apply

apply — verb

1. to put your name forward in writing — usually on a form — when you want a job, s

1.動詞不及物B1
釋義

to put your name forward in writing — usually on a form — when you want a job, school admission, money, or permission, so that the people in charge can decide whether to give it to you.

例句

Pia applied for a part-time job at the bookshop near her house.

apply for + [job]

Tomás applied to three universities in Canada and is waiting for replies.

apply to + [institution]

同義詞
  • request

    more formal; usually a single specific thing rather than a long process

  • petition

    official and often legal; usually involves many signatures

  • put in for

    informal British phrasal verb with the same meaning

反義詞
  • withdraw

    to take back an application you have already sent in

文法句型

apply for + [job/place/loan]

apply to + [institution]

apply to + do something

用法筆記

Almost always paired with 'for' (the thing wanted) or 'to' (the place or person deciding). The subject is normally a person or company; do not use this sense when describing rules — that is sense 2.

常見錯誤

❌I applied the manager for the job.
✅I applied to the manager for the job.
💡use 'to' before the person or place receiving the request, and 'for' before the thing you want.
❌She applied getting a scholarship.
✅She applied for a scholarship.' / 'She applied to get a scholarship.
💡use a noun after 'for' or a to-infinitive, not an -ing form.

2. if a rule, law, comment, or condition applies, it covers a particular person, gr

2.動詞不及物B2
釋義

if a rule, law, comment, or condition applies, it covers a particular person, group, or situation, so that person or situation must follow it or is affected by it.

例句

This safety rule applies to every worker on the factory floor.

rule applies to + [people]

The new tax does not apply to families earning under thirty thousand dollars.

negative: does not apply to

同義詞
  • be relevant

    more general; not limited to rules or laws

  • cover

    stronger sense of 'including within scope'; common with insurance and policies

  • concern

    focus on 'be about'; subject is often a topic, not a rule

文法句型

apply to + [person/situation]

the same applies to ...

用法筆記

Subject is typically a rule, law, principle, condition, or comment — not a person. Distinguish from sense 1: 'the law applies' (sense 2 — the law covers you) vs 'I applied' (sense 1 — I sent in a form).

常見錯誤

❌This rule applies for new students.
✅This rule applies to new students.
💡with this sense, the preposition is always 'to', not 'for'.

3. to take an idea, skill, method, or piece of knowledge and put it to work in a re

3.動詞及物C1
釋義

to take an idea, skill, method, or piece of knowledge and put it to work in a real situation so that it produces a result.

例句

Engineers applied the new safety method to every bridge in the city.

apply X to + [target]

Nia applied what she learned in cooking class to dinner that evening.

apply what you learn

同義詞
  • use

    much more general and everyday; lacks the sense of 'matching tool to situation'

  • implement

    formal; often used for plans, policies, or systems being put into action

  • employ

    formal; suggests choosing a tool or method on purpose

反義詞
  • ignore

    to fail to use knowledge or rules that could help

文法句型

apply [knowledge/method] to + [problem/task]

用法筆記

Object is usually abstract: a method, theory, rule, force, or piece of knowledge. The result is a practical outcome. Sense 4 is the physical version (cream, paint on a surface); use sense 4 when the object is a substance.

常見錯誤

❌She applied her skills on the project.
✅She applied her skills to the project.
💡use 'to', not 'on', for the situation where the skill is used.

4. to put a thin layer of something soft or wet — like cream, paint, glue, or make-

4.動詞及物B2
釋義

to put a thin layer of something soft or wet — like cream, paint, glue, or make-up — onto a surface or part of the body.

例句

Apply the sunscreen to your arms and neck before going to the beach.

apply [substance] to + [body part]

Rosa applied two coats of green paint to the kitchen wall.

apply two coats of paint

同義詞
  • spread

    everyday word; suggests covering a wider area

  • rub in

    phrasal verb; suggests pressing the substance into the skin

  • put on

    informal; broader, not limited to thin layers

反義詞
  • wipe off

    to remove a substance from a surface

文法句型

apply [substance] to + [surface/body part]

用法筆記

Object must be a substance you can spread (cream, paint, glue, make-up, ointment) — not an abstract idea. Common in instructions; often used in the imperative ('Apply twice a day').

常見錯誤

❌Apply the cream in your face.
✅Apply the cream to your face.
💡use 'to' for the body part or surface receiving the substance.

5. to give a task or subject your full attention and energy over a period of time,

5.動詞及物C1
釋義

to give a task or subject your full attention and energy over a period of time, with a reflexive pronoun (yourself, himself, etc.), so that you make real progress.

例句

If Nia applies herself to her maths, she can pass the exam in June.

apply oneself to + [subject]

Fadi finally applied herself to learning the violin and improved within a month.

apply oneself to + -ing

同義詞
  • concentrate on

    narrower in time; can be momentary as well as long-term

  • focus on

    everyday version; less about effort, more about attention

  • buckle down

    informal; emphasises starting to work seriously after slacking

反義詞
  • slack off

    informal; to stop working hard on something

文法句型

apply oneself to + [task/study]

用法筆記

Almost always reflexive — 'apply yourself / himself / herself / themselves'. Subject is a person; the activity is something demanding (study, training, a difficult task). Often used by teachers and parents.

常見錯誤

❌You should apply to your studies.
✅You should apply yourself to your studies.
💡this sense needs a reflexive pronoun.