club
club — verb
1. to spend an evening at a single nightclub or dance venue, dancing and socialisin
to spend an evening at a single nightclub or dance venue, dancing and socialising with friends
Amihan and her friends go clubbing every Friday night at a new venue.
structure: go clubbing [frequency] at [place]
We were clubbing until three in the morning and missed the last train home.
continuous form: be clubbing until [time]
James prefers clubbing to sitting in a quiet bar because he loves dancing.
The students went clubbing every weekend at a cheap nightspot near the university.
Iris had never been clubbing before her cousin took her to a salsa club downtown.
文法句型
be clubbing
go clubbing
club + adverb (e.g. every weekend, all night)
用法筆記
Frequently used in the continuous form ('be clubbing' or 'go clubbing'). The simple past is less common. This sense rarely appears in formal writing. Distinguished from sense 2 (GO CLUBBING) by focusing on a single venue rather than moving between several clubs.
常見錯誤
2. to go out to a series of nightclubs in a single evening as a social routine, foc
to go out to a series of nightclubs in a single evening as a social routine, focusing on experiencing the nightlife scene rather than spending the whole night at one venue
Roya suggested they go clubbing at a few different places to celebrate her promotion.
go clubbing at [multiple venues]
The tourists spent the whole night clubbing at beachside bars along the coast.
Astrid loved going clubbing on weekends but always regretted it on Monday morning.
After the concert, the band members went clubbing at a famous downtown venue.
Constanza went clubbing nearly every night during her summer holiday in Ibiza.
- party
broader — any social celebration, not club-specific
- hit the clubs
more informal, slang — suggests going to multiple venues
- go out
much more general — could mean any evening entertainment
文法句型
go clubbing in [area]
go clubbing at [place]
go clubbing + time expression
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (DANCE): sense 2 emphasises the practice of visiting multiple clubs or experiencing the club scene as a lifestyle, whereas sense 1 is about dancing at one venue. The collocation 'go clubbing' is the most natural form for both senses.
常見錯誤
3. to strike someone or something violently and repeatedly, using a thick heavy sti
to strike someone or something violently and repeatedly, using a thick heavy stick or any blunt weapon such as a metal pipe
The thief tried to club the security guard with a metal pipe, but missed.
club + object + with + instrument (blunt object)
During the riot, several protesters were clubbed by police officers using long wooden batons.
passive: be clubbed by [someone] using [instrument]
The fisherman clubbed the large salmon on the head to kill it quickly.
Bao's attacker clubbed him from behind, leaving a deep bruise on his shoulder.
A museum display showed ancient warriors clubbing their enemies with stone weapons.
文法句型
club + object
club + object + with + instrument
be clubbed + adverb (e.g. to death)
用法筆記
This sense is less common in everyday conversation than words like 'hit' or 'beat'. It often appears in news reports about violent incidents or in historical descriptions of combat.
常見錯誤
club — noun
1. an organization whose members share a particular interest or activity and meet o
an organization whose members share a particular interest or activity and meet on a regular basis
Zayd joined the school photography club to improve his picture-taking skills.
club + activity name for shared interest
Anong's gardening club meets every Saturday morning at the community centre.
The book club read six novels together last year and discussed each one.
The children's art club displayed their paintings at the local library.
The chess club welcomed new members of all ages and skill levels.
- society
often used for academic or cultural groups rather than sports or hobby groups
- association
more formal than club; often refers to professional or trade groups
- organisation
broader term; can refer to any structured group, not necessarily recreational
用法筆記
Countable noun used with singular or plural verb (e.g. 'the club meets' or 'the club meet'). When the focus is on the members acting individually, a plural verb is common in British English.
常見錯誤
2. the building or set of rooms where the members of a club gather for meetings, me
the building or set of rooms where the members of a club gather for meetings, meals, or social events
Gabriel walked into the club and headed straight for the library on the second floor.
The club has a large dining hall where members hold their weekly dinners.
club = building with facilities
Léa booked the club's meeting room for her team's afternoon presentation.
After the match, the players relaxed in the club with drinks and snacks.
- clubhouse
more specific term for the building where a club meets; often used for sports clubs
- club rooms
emphasises the rented or dedicated rooms rather than the whole building
用法筆記
In this sense, 'club' refers to the physical space (building or rooms), not the organization itself. Compare with sense 1, which refers to the group as an institution. Context usually makes the distinction clear — if members go to a place, it is the building; if they sign up or pay fees, it is the organization.
3. a private organization for people who share a common background, profession, or
a private organization for people who share a common background, profession, or education, offering a place to socialize, eat, and sometimes stay overnight
Amani has been a member of the city's arts club for over twenty years.
The golf club requires new members to be recommended by two existing members.
members' club with entry requirements
Ritu's father often stays overnight at the university club when he visits the city.
