loom

/luːm/ (bre, ipa) · /luːm/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈlüm/ (ame, mw)

loom — 動詞

  • loompresent simple I / you / we / they
  • loomshe / she / it
  • loomedpast simple
  • looming-ing form

1. A large shape or object that looms appears suddenly and in an unclear way, often

1.動詞不及物B2
釋義

隱現

龐大模糊的物體突然出現，令人害怕

A large shape or object that looms appears suddenly and in an unclear way, often so that people feel frightened or threatened because they cannot see it clearly.

例句

A dark figure loomed out of the fog, making Xiu freeze in fear.

一個黑色人影從霧中隱隱浮現，讓 Xiu 嚇得不敢動。

loom + out of [fog/darkness]

The castle walls loomed above the travellers as they reached the gate.

城堡城牆聳立在旅人上方，他們正要抵達大門。

loom + above [something]

同義詞
  • emerge

    suggests coming out from behind something, without the frightening or unclear quality

  • materialise

    implies appearing suddenly, often out of nowhere; more neutral in tone

反義詞
  • disappear

    opposite of coming into view

  • recede

    moving away and becoming less visible

文法句型

loom + adverb/preposition phrase

loom + out of/above/over/ahead

用法筆記

Typically followed by a preposition or adverb of direction (out of, above, over, ahead) that indicates where or how the object appears.

常見錯誤

❌A ship loomed me in the distance.
✅A ship loomed out of the distance.
💡Loom is intransitive and cannot take a direct object.

2. If you say that an unwelcome event is looming, you mean it is approaching quickl

2.動詞不及物B1
釋義

逼近

不好的事即將發生，令人擔憂

If you say that an unwelcome event is looming, you mean it is approaching quickly and you cannot stop feeling anxious about it.

例句

With final exams looming, Ingrid spent every evening at the library.

期末考逼近，Ingrid 每天晚上都泡在圖書館。

loom (intransitive, no complement)

The threat of job cuts loomed over the entire factory for months.

裁員的威脅在整間工廠上空籠罩了好幾個月。

loom + over [people/place]

同義詞
  • approach

    neutral; can be used for both good and bad events

  • threaten

    stronger sense of potential harm; can take an object ('threatens to…')

  • impend

    very formal; almost exclusively used in formal or literary writing

反義詞
  • recede

    move further away into the future

  • fade

    become less likely or less threatening

文法句型

loom

loom + ahead

loom large

用法筆記

The subject is usually an unwanted event such as a deadline, crisis, war, threat, or exam. Frequently appears in the phrase 'loom large', meaning something is very important and causing worry.

常見錯誤

❌A birthday party looms next week.
✅A deadline looms next week.
💡Loom is used only for unpleasant or worrying events, not for happy occasions.
❌The storm looms threatening.
✅The storm looms.' or 'The storm looms ahead.
💡Loom is not normally followed by an adjective describing the event.

loom — 名詞