intelligence
intelligence — noun
1. The natural mental capacity that allows a person to learn new things, understand
The natural mental capacity that allows a person to learn new things, understand concepts, and reach sensible decisions using logical thinking.
The researchers tested the intelligence of fifty children between the ages of six and ten.
test + intelligence + of [group]
Ritu has shown remarkable intelligence in solving puzzles since she was very young.
Artificial intelligence is now able to translate conversations between different languages in real time.
It takes great intelligence to work through the complicated issues surrounding climate change.
Intelligence is shaped by both a person's genes and the environment they grow up in.
- intellect
emphasises the thinking and reasoning faculty specifically, often in formal or academic contexts
- cleverness
more informal; stresses quickness and practical problem-solving rather than deep reasoning
- brainpower
informal; refers to mental ability in a practical, everyday sense
常見錯誤
2. Secret facts gathered about a foreign government, especially an enemy one; also
Secret facts gathered about a foreign government, especially an enemy one; also used to refer to the organizations or people who collect such facts.
British intelligence warned the navy that enemy submarines had entered the North Sea.
intelligence + warned [someone] + that-clause
Theo works for an intelligence agency that monitors signals from satellites around the world.
collocation: intelligence agency
Intelligence gathered from phone calls helped the local police prevent the planned robbery.
The general received intelligence that the enemy was planning to attack the camp at dawn.
- espionage
refers to the activity of spying rather than the information itself
- surveillance
the act of close observation, not the intelligence product
- classified information
broader term for any officially secret data, not limited to foreign governments
- disinformation
false information deliberately spread to mislead, especially by governments or intelligence agencies
用法筆記
Frequently appears in compound nouns such as intelligence agency, intelligence report, and intelligence officer. When referring to the organization (e.g., 'Intelligence believes the threat is real'), the word functions as a collective noun and takes a singular verb.
常見錯誤
3. News or facts about recent happenings that are considered important or noteworth
News or facts about recent happenings that are considered important or noteworthy.
According to intelligence from the region, the peace talks between the two sides have resumed.
according to + intelligence + from [place]
The investment firm had no intelligence of the merger until the deal was made public.
have no intelligence of [event]
Intelligence arriving from the capital suggested that a new education law would pass soon.
The reporter shared the latest intelligence on the election results during the evening broadcast.
- news
more common and neutral; everyday term for recent events
- information
broader; can refer to any facts, not necessarily recent or important
- report
a structured account of events, often from an official source
用法筆記
This sense overlaps with news and information. It is less common in everyday conversation than sense 1 or sense 2 and appears mostly in formal or journalistic registers. Distinguish from sense 2: sense 3 refers to general (non-secret) information about events, while sense 2 is limited to classified or confidential material.