The business club hosted a dinner for young professionals last Friday.
The press club welcomes journalists from all countries to its events.
- country club
a type of members' club set in a rural or suburban area with sports and leisure facilities
- society
can also refer to an exclusive group, but rarely has its own building and accommodation
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: sense 3 emphasises the exclusive nature of membership (by invitation, background, or profession) and often includes residential or dining facilities. Sense 1 is broader — any hobby or interest group. Common names include 'country club', 'golf club', 'university club', and 'press club'.
4. a professional or semi-professional team that takes part in a particular sport
a professional or semi-professional team that takes part in a particular sport
Daichi signed a contract with a Spanish football club in the summer of 2023.
club = professional sports team
Joaquín's favourite basketball club won the national championship this year.
The club's manager decided to sell two of its best players this season.
Eve's football club plays its home matches in a stadium built for sixty thousand fans.
The swimming club trained five days a week during the summer break.
用法筆記
In this sense 'club' refers to the entire sports organisation — players, coaches, managers, and owners — not just the team on the field. Compare with sense 1: a sports club can also be a social group (tennis club in the neighbourhood), but sense 4 specifically refers to the team that competes.
5. a venue that stays open until the early morning, where people go to dance, drink
a venue that stays open until the early morning, where people go to dance, drink, and listen to recorded or live music
Heather went to a club in the city centre to celebrate her birthday.
The club on Elm Street plays electronic music on Friday nights.
club = nightclub with music
Nora waited outside the club for twenty minutes before the guard let her in.
Many clubs in this area do not let anyone under twenty-one enter.
The new club has three different dance floors and a rooftop bar.
- nightclub
the full form; slightly more formal than 'club'
- discotheque
dated term; rarely used in modern English
- dance club
emphasises the dancing aspect over drinking or music
用法筆記
Commonly called 'nightclub' in formal or written English. In casual conversation, 'club' usually means a nightclub unless the context clearly suggests otherwise. Typical collocations include 'go clubbing' (verb phrase) and 'clubber' (person who regularly goes to nightclubs).
6. a slender stick with a shaped end, used in the sport of golf to strike the ball
a slender stick with a shaped end, used in the sport of golf to strike the ball
Justin bought a new set of golf clubs for his father's sixtieth birthday.
set of golf clubs as equipment
The golfer cleaned each club carefully after finishing eighteen holes on the course.
She chose a wide-headed club to hit the ball out of the sand trap.
The golf clubs are stored in a long bag that players carry on their shoulder.
Professional golfers usually carry fourteen clubs in their bag during a tournament.
- golf club
the full two-word form; 'club' alone is also common among golfers
用法筆記
Different types of golf clubs have specific names (driver, iron, putter, wedge) based on their shape and purpose. 'Club' is the general term for any of these. Countable — 'a club', 'two clubs'.
常見錯誤
7. a short, thick stick that is thicker at one end, designed or used for hitting pe
a short, thick stick that is thicker at one end, designed or used for hitting people or animals
The guard carried a wooden club as protection during his night shift.
collocation: wooden club
Archaeologists found an ancient club with carved markings near the river.
Mei kept a wooden club under her bed for self-defence after the burglaries in her neighbourhood.
The museum displayed a medieval club used by foot soldiers in battle.
用法筆記
Usually distinguished from a bat or a stick by being deliberately shaped or chosen for striking. Frequently found in historical or archaeological descriptions.
常見錯誤
8. among the four categories of cards in a standard deck, the one identified by a b
among the four categories of cards in a standard deck, the one identified by a black symbol shaped like three leaves with a shared stem
In the card game, clubs are the third suit in rank after spades.
card-game ranking pattern
Dewi drew the ace of clubs and felt confident about her hand.
collocation: the ace/queen/two of clubs
Élise sorted the deck by suit, placing all the clubs in one pile.
In this card game, clubs are the second-highest suit, just below spades.
用法筆記
The word clubs is plural when referring to the suit as a category (e.g., 'Clubs are red in some decks'). Individual cards use the singular or the 'of-clubs' pattern.
9. an individual playing card that carries the black three-leaf symbol identifying
an individual playing card that carries the black three-leaf symbol identifying it as belonging to the clubs category
Jude played a club from his hand, taking the lead in the trick.
typical card-game expression: play a club
Jisoo held three clubs and needed one more for a flush.
The five of clubs was the winning card in the final round.
Lucía dropped a club under the table during the game.
- club card
a clearer way to refer to an individual card when avoiding ambiguity
用法筆記
Use this sense when referring to a specific card rather than the suit as a whole. Compare with sense 8: 'Clubs are my favourite suit' (sense 8) versus 'I need one more club' (sense 9).