diamond
/ˈdaɪəmənd/noun
1
- a precious stone consisting of a clear and colourless crystalline form of pure carbon, the hardest naturally occurring substance钻石。
1.1
- a tool with a small stone of such a kind for cutting glass（带有钻石刀头、用于切割玻璃的）割刀, 金刚钻。
1.2
- in extended and metaphorical use with reference to the brilliance, form, or hardness of diamonds钻石般的光芒（或形状、硬度）：
the air glitters like diamonds.
空中闪烁着钻石般的光芒。
1.3
a diamond
Brit. informal an excellent or very special person or thing〈英, 非正式〉出色（或非常特别）的人（或物）：Fred's a diamond.
弗雷德是个很优秀的人。
Diamonds occur in some igneous rock formations (kimberlite) and alluvial deposits. They are typically octahedral in shape but can be cut in many ways to enhance the internal reflection and refraction of light, producing jewels of sparkling brilliance. Diamonds are also used in cutting tools and abrasives.
2
- often as modifier a figure with four straight sides of equal length forming two opposite acute angles and two opposite obtuse angles; a rhombus菱形：
decorative diamond shapes.
装饰用的菱形。
2.1
diamonds
one of the four suits in a conventional pack of playing cards, denoted by a red figure of such a shape方块（扑克牌的四种花色之一）。
2.2
- a card of this suit方块牌：
she led a losing diamond.
她率先出了一张导致输局的方块牌。
2.3
- the area delimited by the four bases of a baseball field, forming a square shape（棒球场的）内场。
2.4
- a baseball field棒球场。
2.5
- usu. as modifier a railway crossing in which two tracks cross over each other at an acute angle菱形铁路道口：
diamond crossings.
菱形交叉。
短语
diamond cut diamond
- used to describe a situation in which a sharp-witted person meets their match棋逢敌手, 势均力敌。
diamond in the rough
- North American term for ROUGH DIAMOND.〈北美〉同ROUGH DIAMOND.
派生词
diamondiferous
/ˌdaɪəmənˈdɪfərəs/ adjective词源
Middle English: from Old French diamant, from medieval Latin diamas, diamant-， variant of Latin adamans （see ADAMANT）.