sew

IPA/səʊ/
KK[sˈo]IPA/səʊ/

sew — verb

  • sewpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • sewshe / she / it
  • sewedpast simple
  • sewnpast participle
  • sewing-ing form

1. to push thread through a piece of material with a needle, creating a line of loo

1.動詞及物 / 不及物A2
釋義

to push thread through a piece of material with a needle, creating a line of loops that hold two or more pieces of fabric together.

例句

Yumi sewed the two red pieces of fabric together with tiny, even stitches.

sew + together for joining pieces

Nikhil sewed a pocket onto the inside of his jacket for his wallet.

sew + onto for attaching one piece to another

同義詞
  • stitch

    focuses on the individual needle movements rather than the project

  • darn

    specific to mending holes by weaving thread across the gap

反義詞
  • rip

    to tear apart what was sewn

  • unravel

    when stitches come undone

文法句型

sew + [two pieces] + together

sew + [thing] + onto + [thing]

sew + [something]

用法筆記

This is the core sense from which the others derive. When the object of the verb is the fabric itself or the type of stitch, use this sense. Distinguish from sense 2 (MAKE CLOTHES), where the object is a finished garment.

常見錯誤

❌I sewed the button back.
✅I sewed the button back on.
💡When reattaching something, you need a preposition like 'on' or 'onto' after 'sew'.
❌She sewed the dress together last night.' (meaning she made a dress)
✅She sewed the dress last night.
💡If you are making a garment (sense 2), 'together' is not needed. Use 'together' only for joining separate pieces.

2. to make an item of clothing or other fabric item by cutting and joining pieces o

2.動詞及物 / 不及物A2
釋義

to make an item of clothing or other fabric item by cutting and joining pieces of material with a needle and thread.

例句

Tamar sewed her own wedding dress from white silk fabric with lace along the sleeves.

sew + garment + from + material

Jack's grandmother used to sew warm blankets for every new baby in the family.

同義詞
  • tailor

    more specific — means to make or alter clothing professionally, usually for a specific fit

文法句型

sew + [garment]

learn to sew

sew + [garment] + from + [fabric]

用法筆記

Object is usually a garment or household textile (dress, shirt, curtain, blanket, bag). When the object is a raw material (fabric, cloth, silk), it belongs to sense 1 (JOIN CLOTH) instead.

常見錯誤

❌She sewed a button.' (when she made a whole garment)
✅She sewed a shirt.
💡'Sew a button' describes attaching it (sense 4), not making it from fabric.

3. to use a needle and thread to close the two edges of a cut or wound in the skin.

3.動詞及物B1
釋義

to use a needle and thread to close the two edges of a cut or wound in the skin.

例句

The doctor sewed up the deep cut on Zayd's arm with eight small stitches.

sew up + wound for medical use

A nurse sewed up the gash on Tariro's leg after a bike crash.

同義詞
  • suture

    the formal medical term; a doctor would write 'suture the laceration' in a medical chart

文法句型

sew up + [wound/cut]

sew + [wound] + back together

用法筆記

In everyday conversation, 'stitches' (noun) is more common than the verb 'sew' for wounds. A person might say 'I got five stitches' rather than 'The doctor sewed five stitches'. This sense is frequently passive ('the wound was sewn up') and almost always uses 'up' as a particle.

常見錯誤

❌The doctor sewed my skin with a needle.
✅The doctor sewed up my wound with stitches.
💡The object of the verb is the wound or cut, not the skin or body part.

4. to repair a torn piece of material, or to attach an item such as a button or pat

4.動詞及物A2
釋義

to repair a torn piece of material, or to attach an item such as a button or patch to a piece of clothing, using a needle and thread.

例句

Maja sewed a loose button back onto her coat before the cold weather arrived.

sew + back onto for reattaching

Tariro sewed a cloth patch over the hole in the knee of his favorite jeans.

同義詞
  • mend

    general term for fixing fabric; less specific about using a needle and thread

  • patch

    specifically means covering a hole with a piece of fabric

  • darn

    filling a hole by weaving thread across it, often used for socks

反義詞
  • tear

    to pull apart fabric

文法句型

sew + [button/patch] + onto + [garment]

sew + [tear/hole] + up

sew + [button] + back on

用法筆記

This sense focuses on fixing or adding to an existing garment, rather than creating a new one (sense 2). Common household situations include reattaching buttons, mending tears, and adding patches. The particle 'back on' is very common when reattaching something that came off.