damsel
gb/dˈæmzəl/ us/dˈæmzəl/
B2
English
~ 6800
leány, leányzó, hajadon, korallsügér
NOUN
B2
LITERARY
1
Usage pattern:
a [adjective] damsel
The knight swore to protect the damsel throughout their perilous journey.
A lovag megesküdött, hogy veszedelmes útjuk során mindvégig megvédi a leányt.
In the painting, a lone damsel stands by the castle window, gazing out to sea.
A festményen egy magányos leány áll a vár ablakában, és merengve tekint ki a tengerre.
He dressed up as a knight and his friend as a damsel for the costume party.
The film plays with the idea of a damsel who is actually more capable than the heroes who try to save her.
Learner examples
In many old stories, a knight saves a damsel.
Sok régi történetben egy lovag megment egy leányt.
The book is about a brave damsel who fights a dragon.
A könyv egy bátor leányról szól, aki megküzd egy sárkánnyal.
She joked that she was a damsel waiting for a taxi, not for a prince.
The artist painted a damsel in a long blue dress.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "damsel" in normal, modern situations to mean any woman. In everyday English this sounds strange or joking; people usually just say "woman", "girl", or "young woman", and "damsel" appears mostly in the fixed phrase "damsel in distress" or in fantasy/fairy-tale style writing.
Meaning
young woman in old-style stories
Collocations
damsel in distress
|fair damsel
|young damsel
|medieval damsel
|rescue a damsel
Synonyms
young woman (Neutral, modern term; lacks the old-fashioned or storybook feeling of "damsel".)
|
maiden (Also literary/archaic; often suggests purity or virginity more strongly than "damsel".)
Antonyms
young man (Opposite in gender; neutral modern term for a male counterpart to a damsel.)
Themes
literature
|stories
|relationships
|arts_entertainment
Definition
A young woman, often in old stories or in a joking way, not a normal word for women today.
A young, usually unmarried woman, especially in old-fashioned, romantic, or fairy-tale settings.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
2
korallsügér
C1
Usage pattern:
a [adjective] damsel (fish)
A school of blue damsels darted in and out of the coral heads.
Egy rajnyi kék korallsügér cikázott ki-be a korallfejek között.
The aquarist added a yellowtail damsel to the reef tank to add more color and movement.
Az akvarista egy sárgafarkú korallsügért tett a zátonyakváriumba, hogy több színt és mozgást vigyen bele.
Snorkelers can often see tiny damsels defending their territory among the branching corals.
Learner examples
We saw many small damsels when we dived on the reef.
Sok apró korallsügért láttunk, amikor a zátonynál búvárkodtunk.
The bright blue damsel was easy to see in the clear water.
A ragyogó kék korallsügért könnyű volt észrevenni a tiszta vízben.
He keeps two damsels in his saltwater aquarium at home.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that "damsel" can also mean a type of fish and may confuse it with "damselfly", which is an insect.
Meaning
type of small reef fish
Collocations
reef damsel
|juvenile damsel
|school of damsels
|brightly colored damsel
Synonyms
damselfish (More standard scientific and aquarium term; "damsel" is a shorter, informal name used by specialists or hobbyists.)
Antonyms
predator (Contrasts with the small, often prey-sized or non-threatening nature of most damsel fish.)
Themes
animals
|science
|environment
|nature
Definition
A small, colorful fish that lives around coral reefs, also called a damselfish.
A small, often brightly colored tropical reef fish, especially one of the damselfish family.
Grammar
Dictionary form
damsel
IPA
GB/dˈæmzəl/
US/dˈæmzəl/
Syllables & stress
dam - sel (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (dam)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: damsel
- Plural: damsels
Word family
Expressions
damsel in distress
1/dˈæmzəl ˈɪn dɪstɹˈɛs/
idiom
literary
woman in danger needing rescue
A young woman who is in trouble and needs to be saved, especially in stories or when speaking in a joking way.
Examples
- The movie deliberately avoids the old "damsel in distress" stereotype by giving the heroine her own power.
- He rushed over to help, but she laughed and said, "Relax, I’m no damsel in distress."
- Fairy tales often feature a damsel in distress locked in a tower or guarded by a dragon.