nit

IPA/nɪt/
KK[nˈɪt]IPA/nɪt/

nit — noun

  • nitsingular
  • nitsplural

1. someone who has done something silly or thoughtless, used as a mild way to show

1.名詞B2
釋義

someone who has done something silly or thoughtless, used as a mild way to show disapproval

例句

Michael felt like a nit after locking his keys in the car again.

collocation: feel like a nit

Don't be a nit, Zuri — you know the shop closes at five on Sundays.

imperative: don't be a nit

同義詞
  • nitwit

    more widely understood across English varieties; slightly stronger in tone

  • fool

    more formal and less colloquial; can also be a verb

  • idiot

    stronger and more offensive; avoid in polite conversation

用法筆記

Mainly British English; uncommon in American speech. Always a noun and almost always directed at a person, not a situation.

常見錯誤

I've been such a nit with my money this month.
I've been such a nitwit with my money this month.
💡'nit' as an insult is mainly British; many American speakers use 'nitwit' instead.

2. a very small white egg that sticks to human hair, laid by an insect that lives o

2.名詞B2
釋義

a very small white egg that sticks to human hair, laid by an insect that lives on the head

例句

The school nurse checked every child's hair for nits after the outbreak notice went home.

collocation: check for nits

Greta spent an hour combing nits out of her daughter's long hair.

collocation: comb out nits

用法筆記

Almost always plural ('nits'). A single egg is a nit; the insect that hatches from it is a louse (plural: lice).

常見錯誤

I found a nit crawling on my pillow.
I found a louse crawling on my pillow.
💡a nit is the egg, not the hatched insect.