accelerate
accelerate — verb
1. of a car, train, or similar machine, to move at a higher speed than before, usua
of a car, train, or similar machine, to move at a higher speed than before, usually because the driver presses the gas pedal harder.
The taxi accelerated as the traffic light turned green outside the station.
subject is a vehicle; intransitive use
Saoirse's small electric car can accelerate from zero to sixty in under five seconds.
accelerate from X to Y for speed range
The bus accelerated sharply, and Mrs. Ines grabbed the metal handrail to keep her balance.
On the open highway, the motorcycle accelerated past two trucks within a few seconds.
Quinn pressed the pedal hard, and the old pickup truck slowly began to accelerate.
- speed up
everyday phrasal verb; less formal than 'accelerate'
- pick up speed
idiomatic; emphasises the gradual increase
- decelerate
formal; means to slow down
- brake
specific to vehicles; means to slow using the brake pedal
文法句型
[vehicle] + accelerates
accelerate from X to Y mph
用法筆記
Subject is almost always a vehicle or its driver. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense is reserved for engine-powered transport, while sense 2 covers people, animals, or other moving objects.
常見錯誤
2. of a runner, animal, or moving thing, to start travelling at a quicker pace than
of a runner, animal, or moving thing, to start travelling at a quicker pace than the one being kept just before.
On the final lap, Kofi accelerated and overtook two runners before the finish line.
subject is a person; intransitive
The cheetah accelerated across the dry grass and caught the young gazelle in seconds.
The small stone accelerated as it fell, hitting the bottom of the deep well loudly.
The skater accelerated around the curve and raised both arms to keep her balance.
- slow down
the most common opposite for people and animals
- decelerate
more formal or technical
文法句型
[person/object] + accelerates
用法筆記
Subject is a person, animal, or non-vehicle object. Often used in sports reports and physics contexts. Distinguish from sense 1, which is reserved for engine-powered vehicles.
3. of a process or change, to take place at a quicker rate, or to push such a proce
of a process or change, to take place at a quicker rate, or to push such a process to take place at a quicker rate.
Climate scientists warn that warmer oceans are accelerating the melting of polar ice.
transitive: accelerate + noun (melting)
Online classes accelerated Pedro's progress through the second-year history course.
transitive: accelerate someone's progress
After the merger, the growth of the small bakery chain accelerated across three cities.
The new policy is expected to accelerate the decline of coal use in rural areas.
Inflation accelerated last month, surprising shoppers at the local market.
- slow
as a verb: to make a process happen more slowly
- delay
to push the timing later rather than make it quicker
- decelerate
formal; used of growth, inflation, or similar trends
文法句型
accelerate + noun (process/decline/growth)
[process] + accelerates
用法筆記
Subject or object is a non-physical process such as growth, decline, change, or progress. Distinguish from senses 1 and 2, where the subject physically moves through space.
常見錯誤
4. to act on a moving body so that its physical speed becomes higher than it was a
to act on a moving body so that its physical speed becomes higher than it was a moment earlier.
Powerful magnets in the long tunnel accelerate the tiny particles to nearly the speed of light.
transitive: accelerate + object (particles)
Strong winds accelerated the small wooden boat across the calm lake toward the harbour.
Gravity accelerates a falling apple at about ten metres per second every second.
The rocket engine accelerated the spacecraft sharply just after it left the launch pad.
- decelerate
to make a moving body slow down
- slow
everyday equivalent
文法句型
accelerate + [moving object]
用法筆記
Common in physics and engineering. Subject is usually a force, engine, or field, and the object is the thing being made to move faster. Distinguish from sense 3, which acts on processes rather than physical motion.