sweet
/swi:t/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective:
- Having the pleasant taste characteristic of sugar or honey: The primary meaning, describing a taste sensation that is not sour, salty, or bitter.
- Pleasing to the senses, especially smell or hearing: Describing something that is fragrant, melodious, or otherwise pleasant to perceive.
- Kind, pleasant, and likable: Describing a person's character, disposition, or actions as gentle, agreeable, or charming.
- Pleasing and satisfying to the mind or feelings: Describing something that brings pleasure, satisfaction, or gratification.
- Not salt or sour; fresh: Used to describe fresh water (as opposed to saltwater) or fresh, unspoiled food (e.g., milk).
Noun:
- A small piece of sweet food, typically made with sugar or chocolate: A confectionery item like a candy or piece of chocolate.
- A sweet dish forming the last course of a meal; dessert: The final course of a meal, often a pudding, cake, or fruit.
- The quality or taste of sweetness: The abstract property of being sweet.
- (Sweetness) Pleasing and agreeable experiences or things: Often used in the plural ("sweets") to refer to the enjoyable aspects of life.
Usage Examples
Adjective:
- This mango is very sweet. (Describing taste)
- The garden was filled with the sweet scent of roses. (Describing smell)
- She has a very sweet nature and is always helping others. (Describing character)
- Revenge is sweet. (Describing a satisfying feeling)
- We need sweet water for the aquarium, not seawater. (Describing fresh water)
Noun:
- Would you like a sweet? I have some mints. (Referring to a candy)
- For sweet, we have apple pie or ice cream. (Referring to dessert)
- The sweet of the honey contrasted with the tartness of the lemon. (Referring to the taste quality)
- He enjoyed the sweets of success after years of hard work. (Referring to pleasures)
Advanced Usage
- "To be sweet on someone" (idiomatic, somewhat old-fashioned): To be fond of or infatuated with someone.
- I think he's sweet on the new girl in class.
- "To have a sweet tooth" (idiom): To have a great liking for sweet foods.
- I can't resist cake; I have a real sweet tooth.
- "At one's own sweet will" (idiom): According to one's own wishes or pace, without hurry or pressure.
- You can explore the museum at your own sweet will.
Variants and Related Words
- Sweeten (verb): To make something sweet.
- She sweetened her tea with a spoonful of honey.
- Sweetly (adverb): In a sweet manner.
- The child smiled sweetly at her grandmother.
- Sweetness (noun): The quality of being sweet.
- The sweetness of her voice was captivating.
Synonyms
- Adjective (taste): Sugary, honeyed, saccharine.
- Adjective (smell): Fragrant, perfumed, aromatic.
- Adjective (character): Kind, gentle, agreeable, charming.
- Noun (food): Candy, dessert, pudding.
Antonyms
- Adjective (taste): Sour, bitter, savory.
- Adjective (character): Mean, unpleasant, disagreeable.
- Noun (concept): Bitterness.
Related Idioms
- "Home sweet home": A phrase expressing pleasure and comfort upon returning to one's own home.
- After a long trip, it's good to be back in home sweet home.
- "Sweet nothings": Loving words whispered between romantic partners, often trivial but affectionate.
- They were whispering sweet nothings to each other.
- "The sweet smell of success": The satisfying feeling of having achieved something.
- Winning the award, he finally experienced the sweet smell of success.
Adjective
- with sweetening added
- not soured or preserved
- sweet milk
- not containing or composed of salt water
- fresh water
- (used of wines) having a high residual sugar content
- sweet dessert wines
- having a natural fragrance
- odoriferous spices
- the odorous air of the orchard
- the perfumed air of June
- scented flowers
- pleasing to the mind or feeling
- sweet revenge
- pleasing to the senses
- the sweet song of the lark
- the sweet face of a child
- pleasing to the ear
- the dulcet tones of the cello
- having a sweet nature befitting an angel or cherub
- an angelic smile
- a cherubic face
- looking so seraphic when he slept
- a sweet disposition
- having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
Noun
- the property of tasting as if it contains sugar
- the taste experience when sugar dissolves in the mouth
- a food rich in sugar
- a dish served as the last course of a meal
- English phonetician; one of the founders of modern phonetics (1845-1912)
Adverb
- in an affectionate or loving manner (`sweet' is sometimes a poetic or informal variant of `sweetly')
- Susan Hayward plays the wife sharply and sweetly
- how sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank- Shakespeare
- talking sweet to each other