silk

silk — noun

1. a fine, soft, shiny thread that silkworms produce, or the smooth fabric woven fr

1.名詞A2
釋義

a fine, soft, shiny thread that silkworms produce, or the smooth fabric woven from that thread.

例句

Lara wore a beautiful pale pink silk dress to the wedding reception.

silk + noun (modifier showing material)

The tailor recommended pure silk for the lining of the jacket.

pure silk — common collocation for quality

同義詞
  • satin

    a smooth, shiny fabric; can be made of silk or synthetic fibres — satin is a weave, not a raw material

  • velvet

    a soft fabric with a short dense pile on one side, heavier than silk

  • taffeta

    a crisp, smooth fabric with a slight sheen, often made of silk but stiffer

反義詞
  • cotton

    a plant-based fibre; cheaper and less glossy than silk

  • wool

    an animal fibre from sheep; thick and warm, not smooth like silk

文法句型

silk + noun (as modifier)

made of / from silk

a silk [article of clothing]

用法筆記

As a modifier ('silk dress', 'silk scarf', 'silk road') it is far more common than the countable form ('a silk' = a garment). The uncountable use ('She sells silk') is the default.

常見錯誤

❌This shirt is made by silk.
✅This shirt is made of silk.
💡use 'of' to indicate material composition.
❌She bought a silk for her mother.' (meaning cloth)
✅She bought some silk for her mother.
💡fabric is uncountable; use 'some' or a quantity.

2. in horse racing, the colourful tops that jockeys put on before a race, with colo

2.名詞B2
釋義

in horse racing, the colourful tops that jockeys put on before a race, with colours and patterns that match their owner's stable.

例句

The jockey stepped onto the track wearing green-and-gold silks with white sleeves.

[colour]-and-[colour] silks — typical pattern for describing colours

Each stable registers its unique pattern of silks so the crowd can identify the horses.

silks used as plural countable noun

同義詞
  • racing colours

    the same concept, but emphasises the colour scheme rather than the garment; used especially in British racing

  • jersey

    a general term for a shirt worn in sports; lacks the specific racing-owner registration meaning

文法句型

[possessive] silks

silk(s) + verb (plural agreement)

用法筆記

Almost always used in the plural form ('silks'), even when referring to a single shirt. In American English, the term 'silks' is known but less common; 'racing colours' is preferred in some contexts.

3. a paint coating which becomes mildly glossy as it dries, falling between matt an

3.名詞B1
釋義

a paint coating which becomes mildly glossy as it dries, falling between matt and full gloss in its level of shine.

例句

Hiro chose silk paint for the kitchen walls because it is easier to wipe clean.

silk paint — common compound noun

The decorator said a silk finish works well in hallways where light is limited.

silk finish — the resulting surface quality

同義詞
  • satin paint

    the American term for the same level of sheen; not a different product

  • eggshell paint

    a slightly less shiny finish than silk; often confused with silk in DIY stores

反義詞
  • matt paint

    paint with no reflective shine; opposite end of the sheen spectrum

  • gloss paint

    paint with a mirror-like high shine; shinier than silk

文法句型

silk paint

a silk finish / sheen

用法筆記

This is a specific product category in the UK paint industry (manufacturers label it 'silk' or 'silk finish'). In the US, the same product is usually called 'satin paint' or 'eggshell paint'.

常見錯誤

❌I painted the room in silk.
✅I painted the room with silk paint.
💡you paint with silk paint, not 'in silk'.

4. a senior barrister in the UK and some Commonwealth countries who has been appoin

4.名詞C1
釋義

a senior barrister in the UK and some Commonwealth countries who has been appointed to a high rank (Queen's Counsel or King's Counsel) and wears a silk gown in court.

例句

Asher was appointed Queen's Counsel after twenty years of work in criminal law.

be appointed Queen's Counsel — the formal promotion phrase

The young barrister hoped to take silk within the next five years.

take silk — idiomatic verb phrase meaning become a QC

同義詞
  • King's Counsel

    the same rank under a male monarch; functionally identical to Queen's Counsel

  • senior counsel

    a general term for a high-ranking barrister, used in some Commonwealth countries outside the UK

  • barrister

    a lawyer who argues cases in court in the UK; Queen's Counsel is a specific rank above a junior barrister

反義詞

文法句型

take silk (idiomatic verb phrase — become a QC)

[name] QC / KC

be appointed [Queen's / King's] Counsel

用法筆記

When a male monarch is on the throne the title becomes King's Counsel (KC). The verb phrase 'take silk' means to accept this appointment and is used within the legal profession. The term 'silk' alone (uncountable, no article) can refer to the rank itself: 'He was awarded silk in 2019.'

常見錯誤

❌She works as a queen's counsel.' (generic)
✅She is a Queen's Counsel.' or 'She is Emily Chen QC.
💡it is a formal title and is capitalised; QC is used post-nominally.