car
car — noun
1. a small engine-powered machine on four wheels that ordinary people drive to trav
a small engine-powered machine on four wheels that ordinary people drive to travel around town or longer distances
Diego got into his car and drove to the supermarket.
by car / in the car — preposition use
The mechanic said the red car needs new brake pads.
countable noun with colour adjective
Leila usually goes to work by car because the bus takes too long.
Theo backed the car out of the narrow garage carefully.
A blue car was parked outside the library when Yara arrived.
- automobile
formal or American English; less common in daily conversation
- vehicle
broader term covering cars, trucks, buses, and vans
- motor vehicle
official / legal term found on forms and regulations
文法句型
a/the car
by car
in a/the car
用法筆記
For describing means of travel, use the pattern 'by car' without an article ('We went by car'). 'In the car' or 'in a car' is used when talking about location or a specific vehicle.
常見錯誤
2. a separate section of a train designed for a particular purpose, such as serving
a separate section of a train designed for a particular purpose, such as serving meals, providing beds, or carrying baggage
The dining car serves hot meals to passengers during the overnight journey.
dining car — compound noun for a special-purpose car
Priya reserved a seat in the quiet car, where phone calls are not allowed.
quiet car — named special-purpose car
The sleeping car has small beds called berths that fold out at night.
Hana walked through five cars before she found the lounge car with its big windows.
文法句型
the dining car
a sleeping car
用法筆記
This sense almost always appears in compound nouns with a purpose word before 'car': dining car, sleeping car, baggage car, lounge car. The compound tells you what the car is used for.
常見錯誤
3. one of the connected sections of a train where passengers sit during the journey
one of the connected sections of a train where passengers sit during the journey, fitted with rows of seats
Kofi found two empty seats in the third car from the front of the train.
position: third car from the front
Each car on the high-speed train has air conditioning and charging ports.
Tomás moved to a quieter car where fewer people were talking.
The front car of the old steam train was a wooden carriage with bench seats.
文法句型
a train car
the front/back car of the train
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 2 (TRAIN COMPARTMENT): sense 2 emphasises what the car is used for (dining, sleeping), while sense 3 is about any ordinary passenger-carrying car. In American English, 'car' is the usual word; in British English, 'carriage' is common.
常見錯誤
4. a wagon-like section of a railway train built for carrying cargo, raw materials,
a wagon-like section of a railway train built for carrying cargo, raw materials, or animals instead of people
The freight car was loaded with steel beams for the new bridge.
freight car — compound for goods-carrying car
Aiko watched the train pass, counting twenty freight cars filled with coal.
countable: twenty freight cars
The old wooden freight car had carried cattle across the plains for years.
Workers opened the door of the freight car and unloaded the boxes of oranges.
- goods wagon
British English; common term for a freight-carrying train car
- boxcar
a specific type of enclosed freight car common in North America
文法句型
a freight car
a goods car
用法筆記
In American English, 'freight car' is the standard term. In British English, 'goods wagon' or 'goods van' is more common. This sense does NOT take passengers.