spruce
spruce — 名詞
- sprucesingular
- sprucesplural
1. A tall evergreen tree with short, stiff, needle-shaped leaves and hanging cones,
雲杉；雲杉木
一種針葉樹或其淺色輕質木材
A tall evergreen tree with short, stiff, needle-shaped leaves and hanging cones, or the pale, lightweight wood obtained from this tree, often used for making furniture, paper, and musical instruments.
A tall spruce stood at the edge of the garden, its branches covered in fresh snow.
一棵高大的雲杉矗立在花園邊緣，樹枝上覆蓋著白雪。
Arjun bought a small potted spruce from a local farm to plant in his yard.
Arjun 從當地農場買了一棵小盆栽雲杉，打算種在自家院子裡。
spruce + noun (as modifier): tree types
Many guitar makers prefer spruce for the top of the instrument because of its clear, warm sound.
許多吉他製造商偏好用雲杉木製作面板，因為它的音色清澈溫暖。
Théo stacked the spruce planks in the shed, ready to build a set of shelves for the kitchen.
Théo 把雲杉木板堆在棚子裡，準備為廚房做一組架子。
The hiking trail wound through a dense forest of spruce, pine, and cedar trees.
那條登山步道蜿蜒穿過一片茂密的雲杉、松樹和雪松林。
文法句型
spruce + noun (as modifier)
用法筆記
As a countable noun, spruce refers to a single tree or a species. As an uncountable noun, it means the wood. The modifier form (spruce tree, spruce forest, spruce wood) is very common.
常見錯誤
spruce — 形容詞
- sprucepositive
- sprucercomparative
- sprucestsuperlative
1. (Of a person) dressed in a tidy, clean, and carefully put-together way, so that
整潔的
形容人穿著乾淨整齊
(Of a person) dressed in a tidy, clean, and carefully put-together way, so that their appearance gives an impression of care and good grooming.
Otis arrived at the interview looking very spruce in a dark suit and polished shoes.
Otis 穿著深色西裝和擦亮的皮鞋來面試，看起來十分整潔得體。
look + spruce
Eve always looked spruce and well-groomed, even when she was just running errands on a Saturday morning.
Eve 總是看起來整潔得體，即使是星期六早上去辦點小事也不例外。
The old gentleman was a spruce figure in his tweed jacket, crisp shirt, and neatly tied bow tie.
那位老先生穿著粗花呢外套、筆挺的襯衫和整齊的蝶形領結，模樣十分清爽。
Grandmother made sure we all looked spruce before the family photograph, brushing our hair and straightening our collars.
奶奶在拍家庭照前確保我們每個人都打扮整齊——梳好頭髮、拉直衣領。
After a shave and a fresh shirt, Henry felt spruce enough to meet his girlfriend's parents.
Henry 刮了鬍子、換上乾淨襯衫後，覺得自己夠體面去見女朋友的父母了。
- neat
More common and broader; means orderly but does not carry the same sense of elegance or occasion-readiness.
- trim
Suggests slimness and fitness in addition to neatness; used more for physique than clothing alone.
- smart
Emphasises fashion and stylishness; spruce emphasises cleanliness and careful grooming.
文法句型
spruce + noun
look/feel + spruce
用法筆記
Usually describes a person's overall appearance, not a single item of clothing. Often used in the pattern 'look/feel spruce' or 'spruce appearance.' Less common than tidy or neat but suggests elegance and careful attention.
spruce — 動詞
- sprucepresent simple I / you / we / they
- spruces3rd person singular
- sprucing-ing form
- sprucedpast simple
1. To improve the appearance of something by organising it, cleaning it, or adding
整理；裝飾
把某物弄得更整潔美觀
To improve the appearance of something by organising it, cleaning it, or adding small decorative touches — for example, fixing up a room before visitors come, or giving a garden a fresh look in spring.
We spent the weekend sprucing up the apartment before the landlord's inspection.
我們花了一整個週末整理公寓，準備迎接房東的檢查。
spruce up + object (apartment/room/house)
Kenji gave the old wooden fence a fresh coat of paint to spruce it up for the summer party.
Kenji 給舊木籬笆重新刷了一層油漆，讓它為夏日派對煥然一新。
spruce + object + up with particle separation
The hotel manager decided to spruce up the lobby with new furniture and brighter lighting.
飯店經理決定用新家具和更明亮的燈光來整理大廳。
Aoi spruced up her CV before applying for the job, adding her volunteer work and a new photo.
Aoi 在申請工作前更新了她的履歷，加入了志工經歷和一張新照片。
The cafe owner spruced up the menu, replacing old dishes with fresh seasonal options.
咖啡廳老闆更新了菜單，用新鮮的時令菜餚取代了舊餐點。
- mess up
To make something untidy or disordered.
文法句型
spruce + object
spruce up + object
spruce + object + up
用法筆記
In everyday speech, the phrasal verb 'spruce up' is far more common than the bare verb spruce. The object is typically a room, building, garden, or personal belonging. Can also be used for abstract things like a website or CV.
常見錯誤
2. To make yourself look tidy, clean, and well-dressed, especially by washing, comb
打扮；梳理
把自己弄整齊乾淨
To make yourself look tidy, clean, and well-dressed, especially by washing, combing your hair, and putting on nice clothes — often done before a special occasion or when you want to make a good impression.
Gabriela went upstairs to spruce up before the dinner party, changing out of her work clothes into a dress.
Gabriela 上樓去換裝打扮，脫下工作服換上洋裝，準備參加晚宴。
spruce up (intransitive, no object)
Brian spruced himself up in the restroom before the meeting — a quick comb of his hair and a straightened tie.
Brian 在會議前到洗手間整理了一下——快速梳了梳頭髮、拉直領帶。
spruce + reflexive pronoun + up
After a long flight, Ilan went to his hotel room to spruce up before meeting his colleagues for dinner.
經過長途飛行後，Ilan 去飯店房間梳洗整理，然後才去和同事們吃晚餐。
The bride and groom took an hour to spruce themselves up between the ceremony and the reception photos.
新郎新娘在典禮和婚宴拍照之間花了一小時打扮自己。
Kofi spruced up for the wedding, borrowing his brother's suit jacket and polishing his shoes until they shone.
Kofi 為了婚禮精心打扮，借了哥哥的西裝外套，把皮鞋擦得亮晶晶。
- tidy oneself up
More common in British English; suggests small adjustments rather than a full makeover.
- freshen up
Focuses on washing and grooming rather than changing clothes; often implies a quick clean.
- smartened up
British English; similar meaning with emphasis on looking smarter.
- let oneself go
To neglect one's appearance over time.
文法句型
spruce up
spruce oneself up
用法筆記
Almost always used with 'up' ('spruce up' or 'spruce oneself up'). The bare reflexive ('He spruced himself.') is extremely rare in modern English. Distinguished from verb sense 1 (MAKE TIDY) in that the object is the person's own appearance, not a room or object.