drab
drab — adjective
- drabpositive
- drabbercomparative
- drabbestsuperlative
1. dull and uninteresting to look at, especially because of a lack of bright colour
dull and uninteresting to look at, especially because of a lack of bright colours or any variety in appearance
The hotel room was painted a drab grey, with no pictures on the walls.
drab + colour name (grey) as modifier
After years of wearing drab uniforms, the nurses asked the manager for brighter clothes.
drab + noun (uniforms) — common collocation
The drab office building looked out of place among the colourful shops.
Mayumi found the drab waiting room depressing and wanted to leave.
Shanti replaced her drab curtains with bright yellow ones from the market.
文法句型
drab + noun (attributive)
be + drab (predicative)
用法筆記
Frequently used with nouns for rooms, buildings, clothes, and colours. Can be used both before a noun (attributive) and after a linking verb (predicative).
常見錯誤
2. describing a dull brownish shade with a hint of olive green, similar to parched
describing a dull brownish shade with a hint of olive green, similar to parched earth or old undyed fabric
Valentina wore a drab green coat that blended into the winter landscape.
drab + colour (green) — attributive modifier
The soldiers' drab uniforms helped them stay hidden among the dry bushes.
drab uniform — military context
Justin painted the old fence a drab brown that matched the garden earth.
The old photograph had turned a drab yellow after many years in the sun.
- dull brown
more descriptive and less specific; not a standard colour name
- greyish-brown
focuses on the grey tone within the colour
- bright
vivid and full of colour
文法句型
drab + colour noun
用法筆記
Describes colours, especially in nature, military settings, or ageing objects. Typically used before a colour name (e.g. 'drab green', 'drab brown').
drab — noun
1. a dull brownish shade with a touch of olive green, similar to the colour of undy
a dull brownish shade with a touch of olive green, similar to the colour of undyed woollen fabric
The artist mixed yellow and brown to create a soft drab for the hillside.
drab as a colour name in art context
Drab was a popular colour for military coats in the early nineteen hundreds.
The living room walls were painted in various shades of drab and beige.
Gabriela chose a scarf in a warm drab that matched her winter coat.
- olive brown
slightly greener in tone than drab
- khaki
a lighter, more yellowish-tan shade; strongly associated with military uniforms
文法句型
shade / tone of drab
2. a faded and cheerless quality in the look of a place or object, making it seem b
a faded and cheerless quality in the look of a place or object, making it seem boring and empty of life
The drab of the empty streets made the whole town feel abandoned.
the drab of + noun phrase
There was a certain drab about the old factory that no one could fix.
a certain drab about + noun — existential pattern
Sivan tried to brighten the drab of her apartment with fresh flowers.
The drab of the hospital corridors made the patients feel even worse.
- dullness
more general; can describe colour, sound, or mental experience
- lifelessness
emphasises a complete absence of energy or spirit
- bleakness
adds a sense of hopelessness or cold emptiness
- vibrancy
the quality of being full of life and bright colour
文法句型
the drab of + noun phrase
用法筆記
Often used with the definite article ('the drab of...') followed by a noun phrase describing a place or situation. This sense is less common and more literary.