wetness

/ˈwetnəs/ (bre, ipa) · [wˈɛtnəs] /ˈwetnəs/ (ame, ipa)

wetness — noun

1. the level to which a surface or material holds liquid, especially water, on or w

1.名詞B1
釋義

the level to which a surface or material holds liquid, especially water, on or within it

例句

Wei could feel the wetness of the grass through the bottom of his sleeping bag.

uncountable with feeling/sensation verbs

The gardener checked the wetness of the soil before watering the flower beds.

同義詞
  • moisture

    more general term for small amounts of liquid in the air or a substance; sounds more neutral than wetness

  • dampness

    suggests slight, often uncomfortable wetness, especially in buildings or fabric

  • humidity

    specifically refers to water in the air, measurable as a percentage

反義詞
  • dryness

    the complete absence of wetness

常見錯誤

❌The wetness of the water was very high.
✅The level of wetness in the soil was very high.
💡'wetness' is not used with 'water' itself; water is what causes wetness.

2. rain that falls from the sky, especially when it makes the ground and outdoor su

2.名詞B1
釋義

rain that falls from the sky, especially when it makes the ground and outdoor surfaces wet

例句

Kwame stayed under the shelter until the wetness stopped falling from the dark clouds above.

informal: wetness = rain falling

Morning wetness filled the garden pots and left tiny pools on the stone path.

同義詞
  • rain

    the standard word for water droplets falling from clouds; 'wetness' is less formal and emphasises the resulting wet state

  • rainwater

    specifically water that has fallen as rain, with no emotional or informal tone

用法筆記

This sense is informal and mainly British. It refers to rain as a substance that makes things wet, not to the event of rain itself. Compare 'We got caught in the rain' (event) vs 'We wiped the wetness off the seats' (substance).

3. the quality of being weak in character and lacking the confidence to stand up fo

3.名詞C1
釋義

the quality of being weak in character and lacking the confidence to stand up for your own views when others disagree with you

例句

Colleagues grew frustrated with their leader's wetness as he gave in to every demand.

British slang: wetness = weakness of character

The whole department noticed her manager's wetness when he avoided every difficult decision.

同義詞
  • weakness

    the neutral, standard term for lack of strength; 'wetness' is much more informal and slangy

  • spinelessness

    stronger and more critical, suggesting a complete lack of courage

反義詞
  • strength

    especially strength of character

  • backbone

    informal term for courage and firmness

用法筆記

Strongly informal and used in British English only. Derived from the slang adjective 'wet' meaning 'weak' or 'ineffective'. This sense can be offensive if used to describe someone directly.