god
god — noun
1. the one supreme being that followers of many religions believe created the unive
the one supreme being that followers of many religions believe created the universe and continues to influence everything that happens in it — usually written with a capital letter as God.
Ingrid prays to God every evening before she goes to sleep.
preposition: pray to God
Many people believe God created the world in seven days.
The church teaches that God loves all people equally.
Walid thanked God that nobody was hurt in the accident.
Some people believe in one God, while others believe in many gods.
- the Almighty
a formal, respectful title used mainly in religious texts and prayers
- the Creator
emphasises God's role in making the universe
- the Divine
more abstract, used in philosophical or spiritual contexts
文法句型
often with capital letter: God
用法筆記
Frequently capitalised when referring to the single supreme being in monotheistic religions such as Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. The lowercase form 'god' is used when referring to a deity within a polytheistic system — see sense 2.
常見錯誤
2. a spirit or being that people believe has power over a particular part of nature
a spirit or being that people believe has power over a particular part of nature or life — such as the sun, the sea, love, or war — and that people pray to or offer gifts to.
In ancient Egypt, each city had its own special god that people worshipped.
The goddess of the harvest was celebrated with songs and dances every autumn.
feminine form: goddess
Asher read a book about the Norse god Thor, who controlled thunder and lightning.
A small stone statue of the household god stood near the front door of the Roman home.
Fishermen on the island still offer flowers to the god of the sea before long voyages.
用法筆記
Countable noun — you can say 'a god' or 'the gods'. Often used in the pattern 'the god/goddess of [something]' to show what domain the deity controls.
常見錯誤
3. a person you admire so much that they seem to have perfect qualities or an extre
a person you admire so much that they seem to have perfect qualities or an extremely strong influence over your life — for example, a famous singer, a sports star, or a parent.
To his young fans, the footballer was a god who could do no wrong on the field.
Esme treats her yoga teacher like a god and copies everything she does.
collocation: treat [someone] like a god
Mizuki's grandmother is the family's god — she decides all major decisions.
In the world of fashion, the designer is treated as a god by her assistants.
- idol
more common for celebrities; suggests public admiration rather than personal influence
- hero
suggests bravery or moral strength rather than perfect qualities
- role model
less intense; focuses on the person's behaviour as something to copy
用法筆記
Commonly used in the phrase 'treat someone like a god' or 'be a god to someone'. Can sound exaggerated — often used by outsiders to describe someone else's extreme admiration, rather than as a self-description.
4. something that people treat as far more important or valuable than it really is,
something that people treat as far more important or valuable than it really is, giving it an unreasonable amount of attention, respect, or money.
In that company, money has become a god — nothing else matters to the directors.
metaphorical use: money/power as a god
Pim thinks his new car is a god and spends every weekend cleaning and polishing it.
Critics say the fashion industry makes youth a god and ignores older women.
In some workplaces, speed is treated as a god and quality suffers as a result.
用法筆記
Used metaphorically to criticise what the speaker sees as misplaced values. Subject is often an abstract noun (money, youth, speed, beauty).
5. the highest rows of seats in a theatre, furthest away from the stage, where tick
the highest rows of seats in a theatre, furthest away from the stage, where tickets are usually the cheapest and the view is from above.
We could only afford tickets in the gods, but the view of the stage was still fine.
article: the gods; preposition: in the gods
Astrid climbed the steep stairs all the way up to the gods for the evening show.
The seats in the gods were packed with students who had paid very little for their tickets.
From the gods, the actors on stage looked tiny, but you could see the whole set.
- the balcony
American English equivalent; also used in British English for the level below the gods
- the gallery
older term, sometimes used interchangeably with the gods
用法筆記
Always used in the plural with 'the' — 'the gods'. Primarily British English. In American theatres, the equivalent is called 'the balcony' (upper balcony).
常見錯誤
god — verb
1. to treat a person as if they were a god, admiring them so completely that you ov
to treat a person as if they were a god, admiring them so completely that you overlook their human faults and weaknesses.
Fans who god their favourite singer forget that celebrities are ordinary people too.
transitive use: god [someone]
The biography shows how the public godded the actor during his early career.
Gita refused to god any political leader, no matter how popular they became.
Some ancient rulers were godded by their subjects after death.
文法句型
god + someone
用法筆記
Very rare in everyday speech. The synonyms 'idolise' or 'worship' are far more common. You are more likely to encounter the past participle 'godded' in literary or biographical writing.