nimbus
/ˈnɪmbəs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈnɪmbəs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈnim-bəs/ (ame, mw)
nimbus — 名詞
1. a low, heavy, dark-grey cloud from which steady rain or snow falls.
雨雲；雨層雲
低空、會降下持續雨或雪的暗灰色厚雲
a low, heavy, dark-grey cloud from which steady rain or snow falls.
A thick nimbus rolled in from the sea before the hikers reached the cabin.
在登山客抵達小屋前，一片厚厚的雨雲從海面飄了過來。
nimbus as the subject of a weather-arrival verb
Padma watched a dark nimbus settle over the rice fields outside her village.
Padma 看著一片暗沉的雨雲籠罩在村外的稻田上方。
collocation: dark nimbus
The pilot turned the small plane to avoid a heavy nimbus stretching across the valley.
飛行員把小飛機轉向，以避開橫跨整個山谷的厚重雨雲。
By late afternoon a low nimbus had hidden the mountain peaks behind a grey sheet.
到了下午稍晚，一片低低的雨雲已經把山頂藏在一層灰幕後面。
- rain cloud
everyday term; what most speakers say instead of 'nimbus'
- storm cloud
stronger; suggests thunder or heavy weather, not just rain
- thunderhead
tall, towering rain cloud associated with thunderstorms
- cirrus
thin, high, wispy cloud carrying no rain
文法句型
a nimbus of [noun]
用法筆記
Mostly used in meteorology writing and older or literary prose; everyday English prefers 'rain cloud' or 'storm cloud'.
常見錯誤
2. in art, a ring or cloud of light painted behind a saint, god, or holy person to
光暈；頭光
聖像、神祇頭上的光圈，或人物身上的柔光
in art, a ring or cloud of light painted behind a saint, god, or holy person to suggest divine power, or any similar soft glow surrounding someone or something.
In the old painting, a golden nimbus glowed around the saint's head.
在那幅老畫裡，一圈金色的光暈在聖人的頭部周圍發著光。
collocation: golden nimbus + around the head
Imani sketched a soft nimbus of light above the angel in her art class.
Imani 在美術課上為那位天使的上方畫了一圈柔和的光暈。
pattern: a nimbus of light
The stained-glass window showed Mary with a pale blue nimbus behind her hair.
那扇彩繪玻璃窗描繪著聖母瑪利亞，她的頭髮後方有一圈淡藍色的光暈。
On the stage, a bright nimbus from the spotlight surrounded the young singer's face.
在舞台上，聚光燈打出的明亮光暈圍繞著那位年輕歌手的臉。
Mei described the candle as throwing a warm nimbus across the chapel walls.
Mei 形容那支蠟燭在小教堂的牆上投出了一圈溫暖的光暈。
文法句型
a nimbus of [noun]
a nimbus around / above [noun]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this sense always describes a glow of LIGHT, never a cloud of water. Typical contexts are religious art, painting, or literary descriptions of stage or candle light.