budget
budget — noun
1. a financial plan that shows expected income and decides how money will be used f
a financial plan that shows expected income and decides how money will be used for a person, group, or project
Mei made a monthly budget before renting her first apartment.
monthly budget for personal spending
The school budget includes new laptops, bus fuel, and lunch costs.
After ticket sales fell, the festival budget had to shrink.
Our team checked the budget again before ordering stage lights.
- plan
broader word; a budget is specifically about income and spending
- financial plan
close in meaning, but often sounds more formal and wider in scope
- spending plan
focuses more on expenses and less on total income
文法句型
a monthly/annual budget
set a budget for something
用法筆記
Often used for a month, a year, or a named project. Common verbs include set, plan, check, and stick to.
常見錯誤
2. the money set aside for one activity, trip, or piece of work
the money set aside for one activity, trip, or piece of work
Nina's weekend budget was only three thousand dollars.
budget meaning money limit
Because flights rose in price, our hotel budget got smaller.
The costume went over budget, so Jin borrowed shoes instead.
With a tight budget, the cafe bought used chairs.
文法句型
a tight budget
go over budget
stay within budget
用法筆記
Distinguish from noun sense 1: this sense is the money itself, not the full written plan.
常見錯誤
3. the amount of time, effort, energy, or another resource that has been set aside
the amount of time, effort, energy, or another resource that has been set aside for something
The editor left two extra days in the budget for rewrites.
budget used for time, not money
The farm's time budget left little room for breaks during harvest week.
Our science fair schedule included a small time budget for volunteer training.
The mission used most of its energy budget before landing.
- allocation
more formal and often used in technical or business writing
- quota
often means a fixed required share rather than a planned amount
- allowance
can be similar, but often suggests permission or tolerance
文法句型
a time budget
an energy budget
leave budget for something
用法筆記
Usually appears with non-money nouns such as time, energy, attention, or staff effort.
4. Britain's yearly government announcement about planned tax income and spending o
Britain's yearly government announcement about planned tax income and spending on public services
In April, the UK government presents its Budget to Parliament.
British use: the Budget
The Budget promised more money for hospitals and rail lines.
After the Budget, fuel tax rates changed the next week.
Investors studied the Budget for clues about future business costs.
- fiscal statement
formal term for an official public finance announcement
- budget statement
close in meaning and often used in news reporting
文法句型
the Budget
Budget speech
present the Budget
用法筆記
Usually written with a capital B in this British political sense and often understood as a yearly event.
budget — verb
1. to decide in advance how much money will be used for something
to decide in advance how much money will be used for something
Before the road trip, Hao budgeted two hundred dollars for gas.
budget + amount + for something
The club must budget carefully if it wants new uniforms.
intransitive use: budget carefully
Rina budgeted for repairs before buying the old fishing boat.
We forgot to budget school fees in August.
- overspend
means spend more than planned
文法句型
budget money for something
budget for something
budget carefully
用法筆記
This money sense often takes an amount plus for, or a direct object naming the cost. Distinguish from verb sense 2, which is commonly about time or effort.
常見錯誤
2. to set aside time, effort, energy, or another resource for something
to set aside time, effort, energy, or another resource for something
The nurse budgeted fifteen minutes for each home visit.
budget time for something
Our group budgeted extra energy for the final climb.
Please budget enough time to find the theater seats.
The coach budgeted only ten minutes for drills after the long match.
文法句型
budget time for something
budget energy for something
budget enough time to do something
用法筆記
Object is usually a non-money resource such as time, attention, energy, or staff effort.
budget — adjective
1. cheap enough for people who need to spend little
cheap enough for people who need to spend little
We found a budget hotel two blocks from the station.
collocation: budget hotel
This store sells budget phones for first-time smartphone users.
On a budget airline, snacks often cost extra.
Their budget wedding used paper flowers and borrowed lights.
- cheap
more common everyday word; can sound negative in some contexts
- low-cost
neutral and often used in business or advertising
- economical
suggests saving money rather than simply being cheap
文法句型
budget hotel
budget airline
budget phone
用法筆記
Usually comes before a noun. After be, learners often prefer cheap or low-cost instead.