oxidised

oxidised — verb

1. to combine with oxygen, or cause another substance to combine with oxygen, so th

1.動詞及物 / 不及物C2
釋義

to combine with oxygen, or cause another substance to combine with oxygen, so that it changes chemically, often by rusting or turning brown.

例句

By lunch, the cut apple had oxidised and turned brown.

intransitive: food changes after air exposure

Sea air oxidised the rail outside Nora's flat in Brighton.

common cause: air oxidises metal

同義詞
  • rust

    narrower, mainly for iron or steel forming a reddish-brown layer

  • corrode

    broader and often focuses on damage to metal, not only oxygen reaction

  • react

    much broader scientific verb; oxidation is only one type of reaction

反義詞
  • reduce

    the opposite process in chemistry, though the wording depends on context

文法句型

metal/substance oxidise

oxidise + metal/food/oil

be oxidised by air/heat

用法筆記

In British English, this is the usual spelling in science writing about metals, foods, oils, and other substances exposed to air or heat. Distinguish from sense 2, which explains the change through electron loss rather than through oxygen itself.

常見錯誤

❌Salt water made the nail to oxidise.
✅Salt water made the nail oxidise.
💡after 'make', use the bare verb, not 'to' + verb.
❌The apple was oxidised to brown.
✅The apple oxidised and turned brown.
💡English normally uses 'oxidise' for the chemical change and a second verb for the colour result.

2. to lose electrons during a chemical reaction, or make another substance lose the

2.動詞及物 / 不及物C2
釋義

to lose electrons during a chemical reaction, or make another substance lose them.

例句

In Ms Lin's experiment, zinc oxidised and released electrons first.

pattern: element oxidises and releases electrons

The teacher said iron is oxidised when it loses two electrons.

passive: be oxidised when ...

同義詞
反義詞
  • reduce

    to gain electrons in the opposite chemical process

文法句型

atom/ion/element oxidise

oxidise + atom/ion/element

be oxidised when it loses electrons

用法筆記

Mostly used in chemistry lessons and lab writing, often beside reduction in the same reaction. Distinguish from sense 1: oxygen may not appear at all, because the key idea here is electron loss.

常見錯誤

❌Copper reduced when it lost electrons.
✅Copper oxidised when it lost electrons.
💡losing electrons is oxidation; reduction is the opposite.
❌The atom oxidised by gaining electrons.
✅The atom oxidised by losing electrons.
💡this sense is defined by electron loss, not electron gain.