soul
soul — noun
1. the invisible spiritual self within a human being that many faiths and tradition
the invisible spiritual self within a human being that many faiths and traditions believe lives on after physical death
The priest told Hugo that Grandma's soul had gone to a peaceful place.
soul as spiritual essence in religious context
Many cultures around the world believe the soul lives on after death.
Nadia closed her eyes and prayed for the souls of the sailors lost at sea.
The old book described the soul as a light that never fades away.
Some philosophers argue that every living creature has a soul of its own.
用法筆記
Frequently used in religious, philosophical, or spiritual contexts. The opposite concept is the body (physical form).
常見錯誤
2. the quality of emotional depth and genuine feeling that a person or a piece of a
the quality of emotional depth and genuine feeling that a person or a piece of art shows
Reema's performance was full of soul and moved many people in the crowd to tears.
uncountable: full of soul
The singer's voice had so much soul that everyone stopped to listen.
Aoi put her whole soul into painting the portrait of her grandmother.
The restaurant had nice furniture but its decoration felt empty and had no soul.
Xiu plays the piano with such soul that you can feel every note.
用法筆記
Uncountable — do not say 'a soul' or 'souls' for this meaning. Often used with 'full of', 'with', or 'put your whole soul into'.
常見錯誤
3. a style of popular music that conveys deep emotion, first developed and performe
a style of popular music that conveys deep emotion, first developed and performed by African American artists in the mid-20th century
Soul became a major musical genre across the United States during the nineteen sixties.
Gabriela loves listening to soul because the melodies are so warm and emotional.
soul as a music genre
The radio station near the university plays classic soul every Sunday afternoon.
Christopher learned to dance to soul music at his local community youth club.
A new soul band from Chicago is performing at the town hall this Friday.
用法筆記
Often shortened form of 'soul music'. This sense is usually capitalized in historical references (Soul) but lowercase in everyday use.
4. someone who has a specific type of character, especially when that quality is ob
someone who has a specific type of character, especially when that quality is obvious in how they treat others
My grandfather was a kind soul who helped everyone in the neighborhood.
countable noun with preceding adjective: kind soul
A few brave souls stayed outside in the heavy rain to watch the match.
Noa is such a cheerful soul that she makes everyone smile at the office.
Some poor soul left their brand new umbrella on the bus this morning.
Tamás is a trusting soul who always believes the best in the people he meets.
- person
neutral, no emotional coloring
- individual
more formal; emphasizes separateness
- character
often implies an unusual or interesting person
用法筆記
Almost always requires a preceding adjective (kind soul, brave soul, poor soul). Rarely used without a modifier.
常見錯誤
5. a person — used in negative contexts to mean 'no one' or 'anyone at all'
a person — used in negative contexts to mean 'no one' or 'anyone at all'
Not a single soul was visible on the streets after midnight in the storm.
negative construction: not a single soul
The old house had been empty for years with no soul living there at all.
When Sofie called for help in the dark alley, not a soul answered her.
Wei searched the entire building but could not find a living soul anywhere.
The beach was completely deserted — there was not a soul in sight at all.
文法句型
not a + soul
no + soul
any + soul
用法筆記
Almost always used in negative expressions: 'not a soul', 'no soul', 'never a soul'. Rarely if ever used in positive statements for this meaning.
常見錯誤
6. a deep sense of identity, pride, and connection to the culture and heritage of A
a deep sense of identity, pride, and connection to the culture and heritage of African American people
The museum exhibition celebrated soul through music, dance, and storytelling.
Hugo wrote his thesis on the meaning of soul in modern African American art.
soul as cultural identity and pride
Many young artists today explore soul as a way to connect with their heritage.
The documentary examined what soul means to different generations of Black families.
Folake's poetry captures the spirit of soul with powerful images and rhythms.
- heritage
broader term; includes traditions and history, not just emotional connection
- identity
focuses on self-concept rather than cultural pride
- Black pride
a related concept with a stronger political dimension
用法筆記
Less common in everyday conversation; found most often in discussions of African American cultural identity, art, and history. Overlaps conceptually with noun sense 2 (DEEP FEELINGS) but specifically links the emotion to African American heritage.
soul — adjective
1. relating to or typical of African American people and their cultural traditions
relating to or typical of African American people and their cultural traditions
The museum has a special room for soul art from the nineteen seventies period.
adjective: soul art
Noa wrote a report on the history of soul food in the southern United States.
Folake invited her classmates to a soul music festival in the park downtown.
The radio host plays soul classics and interviews famous African American musicians.
Sofie's favorite cookbook is full of traditional soul recipes passed down for generations.
- African American
more formal and politically precise; used in official contexts
- Black
broader term referring to people of African descent globally
用法筆記
Commonly combines with nouns such as 'food', 'music', 'art', and 'culture' to refer to African American traditions. Overlaps with the noun sense (MUSIC) when paired with 'music'.