pacifier

/ˈpæsɪfaɪə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈpæsɪfaɪər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈpa-sə-ˌfī(-ə)r/ (ame, mw)

pacifier — 名詞

  • pacifiersingular
  • pacifiersplural

1. a small rubber or plastic piece, shaped like a nipple, that a baby holds in the

1.名詞B1
釋義

奶嘴

讓嬰兒含著吸吮以安撫情緒的橡膠或塑膠製品

a small rubber or plastic piece, shaped like a nipple, that a baby holds in the mouth and sucks on to feel calm or fall asleep

例句

Maeve dropped her pacifier on the floor and started crying loudly.

Maeve 把奶嘴掉到地上，開始大聲哭起來。

noun used as direct object: drop / wash / hand someone a pacifier

The new parents kept a spare pacifier in every room of the apartment.

新手爸媽在公寓的每個房間都放了一個備用奶嘴。

collocation: spare / clean / favourite pacifier

同義詞
  • dummy

    British English equivalent; same physical object

  • soother

    Canadian and Irish English variant

  • binky

    informal American word, often used by parents and young children

文法句型

a pacifier

give [baby] a pacifier

用法筆記

Standard term in American English; British English speakers usually say 'dummy' for the same object. Almost always paired with babies or toddlers — using it for an older child or adult is metaphorical.

常見錯誤

❌The baby is sucking the pacifier on her thumb.
✅The baby is sucking on her pacifier.
💡you suck ON a pacifier, not suck a pacifier 'on' something else.

2. an action, offer, or object that is meant to stop people feeling angry or upset,

2.名詞C1
釋義

安撫之物

平息怒氣但未解決問題的舉動

an action, offer, or object that is meant to stop people feeling angry or upset, often used when the deeper problem has not really been solved

例句

The small pay rise was just a pacifier to stop the workers going on strike.

那點小幅加薪只是用來安撫員工、避免他們罷工的手段。

framed as: just a pacifier to stop / prevent something

Critics said the new policy was a pacifier for angry voters before the election.

評論者認為這項新政策只是選前用來安撫憤怒選民的緩兵之計。

common pattern: a pacifier for [group of upset people]

同義詞
  • sop

    stronger negative tone; clearly worthless concession

  • placebo

    more neutral; emphasis on lack of real effect

  • token gesture

    small action meant to look meaningful without being so

反義詞

文法句型

a pacifier for [someone]

as a pacifier

用法筆記

Distinct from sense 1 (the baby object) because here the 'pacifier' is an abstract gesture — money, words, or a concession — given to calm adults. The tone is usually skeptical: the speaker thinks the gesture is too small or insincere.

常見錯誤

❌They offered a pacifier the angry customers.
✅They offered a pacifier to the angry customers.
💡needs preposition 'to' before the people being calmed.