ex‧am‧ple S1 W1 / ɪɡzɑmp ə l $ ɪɡzæm- / 名词 [可数名词]
1 a specific fact, idea, person, or thing that is used to explain or support a general idea, or to show what is typical of a larger group
example of
Can anyone give me an example of a transitive 动词 ?
2 for example used before mentioning a specific thing, person, place etc in order to explain what you mean or to support an argument :
Many countries, for example Mexico and Japan, have a lot of earthquakes.
Car prices can vary a lot. For example, in Belgium the VW Golf costs $1,000 less than in Britain.
3 someone whose behaviour is very good and should be copied by others, or this type of behaviour
example to
Her courage is an example to us all.
Parents should set an example for their children.
I suggest you follow Rosie’s example (= copy her behaviour ) and start doing regular exercise.
The team captain leads by example .
She’s a shining example (= a very good example ) of what a mother should be.
4 make an example of somebody to punish someone so that other people are afraid to do the same thing
COLLOCATIONS
形容词
a good/typical example This painting is a good example of his early work.
a fine/excellent example The house is a fine example of a medieval building.
an outstanding example (= extremely good ) The garden is one of the most outstanding examples of traditional Japanese garden design.
a classic/perfect/prime example (= very typical ) This is a classic example of how not to run a business. | The pot is a perfect example of the Marine Style. | This is a prime example of government incompetence.
an obvious example Our climate is changing at an alarming rate. The melting of the polar ice caps is an obvious example of this.
a blatant/glaring example (= very obvious and very bad ) His case is a blatant example of the unfairness of the current systen.
an extreme example To give you an extreme example, one lady called the police fifteen times in a single evening.
a notable example formal (= important and worth mentioning ) Some places contain a huge variety of animal and plant life. The two most notable examples are tropical forests and coral reefs.
a graphic example (= very clear and full of unpleasant details ) The film is full of graphic examples of what can go wrong if the proper safety procedures are not followed.
动词
give (somebody) an example Let me give you an example of how this might happen.
provide an example Our brochure provides examples of the different villas on offer.
take an example (= consider it or talk about it ) Let’s take the example of a family with two school-age children.
use an example He used several examples to illustrate his point.
cite an example (= mention an example ) The report cites the example of Sweden, where there is a complete ban on advertising on children’s television.
find an example We found examples of people being overcharged by as much as 50%.
contain/include an example The exhibition also contains some examples of his book illustrations.
an example shows/illustrates something These examples show how the disease can be passed on to humans.
COLLOCATIONS
动词
set an example (= show by your own behaviour how other people should behave ) You should be setting an example for your little brother.
follow sb’s example (= copy someone’s behaviour ) I tried to follow my parent’s example with my own kids.
lead by example (= show people what they should do by doing it yourself ) The captain of the team should lead by example.
hold somebody up as an example (= use someone as a good example of something ) He was held up as an example to the younger athletes.
形容词
a good/positive example The older boys should set a positive example for the rest of the school.
a shining example (= a very good example ) Professor Squires was a shining example of what a good teacher should be.
an inspiring example (= someone who makes other people want to do something great or good ) Jenny’s story is an inspiring example of courage in the face of adversity.
THESAURUS
example something that you mention because it is typical of the kind of thing that you are talking about : The hall is a perfect example of medieval architecture. | There are many ways in which technology has changed our lives. The car is an obvious example. | This painting is a typical example of Picasso’s work in his Blue Period.
case an example of something that happens, especially something bad : There have been some cases of women employees being fired because they are pregnant. | In one case a man was charged $2,000 for a simple medical check-up. | Recent government spending on schools is a classic case of too little, too late.
instance an example of a particular kind of situation or event, especially something bad. Instance is more formal than case : Some users of Ecstasy have actually died, but such instances are very rare. | The report describes instances of discrimination. | In a few rare instances, the disease can cause death.
illustration something, especially a story or situation, that you use as an example : As an illustration of this, consider the following example. | He mentioned the recent events in the Middle East by way of illustration (= as an example ) .
what you say when giving examples
for example used when giving an example : Prices have risen sharply. The price of gasoline, for example, has risen by over 50%. | Nepal has many attractions for visitors. For example, you can go trekking in the Himalayas, or see tigers in Chitwan National Park.
for instance used when giving an example. For instance is slightly less formal than for example and is used more in spoken English : There were many unanswered questions. For instance, where was the money going to come from? | Some people are really good languages. Take Katie, for instance .
eg/e.g. written used when giving an example or a list of examples. Don’t use eg in formal writing – use the full 短语 for example : Make sure you eat foods that contain protein, e.g. meat, fish, eggs, milk, or cheese.
such as especially written used when giving one or two typical examples when there are many others : It is difficult to get even basic foods such as bread and sugar.
take spoken used when giving a particular example as a way of proving that what you are saying is correct : Take John – he has a good job but he didn’t go to university. | It is possible to recover from some types of cancer. Take skin cancer, for example .
be a case in point used when emphasizing that someone or something is a good or typical example of what you have just mentioned : Some birds have returned to Britain after once being extinct here. The return of the osprey is a case in point.