spruce
spruce — noun
- sprucesingular
- sprucesplural
1. A tall evergreen tree with short, stiff, needle-shaped leaves and hanging cones,
A tall evergreen tree with short, stiff, needle-shaped leaves and hanging cones, or the pale, lightweight wood obtained from this tree, often used for making furniture, paper, and musical instruments.
A tall spruce stood at the edge of the garden, its branches covered in fresh snow.
Arjun bought a small potted spruce from a local farm to plant in his yard.
spruce + noun (as modifier): tree types
Many guitar makers prefer spruce for the top of the instrument because of its clear, warm sound.
Théo stacked the spruce planks in the shed, ready to build a set of shelves for the kitchen.
The hiking trail wound through a dense forest of spruce, pine, and cedar trees.
文法句型
spruce + noun (as modifier)
用法筆記
As a countable noun, spruce refers to a single tree or a species. As an uncountable noun, it means the wood. The modifier form (spruce tree, spruce forest, spruce wood) is very common.
常見錯誤
spruce — adjective
- sprucepositive
- sprucercomparative
- sprucestsuperlative
1. (Of a person) dressed in a tidy, clean, and carefully put-together way, so that
(Of a person) dressed in a tidy, clean, and carefully put-together way, so that their appearance gives an impression of care and good grooming.
Otis arrived at the interview looking very spruce in a dark suit and polished shoes.
look + spruce
Eve always looked spruce and well-groomed, even when she was just running errands on a Saturday morning.
The old gentleman was a spruce figure in his tweed jacket, crisp shirt, and neatly tied bow tie.
Grandmother made sure we all looked spruce before the family photograph, brushing our hair and straightening our collars.
After a shave and a fresh shirt, Henry felt spruce enough to meet his girlfriend's parents.
- neat
More common and broader; means orderly but does not carry the same sense of elegance or occasion-readiness.
- trim
Suggests slimness and fitness in addition to neatness; used more for physique than clothing alone.
- smart
Emphasises fashion and stylishness; spruce emphasises cleanliness and careful grooming.
文法句型
spruce + noun
look/feel + spruce
用法筆記
Usually describes a person's overall appearance, not a single item of clothing. Often used in the pattern 'look/feel spruce' or 'spruce appearance.' Less common than tidy or neat but suggests elegance and careful attention.
spruce — verb
- sprucepresent simple I / you / we / they
- spruces3rd person singular
- sprucing-ing form
- sprucedpast simple
1. To improve the appearance of something by organising it, cleaning it, or adding
To improve the appearance of something by organising it, cleaning it, or adding small decorative touches — for example, fixing up a room before visitors come, or giving a garden a fresh look in spring.
We spent the weekend sprucing up the apartment before the landlord's inspection.
spruce up + object (apartment/room/house)
Kenji gave the old wooden fence a fresh coat of paint to spruce it up for the summer party.
spruce + object + up with particle separation
The hotel manager decided to spruce up the lobby with new furniture and brighter lighting.
Aoi spruced up her CV before applying for the job, adding her volunteer work and a new photo.
The cafe owner spruced up the menu, replacing old dishes with fresh seasonal options.
- mess up
To make something untidy or disordered.
文法句型
spruce + object
spruce up + object
spruce + object + up
用法筆記
In everyday speech, the phrasal verb 'spruce up' is far more common than the bare verb spruce. The object is typically a room, building, garden, or personal belonging. Can also be used for abstract things like a website or CV.
常見錯誤
2. To make yourself look tidy, clean, and well-dressed, especially by washing, comb
To make yourself look tidy, clean, and well-dressed, especially by washing, combing your hair, and putting on nice clothes — often done before a special occasion or when you want to make a good impression.
Gabriela went upstairs to spruce up before the dinner party, changing out of her work clothes into a dress.
spruce up (intransitive, no object)
Brian spruced himself up in the restroom before the meeting — a quick comb of his hair and a straightened tie.
spruce + reflexive pronoun + up
After a long flight, Ilan went to his hotel room to spruce up before meeting his colleagues for dinner.
The bride and groom took an hour to spruce themselves up between the ceremony and the reception photos.
Kofi spruced up for the wedding, borrowing his brother's suit jacket and polishing his shoes until they shone.
- tidy oneself up
More common in British English; suggests small adjustments rather than a full makeover.
- freshen up
Focuses on washing and grooming rather than changing clothes; often implies a quick clean.
- smartened up
British English; similar meaning with emphasis on looking smarter.
- let oneself go
To neglect one's appearance over time.
文法句型
spruce up
spruce oneself up
用法筆記
Almost always used with 'up' ('spruce up' or 'spruce oneself up'). The bare reflexive ('He spruced himself.') is extremely rare in modern English. Distinguished from verb sense 1 (MAKE TIDY) in that the object is the person's own appearance, not a room or object.