elastic
elastic — adjective
1. An elastic material stretches when pulled and then goes back to the way it was b
An elastic material stretches when pulled and then goes back to the way it was before — like a rubber band or the stretchy waistband of sports shorts.
Lucía prefers yoga pants made from elastic fabric because they move with her body.
collocation: elastic fabric
The elastic cord on Jude's tent snapped after too many stretches in strong wind.
elastic cord stretches and snaps under tension
Sofie checked the elastic waistband of her running shorts for a snug fit.
Children's art smocks often have elastic cuffs that keep paint off the arms.
用法筆記
Commonly used as a modifier before nouns: elastic band, elastic fabric, elastic waistband.
常見錯誤
2. An elastic rule, system, or idea can be changed or adjusted to suit different ne
An elastic rule, system, or idea can be changed or adjusted to suit different needs or situations, rather than being fixed and strict.
The company's dress code is quite elastic, allowing jeans on most days except for meetings.
elastic dress code / rule — figurative use
Ravindra designed an elastic schedule that could adapt when the team needed more testing time.
elastic schedule = adaptable, not rigid
Economists describe luxury goods as having elastic demand because sales drop when prices rise.
Tamar found the school's homework policy elastic enough to let her travel during term time.
- flexible
much more common for abstract senses; 'elastic' sounds more formal or technical
- adaptable
emphasises the ability to change to suit new conditions
- adjustable
implies someone can actively change it, not that it changes by itself
- rigid
strictly fixed, unwilling or unable to change
- inflexible
the direct opposite of flexible; often used for rules and policies
用法筆記
Common in academic and business contexts (elastic demand, elastic budget, elastic policy). Distinguish from adj/1: adj/2 describes systems and rules, not physical materials.
常見錯誤
elastic — noun
1. A stretchy rubber substance that springs back into its former form after you str
A stretchy rubber substance that springs back into its former form after you stretch it; used for making bands, cords, and stretchy parts of clothing.
Dario threaded a length of elastic through the waistband of his homemade shorts.
uncountable: a length of elastic
Soraya bought a roll of thick elastic at the fabric store for her camping repairs.
The tailor suggested wider elastic for the pyjama trousers so they stay up.
The children cut pieces of elastic from the roll to build catapults for science class.
- elastic band
refers to a specific object made from the material, not the material itself
- rubber band
a specific everyday object, usually smaller; overlaps with sense 2
用法筆記
Uncountable — you cannot say 'an elastic' to mean the material. Use 'a piece of elastic' or 'a length of elastic.'
2. A small ring-shaped band of stretchy material that you put around objects to kee
A small ring-shaped band of stretchy material that you put around objects to keep them bundled together.
Walid wrapped an elastic around the stack of envelopes before putting them in the mailbox.
elastic around [object] — typical prepositional use
Mizuki kept a handful of elastics in her desk drawer for bundling old receipts.
The florist bound the sunflower stems together with an elastic before adding the paper wrap.
Christopher flipped an elastic across the classroom and it hit the blackboard.
- rubber band
more common in US English; the same object
- elastic band
fuller form; also used in British English
用法筆記
This is the British English word for rubber band. In US English, 'rubber band' is more common, though 'elastic' is understood. Always countable — one elastic, two elastics.
3. A type of cloth made with rubber or synthetic threads that lets it stretch and f
A type of cloth made with rubber or synthetic threads that lets it stretch and fit closely to the body, often used in sportswear, swimwear, and dance costumes.
Christopher wore a breathable elastic jersey that cut wind resistance on the road.
elastic as fabric — breathable elastic
Beatrix chose a black elastic leotard that moved with every dance stretch.
The elastic in Ari's swim trunks faded after a summer of daily use.
Lucía's stage costume was made of a shiny elastic that caught the spotlight beautifully.
- spandex
a specific synthetic elastic fibre, used especially in athletic wear; more common in US English
- Lycra
a brand name for spandex that is often used generically for stretch fabric
- stretch fabric
the plain English description; more general and less technical
用法筆記
Used both as an uncountable material ('made from elastic') and countably ('a stretchy elastic'). The uncountable use overlaps with sense 1; context (sportswear vs. raw rubber) disambiguates.