sweat

/swet/ (bre, ipa) · /swet/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈswet/ (ame, mw)

sweat — 名詞

1. the salty fluid that your body's glands produce and push out through the skin wh

1.名詞A2
釋義

汗水

皮膚排出的鹹味液體

the salty fluid that your body's glands produce and push out through the skin whenever you get too warm, exercise hard, or feel scared or anxious

例句

Aoi wiped the sweat from her forehead after running five kilometres in the park.

Aoi 在公園跑了五公里後,擦去額頭上的汗水。

wipe sweat from forehead — common action collocation

The players were covered in sweat after the match in the summer heat.

盛夏比賽結束時,球員們全身都是汗。

covered in sweat — result of intense physical activity

同義詞
  • perspiration

    more formal or medical term for sweat

  • moisture

    broader term; sweat is a specific type of moisture on the skin

文法句型

be covered in sweat

be dripping with sweat

break into a sweat

用法筆記

Uncountable in this literal sense. Specific phrases include 'beads of sweat' (small drops), 'cold sweat' (sweat from fear or illness), and 'working up a sweat' (becoming sweaty through effort).

常見錯誤

I have many sweats.' (countable misuse)
I am covered in sweat.
💡literal perspiration is uncountable.
Sweat water is salty.
Sweat is salty.
💡'sweat' already refers to the liquid; adding 'water' is redundant.

2. a set of loose, comfortable clothes made of thick cotton cloth, consisting of a

2.名詞B1
釋義

運動服

棉質休閒運動衣褲

a set of loose, comfortable clothes made of thick cotton cloth, consisting of a sweatshirt and matching trousers, worn for exercise or as casual everyday wear

例句

Tunde put on his sweats and went for a quick jog around the block.

Tunde 穿上運動服,到街區附近小跑了一圈。

put on sweats — getting dressed for exercise

Wren wore her grey sweats to the library because she had no classes that day.

Wren 那天沒課,穿著灰色運動服去了圖書館。

同義詞
  • sweatsuit

    more formal; refers specifically to the matching top and trousers set

  • track suit

    similar style but usually made of lighter, shiny material

文法句型

sweats as subject/object

a pair of sweats

用法筆記

Almost always used in the plural form 'sweats' when referring to the clothing set. 'Sweatsuit' is a more formal alternative. 'Sweatpants' refers only to the trousers, while 'sweatshirt' only to the top. 'Sweats' can mean either the full suit or just the trousers depending on context.

常見錯誤

I bought a sweat.
I bought some sweats.' or 'I bought a sweatsuit.
💡use the plural 'sweats' for the clothing.

3. sustained effort using either your body or your mind that you invest in a task,

3.名詞B1
釋義

苦工;心血

長期付出的辛勤努力

sustained effort using either your body or your mind that you invest in a task, especially when the work is demanding but essential for reaching a goal

例句

Years of sweat and hard work went into building the family business from scratch.

多年的血汗與努力投入了這家家族事業從零開始的創業過程。

sweat and hard work — fixed phrase for dedicated effort

Imani put in a lot of sweat to finish the renovation before the winter came.

Imani 付出了很多心血,趕在冬天來臨前完成翻修。

同義詞
  • effort

    more general; 'sweat' implies physical or strenuous effort

  • labour

    more formal; often refers to physical work over time

  • toil

    literary; suggests long, hard, exhausting work

反義詞
  • leisure

    free time for relaxation, opposite of sustained effort

  • ease

    lack of difficulty or effort

文法句型

sweat + and + toil/effort

the sweat of [doing something]

用法筆記

Uncountable. Often appears in fixed expressions such as 'blood, sweat, and tears' and 'the sweat of one's brow'. The phrase 'no sweat' (meaning 'no problem') is a separate idiom listed below.

常見錯誤

I put many sweats into this.
I put a lot of sweat into this.
💡effort-related 'sweat' is uncountable.
He achieved it by sweats.
He achieved it by sweat.
💡do not use the plural for effort.

4. small drops of water that form on a cool surface when warm, moist air touches it

4.名詞B2
釋義

水珠;凝結水

冷表面因溫差形成的水滴

small drops of water that form on a cool surface when warm, moist air touches it and cools down

例句

Beads of sweat appeared on the cold glass of lemonade on the hot afternoon.

炎熱午後,冰檸檬水的玻璃杯外冒出了細細的水珠。

beads of sweat + on + cold surface — pattern for condensation

The pipes in the basement were covered in sweat because of the humidity.

地下室的管道因為濕氣太重而凝結了一層水。

covered in sweat — condensation on non-biological surfaces

同義詞
  • condensation

    the technical term; preferred in scientific or formal writing

  • moisture

    broader term; any small amount of liquid on a surface

文法句型

beads of sweat + on + surface

sweat + forms/appears

用法筆記

This sense describes moisture forming on inanimate objects, not on living skin. Distinguish from noun/1 (perspiration), which refers to human sweat. The word 'condensation' is the technical term, but 'sweat' is common in everyday speech for objects.

常見錯誤

The cold bottle has human sweat on it.' — confusing condensation with perspiration.
The cold bottle has sweat on it.
💡for objects, 'sweat' means condensation.

5. a state of worry, nervousness, or stress, especially when someone feels under pr

5.名詞B2
釋義

焦慮;緊張

對某事感到擔憂不安的狀態

a state of worry, nervousness, or stress, especially when someone feels under pressure or is anxious about something that might happen

例句

Dario was in a sweat about his presentation the night before the big meeting.

Dario 在重要會議的前一晚為簡報焦慮不已。

in a sweat about — fixed phrase for worried state

Tamar got into a sweat over booking the flights for the family holiday.

Tamar 為了訂家庭旅行的機票而緊張兮兮。

同義詞
  • worry

    more neutral in register; 'sweat' (noun sense 5) is more informal and vivid

  • panic

    stronger; suggests a sudden, overwhelming fear rather than ongoing worry

  • dither

    British; implies being unable to decide because of anxiety

反義詞
  • calm

    a state free from stress or worry

  • ease

    comfortable relaxation without concern

文法句型

in a sweat about/over + noun

get into a sweat about/over + noun

用法筆記

Almost always appears in the fixed phrases 'in a sweat' or 'get into a sweat'. The object of worry is introduced by 'about' or 'over'. This sense is informal and used mainly in spoken English.

常見錯誤

I have a sweat about the exam.
I am in a sweat about the exam.
💡the correct pattern is 'in a sweat about'.

❌ 'She sweats about the exam.' (verb sense — correct but different meaning) — noun sense 5 requires 'in a sweat'.

sweat — 動詞