cone
cone — noun
1. a form with a round base that gets narrower toward the top, finishing at one poi
a form with a round base that gets narrower toward the top, finishing at one pointed tip
The children drew a cone and a cube in their maths lesson today.
countable: a cone (basic shape name)
Sofie rolled the sheet of paper into a cone to use as a loudspeaker.
roll + object + into a cone (shape transformation)
The roof of the old watchtower has a perfect cone shape.
Vinícius asked his teacher how to calculate the volume of a cone.
- cone-shaped
used as compound adjective, e.g. 'a cone-shaped hat'
- tapered
describes gradual narrowing rather than a perfect geometric shape; more general
- sphere
round shape where all surface points are equally distant from the centre
文法句型
a + cone
the + cone
cone + of + noun
常見錯誤
2. a physical object shaped like a cone, used especially to warn drivers of danger
a physical object shaped like a cone, used especially to warn drivers of danger on roads or to hold things such as sweets or popcorn
Hari placed orange traffic cones around the hole in the road to warn drivers.
traffic cone (common compound)
The shop assistant filled a paper cone with roasted chestnuts for Ilan.
paper cone (container for loose items)
Drivers must slow down when they see red and white cones near the construction site.
Mayumi used a plastic cone to mark the end of her driveway during the snowstorm.
文法句型
a + cone
traffic + cone
paper + cone
常見錯誤
3. a thin, crisp biscuit shaped like a cone that holds ice cream, or a cone that al
a thin, crisp biscuit shaped like a cone that holds ice cream, or a cone that already has ice cream in it
Aoi bought a chocolate ice cream cone from the van near the park.
ice cream cone (compound noun)
The children licked their cones quickly before the ice cream began to melt.
Salma prefers a paper cup rather than a cone because cones get sticky.
The shop sells both sugar cones and plain wafer cones for different prices.
- cornet
British term, less common in everyday speech
- cup
alternative container for ice cream without a cone
文法句型
ice cream + cone
a + cone
cone + of + ice cream
常見錯誤
4. the hard, oval or cone-shaped fruit of evergreen trees such as pine and fir, con
the hard, oval or cone-shaped fruit of evergreen trees such as pine and fir, containing the seeds of the tree
Jenna collected pine cones in a basket during her walk through the forest.
collect pine cones (common activity)
Squirrels often hide pine cones under fallen leaves for food during winter.
The old pine tree dropped hundreds of brown cones across the garden path.
Yasmin used pine cones and dried leaves to make a table decoration for Christmas.
文法句型
pine + cone
fir + cone
a + cone
cones + of + tree
常見錯誤
5. a sensory cell inside the retina that reacts to strong light, allowing you to se
a sensory cell inside the retina that reacts to strong light, allowing you to see colours and sharp details
Cone cells in the human eye allow us to see red, green, and blue light.
cone cells (specialised term)
The eye doctor explained that cone cells work best in bright lighting conditions.
Élise learned about rods and cones in her biology class at secondary school.
People who cannot distinguish certain colours often have fewer working cone cells.
- cone photoreceptor
more technical term used in scientific writing
- rod cell
retinal cell responsible for vision in low light, does not detect colour
文法句型
cone + cell
rods and + cones
the + cones
adjective + cone
用法筆記
Frequently appears in the paired phrase 'rods and cones', where rods handle dim-light vision and cones handle colour. Subject is usually the plural form since these cells function in groups.
常見錯誤
cone — verb
1. to shape or twist something so that it becomes narrower toward one end, forming
to shape or twist something so that it becomes narrower toward one end, forming the shape of a cone
The pastry chef coned the cream into a neat spiral on top of the cake.
cone + object + into + shape (verb pattern)
Sari coned the damp clay on the pottery wheel to make a narrow vase.
Hairstylists sometimes cone a customer's long hair into a tall shape for formal events.
The baker coned the dough so the bread roll had a pointed top.
文法句型
cone + object
cone + object + into + shape
be coned into + shape
用法筆記
Less common than the noun form; most often appears in specific craft, cooking, or hairstyling contexts rather than general speech.