thaw
/θɔː/ (bre, ipa) · [θˈɔ] /θɔː/ (ame, ipa) · [θˈɔ] /ˈthȯ How to pronounce thaw (audio)/ (ame, mw) · [θˈɔ] /θɑː/ (ame, ipa)
thaw — 動詞
- thawpresent simple I / you / we / they
- thawshe / she / it
- thawedpast simple
- thawing-ing form
1. if ice, snow, frozen ground, or food thaws, it stops being hard from cold and be
解凍
冷凍的東西化開到可使用
if ice, snow, frozen ground, or food thaws, it stops being hard from cold and becomes soft or liquid again; if you thaw it, you make that happen
By breakfast, the berries had thawed enough to stir into yogurt.
到了早餐時，莓果已經解凍到可以拌進優格裡。
result pattern: thawed enough to use
Saira left the fish in the sink until it thawed for dinner.
Saira 把魚放在水槽裡，直到晚餐前它解凍。
intransitive: food becomes usable again
Warm rain thawed the icy steps before the school bus arrived.
在校車到達前，溫暖的雨先把結冰的階梯解凍了。
After three sunny days, the top layer of soil finally thawed.
連續出太陽三天後，表層土壤終於解凍了。
- freeze
become hard or icy because of cold
文法句型
something thaws
thaw + object
thaw enough to use
thaw in the fridge
用法筆記
Often used for frozen food, ice, snow, ground, or body parts becoming usable again after freezing. Use the transitive pattern when a person or source of heat causes the change.
常見錯誤
2. if a person, relationship, or tense atmosphere thaws, the guarded feeling fades
軟化
態度或關係轉為較友善放鬆
if a person, relationship, or tense atmosphere thaws, the guarded feeling fades and people begin acting more open, relaxed, or friendly
The room thawed once David thanked everyone for staying late.
David 感謝大家留下加班後，整個房間的氣氛就軟化了。
atmosphere thawed after a social cue
After the apology, Hui thawed and asked the whole family to sit down.
道歉之後，Hui 的態度軟化了，還請全家先坐下。
person thawed: attitude turns warmer
Trade talks thawed when both sides agreed to share new data.
雙方同意分享新資料後，貿易談判的氣氛就軟化了。
Ilan thawed toward the new coach after Saturday's long bus ride.
搭了星期六那趟長途巴士後，Ilan 對新教練的態度軟化了。
- stiffen
become more tense or formal again
文法句型
someone thaws
relations thaw
thaw toward + person
atmosphere thaws
用法筆記
Used for people, conversations, and relations rather than literal temperature. Toward often introduces the person who receives the warmer attitude.
常見錯誤
3. if a very cold person, place, or thing thaws, the effect of the cold leaves it a
回溫
很冷的人或物恢復正常溫度
if a very cold person, place, or thing thaws, the effect of the cold leaves it and it moves back toward a normal temperature; if you thaw it, you warm it after cold exposure
Beatriz wrapped her hands around the mug to thaw her fingers.
Beatriz 把手捧在杯子旁邊，好讓手指回溫。
thaw + body part after cold exposure
The cabin slowly thawed after the heater ran for an hour.
暖氣開了一小時後，小木屋才慢慢回溫。
intransitive: place returns to normal warmth
Kwame stood by the stove while numb feet thawed at last.
Kwame 站在爐子旁，麻掉的腳終於回溫了。
Elise carried the seedlings inside to thaw the chilled roots.
Elise 把幼苗搬進屋內，讓受寒的根回溫。
- cool down
become colder or lose warmth again
文法句型
thaw + body part
room thaws
thaw after the heater comes on
thaw + chilled object
用法筆記
This sense is about ordinary cold leaving something, not about ice or frozen food turning soft. It is common with hands, feet, rooms, soil, and other things that were painfully cold.
常見錯誤
thaw — 名詞
1. a thaw is a clear easing of tension, when people or groups who were distant begi
回暖
關係或態度明顯變得較和善
a thaw is a clear easing of tension, when people or groups who were distant begin speaking or behaving in a warmer way
There was a clear thaw after the two brothers finally laughed together.
那兩兄弟終於一起笑出來後，彼此之間明顯出現了回暖。
a thaw after tension eases
Reporters noticed a thaw in the mayor's tone during the second meeting.
記者注意到，到了第二場會議時，市長的語氣已有回暖。
a thaw in someone's manner
The holiday dinner helped bring a thaw to months of silence.
那頓節日晚餐，幫幾個月的冷戰帶來了一波回暖。
A thaw between the teams began with one short phone call.
兩隊之間的回暖，是從一通簡短電話開始的。
- warming
shares the metaphor but often sounds less formal
- easing
focuses on tension becoming less strong
- improvement
broader and less tied to personal warmth
- freeze
a return to cold or hostile relations
文法句型
a thaw in relations
bring a thaw
thaw between + groups
用法筆記
Most often used about relations, talks, or someone's manner. It names the change itself, not the person who becomes friendlier.
2. a thaw is a milder spell after freezing weather, when built-up ice and snow star
融雪期
雪和冰開始融化的較暖時段
a thaw is a milder spell after freezing weather, when built-up ice and snow start loosening and disappearing
The spring thaw flooded the path behind the old train station.
春天的融雪期把舊火車站後方的小路淹了。
spring thaw as a season event
Farmers waited for the thaw before driving tractors into the field.
農夫等到融雪期來了，才把拖拉機開進田裡。
the thaw makes land usable again
After the thaw, dirty snow slid from the shop roof.
融雪期過後，髒雪從店屋屋頂滑了下來。
The village road turns to mud during every March thaw.
每逢三月的融雪期，村裡的路都會變成爛泥。
- warm spell
broader and not limited to snow or ice melting
- mild spell
focuses on gentler weather, not necessarily melting
- freeze
a return to weather cold enough to harden water
文法句型
the spring thaw
after the thaw
during the thaw
用法筆記
Often refers to the first warm period after winter or after a hard freeze. Spring thaw is the most common fixed phrase.
3. a thaw is the act or process of something frozen becoming soft or liquid again
解凍過程
冷凍物由硬變軟或化開的過程
a thaw is the act or process of something frozen becoming soft or liquid again
Slow thaw reduces the amount of juice that leaks from the meat.
緩慢的解凍過程，可以減少肉汁流失的量。
slow thaw for food quality
The lab measured each thaw of the soil before planting began.
種植開始前，實驗室量測了每一次土壤的解凍過程。
thaw of + noun
A quick thaw can make the outside soft while the center stays icy.
太快的解凍過程，會讓外層變軟而中心仍然結冰。
Store the soup safely during thaw to stop bad germs from growing.
在解凍過程中要把湯妥善保存，免得壞菌滋生。
- defrosting
common for food and appliances rather than broad natural processes
- unfreezing
more formal and less idiomatic in everyday speech
- melting
can imply a fuller change into liquid
- freezing
the process of becoming hard from cold
文法句型
slow thaw
quick thaw
during thaw
thaw of + noun
用法筆記
Use this sense when you mean the process itself, especially in cooking, science, or weather talk. It is more technical than the weather-period sense.