Reading Theme:
Bias Definition: Prejudice and Diagonal Cut Uses (2 meaning)
Meaning 1：prejudice (bias)
bias
/ˈbaɪəs/
n.
A personal preference for or against something, which affects your judgment and makes it unfair.
prejudice
➕
/ˈprɛdʒʊdɪs/
n.
A tendency to favor or oppose something unfairly, affecting objective judgment.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
From Old French 'biais' (oblique), possibly from Latin 'bifariam' (in two ways).
💡 Mnemonic
Think of a biased scale: one side is heavier with personal feelings, tilting the balance of fairness.
📖 Example
We need to be aware of our own bias when reading news from different sources.
We need to be aware of our own bias when reading news from different sources.
🔗 Collocations
confirmation bias – Tendency to search for or interpret information that confirms one's existing beliefs.
implicit bias – Unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that affect understanding and decisions.
media bias – Perceived or actual partiality in news reporting across different outlets.
🔄 Synonyms
prejudice (n.) – Preconceived opinion not based on reason or actual experience.
partiality (n.) – Unfair bias in favor of one side or party.
favoritism (n.) – Practice of unfairly treating someone better than others.
🚫 Antonyms
impartiality (n.) – Equal treatment of all parties without favor or prejudice.
fairness (n.) – Quality of being just and without bias.
objectivity (n.) – Judgment based on observable phenomena and facts, uninfluenced by personal feelings.
🌱 Derivatives
📖 Cultural Story
Originally a sewing term for diagonal cut (bias cut), the word 'bias' evolved in the 16th century to mean a leaning or inclination, and later took on the psychological sense of unfair prejudice.
Meaning 2：diagonal cut (bias)
bias
/ˈbaɪəs/
n.
A direction or diagonal line across the threads of a piece of cloth, which gives it stretch and a better drape.
diagonal cut
➕
/daɪˈæɡənəl kʌt/
n.
A cut of fabric at a 45-degree angle to the grain, giving it stretch and a soft drape.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
For her new dress, she chose a fabric cut on the bias because it drapes more elegantly.
For her new dress, she chose a fabric cut on the bias because it drapes more elegantly.
🔗 Collocations
bias cut – A method of cutting fabric diagonally to achieve a flowing silhouette.
bias tape – A strip of fabric cut on the bias used for binding edges or making piping.
bias seam – A seam that follows the diagonal grain of the fabric, offering flexibility.
🔄 Synonyms
diagonal (n./adj.) – A line or direction that runs at a slant.
slant (n.) – An oblique or sloping direction.
cross-grain (n.) – The direction of fabric at a 45-degree angle to the warp and weft.
🚫 Antonyms
straight grain (n.) – The direction of threads parallel to the warp in woven fabric.
lengthwise grain (n.) – The grain running parallel to the selvage.
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