accelerator
accelerator — noun
- acceleratorsingular
- acceleratorsplural
1. A flat piece inside a car or truck that the driver pushes down with a foot to ma
A flat piece inside a car or truck that the driver pushes down with a foot to make the vehicle move faster. In most vehicles, the accelerator is the pedal on the far right.
Yuki pressed her foot down on the accelerator as she merged onto the highway.
The driving instructor told Wei to lift his foot off the accelerator slowly.
lift + foot off the accelerator
In Sofia's car, the accelerator sits on the right and the brake is beside it.
Diego pressed the accelerator too hard, and the car jerked forward with a loud roar.
- brake
The pedal that slows or stops the vehicle; the opposite function.
文法句型
the + accelerator
press / step on + the + accelerator
用法筆記
Commonly called 'the gas pedal' in American English and just 'the accelerator' in British English.
常見錯誤
2. A large scientific machine that forces tiny pieces of matter, called particles,
A large scientific machine that forces tiny pieces of matter, called particles, to travel at extremely high speeds so that researchers can study their behaviour or discover new particles.
Scientists at the Geneva research centre use a huge accelerator to study tiny particles.
The new particle accelerator cost over a billion dollars to build.
Elena visited the physics lab and saw the circular accelerator for the first time.
Omar's thesis focused on how the accelerator measures the mass of subatomic particles.
- atom smasher
Informal, old-fashioned term; understandable but not used in modern scientific writing.
- collider
A specific type of accelerator that smashes particles together; not a perfect synonym for all accelerators.
文法句型
[size/type] + accelerator
build / operate + an + accelerator
用法筆記
Almost always paired with the word 'particle' (particle accelerator) in general use. The most famous example is the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN.
常見錯誤
3. An organisation that provides money, advice, and workspace to new companies over
An organisation that provides money, advice, and workspace to new companies over a fixed period, usually a few months, to help them develop fast and achieve market success.
The accelerator programme gave Amara's team office space and expert advice.
Vikram applied to three different startup accelerators to grow his food-delivery company.
applied to + accelerator
Hana met her future business partner at a demo day hosted by the accelerator.
This accelerator focuses on helping companies that work with artificial intelligence.
- startup accelerator
The full term; 'accelerator' alone may be ambiguous without the context of startups.
- venture accelerator
A less common variant, used when the programme also provides direct investment.
文法句型
join / apply to + an + accelerator
[name] + accelerator
用法筆記
Distinguish from 'incubator': an accelerator runs for a fixed short period (typically 3-6 months), while an incubator offers ongoing support with no fixed end date.
4. A substance added to a mixture to make a chemical reaction happen faster than it
A substance added to a mixture to make a chemical reaction happen faster than it would naturally, without being consumed or changed by the reaction itself.
Adding an accelerator makes the glue dry in under thirty seconds instead of two hours.
makes + product + dry in + time period
The factory uses a chemical accelerator to speed up the paint-drying process.
Layla studied how this accelerator affects the chemical bonds in each mixture she tested.
Without the accelerator, the reaction would take several hours to complete its full cycle.
- inhibitor
A substance that slows down or stops a chemical reaction.
文法句型
add / use + an + accelerator
act as + an + accelerator
用法筆記
In chemistry contexts, 'catalyst' is more common for substances that speed reactions. 'Accelerator' tends to be used for specific industrial applications (rubber vulcanisation, adhesives, concrete setting).