tread
/tred/ (bre, ipa) · /tred/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈtred/ (ame, mw)
tread — 動詞
- treadpresent simple I / you / we / they
- treadshe / she / it
- trodpast simple
- troddenpast participle
- treading-ing form
1. to place your foot on the ground or onto an object, often by accident or while m
踩；踏
用腳踩在某物上或踩進某處
to place your foot on the ground or onto an object, often by accident or while moving over a surface.
Sari apologised after she trod on the cat's tail in the dark hallway.
Sari 在黑暗的走廊裡踩到貓的尾巴後，連忙向牠道歉。
tread on + body part / object
Please don't tread on the freshly painted wooden floor near the door.
請不要踩到門邊那塊剛上漆的木地板。
negative imperative with tread on
Rohan trod mud all over the kitchen tiles after the long hike.
Rohan 走完長途登山後，把泥巴踩得廚房磁磚到處都是。
The hikers were warned not to tread on the wildflowers along the narrow trail.
登山客被提醒不要踩到狹窄步道旁的野花。
Camille felt something crunch when she trod on a dry leaf in the woods.
Camille 在樹林裡踩到一片乾葉子，聽到清脆的聲響。
文法句型
tread on something
tread something into something
用法筆記
Frequently followed by 'on' plus a thing or person; can also be transitive with an object being pressed into a surface (e.g. tread mud into the carpet).
常見錯誤
2. to move along on foot, often in a particular manner, or to walk a specific path
行走；步行
以特定方式或在特定路徑上走動
to move along on foot, often in a particular manner, or to walk a specific path or street; a slightly literary way of saying 'walk'.
Yael trod softly through the nursery so the baby would not wake.
Yael 輕輕地走過嬰兒房，免得吵醒寶寶。
tread + manner adverb (softly / lightly)
The poet wrote about treading the same streets his grandfather had walked.
詩人寫到自己走在祖父曾走過的同一條街上。
tread + definite path (literary)
Visitors must tread carefully when entering the ancient temple grounds.
訪客進入古老的寺院時必須小心地走動。
Vikram trod heavily down the corridor, still angry from the meeting.
Vikram 沉重地走過走廊，仍對剛剛的會議感到生氣。
Hikers have been treading this mountain path for over a hundred years.
登山客已經在這條山徑上行走了超過一百年。
文法句型
tread + adverb (lightly / softly)
tread + path / streets
用法筆記
More formal or literary than 'walk'; usually paired with a manner adverb ('softly', 'heavily', 'carefully') or a noun for the place walked ('the streets', 'the same path'). Distinguish from sense 1: here the focus is on the act of walking, not on pressing one specific spot with the foot.
常見錯誤
3. in the fixed expression 'tread water': to stay upright in deep water with the he
踩水；踏水
在深水中以四肢划動讓頭部浮出水面
in the fixed expression 'tread water': to stay upright in deep water with the head above the surface, by turning the legs in slow circles and pushing the hands sideways, without swimming forward.
Andrés had to tread water for ten minutes before the rescue boat reached him.
Andrés 必須踩水十分鐘，救援船才終於趕到他身邊。
tread water + duration
The swimming teacher showed the children how to tread water in the deep end.
游泳教練示範如何在泳池深水區踩水給孩子們看。
tread water as a learnable skill
Lisa treaded water near the diving board while she waited for her friend.
Lisa 在跳水板附近踩水，一邊等她的朋友。
Tired from the long swim, Quinn started treading water beside the buoy.
長時間游泳後感到疲憊，Quinn 開始在浮標旁踩水。
Our company has just been treading water since the new manager arrived, with no real progress.
自從新經理上任後，我們公司就像在踩水，毫無進展。
- stay afloat
more general; doesn't specify the leg-and-arm movement
文法句型
tread water
用法筆記
The past tense in this idiom is usually 'treaded water', not 'trod water' — this is the one exception to the irregular pattern. The phrase also has a common figurative use meaning 'to stay in the same place without making progress'.
常見錯誤
4. to defeat, control, or destroy a person, group, or feeling by treating them as i
踐踏；蹂躪
粗暴壓制或欺壓他人或其權利
to defeat, control, or destroy a person, group, or feeling by treating them as if they were dirt under your foot; a forceful, often figurative use.
The new law treads on the rights of small business owners across the country.
這條新法律踐踏了全國小型企業老闆的權益。
tread on + abstract noun (rights / hopes)
For decades, the regime trod its political opponents underfoot without any consequence.
幾十年來，這個政權肆意蹂躪政治對手，毫無顧忌。
tread + object + underfoot
Defne refused to let her dreams be trodden down by her uncle's harsh words.
Defne 不讓自己的夢想被叔叔嚴厲的話踩在腳下。
The protesters said the government was treading on their freedom of speech.
抗議者表示政府正在踐踏他們的言論自由。
Christopher would not allow his quiet hopes to be trodden into the dust by criticism.
Christopher 不會讓自己安靜的願望被批評踩進塵土裡。
- respect
opposite attitude toward rights or feelings
文法句型
tread something underfoot
tread on someone's rights / hopes
用法筆記
Almost always figurative in modern use; the object is typically an abstract noun (rights, dreams, hopes, freedom) or a group of people. Distinguish from sense 1: that sense is about the literal foot action; this sense is about suppression. Frequently passive ('be trodden down', 'be trodden underfoot').
常見錯誤
tread — 名詞
- treadsingular
- treadsplural
1. the lines and grooves cut into the surface of a tyre, designed to grip the road
胎紋
輪胎表面用來抓地的溝槽花紋
the lines and grooves cut into the surface of a tyre, designed to grip the road and stop the wheels from slipping.
