mossy
/'mɔsi/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Covered with or abounding in moss: Describes something that has a growth of moss, a small, soft, green plant that forms dense clumps or mats in damp or shady locations.
- Resembling moss: Having the appearance, texture, or color of moss.
- (Informal, often pejorative) Old-fashioned, antiquated: Used to describe ideas, customs, or things that are considered outdated or no longer in style.
Usage and Examples
- Describing a surface covered in moss:
- The old stone wall in the garden was mossy and damp.
- We walked carefully on the mossy rocks near the stream.
- Describing a moss-like appearance:
- The fabric had a soft, mossy texture.
- She painted the room a quiet, mossy green.
- Describing something as outdated:
- His views on management were considered rather mossy by the younger staff.
- The textbook's information on technology is completely mossy.
Advanced Usage
- "mossy-backed": An informal and figurative term suggesting someone is very old-fashioned or conservative, as if covered in the moss of age.
- He was a mossy-backed traditionalist who resisted all change.
- Used in botanical or ecological descriptions to characterize habitats.
- The north side of the tree was mossy, providing a microhabitat for insects.
Variants and Related Words
- Moss (n): The small, non-vascular plant itself.
- Patches of moss grew between the paving stones.
- Moss-grown (adj): Synonymous with 'mossy', meaning overgrown with moss. Often used figuratively for something antiquated.
- They cleared the moss-grown path.
- Mossiness (n): The state or quality of being mossy.
- The mossiness of the forest floor made it feel ancient.
Synonyms
- For "covered with moss": overgrown, moss-covered, moss-grown.
- For "resembling moss": velvety, soft, green.
- For "old-fashioned": antiquated, outdated, passé, archaic, fusty.
Antonyms
- For "covered with moss": bare, clean, dry.
- For "old-fashioned": modern, current, up-to-date, trendy.
Idioms and Figurative Use
- While not a common idiom itself, "mossy" is used figuratively to imply something is untouched by time or progress, often with a negative connotation of being stagnant.
- The company's mossy policies were hindering innovation.
- The proverb "A rolling stone gathers no moss" is related, where "moss" metaphorically represents stability, routine, or sometimes burdens. A "mossy" stone in this context would be one that is settled and has accumulated responsibilities or traditions.
Adjective
- (used pejoratively) out of fashion; old fashioned
- moss-grown ideas about family life
- overgrown with moss