thermals

/ˈθɜː.məl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈθɝː.məl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈthər-məl How to pronounce thermal (audio)/ (ame, mw)

thermals — 名詞

1. Warm undergarments made from special fabric that holds body heat close to the sk

1.名詞B2
釋義

保暖內衣

穿在外衣下方以保持體溫的厚內衣

Warm undergarments made from special fabric that holds body heat close to the skin, worn beneath everyday clothes in very cold weather.

例句

Yuna packed two pairs of thermals for the skiing holiday in the Austrian Alps.

Yuna 為奧地利阿爾卑斯山的滑雪假期打包了兩套保暖內衣。

a pair of thermals / two pairs of thermals — unit collocation

Arjun wore thin silk thermals under his work trousers during the freezing winter months.

Arjun 在寒冬時節穿了薄絲保暖內衣在工作褲裡面。

同義詞
  • long johns

    informal term for one-piece or two-piece thermal underwear; older-fashioned connotation

  • base layer

    modern sportswear term; broader category that includes thermals but also non-thermal wicking garments

  • thermal underwear

    the full formal term; 'thermals' is the shortened everyday form

文法句型

wear thermals

a set of thermals

a pair of thermals

用法筆記

Plural noun — you cannot say 'a thermal' to mean a single piece of thermal underwear. Use 'a pair of thermals' for one set (top and bottom) or 'a thermal top' / 'a thermal vest' for a single garment. The adjective form 'thermal' (e.g. thermal leggings, thermal shirt) is very common and often preferred in product descriptions.

常見錯誤

❌I bought a thermal yesterday.
✅I bought a pair of thermals yesterday.
💡The noun 'thermals' is always plural when referring to the clothing.
❌These thermals are so thin you can see through them.
✅These thermal leggings are so thin you can see through them.
💡For a single garment item, use 'thermal' as an adjective + the garment name.

2. A rising stream of warm air that lifts upwards from sun-heated ground or water,

2.名詞B2
釋義

上升熱氣流

從地面升起的柱狀暖空氣

A rising stream of warm air that lifts upwards from sun-heated ground or water, which birds and pilots of light aircraft use to gain height without using engine power.

例句

Pedro spotted a hawk circling higher and higher as it caught the afternoon thermal above the valley.

Pedro 看見一隻老鷹在下午的上升熱氣流中越繞越高。

the thermal (singular); birds ride thermals to gain altitude

Paragliders launch early because thermals grow strongest once the sun has warmed the ground for hours.

飛行傘玩家一大早就出發，因為太陽把地面曬了幾個小時之後，上升熱氣流最強。

thermals are strongest — typical collocation with 'strong' / 'weak'

同義詞
  • updraft

    broader term for any upward-moving air current, which may be caused by wind hitting a slope or by heat; 'thermal' specifically means heat-driven updraft

  • rising current

    descriptive phrase rather than a single-word synonym; less technical than 'thermal'

反義詞
  • downdraft

    a descending current of cold air, the opposite of a thermal updraft

  • sink

    glider pilot term for a region of sinking air; the opposite of finding a thermal

文法句型

thermals + verb (form)

a thermal / the thermal (singular context)

用法筆記

Used especially in aviation, meteorology, and bird-watching contexts. The singular form 'a thermal' is common when referring to one specific column of rising air; 'thermals' is the general plural. Birds such as eagles, hawks, and vultures are famous for riding thermals to conserve energy during long-distance flight.

常見錯誤

❌I felt a thermal of hot air in my room.
✅I felt a draft of hot air in my room.
💡'thermal' as a noun in everyday English specifically means a rising outdoor air column, not any hot air indoors.
❌The plane flew into thermals and shook.
✅The glider hit a thermal and rose sharply.
💡Large commercial planes do not ride thermals; this term belongs to gliders, birds, and paragliders.

thermals — 形容詞