crevice
/'krevis/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A long narrow opening or fissure, especially in a rock or wall: A crevice is a narrow crack, gap, or split in a hard surface, often formed by natural processes like erosion or stress.
- A long narrow depression or groove in a surface: This meaning refers to a shallow, elongated indentation or furrow.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- A small plant was growing in the crevice of the ancient stone wall.
- The hiker carefully avoided placing his foot in the deep crevice in the cliff face.
- Over centuries, water widened the crevice in the canyon floor.
Advanced Usage
- "To fill/plug a crevice": To seal or close a narrow opening.
- They used special sealant to fill the crevice and prevent water leakage.
- "A crevice in time/thought" (figurative): A rare, poetic usage suggesting a narrow gap or opening in an abstract concept.
- The memory came to her in a sudden crevice in her busy day.
Variants and Related Words
- Creviced (adj): Having crevices; marked by cracks or fissures.
- The creviced landscape was difficult to traverse.
- Crevicular (adj): Pertaining to or resembling a crevice (often used in biological/medical contexts, e.g., crevicular fluid in dentistry).
Synonyms
- Fissure: A long, narrow opening or crack, often deeper than a crevice.
- Crack: A line on the surface of something where it has split but not broken apart.
- Cleft: A split or division, especially one caused by splitting.
- Chink: A narrow opening, typically one that admits light.
- Cranny: A small, narrow space or opening.
Related Phrases
- "Every nook and cranny": This common idiom meaning "everywhere" or "every small space" is semantically related, with "cranny" being a close synonym of crevice.
- She searched every nook and cranny for her lost keys.
Notes on Meaning
- Primary vs. Secondary Meaning: The primary meaning is a narrow opening in a hard surface (e.g., rock, wall). The secondary meaning of a "depression" is less common and often overlaps with words like "furrow" or "groove."
- Scale: A crevice is typically larger than a hairline crack but smaller than a chasm or gorge. It implies a space that is long and narrow, often with some depth.
Noun
- a long narrow opening
- a long narrow depression in a surface