sampler
sampler — noun
1. a piece of fabric decorated with sewn letters, words, or images, traditionally c
a piece of fabric decorated with sewn letters, words, or images, traditionally created as a display of needlework skill and hung on walls as ornament
Xiu's grandmother hung a sampler with the family name stitched in blue thread.
display on wall; dates back to 1800s
At the antique shop, Talia found a sampler from 1870 decorated with flowers and birds.
antique / historical context
The museum displayed a sampler that a young girl had sewn in 1845.
Amihan learned to sew her first sampler at a weekend craft class.
- needlepoint
refers to the technique or type of embroidery, not a specific finished piece
- cross-stitch
a specific embroidery style often used in samplers, but the word names the technique, not the object
文法句型
a sampler + [preposition: of/with]
用法筆記
Often refers to antique or historical pieces made before the 1900s. Collocates with verbs such as 'sew', 'stitch', 'hang', 'display', and 'frame'. The person who made the sampler is frequently mentioned (e.g., 'a sampler made by a 10-year-old girl').
常見錯誤
2. an electronic tool that records short sound clips from existing recordings and l
an electronic tool that records short sound clips from existing recordings and lets the user rearrange them into a new musical piece
Aylin used a sampler to record drum sounds from an old jazz record.
sampler + source of sounds (record)
Modern music producers often use a sampler to mix different sounds into a single track.
Vikram used a sampler to turn rain sounds into a rhythm for his song.
Lucía loaded piano notes into her sampler and played them at half speed.
- music workstation
a broader device that includes sampling as one of many functions
- drum machine
a device focused on percussion sounds; a sampler can handle any audio source
文法句型
sampler + [verb: record / play / blend]
用法筆記
Common in hip-hop, electronic, and pop music production. The term covers both hardware devices and software applications (e.g., 'digital sampler', 'software sampler'). Frequently used with the verb 'trigger' (to play a recorded sound) in professional contexts.
常見錯誤
3. a package containing small amounts of different products, offered so customers c
a package containing small amounts of different products, offered so customers can try them before buying a full-sized version
The cosmetics store gave Noor a sampler with five different face creams.
Eleni ordered a coffee sampler to taste beans from three different countries.
sampler + product type (coffee)
Putri bought a perfume sampler before deciding which full bottle to choose.
Aaron received a tea sampler with eight different herbal blends in his subscription box.
- sample pack
more general term; a sampler often contains a curated selection
- trial pack
specifically a small pack meant to let a customer test before buying the full size
- taster
informal; can refer to a single sample or a selection
文法句型
a [product type] sampler of [items]
a [number]-piece sampler
用法筆記
Very common in marketing contexts for cosmetics, fragrances, tea, coffee, wine, cheese, and craft beer. Often appears in the compound form '[product] sampler' (e.g., 'a wine sampler', 'a cheese sampler'). May be free or sold at a low price to encourage future purchases of full-sized items.
常見錯誤
4. a person whose job is to taste or examine food, drinks, or goods and judge their
a person whose job is to taste or examine food, drinks, or goods and judge their quality
The tea company hired Reuben as a sampler to test each new batch.
Yasmin works as a wine sampler for a vineyard in the countryside.
role + workplace collocation
Aaron tastes every production batch at the factory to check the food for freshness.
Noor's job at the factory is to taste each handmade truffle and judge its quality.
- taster
informal synonym; often used for food and drink professionals
- quality controller
a broader formal job title that may include testing, inspection, and documentation
文法句型
a [product] sampler + [verb: taste / test / check]
用法筆記
Less frequent than senses 1–3. Almost always appears with a modifier specifying the product type (e.g., 'wine sampler', 'chocolate sampler', 'cheese sampler'). The role is usually professional; the word 'tester' or 'quality controller' is more common in modern industry.