treadmill

treadmill — noun

1. a job or daily activity that feels like it never ends, giving you no sense of ac

1.名詞B2
釋義

a job or daily activity that feels like it never ends, giving you no sense of achievement and wearing you out because you repeat the same tasks over and over

例句

Asher felt trapped in the daily treadmill of commuting, meetings, and paperwork.

daily treadmill of + [routine activities]

The endless nine-to-five treadmill left Rodrigo too drained to enjoy his weekends.

同義詞
  • grind

    Focuses on the difficulty and drudgery of the work; 'grind' can be a noun or verb

  • rut

    Emphasises being stuck in a pattern you cannot escape; suggests boredom more than exhaustion

  • rat race

    Refers specifically to competitive corporate or urban life, not to routine tasks in general

  • hamster wheel

    Informal and more vivid; stresses the idea of effort without real progress

文法句型

a/the treadmill of [noun phrase]

用法筆記

Often used in the pattern "the treadmill of + noun phrase" to describe an unending cycle of tasks. The word is usually singular in this figurative sense.

常見錯誤

❌I am tired of the treadmill' (too vague).
✅I am tired of the daily treadmill of paperwork and phone calls.
💡Specify what the repetitive cycle consists of using 'of + noun phrase'.
❌My job is a treadmill work' (wrong word form).
✅My job has become a treadmill.
💡'Treadmill' is a noun, not an adjective.

2. a piece of gym equipment with a motorised belt that moves under your feet, allow

2.名詞B1
釋義

a piece of gym equipment with a motorised belt that moves under your feet, allowing you to walk or run in one place without moving forward

例句

Kenji spends thirty minutes on the treadmill every morning before breakfast.

on the treadmill + time duration

The gym recently installed twelve new treadmills with built-in screens and wireless charging pads.

同義詞
  • running machine

    Common synonym in British English; less technical than 'treadmill'

  • elliptical trainer

    A different gym machine that uses a gliding foot motion rather than a moving belt

  • exercise bike

    A stationary bike for cardio; different motion but same purpose of indoor exercise

文法句型

on a/the treadmill

use a treadmill

用法筆記

Can refer to both manual (non-motorised) and motorised machines. Common in medical contexts: a 'treadmill test' or 'stress test' measures heart function while the patient walks.

常見錯誤

❌He treadmills every evening' (wrong verb form).
✅He runs on the treadmill every evening.
💡'Treadmill' is a noun; use 'use a treadmill' or 'run on the treadmill' for the action.
❌I bought a new treadmill belt' (unclear meaning).
✅I bought a new treadmill for my home gym.
💡'Treadmill belt' refers to the moving strip, not the whole machine.

3. a large stepped wheel that people or animals once walked on to drive machinery,

3.名詞C1
釋義

a large stepped wheel that people or animals once walked on to drive machinery, often used in earlier centuries as a form of hard labour for prisoners

例句

In Victorian prisons, inmates worked on a treadmill for up to ten hours a day.

work on a treadmill — historical punishment sense

The museum shows a treadwheel that prisoners turned by climbing its wooden steps.

同義詞
  • treadwheel

    Alternative name for the same historical device; more specific to the wheel design

  • prison treadmill

    Emphasises the punitive context; distinguishes from the exercise machine

文法句型

work on a/the treadmill

put [sb] on a/the treadmill

用法筆記

Also called a 'treadwheel' or 'prison treadmill.' This historical device is where the word originated, and it is distinct from the modern exercise machine. Do not confuse with 'water wheel,' which uses water flow rather than human weight.

常見錯誤

❌Prisoners ran on the treadmill to stay fit.
✅Prisoners were made to walk on the treadmill as a form of hard labour.
💡The historical treadmill was a punishment device, not voluntary exercise.
❌Victorian treadmills were used to generate electricity.
✅Victorian treadmills were used to grind grain or pump water.
💡They provided mechanical power for simple tasks, not electricity.