leather
leather — noun
1. a strong material made from the skin of animals, which is cleaned and chemically
a strong material made from the skin of animals, which is cleaned and chemically treated so that it does not decay; it is used to make items such as shoes, bags, belts, and jackets.
Sofia bought a new leather wallet for her father's birthday.
collocation: leather wallet / leather jacket / leather boots
The jacket is made of soft black leather that feels very smooth.
Putri decided to clean her leather boots with special wax.
Liang's leather backpack lasted for over ten years of daily use.
Madison prefers leather sofas to fabric ones because they last longer.
- fabric
woven cloth material, not animal-based
- synthetic leather
man-made imitation of leather (e.g. pleather, vinyl)
文法句型
leather + noun (as modifier)
用法筆記
Usually uncountable; the countable form 'leathers' has a different meaning (see LEATHER CLOTHES sense).
常見錯誤
2. clothing items sewn from treated animal skin, most often a jacket and trousers w
clothing items sewn from treated animal skin, most often a jacket and trousers worn together by motorcycle riders or racing drivers as protection during crashes.
The motorcyclist put on his leathers before starting the long ride.
plural noun: leathers (protective clothing set)
Kwame stores his racing leathers in the garage between track days.
Élise wore her leather jacket even on warm summer evenings.
Samir bought new leathers after he tore the knee of his old pair.
- protective gear
broader term that includes padding, helmet, and other safety items, not just leather clothing
- racing suit
specifically for motorsports; often made of leather but refers to a one-piece garment
文法句型
wear + leathers
in + leathers
用法筆記
Most common in the plural form 'leathers' to refer to a full set of protective clothing. Singular 'leather' in this sense (e.g. 'a leather') is rare and non-standard.
常見錯誤
leather — verb
1. to hit a person hard using a narrow piece of toughened animal skin, such as a be
to hit a person hard using a narrow piece of toughened animal skin, such as a belt or a riding strap, typically as a form of discipline.
Shirin's grandfather threatened to leather the boys if they stole again.
informal/dated verb: leather someone for misbehaviour
In the old village, the blacksmith would leather any man caught cheating.
The sergeant swore he would leather anyone who disobeyed the order.
Mira's father never believed in leathering children for small mistakes.
文法句型
leather + person
用法筆記
This verb is informal and sounds old-fashioned to most modern speakers. It is rarely used in serious contemporary contexts and may appear in historical fiction or rural dialects.