waft
/wɑ:ft/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb:
- To move gently and lightly through the air or over a surface, often carried by a current of air or water.
- To cause something to move in this gentle, floating manner.
Noun:
- A gentle movement or flow of air, scent, or sound.
- A light, carrying movement or the act of wafting.
Usage
- Verb (Intransitive): Describes the movement itself.
- The scent of roses wafted from the garden.
- Smoke wafted up from the chimney.
- Verb (Transitive): Describes causing something to move gently.
- The breeze wafted the curtains into the room.
- She wafted the fan to cool her face.
Examples
- Verb:
- A delicious smell of baking bread wafted through the house.
- The sound of distant music wafted on the evening air.
- He wafted the document under her nose so she could smell the old paper.
- Noun:
- A waft of perfume lingered in the hallway.
- A cool waft from the air conditioner provided relief.
Advanced Usage
- "Waft over/across/through": Often used with prepositions to indicate the path of movement.
- The melody wafted over the lake.
- A feeling of calm wafted through the audience.
- Used figuratively to describe the gentle spread of intangible things like feelings or ideas.
- A sense of nostalgia wafted from the old photographs.
Variants and Related Words
- Waftage (n, rare): The act of wafting or the state of being wafted.
- Wafter (n, historical): A person who conveys signals, especially with a flag.
Synonyms
- Verb: Drift, float, glide, breeze, carry.
- Noun: Whiff, puff, breath, gust (gentle), drift.
Phrasal Verbs
- Waft away: To be carried off gently by air or water.
- The dandelion seeds wafted away on the wind.
Related Idioms
- To catch a waft of something: To briefly perceive a scent or sound.
- As I passed the bakery, I caught a waft of fresh cinnamon rolls.
Noun
- a long flag; often tapering
Verb
- blow gently
- A breeze wafted through the door
- be driven or carried along, as by the air
- Sounds wafted into the room