sanctuary
sanctuary — adjective
1. describing a city or local government that chooses to cooperate only to a limite
describing a city or local government that chooses to cooperate only to a limited degree with federal authorities when they carry out national immigration rules.
The city council voted to keep its sanctuary status despite pressure from the state government.
collocation: sanctuary status
Portland has been a sanctuary city since the early nineteen-eighties.
Rodrigo wrote a report comparing the policies of five different sanctuary cities.
Critics argue that sanctuary laws make it harder for federal agents to do their job.
文法句型
sanctuary + noun
用法筆記
Attributive only — always placed before a noun (sanctuary city, sanctuary policy). Almost exclusively used in American political contexts.
常見錯誤
sanctuary — noun
1. a place where a person or animal can escape danger, pursuit, or harm — or the sa
a place where a person or animal can escape danger, pursuit, or harm — or the safety that such a place provides.
The church offered sanctuary to families who had lost their homes in the earthquake.
collocation: offer sanctuary
Kofi sought sanctuary at the embassy after the fighting reached his street.
collocation: seek sanctuary
For a shy teenager, the school library can feel like the only sanctuary.
The cave provided a temporary sanctuary for the hikers during the thunderstorm.
The new law grants sanctuary to refugees fleeing political persecution.
文法句型
seek + sanctuary
find + sanctuary
offer + sanctuary
sanctuary + from
用法筆記
Uncountable when referring to the abstract concept of safety ('they sought sanctuary'), countable when referring to a specific location ('this cave is a sanctuary').
常見錯誤
2. an area of land or water where wild birds, animals, or sea life are kept safe fr
an area of land or water where wild birds, animals, or sea life are kept safe from hunting, habitat destruction, and other human threats.
The wildlife sanctuary in northern Thailand cares for rescued elephants and tigers.
collocation: wildlife sanctuary
Volunteers at the bird sanctuary tag migrating geese every spring.
collocation: bird sanctuary
Apinya worked at a sea turtle sanctuary on the coast of Malaysia.
The government expanded the forest sanctuary to protect the endangered orangutans.
文法句型
wildlife/bird/marine + sanctuary
sanctuary + for [species]
常見錯誤
3. the most sacred area within a church, temple, or other religious building, typic
the most sacred area within a church, temple, or other religious building, typically where the altar is located and where only clergy may enter.
Only the senior priest is allowed to enter the inner sanctuary of the temple.
collocation: inner sanctuary
The marble altar stands at the centre of the cathedral's sanctuary.
Worshippers paused at the entrance of the sanctuary and lowered their heads.
The ancient sanctuary was lit only by a single oil lamp hanging from the ceiling.
- sanctum
rare and more formal; often used metaphorically
- holy of holies
specifically Jewish or metaphorical; very formal
文法句型
the + sanctuary + of + [building]
inner + sanctuary
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 4: this sense refers to a specific part within a religious building (the holiest area), whereas sense 4 refers to the whole building used for worship.
4. a building or structure that a religious community uses for ceremonies, prayer,
a building or structure that a religious community uses for ceremonies, prayer, and worship — for example, a church, temple, or mosque.
The small wooden sanctuary could seat no more than fifty people.
Mayumi helps her mother clean the sanctuary at their church every Sunday morning.
The Buddhist sanctuary sits quietly on a hill surrounded by cherry trees.
The town built a new sanctuary after the old one was damaged in the storm.
文法句型
[determiner] + sanctuary + [verb]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 3: this sense means the whole building used for worship (a church, temple, mosque), while sense 3 refers specifically to the most holy inner part of such a building.