grace

/ɡreɪs/ (bre, ipa) · [ɡrˈes] /ɡreɪs/ (ame, ipa) · [ɡrˈes] /ˈgrās/ (ame, mw)

grace — 名詞

  • gracesingular
  • gracesplural

1. the appealing ease that makes movement, appearance, or expression seem beautiful

1.名詞B2
釋義

優雅

動作外表帶有柔美從容

the appealing ease that makes movement, appearance, or expression seem beautifully controlled.

例句

Rachel moved across the stage with grace during the final bow.

Rachel 在最後謝幕時優雅地走過舞台。

move with grace

Even on the wet path, the white horse kept its grace.

就算走在濕滑小路上，那匹白馬仍保持著優雅。

同義詞
  • elegance

    stresses refined beauty in movement, style, or design

  • poise

    focuses more on calm, balanced control

  • charm

    is broader and can come from personality as well as appearance

反義詞

文法句型

move with grace

have grace in + movement

dance with grace

用法筆記

Often used for smooth movement, but it can also describe a face, smile, or room that gives a simple, attractive impression.

常見錯誤

❌The dancer has many graces in her body.
✅The dancer moves with grace.
💡this sense usually stays uncountable when you mean elegant beauty in movement.

2. a calm and generous way of treating people, especially when it would be easy to

2.名詞C1
釋義

風度；雅量

面對他人時從容而厚道

a calm and generous way of treating people, especially when it would be easy to be proud, angry, or unfair.

例句

Felix accepted the prize with grace and thanked the other finalists.

Felix 很有風度地領下獎項，還感謝了其他決賽者。

accept + situation + with grace

After the rude question, Trang answered with grace and changed the subject.

面對那個無禮問題，Trang 仍有雅量地回答，然後換了話題。

respond with grace

同義詞
  • graciousness

    is close but slightly more formal and strongly tied to polite warmth

  • courtesy

    focuses more on politeness itself than on generous fairness

  • magnanimity

    is more literary and stresses generosity toward an opponent

反義詞
  • pettiness

    shows a small, mean reaction instead of generous control

  • rudeness

    lacks the calm politeness of this sense

文法句型

accept + situation + with grace

show grace under pressure

respond with grace

用法筆記

Often appears when someone keeps dignity and fairness in a tense or disappointing moment. Distinguish from sense 3: this sense is about inner manner, not learned social habits.

常見錯誤

❌She used grace to greet the guests correctly.
✅She used social graces to greet the guests correctly.
💡sense 2 is about a generous manner, not specific rules of etiquette.

3. the polite habits and small social skills that help someone behave well with oth

3.名詞C1
釋義

社交禮儀

與人來往時該有的禮節技巧

the polite habits and small social skills that help someone behave well with other people.

例句

At boarding school, Walid learned the social graces of formal dinners.

在寄宿學校時，Walid 學會了正式晚宴上的社交禮儀。

learn the social graces

Sivan never mastered the graces expected at embassy parties.

Sivan 一直沒真正掌握使館酒會上要求的那些禮儀。

the graces expected at + event

同義詞
  • manners

    is the broad everyday word for polite behaviour

  • etiquette

    focuses more on formal rules and conventions

  • courtesies

    often refers to polite acts one by one

反義詞

文法句型

learn the social graces

lack the social graces

teach + person + the social graces

用法筆記

Most often used in the plural, especially in 'social graces'. Distinguish from sense 2: sense 3 names learned manners and etiquette rather than someone's generous character.

常見錯誤

❌Her grace impressed the diplomats at dinner.
✅Her social graces impressed the diplomats at dinner.
💡use the plural form when you mean specific polite skills.

4. in Christianity, the undeserved love, forgiveness, and help that God gives to pe

4.名詞C2
釋義

恩典

上帝白白賜下的愛與赦免

in Christianity, the undeserved love, forgiveness, and help that God gives to people.

例句

Pastor Chen spoke about God's grace during the Easter morning service.

Chen 牧師在復活節早晨禮拜中談到上帝的恩典。

God's grace

After years of guilt, Nila found comfort in the idea of grace.

