nude
nude — adjective
1. completely without any clothes on the body; not covered by any clothing.
completely without any clothes on the body; not covered by any clothing.
Hugo's little nephew ran across the lawn completely nude after his bath.
predicative use: completely nude after [event]
The resort has a private cove where guests may swim nude if they choose.
collocation: swim nude
Antonia refused to pose nude for the art school portfolio project.
The toddler slipped out of his pyjamas and stood there nude, giggling at his mother.
文法句型
be + nude
go + nude
pose + nude
swim + nude
常見錯誤
2. having a pale pinkish-brown colour that is similar to the skin of many white peo
having a pale pinkish-brown colour that is similar to the skin of many white people, used especially for clothes or cosmetics that are meant to blend in with the wearer's skin.
Yael wore a pair of nude heels with her evening dress to elongate her legs.
attributive use: nude + noun (heels)
Apinya chose a nude lipstick that looked completely natural on camera.
attributive use: nude + noun (lipstick)
The ballet dancers wore nude tights under their costumes so the fabric would not show.
Mert bought a nude-coloured T-shirt to wear under his white office shirt.
- skin-coloured
more general term, but also often criticised for referring to a default white skin tone
- natural
used in cosmetics to describe a shade that blends in with the wearer's own skin
- flesh-toned
dated term for light beige; similar concerns about exclusivity
文法句型
nude + noun (clothing or cosmetic item)
用法筆記
'Nude' as a colour traditionally refers to a light beige tone and may not match darker skin tones. Many brands now use more specific shade names (e.g. 'sand', 'almond', 'caramel') to be more inclusive.
常見錯誤
3. an old-fashioned word for a light pinkish-brown colour; this label is now seen a
an old-fashioned word for a light pinkish-brown colour; this label is now seen as offensive by many people because it assumes that white skin is the only standard.
The old dress pattern called the fabric 'nude', but many now find that term inappropriate.
register note: dated/offensive use of 'nude' as a colour
Some fashion brands have dropped the word 'nude' because it excludes darker-skinned customers.
The vintage stockings were labelled 'nude', but the shop avoids that term now.
A 1990s magazine called 'nude' a popular nail shade, but editors avoid that label now.
文法句型
nude + noun (colour or product name)
用法筆記
This sense is grammatically identical to sense 2 (SKIN-COLOURED) but carries a different social meaning. The word 'nude' as a colour term is increasingly avoided in favour of inclusive alternatives (e.g. 'natural', 'neutral', or specific shade names). Learners should be aware that using 'nude' for a light beige colour may cause offence.
常見錯誤
nude — noun
1. a painting, drawing, photograph, or sculpture that shows a human figure with no
a painting, drawing, photograph, or sculpture that shows a human figure with no clothes on.
The museum's new exhibition includes two nudes by a famous French painter from the 1800s.
countable noun: two nudes by [artist]
Nikhil bought a charcoal nude at the student art fair for fifty pounds.
Abigail spent three months working on a large nude for her final degree show.
The gallery owner hung a small nude near the entrance to draw visitors in.
- life drawing
refers specifically to a drawing made from a live nude model, often in a class setting
- figure study
broader term; an artistic work that focuses on the human form, with or without clothes
文法句型
paint/draw/photograph + a nude
a nude by [artist]
用法筆記
The word 'nude' in this sense is a noun referring to the artwork itself, not the person in the artwork. To refer to a person who is not wearing clothes, use 'nude model' or 'naked person'.
常見錯誤
2. the condition of having no clothes on the body; the state of being without any c
the condition of having no clothes on the body; the state of being without any clothing.
The life-drawing class required the model to sit in the nude for two hours.
fixed phrase: in the nude
Some people enjoy sunbathing in the nude on the private section of the beach.
fixed phrase: in the nude (with leisure activity)
The artist prefers a live model in the nude over photographs for drawing.
The spa has a sauna area where guests can relax in the nude.
文法句型
in the nude
用法筆記
This sense almost always appears in the fixed phrase 'in the nude'. It cannot be replaced by 'in nude' (no article) — the article 'the' is required. 'In the nude' functions as an adverbial phrase describing the manner of an action.