olives
olives — noun
- olivessingular
- olivesesplural
1. a small, bitter-tasting fruit that ranges in color from green to black and is ea
a small, bitter-tasting fruit that ranges in color from green to black and is eaten whole or pressed to produce oil; also the name of the Mediterranean tree that bears this fruit
Karim added sliced black olives to the pizza before putting it into the oven.
countable, often used in plural form for the fruit
The Chen family grows olive trees on their land in southern Italy.
olive tree — modifier use for the tree itself
Emma drizzled olive oil over the roasted vegetables and added a pinch of salt.
These green olives taste very salty because they were kept in brine for weeks.
A single olive tree can produce fruit for more than a hundred years.
文法句型
olive + noun (as modifier): olive oil / olive tree
用法筆記
When referring to the fruit, the plural form 'olives' is more common than the singular 'an olive'. As a modifier before another noun, the singular form is used: olive oil, olive tree, olive grove.
常見錯誤
2. a dull, yellowish-green color that looks like the skin of an unripe olive fruit
a dull, yellowish-green color that looks like the skin of an unripe olive fruit
Nora painted her kitchen walls in a soft shade of olive that reminded her of the hills in Tuscany.
a shade of olive — common color-noun pattern
The army jacket was a dark olive, almost the same color as the surrounding pine forest.
Mei chose an olive scarf to go with her cream-colored coat for the autumn trip.
The living room curtains are a pale olive that matches the wooden floorboards nicely.
Hoa prefers shades of olive over brighter greens because they feel more natural and calm.
- olive green
more specific; clarifies that the color is a type of green
文法句型
a shade of olive
olive + noun: olive green
用法筆記
As a color noun, 'olive' can be used with modifiers such as 'pale', 'dark', 'soft', or 'dull'. It is often used in the phrase 'olive green' to make the color clearer.
常見錯誤
olives — adjective
- olivespositive
- more olivescomparative
- most olivessuperlative
1. having the color olive green — a yellowish-green shade that is not bright
having the color olive green — a yellowish-green shade that is not bright
Stephanie wore an olive sweater and dark jeans to the casual dinner party.
olive + clothing noun
The shutters on the old farmhouse were painted an olive color that faded in the sun.
Caio chose olive tiles for the bathroom because they hide dust better than white ones.
That jacket looks olive in this light, but it is actually a dark brown color.
Lotte picked an olive paint for the bookshelf to match the wooden desk in her study.
- olive-green
compound form that makes the hue more precise
文法句型
olive + noun
be + olive
用法筆記
This adjective describes objects, fabrics, paints, and other items. For describing skin tone, see the 'OLIVE COMPLEXION' sense below.
2. having skin with a brownish or yellowish undertone, typical of people from Medit
having skin with a brownish or yellowish undertone, typical of people from Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, or South Asian backgrounds
Karim has olive skin that never burns in the sun, even on the beach in August.
olive skin — standard collocation for complexion
Actors with olive complexions are often cast to play characters from southern Europe.
olive complexion — attributive use
Mei's olive skin tone glows warmly in the golden afternoon light of the studio.
The jewelry looked beautiful against Diya's olive-toned hands at the wedding ceremony.
People with olive skin can wear both gold and silver jewelry equally well.
- olive-skinned
compound adjective with the same meaning, used before nouns
- olive-toned
slightly less common; emphasizes the shade rather than the skin type
文法句型
olive skin
olive complexion
用法筆記
This sense refers only to skin or complexion. Unlike the color sense, it has a warm, human connotation and is used respectfully to describe a common skin type across many populations.