dim
/dɪm/ (bre, ipa) · [dˈɪm] /dɪm/ (ame, ipa) · [dˈɪm] /ˈdim/ (ame, mw)
dim — 形容詞
- dimpositive
- dimmercomparative
- dimmestsuperlative
1. having or giving very little light, so that things are hard to see clearly.
昏暗的
光線不足的
having or giving very little light, so that things are hard to see clearly.
The room was so dim that Olivia had to switch on the desk lamp to read her letter.
房間非常昏暗，Olivia 不得不打開桌燈才能讀信。
so dim that + result clause
Mira lit a candle in the dim hallway to find her way back to the kitchen.
Mira 在昏暗的走廊裡點了一根蠟燭，好找到回廚房的路。
dim + noun (hallway, room, light)
The dim streetlamp cast a soft orange glow onto the wet pavement.
昏暗的路燈在濕漉漉的人行道上投下一圈柔和的橘色光芒。
It is difficult to take clear photos when the restaurant lighting is too dim.
餐廳燈光太暗時，很難拍出清晰的照片。
文法句型
dim + noun (light, room, street, etc.)
用法筆記
Often describes rooms, lights, and spaces where visibility is reduced. Can also describe natural light at dawn or dusk.
常見錯誤
2. having difficulty seeing things clearly, often because of older age, tired eyes,
模糊的
視力不好的
having difficulty seeing things clearly, often because of older age, tired eyes, or a medical condition.
Nala's grandmother has dim eyesight now, so she needs large-print books.
Nala 的祖母現在視力模糊，需要看大字體的書。
dim eyesight — describes declining vision
After staring at the computer screen for ten hours, Sven's eyes felt dim and tired.
盯著電腦螢幕看了十個小時後，Sven 感到眼睛模糊又疲勞。
Apinya's vision grew dim after the accident, but it slowly returned over the next few days.
Apinya 車禍後的視力變得模糊，但接下來幾天慢慢恢復了。
The old sailor's eyes had grown dim from years of staring into the bright sun at sea.
老水手長年盯著海上的豔陽，眼睛早已變得模糊不清。
文法句型
dim + noun (eyes, vision, eyesight)
用法筆記
Almost always used with 'eyes,' 'vision,' or 'eyesight.' The verb phrase 'grow dim' or 'become dim' is common for describing gradual decline.
常見錯誤
3. describes a memory or feeling that is not clear or detailed in your mind.
隱約的
記憶不清的
describes a memory or feeling that is not clear or detailed in your mind.
Vikram has only a dim memory of the family vacation he took when he was four years old.
Vikram 對四歲時的那次家庭旅行只有隱約的記憶。
dim memory/recollection — not clearly remembered
Talia had a dim recollection of meeting Emre at the trade fair in Milan two years ago.
Talia 隱約記得兩年前在米蘭的商展上見過 Emre。
Femi's dim awareness of the argument came back only after his friend reminded him of the details.
Femi 對那場爭執只有隱約的印象，直到朋友提醒細節才想起來。
Omar's memory of the song was too dim to hum more than a few notes.
Omar 對那首歌只有隱約的記憶，連幾個音符都哼不出來。
文法句型
dim + noun (memory, recollection, awareness)
用法筆記
Only used for mental impressions — memories, recollections, or vague awareness. Do not confuse with adjective sense 1 ('NOT BRIGHT'), which describes physical light.
4. slow to understand or learn things; not quick-thinking. Used informally, sometim
遲鈍的
不聰明的
slow to understand or learn things; not quick-thinking. Used informally, sometimes as a gentle criticism.
'Don't be so dim,' Omar told his younger brother. 'The answer is right in front of you.'
「別那麼遲鈍，」Omar 對他弟弟說。「答案就在你眼前。」
informal idiom: 'don't be so dim'
Sven felt really dim when he could not solve the simple puzzle the children had finished in minutes.
Sven 連孩子們幾分鐘就解出來的簡單謎題都答不出，覺得自己好笨。
The teacher sighed and said, 'I know you are not dim, but you need to pay more attention in class.'
老師嘆了口氣說：「我知道你不笨，但你上課要更專心才行。」
Lan's friends teased her for being dim, but she was actually just shy about speaking up.
Lan 的朋友常取笑她反應慢，但她其實只是害羞，不敢開口說話。
文法句型
be dim
feel dim
too dim to + verb
用法筆記
Informal and can sound rude. More common in British English than American English. The longer form 'dim-witted' is also common. Avoid using in formal writing.
常見錯誤
5. giving little or no reason to expect a good result; not hopeful.
渺茫的
不太可能成功的
giving little or no reason to expect a good result; not hopeful.
After losing her job and her apartment, Paloma's prospects for the year looked dim.
失去工作和公寓後，Paloma 今年的前景顯得很渺茫。
prospects look dim — bleak, unpromising
The doctor gently explained that the patient's chances of a full recovery were dim.
醫生委婉地說，病人完全康復的機會渺茫。
Without more funding from the city, the future of the community library looks very dim indeed.
如果市政府不增加經費，這間社區圖書館的未來確實非常黯淡。
With the factory closing and few jobs nearby, the town's economic prospects were dim.
