client

client — noun

1. someone who pays a specialist, such as a lawyer or an accountant, for their prof

1.名詞B2
釋義

someone who pays a specialist, such as a lawyer or an accountant, for their professional advice or work

例句

The law firm gained several new corporate clients last quarter.

collocation: corporate client / new client

Ravi met with his client to discuss the contract before signing.

同義詞
  • customer

    more general; used for someone buying goods in a shop, not necessarily an ongoing relationship

  • patron

    more formal; often used for regular customers of hotels, restaurants, or the arts

  • consumer

    broader economic term for anyone who buys and uses goods or services

文法句型

client + of + [professional/organization]

client + possessive + noun

用法筆記

A client typically has an ongoing relationship with a professional (lawyer, accountant, designer, therapist) rather than making a one-off purchase of goods. Compare CUSTOMER, which is more common for shop transactions.

常見錯誤

❌The supermarket staff helped a client find the milk.
✅The supermarket staff helped a customer find the milk.
💡A supermarket sells goods to customers; client is better for professional services.

2. a computer or device on a network that asks a larger central computer, called a

2.名詞B2
釋義

a computer or device on a network that asks a larger central computer, called a server, for data or services

例句

Each client on the office network is checked for viruses every morning.

collocation: client on the network

The server sends updated files to every connected client automatically.

technical pattern: server sends to client

同義詞
  • workstation

    a specific type of client computer used for professional tasks; more limited in meaning

  • terminal

    an older or simpler device that connects to a server; modern clients usually have their own processing power

反義詞
  • server

    the central computer that provides data and services to clients

文法句型

client + on + [network]

client + server

用法筆記

In computing, client almost always appears alongside server. A client device (laptop, phone, tablet) requests data, and the server provides it. Common in phrases like client-server architecture and email client.