yarn

/jɑːn/ (bre, ipa) · /jɑːrn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈyärn/ (ame, mw)

yarn — noun

1. thick thread made by twisting fibres such as wool or cotton together, used for k

1.名詞B1
釋義

thick thread made by twisting fibres such as wool or cotton together, used for knitting, weaving, or hand-sewing crafts

例句

Nellie bought three balls of blue yarn at the craft shop.

collocation: balls of yarn

The old sweater was carefully undone and the yarn reused for a scarf.

passive: was undone / yarn reused

同義詞
  • thread

    much thinner than yarn; used for sewing with a needle, not for knitting or weaving

  • fibre

    the raw material (e.g. wool, cotton, acrylic) before it is twisted into yarn

用法筆記

Yarn can be uncountable ('some yarn') when talking about the material in general, or countable ('different yarns') when referring to types, colours, or brands.

常見錯誤

❌I need a yarn for my knitting project.
✅I need some yarn for my knitting project.
💡'yarn' is uncountable when referring to the material in general, so 'a yarn' is incorrect unless referring to a type ('a soft wool yarn').
❌This thread is too thin for knitting a sweater.
✅This yarn is too thin for knitting a sweater.
💡'thread' is for sewing; 'yarn' is the correct word for knitting and crocheting.

2. a long, entertaining story that someone tells, often making it more exciting tha

2.名詞B2
釋義

a long, entertaining story that someone tells, often making it more exciting than it really was or adding made-up details

例句

Grandpa Rohan loves to spin a yarn about his childhood adventures in Mumbai.

collocation: spin a yarn

The old sailor told a yarn about a sea monster that still gives me chills.

同義詞
  • tale

    similar meaning, but 'yarn' adds a flavour of playful exaggeration

  • anecdote

    shorter and more personal than a yarn

  • saga

    much longer than a yarn, often spanning generations or major events

用法筆記

Often paired with the verb 'spin' ('to spin a yarn'). This sense is informal and slightly old-fashioned; in everyday conversation, 'story' or 'tale' is more neutral.

常見錯誤

❌She told a yarn about her weekend shopping trip.
✅Grandpa spun a yarn about crossing the Atlantic on a raft.
💡'yarn' implies a long, exciting, possibly exaggerated tale, not a short or ordinary story.

yarn — verb