morsel

/ˈmɔːsl/ (bre, ipa) · [mˈɔrsəl] /ˈmɔːrsl/ (ame, ipa) · [mˈɔrsəl] /ˈmȯr-səl/ (ame, mw)

morsel — noun

  • morselsingular
  • morselsplural

1. A morsel refers to an extremely tiny amount of edible matter, usually no more th

1.名詞B2
釋義

A morsel refers to an extremely tiny amount of edible matter, usually no more than what fits in a single bite.

例句

Grandma saved the last morsel of bread for the stray cat under the porch.

last + morsel of + noun

The toddler refused to eat even a single morsel of the spinach on his plate.

not a single + morsel + of + noun (negative)

同義詞
  • bite

    more general; does not emphasise extreme smallness like 'morsel' does

  • crumb

    refers to a tiny broken-off piece, usually of baked goods; 'morsel' can be any type of food

  • nibble

    emphasises the action of taking small bites; 'morsel' is the piece itself

  • mouthful

    the amount that fills the mouth; can be large or small, while 'morsel' is always very small

反義詞
  • feast

    a large, elaborate meal

  • mountain

    figurative for a huge pile of food

文法句型

every + morsel (of + noun)

not a + morsel + (of + noun)

last + morsel + (of + noun)

用法筆記

Often used in negative constructions ('not a morsel') or emphatic positives ('every last morsel') to stress that absolutely nothing was left uneaten.

常見錯誤

❌He left a morsel of bread on the plate' (unnatural without context).
✅He left a tiny morsel of bread on the plate, barely a bite.
💡'morsel' already means small, so 'tiny' reinforces the size, but the word is most natural in negative or 'every' patterns.

2. A morsel is a very small amount of something that is not food, such as informati

2.名詞B2
釋義

A morsel is a very small amount of something that is not food, such as information, truth, comfort, or hope.

例句

The journalist hoped to find a morsel of truth hidden somewhere in the mayor's long speech.

morsel of truth

Amara clung to every morsel of encouragement her coach gave her before the big race.

every morsel of + abstract noun (encouragement)

同義詞
  • shred

    more emphatic about smallness; often used with 'not a shred of evidence'

  • fragment

    implies a piece broken off from a larger whole, not necessarily tiny

  • grain

    used with 'truth' or 'sense'; suggests a tiny, barely perceptible amount

  • scrap

    more informal; 'a scrap of news' feels conversational

反義詞

文法句型

morsel + of + abstract noun (truth, comfort, information, news, hope)

用法筆記

This sense is figurative and typically appears in formal or literary writing. The noun following 'of' is usually abstract (truth, hope, comfort, news, information). Colloquial alternatives include 'bit', 'shred', or 'scrap'.

常見錯誤

❌I need a morsel of sugar for my coffee.
✅I need a bit of sugar for my coffee.
💡For concrete non-food items like sugar or money, use 'bit' or 'little bit'. 'Morsel' in its figurative sense works best with abstract nouns.