splintered

splintered — verb

  • splinteredpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • splintereds3rd person singular
  • splintereding-ing form
  • splinterededpast simple

1. if wood, glass, or bone splinters, it breaks suddenly into thin pieces with shar

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

if wood, glass, or bone splinters, it breaks suddenly into thin pieces with sharp edges; you can also splinter such a thing yourself.

例句

The old fence post splintered when Otis kicked it in anger.

intransitive: [hard material] splinters

Falling on the icy steps splintered the bone just above Gabriela's wrist.

transitive: splinter + [body part / object]

同義詞
  • shatter

    implies a sudden, complete break into many pieces, often glass

  • splinter

    base form; same meaning, present tense

  • fracture

    more formal, common for bone, and need not produce sharp edges

文法句型

[object] splinters

splinter [object]

用法筆記

Subject or object is usually a hard, brittle material such as wood, glass, or bone. Distinguish from sense 2, which is about groups, not physical objects.

常見錯誤

❌The plate splintered into water.
✅The plate splintered into sharp pieces.
💡'splinter' describes breaking into thin, sharp fragments, not dissolving or spreading.

2. if a group, party, or movement splinters, it divides into smaller rival parts be

2.動詞及物 / 不及物C1
釋義

if a group, party, or movement splinters, it divides into smaller rival parts because the members no longer agree.

例句

The protest movement splintered into three groups after the leader resigned.

intransitive: [group] splinters into [factions]

Years of bitter arguments slowly splintered the once-united trade union.

transitive: [cause] splinters + [group]

同義詞
  • fragment

    more formal; stresses the result of many small pieces

  • split

    plainer and more common; need not imply lasting rival groups

  • divide

    neutral; the parts may stay on friendly terms

反義詞
  • unite

    the opposite movement, separate parts joining into one

  • merge

    two groups becoming a single larger one

文法句型

[group] splinters into [factions]

splinter [group]

用法筆記

Subject is usually an organised group of people — a party, union, or movement — not a physical object. The cause of the split is often named with 'after', 'over', or 'along'.

常見錯誤

❌The committee splintered the new rule.
✅The committee split over the new rule, and the group later splintered.
💡in this sense the group itself splinters; it does not 'splinter' an outside thing.

splintered — noun