tart
tart — adjective
- tartpositive
- tartercomparative
- tartestsuperlative
1. having a sharp, slightly sour flavour that makes your mouth feel tight, especial
having a sharp, slightly sour flavour that makes your mouth feel tight, especially when describing fruit that is not fully ripe or has a natural acidic taste.
The rhubarb pie was too tart, so Akira sprinkled sugar on top.
collocation: too tart + sweetener to balance
Elena bit into the green apple and winced at its tart taste.
Kian tried a raw cranberry and found it too tart, so he cooked it with honey.
Farid added a spoonful of sugar to the tart lemonade until it tasted just right.
文法句型
tart + noun
be + tart
too + tart
tart + enough
用法筆記
Commonly used with fruits that have a naturally sharp flavour, such as lemons, cranberries, rhubarb, green apples, and gooseberries. Unlike 'sour', which can describe spoiled food, 'tart' nearly always refers to a natural or intended sharpness that some people enjoy.
常見錯誤
2. describing a spoken reply, remark, or tone of voice that is quick, sharp, and sl
describing a spoken reply, remark, or tone of voice that is quick, sharp, and slightly unkind, often as a way of showing displeasure or irritation.
Lin gave a tart reply when her brother asked where she had been all evening.
collocation: tart reply / tart remark
Hiroshi knew from his mother's tart tone that she was not pleased with his grades.
collocation: tart tone
The reviewer's tart comment about the restaurant's service made the owner very upset.
Hannah can be quite tart with strangers, but she is warm and kind once you know her.
文法句型
tart + noun (reply, comment, tone, remark)
be + tart + with + noun
用法筆記
This sense describes how someone speaks, not the content of what they say. A 'tart reply' is short and cutting rather than long and angry. Compare with the sibling sense 'sour', which focuses on taste only — the speech sense never refers to food.
常見錯誤
tart — noun
- tartsingular
- tartsplural
1. a flat pastry base with raised sides that holds a sweet filling like berries, cu
a flat pastry base with raised sides that holds a sweet filling like berries, custard, or jam — served open-faced without a pastry lid.
Mrs. Chen baked an apple tart for the school bake sale on Friday.
collocation: apple tart / fruit + tart
Yuki ordered a slice of lemon tart with a dollop of whipped cream on top.
The bakery sells mini fruit tarts filled with fresh berries and vanilla custard.
Andrés followed his grandmother's recipe and made a beautiful strawberry tart for the family dinner.
文法句型
a/an + tart
tart + of + noun
fruit/lemon/apple + tart
用法筆記
A tart differs from a pie in that it has no top crust. Tarts are usually smaller and shallower than pies, and the filling is visible. 'Quiche' is a savoury tart (with eggs, cheese, vegetables) — if you want the savoury version, use 'quiche' not 'tart'.
常見錯誤
2. a derogatory label directed at a woman judged to be wearing provocative clothes
a derogatory label directed at a woman judged to be wearing provocative clothes or acting in an overly sexual way to gain attention.
Some older colleagues called the new singer a tart because of her short dress, but most people disagreed.
derogatory use: call + someone + a tart
The tabloid described the actress as a tart for wearing a revealing outfit on the red carpet.
When a man at the bar called her a tart, Sunita reported him to the manager for harassment.
The principal at Parkside School warned students that calling a classmate a tart counts as bullying.
- provocative
less offensive but still critical of someone's sexual display
- slut (very offensive)
a stronger and even more offensive insult for a woman's perceived sexual behaviour
文法句型
call + someone + a tart
用法筆記
Strongly derogatory and offensive. Used to shame or criticise a woman for her appearance or behaviour. Avoid using this word. The main neutral term is simply 'a woman'; if describing someone's style, use more specific terms like 'revealing clothes' or 'bold make-up'.
常見錯誤
3. an old-fashioned and deeply offensive term for a woman who provides sexual servi
an old-fashioned and deeply offensive term for a woman who provides sexual services in exchange for payment.
In the crime novel set in 1940s London, the detective questioned a tart who had seen the robbery.
literary context; old-fashioned use
In the nineteenth-century police report, a witness described the injured woman as 'a tart from the docks'.
historical context
In the television drama set in 1950s London, the main character was wrongly called a tart by her neighbours.
When Devika used the word 'tart' in her history essay, her professor advised her to use 'sex worker' instead.
- prostitute
the neutral factual term; less offensive than 'tart'
- sex worker
the modern respectful term preferred by advocacy groups
用法筆記
This sense is even more offensive than sense 2 and is considered a slur. It is old-fashioned and rarely used today. The neutral modern terms are 'sex worker' or 'prostitute'. Only include this sense so learners recognise it when reading older texts; do not use it actively.