temp
temp — noun
1. A person who is employed by a company on a short-term basis, often covering for
A person who is employed by a company on a short-term basis, often covering for a regular worker who is away or helping during particularly busy periods.
The office hired a temp to cover for Talia while she was on maternity leave.
hire a temp + purpose (to cover for someone)
Mark worked as a temp at several different law firms before finding a permanent job.
work as a temp + location
The manager asked the agency to send a temp for the end-of-year tax returns.
Hui enjoyed being a temp as it let her try different roles without long-term promises.
The company brought in a temp when the receptionist called in sick that morning.
- temporary worker
Full form of 'temp'; slightly more formal.
- contractor
Usually hired for a specific project with a defined end date, often self-employed.
- stand-in
Emphasizes replacing someone temporarily; common in performance or role contexts.
- permanent employee
A worker with a long-term or indefinite contract.
文法句型
a + temp
temp + noun (as modifier)
temp — verb
1. To take short-term jobs with different employers, typically arranged through an
To take short-term jobs with different employers, typically arranged through an agency, rather than holding a permanent position.
Élise has been temping at a publishing company while she looks for a full-time job.
temp at [company] — continuous form common
Ritu decided to temp for a while to gain experience in different industries.
temp for a while — duration
Joaquín temped in three different offices last month through the same agency.
After graduating, Nora spent a year temping in various government departments.
- freelance
Usually implies self-employment and choosing one's projects, not sent by an agency.
- work short-term
Descriptive phrase rather than a single-verb synonym.
文法句型
temp + for/in/at [place]
temp + as [role]
用法筆記
Commonly used in continuous forms (is temping / has been temping) to describe an ongoing situation rather than a one-time action.
常見錯誤
temp — abbreviation
1. A short way of writing 'temporary' in notes, signs, schedules, or job listings.
A short way of writing 'temporary' in notes, signs, schedules, or job listings.
The job advert said 'Temp position available — 3 months, possible extension.'
used in job advertisements
Putri wrote 'temp' next to the new hire's name to mark short-term status.
Sahil wrote 'temp staff' on the whiteboard to show which team members were short-term.
The sign on the desk read 'Temp workstation — please return by Friday.'
用法筆記
Often written in lower-case without a period in informal contexts. In formal writing, the full word 'temporary' is preferred.
2. A Latin word meaning 'in the time of', placed before a ruler's or historical fig
A Latin word meaning 'in the time of', placed before a ruler's or historical figure's name in scholarly citations to indicate when a document was written.
The footnote reads 'Smith, temp. William IV' to date the source to that king's reign.
temp. + ruler's name in citations
The editor marked the manuscript 'temp. Elizabeth I' in the bibliography for dating.
Historians use 'temp.' before a monarch's name to date old legal documents.
The archive catalogue listed the letter as 'temp. George III' in the description.
用法筆記
The full Latin word is 'tempore' (meaning 'in the time of'). It is almost entirely restricted to academic footnotes, bibliographies, and historical citations.