notch
notch — noun
1. a small V-shaped indentation deliberately carved into a firm material such as wo
a small V-shaped indentation deliberately carved into a firm material such as wood or metal, used to anchor a part or keep a tally
Liang carved a small notch into the wooden handle to mark his favourite grip.
carve a notch + into [surface]
Ari used a knife to make a small notch in the stick so the string would not slip.
make a notch + in [object]
The old archer ran his finger along each notch on the bow before the competition.
A fresh notch on the door frame showed how much the child had grown.
- nick
a smaller, accidental cut or chip, not deliberately made like a notch
- groove
a long, narrow channel cut into a surface, often straight rather than V-shaped
- indentation
more general term for any inward curve or hollow, not necessarily V-shaped or deliberate
文法句型
notch + in + [surface]
notch + on + [edge]
用法筆記
Countable noun. Often followed by in (for a surface) or on (for an edge). The same word is also used as a verb — see the verb entry below.
2. a natural V-shaped hollow or indentation on a bone or at the edge of an organ, o
a natural V-shaped hollow or indentation on a bone or at the edge of an organ, often serving as a passage point for nerves or blood vessels
The doctor pointed at the notch on the patient's hip bone during the X-ray review.
notch on a bone — anatomical sense
A small notch near the top of the thigh bone serves as an anchor for a muscle.
The anatomy textbook labelled the V-shaped notch at the upper edge of the shoulder blade.
During surgery, Inês found the notch on the jaw where the nerve passes through.
- indentation
less specific; any inward curve on a surface, not limited to anatomical structures
- fossa
a broader, bowl-shaped depression in a bone; more specific anatomical term than notch
文法句型
notch + on + [body part]
notch + of + [bone]
用法筆記
Technical anatomical term. Distinguish from sense 1: a body-part notch is a natural feature, not a deliberate cut. Frequently used with the preposition on (not in) — e.g. the notch on the skull, not in the skull.
常見錯誤
3. an imaginary step or point on a scale of quality, ability, amount, or intensity,
an imaginary step or point on a scale of quality, ability, amount, or intensity, where moving higher means improvement or increase
After six months of practice, Nora's piano playing moved up a notch.
up a notch — idiomatic collocation for improvement
The hotel was a notch above the others, with marble floors and fresh flowers.
a notch above — comparative pattern
Vivek turned the volume down a notch so his mother could sleep.
Sari's performance at the violin competition was several notches better than last year, earning her first prize.
The coach told the team they needed to raise their game a notch before the final.
- level
more general and formal; works in wider contexts (e.g. 'next level', 'level of difficulty')
- rung
metaphor from a ladder; suggests progression in a career or hierarchy
- grade
implies a classification by quality or standard, often used in schools or products
- step
neutral; one stage in a sequence or process
文法句型
up a notch
down a notch
a notch above [something]
notch + comparative
用法筆記
Almost always used in fixed comparative phrases: up a notch (improve), down a notch (reduce), a notch above (superior to), several notches better/worse than (much better/worse). Rarely used alone — 'a notch on the scale' is acceptable but less natural than the set phrases.
常見錯誤
4. a narrow gap or low point between two mountain peaks, forming a path or passage
a narrow gap or low point between two mountain peaks, forming a path or passage through a ridge
The hikers stopped for water at the narrow notch between the two peaks.
narrow notch between [mountains] — geographic sense
A cold wind blew through the rocky notch that connected the valley to the coast.
The old trade route crossed the range through a notch known only to local guides.
From the notch in the ridge, Elena saw the sunrise over the sea and the valley.
文法句型
notch + between + [mountains]
notch + in + [ridge]
用法筆記
Geographic term, less common in everyday speech. Distinguish from 'pass' or 'col' which are wider and more commonly used for named routes through mountains. 'Notch' suggests a particularly narrow, steep-sided opening.
notch — verb
1. to cut a narrow V-shaped mark into a hard surface such as wood, metal, or bone,
to cut a narrow V-shaped mark into a hard surface such as wood, metal, or bone, usually for a practical purpose like holding something or keeping a record
Christopher notched the end of the stick so the fishing line would stay in place.
notch + object + purpose clause
The carpenter notched each beam before fitting them together to form the roof frame.
Élise notched the wooden ruler at every centimetre to mark the measurements clearly.
Some hunters notched their arrows with a personal pattern so they could tell them apart.
文法句型
notch + [object]
notch + [object] + in/into + [surface]
用法筆記
Frequently followed by a prepositional phrase indicating location (in, into, on). The object of the verb is the thing that receives the notch. Can be used in the passive: 'the beam was notched to fit the joint.'
常見錯誤
2. to keep a count of items, days, or events by cutting a series of V-shaped marks
to keep a count of items, days, or events by cutting a series of V-shaped marks into a surface such as wood or stone
The prisoner notched the wall of his cell every morning to count the passing days.
notch + object + to [purpose] — recording sense
Shepherds in the region notched a tall stick for each newborn lamb in the spring.
Aylin notched the wall each evening to mark another day of training complete.
The old fisherman notched his boat rail for every tuna he caught that season.
文法句型
notch + [object] + to + [purpose]
notch + [object] + with + [mark]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this sense emphasises the record-keeping purpose rather than the physical action. The object is still the surface being cut, but the context always makes the counting or tracking function clear. Often used in past tense describing traditional practices.