nutshell

nutshell — noun

1. a fixed phrase used to signal that you are about to give a very short version of

1.名詞B2
釋義

a fixed phrase used to signal that you are about to give a very short version of a longer explanation, keeping only the most important details

例句

In a nutshell, the company failed because it borrowed too much money too quickly.

opening with the phrase to introduce a summary

Astrid put the lecture in a nutshell: supply and demand control the price of everything.

put + [something] + in a nutshell pattern

同義詞
  • briefly

    adverb that works in more sentence positions than the fixed phrase 'in a nutshell'

  • concisely

    more formal; emphasises efficiency of expression

  • in short

    slightly more formal; common in both speech and writing

  • to sum up

    used at the end of a discussion rather than the beginning

反義詞
  • in detail

    contrasts with 'in a nutshell' by emphasising thoroughness over brevity

文法句型

in a nutshell + [clause]

put + [something] + in a + nutshell

用法筆記

This sense exists only within the fixed phrase 'in a nutshell' or the pattern 'put [something] in a nutshell.' You cannot say 'a nutshell' as a standalone noun to mean 'a summary.'

常見錯誤

❌Let me nutshell the situation for you.
✅Let me put the situation in a nutshell for you.
💡'nutshell' is a noun, not a verb; the idiom requires 'in a nutshell' or 'put in a nutshell.'
❌I gave them the nutshell version.
✅I gave them the short version.
💡'nutshell' is not an adjective and cannot modify a noun directly.

2. the hard outer covering that surrounds and protects the seed inside a nut such a

2.名詞B1
釋義

the hard outer covering that surrounds and protects the seed inside a nut such as a walnut, almond, or peanut

例句

A walnut has a thick, wrinkled nutshell that is very hard to crack open.

collocation: thick / wrinkled nutshell

The squirrel carried the nutshell to its nest and hid it under dry leaves.

同義詞
  • shell

    the general term for any hard outer covering, from eggs to turtles to nuts

  • hull

    specifically the outer covering of a seed or fruit, often removed before eating

文法句型

the + [adjective] + nutshell + of + [nut]

用法筆記

The literal sense is far less common in everyday speech than the figurative idiom 'in a nutshell.' Writers often use this sense in gardening, cooking, or nature contexts.

常見錯誤

❌The egg has a hard nutshell.
✅The egg has a hard eggshell.
💡'nutshell' refers only to the shell of a nut, not to any other type of shell.