coffin
coffin — noun
1. a long, narrow container, typically made of wood, that holds a dead person's bod
a long, narrow container, typically made of wood, that holds a dead person's body so it can be buried or cremated.
The pallbearers carefully carried the heavy wooden coffin into the church.
collocation: carry a coffin
Aiko's uncle built a simple pine coffin for a neighbour who had no family.
attributive use: pine coffin
Into the grave, workers slowly lowered the coffin as prayers were said.
Kofi touched the cold silver handle of the old wooden coffin.
The plain wooden coffin had no decoration except a small cross on the lid.
- casket
the more common term in American English, often suggesting a more decorative box
- sarcophagus
a stone or decorated coffin, especially from ancient times
- urn
a container for cremated ashes, not a full body
用法筆記
In American English, 'casket' is often the preferred word for a more ornate or expensive burial box. In British English, 'coffin' is the general term for any burial box; 'casket' there usually means a small container for jewellery or valuables.
常見錯誤
coffin — verb
1. to place a dead body inside a coffin; in figurative use, to enclose or confine s
to place a dead body inside a coffin; in figurative use, to enclose or confine something tightly in a limited space.
The poet wrote of brave warriors coffined in dark ships and sent out to sea.
passive: was/were coffined
When the old mine was sealed, the memories lay coffined deep in the earth.
figurative use: coffined memories
His remains were coffined and taken to the family chapel for the service.
The old documents lay coffined in a metal box under the floorboards.
- exhume
to dig up a buried body from the ground
用法筆記
This verb is very rare in modern English. It appears almost exclusively in literary, poetic, or historical writing, and is most often used in the passive voice ('was coffined', 'were coffined'). In everyday spoken English, 'placed in a coffin' or 'laid to rest' is preferred.