association
association — noun
1. an officially formed body that brings members together so they can pursue a shar
an officially formed body that brings members together so they can pursue a shared aim, hobby, or professional interest.
The Taiwan Tea Farmers Association meets every March in Nantou.
[Proper noun] Association as institutional name
Una joined the local residents' association to push for safer streets.
join + association for civic involvement
Members of the dental association voted to raise yearly fees.
Beatriz founded an association for retired bus drivers in her town.
The football association banned three players after the brawl.
- society
more old-fashioned; common for hobby or learned groups (e.g. royal society)
- organization
broader umbrella term; not necessarily member-based
- federation
implies several smaller groups joined under one banner
- league
common for sports or political alliances of clubs/states
文法句型
association of + plural noun
association for + noun
用法筆記
Frequently capitalized when part of a proper name (the American Bar Association). Often shortened to its initials in everyday speech, such as PTA or FA.
常見錯誤
2. an idea, feeling, or memory that pops into your head when you see, hear, or thin
an idea, feeling, or memory that pops into your head when you see, hear, or think of something — for example, smelling pine and instantly picturing a childhood Christmas.
For Vesna, the smell of jasmine has strong associations with her grandmother's garden.
have associations with + place/person
The word 'snake' carries negative associations for many people.
negative/positive associations + for + person
Greta avoids that café because of its painful associations with her ex-girlfriend.
The colour red has different cultural associations in Taiwan and in Western Europe.
Old songs trigger powerful associations of summer holidays for me.
- connotation
the feeling or idea a word suggests beyond its literal meaning
- memory
more concrete recollection of a past event, not the trigger-link itself
- overtones
subtle suggestions, often slightly negative or unspoken
文法句型
association with + noun
association between + noun + and + noun
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 3: this sense lives in the mind (a smell, word, or image makes you remember or feel something), while sense 3 is about real-world contact between people or groups. Often plural when listing several memories or feelings.
常見錯誤
3. the situation of mixing with, working alongside, or being publicly linked to a p
the situation of mixing with, working alongside, or being publicly linked to a particular person or group, especially when others judge that link.
The mayor was criticised for his close association with two arms dealers.
close association with + person (negative)
The festival is held in association with the city library every June.
in association with + organization (collaboration)
Dr. Tomás's long association with the hospital ended when she retired in May.
Two officers were fired for their association with a known crime gang.
Many writers value their association with that small Taipei publishing house.
- relationship
neutral and broader; covers personal, business, or romantic links
- connection
highlights the link itself; often used when concealing the depth of contact
- involvement
stresses active participation, not just being linked
- affiliation
more formal; often used for membership-style links to a party or institution
- dissociation
the deliberate act of cutting ties to distance oneself
文法句型
association with + person/group
in association with + organization
用法筆記
Frequently appears in the fixed phrase 'in association with', meaning two parties cooperate on something (often credited on posters and event programmes). Standalone uses often carry a moral overtone — either prestigious (long association with Harvard) or suspect (association with criminals).