gumdrop
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: A small, soft, chewy candy made from a sweetened gelatin or pectin base, typically fruit-flavored and coated with coarse granulated sugar crystals.
Usage
The word "gumdrop" is a countable noun. It refers to a specific type of confectionery. It is commonly used in the singular form when referring to one piece and in the plural form ("gumdrops") when referring to multiple pieces or a bag/box of them.
Examples
- She placed a single red gumdrop on top of the gingerbread house as decoration.
- The recipe calls for a cup of assorted gumdrops to be chopped and added to the cookie dough.
- His favorite candy from the old-fashioned sweetshop was the licorice-flavored gumdrop.
Advanced Usage
- As a modifier: "Gumdrop" can be used attributively to describe other nouns related to this candy.
- The gumdrop buttons on the cake looked adorable.
- Figurative use (rare): Sometimes used poetically or descriptively to refer to something small, colorful, and sweet-looking.
- From the plane, the lights of the town looked like scattered gumdrops.
Variants and Related Words
- Gumdrop tree (n): A colloquial name for certain trees, like the black tupelo (), whose small, dark blue fruits are reminiscent of the candy. This is a separate compound noun.
- Jelly candy (n): A broader category of confections that includes gumdrops, jellies, and similar sweets.
Synonyms
- Jelly candy
- Jelly sweet (UK)
- Jube (Australian)
Antonyms
- There is no direct antonym, as it is a specific object. Contrasting terms might include savory snack or bitter herb.
Related Phrases and Idioms
- Goody two-shoes / Goody-goody (derogatory): While not containing the word "gumdrop," this idiom describes a person who is smugly or obnoxiously virtuous. In a highly specific and dated caricature, such a person might be associated with overly sweet, innocent things like gumdrops, but this is not a standard idiom.
- Sweet as a gumdrop: A similesometimes used for emphasis, meaning very sweet (either in taste or disposition).
- The little girl was as sweet as a gumdrop.
Noun
- a jellied candy coated with sugar crystals