inflatable
inflatable — adjective
1. made so that you can put air or another gas inside it until it becomes firm and
made so that you can put air or another gas inside it until it becomes firm and ready for use — used for products like mattresses, boats, and toys that you pump up.
Nellie bought an inflatable mattress for her camping trip.
attributive use: inflatable + noun (mattress, boat, pool, toy, etc.)
This life raft is inflatable and packs into a small bag.
predicative use: be + inflatable
Christopher brought an inflatable pool for the children to play in.
The emergency shelter was an inflatable tent that went up in minutes.
A small inflatable slide stood next to the main pool.
文法句型
inflatable + noun
be + inflatable
用法筆記
Do not confuse 'inflatable' (referring to a design that can be filled with air) with 'inflated' (already filled with air). An inflatable mattress is one you can blow up; an inflated mattress is already full of air.
常見錯誤
inflatable — noun
1. a toy made of plastic or rubber that you blow air into until it becomes firm, so
a toy made of plastic or rubber that you blow air into until it becomes firm, so it can sit on top of water — for instance, a floating ring, a raft shaped like an animal, or a flat bed for a swimming pool or beach.
Alessia packed her inflatable and a towel before heading to the beach.
collocation: head to the beach with an inflatable
The children each grabbed an inflatable and ran straight into the pool.
Tunde's favourite inflatable has a cartoon dinosaur printed on the front.
Store the inflatables in a dry place after you leave the beach.
Wei sat on a giant flamingo inflatable and floated across the lake.
文法句型
a(n) + inflatable
[plural] inflatables
用法筆記
This sense typically refers to recreational water toys for children and adults, not to serious watercraft (see noun sense 2 for boats). In informal British English, these are sometimes called 'lilos' (a brand name that became generic).
常見錯誤
2. a small boat made of strong rubber or plastic that you pump air into before taki
a small boat made of strong rubber or plastic that you pump air into before taking it onto the water — sometimes it has a motor, and people use it for fishing, river trips, or rescue.
The rescue team launched an inflatable to reach the people stuck on the island.
use in rescue contexts
Rodrigo rowed the inflatable across the calm lake to the far side.
A small motor pushed the inflatable quickly up the narrow river.
Wei patched a hole in his inflatable before the next weekend fishing trip.
The inflatable can carry four people with all their camping equipment.
- rubber dinghy
common in British English; a small inflatable boat, often without a motor
- rubber raft
more common in American English for the same type of boat
文法句型
a(n) + inflatable
by + inflatable
用法筆記
Distinguish from noun sense 1 (water toy): sense 2 is a functional boat made of stronger materials, often with oars or a small engine. In news reports, these are frequently called 'rubber dinghies' (British) or 'rubber rafts' (American).
常見錯誤
3. a very large plastic structure that you inflate so children can bounce and run o
a very large plastic structure that you inflate so children can bounce and run on it — often seen at birthday parties, school fairs, or outdoor events where it is rented for the day.
The birthday party had a giant inflatable shaped like a pirate ship.
modifier: giant + inflatable; shaped like + noun
Tamar's daughter spent nearly an hour jumping inside the inflatable.
A strong gust of wind knocked over the inflatable at the school fair.
Ayesha rented a large inflatable with a slide attached to one side.
The children raced from one end of the inflatable to the other.
- bouncy castle
common in British English and Australia
- bounce house
common in American English
- moon bounce
informal American English; another name for the same structure
文法句型
a(n) + inflatable
on + a(n) + inflatable
用法筆記
This type is also called a 'bouncy castle' (more common in British English), 'bounce house' or 'moon bounce' (more common in American English). Because of its large size, it is almost always rented from a company rather than bought for personal use.
常見錯誤
4. a decorative item made of plastic that you blow air into and then place outside
a decorative item made of plastic that you blow air into and then place outside your home for a holiday — popular choices are glowing pumpkins for Halloween and snowmen or Santa for Christmas.
The neighbours placed a giant inflatable pumpkin on their front lawn.
collocation: giant inflatable pumpkin (Halloween)
Élise decorated the garage with a six-foot inflatable snowman.
The inflatable Santa Claus waved gently in the winter breeze.
Dario's inflatable ghost was visible from the street all October.
After the holiday ended, the family packed away the inflatable decorations.
- lawn decoration
a broader term that includes non-inflatable yard ornaments
- holiday blow-up
informal American English
文法句型
a(n) + inflatable
inflatable + (holiday name)
用法筆記
These are often powered by a small electric fan that runs continuously to keep them inflated. They are usually sold as seasonal items and kept outdoors for several weeks. The most common holidays for this type are Halloween (pumpkins, skeletons, ghosts) and Christmas (Santa, snowmen, reindeer).