mote
mote — noun
- motesingular
- motesplural
1. a speck of dust or other fine material, so tiny that it is only clearly visible
a speck of dust or other fine material, so tiny that it is only clearly visible when light catches it
A mote of dust drifted through the shaft of sunlight coming through the window.
collocation: 'a mote of dust'
Yara wiped the table clean, but one mote of flour stayed on the edge.
Eric stared at his screen, unsure if the dark dot was a mote of dust.
In the old cottage, motes of dust danced in the light from the window.
Imran lifted the gem to the light and found not one mote on its surface.
用法筆記
Typically used with 'of' followed by the substance (mote of dust, mote of flour). The phrase 'a mote in one's eye' comes from the Bible and means a small fault that someone looks for in others while ignoring a larger fault in themselves.
常見錯誤
mote — auxiliary verb
1. an old word used in place of 'may' or 'might,' expressing that something is poss
an old word used in place of 'may' or 'might,' expressing that something is possible or allowed, found today mainly in the set phrase 'so mote it be'
At the end of the ceremony, the crowd whispered, 'So mote it be.'
set phrase: 'so mote it be'
In the old manuscript, the knight declared, 'I mote depart at dawn.'
Jabari read aloud from the ancient text: 'What mote this strange writing mean?'
Priya knelt before the queen and asked softly, 'Mote I speak of the matter now?'
文法句型
mote + bare infinitive
用法筆記
An archaic auxiliary verb found only in old texts and in the traditional phrase 'so mote it be.' Not used in modern English outside of historical or ritual contexts. 'So mote it be' is still heard in some Wiccan and Masonic ceremonies.