energy
energy — noun
1. the natural strength in your body and mind that lets you stay active, do things,
the natural strength in your body and mind that lets you stay active, do things, and avoid getting tired too quickly.
After a good night's sleep, Felipe woke up feeling full of energy.
full of energy — having a lot of strength
Rania put all her energy into training for the marathon.
put + all [possessive] energy into [activity]
Tyler didn't have the energy to walk to the shop, so he stayed home.
The children ran around the yard with so much energy that their grandmother laughed.
Even at seventy, Tariro has the energy of someone half her age.
文法句型
have / lack / need + energy
full of + energy
put / pour + energy + into + [noun/gerund]
用法筆記
Common with quantifiers like 'lots of', 'so much', 'no', or 'enough'. The collocation 'put energy into' always requires a target activity after 'into'.
常見錯誤
2. the determination, enthusiasm, and effort that you choose to put into achieving
the determination, enthusiasm, and effort that you choose to put into achieving something difficult or important.
The team's energy carried them through the final ten minutes of the match.
[team/group]'s energy — collective determination
Eliska directed all her energy into building a small online business.
direct / channel + energy into [goal]
Adina's speech was full of energy and made the audience want to take action.
Mei-Lin poured all her energy into studying for the medical school entrance exam every night.
Tomas directed his energy toward renovating the old house he bought near the river.
- drive
emphasises strong internal motivation to achieve; 'energy' can be directed externally
- enthusiasm
focuses on eager enjoyment rather than sustained effort
- determination
emphasises firmness of purpose; 'energy' adds the idea of active effort
- apathy
lack of interest or motivation, the direct opposite of putting in effort
文法句型
direct / channel / focus + energy + into/toward + [goal]
with + energy + [verb]
take / require + energy + to-infinitive
用法筆記
Frequently appears with verbs of direction: 'direct', 'channel', 'focus', or 'put' followed by 'into' or 'toward'. Unlike sense 1 (PERSONAL VIGOR), this sense emphasises deliberate application of effort toward a specific outcome rather than general physical capacity.
常見錯誤
3. power that comes from resources like electricity, oil, or gas and is used to run
power that comes from resources like electricity, oil, or gas and is used to run machines, provide light, or heat buildings.
Sahil's house runs entirely on solar energy from panels on the roof.
solar / wind / renewable energy — source modifier
The government is investing more money in clean energy sources like wind power.
Turning off the lights when you leave a room helps save energy.
Yumi switched to an energy company that uses only renewable sources.
The factory produces its own energy from waste materials.
文法句型
[source] + energy
save / conserve / generate / produce + energy
energy + from + [source]
energy + bill / company / supply
用法筆記
Commonly modified by a source noun: 'solar energy', 'wind energy', 'nuclear energy', 'renewable energy'. Used with verbs such as 'save', 'conserve', 'produce', 'generate', and 'consume'. In Taiwan, 'energy' often appears in compounds like 'energy policy' (能源政策) and 'energy saving' (節能).
常見錯誤
4. the distinctive mood or emotional quality that a person, group, or place gives o
the distinctive mood or emotional quality that a person, group, or place gives off without using words.
There was a strange energy in the room after the argument ended.
The old town has a creative energy that attracts artists and musicians.
a [adjective] energy — describing atmosphere
Iris felt a positive energy the moment she walked into the studio.
Aaron's energy is so calm that everyone feels relaxed around him.
The office had a tense energy after the manager announced the changes.
- atmosphere
more neutral and formal than 'energy'; describes the general character of a place
- vibe
informal synonym for 'energy'; common in casual conversation
- aura
suggests a somewhat mystical quality, more figurative than 'energy'
文法句型
[adjective] + energy
energy + of + [place/person]
feel / sense + energy
用法筆記
Subject is typically a place (room, city, office) or a person's character. Almost always paired with an adjective that specifies the quality of the atmosphere ('positive energy', 'bad energy', 'creative energy', 'tense energy'). More common in informal or conversational English than in formal writing.
常見錯誤
5. a scientific quantity that measures how much work matter or radiation can perfor
a scientific quantity that measures how much work matter or radiation can perform, with standard units such as joules or calories.
In physics class, the students learned how to calculate kinetic energy.
kinetic / potential / thermal energy — scientific types
In the school lab, Zahra watched the swinging pendulum change kinetic energy into potential energy.
kinetic / potential energy — energy transformation in a physical system
A ball held above the ground stores potential energy because of its height.
Heat energy from the sun travels through space and warms the Earth.
文法句型
[type] + energy
energy is + [verb] + [property]
conservation of + energy
energy + [verb] + from/to
用法筆記
A formal technical term in physics. Common collocations: 'kinetic energy', 'potential energy', 'thermal energy', 'chemical energy', 'conservation of energy'. The law of conservation of energy is a fundamental principle stating that energy changes form but is never lost.