背負多年愧疚之後，Nila 從恩典這個觀念裡找到安慰。

同義詞
  • favor

    matches the idea of kind approval but is much broader outside religion

  • mercy

    focuses more on not receiving deserved punishment

  • blessing

    often refers to a good gift or result rather than the forgiving love itself

反義詞
  • judgment

    stresses punishment or blame instead of loving forgiveness

文法句型

God's grace

live by grace

saved by grace

用法筆記

This sense belongs mainly to Christian teaching and often appears with words such as God, sin, forgiveness, and salvation.

5. God's help or protection, mentioned when saying that something happened because

5.名詞C2
釋義

蒙神助

表示事情靠上帝幫助才成

God's help or protection, mentioned when saying that something happened because he allowed or supported it.

例句

By the grace of God, the fishing boat reached shore before dawn.

蒙神助，那艘漁船在天亮前就抵達了岸邊。

by the grace of God

The family says their son survived only by grace.

那家人說兒子能活下來，全是蒙神助。

survive only by grace

同義詞
  • providence

    is a more formal religious word for God's guiding care

  • blessing

    can refer to a helpful gift or outcome from God

文法句型

by the grace of God

only by grace

用法筆記

Most often appears in set religious phrases, especially 'by the grace of God'. Unlike sense 4, it points to a specific rescue or result rather than God's loving favor in general.

6. words of thanks to God spoken just before people begin eating.

6.名詞C1
釋義

謝飯禱告

飯前感謝上帝的短禱

words of thanks to God spoken just before people begin eating.

例句

Grandpa asked Jason to say grace before the soup was served.

爺爺請 Jason 在端上湯之前帶大家做謝飯禱告。

say grace

Before the picnic, the pastor led a simple grace under the trees.

野餐前，那位牧師在樹下帶了一段簡短的謝飯禱告。

lead a simple grace

同義詞
  • blessing

    is the more general everyday term in some families

  • prayer

    is broader and does not specifically mean one before a meal

文法句型

say grace

ask + person + to say grace

a short grace before dinner

用法筆記

Usually appears in the fixed expression 'say grace'. In many contexts the word alone already implies a short Christian prayer before a meal.

常見錯誤

❌We said a grace for the winner.
✅We said grace before the meal.
💡this sense is specifically a prayer before eating.

7. extra time officially allowed before a payment, duty, or deadline must be met.

7.名詞B2
釋義

寬限期

正式多給的繳交或履行時間

extra time officially allowed before a payment, duty, or deadline must be met.

例句

The phone company gives customers a ten-day grace period for late bills.

那家電信公司會給客戶十天的帳單寬限期。

grace period

After the storm, the school offered a grace period for tuition payments.

暴風雨過後，學校提供了學費的寬限期。

offer a grace period

同義詞
  • extension

    is the broad everyday word for extra time

  • reprieve

    suggests temporary relief from something unpleasant

  • deferral

    is more formal and often names an official postponement

反義詞
  • deadline

    is the final time limit instead of the extra time after it

文法句型

a grace period of + time

grant + person + a grace period

during the grace period

用法筆記

Most often appears in phrases such as 'grace period' or 'days of grace'. Unlike a full cancellation, this sense only delays what still has to be done.

常見錯誤

❌The fee disappeared after the grace period.
✅The fee was still due after the grace period.
💡this sense gives more time; it does not remove the duty.

8. an honorific used when speaking to certain high-ranking nobles or church leaders

8.名詞C2
釋義

閣下

稱呼公爵女公爵或大主教

an honorific used when speaking to certain high-ranking nobles or church leaders.

例句

Your Grace, the guests from York have arrived at the palace gate.

閣下，來自約克的賓客已抵達宮門。

Your Grace

The letter begins, 'Your Grace,' before the request for help.

那封信在求助內容前先以「閣下」作為開頭。

letter opening: Your Grace

同義詞
  • title

    is the general word, not the exact form used here

  • style

    is a formal term for an official way of addressing someone

文法句型

Your Grace

His Grace

Her Grace

用法筆記

This is a very formal title and is usually written with a capital letter. It belongs to aristocratic or church settings, not everyday conversation.

grace — 動詞