silver
/ˈsɪlvə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsɪlvər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsil-vər/ (ame, mw) · /ˈsɪl.vər/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsɪl.vɚ/ (ame, ipa)
silver — noun
- silversingular
- silversplural
1. a grey-white metal that is very valuable and can be polished until it shines bri
a grey-white metal that is very valuable and can be polished until it shines brightly, often used in jewellery, coins, and household objects such as forks and knives.
The Watanabe family passed down a set of silver jewellery from grandmother to granddaughter.
family heirloom context
For her birthday, Shanti received a beautiful silver necklace with a small blue stone.
Quan polished the silver forks and spoons until they shone in the candlelight.
The old coins in the museum were made of pure silver mined from nearby mountains.
Defne's wedding ring is made of silver because she prefers its soft glow to gold.
- precious metal
broader category including gold and platinum; less specific than 'silver'
文法句型
silver + noun (attributive)
用法筆記
Uncountable when referring to the metal itself. To refer to individual items made of silver, use 'a silver [object]' (a silver necklace, silver coins).
常見錯誤
2. a disc of shiny silver-coloured metal presented to the runner-up in a contest or
a disc of shiny silver-coloured metal presented to the runner-up in a contest or sporting event.
Baraka won a silver in the 100-metre race at the national championships.
collocation: win a silver (medal)
Yumi's team took the silver after losing the final match by just one point.
The gymnast held her silver medal tightly and promised to train harder for gold.
Christopher was happy with his silver, though he had hoped to finish first.
The crowd cheered loudly when the home team received their silver medals.
- silver medal
the full, more formal term
- runner-up prize
broader; includes non-sport competitions
文法句型
win + a + silver
take + the + silver
silver + medal
用法筆記
Can be shortened to 'a silver' in sports journalism: 'She won a silver in the 200-metre race.' The full form 'silver medal' is more common in everyday speech.
常見錯誤
3. the colour of polished silver: a grey-white shade with a bright, reflective qual
the colour of polished silver: a grey-white shade with a bright, reflective quality.
Asher painted his bedroom walls in a soft silver that caught the morning light.
The car's new paint job was a beautiful silver that sparkled under the sun.
collocation: beautiful silver (colour)
Élise chose a dress in pale silver for the winter wedding.
The leaves of the olive tree have a gentle silver on their underside.
Kasia's hair had turned a lovely shade of silver as she grew older.
- grey-white
describes the colour without the metallic shine; less vivid
- argent
literary or heraldic term; very rare in everyday English
文法句型
a + adjective + silver
shade of silver
用法筆記
Often used with a descriptive adjective: 'a pale silver', 'a soft silver', 'a dark silver'. As an uncountable noun the colour is simply 'silver' ('the car is silver').
silver — adjective
- silverpositive
- silverercomparative
- silverestsuperlative
1. made from the metal silver, or having the shiny grey-white colour of silver.
made from the metal silver, or having the shiny grey-white colour of silver.
The silver teapot was a family treasure that had been used for over fifty years.
attributive: silver + noun (physical object)
Eitan received a silver watch as a graduation gift from his uncle.
A silver moon hung low over the hills, lighting the path ahead.
Joaquín wore a silver tie with his grey suit to the office party.
The silver frame around the photograph was engraved with tiny flowers.
- silvery
suggests a silver-like shine or colour rather than actual silver metal; more poetic
- silver-coloured
explicitly refers to colour only, not material
文法句型
silver + noun
用法筆記
When used attributively (before a noun), 'silver' can describe either the material ('a silver ring' = made of silver) or the colour ('a silver car' = silver-coloured). Context usually makes the distinction clear.
常見錯誤
silver — verb
- silverpresent simple I / you / we / they
- silvers3rd person singular
- silvering-ing form
- silveredpast simple
1. to cover a surface with a coating of silver or silver-coloured material, so that
to cover a surface with a coating of silver or silver-coloured material, so that it shines like a mirror or takes on a grey-white metallic look.
The artist silvered the back of the glass pane to create a small mirror.
active: silver + object (mirror-making)
Years of wear had silvered the iron gate, giving it a soft grey sheen.
The factory silvers thousands of teaspoons each day using a modern process.
The jeweller carefully silvered the copper pendant to give it a brighter finish.
- plate with silver
more common in everyday use; refers specifically to electroplating
- silver-plate
verb form; interchangeable with 'silver' in technical contexts
文法句型
silver + object
be silvered
用法筆記
More common in the passive ('a mirror that has been silvered') or in technical descriptions of manufacturing. In everyday language, people more often say 'plated with silver' or 'silver-plated'.