indentation
indentation — noun
- indentationsingular
- indentationsplural
1. a small cut, dent, or inward curve on a surface, usually caused by pressure or i
a small cut, dent, or inward curve on a surface, usually caused by pressure or impact
Alessia noticed a small indentation on the car door where a shopping trolley had hit it.
collocation: small indentation / deep indentation
The old wooden table had deep indentations from years of use.
Kwame pressed his thumb into the clay, leaving a clear indentation.
The cliff face showed natural indentations carved by wind and rain over centuries.
Bao traced the indentation on the leather sofa where he always sat.
- bump
a raised area rather than an inward one
用法筆記
Countable when referring to a single mark or hole (e.g., three indentations in the metal). Uncountable when describing the general state of being marked (e.g., the surface shows indentation from wear).
常見錯誤
2. a blank space that pushes the first line of a paragraph inward from the page mar
a blank space that pushes the first line of a paragraph inward from the page margin, or the formatting practice of creating such a space
Each paragraph should begin with a one-centimetre indentation from the left margin.
indentation + from + [measurement]
Sana added an indentation at the start of every new paragraph in her essay.
add an indentation at the start of [line/paragraph]
The style guide requires a standard indentation of four spaces for each block quote.
Minho adjusted the indentation of the long quote so it matched the rest of the text.
A first-line indentation helps readers quickly see where a new paragraph begins.
用法筆記
In word-processing software, indentation usually refers to the distance from the page margin. Countable when specifying a particular amount (e.g., a 2-cm indentation). Uncountable when referring to the formatting convention in general (e.g., Indentation is not used in business letters).
常見錯誤
3. the action of making an indentation, whether by pressing a surface inward or by
the action of making an indentation, whether by pressing a surface inward or by leaving a space at the start of a line of text
The indentation of the metal sheet took several minutes under the workshop press.
indentation + of + [material] [physical process]
Proper indentation of computer code makes the program much easier to read.
proper + indentation + of [domain-specific recommendation]
Lakan showed his students how to set automatic indentation in their word processor.
The continuous indentation of the coastline by waves creates many small bays and inlets.
Careful indentation of the text helped the report look clean and professional.
- impressing
used for physical pressing into a surface; more formal and technical
- formatting
broader term that includes indentation but also covers other layout choices
用法筆記
Always uncountable when referring to the action or process. Distinguish from the count sense (sense 1: a physical mark) and the typographic result sense (sense 2: the space itself). Sense 3 focuses on the act of creating those results.