sediment
/ˈsedɪmənt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsedɪmənt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈse-də-mənt/ (ame, mw)
sediment — noun
- sedimentsingular
- sedimentsplural
1. Tiny pieces of solid matter that sink through a liquid and stay together near th
Tiny pieces of solid matter that sink through a liquid and stay together near the lowest point, creating a soft, wet substance.
After the river flooded, a layer of brown sediment covered the floor of the garage.
collocation: a layer of sediment
The winemaker poured slowly to avoid disturbing the sediment in the bottle.
everyday context: wine sediment
In a French press, fine coffee sediment always settles at the bottom after brewing.
The scientist collected sediment from the lake bed to test for chemical pollution.
Cloudy water from the tap contained visible sediment that made Lisa hesitate to drink it.
文法句型
sediment + verb (settles, accumulates)
a layer of sediment
sediment in + noun
用法筆記
In everyday language this sense is uncountable (e.g., 'sediment in the wine'). In scientific or technical writing it can be countable when referring to different types ('marine sediments').
常見錯誤
2. Sand, stones, or mud that is moved by ice, wind, or flowing water and finally se
Sand, stones, or mud that is moved by ice, wind, or flowing water and finally settles in a new place, slowly building up in layers.
Over thousands of years, layers of sediment built up and slowly turned into solid rock.
collocation: layers of sediment
Geologists study the sediment carried by rivers to understand how ancient mountains were formed.
Strong winds blew sand across the desert, adding fresh sediment to the valley floor.
Deep under the ocean, sediment accumulates very slowly — just a few millimetres every hundred years.
The construction crew dug through several metres of sediment before reaching solid bedrock.
文法句型
layers of sediment
sediment + noun (sediment layers)
用法筆記
This sense is most common in geology and earth science. Unlike sense 1, it is frequently used in the plural ('coastal sediments', 'glacial sediments') when referring to different types or sources of deposited material.
常見錯誤
sediment — verb
- sedimentpresent simple I / you / we / they
- sediments3rd person singular
- sedimenting-ing form
- sedimentedpast simple
1. To cause solid particles in a liquid to fall and collect at the bottom, forming
To cause solid particles in a liquid to fall and collect at the bottom, forming a layer.
The floodwaters sedimented a thick layer of mud across the farmland.
formal register: transitive verb
Over millions of years, the river sedimented sand and gravel along its new course.
The treatment plant sediments suspended solids into large collection tanks before releasing the water.
Heavy rainfall sedimented fine soil particles in the reservoir behind the dam.
文法句型
sediment + noun (object)
be sedimented + prepositional phrase
用法筆記
Frequently passive in scientific writing ('the particles were sedimented'). In everyday English, 'deposit' or 'settle' are more common alternatives.
常見錯誤
2. (Of solid particles in a liquid) to slowly sink to the bottom and gather there.
(Of solid particles in a liquid) to slowly sink to the bottom and gather there.
After the storm, fine mud particles sedimented at the bottom of the pond.
If you leave the jar standing overnight, the sand will sediment to the bottom.
intransitive pattern: [material] sediments to the bottom
The smallest clay particles sediment last because they are extremely light.
In a river delta, silt sediments wherever the water current slows down enough.
- settle
Everyday alternative; 'the mud settled at the bottom' is natural, while 'the mud sedimented' is very formal or scientific
- settle out
Phrasal verb; common in both science and general use ('the particles settled out')
文法句型
subject (particles, mud, sand) + sediment
sediment + adverb of place/time
用法筆記
Subject is almost always a natural material (mud, silt, sand, particles). In everyday English, 'settle' is much more common than 'sediment' for this meaning.