drab
drab — 形容詞
- drabpositive
- drabbercomparative
- drabbestsuperlative
1. dull and uninteresting to look at, especially because of a lack of bright colour
單調；乏味
缺乏色彩或趣味而顯得無聊
dull and uninteresting to look at, especially because of a lack of bright colours or any variety in appearance
The hotel room was painted a drab grey, with no pictures on the walls.
旅館房間漆成了單調的灰色，牆上沒有掛任何畫。
drab + colour name (grey) as modifier
After years of wearing drab uniforms, the nurses asked the manager for brighter clothes.
穿了多年的單調制服後，護理師們向主管要求換穿色彩明亮些的衣服。
drab + noun (uniforms) — common collocation
The drab office building looked out of place among the colourful shops.
那棟單調的辦公大樓在色彩繽紛的商店之間顯得格格不入。
Mayumi found the drab waiting room depressing and wanted to leave.
Mayumi 覺得那間單調的候診室很沉悶，想要離開。
Shanti replaced her drab curtains with bright yellow ones from the market.
Shanti 把家裡單調的窗簾換成了從市場買來的鮮黃色窗簾。
文法句型
drab + noun (attributive)
be + drab (predicative)
用法筆記
Frequently used with nouns for rooms, buildings, clothes, and colours. Can be used both before a noun (attributive) and after a linking verb (predicative).
常見錯誤
2. describing a dull brownish shade with a hint of olive green, similar to parched
灰褐的
淺橄欖褐色或暗棕色的
describing a dull brownish shade with a hint of olive green, similar to parched earth or old undyed fabric
Valentina wore a drab green coat that blended into the winter landscape.
Valentina 穿了一件灰綠色的大衣，與冬天的景色融為一體。
drab + colour (green) — attributive modifier
The soldiers' drab uniforms helped them stay hidden among the dry bushes.
士兵的灰褐色制服幫助他們隱藏在乾燥的灌木叢中。
drab uniform — military context
Justin painted the old fence a drab brown that matched the garden earth.
Justin 把舊籬笆漆成了與花園泥土顏色相配的暗褐色。
The old photograph had turned a drab yellow after many years in the sun.
那張老照片在陽光下放了許多年後，已褪成了暗黃色。
- dull brown
more descriptive and less specific; not a standard colour name
- greyish-brown
focuses on the grey tone within the colour
- bright
vivid and full of colour
文法句型
drab + colour noun
用法筆記
Describes colours, especially in nature, military settings, or ageing objects. Typically used before a colour name (e.g. 'drab green', 'drab brown').
drab — 名詞
1. a dull brownish shade with a touch of olive green, similar to the colour of undy
灰褐色
淺橄欖褐色
a dull brownish shade with a touch of olive green, similar to the colour of undyed woollen fabric
The artist mixed yellow and brown to create a soft drab for the hillside.
藝術家將黃色與棕色混合，調出一種柔和的灰褐色來畫山坡。
drab as a colour name in art context
Drab was a popular colour for military coats in the early nineteen hundreds.
灰褐色在二十世紀初期是軍用大衣的流行色。
The living room walls were painted in various shades of drab and beige.
客廳的牆壁漆成了深淺不一的灰褐色和米色。
Gabriela chose a scarf in a warm drab that matched her winter coat.
Gabriela 挑選了一條暖灰褐色的圍巾，與她的冬天大衣很相配。
- olive brown
slightly greener in tone than drab
- khaki
a lighter, more yellowish-tan shade; strongly associated with military uniforms
文法句型
shade / tone of drab
2. a faded and cheerless quality in the look of a place or object, making it seem b
沉悶
缺乏活力或色彩的狀態
a faded and cheerless quality in the look of a place or object, making it seem boring and empty of life
The drab of the empty streets made the whole town feel abandoned.
空蕩蕩的街道所散發的死氣沉沉，讓整座城鎮感覺像被遺棄了一樣。
the drab of + noun phrase
There was a certain drab about the old factory that no one could fix.
那座老工廠有種說不上來的沉悶氛圍，沒有人能夠改變。
a certain drab about + noun — existential pattern
Sivan tried to brighten the drab of her apartment with fresh flowers.
Sivan 試著用鮮花來為公寓的沉悶增添一些生氣。
The drab of the hospital corridors made the patients feel even worse.
醫院走廊的沉悶氣氛讓病人感覺更糟了。
- dullness
more general; can describe colour, sound, or mental experience
- lifelessness
emphasises a complete absence of energy or spirit
- bleakness
adds a sense of hopelessness or cold emptiness
- vibrancy
the quality of being full of life and bright colour
文法句型
the drab of + noun phrase
用法筆記
Often used with the definite article ('the drab of...') followed by a noun phrase describing a place or situation. This sense is less common and more literary.