mud

mud — noun

1. soft, wet earth that forms when water mixes with soil, often found on the ground

1.名詞A1
釋義

soft, wet earth that forms when water mixes with soil, often found on the ground after rain or near rivers.

例句

After the heavy rain, the garden path turned into thick, sticky mud.

Talia wiped the mud off her boots before she walked into the house.

collocation: wipe mud off [something]

同義詞
  • dirt

    broader term for any loose soil or dust, not necessarily wet

  • mire

    literary; deep, sticky mud in a boggy or swampy area

  • sludge

    thicker and more liquid; often associated with industrial waste or sewage

  • clay

    a specific type of sticky soil that can be shaped and hardened

文法句型

preposition + mud (in/through/with the mud)

mud + noun (mud hut / mud bath / mud pie)

用法筆記

Mud is uncountable — do not say 'a mud'. Use 'some mud', 'a patch of mud', or 'a lot of mud'.

常見錯誤

❌I stepped in a mud.
✅I stepped in some mud.
💡mud is uncountable and does not take the article 'a'.
❌The mud was very dirty.' (mud is already dirty by definition)
✅The mud was very thick and difficult to walk through.
💡describe consistency, not cleanliness.

2. insults or untrue statements made about someone in public, especially in politic

2.名詞C1
釋義

insults or untrue statements made about someone in public, especially in politics, with the goal of damaging that person's reputation.

例句

During the election, both candidates threw mud at each other in the televised debate.

collocation: throw mud at [someone]

Saira refused to take part in the mud-slinging and kept her comments respectful and honest.

collocation: mud-slinging (compound noun)

同義詞
  • slander

    stronger, more formal; carries legal implications of false spoken statements

  • defamation

    formal legal term for harming someone's reputation through false claims

  • smear

    a deliberate attempt to damage a reputation, often through a 'smear campaign'

反義詞
  • praise

    expressing approval or admiration

文法句型

throw / sling + mud + at [someone]

mud-slinging + noun (campaign / attack)

用法筆記

Most commonly occurs in the fixed phrases 'sling/throw mud' and the compound 'mud-slinging'. The sense is almost always used in political or public-relations contexts.

常見錯誤

❌He threw mud on his shirt.' (physical meaning)
✅He threw mud at his opponent during the debate.
💡in this sense, 'throw mud' means to insult, not to physically throw wet earth.

mud — verb