rotate
rotate — verb
1. to move or make something move in a circle around a fixed central point, like a
to move or make something move in a circle around a fixed central point, like a wheel turning on its axle or the Earth spinning on its axis
The Earth rotates on its axis once every twenty-four hours, producing day and night.
rotate on [something] for a fixed centre of rotation
Asher slowly rotated the wooden globe to show the class where Japan is located.
Mizuki rotated the handle of the old coffee grinder until the beans turned to powder.
The helicopter blades began to rotate faster as the pilot lifted off from the pad.
Kabir rotated the telescope to focus on the bright red spot near the moon.
- stay still
remain in one position without turning
- stop
cease movement
文法句型
rotate + adverb of direction/speed
rotate + object + around/on + noun
用法筆記
In the intransitive use, the subject is the thing that turns (wheel, Earth, blades). In the transitive use, someone turns an object. Common with adverbs of direction: clockwise, anticlockwise, slowly, quickly.
常見錯誤
2. to take turns doing a particular job or task, so that different people do the wo
to take turns doing a particular job or task, so that different people do the work at different times in a regular order
The store manager rotates the staff between the morning and evening shifts each week.
rotate + people + between + [two options]
Adaeze and her three housemates rotate the cooking duties so no one cooks every night.
At the hospital, the nurses rotate among different departments to gain experience in each area.
The leadership role rotates among the senior team members once every year.
Eve and her colleagues rotate who answers the phone during the lunch hour.
- take turns
less formal, more common in everyday conversation
- alternate
implies a pattern of two people or groups swapping
文法句型
rotate + noun (jobs/duties/shifts)
rotate among + group
rotate between + two things
用法筆記
Frequently used with words for duties or jobs (roles, shifts, responsibilities, chores). The group affected is introduced with among or between.
常見錯誤
3. to grow different types of crops one after another in the same field to keep the
to grow different types of crops one after another in the same field to keep the soil healthy and reduce pest problems
The Nguyen family rotates their fields between rice and beans to keep the soil healthy.
rotate fields + between + [crop types]
Mira's grandfather rotates corn, wheat, and soybeans on his farm every growing season.
If farmers do not rotate their crops, the soil slowly loses important minerals over time.
Piotr rotates vegetables in his garden so the same pests do not return each year.
Organic farms often rotate leafy greens with root vegetables to maintain balanced soil nutrients.
- crop rotation practice
the noun form of the same concept
- monocrop
grow the same crop in the same field repeatedly
文法句型
rotate + crops / fields
rotate + between + crops
用法筆記
Almost always used transitively with crops, fields, or plants as the object. The purpose is typically explained with to-infinitive: to keep soil healthy, to prevent pests.
常見錯誤
rotate — adjective
1. describes plant parts, such as leaves or petals, that lie flat in a circle aroun
describes plant parts, such as leaves or petals, that lie flat in a circle around the centre and point outward, like the ribs of an open fan
The rotate leaves spread from the stem like the ribs of an open umbrella.
rotate + noun (leaves / petals) — attributive botanical use
Under the microscope, the rotate petals formed a shape like a five-pointed star.
Stephanie sketched a rotate flower whose flat petals spread from a centre like wheel spokes.
Botanists classify many daisy-like flowers as rotate because the petals radiate from the centre.
The field guide puts flowers with flat, wheel-shaped rotate petals on one page for comparison.
文法句型
rotate + noun (leaves / petals / flowers)
用法筆記
A technical botanical term rarely used outside plant description. The word always comes before the noun it describes.