baby
baby — noun
1. a child in the first year or two of life, before they can walk on their own or s
a child in the first year or two of life, before they can walk on their own or speak in full sentences.
Mei rocked the baby in her arms until he fell asleep.
rock + the baby (in arms)
Lucas and Priya are expecting their first baby in March.
expecting + a baby (pregnancy)
Anna's baby smiled at her grandmother and waved a tiny hand from the high chair.
Most babies start to crawl at about eight months old.
Daniel changed the baby's diaper and warmed a fresh bottle of milk.
- infant
more formal or medical; common in clinics and official forms
- newborn
specifically a baby in the first weeks after birth
- little one
warm, informal; often used by parents and relatives
- adult
fully-grown person, opposite end of the age scale
文法句型
have a baby
newborn baby
用法筆記
Often used with possessives or articles (the baby, our baby, her baby). 'Baby' can be paired with names of family roles (baby brother, baby sister) — those are the noun followed by another noun, not the adjective sense.
常見錯誤
2. a recently born or very young animal that still depends on its mother for food a
a recently born or very young animal that still depends on its mother for food and protection.
The baby elephant stayed close to its mother as the herd crossed the river.
baby + animal name
Ranger Diaz showed the children a baby owl that had fallen from its nest.
Baby kangaroos live inside their mother's pouch for several months.
The vet warmed a baby kitten with a soft towel and a heat lamp.
文法句型
a baby + animal name
用法筆記
For many species there is also a special name (kitten, puppy, calf, foal, cub, chick). 'Baby + animal' is the everyday way to refer to the young of any species, especially when the special term is unfamiliar to learners.
常見錯誤
3. an older child or grown-up who cries, whines, or sulks over small problems, the
an older child or grown-up who cries, whines, or sulks over small problems, the way a much younger child would.
Don't be such a baby — the cut on your knee is tiny.
Don't be such a baby (rebuke)
Citlali called his older brother a baby for refusing to go on the roller coaster.
The team captain told the players to stop acting like babies after a missed pass.
After bursting into tears over a small tease, Lara worried her cousins now saw her as a baby.
- grown-up
as a contrast: 'act like a grown-up, not a baby'
文法句型
call somebody a baby
be such a baby
用法筆記
Used to criticise or tease, never as a compliment. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense applies to people clearly old enough to know better. The phrase 'cry baby' is a fixed insult that draws on the same idea.
常見錯誤
4. within a family, team, or other close group, the person born last or admitted la
within a family, team, or other close group, the person born last or admitted last — for instance, the last-born among brothers and sisters, or the newest player on a sports team — affectionately kept as that label long after they have grown up.
At forty-two, Olivia is still the baby of the Hayashi family.
the baby of the family
Rookie pitcher Diego is the baby of the team and gets gentle teasing in the dugout.
the baby of the team
Among the five Watanabe siblings, twenty-eight-year-old Hiro is still the baby at family dinners.
Grandma always saved an extra slice of cake for Tomás, the baby of her grandchildren.
- youngest
neutral and exact; without the affectionate tone
- eldest
the oldest member of the same group
文法句型
the baby of the family / team / group
用法筆記
Almost always appears with 'the' and 'of (a group)'. The person can be any age — what matters is being youngest within the named group. Distinguish from sense 1, which is about literal age.
常見錯誤
5. a loving name people use for a partner, sweetheart, or romantic interest, often
a loving name people use for a partner, sweetheart, or romantic interest, often instead of using their first name.
Nia kissed her boyfriend's forehead and whispered, 'Goodnight, baby — drive safely.'
vocative use between partners
Aiden whispered, 'I missed you, baby,' as he hugged his wife at the airport.
On stage in Osaka, the singer dedicated the new song to his baby waiting back home in Brooklyn.
Hey baby, can you grab some milk on your way home?
- honey
very common between partners; less sexual, also used to children
- sweetheart
warm and slightly old-fashioned; broader than romantic use
- darling
more British; can be romantic or merely friendly
文法句型
used as a vocative: Hey, baby
用法筆記
Strongly tied to romantic relationships. From a stranger — especially a man to a woman he doesn't know — it can sound rude or harassing rather than friendly. Use only with partners or in song lyrics.
常見錯誤
6. a project, plan, or invention that one person started, cares about deeply, and f
a project, plan, or invention that one person started, cares about deeply, and feels personally responsible for, often as if it were their own child.
The community garden is Mrs. Camille's baby — she has been tending it for twenty years.
X is somebody's baby (project)
The new payment app was Rafael's baby, so he stayed late every night to fix the bugs himself.
Don't ask the director to cut the opening scene; that part of the film is her baby.
When Owen left the company, the recycling programme he had built — his baby — slowly fell apart.
- brainchild
focuses on the idea or invention rather than ongoing care
- pet project
very close in meaning; emphasises personal favourite, not always created by the person
文法句型
somebody's baby = their project
用法筆記
Almost always preceded by a possessive (his / her / Nia's). The thing is usually something the person founded, designed, or championed against opposition. Carries warm, slightly protective feeling — using it about someone else's project can sound dismissive of your own role.
