bald
bald — adjective
1. having lost hair from part of the head, especially the top, so that the skin sho
having lost hair from part of the head, especially the top, so that the skin shows, but not necessarily on every area.
Grandpa Henry has been bald since he turned forty.
predicative use: be + bald
Yara shaved her head and now looks completely bald.
intensifier: completely bald
The actor wore a rubber cap to look bald on stage.
A bald man in a brown suit waved at us from the bus stop.
Wren noticed that her father was going bald at the back.
- hairless
more clinical; describes any body part without hair, not only the scalp
- shaven-headed
specifically refers to hair removed by shaving, often a style choice
- hairy
covered with thick hair
用法筆記
Frequently used with 'go' to describe the process of losing hair (he is going bald) and with 'completely' or 'half' to mark the degree.
常見錯誤
2. having absolutely no hair anywhere on the head at all; completely without hair o
having absolutely no hair anywhere on the head at all; completely without hair on the scalp.
After the chemotherapy, Aunt Wei was completely bald for nearly a year.
stressing total loss: completely bald
The wrestler shaves his scalp every morning and is bald as a coot.
fixed simile: bald as a coot
Grandfather is bald as an egg, and he jokes about it often.
The newborn baby was bald, with not a single hair on her tiny head.
- smooth-headed
informal; emphasises the texture of the bare scalp
- egg-bald
informal; playful, based on the simile
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is reserved for 100% hairlessness and usually appears with intensifiers like 'completely', 'totally', or fixed similes such as 'bald as an egg'.
常見錯誤
3. given plainly, without extra polite words to make it sound kinder or easier to a
given plainly, without extra polite words to make it sound kinder or easier to accept.
The lawyer delivered the bald truth: the company had lost everything.
collocation: bald truth
Her bald refusal to answer the journalist surprised the whole room.
collocation: bald refusal
The report gave the bald facts of the crash, with no comments or opinions.
Mr. Chen made the bald announcement that the school would close in June.
- blunt
more about manner; can describe people as well as words
- bare
similar pattern (bare facts) but slightly less critical in tone
- unvarnished
literary; emphasises the absence of softening or polish
用法筆記
Almost always attributive (placed before a noun) and limited to nouns describing speech or information — 'bald statement / truth / fact / refusal'. Do not use it of people or objects in this sense.
常見錯誤
4. describing a tyre, piece of fabric, or similar surface that has lost its pattern
describing a tyre, piece of fabric, or similar surface that has lost its pattern or texture through use, leaving it dangerously smooth or thin.
The mechanic refused to drive the van because all four tyres were bald.
collocation: bald tyre / tire
The old armchair had a bald patch on each arm where Ben rested his hands.
collocation: bald patch on a surface
The carpet near the front door has gone bald from years of muddy boots.
Wet roads are very dangerous when your tyres are bald.
- worn
general term; not limited to surfaces that should be textured
- threadbare
specifically for fabric whose threads are showing
- smooth
neutral; lacks the warning of danger that 'bald' carries for tyres
用法筆記
Subject is usually a tyre, carpet, fabric, or animal coat — anything that should have a textured surface but has been worn flat. Often paired with 'patch' to point out the worn area.
常見錯誤
bald — verb
1. to slowly lose your scalp hair over time, until only a little remains, often as
to slowly lose your scalp hair over time, until only a little remains, often as you grow older.
Mr. Ilya started to bald in his early thirties, just like his father.
intransitive: subject + bald
Many men in the family bald early, but the women keep thick hair.
habitual present tense
The old dog had begun to bald around its ears and tail.
Jin was balding fast, so he decided to shave his head.
- go bald
much more common in everyday speech than the verb 'bald'
- lose one's hair
neutral phrase; covers gradual or sudden hair loss
- thin
used of hair itself: 'his hair is thinning'
文法句型
bald (no object)
用法筆記
Less common than the phrase 'go bald'. The progressive form 'balding' is more frequent than the simple form, and is often used as an adjective ('a balding man').