husk
/hʌsk/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- The dry outer covering of some fruits, seeds, or grains: A husk is the dry, often papery or tough, layer that protects the seed or fruit inside. It is typically removed before eating or processing.
- Any worthless outer shell or covering: By extension, a husk can refer to any empty or worthless outer form that remains after the valuable inner part is gone.
Verb:
- To remove the husk from something: The action of stripping off the dry outer covering from seeds, grains, or similar items.
Examples
Noun:
- The farmer separated the corn kernels from their husks.
- After the fire, only the blackened husk of the building remained.
Verb:
- We need to husk this corn before we can boil it.
- She spent the afternoon husking peanuts.
Advanced Usage
- "Husk of one's former self": A metaphorical phrase describing a person or thing that has been reduced to a mere shell of its former state, having lost its vitality, strength, or substance.
- After his long illness, he was just a husk of his former self.
Variants and Related Words
- Husky (adj): This adjective can describe something that is like a husk—dry, rough, or hoarse (like a voice). It is also a breed of dog, but this is a distinct meaning.
- He spoke in a husky whisper.
Synonyms
- Noun: Hull, shell, chaff, pod, shuck.
- Verb: Shell, hull, shuck, peel.
Related Phrasal Verbs
(Note: "Husk" is not commonly used in phrasal verb constructions. The action is typically expressed simply as "to husk.")
Related Idioms
- "More chaff than wheat" / "Separate the wheat from the chaff": These idioms are related to the concept of a husk (chaff). They mean to distinguish valuable things (wheat) from worthless ones (chaff/husk).
- The audition process is about separating the wheat from the chaff.
Noun
- outer membranous covering of some fruits or seeds
- material consisting of seed coverings and small pieces of stem or leaves that have been separated from the seeds
Verb
- remove the husks from
- husk corn