observation
/ˌɒbzəˈveɪʃn/ (bre, ipa) · [ˌɑbzɚvˈeʃən] /ˌɑːbzərˈveɪʃn/ (ame, ipa) · [ˌɑbzɚvˈeʃən] /ˌäb-sər-ˈvā-shən -zər-/ (ame, mw)
observation — noun
- observationsingular
- observationsplural
1. the activity of watching a person, place, or process closely over time, often to
the activity of watching a person, place, or process closely over time, often to gather information, monitor a medical condition, or learn how something behaves.
The nurses kept Grandma under observation for two nights after her fall.
collocation: keep [someone] under observation
Dr. Patel learned a lot about elephants through patient observation in Kenya.
collocation: through observation
Police set up a small van across the street for observation of the warehouse.
Careful observation of the night sky helped early sailors find their way home.
Marco wrote down each plant change during his ten-week observation of the garden.
- monitoring
stresses ongoing checking, often technical or medical
- surveillance
stronger; suggests secret or security-related watching
- study
broader; can include experiments, not just watching
文法句型
under observation
observation of + noun
用法筆記
Usually uncountable in this sense. Common with prepositions: 'under observation' (being watched, often medically), 'through observation' (by means of watching), and 'observation of [thing]'.
常見錯誤
2. the personal ability to spot small details that other people miss, treated as a
the personal ability to spot small details that other people miss, treated as a quality or skill rather than a single act.
Sherlock Holmes is famous for his powers of observation and quick thinking.
fixed phrase: powers of observation
Dr. Yamada tells her interns that strong observation matters as much as textbook knowledge.
The art teacher praised Mei for her sharp observation of light and shadow.
Years of bird-watching in the park trained Lina's observation better than any classroom could.
- perception
wider; covers all senses, not just sight
- attention to detail
everyday phrase; same idea in plainer words
- awareness
broader; being conscious of surroundings in general
- inattention
failure to notice
文法句型
powers of observation
skill of observation
用法筆記
Refers to a personal skill, not a single watching event. Typical adjectives: 'sharp', 'keen', 'good', 'poor'. Distinguish from sense 1, which names the action itself.
3. a spoken or written comment in which you share what you have noticed, thought, o
a spoken or written comment in which you share what you have noticed, thought, or worked out about something.
Aunt Lin made a sharp observation about how the children only fight before dinner.
collocation: make an observation about
After the match, Coach Diaz's final observation was that the team plays better in the rain.
pattern: observation that + clause
Carlos thanked the editor for the helpful observations on his short story.
May I make one quick observation before we end the meeting?
The professor opened her lecture with a witty observation about Monday mornings.
文法句型
make an observation
observation that + clause
observation about/on + noun
用法筆記
Countable in this sense; often pluralized ('her observations on the report'). Frequently introduced with 'make an observation' or 'the observation that…'. Slightly more formal than 'comment' or 'remark'.