eclipse
eclipse — noun
1. A sky event in which one heavenly body moves into another's shadow, blocking the
A sky event in which one heavenly body moves into another's shadow, blocking the light so that the hidden body becomes partly or fully invisible to viewers on Earth.
The total solar eclipse drew thousands of visitors to the small town in Oregon.
total solar eclipse — complete blocking of the sun
Jisoo's class watched the partial lunar eclipse through special telescopes at the school observatory.
partial lunar eclipse — Earth's shadow covers part of the moon
Ancient Chinese records describe a solar eclipse that occurred more than three thousand years ago.
During a lunar eclipse, the moon often takes on a deep reddish colour.
The astronomer warned everyone not to look directly at the solar eclipse without special glasses.
- occultation
technical astronomy term; narrower, refers to one object hiding another completely
- shadow
more general; eclipse is a specific type of shadow event
文法句型
eclipse + of + noun phrase
solar eclipse / lunar eclipse
用法筆記
Often paired with the adjectives solar (for the sun being blocked) or lunar (for the moon being blocked). Total eclipse means the body is fully hidden; partial eclipse means only a portion is covered.
常見錯誤
2. The process by which a person, organization, activity, or tradition gradually lo
The process by which a person, organization, activity, or tradition gradually loses its former influence, popularity, or power.
The eclipse of the once-powerful empire took place over several decades.
eclipse of + [entity] — figurative decline
Fans mourned the eclipse of the beloved newspaper after the digital takeover.
Imran studied the gradual eclipse of traditional crafts by factory-made goods in his history class.
The novel traces the eclipse of old aristocratic families in post-war Europe.
- rise
increase in importance or power
- ascendancy
a position of growing influence
文法句型
eclipse + of + noun phrase
in eclipse
fall into eclipse
用法筆記
Subject is usually an abstract noun referring to an institution, tradition, or field of activity. Common in academic and literary writing. Unlike verb sense 2, this noun sense focuses on the decline itself rather than on an active act of surpassing.
常見錯誤
eclipse — verb
1. To move into a position that blocks the light from a star, planet, or moon, maki
To move into a position that blocks the light from a star, planet, or moon, making it partly or completely invisible from a particular viewpoint.
The moon began to eclipse the sun shortly after noon.
eclipse + direct object (celestial body)
Astronomers predicted that Jupiter would partially eclipse one of its moons.
The satellite's orbit was disrupted when the planet eclipsed its solar panels.
From the hillside, Adina watched the Earth slowly eclipse the moon during the lunar eclipse.
文法句型
eclipse + noun phrase (celestial body)
be eclipsed by + noun phrase
用法筆記
Frequently occurs in passive constructions (the sun was eclipsed by the moon). The subject of the active sentence is the body that does the blocking, not the one that is hidden.
常見錯誤
2. To be so clearly superior in quality, fame, or success to a rival that the rival
To be so clearly superior in quality, fame, or success to a rival that the rival appears less important or impressive as a result.
The young pianist's performance completely eclipsed that of the more experienced musician.
eclipse + [achievement] — surpass in skill
Online streaming services have eclipsed traditional television among younger viewers.
Baraka's latest invention quickly eclipsed all previous models in sales within the first year.
Dr. Elena Vasquez's research achievements have eclipsed those of many older scientists in her field.
The new skyscraper will eclipse the nearby buildings in both height and design.
- surpass
more neutral; eclipse adds a sense of making the rival seem unimportant by comparison
- outshine
more informal; eclipse is more formal and carries the metaphorical weight of the astronomical image
- overshadow
focuses on making another seem less important, without necessarily being better; eclipse implies clear superiority
- outdo
focuses on performing better; eclipse suggests a wider gap in reputation or achievement
- pale in comparison to
to seem less impressive when compared with something else
文法句型
eclipse + noun phrase (person/achievement)
be eclipsed by + noun phrase
用法筆記
Common in contexts involving competition, performance comparisons, and technological change. Object can be a person, an institution, or an achievement. Often used with an adverbial modifier (completely, quickly, soon). Distinguish from overshadow which implies making something seem less important without necessarily surpassing it in quality.