常見錯誤
7. a machine, vehicle, weapon, or other object that the speaker thinks is impressiv
a machine, vehicle, weapon, or other object that the speaker thinks is impressive, powerful, or fun to use, talked about with pride or excitement.
Watch this baby fly — the new drone can stay up for forty minutes.
watch / look at / try this baby (object showcase)
Officer Kim patted the patrol car's hood and grinned: 'This baby does zero to sixty in five seconds.'
Paloma pulled an old guitar from its case and said, 'I bought this baby in Madrid in 1989.'
Once you fire this baby up, the whole barbecue is ready in ten minutes.
文法句型
that baby = that object
用法筆記
Strongly informal and slightly masculine in flavour; often heard in adverts, sales pitches, and movie dialogue about cars, gadgets, and gear. Almost always with 'this', 'that', or 'these'.
常見錯誤
baby — verb
1. to look after a child, teenager, or adult with more care and protection than the
to look after a child, teenager, or adult with more care and protection than they need, so that they cannot grow or learn to handle things on their own.
Sofia's parents still baby her, even though she is twenty-five and lives alone.
baby + somebody (over-protect)
Coach Park warned the captain not to baby the new players or they would never improve.
Stop babying your little brother — let him pour his own juice.
Ms. Alvarez worried that finishing every art project for her third graders would only baby them in the long run.
- coddle
very close synonym; equally negative
- spoil
focuses on giving too many things or too much freedom, not extra protection
- mollycoddle
more British, slightly dated; same idea, often used by older speakers
- toughen up
phrasal opposite: train someone to handle hardship
文法句型
baby + somebody
用法筆記
Negative in tone. The object is usually a person old enough to do the task themselves. Often appears with 'stop', 'don't', or 'too much' to suggest the speaker disapproves.
常見錯誤
2. to use, drive, or operate something very gently so that it does not break, wear
to use, drive, or operate something very gently so that it does not break, wear out, or get damaged.
Mechanic Nora told Henry to baby the old engine on long climbs and not push the gas pedal hard.
baby + a machine (drive gently)
Captain Reyes had to baby the damaged jet back to Honolulu after one engine caught fire over the Pacific.
baby + a vehicle back (to safety)
Naomi babied her sprained ankle for two weeks before she returned to running.
If you baby this antique clock when you wind it, it will keep time for another century.
- nurse
as a verb: 'nurse the engine along' — almost identical use for machines
- handle with care
common phrase rather than single verb; same idea
- thrash
to push a machine hard, the opposite of babying it
文法句型
baby + object
用法筆記
Object is usually a fragile machine, vehicle, or body part. Different from sense 1: here the careful treatment is sensible, not excessive. Often paired with 'along', 'back', or 'through'.
常見錯誤
baby — adjective
1. used before the name of an animal to mean newly born or still very young.
used before the name of an animal to mean newly born or still very young.
A baby seal slid down the icy bank into the cold sea.
baby + animal noun
The visitors at the zoo crowded around the baby panda.
Baby turtles must walk to the ocean on their own as soon as they hatch.
Hannah found a baby rabbit hiding under the garden bench.
- adult
as adjective: 'an adult lion' vs 'a baby lion'
文法句型
baby + animal noun
用法筆記
Only used directly before the noun (a baby fox), never after a verb like 'be' (not 'the fox is baby'). For many animals an alternative single word also exists (cub, puppy, chick) — those are usually more natural in scientific or farming contexts.
常見錯誤
2. placed before a noun to mark someone or something as connected to an infant: a n
placed before a noun to mark someone or something as connected to an infant: a newborn's sex (baby boy, baby girl), a younger sibling kept as a family label (baby brother, baby sister), or items designed for infants (baby clothes, baby food).
Aunt Linh held her baby niece in a soft pink blanket for the first time.
baby + niece / nephew
The Patel family welcomed a baby boy on Saturday morning.
welcome + a baby boy
Eli reads a picture book to his baby sister every night before bed.
Grandpa Joe filled the spare drawer with baby clothes and tiny socks before Lucia's first child arrived.
文法句型
baby boy / baby girl / baby brother
用法筆記
Restricted to attributive position before a noun. With family terms (baby brother, baby sister), the meaning is 'youngest', so the person can still be called this once grown — Mira's baby brother may now be eighteen.
常見錯誤
3. (of vegetables) grown on purpose to stay small and tender, sold as a separate pr
(of vegetables) grown on purpose to stay small and tender, sold as a separate product rather than a young version of the regular crop.
Chef Renato tossed baby spinach with olive oil, lemon, and shaved parmesan.
baby + vegetable name
The salad bar offered baby carrots, sliced cucumber, and roasted beetroot.
Akiko grilled baby corn and bell peppers on bamboo skewers.
Baby tomatoes are sweeter than the larger ones and burst easily in the mouth.
文法句型
baby + vegetable name
用法筆記
Very common in supermarket and menu language: baby corn, baby carrots, baby spinach, baby tomatoes. The vegetables are not 'young' in the sense of unripe — they are mature crops of a small variety.