destine

destine — verb

1. to be controlled by fate so that a particular event is certain to happen in some

1.動詞及物C2
釋義

to be controlled by fate so that a particular event is certain to happen in someone's life, especially something important that cannot be avoided.

例句

From a young age, people said Adina was destined to become a great musician.

be destined + to-infinitive for fate-driven outcome

The old wooden ship seemed destined to sink on its very first journey.

同義詞
  • predetermined

    more neutral, can refer to cause-and-effect rather than fate

  • fated

    more dramatic, strongly tied to destiny or luck

  • foreordained

    religious or spiritual tone

文法句型

be destined + to-infinitive

be destined + for + noun phrase

it is/was destined that + clause

用法筆記

Always passive. The focus is on events controlled by fate or a higher power, not by human planning. This sense is common in literary and narrative contexts.

常見錯誤

❌She destined to win the award.
✅She was destined to win the award.
💡'destine' is nearly always used in the passive voice.
❌He is destining to be a leader.
✅He is destined to be a leader.
💡'destine' is never used in continuous (-ing) forms.

2. to be planned or chosen in advance for a particular career, function, or positio

2.動詞及物C1
釋義

to be planned or chosen in advance for a particular career, function, or position, usually as a result of human decisions or training.

例句

After years of training, João was destined to take over the family farm.

be destined + to-infinitive for planned role

The money collected last year was destined for the new children's hospital.

同義詞
  • designated

    more official and formal, implies a clear decision

  • assigned

    more neutral, common in work and education contexts

  • earmarked

    mainly for funds or resources, less personal

文法句型

be destined + for + noun phrase

be destined + to-infinitive

用法筆記

Always passive. Unlike sense 1 (PREDESTINED BY FATE), this sense refers to plans made by people or institutions — a career path, a designated use, or an assigned role.

常見錯誤

❌The government destined the land for a park.
✅The land was destined for a park.
💡Active use is extremely rare; use passive instead.
❌João destined to run the restaurant.
✅João was destined to run the restaurant.
💡The auxiliary 'was' (or 'were') is required.

3. to be reserved or separated from other things for a specific use, goal, or desti

3.動詞及物C1
釋義

to be reserved or separated from other things for a specific use, goal, or destination, often by deliberate choice.

例句

A quiet corner of the studio was destined to become Yuna's painting space.

be destined + to-infinitive for reserved purpose

The old wooden boards were destined for the shelves in the living room.

同義詞
  • reserved

    less formal, common in everyday contexts

  • set aside

    phrasal verb, less formal than 'destined'

  • earmarked

    especially for funds, resources, or items

文法句型

be destined + for + noun phrase

be destined + to-infinitive

用法筆記

Always passive. This sense emphasises a concrete separation or reservation — setting something aside for a practical purpose rather than an abstract fate or career path.