mote
/mout/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A very small particle; a speck: A tiny piece of matter, such as a speck of dust, that is often visible only in a beam of light. 2. (Figurative) A minor flaw or fault: Used to denote something insignificant or trivial, often in contrast to a larger issue.
Usage and Examples
- Literal meaning (a tiny particle):
- A mote of dust danced in the sunbeam.
- The old book was covered in motes.
- Figurative meaning (a minor fault):
- He was quick to criticize a mote in his brother's character while ignoring his own flaws.
- She worried about every little mote of imperfection in her work.
Advanced Usage
- "mote in someone's eye": A biblical allusion (Matthew 7:3-5) used to criticize someone for noticing a trivial fault in another person while ignoring a more serious fault in themselves.
- He's always pointing out small errors in the report; it's a classic case of the mote in his brother's eye.
Variants and Related Words
- Speck (n): A tiny spot or particle.
- Particle (n): A minute portion of matter.
- Atom (n): (In non-technical use) An extremely small amount of something.
- Mote is an archaic or literary term; in modern everyday language, "speck" or "bit" is more common.
Synonyms
- Speck
- Particle
- Grain
- Iota
- Whit
- Jot
Idioms and Phrases
- The mote in one's eye: The fault one fails to see in oneself while criticizing others.
- Before you judge her tardiness, consider the mote in your own eye regarding missed deadlines.
Noun
- (nontechnical usage) a tiny piece of anything