arbor

arbor — noun

1. an outdoor garden structure made of a frame (often of wood or metal) that climbi

1.名詞B2
釋義

an outdoor garden structure made of a frame (often of wood or metal) that climbing plants grow over and cover, forming a shady passage or sitting area

例句

Sayaka planted climbing roses around the wooden arbor so they would cover the roof by summer.

collocation: climbing [plant] + arbor

The old stone path led through a vine-covered arbor into the vegetable patch.

compound: vine-covered arbor

同義詞
  • pergola

    usually larger, with a flat roof of beams rather than an arched frame

  • trellis

    a flat lattice panel attached to a wall, not a freestanding passage structure

  • bower

    more poetic or literary; often suggests a leafy enclosure in a natural setting

文法句型

arbor + for + [plant type]

under + an arbor

用法筆記

Frequently paired with climbing plants (roses, wisteria, ivy). The structure is typically freestanding and found in gardens, parks, or vineyards. In American English, the spelling arbor is standard; British English sometimes uses arbour.

常見錯誤

❌She sat under the arbor tree.
✅She sat under the arbor in the garden.
💡An arbor is a structure, not a type of tree.
❌The arbor in the park was made of leaves.
✅The arbor in the park was made of wooden slats covered with climbing ivy.
💡The structure itself is the frame; the plants cover it.

2. a rod inside a machine that turns other parts around it, passing power from the

2.名詞C1
釋義

a rod inside a machine that turns other parts around it, passing power from the motor to wheels, gears, or pulleys mounted along its length

例句

The mechanic found that the main arbor of the conveyor motor had a hairline crack.

collocation: main arbor + [of machine part]

Cyrus checked the lathe's central arbor for signs of wear before starting the engine.

同義詞
  • spindle

    very close in meaning; 'spindle' is more common in textile and woodworking contexts

  • shaft

    a broader term for any long rotating rod, not necessarily one that other parts mount onto

  • axle

    usually refers to the shaft that wheels rotate on, especially in vehicles

文法句型

arbor + of + [machine part]

用法筆記

This sense belongs to mechanical and industrial contexts. The arbor is the part that other components are mounted on or rotate around — distinct from a general axle in that it often holds several parts along its length. Distinguish from sense 3, where the arbor specifically holds a cutting tool.

常見錯誤

❌The arbor of the car was damaged.
✅The axle of the car was damaged.
💡'Axle' is the standard term for a vehicle's wheel-supporting shaft; 'arbor' is used for machine tooling and mechanisms, not vehicles.
❌He oiled the arbor of the door hinge.
✅He oiled the hinge pin of the door.
💡In everyday items like hinges, 'hinge pin' or 'pivot' is the usual term, not 'arbor'.

3. the central shaft on a machine tool — such as a circular saw or drill press — th

3.名詞C2
釋義

the central shaft on a machine tool — such as a circular saw or drill press — that physically receives and holds the cutting blade, bit, or grinding wheel and rotates it to cut or shape the workpiece

例句

Ryan tightened the arbor that holds the circular saw blade before cutting the boards.

pattern: arbor + that holds + [cutting tool]

Hui cleaned the arbor of the drill press with a rag before mounting the new bit.

同義詞
  • mandrel

    a similar spindle that holds a workpiece (rather than a tool) for shaping

  • tool spindle

    the general term for the rotating part of a machine tool that holds the cutting accessory

文法句型

arbor + for + [tool type]

mount + on + an arbor

用法筆記

Restricted to machine-shop and metalworking contexts. The arbor is the part that physically receives the cutting accessory — unlike sense 2, where the arbor transmits power to other machine parts. In woodworking, 'arbor' is the standard term for the shaft that holds saw blades and router bits.

常見錯誤

❌The arbor of the power drill snapped.
✅The chuck of the power drill snapped.
💡A handheld drill uses a 'chuck' to grip bits; 'arbor' refers to the spindle on stationary machine tools.
❌I put a new arbor in the electric screwdriver.
✅I put a new bit in the electric screwdriver.
💡'Arbor' is the shaft that holds the bit, not the bit itself.

4. a structure inside the body that divides into many fine branches like the limbs

4.名詞C2
釋義

a structure inside the body that divides into many fine branches like the limbs of a tree, especially a network of blood vessels or nerve fibres

例句

The scan showed a healthy arbor of blood vessels branching through the patient's liver.

collocation: arbor of blood vessels

The pathologist showed us the neuron's arbor of fine branches and explained how each one receives chemical signals.

domain: neuroscience / cellular anatomy

同義詞

文法句型

arbor + of + [body part]

arbor + of + [vessels/nerves]

用法筆記

Almost exclusively found in medical and biological writing. The term is most often used in phrases such as 'arbor of [blood vessels / nerves / dendrites]'. Distinguish from everyday uses of 'branch' — 'arbor' implies a more complex, tree-like branching pattern rather than a simple fork.

常見錯誤

❌The tree had a beautiful arbor of branches.
✅The tree had a beautiful canopy of branches.
💡'Arbor' as a branching pattern is used for internal anatomical structures, not for actual trees.
❌Doctors found an arbor in her lung.
✅Doctors found a branching network of vessels in her lung.
💡In patient-facing language, 'arbor' is too technical; 'branching network' or 'tree-like pattern' is preferred.