intake
intake — noun
1. The action of breathing in, by which air enters your lungs through the mouth or
The action of breathing in, by which air enters your lungs through the mouth or nose.
Caleb took a slow, deep intake of breath before stepping onto the stage.
collocation: deep intake of breath
The doctor asked for a quick intake of breath while she listened to my chest.
collocation: intake of breath + medical context
After the long run, Ingrid controlled her breath intake to slow her racing heart.
A sudden intake of cold air made Hassan cough during his morning run.
- inhalation
more technical/medical; 'inhalation' focuses on the physical process, while 'intake' is less formal
- breath
simpler and more general; 'take a breath' is the everyday alternative to 'take an intake of breath'
- exhalation
the act of breathing out
文法句型
intake of breath — used for the act of breathing in
用法筆記
This sense almost always appears in the phrase 'intake of breath' or as part of the compound 'breath intake.' It is rarely used without a modifier or a following 'of'-phrase.
常見錯誤
2. The quantity of food, drink, or other substance that someone consumes over a giv
The quantity of food, drink, or other substance that someone consumes over a given period.
Renata tracks her daily intake of sugar by reading food labels carefully.
daily intake of [substance] — quantifying consumption
The nurse advised Mark to reduce his salt intake to lower his blood pressure.
reduce one's [substance] intake
Ayana increased her water intake after the doctor said she was dehydrated.
High levels of caffeine intake can make it hard to fall asleep at night.
- consumption
broader — can refer to energy, resources, or goods, not just food/drink; 'consumption' is slightly more formal
- uptake
more technical, refers to absorption by the body's cells or tissues, not the act of eating/drinking
- dosage
only applies to measured amounts of medicine, not general food or drink
文法句型
[adjective] intake of [substance] — specifying what and how much is consumed
[verb] one's [adjective] intake — reducing or increasing consumption
用法筆記
Frequently used with a preceding modifier (daily, recommended, total) and a following 'of'-phrase specifying the substance. Common verbs: reduce, increase, track, limit, cut down on.
常見錯誤
3. How many people a school, university, or other organization admits during a sing
How many people a school, university, or other organization admits during a single enrolment period.
The university plans to increase its student intake by two hundred next year.
increase student intake — admissions planning
This college's annual intake of engineering students has doubled since 2021.
annual intake of [group] — specifying field and timeframe
Kian applied for the September intake at the business school in London.
The hospital's new intake of nursing staff starts training next Monday.
- admissions
refers to the process or the number itself; 'intake' emphasizes the cohort of people admitted in a given period
- cohort
more academic; focuses on the group as a unit for study or tracking, not the number
- enrollment
more common in American English; focuses on the total number registered
文法句型
[annual/September] intake — with a time modifier
intake of [students/staff/recruits] — specifying who is admitted
用法筆記
Commonly modified by a time reference (annual, September, new) or a field (student, nursing, engineering). In British English, 'intake' is especially common for university admissions cycles. Not typically used for individual admissions — it always refers to a group or a number.
常見錯誤
4. A component of a machine or engine designed to pull in air, fuel, or another flu
A component of a machine or engine designed to pull in air, fuel, or another fluid.
A piece of plastic got stuck in the engine's air intake, causing it to overheat.
air intake — part of an engine
The mechanic checked the intake valve for any cracks or leaks.
intake valve — compound noun for a machine part
Water entered the pump through the intake pipe near the riverbank.
Dust had clogged the intake filter of the air conditioning unit.
- exhaust
the outlet through which gases leave an engine
文法句型
[air/water/fuel] intake — specifying the type of fluid or gas
intake [valve/pipe/filter/manifold] — part of a machine or system
用法筆記
Common in technical or mechanical contexts. Often appears as part of a compound noun: air intake, intake valve, intake pipe, intake manifold. Distinguish from sense 1 (breathing), which refers to the act rather than the physical opening.