient sword was beautifully bejewelled by master craftsmen.
Artisans bejewelled the statue’s crown with rubies and sapphires from the region.
Kwame received a bejewelled dagger from his grandfather as a family heirloom.
文法句型
be + bejewelled with [something]
用法筆記
The form 'bejewelled' (UK) or 'bejeweled' (US) as a past participle adjective is far more common than the bare verb. The bare form 'jewel' (verb) is extremely rare in modern English; the prefix 'be-' form is standard.
2. to add beauty or interest to something such as writing or speech by including ri
to add beauty or interest to something such as writing or speech by including rich, decorative details, as if covering it with jewels
The poet’s speech was bejewelled with vivid images of the ocean and the sky.
figurative passive: 'bejewelled with [abstract images]'
Niran’s travel stories were bejewelled with funny moments and surprising adventures.
The author’s novel is bejewelled with beautiful descriptions of the countryside.
Aoi’s wedding speech was bejewelled with warm memories of her childhood in Tokyo.
- strip
to remove decoration or detail
文法句型
be + bejewelled with [abstract noun]
用法筆記
Almost exclusively metaphorical. The object is an abstract quality (images, descriptions, stories, details). Distinguish from sense 1, where the decoration is literal jewels on a physical object.