academy
academy — noun
1. a place where people study one specific subject in depth, or a group set up to s
a place where people study one specific subject in depth, or a group set up to support and promote a field such as music, painting, or science.
Sofia spent two years at a small drama academy in Madrid.
pattern: at a [field] academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is hosting an exhibition of student paintings this month.
pattern: Academy of [field]
Viraj joined the police academy after finishing high school in Chicago.
Members of the language academy meet four times a year to discuss new dictionary entries.
The science academy gave Dr. Xander a medal for her work on coral reefs.
- institute
more general; often focused on research as well as teaching
- conservatory
narrower; specifically for music, dance, or drama
- society
a group of experts, but without the teaching role
文法句型
academy of [field]
[name] Academy
用法筆記
Often capitalised when part of a proper name (the Royal Academy, the French Academy). The word can refer either to a training place or to a learned body, so context usually shows which one is meant.
常見錯誤
2. a section inside a sports club where talented children and teenagers are coached
a section inside a sports club where talented children and teenagers are coached so that they have a chance of joining the senior team one day.
Diego signed for the Barcelona academy when he was only nine years old.
pattern: sign for / join the [club] academy
Three players from the youth academy will start tonight's match against Liverpool.
collocation: youth academy
The club spends two million pounds a year running its academy.
Coach Williams has produced eight first-team players from the academy in five seasons.
- youth team
everyday equivalent; less formal than 'academy'
- youth setup
British football journalism; covers the whole youth structure
- first team
the senior squad players move up to
文法句型
the academy
[club name] academy
用法筆記
Usually preceded by 'the' or by a club's name. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense always sits inside a sports club and trains young players, never adults learning a new field.
常見錯誤
3. in England, a state-funded school that takes its budget straight from the nation
in England, a state-funded school that takes its budget straight from the national government instead of from the council, and so has more freedom over how it is run.
Mossdale Primary became an academy in 2018 and changed its uniform soon after.
pattern: become / convert to an academy
Parents in the village worried that turning the school into an academy would cut music lessons.
Greenfield Academy can set its own term dates because it is not tied to the local council.
Most secondary schools in this part of England are now academies.
- free school
another English type with similar freedoms but newly built
- state school
broader category that includes both academies and council-run schools
- maintained school
a school still run by the local council
文法句型
[name] Academy
用法筆記
Specific to England; in Scotland and the US the word refers to a different kind of school (see sense 4). Often appears in the plural ('academies') when newspapers discuss education policy.
常見錯誤
4. a high school in Scotland, or, in the US, a private school that learners attend
a high school in Scotland, or, in the US, a private school that learners attend after primary education, often with a strong focus on preparing them for college.
Iona walks to Dunblane Academy with her younger brother every weekday morning.
Scottish: secondary school named '[place] Academy'
Phillips Academy in Massachusetts charges over fifty thousand dollars a year.
American: private boarding-style 'academy'
Ms. Donovan teaches Latin at a small girls' academy outside Boston.
After Hamish finished primary school, his parents enrolled him at the local academy in Stirling.
- high school
everyday US equivalent for the public version, but 'academy' often signals private status
- prep school
narrower US term; specifically prepares students for university
- secondary school
neutral British/Scottish term
文法句型
[name] Academy
用法筆記
Most common as part of a proper name. American 'academy' is private and fee-paying; Scottish 'academy' is a normal state secondary school. A learner needs the surrounding country clue to read the word correctly.