Word · CEFR C1 · Frequency #8765
snail
蜗牛
a small gastropod mollusk with a spiral shell, living in water or on land; also used figuratively for a slow person
也可指行动迟缓或脑筋迟钝的人
- 1.
Any of very many animals (either hermaphroditic or nonhermaphroditic), of the class Gastropoda, having a coiled shell.
属于腹足纲的动物,具有螺旋壳
- 2.
freshwater or marine or terrestrial gastropod mollusk usually having an external enclosing spiral shell
淡水、海洋或陆生的腹足纲软体动物,通常具有外部螺旋形外壳
- 3.
A spiral cam, or a flat piece of metal of spirally curved outline, used for giving motion to, or changing the position of, another part, as the hammer tail of a striking clock.
螺旋凸轮或螺旋曲线金属片,用于传递运动或改变另一部分的位置,如打击钟的锤尾
- 4.
edible terrestrial snail usually served in the shell with a sauce of melted butter and garlic
可食用的陆生蜗牛,通常连壳配以融化的黄油和大蒜酱食用
- 5.
The pod of the snail clover.
蜗牛苜蓿的豆荚
- 6.
A locomotive with a prime mover but no traction motors, used to provide extra electrical power to another locomotive.
没有牵引电动机的机车,用于为另一机车提供额外电力
属于腹足纲的动物,具有螺旋壳；淡水、海洋或陆生的腹足纲软体动物,通常具有外部螺旋形外壳；螺旋凸轮或螺旋曲线金属片,用于传递运动或改变另一部分的位置,如打击钟的锤尾；可食用的陆生蜗牛,通常连壳配以融化的黄油和大蒜酱食用；蜗牛苜蓿的豆荚
In use
After the rain, a snail slowly crawled across the pavement.
He walks as slowly as a snail, especially when he's tired.
The construction work is progressing at a snail's pace due to bad weather.
as + adjective + as a snail
用于形容人或过程非常缓慢。
He is as slow as a snail.
他慢得像蜗牛。
at a snail's pace
常用于描述进展或移动速度极慢。
The project is moving at a snail's pace.
项目进展缓慢如蜗牛。
snail along
不及物动词短语，表示缓慢移动。
Traffic is snailing along the highway.
Connections
Collocations
- snail mail
- 普通邮件（相对于电子邮件）
- I still prefer snail mail for personal letters.我仍然喜欢用普通邮件写私人信件。
- snail's pace
- 蜗牛般的速度，极其缓慢
- The project is moving at a snail's pace.这个项目进展极其缓慢。
- snail shell
- 蜗牛壳
- The child picked up an empty snail shell on the beach.那个孩子在沙滩上捡起一个空蜗牛壳。
- snail trail
- 蜗牛爬过留下的黏液痕迹
- A shiny snail trail led across the pavement.一条闪亮的蜗牛黏液痕迹穿过人行道。
- snail-like
- 像蜗牛的，缓慢的
- The traffic was snail-like during rush hour.高峰时段交通像蜗牛一样缓慢。
Idioms & figurative uses
Learner notes
Memory Tip
蜗牛慢得像“死赖”着不动，记住snail发音像“死赖”。
Context & Register
语域：mixed 常见场景：zoology、metaphor for slowness、slow movement、idiom: snail mail 该词既可用作名词（蜗牛、行动迟缓的人），也可用作动词（缓慢移动），具体词性取决于语境。通常用于描述速度慢或动物，如'Snail mail'是常见固定搭配。
Grammar Note
及物用法较少见，常见为不及物动词表示缓慢移动。
Pronunciation & Spelling
All listed words share the '-ail' spelling and rhyme with /sneɪl/.
Usage priority
Collins 词频等级为 1，建议结合例句记忆，而不是只背中文释义。
Learn the forms together
页面下方列出了常见词形变化。学习时注意它们在句子中的语法位置。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, OCTANOVE, WIKTIONARY.