collateral
collateral — noun
1. property or assets that a borrower gives to a lender as a promise to repay a loa
property or assets that a borrower gives to a lender as a promise to repay a loan; if the borrower fails to pay, the lender can take ownership of that property.
The bank asked Diego to use his house as collateral for the business loan.
use + [asset] + as collateral for + [loan]
Priya put up her grandmother's jewellery as collateral to secure the loan.
put up + [asset] + as collateral
Ravi offered his delivery van as collateral for the bakery loan.
If Kofi cannot repay the debt, the lender may seize the collateral he offered.
Yara used her motor scooter as collateral for a personal loan from the credit union.
文法句型
put up / use / offer + something + as collateral
常見錯誤
2. a thin offshoot running from a major vein, artery, or nerve, sometimes providing
a thin offshoot running from a major vein, artery, or nerve, sometimes providing a backup route when the main passage is blocked.
The surgeon noticed a small collateral branching off from the main artery.
collateral + branch / branching off from
When Rohan's main heart artery narrowed, tiny collaterals grew to supply blood around the blockage.
collaterals + grow to supply blood around [blockage]
Dr. Okafor traced the nerve collateral to the patient's left hand.
After the main vein closed, a collateral vessel kept blood flowing to the leg.
- branch
more general; 'collateral' specifically means a branch that runs alongside the main vessel
用法筆記
Usually appears in plural form 'collaterals' or the compound 'collateral vessel(s)' in medical writing. This sense is almost never used outside of medical or anatomical contexts.
collateral — adjective
1. happening or existing alongside something more important, often supporting it or
happening or existing alongside something more important, often supporting it or adding to it.
Dr. Okonkwo's study examined the main effects and the collateral benefits of the asthma drug.
collateral + [benefit / effect / finding]
Aiko's research uncovered some collateral findings about soil quality.
The hospital committee reviewed the primary costs and collateral expenses of building a new wing.
Building the new school had the collateral effect of raising property values nearby.
- secondary
more general; 'collateral' carries a nuance of happening alongside rather than following in sequence
- supporting
emphasises the function of helping the main item; slightly less formal
- primary
the main or most important item
用法筆記
Often paired with 'primary' or 'main' to show contrast. The collateral item is real and present, just less important than the main one.
2. happening as an unwanted side effect of an action, especially one that causes ha
happening as an unwanted side effect of an action, especially one that causes harm or damage.
The military operation caused a great deal of collateral damage to nearby homes.
collateral damage — common fixed phrase
Leila's decision to quit had the collateral effect of upsetting her whole team.
The new motorway brought collateral noise pollution to the quiet village.
Yusuf worried about the collateral consequences of reporting his colleague's mistake.
- incidental
more neutral; 'collateral' implies the side effect is unwanted, while 'incidental' can be neutral or positive
- accidental
focuses on lack of intent; 'collateral' suggests the action was intentional but the side effect was not
- intended
the planned and desired outcome
- deliberate
done on purpose, not as a side effect
用法筆記
The phrase 'collateral damage' is by far the most common expression for this sense. It originated in military language but now appears in business, politics, and everyday contexts.
常見錯誤
3. relating to property or assets that are used as a guarantee to a lender when mon
relating to property or assets that are used as a guarantee to a lender when money is borrowed.
The bank accepted her shares as collateral security for the mortgage.
collateral + security / agreement / loan
Tomás signed a collateral agreement that covered the full loan amount.
Hana used her savings as collateral support for the business loan.
The firm offered collateral assets worth over two million dollars.
- secured
more general; 'a secured loan' means backed by collateral, but 'collateral loan' specifies the mechanism explicitly
- unsecured
a loan or debt not backed by any collateral
用法筆記
Almost always appears before a noun in compound phrases such as 'collateral loan', 'collateral security', or 'collateral agreement'. This sense is distinct from noun sense 1 (which names the property itself) because here 'collateral' describes the type of arrangement.
4. describing a blood vessel or nerve that develops alongside the main supply to cr
describing a blood vessel or nerve that develops alongside the main supply to create an alternative route, especially when the main route is blocked or narrowed.
Collateral blood vessels helped supply the heart muscle after the artery narrowed.
collateral + blood vessel / artery / circulation
The patient's body developed a collateral circulation to bypass the clot.
Regular exercise can stimulate the growth of collateral arteries in the legs.
Dr. Chen studied how collateral veins form around a blocked vein in the liver.
- accessory
broader anatomical term; 'collateral' specifies vessels running alongside the main route
用法筆記
Almost exclusively used in medical writing as a modifier before anatomical nouns. The related noun form (sense 2, 'BLOOD VESSEL') refers to the vessel itself, while this adjective describes its function or position.
5. linked by blood through a shared family origin but not through a parent-child ch
linked by blood through a shared family origin but not through a parent-child chain — for instance, a cousin or an aunt rather than a mother or grandfather.
The inheritance went to a collateral relative, a cousin twice removed.
collateral relative / heir / descendant
In Beatriz's family, collateral relatives like aunts and uncles help raise the children alongside parents.
The will named both direct and collateral heirs to the estate.
A collateral descendant of the poet attended the anniversary ceremony.
- indirect
broader meaning; 'collateral' is the precise legal term for non-direct-line relatives
用法筆記
This sense is most common in legal language about inheritance and family trees. A 'direct' relative is a parent, child, or grandchild; a 'collateral' relative is a sibling, cousin, aunt, or uncle.