supple
/ˈsʌpl/ (bre, ipa) · [sˈʌpəl] /ˈsʌpl/ (ame, ipa) · [sˈʌpəl] /ˈsə-pəl How to pronounce supple (audio) also ˈsü-/ (ame, mw)
supple — adjective
- supplepositive
- supplercomparative
- supplestsuperlative
1. easy to move, fold, or twist smoothly without feeling hard or rigid
easy to move, fold, or twist smoothly without feeling hard or rigid
After weeks of yoga, Hari's back felt more supple and less tight.
supple body movement after exercise
The chef chose supple pasta sheets that folded neatly around the filling.
Rin rubbed oil into the leather until it became dark and supple.
Years of dance training kept Antonia's ankles supple for quick turns.
用法筆記
Often used for bodies, muscles, leather, cloth, or other things that bend smoothly. Distinguish from sense 2, which is about adapting to change rather than physical movement.
常見錯誤
2. quick to adjust helpfully when needs, plans, or conditions change
quick to adjust helpfully when needs, plans, or conditions change
Caleb stayed supple when the client changed the design two days before launch.
supple person adapting under pressure
A supple manager can change plans without confusing the whole team.
When the storm closed the bridge, Dewi stayed supple and found another route.
The charity needs a supple approach as food prices rise each month.
- adaptable
the most direct everyday synonym for changing to fit new conditions
- flexible
broader and more common, especially for plans and rules
- responsive
emphasizes reacting quickly to what is happening
- rigid
unable or unwilling to adjust
- inflexible
formal word for not adapting to change
用法筆記
Most often used for people, thinking, or ways of working that adjust without panic. Unlike sense 1, this meaning is abstract rather than physical.
常見錯誤
supple — verb
- supplepresent simple I / you / we / they
- supples3rd person singular
- suppling-ing form
- suppledpast simple
1. to make something softer and easier to bend, or to become softer in that way
to make something softer and easier to bend, or to become softer in that way
The shoemaker suppled the stiff leather with oil before cutting the straps.
transitive: supple + material
Warm water suppled the dry hide enough for Gabriel to shape it.
After an hour by the fire, the old belt had suppled again.
The baker let the dough rest until it suppled and rolled out smoothly.
- stiffen
to become or make something firm and less bendable
文法句型
supple + noun phrase
noun phrase + supple
用法筆記
Usually found in writing about leather, cloth, dough, or similar materials. The transitive use is more common than the intransitive use.