Reading Theme:
Winter Meaning: Cold Season & Verb Usage (2 meaning)
Meaning 1：cold season (winter)
winter
/ˈwɪntər/
n., v.
The coldest season of the year, after autumn and before spring, often with snow and short days.
cold season
➕
/koʊld ˈsiːzən/
n., v.
Winter is the coldest season of the year, occurring between autumn and spring. It is characterized by shorter days, lower temperatures, and often snow in many regions.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
From Proto-Germanic 'wintruz' meaning 'wet season', from root 'wed-' (water).
💡 Mnemonic
Winter = Wind + Inner + Cold: the wind inside brings cold. Or 'win the cold with a fur coat.'
📖 Example
Children love building snowmen and having snowball fights during the winter.
Children love building snowmen and having snowball fights during the winter.
🔗 Collocations
harsh winter – a very cold and severe winter
winter solstice – the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere
winter sports – sports played on snow or ice
🔄 Synonyms
wintertime (n.) – the period of winter
wintry weather (n.) – cold weather typical of winter
cold season (n.) – the season of winter
🚫 Antonyms
summer (n.) – the warmest season of the year
🌱 Derivatives
📖 Cultural Story
Winter derives from Proto-Germanic 'wintruz' meaning 'wet season', related to rain and snow. In Old English, 'winter' has been used for the coldest season since ancient times.
Meaning 2：spend the winter (winter)
winter
/ˈwɪntər/
n., v.
To spend or pass the winter, often used for animals or people staying in a place during the cold season.
spend the winter
➕
/spend ðə ˈwɪntər/
n., v.
To winter means to stay in a particular place during the winter season, often used for migratory animals or people seeking warmer climates.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
Some birds winter in warmer southern countries to escape the freezing cold up north.
Some birds winter in warmer southern countries to escape the freezing cold up north.
🔗 Collocations
winter in – to spend the winter in a specific place
winter over – to survive or stay through the winter
winter somewhere – to spend winter in a location
🔄 Synonyms
overwinter (v.) – to survive or pass the winter
hibernate (v.) – to spend the winter in a dormant state (used mainly for animals)
migrate (v.) – to move to a warmer place for the winter
🌱 Derivatives
wintered (adj.) – having spent the winter in a particular place
wintering (adj./n.) – the act of spending the winter
overwinter (v.) – to survive or pass the winter
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