breed

breed — 動詞

1. when animals breed, a male and female join and later have babies.

1.動詞不及物
釋義

交配繁殖

動物交配後生下幼崽

when animals breed, a male and female join and later have babies.

例句

Wild rabbits breed quickly when spring weather stays warm and dry.

野兔在春天天氣持續溫暖乾燥時會迅速交配繁殖。

animals breed + adverb

On the island, sea turtles breed near the beach each summer.

在那座島上,海龜每年夏天都會在海灘附近交配繁殖。

breed near + place

同義詞
  • mate

    focuses on the act of joining with a partner, not the later birth

  • reproduce

    broader and more scientific; not limited to animals

文法句型

[animal] + breeds

breed in/near + place

breed during + season

用法筆記

Used mainly for animals in ordinary English. Distinguish from sense 2, which is broader and can also describe plants, insects, or bacteria in biology contexts.

常見錯誤

Rabbits breeded twice a year.
Rabbits bred twice a year.
💡The past tense is irregular: 'bred', not 'breeded'.

2. when plants, insects, or other living things breed, they produce more of the sam

2.動詞不及物
釋義

繁衍

生物產生後代並增加數量

when plants, insects, or other living things breed, they produce more of the same kind.

例句

Bacteria breed fast in warm milk left on the table.

放在桌上的溫牛奶裡,細菌會繁衍得很快。

subject can be bacteria

These pond plants breed only after spring floods fill the ditches.

這些池塘植物只有在春季洪水灌滿溝渠後才會繁衍。

subject can be plants

同義詞
  • reproduce

    the closest general equivalent; more formal and scientific

  • multiply

    emphasises increasing numbers rather than the biological process

  • propagate

    formal; especially common for plants or cells in technical writing

文法句型

[organism] + breeds

breed in + conditions

breed after + event

用法筆記

Common in biology or science writing. Distinguish from sense 1 by its wider range of subjects: it can describe plants or very small living things, not only mating animals.

常見錯誤

Bacteria are bred fast in warm milk.
Bacteria breed fast in warm milk.
💡Use the active verb when the organisms reproduce by themselves.

3. to raise animals or plants so they have young with qualities you want.

3.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

培育

為特定目的繁殖動植物

to raise animals or plants so they have young with qualities you want.

例句

Leila breeds sheep for wool on a farm near Inverness.

Leila 在因弗內斯附近的農場培育綿羊來取得羊毛。

breed + object + for purpose

These roses were bred from two hardy plants at the Kyoto nursery.

這些玫瑰是由京都苗圃的兩種強健植株培育而成。

passive: be bred from

同義詞
  • raise

    broader; focuses on keeping and caring for animals, not necessarily controlled reproduction

  • rear

    close in meaning but slightly more formal, especially for young animals

  • grow

    the usual word for plants when reproduction is not the main point

  • crossbreed

    more specific; combines two different lines or varieties

文法句型

breed animals/plants

breed something for + purpose

be bred from + parent stock

用法筆記

Often takes a direct object naming the animal or plant. Add 'for' to show the goal and 'from' to name the parent stock used to produce the new line.

常見錯誤

They breeded dogs for racing.
They bred dogs for racing.
💡The past tense is 'bred'.
They breed sheep to wool.
They breed sheep for wool.
💡Purpose after this sense is usually introduced by 'for'.

4. to gradually create a feeling or condition, often an unwanted one.

4.動詞及物C2
釋義

滋生;助長

逐漸造成某種情緒或局面

to gradually create a feeling or condition, often an unwanted one.

例句

Long waits at the clinic breed anger among tired patients.

診所裡漫長的等待會在疲憊的病人之間滋生怒氣。

breed + negative feeling

Private budget talks can breed distrust among nurses on the night shift.

私下談預算可能會在大夜班護理師之間滋生不信任感。

breed distrust among + group

同義詞
  • cause

    the broadest equivalent; less gradual and less vivid than 'breed'

  • create

    neutral and common; can be positive or negative

  • foster

    often used for encouraging growth, sometimes positive

  • spark

    suggests a sudden start rather than slow development

反義詞
  • reduce

    to make a feeling or problem smaller

  • prevent

    to stop something from starting

文法句型

breed + feeling

breed + situation

用法筆記

Object is usually an abstract noun such as fear, distrust, resentment, or confidence. This sense is more common in writing than in casual spoken English.

常見錯誤

The speech bred people angry.
The speech bred anger among people.
💡This sense takes a noun like 'anger' or 'fear', not an adjective.

breed — 名詞