Phrase
st. elmo's fire
noun
圣艾尔摩之火
St. Elmo's fire
- 1.
An electrical discharge, or corona, seen around pointed objects, caused by ionization of the atmosphere during storms.
在尖物周围出现的电晕放电,由风暴期间大气电离引起
在尖物周围出现的电晕放电,由风暴期间大气电离引起
In use
During the storm, the sailors saw St. Elmo's fire glowing at the top of the mast.
Pilots sometimes see St. Elmo's fire on the cockpit windshield during a thunderstorm.
The old fisherman said he had once watched St. Elmo's fire flicker along the ship's rigging.
St. Elmo's fire + verb (phenomenon-related)
动词常为appear, occur, form等。
St. Elmo's fire appears on the mast during thunderstorms.
圣艾尔摩之火在雷暴期间出现在桅杆上。
observe / see + St. Elmo's fire
observe更正式，see更口语化。
Sailors often see St. Elmo's fire at sea.
水手们常在海上看到圣艾尔摩之火。
St. Elmo's fire + be + noun phrase (definition)
St. Elmo's fire is an electrical weather phenomenon.
圣艾尔摩之火是一种电气天气现象。
Common mistakes
Look, a St. Elmo's fire!Look, St. Elmo's fire!
圣艾尔摩之火是不可数现象，不能使用不定冠词 a。
The St. Elmo's fire is glowing.St. Elmo's fire is glowing.
圣艾尔摩之火通常被视为专有现象名词，一般不用定冠词 the。
Connections
Confusing words
- ball lightning
- 球状闪电 · St. Elmo's fire 是一种持续的电晕放电，通常附着在尖锐物体上；而 ball lightning 是漂浮移动的发光球体，两者形态和成因不同。
- corona discharge
- 电晕放电 · St. Elmo's fire 特指雷暴中在尖锐物体上出现的可见电晕放电，而 corona discharge 是更广泛的电晕现象，可发生在任何高压尖端，不限于雷暴。
Word family
- St. Elmo's fires
- plural
Learner notes
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, WIKTIONARY.