astronomical
astronomical — adjective
1. so high or so big that it is hard to believe — usually said of money, prices, de
so high or so big that it is hard to believe — usually said of money, prices, debts, or numbers far beyond what people normally see.
The cost of rebuilding the bridge after the flood was astronomical.
subject is a cost / price noun
Xander's phone bill was astronomical after her trip to Iceland.
common collocation: astronomical bill
Buying a house in central Taipei now requires an astronomical amount of money.
The hospital handed Mrs. Lin an astronomical bill after her husband's three-week stay in intensive care.
Nadia was shocked by the astronomical price of concert tickets in the front row.
- exorbitant
specifically about prices that feel unfair
- sky-high
informal; usually about prices or rates
- staggering
stresses the shock more than the actual size
- tiny
neutral opposite for amounts
- negligible
formal; small enough to ignore
文法句型
astronomical + amount/cost/figure/sum
用法筆記
Subject or modified noun is almost always something countable in money, debt, fees, odds, or large numbers. Rarely used for physical size — say 'enormous' for a building or a person.
常見錯誤
2. to do with the science that studies stars, planets, and other things far out in
to do with the science that studies stars, planets, and other things far out in space.
Dr. Yara spent the night taking astronomical photographs of Jupiter from the rooftop.
before noun: astronomical photograph
The university has a small astronomical society that meets every Friday.
before noun: astronomical society
Tomás is reading a book about astronomical discoveries made during the past century.
The new museum has an excellent astronomical exhibit for children.
用法筆記
Almost always used before a noun (research, observation, society, photograph). Rarely used after a linking verb such as 'be'.
常見錯誤
3. used to describe equipment — such as a telescope, camera, or pair of binoculars
used to describe equipment — such as a telescope, camera, or pair of binoculars — that is built specifically for observing or measuring stars and planets.
Kofi saved for a year to buy a proper astronomical telescope for his garden.
before noun: astronomical telescope
The lab uses an astronomical camera that can take pictures of very faint stars.
before noun: astronomical camera
Children at the science fair lined up to look through the school's astronomical binoculars.
The old observatory still has the astronomical instruments built in 1890.
- stargazing
informal; usually before 'equipment' or 'gear'
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 2: this sense names equipment built for the work (telescope, camera, binoculars, instruments), while sense 2 names the work itself (research, society, discovery).