vent
vent — noun
1. a small opening in a wall, ceiling, pipe, or container through which air, smoke,
a small opening in a wall, ceiling, pipe, or container through which air, smoke, gas, or liquid can flow in or out.
The air-conditioning vent in Maeve's office was blocked by a stack of boxes, so the room stayed hot all afternoon.
collocation: air-conditioning vent
A small vent near the ceiling allowed steam from the kitchen to escape.
Smoke poured out of the underground vent after the electrical cables caught fire.
The plumber inspected the bathroom vent to confirm that moisture could leave the room properly.
文法句型
a + noun + vent
vent + preposition + room/building
用法筆記
Often used in compound nouns such as 'air vent', 'heating vent', and 'roof vent', which name the location or purpose of the opening.
常見錯誤
2. a long, narrow slit sewn into a coat, jacket, skirt, or similar garment at the b
a long, narrow slit sewn into a coat, jacket, skirt, or similar garment at the back or sides so the wearer can move more freely.
The back vent of Sven's suit jacket opened neatly as he sat down at the dinner table.
collocation: back vent
Zola's dress had a long vent on each side, making it easier for her to walk quickly through the crowd.
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The tailor recommended adding a vent to the coat so Christopher could move his arms freely during meetings.
Cyrus chose a jacket with side vents because they helped the fabric keep its shape while cycling to work.
文法句型
back vent
side vent
vent in + garment
用法筆記
Three common types exist: a single centre vent (one slit at the back), double side vents (two slits at the sides), and no vent (a straight cut). Side vents are more common on formal men's jackets.
常見錯誤
3. an activity, person, or situation that allows someone to express strong negative
an activity, person, or situation that allows someone to express strong negative feelings such as anger, frustration, or anxiety in a way that brings relief.
Playing the piano became Tanvi's main vent for the stress she felt at work.
collocation: a vent for + emotion
The online support group gave members a safe vent for their frustrations without fear of being judged.
collocation: safe vent
Jisoo found that writing in a journal was a better vent for her anger than shouting at someone.
Regular exercise can be a healthy vent for the anxiety that builds up during a busy week.
- bottling up
the opposite of releasing emotions; keeping feelings inside instead of expressing them
文法句型
a vent for + emotion/feeling
give vent to + emotion
用法筆記
Commonly appears in the fixed phrase 'give vent to something' (e.g., 'He gave vent to his anger'), which is slightly more formal than simply using 'vent' as a verb.
常見錯誤
vent — verb
1. to express a strong negative emotion such as anger or irritation, especially by
to express a strong negative emotion such as anger or irritation, especially by speaking forcefully and often directing the emotion at someone who is not the real cause of the feeling.
After losing the contract, Ramón vented his frustration on his team, which he later regretted during the evening meeting.
vent + frustration + on + person
Instead of keeping it all inside, Élise called her best friend and vented about her terrible day at the hospital.
vent about + topic
The coach said players could vent after a tough loss, as long as they avoided insults.
Ilan vented angrily at the slow internet connection, even though he knew it was not the technician's fault.
- let off steam
an informal phrasal expression; less direct than 'vent' and suggests a more controlled release
- express
much broader and neutral; 'express' can be positive or negative and does not carry the same force
- air
slightly more formal and implies making a complaint or opinion known publicly
- unload
informal; focuses on getting rid of a burden of emotion
文法句型
vent + anger/frustration/feelings + on + person
vent + about + topic
vent + at + person
用法筆記
The person or thing receiving the anger is introduced by 'on' ('vented his anger on his assistant'), while the topic is introduced by 'about' ('vented about the poor service'). This sense is strongly associated with negative emotions only — it is not used for expressing joy or gratitude.
常見錯誤
2. to let air, smoke, gas, or steam out of a container, room, or pipe, or to create
to let air, smoke, gas, or steam out of a container, room, or pipe, or to create a path that allows such substances to escape, usually for safety or freshness.
The engineer opened a valve to vent the excess steam from the boiler before starting the repair work.
vent + steam from + container
Make sure you vent the kitchen properly when you are frying fish, or the smell will hang around for days.
vent + room + properly
Reuben opened every window in the flat to vent the smoke after the toast caught fire in the kitchen.
The fuel tank must be vented regularly to stop dangerous pressure from building up inside.
文法句型
vent + air/smoke/gas + from + container
be vented + preposition
vent + room/building
用法筆記
Frequently used in technical or safety instructions. The passive form ('be vented') is especially common in manuals and warning labels. Objects are typically substances (steam, gas, smoke) or spaces (kitchen, tank, room).