fleck
fleck — verb
- fleckpresent simple I / you / we / they
- flecks3rd person singular
- flecking-ing form
- fleckedpast simple
1. to cover a surface with small, scattered spots or streaks of a different colour,
to cover a surface with small, scattered spots or streaks of a different colour, dirt, or other substance, often accidentally.
The old wooden table was flecked with tiny drops of blue paint.
passive: be flecked with + substance
Mud flecked the back of Bilal's trousers after the long walk across the field.
Christopher's shirt was flecked with grease after he fixed the bicycle chain.
Rain flecked the windscreen as the storm moved in from the coast.
The marble floor in the old library is flecked with tiny black specks.
- spot
more general; 'spot' can be a single mark while 'fleck' implies scattered marks
- speckle
very similar in meaning but 'speckle' often describes natural patterns on animals or eggs
- dot
refers to small round marks; 'dot' is also used as a deliberate action
- stain
often suggests a mark that is hard to remove, while 'fleck' is neutral
- clean
to remove marks rather than add them
文法句型
fleck + object + with + noun phrase
be flecked with + noun
用法筆記
Often used in the passive form 'be flecked with + [substance]' to describe the state of a surface. The active form is less common but possible, typically with a substance or natural force as the subject.
常見錯誤
2. to add small areas of colour or light to a surface in a scattered, decorative wa
to add small areas of colour or light to a surface in a scattered, decorative way, creating a gentle or natural effect.
The evening sky was flecked with soft pink clouds near the horizon.
passive: be flecked with + colour
Léa's summer dress is flecked with tiny gold stars.
Sunlight flecked the forest floor through gaps in the tall trees.
The silk curtains are flecked with golden threads that catch the morning light.
White feathers flecked the dark surface of the pond after the swans took off.
- dapple
used for light-and-shadow effects on surfaces, especially on animals or under trees
- mottle
suggests larger, less defined patches of colour rather than small specks
- stipple
a painting technique using small dots; more technical and deliberate
- sprinkle
more general; can describe any scattered distribution, not limited to colour
文法句型
be flecked with + colour/material
fleck + object (natural force as subject)
用法筆記
Describes gentle, often beautiful colour effects — natural scenes (sky, landscape) or decorative surfaces. Rarely used for deliberate human actions such as painting or decorating; for those, use 'sprinkle', 'dot', or 'stud' instead.
常見錯誤
fleck — noun
- flecksingular
- flecksplural
1. a tiny mark or patch of colour that stands out against the surrounding surface
a tiny mark or patch of colour that stands out against the surrounding surface
Kofi noticed a fleck of blue paint on his new white shirt.
fleck + of + colour/material
The old mirror had tiny black flecks scattered along its edges.
countable: often plural 'flecks'
Wei found a fleck of gold in the bottom of the pan after panning.
Hannah's green eyes had flecks of amber that glowed in the sunlight.
A tiny fleck of red appeared where the rose thorn had pricked her finger.
文法句型
fleck + of + colour/material
用法筆記
Often used with colour words or material names to describe a small contrasting area on a surface.
常見錯誤
2. a very tiny piece or particle of a solid substance, especially one that has brok
a very tiny piece or particle of a solid substance, especially one that has broken off or been released
Camille brushed a fleck of dust off the old wooden bookshelf.
fleck + of + dust/dirt/substance
Imran found flecks of eggshell in the cake mixture and picked them out.
Selim wiped a fleck of mud from his leather shoe before entering the house.
The wind carried tiny flecks of ash from the campfire across the garden.
Gabriela noticed a fleck of gold leaf stuck to the edge of the picture frame.
文法句型
fleck + of + substance
用法筆記
Typically refers to tiny loose particles such as dust, ash, or dirt, rather than fixed marks on a surface. Distinguish from sense 1, which describes a colour contrast on a surface.