cul

IPA/ˈkʌl.də.sæk/
KK[kˈʌl]IPA/ˈkʌl.də.sæk/

cul — 名詞

  • culsingular
  • culsplural

1. a short street or narrow passage that has only one entrance and exit, typically

1.名詞B2
釋義

死巷；無尾巷

只有一個出入口的短街道

a short street or narrow passage that has only one entrance and exit, typically ending with a circular area where vehicles can turn around

例句

The Youngs bought a house on a quiet cul with gardens at the turning circle.

Young 一家在一條寧靜的無尾巷買了一棟房子，轉彎處有座大花園。

collocation: quiet cul for a residential dead-end street

The delivery driver got lost when his road was a small cul behind the courthouse.

送貨司機迷路了，因為他要找的那條路是舊法院後面的一條死巷。

同義詞
  • cul-de-sac

    the full, more formal expression

  • dead end

    more common in everyday speech; less specific about the turning circle

  • close

    used in British street names (e.g. 'Willow Close') for the same concept

反義詞
  • through road

    a road that connects to other roads at both ends

  • thoroughfare

    a main road open at both ends for through traffic

文法句型

live on a cul

at the end of a cul

quiet / peaceful cul

用法筆記

'Cul' is an informal shortening of 'cul-de-sac'. The full form is more common in formal and written English. In British English, 'cul' appears mainly in casual conversation and informal real-estate descriptions.

常見錯誤

❌I live on a cul-de' (incomplete).
✅I live on a cul' or 'I live on a cul-de-sac.
💡'cul' alone is the short form; never shorten to just 'cul-de'.

2. a situation, plan, or line of thinking that cannot progress any further because

2.名詞B2
釋義

僵局；死路

無法繼續進展的局面

a situation, plan, or line of thinking that cannot progress any further because every possible next step meets an obstacle or leads back to the same problem

例句

After six months of failed talks, the peace negotiations had reached a complete cul.

經過六個月的失敗談判，和平協商陷入了完全的僵局。

pattern: reach a cul (figurative dead end)

Sofia knew her research had hit a cul when every test gave the same result.

Sofia 明白她的研究碰上了死路，因為每項測試都得到同樣的結果。

同義詞
  • dead end

    the most common synonym for an unproductive situation; neutral register

  • impasse

    more formal, used especially in negotiations and diplomacy

  • stalemate

    suggests two opposing sides unable to make progress

反義詞
  • breakthrough

    a sudden advance or discovery that allows progress

  • way forward

    a practical next step out of the difficulty

文法句型

reach a cul

hit a cul

end in a cul

用法筆記

The figurative use of 'cul' alone is very rare in modern English. For this meaning, the full phrase 'cul-de-sac' or the more common synonym 'dead end' is strongly preferred across all registers.

常見錯誤

❌The discussion hit a cul-de' (incomplete).
✅The discussion hit a dead end' or 'reached a cul-de-sac.
💡use the full expression or a common synonym for the figurative sense.