The mechanic told Iker that his front tyres had almost no tread left.
技師告訴 Iker，他的前輪胎紋幾乎已經磨平了。
have / leave tread (idiomatic measure)
Winter tyres usually have deeper tread than summer ones for better grip on snow.
冬季輪胎的胎紋通常比夏季的深，以便在雪地上抓得更牢。
deep / shallow tread + reason
You can see the tread pattern clearly in the mud behind the truck.
你可以在卡車後面的泥地上清楚看到胎紋的形狀。
Police checked the tread on the suspect's car tyres for evidence at the scene.
警方在現場檢查嫌疑人車輛的胎紋作為證據。
Antonia replaced her bicycle tyres because the tread was almost gone.
Antonia 換掉自行車輪胎，因為胎紋幾乎都磨光了。
- tyre pattern
more descriptive; everyday alternative
文法句型
the tread of a tyre
deep / worn tread
用法筆記
Usually uncountable when talking about the amount of pattern remaining ('how much tread is left'); countable when referring to a specific design ('a new tread design'). Distinguish from sense 4: this sense is the carved pattern itself, not the whole contact surface of the tyre.
2. the noise that someone's feet make as they walk, especially when it can be clear
腳步聲
走路時雙腳發出的聲響
the noise that someone's feet make as they walk, especially when it can be clearly heard.
Nora recognised her father's heavy tread on the stairs and ran to greet him.
Nora 一聽到父親在樓梯上沉重的腳步聲，就跑去迎接他。
heavy / light tread + on the stairs
The soft tread of the nurse's shoes barely woke the sleeping patient.
護理師輕柔的腳步聲幾乎沒有吵醒熟睡的病患。
soft tread + body of person
Soldiers marched past with a steady tread that echoed through the empty square.
士兵踏著穩定的腳步聲走過空蕩蕩的廣場，聲音迴盪四周。
Hannah heard the slow tread of someone approaching her office door.
Hannah 聽見有人緩緩走近她辦公室門口的腳步聲。
文法句型
heavy / soft tread
the tread of someone's feet
用法筆記
Sounds literary or formal; in everyday speech, people usually say 'the sound of footsteps'. Distinguish from sense 5: this sense focuses on the audible noise made by feet, while sense 5 focuses on the manner or action of walking itself.
3. the flat top of a single step on a staircase — the part you actually place your
踏板；階面
樓梯上供腳踩踏的水平面
the flat top of a single step on a staircase — the part you actually place your foot on when going up or down.
Walid measured the tread of each stair before fitting the new wooden boards.
Walid 在裝上新的木板之前，先量了每一階樓梯的階面。
tread + of + stair (architecture)
Wide treads make a staircase feel safer for elderly visitors.
寬闊的階面能讓樓梯對年長訪客來說更安全。
wide / narrow tread + safety claim
The old church staircase had stone treads worn smooth by centuries of feet.
那座古老教堂的石階面，被幾百年的腳步磨得光滑。
Building codes specify a minimum tread depth for stairs in public buildings.
建築規範規定公共建築樓梯的階面最小深度。
- step
everyday word; covers both the tread and the riser together
- riser
the vertical face of a stair, opposite of the horizontal tread
文法句型
the tread of a stair / step
用法筆記
Used by builders, architects, and DIY enthusiasts; pairs naturally with 'riser' (the vertical face of a step). The pattern 'tread depth' is the standard technical measurement.
4. the whole underside of a tyre, shoe, or boot — the area that comes into contact
鞋底；胎面
輪胎或鞋子接觸地面的整個底面
the whole underside of a tyre, shoe, or boot — the area that comes into contact with the floor or road during normal use.
Mud and small stones were stuck across the tread of Sumin's hiking boots.
Sumin 的登山靴底面上卡滿了泥巴和小石頭。
tread of + footwear + foreign matter
The tread of the front tyre had picked up a nail from the building site.
前輪胎的胎面在工地撿到了一根釘子。
tread of + tyre + picked-up object
Anya wiped the tread of her trainers before stepping onto the white carpet.
Anya 在踩上白色地毯前，把她運動鞋的鞋底擦乾淨。
Snow had packed into the tread of every boot in the cabin doorway.
小屋門口每雙靴子的底面都塞滿了積雪。
- sole
for shoes only; the bottom of a shoe
文法句型
the tread of a tyre / shoe / boot
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: that sense is the carved pattern only; this sense is the whole bottom surface — pattern plus the rubber or material around it. Often used when something is stuck to or removed from the surface.
5. the particular style or manner in which a person walks, including the rhythm and
步態
個人走路的特定方式與節奏
the particular style or manner in which a person walks, including the rhythm and weight of their steps.
Élise had a light, dancer's tread that made her seem to glide across the room.
Élise 有著舞者般輕盈的步態，看起來就像在房間裡滑行。
adjective + tread describing manner
The detective recognised the visitor by his confident tread alone.
偵探光聽那自信的步態，就認出了訪客是誰。
tread as identifier of person
Nala walked with a slow, careful tread after her ankle surgery.
Nala 在腳踝手術後，步態變得緩慢而謹慎。
There was something familiar about the old man's tread as he came up the path.
那位老人沿著小徑走來的步態，讓人覺得熟悉。
文法句型
someone's tread
a + adjective + tread
用法筆記
Literary and somewhat old-fashioned; everyday English uses 'walk' (noun) or 'gait' for the same idea. Distinguish from sense 2: that sense is about the sound of the feet, this sense is about the visible style of walking.