pregnant
pregnant — adjective
1. (of a woman or female animal) with an unborn baby or young still growing inside
(of a woman or female animal) with an unborn baby or young still growing inside the body.
Nina is seven months pregnant with her first child.
pattern: be pregnant with [child]
The mare looked pregnant, so the vet examined her at once.
After two years of trying, Elena finally became pregnant.
The nurse asked whether Maya was pregnant before the X-ray.
By spring, several goats on the farm were already pregnant.
- expecting
common and a little softer in everyday use for people
- with child
older or literary expression
- gravid
medical and mainly used by professionals
文法句型
be pregnant
be pregnant with twins
become pregnant
get pregnant
用法筆記
Usually appears after verbs such as 'be', 'become', and 'get'. Use 'pregnant with' when you name the number or type of babies, as in 'pregnant with twins'.
常見錯誤
2. carrying an important meaning, feeling, or result that is present but not yet cl
carrying an important meaning, feeling, or result that is present but not yet clearly spoken or understood.
The room fell quiet after Ken's pregnant pause at dinner.
collocation: pregnant pause
Lena's pregnant smile made the whole class expect big news.
There was a pregnant silence before the judge read the result.
Marta's pregnant pause told us the answer was bad news.
A pregnant silence filled the bus after the driver named the missing child.
- meaningful
broader and more neutral
- suggestive
stresses that something hints at more than it says
- loaded
more informal and often stronger in tone
文法句型
pregnant pause
pregnant silence
pregnant look
用法筆記
Often modifies nouns like 'pause', 'silence', 'look', and 'smile'. Distinguish from adjective/3: this sense leaves the exact message unstated, while adjective/3 usually names it after 'with'.
3. showing a great deal of a particular quality or feeling, especially in the patte
showing a great deal of a particular quality or feeling, especially in the pattern 'pregnant with something'.
The old song is pregnant with grief and quiet anger.
formal pattern: pregnant with + noun
Maria's short reply was pregnant with shame and deep regret.
Mina's latest novel feels pregnant with political doubt.
The final scene is pregnant with hope despite the loss.
The mayor's farewell speech was pregnant with fear for the town's future.
- full of
plain everyday alternative
- charged with
stresses strong feeling or tension
- rich in
more formal and often used for qualities
文法句型
pregnant with hope
pregnant with danger
pregnant with possibility
用法筆記
Formal and usually followed by 'with' plus a noun. Unlike adjective/2, this sense names the exact quality directly, as in 'pregnant with hope' or 'pregnant with danger'.