fur
fur — noun
1. the dense, soft hair found on mammals like cats, rabbits, and bears; also the pr
the dense, soft hair found on mammals like cats, rabbits, and bears; also the prepared skin of such animals, still bearing its natural hair, used to create warm garments and accessories.
Sirin gently brushed the cat's thick winter fur until it shone.
possessive + fur for animal coat
The rabbit's soft brown fur kept it warm through the cold night.
Tanvi bought a jacket with a hood trimmed in soft grey fur.
That breed of dog has especially long fur that needs daily brushing.
- hair
used for mammals with coarser or shorter body hair (e.g. horses, humans); 'fur' implies denser, softer growth
- coat
refers to the entire hair covering of an animal, not the individual strands or pelt
- pelt
specifically the skin with fur still attached, usually after the animal has been killed and skinned
文法句型
fur + noun (as modifier)
countable: furs (types of fur or pelts)
用法筆記
Uncountable when referring to hair on a living animal ('The cat has thick fur'). Countable (furs) when referring to multiple types or pelts of fur as trade goods ('traders exchanged furs for tools').
常見錯誤
2. a hard, whitish layer that forms inside metal kettles, water heaters, and plumbi
a hard, whitish layer that forms inside metal kettles, water heaters, and plumbing pipes, made of mineral deposits from hard water.
Élise had to scrub a thick layer of white fur from inside the old kettle.
fur from inside [container] — limescale
Hard water quickly leaves fur on the heating element of the washing machine.
The plumber said the fur in the pipes was blocking the hot water flow.
Christopher poured vinegar into the kettle to remove the fur that had built up inside.
文法句型
fur + in/on [container]
用法筆記
Chiefly British English. In American English, 'limescale' or 'mineral deposits' is more common. Often found with 'kettle', 'pipes', 'boiler' as the location.
常見錯誤
3. a pale or greyish layer that develops on the surface of the tongue, often when a
a pale or greyish layer that develops on the surface of the tongue, often when a person is unwell or is a regular smoker.
The doctor noticed a white fur on the patient's tongue and asked about her diet.
fur on [the] tongue — medical context
After three days with the flu, Ezra could see a pale fur coating his tongue.
Smoking can cause an unpleasant grey fur to form on the tongue.
Brushing your tongue gently can help reduce the white fur that collects on its surface.
文法句型
fur + on [the tongue]
用法筆記
Used informally in medical contexts; the clinical term is 'coated tongue' or 'tongue coating'. Usually temporary and not a serious condition on its own.
4. an item of outerwear, typically a full-length coat or a short jacket, sewn from
an item of outerwear, typically a full-length coat or a short jacket, sewn from animal fur or from a man-made material that copies it.
Roya wore her grandmother's old fur coat to the winter wedding.
fur coat — common compound
Many celebrities now choose fake furs over real animal fur for ethical reasons.
The shop window displayed a long black fur jacket with silver buttons.
Yumi inherited a vintage silver fox fur stole from her great-aunt.
- fur coat
the most common specific garment type; 'fur' alone implies a coat by default
文法句型
fur + [garment type]
[garment type] + fur (as material)
用法筆記
Countable: 'she bought a fur' means a fur garment, not the raw material. In modern usage, 'faux fur' or 'fake fur' garments are increasingly common due to ethical concerns about animal farming.
常見錯誤
5. a manufactured textile designed to copy the appearance and texture of animal fur
a manufactured textile designed to copy the appearance and texture of animal fur, used mainly in clothing, accessories, and soft toys.
The teddy bear was covered in a soft white fur that felt almost real.
Manuela lined the hood of her winter coat with synthetic fur for extra warmth.
synthetic fur — common modifier
Fake fur is much easier to clean than real animal fur and costs less.
The costume designer used faux fur for all the animal outfits in the school play.
- faux fur
preferred term in fashion retail; from French, sounds more polished than 'fake fur'
- synthetic fur
technical term emphasising the man-made fibres used
- imitation fur
slightly dated term; less common in modern catalogues
- real fur
genuine animal fur, as opposed to synthetic
文法句型
fake fur / faux fur + noun
made of fur (artificial)
用法筆記
Often called 'faux fur' (from French) in fashion and retail contexts. Distinct from 'real fur' — labels on clothing must legally specify which type is used in many countries.
常見錯誤
fur — verb
1. when a metal container for heating water or a water pipe develops a hard pale mi
when a metal container for heating water or a water pipe develops a hard pale mineral layer on its inner surface; or to cause this to happen.
The kettle has furred up because we use hard tap water every day.
fur up — intransitive phrasal use
If you do not descale your coffee machine regularly, it will fur inside.
Mineral deposits in the local water furred the hot water pipes within a year.
After years of use, the old boiler furred up so badly it stopped working.
- descale
to remove limescale — the opposite action
文法句型
[kettle/pipe] + fur (intransitive)
[mineral/water] + fur + [kettle/pipe] (transitive)
用法筆記
Often used with the particle 'up' (fur up) in everyday British English. The transitive use ('hard water furs the kettle') is less common than the intransitive ('the kettle furs up').
常見錯誤
2. when the blood vessels leading from the heart slowly become clogged with fatty m
when the blood vessels leading from the heart slowly become clogged with fatty material; or to cause this narrowing to happen.
A diet high in saturated fat can fur a person's arteries over many years.
transitive: [diet] + fur + arteries
The latest scan showed that cholesterol had furred Ignacio's arteries quite badly.
Regular exercise can help prevent the fatty deposits that fur the arteries.
Roya's doctor warned her that smoking and a poor diet would fur her arteries faster.
文法句型
[arteries] + fur (intransitive)
[diet/substance] + fur + [arteries] (transitive)
用法筆記
Figurative extension of the 'limescale' sense; used informally in health discussions. The clinical term is 'arterial plaque build-up' or 'atherosclerosis'.
3. to decorate or cover a piece of clothing or accessory with fur, or to dress some
to decorate or cover a piece of clothing or accessory with fur, or to dress someone in a fur garment.
The designer furred the collar of the winter coat with soft mink.
fur the [garment part] with [fur type]
Traditional costumes from that region are furred along the edges for decoration.
passive: be furred along edges
The museum displayed a royal cloak furred with ermine from the seventeenth century.
In some cultures, babies' blankets are furred along the edges for extra softness.
- trim with fur
more common phrasing; 'trim' emphasises decoration along edges
- line with fur
specific to covering the inside of a garment with fur
文法句型
be furred with [type of fur]
fur + [garment part]
用法筆記
Primarily used in the past participle ('furred') as a modifier ('a furred collar'). The active verb form is rare in modern everyday English.
fur — abbreviation
1. written abbreviation for 'furlong', a unit of length equal to 220 yards (about 2
written abbreviation for 'furlong', a unit of length equal to 220 yards (about 201 metres), used especially in horse racing.
The winning horse finished two fur ahead of the rest of the field.
fur = furlong in horse-racing context
The race was run over six fur on a straight turf track.
The horse could run strongly over five fur but tired over longer distances.
In British racing, distances under one mile are still measured in fur.
用法筆記
Almost exclusively found in horse racing results and betting contexts. Not used in everyday conversation or general writing.