prodigal
prodigal — adjective
- prodigalpositive
- more prodigalcomparative
- most prodigalsuperlative
1. using up money, time, or energy too freely, so that much of it is thrown away fo
using up money, time, or energy too freely, so that much of it is thrown away for little return
Vivek was prodigal with his lottery winnings and spent the lot within a year.
prodigal with [resource]
The new mayor accused the old council of prodigal spending on empty office buildings.
prodigal + noun: prodigal spending
Critics called the film studio prodigal for burning millions on a project nobody wanted.
Isabela warned her brother that such prodigal habits would leave him with nothing by spring.
- wasteful
plainer, everyday word for the same idea
- extravagant
stresses spending beyond what is sensible, less harsh than prodigal
- spendthrift
almost always about money, often used as a noun
文法句型
prodigal with [resource]
用法筆記
Often followed by 'with' naming the resource wasted (money, time, energy). Carries a clear note of disapproval, unlike the neutral 'generous'.
常見錯誤
2. existing or produced in very large amounts, so that the supply feels rich and al
existing or produced in very large amounts, so that the supply feels rich and almost endless
The valley was prodigal in wild flowers, with whole hillsides turning gold each May.
prodigal in [resource that is abundant]
Nature had been prodigal here, scattering fruit trees along every path through the forest.
The old garden was prodigal with roses, their scent filling the whole street by June.
Ezra praised the region's prodigal harvests, which fed three towns through the winter.
文法句型
prodigal in/of [quality]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: here there is no waste or disapproval, only the idea of rich, generous abundance. Mostly literary, often used of nature or the land.
prodigal — noun
- prodigalsingular
- prodigalsplural
1. a person who pours out money or goods far too freely, often in a foolish way tha
a person who pours out money or goods far too freely, often in a foolish way that leaves little behind
By thirty, Christopher had become a prodigal, gambling away the family farm in two seasons.
a prodigal: a person who wastes money
Her grandfather, a famous prodigal, gave away gold coins to anyone who knocked on the door.
The banker warned each young prodigal that spending the whole inheritance would soon end in ruin.
Defne wrote a play about a prodigal who feasts every night while his fields rot.
- spendthrift
the most common everyday word for a money-waster
- squanderer
stresses the careless using-up of resources
- miser
a person who hates spending any money at all
用法筆記
Always carries disapproval — the person is seen as foolish, not merely generous. Distinguish from sense 2, which is about someone who returns rather than someone who wastes.
2. a person who comes back to a place, team, or group after being away for a long t
a person who comes back to a place, team, or group after being away for a long time, usually welcomed with open arms
When Yael walked back into the office after five years, colleagues greeted the prodigal warmly.
the prodigal: one who returns after a long absence
Fans cheered the returning prodigal as the striker pulled on the club's shirt once more.
The village threw a feast for the prodigal who had sailed away as a boy decades earlier.
Adaeze returned to the choir she had quit, and the conductor embraced the prodigal at the door.
- returnee
neutral term for someone who has come back, without the welcome
用法筆記
Echoes the biblical 'prodigal son', so it strongly implies a warm welcome on return. Distinguish from sense 1: this person is defined by coming back, not by wasting money.