asterisk
asterisk — noun
1. the star-shaped mark *, placed beside a word or number to point readers to a foo
the star-shaped mark *, placed beside a word or number to point readers to a footnote, to stand in for missing letters in a rude or hidden word, or to flag a special note.
Otto added an asterisk after the price to point readers to the small print below.
noun: an asterisk after [noun]
The teacher wrote the rude word with an asterisk in place of the middle letter.
collocation: with an asterisk in place of
Each name on the printed list had a small asterisk next to it for the editor's notes.
Paloma noticed an asterisk beside her grandmother's name in the church program.
On the menu, dishes with peanuts were marked with a red asterisk.
- star
everyday word for the same * symbol, especially when said aloud
- reference mark
general term for any symbol that points to a note; less specific
用法筆記
Often appears with the prepositions 'next to', 'beside', or 'after' when pointing at the word it marks; 'with' is used when the asterisk replaces letters.
常見錯誤
2. a fact or condition attached to a success — especially a sports record or prize
a fact or condition attached to a success — especially a sports record or prize — that makes people think it does not fully count, because something unusual or unfair helped to make it happen.
Many fans believe the home-run record carries an asterisk because of the doping scandal.
figurative: a record carries an asterisk
Coach Diaz said the championship win came with an asterisk after three star players were injured.
collocation: come with an asterisk
The 2020 season will always have an asterisk next to it because most games were played in empty stadiums.
Critics put a mental asterisk beside her gold medal once the second runner pulled out.
- caveat
more formal; a warning or limit attached to something
- qualification
neutral; any condition that limits a statement
- clean win
an achievement with no doubts or limits attached
文法句型
an asterisk beside/next to + noun
用法筆記
Almost always used in sports, politics, or competitive contexts. Distinguish from sense 1: sense 2 is figurative — no actual mark is written; the 'asterisk' is the doubt people attach to the achievement.
常見錯誤
asterisk — verb
1. to put a small star symbol next to a word, name, or number, usually so that the
to put a small star symbol next to a word, name, or number, usually so that the reader notices it and looks for an extra note about it.
Please asterisk every product that is not in stock so the buyers can spot them quickly.
transitive: asterisk + noun
The editor asterisked the names of the players who were still under eighteen.
past tense pattern
Linguists often asterisk a sentence to show that no native speaker would say it.
Tomás asterisked three items on the shopping list to remind himself to buy them first.
The dishes that contain nuts have been asterisked at the bottom of the menu.
文法句型
asterisk + noun
用法筆記
Frequently passive ('items are asterisked'). The object is almost always a written thing — a word, name, sentence, item on a list — never a person.