oar
/ɔː(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ɔːr/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈȯr/ (ame, mw)
oar — noun
- oarsingular
- oarsplural
1. a long wooden or plastic stick with a flat blade on one end, which a person dips
a long wooden or plastic stick with a flat blade on one end, which a person dips into the water and pulls to move a small boat forward.
Marcus lifted the wooden oar and dipped it gently into the river.
dip + oar + into the water
Each rower in the boat held a long oar with both hands.
hold + oar with both hands
One of the oars slipped from Lina's grip and floated away on the lake.
The fisherman pulled hard on his oars to steer past the rocks.
A pair of old wooden oars rested against the side of the small boat.
文法句型
a pair of oars
pull on the oars
用法筆記
Almost always physical and countable; a small boat usually needs a pair (two oars). Distinguish from 'paddle', which is shorter, held in the hands without a fixed point on the boat, and used for canoes or kayaks.
常見錯誤
oar — verb
- oarpresent simple I / you / we / they
- oars3rd person singular
- oaring-ing form
- oaredpast simple
1. to move a boat through water by pulling on oars, or to travel forward in a way t
to move a boat through water by pulling on oars, or to travel forward in a way that looks like rowing.
Two visitors oared slowly across the calm lake at sunset.
oar + across (intransitive, direction)
The fishermen oared toward the small island to check their nets.
oar + toward + place
A young swan oared smoothly through the still water near the bridge.
Maya and her brother oared back to the dock before the storm arrived.
文法句型
oar + adverb/preposition (across, toward, through)
用法筆記
Quite rare in modern English; most speakers say 'row' instead. 'Oar' as a verb sounds literary or old-fashioned, and is also used figuratively for graceful, rowing-like motion (a bird's wings, a swimmer's arms).
常見錯誤
2. to push a boat or one's own body forward through water by working with oars, or
to push a boat or one's own body forward through water by working with oars, or by movements that look the same.
Carlos oared the small wooden boat steadily up the narrow river.
transitive: oar + boat (the object being moved)
The old guide oared his rowboat past the reeds to reach the camp.
oar + [a specific boat] + past + place
Sofia oared her way across the bay just as the morning fog lifted.
The duck oared its small body smoothly through the pond.
文法句型
oar + object (a boat, the way)
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense verb/1: this transitive sense takes a direct object (the boat or 'one's way'), while verb/1 stands alone and only takes a direction adverb. Also rare in everyday speech — 'row a boat' is far more common than 'oar a boat'.