exception

exception — noun

1. A case in which the usual rule does not apply; any person or item not covered by

1.名詞B1
釋義

A case in which the usual rule does not apply; any person or item not covered by a general statement.

例句

Most houses on this street are grey, and the yellow one is the only exception.

the only exception — the single item that differs from others

All members must attend the meeting, with the exception of those who are ill.

with the exception of — a fixed phrase meaning 'except'

同義詞
  • anomaly

    stronger — suggests something that is abnormal or unusual, not just different

  • deviation

    focuses on the act of departing from a standard rather than the thing itself

  • outlier

    more technical or statistical; a data point far from others

  • special case

    neutral and descriptive; can be used in most situations

反義詞
  • rule

    the general pattern that the exception breaks away from

  • norm

    what is typical or expected

文法句型

exception + to + noun phrase

with the exception of + noun phrase

no exception

用法筆記

Often appears in three fixed expressions: 'with the exception of' (except), 'without exception' (everyone/everything included), and 'no exception' (someone/something is also covered by the rule).

常見錯誤

❌Everyone came with the expectation of John.
✅Everyone came with the exception of John.
💡Learners often confuse the spelling of 'exception' with 'expectation'.

2. A situation in which a rule is not applied to a particular person or case, allow

2.名詞B2
釋義

A situation in which a rule is not applied to a particular person or case, allowing something that is normally forbidden or required.

例句

The dress code says no jeans, but the manager might make an exception for you.

make an exception for [someone] — not applying a rule to a particular person

Kwame asked the librarian to make an exception and let him borrow five books.

同義詞
反義詞

文法句型

make an exception + for + noun phrase

make an exception + and + verb

用法筆記

Nearly always appears in the phrase 'make an exception (for someone/something)'. The rule being set aside must be a general or established rule, not a personal preference. The preposition is 'to', not 'about' — 'an exception to the rule'.

常見錯誤

❌The boss made an exception about the policy.
✅The boss made an exception to the policy.
💡The correct preposition after 'exception' in this sense is 'to', not 'about'.

3. A feeling of anger or opposition triggered by something that someone has said or

3.名詞B2
釋義

A feeling of anger or opposition triggered by something that someone has said or done, especially when it seems unfair or insulting.

例句

Dahlia took exception to her coworker's remark about her presentation.

took exception to [someone's] remark — reacting angrily to a comment

When Samir heard the joke about his home country, he took exception to it.

同義詞
  • objection

    similar in meaning but can be milder; an objection can be calm

  • resentment

    stronger; a feeling of long-lasting anger from unfair treatment

  • offense

    focuses on the feeling of being hurt rather than the action of objecting

反義詞
  • approval

    agreement or acceptance of what was said or done

  • acceptance

    willingly receiving the comment or action without anger

文法句型

take exception + to + noun phrase / verb-ing

用法筆記

Used exclusively in the fixed phrase 'take exception to something'. The object is typically a remark, comment, action, or suggestion. This sense is noticeably more formal than simply saying 'get angry about'.

常見錯誤

❌I took exception for his rude comment.
✅I took exception to his rude comment.
💡The correct preposition is always 'to', never 'for' or 'at'.
❌I took an exception to what she said.
✅I took exception to what she said.
💡The article 'an' is not used; the phrase is fixed without an article.