工廠關閉後附近工作機會很少，這座小鎮的經濟前景變得渺茫。
- bleak
stronger emotional tone; suggests something is harsh and hopeless
- gloomy
adds a feeling of sadness to the lack of hope
- unpromising
more formal and neutral; implies the situation simply does not look good
- poor
simpler and more general; 'poor chances' is common in everyday speech
文法句型
dim + noun (prospects, chances, future, outlook)
用法筆記
Commonly paired with nouns like 'prospects,' 'chances,' 'future,' or 'outlook.' Less common with people directly — we say prospects 'are dim,' not a person 'is dim.'
dim — 名詞
1. the lower, less bright setting of a vehicle's headlights, used when other cars a
近光燈
車輛的低光束
the lower, less bright setting of a vehicle's headlights, used when other cars are nearby or in fog.
When Femi saw a car approaching from the opposite direction, he switched to dims.
Femi 看到對向有車駛來，便切換到近光燈。
switch to dims — British informal usage
The driving instructor reminded Lan to use her dims while driving through the foggy mountain roads.
駕訓教練提醒 Lan 在霧濛濛的山路上行駛時要開近光燈。
Please put your headlights on dim when there is oncoming traffic on the motorway.
在高速公路上遇到對向來車時，請將車頭燈調成近光。
Nala's car has automatic dims that switch to low beam when sensors detect other vehicles.
Nala 的車有自動近光燈功能，感應到其他車輛時會自動切換。
- low beam
standard term in American English and formal contexts
- dipped headlights
formal British English term
文法句型
on dim
put/switch headlights to dim
用法筆記
Usually used in the plural ('dims'). In American English, the term 'low beams' is more common than 'dims.' Mainly used by British and Commonwealth English speakers.
常見錯誤
2. the soft, low light that remains after the sun has gone down, or in a shadowy pl
暮色
黃昏時的昏暗光線
the soft, low light that remains after the sun has gone down, or in a shadowy place.
The old fisherman liked to sit on the pier and watch the boats in the dim of the evening.
老漁夫喜歡坐在碼頭上，在暮色中看著船隻。
the dim of the evening — literary usage
As the sun set behind the hills, the shapes of the trees slowly disappeared into the dim.
夕陽落到山丘後方，樹木的輪廓慢慢消失在暮色之中。
Paloma could just make out the outline of the castle through the dim of the early morning mist.
Paloma 在清晨的薄霧暮色中，勉強辨認出城堡的輪廓。
The fireflies gave the only light in the dim of the summer night.
夏夜的暮色中，唯一的光亮來自螢火蟲。
- daylight
bright natural light during the day
- brightness
strong, clear light
文法句型
the dim of + (time/place)
用法筆記
Poetic or literary in tone. Rare in everyday conversation. More common in written descriptions of landscape, atmosphere, or old-fashioned prose.
dim — 動詞
- dimpresent simple I / you / we / they
- dims3rd person singular
- dimming-ing form
- dimmedpast simple
1. to make light weaker, or for light to naturally become weaker.
調暗
使光線變暗
to make light weaker, or for light to naturally become weaker.
Olivia dimmed the lights in the living room to create a cosy atmosphere for the dinner party.
Olivia 調暗客廳的燈光，為晚宴營造舒適的氣氛。
dim + lights — very common transitive pattern
The afternoon sun dimmed as thick grey clouds rolled in from the east.
午後的陽光隨著厚重的烏雲從東方湧入而逐漸變暗。
Nala dimmed her phone screen so the bright display would not disturb the other passengers on the train.
Nala 把手機螢幕調暗，以免明亮的顯示器打擾火車上的其他乘客。
The fire slowly dimmed until only orange embers glowed in the stone fireplace.
爐火慢慢變暗，最後只剩下橘紅色的餘燼在石砌壁爐中閃爍。
文法句型
dim + object (lights, screen, fire)
subject + dim + (no object)
用法筆記
Both transitive ('She dimmed the light') and intransitive ('The light dimmed') uses are common. The objects are typically artificial lights, screens, or natural light sources like the sun or fire.
常見錯誤
2. for a good feeling, ability, or happy memory to grow weaker over time, or to cau
減弱
使正面感受減退
for a good feeling, ability, or happy memory to grow weaker over time, or to cause this gradual loss.
Time has not dimmed Talia's passion for painting; she still visits galleries every weekend.
時間並沒有沖淡 Talia 對繪畫的熱情；她每個週末仍然去畫廊。
dim + enthusiasm/passion/interest — positive feelings
The team's hopes of winning the championship dimmed after their best player was injured.
球隊的最佳球員受傷後，他們奪冠的希望逐漸減弱。
Apinya's enthusiasm for the volunteer project began to dim when she saw how much paperwork it involved.
Apinya 看到志工計畫涉及的文書工作後，熱情開始消退。
The excitement of living in a big city never dimmed for Mira, even after ten years in Taipei.
在台北住了十年，Mira 對大都市生活的興奮感從未消退。
- intensify
to become stronger or more extreme
- strengthen
to make a feeling or quality more powerful
文法句型
dim + object (hopes, enthusiasm, memories)
hopes + dim (intransitive)
用法筆記
Metaphorical — extends the physical meaning of dimming lights to emotions and qualities. Objects are typically positive: hopes, enthusiasm, passion, joy, excitement, memories. Does NOT apply to negative feelings (e.g., we do not say 'dim his anger').