vandyke

/van-ˈdīk vən-/ (ame, mw)

vandyke — noun

1. A broad collar, usually made of lace or fine fabric, with a deeply zigzagged or

1.名詞C2
釋義

A broad collar, usually made of lace or fine fabric, with a deeply zigzagged or scalloped edge instead of a straight one; commonly seen in seventeenth-century European portraits.

例句

Chiara wore a lace dress with a vandyke collar to the costume party.

~ collar as a noun adjunct

The museum curator showed visitors a portrait of a nobleman in a crisp white vandyke.

同義詞
  • falling collar

    broader category; a falling collar may be plain, but a vandyke always has a zigzag edge

  • lace collar

    describes material rather than edge shape

文法句型

a ~

~ collar

用法筆記

Often used attributively (e.g. 'vandyke collar'). The style is closely associated with Flemish Baroque portraiture.

常見錯誤

She wore a vandyke around her neck' (vague and unusual).
She wore a dress with a vandyke collar.
💡The word almost always modifies 'collar' or appears as a compound noun.

2. One of several triangular notches cut into the edge of fabric, lace, paper, or o

2.名詞
釋義

One of several triangular notches cut into the edge of fabric, lace, paper, or other material as a decorative finish.

例句

Linh carefully cut each vandyke into the edge of the paper doily.

countable: cut each vandyke

Vivek stitched a row of neat vandykes along the bottom of the curtain.

同義詞
  • scallop

    a scallop is rounded; a vandyke is sharply V-shaped

  • notch

    more general term; a vandyke is a specific type of decorative notch

  • zigzag point

    descriptive synonym matching the shape

文法句型

a ~

~s in/along [fabric]

用法筆記

Typically used in the plural (vandykes) since the points usually appear in a series along an edge.

常見錯誤

The dress had a pretty vandyke' (vague).
The dress had vandykes along the hem.
💡Specify where the points appear.

3. A strip of edging or trimming made from a repeated series of V-shaped notches al

3.名詞
釋義

A strip of edging or trimming made from a repeated series of V-shaped notches along the margin of fabric or clothing.

例句

Walid admired the delicate vandyke bordering the sleeves of the vintage jacket.

~ as a continuous border along an edge

Rachel chose a white linen table runner with a narrow vandyke stitched along each side.

同義詞

文法句型

a ~

~ of [fabric/trim]

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 2 (a single point) — this sense refers to the entire continuous border of points. The border is countable ('a vandyke' = a single border strip).

4. A short, neatly trimmed beard that ends in a distinct point at the chin, without

4.名詞C2
釋義

A short, neatly trimmed beard that ends in a distinct point at the chin, without sideburns or a moustache; named after the painter Anthony Vandyke, who depicted such beards in his portraits.

例句

Esteban grew a neat vandyke for the theater production's seventeenth-century setting.

grow a ~ as a deliberate styling choice

The gentleman in the portrait has a dark vandyke and wears a serious expression.

同義詞
  • goatee

    a goatee may include a moustache and is often rounder; a vandyke is pointed and usually does not include the moustache

  • imperial beard

    a style with a prominent moustache that joins the chin beard; broader than a vandyke

文法句型

a ~

wear/grow a ~

~ beard

用法筆記

Often used in art-historical contexts. Not to be confused with a full beard or a goatee — a vandyke typically covers only the chin area and comes to a sharp point.

常見錯誤

He has a vandyke beard and a moustache.
He has a vandyke.
💡The word alone already means the beard; adding 'beard' is redundant but acceptable.