glacial
glacial — 形容詞
1. formed by the movement and melting of a glacier — a large, slow-moving mass of i
冰川的
由冰川作用形成的
formed by the movement and melting of a glacier — a large, slow-moving mass of ice that reshapes the land beneath it
The valley was carved by glacial activity thousands of years ago.
這座峽谷是數千年前的冰川活動所切割出來的。
collocation: glacial activity
Arjun photographed the sharp glacial rocks near the edge of the melting ice.
Arjun 拍下了融化冰緣附近尖銳的冰川岩石。
attributive: glacial rocks
Scientists study glacial deposits to understand how past climates changed.
科學家研究冰川沉積物以了解過去氣候的變化。
Quinn traced the route of an ancient glacial river on the map.
Quinn 在地圖上標出了一條古老冰川河的河道。
- glacier-formed
literal equivalent, but less natural in English
- glacial-erosional
technical term used in geography for landforms shaped by glacial erosion
文法句型
glacial + noun
用法筆記
This sense is almost always used before a noun. It appears mainly in geography, geology, and climate science contexts.
常見錯誤
2. so cold that the air, water, or ground feels as if it could freeze you; extremel
冰冷的
極度寒冷的
so cold that the air, water, or ground feels as if it could freeze you; extremely cold, like ice
A glacial wind swept across the plain, forcing the team into their tents.
一陣冰冷的寒風颳過平原，迫使團隊躲進帳篷裡。
collocation: glacial wind
The mountain stream was so glacial that Manuela could not swim for long.
山間溪流冰冷刺骨，Manuela 無法游太久。
intensifier pattern: so glacial that…
Luca wrapped himself in three layers against the glacial morning air.
Luca 穿了三層衣服來抵禦清晨冰冷的空氣。
Jin's fingers went numb in the glacial water of the lake.
Jin 的手指在冰冷的湖水裡凍得發麻。
文法句型
glacial + noun
be + glacial
用法筆記
Stronger than cold or chilly. Often used in descriptive or literary writing about weather, wind, and water.
常見錯誤
3. showing a complete lack of warmth or emotion in your behaviour, expression, or v
冷峻的
態度冷淡不友善的
showing a complete lack of warmth or emotion in your behaviour, expression, or voice, making others feel unwelcome or kept at a distance
Zola gave Xiu a glacial stare and walked past without a word.
Zola 冷冷地瞪了 Xiu 一眼，一句話也沒說就走了。
collocation: glacial stare
The manager's glacial tone during the meeting made everyone uncomfortable.
會議中經理冷峻的語氣令所有人感到不自在。
collocation: glacial tone
Walid received a glacial reception from the committee when he arrived late.
Walid 遲到時，委員會給了他極為冷淡的接待。
Roya met their apology with a glacial silence that lasted all week.
Roya 以長達一整個禮拜的冷淡沉默回應他們的道歉。
文法句型
glacial + noun
be + glacial
用法筆記
Stronger than unfriendly — it suggests a deliberate, ice-cold distance rather than mere rudeness. Often used with stare, tone, silence, glare, or reception.
常見錯誤
4. happening or moving so slowly that it seems almost to have stopped, often in a w
極慢的
進展極其緩慢且令人失望的
happening or moving so slowly that it seems almost to have stopped, often in a way that is disappointing or frustrating
The construction work moved at a glacial pace because of the constant rain.
因為連日下雨，工程以極慢的速度推進。
collocation: glacial pace
Christopher watched the traffic creep forward at a glacial speed.
Christopher 看著車流以極緩慢的速度向前移動。
collocation: glacial speed
The government response to the housing crisis was glacial, frustrating local leaders.
政府對住房危機的回應極為緩慢，令地方領袖感到沮喪。
Élise found the bureaucratic process glacial and deeply frustrating.
Élise 認為這個官僚流程極其緩慢，令人深感挫折。
文法句型
glacial + noun
be + glacial
用法筆記
Typically used to criticise speed — the slowness is presented as unreasonable or disappointing. Common with progress, pace, speed, and response. Does NOT mean 'at a steady pace'; it means 'unacceptably slow.'
5. belonging to the geological periods when large ice sheets covered vast areas of
冰期的
屬於地球冰河時期的
belonging to the geological periods when large ice sheets covered vast areas of the Earth's surface, most recently during the Pleistocene epoch
Many large mammals died out at the end of the last glacial period.
許多大型哺乳動物在上一個冰期結束時滅絕了。
collocation: glacial period
Pim studied the glacial terrain shaped by ice sheets thousands of years ago.
Pim 研究了數千年前冰層塑造出的冰期地形。
attributive: glacial terrain
These glacial sediments contain fossils of woolly mammoths and other extinct animals.
這些冰期沉積物中含有長毛象及其他已滅絕動物的化石。
Lakshmi's lecture explained how glacial cycles affect sea levels.
Lakshmi 的講座解釋了冰期循環如何影響海平面。
- ice-age
less technical; used in general writing
- Pleistocene
the exact geological epoch of the most recent glacial period; more technical
- interglacial
the warmer period between glacial periods, such as the current Holocene
文法句型
glacial + noun
用法筆記
Almost always attributive. Commonly appears in the fixed phrase the last glacial period (also called the last Ice Age). Geologists may refer to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) as the peak of the most recent glacial period.
glacial — 名詞
1. a cold interval in Earth's climate history when ice sheets expanded far beyond t
冰期
地球史上大規模冰層覆蓋的時期
a cold interval in Earth's climate history when ice sheets expanded far beyond their modern limits, covering large parts of the land — this noun is the shortened form of glacial period
Scientists believe we are living in a warm interval between two glacials.
科學家認為我們正生活在兩個冰期之間的一段溫暖時期。
countable noun: between two glacials
The last glacial ended roughly eleven thousand years ago, reshaping the continents.
上一個冰期大約在一萬一千年前結束，重塑了各大洲的面貌。
definite article: the last glacial
Adina's research focuses on how plant life recovered after each glacial.
Adina 的研究重點是植物在每次冰期之後如何恢復生長。
Each glacial covered areas that are now farmland and cities.
每一次冰期都覆蓋了如今是農田和城市的區域。
- ice age
more common term for a cold geological period; less technical
- glacial period
the full form of the noun; more common in academic writing
- interglacial
a warm period between glacials, such as the Holocene
文法句型
the + glacial
用法筆記
This noun is a shortened form of glacial period. It is almost always preceded by the (the glacial) or a determiner (each glacial, this glacial). Used mainly in academic geology and climate science writing.