antique
/ænˈtiːk/ (bre, ipa) · /ænˈtiːk/ (ame, ipa) · /(ˌ)an-ˈtēk in verse often ˈan-tik/ (ame, mw)
antique — 名詞
1. an old object, such as furniture, art, or silver, that people value for its age,
古董；古玩
因年代、稀有或做工而值錢的老物件
an old object, such as furniture, art, or silver, that people value for its age, beauty, rarity, or fine workmanship.
At the Sunday market, Leo bought an antique clock from 1890.
在週日市集上，Leo 買了一座一八九〇年的古董鐘。
an antique + object
The family kept the vase as an antique instead of using it.
這家人把那個花瓶當成古董留著，沒有拿來使用。
Museum staff checked whether the chair was a real antique.
博物館人員確認那張椅子是不是真正的古董。
After Grandma Mei died, cousins argued over one antique jade bowl.
阿嬤 Mei 過世後，表親們為了一只古董玉碗起了爭執。
- collectible
focuses on the fact that people collect it; it may be newer than an antique
- heirloom
stresses family history more than market value
- artifact
more common for historical or archaeological objects in study or museums
- reproduction
a later copy made to look like an older original
- modern piece
a recently made object rather than one from the past
文法句型
an antique
buy/sell/collect antiques
用法筆記
Usually names movable objects such as clocks, tables, mirrors, jewelry, or cars. In legal or customs use, the age requirement can be stricter than in everyday conversation.
常見錯誤
2. a person or thing seen as very old, or as no longer suited to present-day ways.
老古董
指人或東西老派又過時
a person or thing seen as very old, or as no longer suited to present-day ways.
Dad still uses a flip phone and calls his laptop an antique.
爸爸還在用摺疊手機，還說自己的筆電像個老古董。
call something an antique
In the new office, paper files suddenly looked like antiques.
進了新辦公室後，紙本檔案一下子看起來像老古董。
Grandpa jokes that he is an antique beside his teenage grandson.
爺爺開玩笑說，站在青少年孫子旁邊時自己像個老古董。
After one hour online, Rita called the school printer an antique.
Rita 上網弄了一個小時後，說學校那台印表機根本是老古董。
- trendsetter
someone who adopts or starts new styles
- latest model
a new and up-to-date thing
文法句型
be an antique
call someone/something an antique
用法筆記
Often humorous, but it can sound rude if said directly about a person. Distinguish from sense 1, which refers to a valuable old object rather than a person or outdated thing.
常見錯誤
antique — 形容詞
1. describing an object from the past whose age, beauty, rarity, or skilled making
古董
形容老物件有收藏價值
describing an object from the past whose age, beauty, rarity, or skilled making gives it special value.
The Chens saved for months to buy an antique dining table.
陳家人存了好幾個月，才買下一張古董餐桌。
antique + furniture noun
An antique mirror hung above the fireplace in Mrs. Lin's house.
林太太家的壁爐上方掛著一面古董鏡。
The guide wore gloves before touching the antique silver box.
導覽員碰那個古董銀盒前，先戴上手套。
Only the front room held antique furniture from her great-grandparents' house.
只有前面的房間擺著從她曾祖父母家留下的古董家具。
- vintage
often used for items from a past period, but it does not require the same age or value as antique
- period
used especially for furniture or clothing from a particular historical time
- collectible
stresses desirability to collectors more than age or workmanship
- modern
made in recent times or current in style
- reproduction
made later in the style of an older object
文法句型
antique + object noun
用法筆記
Almost always modifies object nouns, not people. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense adds the idea that the old object is prized, not merely old or behind the times.
常見錯誤
2. extremely old, or no longer in step with modern taste, ideas, or methods.
老式；過時
非常老，或顯得不合現在
extremely old, or no longer in step with modern taste, ideas, or methods.
This classroom projector feels antique beside the new smart screen.
這台教室投影機跟新的智慧螢幕一比，顯得很老式。
antique = old-fashioned
By today's rules, that dress code sounds almost antique.
照今天的規定來看，那套服裝規範聽起來幾乎過時了。
sound antique
An antique water pump still stands behind the farm kitchen.
農舍廚房後面還立著一台老式的抽水幫浦。
Many students laughed at the principal's antique ideas about hair length.
很多學生嘲笑校長對髮長的想法太過時。
- old
the neutral everyday choice; antique sounds stronger or more marked
- dated
focuses on being no longer fashionable or suitable now
- old-fashioned
stresses style, ideas, or habits from an earlier time
- modern
belonging to present times or current style
- up-to-date
matching current knowledge, practice, or fashion
文法句型
seem/sound antique
antique + machine/idea/system
用法筆記
Can sound approving when it simply stresses age, but with ideas, systems, or rules it often suggests they are out of date. Distinguish from sense 1, which is about valued old objects.
常見錯誤
3. connected with buying, selling, showing, or working with antiques.
古董業的
和古董買賣或展示有關
connected with buying, selling, showing, or working with antiques.
Her parents run an antique shop near Tainan Station.
她父母在台南車站附近經營一家古董店。
antique + shop
The antique dealer wrapped the lamp in three layers of paper.
那位古董商把那盞燈包了三層紙。
antique dealer
Every spring, the town hosts an antique fair by the river.
每年春天，這個小鎮都會在河邊舉辦古董展。
Several students found summer jobs in the antique trade.
有幾位學生在暑假到古董業找到了工作。
- antiquarian
more formal and often linked to books, study, or specialist trade
- secondhand
broader; many secondhand goods are not antiques
文法句型
antique + shop/dealer/fair/trade
用法筆記
Usually appears before trade nouns such as shop, dealer, market, fair, or trade. It does not describe the age of one object by itself; use sense 1 or 2 for that.
antique — 動詞
1. to paint, finish, or alter something so it looks like an older piece.
做舊
把物件處理成像老東西
to paint, finish, or alter something so it looks like an older piece.
Marco antiqued the pine table with dark wax and a rough cloth.
Marco 用深色蠟和粗布把松木桌做舊。
antique + furniture object
For the play, art students antiqued the frame before opening night.
為了那齣戲，美術學生在首演前先把畫框做舊。
The workshop antiqued cheap wood so the shelves looked handmade.
那家工作坊把便宜木材做舊，讓架子看起來像手工做的。
After lunch, Nina antiqued the mirror to match the old bedroom door.
午飯後，Nina 把那面鏡子做舊，好跟舊臥室門相配。
文法句型
antique + object
用法筆記
Object is usually wood, metal, furniture, or a frame. Common in craft and home-decor writing, where the goal is appearance rather than repair.
常見錯誤
2. to spend time visiting shops, fairs, or markets in search of antiques.
淘古董
到店裡或市集找古董
to spend time visiting shops, fairs, or markets in search of antiques.
On Saturdays, Elena antiques at village markets with her aunt.
每到星期六，Elena 都會跟阿姨去鄉間市集淘古董。
antique + at + place
Retired teachers sometimes antique together during bus trips in Europe.
退休老師有時會在歐洲巴士旅行時一起淘古董。
Whenever rain stops, Ken antiques along the old port streets.
每次雨一停，Ken 就會沿著老港口街道去淘古董。
Many visitors antique for hours before buying even one small bowl.
很多遊客會先淘古董好幾個小時，才買下一只小碗。
文法句型
antique + at/in + place
用法筆記
Rare as a simple verb in modern English; many speakers more often say 'go antiquing'. This sense does not take the thing you buy as a direct object.